Baby Pettit!

I can hardly contain myself!! I'm going to be an AUNT!! My brother and sister-in-law are having their first baby and he/she is due mid April!! They told me this little secret on September 1st and I kept my mouth shut for an entire MONTH! I even kept it from my parents for 2 weeks! Hellooo...hardest. thing. ever. Chris and Lindsay told Michael and me that Monday when we stopped by their house and I was so surprised! I also felt really special that they decided to tell us in a fun way that was specifically for us! Our family is just over the moon!! Next up will be the BIG reveal!! Baby Pettit is going to be so cute and oh so spoiled!! Auntie Allie loves you already!!

How adorable is this announcement?! 

packing...and moving...sigh

Honestly, is there anyone out there who truly enjoys moving and ALL that comes with it?? I'm fairly certain there isn't! I've known I was going to move for a while now. It was all apart of the plan. You'd think I would have start packing in advance and had it all organized, right?? Well that wasn't the case! I went on a week long vacation without a worry in the world and decided I'd tackle it all when I got home! How hard could it be? I don't have that much stuff! I rent a room & bathroom from a friend and she owns the majority of the stuff in the condo! No biggie!!

Well...my sweet Mom came today to help me pack up my things and load up her car (I'm moving back in with my parents and going to school full time for a year..eeek!)! I may or may not have WAY more than I thought I had! My mom joked and said she felt like she was moving me home from college!! Well that's pretty much the case, just 6 years later!!! In my last move 3 years ago I don't think I got rid of anything! I just moved it on over to this condo!! This time around I got rid of a TON!! It feels so good, like a fresh start!!

Mom and I also grabbed lunch and chatted about the different seasons of life. She asked if I was sad to be moving away from LA after 10 years....I'm really not sad at all. While it's always a little bittersweet leaving a place, I'm also very excited for the season ahead!! Now if I could just be done with the moving part...hurry up Sunday!!

Taking Inventory

CURRENTLY...

Making: a couple picture posts to share with my fitness challengers tomorrow

Cooking: I had eggs for dinner...does that count?

Drinking: La Croix Cerise Limon Sparkling water - so good when you're tired of plain water and it has zero added crazy ingredients 

Reading: Love, Skip, Jump by Shelene Bryan...loving this book that I"m using for personal development! Talks a lot about saying YES to adventures and new things in life, living your passion out through the Lord and serving others! I highly recommend it!

Wanting: July 19th to get here!! Heading on vacation for a week to Oceanside with my boyfriend & his family!

Looking: forward to the changes coming up in the next couple months!

Wasting: time on Instagram is something I do quite often...

Wishing: for a smooth next year while I'm back in school full time & hoping I LOVE it!

Enjoying: Summer!! I'm a summer girl through and through and I'll soak it up any chance I get!

Waiting: for my new shipment of Shakeology - seriously obsessed with my nutritious shakes (ask me about them!)

Liking: that I've made a post within a week of the last one :) sometimes I go a month!! Eek!
Wondering: about the future!!
Loving: on new baby Hank who was born Saturday!! He's dreamy!!
Hoping: for a FUN 4th of July with friends!! I know it will be - it always is!
Marveling: at how awesome these last 4 months have been with growing my own small fitness business! LOVE what I am doing! It's seriously changed me as a person!
Needing: the soreness in my left arm to go away!! Tetanus shots are no joke! I got one yesterday for the first time in 16 years lol!! I know - it's supposed to be every 10!! But really, my arm is dead!!
Smelling: the candle burning in my house...it's summery and makes me think of the beach.
Wearing: a blue tank and yoga pants...what I jump into every night after work!
Following: my 10-day workout circuit plan that I created last week leading up to the 4th!! I'm sore!
Noticing: my love for coconut water has really grown...especially my love for the chocolate one!
Thinking: about how proud I am of my boyfriend! He works so hard & deserves every good thing coming his way!
Opening: a box of chocolate covered raisins - I'm only having a few!
Giggling: about the craziness that is LIFE!!

