Workout Tanks

One of the reasons I started my vinyl business (to visit, click HERE or HERE) was because I wanted to start making my own cute workout tank tops. I knew I needed to start small and work my way up to them though, had to make money to pay for the equipment... it ain't cheap.

I recently started making them though and I am SO excited.

If you are interested in purchasing one, just shoot me a message and we can get it started for you!

Pricing:

Fitted Racerback (suggest sizing up) $15 + $3 shipping

Flowy Racerback $18 + $3 shipping

Regular Adult T-Shirt $12 + $3 shipping

2XL and up, add $3 to total

Here are a few I have made... I cant wait to make more soon!!!

 

I am BACK!!

Yall, my back is being so annoying! I went to the chiropractor on Friday and she adjusted me really good. The right lower side of my back was so tight I could barley bend over without crying. I left feeling so much better and felt back on my game. Saturday morning I went back to the gym and did cardio. Saturday night, the left lower side of my back started acting up... seriously, get it together!!!

Sunday I was planning on going to the gym but since my back was hurting again I decided to rest up one more day. I stretched, did the heating pad, took some medicine, and tried to take it easy. Funny story, I was bending over nice and slow to get something for Dax and Casey was watching me. When I stood up, he said "At first I thought you were bending over slowly to be sexy for me but then I realized you were in pain..." HAHAHAHA!!!!

None the less, I am back in the gym this morning!!! Don't worry, I am taking it nice and slow, I have added a lot more stretching to my routine and I am not lifting as heavy as I was... but I am back and that is really what counts.

One of the things I missed most about being sick last week... breakfast! Most days I slept until lunch time so I missed my breakfast. The days I did wake up in time for breakfast I didn't feel good enough to eat anything so I would skip it or just have a juice instead. I was so excited leaving the gym today knowing that I was going to have a big bowl of egg whites and a torn up turkey burger. Sadly, I am trying to cut back on cheese the next few weeks or this would have had a serving of that to go along with it.

Cheese is my weakness. I am a RAT! I could eat a block of cheese by itself. Actually, I have before. HA! But, it does cause bloat and bloating is something I am trying to get rid of right now. Everything is okay in moderation, so I don't plan on cutting it all out all together but I need to cut back tremendously. My stomach is a huge problem area and over these next 5 weeks, I really want to see changes in my stomach so if that means passing on cheese here and there, I am willing to do just that.

Speaking of the next 5 weeks... Today starts week 6 out of 10 weeks of the Transform You challenge. The first half of the challenge was a struggle for me but I am really buckling down and making sure the 2nd half of the challenge I am on top of my game. The only obstacle I see right now is my birthday which falls on the start of week 9. We are going out on Friday August 19th to celebrate my birthday (and my one year of being back on track with my weight loss) so I am making that my cheat meal for the week and then Monday August 22th (my 31st birthday) I plan on having a slice of carrot cake... then I am staying 100% on track with eating until the challenge ends on August 28th!

Time to give it HELL!!!

Happy Monday!!

Worn out

This blog will be short. Basically, I have been feeling like total crap the past few days. This is week 5 of the Transform You challenge and I was so excited to have a GREAT week. I woke up Monday morning in horrible pain. I had a migraine, my back hurt and I just wanted to go back to bed.

Tuesday I was determined to get back on track. I went to the gym and work and I over did it I think because Wednesday I felt even worse!!!

Today I woke up feeling better, took some iron supplements yesterday and I think those really helped. I decided to pass on the gym today but I am back to work. That's a plus.

My eating has been 50/50... 50% good & 50% bad. My water intake has been slipping since I have been sleeping most of the day. Today I am going to focus on my eating and water. Friday afternoon I have an appointment to have my back adjusted. Praying by Saturday I am back in my routine and back in the gym.

Every up has a down... this is mine right now!!!

Fri-Yay!!!

Friday + Payday = FRI-YAY!!!

Lets start it off with a Flex break!!! I am proud of the definition I am starting to see in my arms. My arms have always been a problem area (along with my tummy) so I have been hitting the weights hard because I am ready for a change... seeing this picture this morning makes me SO happy!!!

