A hunting we will go

For me, there is no better feeling than being one with nature and in the elements.  Sitting in a tree and being truly unplugged, listening to the leaves actually falling from the trees and the wind travelling through the woods, it gives me the calmness and peace like no place on earth.

Growing up in Florida, I didn't know anything about deer hunting!  I thought deers were cute and the most famous one I knew was Bambi.  That's about the extent of it.  Nationally, about 5% of the population hunt, and roughly the same percentage actively oppose hunting.  The rest of the population is predominantly neutral.

Once I moved up to Minnesota to be with My Paul Bunyan, I quickly learned about this ever so popular sport that is pretty much its own holiday season.  As a newcomer, I was shocked but the openness and acceptance of it all throughout the whole midwestern region!  And quickly,  I too was swept in by the "buck fever".  

Halloween Costumes

When it comes to holidays and holiday decor, I have a hard time parting with my money and really getting festive with it! I don't know if it's because it's temporary or maybe I'm too broke, or that I lack vision to come up with good ideas!  Whatever the case may be, I know I want to celebrate and acknowledge the holidays so that my three musketeers can get excited about them. Without breaking the bank.

Here are my twins and this year's costume choices.  As you can tell by the photo, they are super thrilled about this idea!

Happy Fall and Chili Season

There's a chill is the air with the changing of the seasons.  Hurricane Joaquin has dumped a lot of rain and is causing some flooding along the east coast.

The season of change at my house is no exception.  The twins have graduated out of their cribs to twin beds!  They were so excited when we were setting up the beds and rearranging their room. But when it came to bedtime, it was a different story and they weren't so sure.  They cried for comfort in their strange new setting and their new beds.  They managed to fall asleep after an hour of getting up and coming out of their room three times.

The next day, we woke up to them in the living room watching TV.  They have learned how to operate the remote at a tender age of not even two.  I think they are loving their new found freedom. Naptime, on the other hand, is a whole other story and is something that we will have to work diligently on to establish a new routine.

Chilly weather and weekends are perfect for crockpot meals!  Add football, and we've got our agenda for the weekend.  My husband grabbed our favorite red chili recipe and loaded up the crockpot!  You would think that it would last a few days, but not so much in this house.  It will be gone by the end of the weekend.

I am really excited to share this delicious chili recipe as my first clean eating entry to my blog!  It comes from our dear friend Tracy who use to be our neighbor in MN.  She is a hospice nurse and is a wonderful person inside and out.  Thank you for sharing this recipe with us, Tracy!

Enjoy and bon appetite!

Chili

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp accent
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 15 oz red chili beans
• 2 cups celery chopped
• 1 cup onions chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 quart (4 cups) cooked tomatoes
• 3 cups water
• 2 Tbsp chili powder

Cooking Directions

1. Brown ground beef and drain. Then add all the ingredients into your crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours.
2. Optional: Top you bowl of chili with sharp cheddar cheese and diced onions.

Fitness Challenge Group

I just finished another round of 21 Day Fix.  The results are visible and I am happy with what I'm seeing in the mirror.  I am in my mid 30's and I feel great!  I can pick up my twin toddlers, one in each arm and play with them all day long!  That was one of my goals!  Whoo hoo!!

Progress is progress, no matter how small

Working out and having the self-discipline to do it daily is a challenge in itself.  Statistics have shown that people fail when they try to work out on their own.  That is where a challenge group comes in.  

What is a fitness challenge group?  It is led by coaches who share tips and resources to members in a closed fitness accountability group.  Challengers work out to their program of choice and practice clean eating, most drink Shakeology, and encourage one another to step-up every day for 21 days.  It's 21 days of intentional focus, to better your health, to replace bad habits with good ones, and giving your best effort to get results that will keep you going there after, and closer to your fitness goals.  

Each month Beachbody offers a monthly promotion, with a discounted Challenge Pack.  September's promo is PiYo: a low impact, strength training program to sculpt your body, with celebrity trainer Chalene Johnson.  It combines pilates and yoga.  Prepare to sweat and see awesome results! 

   

      

My next 21 day fitness challenge group starts October 5th.  Click challenge group to reserve your spot.

My gift

Celebrate what is right in the world! Take a look at your situation from another perspective. 

This little man is truly my gift. I struggle with confidence: in being a mom, a wife, providing and supporting my family, in my relationships with my friends, and as an entrepreneur.

But no matter how much I beat myself up for not being "good enough", or how much I hold myself back because of fear; this beautiful little boy is my proof that I must be doing something right. 

We celebrated his 7th birthday on the 22nd! I love you B, always and forever. Happy birthday love! Dream Big, Aim High, You can do anything you set your mind to!

P.S. The cake is made with broccoli and asparagus 😏
 

Clean eating

I'm the first to admit that I'm not the best at this clean eating business.  I LOVE food and I really don't want to think too hard about it.  If it's delicious, I want to eat it.  Also, I'm not a nutrition expert by any means; I've never counted calories (pretty sure, I would have failed miserably); and meal prep is not my specialty either (hoping to get better at it though). 

Probably not what you want to hear from a Beachbody Coach.  However, everything I've learned regarding food and nutrition, I have stumbled upon during my fitness journey.  I want to fuel my body with the proper nutrition for energy, and to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.  So now I am mindful of what I eat, and what I feed to my three little musketeers.  With that out in the open, I want share some of what I've learned thus far.

I never thought any of quick fix pills or fad diets were safe, effective or fun!  However, a calorie in, is not a calorie out.  A serving of almonds is going to process and fuel your body as oppose to a serving of soda, which is going to make your organs work harder to process the sugars. 

I am a firm believer that you have to work for what you want.  The 21 Day Fix fitness program incorporates a nutrition plan that is in my opinion the best, bar none.  Autumn Calabrese has made eating health easier with her color coded portion control containers and approved grocery list of items.   There is nothing processed and everything is natural.  Makes sense and sounds delicious; it is! 

I haven't given up everything that's bad for me, but I have made huge improvements on my eating habits.  I introduce health substitutes to my family, and sometimes they work, some times not so much.  There is a 'cheat week' between my challenge groups ;)  But I think that starting good habits, replacing bad habits, and moderation on things that I haven't given up yet is a good balance for me.

My goal for my September Challenge group is to track my containers better.  Instead of eating too much or the wrong things, I tend to sell myself short and not eat enough.  I am also testing new recipes from FIXATE, the new cookbook by Autumn, which has 101 clean eating recipes!  Wish me luck!    

Fate brought us together..

There is no other explanation of how a Minnesota native meets a Floridian beach bum by chance and they fall in love.

We lived our individual lives in different states when we received our orders to report for Active duty to the US Army for Operation Iraqi Freedom III from our Inactive Ready Reserves (IRR) status.  It was a difficult year for both of us in so many ways, but it brought us together.

My 'Paul Bunyan' and I have come such a long ways in the 10 years we've been together.  We have so much to be thankful for!  We started our journey in a country with bare minimums, and have created a life together filled with love, a family with three amazing boys, and have grown so much personally and professionally.  Nothing compares to the support he gives me.  He believes in me more than I believe in myself and encourages me to catch my dreams.

Our story is FAR from over and we have so much more in store for us!  I am excited to see the next chapters of our lives together.  In the meantime, I want to savory ever moment!

What is love?..  It's supporting one another no matter what, because their happiness is what you wish for them more than anything else.

He isn't perfect, but he's perfect for me. June 21, 2008.