Unplugging for 10 Days

Every October and April, my church holds a General Conference.  This meeting is broadcast globally for all the women of our church to hear from our leaders and our prophet.  It is a beautiful meeting that inspires, motivates, and blesses my life.  One of the greatest reasons I decided to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Restored Church) is because we believe that God still speaks to humankind and provides guidance for our lives.  Having the opportunity regularly to hear from our prophet and hear what God wants for us is crucial to my own happiness and confidence in life.
In the most recent meeting, held the weekend of October 6-7, our prophet, Russell M. Nelson, counseled us to hold a 10 Day Social Media Fast.  He also asked us to omit any other sources of media from our lives that bring impure thoughts to our minds.  As we unplugged for 10 days, he asked us to record the impressions we received and follow through with them.

When I first heard his request, I was excited to follow the prophet's counsel.  I have lived long enough to know that when I follow his counsel (as he is the mouthpiece for God on the earth today), I am blessed in ways I had never considered.  My second thought was how am I to run a business where my primary platform is social media, without being on social media.  However, he gave no caveats and in my heart of hearts, I knew I needed to follow this counsel and fear not.  I was a little nervous, but I replaced fear with faith and began my fast the very next day.
Today, marks day 10 of my fast.  I have learned more than I ever thought possible.  I would like to share those things with you in an effort to inspire you to heed this counsel and unplug.  It will only benefit you.  Now, don't get me wrong, I am passionate about my business and plan to continue using social media as my platform, but I also plan to have stronger parameters around my time spent engaging online to protect myself and my family from the dangers I realized I had become susceptible to.

My Most Significant Impressions

1. Prior to the fast, I had been frustrated for WEEKS about how addled my brain felt.  I was suffering from intense mental fatigue and despite my best efforts, I could not figure out how to come out of the fog this was causing.  I was scattered, irritable, and rushed in every way.  Unplugging from a constant barrage of information and unnecessary urgency finally gave my brain the solace is had been needing.  So, unplugging on a weekly basis for one day a week will become my new normal.  Sundays which I already use as a day of Rest will be taken up a notch!

2. I realized what my REAL priorities are! My marriage, my children, my family and friends, my spiritual relationship with God, and my business.  However, the time I was spending in what I said were my most important priorities did not quite match up.  I found a super helpful YouTube Video that I have taken into practice and it is helping me align my activities with my priorities.  If you have 30 minutes, it is worth your time! After a week of using this time management system, my productivity, peace of mind, and priorities have sky-rocketed.



3. I was reminded how important it is to listen to that still small voice.  Some call it a gut feeling, intuition... I call it the Holy Spirit.  When you hear truth and act on it, your are blessed immeasurably and often in ways you would not have foreseen.  My family relationships, especially my marriage, feel more connected.  My mood and energy are where they have longed to be for months.  My relationship with God has become more in tune.  Being a woman and a mother on the earth at this time is not a coincidence.  I am grateful to be alive at this time.  The responsibilities are great, but I am up to the challenge.
 I am so grateful for our prophet's message and that I took what seemed like a risk and heeded his counsel.  If you'd like to see his message in its entirety, here you go. Enjoy and if you choose to take the social media fast challenge, let me know! I would love to hear about your experiences.

 

I'm Baaaaaaaaacccccccccckkkkkkkkk!

Soooo, I am back to blogging!
I took a very very very long time off and I have missed chronicling our lives and sharing content that is uplifting and fun!
It would take way to long to update you on the last 15 months of our lives, so I will share the top 5 things from that time and we'll consider you all caught up.  Deal? DEAL!

1.  In August, (so just a year ago) I discovered that the major respiratory problems I had been dealing with for the better part of a year were because of an allergic reaction to my chickens.  Well, not my chickens.  Their POOP! The fatigue, chronic cough, pneumonia, all of it was because of POOP.  It was devastating to learn that in order to get better, the chickens had to go.  After fighting my HOA for months and falling in love with backyard chicken farming, this was a heartbreaking experience.  But, being able to breathe again and climb my stairs without losing my breath has been wonderful.  I miss my chickens every time I chop veggies and have to remind myself I don't need to save the scraps.  They are forever part of my heart.

2. PTO mom! My sweet friend, Rhea, recruited me to be part of the PTO powerhouse at our local elementary school.  Of course, I said yes because it sounded like FUN.  And it was fun being with my friends and doing awesome and exciting things for the students and the school.  What was NOT fun was the moms who decided they didn't like us and who said really mean things about us on social media.  That was NOT FUN.  It actually hurt a lot and knocked the wind out of my sails for awhile.  But being able to raise more money than ever before, finishing two huge projects at the school, bringing a BMX show in for students, putting on half a dozen awesome, family-friendly events with record numbers was definitely worth it.  But, I decided not to do it again.  It is my last year with a child home full-time and I wanted to have the flexibility to do whatever WE wanted when WE wanted!

