Motivated Much?

Since I am on this "motivation marathon" lately, I wanted to include you all as well. As usual, my go-to fitness GENIUS, Tracy Anderson is back. This is a little snippet of what I go through 5 times a week for about an hour each day. Followed up by yoga with Tara Stiles for about 30 minutes. It's an amazing workout that leaves you feeling fantastic afterwards. Try the moves and tell me what you think. Remember: if you are using weights, girls do not exceed 3 pound weights! Enjoy!

#14

Today is another great day! 

I hope your day was great too!

So...

just smile and enjoy your day!

When I grow up...

Fill in the blank:

"When I was a little girl I wanted to be _________(which fairy tale princess?)"

My answer: Aurora from Sleeping Beauty

Girl Power

I cannot say I have always been a huge fan of Katy Perry's (okay, I sing Hot 'N Cold...a lot), but I can say I think she is absolutely adorable. She embodies that pin-up look perfectly (hello... gorgeous face). I think her style is so original and she is just a breath of fresh air. It's so nice to hear that she is a girly girl who stands up for what she believes in.

I'd love to raid her closet!

I heart you

What a great way to start off the week...

My heart is fluttering about and my eyes are fixated on the amazing spread that she calls home. Fashion just oozes out of her pores and to be completely honest, she is ah-mazing! You can only imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon these photos thanks to my daily dose of Destination Inspiration. I have been a Rachel Zoe "groupie" for quite some time; I admire her distinct taste in clothes and now her tact for interior design.

Interior decor and fashion at it's best.

Elephant in the room...

I have always been a lover of gray colored walls, furniture, etc. When I came across these gray bedrooms it made me long for one of my own. Should I or shouldn't I? I don't know what it is exactly about the color gray that makes me so happy, but it just does. Maybe it's my love for elephants? Maybe it's just that I love dreary looking interiors (because I adore rain, thunder, etc.)? Any which way you put it....I think I am in LOVE.

All amazing bedroom photos...thanks to Apartment Therapy.

Chalk it up

I have to admit to everyone that I have a secret obsession with chalkboard walls. Or chalkboards... period! I have been in love with the idea of placing a chalkboard into your home since I laid my eyes upon the ones that are sold at Home Goods. The other day, while browsing through ALL my favorite blogs, I came across a post by Jennifer of MadeByGirl that made me long for a chalkboard of my own. I am well aware of the fact that chalkboards can be rather messy, but that doesn't phase me what so ever. I may have a thing for old school-like items for the home (my obsession with card catalogs is still a big must have for me), so chalkboards just fit fit the bill. I had no idea that they have such a things as chalkboard paint, and if I ever have kiddies, I will definitely be painting one of their walls with it. Heck, I'd paint my kitchen with it too!!

Hudson Paint

Thank you for the photos Jennifer of MadeByGirl.

What's your take on chalkboards?

It's Tuesday, awesome.

I hope you all are having a lovely Tuesday so far. Mine has been extra productive : 2 hours of working out, 1 hour of helping my friend Omar with his taxes (YES, I am a fanatic and already did mine and submitted them....show me the money) and now I am heading out to the grocery store to finally put food in my fridge! I came across all these new and great sounding recipes, so we shall see. Oh and I am heading out to Jason's softball game tonight-holla!

Help Haiti Pt.2

Help Haiti.

I have been busy at work for the past few days, but my mind has been stuck on the topic of helping Haiti. I may have had a bit of a meltdown today (pure exhaustion + 4 hours of sleep + 14 hours of straight work today), and after I sat there and complained to my boyfriend about my horrible day-I felt like a complete brat. I am usually very good about "thinking before I speak," and I try to keep in mind all of the unfortunate people who are suffering in the world, but today I slipped up. My intentions of this post is to get right back into the swing of things: let's team up and help Haiti! I gave you all the idea about sending the $10.00 text and now I have come up with another! My charity of choice, FEED, is selling their FEED 1 and FEED 2 bags with all of the proceeds benefiting FEED Haiti campaign (any bags purchased from January 2010 to June 2010). The bags are very versatile (take it to the beach, your boyfriend's house or shopping). Check the FEED 1 Bag below:

Help Haiti

Help Haiti.

Everything that is happening to the people of Haiti is horrendous. They need our help. There are many ways to donate, Red Cross, UNICEF and FEED (my charity of choice) are just a few to look into. Watching all the news surrounding Haiti really saddens my core. Hundreds of thousands of people may have died due to the earthquake that hit Haiti. I want to spread awareness about this subject and how we can help the victims, their families and anyone else that was affected by this natural disaster.

For me, the easiest way to donate was by texting HAITI to 90999 (which is the Red Cross) and this text message charges you $10.00 on your cell phone bill and that $10.00 is donated to the disaster relief fund.

Please take the time to help others. Even if $10.00 is all you can donate at this time, that $10.00 will help. Thank you for taking the time to read this and for donating.

