Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Paying Yourself To Workout

Hi Guys!

If you are anything like me than you can't go to a gym to workout. Whether it's because of kids, your schedule, or money, you just can't make it to the gym.


Before i really started my health journey, last month, i had a thought... "Since i'm not paying for a gym membership, why don't i pay myself a little something every time i workout".


paying yourself to workout


This is how it looks like for me...

Every time single time i workout, i pay myself $5. I put that money into an envelope and save it away.

Once I've reached my goal weight, i will then give myself all that money that I've been saving away. Which i will then use to probably buy myself some new clothes. Because at that point i will definitely need new clothes.

It's just nice to have a little extra motivator to workout.

If you want to do this too, but $5 seems a lot or not enough, you can totally customize your amount. $1, $2, $10, $15. etc.. It will all add up in the end. And you will have a very nice little gift for yourself for all your hard work. Which you can then spend on anything you want.


I hope you have enjoyed this little "tip", and if you end up doing it let me know, i'd love to hear about your experience!

 photo Signature1_zps25c33e22.png

*Stock photo provided by Unsplash.*

Monday, February 25, 2019

Current Health Journey *Update*

Last month i shared my health journey, and today i figured it was time to give an update on how everything is going...


Current Health Journey update


As of today (2/25/19) i am down 19 pounds from the beginning of the year!!

429ee849973123c0127a0e2d30e77bfb--weight-loss-calculator-super-funny

In my previous post i shared how i've been doing it (i.e. my workouts, diet, etc.), so i thought i would share those things again because some of it has changed since then.

First for my workout schedule.

I'm currently working out 5-6 times a week. I tried to do Bikini Body Mommy again, because i really liked it the last time i did it, but i only made it like 9 days before giving up. Here is why it just doesn't work for me... I don't sweat enough/burn enough calories for it to make an impact on my weight loss. I do love how it works out your entire body, seriously i can't walk right for days after starting that program, but in the end it just doesn't fit me.

So i'm still running on the treadmill, which i absolutely love! I've been working on getting stronger and faster at running 1 mile, and i'm super happy to report that my newest fastest time is 9 minutes and 38 seconds. That is a HUGE improvement from 14+ minutes when i first started running back in January!

I would really love to be able to run more than 1 mile, but i'm pretty wiped out after 1 mile, so that's all i'm doing right now.

Besides working out 5-6 times a week, i'm also getting over 15,000 steps every single day (workout day or not!). Most days i average 18,000 steps, and on a really good day i can get 25,000 steps.


Now for my diet.


I'm still trying to stay away from: chocolate, candy, soda, bread, pasta, rice, and ice cream.

I shared a beachbody meal plan in my last post that i was using, and it was pretty good. I also discovered another beachbody meal plan that i ended up liking even more.

Here is the meal plan:


Breakfast M/W/F: Sautéed Kale and Red Bell Pepper Egg Cups (based on the Sautéed Kale with Poached Eggs recipe on page 32 of the Eating Plan)
Breakfast T/Th: Greek Yogurt Bowl
Lunch M/W/F: Seasoned Turkey and Black Bean Burrito Bowl
Lunch T/Th: Spinach and Roast Beef Salad
Snack M/W/F: Herbed Yogurt Dip with Raw Veggies
Snack T/Th: Hard-Boiled Egg and Baby Carrots
Dinner M/W/F: Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce and Parmesan Cheese
Dinner T/Th: Jalapeño and Cheese Turkey Burgers

Core_de_Force_Meal_Prep_1200-1500_-_Full_Prep_11

Seriously i loved all the foods on this meal plan!! So good!!


That's it, that's how i'm losing the weight and getting healthier. Are you on your own health journey? I'd love to hear what you are doing, and how it is going?
 photo Signature1_zps25c33e22.png

*Stock photo provided by Unsplash.*

Sunday, February 24, 2019

Minecraft Birthday Party

Hi Guys!


This week my son turned 11 years old, and since he is super crazy for Minecraft, we had a Minecraft themed party for him. I found lots of great ideas online and i couldn't wait to decorate...


Minecraft Birthday Party


The Nether Portal - To  be honest, we created this super last minute, so it didn't turn out exactly like i would have wanted it to (mainly a cutely decorated sign), but my son was super impressed with this. All you need to create this is: Streamers (black & purple - I bought mine at the dollar store), tape, and a sign that says "Nether Portal".

IMG_5338


Minecraft Window Panes - This part was super labor intensive, that we actually had to start on this the day before. It was well worth the effort though, it turned out great. All you need to create this is: White Tape & scissors.


IMG_5335


Creeper Face - Probably one of my favorite decorations was this giant creeper face! All you need to make this is: Square Paper Plates (dark green, light green, & black - they sell these at the dollar store) and tape.


IMG_5324


In This House Sign - We have a regular "In This House..." sign, so i just printed this Minecraft version out and taped it over our sign.


IMG_5339


The cake - I ordered a plain cake (just blue frosting on it) from the bakery and then i ordered this Minecraft cake topper and decorated the cake myself. My son loved the way his cake turned out!


