Around the New Neighborhood

I told you I was going to snap photos soon!
Today I decided to take a walk throughout the new neighborhood and snap some photos. I know, I know.. way overdue.
It was SUCH a beautiful day today so I felt super inspired by all of my surroundings. Even that little dude in the last photo ;). I even saw a butterfly today! But.. it flew away before I could photograph it. Damn!

I joined the "Tone It Up" community recently and started their Bikini Challenge in order to add more structure to my workouts. I really enjoy it but I almost feel frustrated being told when I have to workout and what I have to do.. I usually just really enjoy going for a run or heading to the gym on my own terms.. But I still need that structure? I'm so torn! Does anyone have any recommendations for ways that I can work out when I want (3-4 times a week) but provide me with specific exercises I can do in order to slim down in target areas such as thighs and tummy?

I will say though with Tone it Up, I love their recipe ideas! I'm not a part of the nutrition guide but I tried the salsa chicken the other day and it was so good. I'm definitely interested in cooking only lean foods with lots of protein and vegetables. I've actually been doing super well with that. I used to have a piece of toast every morning when I woke up and usually white or red potatoes with dinner. I've cut out the toast and opt for cereal, a smoothie, or some greek yogurt instead and when I crave potatoes I make sweet potatoes or brown rice!

Hope you all have a great day. Hopefully I'll continue to go and snap photos. I actually have more to show you from this shoot later!

Weekly Theme: Food

So in order to keep myself on track with my photography, I figured I'd make a weekly theme!
I won't make it for a specific day of the week but I'll try to target for Sundays and Mondays just to keep myself on track.

From now until Sunday, I'll be documenting this weeks theme: food!!! One of my major true loves.
Right now, I'm participating in the "bikini series" for ToneitUp! I need some structure in my workouts and this program is something that will assist me with that. I'll pair it up with healthy eating (mainly recipe ideas from the ToneItUp girls) for example, this Salsa Chicken! I overcooked it a bit but it was delicious. John loved it too. I even have leftovers for tomorrow. Win!

The New House

Evidence of why I haven't been taking photos!
This is my new house. DEFINITELY not even close to being decorated or cute yet haha. We are buying a kitchen table this weekend (yay!) because ours is gross. :)
I also bought a little end table to put ornaments and flowers on but I sprained my wrist today moving way too heavy for me boxes down the stairs and now I can barely type this.

I  really wanted to take photos today but then it STARTED TO SNOW!!! Ridiculous. I need flowers. When the weather is like this there's no way I'm inspired to take photos. Sadly. I should be able to find inspiration through everything but I don't want to force myself to do something I don't want to. That would create bad photos and nobody wants that.

Life

Look at that natural light, eh?
So the reason for my silence around these parts...we've moved! We're FINALLY out of that nasty basement apartment that literally shot my nerves through the roof. We are in a whole house now with windows, hardwood floors and no more carpet in the kitchen (ew). We have two bathrooms and a rec room... 2 beautiful bedrooms and an insane view. I'm thinking of going out and taking some photos around my new neighborhood tomorrow because it's so historical and beautiful. You can also see the ships coming in on Lake Superior which is fantastic. I'm loving it here already and we've only spent 2 nights so far. I feel like everything is just so much more positive in my life right now and am really looking forward to the days ahead. Right now, however, I'm exhausted. Working 15 days in a row along with moving is tiring, people. Until next time.

Bantering

What happened to taking pictures?
Oh, I remember-We don't stop getting snow. Ever. Everything looks ugly :(
It was Earth Day yesterday and I didn't even celebrate. I'm sad.

Tomorrow, I've decided I'm going to take photos. In the midst of moving & working every day of my life forever, I'm going to take photos. And they're going to be beautiful. So there.

What Life is Like Lately

Life continues to be all sorts of "blah" here in Northwestern Ontario.
The snow NEVER ends. I'm looking out my window right now and it's grey and there are no leaves on the trees.. I can't find my photography inspiration. I'm sure there are loads of things I could snap photos of but when you're feeling uninspired, I-Phone photos will have to do.

I'm going to be starting a new feature when the sun starts shining (and I'm feeling more ambitious) where I pick a theme for the week and then I snap photos... so one week could be "coffee" and the next week could be "grass", etc. Stay tuned for that!! Hopefully the sun comes out eventually.

On another note, the photos you see above consists my life lately.
I start everyday off eating some yummy breakfast. I usually eat a massive breakfast in the AM otherwise my whole day is thrown off. Cereal is just one item pictured. I've also been heading to the gym a lot lately and slowly getting back to where I was with running. I hurt my calves so I had to stop for a while but now I'm just taking it slow and I'm able to run 5k in 36 minutes which isn't so bad!

Until next time!

Things Making Me Happy Right Now:

Sorry for the silence around these parts. I'm experiencing a serious case of Cabin Fever. The snow doesn't seem to stop coming down on us in Northern Ontario and it's awful! Everytime we have a nice Spring-like day, the next day we have a snow storm. People! I need sunshine!!!

Because my life is so uninspired lately, I figured I'd try and appreciate the small things. Here's what's making me happy lately:

1. Country music! Holy moly, the new country line up lately is killin' it!! Pirate Flag by Kenny Chesney?! Yes, please. I Do by Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift or Back Road by Rodney Atkins!! All so good.

2. Speaking of music, I've been a total gym-rat lately staying for way longer than what is healthy.. but I just don't want to stop running on that treadmill (I run after weight training so I tend to be at the gym for 1.5 hours... oops)  I think what makes me love running so much is the music I've been listening to. I love running to Breakin' Dishes by Rihanna or Monster by Kanye West, Jay-Z & Nikki Minaj..makes me feel like a total bad-ass.

3. Candles! It really makes me our crappy basement apartment feel warmer.

4. While we are on the topic of crappy basement apartment, we are moving into a house in 3 weeks! I seriously can't wait. Things haven't been the happiest around here because when you have a family with toddlers and babies living above you, there's never any peace.

5. Having a glass of vino while reading magazines like Rachel Ray or Canadian Living :)

6. Getting back into the spirit of cooking!! I roasted a chicken last night and now I'm just trying to find something healthy to make for tonight!

7. Bad reality TV (Real Housewives, anyone?!) & HBO's Girls. I'm obsessed with these shows lately.. It's embarrasing. Obsessed enough to be bored of all my other shows like Greys & Vampire Diaries. Girls is justified but Real Housewives? I need to take a good, long hard look at myself.

Goodbye! I promise I'll have photos soon... I just need the sun to come out.