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A Simply Snackin Review: A Convenient and Tasty Snack

January 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

After being away this weekend, I came home to a lovely surprise from a company called Simply Snackin.

 

They sent me a variety pack of their “on-the-go protein snacks” in 6 different flavors.

So, what exactly is Simply Snackin?

Well, their tag line is…

WORLD’S BEST 60 CALORIE ON-THE-GO PROTEIN SNACK

Here… Let me tell you about it instead :)

So, Simply Snackin is…

  • Simple
  • Convenient
  • Nutritious
  • Delicious
  • Unique
  • High in protein
  • Low in fat, sugar and carbs
  • Gluten free
  • Did I mention, tasty?

Through January, if you go to simplysnackin.com and enter SSjan2013 , you will get 10% off the purchase price.:) Yay!

Disclaimer: Simply Snackin sent me the samples to do a review for them but… (As it has ALWAYS been and ALWAYS will be) ALL of the opinions are my own.

 

Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Front Page, Gluten Free, Product Reviews, Vlog Tagged With: , , ,

Get Rid of Pesky Fruit Flies FOREVER

October 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Juicy Apple

Have fruit flies? 3 easy steps to help you get rid of them.

Like many of you, I LOVE fruit.

But sometimes I don’t eat the fruit fast enough.

That creates a BIG problem.

Fruit Flies!!!

Those little buggers drive me crazy!

So, I found a simple 3 step solution that will hopefully help you get rid of your fruit flies, too.

1. Throw out old fruit

Go through all of your fruit and see if there are any pieces that have gone bad.

Throw out that bad fruit.

Don’t put it in your inside trash can. Make sure to take it to an outdoor trash or compost.

2. Put your good fruit into the fridge

This will contain all of the fruit temptations from those little pesky flies.

They will have NO choice but to opt for #3

3. Contain and Destroy Release

Take a small container and put a single piece of the bad fruit into it.

Place a piece of saran wrap over the top opening of the container. Make sure it is TIGHT.

Take a toothpick and poke about 5-6 holes into the saran wrap.

Set it on your counter and watch the magic happen.

 

It took me almost 2 days to get all of the flies.

I did a release (OUTSIDE…Not inside)  after the first day and put the container

back on my counter to catch the remaining flies.

And, as a side note, I also have lemon scented hand soap on my counter next to my sink.

They were attacking that as well so make sure to get rid of that temptation, too.

Have you ever tried this?

Did it work for you?

Do you have any solutions on how to terminate catch and release fruit flies?

 

Filed Under: Front Page, Solutions, Uncategorized, Vlog Tagged With: ,

To Be or Not To Be… Gluten Free

August 31, 2012 By 4 Comments

What would you do if you were Gluten Free (by choice) and your doctor asked you to do this?

Filed Under: Blog, Front Page, Gluten Free, Uncategorized, Vlog, Wellness Wednesday Tagged With: , , ,

How to Find 5 Positives on a Crummy Day

August 18, 2012 By 6 Comments

The Silver Lining

Do you find it hard to find the silver lining sometimes?

I know, it can be especially tough on a rainy day.

Hear my 5 positives on my crummy day and tips to help you find yours, too.

Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Front Page, Happiness, Uncategorized, Vlog Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Newbie Triathlete Experience from Start to Finish

August 15, 2012 By

 

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”

by Friedrich Nietzsche

I am a TRIATHLETE!!

Have you ever challenged yourself to try something new, something so mentally and physically challenging that you kept on questioning why am I doing this to myself? Maybe it’s a new ski run down a big mountain or sky diving out of a perfectly good airplane???

Do you get excited? Or does it make you completely bonkers?

Some of you know what I am talking about, right?

Well, I am NOT one of those people who gets excited!! LOL

Last summer, I went to watch my friend compete in her first triathlon. It was SO cool and looked like a LOT of fun! I thought to myself, “Okay, I can do this. It will be a lot of fun and such a great physical challenge.”

Somehow I never thought about the mental part of it. Stupid Silly me!

All spring I have been training in the pool and the lake, on the bike and of course, running. As it is with most newbie triathletes, the swim is usually the most feared. I mean hey, you really can’t just stop swimming like you can on the bike and the run.

But then I was concerned about popping a tire. Oh man!

