I don't care how big it is....

I have always been one of those girls who thumbs through magazines and instead of finding clothes or shoes I would like, I find boobs, thighs, abs, and buns I would kill for. Healthy habit hunh??? My latest indulgence (Oxygen magazine) had the body of a woman on the front that was nice, maybe on the thin side for my taste. Then I saw the caption that she was a MOTHER OF 6!!!!!! I almost fell over. Then I thought, if she can do it....I can too.

I saw that she was an inch shorter than me an weighed around 129. So I arbitrarily made a number that has been my sole focus. I became a little obsessive about being "skinny" like that. In fact, the Duke mentioned I needed to hang out with my chic friends more because he is tired of hearing about skinny/fat/cellulite/etc and isn't that what chics talk about??? LOL I was obsessed with a number on the scale...135.

In walks Stacy. Stacy is a brilliant instructor at my gym who teaches class different than any instructor I have ever had. We do HUNDREDS of reps...and we always work every muscle group to failure (meaning that you can't do one more, your muscle just stops working) And she gets results...incredible results. The people that have been taking her class for awhile look amazing. I have taken three classes with her, and my arms are starting to cut up. She offered to train me through a system known as gravity training. It was the hardest workout of my life. 1 and 1/2 hours of pure torture...I almost puked. But hey, I'm still here to type about it.

Gravity® small group personal training is the perfect option for those individuals that seek the motivation of a personal trainer and the dynamics of a small group class. Designed using one modality, the GTS® (Gravity Training System) targets muscular strength and endurance exercises for the total body – including unique core and stretching exercises – all done while the body is positioned in various angles against gravity. This is a must for those wanting a total body workout in a very unique and time efficient manner.

We weigh in every Monday and she writes it down in order to keep us accountable. When I told her what my current weight is, an what I thought I wanted to be she said she felt that I wouldn't be able to lose that much weight without sacrificing muscle. Hmmmm....that stinks I thought to myself. But today in class I noticed changes in my body. Muscles peeking out from under that insulating layer I don't need for summer. It was empowering.

I have now officially adopted the brilliant philosophy of an old aerobics instructor I had. "I don't care how big it is...I just don't want it to jiggle". My body is pre-programmed to have a certain size limit. I don't want to lose the muscle I have worked so hard for. My current plan is to do her class once week, cardio 3 times, and some other form of weightlifting during the week, taking two days for rest. And no obsess about the numbers on the scale, or pics in a magazine. Wish me luck.

Baking soda deodorant...without the mess!

So I was in the grocery store last week, perusing the aisles for some organic products to introduce into our family lives, and I stumbled upon this:

Arm & Hammer Essentials deodorant.

I picked one up, and have been using it religiously for several weeks now.

It has the Arm & Hammer seal directly in the center of the container, which reads "The Standard of Purity" just below it. Although Arm & Hammer makes other styles of deodorant, in various scents, my store only carried the Essentials Natural Deodorant in the fresh scent.

Product Claims-

Provides natural protection*

Aluminum free*

Paraben free*

Made with Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and natural plant extracts to absorb and fight odor.

IngredientsDipropylene glycol, water, propylene glycol, sodium stearate, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), coriandrum sativum (coriander) fruit oil, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil, lavandula hybrida (lavandin) oil, fragrance, tricolsan, tetrasodium EDTA, allantoin.

Have you ever been confused by the chemical names ingredients go by these days?

The label pulls back to reveal a list of ingredients, how they are derived, and what they do! This alone gives it a royal thumbs up! I am trying to be keenly aware of what goes into my body these days, and this is just great!

Taken from the package:

Glycol (dipropylen/propylene): Derived from natural gas from the earth

Water: Purified water

Sodium Stearate: Derived from palm nut/fruit

Baking Soda: Natural mineral deposits from the earth

Coriander Fruit Oil: Coriandrum Sativum (Coriander fruit)

Rosemary Lea Oil: Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) leaf

Final thought???? It is a bit sticky when you first put it on, just wait until it dries before dressing. The fresh scent is nice. As for the deodorant properties? I have been very pleased with it's performance...even after a 1 and 1/2 hour grueling workout!!! I love this product and it has now replaced my usual favorite!

Remember my search for a "healthy" deodorant?

This is my next thing to try. This is from a natural health tips newsletter I get a few times per month.

