It’s only January and I’m already pumped for my birthday… which is at the end of April.
Why? Because I’m going crusin’ with a bunch of friends!
About a month before I started blogging in 2009, a big group of my friends and I went on a cruise for Ryan’s cousin’s birthday. (Daniel was also the best man in our wedding and is one of the most hysterical people I know.)
If you’ve ever been on a cruise before, you know that the cruise designates one night of the cruise as “formal night,” and guests get all gussied up in dressy attire.
Well, Daniel had the idea to have our group dress up in formal wear… ‘80s style.
Ryan and I had the best time scouring local thrift shops to find our outfits.
That little gem of a dress was only $12! It was a velvet and gold dream come true.
This year we’re hoping to do something fun for formal night again, but don’t have any amazing ideas so far.
The best idea thrown out there as of right now is “flannel formal” which I think could be pretty amazing if our entire group of 10 is decked out in head-to-toe flannel, but it’s also not quite dressy enough to really pass as formalwear.
I figured that you guys are super creative and might have some awesome ideas out there to share, so if anything pops into your head, please share! We’re all ears!
Workout
Back to the usual business…
Today’s workout was tough. It started with 20 minutes on the elliptical. I’ve come to realize that my 20-minute cardio warm up is rather crucial to a quality strength workout for me.
I find that I really wake up during a 20-minute cardio warm up and by the time my warm up is complete, I’m ready to pour more effort into my strength training.
And put forth lots of effort I did!
I completed the following leg workout:
Today I brought back the 100 squats challenge and it had my legs shakin’! I’ve been doing three minutes of non-stop squats (inspired by BodyPump!) at 50 pounds for a few weeks now, but upping my weight to 75 pounds and focusing on pounding out 100 squats with minimal resting breaks (taken when necessary) was tough.
I’ll be sore tomorrow!
The 100 squat challenge was inspired by our friend Ben Saperia who is an amazing personal trainer in Orlando. (He’s the same guy who taught the Blogger Boot Camp class I organized a year ago.) He had Ryan doing the 100 squat challenge a while ago and I would always hear Ryan talk about how hard it was and he was right. It’s no joke!
Breakfast
Breakfast today came in a cup!
A thick ‘n’ delicious smoothie!
Into the blender went:
- 3/4 cup 2 percent milk
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- 1 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 1/2 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Peanut butter cup smoothies are the best!
Questions of the Morning
- What is the best theme you’ve ever heard of for a party?
- Any ideas for themed formal attire for our upcoming cruise?
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Why don’t you do a prom theme…I mean I know formal nights on cruises but are the prom formal?? That could be fun.
OH MY GOSH. That is BEYOND fantastic. I’m emailing the group right now!
I’m totally seeing the guys in the tuxes from Dumb & Dumber.
HAHA! Yes!! And I am sure you guys could find some old prom queen dresses via Goodwill. 🙂
Oh, I soo agree-you could definitely find a ridiculously sparkly dress!! Pimp canes and hats would be a lovely accessory for the boys 😉
So glad this was said, that was going to be my suggestion. Even better if you wear YOUR old prom dresses (mine is still at my parents house!)
I was going to suggest the same thing! Oh man, it would be funny to dress up for prom again! You could even crown your own group king and queen with sashes for fun!
I love the prom idea. Make use of those old prom dresses or pick up some new-age prom dresses and go all out in glittery ball gowns and pick up a few tux jackets!
How about Grease themed??!!? That’d be soooo fun!
Ohhhh I like the prom idea AND Grease!!! Sounds fun already 😀 And Julie, you look purty in that dress! I’d wear it…just with less sparkly gold hehe. And what a killer workout, for reals!
so fun!!
You could do 60’s style desperate housewives. We did that for my friends bachelorette party in Charelaton, SC and it was a hit! We dressed in these big hats and pearls with “afternoon tea” dresses. Think the set of the movie The Help or Kentucky Derby. It’s was so much fun!
