Blogger Award Fun!!

Blogger Award

YAY! I got my very first blog award from the gorgeous Mrs. Danielle Butler from Butler Party of 2! I am VERY new in the blogging world so I was so excited to see this! Shall we begin?

1. What is your current beauty obsession?

I would have to say my Clarasonic.. I had been wanting one for about a year, and this past Christmas, my grandmother surprised me with one! This is actually the exact set that she got me. My face is rough in areas, especially around my chin.. One go around on the face and it feels silky smooth! It also helps remove 6x the makeup than when using your hands, makes pores appear smaller, (genetics has given me big pores), it reduces the appearance of wrinkles, (I'll take that!), and it's soft and non abrasive for different skin types. I love the case too that I can put it in when I travel and how cool is the print? 

2. What is one beauty item you wish you owned?

Hmmmm.. this is a tough one. Not really sure if you would classify these as a beauty item but it's what I would want at the moment. I already have tons of makeup and brushes, (I am a Hair Stylist and also do makeup for weddings and events), so I would love an awesome carrier for all that. When I go on the road and to events everything is separated, so it would be nice to have everything organized in one place. 

If I had to choose another, I would love to have a customized vanity in the house. I have always wanted something set up for my tools, and makeup, brushes, lipsticks, etc to have their own special place and somewhere to just be in my own little world experimenting with different ideas and creating new looks. 

(This would be a pretty cool start with a little more country vintage look added to it)

3. What kind of posts are you favorite to read and write?

Right now, since I am so new in the blogging world, I am enjoying reading different ones. I can tell you I am trying to rid the negativity out of my life and surround myself with the people who truly love me, are positive, and who are uplifting, so I would love to read more positive things and posts that make me laugh. We could all use a little more laughter.. It's definitely a good thing for the soul. 

I think I have only written 13 posts and they have all been different. From my engagement this past December, to my 3 4-legged babies, to bullying, and crafting. I do hope to be positive to others as well and bring a smile to people's face and just have FUN! 

4. What inspired you to become a blogger?

I actually created a WordPress about 5 years ago and NEVER did anything with it. From what I remember, it was just a little too complicated for me, I couldn't figure out the functions, and I never touched it again, but it has always been in the back of my mind. Then, in March, I had contacted Danielle about some Advocare information, we got on the subject of blogging, and from there she encouraged me to take the plunge and start! I am so GLAD I did! It has been a great outlet for me, (when I do get the chance to do it), I have seen other people's awesome blogs, and I am able to document the events that are going on right now. I am getting married in November and I want to be able to keep up with everything. And let's face it.. I am NOT going to have time to sit down and cut out construction paper, as much as I have loved it in the past, and glue pages and pictures, etc. AND, she told me you could make a book out of it. How AWESOME! 

Thank you so much Danielle, for encouraging me and telling me about Blogger! Sooo much easier!

5. What color nail polish are you wearing right now?

Right now, my nails have nothing on them. I am in water constantly, shampooing clients, so polish doesn't stay on very long. If you want to count my toes, my grandmother did treat me to a pedicure today after we had lunch together. I chose a summery coral color and I love it!

(Here she is with my cousin Gigi getting caught up on our Girl Time on. :o))

I will get my nails all "purdydied" up for the wedding though!

And now I get to choose 5 great ladies for the Laine Blogger Award! (Like I said before, I am new to this, so I am going to share with all that I have listed in my reading list and I hope they share with 5 other great ladies they know!)

1. Amber @ FireFliez on the LilyPad

2. Carley @ I Love Your Love the Most

3. Leslie @ Sweet Happy Life Photography

4. Danielle @ Butler, Party of 2  

(I know you are the one who sent me this Danielle, but I wanted you to be on the list as well! (-:)

Thanks so much Danielle for thinking of me on this one and sharing! This was so much fun, I hope it gets me connected with more wonderful bloggers, and I look forward to the next one!

Weight Loss & Inches Lost: Update!

