Motivation Monday

I realize that its been over a month since I've posted, and I'm so sorry, but life (as always) is crazy busy!  But today I couldn't pass up the chance to post some of the biggest motivation I've had in a VERY long time!

I posted last time that my husband has been one of my biggest motivations, and this past Saturday was no different.  In February, my husband weighed over 300 lbs and decided that he didn't want to live that way anymore.  So he made a goal and decided to participate in a sprint triathlon.  In just a short 7 months, he has lost over 60 lbs, and on Saturday completed his triathlon and was 2nd in his division!!!!!  Not to mention, he beat his goal of completing it in 2 hours and came in at only 1:48:36!!!

So the pictures you see here - THIS is my motivation today!  He is my motivation!!!!  My heart could not be more proud of him!  

I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, BRANT WILLIAMS!!

Motivation Manu Monday

Its Motivation Menu Monday, and I am DESPERATE for your motivation.  I was thrilled to jump on the scale last week and be down another 1.6lbs, bringing my total weight loss to 12.8 lbs in just  5 weeks...

...then we went to visit grandparents.....


...and grandparents spoil you with delicious southern homecookin'...


...and that southern home-cookin' includes PIE!  ....

....and that PIE added some of those lost pounds back on!!!!!!


So today I'm blazing the trail back to get those extra 3.4 lbs back off!  This of course is a two-part adventure, so here is:

Part 1:  WORKOUTS!

Monday:  Cycling - approx. 14mi loop
Tuesday:  Cycling - approx. 12mi trail
Wednesday:  20 min. treadmill/weight lifting
Thursday:  Cycling - approx. 12 mi trail
Friday:  Rest
Saturday:  Group cycling (usually 20-30 mi.)
Sunday:  Rest

Part 2:  THE MENU!

Monday: Lemon pepper grilled chicken with roasted veggies
Tuesday: Salmon Croquettes with roasted broccoli and sliced new potatoes  (This will thrill my husband...one of his personal favorites!!  You can find the recipe I use here)

Wednesday:  Roasted Chicken and basalmic peppers with spinach salad & green beans  (this is one of my favorite Cooking Light recipes!  I've posted about it several times & you can find the recipe here.)

Thursday:  Pork ribs with squash/zucchini medley & roasted potatoes
Friday: Veggie pizza night

BUT...if you want to know what is really motivating me this week, take a look at this good-looking man!  My husband started his weight-loss journey back in January and is training to do his first sprint-tri in September.  He is down almost 50 lbs!!!!!  I cannot sing his praises enough!!!

Here is a before and after!

He is definitely motivation for me!  I can't wait to say that I've lost 50 lbs too!!!!!  That's only 39.5 more to go!

Life Lately

Most of you know that I love to scrapbook, but I have been so bad about keeping up with it.  But for some reason, the past two weeks I have been on a scrappin' craze!!!!!  Here are a few of my favorite pages that I've been working on.









 

 





 

Motiviation & Menu Monday

Motivation Monday

Well I'm officially on my 3rd week of a "new" lifestyle of being more active and improving my overall health.  I've somehow hurt my ankle (don't ask me how b/c I have no clue) but its impossible to run at the moment.  So, I've taken up cycling and really love it.  I think it reminds me of being a kid again.  I love riding my bike as a kid, so this bring back so many memories for me.  The best part is that I can hook up the bike trailer and take my kids with me...not to mention the added weight of pulling 2 kids and a trailer make for a nice workout!

But on this lovely week 3 I've had my first "friend" since getting pregnant, so the bloating and water-retention is unreal.  I've gone up, down and all-around on the scale, so I've decided that I shouldn't weigh myself until its all over.  As of last Friday, I was down 9.8lbs from when I began!  Almost 10 lbs in 2.5 weeks - I'LL TAKE IT!!! 

This week's workout schedule is pretty up-in-the-air since I'm hoping my heel will heal soon.  I need to keeping running and doing my C25K routine since I'm supposed to be running a 5K in September.  Although I love cycling, I still need to run.  So as of right now, I'm just going to cycle every day until I can get back on the running trail.  I've averaging about 10 miles per workout, and try to keep an average pace of 14-15 MPH, and on a mountain bike that is not the easiest thing to do. 

