Rainy Day Shopping

     There is something about the rain that brings people out and about. This past weekend it rained, rained, and rained some more. It is actually STILL raining as I blog thanks to Tropical Storm Debby, and I am ready to see the sun! Welcome to summer in Florida.
Silly me decided I would venture out of the house and to the Orlando Premium Outlet mall yesterday along with every tourist that is visiting this city. Off I went with my umbrella and freshly straightened hair-

     Once I got there, it was raining even harder and I began to think I was insane for actually coming out here. I had a reason though, and needed to find some things for my upcoming trips. I love the Ralph Lauren Factory Store and was excited to find exactly what I was looking for after stomping through major puddles and rainy wind to get there. I was on a hunt for the classic polo dress in navy blue or black. I love these dresses and think they have such a classic look that does not go out of style. I guess that's why they call them the Classic Polo :) There were so many other things I would have grabbed but all of my money would have been gone if I would have stayed! So I opted for two dresses, one in navy and the other in a sunny yellow, and a striped T.

     On the way to my car, I also picked up a steal from Lacoste and Ann Taylor Loft. With these stores it's hit or miss, luckily I was able to get some great clothes at great prices on this yucky day!
Let's just say when I got back to my car, my hair was surely not straight and I looked like I had been walking in a hurricane- but it was sure worth it!

How often do you shop at outlets? Do you find great deals, too?
I'd love to hear about it!

Get Healthy!

     I am sure if you are reading this post, you are aware that someone in my circle of friends is doing the Body by Vi Challenge. If you haven't heard of this challenge before- let me tell you a little bit about what I am doing.
     First off, let's get this straight- I. AM. NOT. A. DIETER. It's that simple. I have never really dieted before on a strict "diet plan". So, when a friend of mine talked to me about Body by Vi, I was pretty skeptical. The plan says to drink these "shakes" everyday as a meal replacement for breakfast and lunch, or you can just replace one meal. You can also eat a regular dinner (healthy balanced meal) and have fruit and healthy snacks during the day.
This silly thing doesn't work. So I thought...

    After going to my friends challenge party, I still wasn't sure. But overnight I decided I would give this whole thing a try. I ordered my "Shape Kit" which is a 30 day supply of the shake mix, and I decided to replace lunch with this shake. I have been on this since Monday June 18th and have lost  4lbs as of this morning. The plan is not difficult at all, and your body gets used to the routine of the shakes. Let me also tell you that this is not a diet shake, it's simply a nutritional shake that even children can drink. You can mix all kinds of fruit in it and get lots of recipe's online for the program.
Here is a little glimpse of what I have on a daily basis:

Breakfast- Whole wheat english muffin with egg & coffee

Lunch- Vi-Shake. I make them thick, more like a smoothie texture.
I have made the following with the shake mix:
*Orange juice/ice (Tastes like creamsicle!)
*Strawberry/mango/banana/ice/organic lowfat milk
*Sweet cherries/dark chocolate almond milk/ice
*Blackberry/blueberry/raspberry/ice

Dinner- I have a protein, vegetable and carb. And make sure my portions are correct of course :)
Snacks- Fruit, lowfat string cheese, yogurt, pretzels

I'm excited to keep going on this plan and to see what kind of results I have. I actually enjoy this challenge because it does require you to make healthy choices. So with the balance of Body by Vi, organic eating, smart restaurant changes, and my new treadmill- I will be back to my gymnast shape in no time! hehe

If you want to try out this challenge with me, write a comment below or check out my link below and I will be glad to help you out on your journey- We are all in this together!
http://Mcreekmore.bodybyvi.com/

Getting Crafty

     I love decorating with apothecary jars or any sort of glass jar. They are especially fun to decorate with during seasonal times. Since the 4th is on it's way, I thought I better start the decorating process! I found this great idea on Pinterest and wanted to try it out!

     I found a jar at HomeGoods that was perfect for the look I was going for. This store is great for decorating your home with inexpensive items, I can always find great deals here.

                I put about 1 cup of white and red beans in the layers of stripes to make a "flag" look.

         
                    You then top it off with black beans that look navy blue to finish off the flag.

                Love it! I have this sitting on my kitchen bar. Such a pretty 4th of July decorating idea :)
                What do you do to decorate for the 4th of July?

Jambo! Summer is Here!

