Friday, August 16, 2013

The MINI Project

 
The Deal
1 Accessory
4 Girls
4 Different Styles
1 Major Blog Day
 
 
 
The fabulous Kelly over at MessyDirtyHair hosts this popular little project each month, and I have been waiting patiently for my turn to participate. This month, Kelly picked out these fun sunnies to enjoy in the final days of summer.

 
I decided to pair mine up with a black and white ensemble ... this teal color is meant to pop, and with basic black leggings and cotton skirt (both from H&M), and a tie-dye black and white top (from Express), the shades do just that.

 
How could you not have fun with these? They remind me a little bit of the 60's era with a funky-fresh twist of the 90's.
What do you think? Would you rock these spunky shades?
 
Head on over and check out the other girls who represented The MINI Project this month and see what looks they put together:
 
Vanniee @ Girly & Pretty
Tranea @ Becoming Famous
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

BluePrint Cleanse


I made it! Three whole days without eating solid foods ... oy, what a week! I did my normal 2-day detox (details found here), then did one day of the raw juice cleanse by BluePrint Cleanse. Here's the low-down ...
Sunday night, we got back from camping. Of course, spending a night out in the wild already makes you come home feeling dirty, but I was inspired to clean up inside and out!
At about 5pm, I started to prep for my 3-day cleanse. I drank a whole bottle of Citrate Magnesium, found at my local Rite Aid, to flush everything out of my system. Gross detail, but I keep it real here, folks. This process in itself probably was a good enough "cleanse", but I was on a mission ...
Monday and Tuesday, I did the 2-day detox. No food at all for 48 hours. Day one is always the hardest. Extreme hunger, headaches, hard to focus, and no patience for anyone or anything. My family is thoroughly warned before I go through these detoxes, so they are great about leaving me be. Day two is easier - the hunger isn't as bad, although my energy levels are pretty low. There were no bathroom issues, being I got rid of everything on Sunday. The BluePrint Cleanse arrived on Tuesday morning, and I immediately stored it in the refrigerator to use on Wednesday.
The BluePrint Cleanse website is amazing at helping you decide which cleanse is right for you. Lots of information, ingredients, and details to help you choose what the best juice program is going to help you see the best results. Plus, they are fantastic with customer support, so any questions you have, they encourage you to contact them.
I went with the Excavation Cleanse, being I am pretty skilled in the cleansing department. BluePrint offers 3 different levels of juices to choose from - a newbie, a middle of the roader, and an experienced juicer. The Excavation Cleanse uses the most of the green juice over the fruit juices, and promises to really rid the body of the stuff it's been hanging on to for years. Instructions are simple ... drink each of the 6 bottles, in their numbered order, finishing all bottles by the end of the day (2 hours before bedtime is suggested to end consumption). I started at 8am, drinking a bottle every 2 hours, having the last bottle at 6pm.
Let's start with the taste ... the green juice is made up of green veggies such as kale, celery, and romaine. Unless you like the taste of grass, I would chug these bottles as fast as you can. I am used to drinking whole leaf teas, matcha, and even wheat grass, so while this taste is never desirable, I can tolerate it. The spicy lemonade wasn't too bad, although the habanero stuck to my throat a bit. I am not a lemonade kinda gal, but it was a nice change from the 3 bottles of green juice I drank before this bottle. The cashew milk was surprisingly sweet and reminded me of a vanilla chai. It was pretty chalky in my book, but a nice finish to the cleanse.
Here's my one warning with the BluePrint Cleanse ... stick close to a bathroom. I flushed and fasted before taking this raw juice cleanse on, and there were a couple times (starting after bottle 3) where I needed to get to the restroom asap. Nothing major ... just the leftovers that the juices are collecting on their way out, but enough to cause a little panic to make it to a toilet in time.
Overall results ... I lost 8 pounds in 3 days. My carb cravings are currently non-existent. My family ate pizza last night and the smell wasn't even appetizing! I am eating light today, as to not upset my stomach from having zero solids the last 3 days. The menu suggested for today by BluePrint is watermelon for breakfast, leafy greens for lunch, and low-sodium broth with another leafy green salad for dinner. I have already shopped and stocked my refrigerator with lots of yummy and healthy foods, including fish and veggies. My plan is to eat clean from here on out, packing my meals where healthy foods are not an option, and staying focused on what I am feeding my body. Eventually I will start hittin' the gym ... maybe take up Zumba again or find a fun cardio class that I can be excited to go to.
While eating fast food and filling up on carbs may taste amazing, the toll it takes on my mind and body are just not worth it anymore. Eating healthy takes a lot of time and preparation, but the clean feeling is always awesome and makes me feel so much better.
 
