Wear Sunscreen

I'm not sure what took me so long to take the great advice from the widely shared column article from 1997 titled Wear Sunscreen that become a popular graduation speech. Here it is if you need a refresher or have no idea what I'm talking about.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-schmich-sunscreen-column-column.html

It wasn't until I reached my 30's that I started taking sun protection seriously.  I grew up spending my summers at the beach and wearing strong sunscreen was not really a big priority. I sported a sweet tan every year but unfortunately nursed many sunburns with bottles of green gooey aloe. My young self didn't mind though. It seemed like a small price to pay to get the perfect tan that I desired.

Once I reached my 30's I started to notice some of the damage the sun had caused to my skin over the years of abuse. A few years ago I went to a dermatologist for the very first time and had to have a spot on my back removed, which thankfully was benign. It was then that I vowed to start loving my skin more. It took a perspective change for me. I take care of my body by working out regularly and eating well so why would I constantly purposely damage the largest organ in the human body? It didn't really make sense. I realize now that healthy skin is so much prettier than tan skin.

While I can't undo all of the damage that has already been done, I will take the extra measures to prevent more from taking place. For my face, I apply moisturizer with SPF daily and when at the beach I always have on a baseball cap or woven wide brimmed hat to shade my face from the sun. For beach trips I am also now wearing sunscreen with SPF 50. That's 35 to 46  higher than what I used to wear! Wanna now the crazy thing? I still have a sift sun-kissed glow even with SPF 50. A tan without the burning and peeling and rubbing myself in green goo.  I never would have guessed. It's the best of both worlds. I know my practice is not perfect but it's a whole lot better than what it was.

If you are a sun lover who doesn't use protection, trust me, it will catch up to you. Do yourself a favor and love the skin you're in by showing it some love. It's not too late. 😎

A Mother Like No Other

My mom. This blog probably won't due her justice but I'm going to try.


From as early on in life as I can remember my mom has been:

• my biggest supporter
• my caretaker
• selfless
• a shoulder to cry on
• my chauffeur for many years
• second, in order to put me first
• my voice of reasoning
• forgiving
• patient
• my safe place
• my friend
• my role model

Honestly, my mom does it all. There have been plenty of moments in time when we were not on the same page, and for the record, she was usually on the right one, not me. But as I sit and think about the years of my childhood and adolescence, and even adulthood, my mom has always put my sister and I first. Never once did one of us go without so that she could have or do something. Mom has always wanted the very best for us that she was able to give. She is the definition of selfless and embarrassingly, I must admit that is something I think I took for granted for many years. The older I get the more fortunate I realize I am to have a real relationship with my mom. She has helped me to grow into the woman I am today and for that I am  thankful.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11

The verse above is my mom. She is our family's biggest cheerleader and encourager. She leaves everyone better than how she found them. She has a loving and compassionate heart that aims to please others. How do I repay my mom for all that she has done and will do for me? I'm not sure I properly can but with a Thank You. Thank you for showing me how to treat people and for giving me all of the tools to be a good wife. Thank you for letting me learn some life lessons the hard way. Thank you for being there for me any time of day no matter what. Thank you for being you. I will make the promise to be the same kind of mom to my future children.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you!

Easy Is Not Always Best

I will begin this post by saying that I love the professional that I am in of Health and Fitness. From teaching classes to personal training to interaction with members throughout the day, I love to share what I know about living a healthy lifestyle. I do my absolute best to practice what I preach by maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes being physically active, focusing on wholesome nutrition, keeping stress levels low, being drug and smoke free, limited alcohol consumption, getting appropriate amounts of sleep, and maintaining healthy boundaries in all of my relationships. Am I perfect? Not by any means, I am human. I do, however, recognize that there are people who look to me for guidance, encouragement, and motivation when it comes to learning how to live a healthy lifestyle so I do my absolute best to be a good example for them. I think this is why I was so bothered by a sign that I passed earlier this week outside of a wellness studio that holds fitness classes.

The sign out front read "Detox Yoga, it's easier that avoiding junk food."

UGH!!! Seriously?!?! Someone new to this may read this statement and think "WOOHOOOO!!! I just found the answer to my bad eating habits!" What I read is, "These instructors and owners are uneducated in the matter." Is it easier? Possibly. But is it beneficial? Not really.

I don't care who you are or what you do, you simply cannot out-exercise bad eating habits. Working out for 2-3 hours a day will not cancel out the crap you put into your body at each meal. Even if you  happen to be successful in this temporarily by keep weight off, your insides are telling a different story. Skinny or thin does not automatically equal healthy. This facility is saying, "Hey, don't worry about putting crap into your body. Take this detox class and it all goes away." It gives false hope to  the person who may not know any better. They think it must be true if a fitness professional told me so.

I feel it is my job as a health and fitness professional to encourage and teach healthy habits all around. I don't understand how gyms host regular pizza and bagel days for their members. Do they even care about the health of their members or do they just use that to lure more people into the door and make them feel like they need to workout more? I'm not saying myself or my clients should never indulge in an unhealthy meal occasionally, but I'm not going to put it in there faces and tempt them while they are trying to make positive changes in their lives. I would be setting the up to fail. My goal is to give them all of the tools that they need, if they are seeking them, to help reach their goals and this goes beyond lifting weights and running laps.

