2015 Year in Review

This year has been awesome.
Exciting and fun and sad and trying...but oh so awesome.
Every day, every season, I felt like I grew as a person, as a wife, as a daughter, and as a career-woman.

These are the highlights.
I hope you take a moment out of your (long) weekend and re-read some of these posts....it's what made 2015 so great!

After FOUR. LONG. MONTHS. of shipping a workout tank around the entire United States...me and a dozen other ladies hosted a mutual giveaway for an awesome motivational tank top....we called it Track the Tank.

Mark and I battled with the uncertainties of figuring out how to make a baby.
Turns out....genetics were not on our side.

My job sucked. I won't lie. I needed a change and while most people would think getting laid off is a bad thing...I took it as a blessing to find what I truly loved.

After months of interviews, phone calls, resumes, hoping and praying...I landed my new job, one that I tailored to my needs and hope that I stay at for a loooonnnnggg time.

With the good, comes the bad....my relationship with my brother has always been rocky. He is on a path in life that I truly do hope he overcomes...but dragging me down along the way isn't part of it.
I resolved to let go of the toxic and turn my focus back to my family. It was tough, but ties needed to be broken. I hope he finds his way one of these days.

Memorial Day rolled around and we got to put our new pool heater to the test!
Success!

When we bought our new home, a lot of people thought maybe someone had gifted us money, like we couldn't do it on our own. There was jealousy and snide remarks. And to that I say...we worked for it.

At first, we thought we would put baby on the backburner for years....and I laugh at that thought now.
I was getting soo antsy...especially since I have been collecting a few items here and there.

4th of July happened and our party was FABULOUS!

My mom and I took a trip to Tennessee, we sold the pontoon boat and kept the summer vibes going.

I turned 32....and had a bit of an emotional roller coaster with a happy ending.

I kicked some fitness ass the entire year....even during summer!

I gave my living room a little face lift with paint, drapery and new furniture, and then got in the Halloween spirit!

Mark and I had a rough patch around October...too much to do and not enough appreciation for each other.
That all changed when we ventured to our favorite haunted house.

Thanksgiving flew by, we settled into a more wintery routine, had our annual Friendsgiving Shrimp Boil and decorated our home for Christmas.

Which brings us full circle to where we were one year ago.
I reflected on what this year has brought us...and how far we've come.
A lot can change in a year, and I love revisiting our life through this blog.

For New Year's Eve, Mark and will be cozied up by the fire, with fondue for dinner and a festive glass of champagne in hand, watching Kathy Griffin and dancing to Ludacris.
It's a night we look forward to all year.
Just the two of us.

I'll be signing off for the long holiday weekend again, and when I return, on January 6th, I hope to share all the little details of our IVF consultation.

It'll be a new year.
A new year for memories.
A new year for adventures.
A new year for trial and error.
A new year to learn something or simply learn from a mistake (or ten).

I do not make resolutions...to me, it's like making a plan that is set in stone.
Plans change.
People change.
They grow and develop and blossom.
Relationships grow stronger, and some falter.
I hope to take on all of 2016 with an open mind and the drive to dig in and get things accomplished, both big and small.
But first we have to survive the gross part of winter.
Who's with me?

Happy New Year, my loves!!

All I want for Christmas

Well HELLO FRIDAY!!
I'm kicking off the weekend with my uber fabulous friend as we do a double date dinner at her place.
And then it's shopping time, baby!

And since everyone seems to be giving out suggestions for you fine people to buy for other fine people, I thought I'd shake it up by talking about the items that I want people to buy ME.

In the past, I have never even given it a thought. We seem to always be in so much debt by the end of the year that all I ever asked for was cash to pay the bills and buy groceries.
I love buying for other people but I always hated trying to come up with MY list.
I guess it always seemed a tad selfish.
Like, I'm always thinking I'm a successful female...I can buy my own shit.
Anyways.....

But this year I changed my mind set.
See, these things are items that I would never actually buy for myself on a whim because they are just so....luxurious....in my eyes.
These are definitely WANTS. Not NEEDS.

Without further ado...if you are looking to buy me a present this year...here is my list.
Thanks in advance. :)


DIY Gel Nail Manicures
I swear I like the look of polished nails. I really do. However, I hardly ever actually polish my nails because they are guaranteed to chip within 24 hours. Also? I can't stand going to a salon. Such a waste of time, in my opinion. I am fully qualified to do my own, I just can't stand the thought of spending all that time perfecting my polish, and trying to be patient and let them dry, only to ruin them by doing normal life stuff.
Enter gel nails and the little light boxes that dry them (almost) instantly.
I have a feeling this will be a life changer.
I'd really like this little light because it says it sets each coat within 30 seconds. THIRTY. SECONDS.
The polish? Luckily my mom works at a salon, so I'm sure I'll have a sweet hook-up.


