BLoG FuNNies

I KNOW at least one of these hit home!!
*heh*
Sometimes ya just gotta laugh at it all...

DaTe NiGhT: Kabobs & Piercings!

Last night Brian and I celebrated the 3rd Anniversary of our 1st Date.

**Wow – we have done A LOT of livin’ in three years – but that is a whole other post for another time!**

Our night out was just what we needed as we were overdue for *date night* and in dire need of some FUN!

It was my job to plan the festitivities and I did good!

First we had dinner at Kabob and Curry for some AMAZING Indian cuisine. This was our first time there (and if we weren’t so busy scarfing down our food I would have more pics other than our beer and the sauces) and it was oh-my-goodness DELICIOUS! They even had a pretty extensive vegan menu (mad props for that as it makes it SO easy to order food). Although I did indulge in some paneer cheese which was ridiculously tasty!

After dinner we sauntered over to Rockstar Body Piercing so Brian could get his nipples repierced and I could have my tragus (part of the ear) pierced.

It may seem silly to some (or most) but it was a bonding experience for us. We both have been wanting the piercings done for some time and last night seemed like the perfect time!

I LOVE my new piercing -- nothing too over-the-top and I think it looks great!

*Warning – actual photos of piercing ahead – nothing graphic but if you are offended by such and/or picture of Brian’s chest – please stop here!*

I have to make a serious SHOUT OUT to Jeff and the staff at Rockstar Body Piercing for their impeccible standard of sterilization, their utmost professionalism and the studio itself -- which is gorgeous. By far the best piercing experience either of us has EVER had -- and we collectively have MANY. Muchos Gracias!

Awesome!

All in all a memorable evening that completely personifies Brian and I! We may not have a traditional relationship but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I love you Brian and I love OUR life!

♥cyn♥

Motivational Monday...

♥♥♥♥♥♥ this...

Mother's Day

In honor of my Mom and most importantly my children...

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.
~Rajneesh~

Skylar LOVES Kitty-Cat's!

Skylar has an intense love affair with cats; especially our neighbor's super friendly little guy.
Ironically she was even wearing the right shirt for these pictures!

HoLLa: Weight Loss Update

Happy Saturday BloGland!

So this has been a wonderful week for me!
Down 2.8 lbs!
*w00ts*
For a grand total of 11 lbs gone since JOINING the gym two months ago!
*w00ts*

I made it to the gym four days last week mixing up weight training and cardio. In all honesty – I had a hard time motivating myself to get there most of the time this week? No real reason – but thankfully I talked myself down from that ledge!
The point is I made it there – doesn’t matter how much *cheerleading* beforehand!

Today makes three weeks since I have eaten meat and Monday will make a week with no dairy.
I am not craving either really – but I have felt a little bit more hungry this week. So I have upped my protein and fiber in hopes to feel fuller longer.
Any vegetarians/vegans out there with advice or input on this – feel free to leave me a comment!

Bottom Line: I refuse to go back to my old ways of eating meat and dairy and being sedentary I feel SO dang good since choosing a vegetarian lifestyle and making exercise a priority in my life again!
GO ME!

♥cyn♥

Oh yeah!

Oh a side note:
I made an awesome vegetarian version (I used a vegetable broth) of the Weight Watchers Zero Point Soup this week. YUM!!!


Also I logged in an additional 6.2 mi on the Virtual Trans American Trail for a total of 92.1 mi -- 4.43 mi to Ashland, VA.

ShOwInG oFF...

A glorious day spent outside in short pants and amongst gorgeous purple flowers in bloom...

Motivational Monday...

HoLLa: Weight Loss Update

First of all – in case I missed anyone (which sadly I am sure I have because my weekend has just been insane) – thank you ALL so very much for the wonderful comments and birthday wishes. Simply put – I am touched!

Next…
Let’s discuss weight loss.
Or in my case weight gain.
Yeah, I gained this week at my weigh-in on Friday.
BUT…
I consider this past week a MAJOR success even though I did technically gain .8 lbs.
For a week that had Easter at one end and my birthday at the other – a less than a lb. gain is pretty dang good.
Added to the fact that PMS and Mother Nature were in play – I did REALLY dang good!

