The Fitness Foxx

Becoming The Fitness Foxx

2012-02-05T01:21:00.001-05:00

I have to be honest with you guys.

The last few months I have been seriously slacking on my fitness.

How do I have a life/fitness inspired blog and not hardly blog about fitness??

This my dears is the 'million dollar' question.

I recently was pondering a new post and realized that all my upcoming blog posts ideas had little or nothing to do with fitness.

WTH Neiko?!!??

(deep sigh) I know, I know. I suck. Sorta.

As I was thinking about the evolution of my blog, it got me to thinking back on why I started this blog in the first place.

Alright then, here we go.

3 years and 10 months ago I gave birth to a beautifully chubby and sassy little girl named Kaeden.

During my pregnancy I gained upwards of about 60 pounds. Starting at about 140 ish pounds when I first found out I was pregnant and then tipping the scales at over 200 pounds at the time in which I gave birth to my little monster.

A little history about me and my weight; I have never been a big girl. I was always super skinny growing up. No muscle mass, no breasts, no ass. Pretty much a stick figure. With the exception with my legs in which I have super muscular calves since I always walked on my toes. At 5'6" I have always been able to carry my weight somewhat well. Especially when I went to college and gained my "freshman 15" and got some ass and boobs.

I was never into fitness or eating well. I guess you could say I was "skinny fat". Which didn't bother me.

I became super comfortable with my body in the years after high school and become pretty confident in myself (Especially after I got a serious boyfriend). And although I always ached for the bodies of Britney Spears (pre k-fed), Christina Milian, and Angelica Carrera, I wasn't really willing to put in the effort in my diet or workout to get it.

Like most women I thought the key to getting a banging body was cardio and ab exercises. Boy was I wrong. I was afraid of weights. I felt that if I lifted I would get super huge and bulky and look like a super body builder and that was NOT what I wanted. So I didn't try. For the most part I was happy with the way I looked and didn't have a problem staying that way. If it ain't broke don't fix it, right?? Wrong.

Now rewind 5 years from now. Im 23, pregnant, and getting bigger by the minute. I wasn't eating right, in fact I wasn't really eating that much at all. Since Kaeden took up so much space in my belly, I would barely eat that much before I was super full. However, although I wasn't eating that much I was eating tons of fatty, carby, and DELICIOUS foods I could always eat before my pregnancy and not worry about gaining weight.

When I delivered Kaeden March 22, 2008 at 8 pounds 1 oz I was thrilled. This was the single most accomplishing and rewarding thing I had ever gone through. She was seriously my mini. I was in bliss. That is until I saw the damage a few days after giving birth. Stretch marks, fat, and what I felt was an all around destruction of my glorious body.

DAMN YOU PREGNANCY GODS!!!! LOL, Just kidding...sorta.

In the following weeks I got into "diet and workout" mode which as I mentioned before consisted of; cardio, ab exercises, salads and chicken breasts. I thought was doing what was right in "getting back" to what once was. Again, was I wrong. Although I could see the difference in my body with each day, I still wasn't toning up like I hoped and wanted.

As this process was also continually off and on ( I wasn't exactly super consistant in my workouts or diet) I, being a stay at home mom, needed something to occupy my mind other than a crying baby. So in the 2 months that followed Kaeden's birth I started a blog. This blog in fact. But back then I called it "FoxxFides". I wanted to blog about the things that interested me at the time. Which were things happening in my life, all things beauty, and celebrity fashion/gossip. It was fun and I blogged pretty consistently for a while, but not about anything solid. My blog was all over the place. Kind of scattered brain like myself I guess. I never stuck to once specific genre and after a while I began to slow the amount I posted. Ultimately I stopped posting for months at a time.

Then, IT happened.

3 months after having Kaeden a few of my "girlfriends" from Las Vegas invited me on a trip to Miami. Knowing that I was NO WHERE close to where I wanted to be physically I was extremely hesitant to go. I knew being on a beach with my svelt and taught "no children friends" in bikinis was not where I wanted to be or my idea of fun. But after much pressing they finally convinced me to go. There was one other friend going along that had had her son 4 months before I had Kaeden and was bringing him along, so that played major factor in me going since I wouldn't be the only one bringing a kid or just having a baby.

In the weeks leading up to the trip to Miami, I was killing myself in the gym with tons of cardio and ab exercises. I was eating lots of veggies, chicken breast and small amounts of rice. I wanted to be seen as the Neiko they had known before the baby. I knew I had my work cut out for me, but I was confident in my weight loss journey. I kept my "friends" abreast to what my fitness schedule was and how I was dropping the pounds for Miami and they seemed eager to see. (*side note: None of my friends from Vegas had seen me during or after my pregnancy until this trip, so they weren't really aware of how much I gained or lost)

Now i'm in Miami. I arrived at the hotel super excited to see my friends. I had been in North Carolina for over a year and hadn't seen any of my west coast buddies and was dying to see them all. As I entered the lobby they were waiting for me. As soon as I seen them my eyes beamed with excitement but immediately noticed two of them exchange, "the" glance. "The" glance is the look women give when they see something they totally didn't expect. In a bad way. The "Oh shit, she got fat" glance. It took me back a bit when I first saw it, because these were my two closest friends of the group, but I figured maybe I was over analyzing things because I was feeling insecure so I just proceeded on with the hello's and happy greetings as if nothing happened. As we made our way to the room, the "two" that had exchanged glances hung behind as I chatted with our other friends. I was sharing a room with the "two" and while the other friends went back to their rooms to get some of their things, it began.

Not even 2 minutes in the door they began asking me questions about my weight loss "Oh wow, you must have really lost a lot of weight...(sarcastic) Lets see that body you been working on girl..."

Uhm, what?

