Worst Gift I Ever Received

Linking up with Lisa from Showered With Design and Kristen from Happiness Is a Mood  for the Inspire Me Challenge! 

Today's prompt is: Worst gift you've ever received. 

I'm pretty sure the worst gift I received was a Chia Pet that was shaped as a puppy. I received it from my boyfriend, Juan, during Christmas. Sounds horrible! 

What was worse is that Juan kept teasing me all throughout the holidays that I was going to LOVE my gift so I, of course, thought that it was a real puppy because I had been asking for one. I was so wrong! As soon as I opened the gift Christmas morning he says, "You said you wanted a puppy!" I was a little disappointed but it was so funny at the same time. He said if I was able to grow the seeds on the Chia pet, I would get a real puppy. And I did!! 

Don't ask why I still have a photo of this! Ha! 

Fit Tip Tuesday - The Devil {The Scale}

I'm not gonna lie, I have had a bad relationship with my scale for several years. Just recently I threw it out and vowed to never weigh myself unless I had a doctors appointment or when I absolutely had to. 

As women, we become attached to this scale and the number it gives us. We obsess with the number(s). We tell ourselves we need to lose X amount of pounds to be happy. It's sickens me when people tell me they weigh themselves everyday and they get upset over two or three pounds gained. Like, really?? STOP! You're only hurting yourself. There are certainly better ways to measure your weight loss. Do your pants fit better? Has your energy increase? You want to see progress? Take a picture and compare them. Those are better ways to track your progress than that stupid number on the scale. Also, are any of them ever accurate?? Who cares! 

I honestly don't know what I weigh nor do I care. I only care about how I feel in my clothes, how much energy I have, how long I can workout, and just my overall health. That number is just that, A NUMBER. Don't let it define you or let it ruin your day. Just remember all your non-scale victories that you should be proud of! 

Weekend Recap

It's Monday already??! I so did not want to go to work this morning and was dragging my feet to get out of bed. But the weekend was productive and relaxing so I guess that's a win for me. 

Friday night was spent at my parents house. I always try to make it a point to visit them once a week. They only live 10 minutes away but with life, it gets hard to stop and say hi. So I stopped by and my mom made me a healthy snack, bacon wrapped asparagus, since I'm on a nutrition challenge with my gym. It was so delicious!! We listened to music and talked about life. They always make me feel better.

Saturday was spent catching up with my girl Bella, from Dateless in Dallas, at brunch. It was delicious! Always a good time with her! Afterward, we went on a shopping trip for home decor. I think both of us have an obsession with owls! We both got some great stuff for our homes! If you're looking for some cute and inexpensive home decor, Hobby Lobby is your store. I can spend hours in there! 

Later that night, Juan and I had a dinner date and watched a movie at the theater. We watched Lone Survivor. It's a tragic story and I would be lying if I told you I didn't cry. It was hard to watch some of the scenes but it's what really goes on in war. Great movie. I ended up downloading the book on my Kindle to read this week. 

Sunday, I did my usual grocery shopping errand at Trader Joe's and meal prepped for the week. 

I'm a huge music fan so I was ready for the Grammy's. Beyonce and Jay-Z killed it opening up the Grammy's and was probably the best throughout the entire show. I was kind of bored with the whole show and was sick of hearing that Daft Punk song. It was cool the first 100 times I heard it. After that it, was overplayed and overrated. The other performance I really enjoyed was Metallica. Other than that it was a huge disappointment. 

Well, I'm off to relax and enjoy a bubble bath! 

Linking up with Dateless in Dallas and Showered With Design! :)

Instagram Giveaway

Hey guys! Just wanted to let you all know, in case you don't follow me on IG, I'm hosting my first giveaway!! I'm so excited! 

Follow my IG - @melanieliane

What's the giveaway? A limited edition Alice+Olivia Starbucks mug!! Yeah, that super cute one we've seen all over the interwebs & Instagram pics. I got an extra one just for one LUCKY winner :) 

So here are the RULES: 

1. Snap this photo (above) & repost. 

2. Tag me in the photo. (Where it says 'Tag People') I just want to make sure I see it! :)

3. Hashtag it #aliceandoliviagiveaway 

You can enter once a day. Contest will end on Jan 31st & I will announce winner on Feb1st. 

Easy right? Go enter!! 

P.S. If you're private, please make sure to let me know so I can follow you! I don't want you to miss out! 

Good Luck!! 

