Our week

We have had a great (rainy) week around here.  It has involved lots of inside time with art projects, fevers, toys everywhere, and playing in the basement.  We have also had a cousin and some friends come over for a visit.

 Monday morning, Caroline had a fever so we stayed in and played in our jammies.

 Sister love!

  Elizabeth and I went to the playground in the afternoon.

 We built a "sandcastle"

 Tuesday morning, this nugget was feeling better.

 That's the smile I was missing on Monday

After I worked out Tuesday night, I enjoyed a patron margarita*
*courtesy of Adam and Shelley and the patron they gave us :)

Ben got home from poker and he joined me in enjoying a cocktail

 Wednesday, it was pouring outside and Caroline was up before Elizabeth.

I rarely get one on one time with this sweet baby so I really soak it up when I do.

 While Caroline napped, we did some glitter painting

 She is so focused on her art projects :)

Afternoon cuddles with Mommy 

 Once Ben was done with work, we picked up our baby cousin from his fabulous babysitter

His parents were attending a class, so the girls got to enjoy some cousin time

3 years, 8 months, and almost 3 months

 Wednesday night, Ben and I mixed it up and enjoyed a glass of red wine.

If you know me, you know I love pinot grio and rarely drink red.

I think my pallet is changing because I am really starting to enjoy reds as well.

 Thursday morning art projects from the art supplies GaGa gave us.

 Who doesn't love a purple horse?

 Caroline loved emptying her toy box

For lunch, Shelley and Fiamma came over with some delicious Chick-Fil-A and we enjoyed "eating" lunch while wrangling three kids.  I think Elizabeth ate half of one nugget, half her fries and 9 M&Ms, it took Shelley 90 minutes to eat her salad with Fiamma needing new diapers and getting tired, and I inhaled my nuggets and fries before Caroline drank her bottle and refused to eat her baby food.  Things did calm down once all the girls went down for naps and Shelley and I got enjoy a regular conversation.  Hey folks, it can't always be glamorous  :)

After naps, we played in the basement playroom.

Caroline and Elizabeth made their way into the castle tent.

Happy baby!

That has been our week around here.

I didn't workout yesterday, but Elizabeth and I did hit the gym this morning.  

I did 30 minutes on the treadmill and them some lifting.

What are your fitness plans for the weekend?  

Here are some recommendations for some healthy substitutions to sitting on the couch watching The Real housewives reruns:

1a) Go to the pool

1b) Get in the pool

2) Go for a walk on Saturday AND Sunday around your neighborhood before breakfast

3) Go for a hike with your kids/spouse/dog

4) Check out a new park and walk the trails

5) Play tennis with a friend

6a) When you go grocery shopping this weekend, park in the spot furthest from the door

6b) When you get inside the store, don't go down any isle.  Only shop the outer loop of the store.

7) Take a picnic to a park, bring a frisbee (or chalk and bubbles)

8) Pull out your bike.  Take it for a ride.

9) Go dancing

10) You pay for a gym membership?  Go use it!  (Both days)

Have a great weekend!

Happy Birthday Uncle Adam!

Dear Uncle Adam,

We want to wish you a very wonderful birthday!  We hope you have a fantastic day celebrating!

Love,

Elizabeth and Caroline

When life doesn't go according to plan...

It has been raining here all week and has made going anywhere with the girls very difficult.  Elizabeth walks slowly (because she is 3) and Caroline has to be carried, so trying to get the three of us somewhere is difficult enough without adding the rain to it.

But... being the headstrong woman that I am, I decided that TODAY we were going to make our way through the rain and head to the gym.  I got everyone dressed, ready to go, we headed downstairs, and I put Caroline in the car seat.  Then Elizabeth says, "MOM!!! Are those ants!?!???"

I turn around to say "no, of course not" and I discovered hundreds of ants crawling all over our entryway.  EWWWWW!!!!  I quickly usher the girls back upstairs and start putting together a game plan to rid our entry way of ants (vacuuming, swiffering, and placing traps).

In the middle of all this, Caroline let's me know she is ready for her nap (screaming, crying, and rubbing her eyes).  After I put Caroline down I finished cleaning the entry way while Elizabeth played on the driveway in her rain coat and with her umbrella.

Oh yeah, did I mention that both girls were wide awake before 6:30?  

Yeah.  Early!  They are normally up around 7 or later.

So...that has been our morning.

So today I wanted to talk about the tools I use to help me stay on track and hold myself accountable.

The #1 tool I use/recommend is My Fitness Pal from the app store.  No matter which smart phone you have; I-phone, android, Microsoft- they all offer versions of this app.  And... it's FREE!

This is a sample screen shot.

If you add this app and use it correctly, it will change your life.  I will tell you the first week is the hardest, but after those first 7 days, it becomes a habit to track your food.  In order for it to work correctly, you have to be honest.  Totally honest.  Brutally honest.  If you eat something, it goes in the app.  Cocktail after the kids are sleep?  In the app.  Two mini snickers while standing by the pantry?  In the app.  You have to track everything.

