So basically...

I love blogging. It's how I organize my brain. And I have more time now as I'm figuring some things out in life! Whew eeee it's been an amazing, challenging year of growth and freedom!

I definitely don't have it all figured out but, I have a LOT more figured out than I did a year ago and really just learning along side all the rest of you and having a blast doing life with some of the greatest people on the planet!  

Because, basically. I'm unoffendable. And it's so freeing. 

So, on this weeks agenda:

• Gym time at a new gym. Yay for new, right?! I literally join a new gym every 48 seconds. I'm like someone please stop me. Seriously. But don't. Because I love it.

• Groceries. Finally. You guys. I did the unthinkable and asked Justin to do a budget. And guess what's not in there. TARGET. I know. It's been...interesting. Don't worry. I'll fill you in. I had tuna and pickles for dinner Wednesday night if that tells you how well I did in January...

• Can someone please just give me a schedule of daily life. Like, what do you do when you and your husband both work from home and have 3 kids 5 and under? If there's anyone matching that description. Holla at your girl. I have a job for you.

• Unlikely so, I'll be figuring it out and sharing those fun times. And mark my words, I WILL figure it out! #yaysystems!

• Pushing Facebook into the fire (I'll attempt to explain that analogy later.) You guys. I'm seriously so over it. I have such a love/hate relationship with it. I love seeing people's lives and their adorable kids but like I can't even deal with the other side. The whining, complaining, negativity and basic uselessness of that kind of thinking. Like can. not. deal. But, I love connecting. And memes. So....yeah. We'll see how that pans out.

You guys are so great. 2016 is going to be awesome in different ways for each of us :)

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My Journey Back to Faith

I planned on sharing some more before and after's of the house but, felt compelled to share something that's been on my heart (and in a draft post) for a while now. I've never shared this part of my life partially because I think I was embarrassed and also a little afraid of being judged when I make the inevitable misstep.

I've been working on my spiritual growth over the past few months but, just didn't feel God's presence. I'm a Christian, I went to Christian schools for many years and I believe His Word to be true from my very core. God is all around us, every second of every day, in every thing. I absolutely know and believe that with every ounce of my being but, how do I reflect that in my actions and make it my heart? How do I take that and have it make a difference in my life? That is where I was struggling.

My heart didn't feel whole.

The hubs says that he feels God speak to him and all he does is listen and act. Um, #excuseme what. I want that! I want God to talk to me and I listen. I knew I needed to really pursue Christ to be the kind of wife and mother I want to be (and the one God wants me to be). Not just say but, act. Like really live my life chasing His will. Fulfilling His purpose for me. Letting Him transform my heart, thoughts and actions. It's almost like I would hear God speaking to me and then kind of resist it when it was something I didn't want to hear. A good friend told me that often times we view our relationship with God like we view the one with our actual father - and that made a whole...whole lot of sense to me. I've always been one to think that I know better, that despite what someone (anyone) tells me, I'm gonna do it my way. Even if I know they're right and I'm wrong. I have to learn the hard way which, has caused me a lot of pain, heartache and tangled feelings that I've had to work through over the years.

As #craycray as it sounds, PowerSheets are what have helped me connect the dots. Helped me create some action items that will help me build that deeper relationship with God that I desire and truly transform my heart. I reached out to a friend and asked for her advice. This is someone I have seen grow in incredible ways and she has had such an impact on me as a wife, mother and so much more. She had many words of wisdom and her words of truth and encouragement were what really pushed me into taking action on changing those empty feelings I was having.

After I spent a few days praying (as best as I know how) reflecting on what I want my life to look like, what kind of family I want to raise and what kind of wife, mother, friend and person I want to be, I had 5 areas of focus.

1. Faith
2. Husband
3. Children 
4. Others 
5. Self

I've learned that my brain seems to work best in a compartmentalized manner (which is reinforced by the time management/organizational system that I'm using. Seriously, amazing. I'll share more about that in the next couple weeks) and when I write things down. Seems to be the only way that things really sink in. 

From this larger goal, you're asked to break it down into an Action Plan that included listing the Why and How. This forced me to form and refine my purpose and put it on paper. One of the biggest things I've learned from Advocare is the importance of having a solid purpose so, I really embraced this exercise. 

My Goal:

• I want to know God's heart through reading the Bible and devotionals (Jesus Calling) start to finish this year and through prayer. I want to seek and align His will with my daily activities, thoughts and actions. I want to ACT on His will and teachings.

My Why:

• Because my family needs me to do this more than they need me to do anything. I don't want God to have to teach me the hard way to get me to listen. It's the only way to fill the void in my heart and accomplish every and any other goal I set. I want Him to know that I treasure His blessings and grace through my thoughts and actions, not just my words. Words mean nothing if your behaviors and actions don't align. My boys teach me that every day. They learn by seeing. I want to earn their respect.

