Wednesday, May 6, 2015

#megansbigmove

Most everyone by now knows that after twenty seven years, I've finally flown the coop and got a nest of my own. Living with my parents wasn't bad by any means, but it was time for me to take on a new responsibility. 
Last year I was in the beginning phase of looking for a house when I got laid off and as much as I hated it, I believe God's timing is perfect. I found the papers from a year ago stating the loan rate at the time and compared it to the rate I got, and it was down a whole percent. The house I ended up purchasing is in Asheboro and only about ten minutes from my parents house. It's the same distance to work but I absolutely love the neighborhood the house is in and love the house as well. A realtor had bought it as a foreclosure and flipped it, so it was basically move in ready. The only problem with the house was the popcorn ceilings and the fact that the entire house was a plain tan color. So, before we moved any furniture or anything into the house, Wade and Phil scrapped the ceilings and Wade painted the master bedroom and bath. That was a week and a half worth of messy hard work that I'm so grateful Wade was willing to do for me. But enough rambling... here's some photos. 

Debi Carlisle made me this beautiful bouquet to hang on the front door and I absolutely love it!
Living Room from the front door.
Look from the front door to the left and you see the dining area and kitchen. 

Laundry room and pantry
Hall Bath
The babies now get their own room. It's shared with a treadmill and a tree that Wade made for them. 
Guest bedroom in the making. 
Master Bath 



Master Bedroom. Wade did the painting and if you love my furniture, ask me about Transit Damage Freight ;)











Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Courage, Compliments, and Karma

This happened a few weeks ago and I've been meaning to blog about it, (as well as a few other things) but life happens. Oh well. Here goes:

Theres this lady that I've been seeing at the gym in Greensboro on occasion. She's a bigger lady, but over the last few months, you can see a dramatic change in her weight and her appearance. I wished so badly that I could just go up to her and congratulate her on a job well done and tell her to keep up the good work. As much as my heart wanted to, my brain kept telling me reasons not or finding excuses. Finally one day after months of wanting to, I worked up enough courage to finally say it and had my perfect opportunity. She walked past me with nobody with her and I just stopped her and told her she was looking good and so forth, that I just wanted to compliment and encourage her. She was very appreciative of the kind words and told me thank you. I felt much better myself and though I was about in tears (don't ask me why) I had a big smile on my face as well as her.
Here's where the karma part comes in. At this particular gym, there's quite a few very fit women there (not so much the case in Asheboro, which is why we like this gym so much and choose to drive 30 minutes to go there... steel sharpens steel and we're motivated more by seeing people better than us.) Many of them compete in bodybuiling shows and one is actually an IFBB Pro in figure (that means she's won a lot of shows). So I was in the locker room after doing a very intense leg work out with Wade when the above mentioned Pro walked into the locker room. She passed me and we did the polite smile and nod when she stopped and turned to talk to me. She just wanted to let me know that she had seen progress in me and that sometimes we don't see it ourselves. I'm sure I babbled some words back to here and thanked her, but I was so blown away that I don't remeber what I said. It made my night.
The moral of this story is to spread encouraging words. Since that night I've been working on trying to talk to strangers more. Just a simple good morning or hey, hows it going can make someones day.

Happy Wednesday! Go make someones day!

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Easy Chicken Salsa

With the holidays finally over, I can somewhat concentrating on eating healthier. And I've proven to y'all before that my cooking skills are a bare minimum. Which is why I love it when I can find crock pot recipes where you just throw all ingredients in and let it cook through out the day. I came across this one on bodybuilding.com. I love all the ingredients that go into it, so hopefully it turns out good (it's currently working its magic in the crock pot)
Ingredients 
5 lbs thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
16 oz jar of salsa (try to find one that has no sugar added to it or has sugar listed as one of the last ingredients)
28 oz jar of no-sodium diced tomatoes, not drained

Directions
1. Put all ingredients in a Crock-pot. 
2. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-7 hours. 
3. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Makes 6 servings
Calories: 147.5
Fat: 4g
Carbs: 7 g
Protein: 22g

*I only got a three lb bag of chicken and that's going to be plenty for me for the whole week. 



Friday, January 2, 2015

New Year, New You?

With the start of the New Year, many people make New Years Resolutions. Many including losing weight, being more organized, budgeting better, etc. However, most people don't make it 21 days with their resolutions.