HAPPY TUESDAY FRIENDS!!!

create

Exactly 4 months ago I decided to JUMP!! I had been thinking and wondering if I could do it and if I'd be good at doing something different; adding something more to my life! What if, what if, what if?! After 5 months of contemplation I decided to become an Independent Health and Fitness Coach! I've always loved fitness but doing this whole coaching thing was going to be out of my comfort zone. Little did I know, it was just what I needed! Working for a few hours each day, creating my business and helping other people, makes me really HAPPY! I changed almost instantly. My point of view about life shifted. The way I looked at friendships was different and more meaningful. My focus started to become more about helping others! Turns out I was helping myself too! I want to be an example of what it means to live a healthy life, no matter your age or what your circumstances are. Everyone is capable!!

There is no doubt that God brought me to this place of wanting to create and wanting to help! I believe that He is using me to help others through my LOVE of health and fitness! I always heard people say "use the gifts that God gave you". Well I think this may be mine! I am genuinely so excited when clients ask for my help, send me texts of their progress in their fitness journey, or tell me that they want to be my first big SUCCESS story! Seeing a renewed confidence in someone else is truly special!! This job is SO rewarding!!

Creating a small business is no joke & it's not always rainbows and butterflies, but the journey is what makes it worth it!! I am learning so much, making progress, and building my clientele each day!! My Dad, who owned his own financial business, is one of my biggest cheerleaders!! He has so many good tips and it's nice to bounce ideas off of him! I'm truly thankful that not only my Dad, but my entire family and boyfriend is supportive of what I'm doing!! Being surrounded by an abundance of positivity is amazing!! 

Thanks for taking time to read!!

xo, Allie

The Hankster!

My really good friends Kristen and TJ are pregnant with their first baby - a BOY!! Hank William (named after both of their Grandfathers) is due June 21st and I can't wait to meet him! So many babies coming into the world this summer! Eeeek!! 

I had the privilege of shooting these photos! 

A couple weeks ago, my girlfriends Ahnny, Katie & I had a shower for Kristen! The theme was POP!! As in "She's Ready to Pop"! It was all green, orange and blue and we had the shower at South Hills Country Club! It was a beautiful day for a lunch with girlfriends and we had so much fun celebrating the mommy-to-be and Baby Hank!! 

change

People who know me well, know that I am not a fan of change. Change is hard for me. Stepping out of my little bubble is hard. I like my routine and the people in my routine. I like knowing what I'm going to be doing every day. It's not that I don't love a little spontaneity here and there, but on the daily I like to have my days and weeks set accordingly!

Until I realized that things were getting serious with my boyfriend last summer, I wasn't really in a rush to move forward. I lived in a cute little brand new condo near the beach and I had my job as a nanny...the same job I'd had for the last several years. I started hanging out with friends from back home (about an hour away from where I lived currently) again and Michael and I never wanted to go a weekend without seeing each other. Something clicked that I was ready to move. I was ready for the next step. While I loved going home to see everyone every single weekend, I was tired. Tired of packing my bags, tired of driving so much, and tired of being away from daily happenings or weeknight birthday dinners because it didn't make sense for me to make the drive during the week!

I also thought about my future. I wanted to do more and I wanted to be able give my future husband and family more! I decided that in the summer of 2014, I'd take the big leap! Did I know what I wanted to do?? No...Did I know where I'd live? No. But I had a year to figure it out and at the time that just seemed so far away!!

Flash forward to this week, about 2 months away from my original deadline! On Tuesday I told the family I've worked for, for over 9 years, that I would be leaving. I'm not kidding when I say that it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. They are my people, my second family, my kids!! We shared tears and talked for over an hour. It was so hard for me to spit the words out, but they were so supportive of my next chapter in life. Sure it's sad and it will be sad on my last day, but it was time for me to move on and they understood that. I am so grateful and thankful for them, more than they will ever know! We just clicked! I fell into that job when I was just 19 years old and never thought I'd stay this long, but I did. God wanted me to be with them. I truly believe that He placed me with that family.

I am super excited for the months ahead. Change doesn't seem so bad afterall. I took a leap a few months ago and started a small fitness business that I am so excited about!! I'll move back home with my parents for a bit (yikes!) in August, and come late August I will be going back to school to become a Registered Dental Assistant. Furthermore, I'll be living near Michael and my closest friends! The next couple years are going to be good and exciting!! God definitely has a plan for us all and I am just going to trust Him with mine. Life is good and He is good! All the time.

Stage!

So the most fun 3-day country music festival known as Stagecoach has come and gone! Bummer! I swear it flew by in an instant, but then again everything flies by these days! Luckily I've been having a blast regardless! Life is good and busy and crazy, but I'm happy! Here's a little recap in pictures! Oh and Michael and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary (of dating) on Saturday! He's the most amazing guy, hands down! In the pictures you'll notice a shiny little horseshoe necklace...yep he's the best!!

It's Baby Season!

When I say Baby Season, I am not exaggerating!! I know about 15+ women who are expecting!! I keep a list, I kid you not!! It's is such an exciting time and I am so thrilled for all my friends!! What's more fun is that I get to hold these sweet babes soon! Auntie Allie can't wait!!

Over the weekend, my girlfriend Kristen (who is pregnant with Hank!) and I threw a shower for our friend Katie! Katie is also my boyfriend Michael's SIL! She is Mom to Mikey (almost 2) and is welcoming Natalie in June. Katie is seriously one of the coolest girls! She's fun, laid back, an awesome cake decorator, always up for anything (she's going to Stagecoach next week!), a great mom and a wonderful wife to Steve! Love her and I'm so excited for this baby girl on the way!

Here are a few photos from the shower! Since Natalie's nursery is purple & white with butterflies, we decided to stick with the purple theme! We lunched and laughed, decorated headbands and noshed on some yummy food before Katie opened lots of fun girly presents!! It was a great day!! 

a blog post about a blog post

I love to read various articles that my friends post either on their blogs or Facebook. It's a form of "me" time. It's good for my soul and gets me thinking about various subjects in life. I feel like most of the time I can relate to the posts whether it involves a current situation or something I've been through or thought about in the past. Some posts also spark ideas about the future or allow me to gain knowledge about something new! It's always good to keep learning, right?!

Last week, one of my girlfriends shared a blog post called "10 Life Lessons to Excel In Your 30s", written by Mark Manson. Click HERE to check out this fantastic post! Let me remind you all that I am not yet 30! I still have 2 years to go! But that's neither here nor there! This is all relevant information and if I can put these 10 ideas into practice now, I'll be on the right track!! I wanted to share a couple ideas that really stuck with me.

3. Don't spend time with people who don't treat you well 
4. Be good to people you care about

To me, these two go hand in hand. I have always been a people pleaser. I've always packed my schedule with events so I wouldn't miss out on things, regardless of who it was with or for. Setting boundaries is now going to be a goal of mine! One girl wrote "learn how to say NO to people, activities and obligations that don't bring value to your life". <<--I need to say NO way more! Another guy said "Don't settle for mediocre friends, jobs, love, relationships and life". Yep, so dang true! Don't settle!!
Now, for those people who we DO care about! This post explains how important it is to show up and and be present for your friends. We all want people to be there for us, but it is just as important to be there for others and to be a dependable person. I definitely have a few people in my life that would drop anything for me and I want to be that person for them!

10. Be kind to yourself, respect yourself

It's okay to be a little selfish sometimes. I'm not talking about selfish in the sense that all you do is care about yourself and never think of others. I'm saying that it's okay to take time for yourself and do things for you once in a while. I actually think I'm a better person when I've done something for myself. It allows me to refocus and reset and be a better friend or girlfriend or daughter or sister. Life gets crazy! It's okay to slow down, say NO, and take a little breather. :)

Just a little food for thought for you all on this lovely Thursday! The weekend is just around the corner!

lately

There has been so much on my mind lately. So many events are happening in the coming months and they are all super fun but my mind is all over the place at times! In between all the fun, I am busy with work, starting my small fitness business, sticking with a 60-day workout program, and fitting in small amounts of time with my sweet boyfriend during tax season (he's an accountant). 21 more days until he is free and all is right in the world!! So, back to my random thoughts and happenings - here are a few things that seemed to occupy my free time or run through my head as of late!

