This week I’ll be attending my second session of Love Uni-versity with Mastin Kipp! The first week was incredibly inspiring, and I can’t wait to hear what words of wisdom Mastin has for us all this week!

I believe that weekends are what keep me sane for the work week. Thank goodness for weekends!

I’m addicted to carbs. Seriously. I generally avoid carbs {thanks to a gluten intolerance}. But no amount of pain has been able to keep me away for the last week. Yum.

I wish that my addiction would be something healthier than carbs. Like vegetables.

I’m happy when I’ve slept for 10 hours. What? Ten hours is a normal night of sleep, right?? :p

Mantra for the week: There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

week in review:

- attended the first of Matin Kipp’s Love Uni-versity sessions
{Mastin Kipp is the creator of the daily love}
- started catching up on everyone’s blogs
- became acquainted with my new Nikon
- mailed lots of goodies to blog giveaway winners
- caught up on my DVR’d shows
- celebrated my fourth Valentine’s Day with the BF

weekend plans:

- work on a new {secret} vision board
- clean out/organize the closets in our house
- finish some outstanding craft projects
- stalk pinterest for more ideas
- finish catching up on blogs
- have dinner with a friend I haven’t seen in ages
-  go on a long walk with two very energetic puppies
- plan a long overdue dinner date night with friends
- spend some time at the gym
- go to at least 1 yoga class at Yoga Bliss

Confession: I’ve been in a serious workout funk.

I’ve always been religious about working out, both with gym workouts and with regular yoga classes.

And lately I just find myself lacking motivation almost entirely.

There have been workouts, but they are not nearly as intense as they were just a couple months ago. I tend to workout “better” in the early mornings, but a combination of cold/snowy weather and weird illnesses I’ve had have left most of my workouts to be, for lack of a better term, half-assed evening workouts. Yuck.

I know this semi-gym-hiatus will likely be short-lived, but I’m just so bummed about being in a slump.

Anyone else suffer from the gym/winter blues?

For now, I’ll be fighting my way through my gym/winter blues with lots of sleep, healthy eats, drinking some tea, and snuggling with a couple of puppies.

My Pinterest obsession strikes again.

This time in the form of Cake Batter Rice Krispy Treats.

They are delicious. And definitely a great Valentine’s Day treat!

Cake Batter Rice Krispy Treats Recipe:

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp of butter
1 (10 oz) bag of mini marshmallows
1/2 Cup of dry yellow cake mix
6 Cups of Rice Krispy Cereal
1 (1.75 oz) container of rainbow sprinkles

Directions:
Melt the butter in a large pan over low heat and slowly add the marshmallows in until they begin to melt.
Add in the dry (unprepared) cake mix evenly and slowly,
making sure it’s combined well with the butter/marshmallow mixture.
Stir in the cereal until it’s evenly coated with the mixture.
Then add half of the container of sprinkles into the mix; fold in until even.
Press into whatever baking dish you have handy
(for whichever thickness you prefer!)
and top with the rest of the rainbow sprinkles.
Let cool for about 30 minutes before cutting (and serving to your Valentine!).

Enjoy!

This week I will attend my first online class of Mastin Kipps’ (of the Daily Love) Love Uni-versity. Definitely excited to be working on bettering myself even further this year!

I believe that everything happens for a reason. I’ve got to keep on reminding myself of that this week.

I’m addicted to being in my PJs. Can’t help it. So comfy on these freezing cold nights!

I wish for a bit more luck this week.

I’m happy because I had an awesome weekend with family!

Mantra for the week: “I am thankful for the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends.” — Nancie J Carmody

I didn’t intend to be so absent from my blog — and life — for the last few weeks. I’ve been a bit behind on the giveaway announcement and shipping of won items! Things are getting better. I promise!

So I’ll be sure to get everyone’s winnings out soon!

The winner of the Philosophy Shower Gel is…

Comment # 20! Congrats, Amanda D!

The winner of the Bumble & Bumble prize pack is…

Comment # 15! Congrats, Nancy!