So, as most of you know I started the 24 Day Challenge on April 1st. You can check out the beginning of my story HERE.

Last year, I had seen several people post on facebook about their amazing results but didn't really pay attention to it-- because we all know there are fast fixes out there that when you stop, the weight ALWAYS comes back-- but then around March, I saw my friend Danielle's story on her experience with the Challenge. 

With mine and Coach's wedding this fall, I decided to follow up with her and just see what this was all about. Every bride wants to feel the BEST she can feel in her dress, right??

So on April 1st, I started the challenge and by day 24 I was down 6 pounds and  had shed several inches off my waist, my ENERGY had come back, I was sleeping good, my clothes were fitting sooo much better, (it's not always about the number you lose but about how good your clothes fit (o:), I was in a better mood because I was sleeping and I just felt amazing!

In addition to that, I had been having severe headaches. I'm talking trips to the neurologist, medications, and no sleep at night because they were so painful. After the first week, my headaches subsided and I was sleeping much more sound! 

I continued with the Meal Replacement Shakes, the MNS, OmegaPlex, and Thermoplus. (Two of those tablets help burn an extra 300 calories!!) The shakes are absolutely DELICIOUS! (I finally broke down and tried the Berry.. I am not a strawberry kinda girl but it truly is like having a Strawberry Milkshake for breakfast!) They are the perfect 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs, which really helps get your metabolism going, and the Omegas helps rid the plaque buildup around your heart, (MORE BENEFITS OF OMEGAS), and don't forget SPARK!

After a few more weeks of continuing with those, I decided I wanted to tone up my muscles more and get leaner, so I started the LEAN IN 13.

You still stick with the meal replacement shakes, the MNS, Spark, and add in Thermoplus, Catalyst, and Muscle Gain.

(If you wanna see smoke flying off the treadmill, I suggest 3 Catalyst and a Spark.. I didn't think I was going to be able to run fast enough and I was able to run longer distance!)

The plan consists of 3 burn days and 1 refuel day and you repeat for the 13 days. On the designated day, you either do Interval, moderate, or light cardio and then you also add in weights. 

(Please excuse the self portrait in the bathroom mirror)


 I have NEVER had ANY kind of definition in my stomach area.. So those two little abs that started coming out from its hiding, definitely put a SMILE on my face!! 

(I promise this is my scale with me on it.)

This helped me shed an extra 3 pounds and tone up my muscles more! By the way, I don't think I have ever weighed in the 120's... Maybe in middle school. I have always weighed in the 130's and at my heaviest I was 148.

I am eating healthy, clean foods and with Advocare and their highest quality of supplements, I am refilling those nutritional gaps with the vitamins and nutrients that I need. 

My new discovery with Advocare is Clear Mood.

With wedding stresses, it has really helped me to take that nervous edge off.. With me being wound so tight these days, I am SOLD!! I am no doctor, but I will take something natural any day, rather than a prescription that could be addictive.

As a bonus, I earned my way to Advisor with Advocare, and have been able to make extra money these past few weeks. THANK YOU JESUS for bringing this to me, because any one who has gotten married knows that weddings are NOT cheap! 

If you have been hearing about Advocare and have been skeptical about it, it's OK! I was there myself and the only thing I wish is that I would have started sooner! I have lost stubborn pounds that I never would thought would leave me, I have gained muscle and toned up in areas where I never thought I could possibly have definition, and overall I feel healthier!

My hair is actually growing, (always taken forever to grow out), even tho I am in water all day shampooing hair my nails have gotten stronger and I feel I need to cut them every week, my skin feels better, and it may just be me, but I feel like my eyelashes have stayed long and not stubby like they have been!

If you are ready to give it a shot I would love to help you! I'm here for any questions you may have or you can go ahead and order from my micro-site, www.advocare.com/120332121. 

If you are interested in saving 20%, (which is what I did because you do save more in the long run), you can sign up as a member, HERE. You pay a membership fee of $79, they send you $50 worth of free Spark and Slam, you start ordering with your discount immediately, and it will get to your door in 3 days to go ahead and start! 