IMG_5346


That's mostly it, except for some other hanging decorations, some balloons, some inflatable swords, and a happy birthday sign. I hope you have enjoyed this peak into our son's birthday.
 photo Signature1_zps25c33e22.png

*Stock photo provided by Unsplash. This post may contain affiliate links.*

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Great Christian Book Sale

Hi Guys!

As i was browsing through the Christianbook website last night, like i do some nights, i saw they were having a $0.99 sale (through 2/25/19). Now my first thought was "oh it's some of those cheesy pamphlet style books", but it turns out they have a few really good books for only $0.99! I ended up buying several books, and i thought i would share the ones that i'm most excited about...


The Money-Making Mom: How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make a Difference by Crystal Paine - To compare, this book is regularly priced at $22.99, on Amazon right now you could buy it for $2.40 + $4.49 Shipping (even Prime members have to pay that shipping fee). So needless to say i think $0.99 is a great deal!



51f6qpNmGnL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_


Wild in the Hollow by Amber C. Haines - To compare, this book is regularly priced at $16.99, on Amazon right now you could buy it for $6.95. Again, $0.99 is a great deal!

51eMabthipL._SX342_BO1,204,203,200_


Happy Wives Club: One Woman's Worldwide Search for the Secrets of a Great Marriage by Fawn Weaver - To compare, this book is regularly priced at $16.99, on Amazon right now you could buy it for $8.70. Another steal at $0.99!!

516fNwQ9QAL._SX326_BO1,204,203,200_

Made Well: Finding Wholeness in the Everyday Sacred Moments by Jenny Simmons - To compare, this book is regularly priced at $14.99, on Amazon right now you could buy it for $6.99.


51pGIbFSY-L._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_


Strong and Kind: And Other Important Character Traits Your Child Needs to Succeed by Korie Robertson - To compare, this book is regularly priced at $24.99, on Amazon right now you could buy it for $9.99.

51iCHXwgdQL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_

Those are some of the amazing deals Christianbook has going on right now with their $0.99 sale! Another thing i wanted to add was, that all these books come with a 4-5 star rating! Great books at an amazingly low price, you really can't beat that!

 photo Signature1_zps25c33e22.png
*This post may contain affiliate links.*

Sunday, February 17, 2019

Mini Dollar Tree Homeschool Haul

I have shared before my love for the dollar store, I especially love to buy homeschool supplies there. I recently stopped by my Dollar Tree to see what homeschool goodies I could find, and this is what I bought on that trip.


Mini Dollar Tree Homeschool Haul


Lots and Lots of Workbooks – I have really been needing to find some workbooks to entertain my preschooler while I do work with the older kids. Then I remembered that Dollar Tree has lots of good workbooks and for only $1 you can’t beat it.


IMG_5318


Cruz, my preschooler, has been loving having his own stack of school books, just like his older siblings, and I was really amazed at the quality of these books, especially the sticker books.


IMG_5319


Mini Notebooks – Every year, when the stores have back to school sales, I stock up on notebooks. However, I found these mini notebooks at the dollar store and they seem like they would be handier for the kids than the bigger size notebooks.


IMG_5317


Puzzles – My Dollar Tree had several different types of puzzles. I was able to buy some puzzles for all my kids (ages 13 to 2 years old).

IMG_5323


That’s all for this mini homeschool Dollar Tree haul. If you are a homeschooler, what’s your favorite supply to buy at the dollar store?

 photo Signature1_zps25c33e22.png

Friday, February 15, 2019

Valentines, Colds, and Goals... {Life Update}

Hi Guys!


I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day, and if you don't celebrate, then i hope you had a wonderful Thursday! Fun Fact: My husband proposed to me on Valentine's Day, 16 years ago. It seems like so long ago, i was just a baby then (17 years old). 


val day flowers


We have been battling a cold in our house for the past week, so that is why there hasn't been much new content on the blog. The 2 year old has it really bad, and is not really napping because of the cold. Which, if you are a work from home mom, you know those nap times are when all the work magic happens, so if they stop taking the naps, your whole schedule gets messed up. But it's fine, it's fine. He is on the mend (he actually took a 2 hour nap today), so i'm back on track.


lincoln watching movie


One of my goals for February was to put out 3 blog posts every week, but i don't want to just put out content for the sake of putting out content, i want it to be good/useful content. So far, it looks like i'm going to make that goal, but it would be super helpful if you (Yes, YOU reading this blog post) could leave me a comment and let me know what else you would like to see/hear about... Do you want more homeschooling things? Mom life/parenting? Food? Animals? Books? Fitness?... Let me know in the comments.


charlie in bathtub


I did this crazy thing recently, well crazy for me at least because i'm such a big introvert. We joined a homeschool co-op. It had really been a goal of mine to get out there, and meet new people, etc. So i heard about a new co-op in my area starting, and i went to the information meeting, and ended up signing the family up to join. This was a huge step for me. HUGE. It has turned out to be pretty great though, the kids are loving it, and all the people there are so friendly.


homeschool table

That's about all the news i had to share. I hope you all had a fantastic week.


