Aviators and Ace of Spades

Happy Friday!

I love everything this Vision t-shirt says.
 “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision." – Helen Keller

These Ray-Ban Green Flash Aviators seem to be really popular this year.

I stole this item from Evelyn Lozada’s Instagram account. I’ve never really been a big MCM fan, but these colored backpacks are kinda hot.

ABC Abs and Bubble Butt

I HATE WORKING OUT. Its not fun. Whoever said it was lied. But its oh so necessary for me right now. This week I decided to try 30-45 minutes of cardio, then do some exercises focused on my the areas I really want to improve like arms, abs, butt and thighs.

Last night I decided to try two more Blogilates workouts. 

The first one is ABC Abs! I died a little after the letter M, but I made it through the first exercise. Abs killing me. Wasn't paying attention to the video because So You Think You Can Dance (love that show) was on TV and I ended up doing the move wrong. BUT it was a total workout on my abs. I finally started paying attnetion to the video around letter F and made it through the rest of the video. If you are looking for something to work your abs, this video will definitely bring you pain.

The other new video I decided to try was Bubble Butt. Who doesn't want a perky booty? This video is only 9 minutes, but its good for the booty. I still can't really perfect the grasshopper, but I'm gonna keep at it. 

If you wanna check out more of the Blogilates video, visit her Youtube channel here.

Take A Chance

Monica - Take a Chance ft. Wale

I Call it a Lesson Learned

So my girls and I always share interesting articles that we find on the internet. I forget who put me on to the 30 Life Lessons for 20-Somethings With Too Many Feelings from Thought Catalog, but its such a good list. The 30 life lessons are good for any woman. Not just 20-somethings. Some of my faves…

This past weekend, I was out with my girls having a late dinner after we saw Fast and Furious 6 (LOVED IT) and I couldn’t decide between a Mediterranean lamb burger or cobb salad. Since we were eating so late, I thought a salad would be better. Then I remembered #3 on this list.  Salads aren’t always the best option once you load on all the extra ingredients.

 3. A cobb salad has more calories than a double cheeseburger. Don’t kid yourself.

I love to debate. I’m still learning when to shut up. I’m stubborn and I just like to keep going and going. I definitely want my future husband to be a man who can give me an eye or look from across the room and I know “Okay time to shut it down.”

5. Argue. Debate. Disagree. That is the only way you will become privy to the beauty that is an organic learning environment. Keep an open mind. Listen. Nod at the appropriate time. Stand up for yourself when necessary and shut the fuck up when you should. A coalition of different viewpoints is essential to true understanding. Be prideful enough to lend verve to your voice and humble enough to know when your voice is cracking.

Music is my therapy. I live through music. Its apart of everything I do.

6. Music will save you. It will also kill you. Certain songs will repair gaping holes in your heart while others will send you back two years ago; when you were in his arms, kissing his lips, and resting your head on his shoulders as he strangled his fingertips with your hair. Regardless, music is a constant reminder that it’s okay to feel. It is okay to remember, to reminisce, and to be sad. It’s okay to cry laugh smile lose control scream dance become far too sentimental forget. To. Just. Be. Hiding behind intoxicating melodies and beautiful breakdowns is the universe’s permission to feel. So close your eyes and turn up the volume.

As to #7, tequila has never been my friend. #thatisall

I’ve learned that you never know how strong you are, until your strength is tested.  You can survive situations that are meant to break you down. People who you think you can count on will disappoint you. That’s life, but don’t let it pull you down. Never allow yourself to be the victim. Always be the survivor.

16. You are capable of handling situations you couldn’t have possibly imagined. Fathers will disown you. The love of your life will sleep with someone else. The person who made you will hit you. Your best friends will die. A man will ignore your fervent “no” and take what he wants. And still you will find yourself filling your lungs when situations should have left them empty. It is in those moments that you’ll remember there isn’t anything you cannot overcome.

Keep on living. Keep on loving and be strong.

19. The ones you love the most will hurt you the most. Mothers will be incapable of protecting you when they should. The most important man in your life will hurl hurtful words in your direction. Best friends will write words dipped in resentment. You will reach out to someone in tears, scared and alone, only to have them decide it is too much and disappear. Forgive them instantly. Love them regardless. And know that you, despite your best efforts, have hurt them too.

There’s nothing like a good drive. Word to #18.

I have trouble asking for help. I hate doing it. So just know if I ever ask you for assistance, I really need it.

23. It is okay to ask for help. It is okay to swallow your pride, choke down your guilt, chew on your inadequacies, and realize that you cannot do everything by yourself. Everyone needs help at one time or another. Including you.

