Month: March 2015

caramel sauce and life advice

~ taytertalks ~ 3 Comments

Yesterday, I made a visit to Albertson’s to find some MUCH NEEDED Walden Farms sauces.  I found myself sitting in the car after packing up my groceries to head home.  The kindest man had packed up my groceries inside.  He was special needs, and had the biggest smile.  “Have a nice day”, he beamed.  Such a simple phrase, but I knew he genuinely meant it.  As I sat there, I noticed he had come outside and was gathering carts in the parking lot.  He was so happy.  So eager.  So kind.  He said hello to everyone who passed by. It’s so easy to forget to be happy, or to be kind.  Watching him made my day so much brighter.

When I got home, I scrolled through my Instagram account.  I mean, let’s be serious…we all do this daily.  Photos can certainly tell a story.  I have lived a lot of life.  So many captured moments.  Great friends.  Amazing family.  Love & Heartbreak.  Birthdays.  Achievements.  Failure.

I have made memories, made mistakes and here I am.

This moment.

This is the only place I can be.

PRESENT.

THANKFUL.

Let’s not be jaded by the damage we have done.  Let’s not hold on to the hurt others have caused us or the pain we have caused others.  Let’s move forward.  Pick ourselves up and be better.

And also, go get yourself some Walden Farms.  Their caramel syrup is DELICIOUS!

You will be a better person for it.

(I’m not sponsored for this but SERIOUSLY, I became a better person after consuming their caramel.)

i have a problem

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

I have an addiction.  I mean, a serious SERIOUS problem.

I’m obsessed with The Mindy Project.

Have you seen it?  I mean, it’s hilarious.  I’ve only been watching this show for a week and I’m already into Season 3.  It tackles love, relationship, getting older, falling in love with yourself and it does all of this wrapped up in a big slice of laughs.  Mind you, it takes a lot to get me to laugh at a T.V. show…and this one takes the cake.  My stomach aches constantly from laughter.

If you haven’t been introduced to Mindy yet…you’re welcome.

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Dear Mindy,

Thank you for constantly bringing joy to my life.  I appreciate your loyalty to your friends, your passion for people and your endless supply of sarcasm and wit.  You are hilarious and kind and basically one of my favorite people.  Your honesty gets me through my evenings and make me feel like I’m not quite alone.  My life has become better with you in it.

Friends Forever,

Taylor

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molten chocolate cake and OTHER life events

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

As I was driving home from the gym tonight, I couldn’t get this image out of my mind.  It’s from last year, at an event my work did at Suzie’s Farm in San Diego.  I felt amazing that day.  I wish everyone could feel amazing on most days.  But the good comes with the bad.  That’s just the way things go.

I had a chance to go home to Seattle last weekend.  It was way too short of a trip, and as usual, I didn’t get to see everyone I wanted to see.  I don’t even think I told a lot of people I was coming home.  But…I did get to see my Mom, and it being her birthday weekend and all, she was pretty much the ONLY person I really cared about spending time with.  We had a bit of a scare though, and she ended up in the hospital.

It really puts life into perspective when you think you might lose someone you love so much.  Thankfully, she’s okay and is recovering just fine.  She’s a fighter like that.  And of course her only concern, the entire time and even now, was how her health was affecting me.  She’s so cute.  Always taking care of others and putting their needs above her own. I love her.

She’s definitely a big supporter in my fitness journey.  We have certainly had our struggles, but she is my mother and I don’t ever want to take that for granted.  I’m lucky and I am appreciating her more and more every day.  I would call her my #numberonefan, but my Bestie has already claimed that title.  Let’s call her my #numbermomfan…I think that covers it. Funny story actually…I learned that my mom trained for a show back when I was younger, but 1.  I don’t really remember it and 2.  I probably don’t remember it because she never ended up competing because she broke her tailbone.  How does that even happen??  I’ll have to ask her.   I don’t know why I haven’t already.

I’ve been a bit of a stress case the last week because of my trip.  I missed some workouts, wasn’t following my macros like I should have, and I was traveling which always leads to…water bloat.  Honestly I know it doesn’t really matter because I had the best time, and my mother’s health is way more important and she and I shared the most AMAZING Molten Chocolate Cake from Ponti Seafood and Grill while in Fremont.

I mean… It.  Was.  Life.  Changing.

@pontigrill

Anway…I’m back to Denver and back on track.  And my mom is happy and healthy.

