Five Resolutions for a New Year

I swear, I had these written before New Year's, and hard to believe, but so-far-so-good for the first 3 weeks!  I love wiping the slate clean each January to reset and make the most of a new year.  A lot of these goals will look familiar from previous years (here was 2017), but after being mildly successful last year, I thought I'd take the reasons why the resolutions didn't work and try to be more specific to make it happen in 2018:

1. Eat Better: Year after year, I make a vague resolution for myself, but it's hard to follow through because I'm not specific.  So, obviously it fails.  Here are my thoughts for 2018 to eat better and improve my metabolism: drink hot water and lemon every morning, eat a protein-filled breakfast everyday (egg whites), drink a cup of tea (without sugar) each day, drink a glass of cold water a half hour before lunch and dinner, pack my lunch 4 days a week (aimlessly walking around Whole Foods everyday is my biggest problem), and don't eat after 9pm.

2. Use Untappd: Mike and a few of our friends have this beer app, and it looks like so much fun.  This one started out as a joke, but now I want to do it.  I'm megd_taylor if you use it and want to be friends!

3. 10 Miles Per Week: Here's another one (like #1) that's been rough in the past: working out.  Instead of saying I'll work out each day or every other day, how about I put a concrete number on it?  This way, I can get everything done in a couple days or spread it out throughout the week.  Let's see!

4. Answer texts when I get them: OMG my downfall.  I can't be the only one who elaborately thinks up replies in her head but never actually writes them?  I really want to do better at this in the new year!

5. Learn my new camera: Our Christmas present to each other this year was a new camera.  I can't wait to learn more about it, and simply reading the manual (who'd have thought?!) has taught me things I didn't even know my old camera could do.  I had fun with it over Christmas (a few photos here) but am still struggling with motion and dark shots (see examples below).  If anyone has a good online class or YouTube videos for a Canon 80D, I'd love to watch them!

What are your goals for 2018?

Linking up for Oh hey, Friday, Five on Friday, High Five for Friday, and two doses of Friday Favorites

Race Recap: runDisney Star Wars Weekend

May The Course Be With You

Two weeks ago, we headed across the country to California for runDisney's Star Wars - The Light Side weekend.  After Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, adding Star Wars to the runDisney lineup was a no-brainer.  The inaugural weekend in Disneyland was in 2015, and it was such a success that they decided to expand to both parks, making Disneyland "The Light Side," and Walt Disney World "The Dark Side" in 2016.

I held to my word last year, retiring from half marathons after the Princess Half, so we did the 10k.  I love that distance because it gives you a mile or two to get into a groove, and then, before you know it, you're done.  Plus, shorter training runs/schedules are my favorite.

The Health & Fitness Expo at the Disneyland Hotel was great, as always, and we spent Friday in the parks before the race.  If you go to Disneyland, you NEED to get a Park Hopper.  Unlike Walt Disney World where you drive or take a shuttle/monorail/boat from park to park, it's only a 200 yard walk from the Disneyland gate to California Adventure.  We decided to hit up California Adventure first, for one of our favorite rides that doesn't have a Fastpass in CA - Toy Story Mania.  We got there about 20 minutes before the parks opened to hang out and wait before the official opening.  The super nice lady at the entrance asked where we were from.  When I told her that it was Mike's first time to Disneyland, she handed us a pass to enjoy the rest of the Extra Magic Hour.  She was so sweet!

Sidenote: another difference between FL and CA is that while I always suggest visitors stay at a Disney hotel in Florida for proximity to the parks, free transportation and car parking at each park, and overall ease, there are tons of "neighbor hotels" in walking distance for fantastic prices in Anaheim.  The one downside is no Extra Magic Hours, but the price difference and discounted tickets at those neighbor hotels are worth it!

On Friday, we crisscrossed the parks back and forth and went on so many of our favorites: Radiator Springs Racers, California Screamin', Indiana Jones Adventure, Mr. Toad, and the new Star Wars-themed Hyperspace Mountain.  I absolutely love the way they redesigned this ride, even though I'm not very good with change.  I can't wait to see the new Star Wars land near Big Thunder Mountain after it opens next year!

Another sidenote: Disneyland does not yet have the Fastpass+ system that Walt Disney World has, where you log into the system on your computer with your Magic Band ahead of the trip and choose your ride times.  In fact, they don't even have Magic Bands yet!  Good old fashioned paper tickets and inserting those tickets into the Fastpass system at each ride, it is!

It was early to bed on Friday night for a 3:30am wake up call for the 10k.  There were a few fun photo op scenes like the trash compactor on the Death Star and hanging upside down in the Wampa's cave, but no characters before the race.  As for during the race, we were pretty disappointed with only a few stops: R2D2, BB8, Chewbacca, and two empty stops that we later found out were Darth Vader and Kylo Ren.  I know there are regulations that characters can only stay out there for so long, but waiting 20 minutes for a character to "get sometime to eat" or "solve a problem at the Death Star" is a bit much when you're trying to stay warm and in the groove with a race.  We made up for it with a trip to see Darth Vader at the Star Wars Launch Bay later that morning.  Other than that, the race course was great - I love getting to go through both parks - and there were bands playing and Jedi trainings going on at different spots.

Of course, we also treated ourselves after running six miles and enjoyed some fantastic fireworks at the happiest place on Earth.  It was the perfect start to our vacation, and I loved getting to run another 10k with Mike!

Why I'm Giving Up Half Marathons

Since I wrote my Glass Slipper race recap a couple of weeks ago and officially announced my half marathon retirement, I've received a few comments and texts asking why I'm stopping.  I decided that since this is something that's been a part of my life for more than 15 years, I wanted to share it with y'all.

When I was in middle school, cross country was the only fall sport that didn't cut people.  Fresh into a new school with way more kids than my neighborhood elementary school, I decided to try out, wanting to make new friends and try something different.  Honestly, I really loved it.  I wasn't that good at it, but I could run the full 2 miles without stopping, and little 11 year-old me was proud of that.  #ilookthesameat11and27

About half-way into my 7th grade season, I started having unbearable knee pain.  My parents took me to my pediatrician who sent me to the best sports doctor in the area.  He took a look at my knees and because of some inflammation, told me that I had Osgood-Slautter Disease, otherwise known as "growing pains."  There wasn't anything he could do about it besides wait for my body to catch up with itself, meaning that I would continue to have this pain while running.  Unfortunately, I had to give up running after middle school as I knew my knees could never take the added distance needed for high school cross country.

Flash forward to senior year of high school when I was swimming long distances (500 free, 200 IM, and the mile) on two swim teams.  Swimming was fantastic for my knees, but I started having a new pain: in my feet.  Once again, it was back to the pediatrician, and this time to a podiatrist.  I was given a plantar fasciitis diagnosis.  I have super flat feet, meaning I'm predisposed to this type of foot pain.  In one of my very first appointments, I vividly remember the doctor asking if I had ever had any knee pain, because this would be a very first sign.  I thought back to middle school and asked if it all could be connected.  The doctor said that it definitely was, and that my Osgood Slatter diagnosis was most likely incorrect.  I went through a ton of physical therapy, learned a million stretches, and my whole body started to feel so much better.

It really stunk to learn four years later that I could have participated in cross country through high school if my original doctor had just thought to look down to my feet, and honestly, I'm still a little bitter.  When I got to college a few months later, more emphasis was put on strength and flexibility while playing college golf, so I didn't do a lot of cardio and didn't have time to in my spare time.  #yesihadpurplehair

It wasn't until my senior year of college when my parents, Mike, and I took a trip to Florida and stopped for a few days in Walt Disney World that I would once again catch the running bug.  On our way into the Magic Kingdom one morning, we had parked at the transportation hub and were waiting for the monorail.  We could not figure out why there were so many people crowded there with signs, but soon we saw the line of runners coming through the entrance.  I had never heard of runDisney before, but I already wanted to do it.  Getting to run through the theme parks?! That sounds awesome.

So, the next year, I signed up for that same race I had watched.  I ran throughout the year, and with only minor aches and pains, I did it.  Now, four years later, I've run four half marathons: 2012 Walt Disney World, 2013 Tinker Bell, 2013 Wine & Dine, and 2015 Princess.

I think that not running literally once from the ages of 13 to 22 definitely hurt my chances at being a half marathoner for life.  Even with fantastic orthotics and all the stretching in the world, my knees still have days when they ache and I get nervous on every half marathon start line that my plantar fasciitis will flare up during the race.  That's why I'm sticking to 10ks.  I don't get the residual pain after running a 10k, and it's so much less stressful.  I love that 6 mile distance, and even better, it's something Mike and I can do together.

So, that's my story.  I'd love to hear from any of you who have had similar knee or foot issues and how you still live a healthy lifestyle!

Start The Week Nutritiously: Carnation Cookies

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.  All opinions are mine alone. #CarnationSweepstakes #BetterBreakfast #CollectiveBias

Good morning, friends.  Here we are, back to the grind on another Monday.  As you might know, my resolutions this year include continuing to exercise, but also paying more attention to what I put in my body.  I want the foods I enjoy to be more nutritious, especially at breakfast, to help sustain me throughout the day.  I have to be honest, 2015 me was so guilty of snoozing the alarm over and over, then sitting in bed scrolling through social media (Do those flashback apps get anyone else? I just need to know what I was doing exactly 8 years ago before I get up!) all before almost falling back asleep in the shower.  Well, with my new year and new resolutions, I am making an effort to have my mornings be more productive.  At least two days a week, I wake up extra early to go to the gym before work, and everyday I've been giving myself enough time to get ready, put on makeup (another resolution!), and eat breakfast.  Giving myself those extra 15 minutes in the morning to sit on the couch, watch my favorite morning talkshow while eating breakfast, and mentally prepare for the day has made my recent days so much better.

One of things also helping my morning start off on the right foot in the breakfast department is Carnation Breakfast Essentials®.  I've created the perfect way to have a breakfast routine, and hey, if you take the Carnation 7-day Breakfast Challenge (more information at the end of this post!), you can even win prizes throughout the month of February!

My breakfast routine includes two things: delicious Carnation Cookies made with Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Powder in Rich Milk Chocolate and a Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Ready-to-Drink Bottle.  

What I love about these cookies is that I can bake a whole batch at the beginning of the week, and it's take no prep time each morning.  The cookies have only 5 ingredients and 58 calories each.  I eat 3 each morning, and one batch makes enough to last a full week.  If you aren't a fan of chocolate in the morning, you can also make these with the strawberry powder for a delicious strawberry banana cookie!

Ingredients:

- 2 ripe bananas

- 1 packet of Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Powder in Rich Milk Chocolate

- 1 cup quick oats

- 1/2 cup chopped pecans

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. With a fork, mash the two bananas in a bowl.

3. Stir the chocolate powder, oats, pecans, and vanilla extract into the banana mixture.

4. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray or coconut oil and fill each muffin cup with 1 tablespoon of batter.

5. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes.

6. Store cookies in an air-tight container.  They will last for a week in a cool, dry place.

Now it's your turn!  Are you ready to take on the Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Sweepstakes?  All the products featured above can easily be found at your local Walmart, and you can find more great recipe ideas on the Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Facebook page.  

1. Sign up at CarnationBreakfastChallenge.com. 

2. Complete a simple yet fun breakfast mission for a chance to win.  New prizes will be revealed every day!

3. Come back any day in February to complete missions and see new prizes.  The prizes range from a Fitbit to a GoPro and other awesome stuff.

4. Head to your favorite store to purchase a Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Nutritional Product and upload your recipe for five extra entries per day.

• What's your breakfast of choice to start a busy work day?
• Have you ever tried any Carnation Breakfast Essentials® products?

Keeping My Resolutions

Going along with the fun giveaway I am hosting this week (click here to enter!), I thought it would be fun to share some of the items that I'm loving and that I have on my wishlist to keep my own 2016 resolutions on track.  My goals all pretty much have to do with improving and feeling better about myself, and you can see my full post of resolutions here.

Clockwise from the top:

Eat healthier: I cannot wait to get this KitchenAid Spiralizer.  I've been looking for a spiralizer for a long time, and now that there's an attachment for the KitchenAid, I know this is the one I want.  In addition to carbs, one of my biggest weaknesses is snacking.  I love me a good mid-afternoon or late night snack.  I found Graze subscription box, which is only $12 for 8 healthy snacks.  I cannot wait to try it!

Run. Run. Run: I've worn Nike Dual Fusion sneakers for at least 5 years, and I have the Run 2 model in pink and black right now.  I love these sneakers: they fit my feet so well and last forever.  I'm thinking my next pair will be those gray and lavender Run 3s.  Inside those shoes, I'm all about compression socks.  I have about 10 pairs of these Smartwool PhD Outdoor Light Socks.  If you don't like these heavier socks, they have tons of other lighter models, too. As for clothes, I'm a sports bra junkie.  VS Sport has come out with some fantastic styles in the last few months, and I love them all: Lightweight, Angel, and Incredible.

Wear makeup everyday: Somehow I've actually accomplished this so far this year.  These three products are always on my face, in addition to the occasional eyeliner or lip gloss: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind, Covergirl Instant Cheekbones, and Maybelline's The Rocket.

Better blog photography: So far, I am loving my Canon - EF 50 mm prime lens.  It's been so much fun to play around with, and understanding aperture, shutter speed, and film speed is so much easier without the added variable of zoom.  Next, I'm trying to decide between the Canon - EF 35 mm prime lens or the far less expensive Canon - EF-S 24 mm prime lens.  For my T1i, these are virtually the same lens because of the 1.6 crop factor of EF-S lenses, but if I ever purchased a full-frame 5D or 6D, the 24 mm would not be compatible.  After that, it's about finding an image stabilizing zoom lens to replace mine that came from an old film Canon and was pre-image stabilization.

Listen more: I can't exactly say what physical things are helping me listen better, but Mike and I are doing this whole photography thing together, so we have been working on communication as we learn there!

• How are you doing with your resolutions this year?
• What's helping you stay on track?

Resolutions Essentials Giveaway

Good morning, everyone!  I've teamed up with a bunch of my favorite bloggers for a giveaway to keep your New Year's Resolutions on track.  It's been a whole month since the new year started, and I don't know about you, but I'm starting to slip a little: Valentine's (and Easter) candy is everywhere and it's so cold (yeah, I'll take any excuse I can get not to work out).  We've put together a few fun items to keep you excited about staying healthy in 2016: a FitBit charge and some accessories from ban.do.  Enter below through the rafflecopter widget, and good luck!

Borrowed Heaven ||| To Travel & Beyond ||| Christina Lea Loves ||| Martinis & Bikinis

Green Fashionista ||| Vero Says

A Southern Twenty-Five ||| Eat, Drink, & Be Mary ||| Radiating Sunshine ||| Jess Loves This Life

Lowcountry Mama ||| Carly Blogs ||| The Peacock Roost ||| Make.Up.HER

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Alright, I've Got Them!

My 2016 resolutions!

I know I'm a little late to this party since we are almost a week into the new year, but we didn't get back from our holiday trip to New England until the 3rd, and vacations don't count for resolutions - sooooo here we are. Last year was probably the first year in my life that I actually tried to keep my resolutions all year and did surprisingly well, so let's see how this year goes!

Eat healthier. I know this sounds like a generic resolution, but hear me out. With our weight loss in 2015, we mostly focused on exercising and cutting back on the snacky bad stuff. We really didn't change our actual dinner diet too much and enjoyed our share of mac and cheese as well as pre-packaged foods. You want to see something crazy I found? Check out this "then and now" from Christmas 2014 and 2015. I know it's a slightly different angle for year to year but still, shit! Right?!

Well, right now I still enjoy my second helping of chicken parmesan (with pasta!) but don't eat 5 cookies or a giant sundae for dessert. Progress, right?! I've eliminated some calories, but now I want to focus on making those calories I do eat as nutritious and possible. My goal is to start small with changes like brown rice instead of white rice and finally buying that spiralizer to cut back on carbs, but after that, we will see how the year goes. Any ideas for healthy foods I should try?

Run. Run. Run. This is a short-term one since my 10k and half marathon Disney race are in just under 2 months, but until then, I actually want to get running and be ready. Afterwards...eh, I might not run for 3 months, but that's really okay with me assuming we'll stay active with tennis, golf, and kickball. Mike is fantastic about motivating me to go to the gym with him and have active date nights, but not so much with running. Even though he's excited to run the 10k with me, it hurts him every step of the way to run because of an old botched foot surgery. We're happy he's found the elliptical as a zero-impact way for him to get cardio in, but all of the running motivation will have to come from only me.

via

Wear makeup everyday. Well, I'm going to try...  I did a test run between Christmas and New Year's, and I was successful there, so wish me luck!

Better blog photography. Mike's dad got me a Best Buy gift card, and we went earlier this week to pick up this amazing 50mm prime lens.  Thanks to Rebecca Jo and Allison for all the help with this one!

Listen more. Especially when watching tv, both Mike and I are known for zoning out into our phones. One of us will say something to the other, and it'll take a solid ten seconds to stop reading whatever it is, acknowledge that the other one said something, and try to decipher an appropriate response (based on the bit that we actually heard).

5 Workout Tips for Brides + Lululemon Giveaway

Welcome back to Wedding Wednesday!  Today I'm switching it up a little and sharing a post for my future brides out there.  Navigating the whole workout scene pre-wedding is something that scared me.  I wanted to look great for my wedding, but spent the time from 3 months to 1 month before my wedding bouncing from house to house, while moving 1,000 miles away from home.  These are some tips that really helped me feel great on the big day:

1. Be realistic with your expectations.  Honestly, I know that my weight fluctuates, and I also know that I stress a lot (Reason #1 we didn't have an outdoor wedding - I did not feel like worrying about something I couldn't control.).  I chose my dress 11 months prior to the wedding and ordered it in the same size I was wearing at the time.  It's so much easier to take most dresses in, rather than taking them out.  I also opted for a corset-style back, so that I would have plenty of wiggle room, just in case.  I've watched far too many episodes of "Say Yes To The Dress" with women crying on their big day when they couldn't zip up their dress - haha!

2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  Making sure I'm drinking enough water throughout the day keeps me focused and honestly curbs some of those mid-afternoon food cravings, too.  I always start the day with a cup of warm water with lemon (helps with weight loss, clears skin, detoxes your body... I could go on and on), begin my lunch and dinner with a glass of cold water (gets my metabolism going and helps me eat less), and always have a water bottle with me.  My goal is about 70 ounces of water each day.

3.  Be happy.  To me, working out is what I make it.  Personally, I hate running on a treadmill, so guess what?  I don't do it.  When I am forced to exercise inside, I instead choose an elliptical, stationary bike, or use that day to work on strength training.  I am also always switching it up - you should try it: find a Pilates video on YouTube, walk 18 holes of golf, or check out one of these.

4. Don't forget your arms!  I feel like most wedding dresses right now are either strapless or have very thin straps.  You're showing off lots of arms, and trust me, you want them to look good.  Here is a post I wrote before my wedding with different circuits I was doing at the time.  That 30 Day Arm Challenge is fantastic!  Definitely check it out and consider adding some "arms" into your daily routine.

5.  Look good while you do it.  Okay, so maybe that's not a real one, but you know it helps!  I have a little more skip in my stride when I'm wearing a cool new workout skirt or new sneaks.  So, I've teamed up with 15 other pretty ladies for a fantastic spring training giveaway.  I am especially loving this Wild Tank and these Run Times Shorts.  Enter the giveaway below with the Rafflecopter widget (you might already have a few entries if you follow me on GFC, Bloglovin, or IG!).  Good luck!

A Little Glitter | On the Daily Express | Deborah Yanni | My Borrowed Heaven
As the Wine Cork Turns | The Sequin Notebook | Medicine & Manicures | Cheshire Kat
The Kay Times | Martinis & Bikinis | Green Fashionista | Coffee & Glitter
Make Me Up Mia | Pink and Fabulous | Kids and Cabernet | Dream Big and Buy the Shoes

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much for reading, and now it's your turn.  Share a wedding-inspired post with us!  Use the button, if you wish, and please link back to my or Macy's blog so that others can join in Wedding Wednesday, too!

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Resolutions

Happy 2015!  But seriously, how did that happen?!  And how was this my life a year ago!?  I couldn't be happier with my state of being, state of mind, and state I'm in to start this year, so there shouldn't be anything holding me back from making it even better, right?  I have always been the worst at resolutions.  I tell myself I'll do Insanity workouts everyday or go running twice a week and that lasts for all of like 3 weeks.  To date, my best resolution was vowing to go swimming twice a week last year, and that, surprisingly, worked really well last year... and then I screwed it up by moving.  Whoops!  Let's be honest, though, I am even awful at Lent.  40 days is a long time to give up chocolate, so I was always that kid who gave up popcorn or soda (quick story: that was in 5th grade and I literally haven't touched what little soda I used to drink since, so I guess that worked!) or said "I'll only have one sweet a day" ...yeah, pathetic.

How we celebrate NYE in Charleston - a flip flop drop
(instead of a ball drop) at the beach, fireworks, and tons of live music!

Last month, I also signed up with Krista and Kate for The New Year's Resolution Swap Box.  It's a well-known fact that I love swaps as a way to meet new bloggers, and this time around I'm looking forward to having someone hold me accountable and help me with my goals.  So, this year, there's no excuse, I'm going to follow through.

Here are my resolutions:

1. Send out birthday cards.  I started compiling a list last year, and when we were in CT, we took Mike's mom's planner.  She was the keeper of all the knowledge and had everything (birthdays, anniversaries, phone numbers, Mike's friends from middle school's parents' addresses, Laura's SAT scores) written down.  I now have a full list of friends and family members and will be mailing over 70 cards from January 4 through December 30.  Leave me your birthday in a comment and I'll send you a card, too! (Not kidding one bit :) )

2. Exercise at least every other day.  We have a great little gym in our complex, but I've obviously only ever been like 3 times.  I just really want to be more active, no matter what activity it might be.  I teach kids golf in the afternoons, and we do tons of running around and games to help teach them balance and flexibility.  Mike and I also always walk when we play golf, and I count all of that as exercise.  So, if Mike and I haven't played golf or I haven't taught in a day, I better get my butt to the gym or go running.

3. Blog better.  I'm still loving my new design from Jane, Mike bought me a domain and set it up for me yesterday (www.myborrowedheaven.com - hollah!!!) and I have three goals this year: 1. Blog smarter with new and unique ideas for posts.  Shannon from The Mommy Files reached out to me before the new year and invited me to sign up for Social Fabric, so I can't start working with them as well as a few small businesses I know y'all will just love!  2. Blog more personal: I found one "real life" post in 2014 that didn't have weekend photo frills or a recipe - that'll change this year, for sure.  3. Blog a little harder with better proofreading and more time spent taking photos.  Anyone in the Charleston area have photography class ideas?

And just in case you were wondering about my husband's resolutions, I received a gchat with this little beauty on NYE.  He especially likes #5, and I can guarantee #19 will definitely be successful... as we did on New Year's Eve.