Sunday Social May 19th

Wow!  I can't believe we are already in mid-May.  I need to go get a poster board and get started on our Summer To-Do list ASAP!

On to Sunday Social.  I just love this link-up because it allows you, the reader, to get to know me and for me to get to know you.  That is, if you leave me comments.  So, please...leave me comments with your answers! (sticks bottom lip out and makes puppy eyes.)

1. What is your favorite kind of surprise?
I love all good/happy surprises!  Even the not so fun surprise moments, like a friend with a flat tire that needs a ride, are great in my book.  It is the unexpected that makes life what it is.  As long as everyone ends up healthy and safe, bring on the surprises!

2.  Flowers or chocolate?
Chocolate for sure!  I know neither one lasts very long, and yes, flowers are beautiful, but I just love a good sweet treat.

3.  What is your favorite summertime activity?
Going swimming!  It is so fun to get a little (sunscreened) sun, splash around and cool off, and then head home tired and ready to lounge on the couch and watch a movie.  I also feel like pizza after is a must :)

4.  Do you have any vacations planned this summer?
Not yet!  We will hopefully be going out of town for a baseball tournament and maybe a small road trip, somewhere that is around 4 hours away from KC.

5.  Favorite summer holiday?
The 4th of July!  It is one of THE best days!  Warm weather, great food, lots of time with family and friends.  And daylight until 9 pm.  Followed with fireworks.  Always a fun time.

I love fireworks faces.

Patriotic selfie.

6.  What is your dream vacation?
Hawaii.  I went when I was a teenager and would love to go back now with JF and the boys.

Your turn.  Tell me all about YOU in the comments below or link up with Ashley and Neely.

Enjoy your Sunday!

It's Friday and it's Fresh!

I am so happy it's Friday!  I can't wait for the sun to shine and to head out this evening to watch both of my babies play baseball!  Life is good.


Time for my Fresh Friday link-up with The Real Food Runner.

Three fresh, fantastic, fabulous things from this week:

Goodies from my pen pal.  I have been slacking as of late in the pen pal department and this amazing package of treats from my dearest pal in San Diego has lit the fire under me to get some snail mail shipped out!  Bonus:  I finally have matcha powder!  Bring on the green tea frappucinos at home!

Being powered by bits!  Loving how I am feeling more and more each day!

The start of something fun.  I hope.  I followed a Pinterest tutorial on how to plant lemon seeds to have fragrant and hearty lemon leaves.  I planted on Wednesday.  Fingers crossed that my little seedlings will be blooming soon!

How was your week?  Care to share 3 things that made your week F R E S H ?

Join the blog link-up here or leave your comments below.

For my Friday fun head over to Sometimes Sweet for the always fun Weekend Links post :)

How will you be spending this Friday?

Have the happiest of weekends and happy Mother's Day!

Workout Wednesday V13 - Robyn Burky

I have known todays Workout Wednesday guest for nearly 10 years!  Wow.  Just seeing that in print is crazy.  When Robyn and I met we were both working a pinch of hours at our local YMCA, we had toddlers the same age--boys around 2 that talked like they were 8 and behaved like they were little gentlemen.  Our little men bonded (probably over their love of novels, Starbucks or fine dining, lol...but seriously) and so did we.  Over the years we have worked together, carpooled our boys to school, and attended everything from birthday parties to yoga classes together.  Robyn is passionate about everything she does and it shows.  I am so happy that you get to meet her today!  Stick around til the end of the post for a giant dose of cute!

Name: Robyn Burky
Age: 30
Location: Blue Springs, MO
Occupation: Events Coordinator

Fun Stuff 
I enjoy supporting those I love in their endeavors, whether it be watching my son, Drake, play basketball, practice his Taekwondo or traveling near and far with my fiancé, Andy, to attend a bike race, we have been lucky to share in this together while traveling all over the countr. Andy racing and me providing the support for race weekend.  I have also been known to take a photo or two. Andy and I have a great relationship with the Chamois Butt’r Crew and have attended Interbike a number of years supporting the brand. 