Lifting Gloves
How CUTE are those black and white polka dot lifting gloves? As a person that hits the gym 4x a week, I try to save my hands from awful calluses as much as possible. It's not exactly sexy to shake someone's hand and yours be rougher than his. Size small....obviously.

Fuzzy (yet durable) slippers!
I am in dire need of slippers. I know, I know...it's kind of old lady like...but dudes, I can't tell you how many times I need to run outside quickly and wish I was just already wearing a warm pair of shoes...that aren't shoes...ya dig? These LL Bean ones in the Natural color (size 8) seem perfect for cozying up by the fire and also running around outside to grab the mail or pull the dogs off each other.

Bath Bombs (bath bomb....you're a bath bomb!)
I do love me a nice soak in the winter time. And it's even better if it's doing double duty in the process. Enter bath bombs. I seriously love these things but I hardly ever buy them for myself! Mostly because at $4-$7 a pop...it's a splurge in my mind. But alas, the Christmas one or vanilla butter one seems just fabulous!

Rose Face Mask
So a few years ago, I received a sample of this mask from Sephora in the mail. I typically do a thicker face mask once or twice a month, but this one was was so much lighter and refreshing! I feel like I could use it more often, say 2-3 times a week...especially in winter!

Chase brand Elderflower Liqueur
And of course, you can't skip over the liquor. St. Germain is all the rave with their version of the same liqueur, but Chase does it for less money and I personally think the bottle is so much prettier!
I mix this with champagne, add it to a gin and tonic, or just drink it straight! It is SO. GOOD!

So that is my list this year. What's on yours?

Oh! And while we are on the subject of gifts, take a little sneak peek at the GIVEAWAY to begin ON INSTAGRAM (@tgendooza) this Sunday! So damn adorable, right? I'll be giving away these gifts just in time to #treatyoself for Christmas! All hand picked from Homegoods from yours truly.

The giveaway will be on Instagram starting at 7pm CST so mark your calendars and good luck!!
Happy Friday and Happy WEEKEND!

A bit of luxury

I bit the bullet.
I got home yesterday and was relatively spent from work, and cold...mostly cold.
It's tough to go from 80's to 50's in a DAY, people! I haven't adjusted yet.
Mark is outside winterizing our sprinkler system and the noise is unbearable, and it's cold, but there I am, standing in the garage, yapping loudly about the day, in my flip-flops, slowly freezing to death.

He's exhausted he said; a day of digging.
But we need dinner so he fires up the golf cart for quick errand run to Jewel.
I schlep in the Target toiletries I purchased on my break that day and start to unload everything.

The dogs are freaking out. They want to play and run like it's summer, but it's clearly not summer anymore.
And the second they hit the concrete outside, it's like they realized it's not fun anymore to just hang out.
No, you must be in constant motion and bundled up. Gross.

So back inside we go, to put away the items and clean counters, and change out of work clothes and wash my face, then the dogs face, then their ears, then treats.
I collapse on the floor for some puppy sumo wresting, and it hits me.
That smell.
Our carpets have a mild funk about them.
As much as I deep clean them the best I can, at the right angle, with the right breeze, that funk fills up my nostrils and makes me wince.

That's it! I yell to no one.
A quick Google to Yelp and I find the closest carpet cleaning company with the best reviews.

Mark comes in and I tell him it's time to shell out some dough for a proper carpet cleaning.
And instantly feel guilty.
Who are WE to pay for services we can clearly do ourselves?
I look to Mark for hope. He smiles and agrees.
I immediately backtrack and try to "fix" the situation by saying it'll only be this one time. And no more than 1x a year. That's fair, right? To start from a blank slate each year, while we still have these damn carpets.
The smell is embarrassing and I am killing myself trying to hand scrub them.
It's okay to ask for help every now and then, I guess.

So I made the call. And twenty minutes later I got off the phone with a lovely lady who set us up and gave us a decent price, I think. I actually have no idea how much this stuff costs. All I know is we have a lot of old lady carpet in the house, so if it works and the smell and stains are eliminated, I will empty my bank account, again. This seems to be a trend these days.

