7 links

I've been loving this new 7 links trend. I love seeing what people chose for their categories, and I always end up feeling like I get to know the bloggers a little bit more when I see how they personally view their posts. I was hoping that I would be able to participate, so I was really excited when the lovely Tessa tagged me in her 7 links. She has one of the most well thought out blogs I have read. It really makes you think about more serious issues on some days, and leaves you craving delicious cake balls the next. Oh, and her workouts are seriously inspiringly hardcore. Basically, she's really amazing:)
This could not have come at a better time because while I have lots to catch you up on (can you say birthday cake?), I am truly exhausted after a fun weekend.

Most Beautiful

Celebrating San Diego Style-- This post was about my trip down to San Diego to visit Scott and celebrate our anniversary. It was an amazing and really special night. Plus it includes pictures of adorable sea animals. What more could a girl ask for?

Rubbing dolphin bellies:)

Most popular

Hermosa Beach Fair and Other Excursions --This post has the most views excluding my "About" and "Who's that?" page. I had an amazing day, so I'm glad that other people enjoyed this post too:)

Super excited about free samples!

Most controversial

Since my blog is so new, I really feel that I have not covered anything controversial yet. However, I really do not want to leave this area blank, so I picked out one post out for you: It's the little things.

Mainly because I found this tortoise cute while others did not (haha sorry, Connie!)

Maybe because he attacks his food the same way I do?

Yay or nay?

Most Helpful 

The Real Cookie Monster--For all those who don't have time/limitless baking talent and have younger siblings, this post includes the easiest peanut butter cookie recipe in the world. Seriously it has 3 ingredients (so you don't even have to go to the store to pick up stuff) and takes under 20 minutes to make and bake. And the cookies are seriously delicious.

These are cookies that seriously anyone could make and that everyone will love.

Surprise Success

Active Hangout--While I had really great memories of that day, I was surprised it got so many views. My camera had died, so it didn't have any pictures from that day. I was very pleased with how many views and comments it got!

Not Enough Attention
By the Sea Heart--This was in the middle of my trip to Hawaii, and I really liked this post. It talked about me zip lining for the first time, amazing outdoor BBQs, bragged again about my jump off black rock, a 3.1 mile run that I actually enjoyed, and I even revealed my odd obsession with overly cute notebooks.

I still love the post because it documents part of my vacation that I can always look back on.

Most Proud
The Mud Run--This was actually my easiest category to pick. I worked really hard this summer so I could confidently run the Mud Run, and am so proud of myself for following through. I usually make goals that I never actually complete, so this Mud Run was very special for me (especially since it was my first race). I was also very proud of myself for writing this even after I was completely exhausted that night.

5 people I'm tagging:

Allison @ Allison's Delicious Life

Connie @ It's the Cookie Monster

Hannah @ Sweetly Fresh
Lara @ Simply Irresistible
Sarah @ Parlezvousbetch

I'm 19!

Today's my birthday! It was absolutely amazing, and I'll be sure to do a recap/continuation (birthdays last days in my family) of it tomorrow!

Yum. See you later:)

Shake (Dance and Punch) it Off

I was definitely expecting tonight's post to be a negative one. I was having such an icky day that everything was putting me in a bad mood. Luckily for you guys, my day was completely turned around by the end.

But here was the first little bummer of the day:
So a few days ago, my sister and I went to Borders to look around at all the items on sale and to spend my gift card before they officially close. After entertaining ourselves by reading JWoww's new self help book (my love of Jersey Shore is just a tad excessive...Scott and I paid a semi ridiculous amount to go see Pauly D dj in LA as "VIPs"), I stumbled upon an adorable planner. I of course immediately start making grand plans about how I'm going to write all my social plans, football games, birthdays, and everything I need to know in it to become the most organized person this school year. Today, I was going to start on my quest by penciling in my move in date.

