Let's All Be Slackers

LONG POST ALERT  Please do read on, but don't say I didn't warn you.  My fingers really got to click-clacking away with this one!  Just when you think I've lost my way or won't circle 'round to my original point...wait for it, wait for it...it'll be there!


Let's all be slackers. Yeah, I said it.  Surrrrrrrrrre did.  Yes Siree, Bob!  I, for one, would like to be a slacker.  And I would really like to encourage you to be a slacker, too.  Tell a friend.  Tell your Mom, your Sister, your Cousin's Uncle's neighbor's hairdresser, too.  Tell 'em allllllllllllllllllllllllll to be slackers.

Perhaps I should explain myself....because, if you've read my blog before, you are probably wondering what's causing this 180 degree shift.  

As you know, we recently welcomed a baby girl into our family.  I know I promised a post dedicated to her arrival, and I'm working on it (I want to get it exactly right because she deserves it!).  So two months ago, our family of three became a family of four.   The transition hasn't been without its flaws and it hasn't been without challenge.  I'm quite confident that I've made mistakes here and there and I'm pretty sure that I haven't always presented my best side during these last two months.  

On the flip side, it also hasn't been without moments of palpable bliss, and a love so deep and overwhelming I'm certain my heart will break.  And I bet, if I look realistically at the last two months, I'll see myself pulling off some incredible feats to balance out the less than perfect.

As you also know, I'm a FT Director of Development for the American Heart Association and a Beachbody Coach...add that to wife and mother of two.  Remember the title of this whole blog; "It's a Juggle Out There" was taken from a quote I read about the "struggle of the juggle."  It's a very real thing---and until recently, I didn't like to admit it.

See, I try to have a positive outlook.  So much so that I revamped that quote and chose, deliberately, not to include the word "struggle" in the title of my blog.  I didn't want to focus on the struggle part of that, but the juggle.  I try to maintain perspective and to realize that someone, somewhere has it far worse than I.  We're all juggling in one way or another. 

But even with those efforts, I realized something recently; I need to embrace the struggle.  Okay, that's not fair.  I'm not actually embracing it.  More like tolerating it.  Or acknowledging it.  I don't like struggling. I don't like feeling overwhelmed.  And I really don't like showing it.  This whole post is one ginormous step outside my comfort zone.  I'm not perfect; never claim to be, never strive to be.  But being this humbled and knocked off my game?  That is taking some getting used to.  Asking for help?  Whoa--don't even get me started!

I've read several amazing blog posts lately about the concept of trying to do/be it all as a Mom.  They capture the less than wonderful side of being a Mom.  It's not all roses and champagne (oooh, that'd be nice!).  It's not all glamor and ease (at least not for me!).  It's locking yourself in your bathroom for 15 minutes just to get a moment's peace.  It's taking the longer way home after work, again, to enjoy a few seconds of quiet.  And I sit here, reading them, nodding my head in agreement.  And instantly being wracked with guilt because I feel like I'm a horrible person for feeling that way.

But the truth is, I can relate to those moments.  So I might not like to admit it.  But I do.  I admit it with a little tightening in my chest and a lump in my throat.  And these women have, too.  We can--or should--all admit when we're not at our best.  We can all come to terms with the fact that we need help from time to time.  We can all recognize our limits and scale back when we've pushed them too far. 

The one I loved the most talked about "some day" syndrome.  Some days parenting means more TV time for the kiddos than you'd normally allow simply because you've had a rotten day and need a few more minutes than usual to regroup.  Some days you don't feel like reading one more Dr. Suess book or playing one more round of Chutes & Ladders.  Some days you look the other way at a dinner plate still littered with vegetables and serve up a big ice cream cone anyway.  Some days you curse at your alarm clock and opt for a little more sleep over a workout and a fleece robe and slippers over a sports bra and yoga pants.

And you know what I say to all of that?  It's okay.  It's okay to have some days....because they are not your every day.  In the grand scheme of life---and all of the live each moment messages we're bombarded with---a few some days does not equal the sum of your days.  Will my kids be permanently scarred because they watched three episodes of Sophia...in a row?  Nope.  Will they become morbidly obese because of one ice cream cone vs veggies here and there?  Nope.

