Week #2- Holiday Fit Challenge with Preggercise

Short and sweet today, go get your weekly workouts for the Holiday Fit Challenge with Preggercise here.

Silver white winters that melt into spring...

...these are a few of my favorite things, continues. Day 1 is here, Day 2 is here, Day 3 is here and Day 4 is here if you missed them.

Today is Black Friday and I'm sure many of you are out shopping. I'm glad you are because it is SO not my style. I don't love to shop in general and really don't like crowds (or grumpy people in them ;) ) so I prefer to hang here at the house.

I taught spin this morning and took the girls to the park. Now it is nap time for the girls and I'm finally getting to eat lunch before I go back to some housework. 

Let it be known that college football is on right now, that means it will be on 2 days in a row. This.is. awesome.

Anyway, back to Day 5 of my Favorite things!

So, today being that we are in full fledged ick season I am going to share my favorite Hand Sanitizer. I just read this article about Antibiotic Resistance (here). It was talking about how we have superbugs that are virtually untreatable because they are antibiotic resistant because we use antibiotics so often. Scary stuff. I don't want to think about a world where we can't treat someone with antibiotics, because even though I like to go the natural route, there is definitely a time and a place for antibiotics!

My favorite is Thieves Hand Sanitizer! You can buy it ($5 for one or in a 3 pack, but a little goes a long way). I make mine, because it is super easy and affordable and I already have Thieves oil in the house anyway! I also make Homemade Thieves foaming hand soap too! If you want the recipe I am happy to share ;)

I know that everyone wants to keep the ick away and this is my favorite way to do it, bonus, it smells like Christmas.

Enjoy your Black Friday everyone!

Brown paper packages tied up with string.....

.....these are a few of my favorite things, continues .Day 1 is here, Day 2 is here  and Day 3 is here if you missed them.

Today I'm going to give you a 2 for 1 because, well, I'm kind of a lip balm junkie. And I can't choose one favorite!

Up first Vaseline Lip Therapy in Rosy- I LOVE this stuff. It has a nice pinky hue when you put it on and is thick so a little goes a long way. I love that it is an easy way to dress up my lips quickly and it smells awesome. Like ROSES (hence the name ;) ), who doesn't like to smell like roses? Something else awesome? It is less than $2, I pick mine up at Target, but it can be found at pretty much any drugstore, this makes a great stocking stuffer for your favorite lip balm junky!

Up next is my other favorite lip balm. Young Living Grapefruit Lip Balm. I love it's fresh, invigorating smell and its light silky smooth feel. I keep one of these in my purse at all times! Coming in at $4.25 it is another great stocking stuffer idea, or you can get a trio (including Cinnamint and Lavender, which I also love) for $11.50 and split them up for multiple people. 

There you have it, confessions of a lip balm junkie and what she keeps with her at all times! Have a great day and enjoy your Thanksgiving!

A Healthy and Whole30 "dessert"

So we are coming up on that time of year where there are yummy treats all over the place. On top of that we are a little more stressed and are probably sleeping a little less, which is a recipe for disaster for our bodies.

While doing the Whole30 in October, I realized that when I am tired I crave sugar. We typically are good about getting to sleep at a decent hour, but I still have an infant who wakes up 1x a night and well, we have life too. So, yeah at night sometimes I am tired.

I found that making this "dessert", yeah I'm using that term loosely, was really helpful. It was satisfying and just slightly sweet.

The original recipe from ( here ) has a non Whole30 option, but I never made that. I did adjust the recipe slightly and never made it into cookie dough balls, I just ate it straight from the bowl!


Healthy Cookie Dough
2 handfuls Raw Cashews (or Almonds, if that is your thing)
1 Ripe Banana
1/2 Can Pumpkin Puree
Pumpkin Pie Spice  ( to taste)
1 Handful Coconut chips (unsweetened, shredded or desiccated also works)
2-3 Tbsp Coconut Milk (add more if needed to process)

Put all ingredients in a food processor, process until it turns into a "cookie dough" or "thick pudding" consistency. It isn't going to be completely smooth, but that is ok!

Then grab a spoon and enjoy! This is one serving but I couldn't eat all of it, because it is super filling.

This is a great way to enjoy a treat, without killing your diet. Remember, enjoy the holidays with your friends and family, enjoy your treats in moderation and stick to your healthy diet the rest of the time. Life is to be enjoyed!

Stay in Shape this Holiday season!

Ok, we all know that this time of year is a little hard time-wise and motivation wise to keep our workouts going.

What if it was only about 30 min a day and someone told you what to do?
What if it was Free?

Would you do it then, you should!

Head on over here to the Preggercise Blog for the 2nd Annual Holiday Fit Challenge. Lindsey is a personal trainer and is doing this for free. Bonus: There will be Prizes! You don't have to be pregnant, have a kid, or even want to have kids to join in.