I'm super excited about Saturday morning.  The Lifetime fitness by our house has a cycling group and you do not have to be a member of the club to participate.  The second Saturday of every month they have a "newbie" ride for those just getting accustomed to cycling.  So I have it on my calendar to attend this weeks "newbie" ride.  I am so excited about it.  

Menu Monday

One thing I'm struggling with our menu on is keeping low-fat dinners on the table, but still introducing a nice variety of items.  If you have some good ideas or know of some tasty, but low-fat recipes, send them my way!!

Here's our menu this week:
Monday - Grilled chicken, roasted new potatoes & spinach & kale salad
Tuesday - Turkey taco salad
Wednesday - Seasoned short ribs in the slow-cooker with roasted broccoli  (I love this recipe...although I'll be deleting the BBQ sauce this time around and just flavoring with a spice rub)
Thursday - Baked chicken & veggies w/ a spinach & kale salad
Friday - Pizza night.  I think we'll make our own pizza instead of order out.  All of these veggies look delicious!

Motivation Menu Monday

Today I'm killing 2 birds with one stone: menu and motivation Monday.

The past few weeks I've been working hard to start my weightloss journey.  After 2 pregnancies and nursing 2 babies, I'm finally ready to change...my lifestyle, that is.  No more "eat because you're baby needs the calories" or "eat because it take calories to produce good milk."  Those two scenarios got me into the mess I'm in now.  So I'm changing.

Brant and I have both been more cautious about the food on our table.  We've decided to eat lean meats, fresh vegetables, and healthy fats.  We're trying to eat less processed foods and maintain an active lifestyle for our children.  We want to be grandparents, and great-grandparents, but can't do that the way we're living now. 

For Menu Monday:

Monday - Grilled salmon on a bed of sauteed spinach with this new roasted green beans and new potato recipe 

Tuesday - Grilled chicken with spinach salad and roasted broccoli

Wednesday - Street-style brisket tacos with cilantro lime rice

Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday is our family stay-cation so the menu is up in the air. 

For Motivation Monday:

Here is my workout schedule for the week:
Monday - Week 2, day 1 of Couch to 5K (5 min. warm-up, run 90 second, walk 2 minutes for 20 min, 5 min cool-down)
Tuesday - Week 2, day 2 of Couch to 5K and 7 mile bike-ride (weather permitting)
Wednesday - 45 min. At-home exercise routine from a friend (details below)
Thursday - We plan on going to a local wildlife park, so I hope to get several miles of walking done.
Friday - Week 2, day 3 of Couch to 5K
Saturday -  45 min. At-home exercise routine from a friend
Sunday - Rest

Since I began tracking my meals and work-outs last Monday (yes, just a week ago), I've love a full 4.3lbs!  I'm ecstatic!

Here's the details of the at-home routine a friend gave me.  I have modified it a bit, but it definitely gets you sweating and helps tone those muscles:

• 10 Jumping Jacks
• 10 Squats
• 5 Jump Squats
• 10 Push-ups
• 20 Russian Twists
• 10 Lunges (each leg)
• 20 Slow Bicycles
• 10 Fast Bicycles
• 10 Crunches
• 10 Oblique Crunches
• 45 sec. Plank
• 30 sec. left-side plank
• 30 sec. right-side plank
• Repeat the cycle 2 more times! 

Memorial Day - Five on Friday

 

I am so excited that it's Memorial Day weekend. 

That means 3 things:

1.  A 3-day weekend

2.  Great time with friends and family

3.  TONS of food!!!

So today, my 5 on Friday items are some great recipes that I found and want to try out for our Memorial Day BBQ.

{ONE} 

Appetizer

Warm & Creamy Bacon Dip

{TWO}

  Main Course

Jalapeno Popper Burgers

 {THREE}

 Side Dish

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

{FOUR}

Dessert!!!