My Grandma used to always say, "Every little bit adds up, Amy.  The good and the bad."  She's right.  So why do I get so caught up in the bad adding up and refuse to accept that the good adds up, too?  Silly, isn't it?  Human nature to focus on the negative?  Well that's a shame.  But sometimes it's reality.

Sometimes our circumstances can bring us to a place where negative is the only thing we see. And sometimes that's perfectly okay, because it certainly helps us appreciate all the positive when we get there, doesn't it?  Here's the thing---our negative is our negative.  We all define our bad moments/days/weeks/years differently.  It's not a competition to see who has it worse, as if the person who "wins" gets to complain for the day.  Each and every one of us has our thing.  And our thing matters to us.  So whether my thing is bigger than your thing or vice versa, it's about supporting one another with whatever that thing is.

I was talking with one of my dearest friends recently--she actually inspired this post--about how it's so easy to see someone else's struggle that's bigger than yours and immediately feel shame for even categorizing your struggle as such.  For example; I might complain about how sore I am after a grueling workout and then I think about a friend who is fighting cancer.  Suddenly griping about my sore quads and strained abs feels wrong.  But my thing is my thing and hers is hers. Is mine petty?  Maybe...but in the moment, it is a real "issue" I'm dealing with.

Right now, that "thing," for me, is recognizing that things are really different in our home, our world, right now.  Good different, and even (gasp!) bad different.  Adding one more kid may not seem like a lot, but let's reconsider that notion.  Being home FT is different.  Being home with a newborn is different.  Helping a KINDERGARTENER is different.  Being home with Mark is different.  Not being consumed with work is different.  Our sleep schedules are different.  My body is different.  Our routine is different.  Like I said, there are goods and bads to all of the different....and it's okay to say that out loud.  It's okay to see some of it as bad--it doesn't, or shouldn't, diminish the good.

One afternoon, when I was about 7 months pregnant, I had reached my limit.  I was tired, uncomfortable and fed up with work.  I was frustrated, anxious and hot.  And I remember saying to Mark, "Before I totally lose it here, I need you to say two things to me.  Just two things.  'I love you and this is temporary.'"  

That became my mantra, and is still serving me well...when I remember to recite it.  It works with Abby when she's holding her ears to block out Alyssa's crying; "I love you, Abby, and this is temporary."  It works with Mark when he's getting the brunt of a long, exhausting day of feeding, diapering and being spit up on; "I love you, Mark, and this is temporary."  And it even works on Alyssa, when she's struggling to fall asleep or enduring a check up; "I love you, Alyssa, and this is temporary."  Because it is; it all is.  It'll all change, evolve into something else.  Some other issue, some other bliss.  It'll alllllll be different.

Life is different.  There are moments I miss life as three.  Heck, there are moments I miss life as two.  To be perfectly clear (and I'm sure you get this and I don't even need to state it, but I will), I love my children more than the air I breathe.  There aren't even words to properly express that kind of love.  And even a love that profound and consuming can present its challenges.  

Like losing independence.  Moms joke about never peeing alone.  It's true....something about me going into the bathroom makes Abby's need to share a story about what someone did at lunch that day that much more urgent.  So I'll say it; I miss alone time (and not just peeing!).  I mean, we're coming up on a year since I got pregnant with Alyssa which means it's been nearly a YEAR since I've had any time to myself.  Once upon a time, I thought that was a selfish way of thinking.  But then I realized that it's important to have that because when I go too long without some time to myself, it's not pretty.  Bad things happen.  Bad things, folks!

So I miss that.  And I miss the special one on one time I used to have with Abby.  She's so in love with her baby sister that she insists that she joins us whatever we're doing.  Naturally, my desire to strengthen the sibling bond wrestles with my desire to be alone with Abby.  I miss being the one to snuggle Abby to bed.  That's Mark's job these days, as I'm downstairs feeding Alyssa.  I miss the sleepy breaths she takes as she murmurs in her sleep with her arm slung around my neck.  I miss the smell of strawberry shampoo that lingers on my tshirt from where her damp head rested. 