Okay, first tell us a little about your involvement with the Hospital Hill run:

My involvement with the Hospital Hill Run began 5 years ago. My employer, UMKC School of Medicine, is the sponsor of the 5k event. In addition to sponsoring the 5k event, the school provides medical and volunteer support. A few years ago Beth Salinger, the race director, decided it would be a good idea to have bike marshals on course and since I have ties to the KC bike community I began organizing this portion of the race as well. Becoming more and more involved with the Hospital Hill Run over the past few years has been an easy choice, Beth is an incredible leader and I love working with the HHR crew. When it comes to race week we run off  little sleep and have a great time doing it. 

When is it this year?

This year we are celebrating the 40^th anniversary of Hospital Hill Run, which will be on Saturday, June 1, 2013. The race has sold out but we are still in need of volunteers. If you are looking to get involved with your community this is a great opportunity. The energy of race day cannot be beat! 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – Visit HospitalHillRun.com to sign up!

As a runner, is it hard to watch the participants in the race as you keep all the plates spinning? 

Not at all. The emotions run high at the finish line which is where I am stationed most of the race. Whether it be an engagement or someone breaking down upon overcoming a battle and reaching a personal goal at the finish. We make a human tunnel welcoming back the very last finishers while cheering them to the finish. It is truly an incredible experience!

Volunteering in my community…

Recently I began working with a few other local athletes who are either active duty or retired military. As a future military wife I am drawn to serve those who serve our country. Currently myself and 3 others are working to establish a Greater Kansas City area Team Red, White and Blue. Chapters can be found popping up all over the US and are intended to serve like-minded men and women through some form of physical or organized activity, creating an established community of veterans. I have been named Community Outreach Director for the Kansas City chapter and am working to form relationships with various gyms, studios, events and businesses to support our weekly organized events.

We are still working to grow our veteran community, both retired and active duty, as well and will cater our weekly events based upon our veteran’s interests. If you are interested in Team RWB in any capacity or what to learn more please feel free to contact me: robyn.burky@teamrwb.org

In the years I have known you I have seen you run, bike, snowboard...what is your favorite form of cardio and why?

I have dabbled in many things…Although I have not been in the pool recently I thoroughly enjoy swimming, it is a form of relaxation for me. I also love cycling. Cycling is what brought my fiancé, Andy and I together. I don’t race at the level he does (in fact I don’t race at all right now) but it is our favorite past time. 

Is there any activity you DON'T like? 

I always like a challenge even though I may not love the discipline that is challenging me. Running is not my favorite, I have a short attention span and quickly get bored.

What does a typical week look like for you when it comes to working out?

My schedule is “cray-cray” but it is important for myself, my sanity and the livelihood of those close to me that I have an outlet. I strive to get to the gym 5 times a week. Twice a week I enjoy doing yoga, 2 days a week I lift weights and the other days I focus on cardio. With warmer weather approaching I look forward to the days ahead where I can run and bike outside. I know some people run outside all year round but I have no desire to torture myself to that extent. 

You are in school, work full time, volunteer and have a 10 year old son...how do you find the time to work out?
I get this question often. It is really all about time management. If most people were to track their day hour-to-hour they would find that much time is wasted doing things such as sitting in front of the tv. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good lazy day just as much as the next person. However, we don’t have television access in my house so you won’t find us camped out in front of the “tube” daily. I work a typical 9-5’er Monday through Friday, after work I get my son from school and 2-nights a week he has Taekwondo which takes place at the gym I am a member of, so this allows me time to workout while he is in class. Later nights and weekends is when I fit in my school work. It is also important to find time for my relationship; my fiancé is Air Force and lives in Louisiana which adds an additional hurdle. Balancing a long distance relationship for over 2 years would be an entire blog post in itself, but we make it happen. 

Do you lift weights?

YES! I love lifting heavy weight! 

I was introduced to weight lifting when I began doing CrossFit in 2012. I credit my coach, Jim Caskey, owner of CrossFit Matters, for teaching safety and proper form which has allowed me to continue lifting even while I have had to take a hiatus from CrossFit due to my schedule.

How often do you do Yoga?

Yoga, twice a week. This is when I am really able to relax, regroup and recharge.

Do you follow a strict diet? 