They really wanted me to lift up my shirt and show them "my results". Right then, right now. I was in horrified. Not to mention SUPER insecure and embarrassed, so I declined. But one kept pressing "C'mon, you said you been working out, we want to see". (Oh and did I forget to mention the one asking all of this is the one that had the baby 4 months before I had. She was back to her size 0 self and was loving every minute of this. Bitch.)

So finally after what seemed like 10 minutes of badgering I caved. Slowly lifting my shirt I tried my hardest to flex the abdominal muscles I had been working on so hard and were no where close to being visable, all while trying to explain that I was still a work in progress, how much I weighed before, and blah, blah, blah. I don't honestly remember everything I said, for I was too busy focusing on the constant exchange of glances and smirks they were giving back to one another ( I promise this is NO exaggeration). Suddenly I could feel myself boiling over. I had just gotten and there and I already wanted to punch them both in the face, grab Kaeden and run out the room crying. I felt so betrayed and violated. Friends should be supportive and loving. Not put you on display after not seeing each other in over a year AND 3 months after having an 8 pound baby.

But alas I kept it together. While they frolicked on the beach in their super skimpy bikinis and posed for numerous pictures, I stayed in the background always covered up. I used to be so outgoing. I was always the one wanting to be in the front of photographs and quick to flash a complete stranger if the mood struck. I hated this. Officially the worst.Trip.Ever. FINALLY a few days later, we left Miami.

However; it didn't end there. I actually had flown back to Las Vegas with them for a few days of partying(this had been pre planned before I flew to Miami, or else I would have booked it back home on the first thing smoking).

Things seemed to be ok at this point (no more glances as far as I saw). I ended up staying with one of the "two" friends that had exchanged the glances (not the one with the baby), and while I was at her house she decided to implement some "house rules". She said that during my stay we had to workout everyday. That was fine with me since I felt completely defeated and ready to get back into my workout regime.

Now this particular friend is not super fit either. She was the epitome of skinny fat. She watched what she ate (for the most part) and did 45 mins of cardio on the eliptical only (no running at all) and abs workouts, with no abs to show for it. Thats it. She kept a slender frame, but not skinny or fit.

We would work out in her apartments gym which consisted of 1 elipical, 1 bike, 1 treadmill, and a bow flex type thingy with weights. Ofcourse you know which machine she chose. And after a night of heavy partying and 100 degree weather outside I was absolutely not getting my ass on the treadmill. So I rode the bike. As I kept a consistant pace on the bike, she texted on her phone and watched Ellen all while working out on "quick start" on the elipitical. No resistance, no incline. Great workout huh??..Give me a break.

As she finished, she looks over at me and out of no where gives me this look of total disgust. She stops, turns to me and says stalely "You're not really working out on that bike." I looked at her blankly because I didn't know where this was coming from. I mean YOU don't run, but you expect me to? You hog the eleptical and most importantly how is this even bothering you??? Its not like you're going to gain any weight from my lack of enthusiasm on the bike. So I replied as politely as I could "You know, I think I am just going to really focus my workouts at home, I do better there on my own". When I really wanted to say, BITCH mind your own damn business. Then she gives me her signature glare with a smirk and says "Oh, trust me, you don't workout."

Oh my fucking god. This bitch just got ill. It absolutely took every ounce of me not to lay into her, but since I was leaving the next day, I kept it together. Instead I just shrugged and kept peddling. I should have said something. But honestly at that very moment, I knew it was the end of our "friendship". So I really didn't care. When I arrived back home I was soooo happy. I had a renewed spirit when it came to working out. I joined a new gym, did as much research as possible on eating right and workouts, and subscribed to numerous fitness magazines. It was on. I was a beast.

Everytime I hit up the gym I thought of them. The glances. The remarks. Everything. And it drove the hell out of me. With the months that followed, I had gotten muscle mass, agility, endurance and a new found love for fitness. So much that I decided I wanted to become a personal trainer and aerobic instructor (still a work in progress). Thats when I changed this blog the TheFitnessFoxx. It was something I loved. And what I think I loved more is I was doing something they said I couldn't do. What they thought I wouldn't do. And honestly didn't really want me to do.

Now lets fast forward to now. Not as super fit as I once was. Not fat, not completely out of shape,but just...not. Back to square one to what I was before I had my daughter, and now time for me to get back to what I fell in love with. Fitness.

(please dont mind the feet, totally spur of the moment weighing, lol)

I have decided to weekly document my weight loss, workouts, and eating schedule each week sharing my progress with you along the way. I know how it feels to not be supported and people want you to fail and I am putting it all out there to share with you. I had thought of doing this when I first started my fitness blog but what too much a coward I guess to put it all out there, until now.

I'm taking a trip back out to the west coast in April and I am putting my all into getting down to 130, tight and tone. So when I see these bitches once again, I can feel what I should have felt on that trip. Confident and secure. I'm a mother dammit, and if we can't stick together we'll all crumble. Who says mom's can't be fit??

So this my loves is my tale and I will be sharing more with you along the way! Thanks for listening and I hope you tag along.

Au Revior!

Get Out of My Head!

2012-02-01T17:29:00.000-05:00

I can't take it anymore.

I explained to you before that during the winter I get extremely dry scalp.

I have been using all my usual tricks to help moisturize my scalp, but nothing has been working 100%.

Alas, I had to go back to the basics.

I joked before about looking like I belonged in an Head & Shoulders commercial, but it got me thinking.

So I scurried my ass down to Target and picked up a bottle of the 'classic'.

I also picked up some of Organix Macadamia Nut Oil Intensive Moisture Mask.

My hair was SO dry last night it looked like a freaking rats nest. Unfortunately I didn't take a before picture so you guys could actually see how tragic my hair really was.

I started with this bad boy and washed my hair 2 times intensively to really target my dry scalp.

Then for the baddest bitch right here.

I sloshed this magic elixir all over my hair and left it in for 20 mins with my hair wrapped up.

