I am so excited to do my first Step up Sunday today! I have made a goal for February to work on my fitness so this is a great motivator!

1. How many pounds did you gain or lose?
I weighed myself on Monday at work to start off this journey and failed to weigh myself Friday. I will edit this tomorrow with how much I lost/gained for the week.

2. How many inches did you gain or lose?
I’m not tracking my inches.

3. Your weekly exercise or step goal, and did you meet it? 
I try to make 10,000 steps a day and I have been falling short every day by like 1500 steps. I will have to pay more attention to my counter this week and meet that goal.

4. What was your biggest challenge this week?
I had a lot of dinner dates this week catching up with friends so I was not eating the healthiest.

5. What is your favorite healthy snack or meal?
I have been enjoying clementines. They give me a punch of energy at that 3 o'clock slump and they taste yummy.

Let me paint you a picture. It was July 3rd, 2012. I was quickly fishing through my junk folder in my email looking for a message from a friend that never showed up. I decided at this point to multi-task and to delete as I went. Along the way I came across a subject line that was inviting me to the Grammy Awards. 

After picking my jaw up off the floor I started to worry. Was this a scam? We all know how the internet and email is full of phishing scams these day. You always have to be cautious. It was late and the next day was a holiday so I had to wait to call and see if this was legit. In the meantime I called my cousin to invite her to be my guest, cause naturally this was gonna be legit right? She agreed but also had the same worry as me.

The 5th finally came around and I called the number. Not only was it legit, the lady couldn't believe I actually called. Apparently most people just assume its a scam and lose the trip. So fast forward to February 2013. We were being picked up by a car service and whisked away to the airport to catch our flight (Which we almost missed..) to Los Angeles to attend the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.

Now being we are in full award season now and the Grammy's are on Sunday, I figured I would share my experience in pictures. My dream come true. I hope you enjoy!

That's right, we got the water in the car service. Jealous? lol

It was pretty rainy while we were in LA. Wasn't used to this because I don't think it ever rained any other time I was in L.A!

The Red Carpet the night before the Grammys. Look's so fancy!

<3

We were smack dab in the middle of L.A. Live. We stayed at that JW Marriott pictured.

Did I mention it had a roof top pool?

The night before. We so fancy.

This is what Grammy tickets look like.

I clean up good. Yes?

This is what the Grammy's look like straight from the nose bleed section folks!

They had all these pretty lights. The theme idea was stolen from the folk who sing Ho Hey.

After Party! Sorry for the crappy picture- No cameras allowed but I had my cell.

It was bali themed. So cool!

 So there you have it. My Grammy experience! I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to tune in on Sunday!

I always want to look back at my blog and be able to tell that it mattered. Something I wrote mattered to one of you. I want to look back and see that somehow one of my posts touched someone. Today's post is going to be one of those posts. On Tuesday I opened up my inbox to see an e-mail from She Knows Media (BlogHer). The e-mail read:


I was beyond proud and excited to be apart of such an inspirational project. We have come a long way here in the U.S with women's rights, but we aren't 100% there. Think about how bad we think it is here in our own country and multiply that by 100. We still live in a world where women have no rights at all. Think about how scary that life would be.

Now think about the women who stand up for their rights. Sometimes to their own spouses only to get in return violence. Domestic violence is still a very real thing in the world. Even here in the U.S. Did you know 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes? I believe it. Wanna know why? I am the 1 in 4. This campaign will certainly bring back some bad memories, but it will also help me feel empowered. I have a voice and it will be heard.


"Across Women’s Lives seeks to change the conversation in news media, because women’s lives are newsworthy. It is an in-depth series by PRI that will reveal the strong connection between the empowerment of women and girls, and economic development and improved health around the world."

Whether you are trying to make it in your career or experiencing domestic violence at home, you are worth it. Your voice needs to be heard. I hope you will all join me in this amazing campaign to get our voices heard. Follow me in this in depth campaign that runs through December. You can make the difference. We can do it together. Use the hash tag #WomansLives to follow along. 

For more inspirational stories and posts keep checking back here as I will be posting monthly until December. Also check out Public Radio International for more up to date into on Across Women's Lives.

Is it cold outside and you need a way to get warm? Was your day stressful and all you want to do is relax? Are your kids driving you up the wall and you wish you could escape? I may have a way to solve all of these problems. Bath Teas. Now you are probably sitting there scratching your head thinking, "What the heck is a bath tea?"


Well my friend you have come to the right place. Bath teas happen to be my new obsession (I also love tea the beverage). I have lived in my apartment for almost 2 full years and NEVER took a bath. That all changed over the holidays when a friend made me a lovely bath tea mixture. I have been missing out all these years. And the good news is, it's REALLY easy to make yourself! You can turn your own bathroom into a spa experience at a fraction of the cost.

Now I don't know about you but I look for herbs that are soothing and relaxing. I want my bath to make me feel relaxed and ready for dreamland. So with that in mind I went ahead and did the research for you (You can thank me later..) as to which herbs you want to incorporate into your luxurious at home spa experience.



The mix I have been using lately is full of lavender and rosemary mixed in with epson salts. Epson salts are a must in my bath because they are very helpful for sore muscles. If you need to relax, getting your muscles to relax is half the battle.

