Flu Shot Blues....

Aside from posting on my blog, I work as a nurse and the time of year has quickly come upon us for flu season. For the next couple of months about every patient who comes into the hospital will get a flu shot. I will be giving tons of shots in the next couple of months. This last weekend, it was time for all the nurses and employees to get their flu shots. I get one every year. It is hilarious how scared nurses are to actually receive a shot. We seem to have no problem inflicting pain and giving others their shots, but when they start rolling the cart around from floor to floor to give nurses their shots we all seem to disappear into our patient's rooms.

Every year when I talk to patients about getting their flu shot the first thing they ask is, "Is it going to hurt?" I always respond with the same answer, "A little, your arm will be sore for about a day but it will not be too bad." The second thing they ask is, "Will I get sick?" I have routine answer for that. "No, it's a killed virus, so you will not get sick."

After receiving my shot, I realized I have been quite a misleading nurse. I forgot how sore the flu shot makes your arm. My arm ached so bad.  The next two nights I was not able to sleep on my right side, like I usually do, because of the pressure it put on my arm. When I went to lift weights at the gym the next day, my right arm was weak and could not lift as much as usual.  Four days later my arm finally feels better. I am not telling you this to scare you away from getting your flu shot, rather to clear my conscious for all those poor patients I've fibbed to (Sorry to any recent recipients of the flu shot who are reading this and saying, "My nurse told me it wouldn't be too bad!).

And that is the tiny bruise that is causing all my complaining... I might be over reacting!
As a health care professional, would I suggest getting your flu shot?
Yes, but you have to make that decision on your own. There are some people who should not get the vaccine.

Will it hurt?
Yes, but the more you use your arm the quicker the soreness will subside because the vaccine will absorb faster.

Will it make you sick?
It shouldn't, but whenever you are putting something foreign in your body you are calling your immune system into action and you risk getting some mild flu like symptoms. You can get an intranasal flu shot which is where you inhale the vaccine, but you are more likely to get sick because that is a live virus you are putting into your body.

WOW #3

Since the seasons are changing my Hubby and I are trying to get in as many workouts outside these days before we are forced back in to the hot, stuffy gym. Plus if we workout outside, we can take our dog Kona with us to get her daily exercise.

I like to do cross-fit style workouts which are often pretty exhausting. For some reason when I pick out a workout or make up my own work out, I always think that they are going to be easier then they actually turn out to be. I like to "trick" myself and break up the workout in my mind. I will tell my self, "All I have to do is run for five minutes." Then once I have ran for five minutes I say, " All I have to do is 20 burpees." This helps me focus on the specific exercise I am doing and keeps me pushing hard throughout the workout. Good Luck with today's workout!

Track Workout:

Warm up by running for five minutes followed by stretching.

20 jumping jacks

20 burpees

20 walking lunges

Run for five minutes

20 pushups

20 tricep dips

20 walking lunges

Run for five minutes

60 second plank

40 mountain climbers

20 walking lunges

Run for five minutes

40 bicycle crunches

20 oblique plank crunches (in a plank position bring knee up to elbow, return to plank position.)

Finish with an abdominal workout:

Complete this circuit twice

20 leg lifts

20 double crunches

30 second side plank, each side

Monogramed Doormat {tutorial}

Who doesn't love a Monogram?  To see thier initial beautifully displayed? I love them!
I saw this in the Pottery Barn catalog, where I got my inspiration for my DIY monogramed doormat.

{via}

This is $99 at Pottery Barn.

Since I had a new wreath, I thought I also needed a new doormat for my entryway. I loved the simplcity of this rug.

I found that it is was difficult to find a plain doormat that did not have a design. Eventually, I found mine at Ikea for $9.99.  I made my own stencil by printing a "D" on cardsotck and then cutting it out with a craft knife. Next, I taped the stencil onto the rug.

I used a foam brush and some old outdoor latex paint that was leftover from painting our house. Using a blotting technique I filled in my "D." You will need to put your paint on pretty thick because the paint will absorb in the fibers of the rug. I let my rug dry for a few hours and decided to add another layer of paint. Once dry, my monogram had faded a lot since all the paint  absorbed down into the fibers of the rug. 

