New Year's Eve

     

                             (picture via Google)

I usually don't like to do New Years resolutions because let's be honest...I don't stick to them very long but I want 2014 to be different!

I've already had a great end to my year by working on some goals I want to take into 2014 with me but I have some goals I need to renew. 

- I would like to be better at playing with my kids. I mentioned in my last post that I want to be better with my actions and not just my words so I want to carry that over into the new year. I need to figure out the best times to be on my iPad or phone when my kids aren't around so when they are around I can focus on them more. I have things I love doing, my blog, Beachbody, Facebook...but I want to make sure I'm not focusing on those when I should be with my kids. It won't be easy, I won't lie but it's something I want to work hard on to change.

- There's the old get in shape and lose weight goal....I can proudly say I've been working hard on that in 2013 so I really want it to carry over into 2014. I have my P90X3, my Shakeology and the support of friends and family so I am good to go!!

- I want to be successful in my Beachbody business. I mainly want to meet and find women like me that want to change their lives and be healthier...I became a coach to help others and keep myself accountable. Success to me is changing their lives...it makes me feel great knowing I can help them!

-Devotions and Bible Studies are things I want to stick with. I always start out strong with the One Year Bible or a Bible study and then it slowly falls away...getting closer to God this year is something I want to do...leaning on Him and allowing Him to direct me this year.

Of course I have some personal goals in mind that I want to work on but these are a few I want to share. 2013 was a great year...I got to become a stay at home mom, my husband got a great job, my son was born, my daughter has grown into a little lady...it's been pretty amazing! 

I pray that 2014 brings you all happiness and you reach the goals you've set for yourselves! Have an amazing New Year's Eve! 

P90X3 Arrived!!

     

I ordered the new P90X3 recently and it arrived today! I will be starting it tomorrow and I can't wait!! 

If you've heard of or you've done P90X then you know how great this work out is going to be! The best thing about this version is that it's only 30 minutes a day! That's right...30 minutes and you've had an amazing work out! I am going to be doing my fit test and taking my before pictures tomorrow to get ready but I'm also joining a challenge group on the 6th that will be doing P90X3 for 60 days. I can't wait to see my results! Along with clean eating, drinking Shakeology for one meal a day and this work out I know I will achieve my goals! 

There is a great deal going on right now too. You buy P90X3 and a 30 day supply of Shakeology for $180!! That's a savings of $90! They've extended this deal too, it was supposed to end today but is now ending January 31st. You do not want to miss out on this opportunity. Go to my website (www.beachbodycoach.com/meremannier, click on shop, then challenge packs). There are several listed if you think P90X3 isn't for you or you can contact me and we can chat about goals and what WILL work for you! 

Let me help you reach your goals! We can do this!! 

Love with Actions

This past Thursday we lost some family friends to a terrible house fire. The mother went to rescue her two boys, 4 and 2, and didn't make it out. Her father passed away as well. Her husband and two daughters made it out alive and just recently her husband gave an interview to the news. One thing he said really stands out to me. He said his wife would tell him everyday that she loved him more than life and he also said to tell your kids every day how much you love them. I'm sure they are like most couples and parents, they have arguments, they get mad at their kids but they still told each other and their kids they loved them each day.

I've always heard the phrase, tell the ones you love that you love them because tomorrow is never promised. I find this phrase hard to follow. I love my kids, don't get me wrong, I'm blessed to have them in my life but there are days they try my patience and I find myself getting mad and punishing them. Then this phrase comes to mind and I feel like a bad mother. I've had to learn that I can't live in constant fear that something will happen to me or my family. That's why it's such a tragedy when someone your close to passes away. I want to tell my kids I love them and my husband too but I think actions need to be done as well. When I punish my daughter because she's done something wrong, it's helping her learn the right way to act. I would be doing her a disservice if I didn't bring her up in a way that shows her how to act, how to be polite and use manners...she needs to learn these things and that's what we as parents are to do. Now, I won't lie to you and say I'm a perfect parent because I am far from that. I have days where I feel so defeated. I still get sad when my daughter goes to my husband more or wants him more than me. She will be three, you would think I would be ok with the fact that she's a daddy's girl but there are some days I wish she would ask for me. Price of a stay at home mom I guess? 

I need to work on my actions more with my kids. I can get so caught up in my every day tasks that I forget all they want is for me to sit on the floor and play with them. I need to work on not getting too angry when my daughter does something wrong. I tend to lose my patience quickly and I don't want that. I feel sometimes my daughter gets bothered by the way I act with her brother. He is 7 months and needs more help than she does but she doesn't quite get that...I need to make sure I'm treating them equally. Having two kids is tough but each day I learn something new and I learn from the challenges I go through.

So yes, today, tell your kids you love them, tell your significant other you love them but don't forget to show them as well. Do something just for them that makes them feel special...because just like this family is finding out, you never know when that person will be gone. 

Blessings

                      

We have this jar in our bedroom and all it really does is collect dust. We never use it for much and I've decided this needs to change.

The first of the year I want to use this jar as a true blessings jar. I'm going to put any extra money or change in it and save it until next Christmas...then whatever money we have will be used to bless someone! I've wanted to teach my kids about blessing others so this will be a great thing for them as well as for me. I feel I've been blessed so much in my life and it's about time I help others...I can't wait!

I hope you are all feeling blessed and happy this week! 

Thanksgiving Week

I think I'm having a case of the Mondays...I woke up with a bad attitude, I'll admit it. It's only 9:30 so I'm hoping to turn this day around! I thought I would write a little about Thanksgiving, that will make me feel better for sure!

It's Thanksgiving day week!! I love Thanksgiving and this year my husband will be joining us since he doesn't work...he's worked the past few years so I'm happy he will be with us. It's no secret I love food so Thanksgiving is a great day for that...I usually make homemade mashed potatoes and this year I'm making some chocolate gooey butter cookies as well (google that and you should get Paula Deen's recipe for them, they are so good! Bet you can't eat just one :-) ) so needless to say my Wednesday is going to be busy getting things ready and then my Thursday morning even more busy but it will be fun...the house smelling like turkey and watching the parade on tv...I love all the memories that are made around this time of year. 

