Category Archives: Self Improvement

Chunky Dunker’s Night!

Good evening!

Chunky Dunkers is a weekly weight loss/get fit support group that meet here online every Wednesday evening to get the opportunity to comment, and cheer each other as you each go through your journey to get fit and healthy!!! We will discuss hints, tips, and ideas on losing weight, staying motivated, and achieving your fitness goals, whether that is to lose 5 pounds, to do 10 sit-ups, or just incorporate some healthy habits into your daily life!!

As always, everyone and anyone is welcome to join us, or you may feel free to just quietly follow along. I look forward to hearing about all of your successes!

Let me give you a quick progress of my week! I have lost the pound and a half that I had put on last week – YEAH!! It is amazing how that small number seems to make such a big difference in how I feel about what I am doing. Besides walking, and one night of swimming, I really haven’t done much of my regualr exercise routines! I skipped belly dancing and Zumba so far this week. I have been nursing some knee pain, and then twisted my ankle so am working through that! Jason has been doing a great job at cooking some really delicious and healthy food! It has made our week of healthy eating much easier!!

Anyway, the topic for conversation this evening:

What 5 things would you do if you knew that you could not fail???

Give that some thought, I can’t wait to hear from you in the comments section above!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

Swim Night with the Kiddies!

Good evening!

Tonight Jason and I had some very special visitors this evening. Nette, Megan, and Morgan came over to join Jason and I swimming this evening. We used to have swimming nights once a week, and we got out of that habit quite a few months ago, and it was nice to swim with them again!

We started out by having grilled hot-dogs together with baked beans, and Jason even got the kids puffed Cheetos – how fun!! We impatiently waited the recommended half hour before we went to the pool, and I was sure that Morgan was just going to bust a gut having to be patient to get there!! 😉

When we did finally get there, the pool was insanely-cold, so that part wasn’t too much fun, but it was fun playing with the kiddos, and hanging out in the not-too-hot-for-once hot-tub was pretty lovely. Jason and Morgan had fun making each other fall into the freezing cold water, that while I was enjoying the hot tub, all I could hear was Jason and Morgan both squealing with laughter!! 😉 Which is quite a happy noise to listen too!!

The kids were very excited that when we got done swimming they were going to get an ice cream sandwich. Morgan was impressed that his ice cream sandwich had THREE flavors in it – it was a Neapolitan!!! 😉 He just kept saying, “Look! It has more than one kind in it!” Too cute!!! 😉

As you can see, Morgan was almost completely done in by the time they were getting ready to go home, but then again, I think we all were!! All-in-all, we really did have a great visit! I am not sure when we will get the opportunity again, but I sure do hope it is soon!! I really love these kiddos (Nette included!)!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

NOTE TO CHUNKY DUNKERS: Don’t forget, we are on for tomorrow evening around 7 – I will see you here!!! 😉

Motivated!

Good evening!

This morning I stumbled across this quote that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind all day.

“What you can do or dream you can do, begin it, boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”
~Johann von Goethe

There are so many odd projects laying around the house that seriously need my attention, and I know that I need to spend time crossing each one off of my list! But, right now, the big project is Jason and I are participating in a large garage sale this Saturday. This is the perfect opportunity to clear out a lot of the miscellaneous stuff that in all honesty Jason and I haven’t seen in years!! We spent a few hours this evening going through boxes, and it was so energizing to let go of all of that old stuff. It is true what they say about stuff literally weighing you down, mentally! I am learning to believe that is true.

Ok, confession time!! I might be just a bit of a shop-a-holic (ok, Jay, stop laughing!!). Ok, I’ve said it!! I don’t think I go too crazy money-wise because I pay myself first, pay all of my bills, I have a nice retirement fund and a savings account, but where I think it is really starting to hurt me is in my living space. We live in such a small condo, and it seems that no matter how much stuff I have leaving this place, I just seem to fill the new space with almost twice as much stuff! (That might be a slight exaggeration, but I am sure not by much!)