My How:

• Finding a church and asking God for the guidance and discipline to do this - I'm honestly embarrassed to admit that we don't go to church. I always felt like you didn't need to go to church to be a good person and a strong Christian but, as it turns out, there are several verses here that talk about the importance of going to church and why. My girlfriend also said that it's important to pray about it and find a one where God wants you to serve - not just where they have casual dress code and a great daycare/kids program (not that I even thought...or maybe even mentioned that those were my criteria to her. Nope. Definitely didn't do that). 

• Reading Jesus Calling each morning before checking any social media - this was a hard one for me. Again, embarrassing but, I'm working on it.
• Being still, spending time with God and praying throughout the day - it's weird. I feel like I don't know how to pray. What do I say? How do I become disciplined and focused so that my mind doesn't wander? I'll start praying and it's like I'm not really there. This is a big focus for me because I think prayer takes practice.  
• Getting rid of distractions that keep me from this - I unfollowed a lot of people/groups on Facebook and Instagram that weren't positive or fully in line with my values (ex. Someecards, certain fitness accounts on IG, etc.). I've also set some technology boundaries. My phone is a slippery slope. I found myself checking FB, IG, etc. habitually. Kid #1 calls my phone my camera because I'm always taking pictures with it and not too long ago he said to me, "mommy, QUIT LOOKING AT YOUR CAMERA! LOOK AT ME!!" I now am only on my computer or phone (for anything except something regarding the husband or kids) before they get up, when they're at school, or when they're napping. It's been really hard because I love being available to my Advocare people/team all the time, but it just didn't align with my core, nor my priorities so, I've had to set some boundaries. 

I think that my Spiritual journey is much like my health and fitness journey. I had to get to a point where I wanted and needed change and was willing to do the work to make it happen. 

God put things, like Advocare and my friend, Danielle, in my life to give me the tools, support and mentorship that I needed to truly transform my life. It's been an amazing journey so far and I am so excited to live the life that God is calling me to and fulfilling His purpose for me. 

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Life Is Too Short To Play Small. Go Big.

You guys. Have you heard of these magical little things called PowerSheets?!

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My No. 1 Healthy Lifestyle Tip

You may have noticed, I've been pretty MIA lately due to the miniature dictators that are currently going through "a phase" and requiring 99.9% of my time so, I'll get right to it.

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Trying to be a Supple Leopard in Drywall Dust

Hey Everyone! Hope you're having a good week so far. We are in serious construction mode around here and I've just about had it with contractors, dry wall dust and my laundry room looking like this:

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Quite the Little Goal Digger and a {Giveaway!}

I do it for many reasons, but mostly because setting and achieving goals gives me self-confidence which is the key to success (in my opinion). When you feel and know that you can do anything, nothing can stop you from accomplishing anything you set out to.

MindTools gives a great little breakdown on how to set goals:

1. State each goal as a positive statement - Express your goals positively – "Eat clean at least 90% of the time" is a much better goal than "Don't eat cheat meals"
2. Be precise: Set precise goals, putting in dates, times and amounts so that you can measure achievement. If you do this, you'll know exactly when you have achieved the goal, and can take complete satisfaction from having achieved it.
3. Set priorities - When you have several goals, give each a priority. This helps you to avoid feeling overwhelmed by having too many goals, and helps to direct your attention to the most important ones.
4. Write goals down - This crystallizes them and gives them more force.
5. Keep operational goals small - Keep the low-level goals that you're working towards small and achievable. If a goal is too large, then it can seem that you are not making progress towards it. Keeping goals small and incremental gives more opportunities for reward.
6. Set performance goals, not outcome goals - You should take care to set goals over which you have as much control as possible. It can totally suck to fail to achieve a personal goal for reasons beyond your control. 
7. Set realistic goals - It's important to set goals that you can achieve. All sorts of people (for example, employers, media, or society) can set unrealistic goals for you. They will often do this in ignorance of your own desires and ambitions. 

If you follow me on instagram you may have seen that I'm a big fan of May Designs. They have the most adorable and functional books that you can design to suit your purpose and style.

I use this one for workouts. 

And just got this one specifically for goals (now that I see these together, I'm beginning to see my obviously obsession with navy. Perhaps there's a support group I should seek out)

I also have one I use for meal planning and it's recently come to my attention (*ah hem, thank you husband*) that I apparently need one for budgeting so, that's on the way as well. As it turns out, money does not grow on tress #whoknew. If you follow one of my favorite people (person's?) on Instagram, she's got a stockpile of adorable ones as well, so make sure to check those out!

{In all seriousness, being 'financially fit' is my biggest struggle and something I plan on sharing more about with you guys. It sucks and it's boring, but I feel like if I tell you guys I'm going to do something, I have to do it.}

Ok, so on to the fun!

May Designs is giving one lucky Hello Stripes reader her very own May Book of her choice! Stylish and sweet, what's not to love?! 

Head over to May Designs, check it out and then tell me what YOUR favorite pattern is AND one goal that you're committing to right now.