I miss the one on one time with Mark.  We would get Abby snuggled in for the night and go back downstairs where we'd catch up on something we had DVRed or split a beer and bitch about work.  Or we'd plan out fun family activities and talk about some cool things we've already done as a family.  I miss spontaneous day dates in town when we'd meet for lunch.  I miss being the wife; because right now, being the mom is taking over.  And it should.  It has to.  For right now.

-

  
All too soon, I'll be able to add a new "I miss" paragraph.  The "I miss being home with Alyssa" one.  The "I miss the baby stage" one.  So I'm making a conscious effort to soak up every last drop (spit-up pun not intended!) of this amazing time.  I have forced myself to put away my phone and simply stare at her impossibly long fingers.  I have laid on the floor playing peek-a-boo with her, ignoring the sinkful of dishes that are begging to be washed and put away.  I have half-slept sitting up in bed so that I can cradle the warm, softness of her little body and listen to her snore.  Yes, she snores--takes after her Daddy!


For many, this kind of "be in the now" is common practice.  For me, this is active practice.  In that I'm not good at it.  Yet.  But that doesn't stop me from trying. In fact, it makes me try harder.  Being present is not my greatest ability.  Though I wish it was.  

Rather than wishing, I'm working.  I'm seeking out people and events that can teach me this art and help me embrace it.  Even those bloggers, who write about wishing their 5 year old would PLEASE JUST BE QUIET!! or praying for a child-free Saturday afternoon are helpful.  They give me permission to acknowledge my feelings, doing so with a lighthearted humor that makes the reality sting a little less.  I don't see them as bad Moms for feeling that way; and I don't see myself as a bad Mom for agreeing with their point of view.  



Which brings me to being a slacker.  I told you this was a long post, but I also told you I'd come back to my point.  I think we should all be slackers.  As in "cut ourselves--and each other--some slack."  I mean, who says we have to be perfect?  And what the heck is perfect, anyway?  Sure, we can strive to be better than we were yesterday, but....


I can list all of the things I don't do or haven't done for my girls.  I can.  And what would that accomplish?  Feelings of guilt and inadequacy?  Who needs that?  I can also list the things I do and have done for them---and not give a flip if my list is longer than yours or vice versa.  I can cut myself a little slack and realize that I can't do/be/give it all.  There are choices we all have to make.  And I choose the things that make our home a happy one.  I choose the things that will matter.  Most of the time.  I do, ruefully, get swept up in those three crazy sisters...Woulda, Coulda and Shoulda.  Ugh.  Those girls need to GO!  As does the Joy Thief---also known as Comparison.  

I'll cut you some slack, too.  I'll realize that you're tired or overwhelmed or sad or feeling pangs of maternal guilt (not much stronger---other than the will of a child, I guess!).  I'll cut you slack when you cancel our lunch date because you'd rather have the time to be by yourself...totally by yourself.  I'll be kinder and less judgmental; of myself and others.  And you can do the same for me, okay? 

Cutting ourselves and each other some slack in no way means that we stop striving to be better, stronger, more present.  We don't give up on our goals, we don't throw in the towel.  We still try and we still succeed.  We still try and we still fail.  But we still TRY!

Will every fall-themed Pin I've nabbed on Pinterest become reality?  Nope.  Slack.
BUT, we will create our Fall Fun List and have a great time checking things off that list.
 
Will the table for Alyssa's baptism be 1000% perfect?  Nope.  Slack.


BUT, it will be filled with love, family and yummy food to celebrate a special gift from God.

Will I bounce back to "my old self" overnight?  Nope.  Slack.
BUT, I'll take steps EVERY SINGLE DAY, no matter how seemingly small, towards my goal.

As you go about your day, promise me that you'll try to be a slacker.  It'll make me happy.

 
   

Pumpkin NICE Latte

' Tis the season, right?  Pumpkin this, and pumpkin that.  I know, I know...it's everywhere.  And I am totally okay with it.  Seriously.  Bring it on.  I love the fall.  The smells, the coziness, the colors, the activities....yes!!

What I am not totally okay with is this image I came across recently.  Yeah, not cool.  So not cool.  I'm sorry, but it's a little scary to see what's going on in that legendary white cup.  Don't you think?

