No Excuses November! The Finale!

It's the end of the No Excuses November!!!!

Don't be sad; now we can sit around watch Titanic, and eat chocolate! Reward time!!! No, I'm kidding. Just because we achieve a goal, or complete something , doesn't mean we immediately stop moving forward. You WORKED HARD to get to where you are today! Celebrate, and don't let that go! Progress is KEY! So, just because I'm going to be posting all types of candy and cookie recipes for December, doesn't mean you should stop all together. Fitness isn't "a one night stand" (or in this case a one month stand), it's a life style. So keep on keepin' on, and enjoy your feature presentation...

~No Excuses November Finale~

 

Moral of the Story:

 

 

Amen to that right there! This is SOOOO true for everything in life too!!!!

 

 

Don't Think to Much Just Blast That Fat:

Let's play the gym game, play the gym game, do you want abs or do you want flab? Are you on your game? Playin' the gym game!

(Sorry, couldn't help going all out Lady Gaga on this one :)

Even if it is Harry Potter themed....

 

 

 

 

 

Whoa There! Time to Simmer Down!:

 

 

Reward Yourself! Yes YOU!:

 

Since your already feelin' the "high" of working out, add that buzz by go and getting yourself a nice green tea at Starbucks, or make it yourself at home!

*Did you know? Green tea fires up your metabolism, causing you to burn more fat! I'll take it!!!

I am an at home type of gal, so here's what I do to make my taste buds happy little campers:

- One green tea bag

- 1/4 cup Light Almond Milk

- Agave Nectar (Sweeten to taste)

 

 

 

Happy Finale to Y'all!

A Black Friday First-Timer; a view of the madness!

November 22nd-23rd was my first, and last Black Friday. Now I know it's been almost a week since the whole ordeal, and you're probably thinking "ummm a Black Friday article.... Mandy, I think you missed the boat on that one...". And the answer to that lovely thought of  yours is NO! No I did not miss the boat, I was recovering from the madness of fighting off the wild "animals". And part of recovering is letting it all out, getting it off your shoulders.
So, here is my story:

Being the "smart" person that I am I choose to go to Wal-Mart.

To all you newbies out there, going to Wal-Mart on Black Friday can be one of the worst decisions that you've ever made in your life. People were acting like they were just released from jail and like the banks had put up a sign that said Rob Me! This Friday Only!

 

......Fighting off  ravenous beasts (yes I am referring to the "lovely" people, whom we call our fellow shoppers), I grabbed "Mama Mia", the sing along version......

Yes it was very serious!

Trapped with no escape for 4 whole hours of my life. Time that I could have been using to sit around by myself, eating leftover Halloween Candy, and lounging in my gangster-rapper-fat-pants.

BUT, that my friends is the dedication of a first timer.
 

 

 

Ran into some friends, my "moral support team", to help me get through this rough time...

 

 

 

Ohhhh, and what a coincidence, we met a celebrity.

~Making friends jealous on Facebook since 2008~

 

We did some impromptu acting, and dramatic singing... (as we waited for the gates of the mall to open).
In my head I sound like Adele, so, of course I sounded great!

And then......!!!!
....the gates we're opened, and we we're released!!!
Roaming wild and free..... I choose to "observe", for safety purposes.

But....

Everything has to come to a close at some point

And like all good nights it ended with a bang......

 

 

Literally...

Let's just say that there's a first time for everything, and a last.
Moral of the story, I think I'm more of an online shopper kinda person...
But whatever floats your gondola.
Just know, all you die hearts out their, be careful when you go on this little mission of yours. So be safe, have fun, and plan ahead, and you'll have all your bases covered.

 

Enjoy the Madness!

No Excuses November! The post-Thanksgiving, fat-pants blaster!

Face it, we all have a pair of "Fat-Pants"; it's just something we smart people keep on hand so that we can be comfortable while we're enjoying our holiday food "hangover".

But like all hangovers, this one...gotta go! So say adios Mr. Potbelly and hello gorgeous six pack (hey you never know when you're going to be invited to a spur of the moment, winter pool party)!

Don't be sad though, Mr. Potbelly will be back to visit you at Christmas, along with the relatives ;)

 

 

The Motivator:
(Get off that turkey cushioned booty)


IF YOUR BODY HURTS, THEN YOUR DOING SOMETHING RIGHT!
                                                  ~ Anonymous


The Sailor Mouth Workout:
(Seriously, this  work out......no words..well only the bad kind...)

The Stretch:
(If you're "dying", then you're doing it right!)

The Treat:
(Yes, you get a treat! You silly goose!)
Because it's the Christmas season......need I say more?!?

- Strawberries
- Cool Whip (A dairy free option that I use)
- Poppy seeds for eyes

 

Enjoy the burn!

Pumpkin Glam!

 

Put a bit of Glam in your Thanksgiving decor this year!!!! By beautifying plain old pumpkins, you can add that POP to your table, floor, attic, or where ever y'all eat! So what are you waiting for?!? Go make your holiday classy, in 3,2,1......!!!!!

...

 

...

Ombre: No, I'm not quizzing you on your Spanish ;). Ombre is a glitter spray paint. It's a wee bit hard to come by, in local stores; so try looking in a craft store near you! Watch out though, it's pricy!

 Glitter: What is life without glitter? What is ANYTHING without glitter? Nothing! That's what! Tinsel glitter can also be bought at a craft store, but you can also use other types of glitter to create different effects.

Happy Crafting!

In the Name of Cupcakes!

Everyone loves a cupcake! I mean, who
doesn't love the bright sparkly sprinkles and
the mile high frosting?!?

One whacked out person that's who!!!!
 

In the words of my fashion idol, Marie Antoinette, "Let them eat cake"!

 

Now if I told you there was such a thing as the Two Minute Cupcake, would you believe me? Yeah, I wouldn't either...but I set out on the quest to prove the microwavable, two minute cupcake theory for once and for all. So me and my trusty side kick embarked on our adventure.......In the name of cupcakes!!!!

 

Me and my partner- in- crime, ready to go out there and conquer the world!

 

 

We used the "highest quality" ingredients

imported straight from

The Cupboard

( I know, classy right?)

 

       What? Who is this impostor?!?!         Nahhh....You're not foolin' anyone there buddy

 

 

Really.....who in their right mind has the nerve to call this a cupcake!

(By the way it tasted like a rubber egg from IHOP, covered in cocoa powder....yep that bad)

 

The Two Minute ,Too-Good-To-Be-True, Cupcake Myth Has Proven: FALSE

Moral of the story: Go to the store and buy your own cupcake!!!!!!!!!!!!









 

 

 

Waterproof shoes?!? Genius!!!

 

Sadly this does not work with glitter Toms (which is my obsession shoe of choice) :(....

 

BUT, on the brighter side this works on any other type of canvas shoe. Such as Converse, Vans, etc....

 

So have fun, enjoy, and conquer those mud puddles, once and for all!

No Excuses November! Days 9,10,and 11!!!

3,2,1 POW!!! Here is your three-in-one exclusive issue of "No Excuses November", with just a little bit of everything you need to help you stay on track!

Your Daily But-Kicker:
If this doesn't make you fit, then I don't know what will!

Your Daily "Feel Good":

                       Don't forget to keep your abs engaged to get an even FULLER strectch!

Your Guilt Free Reward:
Add a little summer to your winter days with some yummy, delicious, and sweet sorbet!
                                         
                                             Low Calorie-Sugar Free Strawberry Sorbet

 

Ingrediants:

 

     1 Cup Frozen Strawberries (or any kind of berry, be creative)!

 1/4 Cup Agave Nectar (or honey); sweeten to desired taste

1 Cup of Ice

 

And...Blend!

Where the REAL Wild Things Are...

Oregon, land of the hippies, home of the little critters that belong in zoo's!!!! For example, outside our city's Hospital there is a sign that says "WARNING: Wild Cougars Do Not Go Outside After Sundown".  Ay,ay,ay!!! Well, at least the location of the hospital is convenient, but do you see my point! Don't get me wrong though.....there are some cuties out there :)

BUT, Oregon has some sketchy creatures, that just like to pop up out of the blue and surprise you, and that's exactly what happened to me tonight.