Ever seen an open box of baking soda in someone’s refrigerator? It is to help deodorize the refrigerator. While I’ve never cared about deodorizing my refrigerator, I have looked for a safe, healthy deodorant. Baking soda is the least expensive, most effective deodorant around.

Here’s how to use it: Put a small covered container of baking soda in your bathroom. In your morning shower, using soap and a washcloth really handles a lot of the germs that contribute to odor. After drying off, put at least 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in the palm of one hand. Then put a few drops of water on it to mix it up. Apply under both arms. Let it dry and you’re good to go.

A healthy deodorant is crucial because what you put on your skin goes straight into your bloodstream and other body parts. Cancer research has found deodorant chemicals in breast cancer tumors.

Can I get a heck yes???

Did I mention that I bought jeans a size smaller than what I have been wearing this weekend? Yes, they have a little stretch in them...but they make me feel amazing. I would wear them everyday if I thought no one would notice.

And....they make my rear view sensational! WOOOT!

Total confusion

Well, I had the "thyroid panel" done last week and got my results back yesterday.

In the mean time I went to a D.O. that specializes in natural therapies. I spent a couple hours with him and we looked at my exhaustive list of symptoms and discussed when these changes may have started. One of the tests we did was an analysis of a live blood sample. Most doctors draw blood and run "tests". We took blood and actually looked at it on the cellular level. It was amazing. I saw my white blood cells engulf an invader and destroy it right in front of my eyes. The invader???...Candida albicans (aka yeast). But wait....you say...blood is supposed to be "sterile". Well, that is what we are told, but clearly my blood is not sterile. I have many invasive yeast in there. We saw a red blood cell that as parasitized by the yeast. It was absolutely fascinating.

So I am on a few natural supplements to aid in digestion, heal the intestines, and destroy yeast. I am to cut out all refined sugar and stay away from refined processed foods. Easy for you to say. Imagine feeding a family of five with no packaged foods. I can't imagine doing this with my severe fatigue and mental cloudiness.

My blood tests from the FMCF center came back flagging a potential thyroid issue (as was expected). I have low T3, sub-optimal T4, and too much reverse T3. To understand what this means you have to understand how your thyroid works. The thyroid together with the pituitary and adrenal glands control all the metabolism in your body. When you think of metabolism, you think of processing food and weight gain/loss. But metabolism is, at the cellular level, all the processes your body goes through in taking up nutrients from your food and turning them in to nergy. It takes up iodine from your diet and makes T4 and T3. T4 has 4 iodine molecules, T3 has 3. T4 is not bio active and needs to be converted by the body into T3 before it is used. Here's the problem. My body is making "reverse T3" which is biologically inactive. My body can not use it. RT3 binds to the cells so you can't take up thyroid hormone. You normally have RT3 in your system, but too much can be a sign of a problem, especially when accompanied by symptoms of hypothyroid and low blood values of thyroid hormone (both of which I have). Now you can see why I have no energy, and am gaining weight. No metabolism.

The Center said I need "more testing" that would cost between $800-$1200. Yikes! I sent the blood results to my D.O. and he said I did NOT need more testing, I have "Wilson's syndrome" (not to be confused with Wilson's disease) and it's a very hard thing to treat.

Naturally I wanted to understand this Wilson's thing, so I looked it up online. Here is the problem: Wilson's disease is not recognized by the medical community as a real thing. It's more formally called "Wilson's Temperature Syndrome". Dr. Wilson who claims to have discovered it has supplements designed to help these people. But the medical community and the American Thyroid Association say it can be dangerous to treat a false condition. So....who is right? I've read testimonials of people who feel better after treatment. And that is all I want. So what do I do? What would you do?

I don't have health insurance that would cover these tests, so the $800 would be out of pocket. I SOOOOOOOOOO want to get better. But I don't know if I need these tests. I don't know which way to go....who to trust.

Could your thyroid be causing you grief?

When talking to the folks at Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Centers, I discovered that most people fall into "normal limits" on their routine thyroid screen. As many as 40% of people with hypothyroid go undiagnosed with the blood tests your neighborhood Dr. orders And many of these people feel horrible and don't know what is wrong inside. It's a ghastly feeling to have.

Here is the online test I took to see what my thyroid function might look like. Remember this is only a test, but if you have a result that raises questions, you might want to look further into this.

Thyroid Test

The website this links up with has great information on natural remedies and resources. I am a firm believer in not just medicating the problem, but eliminating. Many people think I am a quack because of this....but think about it. Does Motrin get rid of the reason you have headaches? Probably not, it's more of a bandaid. Necessary at times? Yes! A solution? No!