Take care,


 photo Signature1_zps25c33e22.png

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Valentine's Day Resources

Hi Guys!

Over the years i have created several different Valentine's Day resources, that i thought it would be worth sharing them again this year in one blog post.


Valentine's Day Sweet Treats


#1 - Valentine's Day Buttons



img_6057


#2 - White Chocolate Covered Strawberries

img_6100


#3 - Heart Shaped Brownies

img_6116


#4 - Red Velvet Milkshakes

e9840-img_07411



Valentine's Day Printables


#1-  Valentine's Day Cards
valentines-cards-pack-cover


#2 - Valentine's Day Part 1

valentines-day-pack-1


#3 - Valentine's Day Part 2

valentines-day-pack-part-2


#4 - Conversation Hearts Science Experiments

conversation-hearts-science


#5 - Conversation Hearts Graphing



conversation-hearts-graph


#6 - Valentine's Day Bookmarks

val day bookmarks



#7 - Love Bundle

love bundle pic


I hope you enjoyed this Valentine's Day resource roundup!

 photo Signature1_zps25c33e22.png

Friday, February 8, 2019

Healthy Valentine's Day *Kid Friendly* Menu Plan

Hi Guys!

I know how hard it is to come up with a healthy meal for my family, especially holiday meals. That's why i've decided to write up a healthy menu plan for this Valentine's Day.

Healthy valentines day

Before, for Valentine's Day, we would most likely have donuts for breakfast. Don't get me wrong i absolutely love a good donut here and there, but they aren't healthy and they are packed full of sugar, and they don't fill you up.


Instead, for a healthy breakfast option, how about Banana Oatmeal Pancakes!

DSC_0485-copy

You could even make them in a heart shaped mold, to make them more festive. What's great about these pancakes is they are; sugar-free, oil- free, gluten-free, and dairy-free.


For lunch, the Banana Dog Bites are super yummy!


Banana-Dog-Bites-1_4bc69d0481021c299b9329d2b470c61d

We have been making these for years, and all my kids love them. They are also super simple to make (only 3 ingredients)!

**If you are not a fan of peanut butter and bananas, you could do a tortilla roll up instead, with deli meat, cheese, and your favorite condiment (i love mustard on mine).**


Where we live Valentine's Day is always chilly, so warming up with a hot bowl of soup always sounds like a good idea. This Cheeseburger Soup is a big hit with all of my children.


Cheeseburger-Soup-1-170x255

Packed with veggies, even a secret one that was blended up that my kids still don't know about (Shhh!), it's creamy, delicious, and can be made in a pressure cooker!!


Of course it's Valentine's Day we are talking about ,so i can't forget about dessert. Chocolate Covered Strawberries will always be a classic Valentine's Day dessert for me.

img_6100

You can make them healthier by using a dark chocolate, and skipping out on the sprinkles.


I hope you have enjoyed this healthy sample menu for Valentine's Day. What do you normally eat on Valentine's Day?

 photo Signature1_zps25c33e22.png

*Stock photo provided by Unsplash.*

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

January Favorites

Hi Guys!


Today i'm sharing all my favorite things from January.


Jan favs 2019

Water w/ lemons - In December I was loving water with cranberries in it, but in January lemons in my water were my jam!


Mothering From Scratch - This was such a good book, filled with valuable information about mothering. I highly recommend it! (While i was finding it on Amazon to link, i noticed it was on sale for $5, it is regularly priced at $15. What a great deal!)


51uozeqhhgl._sx322_bo1,204,203,200_



Bullet Journaling - I love, love, love bullet journaling! Every morning in January i made time to spend bullet journaling. I have this bullet journal and i'm using these markers!

bullet journal 1


Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation - This foundation is my new favorite, i bought it in December and have been using it ever since. It's a little bit on the pricey side, but the coverage is amazing! It's well worth the price in my opinion! (Tip: I recommend buying this at a beauty store {Ulta or Sephora} because Amazon's price is like $20 more expensive!)


s1709245-main-zoom


Running on my Treadmill - That is all i did in January for my work outs, was running on my treadmill!! I love having a treadmill, because there is no way i could go to a gym regularly or run outside regularly. It's so convenient to have a treadmill at home.


Ordering on Costco.com - Costco will ship non-perishable items to your house in 2 days with free shipping on orders over $75! I really enjoy this option in winter months, where maybe i can't get out of the house (snowy days) or the flu is going around and i don't want to risk getting sick. I took advantage of online ordering twice last month!


costco-grocery-kirkland-signature


Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin, & Nails Gummies - Although i don't see a major difference yet, i think my fingernails have been growing a little more quickly. It's only been a month, so i'm going to keep taking them and see what happens. Plus they taste yummy!


81lwTHDc5IL._SY679_


That's all for my favorites for January. I hope you enjoyed this blog post.


 photo Signature1_zps25c33e22.png
*Stock photo provided by Unsplash. This post may contain affiliate links.*