(If you already like or follow, just leave a note in the comments :))

Full Disclosure - My Favorite Pattern and Goals

Favorite Pattern: Ikat Dots Navy 

Performance Goal: Get 200# backsquat by December 1, 2013

Financial Goal: SAVE $1500 by December 1, 2013 (someone please keep me away from Target)

Home Goal: Create a functional play area for the boys by September 1, 2013

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Here's the deets:

Winner will be chosen and then contacted by May Designs with a gift certificate code good for one book of the winner's choice + the cost of shipping (valued at $26). 

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Find What Works For YOU

Have you ever heard this quote from Einstein? 

{source}

It's never really sunk in until I left the corporate world.

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I'm Too Cool to Try

I used to be someone who just flew by the seat of their pants. I remember in college, I was asked to speak in front of a group of incoming freshmen. I didn't prepare anything. Seriously. Not one single note card. Speaking in front of a thousand people and I thought, "I don't need to prepare. I'm awesome, I got this.

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Happy Fourth (and Birthday!)

Happy INDEPENDENCE Day, everyone! I love this great country that I'm blessed to call home. I hope that today you'll be living life to the fullest and enjoy the great privilege that is freedom. 

And to make this day even more special, it's my oldest's birthday! What a great birthday - not a great day to naturally (not scheduled) have a child, but a great birthday. Happy birthday, my sweet Charlie. You are one of the three best things that has ever and will ever happen to me. I love you more than words can describe. You will change the world. That much I know. 

And in other Independence Day related news, Old Glory is happening today and there's a 62% chance I may die.

Wish me luck...

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Meal Prep: How, Why & What

If you follow me on IG you've already seen this and know what I was up to on Sunday - that's right. Meal Prep!

Does the thought of having to carve out an hour to focus solely on prepping food for the week totally freak you out? Don't let it. It sounds like a tedious task, but once you get into it, you won't know how you ever survived without it. My meal planning journey started when I read A Place of Yes by Bethenny Frankel. When I read it, my oldest was 10 months, I was working and life was crazy busy. Just like now, just in a different way. She talked about how when she was on some Martha Stewart Apprentice-like reality show early on in her career, it basically turned her life upside down. They were putting in sometimes 20 hour days and the other cast members were "dropping like flies". They'd eat whenever and whatever they could get their hands on. She, on the other hand, being a healthy, natural-food chef, always made time for good, healthy, clean food and rest. The others didn't sleep (which I'm learning has a HUGE impact on weight and recovery), ate whatever was easiest and essentially, had their priorities all out of whack. Bethenny said that was her #1 priority - eat clean and rest - no matter what.

She knew that was the only way to be the best version of herself. 

She ended up getting essentially second place and she may have lost the battle, but pretty sure she won the war (sadly, only in regards to her business career). I'm not sure why that stuck with me like it did, but that's really when I made up my mind to start meal planning and prepping. It's pretty much the only way to truly eat clean, especially in my part of the country. One of my husband's friends said the other day, "McDonald's has a pretty good diet selection". I about punched him in the face died, but I digress.

I made up my mind to learn how and what to cook. Now comes the planning part. This is just like anything else, it's going to take practice. Just be consistent and make time for it. I use these adorable little meal planner books from May Books, but find what works for you. Just like workout clothes, I find that the cuter it is, the more I'm apt to use it. Maybe, for you, it's Evernote, Pinterest, or eMeals. Whatever it is, just schedule 30 minutes during the week to find your recipes and plan them out so you can do your shopping. Our grocery store offeres a shopping & delivery service for $14. I used it A LOT when baby #2 was born. When I worked, I'd go on my lunch break and stick my grocery bags in the fridge (I obviously could only buy a few things so, I'd end up going a few times a week). The point is, if you want anything bad enough, you'll figure out a way to get it done. Period. If you don't particularly care, that's fine, just don't allow yourself to make excuses. I used to. Then I got over it, sucked it up and made it happen.

So here's a list of what I most often prep in quantities:

Salmon Salad
Tuna Salad
Quinoa Caprese Salad
Banana Protein "Bread" (found out the hard way, keep this refrigerated!)
Turkey Chili
Turkey, Beans and Rice
Chocolate Protein Bars 
Hard boiled eggs
Veggies for snacking
Cut veggies for dinners (red onion, carrots, tomatoes, etc. Makes dinners a lot easier if I can just grab cut veggies and go)
Sweet Potatoes for these
Cooked Chicken Breasts (boiled, grilled, whatever)

It will vary sometimes, if I find a new recipe or get sick of eating this stuff all the time, but this has been it lately.

I hope this helps you meal plan and prep if it's not something you're already doing, or are getting bored with.

What do you meal prep?

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Motivation Monday: Workouts & Mindsets

Hi Everyone! Hope you guys had a great weekend. Mine was more productive than normal, so I'm trying to hone in on why so that I can duplicate it and share it with you.

