Tips on Thursday

I really LOVE being a mother. It brings me great happiness and joy. I always dreamed of being a mother! I daydreamed much of my teenage years about it. I made up job charts, names, planned home layouts, cut out pictures of decor and furniture, imagined schedules, fun family things to do. Then I became a mother and I forgot ALL THAT in the Chaos! I am starting to remember all that and it is so fun. Here are a few tips for being a present Mother.

1. VALIDATE your children. They are asking us Do you see me? Do You Hear ME? Does What I have to say matter? Am I important? My mother did an amazing job at this. I always felt like I was amazing, wanted, and important. When they show you a bug, rock, scab, say watch me, or tell a funny story, validate them. Don't brush it off with that's great, nice job, etc. Get in there with them and enjoy that little interaction. Ask questions about the bug, the picture, the story whatever. Have a little place in your home to display great things they have done. Have a little journal to record funny things they say or sweet things they do. VALIDATE THEM!

2. Have one on one time. Take them to the store alone, read with them, take them on a date, have them help make dinner, play a game with them. Anything to make them feel like they are special.

3. Play with them. Take time each day to Play. Play tag, go to a park and swing, put a puzzle together, play hide-n-seek, build a fort.

4. Be in the moment. Don't think about your to do's, your cleaning, your appointments. BE THERE.

5. Be deliberate and have a plan. Each week plan out a goal for the week. Daily do things to reach that goal. Think of something each day you can do for them, for yourself, and for others.

6. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF! If you don't take care of you first you are worth-less to them. NOT worthless, just worth LESS then if you show up as your best self. Put on clothes that make you feel confident. DO your hair and make-up. SHOW UP! Be your best self and they will be their best selves.

What's Up Wednesday!?

We have been Having LOTS of fun around here. Swimming, Playing, Singing, Laughing, Crying, Throwing fits, (both me and the kids), Daddy has been pretty sick...But we have been finding things to keep ourselves busy. Like.......

Raiding the pantry! At least 8 times a day we search for something to eat! Ava is either really hungry or sick of pictures...

Ava has been obsessed with Red Riding Hood. She makes a cape out of anything she can find. Today it was her Pants.

Sawyer has been practicing his "Cheese" face. He is darn adorable!

Hope you are all having a Fantastic week!

Tasty Tuesday!

Here we are another week! Hope you enjoy!

Monday
Breakfast Burritos and Melon
1-2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
1 tsp olive oil
salt/pepper
4 large whole wheat tortillas
8 eggs (I used 4 eggs 4 whites)
2-3 Tb milk
salt/pepper/taco seasoning
grated pepper jack cheese/cheddar cheese
fresh avocado slices

Start out with tossing the tomatoes and onion in olive oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 oven for 15 minutes.
While these are cooking scramble your eggs over medium heat until almost done and remove from heat.(they will continue cooking and you don't want them rubbery.)Season with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning.
Heat the tortillas in a fry pan on the stove about 20 seconds per side. Then put the warm and toasted tortilla on a plate and put the desired amount of cheese down the middle. Spoon on some of your scrambled eggs, roasted tomatoes and onion, and top with slices of avocado. Eat burrito style. Serve with melon of your choosing.

Tuesday
Grown up Grilled Cheese and Fruit Salad

1 loaf Sesame Ezekiel Bread (found in the freezer section of most stores)
Swiss Cheese Slices
Dijon Mustard
Spinach
Sliced Mushrooms ( I like the baby portabello at Costco)
1/2 Sliced onion
Pam
2 Cans Fruit Salad
1 small container of low calorie yogurt

Place mushrooms and onions in pan with a little olive oil. saute a few minutes not turning. You want the mushrooms to get brown and a little crisp. Turn after about 3 minutes and leave for another three or so minutes. When they are brown on both sides add a half  bag of spinach. It wilts down fairly quickly. Remove mixture from stove. Take your bread and spray both out sides with Pam. Place in pan and top with Swiss on one side and Dijon on the other. When cheese is melty, spoon veggie mixture on top and top with Dijon side. Drain Fruit salad and mix with yogurt. Serve on side on sandwich. ENJOY.

