Weekend Wrap Up: Downtown

This weekend has flown by! I'm not ready for it to be Monday- ha! 

Friday morning we dropped Gretchen off at her production camp, and then Adalyn and I took Megan to meet my mom at our halfway point ;)

After lunch, we gave hugs and kisses to Megan, and she went one way with her Gee, and we headed back home. She was pumped to have an entire weekend with her Gee. Megan loves one on one time, so I know that she's getting her love tank filled this weekend. 

Friday night, Gretchen had a little cheering section, as she performed in her production camps rendition of High School Musical. 

We were so proud of her! She loves being on stage acting. 

Little sister and her baby had to have a picture made too. 

Gretchen made a new friend at camp, and they exchanged little homemade gifts and phone numbers. 

And then little sister had to get in the picture again- ha! 

After Gretchen's performance, we headed out for dinner. 

DJ had his final Saturday off, so we decided to explore downtown Tulsa a bit as there were some Summer Bucket List items we hadn't checked off our list. 

Our first stop, Hurts Doughnut. 

We ended up getting a dozen so we could try as many varieties as we could! 

Addy chose Pink Lemonade, and Gretchen started off with Bubblegum. 

The doughnuts were delicious! 

After doughnuts, we headed to the Center of the Universe. 

Gretchen was not impressed! She thought we were going to a museum, and she was disappointed to learn that it was just a place over the railroad tracks. 

After heading home, Adalyn and I ventured back out. 

One of my favorite downtown shops, 1907, was having a sale on their soaps. Their soap is handmade and uses essential oils! I found it in November, and it's all I've used since! 

It also makes for the cutest gifts! 

Addy always wants to take her picture with the carousel horse when we're in the shop, and the sweet gentleman said she could sit on it! She was in heaven. 

We walked around the cutest little downtown, and then headed to Restore House. 

They've since closed their shop, but they have market days, once a month, so we headed in to see the vendors. Addy ended up with a new dress for her American Girl doll. 

This little girls is getting so big! 

After our trip to downtown, we had to go to the grocery store. I decided to be a sweet football wife, and grab a few treats for DJ's office and his students. 

Saturday night, we had our neighbors over for dinner, and ended the night with a little fire and roasting marshmallows. 

DJ worked Sunday, and I was volunteering in the church nursery, so the girls and I headed to church. 

Addy insisted that she was going to wear her rainbow tights to church! 

After church, we spent the day doing laundry and organizing Megan's bedroom since she was away. We know how to live up our Sundays- ha! 

This week we have plans for pool days, play dates, and more summer fun! 

Friday Favorites: Branson Edition

Hey, hey Friday! I think I mentioned last week, that I'm dreading Fridays right now! It means, that one more week of summer is over, and one more week until I go back to work and school starts. We're trying to make the most of the last few days of summer that we have left. 

I'm linking up today with Andrea, Erika, and Narci for Friday Favorites and sharing some of my favorite moments from the past week. 

Last Friday, I headed to Branson sans husband and kids, so I could help surprise my mom as we celebrate her 60th birthday! 

We have planned this girls trip for months and she had no idea! Her BFF invited her for a weekend away, and we all met her there! We decorated the condo, had her a few surprises, and enjoyed a girls getaway! 

We let her choose dinner Friday night, and she chose a hamburger joint that's attached to a gas station! We all laughed, but the food was good, and we split a gigantic banana split afterwards! 

Celebrating my momma with our friends and family was a favorite! 

Last weekend was DJ's last weekend off until...... December. Ugh, football season starts back this weekend, so our moments with daddy are about to be few and far between. He decided to be an overachiever, and pack the girls up for a get away too! He just so happened to snag a last minute cancellation at a resort in Branson, and he and the girls drove over late Friday night. They spent their entire Saturday swimming at the resort. 

And he got the girls Shirley Temples for lunch! 

While they were swimming, I was shopping, but I did stop by their condo for about an hour in the afternoon just to give them all hugs! And then I headed back to my condo for my girls trip! We spent the night playing fun games and laughing way too hard and filling up on apple dumplings- doughnut style! 

Sunday morning, my mom opened her present from her "60 days", and it just so happened to be my mother in laws turn. She had spent an entire two weeks searching my mom's genealogy! We spent the next hour reading through everything. I absolutely loved that my mother in law had spent so much time researching our lineage. This gift will be a treasured favorite for so long. 

Sunday morning, I met back up with DJ and the girls so we could run to Adidas, and then he decided that he'd like to spend the day at White Water, a Branson water park. I had never been, and was up for it, so we headed there before noon. We stored everything away in a locker, so I have zero pictures from our time, but the girls loved floating around the lazy river, and Gretchen and DJ ditched us for the big water slides! White Water may be a new favorite for us! 

