A Saturday Song...

It is raining today...and has been raining on and off for 24 hours.  It is not a cold rain...or a hard rain...more like the day can't decide what it wants to be.  It is definitely a day that begs for comfy couches, a big cup of coffee and a warm body to cuddle up to.

And here is a song for your Saturday...

The Friday Five...

{ I have NEVER seen brussel sprouts on a stalk...they were too beautiful not to buy }

 

{ sharing a bagel with a very friendly and curious bird...we became fast friends }

{ I am in love with these beautiful gourds. The decision of which ones to buy, was surprisingly hard }

{ making fresh apple chips for an after school snack }

{ Finally making progress on refinishing my dining room chairs }

What are Your Five?

Garage Girls: Workout #43

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 Friday! It's Friday! Friday...Friday...Friday! And I want to start the weekend off right. This workout works every muscle group, and hopefully we will be feeling it Saturday.  Earn your time off this weekend, and I will see you again on Monday : )

     Warm-up:  

     1 min. of reverse lunges
     1 min. of butterfly sit-ups
     1 min. of tricep press

     Workout: (4x for time) 

   
      run 200m
      50 donkey kick (25 each leg)
       40 side bridge dips ( 20 each side)
       30 jumping pull-ups
       20 kettlebell deadlift
     10 mountain climbers

...and here is another great workout song-

Have fun : )

Decision made: a camping party it will be

A decision that would break many other six year olds has been made.  After much deliberation, Ava has decided to have a camping theme for her 7 year old birthday party.  Of course, it didn't really surprise me since our last family trip of the summer was camping in the NC mountains- the girls had a blast.  I am really excited and have already started looking for inspiration to make this party a memorable one.

Here are just a few of the ideas and images I am looking to for inspiration: 

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Garage Girls: Workout #42

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Today... back to the grind. 

Enjoy the Fall weather today.  It's amazing how this very short season is perfect for these workouts. Push yourself to finish as quickly as you can.  

 And here we go... 

     Warm-up:

     1 minute plank position
     1 minute side plank ( each side)
     1 minute downward facing dog 

     Workout: (4x for time)

     20 burpees
     20 weighted sit-ups
     20 leg raises
     20 reverse lunges  (10 each leg)
     run 400m

...and here is another great workout song-

Have fun : )

Artist Spotlight: Vincent Bousserez

I love these photographs by French photographer Vincent Bousserez!  After seeing his  depictions of tiny figurines, you will never look at the world around you the same way again.   What I love about them is the humor the artist takes putting these tiny people into often mundane settings that suddenly become construction sites, toxic waste dumps and summits to be climbed.  I LOVE the originality and attention to detail...and I love when art makes me view the world in a different way.  I don't think I will look at a piece of cheese the same way again : ) 

(all images via nicenfunny)

Fabulous Food: Apricot cake with lemon glaze

This recipe is sooooo easy and sooooo good! If you only have a few minutes and want to make a delicious dessert, this cake fits the bill. 

Apricot Cake with Lemon Glaze

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix                                 2 tsp. lemon extract
3/4 c. vegetable oil                                        4 eggs
3/4 c. apricot juice                                      

Directions:
Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased and floured bundt pan.  Cook at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.  Let cake cool and drizzle the lemon glaze all over the cake.

Directions to make the lemon glaze:

Combine *1/2 cup lemon juice with 1 and 1/2 cups of confectionery sugar.  Mix well and spoon over cake. 

* Unless the whole cake is going to be eaten in one sitting, I like to reserve the glaze and use on individual slices.  Also, if you like a thicker glaze, decrease the lemon juice to 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup. Add additional juice until it becomes your desired consistency.

Garage Girls: Workout #41

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Today's workout concentrates exclusively on our core.  We have been doing a lot of leg work and running lately, so I decided to switch it up a little bit this Monday morning.  Tomorrow, you should be enjoying a combination of pride and ...more than a little bit of pain every time you sneeze, laugh...or breathe  : )

     Warm-up: (3x through)

      run 800m

     Workout: once for time

     50 sit-ups
     15 push-ups
     1 min. plank
     30 sec side plank
     1 min. bridge
     15 push-ups
     1 min. plank
     30 sec. side plank (other side)
     50 sit-ups
     1 min. raised plank
     2 min. bridge
     50 sit-ups

   

...and here is another great workout song ("Shake it out" seemed like the perfect post-workout advice)-

Have fun : )

(this workout is  "The Core Challenge" from tribesports)

A Saturday Song...

The first weekend of fall...I love waking up to cool mornings that turn into warm afternoons.  Here is a song for your Saturday...hope it's not a lonesome one : ) 

Have a great weekend!

The Friday Five...

{ the last sno-cone of the summer - strawberries & cream...yum }

{ What a great idea! Getting inspirations from my much loved Southern Living magazine }

{ Can you imagine having a garden that you would actually welcome people into?   : )  }

{ my new storage basket...perfect for my stuff }

{ getting the scents of Autumn ready to go...can't wait to have the house smelling like pumpkin pie again }

What are Your Five?