July 2014 Desktop Calendar + Pinspiration

Hello everyone & Happy 1st day of July! Today’s post will host pinspiration as of late and the monthly desktop calendar. You can follow my Pinterest account here. As you can tell, I’m still obsessing over stripes, leather strappy sandals and floral prints! Don’t you wish you could *snap* your fingers and your Pinterest boards would magically appear in your closet?

Shop My July Pinspiration Below!

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”136300″]

 

July 2014 Desktop Calendar

JPEG

PNG

PDF

– Photo by Jonas Nilsson Lee –

Any big plans for July? I hoping to continue healthy habits with the Tone It Up girls even though the 2014 Bikini Series Challenge is over!

xoxo

Merrissa

June 2014 Desktop Calendar

Scroll down for your June 2014 desktop calendar download!

I know I say this almost every single month but I’m still amazed at how fast this year is going! June is typically a very busy month for me. With a lot of family birthdays and preparing for a week of vacation in early July, this month always goes by so fast!

 

I made some kick-ass turkey burgers for dinner tonight. Recipe courtesy of the Bikini Series Challenge and Karena & Katrina! It was an easy recipe, ground turkey, crushed pineapple, chopped red onion, bacon bits, maple syrup and teriyaki sauce. Of course, I made regular beef-hamburgers for JF…like I’ve mentioned before, JF’s a cowboy and runs cattle for a living. So anytime I eat anything that isn’t BEEF, he’ll say: “Do you see chickens running around my pastures?” lol. But to my surprise (and to JF’s too)…he actually liked the turkey burgers!!

This picture is from the Bikini Series Welcome Pack–this is what the turkey burgers were supposed to look like. I forgot to take a picture of mine…but they weren’t near this pretty! 😉

 

 

 JUNE 2014 DESKTOP CALENDAR:

 

PNG

JPEG

xoxo

Merrissa

Friday Freebie: To Do List

How do you stay organized when you (feel) like you have 30,000 things to do? I know some people are shifting gears and using iPhone apps and email reminders. However, call me old-fashioned but I’m sticking with the always-trustworthy pen and paper method.

(scroll to bottom for printable)

I love a good To Do List & here’s why: 

1.   The tasks that need my attention are centralized to one location. If it’s not in front of me I will forget to do it, every damn time.

2.   It brings so-called order to chaos. Lists help me organize what otherwise seems overwhelming.

3.   The satisfaction of crossing off a task I have completed. Sometimes when I’m rewriting a To-Do list I will write a task I have already completed just for the satisfaction of crossing it off my list. Don’t judge. Or do judge, I really don’t care. 😉

4.   Obviously, it helps me remember to do things that are pertinent and it shows me what I have already accomplished.

5.   You can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Lists are normally not infinite; therefore they don’t go on and on and on…

6.   Lists help me from hopping on the procrastination train. Helps keep my head on straight and allows me to tackle the work one aspect at a time.

7.   I like to feel productive. Refer to #3.

 

Famous List Makers:

1.   God passed on a list of Commandments.

2.   Santa made a list of naughty and nice kids.

3.   John Lennon made a list which later was auctioned for $16,696.00.

4.   Albert Einstein made a list of conditions for his wife if she agreed to marry him. [Continue reading for a good laugh]

 

Here are the Condition’s that Albert gave his Future wife:

1. You will make sure:

that my clothes and laundry are kept in good order;

that I will receive my three meals regularly in my room;

that my bedroom and study are kept neat, and especially that my desk is left for my use only.

2. You will renounce all personal relations with me insofar as they are not completely necessary for social reasons. Specifically, You will forego:

my sitting at home with you;

my going out or travelling with you.

3. You will obey the following points in your relations with me:

you will not expect any intimacy from me, nor will you reproach me in any way;

you will stop talking to me if I request it;

you will leave my bedroom or study immediately without protest if I request it.

4. You will undertake not to belittle me in front of our children, either through words or behavior.

 

All I’ve got to say about that list of “conditions”: HA HA. No wonder their marriage didn’t last. Homeboy can get lost. *girl power*

Click here to download this week’s freebie: To-Do List Full Page & here: To-Do List Quarter Page

 

Happy Friday!

xoxo

Merrissa

 

Albert Einsteins list was found here

 

Friday Freebie: May Desktop Calendar + Bikini Series Challenge

It’s hard to believe 2014 is already 1/3 of the way over! Here is your May Desktop Calendar download!