After rinsing it out I added a bit of Macadamia Nut Oil & Argan Oil and brushed through.

And voila! Magically moisturized hair!

Dud Locks

2012-01-30T21:03:00.002-05:00

Today has been a 'blah' kind of day.

Maybe I have a case of the "Monday's".

Too lazy to do much. Barely energized enough to write this post.

I have been getting over a pretty gnarly cold for the last week and I am definitely feeling sluggish.

I was able to still vacuum the house and cook dinner, but as for the dishes...bleh.

There should be some sort of rule or code that whoever cooks the dinner, the eaters should clean it up.

I wonder how good of a job my 3 year old would do on my pots and pans...???

Nah....just kidding, sort of.

(had to add a picture for good measure, the outfit she picked out for herself today :))

I am layed up having fun with my new iphone 4s while I lay in the bed feeling like crap and listening to TMZ live. Which is awesome btw.

STILL haven't had a chance to try out my Moroccan Argan & Macadamia Nut Oil, hence my dry frizzy locks that you see before you.

I had an entire plan to test out the new products and deep condition this rats nest, but after feeling the way I do after dinner I have no energy.

Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow and have an update for you by the end of the week!

Project 10 Pan Underway!

2012-01-29T18:23:00.001-05:00

(in car photo op on our way to the store)

I am happy to report that I am starting to complete some of my "29 Before 29" tasks that I posted last week.

I finally finished this bottle of Fix+ that I have been using for over a year now.

I definitely try to use things in their entirety and as minimum as possible so I can get the most bang for my buck. :)

It took all of my strength not to immediately drive down to my local MAC counter and purchase another one since Fix+ is definitely one of my staple daily beauty items, but I'm sure I will manage for a little bit longer.

Now I don't know about you, but in the winter months I get extremely dry scalp.

Maybe its a curly hair thing, but my hair gets really dry and brittle and before I know it I look like I need to be in a Head and Shoulders commercial.

Not. Cute.

I usually do my good ol' fashion mayonaise or hot oil treatment, but it doesn't look like that is even working 100%, so I needed something new.

I have heard of a lot of people raving about Argon oil so I thought i'd give it a go.

I headed down to Target and picked some up along with a few other things.

(KJ having too much fun with this cute hat)

I purchased the Organix Moroccan Argon Oil & Macadamia Oil. I initially read about this brand from Miss Nattys Beauty Blog and thought; "I have to try this out"!

I will keep you updated on the result once I give it a go.

Au Revior!

Tax Return Wish List

2012-01-28T00:18:00.000-05:00

Ah, tax season.

Don't you love it?

I absolutely used to hate tax season.

I know that it can be a pain in the ass trying to get all the correct paperwork filed and in on time.

I know how tedious it is making sure you claim all the right deductions so you can get the best return possible.

And the oh so AWESOME tax preparer fees we all pay so they can make this oh so easy for us. Right.

But now, I don't even let it faze me anymore. In fact I am so relieved when this time comes around because it means mama can finally pick up those big ticket items I have been lusting over all year long.

This years tax lust is short however.

Surprising?

No more surprised than I my friends, no more surprised than I.

Here are they are;

1. A California King Bed

courtesy of pinterest

In the 6 years my husband and I have been married we have hunkered down in the queen sized bed I have had since college. Why? Well...It never really fazed us really. Snuggled up under each other in a halo of love the bed seemed perfect. That is until we had our daughter. Then things started to get, er...crowded. Not to mention that my husband is 6'6", so...yeah...

2. DSLR

I have wanted a top of the line DSLR since I started blogging. But could just never afford one. I did purchase my current baby the canon s95

last year around this time but I still yearned for that bigger body baby that makes my pics look like the pros. I've narrowed down to a Canon its just to choose which one.

Canon 600D

Canon 550D

Canon 60D

As you can see I have a few choices to choose from. Some are more expensive than others but I think what it boils down to for me is if it will work for what it is I am trying to do. Decisions. Decisions.

3. Dip Station

Ofcourse I would want some sort of fitness equiepment ya'll!! I am really trying to get a more adequate 'At home' gym happening and I think this bad boy would be great to the collection. Its not too bulky and wont take up much space like a treadmill or eliptical. Plus it won't make as much noise.

Welp, that concludes my current Tax Return wish list. What are you hoping to use your tax return towards?

My Top Beauty Items Of 2011

2012-01-27T19:40:00.000-05:00

click to enlarge

Ok I might be a little late, but who hasn't been?

I probably should have cranked out a "Top Beauty Items of 2011" post in the first week of January or end of December, but as I explained in my previous post I am a bit of a procrastinator.

With that said, I have narrowed down my list of top beauty items that I used on a daily or semi-daily basis in 2011.

Let me start off by saying that my list is pretty short.

I hate long drawn out lists that some beauty bloggers tend to dish out of items they either recently bought or hadn't really used and dub it their "Favorite" or "Top" beauty item of that month or year just because they recently hauled it.

I am not one of those.

I actually LOVED, swear by, or continuously use every single item I am sharing with you.

Here they are;

1. Olay Complete
I use this moisturizer every.single.day. Its really light and creamy and keeps my 'normal/combination' skin in tip top shape. Its extremely reasonably priced (about $7) and lasts a REALLY long time. I use a pea sized amount with a few spritzes of MAC's Fix+ and Voila!

2.Kim Kardashian Perfume
I know. I know. You are all reading this like "really Neiko? Kim Kardashian??"
Call her what you will, but the bitch knows how to make some perfume. Very similar smelling to that of Michael Kors with heavy notes of gardenia and mandarin this perfume is my go to fragrance every time I go out. I kid you not I have people stop me everywhere asking me what I am wearing. And I am not going to lie, sometimes I am embarrassed to say its her perfume, but I still love it.

