On Monday evening I was working away on Christmas gifts that need to go to Newfoundland. I'm on a deadline because my lovely Aunt is heading home this weekend and is willing to take a suitcase for me. No cheaper postage to be had! I'm also doing homemade Christmas again this year so that means projects in the works need to be all finished, wrapped and packed up by Thursday evening.

I looked up and realized it was midnight and I needed to get to bed. Up I go to retrieve Hermie from his hiding place. I opened my pj drawer, moved the mountain of Christmas jammie pants out of the way only to find- nothing. I broke into a cold sweat...where was that elf?! I was sure that he was left in there, in fact I know I saw him this summer. I quickly went through each drawer and then each drawer of my bedside table, G;s bedside table, my closet, G's closet, under the furniture. I was pale with panic, cold sweat was beading across my forehead.

Stupid elf, why did I ever start this for the kids...

We search the crawl space and all the Christmas boxes, nadda. Hermie is taking hiding to a new level. Apparently he is so well hidden even the kids couldn't find him on Tuesday morning when they woke up....

After work I raced to Chapters, picked up a new Hermie who was a little chubbier than our real Hermie and decided to have him bring a reindeer friend for Amelia.

Then we raced home, I put the elf and reindeer in place with a note, hid the boxes and went to pick up the kids.

Austin was really excited to see Hermie and Amelia was thrilled that he brought a reindeer friend. Austin read the note and the kids named the reindeer Snowy. I think Snowy and the excitement of getting their first chocolate from their calendar was a good distraction- no one noticed that Hermie had gained some weight and had a little tan...

Apparently Amelia REALLY wants that special gift from Santa because she slept all night in her own bed and didn't get up until 5am for a morning cuddle. I'll take it!!! It takes 21 days to make a new habit and we've got 22 days left to countdown. I'm praying for a Christmas miracle!

Healthy Holidays Challenge

Will you gobble and wobble or have fun and be fit?

I've been in a bit of a workout slump. I've been getting compliments about how I'm looking thinner and have more confidence for sure! Just pressing play each day has been a bit of a struggle. 

The deadline to join our team 21 Day HEALTHY HOLIDAY survival group is this FRIDAY! This group will kick off on November 30th and end just before Christmas!

This group is specifically designed to help you through the holidays. You can enjoy your treats, your food, your drinks but not start the NEW YEAR 10 pounds heavier then what you are right now. If you are looking to lose 8 -12 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas so you can look and feel awesome while you ring in the New Year then this group is for YOU!

This group will provide you with:
Yummy meal plans
Yummy Holiday Recipes
Holiday Dessert & Drink Recipes
Group support from me and my team
Daily tips
Daily Motivation
Lots of FUN!

Source: Pillsbury (trust me the irony of the source did not go unnoticed!)

As a bonus Hermie our Elf on the Shelf will be making some fitness related appearances! Some fun ideas to use your family elf to promote fun and fitness to your kids!

If you want to more please message me! This program is only on sale through the end of November, and it is only offered on sale 1 - 2 x per year! This is a great chance for you to get the program that is changing lives and save some money. You could also give this to yourself as your gift of health, or maybe you have a family member or friend who would like the program- snap it up now!

DIY Wedding Dress Shopping Survival Bag

As of the date this post gets published, there are 263 days until my sister says "I DO!"

I am so excited for her! Jordan is a great guy and my kids adore him. You can tell a lot about a person by how they treat the people around them. Uncle Jordan has been pretty great since day one and Austin loves hanging out with him when we're all together.

When he popped the question a couple of years ago it was not a huge surprise but a really exciting moment none the less. I immediately went into planning mode and sent my sister a planner, several magazines and a few other little things the day after she called to tell me the news. She, understandably wanted to focus on graduating from University first. I mean I get it...it's just...priorities...planners gotta plan!

In May of this year my sister graduated with her Pharmacy degree. We all flew to St. John's to be part of the exciting event. And to make it even better we went DRESS SHOPPING!!!!

While we found a few contenders, we didn't find the dress. Halloween weekend my sister flew to Halifax and we hit the bridal shops. I meticulously planned out the appointments, accounting for travel time and hockey games.

Since the days were going to be jam packed- we only had 3 days to find the dress- I decided to make a Wedding Dress survival kit for her.