A moment of brilliance

So as you can see by the last post, I have been feeling irritated for some time. There are other things going on too that are troublesome (health issues)...and I am beginning to realize they might all be related. I received a random email on Monday with a subject line "Your thyroid may be causing your heart disease". Well, I don't have heart disease, but I read on. Turns out, your thyroid (or lack of it) can royally screw you up. So I googled hypothyroid and found all of these sites with natural remedies, symptoms, cures, causes. I have been hooked for the last two days reading them all.



After studying, it turns out that I have EVERY SINGLE hypothyroid symptom:

Less stamina than others
Less energy than others
Long recovery period after any activity
Inability to hold children for very long
Arms feeling like dead weights after activity
Low Grade Depression
Often feeling cold
Cold hands and feet
Hard stools
Constipation
No eyebrows or thinning outer eyebrows
Dry Hair
Hair Loss
Dry cracking skin
Requires naps in the afternoon
Air Hunger (feeling like you can’t get enough air)
Inability to concentrate or read long periods of time
Forgetfulness
Foggy thinking
Inability to lose weight
Always gaining weight
Moody periods
PMS
Excruciating pain during period
Nausea
Swelling/edema/puffiness
Aching bones/muscles
Bumps on legs
Acne on face and in hair
Breakout on chest and arms
Hives
Exhaustion in every dimension–physical, mental, spiritual, emotional
Complete lack of motivation
Slowing to a snail’s pace when walking up slight grade
Extremely crabby, irritable, intolerant of others
Handwriting nearly illegible
Broken/peeling fingernails
Dry skin or snake skin
Major anxiety/worry
Ringing in ears
Lactose Intolerance
Joint pain
Varicose Veins
Dizziness from fluid on the inner ear
Low body temperature
Tightness in throat; sore throat
Swollen lymph glands
Allergies (which can also be a result of low cortisol–common with hypothyroid patients)
Headaches and Migraines
Sore feet, painful soles of feet
a cold bum



That's an exhaustive list of symptoms said to be experienced by people with hypothyroid...AND people on medicine for it. Nice hunh???? Not really treating your thyroid problem...are they?



Then I found a site that links mercury poisoning to a shut down of the thyroid gland. AND the biggest cause for this is dental fillings. I have fillings...and they are metal. I could have this.



I searched for, and found, some natural remedies for both mercury poisoning and thyroid problems and happened across the Fybromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Centers in Dallas. They are offering free thyroid screenings for anyone who "qualifies". My last thyroid check was "within normal limits" but most Drs only do a 3 point test. These Drs use a 6 point test. I was also informed that to not be "within normal limits" and throw up a red flag to your physician on a standard thyroid test you have to be the sickest of the sick. These were my qualification questions:

• Have you have an unexplained weight gain of 10 pounds or more? Check!
• Is your body temperature low-97.8 or lower? Mine after exercise yesterday was 97.2
• Is your hair dry or thinning? Oh yeah! Just installed a new shower drain to catch it.
• Are you extremely fatigued? Yes. I got 9 hours of sleep last night and am still beat.
• Are you on thyroid medication? Nope. Remember I am "within normal limits"
• Do you have muscle/joint pain? Does a bear poop in the woods. Um, yes.

So I qualify for this test. I will get my blood work done and find out within a week if anything is wrong. I am sad that something could be wrong with me, but happy to know I am on a path to nail it down and get better.

Rainy days and Mondays....

It's not rainy, but I am unusually grumpy today. I shouldn't be. I had a lovely retreat with wonderful ladies this weekend. Got sleep, ate well, rested, prayed.

So why the grump?

Last week I took the Duke to a fitness evaluation with a new trainer I met. We have not received our final printouts that score our Polar age, but I saw my weight and body fat. I have gained 5 pounds, and my body fat % has gone up. WTH?

I know I have not been able to work out as consistently as before, but I wouldn't consider myself sedentary nor a terrible eater. I was crushed. All the hard work last summer and fall, for this.

In hindsight, seeing as that a friend prayed for me this weekend to keep my temptations for brownies at bay....am I really surprised? NO. Sad, angry, irritated? You bet your Reeses pb cups I am!!!!

He gave me many reasons that my goals are "not being met". My cardio is cycling and I am most likely working too hard thus burning sugar and no fat. That's something you want to hear after 4 months of bi-weekly cycling classes. No wonder my thighs still touch.