Melanie

Fit Tip Tuesday - Eat Real Food

I've been wanting to join on Fit Tip Tuesday for a some time now so I said "why not!?" I'm not a fitness expert by any means but I have learned so much by trial and error and also learning from others.

My Fit Tip today: Eat real food. No processed foods.

All the stuff in boxes, soda, chips, etc, it's all processed crap. That's all it is...CRAP. Why would you feed yourself chemicals? Nourish your body with good, whole foods. I know it's harder than it seems but trust me, once you take out those processed foods you'll feel so much better.

• Try shopping in the outer edges of the grocery store where the produce and meat is. That's the real food you should be eating. 

• Also, avoid anything that says it's "low fat, zero calories, etc" those are more likely to have that gunk in it. 
• Read your labels carefully. If you can't pronounce the ingredient in the ingredient list, don't buy it.

I know this will take some time to get used to and a little time consuming but remember, it's a lifestyle. When you've gotten used to eating real foods, your body will not even want that processed stuff anymore. Your body will adjust and it will thank you later.

Linking up with The Skinny on Health.

Inspire Me 2014. Vacation Spots

I suck at this blogging thing. Things have been a bit busy here lately and any chance I get to rest or relax, I do. 

Just want to catch up on the Inspire Me Blog Challenge. Today's topic is: 

Do you have any awesome vacations planned for the year? 

If not, where would be your ideal spot?

I don't have any vacation plans as of yet but I've been talking to Juan about going somewhere. Last year we went on a huge 2 1/2 week vacation and I'm hoping we can take another one this year. I do have some vacation spots I want to visit soon though.

1. Disney World. I've only been there once when I was 16 and it was so much fun. Can't wait to visit again as an adult.

2. Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim. I've seen other people's photos and the views are absolutely breathtaking. I'd love to stay in a cabin and go hiking. My family and I would take road trips to the west coast every year and we'd always stop at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It's beautiful!

3. Some ski resort. I've never been skiing before but I've always wanted to. Can you recommend any ski resorts? Best time to go? Any recommendations are appreciated. 

4. Somewhere out of the country. I got my passport for the first time last year before we went to Canada and I'd love to put it to use. I've always wanted to travel to Ireland and Greece. Someday...

Linking up with Showered with Design and Happiness is a Mood Not a Destination! 

Weekend Recap

Hey y'all! Hope you all had a great weekend. I was busy yesterday so I didn't get to post.

This past weekend was really fun! My weekends usually consist of me cleaning, catching up with shows, laundry, and grocery shopping. Not all that exciting but this weekend was different.

Friday - Juan and I had a date at Zoes Kitchen. It's my favorite restaurant ever! The food is always fresh and I don't feel guilty whenever I eat there. My favorite is the Greek Salad with Shrimp Kabobs..see the pic below. DELISH!! We had planned to go to the trampoline park but being that it was Friday night, it was full of kids. We went to a different location and it was the same so we postponed it for another night. We ended up going home and catching a movie on Netflix.

Saturday - My friend Jessica and I went to the Shop for a Cause event at Kiki La'Rue. It was a blast!! Shopping at my favorite online store where they opened the warehouse for a day to shop and a portion of the proceeds goes to The Shine Project, an organization that helps improve the lives of at-risk youth in inner cities. Please go check it out! It's such an incredible organization! I got some super awesome deals from Kiki La'Rue and gorgeous jewelry from Threads/The Shine Project.

After all that fun we had, we had lunch at Brio in Southlake. I had the Strawberry Balsalmic Chicken Salad. It was AMAZE-BALLS! I've been craving it for 2 days. We walked around the outdoor mall later on and did a bit more shopping. So much fun with Jess! :)

Sunday - I woke up in a funky mood but it changed when my friend invited me out to see The Wolf of Wall Street. It was a great movie! Leo's acting is always so on point. He's like a totally different person in all his films. The movie was filled with drugs, sex, and lots of cursing but it was great! I'd say it's a must-see if you enjoy watching Leonardo DiCaprio movies. And actress Margot Robbie...one word...Gorgeous. I've never seen any of her work but she was stunning in this film. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of her in the near future. 

After the movie, I had to do my weekly grocery shopping. Ended the weekend with a nice face mask and relaxing with the boy. 

Have a great week, loves!!

xoxo

The Side of Me Nobody Knows

TGIF!! Want to check in really quick before a date with my boy. Yup, 7 years and we still date. It's important plus he's a lot of fun. We're going to dinner and the trampoline park. Yeah, we're still 5. 

