My kids and I climb rock walls!!

While working out at one of my gyms last month, in the cardio room they were playing the movie

127 hours

I basically fell in love with the movie. I loved it, loved it, loved it. If you can, totally watch it. After watching it, I had to research this guy Aron Ralston further. I watched  all the interviews, and I just am blown away with this guys will to live. It is truly an inspiring movie, and story. 

I am currently reading his book. Can't put it down, so good.

The point of all this, is simple. I got inspired after watching this movie. At my other gym, we have a huge rock wall, and while I've been going there for over a year now, I've never really gotten into rock climbing, and neither have my kids. After watching the movie, we all wanted to try. So we went, and we loved it. We went again, and we loved it. We took a belaying class so we could climb all the other ropes, and not be limited to the bungee ones. My oldest son, and I got certified. While you may not understand how cool this is, I'm going to try to explain it to you. 

Rock climbing, obviously is a sport that can be dangerous. Even in a gym, you can fall, and get hurt badly, if you don't know what you are doing, and if you don't have a good partner. Having my son hold my life in the palm of his hand, and me having to trust him is such an awesome feeling. While I hold the rope with him on there, it's like everything else in life as a parent, you do anything to guide them to the top of the mountain, and then it's your job to get them down safely. Having the role reversed gives him a satisfaction I'm not sure many things in life can give him. I have to trust him completely, and know that he's got my back, and luckily for me, he does.

I'm really excited to learn more, and train more. The strength you get from rock climbing is awesome, and along with doing yoga, I am setting myself up for some serious muscles. We are sticking to gyms, for now, but one day, maybe we can start exploring the great outdoors too. 

Here are some pics!!

The kiddos and I climbing the wall!

Go girl, you can do it.

This was last week, when we got certified. Thanks to our awesome instructor who was so incredible. He was funny, and incredibly awesome to work with. Thanks so much Evan!!

In case you are wondering what my goal body is going to look like,
 I urge you to check out my board on Pinterest.
MY FUTURE FIT BODY

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AMAZE ME AUGUST

             

Cracker Barrell Pancake knockoff and ~~FEATURES~~

Hey, so you want to know how to make CRACKER BARREL pancakes do you, he he. ?

Ok, then let me share something I came across this morning. While making my favorite mix pancake :

I tweaked the way I usually do it like this.
USUALLY I make them with water, a bit of oil in the batter, and an egg, per the instruction, sometimes, a little thicker, sometimes thinner, but basically the same.
Oh and I ALWAYS add a dash of SUGAR, and VANILLA to my pancakes. 
Sometimes even CHOCOLATE chips, like I did HERE!
Then I cook on a griddle with HARDLY any oil, like maybe to just get them started, then nothing else.
BUT today, I wanted to be a little BAD, lol. 
So I added milk instead of water, ann egg, and forgot to add the oil to the batter, lol, NO FEAR, because I added a TAD more oil for frying, and made my pancakes a TAD bit thinner, than usual, (think crepe), and fried  I mean cooked my pancakes, so the edges got all crispy, and TOTALLY yummy. 
Now, I've only been to THE Cracker Barrel like ONCE, ok, actually TWICE, but for some reason their pancakes were the TASTIEST darn things I have EVER had. 
YES I know their pancakes are not thin like crepes, and are actually a bit thicker, BUT the taste and smell, and melt in your mouth factor was all there. 
SO TRUST ME when I SAY these were THE BEST!!
Yes, even better than Cracker Barrel, which up until now, I thought were the best. 
Go FIGURE, I would end up loving my pancakes so much.  
Here are just a couple pics, because there were only 2 left when I finally thought of taking a pic, and then of course, of my almost eaten one, he he. Ohhh, how I will miss these yummies, when I start working on losing my BUBBLE BUTT, and read more about my bubble butt HERE, and HERE.

Now on to today's FEATURES, from wks #16, and #17.

This year I need to get my blog on some kind of schedule. For example, I need to figure out when I want to do these FEATURES, which I love to do, but they do take up a whole lot of time, SO, I need to plan better, and make it consistent. You guys need consistency, right, as do I for real. It seems to have worked so far for my party, I've never missed one, and have only been late a few times, by late, I mean, not up on Monday night, he he. Funny thing is those weeks were very low as far as linkups, so lesson to be learned, DON'T be late, setting up your parties gals. 

Stacy @ NOT JUST A HOUSEWIFE, has already been featured like a gazillion times for this incredible lamp, BUT can you blame us party hosts. Tell me it's not the coolest dang thing you've EVER seen, seriously just TRY to tell me, he he. She MADE it all by herself, it was so cute looking at the pics, she looks great sporting dust, and goggles, lol.

