a normal post.

i'm sure by now you've had all of my paris talk that you can stand!
but i'm also sure you see now why it couldn't possibly be contained into one post!

so today, i'm freshening up a bit and chatting about something DIFFERENT!
woohoo!

we're almost half-way through january 2014 already. can you believe it?
i posted HERE about my word of the year - HEALTHY.
and if you don't want to click over and read about it, basically, my goal for the year is to become healthy in mind, body and soul. from television shows to food to what i read to how i act to how i rely on God. a complete overhaul on my brain if you will.

being as i'm 9 days into this journey, i am extremely proud of myself.
for the last 7 days i have cooked fresh healthy meals and i've been completely satisfied!
i've branched out of my little box of food and it's been so so good.
and i've even lost a couple of pounds without the exercise!

i'm really trying to focus on non-scale victories so that everything isn't tied to a number.
it's important to celebrate the small victories. one thing done better than the day before is still a victory!
this year is not about beating myself up and shaming myself.
it's about implementing healthy choices in all areas of my life.

some non-scale victories to celebrate so far:

• no fried or fast foods in 2014 to date
• consistent quiet times (reading through Whispers of Hope by Beth Moore)
• consistent 3 meals per day (i used to be terrible at eating breakfast)

now the real test will be when my schedule is all out of whack because school starts back for me on monday.

thankfully, it's my last semester EVER! but i tend to lose all consistency when it's in session. so i'm hoping that by then, since i'll have a couple of weeks of this new life under my belt, that i'll be able to carry on. it feels too good going forward to turn and go back.

So long 2013!

i absolutely cannot believe that another year has come and gone.

it truly is scary how quickly time flies.

2013 has been quite a year for us - full of ups and downs.

a real life roller coaster.

and honestly, i'm so excited for what 2014 will bring. 

what will the Lord choose for us this next year?

the anticipation is more than i can handle haha.

last year, i chose just one word for the year instead of a bunch of resolutions that are forgotten a month into the new year. and that word was JESUS. you can read all about it here.

for 2014, i've decided to do a word of the year again. 

this new adventure's word is HEALTHY.

my desire is to spend all of 2014, 365 days, making healthy choices in all aspects of my life.

                                   

beauty

body

thoughts

finances

marriage

relationships

spiritually

literally, HEALTHY all the way around. this isn't something that can be implemented overnight.

no, it's going to be a work in process...which is why i need a whole year to get there.

it's a true overhaul.

what am i putting in my body?

what am i allowing to fill my mind?

how am i spending my money? 

how's my relationship with jesus?

you see, there's a need for health in every single area of life.

and i'm really, really excited about embarking on this new adventure!

do you have a word of the year? what are some of your goals for 2014?

it's about to get real

today starts my weight loss challenge group.
when your muffin top is more like a doughnut, well....something must be done.
with a ridiculous lack of motivation, i needed a jump start.

i follow carly on instagram. i found her through a random #pcos hashtag.
she too has pcos, but has gone through an amazing weight loss journey since february.
and she did it through Team BeachBody and Shakeology.
i've seen her posting about challenge groups in which she is a coach, and i finally jumped on board.
i need the accountability and encouragement.

so today it all begins.
yummy good-for-you shakes.
workout dvds.
meal plans.
more exercise.
it is the necessary evil that is my life.

i posted some before pictures on our challenge group board and am utterly disgusted.
it's amazing how the perception of me in my head is sometimes so different from reality.
those bikini shot pictures were brutal. BRUTAL!
and at this point, this new adventure is 100% necessary!

but i'm excited. like really excited.
i'm ready to get this party started.
well and the fact that i paid good money for it lol.
it comes out to be like $4 a day which is $129 for a 30 day supply.
that seemed a little steep at first, but then when i thought about how much we spend on eating out each month......um this is actually really cheap.
if i cut zaxby's out of my life, i'm confident that my savings account will dramatically increase and weight dramatically decrease lol.

funny story about beachbody.
9 & 1/2 years ago while planning my wedding, i fell captive to a beachbody infomercial to which i paid like $90 to be "bikini ready".
about two years ago i gave those dvds to goodwill....still in the plastic wrapper.
i NEVER opened them!