As race day approached, I was getting more and more nervous. My stomach was in knots!

And then I read a post by Meredith at SwimBikemom.com about a Triathlete named Jackie. She was the inspiration I needed.

12 hours ’til race time

My bag is packed with all my gear…

I try to get ready for and into bed early but my mind does not stop going and going and going… making sure I have everything, my tires are inflated, my water bottles are filled, etc…. The list goes on and on.

10 pm- 9 hours ’til race time

I am STILL awake!!

Not only that, but there is a twitter party going on with Leah Segedie @bookieboo about GMO’s and #yeson37 that I am really interested in!

So, I join the party to distract myself.

It helps a little but then my phone dies midway through and now I am left to looking at the ceiling and my thoughts. It is going to be a LONG night!

I finally fall asleep sometime around midnight!

4 am – 3 hours ’til race time

I wake up a little early (I had my alarm set to 4:15 so I could leave by 5) and even though I didn’t sleep very well (I had a dream that I was doing a triathlon in a mucky pond… Yuck!) I feel pretty good and excited!

6 am – 1 hour ’til race time

I get to the transition area and start setting up my gear. Since it is my first time, I take a look around at everyone else’s to make sure I am doing it correctly. By 6:15 I am all set up.

I eat a banana with peanut butter while I take my bag back to my car and search for the restrooms. I also find my friend (the same one that I watched do this same race the year before) and she gives me the words of encouragement that I will do fine. It is SO nice having someone to “coach” you through.

Race time

As I make my way down to the beach, I see my family arriving. My kids are SO excited and come running to give me a (much needed) hug.

I have to wait on the beach for about what feels like eternity 20 minutes before I am at the start line. They start 3 people every 10 seconds.

GO!

I run as fast as I can into the water. At least it is warm ;) It starts to get really mushy, yucky and I have to swim.

The weeds are tall and if you get off of the fresh cut path, you get tangled in them. About halfway through the swim there is a man near me about 6 feet to my side that is having difficulty. Swimmers call out to the help team on kayaks. My family is concerned it is me because they know it is in my general vicinity. They have faith that I am okay but have to wait to see me exit the water before they are sure.

I finally get to a point where I can touch the bottom again and I am able to start running out of the water. I step on a GIANT rock, right on my left foot instep, and it hurts, but… I don’t have time to think about it.

I hear my kids and family yelling, “Go mommy, Go!” The words fuel my soul.

The first transition goes smoothly. I make my way out with my bike to a 15k ride along the river. It is WINDY!! So, Murphy’s law held true and there is a headwind each way. Ouch!

Each athlete has their age marked on the back of their calf. For me, it is very motivating when someone older passes by on the bike and run.

I am almost finished with the ride and realize that I made it without getting a flat tire. Thank God!

I finally get back to transition and get my running shoes, hat, etc.. on. My legs are jelly!

I keep saying to myself, “common, you are a runner, now RUN!” but my legs keep saying, “noooo way”

The run is tough. It feels a LOT longer than 1.5 miles. I keep thinking about how I am almost done. I have goosebumps because I can now see the finish line.

I sprint the last 200 meters.

I cross the finish line and feel an amazing sense of relief, satisfaction, and happiness.

I hear my kids yelling “way to go, Mommy! Yay!!!”

I get my results and I finished in 1 hr 16 minutes. It is 1 minute over my goal time of 1hr 15min but… I am happy that I finished :)

As the days have passed by since the race I realize that my nervousness was for nothing and as long as you have faith in yourself, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. You just have to go and DO IT!!

Watch the video I made and see if you can tell how nervous I am per-race and how excited I am post-race ;)

Have you ever competed in a triathlon?

How did you feel going into a new competition?

 

 

Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Front Page, triathlon, Uncategorized, Vlog, Wellness Wednesday, Workouts Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

My Scary Solo Run and 5 Safety Tips to Remember When Running Alone

July 11, 2012 By 15 Comments

 

Imagine this: it is late morning and you are out for a nice long run in your hometown. This is the town you grew up in and you have always felt safe. There are a lot of people and houses around so you don’t think twice about going for a run by yourself. But, now you are being followed and stalked by a truck with 3-4 men and you start to feel nervous and scared. What should you do?

