DIY-itis

Pinterest.com. You should go there.

Just a warning...you might get a little DIY-happy. For the past week, I've been engaging my inner crafty, and I thought I'd share a few of my projects with you. 

Nerd alert: This post may make me seem even more nerdy than I already am. 

Homemade Laundry Soap

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 box Borax

1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

5 bars Fels-Naptha Bar Soap

Fragrant oil of choice

 

Step One: Grate bar soap with a cheese grater.

 

Step Two: Mix together entire box of Borax, washing soda, and grated bar soap. Add oil for scent if desired. 

Step Three: Put in a pretty jar, and voila!  

The total investment for this project is about $9, and the mixture lasts nearly 200 loads!! Just one tablespoon per load does the trick, and yes...it works quite well.

Watermelon Cake

 

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 box (18.25 oz) yellow cake mix
1 box (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
4 large eggs
1 cup water
1⁄3 cup oil
3 1⁄2 cans (16 oz each) vanilla frosting
Red, orange, leaf green, yellow and black gel or paste food color
Chocolate-covered raisins (Raisinets)

 

Heat oven to 350ºF. Coat two 9-in. round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with wax paper; coat with spray. 

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. 

Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes; invert cakes onto rack, remove paper and cool completely. 

 

Tint one can frosting red-orange. Using leaf green, yellow and a bit of black, tint one can frosting pale green. Remove 1/2 cup pale green frosting to a pastry bag fitted with decorating tip. Using more leaf green and black food color, tint remaining pale green frosting until it turns dark green.

 

Stack cake layers on a cutting board; cut crosswise in half. Set one piece aside.

For large melon slice: Sandwich 3 cake layer halves with 1/3 cup white frosting between each (invert top layer so flat side is up). For small melon wedges: Cut reserved piece of cake into 3 wedges. Frost slice and wedges with a thin layer of remaining white frosting.

Frost rounded edges of cakes with dark green frosting. Using flat slide of decorating tip, pipe pale green frosting along edge of dark green frosting on sides and top. Pipe squiggly lines onto sides over dark green frosting. With spatula, smear pale green lines to create the look of watermelon skin.

Frost rounded edges of cakes with dark green frosting. Using flat slide of decorating tip, pipe pale green frosting along edge of dark green frosting on sides and top. Pipe squiggly lines onto sides over dark green frosting. With spatula, smear pale green lines to create the look of watermelon skin.

 

Remove large melon slice to serving tray, standing it on rounded edge. Frost back side of cake with reserved red-orange frosting; decorate with additional chocolate-covered raisins. Place small wedges on tray with large slice.

 

Enjoy!

Laundry Nook Beautification

This isn't so much a craft as a fun project. My laundry area needed some love, so I invested $18 and about an hour of my time to make this nook a little less of an eye sore. 

BEFORE:

 

AFTER:

I believe everything should be beautiful.

A Concise Update on Summer Goals

As promised, I'm stopping by to update each of you on the progression of my 4 summer goals that I listed back in May. I am happy to admit that only one has been a complete fail...with a perfectly valid excuse.

1. Drink 100 ounces of water every day.

I'm drinking at least 100 ounces a day! I thought that this one would be much more challenging, but its actually a fairly easy habit to cultivate. My trusty purple Camelbak water bottle has become a security blanket - it follows me nearly everywhere I go. And the best part? I'm feeling great! Constant consumption of water throughout the day keeps your kidneys working...which burns calories! It may seem petty, but sometimes baby steps make all the difference.

2. Run 150 miles.

FAIL. This one was my downfall. I ran a little over 20 miles before I finally accepted a grave reality...running makes my hip inflammation way, way worse. I'm still paying for those 20 miles, and I stopped running over two weeks ago. SO, because I'm certainly not giving up on cardio altogether, I've opted to become a queen of the bike and the pool. My new plan is to bike 200 miles and swim at least 20 miles by August 22.

*A shameless plug: My new Nike Pegasus 28 shoes are AMAZING. I highly recommend them for anyone with high arches, inverted ankles, and/or hip pain. They are incredible.

