Introducing... Motivational Mondays!

Ok, so long story short: I took a train to Chicago Monday night for a conference, got there late, had to wake up early, and this went on until I got back late Thursday night. It was educational, and fun, and super exhausting. Then, I drove to the east-side Friday morning to spend the day with one of my best friends before she flew back to Louisiana on Saturday. This entailed a day of bridesmaids dress shopping and a night of fun... and not much sleep or exercise. I headed back home on Saturday evening, and am still recovering from my crazy week. Then to top it off, I am now suffering from a UTI. Lucky me!

So why am I telling you all this? Well I'm behind on my half-marathon training schedule and I didn't want to skip another day of working out, but I really, really did not feel like doing anything even remotely productive once I got home from a busy day of work. I needed some motivation. And somehow, I dug deep down and found it. It helped that I have a cross-training day where I can do my Yoga DVD (I have Bethenny Frankel's SkinnyGirl workout collection and I love it). 

So I bring to you Motivational Mondays! I will post every Monday with something to push you, whether it be a fitness routine or an inspirational quote or a personal goal. Perhaps it will provide you with that extra motivation you need to accomplish what you should do or know you need to do, but just don't want to.

I can certainly tell you that although I didn't want to do my workout today, it felt great afterwards-- and even a little bit during. ;) There's something about the stretching and mastering some of the tougher poses that boosts those endorphins. 

The poses below were part of my workout today, and Kristin actually appears in the Body by Bethenny DVD. Hold each pose for five counts until you get more comfortable and can hold them longer. Yoga truly improves your balance and gives you a sense of accomplishment once you finish. And I don't know about a "Butt like Bethenny", but I've definitely noticed more definition and toning in certain areas since I've started practicing Yoga.

Perhaps a butt like Bethenny is your motivation, for me it's a hot bod like Jen's: 

 

to look good in this...

Whatever it may be, we all need a little motivation sometimes. So why not start your week off the right way by taking one step closer to becoming a better you. :)

xox Danielle

I'm baaaaack!

I've slightly remodeled the blog, changed the title, and am still working on making the look match my vision. It is coming together, but that's the easy part.

Now for content! 

My goal is to keep this blog active, and with all that is on my plate with work, planning my fabulous wedding, playing 'housewife', volunteering, and trying to maintain a social life, there should be plenty of subject matter-- let's just hope there's enough time! 

So first I suppose I should explain the blog title. Cupcakes and Corgis is very reflective of me, as both subjects play huge roles in my life. 'Cupcakes' is representative of my love of baking. Whether it be cupcakes, brownies, muffins, or any other baked good, baking has always come quite easy to me and is something I love to do. It has become an outlet for me, a productive way of releasing stress and frustration. It is also a way of expressing myself and showing my love and appreciation. If it's your birthday, or any other exciting celebration in your life, and I love you, you better bet your bottom dollar that you will be receiving a cake, or most likely, cupcakes, from yours truly. 

The 'Corgis' part-- well that's pretty self-explanatory. Not only do I own two Pembroke Welsh Corgis that I love more than anything in this world, but they are my favorite dog breed. They have the most quirky personalities, full of love and kisses, but also sassy and stubborn. And then there's their appearance. Don't even get me started on the short legs, big ears, and little nubs where their tails should be. It's apparent I'm not the only sucker for these dogs, as anytime I take them on a car ride-- both their little heads popped out the same window, smiling at the cars passing by-- I can't help but notice the passerby's smiling and giggling at the two of them. I can't even begin to count the number of individuals, grown men included, who have stopped me on my walks with them asking what kind of dog they are, or where I got them from, how cute they are, etc. You know how they say a smile is contagious? I think Corgis multiply that process. ;)

Cupcakes and Corgis is all about lightheartedness and fun. They are both such little things in the grand scheme of life, but isn't it the little things that count? While Cupcakes and Corgis is the title, content will certainly not be limited to those two topics. You will find posts including everything from recipes to fitness routines to wedding planning tips. All of those subjects play a very large role in my life right now being a housewife-in-training, a runner currently training for my second half-marathon, and most importantly, a bride-to-be. ;) I want to pass on the tips and lessons I've learned the hard way to help make your life easier, and that is certainly not limited to cupcake recipes and how to train your Corgi (to be honest, I could not even slightly help you there... one of mine won't even sit on command). Life is more complex than that, so I don't want to limit what I post, I just want to share anything that I feel another person might learn from or be interested in. 

I hope you take an interest in what I post and that you learn a thing or two from what I share. Thanks for reading and I'll be posting soon.. promise!

xox
Danielle