Originally, my plan was to add some leaves around the edge of the rug and make this my fall rug. Once I placed my monogram, I loved the simplicity of the rug and decided not to add anything else.

I will be linking up to parties at:
Check out all the Buttons here
Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A 2 Z
Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoe String
Friday Flair at Whipper Berry
Potpourri Party at 2805
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Sunday Scoop at I heart Nap Time
Lovely Crafty Weekend at Lovely Crafty Home
Weekend Wrap up Party at Tater tots and Jello
Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors
Show and Share at Southern Lovely
Wow me Wednesdays at Ginger Snap Scrafts
Sizzle into Summers at DIY by Design
Primp your Stuff Wednesday at Primp
Will Craft for...Comments at Tales of a Trophy Wife
Creative juice Thursday at Momnivores-dilemma
Share Awesomeness Thursdays at The 36th Ave

WOW #2

If you  followed the last couple workouts of the week (WOW), you have probably noticed I am all about quick and efficient workouts. Here is another intense workout you can do anywhere. Good Luck!

{via}

WOW #2

Warm up by running one mile.

Stretch

Complete each of the 10 exercises in the circuit for 60 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds between exercises. 

Complete this circuit two times.

1. Goblet Squat : hold a dumbbell at chest level while you squat
2. Mountain climbers: in push up position, do a running motion bringing knees to your chest
3. Single-Arm dumbbell swing : like a kettle ball swing but with one arm. Do each arm for 30 seconds.
4. T-Push up: push up position with dumbbell in each hand, go down into push up. Come up and extend one arm up over your head and shoulder so your body creates a "t." Rotate arms.
5. Split jump: start in lunge position. Explode up off the ground to do a scissor kick in the air and land with opposite foot forward in lunge position. (essentially this is alternating jumping lunges)
6. Dumbbell row: bend at your hips to make you back parallel to the floor and complete row, squeezing your shoulder blades together
7. Dumbbell side lunge with touch: side lunge with dumbbells in each hand sink low enough into your lunge that both dumbbells touch the floor.
8. Push up row: push up position with dumbbell in each hand, complete a single arm row
9. Lunge with rotation: hold a dumbbell at chest height, step forward into lunge. While in lunge rotate your upper body towards your forward leg.
10. Dumbbell push press: standing, hold dumbbells in each hand at shoulders. Slightly bend your knees.  At the same time straighten your knees and extend your arms over your shoulders

Rest for two minutes and complete this circuit a second time.
Stretch to cool down.
*Remember to go light with your weights. You are not completing sets in this circuit. It is very exhausting completing the same exercise for 60 seconds. Use lighter weights so you can still use correct form.
Good Luck!

DIY Ombre Pumpkins {tutorial}

I have seen a few ombre inspired projects lately (here) and was trying to think of a way to incorporate this trend into my fall decore. Why not try to paint  my craft pumkins?

Supplies:

Craft pumpkins (I got my two smaller ones at the Dollar Tree and the largest one at Joanns for 50% off)

One 2 oz paint bottle (I used Martha Stewarts new line of paints. Just because I liked the color)

One 2 oz bottle of white or cream paint

Paint brushes

Blue painter's tape

Ruler

Primer (you dont really need this but my pumpkins all started out different colors. I primed them with white spray primer so I had the same surface to work with)

Once I primed my pumpkins and they dried I decided how big I wanted my stripes to be. I choose 3/4 inch. With your pumpkin sitting flat, measure 3/4 inch up from your flat surface. Put your blue painters tape around the pumpkin.

Next, squeeze your entire bottle of orange paint into a cantainer (or whatever color you choose). Paint your first section of the pumpkin.

This is where this project gets time consuming. Let the paint completly dry (approx. 30 minutes). While I was waiting for my paint to dry I cleaned and worked on some future projects. I used a hair dryer to help speed the process because I had the patience of about a two year old. Watching and waiting for paint to dry is very exciting!

Once your paint is dry remove the blue tape. Put blue tape over the line that just finished drying, leaving a little overlap so no white shows through. Measure 3/4 inch from your last painted row and tape around your pumpkin again. You will now have two rows of blue tape to paint your next row between.

