Meet Macy!

  Hey gang!
I am so excited to introduce you to Macy from To Travel & Beyond. She's my first sponsor and am so proud to host her on my sidebar! I asked her a few questions so we can all get to know her a little better. Take it away, Macy!!
1. How did you choose your blog name?

I went back and forth with this several times until finally choosing To Travel & Beyond. The first part is a given, I love traveling and I try to go somewhere at any chance I get. The second part is a play on my fiancé and I saying we love each other "To Infinity and Beyond”. Our first Halloween as a couple we dressed as Buzz and Woody, and it also happened to be the night we said I Love You for the first time. For me it is a way to tie two things I love into one, and it actually somewhat makes sense to everyone else.

2. Do you have a favorite travel destination? A favorite travel story? 

My favorite travel destination so far would have to be Amsterdam. I admit I majorly judged based on what I had heard about and what they show in movies, but I was blown away but how amazing the city is. It seemed like such a quaint but happening area, and everyone biking everywhere is an added bonus. I recently posted about my mini vacation to Amsterdam here. 

3. Do you have big travel plans after the wedding - some global honeymoon, I hope! :)

Yes! We will be taking a cruise from Rome to Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Malta and Venice, then flying to visit my best friend in Paris for a few days. I feel like that is a great way to kick off our marriage and I can’t wait!

4. Your kitten is adorable! What's the story there? How was your adoption experience? I'm a fellow cat adopter and absolutely love our cat, Teddy!

Thank you! Oddly enough, I have never liked cats but as soon as I moved into my own place, I didn’t like the idea of being totally alone so my Fiancé suggested an animal. I toyed with the idea of a kitten and then one of his friends posted a picture on Facebook with 6 little kittens that lost their mama. We went that night to look at them, and I instantly fell in love. She was so tiny when I first got her that I was able to bring her to work with me everyday for about 2 months. It was great.  

5. Do you have a favorite quote that you live by?

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away” This is such an inspiring quote and it is so true. Since I first heard this about 10 years ago I have tried to stop and remember the little moments in life. 

6. Even though you're a Ravens fan can we still be friends considering I'm a Steelers fan?!?! 

This is a tough one to answer ;) We can be friends all except for those two days a year we play each other. Good thing we split the wins amongst us this go round. 

7. Have any fun upcoming holiday plans?

One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season is watch the lighted boat show. We will be doing that next weekend!

8. What has blogging taught you so far? What do you hope to learn?

Blogging has taught me that you can be friends with anyone, anywhere. I love having so many people to go to for everyday life problems, celebrations and events. I have also learned that I need to document more of my life through pictures! I really hope to learn more about coding and photoshop, but that may have to wait until after the wedding. 

Isn't she awesome?!?! I love her stories and am CRAZY jealous of her upcoming honeymoon!  So what are you waiting for? Go over to her blog and follow her already! :)
Have a good one and thank you, as always, for reading!

Want to Sponsor My Blog?

  Hey gang! I'm doing something I've never done before: open my blog to sponsorships. I figure that since now that I'm offering my opinion on certain topics on a regular basis that I should share with as many people as possible. I do happen to believe in the saying "help a sister out," and I intend to help as many of my fashion/wellness-loving sisters as I can reach with my unsolicited and sassy opinions! :)  I'm keeping it cheap, at $5 per month and it's through Passionfruit, which I think is the most familiar to bloggers. All of the info is on my new Sponsor page, but please reach out with any questions, concerns or suggestions! I'm all ears! Have a good one and thank you, as always, for reading!

Work it Out Wednesday: Week 6

Hi gang!

How's your week going? Keeping warm? It's so cold in Chicago!
I don't know about you, but as the weather starts to get colder it becomes slightly more difficult to make it to the gym. It's pretty easy to create any excuse to stay indoors.

All the more reason for at-home workouts to keep us all in check!

Weekly disclaimer:
Remember what I said about my lack of qualifications? Please keep in mind that I am aware that I am chubby and have no fitness/nutrition authority. I'm just trying to spread some wellness love as I fight the battle to live well myself.


Weekly Workout:

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How I made it harder: I added dumbbells to the squats and didn't go to my knees for the pushups. After five rounds, that's 100 pushups! Woot!
Overall impression: I really like this workout! It took me almost 32 minutes to complete five rounds. I'd like to do five rounds in under 30 minutes. Someday :)
Sweat factor (on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is when I look like I just got out of the shower): 2 after round 1, 5 after round 2, 8 after round 3 and 10 for the last two rounds!
How I felt when it was over: Fantastic! It wasn't a super hard workout but I was really happy when it was over.
Would I do it again? Absolutely! Another good workout for traveling or when I make excuses to not go to the boxing gym!

Weekly recipe:

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I need to be better about packing lunches for work. I'm so lucky to work close to home (and close to awesome lunch spots!), so I just need to get into a habit of eating right while saving some dollars! I definitely want to give these bread-free rollups a try. Avocados are one of my favorite foods so I have a feeling that I will love these!