But hey, I'm not here solely to rain on your parade.  Nope.  I know there are tons of die hard Starbucks folks out there.  I come bearing a solution!  Read on to find a substitute version of this famous beverage courtesy of the wonderful site, The Gracious Pantry.  Check it out--she's got tons of fantastic CLEAN ideas. 

 

Clean Eating Pumpkin Spice Latte

(Makes 2 lattes)

What You'll Need:

• 4 tablespoons ground coffee
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
• 2-1/2 cups water
• 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk OR…2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

  What You'll Do:

1. Combine the coffee and the pumpkin spice and brew as usual with the specified amount of water.
2. Pour the maple syrup in the bottom of your cup with the vanilla extract and pour half of the hot coffee over that.
3. Add 1 cup of milk and stir.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for the second serving.

 
Bonus---you'll save money, be able to make one whenever you want, get your name spelled (and pronounced!) properly and not have to stand in a long line and stress about ordering it correctly (am I the only one who gets anxiety over whether or not I'm ordering my drink the right way?).

So cheers to fall, cheers to you and cheers to giving something new---and CLEAN---a whirl.

 

Nutritional Content:
(Data is for 1/2 the recipe)
Calories: 100
Total Fat: 3 gm
Saturated Fats: 0 gm
Trans Fats: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 189 mg
Carbohydrates: 17 gm
Dietary fiber: 0 gm
Sugars: 12 gm
Protein: 2 gm
Estimated Glycemic Load: 9

Compare to Starbucks: 
(16 oz., No Whipped Cream, Using 2% milk)
Calories: 310
Calories from Fat: 60
Total Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 210mg
Total Carbohydrate: 49g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 47g
Protein: 14g

Please Note: Nutritional information for my recipe (not the Starbucks data) was estimated at Nutritiondata.com. Data may not be accurate and is subject to the availability of specific foods in their database. Where one ingredient is not listed, substitutions must be used. Therefore, you should not refer to this data as being exact. It’s more of a ballpark figure. The Gracious Pantry does not take responsibility for the inadequacies of the nutrition calculator used. This data is provided as a courtesy and general reference only. It is not exact.

Announcing....

There are a zillion cliches bouncing around in my head right now...and I'm trying to refrain from using all of them in this post.  Let's see if I can do it.

At least once a week, I read the Beachbody mission statement...sure, I know it by heart, but I read it often to remind myself, to really absorb why I love Coaching.  For me, it's the first two words; HELP. PEOPLE.

Beachbody and its Coaches never lose sight of that key driver.  And that is why this company does such a fantastic job of developing new programs to reach new people, to offer new solutions and to bring new ideas to fitness.  Just when you think there isn't anything better, well... (wait, was that a cliche?).

So what's the latest?  Hold onto your hats and goggles, because these new programs are...well, I'll let you decide what adjectives you'd like to use.

First, we've got Tony Horton with his P90.  Seems like everyone has heard of P90x...and most folks get "that look" on their face when I mention it.  Sure, it's intense and challenging and all of that.  It's what we've come to expect of Tony, right? 

 

Enter P90.  In Tony's own words, it "is the result of everything I've learned in 20 years.  Here's the key . . . In as little as 25 minutes a day, P90 will help you completely change your body—not by working you harder—but by keeping it simple. Simple cardio. Simple resistance training. A simple approach to portion control. I won't say these new workouts are easy . . . but they're a whole lot easier to get done now. And that's how P90 will help you finally get the body you want."—Tony Horton Creator of P90X^®, P90X2^®, and P90X3^® 

Next, just in time for the holidays, Shaun T is bringing Insanity Max :30.  Think T25 meets Insanity...and you meet what may be your biggest challenge.  But that means you may just meet what may be your biggest goals, too.  Funny how that works, eh!?  Shaun T has called these workouts "the hardest 30 minutes of your day" and I suspect there may be a few choice words used as you do them, but you'll earn one heck of a "Dayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyym!" when you've completed the program.  I'm guessing, anyway!

And finally, our girl Autumn Calabrese is revving it up with the 21 Day Fix Extreme coming in February.  Same concepts, just kicked up a notch.  Check it out here from the girl herself!  She knows what she's doing, wouldn't you say?  This one will be out in February...just in time to help us break out of the winter doldrums and start thinking spring.

