Monday, November 30, 2015

| Food | Clean Almond Joy Ice Cream






2 Frozen Bananas 
1 scoop of Quest Chocolate Protein 
1/4 cup of Almond Milk
about 2 tablespoons of Coconut milk
Handful of coconut flakes 
Handful Ice cubes 
1 serving of coconut flavor Greek Yogurt 
stivia 

( ya i know super professional) 
if you need more liquid go for it! 

Blend all ingredients in a blender, freeze for 10 min and ENJOY! 
Put rest in a class container and enjoy tomorrow! 





Monday, November 9, 2015

| Life Style | Fall Favorites


Quick list of everything I have been obsessed with this fall! 

 MR KATE! 
I always get great style inspiration from Mr Kate click the link to see how she styles sweaters 





Since I stay away from coffee I found PSL Mormon friend! 



My go to lip color for fall is Fast Track by MAC 
This isn't a surprise..... 



And since TONE IT UP takes all my money, here is their new herbal tea that tastes amazing! 
My favorite is the unwind... its a coconut dream :) 

Sunday, October 4, 2015

| School | New Blog

Some of you might of noticed I started another Blog. The Granbery Family Blog. Its a blog I started this semester for one of my classes. The point of this blog is to share what I find in my research of Family History.  Joseph John Granbery is my Great Great Great grandfather and his son Harry Pointer Granbery was Derelys Anthony's father. This family explains so much of why my family is the way that it is. And I love everything about it! Click the Link to check out this excited blog. Unlike this one, it is updated every week. Hope this gets you excited about YOUR family history. If you would like me to post more about how to get started on family history research. let me know and Id LOVE to start a new segments about it to help everyone out!


Friday, May 8, 2015

| LIFE | Marky Mark

Three months ago Cj and I made the craziest decision of our life.


To get a dog



I never grew up with any pets, really. The occasional gold fish (the next day would swim down the toilet) And one Easter my Aunt Colleen surprised us with a bunny. He got to large and attacked by a cat, it was time to "give him to the farmer next door". 

Needless to say, we weren't animal people

Until NOW!!

Before we got married I was all about having a dog in the family! I started researching breeds as deeply as I could to find the perfect one. CJ said I had to wait a year. As we past our 6 month mark I researched more and more and fell in love with some great dogs!

Then life changed when i discovered the Puppy Barn... OH NO
New puppies every week looking into the photos like TAKE ME HOME ALEXA!!
I knew I was in trouble

Then a few weeks later we see the cutest "Maltese" I have ever seen and I knew it was our puppy.
We ran to the store, it was about to close and we had to see him.

We walk in and there he was our little Marky ( named after Mark Wahlburg )
The moment I held him CJ looked at me and asked "are we getting a dog?"
It took me a while to say yes because i knew it would change our lives.
I kept convincing myself no but I was just to excited! I mean look at that face!! 


We walked out with what we thought was a Maltese....

He barley weighed a pound and was the fluffiest little thing ever! 

Right away we knew we had a smart dog. The first day home he learned to sit on command in a half hour. The next week he perfected his first "pirouette" ( Yes I taught my dog ballet terms. DUH) 

We where hooked and everyone loved him too!




Marky is now 5 months old! And we now obviously know he is not a Maltese! 

 Every time we go to the DR its "Whats Marky Today?!?"
The latest is a Maltese Dachshund, 

" At least he is cute!" - Everyone

But we dont care we are hooked! 


He has so much energy! ( Sometimes too much) 
Every morning when he wakes up he runs into our rooms and gives us kisses until we pretty much yell at him to stop. (That's when his tongue tries to go up your nose) 

He Loves to play fetch and thinks he is one of the big dogs. His best friend is a Boxer and they love playing out in the park together. 


Its so crazy how much effort needs to go into a little puppy. All the training and love that really makes you think...

I'M NOT READY FOR KIDS

Aka Best birth control yet!

I cant wait to see what Marky Mark will be like when he is older. Its been so fun to watch him grow up! 


Thanks for letting me talk about my child :)) 

Yes, mom, I know, He is a dog

PS True story Celeste LOVES him!!! 
Even though we had to sleep out in the car for my dads Iron Man.. We will talk about that next time 



Monday, February 23, 2015

Eating Disorder Awarness week.

I was inspired by One of my fitness role models Kristi from @sweat4sweets who shared her story and I thought I would share mine.


My insecurity started at an early age. I was the first one of all my friends to get boobs. Everyone commented on them. People would grab them and make comments about them and I would feel so embarrassed and ashamed of my body.

