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Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Love With Food Unboxing July 2014

I've got another unboxing video for you today. This is pretty much my favorite subscription box, so check it out and let me know what you think!





Use this link to try a box for just $2! http://lovewithfood.com/invite?m=r&ref=LWo

I promise someday I'll get back to blogging about running. I've been thinking about re-starting Couch25K for a while now but the weather is fighting me with these 100+ temps lately!

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Birchbox and Boxycharm Unboxing June 2014



Here are the referral links if you're interested in either of these subscription boxes:

Birchbox referral link: https://www.birchbox.com/invite/lcqps
Boxycharm referral link: https://www.boxycharm.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/5353/

Please leave me any questions you have and I'll answer as best I can, and let me know if you're interested in more unboxings, more videos, whatever!

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Almost Summer

Summer is almost here!! I have one last week of regular classes and then finals and then I am free for three glorious months! And because the finals gods love me, my classes are actually split with the two easiest ones having our last quiz (but no final) next week, leaving me with only my two harder classes to worry about in finals weeks. This is great because, although I don't usually stress about tests, my physiology grade is right on the cusp and so I really need to buckle down.

I'm also working on writing a proposal for a special major. Those of you who read my last entry know that I've been stressing over this for a while. I finally decided to write a major in dance kinesiology (or kinesiology of dance, I haven't named it yet) since it looks like grad school is inevitable anyway. I'm pretty excited about it because this is giving me the opportunity to mix two things I'm really passionate about, I just hope that I can write my proposal in such a way that gets the various Deans on board.

And lately, I've gotten totally sucked in to YouTube. I'm borderline obsessed with watching makeup how-to videos and subscription unboxings. I recently subscribed to another beauty box and I'm thinking I might do a video for you guys when it arrives, just for the hell of it! I've also been watching Hipster Shore by familysandwich which I discovered via the Adult Wednesday Addams series. You should check them both out because they're hilarious!

Hipster Shore Promo

Adult Wednesday Addams - Ep 1


Hope you all had a great weekend and a happy Mother's Day! And to any of you who are also gearing up for finals, may the odds be ever in your favor!

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Life Post-Gypsy

Gypsy has finally come and gone! I feel like we've been working on the show forever and I'm frankly relieved to be done with it. I was getting very tired of spending all my free time sitting around the theatre watching people rehearse. I think this is the first time I've had a role with so little to do, and been a part of so few scenes. There was a LOT of hurry up and wait going on. And the show itself was loooong... like 3 hours plus intermission long. That's a lot of down time!

Though I'm glad to be done with the show, I am sad to say goodbye to the cast. I mean, most of them I still see on campus often and some of them I will be in classes with next year, but one of the most wonderful things about theatre is the deep relationships you forge in a very short amount of time. Suddenly, after being forced to hang out so much, you're best friends and you can't imagine a day without an hour or so of gossip, sing-alongs and general silliness in front of your makeup mirrors.

Its always bittersweet, but I try to focus on the sweet, and look to the future. I'm already excited about next years season and classes. And of course, I'm ready for summer vacation!

In other news, I'm registered for a 5K on the 1st of May and haven't run in months... oops! I'm going to try to fit in a few easy runs before then but it looks like I'll be walking this one. Luckily it's not timed, just a for-fun fitness event so here's hoping it's actually fun and not a big mistake...

Friday, March 28, 2014

Friday Five

Last week was just crappy! I got some frustrating news, I was busy, I was tired, and I did a terrible job of keeping up with my workouts. This week has been spring break. I went home for a few days and totally vegged out, spent a lot of time with my younger brother, and enjoyed some delicious food that I didn't have to cook. Win, win, win! I'm trying to end this week on a high note because I need the endorphins to get me through the next few weeks of tech and opening for Gypsy (can't believe it's here already!)

Anyway, here are my top five workouts from the last two weeks. If you try them out, let me know what you think! (Sorry, I can't track down the original sources for a few of these.)

From Pinterest

From fitsugar.com

From Pinterest
From Pinterest
From backonpointe.tumblr


Thursday, March 13, 2014

#TBT - The Eyes of March

I drew a bum hand in the genetic lottery. I love my parents, but it's totally their fault. I was born with strabismus (crossed eyes). My right eye was a lazy bum, didn't bother focusing on what I wanted it to and the turn got worse as the muscles relaxed. I had a lazy eye.

There are few things more traumatic in elementary school than being the weird one. I was supposed to wear a patch on my eye all day long, which just made the problem more noticeable. Around third grade, I started sneaking extra patches into my backpack, I'd put one on in the morning, take it off as soon as I got to school and then put on another in the afternoon right before my mom picked me up. I got a purple scooter for wearing my patch for an entire month, but I still feel a tiny bit guilty cause I cheated… (sorry Mom and Dad!) Unfortunately, being that kind of different never becomes cool, so things didn't get easier as I got older… people just started saying things behind my back instead of to my face.