3. Church service! For those of you who don't know, I am a member of the LDS Church.  We do not have a paid ministry, so all of the operation of the church is done by its members. Last August, I was asked to serve as the Primary President.  This means I have had stewardship over the children's program at church for a year now.  I am responsible for nearly 50 children, their teachers and other leaders in the Primary (about 30 adults).  Guys that is quite the MENTAL LOAD! It has been one of the most fun things I have been able to do for my Savior.  I love being with the children, but it is quite a process and responsibility.

ALSO, do you see a pattern?  All of these things happened/started in AUGUST of last year! Hahaha.  Let's just say last year was a whirlwind!

4. Energy Profiling! If you haven't heard of Carol Tuttle and her work, you need to look her up.  She is changing my life with her books, her social media content, and her knowledge that she is sooo willing to share. In a year of struggle, I have learned that I NO longer need to STRUGGLE.  That I have more power over my own experience than I previously thought.  I am learning to set boundaries and learning to bring my emotional wellness to where I want it to be.  To truly BE ME without apologizing for it! Seriously, look her up and let her guide you to some legit healing!

Okay, I got 4 and now I'm tired, so good night y'all! Please tell me what kind of content you'd like to see on my blog! I would love to hear from you!

Ultimate Reset

In December, my dear friend, Amy, asked me if I would be interested in doing the Ultimate Reset--a 21 Day Cleanse that detoxes your body from the inside out. I thought about it for about five seconds and said NO!

I am at my goal weight. I don't need to do that. I don't want to lose more weight. I don't want to limit my foods. I had a lot of excuses. I said NO and figured that would be the end of it.
Instead, I kept hearing her voice in the back of my mind. I watched a few other colleagues do it. I began to move from a firm NO to maybe there is something to this.
Then, in February I was diagnosed with pneumonia and even after a week of antibiotics and steroids, I was still struggling to breathe doing basic mom tasks and fatigue was a huge problem. My mindset was struggling in a big way. I was doubting myself in all areas. I was sick for weeks. I had to DO something.
I remembered Amy's invitation in December and all of our talks about her cancer recovery and the role food played in how she felt. I wondered if maybe food could play a role in my asthma and respiratory problems that have vexed me off and and on for the last couple years. One of my clients informed me she was going to do the reset. She was the last factor. I didn't want her to do it alone. I would join her. I decided to go for it.
Within a week, I had ordered my kit and I had even recruited, Amy and a couple more friends to join us. So, the five of us began our Reset the second week of March.

Nori Rolls

Lots of Fresh Fruit on the Reset

Lots of Miso Soup too! Yummy Stir Fry over Brown Rice.

I will be honest, the first week was pretty easy. I was excited and felt better almost immediately. I had more mental clarity and more energy! Plus, I was at my parent's house for part of that week and my mom and dad cooked my kids fav foods and I stuck to my plan without having to cook two separate meals!
The second week was HARD. You start drinking a detox supplement and detox is definitely accurate. My body was detoxing, my mind was detoxing. I was more emotional than a teenage version of myself. Seriously, I was weeping at the drop of a hat and really off my game.

Several supplements were implemented at different times throughout the 21 Day Reset

The meals continued to be easy to prepare and delicious, but now I was cooking two separate meals, three times a day. It was a huge commitment. The hardest part was that my day literally revolved around when I would make my meals, when I would take my supplements, when I would eat. Because eating even took longer! The meals were very large and it is not an overstatement to say eating lunch could take me close to an hour from start to finish. I was exhausted.

I definitely LOVED eating all my meals from mixing bowls. 

It was as week 2 wrapped up that I broke and my emotional eating won. I ate nearly an entire bag of barbacue kettle chips AND some candy I had bought for my Sunday School class. I stole from my hard-working Sunday School Class, you guys! I was WEAK SAUCE! And as if the mental guilt wasn't enough, I physically felt AWFUL! When you eat super clean for two weeks and go overboard on crap, you feel like, YOU GUESSED IT! CRAP!

Thanks to my text message thread of beautiful friends. I got the support I needed and picked myself up to finish out the third and final week without huge incident. Unless, you count the cucumber-avocado soup that was the worst meal of my life! I should have just eaten them separately and called it a day!

In the end, I am so thankful I took the leap to do this! Within days I was breathing better than I had in months. My digestive system felt amazing. Mostly I know it felt amazing because now that I've integrated some of my normal foods back in I have found some major contributors to discomfort, including DAIRY! Thank heavens for cashewmilk!  Seriously, any time I have tried even a small amount of a processed carb, I have a stomach twisting itself up in knots. The pain and discomfort are unbelievable. I am so grateful for all that I learned and gained from this experience. I think now that my gut is squeaky clean, it will help keep me on track and really tell me when foods are no bueno for my body.

