50in8

Please visit 50in8.com

2010-09-01T09:12:00.001-07:00

I am now posting from http://www.50in8.com! Please stop by and say hi, there!

My video.... Yeah, it crashed!

2010-06-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

Welp, last night, I recorded most of my Mamavation Mom Campaign 5 Application Video... I went to save it, and it basically froze!

I take that as a sign that it wasn't really THE one! So, I'll have to work on that again before this weekend!

Today, I did pretty good food wise, EXCEPT, I was so busy, I kinda had a brunch, rather than a breakfast or a lunch, which I know isn't GREAT, but I didn't really overdo it at dinner like I thought I would, either. I've had enough water to float a boat today, too, so that's good!

I spent the better part of the day at The Cloth Diaper Foundation office and in the warehouse preparing for this Cloth Diaper Sidewalk Sale we have going on Thursday. It's going to be a HUGE to-do, and I'm really looking forward to it!

That said, I did a lot of walking around, lifting, moving things here and there, sorting, etc. I kinda have to count that as my workout, because I'm kinda beat!

Now, I'm just chillin', catching up on emails, and listening to Cyndi Lauper Radio on Pandora!

Have a good one!

Mamavation Monday

2010-06-14T05:56:00.000-07:00

It was 1 year ago yesterday that I was admitted to the hospital due to rouge gallstones. I lived with severe gall bladder attacks for approximately 3.5 years, and it finally caught up to me. I went to the emergency room on a Thursday, June 10, 2009, because I literally felt as if I would die. Basically, they told me I had gall stones, loaded me up with Morphine, prescribed me with Percocet and Phenergan and sent me home. I was basically lifeless on Friday, and on Saturday, the 13th, Andy's sister (a nurse) persuaded me to go back to the ER. They found that I had a rather large gallstone lodged in my bile duct, and it was basically causing bile to back up and poison my body. On Monday, I had surgery to remove the stone, and on Tuesday, I had surgery to remove my gallbladder. Although I've never been a "small" person, for almost an entire year, I have eaten, eaten, and eaten more, using the excuse that I haven't been able to eat freely for almost 4 years. Easter 2010, I decided that enough was enough, and this is where our plight for health and weight loss began.

Ok that was my back story! Now, on to more current news.

We had a GREAT weekend with Andy's family, and Braxton had so much fun at his birthday party! We did the party at my Sister-in-law's house because they have one of those big blow up water slide/pool things. They had a blast, and it was just great to be around the family.

The good news is, I was able to get up on Saturday morning and walk 1.5 miles and jog .5 miles. On Sunday morning, I walked about 1.7 miles until the humidity was so thick, I decided that breathing was more important! (It's very hard to walk on streets that slant to clear out possible flood waters!)

It looks like we are just about 3 weeks out from moving into our new home. I'm so excited, and I've been extremely stressed over the logistics of the move that I just haven't been able to focus on myself the way I need to be.

I have approximately 20 package to get out by the end of this week, a TON of stuff to pack up in the house, and almost as much stuff to pack up to move The Cloth Diaper Foundation. To add to that, we are having a HUGE cloth diaper sidewalk sale at The Children's Carousel on Thursday, and I need to finish preparing for that.

Friday, Braxton and Kylie come hom from my mom's, and I'll need to get Kylie half way to San Antonio so that she can stay the week with my sister.

All of that said, I have decided NOT to weigh in today. I feel as if I've gained, and I'm not really sure I want the added stress of knowing if I have! I had my mom take my measurements yesterday, and although I didn't really like them, they are what they are! She's a professional seamstress, so these measurements are 100% accurate, and that is about 100% more accurate than if I would have taken them myself!

As of 6/13/2010
Bust - 49"
Ribs - 42"
Waist - 46"
Upper Hips - 51"
Lower Hips - 51"
Right Bicep - 17"
Left Bicep - 16"
Left Thigh - 30"
Left Calf - 18"
Right Thigh - 30"
Right Calf - 18"

I wish I'd have had her take these measurements at Easter when we started, but I just wasn't thinking, therefore, I will make this my official starting point! I have a LONG way to go! :)

Join us at Mamavation TV tonight for some inspiration from @MatthewTaub from Sensible FIttness in Toronto, Canada. Also, because @bookieboo will be taking the night off, our hostess will be @DanielleSmithTV, a retired broadcaster!

Our blogging carnival sponsor this week is Flatout Flatbread! I can't wait to try it! I'm going to try to go pick some up this week!

I am going to try to keep everyone updated on the events in my life this week!

Please Click Here and vote for Brandy A! She really needs the money to pay for her medical bills. You can vote once per day! Brandy, aka "Not So Average Mama" aka "@stitchblade" is in the process of making my blog look SUPER SPIFFY! :)

Have a FABULOUS WEEK!

Oh, and FYI, I have officially decided to apply for Mamavation Mom.

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday, Brax!

2010-06-09T05:07:00.000-07:00

Mamavation Monday

2010-06-07T03:30:00.000-07:00

I did it. I've officially lost 20 lbs!

So why is it that I don't FEEL like I've lost 20 lbs? I mean, that's as much as a bag of charcoal!

crest·fall·en
–adjective
1.dejected; dispirited; discouraged.

With all of the good news flooding my life at the moment, I should be walking in the clouds.... However, on the weightless home front, I am extremely perplexed!

We're eating healthy, we're trying to stay active and workout, we're slowly losing weight.. How in the world have I lost almost 20 lbs and not feel any change - physically?

Other than the fact that I can't seem to teeter over to the 20 lb mark (just hit 20, and it's my fault that it's not more), I really should FEEL better about what's going on.

On April 5, Andy and I embarked on a new, healthy living adventure with our family, and since then, we've done REALLY well. Friday marked exactly 2 months of our new lifestyle, and outwardly, we've kicked some bootay! I've lost 20 lbs, and Andy's lost about 15 lbs.

We have an EA Sports Active "More Workouts" for the Wii, and it is AWESOME! We love it. (By the way, someone who blogs about it and gets on camera tonight at Mamavation TV will win one tonight at 9 central!!!!)

So why is it that yesterday, when I ask Andy if he can FEEL the difference he's made, he can say yes..... and I totally can't?

I mean, really? I've lost the amount of weight that is the equivilant to 80 sticks of butter (4 sticks = 1 lb)... and I can't tell. One. Single. Bit. HE has only lost the equivalent of 60 sticks.

I'm still wearing the exact same clothes that I was wearing before Easter. I can't fit into the exact same clothes that I couldn't fit into before Easter, and when I purchased a few more Summer clothes the other day, they were the exact same size with the exact same awkward pudges and bulges that were present before we started the day after Easter.

I feel like my scale is lying and conspiring to bring me down - and not weight wise.

Picture this:

You run to the grocery store to grab some eggs. Next to the eggs, you see boxes containing sticks of butter. Perhaps, you might see blocks of butter wrapped up in wax paper in the shape of a cube instead. Either way, that block equals 1 lb. Now, imagine yourself taking 20 of those blocks of butter from the shelf and placing it in your hand held shopping basket (not cart). Carry that around the store while you run and grab a new toothbrush, then over to the bread section to get a loaf of bread. Now, walk back to the butter shelf, and take out all 20 blocks of butter and put it back on the shelf.

HUGE difference in your load right? Feels like a ton, right? So why can't I tell?

I know that there is a difference between losing 20 lbs in a matter of 10 seconds and losing it in a matter of 2 months. I also know that for an overweight person, 20 lbs really isn't that much. I also know that this is the weight I was before I was pregnant with Hawk, and I didn't feel like this!

This week, I am going to work on that teeter to get over 20lbs. I also want to see if the reason I haven't been able to tell a difference might be because I have been under an awful lot of stress, anxiety, and pressure. Therefore, over the next month, I'm going to ask around for and seek some suggestions to help relieve high stress and anxiety. I've had a problem with anxiety for as long as I can remember, and although I try to suppress it, it often gets the best of me. I have an extremely stressful month ahead of me, and I've been really uncomfortably anxious about it for some time now.

I am so thankful for my friends, family, Mamavation, and the Sistas who are so supportive and patient with me. I am trying to keep upbeat, and I appreciate everyone's help to get through this month with as little anxiety as possible!

Please forgive me if I am unable to comment on all of the Mamavation Monday posts today. I have a busy day ahead.

Have a fabulous week!

My Kinda Rain Giveaway: Tropical Traditions

2010-06-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

My super awesome friend who's like family has a really awesome, healthy giveaway on her blog this month! Lori aka @gutimom aka My Kinda Rain

Have you heard of Tropical Traditions? If you haven't, you should check them out! They have really great Virgin Coconut Oil from the Philippines, and they have SPECTACULAR sales!

For more information about what Lori is giving away, please visit her blog! She has instructions on how to enter to win your own jar!

My Kinda Rain: Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut Oil

Tell her I sent ya! :)

Mamavation Monday

2010-05-31T09:23:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Once again, I maintained! :) Nothing new to report on that home front! I'm happy about it, because I've done SO much this week and had party after party. I can't believe I haven't gained. ROCK ON! Andy has lost 15 lbs! So proud of him!