I'm not claiming to be a fitness instructor, but I did come across this article online the other day and thought it was very helpful for people who are new to the gym and are wanting to lose weight.

10 Rookie Mistakes First-Time Gym Members Should Avoid
By: Katie Rosenbrock
1.) Don't Set Your Expectations Too High.
This is not something that is going to happen overnight. There's no magic pill or special diet that is going to make this happen. It's all up to you and how much work you put into it.  You won’t transform overnight, so be realistic about what you’re setting out to achieve. You may not see any significant changes over the first few weeks, but don’t let a lack of visible progress deflate your motivation. Similarly, don’t expect to overhaul all of your bad habits at once. Slowly integrate new practices (like exercising three days each week or incorporating a serving of vegetables in one meal each day) one at a time instead going to extremes, like vowing to exercise every single day and eat only salad.

2.) Don't Start Without a Plan

A steady and consistent workout plan and diet are much more effective. Find a workout facility that is convenient to your home or work, and plan your meals ahead of time. Stock your pantry and fridge with healthy options. If you know cookies and brownies are your weak spot, simply don't buy them, then they aren't a temptation.  Plan your weeks and workouts ahead of time. If you fit going to the gym into your schedule, then you're more likely to go. Plan ahead!
3.) Don't Do Cardio Only
Don't get me wrong, cardio is an important part in shedding off extra weight, but it's only half the battle,  don't forget about weight training. The metabolic lift from weight training is extremely important, and just three days of weight training a week can have your metabolism revving for the entire week. Weight training builds the muscle which in turn burns more calories through out the day.
Women sometimes get the wrong impression that if you lift weights, you're gonna get "big". I was one of them. The first time I worked out with Wade and Adam I remember saying, "but I don't wanna get big." Wade rolled his eyes and assured me I wasn't.  And you won't either (if you're a woman).

4.) Don't Start Too Hard or Too Heavy
 It's you vs. you in the gym.  Be honest about where your fitness level is and choose workouts that appropriately meet your needs. Start at a level that is challenging but allows you to keep proper form. Even the big guys had to start somewhere.  

5.) Don't Spend Too Much Time at The Gym
There are many workouts that are effective in just 30 to 45 minutes, especially if you're working out by yourself. You do not have to carve out hours every day for the gym. Have a plan of attack when you walk in and know what you're going to do. Try and leave your phone in the car if possible. This will prevent you from texting and getting distracted. Again, consistency is key and a well-planned 45 minutes is better than an hour and a half of wandering around.

6.) Don't Skip Stretching
Give back to your body, find 5 to 10 minutes to stretch and relax at the end of each workout. Your body will thank you. This is something that I can honestly say that I don't do enough of, and should.

7.) Don't Attempt Exercises You Don't Know How To Do
Learning to exercise is like learning to drive, it’s relatively easy, but very risky without any instruction. Most gyms should have personal trainers. Most offer a week of free training. The trainer can help evaluate your fitness level and teach you proper form for basic exercises. Don't be afraid to ask and make sure you're doing it right. 

8.) Don't Follow Along With a More Experienced Friend
Often, beginning exercisers are encouraged to start by a more experienced friend. While this is certainly a positive, following their workout may not be. You have to remember that your friend may have much more experience in the gym and can handle a larger workload. They can help you and show you the ropes, just don't push your limits trying to do everything they do.

9.) Don't Be Afraid To Ask Questions
 Joining the gym for the first time can be intimidating, but you should never let that stop you from asking a staff member or gym member for help. That's what they're there for, and most gym members are more than willing to help!  Doing an exercise wrong, particularly when working with free weights, can do more harm than good.

10.) Don't Do The Same Workouts Over And Over
There is no perfect exercise, your body benefits most from a mix of cardiovascular and strength-training, along with balance and flexibility work. Doing one thing repetitively can get stale quickly—the body stops improving and the mind gets bored. Try to mix in three different cardio machines in the course of a week, and switch between machines, bands, free weights and body weight exercises for strength training. Use the stability and BOSU balls for balance work, and don't forget your stretching.



Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Meet The Babies

Welcome Gidget and Gadget!
The newest addition to the Barbre/Lawson family.

