booty blast circuit workout & weekly meals

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If you're anything like me, you took the weekend off from working out. Oops. And now it is Monday and you need a good workout that will get you back on track. I have been searching for a really great butt workout, and I think I have found a winner. I did this twice last week and my booty was SORE. Beware of the "fire hydrants" - they hurt!

Here it is:

• 20 squats
• 20 plie squats
• 20 donkey kicks per side
• 20 fire hydrants per side
• 20 circling donkey kids per side
• 20 frog jumps
• 20 side lunges per side
• 30 alternating split jumps
• 30 skaters
• 30 hip lifts
• 20 lunge kicks per side

Do this circuit 3 times and your booty will be burning!

My husband and I are doing a "drop 5" [pounds] challenge this week. OK, 5 pounds might be a bit much but we lovingly name it drop 5 in order to keep healthy eating and exercise top of mind. In addition to our daily circuit workouts, we have to eat well as part of the challenge. Only trace amounts of dairy and refined sugar will make their way into my shopping cart this week.

Here's what I have in mind. I usually have leftovers for lunch, so that category is not included.

Breakfast:

• Coffee or chai tea with almond milk and a dash of cinnamon
• Green smoothie with spinach, banana, orange and protein powder
• Scrambled eggs with diced veggies
• Husband - cottage cheese with mandarin oranges (cottage cheese is not my thing)

Snacks:

• Trail mix with almonds, dried cranberries and pretzels
• Apple and pretzels
• Protein shake
• Guacamole
• Grapes

Dinner:

• Spinach salad with baked chicken, avocado, slivered almonds and dried cranberries
• Chicken stir-fry with bell peppers, onion, and broccoli
• Parmesan crusted chicken with sweet potato and broccoli (using this Weight Watchers chicken recipe)
• Salmon with avocado-mango salsa

re-creating outfits

Some Saturday mornings are simply meant for drinking coffee and online shopping. Today is one of those Saturdays. Finding separates is a breeze, but I often struggle with putting outfits together. Pinterest is a great source for inspiration, but many times it is challenging to find affordable pieces to re-create the outfit. I thought I'd give it a try. The links will take you directly to the item. Happy shopping!

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Grey sweater: Forever 21
White wide leg pants: LOFT
Flat sandals: Zappos
Hat: Forever 21

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White blazer: Banana Republic *investment piece - higher quality so it's a bit more expensive
Striped shirt: LOFT - now 50% off
Green pants: Old Navy
Belt: Forever 21
Bracelet: Banana Republic

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Pink blazer: LOFT
White dress: Forever 21
Clutch: Banana Republic
Bracelet: Forever 21

dare to dream and find success

"She wasn't where she had been.

She wasn't where she was going,

but she was on her way."

- Jodi Hills

I love the quote above. I find it both encouraging and comforting because it hits close to home. Everyone has a different definition of success - both professionally and personally. We all know that success comes with very hard work, and that "nothing worth having ever comes easy." I have to remind myself of this mantra all the time, however I still give up too easily. Sometimes I won't even try something because I am scared to fail. But what do I have to lose? Do we get in the way of achieving our own success? Do we sabotage ourselves - perhaps even subconsciously? I know I do. 

In order to get myself back on the path of becoming the successful woman I know I can be, I am going to spend some time answering these questions:

What makes me feel great about myself?
What do I want my life to look like? 

What don't I want my life to look like?

What am I naturally good at?

What am I most often complimented on?

What do others look to me for?

What do I have the most fun doing?

What ideas, things, places and people am I most inspired by?

Here are some other things that will help you dare to dream and find your way to success:
Be able to laugh at yourself and learn to control your anger and/or disappointment when you fail. Emotions will get the best of you sometimes, after all, we are human. Resist resentment and practice forgiveness - to others AND yourself. Surround yourself with people who lift you up, not those who drag you down. Be a breath or fresh air to those around you by displaying kindness, peace, compassion, grace and beauty.

Most importantly, believe in yourself and keep going. Don't give up on and fight for who you are. Remember, you've got to go through the worst times in life to get to the best. Set your sights high and do not get distracted by smaller goals and endless to-do's. If the first 20 doors don't open, perhaps the 21st will. But you will never know until you knock on the door.

I am nowhere near where I want to be yet, but I know I'll get there. I have to tell myself everyday to take risks and keep knocking on those doors. Always do your best and create the life you want to live! 

focus on: south africa (part 1)

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We are moving to South Africa for a year, so I thought I'd do some regular posts on the country. I know very little about it and will be doing a lot of research in the upcoming weeks, so this will be a good place for me to share what I've learned. Wikipedia, Google, and Pinterest here I come!

South Africa (officially called the Republic of South Africa) is located at the southernmost point of Africa and is the 25th largest country in the world by area. The countries that border South Africa are Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Swaiziland. Losotho is an enclave surrounded by South African Territory.