The happy bride to be with her Starbucks and Bag at our first stop

I found a great tutorial on Style me Pretty and it includes the image. I somehow managed to muck up the transfer because in barely showed on the bag. What's a girl to do? Grab a gold Sharpie and go over the image! I have to say I was thrilled with how it came out.


I added a few useful items and gave it to her the morning of our first appointment. She loved it and we used everything in it so I consider this a successful DIY Pinterest project.

Bride to Be Wedding Dress Shopping survival kit:

Materials

• 1 Canvas Bag (I got mine at Michael's Craft Store)
• Iron on transfer paper
• Bride to Be image
• Gold Sharpie

Survival Gear of choice. I included:

• Elastic headband
• Hair elastics
• Hand cream
• Ibuprofen
• Lip gloss
• Manicure Kit
• Pen
• Protein bar
• Small note book
• Tic Tacs
• Tissues
• Water bottle

Follow the directions to print the image on the transfer paper. Trim the access paper around the image. Follow directions to transfer image to canvas bag. If you like it the way it is great, For a little extra something, trace the image over in gold sharpie, fill with goodies and give it to your bride to be!

Oh and in case you are wondering- we found a dress on Day 2!! Janice is going to be one GORGEOUS bride.  We also knocked out colours and bridesmaids dresses. I love me some wedding planning!

NO Excuse NOvember + a recipe!

We are a nice, "normal" family.

At least that is what we like to believe...

We've got bills and are stressed for time. I decided a while back that I wanted to make our life a little more flexible. I wanted to give us options to be debt free and not so stressed. I'm getting organized (Oh how I LOVE my new planner- have you read about it? It's awesomeness is detailed here) and I'm taking care of my health.  My babies are growing and it's harder to keep up with them. I'm over being tired and overweight.

I decided after two years ago to get healthy. I work out, I eat healthy but not all of the time, at least until March. I had ordered the 21Day Fix from Beachbody awhile back and thanks to my awesome coach I got back on board. At my last weigh in I was finally down below Amelia's delivery weight and had gone down 2 sizes. I am also helping other people reach their goals and it feels so good knowing I'm making a positive impact on other people. 5 Rounds of the Fix and my challengers have lost a collective 245lbs!!! That is incredible and I'm very proud of them :)

As a Coach I am also earning an income that is helping my family's bottom line. I earned enough with Beachbody since March to pay off a credit card balance and boost our savings account. But most importantly I've found a renewed purpose and drive in my life. I love helping people achieve their goals and become happier people. 

This week I started my NO excuse NOvember challenge group. We're just getting underway and I'd love to have a few more people join. If you want to hear more about the program let me know!

It's getting colder and we all want comfort food. One of the things I love about the 21 Day Fix is that I get to eat real food and I am not doing math to figure out how much I can eat. I'm also only making one meal for the family so we're all getting healthier!

One of my kids' favorites from the Fixate cookbook is the chicken soup. It's a lot like I used to make anyway and I've tweaked it ever so slightly. Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup
*adapted from Fixate

2 Green
1.5 Yellow
1 Red

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 2 c sliced celery
• 4 cups of low sodium organic chicken broth 
• 3 cups of shredded, cooked chicken breast (I roast two organic chickens on prep day and use the bones to make stock and the breast meat for the soup and chicken salad)
• 2 c sliced carrots 
• 1 c cubed turnip or rutabaga
• 1tsp Red pepper flakes
• 1tsp chopped rosemary (1/2 tsp if using dried)
• 1tsp chopped fresh thyme (1/2 tsp if using dried)
• dash salt, pepper to taste
• 1 1/4 c of cooked whole wheat bowtie pasta (I use Catelli SMART pasta because my kids won't always eat brown pasta willingly)

Cooking:

1. In a large pot add the oil and heat
2. Add the onion and garlic and saute until fragrant 
3. Add celery, carrots and turnip and cook 2-3 minutes
4. Add broth and chicken
5. Heat on high until boil
6. After boil, reduce to low and cover for 30 min (or until carrots are soft)
7. Add pasta during last 8 minutes of cooking.
8. Measure out 1.5 yellow of pasta and put into a bowl.
9. Top with soup (about 1-1.25 cups)

Sunny Ways My Friends, Sunny Ways

Today I am hopeful.

