free magazine subscription for SELF magazine... and a few more choices!

This is a great one!  Rewards Survey has easy questionnaires and delivers their magazines quick, no strings attached- i've been using them for years!  They have new stock and an available questionnaire - earn yourself a subscription HERE, it only takes about 2 minutes, and if you don't like this magazine they have a handful of other options ;)

Menu Plan Monday! no grocery shopping?

just freshly back from a long family trip out of state.  we enjoyed our fair share of treats, now Im ready to get back to healthy eating again and so is my family!

hummingbird food recipe, aka Bird Crack

its like crack, but for birds

Silently in my mind i refer to this as 'hummingbird crack'...  did I get that name from my step-dad?  Im not sure.  But I do know the recipe is from him....  and he is a natural bird-whisperer so I can assure you this is one good recipe! 

love my FREE magazines!

Rewards Survey is a legit company, i've used them for years!  They are offering points in exchange for doing a quick survey and in turn you can get a free magazine subscription of your choice!  Pretty sweet!  A great way to pick up some healthy encouragement delivered right to you! They offer digital and regular subscriptions, so be sure to read each image closely!  Get yours HERE :)

no excuses, working out anywhere!

You can work out anywhere if you REALLY want to! 

I simply found an empty hallway, borrowed a laptop I could play my dvd on and rocked it! 

Dedication. And it only took 30 minutes. Many people spend 30 minutes putting on makeup, I wasnt even missed! 

Where are you gonna workout today?

Birchbox December 2014, $43 value for just $5

ahh, I do love my Birchbox!

Here is what i got and why I consider this a frugal splurge....

Free Twinings Tea samples!

Choose your 3 free bags of tea- even organic! YAY! You know I love my healthy freebies!  Thanks Twinings!  Just go HERE and get yours!  Such a great way to try new flavors!  One of my selections was Lady Grey- a new one for me!  What did you pick?

you can do anything you set your mind to. 

Feeling Amazing! down 6.5lbs! 21-Day Fit by Beachbody

I am starting to love Sundays.  I started the 21-Day Fit program 2 weeks ago and have enjoyed every minute of it, well, thats not totally true... I turned down a GIGANTIC plate of greasy nachos yesterday and it made me frowny-face  :(

but right now Im pretty gosh darn pumped!

Sunday is Weigh-In and Measurement Day.

Today is Sunday!

Free Urban Decay Eye Liner!

Heading into town to finish up some Christmas shopping today?  Here is a perfect stocking stuffer!  Urban Decay eyeliner, and we get a choice of 5 shades!  Print out the coupon HERE and head on in to the Sephora counter in JCPennys!  Let me know if you get one- and who's stocking its going to go in ;)

workout wednesday!

well here i am again. wednesday is my busiest day. 3 seperate trips in the car and 4 different commitments on wednesdays. 

but im still gonna workout!  gonna set the kiddos up with some hot cocoa and a fun project that hopefully earns me 30 minutes to get the job done!!

looking forward to my wednesday Lower Fix!

are you getting a workout in today???

snacking on the go

With 2 children in 2 schools at 2 totally different times its fair to say that I spend a good deal of time in the car. I find this a great oppertunity to eat healthy. It only takes a second of planning ahead and is worth the effort! 

I knew I would be out during the lunch hour so grabbed some turkey and spinach. Didnt take any effort on my part nor much time!  

Healthy fuel on the go! Yum! 

added bonus: no oppertunity to steal a treat from the pantry!

Do you eat on the run?

Homemade elderberry syrup recipe, stevia version is sugar free!

Elderberries are an amazing food and natural healer.  Plus they taste AWESOME!!!  Lets learn a little about these amazing berries!  Below I will share my super easy recipe- in both mouth watering honey-syrup and the ever-so healthy stevia version!

kicks your colds butt!

deals a plenty at Safeway

Always great deals to be found here.  Always.  Staying on budget is REALLY important to securing my job as a stay-at-home mom.  I shop around and i always shop at Safeway!

A couple bargains i got today were these meat packs, natural ground turkey and some bison!  we LOVE bison in this house, a natural, lean meat, 50% is the only way i can squeeze it into my budget!

Grapefruit are still 33 cents each through tomorrow, that is a bargain for sure!!!

Menu Plan Monday: 21-Day Fix Style

Im doing this 100% healthy for my full 21 days, so, yes- dinners are extra healthy right now too!  lucky for me the family doesn't mind one bit!

