Category: Currently I’m Crushing On

Print your pictures! {& a service to help you do this}

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Happy Friday!! Today I wanted to pop in to talk about pictures. Taking them, saving them, printing them, sharing them. I also shared this in my newsletter, but in case you aren’t subscribed (what are you waiting for?!), I wanted to share it here, too!

Before everything seemed to go digital, I remember always printing my pictures. In college, the wall along my bed was filled with them – anyone else? And I remember how much fun it was to not know how a picture came out until you got them developed. How times have changed, right?

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These days, now that everything is digital and shared electronically, printing photos seems to be a thing of the past. Which is a shame because we often forget about what we have for pictures that are stored on our phones or on our computers.

Over the past few years (ok, well really since we got engagement photos done), I’ve tried to be better about printing the photos. I have albums from our engagement shoot, our wedding, our honeymoon, etc. and it’s fun to pull them out and look at them every once in a while. I’ve even been better about putting them in frames, too, and this area in our living room is one of my favorites.

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What I love about printing photos is that you have the ability to look back on and remember a specific event/time in your life. I even find myself scrolling back through my camera roll, Facebook and Instagram sometimes to look back at all the photos I’ve taken over the years that didn’t make the cut to print and/or frame.

That said, when TurnGram reached out to me to see if I wanted to test out their services, I was all on board. If you’re not familiar with TurnGram, they are a photo concierge service that links up with Instagram to help you collect more printed photos. It’s a monthly service and the way it works is you go to their site, provide your Instagram handle details and then specify what types of pictures you want them to edit, print and send – to you OR to someone else. You can do 1 photo a month for $3.99 or 5 photos a month for $4.99 (a no brainer if you ask me).

For instance….

  • Let’s say your parents are not on Instagram and you just had a baby. You would go to their site, explain this, put your parents as the “to” recipient and then TurnGram would go through and pic the photo(s) to send, based on your monthly subscription selection and then send them to your parents so they can be kept up to date with the photos you’re sharing (and have them in printed copy, which is always my mother’s request!)
  • Or, you are in college and studying abroad and want photos to be sent home to your parents to show them your travel adventures. Or, you send them to yourself so that you can have printed copies of them when you get home.
  • Or, you’re tracking progress with regards to house improvements, physical challenges, etc. and want to have those photos printed.

Personally, since I don’t need printed photos of my #sweatyselfies, lol, I told them to focus on pictures of me teaching, of RM and me, trips, family, etc. I’ve received 2 deliveries so far and it’s been so much fun to open them to see what they decided to send me.

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But, I realized that I ended up just leaving them in a pile, so I decided to figure out a way to display them in our apartment. I had bare space on a wall in my office that would be a perfect picture wall. Rather than having to buy a bunch of frames, I decided to get some gold twine, little gold clothespins and use those to create it. I’m super happy with how it came out, and can’t wait to add to it!

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Another cool idea would be to use this gold grid from Target – I think it would be a great way to display your TurnGram photo deliveries!

If you’re interested in learning more or to subscribe to this cool service, check out their site for more details. Your first month is free, so I think it’s a no brainer 😉

Happy photo printing!

Five on Friday {11.10.16}

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Good morning! First off, thank you to all of our Veterans ❤ If you have today off because of Veteran’s Day, I’m jealous! But, I am working a shortish day so that I can catch a few afternoon sessions at the Boston MANIA event later today. I realized that my re-certification is due in March and I only have 7 or the 15 necessary re-cert credits so I’m hoping to get more this weekend! With that said, I have some fun things to share with you today so let’s get to it.

  • Planet Fitness in Watertown– Earlier this week I had the opportunity to check out the new Planet Fitness in Watertown, conveniently located a short 5 minute walk from out apartment! RM recently joined and he said it was really big and nice and he was right- the space is HUGE and they have lots of various pieces of equipment. While a lot of the equipment is machine based- both weights and cardio machines- I was happy to see that they had a whole functional training setup in the lower area of the gym. The locker room was also really nice and they have various other perks if you get the black card membership. However, if you just want a cheap gym with no extra frills, a $10/month membership will get you just that! Can’t really beat that right? If you’re in the area and are looking for a new gym, I suggest checking out PF and if you join between Nov 9th and Nov 16th, 100% of the $10 down payment will be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and STOMP Out Bullying- a very, very good cause!