An added blubber bonus: Apparently I am lifting weights incorrectly as well. To shock my body and "shred", I need to weight train 3 times per week, never do the same exercise for a given body part, and keep my heart rate in my fat burning zone. Who said women could multi-task?

I think I could do it if I had him as my trainer permanently. I am just so frustrated with the gym right now, I need a good month or two of someone else kicking my butt. But who can afford this luxury on a SAHM's salary? Thus I am pissed off at the world. The Duke even asked what it would take to get me training with him even once or twice/week...when I told him he said there is no way we can do it right now. And to make it worse I had to stand by the mirror in aerobics today watching all the fat blob around. Do you know that I outweigh my spouse by 20 pounds? Isn't that fun? Maybe I can borrow his "fat" pants.

I know some of you who think me "thin" are rolling your eyes right now. I am not saying that I am overweight or disgusting. In fact, I think I can pull off a pair of jeans as good as any 33 y/o mom of three. But think about when you started not being able to fit in your jeans. Or when you work so hard for something, and the opposite happens. Thin is relative. I don't want to look good in clothes, I want to look good naked and I will die trying.

Thank goodness it is Lent, or I would be drowning my pissed-offness in a pound of chocolate right now....

Dirty diaper diaries

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts. They were kind and made me think a lot about what to do regarding my blogging situation. I was completely sold on ending this blog and moving all my random rants over to the family blog, and was OK with that, until something ridiculous happened this weekend that made me want to scream and explode in all directions. And I don't think I would feel comfortable venting it on the family blog with necessary expletives, because my entire extended family goes there to ooh and awe over those aliens we call offspring.

Last week, on trash day (Monday) a diaper was dropped across the street and one house down. It was more on the other side of the street than ours, but one could perceive it as being in the "middle of the road". When driving by said diaper on Tuesday, I made an effort to glance at the offending trash to see if our trash had been flung down and over yonder. It was not our diaper. The diaper was very obviously a Luvs or a Pampers. ...and we are 100% Huggies Supreme users. I didn't think much about it aside from noting that I would pick it up next time I'm outside without babes in arms (usually never), because it would be bad for an animal to get hold of it and get sick on the inside little balls of stuff. But I forgot about it, and went on with life.

Fast forward to yesterday. Previously mentioned stinky diaper, complete with tire tracks, shows up on our lawn inside a Walmart bag with this message. "Dispose of your diapers properly" (obviously in female handwriting). WTF?????

What kind of people do this? What kind of freakish neighbors do we have that pick up other people's trash and hurl it into a neighbor's yard with a nasty note attached?

Let me point out here that we did look at the diaper AGAIN to confirm the brand and size. It was a size 3 Pampers. (My children wear size 4-5 Huggies). So, again....NOT OUR STINKING DIAPER!!!

What really pisses me of is that this person thinks so highly of their neighborly skills....to the point of hurling other people's poop on our lawn, just assuming that since we have the majority of the kids on the block that it must be ours. What grade are these people in? Did someone in high school wrong them?

Let me also say that if I had been close to the diaper and noticed someone dropped it, I would have kindly picked it up for them and tossed it because:
A. They most likely dropped it on accident
B. New parents are busy and could use any hand they can get

So back to my first point. Who does this? And what can I do to avenge my pride? The Duke says just drop it...but that is like accepting that it was our diaper and we purposely dropped it in the middle of the street just to be spiteful non-Earth loving people. I am so angry I could scream....but that would just make me a noisy neighbor. And then I would be JUST like my next-door neighbor (who BTW I could bet money did this in the first place).

The nerve of some people!!!!!!!!!! ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!

Something to think about

Ok, so I'm a mom of three....and I'm busy. I started this blog as a way to vent all the frustrations of the world of mom in a private, annonymous environment. Yet, it quickly became not so annonymous. And then I felt like I couldn't really vent because people would come to know me as a complainer. Or an unhappy person. And I don't want that.

I love my life. I am married to my best friend. I have God in my life. I am healthy. I have a great family. I have 3 beautiful children. I have friends around me at every corner I turn. Why in the world would I need to complain?

I have also noticed that I don't keep up on blogs as much as I would like to. Not that I don't have anything to say, maybe I have too much and can't put it in words on a page. Life is coming at me too quickly. I am going here...I am going there.