Click Below For Download:

PNG

JPEG

PDF

---

Bikini Series Challenge Info:

If you follow me on Instagram you know that I’ve started the 2014 Tone It Up Bikini Series challenge this week. An 8-week challenge to workout errrryday, eat clean, green & lean and live the best summer of our lives!! You can check out the series here. They provide weekly exercise routines and tips/tricks to keep you going. I’m still working on incorporating more of their recipes into my weekly meal planning. It’s just hard when you live in a small town in the midwest and don’t have access to a lot of the ingredients their recipes call for… that are readily available on the coast of California!

Our very first challenge for the bikini series was to “create your summer” by making a bucket list of the things you would like to accomplish this summer. My list is below & you can read others by searching “#createyoursummer” on Instagram.

I’m really kicking myself in the ass now. I wish I would have been able to drop the damn Reese’s (and other junk food) the last few months I was in boot camp. I can only imagine the improvements I could have made if I were eating healthier foods, that entire time. But what can you do? Learn from your mistakes and move forward.

I used to be an avid My Fitness Pal* user. I do think it is a great tool to help log meals and workouts; but I’m too obsessive. I would feel like it was ALL about the calories. If I went over my certain “allotted” calories for the day I would shame myself. Then I would get mad and stop using it. Then I would eat whatever the hell I wanted because I wasn’t holding myself accountable by logging my meals. Then, eventually, I’d feel bad for myself and start using the MFP app again. And then the cycle continued. I might go back to the app after I get to a point where I’m happy with myself or when I get to a point where eating healthier is easier and feels ‘normal’.

So, in order for me to track my food intake for this bikini series challenge, I bought a cutesy little notebook that was small enough to fit in my purse so I can take with me. & guess what, it doesn’t automatically add all the calories/fat I’ve eaten all day and guess what? IT DOESN’T MAKE ME FEEL BAD ABOUT MYSELF!

No more emotional rollercoasters. Yea, right. I’m a woman, we’re allotted at least 2 big-tall-scary emotional rollercoasters a month, right??

xoxo

Merrissa

 * My Fitness Pal — I know a lot of people who have had great [long-term] success using the MFP app. I’m just not one of them.

Friday Freebie | ‘Choose Joy’ iPhone Wallpaper + Weekly Update

TGIF

(scroll to the bottom for this week’s freebie)

I have been so busy this week and the madness continues this weekend! Momma J and I are going to the Hard Rock tonight to watch Jennifer Nettles, so I’m pretty excited about that. By the look on this lady’s face, I’m certain we’ll have a good time.

via

I have been so busy with work, bootcamp, trying to still have a social life, community service, my dogs, etc. Not to mention, last week I signed up for a “Spring Trimmin’ Challenge” through the studio where I attend bootcamp. There are two prizes up for grabs to try to motivate us to work harder!! So with the challenge, I will be going to bootcamp/personal training at least 3 days a week. Plus trying to fit in Spin Class and time to go to the gym with Candace.

I noticed lately, that Katie at Make Me Over Momma, had lost some weight, (she also does bootcamp) she said she has been getting results from this book:

Lucky me, she gave me a copy to read, so I’m hoping this will give me a jumpstart to the Trimmin’ Challenge.

Yesterday, marks 100 days since I’ve been off the coke. 😉 I honestly feel like my hair has grown so much faster since cutting pop out of my life. But maybe I’m just delusional!!

On another note, make sure to check out my guest post on Rachellesmiles.com! (She’s also doing a POPCHIPS giveaway, so make sure to enter up!)

_______________________________

FRIDAY FREEBIE:

As I was feeling overwhelmed last night with everything going on this week, I sat in my chair and told myself to simply ‘choose joy’. Don’t choose hectic, don’t choose to do anything that doesn’t bring me or those I love, joy. So that’s where today’s Freebie is coming from, a home screen & lock screen download.

Click Below for Lock Screen Download:

Normal Screen | Tall Screen

 

 Click Below for Home Screen Download:

Normal Screen | Tall Screen

 Don’t forget about these iPhone wallpapers, designed by Jessica!

 

xo

Merrissa