Try to get your tape as tight as possible. The surface of the pumpkin made it difficult. In the end, it really does not matter beacause you are going to be painting over it with your next row. Plus with the uneven surface of the pumpkin the blemishes are difficult to see unless you standing right next to the pumpkin.

To paint your next row, add 1 teaspoon of white paint to your base and mix. You will continue this process all the way up your pumpkin. It is a long project so don't expect to sit down and do this project in an hour. (I painted a row, went to the gym, came back to do the next row, showered, came back to do the next row, ect...)

When I finally finished painting my rows, I painted the stem of the pumpkin with some leftover brown paint. I am pleased with the finished project, but this project takes time and patience.

I am linking up to parties at:



Check out all the Buttons here
Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A 2 Z
Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoe String
Friday Flair at Whipper Berry
Potpourri Party at 2805
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Sunday Scoop at I heart Nap Time
Lovely Crafty Weekend at Lovely Crafty Home
Weekend Wrap up Party at Tater tots and Jello
Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors
Show and Share at Southern Lovely
Wow me Wednesdays at Ginger Snap Scrafts
Sizzle into Summers at DIY by Design
Primp your Stuff Wednesday at Primp
Will Craft for...Comments at Tales of a Trophy Wife





Peanut Butter Rice Krispies

I have a number of favorite desserts and these babies are one of my favorites. I love these because they only take about five minutes to make and the ingredients are simple and easy to remember. They are my go-to last minute dessert.

Your Ingredients:
7 cups Rice Krispies
1 cube (1/2 cup) butter
1 cup white corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
(I told you the ingredients are easy to remember!)


Combine butter, corn syrup, and sugar in sauce pan and bring to boil. Let boil for about a minute. Turn your burner off and add peanut butter. Stir until all peanut butter is melted.

While you were waiting for your sauce to boil, you should be putting your Rice Krispies in a large bowl. Once your sauce is mixed well pour it over your Rice Krispies and mix all your ingredients together.

Pour your mix into a baking pan and smooth everything out. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and cover for about five minutes. By covering your dish it helps the chocolate chips melt and will make them easier to smooth out. Once your chocolate chips look like they are getting melty or soft, smooth them over the top.

This takes about an hour to cool down. You can serve this slightly warm right out of the dish or wait for them to cool to cut and serve.

 

Harvest Sign Garland

This is the first year that I am actually decorating for fall. Last year we were so new in our home that I hardly had any normal decorations; so I did not want to spend the time or money on seasonal decorations. This year I am ready to decorate for fall, in full force. I started with my wreath and the next step was making something for my mantel.

Your Supplies:
-Card Stock
-Craft knife
-Mod Podge
-Glitter
-String
-Hole Punch
-Glue-dots
I like this project because it is simple and if you are into making crafts, you probably already have all these supplies in your crafting room or closet!

I am not lucky enough to have a Silhouette or Cricut at this point, so I had cut-out my letters the old fashion way.  I picked out the size and font that I wanted my letters, printed, and started cutting with my craft knife. (Maybe in the future I will have a magical machine that will do all the hard cutting for me!)
I taped my prints over cardstock to cut my letters out.

I was using orange glitter, so I also used orange cardstock so no white would show through my glitter.
Once your letters are cut out start mod-podging and glittering your letters.

I let my letters dry while I cut out triangles to adhere to the back of my letters. Using a small circular hole punch I made holes for the string of my garland. I strung my triangles on my hemp string and used glue dots to adhere my triangles and letters together. 

I am Linking up to parties at:
Check out all the Buttons here
Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A 2 Z
Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoe String
Friday Flair at Whipper Berry
Potpourri Party at 2805
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Sunday Scoop at I heart Nap Time
Lovely Crafty Weekend at Lovely Crafty Home
Weekend Wrap up Party at Tater tots and Jello
Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors
Show and Share at Southern Lovely
Wow me Wednesdays at Ginger Snap Scrafts
Sizzle into Summers at DIY by Design
Primp your Stuff Wednesday at Primp
Will Craft for...Comments at Tales of a Trophy Wife

Why spend your time doing just cardio?

Workout of the week (WOW)

A lot of my workout's come from Cross-fit. Cross-fit is a type of exercise that includes cardio and strength training in quick circuits giving you a full body workout. The best part is that Cross-fit.com and many other individual gyms, that practice Cross-fit, post daily workouts online. There are tons of places to get great workouts for free.

