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Lift Women Up, Breathe Confidence, Stand Strong – Women in Leadership Conference

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strong women

This week I attended the Women in Leadership Conference hosted by the OCU Meinders School of Business (thanks to my amazing supportive company – BIGWING!) Going into it I was sure I’d like the conference, but didn’t know how amazing, inspired, and powerful I would feel leaving it.

One thing I wanted to note about this conference is that it was in no way created to put men down (we love our men!), but to lift women up. I hardly every admit or like to talk about this issue because I don’t believe it, yet many women face sexism today. Sometimes you must admit a problem exists to overcome it, whether you want to or not.

Growing up, I was very lucky to be led by both a strong mother and father. I never felt weak, or less powerful than a man. Confidence was instilled in me at an early age and I have carried it like a shield growing up.

I haven’t felt the brunt of sexism often in my life. Both companies I have worked for have been led by strong women, I have a very supportive husband and father, and I haven’t felt my sex hold me back in terms of job growth or positions available to me. However, sexism is still there and I can’t just wish it away. We need to recognize it, and actively address it when we see it! Unfortunately this is not an easy problem to fix. [Read more…]

Glute/Leg Focused Workout at Home +Video

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THIS IS YOUR WAKEUP CALL LADIES! There is about two more months until bikini season. Time to buckle down and lose some of that excess…shall we say winter fluff? I know, I know, you are already so busy, but you don’t have to work out for a hour each day. How about you start with 20 or 30 minutes?

Lack of time shouldn’t hold you back from getting the body you want, plenty of studies show that simply putting in 10 minutes of work can make a huge different to your health. While I’d prefer to have an infinite amount of time to spend at the gym, sometimes all I have is 30 minutes (max.) Other times, I would rather have a little more time actually working out, rather than commuting, so I choose to workout in the cleanest room of our apartment. Also, it’s best to first put up your animals before beginning your workout, as you’ll see demonstrated in the video. The Fig was trying to get her workout in too 😉

As people have said before me, and will say after me, it’s about consistency in working out and eating  good, healthy food to see the results you want in your physical looks, and also your health.

Glute Leg Focused Workout

Here’s a simple workout to be done in your house squeezed in between work and all of your other obligations. This workout can be done with or without weights. I challenge you to use weights to help build muscle faster, but no weights will do the trick too!

Glute Leg Workout Breakdown

There are a total of 3 sets of moves, incorporating two strength moves and 1 cardio move. After each set of moves, pause the video and do it 2-3 more times. After you complete the first set of moves for a total of 3-4 sets, press play and go to the second set of moves and so on.

Dependent on your fitness level, you can go through it all one time. You have to start somewhere! Or, if you want to make it more challenging, increase the weight, or go through the set a total of 5 times instead of 4. The goal is to make your legs feel like jelly by the end 😉 If you aren’t sore the next day, you didn’t challenge your body enough.

Let me know if you tried out the workout! I’d love to see if you felt the burn. Also, let me know if you would like a workout focused on another part of the body!

How – To Celebrate the 2017 Oscars In Style

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Oscars 2017

The 2017 Oscars are almost here and I am so excited! It’s such a fun glamorous event, plus an excuse to celebrate. Who can believe we are celebrating the 89th annual? Also, one of my TV boyfriends, Jimmy Kimmel, is hosting so we all know that’s going to be a fun time.

Growing up I didn’t watch too much television (we weren’t allowed cable) but movies were an entirely different story. I fondly remember curling up in my parents’ bed, watching movie after movie. I love love LOVE movies.

Oscars 2017 Movie Predictions

I can’t wait to see the Oscar winners for 2017. I haven’t gotten to see as many of the nominated movies as I would have liked, but I have seen a handful and have been very impressed. While there were plenty of incredible (and very sad) ones, overall, La La Land remains top of mind. La La Land was one of those movies you continue to think about for days after you’ve seen it. I won’t give anything away, but… the end…!!! And if you weren’t already in love with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, you will be approximately one second into the movie.

The Arrival was also one of those special movies. It was a little strange, but very, very touching, especially with everything going on in the world today. Both Arrival and La La Land were very very different, yet there were overall similarities. I pondered how they both so beautifully showed the complexities of humans (and aliens) and how important it is to love one another. You never know where your life may take you, but be sure to love greatly and appreciate all of those moments with your loved ones. Okay…so into the fun stuff.

Hosting a 2017 Oscars Celebration Party

I feel everyone should have a special party for the Oscars. Even if “party” means a lot of pizza, wine, and friends.

Rules to having a memorable evening:

      1. Don’t dare miss the Red Carpet beforehand, that’s one of the funnest parts! I can’t wait to see which ladies bring it!
        2.Cast votes into which movie will win the most awards, and which actor/actresses will win the most.
          3. Have a naughty treat, be it champagne or brownies. Or both 😉
            4. Enjoy your loved ones and laugh the night away! Relax, you’re not the one in the limelight.