Gym wise – I worked out six days last week (even on Easter and my Birthday) and give my dedication to the gym ALL the credit for the miniscule gain on such a *FOOD CRAZY* week.
I added some additional weight training to the mix and changed up my cardio a bit by adding the stationary bike and upping my level on the hill feature on the treadmill.

I also have logged in 85.9 mi on The Virtual Trans American Trail and am 10.58 mi away from Ashland, VA.

I am still going strong with my pledge to eat vegetarian! Yesterday made two weeks sans meat and this week I am cutting out dairy.
I admit that I am a wee bit nervous about saying adios to cheese; as I have a lifelong love affair with anything cheese related. We shall see how it goes. I am determined and feel confident about being successful!

In other non-diet news:
Today was FABULOUS outside and I actually sat in the backyard in my bathing suit to get some sun while Skylar played!

We had a *family* bday dinner/party for me tonight (my Barbie Party!) – so sweet! My Mom made me my all-time favorite dessert -- banana pudding (fat-free I might add) and Brian made us a wonderful spaghetti and meatball (his speciality) dinner. I, of course, had vegetarian sauce but it was still SUPERB!!! I got a new watch (on top of all the amazing things I already got this past week) and a GORGEOUS marquesite peacock ring. I ♥ peacocks!

My family is just amazing for allowing me to have a weekend ALL ABOUT ME and they really out of their way to make my birthday extra special.
I am without a doubt SPOILED!

Bruce the Spruce (along with a cousin I aquired from my Mom) was officially planted – aren’t they adorable!?!?!

I won a most excellent giveaway! I will of course *blog it* when it arrives – but a shout out to Lesley @ Fabulously Flawed and a most gracious thanks for hosting such a killer GiVeAwAy!
Please check out her blog – she is sassy and hysterical! I love a gal who isn’t afraid to say it like it is!

Tomorrow I return to work after having a week out of work. I didn’t intend to have a week out – it just worked out that way. While I don’t loathe my job (love what I do actually) – I was sorta hoping I would hit the Powerball so I wouldn’t have to EVER go back and could spend every single day with my kiddos in the sunshine…
Alas…

Last but not least...just because she is so stinkin’ cute and my little pride and joy (and possibly my BFF because we spend SO much time together) – Miss Skylar Rockets and her little almost two-year old mood swings!

♥cyn♥

Makeover: A MUCH Needed New 'Do!

To say I needed a new *look* would be the understatement of the century!
Initially I had promised myself a full-on day at the salon once I hit a certain weight but Brian decided to give me the *day of beauty* as a birthday gift!

It's funny how we get in ruts...
I knew my hair had seen better days.
I knew it was flat and lifeless...
I knew it had no style or *oomph*...
I knew it was not my usual tresses that have always been a sense of pride for me.

I had gotten in the habit of tossing my hair in a clip and convinced myself that it didn't look as bad as it really did.
Well nothing speaks LOUDER than a photograph...

THE BEFORE:
Granted I am in sweatshirt, have uber rootage, and really didn't even try to make myself look spiffy but Oh-My-Good-Golly.

Ummm... why didn't anyone tell me it was THIS bad???? *heh*

THE AFTER:
Hello! I LOVEEEEE my new cut and color! My hairdresser Kim (bless her heart) really outdid herself with the corrective color (foils and color) and the cut. I have never had highlights and I love the entire look!

Ready to hit the town for my birthday evening out with my hunny and my favorite peeps!!! Feeling like a million dollars!



Besides looking better than I have in a LONG time I learned something from this experience. I need to do these sort of things for myself more often. I deserve to look the best I can because it does WONDERS for how I feel on the inside!
I am a better Mom when I feel good...
I am a better partner to Brian when I feel good...
I am a better ME when I feel good!

Turning 41 has been one of my best birthdays EVER!

On a sidenote: We had SO MUCH stinkin' fun last night with our friends. I haven't laughed that hard in a long, long, LONG time! Dinner was superb, the cocktails were yummy, and the company was AMAZING!!!
I am paying the price today because I haven't really drank in about three years -- but the headache is a small price to pay for how much fun we ALL had!!!

Thank you Brian!

It feels good to be ME again!
♥cyn♥