I know people have been putting daily on Facebook the things they are thankful for and I haven't done it but I thought I would put a few things I'm thankful for on here. 

I'm of course thankful for family. I have a great husband, two beautiful, healthy children, amazing parents, great siblings and wonderful extended families. I have been blessed!

Friends! I have the best friends in the world! They are always there for me and mean so much to me. I value each and every one of their friendships. Even the ones I'm not that close to anymore or ones that I may chat with occasionally, there is a special place in my heart for all of you!

I'm thankful I have a place to live, food to eat, a warm bed, clothes to wear, I'm thankful my husband has a great job and I'm able to be home with our kids...I'm thankful and I feel extremely blessed!

I'm also thankful God is my hope! He has never failed me and has brought these blessings into my life. I'm most thankful He loves me no matter what...I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for God's grace, mercy and love.

I hope everyone has the best Thanksgiving week..enjoy these times with family and continue to make memories! 

Refreshing!

My life is in such a refreshing time right now!

I've been praying for awhile that God would bring some women into my life that would build me up spiritually and as I mentioned in a past post I have a few really good friends and since we never really talked about spiritual things I wasn't sure where we all stood. I'm so thankful for that night out where we talked about Bible studies. We started our new Bible study, Gideon, yesterday and I already love it! I can't wait to see what God will do in our friendships and then in our individual lives. 

My sister in law had invited me to another Bible study and it just ended a week ago but I had an amazing time going to that as will. We were the youngest ones in there but it was nice to be around women who are older in their Christianity and to get their perspective on things. I really learned a lot during that study.

I'm reading the book His Needs, Her Needs and so far I am loving it. My husband and I are not perfect. We argue, we say mean things to each other, we are selfish...but we fight for our marriage and I love that about us. We married each other because we loved each other and when you argue you sometimes forget where everything started. As I'm reading this book it's making me understand my husband better and it's making me realize who I am as a wife as well. I've tried for years to "change" who my husband is but you know what...there is no changing. Instead I am working on loving him no matter what. I don't want to make it sound like he is the worst and in spite of that I'm loving him, no, he is truly a great man, he's a great dad and provider but I notice that I tend to pick at so many little things and bring him down. I want to be more of an encourager and make him feel secure as my husband and as a dad. This book is helping so much and it's the first book since I read Love and Respect that really makes me think. I'm happy with where we are and I want to cherish these moments and times.

I always get nervous when life is going great because they say that means something bad may happen...whoever said that is just plain rude! I'm not going to let that bring me down and stop me from enjoying this time in life. I'm happy. God is blessing my family, He's blessing my marriage, He has brought people into my life to help my spiritually and I am in awe of what He is doing. 

I tend to write down goals for the week...now that I'm doing Beachbody coaching they talk about goals a lot so not only do I write down my business goals but I put personal goals for the week as well. Prayer is a top goal of mine. I'm not the greatest at going to God in prayer but I am working on it...I know prayer brings great things and while I'm feeling blessed, I know God wants to do so much more. 

I feel refreshed...I feel God moving in my life and I am ready for more! I hope you will feel refreshed as well in life...join a Bible study or do your own, PRAY, write down the blessings in your life and thank God for them...whatever you need to do to feel refreshed and feel God's presence...do it, it's a great place to be. I could go on and on but for fear of rambling I will stop here. :-) 

High Five for Friday!

It's Friday!! 

1. I feel like this has been a pretty good week with the kids. I've had a lot of fun with them and they are both growing up so fast! My son is army crawling and we can't keep him still. Plus he is getting into his sister's toys and that doesn't make her very happy. Welcome to the world of sharing with your sibling!

2. Since becoming a coach I've gotten back into working out. It was just the boost I needed to motivate me. I also got some healthy food at the store. I know a lot of people "eat clean" and while I may strive for that I am going to go slow...it can be slightly expensive to be all healthy at one time so I'm building up my pantry slowly. I bought quinoa and I can't wait to use it! 

3. I went out to dinner with a wonderful friend last night for our birthdays and had a great time. I don't see her nearly enough, we are both busy but I love that it's one of those friendships that is easy...we may not see each other for awhile but when we do it's like we saw each other the day before. And we are planning some DIY craft nights together because she makes these beautiful wreaths and I want her to help me make some. I can't wait!

4. I ordered my Shakeology yesterday in vanilla. I can not wait for that! I'm going to make a banana split shake because, well, why not?? There are so many possibilities!

5. We've been slowly buying Christmas presents and my husband is off work tomorrow so I'm fairly certain we are doing more shopping and of course shopping is one of my favorite things to do! My husband doesn't care for shopping but when it comes to buying presents for others or should I say toys for the kids he is ready to go. 

Hope you have all had a wonderful week and hope the weekend goes just as great!

Boo Boo Bags

I don't know if your kids have done this but my daughter has a lot of "boo boos" and likes to put band aids on them so my mom found an idea that has helped save us band aids. Enter the "boo boo bags."

        

                      

I believe there are different names for these but boo boo bags is what we call them around our house. These are actually pretty great, I'm thinking of having her make me some larger ones for headaches. They go in the freezer, the rice inside gets cold, and you get them out whenever your child has a boo boo. We love these things!

Why I Chose Beachbody

I posted a blog a few weeks ago announcing that I had become a Beachbody coach and how excited I was. I thought I would go a little deeper and share with you some of reasoning behind my decision.

My weight loss journey, for lack of a better term, started after I gave birth to my daughter. I was 175 pounds before I became pregnant with her and while I wasn't happy with that number I wasn't trying much to change it. I gained 42 pounds during that pregnancy and pretty much lost it all two weeks after I gave birth. That may sound crazy but it's true. I was down to about 180 before I knew it. Needless to say I was pretty happy about that but I still needed to drop about 40 pounds to really feel healthy. I found during the year after I had my daughter that I am emotional eater. It was a rough year so my weight fluctuated between 175-185. I wanted to be thinner when I got pregnant again but before I knew it was pregnant with my son. I was 185 but only gained about 30 pounds with him and that came off right after as well. Clearly I'm blessed to lose baby weight but my body looks as though I've carried two kids. :-) I promised myself after my son that I would lose the weight and be in great shape if and when we decide to get pregnant with our third child.

