Tired

Today I was just.plain.tired.  All of my 4:30 am wake ups last week and the 3:30 am wake up on Sunday finally caught up with me.  Today was the first day I didn't work out in over 3 weeks.  My body (and my husband) told me to sleep in and just take a rest day.  So I was able to sleep in until 6:15 when Vera wanted to get this day started.  I'll admit though, as I have before - I'm much less tired throughout the day if I actually get up earlier and work out than if I sleep in and don't. Even though my body needed it - my brain and spirit needs the work out more.

Stella had preschool this morning.  Looking at this picture of her just astounds me.  I cannot believe that my baby is so old already.  She tells me today "Mommy, I'm going to be 4 in February".  STOP IT.  FOUR?  It just doesn't seem possible.  She is such an independent little girl and just wants to do everything on her own.  

Instead of working my butt off during nap time like I usually do - I took a NAP.  A legitimate nap and it felt awesome.  I haven't had any caffeine the last 2 days since I'm doing the 3 Day Refresh so I think that didn't help with feeling tired and I had a slight headache.  After my nap I felt totally better. Vera is known for waking up on the wrong side of the bed after nap time.  Like almost every day.  I walk in her room and she just say NO to me over and over.  Usually takes her a good 15-20 minutes to snap out of it and resume happiness.  Here is an action shot of the joy after nap time.

Tonight we were headed to Stella's gymnastics and the girls were just in the back LAUGHING hysterically for no reason.  It snapped me out of my "off" mood and made me realize again that we do just need to laugh.  Nothing is that serious.  I love the way these little people can teach you so much and give you those gentle reminders on what is important in life.  I swear they are constantly teaching me way more than I teach them.

On the way to gymnastics, Stella reminded me that parents should stay out in the hallway and not come in. That is what their teacher suggested.  Stella said "Mommy, can you guys please not go in there with me because I really need to pay attention?"  Ok - maybe she's going to be 14 soon.   

After gymnastics I headed to our kick off meeting for Hand 2 Hand.  This is a ministry I'm involved in through our church, South Harbor.  We pack food for kids at various schools in Byron Center - kids that just don't have enough food at home for the weekend.  It's a ministry that is really close to my heart and I've been involved as a packing coordinator for a few years now.  It is amazing how many kids in our own back yards are struggling just getting enough food at home.  We have so many volunteers come...from little kids to older, retired people.  It fills my heart with so much joy to see everyone brought together to take care of our community!

Off to my team call for now - I hope everyone had a great Monday.  And by Monday - I mean Tuesday.  I was going to delete that but then I thought it was funny because I was convinced it was Monday until I almost hit publish.  Early bed time tonight!

Results from My 21 Day Fix

First of all, I have to apologize for the pictures - it's not easy taking them by yourself.  But these will do the trick.

Overall, I'm really happy with my results from the 3 week program.  I got to where I wanted to be weight-wise and I was able to lose inches and tone up majorly in the process. Most importantly, I love the way I feel and am so happy with what I've learned and the healthy habits that I've formed over the last 21 days.  Some days were certainly not easy.  But anything worth anything doesn't come easy.

For the actual results - I lost a total of 7 pounds.  I'm at a weight now that I'm usually at when I plateau.  But I'm happy with it because it's a very healthy weight for me.  I've also gained a lot of muscle through this program so weight can't really be a huge factor for me.  I'm more concerned with being strong, than skinny.  I lost a total of 5 inches from my waist, hips, arms, and thighs.  So that definitely told me that I toned up.

I've learned so much about portion control and now my body is used to eating the correct portions - of the correct types of food each day.  I know how much healthy fats I should be eating....and how much fruit to eat, and when I should eat the fruit.

If you're struggling to start your journey to health and need help with nutrition and meal planning - this program is definitely one for you.  And if you enjoy fun workouts with a variety of cardio, strength training with weights, pilates, and yoga - and have 30 minutes a day to devote to yourself - this one is the bomb diggity.

