Finally Friday!

One would think that when you miss 1.5 days of work during a week because you have a random pink eye outburst, that it would make the week fly by. One would be wrong. Dead wrong. I'm gonna let my girl Tamra take over and tell you how I feel about this week...

 

Call me an alcoholic if you will, but I just want a beer. Why can't we go back to the days of Mad Men where it's perfectly acceptable for me to keep a nice bottle of Jack D in my office and just take little sips all day. I can guarantee you there would be less workplace drama. We would all be giggling together by the end of Friday. Work would go from Caroline to Ramona in a heartbeat, and it would be lovely.

 

 

 

This girl is just ready for a lake weekend - fireworks, best friends, sun, beer. Bring it.

 

 



Currently - June Edition

Listening - Obsessed with Jason Aldean's songs Driving Around Song & Night Train. Counting down the days until LB's Crash My Party comes out - 46 if you are interested.
 

Eating - I cannot get enough Mexican food these days. The strange part about this is, I used to HATE Mexican food. Like refused to eat it. Now all this girl wants is Mexican and a marg.

 

Drinking - I've acquired a love for BL Platinum. If we are being honest, it was on sale at the grocery store a couple weeks ago so I bought it and now I quite like it. See, I even was drinking it last night while I was going stir crazy in my house rearranging all my jewelry.

Wearing - Dresses pretty much every day. I have a new obsession with maxis. It's just so humid here in the summer that I don't like to wear pants. I really don't ever want to wear pants, but sometimes you gotta. Dresses are much more comfy and flattering too.

 

Reading - Just finished Delirium by Lauren Oliver & Women Food & God by Geneen Roth (which I have a whole post planned to tell you guys about). Next Up is Beautiful Redemption.

Feeling - I have a lot to look forward to and like I said the other day I'm pretty content with where my life is right now. Even though there are still plenty of kinks to be worked out, I am blessed and I know it. The only truly negative thing going on in my life is my mom's declining health (say prayers girls!)

Weather - It's that point in the summer where it's mid-high 80's with a chance of rain every day. Hello humidity! I'm just hoping for clear weather for Fire on the Water on Saturday!

Wanting - A VACATION! I need some salt, sun and sand in my life. I heard a little rumor that my grandparents are taking Dylan & I in September so fingers crossed that's true!

 

Thinking - I need a nap. I'm running on about 3 hours of sleep today. But I'm getting my hair done tonight and I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to fresh blonde! Ready for girl's craft night at my house on Friday too & a weekend on the lake with fireworks.

 

Enjoying - Three new shows I got hooked on while I was at home with pink eye the past couple of days - Mistresses, Rizzoli & Isles and Pretty Wicked Moms. Pretty Wicked Moms reminds me of a Real Housewives wannabe, but the wives are annoying.
 

Curing NOtivation: Kickboxing & GIVEAWAY!

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You know those LONG days when the last time you think you have time for is a hard workout? Well we have a solution for you then! Mal, Hallie & I were approached by GI Jayne Fitness to review their 30 minute kickboxing video. Personally, I have wanted to try kickboxing forever so I was super excited!

 

Things I loved about it:

- 30 minutes and done - actually 25 minutes

- Beginner level

- The class on the DVD is full of different sized people, not just skinny girls

 

I can't complain about burning 250 cals in 25 minutes. That's an easy workout! It's perfect for a way to still get a workout in on a recovery day or a day when you just can't drag yourself to the gym.

 

SOOOOO....3 of you lucky #NOtivation believers will get the chance to win a copy of the DVD too!! Winners will be announced next Tuesday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don't forget to link up your #NOtivation tips every Tuesday with us! We call all help inspire each other one tip at a time!

Weekend Update - Lessons Learned

First weekend of summer is officially over. I spent most of mine laying out in the sun at my neighbor's pool, reading a new book and getting attacked my mosquitos. I had forgotten since last summer how much they love my sweetness. As a rude reminder, I now have 2304973487 bites. I look like I'm 12 years old.

 

Lessons Learned This Weekend - besides buy bug spray -

 

1. Family + Mexican = amazing Friday night. I am obsessed with Mexican food and margaritas right now. Nothing is better for unwinding on a Friday night with my cutie little cousin.

2. Love conquers all. My dating life is strange right now, inconsistent is probably the best word. But I am content. I have enough love in my life to get me through. "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

3. Lazy Sundays are the best. Especially with my favorite fur baby.



4. Time to get serious about training for this half marathon. 5AM gym sessions began again today. I feel better about myself when I'm working out period.