I had posted a few times about using Turbo Fire and working out. I did great for about 10 weeks and even lost 16 pounds by eating healthy and working out. I was down to 169...only 29 pounds from my goal. Now, you would think this would motivate me to keep moving, I mean I was almost in a size 12, down from a 16...exciting stuff for someone wanting to get in shape but instead of working harder, I stopped. I was content, at the time, with the weight loss. So I started eating poorly again and worked out maybe every other day or so. I hurt my back at one point and that stopped me for a week and from that moment on I never did much. All while this is going on my coach Miranda was there for me. She is an amazing encourager and made me feel like I could do it. She talked with me about being a coach, how I could make some extra money for my family and have the accountability of other coaches, the people I would be mentoring and the people in the challenge groups. I thought I couldn't be a coach until I had reached my goal but she told me I could become a coach at any point in my journey. I talked with my husband and we decided to try it out. 

I'm just beginning my journey and as my blog title says this is another new chapter for me and I couldn't be more excited. I can't wait to reach my goals while being a coach. I am going to finish the full Turbo Fire program and move on to another one (T25 is next for me and then Insanity!) I'm going to eat healthy and replace a meal a day with Shakeology, I'm going to reach my goal weight, I'm going to live a healthy lifestyle! The opportunities with Beachbody are endless and now I feel like I have a strong community around me to help me meet my goals.

**Now don't forget to check out this November deal!**

 

Chocolate Chip Muesli Cookie Recipe

My birthday was on Friday and I am not a big cake fan...I know I'm crazy but I don't like all the icing. I went to the store and thought about making brownies because I wanted something with chocolate and then I came across this stuff:

                         

It has a chocolate chip cookie recipe on it and it's healthy! Win win! I thought I would share it with you because they were really tasty cookies.

Ingredients:

1 cup muesli

3/4 cup sifted whole wheat flour

2/3 cup applesauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

6 oz. package chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside. Blend applesauce, sugar and vanilla together. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture and mix. Stir in muesli and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

                                     

They do expand a little but for the most part they are a flat cookie, they may rise a little but don't think you've done them wrong if isn't much. I promise they are still so yummy because of all the stuff in the muesli and the chocolate chips. I have all the stuff now and I plan on making these a lot. 

Enjoy! 

Toddler Activity #2

I have another fun toddler activity to share! 

My daughter loves to play with play doh when we go to Bible study on Tuesdays and while it's fine there I'm not a fan of it at home. I just don't like how easily it crumbles and then it gets stuck on clothes or in the carpet...it's just a mess. We had a play date with a friend of mine one day and she got out one of the best things ever...model magic. Ok, now who knew about this stuff cause I sure didn't until she showed it to me. My life was changed in that moment...a little dramatic but still, I love this stuff! It stays together, doesn't crumble, doesn't make a mess...it's just great! My daughter asks to play with it every day so it's a good thing to have now that it's getting colder outside. I also like that most of the time I can get dinner ready and have her sit at the kitchen table and play so I'm getting something done and she's able to play with something she loves.

                         

I bought a pack of model magic that was on sale at Target and then bought plastic containers because the clay came in single pouches. It's worked out great! We haven't left it out so it hasn't had the chance to harden up but it will if left out so unless you make something really artistic and want to save it...don't forget containers. I believe there are some that come in containers but I haven't been able to find those yet. 

So go out and buy some of this stuff...it will change your mind about play doh for sure! 

The Excited Post

I had a great girls night out with a few friends and we had conversations about things I've really been praying about. I've been praying God would bring friends into my life that would help me grow in Him and last night showed me that I have these friends in my life already. Honestly, we don't usually talk about bible studies and things when we get together for girls nights so last night was refreshing. Not to say I don't enjoy girls nights otherwise but last night was what I needed! I can't wait to see what God does in each of our individual lives and our friendships together. I'm praying He blesses the endeavors I'm working on, I'm praying He gives me wisdom with my kids and patience, I'm praying he blesses my family, I'm praying for my marriage to be blessed and many other things! I want God to touch every aspect of my life. I have really positive days and then I have frustrating days, I think that's how life can be but it's all about how you react to those frustrating days that define you. I'm a work in progress as people like to say but for the first time in awhile I am excited and can not wait to see the changes God brings in me!

Now that I've said excited enough for a week...I'm off to do the housework! 

Oh and my friends gave me a great prebirthday bash! They are so sweet!! Here's a painting my one friend did for me...I love it! 

 

                       

Give & Receive Deal with Beachbody

There is a great deal going on right now with Beachbody and I had to share it!

                                        

For the month of NOVEMBER you can buy ANY challenge pack and receive a $20 off coupon that you can put towards your next Beachbody purchase! Let me tell you why this is amazing. The challenge pack includes a fitness program + a 30-day supply of Shakeology and it now includes $20 back to you! There is a program for every need and you'll have me as your personal cheerleader with you every step of the way to help you reach your goals! If you've been thinking about a program, the time is now to get it so you can join our December challenge group. You can leave me a comment here if you're interested or check out my website. www.beachbodycoach.com/meremannier

You won't regret getting one of these programs and shakeology has so many amazing benefits...don't miss out on this deal! 

             

Starting Over, Revising Goals

Do you ever need a fresh start? That's how I'm feeling today.

I've had to think of goals since becoming a Beach Body coach and it's got me thinking. I decided long ago that I wouldn't get down on myself this time around in my weight loss journey. I haven't done as well as I've wanted since I made up my mind to get in shape but I have come a long way. I am at least down to my pre pregnancy weight...before my daughter and that was three years ago. I'm proud of that but I want to do better. I've revised my goals and think this month will be great! We start a challenge in December and I plan to be ready! 

Not only did I come up with some new fitness goals but I also came up with personal goals. I've put a lot of pressure on myself to get everything done in a day. The cleaning, laundry, take care of the kids, have some me time, cook dinner...I want to do it all but I realize I just can't do that...some days will be better than others but there will be days that I won't get anything accomplished and I'm beginning to be ok with that. 