After moving from Utah to California I began strictly training in ballet. Then I was tiny! I had the smallest waist and I should have been happy with my petite figure. But even then I was the one with the boobs and short little legs. I would look at my class, filled with gorgeous ballerinas who where all taller then me and where built like sticks. Then I look at myself and see a short girl with big boobs. One day my teacher Tatiana told me she went through the same thing and said she would tape hers down. So I would try to do the same. I started seeing my self as not good enough because my body wasn't built the way all the ballerinas where built. I became scared to audition, scared to make friends and scared to perform. But Tatiana and Victor always saw something in me, after only one year of training I was invited to compete in my first ballet competition. ( only 5 out of the studio where invited) I was so excited to wear my first TuTu and perform my Raymonda variation.  Then I was told the "truth" I had to lose 5 pounds to look like everyone else to be able to be competitive. They would tell me because I was so short I had to weigh less. So I started skipping meals here and there. I would watch my friends at school eat all the cookies and sandwiches. And I would just wish I could have some. So I slowly started sneaking food whenever someone wasn't looking. I was weighed every morning. And it was a good day when I lost weight and a bad day when I gained it. My weight became my identity.

I would go to audition and just start judging myself to the other dancers. They where always taller then me always skinnier and always more flexible.  My mom could see the fear in my eyes and start saying, "they don't have your feet (something I've always been proud of) they don't have your performance skills and they don't have your personality." I would walk in to the audition and pretend I was Misty Copeland ( my idols since i can remember )  and pretend I had all the confidence in the world. And every audition I nailed it! I won many competitions and scholarships and got to dance most of my dream roles. But I was still depressed.

I literally thought if people knew I weighed less then 100 pounds they would like me better. I tried so hard to stay under that weight. But the binge eating got worse and the weight slowly came  on. But I was 15 shouldn't I have been gaining weight? Now I understand it was my body trying to grow and I wasn't taking care of it properly.  I was ashamed of everything. I felt like I didn't have any friends, dance was getting harder and more pressure to be the best and get my dream roles.

The third year of YAGP I was asked not to compete because I've gained weight. I was so embarrassed. My binge cycle continued. Don't eat for a week then binge and hide as mush food as I could.  I'd started lying to my parents about what I was eating and it started a mess of lies that hurt my family for many years.  I wouldn't go on dates because i thought boys wouldn't like me because I was "over weight" Ya I thought 110 pounds was overweight. Since I couldn't compete at YAGP my teacher took me to Germany to compete there. I loved it! I felt like I belonged in Europe, I won the top 3 awards in both contemporary and classical. I was only one of 6 Americans there.  After the awards one of the judges came up to me pinched the side of my stomach and said "If you would just lose more weight every company would want you" I came home thinking I could never dance because of the way I looked.

I would avoid birthday parties and youth activities to "stay away from food" I would go to the beach in sweats and wear baggy clothes to hide my body.  Now I look back and wish I could tell myself how AMAZING I looked.

But the depression and bad eating habits and thinking became wore the more I got older. Food became my best friend and kind of my only friend. I would eat to numb and then be so mad at myself for eating I would punish myself in other ways. I would call myself stupid and ugly and tell myself its because Im so messed up people dont like me.

Things at home became worse, in a weird way I wanted to "protect" my ED because it was the only way I knew how to cope. It was my safety. They lies became more then food I was hiding and It made my relationships their horrible.  I would blame all these thoughts on other people. I never had the guts to stand up and tell myself to stop. I thought my parents hated me because I was fat. But they where truly mad about the lying.

I thought if I just got away from San Clemente and away from my parents and teachers everything could be better.

I got into the University of Utah in the Ballet department and thought my life was going to be better. It just got worse. I was in a whole new state going to a whole new school and had so much time on my hands and I would just go to every food place, lock myself in a room and eat until I was so sick I had to get rid of it. I would feel so alone. I didnt see all the amazing people around me who where trying to help me.

I was embarrassed to see my family. I was embarrassed to go to school and I was embarrassed to go to church. How I got on the Deans list in College ill never know.

Then I thought if i moved to Provo then everything would be better, Id know more people, be closer to family. It HAD to fix my problems. I was trying so hard to run away from something that until I fessed up that I was the only one who can solve my problems, I would always be depressed.

Finaly I told myself I had to start being my own cheerleader. People have done what they could to help me and it was time for them to let go.

Every time a bad thought about myself or others came into my head I had to WRITE down the OPPOSITE. It became a constant battle.

I moved in with an amazing girl who really saved my life. She was and still is the hardest worker I know and inspired me to go out and do something myself.