Power Greens NOT for the faint of heart

I loved learning new recipes and food combinations that I can continue to implement to feel great from here on out. I hated the power greens, and if I ever feel I need to have more greens, I'll just blend them right into my superfoods shake!
I haven't put meat back in yet. I didn't miss it and have now NOT had meat for a month. I have cooked meat for my family and I am just not interested yet. We'll see how my body responds when I give it a whirl in the future.

Throughout the reset I did yoga. You are not supposed to engaged in rigorous exercise for the 21 days

If you are struggling with serious dietary issues or your body just isn't performing at its peak, this might be an affordable answer to your problems. I would love to talk to you more about my experience! P.S. If you do want to lose weight and inches on the Reset you totally can. I lost a few pounds, but worked hard NOT to. I ate the men-sized portion and added avocado whenever I could. :)
However, the group of women I did it with lost about 30 pounds combined and I am so proud of all of us for doing this!

Guest Blog

I was invited by my friend, Amy, over at the Running Mom Diaries, to write a blog post about my busy life and how I seem to "do it all." Honestly, I dislike that phrase. I don't do it all, I simply try my best just like everyone else! Here is what I wrote for her!

Amy asked me to write about how I manage my busy family life and still find time for myself. Honestly, I feel like I have only gotten a grip on my life in the last 10 months. Before that I had spent years scrambling. Scrambling and feeling guilty.

Part of the shift is definitely due to the fact that I am no longer in the growing stage of a family. This is the first year in the last 10, that I haven't been pregnant or nursing a baby. The desire to have a big family with children close in age calls for a great sacrifice of personal time, comfort, and sanity. Now that my babes are all here and the youngest is closing in on his second birthday, I finally felt like making myself a priority was necessary and doable.

With 5 children, a dear husband, a dog, chickens, and a bearded dragon, I am responsible for a LOT of people. (My animals are totally counting as people!) I am also very active in my church community and teach a Sunday school class weekly, among other things.  There are many aspects of my life that can be unpredictable. So my key to feeling successful is to control what I can and lower my expectations for everything else.

Honestly, becoming a Beachbody coach in April 2015 changed EVERYTHING! I really didn't think I had room for one more thing, but it was taking on this new thing that has taught me how to take care of myself in nourishing and lasting ways.

Here is a quick glimpse of my typical day.

4:45 AM               Wake Up and Pray/Meditate

5:00 AM               Out of bed, dress, read 15-30 minutes of scriptures and/or a personal growth book

5:30 AM               Exercise

6:00 AM               Make lunches

6:15 AM               Spend 30-45 minutes working my business

7:00 AM               Breakfast with family

8:00 AM               Kids to school

I have found that mornings are my MOST productive time of the day. Therefore, I spend the next 3 to 4 hours doing chores, running errands, cooking, helping others, meal prepping, paying bills, and running the household. I only occasionally do play dates. I like my sanity and over scheduling myself during my most productive time has negative consequences for me and the rest of my family. Especially if it happens too often.

12:00 PM             Work my business while baby naps and 3 year old watched television

1:00 PM                Lunch and I sit on the couch with 3 year old. We snuggle, read, watch television or                              take a quick power nap.

2:00 PM                Get baby up and give out snacks. Mama even gets to enjoy her favorite meal of the                              day that is jam-packed with Superfoods, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins,                                              probiotics,  prebiotics, etc. I am not joking when I say this literally gives me                                          superpowers.

3:20 PM (2:20 on Wednesdays)       Get big boys from school, homework, snacks, and tons of                                                           unpredictable shenaningans.

5:00 PM                Start dinner and allow television or outdoor time for my big kids

6:00 PM                Dinner, family time, clean up, baths, books, prayers, snuggles, and bed

7:30 PM                Lights out, unless it is special night (one child a night has a chance to stay up an                                   extra 30 minutes and spend one-on-one time with mom and/or dad)

8:00 PM                Time with spouse

9:30 PM                Get ready for bed, scriptures and prayer with spouse

10:00 PM              Lights out

This is a typical day for me; however, we do have speech therapy two days a week, music lessons two days a week, scouts, sports, etc just like everyone else. Unlike everyone else, we only do one sport a season and that is it. In the instances something above needs to fit into our day, we just shift things around and find a way. But if we add something, something has to give. Usually it is down time. If it is something that is a priority for my family that would have to give for a new activity, we just don't do the activity.

This rhythm has taken lots of tweaking and frustration to get in to. It works for us, but every time we add something new we have to start over. It is a constant effort to find harmony in our family. From time to time we have super-scheduled weeks, but if I can avoid it, I do.

