Share the Love: Meet Angela!

Hi y'all. Happy Monday! Two weeks and counting until I am free from the wrath of tax season.

This weekend I worked, so there is your weekend update :)

For real, though, I worked Saturday and did the normal Easter shabang on Sunday. I even squeezed in a cat nap. I should have worked, but honestly, I needed a mental break. This week will be equivalent to walking on glass, so pray for me!

In the meantime, Angela is here to keep you entertained on this Monday! She will be dishing on some fitness tips and motivation to get that summa-bod. Beach, here we come (I wish!).  

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Hi there, Tucker Up readers! I was super excited when Sarah posted her request for guest posts on her blog. Well, not excited that Sarah is extremely busy in the accounting world, but thrilled for the opportunity to guest post. This is my first one! So, please, be gentle.

I'm Angela, from Adventures to Remember, and I have a confession: I'm out of shape. Not overweight, but couldn't run over a mile comfortably at this point in time to save my life. Which is my new goal.

I haven't always been like this. In high school, I played tennis competitively and practiced on a daily basis. In the spring, I played on my high school team. I played in junior tennis tournaments at least one weekend per month. I was ranked in the top 200 in the state of Florida, which was a pretty big deal because it takes a lot of work to just be in the top 200. I loved playing for my high school but I enjoyed playing for myself even more.

Senior year

Side note: whoever it was that picked our all white dresses senior year: why?! You could literally see everything and I didn't own a single white sports bra, nor white under shorts. Also, why did we take pictures facing any bit at all towards the sun? This is Florida, people.

At a tennis match

As much as I loved playing, I had shin splints and knee problems the whole time I was playing competitively. I had to get my teammates to help me wrap my shins each time we had a match. I went to physical therapy for my knee issues. Running a mile before practice, which was mandatory, was no fun at all. Running in short spurts, stopping quickly, and running another quick spurt was even worse. I used more ice on my shins and knees than I put into my drinks back then.

Back to my original point. College years have been my lazy years. I'm now just a month away from finishing graduate school and I still struggle with how to stay in shape. So, what have I done to try to get back to my high school tennis playing days fitness level? I have turned to the internet. Pinterest, most specifically. And also to the clearance section at Target.

I love listening to music when I workout so I picked up this armband for my iPhone so I can listen to Pandora or my own rocking playlists. This week I purchased a stability ball (only sold in stores, $10 on clearance). When I was going to the gym, it was one of my favorite pieces of equipment to use. I'm still trying to figure out what exercises are best to do with a stability ball and that is where Pinterest comes into play. 

Through searches on Pinterest, I have found the following workouts to be fun and easy to do.

• Stability Ball Exercises from Fitness Magazine - includes pictures and a few videos
• Ab-Toning Workout from Fitness Magazine - includes pictures and videos
• Flab Fighting Workout from Fitness Magazine - includes pictures and videos
• 15 Minute Workout from Women's Health - includes pictures 

Exercising and fitness isn't all about a strong core, however, so here are a few other favorites. They use little, to no, equipment and can be done in under 10 minutes - or repeat for longer.

• Towel Workout
• Excuse-Proof Workout (love the name of this one)
• Basic Cardio

The biggest issue for me with being fit is my schedule. I'm working part-time as a teacher, spending most of my hours everyday at my school counseling internship, and attending graduate classes twice per week at night. My schedule is packed and I feel like I don't have the time to exercise. The truth is, I do though. I just need to start putting that time into my schedule on a more regular basis instead of exercising spur of the moment. There are 24 hours in a day. I only spend 8 of those hours sleeping (if I'm lucky enough to get as many as 8) and approximately 8 of those hours are devoted to my internship. How am I spending those other 8 hours? I'm trying to figure that out, but surely I can plan to spend 30 minutes to 1 hour per day exercising. That's all it takes. 

Here is my motivation for the rest of the year.

I hope this post reached some of you and you make the time for yourself to get into, or if you already are, to stay, in shape. Even if you look physically fit, which I think I do, I have realized fitness is more than just appearance.

What do you do to stay in shape? Any fitness advice or secrets?

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Isn't that quote the best?! Although it is quite the punch in the gut knowing you (probably) have the time to workout, you just have to make the time. This is the part where I wish I got those model genes that don't run in my family. Bummer.
Thanks for hanging out, Angela! 
Make sure you go show Angela some love and go visit her blog.
And thanks, again, to everyone for praying for me as I get through these next couple of busy months!
I can see the light!
Love y'all!