I feel good about my new goals and I feel like I can easily achieve them. I'm excited to see where this new Beach Body adventure takes me, I can't wait to start reaching my goals and turning my ideas and goals into habits. November is a new start for me...I turn 29 in 4 days so it's time to get my act together! 

Let the fresh start begin! 

New Opportunity!

I normally don't write on the weekends but I'm too excited. I am now a Beach Body coach!

I'm excited and nervous about this but I know it's going to open up a lot of new possibilities and opportunities. I'm excited for the accountability that will come with the responsibility of being a coach. Not only will I need to work hard for myself but I won't want to let others down. I've always been good about starting something but I've never been good at following it through till the end. I've mentioned a number of times how I love Turbo Fire and I'm planning on continuing with that and not making any excuses! I'm also going to change some of my eating habits. Slowly but surely I will reach my goals!

I promise this blog isn't turning into a weight loss blog. I've done that and I got very tired of it. I will mention my Beach Body adventures from time to time and invite others to join me but I am first and foremost a mom. I find though that if I've worked out and I've rested I can make any day great. By taking care of myself I can in turn take care of the ones I love. I am becoming a coach to help others through a journey that may be similar to mine, I want to get my "after" picture! I have a great "before" picture...ha! I'm going to have a group of people surrounding me with encouragement and I will be right there to give it back! 

If you want to join me, contact me! We have a new challenges starting up all the time! 

Weekend Recap

Hope everyone had a great weekend! We had a lazy weekend around here. We did go to church Sunday morning and then went to our churches harvest carnival. That was fun because my daughter got to go down the blow up slides, get candy and play games. It was a little chilly but it was fun. We came home and watched football...I'm playing my sister in law in fantasy football this weekend so that's been fun.

Oh and this happened

                                 

My daughter painted my nails...I had a friend on Facebook tell me I could clean up the sides and it wouldn't be too bad...I agree, almost looks like something you find on Pinterest! 

This also happened

                        

                       

My son fell asleep on me and I had to capture it...it's been a few months since he's done this and I've missed it. He is such a little cuddler when he wants to be. Plus these pajamas are so soft...I left him in them until bath time Saturday night...we didn't go anywhere, we were lazy like I said. :-) 

Mondays are always busy around here so time to go and tend to the children. I have a few fun recipes to post this week and another fun toddler activity. Can't wait! 

High Five For Friday

I've had a pretty good week. We are still trying to get used to this whole third shift thing but I think we are finally getting it down. Here's a few of the fun things I've done this week and things I've enjoyed.

                  

1. My friends like to have Pinterest parties once a month and this month we made pumpkins out of books. I have to admit I didn't cut the book out...my more crafty friend did it but I did put the bow on and add the color to make it look orange...I think it's super cute though and I love fall decorations!

2. The third book in the Divergent series finally came out and I bought it the first day. I was able to buy it and use my Nook app on my iPad. I'm so happy I have that! It was way cheaper to get it that way too. I stayed up until 2 in the morning and finished the whole book. I don't know how I feel about the ending...I'm still processing it. I am excited for the movie to come out though! 

3. We went to the pumpkin patch this week and my husband helped my daughter pick a pumpkin out. I got out with her last year but stayed on the hayride with my son...I had him all wrapped in the Moby wrap which was great...we both stayed warm and comfy. We all had so much fun on the hayride. This farm makes the path the tractor goes on very muddy and it's bumpy...they have a part of the ride called suicide hill...it's a great ride and we all love it! Next year we may invite a bunch of family because seeing some of my families faces as we go over those bumps and hit those ditches will be hilarious!

4. I made this pumpkin spice coffee and it's so yummy. I keep drinking it! I do make it "skinny" or low fat so it's only got about 30 calories in it. I just love fall! I will probably drink this as I make my pumpkin chocolate chip muffins (I got the recipe I'm trying from skinnytaste.com. If you love pumpkin she has a whole section of pumpkin recipes to try). 

5. I have had this song on repeat. I think I'm a little behind...people have been loving this song for months but I am so glad I found it. I love worship music and this song is definitely at the top of my list now. 

Well I hope everyone had a great week and has a wonderful weekend! I feel so blessed after this week...I love weeks like this!

4 Years

It has been 4 years today since I said I Do to this man and I can't believe how far we've come.

Our story is kind of long but I won't bore you with details. We met at a youth retreat when our youth pastors introduced us to each other. We talked all weekend when we could, then talked on the phone quite a bit when we got home. He told me after two weeks that he wanted to marry me. In fact he told his mother, I'm going to marry that girl. Well...I was only 21 and that pretty much freaked me out. I ran. Fast forward a few more years and a few more tries at dating him and by the fourth time it finally stuck! He proposed to me a few days before Christmas at an ice skating rink in front of some of our friends. My parents were off to the side hiding so they got to see it as well. It was a sweet engagement that I almost ruined but I'm glad he kept going. I said yes! We planned our wedding and on October 24, 2009 we were husband and wife! It was a fun wedding but I will be honest...I should have eloped! I don't make the quickest decisions so trying to make decisions for a wedding were tough...and there was stress of course but I'm glad I had a wedding where all our friends and family could be there for us. It was very beautiful! We never did get to go on a honeymoon because we got married while he was still in nursing school so I told him he needs to plan something for our five year. We did take a week and shop for new things for our first apartment. That was fun!

I am not a perfect wife and he's not a perfect husband. We've had our share of arguments but I love that no matter what it is we fight about we end up working things out. We are both stubborn, we can be selfish at times and we sometimes say the wrong things but I honestly wouldn't change any of that because it's helping to grow us and helping our marriage to grow. 

I am proud of him and what he has done for our family. I'm now able to stay home with our kids because he went to school and got a great job. He's a wonderful man of God. He prays for our family, prays with our daughter when she goes to sleep and I know he has a servants heart and he is always willing to give to others. I love him and love how he interacts with our kids. I love how he can make me laugh. I love that he still gives me butterflies when he gives me hugs. I love the way he looks at me no matter what I look like. I just love him! 

