MOVE MOVE MOVE - I'm Looking for ACTION!!

It's JULY and you need to take control of your fitness activity (or at least add it to your daily activities)!

Whether you can get moving here at lunch time or when you get home from work - let's try and fit this pyramid in TODAY and then every-other-day!

YOU CAN DO IT!

PICK-ME-UP Pyramid (from Tone It Up)
*If you have a set of stairs, walk up & down twice then GO!

10 jumping jacks

20 lunges

30 tummy tucks

40 second plank on your forearms

30 squats

20 bicycle crunches

10 push-ups

(x2)

I originally found these ladies on Facebook. They always have some fun posts with recipes or workouts!

I know you can do this pyramid! SO enjoy it!
If you are already feeling physically fit - put this in at the beginning of a run or planned workout and again at the end! MOVE Your FULL BODY!

When you get this mastered - increase each set by 10!

NEW Blog

This will continue to be my blog for all I said it would be... however, we just added our blog to be about us and our adventures in this new married life!

http://philipandcarla.blogspot.com

The Taste of Summer - Easy Creations!

There are so many things to love about Summer!
The beach, lake or pool time. The long days. The amount of fresh produce that you crave (hopefully that is not just me).
So, one of my favorite things about this season is the cooking! There is so much to make while the produce is great and the grill is hot!

While here in Chicago, we do not have a grill, Philip and I have enjoyed so many different types of dishes to satisfy our Summer palate. When we were on our honeymoon in Kaua'i we ordered a dish that I knew I would need to replicate when returning to the mainland.

Philip is not a guy who would choose fish if offered chicken or steak - however, this dish has become a favorite of his and it is such a simple, healthy and fun summer dinner!

* If buying fresh fish - always talk to the fish butcher about what you like and do not like. If you like a buttery fish or want an easy one to grill, they will give you great advice, even regarding what to purchase from the frozen packaged section!

____________________________________________

Wahoo Fillet

FISH QUESADILLAS for 2
INGREDIENTS
- 12-24 oz White Fish (Wahoo/Ono, Halibut, Flounder, Tilipia)
- 2 Large Flour Tortilla (Spinach or Whole Wheat)
- 1/2 Avocado (sliced moderately thin)
- Cheddar cheese (shredded) - or a mixed cheese pkg
- 1 Small Lime (optional - and cut into wedges)
- Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper


THEN HERE YOU GO....
- Preheat oven or grill to cook fish of choice. I like to rub a small amount of olive oil on the fish then sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides - I like to squeeze one wedge of lime over the fish. Completely cook fish till meat can easily be pulled apart. Set aside.

Fish Quesadillas

- On a frying pan (large enough to fit entire tortilla) turn to medium heat and put one drop of olive oil in center. Place tortilla in the center as the pan is warming up and rub the tortilla on the olive oil, spreading it on the pan as well - leaving it face open. // If grilling - brush a light layer of olive oil to one side of the tortilla and place open on grill over low heat.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese (not so heavy) filling up half of the open tortilla.
- Pull cooked fish apart so you have pieces to place on top of cheese. Evenly spread fish on the cheese.
- Take sliced avocado, place on fish and cheese, evenly spread to your desire.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese then fold the empty tortilla side over. Using a turner, turn your now quesadilla over to melt cheese you just put on top.
- Wait till cheese is melted and tortilla starts to get a bit crispy, ~5 min (depending on heat source). Remove from heat, let cool for a few minutes then slice into 3-4 sections.
* Optional - drizzle a line or two of ranch of choice on top of quesadillas and have sliced limes and salsa standing by for extra flavor.

