Raising a healthy family in a drive thru world

Giveaway!

2010-11-29T08:26:00.000-05:00

Last post here!
Come to my new blog and WIN!

Hello?? Is anybody there?!?!

2010-11-19T07:26:00.001-05:00

Come on over to my new HOME.

mom.wife.fitness.LIFE

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-20T14:13:00.005-04:00

Kid's Marathon Recap

2010-10-19T08:41:00.005-04:00

Amara still has 2.5 miles to make up in order to have officially completed the distance ( 26.2 miles).

She was very nervous!! She even took about 3 bathroom breaks in the 30 minutes before the race! She is a true athlete! I tried to explain to her the jitters and nervous excitement and that it was in fact, a good thing! I am not sure she believed me. She was very worried about not meeting her goal. I never asked her what it was, I thought that might make her feel even more pressured.

The Grand Rapids Kids Marathon was very organized. The kids were to start in waves...depending on your last name you were assigned an animal. Amara was a cheetah and in wave 2. She had on my Garmin of course! I did not notice any other kids with fancy GPS gadgets on..whatever.

We were off and running and she did really great! She seemed a lot more relaxed and dare i say focused?!?! She ran the whole way- I found out at the end of the race that that was her goal all along-not to walk! Her time was 13:36 ish. She was flying! The cool thing is that the kids started and ran on and finished at the same start/finish of the real marathon that took place on Sunday.

The kids were treated to water, yogurt, ice cream and apples after the race. The YMCA also had a harvest fest party that we went to after the race. There was lots of stuff going on-face and nail painting, pony rides, coloring cider and donuts and lots more.

I wished I had more action shots, but it would have been kind of hard running with a huge camera! Amara had gym today and you better believe that she is wearing her marathon medal around her neck!

Still here....

2010-10-13T19:25:00.005-04:00

I think fall is officially here--maybe! It was in the upper 70's and I enjoyed every minute of it. Amara is doing well with her running. She ran three days in a row getting in at least 1.5 miles each time! She needs 5 more before the big race this Saturday. She opted to take the day off today ( I don't blame her) and wants to shoot for 2 miles tomorrow!

picture from last fall-oct. 11, 2009!

Miles turned 3 and all of a sudden he is getting into his naughty stage. He is really well behaved, so when he does normal toddler shenanigan's it is sometimes hard to take! The good news is he is still dry and doing his business on the potty like a champ. I have been getting him up at around 11 pm every night to use the bathroom and that seems to be working well ( except for a weird 4 days in a row that he was still soaking wet, sheets and all!).

I want to get some good fall pics of the kids before the leaves all fall off.....maybe tomorrow.

Happy Birthday boys!

2010-10-06T19:28:00.004-04:00

Today Matt turns 32 and Miles turns 3.

Lots of junk today! For Miles anyway!

He started his day with oatmeal and grapes and topped off that breakfast with half of a large chocolate chip cookie! He was pretty happy about that!

When we arrived at the gym ( had to work), he was greeted with a bad of rice crispy treats; but handed those over to me when he was presented with a plate of fruit from the front desk staff! They were laughing so hard- who gives up sweets for fruit?!?! Miles does, that's who!

After I taught he was handed 2 super mini cinnamon rolls. I ate one and he got the other one after his lunch of deli turkey and cheese on wheat, grapes, wheat crackers and hummus. He also decided to take a nap today.

For dinner we headed on over to Buffalo Wild Wings where he had fries, 1/4 of a cheese quesadilla, a Dum-Dum sucker and a brownie, and ice cream ( shared w/ Matt). When we got home he had a small piece of birthday cake that i made. Whew. He is pretty much on a sugar -high right now. He is not used to this much crap in his system. I gotta go- he just kicked his Monster Truck!

Crock Pot Saturday!

2010-10-03T09:01:00.005-04:00

Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken BBQ Recipe ( click for recipe!)

This is the second time making this deliciousness! It's a hit. Lots of leftovers for the next day and the next! Put on some whole wheat buns and you are all set.

We had a side of Roasted Garlic Lemon Broccoli too. Amara's choice! I was not too sure about this, but I really like it. She loves the burst of lemon flavor she gets in every other bite. ( click for recipe). I have made this about 3 times now, once without the lemon, but I think it's best with the lemon. I love lemon.

Saturday's are usually reserved for some junk food for lunch and sometimes even dinner. Today we did have take out pizza for lunch, but we were being mindful of getting in a good healthy dinner.

Just stuff....

2010-10-01T18:43:00.005-04:00

We are in the full swing of things with school now. I think we are establishing a routine here any minute. I am getting used to Amara being gone all day now. I am getting used to entertaining Miles all by myself now! Amara was really good at that.

I am trying to teach more classes too. Not that I want to, but it's easy money so why not!?!?

Miles has been without a nap for 5 days in a row now! I am not too happy about that, mainly because he is crabby. If he could go without a nap and still be normal, I would not mind as much. I am wondering and kind of hoping he will crash and burn this weekend and then start napping again. If not, then I can probably get more hours to work at the YMCA. I try to be done working in time for Miles to take a good nap, but this week--no so much! I tried everyday to lay him down and he was up causing trouble. He is lucky he is so dang cute.......

Amara is on mile 13 of her kids marathon! We did not run 1 time this week either. She (we) still have 12 more to get in by the 16th in order to make it. I think we will cut it way to close, but it will get done. She's a tough kid and she wants to earn a medal!

She has been asking to buy hot lunch at school. Yuck. I took a look at the menu and was appalled at most of the choices. I don't even think she would like most of the items. I think I will let her buy hot lunch once a month starting this month. We get the menu for the whole month so we will go over it this weekend and choose a day. It's making me think about Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution that was on TV last summer. Her school serves breakfast pizza too. It's just regular pizza, served in the morning. What a concept. She understands it's only a treat to get lunch once a month. I hope so. Maybe I will make her pay for it...........

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-29T13:00:00.003-04:00

A year ago! A tad blurry, but it was all I could find!

Break.......carpal tunnel and kid updates!

2010-09-25T15:38:00.003-04:00

Not much has been going on over here. I am still not typing as much as usual due to my awesome carpal tunnel flare ups. I might try so sleep sans braces tonight..they are awful and get in my way! I have been stretching and self massaging every chance I get. So far, so good!

Miles is doing really well with staying dry. We are now working on staying dry at naps and night time. I really hope this will be the last pack of Pull- Ups I have to buy!! Nap times are obviously easier than night time. I might wake him up and put him on the potty right before I go to bed, which is usually about 2.5-3 hours later. We'll see though.

Amara is doing well too. She is "training" for the kid's marathon, but we have not been getting in her mileage like we should. This darn going to school all day is really getting in the way! We are on mile 10 of 25. The 1.2 mile race is on Oct. 17th.....which means she has to get in 15 more miles before that day. It's possible. I sure hope she does it because she is kind of on the sensitive side and has already cried when I told her she might not get all her miles in! She also told me that when she ran 2 miles ( walk/run) it hurt a little and she did not like it. I told her that pushing yourself is a good thing and it might hurt a little at times! I am not sure she liked that!
Update on myself. I have another blog: Mission Possible that started off as a way to chronicle my fitness/running adventures. I would pick a big goal and then write about the journey to the goal for the most part. My thing is running, but with my vocal cord annoyance I have not been putting in the training that I need/want/should. Well, that and other obstacles ( time, work etc.). I planned on running a half-marathon in less than a month, but have not ran in almost 2 weeks. Not good. So, I most likely will NOT be doing that race. Bum deal! I hope to get back full force training mode in January and am crossing my fingers (and toes) that I am able to run The 2011 Boston Marathon. I qualified last Oct. Sign ups start ( and will most likely SELL OUT ) on Oct. 18th--the day after the 1/2 marathon I am not running!
OK, I better end this post before my hands freeze up!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T09:31:00.002-04:00

30 Days of Self Love

2010-09-22T09:23:00.004-04:00

It seems like forever. my carpal tunnel flare up seems to have died down for the time being. I was having fun with the 30 Days posts, but I know it probably would not be in my best interest to make up last weeks entries ( unless I want to be in pain again...and I don't). The good news is I reflected on Tina's posts internally. Writing things down is a lot more therapeutic for me, but I did what I could. Here are a few of last weeks reflections if you want to know!

PURPOSE: What ways do you have purpose?

EATING NATURALLY: Have you experienced any shifts in how you view food?
What are the biggest influences in your food choices?

STOP FAT TALK: What do you do to stop fat talk? From yourself or from others?

These are just a few of the titles that I missed. If you wish to see more, please head to Tina's wonderful site!

Break.......

2010-09-15T16:12:00.001-04:00

I did not give up on the 30 days.... campaign! I have awful carpal tunnel ( usually only while pregnant--which I am NOT!) So I decided to take some time off from typing as much....too bad, because the topics Tina has been reflecting on are really good!!! Check her out. I will be back next week.....

30 Days of Self Love--Gifts of the Body 2 ( Day 9)

2010-09-09T09:12:00.004-04:00

We need to shift the qualities with which we define them from aesthetic ones to purposeful ones. Hopefully, after completing 4 rounds of this exercise and having to come up with 12 different parts of ourselves we recognize as a gift, we will grow to love our bodies more and more.

I am not sure why these posts are the hardest for me-and I have to do 4 of them. (help).

So far I have my Body, ears, and legs from post 1.

Hands- They look old, have dry skin and the nails are non-existent. That does not keep them from rubbing backs (the kids and Matt's feet too). I am out of practice as a massage therapist, but I retained enough to do some healing when necessary! They are perfect for holding tiny hands and checking for fevers, giving high 5's and playing peek-a- boo too. Hands are great!

Taste buds- Kind of reaching here, but I love food! As a family we love food. I think we ( Miles, not so much yet) are pretty adventurous when it comes to trying new things and love flavorful things. Not just sweets either. I think Amara inherited this from both of us. One of her favorite things to eat is calamari-- the more tentacles the better!

My belly- For being a safe house for my babies. Yeah, so now it's softer and has some markings but that's not such a big deal when you think of what it did. It is such an awesome thing that I forget the pain, discomfort, the HUGENESS. I carried a living being! That's pretty amazing. I saw a 3.5 week old yesterday and it was almost instinct to rub my own belly- I hope nobody saw me !

the posted pic is about 2 months before I had Big Bad Miles ( 10lbs. 10 oz.)

30 Days of Self Love--Perfection ( Day 8)

2010-09-09T08:56:00.004-04:00

In what things do you try to seek perfection? Why do you even want it? How does desiring perfection actually hurt that area of your life? What would letting go of the hope for perfection do for you?