Here are some before and after pics.  Nothing earth-shattering, but I wasn't going for that.  I just am continuing on my journey to creating & maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The only thing I'm trying to succeed at is to be a little better than I was yesterday.  What I notice in these pics is stronger upper thigh muscles, tighter stomach and stronger arms.

Day 21!!!

And for a little perspective on where I came from to now....a look into my ongoing journey....here is a pic of me trying on wedding dresses.  I was 25 pounds heavier in 2010 than I am now.  You can see it in my face and arms....and I hid a LOT in my stomach.  I'm tall and have a longer torso so I always could hide it well.  I was also a size 8-10 in pants and now I'm a 2-4.  Even though the weight isn't significant - the pant size change alone tells you that I have gained muscle and become leaner.  The most important part of it all - I'm 100% healthier than this version of me in 2010....in mind, body, and spirit!  PS - it was also really hard for me to find a full length picture of me from back then.  I wasn't a huge fan of getting my picture taken because I wasn't happy with what I saw.  So that also shows me how much my confidence has changed throughout this journey.

Day 21 - That's a Wrap Folks!

First of all - today was just an amazing day.  I loved every bit of it.  I feel like I'm so filled up with positive vibes and such motivation that I literally might explode.

I started my day off at 3:30 am.  I know that sounds disgusting, but hear me out.  I needed to leave my house by 5 am, and I really wanted to start my day with a workout.  So I got up, did Lower Fix and got ready to go.  But before I left - I was able to have my Shakeology.  Oh how I missed my Shakeology over the last few days.  I had to take my blender out to the garage so I didn't wake my family up - but I was not about to skip it, that's for sure!  I knew it would give me the pick-me-up that I needed to get me through my morning.

lots of ice, 2.5 cups water, 1 banana (purple), greek yogurt (red), PB2 (tsps) - DELICIOUS

I got on the road at 5 am and decided this drive to Ohio would be the perfect time to listen to my CD of the book Go Pro that my coach Shannon sent me.  That really was a great decision.  So much helpful information in there and I'm definitely going to listen to it again. One important thing that I've learned so far as a coach is that personal development is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.  Sometimes it's hard to want to pick up the book because as everyone else knows - free time as an adult just seems so limited.  But we make time for the things that are important to us....so no excuses.  I need to work on this a LOT.

We got to the event in Ohio and I was able to meet a lot of girls from my team in person for the first time.  It was so nice to meet them since we have been working together over computers and videos so far.  I love our team - we have great things in store for us!!

Arynn is one of my coaches and I'm SO super excited that she was able to come with me.  I'm never going to miss a Super Saturday (or Sunday) in the future because I can see how important they are and how helpful and motivating they are.  It was amazing.  The speakers were wonderful and their stories were cray cray.  The success that some people have in such a short period of time with lots of hard work and dedication just makes me want to work harder and harder.  I can't wait to see where this road takes me and my family.

Me and my girl Arynn with Jenelle (she rocks by the way)

Some of the girls on our Desire to Inspire team that were able to make it to this location

Today was weird with meals because I was gone most of the day.  I already showed my breakfast of Shakeology.  But for lunch our team went out to eat.  I had Ahi Tuna and mixed veggies with a few bites of white rice.  It was really good and I discovered that I like red peppers. There are so many things now that I find I'm liking that I absolutely could not and WOULD not eat before.  It's crazy how your body changes and it craves all the good stuff.  I'm loving it!  When I got home I had some steamed fish and steamed broccoli.  So I followed the fix pretty good - just missed a fruit.

I didn't have time to get my measurements and stuff done - so I'm going to try to do all that tomorrow to report my results from the 21 Day Fix.  No matter what the numbers say - I'm extremely impressed with this program.  My entire stomach has completely changed shape...everything just is leaner and tighter and it feels great.  What I've loved most is the healthy habits I've created.  I love that I want to eat all different things throughout the day...and know that I need to make sure I get the right amount of each food group.  I've learned a lot and will continue these habits into my regular healthy eating.