so here we go again....let's do this!
i'll be posting periodic updates. this is a 90 day program which means i should be really cute for paris!
and then i guess i'll need some extreme assistance with not having a carb-fest while there!

the power of words

words...they're a bit of a phenomenon to me.
in one sense, they are very powerful. words can speak life or death.
completely build someone up or shatter them. but on the other hand, words can mean a whole lot of nothing.
just wastes of breath.
words...holding no meaning.
me and jesus have been talking a lot lately.
the gist of our convos have been less talking, more doing. mmmm.
i have a lot of things that i am very passionate about. photography.
orphans. infertility. adoption. changing the world.
and i know that i talk a lot about these things, yet what am i actually doing about them?
so my prayer and desire lately is to do more and talk less.
if i'm so passionate about things, then let my actions do the speaking.
i'm slowly getting started and it feels good.
it feels good to do.

i've been praying for god to show me what to do. where to begin.
and he has...and we're taking baby steps. which is hard, because i want to jump in and do it all.
but history proves that when i do that, i get overwhelmed and stop it all rather quickly.
so maybe god is setting me up to be successful.
i like the sound of that. ;)

you know as i think back through my goals over the years, the goals themselves have been great but the execution is another story.
we're halfway through 2013 and my goals are just now getting started.
i created a 30 before 30 list like 4 years ago and have left so many things undone.
i set off on lofty diets and "lifestyle" changes, yet the numbers are the scale are going up instead of down.
and so...talk is cheap.
it's time to do.

honestly, at this point, what do i have to lose?

shaping up the schedule

i'm a planner. seriously, i get some major anxiety when things happen outside of my plan.
yes, me and god have lots of issues with this. generally, he tends to have his own plans and laugh at mine.
but i'm working on it.
ok, let me give you a little perspective....i try to plan "spontaneous" trips.
well planning it makes it not so spontaneous now doesn't it.

i decided this week that i needed a bit of an overhaul.
especially after my emotional fiasco of a week last week.
so i have created a schedule for everything in my life.
working out, menus, homework, housework, dinner, etc.
and i'm really, really excited about it.

but i'm even more excited about some rewards i have in place if i achieve certain things.
i've always talked about doing a reward system, but never actually set the rewards.
i'm pretty pumped about it.

so i'm sharing it here with you all..well, because i need a little accountability. every goal has absolutely nothing to do with food. i need it that way. one of my major problems in life is that i turn to food for comfort or celebration. so needless to say, my week last week resulted in a weight gain...i'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that i ate skillet queso and salsa from chili's on my own last week. in achieving these goals, i'm still working on my 2013 word of the year - jesus. therefore, jesus needs to be my comfort, not chips and queso. or bread.

ok, if i stick to my schedule completely for 1 month, then i get a new sports bra.
if you're a big busted gal, then you know the importance of this. there's gotta be a better way than doubling up like i do now. and it's a hefty investment...well like $60+, so i need to show myself that i'm committed.

then here comes the fun ones.

15lbs lost - a new outfit
30lbs lost - spa day - facial and massage
45lbs lost - buy and WEAR a sleeveless summer dress (i do not ever, ever, ever show bare arms)
goal weight - 60lbs lost - a new wardrobe. these clothing items will be required to come from Ann Taylor, New York & Co, Express, etc. All clothes that never really fit me right, as i am now.



but what i'm really excited about is the system i have in place for how to afford the rewards! i'm going to put $10 away for every pound lost. so i will weigh myself weekly, and if i've lost 5 pounds that week, then i'll set aside $50.
so by my first goal, i'll have $150 at least to spend on a new outfit.
then by goal 2, i'll have $150 to go towards my facial and massage.
by goal 3, i'll have $150 to go towards a new dress, which will most definitely be under $50!
so if that happens, then by my goal weight, i should have $150 to go towards my new wardrobe. now i'm a bargain shopper, so i'm sure that my first goal new outfit will not cost $150. and if i get a good deal on my sleeveless dress, that's more money in the pot. so i'm estimating that i should actually have at least $300 when it comes time for the new wardrobe. and of course my ann taylor loft items will come from the outlet store...and on a sale day!

i am so so so excited for this!