As a kid, I couldn't see 3-D. I remember seeing Captain EO at Disneyland and thinking everyone in the theater was mental. Why on earth were they trying to touch the screen? Didn't they know it was far away at the front of the room? I asked my dad and he explained to me that for everyone but us, the movie looked like it was coming out of the screen (my dad can't see in 3-D either, although because of a slightly different issue). I never really thought I was missing out, having been born with this disability I had learned to work around it without realizing it.

While working for Disney, my eye came up pretty frequently. I had really great health coverage so I started researching my options. Surgery seems obvious, but alone it is only a cosmetic fix. So I spent a year in vision therapy, very similar to physical therapy with a focus on the muscles controlling the eye. We had to teach my right eye to pull its weight and work as part of a team. Eventually, my therapists decided I was ready for surgery! Because the right eye hadn't been doing much, the outer muscle had stretched too long and the inner muscle too short. We had to detach and realign the eye, so 5 years ago, on St. Patricks Day, I paid a man to cut out my eyeball and sew it back into my head. Very gross, but also really cool, right?
Two days post-surgery



The recovery was painful, the muscles in my eye were sore for days and each little twitch gave me the most intense headaches I've ever experienced! Luckily I had a few wonderful friends help take care of me, two weeks off work, and lots of pain meds.

When I finally recovered, the very first thing I wanted to do was watch something in 3-D! Captain EO was gone at the time, so I headed to the Magic Kingdom to watch Philharmagic. I cried. I wept like a tiny little child because it was magic! This simple, "normal," thing that most people do every day without even knowing it was finally available to me too. That day is still one of my happiest memories.

To be honest, that surgery has hardly changed my life at all… but it changed me profoundly. I look just a little different, I can see just a little better, but I feel overwhelmingly more confident. I don't panic when I meet new people or get my photo taken. I don't worry (as much) when people whisper behind my back. Most importantly, I'm not ashamed anymore. Somehow, having the courage to change my "flaw" gave me the courage to own it too, and that has made a world of difference!


Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Butts and Guns: Move it March Check In

Last week was super busy and this week is shaping up to be the same! Gypsy is really moving and I think it's gonna be a great show, thank goodness. Even though it was busy, I made time to workout almost every day… Saturday I gave myself a much needed rest day and just binge watched The Magic School Bus on Netflix. Don't judge, it was an awesome show!

So, here are two of my favorites from last week:

A quick and easy butt shaper
Great for arm jiggle

I also tried of the Barre Pilates class on campus and loved it! I will definitely be going back to that one. And by Thursday, my knees were getting a little unhappy so I pulled out my foam roller and worked out some kinks in my quads. If you don't have a foam roller, you need to drop whatever you're doing and head to Walmart! Seriously, I never tell people to go to Walmart, but you need one and they've got it for cheap.

Well, I'm off to another rehearsal! Leave me a comment and let me know what workouts you're loving these days!!

Sunday, March 2, 2014

It's Here! Move It March

Move It March is here and I started out strong! Saturday I decided to try out the 11AM yoga class at school. It was a little advanced for me but just enough to be a fun challenge, I'm pretty sure I'll be going back. When I got home, I was still in the groove and decided to do some extra ab work before starting the housework. I didn't follow any specific plan, sorry, just did a few reps of every type of crunch I could think of. Super organized, I know! But it must have worked because today I'm feeling sore… but it's the good sore.

I spent most of today finishing up my application for the Athletic Training department clinical program. MAJOR thanks to Carrissa, you are an angel!!! Then I figured it was time for some leg work. I chose the Dancer's Legs Workout, from backonpointe:


Check out her tumblr for tons more! Or check out my I Work Out board cause I'm in love and have pinned bunches of them.

Hope your March has started out on a high note too! What workouts did you try this weekend? What should I try next?

Friday, February 28, 2014

Move It March - Lets Get Fit!


Confession: I’m addicted to Pinterest. I spend hours every week browsing recipes, fashion, geekery, and of course fitness. In my defense, I do make a lot of the crafts I pin and have had lots of success with recipes I’ve found. And yes, I have a wedding planning board even though I’m not in a serious relationship (though, to be fair Monica Geller and I have been doing that since before it was cool). 


Now, I’ve decided it’s time to try out some of the hundreds of workouts I’ve been pinning. I’m calling it Move It March and I’m going to try a new workout every day for the next month. Most of them will come from my Pinterest board (you can check it out here), but I’m also looking forward to trying out some classes at my schools fitness center. I’ll be posting about my workouts here in case anyone wants to follow along and if you do, I’d love to hear about it! Even if you’re doing your own thing, let me know. I’m excited about trying different workouts and hoping I’ll find something I really love and want to continue even after March is long gone.

I hope you’ll join me in celebrating Move It March,  lets get fit friends!