Well, here is what happened to me this week while I was out for long run in my suburban hometown. First, please understand that I wasn’t running in the country with very few houses and people. On the route that I was running there are a lot of cars, houses and people outside at all times. It is a place that I have ran the roads MANY times before without any issues or bad experiences.

Until this particular day.

I was visiting my family and staying at my sisters house. It was a beautiful morning and I NEEDED  wanted to go for a run. After telling my sister the route I was going to take, I left around 10:20 am and set out on my usual 4 mile course that has me traveling past my old High School, my grandmothers old house and a few friends homes. It is one of my favorite routes to run; almost like a trip down memory lane. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, someone I know will be outside and I get to stop and chat with them along the way. But, since it was Monday morning they must have all been working. So it was just me, some good music and my thoughts.

It was a really beautiful morning – not too hot and just the right amount of breeze to help keep me cool. I was just about back to my sisters house, on the last 1/2 mile, when a crew cab pick up truck (from a painting company) and 3-4 guys drove by me and waved. So, I waved back. Innocent enough right?

Well, as I came around the next corner, I noticed that they had pulled into a little hidden drive on the same side of the road as I should have been running. BUT, since it is a blind turn/corner, I always run on the opposite side so cars can see me. As I came around the corner I noticed they were backing out of this blind drive and I started to get more nervous. As they passed me a second time, they waved again. Then, they turned down the street that I needed to take to get back to my sisters house.

I decided to keep running straight past my turn and wait for a few minutes for them to hopefully lose interest and be on their way. But, when I finally turned around to take the street (they went down) to get to my sisters house, I could see that they had stopped in front of a house halfway down the street and the driver got out of the truck and went to the front door. I think they were pretending to have business at this house because there wasn’t a single car in the driveway. I immediately thought that this was a ploy to wait for me to run by the truck.

I decided to slow down and walk and as I did, I noticed another girl running past their truck toward me. When she passed me, I ran next to her to warn her of this situation so she could stay alert. She was VERY thankful.

As I started to run again toward my sisters house, away from their truck on another side road, I called my sister to make sure to keep our kids inside when I ran past so they would not yell out to me and give away my “home” location. As I was talking to her, I could hear them drive up another side road behind me. They turned the opposite direction and drove away. I was hoping that it was the last I would see of them.

As I approached my sisters house, I told a neighbor of what had happened. He was a little shocked and concerned and made sure that I made it home safe. When I was in front of her house, I looked around to see if I could see (or hear) them and I couldn’t, so…. I made my way up the side of the yard and into the back door of the house. I could finally let out a long, deep breath that I was holding in for what seemed like 20 minutes.

Below is a video I made about 5 minutes after returning home. As you may be able to tell, I was pretty shaken up and not thinking too clearly.

 

 

So, what 5 safety tips do I recommend when you are out exercising solo?

  1. Carry a cell phone - I always run with my cell phone.  Like many other runners, I use it for my music and interval timer. But, I also use it to call someone so they would know what is happening and the person following me could see that I was informing someone else of their presence. Also, use your cell phone to take pictures of the person or the vehicle and call 911.
  2. Run in populated areas and during busier times of the day - it goes without saying that running during hours of daylight and in areas where there are people around is safest
  3. Tell someone the route you plan to run - so they know where you are and how long it should take you to return
  4. Don’t use headphones in both ears - even though I use headphones for my music, I (always) use ONLY the left one so my right ear toward traffic is free and I can hear cars and people approaching.
  5. Carry pepper spray - make sure it is easily accessible and you know how to use it when you need it
My bonus safety tip is … Learn self defense, especially if you are woman. Being able to kick the snot out of someone that is trying to hurt you is just a plan ole good idea. At the very least it will make them think twice and hopefully give up the fight.
Please comment below and pass this on to others you know. Stay safe!!

Do you have any tips or recommendations on how to stay safe while running or exercising alone?

 

Filed Under: Blog, Front Page, Uncategorized, Vlog

Is ACTION the First Step to Success?

June 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The path to success is to take massive, determined action.

Tony Robbins

Happy Wellness Wednesday!!