GO NOW, and say HELLO to STACY.

THANKS GIRL!!

Lisa @ THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, made some REALLY yummy looking cinnamon sugar, almonds. You guys know how nuts are a must at any party, the ultimate snack food, and these sweet things will surely make your guests happy, and begging for more.

GO NOW, and say HELLO to LISA,

THANKS GIRL!!

Laren @ THE ELEPHANTS TRUNK made me drool with her take on one of everybody's favorite meals, spaghetti and MEATBALLS. Oh, how can ANYBODY say this is boring, he he. I love how simple this looks, and of course the fact you don't need to fry them first, score :)

GO NOW, and say HELLO to LAUREN,

THANKS GIRL!!   

Ann @ MY LIFE AS PROSE showed us how to make a fun, NO SEW window valance, and she is so awesome, she didn't even cut it or anything, she just kind of folded, and pinned, and tucked, and hot glued, lol. BUT when, and IF she wants to do something else with this fabulous fabric, SHE can, I love that, and have been known to do similar things, he he.

GO NOW, and say HELLO to ANN,

THANKS GIRL!!

Michell @ GIRL IN AIR has blown me away, with this INCREDIBLE DIY almost FREE, painting of the world. No stencils were used, and no it wasn't free hand, but I just LOVED it so much, and how fitting, for THE GIRL IN AIR, hehe.
It turned out so lovely, and she too, has about a million comments, on it, but a few more won't hurt.

GO NOW and say HELLO to MICHELL,

THANKS MICHELL!!

Lauren @ WEST FURNITURE REVIVAL, is another one of those blogs, which ONCE you check it out, you will fall in love, I"M telling you ITS TRUE, I basically left a comment at every one of her posts, begging for her to link up, he he. She found me however much before I got a chance to see her, and she linked up already. Isn't this little end table adorable, she made it over, and has a wonderful dresser, she redid as well. Gosh, I am loving those shadow boxes so much, and her choice of all those lovely colors, YAYY. I love it!!!

GO NOW and say HELLO to LAUREN,

THANKS GIRL!!

Tara @ TARADARA has been blown away with how many time she is getting FEATURED for this AMAZING $25.00 hutch makeover, HELLO girl, who are you kidding, you can see that picture above, it is probably one of the most beautiful things I've see. I'm not exactly a big hutch girl, BUT this, is so awesome, I have to start browsing craigslist myself, in search for something I can transform into THIS. So awesome!!!

GO NOW and say HELLO to TARA,

THANKS GIRL!!

Lisa @ SERENDIPITY CHIC DECOR kinda did a cool makeover in her bathroom, and one the coolest magazine racks, I've seen YET, is this, made from a vintage BABY CRIB, what do you think about that? Pretty darn cool hugh?
I must tell you something about Lisa, and her blog, a couple weeks ago, her blog disappeared, as in poof it was gone, and so was her gmail account, so SADLY she had to START over. You guys might have wondered where her blog went, as I did, when I saw this, and was like I know you, but hey your blog is NEW, what's going on. So to make a long story short, PLEASE go say hello, and lets get all her loyal fans back, OK....

GO NOW and say HELLO to LISA!!

THANKS GIRL!!

Elle @ SWITCHEROOM  redid her bathroom, on a practically non existant budget. She is in the process of remodeling her entire home, (it kind of got flooded out during a typhoon) and is not exactly stylish enough, for this MAJORLY chic, design, guru. She has the most fabulous, ideas, and taste, and I am so in love with her blog, and seeing her home get transformed. It is beyond awesome, so there, now you have to go check it out, he he, cuz, I said so.

GO NOW and say HELLO to ELLE,

THANKS GIRL!!

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, for supporting me in my blogging efforts. These parties are a HUGE deal for me, I love hosting them, I love seeing all your projects, and I LOVE featuring you my dear friends . So please grab a button and display it proudly. 

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As always ENJOY!

Special requests, or mad love always welcome:)
bellabeforeandafter@gmail.com

My bubble butt~~

In case you haven't read all about my journey to shed some pounds, catch up ~~HERE~~. Super now that you know what I'm dealing with, continue, lol.

Yeah this is a sad little post, about my big bubble butt. I finally got it, in the gym again, after neary two weeks. Golly gee gosh, here I thought I would surely be super motivated to do my thing, finally, after all, you guys were all cheering me on right?? Yeah well, that didn't last long, and with every excuse possible, (even though they seemed valid at the time) I managed to not work out at all, and eat like a piggy. Both not very hard to do, when busy planning a party, then you have tons of leftovers, oh bad, very bad.