Weekly motivation:

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Words to live by!

And gosh I want those abs!!

Weekly workout sass
(I have two this week. I feel like they pair nicely.):

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hehe love it!


Do you have any go-to healthy lunch recipes?
Please share!

Have a good one!

Sampling Sunday: Week 2

Hi there!

It was a fun sampling week! Here are the products I tried:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1. The Pssssst! Dry Shampoo is incredible! This isn't a sample for me per-say, but I had to share because I know a lot of ladies struggle with finding the right dry shampoo for them. It smells fresh and clean and works really well for me. Granted, I typically only use this about once a week since I wash my hair almost every day since I workout almost every day. Regardless, this is now my go-to for all things dirty hair. I've read a bunch of reviews so I know I'm not the only one who loves it. Oh and it's cheap. Win-win!

2. You guys. I found my red lipstick. I am absolutely ordering the full size. I am in LOVE with this lipstick: it's not sticky, lasts a long time, doesn't look cake-y, is reasonably priced, doesn't make my teeth look discolored and makes my eyes look really blue. After I publish this post I'm ordering it! I'm so happy my Mary Kay lady gave me this sample! When I wore it to work on Friday I definitely noticed an extra sass in my step. I just love how a little bit of lipstick can do that!

3. This is another product that I LOVE and can't wait to buy the full size. I heard about the Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation from a fellow blogger a while back and had was curious enough to get a sample. I was shocked with how weightless it feels all while appearing full coverage and masking my umpteen imperfections. A little goes a long way, which is important since this is a pricey product for me. It's incredible and I highly recommend it!

4. Another sample from my Mary Kay lady: the Mineral Cheek Color in Shy Blush. It's a really pretty shade and lasts all day. At one of the lowest prices I've seen for good blush, I will definitely consider purchasing the full size in the future. However, I simply love my Nars blush in the name I won't write on my blog! ;)

I have some shameless selfies to share. I don't want to appear all "look at me! look at me!" but I figure that if I'm promoting beauty products I might as well show you the results.  I used the products as numbered and labeled in the above collage.

Have you tried any of the four products I listed? What do you think?

Have a good one!

Work It Out Wednesday: Week 5

Hi gang!

See that cute-as-a-button button on my sidebar?!?! That's Macy, from To Travel and Beyond, my very first Sponsor!!! It's such an honor to host such a lovely lady. Look forward to a feature from her in the coming weeks!

This week has been really great for wellness, except I can't get a handle on my snacking! Do you have any healthy snacks that you actually crave? That's my weakness for sure! I've tried grapes, fruit, veggies, hummus...none of that makes me crave eating it, know what I mean?

Other than that everything is going well. Boxing is amazing, even the 6am class, and I love the positive and welcoming community the little gym has started with other boxing lovers. I also went to an INCREDIBLE event at a chiropractic clinic on Sunday afternoon: an hour of yoga, a mini facial and make-up trial by Arbonne, an eyebrow wax, a 15-minute chair massage, wine and treats...all for only $15! I even made a friend out of it! It was SO fun and worth every little penny that I spent! Finally, we tried both of the previous recipes that I wrote about in this series and both are delicious! I highly recommend the stew and the casserole!

Weekly disclaimer:
Remember what I said about my lack of qualifications? Please keep in mind that I am aware that I am chubby and have no fitness/nutrition authority. I'm just trying to spread some wellness love as I fight the battle to live well myself.

As for new workouts, here's what I tried off of my Pinterest Motivation board:

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How I made it harder: I added dumbbells to all of the squats and I didn't go to my knees for any of the pushups!
Overall impression: This is a pretty cool workout and it was over before I knew it. Definitely a good travel workout.
Sweat factor (on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is when I look like I just got out of the shower): About an 8. I really didn't break a sweat until the 35 round.
How I felt when it was over: Pretty good! It was a fairly easy workout, but I like it. I would do this on days where I really don't feel like working out.
Would I do it again? Yep! On days when I feel lazy.

Weekly recipe:
We recently received The Skinnytaste cookbook!!!!

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I cannot wait to dig into every recipe in this sucker! Here's one we're thinking of trying this week...that's also on the website so I can share it with you: the Skinny Parmesan Chicken recipe, a similar one found on the site here:

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MMMmmmmm so excited!

Weekly motivation:

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Words to live by! Seriously! Never give up! 

You have nothing to lose except fat, after all! :)

Weekly workout sass:

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Woof. I do this too often.

Please share your snacking tips or pins if you have them! I need help! :)

Have a good one!

Sampling Sunday: Week 1

Hi there!

I thought of a new series that I will feature every Sunday.
Why?
Well, if you're an Ulta and Sephora junkie like me, you have a LOT of samples laying around...but you may have not given them a try.

I figured I might as well share my thoughts about these products, so here we are.

Here's what I tried this week:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1: The POREfessional is a pretty incredible product from Benefit. This is my favorite of the bunch and have been using this for a while, actually. I got some samples of it this week which is great since I'm running low! A little bit goes a long way, which is important for me considering that price tag. I really think that it does minimize the appearance of my massive pores!

