Handbell Sub: Weekend Shenanigans

Remember back when I said if I did something exciting over the weekend, I'd share it? Well, a few weeks ago, my dad asked me to be a sub in the handbell choir he directs for his church. It was the ensemble's first performance in front of the congregation and it was televised! 

I only had two full rehearsals, about two and a half hours total, to become familiar with the pieces we were playing, so of course I was super nervous and just wanted to play and get it over with. I think it went pretty well. It not a well known fact, but I played the handbells for a few years in middle school. Ta-da!

Gotta love crappy church lighting. Just kidding, they make for an editing nightmare. Also, props to my paparazzi mother who was sitting behind some tall ass dude and still managed to get decent pictures.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope your day is full of family, food, and football :) The four F's, shall we say? I am beyond stoked to watch football, take naps, and eat all the green bean casserole my tummy can hold. I've been house-sitting slash dog-sitting this week, so I'm happy to be going home for the day. 

My Christmas Wish List

It's finally that time! Christmas will be there in just over a month and I've finally compiled my wish list. There are a few more things I want, but that I'd rather pay for myself, like a pair of Lululemon pants and one of their half zips. The workout class I've been going to starts at 5:15a and is outside. It's only getting colder and Lulu stuff is made for cold weather activity. It also seems that the older I get the longer it takes me to compile my list, aaand the more expensive the items on it become. Quality over quantity?

Clockwise from left:

1 // Kelly Moore 2 Sues Bag- I've had my camera for almost a year and I still don't have a bag for it. I'd also gladly take this Jo Totes bag instead. But omg, the 2 Sues would be a perfect everyday bag. Big enough for my camera, iPad Mini, and a few other misc. things I carry at work. 

2 // Tiffany & Co Narrow Twist Ring-  I've been wearing a left hand ring pretty much since J and I started dating almost four years ago. They've always been pretty inexpensive and get worn out really quickly, so this one would be my third (I think) and final ring. I know that I would be able to take this baby back into any Tiffany's store and they'd take a great deal of care in cleaning it. Note: I tried on this ring over the weekend and didn't like it on my finger. I'm on the hunt for something else. :)

3 // VS Pink Yoga Leggings- My go to work pants. All of mine are getting really worn out in the butt and crotch. These are a must buy, even if I don't get them for Christmas! 

4 // Glass Food Storage Containers- I've been wanting to transition over to glass for a really long time, but it's so much more expensive than plastic. But considering how often I eat left overs, I need to make the transition a priority. 

5 // Vera Bradley Large Duffle in Heather- I have a few other items in this print and I love it. I have a large duffle that's from another brand that I've been using for like ten years, it needs replacing. 

What's on your Christmas Wish List? I'd love to know! 

 

Fitness Friday: It Starts From Within [3]

If you're new around here, welcome to Fitness Friday! My sister hijacks my blog every Friday, and writes about fitness and/or nutrition related subjects. She's a certified personal trainer and fitness enthusiast. You can connect with Kelly via her blog, twitter, or instagram. :)

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Happy Friday, guys! Before I get into the fitness and nutrition posts, I wanted to take some time to share a few things with you. I'm going to use this time to talk about how I got started on my own fitness journey, as well as some of the highs (and lows!) I've experienced along the way.

I have been relatively active for most of my life. I got involved with Bobby Sox when I was 8, and continued playing ball through a majority of my high school years. I wasn't doing it for the sake of getting fit, I just wanted to play some good ol' softball. In the beginning of college my schedule was packed with classes and work, and fitness wasn't even a thought. In my mind, I seemed to look "ok".  But I can honestly tell you, that I wasn't happy. I lacked confidence, and I felt so sluggish and just...blah. I was over it.  Also, at that point in my life, I was facing some intense obstacles and I felt like I was losing control.  I desperately needed an outlet, something to fill my time. What I did next, surprised even me, and I had no idea just how much it would positively impact my life.