I just started an intense 6-week training course with Advocare, called Ruby Boot Camp. It's meant to challenge, stretch and drive you. Here are 10 things I learned and have committed to (worth the read, I promise):

1. Today, I choose to quit allowing other people to control my thoughts. I refuse to be affected by negative people. Therefore, I will choose to spend my free time with positive people.
2. Today, I choose to stop blaming others for my problems. I will never use other people as an excuse as to why I cannot be successful. I will stop giving my problems to other people to solve.
3. Today, I choose to quit being victimized by the media and other propaganda. It only matters what I know and in whom I already trust.
4. Today, I choose to control my own destiny. Nobody else pays my bills or has the responsibility to care for myself or my family. Therefore, I take responsibility for my own future.
5. Today, I choose to cast away fear completely. Fear is unbelief. I BELIEVE. Therefore, there is no room for fear in my live.
6. Today, I choose to stop complaining. I even choose to stop complaining about those who complain. If I complain, I remain. Therefore, I choose to be grateful in my conversations, but most importantly, in my thoughts.
7. Today, I choose to take the words 'frustrated' and 'can't' out of my vocabulary. Both of those words reveal a false perception that I'm powerless. I choose to shift my energy away from those things I cannot change and toward people and situations that I can change.
8. Today, I choose to be patient with people and treat them with honor and love. I choose this for all people around me, including myself, regardless of their past or my past or even how they treat me. I choose to see the good and success in myself and in others without evidence or deserving it.
9. Today, I choose to forgive all those who have hurt me in the past and all those who will disappoint me in the future. I even forgive those who deny hurting me or do not know they've hurt me. I understand that offense is an enemy to my destiny and will steal my success and peace. I have a forgiving and humble heart. I refuse to gossip or 'vent' to other people.
10. Today, I choose to be decisive about my future and act upon that decision daily. I have made up my mind about what I want for my life, and I refuse to be passive about my future. I am a person of action. The centerpiece of my action is serving others. My highest call as a leader is to serve others.

This started at 6pm, which meant that I had to have EVERYTHING done by then. Dinner on the table, kids bathed, food prep, etc. I busted my butt to get everything done before then and much to my surprise, I actually did. I set a goal (deadline) and that was the key. I have really been working on my goal-setting skills and have a post planned for that this week. Hopefully, if that's an area you're looking to improve, it will help.

I'm so incredibly grateful to be part of Advocare. It's changed me and my life in too many ways to list here. I was and to some extent, still am, the most cynical, introverted person on the planet. Advocare has coached me out of my comfort zone and I truly love the person it's helping me become. I know, I sound #craycray, but if you know me personally, I hope that you see the change too.

Now, what's been keeping me motivated in the gym - new workout clothes. I know. I'm semi-ashamed too, but seriously, it works. I still have yet to pull the trigger on any lulu stuff. Probably because I know how much mark-up is in workout clothes and it's #redic, but I see some of these in my future. I did however just snag these and I am pumped.

You don't have to spend a ton on workout clothes. I mean, you can, but then you'd have to tell me about it so I can live vicariously though you.

I get the majority of my stuff at TJ Maxx, Nike and UA outlets, Ellie (hands down best quality and value), and any other places I can find deals. I will say that I have some stuff that I wish I would've just sprung for Lulu or  something else. I have three pairs of capris that I can think of, that I hate and don't wear because the don't stay up. Take that for what it's worth, but if you're having trouble getting in the gym, go buy yourself a new, cute item. I bet that'll do it!

So, get your butt in the gym or on the road and contact me if you're interested in being personally challenged to be the absolute best version of you. The payoff is 100% worth the effort and I'd love to have you on my Advocare team.

What motivates you?

PS

I'll be posting goal-setting exercises, meal-prep and clean recipes later this week :)

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My Grocery List

I get a lot of questions about what I eat. Not because I'm a perfectly clean eater, but because I think busy girls are always looking for new, easy, healthy recipes. These are my staples. My list will vary from time to time, depending on recipes, but this is the core of it. My area doesn't have a Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, etc. so I'm pretty limited to standard grocery stores and Sam's. I do buy my beef (and chicken when they have it) from a local farm that grass-feeds their stock, however but, the majority of the time my chicken comes from the grocery store. My list looks nearly identical every week so, here it is!