I can't stop smiling knowing that our country came together and collectively said that we would not stand for divisive politics, for fear mongering and religious based persecution.

A majority government that campaigned on hope, positive outlooks and collaboration has a lot to live up to. I feel optimistic that this is a turning point for Canadians and that Justin Trudeau will restore our reputation with our Global partners. I feel hope for my children and for my country.

Today I am hopeful, because I see my family and our values reflected in our leader. He has young children and a wife who has stood up for women's rights.  His family like to visit the pumpkin patch....

Source: The Canadian Press

Our family likes to visit the pumpkin patch...
 

See we could be best friends!

I have faith that Canada will be a better place. I could rant about all the reasons why I disapproved of our most recent Prime Minister, however I will take a page out of the book of our newest Prime Minister and I will choose not to attack him. I will say thanks for the UCCB it has really helped our family pay for the high costs of childcare, thanks for serving our country. 

Now pack your bags and don't let the door hit your negative ass on the way out!

Source: The Glamorous Housewife

Seven

Happy, happy birthday to my sweet boy! I can't believe time is passing so quickly and you are no longer a baby. You have an amazing spirit, a competitive drive, a great sense of humor and a loving heart. I love you so much!

Stopping the Chaos and organizing my life

My life has been an organizational train wreck.

I have been unprepared and running around like a chicken with my head cut off ever since we returned from our vacation in Newfoundland at the end of August. School started and with that came the craziness of trying to get the kids into an earlier bedtime routine, packing lunches, getting things ready for the next day, cleaning the house and trying to get my workout and business power hour in.

I have felt so out of control. I can't seem to keep on top of anything and that in turn makes me feel like I'm breathing through a straw, running a marathon, with an elephant sitting on my chest. You're trying to imagine that now aren't you? It sucks.

I've tried Cozi, Google calendar and ziplist. My phone calendar is alright but I write faster than I type. I needed something that I could see my family schedule and my beachbody schedule at the same time. Something I can flip open and quickly know what everyone has on the go all week in one glance.

A friend of mine showed me her planner. She said it changed her life. I wanted one. I NEEDED one! And I can write it off as a business expense so why not? She gave me her referral code so I got $10 off my purchase and she earned a $10 credit to use on her next purchase.

There are few things in life that make me giddy. I soak up moments and memories and have a goofy grin on my face taking in my kids experiencing life. Material items are not so much my speed- but fabric and paper make me giddy. I have been waiting since I clicked submit for my order to arrive. At first I thought I was having a panic attack, then a friend pointed out that panic and anticipation/excitement can feel very similar (and let's face it I'm used to being panicky). I couldn't keep myself from checking the fedex website 9,000,000 times a day to find out where my package was.

It finally arrived yesterday and I'm already feeling more organized . Just looking at it makes me happy.

I spent some time last night filing in October and organizing the rest of this week. It's funny how I feel so much lighter this morning. Way less stressed. I've laid out all of our family activities, hockey practices and meeting and all of my business related tasks. I've broken it all out in manageable chunks and I don't feel overwhelmed this morning.

I really love the positive energy that radiates from my book. There are motivational sayings and places for my to write my own thankful thoughts each week. I like that there is a spot for goals and a place to write notes (re LISTS!!!) on each side of the week's days and spaces for notes under each day. I'll probably use those spots to write in the meal plan and my workout schedule. 

I wish I could tell you this is a sponsored post but it's not. I spent my own money and theses are my honest first impressions. I'll report back at the end of the month to see how it goes- I'm still in the honeymoon phase with my new planner.

If you want to check it out for yourself you can follow this link and you will get $10 off your first order:  https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/lisaboutilier0619

And then there were 2..

Earlier this month my kids went on their annual vacation to Newfoundland.

My mom actually came up over the long weekend at the beginning of the month for a visit before taking the kids back to NL with her. It was great having her here, especially because G was working ridiculous hours and I came down with strep throat and could barely keep my eyes open, let alone have the ability to care for the two littles! Thankfully Mom was there and stepped right in.