It was a cold and rainy night in December of 2008 that I joined my first gym. I remember it very well. I wasn't expecting to do that, but looking back on it now I can tell you that it is what kick started my fitness journey, and changed my life completely.  I signed up, and scheduled a free consultation with a trainer, who would later become my biggest supporter and is still a very close friend. 

The first night we met, he asked me why I was there, and what did I want to gain from all of this? Was it a rockin' bod, abs of steel, or maybe even confidence? The hot body and abs are wonderful results of very hard work, but nothing compares to confidence. The more I started to work out, the healthier I felt, the stronger I felt, and I felt more- you guessed it!- confident I became. 

I wish I could say that my journey has been easy, but I refuse to lie to you.  Sometimes I want to throw in the towel and just say "forget it!!" But I won't. Why? Because I have goals and dreams. There is a fire within me that is burning so bright that I cannot ignore. That fire has pushed me to run half marathons, Spartan Races, train for a bikini comp, and just live a healthy life. It is not always easy, but I keep on truckin because I want this.  And that's my point for today.

No matter what your reason is for getting starting on a fit and healthy lifestyle, make sure that you're doing it for the right reasons. Who cares what anyone else thinks! Do you. It's got to start with you.  It's OK to look out for #1. Take pride in the hotness that is YOU, and do something that makes you happy.  Just make me a promise, and hold on to the idea that you can accomplish anything you set out to do, but the drive and motivation, starts from within. 

Have an amazing weekend! 

-K

Ch-Ch-Changes!

Some things are personal, too personal to share here- right now. There is a major change going on in my personal life, nothing bad per se, just different and something I didn't think was going to happen so soon. Of course, I will share what I can as soon as it's over and everything is back to normal again. But know that if I am scarce, even though I'm going to try really hard not to be, that's why. It's super stressful financially and I've felt very overwhelmed since I found out. Hopefully I will be able to share before the new year, but that's not up to me. Today's Fitness Friday post will go live at 12:30p, keep an eye out!    PS- I'm not getting married, I'm not pregnant & Joshua and I are most definitely still together. No reason to get you all excited for nothin'. ;)

Cara Box Reveal: Fall 2013

I know this is late. Yesterday sucked. Don't be mad.

I've been waiting for this reveal for so long, you guys! I had such a fantastic time getting to know my partners over these last few months. Erica sent me a box and I sent Courtney her box. These girls are super awesome and fun, so make sure you go check out their blogs! I'm so lucky to have gotten to get to know them both!

I loove this scarf. It's right up my alley in terms of fall color, and I love that it's thin but big enough to fold in half. Black is my go to and I think the white splatter adds the perfect touch of "color"! I'm looking forward to pairing it with a cardigan for Thanksgiving festivities. 

I've already put this adorable list pad to good use. Same with the cute little coasters! I have drinks in my room all the time and may or may not leave empty cups around until I run out of desk/bookshelf/nightstand space. No judgies. I'm looking forward to trying the hot chocolate, but I need soy milk or something, since the directions say to add hot milk. Milk and my tummy don't get along. I'm sure it will be delicious! 

I'm in LOVE with this Julep polish in the color called Eloise. It's a really pretty navy, and you bet it when on my toenails a few hours after I opened my box. It's still there, chip free. I'm really impressed with it's staying power so far.

Thank you, Erica, for such a fantastic box! 

You can find more info about the Cara Box Exchange on Kaitlyn's blog. 

Happy Tuesday!

Fitness Friday [2]

Hey guys! Unfortunately my sister is super busy with work right now and didn't have time to write her post for this week, so I'm going to be jumping in and sharing my go to healthy meals with you guys! Not to worry though, she'll be back next week :)

1. Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs with Potatoes & Green Beans- NOMZ, you guys. Add more garlic though, because it's delicious. Just don't be surprised when your mom tell you that you smell like garlic and your significant other doesn't want to kiss you until you brush your teeth after you eat. 

2. Hobo Meals- I can't wait to make this again! I'm definitely going to look up some spice mixtures and measurements to see what I like the best. I loved that it was super easy, prep was kept to a minimal as was the clean up. 