3. Read 4 books, just for fun.

I'm on my 3rd summer read! My first two went by very quickly (If You Ask Me, by Betty White, and The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein). I finished White's book in two days and Stein's book in less than a week. My 3rd book, Cutting for Stone (Abraham Verghese) is a wonderful story, but it has certainly slowed my reading pace. It's a whopping 650-pages full of intricate detail and a complicated plot. Two weeks after picking it up, I'm still less than half way through, but I'm not worried...this reading is for pleasure, not measure (cheesy, right?).

4. Tell 1 person about Christ.

I admit that I haven't shared the gospel with anyone thusfar this summer. Nevertheless, I'm having some great gospel conversations with several people, and I'm prioritizing my prayer life to reflect my fear of sharing with them. My hopes are high and my God is big, and I know that He has a mighty work at hand.

I hope you take a moment to stop and consider something simply beautiful today. God has blessed us with our lives and our bodies and our time and even our world. And it's imperfect. Imperfect and beautiful.

2,138 Miles Later...

We've made it home from traveling home.

A recount of our Mississippi journey in numbers includes...
5 days,
7 car rides,
35 hours spent in the car,
5 tanks of gas,
20 relatives,
27 friends,
1 wedding,
and, of course, 2,138 miles.

Mississippi will always be my home. I felt as though I had always known this, but the past five days have further illuminated my understanding. The plethora of baptist churches, the broken roads, the funny town names, the lack of altitude, the blazing heat, the inconceivable humidity - I love it all, and I embrace it willingly every time I venture into what North Carolinians refer to as the "Deep South."

What used to be a daily reality is now a twice-a-year journey that requires effort, money, and a whole lot of driving. Being home is always a marathon, but it is equally sweet. I've never been much of a hugger, but when I find myself in Mississippi, I hug the neck of every familiar face in sight.

At home, there is one bittersweet realization that takes me by complete surprise each and every time it shows its unforgettable face - a face that, each time I see it, becomes more mature, more distinguished, older. Everything changes. I can hear these words echo for weeks after a much anticipated stay in Mississippi. Life goes on without us, and people keep growing up. Everything changes. Friends graduate and move away from a much beloved college town, and it suddenly seems rather empty upon return. Everything changes. Two friends who barely knew each other when you leave college date, love, and marry on a sunny day in June. Everything changes. Parents make plans to retire and travel out west. Everything changes. Your best friend of 7 years meets you for breakfast, holding a brand new baby boy. Everything changes. Despite my best efforts, lives keep changing, friends keep growing up, family keeps growing older, and life continues to dance to the beat of an unstoppable drum. Everything changes. 

"To understand the world, one must first understand a place like Mississippi."

-William Faulkner

What I've Learned After One Year of Marriage: Reflections from the Outer Banks

Kyle and I just returned from spending an amazing 3 days in North Carolina's Outer Banks in celebration of our first anniversary. Wait - really? I cannot believe I've been someone's wife for over a year now...and what a memorable year it has been! 

Ups. Downs. Flips. I've learned a lot, to say the least. For example...

1. I'm more selfish than I ever realized. When you're single, there are at least a few decisions in life that you can truly make alone. Once married, they all but vanish. In everything I do, I must consider Kyle. Hair appointment? Of course. Grocery list? Sure. New shirt? Yep. I cannot spend my money or my time selfishly and without regard to my husband. Why? Because he's my other half. 

2. The way someone argues says a lot about their character. If anyone says she never argue with her spouse, she's lying through her teeth. Arguments happen, and they can ultimately strengthen a relationship if they are truly learned from. More times than not, I learn more about Kyle in our moments of disagreement than I do in our moments of complete harmony. Why? Because, if taken positively, disagreement breeds conversation, consideration, and discussion. 

3. No newlywed knows what they're doing. It doesn't matter how many books you read, how much counseling you get, or how many friends and family members lend their advice...at the end of the day, you find out you must sometimes simply make it up as you go along.

