SUNNY on SUNDAY [Week four]

Such a simple and cute craft and a good way to declutter the cabinets. Just hammer nails into a piece of wood leaving room for the mug handle to hang and voila! In the picture I just put nails straight into our food shelf. I also have a small board in my room that I painted stripes on and hung a few of my favorites!

HAPPY SUNDAY!

FOODIE FAV FRIDAY [Week four]

Perfect recipe for when you can't shake that late night sweet tooth! I have a sweet tooth like no one I've ever met, so I've done lots of experimenting with sweets that won't ruin a hard days work! I've been loving this lately:

Midnight Monkey Smoothie:

one banana 

one and a half cups of unsweetened soy milk 

one spoonful of coconut almond butter

four drops of vanilla extract 

dash of cinnamon 

ice cups 

WORK IT OUT WEDNESDAY [Week four]

I am so lucky to have a mom that has set the perfect example of nutrition and fitness for me. Mom is an endless source of knowledge and information on the latest health updates and Pilates poses. A few weeks ago I was having a stressful day, and I was telling my mom how much better I felt after I went for a run. She said "Don't you feel sorry for people that don't work out? How do they release all that stress?" Working out is about much more than dropping pounds for us.. This is why we work:

1. To feel great all day

2. Crave less junk food

3. Confidence and Strength

4. So Much Energy 

5. Stress reliever 

6. To clear our heads

On Mondays We MOTIVATE [Week four]

SUNNY on SUNDAY [Week Three]

TOP FIVE REASONS TO TRAVEL: 

1.  I'll start with the obvious: because it is so fun! Many of my fondest memories have been made on vacations or road trips just seeing new things and getting lost in new places with people that I love! 

2. Travel opens our eyes to the fact that there is so much more to the world than the small bubble we live in. Not everyone is like us, and it's really interesting to see how other people go about their daily routines. 

3. Traveling is a chance to change your routine. Just disconnect and relax for a little bit away from everything! 

4. Sometimes getting away gives you a clear head about things going on at home. You are able to separate the petty things from the important things. Also, as much fun as it is to travel it also makes you appreciate how nice it is to be home! 

5. The memories you make traveling will last much longer than material things. Traveling is expensive, but if you plan ahead and save up a little at a time it is so worth it. 

FOODIE FAV FRIDAY [Week three]

ingredients:sweet potato,avocado,corn,black beans,salsa,greek yogurt

WORK IT OUT WEDNESDAY [Week three]

Doing the same workout routine gets boring and repetitive. It's also good to do different things to keep your body challenged!

My top 3 GO TO links when I need new workout inspiration:
http://toneitup.com
http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com

On Mondays We MOTIVATE [Week three]

I am quickly approaching the end of my college years. With less than a month left of my senior year at LSU I've been having a lot of anxiety about saying good bye to my time here that I love so so much. I know that everyone is not at this point in there life, but I do think it can translate to a message that everyone can relate to. I have promised myself that I am not going to be sad about college coming to an end, but I am going to spend the rest of the month, summer, and hopefully my entire life striving to live in the moment. I want to soak up every last moment and fill it with pure joy and happiness. I am learning to take life as it comes. Life all falls into place as it is supposed to, and with the right mindset every chapter in life will bring new and amazing adventures. 

I know it's deep thoughts to start off the week, but that's where I am at! 

Here's to living for the day [[even if it's a monday]] :) 

SUNNY on SUNDAY [Week Two]

CRAFTING

Not sure what to do with all of those extra mardi gras beads? Turn it into a work of art! I ordered a wooden cutout on etsy. They have anything you could possible want for very cheap! Super easy project just spray paint the wood, cut the beads and glue them on the wood!! Great pop of color for any room! 

FOODIE FAV FRIDAY [Week Two]

Introducing Our [NOT SO] GUILTY Breakfast PLEASURES

SUMMER STATE OF MIND SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

One BIG handful of kale

One BIG handful of fresh spinach

1 banana

About 6 chunks of pineapple

2 cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Chia seeds (optional)

5 cubes of ice

Now just blend all of these up! I usually drink this for breakfast so I add the chia seeds for energy but you can add or takeout whatever you like!