I know that I can't control what other people do but what I can do is help spread the truth and raise self-awareness. I don't have all of the answers and sometimes research will change our way of thinking. I will be confident in what I do know and share and find the answers to the questions I don't already know. I want my clients and students to be successful in their pursuit to a better them and I want them to be confident that they are in good hands.

In closing, there is no on-size-fit-all method. Through trial and error, find what works best for you. What has worked wonders for your best friend might not be the best solution for you. Their successful nutrition plan could potentially do the opposite for you. We are all made differently. Hormones and genetics play a huge role in the way our bodies respond to different things. You must become a detective. If you need help with that feel free to contact me. I am more than happy to guide you in the right direction.

All I can do is say Thank You

I woke up this morning with thoughts of going down to the river but when I looked outside all I saw were clouds. I knew the rain wouldn't start falling for a couple more hours but I contemplated going back to bed for a little while longer. Lilo had other plans in mind though and was full of energy upon getting out of bed. I figured that even if I probably wouldn't see a magnificent sunrise today, Lilo would at least get some good exercise. So into the car we went. Pulling into the parking lot I discovered that my thinking had been all wrong and the most glorious display was taking place before my very eyes. I stopped for a moment to take in the scenery and snap a few pictures for my SnapChat friends. We then made our way to the far end of the beach for our morning routine.

The thing about going down to the river at sunrise that I love is that it is so quiet and serene. I use this time, as Lilo runs in and out of the water getting nice and sandy, to pray as I walk. Today, as I slowly made my way and got ready to bring my prayers to God,  I felt the need to stop and be still. I found a large rock to sit on and just stared out at the light reflecting off the water. Lilo, who was already a couple hundred feet further down the beach, turned to see that I had stopped and ran back over to me and sat quietly by my side.

As I sat and began to pray, the only words that I could get to come out of my mouth were "Thank You." I had this overwhelming feeling of gratitude towards God as I realized that He has given me everything that I need. This got me to thinking about how easy it is to focus on our wants and what we think we need from God without recognizing what He has already done. When I stopped to give thanks for all of His blessings first, it made all of the worry and concerns for some of the unknowns that have been placed before me so small. He was gently reminding me that He has never failed me before and He doesn't plan on starting now. To me, there is no greater feeling than the one of unexplainable peace that can come from nobody but the Lord my God himself.

The next time that you are facing a hard time, try to take a moment to look back on all of the ways that God has provided for you or made a way in the past. Hold on to the promise that He is for you and with you always and live your life confident in that truth.

Thank You, Jesus!

The Most Important Day EVER!

We are currently in one of the most important weeks of the year. The one that includes the day when we celebrate the most important day and event known to mankind. I am talking about Easter.

Easter is so much more than magical bunnies, colorful plastic Easter eggs, marshmallow chicks, jelly beans, and fancy dresses and hats. Also known as Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday highlights and celebrates the day that Jesus defeated death, rose from the grave, and gave us all a new hope and life in Him. I'd like to see and Easter basket that trumps that!

Holy Week, or Passion Week, is when we have the chance to relive the days leading up to this. Every time I hear or read the accounts of this week I get chills. It's like I'm seeing or hearing about it for the first time. The deceit and betrayal that Jesus felt from some of his closest friends, the walk up to Calvary, the unimaginable death that Christ endured on the cross FOR US, The burial and of course the resurrection from the grave on the third day. All of this happened because God loved us so much. He sent His Son, who was without sin, to die for our sins, even the ones we have yet to commit. Each and every one of them are covered, paid for, in full. Because He lived and died and lived again we can face each day with hope. We can live and believe in the promises that were made to us. Christ will come again.

We are currently in one of the most important weeks of the year. The one that includes the day when we celebrate the most important day and event known to mankind. The one that changed the world forever. I am talking about His Story, Easter.

Easter is so much more than magical bunnies, colorful plastic Easter eggs, marshmallow chicks, jelly beans, and fancy dresses and hats. Also known as Resurrection Sunday, Easter remembers and celebrates the day that Jesus defeated death, rose from the grave, and gave us all a new hope and life in Him.

Holy Week, or Passion Week, is when we have the chance to relive the days leading up to this. Every time I hear or read the accounts of this week I get chills. It's like I'm seeing or hearing about it for the first time. I'm filled with so much emotion as I try to imagine what Jesus must have been feeling that week. Despised and rejected by men. The deceit and betrayal that Jesus felt from Judas, whose love of money took him far from his walk with Christ. The disappointment he must have felt when Peter denied him not once, not twice, but three times. Was he scared when he went off to pray in Gethsemane, asking God to remove the cup from him? The weakness and pain he maybe felt as he prayed for strength to endure what was to come. His humbled obedience as he went to Calvary knowing that there simply was no other way. The unimaginable, painful, and agonizing death that Christ endured on the cross FOR US. The mourning and sadness of Jesus' followers at his burial and of course the unexplainable joy that came at knowledge that the tomb was empty and Jesus had risen from the grave on the third day. What a rollercoaster.