It was through Beachbody that I began discovering what I needed to do to really thrive as a stay-at-home mom and find harmony in my life. It sounds hokey, but through the community support, emphasis on whole body wellness, and carving out time daily for myself and helping others I feel fueled in a way I haven't in years.  It all comes together to make me a better version of myself and a better mom and wife.

WICKED

My BESTIE, JoAnn, ended up having an extra ticket to WICKED since her sweet hubs had to go out of town. She called me and asked if I'd be her PLUS ONE. Um, YES PLEASE!

I got to dress up and hang out with my favorite human on earth that isn't in my family. We had a blast and just loved every second of it. I really love JoAnn. She just gets me!

2017 The YEAR I DREAM BIG

Guys, I have legit GOALS this year. I have found such joy running an at-home fitness business. I REALLY love helping people and I love stretching myself. I want to see my business grow this year. I want to see it grow so much that we pay off our debt. I want to see it grow so much that I increase my scope of influence. I want to see it grow so much that I have a whole team of people working with me to change lives. 

It will be hard and tiring and OH SO WORTH IT! 

Let's do this 2017!

50 Books in 2016

I made a goal to read 50 books in 2016. It was a tough goal to achieve. I have done it twice before (the years Miriam and Weston were born because nursing a baby gives you a lot of free time in the middle of the night). Last year, I had 10 days to read 5 books and I did it (and little else) over our break. This year, I didn't procrastinate and finished with a few days to spare.
Here's my list. Lots of personal development this year! I normally don't read non-fiction, but the push from my coach to start has snowballed into a new love for a once feared genre. Also, I still love series, especially fantasy and science fiction. I READ so many amazing books this year, it is really hard to pick a favorite! I have loved reunited with the world of Hogwarts this year. They will always be in my top ten favorite books of all time (they count as one and yes I know that is cheating)!

On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life by John O'Leary
The 12 Week Year by Brian P Moran
The Go-Giver by Bob Burg
The Go-Giver Sells More by Bob Burg
The Go-Giver Leader by Bob Burg
Rising Strong by Brene Brown
The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon
Find your Extraordinary by Jessica DiLullo Herrin
START: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average, Do Work that Matters by Jon Acuff
The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John C Maxwell
Eat that Frog by Brian Tracy
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids by Dr. Laura Markham
Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen, MD
My Story by Elizabeth Smart

Our Heritage
Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmadge
The Book of Mormon
2016 November ENSIGN (October General Conference Issue)

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith AKA JK Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal
Without a Summer by Mary Robinette Kowal

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd

Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson
The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger
Curtsies and Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
Waistcoats and Weaponry by Gail Carriger

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Sunrise by Mike Mullin

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
Specials by Scott Westerfeld

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

OUC Half Marathon

I made a goal over the summer to run the OUC Half Marathon. This has been a bucket list item for many years. Due to pregnancies and babies, I never made it a priority. I was ready this year and really started working hard to achieve my goal!
I ran early in the morning for months and slowly built up the amount of miles I could do at once. In the beginning, I really couldn't believe I could make it happen. I struggled to run even one mile. But, through the continued support of Jared and my running community, I was able to gain confidence and really rocked the goals I had set.
The morning we ran was absolutely beautiful!

If you had told me a year ago that I would run a half-marathon, I wouldn't have believed you.
A lot of sacrifice went into earning this medal.
Early mornings spent putting in miles, sacrificing time with family and friends, sore muscles and a tired body.
I cried at least 4 times today. (Thanks for the warning Misty Farrow Anderson!)
At the starting line, I was brought to tears as thousands of people became silent to listen to the National Anthem. Being an American is amazing!
The second time was around mile 5 when someone's sweet mom was cheering on the corner. She said, "You should be so proud of yourself!"
She didn't even really say it to me, but I was so very proud of all my hard work in that moment.
The third time was after I had finished and I found over 50 FB messages and texts cheering me on (y'all know who you are and please know your love and support was very much what kept me going today).
The 4th was when I opened up my IG and found a heartfelt shout out from my best bestie JoAnn Sullivan Moghimi.
Today was a great day!
#youcandohardthings

10 Random Facts

Myndie tagged me a month ago, but I hadn't found time to respond until today. Here are 10 random facts about me. And, I agree with Melissa, this is tough!

1. I love to pop pimples, pluck hairs, and clean out ears. All gross things, I know! But, I find a simple satisfaction in them. Please don't be afraid of me.

2. I love pigs! They are my favorite animal. A lot of you know this, but do you know the reason why? Well, as an 11 year old searching for truth and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I attended an after-school bible study with Brother Bobby and two other youth from our church at the time. He would pick us up after school, take us to the Jiffy for a snack, and then we'd spend an hour studying the New Testament. Brother Bobby moved due to a reassignment in the church and he gave me one of his pigs that he'd collected. That became the first pig in my collection. I wonder what Brother Bobby's up to these days?

