One proud sister!

   I am so proud of my little brother. On Thursday, Rusty graduated from college! It has been a long and tedious road, but he did not give up! Rusty graduated Cum Laude, with a degree in Business Administration, majoring in Infrastructure Assurance and Information Systems. He's one of those computer genius people. It took Rusty a little longer than maybe your average college student, but he worked the entire time he was in school, often juggling two jobs and school. He also supported himself, living on his own while he was in school and volunteered his time as a firefighter.
 
  It also took me longer than your typical four years to finish college, but for the past several years I've offered Rusty the same advice that I always told myself, over and over again. It doesn't matter how long it takes, as long as you keep going. Education is something that no one can ever take away from you. They can take away the degree you hang on your wall, but they can't remove the knowledge that you hold within you.
 
  Rusty has already begun a job in his career field that he's really enjoying. We are all so proud of him for his accomplishments and know that his future looks very bright!

Rusty and I at my college graduation, December 20, 2008

 

 

 

Rusty and I at his college graduation, exactly four years later, December 20, 2012

Motivational Monday

This is such a beautiful Bible verse and such a beautiful reminder. I need to be reminded of this on a daily basis. It brings such a sense of peace and strength.

Motivational Monday

Remember....be yourself!!

Tickle me pink...and purple, and blue, and green, and yellow.....

   Several months ago, before the craziness of moving and T traveling for business for the next two weeks popped up, we had signed up to run a 5k that was scheduled for this morning. We've had to change a few of our other plans, but I'm too frugal (cheap) to not do something that I've already paid for. Plus...this was not your typical 5k race. This was the Color Me Rad race.

  Here's our before picture.

   The Color Me Rad is basically a 5k where at various stations throughout the races you run through a little area where people throw colored corn starch all over you! By the time you get to the finish line you look like you've been swimming in a pool filled with melted Skittles. You can also get Color Packs and throw extra color all other each other.

  We got some extra packs, and went a little crazy. Here's T before the race even got started.

 

  I'm usually super competitive when it comes to running in a race, but not today. This was just for fun, and it was a blast!

  Here's a picture of the finish line. No, it wasn't raining.....that's colored corn starch flying around everywhere!

   My friend Callie and I at the finish line! I must say, Callie definitely had the best tie-dyed face out of all of us! It was awesome!

  T and I at the finish line. Definitely a different look from the clean picture at the beginning of this post!

Friday Funnies

I'm sure you've all seen the funny Black Friday images. Just thought I'd share one I found.

Happy shopping everyone!!!

Happy Thanksgiving and don't give up on me.....

  Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I can't believe that it's already Thanksgiving. Due to some recent craziness (yeah, I'm gonna cover that) the holiday has really snuck up on me!

  I've been planning on writing this post for awhile. I know that I was doing really great when I started this blog about two months ago. Many of you enjoyed reading my many weekly posts, along with my Motivational Mondays and Friday Funnies...and then, the past week or two it's been like the crickets chirping.....The Life of a Ginger Warrior fell off a hill somewhere! Where did she go!!?? I want to apologize to all of you. My life has been pure craziness, and the blog has suffered. But I want to share with y'all all the craziness and excitement that has been going on!

  First topic of craziness! I've had my Mom's cookbooks reprinted!

   As many of you many remember, I featured my Mom's cookbook in an earlier post, http://ginger-warrior.blogspot.com/2012/09/honoring-my-mom.html
   My Mom's cookbook was originally published 13 years ago, shortly after she passed away from cancer. We only had a small number printed the first time, and they quickly sold out, so for 13 years people have been asking my family how they could get their hands on another copy! So...I decided to take a leap of faith and have them reprinted. I now have 500 copies sitting in my guest room, and am praying they sell!

   I've sold a little over 50 copies in about two weeks, and I'm going to be selling them at a big event in my hometown this weekend. If you're interested in getting one, please contact me at the email that's under my Contact Me tab.
   Ok, next topic of craziness! T and I are moving! In four weeks! Crazy! So....we've always known that our home wouldn't be our "forever home." We had kinda thought that we'd stay here until we had kids and then move before they started school, so that they'd go to better schools. Well....mortgage rates are freaking amazing right now!! And...it was a good time, financial, for us...so we figured, why not? We talked to a friend of ours, who's a realtor and decided to list our house on the market. We spent about a week just tidying up and staging a few things. Last Thursday night (so a week ago) our house went on the market. On Saturday we had our first showings. Saturday afternoon we got an offer, over our asking price. Sunday we entered into the contract. Monday we went to look at new homes. Tuesday we made a decision on a new home. And, yesterday, we made a offer and signed a contract on a new home! Um....yeah, CRAZY!! We are SO excited! We never anticipated it happening this fast, but we're so excited.
  So, again I want to apologize for just falling off the side of a cliff when it comes to keeping up with my blog. I will really try harder throughout the next several weeks as I get ready for our move. And as we get into our new home I will definitely get back into the swing of blogging a lot more! Thank you for not giving up on me!