Dirty Dolls - Let's Do This!

a couple of weeks ago i told you i was participating in the team pretty muddy 5k here in dallas (june 1st).

i want you to be part of my team!

please?

i can't show up and be the only one on my team haha!

it's official. i'm all signed up and we've got a team.

wait for it....

Team Dirty Dolls! Yay!!!

So our race begins at 10am which would mean you'd need to be there by 9:15am.

good and early before it gets too hot, but not tooooo early.

AND if you register before the end of January, you'll get $20 off your registration price.

just use the promo code GIRLTIME

come on ladies, let's have some girl time, meet face to face and have a fun little bloggy outing!

tell your friends!!!! seriously, the more the merrier!

the race is girls only, but anyone you want can come cheer you on.

chris will definitely be there with camera in hand!

and i spoke with the founder last week and he assured me that it's for all fitness levels and not timed.

they really just wanted to create something awesome for girls to get out and do together.

i'm so excited i can hardly stand it.

and you know i'm envisioning dressing up for this.

tutus are a must ;) and maybe some crazy glittery false eye lashes. and pigtails. oh the options are amazing!

so, won't you join me?

Let's Get Muddy

y'all...i am sooo excited!

i've been wanting to participate in a mud run forever now. 

well my time has finally come.

the team pretty muddy run is coming to dallas on june 1st at skyline ranch.

what a great goal to set for accomplishing those new year's goals of losing some weight or getting in shape. 

i know it's super motivation for me.

the great thing about this run is that it's women only, lots of fun, and for all ages and fitness levels.

yes there's a little obstacle course, but you can pick and choose which obstacles you tackle. there's a walk-around for any you don't feel like attempting that day. that's a huge relief for me, because this girl isn't a huge fan of obstacles...especially those including climbing walls.

then after all the fun of wallowing in the mud, there's an awesome after party with live music, games, drinks...

oh yes and there's prizes and giveaways!

registration is open now...who wants to join me? i'm registered! we can make a team!
annnnd we can dress up. so if we want to wallow in pink tutus, let's do it!
early registration ends 2/28 and that gives you $10 off.

come on! who's with me???

sinful heathen.

well at least that's what my granny thinks of me after this weekend.

responses of "lauren, aren't you a little old to be acting like a child?" and "i just don't understand why anyone would defile their body", or my favorite, "there's nothing more disgusting than to see a woman with tattoos and piercings".

oh granny, i guess you'll just have to be disgusted by me.

to which she said she would just wear dark glasses when she was around me. hahaha! oh i love her.

what the heck am i talking about?

oh, well saturday i finally took the plunge and headed to the tattoo shop!

the time had come. i had been planning this tattoo for well over a year and it was all i thought about.

so i just had to do it.

meet tom. he was great. like fo realz.

the tattoo literally only took like maybe 90 seconds to do. now quick pain is how i like it...well if it has to be painful. ;)

i'm hoping that now chris has experienced this, he will finally get one of his own.

you guessed it.

god is able.

you know, my life verse and motto....for everything!

and well i'm a little thrifty. so i got a discount if i got a piercing the same day as my tattoo.

why not?

i've been wanting my nose pierced for years and totally felt that if i was going to do it, then it must be done before i turn 30.

and since that is this year, it had to be done.

here's my nose the last time without a piercing.

clamps in.

pain is a comin.....

and this is exactly the moment where it hurt like hell.

pardon the language, but there's just not another way to describe it.

however, i only let one tear escape the eye ball.

and then i literally could not open my eyes for a good 10 seconds.

ain't it a beaut?!

this was after my red eyes cleared up from the awful awful pain. i mean it was a quick pain...

the crazy lady told me it was like getting my brows waxed.

ummm....no. no ma'am it wasn't.

the tattoo felt much better than the nose.

but nonetheless, it's done!

haha...see here, here you can see the red teary eye.

so in the realm of my new years goals, i'm pretty sure this would fall under "be adventurous" and "have fun", oh yes and "making the most of each day".