* denotes organic

Produce

• Apples* (if I can't find organic, I don't buy them at all. These are No. 1 on the Dirty Dozen List) 
• Bananas
• Lemons
• Avocado
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Red onion
• Carrots*
• Celery*
• Zucchini
• Broccoli 
• Romaine lettuce*
• Kale*
• Mango
• Blueberries* & Strawberries*
• Asparagus
• Cherries (in season)
• Hummus (I like Sabra Roasted Red Pepper and typically eat with veggies or tortilla chips)
• Bell Peppers (ideally organic but, they're hard to find around here)

Meat

• All natural chicken breasts (will bake, boil or crockpot these and chop up or shred)
• Organic chicken breasts (will marinate and grill these)
• 99% Lean Ground Turkey
• Grass-fed ground beef 
• Filet (when the husband wants steak - usually once a month or so)
• Organic Salmon
• Organic Mahi Mahi (not often but, maybe 3x's a month)
• Canned tuna (Wild Planet is my favorite) 

Dairy

• Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• Dark Chocolate Almond Milk
• Non-fat Greek Yogurt (FYI - there's some controversy on full-fat vs. non-fat dairy these days and how each affect your insulin levels. I haven't done enough research to decide which is best for me just yet so, I've been sticking with my usual non-fat Chobani)
• Finely-shredded Mozzarella (mostly for the kiddos and hubs but, let's face it it. Sometimes I just want some mozz on my Stuffed Sweet Potato.
• Eggs (I use organic. Farm fresh if I can find them but, a lot of people will use Egg Beaters for things like Egg Muffins.)

Carbs

• Udi's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread (frozen) or Ezekiel Bread
• Brown rice tortillas (not very often but, I like to have them in the freezer)
• Corn tortillas (not often but sometimes I like to do taco meat on them)
• Black beans
• Pinto beans
• Quinoa
• Brown rice
• Whole oats
• Sweet potatoes!!! I listed these in the produce section for shopping purposes but, I use them as a complex carb. 

Other

• Natural Almond Butter
• Natural Peanut Butter
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Organic Coconut Oil
• Almonds (or a nut mix without peanuts)

Pantry

• Salsa (watch out for hidden sugars here)
• Cook Simple Dinners (these are great in a pinch and don't mind that 1 customer review. I'm here to tell you, these are awesome)
• Jiffy Cornbread (because the husband likes it)
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• Tortilla Chips 

I use this grocery list from Clean Mama because it came with one of her amazing kits, but these are great too.

I am going to do a separate post of just a bunch of resources for meal ideas as well. They may be redundant but, thought it would be nice to have them all in one place. Make sure to follow me on Pinterest for meal ideas too!

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Lessons Learned

Everyday is a learning experience. In some way or another, I learn something about myself. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good. I learned a good lesson this past weekend.

I ate horribly. I mean, horribly this past weekend. I had a cheeseburger (which was amazing) and my husband is a sucker for a DQ Blizzard and he always cons me into one. I figured,

"Oh, I'll just work it off at CrossFit tomorrow." 

Well, that my friends, is the kind of thinking that needs to be stopped. Immediately.

Why? Well, because you put yourself (myself) at the top of a very slippery slope. Tomorrow becomes the next day, which becomes the next, and the next and well, you get the idea.

So, I got to Crossfit the next day and got through the warm up and ready for a butt-kicking workout, as is par for the course. Unfortunately, my youngest had other plans which included, but were not limited to, screaming like Steven Tyler for 30 minutes straight.

I didn't get to work out and I was totally bummed. More so because I was working out for all the wrong reasons that day. I was basically trying to account for my lack of clean eating the days before. Hint: that shouldn't be your purpose for working out. It will keep you going for a little while, but it's not a strong enough purpose to keep you going when the going gets tough...and it will.

I definitely eat clean 90% of the time, but there are times when I have my wine cake and eat it too. But I own it. I live life when I'm out with the girls. I'm not that weirdo that orders water and a house salad because I'm on a 'diet'. I'll drink wine and have some Bang Bang Shrimp, but you know what, I'm in control. I don't let it control me. And I think that's really the key.

You being in control of you and what you put into your body. 

I don't typically 'fall off the wagon' unless I fully intend to jump off of the wagon - and usually it's into a bottle of fantastically delicious wine, but that's neither here, nor there. When I do, I don't beat myself up, but I do recognize it and get back on track. Jen does a great job of teaching you how to get back on track. A method I'm using right now, as a matter of fact.

The Lord has blessed us all with only one life. You get to choose how you live it. I don't want to live with any regrets (I wish I would've started eating clean and working out a year ago, etc.). I don't want to ever have that guilt feeling that I felt when I couldn't work out. If life happens and I can't work out that day, I don't want it to stress me out. 

I want to be able to say, "well, at least I've been eating clean and taking my supplements." 

Because life does happen. Kids get sick (or scream for 30 minutes) or you're traveling for work and you won't be able to get a workout in. But,

You're always in control of what you eat or don't eat.

A clean, healthy lifestyle is sometimes a challenge, yes, and if it were easy, everyone would do it. But if something doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you. It shouldn't stress you out to the point where you're losing your s&!* everyday, that's not what this is about. This is about living the absolute best life you possibly can while you can - because you only get one. How do you want to live it? The choice is yours.

No excuses. Is there something that you've wanted to do but have been letting excuses (or fear) hold you back? What do you want out of life? Whatever it is, grab life by the cojones and go get it. You only get one. Live it with no regrets.

What are your goals or something that you've been wanting to do, but just haven't done yet? 