3. Chicken Noodle Soup- I'm totally tooting my own horn here, but it's SO yummy. I just made it last week and I already want to make it again. It's perfect for the cold weather that is quickly approaching, unless you live in Southern California where it was 80 degrees today. -_- 

4. Paleo Meatloaf and Cauliflower Mash. I've never made this before but my mom has and gave me some. If you're not one to cook everyday this is an awesome meal to have as leftovers! I warms up really well. Also, don't bash this if you don't like cauliflower, I don't but cauliflower mash is so, so tasty. 

What are your favorite go to meals? 

I'd love to add some new meals into my rotation that I can make in a pinch! 

Vehicle Emergency Kit for Toddlers

Last summer, I created a Vehicle Emergency Kit for Preschoolers. The child I was watching at the time was four, and was likely to need items like bandaids, clean underwear or socks, etc. in a pinch. When I decided to build one for L, I decided to keep the word emergency at the forefront of my mind. I wanted to make sure I was ready for anything.

With preschoolers, they typically understand if something has happened and there is no food right now, they have to wait for a little bit, or that there is only a certain amount so they have to share. With infants and toddlers, and especially with L, that's most definitely not the case. Unlike my preschool kit, I made sure to include nonperishable food and water in this one. So that if something were to happen and L was with me, he would still be able to eat and we would have water.

I purchased two Sterilite Latch Boxes from Walmart, which work perfectly in this situation. The first bin contains various pouches and fruit snacks, as well as a pack of baby wipes. When picking pouches, I made sure to choose ones that had at least two grams of protein and bought a variety of flavors. I had a few coupons from MommyCon LA, so I decided that it would be a perfect time to buy what I needed to get this thing done.

I also felt it necessary to make sure I carried plenty of clothing with me. Remember, I'm thinking emergency here. I purchased a 3-piece set from Carter's that was on major sale, and also added a pair of leggings from Target, a sweatshirt from Walmart and a pair of mesh shorts from Walmart into the box. I wanted to be able to layer everything on at once if I needed to. I carry extra socks in my diaper bag at all times, so didn't feel the need to pack any. 

The second box also contains: a prepackaged emergency kit, sunblock, vaseline, infant pain reliever and a syringe, itch relief cream, eye rinse, a flashlight, pacifiers, antibacterial wipes, and hand sanitizer.

I also store water bottles in the door cup holders and both boxes are kept in my car at all times. The one with food lives under the floor in my trunk, in the same compartment as my spare tire as to keep it cool and dry. The one with clothes and medication lives under the front passenger seat with the clothing side facing out.

Do you have an emergency kit in your car? What's in it? I'd love to know if you keep anything different in your kit than I do in mine!

Bx3 Bites: Week of November 4th

Like I said last week, I'm breaking out of my shell and cooking new foods for the entire week of November. And that I did. I've been eating eggs and hashbrowns for breakfast, which is super yummy and perfectly filling for me. I'm just not a fan of the cooking instructions on the hashbrowns. So. much. oil. If you have another way (read: healthier) I can cook them, please let me know! 

  

Hobo Meals // where you create a steam pocket with foil and bake it in the oven for an hour. It was a good idea in theory. Buuut, I didn't put enough seasoning on them and my pieces of chicken were too small. It ended up being pretty bland and the chicken was dry. I even took it out 15 minutes early. 

Changes I'd Make:

- use full chicken breasts instead of frozen breast tenderloins

- switch out the green beans for broccoli

- maybe add butter

- use garlic salt or rosemary to season

Chicken Noodle Soup // To die for. Like SOO amazingly yummy. It was perfectly seasoned and flavored and you need to make this as soon as possible. Here is my pinspiration. I changed the recipe quite a bit since I like more traditional flavors in my Chicken Noodle. 

Recipe:

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 4 celery stalks, sliced or halved

- 2 carrots, sliced 

- 2 tsp. salt

- 1/2 tsp. black pepper

- 1/4 tsp. dried thyme

- 1 tbl. dried parsley

- 2 chicken breasts

- 4 c. chicken stalk

- 1 c. water

- 3/4 bag egg noodles

Put everything in the crock pot in the order listed, except for the noodles. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or HIGH for 4 hours. Shred the chicken and add noodles with 1 hour to go. 

