Lessons learned in life

Lessons learned in life

Wow this past month has been a trial in life why because life does not always go as planned things that I thought were lined up changed due to circumstances out of my control. In case you don't know this about me I'm a planner, I plan my months, weeks, and days, always looking ahead and trying to see what bend is up ahead and plan ahead. I would say its strength as much as I enjoy going with the flow I always has this mental plan in the back of my mind.
 

 

Well like I said things in life don't always go as planned and left me wondering why now? Without getting into detail it was a great wake up call to realize if everything in life went according to "my plans" there would not be much room left to rely on God. Lesson learned!! No matter where you’re at in life what trial you have been handed there will always is a lesson to learn.

If you’re in the middle of a life lesson or feel at the end of your rope without options this recording could not have been better timing in life I listened 3 times in the last week while working out- Lessons learned in life

So moving forward how do you not only learn from a life lesson but keep in check what you learned? Well for me I'm visual and on my market board in the basement I created a rope and will look at it daily as a reminder no matter at what point I'm at on the rope that day I still need God. For sure listen to the above recording it will explain in great detail.

 

Always thankful at the end of the day I'm so thankful for:

 *My parents and Steve parents that live close to watch the kids on short notice.

 *A great report at the baby Dr. visit this week

 *Always being flexible

 *Guidance from God

 

 

 

 

 

Being pregnant is not always fun
Trying to find an outfit yesterday morning.....however pair it with cute boots and a smile I'm set.

Smile. Learn Life Lessons. Keep going



 

 

 

Chicken Quinoa Soup

Chicken Quinoa Soup

 Ingredients
•1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
•3 1/2 cups chicken broth
•1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
•1 tbsp olive oil ...
•1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
•1/2 tsp kosher salt
•4 cloves garlic, minced
•1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
•1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
•2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
•3/4 cup pitted and quartered kalamata olives
•Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
•1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions
1.Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.
2.Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
3.In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
4.Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5.Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
6.Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.
7.Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
8.Add the salt, minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
9.To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.
10.Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
11.Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.
12.Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
13.Stir in parsley and serve.

What is a challenge group?

What is a challenge group?

Hey there!!

I just wanted to take a moment and explain what a challenge group is and why I do what I do.  First off I started off just like you after baby number two I could not loss the baby weight to this day I remember going into Tractor Supply (post 3 months of having a baby) and the employee asked me when I was due.  I smiled and said I had a baby 3 months ago and held the tears back.  Why?  Because I was working my butt off well what I thought I was doing was going to work my butt off and my baby belly in turn nothing was happening.  I was stuck, how could I succeed in other areas of life but just could not understand what it took to like what I saw in the mirror.  I saw a post just like this one from another mom offering for me to be a part of a challenge group.  I had no idea who she was and when she told me shakeology was a requirement I wanted to run the other way.  After all I’m a stay at home mom at the time with a new baby and every dollar counts.  However I was willing to take a risk in hopes of being able to change.  I too did not want to “drink a shake” for a meal.  I like food, I like to eat, I like to use a fork however I wanted more to change.  These are my results after a challenge group.

 

 

What is a challenge group?

You'll be added to our VIP Facebook group where only the members of the group can see what is being posted. You'll be expected to check in daily with your workout and nutrition so we can make sure you're staying on track. There will be an awesome nutrition plan included with your fitness program. We start together and we end together. No one quits. First we’ll work on flushing all those negative thoughts swirling in the back of your mind that are keeping you stuck. If you believe you will succeed, you will.

What I do is help you customize your health and fitness goals to meet your needs. Then I help you choose the best Beachbody workout to get there based on your ability level. Then you replace 1 meal a day with shakeology for the challenge group to give your body 1 meal that is supercharged with ingredients that will give you natural energy, cravings will be curbed, you will stay full for at least 3 hours and its equivalent to 6 salads in one meal. Then, I am going to teach you how to plan the other meals of the day. I will help you create a customized meal plan, give you recipes, snack ideas, tips, motivation and keep you accountable. Every day I post in the challenge group your daily mind set tip or post. You check in and rate your date and read what is posted. We all keep each other accountable!

 I am going to address the emotional eating, eating out at restaurants, how to handle the temptations, cheat meals, body image and more!

 I've created an entire curriculum for my group!

Does this sound like something you would like to do?