For my husband’s birthday one year we had an anything but clothes party. His B-day is right before Halloween though so that helps. People came in ace bandages, a laundry bag with cut out arm holes, bubble wrap…was a very fun and funny night.
how fun! so creative!
Canadian Tuxedo formal. Denim on denim. So hot right now.
as a canadian and a canadian tuxedo endorser, i second that comment
I’ve always understood the “Canadian tuxedo” (as it’s so derogatorily called) to be flannel. You know the big red stuff you see everywhere.
ooo, you guys should do an “Old Hollywood Glamour theme!”
Love the prom idea! 🙂
those hundred squats sound insane! i would be bed ridden for literally the 72 hours following. for some reason squats just KILL me.
ABC (Anything But Clothes) parites are my favorite themed party, because I love to make outfits from random stuff (poker chips and decks of cards were my favorite) and I like seeing what others come up with. For the cruise formal night I think the ’20s are very glamourous if you want to do another decade theme, if not I would say Masquerade or Italian Carnevale theme. You could easily use any formal attire you already have and just purchase or make masks.
I was just on a cruise last month (with my in-law family though haha), but that formal night idea is SO amazing. What an awesome idea. I would have loved to walk by your group lol. Having said that, I am a fail for ideas for this year’s – obviously something functional where they’ll still let you dine for dinner hahah
I love the prom idea, too! Other things that could be fun are dressing up as a bride/groom and a wedding party, but with dated/hilarious dresses and tuxes. Or, do formal wear from recognizable characters (like Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman, Dumb & Dumber tuxes, Kate Hudson in 10 Things I Hate About You, Ross and his awesome 80’s fro from Friends flashbacks…). It could be so much fun!
I love the idea of a big group on a cruise. It sounds like such a blast!
I’m all for the prom theme! That would be awesome and SO much fun!
What about a Saved by the Bell prom theme?! 😉
Cute pics! How funn 🙂
I love pb cup smoothies! Thanks to all of you foodies you have taught me how to make so many different ones! 🙂
PS: Your dress was fantastic! gold + velvet= perfection!
I miss warm days and smoothies for breakfast. Thinking about planning a cruise some time in May! 🙂
What about a Disney Prince and Princess theme! The guys could dress up as the princes and the girls as the princess. Formal but fun. I also love the prom theme as well!
I love formal night on a cruise – seriously one of my favorite things about cruising. My hubby just got a white dinner jacket for Christmas, so our next cruise we are going to be decked out in style! 😉
I like Geneva’s 20’s suggestion from above if you’re looking for another theme – such a dramatic era!
The prom theme is a good idea! It sounds like the cruise is going to be so much fun! 🙂
I once saw a bachelorette party do a full out denim theme. Think maybe a denim jumper and headband for girls (or a dress with a TON of denim accessories), nice pants and a jean jacket or blazer and denim tie for guys. It would be pretty funny if you could make that work somehow for formal night! But I love the prom theme too.
Best themed party I ever went to was a Pulp Fiction party. It was hilarious some of the characters in the movie that folks chose besides the obvious ones like John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman. Have fun!
Royal wedding themed? You could go all out with the crazy hats!
Or The Great Gatsby themed–who doesn’t want to put on a sequinned flapper dress?!
Killer workout-you are strong!!
theme ideas: I am a fan of the single grandma/grandpa look..leopard print mom jeans, orthopedic shoes etc. or Tarzan/Jane or Disney Prince/Princesses.
A Jormal (jean formal). It’s really easy and funny to see all jenim. And you get to put a j in front of everything. Jun, jo? 🙂
You could do a safari theme and everyone has to have some type of animal print in their outfit.
I want to go on a cruise so badly!! I’ve never been on one before but my roommate thinks they’re so much better than staying at resorts. I like the Royal Wedding theme mentioned above!
Oh, that sounds like so much fun! I vote for old south theme. Monocles and canes for the guys (think col. sanders) and hoop skirts, ruffles and hat for the ladies!
So classy and ridiculous!
How fun!! WHat about country theme? Or under the sea theme?
That workout sounds legit–how awesome!