Today is Day 7 of the Inspire Me Challenge -The Side of Me Nobody Knows. 

I'll tell y'all some secrets about me but you have to promise not to tell ;-)

1. I hate running. I run because I have to not because I want to. Truth. 

2. I'm an introvert. It's super hard for me to make friends and be open with people I've just met. Give me some time and I'll open up. Oh...and I don't do small talk nor am I a hugger. Hugs are awkward...or maybe I am? Respect my time and space, please.

3. I was a choir nerd during most of my school years. I was pretty good at it too. That's where I learned how to read music and ended up teaching myself how to play piano and guitar. #musicnerd

4. I have a tramp stamp. Fack. I can't believe I just told y'all that. I regret that so much. I was 18 and stupid. I won't even tell y'all what it is. It's too embarrassing. 

5. I hate the thought of having to take a shower/bath but I love them when I'm in there. Well, I hate showers on the days I have to wash and do my hair. I have a shit ton of thick hair. Takes FOR.EV.ER. to blow dry and style. Pain in my ass.

Okay, that's enough tattling on myself. I feel so exposed now. It's all part of this "stepping out of my comfort zone" thing.  

Linking up with Showered with Design and Happiness is a Mood Not a Destination! 

What Makes Me Happy

Day 6 of the Inspire Me 2014 Challenge - A list of top 5-10 things that make you happy. 

Family

They are always there when I need them or when I'm having a bad day. They love unconditionally and support me and my crazy ideas. Plus, it helps that they are a crazy and make me laugh. 

Juan & Friends

It's no secret that Juan drives me absolutely mad but he is the best when it comes to making me laugh. He's the silliest person I know! My friends (and I have very few) are the most amazing people I know! They're always there when I need a break from every day life and can talk to them about anything and everything with no judgement. We also crack up at stupid shit. 

Rico

Wow. I never thought I'd be that dog mom. My dog is seriously the best person I know. It helps that he doesn't talk and can't tell me how he really feels. He knows all my secrets and literally has seen me at my worst. He's a girls best friend, no doubt. I love how excited he gets every time I walk through the door and it's the most amazing feeling. My heart explodes every time. 

Music

It's my therapy. When I'm riding in the car and need a good cry. Or when I'm working out and need to let off some steam. I listen to everything from country to rap to hard rock. 

Pizza from the night before

Not cold pizza. Pizza that's been sitting out from the night before. Haven't tried it? Oh, you should. Last time I had it, I'm pretty sure I danced in the kitchen like it was the most amazing meal I'd ever had. Juan laughs at me every time. The best. I purposely leave a slice out when we order from the night before. Don't knock it till you try it ;-)

Finding a bargain

OMG! Is it not like a high that you get when you find something on sale?? Or even better, when it's on sale & it's the last one on the shelf. Heck yes. I always do a little dance and shout out to the world how happy I am. Stuff like that makes my day, week, month, etc! 

Cute home decor

I love buying home decor. Maybe even more than clothes...errr. Making my house a home is so important to me because I want my visitors to be comfortable and enjoy my home. Like this past weekend I bought a table cloth from Target and when I put it on it just made me so happy. I couldn't wait to sit at my table to have dinner. Is that weird? lol 

Frozen Yogurt

It's better than ice cream, right? I always look forward to froyo nights! I'm like a kid in a candy store when I go. My favorite are the toppings. If they place doesn't have good toppings, is it even worth going to? No! I pile them on like I'm a damn kid. Brownies, gummie bears, fruity pebbles, waffle cone, cookie dough, etc. Oh yeah...probably not healthier than ice cream but damn it makes me so happy. 

What are some things that make you happy? 

Linking up with Showered with Design and Happiness is a Mood Not a Destination! 

Random Acts of Kindness

Happy Humpday! Can you believe we're already a week into the new year?? Crazy.

So today's topic of discussion for the Inspire Me 2014 Challenge is - What are some Random Acts of Kindness you'd like to accomplish this year?

I started doing RAOK during Thanksgiving and it felt so good to be able to make someones day with a simple gesture. I paid for the person behind me in the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru more than a handful of times and there were a couple of times they did the same for me so I paid it forward. I've also taken coffee for my team at work, paid for someones lunch, and sent a gift to someone. 