And then they all left. G was at the office working and I was on the couch, too hot to sleep, to cold to warm up and it was just too quiet. Now there are a few things I am not used to:

1. Being so sick that I had to miss work
2. Being in a quiet house without and children
3. Sleeping for longer than a couple of hours at a time

I couldn't take the quiet and I was far too hot to get much sleep, so I turned to Netflix. I finished watching the Friends series and followed that with Pitch Perfect. I laughed so much I was in excruciating pain! But it was worth it.

And now I'm addicted to Nashville but without the time to binge watch, I'm going a little nuts trying to not look up online what happens next!

Gordon and I went on a date every night. It was refreshing to just be able to head out after work where ever tour mood took us. We had fun and reconnected and slept through the night. Gordon was even able to get a lot of work done on our kitchen and it is almost finished! 2 years and the end is in sight! I have cupboard doors!

It's a funny thing when you have little kids. You get in a place where everything else takes up every moment of your time- your kids, your work, the upkeep of the house..everything. And you crawl in bed at different times of night depending on when AA2 wakes up and how long it takes to get her to settle back down. And out of sheer exhaustion you realize that the only conversation you've had in two days was over daycare, lunches, what's for supper and a quick review of the day.

My parent's give us the most incredible gift every year. We have a full week to focus on each other. Nothing else needs out attention outside of work. It's amazing.

As much fun as it was to be DINKS, I really missed my kids and was happy to get on the flight to NL to see them. They greeted us at the airport with so much excitement, and it was just so great to grab onto them. Refreshed and ready for another 51 weeks!

Fairy Tale Friends make my girl's day! (Part 2)

After all the work that went into the invitations, food and decor, I knew that none of that would likely be remembered once the Royal guests of honour arrived. Little did Amelia know that when she told me she wanted to invite Anna and Elsa to her birthday party that it would actually happen.

Sure enough at 10am there was a knock on the door and in walked Anna and Elsa! The dancing and Frozen bean bag toss came to a halt as little girls rushed to meet the princesses. I was a little unsure of how Amelia would react. It was going to go one of two ways- She would love it and be all in OR she would run to me, grab my leg and hide behind me until they left.

Thankfully, she beamed with excitement and looked up in disbelief when Elsa showed her the invitation they had received from Amelia.

Anna and Elsa gathered the kids around and told their story. Each child was amazed and totally captivated by these princesses.

As they told the story, they would sing the songs with the kids.,. which lead to my favorite moment of the whole party- the signing of "Let it Go". 

You need to understand that my daughter is OBSESSED with "Let it Go". She sings in on a constant repeat, knows all of the words, actions and expressions. It was magical to watch. Amelia beamed and her smile quite literally went from ear to ear. It was that moment that every parent wants to see come true for their child- pure, unfiltered joy.

Anna and Elsa could really sing! They talked like the characters, sang like the characters and made each child feel special. They took the time to answer each little, even when it was an interruption to their story time. They asked questions and had little conversations, never breaking character. At the end of their story time and games, the ladies taught the kids how to be royal with curtseys, waves and bows. Then they held a mini coronation ceremony and everyone became a princess or prince.

I cannot thank these girls enough. Amelia and her friends talked about the party for weeks. Not sure how we'll top this and I'm not even sure I want to. It was such a special day.

Thank you Fairy Tale Friends for helping me make my little princess' dream come true!

Disclosure **I did not receive any compensation or a discount on the services provided by Fairy Tale Friends. The opinions reflected in this post are my own** 

The Frozen Extravaganza that was 4 (Part 1)

My baby is 4.

She was actually 4 at the beginning of June, and she wanted a Frozen party. What little girl wouldn't? My little girl just loves Anna and Elsa, they captivate her- and given that she didn't have much of a birthday celebration last year, Hubby and I decided that this would be her first big birthday party. It ended up being a little bigger that I initially planner, but it's all good!

Frozen was a given for the theme, Amelia kept telling everyone that Elsa was coming to her birthday. Well I couldn't disappoint her. When we did up her invitations she made sure she had one sent to Queen Elsa and Princess Anna along with her cousins and 10 littles from her school.

Invite printable found at: Homeketeers

I had some ideas and turned to Pinterest to turn her summer birthday into a winter wonderland

G help with the glueing and cutting and didn't complain about the glitter!

I kept the food simple but still had finishing touches to add the night before. A little princess was too excited about her birthday party and at midnight I looked up and saw her at the top of the stairs

"Mommy, I smell something."