We're moving to Chicago

Okay, I lied. But that would be a dream of ours. Maybe in a couple years....

My boyfriend for life (aka, Chris, mah huzzband) went to Chi-town this week for work and I think you get the drift on how much he loves that town.

And I obviously am not opposed to becoming a northerner, having an actual winter, and eating endless deep dish pizzas while having season tickets to the Cubs. Ahhhh...a girl can dream.

He melts me. While I crunch numeros, Chris sends me pictures of him "working." How did I get the short end of the stick?

At least I got to have sleepovers with these two furbabies. They got to sleep IN the bedroom (normally they aren't allowed in our room) while Daddy is gone, so I consider it a sleepover. That bed is only big enough for two; the chicken and Wrigley. Poor Bays.  

The busy weeks I have been having are always washed away when I get home to packages containing adorbs items from my bloggy-friends. Seriously, Shio. This polka-dotted concoction of adorableness is too much. I LOVE my head-wrap. Love it. Go check out Shio and all her perfect creations!

How was you're week? 

What are you doing this weekend? I am working, going to church, then working more. I know you're jealous. #april15thwillbethedeathofme

Have a lovely weekend!

Linking up with From My Grey Desk and Life Rearranged.

WIWW: If I could shop... + linky par-tay

Since I complained a couple posts ago about being soooo (whiny voice) busy, it is only natural that I have no outfit pictures to share with you today. 
Instead I will show you some items I would buy if I were able to shop...
via via via via via via via
All I have been really wanting are some new wedges and a puplum dress.
I wear size 7.5 shoes (and if they don't fit I'll squeeze in them) and S/M dresses. 
Thanks in advance :)
Now onto the party!
Same story party different chapter Wednesday

Follow Alisa and I, someway, somehow - GFC or Bloglovin' I suppose

Link up ANY outfit post...because I need something to read during my breaks at work

Use our button, or link back directly to us

Have a fantastic Wednesday, and go stalk other blogs!

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You can follow me on Bloglovin' here

Instagram @sarahtuckerup

Twitter @MrsSarahTucker

Linking up with Because Shanna Said So, Rolled Up Pretty, Get Your Pretty On, and The Pleated Poppy!

Randomness that you want to hear...

Any picture with my Dad melts me...or causes sever eye squintage.

...just kidding. 
Was it mean that I lured you in and I have nothing important to say?
Okay, since I need a break from excel spreadsheet and corporate state tax returns (did that make me sound smart? I sure hope so...I need the ego boost...) I figured I would tell you some random things and catch you up on my little life.
Work, eat, sleep, forget to do your homework assignment, repeat. 
Seriously though, I forgot to do a homework assignment and my a-type-personality-who-never-misses-an-assignment just straight up forgot. Luckily, being a Daddy's girl, I've got some major skillzzz in the subject of persuasion.
Bada-bing, bada-boom, assignment submitted, no late penalty. Holla.
Moving on now, here are some pictures that might (but probably won't) interest you. 

Eggs and bacon for breakfast last week. Lazy Easy wife dinner.

Breakfast Friday morning...

...lunch Friday afternoon....and I will spare you the obnoxiously large plate of spaghetti and pizza I consumed for dinner. 

Saturday morning Bible sesh with the brown dog. Oh wait, he just wanted the food. And yes, that is my husband's carb loaded plate. Oh to have a great metabolism....

A hidden message on the nanner I left for my husband...I never asked if he saw it...hmmm.

 

Well deserved margs with a bestie from work. Sunday Funday, if you will...Sunday turned Funday.

Okay, now my fifteen minute smoke break is up. No I don't smoke, but if I did I would get a break, right? From here on out it is my fifteen minute blog break. Ha! 

Does anyone want to guest-post?

Just help a friend out, won'tcha?