Yogi, yogi, yoga

Let me introduce you to the best yoga teacher EVER, Tara Stiles.

My little cousin introduced me to Tara almost five months ago and I have turned into the biggest Tara groupie since. I have always been a fan of pilates and yoga, but have found it difficult to find a great instructor for yoga. Not only is Tara young, talented, professional and encouraging, but she also makes yoga fun. She has free videos on her web site and also on Itunes (which is awesome because you can take them with you anywhere, anytime). I have been on this fitness kick lately and I feel like yoga is such a great addition to my regular routine (Tracy Anderson, HELLO!). Check out Tara's site and have a great day!

Random Thought:

"What you think & say about yourself and others creates the blueprint for your life." Tara Stiles

Peace & Tranquility

I awoke this morning to a slew of emails begging to be read. One in particular gathered my attention rather quickly and I wanted to share it with you all. I am infamous for dwelling on things, worrying about anything and just causing excess stress for myself. I would love nothing more than to just relax and enjoy the simple things in life, and that's why I believe this email was really meant for me. It's all about meditation and how to achieve that state on a daily basis. If you ever find yourself stressed, overwhelmed or angry-possibly this email will change your outlook on life. Enjoy and have a fabulous day....


“We are what we think, having become what we thought,” begins the collection of verse entitled the Dhammapada, the most accessible of ancient Buddhist texts. This emphasis on the state of our minds is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Buddhist approach. Mind is both the problem and the solution. It is not fixed but flexible. It can be changed. But much of the time we are not even aware of what we are thinking and we are certainly not in control of it. The everyday mind runs on by itself and more often than not we are at the mercy of our immediate reactions. If someone cuts us off in traffic or looks at us in a nasty way, we get angry. If we have a drink, we want another one. If we taste something sweet, we want more even if we are full. If someone offends us, we repeat it over and over to ourselves, rubbing in the hurt. The Dhammapada delights in describing how out of control our minds can be and how much better it feels to do something about it. “Like an archer and arrow, the wise man steadies his trembling mind, a fickle and restless weapon. Flapping like a fish thrown on dry ground, it trembles all day,” it comments. The Buddha was more like a therapist than the founder of a religion. He saw, from his own experience, that self-awareness makes self-control possible. If we want to change what we become, the Buddha taught, we have to change the way we think. “A disciplined mind is the road to Nirvana,” is the Dhammapada’s insistent refrain.
There is no single word for meditation in the original language of Buddhism. The closest is one that translates as ‘mental development.’ Meditation, as taught by the Buddha, was a means of taming the mind by bringing the entire range of thoughts, feelings and physical sensations into awareness, making the unconscious conscious. There were already various forms of meditation widely practiced in the Buddha’s day but they were all techniques of concentration. Buddha mastered each of them but still felt uneasy. It was fine to rest the mind on a single object: a sound (or mantra), a sensation (the breath), an image (a candle flame), a feeling (love or compassion), or an idea. This gave strength to the mind, a feeling of stability, of peace and tranquility, a sense of what Freud came to call the ‘oceanic feeling’. While this could be relaxing, it did not do enough to change the mind’s complexion. Buddha was after something more.


The meditation that the Buddha found most helpful was moment-to-moment awareness of what is actually happening to us and in us at successive moments of perception. This did not mean resting the mind on a single object, as he had been taught, but meant observing the mind in action. Human beings have the peculiar ability to be self-reflective, to observe themselves even as they are in process. The Buddha’s method harnesses this ability and develops it. Tibetan Buddhists describe this kind of meditation as like setting up a spy-consciousness in the corner of the mind, eavesdropping on whatever is going on. Freud described something similar when he instructed psychoanalysts to ‘suspend judgment and give impartial attention to everything there is to observe.’ The Buddha found that the mind, when subjected to this kind of self-awareness, settles down and begins to shine.
To experience a taste of this luminosity, try sitting quietly in an upright posture. It could be in a chair or on the sofa or cross-legged on the floor. Keep your back straight. Or lie down if you would rather. Let your eyes gently close. And just listen. Listen to the sounds and the silence that surround you. Let the sounds come and go as they wish without choosing one over another. Try to listen to the entire sound, noticing when your mind identifies it as whatever it is: a car horn, the refrigerator, the heat coming on, children’s voices, the dog, or nothing. Don’t let your identification of the sound stop you from listening. Simply note the thought and return to the bare sounds, to the act of listening. If your mind wanders, as it will, bring your attention back to the sounds. It might be after a moment or two, or it might be after a whole cascade of thoughts, it doesn’t matter. At some point you will realize, “Oh, I’m not listening, I’m thinking,” and at that point you can return attention to the sounds. Treat your mind the way you would a young child who doesn’t know any better. Be gentle but firm. Meditation means bringing your mind back when you notice it has wandered, it’s not about keeping your mind from wandering in the first place. You will notice that you instinctively prefer some sounds over others - don’t let this influence your listening. Just observe the liking or the not liking but don’t let it control you. Listen to everything, the way you would listen to music.