What do you have to lose besides stubborn pounds?? 

The World of Baseball through My Eyes..

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game!!!!!!

Most people know this popular seventh-inning stretch number, traditionally sung at one of Americas favorite pastime sports...

BASEBALL

Just a few fun facts:

On June 19, 1846, the first official baseball game was officially recorded in U.S. history. 

In the mid-1850s, a baseball craze hit the New York metropolitan area, and by 1856 the journals were calling it the "national pastime" or "national game". 

And the National League was founded in 1876.

Football has always been my favorite sport to be around or watch on TV, and baseball my second, but over the past year, I have been introduced to a whole NEW WORLD of Baseball.

And that new world has been introduced to me by my amazing fiance, we will refer to as, Coach. 

Isn't he HANDSOME??

Coach, is the 16U Manager for a travel baseball organization called Team Elite. They travel to many different college campuses and play in national events to showcase the players skills to college and professional scouts. 

And let me tell you, these kids have got TALENT!! Before I had ever been to a tournament, I would hear about how awesome some of the kids were, and then I got to see for my own self the first time I ever went! 

And what an amazing opportunity these kids have, to present their skills, to have a chance to fulfill their dreams of playing at a college level and even playing in the pros!

Not too long ago, one of my dear clients told me it took a special woman to be a coach's wife.  Now I completely understand why she added 'special' in that sentence.

Before now, I don't think I ever thought twice about what it took to have a team or play a game of baseball. I mean, I played softball but obviously I wasn't on the coaching side of it. 
(And let me tell you-- I will just stick to the hair cutting and let the coaches coach!)

There are times of numerous workouts.. long practice hours put in by the players and the coaches.. there is travel time to these tournaments and in bigger showcase tournaments, if they keep winning, it could last up to almost 10 days! (Last year, Coach's 16's got invited to play in the Junior Olympics in Jupiter, Florida and they placed 2nd in the whole tournament! Whoo hoo!!) There is time put into making rosters for each game, (and we had a slight panic attack when Coach had been entering in his rosters, for the Perfect Game in Fort Myers this year, and he accidentally cut the wireless connection off to his laptop. BUT good news, we saved it!) there are pitching rotations, phone calls from parents and scouts, and emails come in quite often that can't go unanswered.

Did I mention he has 3 teams??

There are nights I come in from work, and my man has already been to a practice or come home from a weekend of games, and he is on the laptop answering emails, then talking to parents, and even talking to his players. It's definitely not just time on the field, it's time spent there as well. 

And I promise I haven't forgotten the parents! These tournaments are HARD CORE for two months at a time.. My question to Coach was, "How do they have all that time to take off to be at all the tournaments?" His response.. "They do exactly what my parents did and save every sick day, every vacation day, every day they can."

How awesome is that to have supportive parents like that, or what?!

Coach is so passionate about working with these kids and helping them get to the next level of their game. I think he knows he is in the right place, doing the right thing right now, being a mentor to these kids. I have seen him in action and it's so special getting to see him do his thing. I know these kids look up to him and have so much respect for him as their coach. 

And I am NOT gonna lie.. it has DEFINITELY taken some time to get used to with Coach's schedule and has been hard at times, but I see his joy in being a coach and helping these kids and seeing them grow in what they love doing, and I wouldn't change a thing.
(There may be someone reading this right now that is a coach's wife that would totally agree with me on that. )

It's so rewarding for me to be able to watch my future husband do what he LOVES doing and is passionate about.. I look at him and think one word.. BLESSED!

LOVE THE PUPPIES & Kittens.. Spay/Neuter.. Shelter Info.. ADOPTIONS

OK, folks.. While we are on the subject of dogs, I am going to throw a little more information about them out there.  

You see, I have a tender spot in my heart for animals, and for dogs especially.

