I’m not immune to having mean people say crap things to me, sad days, or low energy… but it really helps me to pull myself up knowing that I can feel the feels and fight harder to stay in the light. Not gonna lie, putting something on that makes me feel good and then getting in a good sweat sesh really does help elevate my mood and change my attitude.
Do you find that to be true for you?
And if I’m gonna sweat my faces off and push harder when I feel like I have nothing left, I’m gonna do it in style <3 This week I spent most of my time in the Studio (have you seen on my Instagram that I’m in Instructor Training?) so I wanted to share my OOTDs with you and maybe inspire you to start feelin’ yourself too! Here’s my cutest workout clothes, activewear you can wear anywhere!
In my best ‘Elf’ voice…”It’s Amazon Prime Dayyyy”!
Well not today but on the 15th at midnight on through the 16th you’ll be able to score some pretty sweet deals from your one stop shopping spot! There’s so much happening between the promotions and the coupon codes that I wanted to share with you what I personally recommend on Amazon Prime day and what to buy.
I’ll share my picks from Home Goods, Fashion, and Accessories. There’s gonna be a lot coming at you fast in the next few days leading up to THE day, so sift through all the things, pay attention to what catches your eye, and in the interest of Amazon not taking ALL your money … shop with a ‘need’ over ‘want’ mentality … unless it comes to the concerts! Then gogogo! Eeek!
FASHION/ACCESSORIES (Summer staples!)
I debated whether or not to photoshop out this 1998 unrecognizable tattoo then decided, we all make mistakes, we can’t photoshop them all out now can we LOL
If you thought I’d ever spend more than $100 on a pair of shoes you thought wrong 😉 I have a daughter in college who takes all my money so I found the best inspired styles for some of this season’s most popular pieces.
I chose the Golden Goose leopard print + ponyskin effect leather ($560… esscuse me) and the Hermes Oran Sandals in Blanc ($650… wuuut), so off to ‘destination dupe city’ we go! For a fraction of the cost you get almost identical styles AND you won’t be upset when you get them dirty. I mean the Golden Gooses already come dirty though so. Why would you want already dirty ass shoes…oh fashun. *** PS if you love the originals and you’re willing to pay the price, there is no judgement here! We all prioritize and budget differently <3
Faux plants– if you have a special gift for killing plants (even plants they say you can’t kill- ahem, cacti and succulents still do not thrive under my care) than this baby and this baby is for you
Vitruvi stone diffuser– the chicest most loveliest diffuser of them all they come in all kinds of beautiful colors
Sicilian blood orange diffuser sticks– if you’d rather not commit to adding water, dropping in oils, turning anything on… well than this is for you. Set it and forget it
Candle favorites- I burn candles in our home 24/7 and these are some of my favorites! Somethin’ abut Tobacco scented candles in the living room and Lemongrass in the bathrooms that are relaxing but also feel like a sexy speakeasy… emphasis on candles in the bathroom.
I honestly had SO many things to share with you and I’d like to share some of my staple skincare/beauty products with you too – also on Amazon so I created a list for you! Which I’ll be updating as much as I can as we go along this summer. And don’t mind the list “name”… Amazon named it for me: ‘influencer jess lizama’, its top choice? It’s kinda like having a middle name you don’t like…ya didn’t choose it and ya can’t change it! Can we photoshop it out though?! ;)-
What will you be scooping up at midnight on the 15th?! I’m creating a wish list for myself, would you like me to share it?
Comin’ in hot! Our Bride Guide series chat this week is all about how to handle the stress of planning a wedding. With a task list as long as CVS receipts it can all be so overwhelming. I want to share with you the way I broke it all down for myself since we did the planning ourselves and how I managed the Bridezilla-ness of it all.
Lists on lists baby! There’s a timeline of events, there’s the EVENT, and there’s all the planning in between. So today we’ll talk about the things that go in between the engagement and the HONEYMOON <3
Honestly, typing out hashtag was so fun for me because umm what world do we live in that creating a hashtag has become one of our wedding priorities! Ours was #exoticnationwedding LOL Do the damn thing is pretty high up there though, all of this to say you’re getting married and it’s going to be the BEST time of your life!
