Busy Bee

I swear, I had Jillian Michaels re-incarnate as my spin instructor today! We did about 40 minutes of intense hills, jumps and sprints on the bike and THEN got down on the floor for lunges, kick-backs and abs! Lunges are a tiny bit hard after cycling your heart out, no?! At the end I was totally drained but feeling strong, none the less. I snacked on this bar in the car to refuel:

A little while later, there was lunch. I was excited to taste a new product I picked up at the store (and to show off my tattoo!)—

These burgers smelled and tasted EXACTLY like pizza!!! It was actually quite amazing! They might be my new favorite Morningstar product, actually. I constructed a messy wrap with one and used 2 scoopful’s Sabra’s hummus, spinach and a little avocado.…it was the ultimate Ezekiel wrap!

So messy and delicious!

This really does not have to do with food or exercise for once, but since I am in the midst of redecorating our condo, I thought it would a nice change to do a “how to redecorate on a budget” series. Anyone?

First, recognize your finances.

Luckily, I have a boy who does this for a living and, therefore, keeps me straight (without his guidance I would spend everything I have at anthropologie and whole foods…obvi). However, this whole redecorating project is my way of paying “rent” so everything is coming out of my own pocket. This is good because I like to think I have a good decorating sense, but not so good since I am on a big budget! I think the best way to keep your budget straight is to set a limit for yourself then go to the ATM, take out the amount of money you have set as your limit and then go to the store, sans debit and credit card. This way you will only spend the amount you set for yourself and not be tempted to charge more on your credit card.

Make a list

Designate a notebook to your decorating and then make a list of what it is you need. Take measurements at home and think of only the stuff you need, not what you want.

Do a walk-through

Walk through the store you plan to make most of your decorating purchases at before you actually buy anything. This way you can get a feel for how much everything is and make a better budget for yourself. Once you have done the initial walk through, go back home and write down what you need, take your measurements and then go back to the store with your notebook in hand, buying ONLY what is on your list.

Take pictures

Most stores don’t mind if you take pictures of a piece of furniture or appliance that you like. Once you get home, look at the pictures and see if they really will go as well as you thought in your house. This is a great way to match colors and shades if you aren’t 100% sure while you are shopping.

I picked up some GREAT stuff today at Ikea…I swear, it looked like I spent $1,000 but I only spent $150! Once I get everything clean and organized I will take some pictures!

My mom is on her way over for a deep cleaning session before the oven is delivered. Tonight Ryan is getting me out of the hole house to go fishing with his sister and cousin. I’m not exactly a fisherman, per say (haha), but I do enjoy sitting on the boat and reading.

Have a great afternoon!