My biggest areas I have problems with this is books, and fashion!! I can’t pass up a good book, ESPECIALLY if I can find it for a FABULOUS price! and ANYTIME I find a cute dress, or other clothing item that makes me feel good, I just snatch it up – and sometimes in multiple colors!!! This is really starting to become a problem! I would like to tell you that I could stop anytime I want too, but I find that I use shopping to sometimes fill a void that I can sometimes feel in myself. Like something I am needing and I am hoping a certain book, or a certain top will somehow fill it. Crazy, I know! I hear myself saying it, and just think,

“SNAP OUT OF IT GIRL!!!”

Sad, I know!! I am hoping that our garage sale this weekend will really help me make a serious dent in all of the “STUFF”!! I am a little nervous that I am going to be making my hubbies head spin by how fast and how much stuff is leaving this house! I am being seriously RUTHLESS in what goes and what stays!! If we haven’t even seen in since we moved in here 5 years ago, why the heck do we have it still!! Now, there are some memorabilia that I have a different set of rules for, but for the most part, that only pertains to things like cards, and photos, which don’t take up a lot of room in this house!! Thankfully!!

And, if my sweetie and I are going to stay in this condo a few more years, then I owe it to the both of us to make every effort to turn it into our home, and not just a stopping point – like a sad hotel!! Now, a GLAMOROUS HOTEL??? I am SOOO there for that, but not what we have been living in up to this point!!

Also, I have realized today, that I have so much extra home decor and what nots that I could actually start an online home boutique. Don’t think I am not seriously contemplating that either!! That has always been one of my dreams, and this quote above is making me thinking that I just need to get brave, and open my own boutique!! How cool would that be??!!

Oh to dream out loud!!

That would be BLISS!!!

Anyway, I am going to head up to bed for the night, and dream of my new clutter free home!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!!! 😉

Chunky Dunker Night!

Good evening!

I am the type of person that has always been on the lookout for signs. I am a firm believer that there are signs all over the place telling you what direction to go next, you just have to know how to spot them. Well, today, I have been noticing signs all over the place about not giving up on your goals. I really needed to hear that today! Today I recommit myself to focusing on my top 4 goals, one of which is getting fit and healthy, which is why I bring this up tonight – on Chunky Dunker night!

Chunky Dunker, for those of you who may not know is a weekly weight loss/get fit support group that meet here online every Wednesday evening to get the opportunity to comment, and cheer each other as you each go through your journey to get fit and healthy!!! We will discuss hints, tips, and ideas on losing weight, staying motivated, and achieving your fitness goals, whether that is to lose 5 pounds, to do 10 sit-ups, or just incorporate some healthy habits into your daily life!!

As always, everyone and anyone is welcome to join us, or you may feel free to just quietly follow along. I look forward to hearing about all of your successes!

As for my week, I have done alright – not as good as I did last week, but I have been nursing a slight knee injury that seems to have knocked me for a little bit of a loop. Not to worry, I am going to get back into the swing of things by hitting the pool a couple of more times this week, especially since the thermostat is rising, and ANY way to keep cool, is good enough reason for me!! I haven’t actually lost any more weight, but I am dropping inches; and besides occasionally burning my candle at both ends, so to speak, I am feeling pretty peppy!! 😉

Well, that is enough about me this evening! I can’t wait to hear how all of you are doing! I will meet you in the comments section!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

Chunky Dunker’s Night!

Good evening!

Tonight is Chunky Dunker night, and I have been looking forward to this night all week!! I post a new Chunky Dunker’s post every Wednesday evening, and you will have the opportunity to comment, and cheer each other as you each go through your journey to get fit and healthy!!! We will discuss hints, tips, and ideas on losing weight, staying motivated, and achieving your fitness goals, whether that is to lose 5 pounds, to do 10 sit-ups, or just incorporate some healthy habits into your daily life!!

I am happy to report that I have been working out, eating MOSTLY healthy, drinking my water, and am working on getting my sleeping back in check again! I did hit a small patch of roughness today, when I had a pretty stressful day at work, so I had asked my sweetie to make me some comfort food this evening, but IT WAS SO WORTH IT!!! Yum! 😉

I am just plugging along on my posts, and I even have an idea on putting up some random tutorials on how to do all different kinds of things like beauty, fashion, gardening, decorating, and other miscellaneous hints to help you, and me, turn your house into a home! I would love to hear your thoughts on that, in the comments section above!!