Call me desperate. Call me lazy. Call me whateva you want, but make sure it equates to busy. If you weren't aware, taxes are due April 15th. Being in public...I repeat public (dun dun dunnnn)...accounting means I am the lovely one who prepares very (stooopidly) large tax returns for large corporations. Insert: bleeding eyeballs and running on Snickers and Red Bull. Having mandatory 60 hour (minimum) work weeks, plus grad school wrapping up, yo woman ain't got no time. Ain't nobody got time fo dat! The point I am trying to make is that unless someone: A) comes to my house (you are MORE than welcome) and writes my posts for me (I might make force you to do laundry and homework as well...), then I don't have time at the moment, or B) sends a guest-post to me about whatever toots your horn....then Tucker Up posts might be few and far between. And the few and far between will be more random than ever. This is your warning. I will still post for my WIWW link up, but if we are gettin' realzz herrr...I work seven days a week. That means I haven't had time on a weekend to cutely awkwardly pose in my backyard while my dogs stiff me in inappropriate places photobomb my pictures. Mrrr. SO WHAT AM I WANTING?! Guest posters!!!! If you want to guest post here on my little bloggy blog, let a girl know! You can blog about anything; clothes, dogs, life, yourself, babies, DIY, workouts, ANYTHING (but let's keep it PG13 pa-leaseee).  Just shoot me an email and let me know you want to guest post, and either then, or in another email, send me your post in HTML format. I will let you know when your post will go live that way you can let your wonderful readers know where you are hangin' out that day! So, does that sound like a deal?  Now, not all at once... Love y'all and thanks for understanding. You can bet that when April 15th comes, I will be a new less busy woman.  

Minted: Wedding Letterpress

When Minted.com contacted me, I was totally smitten. Have you been to their website? If you love anything paper, invitations, thank you notes, etc. you are about to fall in love with this little slice of internet heaven.
Minted just launched their wedding letterpress, and oh my goodness. If I could go back and get hitched again here are some of the invites I would use.




I adore the simplicity of their designs and their site is so easy to navigate. For a non-tech-savvy girl like me, it is a piece of cake.
Along with their great new line of letterpress they offer adorable stationary that I am dying to get my hands on. 
Here are my picks.



Ummm, yes please?!
So, if you are in the market for wedding invitations, stationary, announcements, you name it, Minted.com is you place.
Rest, set, go!

A Letter From Wrigley

A couple weeks ago Wrigley and Bailey headed over to Sarah's blog and introduced themselves to Floyd and all his friends. Wrigley wrote up this letter and it was just too cute not to share...just in case you didn't see the original post over at Total Basset Case, here it is for your viewing pleasure!

Hey everyone, I'm Wrigley (aka brown dog) and this is my sister Bailey (aka black dog). My Mom and Dad call me Piggles, The Pigs, Wrigs, and Pig-ooooo's. They call Bailey Bazil, Bazil-Wazel, and Bailey-girl. They usually only use our real names when we are in trouble. When my parents first got me Bailey had been an only child for two years. She wanted nothing to do with me, but my cuteness soon won her over and she is now my best bud and partner in crime. We do every thing together, and I mean everything. 

This one time, my Mom accidentally left us outside when her and my Dad went to bed. Mom is usually great about remembering her children, but sometimes her and Dad are so tired they just forget about us being outside. Well, Bailey, the Miss Priss that she is, decided she would dig out of our yard in order to rebel for being left outside. I started crying and that woke Mom up. You should have seen the look on Mom's face, priceless. She was frantically running around hollerin' Bailey's name. Poor Mom. It was two in the morning and Bailey thought it would be funny to pay Mom back by scaring her to death. Bailey had ran down the street and just about gave Mom a heart attack. Dad was basically sleep-walking trying to figure out what was going on. Mom felt really bad and let us sleep in her and Dad's room that night. Maybe Bailey should run away more often...
When Bailey isn't escaping from the backyard, which is a weekly occurrence, we enjoy wrestling with our Dad, lounging on the couch when we aren't supposed to, eating peanut butter and anything our parents give us, and we really love our toys. My favorite toy is my green pig. I love him so much I ripped his insides out and snout off. Bailey loves her rope toy, and any toy that I love.

Mom and Dad play with us all the time. Our favorite time of the day is when Mom gets home from work. She lets us run around in the front yard and we know not to leave the property. Sometimes we push the limits and Mom shouts at us. Of course we act really cute in order to avoid being in trouble. Usually Dad gets home soon after and he plays with us. We all get really dirty rolling around in the grass and Mom brushes us off before we go in the house. 

For Bailey and I, we really hit the jackpot. Bailey was picked up in a Wal-Mart parking lot and me, I was left on the side of the road and brought to the pound. Bailey melted Dad's heart, and I melted Mom's. I am not sure where we would be today without our Mom and Dad, but we are sure happy they chose us. Even though we have cost them hundreds of dollars in torn up shoes, furniture, and vet bills when they first got us, they tell us every day how much they love us and that means the world to us. 

We usually photo-bomb Mom's outfit pictures, but she doesn't mind.  

Thanks for reading my Mom's blog. Your sweet comments sure make her happy! And a happy Mom means for treats for me and they Bays!