I don't tell him nearly enough so I'm making a promise, with this anniversary and from now on, I will let him know. I won't let a day go by without telling him I love him and letting him know know daily how much I appreciate him. 

So here we are...four years after getting married...we have two beautiful children and a marriage I'm proud of. I can't wait for more years to come...especially next year when we hopefully have our long awaited honeymoon! :-)

I love you!

                                   

Fun Toddler Activity

My daughter is a go go go type of little girl. She is two and a half and loves being active, she loves going outside, she loves running and being loud...she's a typical little toddler girl. I try to get to the park when I can but my son is only five months and my daughter is a little clumsy so it's hard to go with both of them. Don't get me wrong, I still do it, I just have to make sure I'm watching out for both of them. The life of a mom of two...I don't know how you moms with more kids do it! :-) I applaude you all!

I've done the typical look on Pinterest for ideas and I've got a few fun things off of there but for the most part I just go with what my daughter likes to do. She loves to run and play outside...if she wakes up and the sun is shining she is ready to go. I hate to admit I do not like the outdoors very much so she tends to go outside with her dad or my mom a lot more than me but I suck it up and have fun with her! It's all about making memories right? She typically likes to run around with her soccer ball...we may put her in soccer when she's older but her cousins play it and she wants to be just like them so we "play." She also likes to play with chalk and what toddler doesn't? I usually draw things and have her guess what I'm drawing...she isn't quite old enough to write her name and such but we do try to work on it a little. My daughter also loves to get dirty...such a little tomboy this one! She will sit and play with the rocks out in front of the house for hours digging and picking them up. I also try to make this into learning as well like counting the rocks. She has her own little play yard where she plays in her house or her slide. We've started playing Red Light, Green Light with her recently and she loves that. She's also in a gymnastics class and tries to tumble outside...she asks me to join her and I may do a cartwheel or two but that's about it. Any chance I can get her outside to run off energy is a plus. 

                                         

As for indoor activities. I had to clear out the kitchen for this one. Playing with indoor snow (flour). Sure, it's not quite cold enough for snow outside but she knows what snow is and was very willing to play and make a mess. I like things to be clean so this one was a little tough for me but I let her play. 

               

                         

I used her little people and she played with them in the snow; covering them up, having little conversations with them...it was cute! I have a friend that did this with her son and he used cars and trucks. It's great...kids love the mess they get to make!

We play with puzzles, read books, color, finger paint...when the weather isn't good and with it getting cooler I try to take her for more play dates so she still gets energy out but we are indoors. So give the indoor snow a try and let me know if your kids love it. If they love getting messy like my daughter then they will for sure have a good time! 

                        

                           

Healthy Breakfast

I struggle with what to do for myself for breakfast. I usually eat a breakfast sandwich that I make at home; egg and cheese on a sandwich thin but I'm trying to stay away from bread. My downfalls when it comes to eating healthy is cheese, bread, potatoes and pop...so I'm trying to limit my intake of those as much as possible. I always hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day so I try to make myself something lasting and healthy. I can't just eat a breakfast bar and call it a day because I'm hungry thirty minutes later and if I don't eat breakfast at all then I eat way too much later in the day. I randomly made meal one morning that I actually liked and thought I would share it, if you're like me and you can't always think of something, maybe you can add this to your mornings!

                               Scrambled egg whites with peppers and spices

               

Ingredients:

3 egg whites

1/4 cup of peppers, diced (this may sound like a lot but it isn't much, depends on how fine you dice your peppers)

1/8 cup hot sauce

Spices of your choosing (I used some salt, pepper, garlic powder and a little chili powder)

Directions:

Cook up your pepper, spices and hot sauce until tender

Add egg whites and scramble until done

I topped mine with a little Monterey Jack cheese because, well, I like cheese...I just didn't use as much as I would have in the past.

This definitely has a kick to it so you can add or subtract what you like. This kept me full and at times I use it as a midday snack. I'm working on figuring out more healthy ideas so I will post those when I come up with them and if you have any ideas for breakfast let me know, I'm always up for trying new things! 

  

Pumpkin Spice Latte

I'm not sure I can call this a latte...I actually used strong coffee but it was still very tasty!

I looked on Pinterest over the weekend for a recipe or some way to make a pumpkin spice latte and everything looked difficult so I came up with my own idea and I think it worked pretty well. 

I used Black Silk from Folgers and made about 4-6 ounces. I have a Keurig so I actually set it on the smallest cup size. Then I took some unsweetened almond milk and heated that up with a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice on the stove. I simmered the mixture and poured it into the coffee, added a little sugar and it was done! I'm sure you can use regular milk or sweetened almond milk but I was trying to make mine "skinny." 

                      

The finished product! Well half of it's gone but you get the idea.. :-) 

Enjoy! 

High Five for Friday

Well it's Friday once again! It's been a good week but I've been sort of lazy...that's how it goes I guess!

                     

                    

1. Monday was fun. I took the kids out of the house so my husband could get some sleep. We shopped, ate lunch together (we had Chipotle...one of our favorites!) played at the park for a bit and then came home for naps. I love spending some time with them. 

2. My husband decided he is going to stick with third shift for right now. I'm ok with it...we could use the extra money to save and he will get it done so when the kids are older he can do first...he's learning a lot so I'm happy for him! 

3. I went to an Usborne book party the other night and it was a lot of fun. I got to see my friends which is always good too. I ordered some books for my daughter for Christmas because she loves books. I may consider having a party so I can get more books for her. They have some cute stuff! Plus my friend had some really yummy food there, which is always a good thing!

4. I started out the week doing really good with my cleaning routine and then I didn't feel good yesterday so I was pretty lazy...I'm feeling lazy again today but I am catching up on some much needed sleep so I guess that's a win! 

                                     

5. I woke up with the kids this morning and came out of the kitchen to see this. They are so sweet! Hopefully this means a start to a great Friday! 

Life Moments

What a weekend and week it's been so far! My husband started third shift last week and we are both trying to get used to it. He's doing better than me which is probably a good thing...I'm not taking care of patients like he is. He has worked the past three days so he comes home and sleeps most of the day, gets ready and eats and heads back into work. I don't have my night time helper with the kids so I'm up with them if they are fussy and then up with them the next day...like yesterday when they were both up by 7am...awesome. I know in time we will get the whole routine down! So here are a few things that have been happening around here lately.