But you guys...this is huge!
I feel like I don't deserve a silly carpet cleaning, like those things are meant for the privileged.
And we are so far from that, it's insane.
I already know I will probably go ahead and vacuum and move the furniture before he shows up. I can't just sit there and watch him do it for me... I mean, what if the guy is really old? Even if, I can't not help.

So here is a post about carpet cleaning. Pretty ridiculous, right?

Other than this non-news, things have been relatively normal.

I am running in a Color Run this weekend, and should probably freeze my ass off as it's a night run and the high that day will be 58.

I know it will be a blast, regardless! I imagine the visual of all the color mixed with black lights and some thumping music will make me wish it was 85 instead of 45, but at least I'll be with good family!

My workouts have stayed consistent. I switched up my weekly routine a bit based on my daily effort.
Mondays and Fridays I am completing 10 minutes of treadmill HIIT followed by legs
Tuesdays is 15-20 minutes of treadmill HIIT followed by arms.
Wednesday is no cardio, weights only, full body super-set workout.
Thursdays is my off day.

It seems to be working out. I've added a few new songs to my playlist to keep me interested.
It's good to change things up, keeps me looking forward and not get too stagnant.

So tell me, what little luxuries have you indulged in recently?
Are you still getting in your workouts?

Thanks for reading!

Track the Tank Giveaway: what motivates you?

The time has come for all you fitness buffs to enter for a chance to win this fun little tank top!
This tank started as an idea between myself and Candra from Camo & Lipstick and has since then traveled all over the world to over 20 bloggers.

Making it about me

Good morning loves,
I hope everyone had an eventful, yet restful holiday season. 
I took the time to refocus on the numba' one stunna'....me.

See, amidst all of the emotions that goes along with infertility and treatments and insurance and all that, I managed to get this wonky head problem. There was a patch on the top of my head, that made almost a direct line from my hair line to the crown of my head, that was insanely tender to the touch.
I thought, at first, I had had one too many tight ponytails or top knots that threw off my game and pulled my hair too much, causing the soreness.
But it didn't go away for weeks.
It started about a week before Christmas, and thankfully subsided by New Year's Day.
After hitting up all the usual Google antidotes and ruling out a tumor, fibromyalgia, psoriasis, shingles, and swollen lymph nodes...I finally found a few forums that talked about how anxiety can cause the muscles in your head to tense up to the point of a consistent, tender, dull ache.

And to be honest, at that point I honestly thought I felt fine.
Cool as a cucumber.
But apparently I was wrong.
The tension from anxiety can last for a long time after the episode takes place....days, weeks, even months.
And since I am not really one to take a bunch of meds to fix the problem, I took it upon myself to fix it.
Fix me.

The C Word

Not See You Next Tuesday.
Although, that may be what people may be calling me once I start this next cycle's MEDICATION.
Oh yes folks....we have sped past all attempts at anything that would be considered a natural take on getting knocked up and have hit the door labeled medicated.

Clomid, to be exact.

60 Day Bikini Check-In and other stuff

Dudes.
Val gives everyone a 90 day fitness challenge to get into shape for summer where you are supposed to lose inches, tone up, and get your fat ass in shape...and guess what?
I think I'm doing the opposite.
Like....I lift weights 3-4 days a week and do cardio the rest and for some reason I feel like I look bigger in the 60 days pics vs. the 30 days.....amiright?
It's okay. We'll get there. But sweet baby jebus....come on with it.

Here's the beginning:

Shoveling and Squatting

What is up heauxs
(totally stealing that word from you Val, hope your sassy ass doesn't mind!)

Let's get with my plan for this week.
It's good to try and have an idea of what you want to accomplish with workouts, and set yourself up to succeed. I should probably start taking my own advice more consistently as well.

Running Makes me DO. Number TWO.

Dudes.

I have had a revelation.
A revelation in the skinnies!
Some may think that running is good cardio and burns calories and whips you into shape.
But those fools would be wrong.

What it triggers is another problem.

 *DISCLAIMER*
It's about to get shitty up in here. Lit-rally.

Sweat @ Home: (Wo)Man up to the Pull-Up Bar

Whaddup fellow workout buffs?!

I made you another video.  It's pretty.

I have an issue with the stigma that ladies can't do any and all workouts that men can do.
So to prove it, I have made you a video to walk through how to get started at home, in privacy.
So while you are grunting and struggling, no one has to know about it.

This. Is. Spaaarrttaaaa!!!

So remember when I was all.....

Let's work out a millionty hours and whip our ass into shape?

And then I DID.....for 8 WEEKS!?