Yesterday I spent the day at a Get Motivated Seminar. Have you ever been to one? In my opinion, it is amazing. For only $1.95, you get a ticket to hear some of the most influential speakers and celebrities you can think of. A few that I had the privaledge of hearing yesterday were Bill Cosby, Steve Forbes, Joe Montana, and Steve Wozniak. Last year when I went, I heard Rudy Giuliani, General Colin Powell, Terry Bradshaw and Dick Vitale, (plus a few others) speak about their paths to success.

So, what was the common theme that I heard throughout the day? No matter what your goal is, you need to take ACTION to make it happen.

It is funny because when I got married, my initials changed to ACT. I have always believed that God has put me, just like all of you, on this Earth to do something wonderful and make a difference. So, with my initials now ACT, combined with a passion and a desire to motivate, educate and inspire others to be the best they can be and achieve their goals, I am finally understanding what my true calling is and I am taking ACTION to make that happen through my website, YouTube channel, etc….

 

A second way that I am taking ACTION was by attending a School Board of Education Meeting. The discussion was about the new, federally mandated changes to our school lunch programs that will be implemented on July 1st.  I really want to be a part of that change to make sure it is a positive one and help our kids eat healthier lunches. It is important to get them on the right nutritional track and make sure they have the food/feul to get through those long school days.

One interesting point that was made at the meeting was how the process of change will take a couple of years to complete. Lunches will come first (2012-2013) and breakfast will happen next year (2013-2014). So, one possible solution to help during the long process of change is to make sure the kids AND the parents are getting the education need to help them understand the new school lunch regulations as well as the basics of what is a healthy choice and what isn’t AND why. This education and knowledge can also be implemented by the parents in their homes, too, giving kids an even better chance at eating healthy meals all day.

A second solution is to do a complete overhall of the food program. Just watch an episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution show on TV and you will get an idea of what it takes to change a school lunch program and how it affects so many people in a positive way. I am sure that making the change isn’t easy but no one ever said change is easy right?

There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.

John F. Kennedy

SO…

What does it take?

ACTION!

To accomplish your goal of a 5k… it takes ACTION!

To start that business you have always wanted to start… it takes ACTION!

To stand up and fight for our kids health and nutrition…it takes ACTION!

Be that person who makes a change.

Be that person that takes ACTION for what you believe in and make a difference to someone else today.

And don’t forget to thank God for your blessings, talents and gifts :)

 

How have you taken ACTION in the past?

Are you motivated to take ACTION with something new today?

 

Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Front Page, Uncategorized, Vlog, Wellness Wednesday Tagged With: , , ,

How to set SMART goals and a Tabata Thursday Boxing Workout for extra BURN

May 31, 2012 By 2 Comments

When I was in the grocery store the other day, I overheard a lady saying, “It doesn’t matter if it is Atkins or South Beach, I just want to do whatever works to lose the weight FAST.”

Now, this isn’t the first time that I have heard someone say this. We all want to lose the weight fast right? But… it should be our ultimate goal to create a healthy LIFESTYLE so we can lose the weight safely and effectively. It is important to remember that to lose weight, you need to incorporate 3 basic things into your life:

  1. Cardio
  2. Strength training
  3. Healthy nutrition (clean eating is the best) at EVERY meal

So, you can start by making small changes to your daily routine OR, if you are the type of person that has to jump in feet first (and you are healthy enough to do this), you can do a complete overhaul right away. It is important to find whatever works for you.  You should realize that the first month can be the toughest but once you get started, you will feel that sense of accomplishment and how great exercise makes your body feel… you will soon be hooked and it will become a habit.

First thing… Start by writing down your ULTIMATE goal.  IE… Running a local 5k in 3 months.

Once you have that goal written down, break it down even further into monthly, weekly and daily goals.

IMPORTANT: One of the most effective ways to structure your goals is by using the SMART goal model.