Berry Trifle

 

{FIVE}

 Beverage

Rosemary-Infused Watermelon Lemonade

Rain Rain, Won't You Stay...

It's been raining here the past few days and when it was a light sprinkle this evening, I let Emmalee go outside in her rain gear to play.  I grabbed my camera just in case I could get a few pictures of her.  What I actually captured was something I can never replace.  These are the moments I hope I never forget. So if these are the things that happens when it rains, I'm ok if the rain is here to stay.

 

 

This face...

Is more than I can handle!

The amount of joy & laughter she brings into our home cannot be measured.

Her big sister absolutely adores her.

Her momma cant get enough of her kisses.

Her daddy is wrapped around her little finger.

She is loved!

Thankful Thursday

I guess I've started a new weekly tradition of Thankful Thursday.  Of course anyone is welcome to join in and link back if you want to.

I won't lie that it was hard to write today's post when so many others are wrenched in heartache and left with total devastation from tornadoes and severe weather.  My heart is grieving for those that lost homes, treasures possession, and loved ones.  I've had such a heavy heart the past few days reading story after story about death, devastation and destruction; yet it is because of seeing all of that devastation that I am thankful for the Body of Christ.

Its the Body of Christ that stretches out their arms to embrace us in times of trouble; its the Body of Christ that comes to aide those in need; its the Body of Christ that feed the hungry when the storms have blown away all we've ever known.  The Body of Christ are the faithful ones who bow on bended knee covering the rest of the body in prayer.  They see you through the good times and the bad, and lend a helping hand whenever they see the need.  Its the Body of Christ that comes together giving time and money and hugs of hope after the storms of life pass through.

In almost every story I've read in the past few days, the Body of Christ has poured out love on strangers and prayed words of hope over fellow believers and non-believers alike.  They have laid hands on the wounded, and sat in hospital rooms with families.

Today I am thankful that each part of the Body has a purpose, and when one party of the body suffers the rest of the body suffers; and when one part rejoices, we all rejoice (1 Cor 12:26).  Today we are all suffering with those who lost and are devastated, but I know that one day soon we will all rejoice in seeing God's hand at work.

What are you thankful for today?

Organization

Organization.

Its one of those things that I desperately long for, but seem to lack.

Especially in my home!  My home is not big, by any means, but its big enough for the 4 of us.  But there are days I wish I had just one more bedroom, or a craft room, or an office...just a little more space would help me get organized.  But what I've realized lately is that no more amount of space will declutter the clutter...I have to declutter the clutter. 

So today I went pinning and found some great ideas that I "want" to make happen; things that might help me get my home into a little more order.

For the playroom, I'm loving this website:  The Creative Classroom.  Even though its geared toward teachers, I love some of the ideas it has. 

I'm also loving this idea.  Our playroom has one HUGE wall and a lot of unused wall space, so what a great idea. 

I also love the idea of a chalkboard wall...that would eliminate the actual chalk board easel in the playroom!

 

I also love this!  I don't know about y'all, but my kids have more books than I can count and I'm running out of book space.  What a great way to use empty wall space as storage. 

In my kitchen, I've been begging Brant for a pantry make-over.  My pantry is basically just a wall of cabinets - but not actual cabinets - they just look like cabinets.  Actually, its a big square hole in the wall with cabinet facing.  There are only 3 shelves that are not adjustable and it is just a huge area of wasted space, in my ever-so-humble opinion.  So, I've told Brant I want to rip the cabinet facing off the wall, tear down the shelves, and make a new pantry.  I KNOW that more shelving space (especially adjustable shelves) will help me to be more organized.

So, now I'm trying to decide how I want this new kitchen pantry to be designed.  Here are few organization ideas I found of the pantry.

Now, this is brilliant!  A place for everything!  

http://www.designimprovised.com/2013/12/pantry-organization.html

I definitely want more space to store my appliances and serving trays/bowls.  This would be so helpful in freeing up my counter space and treasured cabinet space in my actual kitchen.

And I love this idea to add even more storage, but keep things off the ground.

Ok, give it to me straight - what are your favorite organization tips/tricks/secrets...I need it all!!!