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  • Bastille Kitchen– Last Friday night RM and I had a date night at Bastille Kitchen in the Seaport/Fort Point area of the city. A coworker had told me it was good and she was right- everything we had was fantastic! We loved the atmosphere, the service, the menu options and the Beignets- yeah those were incredible! We started with the tuna tartar, had some Brandade Fritters and then the Braised Shortrib flatbread. I want to go back just so we can try more things!

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  • CastleArch Property Advisors– If you follow me on social media, you’ve probably seen that RM has officially launched the start of his new company. I couldn’t be more proud of him for taking this leap of faith and finally deciding to pursue a passion rather than staying in a corporate job just for the safety and security it brings. CastleArch Property Advisors is a brokerage and investment advisory services firm, focused on the sale and leasing of commercial and investment real estate. So, in lamens terms, he helps businesses find commercial real estate for their offices/businesses. I’ve never seen him work so hard to get it up and running, but I’ve also never seen him so happy- it’s an awesome thing to watch. We’d love your support by “liking” his page on Facebook and following him on Instagram and Twitter 🙂

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  • New Office– We FINALLY made it to Ikea to pick up stuff for my new office/at home gym area. While it’s still not completely finished yet, I’m SO HAPPY with how it’s come out so far. I love the cleanness of the white and yellow- it makes for such a calming work experience. We plan on getting a treadmill or spin bike and a few extra weights which will just add to my happiness in that room 🙂

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  • New Balance Cold Weather Gear- Remember how I was asking for suggestions on good cold weather gear? Well my friends over at New Balance ended up sending me some pretty amazing pieces to try out. I’m totally obsessed with everything! This NB Heat Hybrid Jacket is perfect for outdoor activities and running errands because it’s thin and not bulky, yet because of the Polartec® Alpha® material it’s very warm! Plus, I love the mint green color. They also sent me these Performane Merino Tights, which are going to be amazingggg for the cold teaching nights ahead.

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Lastly, I was able to participate in a focus group at their headquarters recently which was SUCH a cool experience. They had me try on lots of different outfits and then they’d ask me a bunch of questions about how I felt about the style, fit, colors, design, etc. It was really neat. As a thank you they gave us a M4M Seamless Cable Pullover, which is infused with the NB Heat Technology. The fabric is unbelievable and it really did help keep me warm during a chilly run the other day.

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Lastly, I fell in love with these amazing Newbury Intensity Tights and ended up buying them because I couldn’t put them down 😉 Overall I’m loving all of my new NB goodies- they are the best!

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And that does it for me! Don’t forget to enter my giveaway over on Instagram– I’m giving away FIVE free manicure coupons. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend 🙂

Questions for you:  What do you look for when joining a gym? Have you ever been to Bastille Kitchen? Do you have any restaurants we should try? Do you have a separate office in your home? Have you bought any new fitness gear lately?

Five on Friday {5.19.16}

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Good morning- TGIF 🙂 I am so happy it’s Friday and that there’s good weather in the forecast for the weekend because my bachelorette weekend kicks off today!  Let’s jump right into today’s post, shall we?