S   =  Specific

- Make sure your goals are VERY specific.  Yes, you want to run the 5k. BUT, if you have not ran in over 5 years, you have a desk job or you are coming back from an injury, you need to start off slow and work you way up to your goal. An example of how to start by writing down a goal for this week would be going for a walk for 30 minutes each weekday at 9 am. See how specific that is? Once you feel comfortable and after you have had about 10 minutes to warm-up, you can start to incorporate a light jog into your walk. Start with jogging for 30 seconds or from mailbox to mailbox. Walk again for 2-3 minutes (or at least until you feel you are ready to go again) and jog again for another 30 seconds. Repeat this routine for the 30 minutes.*

M  =  Measurable

- Make sure you can measure you goals. IE… Can I measure (keep track of) my goal of walking/jogging for 30 minutes each weekday at 9 am? Yes, that is measurable.*

A  =  Attainable

- Are the goals attainable/achievable? Is walking for 30 minutes a day something that you would enjoy? Is it nice weather out so you are able to get outside? Is it possible for you to run at all or do you have underlying injuries that prohibit you from running? These are just a few questions you need to ask yourself when setting your goals.*

R  =  Realistic

- Are the goals realistic? It is not a good idea to start out on your first day by trying to run a full 3 miles if you haven’t ran in 5 years. Be realistic. Again, start with walking for the 30 minutes (or how ever long you are able) and work your way up to incorporating a light jog when you feel comfortable and ready.*

T  = Timely

- Always remember to set an end time for your goal. We have said that you have the local 5k in 3 months that you are working toward. That is a timely goal with a specific end date. When you have completed this goal, set another goal for yourself and so on and so forth.*

*Always remember to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise routine.

Finding the best way to create a daily fitness habit and healthy eating lifestyle is what will ultimately help you reach your goals of being healthy, fit and strong.

So, if you are up to an extra challenge, I have created a Tabata Boxing workout to help you get fit in only 4 minutes. This is a pretty intense workout but you can do it to your own comfort and intensity level.

If you are not familiar with what a Tabata workout is, click here to read more about it.

Basically, Tabata is a 4 minute High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout where you follow a set format:

  • 20 seconds of a high intensity interval (IE… sprints, jabs, squats, etc…)
  • 10 seconds of rest
  • Repeat 8 times for a total of 4 minutes

 

 

As I said before… Today’s Tabata Boxing workout is INTENSE!!

  • Jab/Cross RIGHT side
  • Squat jump with RIGHT side kick
  • Jab/Cross LEFT side
  • Squat jump with LEFT side kick

Don’t forget to warm up for 10 minutes before starting this workout and do a 10 minute cool-down at the end. Also, make sure to stretch and drink lots of water when you are finished, too.

Now, for another important piece of today’s workout… the MUSIC!

Here is the video to one of my favorite songs by my favorite guys… NICKELBACK.

How do you set your goals?

Do you have any goals set for yourself right now?

Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Fitness, Front Page, Tabata, Uncategorized, Vlog, Workouts Tagged With: , ,

8 Ways to Help You Stop Late Night Snacking

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 



I have a confession to make. I am a… LATE NIGHT SNACKER :( 


You see, every day after I wake up, I get the kids on the bus, workout, eat breakfast and go about the rest of my daily schedule. Later in the afternoon, I get the kids off the bus, shuffle them from here to there, help with homework, make dinner and finally, get the kids into bed. If I am lucky, I have time to do a few more chores, maybe sit down with my husband to watch one of our favorite shows (like Modern Family) and finally, read a few pages of my current book and get some good sleep.


Usually, that is how my “routine” goes.


I eat healthy and I know what I should and shouldn’t eat. I am also a creature of habit. So, I tend to eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch EVERYDAY. 


Wake up:



Post Workout:



Lunch:


    

  • Egg white Puff with Spinach and Franks Red Hot Sauce
    • 

  • Fruit of some kind
    • 



Mid-Afternoon Snack:


    

  • Apple with natural peanut butter
    • 



Dinner is usually a toss-up but I always make healthy meals for my family. I am very mindful of what we are putting into our mouths and bodies.


I also workout… hard. I have a scheduled list of my training and what I will be doing every day of the week. From running to cycling, HIIT and Tabata workouts to TRX. Is what I am doing right or wrong? Well, I am hoping I have educated myself enough to know what I should do and how to do it.


Here is what I did today for my workout:




So, if I am mindful of what I eat and how I push my body to be the best it can be each day, what is the problem right? Well, my “routine” works great … UNTIL… nighttime.


Ugggg.