3. E.L.F. Eyebrow Kit in 'Medium'
I have very thin eyebrows. Not in shape but in fullness. I was not blessed with the luscious brows of Megan Fox or Bert of Bert and Ernie so filling in my brows is a daily must. I bought this at Target ($3) at the beginning of 2011 and I still have quite a bit left even with daily use. I have tried MAC brow pencils, Benefit Brow Duos (which are the same exact concept as E.L.F. but wayyy more expensive and not that great of color pay off), Anastasia Brow Kit, and I still prefer E.L.F. over all of them.

4. Physicians Formula Baked Bronzer in 'Baked Bronze'
These were all the rage in 2009. It was supposed to be a dupe for MAC's Mineralized Skin Finishes when they first came out. They definitely are not identical dupes in any way, but non the less is a pretty decent daily bronzer that adds warmth to my face without giving me a muddy or "Snooki" look.

5. Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask
When I ran out of Night of Olay night cream I thought I was going to die. As I have gotten older I have noticed the fine lines and expression marks that are starting to appear. Oh hells no. Nightly moisturizing is essential to if not only for a little while, stop mother nature in her tracks. Desperately ran sacking my toiletries drawer I came across this small tube of the Origins mask that came in a gift set Jermaine had gotten me for a past anniversary. Ok, I guess I'll try this...AND I LOVED IT. Its very smooth and creamy just like a lotion/cream not like a mask at all. It soaks right up into my skin and you don't have to wash it off. It has a very nice citrus smell to it also and I now use this as my nightly moisturizer.

6. MAC Studio Finish Concealer in 'NC 35'
I don't think there is much I can say about concealer. This is just one of those "go to" items I have been using for years and have yet to stray. If it ain't broke don't fix it, right?

7. Wet & Wild Color Icon Palette in 'Vanity'
I think everyone jumped aboard the Wet & Wild bus when they started producing higher quality and amazingly pigmented palettes for a steal! I probably grab for this palette before any of my MAC shadows or other palettes when I am going out or going for a neutral "everyday" look. Priced at about $4 this palette is my definite go to baby on the regular.

8. NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in 'Beige'
There is absolutely nothing beige about this lip gloss. It is in fact a very pretty bubble gum pink that I adore. What the hell they were thinking when they named it, I don't know but what I do know is this gloss right here, is a bad bitch. You will always find this gloss in my makeup bag for a quick natural pink pout whenever mama needs it ;)

And that ladies and gentlemen are my Top Beauty Items of 2011.

Hope This was helpful!

Au Revoir!

25 Things Plus 4 More

2012-01-26T17:57:00.001-05:00

I always get sick on or around my birthday.

Not a 'maybe' or a 'sometimes' gets sick, but ALWAYS.

There hasn't been a birthday that I can remember that I was not deathly sick or nursing away some sort of illness. And this birthday is no different.

After a ton of shots and concoctions of mixed drinks I spent the better half of the 24 hours that is my day of birth hugging the ole' porcelain throne. Quite certain I was at my end and on the verge of my death bed, the hangover FINALLY started to subside.

Thank you god. Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU.

...Then I awake the next day. To what is probably one of thee worst headaches ever. But it didn't come alone to this party. Accompanied by severe congestion, coughing, and a lot if boogers. Yeah I said it, boogers.

Ughhh..what did I do to deserve this fate? Was the hangover, puking and dry heaving not enough?!? Apparently not.

So I digress, I am sick. Comforted with Theraflu and Mucinex at my aid and hot tea and honey by my side. Hoping the heavens will open up and say, "No more illness for you neiko, today you have had enough"... Yeahhh, I know. Fat chance.

I try and quarantine myself from the rest of the clan hoping to not infect them with this wretched bug, but I fear it is already making its rounds in the Foxx house. Jermaine who has a vigorous training schedule over the next few weeks is desperately trying to make sure he doesn't catch it either. Downing loads of Theraflu and vitamin C and sleeping in the living room in hopes of cutting the the sickness off at the start. Kaeden has also started to exhibit some coughing too.

Great. Awesome. Just peachy. Now when Im done nursing myself back to health I will have to nurse them too. Things are taking and eventful start in 2012 don't ya think? Bleh.

Well then, since I have all this ~~leisure~~ time to hang around I might as well have a little fun.
There is a 25 before 25 tag going around, annnd since I'm 28 I figured I'd do 29 things before 29 tag..or 28 things...eh..who cares we'll just play it by ear shall we? Ok, lets begin.

1. Finish My Degree

I have been working on my bachelors for what seems like forever now, and with all the breaks I have taken to deal with life, I often wonder if I will ever finish. So I would definitely firstly get that finished.

2. Make a Bucket List

Who hasn't already or doesn't want to make a list of the things they would like to do before they die? I think I have been mentally writing mine since I was 10. Skydiving, swim with dolphins, have a magician make me disappear...Fun right?

3. Begin Doing Things on Said Bucket List

I think this one speaks for itself. Its easy to write things down and say what you want to do, but its a whole other thing to actually put it into action.

4. Renew My Vows

My husband and I sorta eloped 6 years back and never really had a 'real' wedding. So I would like to before Im 30 renew my vows and love to the man in my life.

5.Have Another Baby

Yep. I'll admit it. The baby big is slowly creeping its way back over here and I would life for my daughter to have a sibling to play with before there is too big of an age difference.

6.Visit Family Back Home

It has been years since I have graced Californian soil and I am wayyyy over due to see all my family and friends from back home. This year I would like to make the trip and be back in the land that birthed me.

7. Take a Ballroom Dancing Class

I have always loved dance. It actually used to be a really big passion of mine. Maybe watching Dancing With The Stars has me itching to 'Tango' it out, but I definitely think it would be an experience worth trying.

8. Train For a Fitness Competition

I love working out. Its a passion that I found out I had over the last few years and I want to see how training my body like the pros and actually competing would be like.

