Before and Afters. I Dominated.

I am so happy to be able to say that I DOMINATED this Cleanse. After five months of working out, this was the BEST way to get me to where I want to be.

I actually took this on Thursday, but haven't had a spare moment to take another. I totally planned on wearing the same outfit and making the pictures all pro, but sometimes plans don't work out. Just take my word that I look the same. I basically peaked here, and I'm totally okay with that.

I've learned a lot since this new hobby began, but it has been worth every morning workout, every drop of sweat, and every healthy choice I have made. I know people always give me shit for not having a "ton" to lose, but sometimes loosing a few pounds is harder than losing fifty pounds. I wasn't actually trying to lose weight, but I'm happy I did because now you can actually see the muscles that I have worked so hard to get!

I think I've made it clear that I'm an AdvoFan now, and I am definitely still spreading the word on how great this is. It is extremely mild, you can still eat {clean}, and you are in control of your results. Will ate well with me, which really helped, and we created some awesome new meals that will be sticking around even after the cleanse. I don't "crave" anything anymore, so it definitely reset my system, and working out just made the results that much better. Like I said, YOU are in control of your results!

Here are some awesome meal plan links that I used:

Figure and Bikini 101! || Eating Made Simple
Cutting Down & Leaning UP || The Deadline Diet

Raven is hosting the link up today and she had amazing results. I'm still getting inspiration from everyone that participated to keep going. I don't know if I can maintain these abs forever, but I can most certainly keep getting my fit on, and fit feels soooo good. Now I'm off to Fort Collins for the day. I will admit that after the shoot...I am totally going to stuff my face. Don't judge me.

Miss Hooter's Colorado

And no, I was not the winner. Just to be clear.

However, I think my girl Chassity did the most PHENOMENAL job on my hair and makeup. She is the soul reason that I made Top 10 for the FIRST time in this particular pageant. 

I was also quite proud of my costume, as I made the wings from SCRATCH with wire, tulle, and feathers. I WISH that I had taken pictures of Will and Buck helping me put it together. Picture two burly men in Army uniform, wielding glue guns and feathers...Yep, totally priceless. Other than losing letters {had to make new ones by hand} and getting makeup on my suit five minutes before I had to go on stage, it turned out pretty dang awesome.

Then, it's bikini time!

Can we just focus on my butt far right?

I'm kind of obsessed. I have been trying to make it bigger and it's actually working!

My girl Rachael took home the crown and I ain't mad. For the THIRD year in a row, I totally called the winner. I know what look they are going for, what they want to represent us at Internationals, AND the HEIGHT they expect. I think it's very sweet that you all cheer me on, but I'm just over 5'3, and that don't cut it. 

I would like to say cheers to Rachael, and more importantly...cheers to Sami because I totally had a Moscow Mule in her honor! Funny story, Sami knows Rachael, which makes this an even better connection. Such a small world!

By the way Sami Girl, I will be working in your hood soon, so we are TOTALLY hanging out. This is your first warning! 

On Monday I will try to link up some sneak peaks of the Cleanse results for Raven's link up. If you follow me via Instagram and Twitter, then you have seen some, but hopefully I have more. So far, I feel like a new woman, so I am going to keep pushing myself this weekend. I hope you all eat some fries, pizza, and drink a beer for me. Surprisingly, I've lost my cravings for these things, but their memories still linger...le sigh.

So...We May Be Making Moves Soon.

How is it almost July?

I have been trying to enjoy every post-deployment moment, but time really does fly when you are having fun! To be honest, we are going crazy these days with the training, the month long school that Will is going to soon, my new training schedule, and now...there is a big chance that we will be moving. It may be as soon as October, or it could be the beginning of next year. Either way, I haven't been able to wrap my head around it yet. It was inevitable that we would move, but now that we are in talks to move so soon, it's intense!

via

I don't think we will move until next year, but we kind of have to plan for the worst just in case. We have acquired SO much stuff here, so there will be a big downsize, we will be selling vehicles {we have five at the moment}, and now we have to move Weiser too. I have never had to move a pet...Any tips I should know about?