Can we just say how amazing this snack is?! Chocolate rice cake, peanut butter and bananas... I mean, where can you go wrong?!

Today, in a few hours, Caleb leaves for his Dad's house and wont be home until August. I am going to miss this goober so much, he always knows how to keep me on my toes. He cracks me up and annoys me at the same time. He is my little mini me and such a momma's boy.

The shirt he is wearing is one I made!! Check out my Etsy page HERE I will be adding more shirts as I make them... going to be working on back to school items and falls items!

 

Since Caleb is leaving, he requested Donut Friday. I told him I would buy them after I hit the gym and he asked me to wake him up. I came home with the donuts and went to his room and he grunted, kissed me and went back to bed. Oh well, stinking kid! Dax was awake so he joined me for breakfast. He had a chocolate donut and I had an egg white sandwich... those donuts smelled amazing but winning $3,000 is going to smell even more amazing!!! 

 

Happy Friday! I hope you guys have a great weekend... remember, everything is okay in moderation!

Family Vacation!!!

Last week we packed up the car and headed to Little Rock, Arkansas and then to Branson, Missouri for our annual family vacation!!!

We left on Monday July 4th in the morning and made it to Little Rock shortly after lunch time. We unloaded a few things and then took a shuttle down to where they were having a festival. Casey found out that they were doing free admission into Bill Clinton's library so we decided to walk from the festival to the library. On the way we found these HUGE hills and tons of ripped up cardboard boxes... so we turned into kids and started to slide some hills. Caleb was scared but we finally made him do it and he was instantly in love. I have to say that was probably my favorite part of the whole vacation... it brought back so many wonderful childhood memories for me.

The library was okay... don't worry we are still Republicans (haha). I am not a huge fan of museums and stopping to read artifacts, BUT Casey is so we went. There were a couple of cute things that kept Caleb and I entertained while Casey read history "crap".... We were in and out within an hour (thank goodness, poor Casey).

We took the shuttle back to the hotel, changed clothes and grabbed some snacks and went to find a spot for the fireworks. Dax wasn't feeling good, I really think he had Roseola... he was running a fever and when it finally broke, he had a rash covering his whole body. He was so whiny and just blah looking... the fireworks started going off (finally, worst firework show I have ever been to) and he passed out.

The next day we loaded up and hit the road for Branson, MO!!! Last year we vacationed with Casey's cousin, Brandon, his wife, Sarah (and one my best friends) and their 2 year old, Landon. We met up around 4pm, made it to the condo, went to Wal-Mart picked up some groceries and just hung out that night at the condo. The next day, we woke up early and spent the day at Silver Dollar City!!! #BallFlowers

That night Casey and I went on a date on the Showboat Branson Belle dinner cruise. It was such a fun date night and I highly suggest it to anyone going to Branson. We upgraded our package and did the paddle room and had private seating and some of the best seats in the house for the show.

 

Thursday we decided The Flowers' would do their own thing and The Ball's would do their own thing... so we hit up the toy museum which was really awesome to see... except for the fact that Caleb kept asking us to buy him umm EVERYTHING!!! 

 

Then that afternoon we boarded the Duck and took a tour of Branson on land and water. Both of the boys were able to drive the boat and it was one of Caleb's most favorite parts of the trip.

 

 

 That evening was spent with one of my most favorite families, The Gorrell's!!! When I was younger, I was a daycare teacher and some of the kids took a place in my heart and I became friends with the parents. I am so thankful that after many many many years, we are still friends. Susan helped me plan our trip to Branson, they live in Springfield, and then we decided we would meet up and have dinner... I was able to see Gavin, who is about to be 13 (WOW)... he was 2 when he was in my class!!!

Friday we hit up the waterpark in town, sadly we were only there for an hour before a storm rolled in and they made everyone get out of the water and they ended up closing the park down. Bummer man!

 

Since the waterpark was a bust, we drove around town and found things to do... in the midst of driving around, we found Branson's biggest rocking chair!!! Random but cool... We also went to the wax museum and my favorite place SONIC!!!