 What is shakeology (click to find out)?  There are so many products out there I'm not going to name other "meal replacement" drinks or brands however most are not a true replacement and are filled with artificial sweeteners and artificial flavoring which is only going to leave you hungry and craving more garbage.  I was a breastfeeding mom when I started and even now pregnant I would not to take in something that did not benefit my body.  Being that shakeology is sweetened with a natural plant Stevia it truly does not get much healthier (no not like the chemical found Stevia at Wal-Mart). 

 

 

Why run challenge groups? 

 

Because I love paying it forward and helping others, it's not about the money, the time I invest into the challenge groups in my option is time well spent.  I love paying it forward with my team as well and giving them the training needed as well so their customers can also see amazing results.  It's messages like this that cause me to jump out of bed in the morning and help those ready to change.

 

Our team Shining to inspire stands out in a crowd for sure we are manly made up of moms that had awesome results and enjoy helping others with their own personal fitness goals.

What are your personal goals?  I can't wait to chat

 

 

 

Apply now to save your spot!!

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Flank Steak Crock Pot Dinner

  Flank Steak Crock Pot Dinner

It only took 7 months to find a great recipe that just so happens to be 21 day fix approved, simple, takes less time to dig out your crock pot then it does to put the ingredients together.  I truly love cooking with Flank steaks due to how lean of a cut of meat it is.  Flank is a relatively inexpensive, thin, trapezoidal shaped, lean, very specifically grained steak.  We buy all of our red meat generally from a local farmer however I purchase our flank steak from Wegman’s (most grocery stores carry this cut).

HOWEVER every time I cook with it, It never turned out very moist.  And let’s face it our taste buds will determine if it’s a hit or if our husbands say “this is good make it again”. 

 

Mom’s if your thinking I don’t have time to cook healthy and I have a family of picky eaters try this.  In the last few months my time in the kitchen has been limited but I still want to provide a healthy meal.  Monday’s and Wednesday I work outside of the home for our traditional business and the day is full to say the least so the crock pot is to the rescue.

 

So it's this simple:

Crock pot- low heat for 6 to 8 hours depending on your crock pot.

Place 1 lbs Flank steak in crock pot

2 cups of water

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 packet of Grill Mates Montreal steak marinade

From that I walked away and came home to a house smelling amazing paired with sweet potatoes and green beans.  Family meal everyone loved!!  Try it let me know what your family thinks of it.

 

 

No bake Peanut Butter Pie

No Bake Peanut Butter Pie

Trust me when I say I was that girl that would bake and share and loved seeing everyone enjoy what I made however what I was making before eating clean was loaded with butter, white sugar, and white flour just to name a few ingredients that would leave others feeling bloated, tired, and wanting more sweets.  This is a recipe that you can share with the office girls, on the weekend with your friends, or getting together for the holidays and won't feel like you totally got off track.  PLUS take advantage of freezing the left overs vs over eating.

*No oven required...
*No need to feel confident in the kitchen
  AKA simple
*It's so creamy you would think there is cream cheese
*Ingredients that most always have on hand
*You could share this with family and friends and they would ask "Is this really healthy".

Ingredients:

 
Crust:
 
• 1 cup walnuts (you can use pecans)
• 1 cup cashews
• 2 tbsp agave, honey or maple syrup
• 3 - 4 tbsp almond milk or soy
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
Filling:
 
• 1 cup natural peanut butter (unsalted)
• 3 medium bananas the more ripe the better it brings more sweetness
• 3 tbsp almond milk or soy
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips mini (you can use regular size)

Directions

1. To make the crust, add crust ingredients to a food processor and process until a ball of dough forms, stopping and scraping the sides of the bowl. Start with a few tablespoons of almond milk and add more if necessary to bring to a desired consistency. Be careful not to over process the crust into a nut butter. Transfer the dough to a 9" pie dish and flatten on the bottom and sides with your hands to make a pie shell. You can make a pretty rim using the fork.
2. Give food processor a rinse, wipe with a towel and add filling ingredients. Process until smooth, pausing and scraping the sides of the bowl. Pour filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle with chocolate chips (optional), cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 3-4 hours or until frozen. Thaw on a counter for about 30 minutes before slicing and serve.