Other than that, it is just time to really buckle down when it comes to purging and not acquiring more things. We have a monthly allowance to buy whatever we want, but I have decided to go on a spending freeze. I've done many budget/shopping challenges, so it's not hard for me one bit. As a matter of fact, I find that I have more time on my hands and can focus more if I'm not thinking "I wonder if anything good is on sale", "Where should I hit up in between errands", "I know I don't really need this, but I might in the future", etc.

via

We could all use a reminder to slow down on our societies materialistic tendencies. I don't know how non-military families keep their junk down, but I know I am thankful that we have to purge every time we move. It has definitely taught me the value of "things" or the lack thereof. Now I think to myself, "Would I want to move this the next time we move?" This is even going to start applying to food. We have a FULL pantry, so Operation Eat The Pantry is totally kicking off. We always move SO much food, which is silly, so now I'm hoping we can clean it out before hand. Otherwise, it's all getting donated. I foresee lot's of donations in our near future, and I'm totally okay with it.

Hopefully I can take all of this in stride, and we will be across the country in no time. I'm ready for the next adventure! Bring. It.

PS. It's probably going to be somewhere back East. Sorry to my West Coasters, Texans, and other loves. You know I would give an arm and a leg to know that I could move near all of you at some point. There's always the next move!

Bikini Results ALREADY!

We have had a FULL weekend, so I'm going to have to recap it later in the week, but I just had to share this with you. After only three days of the Advocare 10 Day Cleanse, I can ALREADY see results. The following pictures were not edited one bit {other than collage form and text, to be clear}, and have me pumped to keep going!

I am now an Advocare believer, and now I REALLY think that everyone should try it. Just hit Sarah up and she will take care of you ;) Check out how Erin is doing too. She says she is loving it so far, and I'm so proud that she's going 100%!

I hope you all had a great weekend, and I love you all! Muah*

Just Call Me Mrs. Corporate Trainer.

I have a big smile on my face right now, and this is why:

+ My hubby is home.

I only worked three days this week.

+ The work week is almost done.

+ We had the best time frolicking at Water World.

+ I am now a Corporate Trainer for Restaurants of America, Inc.!

So what does that actually mean?

I am now part of a team that will travel the stores in Colorado to evaluate and retrain the Front of House staff. Our initial training is done in store where a person such as myself, walks trainees through every facet of becoming a Hooter's girl, but our company is taking it one step farther. It's basically a "No Hooter's Girl Left Behind" type thing. It's going to be a big commitment for the next couple months, but I'm due for a new challenge and it's pretty dang cool to be handpicked for the inaugural team.

I wanted to share more pictures from Wednesday, but Photobucket is telling me that I've reached my Bandwidth. If you want to see more, you can find them on Facebook. There you can see why having a waterproof camera is perfect for days like this.

Have any of you dealt with the Photobucket monthly Bandwidth limit? 

What are your tips and tricks?

Now it's time for a fun-filled weekend with my lover, and the first weekend of the Cleanse. Ten days of cleansing and exactly ten days until the Calendar shoot. WhoopWhoop!

I Should Have Shaved My Legs

Cuz' I might be going to a water-park today! I've mentioned that my girl, Chelsey is moving {which sucks} buuuuut, now we get to do all the fun stuff before she goes!

I say "might", because I have a meeting about a new job opportunity in the morning that is 10:30 until ??. They are offering me a Regional Trainer Position, so now I just have to find out the deets and see if it will fit into my life that revolves around Will. Assuming that will be over in time, I will be SO ready for some fun in the sun.

Will is in the field again, so I have been entertaining myself on Facebook. For those of you that are non-military, each military base will have Facebook groups for everything you might need. One of the more popular at Fort Carson is called the "Fort Carson Army Wives Yard Sale", but it might as well be called "Fort Carson: Days Of Our Lives".
Enjoy today's episode.

I should know better than to get sucked in, but it was just too entertaining.

Now it's off to slumberland. I'm getting up at 5:30 to get my workout in what is wrong with me, then Weiser is going to visit Aunt Amanda for the day, and it's Denver time! He was a bad boy this week and snuck out the old fence, so technically he's grounded...

He's lucky he's cute, and he's lucky that the landlord is actually getting a new fence put in.

Who's With Me? Curing #NOtivation

*WARNING*
We only have 18 days until we have to don bikinis for the 4th of July!

I know you are going to call me a flip flopper for saying that I don't like cleanses...buuuuut...that was before I realized that I have fifteen days until I shoot for a calendar. Oh, and I have been eating ice cream, pizza, and burgers. What was I thinking?

I had heard of Advocare through Nikki {whom I trust a lot}, but didn't give much thought to the Cleanse and talked smack about cleanses. However, I recently read more info about them and found that there are healthy versions and this one happens to be one of them.
I like it because it makes sense. Your body needs fiber, your body needs Probiotics, your body needs raw/unprocessed foods, and sometimes we just need the inspiration to commit to something and the moral support to stick to it! For 10 days and only $31.50, we can all lose up to 10 POUNDS. Can I get a "HECK YEAH!"?