I can't say that I strive for perfection in any part of my life. I know that perfection is not attainable in reality, so why even think that you will ever get there. (*disclaimer*-- the 2 things that have been perfect in my life is of course the birth of my kids, but that's a given I think!). You can strive to do your best in your everyday life, but trying to be perfect will just leave you frustrated.

I do strive to do my best in parts of my life, but with that being said, I also slack in areas that I should be trying harder. Maybe I have let go too much..... I am not sure if it's the "youngest child syndrome" or what. I see my daughter ( a first born) and I see how she needs to have things "just right" and does not like to be wrong- EVER, and I hope it's just because she is 6 and not because she thinks in order for her to be loved, she needs to be perfect. I tell her it's OK to be wrong and that it is just a learning experience. I think and hope she will understand this someday.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-08T13:22:00.001-04:00

First Day of First Grade!

30 Days of Self Love--Perspective ( Day 7)

2010-09-08T13:07:00.003-04:00

How do you witness the power of perspective in your life? Do you currently face something where your perspective could make a difference?

I have taken on an "it is, what it is" mentality for a lot of issues in my life. Especially for the issues that are totally out of my hands-I have to. It won't do any good to dwell on things if they can't be changed. Taking up too much time figuring out the coulda, woulda and shoulda is too exhausting and meaningless.

For current issues that can be changed- Take the steps to change them! Am I currently taking my own advice?? Well....I am working on it! Life is a constant work in progress. I sometimes put things on the back burner too long; either afraid to confront the issue or knowing it will be a difficult journey. Something I need to work on NOW.

30 Days of Self Love--Love From Others ( Day 5)

2010-09-06T17:37:00.006-04:00

Reflect on who loves you and what they see in you. Do you have trouble believing it and accepting what they see whole-heartedly? Try to think of all those wonderful things about you that others care for and use those to fuel your day.

Good question! I never really question that people love me, or why they love me. I know I am loved. I guess I used to think it was because they had to! As in my family etc. We never said the words too often, but that never kept me from knowing that they loved me. Through their actions as well as their words can let me know - although I don't need to hear it 24/7--it is nice to hear every now and then. It's usually right when I need to hear it too. It's as if they know...

I know my 2 kids love me with all they have. They tell me at least 5 times a day each and it never gets old!

30 Days of Self Love--So We Idolize Our Bodies (Day 6)

2010-09-06T12:22:00.007-04:00

How much do we really value our bodies? We may say we don’t, but when taking a closer look at our actions we may find differently. What ways have you put too much emphasis on your body? How can you change that?

Where do I start?!? It probably started in college when I really started working out. At first it was because my roommate loved to exercise. she and I would go almost everyday. After a while I found out how much I loved it and then I started noticing the changes it brought about. After a while it was getting me a lot of attention from guys. I was not a very out going person so this was very uncomfortable to me. That was one part I did not like--at first. I later felt it pushed me to even work out more. I was not trying to get skinny either. I always wanted to be lean and have muscle and curves. (Still do).

It seems that as time went on it was expected of me to always be working out, or to always be in shape. It felt like it was a job and I was always under a microscope--people wanting to know what I did, for how long, what did I eat etc. I felt ( and sometimes still feel this way) that i had to keep it up or else I would look like a failure to my peers and those that perhaps looked up to me. I am not saying I did things overboard--maybe a few times in my day, but that did not last long.

In a nutshell-- I think most of us do idolize our bodies waaay too much. I do want to always feel comfortable in my skin as well as my clothes though. These days and yes, after having my kids I have a new mindset. I want to show my kids the right way to be healthy- not going to the extreme or overboard.

After my rambling-- I have been focusing for a few years on not idolizing my body for the wrong reasons. Nowadays I idolize my body because of what is has done in the past 6 years:

~It has given birth twice to two good sized babies ( Amara was 8 lbs. 5 oz. and 3.5 weeks early Miles was almost 11 lbs. 1 week early).

~I have run 2 marathons, setting a 20 minute PR with marathon #2 and qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

~ I have taught numerous exercise classes to people that thought they were not "cut-out" for it and told me so.

~ I am coming to terms with my ample tummy and not so ample breasts.

~I am focusing on being healthy so I can be here to teach my kids the same.

30 Days of Self Love--Trusting Your Body ( Day 4)

2010-09-06T11:58:00.003-04:00

Is there an area where you face difficulty trusting your body? Take time today to focus on this area and pay close attention to your body.

When I think of trusting my body it usually always leads to running ( of course). This year is probably the first time that I don't trust it and it bugs me. I have allergies, acute asthma and something wonderful called Vocal Cord Dysfunction or VCD. Long story short- it started in the spring..feels like a major asthma attack.....I learned breathing techniques.....it rarely happens anymore if at all-nothing as major as in the spring. OK, with that being said-- this is my slowest year ever at running and it is very discouraging. It's a mind game I hope and not so much physical. It's a real downer.

I am trying to focus on trusting my body. I am having trouble pushing myself because I feel I will push myself into a VCD episode and that scares me. I need to trust in my body to use my breathing techniques to get me though if an episode happens. The more I push my body during my runs, the easier it will become. I already know this, but it's good to be reminded. I guess I also need to learn to trust my brain as well, since VCD can be triggered by anxiety and stress. I know I have both of those.

30 Days of Self Love--Intrinsic Beauty ( Day 3)

2010-09-03T13:57:00.003-04:00

Day 3----Take a few moments to think how you showcase intrinsic beauty. What positive qualities describe you. Search deep. Through the day consider these qualities. How do they showcase in your life and make you beautiful?

Beautiful is a state of mind. People might be considered beautiful for many reasons- not just physical, maybe not ever physical. Qualities make a person truly beautiful in my opinion.

If being non judgemental is a quality ( I think it is) I think that is one of my best intrinsic qualities. I just don't think it's fair to pre judge anyone. Everybody has a story- you never know what it is until you ask. I know I am pre judged on a daily basis due to the color of my skin. It does not make me sad ( those people probably don't know any better!), but I just choose to live differently and hope to teach my kids that quality as well. I know that I learned that quality most likely from my dad. Thanks dad!

30 Days of Self Love--Gifts of the Body ( Day 2)

2010-09-03T08:55:00.004-04:00

Over at Tina’s blog of Faith Fitness Fun, she talked about Gifts of the Body. Thinking about your body as something special that helps support you through your life no matter what. That it is important to treat ourselves and more importantly our bodies like we would treat our friends. With unconditional love and unconditional support.

1. You only have 1 body so treat it right! One of my gifts is just being in good health. That is due to how I treat my body. I take care of it by nourishing it with the things that make it thrive. The food I eat, drink, and exercise.

2. I am thankful for my ears. I am able to listen to my kids laugh and sing and tell stories (thanks Tina!) everyday. One thing both of my kids LOVE to do is sing-it's just a normal thing in our house and in our car.

3. I am thankful for my legs. They may not be the thinnest and never will be. I am glad they are strong and are able to do everyday things such as walk. And not so everyday things such as teaching 2 Spin classes, a sculpting class and then go for a run! Thanks legs!

30 Days of Self Love--self Confidence ( Day 1)

2010-09-01T22:26:00.004-04:00

Take a look at Tina's blog Faith, Fitness, Fun . Here is a short explanation taken directly from her blog:

"Welcome to the 30 Days of Self-Love Reflections (30 DSLR for short)!!!! For those of you just stumbling across my site and this movement, the 30 DSLR is to bring a positive change into each of our lives one day at a time. Each day will feature a new topic and message to reflect on and motivate positivity throughout your day and, hopefully, beyond. I look forward to everyone’s participation and the growth it will bring us! Here we go!"

So now it's my turn to reflect on what confidence means to me.

It means to hold my head high as much as possible. I have always been told I have good posture-- sometimes that's all it takes for me to feel confident ( or even fake it just a little bit). It gives me a feeling of confidence just by straighten up my shoulders and holding my head high. Try it!

My other main job ( besides being a mom) is being a group exercise instructor. I would have never in a million years thought I would have made this my main source of income. I was very, very shy in front of people for such a long time. I did not like to speak in front of groups or anything scary like that! In high school I did not look up while giving speeches..I just read my notes while my palms sweated and my voice shook.

When I was in college I started taking tons of group exercise classes. I loved them. I was there everyday--(in the back row!) As time went on some of the instructors approached me about teaching-- I thought they were joking. They told me how well I did in their classes and also said that I had the personality to teach--what the what?!?! Even my close friends thought it was pretty funny ( thanks guys) that I would instruct.

I had to act fast and finally just went for it. This was so out of character for me-but I felt that if it did not work out as least I tried. Well, to make a long story short I have been a certified instructor for 12 years now. I have worked in all sorts of environments with all kinds of people-- and I love it!

I am sure that instructing provided me with the lifelong gift of confidence that I am grateful for.

Other things I am confident in is that I am a great mom to my kids. I am also a great friend to the few that I have.

Operation Potty Train!

2010-08-29T21:30:00.003-04:00

We might be on the way to being pull up and consistent accident free. This has been a long ride. I won't call it frustrating either. Just long.

Miles can go to the bathroom all by himself and basically insists. Almost a full week of no #1 accidents!! We are going on 2 weeks or more ( I forget! Yay!) of going #2 at least every other day if not every day-- by his request! Success. The next step is no pull ups during naps and the night. Any tips out there?!???

Three Things Thursday

2010-08-26T21:37:00.004-04:00

1. I just signed up for a Mud Run. It's a 5k that involves mud pits, slides, walls, obstacles, lions, tigers and bears! It should be a lot of fun. Time to get dirrrty!

2. I have loved the past 2 days. The weather that is. It has been so hot and humid here that I can't stand it. This morning was 53 degrees. I ran 10 miles. It felt so good!! Besides that my hands froze. I have circulation issues I think. I was sweating. My hands were as well, but they were also frozen. Not sure what that means. I still love the cooler temps. To bad my Mud Run ( see #1) forecast is in the upper 80's with high humidity!! Yahoo! *sarcasm.

3. My neighbor gave me an egg plant from her garden and I have no idea what to do with it? I used to make them all the time with canned tomatoes and Parmesan cheese--I think. I don't want to mess it up! Any ideas???

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-25T19:35:00.007-04:00

Just some images I shot the other day! I am having a lot of fun taking pics of my kids this summer! I think they like it too!

Three Things Thursday

2010-08-12T09:13:00.004-04:00

1. I just got back from teaching a class called Power Train. It's 60 minutes of high intensity drills, plyometrics and kick box combos. I am spent. I also feel as if I am not in shape-what an eye opener!! Thank goodness I don't teach this one all the time.

2. Amara got her hair cut yesterday. It's her 3rd time getting it cut. I can't get over how long that girls hair is when it's blow dried straight!

3. Matt and I get to go on an all expense paid mini vacation with no kids this weekend. I hope I don't sleep the whole time!