I got dressed up for a girl's night the other night with my gals! ----->

I was so proud to see my BFF, Mary, post that she's not dieting, she's undergoing a LIFESTYLE CHANGE! I just wanted to say that I am SO proud of Mary and her dedication and accomplishments. It's not easy with a few health problems (if you don't know she fell straight back and hit her head on a tile floor a while back and her head hasn't been right since.. no jabs.. this is literally! hehe), and she's doing SO well! VERY happy for her!

I'm also excited that my other BFF, Roxy, has decided to join us at MAMAVATION! Please follow her @chobysauce! She doesn't have a heck of a lot of time to tweet because she's a CEO, full time student, mom, and foster mom, but I'm going to keep her pumped up about it, and she's going to do GREAT! I'm super happy for her as well!

As you all know, my new favorite place to shop is the Katy Fresh Produce Market. It's a new farmer's market in old Katy and it is THE BOMB DIGGITY! We're SOOOO going to overeat today, and most of what we are going to (over)eat is from the produce market. It's so great to go out and get locally grown produce. Now, if they'd just barter and trade, it would be awesome!

This week is Kinder graduation as well as 5th grade graduation for Brax and Kylie. After this week, I we will be preparing to move, homeschool, and adjusting to a FULL life changing experience that will go along with these great adventures!

OK I hope you all enjoy your Memorial Day! It's a beautiful day here in Katy, Texas! Have a SPECTACULAR ONE!!!

Mamavation Monday

2010-05-24T05:46:00.000-07:00

PLEASE DON'T FORGET MY FUNDRAISER FOR @STITCHBLADE/BRANDY ARNOLD/NOT SO AVERAGE MAMA!

A Random 18 Pound Bike

You've guessed it! I'm down 18 lbs since Easter!
(Andy has lost 14 lbs!)

First of all, I would like to throw out a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Kim and Rachel! These two Mamavation Moms have totally rocked the house with such life changing experiences. They have been such inspirations to me as well as many other mothers looking to change the way they live life in the name of health! We have followed their inspiring journeys for weeks, and it's time to wrap up their stretch as the Mamavation Moms. Join us on Mamavation TV tonight as they bid farewell to their current titles and move on to help mentor the Mamavation Moms of the future!

Also, another HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Kia for being chosen as Sista of the Week! You go girl!! This mama is an absolutely amazing woman as well as a wealth of wonderful information and inspiration. So happy for ya, Kia!

How cool is it to have Subway sponsoring our Blogging Carnival this week? Join us at the Biggest Loser Finale Twitter Party sponsored by @Subwayfreshbuzz! You can win an interview with either Shay or Jared as well as other great prizes!

Hydration
My water consumption has been better this week. I'm looking forward to chuggin' it today! It's not that it's hard for me, I just get so wrapped up in what I'm doing, that I forget!! I need a 15 minute automatic timer!

Fitness
Andy and I were FINALLY able to start with the EA Sports Active this week! It kicked our tails! I told him last night.. "Dude... if what we did was the "easy" choice............... I sure hate to see the others!" Once we get used to doing it, it will get better, and the more advanced workouts won't seem so tough! Heck, hopefully the EASY workouts will get easier! :)

I'm not really sure if I'm going to be able to set many fitness goals this week. I'm going to TRY to start the 6 week challenge on the EA Sports Active. We have such a busy week with soccer winding down, school winding down, working all week, and packing to move to our new house (more on that later!). I guess my goal will just be to fit it in where I can. That's about the best I can promise myself right now.

Food
There's a new Farmer's Market in Katy now! It's open 6 days a week, sans Tuesday. I am looking forward to heading out there sometime this week and picking up some fantabulous veggies! Check out what my BFF had to say about it yesterday! "hit up the new local Farmer's Market and bought 4 large Roma tomatoes, 2 cucumbers, 4 peaches, a container of huge strawberries, 8 bananas, 2 jalepenos, 1 onion, cilanto, and garlic for only $8.00 !!!" We've been doing really well, food wise, and I'm excited to be able to shop at this great Market!

I'm totally sleep deprived from watching Lost for 4 and a half hours last night as well as an hour for Jimmy Kimmel! 6 years of Lost was an fun and amazing waste of time - and we loved every minute of it!

I'm running out of time, right now, but I hope everyone has a SPECTACULAR week this week!

PLEASE DON'T FORGET MY FUNDRAISER FOR @STITCHBLADE/BRANDY ARNOLD/NOT SO AVERAGE MAMA!

Glazewear Lip Gloss $1.99 and Brandy's Battle

2010-05-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

Glazewear Lip Gloss - $1.99

Save 66% PLUS a chance to win a NEW CAR!

For every Glazewear Lip Gloss you purchase, you will receive one mail-in entry form! (Entry form will automatically be added to your bag.)

The good news is, I have the lip gloss ON HAND*, so all you have to do is let me know what shade you'd like, and I can get it to you asap!
*Please note that due to the awesome sale, these are selling out fast. First come first served!
If you are not local, PLEASE PLEASE consider buying up a TON of Glazewear, or any other products that you see that you just can't live without, via my website - for a GREAT CAUSE! (If you purchase Glazewear, you will receive a mail in form for a chance to win a new car!)

This month, I'm asking that when you purchase through my website, that you do so via my "online events" link for Brandy's Battle! I will be donating 50% of sales directly to Brandy! (Please note that this is the largest percentage that I am allowed to donate as it is Avon's cap for fundraisers.)

Click here ----> BRANDY'S BATTLE FUNDRAISER

Brandy is a sweet friend of mine and the mamas at Mamavation.com. Last week, Brandy had a mass the size of a basketball removed from her abdomen. She is awaiting the pathology reports for further info on the mass, better known as "Spike". In the photo to the right, Brandy is NOT pregnant. That is a photo of Spike in her belly!

For more information and to keep up with Brandy's Battle, please feel free to follow her story at the following places!

Twitter - @stitchblade
Facebook - notsoaveragemama
Website - Not So Average Mama

Thank you for helping out such a wonderful loving mother and friend!

I hope you all have a FABULOUS WEEK!

Mamavation Monday

2010-05-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of recovering for a very, very long and fun birthday weekend, so I will keep this Mamavation Monday post very short!

Since Friday, I've eaten out three times. Two of the three times, even though I did good on portions, the foods I had to eat probably weren't the best for me - however, I knew that I would be "tasting" foods on Saturday night at the Taste of the Heights. Sunday, we went to Iguana Joe's, and although I ordered seafood, I could feel my arteries clogging up with the sauce it was swimming in - I had no idea when I ordered, and I only ate half of it. I really had no desire for birthday cake afterward, but the kiddos made it, and I had to eat come. In addition, I had a margarita and two Bud Lights on Saturday, which isn't a normal thing for me, but hey.. I wanted them.
My water consumption for the week - blows. We'll just leave it at that.

Believe it or not... I MAINTAINED!

For those of you who didn't see this pic when I posted it last week, here is a before pic! 16 lbs ago! I don't have an after pic yet, because.. well, it's not "after" yet! :)

Goals for the week:
Get a knee brace. I need to get this before I start working out again. Period. No use in incapacitating myself permanently.
Start the 6 week challenge (I think that's what it is) on EA Sports active! Andy and I are anxious to start this!
Rest, rest, rest. I KNOW I am overdoing it because I just can't say "no". I have been SO busy, that the only downtime I've had in the past two weeks (with the exception of Mother's Day) has been to sleep. I've got to slow down, rest, and take care of myself and my family.

Tonight, Tracey Mallett is going to be on Mamavation TV talking about Pregnancy Fitness! Join us at 9 central!

Check out OpenSky! They are sponsoring our blog carnival at Mamavation this week!

OpenSky is a new commerce platform that enables authors, bloggers, media personalities, media brands and publishers to establish direct customer relationships with their audiences. These influencers are able to hand-select products and services related to their area of influence and expertise that they love and offer them to their audiences via their blogs, websites, newsletters, Twitter stream, Facebook pages, or public visibility. So basically, it's like Amazon, but better cause you get a higher rate of return and if you have a product you adore that they don't carry, they will find it and get it in their shop for you.

Have a GREAT week, everyone!

Family Easter Photo - The Beginning of our Transformation

2010-05-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

This is our 2010 family Easter photo! This was me 16 lbs ago, and Andy 12 lbs ago!

Regardless of the weight, I think its a great photo!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Need a visual for 16 lbs? I lost it somewhere!

2010-05-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

2 Gallons of Water = approximately 16 lbs

Apparently, when you lose 15-16 lbs, it earns you the privy of high 5's all around! I just received my 5th high 5 for hitting 15/16 lbs lost! I feel like I'm invading the men's locker room after the big game! It's kinda neat, though, because it just makes me realize that it's an AWESOME accomplishment!