I am happy to say that, I did make it back in the gym for a great one hour workout. 2012 was playing, and I've never seen that movie, it was pretty crazy, and now I have to see the rest. Only saw like half of it.

Also, we are nearing the last of the leftovers, so back to normal food, and some more recipe posts, lol. I know you guys have been missing my cooking, ha ha.

Oh and for the record I have not forgotten about posting my lovely pics,  in a bikini. Should have posted them BEFORE halloween, because they are super scary, but oh well. Coming soon, I promise.

Take care all, and stay well. Wash up, and don't get sick. Those germs are everywhere.

As always ENJOY!

Special requests, or mad love always welcome:)
http://www.blogger.com/bellabeforeandafter@gmail.com

Amaze me August #7~~ In other news!!

I must tell you guys some exciting news. I FINALLY got my Halloween decorations out, and started decorating today. I hardly scratched the surface, BUT, at least it's started. Shoot I was getting worried there, man I had nothing done yet. Can't wait to show you guys some things I'm working on. 

**A special THANK YOU to Ami, @ Ali Lilly, for offering to do my first giveaway. If you are interested in sponsoring a giveaway please send me an email, with the details. **   

In other news, I dropped 2 pounds this week. I missed a couple days (4 to be exact) of going to the gym. I told you guys that everytime someone gets sick. I was not kidding, lol. My princess is better, but my Dinosaur is now sick again. So endless fun over here. I did manage to go shopping with my sister this weekend. Totally out of the blue, ended up shopping for Saris. Pictures to come, it was my first time wearing one, and let me tell you I LOVED it.

My godmother is visiting from Canada, and mommy and daddy are arriving next week. So we are busy here. Be prepared for a special post on Pizza, from my godmother. She taught me everything about making pizzas. When mommy reaches, it will be all about Kerala cooking baby. Yummy. My mom, is busy with cake making, and I look forward to starting a special on here, all about cake decorating. I love decorating cakes, just never take any step by step pics, but have to start doing that, you guys will love it.

Alrighty then, that's about it. I plan on getting my decorations, costumes, props, goody bags done this week. Next week is for food shopping, and cooking. I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. Barely 11 days until the party.

Time for another AMAZING week of projects, recipes, tutorials. You gals really amaze me, and hopefully others too. Keep up the good work, and THANK you for joining me again!

For all Halloween projects please link up at my other party!

SPECIAL PARTIES

**6 weeks 2 Spook** 



As always ENJOY!

Special requests, or mad love always welcome:)
http://www.blogger.com/bellabeforeandafter@gmail.com

Body For Life

As part of my 100 day challenge, I put together some goals for myself. Read about it here. It was the middle of the night and I was sick, and couldn't sleep so what better to do than jot down some things I need to work on.

Clearly we have all been there, made a list, a resolution, be it for your birthday, summer, or new years. I've tried my whole life to wait until Monday to start a new habit, or the 1st of the month. Shoot, why not wait till New Years to start a new habit.

For more than 11 years now, I have been waiting, and putting off losing weight. At the drop of a hat, I revert back to my old ways, and seem to practically welcome any thing that comes across my way, as an excuse to not finish. Truth be told, I think that without fail, every time I try to start, I get sick, or my kids fall sick, which is the perfect excuse to not work out, and pig out, right. Yeay I knew you would understand.

If you read my blog, you will know that my problem is not really eating unhealthy. I have never been into junk food, processed food, soda, candy, fast food, etc. My kids also have not had access to these lovely things either. My poor husband has also come to terms with my obsession, so then how is it that I just can't get rid of this weight. Well my dear friends, eating healthy just isn't enough, when you love food as much as I do, lol. I mean really LOVE food, like I cherish food, and seriously love cooking, and feeding people till they roll over. It's the Romanian in me, I can't help it. Unless you take like 3rds and 4ths, I don't believe you've enjoyed the meal, and I get really sad. So with the same mentality if i go anywhere, I must eat like 3 or 4 servings, constantly telling the chef how fabulous the food is, which I 99% of the time really mean. So eating alot is no problem for me.

Along with the fact I hate cardio, thats just not a winning combination for losing weight. What do I mean by cardio, well anything that makes me sweat, and makes me hurt. If I run for like 30 seconds, my boobs get sore, from bouncing, my side, lungs, heart, and knee hurts. Why would I do that, hello. No I don't have double d's, just regular saggy boobs from all the years of breastfeeding. Then I start to pant, gasping for air, and my entire face is red as a cherry, and I am sweating so profusely it's pouring down. Hardly what I want to go through, and all this after only 30 seconds. lol. Pretty sad, I  tell you.