Earlier this week, I blogged about some of my favorite supplements. 

This week, Gretchen has had production camp, so we've been dropping her off in the mornings, and then heading to the gym. I've ran a few errands, picked her up, and then we were home by lunch. 

Tuesday night, it was time too cook dinner, but I was stuck! Adalyn and I had lied down later in the afternoon, and she fell asleep! DJ started dinner and I was finally able to sneak out without waking her, and help him finish. Honestly, I should've just ordered pizza. But, summer naps and snuggles are always a favorite! 

Alright, I need some help! I'm consider chopping my hair! I love the length, but it's in a messy bun most days, and I'm ready for a change. 

While I won't color my hair, I'm obsessed with this style. I've made an appointment for next Wednesday, but I'm still debating a chop. 

Wednesday night, we had some friends over to swim! These girls have been friends since preschool, and while they're in different schools and don't see each other as much, they're still each other's favorites and pick up right where they left off. 

My favorite mom hack??? Using these baby wipes for myself! Young Living recently launched a new baby line, and I grabbed a package of wipes, because we still use them occasionally. Well, now, I use them to remove my make up, or to give me a quick wipe down in the mornings when I sleep late and need a freshen up before leaving the house. (I usually shower in the afternoons or evenings). So, these new wipes are my favorite!!!

Alrighty, those are some Friday Favorites for ya! 

See you back on Monday for a little weekend wrap up, and more! 

35 in 35

Earlier this month, I celebrated my 35th birthday. Yikes! Ha! I was not thrilled about turning 35. 

A few days before my birthday, DJ and I were running an errand, and I started thinking about how we needed to have more fun in our life. This year, I've really been focusing on myself and making myself a priority. Pouring in to my cup, so I may pour in to others. I also started reading OOLA for Women, which helps find balance in an unbalanced world. 

OOLA comes from the word "oolalala" and focuses on 7 key areas of life, and making sure they're balanced. Faith, Family, Fitness, Field, Finance, Friends, and Fun. After reflecting on my own life, I'm learning where I'm balanced, and where I'm needing to find more balance. 

Anyway, this reflection led me to the idea of having more fun in my 35th year..... enter in 35 in 35. 

35 FUN things I want to do and experience in my 35th year. 

A few weeks ago, I sat down to make a list, and figured out that I would need to complete at least two items on my list a month, in order to accomplish everything in the next 52 weeks. 

 Number one on my list was to hike Petit Jean and see the waterfall. So the morning on my birthday, DJ and I got up and went for a hike. 

 And it was totally worth it! 

So, here's the rest of my list, and what I've completed thus far.....

2. Go to Pawhuska, OK, where the Pioneer Woman's mercantile is.

3. Climb Pinnacle Mountain with Gretchen. 

4. Indoor Skydiving (I'm not brave enough to do it from a real airplane!)

5. Pay off a Credit Card. (we have one card that still needs to be paid off, and we're working our way toward doing just that, and being debt free from credit cards by the end of the year!)

6. Reach 1,000 followers on Instagram. 

7. Achieve the rank of Gold with Young Living.

8. Hire a house cleaner.

9. Take a trip with DJ that isn't football related.

10. Try a new restaurant.

11. Loose 10 pounds. 

12. Run a 5k in less than 40 minutes.

13. Run 1 mile without stopping.

14. Get a facial.

15. Get a massage.

16. Cut out sugar. (Maybe.)

17. Take a girls trip.

18. Have a girls night.

19. Make a new friend.

20. Write a will.

21. Save an extra $3,000.00 (I totally just picked a random number!)

22. Volunteer at Second Saturday. 

23. Leave a surprise gift for someone.

24. "Run" 5 miles on the elliptical.   (COMPLETE)

25. Begin a Bible Study.

26. Go to a Football game without kids.

27. See a waterfall in Oklahoma.

28. Take a trip to Oklahoma City.

29. Shop at Whole Foods.

30. Go camping. 

31. Buy a new piece of furniture or rug. 

32. Have a no phone day. 

33. Go to a concert. 

34. Watch a play.

35. Play golf with DJ.

So many of these are just random, but I tried to find ideas that would fit in to each of the 7 F's, and be fun to complete for myself or with my family. So far, I've completed two of the 35. Technically, I had a girls trip last weekend, but it was with my family.... I want my girls trip to be with some friends ;)

I'll be sharing updates on the blog throughout this year and on Instagram. You can follow along by searching #35in35

What have you done to make your birthdays a little more exciting?