I was going to start the 3 Day Refresh tomorrow - but I just didn't get home in time to go grocery shopping to prepare for it.  I wanted to spend the few hours with my kids instead.  So I'll either go in the morning to get what I need, or I'll put it off for a few days. I think I'll decide in the morning :)

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have final results to report on my blog!  Thank you for reading along my journey of the 21 Day Fix and my daily thoughts.  If you have been thinking about trying the 21 Day Fix, please message me and I'd love to give you more info about it.  It's on special until the end of September!

I'll leave you with this precious picture of Stella.  This was actually yesterday.  She picked her clothes out before Jenna's soccer game...got dressed and then flipped her hair with both hands and said "Mommy, am I beautiful like Megan now?" and then proceeded to flip her hair again.  Megan is her cousin....:)  It was SO cute.

21 Day Fix, Day 20

Today is Day 20 and the last day of my 3 Day Quick Fix.  I definitely can feel & see the difference from doing the quick fix.  We'll see when I do my measurements and weight after the final day 21!

This morning I woke up at 5 am, drank my E&E and started working out at 5:30.  I started with Dirty 30 which is a bunch of weight training moves (LOVE).  Stella woke up just as I was finishing that and then she decided she wanted to join me for a little Pilates Fix.

Food was on point today and I was able to get all of the meals in and drank 140 oz of water so far.  I plan to have some green tea tonight and one more 25 oz cup of water.  I need to get up around 4 tomorrow because I need to be out the door by 5:15 to head to Ohio for a Beachbody Super Sunday event.  #cannotwait

This is Jenelle Summers and she's hosting the event tomorrow- and I just love her so I'm super excited to meet her!  Oh and she's also Chalene Johnson's sister.  What a lovely pair of sisters!

Let's see...what else??

Here is a cute pic of Stella drinking some Shakeology tonight as an after dinner treat.  She loves it and thinks its super special when you drink it with a straw. :)

And this picture - what words can even describe?  Her explosive personality just makes my heart cry and laugh at the same time because she's just so awesome.  Look.at.that.smile!!

Tonight before bed, Stella and I were sitting on the couch and she looks up at the big window in the living room and just says in such awe "Mommy!  The sun looks beautiful!"  It was definitely a beautiful sun.  I love these gorgeous reminders of how awesome our Creator is.  God is so good.

21 Day Fix, Day 19

This is going to be short and sweet because the day was exactly like yesterday as far as food goes except I was able to fit all the meals in today and spaced them out almost exactly 2 hours apart. Water goal was met too....wow that is a LOT of water! 143 oz today.

Even though I didn't go to bed until late last night because the season premier of Parenthood was on (last season, boo!!) - I was able to get myself out of bed this morning at 4:30 am to get the double workout in.  Very thankful I did because the girls both got up at 6:00 today - guess they were super eager to see me. This morning was Upper Fix and Total Body Cardio Fix.  Awwwesome workouts!! My body is still feeling it.

Coffee and To-Do Lists - Great start to my morning!

I feel very proud of myself that I didn't have one single "cheat" bite in two days.  I even took the girls to McDonalds today for a Oreo Flurrie and they couldn't eat it all.  I could have had SO many bites - but I had the will power to have NONE.  #win #youhavenoideahowmuchiloveicecream

We had lots of fun at the park afterwards - what a beautiful day today!

I got some work done during the girls' nap time until my internet went out.  Maybe it was a sign to just sit and do nothing....But when the girls got up, they were super cuddly and I just love when they want to snuggle.  I know these days are numbered.....

Vera's nose is healing but is in that "looking horrible" healing phase

Tonight after dinner we played outside and Daddy found a praying mantis the size of a small rodent. Stella was in heaven and Vera thought it was hilarious until she sat next to it and it jumped on her and got stuck to her.  She kept saying "SO SCARY!!"  Stella wasn't happy to have to come in and leave the praying mantis outside.  I believe her words to me when I started walking in were "Do you even understand what I'm telling you???"

