10 Things on a Tuesday!

01. I'm on Day 16 of Whole30 Round 2! Halfway there and it's going great! Some parts of Whole30 are super challenging for me and others are easy. This round has been fun because I'm doing it with my mom.

02. This week is Ava's big dance recital! It's her second year of dance and I've loved watching my tiny dancer blossom over the last 2 years. 

03. We've painted almost our entire house! It was a big goal of mine to tackle this painting during the month of June. We ended up hiring a painter to paint most of the house which was the best investment. What literally would have taken me days took the painter just a day in a half. I've spent the last few days painting the kid's rooms and getting them in order. They love having "their rooms" back. 

04. We've had tons of family in town the last few weeks. It's been wonderful and I've been soaking it all up. This weekend my step-dad is coming into town and my nieces will be coming soon as well. 

05. Speaking of that we're getting excited for vacation soon. A week away with my people is just what I need. 

06. The hubby and I are looking forward to a weekend away just the two of us for a friend's wedding. We haven't had a weekend away since before Ava was born! That's awful people, so we're excited. 

07. I wrote an update about my weight loss journey, you can read it here. 

08. We had a big goal this year to pay off a lot of debt! I didn't know we were gonna do it, but God did. He provided for us and we've been able to pay off our car, the rest of our credit card debt and medical debt. Such a blessing and so freeing. #debtfree 

09. I went back and read my word for the year again this past year and it helped center me again. Reminded me of all that God wants to do in my life this year. 

10. Earlier this year I made some financial goals to help us save more and pay off more debt. One of which was to only buy things on sale and not pay full price. Wait for sales or use a coupon. I've always been a fairly frugal person, and love a good sale. I'm happy to report that this year so far I've accomplished this goal. It's an awesome feeling and a goal accomplished to get things at a great price and be able to accomplish financial goals.

New House Tour Video:: BEFORE Blank & Bare!

HI Friends! Happy Monday, how was your weekend? Today I wanted to share with you our new house tour! I like to call this one 'Blank & Bare.' We are "mostly" unpacked, but we have a long way to go as you'll see in the video! Let's get to it! 

We've already started painting, and I can't wait to show you what the house looks like after we've painted every square inch! Check back soon, I hope to do more of these house video updates over the next several months.

Entertaining in Our New Backyard with Pier 1 Imports

This post is brought to you by Pier 1 Imports, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

A few weeks ago I shared with you our brand new patio makeover we did with Pier 1 Imports, our patio is now summertime ready and we couldn't be more excited about it. We've been spending the evenings outside, sitting and enjoying watching the kids play. It's so nice to have a backyard space we love. 

I loved mixing these red place mats with these galvanized lanterns. The mix of textures and metal gives the table a fresh new look. 

I also loved adding these whimsical stars and stripes touches, like these stars dishes. They are perfect for condiments or small snacks. 

We added these acrylic tumblers and stemless wine glasses to our rotating Summer dish ware. I love that they are plastic, I don't have to worry about them breaking at all. Perfect for backyard parties and entertaining. 

One of my new favorites is this galvanized serving tray. It's the perfect way to round up some s'more supplies and take them into the backyard. 

We're already soaking in lots of outdoor time in our backyard. We can't wait to use this space even more throughout the Summer and the next couple months. I love making our home a place where we want to stay and be. A place where we can have fun and entertain. We've accomplished just that. 

Find what speaks to you. See our Outdoor Living collection in stores or at pier1.com/outdoorliving

An Evening at the Santa Monica Pier

Visiting the Santa Monica Pier is one of my fondest childhood memories. I distinctly remember burning the bottoms of my feet on the sidewalk because I refused to wear flip flops as we walked back. 

On our last evening of vacation last Summer we headed to Santa Monica to meet up with my younger brother, who was stationed in California last Summer for Airman training. It was about an hour and half drive from Anaheim in week day traffic. But well worth the drive. 

We ate at Pier Burger, which was delish! Some of the best burgers and fries I've ever had! You must try it if you're there! 

We didn't do any swimming this trip, we walked the pier, and collected more shells on the beach. 

We had the best time visiting with my brother, it's always nice when we can meet up with family. And having him so close last Summer was so much fun. He came and spend 4th of July with us as well. 

Parking on the pier is $12, but if you'd prefer something cheaper you can park farther up in a parking garage and walk. The pier is always, always busy. So expect tourist like yourself admist all the locals. For more info on what to do/see at the Santa Monica Pier visit their website here. 

My Fitness Journey: Keeping the Weight Off for ONE Year!

It's been a whole year of keeping the weight off! From losing 65+ pounds you can read more about that here. 

Last year around this time, I was so happy to have met my goal after a year. I wanted to loose the baby weight and get back to a healthy weight since I was over weight to begin with when I got pregnant with Zane. At the time I knew I was over weight but looking back on photos and videos of myself during that time it was really eye opening to see just how off track I was.

I started my fitness journey in April 2013 and spending much of the rest of the year and into 2014 loosing weight and developing a healthier lifestyle. My goal after that year was over was to maintain my weight loss and continue to try new things fitness wise. 

I tried new fitness programs, started running, did my first 5K, did one round of Whole30 and currently working on my second. Daily trying new things and pushing myself was part of the goal. 

I'm not perfect, sometimes I don't work out everyday. I have ice cream with my kiddos every now and again. Sometimes I indulge in a few to many Dr. Peppers. But the one thing that remains the same is my commitment to my health, to living a better life. To practicing healthier habits, to never stop trying and never giving up on myself and this one body God has given me to do great things.

After two years now fitness, exercise and eating well are all apart of my everyday life. They are things that have become habit to me that I incorporate daily into my life. 

If you're starting a fitness journey of your own I encourage you to not stop, don't give up and surround yourself with people who can cheer you on! 

It's worth it, so very worth it. You won't ever regret making a change to be a healthier version of yourself.