The winner of the Starbucks Tumbler is…

Comment # 14! Congrats, Krystyn!

The winner of the Sephora Favorites Glitz & Glam package is…

Comment # 12! Congrats, Cristin!

The winner of the Starbucks Gift Card — the final giveaway — is…

Comment # 5! Congrats, Valorie!

The past ten days or so have kicked my butt. I’m just not feeling well and all I think about when I am awake, is being asleep.

Which is making work just super fun.

Nothing like not wanting to be there, so not performing well; which could eventually get me into trouble…

not that I expect my absent mind to be with me forever; but it’s certainly presenting a challenge in present day.

So, like I said. I’m exhausted. And I know it’s only Tuesday, but I caught myself thinking, “I cannot wait for the weekend,” pretty much as soon as I woke up this morning.

The one thing I am kicking butt at these last 7-10 days or so? Cleaning the house. True story.

Besides thinking about going back to sleep, cleaning is the only other thing I want to do right now.

So it is what it is. I’m tired. And I’m not certain how to cope. Anyone have experience with bouts of extreme exhaustion? It’s overwhelming and I could definitely use some advice!

This week I hope to be healthy, happy, and restful!

I believe in listening to when your body says “slow down.” And I learned that the hard way last week. This week, I’m definitely more mindful.

I’m addicted to getting what I need most — sleep! Last night was my “latest” night in days! I stayed up until 10PM! And I couldn’t be happier about that.

I wish for a quick, painless, work week!

I’m happy. Period. I’m happy!

Mantra for the week: “The goal is to surrender it all! To let it all go and detach from the outcome and step into the unknown, knowing that you are guided, knowing that you are safe. And that even in the middle of the crazy shit that goes down sometimes, it’s all a divine soup that is creating the perfect outcome for you right now, even if you can’t see that in this moment.” – Mastin Kipp, of the Daily Love.

• Every time I plan on having a “lazy weekend” I end up busier than I’ve been in a very long time. This weekend I planned to be “low-key” but it was anything but.

• I went to bed before 9:30 PM every night for the last week. Exhaustion has taken over and I can’t seem to get enough rest.

• On that note, I spent a lot of time in doctors’ offices this week/weekend. I’m OK, so no worries; I just wish doctors didn’t freak me out so much — and that I trusted them!

• I started Spring cleaning a bit early this year. It’s definitely much needed. I just wish it didn’t involve going through boxes and boxes of stuff that I haven’t looked at in years. I was definitely tempted to just toss the boxes without opening them. Kind of wish I would have.

• Did anyone else think that the Superbowl commercials were just “eh“? Not very impressed.

• The Hunger Games movie comes out on March 23rd. I’m so excited! I loved the books just about as much as I loved The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books.

• This weekend we had {mostly} beautiful weather in Akron, Ohio! Today was especially beautiful and I would be seriously appreciative to Mother Nature if the remainder of the winter was this mild.

Thanks to all who have continued to enter! And my apologies for getting this post out so late; I had ‘scheduled’ it on my to-do list for very early this morning, but I had a last-minute doctors appointment I had to be at and that pretty  much threw off my whole day.

But now, onto the winners!

The winner of the “I love you, blogs and coffee” 8×10 print from MadeByGirl.com is…

Comment # 10! Congratulations, Mel from Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Your Boyfriend! I’ll be emailing you shortly!

The winner of the Sephora Rolleraball Perfume Collection is…

Comment # 114! Congratulations, Lizzy! I’ll be emailing you shortly!

The winner of the ekobrew reusable coffee filter is…

Comment # 23! Congratulations, April Hunt! I’ll be emailing you shortly!

The winner of the Sephora Jeweled Compact Mirror is…

Comment # 4! Congratulations, Stacy! I’ll be emailing you shortly!

The winner of of 1-lb of Starbucks Christmas Blend is…

Comment # 5! Congratulations, Maria of the Daily Downward Dog! I’ll be emailing you shortly!

There are still a few giveaways open, so go ahead and enter now cause the two-week giveaway extravaganza is winding down!