This is one of the cross-fit workouts I tweaked to fit my needs using the equipment available at my gym.

Run 1 mile to warm up.
Stretch

For time complete this circuit:

• 25 Walking lunge steps
• 20 Pull-ups
• 50 Box jumps, 20 inch box
• 20 Double-unders (jumping rope, attempt to get the rope under your feet twice before your feet touch the ground)
• 25 tricep dips
• 20 Knees to elbows
• 30 Kettlebell swings, 25 pounds
• 30 Sit-ups
• 20 Overhead weighted squats (take a barbell, holding it over your head while you squat)
• 25 Back extensions
• 30 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball

After I did this I also did a few ab exercises. These exercises are up to you if you want to add them to your workout:
3 sets of 12 incline sit-ups with a 25 pound weight
3 sets of 60 second abdominal planks
Lastly, stretch to cool down.

I was in and out of the gym in 37 minutes completing this workout from start to finish.

Good Luck!

It's getting to be that time..... time to decorate for fall.

Corn Husk Wreath:
For every season I make a wreath. I'm not sure why, because by the time I'm done buying the supplies for my wreaths they seem to never be as inexpensive as I expected. However, I love to craft, I love that nobody else has the same wreath, and I love it when someone comes over and asks where I got my wreath.

I wanted to make a wreath that would last me through the whole fall season. Not just Halloween or Thanksgiving. I came up with a wreath made from dried corn husks.

Supplies:
-Straw wreath from Jo-Ann Fabrics
-T-pins (approximately 200)
-One 8oz package of dried corn husks (you can get them in the grocery store in the Mexican food section)
-Ribbon or something to hang your wreath with
-Fall inspired faux flower
-Hot glue gun with glue
-Total Cost: About $15.00

Start by taking your corn husks and placing them in a large bowl filled with water. Soak for about 10 minutes. By soaking the corn husk you are making it more manageable to work with.

Take your corn husk and cut off about 2 inches from the bottom. This is the narrow part of the husk. Next, tear the corn husk into about 1.5 inch sections.

This is what your pieces of corn husk should look like when you are ready to start pinning them around your wreath.

Start pinning from the inside of the wreath. Each row will have 5-6 pieces.  Overlap the corn husks as you make your way from the inside to the outside of the wreath. Continue this process  for the next row. Overlap the rows so you cannot see the pins. If you want, you can leave more space between your rows then I did . I like my wreaths to be very full so I tightly overlapped my rows.

Keep pinning all the way around. At some point add in your ribbon for hanging. I tied mine around the wreath and kept pinning the corn husk over the ribbon.

Once I finished pinning all the corn husks, I realized I needed to add a little color. I arranged a few flowers to add to the wreath. Once I had the flowers arranged how I wanted them, I glued them on with hot glue.

The end result was just what I was looking for, an elegant looking fall themed wreath that will last the entire season.



I am linking up to parties at:

Home Stories A 2 Z

Tuesday Ten

Whipperberry

Chic on a Shoe String

2805

Under the Table and Dreaming

I heart Nap Time

Lovely Crafty Home
Tater Tots and JelloFunky Junk Interiors

Weatherproof Sunburst Mirror

My husband and I just finished a major overhaul to our backyard (pictures to come soon). One of the finishing touches to complete this project was a piece of artwork to hang on our fence. All the images of Sunburst Mirrors I saw posted everywhere in the  "blog" world started to flood my imagination. The only problem was that I wanted my project to be somewhat sustainable to changes in the weather. Check out the tutorial on my weatherprooff sunburst mirror.

Your Supplies:

-2 Packs of 18 inch wood shims

-10 inch round mirror

-14 inch, 10 inch, and 8 inch metal craft rings

-Hot glue gun with glue that is made to adhere to wood and metal

-Gorilla Glue

-Wire for hanging

-Varathane Spar Urethane

Lay your two largest craft rings (14 and 10 inch) down and line up a few wood shims to get an idea of how they will line up before you start gluing like crazy! The skinny side of the wood shim will be towards the inside and the bottom of the shim will line up with your inner ring (10 inch ring). The 10 inch ring will be your guide for where to glue the first row of wood shims.  I used a hot glue gun with glue that was made to adhere to wood and metal.