#29 reminds me of The Dream’s song “Fancy.” “If Christian Lacroix brings a smile, I’ll buy it...”

29. Whoever said money doesn’t buy happiness, lied. Sometimes, it takes money to find yourself at a concert with friends or three sheets to the wind or atop a needle sharing scenery with those that have never experienced it before. Pay for it anyways. Sign the check that makes your stomach turn. Eventually you will look back on those moments and realize that you would have paid twice that amount.

When I was 16 I planned out my wedding. From the dress to the honeymoon outfits.  Around 20, I think I realized you can’t plan EVERYTHING in life. Sometimes the best laid plans don’t always work out. Sometimes its better to just let things happen. Let the chips fall where they fall.

30. You can plan and scheme and write in a neat little notebook. You can create numerous lists that await the swift line of completion, but it won’t matter. Nothing will end up the way you thought it would. Things will happen that you couldn’t have possibly foreseen. Life doesn’t care about the plan. The scheme. Your neat notebook. Or your fifty lists.

You can check out the complete list here.

 

Motivation Monday: You Can Be Sore or Sorry

It's Memorial Day which means no work, so I really wanted to sleep-in today, but my allergies were not having that. Woke me up out of my sleep early this morning. BLOWN!

I was even going to take the day off from working out today and then I saw this on my Instagram timeline. MOTIVATION!

My goal last week was to work out 5 times and I only did 3. So this week I'm gonna try for at least 4 times and try to do two-a-days. I'm trying to do an abs, butt, thighs or arm workout in the morning and cardio in the evenings. Summer is 24 days away! Whose with me? 

FANCY THESE!

What's Fancy Friday on Memorial Day Weekend without a couple alcohol-related items? Boring. Not here. Never that!

Last week my girl Tiara sent me an item for the Fancy list and I completely forgot to add it. I don’t know how I could forget an amazing item like the Vino2Go mugs. Y’all know I love my wine and making it portable is even better. Just don’t take this in the car with you and try to drive. No drinking and driving!!

I want the Margarita Mixed Drink Machine in my house. Its like having a personal bartender. With the spin of a wheel and the push of a button, this machine will mix 48 different cocktails. Can’t decide what you want? Select the “I Feel Lucky” button and it will randomly suggest drinks for you. #iNeedThis

Pin it On the Billboard Awards

So the 2013 Billboard Music Awards aired this past Sunday and I only watched bits and pieces of the show.  But here's a few of my favorite looks from the night.

I have this love/hate thing for Ke$ha. But I have to say she looked the best I’ve ever seen her look at wearing this Givenchy dress. She actually looked clean and fresh. She should stick to this look.

I loved the Halston dress Hayden Panettiere was wearing. It was simple, but she looked really pretty in it.

Death to Thunder Thighs

Let’s be real. I have thunder thighs (see definition #1) and I hate them. ‘Specially in the summertime when I wear a dress almost every day. One of my many goals this spring/summer is to really tone my thighs.

This week I decided to take the thigh challenge by Cassey from Blogilates. I really like the Blogilates website, but Monday was the first time that I actually watched a video. Lets just say Cassey has a LOT of energy is EXTRA perky. I will admit after the first two minutes, I was ready to quit. But since the exercise was so short, I pushed myself to the end. The whole video is only 6 minutes and it will definitely work your thighs. Try it out.

Never Sacrifice Your Class

Wanna Be Starting Something

"When you feel like quitting, think about why you started"

I had a good weekend in New Jersey. Even spent two hours in NYC because I HAD TO get some hot wings from Dallas BBQ. That was a MUST. It ended up raining Saturday, but didn’t spoil the cookout; we just brought it inside and still had a good time. When I got home yesterday afternoon, I told myself I was gonna work out. But tiredness took over and I napped instead. When I woke up, I had totally lost my motivation.

Motivation is a goal in action. My goal is to lose at least 20 lbs, complete this squat challenge for the month and fit into this hot dress by the end of the summer. That means I need to work out at least 5 days this week. Push myself, even when I’m tired. When I feel like quitting, I’ll definitely think about why I started. Hopefully that works! (crosses finger)

Receive This Fancy

Fancy Items of the Week

White Chocolate Pretzel and Salted Caramel Peanut Butter! Umm yes I want in on that. Monkey Butter is an all-natural peanut butter that is sweetened by chocolates and dried fruits. No sugar added. They have 8 fun flavors including Maple Bacon, for all you bacon luvahs out there. "

I LOVE pasta. If I could eat it every other day, I probably would. But since I am trying to lose some weight, these Healthy Steps Portion Control Pasta Baskets are perfect. The baskets allow you to cook one serving of pasta at the perfect portion size. I will be ordering these.

