A celebration of life!

The past week was an eventful, emotional celebration of life! My family through a going away party for us. While I will still see my family often, it was difficult to say so long to my fabulous grandma and these three adorable faces.

I wanted to make it to Paisley Park one last time before I left Minneapolis. I hadn't been out that way in about 20 years! The memorial was amazing. AMAZING! I'm so happy I got to take part in it.

We also celebrated Charlie's first birthday without him, which was a difficult milestone. I'm ready for the 'firsts' to be over.

On the health front, I'm feeling good! I turned another year older this week. I'm so thankful that I've been mindful of my health and wellness over the last several years. I can't imagine how terrible I'd look and feel at this age if I hadn't been so diligent about nutrition and exercise for the last decade. I was on an awful, unhealthy track and I'm so thankful that I turned it around!

Also, the weather has finally improved enough to get outside and enjoy it! I made it to Target Field one last time.

I've also been taking advantage of the weather by walking all over Minneapolis this week! I will definitely miss walks along the Mississippi, but I'm so excited to stop being STATIC. There's only one more week until we move!

Fit Fest 2015 Review

On Saturday I had the privilege of attending the first annual Fit Fest event in the Twin Cities sponsored by Mpls-St. Paul Magazine. Not only was it the first Fit Fest, but it was the first fitness event of its kind hosted here. This amazes me, since we are known as one of the fittest cities in America. I attended with my super fit and fun pal, Christina, from Four Season Fit. Check her out!

Here are the quick and dirty highlights of the event:

The speakers were legit. The keynote speaker and class instructor was Chris Freytag. Locals, you may know her from KARE 11's Motivation Monday. Her talk about healthy eating was direct and easy-to-follow. She is extremely knowledgeable, but keeps it real. 

I also heard Dr. Christina Meyer-Jax speak who discussed smart food hacks about how to make the best food choice the easy food choice. My favorite: grab some mason jars and put some hummus at the bottom. Top with cut up veggies and it makes an easy-to-grab snack!

My favorite speaker was Lori Schaefer of In the Equation, who you may have seen on The Biggest Loser. I'm not one for crying, but her story brought me to tears. If you need some inspiration, take a look at her story. It's amazing and motivating - and proves that you can do anything even if you've failed many times before. My favorite note from her talk: It's much easier to lose the weight than it is to keep it off. Amen, sister. Here I am at Lori's session!

The classes kicked ass. The event offered so many classes, but I selected a Turbo Kick class that was very fun, but alas, I got my ass kicked. That said, the expo at the event offered free massages, so it's all good now!

The venue was amazing. The new Recreation and Wellness facility at the University of Minnesota is ridiculous. State of the art and beautiful!

The folks who organized Fit Fest were amazing. The event itself was organized beautifully. Many friendly helpers were there to keep things running smoothly and made sure everyone knew where to go. A very special thanks to whoever ran across the street to fetch a turkey sandwich for me since I couldn't eat the peanut-laden lunch provided! That is truly an above-and-beyond move!! To top it off, the entire event only cost me $20 to attend. $20!!! WHAAAA???!!! I know, right? And, it took place on a beautiful day in Minneapolis, which is rare. Yet, the event was so good that it kept everyone captivated indoors all day!

Locals, be sure to watch for this event next year! I know similar events are also available nationally. Simply google "fit fest" to find an event near you!

2014 Goal-Setting and Vision Board

This week I committed to working on two small goals:  1) set my goals for 2014 and 2) carry water with me where ever I go.

I was successful with the water, in part because I usually do this anyway.  I just needed a post-holiday boost to get me back in the swing of the habit.  I added things like cucumber and lemon to my water to make it more flavorful.

For my goals, I did a couple of things.  I updated my vision board and made a list of things I want to do more of in the coming year.  If you aren't sure what a vision board (or dream board) is, they are easy to create.  I try to look at mine often, particularly in low moments, so I can keep my goals top-of -mind.  Go here to create your own.

Here's my 2014 vision board:



It's similar to last year's, but I updated a few things.  I'll be attending a course at the Mayo Clinic about Wellness Coaching this year, so I incorporated that.  Also, one of the things I accomplished from last year's board is moving to a larger city/urban area.  At the time, I envisioned Phoenix or Chicago.  But, I ended up staying in Minnesota - just moving from the suburbs to the city.  So, I incorporated photos taken near my home such as trails and the Mississippi River that I plan to take advantage of this summer.  And, that is a picture of my actual pool/hot tub at my new home, so I need to be bathing suit ready to take advantage of that as well! 

I'm still focused on eating healthy, so I incorporated a picture of the farmer's market near my home and demonstrated my focus on WATER!  And, I'd like to continue working on lifting heavy, practicing piano and creative writing in my free time.  Lastly, I always like to travel, especially finding a warm sanction during the long winter.  This year I'll be traveling to Fort Myers, FL and I've never been.  Here's my 2013 board for comparison:



Happy 2014!