Better Oats Oatmeal Review

2010-08-10T12:46:00.003-04:00

While shopping at a local grocery store last week I came across Better Oats oatmeal. It was new to the store so it was on sale ( score), otherwise its $1.99 for 5 packets. Not such a great deal if you ask me. I bought Abundance all natural Maple and Brown Sugar. They had Apple Cinnamon there as well. They had a few other flavors (Oat Revolution) too. It was actually a hard decision, but I thought Maple and Brown Sugar had a lot of strong selling points! It has 6 whole grains, Flax seeds and real fruit pieces. It can also be considered a good source of protein ( 5g) and fiber (4g) per serving. It also has cool things in it such a quinoa, barley and brown rice! I really like the unique packaging. The oats are in packets- and you rip the top off, pour the oats in your bowl and then fill up the empty oat packet with water and cook in the microwave for 2 minutes. They worked perfectly every time! ( I have one packet left). These oats are really good. I love oatmeal and if I have to say something negative about this kind it's that it needs more fruit. This actually is not a problem, because I like to add my own blueberries, or strawberries, or raisins or a mix of all those. I just like to make it how I want to.

I am looking forward to finding and trying the other varieties of Better Oats. I recommend this product.

* Head to Better Oats Face Book page -"Like" them and get a buy one get one free coupon! I would love to hear what you think!

Winner Winner- turkey dinner!

2010-08-09T17:39:00.003-04:00

I always wait until the last minute to make dinner on time. Well, there really is not an on time in this house, but eating by 6pm is usually how it goes. Once again I waited too late, but came up with something that is hopefully good. It's cooking as I type.

~Turkey meatballs ( lean ground turkey, bread crumbs, minced garlic, cheddar cheese and taco seasoning) I don't measure anything-ever.

~ Sweet potato fries. One savory Cajun and one cinnamon sugar mix. Yep, REAL sugar! ;-)

~ Broccoli ( olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper-lemon juice after it's roasted)

The best part about dinner? Amara helped with the whole meal! She is now doing the dishes ( for real!!!).

I did not want to turn the oven on today as it is super hot and humid outside and in our house ( no A/C), but I will survive. Sweating while cooking was worth it with my Lil' Chef in Training!

I only wish I had a good idea for a dessert up my sleeve!

Boring food.

2010-08-08T19:31:00.004-04:00

We are in a food slump in our household. We basically eat the same thing over and over and over and I am kind of tired of it. We used to use a dry erase board and plan our meals for the week. That was a good system in theory, but it has kind of fizzled out. Even when the meals were planned I feel towards the end of the dry erase boards reign- the meals started to get boring. It was a protein, a starch and veggie. Pretty boring. It was always healthy-just started to get too boring. At the time I was probably counting calories and it was easier to just eat 4 oz. of chicken, 1/2 cup starch and 1-2 cups of veggies. No sauce and nothing else fun because I was too lazy to add up the calories! Any healthy non-boring food ideas are always welcome!
Maybe next week I will dust off the board......

Three Things Thursday

2010-08-05T16:20:00.003-04:00

1. I am happy that the humidity has finally let up-today is day one. I will try to enjoy it while it lasts because it will be back on Sunday.

2. I hope to take advantage of the low humidity and bake some cupcakes with the kids tomorrow. I plan on using ice cream cones. It should be interesting.

3. Operation Potty Train- well it's going. We have more #1 accidents then the hoarding of #2- so we have that going for us.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-04T07:36:00.006-04:00

The kids and I had an impromptu photo shoot on Tuesday. This location was beautiful and the kids had a lot of fun!

Treats for the kids- a review ( kind of)

2010-08-02T16:19:00.004-04:00

I am always looking for healthy snacks for the kids to eat that will actually enjoy eating! They have been enjoying Clif Bar Kids products-the fruit leather twists and the bars. I was at our Super Target this weekend and came across 2 new items ( new to me anyway!)
Fruit Roll Ups Simply Fruit These are 90% fruit! My kids have never been given a Fruit Roll Up by me (maybe someone that did not know any better--grrr), but they sure were excited to try these. They are pretty sticky and Miles needs help getting it off the cellophane. Amara had no trouble at all which is good because I need something I can pack in her lunch that she can open by herself ( *tear*- 1st grade- full day). I bought Wild berry and the kids are big fans.
I also found Au some Nuggets. I bought the variety pack. I think they are 66% fruit which is OK by me. Miles is a fan, Amara has not tried them just yet. I am glad to have found some new treats for the kids.
Let me know your healthy go to snacks!

Three Things Thursday

2010-07-29T08:43:00.005-04:00

I thought I might jump on the bandwagon to keep me updating this blog-so I will have a daily theme. This might be a last ditch effort, and if I don't keep it up, I will discontinue this blog and just keep Mission Possible.

So here goes nothing!

1. I looked back at my To-Do List for this blog and have not done any of the things mentioned! I am such a liar! I have no garden ( well, I do have a weed garden) and no compost bin either.

2. I do have a wonderful neighbor that gives us lots of bounty ( does that even make sense??) from her flourishing garden! I have loads of hot peppers and zucchini from her. Thanks Chrissy! It is making getting our daily veggie requirement a lot easier.

3. My kids are having a great summer! As much as I love summer, I cannot wait until it is fall. I only wish we could skip over winter and just have fall for 6 months! How cool would that be?!??!

O.N.E. Coconut Water Review

2010-07-21T17:34:00.003-04:00

I have heard about the goodness of coconut water, but never tried it. It's supposed to be a good source of electrolytes which is great for after a hard workout. I stumbled across

O.N.E. Coconut Water on sale ( $1.00..normally $1.39)so I bought 2 of them. They were out of the plain coconut water so I was able to try the "with a splash of guava" and "with a splash of passion fruit" flavors. I love coconut as it is, so I thoroughly enjoyed these 8.5 oz. drinks. My kiddos did as well, although I only gave them the tiniest taste ( all in the name of giving a good review of course). The coconut taste still took center stage and I liked that. I would love to try the plain coconut water and I will when the stock is replenished! I recommend this product!

Wordless Wednesday (kind of)

2010-07-14T18:43:00.006-04:00

We had a BIG tree fall in our backyard last week. The kids had a lot of fun watching the crane and chainsaws in action! We were able to talk about recycling since the men brought the Chipper Truck to make wood chips out of our dead tree!

Tree Hut Hawaiian Kukui REVIEW

2010-07-13T08:44:00.004-04:00

I found the best smelling body scrub and body wash at my local grocery store (Meijer). It's from the Tree Hut Collections. This company uses very unique ingredients in all of their products. Coconut shells and crushed almonds are just a few of them. Not only do these products have unique soothing ingredients that are certified organic, but the scent I have smells like heaven ( I am sure it smells something like this..). I love the Shea Sugar Body Scrub in the Hawaiian Kukui scent. I use this a few times a week to exfoliate which is very soothing and refreshing too. I follow up with the Body Wash in the same scent. My whole bathroom smells like a spa when I am done! I am looking forward to trying the other scents; especially the Coconut Lime. How good does that sound?!?! I will admit that I was tempted to taste the products I have....they do smell good enough to eat. I will venture out and try their butter and lotions as well. I am sure I will NOT be disappointed. Check out their site to find out more information!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

2010-07-03T20:57:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I updated on Miles' quest for potty perfection. We are still in training that's for sure!
His hoarding issues are a thing of the past ( knock on wood), but he has a few #1 accidents from time to time. He will go 3-4 days dry and then have 3-4 accidents in one day. I don't really understand that at all either. I am just being as patient and understanding as I can be ( I hope).
Miles has also had a stutter in the past few weeks. I was not alarmed at first because Amara went through a brief stuttering stage around the same age. She got over hers in a few weeks as I recall. Miles' stutter is a bit different and in the past few weeks it seems to have gotten worse. He needs to close his eyes to get the word out or his voice gets a really high pitch before the word comes out. I found this article (and learned lots) and while it makes me feel a bit better, I am just worried for my little guy. It's not about me. I worry about him when he gets older and teasing from other kids and how that might make him feel. I truly hope this is just a phase or stage that he grows out of. If it's not I know we can work through it!

Wordless Wednesday (kind of)

2010-06-30T04:09:00.002-04:00

Amara getting ready to spalsh in a puddle!

Miles flexin' for the camera while at the beach!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-23T18:41:00.005-04:00

1 Mile Fun Run

2010-06-17T22:05:00.004-04:00

Amara ran her 2nd 1 Mile Fun Run and improved her time by 20 whole seconds (but who's counting??) 12:17 was her unofficial time! She had a lot of fun and asked if she could run another 5k race on the 26th! I am very proud of her and love to see her so happy after crossing the finishing line! Actually I am sure she is all about the medal!!

Another tooth lost and also some braggin!

2010-06-09T21:04:00.005-04:00

It seems I don't have much to talk about on this blog!

Amara lost another tooth- 4 days after the first one. She is way too excited! I think she looks older and sounds funny too!

Tomorrow is her last day of kindergarten. We signed her up to have homework sheets to complete every week of the summer. She did 2 of them today. My little scholar! I also found out that she is reading beyond a 2nd grade level! So proud of her. I hope she remains this excited about learning the rest of her life!!

On Friday Amara will run her second race of the year. It's a 1 mile fun run that she participated in last year. She really wants to beat her time from last year. I think she ran a 12:30 mile!

The picture is from last year.

Toothless Wednesday

2010-06-02T16:24:00.005-04:00

Amara lost her first tooth!! She was so excited, she literally FELL out of her bed! She was also so excited for the tooth fairy, that she was still awake at 10:30 PM!

I am going to save her teeth ( is that gross??)

How do I do that in the most sanitary way?!?!

Tooth Fairy--Yay or Nay???

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-26T16:25:00.001-04:00

Amara's new ride!

The "Dirty" Dozen

2010-05-24T20:05:00.004-04:00

More and more studies are showing how important it is to eat organic. We are not the wealthiest family around, but we make nutrition a top priority on our "spending" needs. With all the processed foods and high fructose corn syrup everywhere you turn it can be difficult and/or time consuming to eat healthy. Actually, that's just another excuse a lot of us like to use ( I use it too.) My family eats processed and boxed foods. Mostly snack crackers and flavored rices- I think anything not from the ground or in a tree is considered processed. We try to make the best choices though. Organic and/or all natural crackers/snacks/cookies (kid stuff). Whole gain couscous and wild rices; more times than not the rices/grains we purchase are organic as well. This is not for everyone, so don't think I am telling you to go out and do what I do!

I always get so confused on what produce is OK and which is not (organically speaking). I finally decided to print out 2 copies of the Dirty Dozen and put one on the fridge and one in my purse!