 

Which begs the question...what are YOU doing?  And how can I help?  Are you new to fitness?  Are you looking to drop a few pounds?  Are you interested in learning how to manage your eating a little better?  I would love to help with any and all of those goals.  Whether these new programs seem like the best fit or there's another one out there that's perfect for you---we can determine that together and get you on your way. 

Remember what I said in the beginning?  It's about HELPING PEOPLE.  Wherever you are in your health/fitness journey, wherever you need/want to be...I can help.  Challenge Groups can help.  Shakeology can help.  And, most importantly, YOU can help.  Your mindset, work ethic and dedication will be the biggest factors in your success.

I'm excited to share more information with you about these programs and I'm excited to learn more about YOU.  Let's chat soon....as they say, "there's no time like the present."  Damn...cliche!  Soooooooooooooo close!
 

Pizza that is SO not Delivery!

Another Rachael Ray dish making an appearance here...and this one cannot claim to be as healthy as the other.  Sorry....but it's true.  This doesn't make its way to our dinner table very often, but when it does----there are seriously happy faces all around.  We've even entertained with it (you know how she says that all the time?) to rave reviews.  

 

Last night, as a matter of fact, I got a request for this recipe from a dear, dear friend and that's how I learned I hadn't shared it here yet.  For shame...

Allow me to right that wrong.  I present to you...and your tastebuds...Super Stuffed French Bread Pizzas.  Enjoy.

What You'll Need
1 (2 foot long) loaf French bread
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 package frozen chopped spinach defrosted & squeezed dry
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 pound sweet sopressata, from the deli, sliced thick, chopped
1/2 stick pepperoni, chopped
1 sack (10 ounces) shredded mozzarella
1 sack (10 ounces) shredded provolone
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

What You'll Do
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Split bread lengthwise and hollow it out. Cut in half across, making 4 shells for pizzas.
Heat a skillet over medium high flame and brown sausage in extra-virgin olive oil. Brown and crumble sausage. 

 

Add red bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, add spinach. 

 

Remove mixture from heat and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper, to your taste.
Transfer to a bowl. Combine sausage and veggies with ricotta, Parmesan, sopressata and pepperoni. 

 

Fill bread shells and top with mounded mozzarella and provolone cheeses. 

 

Place in hot oven on cookie sheet and bake until cheese melts and bubbles and bread is super crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes.

 

Top pizzas with oregano and hot pepper flakes. 

 

Serve immediately, or snack all night!

___________________________________

 

We throw together a huge salad to go with this, and usually the three of us can only eat 1/4 of this....so we've learned to (A) make half the recipe and/or (B) only assemble/bake one half at a time so that we don't waste it.  Leftovers are good, but this one's even better when you put it together "fresh" and then bake it off.

Don't say I didn't warn you; this one packs a punch, but it's delicious AND you can customize it to your liking as well.  Get creative...go wild...do something daring.  But trust me, you will be happy you added this gem to your repertoire.   

A Little of This...

...and a little of that!  Not unlike some people's cooking, this post is about to be a bunch of random things tossed together to make something amazing.  At least I hope it's amazing.  Heck, I think it's amazing, so you should too.  Fair enough?  Awe heck...just pretend.

Speaking of cooking, I've added a lot of recipes lately.  And that's cool.  I do love food.  Mmmm, food.  Sorry, I got a little sidetracked there and my fingers wanted to wander over to Pinterest and start exploring for new menu items.

Anyway, I've been doing a whole lot more than cooking (and eating!) since I last posted a non-food related post.  So I thought I'd feature a little "stream of consciousness" post of stuff from all over the place here and share what's been going on.  I like to think you are interested.  (See earlier comment: Just pretend!)

The biggest news is that I gave birth to our second daughter; a sweet little girl named Alyssa Jane.  I say that I "gave birth," but I wonder if that's still an accurate description when you have a C-Section?  I don't know...but I do know that she arrived, all 7 pounds, 13 ounces of her, on Mark's Grandma's birthday*.  In a beautiful twist of fate, our Abby arrived on my Grandma's birthday (5 years and 2 days earlier).  Kind of a neat thing to share, I think.