Your mom likes Polls.....and so do we! Also? PiYo Class Updates!!

Hi All,

Local people have had the luxury of casually seeing my ass each weekend in PiYo Classes.
For FREE.  I'm sure the view is lovely.

But we are closing in on the honeymoon phase and it's time.
It's commitment time.

Here's the deal:

8 Week COMPARISON Progress Photos and Stats!!

8 WEEKS.

2 MONTHS.

5 WORKOUTS EACH WEEK.

SLIGHTLY MODIFIED EATING AND DRINKING HABITS. 

(Less sodium, less sugar, a little less booze. Very few bread-related carbs until dinner)

THIS IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU MAKE 

A LIFESTYLE CHANGE INSTEAD OF A QUICK FIX.

READY??  

LET'S CHECK OUT MY PROGRESS SINCE WEEK 1, SHALL WE?!

I'm getting TBagged by Kettlebells....

Dudes.

These kettlebells are no joke.

One is 20lbs and one is 30lbs....can you guess which is which?

Weekend Recap and Photo Dump Monday

Good morning weekend warriors!
I apologize for my absence over the weekend.....to say I was busy was an understatement!
By Sunday night I felt like this....

Over it.

Workin' out Ghetto-Style with a tight budget

I know most people have a completely stocked home gym in their spare bedroom and can therefore save some brain cells from reading the rest of this post.

Wait....what's that you say?

You are barely scraping by with enough cash to shove some EZ Mac and box wine in your face hole and pass out?

I hear ya sista. I hear ya.

So what is a classy lady to do to stay in shape on a budget?

Get Creative! 

What exactly IS PiYo Strength ?!?! Watch the VIDEO.

Have you been wondering what exactly IS this PiYo Strength I keep preaching about?

Have you ever thought maybe you don't know what it is and are worried you might not be able to do it?

Fear not.

PiYo Strength is a great way of exercising.  Not only does it tone and tighten, but lift, shape, and strengthen EVERYTHING.

It's easily choreographed and easy to follow.  

It will challenge you.

The soundtrack is kick ass and changes as we progress.

We train in the comfort and convenience of either my own home or a humble facility that will not intimidate you with machines or other women's in matchy-matchy outfits, full make-up and hair.

We get sweaty! 

If you aren't then I'm not doing my job.

This Sunday, April 21st, from 9-10am is our

SECOND FREE CLASS.  

FREE.

AS IN, 0 DOLLA BILLZ.

As in 

SHOW UP. WORK OUT. FEEL AWESOME. GO HOME. DONE. 

What have you got to lose?

And guess what?

There are TWO promotions going on as we speak.

THE FIRST?

Come to the Free class THIS SUNDAY and if you register on site for two or more back to back classes,

you get an additional $2 off each class!!

You will be taking each regular class for as low as $10!!!

THAT'S CHEAP PEOPLE.

THE SECOND?

Once regular classes start (in MAY), if you bring a new friend to a class, 

YOU GET YOUR NEXT CLASS FO' FREE!!

Still not convinced to get off your ass?

Here is a poorly edited video of yours truly 

giving you a little sneaky peek into the PiYo Strength World. 

Find me HERE on Facebook, or e-mail me (see video) for the address, directions, and additional information.

Let's Kick Some Ass !!
TBag. Out.

Operation Work.It.Out. Progress Pics Week #6

So last night I stopped by a friend's grand opening of her new in-home studio.  She has been killing it at the Y and with one on one personal training sessions and boot camps (which I'm starting in a couple weeks!) and has finally hit the big time to build out this fabulous studio. 
I'm so proud of her and can't wait to start taking a class or two with her. 

She is my inspiration to move forward with teaching PiYo classes and the like and what motivates me to work out and keep going each and every day. 

You can find out about her and her company info, Tight-n-It, HERE.

On my way home, Bayou wanted food...Like NOW, and he begged me to stop at Culver's for whatever god awful sodium filled dinner he wanted.  So I did.  BUT....I resisted getting myself something and instead popped a couple items in the oven when I got home instead.  Not glamorous, but not something I would regret the next day. 

And thank you sweet Jebus because I am super excited about the progress in the last week based on these photos!!  Take a look!

I can't hold the steering wheel or sit on a toilet

You guys.
I said I was going to bump up my workout routine this week and I meant it.
To confirm that it is working, I am fast approaching Day 3 of total body brick shit muscles.
What's that you ask?

Tuesday Gun Show Workout

Good morning!  I bought tickets to the gun show this morning....like the view?

DROOL