 

 

Meal planning and being pregnant

Meal planning and being pregnant

Ever get all set up head to the grocery store Sunday and plan in your head this is going to be the week I eat better and stay on track. You come home with healthier options but not much of a plan on what recipes to make or where to start? I find it so much more helpful to start with a plan then head to the store. This saves time, money, and unwanted meals that you might have leaned to without a plan.

My meal plans these days look a little different now that I’m in my second t...rimester however I still go for eating foods with ingredients I can pronounce, eliminating white flour and sugar, eating smaller portions meals 5 times a day and keeping the metabolism burning and recipes the entire family will eat.

I tend to eat the same things for a few days one it keeps it simple and it saves money by not buying so many different items.

The two biggest misconceptions are that eating better cost more money and takes more time. I disagree by having a plan my husband and I actually eat out way less and grab way less food on the go that actually off sets the price of shakeology every week. By taking 20 minutes to meal plan for the week on Sunday I’m not wasting time going to the store more than once. Plus taking another hour in the evening the food is prepped for the week. If you would like to be apart of an accountability group with meal planning built in to make life easier message for details  (click on image to read better).

 

Working out

 

After being pregnant 2 other times and not having healthy eating and exercise apart of my day I continue to pay it forward and help others.  Are you thinking about starting a family after the first of year or in the year 2015.  It's so worth the investment in yourself and your baby to start now and create a healthy habit that can continue.

 

I don't have all the answers but what I do know is: when it comes to losing weight doing it by yourself is never fun and can more often then not end up in discouragement or stopping before motivation kicks in.  In the online challenge groups I run my goal is to help you with your "why", creating an environment that sets you up for success.  I will discuss topics like emotional eating, eating out, traveling, temptations, late night snacking and more.  I will give you lots of my tips and tricks to keep you moving in the right direction. 

 

Recipe-
Check out my healthy version that literally took 2 minutes to make

*banana sliced in half...
*1/4 cup of frozen mixed berries placed in a glass dish for 1.5 minutes in the microwave
*A sprinkle of unsweetened coconut

 

I have a closed online support group where each day you will get a post from me, a video, or a tip to keep you motivated accountable and moving in the right direction.  I will help you plan out your meals, give you ideas, and help you stick to it.  You will be required to participate in the group discussions, get the challenge pack that includes both the shakeology and the workout program to maximize your results.  I find that when I incorporate shakeology that people get better results because it's one meal that they don't have to plan, portion out or wonder if they have the right combination of foods. This way, its a no brainer.  Then when the group is over you can decide whether or not to continue with Shakeology. 

 

 

 

 

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Ultrasound day!!

Ultrasound day!!

Where did this pregnancy go??  I know I know from like week 25 to 35 it goes SLOW but this first half felt like it was just a few weeks.  I know we have a lot going on in our lives at the moment and just being parents of two others it goes by in a different kind of fast.  The kind you look around at the house and say its clean knowing it could be better but still good enough if one of the kids drop food on the ground and still decides to eat it, it’s all good.  Thinking today this will be the last ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby is bittersweet I truly love being a mom and would not trade it. 

Mom’s you will totally understand when you’re pregnant you are so excited but let’s face it, It can be downright tiring.  They dim the lights in the room and truly I could of fallen asleep however about 20 minutes in the tech confirmed we will be having a BOY!!  Everything went well and of course thrilled at the end of the 40 minutes to find out the sex of our unborn baby but to also find out he is doing well.

 

 

It’s funny I did what most first time moms do with the first born and have a ton of boy clothes.  Not so sure what Josie was dressed in the first year based on the fact that I have about 4 times as many clothes for a boy?  I can totally already see Josie and I needing to get out of the house and do girl things because the boys will be taking over. 

Mom’s with girls I’m not sure how you picked a name, boys names in my option are so much easier to decide on.  We have it narrowed down to 3 but of course will wait till the baby is born to share the name plus once we see out little prince making sure that the two go together.

Looking forward to a C-section in February and praying for a safe delivery and a quick recovery.  My husband will have his hands full but will do great while the new baby and I adjust.

Hummm….also if I could request this little bundle of joy sleeps that would be great!!

Hair?  I’m guessing yes both of our other kids where born with lots of dark hair and brown eyes.  But we will have to wait and see, based on the past and also my sisters kids we tend to have 10 lbs babies but who know this is!!

 

I love sharing my journey with everyone and can't wait to hold our bundle!!