I was bringing grocery's from my car, and because I'm like every other person, I had my hands full trying to bring in every single bag, so that I wouldn't have to go back out to the car again... Anywho, there I was, eight bags in hand, walking through my laundry room, to the front door. As I went to go close the door, with my foot, a big black thing brushed past my shoulder. Screaming I dropped all my bags, ran inside, and double locked the door. Did  I mention that Oregon has bats??? Well turns out that bat wanted to be my friend, but newsflash to you buddy ol' bat, I have enough friends. So here's my current status right now: all of  my lovely groceries are scattered about outside, and some bat is having his own little soiree in my laundry room!!! And call me a sissy, but I am NOT going back out there with Mr. Flutter wings still flying about!!!

Just for your pleasure here are some pictures of what I have to live with:

 

And if you ever come to visit.....Welcome to Oregon :)

.........................P.S I'm moving!!!

                                                                                                  
Ummmmm Yeah....no, just NO!!!

No Excuses November! Day 7

Simple and clear! After all, that's all you need!

 

Here is a funny little guide to help you clean up that diet of yours! And if your diet is clean...well then....kudos to you! So enjoy a little laugh, I know that this health tip really tickled me pink!

No Excuses Novemeber! Days 5 & 6

Today is a two in one day. Yay! Because the more the better :)

***

Yes more is good too, but I'm also posting to make up for tomorrow night as well. Why? Because this chicky has a flipper dippin' loooooonnnnngggg ballroom rehearsal out of town, and chances are I am going to be pretty tired when I get home late tomorrow night. So,with out further a due, here is your daily dose of No Excuses November!

Ain't that the truth! Is something in your life stressing you out??? Go blow off some steam and refresh by taking a nice run, in the crisp Fall air.
****Please dres warmly for a run if you live in a really cold area; Mandalina Ballerina is not responsible for any loonies who decide to make friends with frost bite!!!

 

No need for words, this picture says it all!

No Excuses November! Day 5

Now you have a REASON to take a shower!

 

 

 

The ULTIMATE of classy~ Bow tie nails

Yes we are "copying" Zoey Deschannel, But

who says you can't have celebrity nails

too!!!

 

~~~~I saw this adorable idea in Elle magazine and I thought oh my gosh I HAVE to try this!~~~~ <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

      Soooo I did it, and I worked out all the little quirks and mishaps so you can do this easily! (fingers crossed)!!!

 

 

What you need:

- White nail polish

-Clear coat polish

-sharpie or black

nail polish

 

 

  ~Instructions~

 

 

1. Paint your nails with two coats of white nail polish.

2. Here is where you go your own way! Choose your "weapon", black nail polish or Sharpie! I personally side with the Sharpie....sorry all you polish fans.

        - If you are using a sharpie: draw three dots on your nails and then draw the bows.

                   WAIT FOR THE SHARPIE TO DRY OR ELSE IT WILL SMEAR!

                - If you are using the polish: take a tooth pick and cut off the pointy tip ( make sure that  the new bottom is as smooth as you can get. No pokeys in this facility!) Dip the

tooth pick in the nail polish and CAREFULLY draw on your buttons and bows.

 

3. Paint a couple clear coats over the top to protect your cuties, and to give your nails a more sleek and sophisticated look!

*****WARNING: If you decided to go the Sharpie route there will still be smearing, even if you let the ink dry on your nails. Avoid this by dabbing bits of clear nail polish onto the buttons and bow ties ONLY! Then you can go back (after that dries), and paint a clear coat over the tops of your nails worry free!

 

~Where I wore my Look~

 

I wore my nails to my NHS (National Honors Society) induction ceremony. Since the bow tie nails read classy, I thought "why not make my outfit a classy side dish, a compliment, to my nails"? So I made a bow bun in my hair, to accentuate the tiny bows on my nail tips. Then to put a classic, British, gentleman, style twist I added a mustache necklace. Needless to say this outfit was a big hit at the ceremony!

Pictures below for your entertainment:

 

 

 

 Hopefully I have inspired you to keep on being one classy chick! Enjoy and have fun with your stylish nails!

<3 <3<3



No Excuses November! Days 3 & 4

Whoopss! Yep I missed a day! But you know what they say, nobody's perect! Everybody falls off the horse from time to time, BUT, it's never too late to hop back on that pony!!!!!
Since the earlier article posted today was about skin care, so is our No Exuses article of the day! (Coordination is the key to success....well sometimes....)

It's also......drum roll please..... A CRAFT!

Yes being healthy can also be fun!!!

So what has all the fuss been about??? Waterbottles. Yes water bottles. Alot of people don't drink enough water, but if I told you that water makes your skin look young,fresh, healthy, and vivacious...could I persuade you then?

Here is a craft for you that will hopefully inspire you to drink more water.....

 Who wouldn't want to drink water out of these classy bottles! A crazy person that's who!

- Use a sharpie to write the times down on your bottle. Write over the time a few times to make sure that it won't fade or smear.
- To jazz up your water bottle add rhinestones (they also can be a marker, like in the picture, to measure the different amounts you want to drink at certain times). Putting on the rhinestones is easy all you need is a hot glue gun.
* Rhinestones can sometimes be pricy, check your local grocery store, such as Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer, etc., because they tend to have lower prices than craft stores.
- Do you want the sripes on your waterbottle? Then you're going to have to buy a water bottle with rubber gips (which give the stripe effect, like the bottles in the picture), sorry to be the bearer of bad news. But have no fear, because this cookie has thought of a solution, use duct tape! I know brilliant!!! Try using fun types of duct tapes (the ones with patterns). My favorite duct tape is the mustache patterned one


- The strings on the watter bottles in the picture serve as "holders or attatchers" (don't really know the word to use there, but you get the idea)! Use a thicker ribbon for a more durable strap. Also, take a lighter to the edges, after you have tied the string on the bottle. This will prevent fraying.

Hope you enjoy this activity! Post your creations, or share them on Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter!

I would love to see your creations too! After all I'm always looking for inspiration! Below are the links to my pages...

http://pinterest.com/mandalinapower/


http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mandalina-Ballerina/198655016917077

The $0, Rainy Day Spa Treatment!!!

Has the dark, gloomy, weather got you down? Don't worry, that's why I'm here! Use this rainy day as an excuse to stay inside and give yourself a home-made spa treatment! Here are some easy mixes that you can make at home. You don't even have to go to the store! Just dig through your cupboards and you'll find everything you need...

These mixes will give your skin the same vivacious glow as the summer sun............even if it is fall ;)

You don't really need petroleum jelly (unless you're an overachiever); try this for the lip scrub instead

1/2 tsp honey                                               

1/2 tsp granulated white sugar

1/2 – 1 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice

 (You can use anything to  give your scrub a bit more zip!!! I like to use a little bit of grapefruit juice!)

*** If you want to make extra goodies to have on hand, or you have some left over (and you don't want to waste) you can buy (or find at home), a little bottle with a lid. You can purchase them for $1 or less at your local Wal-Mart, or Kroger (Fred Meyer).

WAIT!!!!! DON'T GET RID OF THAT!!!!!!

~~~~~   WAIT!!!!! DON'T GET RID OF THAT!!!!!!~~~~~

Hold your horses there and slow down! Take that Goodwill bag up to your room right now, before it's too late!!!!!!!!!!!! Turn those rags into a FASHION STATEMENT! Express your "uniqueness", with your one of a kind scarf.......plus you'll make your friends envious ;)

See!!! Just like that! Easy peezy lemon squeezy :)

 

******* Are you cleaning out your closets right now??? Well I am, even if it is a weird time of year to be sorting through your old things. Actually....think about it....... it is a good time! It's almost Thanksgiving, and it's going to start getting cold. Donate your old "doo dads and what nots" to those in need. I'll bet they'll really appreciate it. Now.....I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but Christmas is right around the corner! If you clear out your closet you can make room for all the nice goodies that are awaiting you under that tree (or Menorah)!!!

No Excuses November! Day 3

We all know that there are little tid bits of yummy Halloween candy still floating around out there! Don't lie now, you know what I'm talking about! And I know you've pledged to be healthy....but you know what they say...

"Every Saint has a past, but every sinner has a future"

                                                                           ~ Anonymous

So go ahead, be a sinner!!! BUT all in moderation; after all there's only so much you can take!
Now here it is my gift to you!

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully this will help you make "wise" choices, when you see that tempting candy bowl!!!