36Smile! Day 5

It was actually sunny yesterday, almost all day! You can imagine my delight as I was lacing up my Nike shoes and donning my running gear.

I turned on my Britney Spears Pandora radio station and what comes on: none other that her infamous "Oops, I Did It Again"

A big smile comes on my face as I start my 3-4 mile run in the sunshine.

This songs definitely brings me back to my college days hanging out in the sorority house and blasting Britney almost every day with my roommate back then.

I love how certain songs bring back particular smells and elaborate memories to the point that you close your eyes and you almost feel like you are there.

And not to mention, the sun shinning ALL DAY was making me smile like crazy. You definitely have to take advantage of it here.

Beside running, you will always find me cooking up something in the kitchen. Yesterday was not an exception. I am very into the Nate Berkus show—simple recipes, easy DIY projects which I've already made and actually gave one to my sis and her fiance as a Christmas gift and design tips—and I found a Spicy Cheeseburger Soup recipe yesterday. So what did I do? I tried my own, low cal and sodium version of it! It was DELISH! Chris even said it taste great with some broccoli.

Wait. Wait. Wait.

Did my husband really just ask me to put veggies in his soup?! I'm doing something right :) Recipe coming soon on my Healthy Food Healthy You website.

I would love to hear what songs brings back a particular feeling or memory for you and what recipe have you put your own healthy spin on. Share here please!

36Smile!

Day 4

I have been bummed, read it B-U-M-M-E-D all day because it's been raining non stop. I woke up craving a run. I put on my go to capri leggings, Nike sports bra(a running essential), my new Champion running fleece and my go to Nike running shoes.

I'm ready to go right?

Wrong.

I take Mac on his normal morning walk with Chris and take him to the bus stop. On our way back it starts sprinkling..... and hasn't stop since.

So I pulled out my TurboJam DVD and start working out to the Cardio Party. I have to admit Chalene is actually kind of annoying! But you definitely feel great while doing it. During the workout and even after I found myself smiling! A great workout will make you feel unbelievably good! Try it out! You can find the TurboJam DVD's here. It's a pretty simple workout for whatever your fitness level is. You don't have to buy all the DVD's I have the Cardio Party and Ab Jam, which is totally worth it.

If working out, losing weight, eating better was part of your new years resolution then why are you waiting?! Get off that couch and of the "But" — but I had a long day at work, but the kids need dinner, but the dog needs to go for a walk, but I'll do it tomorrow.

Why put off what you can do today?

And you'll get a great smile out of it!

2011 At A Glance

Click here for the post I wrote a year ago about 2010

Let's see if we have accomplished what we wanted to:

Exciting events lined up for 2011:
1. I am working on getting my Nutrition and Wellness Certification from AFPA (I am super excited!) DONE! And I have the website up and going, now all I have to do is get clients, hmmm.....
2. Chris gaining even more press and awards for the great work he is doing as MauiTime Art Director. Well he definitely did. Click here to see all the awards he won.
3. Chris and I partnering together for lucky11studios.com to bring my PR background to Lucky 11. DONE! Click here for more info, too!
4. Great health for family (mom and dad!), friends and us. So far our parents are in great health! My dad's cancer PSA's are low or not even there; mom is super health with no cancer in sight; I ran my first 5k since high school and it felt great!; I'm working on getting Chris to run with me, but he gets his exercise walking about 3 miles every day to and from work after the bus. So I'd say this was DONE too!
5. Starting the next phase of our life. We packed up our lives and moved from Maui to Seattle for a great job opt for Chris. So I'd say we definitely started the next phase!
6. Traveling to new places. Vancouver: Check; Oregon: check; Seattle: Check! 7. Paying off Chris' car. DONE! One of the best feelings EVER 8. Chris' brother, Cody, graduating from high school! YAY! And he is now driving and taking his first college classes. 9. Learn how to surf. Do a few lessons count? 10. For me to get a full time job. Well, I did some PR freelance for a new Seattle restaurant that opened up here. But I am currently still job searching.....

9 out of 10 isn't bad!

Here's to 2012 being an even better year and for us staying healthy, happy, safe, prosperous and finding me a J-O-B!!!!

36Smile!

In case you didn't notice, the "S" in the title is supposed to look/act like a "5" because this is something I'm starting for the new year:

Project 365Smile

In the new year I am determined to be happier no matter what life has to throw at me. I can handle anything. So as part of that determination I will be writing about something that makes me smile, laugh, etc. Be it a memory, a person, a phone call, an image, a song. We smile a lot more than we actually know so why not write about it and hopefully give others an opportunity to smile too.

It's also proven that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile—why use more muscle to make you feel worse? Know that feeling you get after a great workout or run; a phone call to catch up with an old friend; the fact that you saved enough to buy that purse you've been eying? Well, we should feel like that more often.

Since today is the third day of the new year, I am starting this out with three things that have made me smile in the past three days. Granted, I have smiled A LOT more than three times, but for the sake of this blog—and your time—I will only tell you about three:

January 1
My sister and her fiance were here to spend the New Year with my husband and I. Smiles all around! It brought me back to my college days with her fiance—who I consider a big brother—and getting ready to go out with them. It also brought me back to the days of living with my sister and putting on make up and trying on way too many outfits before we decided on the right one. And finally, it reminded me of the first time my husband I got ready to go out together while we lived in our very first place together. Memories with the ones you love with make your heart smile long after the event takes place.

January 2
As I was walking my dog, I saw an old Red, Toyota Corolla. The VERY FIRST car my parents gave me and my sister and brother was a Red, Toyota Corolla. Not the best car, but it was OUR car. I even remember the smell, the old leather seats and the homemade banner my mom made and placed it in the back: Congrats on your new car! Brings a smile to my face as I'm writing it.

January 3
Looking at our lit and decorated Christmas tree. Our "First Christmas" ornament; all the cards from our family and friends; the angel topper my parents sent us. Because I know this will probably be the last day—or week— we'll have it up. It was our very first tree Chris and I bought and decorated together as a married couple. We are making our own Christmas traditions together and that makes me happy.

I hope this inspires you to smile more and I would love to hear about what makes you show those pearly whites! Anything at all—leave your comments below!

Hope y'all had a happy, healthy and blessed Christmas and New Year.

P.S. If you haven't watched Uncle Kracker's video posted here, watch it. It will definitely make you smile on this first day back to work from a long holiday break :)