1st Friday of Fall Y’all: TGIF

Thank GOD It’s Fall!

Facing east for the moon rise from my backyard garden … Just another West Texas Friday night!

As much as ☼summer☼ is my favorite season (after all, that’s when my birthday takes place), I’m making the most out of autumn ~ especially going outside for crisp, fresh air!

I’m also all about Starbucks seasonal flavors* ~ from ☼summer’s fruitiness to these comfy delights:

• Pumpkin Spice Latte 

My latest Starbucks Gold Card reward redeemed: Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino!

• Salted Caramel Mocha 

My venti cold cup always comes in handy … for a discount & a drink to last me all ☼day!

• *NEW* Toasted Graham 

Apparently, I was my local barista’s 1st customer to order a Toasted Graham Frappuccino! #StarbucksLovers ♥ #trendsetter

Furthermore, football has kicked off into full swing!

I refreshed my ♥heart♥ & ☼soul☼ with ♥Adoration♥ †Chapel† holy hour at †Church† & with this ☼spirit☼ book + my bod with this Graham Goodness! (Even though I’ll cover up more, I’ll definitely still tone up with whatever energy I still can muster in the midst of working on my dissertation!

Here are a few of my favorite things for fall …

Trunk or Treat: ☼Sunshine☼ (my truck) tailgate was decked out with festive decor that featured ♥A&A♥ when we gave candy to my †Church† students last Howl-o-ween!

Nine Fine Fall Flaves

1. Favorite Candle: my Bath & Body Works‘ Salty Caramel that I used to light up my *Dallas Cowboys* jack-o-lantern and Advent †cross† (I’m also all about BBW‘s Pumpkin Pecan Waffles/White Barn‘s Thanksgiving Morning)
2. Favorite Lip Color: toss-up between my red Ardency Inn ♥Love♥ Cat lipstick from Sephora or purple Vera Wang *Rockstar* lip gloss from ULTA (c/o my Bestie Evie)
3. Favorite Drink: please view above {Exhibits B-E}
4. Favorite Blush: the ones from my KleanKolor Double Rainbow palette, plus I think that I’ll try Dulce Candy‘s tip on lip colors in a pill box for cheek colors!
5. Favorite Clothing Item: my birthday gifts ~ specifically the scarf/shawl ~ and my recent online finds plus my Target scores ~ particularly the jeans and booties!
6. Favorite Fall Movie: no new releases, so I’ll go with classic football flicks: Varsity Blues (came out my sr. yr.), Friday Night Lights (with a cameo of my h.s.), Remember the Titans, Any Given Sunday, The Longest Yard (including the original)
7. Favorite Fall Show: Grey’s ♥Anatomy!!! I’ve been counting down for the Season 12 premiere since the Season 11 finale ~ as a loyal fan for over a decade since the very beginning with the previous seasons on DVD
8. Favorite Thanksgiving Food: I’m not going to lie –> my Cranberry Pie #DISPObustAFlow
9. Favorite Halloween Costume: now how about I have y’all pick? My personal faves include when I rocked out my abs live, No. 5 … I won our contest in 2013 as Lone Ranger‘s Tonto and in 2014 as my Nurse Mom who was fine in 1969! Will I make a 3-peat??

Actually, please allow me to add a 10th item:

Sweet Annie

My #1 Favorite for Fall: my ✌two✌ ♥cute, cuddly companions♥ with whom to softly snuggle for cozy comfort plus who keep me company while hard at work and welcome me home after hard at play!

Sassy Asia

CHEERS to this time of year!

Workout Wednesday: GSA is for …

Gwen Stefani🎤 Abs & her Gun🔫 Show Arms💪🏽

This No Doubt singer rocked out her voice🎵 & her bod🏄 (i.e., classic crop tops in the mid-90s to expose midriffs) 2 decades ago with her breakthrough 📀single, I’m Just a Girl🚺* ~ which is featured on

• My fave freshman 🎬movie, Clueless (1 of the 1st scenes ~ during Cher’s 🚗driving)
• Period 🎧Playlist📻 (popularized from 🎥No Strings Attached)

Gwen Stefani the *HOTTIE*

Regardless of reports on her separation from Gavin Rosdale of Bush, this 🎼rockstar’s still got it ~ from raising 2 boys, still singing🎶 amazing solo or otherwise & looking dayum good + influencing fashion👛 (i.e., her iconic 👑bindi) including super shoes👢 like stilettos👠

How does she stay so 👙svelte? Where does she seek her sweet escape for a hot physique?