Once you finish the first row start gluing a second row on top the row you just finished. On this row you will lay the shims between the gaps of the first row you glued. The top left hand side of the picture above shows the second row being glued down.

Now it is time to add your third craft ring (8inch). Just place the craft ring in the middle and start following the same pattern you did on the first two rows. Skinny side in and glue down the wood shims to both the craft ring and the base of your already finished first two rows. I did not line up the bottom of the wood shims along the craft ring on this row; I wanted a little more dimension between the layers of the wood shims. Complete your last and final row of wood shims. You should have four layers of shims total in the two different sections.

Once all the rows are finished, flip over your artwork, take a sneak peak and then glue on your mirror. Use Gorilla Glue to glue down the mirror. Place something heavy over the mirror and wood shims then walk away for 2-3 hours to allow the glue to adhere. At this point, I also added Gorilla Glue in the gaps between the metal craft rings and the wood shims. I figured the more glue the better!

To hang the mirror we simply slipped wire underneath the craft ring in two different places and twisted the ends closed.  If you don't need your sunburst mirror to be waterproof you are ready to hang your new artwork!

I covered the 10 inch mirror with cardboard and started coating all the wood with Varathane Spar Urethane. It dries clear, is odorless and provides protection from UV light and weather. I did not want to paint or stain every single wood shim so I asked the great employees at Home Depot if there was a good spray for weatherproofing. This was there suggestion. I did four coats on both the front and back of the sunburst mirror. Each coat I spayed in a different direction or pattern to ensure that I did not miss any spots.  



I'm linking up to the parties at:

Check out all the Buttons here
Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A 2 Z
Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoe String
Friday Flair at Whipper Berry
Potpourri Party at 2805
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Sunday Scoop at I heart Nap Time
Lovely Crafty Weekend at Lovely Crafty Home
Weekend Wrap up Party at Tater tots and Jello
Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors
Show and Share at Southern Lovely
Wow me Wednesdays at Ginger Snap Scrafts
Sizzle into Summers at DIY by Design
Primp your Stuff Wednesday at Primp
Will Craft for...Comments at Tales of a Trophy Wife

Why Spend Hours at the Gym?

Some of you may think a blog about home decor and fitness don't go together, but I believe part of making your house into a home is having a healthy home. Part of that healthy home is regular exercise and good nutrition. Many of you have full time jobs, kids to raise, homes to maintain, and numerous other commitments that fill your time. When do you have time to work out? I hope to show you some quick and efficient work outs which will take you less then an hour to complete (most will actually be 45 minutes or less).

My thoughts on fitness: You don't have to spend hours at the gym, but the time you spend working out needs to be worth while. As I've gotten older, my commitments have grown and the time I am able to spend working out has decreased. I like to do circuit-training workouts combining cardio and weights (or body resistance) to optimize my results in a short amount of time.

Here is our first workout:

Warm-up: Run 800 meters (or one mile if you are already in great shape!) 

Complete four rounds of this circuit for time:
Walking lunges for 100 yards
30 Box Jumps
20 Wall Balls
10 hand-stand Push ups or V-push ups (if hand-stand push ups are too difficult)
Cool down: Walk 400 meters

Walking Lunges for 100 yards

30 Box Jumps

20 Wall Balls

(Since I do not have a wall in my house that I am okay with throwing a weighted ball against, I just threw the ball in the air. If I did this work out at the gym I would find a wall to use)

10 Hand-Stand Push-ups

OR

10 V-push-ups

Repeat this circuit 4 times; as fast as possible.

My hubby and I completed this in less then 30 minutes today. This workout can be done by anybody. It is hard, but if you are not in great shape, you can increase your break times between circuits to safely catch your breath.

If you are putting the effort in to working out, you need to replenish your body within 30 minutes of your workout. This allows you to get the full benefit of all your hard work and sweat.
Strawberry-Banana Post-Workout Smoothie:

1/2 cup yogurt

1 heaping scoop vanilla protein powder

2 bananas

7-8 whole frozen strawberries

1/2 cup milk

Blend!

I just throw everything into a blender so these are approximate amounts. (you really can't mess this up.)

This will make enough for 2 people: