Addison Says...

"meeps" aka sweeping

Anytime I have the broom out you can be sure of two things, 1) Hampton is being crazy chasing after it  2) Addison is following close behind repeating "meeps" over + over again.  It took me a little while to figure out what she was saying, or trying to say rather.  I finally figured out that she calls sweeping "meeps".

"Mear" aka Bear

She is head over heels in love with "Mear", aside from "nit" ( her zebra blanket), this is Addison's favorite toy.  

Ok, so here are two words that do not begin with "M" that she is putting at the beginning. I am totally confused!?! She says plenty of "S" words: slide, "side" (outside), "share", "snack", "sit". Her list of "B" words is even longer: "blueberry", "bye-bye", "button", "bubbles", "belly", "boo-boo", "bite", "bow", "Big Bird", "bunny", "baby", "balloon", "berry", "ball".  I am sure there are "S" + "B" words that I left off. So why is she calling bear "Mear" + sweeping "meeps?"

{FITNESS FRIDAY} Food is Fuel

You can't talk about fitness without talking about proper nutrition.  There I said it! Talking about nutrition is almost as controversial as talking about religion + politics because there are sooooo many theories/philosophies regarding it. If you gain anything from this blog post, I want you to understand that nutrition + exercise go hand and hand.  But, also understand that your nutritional habits will have a FAR greater impact on your body composition and physique goals than any other fitness component. Food is fuel for your body. Have you ever heard the saying ,"You can't out-train a lousy diet!"? It is so true. If you are eating in access to what you are burning, then you will gain weight.  The same goes with starvation, without the proper amount of protein + nutrients, you can work out like a maniac and never get your desired results. 

There has to be a paradigm shift when it comes to food if you are looking to achieve fitness goals.  Diet is what you eat not a bandwagon you jump on to lose weight quick.  Diet is nutrition + lifestyle, it's a commitment + the way you eat on a daily basis. It's not a diet.  How many of you have tried fad diets that tell you to cut out specific food groups for x amount of days, leave you feeling hungry/tired…sure you lost weight but you immediately put the weight back on once you returned to your typical eating? That is because garbage in, equals garbage out.  Your body, the way you feel, the way you preform is a direct result of what you put in it. Everything we eat, we eat for a reason. Every food group serves a specific purpose. Does your diet consist of a massive amount of “products”? The second take away from this post is You need REAL food. 

Proteins are the building blocks of our bodies. When you exercise you damage muscle (this is a good thing) but without protein this can’t be repaired. Carbohydrates are our main source of energy. Our bodies need carbs people! It's the simple carbs like sugar, french fries, breads/pastas that are bad for us. We need the glycogen from fruits/vegetables to form ATP (andenosine triphosphate) which is then used as fuel for our muscles. If we eliminate carbs then we’ll burn out in the gym, or be forced to burn muscle for energy. The right carbs are nutrient dense jam packed with vitamins and minerals essential in improving the strength of muscles/bones + fighting illness. Fat plays a role and helps oil joints, improve brain power and utilizes the amino acids in protein with activates our metabolism. To burn fat, you need fat. Water makes up between 50-70% of an adult's total body weight. Replacing it is necessary to balance the loss of water from the body (urine and sweat). You need all of these in order to fuel your body. With the right balance of nutrition + exercise, self-discipline + commitment, you will reach your fitness goals. 

For the love of Grandparents

Naturally with the birth of Addison our family dynamic changed.  EVERY relationship changed. We all took on different roles. I was no longer just a wife + daughter but now a mother. My parents became grandparents, "Nunna" & "Puppa".  It is probably one of the most incredible relationships I've ever seen develop before my eyes.  This new role my parents took on 19 month ago came so naturally…so easily for them.  I love to see my Mum in the "Nunna" role + my Dad in the "Puppa" role.  They are completely smitten with her!  I have a wonderful relationship with my Gram & Puppa (my Mum's parents) & I prayed that Addison would have the same. It has brought out a joy in them I have never seen before…an unhindered silliness.  Over + over again my parents say, "being a grandparent is amazing", "i've never felt a love like this" and it is completely evident. And Addison ADORES them equally. It melts my heart when she exclaims "Nunna" or "Puppa", completely drops what she is doing to wrap her arms around them.

It's definitely a special relationship. I am so thankful to live close to my parents + even more thankful that Addison gets to have them in her life.

Discovering the Camera Button

What do you get when your toddler discovers the camera button on your iPhone?  LOTS of adorable pictures! Addison & I sit in front of the full length mirror in my room often pointing to each other's eyes, nose, ears, mouth etc.  While getting lunch ready the other day it got awfully quite.  To my surprise I didn't find her eating the coffee grounds out of K-cups like last time; she was sitting in the dinning room giggling with my iPhone.  Thinking she had "Addison dialed" somebody in China I rushed over to grab the phone from her to find the camera app open & about 50 toddler self portraits.  She then pointed to her eyes, nose & mouth. There has been nothing less than pure joy when she has opened the photos on my phone to see her self captured pictures!