I remember always having a dog around while growing up. My grandmother had gorgeous boxers- Lady and Bell, I remember having a lab named Blackie, (bless his heart, I went to feed him one afternoon and he wrapped his chain around my legs and drug me around in the dirt for a little bit until I could loose. LOL.. but he was the SWEETEST thing ever), I remember having another mutt around when I was about 12, we named Rufus (where in the world that name came from I have NO idea), I have even found a couple of pictures of me and my Dad with a bird dog he looked like he was trying to train, and the list could go on and on.

So Friday afternoon I come home from work, and I am resting in the living room when I hear a horn honk. I leaned up a bit to look out the window and don't see anything so I think it must have been someone that knew us go by. Not even a couple seconds later, ANOTHER person is laying on their horn. At this point, I get up and go to the front door to continue hearing MORE horns blowing and that's when I see a PUPPY in the middle of the road. I see it almost get CREAMED by a car, I make it out the door and into the yard, and it finally makes it to the driveway, I call it to "come here", and it comes galloping up to me, wagging its tail and starts licking on me. 

Is he not stinkin' cute or what??!

If you haven't read any of my previous blogs, Coach and I have two dogs that are rescues. 

 Sox

was found on a road right down from our house by his sister and Mara was found in almost the same place a little over a year ago by me when I was headed to town.

BTW, how do you put a puppy out on the side of the road and drive away anyhow??!!!! YOU KNOW THEY HAD TO LOOK IN THEIR REAR VIEW MIRROR and see the puppy walking around or sitting there looking HELPLESS!!!!

This road is KNOWN for dogs and kittens being put out on. Coach's sister has found a box of 6 puppies on this road AND someone even tied a puppy to her porch when she wasn't home!

PEOPLE! 

There are places to take these precious animals AND there are means to getting these animals spayed and neutered so that this can STOP happening!!

These puppies and kittens DO NOT DESERVE to be put out on the side of the road, left for dead, or to be picked up for someone else to start what you couldn't finish! 

And what I mean by "what you couldn't finish", (a couple of scenarios come come mind), is you probably got a puppy because you thought you wanted one, you didn't really think it out, it was too much for you to handle so you decided to dump it and HOPE someone would come along and care for it, OR, you got a puppy, it was never spayed or neutered, it had puppies, you couldn't find homes for them or you thought they were worthless because they were considered 'mutts', so they were dumped.

Now please do not get me wrong. 

I know there are MANY of you out there who LOVE your dogs and cats. And, I am sure there are a few of you, who did decide to get an animal, and due to things that you couldn't help, you had to find them another home, and that is GREAT! The key words here are YOU FOUND THEM ANOTHER HOME... you did NOT dump them out on the side of the road!

The people I am talking to are the people who don't THINK about what they are getting themselves into and the heartless people who put out animals without giving them a second thought!

Animals are a HUGE RESPONSIBILITY folks. 

The basics they need are food, water, shelter, and to be let out to use the bathroom.

They also need to be spayed or neutered, they need to be kept up on proper vaccinations, have a heart worm prevention, they need to have tick and flea meds. 

Dogs need daily exercise for mental and physical stimulation, grooming, and even dental care!

And don't forget if something happens to them there could be a number of vet bills.. just like your children would if they got sick and had doctor bills!

And they may possibly need proper training, ESPECIALLY if they are like my little Kyli-bug. 

(This is her chilling beside me as I am typing this)

Ok, sooo let's get back to OPTIONS.

There are several shelters near Jackson, Barrow, Clarke, & Hall counties:

Humane Society of Northeast Georgia

Athens Humane Society

(no kill shelter)

Barrow County Animal Control

Humane Society of Jackson County

Here are a few more in the Atlanta area:

Atlanta Pet Rescue and Adoption

(no kill shelter)

Paws Atlanta

Good Mews Animal Foundation

Forsyth County Humane Society

(no kill shelter)

Some of these shelters offer low-cost vaccinations as well.. Check out this vaccination fee list from the Humane Society of Northeast Georgia. 