4. Sillyness is a gift.  Kyle is constantly poking me or making a funny face or calling me a silly name. Sometimes, it annoys me to no end. But, one night in the Outer Banks, after 5 minutes of having the giggles, I realized that Kyle's love for sillyness is something that I should appreciate, not scorn. Life's a lot more fun that way. 

5. Plans are more like guidelines than actual rules. Captain Barbosa (from Pirates of the Caribbean) said the same of what he called "the Code." In the same way, plans are great, but they're no map to the future. This is a hard lesson learned for me, the quintessential Type A personality. 

6. Women will never understand men, and I'm okay with that. And by the way, the opposite is also true. This is a problem that used to plague my thoughts, and I was determined to overcome it. Now, it's almost a blessing...like a frustrating, insolvable, wonderful mystery. 

7. You need together time. Only 1 in 20 married women are blessed with a date night every week with their husband. 1 in 3 married women gets a date once every 7 months or less. I cannot stress this enough: Couples. Need. Time. Together. Kyle and I try to take a getaway every 5 or 6 months, and its amazing to see the difference when we get back. The week before we left for the Outer Banks, anyone could tell that we needed to get away. This year, we're going make our dates more consistent and our time together more sweet. 

Here's to another beautiful year. 

My Summer in Numbers

Because I have no classes this summer, I have no excuse not to spend some time bettering the world and myself. I believe that improving yourself takes two things: prayer first, and practice second. We all too often stop after prayer (or don't even start there at all!). So, in an effort to gain some practical accountability, I've set some measurable goals to be completed by August 22, 2011 (the first day of Fall classes), and I'm posting them here for all to see. 

1. Drink 100 ounces of water everyday.

This might be more of an experiment than a goal. Regardless, health and fitness gurus agree that, in order to lose or maintain a healthy weight, you should consume half of your body weight in ounces of water each and every day (for example, a person who weighs 160 lbs should consume 80 ounces of water every day). Doing so boosts metabolism, flushes out excess toxins and sodium, decreases bloating, and promotes digestive calorie burning! For me, this means consuming about 60 ounces on a daily basis. However, because I enjoy a cup of coffee each morning and work out at least 5 days per week, I'm upping my consumption by an extra 40 ounces. So far, I'm only on day two of this experiment, and it actually takes a little work. I have a wonderful little water bottle that has ounce markers on it, and it holds 25 ounces at a time. In order to meet my goal every day, I have to take the bottle with me everywhere and remind myself to drink it, but I'm thinking that this chore will soon become a habit.

2. Run 150 miles

DISCLOSURE: Run 150 miles total, not all at once! For my summer, this averages out to 10.7 miles a week - just a couple miles short of a half marathon. Because I started this goal on a Friday, my running distances will be totaled from Friday to Friday. For many of you, this goal may seem quite low, especially for someone who is supposedly a specialist in the health field. However, I unfortunately suffer from hyperflexible hip ligaments, which result in constant sprains and a lot of inflammation in my sacro-iliac joints. Because of this, too much running equals too much injury, and way too much pain. Thus, the humble 150-mile goal. 

3. Read 4 books, just for fun

Grad school has a funny way of making the word "reading" sound like a curse word. So, I'm on a mission to retrain my mind to love reading. For this summer, that means reading books that are mindless, emotional, and enjoyable - as opposed to intellectual, theological, and scholarly. I believe that I'll be starting the summer off right with Betty White's new memoir, "If You Ask Me," which I will soon be receiving from Kyle as a gift for our first anniversary (the first anniversary is traditionally the anniversary of paper). 

4. Share the gospel with 1 person.

This is not my strong suit. I'm much more of a "live out your faith" kind of girl, and actually confronting someone with the gospel in a loving and understandable way is quite terrifying to me. However, if a year at seminary has taught me anything, it's that people in this world are in need of the gospel, and Christian are often all too quick to ignore their needs. Because I'm a huge fan of what they call "servant evangelism" (serving others and meeting a physical need in hopes of opening a door to share the gospel), this goal will also include serving my community in a meaningful and tangible way. 