I got my EA Sports Active More Workouts that I won last week for being Mamavation's Sista of the Week! I'm excited to start the 6 week challenge with ol' Andyroo! We set up the profiles, and the batteries checked out on our Wiimotes, so we had to get more. Tonight will be the first night we'll be able to actually go in and check it out a little more! Thank you Mamavation and EA Sports Active for believing in me!! I feel.... distinguished! :)

Today, I had SO much fun with our new found technique for Avon's Customer Search!! There were 5 of us who went out, fully stocked with brochures, samples, trial sizes, business cards, etc. We had 2 big banners that read "FREE AVON" and two super cool hand held signs that said the same! We had SOOO many people come up and sign up to be our customers! I even APPOINTED someone as a new representative to my team - RIGHT THERE, on the spot! I put a ton of brochures on cars as well. Basically, we took turns getting info from people who walked up to us. We worked from about 11:30-1pm, took a lunch break, and worked again from about 2-4. I would be willing to bet that we got information from about 30 people, and handed out about the same amount of brochures to people who didn't want to leave their info. I will SOO be doing it again! Pictured to the right is my friend Leticia. We had a blast!

This weekend is going to be a busy one! The kids both have soccer games tomorrow, and then afterward, Andy and I, along with his 2 cousins and a friend of ours are going to the Great Taste of the Heights! I'm not sure what to expect, but I know we'll be eating good food! After that, I think we're going to go play Trivia at Dave & Busters! The kidlets will be at my parents' house, so we're going there on Sunday for my BIRTHDAY!

I hope you all have a great weekend!!! Drink plenty of water!

Mamavation Monday

2010-05-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

I am super excited that I was voted Mamavation Sista of the Week! It is such an honor for others to feel that I'm a positive influence, supporter, and motivator! Read my Sista of the Week Bio here!

I am so thankful for the mamas and sistas of Mamavation, and I would love to give a special shout out thanks to EA Sports Active for sponsoring Sista of the Week! I'm can't wait to get my EA Sports Active More Workouts!

(I will go back to calling my tasks "goals" since no one seems to think that I'm setting goals by using the word task!)

Goal #1 for the Week
Work out with Andy!
Andy's lost 12 lbs, and this week (because of this LOVELY visiting friend that we all have been passing around since time began) I have been at a standstill on weightloss! I came home to Andy doing some workout from Netflix, and because of the wonderful info I've gained from my friends at Mamavation and the FABULOUS guest speakers we've had (especially the hottie we had last week *swoon* - HUSH Kim!), I was happy to tell him he was doing it wrong! Haha! Therefore, we are going to work out together! I'm going to start him with Leslie Sansone's Walk At Home!

Nutrition 101 with Dr. Renna
So, I don't know much about Dr. Renna, but I'm excited to share the big screen with her tonight on Mamavation TV! :) I've heard a lot about her, and I can't wait to hear what she has to say about nutrition! I hear that she knows anything and everything there is to know about helping families overcome obesity! If you're plan on coming tonight, don't forget to RSVP for a chance to win her book Growing Up Healthy the Next Generation Way!

Goal #2 for the Week
Up my water intake! Ok Kim, this is where you have to hold me accountable! I'm counting on you to help me with this! :) My canteen is 30 ounces, and I'm going to try to drink at least 4 per day this week. I can do this! (I had to change my number on this so that it made more sense - and I'd stop being lectured! I see that I have to be a VERY literal person in my MM posts! haha!)

AquaHydrate High Performance Sports Water
Check out this stuff! AquaHydrate, the first high-performance sports water, has a unique combination of ionic minerals and an alkaline pH in an ultra-pure water. When athletes drink AquaHydrate on a regular basis, they notice significant improvements in their focus, sports performance and ability to recover after intense workouts and competition. AquaHydrate is sponsoring this weeks Blogging Carnival, and some is going to win a case of this stuff tonight on Mamavation TV!

Goal #3 for the Week
Do better than just maintaining! I know... you don't have to tell me! Maintaining isn't a bad thing. Well, for me, I can do better. I know that the reason I maintained this week was because I gained 3 lbs of ugh last week, due to that pesky monthly visiting friend. She always messes up my flow of things around here! Now, I'm back to where I was at the beginning of last week. It really wasn't anything I did, or didn't do that was extra special, so I know that this week, I can kick it in the rear and get to town. I'm hoping that by upping my H2O intake, I'll be able to make some changes!

Kylie's Poetry Cafe
Today, Hawk and I will be going to Kylie's Poetry Cafe at her school. She's so excited about it, but she's not really sure what it is! All I know is that she wants me to show up! We got up this morning and curled her hair. She looked so pretty! Sadly, by the time she walked outside in our wonderful humidity, most of the curls had loosened, so I'm sure by the time the Cafe gets here, it will be wavy or straight again! :)

The good news is, she'll be excited when Andy shows up with me! He told her he wasn't able to go, and he just told me that he was leaving work at noon to make it! :) She'll be ECSTATIC!

The kidlets have two more weeks of school, and they're out! I can't believe that Brax has almost finished his FIRST YEAR of school, and that Kylie will in JUNIOR HIGH! It just doesn't seem right.

Goal #4 for the Week
Encourage Andy! He informed me that he's lost 12 lbs! That's EXTREMELY exciting, and it's made me kick into complete competitive mode! He's just 2 behind me! I'm so happy that he's right there with me, but I always want to be 2-3 lbs ahead! Just sayin'! But yes, I will make it my goal, not only for this week but weeks/months/years to come, to encourage him to keep up his good work! After all, our overall goal here is to maintain a healthy FAMILY lifestyle! :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful and fulfilling day! I hope to see you (well you see me) on Mamavation TV tonight! I need to wax my eyebrows and fix my hair! I'll be sitting beside Kim, Rachel, Leah, Kia, and DR. RENNA - *gasp*!!! Yay!! :)

SHAWERDOORS and MIRROS! SAVE SAVE

2010-05-07T06:16:00.001-07:00

Oh wow! I've been so super busy, I've totally neglected my wonderful blog. I guess if I had more followers, it would matter! I love the followers I have, but they already know when I post because of facebook and twitter! :)

So... how to find more followers? - that is the question! I guess it would help if I was halfway interesting. Must work on that.
On the weightloss homefront. Total bust this week - but it's not my fault. That lovely out-of-towner decided to swing by with her monthly visit. She bloats.

The WONDERFUL news is... I was chosen, this week, as Mamavation Sista Of The Week! I'm super excited! Check it out here! I'm really happy that others feel that I'm supportive and inspiring! This journey has been a blast, and I'm so thankful for the friends that I've made along the way.

As most of you know, I have a little temporary part time job right now, watching one of my babies! Well, not MY baby, but a client/friend's baby. He's a DOLL! He's 3 months old, and the happiest baby I've ever seen in my life! It's been fun! :)

On the way home from said job yesterday, I stopped to get gas, and well... I see this:

Yep! No spell check on poster boards! I left the phone number in tact so that you can call them up and offer YOUR services if you tutor or something like that!

I have lots to do today, catching up with my nonprofit work! I hope you all have a LOVELY day!

Mamavation Monday

2010-05-03T04:44:00.000-07:00

13 lbs down!

That is equivalent to the weight of a gallon and a half of MILK or 52 sticks of butter (although the milk thing seems more visual!)

Rockin' the Food Habits
The week was fairly easy for me, food wise, because I was at a friend's house most of the time who doesn't keep junk in the house! Other than that, we had lots of fruits, veggies, and of course... water around the house, so we all did really well. We also did smoothies!

Workout Woes
Workout wise... this week was a bust. As I said, I was away from home helping a friend all week, and by the time I would get home, I was so tired, I just didn't do it. I know, though, that if I work out, I will shape up better, so this week - I'm not giving myself an option. 13 lbs is a lot of weight, and sadly, I have not yet noticed a size change! INSANE! It will come!

Coming to Grips
I'm going to do away with the "Me time" goal. I have so much to do, there's not really much time to do anything for myself. I'm kinda used to it now. It sucks, but it is what it is. I also can't lie to myself and say that reading for 20 minutes in bed is "me time" anymore. I'm usually having to read over Andy snoring or most of the time, Hawk waking up or getting in our bed and kicking me in the side. So... we're scratching that off the list.

New Tasks for the Week
I will be working five days out of the week, so I'm not even really sure what tasks will be feasible to set at this point! I find myself so gun ho to set goals, and then I never have enough time to actually DO them which is a great set up for disappointment. This weekend, was the culmination of one of those set ups. So this week... I'm going to wing it and see where that gets me.

Earth Footwear
I've been jonesin' to get my feet into a new pair of Earth Footwear! Partly because I need new shoes for working out and walking, but mainly because they are super awesome, and they are a Mamavation sponsor! Come check us out tonight on Mamavation TV!

The cool thing about Earth Footwear is that they have a negative incline feature to where the heel is set lower than the toe. By placing the foot at an incline, the body naturally stands up straighter, building core muscles in the abdomen, legs and gluts to improve overall muscle tone and help you burn calories (pulled from an Ezine article).

3.7° Incline

The most defining feature of Earth footwear is a 3.7° Incline – a unique inclined sole that positions the toes 3.7º higher than the heels. The slight angle shifts weight subtly back over the heels, and can help strengthen and tone the body while also burning calories.

More Info...

I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

AVON CALLING! Huge CLEARANCE sale!

2010-05-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

I have the following items in stock! I can either mail to you or drop off if you're local!
No order processing fee, and tax included! (If you live out of the area, I will let you know shipping costs! $40 purchase or more, free shipping!)

Please contact me at AvonInKaty@ gmail.com (please take out the space) or Call or Text 832.315.4150.