Am I the only girl you know who can throw together a post including a bible verse AND the F-word? Yeah probably...sorry about that....

 

Happy Monday!

 

Friday's Letters

Dear Friday - I am so happy to see your sexy little face! Dear Miami Heat & King James - CONGRATS! I know you guys are sick of hearing about this...but I can't help it! I'm glad the finals are over! Honestly I almost had a heart attack last night because the game was so intense. Heat pulled it off though for back-to-back championships! Y'all should have heard me screaming at the tv at about 11:30 last night, my poor neighbors probably think I was getting murdered. To all the Lebron hates out there - SHUT YOUR MOUTH! PS - the Spurs played their asses off and it was such an exciting series - I love you Shanna!

 

Dear Sunshine - I am ready for some quality time with you this weekend! Dear New Running Shoes - you are about to get broken in! I *think* I have decided to attempt to run a half marathon next March. My sexy friend Jason has talked me into it and I can't say no to him. (I'm just saying that because I think he reads this...) Am I crazy?? Will I die?? Probably! But how awesome would it be to accomplish that? Dear Kim & Kanye - AKA Kimye - North West?!?!? Really?? Wow... Dear Luke Bryan - I know you want me! Did you see on my IG that my amazing friend Kim got LB to write me a love note? Yep, she's amazing!

Happy Weekend babies!!!



Curing NOtivation: Link Up

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So last week we introduced to you this concept of Curing #NOtivation. Basically the ANTI-MOTIVATION. We have all been there! Sometimes I take extended vacations there....this is probably one of those times. Seeing yourself in a bathing suit after an extended time of NOtivation will scare the pants off you... then you will rush to cover up and put them back on.

 

Last week I mentioned that my number one tip for a healthy lifestyle is a partner to encourage you every single step of the way. Since I don't have a boyfriend in my life right now, I have to rely on my friends for extra motivation. I'm kind of a weirdo and I really get encouragement from those motivational quotes on Pinterest. Here are some of my current favs - I am really loving these UA ads!

 

 

 

 

What helps to motivate you during times of NOtivation?? Link up with us and share your tips!

Cheers to a Weekend Full of Shenanigans

My (long) weekend was amazing, busy, exhausting and most importantly packed full of non-stop shenanigans. This was definitely one for the books and one where I feel like I need a couple days of pure sleep just to recover. But sadly, it's Monday again and I'm back on my grind. I literally do not have a free weekend in sight until August. Which makes me happy to be busy, but also kinda sad because summer will just disappear.

 

View from our Hotel Suite in NashVegas - Love love love this city! I say we plan a big blogger meet up there in the fall and hit up a Titans game!

Rock Bottom Brewery



Party crew

When in Nashville gotta rock the cowboy boots and Nashville filter!



So glad I got to spend the weekend with my BFF boo thang! We only have a couple more weeks together before she leaves me for good to move to AZ!



Y'all know that I am sooooo not into Nascar...but I got to drive on the track, party in a suite (AKA free booze all day), and forever imprint my name on the start line at Bristol. It was pretty amazing!

Hope you guys had a great weekend too & a fabulous Father's Day. My brother & I spent yesterday with our dad on the lake. Nothing feels better after a long hectic weekend than family time with my two favorite men.

 

30 Miles In 30 Days - June - Guest Post

Hey Pink Growl Readers!!!My name is Amanda aka Manda. For those of you wondering who the heck I am, I blog over at Adventures of Manda and Mr Howie. I took over for the wonderful and beautiful, Ms Nikki, as the host for 30 in 30. I'm just stopping by over here to fill in for Nikki today while she's off playing Nashville...without me. You can't tell I'm a tad bit jealous, can you?? Anywhoo...enough about my turning green with envy.

Are you joining us? Have you joined us in the past?

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 I'm so glad Nikki got me hooked on this! I seriously attribute me losing this last bit of weight to her. I think I'd still be stuck on my plateau if she hadn't asked me to start walking with her. Seriously! She's been so amazing to me through this whole process!

So, I was searching Pinterest for fitness inspiration and I stumbled across this! 

via

How fitting is this when it comes to working out and our fitness goals?!? I've had so many people tell me they don't think they could do this challenge and so they aren't even going to try. You know what? Yes you can! So stop telling yourself that bull shit story!

Let me share a lil piece of wisdom I've learned this past year...