  • Secret of Being Happy At Work– but actually, I think this can be applied to all areas of your life. RM sent me this and I just think it’s such an important message to get across. If we are always saying we will be happy when we get a new job or a promotion or a boyfriend or after we lose 10lbs., etc. etc., we are continuously spending our time, thoughts and energy NOT focusing on the present and everything good in that moment. It’s so easy to get caught up in wanting more and thinking more will make you happier and feel better, but if you take a step back and appreciate everything you have/do/etc. RIGHT NOW, I think you’ll find a greater sense of satisfaction and self-appreciation. Try it!
  • Clean up your cardio– My girl Athena just released her new, FREE Clean Up Your Cardio guide, which will show you all sorts of new ways to get a bigger bang for your buck when it comes to cardio (less time working out and better results? Yes, please!). Athena sent me some of the workouts ahead of time to try out and I loved all of the 6 that I tried! They’re challenging, but doable, which I think is a really important thing when trying new workouts. You want to feel like you’re working hard, but you also want to feel like you can finish the workout, right? Also, they range from body weight to minimal equipment to the use of a treadmill or some other cardio machine to the track, so there’s something for everyone! I’ve been inspired to spice up my cardio just by seeing all the different things she’s included. If you’re interested in checking it out (it’s free, so I don’t know why you wouldn’t be), check out this link!
  • Book Club- As I mentioned on Monday, I hosted book club at my apartment last weekend. I am so thankful that we not only started, but have maintained, book club for nearly 2 years. These days it’s so hard to get together with people because we’ve all got so many different things going on, so having a planned event every 6 weeks or so is awesome. The last book we read was Defending Jacob, which was a great book club book. There was so much to talk about! Our next on is Fates & Furies, which although I’ve heard it’s a little hard to get into, once you get into it you’ll love it. I can’t wait to read it! What are you reading lately?

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  • Bags class at GymIt- On Tuesday (May 24th) I am going to be teaching my first bags classes at GymIt in Watertown!!! I am so excited, but also so nervous. Want to know what would help? Having some familiar faces in the class, so if you are around I’d love for you to come check it out!! I tested out one of the workouts I’ve created the other morning at my apartment and even without a bag, I was a sweaty beast and huffing and puffing. Boxing is no joke!

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Here are some details if you’re interested in coming to a class:

1) There are gloves to use for each class but you’ll need to buy your own wraps ($10.00). If you buy gloves there ($35) the wraps are free.
2) You can try a class for free once you have signed up with Gymit
3) 10 pack for $180.00 no members or $25.00 per drop in (non members of gym)
  • Bachelorette weekend– Today I am heading up to Portland, ME with a bunch of my favorite girls to celebrate my bachelorette party. I cannot believe this weekend is finally here… sh*t is starting to get real! The wedding is in 46 days… how did it sneak up so fast?! Although I’m from Maine, I never spent much time in Portland when I was able to really appreciate the bar scene, so if you have any suggestions for bars to go to, please let me know 🙂 We are staying right down town which is awesome! Had to celebrate last night by getting my nails done and drinking vino… duh 😉

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Your Turn! Tell me something good! What have you been doing for workouts lately? Are you reading any good books? Do you tend to focus on things to come or embrace the present? Where did you go for your bachelorette party?

Five on Friday {4.8.16}

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Good morning! TGIF, right?! This week has really dragged on for me- no idea why, but it makes me especially happy that it’s Friday (FriYAY, right?!)! Here are some of the topics going on in my head these days:

  • Personalized Cornhole Bags- Etsy is my new best friend these days, which is exactly where I found these adorable cornhole bags. I opted to go with cream and navy with gold lettering since those are roughly the colors we are kind of going with. I also ordered the boards from someone else off of Etsy so once RM paints those I’ll show them. So excited to bring these up to NH for our wedding!

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  • Wedding Invitation Frustrations- Speaking of our wedding- which, btw, is less than 3 months away!!- invitations have been a bit of a frustration so far. I designed them on the PaperSource website and then went into the store in Lynnfield to have them help me with a few things. They timed everything out and said I would see the proofs in 3-5 business days, however, I did not see a proof until 8 business days!!! Seeing how the 23 business days they quoted me to get the final product already put us at the end of April (need to get these babies out by early May), I was stressing big time! I called the store probably 5 times and emailed with them, but I will say that I love the final proof and can’t wait to get them in. Anyone else have any wedding-related issues out of your control that caused you stress?
  • Shrimp Pad Tai- We had another week of Just Add Cooking meals and it was another week of winning meals! The Shrimp Pad Tai was so easy to make and SO delicious that I have a feeling it will become a regular meal we rotate in.

