27 years, oh my!

So, today is our anniversary.  27 years ago, we were getting ready for our wedding.  It seems like just yesterday and so many things have gone on in the last 27 years.

I wish I had the wedding photos scanned in, we were YOUNG! 

3 wonderful kids later, many decisions made and businesses closed and started, new additions to the family and we are still going strong.  I am so thankful that I found the one to spend my life with that really gets me and is okay with that!

where's my camera?

I got this great new camera for my anniversary and it has been spending way too much time in my purse and not enough time out doing its job!  Taking photos!

Here is just a few that I have taken over the last few days...

 Sunset on the way home after a party

 Dinner with Arnauld in Kansas City at The Elephant Bar

 The guys at The Bait Shop in Kansas City

The girls, same place

Looks like I need to get the camera out more often!!

I'll work on that!

Healthy, Happy, Fit! My story!

I don't know if you know my health story and how I became involved in Beachbody or not, but it certainly bears repeating. 

I have always been a pretty healthy person, didn't get sick much, had allergies, but didn't have to take medications for it.  I ate a normal, standard American diet, but always thought I ate fairly healthy.  I drank sodas, not a lot of water, but still thought I was doing good.

I always had a headache.  Not kidding, it was just what degree that silly headache was going to be that day.  Most of the time, it was just a nuisance and a distraction.  Soon, those headaches really changed.  I was getting migraines, sometimes 2-3 per week.  I went to many doctors and no one could explain to me why these headaches were so bad.  At this time, I had all the kids in school and sports and other school activities.  A lot of times, Brian and I had to split up to make all the kids events.  I remember going to many a game or concert feeling horrible, but was not going to miss the kids' performances or games.  I felt like crap.  I gave up soda because I was told the caffeine was causing the headaches, they didn't get better.  I was taking a LOT of over the counter medications and then a LOT of prescribed medications.  I developed pain in my joints along with an ulcer from all the medications.   I knew something needed to change. 

I was getting massages to help with the headaches and one day my massage therapist, Connie Brown at The Right Touch, told me that maybe I should change my diet.  I thought she had lost her mind, but at this point, what did I have to lose.  She told me about the Hallelujah Diet, a mostly raw food diet that she was having success with.  I decided to give it a try.  After only 2 weeks, the headaches were so much better.  I was amazed.  I went back in for my next massage and Connie told me that something had definitely changed.  I looked different.  She said she couldn't see the pain in my eyes.

My doctors couldn't believe the changes either.  I felt good, so good in fact, I couldn't believe how bad I had been feeling.  When you don't know what good feels like, you really don't think you feel that bad.  But after being headache free for a couple of weeks, I realized just how horrible it truly was.  I did NOT want to go back that lifestyle. They now think that the steroids and anti-biotics in the animal products I was eating was the main cause of the headaches.

This was not an easy diet to maintain.  It gets really cold here in the midwest, Eating raw foods during the winter just wasn't going to cut it for me.  So, I decided after reading Marilu Henner's, Total Health Makeover that I would cut out all meat products, but continue eating cooked food and some dairy.  I loved my cheese!

  I had lost a few lbs after changing my diet and was quite surprised that I had gained as much weight as I had.    I was plugging along and the more I thought about it and the more I read about it, I decided to give up dairy.  It was a hard decision, but I told myself that I could always go back to it if I didn't notice any changes.  I was still having a few headaches now and then, but the ulcers were gone, the pain in my joints was gone.  So, what did I have to lose but a headache now and then.

After giving up dairy, I lost 10 lbs.  I couldn't believe it.  That brought my total weight loss to 25 lbs.  All from making a few changes in my diet.  At this point, the weight was gone, but I needed to tone up.  Nothing looks worse than a saggy, baggy body.  So, I decided to exercise.

