100 list {part three}

A list of things I hope to accomplish in my time on this planet {in no particular order}:

51. shave my head
52. live to 114 years old (yep, I'm serious. It would be the year 2100.)
53. reach 100 blog followers
54. find my tribe
55. view a TED talk live
56. sell something on etsy
57. read Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom in its entirety
58. go to a nude beach
59. go just one month without spending any money
60. hike the full 2650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail

do tell... what's on your list?

These are a few of my Favorite Things

Ah, to be Oprah. I'm pretty sure if her show was still around, attending one of her Favorite Things episodes would totally make my {100 list}. 

A new car? Sure! Trip to Australia? Hell yes! Thanks, Oprah, you're the greatest!

One of my favorite home decor blogs, The Nester, is having a link party where we share some of our favorite things {under $30} and here, my dears, are mine:

Avalon Organics Lavender Facial Gel & Daily Moisturizer 

I am religious about my facial cleansing routine and have been using these two products for years. My skin loves them!

Polder Kitchen Scale

No more guessing when a recipe calls for a certain weight of an ingredient. Also, it just looks pretty on my counter. Mine has a red arrow though... yes, it matters.

Batiste Dry Shampoo

I don't wash my hair every day and this stuff not only makes it look decent an extra day or so, the tropical scent smells amazing!

Vanilla Mint Chaptick

Oh, truly this is my obsession. 

And I can't find it in stores anymore. I've settled for plain but I'm so tempted to buy the 24 pack off Amazon!

Nars Orgasm Nail Polish

I love the name and love the color. It's a perfect peachy, gold, pink color. 

I like it year-round but it is especially chic in summer. {I've always wanted to say that!}

It is a splurge for nail polish at $17 a bottle but it's high quality and doesn't chip forever.

Origins GinZing

Another splurge but this stuff is amazing! A little dab under your eyes and you look way more rested than you are. I have a serious problem with dark circles and this makes a huge difference.

Sharpie Pen

I'm a list girl for sure and I love me a good fine point pen. These don't bleed and the color is nice and dark.

Modern Family & Community

I don't watch tv so I get the entire season from the library and have a marathon.

My husband thinks I'm a crazy person when I watch Community cause I'm laughing so hard I can't breathe half the time. {Ken Jeong is awesome!} 

And who doesn't want a silly husband like Phil Dunphy?

Starbucks Tall Soy Latte with One Raw Sugar

That's my drink and they make it the best by far. Yum!

The I Ching

A friend gave me this a few years back and it is packed with wisdom. 

You throw 3 coins six times to determine which hexagram to read. Each is about a page and a half and there are 64 possibilities. Each hexagram is ancient Chinese wisdom that "teaches us to be led by our superior qualities." I like to throw a hexagram and read it over my coffee in the morning. 

It is a peaceful way to start the day.

Pinterest

An addiction, an obsession.

But hey, it's free!

And seriously, the creativity of some people is astounding!

Well, there you have it. A few things I can't live without.

What do you love???

100 list {part two}

A list of things I hope to accomplish in my time on this planet {in no particular order}:

26. help design & build my own home
27. age gracefully
28. learn arabic or turkish
29. be sure of myself
30. inspire someone
31. be a successful blogger
32. win a blog giveaway (3x now!)
33. go skinny dipping
34. go to france
35. go rock climbing
36. see the pyramids
37. create something that will be a family heirloom
38. learn to knit and/or crochet
39. have a {feminine} six pack
40. try AntiGravity yoga
41. do bikarm yoga regularly
42. try ayahuasca
43. see the grand canyon
44. go to an observatory to view the sky
45. visit all fifty states
46. live in an r.v. for a six months to one year while road tripping
47. run at least five miles without stopping
48. write an article for a magazine & have it published
49. visit all seven continents
50. use the i ching every morning

tell me... what's on your list?

merci, danke, gracias

:: my loves

::  snacks

:: technology

:: snowy mountains

:: friends

:: warm days in November

:: vacations

:: second chances

:: books on cd

:: coffee

curiouser and curiouser

It is truly amazing what a little effort and time to nurture self can do.
In the 3 weeks since my weight loss challenge began, I have lost about 5 pounds and gained energy, discipline, strength and motivation.
Rather than start with drastic lifestyle changes that would likely overwhelm and lead to burn-out, I've put my effort toward simple swaps that have had big impact.
I encourage anyone on a weight loss journey to begin their first four weeks with these simple steps
(the hard stuff can come later, once these have become habit):