{FITNESS FRIDAY} Beauty in Strength

I have found this video incredibly inspiring ever since I started my CrossFit journey.  One of the most common misconceptions for women when it comes to weightlifting is that they will "get bulky".  A lot of the fitness magazines show lean, fit, toned models lifting with 5-10 lbs dumbbells which gives readers a false impression.  People reading the magazines (women especially) look at the model's physique & equate that as a result of the workouts shared in the articles.  While the articles are fantastic & give people great starting points/ideas, they also are sort of false advertising.  Fitness models don't get their lean muscular bodies doing those 10 min workouts with 5 lb dumbbells. They eat clean & train hard…they lift weights. Lifting weights isn't going to make you bulky! But I see women with huge muscles in body building magazines…that's their goal. Their goal is build muscle & compete. Some in fact may even take testosterone which is the primary reason why men can build muscle so much easier than women in the first place. 

 5 Reasons Women Should Lift Heavy Weights According to Shawn Mozen (

1. Weight lifting increases bone density. You can spend less time popping calcium supplements and more time with your hands on some weights having a fun workout.
2. Muscle burns fat! If you want to burn fat you have to build some muscle.
3. Life is easier when you are strong. At the end of the day you can have a body that collapses in a heap or one that can rise to the physical and mental challenges life places on it.
4. Stronger core. Core, core, core, core and yes, core. Look at any gym marketing fitness classes to women and you will see this word used over and over again. Well ladies if you want a strong core there is a better way to get one than lying on the floor and pulling on your head. Lift something heavy over your head and squat! Thats right squat heavy and maintain that mid line and you will develop an incredible core.
5. Its fun. Meeting and obstacle, struggling with it and overcoming it comes with a sense of accomplishment. The same can be said when we train with weights and hit a new record. As you get stronger you feel a sense of accomplishment and reward for your hard work.

{PRAY} for Boston

{SOURCE}

I don't even know what to say, where to begin. Here are some scripture verses you can pray, meditate on when there are no words:

• God of all comfort and all peace, pour out that comfort and peace on the wounded, the grieving and all our anxious hearts (2 Corinthians 1:3).

• God who heals the brokenhearted, move in very close to those whose lives and families have been shattered. "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted...He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 34:18; 147:3).

• God who gives wisdom, give supernatural insight and direction to every doctor, nurse, surgeon or caregiver who is treating the injured. "God...gives wisdom generously" (James 1:5).

• God who "gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" - supernaturally energize and renew the exhausted medical and law enforcement personnel in this crisis (Isaiah 40:29).

• God "who loves justice" (Psalm 11:7), guide those who are seeking justice as they investigate and analyze. Help them get it right and get it soon.

She Feels Pretty

Yup, it's true…I have a total girly girl on my hands.  I am seriously amazed by the fact that the more frilly, fluffy, sparkly things are that I dress her in, the more they seem to appeal to her.  After getting her dressed  she stood below her dresser pointing up, repeatedly saying "bow, bow!".  Once on, she ran into my room, stood in front of my floor length mirror and twirled around.  Yup. She shrugged her little shoulder, scrunched her nose & then proceeded to sway back and forth ruffling the bottom of her dress.  Oh dear…I think I am in trouble. I LOVE that she feels pretty.

I see a dress up box in her very near future.  I am going to start searching for all different types of items to put in it so she can have all the frilly, girly dress up items every little girl would want. God knew I needed a little girl, lol.

Healthy Home

Have you heard of Diapers.com? Well, they have launched a website dedicated to products that are either natural, organic or sustainable.  They sell everything from stuff for your pets, apparel & accessories for you & your kids to beauty products.

vine.com

To make it easier for all of us to have a healthier home, they have put together a natural home guide with room by room tips & product suggestions…genius! You'll find things like natural disinfecting wipes, products help reduce your water bill & tips to help distinguish what "organic" & "natural" really mean.

The best part is their baby & kid section. Toys, foods, laundry care items…every natural brand imaginable in one place.

This is not a sponsored post, just one of those "yippee" things that makes me happy so I am sharing with all of you! P.S. if you enter 20STROLLER when you check out through May 1st, you will get 20% off your order.

{Fitness Friday} 4 min Tabata Ab Routine

One of my absolute favorite types of HIIT (high intensity interval training) is tabata training. It's fast and furious & you can combine just about any movement possible.  

Tabata is a training method discovered by Japanese scientist, Dr. Izumi Tabata & a team of researchers. They studied 2 groups of athletes over a 6 week period. Group one trained at a moderate intensity level while the group 2 trained at a high intensity level. The moderate intensity group worked out for 1 hour five days a week. The high intensity group worked out four days a week for 4 min; each workout consisted of 20 seconds of work & 10 seconds of rest in between each set.

The result? Group two, the group that did HIIT (the group that worked out for a shorter period of time) saw a 28% improvement in their anaerobic (muscular) system & an improvement in their aerobic (cardiovascular) system. Group one improved their aerobic (cardiovascular) system but showed little to no result in their anaerobic (muscular) system. It then became the method used to train the Japanese Olympic speed skating team. Sprint/rest/sprint/rest/sprint/rest. It's genius!