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Paperwork Organization

Most people have all of their important paperwork where they can easily access it if/when the time comes. Well not me. When my husband and I got married and moved in together (not necessarily in that order) we just kind of threw all the 'paperwork' in a box and tossed it in the office. I am not genetically predisposed to being organized. It takes a lot of practice, persistence and discipline for me. Time after time, he'd need something for one reason or another and I knew I had seen it somewhere at some point in time, but couldn't recall it when I needed to. This resulted in a lot of frustration (in our house, it's the wife's job to be the organized one) and often times, money not well spent in late fees, etc.  I am trying to be more proactive, instead of it taking something getting to the point of making me snap that I only then do something about it. I'm a work in progress, what can I say.

Ok, back to this life changing little system here.

From this...

{via *I didn't take a before pic so, I borrowed this one. Mine was MUCH worse...}

To this!

I mentioned above that I'm not inherently organized. For me, it's a learned behavior. Well, who better to learn from than a professional? It's kind of my M.O. If I don't know something, I just do what someone that I want to emulate does. It's pretty simple, actually.

I've spent years trying to do it on my own and it just wasn't working. Time to call in reinforcements. So, I hired a professional organizer to teach me how to get it together. Best $150 I've spent. She gave me a framework in which to work from. You know the saying "teach a man to fish...", well, she 'taught me to fish'.

Items I used:

• File Folders (I went with the standard ones because I used so many. You could use pretty ones, though)
• Hanging File Folders
• File Folder Labels
• File Storage Box(es)
• Sharpies or Label Maker

So here's how this went down.

1. Gather up ALL random paperwork
2. Start digging in and making piles (trash was a BIG one for us. It helped having someone who owns her own business as well, go through the tax paperwork with me. She helped me decide what to keep and what to toss)
3. Label your piles with a sticky note so you don't get confused with what is what 
4. Grab your file folders and label accordingly
5. Make 'category' folders with your hanging file folders
6. Stick your file folders in your hanging file folders
7. Stick hanging file folders in your file box and you're done!

Here's some close ups of my categories.

It took us about 3 hours to go through 5 years of paperwork. If your counters or offices look like the 'before' picture, schedule yourself 3 hours and knock this out!

Anyone have any of their systems or tips to share?

I'll also be sharing about how I handle incoming paperwork and keep that sorted and filed. It used to accumulate on the kitchen counter and it drove me crazy(ier)!

PS.
Erin over at Sunny Side Up gives a great tutorial on how she organizes her household paper. Check it out here.

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{Day 3} of Pre-Challenge and a {Recipe}

Hi Everyone!

Heading up to Indianapolis this weekend for a patio shopping trip (Homegoods, you'd better not disappoint me) so, will hopefully have some goodies to share. Follow me on instagram! I may need you to help me decide on things.

I got a good yoga practice in yesterday. This is one of my favorites. Yoga Journal has a great line-up of videos. I mix it up every once in a while, but I always come back to hip and side opening practices.

Have I mentioned how much I hate food logging? I'm sticking with it, but wow, it is an eye opener. Join me at MyFitnessPal. Sucky things are less sucky when you know other people are doing it too.

After three days of logging just how much I eat, I've realized I really need to work in more veggies. I love veggies. I'm just lazy when it comes to prepping them, in all honesty. Why? No clue, but I'm going to have to get over it. I was seriously craving pizza last night (no clue why. This is not something I ever crave. I actually don't really crave things anymore unless I'm tired. Then it's like I shove food in my face hoping that it will give me energy when in reality, I just need a nap.) I knew that neither pizza or a nap were in the cards, so I had to have the next best thing...

Zucchini Pizza Boats

*update: hmmmm. well, zucchini is way misspelled ^^. that's embarrassing... sorry!

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup red sauce (I use Classico Tomato & Basil because it’s lower sugar)
• 1.5 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese, shredded
• 6 grape tomatoes, halved
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Mini turkey pepperoni slices (optional, I used 1 regular one and cut it julienne)

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Using a spoon, dig out the meat of the zucchini from each half by scraping out the inside and place in a bowl. I turned the spoon over and kind of scraped it out.
3. Mix garlic, red sauce, and salt and pepper into scooped out zucchini.
4. Refill zucchini “boats” with mixture.
5. Top with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, pepperonis (if using) and parmesan.
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes. 

This was the first time I made these, but next time, I'm going to try and dry off the meat of the zucchini, or maybe leave out the cherry tomatos. It's a pretty watery recipe. It didn't affect the consistency or taste, but they were slippery!

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{Day 2} of Pre-Challenge and a {Recipe}

Hi Everyone!

Dinner last night consisted of a concoction I came up with what I had on hand and I was surprised that even the husband liked it. It's a great meal that you can make for dinner and eat on leftovers for lunch the rest of the week. It could also be doubled and frozen, I suppose. Haven't tried that out yet, though.