You don't have to stick to the herbs I recommended. There are all kinds of herbs you can use. My biggest reminder is to always check with the person you are purchasing the herbs from to make sure they are authentic and pure. Also keep in mind if you have any allergies to make sure something in an herb is not something that will irritate you.
 
Now that you have decided which herbs are right for you, you need to buy them. I have a little shop in my city that sells them, but if you are having trouble with that there are many places online to purchase. Just make sure you ask questions if you feel like something is off. Genuine sellers will always answer any questions or concerns you may have.

Once you have made the purchase you are one step closer to that luxurious spa experience. Now that you have your herbs, you need to mix them all together. A mason jar is always a good place to store your herbs. Mix in the "tea" with as much epson salt as you like. Once all mixed draw a bath.


You will need to steep the herbs just as you would in a cup of tea. For this purpose you can either steep the herbs ahead of time and infuse your bath water with it, or the method I use; a tea ball for loose tea. Another method you can try is cutting the end off of an old pair of panty hose and pour the herbs + epson salts in there. Make sure to tie it off at the end to ensure easy clean up at the end. Throw the tea ball (or panty hose)  into the tub and watch it brew before you eyes. Get yourself in that tub and enjoy the benefits of your home made tea! I soak for about 20 minutes and I'm ready for dreamland.


*Keep in mind I am not a doctor. None of the statements I made are from a medical stand point. Always use caution when using things new to your body. If you have concerns consult with your doctor.

Well friends, the first month of 2015 has already passed and as we transition into a new month, it's time to look at what we accomplished in January. Whether you had a new years resolution or a set of goals you set for the new year, now is a good time to reflect on if you are really going to follow through. For me, I set in motion a year long happiness project in which I am working on becoming the best person I can be. I chose a word for the year and that is Rejuvenate. I spoke about my happiness project goals back in the beginning of January and I think I am off to a great start.


My most viewed post for January was: How to Order Eyeglasses Online

January was all about R & R (Re-focus and Relaxation). I feel pretty good about what I accomplished. I could always do better, but the couple of things I did do, really made this months goal feel like a win. Lets see what I accomplished:

#1 Working with a counselor to manage stress: This is one of the best things I could of done for myself. I was drowning in my own stress mess and had no idea how to get out. My health was on the downward spiral and I was all together feeling miserable. Talking to a third party who has no idea what your life is like is really nice. There is no judgement or harmful criticism to make you feel worse about your situation. You should never feel like this is a bad option. Never feel embarrassed to ask for help.

#2 Signing up for a class: This is something I have been wanting to do since I moved to my new city (3 years ago). I dragged my feet for so long. Finally I saw an ad for a stress relief yoga class being offered locally. It was being offered for 10 people only and something inside of me screamed this was the class I needed to take. Sitting on a plane coming home from Nashville, I sent the email. I was the tenth applicant!

#3 Yoga: I have officially attended 3 yoga classes in the stress relief series. I have learned so much about myself in the 3 weeks I have attended. I am learning to use my breath and clear my mind when things gets overbearing. I am getting a little more comfortable about looking at myself in the mirror and liking what I see. My core is getting a workout and that makes me smile. I love feeling the muscles I forgot I had. It also inspired me to write a beginners guide to yoga by the beginner. I hope you check it out.

#4 Baths: I was given a gift of homemade bath tea for Christmas. I forgot how nice it is to relax in a bath full of relaxing herbs. Epsom salts and herbs were my savior on cold nights when my muscles aches and my mind raced. Being able to fully relax all aspects of my body was very fulfilling. I slept better a night and woke up more rested. Win/Win. Expect a how to on making your own herbal bath teas coming up in February!

#5 Reading: I have been reading my little heart out since November. I strived to finish up my winter reading challenge, but I didn't complete it. I do not consider this a fail though because I have read more books in the past 3 months then I have in a few years. It has also inspired me to use the library and my kindle more often. Coming up in March I am planning an e-reader reading challenge. I hope you join! It will be lots of fun!

I really think January was a great start to my goals for the year. I feel like I am on a good track! Now let's talk about February. I am dedicating February to Friendship and Fitness. The reason I am picking those 2 topics is February is American Heart Month as well as the month of Valentines. I think starting here after working on relaxing would be a great time to focus on my health and relationships. I will continue to layer what I learned in January into my February goals.

The goals I want to set are as follows:

#1800 Minute Challenge: I have decided to participate in this challenge that Erin over at Living in Yellow is hosting. I missed it last year and this year it fits perfectly into my plans. It runs from February 1st through March 31st. This is a great opportunity to bring my yoga practice into this months goals.

Eat better: I am participating in a Biggest Loser competition at work starting today and running through April 24th.  Between this and the 1800 Minute challenge I have a lot of motivation to get healthy this month as well as getting myself into the gym!

Make 2 new friends: This is a tough one for me, but it needs to get gone. Meeting friends as an adult it totally like courting someone to date. I am going to try to ask at least 2 new people out for coffee or something that interests us both.

Rekindle Friendships: I have a lot of long distance friendships. Sometimes just like long distance relationships, friendships also need rekindling. I am going to reach out to some of my close friends and get that magic back. Life is hard and busy but it gets easier to have the ones we love there with us.

Read 3 Books: This one doesn't fit in with the rest but I am going to try to meet a book goal each month to keep me reading!

So there we are. My 5 goals this month. They are all pretty big ones. I hope to get them accomplished!