After the kids are in bed and I am ready to decompress, I am usually on the hunt for a snack. It isn’t the same thing every day. Sometimes it is popcorn, sometimes it is chips and sometimes it is fruit. Sometimes, like tonight, it is a glass of wine and a piece of dairy free chocolate. ;( And sometimes, it is ALL of them together. I just can’t hit the nail on the head to squelch my craving. But I know I probably eat at least 300-400 calories between 8-11 pm. By the time I end up going to bed, I feel crummy and my stomach hurts. I get SO irritated with myself for sabotaging all of my hard work throughout the rest of the day.


So, if am as mindful an eater as I think I am, like I am for the first 3/4 of my day … why do I do this to myself at night?


    

  • Maybe it is because I eat too FEW calories throughout first 3/4 of my day?
    • 

  • Maybe it is because I am bored?
    • 

  • Maybe it is because my body is lacking some nutrient that I missed throughout the day?
    • 



I am sure there are a few other reasons that I missed (and by all means, please let me know your thoughts ;) 


So, after doing a little google search, I came across a post by Peanut Butter Fingers. (Ironically… PB (natural) is one of my FAV snacks ;) 


Here are a few of her suggestions that I thought were very useful and spot-on. 


    

  1. Drink a Hot Beverage – This is something that I do quite often. I like a cup of tea (decaf) so I am going to do this again and be MINDFUL of how it makes me feel
    2. 

  2. Plan to Snack – Many times I will try (her suggestion) of an apple with Peanut Butter and this is a great option. Sometimes, I just forgo the apple and have a spoonful of peanut butter and that seems to do the trick
    3. 

  3. Evaluate Your Hunger – As I contemplate this one, I can honestly say that I am probably NOT hungry and in fact, I am probably just thirsty. I know I don’t drink enough throughout the day so, therefore, this brings me back to the option #1 and #7
    4. 

  4. Entertain Yourself – Oh, this is a tricky one. Isn’t watching a show or working on the computer entertainment enough? LOL
    5. 



A few other mindful eating options that I personally have found to help cut down on the late night snacking are:


5. Chewing Gum - This has always been a way that I find keeps my mind off of eating and my brain thinking that I am snacking. I am also one of those that chews gum while they workout. I HAVE TO. If I don’t, I feel soooo much thirstier. Crazy, I know. But, it tricks my brain into thinking that I am drinking and keeps me feeling hydrated and my mouth busy 


6. Brush your teeth – The minty-ness in my mouth makes any food sound and taste unappetizing 


7. Drink a glass of COLD water – If it is summer and hot outside, a glass of COLD water will make you feel full AND refreshed


8. Kiss – enough said ;) 


Okay, so now you (and I) have 8 different ways to help us STOP late night snacking and be more mindful of what we eat. 




 


Let me know if any of these tricks work for you.


How do you stop yourself from eating those late night snacks? 


 

		

		
Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Fitness, Front Page, Gluten Free, Uncategorized, Vlog, Workouts  Tagged With: , , , , ,  

	

		


				
Happy Mother’s Day!!

		
		
May 13, 2012  By  Leave a Comment 
		

			


Making the decision to have a child - it’s momentous


It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.


Elizabeth Stone




WOW! That is SO true!


If you are a mom out there… Happy Mother’s Day to you :) 


It is a day to celebrate being a mom.


It doesn’t matter if you gave birth to your child


adopted a child, you are a foster mom, or a mom by marriage…


You are special and God Bless you for doing the hardest job on earth!


I had a FANTASTIC day and I hope you did, too.


My kids (and husband) made me feel SO special today.


Here is a little vlog about my day and the gifts I received.




I am very blessed to have my two beautiful children to raise and call me mom.


They always make me laugh and bring me LOTS of joy.


But, on Mother’s Day I also cherish my baby boy Chickpea who is in Heaven.


I remember his little face and think of him and miss him everyday.




Keatonprints.com


We may not always understand why God does what he does, but I have Faith in Him


and know that what He does for me is best.


Always remember that no matter what you are going through,


you are never alone and the experience will only make you stronger.


I am so blessed to have had those special moments with God and Chickpea


and my heart and life has been forever changed.


But, here are a couple of cute pictures of my kids having a good ole’ time today playing “race-car.”


They are obviously TOO big for the BIG wheels but they were having a lot of fun.