Born: November 10th at the Holiday Market
Length: Not long, with the exception of their tail
Weight: Not much  
Likes: Food and apples.  
Playing together. 
Their wheel.
Their new cage. 
Opening plastic eggs. 
Anything small and plastic.
Their momma and daddy. :)

Dislikes: Light
Pippy (Wades cat)


Gidget and Gadget are Sugar Gliders. Wade's family and I went to the Holiday Market in Greensboro one Saturday. We were walking down the aisles and looking at the different exhibits when we came across "Pocket Pets". They're a company out of Florida that sells Sugar Gliders. I had never heard of these fascinating creatures. However, once I saw them and listened to the pitch the guy was selling, I was sold. I wanted one right then. 
Fortunately, Wade was aware of what they were and informed me that it'd be a lot of work and time and encouraged me to do my research before I jumped off the cliff and bought one. Also, a lady behind us informed me that she had some and if I was considering getting one, I needed to get two, otherwise one by itself would be extremely lonely and cry at nights and could possibly die from loneliness. So I walked around the Holiday Market doing some research on my phone and both of what they were saying was true. However, I was ready to tackle the situation. 
After a long labor and quite an expensive hospital bill later, we had the babies ready to take home in their carrying pouch. Let me take a minute to explain the pouch...
Sugar Gliders are marsupials. (They are NOT rodents.) Therefore they have pouches like kangaroos and like to be in small, confined places where they can curl up and feel secure. Pocket Pets sell their Sugar Gliders from 8-12 weeks of age so that they will "bond" with their owner. So once the Gliders were ours, they put them in a small, fleece-like, square carrying pouch that hangs around your neck and has a small mesh cut out so they become familiar with your scent. Wade and I walked around the rest of the market with the babies hanging around our necks and then later when we went to eat at Carrabba's and to see a bodybuilding show. 
Once we got them home and had listened to the audio CD about their care and cage set up, we were excited to get them acclimated to their new home. We set up their wheel and heat rock along with their water and food. 
Fast forward a few weeks and we now have a bigger cage (the one pictured above), a travel cage, lots of toys, and two happy babies who are our pride and joy.  






Sunday, December 14, 2014

Cali Christmas

Every few years I torture my cat at Christmas time. Here's a few photos from the past. 
And this year is no different. 
 Merry Christmas from Mrs. Claws and myself! 

Also, a few of you may have seen this picture on our Christmas card, (for those of you who didn't receive one, my apologies, this was my first year doing them and I didn't order enough) but for those of you who haven't... 
Merry Christmas from Wade and myself. 




Saturday, November 29, 2014

Thanksgiving Curses and Small Towns

If I'm going to get into some kind of car accident, you can usually bet it's going to be around Thanksgiving.
Examples: 1.) Ten years ago or so someone backed into me in the Wal Mart Parking lot a day before Thanksgiving. My first ever "accident" and I cried like a baby. 2.) Black Friday a few years back somehow my passenger side mirror got knocked off in a parking lot.
Those accidents lead to this years Thanksgiving mishap...
After getting off work, I was heading home to get ready for this years holiday festivities. While driving down Highway 64, a little old lady who just wanted a Wendy's burger, pulled out of the Bojangles parking lot right in front of me. I don't know if she didn't see me, or thought she could make the turn in time, or was just really craving that burger, but I slammed on my breaks and laid on the horn. Unfortunately it wasn't good enough and I still hit her car. Thankfully there weren't any cars right behind me like there usually would have been on that crazy road.
So I pulled off the road and called 911 like you're suppose to do after an accident, even though I knew it was just a fender bender and nobody was hurt. The police came and showed up but the lady and I had already resolved it and their help really wasn't needed. She was such a sweet lady and even gave me a hug at the end of the ordeal. By the way, Wendy's was closed and she had to settle for Bojangles.
Now on to the "Small Town" part of my title...
When I called 911, I'm telling the operator what had happened and where we were and so forth. I know I had to have been going 100 miles a minute cause the lady at one point said "ma'am calm down, what's around you?". I was just rambling like she knew exactly where I was and what had happened. After she got all of the information she asked for my name. I replied, "Megan Barbre" to which she said, "Oh, hey Megan! This is Alleson's mom" (My brothers girlfriend). So of course by the time I had gotten home, Alleson and Michael were there and had already heard of my news.


I'm thankful for many things, but this year especially, I'm thankful that God has kept me safe, especially in my car. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!