Yes. A healthy diet regimen is just as important as working out. Our bodies need fuel and must be fed! Keeping it simple is how I keep it clean and healthy. A good diet does not have to be hard or costly and doesn’t have to require a lot of cooking or prep time (I don’t like to cook). It is possible to eat well while on the go! I also use a couple of supplements; protein powder and glutamine; a multi vitamin and fish oil. 

The daily dose of H2O is very important as well. 

Favorite healthy food?

We always have chicken and fish on hand in the freezer. I snack on raw almonds throughout the day and keep a carton of boiled eggs in the fridge which are easy grab-and-go items. It is not uncommon to find a boiled egg in my purse. A can of black beans, avocado, tuna packets and hummus are staples in my house.

I try to steer clear of processed food at all costs. 

Favorite treat?

My favorite healthy sweet is a sliced up banana with dark chocolate syrup drizzled on top. 

My favorite “cheat meal” would be a number of things on the menu at my favorite Mexican restaurant, including a beergarita. 

Oh and those scrumptious things called Girl Scout Cookies!

How do you stay motivated when your days and weeks are crazy hectic?

I see the gym as an escape. If I am especially distracted I have to get out of my house. Otherwise, the laundry, homework and many other things that need to be done around the house get between me and my workout. 

Please provide a sample workout that you do:

Right now I am really focusing on my problem areas; abs and glutes/thighs, with a wedding planned for August I want to be in tip-top-shape. A couple of movements that can be done at the gym or at home are the toe touch crunches and oblique twists with a medicine ball. For the glutes there are number of variations of squats that can be done with or without weight. For arms I do 10 pushups a day as a standard on top of the weights I do a couple times a week. 

Thanks so much for participating, Robyn!  It has been a year in the making but let's grab a beergarita soon!

And to end this post I have to share one of my all-time favorite pictures, Ezra and Drake at 5:

Thanks for the challenge!

Thanks to Katherine for organizing the Green Smoothie Challenge and for asking me to co-host.
It was such a fun week of getting to know new people, trying out new recipes, and really thinking about the foods I put in my body.  I have a month's worth of smoothie recipes now that I can't wait to try out!
Thanks also to my super-friendly and fun co-hosts:
Kristine // Ashlee // Jezz // Hope  
I noticed many friends posting on Instagram, Twitter, and even blogging right along with the challenge.
A special shout out to my bestest Eva for sharing her photos!
Strawberries, blueberries and spinach make for a purply-pink smoothie that is without a doubt GREEN!

Thanks to my hubsy-bubsy baby boo JF for sharing his recipe yesterday and putting up with photo shoots and me stealing his produce for my smoothies :)

Go check out Elle's blog!
She has a beautiful rainbow smoothie today and yesterday she posted a savory smoothie.  I had toyed around with creating a savory smoothie but wasn't brave enough to try.  I am so glad Elle posted this recipe.  I think it will be perfect for a hot summer day when a meal just is too much to fathom.


I hope that you have enjoyed the last week as much as I have!

Green Smoothie Challenge!

Happy Monday!
You may remember me linking up with Katherine from The Real Food Runner blog in the past.  She did a Workout Wednesday post for me and I have taken part in her Green Smoothie Challenge as well as the always fantastic Fresh Friday link-up!

She is hosting another Green Smoothie Challenge, this time bigger and better than ever, and has asked me to join her as a co-host!  

What a great looking group I get to be a part of!

Katherine  // Hope 

Ashlee  // Sally 

Jezz  // Kristine

My Instagram friends know that I have a Super Drink Week coming up in May, so this is the perfect prelude to that!

So, what is the Green Smoothie Challenge?  This 30 second video sums it up:

Easy, huh?  For the week of April 22-28 just add one green smoothie to your regular diet.  Nothing wacky or restrictive, just ADDING a nutrient-filled smoothie to your day so that you get more power in your diet, feel better and look better!


And the best part?  You won't be alone!  Link-up here for recipes, advice, support and more!  You will also find more details on the challenge from Katherine herself!  Make sure to tell her I sent you ;)

You will sign up for the challenge on Katherine's blog, but don't forget to let me know in the comment section below!  I wanna know who is in for the challenge!