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GOOD SIDES

• Spruce up your Salads with some fruit and mix green leaf lettuce with spinach leaves!
• A favorite: Lettuce, Spinach, Carrots, Shredded Italian Cheese and Peaches with a BBQ Ranch dressing (1/3 BBQ sauce + 2/3 Ranch + a pinch of grilling seasoning)
• Take the time to make a fruit salad to keep in a large container or bowl:
• 1/2 Watermelon, 1 Mango, 1 Pineapple, 1 lb. Strawberries, ~1 lb. Blueberries, 2-3 Kiwi, 2 Peaches (All in tiny pieces, mix and enjoy all day, at any time, with any meal!)
• Fruit is such a great way to also stay hydrated during these hot summer months!
• DESSERT!! for 2
• Low fat berry ice cream or frozen yogurt, chocolate pudding, oreos, fresh berries.
• In a small glass/wine glass: 1 scoop of ice cream, 1/2 pack of pudding snack pack (low fat), 1 oreo crumbled then berries of your choice - be active & treat yourself! 

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Hope you enjoy these little ideas for your meals at home!

Bridal Portraits by The Mondays Photography

If you want your Wedding day captured, it is so important to find a photographer who has a style you love and a personality you can get-along with.

By the end of your "Special Day," you will have your photos to look back at and share with family and friends for years to come. My first piece of advice for anyone planning a wedding is to find photographers who have a style you love but then to work with one that has a personality you know you will enjoy on wedding day. The only other advice I can share would be to have your Engagement and Bridal pictures/portraits done by the same photographer(s) - spend that extra money, you will have results beyond what you pay for.

Philip and I met Allie and Levi Monday through our church, NewSpring. They are an awesome couple and great photographers who work so well together on a photo shoot. When we choose The Mondays Photography for our Wedding we knew we wanted our Engagement and my Bridal photos from them as well.

Engagements are just fun! At least, that is what they should be! It is a great way to capture a couple at this special time in their life where they soak up the days of fiance' love, looking forward to the spouse title they will have within the months to come. However, on the technical side of things, Engagement photos allow you to fully absorb the time in front of a camera with your loved one and understand the style your Photographer will use when working with you and your wedding. We had an amazing time and results during our Engagement shoot and could play off of Allie and Levi the entire time!

Bridal portraits are whatever you want them to be. Traditional, classic, organic, glamorous, artistic and/or fun. It is a time to show off the bride, her gown and style for the wedding. However, on the technical side again, it is the perfect opportunity to figure out if the "look" you want/like for your wedding day is going to be exactly what you think on camera! I learned so much about myself in the gown from the portraits and what I did and did not want to change for the wedding day.

I had the opportunity to do portraits in two different ways. My first shoot at The Cliffs on Lake Keowee (Keowee Vineyards) was total Bridal with my hair in "wedding day style" and my dressed fully assembled as if it were June 4th. My second shoot was much more organic on a dock along Lake Hartwell with my hair down, no veil and with my dress in its most simple of form, all white, no accessories.

Allie and Levi Monday are absolutely wonderful to work with. It was such a blessing to have them capture all of our Wedding fun!

Enjoy The Mondays Photography bridal portraits

 

 

My Official Bridal Portrait for Wedding Day!

My dress from Mary's Bridal in Annapolis was a Mary Couture - she made the dress for me based on another one of her personal designs. While the dress is all lace, there are lace appliques from the upper chest to the bottom of the skirt. We took those same appliques to line my veil for more of a Spanish mantilla look (embracing my Puertorican roots). The navy flower and ribbon was for a splash of modern fun with our coastal/country club wedding. It was attached by a simple hook. A comb was added to the back of the flower in case I wanted to add it to my hair during the reception.

My jewelry included my engagement ring, my Clemson class ring and a simple pair of earrings, tear-drop pearls from a gold stud.

Here's a sneak peak at our wedding photographs and The Mondays blog!

Photographers: The Mondays Photography

Bouquet: by Carla, silk hydrangeas, roses and rope combination

Locations: The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards & Lake Hartwell

Dress & Veil: Mary’s Bridal, Annapolis

Shoes: RSVP

Hair: Rachel Fastenau, Studio 81 Anderson SC

Makeup: Covergirl

Inspiration Board

Immediately after Philip and I were engaged people began to ask me how our wedding would be? what style? what colors? where? etc... To be completely honest, I repeatedly answered "I'm not sure yet, we have time to figure that out..." - In other words, I had not exactly been that girl  who planned out "my wedding day," (went to college from my MRS) or knew how everything was to run with me in the white dress.