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  • House of Cards- We started watching House of Cards the other night. So far, even though it’s a little slow I’m enjoying it- no violence, which is a nice change of pace from Breaking Bad 😉 Anyone else watch this? Will we love it?
  • BoxFIIT Certification Update- Ahh! I’m getting there! I have only a handful of videos left to film before I’m done and I’m SO excited. I’ve been focusing on taking more classes to get comfortable with the format and bags and things like that. Eliza’s Tuesday night Bags and Body/Beats is such a fun class- something I could totally see myself teaching. If you’re interested in learning more about this certification, let me know- happy to provide more information!

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And that does it for me! As for weekend plans, RM suggested checking out Pepe’s pizza in Chestnut Hill… and I’m not one to turn down a pizza offer so I think we are doing that tonight. Tomorrow I am going to Nicole’s Bags & Body class at The Club in the morning and then doing some mitt practice before meeting up with a few friends to celebrate my bestie’s recent engagement! Whatever you have on the agenda for the weekend, I hope you take time for YOU!

Questions for you: Wedding planning tips for how to stay sane and not stressed? PLEASE SHARE! Did you cook any good meals this week? What are you up to this weekend? Any good workouts?

 

Five on Friday {4.1.16}

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Good morning! And happy April and Happy Birthday month to my fellow April birthday friends 🙂 I could’ve gotten you guys so bad with an April Fools joke (quitting the blog, canceling the wedding, being pregnant, etc.), but I’ll spare you that and just get right to the Five on Friday topics for today!

  • Mary’s Gone Crackers– We are always on the hunt for healthier chip/cracker varietals, so when I saw these on sale at Whole Foods, I had to try them out. The verdict? I am a big fan! RM likes them, but still prefers the Almond Thins we usually have on hand. I like the Mary’s crackers because they are full of seeds and the ingredient list is pretty clean.

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  • Signs of Spring- There may be snow in the weekend forecast, but for now I’m focusing on little signs of spring around our apartment, including these pretty flowers!
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  • Wedding Registry Gifts- With the wedding shower in just about a month, the gifts have started coming in and it’s so exciting. I joked that every day is like Christmas these days! I know we technically know and picked out everything we’ve been getting, but it’s still exciting to see and feel the gifts. I was especially excited to get 2 sets of the “fancy” place settings I registered for since I had only seen them on line. I love them even more in person!!

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  • Book Club- Tuesday night was book club night, which is always a fun time. Our friend Lauren hosted it in her absolutely adorable Charlestown apartment and the theme was “all the dips”, meaning everyone brought a different “dip” to enjoy. Since most people brought appetizer dips, I offered to bring a dessert dip, which was a big hit- we joked it was like we were eating grown up Dunkeroo’s (remember those things?!). I found it here, and chose it because it was SO easy… and because it was called “Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake” dip and that sounded heavenly. I highly suggest throwing a dip party at some point in your life!

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  • Dresses for Wedding Festivities- I hit up Assembly for some shopping before book club because between my shower, bachelorette party and rehearsal dinner, I am in need of some dresses. I found one at the Express Outlet that I liked, but then when I went to Off Saks, I ended up finding this baby that I liked even more. Best part? It was priced at $220, but I got it for $48! What do you think?

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And that does it! This weekend should be much more relaxed than the past handful of weekends. I’m teaching tomorrow and then hopefully going to a deadlift/hinge mini group training at Foster Fitness and that’s it for set plans. I hope to knock out a bunch more of the Box FIIT Certification, have a date night, meal prep and go to church- whatever you have on the agenda for the weekend I hope you enjoy yourselves!

Questions for you: What’s your favorite snack chip/cracker? What’s your favorite dip? Do you have any suggestions for where I can find a white romper or two piece outfit for my bachelorette party? What’s on the agenda this weekend? Get any good sweats in this week?