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InstaFriday

The Merfett

life rearranged

Liking up to share my instagram pics for the week!

If you ever venture to the San Diego Area you MUST get coffee at the Pannikin Coffee House. The Encinitas location makes me want to open a coffee house every time I’m there. This mug was a gift from two of my favorite people, both who grew up in SD.

I had to make a run to an expendable’s store this week to buy something for bossman. Seeing these reminded me of student film shoots and making sure you return each and every grip clip to the Goldroom, or they will hunt you down and fine you.

This was my first attempt at using PicMonkey. Holy goodness, this is only the beginning.

I created a little coffee shop ambiance for myself on Tuesday when I baked a cinnamon swirl cake and brewed a fresh pot of coffee in the afternoon. It was lovely. And 1/16 the price of the ‘Bucks.

Wednesday night Merfman and I were rebels, we had fun on a school night. We hung out with another friendcouple (that’s friends that are a couple) and we played Settlers of Catan. Um, why has it taken me this long to learn to play this?! Must play again, soon.

Thursday we had some high Santa Ana Winds, and this happened. We live on a street surrounded by massive pine trees. It’s like a Christmas Tree shedding it’s winter coat X100.

I took Betsy Ross on her own personalized walk Thursday. I like to walk her and Buddy together, but their strides are so different it’s not really fair. I let her pick the pace and we went nice and slow. I came back after our walk and took Buddy on his own faster paced adventure. Happy dogs.

Happy Friday!

 

Health & Fitness

Get Movin’

The Merfett

I try to be an active person, but I need a little extra motivation sometimes. Don’t we all?

Playing Water Polo in college I was working out for several hours a day, 6 days a week. Now, I don’t have a coach to give me swim sets or weight workouts. I’m flying solo. No teammates to keep you motivated, or games on the horizon.

So, I heard about Gym Pact from Healthy Tipping Point and thought it was worth a shot. Gym Pact is an app on your phone where you “check in” when you’re at the gym for a work out. You set up a cash stake, say $5 for every workout. If you miss a workout it will cost you $5, but if you make all your pledged workouts you earn moneyz! I pledge 4 workouts a week for $20 a workout. SUPER motivation. $20 isn’t easy to lose!

So I get myself movin’! 4 workouts a week is very doable for me, I usually spin at least 2 days a week, dreadmill and lift 1 – 2 days a week, and walk the dogs or take a bike ride 1 day a week. Gym Pact is now working with RunKeeper to log non-gym activities like walking, hiking or cycling.

I’ve been using Gym Pact for a few weeks now and I’ve kept all my pledges earning a little bit of money each week. Around $2 a week. Are you going to get crazy rich using Gym Pact? No, don’t quit your day job. But, you will be more motivated to hustle to the gym, or take a long walk. Oh, and part of the deal is you need to be working out or moving for at least 30min and .5 miles.

 

Betsy is a fan of walk days :)

Weekly Workout 

Friday – 30min on the Spin Bike, Weights

Saturday – 20min Easy Bike Ride

Sunday – Off

Monday – 60min Spin Class

Tuesday – Off

Wednesday – 45min Easy Bike Ride

Thursday – 2, 30 min Dog Walks

Family

They’re Allliiiivvveee!!!

The Merfett

Brace yourselves, people. This post is a wild one…it’s about….my house plants.

Eh?

So, I never thought I would have plants in my house, I didn’t think I was one of those people. You know the type…plants hanging in knitted slings from the rafters. If that’s your decor, own it baby. I’m just not cool enough for it.

My first attempt at house plants was a bonsai tree when I was in Jr. High.  Way to start small, yea? Not so much. It didn’t stand a chance.

The next adventure was a Chia Pet – a sheep to be exact. We bonded over a Christmas break. We had some good times together. Until Mr Sheep started getting stinky…they don’t tell you about that part in the commercials.

Then there was a bamboo tree in college. I kept that sucker alive for years….YEARS! And it’s still going strong in my parent’s kitchen window. One thing I learned about bamboo, you can’t kill it. Even when you want to. Someday I’ll tell you about the bamboo monster in our front yard. Word of advice…NEVER set your bamboo free. It needs structure. Just think of it as a strong-willed child.

So, when Merfman and I moved into our house we received some plants as house warming gifts. I’ve decided that I love plants as gifts. I try to give plants over flowers for gifts since cut flowers have a short life and plants can live FOR-EV-ER.

The small-but-mighty collection.

I love the orange watering can this little guy lives in :)

This dude was a gift from parent’s of close friend. They saved this guy from yard sale! It bloomed a few weeks ago and now it’s just chillin’.

And this is my pride. This was a seedling gift from friends and it just.keeps.growing. I’m beaming. I have no idea what to do with it. It’s awesome.

This is the most recent addition to the family. Merfman’s Aunt has an awesome green thumb and she gifted this beautiful houseplant to us a few weeks ago.

I love the split in the leaf. Such a rebel.

I warned you this was wild and crazy. So far this week I’ve given you photos of my dogs and houseplants. I know, I know…I’m a wild woman.

Who said being in your mid 20’s wasn’t thrilling?!