JOIN MY TEAM with NO Start Up Cost!
(offer good only until May 16)

All items below are being clearance from my inventory and are not necessarily being clearanced by Avon. I am doing a huge inventory destash to give you some great Mother's Day Bargains and to make room for new items! These prices only apply to the items listed below that I have in my possession.

Please visit my site http://www.youravon.com/ljohnston2001 for more information, colors, regular prices, etc. These prices are rock bottom!

Mascara
(Regular $8.50)
Clearance - $2.50
Super Extend - Navy - (2 in stock)
Super Extend - Black - (13 in stock)
Super Extend - Brown Black - (2 in stock)
Super Extend - Brown - (2 in stock)

Fragrance If you have any questions about the fragrance type, please let me know!
Eternal Magic, Perfume, Shower Gel, Body Lotion - $15 PERSONAL FAVE!
Haiku, Perfume, Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Body Powder - $15
Liiv Botanicals Vitality - $6.00
Liiv Botanicals Sensuality - $6.00
Imari Seduction, Perfume, Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Purse Size Spray - $15
Brazil Beat Toilette Spray - $6.00
Be Kissable, Toilette, Shower Gel, Body Cream (Regular $31) - $16.00
Sweet Honesty 2 Cologne Sprays, Skin Softener, Powder, Deodorant - (Regular $34) $15
Petal by Cynthia Rowley - $7.50
Wish of Luck - $5.00

Magix Facial Perfector - PERSONAL FAVE!
Regular $10
Clearance - $5.00
SPF 20 NONtinted (4 in stock)

Glimmersticks Brow Definer
(Regular $6)
Clearance - $3
Tawny
Blonde
Dk Brown
Soft Black

Foot Works
Green Tea & Mint Cooling Moisture Lotion - $2.00 (4 in stock) PERSONAL FAVE!
Tropical Coconut Cooling Foot Spray - $3.50 (1 in stock)
Exfoliating Bar Soap - $2.50 (2 in stock)
Vanilla Brown Sugar Foot Cream - $.2.50 (3 in stock)
Vanilla Brown Sugar Foot Soak - $2.00

Planet Spa
Mediterranean Olive Oil Body Wash, Hair Mask, Whipped Body Cream Set - $8.00

Skin So Soft
Fresh & Smooth Silky Stay Shave Gel - $2.50 (2 in stock)
Fresh & Smooth Creamy Shower & Shave Body Wash = $3.00 (3 in stock)
Bath Oil Spray (original) 5 oz. - $3.00 (2 in stock)
Original Signature Silk (pink) Shower Gel, Body Cream, Hand Cream, Body Lotion - $8
Facial Hair Removal Cream - $2.50
Original Moisturizing Shower Gel and Body Lotion Set - $6.00
Mineral Gems Luminous Pearl, Body Scrub, Wash, Lotion, Gelled Oil - $15/set (2 stock)
Mineral Gems Glamorous Gold, Body Scrub, Wash, Lotion, Gelled Oil - $15/Set

Naturals
Vanilla, Banana/Coconut, Pomegranate/Mango, Strawberry/Guava Shower Gel - $6/set
Vanilla Body Spray - $2
Red Rose & Peach Body Lotion - $2.00
Vanilla Antibacterial Hand Gel - $1.50
Vanilla Antibacterial Hand Soap w/pump - $2.50 (2 in stock) PERSONAL FAVE!

Ultra Color Rich Lipstick
Any 2 for $7.00
24k Gold - Golden Raisin (1 in stock)
I have MANY Mega Impact Lipsticks in stock, below are some, but if you see something here you'd like, I'll see if I have it http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?pf_id=38605
Mega Impact - Magnified Mauve
Mega Impact - Red 2000
Mega Impact - Sheer Raspberry Ice
Mega Impact - Mocha Madness PERSONAL FAVE!
Mega Impact - Brilliant Berry
Mega Impact - Powerful Plum
Mega Impact - Fuchsia Fun
Mega Impact - Never Nude

Glazewear Lip Gloss
Any 2 for $7
Colors http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?pf_id=37553
Shine
Iced Pink (2 in stock)
Island Glow (4 in stock)
Darling Pink (2 in stock)
Tickled Pink
Mauve Movement (2 in stock) PERSONAL FAVE
Sparkle
Diamond (Clear) PERSONAL FAVE
Rave (2 in stock)
Mirage (2 in stock)
Apple Cinnamon (2 in stock)
Intense
Intense Plum (2 in stock)
Crimson (2 in stock)
Sweet Maple
Brown Sugar
Cherry Liquer

Nailwear Pro
$1.50 each
Midnight Plum
Cotton Candy
Tweed
French Tip Pink
French Tip White
Colors - http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?pf_id=36660

Nail Experts
UV Gloss Guard Top Coat - $1.00
Instant Gel Cutical Remover - $2.00

SpeedDry+ $1.50 each
Vamp it Up PERSONAL FAVE (of course!)
Ballerina
Fusion

Bubble Bath
Regular $8.00
Clearance $4.00
Sensitive Skin
Kids
Cherry Blossom

Advance Techniques
Color HIT (Heat F=Infusion Treatment) for Color Treated Hair (3 applications) - $2.00
Color Revive Shampoo - $2.00
Color Revive Conditioner - $2.00
Hair Spray - $1.50
Super Straight Soothing Balm - $2.00
Radiant Brunette Silkening Balm - $2.50 PERSONAL FAVE!
Radiant Brunette Shampoo - $2.50 PERSONAL FAVE!
Radiant Brunette Treatment Mask - $2.50 PERSONAL FAVE!
2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner - $2.00 PERSONAL FAVE!
Dry Ends Serum - $2.00 PERSONAL FAVE!

Anew Reversalist
Day Renewal Cream (Regular $32) - $16.00 (2 in stock)
Illuminating Eye System (Regular $30) = $15.00
Day Renewal Trial - $6.00
Night Renewal Trial - $6.00

Solutions
Total Radiance am/pm Combo - $8.00
Total Radiance Day am Cream - $5.00

Minis (Travel/Trial Size)
$0.75 each
Moisture Therapy Intensive Hand Cream
Moisture Therapy Oatmeal Hand Cream
Naturals Vanilla Shower Gel
Naturals Cucumber Melon Shower Gel (2 in stock)
Advance Techniques 2 in 1 Shampoo/Conditioner
Silicone Glove
Vitamoist Hand Cream
Moisture Therapy Intense
Skin So Soft Soft & Sensual

Spring Candy Lip Balm
Regular $0.99
Clearance $0.50
Sliced Coconut - (2 in stock)
Luscious Lollipop - (2 in stock)
Sugared Berry
Chocolate Truffle - (2 in stock)

Moisture Therapy Lip Treatment
Lip Treatment SPF 15 Intensive Balm - $0.75 (5 in stock)
Lip Ointment - $0.50

Clearskin
Blackhead Eliminating Daily Cleanser - $2.50
Blackhead Eliminating Daily Astringent - $2.50
Blemish Clearing Spot Treatment - $2.50

Deodorant
On Duty 24 hour Sport 2.6 oz Bonus Size - $1.00
Feelin’ Fresh Original 2.6 oz Bonus Size - $1.00
Night Magic 1.7 oz - $0.50
On Duty 24 Hour Sport 1.7 oz - $0.50
Black Suede 1.7 oz - $0.50

Misc. Items
Shake and Go Powder Brush (includes powder IN the brush) Medium - $3.00
Perfect Wear Extralasting Powder Eyeshadow - Champagne - $4.00
Perfect Wear Extralasting Powder Eyeshadow - Steel - $4.00
One Touch Eyelash Curler - $1.50
Ideal Shade Cream to Powder Medium Beige - $5.00
Mark It Kit - $10.00
Mark Calming Effect Cleanser Banana Oatmeal - $4.00
Liiv Botanicals Water Bottle/Canteen 24oz - $5.00 (5 in stock) PERSONAL FAVE!
Liiv Botanicals Vitalizing Eye Cream SPF 15 - $4.00
Eye Radiance Eye Color Stick Bronze Flash - $2.00
Glimmersticks Waterproof Eyeliner Blackest Night - $2.50
Mark Vintage Bloom Ring, Nude - (Reg $14) $6.00
Silicone Hot Pad/Jar Opener - $3.00 (2 in stock) PERSONAL FAVE!
Star Cluster Necklace - $10.00
Big Color Eye Pencil, Slate - $2.00
Mark Twist My Arm Beaded Bracelet Goldtone - $7.00
Moisture Therapy Intense Treatment - 4.00
Spectra Define Eyeliner, Black - $1.50
Electronic Nail Buffer and Shaper - $4.00 (2 AA batteries not included)

I'm sure I will be adding more soon! I will also be placing my Campaign 10 order on Wednesday evening (May 5th) if you'd like to place an order.

Or, you may order directly from my site! http://www.youravon.com/ljohnston2001
Use code -SPRINGFREE - and choose DIRECT DELIVERY at checkout for FREE shipping!

Thank you for looking!!

Another one bites the dust!

2010-04-28T05:07:00.000-07:00

ONE MORE POUND DOWN!!

I've now lost 11 lbs! I have no lost that much weight on purpose) since I had Kylie! (That's 11 years! I lose weight when I am pregnant - that's not happening again! - and I lost a BUNCH of weight right before I had the emergency gall bladder surgery.