📺Take a look👓 for yourself: she does mad push-ups! 🚻*

Push-ups are the ultimate toning move because they work your upper bod & core stability for strength & balance!

Gwen Stefani can work her body

Check out Gwen‘s form …

… All the way down, nose to the ground!

I dare you to do these pushUPs to ♫Settle DOWN♪ ~ the 1st No Doubt single after she flew solo for awhile

🙅🏻Rough ‘N’ Tough👊🏽 Recommended Routine: 100 GSAs (Gwen Stefani Abs & Arms) = 100 Push-Ups {20 reps each of the following}

• Full Plank Chest Push-Ups
• Full Plank Tricep Push-Ups
• On-Your-Knees Chest Push-Ups
• On-Your Knees Tricep Push-Ups
• On-Your-Knees Super Push-Ups 💥

Gwen Stefani up & ready …

… Set …

… Go!

Gwen Stefani kicks some serious booty!

📖Definitions for the Definition

• Full Plank: on palms & toes
• Chest: wide grip 👊🏽
• Tricep: narrow grip 👐🏽
• On-Your-Knees + ankles crossed 🙅🏻
• Supers: clap as you push up 👏🏽

👋🏽Hollaback👊🏽, Girl! This $#!+ is bananas ~ B-A-N-A-N-A-S🍌 

♫Gwen Stefani‘s 4am♪ ~ I’ve been staying up ’til 4am🕓 working on my dissertation lately & want to cut my hair like hers after I graduate & donate!

11:11 ~ make a Bday/BTS wish!!! ✌

Workout Wednesday: Unorthodox Gear

I wear jeans to the gym!

This was from Working Out Gets Girls* one of Rick’s Man Tutorials, starring Philip Wang of Wong Fu Productions. Ok, so I wouldn’t go that far (unless they were a stretchy pair of jeggings that feel like yoga pants without showing camel toe). Actually, the only times when I’d wear jeans to the gym were when I worked at my local gym a decade ago.

Well, the weekend before last, I hit the track with my folks for the first time in a long while after Church.

Stroll Selfie: Mommy Aya & Me

Stroll Selfie: Papa Jun & Me

My mom told me that I wasn’t dressed up appropriately.

Sandals and skirt, really?

My footwear were toning flip flops …

Work those leg muscles {Fit Flops in black Rockstar bedazzled in Swarovski crystals & bronze; Reebok EasyTone (my most effective); Skechers Tone-Ups (the sister sandals to the Shape-Ups MBT-type sneakers)}

… and my bottoms were a running skort.

Exercise in comfort and style ~ putting this to good use @ Walk to End Alzheimers [2013] {running skirt/shorts combo from C9 by Champion}

I’d recommend these pieces when you’re on-the-go: walking while doing errands, but definitely not these open-toed shoes while you’re doing higher-impact or more strenuous exercise: running, tumbling, lifting weights, etc.

An outfit that I work out in actually offers resistance as I move!

Flexing after the Fiesta 5K [2012] {Hot pink top & black capris from the Reebok EasyTone line}

When I went to the park to walk with my parents again last week, my mom didn’t mention anything wrong with my choice of apparel anymore!

Stroll Selfie: Parentals in Shades & Yours Truly

Today, I look forward to going to the base gym (which, in my opinion, has the most top-of-the-line amenities compared to the rest of our citywide health clubs) with Evie! Enjoy your summer training sessions with a workout buddy to have fun, whether on the run or in the sun☼

* Fitness Funnies

Happy Exercise Trails! Be a Fitness Witness!