Monday workout

I went to Saturday morning's 9am Core Yoga class...man, is that hard! Good! But not easy, oh no.

Today I did a quick jog on Katy Trail because I forgot to dry my YogiToes towel (stays in place on your yoga mat- a necessity in my yoga book).

I went 2.28 miles in 25 min 33 sec at a 11:09 min/mile pace and burned 235 calories.
And I'm wheezing.
That's a good workout!

I ran to the pace of Pump It by the Black Eyed Peas, otherwise, it would have taken me longer. That song is a doozey! :)

My playlist today (and most Katy Trail days) was:
Walk Away by Kelly Clarkson
Can't Get Enough of You Baby by Smashmouth
Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Pump It by BEP
Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson (this is my "I'm awesome!" song when jogging)
(part of) Womanizer by Britney Spears (you love her music too, admit it)
Lucky by Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat, once I got back to Cole Ave

Yoga tomorrow at 6am!

Origins - Freebies with purchase!

Origins is giving away a trio of mini-facial freebies ($22.50 value or more if you opt for Dr.Weil's products) with a purchase of any skincare item. Perfect for your travel skincare stash. Plus they always add one little bitty freebie when you buy online! By little bitty, it's about a week's worth.

I bought Night-a-mins lotion (love this stuff) and went for the Brighteners set (see below) and the bitty freebie Blade Runner (shave lotion) just to try it. I also have a whole bag of recyclable containers to bring to the store. Yet another free sample!

Offer ends 10/2

And did I mention free shipping right now?! That means you get the same price as the store, plus all of the free goods!

                                image from Origins.com

Hello, Day!

I made it to the 6am yoga class!

You're welcome, body, for waking you up early. 2 for 2. Next one's on Thursday morning.
I also got to put a little frog sticker on the RC21 poster...it's the small things. Who doesn't like stickers?

Re-Commit 21

So Yogasport has begun a Re-Commit 21 Challenge. We are making a committment to ourselves to do yoga for 21 days in the next month.

I think it's really a committment to myself to show up. Not to yoga, but to LIFE. I am realllllly good at being too busy to go to yoga, which turns into being too busy to do something good for myself. One example is that I've been meaning to stop by the salon for a pedicure. I have a gift certificate and want a little "me time" so that I can unwind and relax a bit. Have I been yet? Nope. I've had plenty of time to stay late at school and work on "stuff" though. And who could pass up a free pedicure? It's little things like that...not showing up for a pedicure, not showing up to yoga, not going to weekday mass, being late for something, or forgetting something else...that cause me to participate in this self-neglect. No one is making me stay late at school but myself. No one is keeping me from yoga or the me time but myself.

So when Angela sent an email to YS members about the 21 day challenge, I was like, yes, I need to be challenged to re-commit to myself. We are all busy. We all have excuses. But what do we really need?
I need some of that goodness that comes with yoga. The physical benefits of a cardio workout, the mental benefits of restoring my body after life kicks my rear.

In fact, today is day 1!
And where was I at 6:30? Arriving at home. I can't make a 6:30 class if I get home at 6:30. They lock the door after practice begins, and I know I can get there 5 or so minutes late and still make it. But I can't get there 10 or 15 minutes late. And it's best to get there about 10 minutes early to get into the mindset of yoga and to acclimate to the temperature (not too hot, about 90 degrees). I almost declared myself a failure, when I decided that it would be the opposite of committment to do THAT. Let's not get carried away, Rina. So I did yoga in my living room. It wasn't a full committment, but I have tomorrow to get better! 6 AM, here I come! (hey, I did it last Thursday, so I am GOING tomorrow morning - I sort of told myself that I would go in the morning the next 6 times it was available. I have in my head that it takes 6 times to learn a habit?? Where is that from? And then 21 days to form the new habit. Something like that? Or maybe it's "tell kids something 6 times before they hear you...." ANYway. 6 am. It's on.)

Your re-committment can be to yourself, your family, your spiritual life, your kids, your job (hopefully it's something besides your job though), your healthy diet, your brain-- whatever it is, your heart will thank you for it! 21 days to form a good habit!

Sun Love and Eye Cream by Origins

Had a good dermatology appointment this morning. Just freckles and regular moles. Yea! (+ sigh of relief)

I grew up not using sunscreen much. It was more like you used a little if you were pale-skinned. My friends would put some on their shoulders, face, and tops of their legs if they were pale and we were at a pool or Wet-N-Wild. Six Flags didn't call for sunscreen. Maybe because sunscreen was for swimsuit activities? I'd just jump on my bike and ride it all day long every summer, in between jumping into our above-ground pool or our neighbors' in-ground pool (we called it the "real pool," although they came over equally to play in our 4-footer, so it was cool enough).