Friday Funnies

This is too cute!! So, I know it's not my puppy, Molly, in the picture, but it might as well be....because this is completely her personality!! Have a great Friday everyone!

Motivational Monday

I love this. I think it's so important to remember to stand up for what you believe in, even if it's not the popular thing. 

Friday Funnies

Heaven knows my future children will probably be like this!

Happy Friday everyone!

Yay! Look what I did!!

What's that on your arm??

    So, I get several weird looks and stares, given the thing that I wear on my left tricep. A few brave souls have even ventured to ask me what it is. Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is a Bodymedia Fit Armband.

   
  I wear it 24/7 except for when I'm showering, because it doesn't like the water. This little baby has sensors on the inside that press up against my skin and constantly take measurements. With those measurements it's able to determine how many calories I'm burning, how many steps I'm taking, my vigorous and moderate activity, and even my sleep patterns. All of these are very important components to a healthy lifestyle, especially if you're trying to lose weight.

    To get your results you sync your Bodymedia with your computer and it uploads your data to an online management program. If you're like me and you're too curious to wait until you're near your computer to upload your data, they do have a handy dandy display device that you can sync minute-by-minute with, and get the most up to date information. 

 

 

    I will tell you that I have not always had a Bodymedia. I've actually only had my device for about 3-4 months. I mainly got it because I've just always been curious. I wanted to know how many calories I'm burning during the day and during my workouts. 

    I will also tell you that I was not paid to do this blog post, although that would have be awesome, because this is a pretty stellar review! And, just a little secret if you're thinking about getting a device like this.....check out Ebay.....way cheaper than buying directly from the manufacturer. ;-)

   The Bodymedia is an amazing device, especially if you're currently trying to lose weight. It can be very hard to lose weight, especially if you're not sure how many calories you're burning. This device keeps you in check. If you're struggling with meeting your weight loss goals, consider looking into one of these devices. I find that I push myself harder because I want to meet my daily goals that I've set for myself, and this helps me do that!

 

Even T is sporting one!!

 

Motivational Monday-Courtesy of T

Today's Motivational Monday is courtesy of T. He sent it to me last week and told me that it'd be great for today. I agreed and told him I'd use it! 

It's a great reminder to not give up!

Friday Funnies

Women Unite! This is hilarious!

 Happy Friday everyone!

Workout Tips

  Working out is a very important part of my life, and I want to share a few of my tips, pointers and top secrets with you. I'm kidding...they're not really super duper secrets. They're just things that I've found have worked for me and my hope is that if you're searching for some direction when it comes to increasing your fitness, maybe they'll work for you too. 

Find your schedule  wikipedia.org

  One of the most important things I can stress is to find a schedule that works for you. I'm a morning person. Since I was a little girl I've never really enjoyed sleeping, and 6:30 on a Sunday morning is really late for me. I just naturally don't need a lot of sleep, so it's easy for me to get up early. So naturally, I do my workouts in the mornings. I've been doing it this way since I started consistently working out seven years ago. Several studies have shown that people who exercise in the morning are more likely to continue with their programs versus people who don't, so I definitely recommend giving it a shot if you can. If you can fit your exercise in during your morning, great.....during your lunch break, super.....in the evening, awesome! The most important thing is to find the time that works for you and to be consistent with it. Make it a priority as you would anything else in your day, because it's necessary. Your body and your health are important and they shouldn't be forgotten. 

Find your level of fitness   biggmotivation.com

  Another important thing to remember is to find your level of fitness that you're comfortable at. You have to have a starting place, and it's not going to be at the same level as Michael Phelps. Everybody is different and every body is different. You have to find the level that you're comfortable at, but are still pushing yourself. You've got to get your heart rate up. You've got to get a little out of breathe. You've got to push it to get the results! You don't have to be a running superstar. Walking is a great form of exercise, as long as you're pushing yourself at a rate that's getting your heart rate up. If not, your exercise is probably not going to be very effective. 