 *****

I have other goals, too, but they are a little vague and certainly not measurable...redecorate the bedroom, become a Southern Living-inspired cook, learn to love Kyle well, etc. As for the goals mentioned above, feel free to call me out on how they're going...I hate confrontation! Also, I'll be posting updates on each of these four goals throughout the summer, along with tips and insights should you find yourself interested in joining me on this wonderful adventure.  

Summer Lovin'

First year of Seminary? Check.

Primarily, this means two things: One, for the next 99 days, there will be no quizzes, no research papers, and no 100-page reading assignments to grace the presence of my thoughts; and two, there will be a significant increase in my blogging time. So, stay tuned for health news, summer goals, and personal reflections. 

To kick things off, I'd like to present to you the 5 things I'm loving right now. Perhaps you can enjoy them with me. 

5 Things I'm Loving Right Now 

Kitchenaid Mixer

Why? It really is worth its weight in gold. I've used many mixers in my life, but this is by far the best. In fact, sometimes I bake something sweet just to use my mixer. Crazy? Perhaps. 

 

Jergens Natural Glow Moisturizer 

Why? This lovely lotion costs about $6, and it really, truly doesn't turn your skin orange. Because I have not been able to enjoy the luxury of ample free time all semester, my skin is about two shades of pale lighter than I had hoped. Until my fortunes improve, this nifty little bottle keeps my skin glowing in the sun and not in the dark. 

 

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Why? Okay, this is less than a "what" and more of a "who" I'm loving. Not only did Kate look cool, calm, and completely gorgeous on her big day, but she was photographed one week later at a public supermarket...pushing a buggy...and buying her own groceries. A few days ago, I saw a 20-something year old woman in a Range Rover waiting on her groceries to be delivered to her vehicle in front of Harris Teeter. Really? The newest member of England's royal family is humble enough to do it herself - perhaps you should follow in suit. 

 

The Color Orange

Why? Why not? This color is happy, it's unique...it's summer! Orange tunics, orange dresses, orange swimsuits, orange purses...I love it all. I'm loving the color so much, I even bought orange lilies to pot on my front porch.

 

Running

Why? Because it's good for you! To be fair, this is a new thing for me, and we still have a bit of a love-hate relationship. Nevertheless, nothing can replace quality cardio, and I've been feeling pretty adventurous since my hips have improved. More details on my new found relationship with running to come soon. 

The 10 Biggest Fitness Mistakes

As a personal trainer and health coach, I finally figured out that it might actually be beneficial to blog about something I know something about. Novel, right? 

Anyway, I found this Top Ten list on a site called the TheNest.com (great for newlyweds, by the way!), and I couldn't agree with it more. I originally read the article with expectations of critiquing it, but I actually love what they're saying so...I thought I'd  add a little commentary and share it with you.

The 10 Biggest Fitness Mistakes

Mistake #1: You don’t work out because you’re afraid it will make you super-hungry -- and eat more.

Actually, the opposite is true. Exercise has actually been shown to act as an appetite suppressant. Translation: Regular trips to the gym can actually help you stick to your diet. In fact, excess hunger is usually caused because you're not providing your body with all of the nutrients it needs, so it craves them! The point is, as long as you're eating nutritious foods, you won't negate your hard work, even if you eat a bit more. So if you're hungry all the time, don't blame the gym -- blame your diet.

 

Mistake #2: You make a point to exercise first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, to burn more calories.

Just like in college when you might have studied during the day while your roommate went the all-nighter route, some people are morning exercisers and some feel more motivated at night. The key is consistency, so you'll get the best results by choosing whatever time of day you can stick to. If you do go the before-work route, just make sure you have a little something to eat (like a piece of fruit) 30 minutes before your workout. Like a car, your body needs fuel to run efficiently, so when you exercise on an empty stomach, you can't train as hard (or burn as many calories). 

Mistake #3: You’re a crunching queen (or king!) - hey, it’s the way to get rock-hard abs.

Crunches alone will not give you a flat stomach. The fact is, if you want a killer core, you need to train all the abdominal muscles -- the rectus abdominus, the transverse, and the obliques - along with your lower back. A good way to hit them all is through functional movements like lifting, throwing, etc. But wait! There’s a part two to all of this: Building ab muscles isn't going to do you any good come bathing-suit season if they're hidden under a layer of fat. No matter how many sit-ups you do, without regular bouts of cardio (at least 30 minutes, four to five days a week) and a healthy diet, you're never going to sport a six-pack. 

Mistake #4: You spend two-hours-plus at the gym to max out your workout.

It's not about how long you spend working out; it's about how hard you work out. So you have permission to spend less time at the gym. The catch is, you have to kill it while you're there. You can easily burn the same amount of calories in half the time by increasing the intensity of your workouts. Bonus: By working out at a higher intensity, you'll continue to burn more calories for hours afterward.

Mistake #5: You have your routine down.

Unfortunately, what works, works only for a short period. Just like your mind has to work extra hard to learn something new, your body kicks into overdrive when you start a new exercise program it's not familiar with. If you do the same routine for too long, your body will adapt -- and soon what used to "work" no longer will (at least not as well). The key to seeing results is to constantly challenge your body and practice variety in your workouts so you don't plateau. So change it up -- the tweaks don't have to be big. For example, change a barbell squat to a dumbbell squat, or swap dumbbells for kettlebells or sandbags. Or instead of your standard 30 minutes on the elliptical, do the elliptical in reverse for 10 minutes, then hop on the rowing machine for 10 minutes and finish with 10 minutes on the treadmill. Then reverse the order in your next workout. 

Mistake #6: You stay fit by working out 30 minutes a day, three times a week.

There is a big difference between being active and being fit. The above guidelines are the bare minimum for keeping you active, which means you're basically just avoiding some of the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Being fit, on the other hand (and losing weight, or just maintaining it), takes more work. That means at least four to five sweat sessions a week of hard work. Clients, this is where the hard part comes in - you have push yourself, even when you're not in the studio. 

Mistake #7: You stick to cardio and avoid weights so you don’t bulk up.

Sure, lifting weights can bulk you up (the Arnold didn’t get those biceps at Zumba class), but only if you specifically train to add mass. If you train to tone, you’ll tone. You have total control over the effect weight lifting will have on your body. And guess what? The size of the weight has little to do with muscle mass. The size of your muscles is determined by three main factors: Genetics (were you born with the structure for large musculature?), gender (men have a greater potential to put on size) and type of training (it’s not the size of the weight but how you lift it). In general, if you use light weights and do more reps, you’ll get sleek, lean muscle. Up the weights, slow it down and maximize the squeeze to bulk up. 

Mistake #8: You don’t feel any payoff unless your body hurts.

Some discomfort or soreness at the beginning stages of a workout routine is normal, since your muscles are adjusting to the new activities. It means you're challenging your body, which, in turn, means results. But chronic soreness doesn't mean you're getting an awesome workout every day. It means your body's not recovering -- which is bad since you get stronger and develop muscle while your body recovers.

Mistake #9: You climb off the treadmill when it says you’ve reached your calorie goal.

Hate to break it to you, but the calorie calculation displayed on most of those machines isn't accurate. Many pieces of equipment are built to show you what you want to see. And the assumptions needed to validate the machine's calculations are seldom met. So use the counters as a light reference, but learn to do your own calculations if you want truly accurate numbers.

Mistake #10: You’re envious of celebs, who apparently all won the genetic lottery and don’t have to push it as hard as you do.

The truth is, most celebs work hard (just like you do) for their bodies (albeit, most of them under the guidance of a trainer, a nutritionist and a personal chef). So stop cursing their DNA and start making exercise and nutrition priorities in your life. Of course, what makes it a little easier for celebrities is the fact that looking good is basically their job -- and a paycheck is major motivation not to slack off. Whereas your livelihood depends more on sometimes skipping the gym to make an early meeting, or prepping for a presentation or a huge exam. But you can do it!