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          Our Argentina Adventure and Destination Recommendations: Bariloche, Mendoza, Buenos Aires

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          cerro campanario view

          Argentina was the most incredible, adventurous adventure! We could not have decided a better destination for our honeymoon. It was perfect parts active and relaxing. This gorgeous place will forever be etched into my heart and cherished. We definitely started our marriage on the right foot 😉

          While preparing for the honeymoon, I was surprised by the lack of content I could find on Argentina. Come to find out, there really aren’t as many Americans traveling there as, say, Europe, which is just crazy because it’s unbelievable! So, here is my contribution into where you should go, what you should do, eat, and see in Argentina.

          Our Argentina Adventure to Bariloche, Buenos Aires, and Mendoza

          While there were many many places in Argentina we’d loved to have seen, we had to limit it to three with our time frame; we were there a total of 12 days. We began our honeymoon in Bariloche, this was the farthest south we were able to travel given the length of our stay (Argentina is big!). Bariloche was so charming and like an adorable ski village. Next up was Buenos Aires. Quick hack to saying it in a way cooler accent? Say “Way No Side Ace.” There you go, spoken like a true local 😉 Our last location was the dreamy Mendoza for wine and relaxation.

          Recommendations in Bariloche

          Bariloche was our first stop and we loved it. We stayed at the Design Suites. This ended up being our least favorite of the places we stayed, simply because we were so spoiled at the others.  That is not to say we did not thoroughly enjoy it. It was still a lovely place and got major points for having a ginormous jacuzzi tub in the room.

          Arguably one of the best restaurants of the entire trip was Alto el Fuego. This was recommended to us by a hotel attendant and we were so glad we took his advice. Tucked away behind it all, this adorable building looked like it could be your friend’s cozy house. We immediately felt comfortable and that we were among friends. The vibe was so authentic and completely un-touristy. Not to mention that glorious hunk of meat.

          alto el fuego

          You must go to Cerro Campanario while you are in Bariloche. Take a ride up the mountain on a ski lift and arrive on top of one of the most beautiful vistas you will ever see. The top overlooks the Seven Lakes.

          Llao Llao is also a must-see. If you’re feeling super fancy, and can spare the change, it would be a lovely place to stay! However, it was perfect to simply visit for a meal and a nice walk around the grounds. We hiked near Llao Llao and worked up a sweat, but the views made it all worth it. We also got to see the “Bosque De Arrayanes,” which was the forest that is said to have inspired Walt Disney when creating Bambi.

          llao llao hiking

          You must enjoy some chocolate while in Bariloche. We loved Rapa Nui, and would recommend that one out of all the shops. It was overwhelming to choose between the hundreds of chocolate stores that were one right after the other. It’s definitely a good thing that Oklahoma doesn’t have that many…

          rapanui bariloche [Read more…]

          Becoming a Wife and Dog Mom in 2 Short Weeks – Part 2

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          While Colton and I are still in our “honeymoon phase” – getting a puppy threw it a little off balance! For example, when I get home I go rushing toward her; when I want to cuddle, I grab her; when I daydream, I daydream about us going to the dog park. Ha 🙂 But Colton and I are both so in love with her and super proud parents, trying to soak in all the puppy time before she grows up. As in 8-12 pounds big, she is currently resting at a little less than 5 pounds.

          Becoming a Dog Mom to Figueroa, aka Figgy

          Wow! Do I love this baby girl after a couple weeks or what! I finally understand how people can talk about their pets 24/7 and expect others to care just as much. I mean who wouldn’t love this pup?! 😉 I gush when someone stops us when we are on a walk because they just have to pet her, or want to know what kind of dog she is.

          When you know your a crazy dog mom…

          1. can’t stop wondering what she is doing during the day
          2. worry about her all the time
          3. research different guidelines to raising a pup to make sure we are doing it “right”
          4. find any reason to show a photo of her to others
          5. drop her into any conversations where it fits

          Now, it hasn’t all been easy. I have been surprised at how much work it is, and yes people always told me but I didn’t believe it. But it is! It’s very frustrating sometimes when she doesn’t obey, but I have to remind myself that she doesn’t know English. We have been working on sit, stay, come, touch, release and DOWN! For some reason, she will only bite me, not Colton. Doesn’t she know I am the pack leader? ha. I think Colton might have won the title.

          We are in the process of finishing all her shots, big shout out to Midtown Vets. We love it there! They are super sweet to her and give her so much love. I feel totally comfortable there and ask as many questions as I want. She was even reposted on their social media channels so she felt pretty famous all day. I told her not to let it go to her head.

          Midtown Vets

           

          The Many Faces of Figgy

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