Alyssa is doing very well and is a great addition to our family.  It's still sort of surreal to hear myself refer to girls, plural.  Or to have to distinguish between the two by saying, "Our older daughter..." And I can't get enough of Abby saying, "Come on, Family of Four" whenever we're on our way somewhere. 

Abby is also adjusting to being a Big Sister.  She is totally infatuated with Alyssa, and seems mostly unphased by her crying jags. She emphatically refuses to change dirty diapers (can I do that, too?) but is always quick to get whatever we might need and to offer solutions to help Alyssa stop crying.  She'll read to her, stroke her head or sing silly songs to help calm her down.
 

When we were in the hospital, one of the pediatricians from our practice rounded on us and gave us great advice.  He told us to let Abby get right in Alyssa's face because babies aren't able to see too far away.  "Get right into her world," he told us.  "Because she's certainly in yours!"  I love that.  And we've been thrilled to watch Abby and Alyssa bond already.

Gee, that's pretty big news.  In fact, it'll get its own blog post here very soon.  Don't know that anything else I share will be able to compete, ya know?  But that's okay. This isn't a competition.  It's me dumping thoughts into a post.  I told you it'd be all over the place...I warned you!



A while back, I wrote a post about loss.  And, this spring, we experienced more loss.  My cousin's father passed away after battling cancer.  My cousin, who is somewhat of a big brother to me, and I have a unique bond.  Our Moms are cousins, so I guess, technically, we're second cousins or something...I don't know...ask Ancestry.com.  There are 4 kids between them; two boys, two girls.  Norman is the oldest and I'm the youngest...I think we're 8 years apart...yet somehow he and I are the ones that clicked. 

This loss was painful for me, because I felt such pain for Norman.  My heart ached as I watched him, in his military dress blues, greet person after person at the funeral home.  His poise and composure betrayed his broken heart and his pained smiles never quite reached his eyes.  He would laugh as someone shared a memory of his Dad, but the laugh was sincere yet stifled. 

He delivered a beautifully touching and personal eulogy, shifting the focus from his family and their grief to the family and friends that his Dad so appreciated.  And after the service and the reception, he offered "one final toast to the man, one first toast to the memory" as we sipped his Dad's homemade wine.  It was during that impromptu celebration at his parents' house that I had one of the best afternoons.

Before you criticize me for categorizing that sorrowful afternoon as one of the best, let me explain.  The sadness eased slightly as several close friends and family members came together to share stories of their own and showcase the proverbial sentiment that "life goes on."  We talked, we laughed, we ate, we colored on the driveway with chalk and my daughter and my Godson even played in the vintage car that my cousin's Dad had been restoring.  
 
Something about that afternoon, the love that was so abundant, made me swell with gratitude.  Maybe it was the realization that there can be joy found in sad moments.  Maybe it was the innocence of the kids who were there, laughing and playing in the sprinkler (clearly we didn't plan on this, so you can see we had to improvise for Abby).  But I think it was my cousin's insane, fully-clothed (in that uniform!) run down the slip 'n slide that punctuated the day for me.  I hugged my cousin a little tighter when we said our goodbyes, and prayed a little harder when I got home that night.


Still with me?  Good.  I'm switching gears again.  You're keeping up just fine, I bet!  I don't think I've shared any details of our trip to Florida, have I?  Mark, Abby, Sprout and I took this amazing trip in early May.  Being almost 7 months pregnant at the beach was a hoot, let me tell you.  But it was fantastic family time and a very special trip.  We loved the condo so much, we planned a return trip before we even left!
 
The highlight was, without question, the surprise day at Disney.  When we booked this Florida adventure, Mark looked at a map and casually mentioned that Disney wasn't all that far from where we were staying.  Huh.  So the idea was hatched (and I personally find it adorable that it was Daddy's idea!) and with the help of an incredibly generous and magical friend, we planned a day trip to see Mickey.  We kept it a surprise from Abby, however, only revealing our destination as we pulled up to the gates...she was a giggly little mess in the backseat, not sure exactly what to say or do!  Fine by me---I'll take excited giggles any day of the week.