Whether you are on a budget and need to prioritize your organic purchases, or you would simply like to know which type of produce has the highest pesticide residues-and which do not-the following guide from the Environment Working Group will help:

12 MOST Contaminated:

peaches

apples

sweet bell peppers

celery

nectarines

strawberries

cherries

pears

grapes(imported)

spinach

lettuce

potatoes

12 LEAST Contaminated:

onions

avocado

sweet corn (frozen)

pineapples

mango

asparagus

sweet peas (frozen)

kiwi fruit

bananas

cabbage

broccoli

papaya

So there you have it. "The List"

Questions for you:

Do you buy organic? If yes, what items? If no, why not?

Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday-- Can you guess how old I am???

2010-05-19T19:57:00.000-04:00

Birthday Perfection

2010-05-16T16:07:00.004-04:00

Today is my birthday! I am 33 today. I actually thought I was turning 32. Pretty funny.
How did I spend my birthday you ask??
Well...Matt and the kids went away for the night ( Friday) until later on Saturday! I am not sure if that is mean or not!?! I thought it was a nice gesture though. The family busted out of here around 5 PM Friday and I was soon to leave my house too. I ended up at the spa getting a nice pedicure with my buddy. Ahhhh!
I followed this up with a major DVR session at home-I am almost caught up!
Saturday morning I thought I might sleep in-NOPE. Went to the gym for a power spin class that I have not been to in a while and then headed out for a little 6 mile run. The weather was gorgeous.
After that I thought I might take a nap. NOPE. I went to Target and tried on about 5-6 pair of jeans. No success either, but that's OK. After Target I met a friend for lunch. At a Chinese buffet. Oh boy. I sat down and enjoyed ~~a plate~~ 2 plates of fried. Yup. It was disgustingly delicious. Stuffed city. I went home for a nap. NOPE. My dinner date called me earlier then expected ( I am still full from lunch). We met an hour earlier than planned. She ate some cheese and crackers until I was ready-ha! We went to a place called San Chez Bistro. It's a place for tapas ( little appetizer type thing) We ordered 3 and shared. We also shared a ginger mocha. It was very different, but amazing! I love ginger. I also got a free dessert that I hoped I would not like- NOPE. Loved it. Ice cream/pie/cake masterpiece of some sort. Or as I called it-heaven on a plate with chocolate drizzle.
After that, my big brother and I went out for drinks. I had 2 adult beverages and about 10 pitchers of water-trying to flush out all the salt and crap I ate earlier! It was a fun evening.
I woke up to Amara trying not to wake me up. She was taping a card to the mirror on the back of our door. So cute. Miles was very nice as well and yells" Happy Valentine's day Momma!" and even gave me his favorite yellow motorcycle as a present. Love him.
I was able to go for a 22+ mile bike ride. I came to a miniature cake and a bag of Hot Tamales.
Best. Birthday. Ever.

News you can use How to save a life.....

2010-05-13T13:38:00.004-04:00

It's been fifty years since CPR ( cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) was first introduced to the public. So many lives have been saved as a result of this combo of mouth-to-mouth breathing and chest compressions. It's easy to learn and does not take too much time either ( most trainings take less than one day). You're family is worth it. Hopefully you will NEVER have to use this training in your lifetime, but if you do; it's best to be prepared.

To find a training facility near you check

http://www.redcross.org/

http://www.cprtrainingdirectory.com/

http://www.americanheart.org/

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T20:28:00.004-04:00

Matt took the kids by the river to take some pics! This was the keeper! It's now in a frame.

Kid Updates............

2010-05-07T10:01:00.005-04:00

Miles is still on his veggie kick! Bout time........ I don't think it even has much to do with me telling him that I will call the cops on him either...the kids just wants to eat them-willingly!

He is doing great with keeping himself dry--even during nap time and nighttime as well.

The other thing; well, it's going I guess. He's only 2.5 right??!! That's what I keep telling myself! Besides that, we are very happy with how is growing and progressing. He speaks really well for his age I think and is just a smart great kid all around.

Amara is doing great. Kindergarten will be over in about a month's time already. She is reading quite well and also writing full sentences. And oh, the homework! I am not sure I was as busy as she is when I was in kindergarten. I can see why/how kids her age are stressed out!

I am looking forward to summer. I am not sure Amara is; she will miss school so much! I am searching for fun activities for her do do. So far she will do a week long tennis "camp". I think she is most excited for the cute skirt she gets to wear! I want to make sure she is active using her body, but also keeping her mind working and learning too.

Her first 5k race is tomorrow! She and Matt will run/walk it together. The weather should be ok (knocking loudly on wood). I am hoping the major wind gusts and torrential rain downpour are over and done with today ( for reals!)

I am sure she will have a good time and she is most excited for what happens after the race--breakfast at Perkin's, where she will order her favorite-- Rainbow Pancakes!

More veggies please!!!

2010-05-01T23:59:00.005-04:00

Miles asked for a second helping of green beans at dinner today. Well a little boy claiming to be my Miles did anyway. He looked just like my son. I have no idea what has gotten into him! He was full of "Thank you Momma's" and " I love bean beans!" ( Miles-speak for green beans).

I forgot the second best part. He had already finished his dinner and was eating a sucker. He put the sucker down and asked for more green beans!

Kids. They like to keep ya on your toes at all times I guess!

Today will be the last day of my time alone with Miles before Matt and Amara return. It was an exhausting 4 days as a single parent of 1, but a fun one indeed. It was really different to be with just Miles for that long. He really is something else!

Boring Blog. Date night. Goals for the summer.

2010-04-30T00:03:00.005-04:00

I have pretty much neglected this blog. I am running out of things to blog about. Or maybe it's because I am running out of time to blog about things!

Things I want to do this spring/summer.
~Start the garden AGAIN. Maybe the second time around will be successful?!?! I mean, I was happy with my hearty zucchini's and all, but I planted about 6 different veggies and nothing else grew.
~Talk to my father in law about building me a compost tumbler. He already told me how he will do this. I just might need to remind him.

That's all I got!

Miles is doing really, really well! He made it almost 6 days in a row with some action in the potty--#2 that is! He must be exhausted because it's been almost 2 days of hoarding again. We are hoping to be over this hump sooner than later. He actually asked me to buy him diapers today while shopping at Target. Ummm..no way dude!
He and I are getting our bonding time in for the next few days while Matt and Amara are at the cabin. Miles and I had a date at Perkin's (Kids eat free- Amara likes to remind me of this a few times a week). I let Miles indulge in the rainbow pancakes ( pancakes with sprinkles). He ate all 3 with an adult sized fork as if his life depended on it. I made a healthy choice of a grilled chicken salad with some gross ranch dressing (barf) on the side. I ate Miles' 2 strips of bacon. He is an herbivore. He is soo not into meat at all. He is a funny little boy and very well behaved for a 2.5 year old. I was told by 2 families today what a well behaved youngster I have. ( no evil eye was used either--I swear!)
We have a few more days to find stuff to do. Tomorrow we will go to the gym. I can stay for the whole 2 hours if I choose since big sister is skipping school again (gone fishin').
We will probably return to Target to take back a calender I bought.....it starts on July 2010. I thought the front page was just turned to July. Nope. It starts on July 2010 and goes until June 2011. Dumb.
SO between those things and a nap I hope to have a play date in there as well. That's a full day for him. The kid never sits still, so that means I don't either! Gotta love him!

Wordless Wednesday (kind of)

2010-04-21T13:58:00.005-04:00

I had fun practicing my picture taking skills on the kids this past week. What other way to "celebrate" a new outfit for Amara??

Operation Potty Train!

2010-04-15T20:25:00.004-04:00

It's been a while. Besides being super busy with stuff; our computer was out of commission for a few days. What a rough few days that was!
Update on Mr. Miles. He stays dry. He hoards his feces. That's about it. haha!
He is making slow progress, but I am being as patient as I can with him. It's hard for me to leave the house knowing he has business to take care of. I feel as if I am setting him up for failure or making him hold it in. Love that. No, I hate it!! He will come around. I know he will!!!!
He has grown bored with the rewards as well. He doesn't ask for M&M's or stickers or anything. He might every once in a while and I give it to him, but he could care less. I wonder if M&M's can go bad....I better go and eat them. I don't want my buddy getting sick!

Spring Break!

2010-04-07T07:12:00.001-04:00

I feel kind of bad that I have not taken many pictures of the kids this past winter. I am not a fan of the cold-so the camera did not make too many appearances.. So happy it's spring!! We went to the Frederick Meijer Gardens to experience their butterfly garden this past Friday. It was a great time and the kids really enjoyed themselves! We enjoyed a few days with warm temps. Now it's back to reality again. It's back to "normal" April weather for West Michigan. Cold and rain. Yay. Not really; although we really do need the rain. Amara and I are wanting to plant some wild flowers this week too. If it does not rain all week that is! We are also doing a bit of spring cleaning in her room. Not all at once-she was overwhelmed with that suggestion! She cleaned off her cluttered dresser( she learned that bad habit from her parents), but she said she felt good inside to throw things away once and for all. Such wisdom for a 5 year old!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

2010-03-30T14:14:00.003-04:00

I called the doctor on Miles this past Thursday. It was really just to make sure I was handling everything in the correct manner. Happy to know that I have been. He has a condition. It's called Fecal Hoarding! (gross) No explanation is needed. The triage nurse assured me it was normal etc.
She also prescribed him a regimen of milk of magnesia, raisins, prunes (which Miles calls- big raisins) grapes, whole grains, yogurt, water and juice. I told her he eats all this stuff anyway(except juice-which he is LOVING!). So she told me to keep it up and then some and limit milk and bananas. Done.
We have had a bit of success so far. It's not been a week yet but have seen some action in Miles' #2 habits already. He still does not want to "go", but I think the MOM is kind of not giving him a choice. Well, he has not been taking 45 + minutes to give up the goods. It's more like 5-30 minutes. That's success in this house! We are getting somewhere. He has been staying dry for the most part..a few accidents here and there, but no consistent accidents.
Go Miles Go!

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution- At least my 5 year old learned something!