9. Run a Half Marathon

I HATE running. No, I don't think you get it. I really, really, REALLY hate it. BUT, and there is a big but, I love what running does for the body and the time and training it takes to build the endurance to run long distance. With my mind for the task I think I'd run the hell out of a half marathon.

10.Cut My Hair Off

Ok, maybe not Sinead O'conner bald, but I have always had long hair and been too 'chicken' to cut it. Snip, snip.

11. Blog Every.Single.Day.

I know this is already something that I have in the works, but it is still something I aim to complete in this year.

12. Create a Photo Diary Every Day

I've seen quite a few people doing this as well where there take a photo each day with quote or caption. I think this would be amazing in congruence with my daily blogging and help improve my photography skills :)

courtesy of vegan yumyum

13. Buy a Fancy Smancy DSLR

I love my s95. I know its one of the top point and shoots out there on the market right now, but I really would love to try my skills with a more pro-like cammy.

14. Find a Church that I like, and actually go every Sunday

Im not saying we're heathens, but we definitely don't go to church that much...or ever. I have faith and a religion but since moving to NC I haven't had the courage to check out any new churches since I have only been to church's in California and know churches in the south can be a little more...well..more. We'll just keep it at that. In any case I want to be able to have a church away from home that we can call our own.

15. Take a Sewing Class

I have a sewing machine that I tinker with and know how to do basic stitches with, but I want to be able to know that mother effer inside and out.

16. Sew an Outfit from Scratch

Once I learn the 'ins and outs' of my sewing machine I would like to create something that is a Foxxy original.

17.Create a Cookbook with All of My Grandmothers Recipes

I LOVE my grandmother's cooking. As the woman who raised me into the woman I am and blessed me with some of her cooking skills, I hold my grandmother's cooking very near and dear to me. Since mostly all of her recipes are not written down but made by memory I aim to create a book that has all her signature dishes that we can pass down from generation to generation in our family.

18.Cook from Scratch Everyday

I can cook. I can cook really well in fact. But I am not going to deny I am lazy. So lazy that I probably get some sort of 'fast food' once a week. I want to explore more cooking styles, tastes and recipes and abolish the fast food that we bring into our home so often.

19.Buy a House

We have been holding off from buying a home for quite some time now since my husband is in the military and his current orders aren't permanent. We have been waiting until he gets a more permanent assignment before we make the BIG purchase. Hopefully this will happen by next year (fingers crossed).

20. Buy a New Car

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that my car was totaled in December of last year so I am definitely in the market for a replacement set of wheels.

21. Donate to Charity More

Im no 'super' philanthropist or anything but I do give frequently when I can. However; I know there is always more that I can do. I want to be able to volunteer at soup kitchen, food bank, or clothing drive to help the less fortunate.

22.Be More Consistant

My name is Neiko, and I am a procrastinator. I can't help it. It was the way I was raised I guess, and now I see the error of my ways. I want to keep all of the appointments I make, be ONTIME, and do more of what I set out to do.

23. Go See a Movie Once a Month
The hubby and I don't get out that often and definitely don't go to see new films when we do. I want to at least make it a ritual to see a new film in theaters monthly.

24.Read 3 New Books

I used to be a book worm in school. Something about the smell of the binding and the folding back of a crisp new page that gets me. I've notice I don't read as much anymore. I think reading 3 new books before 29 is a realistic start.

25. Use 4 Make-up Items Daily

I find that more more than anything I have become a collector of make-up. Primarily because it's pretty. And I have all these "ideas" of what I can do with it, but never do. I want to use at least 4 make-up products whether it be concealer, mascara, eyeliner, and lipgloss, but on a daily so I can start actually putting a dent in my collection.

26.Complete Project 10 Pan

This was a beauty challenge going around the blogging community about a year or so ago when you have to use 10 beauty products in their entirety (hitting pan, hence the name) before you buy another beauty product. I thought this was a brilliant idea and attempted it on more than one occasion, but never successful. This WILL happen before next year. It must I tell you, it must!!

27. Eat Sugar Less

I LOVE candy. I mean I truly and whole heartedly love the stuff. Especially sour and tangy type candies. Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, anything Haribo. Oh how I cherish thee. But the problem is thats why I gain my weight. Sugar. I notice when I abolish sugar from my diet and stick to Splenda and fruit I drop weight like crazy. So you my dear 'frenemy' must go.

28.Show More Love on Blogs and Social Networks I Follow

I'm a bit of a creeper. I blog stalk my favorite blogs and bloggers on the regular but am either too lazy or shy to post comments. I want to start showing more love and support to the fellow bloggers that I love!

29.Scrapbooking!

I have always had a facination and admiration for people that scrapbook. I think it comes out so beautifully when completed and amazing to look back on all the memories you had! I want to have my first scrapbook completed by end of year. Hey! I'll blog about my progress!! :)

Phew! That was longwinded! But I am actually pretty impressed with myself for putting this all out there! Now I am going to tag some of my favorite blogger to also complete this challenge! Now remember if you not technically "25" just do the amount of how ever many years you are going to be the next year!

I Tag; Heather of Wifezilla Hekela, Krystal of Beauty By Krystal,Camilla of Eclectic Camilla, and Kim of Fab Four Bundle

Have Fun Ladies!!!

Operation Blog Everyday Underway!

2012-01-25T16:47:00.002-05:00

I have decided that I am going to blog everyday.

Yes, thats right people.

Every fricken day.

Why, might you ask? Well because I am in dire need of change. I have had this blog for a few years now and I absolutely haven't put 100% into it as I wanted to when I first started it.

Now is the time for me to challenge myself.

And I can honestly say it has been quite a while since I have truly given myself a challenge that I actually completed. Today that stops. Today I give myself and my blog the boost that I have been aching for. :)

So now what..?

...Well they never said change would be easy. So here we go....again.