I started doing my cleaning routine this week and it's been going well. I feel like I've accomplished a lot by crossing things off my to do lists. I've had fun with the kids too...since we are trying to stay out of the house some for my husband to sleep we were able to go to the park and go to the outdoor mall and eat lunch...run some errands...it's been good bonding time with the kids. 

We will be going to a pumpkin patch this weekend and I'm pretty excited! They have a fun tractor ride that takes you out to the pumpkin patch, you pick your pumpkin and come back and get apple cider slushies...which I have mentioned numerous times. After this weekend it will be officially Fall for me.

I wanted to say a quick Thank You to all the new readers I've had recently. I can't believe how much attention my little blog is getting and it means a lot to me! I enjoy posting things that may help other moms or recipes that I've tried or other random life events...and I've got a lot more to come so be sure to check back often. Thank you again! :-) 

Hope everyone is having a good week so far and a great Wednesday! 

High Five for Friday

I can't believe it's Friday and that it's almost the middle of October! Goodness time goes fast...

1. I had a dentist appointment this week and I love my dentist office. They are all so nice and helpful. I had to take my son with me and my husband took my daughter to her gymnastics class. I fed my son before I left hoping he would have a full belly and fall asleep. Well he did about half way through thank goodness but the hygienist was so helpful in making sure I could get him to sleep while still getting my teeth cleaned. After 28 years I still have no cavities! I've never had one and I hope I can keep my streak going. 

2. I've said it before but I really enjoy the Bible study I go to on Tuesdays. It's refreshing and it's a chance for my daughter to get some play time in with her cousin. The ladies that go are older but they are so sweet! I keep my son in with me and they don't mind at all. I hope they have another one after this.

3. My husband started third shift this week. It's different going to bed without him and I'm thankful we are with my parents during this time because being home alone makes me nervous. Although having kids makes me feel better...someone has to be the grown up! 

4. I forgot to post about it last week but my guilty pleasure show Vampire Diaries is back on tv so me and a few friends got together for a little premiere party. It was so much fun! I watched it last night and I am so glad it's back. It's a favorite for sure!

5. I'm helping my sister in law with a garage sale tomorrow so I'm working on finding things to sell in it. Extra money is always nice! I think it's going to be a really nice day for it so I'm excited to help.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! 

Crock Pot Potato Soup

I am a big fan of potato soup. I could eat it every day but that probably wouldn't be the best. I found a recipe on Pinterest making potato soup in the crock pot and I thought it sounded perfect! You don't use any cream of chicken soup or cream of potato...it's simple ingredients and it's delicious! My family loved it and we plan on making it more since it's getting nice and cool outside. This recipe is from Mama Loves Food with a few notes of my own.

Ingredients:

-5 pounds russet potatoes (I washed mine and peeled them because no one really cares for skin in my family, I know it's good for you so keep it on if your family likes it!) dice into 1/2 inch cubes

-1 medium, yellow onion, diced

-10 cloves of garlic, minced (I use garlic powder and put about 1 tbsp in instead)

-64 ounces chicken stock or broth (I buy fat free, low sodium)

-16 ounces cream cheese, softened (you can use low fat if you like)

-1 tbsp seasoning salt

Optional garnishes: crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, green onions

Directions:

1. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning salt and chicken stock to slow cooker.

2. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.

3. Add the softened cream cheese and purée the soup with an immersion blender (I don't have one so I divide the soup in half and put half the cream cheese in each and use a hand blender, then put it all back together and blend a little more. You may have a few more chunks doing it this way but it's till yummy!)

4. Stir well and top with your choice of garnish.

Yields about 10-12 servings

                                        

Enjoy!!

Yummy Treat

I made a yummy treat yesterday for a snack: dark chocolate covered peanut butter bananas. Long name but they are so good! Here's what I did: 

Ingredients:

4-5 pieces of dark chocolate, melted (I had a bag of ghirardelli dark chocolate squares so I used those)

One banana cut into 10-12 pieces

Natural peanut butter

Directions:

Melt the chocolate in the microwave. I did it for 30 seconds and stirred each time, altogether it was about a minute and a half.

Put a little peanut butter on one banana slice, and top with another banana slice.

Stick a toothpick in the bananas, it should look like this

                 

Then dip the banana in the chocolate so it's completely covered. It should look like this when it's done 

                 

I stuck mine in the freezer but I'm sure you could eat them like this if you don't want to wait. 

A quick and easy snack. I only made five but you could easily make larger batches. I'm also sure this has been done before but I don't have a recipe I followed, I just did it cause I wanted something sweet. 

Enjoy! 

Cleaning Routine

I mentioned in my managing time post that I had a daily cleaning schedule I like to use. I decided to show you how I plan to start getting the house clean and still do what I need to get done with the kids and my family.

                                      

 

As you can see I have cleaning bathrooms on their twice a week. I do a really good cleaning of it on Mondays and then a light cleaning later in the week. We all take showers and my kids take baths so I usually wipe the tub out before every bath but it needs a good cleaning a couple times a week. I like a clean bathroom! 

We are actually living with my parents so I'm cleaning their house but I figure since I am home and they both work all day it's the least I can do for them. They do take care of their own laundry and my dad and I switch on and off cooking but like I've said, I don't mind cleaning, I actually like it. My parents have five miniature dachshunds so I wash their dog blankets once a week, just to keep things smelling fresh. If you are looking for a template to use and don't need to wash animal blankets then wash your bedding instead! I do laundry every day...most days anyway...if I'm caught up then I will wash bedding. I'm able to wash the bedding a couple times a month. I wash the kids bedding and blankets with their clothes so they get washed a little more. I vacuum every day, dust and dishes. That's not on my list but it's something that gets done every day. 

I may add things some days...like the other day I cleaned the counter tops really well in the kitchen and on Fridays I usually clean out the pantry, fridge and freezer so it's ready after we go to the grocery store that night. As I said in my last post I try to get cleaning done in the morning or nap time. I like to have my evenings free and any other time with my kids and family. 