So here is the link again http://www.preggercise.com/blog go check it out.

Make time for yourself! You will feel better, your clothes will fit better and you can still eat some of those yummy holiday treats (in moderation, of course).

Like her page on FB to get all of the workout updates into your feed, so you don't miss any Preggercise FB

I'm also going to be posting a yummy, healthy, Whole30 (paleo too) dessert this week for when you need something sweet but don't want to cheat.

seriously?

is it just me, or do you just have a time where you keep trying to do something and it just is NOT going right and all you can say is ‪#‎seriously‬? That was me last night trying to go to bed.

I filled up my diffuser for bed.

Then I turned on the baby monitor. Which by the way, I hate, loathe, whatever, it makes me want to kick it across the room. It has to be in JUST the PERFECT spot, or it beeps incessantly (hence me wanting to punt it, far, far away).

So in my attempt to silence the never ending beeping, I pick it up to move it (it was plugged into the same outlet as the diffuser) and the cord was next to the diffuser and spills the diffuser on the floor. Strike 1. I turn off the ridiculous monitor and go refill the diffuser. Note red arrow where spill #1 occurred.

Bring it back and start over, turn on the diffuser, go to turn on baby monitor, beeping begins, as I'm moving it, I spill it AGAIN, seriously? Strike 2. Note yellow arrow where spill #2 occurred.

Now, I get a little smarter and plug the monitor in next to the closet. Refill the diffuser AGAIN (the 3rd time, 3rd times a charm right?). Turn on diffuser on the only dry part of the carpet (blue arrow).

Turn on baby monitor that I have somehow managed to not throw through a window and the only place that it won't beep like someone sending an SOS over and over again is IN our closet. because that make sense, right? (black arrow)

If you made it through all that, you deserve a cookie, or a turn punting my baby monitor. ;)

just #reallife here people.

What is your #seriously moment?

Raindrops on roses ....

.....these are a few of my favorite things, continues! Day 1 is here and Day 2 is here if you missed them.

We all know how much I love to clean ( a reminder, here )....

about this much.....

I have a feeling it isn't JUST at my house.

But, I digress. That cleaning chart that I made up and referenced above, it has been working out relaly well, I'm still sticking to it (which let me tell you is much longer than any other chart I have tried before) and the house is staying more clean which makes everyone happier.

A few years ago after quite a bit of sickness in our families (lots of cancer :( ) my husband and I decided to do things more naturally at home. That has happened in a lot of different ways. One of them is cleaning products.

My favorite, natural cleaner is what we are spotlighting today. I use it on ev.er.y.thing. Mirrors, windows, bathrooms, floors, kitchen, you name it, I use it there! It is natural, so I am comfortable with our whole family being around it *Hannah loves to help clean, so I'm good with her using it* and BONUS: It smells like CHRISTMAS! I mean, if you have to clean, at least it can smell good right? And it doesn't smell good from a bunch of fake, gross stuff.

So, here it is. Thieves Cleaner (concentrate). My 14 oz Cleaner bottle lasts me approximately 3-4 months. I usually use 2 capfuls per bottle which is a little stronger dilution because, that is what I have found works on a majority of my surfaces.

That means 1 bottle of cleaner makes up 7 of those spray bottles!

I use this cleaner every day in our house, I use it to wipe down our kitchen (even the stuck on stuff on our stove), in our stove, our appliances, the table, I mop with it, to clean our sink etc.

I also use it in our Bathrooms to wipe everything down and I even use it on the Mirrors with my Norwex cloth for streak-free cleaning. Not gonna lie, I was hesitant to try it on the mirrors, because I like them to look bright and hate for there to be any residue left over, but there isn't!

So this favorite product of mine makes cleaning a little bit easier and a whole lot healthier in our house. Feel free to ask me any questions you have about it!

These are a few of my favorite things: Day 2

Continuing on with my favorite things, that would be great to give as gifts for this Holiday season!

Today: LuLaRoe leggings!

They aren't called "buttah" leggings for nothing, these are so soft and have a yoga waistband (so they are super comfortable) and come in really awesome patterns. For $20 a pieces they are a great stocking stuffer or gift for a friend who is fashion forward (or who wants to be comfortable and stylish because sometimes it is looked down upon to wear sweats everywhere ;) ).

LLR only produces 1,000 pieces in each fabric choice, so you know that not everyone is going to have the same pair ;)

They are a fun way to show off your personality and who doesn't love comfortable clothing!