But this time... My body isn't doing this for me. Guess what folks!?! I AM DOING THIS!

Super-dee-duper STOKED!

Soon, I'll be singing... "and another does, and another one does... another one bites the dust!... dun dun dun.... doot doo doo doot doot doot!"

You know, I'm all about the visuals:

11 lbs of petrified wood
from Salmon Creek (wherever that is!)

Don't forget to check out the Green Mama Benefit Auction Items! It ends on the 30th at 8pm Central.

Have a SPECTACULAR day! (I know I will! I'll be cuddling with my fave 3 month old again!! Yay for baby Ben!)

Mamavation Monday

2010-04-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

CHIQUITA BABY!

I'm excited to say that Chiquita has decided that they would like to be a part of Mamavation! We've all loved their bananas for years, but did you know that they offer more than just bananas?

Visit their products page on their website, and you'll be surprised to find that they offer a boatload of other fruits and veggies as WELL as smoothies, juices, healthy snack bites, and... get this... they're the makers of Fresh Express Fresh Salads!

Maybe later, I'll record myself singing the Chiquita Jingle! Maybe! :)

Edited to Add: Hahaha!

Thank you, Chiquita, for supporting women, like me, on my journey to a healthier lifestyle!

Weight Loss Success!
This week, I've lost 2 lbs! That is a TOTAL of 10lbs which is the equivalent to 40 sticks of butter! It's amazing, and I feel great! I have a long way to go, even after my 50 lb goal, but it starts with changing your life, and that's definitely something we've done around here! (Andy's even lost 8 lbs!!!!!)

Eating Healthier
After Easter, my family and I made the decision to start eating and living healthier. A month ago, our idea of "grabbing dinner" was Super Sized Value Meals or greasy buffets. Now, we cook a LOT around here, and if we don't cook, "grabbing dinner" has turned to healthy, fully loaded sammies from Subway as well as veggie/chicken/shrimp Chinese dishes! Its' so great not to feel weighed down after a meal. It's awesome to know that the more we stick to this, the easier it gets!

Suckin' it Down
Drink your water! Drink your water! Drink your water! Drink your water! I have great intentions of drinking water. This weekend, I slacked! SLACK NO MORE, LISA! This week, I plan to be in the bathroom twice an hour! You can NEVER drink too much water, and today, I'm going to kick that water's patooty! I plan to drink 7 of my 24 ounce canteens full of water today. Yes, 7. Why 7? I'm not sure, I just think that's a great number to start the day!

Workin' It!
I'm not sure if I mentioned this last Monday, or not, but I haven't wanted to seem like a whiney baby and everyone think that I was using this as an excuse, however, I really injured my knee. I was terrified, as I've just had a friend who had to have knee surgery, and I do not want to go through that. This week, I slacked. Big time. Like REALLY big time. I worked out, a little, but nothing like I should have been. Now, I firmly believe that working out REALLY helps take the weight off. I feel like I'd be another 2 lbs down if I had worked out just a little more last week, so this week, I'm definitely going to step it up a notch, figure out just what it is that's making my knee hurt, and tweaking my workout from there!

My Book is HERE!
I have been waiting on my newest Laurell K Hamilton book to come in! Media Mail takes FOREVER! I'd rather pay an additional $2 to have it to me in 2 days, rather than waiting 2 weeks to save a buck or two! The first book in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series was REALLY good. Packed full of nothing but vampires! This book has barely even mentioned vampires over a quarter of the way through it. I think I'm on Chapter 10, and it's been a little off from what I was hoping, but it will get there - I'm sure of it. That, my friends, is my ME time!! This is a VERY important part of healthy living with three, very active, kiddos!

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
If you haven't checked it out... DO IT! We had a Food Revolution Marathon yesterday, and it. is. absolutely. amazing. to watch his PASSION about the future of our children! Basically, he started in one town in West Virginia (I do believe), and changed the way the school lunch program serves food! He's set it up (with a lot of sweat and tears) to where they have completely knocked out all of the processed foods in two schools, and they are on track for the entire district to follow suit! COME TO KATY TEXAS JAMIE! Check out his website, and please, sign his petition to change the way our children eat in public schools forever! He's so passionate about this!

Join us at Mamavation
I think Leah (@bookieboo) said that she approved 78 more members for Mamavation this weekend. If you're looking for a wonderful support system of moms just like you, great tips and information for losing weight and living healthy, as well as support from SEVERAL wonderful sponsors and supporters including Earth Footwear, Smooth Fitness, EA Sports Active, Gaiam, Tracey Mallett, Chiquita, Dr. Bob Greene (Oprah's Personal Trainer) All Whites Eggs and TONS more... JOIN US! We will have Mamavation TV tonight, and you can sit in and see what's been going on in the land of Mamavation this past week! Anytime you feel like you want to take a peek, or join in, just search and tweet (On Twitter) with the hashtag #mamavation That's where you'll find us!

Have a FANTABULOUS day! I plan to!

Eating Fruits: Are you doing it wrong?

2010-04-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

My mother received an email not too long ago about the correct way to eat fruits!

I never would have thought twice about it if she'd not have told me about the email, and although she deleted it before she could send it to me (good job ma!), I did a little looking online, and I've found several different sites that pull together the basic concept of what my mom was trying to tell me from the email.

I'm not all great with this whole blogging thing, so hang with me for a bit while I try to get the basic points across!

GETTING THE MAXIMUM BENEFITS FROM FRESH FRUITS

Fruits contain approximately 80% water, so if you do not consume the daily recommended water for your body type, eating fruits will increase your overall water intake. (I do not recommend that you stop drinking water and use fruits as a substitute, I am simply saying that on the days that you don't quite make your water goal for the day, the fruits you have eaten will help make up for it!)

Fruits have also been linked to lowering cholesterol, therefore they can help prevent strokes and heart disease! They have natural fiber which can help regulate your digestive track and keep away such things as constipation, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, etc. Did you know that your brain is fueled from glucose, which is blood sugar? Eating fruits is the most efficient source of glucose which leads to better brain function, including memory!

1. Eat Fruits on an Empty Stomach
The best time to start eating your fruit portions is in the morning BEFORE you eat any of your other breakfast. After that, eat your servings throughout the day, about an hour before you eat your meals.

2. Wait Before Eating Other Foods (at least an hour)
The main reason for this is that most (with an exception of bananas, dates, and dried fruits) fruits are predigested, and they pass through your stomach quickly. Most foods take 1-4 hours to digest, while fruits exit an empty stomach in 20-30 minutes.

3. Do Not Eat Fruits After Meals
If you eat fruits during or after your meal (as a dessert), the fructose will mix with carbohydrates and other foods which are blocking the fruits from passing through to the intestines quickly, causing gas, bloating, and indigestion. Also, once the fruit hits your stomach with the remainder of the meal, it will cause the meal to ferment and rot, which can lead to upset stomach issues.

4. Only Drink Fresh Fruit Juices
For optimal benefits from fruit juices, avoid drinking juice from a can or juices that have been heated. Canned juices contain many other sugars and additives, and cooked fruits lose the beneficial nutrients. Eating fresh, whole fruits is always the best way to go, however, if you must drink juice, drink it slowly, so that it can mix with your saliva to start the pre-digestion process.

5. Avoid Bananas in the Morning
Fruits like bananas and avocados are heavy fruits and should not be eaten until the afternoon. They they their toll on the digestive system early in the mornings after fasting all night. In the afternoon, your digestive system has been working and is at the appropriate digestive cycle to allow for such fruits to be eaten with ease.

Not only does eating fruits correctly cause stabilized blood sugar which curbs hunger and helps ward off overeating and obesity, but it also requires less energy to be digested, so it's a great food to eat before a workout! Along with eating other healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, and exercising regularly, eating fruits can help you with your weightless goals as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

I'm glad my mom let me know that there is a correct way to eat fruits, because I never thought about it before this! I've learned so much researching the benefits of eating fruits the correct way, and I hope I've been able to help shed some light on the great health benefits of those 2-4 servings per day (depending on your caloric intake!).

40 Sticks of Butter...

2010-04-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

and that... ladies and gentlemen... is the equivalent to the amount of weight I've lost so far! 10 lbs.!

Happy Earth Day!

I wish I had it in me, today, to post some Earth Day tips, however, I'm spent! Don't forget to check out our Green Mama Benefit Auction! Don't worry, most of it isn't even cloth diaper related!

More Gush For your Gallon: Water Conservation/Cloth Diapering

2010-04-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

According to the American Water Works Association, many washing machines use 40 or more gallons of water PER load of laundry!

So how do you conserve water while cloth diapering? That might not be such an easy question to answer, but this Earth Day, we're all being asked from some blog or another to conserve more water.

Of course by USING cloth diapers, you're conserving the Earth's water supply as a whole, because the manufacture process and use of disposable diapers consumes 2.3 times MORE water than that of cloth diapers according to The Real Diaper Association and a 1993 HarperCollins publication.

But, the obvious answer here would be to get the most bang for your buck, so to speak. In this context, the most gusher for your gallon!