Then in high school we'd go out for marching band. A week in July for the July 4th parade in downtown Arlington, and three weeks in August to get ready for marching season. Did we ever wear sunscreen? We certainly did not all reapply when we bought our gatorades from the Band Moms. And we'd all have a smokin' hot farmer tan...longer shorts were in style and keds without laces...those were the days. It was like my Filipino genes gave me an exemption from sunscreen. And marching band gave us an excuse to have a farmer tan? Yes, but along with that was a work out that made us all look amazing in those band banquet dresses! (This should give you insight as to why GLEE is my favorite TV show right now. Best. Show. Ever.)

In college, I'd put on SPF 4, 6, or 8, and rarely 15 to achieve my summer tan. SPF 4 Tanning Oil. Ew, it's so gross to think about it. The grease. And if you wanted hilights, add lemon to your hair. I didn't know what "brassy" meant inrelation to hair. I just thought it was a musical term relating to the trumpet section.

Isn't it so different now? Todd and I went to a friend's pool the other weekend, and we all were slathering on the SPF 30, 55, and 70. We found a table in the shade, we all had sunglasses on, and we wore our flops to the edge of the pool before getting in. Ha! It's comical, actually. This was an Uptown apartment pool, and the young and hot were out in droves. It seemed we were the only ones putting on sunscreen, but maybe they all applied 30 minutes prior to sun exposure as the directions dictate. Yeah, right. Maybe it's not so different after all.

In Las Vegas, I wore sunglasses and a hat! BOTH! Pretty much all day! I definitely wore the sunglasses all day. The hat came off so I could go under the waterfall in the lazy river and play in the wave pool. Yet, I still have a hard time venturing beyond SPF 30. I still crave the tan potential. I read in SHAPE magazine that some of us have a small addiction to tanning or to the sun. Yikes. That's kind of why I donned the hat/glasses combo. Really, this is the first summer, ever, for me to wear sunglasses any time I'm in the sun, even in the car. Why? Because of the inevitable eye wrinkle occurrence.

When I was about 12 or 13, my mom took me to the Clinique counter and the lady taught me about facial care. We bought the 3-step pack - cleansing bar, toner, and moisturizer - and this was my daily routine through college. We loved the Clinique gift with purchase. Oh, those were special shopping days! We would go to Dillard's and pick out an item for $13.50 (this has since increased, obviously), and we would go home with a cute Clinique makeup package that included a case of some sort, lipstick, moisturizer, an eye color or blush color, and possibly eye cream. You would think that my mom and I would trade - my eye cream for one of her makeup items. But we didn't. I'd use the eye cream from my gift and so would she. I have been "sampling" eye cream since I remember wearing makeup. Now, when I ran out of the gift size, I wouldn't buy more. I'd only use it when there was some available. Looking back, I'm so glad I did this! Now that I'm looking 35 in the face, I feel the eye wrinkle fight has begun!

NOW I always have eye cream. I have since made the switch to Origins (which I think is related to Clinique in some way. It is also related to MAC Makeup - whatever...they are all related. Toyota --> Lexus, right? Old Navy --> Gap --> Banana Republic. Etc.) Here are eye creams that I have enjoyed using from Origins. (all images from origins.com)

Eye Doctor 
Eye Doctor was one of the first for me to try. It's moisturizer for your eye area. If you think of your skin as paper, your knees and elbows = cardboard, your face = notebook paper, your eye area = tissue paper. Thus the different cream is needed for your eyes. I may gravitate toward this one again. The website says it de-puffs, fights crows feet and fades dark shadows!

$30.00

No Puffery 
No Puffery is still one of my favorites, especially for the mornings. The light gel goes on to de-pouf your eye area. I just think it's a fresh wake up for my under-eye area! It feels cool and easy and is inexpensive at $21.00. The website says it lightens dark areas too!

$21.00

A Perfect World for Eyes
Here is what is on my shelf now, and I like it a lot for nighttime. I think I really like a cooler eye cream in the morning, and this one glides on for ultra-moisturization. It's very light as well, and leaves your eyes feeling relaxed. The website says it lessens wrinkles and firms. Oh-la-la!