My mom as always been an advocate of service and since I really wasn't mentally prepared for a mission I chose to go to Ukraine and serve there. FINALLY the fresh start I needed. It was a big challenge for me to leave behind the Old depressed Alexa and find the confident Ukrainian princess Alexa. I told myself to stop thinking about myself and start putting my love into the Slavic culture and I finally knew who I was.
 (This is my Ukrainian Princess look :)

I came back more ready to take on the world! I was binge eating less and less. I was doing healthy things to channel my depression. I started going back to church. The weight wasn't there in my mind. I learned to love myself.

I will always have those little voices inside me. I know now that thats is not God. Its Satan trying to make me depressed and hate myself. I know how to get them to go away. I confide in CJ and have a healthy relationship with food. Its not a bad thing. Its about being healthy and happy.

I try everyday to teach my dancers this. I never want them to feel the way I felt when I went into class. I want them to always know they are beautiful no matter what.

Thank you Kristi for sharing your story! I really look up to you, and I always have. I hope one day this will inspire someone out there too.










Sunday, February 1, 2015

| GOALS | February

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE

I love this month! I don't know why. 
Maybe Its all the Pink and Red
Maybe its another reason to spoil my loved ones.
But I really excited to start a brand new month.


My January goals went pretty well!

I did not take one sip of soda. I cooked dinner 3xs a week.
Cj and I where not late to church! WOOT WOOT that was amazing 
I read my "fun" book. Just Finished it last week.
We put $20 a week into savings. 
Cj and I are doing the Dirty Dash in June
Im reading my Book of Mormon, Thanks to my class that does daily quizzes.
Im feeling motivated and ready for the next month of challenges! 



FEBRUARY GOALS 

Physical 
Drink a gallon of water everyday

keep the no soda

Log in food everyday 

Run/walk 3 miles a day

Have veggies in every meal

Mental 

Read my "Fun" book 

Be caught up on my Homework. 

Research an Hour a day for each of my Family's 


SPIRITUAL 

keep  Up on my daily scripture reading. 

Keep being on time for church

Go to all Three hours of church

Go to the temple.

Pray with CJ 


FINANCIAL 

$20 a week into savings




LETS HAVE A GREAT MONTH




Sunday, January 11, 2015

| LIFE | BYU



If you would have told me 4 years ago Id me Married, lived in Provo and going to BYU. Id call you a crazy nut ball with raisins.

This semester I surprised myself and decided to finish my education, at a place I thought id never go to, BYU

I know probably some of you cant keep track of what school im going to now, so I thought Id help you catch up. 

The main reason I decided to go to BYU was because while I was in Ukraine I became really interested in genealogy, or Family History. I couldnt get it out of my head that this is what I wanted to study! 

LIKE WHAT THE HECK?!?! 

Where did this come from?

Well I think I have some hints.



 Growing up I dont remember a time where my dear Great Grandma Derelys Anthony wasnt doing her genealogy. 

I would walk into her house and see a picture of her at a BYU game with a blue wig all arms up ready to cheer on her cougars. This image never leaves my mind. Ive always wanted to impress my grandma.

 She is everything I wanted to be. Fun, crazy, in love with dance and the theater. 

We would watch Into The Woods and Singing In The Rain every time we would visit. She would show me how to soft shoe. I can still hear here today....
da da da da ta ta da ta 



She was my biggest fan I dont think she ever missed a performance of mine growing up. She would come to every show and tell my teachers Victor and Tatiana that we where better then the professional companies. 

She is my Idol.. 

She as for sure influenced  this crazy decision.

Im so excited to FINALLY start studying what I want to be studying. Its been a long process. 

5 Years and 4 colleges later, Im seeing the end of this long tunnel. 

But I wanted to thank everyone who kept pushing me and telling me to, in the words of my mother, "Get my act together"

I love you all and thanks for letting me rant on the internet!

xoxo 





Sunday, January 4, 2015

| Looking Back | January 5th 2014




Almost exactly ONE year ago CJ made all my dream come true in the best way possible. I wanted to Re Live the beginning of the rest of my life. 





















Saturday, January 3, 2015

JANUARY GOALS


2014 I reached SO many goals and I felt to accomplished, that I wanted to push myself more this year. To hold myself accountable I wanted to share them here on my blog.
These are my 30 day goals::

Spiritual

Read Scriptures and Pray with Cj 3xs a week 

Attend the temple ONCE a month

Don't be late to church (this is the hardest one) 

Read BOM every night (Instagram BOFM365)

Physical 

Follow Love Your Body Challenge EVERYDAY 

NO SODA 

Sign up for Races (1/2 Marathon, Tri)

Cook Dinner at Least 3xs a week

Log my food in MY FITNESS PAL Every day

Mental  

Read 1 book this month

Journal or Blog every night 

Learn a new recipe every week 

NO REALITY TV
 ( this was my goal two years ago and I did great then last year went down the drain) 


Financial 

Put $20 a week into savings 



Lets make this year another great one!