And no, I am not trying to hide them from the public… LOL


They wanted to wear those huge helmets :) 


 




And, here are a couple of pictures of some of the beautiful gifts my kids gave me today.










Okay, so on a different note… Can you believe I had a SPIDER on my face while I was sleeping???


That was HORRIFIC!!


Anyway….


Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mom’s.


How did you celebrate being a mom today?

		

		
Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Front Page, Happiness, Kids, Uncategorized, Vlog  Tagged With: , , , , ,  

	

		


				
Tri-Training Week 3 and A Cinco de Mayo Salsa Recipe

		
		
May 5, 2012  By  2 Comments 
		

			
Happy Cinco de Mayo!


I cannot believe it is already May 5th!


2012 is FLYING by!!


I am not sure if there is a full moon or not this weekend


but my kids have been acting VERY squirrelly!


They are ready for some weekend fun and it is gorgeous out today so… :) 


This was my 3rd week of training for my first triathlon


It has gone really well and I created a vlog to give you a little recap






MONDAY: Swimming


For my swimming workout, I am still trying to work on my breathing


As I have said before, I still have a hard time going from exhaling to inhaling


Without getting a gallon of water up my nose


BUT, it went really well


I found a couple of websites that gave me some great tips and drills to try


The first website, swimsmooth.com, had a lot of great tips about breathing into


The “pocket” and other terminology I wasn’t aware of.


At swimming.about.com, there are a lot of drills I could try


to help improve my balance and breathing. I started off using flippers


And that really helped propel me through the water and keep me afloat


(I sink like a ROCK!!)


I also found that doing the breaststroke really helped my breathing, too


The motion of going in and out of the water on each stroke was a great drill


I found this video very helpful in explaining how to do the breaststroke correctly




TUESDAY: Off




WEDNESDAY: Sprint Intervals and BodyRock


I LOVE doing these sprint intervals 2 x’s per week


It is going against my tri-training program but… it helps me to


Relieve stress and feel all sweaty and good inside








5 minutes




Warm up








35 seconds




Sprint








1 minute




Walk








1 minute




Jog








Repeat the series




10 x








5 minute




Cool down








Finish with




Stretching








This takes almost 35 minutes and about 3.5 miles


As for the BodyRock session, go to their website at Bodyrock.tv and check it out


They offer completely free daily workouts that will improve your fitness level in only 12-30 minutes per day


Caution: You will be VERY sweaty but feel AMAZING after completing all of this :) 




THURSDAY: Bike and TRX


The weather has been so good to me during my training so far


It was about 70° and sunny so I checked my tires and hit the road


It was a nice ride but as Murphy’s Law states:


It felt like I was riding into a head wind EVERY direction I rode.


Also, the butterflies are out in full force


It was like dodging bullets!


And man, those cute little buggers REALLY hurt upon impact


Unfortunately, I did not get to use my TRX system on Thursday so… :( 


It was a really tough day and I was SO tired that I went to bed early


That almost NEVER happens for me. It felt good.




FRIDAY: Sprint Intervals and BodyRock


Unfortunately, Friday was a tough day, too.


Even after a great nights sleep, I was still tired and a bit cranky.


Okay, a LOT cranky!


and I did NOT feel like doing much of anything except relaxing


(warning: here comes a little crazy talk)


But, after “Angel Amy”


(the little person inside my head that understands I ALWAYS feel better after I workout)


had a long conversation with “Bad Amy”


(the little person inside my head that tells to just lie around and do nothing)


about why I should go for a run,


Angel Amy told Bad Amy “Look, you always feel better after you run so just do it!”


So, in the end Angel Amy won and we all whipped off another round of my sprint intervals


And yes, I felt MUCH better after.


Thank you Angel Amy ;) 




SATURDAY: Off (Active Rest Day)


Today, it is GORGEOUS outside and I plan to take the kids


To play a little tennis at our local High School


And maybe even go for a little bike ride on the bike path




SUNDAY: Bike and BodyRock


My plan for tomorrow is to get up early and ride while the sun is coming up


I’ll tell you this… it is so heavenly and peaceful to ride during a beautiful sunrise on a


Warm and peaceful Sunday morning


Seeing God’s beautiful artwork is so amazing




And Last but Not Least…


In honor of Cinco de Mayo,


I have created a new


SALSA Recipe


On Thursday night, I made a Powercakes Pizza


While it was baking, I “tried” to create a topping to go onto the Pizza


However, my Pizza topping ended up to be more salsa like than anything


So….