My Fitness Journey: Improving My Workouts

At the beginning of this year, I was determined to make myself a priority. As a mom, I put so many other people (my children) before myself, and I was beginning to feel drained. I started to work out again, and continued focusing on eating whole foods as much as possible. 

I shared about my fitness journey, earlier this summer, and how I've made it a point to workout more and improve my health. Today, I wanted to talk about how I've been able to improve my workout routine and get the most out of my time at the gym. 

Enter in supplements. I don't use all of these every day, but if I'm using supplements specific for workouts and energy, then these are the ones I turn to. 

Super B is Young Living's B vitamin supplement. Every woman should be on a high quality B vitamin. B Vitamins promote healthy cell growth and division, maintain healthy skin and muscle tone, support and increase the rate of metabolism, support the immune and nervous systems, help to ease stress, and improve our mood. I mean, what woman doesn't need all of that? I start my day by taking 1 Super B. 

Young Living recently released an Amino Acid Supplement, AminoWise. Amino Acids are essential for the synthesis of proteins, enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, metabolic pathways, mental stabilization, and just about every function that takes place within the human body. You can take amino acids, before, during, or after your workout. Personally, I take them during my workout, because the wolfberry lemonade flavor allows me to flavor my water, thus increasing the amount of water I'm drinking during my sessions, and decrease my chances of becoming dehydrated in the summer heat. 

AminoWise has no added sugars, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or artificial colors or flavors, which was important to me when searching for a high quality amino acid supplement. 

Agilease is a a joint health supplement that’s perfect for healthy individuals who are looking to gain greater mobility and flexibility through the reduction of inflammation. I take two capsules daily. You can learn more about Agilease here. 

I love using a drop of peppermint oil before my workout. Peppermint helps to give a boost of energy, and can keep you going if you're feeling worn down. I put a drop in my hand, rub my hands together, cup over my nose, and inhale deeply. Afterwards, I rub the left over from my hands on the back of my neck for an extra boost. Peppermint is a "hot oil" which should be diluted, and you should be careful to not get it in your eye. 

After a run, I enjoy cooling down with a pack of Ningxia Red. Ningxia Red is a wolfberry drink, high in antioxidants. Ningxia is formulated with essential oils, wolfberry puree, plum juice concentrate, blueberry juice concentrate, cherry juice concentrate, aronia juice concentrate, and pomegranate juice concentrate. It is free of high fructose sweetners, and is refreshing after a workout. Plus, the health benefits, are amazing. You can learn more about Ningxia Red here. 

And finally, Deep Relief is perfect for the days that I overdo it at the gym. (Like the day that I decided to run 5 miles on the elliptical without training properly beforehand.) It contains peppermint, helichyrsum, wintergreen, and dorado azul. Together, the oils provide a cooling sensation and provide relief where I need it most. 

You can follow along with my fitness journey on my Instagram, and should you have any questions about these products, please leave a blog comment or email me here. 

And note, I am not a doctor or physician. Please consult either of those before beginning a workout regime and incorporating essential oils and supplements in to your workout. I do not intend to give health advice, only to share what works for me personally. 

Mommy Daughter Date- Megan's Turn!

Last week, Megan and I had a mommy-daughter date! 

We were on our way home from church when Megan suggested that I have a date with each of the girls. I think she was craving some quality one on one time after all of our trips, and I thought it was a splendid idea! It's been a sweet forever since we've had mommy-daughter dates, so we decided that each girl would have an evening (when DJ was available to be home with the other two, and I didn't have to hire a sitter), and we would do whatever they desired!

We were hanging out at home last Tuesday night, and had no plans when Megan asked if we could go on our date. DJ agreed, and off we went! 

Megan decided that she wanted to have a pedicure, so we headed to the nail salon. 

She hadn't had a pedicure before (just her nails painted) and thought it was oh so ticklish! 

But, she was in heaven! 

She even decided to have her nails painted and had a little flower and jewel added to her thumbs. 

After our mani-pedis, we headed to CFA for dinner. 

And then we walked next door for ice cream! She was so excited that she was getting to keep her kids meal toy and eat ice cream! (We usually trade in their toys for CFA ice cream.)

We talked and had the best time. 

And since it was so hot, her ice cream was melting fast, so she decided to drink it ;) 

Messy girl! 

When we got home, I told her we needed a picture of our freshly painted tootsies. 

Megan chose a light purple polish and had a zebra stripe added to each of her nails. I was happy with a pink polish ;) 

And her fingers....

We had the best time! She soaked up the individual time with mommy, and I was so thrilled that she had the idea in the first place! 

Addy and Gretchen will be having their turns soon!