Get up, get down

Musical Mondays

Enjoying sunshine, music and friends at The Capitol Hill Block Party with these gorgeous gals!

Maybe it's because Saturday night I was riding on my friend's shoulders waving my arms in the air during a Chromeo concert at The Capitol Hill Block Party, but music has consumed my mind for the last two days. I can't get enough of it.

Today, the song in my head is "Coffee" by Sylvan Esso. It's got a chill, slow-driving beat and I love her simple, strong voice. Check it out below!

What are you listening to today? Share it in the comments below or join our link-up party!

Creating strength

I did it.

My most recent hike

Every day last week I woke up around 5:30 a.m., grabbed water, a towel and a yoga mat and drove to Belltown to get my butt kicked by Jenn at For The Glow. The week-long bootcamp was challenging, painful and extremely rewarding.

With a mix of strong Glow Flow workouts and two days of intense Epic Cardio, every muscle in my body was sore at one point or another. The highlight for me was actually the most difficult. I woke up on Thursday dreading the Epic Cardio workout I knew would involve lots of running, which isn't something I do. Running makes me feel like I'm dying. My chest hurts, I can barely breathe and it's just all-around awful. Then I arrived at the Sculpture Park where we were meeting that day and saw this beautiful view.

The Sculpture Park in Seattle

Before the class, I emailed Jenn and told her how I was pretty much the worst runner in the world and was nervous about the workout. She gave me tips on how to get an effective workout without pushing myself to a bad point. I felt prepared. When the group had to jog around the park, I followed right alongside them. When we had to run for a minute and sprint for 20 seconds, I did that too and interspersed a couple short breaks. The last part was the hardest: Sprints followed by Frog Jumps up a set of long stairs. Oh my gosh you guys. Frog Jumps are the worst. Ouch. I finished two sets and my legs said, "Nope." I took a rest then completed one more. Boom.

I really enjoyed my time with the Glow group. The women were of all ages, sizes and different levels of athleticism. It was a very fun and encouraging environment -- oh and the soundtracks to the Glow Flow workouts were amazing! I'd highly recommend For The Glow if you're a woman in the Seattle area looking for not just a great and different workout routine but also an embracing community that will help you reach your goals.

My goal was simply to finish the bootcamp. Every morning I woke up and thought about skipping, but I wanted to be stronger than that. Strength doesn't just happen, you have to work at it. You have to create it. Finishing the boot camp was a good start for me.

On to the next one.

Getting my Glow on

Going for it

Have you ever done a fitness boot camp?

I never thought I could handle one until now. A few weeks ago, I saw a tweet from Jenn at For The Glow inviting Seattle bloggers to participate in a week-long Blogger Boot Camp July 14-18. After spending many evenings and weekend mornings at the gym over the last three months, I decided I am ready. I am going for it, you guys. I'll report back at the end of the week.

Wish me luck!

Birchbox June 2014

Away We Go! June Birchbox

Loving the lipstain

Cynthia Rowley Beauty - Creamy Lip Stain "Valentine"

Upon realizing my July Birchbox will arrive in one week, I thought I should probably catch you all up on what goodies I received in June! The theme was "Away We Go"with samples of items you would want to take with you on your summer getaway. Here are my thoughts on what was included:

• Cynthia Rowley Beauty - Creamy Lip Stain "Valentine." Remember the silver eyeliner I loved in April's Birchbox? This month I got a sample of their long-wearing lipstain. I never heard of Cynthia Rowley Beauty before Birchbox and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite lines. The lipstain is shiny like a gloss without being sticky and lightly (or darkly depending on how heavy your application) colors your lips. My favorite item this month!
• The Aloe Source - Vitamin C Antioxidant Creme. The best thing about this antioxidant-rich hydrating creme is the yummy smell of oranges and aloe. My skin felt smooth and happy after application -- especially after a day in the sun.

Antica Farmacista body wash, Evologie face cleanser, Phylo hair serum

• Antica Farmacista - Bermagot & Ocean Aria Body Wash. I took the body wash with me on my most recent trip home to see my family. It is made with sweet almond oil. I wish I could say it smelled great or was super moisturizing; but this body wash was not a standout in any way. Pass.
• Evologie - Stay Clear Cleanser. I enjoyed using this nondrying, blemish-fighting face wash. It lathered well, rinsed easily and left my face feeling clean, not slick or tight.
• Phyto - Phytolisse Ultra-Glossing Finishing Serum. This silky serum is great for taming flyaways, boosting shine and calming frizz. I put it in my hair after towel-drying and it helped my hair stay smooth and manageable all day. My favorite thing about the serum is it didn't weigh down my hair or make it feel greasy. Great product!

Do you subscribe to Birchbox? Tell me what you thought about your products!