$32.00

Youthtopia
This one is good too. It fights against stress and aging with an herb called Rhodiola. It's been a while since trying this product, so you'll have to try it yourself! It's more expensive, so if you can score a free sample, that's the way to go! The website says you will achieve visibly firmer skin around your eyes.

$39.50

GinZing
GinZing is my new, personal favorite! It feels good - great for the mornings, and it has these light reflectors that make your under eye area brighter. It's magical, and I can't get enough of it. I wandered upon a free sample when I brought my cosmetic containers to Origins for recycling. It's a winner!

$29.50

So, there's my Origins overview of eye cream. I have yet to meet an Origins skin care product I didn't love. AND, they are doing free mini-facials next week! Book yours at your nearest store! They are fun! They take about 30 minutes, and they do it in a sectioned-off area of the store. Remember that it's FREE. Just enjoy the products and don't feel obligated to make a purchase. :)

If you don't recycle your cosmetic plastics yet, please collect them and take them to your Origins store! They will take ANY BRAND, and they will reward your good deed with a free sample of your choice. (hint, hint: eye cream!)

Finally, if your Origins store has closed (ex: Parks Mall in Arlington - how sad were my mom, sister, and I!), you can buy online. They ALWAYS give you 2 or 3 free samples with your online purchase. Just consider where you'll have it shipped...it's pretty hot out here in Texas...maybe it would be ok to ship to your office? I like to buy online because of the freebies and because I LOVE opening shipped boxes!

ps- I am not getting anything from Origins for this blog post. I just love their products, and that's where my experience lies. I have no doubt that there are others in all price points that would serve you just as well! Good luck!

Dermatology

Well, I have a dermatologist appointment in the morning. This will be my first real, check-for-odd-shaped-spots appointment since they have said we should all get regular skin check-ups. So while I'm a little nervous, last summer the Sailing Camp owner, Mr. Hoye, who is much older than I am, said, "You'll be fine. Look at my skin. I've had things taken off, and I'm fine." Ok, last summer, I thought he had a point. This summer, the night before my appointment, I'll admit to being a little nervous. Todd says he'll ask his primary care physician for a check next time he's in for a physical.

Vegas, Baby!

We had a GREAT time in Las Vegas with our friends Laura and Robert Payne!
Here are some photos:

The Payne-Almarez travel buddies

The view from our pool cabana on Monday

Happy 2nd Anniversary to the Almarez's!

The view from MIX at the top of THEhotel was so cool

Todd and I saw the Beatles LOVE show...if you are a Beatles fan, this is a must-see!

THEhotel was very nice.

A little about THEhotel: Our suite was 750 square feet with floor-ceiling windows, 1.5 baths, and all the luxury that Mandalay Bay has to offer. The hotel/casino smells GOOD! Like flowers, seriously...there are calla lillies and orchids everywhere --I was so happy! The Concierge was extremely helpful by putting us on guest lists to clubs and taking care of all of our cover - we didn't pay a dime to get in anywhere. This is awesome when it can be $30+ per person. On a side note, if you have never been to Vegas, THEhotel and Mandalay Bay are all the way at one end of the Strip. You should stay as close to Ceasar's Palace and Bellagio as you can get - that is prime location, even with Wynn and Trump farther up. We loved THEhotel and MBay because we didn't have to leave it - shopping, good eats (including Aureole by Charlie Palmer and Lupo by Wolfgang Puck, as well as other price points), hot clubs, awesome pool, great sports book, amazing views of the Strip - all at our disposal in one hotel. Plus we cabbed it to the Palms (to go to Moon Nightclub) and Mirage (to see Beatles LOVE) and Aria (to walk around the new CityCenter and window shop at Louis Vuitton [did you know they had jewelry, clothing, and chessboards too? well, I didn't.]) and Wynn (Laura and Robert went to see La Reve), and cab rides are under $15, usually. It was perfect for our trip!

Oh, how I love the sun! I'm reading Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, btw. Bought the hat at Urban Outfitters that day.

Waiting in line for Beatles LOVE - my shoes were crazy tall that night!

Here they are (Jessica Simpson Stone) bought at L Bartlett in West Village [photo from shoes.com]. I had a long silk maxi dress on, so they were just right, but man, I had to commit to wearing these babies!

Laura and Robert at our birthday dinner at Red Square in Mandalay Bay. The food was delicious!

Check out this restaurant in this wooden nest-like structure in the middle of the CityCenter shopping area

We loved our Tuesday cabana spot...right by the lazy river, restrooms, and the first stop for our cabana boy server. :)

One last photo before heading to the airport. What a fun vacation!