My love affair with the reformer...

I have a big fat giant crush on this exercise method and this machine.

 

 

Here's why:

 

- The options are ENDLESS with this incredible machine. Exercises can be done lying down, sitting, standing, pulling the straps, pushing the footbar, perched on the footbar, perched on the shoulder blocks, with additional equipment, upside down, and sideways... just to name a few.

 

-It promotes LENGTH, STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY, and BALANCE.

 

-It improves posture, relieves back pain, and is easy on your joints.

 

-It is NOT just for women! In fact a man invented it, almost a century ago. I am DYING to get Bren on one of these machines so he can fall in love with it too.

 

-It burns sooooo good.

-It's a blast (especially jumpboard--yes there is a trampoline attachment)! I look forward to every single class, when I used to DREAD the gym.

 

 

 

 

 

"Pilates is a system of over 500 controlled exercises that engage the mind and condition the total body. It is a balanced blend of strength and flexibility training that improves
posture, reduces stress and creates long, lean muscles without bulking up. Pilates works several muscle groups simultaneously through smooth, continuous motion, with a particular concentration on strengthening and stabilizing the core. The focus is on quality of movement rather than quantity, which makes one feel invigorated rather than exhausted after a session."

 

 

Have I convinced you to try it yet?

Now here's a video of a Victoria's Secret model doing the same move I tried for the first time in the picture above. I'll get to her level someday (or at least tell myself that HA).

 

xoxo

 

He's so cute when he draws

 

Well if this insurance thing doesn't work out, I think he could get a

 

job in illustrations just fine.

 

He's so cute when he draws.

 

It gets even cuter when our niece and nephews run upstairs to make

 

lots of photocopies and then color them all night.

 

A memory I never want to forget.

 

(And how lucky are our future kiddos?!?!)

 

xoxo



Enjoying the journey

Hi there! It's been a minute. Still here, still alive. I've been busy with the most expensive month of our marriage yet. It always hits all at once, doesn't it? Just to name a few of our recent mandatory purchases...

- Paying taxes... we will probably never see a refund for the rest of our lives...
-Buying Bren a new laptop for work... too bad the programs he uses don't run on a Mac...
-Paying for our trip this summer... this is a fun one but still a big chunk of change...
-Prepaying for the hotel for our trip...and then realizing the price was in pounds, not euros... pretty big price difference HA...
-Getting a new vacuum... ours decided to quit on us after only a year and a half... I did some major homework before buying a new one so call me if you're ever vacuum shopping...
-Dental cleanings...because it's somehow already been 6 months since the last and SOMEHOW I have my very first cavity even though I eat kale...
-Getting my car registered...

How fun is being an adult?

On another note, I've made some fun changes lately that I am loving. Since Bren is working so much, I decided I needed some new hobbies. Remember when I mentioned going to an all-caps "INTENSE" workout class with my friends? That made me throw up? Well, it kind of scared me away for a while, but I decided to give it another shot and have been going 1-2 times a week for the past while! It is called High Fitness (Look at @ilovehighfitness on Insta if you're interested) and is an incredible workout. I am no pro by ANY means but I never knew I could sweat so much -- it drips onto the floor and there is no way you can't wash your hair after, hence (can't believe I just said hence but couldn't think of another word) the greasy braid in the picture, the only way it stays out of my face during the class. Anyways, the music is so good that you don't even realize you just did 100 squats when class is over.

But what I'm loving even more is the new Pilates class I'm doing! I had never done Pilates in my life, but when my cute friend Sarah came to pick up her purchases from my closet sale, she told me there was an open spot in her class and that I should come and try it! It took one class and I was SOLD. It is a workout I actually look forward to. Those reformer machines are the most amazing invention ever. I am so happy to have found a new passion in life! I wish I could do it everyday. It just made me think about when you do something hard, or out of your comfort zone, or out of the ordinary, how many doors open for you. I fought doing my closet sale for so long, and if I never would have done it I wouldn't have caught up with Sarah and been invited to try this. (PS... I'm thinking about another possible closet sale coming in April...) So THANK YOU SAR!

Bren and I are also taking photography classes together every Saturday in the month of March at Pictureline! I'm sick of only Brennan being able to take pictures of me, and me only being able to take blurry pictures of him HA. I really wanted to learn how to use our camera, especially for our upcoming trip. We just had our first class and we were both extremely impressed! I would definitely recommend Pictureline if you are wanting to take a photography class -- super cheap (they actually put it on a gift card, so practically free) but so informative! Go Pictureline.

Speaking of our trip this summer, we are so beyond spoiled to be able to go on our coolest adventure yet. Bren and the company won a trip to Europe and we get to go! It is a lot cheaper than if we were to go on our own and our minds are still blown that we get to have this experience together. Bren doesn't even have a clue what he's in for and that makes it even better. It starts in Portugal, goes to a few stops in Spain, a stop in France, and then ends in London. Now the biggest struggle? Saving for the actual trip instead of spending money now on things for the trip...wish me luck please, it's not going so well so far.

In between all of this I am in total limbo. In fact I've been calling it a midlife crisis but people aren't taking me seriously haha. I've been at my job for almost a year and a half now and even though the extra income and affordable health insurance are nice, I am ready for a change by the end of this year. I struggle between wanting to invest in myself and my interests, to do something for myself, or to stay working to help support our little family, or to move on with the next progression of life and marriage, or just to go with the flow of life. I'm being vague, I know, I'm just as confused as you are.

And then I have moments where I get scared to do any of it, or maybe not good enough to do any of it, and I should just stay in my little bubble. But then I remember this quote that has been constantly with me ever since I first heard it and posted it on my Instagram a few weeks ago:

 

"Close your eyes and imagine the best version of you possible. That is who you really are -- let go of any part of you that doesn't believe it."

 

This always encourages me to believe in myself, that I AM enough, to take risks, and to not have to know all of life's answers right this very second.

Here's to enjoying the journey :)

xoxo