2010-03-28T10:49:00.004-04:00

Who has watched Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution ? Amara and I watched 2 DVR'd episodes yesterday ( yea, yea--there are some shows I allow her to watch even though it might be too much TV time. Don't judge me! ). So anyway..in a nutshell Jamie Oliver is a famous chef that likes to cook naturally. Natural ingredients, herbs, spices and the like. He is not big on "diets" per say- just natural foods that are not processed. He's a good guy. Amara really enjoyed watching kids her age learning about foods. She was beyond shocked when the 6 year olds ( she's 5) did not know their fruits and veggies by sight. One kid called a tomato a potato....at first I thought it was an honest mistake. Nope. He was totally guessing and was close, but really had no clue.
If you have not watched the show I urge you to tune in on TV tonight or catch it online.
So this leads me to our less than stellar week of eating. I won't get into the GORY details, because it is that bad, I am ashamed. For real. Ugh and gross.
Let's just say that when the kids and I went to pick up pizza for dinner last night Amara says
"Mom, when are we going to knock if off with the fast food" Oh boy. It was one of those moments when I was mildly irritated (probably slightly embarrassed that a 5 year old totally called me out), but I also knew she was right. I told her she was right and we would chill out soon. I could not even tell her we would be back to normal on Sunday, because we might not be. This is not the first time she has reminded us of our healthy lifestyle going bonkers. I am proud of her. It does not happen often that we have crap food more than once a week, but it does happen from time to time. We are human right?!?! I like to talk about leading a healthy lifestyle and for the majority of my days I do. I have my moments as many of us do. I am so glad that I (Matt too) are teaching the kids our healthy habits, but also not being perfect( rigid) all. the. time. So I guess this was a test for Amara ( yea right) Happy to say that she passed with flying colors !

Wordless Wednesday- Brother and Sister love!

2010-03-24T14:04:00.004-04:00

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

2010-03-22T13:40:00.003-04:00

Quick update here.
Miles wore under ware for a while yesterday and hopefully all day today ( minus sleeping time). We ventured to the YMCA as usual. I had his diaper bag with changes of clothes for when he had an accident. Well..drum roll please....he not only stayed dry for the 1.5 hours he was there, but he also told someone he had to use the potty--and then used it!! YAY!!!
We celebrated in the car with Altoids all around!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

2010-03-16T23:41:00.002-04:00

More progress. No #2 in the potty. Just in the Pull Up...during nap time or night time! I won't complain..I just want him to GO!
We have had almost 2 full days of dryness here! Yay Miles!! He has not gotten in the habit of telling us he has to go, but when we sit him on the potty..8/10 he goes!
That's all I got!

TV time!

2010-03-16T09:35:00.003-04:00

Ever since Miles told me all the names of all the characters on his cartoons I decided to severely limit the kids TV time. It was kind of a wake-up call of sorts. I thought I was limiting their TV time already. I took a step back and thought about it. It was a lot of TV watching. All the " here and there's" sure do add up to a lot of time. Amara would wake up before anybody and turn the TV on and might get 1 hour in before the rest of the house was up. When Miles got up it was only fair that he got to watch a show-or 2 before breakfast. So, by 8AM Amara should have been done watching TV for the day. They would both watch 1-2 more shows after school, depending on what I was doing ( cooking, cleaning or whatever). And then the hour before bed( Dora and Diego). Yep, that's way too much according to the experts. This does not include the ESPN that Matt used to turn on as soon as he came home from work. After all, adult shows don't count right?!?! Wrong! Any moving picture - cartoons, video games, computer shows, prime time TV etc. counts as TV time.
We now limit TV time. It was easier for Amara to understand. Miles on the other hand, well he is getting used to it now. The TV is set to the music station now so when Amara gets up in the morning she can still turn the TV on, but there are no moving pictures just music. I also have www.pandora.com on the computer now. We can listen to music for free while the kids eat and play. I use TV as a reward for Miles and his potty training at the moment. Because going #2 is such an issue these days- the kids can watch 1 (30 minute) show every time he goes #2 in the potty. This is about an every 3 day occurrence. The kids were able to watch a bit more TV during the Winter Olympics because it was the Olympics! I need to make sure I don't keep coming up with more excuses like that though just because I want to watch TV. If Amara is home and Miles is sleeping she and I might watch a show on The Food Network together every once in a while too. Matt has also stopped turning the TV on, so that helps immensely with limiting TV. I feel good about our decision. We LOVE music in our house and it is on more than it is not. The kids are always singing and dancing around and also make requests. We are reading a lot more and doing more crafty things ( I am not crafty at all, but I try). I like the fact that viewing a TV show is more special for the kids now instead of the norm if that makes sense. I am hoping we can stick with it. I think it will get even easier as the weather warms up and we can spend more time outside. So far, so good.

Operation Potty Train! Progress??

2010-03-12T13:43:00.005-05:00

Update on the boy and his potty.
He stays dry and clean for the most part! A few slip ups here and there, but that might be parent error ( not asking him or not being home etc.) I figured I would start off with the good news!
Now the not so good news. The #2 stuff. Not doing so hot there. The poor kid is still scared to go. We are not sure what to do! We have offered so many wonderful things too!! Scare tactics don't even work-- the ambulance is going to come and help him go. Nope--he called me on my bluff! The ambulance trick does work to get him to eat his veggies though........
I am still trying to be patient with him. I have had a few frustrated mommy moments, but all in all I am being laid back about it. I have heard way worse stories about potty training, so I still consider myself lucky!

Oh What A Night!

2010-03-05T22:27:00.003-05:00

This post is not so much about being healthy or anything. It's just a short recap of my night last night.
Matt and I went to a concert on Thursday night. We like to listen to up and coming bands and artists ( Mat Kearney is an example). We followed his music and still do, but we knew of him before he made it BIG! Anyway.... I have been told we (Matt too) are groupies. Whateva! We just like good music!!!!
One of the artists last night, Steve Moakler is a household favorite of ours and the kids as well. He only sang a few of his songs and Matt was able to record a few seconds of them on his phone to share with the kids. Steve did not sing Amara's favorite song "18" though. Matt took it upon himself to talk to Steve as he mingled with the fans. Steve offered to play it for us after the concert! He held true to his word. He found Matt and grabbed his acoustic guitar and lead us outside and sang his heart out! Our recording is not that great, but I really wish I would have recorded Amara's reaction as she watched the recording. She had tears of pure happiness. Steve worked her name into the song and also said her age in the song too. He was a good sport. It was a great experience and she will have this great memory forever and ever. We can't wait until the kids are older and can enjoy an indoor live show with us. If you care to listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aogZ1s2bu6s

Check him out on myspace and facebook! He is a great, young, up and comer!

News You Can Use. A Dose of the D!

2010-02-28T17:19:00.003-05:00

What?? are you surprised this is NOT about potty training? Me too.

This post is about Vitamin D. I have been reading and hearing a lot about this vitamin. I have had quite a few runner friends that have been low on the D- that's a shame because it is very very important for daily function! Without vitamin D the body cannot take up and use enough calcium as it should. We need calcium for healthy bones and teeth!

Study after study shows low levels of vitamin D is linked to nearly every health condition you can think of: heart disease, cancer, hypertension, obesity, depression and much more.

Who is the most at risk of vitamin D deficiency?? Exclusively breastfed babies--that's who? Seems strange if you ask me, but it's a fact. Even though breastfeeding is considered the ideal form of nourishment for infants, breast milk does not have enough concentrations of vitamin D.

As a vitamin found in many foods (eggs yolks, fish and fortified products)most kids don't get enough from foods alone. Here are some ways to ensure your kids ( and you!!) get enough vitamin D:

Incorporate vitamin D-rich foods: eggs and fortified foods like cow's milk, soy milk. rice milk, cereals and bread. Read the nutrition label for vitamin content as well. (400 IU/day is ideal).

Ask your doctor how mush fish is safe for your child to eat. Fish boasts vitamin D, some types of fish( shark, some tunas and swordfish) might have too much mercury. It's probably best not to eat more than 2 servings of lower-mercury fish a week such as catfish, salmon, shrimp, tilapia and clams.

Ask your doctor for a prescription for vitamin D drops after the birth of your baby. Breastfeeding is still the best way to nourish newborns and babies throughout at least the first 6 months. The drops just ensure that your baby is even healthier.

Go out and play! The sun offers lots of benefits and not just a burn! Just make sure to apply a broad spectrum sunscreen to your child even on cloudy days. The sun exposure will help their bodies produce vitamin D.

Establishing good habits in infancy and childhood will most likely carry over into adulthood. Making sure that your kids get 400 IU daily of vitamin D may help curb infections and fend off health problems such as osteoporosis, cancer and autoimmune diseases as an adult.

Good to know!

*info was gathered from an article in Family magazine. Article written by: Michael Wood M.D.*

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-24T14:14:00.002-05:00

~2 years ago (2/24/08)~

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

2010-02-23T12:49:00.003-05:00

I lost count on how many days it has been since the good old potty training has started. I am starting to go crazy. Yesterday was a long day. Miles did very, very well though. Lots of #1 and a nice #2 before bed. The #2 took while. Over an hour. Possibly 2, I forget. Lots of screaming and yelling ( him, not me..I swear) he told me he was scared. It broke my heart. So there I was hugging my son as he screamed in my ear the whole time. I ate my dinner on the floor next to him. I read books. All in the name of going #2....and he did it! No help from any meds either. Whew. I did not want him dependent on that. I know he was never constipated ( sorry if TMI, but this is about potty training!), he was just holding it in the whole time. His new reward is dinosaur fruit snacks. It might be a forbidden item in our house..so he is loving it! The M & M's and ice cream just were not enticing enough I guess. We are making progress over here. He kept himself dry for 2.5 hours today too! Go Miles Go!

Gnu Bar Giveaway!

2010-02-23T12:47:00.001-05:00

Go on over to my girl Tina's Blog A Tina Bit of Faith, Fitness and Fun for your chance at winning 7 GNU bars!

I love salsa, how bout you!??!

2010-02-21T11:50:00.003-05:00

I can (and do) eat it by the spoonful! I have caught Amara doing it as well...I can't tell her NOT to since I have no plans in stopping myself!

Head on over to EAT OXYGEN for a chance to win 3 jars of Don Sabrosa salsa. One flavor I am DYING to try is blueberries, peaches and honey. I don't even care for peaches at all, but this combo in salsa sounds awesome!
Go ahead and try your luck at winning 3 jars. I hope I win though!

Potty Talk-- of course!

2010-02-20T20:59:00.006-05:00

Not much good news to report on the Operation Potty!
You know it's not going so well when your 2 year old repeatedly tells you he does NOT want ice cream, M&M's, TV time or french fries ( yep, I had then waiting in the wings). Poor buddy. I hate to see him not doing his business. At this point I just want him to go( we are talking #2 here). I told him to go in his Pull-Up. I don't care...just go!!
I did allow him to sit and relax ( advice from my almost 70 yr. old dad. Gotta love him.) in front of the TV, no pressure, no potty talk while on his potty seat. I let him sit for almost an hour. In that hour he had to go 3 times, but held it in. That makes me sad. The kid is in obvious pain from holding back! The good news is that when he vacated the potty it was full of #1! We had a mini celebration because of that. No ice cream to his dismay, but 1 M&M is better than none!
Just wondering any opinions....
Go back to diapers?
Is he not ready?
Thanks!

Newman's Own Organic Giveaway!