This Pay it Forward movement really inspired me to keep it ongoing and don't just do it during the holiday season. It's very rewarding and heartfelt when you do something kind for a stranger. The awesome thing about it is that you can come up with some creative ways to pay it forward and they don't even have to cost anything. Even a small gesture as to smile to someone who may be having a bad day or telling a corny joke. 

Some ideas of RAOK I'd like to do this year include: 

• Giving our waiter a generous tip. 
• Pay for someone's lunch/dinner. 
• Send someone I haven't talked to in a long time a letter or small gift to let them know I'm thinking of them. 
• Volunteer at a charity or donate monthly to a charity. 

These are just some ideas that I've had racked up in my brain for a while. What are some Random Acts of Kindness you're going to do? I'd love some more ideas or creative ways to do something kind. 

Linking up with Showered with Design and Happiness is a Mood Not a Destination! 

Inspire Me: Day 4

Today's Inspire Me questions is - When is your birthday? We'd all like to send some wishes. 

My birthday is July 22nd! 

This year I celebrated my birthday in NYC while we were on a family vacation. It probably was the best place to spend a birthday. I woke up to breakfast and the family singing  'Happy Birthday' to me while I was still in bed, had a frozen hot chocolate at Seredipity, got to go see the Statue of Liberty, and hang out in Times Square. It was awesome!

Linking up with Showered with Design and Happiness is a Mood Not a Destination! 

A Better Me

Hi!! I hope you all had a great and relaxing weekend! 

Today's topic for the Inspire Me Blog Challenge: What changes were made in 2013 to better yourself, or what changes will you make in 2014 to better yourself

As I mentioned on my New Year Resolutions post, I am a worrywart. I worry what people may say, what my family might think, any type of confrontation that could happen in a certain situation, and the list goes on and on. I worry about every kind of bad scenario that could possibly happen. I need to learn to stop caring what people think or what they might say. 

My boyfriend tells me all the time "don't worry about it." How can I not??? I don't want to disappoint anyone or say the wrong things. I have been this way ever since I can remember. Even this blog worries me but as I mentioned, I'm trying to step out of this comfort zone and say whatever the hell I want to say and not care what people may think or say. 

I pray every night that people are nice, not just to me but to each other. I see other bloggers get scrutinized for the simplest things that they may say or do and I commend them for keeping their heads up and moving on. Me - I don't do that. I would dwell on that one naysayer for days and days and wonder what the hell I did wrong to piss them off. So this year, I'm not gonna give two shits about what people say and just do whatever and say whatever I want. Not just on this blog but in every day life, including the gym, work, school, and new people I may meet. I know I won't be able to please everyone so why the hell do I worry. 

What kind of changes are you making this year? I'd love to hear! 

Linking up with Showered with Design and Happiness is a Mood Not a Destination! 

Social Sunday

I'm linking up with Neely from A Complete Waste of Makeup  and completing my first Social Sunday questions! 

1. Do you plan to change any of your eating habits in the new year? Yes! I plan to eat 90% clean most of the time and have cheat meals once a week...ugh we'll see! I love pizza, burgers, wine, chocolate...should I go on? I need to plan better so I don't fail at eating clean. 

2. Any workout tips to get us back in shape after the Holidays? If you're hesitant to join a gym or try a new workout routine...just do it! Step out of your comfort zone! Amazing things happen there! 

3. What is your favorite thing you did over the Holidays? Spending time with my family. Hands down. Best. Thing. Ever. We are a crazy bunch of fools! 

4. What is something you hope that you accomplish in 2014 that you did not in 2013? Pay off credit card debt. I got a good plan going and I'm sticking to it. I hope. Errr..

5. Name 3 things happening this year you are excited about and why. 

  1. Completing a race each month and hoping (crossing fingers) to run a half marathon. Wish me luck!

  2. Getting hardwood floors put in our home. This makes me sound completely old. 

  3. Start the process of opening my own business. It's been going on for 3 years, time to get the       ball rolling. 

Time to take down my Christmas decor! 

My 2014 New Year Resolutions

1. Learn how to say NO. This is something that I am trying to learn. It is so easy for me to say yes and commit to so many things and then I end up getting overwhelmed with all that I should do. I'm learning that it is okay to say no to people and things, even if it means hurting that persons feelings (unintentionally, of course.).