After five minutes, or ten, or fifteen - it doesn’t matter - open your eyes and resume your day. Like a fish returned to water, you may notice that things flow more easily.

All you need is...

I love love.

Maybe I should listen to #53 from now on.

Relationships are so hard (my girlfriends have been dishing stories to me lately),

but my schedule is even more difficult to work around.

I have been trying to figure out how to balance everything

and when I find a simple solution, it seems that I am putting too much

into this.

Regardless...I think I'm going to follow #53 from this day on.

Fun with shapes

I am not one to toot my own horn when it comes to cooking. This is quite the learning experience for me, but a rather fun learning experience indeed. On the other hand, I am very proud of my baking skills! I went shopping today at Home Goods and I came across this mini heart cake pan. Since I am such a girly girl and I am constantly on the hunt for "cute" baking utensils (hence my latest purchase), this bake pan was the highlight of my day!

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved Pillsbury's Funfetti cake mix.

Call me a sucker for the sprinkles...

Not all of the mini cakes turned out fantastic, but I tried.

A for effort!

Overall, I was happy with the outcome.

I will let you know how they go over with the BF and his friends.

Monday Funday

While browsing through my favorite web site, Apartment Therapy, I fell upon this amazing little DIY project. How amazingly cute are these wallpaper-covered book shelves? Such an easy DIY, or so it appears to be. I just purchased this white bookcase and I think it needs some color to it. I am debating whether or not to attempt this project or just stick with my bookcase as is. I think I'll venture out and live on the edge and just do it (Nike, props).

Another inspiring home interior photo of the day:

I am totally feeling this color scheme (baby blue, white, coral and black/brown-I might need glasses because I am unable to see the actual color). As I sit here and think about my boring bedroom which screams, "Kristin, add some color in here STAT otherwise you'll turn boring too," I can only imagine how great it will look with some colors. I am going to go buy my picture frames tomorrow and hopefully hang those babies up pronto. Slowly, but surely people... slowly, BUT surely.

"thoughts"...I adore

White Night

Here is a sneak peek into my boring room (okay, not too boring for me, BUT to others it is). Keep in mind I am continually adding more pieces to my room (including my Beatles posters, my re-creation of the vintage sign and another night stand). Suggestions?

I just love my bed frame.

I love my lamp!

A peek inside my OCD closet, which needs some organization, please!

My bookcase, makeshift dresser.

Jeans galore.

Don't get me wrong: I love white. I love simple things. I love peaceful atmospheres, but my room is so plain and I want to step it up a notch. Maybe add some yellow sheets or something. Hmm...help wanted!

Putting on the glitz

I have always been one to crave tranquility. My bedroom engulfs me into a sea of white; white bed frame, white nightstand, white sheets, white duvet, white bookcases, etc. I think I crave that "clean" feeling and apparently the only way I assume I can achieve it is by decorating in whites and silvers. You could call me boring or just plain, but I find such peace in those two colors. Do I want some splashes of color? Of course. That's why I am desperately searching for some "key" decorations. In the meantime, I'll be sharing my sea of white with you all in hopes that maybe you can provide me with some interior inspiration.......

Interior Inspiration: Amanda Johnson

Since I am an avid reader/follower/groupie of Apartment Therapy, this should be no surprise to any of you. I enjoy nothing more than seeing the interiors of other people's homes. I can't quite put my finger on the reasoning behind it, but I'm leaning towards: I love being inspired. One home in particular peeked my interest immediately, and I spent hours scouring the internet looking for some key pieces that home possessed. Amanda Johnson was nice and polite enough to shoot me an email regarding the artwork, and just how to go about getting/making it. So, thank you Mandi. 

Mandi's instructions seem to be fool-proof:

Buy a thin piece of plywood and cover it in vinyl letter stickers. Spray paint it black and then remove the letters. REALLY? That's all? That seems simpler than ever, so we will see when I attempt to re-create it. I love to believe that I am the ever-so-crafty girl, but that proves to be wrong A LOT! Lol, we'll see.

# 8

Tonight was one of those moments. I suppose I am entitled to a bad day every so often. I am thankful for having a great boyfriend and an amazing best friend who let me vent to them. Vent a bit and then totally get off subject and discuss random things that would embarrass the best of them. Tonight was a great night.

Guess who's back?

Okay, STOP, breath, jump up & down and scream.....

It has been quite some time since I have posted about my workout guru, Tracy Anderson. I was "this close" to giving up on her (her web site had not been updated in nearly 6 months and she seemed to be MIA), and then she comes back, better than ever! I was bored and decided to check out her web site one more time and there is was.... new DVDs, customized workouts and a free webisode! Guess what that means? I began my crazy Tracy-infused workouts again! I feel like my legs are rubber, my butt is on fire and my abs are beyond sore. It feels so good. I am an avid fan of hers... always will be. Check it out or follow my blog about my workout adventure, as I will be posting updates about my fitness journey.