You Can Pick Your Friends and You Can Pick....

I had found these silly nose pencil sharpeners and just knew that my silly kids would love them. I even think they are funny. And I ended up with a couple extra. So I figured, I better make some more pencil pouches to share. These two lovely zippered bags went to the neighbor's house for their two awesome kids. These two kids bring so much happiness to our house for all three of my loves. I sure hope that they enjoy the little treats.

For the girl, I chose this owl fabric with a teal zipper and pink lining. I just adore this bag.

And for the boy, I tried something a little more difficult and made stripes with some plain blue fabric and some red and white fabric I got from Studio E. The lining is also from Studio E. And I chose a blue zipper.

Both kids were given a funny nose pencil sharpener and some of those new Bic Xtra Fun Pencils. I was sent these really cool pencils for free for being a BzzAgent.

 

I made so many mistakes on this poor boy's bag. I was ripping out seams after sewing things backwards and not noticing. You sure can tell I am still pretty new at this. But I am trying.

It brings me such joy to sew. And hopefully I will get better at it. I think one thing is for sure. I need a bigger cutting mat and a better rotary cutter. Or maybe I will just stick to my scissors!

The next project is a gift for my mother in law. Reports on that soon. Hopefully it isn't a huge failure.

What are you working on?

Grateful Heart: Week #11

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

   1 Thessalonians 5:18 

Sorry for the silence. We are again, getting ready to move. We have been in a temporary home while waiting to be able to move back in our home. And this week I am just so thankful that the day is nearing. We may be under 1 week now. There is a long story that just keeps getting longer, and crazier, and almost sounds too crazy to be true.... but it will be good to return to the humble home that is ours. No more renting, no more moving, and maybe get back to a somewhat normal life. AND best of all, I can get my sewing machine and craft materials out of storage.

This past year has been such a mess. But one of the big things that we have learned is that we need to love our little humble home, no matter how small or how much it is not functioning for us at this time. We will love it and really work hard to make it work for us for now. And maybe just maybe some day down the road, I can have my farm and chickens and all the lovely simple things I dream about. For now, we will start making baby steps towards this. We will build up our business, start making our right now home a place of love, and continue to makes steps everyday towards the life I believe that God is calling me to follow.

Also -   we have some really interesting plans for redoing some of our 950 sq foot home to fit all of us. And they are all really really economical... since I am broke. Haha. So if you are interested in stuff like that, stay tuned. We will be starting pretty much the day we get in there. And I am super excited about it.

Hope you all are doing well. :)

Free Workouts: Week 6

Hey there! How are you? I was all pumped about my inch loss. And I am hoping to lose some more. It is hard to stay excited and not get down on yourself when you have more to lose, but I am sure going to try and stay positive and just keep going. Stress has sure done a number to my body, but I keep moving and keep eating real food. Anyways...

Instead of a video this week. Workout #1 is some pictures to show you some of my favorite kettle bell moves. Do you love the kettle bell too?

And for Workout #2, we have a 5 minute video from Get Fit with Leyla. I just love these 5 minute videos. It is easy to talk myself into doing them and it is fun to really push for those 5 minutes.

Now that the weather is so lovely, I have been getting in some great hikes and chasing the kids around the backyard as well. Hopefully, these are busting stress and helping me to look good and feel good.

How are your health and fitness goals going? What are you doing to stay or get in shape?

How I lost 8 inches!!!

 

Photo Source

Most people think that the only way to lose weight or inches is to cut calories and/or exercise more. I too used to be one of those people. That was, until I had my third child. About three years ago, I had baby #3, and I went home thinking this whole baby weight thing will eventually come off, just as it did with the other two. Quickly, I dropped 20 pounds in the first two weeks. Then craziness started as I began to search out work to go from a working mommy to a work at home mommy. I worked crazy hours and the hubby was traveling for work. Things were stressful, very stressful. And the weight loss stopped. In fact, I even started to gain.

So I did what many people do. I started a food journal to see where I must have been over eating. I started exercising more. I even did one of those insane workout programs, yes just weeks after having a baby. And I did start toning up a little, but no real weight loss and no real inch loss. I was just even more stressed and even more tired.

So over the next couple of years, I started changing our diets, eating more real food, cutting out processed foods and that whole thing. Again, I felt much better, but still wasn't losing weight or losing inches. During this time, I decided to throw out the scale. It was doing nothing but making me cry. And I started reading about weight gain caused by things other than over eating and being "lazy".