Get a workout buddy   yourhealthista.com

  Working out with a buddy is not only more fun, but also a great way to be more consistent! When you have someone holding you accountable you're much more likely to not bail. You can also help push each other to a harder level. When I first started working out at the little gym in my hometown I would go at the same time every morning, and there was always the same small group of people there. Without trying we held each other accountable. I don't know about everyone else there, but if I woke up and thought about not going I felt like I had to, because I was afraid they'd worry about me if I didn't show up. We were friends. We held each other accountable to be there. If you need that extra push to get into a workout routine, look for a friend that can be your exercise buddy!

Don't get bored   chuckwarnock.com

  My final tip for exercising is to not get bored with your routine. You can't do the exact same thing all the time, especially if you're expecting different results. Isn't that what Albert Einstein says is the definition of insanity?!  You've got to switch up your routine every once in a while. Not only will it prevent you from getting bored with it, but it will also give your body a new challenge. After a period of time with a particular workout your body will get used to it and it will no longer be a challenge. If its not a challenge to your body then you'll stop seeing results. That's when it's time for a change. For an example, if you've been speed walking for exercise, try jogging for 3 minutes and then walking for 5, and alternate that routine for the duration of your workout. The jogging will boost up the challenge for your body and will throw something new into the mix to keep it exciting!

  If you have a question about exercising or are looking for advise on getting starting on a healthy track, please contact me at sagingerwarrior@gmail.com. I'd love to answer your questions and offer advise that I may have!

Motivational Monday

Great thought to remember. Have a wonderful Monday! 

Lions, Tigers, and Baby Kisses

  T's sister, Felicia, her husband, Steven and their son, Gus, came to visit us this weekend. They live about 1.5 hours away, but with our crazy schedules we don't always get to see each other as much as we'd like. Gus is 8 months old and is so much fun to be around! They came in late Friday night and we had a fun-filled weekend!

  Saturday morning we headed to the zoo! A nice cold front had rolled in on Friday, so it was definitely chilly, but we all bundled up and were ready to go!

  Gus was super excited to get to the zoo!

 

  But, he woke up soon and was ready to see some exciting animals.

Having a nice little moment with his Aunt Ginger.

 

  Flamingos

  Another gorgeous bird

  And....we're sleeping again. He's too cute! 

   Zebra

  The cheetah. Did you know they can run 70 mph??!! I knew they could run fast, but I didn't know it was that fast! This one...not running so fast. He was mainly soaking up the sun, but I can't blame him....it was pretty cold out there.

  Gus loves fish!

  This huge hippo was just chilling in the water.

 

  Gus with his mommy and daddy, checking out more fish. 

  Back at home, T and I were able to spend some time taking care of Gus in the afternoon while Felicia and Steven got away for a little shopping, sans baby. Before Gus came along, 8 months ago, T had very little experience with babies and it's been awesome to see how much confidence he's gained. The two of them had a lot of fun together. 

  Another member of our family who's not too familiar with babies is Molly. She quickly warmed up to Gus and it was so cute to watch the two of them together! Molly loves to give kisses and she was trying to be sneaky with them, thinking that we wouldn't notice that she was licking the baby. Oh, we noticed. That was fun trying to keep them apart. 

  Gus goes in for some payback. 

   We had such a wonderful time visiting with family this weekend!

Friday Funnies

This is too funny! Anyone else crazy-obsessed with Pinterest?? Lol, but it pulls you in so many different directions! I don't know if I should try those new bun styles in my hair, make 20 freezer meals or refurbish old wood pallets into cool furniture. Someone help me! Lol!

Something bit my husband

  I'm going to brag about T a bit, because I'm so proud of him and some recent accomplishments he's had.

  T has always been a little flip-floppy with his weight. He lost about 25 pounds right before we got married and then he gained it back. He says its because he's married to such a great cook, and it was happy weight. He also told me that he thinks a lot of people are kinda depressed when they're overweight, but he never felt  that way. He was always happy. But that's T. He's an extremely happy guy. He doesn't let things bring him down. He stresses about nothing. Me, on the other hand....well, I stress enough for the both of us....and probably half of the neighborhood!

  Anywho....I've always told T that I don't care what he looks like. I just want him to be healthy. As I told you in previous posts, both my mother and grandmother passed away at early ages from cancer, and I want to break that cycle. Well, in T's family, a lot of the men are affected with Type 2 Diabetes. I just always tell him that if I'm going to fight to live forever, I want him living forever with me! 