While I am familiar with events and I absolutely love weddings and things that require a lot of design/set-up, I did not have our wedding planned before the engagement, nor within the months following.

This process is something to soak in when it is your own and you choose to have a full wedding day. I knew I did not want to hire a "wedding planner." I'm sorry, while I fully support and respect (dream about) that career, I have too much pride in my own personal Do-It-Yourself tactics, design and personality. (Plus, if you pick a venue that has an awesome coordinator, you have a great deal of help!) Philip and I both have strong enough personalities and opinions so we knew that we wanted to make our special day reflect us.

From style to colors, we knew we wanted to find some way to mash my mid-Atlantic coastal roots with his rustic Southern boy charm. Our love of the water, being comfortable, classic style and dining preferences made it a bit difficult to settle on a venue (which honestly, controls every other thing you do and plan).

During the year and half I had the opportunity to watch wedding blogs and come up with plenty of ideas for the day. I constantly check Style Me Pretty and Wedding Chicks for any fun ideas or great designs. One thing that Style Me Pretty taught me was to make an inspiration board. From years of athletics, Inspiration Boards were used to set goals and succeed in them. While I had plenty of boards for the wedding, different ones for different parts of the wedding, it really kept me focused on the design quality of the entire day.
Coming soon, I cannot wait to post all the stationary we designed & used!
This is our Wedding in an Inspiration Board...

Vendors

Photographer: The Mondays Photography

Videographer: Remedy Films

Florist: Sara York Grimshaw Design

Venue: The Daniel Island Club

DJ: Austin Booth

Invitations: Cards & Pockets

Dress: Mary’s Bridal, Annapolis

Bridesmaids: Alfred Sung, Bella Bridesmaid

Hair: Rachel Fastenau

Makeup: Jennifer Cox

Here We Go

I cannot believe how much time can pass when you focus on other things. I stepped into the shoes of a "wedding planner" & bride and have finally settled into the seat I have left neglected for so many months.

Getting on a blog requires a discipline that I had yet to gain endurance for... nonetheless, as Philip and I start our life together here in IL and all of the steps to follow, I am going to gain the endurance to write and post about our life, adventures and whatever else comes up that seems good enough to post.

We are so blessed and excited for these new steps ahead! I'm so happy you are joining us!

Pour Me A Drink For Some Abs!

Would it not be wonderful if all you had to do to get in shape, to have a 6 or possibly 8 pack, was take a "magic" pill or drink an odd color liquid? 

NO, not wonderful! And yet, advertisements for this magic still exist in health magazines and on the TV. I am honestly amazed that those companies have enough money to produce those marketing ventures... but then again, people continue to buy despite a lack of results (because let's be honest, if an affordable pill could be taken once a day to give you a washboard stomach and some tone arms - then everyone taking it would look amazing, pass it on to a friend and the multiplication process would be outstanding, not to mention everyone in the country would be mistaken for a Nike or Underarmour model)!


Well I abandoned my writers block, finally! - all because of two things: 1. My new month of Runner's World arrived yesterday and 2. People saying I'm skinny, or wasting away to nothing, or (my personal favorite) you're so lucky you have that body, "it's sooo easy for you"!


I honestly do wish that I could make a part-time profession for myself by being a "Life Coach." I have a handful of people who I need to be finishing workout schedules for or nutritional packets... my apologies for my extreme tardiness. But here is the thing, I stay in the shape I am partly because of my genetics but a lot of it comes from what I consume, when I consume and what I choose to do for activities. So, I am sharing my liquid fitness tips - because I'm not wasting away to nothing and "sooo easy" to have this body just means I work at it. 


FOR ALL OF THOSE SEARCHING FOR THOSE LINES ABOVE THE HIPS AND BELOW THE CHEST This following information is for you to drink!