If you normally wash a load of 12 diapers at a time (say.. 16 diapers is all you have!), try being creative around your home to stretch your cloth diaper imagination! Now would be a great time to pull out those old tshirts that you have stuffed in the top of the closet in hopes that they would fit again! Face it, you're probably going to get more use out of it as a diaper than you would waiting to fit back into a size Small! Check out this link to see how you can fold a t-shirt to fit your baby as a diaper.

That said, you can go an extra day without washing diapers, and when you do wash them, you're able to wash a full load, helping to save our precious water supply! Who knows. You may have fun with it!

Another way to conserve water while washing cloth diapers would be to hand wash them. Of course this method isn't as convenient as a washing machine, and quite a bit messier, but if you're looking to make an impact via keeping diapers out of the landfill while conserving water, this could be the way to go! A typical kitchen sink is approximately 5-6 gallons (you could also soak in a 5 gallon bucket), so a soak, a wash, and two rinses, would DRASTICALLY reduce the amount of water you use by approximately 20-24 gallons! Even if you have a larger basin, saving 10 or so gallons of water is better than nothing!

For hand laundering, though, make sure you put a stopper in the washtub for both wash and rinse. Don’t let the faucet run as you would be defeating your purpose!

Addendum: Thanks Jennifer, for reminding me to add this! A great way to conserve would be to use a wet pail of cold water for dirty diapers! If the diapers are soaking in a wet pail, there's no need to do a first rinse before the actual washing process begins! All the ewws of dirty diapers will already be loosened, and you can just pour the pail of water directly into the machine!

If you want to go a step further, and conserve energy as well, think about line drying! The sun is a natural stain remover as well as a bacteria fighter!

So, are you up for the challenge? Who says we can't conserve water while cloth diapering! Pfft on them! :)

Mamavation Monday

2010-04-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

Good News! I'm down 8 lbs since Easter!
I'm also now SUPER stoked member of the Mamavation Sistahood! We're a virtual sorority committed to learning healthy living.

Before I get started on this Mamavation Monday post, I would like to invite EVERYONE to join us, tonight for this AWESOME twitter party with Oprah's personal trainer Bob Greene!

From Mamavation.com

AllWhites and Better'n Eggs have joined forces with Oprah’s personal trainer Bob Greene, inviting busy moms – who tend to count the calories – to a “Lean and Mean Protein” Twitter party on Monday, April 19 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. EST. Get your Tweetgrid ready with hashtag #allwhiteseggs, as brands AllWhites and Better’n Eggs and New York Times bestselling author of the Best Life Series, Bob Greene will share how packing your breakfast with the power of protein will get you into the best shape of your life.

NOTE: An AllWhites and Better’n Eggs customer service representative will also be in attendance during the Twitter party to answer any questions about egg whites and egg substitutes, as well as shell out (pun intended) some fabulous swag like…

• Free coupons of Better’n Eggs and AllWhites products
• Bob Greene books and fitness DVDs
• Blenders with fun smoothie recipes for the kiddos
• And the ultimate grand prize… a 30-minute phone consultation with Greene himself!

I really want to try out this awesome protein recipe! Carob Nut Banana Protein Smoothie

If you'd like to help us promote, please tweet the following:
Party w/ Oprah's Bob Greene, talk PROTEIN & WIN SWAG MONDAY@7:30pm EST hosted by @bookieboo #allwhiteseggs, http://bit.ly/cU1Ier

Quick Funny Business

It was about 10:15 on Saturday morning, when it happened. There was nothing I could do but sit there and think, 'Oh come on, really? Here?'

Braxton's game started at about 9:45. Kylie's game wasn't until 12:40, so my plan was to go to the Farmer's Market at La Centerra between the games, have a picnic lunch out somewhere on the soccer fields, and just enjoy the day with the kiddos. Before we even left the house, the picnic had already been scrapped due to the heavy rains the night before, but as I checked Facebook on my phone, @guitmom had sent me a nice reminder about La Centerra, and I was looking forward to going.

After 'it' happened, I grabbed my phone from my pocket, and texted Andy. It read, "Oh gosh... My bra strap just broke! Gotta go get another one before the next game."

*Sigh*

I haven't had the bra but about a month and worn it probably 2 times, but after the *pop* I CLEARLY remember two days earlier when I was trying to adjust the strap, while on, from behind, when I broke the little plastic adjustable slider that holds the strap together. 'Lovely,' I thought!

After the game, we trekked to Target, and it was quite possibly a blessing in disguise! They had a clearance rack of bras for under$3 and $5! I got a couple, and I also got a couple of @gutimom, so I made the great bra switcharoo, and we were on our way! (Andy also found the boys some Super Mario Brothers Tees, and Kylie got a new swimsuit.)

I didn't realize that the Farmer's Market closed at noon, so we missed that. We'll have to try to go next weekend.

We were looking for someone healthy to eat lunch, and I told Andy that I was surprised at how well this last two weeks of 'detox' went! I call it detox, because I've completely cut out the following foods/drinks: anything fried, sodas, refined sugars, chocolate, ice cream, anything fatty, and.... are you ready for this... COFFEE! That part, isn't a small feat, because I've used the caffeine from the coffee for so long to curb my migraines. So much that my mom had no idea that I was drinking approximately a pot of coffee a day! (@JustTracyB told me about a supplement that she is a rep for, that I'm going to have to try, soon!)

He said something that made me realize just what @bookieboo had in mind when she created Mamavation, "The reason it's been so easy for you, is because you've got that Mamavation group to keep you motivated." He was SO right, however, he went on to say, "It's not as easy for me, because I don't have that."

I felt really bad about it, at that point, I realized that no one else is going to be his motivation, but me. I have to be the one to step up and be his motivation - and I promise, I will.

Mamavation Monday

Last Week's Task Check:

(not accomplished) #1 Make time for ME. - I haven't had much time to make time for myself. Our Green Mama Benefit Fundraiser starts on Wednesday, and I have spent a LOT of time getting that up and running. Between that and soccer, I've not had much spare time that I'm not doing something with the fam. This week, I get to add Girl Scouts in to that Mix. I probably will not be able to get to this task until next week, however, I really need to so that I do not get discouraged!

(accomplished!) #2 Figure out the WATER situation. - Check! I figured it out! I got my new canteen from Avon (Liiv Botanicals), and it's 24 ounces. I like being able to drink out of it, because I can tightly close the lid so that little grubby fingers (and their grubby mouthes!) can't get into it! My goal is at least 6 of these canteens per day!

(accomplished with limitations) #3 Find a WORKOUT for me! - I have found something that I LOVE! My friend, Julie, told me to check out Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home. I love it. I found a workout on Youtube, and I liked it so much, I went out and bought her 3 mile DVD (and a pedometer!). I've switched it up and done the 1 mile, 2 miles, or 3 miles, depending on how my knee feels. Sadly, I don't think my shoes are cutting it, or I just need to strengthen. If I skip a day of working out, my knee is ok for the following day, but flares up again after working out. It keeps me pretty much off of my feet for a while. I need to figure that out. I may just need to work UP to the 3 miles, rather than trying to build Rome in one week. I told Andy last night that I WANT to keep working out, but I'm afraid that I'll do permanent damage to my knee. No, it's not a "sore" feeling. It went from extremely sharp pain when I put pressure on it, to swollen and very tight at the joints. Not sure!

I will persevere!

This Week's Task List:

#1 Don't forget me! Starting tonight, Brax has soccer practice, but I'm going to stay home to make some time for me and Bob Greene! :) Tuesday night is Kylie's soccer practice as well as Girl Scouts. Wednesday is EARTH DAY! We kick off our fundraiser, and I am also a CDF representative for the #GetRealDiapers Twitter party! Hopefully, Thursday and Friday are free! I would like to plan

#2 Keep the pace. I realize now that I don't have to kill myself, or my body, to be 'active'. Doing something, is better than doing nothing, and after years and years of doing nothing, my body just isn't ready for 3 solid miles of aerobic walking. Yes, I can do it, if I push myself to the brink and then some, but I'm ok with pushing myself to the brink, and then cooling down. I don't have to do the "and then some" to get fit - right now! After I've been doing this for a while and my joints are stronger, and ok with me pushing it, then I most certainly will. Until then, that third mile will probably be a "cool down" mile, rather than the "take it up to a jog" mile. I'm ok with that!

#3 Make a Menu. We've always been last minute meal makers! This weekend (starting Thursday), I'm going to work on making a menu, shopping for all of the ingredients ahead of time, and lay things out ahead of time so that I can be prepared each day, rather than stressing over what we've got to eat that's healthy. This pertains to the weekend, mainly, because we're all here for most meals.

Have a wonderful day!

I'm SWAMPED with The Green Mama Benefit!

2010-04-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's that time! Our annual fundraiser for The Cloth Diaper Foundation. We have so many great donations, and I hope it goes well. Our organization really deserves to catch a break. We've helped so many people, and every time we turn around, it's like we hit a speed bump - Hard. You know, the kind that makes you get out and look under your car to see if you did any permanent damage? Those kind of speed bumps! Anyway, back to the fun stuff! This year, we're doing an Earth Day/Mother's Day Theme. It's pretty neat, because this time, we have a VERY diverse group of items! Yes, we have cloth diapers, but a lot of the stuff we have are for moms as well!