If you would like to get some for yourself, or a friend. Head on over to my friend Amiee's LuLaRoe group and check out what she has! https://www.facebook.com/groups/LuLaRoeAmieeEgan/

An Ode to my 3.5 year old Hannah

Oh Hannah, how I love you. You keep me on my toes. You have big emotions (much like your mama) and love and care in big ways but also have a bit of a short fuse, especially with your sister.

She is a foodie and has a super sniffer, the other night Clayton had to go in and chat with her after she had gone to bed and while he was talking to her, she interrupted and said "were you drinking beer"? LOL. She can also tell what is cooking before I tell her what it is.

She happens to be a better hostess than I am most of the time, if she knows someone is coming over for a meal, she will color each one of them a picture, get out chairs to add to our table, get out their silverware and ask for plates and fill up waters for them. While they are here she will make sure they are never without water (and company). She loves sitting around a table with lots of people with food, but who doesn't!

This one pretty much always has a skirt, dress, or crown on (or more than one), I can't tell you how many times we have been at a store and people ask "is it her birthday", nope, she just likes to wear dress up dresses most days of the week. Plus, crowns are cool.

And the dancing, oh the dancing. Turn on some music and she turns into a ballerina, twirling and holding her skirt up to do it. We sing a hymn before dinner each night and the other night, she let go of our hands and started twirling while we were singing. She always has a song in her heart. Currently she loves to sing the Sophia the first theme song.

She loves being a big sister and smothers (almost literally) Piper with hugs and kisses all day long. This morning Piper was fussing so I asked her to go talk to her for a minute while I did something. Hannah went over and gave her a kiss and talked to her but Piper didn't stop crying. So Hannah told me "Mama, Piper needs milk, I kissed her and talked to her and she didn't stop crying, I'm worried she needs milk". She is going to make a fabulous Mama some day.

We have our fair shares of "No!" "I don't want to" and "Lucy isn't being nice to me" but over all she has a sweet disposition and is super caring. Clayton's back was bothering him the other week and so during dinner she brought a pillow over to him to put behind his back to help him feel better, it's caring things like these that make me so excited to see what she is going to be like as she grows up, but, I'm in no hurry for that to happen.

Love you 3.5 year old Hannah.

These are a few of my favorite things: Day 1

I thought it would be fun over the next few weeks (with Christmas coming up) to share some of my favorite products! They will be a wide range of products, but they will all be some of my favorites.

Today is, Primal Pit Paste ! I love this stuff, I have been using it for over 2 years. I love that it is all natural, has no aluminum and it works and smells amazing.

I love the Lemonade and Orange Creamsicle Kids scents (but they are the regular strength), today I just ordered Coconut Lime to try. My husband's favorite is Thyme and Lemongrass. You can get it in a stick if that is better for you (I have one of these for travel) for application or you can get it in a pot.

When it is in the jar, you can apply 1 of 2 ways. The first way is with your finger (which they encourage especially for women because you are aware of any new "lumps" that might pop up which would be a reason to follow up with your doctor since it could be a sign of a more serious issue.

The second way is with a little applicator stick, which I always ask for during the checkout process and I use that for easy application and no need to wash my hands after ;).

They have other great natural products, I love their Orange Creamsicle Pucker Paste too! They also have body whip, Po Po powder, body sprays and tough teeth powder.

Best thing is, TODAY they are doing a BOGO (buy one get one free) offer for Veteran's Day, so head on over and pick some up and come back and let me know how you like it!

Sometimes we just need a little schedule...

Things I am: Wife, Mom, Daughter, Foodie, Hippy-ish, Naturally minded

Things I am not: Lover of cleaning.

Yep, cleaning. It is not my favorite job. I would rather cook than clean any day of the week. That being said, I don't like to live in a pigsty and everyone is happier when the house is clean.

Cleaning is even worse when it is done on a weekend...in large amounts....with everyone around.

I mean that is real life right? Or at least it is in my house.

The other week a friend of the family posted a cleaning schedule that she found online. This one, unlike other ones actually seemed do-able! 1 thing a day, with bigger projects in throughout the month to keep everything running smoothly.

I took it and made it my own, changed a few things because some didn't apply (like we don't have a garage) and added some things.

So far, it has been going really well, I don't feel like any day has "too much" to do, I can do it while (usually) 2 kids are napping so I don't feel like someone is throwing one thing on the floor while  I'm cleaning another one up and the house is cleaner than ever because I don't feel overwhelmed.

Bonus: It features a "catch up day" on Saturday, so if the week was particularly busy, we can do it on the weekend. Another bonus, since most of it is done during the week, we can do more fun family things, like the park and college football on Saturday instead of cleaning all day!

I'm sharing it with you and I hope it can help someone else!

Please note: Laundry is not included on here because I do approximately 52421 loads a week between the 5 of us and cloth diapers. So, you can add that if you like, that's a daily chore here, but I didn't want it staring me in the face ;)