Today was a solo posing class.  A needed a makeup day since I missed the group class on Sunday due to travel.  I have to say, I am part of an amazing training crew.  My trainer, Kasey, is a sarcastic hard ass and will call me out in a heartbeat.  I love her.  My posing and nutrition coach, Alysha, is a wealth of knowledge and I think she would give me her left arm if it would help me reach my goals.

Team Fit Chick is basically, 100%, real life, incredible.

When you find people who believe in you, celebrate who you are, support you and push you forward…NEVER LET THEM GO!  It’s such a blessing to be surrounded with such motivating people.  Plus, they make me see that I’m not crazy for always believing that I was meant for something greater.  For believing that my hopes and dreams aren’t unrealistic or insane.

But you gotta work hard!!  You have to show up!  That’s half the battle!

Love others, love yourself, be kind.

Let’s do this.

XXX

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

Do you watch the Bachelor?  I am patiently waiting for the finale, and I’m embarrassed to admit that I am excited to see what happens.  Let me state that I did not get into this show from the beginning.  I hosted one of my best friends a few weeks ago, and she got me hooked.  These women are crazy and I love it.  I mean, we all kind of are in our own special way, so it’s nice and reassuring to see that not everyone out there is perfect.  I know I’m far from it.  In fits of hormonal rage, especially when I’m hungry and training for a show, I’ve been known to throw cinnamon rolls on the floor.  I’ve screamed at my boyfriends for no reason, and I’m well aware that there is a certain time of the month that everyone gets on my nerves, and EVERY commercial deserves tears.  I’ve been unfaithful in relationships.  I’ve lied to my parents.  I’ve hidden many mistakes from my past.  I also drop food on the floor and still eat it.

I’m not perfect.  I’m FAR from perfect.

I used to think that I wanted to be one of those girls who remains friends with her exes.  I thought it was realistic to want that.  I mean, we care about each other, why couldn’t we be friends!?  Simple.  Because it’s impossible.  It always hurts someone.  Feelings always get in the way, and as much as you try to deny it…you secretly want that other person to want you forever.  I know, I know…there are always exceptions.  But I’ve never experienced one.  I also know I’m not an expert on breakups, I’ve just been through some big ones.  They suck, they hurt and they are never EVER fun.

I’ve been on a journey of “finding myself” for the last, well…forever.  Just after High School, I was hospitalized after a breakup led me to take every pill in my mom’s medicine cabinet.  Not my proudest moment, but it was a moment.  I will never forget that.  Heartbreak is the worst pain you will EVER experience.  Luckily, I had the support of my parents and some great friends who helped me move past it.  I also sought out a therapist, and although I only saw her for a short time, it was helpful.  If you ever need someone to talk to, please talk to someone.  You’re too important.

My first boyfriend in college was totally different than anyone I had met before.  It was kind of exciting, and it was new.  We partied A LOT (I mean, I could drink now since I was 21), and life was a, well…party.  Our breakup was a little crazy and he went a little crazy.  Threatened me and my roommate, stalked me at work, called me all kinds of terrible things…yeah. So….that happened.

Finally, I met an amazing guy in college who I seriously thought I was going to marry.  Great group of friends, great head on his shoulders.  We had so much fun together.  He adored me.  I adored him.  But life just sort of happened with us.  Over three years, we broke up and got back together a few times, but we always seemed to find our way back to each other.  Even after I moved to San Diego, we found ourselves in each other’s arms again.  I loved him.  Probably my first real love.  We were there for each other after significant deaths in our families and would skype frequently, but one day it all stopped.  Still not sure why.  I was devastated.  But eventually I moved on and he got married to someone else.  Insert more heartbreak, and more finding myself moments.

In San Diego I managed to have a few significant relationships.  I fell for a guy who broke up with me three times in six months, and then I dated one of his friends quite seriously.  That relationship really helped me see that I had some ISSUES when it came to love.  I did not love myself, I did not love others and I certainly didn’t know how to let others love ME!  It wasn’t until I found out that  I was going to be proposed to when I threw that relationship away.  I wasn’t ready.  It was crazy because it was exactly like I was on an episode of the Bachelor.  It was what I had always dreamed of.  We had our problems towards the end, and he wasn’t perfect, but there was a time when I thought, “this amazing guy wants ME!  To spend a life with ME!”  But I pushed him away and thankfully he encouraged me to start seeing a therapist.  I was convinced that I wouldn’t date anyone for at least a year after that.  But of course, in true Taylor fashion, I quickly began to date again.  I had no idea that this next relationship would shape me into the woman I always dreamed I could be.