Now you are probably wondering just how much weight are we talking here. Sounds like I have a ton to lose. Let me be honest with you, I could care less about the weight. I'm not concerned with the number on the scale, or the size dress I wear. What I do care about is the fact that I can't run a mile, that I get so out of breath. That my thighs rub together when I walk. That I don't feel comforatble in a bathing suit. That I can't swim across a pool without feeling like Im  going to drown. My poor body should be stronger than this. I should be at the peak of my life, not aching when I get up of the floor, or having severe back pain, as a direct result of my HATE for anything sit up related as well. Yeay, for sure the part of my body I need to work at the most. Everything else will be a piece of cake, lol, just that tummy, short of cutting it off, I simply can not fathom how it will ever look normal. Without that tummy hanging over my panties, ya know what I'm talking about ladies. Oh don't forget about the wings in the back, under the bra, and of course we don't want to leave out those lovely handles. Who ever came up with the name love handles, is crazy, because there is nothing I love about mine. They should be called hate handles, def more approptiate.

Hope I'm not losing anyone here, I've been doing tons of rambling, and sharing all the reasons, why until now I have been unsuccessful.

Let me give you guys a glimpse of home, and let you know there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Once upon a time I actually used to love working out with weights. Have always hated cardio. Never stepped foot in a class at the gym. Then recent;y discovered I really LOVE the gym classes. I got into yoga, and shocked myself at how quickly I progressed. Pretty cool stuff. Took some cardio like classes, and was a mess during and after, but stuck with it, and I survived, enough to actually look forward to going again. So much so that, I enrolled YET again with a gym, (have been a member or some gym, for practically the past 15 years) no joke. As a matter of fact, guess what. I am so cool, that I actually have 2 gym memberships right now. Yeah, I had to get another one to a Life Time Fitness, because well they have a pool, and rock wall, and basketball, yadda yadda, which I of course hardly ever go to. My other gym is Golds, which I do go to more often, as it's right by my house.

So what's the point here, you are still asking. Ok I'll tell you. 3 days ago, I started a 12 week challenge which I conveniently waited, you see, to coordinate in my mind the perfect timeline. 100 day challenge, yeah but heavans, I have to do a 12 week program, and hmmm, I want to finish on new years eve, so oh I have to start on October 10 for this to happen. Great I just bought myself almost 2 more weeks of chillin, lol. I know crazy but true. Ok so anyhow, 3 days ago, officially I have started my program. For the gazzilionth time, and my hopes are high. This whole blogging thing, is great motivation, I tell you. No matter what, I have done things in the past 2 months, more quickly because I knew I had to follow up on my blog about it, especially when I go open my big mouth like I'm doing now. Then after it's posted, I don't want to make a fool of myself by not following thru so, therefor I make it happen.

Oh please lord, let this be just like that. I have tried to do this challenge so many times, has it always been for the wrong reasons? Am I doing it now for the wrong reasons? I don't know, and really at this point don't care. I just want to get it done already. Don't laugh, but it would be a dream come true to be on the cover of Shape magazine or something. Me someone who NEVER had a one pack, let alone a six pack, me who can hardly go get the mail, without huffing and puffing, me who has not been able to get rid of my baby pouch for over 11 years. Yeay, me. Ok so I may never be on the cover of any magazine, but hey, a girl can dream right. Shoot, at this point, the only thing that matters, is showing you all I can do it, and in the end, I will have shown myself. Nothing can beat the feeling of finishing something you started, and for me this has been one heck of a long time coming.

Wish me luck guys, I have a long way to go, but with only 80 days to go, I think I can, I think I can. I know I can, I WILL.

I will update with the program that got me started on this whole 12 week thing, next time, and if you can possibly stand to see some before pictures, I will post them. I took them as part of the process, and every time I look at them, I cringe, however I REALLY believe that as long as they are hidden in the drawer, where nobody can see, it is useless. I took those pics to motivate me, and I hide them, out of sight, out of mind, you know. Once I show you guys, it's all over. The cat is out of the bag, and there will be no turning back.

Sounds, kinda scary, so let me sleep on it. Till next time, just know that, I have been at the gym 3 times, this week, doing nothing other than CARDIO. Treadmill, and I kinda watched what I ate, but more on that later. Rocky start, with the kiddos, trying to come down with a cold, also, and my house is still a mess, and planning a party, and well you know, life.

Thanks guys for reading how I feel, and please let me know if you have any of these problems, how you overcame them, and if you have any advice for me.

Pictures, menu, and wourkout schedule to come soon, keep your eye out, and follow me along on one of the most important BEFORE and AFTER's I will do.


As always ENJOY!

Special requests, or mad love always welcome:)
http://www.blogger.com/bellabeforeandafter@gmail.com