1. Do NOT DRINK your calories. This needs to be your mantra if you are trying to see your abs! However, when I say that I am not excluding protein shakes or soups - those are great! What I am hoping you will avoid is the 8 oz. coffee with creamer & sugar, the caffeine free soda, juice of any kind, mix drinks and beer. Your body wants water, it needs water and while you may not like the taste of it... your tongue will get over it. 


2. I LIKE it HOT. Almost after every meal I have a warm cup of tea. In the morning with breakfast I will drink hot black coffee, then about an hour or two later I will consume a green tea (when I have a sweet tooth I add honey or agave)... finally, later in the day I will turn towards a caffeine free or specifically a white tea. Even a cup of warm water with fresh lemon juice has made it onto my evening drink menu. If there is any specific scientific reason for this consumption, I do not know it well enough to properly explain it, however I do know/believe it plays a part in keeping me fit.


3. CHOCOLATE RECOVERY. If you are very active and do have great workouts at the gym or runs that break you down, recover with a glass of chocolate milk (I drink chocolate slimfast - I cannot drink milk but can somehow consume this). All water does is semi-replace your sweat. Chocolate milk has DOUBLE the carbs and protein compared to most sports drinks or plain milk. The water part of C.M. replaces your fluids lost in sweating, it adds a nutritional jackpot of calcium, a bit of sodium and sugar - which is exactly what you need for recovery and energy after a good workout. Notice that at no point did I say Chocolate Milkshake. All in all, if you are helping your muscles recover from workouts then you are not "too sore" to do something the next day! And so the fitness cycle begins!


*4. MARGARITA BARTENDER PLEASE. Drinking is NOT going to maintain abs. But let's enjoy the social life when you spend the first part of your day dying with P90X! While the drinks may not be as "sweet" as the original recipes, you can make alterations to most popular "chick" drinks and cut the calories by 200+. My example - The Skinny Margarita: 
Add your ice to the glass, ~2 oz. of white tequila, juice from 4 lime wedges and a splash or Grand Marnier
Or
Margarita Glass of Ice, ~2 oz. of white tequila, juice from 4 lime wedges and one lemon wedge, a small packet of splenda or a few drops of agave syrup
A margarita at a girlfriends house or the bar could easily be up to 300 calories and almost 30 carbs per drink (depending on the mix they use!)! The recipes above from me may max out at 100 calories and carbs are drastically cut! Again, DO not drink your Calories!

Whether one of these points can become a habit for you, or all of them, remember that things take time and if you are looking for your fitness - do not give up, stay confident and change the little things first!

My Not So Secret Amazing PUMPKIN CAKE!

This cake is awesome. It's moist. It's quick. It's NOT packed with calories. It's perfect for this time of year. It's addicting!

Ingredients:

• 1 Box of Spice Cake Mix (18oz)
• 2 Cups of Pureed Pumpkin
• 1/3 Cup Apple Sauce (1 small cup in the Apple Sauce 6 packs)
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 cup Water
• Brown Sugar
• Cinnamon & Nutmeg (Or Pumpkin Pie Seasoning)
• Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions:

• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix Dry Spice Cake Mix, Pumpkin, Apple Sauce & Egg at speed 1 then 2 as the mix picks up moisture.
• I slowly add the water - honestly, just judge the mixture, you want it to not be too thick but not too thin.
• At a slow speed tap in your Cinnamon, a pinch of Nutmeg or as much Pumpkin Spice as you want.
• With a spatula, I stir brown sugar into the bowl, if it's chunky - good!
• Cupcakes, loaf or bundt are the best! With a loaf or bundt grease then sprinkle flour.
• Bake for recommended time on cake box - you'll probably need to add another 8-10 minutes because it's so moist with the pumpkin.
• Remove from oven, let sit for less than 10 min then if in loaf or bundt flip onto plate to frost with Cream Cheese Frosting so it can melt down the sides and into the cake! If you're going to a party sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on the frosting.

Where Do the Day's Go?

A month has quickly, crazily and successfully passed by without my true understanding of where the days have gone!

