Beginnings - 30 Thriving Challenge

For the past five days it has been SO painful to walk, to sit, to even have Elle hold onto my leg. Going into this fitness challenge I wasn't surprised I was out of shape, but I definitely had forgotten what it felt like to workout and be sore the next day. Mountainside Fitness trainers took me through an assessment that not only consisted of questions about my current diet and lifestyle, but strength and endurance tests as well. I haven't been graded on something in a very long time. Hearing the words, "poor and needs improvement" took me back to math class. haha. We did squats, lunges, planks, assisted pull-ups, leg presses and walking fast on an incline for 30 minutes.

I have my work cut out for me, but I'm excited to ace my test in three months time. I already feel different about myself just by following through with my commitment to my health. Cheers to new a lifestyle! #30ThrivingChallenge

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The Hammer of Thanksgiving

Seasons of warmth and of cold. Seasons of beauty and of ugliness. Seasons of contentment and discontentment. Life is made up of many seasons, and I'm thankful for each one. We would never know what joy or happiness is without experiencing loss or sadness. I have been reading a great book called, One Thousand Gifts by Ann VosKamp. It has been life changing to read it. One of my big takeaways from this book is the idea of taking time to share what I am thankful for every day. By practicing this discipline, slowly discontentment begins to chip away and disappear. Hammer! Hammer! Hammer! Be thankful, thankful, thankful!

It doesn't always have to be the big things like family, health, a child...It can be small things like the wind on your face, the way clean sheets feel when you nestle into them, red lipstick...

Today I am thankful for...

1. The smell of coffee when you first open the bag. 2. Elle's smiles when I first wake her up 3. The joy of bubbles 4. The excitement of seeing photos or a video from a shoot I did 5. Handwritten letters 6. Singing really loud to the car radio 7. Drive-by lickings from Wendy 8. Light flickering through trees 9. The stillness when everyone is asleep 10. Worn pages of a journal

Watercolor & Bernadette Pascua

Watercolor prints have become a big trend in fashion and home decor. Something about the fluidity of watercolor makes me feel relaxed. I'd love to try my hand at it again soon. I don't think I have painted with watercolors since I was in elementary school. If you are on the watercolor bandwagon, you are going to become obsessed with Bernadette Pascua like I am. She combines her art form of watercolor with the fashion world to create beautiful imagery for textiles and the pages of Harper's Bazaar.

If I could have a piece of clothing turned into a watercolor painting I would be a gingham oxford shirt. It's like my second skin - something I can always put on and feel like myself. It's also timeless and something that I will wear when I'm 80.

What about you? What article of clothing would you turn into a painting and why?

*All illustrations by Bernadette Pascua.*

30 & Thriving Challenge

In exactly two months and one day I will be kissing my 20's good-bye and embracing my 30's. I'm am really excited about this new season of my life. My 20's have been great in many ways, but it was definitely a decade of figuring myself out. I went from single to married to a baby in a ten year span. I also graduated college, bought a home and held five different jobs. I have learned a ton about myself, and I can't wait to learn more. There's one thing though that I really feel like I have failed at my whole life, and that's taking care of my body. I wrote a post a couple of months ago about my journey with self image, and in it I shared that I have really come to a place of accepting and embracing my body. However, I am not doing the best job right now by keeping it healthy. There's a saying that I saw on Instagram that has stuck with me, "Friends don't let friends get skinny fat." I'm skinny fat. On the outside I might look great, but I don't exercise AT ALL. I have not even attempted to exercise since 2011. Three years ago!!!  The truth is I feel really weak and I want to feel strong. I want to know that my heart is in shape and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes that plagues my family. I want my 30's to be a time of thriving and strength now that I have discovered what kind of man I like, what my passion is, etc. It's time to thrive!

To help me, Mountainside Fitness is sponsoring my wellness challenge for three months. I will be sharing weekly updates on what I am learning and doing to start my 30's off on the right foot. You can follow along via the blog, facebook and Instagram, as well as the hashtag #30thrivingchallenge

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Photos by Liz E. Studio. Satin headwrap by I Wear the Headress

Easter Outfit

Easter is coming this weekend. As a Christian, it's probably the most important holiday to me. I'm looking forward to wearing my Sunday best and celebrating that day Christ rose from the dead with my loved ones. Since it's so hot in Arizona already, wearing a dress or skirt is definitely my choice. I love this light-weight skirt from Frances Vintage with a picture of a field on it. It captures the essence of spring, and I added a polkadot chambray because it's my signature Alex piece.

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To check out more Easter outfit ideas, head on over to The Girls with Glasses blog. Some pretty amazing bloggers are sharing their picks for the special holiday.

Photos by Liz E. Studio