Saturday, September 14, 2013

The 2nd Annual “Living and Active” Challenge!

I know I know I've been MIA lately
Life's been, KINDA busy:)

So it's my first year doing this but it is

The 2nd Annual “Living and Active” Challenge! 

http://peak313.com/featured/the-2nd-annual-living-and-active-challenge/

 

Here is the description from the link where I signed up:) (all links are not mine..they are from the site)

Here are the challenge basics:

Physical:
Many of you are already in an awesome routine with your workouts, so I want you to keep that up. But for those of you who need a little guidance, I’m here to help!  I will provide a set of workouts you can do from your home (or take to the gym!) All you need are one or two sets of weights, an exercise band (similar to this), and a big exercise ball. These are great basics to build your home gym. They are also fairly cheap! Most of these exercises will be derived from my New Move Mondays, but I also may add a few new routines, too!
CHALLENGE GOAL: Exercise (with your routine or mine) 4 days a week for the 5 weeks we are in it. (25 minutes is minimum time)
Spiritual:
My faith lays the groundwork for everything I do and the upkeep of my body and health is included in that!  So I want to take us through some key principles to get us “living and active” in both our physical and spiritual lives. I’ll provide a small devotional and insight to each principle along with a challenge for us to consider each week. Scripture memorization is also a great discipline, so we will be adding that on too! (I call that our “Soul Food”)
CHALLENGE GOAL: Memorize the new weekly verse/Soul Food (as well as maintaining prior weeks) and do the key challenge.
Accountability:
This all is great, but if we don’t have accountability, then chances are we won’t stick with it. I have a few ways this is going to happen:
- Facebook: Periodically through the week, I will check in with you who are a part of this. This is your chance to check in, ask questions, claim victories, express frustrations etc. so make sure you “like” me on facebook! I also encourage you to create your own facebook accountability groups!
- Twitter: I’ll be doing the same thing on twitter with hashtag #livingandactive.Follow me there!
- Weekly Link-Up: If you are a blogger, this is your chance to write about your journey! Every Monday, I’ll provide a link up for you to write about how you did that past week. You can include healthy recipes, or exercises you like, or the victories and valleys. Set your own goals and measurements. Detail your specific daily diet and what you will be avoiding or adding. This is your place to make it your own! (If you don’t have a blog, you can join us in the comment section, letting us know how you are doing!)

Now, for some of the new things we are adding on this year!:

- Instagrammers: I know there’s a lot of you out there! (You can find me here) I post a lot of pictures of my food during the week on there and will continue to do so. (A few times a week, I’ll post everything that I ate for the day in one picture) I would love for you to join me–it’s great accountability!  Make sure to tag #livingandactive and  #clarepeak313 !
- Before/After Picture: Before some of you flip out, you don’t have to show ANYONE this picture! (You can if you’d like!) This is for you to see the physical changes to your body. So yes–get your sports bra and running shorts on and get in front of a mirror. Snap a shot in the front. Flex your arm. Put your leg out. However many picures you want to take. I don’t want you to do this again until the end of the 5 weeks though! (Feel free to take other measurements on your body and write them down!)
♥♥♥
And just like last year, I have a prize package! (All the goodies still being added up so I’ll share later!) For those of you who are 100% on the scripture memorization and exercising 4/7 days a week during this 5 week period, you’ll get a chance at winning the package! (You must check in here, every week. More on that later)
We officially start next Monday, September 16th, but you have some things to do now!
1.) Grab the button below, add to your blog and link-up a post telling me that you are in! (or just comment below)
2.) Grab a friend, sister, daughter, roommate…whoever…and ask them to join us! (HINT: Headstart to Key Principle #1!)
3.) Take your before picture(s)
4.) Pray through your commitment! I want you to really be successful over these 5 weeks. If this is a bad season in life for you, then maybe this isn’t the time to join as it would leave you more discouraged than encouraged. But if you need a kick in the rear, get focused, dust off those weights or gym membership card and let’s get going!


http://peak313.com/featured/the-2nd-annual-living-and-active-challenge/

 

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Life after the third pregnancy.

Jeez okay.. even though Ella is only 7 weeks I've made some huge realizations.. okay so maybe some of these I already figured out with just two kids LOL

Even with one child, women have to juggle relationships, work, domestic chores and motherhood, and hardly anyone would say they've got the balance right. So with three young children, it's even easier to feel you're letting someone down.
We've all heard the "TV before a certain age is bad... kids shouldn't watch tv . You may be tempted to let your toddlers watch TV when you're breastfeeding the baby - so what? Yes, they shouldn't watch too much, but some TV is not bad. My kids right now LOVE Caillou and Team Umizoomi. My almost five year old loves Dinosaur cartoons and Power Rangers (yes he even imitates them).  I don't believe it will cause him to be a bully in school.
The laundry will always be there, but your children won't always be young.  
Unless your supermom (I am NOT) You wont be able to keep a spotless house. My house always has toys all over. I focus on keeping food crumbs up and counters clean. 
Unless you’ve got a nanny, a housekeeper, a driver, and a cook, it’s hard to manage a home and family with a smile on your face. But, it’s worth trying. Because nobody wants a crabby mom. I've been that crabby mom more than I wish to admit.
When you have your third baby, you have a pre-schooler and a toddler both claiming they are the center of the universe. Loudly! You read celebrity magazines at the checkout hoping to be inspired for another name.  When you start considering Wednesday Apple, you realize you are seriously scraping the bottom of the barrel.
The video camera you used for the first two is now ridiculously outdated, and you film footage of the new baby with her older sisters on your Smart Phone to be instantly uploaded to friends and family across the globe.  
 Breast-feeding is still hard, and you still get bleeding nipples and mastitis, but you fast-track through the dramas and just get on with it.  You are able to breast feed or express while peeling a banana for the toddler and changing the batteries in a toy for your pre-schooler.  All at the same time.
When people ask you how you are, you answer honestly. I'm here.  It's life. Life isn’t perfect.  Your kids are driving me crazy. The kids are crazy ..and so am I .  You don't have a clue what is happening in the world, you don’t wear the latest styles (or any style, for that matter) and your car is full of dirt and toys and empty wrappers.
Ryan's oldest is coming to live with us this year and when I tell everyone they always gasp, "4 kids oh my goodness" or "Bless your heart". Going from two to three was a bit overwhelming ,but I'm looking forward to going from 3-4. The kids love Austin and I KNOW him being there will actually make things with them a bit easier:) He's older so he will be a great help:) 