(click to enlarge)

From my not so recent yet recent enough trip to Atlanta in November that I meant to blog about but, never did.

Like I always say, "Better late than never!" Wait...Or was that somebody else...?

A 'Cracking' Start to 2012 & 2011 At A Glance

2012-01-24T16:14:00.001-05:00

Happy 2012 everyone!! I know I am a little late, but hey better late than never right? Anyways my birthday recently passed on the 22nd and I for one had a birthday I will NEVER forget! Even though I don't even remember most of the details after a certain point...SMH..(never mix Jager with Tequila I tell ya...) so as collateral damage my iphone 4s took a tragic spill in the parking lot of the bar as I was making my very drunken exit and the screen shattered into a million pieces :( .

Luckily, I have AppleCare+ through Sprint and it covers 2 accidental damages. So i've only got 1 left over the next 2 years so I better make it count! I had to send my phone off to be repaired and should be back in action in a couple of days :). In the meantime I thought I'd share some photos I have have compiled from my s95 and Iphone from 2011!!

So Tragic...:( RIP Iphone 4s

Getting it in!! #gymtime

I love this Snow White Graphic sticker that I got for my Macbook!

LOVE

I thought this was so funny!!! Thanks @tyanamelva for this!

RIP to my Jeep in 2011! Time for an upgrade!!!

That waffle was sooo good! Aww man! Apple cinnamon, Gladys did the damn thang.

My princess.

LOL, I am just now noticing all my photos have the same pose, hahaha

Mending broken lipsticks

Enjoying sweets with my sweet! Have a good 2012 everybody!!

InstagramATIC

2011-12-28T00:52:00.001-05:00

Everyone knows I have been in love with my new iPhone 4s and I have been snapping a few flicks here and there and decided I'd share!

Le Carnivale!

2011-11-05T22:14:00.002-04:00

Recently our little family decided to check out Fort Bragg's Oktoberfest annual carnival that they have during the month of October for Halloween! It has really cooled down lately so it was a lot colder than the last time we went to the Fort Bragg festival last year but we still had a blast. Here are a few flicks of our carnival adventure.

InstagramATIC

2011-11-05T18:44:00.001-04:00

I have been loving my Instagram and Hipstamatic apps on my iPhone! Here a just a few flicks that I have taken over the past weeks.

Fall Fun 2

2011-10-31T16:40:00.001-04:00

What I love most about living on post is that they have a lot of organized activities for the kids during holidays time. Yesterday we went to Halloween bowling where the kids got to bowl, eat and rent shoes for $5 bucks! Deal! So we all had our hand on the lanes trying to beat Jermaine the champ! Then after we headed after to care out some pumpkins!

Fall Fun!

2011-10-31T16:31:00.001-04:00

Fall is honestly my favorite time of the year. The golden-orange leaves falling from the trees, the cool crisp weather that calls for warm layers and scarves, and Halloween ofcourse! We recently went to our first pumpkin patch as a family and had an absolute blast! It was unusally cold for and has been for the last couple of weeks so we were really bundled up, but regardless of the weather it was still so much fun!

They had a pretty awesome play area for the kids.

The pumpkin jump was my favorite part!

They even had an awesome corn maze where you had to solve the mystery of missing Farmer John.

Jermaine getting a little lost...

We snagged 2 pumpkins for $2!! Score!

Memorial Day Fun

2011-06-12T10:29:00.023-04:00

Over the past year, the hubby and I have found ourselves being recluses. We don't go out, we don't party, all we seem to do is work and stay home watching Netflix. Needless to say we need(ed) a little excitement in our lives!! So this memorial day weekend which luckily for us was a 4 day for Jermaine and me both we decided to take advantage and have a family trip! We traveled up to Wilmington and acted like complete tourists!! :)

First we went to the Battleship NC

Downtown Wilmington across the water from the ship

Kure beach/Fort Fisher Aquarium

Albino alligator

Kure Beach!!

This boardwalk was thoroughly disappointing

Until next time!!

Today's Workout

2011-04-26T19:30:00.000-04:00

Today marks day 1 of my revamped meal plan and workout regime to get fit & ready for summer. Right now its all about cardio, cardio, CARDIO! You wanna burn those calories ladies and lose fat you got to do the cardio. So I started my workout like this:

20 mins speed roping drills/ warm-up
45 mins eliptical on hills plus @ level 5 then 20 mins in up'd to level 7

Today was also a focus day on the "front" of my legs. I.E. Mostlty quads with a bit of calf work.

Legs Presses (4) sets of (15) reps at 40 Lbs then up'd to 60
Leg Extentions (4) sets of (12) reps at 25-30 Lbs
Calf Raises (4) sets of 30-35
Calf Extentions (4) sets of (30) reps at 25-30 Lbs

I then "cooled" down with 30 mins in the sauna doing deep stretching since your muscles stretch better when they are warm. Needless to say I was drenched with sweat when I left! Pretty successful workout if I must say so myself. Summer is getting close!!

Easter Egg Fun!

2011-04-22T11:47:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday KJ's school hosted their annual Easter egg hunt! We actually almost didn't make it because I accidently over slept. We just barely made it with only a few minutes to spare before the big hunt!! :) Here are some shots of all the fun;

All in all, we had a really great time!! Between all the candy, turtles, & the weather it was PERFECT!

Vitamins! Vitamins! Vitamins!

2011-04-13T14:25:00.002-04:00

Before the picture gets you to thinking, NO I AM NOT PREGNANT!! I just thought I would share with you my recent multi-vitamin purchase that just so happens to be a prenatal vitamin. *DISCLAIMER: No, by taking a prenatal vitamin it will not increase your chances of getting pregnant. All it is intended to do is provide you with the adequate nutrients your body needs (as any woman needs in general) but more so if you decided to prepare for a child*.