Now our favorite fall show is on - Shark Tank.  And it's a 2 hour premier.  The only thing that would make this night any better would be a nice glass of wine.  Unfortunately that isn't a part of this whole 3 Day Quick Fix. #keepontruckin #21dayfix

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I'll leave you with this because it just makes me smile. :)

5 Random Things About Me

Just for fun - 5 Random Facts About Me

1. I am a little lot psycho about time.  I have an irrational fear of being late anywhere I go and I usually end up being way too early for everything.  Ask my roommate from college.  I would be at least a half hour early for every class I had in the morning and just sit in the hall.  I haven't changed much in that regard.  My husband gets a lot of ammunition to make fun of me for it.  The last vacation we took - we didn't GET to the airport until our plane started boarding.  ANXIETY.  Of course we were fine and my husband thought it was hilarious.

2. Five years ago I never worked out, drank a boat load of diet coke, hardly ever ate a meal at home, absolutely no vegetables or fruit, drank too much alcohol, worked at a job that I felt zero passion for, was 25 lbs heavier than I am now, wasn't married and didn't have kids.  It's crazy how much can change in 5 years!  I feel like my whole life has changed in a few years and I've never been happier, healthier and more filled up. It's amazing what can change when YOU decide to make some choices. Life changes outside of your comfort zone.

when we first started dating

3. We decided that were done having kids.  Three girls is really enough for us and we knew we were done. But when I see little newborn babies, I'd be lying if I said my ovaries don't hurt just a little bit. :) It's weird to know that I'll never have a tiny baby like that again.  You rush back to being in that hospital bed when you first meet that new little life you created.  It's funny how you NEVER think of the labor, you only think of after.  God made us special that way.  Even though it does make me a little sad to know I'll never have a tiny baby again and feel that rush of that life-changing time....I also am reminded of how hard that newborn stage is.  I know it's not super hard for some people (or they are just really good liars), but for me it was hard.  My hormones and emotions were a wreck for a while, I don't do well on little sleep...it makes me crazy.  And Vera had so many ear infections, she just had such a rough first year of life.  I'm loving the stage my girls are at now. I love that we can all talk to each other, and play and pretend.  Oh and that I can actually take a shower when I want to...that's really nice too. I'm still not able to pee alone, but one day we'll get there too.

4. We got rid of our cable when we moved because we felt like it was a huge waste of money.  It's been really fine because we keep ourselves busy with other stuff. But now fall shows are on.  Do you know how many good fall shows there are on local channels??  Too many.  We have regular TV because we have an antenna outside about as big as a space station.  But what don't we have?  DVR. Pause.  Rewind. We got so used to those things.  We hadn't watched a commercial in years!  Now we actually have to watch a show when it is on, we can't pause it or rewind if we missed something, and if there are two shows on at once - we have to pick.  GASP.  Does anybody have a VCR we could borrow with some blank tapes?  That would be really helpful, thanks!

5. I have no fashion sense.  I see outfits on people and think "wow, that's so cute" - but I could never go to the mall and recreate an outfit for myself.  Which is probably why I end up trying one plain color t-shirt on, liking the way it fits - and then choose to buy 4 colors of the same shirt.  Seems easier. And fashion is WAY too expensive anyway.  Some outfits people wear, all I can think is - how in the world did you spend that much $$ on ONE outfit? I wish I was more adventurous on the fashion front.  I did get some crazy leggings for my birthday that I wore once so far.  I felt pretty daring that day, let me tell you.  I also have no idea how to use a curling iron.  What 32 year old doesn't know how to curl her hair with a curling iron?  This girl...that's who.  I can curl the right side of my head decently with a straight-iron.  But the left side always ends up being a hot mess.  We all have our strengths, I guess??  I just feel bad for my girls if I can never figure out how to curl their hair!