This was all part of the plan for salvation. God loved us so much that He sent His Son, who was without sin, to die for our sins. Even the ones we have yet to commit. Each and every one of them are covered, paid for, in full by the blood that was shed on the cross. I'm so thankful that Jesus who was in human form after all, was obedient to God's will. I'm thankful that he succeeded, with God's help.

Let us take some time this week to remember the hope that can be found through a life with Christ. A life of joy that can be found in every season. Knowing that the light will always shine again even after the darkest days. Because He lives we can face each tomorrow head on with a new confidence. We can know that every battle we will face has already been won for us.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends, even when they have forsaken him.

Hallelujah!

Things About Spring

I know that the official start of Spring is still a few days away but I can't help but feel giddy with all of the changes that come as we say so long to Winter. Here in Eastern North Carolina it's hard to miss some of the signs that Spring is in the air.

Here are some tell tale signs that Spring is close to being sprung:

• The birds are chirpier that ever. The worms better get to hiding.
• 

  Flowers and plants are beginning to blossom and my green thumb is itching to get dirty. I'm thinking of trying to grow a few veggies this year.
• The temperature has been consistently warmer. The humidity also made no delay in returning. See ya later straight hair.
• The grass is starting to turn green. I will soon lose my husband to yardwork 1-2 times a week. I'm glad he enjoys that stuff though ;)
  
• Bees have been buzzing around.
• Frogs have been splashing around in the ditches. Our ditch has been sitting with water in it for weeks now. Two thoughts on that: 1. I hope the mosquitos stay away 2. I'm not sure how many April showers the already super saturated ground can take.
• Snakes! I've seen quite a few baby snaked that didn't make it across the road quick enough. I've also seen a few slithering around. I know not all snakes are poisonous and are eve beneficial to the eco system. However, in my opinion, "The only good snake is a dead snake."
• Those beautiful and super fragrant Bradford Pear Trees are blooming. You know, the ones that smell like fish rotting in the hot sun on top of a pile of garbage at the town dump.
• The clocks have been turned ahead and we have more daylight now!
• Yellow pollen is on all the things. Cue itchy eyes and scratchy throats.
• My hammock is back up in the yard.
• I've worn shorts and it's hard to tell which is more blinding, staring at the sun or glancing at my pale legs.
• New, fresh colors are on display at the local retail stores, showcasing their new Spring fashion. (Sorry in advance to my bank account.)
• Strawberry picking is nearing which means blueberries are getting closer too!
• The ice cream truck tunes (although a sketchy vehicle) have been heard cruising down my road. I'm ready for the Kona Ice truck and it's calypso music.

And of one my favorites:

Easter is almost here!!!!

A Wak to Remember

It was a year ago today that I met the love of my life for the very first time. It was a Sunday afternoon. We had first started texting each other two days prior. Nonstop texting. We used that time to ask one another a lot of "getting to know you" questions. He had asked if he could take me out that weekend but I declined and suggested maybe next weekend. Lilo was having a Lyme Disease flare-up and had recently been prescribed some medication to help with the pain and weakness. Being the worried dog mom I am, I made the choice to stay home with her all weekend so that I could monitor her and get extra puppy cuddles. I'll be perfectly honest, I was kind of glad to have a good reason to say no and stay home. It was nothing against Mark, he seemed like a normal and nice guy from what I could tell, but I was tired of going on dates that seemed to be dead ends. I was strongly considering taking a break from online dating at that point before responding to that one last email. 

Union Point Park, New Bern, NC 3/15/15

Sunday morning rolled around and I thought I'd have the week to figure out what I would do. At some point during church that morning I had the overwhelming feeling that I just needed to meet this man and stop putting off what I was predicting to be the inevitable. Once church was over I sent him a text inviting him to meet me downtown for a walk. As I waited for his response, part of me hoped it would be too last minute for him but then I found myself feeling disappointed at the thought of him saying no. Thankfully, he said yes.

A few hours later, Lilo (who was feeling much better) and I met Mark, who had driven an hour to see me,  at Union Point Park. We walked all around downtown and historic New Bern that afternoon. Conversation came easy, like we had been friends for years. After our walk we sat on a bench at the park and talked some more. We easily spent 2 hours together and I was kind of sad that it was coming to an end. When it was time to go we hugged and went on our separate ways. A while later he would  tell me that on his way home he called one of his best friends to tell him about me and told him that he was going to marry me. I can't say that I knew that early on but I knew there was something different about this one. I remember telling a friend at work the next day that I was smiling big the whole way home. It sure was a walk to remember!

This was our very first picture taken together about a week after we met. We were at the Unspoken concert here in

New Bern. Mark likes to remind me that he kept trying to hold my hand that night but I was acting too shy, nervous, or maybe was just unsure. I eventually did hold his hand though ;)

"Have enough courage to trust love one more time.
And always one more time."
Maya Angelou