     It's been a while since I have posted. Things around here have been a little nuts lately with the end of the school year and my mounds of homework assignments. The last thing I had time for was blogging! Now that things have winded down (Thank you Jesus),  I am back!

     I cannot express how much I am glad summer has arrived. I love love love summer because I get two months off of work- even though I take on nanny jobs, which is easy peasy. I also travel during the summer and LOVE it! This summer I will be going to Nashville for the 4th of July to see my dad, his wife, and my siblings. It's so nice to go up there, it's a whole other lifestyle and it's such a calming environment when you are out in the countryside.
In late July, I'll be taking a weekend trip to NYC- If you know me, you know how much I am in love with that city! If I could afford to live there, I would go in a heartbeat. My aunt and I are going to have such a great time shopping and dining! I can't wait!

     I kicked off this summer with a "stay-cation" at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. My friend Tiffaney, her two kids and Jennifer came along too. We had so much fun waking up to zebras and giraffes saying good morning off of our room balcony. I think that hotel is one of my favorites, especially when you have kids! I am planning an October stay-cation at The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Lodge- that's the best place to stay during Halloween :) So much fun!

                     Jambo! Our room was ready for us with a Mickey shaped towel on one of the beds :)

 
                                                   
                                                The lobby of this hotel is so pretty!

                                               
                                     

Best part of stay-cations is breakfast delivered! Love dining in my pajamas

     Good morning from our balcony! The kids thought it was so cool to wake up to animals grazing in the grass every morning. Griff would wake up at 6am and want to go out on the balcony- we set a rule that we couldn't open the curtains and see our animal friends until 7:30!

                                All smiles with Sydney! I think this is my favorite picture from our trip

Day #2: We hit the pool and the water slide early! Storms were rolling in early afternoon so we got some sun in beforehand- Here is Griff sliding into the pool- He probably went down that slide 100 times in an hour.

What do you do when the pool closes because of Florida afternoon storms?? Get your face painted like an African Princess! This nice lady at The Mara painted Sydney's face and told her the story of women in Africa who get their face painted just like hers on their wedding day! 

On our last night, Tiffaney, her mom and I went to Jiko- Flavors of Africa for dinner. It was quite the experience! We were VERY adventurous with our cuisine and tried some great foods. Here are our appetizers: Apple Curry, Mushroom Filo with Spinach and Chicken Flatbread. Not to mention I had the best tasting African wine too!

Pool Days

This past weekend a friend of mine and I got together to have some fun in the sun. We had such a great time! The kids had a blast swimming and we relaxed in the spa and ate some yummy food that Tiffaney cooked on the grill- chicken, steaks and all!  

I always love Friday nights when you get together with friends after a long week! I could have stayed in this pool all night :)

Miss. Sydney getting ready to jump in!

Truly Magic

Last Wednesday I scored some awesome seats to the Magic game to hear Gina sing the anthem. It was opening night of the playoffs on the home court and Blue and White Ignite T-shirts filled every seat. Before the game I went down to the court to give Gina and her family hugs, It was also nice to see some familiar faces I haven't seen in awhile.
When the game started and Gina sang, tears built up in my eyes because I know her awesome story, and what she has overcome to stand down on that court in front of thousands of people. It amazes me, especially because I work with children on the Autism Spectrum everyday and understand their needs and their fears. She gives me hope for other parents, God surely has blessed that little girl!

During half-time we celebrated with some ice cream, all of us got the same- birthday cake with brownies and sprinkles from Coldstone! Yum

Friends, Birthday's and Boutique's!

I love shopping for gifts, especially for friends who have the same taste in things as I do! Tomorrow is one of my friends birthday so I went to my favorite Orlando boutique, The Pink Chalet to get something for her- I knew I could find something perfect for her there. While browsing at everything possible I came across this really pretty cross bracelet. She loves jewelry so I knew this was the perfect gift! Ps- I got one for myself too :)

While at the register I saw these cute little cards- you can't tell by the picture but the applique is 3D and very cute! I then found out that one of the girls who works in the store makes them, I have known her for years- she is the cousin of one of my childhood friends. Funny how small the world is sometimes! I will definitely have to support her with these great handmade mini-cards

                                                 

All gift wrapped and ready for delivery! Oh, and the nail file attached to the gift reads: "Everyone Seems Normal Until You Get To Know Them". Isn't that the truth :)