3. I have noticed a lot more grays hairs on my head since Ethan was born. Is this because I'm 27 or is it because I'm a mom?

4. I was head cheerleader in high school. For some reason a lot of people can't believe this. I also tried out for the dance team at BYU, but did not make it. That was tough on me, but I got over it.

5. I was very active in college. I went rock climbing, camping, mountain biking, and hiking almost every weekend. I thought I did these things because of my ex-husband. Now that I am back in Florida, I've realized that I did enjoy them. I just didn't feel the need to do them every weekend!

6. As a student at BYU, I had a job working for Burrelle's Press Clipping Service. I went to work every morning (even the mornings before the snow was plowed) at 5 AM and typed television news for four hours before going to classes for the day. I couldn't watch news for about 5 years after that!

7. I have always loved TV! Before Lost, there was Alias. Before Alias, there was Buffy. Before Buffy, there was Friends. Before Friends, there was Party of Five. And that is where it all began. I used to rush home Wednesday nights after Mutual and plop down on the floor with my sister and enjoy an hour of Charlie, Bailey, Julia, Claudia and Owen. Good times. Even now, Stacey and I follow the same shows. It's fun and a total mind vacation.

8. When I was a teenager, I thought I'd want eight children. I even had their names picked out! I think I'll be happy with three or four.

9. In an alternate (taller) reality, I would pursue modeling. According to Tyra Banks and America's Next Top Model, if you're shorter than 5'7", you can't be a model. Oh well! I'll have to settle for a life without materialism and immorality.

10. When Jared and I were dating, he said "I love you" first. I wasn't ready to say it and I'm pretty sure I didn't reciprocate at that point. However, I can't remember how I got around that. I eventually realized I loved him too and now I tell him all the time.

A Dancer's Heart

I've probably mentioned before that I was a part of a children and teen's performing group for most of my childhood. I'm not sure if I've ever conveyed just how integral this was in my life. By the time I was in high school, I was at the dance studio nearly every day of the week taking multiple classes, tap, jazz, ballet, company (an audition only group), and ensemble. I even taught the 3-5 year olds ballet, tap, and jazz to help pay for my own classes.

On top of classes, Showtime USA performed in and around the St. Augustine area at least a few times each month. It was a huge deal to me. My dearest friends experienced all of this with me. If we weren't in classes together, we were hanging out at one another's houses, hanging out with Miss Pam (our dance instructor), painting the dance studio, popping one another's pimples (So gross, yet so awesome!). Heck, I got my first kiss in the parking lot of the studio.

It is how I gained self-confidence. It is how I learned to persevere and set goals and to fail gracefully. It is also where I first heard about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Recently, I rediscovered my dancer's heart. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go to Showtime's end of the year show. I had a smile the entire time. It was amazing to see those kids having the time of their lives up on that stage. I was right back to those days. Some people hated high school. I'll go ahead and admit that although it wasn't always easy, it was a great time in my life. Showtime and my friends there were a huge part of that. Seriously, watching my children fall in love with the show and remembering all the positive in my life made me want to open a Showtime franchise here in Orlando!

Just last weekend, my mom treated my sister and I to the Move Live Tour put on by dancing siblings, Julianne and Derek Hough. My goodness, it was amazing. It was like Showtime on steroids! Again, the smile never left my face. I have a dancer's heart and I guess I always will. I need to integrate dance more fully in my life somehow. Maybe that's by opening a Showtime, maybe it's by taking up Zumba, maybe it's by dancing in my living room. As a child, there was a studio in town run by Sally Walton. They often performed at the same events we did. There was always a number or two put on by adults. I remember thinking they were so old and how weird that they were in costumes dancing at their age! Little did I know, they probably felt as I do now. Dance isn't something you outgrow! I've changed my tune. Those ladies rocked and good on them for continuing to do what they loved.

My heart is full of gratitude for Miss Pam and all she did to help me hone my dancing and singing talents. Doing the routine "Just one more time" (more like 20) and helping me improve my other talents; those that aren't as easy to see: integrity, honesty, and charity. My heart is also full of gratitude for my parents who surely sacrificed to pay for umpteen classes a week and costumes and tours and camps. My parents always supported me and found joy in watching me have the time of my life. They were truly selfless in that regard. I am grateful that 14 years later, my mom recognizes the need for dance in my life and continues to make special memories for me.

Mom and me at Move Live on Tour last weekend!

I love you, Mom!

Performing in a sequined black dress and having a ball!

Divas Only

I am here to talk about something women really don't talk like to talk about. And, if they do, they talk about it with code words like Aunt Flo, my monthly visitor, Surfin the Crimson Wave.... (Bonus points if you know what movie that last one is from!)