Turkey & Quinoa Taco Salad

• 1lb lean ground turkey
• 1 14.5 oz pinto beans (rinsed and drained). You could do black beans, too. 
• 1 jar of salsa (your preference on kind and amount)
• 1 packet Taco Bell Taco Seasoning (the best, in my opinion)
• Brown Rice and Quinoa (I used this. AMAZING. And perfect for a busy night when you don't have 30-45 min to cook the rice or, you could just do one or the other. Up to you!)

How to:

Saute your turkey until thoroughly cooked in a large saute pan. You're going to be adding to this so make sure there's plenty of room for more. 

Add your taco seasoning and cook according to package.

Rinse and drain your beans and throw them in. 

Add your brown rice and quinoa.

Add salsa and voila. Done!

I served mine over a bed of chopped romaine lettuce and topped with 1/2 of a diced avocado and sriracha (of course), but you could eat it plain or with organic corn chips, gluten-free crackers, the possibilities are endless :)

No workout today - unless you count the Dollar Section at Target. I gave that a real workout today. 

And here's where you can check up on what I've eaten today. 

Finished up a couple projects so, I'll be sharing those once I get the photos taken!

What did you guys have for dinner last night? Any recipes to share?

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Satisfied

The reason I started blogging was probably the same as so many other people - to have an adult conversation and to record my life. It also serves as an accountability factor for me. I am definitely not an expert on the majority of things I post about, but it's my way of making a verbal commitment to you (all three of you, hi Grandma.) and making me much more likely to follow through.

As of late however, I've become satisfied. I worked my butt off to get here, but now it's become my new comfort zone. I've gotten comfortable with where I'm at and have really become lax with my diet and workouts. I've started noticing that I'm actually getting less done and having less energy. Not cool. 

So, I am going to start journaling and sharing what I eat and what my workouts are each day. I will still share projects since we're working on things, like the patio right now so, there may be more than one post in a day. PS. Here's a sneak peek of that.

The rug...OBSESSED with, so stay tuned :)

I'd love to have you follow along with me, if you'd like. I don't know about you but for me, I need that accountability and support factor to keep going, even when I don't want to. Also, food journaling...hate it. HATE it. I don't know why, but it's just such a chore to me. I tell everyone on my team to do it at some point so, I have to do it too. Follow along and join in at MyFitnessPal @niki_hellostripes. This is by far the best tracking app and bonus - it already has all Advocare products built into the database. Ok so, moment of truth....

June 1, 2013 is after an 8-week hiatus from Cross Fit that started with a sick little one and has continued due to a conflict of scheduling with preschool and the times the box offers child care. You can tell a definite difference. I'm afraid to even see what my one rep maxes are right now. I've also been slacking big time on my Catalyst and Muscle Gain (in addition to diet) so, that has a lot to do with it.

Starting Monday (I hate saying that, it sounds so cliche, but it's Saturday and Sundays are rest days), I will be embarking on yet another leg of my journey. I would love it if you'd join me and keep me filled in in the comments section or on instagram :) you can follow along @niki_hellostripes

Here's to a great rest of the weekend.

See you Monday!

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Eat the Frog and Drink the ACV

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

― Mark Twain

Have you ever heard the term, "Eat the Frog First"? I heard this several months ago and I'm not sure why when put this particular way it stuck, but it did. Basically, it's a way of systematically prioritizing your tasks each day, hour, etc. This is something I really struggled with when I first started working at home (and still sometimes do). Yes, working. This 'staying-at-home' stuff is no joke, but I digress.

The idea here is to prioritize based on your need and desire to do tasks. Lifehack outlines it best:

1. The things you need to do, but don't want to do. Aka, the "Frog(s)"
2. The things you need to do and want to do.
3. The things you want to do, but don't need to do.
4. The things you don't need or want to do.

Ideally, you want to reprogram your brain and create a habit of eating the frog first. The reward there is  you've done the 'worst' thing first, thereby making everything else seem easier or better. For me, it's usually bathrooms, putting away laundry and some days, working out. I'm really trying to get better at this. I have developed a habit of putting these things off until I have to do them. Then I'm not happy about it because inevitably, I'd rather be doing something else, but it's all about recognizing things you don't like and working on them, right? Easier said than done sometimes...


So now that we've eaten the frog, it's time to drink the ACV.

I've gone through half a bottle and I am serious when I say it's a love/hate relationship. Love the effects, hate the taste. It has cleared my skin up and has really helped curb my appetite. I eat more than my husband so, this is huge for me. I can't sing it's praises enough. I will tell you that when it comes to 'healthy' stuff, I am no wimp. I used to eat field greens plain with no problem. This concoction however, has revealed my weak link. Head on over and see what it's all about. If you've never tried this, I HIGHLY recommend it. For the effects...not the taste.

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So What Wednesday

                                                           

Linking up with Shannon for some weekly So What Wednesday. 

Here we go!