Let's recap:

• ·      I worked as a Personal Trainer Manager for a short and sweet period of time
• ·      I was offered a position with The Cliffs
• ·      My best friend visited
• ·      I started at The Cliffs
• ·      I love my job
• ·      I have officially started to plan our wedding!
• ·      And - it's ALMOST Christmas!

God has challenged, blessed, humbled and shown me His Power in this past month… 

and all I can say is,

I am NOT jumping off of this ride!

My challenge to everyone is to make a “List.”” Not your Christmas list, but a positive list. Look back at the last month or two and write down everything good that's happened  for you, to you and because of you. It should take less than 10 minutes and it’s something you should remind yourself of whether you live with a Faith or not!

I am incredibly excited about the Holiday Season! I cannot wait to post some fun ideas for gifts and cards – I need to get back to being a BLOGGER!

My verse of the week, Hebrew 4:16

“Let us then approach the throne of GRACE with confidence, 

so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

PLAYLIST of the week

God Gave Me You - Dave Barnes

Run - Addison Road

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)  - Chris Tomlin

Yahweh - Hillsong United

Don't Stop Believin' - Glee Cast

How He Loves Us - Hillsong United

The Anthem - PlanetShakers

DAY 1: The New Job!

Today marks "Day 1" of the new job! While the work day was short, it was a wonderful day. It is incredibly exciting to start something "new" when you enjoy what you are starting.

Every day I will have the opportunity to go to work and continually grow in relationships with my co-workers like a normal job, but most importantly (and the reason as to why I choose this job) I have the opportunity and capability to work with people who are not healthy, have no fitness and want to give themselves a better LIFE! There will be people who I will work with who are healthy and have their fitness at a certain level - it will be great to support their goals and teach them new things, but it is the "overweight" and "obese" culture in America, in the South, that I can really help. Did you know that almost 70% of Americans are OVERWEIGHT! From that 70%, 30% of those people believe that they are "normal." For them to think that they are okay in their weight is communicating that there is an image issue in America. Normal in America is overweight - is that what we want? What breaks my heart the most is the fact that almost 20% of elementary age children are obese - that's not even including the overweight percentage.  If adults cannot make the healthy choices to avoid this issue, to change the way America understands health & fitness, then what is going to happen to these children? Do we want the next generation to have the list below by the fun age of 20?!

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Heart attack/heart failure
• Cancer
• Gallbladder problems
• Gout a kid of arthrities that occurs when uric acid builds up in the joints. Acute gout is a painful condition that typically affects one joint.
• Osteoarthritis 
  
  

  Deep aching joint pain that gets worse

  after exercise or putting weight on it

• Sleep apnea a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep - notice that is defined with COMMON :( 

I have the opportunity to work with people every day and show them their current personal "health & fitness" and their future - negative and positive. I have the opportunity to work with them to establish goals for their health, weight and strength. Exercise programs, nutrition and encouragement are going to help these people avoid health issues that will cost thousands of dollars, costly injuries because they are overweight and then show them how life can be better (honestly, less expensive and longer) at a healthier size!

My fitness, nutrition and science training comes from ISSA, the International Sports & Science Association. It is amazing to have the education in this specific knowledge. I am very blessed to have the opportunity to use my training at Gold's Gym and I look forward to RESHAPING the Southland!

For those of you who are already content with your physical condition, yeah, congratulations! You are part of a small percentage and I encourage you to continue making "fitness and nutrition" a habit! Ladies: If you are ever looking for something fun online I like the "Tone It Up Girls" from California. They have some quick videos on their website and some good recipes. Their link is on the right side of my page as their picture.

I cannot wait for more to come! Day 1 was a success and Day 2 will start tomorrow - that's all I can honestly say about it right now!

HGTV Design Star?!

While these are not the final pictures of the apartment, in the midst of my writers block, I thought it would be nice to show how Jenn, Caitlin and I have made our apartment into a lake/coastal cottage. All of us are from the East Coast. We have all grown up on some form of water; the ocean, a river, a lake or a bay. We wanted the main floor of the townhouse to become a relaxing spot that made it more like a home!