21 Day Fix, Day 18

Today was just one of those hard days.  6 years ago my stepdad passed away very unexpectedly.  It was one of the hardest times ever and I still miss him all the time.  He was one of those angels that came into our lives and just made everything better.  Anyone who knew him was positively impacted by him....and he was one of the best men I have ever met.  In one sense, I can't believe it has already been 6 years....but then again, it feels like I haven't seen him in 20.  I wish so much that he could have met my husband and been able to play with my children.  One day....until then I know he's looking down with his big mustache....telling us jokes and making somebody a delicious snack.

On to my day 18 report.  I had every intention to get up at 4:30 like I have been every day.  But a little 3 year old girl decided to grace me with her presence in my bed last night and I got such little sleep.  When the alarm went off, I figured I could sleep in a little bit and would still be able to get at least one of my workouts in.  But when I got up - so did my other daughter...so no work out this morning for me.  I've mentioned this before, but I always feel off and sluggish in the morning now if I don't work out and do my regular routine.  I'm such a creature of habit.  I got my double workout done when the girls napped and did Cardio Fix and Pilates Fix - and got my sweat on for sure.

But today started my 3 Day Quick Fix that I briefly mentioned yesterday.  This is something that the trainer, Autumn Calabrese, does before she has swimsuit competitions.  She recommends doing it the last 3 days of the program to maximize results, so I figured HEY why not??

You still follow your workout schedule, but for these 3 days - your meal plan changes.  For females - breakfast is a yellow container of steel cut oats, a red container of egg whites and 1 tsp of extra virgin coconut oil.  Then you try to eat every two hours.  Next meal is a red container of grilled chicken and a yellow container of steamed yams...and you go down the list (in the picture above).  So how does it differ from my normal day?  It is 2 more red containers, 2 more tsp, 1 more green - but no blue (fats & cheeses), no orange (dressings/seeds).

I followed everything to a T - but I haven't had the last meal which is ground extra-lean turkey (red) and steamed veggies (green) + 1 tsp EVCO.  I'm just too full and I don't think I can eat anymore today.  And I don't like to eat too late or my stomach is upset in the morning.  Tomorrow I'm going to try to fit it in and make sure to eat all the meals exactly 2 hours apart.  We were just gone with Stella's preschool and Vera's ENT checkup today- so my timing got a little off.

Breakfast

Lunch

Another fun thing is - you have to drink at least a gallon of water.  That is a LOT of water.  I did it, and felt like I was pregnant again with how much I had to pee.  It reminded me how much water helps with making you feel really full too.  I love to drink water from my Shakeology shaker cup because it's 25 oz and I can keep track really easily.

I would say all in all - I had a great day with the program and am glad I was able to fit my workouts in, even if it was off my regular schedule.  I feel very full and satisfied - I just REALLY missed my Shakeology today. I never miss a day of it and I've grown to love it so much, my day seems off without it!

post-workout - it's not pretty, but it's real

Whenever I start to feel down and the day just seems extra hard - I try to focus on my blessings...because there are so many.  God is SO good, all of the time.  He never said life would be easy - but He did promise that He would be there with us along the journey.  These two little blessings make EVERYTHING worth it.  They are my "why" for everything and they push me to be the best that I can be.

And tonight after dinner, I went out to get the mail and had a surprise package in the mail from my coach, Shannon.  She sent me these as a thank you for all of my hard work on our team and with my challengers and coaches.

We seriously have such an amazingly awesome team filled with women who are so inspiring.  I can't wait to meet some of them this Sunday at our Super Sunday event (where Jenelle Summers will be hosting!!!) I can't describe how incredible this opportunity has been so far and I can't wait to see where this journey leads.  Dreaming big.

21 Day Fix, Day 17

I used my stumbles and trials yesterday as motivation for today, for sure.  I'm not going to lie, when my alarm went off this morning at 4:30, I told myself "just work out at nap time"...but I reminded myself how sluggish I'd feel all morning if I didn't roll myself out of bed.  Mind over matter, yo.