Gangsters and Molls is a great theme for a group – the girls look fabulous in flapper dresses, beads and feathers while the guys look mean and sexy with sharp suits, trilby hats and cigars!
For my sorority some of my favorite themes were a 007 (james bond) theme where all the girls dressed up as the hot bond girls and the guys were all handsome :). Also, we did jungle themes which were fun!
You pull off the 80s thrift store dress super well! What a fun idea! You could do 1920s theme or Jersey Shore!
I LOVE cruises and cant wait to go on another! 🙂
I defintely love your 80’s dress! haha
Love the 80’s themed formal wear! Great dress!
I was all about theme parties for my teenage birthdays. I did a Survivor party way back in the day, as well as a Titanic pool party. Neither of these would really work on a cruise, but maybe a 1920’s theme? I’m obsessed with flapper costumes!
Enjoy your cruise! What an awesome way to spend a birthday. Loving the idea of the formal cruise attire being super fun!
I can’t lie… I think y’all should do 80’s again. You looked awesome! I mean lets be real here, nothing beats the 80’s.
Love the 80s dress! For our friend Thanksgiving, we made it Sweatsgiving…we all dressed up in sweatsuits to enjoy our potluck Thanksgiving dinner. It’s really the way the holiday was meant to be enjoyed, in my opinion.
OMG your 80’s velvet dress is classic! You should have teased your hair!!
Maybe this year you guys should consider a 50’s theme where the gals are dressed like flappers! That would be so cute!
I am SO jealous; wish I was going to be cruisin’.
The ‘formal night’ idea has got me literally LOLing.
Hard to beat 80s but barbie and ken parties are really fun too. Let’s be honest, Barbie has been just about everything in her life so sky’s the limit. A few rules though, you have to keep your elbows bent at 90 degrees the whole time and your four fingers together as one plus a thumb – anyone caught out of proper form has to have a drink (or some other penalty you can come up with!)
Hey Julie- I have noticed that u are posting twice a day now instead of three times. Is this your new schedule?
WELL, Julie. You could use the Jarty idea we used for my friend Meghan’s bachelorette party. 😉 it was a big hit… easy to find, super cheap, and lends to looads of creativity.
shoot, I forgot the best part: you get to make every word start with a “j” all night. ALL JIGHT JONG. it’s a denim jream come true.
loved that bachelorette party idea by the way…reminded me of Denim DAM in college…wear all denim, Drink All Morning. Pretty fantastic combo.
Oh and Disney DAM…dress up like Disney characters and drink all morning… pretty much anything to dress completely ridiculous and drink at inappropriate times.
Love your theme for that cruise!
I went to a bachelorette party on a cruise ship and one night was school girl night, one was 80’s workout, and the other was formal. So much fun. You should do Jersey Shore 🙂
You can always do a masquerade! Still get dressed up but all have different masks (can be handheld with the stick) haha. You would definitely stick out but still fun!!
Prom is an amazing idea
I love the theme the roaring 20’s or Mad Men theme! Not sure if you watch that show but it’s amazing and takes place in the 60’s such an awesome fashion era in my opinion!!!
hmmm the only thing I can think of that would be formal would maybe be famous couples? Like what they did in the movie Never Been Kissed?
What about toddlers & tiaras themed and everyone goes pageant! Pouffy hair and sashes. Frilly dresses. Even the boys could be little mister contestants.
You could do do reverse formal, where guys wear dresses and girls wear suits. Or ditto the 20’s theme. Flapper dresses and fingers waves are SO fun!!
The best party theme I’ve heard is a “People of Wal-Mart” party. If you don’t know what I’m referring to, google it. Hilarious.
Yea love the flapper era with the zoot suits. The girls look so cute in all the fringe.
My friends hosted a party where you had to wear super ugly clothing. Everyone came decked out in toe socks, snuggies, “I’m a Virgin but this is an old shirt” t shirts, denim on denim outfits. We got pretty funny looks when we all headed downtown to the bar haha.
Enjoy your cruise Julie!