One of my favorite family sayings (yes this really is a family saying) is "You can't bullshit a bullshiter!"  Now I've realized recently, you can't bullshit a bullshiter unless the bullshiter is you! Ok, let me elaborate for a second. You know how you can call someone else's bullshit at times, lies they tell to themselves or to someone else? Why is it that you can see when someone else is feeding you a line of bull, but you can't when it's you doing the feeding? When you stand in the mirror, you see everything wrong and convince yourself you are a) too big/too little, b) not pretty, c) you need to fix (fill in the blank), etc. We need to stop feeding ourselves the bs and build ourselves up!!!

So how did I do this week?

June 6: nada- rained

June 7: 1 mile walked

June 8: nada- roadtrip to somewhere special- will share soon

June 9: 2 miles walked

June 10: nada- sicker than a dog
June 11: 1.1 miles walked
June 12: 1 mile walked (too hot and muggy to do much more outside. Boo!)

Totals for this week: 5.1

Totals for this month: 15.25

So not as good as I would have liked, but due to weather and not feeling well, I'm glad I got in anything at all. I think this next week, if the weather stays ungodly hot, I'll definitely be making my way to the staff gym. 

So how did you all do this week?

Do you need a little encouragement? Doesn't hesitate to let me know!!

If you don't blog, don't forget you can still link up with IG by using the hash tag #30in30junelinkup.

That way, we can still cheer you on! 

Remember, this is not a competition. As long as you're moving, that's what really matters! 

If you want someone to compete with...

via

Hope y'all are having a great week!

xoxo-Manda

Happier Than a Camel on HumpDay

Have y'all seen this GEICO commercial? It really cracks me up and so appropriate for today - hump day!

   

I feel so behind on my blogging for the past two weeks...but it will just have to keep waiting I guess. I'm leaving tomorrow morning to head to Nashville with my BFF for a couple days of fun. And let me tell you I need a mini-getaway like it's nobody's business!

I have a special guest host for you guys tomorrow though so be sure and check her out! And I know I promised a surprise at the end of May...but plans have changed just a little and it will be coming in July for you! YAY for surprises!

Hope you all have a great rest of the week and I will get back on track next week! XOXO

Curing NOtivation!

We allllllll know by now a little bit about my ups & downs in the weight loss department. But most of you probably only know about my more recent struggles. Truth be told, I've lost 30 lbs before - waaaay back in 2011. {Insert Life Struggle Here} and BAM! I am dangerously close to being back up to my highest weight ever. Scary and not at all cute. You can read more about my previous weight loss journey here.

 

My gorgeous friend Ms. Hallie asked me to participate with her  and Mallory on her Curing NOtivation posts. Basically, tips for helping us all get over that giant anti-motivation hump especially when you need it the most.

 

 

Are you ready for my number one cannot fail weight loss tip?

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT YOUR MISSION!!!!!!!!

 

This might sound like DUH! to you, but it's so important. The first time around on my weight loss journey I had someone to do it with me. Someone to go to the gym with me every single time, someone to eat meals with, someone who lived with me who kept me from getting too far off track, someone to constantly motivate, push & encourage me. Now that person is no longer in my life, and I'm finding it MUCH harder to do all these things for myself. Support is HUGE! Maybe that's where Curing NOtivation came play a role for you (and ME!)

 

I know it's tough and I know bad days can make you feel like giving up. But I also know that I can do it - because I freaking have done it before- and I know you can too! So here's to a summer of curing NOtivation!

 



I'm Alive on a Friday!

I'm alive - I know you were all worried to death about where I've been this week. Welllll...my real life, or better yet my work life, has taken over and I have been working some long days, but the good news is today is Friday and I am ready for the weekend!

 

Things I've been busy with this week - outside of work:

- Planning a spur of the moment trip to Nashville next week with my bestie before she leaves me AGAIN for her new job in Arizona. All my Nashville girls - we will be there Thursday & Friday next week!

 

 -CMT Awards Wednesday night - I love me some awards shows! Lenny & Jason killed it together! And can we just discuss how Carrie Underwood is a goddess? Homegirl is gorgeous, talented, she gives back, she loves Jesus. I have a serious girl crush on her.

 

- Getting ready for my yard sale tomorrow - my car is FULL of crap that people have donated for my yard sale. It's a mess. I'm hoping for nice weather & a very profitable day!

 

-I tried collared greens for the first time ever yesterday at lunch! Delish! Not that anyone ever could before, but now nobody can dispute my southern-ness.

 

- Men with tattoos have dominated my time this week - Gucci, Birdman...

This just cracks me up! But seriously, I love him - even if he does have an ice cream cone tattooed on his face

You know I've been watching The Heat! #TeamLebron #birdman

That's pretty much what I've been doing.... Exciting life, I know. Don't be jealous.