2010-02-20T20:47:00.001-05:00

I wish this was my giveaway!
Such yummy things!
Check out Change of Pace Blog for your chance to win a LOAD of goodies!

Operation--Potty Party!!

2010-02-19T10:03:00.006-05:00

Well we had a bit of a celebration today! Miles went #2. It was not easy, but he still went!

Ice cream all around at 9:30 in the morning!! He even got to watch his favorite cartoon (Chuggington). This is a big deal in this house lately. For the past 3 weeks the kids are down to 1 hour of kid shows. There will be the occasional Food Network show on 1-2 days a week, but for the most part even Matt won't turn on ESPN as soon as he walks in the door. First thing in the morning either I turn on the TV to the Music Choice ( no videos, just music) or I turn the computer on and fire up Pandora.com and have Amara choose the music genre of the day. The kids do love their John Mayer radio station!

Back to the ice cream social....... Miles decided to even share some with his sister. How sweet!! He got 3 M&M's, 3 stickers and the strawberry ice cream on a cone! He is living it up and all before 10 AM. I hope he remembers all the goodies he gets. so the next time won't be so difficult

Operation Potty Train!

2010-02-18T12:48:00.003-05:00

I think Miles has had enough of the potty. He has not gone and it's already after 12 noon. He has made a few attempts, but no progress today. He informed me that he in fact " don't want any M & M's or stickers" uh oh. I am still trying to go with the flow ( or in this case-the lack of) with him. I don't want to get all pushy and annoying on him. I think I have done quite well with my behavior. I do tell him that is makes me sad that he won't try. He actually seems a bit concerned about this. His big sister is getting impatient with him. She won't even sit in the bathroom with him for more than 5 minutes anymore! She's got things to do!
I have not taken out his special present yet. I let him pick it out almost 6 weeks ago. I should get it out and have it on display so he can remember why it's important to go on the potty--for presents and snacks of course! he does not seem to care at all that pull ups are expensive!

Mohawk!

2010-02-17T20:54:00.003-05:00

Matt cut a mohawk for Miles!

Operation Potty Train!

2010-02-15T22:27:00.002-05:00

Well the weekend went OK. Well not really, but I am practicing having patience. I keep telling myself-" He's only 2!"
Miles was all about the potty on Friday. He went on it a lot all day and night.
Then came Saturday. The excitement died down a bit, but he gave it a good effort.
Sunday was a bust. I don't think he went in the potty at all. I don't know how many training pants I changed. ( I thought to go straight to under ware, but gave up on that super fast...as soon as he peed on me- I was done.)
Now it's Monday and it was only a little bit better than Sunday. I am a bit frustrated, but I feel I can't put him back in a diaper. Nope. I won't do it.
He tells me when he is ready to try. Yes, sometimes we only sit there for 30 seconds before he says " don't wanna go potty. Wanna get down."
So, we get down. We go downstairs. We go back upstairs when he says he wants to--yes--30 seconds later. He pretty much rules the Operation Potty as of right now. Oh well. We will see how the rest of the week goes before I do anything drastic. I don't even know what that means. Heeeeelp!

Operation Potty Train!

2010-02-12T18:31:00.002-05:00

Well...potty training has officially started. It was not really well thought out though. Miles asked to sit on the potty on Tuesday and after 45 minutes he produced some liquid! Party time! He was pretty proud of himself to say the least. His sister was especially proud of him too--she is such a little mother!! I think we will just try to go with the flow ( no pun intended). He was all about it up until yesterday, but he still got it done. Today I tried to put him in under ware and that lasted a good 45 minutes until he climbed up on my lap and went with the flow (pun intended this time). I did use his last diaper and will try my hardest not to go back to diapers. These dang training pants are not cheap though so I hope he gets the hang of this sooner than later! Patience, patience, patience! I think I do really well. I hope so. I know he is just a little guy

After his nap today I had him on the potty for at least 15 minutes ( usually longer) and then we would take a 10-15 minute break. He would go (#1) almost every time. He tried to go #2 and then freaked out.....I was hoping that would not happen. We will get through this!!

I snapped this picture with my cell phone of him a few days ago. He was actually happy, but from the looks of this picture-not so much!

________________________

I had to come back and write more.....I was just got back from sitting with Miles for 45 minutes! He went potty. He did great.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-10T16:39:00.002-05:00

SNOW DAY!

Vegetables??? No thanks!

2010-02-01T23:09:00.007-05:00

Why do kids stop eating their veggies?? Both of my children were great veggie eaters as babies. Not so much anymore. Amara is 5 and will eat: salad, carrots, broccoli, green beans and fresh asparagus. I won't complain, but I wish she would eat a better variety. It's offered and it's a struggle. I choose to pick my battles. At least she is eating the other ones well.

Miles on the other hand will eat: green beans. Yup. That's it. And it's not easy either. I have to bribe him almost every time too. He's bribed with a spoonful of peanut butter or a bowl of blueberries! (at least its not candy anymore). I try to pick my battles with him as well, but I want him to EAT his veggies. He used to be a champ at eating the broccoli-not so much anymore. Ugh. I have tried to hide them in casseroles and all the usual places, but Miles is not into foods like that. He's not into a conglomerate of foods. Just plain. A sandwich he can disassemble and eat. A bowl of apples sauce. A tray of green beans. He likes it plain and simple. He does not eat what the rest of of eats for dinner. I am fine with making him a PB sandwich and yogurt and fruit with a side of green beans! I basically give him what he asks for or what I know he will eat ( pick my battles). I still want him to eat a variety of vegetables though. Fruit is no problem. I am sure he goes well over the RDA everyday-no doubt.

Any advise would be much appreciated!

NuGo Bar Review

2010-01-27T16:36:00.006-05:00

I love nutrition bars. I was very happy to be able to get a few NuGo Nutrition to Go bars in the mail!!

**Our mission at NuGo is pretty simple: To help people make better snack choices without compromising on flavor. We never use hydrogenated oils or trans fats in our products and, unlike our competitors, we never use waxy vegetable fat compounds in place of real, delicious chocolate. At NuGo, we’re different. We care about you and your family, and we believe in the benefits of real, delicious, chocolate. That’s why we use only all natural, top quality ingredients like real milk chocolate and antioxidant-rich real dark chocolate to make our bars the best tasting, healthiest options available.**

I was able to sample 5 different NuGo bars:

Vanilla Yogurt--my 2 kids loved this one!

Chocolate--11g protein

Peanut Butter Chocolate--only 3g fat and 100% natural

Chocolate Chocolate Chip (dark chocolate)--my favorite and dairy free

Chocolate Banana-- my least fave of the bunch- my guess is because I don't like bananas! 17g protein and low fat! My 2 year old was a BIG fan.

With so many varieties to choose from there is something for everyone!

There are a lot of types/categories of NuGo bars too:

NuGo Family-- Low Glycemic

NuGo Organic--USDA Certified Organic

NuGo Dark--Real Delicious Dark Chocolate

Gluten Free--Soy, Wheat and Dairy Free

KeriBar--Fruit and Fiber

Smarte Carb--Sugar Free

I highly recommend these bars. They offer great variety with all natural ingredients that are sure to fit in your lifestyle. You can pop on over to the website to find out where you can purchase these bars or place an online order anytime of the day or night!

Operation Potty Train!

2010-01-26T07:16:00.005-05:00

OK, so this is more of a question then advice( advice for me) entry.
My son just turned 2 in October. A lot of people think that it's too soon to start. I am not convinced though. I know every ones experience is different. I just don't want to start and then stop and then start again! I urged my good friend to potty train her son this early and it was done in a weekend. He was the same age as Miles is now.
I wanted to start almost 3 weeks ago,but Miles had a fever and a cold so I figured I would wait until he was better. Now he has been having pooping issues-so I figured why start now when going #2 can sometimes be the most difficult part of training?? It would be like setting him up to fail!
The strategy I told my friend to use was full immersion potty training! She used no training pants ( Pull-Ups), just under ware. He understood that the diapers were GONE and were not coming back. He had lots of accidents of course, but then something clicked and he was using the potty like a pro by Sunday night! I ~~wanted~~ want to do this, but with my work schedule it seems almost impossible if I want to start it on a Friday. I wonder if I can think up anymore excuses??? Probably, just give me a few more minutes.....
Amara was potty trained by 27 months of age. I know the rumor is that girls are easier, but I want him on the potty NOW! He seems very interested in the Diego underpants, the Cars potty seat, the "potty prize" he picked out ( a truck of course), and the reward stickers as well.
I am still wanting to go ahead with this as soon as this pack of diapers is gone and hoping that it will be on a weekend.
Any advice or tips would be much appreciated!! I have read and reread loads of info and am still not sure what to do!

You're in Charge ( Finally--a TRUTH!)

2010-01-22T08:41:00.004-05:00

Being in charge for some is easier said than done. You still question yourself, your motives and actions everyday. You might fall into all the MYTHS of this series on occasion as well. It's OK to make mistakes, fall off the wagon and have minor lapses in judgement. Just do your best to get back at what you know is the correct path for yourself as soon as you can. No body's perfect.

It's time to give yourself a wider path of flexibility that you can stay on forever. Allow yourself the flexibility to make any decision as long as you consider the advantages and disadvantages of your choices and always keep self-care in mind.

You are in charge of your body. You only have one. Please take care of it!

Carbs are BAD ( oh, and so is fat)

2010-01-21T14:30:00.003-05:00

The whole " good food-bad food" thinking makes certain foods special. As a result you might feel deprived and think about then all.the.time. Not such a good thing if you ask me! Worse yet, healthy foods could even become a 4 letter word for you now.
The truth is all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle. Since different foods have various nutritional qualities and calorie content you can use the principals of balance ( what, the what?), variety and moderation ( what a concept) to guide you without trying to restrict an entire food group.

I agree with this. I also know my body well and know what it reacts to well and what it does not. Dairy for instance. When I did the 10 day cleanse ( which I will be doing again starting Monday), it took out all dairy for those 10 days. What a difference! Less bloat and puffiness. I am sure it was the culprit too. I was eating cottage cheese up to 3 times a day and low fat cheese almost everyday. I still eat these things, but only a few times a week now. I get my calcium in other forms of food (broccoli, nuts, spinach, soy milk, and various beans).

Eat a Target Amount of Calories Every Day

2010-01-20T13:59:00.002-05:00

Does it make sense that you would need the exact same amount of fuel every day?? (nope)
Aren't there days when you are hungrier than others due to hormones, activity levels or just because?? (yep)
Rather then setting yourself up to "cheat" on those hungry days and forcing yourself to eat more food than you want on your less hungry days, allow yourself the flexibility to adjust food intake base on your actual needs, rather then an arbitrary number!