Anyway, let’s get this show on the road, and I will see you in the comments section for Chunky Dunker’s night!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

 

 

Gotta Dance!

Good evening!

I have gotten home from my belly dancing class this evening, and I am still really jazzed!! I have to tell you, it is such a happy class! It is hard for me to go there and not have an absolutely great time!! I know you must be sick of hearing me say it EVERY SINGLE WEEK, but I just LOVE BELLY DANCING!! and you know what, I think it isn’t just belly dancing anymore, I think I just love to dance!!!

Who knew??

I have never been a terribly physical person, I have always excelled at things that involve your mind, and thinking, or a talent like music, or the arts. Dance, which yes, I realize is also an art, I had just never thought it was something that was ever going to be in my repertoire, and I SO LOVE IT!!

Dancing has literally changed me.

It changes the way I see myself.

It changes the way I think about the future and what I now think is possible as opposed to what limitations I had previously placed on myself!

For the first time in my life, and I mean EVER, my inside and outside are starting to become more congruent!! They both are finally HAPPY!! I mean truly, unadulterated, no facade H-A-P-P-Y!!!

I wish that I had the opportunity to provide every single person out there to have this euphoric feeling that I am feeling now. I am convinced, now more than ever, that this feeling is the feeling of joy that is placed upon you when you are doing ANYTHING that honors your authentic self!! For me, right now, that is dancing, for you that might be cooking, singing, drawing, writing, sewing, walking, or whatever!!

My challenge to you this evening and for the rest of the week is to get out there and find an activity, ANY ACTIVITY that honors who you are on the inside – the best of who you are capable of being, and if you feel like sharing, please fee free to let me know in the comment section what that activity might be for you! You’ll never know who might come along and read what you have written – you just might inspire someone to get out there and find THERE OWN PERSONAL activity too!!

I look forward to chatting with you some more tomorrow! Until then…

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉

The Many Faces of Happy!

Good evening!

Man, WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND WE HAVE HAD!! Whew! Sorry for shouting, I just had to get that out of my system!!!

Well starting at the beginning, Friday Jason and I went over to our friends’ Rachel and Kevin’s, who we hadn’t seen in the LONGEST TIME!!! We met up, and the guys cooked us girls a very healthy barbecue dinner of grilled chicken and vegetables! YUM!! (YOU GUYS ROCK!!!)  After dinner, Jason and I had fun playing with their adorable daughter, Alyson, the four of us spent the next few hours catching up and playing a very competitive, and comical game of Apples to Apples. I am happy to announce that although Kevin won first place, I am very happy to announce that I came in from last place to snatch up second place!!! We had the most AMAZING fun, and I can’t wait to get together to do that again soon!!! 😉

Saturday I met up with my girlfriend, Dawn to do some second hand shopping, at a place called Big Gals Consignment, why the heck haven’t I been shopping in that place for years!?!?!? It is AMAZING!! Clean, high quality clothes at a REALLY, REALLY great price!!

Anyway, after our trip there, we went to another place to see if we could find the perfect wedding dress for Dawn, and we weren’t having too much luck, that is until we finally decided to go to Nordstroms! It was not 5 minutes after describing her dream dress to me, that the sales lady brought in EXACTLY what Dawn was looking for!! It looks stunning on her, and made her light up with happiness, AND it was the BEST PRICE!!! WIN! WIN! WIN!! – I was VERY GLAD to be a part of that!!!

Before we left Nordy’s, I had to head over to the MAC counter to pic up something, you know me and how much I am a MAC girl!!! The lady who was helping me there had the most stunning eye make-up complete with gold glitter, and the most amazing false lashes, so Dawn and I decided to make an appointment to come back the next day and have a makeover ourselves with an emphasis on a smokey-eyed wedding look for Dawn, and a diva-like dramatic eye look for myself, both looks including learning how to apply false lashes!