I am going to talk about menstruation. Most of us have been dealing with this for decades. Ever since the dreaded day we saw that first spot in our panties as pre-teens and teens. Are you there God it's me, Margaret? can only teach you so much.

As you grow older, you just accept it and move on, but there is always that fear that you will start and you won't have a tampon or a panty liner or a maxi pad. Admit it, you have been there! Whispering to your friend or your friend's mom. Trying to discretely obtain what you need and do not have so that you don't wind up embarrassing yourself even further.

Well, I have a solution for you! And it is only costs $30 on Amazon. It is the Diva Cup and it is a menstrual cup! You only need one and it should last you at least a year, possibly longer if you take care of it.

Back in May, a dear friend gave me the rundown on what a menstrual cup was all about. Her husband is an OB/GYN and his office had received a sampler so he brought it home for her to try. She raved about the ease of using it and I was intrigued.

The next time my menstrual cycle started, I was ready! I had purchased one on Amazon for the aforementioned price and it arrived in a box and is kept in a cute, little bag.

In order to use it, you will have to get up close and personal with your lady parts. You wash the cup, insert it by folding it in half. Once it is in about halfway, you rotate it a full 360 degrees and push it the rest of the way in.

Then, you do NOTHING all day! For 12 hours! You just leave it alone and don't worry about it AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!! In the first few uses, you may want to use a panty liner while you figure out how to get it in place properly. If it is not sealed off through correct insertion, it will leak.

Then, at night, before bed, you remove it, pour the contents into the toilet, wash it in warm water with soap, reinsert and go to sleep. You continue to remove and reinsert each morning (the shower is a fantastic place to get situated for the day) and night until your menstrual cycle comes to an end.

It is comfortable, easy, stress-free. Doesn't hurt to remove at all, no matter how heavy or light your flow. Also, if you're into the environment, you are really going green on this one!

I am serious, you need to try this if you are a woman. It is the best way I have ever found to manage my least favorite week of the month. Easy, fast, comfortable, affordable... the list goes on.

Y'all need to check it out!

P.S. They are sized. Size A for women who have never had a vaginal birth and Size B for women who have. :) Size B is also recommended for women over the age of 30.

Running to Grow

 I jumped back into running seriously about 7 weeks ago. I have had this crazy goal to run a half-marathon for a few years, but the timing just wasn't right. I kept having babies and training seemed impossible. Well, something changed and now the timing is RIGHT! I have really loved getting out there and just running. Running and thinking!

It's funny how when you put your mind to do something good for yourself, obstacles creep in. It is not easy to get up at 5 AM and hit the pavement. It is not easy to get up at 5 AM and run in the dark when you know there are bad people out there and even bears could be out there! It is not easy to get up at 5 AM and run when suddenly it has become extremely difficult to breathe. 

But, many things that will grow and stretch you are not easy!

I really want this! More than my fear of the dark, bears, bad people. More than that TV show I skip to get to bed early. More than breathing. 

I have been working with doctors to treat what is turning out to be asthma! It is treatable and I am getting better and I am so grateful. 

I WILL accomplish this goal, but more importantly, I am recognizing the growth that is happening to me. To my body AND mind from the inside out! Because at the end of the day, that is what it is all about. The GROWTH! Any outward success I have had is an expression of the growth that is happening internally. 

So, I'm going to keep on running. I'm going to hit my goal. But, more importantly, I am going to grow and be a better human! Because that is what it is all about.

Where do you need to grow? What can I do to help you? 

Non-Negotiables

This is the time of year that life tends to really speed up. Between October and April, we participate in soccer and then basketball, celebrate 6 of our 7 birthdays (on top of umpteen family birthdays), engage in regular and extracurricular school activities, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, MLK Day, Valentine Day, and Easter.
It seriously feels like life is a marathon for the next six months. Just putting it all right there in one paragraph is starting to freak me out! Because on top of ALL of that, I have meals to cook, chores to do, errands to run, Sunday School to teach, animals to care for, doctors visits, dentist visits... Okay, I have to stop or I'm going to go to bed and never get up.
My point is, that I KNOW what busy is. It is not lost on me that life can be a heavy load to carry at times. Fortunately, if you are able to identify your NON-NEGOTIABLES all that "busy" becomes harmony. Instead of doing EVERYTHING, I make sure the non-negotiables are accomplished each day (or at least 80 % of them). Then all those other things that pop up go through the Good, Better, Best test. I choose only the BEST things as often as possible. And the REST has to wait or get outsourced or get deleted.

So, what are MY non-negotiables?

1. My Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and my faith in and worship of Them
Personal scripture study; Sunday worship; Fulfilling my teaching assignment on Sundays; Prayer; Family Home Evening; Family Prayer; Family Scripture Study; Temple attendance. All these activities are non-negotiables in my life.