So what does this mean for you?  The basic structure of Tabata is 4 minutes: 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest for 8 consecutive rounds. It's only 4 minutes so you need to go as hard/fast as you can, giving every ounce of your effort during the 20 second work periods. Examples) a. Push-up Tabata: 20 seconds of max effort push-ups, followed by 10 seconds of rest, 8 rounds.  b. If you are riding your bicycle, 20 seconds of sprints, 10 seconds of rest for a 4 solid minutes. c. Tabata mashup: max effort sit ups, max effort body weight squats. Every other 20 sec you alternate the movement. You can do all body weight or if you have access to equipment you can do kettlebell swing tabatas, hangclean tabatas, pull-ups…the options are literally limitless. You can also stack tabatas; 4 minutes: 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, 8 rounds. Rest 1 min, then complete another 4 minute tabata. So on & so forth. 

Just adding a basic 4 min Tabata is perfect if you are short on time or just need a change of pace. Aside from being fast & effective, you don't really need any equipment except for a timer that can be set to intervals. Below I listed 2 examples:

Okay, so to kick off my very first Fitness Friday I am sharing an awesome Tabata ab routine. Why? Because I love core work & I love it even more when I can mix it up. This routine is demonstrated by Rebekah "Bex" Borucki, a yoga/fitness instructor & mother of 4. The routine consists of:

• High Knees
• Squat Jumps
• Mountain Climber/Burpee
• Knee Grab

Here is the workout:

Plant what…when?

It's no secret that I am terrible at gardening.  Last year it was a small feat to even have enough courage to plant tomatoes, cucumbers & squash.  Because of our surprised success we decided to take on quite a bit more this year (when I say we, I really mean Philip).  He built three 4 ft x 10 feet raised beds (I posted pics earlier in the week of Addison & her first dirt experience).  I've had a few people ask what we planted & how we knew when to plant what.  While I'd love to pretend that I am some super green thumb garden farmer extraordinaire, we all know that would be a stretch of the truth. 3 guesses where my source is from...

{Source}

Pinterest, duh!?! We'll see how it goes. We went with things we eat a ton of that way the reward is all that much tastier!

Spring Days & Planting

HORRAY, Spring is officially here…for now.  This weekend was glorious; 70 degree sunshine with no rain, no breeze, pure Springtime perfection!  I've been anticipating this weather since the beginning of March when we got the occasional warm day. I really hope it sticks around!  We literally spent the ENTIRE day outside Saturday.  While Philip built raised gardens, Addison & I planted flowers…well, she mostly played in the dirt.  I am super excited for our little gardens this year.  We planted blueberry bushes, strawberry plants, onions, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuce, lots of herbs (parsley, chives, sage, rosemary, oregano, thyme) & turnips.  We planted a beautiful weeping cherry blossom tree, some butterfly bushes, hydrangeas, peonies & ranunculus. We're going to take a quick run to the farmer's market this afternoon & see what else we can find.  

{INTRODUCING} Fitness Friday

After much thought & numerous requests, questions & emails regarding it, I have decided to blog weekly about fitness.  I've had so many people ask why I don't blog about it when it's such an important part of my life & I honestly don't have a good reason why I haven't.  I'd like to introduce to you:

It will be something different every week that way I (and you) don't get bored with it.  One week I might focus on a specific workout.  Another week I may blog about a specific product: gym clothes, gear, etc.  I might blog about something fitness/nutrition related.  I have found a great way to balance life as a full time mom & part time RN part time while still keeping fitness a big priority in my life. Although I am a certified spin instructor with IFTA & CrossFit Level 1 trainer, the things I share will simply be my own opinions & may not reflect the views of either of the entities I represent.  I hope my readers will enjoy FITNESS FRIDAYS as much as I love fitness everyday.

Easter in a nutshell

I had a lot of fun with Addison's Easter outfit this year.  I didn't want to do anything traditional {shocker} but I wanted something girly…frilly.  I've been drooling over the Parisian chic oversized tulle skirts with button down shirts for myself…why not for Addison?!?! It started with the headband.  I  was introduced to babybirdieboutique by my friend Emilee & instantly fell in love! At first I was overwhelmed since I had no direction for her outfit & there are SO MANY styles of headbands in her shop.  When I found the denim, floral & lace mixed I knew that was the perfect direction to go.  From There I searched for the perfect, full & fluffly tulle skirt. I ended up ordering it from princessdoodlebeans.  I literally squealed when I took it out of the box! Okay, so I had a headband & skirt…what next? While looking for something for myself at Zara, I came cross the shoes. It was love at first sight & the perfect match for her outfit. Next I searched for a chambray button down shirt.  I ended up buying a little boys shirt from BabyGAP. Finding her tights was probably the most challenging, especially since I didn't want a solid color. I ended up ordering them from ForeverTots & couldn't be happier!

We had a nice Easter Sunday.  We went to Church then headed over Philip's Mom's house. We had dinner & an egg hunt with Philip's Mom, Stepdad, sister & her wife, our nephew Holden & Jack's (Philip's stepdad) daughter & her family.  

Saturday's egg hunt was a good practice run…she had a BLAST & totally got the hang of it.  It was precious to watch. 

I couldn't have asked for a better Easter Sunday.