 
** Please note:  I did not receive any products or discounts from BluePrint Cleanse for this blog post. I paid what you see on their website and have had no contact from this company outside of regular customer support. **
 
 

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Monday, August 12, 2013

Jump-Start Monday


Our camping trip was another success this weekend. Blue skies, warm weather, and family time. Our view from our campsite of the reservoir was just gorgeous! This was what we saw right outside of our tent! No snakes were encountered (thank you, Jesus!!) and we are already planning another trip in September.
 
Today I am kicking off a 3-day detox and cleanse. I will be doing 2 days of my normal detox, then completing day three with a round of the BluePrint Cleanse. Sarah Jessica Parker and Blake Lively are among many celebs who rave about this raw juice cleanse, so I am going to give it a shot. More details to come on my experience and results!
 
 
I hope everyone has a great week!
Pop back in on Friday, where I will be participating in MessyDirtyHair's MINI Project.
Oh ... and find me now through Bloglovin ... cuz all the cool kids are doing it!
 

Friday, August 9, 2013

Weekend Plans


I am going camping with my boys this weekend, folks! Last year's trip was a success (see here and here). I know what to pack for this time around, so hopefully we will be better prepared for any weather changes that may or may not occur here in Oregon. We will be staying a night out in Prineville off of the reservoir ... praying to Jesus that I don't encounter any snakes!!
Have a great weekend, peeps! Anyone doing anything fun?

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Hump Day Humor ... Tatted Up

I am all about tattoos ... my man has several, and I always encourage more. I have none, although I want a tiny heart on my wrist. Simple, nothing fancy, just a small little heart. The hubs isn't so hot on the idea of his wifey getting inked, so I refrain from getting one. No caveman comments, please. I am old-school. If my hubby truly feels strongly about something, that matters to me. I respect him and adore him, so no tattoo for me.
I occasionally get wrapped up in the TV shows that showcase tattoo artists and their shops ... some people's choice of artwork represents who they are, some make me tear up for the story they tell, and others are just plain silly. I mean, really?!? Are you going to love that cartoon character or The Jonas Brothers for the rest of your life? Either way, I don't judge. To each his own ... we only live once, right?
 
 I wonder if this was intentional? Spelling error on a permanent tattoo = no regrets?
 
 Team Cullen ... I proudly admit I am a Saga fan, but umm ... not this devoted.
 
 


 
What about you? Do you have any tattoos? Any that you regret?
 
 

Monday, August 5, 2013

Love, Yellow


I just signed up for the September theme with Erin over at Living In Yellow! Wanna join us?
Check out all the adorable details ... this looks like so much fun!
 
Happy Monday!

Friday, August 2, 2013

Cheers to the Weekend!

 
Have a great weekend!!
 
 
Cantaloupe Martini
Serves 2
 
* 1 cup frozen cantaloupe
* 3 ounces watermelon pucker
* 2 ounces vodka
* 1 ounce Cointreau
* Skewered cantaloupe scoops for garnish
 
Blend all ingredients in a blender (I like my Magic Bullet), and serve in martini glasses.
 
Enjoy!!



Thursday, August 1, 2013

A Fond Farewell ...

Wow! Is December already upon us? Good golly this year has flown right by! I have been a busy girl lately, hence the blog break. Unfortu...