After getting super excited over my new planner and thinking about how much it was going to change my life, I realized that despite it's Jul 2011-Aug 2012 description it doesn't start til this December. Therefore, rendering it utterly useless.

It's fine; I clearly wasn't meant to be organized. Or happy.

Waking up and moving presented it's own problem today: I might have done something wrong when I worked out the other day because the outside of thighs (right under my hip) were killingggg me. It only hurts when I get up from my chair, but since I worked today there was a lot of that going on.

Thirdly, I started out eating super healthy today. Apple Cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast; sourdough bread with hummus, scrambled eggs, and watermelon for lunch. (I also had half a pb&j for a snack after).

But the day took a turn when our office was suddenly filled with tons of desserts. So many in fact that we were urged to eat them.

Yes, that is a cookie baked into the brownie. It was delicious.

I have no problem eating desserts. I have a sweet tooth that rivals Willy Wonka (dorkiest thing I have ever said). But there was absolutely no need to eat several of those brownies and the other desserts there. I left work with that gross, I-overdosed-on-sugar-and-now-feel-groggy-and-grumpy attitude. 

To just complete the wonderful mood I was in, I got a major headache near the end of the day that worsened by the time I had gotten home. The headache was a big bummer because my friend Sarah had gotten a free pass for me and my friend Ana to join her at the gym today. We were going to take a turbo kickboxing and a zumba class. I was looking forward to seeming them (and going to those classes) all day. 

A few Tylenols later, I made an executive decision to go with them to the gym, and if I truly felt I couldn't do it then I would just stop. 

I am so glad I went. 

My headache went away a few minutes into the kickboxing class and soon I was jumping around and punching the air enthusiastically and pain free. I haven't been to turbo kickboxing since I had that gym membership last summer, and I forgot how much fun it was. The instructor was incredible (she was insanely energetic and intense), and it felt like such a good workout. 

Sarah, Ana, and I stayed for the Zumba class that followed kickboxing. It was my first time going to a Zumba class, and it was so much fun! Seriously, how have I lived without it for so long? The class was huge (like over 50 people huge) so I was able to get super in to it without feeling stupid. Because what's more fun than salsa dancing and having a room full of people Drop it Low...hands on the floor style hahaha. 

Now I just need a few more classes before I officially become pro Salsa dancer like these guys.... Source

This was a lot longer of a workout then I'm used to, but it completely turned my day around. It felt so good just to get sweaty, and forget about my melodramatic problems with planners and to shake off that sugar coma. 

And now I can't stop smiling:) I got to work today, see my friends, go to classes that I haven't been before, and skype with Scott. I had a really great day!

"Life Begins at the End of your Comfort Zone"

I found that motivational saying I was looking for yesterday.

I usually roll my eyes at little motivational posters, but I really like this one. I really want to try new things and need to realize that not everything I want is going to be easy and comfortable to do. To keep my little revelation short, it was just a nice reminder of how I need to push myself beyond what I usually do if I want to achieve more in the future.

Anyway, today I met up Ali to go for a run. She suggested we walk so we went for about a 50 minute walk around the neighborhood and talked the whole time. Walking is always funner when you're supposed to be running ;) When I got back to my house, I decided to finish with a few more exercises inspired from this.

100 Jumping Jacks

90 Crunches

80 Squats

70 Leg lifts (35 each leg)

60 Jumping jacks

50 Bicycle crunches

40 Squats

30 leg lifts (15 each leg)

20 Jumping jacks

10 Burpees

It was surprisingly hard. I'm so glad I did it though because it left me feeling accomplished with my workout.

My meals today were leftovers or pretty uninspiring (even more than usual...my dinner consisted of me snacking on a million things and a pb&j), so we'll just skip over that for tonight. 

I got really lucky and am subbing in for work three times this week! Whee! This is not sarcasm actually. I'm technically unemployed for the summer, so when I get called in to work I get really excited:)

Now I'm going to actually go to bed before midnight so I will be well rested. Night!