Here is what I have planned for the week:

free emergen-C

free sample of emergen-C!  can't have too much of this stuff :)  get it HERE!

Deneve Riverock Essential Diffuser Review

The generous folks over at Deneve sent me a beautiful new product to test, review and share.  Goodness do I feel lucky!  Thanks Deneve!  You guys rock!

the Riverock by Deneve does indeed rock

They sent me this BEAUTIFUL essential oil diffuser called Riverock.....  

sunday check in

i started the 21 Day Fix last tuesday. i have been eating a healthy diet every. single. second. since.  i have done my 30 minute dvd workout every day this week.

and here i am, 6 days later, feeling stronger and slimmer. i thought it was all in my mind. then i took measurements.

and I couldn't believe my eyes.......

21 Day Fix; food diary for a day. 1,200-1,499 calorie plan

When I opened up my package I was a little shocked to see how small my food containers were.  After doing the math I discovered how many I was allowed during the day.  Eh, it seemed somewhat reasonable..  I was committed and going to give it my all!

Focusing on wholesome, healthy foods is key in this plan.

I started this program at 152lbs and 5' 10".  This put me in the smallest food plan.  I am currently on day 5 and I pretty much feel like I have this down.  Easy peasy.

I thought it would be fun to document a full days meals, just examples of some of the foods I am eating on this clearly laid out plan.  And to show that healthy food is the way to go.  NOT starvation.

Rosemary Chicken for Crockpot. so easy and 21 Day Fix approved

yum.  this was delish, and so easy!  i used NO oil and NO sweeteners, just simple ingredients!  plan about a total of 2 minutes to throw this together!

zarbees immune support free sample!

now THIS will be perfect for travel!  get your free sample of elderberry immune support here!  we've used their honey cough products before and they were great!  excited for this one!

respecting 2014s goals and the journey

At the beginning of this year I was working really hard here at home while raising my young kiddos, house full of pets and 7 big acres to 'maintain'.  My hubby is a Submariner so he isn't home much.  Much of the time its all me.  Im okay with this, it is part of life.

I had made the goal at the New Year to take care of myself in 2014.  It wasn't going well.  I didn't have a spare second for myself.  Ever.

In February I was raking in money, but I was exhausted, not doing a good job raising my girls and I really wasn't spiritually happy.  I brought in a lot of cash that Spring but spent much of it on convenience food, since I didn't have time to cook, and on useless items to keep my kids entertained...  sure, it was nice to have the spare cash to replace our fridge when it died, but otherwise it wasn't an ideal cycle for our family.  The extra money was certainly not buying happiness.

so I made a new and extreme goal.

shampoo sample!

    do you wash your hair or know someone who does?
  this free sample set might be fun to try!
      also would be good for holiday travel!!!

quick 21-day fix approved Taco Soup in the crock-pot

okay friends, i've started up a new plan and I'm hitting it HARD.  being winter and all i need my satisfying soups so i whipped this bad boy up.  its awesome.  and so dang easy.  and really dang healthy. and the family LOVED it.  im a winner.

taco soup.  but healthy.  did you know taco soup was the first meal i ever cooked my husband?  i was living all by myself in a tiny little loft apartment with a phenomenal view of the water.... ah, to be 21 again....

yeah- i also haven't talked about my new commitment yet but I'm pretty certain its changing my life.  I'm on day 3 and already noticing a huge difference...  more on that later.

okay, back to the mouthwatering soup!

no excuses. workout wednesday.

im taking this break between Thanksgiving and Christmas to hit the healthy hard. i have my workout plan in place as well as my awesome dietary menu. im giving this 100% of my all for just over 2 weeks.

menu plan monday: turkey day detox

wow. the week following a major 'food holiday'. and for us it was a family trip with tons and tons of good food and fun treats! oy!  im back home now and ready to get healthy!

monday: eat on the road or at the airport- we are on our way home!

tuesday: build your own tacos, taco salad (make double batch ground beef for soup thurs)

wednesday: turkey burgers with quinoa and roasted broccoli

thursday: taco soup

friday: home made pizza, veggie tray  (gonna make my personal pizza on a ww tortilla!)

saturday: veggie stir fry with chicken and quinoa

sunday: pasta night! with salad and homemade bread

what are you eating this week?