Now I am usually a completely avid vitamin taker. But because I have fallen slightly off of my healthy eating wagon the last couple of weeks I have not been keeping up with taking them so much. When I am taking my multi-vitamins I choose the brand Rainbow Light. I don't know what it is but it doesn't irritate my stomach like some multi-V's. In my quest to find my daily multi-vitamin by Rainbow Light I could not find it ANYWHERE! Not Target, not at the Commissary, not even P/X. The only multi-vitamin they had in that brand was the Prenatal Vitamin.

Fortunately enough, prenatal vitamins are just as good as daily multi-v's. So I snatched the bottle right up! In fact, most doctors prefer women who are trying to get pregnant start taking prenatal vitamins up to a year before they plan to conceive. Hence the term "PREnatal" Vitamin. Plus, they also have almost identical ingredients to the regular daily multi-v. In congruence with taking my daily vitamin I also take Silica Tablets which are PHENOMENAL for hair and nail growth and health.

Happy Health!! :)

Drug Store Sale Haul

2011-04-06T21:30:00.000-04:00

Over the past week I have been doing a 'little' bit of hauling at my local drugstores and came across a couple of pretty good sales. One of which being Ulta's Buy One, Get One 50% off. I immediately snatched up some NYX products that I have either been meaning to try out or 'needing' to get.

These are the new NYX Soft Matte lip creams that I feel are very similar and comparable to OCC Lip Tars. They have a slight different texture & feel, as well as application, but same overall result.

{with flash: Antwerp, Stockholm, Addis Ababa, Milan}

{Without: Antwerp, Stockholm, Addis Ababa, Milan}

I also picked up 2 NYX lip liners in the colors Hot Red and Nude pink. I really needed both of these lipliners because I have so many pinkish-nude lipsticks & no lip liner to go with them. I also have a couple of reds that I desperately needed to pair with an adequate red liner.

I also picked up 2 of the W&W Mega Last matte lipsticks from the P/X

{905D "Smokin' Hot Pink, 901D "Red Velvet"}

I absolutely LOVE these lippies!! Damn, W&W done up'd their game from granny eyeliner & Chola lip liner!! LOL GOOD FOR YOU W&W, GOOD FOR YOU!!! :)

Sunday Funday 1.0

2011-04-04T22:15:00.001-04:00

Sundays for me now a days are always a day of calm and relaxation. Mostly because I don't have to deal with the unfolding 'soap opera' dramas at work {i'll elaborate more later} AND because its just a day that I get to have all for myself :)

Needless to say when the sun decided to show its gleaming face down on us North Carolinian inhabiters, I took a moment to dwell in it. Spending time with my family is sometimes the best therapy I can ever have when I am feeling like the world is crumbling around me. Even if sometimes they are the cause of my premature gray hairs {yes, a bitch has gray hairs...here and there...*takes deep breath and shakes fists} Yet, no matter what having one day just to sit back, relax and enjoy the ever so temperamental sunshine.

High Protein Tuna Cakes

2011-03-30T18:20:00.000-04:00

Today I was really rushing around to get everything done around the house before I had to be at work. KJ had her first day of school, I managed to squeeze in a workout, and when I came home I realized my kitchen looked like a bomb blew up in it and I had nothing prepared for dinner or lunch. Shit. Opened the cabinet and instantly I saw the bazillion cans of tuna I had stacked all over the place. Score. So I threw in a few ingredients and MAGIC!! Yummy in my tummy.

High Protein Tuna cakes
Makes 4 Cakes

2 Cans of chunk light tuna packed in water(drained)
1 egg white
1/2 Zucchini shredded
1/4 or 1/2 small carrot shredded
sea salt & garlic powder for seasoning

combine all the ingredients, mold them into medium sized patties and lightly fry in a non stick pan with some non stick cooking spray until golden brown on each side. That's it!! Try it out & tell me what you think!!

Skeevy gym guys...

2011-03-28T13:34:00.001-04:00

Ok, so today I totally had a run in with a skeevy gym guy. What is a skeevy gym guy might you ask? Well according to Urban Dictionary the term "Skeevy" pertains to being; Shifty, sleazy, creepy, dirty, dodgy, nasty. So yes, you can most definitely say this creep was well...a creep. Now usually when I work out I go to the gym that is a few miles away from my house, but this morning I didn't feel like making the drive all the way there so I decided to go to the gym within my housing development. Now I have mentioned before I live on a military installation or "post" so the gym by my house is usually not that occupied. I don't know if it is because the average military wife doesn't have time or want to use the gym but there is almost NEVER anyone in the gym there. So I took advantage of this privacy and decided today would be a good day to work on some roping drills and possibly video record a snippet or two. Well, as soon as I arrived to the gym, the maintenance guy was right by the woman's locker room when I entered. He had skeevy material written all over him for he had the biggest shit eating grin all over his face when I came in & he was just ALL UP IN A SISTERS GRILL! Ugh, great not one of these. Anyway, so I proceeded to change in the locker room and head over to the half basketball court that the gym has to warm up with some roping. I like using this court also because the floors are slightly padded and give better cushion for my knee's when I jump. Immediately "skeevster" watches me enter the BB court with my rope with a slight curiosity on his face. Before I am even in there for 2 minutes, he wastes no time to pass by one of the three large glass windows that seperates the BB court from the "main" gym portion. I guess he was "maintenance-ing" something, but I don't know what the hell what, since he had no kind of tools in hand or in his area. Through-out my 1 hour workout this creep passes the BB court doors and the large windows that look inside OVER 10 times. This is no exaggeration. I was really starting to get pissed off and was tempted to march right over to the main housing office and lodge a complaint. In no way was this guy being discreet at all. Finally he lingers around the BB court doors for the last time and I decide I can't take it anymore and leaves. Giving him the dirtiest look ever. Instead of lodging the complaint the first thing I decide to do is blog about it :). I mean thats what blogging is for right? Anywho, I definitely think I gave this guy a pass on not getting in his shit about his stalker ways, but next time I won't be so nice. Now this is not my first rodeo and definitely not my first run in with a skeevy gym guy at all, but when you work there dude? C'mon son, can you atleast understand you are at work and atleast TRY to make it look like you are doing something productive?? Now I have broken down these "SKeevy gym guys" into 4 catagories.