 
 

Monday, May 20, 2013

MIA with a new baby girl

I know that's what I have been the past few months. I've been quite the busy bee ...being in the last trimester of my pregnancy, moving back on post, chasing my two around , and the husband coming home from deployment.  Well Im proud to say we now have a 2 week old baby girl .
Ella Kathleen Smith
I didn't start cloth with my dd Emmy till she was around 9 months, and we are doing cloth with Ella now so it's a new experience :) I'll be reviewing some newborn diapers in the next entry.

Miss Ella weighed 7lbs 6oz when she was born and was 20 & 1/2 cm long. She lost down to 7lbs 1 oz before we left the hospital but at 4 days old had gained back to 7lbs and 4 oz. We go back to the dr this morning and I just know she is around 8lbs now as much as she nurses. She sleeps much more than my other kids did and is actually a quite easy baby:) She does love to sleep on mommas chest of course though:) AND she grunts and makes tons of noise in her sleep lol so I'm always checking on her. Adjusting to three kids is  not all that bad and Emmy is not as jealous as we thought she was going to be. :)

Friday, April 12, 2013

Unique Your Name in Bible Verse Certificates Review


Your Name in Bible Verse certificates are beautiful, individually printed certificates personalized with a loved one's first and last names, two first names, or any phrase up to 20 letters and spaces, with an inspirational Bible verse for each letter.
Bible Verse certificates make ideal, affordable, Christian gifts for:
 Birthdays, weddings, baptisms and christenings, Mother's Day, Christmas, 1st communions, confirmations, pastor appreciations...any occasion!
 Available in English and Spanish.
 In over 20 different of styles.
 Each certificate is unique.

 I received mine in the mail and plan on ordering one for each of my kids and one for my husband as well. These are the PERFECT gift for those hard to buy for people... or ANYONE actually.  I wanna frame all of my family's together so I'll be buying a big frame and cutting a mat to fit:)

 Visit BibleVerse.org to order yours TODAY!:)




 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

I'm The Daddy Long Sleeve Tee by DaddyScrubs Review

These tshirts are the perfect fathers day or new father pesent. They are super comfy (I know I've tried them on). I have to admit ...I got this for my husband as a nice present in honor of our newest little one on the way. Now I wish it didnt say " daddy " on it because I want to keep it! I know he will just love it. I cannot wait for him to get home from deploymet to wear it. I will update later with a picture of him in it.

• 100% cotton preshrunk jersey knit material • Weight: 6.1 oz • Tapered neck and shoulders • Double needle sleeve and bottom hems • Colors: Blue  • Sizes: Medium, Large, X Large, 2X Large, 3X Large • $29.95 ( but you can get 10% off using BLOG13)

Get yours at http://www.daddyscrubs.com/



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. This company has Lots more awesome stuff!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

I'm The Daddy Hoodie by DaddyScrubs Review

These hoodies are the perfect fathers day or new father present. They are super comfy (I know I've tried them on). I have to admit ...I got this for my husband as a nice present in honor of our newest little one on the way. Now I wish it didnt say " daddy " on it because I want to keep it! I know he will just love it. I cannot wait for him to get hone from deploymet to wear it. I will update later with a picture of him in it.

 Pigment Dyed 100% cotton fleece
• Hooded • Preshrunk •Color: Vintage Blue
• Sizes: Medium, Large, X Large, 2X Large
$54.95 ( but you can get 10% off using BLOG13)

Get yours at http://www.daddyscrubs.com/



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

PottyCover - Disposable Toilet Seat Covers For Kids Review and GIVEAWAY

PottyCover is a disposable toilet seat cover for children that covers the sides and the front of the toilet, to keep away germs at public rest-rooms.  It is made of non-woven fabric coated with a layer of plastic, creating a waterproof barrier between the toilet and the child. This product has the largest coverage of all seat covers on the market and for added convenience, each seat cover is individually packaged in a small, easy to open bag that makes it super easy to always keep one or two in a purse or a back pocket.


These are NOT your normal little paper covers like in the bathrooms at Walmart! These unfold to a quite large cover and are a nice material.. softer than normal covers. My two year is JUST potty trained,and when out we have to make bathroom stops quite often to ensure she doesn't have an accident. Sometimes taking the time to line the toilet with paper just takes too long when your in a hurry. These covers cover the entire toilet...so not only do your little ones hands not touch the toilet, their legs and pulled down underwear and pants don't either. Less germ contact= less sick kiddos = one happy moma!

Leave a comment below and Saturday I'll pick someone to receive a free sample of the potty cover product! Make sure to leave an email to be contacted!


A pack of PottyCover sells for $5.99 and it is available on Amazon, Ebay, all Buy Buy Baby stores around the country and at select Bed Bath & Beyond stores.



 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.