What cleaning do you do that I may not have added on here? And go ahead, use this as a template, add in what your family may or may not need. My cleaning usually stays this way but I am constantly thinking of new things I can clean or organize. Hope this helps!

A Must Read Book!

What a gloomy weekend we had around here! I'm glad it's getting cooler but I'm ready for nice, fall days.

I used to love reading on gloomy days and while I haven't been able to get a lot of reading in lately I did manage to find a great trilogy that I loved reading. I'm pretty sure I read the first two books in about three days. I could not put the books down and I've actually re-read them a couple of times because they are that good! You have to read the Divergent Trilogy. I guess it's like Hunger Games, in a sense, but I actually haven't read those books but if you liked those books I hear you will love these! There is suspense, action, a love story...it's a great all around book. The third book is coming out October 22nd and I can't wait to find out how this story ends. Also, they are coming out with a movie in March 2014 because all books get turned into movies don't they? I'm sure the book will be better but I will be seeing this movie for sure! 

So if you are looking for a good read on a gloomy day...get this book...then you need to get Insurgent and Allegiant when it comes out. You won't regret it! 

                                       

                                      

Managing my Time as a Stay at Home Mom

                        

I have never really been good at managing my time and now that I've had a few months with two kids I feel like I finally have a daily routine I love to follow and am striving to follow.

It's no secret I love to make lists. Every morning I make a list of what I want to accomplish during the day, these are items that go along with my daily cleaning schedule (which I will be posting about soon) and extra items that may be needed for the day. I usually try to wake up at 6 every morning, no later than 6:30, to get my work out in for the day so it's done and out of the way. Then I start working on cleaning and getting laundry going. My son sleeps till 7:30 most days so I'm able to at least get my work out in before I need to feed him. He's at the age where he can sit in his jumper and play or roll around on the floor and I'm able to get a few things done before I get my daughter up. Now most people probably think I'm crazy that I wake my daughter up but to be honest she's up by 8 most days and if she isn't up by 8:30 then I get her. I get her ready for the day and fix her breakfast (watch for a blog post coming soon about breakfast ideas for your kids!) and then we start playing. I was teaching her a few things...and I use that term loosely because she wasn't really paying attention so we started playing, using some flash cards, coloring, playing outside, going to the park...anything to keep her moving and going until 11 when we watch Price is Right. Yep, I love that show...and now my daughter does too. I have lunch ready to go around noon and then we get to watch some of her tv shows. I'm working on limiting her tv time...it's something that's hard because some mornings I'm tired and would love to let her sit in front of the tv, don't get me wrong...I've done that before but I'm working on interacting. It's something I strive to get better at every day. Now don't think I've neglected my son during this time because I feed him when needed and he still takes a morning nap which gives me alone time with my daughter. After a few of her shows it's nap time. I try to lay her down around 1:30...she may not fall asleep till about 2 but she always gets a good two hour nap in. My son has been napping around the same time as her so that helps out a lot. They at least overlap by about an hour so I've got a little time to myself. Here is what I usually do during nap time:

-prep dinner

-work on blog posts

-work out (if I oversleep)

-shower 

-finish cleaning

-relax!

I found recently that by prepping dinner during nap time gave me more time with kids...call my captain obvious but I'm just now figuring this out! I do a lot of crock pot meals which helps give me more time as well. I love cooking but there are some meals that have a lot of steps and if I can save myself some time later I will do it. The other day we had sweet and sour chicken. Usually I start on dinner around 4:30 and for this meal I need to cut the chicken, dredge it in egg and cornstarch, fry it in a pan for a few minutes, make the sauce, pour it all in a casserole dish, bake it for an hour. Doesn't sound like a ton but it is time consuming. So I actually had a chance during the kids nap to do all of that and put foil on it and pop it in the fridge. It was so great to have that done at 2 and stick it in the oven later in the day instead of doing it all and missing out on time with my kids. If I have the chance I try to actually prep some food in the morning as well. I'm all about using my time as best as I can.

I love writing and wish I could write a post daily and maybe I will get to the point since I'm learning time management. If the cleaning is caught up, the dinner is prepped and I feel like my list is at a good place then I will sit down and start working on posts. I actually have a few drafts lined up so all I really need to do is proof read them and publish them in the mornings and I'm good to go. I also work on them at night after the kids go to bed. I'm finding out I can be a mom and still get some good, helpful blog posts out there without ignoring my kids in the process...I've done this before in case you didn't pick up on that. :-)

Working out is something I am trying to get into a habit of doing. As I've mentioned in past posts I am doing turbo fire and the workouts range from 30-60 minutes each day. I've found that waking up early and getting them out of the way is the best way to do it but if I oversleep, which I usually do and am trying to work on, I will do it during the kids naps. So far it's worked out well. I was able to work out today and squeeze a shower in before my son woke up. That's a big deal! There are times where my son will wake up and I'm in the middle of working out but again, he's at the age where he doesn't mind to watch mommy for a few more minutes while I finish. Plus I secretly think he's laughing at me.

If I've worked out in the morning, most of the time all I have time for is that and washing up bottles before one of my kids is awake so I never really have time to get a shower in right after...may seem gross but most days I'm home and don't need to go out till later. If my husband is home I can usually get a shower in and those are the days I usually do errands. So I'm able to shower while the kids nap which works out well.

I mentioned I have a daily cleaning schedule that I try to stick to so I will work on that while they nap as well. I'm doing laundry, washing bottles, filling the dishwasher all through the day but I have a list that I get to like cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming...things I can't do when the kids are up. I like to have all of this done by the time they are up. As you can see I really am trying to be more of an attentive mom. 

And of course I try to relax if I can. I actually do more relaxing after the kids go to bed for the night because I've done all I need to during the day and I like to have my nights free. I may meet up with a friend if my husband is home that night or I will take a bath, whatever I want. It's my me time! I'm actually looking into starting a new Bible study and that may be what I do before bed. 