Auctions Open: April 22-April 30

Today, I've been listing auctions like CRAZY! I took Hawk to Jenn's at about 10, and I've literally been doing this all day with the exception of the workout I did. I only did one mile today, because I just have no time. I may do the other mile this evening, if I am not pooped!

I'm amazed at how giving people can be! We have awesome items this go 'round, and we're super stoked to get started!

We still need bloggers, though! We never, in a million years, thought that we'd have more items donated than bloggers interested in helping us spread the word! With the humpteen billion blogs out there, we just thought there would be more interest! It will happen, though.

Here are just some of the great items available:

2 customized Change is Strange books from Change is Strange
The Premier of Goodmama’s new Wet Bag. Only available here!
3 OOAK Wahmies Diaper Pail Liners from Wahmies
An Organic Baby Basket collaboration from Cheeky Diapers, Harmony Art Fabrics, Get Hooked, and O-Wool
Exclusive Pomegranate scented Rockin Green Detergent
An Aspen Boba Baby Carrier from Eco-politan
An Earth Mama Angel Baby Set from Earth Mama Angel Baby
A small Dancing in Dublin Sojourn Sling with a matching Organic Stroller Blanket and a medium Morning in Machu Picchu Sojourn Sling with a matching Organic Stroller Blanket from Petunia Pickle Bottom
An Eastern Sun Messenger Bag, a Peace Satchel and a Blue Courier Bag from Dad Gear.
2 Huge sets of Fat “Quarters” from Harmony Art
A Zoe Saldana's Eternal Magic Gift Set by Avon brought to you by Lisa Johnson
A Dark Green Sleepy Wrap, a Cedar BOBA G2 and a Sleepy Bear from Nap Inc
A Little Lamb Baby Basket from Natures Boundaries
A Minui Handysitt from The Giggling Green Bean
Gift Certificates from Casttoo
A bumGenius Organic Diaper and a Wahmies Wetbag from BananaPeels Diapers.
A new Earth Carrier from Belle Baby Carriers
A 12 pack of Rumparooz Colors with 6R inserts from Kangacare
A White Organic Bella band from Bella Band
A Medium Winky Dinks Wool Soaker from Winky Dinks
2 Mr Handsome’s buttons from Mr Handsome’s Crazy Diaper Emporium
A Scentsy plug-in scent warmer and your choice of 3 scents from Susie Goodness
2 $25 gift certificates for Mary Kay from Jennifer McCullar
A 3-pack of Econobums from Mommy and Baby Essentials
Fluff Dust and a Fuzzibunz Zippered Diaper Tote from Sugar Dipes
An Incredibella Pocket from Bella Bottoms
A Goodmama One-Size Fitted Serged Diaper from Diaper Shops
A Gift Certificate and Hairbows from Plain and Fancy Bowtique
A Diaper from Doo Doo Rags
Fleece Soakers from Green Bottoms
A Floral Slip Dress from Zoonique Baby
A Bamboo French Terry Fitted Diaper from Wee Ones
A Custom Wool Shortie from CatChick6 Creations

We're so thankful for all of these wonderful donations! We still have more to add to the list - so stay tuned!

Wordless Wednesday: Hawkman Squaremouth

2010-04-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

First game, first goal, first injury, and first... injury!

2010-04-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

I may have found my solution to drinking water! I forgot that I ordered myself some liiv botanicals aluminum water bottles with my last Avon order. I was super happy when it came in today, and they were there! They hold 24 oz of water, and I ordered 4. I think I might do a give-away with one of the extras! It may help someone else along on their water drinking journey! (Love the clip!)

I always find the coolest stuff when I'm ready to place my Avon orders!

I received my new scale as well! Now, I know that no two scales are the same in accuracy, however my mother's scale and my mother-in-law's scale both had me around the same weight (two different scales) two weeks ago, and since then, I've been really busting it trying to lose. This scale has me losing approximately (I know it's not exact) 6 lbs in about 2 weeks. Whether that's accurate or not, I don't care. It does my mind a WORLD of wonder to believe that it's so - I am doing this!

In other news, there were lots of firsts last night for this season of Soccer. Kylie had her first makeup game of the first game of the season (first game was rained out on Saturday, so they made it up last night)! At said game, she scored her first goal, injured her teammate for the first time, and also received her first injury of the season. In the first video, you'll see where she pegged her friend (and only other girl on the team) Sarah right in the forehead. Sarah sat out for the rest of the rotation, and Kylie felt HORRIBLE!

Kylie pegging Sarah

Kylie's First Goal

Sometime after that, she quite possibly sprained her ankle while someone on the other team slide kicked right into her ankle. She's been hobblin'. We didn't really want to take her in, if it was nothing, so we had the nurse from school assess the damage to see if she thought we might want to get an opinion from the doctor. She said that nothing appeared to be broken or seriously injured. She just thinks Kylie should sit out for a few days. Try telling Kylie that! Psht. She's got practice tonight, and I don't see her sidelining herself - I won't fight it!

My Tasks

As I've noted, I've quite possibly found a solution to drinking water. I think between that, and the measured hospital cup, I will not having a problem keeping up with how much water I've been drinking. Like my mom said, I just need to drink water - and water only - so that my body starts to crave it. Maybe that's why Hawk drinks so much water.

I ordered myself the second book of the Laurell K. Hamilton - Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. That, will go toward my "ME" time! I'm really looking forward to that book, I'll just know, in the future to have the next book in the series on hand before I completely finish the current one!

I tried out a couple of different exercise vids on Netflix. I've come to the conclusion that I've really got to start at B.E.G.I.N.N.E.R. anything, in order to not kill myself. I have about zippo for coordination, so doing the belly dancing was pitiful for my poor cat. I swear she was laughing at me. I don't have strong enough knees, YET, to do the yoga and pilates stuff that I found. I'll keep looking though. I may have to do more research and see what my options are, outside of Netflix.

I have found that anytime I start to work out, I get a severe headache. Almost migraine magnitude. My mom said that in her experience, she's learned that eating a carb and a fruit before working out helps with that. We'll see. She's my 'go-to' person, because she's led weight loss programs for as long as I can remember, and she's a former Curves manager. She's WONDERFUL with the support. She's never negative. She just wants me to succeed!

I hope you all have a wonderful day, and don't forget to drink your water!

Mamavation Monday

2010-04-12T08:31:00.000-07:00

Last week, I found this great website Mamavation.com, thanks to my friend Lori of My Kinda Rain.

Talk about motivation to stay on task to lose weight and maintain a healthier lifestyle! These mamas are great! I'm excited to join their Twitter party tonight! I will be a little late, but you really should join us, too!

I'm a Mamavation noob, and this is my first OFFICIAL week, but I was able to mingle a bit last week, see how things went for other mom, and really start this week off right! My scale doesn't come in until tomorrow! I'm super excited about it! I ordered it from Avon. It's a Curves 4 in 1 body analysis scale:

Measures: Body Mass, Hydration, Body Fat, Weight

First things first... Today, I am going to be setting goals for the week. I'm going to start small, because I'm extremely "stretched thin" as it is, however, I really need to take a little time for myself here and there. So we'll make that one of my top priorities this week. It's really important to have me-time when you're a WAHM of three kiddos as well as a professional volunteers (hehe)!

TASK #1
Make time for ME.

Another thing I'm not really good at is drinking water! I'm going to experiment with different ways, this week, to make drinking water enjoyable for myself - and my family. (Hawk craves water, so this is no biggie for him!)

TASK #2
Figure out the WATER situation!

TASK #2.5
Don't burn the granola.

Working out has never come easy for me. Mainly because of the boobage I have going on - that and my mom says I'm lazy! I ordered a new Curves sports bra (yep, from Avon!), and I cant' wait to see if it helps. I may end up just having to double bra, because, to date, I've not ever found anything that helps! Anyway, back on track - workout. A lot of my non-workout habits come from fear and flat out excuses (like the one above). "That's going to hurt my knees." "That triggers my headaches." "That hurts my hips." SUCK IT UP WUSS!! Just find something that you're good with, and do it! Going to the gym is just financially out of the question, so I'm going to have to start out with something at home, and the BIGGEST problem with that is accountability. That's why I'm here! (Hmm.. wonder if Netflix online has anything? - I shall look!)

TASK #3
Don't be skeered - find a WORKOUT for me!

I think I'm going to leave it at that, this week, because I don't want to do as I've done before and throw out such high expectations for myself that I just eventually ask myself - "Who are you kidding?"

As far as today goes.. I haven't even thought about dinner! I have such a JAMMED PACK DAY! Kylie's make up soccer game is at 6. Braxton's soccer practice is at the same time. I can almost mark the Mamavation Monday post off of my list (yay!), and I have the Twitter Party to attend tonight! I can't wait to see who the new Mamavation Mom is! I also need to package up some diapers, and get some stuff out the door! Wish me luck (and send me a few extra hours while you're at it!)

HAVE A WONDERFUL MAMAVATION MONDAY!

Need some Mamavation!!??

2010-04-09T14:26:00.000-07:00

One of the best things to have on ones endeavor to attain a healthier lifestyle is simply - support.