So go through this list, fill it out for yourself and see where you are. Decide the big things like budget and who, where, when NOW, and the rest of the list we can get to. Do you like how informal my speaking is… “no stress baby just think about the W’s” (who what when where) HAHA
Get inspired! Pinterest is your new BFF! And your BFF is the MOH! I loved rose gold, romantic decorations, corals, and royal blue! The DIY part is next week, this week I just want you to focus on the answers you gave last week and the list you’re making this week.
I have so many recommendations for THE dress, invitation sites, how to map out the seating chart, and the best way to go about the cake/favors/and decoration details. Check out BHLDN, get on Pinterest, start putting together what size wedding you’re having so that all of the other details come together much easier for you, and create that task list… starting here.
I really hope all this list creating helps to get all of the stress out of your head and onto paper so that you have a starting point and a clear idea of what your next steps are. Knowing what’s next really does help to keep the stress at bay, what’s scary is the unknowing part and the ‘do I have time to do all this planning’ part. But with a clear plan you’re breaking it all down into ONE thing at a time and it’s much more manageable.
What shall we talk about next week? What to DIY? What to skimp on what not to? Where you should apply your budget? How to make everyone happy when this is YOUR day and you’re just trying not to go crazy? Tell me <3
It’s wedding season! The warm summer months, breezy beautiful evenings, it’s the most coveted time of year to plan a wedding, bridal shower, and bachelorette party. With this Bride Guide I’ve got you covered and over the next few weeks I’ll go into detail about what’s necessary, what’s not, and what’s just fun FUNS- the best part! This is my favorite series that I’ve ever launched and starting today, we’ll begin with the basics.
First thing’s first, if you’re wedding is in less than 6 months away… BOOK YOUR VENUE! Start looking now, book it and let that first big thing v important thing, be taken care of so you can focus on the fun stuff like your dress, the party, the food, the people…did I mention the party?
So congratulations on your engagement and I’m happy you’re here! My mission is to help you stay far far away from Bridezillaville <3
Thought starters:
who, what, when, where, how- the who is easy: you and your fiance´, the intimate or larger than life wedding is the what, so now it’s all about prep and plan! The how will come, first answer some of these questions
what’s our budget- is this a DIY wedding or a ‘spare no expense’ kind of wedding, will it be small and intimate, or will everyone and their mother be there? Is there a wedding planner or are you it?
location location location – venue for the vows and the reception, church or other space to exchange vows and then a separate location for the reception? Multiple locations? Outdoor? Indoor? Destination?
details- catering, open bar (for the love of love please do an open bar), cake/cupcakes/pies/dessert table, favors, decorations, flowers, seating charts, all that we’ll go into in my next Bride Guide article
the most fun part- THE DRESS, is there a party dress, the groom/bride/partner, the bridal party, hair, makeup, accessories, bridal shower, bachelorette/bachelor parties, all the things that make this season so fun, so memorable, so worth every penny-every tear-every argument-every frustration
So now that you’re thinking about these things, lets break it down even further for next time and do me a favor and leave me a comment or DM on Instagram and tell me all the topics that you want to hear about. All the things you want me to go into detail over, I’ve got you!
Congratulations! I’m so excited for you and I cannot wait to share more of this Bride Guide series with you <333
I was happily reminded this morning that May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and I wanted to take some time today- and throughout this month- to help raise awareness, offer my support, share my coping techniques, and a few of my own stories.
If you’ve noticed that I’ve become especially passionate about health and wellness this past year, thank you <3 I started my own fitness journey to not only get stronger physically but to also get stronger mentally, which is most important to me. I think most of us have had some sort of trauma in our lives that we haven’t properly dealt with (oh hai, it me), and that we then carry on through adulthood like heavy ass luggage that we aren’t able to check.
Whether it’s a mental illness, a physical illness, a trauma… anything that could physically and/or mentally weigh in on your mental state, we can’t stay silent about it. At least I hope we don’t. We have to seek help, we have to reach out to one another, we have to practice compassion for ourselves and for others. It’s something I think people don’t talk about enough, the inside of ourselves that we have to nurture as well as the outside. Our thoughts, our feelings, our hardships, and our concerns … what makes us tick and what helps calm the storm.
