Tomato Basil Chicken

Our 6th Month Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday marked 6 months from the day we got married and the time has flown by!

Life & work has kept us pretty busy and I wouldn't have it any other way! It truly is a blessing to spend your days with your very best friend. I don't know what I'd do with out him! 

We didn't have any big plans to celebrate   As a matter of fact we didn't make any plans at all. I had a photo shoot in the afternoon at 3pm and he came with me. After that we stopped and had an early dinner at Pei Wei and them headed back home. And then he napped. 

Just like a married old couple!

Nothing fancy. (Photos taken with an iPhone.)

Lately and Weekend Links

I've been so bad about blogging but I'm trying to do better. I decided that I'm no longer going to use my photography blog and will use this one for personal blogging AND my business site (Shayla J. Photography) once I have my official photography website set-up. (Coming soon!)

Just to catch you up on what's been going on, we've now been married for almost 4 months and life is grand. For starters, the husband recently got a new job opportunity! He wasn't actively seeking something new but it came at just the right time and it's been a huge blessing for our family. Also, we're planning on buying our first home together next year so we're starting to make preparations for that. And, I celebrated my 30th birthday (again :) ) last week and my husband threw me a surprise dinner with all of our friends that was pretty amazing! Lots more has been going on and I'll blog about some of it soon but that should get you caught up for now.

Here's some weekend links for you! I hope this past week has been a good one for you too!

- It's been a month since kids have been back in school and in case you're stuck in a rut with your kids lunches, here are a few simple ideas.

- Facts that will make you want to travel.

- 8 ways to stay cold-free this Fall.

- 3 ways to redesign your life: shedding the excess.

- Cut out back for those that dare!

- A prepster look for toddler boy.

- Homemade french toast sticks. YUM! 

- Make-up is crazy! Check out these before & after photos! WOW!

- 5 benefits of Witch Hazel.

- Pumpkin cocktails that will have you ready for Fall! Yum!

Here's to a wonderful weekend!

Healthy Breakfast Idea - Pumpkin Breakfast Quinoa

Now that I eat healthier I find myself making my meals more and trying out new recipes. I've still yet to try Quinoa but I like the thought of having it with something sweet rather than something savory. 

How's this for an autumn-inspired morning meal?!? 

**PUMPKIN BREAKFAST QUINOA**

Serves Two

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa

1 cup milk (I used 2 percent)

1 very ripe banana, mashed

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 egg whites

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

Directions:

• Combine quinoa, milk, mashed banana and egg whites in a pan on medium heat.
• Increase heat to medium high and, stirring constantly, allowing mixture to thicken (approximately 10 – 15 minutes)
• Fluff quinoa, reduce heat to low and slowly stir in pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice
• Add protein powder and an additional splash of milk if needed
• Divide quinoa into two bowls and enjoy

Shopping Dairies: Target Haul

On my way home from work yesterday I made a quick pit stop off at Target to see what kind of goodies I could find. I recently got a gift card from there and I ended up hitting the jackpot!

I scored each of these picture frames for $1.78 each. 

I got a new beach towel for $4.88 and a set of 5 washcloths for $6.98. For some reason our forks and washcloths seem to disappear all the time. The color doesn't match any theme in the house, I just got'em for now. I'm not sure of the color that we'll have for the bathrooms once we move into our new home next year but these will do for now. 

For $5.98, I got 2 pairs of earrings for moi and some candles for the house that were only $1.18!

I lucked up on these sheets for my son that were only $8.98. At first, I'd found a set that were $12.98 the only difference was the pattern. Plus I liked these better!

I hooked myself up with some new lounge wear, getting a new v-neck (my favorite) for $7.00 and some fleece shorts for $4.48. 

I got all of this plus some deodorant and a kit-kat all for $48 and some change!! Whoop, whoop! It pays to hit those end caps and search the clearance racks in Target. 

Happy Shopping!!

Have you found any good deals at Target lately?

Turbofire Results

Can I get a whoop, whoop for my results?! I drank Shakeology daily and lost 16 lbs a ton of inches all while working out with Turbofire for a little over 90 days in my living room. I got married back in June and the entire month seemed like one big vacation but I still managed to stay on track and not gain any weight while I was out of town. Though I didn't follow the nutrition guide completely I did change my eating habits, watched my calorie intake and logged all of the food I ate. I had just finished a round of Insanity prior to starting Turbofire and the workouts are completely different! Love the music! I went down a pants size in the first week. It really helped me slim down which is EXACTLY what I was looking for.

I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking to slim down and likes a fast paced, up beat workout that mixes in kick boxing. You will get results if you stick with it. Need help or have any questions about Shakeology & Turbofire email me at shayla@shayla-j.com or visit www.LiveWellLookingGreat.com.

Team Beachbody Coach Summit 2013

So many great things came out of the Coach Summit for me this year! Being that's it's my first year as a coach I hadn't attended one before and had no idea what to expect. But I left feeling more inspired than ever. Not just with Beachbody and my business but with life in general. Had you asked me a year ago what I'd be doing now; working as a fitness coach would not have been my answer. And look at me now, I see a bright future for myself in health & fitness. It's a great pleasure to get paid and help support my family just by helping to end the trend of obesity.

The general sessions were informative and exciting. I learned a ton from the workshops that I attended and being able to meet and be surrounded by so many like-minded people was unbelievable. I was able to meet several of my teammates from across the US and had a ton of fun because DUH we were in Vegas!!! Wanna learn more about the awesome opportunities available when you become a Beachbody and interested in joining my team shoot me a message at shayla(at)shayla-j.com. And you can always get info about losing weight and getting healthy you can visit my website Live Well, Look Great! #DreamBig

Dinner with my team before the fashion show!

The P90X guy (Tony Horton)

Chalene Johnson creator of TurboFire & many others

Shaun T the creator of Insanity & Focus T25

The view from my room on the 18th floor of the MGM Grand Hotel, Signature Tower 2.

The Core!

Those who attended got first dibs on the new Vanilla Shakeology

We also got to buy some pretty awesome gear too!

My coach won a golden ticket to workout up front with Shaun T! 

I tried Greenberry Shakeology for the first tim! Finally.

Of course there's pool time in Vegas!

The General Session kick off!

This years theme DREAM BIG!

When we weren't in training we had a some fun in the MGM casino and exploring the strip!

Up early to workout to do a live Slim in 6 workout with Debbie Siebers! 

6am group workout with over 5K plus other dedicated coaches :)

Got to listen to a great talk from speaker John C. Maxwell!

Drinks & food!!

I can't wait until next year! It's gonna be EPIC!