The second app I use is Endomondo.  Also FREE!  Also in the app store.

Whenever I workout outside, I use the endomondo app to track myself.

It tracks my distance, speed, and calories (among other things).

I use it mostly for walking or running, but I have used it for tennis as well.

I also turn it on if I am walking with the girls around the neighborhood.

*Fun fact: You can connect the Endomondo app to My Fitness Pal and it will transfer the calories you burned working out to My Fitness Pal.

So, these are the tools I use to help me stay in shape and track my progress.  Does anyone have any apps they use that are different?  I am always looking at trying new things.

Yesterday I walked for 20 minutes around the neighborhood then did squats and crunches while we watched TV.

What is one healthy choice you are making for yourself today?

I am not going to make it to the gym today, so I might try to do a DVD tonight.

Happy Thursday!

CHALLENGE...ACCEPTED?

Happy Wednesday blog world!

Did you accept the challenge?

I saw this last night and laughed so hard.

I mean, isn't it partially true?

People do workout to look good (among other reasons).

 I didn't hit the gym yesterday, instead I did a DVD workout once the girls were in bed (and once I was off the phone with Stacy).  So at 9:05pm I started my workout.

 I wanted to mix up my regular routine so I pulled out this gem.

Paula Abdul can dance. 

She made zumba popular before it was called zumba :)

 Work it Paula!

Beginning my workout

I danced it up for 30 minutes and then watched Pretty Little Liars. 

During the commercial breaks, I did crunches (instead of fast forwarding).

So, today I am challenging you again.

I want you to do one strengthening exercise.

Pick (at least) one:

Lunges: 20 each leg

Bicep curls: (if you don't have weights, grab soup cans) 20 each arm

Push ups: as many as you can (modified push-ups count!)

Squats: as many as you can

If you aren't sure how to do any of the above exercises, check out YouTube, there a video editorials.

And finally...

I'm sure I totally looked like Britney last night.  :)

Happy Wednesday!

Time to kick it up a notch

It's JUNE!!!

Summer is finally here and I am ready to kick everything up a notch!

I have been sitting at 2-3 pounds above my pre-baby weight for the last few months.

June is when I am finally going to shed those final pounds and kick my health and fitness into gear.

And...

I want YOU to join me!

Let's make a promise to ourselves right now.

Starting today, that's right TODAY, you will substitute one unhealthy choice for one healthy choice.

Your goal today can be ANYTHING you want.

And in case you need some ideas to get you started, here are few:

1. Go for a walk around your neighborhood (at least 20 minutes)

2. Park at the end of the parking lot when you go to the store

3. Replace your soda/coffee at one meal with water

4. Tonight while watching TV, do sit-ups or crunches during commercials. Try to do 100 total.

5. Add something green to a meal today- lettuce, broccoli, spinach, cucumber, celery

6. After dinner, put the cell phone/computer/tv away and 

play a card game with your spouse/children/neighbors

7. If you have stairs in your house, walk up and down them 3 times

8. Skip dessert tonight

Okay, now that you've got your ONE goal for today- make it happen!

I'll check back in tomorrow to see how it went.

Happy Tuesday!

Weekend Review

We had a great weekend around here!

 Friday morning we headed to Krispy Kreme and met Sasha for breakfast.

It was great to catch up (and have doughnuts for breakfast).

This is us in the parking lot before meeting Sasha.

 After doughnuts, we came home for Caroline's nap and Elizabeth played with a balloon

for a long time :)

 After Caroline's nap, we had indoor sister play time.

In the afternoon, I took the girls to the pool (by myself) and we enjoyed about 1 1/2 hours of pool time before heading home for baths and dinner.  Caroline loved floating in the pool and Elizabeth ate a snack, swam a little, and tried to play with the big kids.

Once Caroline was in bed, Ben watched Elizabeth so I could go for a run. 

 I did 2 miles and I ran the entire 1st mile.

This was my first time running a mile since my injury.

Ben took this of me recovering from the heat (and run)

 Friday night, Ben and I enjoyed HIS and HERS long island iced teas :)

 Saturday morning, Elizabeth and I headed to the dentist.

It was her first appointment and time for me to get my teeth cleaned again.

After the dentist, I completed my first acupuncture treatment.

I thought it went well and I am going to do a few more of them.

Saturday night, Adam and Shelley (and Fiamma!) came over for dinner.

They are moving in a week and we are very very sad to see them leave,

but very happy for them too!

Ben took a quick picture of me with Fiamma before they left Saturday night.

Isn't she the cutest?

 Ben read at Mass on Sunday night, so Sunday morning we got to hang around the house and enjoy lots of snuggles on the couch

 Love.

 Sunday afternoon, the girls took naps, Ben was relaxing at home, 

and I got to go to the pool all by myself!

I read an entire magazine.  *sigh* 

After naps we played on the driveway...

AND had popsicles.

Will you look at her?!?

She has her legs crossed! 

 When did she grow up?

 These are my baby loves this morning.

Caroline doesn't feel very good so we are staying close to home today.

This makes my heart so happy!

Happy Monday!