Here are success stories from your fellow bloggers
{Cuz you know we all need proof}

Skinny Meg  ||  Life In Bloom  || Mama Laughlin

I actually saw that Raven was doing it but I knew that I couldn't make the June 24th link up date. Luckily, Sarah came to the rescue and is giving us our own date! If you order in the next couple days {by the 17th or so}, we can start before the 24th and all link up on July 3rd. I knew that was the PERFECT time for the cleanse, because then we will all look great in our bikinis for the 4th festivities!

#1 Order your bikini prep, I mean Cleanse. I hear the Peaches and Cream is the only way to go, and that Spark is the best way to amp up results.
#2 Tell me you are in and join the Facebook page.
#3 Claim your spot on my sidebar!
I have decided that anyone who decides to support me by joining in, will get to be on my sidebar for FREE!  Just make sure you order your product by the 18th to qualify.
#3 Get your prep on, so that the process is smooth as possible. For example, I have made a checklist/meal planning guide that I will be happy to send to everyone as soon as you've ordered, and there is an even more fabulous set of guidelines under the "Files tab" that just got uploaded to the Facebook group via Sarah.

I have been keeping a food journal for the last week and that has already helped get me back on track. I just read that it's good to prepare for a cleanse by eating healthy so that it's not a complete shock to your system, and luckily that's what I've been doing. I think I've already gotten past the cranky, headachy, blah phase, so now I'm ready to dive in! Did you know that the cranky/blah phase is a good thing? I thought that it meant my body was missing something, but it actually means that it's ridding itself of the toxins coming out. I definitely didn't mind the bad when I knew it was a good sign.

But if that's not enough inspiration, then you need to check out Curing #NOtivation with Mal Smiles, The Pink Growl, and Life: Oceanside. For the simple fact that we all do better with inspiration/motivation, this is a GREAT idea.

Advocare Tools

Cleanse Checklist  ||  Instructions and Guidelines  ||  Recipes

<div align="center"> <a href="http://perceptioniseverything.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Perception Is Everything" src="http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg592/PerceptionIsEverything/PIE4/Advocare10Button_zps69aa59cc.jpg"/></a></div>

Don't make anymore excuses. It's time to make the choice to be healthy, and no one can make that but you. I have faith in you!

This post was co-written by the hubby and this cleanse has his approval. Duh.

Thankful For Zit Fighters and Firefighters

Raise your hand if you know what this is:

Source: amazon.com via Janna on Pinterest

If you aren't raising your hand then you better RUN to get one.

It will change yo' life.

I actually had a cystic zit this week, but that is NOT the type that you use comedone extractor for. I used a little extra Benzoyle Peroxide, tried OTC Cortisone, and even drank a Tumeric cocktail {Tumeric, hot water, honey}. I don't know which one of these worked, but the sucker was gone in two days! Thank goodness for the internet and articles like this one: Get Rid Of A Huge Pimple. 

That counts as a high and low for the week, so now I'll break down the rest.

Highlights:

+ I saw this guy on Wednesday that had the tags still on his jersey. You know the whole, "I paid so much for this jersey that I'm going to flaunt the price tag" thing? That doesn't fly with me, so I just happened to mention, "I thought you would want to know, the tags are still on your shirt", and he ripped them right off! I have also been known to tell people that their pants are "falling off" when I see them sagging them, and I play completely dumb about it which makes it EXTRA funny.

+Girls night for a friend's going away:

+ I finally got to run again, and I even went to get fitted for shoes. I thought it sounded silly, but now I think I will feel mucho better with the new shoes. No I did not buy any with pink on them, but yes, I did wear a dress to the running store. It is just too hot to wear anything but a dress these days.

Unfortunately, there were also lows this week:

+ This month is full of Field Training for Will, so he was playing soldier ALL week. We can still talk on the phone, but I hate losing time with him for silly stuff like this that he gets stuck doing. This training is pretty much a joke, and he only got sent because he's an Expert Shooter, which just proves that sometimes it does not pay to be a "top dog".

+  We have a fire blazing just North of us that is already worse than last year's Waldo Canyon Fire.

I'm not going to go into how devastating it is, because we all know how destructive fires can be, but I just hope that everyone is keeping the people of Blackforest in their thoughts. Over 365 homes have already been lost and there is no end in sight. We just can't believe that it's happening all over again, and all we can do is put our faith in the firefighters, police force, and military that are fighting the raging giant.  Amen.