Notes: I cooked mine on high. I also added another cup of water when I added the noodles, as they were nowhere near submerged. I also stirred occasionally after I added the noodles and they took about 30 mins to cook. Mine came out with a lot of veggies/noodles/chicken and less broth (stew-like?), so if you like your soup with a lot of broth, you'll need to add more water.

 I can't wait to share what I make for this week. I have the meals picked out and will be grocery shopping tomorrow. What's on your meal plan?

Fitness Friday feat. My Sister! [1]

I'm full of new things this month! My sister is a fitness goddess and all around badass, so I asked her to share her tips and tricks with you on a regular basis. From now on she'll be guest posting on Fridays, hence the name Fitness Friday. She'll be introducing herself, sharing her favorite training move and her best stress relieving workout this week. Stay tuned, we have exciting things coming! :)

"Hello! I am Kelly, a certified personal trainer with a certification from the National Council on Strength and Fitness.  I am a substitute teacher, and a part time shipping and receiving lead.  In 2010 I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton. 

In addition, I am a half marathoner and a Spartan Race finisher.  Currently, I am training for my very first bikini competition set to take place in the summer of 2014. 

My favorite training move is the front squat.  I love this move because it works the quads, gluteus muscles, calves and hamstrings all while helping to sculpt strong sexy legs…and a firm backside too! When life gets stressful, I like to put on my running shoes and go for a jog.  Fast or slow, near or far. It doesn’t matter, as long as I get up and get moving.  Sometimes I can’t get to the gym to lift all of my worries away, but I have found that running is the next best thing, and I totally recommend it.  It is quick, easy, helps get the heart rate up, and best of all- it’s free!

I am really looking forward to contributing to this blog, while sharing all fitness and nutrition info/advice that I have.  Please feel free to join me on my fitness journey, and allow me to accompany you on yours. We are all in this together!"

You can connect with Kelly on Twitter, Instagram, or her blog :) 

Happy Friday!

Trying New Things!

I'm a creature of habit. If I like something, I'll eat it until I'm tired of it. When I cook, I cook what I know and don't have to think about. When I find a product or brand I like, I will only buy that brand until something changes about it. No wavering. Well, I'm breakin' out! I'm tired of eating the same thing week after week, so I'm going to cook new things for the entire month of November, with the exception of breakfasts. 

A lot of my meals will be coming from my Pinterest boards, called Paleo & Whole 30 and Oh No, NOT Paleo. Here is my grocery list for the week. Any guesses as to what's on the menu?

I can't wait to share my follow-up post with you at the end of the week. Hopefully everything is delicious so I can rant and rave about how much of an awesome idea this was. ;) And yes, this week mostly likely feed me for the entire week. #cookingforone 

What's on your menu this week? 

New Blog Design & Happy November!

Have you noticed something different around here? Yepp! I had my blog design redone, I've been making some changes around here and a new design was one of them! I absolutely LOVE it and had such a fantastic experience with Brielle from 3 Eleven Designs.

Now for my inspiration...

My favorite wrap is my Kokadi Polarstern, pictured below. I sent a picture of the wrap to Brielle and told her that those were the colors I wanted and she did an awesome job at matching them!

As for fonts? I fell in love with Brooklyn's blog the first time I saw it, and she's actually the reason I chose Brielle as my designer. I told Brielle that I wanted to use the same fonts that Brooklyn's blog has, but in different ways. She accomplished everything I asked for, and more! Thank you so much Brielle!

You guys, it's NOVEMBER! How are the holidays beginning to happen already?! I'm so excited to start Christmas shopping! Maybe I should already be done, but I'm not. Oops! #sorrynotsorry

If you follow me on any sort of social media, you'd know I got an iPad Mini yesterday. Well, now I need your help- I want to know what your favorite apps are! I'd like to add a few toddler oriented ones onto it just in case, but am looking for mostly adult ones. I've already added a few of my favorites, but I want to know what your must haves are! :)