Lori, or @gutimom to most, introduced me to this WONDERFUL group of women that are all apart of a support system called Mamavation! Talk about constant motivation to eat healthier, exercise, and, of course, chugga ton of water, daily! If you're looking for a great support system, I highly recommend you check it out! You can find any of the "Sistahood" at any given time under the hashtag #mamavation on Twitter.

Today, after taking Hawk to Jenn's, I got a wild hair to do a little yard work! Apparently, this yard hasn't been 'tended to' since it was first landscaped, many moons ago (at least 8 years?)!

We pay someone to do the lawn, however, they mow and weed eat, so that doesn't include weeding the beds, and all that good junk. I should have taken before pics! I pulled and pulled and pulled and pulled weeds and then I pulled and pulled and pulled grass runners and sprigs. There was grass in places grass should never be! I pulled up some of the landscaping rocks, as well so that I can just flat out redo it!

Doesn't look like a lot of work, but those things were completely buried in grass and dirt. Like COMPLETELY cover.

I tried to incorporate a workout in with yard work! I turned the laptop to Cindy Lauper Radio on Pandora, and now, I'm feeling it all over!

Tonight, on the menu is beef fajitas! We're going to skip all of the additional 'fixin's' and stick with the meat, bell pepper, and onions. We've done really good all week. We haven't eaten out, we've not had any sodas, no cake or cookies, no candy, nothing really FAT worthy, so this will be a great treat! It's been tough going "cold turkey" on cutting out all of the junk in our lives - especially with 14 CASES of left over Girl Scout cookies in my back room. You have NO idea how many times I've wanted to bust into them, but I know I'm not hurting anyone but myself!

(Yay, as I posted this, I got another Avon Representative Lead! More for my downline!)

But I don't like waterlemon...

2010-04-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

Today has been a busy and OUT OF WHACK day all around, for me! I'm a creature of habit, to say the least.

Brax has a very loose tooth, and he won't let me pull it! He thinks he's going to starve, because he can't eat with a loose tooth! OH MY! My kidlet is growing up. Not fair - at all.

It was Hawk's first day back to "school" since last Thursday (he usually goes on Tuesday and Thursday, but he's been sick), and he wasn't too enthused to leave the house this morning. All turned out fine though, after he found out he'd get a "prize" if he used the potty!
After I dropped him off I ran....... well no, I didn't run, but I ran errands, which I'm not very fond of at getting out! I think most of my reservations of leaving the house lie in the anticipation of actually HAVING to go somewhere. I have anxiety like that, but I'm working on it!

It was good to see @gutimom for all of 30 seconds while I gave her some Avon Brochures to get her new business started! I can't wait to see how well she does! I'm anxious to see if she'll actually have C-man help her hand them out!
From them, I ran by the office, and did a few things, and then came back to the house. Our nonprofit is having a big fundraiser on April 22, and I had to set up the listings for our auction. That took a while! I haven't done it in so long, I was fumble-fingered! It was great, though because I met a new friend, @mentallyinked, through Mamavation (I haven't even been approved yet, haha! more about it when I am, though!), and she had some "Vampy Music" as her Monday Music post on her blog. I jammed to that while I was working!

Check out our "tentative line up" for our fundraiser!

You know, I heard a rumor that there is going to be something auctioned off that's autographed by a celebrity! You may want to bookmark the site to find out what it is!

Then, the much awaited must-sign-for-because-its-insured-like-that package from my parents arrived (it had Kylie's DS charger in it as my mom's Avon payment and some other stuff), so I was again free to leave the house and run more errands before I picked up Hawk.

We have Girl Scouts tonight, and I've got to get some stuff together for it, so I picked up some already prepared, but not cooked, chicken from the store. It looks pretty good. "Italian Herb & Cheese Seasoned" was hand written on the front of it. Smells divine!

I also picked up some zucchini, yellow squash, salad, sugar free strawberry Jello mix, and a thing of light whipped topping.

Ya know, I figured that we've eaten fried and fast for so long, that we're just going to take baby steps to eating healthier - one day at a time. No sodas, no fried foods, exercise, and lots of water is what I'm aiming for! I really think that will change a LOT about our everyday living!

HAWKISM:

I had to run to the grocery store, after I picked up Hawk, and while we were there, he really wanted some gum. He's been doing good on the potty, so I let him pick a pack. He chose watermelon, and we went on about our business. I gave him a piece for the ride home, and halfway home (all of 2 minutes), he wanted to spit it out the window. When we got home, he said:
But I don't like water-lemon gum. It's not good.
I looked at the package, and sure enough, my eyes read exactly what he said.
WATERMELON
Think water-lemon while you're reading that!

(ETA - as I posted this, I was approved for Mamavation!)

Soccer, Flip Flops, and Nuggets... Oh My!

2010-04-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

I was AMAZED at how quickly the gnocchi went last night! Braxton had tomato sauce and cheese on his, and he gobbled it up like crazy! Thank you, Italian Grandma Francesca, or whatever your name is, for the great recipe! We'll have to do it again soon!

Girl Scouts was canceled last night for reasons beyond our control, so all five of us piled into Andy's itty bitty car and trekked to Kylie's soccer practice! I wanted to get some video of her first practice after a year of not playing, but I forgot that Andy filled it up from Brax's practice (it's in the car, or I'd upload 'em!). Here's the vid he shot with his phone:

The coach had the parents scrimmage the kiddos. I, so conveniently, wore flip flops, so I stood on the sideline with the boys as we watched. The shoes saved me from making a fool of myself! I was surprised at how well Andy did! He was tired and out of breath when they were finished, though!

Kylie did so well! She woke up sore, though! I think I'm going to have her work out with me for a few, in the mornings, to see how she likes it. I think it would also be good to take her to the green belts in the afternoons. She's really good, and I can't wait to see her in game play this Saturday!

I was happy to see the diversity on their team. There's an autistic boy on the team, and he needs constant redirection to keep focused on the game. Kylie's looking forward to being able to help him stay in the game on Saturday. You know Kylie.. such compassion for children with disabilities.

We don't have anything going on tonight (as of yet - things ALWAYS change around here!) so I'm planning a nice, sit down, meal with catfish as the main course!

Baked Catfish Nuggets

Ingredients

1 pounds fish, catfish, cut into 3/4-inch nuggets
1/2 teaspoon pepper, black ground
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 large egg(s)
1/2 cup(s) flour, all-purpose

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the catfish nuggets with the black pepper and garlic powder. Dip the nuggets in the beaten egg, then dredge the nuggets in the flour until they are well coated.

2. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the nuggets on the baking sheet and place them in the oven. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the catfish nuggets are done.

Breakfast
2/3 cup Bare Naked Cranberry & Raisin Cereal
coffe

Morning Workout - same as yesterday
100 crunches
100 leg lift thingys
couple hundred other moves I don't have names for!

Lunch
Light Chicken Gumbo Soup

Afternoon Exercise
not quite sure yet!

Afternoon Snack
Something with Nutella!

Gnocchi it is! (That's nee-okkee in Texan!)

2010-04-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight is a pretty buy night OUTSIDE of the Johnston home, so I had to think of something to cook with ingredients we have, as well as something that's a quick, healthy meal for everyone!

We have a Girl Scouts meeting, and Kylie has her first soccer practice with her new team. She's decided to skip GS tonight and meet her team before her first game on Saturday, but she plans to find another team to practice with during other GS meeting nights!
Andy will be taking all three kidlets to the soccer fields tonight, and we have about 30 minutes to eat, and skeedaddle!

So... gnocchi it is!

What is gnocchi? Basically, what I'm making tonight is a small dumpling/pasta made with potato and flour. I hardly EVER follow a recipe, but I know some of you like to, so I'm posting the link to the recipe as well as posting my own version under the pic.

How to Make Gnocchi like an Italian Grandmother Recipe

LJ's Simplified Gnocchi Recipe

2 pounds of potatoes (2 large or 4 small.. maybe even 3 mediums if you want!)
1/4 cup egg, lightly beaten
1 cup of all purpose flour
salt

Boil potatoes for approximately 40-50 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork in 'em. Remove from water (SAVE the water!) and peel.

Mash the potatoes, spread them out, and allow to cool for about 15 minutes (you don't want the egg to cook while stirring it into the potatoes).

Add the egg, and 3/4 cup of flour and mix well. As you stir add more flour as needed. You don't want potato pancake mix, nor do you want sticky stuff all over your fingers. Don't over, or under flour.

Cut the dough into 8 pieces, and roll like a snake it like we used to do playdough when we were kids and cut 3/4 inch pieces like picture above.

You can do the little fancy fork thing if you want to make it all pretty, or you don't have to - I probably won't.

Reheat your potato water, drop the dough in little by little, and you'll know when it's time to fish them out when they've popped back up to the top!

I have pesto that I'm going to add to it, and I'll serve it with some other veggies that have yet to be determined.

Today's Tidbits:

Breakfast
2/3 cup Bare Naked Cranberry & Raisin Cereal
1/2 cup plain yogurt
coffe

Morning Workout
100 crunches
100 leg lift thingys
couple hundred other moves I don't have names for!

Lunch
Chicken Noodle and Veggies Soup
Bread

Afternoon Exercise
Hoping to take Hawk out for a walk this afternoon!

Afternoon Snack
Apples and Peanut Butter

And the rest...... is Gnocchi! :)