I knew today was Lower Fix (one of my fav workouts), but when I saw that the double workout add on was 10 Minute Ab Fix - I was so relieved.  It's a great workout and makes your abs burn like a mother but it's 10 minutes instead of 30. :)

I followed my meal plan to a T and had no alterations.  I actually used all of my containers today too!

Breakfast: Egg whites (Red), Whole wheat wrap (Yellow)
AM Snack: Apple (Purple)

Lunch: Shakeology (Red) Greek Yogurt (Red) Banana (Purple), Whole wheat bread (Yellow)

PM Snack: Summer squash & Zucchini (Green), Cucumber (Green), Hummus (Blue)

Dinner: Kale greens for salad (Green), Chicken Breast (Red) Balsamic Vin. (Orange)

My favorite snack was my zucchini and squash - I just steamed them up quick and put a little seasoning on (no salt).

We went to story time at the library today and the girls just love that.  It's so cute to watch them singing and dancing and listening to stories with other kids.  Stella is just such a Mom to Vera and thinks she has to take care of her.  And they just have to hold hands wherever they go.  Oh my HEART.

After the library we went over to the park and brought bread to feed the ducks.  Apparently, I missed the memo that the ducks already flew the coop for winter?  No ducks to be found.  Sad little girls.  #fail  So they ate the rest of the bread instead and we played at the park.  It's so funny, there are so many things to play with there, but the thing they love to do the most is walk along this ledge that goes around the park and they call it their balance beam.  We ate lunch outside which they think is so cool and then finished the afternoon off with popsicles.  Half of Vera's ended up on the deck - but what are ya gonna do?

Tonight Jenna was here and we were playing outside since it was such a beautiful night.  Vera had a little accident going down their "roller coaster" and fell on her face.  Is there anything worse than seeing your babies get hurt?  NO.  No there's not.  Thankfully the tears stopped after a few minutes and she wanted to keep playing.  I don't think the face is going to look too great tomorrow though. Thankfully God is a great healer :)

So what does the rest of the week hold.  Well - lots of fun stuff!

The trainer of the 21 Day Fix also includes something called the "3 Day Quick Fix" and it's a eating system she uses the three days before a bikini competition.  She recommends you do it the last 3 days of the 21 Day Fix, but I'm going to do it Thursday-Saturday instead of Friday-Sunday because I'm traveling to Ohio for a Beachbody event on Sunday and there's no way I can eat fish and chicken all day when I'll be at a conference and then in the car for 7 hours!  I'll give more details on that tomorrow and how that works.  But today I baked some chicken to get prepped for that and I have my fish in the fridge thawing to bake tomorrow!  It's all about being prepared my friends.

21 Day Fix, Day 16

It's been a SUPER busy day - so this is going to be short and sweet because I want to keep true to my word and document every day of this 21 day journey.

I started my day at 4:30 am again and did my double workout of Upper Fix and Cardio Fix.  Yikes - that was quite a duo!

Breakfast: Strawberry Shakeology (Red) Greek Yogurt (1/2 Red) Banana (1/2 Purple) Frozen Strawberries (1 Purple)
AM Snack: Cauliflower (2 Greens) Hummus (Blue)
Lunch: Chocolate Shakeology (Red) Greek Yogurt (1/2 Red) Banana (1/2 Purple)
PM Snack: Ezekiel bread (Yellow) 2 Tbs All Natural Peanut Butter
Dinner: Whole wheat wrap (Yellow) Lara Bar (Yellow - treat substitution for the week)

Couple things to note.  Yes I had Shakeology twice.  After my super hard workout this morning and the fact that my girls were up by the time I was ready to eat - I decided to recharge and refuel with some Shakeology for breakfast.  So I used some half containers so that I could still have it for lunch too. Yes, I love it THAT much. :)

Ok dinner didn't go as planned....schedule changed tonight and I didn't get home until way later than expected.  So I grabbed a whole wheat wrap and a lara bar after the girls went to sleep because I was starving and it was late and I had a team call to get on that I was really excited about.  So I would definitely consider today one of my worst meal plan following days of the 21 Day Fix.  But you know what? Life happens and you can't always be perfect.  So you do what you can - and you move on and start tomorrow as a new day.  You can't get caught up in the stumbles - or you will never feel successful.  I know how hard I'm working and I'm proud of that!