Of course we had to go see Ariel again!  Mark and Abby rode tons of rides while Mama Bear tried to find shade, icy cold drinks and a place to rest her sore, tired feet.  I dare say it was more fun to have Abby excitedly describe each ride than to actually ride them myself.  

The summer brought a flurry of activities; PreK "graduation." tball (complete with the occasional trip to DQ afterwards), trips to Idlewild, our niece's high school graduation in North Carolina, the Summer Reading Program at our local library and serious games of mini golf.  There was getting Sprout's room ready, cookouts with S'Mores, an Altoona Curve game and, let's not forget, TURNING FIVE!  We swam in our pool, took swimming lessons, played with neighbors and had special dates with Nunny.  With all the anticipation surrounding Sprout's arrival, it was great to keep ourselves busy and have lots of fun as a family.


 Most recently, Abby started Kindergarten.  Yeah.  That happened.  Sometimes I forget that Abby is just five years old.  In so many ways, she's a very grown up little girl.  So when the day came for her to start Kindergarten, I hadn't quite processed all of the changes she was enduring.  While they were all, in my eyes, good changes, they were, nevertheless, changes.  And to her, I bet they're huge.  

Let's see...first of all, she abruptly stopped being at my Mom's 5 days a week thanks to me being on maternity leave.  Abby spent the first 4 weeks of Alyssa's life at home with me--and Mark, who works from home 3 days a week--and this cute, new little critter who, cute or not,  sure does take up a lot of time.  Then there was the idea that school is now all day.  Plus it's a new school with new teachers, new kids and new routines.  

Reflecting on it now, I can clearly see how much that is to absorb when you're five.  Even when you're five going on 35.  Maybe I gave Abby too much credit, or maybe I underestimated how many adjustments we'd all be making.  I like to think of us as a resilient bunch; and we are.  But resilience, by its very definition means the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.  So we have to endure the difficulty in order to show our resilience.  I'm down with that.

Which leads me to my Beachbody business.  It's been tough sledding the past couple of months; mainly because I haven't done the work necessary to see the results I'd like.  Fact.  Hard, humbling, embarrassing fact.  However, in admitting to that, I can and will understand what needs to change.  Starting with me.  Resilience, see?

I slipped into one of the worst Coaching personas ever (in my opinion).  I allowed myself to feel less important or less impactful because I wasn't in tip top shape.  I was pregnant, for heaven's sake, and gained a nominal amount of weight, however I let that take over and control how I viewed opportunities.  Silly.  Rookie.  I know better.  I've said a zillion times, and I firmly believe, that some of the best Coaches are those who are, themselves, a work in progress.  Yet there I was, shying away from talking about workouts, eating well and encouraging others. 

So here I am, in this all over the place post, recommitting to do, be and feel better.  To get back to the work in progress that I am, to see myself for what I am in the moment and be proud of myself.  Am I back to my pre-baby weight yet?  Nope.  But I have lost about 30 pounds in six weeks....six weeks, folks---I have to remember that!...and have a great plan (and partners!) in place to shed the remaining 10ish that I would like to ditch.

Several people have complimented me on dropping weight quickly; and I appreciate that.  But moreover, I appreciate that I can tell you unequivocally that I credit my workouts and Shakeology for a big part of that.  Seriously.  Talk about being a product of the product, right?  And I'm not paid to say that and would never misrepresent the qualities of the products.  I know that had I not, for 9 months, stuck with some sort of program, stuck with my Shakeology and stayed involved in Challenge Groups, I would not have had the results post-baby that I'm having.

But you know what the best part is?  It's not about racing anyone or anything to get there.  It's about first and foremost thanking my body for doing what it did.  I grew a human being.  And I know, I know---I'm not the first or only woman to do this.  But that doesn't matter.  What matters is that I respect and honor that privilege and embrace how it has changed me...mentally, physically and emotionally.

I have goals, sure.  I'd like to hit a certain weight by my wedding anniversary.  That seems like a great time frame to me; realistic, significant and achievable.  I'm planning on running a 5k later this month (shoulda put running in quotes there! haha!) as part of my plan to get back to the place I worked so hard to be before I got pregnant.  And that, too, isn't a competition with anyone but myself.  If I am (and I am!!) my own biggest critic, I'd like to challenge myself to also be my own biggest cheerleader.  Heck, I feel like challenging YOU to do that, too.  Cheer for yourself, silly...not me.  Unless of course you want to...