We then met back up with the guys downtown for a nice lunch over at the Wild Pear, which has THE BEST FOOD!!! I had to mention that, because I am going to share pics of that place later in the week – their decor is STUNNING!! If we doubled the width of the place, I could just live there!! I am just sayin’! 😉

So, today was the day of that appointment and Dawn and I headed over there to get our new looks done, we were so excited, and Sammy was there to entertain us and take all sorts of pictures for us!!! I would like to say that everything went perfectly, but that would be too perfect wouldn’t it. Let’s just say that Dawn and I both had two different people doing our makeovers, and mine was phenomenal and Dawn’s was, well…let’s just say that we are going to schedule another makeover for Dawn again, but this time with my sales lady – Lacey!!

Even though things didn’t go exactly as we had planned, we had a lot of fun, and after getting back to Dawn’s place, where both Errin and Jason were busy visiting and watching movies (oh, did I mention, our makeovers took a little over 2 hours???) We fixed Dawn’s makeup, applied makeup to Sammy, which, by the way, made her look like she was 25, so that was kinda freaky – but you’ve gotta know that Sam LOVED it!! 😉

After begrudgingly leaving Errin and Dawn’s so we could head home and get some laundry done so that I didn’t have to go to work naked tomorrow (you are welcome Chris and Julie!!!) Jason and I picked up a little something for dinner, rented and watched Red Riding Hood, which was a little lackluster in all honesty. All-in-all I think that has been one pretty GREAT two and a half days!!! We have had a ton of fun, and Jason and I are really blessed with really great friends, and even more blessed that we get the opportunity to spend some quality time with them!!!

Anyway, Jason and I are getting ready to head upstairs for some quiet time before going to bed this evening!! If only EVERY weekend could be filled with as much friends and fun as this one has been, I think our lives would just BUST AT THE SEAMS with JOY!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

A New Personality!

Good evening!

You may not know this, but I LOVE taking personality tests!! Psychoanalyzing myself and seeing what makes myself really tick!

Well, today, we had a new one distributed out at work to take – it uses the Jung methodology, which I have taken in the past, however this one seemed to really fit where I am in my life right now, which is pretty awesome!!

Anyway, instead of doing a “normal” post tonight, I thought I would share this link with you and let you take it yourself to find out a little more about your own personality!!

Take your own Personality Test now! 🙂

Oh, and in case you are curious, I am an ENFJ!

  ENFJ – “Persuader”. Outstanding leader of groups. Can be aggressive at helping others to be the best that they can be. 2.5% of total population.

Extroverted (E) 52.94% Introverted (I) 47.06%
Intuitive (N) 60.53% Sensing (S) 39.47%
Feeling (F) 73.53% Thinking (T) 26.47%
Judging (J) 57.89% Perceiving (P) 42.11%

Outgoing, social, attention seeking, emotional, loving, organized, comfortable around others, involved, open, hyperactive, complimentary, punctual, considerate, altruistic, easily hurt, religious, neat, content, positive, affectionate, image conscious, good at getting people to have fun, easily excited, perfectionist, assertive, ambitious, leader, hard-working, seductive, touchy, group oriented, anti-tattoos

 Favored Careers:

Casting directory, film critic, wedding planner, work in the performing arts, teacher (art, preschool, elementary), actor, fashion designer, news anchor, fashion merchandiser, school psychologist, broadcaster, stylist, interior designer, event coordinator, restaurant owner, childcare worker, hair stylist, film director, counselor, dancer

 Disfavored Careers:

Race car driver, scientist, computer specialist, airline pilot, computer programmer, financial manager, epidemiologist, truck driver, electrical engineer, software designer, web designer, business consultant, dj, bookseller

These results are pretty spot-on for me, however I don’t think I am anti-tattoo!! 😉

Anyway, I would LOVE to hear your results, in the comments section below!! I am on my way out the door to nourish my social-side – We are on our way to dinner and games with friends!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

 

Working Out & Feelin’ Groovy!!

Good evening!

I have had a very busy, but very satisfying day today!!