  In the past, T has gotten serious about his diet and fitness, but the seriousness has fizzled out within a few weeks. But not this time! Some kind of crazy bug has bitten my husband and his results have been amazing! He's been extremely dedicated for the past 10 weeks or so, and he's lost over 25 pounds. Yes girls, let's all have a moment of anger towards men and how quickly they can lose weight! GRRRR!! Ok, we're moving on. 

  This was T last summer during a trip to Colorado.

  T about a year ago.

  T has started working out on a daily basis and he now feels guilty if he doesn't do some type of exercise every day. He's also measuring, weighing and recording everything that he eats. I promise you people, that is the way to do it if you're trying to get results! It's amazing once you start measuring and weighing your food. You gain a perspective of what a true portion is! 

  Here's a recent picture of T, after a 25 pound weight loss. What a studly guy!

  I couldn't be more proud of T and the healthy lifestyle that he has chosen to follow. We've got forever to look forward to!

Motivational Monday

Love, love, love this!!! 

Stand up for what you believe in!

 Fight for what's right! 

Don't back down!

abduzeedo.com

Lazy Sunday Morning

  T and I decided to have a lazy Sunday morning, which is a rare thing for us. We were at the grocery store a few days ago and both confessed that we'd really been craving pancakes. We rarely eat pancakes...because let's face it....they're not the healthiest breakfast choice out there. While at the store we decided that we'd look for a healthy pancake mix and came across this one.

 

  I absolutely love being able to cook breakfast for the hubby and myself and the weekend is the only time I can do it. I wanted to make our pancakes extra special this morning since it'd been so long since we'd had some. I made the pancakes, topped them with cinnamon, sugar free syrup, toasted pecans and some apples that I warmed and softened in the microwave. They were absolutely delicious!!

   On another random note, I have to share something else that I did this morning. I found this awesome idea on Pinterest a few weeks ago, where you could make your own Febreze spray. I was totally excited because that stuff is expensive! Ok...it's not that expensive, I'm just cheap. Wait, not cheap...I'm frugal. Yeah, frugal sounds better. Anywho, so this morning I tried it out. So, you mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 2 tablespoons of liquid fabric softener (like Downy), and then fill the rest of your spray bottle with warm tap water. Shake it up and it's ready to go. I recommend testing it on a small area before going nuts with it, because I will not be held responsible if it turns all your furniture bright pink or anything. Try it out. It's amazing and I'll never buy the other stuff again! 

 

That time I owned a cupcake business

  The other day was boss's day and I whipped up some yummy German Chocolate cupcakes for my boss and that reminded me that I never shared with y'all that I kinda used to own a cupcake business. It was never like a "big, this is my only job, how I make all my money" business....it really just started out as a hobby.

  It actually all started one day back in August of 2011. At that time I was working a very stressful, time-consuming job, but still felt like I was searching for a hobby. One day I was stuck at home all day, while our windows were being replaced, and I was sucked into hours of TV shows on TLC and a show came on that I'd never seen before, DC Cupcakes. It's this fun show about two sisters that quit their corporate jobs and opened their own cupcake shop in Washington, DC. They're quirky, fun and I immediately feel in love with cupcakes. After about 4 hours of watching them bake thousands of cupcakes, I thought...I could do that! I decided that baking cupcakes would be my hobby!

  I originally started making cupcakes just for fun, and then people began wanting to place orders! I never intended for my "hobby" to become a "business", but hey...I'm not going to argue.

  I came up with a business name and my wonderful friend, Callie, a very talented graphic designer, developed a logo for me.

  I don't really do the cupcakes as much anymore, mainly because it's just hard with a full-time job and other Ginger Warrior activities. It's not that I don't do them anymore....I'm just not out there looking for business. I'm happy to do cupcakes for anyone that contacts me requesting them. :-)

  Here's the German Chocolate that I made the other day, along with other cupcakes that I've made in the past.

Key Lime Pie

Oreo Cheesecake

Snickerdoodle

Maple Pecan

Pumpkin

Strawberry Shortcake

Breakfast in a Cupcake-French Toast cupcake, Maple buttercream frosting and topped with crispy bacon

Lemon Blueberry

Gingerbread

White Chocolate Peppermint

  I have to be honest. The cupcakes that I made for boss's day were the first ones I've made in a long time. As I went through my computer files looked for these pictures I began feeling these mixed emotions, between remembering the awesome feelings of creating these cute, little cakes and wanting to cry because I miss doing it. As I turned my hobby into a business I lost my passion for it, and the other night I re-found that passion. I love making cupcakes, and I have to begin doing it again.