:: Get some sleep! And be consistent. Try to get to bed and wake up at the same time each day... yes, even on weekends. Learn what your body needs... I shoot for 7 1/2 to 8 hours each night.
:: Plan meals and snacks. Find a free template online or create your own. I plan my week's meals a few days in advance so I'm never caught off guard come meal time.
:: Drink water- I drink at least 60 ounces daily, just shy of one ounce per inch of my height. Drink a glass first thing in the morning and often throughout the day.
:: Eat 'power foods'. I like the Abs Diet list.
:: Eat often. Seems counterintuitive but if you get too hungry, you'll probably overdo it the next time.
:: Take a multivitamin and fish oil. I take mine just before bed so my body can first absorb nutrients from the food I eat throughout the day.
:: Eliminate refined sugar as much as possible. Raw honey, (real) maple syrup, stevia, sucanat and agave are good alternatives.
:: Decrease alcohol consumption.
:: Eliminate temptation. Get rid of the junk food in your cupboards. If you're anything like me, if it's there, you'll eat it.
:: Replace processed foods with whole foods.
:: Remember: this meal is not your last. Learn and listen to your body's fullness cues and stop eating when you're satisfied. There's no need to clear your plate at each meal. Serve yourself less to begin with if you have a hard time throwing away food.
:: Start exercising. Start small and do what you can for now. Remember the hard stuff can come later.
:: Be flexible. Life happens. Plan for slip-ups and changes to your routine. This isn't all or nothing.
:: Be gentle, set goals and remind yourself why you are doing this.

{disclaimer... I am not a professional or expert... this is what has worked for me... I encourage you to do your own research and discuss weight loss and fitness goals with a professional}

Also, tell people about your goal. Spread the word that your are on a path to transform your body and life! If they love you, they'll encourage you, cheer you on and keep you in check when you face temptation or discouragement.

source

100 list {part one}

A list of things I hope to accomplish in my time on this planet {in no particular order}:

1. learn to surf
2. write a book
3. be an expat
4. participate in a triathlon
5. take a pottery class
6. vote
7. skydive
8. raise honeybees
9. get my nose pierced
10.
11. ride in a hot air balloon
12. be a master gardener
13. pay off a mortgage
14. live debt-free
15. take a pole fitness class
16. own a home & property in Costa Rica
17. swim in an infinity pool
18. earn a bachelor's degree
19. visit 100 countries
20. learn french
21. find my passion
22. own a pair of black Louboutin's
23. own a boutique
24.
25. see whales swimming in the ocean

***
MIssing entries have been removed because they no longer align with a certain aspect of my life.

from the library

for the littles
:: Toot & Puddle- Hollie Hobbie
:: Wish You Were Here- Hollie Hobbie
:: You Are My Sunshine- Hollie Hobbie
:: Henry in Love- Peter McCarty
:: The Tiny Seed- Eric Carle
:: Pancakes, Pancakes!- Eric Carle
:: You're All My Favorites- Sam McBratney
:: Guess How Much I Love You- Sam McBratney
:: Gingerbread Baby- Jan Brett
:: The Hat- Jan Brett
:: Ladybug Girl- Jacky Davis & David Soman
:: We Gather Together: Celebrating the Harvest Season- Wendy Pfeffer
:: The Seven Silly Eaters- Mary Ann Heboerman
:: Where the Wild Things Are- Maurice Sendak
:: Pete's a Pizza- William Steig
:: Madlenka- Peter Sis
:: My Garden- Kevin Henkes
:: Zen Shorts- Jon J. Muth
:: Zen Ghosts- Jon J. Muth
:: The Snowy Day- Ezra Jack Keats
:: How to Catch a Star- Oliver Jeffers
:: De Vuelta a Casa- Oliver Jeffers

for me
:: Aleph- Paulo Coelho
:: The Attachment Parenting Book- William & Martha Sears
:: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle- Barbara Kingsolver
:: The Language of Flowers- Vanessa Diffenbaugh
:: Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating- Mark Bittman
:: The Power of Intention- Wayne W. Dyer