A bit of my own story you already know. I was a teen mom, a single mom. I struggled a lot then and I struggle today to let go of that young girl who had to raise a baby and realize that’s not my life any more. A lot of things keep me up at night. From trauma and healing, to moving forward and crushing goals. But there’s a lot of issues that I’ve let go unresolved. That I’ve pushed so far down into my big toe thinking they couldn’t hurt me anymore that I also pushed down my emotions, compassion for myself, and forgiveness. Ah therapy, I’m coming for you.
I just want you to know that if you’re struggling you’re not alone and I don’t have all the answers but there are some things I do for myself to keep my mental health balanced. Balance is BIG. Practicing balance with work and leisure, with family and friends, and with connecting to others and connecting to myself.
Meditating– whatever that looks like for you. I’m not good at being still but I’m working on it and meditation sounds and candles help so much. To ground yourself, to still your mind, to calm yourself down no matter where you are
Routine– a morning routine and a nighttime-unwinding routine. I’ll read 10 pages of a book or take time to think about the things I know will keep me up at night so that I can address them and sleep soundly. Routine helps keep anxiety at bay, it’s the one thing I can control. I think
Schedule– with what I do putting myself on a schedule helps me to feel less overwhelmed, more creative, and relieves my anxious thoughts from attacking me mid all day. Just having those goals helps me so much and also realizing that I can only do as much as I can and that’s enough
Talking it out– a therapist, a family member, a loved one, a close friend, a professional…someone. It helps so much to release the things inside your head that may be paralyzing you and making it hard to breathe. Or to at least acknowledge them, take away its power, and heal a bit more than you did before. Words are powerful, that’s why therapy is so incredible. And communication
Luna & Ace! – animal companionship is so real you guys. Pets and support animals change the energy in your space, they’re calming, and they’re great listeners 😉
There’s so many ways to navigate and cope and there’s so much support out there. I really hope if you’re reading this and you need this, that you trust that you’re not alone and that you reach out to someone. I want to list some resources here for you and for anyone who may need them <3
The importance of our mental health is more important than anything. If I can’t function than how will I work, be a mom, be a wife, be a human, be myself? So lets talk about it like it’s normal because it is and lets reach out to one another more because it matters.
Self care Sunday is a thing so says Instagram but also so says my soul. Except I think we should practice a lil self care every day don’t you?
It’s such a necessary practice to partake in to keep your skin glowy and your soul shiny. But the reality is that something I’ve experienced, is that mom guilt is real. Human guilt is real. That feeling like we don’t have time or that we don’t deserve a moment to reset and slow down and breath. And it’s complete BS.
Since when aren’t we allowed to take time out for ourselves to be still, can we change that? I want us to do something together, a lil Self Care Sunday or Monday or Tuesday or any or ALL days of the week. And lets share what we’re doing, and it can be any time where you sit alone, or stretch to candle light, or bathe with a glass of wine, or eat a treat in your closet alone while the rest of the world outside loses their shit. Anything that settles your mind and relaxes your body.
I’ll start here with my self care Sunday routine that I did this morning over on my Instagram.
Okay so it’s not actually Earth’s birthday today but I’ll say happy birthday Earth every day because, Animal Planet! And I love that today especially, we can be extra vocal about showing our support for environmental protection. Corrine is always challenging Joe and I to be more eco friendly, more environmentally conscious, and to use as many sustainable products as we can. One of the perks of having a smart and very self aware daughter is how she’ll educate you and make you just as aware, I love it <3
Some things we do around our home to ensure we’re contributing as much as we can to keeping our planet inhabitable are:
sustainable reusable rounds – to remove makeup, to apply toner and other skin care products, a cute lil wash cloth for my face that takes place of disposable cotton rounds
reusable diapers for lil Ace face – instead of disposable diapers we use reusable ones for him and even though they’re a pain in the ass to clean, it’s so worth it
metal straws for home and collapsible straws for travel – these take the place of disposable straws at home and the collapsible straw is so convenient when you’re out and about and it’s compact and clean
Silicone storage bags – takes the place of plastic sandwich and storage bags and I LOVE them!