Wednesday

Margarita Pizza and Salad

Prepared store bought Whole wheat Crust (or make your own)

3 medium vine-ripened tomatoes (of course from your own garden is best!), chopped in large chunks

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 Tb olive oil

1/3 cup+ loosely packed fresh basil leaves, julienne cut

mozzarella cheese, shredded (fresh mozzarella is wonderful)

Parmesan cheese, shredded

1/2 Bag of Romaine Lettuce

Combine all ingredients except cheese and toss lightly. Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella on Crust. Spoon on tomato mixture and spread evenly over cheese. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup Parmesan on top. Bake in preheated oven at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is starting to brown and crust is a deep golden. Let cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle additional 1-2 tablespoons of fresh basil over pizza before serving. Serve with side salad.

Thursday

BBQ Turkey Sliders and Coleslaw salad

1 Pound Ground Turkey 90% fat free

1 Green Pepper (diced)

1/2 red onion (diced)

1 Cup STUBBS BBQ sauce

Whole Wheat Rolls

1 package coleslaw

1/2 cup olive oil Mayo

1/2 package dry ranch dressing

1 apple

Saute onion and pepper in pan add Turkey and cook until no longer pink. Season with onion powder and garlic powder. Add BBQ Sauce and simmer until bubbly and remove from heat. Let cool a little and add to rolls.

Meanwhile add mayo and ranch to coleslaw mix. Dice apple and add to mixture. It should be just barley not wet but not drenched in mayo. Serve on Side of Sandwiches.

Friday

Chopped Salad and Crackers

1/2 Bag Romaine Lettuce

1/2 bag spinach

4 hard boiled eggs (diced)

8 slices Nitrate Free Ham deli meat (Hormel Natural Choice) Sliced in strips

1 package cherry tomatoes

1/2 red onion sliced

1 small bag shredded carrots

Low Fat Ranch

Reduced fat Triscuits

Assemble all ingredients and toss with dressing. Serve with crackers.

Shopping List

Triscuits

Whole Wheat Rolls

Whole wheat pizza crust

Ezekiel or whole wheat bread

Whole wheat tortillas

1 pints cherry tomatoes

1 sweet onion

1 purple onion

1 bag romaine lettuce

1 melon of choice

Avocado

3 Regular tomatoes

1 bag coleslaw

1 package spinach

1 package coleslaw

shredded carrots

1 apple

1 green pepper

2 cans fruit cocktail in JUICE not syrup.

Low Fat Cheese

Mozzarella

Swiss slices

eggs

milk

1 small yogurt of choice

Low fat ranch

salt

pepper

garlic

olive oil mayo

basil (fresh or dried)

1 packet ranch dressing mix

Dijon Mustard

STUBBS BBQ sauce

Ground turkey

Hormel Natural choice Deli Ham

Hope I got everything!

You are enough!

You are perfect, God's Creation, and exactly who and where you need to be. Live your greatness!

Fit Fabulous Friday!

Hey Hey! So if you didn't bother watching my video last week, I will review principal 1 of my Intuitive Eating outline!
1. Eat on Purpose with Purpose
-Sit Down and chew your food. Chew it taste it let it register. Enjoy the flavors, textures, smells etc.
-Taste your food don't just snarf it down.
-Weigh out your choices. Is Fat Free just as good as the full fat? Use the lesser of two evils. If it isn't worth it to you to eat the better choice, eat a SMALL amount of the BAD thing.
-When you have a treat eat in on purpose, enjoy it, don't tell yourself you are cheating, just enjoy it and move on.

So here is principle Numero Dos!
2. Eat what YOU Need
-Pay attention to how much satisfies YOU. Stop when you are full.
-Eat a variety of foods and Fruits and Veggies. Lots of COLOR and don't eat the same things over and over.
-Stop eating when it stops tasting good. If you aren't enjoying it don't waste the calories.
-Eat what you like, Do you like a little meat or a lot, more veggies or more bread. Balance it out through out the day and keep asking yourself what you REALLY want. Your body will balance itself out. If you crave something heavy in the morning most likely you will want something lighter in the afternoon. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.
- Make a list of the top ten meals you love in each category (Breakfast,snacks, lunch, dinner) and if they aren't healthy find a way to make the foods you love healthy.

So here's to a FIT FAB WEEKEND!