First of all, dare I say it??? but work is actually getting better! I am not sure why, but the vibe in the office is really lightening up and it is making easier to want to be there day in and day out!! I think we can all finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and so far – IT’S NOT A TRAIN!! WHEW!! 😉

At the end of work today, I had another Zumba class, and I must tell you – I am still pretty sore from Tuesday’s class, so mamma was modifying LIKE CRAZY today!!! 😉 Still left sweaty, sore, exhausted, and so glad that I done it!!! This is a six week class, and I can see that as the weeks go on it is going to get easier because I am going to have learned all of the dances. But, let me just tell you about an amazing moment that happened in class this afternoon. Those of us who were new, were learning moves to a new song. Well, one of the moves in this dance is something I have seen actual dancers do. I am not sure I know how to describe what it was, but it is basically where you plie, and your entire upper body sways left and right as your arms follow along – kind of like you are pretending to be a field of wheat in a nice breeze, It is a great stretching move, and in that moment, it was almost as if time had stood still, and I was graceful. I felt the motion from my abs all the way up to my fingertips, and it was right there, in the middle of crazy Zumba class that I felt real peace. Is that just crazy??? It was quite the divine moment for me. I am going to try and look it up on YouTube and see if I can find that dance move so that you can see what I am talking about.

Anyway, class ended and I came home and had a really healthy dinner with my sweetie; baked potato with fat free vegetarian chili – so DELICIOUS!! YUM!!

After sneaking in an episode of Bones – yes, we are STILL trying to get caught up!! It was time to go swimming!! I love swimming. I have loved swimming for as long as I can remember. I can remember swimming in my grandfather’s pool with my mom, dad and sisters and just having soooo much fun! Well, this evening, being as sore and tired as I am, I still managed to squeak almost an hour in!! My sweetie makes swimming fun, now!! We just talk, and play, and chase each other, kind of like little kids!!

Well, we have just gotten back to the house, I am sitting in his bathrobe, that smells just like him – I just LOVE that smell, and we are enjoying our dessert, which is a bowl of fresh strawberries, some light cool whip, and two graham crackers. I mean, seriously, what could be better than that???

After I am done for the night, I am going to head upstairs and get a little reading done – I am reading all about southern women, and southern culture/lifestyle! I think I have somehow tapped into a part of my heritage or something! I am just CAPTIVATED!! Anyway, more on that in another post!!!

One last thing before I go…I was reading an article this morning, and it was basically 3 friends stating 5 things that they do that make them happy. It made me think about that all day. So before I share my 5 Happy Things with you, I want to ask you to share with me in the comments section above, Dad, I am talking to you too!! 😉 What are 5 things that make you happy!! I know 5 might seem like a lot, but you can do it!!

My 5 Happy Things are:

  1. Car rides in the country (My daddy used to take my mamma out for drives in the country, and I have ALWAYS thought that was just SOOOO ROMANTIC!! Good job, Dad!!!)
  2. Sitting in a comfy corner, snuggled under a fuzzy blanket, reading a great book with my girls sleeping in my lap!!
  3. Sipping sweet tea out on the back porch while enjoying the sounds of nature, and of course that is always better with someone you love!
  4. Finishing something I never knew I would ever get the opportunity to start – like belly dancing, a collage class, or Zumba!!
  5. Helping someone just for the sake of seeing the expression of happiness, and gratitude on their faces.

I can’t wait to see your lists!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

Welcome Back Chunky Dunkers!

Good evening!

You remember Chunky Dunker’s, right? Well, tonight, we are going to get back into the habit of supporting each other on a weekly basis.

Re-starting now, I will post a new Chunky Dunker’s article ever Wednesday evening, and you will have the opportunity to comment, and cheer each other as you each go through your journey to get fit and healthy!!! We will discuss hints, tips, and ideas on losing weight, staying motivated, and achieving your fitness goals, whether that is to lose 5 pounds, to do 10 sit-ups, or just incorporate some healthy habits into your daily life!!

An update for how things are going for me…well…Life is going pretty darn good. I am doing a couple of dance classes every Monday, Zumba twice  week, and fitting in walks and swimming sessions wherever I can. I am tracking my food daily on the Livestrong website, which seems to help keep me on the straight and narrow nutrition-wise. I haven’t lost any weight, but I have lost inches, so that is good! Right??

Anyway, I am excited to get this posted and hear how everyone is doing this evening – it has been too long! So, I will meet you in the comments section!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!! ;-)