It turns out that there was a whole lot more to it than calories in and out or calories burned. I saw some of those graphics that explain where you gain and what might have caused it. Something like one of these:

And finally, I was able to let go a little. So many times I was reading about losing weight and someone would say, well you just need to eat less. Well, that is not always good advice, especially to a breast feeding mama already limiting herself to 1200 calories. Or I would read, well you just need to exercise more or exercise harder. Also - not the best advice for everyone. Realizing that weight loss just wasn't that simple, I stopped feeling bad about every bite and every minute I wasn't exercising.

So you wanna know what finally has started to work? I have not been counting calories, I have not been hitting the gym harder. You might not believe this, but it is sleep! Sleep seems to be the key. Or maybe it is feeling less stressed out. I think it might be a little of both. You see, before I lost my full time job and was left with just the part time ones I was also working, I would only sleep a few hours. I was going to bed at 3, 4, sometimes 5 am and getting back up just a couple hours later. I was hating my job(s), hating my life and my brain felt like it wasn't working or that I might have a stroke or something. I was exhausted, stressed to the max, frustrated.... And I was worried that I was probably going to make myself sick.

So when I lost my job I decided I was going to start going to bed the same time as my hubby and try to start becoming a morning person like he is. Well, that hasn't happened yet, but I am on it. I am going to bed earlier than I have in years! I found that my body had a lot of catching up to do. Some days I have been known to sleep up to 10 hours. I don't usually, but I have been trying to just sleep as much as I need. (For anyone that knows me, you know this is crazy. I have been getting next to no sleep at all for the past 20 years!) And I am finding that now, after about a month, I am starting to wake up earlier. I am less swollen. I feel less stressed, I have more energy, my brain is clearer and more creative and my clothes are fitting better.

Since throwing out the scale, I have been still taking my measurements. I took my measurements the day after I lost my job and then again this week. So that is about a month. And I had lost 8 inches. And 4 of those inches were around my belly!!!! I still have some inches to go, but this is the first time in three years, that I have been able to make any progress and it was not hard to do. I just had to sleep and start to relax a little. I didn't limit what I ate. I just ate until I was full and only when I was hungry (and of course it was almost all real food). I don't believe in eating meals just because the clock says a certain time. I eat when and if I am hungry and that tends to be two, sometimes three meals a day and sometimes even a snack. I even ate ice cream a couple times this month and didn't feel guilty. I did not do any crazy exercise programs. In fact, with moving, I didn't even have time for some of the regular stuff I do. But I do try to move every hour when working online because it does lead to a lot of sitting and I work to get some time in the sun everyday as well.

It was really incredible to be surprised this week with what a difference sleep is making in my life. Now that I am starting to feel human again, I will be starting up T-tapp. I will let you know how that goes and if it makes even more of a difference in my inches.

Now I know that this won't work for everyone, but if you are out there, cutting sleep to fit in more exercise, stressed to the max and just not seeing results.... well then I encourage you to give sleep a shot. It can't be a one night thing. I lost these inches over a month and as soon as I stay up too late I can feel myself start to swell and see the tummy coming back. So it is something you have to do to care for your body all the time. It might just be the thing that is keeping you from your weight loss goals as well.

How are you all doing? Are you trying to get in shape or lose weight? What is or isn't working for you? I'd love to hear from you.

Free Workouts Week #5

Sorry for the delay. Moving had me pretty busy. And to be honest, I really didn't have time to fit in even 5 minute workouts. My hubby had a pinched nerve from the long drive back home and couldn't/can't walk. He gets around for a few minutes and is back in pain. So I have been super busy with stuff he typically does: mowing the lawn, doing all the errands, and just the craziness of life. So my precious workouts had to take the back burner, but I was still staying active.

Now it is time to get back at it.

Video #1: I love this video!!! You can do this exercise for as long or as short as you want. It is simple and effective. And it is just one move. Don't worry if you don't have a medicine ball. I have used a kettle bell or hand weight before too. I hope you enjoy it too.

Video #2: Because of the hubby's lower back injury a few years ago, I have been trying to find exercises to help him and anyone else keep a strong back (specifically lower back) and have less pain. So here we have a video with some yoga moves to help with back issues. This video is only about 5 minutes long.


Boy, it feels good to be getting back to normal at little. How are you all doing? Are you staying active?

Feeling Pleasure for Your Health

Life can be stressful. And I think that social media doesn't help. Constantly, in my face all the time, I feel like I am getting reminders of what to eat and how to exercise. Am I doing enough of this or too much of that? It can be overwhelming. And sometimes it makes being healthy or trying to get healthy no fun.

So when this article showed up in my email today, I just couldn't wait to share it with you. Chris Kresser, one of my favorites, writes all about how to fit in pleasure into your life and shares why it is just as important to your health as eating right and exercising, maybe even more.