2. My FAMILY
Handling all the day-to-day needs of my spouse and children; Building and maintaining quality relationships with my spouse, my children, my parents, and my siblings; Teaching my children; Supporting my spouse; Managing the household (accomplishing minimum of three daily chores on top of cooking responsibilities). All these activities are non-negotiables in my life.

3. Myself
Reading something uplifting in addition to scripture study; Getting in a workout; Showering, teeth brushing, and other personal care (although I must admit there are days I get to dinner and realize I haven't brushed my teeth); Professional development and working my business; Regular opportunities to hang out with my best gal pals; Building and maintaining quality friendships with positive, uplifting people; Getting 7-8 hours of sleep a day; The occasional trip to Target ALONE. All these activities are non-negotiables in my life.

Now, be honest with yourself. What are YOUR non-negotiables? Do they line up with the MOST important things in your life?
If so, keep it up! You are doing better than you think you are and you totally rocking life.
If not, rearrange those priorities to match your non-negotiables and just START. You can change, you can do it differently tomorrow. It's hard, yeah, but oh so worth it. And if you feel like you don't know where to start, we should talk. I BELIEVE IN YOU and I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF CHANGE and THAT CHANGE IS POSSIBLE!

My Story

I feel like we are writing new chapters to our own individual stories every day. I never thought in a million years that I would become part of  a network marketing company. Honestly, it is one of those things I would normally turn up my nose at.
Something about Beachbody was different. It felt different. It made ME different.
My coach, Amy, challenged me to share my story in a video blog (VLOG). It was scary, but I did it.
Now, I share that with you. Thanks for letting me into your world. Make it a great day!

Click HERE to watch my VLOG.

36!

As hard as it is to believe that my children are growing up so fast, it is even harder to believe that I am a 36 year old woman! My birthday was pretty fantabulous this year. It basically lasted a week. I got birthday mail! I love birthday mail even more than regular mail! I had two birthday cakes. I got to go on a date with Jared! My children were so dear to me. Grayson even used his saved money to buy me a movie (The Blind Side) for a gift. I love my little family and they love me! 36 is not as old as I feared it was.

Eating your Feelings

One of the things I have come to learn about myself over the last few months is that I am an emotional eater. I have also come to learn that I am not alone. And guess, what, neither are you!
So many times at the end of a long hard day of momming, I would "treat" myself to something sugary and delicious and totally bad for me. It would be great if I could eat just one cookie or one peppermint patty or one scoop of ice cream. Unfortunately, once I start, I cannot stop. I will eat 4 or 5 and then feel terrible physically and emotionally afterwards.

Becoming a coach and having others rely on my good example jump started my goal to create better habits, but I still found myself eating my feelings (now more in secret than ever) when I was having a less than stellar day.

I decided what I really needed was to take a long, hard look at myself. The truth is, what I really need in those lonely, frustrating, discouraging moments is to refuel my spirit. I have found that talking with my spouse, calling a friend, going for a jog or a walk, spending time in a good book, or simply going to bed early all help me to actually feel better long term versus for the duration of my sweet treat.

Go for a walk or jog! I am sure you in live in a beautiful place!

Spending time in a fun book when you have small children can be hard, but it sure fills my cup.

So, the next time you're wearing your cranky pants, go take a nice long bath, read a book, and slip in to bed a little early. I promise it will do you more good than that sugary baked good. It has worked wonders for me.

CEO of Team Strongbody

Hey friends and family! Couple of things! I have changed the url for my personal blog to jaeglmwk.blogspot.com  So, change your favorites so you don't miss any of the Krause craziness.
Also, I am officially making a go of being a business owner. I am running a Beachbody business and am the CEO of Team Strongbody. I never thought this would be something I would do, but here I am doing it. I decided to start another blog for my business. It is still a work in progress and hopefully will provide valuable content. I plan to post recipes, fitness, nutrition, inspirational, motivational, and uplifting content. The address for my new blog is http://fitkrausehaus.blogspot.com/
I'd love for you to check it out and send me feedback at fitkrausehaus@gmail.com
I'd especially love to know what kinds of things would bring you back to my blog! What do you want to read about? Thanks for your continued love and support.

Mother's Day 2016

This was probably one of my favorite Mother's Days! I got to spend time with my children and my favorite women! On Saturday, mom, Stacey, Stacey's friend, Carlie, and I went to brunch at Five Thymes Five in Winter Garden. I had shrimp and grits and it was so delicious! We had a great conversation that was not interrupted once by little people needing anything.

After lunch, we picked up Lyla and went to see Singin in the Rain at the Garden Theater, also in downtown Winter Garden. The show was excellent and we had a great time together. I think we've created a new tradition. Next year, Miriam will join us and the five girls will enjoy motherhood and womanhood all together. 