Tips on Thursday

Here are some GREAT ideas for your summer! You could do these with just your family, friends, extended family, or neighbors.

1. Have a dress-up photo-shoot/fashion show. Dig out the old clothes, dress-ups, or go to the thrift store and put funny outfits together and have a photo-shoot or fashion show!

2. Have an Art contest with Side walk chalk. Have all your kids and the neighbors make art on the driveway and give prizes (Dollar Store or toys you wanted to give away.)

3. Have a camp out- Set up tents in the front yards of your neighborhood and have a pot-luck dinner. Play games, have smores, and tell ghost stories. Then in the morning have a big breakfast.

4. Make a Club. Science, Art, Book club, Sewing etc. Hold weekly meetings and have FUN!

5. Movie Night or Morning - If you have a sheet and projector great! If not many cities and movie theatres have free or cheap movies. Everyone can make a treat or bring popcorn and have FUN!

6. Water Party- Slip and slides, blow-up pools, Splash Parks or go to the local pool together. Blow up water balloons or turn on the sprinklers. Serve Popsicles or snow cones.

7. Have an Ice Cream Party- Get ice cream and all the fixing's and have a banana split party!

8. Park Day- Take a sack lunch and play together at the park. What is better then that? You could do this weekly and meet at a different park each week.

9. Take Trax, the bus, or other alternate transportation to the Gateway or other mall. Play in the water at the Gateway if you go there. Take a lunch and make it an adventure.

10. Go on a Picture or regular scavenger hunt. Have a list of things to find and either take a picture of it.

11. Make a meal on $5. Either go to the store, dollar store, or dollar menu and see how far you can make your dollar go.

12. Make a music video. Do your hair and make-up, make up a dance and rock out to your favorite song!

13. Interview a grandparent, parent, or neighbor. Film it or record it and learn about the past.

14. Live like a Pioneer for a day. Turn off the lights, cook over a flame, play pioneer games and do laundry by hand.

15. Have an afternoon Reading time where you read a chapter book together aloud. Older readers and mom could take turns.

16. Play tag in the dark with a flashlight.

17. Go Star-gazing, Enjoy a sunset, or take a hike and enjoy the blessing of nature.

18. Keep a Journal of summer activities and take lots of pictures. Make a scrapbook of the fun summer you had.

19.Have a beauty day. Give facials, pedicures, or curl hair.

20. Play Volleyball, Croquet, Tag, Kickball, Foursquare, or Hopscotch together.

21. Go on a family walk or bike ride on Jordan Parkway or around the neighborhood.

22.Have an art day. Color, Draw, make a craft, or Paint.

23.Have a cooking day. Find a new recipe and make it together.

24. Find someone you can serve. Mow their lawn, clean their house, walk their dog, visit someone lonely, take a meal to a family.

25. Do service for each other in your home. Make someone's bed, take their shoes to their room, DO a chore for them, write them a kind letter.

26.Make a list of goals for the summer. Things you want to accomplish or improve over the summer.

27.Find a Pen Pal. Someone you can write to and send fun things to.

28. Hold Lessons each morning so you don't forget what you have learned. Review all you know.

29. Get a little summer job. Babysitting, Mow Lawns, sell things you don't need or use, Make hair bows or greeting cards and sell them door to door.

30. Have an End of summer party and send off balloons with well wishes for the new school year.

What's Up Wednesday!?

This has been an eventful week! I am sick and so is Sawyer. I assume as the normal protocol goes that Rob and Ava are soon to follow. I went into the kids' room today to find that they had pulled out EVERY piece of clothing they own and thrown them to and fro. Oh boy! I spared you all the pictures but it was bad! It is a good thing they are so cute! Otherwise I would be selling them as a two for one package deal! In other news, Rob is plugging away at school and doing great! It is awesome that he has time at work to do his homework. Heaven knows it wouldn't happen in our chaos! Sawyer is saying lots of new things and growing into a little boy. Ava is obsessed this week with hopscotch and makes one out of my scrapbook papers everyday. At least they are being put to good use! She has also started saying "Yes, my Mother, Coming, my Mother." Who knows where it came from! Here is a clip from two of my favorite mothers! Linda Eyre and her daughter Shawni Pothier Enjoy!