 

 

That night, Sarah and Brandon went on their date night and we stayed at the condo and packed up our things for our trip home on Saturday. It was supposed to storm all day Saturday so The Ball's went ahead and hit the road that night after their date. We decided to stay and stick it out... if it rained we would head home but if it was dry we wanted one more day at Silver Dollar City. Luckily, we woke up and it was gorgeous outside so we went back to the park. It was actually a REALLY great day. The boys were able to ride every roller coaster Caleb was tall enough to ride and I even got another bag of kettle corn popcorn!! 

We made it home around 9:30pm Saturday night and the boys went straight to bed, and so did we! Another successful, wonderful, fun family vacation in the books... now time to start planning mine and Casey's 3rd anniversary trip for next March!!!

Tip - want to take vacations but cant afford it? Start planning MONTHS in advance, do the research yourself, look for condos on the app Homeaway, check different airlines for pricing, or is it cheaper and easier to drive... you can do it if you really want to, just have to put the time and work into it!

Hard week

I was on vacation this past week with my boys (I will blog about it later this week) but to be honest, it was a VERY hard week for me. I was not only on my period, but it was also the anniversary of my miscarriage (we lost the baby on July 4th and didn't know it until I went in for my check up on July 10th). I thought being away on vacation would make it a little bit easier, but I was wrong. The pain followed me there...

I tried to ignore it and enjoy the time I had with my boys, but the memory of losing Isabelle kept creeping in every chance it could. I was out of my routine with eating and with working out, but I did manage to squeeze in a few workouts... mainly to help me get out of my head and just have some alone time. As you know, I am an emotional eater and well this week being on vacation and dealing with the emotions of this painful anniversary, well lets just say I ate more than I should. I think if I was at home, my eating would have been more in check but oh well... right?! What is done is done now.

We made it home Saturday night and I had big plans to wake up Sunday morning and grocery shop and hit the gym. Instead I woke up not feeling well at all and in this horrible depressed mood. I wanted to stay in bed and not lift a finger. Casey was being so great and supportive that he let me do just that... It was much needed!

I woke up this morning in such a better mood. I made it to the gym. Had an amazing workout. Came home and prepped all of my food for today and made it to work 15 minutes early.

Last week was hard to say the least, but I made it through and I am here ready to kick this weeks ass!

Transform You Challenge update - I just started week 4 today, that means I have 7 weeks left. I can really tell a difference in my arms and shoulders already. I am really trying to focus on my waist and my tummy though... so I am hoping in the next 7 weeks I will be able to really tell a difference, we shall see!!! I will be posting pictures when I finish week 5.

The Bicep Progress!!!

It is July 1st!!!!

You know what that means, right?! It is time for me to compare my progress of my biceps/arms. One of my problem areas on my body is my arms. They have always been very flabby, even when I was the smallest weight was at my wedding. I still wear tank tops because honestly I really can careless what other people think, and I live in Texas where it is hot... but I have always dreamed of the day I could show off some amazing guns in those tank tops.

So I decided to make 2016 my year of getting guns.. Biceps baby!!!

I am so happy with my progress so far. I mean check out how that hanging flab is not really hanging anymore. Also if you look close you can see a baby bicep coming out to play.... AND.... Check out my shoulder cuts!!! WOW!!! I am so proud of myself!!!

I decided to compare my June progress from June 1st to today... and WOW! I am pretty speechless! I went kind of hardcore this month on lifting, finished up Jessie's Girl program and then started Ashley Horner's Transform You challenge. Seeing this months progress really makes me excited to see what the next 8 weeks of this challenge has in store for me. Time to give it hell so I can grow these biceps!

Caleb was accepted to International Leadership of Texas (a charter school near our house) and they have to wear uniforms. I finally took some time and ordered them and they arrived last week. Last night I decided to let him try them on and OH MY GOSH... How adorable is my baby boy?! He looks so grown up. He didn't want to take it off either. He is holding up a peace sign because his new Dead Pool toy is holding up a peace sign so now he throws out the deuces everywhere we go. I like to call him my little Nixon. Haha!

 

THREE MORE HOURS UNTIL MY VACATION STARTS!!!! I am stoked to take some time off, get away from the house and enjoy my three guys. Little Rock and Branson, here we come!

Happy 4th of July everyone and Happy 240th Birthday 'Merica!!!