Exercise More When You "Cheat"

2010-01-16T15:10:00.004-05:00

I think we are all guilty of this MYTH! How many times have you "cheated" on your lifestyle ( ie: diet. I just hate that word) and in return tacked on an extra 10, 15, 30 minutes or more of exercise to "offset" the damage?

This myth causes many of us ( yes YOU) to equate physical activity with punishment for eating. This is why many people hate to exercise in the first place. They see it as a negative and not a positive thing. They might use exercise to earn the right to eat as well. This is not a very good mind set to have.

Although your weight is determined by your overall calories in versus your calories out, exercise is only part of that equation. Exercise has many faces of benefits. Try to sees exercise for good and not evil. Put the focus on how great you feel, upped energy levels, more restful sleep and how much healthier overall you are becoming. Wouldn't you rather do something good for your body because of how it makes you feel (GREAT) instead of because you feel forced to do it?!?

I would and I do!!

Eat Small Meals Every Three Hours

2010-01-15T05:20:00.001-05:00

I am guilty as charged with doing this when I am "on track". This MYTH is based on the fact that there are many thin people that eat frequent, small meals. However, most of the thin people probably aren't looking at their watch all the time-they in fact wait for their body to tell them when to eat. They eat when their body tells them to and not rely on the clock. They eat when they are hungry and stop when they are satisfied ( not stuffed!) Since that tends to be a small meal; naturally they are hungry in about 3 hours after that meal.

The whole 3 hour rule is not always convenient for me. If I know it will be near impossible for me to eat in that time frame I might either bring a small snack or eat a bigger meal! In all honesty the 3 hour rule usually works well for me. And when I am doing that on a regular basis my body does tell me when it's time to eat and it's usually in the 3 hour range. While I don't disagree with this myth, I do know what works for me. I better, it has taken me years to finally figure it out!

Don't Let Yourself Get Hungry

2010-01-14T06:55:00.004-05:00

This myth is based on the assumption that overweight people are not capable of controlling themselves when they are hungry. It's not so much about control as it is knowing the difference between physical hunger and head hunger. There is a big difference. The explanations are easy, but for some figuring out which one they are experiencing can sometimes be difficult. Physical hunger is when your body really needs sustenance. It's ready to be fed. You might get light headed, your belly might rumble or your blood sugar might even drop. You physically are ready to eat. Head hunger is not the same. You might see/smell something delicious that you think you need to eat RIGHT NOW! Or you put yourself on a time table of when you have to eat ( this myth will be discussed tomorrow). It's all in your head. Something might trigger your body to make it want to eat--not need to eat. Triggers were talked about in yesterdays myth.

When you really listen to your body and are in fact hungry-food is more satisfying and tastes better. If you're not hungry when you start eating, what's going to tell you to stop? You do need to recognize hunger and make sure you make time to eat before you are too hungry though. We all know the bad choices that can be made when we are starving!

Don't eat after 7 PM

2010-01-13T07:12:00.003-05:00

Have you ever heard someone say that before?? As if it's OK to stuff your face all day long, but if you stop after 7 PM the too many calories you inhaled from 7 AM until 6:59 PM don't count!

MYTH!

For the next 6 days I will highlight a long standing myth a lot of us have heard and a lot more of us have actually fallen for when it comes to dieting. I will admit that many years ago I was told not to eat anything after a certain time of day. I lasted probably 3 days!

The above myth is exactly that. A lie! It's based on the observation ( not fact) that people that struggle with their weight overeat in the evening. Your metabolism does not automatically turn off at 7:01 PM. That would be cool though. Dinner is usually over and done with before 7 PM, so the majority of us are not eating because we are truly hungry. It's done mostly because of the main triggers- boredom, loneliness and its TV watching time--mindless eating.

It's probably a better idea to ask yourself "Am I hungry?" whenever you feel like eating in the evening. If you are then EAT! Just keep in mind that your day is coming to an end and you most likely don't need another full or heavy meal to satisfy your hunger.

If you ask yourself that question and the answer is no try to consider why you feel like eating ( IE: the triggers) and do your best to come up with an alternative activity.

Some suggestions:

Go for a walk

Chew sugar-free gum

Do a cross word

Call a friend

Organize something

Let me know if you have fallen for the Don't eat after 7 PM myth.

Resolutions.............what are yours?

2010-01-12T09:51:00.000-05:00

As always, I am fashionably late to the party this year! I still have not made any resolutions to speak of. I usually don't, but I at least usually have a goal or 5 I would like to accomplish by year's end. They are normally always sports related- ie: race times, mile times, distance etc.

I think I will keep those to myself and then just share what my goal is at the time nears.

Soooooo, there are a lot of things I would like to do this year, but I am not sure I would consider them a resolution. I want to be more organized. I want to give the house the best cleaning ever and then maintain it (ha!). I want to get both kids started on a foreign language. I want , I want I want!!! As you can see I am all over the place as usual. I will narrow things down at some point. It might not even be this month, but it will happen.

I am curious as to what YOUR resolutions/goals are this time around. Are they realistic? Did you come up with a game plan to make them happen and have you fallen off the bumpy resolution wagon yet?? Please share!

Thanks and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-12T07:38:00.003-05:00

So I am a tad late on this. I was never one to follow the crowd!! Actually, I have just been busy trying to get back into the swing of life. Amara was off of school for a whole week! I am just not used to having her home all day anymore. I know, her being gone 3 ish hours a day is not a big deal, but I had my routine down and it was pleasantly disrupted. We had a good time too. Lots of longer trips to the gym where were both could play. We made a cake on the last day of her vacation ( Santa got her a Girl Gourmet oven--pretty much an Easy Bake Oven-but endorsed by the dude on Ace of Cakes from the Food Network). She asked at least 6 times a day to make that cake. It actually has fondant. It was nice, but the finished product could fit in her hand. She's 5. It was tiny. She gave it to my husband as a late Christmas present. She is so sweet, but let me know that the next cake will be hers. I think her little brother enjoyed having her home all day as well. Yes, they fight, but he loves her a lot and likes to do everything she does. He says everything she says etc. It's hilarious.

Wordless Wednesday (sort of)

2009-12-30T12:15:00.004-05:00

Where are the kids?!?!

Matt and I were laughing so hard when we saw these pics of the kids displaying their Christmas gifts.

YouBar Giveaway WINNER!

2009-12-28T07:39:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to

comment # 37

bettycd

Please email within 48 hours to receive your Gift Certificate!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-23T12:00:00.002-05:00

YouBar Review and Giveaway!

2009-12-22T05:31:00.001-05:00

*Design your own custom energy bar perfectly tailored to your personal taste and nutritional needs. Our Build-a-Bar page allows you to design anything from High protein low carb energy bars to gluten free protein bars. Each customized nutrition bar is handmade and Guaranteed Delicious. Build your own custom protein bar today! *
I was given the opportunity to sample several of YouBar products:
YouBar Breakfast Bar- What's not to love about this bar?!?! It was delicious. The Breakfast Bar combines coffee, cocoa and cinnamon for a mouth watering way to wake up. The Breakfast Bar gives you a convenient, delicious order of cholesterol-free egg whites, fruit and coffee.
YouTrailMix- Chocolate Peanut: Had lots of yumminess.. dark chocolate covered raisins, raisins, oat cereal, peanuts and more
YouTrailMix- Almond Drops: Good stuff here... chocolate candies, oat bran sesame sticks, organic figs, almonds and pistachio nuts!! What a great combo if ya ask me!!
YouShake-Blended Bliss: combines organic strawberries, organic bananas and organic vanilla for a mouth watering shake.
Vanilla Dream: My favorite shakes are always vanilla..and this shake was fantastic! It gives you a wonderfully creamy vanilla shake that combines the benefits of soy protein with pure organic vanilla extract.
Joel from You Bar was kind enough to offer my blog readers 5% off an order. Just use this coupon code at checkout: HLABLOG
That's not all though....One lucky reader will win a gift certificate to use on the YouBar site!
It's easy to enter, the hard part will be deciding what to order! Don't forget to check out the YouCookie products too!!

· MAIN RULE (this must be followed or no other entries will count!) Log onto the YouBar website and tell me 3 ingredients you would include in your YouBar

· 1 extra entry- subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know that you already have) in a separate comment.
· 2 extra entries-Sign up to follow my blog.
· 2 extra entries- Write a post in your blog linking to my blog
· 2 extra entries- Write a post in your blog linking to the YouBar
· 1 extra entry-Follow me on Twitter.
· 1 extra entry-Tweet about this giveaway (be sure to include the link in your comment so I can check!)

……. Please be sure to separate your entries in the comment box.*
This giveaway will run through 11:59pm of December 27th and the winner will be announced by the afternoon of December 28th. The winner will be chosen by using Random.org from all valid entries and will be contacted via email. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me before they forfeit their prize. Giveaway is open to US residents only.

Pedometers and Kids!

2009-12-20T15:10:00.003-05:00

My daughter was recently given a pedometer as a gift. After learning what it was for she was very excited to try it out. The first day she put in almost 5000 steps! Not bad for a 5 year old...or so I thought! ( personally, I think it's GREAT!) I looked up a few sites on the Internet about kids and pedometers.

*Studies showed that for 6–12 year olds, girls needed 12,000 steps/day and boys needed 15,000 steps/day to stay in a healthy Body Mass Index - BMI. The study reviewed research of almost 2000 children in the USA, Australia, and Sweden. The study was published in the June, 2004 "Preventative Medicine" by Catrine Tudor-Locke Ph.D. and associates.* click here for full article.

I know Amara is 5 so the study does not necessarily included her, but still! It took her quite a few trips up and down the steps with 10 jumping jacks thrown in each time to get over 5,000 steps! This was with her being active in the morning, at school playing inside and out and also being active at home. Whew!

A study put out by the same Catrine mentioned above came out with this pedometer walking guide:

Classification of pedometer-determined physical activity in healthy adults:

1) Under 5000 steps/day may be used as a "sedentary lifestyle index"

2) 5,000-7,499 steps/day is typical of daily activity excluding sports/exercise and might be considered "low active."

3) 7,500-9,999 likely includes some exercise or walking (and/or a job that requires more walking) and might be considered "somewhat active."

4) 10,000 steps/day indicates the point that should be used to classify individuals as "active".

5) Individuals who take more than 12,500 steps/day are likely to be classified as "highly active".

I think that giving a pedometer to a little person is a great idea. They can see the numbers immediately ( although you might get a little annoyed when your child asks you every 3 minutes how many steps now!?!? ). Giving them goals to reach is a fun way get their bodies moving. Amara really liked it when I suggested doing jumping jacks when she reached the top of the stairs. She decided to do them when she reached the bottom as well. I caught her doing them the next day as well without my suggestion. Her new goal is 6000 steps! I have no doubt she will make it either.