I love getting this stuff done so when the kids get up we can go to the park, run errands if I need to and I'm not tied to staying in the house. Now don't get me wrong, if it's a gloomy day, one of the kids is sick or I'm not feeling well we call it a pajama and movie day and that's just how it goes. I'm not going to put the cleaning and laundry before my kids. Those things will still be there but my kids are growing up so fast!

We eat dinner and hang out and then I give the kids baths starting around 7, 7:30. My husband gets home from work around 8 and likes to take a shower right away, being a nurse and working 13 hours I don't blame him, so I try to have the kids ready for bed by the time he gets home. My daughter goes to bed about 8:30 and my son falls asleep anywhere between 9-10. I'm working on going to bed about 10 since I'm waking up early.  

I really feel like this schedule works well for us. My husband is going to be starting third shift next week and that will be something to get used to. He will be sleeping during the day but I've told him my daily plan and he understands that he will most likely need to buy earplugs. I can only keep the kids quiet for so long. 

I hope this gives you some sort of idea as to how my day goes. I love being a stay at home mom and I love cleaning, cooking and blogging! I'm still working everyday to spend more time with my kids, play with them, make time for myself and the things I love and take care of my home. I wouldn't trade any of it! 

Toothpaste Results!

I promised you results from my toothpaste challenge and here they are!

I was using this toothpaste to see if it would be just as good or better than using white strips.

I will say it works. If you are looking for a quick fix then yes, grab some two hour white strips and go but this toothpaste is great for every day use. I drink coffee everyday and would notice my teeth had a little stain to them after drinking but once I used this toothpaste it was gone. The more you use the toothpaste the better your teeth look. I know that's an obvious statement but I really do like this toothpaste. While white strips give you immediate results this toothpaste helps keep your teeth white the rest of the time. I'm sure Crest wants you to buy the white strips and use this toothpaste to maintain but if you can't afford to get white strips, buy this toothpaste. It works great! 

*I was not compensated for this. Crest has no idea who I am. This is my opinion. 

High Five for Friday

Linking up with Lauren for HF4F!

1. Instead of taking a nap earlier this week I took my kids to the park and played with my daughter while my son took his nap. We walked a good ways the park which helped me get some work out time in and then played. We also came home and played with "indoor snow." I will explain more on that in a blog post a few weeks from now.

2. As I mentioned above, I'm working on a few new blog posts that I think will be really helpful to all the moms out there. I'm excited because I wrote a post about toddler meals and it's getting some good feedback on Pinterest so I hope the next few posts will help as well.

3. I know by saying this it will change after the weekend but I am 3-0 in our family's fantasy football league! I'm not projected to do very well this week because most of my good players are out but I'm hoping my back ups help! We will see...being 3-1 won't be too bad though. I have to lose at some point...I've enjoyed being in first for a week though...maybe it will stay that way! Oh and yes...my team name is Twilights Out...I had to.

4. I went to a moms day Wednesday with some friends. The kids get to play with each other and the moms get to talk and eat, which is always fun! I made jalapeño popper dip and it was delicious! I found it on Pinterest so I'm sure it would be easy to find. If you find it, make it...you won't regret it!

5. I've been going to a Bible study with my sister-in-law and I'm loving it. We are talking about the end times and even though I've grown up in church my whole life it's nice to read more into the subject. A Bible study is always refreshing as well.

Quick, Effective Workout

I mentioned a few posts ago about a workout called Blogilates and how great they are. I mainly do Turbo Fire but if I'm in need of a quick, effective work out then I turn to Blogilates. The other night I wanted to work out but was unable to because the TV was being used so I broke out my iPad and turned YouTube on and found this great video. I'm putting it on my blog today because even if you don't have a lot of time to work out you can try this 9 minute long video and you will be sore! I promise!

Please give this video a try and let me know what you think! Cassie has a ton of great videos so keep going if you want to work on abs, arms, etc.! She just came out with a great "getting rid of your muffintop" work out that I can't wait to try! So go on...take 9 minutes out of your day! You won't regret it!

 

 

Flavored Water

Plain and simple: I need to drink more water. I've never been really good at drinking it. I will get on a kick and drink about four glasses for a couple of days and then fall off that for awhile. I always reach for pop or tea...I'm just bad about drinking water. I decided to try adding some Mio or Crystal Light but those have artificial sweeteners that aren't exactly good for you so I needed to find something I could add to make my water tasty. Enter fruit! I tried a "recipe" if you will of an orange, a lime and a lemon. It tasted good but since I wanted to get more than a few glasses out of a pitcher I would keep adding water to the pitcher and continue to use the same fruit. After awhile the limes made the water bitter so I got rid of that and made just orange and lemon. So yummy! But I think I found my favorite so far:

one orange, one lemon and five strawberries cut into quarters.

 

It tastes so refreshing and had the right amount of citrus taste! I keep the same fruit in the pitcher for a few days and just fill the pitcher with water as it gets low. Obviously, the longer the fruit is in the pitcher the stronger the flavor will get.

 

This is definitely going to help me drink more water. Give it a try!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIY Bathtub Cleaner

I was looking on Pinterest one day for an upholstery cleaner that would clean some stains I had on the seats in my car. I came across this DIY recipe and used it. Well, it didn't really work. It worked OK on superficial stains but the set in stains were still there, plus my car had a wonderful vinegar smell for a week. I wasn't impressed. I put the stuff aside and decided to look for something else thinking I had just wasted my money but with some more looking I found the same recipe was used for cleaning the bathtub. I thought, why not give it a try...and let me tell you, it's amazing!! I've tried to get on a cleaning schedule through out the week and clean the bathroom at least once...and I mean give it a really good cleaning. I sprayed the cleaner all over the stains, if you will, and let it sit for a few minutes and took a scrub brush to it. I wish I had taken before and after pictures because it works really well. Here is the recipe...

1 cup Dawn blue dish soap

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup club soda

That's it! Shake it a little so everything mixes together and start using it! Don't forget to get something to scrub with because that's what will help lift the stains and dirt off and unless you clean your bathtub a couple times a day this will last a pretty long time. I've had this bottle since April.

**Here is a before and after picture I just took yesterday (2/11/14) of the corner of the tub. 

This is what I call a Pinterest win! Just not for upholstery...(and I'm still looking for a cleaner for that).