• So what if my ONLY motivation to workout right now is so I can drink this.
• So what if I just want to pack up the children, skip town and take the husband's debit card for a therapeutic trip to IKEA with tammyfantasyland?
• So what if I think that who(m?)ever invented BB Cream should be awarded with a Nobel Prize. That and the discovery of the side part - both life changing moments for me.
• So what if my beautiful, new barn wood table was infested with these bastards. Not so much as a so what but as a "are you freaking kidding me?!?!?!"
• So what if my husband keeps conveniently missing the laundry basket and trash can (and toilet, for that matter) with his clothes and Q-tips and I'm currently plotting my revenge.
• So what if my husband's favorite Housewife is Alexis. No, seriously you guys. I asked him and that's what he told me. I've failed as a wife...

Who's your favorite and why? Indulge me :)

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How To Reprogram Your Brain

I'm definitely not one of those 'keeping up with the Jones'' types, but I don't want to let myself go, either. When I gained 20# after baby, I knew I had to do something. I found myself slipping into 'Mom Jean Mode'. I define MJM as pretty much giving up. You're married, have a couple kids, eh, what the hell, let's just quit caring that you're gaining weight, haven't had your hair done in months, don't even ask when the last time you shaved your legs was. Just throw on some mom jeans and call it a day. 

Well, not me (although, my husband would disagree. I haven't had my hair highlighted in oh, idk, 12 weeks. I'm going for the ombre look - he doesn't get it.)

When I became uncomfortable in my own skin, it started to affect my other relationships. I took a long, hard look at myself and was brutally honest. I was being complacent and lazy and had all kinds of excuses. I do NOT want my children to have a complacent or lazy mother. I woke up one day, and decided that was it. I was done. I wasn't going to be average. I was going to be awesome (my own version of awesome). My kids deserved it, my husband deserved it...I deserved it. I refused to settle.

Our brains are truly amazing little things. They really are. Assembling images, sensing emotions, orchestrating every move we make (and don't make), processing everything we see, hear, feel, touch, taste. It's pretty insane. But, as much as our brain controls us, we really can control it - and reprogram it when necessary.

It's been suggested that over 90% of all of our daily actions (brushing teeth, driving, the way we eat, etc.) are habitual.  NINETY PERCENT! If you think about it, that's probably about right. I mean, I check my facebook so habitually that as soon as I open my machine and put my fingers on the keys they automatically start typing 'f-a' no matter when or why I am on there. Swear. I catch it every day. So what else do I do that is purely habitual? The thought intrigued me. So, I started looking into habit formation and change.

The reason habit formation initially interested me is because I wanted to know why some people just seem to "have it all together" and others don't. What do they do differently? How can I be more like the people that I admire? How can I get done all of the many things I want to accomplish? There are people that do, so I know it can be done, I just had to figure out how. I want to be healthy, I want to be organized, I want to surround myself with beautiful things and be happy with my space, I want to be a present, engaged mom, I want to be a superstar wife, the list goes on an on, but how?

{source}

Then I read the aaaamazing The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. Not gonna lie, this book changed my life. I learned that if there is something you want to change, study your habits and you can reprogram your brain and make new habits, one's that you like.

So, I had the 'want to', I just didn't have the 'how to'. I started finding people who did and kinda just faked it 'til I made (maked?) it.

I've never been an organized person, but I wanted to be. So I started following organizing blogs and picking up and implementing their habits.

I've never been able to stick to something for longer than 30 seconds so I read a book on how to be more disciplined (and started Advocare. I knew that I'd stick to that if I had someone supporting me.)

You'll like this one. I didn't know how to clean and be domestic. Well, not efficiently, anyways. So I started following Clean Mama and a few others.

I've never been a good communicator, so I started blogging to help me learn how to think through things in a way that people truly get what you're saying (see what I mean...this is my toughest area. Writing well is a lot harder than it looks.)

You get the idea. Find mentors, people that have qualities/skills that you admire and learn from them.

You can learn to do anything if you really want to and have the discipline to practice and stick with it. 

This doesn't mean that I'm this magazine-worthy organizer or fitness model. Those are not in any way my goals (well, the fitness model would be nice, but let's be honest - with these flapjacks up top, ain't happnin'.) It just means I was better than I was when I started and I strive to get better everyday and that makes me happy. Truly, deeply happy. Proud of myself. I'm so proud of myself for sticking with things like Advocare, being grateful EVERY day and finishing books (which I read A LOT of). I definitely have set-backs, but I get right back up the next day and start over. It's a new day and I try and make the most of it.

So after all this rambling, here's the good part. Through May 30th, I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on 24-Day Challenges. If you've been on the fence, I hope that this helps you decide if you're ready for a change or just take your health and fitness to the next level. This is really where it all started for me. It's changed not just my body, but my life. For reals.

Email with any questions or if you're ready to get started. I'd be so grateful to be your coach. I truly love helping people get their swagger back - yes, I just said that.

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