There is even a website called SPAYGEORGIA that provides low-cost certificates that can be redeemed at your veterinarian to decrease the cost of spaying/neutering your pet. This is what I did with Mara! To read more about the certificate and get more info, CLICK HERE!! And pass this word along about SpayGeorgia! I had NO IDEA about this until one of my friends told me about it. 

See? There are more than several shelters listed above, and three of them are no kill shelters.  They DON'T have to be put out on the side of the road!

And there are so many animals that need to be ADOPTED!

I have looked at several of the adoption pages on a few of the websites listed above and let me tell you.. they are SUPER CUTE and will most likely make one of the BEST companions ever!!! Sox and Mara are NO trouble at all! It's seriously like they know where they came from and they are so gracious to even have a chance to be here!! 

(The sites have an "Adoption" tab that you can click on and view pictures of pets who are available for adoption.)

When it is time for a little bull terrier to join our family, (yup Coach already knows), I will be ADOPTING!!!! NOT spending $500 to even $1000+ to have one that could possibly even have come from a puppy mill! 

So please, please, please really think before you get a dog or cat and know they are a huge responsibility, spay/neuter your pet, and know there are options besides dumping them out on the side of the road! 

For those of you who love their pets like they are your children, THANK YOU for being such a blessing! You are awesome!

And for those of you who have adopted through a family/friend, from a shelter, or adopted from the side of the road, YOU are a BLESSING, too!! THANK YOU for that! 

"Doooo yyouuu wannna goooo toooo PAWTROPOLIS?"

You ask Kyli these 6 words and she KNOWS exactly where you are talking about!

And her little nub for a tail starts going CRAZY!! 

When we get closer and closer, she starts "talking" and carrying on like she's saying, "Whoo hoo!!!! I get to see all my friends now!" She KNOWS where she is about to be! And I've gotten a little taste of what it must be like for Kindergartners who run down the hall to their class without the parent even getting a little goodbye! She flies down the hallway talking the whole time! 

And what is Pawtropolis you ask?

It is "The city that's gone to the dogs... and cats, too!"

Pawtropolis has many services to offer, like, Doggie Boarding, Doggie Spa, grooming and training, but I started taking Kyli here for the Doggie Daycare. There were days I couldn't make it back to Athens from work to let her out and this was the PERFECT place for her to get out all her HYPER ENERGY, (for those of you who know her best know this is probably an understatement), it's also a great place to help her be more social, :-D, and the staff here are absolutely wonderful! 

 (Reppin' Athens! Go Dawgs!)

(SO SWEET!)

(Kyli & Roscoe! One of my favorites! Teehee)

 You see, Kyli, was not around a lot of pups when she was young and I guess you could say I spoiled her a lot, too, so she needed a little working with.

"A little working with", isn't even the half of it.. she needed a knot jerked in her tail. 

And here is where Mrs. Miracle-Worker Tamela comes in.

One long day after work, I went to pick up Miss Kyli from her new favorite place. When you get there, they call to the back where their play area is and a staff member walks them to the front for pick up.. (They now have VALET pick-up which is TOTALLY awesome!!)

 First, I can hear her before she even makes it to the hallway, and then here she comes-- RUUNNIINNNGGGGG down the hallway, choking herself with her collar because she is pulling on the leash so hard, (I mean at this point people are looking), squealing that high pitch-ear piercing noise she makes.. she gets to me- jumps up on me barking and acting like she has NEVER seen me before!!

Does that description give you enough of a mental picture?

Talk about EMBARRASSING!! Since every other dog I watched, walked BESIDE and not in FRONT, and POLITELY greeted their owner. Yeah, they did that.

So, Mrs. Tamela is behind the counter and without hesitation says, "We are starting a Basics class next week if you want to sign Kyli up."

Huh? Are you talking to ME?? My precious, sweet, mannerly pup needs to join a training class that just walked down the hallway like a million bucks???! I mean, I know she's a little ADHD but, really?

Well, let me just tell you, it wasn't even 3 days later and Kyli was signed up for that Basics Training class... And the next week, you guessed it.. we started class.