Since it is Cinco de Mayo (perfect timing right?)


I am posting my recipe for you to try and enjoy today


2 Vine tomatoes


1 handful of fresh organic baby spinach


3 baby artichoke hearts


2 cloves of garlic – freshly pressed


2 scallions


A small handful of fresh chopped Cilantro (technical terms I know ;) 


Salt and pepper (to taste)


Some Italian seasoning (to taste)


1 TSB of Nutritional Yeast (very cheesy tasting and healthy)




I chopped and mixed this all up together and it was SO yummy!


So, what happened to the Powercakes Pizza?




Well, because I had to let it cool


I didn’t eat it untilthe next day


Yup, it was YUMMY!!


I ended up eating my salsa on some Simply Sprouted - Way Better Life Tortilla Chips




These chips are about as natural and basic as you can get for a “healthy snack food”


It was the perfect combination!




Let me know if you have a chance to make the salsa.


Do you have a favorite Cinco de Mayo recipe?


Any Triathlon training tips you can offer?


I would love to hear from you.



		

		
Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Fitness, Front Page, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vlog, Workouts  Tagged With:  

	

		


				
How do you stay Positive?

		
		
April 19, 2012  By  Leave a Comment 
		

			


We can always choose to perceive things differently.


You can focus on what’s wrong in your life or you can focus on what’s right. – Marianne Williamson




Did you know that it takes 5 positives to negate 1 negative?


I don’t know about you but sometimes when I am having a difficult day


 finding only 1 positive can be TOO difficult.


But, here are a few ways to help you stay positive during your day.


1) Smile


 


It is really hard to be negative and unhappy when you are smiling


I like to smile at random people when I am walking by them.


The other day, I was picking out a bunch of bananas and an elderly man


was doing the same thing next to me.


I looked at him, smiled and said, “Hello sir. How are you today?”


We struck up a nice little conversation and it made my day.


2) Find Your Happy Place 


This can be either mentally or physically


I have a few different happy places…


snuggling with my kids,


hugging my husband,


going on a hike with Cooper,


sweating it out during a hard workout,


and of course… closing my eyes and envisioning that I am on a beach ANYWHERE


will always make me happy.




3) Writing in a Journal


Every night before you go to bed,


jot down 5 positives from your day into a journal.


If you want to take it a little further,


think outside the box and write down a few that are not so evident.


ie… I am always happy when I hear my husbands c-pap machine roaring away


at night because I know it means he is still breathing ;) 


4) Laugh


Tell a joke


Look at funny pictures


I found these two on Pinterest.com






I often go to the Ellen DeGeneres website and look at her viewer pictures.


They are FUUUUUNNY!


I like to laugh. I definitely makes my day more positive.


5) Think Positively About Yourself


Remember to always think about yourself in a positive way


There are too many people out there that want to bring you down,


especially if you are in a good mood and they aren’t.


Pat your own back and toot your own horn.


Not in an obnoxious way but give yourself a little praise.


If you run a mile, don’t say, “Yeah, I ran a mile but I wanted to run 2.”


Instead, say to yourself (and others)


“YES!! I ran a MILE today”


Your positive attitude will be contagious!!


So tell me…


How you stay positive (#dailypositivity)


and let me know 5 positives from your day!

		

		
Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Daily Positivity, Front Page, Happiness, Uncategorized, Vlog  Tagged With: , , , , ,  

	

		


				
A Post-Run Chat

		
		
April 12, 2012  By  Leave a Comment 
		

			
HAPPY THURSDAY!


What a beautiful day today.


The birds are singing, the sun is shining and yes, I am running!!! :) 


Here is a little vlog about my run, etc…


I really wanted to get this on my website this morning (hence why I say, “Good morning”)


BUT… as many of you can relate, technology is great


until it DOESN’T work!!


So, I’m sorry its is a little late but hey… better late then never! ;) 


Ps… Cooper said to say thanks for watching


 



		

		
Filed Under: About me Blog, Blog, Uncategorized, Vlog  Tagged With: , , , , ,