What's that?  You aren't yet following me on bloglovin'???  Well, click here so that you never miss a post!

My weekend in pictures (and a video!)

The weekend started with a Friday evening egg hunt.  Held inside at the local YMCA it was perfect because of the cold and snowy weather.  E deemed himself to old to hunt eggs (but not too old to eat his brother and buddy's candy.)  Levi had so much fun hunting for eggs in the nursery where he plays when I work out.

I love having Saturdays off, but I also love the chance to sub!  Saturday students are always in such great moods and it is always a joy to share classical Pilates.

Lots of snow overnight Saturday to Sunday made for a pretty drive to my 6 week intro class.

The gorgeous view from the fitness room.

When Sunday looks like ^^ this, your class will probably look like this: 

But that 's okay.  I went through the complete intermediate classical work and ran a mile on the indoor track.  I was also bored waiting for students to show up and snapped lots of pictures.  And made a couple Vine videos.  Below is what happens when you leave an energetic Pilates instructor unattended.

 How was your weekend?  

Did you get snow where you are?

Egg hunts last weekend or coming up?

Sunday Social March 24

Don't forget!

Todays theme seems to be inspired by spring.  I need a breath of spring as we just got even MORE snow over night.  
At least I get in one more shoveling session this year :)

1. What is your favorite thing about spring?
The days start to get longer, everything is green and growing and coming back to life!

2.  What is your favorite kind of flower to grow and receive?

I love to grow geraniums!  I know they are hardy and inexpensive, but I don't have the greenest of thumbs and geraniums and I get along well.  I am usually able to keep one alive for multiple seasons!
I love to receive any kind of flowers!  Just knowing that someone thought of me enough to give flowers is the best.

3.  What is your favorite nail polish color?
Foie Gras by China Glaze for the Hunger Games collection.  Its a subtle plum color that just makes me happy to look at.

4.  What is your favorite outdoor activity?
Running!

5.  Do you have any fun spring plans?  Details?
The plan has been to run the Trolley Run with E and some of his friends/friends parents.  The race is not until April 28 so I am hoping that we still have time to train for this 4 mile race.

Okay, now it's your turn!  Blog about it and link-up here OR leave me your answers in the comment space below.

As usual, a big thanks to Ashley and Neely for hosting this link-up!

Is it just me or is there a lot of basketball on TV right now?

Happy Sunday!

Zumba and Me, week 2

I did it!  I went back to Zumba on Saturday!  Plus I had lots of friends there which made it extra fun.

JF and E came with me.  They did amazing!  I can honestly say that a lot of my friends husbands wouldn't go to Zumba.  Yay me!  
JF even said he didn't hate it and would go again.
E kept up very nicely but he wasn't a huge fan of the booty-shaking.  I can't blame him.  I doubt most 10 year olds are.

Real men do Zumba!

My friend Angie also was there!  We have known each other for over 10 years!  We met working retail together and she also happens to be a fitness addict.  She has come to lots of classes at the Studio and was in my first ever Zumba class years ago!
We chatted after class and agreed that, while this super-huge Saturday class is lots of energetic fun, there were also advantages to our 3 and 4 student classes back at the Studio.  The instructor(s) of the smaller classes could really break down each movement, tell us what we were working, why and how. In the larger class it's all about keeping up, but the crowd makes it fun, and easy to hide!

I felt a little more in control of my body in this second class.  JF mentioned that I looked like I was trying really hard and I was!  First class was all about not falling over.  Second class I felt like I could try, TRY I said, to look a little less robotic and a little more at ease with the steps.

Real friends do Zumba...
and all sorts of other fitness classes you tell them about.
Thanks, Angie M!

Okay guys...bad news bears time.
The bad news:  I won't get to go to Saturday Zumba this week.
The good news:  I am getting PILOXING certified!  About a year ago I took a class and loved it.  We tried to offer it at the Studio but our instructor moved away.  This Saturday there is a workshop and I will be there!  So, even though I am missing Zumba I will be training to teach Piloxing (gulp!) learning to teach choreographed fitness moves (double gulp!)
Of course, I will let you know how it goes!