Many of the ideas shared not really new, but great reminders because we often know we should be doing them, but just don't. And many are free to do and will instantly help you feel better. I for one, needed this reminder today as I was getting crabby trying to work on some part time projects. Sunshine and playing outside was an instant mood enhancer.

What are your thoughts on the article? How do you fit in pleasure into your life? I would love to hear what you think!

Free Workouts Week #4

 Photo Source

Ready for week 4? Sorry it is a little late. We are packing up and getting ready to head back north. Our small adventure is done and the hubby and I will be returning to start new again.
During all of this stress, I am still trying to fit in short quick workouts to keep me sane through the chaos.

Here are some for you to try.

Video #1: I had never done a Tony Horton workout before. So I tried out this one from the Dr. Oz show.  There are two 5 minute segments on this video. What do you think?

Video #2: And here is a 5 minute video, also from Dr. Oz, with Shaun T. This is nice for those times I need to move after sitting on the computer too long.

Sorry no song this week. I will add one in next week or after that. We'll be driving next week.

Testing of the Faith

   Photo Source

 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.         

                                                                                                             James 1:2 - 3

I was trying to decide exactly what to write about today for my thankful/grateful post. And as I am thankful for so many things, it is the stresses that keep coming to mind today.

Have you heard the saying, "when it rains, it pours?" Well, it has been pouring hard here. Since losing my full time job last week, I found that they sent my very last paycheck to the wrong address and cannot seem to figure out where it is now (and there are not even that many people that want to answer my phone call looking for help) and my husband became stranded in another state with our now broken pick-up truck. Three people have already tried to work on it and can't seem to figure out what is wrong.

So I have spent time in prayer and wondering why this is all happening at the same time. We seem to go through these times quite often. People have commented to us that they are always surprised at how many things will go wrong for us. I even had a man on the phone commending my husband and I for sticking together over the years and not letting some of our bad luck or situations drive us to divorce. And as I turned to the Bible for help, I was led to this verse (above) from James. I really think that we are building our faith. We are trying to keep looking for the joy. And really, in the end, there is a lot of joy to be seen. My husband could have broken down in the middle of no where, where we didn't know anyone. But instead, we had friends an hour away, it didn't break down on a highway and cause an accident, my husband had his backpack with extra clothing.
The truck might not be able to be fixed and the hubby is stranded right now, but he is only 5 hours away and I can go get him if needed. He is with good people. It could be a lot worse.

Whenever something happens, no matter how horrible it seems, it always happens in the best of circumstances possible. I remember when my husband lost his job about 4 years ago. I thought it was going to be a mess. I thought it was the worst thing that could happen at the time. And then it turned out the best. He became a beekeeper after losing that job. And bee keeping brings him joy and peace. Bee keeping seems to be his calling. So if he had not lost his job, we would have never been looking for a new one and he would have never became a beekeeper. I am hoping that maybe I will find my true calling now too, since my job is out of the way.

So at this point, I am choosing to count it all as joy. Who knows what is in store next for our family. My faith will only grow stronger and I will patiently wait to find out what is next and what new adventures we are to follow.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8 : 28

Two Little Steps to Eating Healthier

 

Source

There are so many different diets and set of "rules" out there for what is healthy. I think it is overwhelming and can be stressful when trying to choose what is the most healthy for you and your family. Healthy foods can be different for different families, just like healthy is different for various cultures.

When I first started transforming what my family had been eating, I thought I had to pick one group or camp and be perfect. And you know what? It was awful! My family hated me for trying to change EVERYTHING they were eating all at once and it was a ton of work for me to try and redo everything all at once. Most of my family does not have food allergies. I think I might be the only one, so far for sure. So we didn't have to drop anything right away for those reasons. So once I got over trying to be the perfect paleo person, I took a step back to figure out what would work for my family and what was important to me. I want them to be healthy, but I knew had to take some baby steps towards changing what they were expecting for dinner.

Here are two steps that anyone can do:

#1: Add more veggies!
If you have been eating most of your food from a can, box, or some other package, you most likely are not getting enough veggies. And my family wasn't either. So I have been working hard to include (and sometimes sneak) more veggies at all meals. I was caught the other day putting spinach and kale in a smoothie, but when the kids tried it, they could not taste it. And I convinced them that the little bits of green in the smoothie were cool. So now I don't have to sneak it anymore.

We had a big veggie garden before we started moving a lot. Hopefully we will get back to that soon. The kids loved to pick the veggies and eat them fresh. And there is just nothing like home grown veggies. The flavor, the smells... oh I love it.