Let me just say, when I said Miracle-Worker, I meant it! Kyli didn't know what she had walked into when we walked through the door, and, I seriously think that first night we were there together, she would have given me a little sign language with her paw if she could have. 

BUT, to make a long story short, Tamela worked her miracles on Kyli, and ME, (yup.. you read that right!! You didn't think it was ALL the dogs fault did you?), and now Kyli KNOWS how to walk on a leash BESIDE me and SIT when I stop walking.. She learned how to sit-stay and down-stay.. she learned to WAIT at doors instead of trying to tear through them.. She learned to come or "front" when I told her to.. And to be calm when she wants to be petted-- you don't reward them when they are acting like fools! 

Then, we GRADUATED and we started the Advanced class!! Whoo hoo!!!

Now, this class gets fun. "Clicker" gets introduced and you can capture 'moments' that your dog performs that later can become tricks on command. Kyli LOVED this. Did I mention how ADHD she was? Holy moly.. Soo, you start the clicker exercise by counting out 10 treats. Now when I do this, I can hardly get to 2 and she is FREAKING OUT!! 

"OKAY.. WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO??! HUH, HUH, HUH??!!!!"

Soooooo, now Mara has followed suit behind her. We did the basics class and now just this past Monday, we started the Advanced class as well!

Now, Mara is DEFINITELY different than Kyli.. You can look at her in a scolding way and she knows you mean BUSINESS! She is so laid back and is the 'easy' dog I get to take to class now!

We had so much fun and I can't wait 'til she finishes to see what moments we can 'capture'!!

On the way.....

(She pretty much sat like this the whole time too)

Here are a few pics from our first class! 

Now, let me get back to Mrs. Tamela. 

I really do NOT know what kind of state me and Kyli would be right now if she had not mentioned her class to me that day, oh so long ago. 

(Let me just warn you, if you are thinking of getting a Min Pin, you SERIOUSLY need to think about it. A few, and I mean a FEW, may be so laid back and mind you without even thinking about it and be a breeze. BUT, I was sooo lucky to get one that is STUBBORN and truly TESTS me more times than none. You really have to be dedicated and patient to train this breed. I wouldn't trade Kyli for anything in the world but I just want you to be READY and KNOW what you are getting yourself into! They can be HIGH STRUNG!)

Tamela is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. She has not only been a huge help in the Basic and Advanced classes with Kyli and ME, but she has also helped me with one-on-one private training when Mara came into the family AND has since helped me when we our Two-Pack became THREE with Sox. :o) (As we all know, girls can be a little catty at times and my precious lil gals were becoming jealous of each other!)

I LOVE, LOVE taking Tamela's classes at Pawtropolis and I was so glad she let me know about this Advanced class that started Monday! She definitely makes it fun and I crack up at they way she gives scenarios of what the dogs would be thinking in their heads.. HILARIOUS!! (you seriously just have to hear her.. they are right on target and I can just get the mental picture!)

Tamela knows exactly what you need to be the Alpha of your pack and get CONTROL of situation(s), to help you have a more pleasant environment for you and your 4-legged babies.

AND, I hear she is performing her miracles on a few Pups in my hometown.. ;-)

Who wants chaos when they come home? NOT ME!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU TAMELLLAAAA!!! 

YOU ARE THE BEST!!! LOVVVEEE YOUUU!!!!

Now, if you want to see more of what Pawtropolis has to offer CHECK THEM OUT!! 

They have a lot of AWESOME stuff on their website to look at!

One of my favorites is the blog where you can view pictures of your pups AND you can WATCH your pup playing while he/she is at Daycare!!

I mean how COOL IS THAT?!

They also have ADOPTIONS 

for dogs and cats! PLEASE take a look at these precious ones if you are considering getting a dog or cat! I know I am a huge dog lover, but it was such a GREAT feeling rescuing Mara out of the road. She is such a JOY to our family! 

Sox is a rescue, too!!

We'll be checking back in when Mara graduates from Advanced with her Diploma!