I looked over at my beautiful Tinkerbel today sitting in the chair, watching TV ever so eloquently and I saw this 6 year old girl in her place. Not that she's going on 6...I know that, but she looked so grown up. I could see her 6 year old face shining through, and these intelligent knowing eyes. It scared me. It was an all too painful reminder that they grow up too fast.

Sorry.....tangent.

My point with this is that I am considering halting this blog, and moving it over to my family blog. There I would have the mommy blog, complete with cute pics and great funny stories of my three caballeros...but I could also be me a little more....maybe.

I have also thought about supplementing that blog with a diet and exercise for real moms blog complete with all my food planning, grocery lists and weight loss ups and downs. That would help me journal, and may serve as an inspiration to others.

Any thoughts?

Getting away from it all...bad for your saddlebags....great for your marriage!

Hello royal subjects. It's been forever....and it feels like it too. I have had at least one sick kid/husband since Christmas, and finally Tinkerbell ended up with bronchitis which took all the rest of my free time giving nebulizer treatments. I am happy to say, we are all healthy now. Phew! (fingers crossed)

Life on the healthy wagon was going quite well. Despite sick children I have averaged 3 times at the gym per week. Most of our meals have been healthy, and I have felt like my jeans are getting loose. This past weekend my husband whisked me away to the Texas hill country (without children...courtesy of Mom and Dad) to the town of Fredericksburg, and all hope was lost. Since the Duke is teaching our children to speak German, we thought it would be fun to immerse ourselves in German culture. Despite the rave reviews of steakhouses and Mexican restaurants, we opted for German food the whole time. And it was wonderful.

The first night we ate at Der Lindenbaum. It is said to be the "most authentic" German food in the town. We were were weary and hungry from road travel and were welcomed with a smile and a warm cozy table. The only thing on the menu I has ever heard of was sauerkraut. I ordered a beef and bell pepper dinner that was served with warm red cabbage and German potatoes. It was amazing! The flavors were unlike anything I have ever had. So I even agreed to eat German the rest of the weekend.

We stayed in a nice B&B in the heart of town, but was also very private. The whole day Saturday we shopped in the historic downtown shoppes, and enjoyed more German food, leisurely had afternoon coffee together, shopped some more, then went out to dinner together again. I don't think we have been together that much since our honeymoon. Most of you married folk are surely groaning, but something wonderful happened. We got each other's undivided attention all weekend. We enjoyed awe inspiring silence (we have 3 kids) and knowing glances. We got giddy like newlyweds. Where has all this been??

It's easy to get carried away in our roles as parents. But much like we are called to put God first in our lives, our spouses are to be right there at #2. Reconnecting has made us happier, better parents. We are very thankful to have had time like this. Hopefully we will be able to do similar things more regularly. My NY's resolution to put more care into my husband seems to be having a positive affect on me. He actually went to the gym with us as a family today. What a great surprise!

Cleansing for a healthier you

Ever feel toxic? I do after I eat a lotof junk, or visit my home state of CA where the air pollution has been known to give a non-smoker lung cancer. We live in a toxic world. Everything is modified from it's natural state to be "better". But it's hurting our insides. Before we start looking ugly on the outside, a process is starting inside. Fatty fried foods can cause gallstones and "fatty" liver. Our skin becomes oily, cloudy, broken out. Finally we start the bloat and weight gain that comes with eating bad things.

To combat this process, I recommend a product called Mega-cleanse by Body Dynamics. I have used it for years (except when pregnant or nursing) and recently started back on it. The first time I took it, (back in 2002) I lost a total of 10 pounds. Since then I have not been using it to lose weight, but just a maintenance dose of 1-2 tablets a day to feel great. Now I am starting back on the regime to help lose the weight and clean up my systems.

If you decide to try, read the warnings on the web about how you may feel in the first few days. It's normal, and can be helped by backing off on the dose. I usually break out and have headaches the first few days I start back on it. It has helped me get off the sugar and caffeine crutch before. Give it a try!!!

You can buy Mega cleanse at most health food stores, but I have not found it before at sprouts. My favorite store to purchase from is Healthkick Nutrition in Flower Mound. They not only know their products well, but are a wealth of health information regarding supplements.

Plans for the week of Jan 12

Here is the accountability part. I am planning on posting my plans. He he.