#2: Make your own food. 
It is a lot easier to eat healthy if you are making it yourself. Do your kids like cookies or mac 'n' cheese? Mine do too. And when I tried to take that away, they revolted! But what I can do instead is limit how often they have these things and also make them myself so I know exactly what is in it. It does take a little bit longer, but with creative planning and help, you can keep this to a minimum. And it tastes so much better. I will write more on how I save time in the kitchen when possible, but one idea I do want to share is that you don't have to plan something extensive every night. Some nights we have really simple dinners. If I have meetings or tutoring or big projects we eat something simple or eat leftovers. On the other nights, I make something that takes more time. Again, it is all in the planning. And if you are not used to cooking your own items, you will want to find some great recipes that are tasty and will help you get comfortable in the kitchen. One of my favorite family friendly and delicious websites would be Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

 

Every single thing I have tried off her site has been amazingly delicious. I will switch out some ingredients to make it even healthier, but her recipes are just fantastic. The comments on each recipe really help as well. Just tonight we made homemade pizza using her simple dough recipe. I just switched the flour for Einkorn and then chose our own toppings. It was fantastic. We added some veggies on the side to munch on as well. It is a much better choice than ordering out or a frozen pizza. And it was super easy and quick. Now, I am not trying to say that pizza is the healthiest food ever, but it is a simple switch that makes pizza night a better choice and keeps the kids from feeling deprived.

How do you keep your family eating healthy? Are you trying to make healthier choices for your family?

Free Workouts #3

Photo Source

Do you enjoy trying out new workouts? I know I do. It brings some excitement to the day and helps me feel energized.

Here are a couple new ones you might want to try.

Video #1: This video is just four and a half minutes long. It will give you a little more of a peak at T Tapp. I have been doing T tapp this week, each day and just love the way I am feeling. I will let you know if I lose any inches. Many people claim to lose a ton of inches with this program. I am doing the Basic Plus Tempo which is just 15 minutes a day. It looks simple, but if you really follow all that she says, it is quite the workout!

Video #2:  Here is a ten minute Tabata workout. Don't try this if you don't like jumping. And there are lots of push ups. But I need the push ups in my life right now. It is only ten minutes and I found it to be a nice break after sitting too long working on the computer.

Bonus Video #3: I can't leave you without something to dance to. Here is the song my 3 year old keeps requesting this week. Enjoy!

What are you doing to workout? If you sit for work, be sure to try and move every hour, even if it is just a couple steps!

A Grateful Heart: Week 3

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

                                                                                                                          
                                                                       Philippians 4:6 



I lost my full time job on Sunday (yesterday). I got an email Sunday morning that stated my job had been eliminated and the school was being closed effective Monday, April 27th. And, just like that, everything we had been planning was gone. I am choosing to be thankful for losing that job. In all reality, I hated it. The job was sucking the life out of me. It was not my dream job and I had been praying for change and praying that God would show me what to do next. Although I am not sure what I am doing next, I know God has a plan for me. It was a particularly dark and stressful day Saturday. I broke down and begged God to help me. And then my job was terminated. So how can I be anything but grateful to Him for answering my prayers?!

Now, I am not going to lie. I am slightly concerned about the road ahead. But I know I can do it. I know God is with me and that He has a plan. These next few months might be hard and all that work to get out of debt might go undone, but I know that I am not alone. My husband and I started to dream of the things we could try now that this job isn't in the way. We can start building towards the life we truly want.

I wish I could say I have months of savings for a rainy day as this, but instead I am just going to keep praying. The Lord will show me the way.

Therefore, this week, I am thanking God for losing my job and all of the flexibility and options that this might bring. The Lord is good and He answers prayers, sometimes in the most unusual and wonderful ways.

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
                                                                       Hebrews 13: 5 - 6

8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."                         Joshua 1: 8 - 9

What are you grateful or thankful for this week? 

Free Workouts #2

 

Photo Credit

Are you ready for another round of free workouts to try? I like quick short workouts that I can fit in at different points in the day. An hour long workout just ain't gonna happen at this crazy house. Students call me all day long, the kids are often needing something, you know how it goes. 

I have still been doing the kettlebell workout this week because I loved it so much. But I went out to find some new stuff too!

So here are my picks for the week.

Video #1: This is only 5 minutes and will really get you going! And I like how they give the little preview of which exercise is coming next so you don't lose time trying to figure what you need to do.

Video #2: Have you heard of T Tapp? More coming on this on the blog here. But I thought I would share a little preview of what it is right here. T Tapp is more than just a weight loss program, but again I will share more on this soon. For now, enjoy. And let me know what you think.

Bonus Video #3: Yep, we are still dancing over here! And here is one of my kids' favorites of the week to get up and get moving to. Hallelujah!