Hair Affairs

Hey Ladies!
So....remember back in December when I got my hair cut off....
NOT my favorite thing, but not the end of the world.

I have been diligently working on growing it back fast, and healthy,
so I thought I would share what I have been using
and what I have been doing/not doing to get it this far along.
Hopefully by December I will be back to my old self again.

Remember growing your hair out takes time,
but I think the more you can leave it alone, the better your results will be.
(But, what do I know?!)

Have a great week, and let me know what your favorite hair products are!
XOXO

Things I wanted to do last year...

Here is a little update of how the "20 before 30" went...
5 months late.....as I turned 30 back in February.
whoops.
The ones in purple are done
*check*
and the black ones are still up in the air.
The green ones are semi-done.
How are you coming along with your 2012 (or2011) goals??

(We had a photo shoot with Britianie Wagner Photography as she traveled cross country on her 30 day Road Trip...more to come from her....soooo excited to have new photos of the kids!)

1. Go to a concert- anybody will do.

2. Buy a new pair of high heels- just because.

3. Volunteer for something- it will feel good.

4. Wear red lipstick- everybody is doing it...

5. Paint a painting- I used to do that A LOT.

6. Learn to knit, or learn to crochet better- I want a cute beanie by Christmas!

7. Sell MORE on etsy.- so I can buy more on etsy!

8. Read 10 books- suggestions?~Halfway there

9. Go and get a massage- last one I had was over 5 yrs. ago.

10. Go climbing- because it is freeing and a great workout.

11. Write more letters- who doesn't love getting mail??

12. Try a new recipe once a month- have a new cookbook ready and waiting.

13. Go to CA by myself for a weekend- nuff said!

14. Make some jewelry, sell some jewelry- I have some ideas...

15. Get back in to "handmade-mode"- make gifts, make clothes, make crafts, make&do!

16. Unplug on the weekends- turn it off...computer, t.v.

17. Take more photos WITH my kids and hubby- I am invisible in our photo history.

18. Call my parents more- they will like that.

19. Sew a quilt for our king size bed- It is time.

20. Less NO, More YES!!!

#13-20 are in progress for sure and I feel like just writing things down can be powerful...
like putting intention to your words....and visiting these lists often keeps you on track.

Justin is a goal-setting maniac...he always has been, and I have learned a lot from him in this way.
He feels like if you aren't working towards something/anything, you aren't living life.
I agree.

He finished his Masters degree and although he was nervous and we were both apprehensive about adding a bit more stress around here,
I could not be more excited for him, and proud beyond measure.
So many people are just content to be, and that is totally fine, but not Justin.
And for the inquiring minds out there....he got it in Exercise Science with an emphasis on
Fitness and Wellness.
So watch out world, the Wilkins are here to get you healthy!
(I'm kidding....well, maybe not.)

He loves to be challenged (remember those pesky 100 mile races)

My challenge was to deal with a full time working Dad and full time student husband...
and be a research assistant and editor....
 it was very interesting, but we always figure out how to make it work.

What are your goals this year that you have been working on?
Or what would you like to do before the end of the year?

Happy August!!

 Happy August All!!
We are in the home stretch of summer vacation,
and I hope everyone is surviving (or enjoying themselves!)
Justin has been busy with work, so the kids and I have been
poolside, and lazy daisies!
I have loved (almost) every minute of it!
Here's some of my favorites from last month, and I promise to check in more often as our routine and schedule will allow more "me" time...which equals frivolous blog posts!!
Let me know what you want to see!
xo

My Mom VoxBox

Influenster MOM VoxBox 2012
So, I heard about this thing called Influenster and decided to sign up since I already love reviewing products for you guys on this blog. It seemed a good fit! I got my first VoxBox, where they sent me products to review for FREE, and then just asked that we share our opinions about the products we were given.

The Quaker Oatmeal Cookie was eaten immediately, and was delicious. Kind of reminded me of those Grandmothers cookies I would eat in High School from the snack shack on the pool deck after a swim meet or waterpolo game. Not horrible, from a nutrition stand point, but not "healthy".

The imPress Manicure set would have been great, but sad for me, the nails just aren't wide enough to accommodate my thumbs.  I have wide thumbs, so I am sure most people would be fine with these, and they looked like they would last just as long as the best polish.  I love that there is no drying time involved in these types of products....but I have fat thumbs, so they never quite work out!
Cute packaging!

I am a tea lover, so this was fun to see in there.  Lots of yummy fruity flavors, and no sugar to worry about here.  Such a healthy alternative if you are in a bad rut drinking soda. Yummy.

They sent a bar of Ivory, which I remeber from my childhood too.  I love the smell, but it is a little drying for my super-sensitive skin.  I can only use Dove, but this was nice.  Apparently I can grate it up and use it as laundry detergent??  I must try this.

This was a neat concept....granulated honey.  Great for backpacking, and no sticky mess!

We already purchase these, so not a new product to me, but I love these flossers.  The kids use them every night and it makes that part of our night go very smoothly.

The is a product I would have never purchased, but if you were traveling to another country, it would be fun for you and your kids to brush up on some conversational language.  This was just a demo, but I got a feel for the program, and I think it would be helpful, especially for military families getting ready to PCS overseas.  Lots of languages to choose from, and cute graphics.  The kids loved it and asked to watch it over an over.