On Sunday morning, I slept in a little bit and the children brought me breakfast in bed. I had made two different breakfast casseroles (a sausage, egg, cheese one and a baked French toast) for the Scouts the morning before. Luckily there were leftovers and I got to enjoy them. Grayson also poured my OJ and made me peanut butter toast. Jared said when he got downstairs, Grayson had already started on breakfast and Landon was washing dishes. I love my sweet kids.

The children picked out a "princess" dress for me to wear and we took a photo in front of our neighbor's roses. I certainly felt like a princess!

The children saw this little note holder in a magazine of theirs (Highlights Magazine RULES) and wanted to make it for me. They apparently had it planned for awhile. They painted it, glued it, hung it on my bedroom door, and now are using it to leave me little notes. I love it!

My Sunday School class at church brought me flowers. This was so unexpected and really touched me. I love my class! 10 year olds are probably my favorite!

Time Out for Women

Recently, the stars aligned and I got an overnight AWAY! I was feeling guilty at first, because I wasn't going to be home the morning of Weston's 1st birthday. Then, a friend of mine reframed it all for me! She said my weekend away would be a great way to celebrate surviving a year of being a mother of five children! So, I went and it was awesome.

I attended a women's conference called Time out for Women. It was an evening and a day packed full of uplifting music and speakers. Plus, I was in a room full of hundreds of women all doing their best and finding joy in their journey. 

And, sleepovers with your gal pals are still amazing even as a 30-something.

David Archuleta sang Friday night. He has a beautiful, rich voice. What a gift!

Rachel, JoAnn, Stephanie (a new friend), and I got a hotel and gabbed into the late hours. We didn't get woken up by small children and it was so awesome!

Beachbody

After Weston was born, I was feeling a lot of different emotions. We had just moved and I felt so isolated. I'd been having babies for 7 years straight. 5 children in 7 years can wreak havoc on your body and your emotional health. I found that I was not taking any time for myself. I wasn't even eating healthy meals, which is something I really want to do and intend to do, but when the day gets away from me, it doesn't always happen. I have totally eaten cookie dough for lunch!

A friend of mine from college reached out and introduced me to Beachbody. I had heard of some of the workouts and was excited to have accountability in my efforts to shed some baby weight.  What I found was so much more than a way to lose weight. While doing Beachbody, I felt inspired, I felt confident, I felt strong, I felt like ME! It was wonderful. I loved reconnecting with my friend and meeting others who were all on their own individual journey to live their best life.  

Then, the holidays came. I got busy. I hurt my leg. I got sick. My kids got sick. I stopped sticking with my goals to be active, eat clean, and enlighten my mind. I became lethargic, cranky, and stressed out. My friend, Emily, posted her motto, "Mom is always one workout away from a good mood!" What an example Emily is to me in so many ways. She is like my "mom template" and she was right once again! I needed to take time out of every day to do something for me. 

I don't love to shop. I don't love to get my nails done. I don't have one ounce of crafting talent in me.  I have only had two haircuts in the last year. Fitness, reading, and being outside are the things that rejuvenate and inspire me. Oh, and raising chickens! We recently acquired five chicks and I am so in love with my new status as a backyard chicken farmer.

I think I've found a way to really make time every day to feel like ME. I am becoming a Beachbody Coach. I want to have more accountability and really stick to my own personal goals. I am also hopeful that I will be able to help others to create and accomplish their own fitness and healthy lifestyle goals. 

It cracks me up that I'm once again doing something that I never thought I'd do.  I have not worked outside of the home at all since Miriam was born. I have had a job since I was 15, so to not work the last three years has been kind of weird. Don't get me wrong, I DO NOT want a day job. My job as a mom is my dream and it's fulfilling and wonderful and so hard! I love the idea of being a Beachbody coach. I get to help people, which I LOVE and use a product regularly that makes me FEEL like Andrea and not just Mom. If you want to learn more or join me, please email me at fitkrausehaus@gmail.com

See my progress pics below!

I put on about 40 pounds with each of my five pregnancies. I loved watching my body grow with life, but each time I got so depressed afterwards when I just wasn't bouncing back. I should have relished those post-pregnancy moments in my 20's, because in my 30's the pounds have been even more difficult to shed.  I am happy to be fitting into pre-pregnancy clothing, but the biggest thing I lost was self-doubt and self-criticism! That, my friends, is some empowering stuff to let go of. 

My BEFORE photos taken in August 2015 (four months post-partum with baby #5)

My MIDWAY photos taken in September 2015 (CIZE 6 times a week and Shakeology every day)

My AFTER photos taken in December 2015 (PIYO 6 times a week and Shakeology every day)