GEAUX BANANASSS
CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA QUINOA BAKE
***family size recipe***

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained well

            3 cups water

            dash salt

            6 eggs

            1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond milk

            1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

            1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

            1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup

            3 bananas, mashed

            1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Bring water to boil; add quinoa and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Remove lid and spoon quinoa into a large mixing bowl. Let cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, almond milk, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup. Add to quinoa and mix well. Gently stir in mashed bananas and chocolate chips. Spoon into individual baking dishes or one large baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until breakfast bake is set.

WORK IT OUT WEDNESDAY [Week two]

You don't have to hate working out. There IS something that you love that is active. If you haven't found it yet it's not to late to start looking. Change your mindset and it will change your life. 

Fun activities you can do to burn cals!

skip, bike, canoe, dance, relay race, jump rope, trampoline, pool-ates, walk around the mall [aka SHOP], boxing, tennis, golf, soccer, basketball, volleyball

We're never too old to do the things we loved when we were little or play sports we loved in high school! Cut the excuses and get active. It feels great!

Hiking adventures in Austin, Tx

On Mondays We MOTIVATE [Week two]

Each morning we are born again. It is what we do today that matters most. 

Live less out of habit and more out of intent. 

Girls compete with each other. Women empower one another. 

I believe the world is as we choose to view it. Our happiness is in the end up to us and no one else. 

Here's some food for thought for the week ahead! Happy Monday! 

SUNNY on SUNDAY [Week one]

Although most of my playlists are pump up workout mixes, country music is where my heart truly lies. Nothing better than long, sunny, singin out loud drives!

Click the link below to view/follow the playlist on spotify!!
Sweet Summertime Playlist

FOODIE FAV FRIDAY [Week One]

I'd like to introduce y'all to one of my very best friends [[who also happens to be an awesome chef]]! I tried this salmon recipe at her house the other day, and I had to get her to share!! Seriously the best! 

____________________________________________

Honey Salmon with Pineapple Avocado Salsa

Pineapple Avocado Salsa

About 10 chunks of pineapple (I buy them already cut so just eyeball it)

1 Avocado, cut into small dice

One fresh chopped jalapeno (a whole one was a little too spicy for me so just depends on your preference)

Fresh juice from 2 lemons

2-3 tps of raw honey

½ tps of sea salt

 Honey Salmon

1 portion of salmon

¼ cup raw honey

1 tbs. olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

sprinkle of salt and pepper

1 tbs. garlic powder

 Instructions

            Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, garlic powder, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste. Place salmon onto prepared baking sheet and fold up all 4 sides of the foil. Spoon the honey mixture over the salmon. Fold the sides of the foil over the salmon, covering completely and sealing the packet closed. Place into oven and bake until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.

*While the salmon is cooking, start on the pineapple avocado salsa! (YUM) Combine all of the salsa ingredients in a medium bowl.  Taste to make sure you like it and don’t need to add anything!

Now just wait until the salmon is ready and put the salsa on top! I put fresh spinach under the salmon to add some extra leafy greens!

That’s it! Hope you LOVE it as much as I do!

WORK IT OUT WEDNESDAY [Week One]

Take your workout outside!!!

The inspiration from this workout came from Tread instructor Daurie's Bootcamp style class called CamoTread. We did THE DECK OF CARDS workout. It is among the most feared at TreadBR!!

WHAT YOU NEED: deck of cards, mat, weights

HOW IT WORKS: Choose four different exercises. Each exercise will represent one suit in the deck of cards. [ex. spade=squat jump  heart=bicycle  diamond=diamond pushup  club=spiderman] The number will represent how many reps you will do of the exercise. Jacks and Queens = 11. Kings and Aces =12.
Example from round one: when a 4 of spades was pulled we did 4 squat jumps.


WHAT WE DID:
just to keep things interesting I divided the deck into 3 piles and created 3 rounds with different workouts [pictured below]

ROUND ONE: GO THROUGH FIRST STACK OF CARDS
                          RUN FOR 8 MINUTES

ROUND TWO: GO THROUGH SECOND STACK OF CARDS
                         RELAY SPRINT WITH YOUR PARTNER
[[we just found a straight patch of land and tagged off. each of us did 5 sprints then we jogged back to the house]]

ROUND THREE: LAST STACK OF CARDS
                             STRETCH



****If we were getting a whole lot of one exercise in a stack and not a lot of the others I would edit the exercise every now and then.



I really enjoyed this work out!! Hope y'all like!