Oil Pulling: Have you all heard of this or tried it?? It kept popping up on my Instagram and Facebook newsfeed from various people. I had to check it out! Apparently there are tons of benefits if it is done consistently: it can boost oral health, strengthen teeth and gums, prevent bad breath, remedy bleeding gums, help with migraine relief, reduce eczema, support normal kidney function, reduce sinus congestion, reduce insomnia, reduce hangover, reduce allergy symptoms, and help detoxify the body...just to name a few. Why not try it, right?? I feel like I am a really healthy person with a good immune system, but it can't hurt to try this ancient remedy!

In order to "pull oil" you must swish high quality oil in your mouth almost as if you were using mouthwash. I tried it with Coconut Oil from my beloved Trader Joe's, but I've also read that some people use Sesame Oil. Any who, here's the fun part!! You do it for 20 minutes!!! Ok anywhere from 5-20, but 20 minutes is suggested so of course I wanted needed to do it for that amount of time. Let me just tell you, the first time I tried it I wanted to gag!! The texture at the beginning is thick and then within a minute the oil melts and it's more bearable. It is recommended that you oil pull first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. You also don't want to swallow any oil because of the bacteria and toxins that have attached themselves to the oil in the pulling process. When the twenty minutes is done, spit the oil in the trash, rinse with water and BRUSH your teeth! Voila!! I'm a week into it and can honestly say that my mouth feels cleaner. I also had a gnarly cold that vanished rather quickly. Who knows if the pulling had anything to do with it, but I'm going to keep at it! Let me know if you try it! I'd love to hear your thoughts!!

Hair: I have a hair appointment set for mid April, FINALLY!! I haven't had my hair done since right before my brother's wedding in the beginning of December! That may not sound horrible to you, but for a girl with dirty blonde hair who likes very light blonde highlights, it is WAY overdue!! I'm thinking of chopping a few inches off (my hair is about 4 inches below the middle of my back) and making it a bit lighter for Spring and Summer. I like this photo of Miranda Lambert's hair, taken from her most recent music video. She looks awesome BTW! Girl is rocking her leaner look!! I'll make sure to take a picture of my hair once it's done so you all can see the changes!! Don't worry, I never go too crazy! I'm all about blonde, healthy locks and will never go too short!! Learned that lesson!

Girlfriends: I am blessed with an amazing group of friends and luckily my boyfriend and I have a lot of the same friends! Normally it's a big group of us, guys and girls, and we always have a great time no matter where we are or what we're doing! That being said, sometimes it is nice to just have a girls lunch! I cherish the relationship I have with these girlfriends! We sat and lunched and sipped margaritas and laughed and played with Elijah (Katie's son) and talked about everything under the sun! It was just what I needed!! Can't wait for the next one!! 

That's all for now! Hope you all are having a wonderful week!!

best. weekend. ever.

Have you all heard of Stagecoach?! Or better yet, been to Stagecoach? Let me just tell you, it is seriously my most favorite weekend! It's a 3-day party (no joke) in the middle of a country music festival near Palm Springs, California! The lineup this year is awesome & I may or may not be obsessed with Eric Church!

My girlfriends and I went for the first time in 2011 and had a blast. Four of us stayed in a guest house about a mile away from the venue which was great! Unfortunately we missed out on 2012 and we were literally depressed about it and vowed to never miss another Stagecoach again! Last year we stayed at our friend's condo in Rancho Las Palmas...helloooo my idea of perfection!! Each morning we were out by the pool by 9am sipping on mimosas and baking in the sun! We'd leave for the concert around 3 o'clock, just in time for the main performances!! Anyone who knows me knows that this type of weekend is right up my alley! While I'll miss the pool sessions tremendously this year, I am excited to camp with my boyfriend's family at the festival!! I've heard how much everyone loves camping at Stagecoach and I'm ready to give it a go!! As long as I can shower, blow dry my hair and put some mascara on, I'll be good!! Since it's "Throwback Thursday", let's take a little trip down Stagecoach memory lane!