Couple fun pics of the day because these little faces make EVERYTHING worth it!

The Janester had some shots today at the doctor and didn't cry one bit.  So we went straight to the store and got some cookies for her to do some milk dipping.  She was in heaven.  Cookie was everywhere!

I absolutely LOVE living in the country.  We have so much fun outside here with all the space to run around.  Today was a BEAUTIFUL day to be outside.  

And I want to finish with this....because I believe it with my whole heart. Even though I didn't have the best day food-wise, IT'S OK.  I worked my butt off in my workouts and I did the best I could. Could I have made better choices, yes.  But sometimes you just gotta do what works that day. Tomorrow is a brand new day!

21 Day Fix Day 15

As soon as I sat down to write this blog and I typed "day 15", I thought...crap, I totally forgot to weigh myself this morning and take measurements like I planned.  So I think I'm just going to wait until the end and push myself as hard and report the results then.

Day 15 was day one of my third and final week of the 21 Day Fix.  Like I mentioned in my past posts, this means I'm committing to the optional double workout schedule for this last week.  After my workout Sunday and my run - my body was sore.  This morning rolled around and I got up at 4:30 am and did Total Body Cardio Fix and Pilates Fix.  I really love Total Body Cardio Fix because it challenges me.  And the end of Pilates Fix kills my outer thighs and buns!

After my workout and breakfast, the girls woke up and I got them ready to go to Chad's parents for the day. I came home and worked in a quiet house today (well besides Curious George on in the background!)  I love checking in on my challengers, answering questions, working on blogs - this is work that I really enjoy and am passionate about.  Isn't that what life is about?

Sometimes when you are investing so much time and HEART into people, it can be hard.  Sometimes you take things personally when you most definitely should not.  I was feeling kind of a heavy heart....irrationally taking things personally.  But that tends to happen when you care SO much.  So after I got lots of work done, I headed to the gym and planned to get a good run in.  I got there and my body told me otherwise.  I did 4 miles, but I walked 3 of it and only ran 1.  My legs were insanely sore and I knew that I shouldn't push it.  But I got some good cardio in, burned lots of calories, and felt soothed in both body and spirit!

Even though I've come a long way with being positive and caring less about what people think - I still need to remind myself of this very often!

When my girls got home we had a GREAT night.  While I was making dinner - this is what was going on.....(such a good picture of what my girls love).  Stella writing notes in a notebook, Vera chugging her milk watching McKenna - what she thinks is the greatest movie on the face of the planet.

After dinner we played outside and in the pole barn.  Chad found a caterpillar for Stella which she quickly fell in love with.  This girl loves all creatures - big and small.  She thinks they are all so beautiful and cute and just wants to care for them.

Vera was cooking me some food in their restaurant while Stella cared for her caterpillar :)

Quick rundown on 21 Day Fix meals for the day....

Breakfast: Egg Whites (Red)
AM Snack: Cauliflower (Green) Ezekiel Bread (yellow) 2 tsp All Natural PB
Lunch: Shakeo (Red) Greek Yogurt (Red) Banana (Purple)
PM Snack: Cauliflower (Green) - yes again :)
Dinner: Egg Whites (Red) Whole wheat wrap (Yellow) Avocado (Blue) YUM
I also ate one of the girls' pieces of popcorn chicken because they couldn't eat it all.  MISTAKE.  It upset my stomach really bad!  Won't make that mistake again!

Looking forward to my double workout in the morning and a fun & busy day with the girls!