I am thankful that a few hours of work stand between me and a relaxing weekend with my hubby, so let's get it over with. Everyone have a great time celebrating Father's Day!

I'll leave you with a picture of the best daddy in the WHOLE wide world.
At least in my eyes ;)



Love you, Daddy!

I Ran For Lauren

Other than a 5K I did with my mom when I was five, I have never actually run a race. I'm either in a lazy stage or don't know when they are {Ahem Megan, you should have told me about the one at Garden of the Gods}, but this time... I was all in!

Kristine came up with a genius idea where we run a 5K on our own time and using our own devices and then link up our recap. It was such an inventive idea that I just has to play along. Not too mention the fact that I simply adore her ;)

I still haven't gotten back to running yet, so I knew that I was just going to have to dominate the AMT Machine.

I don't know if it was the excitement or the Spark energy drink that Sarah sent me, but I had the best time and mileage that I have achieved since starting this machine. I know that the Slam energy shot got me through a looong day at work, so I would assume that Spark worked it's magic here too.

I dedicate my run to Lauren, and I think this also made me push myself a little harder. I run hard because I am blessed to still have the chance to run. I love you Lolo!

Have you tried Advocare? A TON of Bloggers are participating in the 10 Day Cleanse with Raven and Sarah, So I'm thinking that tons of people are jumping on the Advocare bandwagon. Are you getting your healthy on?

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If you have a spare moment, feel free to hop on over to the Hersheypark Happiness Photo Contest. Two of my favorite nuggets are pictured with their parents in the fifth picture down. Colby and Cam are by far the cutest kids, so they are easy to find. PS. BOTH of their parents are police officers in Florida, so that should get them a sympathy vote too.

I Have Hope For Future Generations.

Glow Golf?...I thought, "What the heck is that?"

First of all, when I agreed to go I didn't realize that it wouldn't start until 9pm due to the long days we have at 6,000 feet. My first thought was that I am normally in bed at that time on a Friday. Sheesh. We even had to leave the house right after dinner because we knew we would end up backing out. We walked around Sportsman's Warehouse,  got some Starbucks, and then it was time to partay!

Lezjustsay, there was more than Caramel Latte in that cup. In case you are wondering, Smirnoff Caramel Vodka is bomb.com in this type of situation. Not only was it delish, it also warmed me up for the cold night air. We made some new friends, had some great laughs, and definitely want to try this again.

Saturday, was a BBQ at our friend, Anthony's.

Where his daughter put on an AMAZING magic show. I was blown away that she watched that new movie Now You See Me, and the very next day she put together a legit magic show. I'm talking a 30 minute routine with audience participation and all. Totally gives me hope for the future generations.

And Sunday, I did my "run" for the Virtual 5K. The link up is Tuesday, so feel free to get in on the action! You can run, bike, jump on the Elliptical, or even walk. All that matters is that you have some fun, get the miles in, and link up with us all. Yeeeaaah boy.

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One more thing that might be a bit heavy for a Monday...Let me tell you a little story.

There once was a youth program at Cokesbury United Methodist Church that was the hangout for the Middle and High Schoolers of the best church in town {Hey, I'm partial}. Through fellowship and fun, the group grew a strong bond and supported each other through thick and thin. Eventually, they all grew to be doctors, scientists, teachers, Hooters girls {okay, so maybe that doesn't count, but it's the truth}, and one was even called on by God to continue with the Ministry she was filled with. It was as natural as could be with her sweet nature and obvious that it was meant to be. She even had articles written about her because her story speaks to people.

Unfortunately, not everyone can know Mary Ann personally, so judgement has fallen upon her shoulders. Instead of giving her a chance to inspire, motivate, teach, and share her love, they are denying her candidacy to be Ordained and not even giving her consideration. Doesn't sound very Christian like to me...As such, I have answered the call to action, and this is what I emailed the Bishop:

Dear Bishop Dorff,

I was raised in the Methodist church with Mary Ann Kaiser, and I have always been inspired by her spirituality and devotion to helping others. I was not surprised at all when she followed the path of becoming ordained, because it was obvious that she was answering the call of a higher power. It was such a natural decision, that it has stunned us all to find that The Board of Ordained Ministry has rejected her as a candidate. 