Stagecoach 2011 - partying in the campgrounds

2013 - wristband ready and oh so happy!

2013 - April 26th Michael became my boyfriend!!

2013 - Jackelopes with my Big Ahns!

2013 - beers with my cowboy!

43 Days until Stagecoach 2014!!!

7 makeup must-haves!

Happy Friday!! I thought I'd share a few of my favorite makeup products with you guys. Now I am no makeup or beauty expert like my SIL Lindsay, but I definitely have a few items I wear everyday that are good quality and worth the price in my opinion! If you have any other makeup faves I'd love to hear about them! 

1: Benetint in Rose by Benefit Cosmetics

This is a lip & cheek stain. I use it as my everyday blush!

2: Yes, They're Real mascara by Benefit Cosmetics - okay this is the best mascara hands down! I have tried many other types/brands and I will never go back! It's goes on smoothly, makes the lashes look long/voluminous and you don't have to go over the lashes 5 times!

3: Stay Don't Stray primer by Benefit Cosmetics - I use this as a concealer and a primer to keep my shadow put. I love the smooth look it gives on my not so perfect skin coloring.

4: Hoola Bronzer by Benefit Cosmetics -

I love this pressed powder and wear it all over my face, so I actually don't use it as a Bronzer. Great product for many skin colors! 

5: Baby Lips Lip balm in Cherry Me by Maybelline - This is my go-to lip product! It moisturizes and gives out just enough color. I wear it all day everyday and the best part about it is that it's $4!

6: Time Balm Foundation in Medium by The Balm - one of my girlfriends recommended this to me and I love it! It's a light foundation and you apply it with a foundation brush. I don't want my face to look all cakey so this is the perfect amount of coverage.

7: Naked 2 Palette by Urban Decay - so when it comes to eye shadow, I have no clue! This is a palette with many natural hues that are perfect for everyday. My friend Kelly got it for me and it's the best!

So there ya go!! My faves! I also have a favorite beauty store - ULTA!! They have high end beauty products as well as drugstore beauty products. They also have a rewards system where your points equate to cash that you can either save up or use on your next visit. Love that!! Happy Makeup Shopping, girls!! 

I heart fitness

Those who know me, know that I am big into fitness! Working out is a passion of mine and if I don't do it 4-6 days a week, I am not myself. I need it. I crave it. It makes me a happier person and it's something I always want to be better at. 

This weekend I recieved a super exciting Birthday gift! My parents got me a Polar watch/heart rate monitor. I had been wanting one for a while and I used it this morning and absolutely loved it! It made me much more aware of my heart rate and the way I was breathing. I also love that it keeps track of how long you work out and the calories burned! New fitness gadgets/anything fitness related are my favorite and I have a bit of an obsession, but that's okay, right?!

While I'm on the fitness and health topic, I recently joined the company Beachbody as a health coach!! I can't wait to reach my fitness goals through new programs and nutrition, help others who want to
do the same, and build a small business! I'll share more about this in future posts but I am learning so much already! New adventures are fun!

ready, set, go!

Hey everyone!! I’m Allison and about a month ago I got the urge to enter the blogging world. I follow a few different blogs and I thoroughly enjoy what each woman has to share. Most are married with young children, and while I’m not married and have no children (yet), I want to start capturing my awesome life through this space. I can only imagine that the years to come are going to be GOOD!!

In true fashion, I wanted needed to start writing on a specific date. I may or may not have a bit of OCD in me! So with that said, what better time to start than today, on my Birthday?!?! Please bear with this Southern California girl as she navigates through this fun, unknown territory!! Here are a few photos of my early Birthday celebration this past Saturday (My boyfriend Michael rocks!) and a couple from Sunday when a group of us went to the shooting range!! It was my first time ever shooting a gun and let me just tell you, my heart was racing!! Cheers to twenty eight!! Happy Wednesday, friends!!!