Overall, this was a fun experience.  If you have any questions about the products, feel free to ask, and if you want to be an Influenster, go to influenster.com and sign up!

Healthy Options- Tuna

 HI Ladies!
SOOOOO.....
I passed my test, and am now a Certified Lifestyle and Weight Management Coach!
I am so excited, and so happy to put the books down for a minute,
and enjoy all of my hard work.

In the spirit of new beginnings, I have a video for you today
of two recipes I will be adding in to our family meals.
Tuna is something that I forget to eat, and I don't know why.
It is so perfect for getting in some lean protein without the hassle of cooking,
so check this short video out and try some tuna this week!

Webisode 3: Healthy Options

xo
Ariel

Favorites!

Happy Wednesday!!
Here are a few things I have been loving lately.
I hope everyone is doing well, and having a great week!
xo


For more info, click away:
Maybelline Master Shape
Jergens Natural Glow Revitalizing
Trainerball
Tone It Up and Beach Babe DVD series
Sharpie Pens

Dye Job

I now have a WHITE eyebrow hair.
Weird.
I suppose that is nature's funny way of welcoming me to my 30's???
I am now afraid to pluck.
Am I going to have to have to start dying my eyebrows too...
or could I pull this off?

Thoughts?

Have you ever seen a fully gray-haired 30-something?

On another note,
we got River enrolled in a Preschool for the Fall!

It will be 3 days a week, and I am so excited.
The funny part is that there was only 1 spot available for that class,
and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Registration began at 7:30am, and the director had told us that last year
a parent showed up at 2:30 am to grab the first spot in line.
(Think Black Friday at Wal-Mart)
We thought that was so crazy, but the more we thought about it
we didn't want to miss out on the only spot available....
SO, Justin headed over there after we put the kids to bed on Friday night @ 9:30 pm
and camped out all night.
The second craziest parents showed up at 11:30, so I am so thankful we are just a tad bit more ambitious than the next person!

 Thank you Justin...

And just for good measure,
here are some scenes from the weekend.

Bluebonnets

Bubbles

 More Bubbles

 

 

And the trees that cover our backyard....love them!
Although, we did have one heck of a storm last week
where I swore a branch was going to break off
and take out a window or something.
Yay for Tornado watches and warnings!

Lean and Green

A study of vegetables...By Paige Donovan

A good reminder...made by Paige Donovan



My food choices for the next 10 days.
Nothing from a box, nothing sugared
Nothing that resembles a cracker, or goldfish, or granola bar.
Only real, only from the earth,
only cooked by me, only made by me.

Oatmeal, Brown Rice, Fruits and Vegetables, Chicken and Fish, nuts and seeds.
Minimal Olive Oil, minimal dairy.
BOOM!



I will keep you updated as I go along...and let you know what I learn along the way.
I will say that this is not a huge departure from the way we normally eat. I am just taking out any dessert, any bread, and processed food for the next 10 days to see how we feel.
I predict that I feel less bloated, less grouchy, have more energy, and have less cravings for these types of foods.
I will be tracking my progress at MyFitnessPal.com
Game On!

We did a photo-booth this weekend...so funny!

My Birfday

So, for the BIG 3-0 I wanted to just party all night
dance on tables
get crazy
go to a rave (do people still do that??)



But none of that happened, so I had a glow stick party
in the bathroom with a 4, 5, and 6 year old!
Pretty much cooler than any table dancing I could have done.

AND, we got to hold a brand spanking new baby boy
It does NOT get any better than that!


Our sweet friends, the Seprish Family, invited us over to celebrate.
Mind you, Laura just birthed a baby, and was still down to host a party.
This woman is absolutely the best.
She is an amazing woman, mom, spouse, and friend.
And I am one lucky girl.
She even got me a Red Velvet cake...
from COSTCO.
Be still my Red Velvet loving heart.
It was worth every last bite!!!


So, it was the best kind of birthday,
surrounded by friends and my own little family..
Lots of sweet cards and thoughtful gifts,
I am so happy to kiss my 20's goodbye.
I will take a snuggle from my kids over a hangover any day.


I didn't do so hot on my 30 before 30 resolutions,
but what I am figuring out is enjoying the ride
is so much better than scheduling life to fit in to my
grand plans.

So here's to another year,
a few more gray hairs and wrinkles,
but an abundance to be grateful
and thankful for in my life.
xo, A

One Piece or Two?

Hi Gals! Just wanted to flashback to some videos I made from last year
about working out, setting goals, and staying motivated.
As bathing suit season approaches (yikes!) we all need a little reminder
or two
or three....
so here are a few tips from me from last year.

Also, remember that the most beautiful thing about yourself
is your confidence,
so don't be ashamed of your imperfections...own them.
Don't let them own you and rob you of a great time at the pool,
or a fun beach trip with friends and family.
Find a bathing suit that you feel confident enough in, and just go with it!

(FYI: for a good chunk of the country, bathing suit season isn't for quite some time, but for us Texans, it is knocking at our doorstep...time to hit the gym!)






Also, I would love to get back to regular posts about fitness related things, so if you guys have questions, let me know and I would be happy to address them in a video.

I think this is the kind of suit I am on the lookout for, since we have to hit up the neighborhood pool this year...
I may have to save my bikinis for the backyard now!
Any cute suits you have your eyes on??


Red Suit
xo