We ask you to reevaluate the root of this decision, as it is against the love and justice that Christianity stands for. "This is a case of grace interrupted; we are creating barriers between a person’s call and God. Even Wesley understood that proof of God’s call is found in visible fruits of ministry and believed none who produced such fruit should be barred from ordination." If nothing else...ask yourself if you want to be the one standing in the way of one of God's children or the one exalting a vessel of his love and teachings. She deserves that much.

I hope that you truly reflect on this, and find the spirit of true fellowship and Christianity.

Sincerely,

Janna Renee

Perception Is Everything

http://perceptioniseverything.blogspot.com/

I am sorry that I am not sorry if this story offends anyone. If you take offense it is your own fault, as I am promoting love and equality and nothing else. I hope that you all know that I NEVER judge any of you and try to support everyone in any way I can. I have never been able to stand by and watch someone hurt or helpless, and I'm not about to start now. Mary Ann can run circles around 99% of the people I know with her huge heart, selflessness, and spirituality, and we can only hope that she will be allowed to spread that to our future generations.

If you would like to email the Bishop find more information here. If not, I hope you at least take this to heart and send some positive thoughts and prayers. You would want the same if you put yourself in her situation.

Mary Ann...We got your back!!

I'm in the dog house.

Apparently, Will is not only upset that I haven't gotten back to my regularly scheduled posting, but feels like I should have sent more attention his way in Tuesday's post.
 Glory hound.

Well, baby...this post is for YOU.

As with any job, people work towards promotions, and the Army is no different. Yes, some Joe's are happy just getting a paycheck, but soldiers like my husband don't settle for that. Just three short years ago he joined the Military, and now he has already worked his way up to becoming an NCO.

Non-Commissioned Officer
The non-commissioned officer corps is often referred to as "the backbone" of the armed services, as they are the primary and most visible leaders for most military personnel. Additionally, they are the leaders primarily responsible for executing a military organization's mission and for training military personnel so they are prepared to execute their missions. 

I was one proud little wife when I got to witness the ceremony and even take part in it. My heart swelled with pride as I enjoyed the ritual that was focused in on my husband. 
My soldier...

In case you are intrigued by what might go on during these events, I captured the First SGT's speech in the first video and the second video is a bit of the shenanigans that go on. Let's just say, the more punches a soldier gets, the more respect they have. {Do beware of the language that is used and the bad quality of my old camera}

Now that I'm an NCO's wife, I need to go back and read The Army Wife Handbook and this PDF I found of The Spouse's Handbook. As silly as it sounds, it's kind of important to know the etiquette and nuances, and I love being able to hold a conversation about what Will does and the Army in general. Some wives don't know what there husband's job is {totally fine}, but I am happy to admit that my life revolves around my soldier and ultimately the Army.  Hooah!

I love you SGT Bogert!!

A Good Week And FUN News!

It is truly amazing how many things you can accomplish when blogging doesn't take over every thought in your mind. Don't get me wrong, I kinda miss blogging, but I have been enjoying living life more. Does this mean I'm quitting? Hell NO. It just means that I am enjoying getting my sanity back.

I'm sure some of you are nodding your head "yes", as you understand the incredible pressure that one can have from juggling work, life, family, followers, and content, but I'm sure that some of you are all like, "You shouldn't complain. You decided to blog and gain followers, so now you should suck it up and do what you gotta do." I know, I know. I've said it myself. But guess what? IDGA-Flip. I do what I want ;)

First, I'd like to lighten the mood.

This is what happens when I don't like how people park:

A few other gems from the last week...

+ My picha' was featured on westword.com, not once but TWICE!

+ Will came to visit me at work! Totally made my day.

+ I tried Foam Rolling {as suggested by lovely bloggers} and love it so far.

+ I have had time for the kitchen, and totally had to make Cheeseburger pizza again. YUM.

Yep, made this Strawberry Pie too! I combined two recipes on my Pinterest to make it super easy and oh-so-flavorful. Seriously, my mouth is watering just looking at it.

* For Pre-made Crust, I recommend Immaculate Pie Crusts.

But the best news...

My manager walked up to us with Orange envelopes the other day and we KNEW that it meant we get to shoot for the 2014 International Hooters Calendar! It doesn't mean we are in, but just to shoot is an honor. I'm going to put my best bikini forward on July 1st and we shall see what happens!

For now, I'm taking this one day at a time until I can get back into the groove of blogging, or perhaps I will create a new groove. Someone once told me that I would get to a point where I couldn't reply to every comment or return every email, and I guess I am now realizing that as much as I'd like to...it's just not realistic. I vow to do what I can and continue to create new relationships, but not because I have to. Because I want to.

I hope you all have a fabulous week!