Now, I LOVE infomercials and am a sucker for them all.  We have so many silly things that didn't live up to their promises, but I decided that I'd give Power 90 a try.  It looked like a good thing and I could surely do soemthing for 90 days right, plus there was that 30 day money back guarantee.  So, I ordered, it showed up and I got busy.  I didn't love it, but I did it.  Then I saw the infomercial for Yoga Booty Ballet, ordered, did it for a while, then Slim in 6.  I could go on all day long.  Didn't even really pay that much attention to the fact that all the workouts I was ordering were from Beachbody until I saw that they all mention message boards.  At this time, I ordered Turbo Jam.  I was HOOKED!  I loved it and couldn't wait until my workout time every day.  I was working a full-time job, running the family's construction business with Brian and raising 3 very busy boys.   This was my lifeline to sanity!  I was on the message boards and we would do challenges each month and I made some lifelong friends.

One day one of the girls on the message boards contacted me to let me know about the Beachbody coaching opportunity.  I figured I was already sharing my love of the products with everyone that would listen, why not make enough money to pay for my vitamins and get a discount on the workouts.  Boy, has it grown beyond that.   I absolutely LOVE my job.  I get to share my passion for health and fitness with others and watch them get healthy and fit as well!  That is my favorite part of the job.

I am always looking for like-minded people that want to help other people get healthy and fit, work on their own fitness and make a little money on the side.  The beauty of this job is you get to set your own work hours, you decide if you want to work part-time or full-time and that discount comes in handy when you want to get a new workout or get started on Shakeology! 

If you want more details or want to get started with my team, please message me.  I am looking to mentor 2 people right away!

Trust me, it's the best thing I have ever done for my health and I know that I will not ever go back to my old ways of eating and not exercising!

Discussion:  Is there some turning point in your life that has impacted you and helped you create your own health story?

Busy times!

Oh my, I can't believe I haven't had a chance to be on here since Tuesday.  Goodness!

Wednesday, I had Madelyn for the day, we had a LOT of fun playing and then we rushed out the door to Brian's mother's birthday celebration!

Thursday was another super busy day - got up and did my workout with the girls, ran out the door to my monthly massage (AHHH!!), a little shopping and lunch with a friend and then went to my BFF's 30th wedding anniversary surprise party.  I was so happy that she was surprised.  How I managed to get photos of food and other friends and not any of the happy couple, I'll never know....

 The Happy Couple, happy anniversary kids!! 

Friday, I got up and worked out and then Brian and I hit the road to KC.  I had Beachbody leadership training on Friday and Sat.  I met some great people, had dinner at Elephant Bar with them and then this morning we got our training on!  It was so good and I am so glad that I attended!

We got done today and just got home from another fun shopping trip.  I'm not much of a shopper you know, but this was fun stuff.  Charming Charlies, Penzey Spice Shop, Trader Joe's and The Tasteful Olive.  Now that is MY kind of shopping!  New sunglasses, several spice blends, pomegrante balsamic vinegar and roasted onion and cilantro olive oil.  Can't wait to try them!

Tonight, David and Lisa have prepared a fantastic smelling meal and then we are going dancing!  This should be a good night!

Elvis and a sunburn

Well, I'm still here, still not feeling 100% though.  I'm not sure what is going on, but just don't feel like myself. 

However, today I got up and did my workout - TurboFire 55 EZ.  Getting a little EZier, but I am just dripping with sweat after that one!  Love it.   After workout, I did a little cleaning up around here.  It's hard to believe that two people can make such a mess.  I used to blame it on my kids, I think it must've been me and Brian all along.

I was just getting ready to get in the office and do some paperwork (ugh), when Brian came home and asked me to go to Springfield with him.  How could I pass that one up, right?  So, he drug me out of here to go back to the manstore - Grizzly.  He wanted to get more supplies for his lathe and bowl making.  Now, he makes beautiful bowls.  These are a couple of the ones he made me on the old lathe

.I have seen the works in progress and I am so excited to see what he comes up with next.  I have an idea that they will be just as beautiful as these.

I've been busier today,  not as much sitting, mostly because my foot is feeling so much better today!  Thank goodness!  I think my new shoes are helping, not to mention the ice and massage!  That will do wonders!