After checking out the cookies and the cake and giving her approval, I got her back to bed and got back to work. We went pretty simple on the menu. The party was in the morning so we served:

• Olaf's nose (baby carrots)
• Anna and Elsa's Chocolates (2bite brownies)
• "4" snow covered cookies (recipes for the cookies and icing from Sweetopia)
• Sven's antlers (pretzels)
• Kristoph's Ice (jello)
• "Finish each other's sandwiches" Cheese and crackers
• Fruit
• Birthday cake

I used great printables for the banner and food cards, our Elsa Disney Infinity figure and a castle cutout as the cake topper.

Amelia was over to moon with what we had done. She couldn't believe it. Her friends all came and they were all dressed in their royal party dresses. We had the Frozen soundtrack playing and a little Princess ball was unfolding right in front of our eyes.

Little did they know what was to come...

11 years and counting~ July 10, 2015

On my wedding day, I "woke" up and cried in the shower because it was raining. Looking back that really was the least of my problems. It's funny how a sleepless night can blur the vision of the bigger picture. If I had only known what I was in for the rain really wouldn't have been such a big deal.

I love my life. Are there parts of it that are less enjoyable than other? Of course, but those parts are just the little bit of rain that must fall in order for the good things to grow. I've gotten much better at focus some of my time in personal development, thinking about my life and the lessons that I've learned and how I can share those with others. So when I was reliving our wedding day the morning of our anniversary (Yes I can still recall every detail from the skeptical looks when I handed out a scheduled breakdown of the day in 15 min increments- are you surprised?- to the fun the girls and I had getting ready, the moments before I walked down the aisle to finally getting kicked out of the party room and curling up with my new husband, to excited to sleep) I wanted to pass along a few things I wish I had known as I cried over that rain- it would have made it seem like such a small thing.

4 Lessons Learned in the Rain:

1. It's about the people not that 1 day. Despite the rain, our wedding day turned out to be spectacular! People followed my schedule (type A must do!) and things flowed well. But that wasn't what made it spectacular. It was spectacular because our friends and family came together and enjoyed each other's company. Most of those people are still in our lives and celebrate our ups and support our downs. The dance will end, your feet will hurt, the flowers will wilt and, eventually, those adorable fighting fish center pieces will die- but the memories of how absolutely epic that day was will be what stays with you.
   
2. Marry someone you really like, because some days you won't be in love with them. Seriously did I just say that?!. Yup. Not everyone has the type of relationship that is hot 24/7. You know why there aren't more divorces? Because both partners aren't out of love with the other at the same time. Don't mistake this to mean that G and I don't love each other because we do. Being in love and loving someone are different. When you love someone you can learn almost anything together. It's a choice you make everyday to be there for the other person (be it your husband, sister, friend). In love is all controlled by the pheromones and you have very little control over that. And, if you are lucky, there will be so many days that you have that "head over heels, luckiest person in the world" feeling and not so many days that you hear yourself saying to yourself "And that's when I killed him your Honour"....
   
   
   
   
   
3. Marriage is a business. Before you get all upset think about it. You have a house to run, bills to pay, upkeep to do, assets to control If you so choose you can create new divisions (aka the littles) and each little you add to the home creates the need for a new schedule, division of labour and finances. And if you don't pay attention to the details of your business it will all fall apart. You'll resent each other and you'll be in a terrible financial mess. So schedule meetings to review schedules, decide on activities and review your finances. You'll be happier with both partners knowing exactly what is going on with the money, the activities and the goals. And like any well organized business put your affairs in order so your children do not need to deal with a great big mess when you are gone. It's not fair to your family to leave them with the stress that comes with that.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Date night is important. When we first got married, G and I would go to the movies, out for dinner and on random adventures. Sometimes with friends, sometimes just by ourselves. It was so nice to get away from the day to day realities of work and managing the business of our marriage. Enter children and most couples forget date night. We don't do it as much as we should but now we are trying. We've found ourselves raising our littles and growing and changing in the process. If you don't date and keep talking and having fun you'll be strangers before you know it. This advice sticks around because time and time again it has been proven by people much more wise than we are. (FYI- If you happen to go on a dinner date on the Halifax waterfront beware that the pigeons have no fear and will dive the harbour side patio in search of your food...)

