Weekend Archives – Jamieson Diaries

Valentine’s Day 2016

February 15, 2016 Leave a Comment

Happy Monday everyone! It is the day after Valentine’s Day, and I hope this past weekend was a great start to your week. If you’re one of the lucky folks, you have today off for, President’s Day. We had a very simple but perfect Valentine’s Day weekend. We decided to go to dinner on Saturday evening to avoid the crowd on the actual day, and not only was the food good, but a couple we met while in line waiting for our food paid for our meal. I’m still smiling due to their enormously sweet gesture towards two strangers. We bought them a bottle of wine to thank them for their generousity. They insisted it wasn’t necessary but we wanted to let them know how much we appreciated what they did for our little family. They shared and spread more love to others and that is what Valentine’s Day is all about.

On Sunday we decided to hang out and relax as a family. One of my husband’s favorite foods is cinnamon rolls so I decided to make him some, from scratch, using a recipe I found on Pinterest. They turned out super yummy and took SO long to make! But he was happy and that made me happy. He bought Jordyn a teddy bear and a pink soccer ball for her Valentine’s Day gifts and she LOVED them. When she saw her ball in his hands, her face lit up, and she yelled “BALL”! It was absolutely adorable. Jordyn made her Dad a beautiful canvas painting with her hand prints and message saying “I <3 DAD” for his gift. Dad loved it. 🙂

Later that evening we went to the community center on base to play some basketball, and run around the gym with Jordyn, before we came back home to make/eat a homemade heart shaped pizza, and watch a movie together.

I got my Valentine’s Day gift from the hubby earlier this morning when I went to a local spa/salon to have a two hour, Caribbean Spa Treatment, done. I can’t think of a word strong enough to explain how amazing this treatment was so I’ll just use GLORIOUS. It was a much needed and much appreciated Valentine’s Day gift from the hubby. He is the best.

Whether you spent the holiday with a significant other, friends, family, or even by yourself, I hope you felt and shared love in the process. Valentine’s Day is all about love and there is more than one way to love, show love, and spread love. I hope you are all recharged and enjoying your evening. Have a happy rest of your day and even though it still isn’t Valentine’s Day, tell someone you love them, today.

Brie <3

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All Posts, Music Favorites

Jazz Music Love

February 12, 2016 Leave a Comment

This Sunday is Valentine’s Day as I’m sure you all have noticed by now. My husband and I have dinner, family time, and gifts planned for this weekend. But if you ask me, what is a weekend of love without the greatest genre of love music? (Don’t debate me on this. Jazz music is every emotion but above all it’s LOVE). In addition to it being Valentine’s Day weekend it is still Black History Month. I decided I wanted to share a post with a few of my favorite jazz love ballads by some of my favorite Black jazz musicians. Prayerfully, one day soon, the majority of my fellow Black people will come back to appreciating real music again. Music sharing the beauty of love and beautifully explaining heartache. Music that uplifts our people and those around us. Music that expresses our grace and strength through the perfect match up of instruments and words.

Fellas, if you’re wanting to impress the lady in your life, play one (or all) of these beautiful songs for her, and watch her be impressed with your caring, impeccable, and sophisticated taste in music. 😉

I hope you all have a weekend filled with love. Always remember sharing and spreading love on Valentine’s Day is not limited to those who have a significant other. Whoever you chose to spend the weekend with I hope you all have a fun, love filled, and safe weekend.

All Posts, Dear Diary, Health & Fitness, Workouts

Weekly Workout Schedule

January 25, 2016 Leave a Comment

Happy Motivation Monday, everybody!

I’ve been working out consistently enough the last few months and because of this I have finally perfected my daily workout schedule. I have attempted multiple workout schedules and none of them ever really seem to fit me exactly. Instead, I decided to take the workouts from the multiple workout plans that were beneficial to me, as well as, add in a few challenging and effective exercises I have used in past experiences. After doing this schedule for a while I’m positive I will stick to this workout plan because, I love it! As I get more lean and strong I will adjust the reps and weight. However, I am not trying to get “bulky” from the lifting so instead of lifting extremely heavy for shorter reps, I will increase the reps in addition to the weight, but at a slower pace. Here is a day by day breakdown of the exercises I have been using:

Monday:

30+ minutes cardio

Jumping Jacks – 10

Push-ups – 10

Mountain Climbers – 10

Burpees – 10

*Repeat 3x with 2 minute break in between*

-cool down stretch-

Tuesday:

15 minutes cardio warm-up

Squats – 3×10

Dumbbell Lunge-Curl – 3×10

Jump Squats – 3×10

Deadlift – 3×10

Kettlebell Sumo Squat – 3×10

Russian Twists – 3×15

Lying Leg Raise – 3×15

10 minutes elliptical cool down

-cool down stretch-

Wednesday:

30+ minutes cardio

Tricep Dips – 3×10

Lateral Pull Downs – 3×10

Dumbbell Curls – 3×10

Dumbbell Flys – 3×10

Tricep Push Backs – 3×10

-cool down stretch-

Thursday (machines day):

15 minutes cardio warm up

Leg Press – 3×10

Leg Curls – 3×10

Leg Extensions – 3×10

Calf Extension – 3×10

Hip Abductor – 3×10

Hip Adductor – 3×10

Rotary Torso – 3×15

Weighted Abdominal Crunch – 3×15

-cool down stretch-

Friday:

1 hour cardio

-cool down stretch-

Saturday (optional):

20+ minutes HIIT (can use Monday’s workout by adding 2-3 more rounds)

7 minute abs (look up 7 different crunch positions if you don’t know seven)

Sunday:

OFF DAY

-be sure to do plenty of stretching-

Most of these workouts require lifting weights, and I advise starting off light, and increasing to your desired weight. Your body will let you know what is too much and what is too light. Also, feel free to alter these workouts to your liking. You may want to concentrate on a different part of your body and decide to switch things around or completely swap them out all together. Either way, make it fun, so that you want to return to the gym each day!

Have a great evening! 🙂

Brie <3

[01.25.16]

All Posts, Music Favorites

25

November 20, 2015 Leave a Comment

The title of this post should be self explanatory if you’ve been on the internet within the last 12 hours. However, if you are lost on the meaning of the number “25” on today’s date, it is the name of Adele latest album which was released, today, and it has been four years since she last released an album. I love Adele. She has a voice that can’t be faked and talent that can’t be imitated. She sings some of the most beautiful lyrics you will ever hear, whether the lyrics be beautiful in love or loss. If you haven’t listened to the album yet, I highly recommend you give it a listen A.S.A.P. I have personally listened to “Million Years Ago” about 50 times since earlier this morning. I feel her words to “Million Years Ago” in my soul, and it takes me away to another place in my mind. My other favorite songs/recommendations are “Remedy” and “All I Ask.”

In honor of today being “Adele Day” I wanted to share my favorite Adele song with all of you. This was one of my favorite songs to listen to in college and it’s a combination of beautiful vocals and nostalgia all wrapped up in one.

It also helps today is Friday, and in addition to the weekend we have great music to listen to. If you are like us, you are getting snow this weekend, which only makes it feel even more like the holiday season. Thanks for giving us beautiful music this season, Adele!

Happy Friday everyone!

Brie <3

[11.20.15]