Today is also the anniversary of Elvis' death.  I remember this day all to well.  I think I was 12, but I got one of the worst sunburns of my life.  I had been at the pool all day long, I'm not sure you've noticed, but I'm pretty pale.  I burn easily, even if I put sunscreen on, but back in those days, most people were using baby oil and iodine.  I didn't use that, but not a lot of suntan lotion ( I think that is what we called it back in those days....)  I was with my friend Jana Simpson and we were living it up at the pool until we got out....  so sore, couldn't hardly move.  Blistered and miserable, we rode our bikes home and my mom told us about Elvis and immediately put us in a vinegar bath.  I think about that every year.

You would think I would've learned my lesson, but nooo, I still got a bad sunburn this year.  It was 2 days after the tornado came through.  We were out working, it was cloudy and I wasn't thinking straight....

I think I learned my lesson this time around, no vinegar baths, but I still have the same lines, just not as pink anymore.  Geez.

Layin' Low

It's been a pretty uneventful day.  Some days that is a good thing!  I'm just not feeling great.  Not bad, just not like myself. 

 Don't you just LOVE this? 

My foot is really bothering me today.  I find this especially odd since yesterday was a rest day and today was HIIT 15 and Scuplt 30.  Not as much jumping around as usual.  So, you would think my foot would be happier, but it has been screaming at me all day long. So, I've had a pretty lazy day today.  It will certainly show up in my step count for tomorrow and probably my calorie count as well.

When I don't feel good, I just want to eat carbs?  Do you get that way?  So, for dinner I had mashed potatoes.  They were delicious.  Really hit the spot.  I know I'll be back to normal tomorrow, thank goodness, but it feels like I'm trying to fight off something.  So, I'm laying low today and will hit it hard tomorrow.

Hope you all have a wonderful night and even better tomorrow!

got me new kicks!

Hey hey hey!  It's my rest day!

I think I might have taken the rest day tooo literal today!  I had great intentions of getting up and going for a nice, brisk walk with Brian, but he had other ideas.....  resting to him does not include walking.  So we loaded up in the jeep and took off for a drive.  The tops were out and it was a good time, we always have so much fun together, even when we aren't doing anything in particular. 

 I got on the treadmill for a little while, so all is NOT lost, but no walk with BP!!

I did manage to get a LOT of cooking done this morning!  Homemade spaghetti sauce is in the crock pot.  I made a small batch for me (no meat) and then the big batch for the fam.  Everyone is coming over for dinner tonight for a little celebration!

I made brownies - can't wait to eat them, from my new cookbook from one of my favorite blogs - Peas and Thank You!  Then look and smell delicious.  Hope 6:00 gets here quickly!

I added dairy-free chocolate and butterscotch chips to the top!

I also made, brown rice and quinoa in the rice cooker, soup and lentil stew.  I should be set for the week.  Brian is looking for a good meatball recipe, if anyone has one, please pass it along!

I got new kicks this week.  Not sure I'm loving the purple laces, but it is fun for a while.  I am so hard on shoes and just got my last pair about a week before the tornado hit, but I have used them like crazy...

Brian got me an early anniversary gift.  A new camera!!!!  My old one was perfectly fine, but it was OLD!  It was only 8 pixels and had about a 4x zoom.  I was eyeing the new ones and I think I might have started drooling a bit :)  So, now I have a new one.  I've been playing around with it and not really sure how to use all the features, but it is fun!  This one has  14 pixels and a 10x zoom and the ability to load straight to facebook and you tube.  Not sure I will use that feature, but fun none-the-less.

Since this is such a random post, check out this photo of my sweet babycakes.  I was the official "make Madelyn smile person" for her 2 year old and family photos!!

Didn't do my job for this picture huh?  Oh well, I know the other ones will turn out GREAT!

I think I've rambled on long enough and the kids are getting here for dinner now, so I'm off to spend time with the fam!

Discussion:  How's your weekend been?