Admitting The Truth & Four Steps Towards a Healthier Life for Me...

Thanks to Curves International for sponsoring today's post, regardless all opinions expressed below are completely my own. Are you ready to get #CurvesStrong?

I'm going to be frank with you all, I've gotten rather round around the middle lately. It's not something I'm particularly proud of, but it's the truth.

Now that I've admitted I'm getting a little round, let's get to the point - I'm doing something to change that... again. You may remember when I lost a good chunk of weight in 2015, before Delainey was in the picture and I documented some of that progress along the way... well, I'm doing the same thing again this year and I'm going to look fan-freakin'-tastic come winter/spring - that's my goal, anyways!

How do I plan on losing all this "extra"?

Step One: I just signed up with Curves and I'm beyond excited about it. I love that it's a ladies only gym that offers circuits, I can get in a quick work out a few times a week before my other half heads to work and I'm left to tackle daily duties by myself.

Are you ready to take on a new adventure and increase your strength while losing weight with me? Find out about Curves nearby you - I'm loving that it's all about no makeup, no men, and no mirrors! It's a gym without the drama and I'm loving the team-like atmosphere and the fact I'm in and out, feeling impowered, in just 30 minutes.

Step Two: I'm eating Keto.... well, kind of. I'm watching my macros and limiting my carbs and I'm already noticing a difference! You really are what you eat, my body proves that...  so my best advice to those looking to lose weight with me is to be mindful of your food choices!

Step Three: I'm snoozing more. Instead of staying up late to try and get in a Netflix binge or some extra work completed, I've made a real effort to get some extra zzZZz's and I think it's paying off. Sleep is important, yet sometimes I forget that.

Step Four, the final step: I'm staying accountable. I'm using an app on my phone to keep track of my calories burned and my caloric intake. I'm paying attention to the macros in my food and my friends and I are working out together - that way I'm forced into getting up and going to the gym... even on the days I don't want to.

And that's really all I plan on doing to lose some weight, but I'm certain it'll help. If you're interested in keeping me accountable then be sure to check out the blog over the next few weeks... and months, for dieting advice and maybe some updates on my progress along the way!

As I mentioned above, today's discussion was sponsored by Curves International, but the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

4 Ways to Keep Your Dog Calm During the Holidays!

Halloween is such a fun holiday, I mean what's not to love about playing dress up and getting candy? As you can tell by all my costume posts lately, we're pretty big fans...

The thing is, it's not that great of a holiday when it involves the doorbell ringing and my dog barking at the kiddos.

I don't have a mean dog by any definition of the word. Miley is totally a sweet girl. She loves kids, protects Delainey like it's her job, and well, it's just that she just doesn't much care for the doorbell or strangers at our door - which is what Halloween is obviously all about. She doesn't mean to turn into a crazyhead when she hears someone new at the door, she's just being protective and her anxiety gets the best of her - just like nearly 75 million other pups in the world with anxiety.

With that said, I think we've found the solution to our doggy dilemma on such a social holiday. This new routine seems to leave my little fur baby feeling more relaxed, which makes our whole family feel more relaxed. Interested in knowing our routine that helps her de-stress? It's actually pretty simple.

We've started taking her on nightly short walks with Delainey. They both love it and it seems to be helping Miley's nerves, she loves to mark her spot and show off while we walk along the street... Delainey loves to chase her and point at every bird we see, so it's a win-win situation for all involved.

On that note, her nerves really seemed to be soothed by her new Calmz Anxiety Relief System and that's a MAJOR win! This handy-dandy little device is proven to help relieve dog anxiety. When she's wearing her vest and the doorbell rings, she doesn't flip her lid anymore... which will save us on Halloween night (and during nap time, everyday).

Another way we've started to help her de-stress is by providing her with a safe space. Well, I mean, this is something she already had - but now Delainey knows that both her dog bed and our kennel are Miley's little safe havens and she can't bother her there. This has changed their dynamic entirely and I just love that they seem to really be forming a sweet little bond.

And the last way we've altered Miley's routine a little is by changing up her diet. We used to feed her more of a kibble based diet but after realizing how processed it all was, we decided to switch her over to the better stuff. She's not only thankful during meal time but her anxiety seems to have lessened some.

So tell me, does your pup suffer from anxiety too? Check out how the Calmz Anxiety Relief System could help your dog keep calm.

Adorable Baby Barbie DIY Halloween Costume Inspiration

Growing up I always loved Barbie and I have no doubt Delainey will feel the same way. She already owns one little Barbie and will likely be adding a few more to her collection this winter thanks to "Santa". So it was kind of a given we were going to dress up as one of her favorite toys.

I mean seriously, does Barbie get any cuter than this? Wanna hear the best part? It's all small shop or stuff we had lying around, which makes this mama smile!

And, if I'm being honest, I'm not sure if I'm gazing into the future or if she's dressed up for Halloween. 😂 I mean, with the blonde wig, the iPhone in her hand and a sassy look on her face... she's one going on 16.

But oh my lanta, this costume is one for the baby book! She's definitely a Barbie Girl in a Barbie World!

Want to dress your little one up as Barbie?

You can get a custom leo like this one from Chloe + Piper and a custom skirt like this one from The Mini Princess Designs! Oh... and that amazing bow she's wearing in some of the photos is from Darling Diva Boutique Bows and it's one of our absolute favorites!

If you're going to get a wig, I suggest you check out Amazon... but I will say D really wasn't a fan of the wig and if we were going trick or treating I'd let her rock her own Barbie hair for comfort!

With that said, which version of Barbie was your favorite? I thought about making her an 80's work out Barbie or maybe even a Barbie Bride.... but I thought this classic Black & White with Hot Pink look was too perfect to pass up!

Sweet Little Unicorn AND a Little Red Riding Hood Baby Halloween Costume Inspiration

Well, I suppose I need to apologize for postponing a few of our costume posts - I "took the weekend off" to work on my little bow business, Bloomology... which really just means I didn't take the time to write up a post about our awesome costumes in between burning my fingers with the glue gun, cutting felt flowers out, and kissing on my little sweetheart.

While I wasn't able to write anything up this weekend, we had some nice family time and I think we were able to come up with some pretty awesome costumes... From a sweet little unicorn to a "clever" last minute Little Red Riding Hood, these costume ideas are sure to inspire you to use your imagination and really go above and beyond with your creativity while making your family costume this year!

With that said, I'm excited to show you what Delainey dressed up as over the past couple of days! Interested in knowing where her costume pieces are from? I've linked the details on each item below!

My sweet little unicorn looked so dreamy in this warm little costume! It's just a little too much for a Florida Halloween but I know it'd be perfect for someone living in the midwest!

Her romper is an older release from Ricrac & Ruffles, her unicorn horn is Target, and the bow is from Tink's Bows 2017!

This Little Red Riding Hood costume isn't necessarily the most authentic looking, seeing as though she's wearing one of my shirts for her "hood"... but I mean, isn't this the cutest little Red Riding Hood costume you've ever seen?

She LOVED her basket and also just wanted to explore, so I think she fits the part... but luckily there's no Big Bad Wolf in her world. 😂

For this costume we used an older red shirt and just tied it around her little noggin, not the classiest hood but it totally worked! Her dress is from Creek Baby & Co. and one of our absolute favorites (keep an eye out for it in our Christmas photos because HELLO LOVE)... and guess what? We have a discount code to share with you! Use the code 'CBCfriends15' to save!

So tell me, what costumes are you planning for your family? Don't forget to check out all the other posts from earlier this month... We've shared a BUNCH of fun costume inspiration!