For this week:

Workouts-
Mon- Weight workout (push* muscles) + 20 mins of cardio - completed YAY!
Tues- Pull* muscles before spin class
Wed- Day of rest
Thurs- Spin class
Fri- 75 min Total Body conditioning class or barbell sculpt
Sat- Walk with family (weather permitting)
Sun- Day of rest

*Some people/trainers prefer working out alternating upper and lower body muscles on different days. I prefer the push/pull method. Day 1 you work out all the muscles that "push": Chest, triceps, leg press, lunges, quads, etc. Day 2 you workout muscles that "pull": back, biceps, shoulders, hamstrings

Meals-
Still working on this for the week, but today I have had a protein smoothie for BF, will eat a salad with grilled chicken for lunch and broiled tilapia fillets for dinner with quinoa and salad w/ fresh tomatoes.

Will get back to you on the rest.

Peace of mind-
Had coffee in a sunny window this morning (too cold to actually go outside) with no children or husband around. It was nice. While pumping gas, I stood and faced the sun so my body could produce healthy vitamin D! I feel good today. Muscles a little weary, body a little fatigued, but I feel good.

Happy New Year!

Yes I know....long time, no post.

I love the new year! Aside from my B-day being in January (and thus the cringing at being 1 year older) I feel like it is a new start. A fresh slate. We clean up the glorious Christmas celebrations, pack them away for another time, reflect on the year past, and then we wonder...what now?

As I mentioned awhile back, I started a new business venture. All the necessary training and teacher interviews have been completed and this year I get to start having classes meet! How fun! I love watching kids absorb information. While I am not teaching class myself (I require my teachers to be fluent and prefer them to be native speakers), I will sit in on the first few classes to see how my teachers are doing, how the kids are reacting, if the parents have any concerns, and just enjoy. So, that is one of the peaks of this year. Now, if I could just get any students....

The theme of my new year is about health of body, mind, and soul.

Health of body

I have decided that enough is enough...the baby weight has got to go! I have a plan! I have the motivation. I just need to commit. I took the plunge starting Sunday. I went shopping and decided I would plan meals every weekend for the following week. There would be one day I would consider as "free" and that would be a macaroni or eating out day. Problem is that my children (and husband) do not need to count calories or fat grams...and I do. So we many times will eat different things. Plus, the Duke works late on most evenings and I can't keep the kids from eating for that long. So, if I make broiled fish....the children usually get broiled chicken tenders several hours before. Another pitfall: last night was free night since Duke was out of town...and we had pizza. Bad choice.

I plan to enroll each of my children in at least one activity that requires them to move. Drama is already in swimming and a member of his school's basketball skills team. The girls will take Mommy and Me French classes as soon as I get them started. The classes have them dancing and jumping all over the place. I want them to learn from young age that exercise can be fun. Weather-permitting I would like to take a walk or two a week with kids in tow. It's wonderful to watch them explore on these "nature walks". The diabetes gene looms in my family DNA. I also had GD while pregnant with #2 so staying healthy is of key importance for me and my family.

Health of mind:
Organization. Cleaner house. Less clutter. Stay on top of the messes. Get more help around the house.

I need a 2009 calendar in front of me to start scheduling things. The one thing I have found is that if you schedule something in advance, you are more likely to do it. Too many times I have told a friend "Let's do lunch next week"....and it never happens. Plan ahead. I found a friend who enjoys spin classes as much as I do and we meet at class every Tues/Thurs afternoon. Knowing someone is holding me accountable has made me show up at that class more often than any other I have planned on.

Another area of focus: count to 10 before exploding (we taught Drama how to do this. Mom should practice what she teaches!). Angry parents teach angry children.

Health of soul-

Another thing I am hoping to do is go to bed earlier and wake up before anyone gets up. There is nothing like a quiet cup of coffee while the sun is coming up. It's good for my soul.

It is great prayer time, and refocusing time. I feel a deep need to refocus some much-needed attention on my marriage. It's not that we are having problems, but everything we do is for and with the kids. A healthy marriage is a key ingredient to a happy home, as is healthy relatinship with God!

My plan: (In random order)

Schedule healthy fun meals, plan and shop. Keep healthy snacks around.
Schedule workouts.
Workout at least 4 times a week.
Accountability- take before/during/after pics.
Rewards for sticking with it- Non-food things....like skinny jeans, jewelry, new workout clothes.
Put as much time as I can into getting the business up and running.
Schedule fun time with family and friends.
Schedule dates with the Duke.
Schedule God time.

My blog for awhile will probably be focused on the daily life of a mom balancing life. Hope you enjoy the reads, and maybe find some inspiration of your own!

HAVE A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!