But for a price, and it cost us both much more than a rose.

On again, off again.  Nearly three years of amazing moments.  Nearly three years of terrible moments.  The best and worst versions of myself.  We broke up a few times.  I begged for him to take me back.  I hooked up with other guys when we were apart and lied about it when we got back together.  I was selfish, I only cared about myself and I lost the respect of his friends and family.  I was the worst girlfriend.  I know I wasn’t happy and I should have let him go, but I couldn’t.  I think that when you hold on to something that doesn’t exist anymore, you suffocate any chance there may have been.  I wanted to love him the way he loved me.  I wanted to actually let him love me.  But to me, as great of a guy as he was, there was always something missing.

 And I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to tell him what it was.

As I continue to write, I realize that for me, heartbreak is the deal breaker.  I’ve been on both sides, and neither one is awesome.  Friendship is impossible at that point.  But all we can do is learn from our mistakes, decide not to make them anymore, and do better.  I’m certainly trying this time around.

This real life stuff is hard.

warts and all

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

Last night, some friends invited me to join them at the Infinite Monkey Theorem and I was stoked!  I work for a company that serves their sparkling wine on tap, and now that I am a resident of Denver, it’s been on my bucket list of places to visit.  This place is ridiculously cool.  As you make your way through the venue, you’ll find yourself surrounded by smiling faces drinking all sorts of “adult grape juice”.  I only tried their Sauvingnon Blanc, which I did enjoy, and a decorative bonus is that the bottle design is rad.

(This is not the bottle design I mentioned, I just think their branding is delicious.)

So, this particular Friday, they had a jazz band and swing dancers offering up lessons.  Apparently, they also offer yoga classes for $20 (glass of wine included…score!!), and all sorts of other delightful events.  My friends and I march to the beat of our own drums, and although we enjoyed either watching or participating in the dancing, we eventually made our way back to the front room.  I just so happened to walk in on a game of Truth or Dare.  Oops.

These peeps of mine can be crazy.  Actually, we ARE crazy, but in the best kind of way.  I love them. So, when it came to be my turn, I chose truth.  “SO BORING”, you might be saying…but c’mon.  Let me have a warm up round!  At this point we were daring each other to do the grocery cart dance move through then entire venue solo, or to sit alone and yell, “PENIS!!”, as loud as possible across the room.  I wanted a warm up.  My question caught me by surprise.  “Do you like living in Denver?”, she asked.  Gosh.  I really didn’t know what to say.   I hadn’t really thought about it.  I mean, I’ve only been in Denver for three months.  “Not yet.”, I replied.

Don’t get me wrong.  Denver is amazing, and I’m sure the rest of Colorado is too, and I know that I will love it in good time.  I’ve never seen a state show so much pride.  The only exception might be Washington, where I’m originally from.  The Seahawks winning the Superbowl in 2014 was life changing for us.

#gohawks

But, I digress.  Back to Denver.

Let me explain.  I have already uprooted myself once before.  Back in 2008, I moved to San Diego, CA.  Prior to that move, I had never lived more than two hours away from home.  It was a big deal, moving to California, and incredibly hard to feel settled.  I’ll never forget my college sweetheart telling me to “do something”.  Well, I certainly did!  The transition from Washington to California was brutal.  It took me three years to feel like I had built a home there, and three years after that, to feel like I was actually home.  I wasn’t always the best version of myself there, I always knew I would leave at some point, and I made a lot of mistakes…but just when I had begun to fall in love with not only myself, but my life in So-Cal…BOOM!  Life happened.

I had/have been work for an amazing Colorado based company, and my job offered to bring me here…to Denver, Colorado.  P-R-O-M-O-T-I-O-N!!  Woo!!  THIS move has been much easier, and I’m lucky to now be working with many of the people I have built relationships with over my last three years with this company.  But, relocation still isn’t easy (no matter how many people you already know). and everyday I have to remember that it takes effort to maintain these friendships.  I didn’t think I would miss San Diego as much as I do and I also didn’t think I would be this lonely, especially when I’m surrounded with an amazing group of people that I have already known for years.

But this is exactly where I am supposed to be right now.  And all of the moments in my life have lead me here.  I’m forever grateful for all the people here who, I’m sure, will make me FALL IN LOVE with Denver and Colorado in no time.  And I will certainly never forget all the people and memories that have brought me to this point.