We have put a lot more work into the space since these photos. Updated pictures will come within the next week but here are a few to show our initial work (before and half-after!) Enjoy!

Living Room - Before

Living Room - Semi Complete

Breakfast Nook - Before

Breakfast Nook - Caitlin & I Painting Lake Hartwell Map

Lake Hartwell Outline Almost Complete!

I LOVE My Hair! I LOVE This Day! I LOVE My Church!

I am incredibly entertained by that girl on YouTube with her "Affirmations"! Yes, it is something to enjoy and laugh at, but today I'm seriously debating standing on top of my sink when I get home and trying the cheer/dance with all of the things "I love!"


I had a great morning yoga session because my hair looked too good to run! So... I love my ROOM! I love my HAIR! I love my YOGA dvd!
Then I ate a wonderful breakfast with some new super tasty coffee, so obviously, love.


The drive to work was gorgeous! God used His sky for a watercolor masterpiece (not to mention the weather was perfect so I could have the windows down and I DID NOT care what my hair looked like when I arrived at work)! 
I love my CLEMSON! I love this WEATHER! And I burned a new Cd for my car so I'm just rockin' out to my current personal soundtrack.


To add to this wonderful day, I got a NEW job yesterday! 3 interviews later and I get to do something that I love. I start two Monday's from now - it is a great fit and I will tell you much more as I begin!


Finally, I LOVE MY CHURCH! NewSpring is doing amazing things in the Upstate (and I'm not even giving it the credit it deserves saying that!) Today is the NewSpring Leadership Conference at the Anderson Campus. Francis Chan, Mark Driscoll, Steven Furtick, our pastor Perry Noble, Judah Smith, Jud Wilhite and Andy Stanley are all teaching a full day "focused on leveraging your influence to preach the Gospel"! To make that news even better, for those of us who couldn't join during the day, Andy Stanley is giving a FREE night session!! So... I LOVE MY CHURCH!


More than likely, I can be found this evening on top of my sink, in front of my mirror, loving everything!

It's ALEX'S Birthday!

Happy Birthday Alexandra!! You're 21!

Today my sister turns 21 and she is such an outstanding young lady! I wish I was at home to celebrate for her and with her.

Now, it has been an incredibly great 21 years of having her as my baby sister. We haven't always enjoyed each other's company or even presence, however, after I moved away for school our relationship has changed tremendously.

She is tough and independent. She knows what she likes and is not afraid to express what she does not like. She is intelligent and looks like an exotic model. She has the curly hair everyone is jealous of and the tan to go with it.

She is amazing with kids and is going to be an outstanding teacher!

I keep forgetting how old we are. I remember playing in the sandbox dad built next to our swing set. Our fort in the woods was the coolest place to hang out on our street. We had the greatest driveway of chalk art. Our mornings were consumed with tennis lessons and then practice on the board dad built us for the garage. Wagon races down the driveway were pretty intense after the movie "Cool Runnings." My grilled cheese sandwiches were her favorite. Every summer we spent hours at the community pool hanging out with friends we would never get to see. Bike rides with or without Dad into Quiet Waters are unforgettable. Winter sledding and snow-fort building only got better as we grew older. Lacrosse became life. Her hissy-fits were common if I had a variety show or play. We had an awesome basement for playing "house" or "school" (yes, I did assign real homework!). Neither of us grew much after middle school! We knew how to get to a new volume every time we argued, Dad loved it! Thrift stores became our pirate treasures as we seemed to always find the most outstanding things together. She has a lot of nicknames; "Alex," "Al," "Calex" (thank you mom), "Alexandra Marie!!!" just to name a few. We are always in charge of getting all of the presents from under the Christmas tree and organizing them for the family. We are territorial together. Taegan is her favorite thing, EVER. She likes to text, I like to call.  

We are not twins! 

Today is Alex's 21st Birthday and I am so lucky to have her as my little sister. God definitely gave me one that would help develop my personality and make me a better person, a better sister! 

This needs to be one of the last Birthday's I have to spend away from her... 

we're trying to bring her back to the South!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AL! You are AWESOME and I love you and I miss you!