Element Bar Review

2009-12-16T05:22:00.002-05:00

*Our made-to-order energy bars are chock full of tasty, whole ingredients and nothing you can't pronounce. Guaranteed to put fuel in your tank and keep you smiling.*

I was lucky enough to be sent the great tasting Crispy Cranberry Element Bar from Jonathan Miller; President of the company. This bar was fantastic! With ingredients that include organic apricots, peanut butter, sea salt and cranberries-- how could you go wrong?!?! The bar was moist and delicious!

*All-Natural, The Way You Like It
At Element Bars, we invite you to pick and choose the elements (or ingredients) that you want (or don't want) in your nutrition bar. We want to make nutrition personal again by letting you customize your bars to your liking. We are also committed to using unprocessed or minimally processed elements for your bars, in order to retain the maximal nutrition for you. *

I love what this company stands for in terms of healthy living and using such great high quality ingredients. You can build your own bars using anything you want or you can choose one of Element Bars custom made bars and you can even make changes to those!

The steps are easy to follow and you even get a nutrition label that updates as you add ingredients. Such a cool thing to watch: look here

I am looking forward to creating my own bars in the near future. I have so many ideas going on in my head as I type!

Take a look around the site and start building your custom bar today!

I highly recommend this product!

Stevia Extract In the Raw Review and Giveaway WINNER

2009-12-15T21:15:00.001-05:00

Arla is the winner! ( comment #27)

Please contact me to receive your prize~

Congratulations!!

Stevia Extract In the Raw Review and Giveaway

2009-12-07T05:35:00.005-05:00

*Stevia Extract In The Raw gets its delicious, natural sweetness from Rebiana (aka Reb-A) — an extract from the Stevia plant. This extract is the sweetest part of the plant and has recently been isolated to provide pure sweetening power without the licorice-like aftertaste that many of our predecessors exhibited. All you get is the sweet flavor without any calories. Unlike some of our competitors, Stevia Extract In The Raw does not use additional sweeteners such as erythritol (Truvia™) and isomaltulose and erythritol (PureVia™) to mask the natural sweetness of Reb-A Stevia Extract. The high purity level of our product eliminates any of the licorice-like aftertaste associated with less pure Stevia products currently in the market.

I love Stevia Extract In The Raw! I love the fact that it has zero calories and sweetens anything I want just as well ( if not better) than cane sugar. I really love this brand because it does not have an aftertaste as other stevia's do. I am a big tea drinker. I love the taste of a good flavored herbal tea, but must admit that I need it to be sweet. I have the biggest sweet tooth known to man-kind. I probably would not have 3-4 cups of tea a day if I did not use stevia. I would not be able to justify using a tablespoon of sugar up to four times a day! So glad I came across Stevia Extract In The Raw. It's sweeter than cane sugar so keep that in mind when adding it to your coffee or tea. I like mine extra sweet so this is not a problem for me. There is also a very handy chart on the website for further guidance.

A big THANK YOU to Keith; VP form Stevia Extract In The Raw for sharing this awesome product with me and and with you too!

For your chance to win a box of 50 packets of Stevia Extract In The Raw please follow these simple rules. The first rule must be followed in order to win!!

Tell me how you would use Stevia Extract In The Raw in your lifestyle.

For more chances to win:

Follow my Blog or tell me that you already do.

Subscribe to my RSS feed/ or let me know that you already are.

Go to Stevia Extract In The Raw website and choose a recipe you would like to try using the product.

Follow me on Twitter (sidebar access)

Tweet about this giveaway ( 1x/day)

Blog about this giveaway linking my blog and Stevia Extract In The Raw website and link back

**You have quite a few chances! This giveaway will run through 11:59pm of Dec. 14th and the winner will be announced by the afternoon of Dec. 15th. The winner will be chosen by using Random.org from all valid entries and will be contacted via email. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me before they forfeit their prize. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Good luck!

News You Can Use....Raisins for energy

2009-11-28T14:45:00.004-05:00

High energy gels are very popular as pre-exercise energy boosters. The products are high in simple carbs, convenient and fit easily in a gym bag or pocket. They are also expensive! I use them when I run and they range from $1.29- $1.59 depending on the brand or any sales. This can add up quickly when I start running higher mileage and need more fuel. A San Diego State University study showed that raisins had the same effect as an energy gel for increasing blood sugar and preventing fatigue during endurance exercise.
No difference between the comparison of the gels and raisins existed in the performance test, blood sugar, insulin, lactate or blood fats. Raisins are an inexpensive pre-exercise carbohydrate source and work as well as commercial gel-packs.
I have yet to try this out, but i might! I am so used to doing what I do ( gels and sport beans) that I am not sure I am ready to let go of my already formed habits.
I thought it was an interesting study nonetheless!

Wordless Wednesday (kind of)

2009-11-25T08:21:00.005-05:00

I I have been slacking on my pictures as of late. I need to get on the ball. So I snapped these pictures this morning of the kids as they ate breakfast.

Miles has his bowl of oatmeal and grapes. Notice his raincoat bib as my older brother calls it! He was in a good mood this morning (whew). Amara was trying to keep her eyes wide for when the flash went off. Ha! I think it was a trick she learned while watching America's Next Top Model- although she can't watch it anymore!

Thanksgiving Sharing Feast

2009-11-24T07:52:00.006-05:00

Amara had her Thanksgiving Sharing Feast yesterday in kindergarten. The kids were instructed to bring a snack plate to school to share with the class. They made pilgrim hats, finger puppets and place mats to celebrate. She had been excited all last week about this celebration.

During her Halloween Celebration back in October she really indulged on all of the goodies offered. She admitted to having 2 cookies, 2 cupcakes and lots of candy and juice. I asked her if she thought she maybe had too much junk food and her response was " well what did you expect? It's a celebration!!" Oh, well excuse me 5 year old. I mean she did have a point! I just know that we limit the junk in our house and I hate to think of her not having any self control when the decision is all hers. That's the image I had in my head. I left it alone. The next morning her stomach was not in the best shape. She guessed right away the reason for this...The Halloween Celebration was to blame! She actually mentioned she knew why her tummy was not feeling so well. I am glad she figured it out on her own.

So anyway this brings us back to yesterday's feast. I do my grocery shopping on Sunday and of course I forgot to purchase her snack to pass. I had to go back later that night. I let Amara pick the snack. I totally expected her to say cookies or something of that nature ( and I was going to obey!) To my surprise she asked for TLC Kashi Crackers to pass. Umm...ok...Yay! I was very happy that she choose a healthy snack all on her own without me suggesting it. She was actually excited to be sharing a healthy snack with her friends and teacher. She mentioned that she heard the other kids discussing the kinds of cookies and candy they were bringing in and thought that a healthy treat needed to be added.

After school she was eager to tell me what she had at her feast. She had 1 cupcake, 1 cookie, Kashi crackers, popcorn with no butter ( she was quick to point out that this was healthier than the kind with butter), and cheese cubes. Not too bad if I do say so myself. Very proud of her and of myself (I guess) for not making it an issue before the feast! I guess she actually does pay attention to her parents! Good to know....

Pillsbury Simply Cookies Review

2009-11-23T20:57:00.005-05:00

Yum! I love baked goods! I was out shopping the other day and came across these pre made cookies from Pillsbury. I bought the Chocolate Chip package. They were on sale for $1.99 I think normally $2.50 for 12 cookies.
Pillsbury® simply...™ Cookies
Made with just the simple, wholesome ingredients you and your family know and love. This peanut butter cookie dough is made just like you would make at home: same ingredients, same process, and same joy in every bite. Simply pop in the oven and enjoy!

*0g trans fat
no high fructose corn syrup
no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives

We use the same ingredients you use! Some of the wholesome ingredients in simply...™ cookies include:
wheat flour
brown sugar
water
eggs
baking powder
salt
pure vanilla extract
all natural semisweet chocolate chips
peanut butter
sugar
skim milk

I am not saying that these cookies are healthy by any stretch of the imagination! BUT..if you want to indulge in some good cookies every now and then I would for sure get these. There is not as much "bad stuff" in them as Pillsbury or the other brands pre mixed cookies. I am not a cookie expert, but I did not see a difference at all in the cookies pre made with the "bad stuff"

They also make a Peanut Butter kind that I will be getting next. I love cookies!!

Raising a healthy family in a drive thru world

Giveaway!

Hello?? Is anybody there?!?!

Wordless Wednesday

Kid's Marathon Recap

Still here....

Happy Birthday boys!

Crock Pot Saturday!

Just stuff....

Wordless Wednesday

Break.......carpal tunnel and kid updates!

Wordless Wednesday

30 Days of Self Love

Break.......

30 Days of Self Love--Gifts of the Body 2 ( Day 9)

30 Days of Self Love--Perfection ( Day 8)

Wordless Wednesday

30 Days of Self Love--Perspective ( Day 7)

30 Days of Self Love--Love From Others ( Day 5)

30 Days of Self Love--So We Idolize Our Bodies (Day 6)

30 Days of Self Love--Trusting Your Body ( Day 4)

30 Days of Self Love--Intrinsic Beauty ( Day 3)

30 Days of Self Love--Gifts of the Body ( Day 2)

30 Days of Self Love--self Confidence ( Day 1)

Operation Potty Train!

Three Things Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

Three Things Thursday

Better Oats Oatmeal Review

Winner Winner- turkey dinner!

Boring food.

Three Things Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

Treats for the kids- a review ( kind of)

Three Things Thursday

O.N.E. Coconut Water Review

Wordless Wednesday (kind of)

Tree Hut Hawaiian Kukui REVIEW

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

Wordless Wednesday (kind of)

Wordless Wednesday

1 Mile Fun Run

Another tooth lost and also some braggin!

Toothless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

The "Dirty" Dozen

Wordless Wednesday-- Can you guess how old I am???

Birthday Perfection

News you can use *How to save a life.....*

Happy Mother's Day

Kid Updates............

More veggies please!!!

Boring Blog. Date night. Goals for the summer.

Wordless Wednesday (kind of)

Operation Potty Train!

Spring Break!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution- At least my 5 year old learned something!

Wordless Wednesday- Brother and Sister love!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

TV time!

Operation Potty Train! Progress??

Oh What A Night!

News You Can Use. A Dose of the D!

Wordless Wednesday

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

Gnu Bar Giveaway!

I love salsa, how bout you!??!

Potty Talk-- of course!

Newman's Own Organic Giveaway!

Operation--Potty Party!!

Operation Potty Train!

Mohawk!

Operation Potty Train!

Operation Potty Train!

Wordless Wednesday

Vegetables??? No thanks!

NuGo Bar Review

Operation Potty Train!

News you can use How to save a life.....