I love our life and how we challenge each other, understand each other and give each other space when needed. Most important decision you can make is to marry someone you want to grow old with, it makes all the difference.

Happy Anniversary G!

WIP Wednesday: DIY Mermaid blanket

I had seen some adorable mermaid blankets on pinterest. They were mostly knitted or fleece ones. I'm not a huge fan of sewing with fleece and flannel for blankets. I usually use it as a lining because I really like working with cottons. I had the idea to make Amelia a pink tail blanket for daycare and couldn't decide on a shade so I decided to give in the the ombre craze and use all her favorite shades of pink!

You'll need:

1-2 meters of fabric depending on how long you want your tail to be.

1-2 meters of flannel to line the blanket

Sewing pen

coordinating thread

Sorry for the lack of pictures...


Step 1: I sewed together four strips of various shades going light to dark. For Amelia's blanket I used the following measurements:

Fabric 1:  8 inches (WOF)
Fabric 2:  10 inches (WOF)
Fabric 3:  14 inches (WOF)
Fabric 4:  18 inches (WOF)

Step 2: Fold the fabric in half widthwise and draw the desired shape. I found a tailfin template to use as a guide but ended up freehanding the tail design.

Step 3: Lay the cut out tail on the flannel and cut 2 pieces to line the blanket

Step 4: With right sides together sew the top of outer pierce 1 and lining piece 1 together. Turn right side out and iron the seam.

Step 5: Pin the fabric together and sew/serge around the edge.

Step 6: Repeat for second piece of fabric and lining.

Step 7: Using a sewing ink pen draw gill pattern on the blanket. I chose to only quilt one side. For the tail I replicated the lines that occur in a fishtail at the bottom of the fin. I used a thread that coordinated with the  darkest shade of pink. and quilted along the lines using a straight stitch.

Step 8: Place both pieces right side together. sew/serge down the sides. You may want to sew and zigzag along the bottom of the tail to get the right silhouette.  Use a straight stitch along the top edge to top stitch the opening of the blanket.

Step 9: Give to your little and let her slip into her new mermaid tail blanket! Washing the blanket gives the fabric a bit of a crinkled look and makes it even more "mermaidy" At least according to A2.

Linked up at Freshly Pieced!

Easter baking

Another long weekend has come and gone- and what a shock we got more snow! Honestly a green Christmas and a white Easter were not exactly what I had in mind this year :/

Normally we are out skipping rope, drawing with chalk and blowing bubbles Easter weekend. This year we took advantage of the bit of sun we had to go for a walk and do a little drawing but then we had to find some indoor activities to occupy our time.

Naturally we made Easter cookies. We decided to send these to Amelia's teachers because they are clearly not on the 21 Day Fix program ;)  

We made the sugar cookie and royal icing recipes from Sweetopia.  I love her blog, so many great ideas, tutorials and recipes. I used the cupcake cookie cutter from Cheapcookiecutters.com (a favorite shop of mine). 

Amelia decorated her cookies like this:

I loved her concentration. She was so cute!

I really wanted to try making the lamps like the Flour Box Bakery tutorial on Facebook. I must have watched the video about 15 times before I was happy with the results. The gray was a little too dark for my liking but it is what it is they are still cute.

I have a lot of practicing to do before the big tea party in June if I want my Anna and Elsa cookies to look as good as the ones the Flour Box Bakery or Sweetopia make!

*Disclaimer: I received no money or products from the blogs/companies I linked to in this post. I just like them and shared.

WIP Wednesday- Triangles Baby!!

You got a sneak peak at this one a few weeks and now it is done!!

This gorgeous quilt was created using the See Kate Sew pattern and tutorial. I do not have pointy triangles but I think it still works. Kate just released a revised pattern piece (after I had my fabric cut) and I'll use that for my next triangle quilt...we all know there will be another!

This quilt took me a little bit of time because I didn't just use straight lines.I quilted one side of the triangle which created a diamond pattern on the back. I really like how it looks on the navy backing. I also like that it works as a crib blanket, floor blanket, toddler nap blanket, kid cuddle blanket and grown up lap quilt. The colours should work regardless of the decor of A's room.

 

This one has been mailed to a very special little guy who has already stolen my heart. Kills me that I won't get to snuggle him until May! I can't wait to share a photo of him all snuggled up in it.