1. Skeevy Pervert Gym Guy- This guy is your most common level 1 pervert that probably only goes to the gym to checkout out women. This guy usually has no muscle mass and no real purpose seemingly at the gym, but can always be conveniently found in the facinity of a woman working out creepily undressing her with his eyes.

2. Skeevy "I think I'm really doing something when I'm not" Gym Guy- This guy is found putting on a "show" anytime a girl is in his area. All of a sudden he will begin to starting grunting, or groaning really loud as he works out trying to give off the illusion that he is really getting after it in the gym when really; he's lifting 15LB dumbbells. SMH...

3. Skeevy Employee of the gym Guy- This one is the guy I recently encountered and 'should' be working but instead uses his job as an underhanded way to check out and perve on girls. This guy is not limited to: Trainers, maintenance guys, or regular gym employees.

4. Skeevy "I think I run the gym" Guy- Oh this guy is my favorite. The 'ass-hole' skeever that thinks no one else {especially women} are allowed in the free-weight or heavy lifting areas because it is limited to the 'VIP's' like himself. Pssshhhh, PUH-LEASE. I hate guys like him because he really makes it hard for women to get comfortable in trying new thing or areas out in the gym because he is too busy staring them down as if they don't belong. This is the guy ladies who really probably has a small penis from all the roids he takes, so please take his attitude with a 'grain of salt'.

And there you have it Gym Skeeving at its finest. We must find a way to abolish these creepsters ladies before they make all women give up on going to the gym all together. Let me know your "Skeevy" Gym guy experiences!!!

Not SO healthy Recipe post

2011-03-26T20:59:00.002-04:00

Although I love eating healthy clean eats, this gal likes to engage in the occasional Twinkie or two. Is that so wrong?? So earlier this week while visiting one of my favorite foodie blogs, http://eatliverun.com/ I saw a post she did on homemade pizza rolls and she got me hankering for some. Yes, straight up old school Totino's pizza rolls. And although her blog has me LITERALLY salivating for these rolls she created, I am just not the professional chef that she is. I mean, she really IS a chef! I am also very uneasy with dealing with yeast and have many times tried at making homemade pizza dough with little success. I am woman enough to admit when I am defeated. Not to say that in the future I will not try again at perfecting my yeast using abilities, but as far as this recipe goes I found a much simpler solution.

Pizza (egg) Rolls

1 package of wonton wrappers
1 can pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
pepperoni(optional)

Start by taking 1 wonton wrapper and place 1-2tsp of pizza sauce(I used four cheese pasta sauce) in the middle of the wonton wrapper.
Next add Cheese and/or desired topping such as pepperoni, sausage, or veggies.
Then, fold the wrapper according to the package or as you would a regular eggroll.
Next fry the pizza (egg) roll in a shallow bath of your desired frying oil(I used olive oil)
Fry on each side until golden brown on each side (watch out for the filling bursting out during frying)

And VOILA! DEE-LISH-OUS homemade pizza rolls!!! Try it out and tell me what you think!

Whats on YOUR gym playlist?

2011-03-26T09:45:00.001-04:00

I have been really been feeling Eminem on my ipod lately. I don't know what it is about the tempo in his flows or just the power behind his words, but they have been really powering me through the gym lately. I have been doing a lot more speed roping drills lately and with me working on my 'double unders', rap has been doing it for me.

1. "Lose yourself"-Eminem

2. "Til I collapse"-Eminem

3. "I'm not afraid"-Eminem

4. "Put it down on me"-Jeremih

5. "I'll whip ya head"-50 Cent

Ain't this about a ...

2011-03-24T08:37:00.003-04:00

As some of you may know if you follow me on twitter a few weeks ago I have had to resort to buying the Wet & WWild NYE 2011 palettes on Ebay after many unsuccessful attempts at getting these gorgeous babies in my grasp. The palettes retail for about $5 to $6 depending on where you go. I ended up paying $10 a piece for mine including shipping from Ebay so it isn't that big of a difference, but I still hate buying any limited edition anything off of Ebay because so many people take advantage of beauty junkies like myself who; a)may not have gotten a chance to purchase an item before it sold out or b) procrastinated on getting the item before the hype hit and then decided they wanted it after it was too late. Either way the 'Beauty Scalpers of Ebay' go out & buy a shit ton of beauty items they know are going to be limited edition or sell out quickly & sell them on ebay for almost double the price. Little shits. Fortunately for me the person I bought from didn't have their prices too jacked up and I actually ended up going at it in an auction battle with someone down to the last second. But none the less I got my hands on these little puppies :)

Now for the fuckery. Yesterday I was shopping in my local Walmart for some of my basic household items and random goodies when I passed the cosmetic isle. Now, if you are a true beauty junkie like myself you can NOT just pass the cosmetic isle. Especially without taking a little looksie, just in case you might spot something new. As I passed the W&W section, I almost didn't bother taking a glimpse at it to see if they had the palettes since I was almost certain they would not after my weeks and weeks of trying before. AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW?? There they are. 2 out of the 3 palettes! {Blue Had me at Hello & Comfort Zone} Well, ofcourse I could't just pass them up! I snatched those bad boys up just to have as backups. But honestly after thinking about it, I haven't even opened the other ones that I have. This led me to an idea: "Maybe I'll have a contest??" I Haven't thought of the rules or guidelines yet but I'm sure I'll make it something simple. Keep checking back for more info!!