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

I Needed A Reminder

I've been stressing a LOT about my weight and my body lately... but I have to remember not to go overboard. Some of you may know that food and I don't have a great relationship (remember the Ice Chip diet leading up to Halloween the year of the Batman clan?). So sometimes I need to see it side by side, the bad and the not-so-bad-but-not-yet-great. It keeps me motivated and reminds me that no matter how much I think I want to weigh 120 again, it really wasn't that cute:


On the left, I look sick and emaciated, on the right I'm just damn chubby (that chick next to me is 17weeks pregnant and I'm almost the same size!) I'm trying to land somewhere in between and I want you all to know how much I appreciate you reading along. I felt compelled to share these pictures so you can help me be accountable, both in my quest to get more fit, but also to not get obsessed and over shoot it. So, I guess I'm just trying to say THANK YOU!!

PS: In case you care, these pictures were taken about 4.5 years apart, but also only about 4.5 miles apart...

Monday, February 24, 2014

Monday Quick Bits

I've been terrible about writing regularly, I'm sorry (I'm so, so sorry)! I've got a few posts floating around in my mind and haven't had time to sit down and write them out properly, but I will someday, I swear! Till then, here are a few random thoughts for your Monday evening:

  • Went to the health center on campus today, got lots of shots and poking and prodding... I've been medically cleared for the Athletic Training program and my knee "issues" have been downgraded to chronic patellar tendonitis. The positive to that being I now have a free pass to play it day to day in my activity classes and can participate when I'm feeling good and legitimately sit out on painful days.
  • I got my tax return, woo hoo!
  • My baby brother turned 28... which makes me really old. Thank goodness for the other brother who will always be older than me.
  • I'm trying out yoga for the first time tonight! I have a friend who has been going and loving it so I'm finally getting my act together and tagging along. I'll let you know how it goes...
  • Gypsy can not open soon enough! This (self-imposed) ban on sweets and junk food is really getting to me. I have a feeling the day after we close I'll be in a sugar-coma from all the Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs I've started hoarding!

Happy Monday!
We're one day closer to the weekend...

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Pop Quiz: Superbowl Edition

My Athletic Training teacher gave us a pop-quiz this morning. The extra credit questions were something about the Superbowl score at halftime and something else about the game. My answer:

"As un-American as it may be, I don't like football. Instead of watching the birds and the donkeys give each other concussions and luxations yesterday, I discovered a new favorite Christmas movie starring David Tenant, caught up on Glee, took my dog for a very long and leisurely walk, and designed a baby blanket for my Etsy shop. However, thanks to Facebook I do know that Seattle won and some people are not very happy about it."

We'll see if I get any points for that one...

Monday, February 3, 2014

Week 1 Highlights

I survived the first week back to school!!!
Here's a quick rundown:

  • 7:30 AM classes = yuck! Especially because one is a boring physiology lecture and the other is a weight training class, neither is my cup of tea. 
  • I made the cut in ballet, I feel like a legit dancer now, haha! Ok, it's advanced beginner so I won't get too cocky but he likes to be tough and so I'm proud nonetheless.
  • I've got a job interview! At the beginning of the semester I had interviewed for a position before the one I'm currently working at. They remembered me and emailed last Friday to see if I'd like to come work in a newly created position. I said yes, so long as they're willing to work around my classes and my current job. They asked me to come in still, so fingers crossed I will soon be earning twice the income!
  • AND in running news, I signed up for a 5K. It's not til May so I have plenty of time to figure out a "training schedule." I know I could just walk it or whatever but I'd like to do more. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss running… so I want to fit it into my life again somehow and this 5K seemed like a low pressure (low cost) motivator.
I've got a few exciting crafty things in progress that I'm looking forward to sharing with you soon, and Gypsy rehearsals will be kicking off at the end of this week. For now, my bed is calling to me, we've got an early wake-up tomorrow!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

#TBT College Program Edition

I'm soaking up the last few days of my vacation here, spending lots of time watching TV, crocheting randomness, and cleaning/organizing the boxes I still haven't unpacked (we moved in Sept. Oops?)

A very darling friend of mine is getting ready to head East for his Walt Disney World College Program and I am SO excited for him! My program was absolutely fantastic and I just know he will have a wonderful time too. Since it's Thursday, here's a little throwback from my CP days back in Spring of 2003:

Meredith, thank you for this adorable frame!

Buzz is a blast if you don't spend too much time with him

The graduates

St. Patty's day, probably at Bennigans

We were so bad...

Our pretty pretty princess

He makes me look small, I like it

We were those people, asking for photos with random children


Aside from the wonderful friends and treasured memories, my college program also showed me that the job I had dreamed of as a little girl really was as magical as I had imagined and I ended up going back to FL not long after for 8 years. 

Thanks friends for the fun and laughter, I'll never drink OJ + Vanilla vodka without thinking of you!