 

This post is being shared over on Freshly Pieced.

Focus 35: 21 Day Fix- Day 21

I finished the 21 Day Fix!

Finished is the right word because I am still doing it. It's not a diet as in a short term solution- it's a lifestyle evolution. I say evolution because it's true. Over the past year, our family has been changing the way we eat. I have always liked to cook and loved cooking all those awesome Giada DeLaurentis, The Pioneer Woman and Barefoot Contessa recipes featured on Food Network.

Some friends introduced us to the Whole30 and paleo. While our family hasn't gone completely gluten free, I am amazed at the amount of carbs we no longer eat. I make every attempt to make meals with whole foods, cut back the refined sugars and grains, and choose organic and grain fed whenever possible. Thanks to meal planning, eating real food, buying local and in bulk when possible our grocery budget comes in around $5.80/person/day. 

So why, with all those changes, was I not reaching my goals? 

Commitment and making time for myself are the biggest obstacles for me. I remember when I was a stay at home mom for a few months and doing the T25 workouts, I was getting results and loving how I felt. Then I started working full time again and carving out time for me went to the wayside. It's just so easy to get lost in the thick of working and making time for the kids, household maintenance and all the family activities that we have on the go.

I did Weight Watchers for awhile after each of my kids were born. I counted my points and stayed "on plan" everyday but still didn't lose. Part of that was a medication I was taking but the other, bigger, part was that I was eating boxed and processed foods. I don't knock WW. It has worked for so many people- it just wasn't right for me.

With the 21 Day Fix I have been re-learning portion control. It's amazing how much food you can eat when you eat whole, unprocessed foods and uses the macro ratio 40:30:30 for protein/fats/carbs.

Is my diet perfect? Nope. But it takes time to change.

Today is day 21. I have lost 3lbs and 5.5 inches. I am thrilled. Considering I had a stomach flu and didn't work out for a week, I'm pretty happy with those results.  Also the scale and the measuring tape have seemed to have been on a permanent plateau for awhile so it's great to see results!

On April 6 I am joining in a new fitness challenge group. Back to T25 workouts (Bonus Shawn T is adorable!) and still following the 21 Day Fix eating plan. Only 2 months until little Sister's graduation!

Friday Update: Focus 35

You need to want your future more than you want the moment. 

Every person who has made a change in their life remembers a specific point in time where something just clicked and they knew this was the moment to change. Forget what happened yesterday and focus on the daily changes you can make that will bring you closer to your goal. The first, and biggest obstacle, changing the way you think and talk to yourself. 

"It's too hard"- yes it's hard. Hard things are usually worth doing and are more likely to lead to long term success and happiness than the quick fix.

"I'm too tired"- I'm tired too. My daughter still wakes up at night. I don't remember the last time I had a full night of uninterrupted sleep. Life is crazy hectic- but that isn't going to change so what are you going to do about it?

"I don't have time"- yes you do. You can make 30 minutes a day to workout and 1 hour a weekend to prep your food, What would take longer- scheduling 30 minutes a day for your health or being dead 24/7?

I want each of you to remember this - post it somewhere you can see it daily -

Source

I'm tired.
I'm sore.
I'm not giving up.

This is a hard battle. For me it seems like it's been a life long battle. When I look back at pictures from 2004 I just want to cry. I want that me back. I want to feel that good and be that confident again.

It's day 5 of the Fix and I am feeling healthier. I've had non scale victories this week that I haven't had in a very long time. I was at a meeting and did not devour the plate of muffins in front of me despite the fact I had rushed out of the house without breakfast and forgot my shake. I went into a coffee shop for the first time this week this morning. I did not order the oatcake which is by far my absolute favorite. I got a coffee and only a coffee. And I was just as happy without the food. I had a few extra minutes to connect with Gordon and proved to myself that I can go into a coffee shop and resist temptation.

I'm not perfect and I'm trying to change that inner voice that says to just give up because this is a lot of work. I will make mistakes and I will mess up. But this time I will not make excuses. I will not quit. I know what quitting feels like. I want to find out what the opposite feels like.

Monday will come with measurements and weigh ins and for a change I am not dreading it or avoiding it. It will be what it is and I'm not expecting specific numbers and will be proud of the work I've done and will keep going. 

Have a great weekend!