I really like the Maze iPhone 5 Case by Puregear. I would end up playing with this all day and not getting anything done.

Higher Than Hope

Last week I forgot to introduce Wordless Wednesdays, which will be a new feature on the blog. I have saved over 300 photos I’ve found on Instagram or Tumblr with inspiring words and phrases and I wanted to share them here with you. Wordless Wednesday means after today, I won’t introduce the pic or say anything at all. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I will let you come up with your own.

Yaya

I Read That

Have you ever had someone contact you out the blue and you just know that they want something, but they are beating around the bush. Happened to me yesterday with an old ex of mine. I wanted to just blurt out "What do you want?" I'm not a fan of living in the past, if you are a ex, its for a reason. So this post from Single Black Male (SBM) is an oldie, but goodie on The Reappearing Man: Four Reasons Why Exes Come Back. 

Another old post from SBM is Why Men Don’t Commit. This post had me totally interested when I read this “We women can find optimism in the direst of circumstances. We’d rather settle for scraps and be in a relationship instead of finding what we deserve,” and “She isn’t going anywhere. So what incentive does he have to be greater when his minimum will yield the same result?” I find this to be sooooooooooooooooooooooooo true. Women always seem to settle just so that they aren’t alone. We’d rather have a crappy or mediocre man, just to say “I got a man.” SAD!

Fancy Pants

No introduction. You know what it is. LOL My Fancy items of the week.

I would LOVE to pass out some of these Stop Talking cards in my office. You ever hear someone’s voice and the sound just annoys you. Yep I definitely have one of those. Or someone who loves to hear the sound of their own voice they never stop talking. Got one of those in my office too. I could probably list a few more, but I'll stop there. LOL 

I really love this wall decal Work Hard Stay Humble. I’d like to post it on the wall in my office. I just wish they had a more girly design of this. Might have to design something myself. Hmmm

Noble House Designs

It’s a well known fact that I’m addicted to jewelry. Even though I own a jewelry boutique, R’Belle Boutique, (shameless plug) I shop elsewhere for my jewelry too. I came across Noble House Designs on a blog I was reading and instantly fell in love. Although Noble House Designs is a pricier than I like to spend on necklaces, they have some great pieces. A few more adds to my wishlist.

Check out my favorite pieces.

Essex Necklace $150

Highland Park Necklace is sold out and I can see why. I love the color combo.

Highland Park Necklace 

Dallas Necklace $175

Talbott Necklace $175

Montrose Necklace $175

You can view more of Noble House Designs here.

images

Yaya

Silence is Maturity

What's My Motivation?

Procrastination is the devil. I mentally wrote/planned this post early this morning and I'm JUST getting around to posting it. I wish I could say it’s because I've been super busy this morning, but that would be a lie. I'm having one of those days were I have tons of work to do, but I don't feel like doing any of it. I've answered a couple important emails, but I've been taking my time to format this document. 

What’s my motivation?

Love this thought below. Never let anyone tell you what you can't do. Don't let negative voices bring you down.

Check out the 12 Things You Should Know for more motivation.

Yaya

Da Fancy Life

Each week I seem to have a few liquor-inspired items on the Fancy list. I’m starting to see a trend. I just enjoy a good drink or two. #dontjudgeme

So this Gallon Flask might be a LITTLE too much for me, because truthfully I can’t/won’t be carrying this huge thing, but I’m sure one of my friends might want it.

Red cups equal one thing: liquor. Everyone knows if you are holding a red cup, you aren’t just sippin on soda or juice.  How cute is this Red Cup Shot Glass? Seems only natural to have them and a set of four is only $12.

Steak Salad and Cilantro Avocado Dressing

In an effort to eat better and lose weight, every Monday I do meal prep for my lunch for the week. I'm always struggling with what to make (feel free to share ideas). Last week I got the idea of a steak salad from my girl Tiara. Check out my my recipe after the jump.

She's Extremely Blessed

“Sometimes we get through adversity only by imagining what the world might be like if our dreams should ever come true.” – Arthur Golden

The past two days have been really good for Rogue PR. I’ve been super busy and building media contacts and I've had great support from my partners. You can read the press release that I’ve been working on here.

I can’t get the 2 Chainz and The Dream song “Extremely Blessed” out my head. I was going to post the video, until I actually viewed it and quickly changed my mind. But if you wanna check it out, you can view it here and listen to the song below.