2: They're Real Push-Up Liner is interesting. I'm not a liquid liner kinda gal, but I did have fun giving this a whirl. It is a little messy and I think I need a little more practice with it, but I do like how blue the black liner makes my eyes look:

I'm just wearing my trio of favorite eye products that are highlighted by this liner. I'm not sure I'd spend the $24 on the full size but maybe after I practice a bit more and get used to this look I could consider it.

3: Living Proof Full Thickening Cream: meh, it's fine I guess. I didn't notice any difference with this product. Once the sample's gone it's gone.

4: Redken Diamond Oil Shatterproof Shine is fun. I definitely noticed my blonde locks looking shinier when I used it this week. However, it also looked greasy if I put on the product too close to my roots. Even though it doesn't take much product to get the job done, I wouldn't spend the $40 on the full size. I like the product but not the price. Call me cheap, but I'd rather pay half as much for Sebastian Trilliant! 

What do you think? Do you like this series? Want to join me on Sundays? I could host a link-up!

Have a good one!

Work it Out Wednesday: Week 4

Hi gang!

It's my first week at the new job and it's going really well!

I've happily managed to keep up my workouts while I get used to a new routine.
I've been to boxing twice since I last wrote and am SO happy. I might even go tonight after work if I have the energy (and take a break from exercising tomorrow since I had a workout this morning, too! I'm silly, I know.) I feel fantastic, and OK I have to brag for a hot second: the gym owner is impressed with me! He even made me flex my biceps which was weird but cool (I guess?) and said they are awesome and impressive! That made me feel great! Embarrassed a little, sure, but great!

Let's get going with this week's update!

First thing's first, though: remember what I said about my lack of qualifications? Please keep in mind that I am aware that I am chubby and have no authority, but I'm just trying to spread some wellness love as I fight the battle to live well myself.

In terms of new workouts, I have to share what I did this morning:

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How I made it harder: I added weights to the plie squats, did arm raises during the side lunges, bicep curls during the squats and added a weight for the Russian twists.
Overall impression: I like it! It's not my favorite of everything I tried, but it's definitely a good workout.
Sweat factor (on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is when I look like I just got out of the shower): 5 at the end of round 1, 8 at the end of round 2 and definitely a 10 by the end.
How I felt when it was over: Great!!
Would I do it again? Definitely! This is another good travel workout since you don't need weights!

Weekly recipe:

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We're craving some crock pot meals...mainly because they're easy and make our place smell awesome, so we're going to give the Crock Pot Carne Guisada (Latin Beef Stew) from skinnytaste.com a try this weekend! It looks incredible!

Weekly motivation:

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My phone has a similar look. I prefer working out in the morning SO much more than after work! I may even try the 6am boxing class next week.

Weekly workout sass:

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I need this shirt!

When do you prefer to workout? Do you like burps? What's your favorite and least favorite exercise to do?

Have a good one!

Work It Out Wednesday: Week 3

Hi gang!

My week is crazzzzy! This is my last week at my current job and I'm going nuts trying to wrap up everything! New job starts Monday!!!

Luckily, I've had my workouts to handle my stress.
I got a Gilt City deal for a new boxing gym in the neighborhood and I am SO happy to box again! If you have't tried punching and kicking an actual heavy bag you haven't lived! It's the best stress relief and is SUCH a fantastic hour long workout incorporating cardio with the boxing. I cannot recommend boxing enough!

I also enjoyed the fantastic weather on Saturday and ran outside. I sure hate running, but I sure do love how I feel when I'm finished!

Oh, by the way, I still ate a bunch (both healthy and not so much) and am chubby. I'm not trying to pretend to be something that I'm not with this series. Remember what I said about my lack of qualifications? Please keep in mind that I'm just trying to spread some wellness love as I fight the battle to live well myself.

In terms of new workouts, I have to share what I did on Tuesday morning:

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How I made it harder: I almost did four rounds, but stuck with the three instead. No knees for the pushups, though! I would looove to do 30 pushups in 30 seconds, but I'm not quite there yet. Not sure I ever will be, but how freaking cool would that be?
Overall impression: Tuck jumps. Woof. The cardio was tough! I loved it! It was great to follow it up with an ab workout.
Sweat factor (on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is when I look like I just got out of the shower): Yikes. Gross. Total 10.
How I felt when it was over: Amazing and exhausted.
Would I do it again? Totally! This is a travel workout for sure. No weights needed. Just throw on some jams, get a timer and you're golden!

Weekly recipe:

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Well hello there, meaty and cheesy happiness.
I have no idea how this is a Weight Watchers recipe but I sure am excited to figure it out. Weight Watcher Burrito Bake for 6 Points+? Why not?

Weekly motivation:

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Ha. And I just loooove to make it sob. :)

Weekly workout sass:

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...and margaritas, and wine, and hurricanes...
But seriously, I need this shirt.

Have a good one!