take that new year's goals!

and one last thing.

i fully understand that tattoos are not for everyone and a lot of people don't understand why a person would get one. also know, although as an almost 30 year old, i shouldn't have to justify it.  i strategically designed this so that it could be covered by a watch or bracelet should i go somewhere that it would be inappropriate.

but let me say this...and i know i may get some backlash for it.

as a christian, my job is not to sit at home and keep that good news to myself.

god tells me to go unto all the world and spread the greatness of his name.

and the phrase, song and verse pertaining to "god is able" is something that is so inexplicably great to me. possibly one of the greatest messages of hope that the bible speaks of. my lifestyle is different now that i work from home. i don't have the opportunities to plant seeds or live out loud in front of others on a day to day basis. this tattoo is something i needed for me....an absolute constant reminder of the greatness of god.

someone told me that i could keep that in my heart.

well it is, but as a christian, i'm not meant to keep it all to myself.

this tattoo allows me to plant seeds without ever speaking a word. think about any purchases i make...that cashier will see it. things like that.

it's an awesome conversation piece too....please, ask me what it means.

so no, i don't believe that everyone needs a tattoo in order to tell of jesus. and no, that is not the only reason i got it. anyone who knows me, knows what this phrase is to me.

and for this particular season in my life, i felt it was the thing to do.

i believe that tattoo issues are a matter of personal conviction.

i have been planning this tattoo for over a year, and not once ounce of conviction have i felt about it.

therefore, in my life, i do not feel god is angry at me for putting this on my body.

especially if it has the potential to allow me to share my story and build his kingdom.

so while you do not have to agree with me, you also do not have to condemn me for it.

our stories are all different. our paths are different. my story doesn't have to and shouldn't match yours exactly.

so i hope that at the end of the day that i am not judged...i'm just in love with my savior and all that he has done for me, and frankly, i'd like to shout it from the rooftops. but since that might get me institutionalized, this is the route that i have taken and believe is right for me.

and well the nose ring....that was just for fun.

Well Hello There 2011!

Where has the last decade gone???

Or the last year for that matter?

It moves to fast.

And as each day passes, it's another day that we'll never have a chance to re-do.

We only have one shot.

I'm in a weird place this new years.

Not sure why.

I just happened to look back at last year's resolutions and I haven't completed any of them.

Seriously! Why?

Why not?

I don't know why, but I feel that since it's a new year, a new decade, it really is a chance to start fresh.

For real.

This year, my resolutions are extremely important to me.

I don't want to let another year pass by only to realize I've accomplished nothing.

This new decade that's starting is the decade (not year) that I turn 30.

It's gonna be big.

So my goals are big.

The resolutions I'm setting this year are to set me up for success...and I'm pumped!

So enough blabbing - here they are:

• It's time to get my non-profit up and running. still deciding on a name but basically i want to bring smiles and memories and happiness to families suffering unhappy circumstances.
• It's also time to figure out my education. i need to finish up my degree and get in some education for photography. gotta keep learning.
• i want to be more creative in the kitchen.
• i desperately need to work on a quiet time regimen with God. gotta get priorities set in the correct order.
• i want to invest more into my friends....and i would love it if they'd invest in me too.

And there you have it. Everything I want to accomplish can fall under one of these. I'm excited.

Here's to a refreshing new year!

4 Months and Counting

Well can you believe it, there's only 4 months left in 2008! So, I have decided to set a goal list of things that must be completed by 12.31.08. Here it goes:
1. Get out of Debt
2. Buy my camera
3. Lose 20 pounds

That's my top 3. I think that's enough to start with. I don't want to overwhelm myself, because then I wouldn't accomplish any of it.

On a lighter note, we had a fun family evening of determining stripper names. I would be the fabulous Teddy Holiday! Chris would be Pee-Wee Augusta! The way you decide your name is very easy:
Take the name of your first pet (first name)
and then the name of the first street you lived on.
Ahh, what an evening! Hmmm......maybe I could get Chris to start stripping again to help bring in some extra cash! :)

HAPPY TUESDAY!