I am excited to recommit to myself and my business, and would like to invite you to reach out if you have any questions about how you can join me on this re-commitment.  Choose a program, invest in Shakeology, make a change....I don't want to be the one to say it, but the holidays are coming (come on, you know Mother Retail is going to be playing Jingle Bells next week!!) and you should be the one who turns heads at the parties for the RIGHT reasons and looks at New Year's Resolutions as maintenance, not a starting point!  Don't you agree?  

How awesome would it be to look and feel your best in time for the holidays rather than waiting until you've packed on even MORE cookie-weight to get started.  The first Challenge Group I joined wrapped up just before Thanksgiving a couple years ago, and let me tell YOU...I was amazed at how incredible I felt and it made passing up seconds, extra pie and a midnight meal of leftovers a snap!

It's easy to get caught up in summer's lack of routine and abundance of BBQs and spontaneous beers on the porch with neighbors (okay, that sounds bad...would wine sound better?).  And it's even easier to get caught up in the hectic schedule of back to school and everyone else's TO DOs.  Break the cycle and make YOURSELF a priority.  I know I'm making an effort.  And I know I don't always get it right--so I don't expect you to either.  But thankfully,I have a husband who gets me, gets what I need and helpfully nudges me to the "gym" so I can crush a workout and feel like a new person when I'm done.  

Join me, please.  Well, not in person, because that would be a little strange considering I've gotten used to working out alone and take certain shall we say, liberties, with my attire.  Anyway, you know what I'm saying here...join my next Challenge Group.  Invite a friend along.  Be accountable.  Own a goal.  Let's do this TOGETHER!

Well, I think I've sufficiently taken you on a roller coaster ride of craziness with this post.  Thanks for reading, thanks for checking in.  I'm going to get better about posting...for real.  I mean, I owe you the blog about the best friend I've never met (after 7+ years of talking damn near daily!) and I even promised a blog dedicated to Alyssa's story.  So there's at least TWO posts you can count on from me.  Hold me accountable will ya? 
Leave me a message, email me...let me know what other posts you'd like to see and I'll do my best.  Gosh this felt good to write....I think I might just be on a roll again! 


 

*Sadly, she passed away this past winter, but it's still her birthday, right?

Very Veggie Skillet Casserole

It's no secret that I PWH...Pin While Hungry.  And it gets me in trouble.  I look at it like grocery shopping when I'm hungry; you know how deadly that is.  I thank the Lord above that I can't eat every pin, because I'd be well over 500 pounds if that was the case. 

So, in my digital grocery cart, I placed this yummy recipe.  And when we got home yesterday, I made it.  It was easy to throw together and perfectly filling yet lite.  Exactly the kind of meal I needed after traveling and not being sure if I was hungry, tired, thirsty....you know that feeling?

This new find earned a thumbs up and a mouthful-of-food "It's good, Amy!" from my husband.  You guessed it--it went in the "Make Again" pile!  Score!

 

Very Veggie Skillet Casserole

 

What You'll Need:

• 3/4 pound lean ground turkey breast
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow summer squash
• 1/2 cup finely chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup sliced carrot
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 cup instant brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium chicken bouillon granules
• 4 cups baby spinach

What You'll Do:

In a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground turkey, breaking it up with the back of a spoon, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. With a slotted spoon, transfer the turkey to a medium bowl.

1. In the same skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened. Add the squash, tomato, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
2. Return the turkey and any juices to the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Stir in the rice, water, and bouillon granules. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Stir in the spinach, cover, and cook about 1 minute longer, or until the spinach is wilted.

 
Notes:
I omitted the salt, opting to toss a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese over the top of my serving.  And I also tossed in a good cup of cubed butternut squash---that takes a while to cook to soft, so I threw it in first and gave it a head start.  Also, rather than using bouillon, I simply cooked my rice in low sodium chicken broth.  

Found in Prevention magazine