Anyway, this post got a little too “Lifetime Movie Network” for me, because sob story this is not.  But life is about the journey and right now, I might be lonely sometimes, but I’m kicking some serious bootie!! I’m super thankful for my friends, near and far, new and old, and my amazing family.  Even an old flame has recently helped me see that all I have to do is open myself up to all the amazing things this life of mine has to offer.  I finally see what it means to be the person I want to be, and now I just need to let myself be loved and seen for the person I am.

Warts and all.

into that fitness thing

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

Today was one of those “I kicked some ass” days.  Those days are AWESOME!!

  I’m currently training for my second fitness competition.   On June 20th, 2015, in Denver, Colorado, I will be stepping on stage for TWO divisions.   Diva Fitness Model and Diva Bikini model.  Holy balls.  I couldn’t be more pumped.

My first showwas August, 2013.  I attended the WBFF World’s in Las Vegas.  I competed in the Diva Bikini model division.  It was one of the coolest and most terrifying things I have ever accomplished.  Walking out onto that stage though, I was a winner.  I mean, I didn’t actually win.  I didn’t even place.  This was the Superbowl of fitness competitions.  There were over 200 girls competing in my category alone.  But I didn’t do the competition to win.  My trainer for that show, Nicholas Marion, would probably cringe if he heard me say that.  But it’s true!!  I won the second I decided to change my lifestyle.  I won first place the second I stepped on that stage!

From before photo, to day of show photo (pre-spray tan and hair), was 16 weeks.

I did some WORK!

@nmfitness

@nmfitness

That year was a rough one.  I had moved, gone through a breakup and wasn’t healthy or taking care of myself.  One could say I wasn’t making the best choices.  But, I listened to Nicholas and I kept my head up.  I kept the weight heavy and I made it.  I changed my life and my body.  I felt sexy and strong and I tapped into a part of myself that I didn’t even know existed.  Even the support I had in the gym from members was amazing.  Nicholas’s gym, formerly Urban Athletica, brought great women into my life.  Those girls know who they are.  I wouldn’t have made it without them.  We don’t stay connected like we used to (life happens like that sometimes), but I still look back on the support and love they gave me and shake my head with how lucky I was.  Good friends are hard to find.

That time changed my life.  I did all the hard work.  I DID THAT!

Nobody can ever take that away from me.

My lifestyle isn’t for everyone, and please don’t think that because I’m a training as a fitness competitor that I am super wrapped up in how I look.  Or that I’m telling you how to live your life.  Or that I think my story is more important than anyone else’s.  To my mother’s displeasure, I can fart, burp and talk about poop with the best of  ’em. and I’ll always choose comfy pants.  Tacos and ice cream will always be my favorite food groups and I know that there is a terrible amount of pain and struggle in the world.  I simply want to share this part of my life because it makes me feel good.  It helps me with my own pain and struggles.

We all fight out own battles and struggle with our own demons.

 This is my way of  making me feel like I’m accomplishing something.  This is my way of making a difference.  I just happen to start with myself.  If I’m the best version of me, I can do anything.

Like I mentioned in a previous post…I’m not a girl with an outstanding story.  I’m just constantly learning how to fall in love with myself and this is part of my process, this is part of my journey.  I’m setting goals, and  plan to squash them.  I’m strong.  I’ve finally surrounded myself with people who support me and believe in me.  And I’m also constantly learning to LET THEM!!  Life is a process.

 I am a powerhouse.  I can do anything.

Watch me.

You can also follow my journey on instagram @misstaymarie

Oh, yes, well…HELLO THERE!

~ taytertalks ~ Leave a comment

My story isn’t anything special.  I don’t have a news worthy life.  I’m not famous, nor do I have thousands of followers on multiple social media platforms.  I’m simply a woman who took a little longer to fall in love with herself than she would have liked.  Eh, life happens like that sometimes.

That’s me (on the right) and my best friend.  She’s silly.  You’ll hear about her A LOT.

So. this is my journey, and I’m probably like millions of people.  Just someone who has something to say and hoping that someone is listening that needs to hear it.

This will be a collection of many stories.  Some good, some bad.  Some I may wish I never told.  Feel free to join me if you wish.  I can’t guarantee that I will always be entertaining, but I can promise to always be honest.  I’m not perfect, and I hope you aren’t either.

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