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General Info:

• More than 51 million people live in SA - 80% of the population is of black ancestry
• 11 languages are nationally recognized; Most people speak English, but the most popular languages are Zulu, Xhosa, and Afrikaans
• Currency - South African Rand (ZAR). The current exchange rate is 1 USD = 9.1797 ZAR
• Mining - world's largest producer of platinum (hi honey, are you reading???!!!!!) and chromium
• Winters occur between June and August, so we'll be going right into another winter. Hello, self tanner!
• Johannesburg is the largest city, followed by Soweto and Cape Town
• Food is diverse but highly meat-based. Braals, or barbeques, are common social gatherings
• The country has become a major wine producer and has many vineyards
• The most popular sports are soccer, rugby, and cricket
• Kruger National Park has the greatest diversity of wildlife on the continent
• South Africa supplies 2/3 of Africa's electricity
• It is home to the second highest waterfall in the world, Tugela Falls
• There are more than 2,000 shipwrecks off the coast of South Africa dating back 500 years
• 80% of the population is Christian
• You can drink the tap water unless you are in rural areas
• There are three major airports

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Politics:

• There are three capital cities
• Cape Town - legislative capital and seat of Parliament
• Pretoria - administrative capital and seat of President and Cabinet. *considered true capital
• Bloemfontein - judicial capital and sea of the Supreme Court of Appeal
• It is a democracy, where the President is both head of state and head of government but depends heavily on the confidence of Parliament. Elections are every five years. The current president is Jacob Zuma, who has been sworn in since May 2009
• The highest law of the land is the Constitution, which was "born" on February of 1997. It is regarded as an example to the world 
• There are 13 political parties in Parliament
• Until 1994, the country was known for apartheid (which is basically when the white minority ruthlessly controlled the vastly larger black majority. This was a very dark time in the country's history)

Part 2 coming soon...

the start of a new month

I hope you had a nice and relaxing Easter weekend. Ours was low-key since we are still puppy sitting Buster, the Boston Terrier. When you have your own dog, I suspect that you get used to leaving it at home  - but we felt guilty! I was also worried that he would have an "accident" or destroy something if he was alone. Cleaning up after a puppy is not fun, I tell ya.

Don't forget that today is April Fool's Day. Even if you are not a prankster, someone may be planning a prank on you so it's good to be aware. Ha! Here is a prank I've always wanted to try...

{rubber band on spray nozzle - via}

But this year, I just feel like this...

(Someecards - their cards are the best}

It is also the start of another month and a perfect time to turn over a new leaf. Here are a few ways I plan to make it an Amazing April:

• Schedule a weekend trip away before we move
• Workout 4-5 times per week to relieve stress
• Try a few new recipes
• Buy a new laptop
• Invest in new stocks and/or mutual fund
• Buy a coffee press
• Finally rollover my 401k into my IRA
• Visit AAA and get my international driver's license

In other news, my March Madness bracket has proven very disappointing - BUT Louisville is holding strong! Did you see Kevin Ware's horrifying leg injury in the Louisville vs. Duke game? It made me nauseous. They say he'll be out for at least a year.

Did you hear about the Exxon oil spill in Arkansas?

Can you believe a photo taken by an iPhone and edited with Instagram is on the cover of NY Times? Here's the article.

Have a great Monday!

saturday wants

I am continuing Mission Stock-Up for items I will need in South Africa. Okay, maybe I don't "need" this stuff, but I have no idea what stores they have over there. Since I cannot take my entire wardrobe, I am trying to stock up on neutrals that i can style with accessories such as jewelry, belts, and scarves.

Here are a few things I have my eye on...

{Brightly-colored floral scarf from Loft}

{white skinny jeans from Forever 21}

{neutral flat from Zappos}

{black cardigan from Target}

if we were having coffee

After yesterday's post about coffee, I thought it was perfect timing to start a new series called if we were having coffee. In these posts, I will tell you what's on my mind as if we were sitting together at our favorite coffee shop. I saw this on Eat, Live, Run and loved the idea. Let's see how it goes!

If we were having coffee...

• I would say happy Good Friday and tell you that I've been thanking God all week for the blessings in my life. I'm trying to overlook all the bad and focus on the good. 
• I would tell you that I got my eyebrows threaded for the first time yesterday. I'm thrilled with the results AND it was only $8 and took 10 minutes. 
• I would tell you about the 9-month old boston terrier, Buster, that we have been watching all week. He is as sweet as he can be, but he is a pain in the rear! We have gone through a half can of carpet cleaner already.
• I would ask you if you watched this week's Nashville and then go on (and on) about how Rayna and Deacon should be together. And what a jerk Teddy is. And how it bothers me that Juliet is so mean in the beginning of every episode, but gets nice by the end. Pick a side, Juliet!
• We would talk about the circuit workout I did last night with a deck of cards. I would tell you that burpee box jumps are really tough. I will do a post on this soon!
• I would tell you that I am very stressed out about the upcoming move to South Africa. So much to do in so little time. Even though it's only for a year, we still have to do the same things as if it were permanent. 
• I would tell you that I haven't filed our taxes yet. That is my goal for this weekend. That will be another check on the ole' To-Do list. Yes, I am a list person. Love them. I also love crossing things off.
• I would tell you about the rosé sangria that I want to make this weekend (Cupcakes and Cashmere).
• I would also tell you about Smitten Kitchen's Chocolate Swirl Buns that I might make for Easter morning. They are amazing. Promise!

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Happy Friday! If it's been a crazy week for you, use the wisdom of this quote: