I don't know about you...I'm feelin' 22

Hah! I'm 22, today. It's my birthday and I love birthdays. I thought all my fun birthdays were out of the way, you know...turning 5 - kindergarten! turning 10 - double digits! turning 13 - I'm teenager! turning 16 - I can drive! turning 18 - legally an adult! turning 20 - no longer a teenager! turning 21 - I can drink!

...but since T Swizzle's song "22" topped the charts, I've been looking forward to this birthday for such a long time. I even forewarned my students that the song will be on repeat all day...and it definitely was (still not tired of it!). and that I'll be making a video montage of my entire day! I'm celebrating another year of life! I'm celebrating my spunky, fire-cracker, self! I'm celebrating turning 22!

A whole heck of a lot has happened in the past 22 years, and I often find myself reflecting, remembering, and looking back on my life when my birthday rolls around. It's like it's that one day out of the year meant to celebrate you but also to remind you that life goes by SO FAST and that each year gets faster and faster. Getting older never really phased me, I've always treasured every single aspect of age and the different milestones

My 22nd year of life has completely flown by and been filled with some of the most important memories of my life: the majority of my engagement, wedding plans, student teaching, college graduation, my wedding, moving into our first home, my first big girl job, becoming a Beachbody coach, starting a health and fitness journey, the majority of my first year of marriage with my best friend, getting a kitten AND a puppy, and so many more seemingly insignificant things that make this year so significant it's indescribable. I'm so thankful for 22 years of an amazing, God-filled, blessed life that will surely only get sweeter with time. What a year it has been!

So this blog is going to be a party combo of so many things celebrating! Hopefully you'll get to see lots of pictures too! I'm going to include my you tube video montage, my new updated lyrics to Taylor Swift's.

My "new" version of Taylor Swift's lyrics, 22...to perfectly fit my lifestyle at this point. Haha, I wrote these to fit my 22 year old lifestyle at this point...

It feels like a perfect night, to put on my jammies
and go to bed early, uh huh..uh huh
It feels like a perfect night, to watch some TV,
and plan some lessons, uh huh..uh huh
YEAHHHHH, I'm tired of doing laundry all the dang time
It's never ever ending 
oh YEAHHHHH, 
Tonight's the night I'll try to stay up past 9
it's my bedtime
Oh OH!
I don't know about you, I'm feeling 22
I have a puppy who just loves to chew
You don't know about me, but I bet you want too
Supper will be alright, if I don't burn it 
cause I'm 22, oh oh! 22, oh, oh 
It seems like one of those days
My students won't listen, too many snapchats
oh oh, oh oh 
It's going to be one of those days
where I'm so busy
that I just give up
and turn to Pinterest
YEAHHHH, my life is pretty boring, kinda normal
The closest mall is miles away, so YEAHHHH
Tonight's the night that my shows are on anyway
It's time, they're on!
Oh, Oh, I don't know about you
I'm feeling 22
I've got a big old house with a pretty view
You know about me, even if you don't want too
This is a small town so I'm related to you
so now I'm 22, oh oh
22 oh oh
it feels like one of those nights, where we watch the TV
it feels like one of those nights, where I'll be sleeping
It feels like one of those nights, I'll take a selfie, and then I'll post it
and avoid the dishes.

I don't know about you, I'm feelin 22. :)


TODAY WAS AWESOME!
So..I went to school, had amazing fiestas all day, was blown away by cards and well wishes when I returned home, enjoyed a great vanilla coke (my secret love!), went out to dinner with my love for a delicious steak and topped it off with my first ice cream cone of the season! It was a truly fabulous day - the love I felt was palpable!

Here's a video montage of my day :)
Enjoy!!

Thank you all for making this day wonderful! :) You are all great!

Support System

First – Welcome to my blog – I’m updating, renovating, editing, and trying to make my blog the best blog that it can be. So, you’ll just have to survive my constant changes for a while J

I've always had people who wanted me to follow my dreams, do big things, and were proud of all of my accomplishments! My parents (and sisters) came to every concert, boring awards assemblies, all graduations, ..you name it, they were there. I didn't realize how much I treasured that support until things got hard and I realized how much I NEEDED that support.

Especially in the health and fitness world.

Let's be real...

I grew up, I moved out, and I needed to cook for myself. That was fine with me. I didn't need them around all of the time to applaud as soon as I did good things. I got married, I had Jared :). 

As I started working out, Jared became the person that would make me do it on the days when I didn't want too. Jared was a great support system - and he still is! He always reminds me to participate in my squat group. 

I became a Beachbody coach in late August, early September. My family didn't (and still doesn't) take me seriously at all. I'm not sure if it's because they don't see how it fits into my life (because I don't live with them daily) or maybe it's because I'm not at my goal weight or my goal size, so they think it's another phase. I'm not quite sure. I'm not offended by it at all, it's more of an observation rather. As I began selling and promoting Beachbody products I have found no involvement or support from them whatsoever. I almost feel stupid talking to them about something that I'm so passionate about because in all honesty, they don't really care. Which is fine, they are allowed not to care.

But this brings me to my next point:

Where I have found the best support system in the entire world (besides my husband, who embarks on an adventure with me every day.)

CHALLENGE GROUPS! I have met the most amazing, supportive, and influential women in challenge groups that post every day. They celebrate with me when I lose those stubborn pounds and they mourn with me when that chocolate cake is too irresistible and I take a bite. They proudly share sweaty selfies with me every day - not afraid to be makeup-less, sweaty, and natural in front of a camera, motivating me to complete my workout for the day. They encourage me to keep going - through the lazy days, the stressful days, and the easy days. They know what it's like to build a relationship with someone, to be in constant contact, to help them find the program, and for it to either follow through or fall through. For these women, some who I have and never will meet in person, I am grateful!

Although I wish my family would invest and involve themselves in my Beachbody life, I know it will come with time.  Especially as they start seeing my progress! :) However, I want to stress the importance of a challenge group, the solid foundation and support system that helped me complete workout programs day in and day out. Challenge groups are constantly forming and going on all around you - please ask me! If there isn't a challenge group for you, I will make one!

We all need support in life - whether for our passions, our jobs, our kids, and our marriages. Take advantage of that support. You can do it on your own, I'm not saying you can't! But, the journey is so much easier, the progress is so much sweeter, and the end result is so much better when you have your cheer leading squad running alongside you the entire way. 

Love and blessings to you all..