Swell reusable water bottle – by far the EASIEST thing we can all do is bring our own water bottle around and our own bags to the grocery store
Bee’s wax reusable food wrap – takes the place of plastic wrap and I love that the warmth of your hands to shape the wax is what turns it into the ‘wrap’ that covers containers, seals leftovers, and keeps air out of your baked goods. My brother in law gifted me this for Christmas last year and it’s been a game changer
That’s the thing, one little thing you do, one small habit you change, contributes to the BIG picture. I swear watching Planet Earth and Animal Planet on Netflix has changed me, I’m really intrigued by our oceans too. So today and everyday I would love for us all to do our part to protect our home <3 It’ll help ensure that it flourishes for generations to come, for my baby’s babies and your baby’s babies!
What are some things you do to lower your carbon footprint, be more environmentally conscious, and eco friendly?
I live for a good nudey-pink lip and you’d see that with one glance into my lip balm bag … evidence below. An entire bag dedicated to lip hydration! For the longest time I only wore lip balm or lip glosses because my lips have so many lines in them that I just didn’t think that lip sticks were flattering on me. Don’t get me wrong, I love their fullness but with fullness comes the lines which made wearing lip sticks (especially matte ones) look dry like the Sahara desert. Recently though I’ve found some really beautiful formulas that are hydrating and smooth just as they are rich in color and luxurious in texture.
Sharing with you here my go-to, mostest-favoritest, nudey-pinky lippies … from lip gloss to lip sticks, and even lip balms. Because you can never have too many lip balms 😉
If you’re a lip gloss lover like yours truly than give these a try and let me know what you think. My favorite is when a lip stick can double as a gloss and even better when a lip balm can double as a lip gloss!
Which are you, a lip gloss or lip stick kind of person? Is there a brand or formula that you can’t live without that we should all try? Share below!
If you asked me to name a dish that reminds me of my childhood, a memorable tradition is having Shrimp Patties at every holiday and family gathering. Being one of Corrine’s favorites, my mom’s take on this Chamorro staple is what sparks nostalgia in our home the most.
My mom lives in Tennessee and we live in California so cooking together is difficult and recreating recipes without her close-by is even more difficult. She’ll say, “oh Neni (‘baby’ in Chamorro), it’s a pinch of this, a dash of that and stir, stir, stir.” My inability to convert a ‘pinch of this’ into any form of understanding just makes me wish she were here even more.
Luckily, the technology behind the new GE Appliances Kitchen Hub, releasing in May, will enable us to feel more connected; Whether it’s looking for recipes on YouTube, asking Google Assist to read me the ingredient list or calling my mom via video chat so she can supervisor the “pinch” ratio- it’s going to change the way we cook at home. To bring your families back to the kitchen together, GE Appliances has launched a special job search for the Great American Grandma! Any grandma can enter HERE and you can nominate any grandma! The fun part is:
it’s a year-long contract that will pay $50,000 for 10-15 hours of work per month, plus five new, top-of-the-line GE Appliances kitchen products and a GE Kitchen Hub for Grandma
Grandma will have THE best job ever! She’ll focus on sharing content on social media, sharing her secret recipes, telling all the family stories, and having all the fun!
Who will you nominate? Are you a Grandma ready to share your favorite secret recipes? What family stories will you tell?!
Thanks to GE Appliances for sponsoring this post!
Shrimp Patties
My mom's version of this traditional Chamorro recipe:
1 (10 oz) package frozen mixed vegetablesthawed and drained
5cupsoilfor frying
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs together with the evaporated milk
Add in the flour, dry ingredients, and seasonings. Mix together with a whisk until smooth
Combine the shrimp and mixed vegetables and stir well
Heat your oil in a large pot under medium heat
Drop the batter into the oil by the spoonful (we used a large wooden spoon) and fry until golden brown. We flipped the shrimp patties half way during frying to ensure cooking on both sides
Use a bamboo skewer or toothpick to pierce the center of the patty, when it comes out clean they’re ready to be removed from the oil
Allow any extra oil to be soaked up by paper towels