2. Worry less. If anyone knows me, they know I'm a worrywart. Sometimes I can't fall asleep at night because I worry about things. Ex: are the doors locked? Did I turn off the candle? Did I feed Billy (my work fish)? Did I say that wrong? Did I hurt her feelings? Yes, these are things I think about all while trying to sleep. I need to learn to worry less, let go, and just live.

3. Step out of my comfort zone. I like consistency and doing the same things but I've learned that it is NOT getting me anywhere. It's time to take chances and do things I never thought I'd be able to do. 2013 was the year I started lifting heavy and it was amazing. It really was where the magic happened and I began to see results. I used to be scared and intimidated by the other people at the gym and thinking I could never do that. I was wrong. There were people who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. It's time to take chances and continue to step out of my comfort zone, and it may even mean I fail at it. At least I took the chance.

4. Train harder, smarter, and be consistent in my clean eating diet. The holidays really put a damper on my clean eating and going to work and school full time was really draining my energy to even make it to the gym. I need to make my health a priority because it makes me feel good.

5. Run a race every month. I did this in 2012 and it was a success. I had so much fun with it that I vowed to do it again in 2013. I lost the motivation during March 2013 and didn't do another race again. I'm signing up for my 1st one of the year and I even have friends who are doing it with me too!

6. Read one book each month.

7. Be aware of what I spend. I buy way too much shit I don't need. Truth. I said it. I need to focus on buying things I only need. I have a closet full of clothes that is over flowing, a crap ton of shoes, makeup that hasn't even been used, and the list goes on.

8. Pay off debt.  It's so easy to say that but much harder to do. I need this to be a priority right now as I try to open my own business.

9. Do Random Acts of Kindness. I did this during December and I absolutely loved it! It made me feel so good and I'm sure it made someone's day. I want to continue this for life! I encourage you to do it too.

10. Just blog and write. See number 2. I'm so inspired by other bloggers and their ability to put it all out there. I think too much and worry what others will say but I guess that is a risk I'm willing to take. This blog is me stepping out of my comfort zone and putting it all out there. I just hope this blog is fun and inspiring to others!

Well, there you have it, my friends. I really am trying so hard to learn all of these things. It's challenging but they are worth doing.

Favorite Moments from 2013

Here is a recap of my favorite moments of 2013

January...

I ran my first race of the year at the Hotcake Hustle. I committed to run a race once a month and started to eat clean. 

February...

I discovered my favorite online boutique. Kiki La'Rue. Go check it out! And it was the first Valentine's Day Juan and I didn't spend it together & I was OKAY with that. I was too involved in the gym during the time anyway.

March...

I went to my first blogger event & met some great girls. I was so nervous because it can be kind of awkward to meet people you've only talked to online. It was fun though! 

April...

I began an 8-week challenge with my gym and started a new workout program. The results were amazing and I learned so much. I also started weekend classes for my marketing degree. 

May...

Ended my 8-week challenge and celebrated at the gym. Memorial Day weekend, Juan & I visited family in San Antonio and went tubing down the river. On our way to SA, it was pouring rain, we rain out of gas on the freeway & had to call for roadside assistance, & then when we went tubing down the river it started to pour rain!

June...

I applied and received my first passport for the next months vacation. I also cut 6 inches of my hair off. 

July...

We went on a family vacation to New York City, Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls, & Washington, DC. I also celebrated my 26th birthday in NYC. 

August...

I started taking classes full time while having a full time job. 

September...

I was pretty much obsessed with Breaking Bad up until the finale. Can you tell? 

October...

I got a job promotion and started the new job. I also got a new little desk friend with the promotion. :) We went to the State Fair and had a blast eating all kinds of fried foods. I also decided to color my hair red which is way different than anything else I've ever done. I also became super obsessed with Teresa Caputo, The Long Island Medium. Her show always makes me cry. 

November...

Hosted Thanksgiving at our house for the first time & was a success. It was so nice to have both our families here to share the occasion with. I also cleaned out my closet & got rid of 2 bins of clothes. 

December...

By far the best month of the year besides July's awesome vacation. I was really into the holiday spirit and I felt my heart full of love. I did Random Acts of Kind all month, bought people coffee, lunch, smiled, left notes, etc. I also hosted a giveaway on my personal Facebook with awesome beauty products to give away. Spending the holidays with my family is something I look forward to every year & cherish so much. 

I'd say 2013 was a challenging year but I did learn a lot about myself and the kind of person I want to become. 2014 is going to be a great year, I can feel it. 

Linking up with Showered with Design & Happiness is a Mood Not a Destination!