Mamavation Monday

Last week, ahhhh, I am just glad it is in the past. It wasn't a bad week just busy w/ VBS. I didn't get my workouts in because I was just plain exhausted, those kids can sure wear a girl out. I definitely know that I am not meant to have a bunch of kids. lol But it was fun and I am glad I was there to be w/ the little ones so their moms and dads could help the other VBSers. :D

I could have a million excuses for this week but I am not gonna bore you with the why and hows. I gained 1/2 a pound. I am not worried about it because I know that it is temporary and I know I ate well. I planned for not working out this week and made sure I was making good food choices since I knew getting to the gym was going to be tough. This week will be back in full workout mode so I am confident that 1/2 pound will be gone again soon.


Speaking of working out, I am SUPER excited about our special guest this week and blogging carnival is sponsor, Katy Bowman, and her Aligned and Well series. I have been very interested in body mechanics since college when a friend was double majoring in Nutrition (same as me) and Kineseology. If I hadn't been 2 semesters away from graduation and already had one kiddo I might have considered doing the double major too. She and I talked a lot about her major and I was (and still am) fascinated by the subject. I have been checking out Katy Bowman's website this weekend and I am very interested in what I see. I can't wait to check it out more. I am hoping to learn more about how to improve my running technique and learn how to help my over-pronated step and knee problems as well.

I also want to give a big shout out to Rita, for being Sista of the Week. The poor girl struggled after having her car stolen. I hope this honor brightened her week and put a smile on her face. Keep up the good work and keep your chin up sweetie!

I hope everyone is ready for a great week. I am!! If it starts out crappy remember that you are the only person who can change it, so make it a good week. :D

For My Lisa Zucchini recipes. :D

My Dear Friend Lisa has been dubbed the Vegetable Contessa over at Mamavation and as a salute to her new title I offer these tasty recipes. They sound really yummy to me but I must admit I haven't tried them yet. I wish I had kept the links but this time I didn't. I hope you enjoy. If you try them let me know how you like them and I will update the post when we make them.

Zucchini and Corn Salad
Recipe by: Susan Voisin
The fresh herbs really give the salad its pizzazz, so try to find some if you don’t grow your own.
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia (about 1/2 cup finely chopped)
1 pound zucchini (about 2 cups chopped)
1/2 medium red or green bell pepper (about 1/2 cup chopped), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1-2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1-2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
If the corn is frozen, put it into a colander and rinse thoroughly with cool water to begin defrosting. Drain well, and place the corn into a 2-quart or larger bowl. Add the other vegetables and the basil and oregano and mix well.
In a measuring cup or jar, combine the garlic, water, seasoned rice vinegar, and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and stir to coat well. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour or up to 2 days. The zucchini will release moisture as the salad marinates. Lift out salad with a slotted spoon to serve.

Zucchini Rice Bowl
Makes 1 very large bowl or 2 smaller bowls
Ingredients
• 1/2 T. canola oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, diced
• 1 large zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/3 cup shelled edamame, cooked
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1/2 T. low sodium soy sauce (or tamari / Bragg’s liquid amino acids)
• sea salt, ground pepper
Prep
Saute the onion and zucchini in the canola oil on medium-high heat until they are soft and bit brown. Turn the heat to low and add the peas, edamame, brown rice, and soy sauce. Stir the mixture together until everything is evenly distributed, sprinkle with salt/pepper to taste and serve.

Mamavation Monday July 19

Don't mind me if I keep this brief this week. I am wiped and today is only day one of VBS, 9 kiddos under 4 and 2 grown ups, not good odds. lol

Last week was a bad eating week for me, I don't really know why except I had a lot of residual stress from the week prior. Made bad choices and regretted them when I was making them but could stop myself most of the time. Except for the time when I was going to eat a big piece of leftover birthday cake but instead ate a couple bites and threw the rest out. I am proud of that moment.

Measurements this week:
waist 38 (down 1/2 an inch from last week)
hip 44
bust 38 (down an inch from last week
r arm 12.5
l arm 13
r thigh 26
l thigh 26.25

don't pay attention to the loss on here. Last week after I weighed in my power went out before it saved. So I am actually back up .5 lbs. Which honestly I expected it to be more. So not complaining.




Thank you to Chaquita for sponsoring this week Blogging Carnival. I personally am not a banana fan (its a texture thing) but my girls LOVE them and I like to bake with them. But Chaquita isn't just bananas you know, they have lots of great products.

Congrats to LORI!! @gutimom for being Sista of the Week. I have "known" Lori for a few years now thanks to world wide web and I think she is just plain awesome. I am glad others do too. Love you Lori!!

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut oil Review and GIVEAWAY

This Giveaway has been completed and the winner is #27.

July 20, 2010 2:29 PM
Rachel said...

I subscribed to their newsletter! I will contact Rachel by email.





I am so excited this is my first time hosting a giveaway and better yet it is a product that I have come to love and can't live without. I mean I love it so much I keep a spare unopened jar in my house all the time.

I started using coconut oil about 2 years ago for my dry skin. I started just using it as a lotion, rubbing it into my dry skin as a moisturizer. Then a friend told me she loves it, eats it all the time, sometimes just by the spoonful. I though, hmm, sure why not. And then she told me about Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil and I was hooked. I love the light coconut flavor. I love it on toast in the morning w/ a sprinkle of cinnamon. Then I started reading the recipes on the free coconut recipes blog and I started cooking with it. First I made granola then I used it to saute chicken for stir fry, sometimes I even use it to cook my eggs for breakfast. It is so easy to sub it for butter in baking especially when the butter needs to be softened. Then we got a dog from the humane society. She was covered in ticks and was a little puny after being spayed. I had read that it is safe for dogs so I gave her a little with her food. She loved it and it was one of the first foods I could get her to eat after coming home.
If you want to know more about coconut oil check out this video.
So when the opportunity came up for me to post a Tropical Tradition giveaway I was ecstatic I love tell others about this product and I am happy to give someone else a chance to try it. If you can't wait for the giveaway to end you can always go buy it yourself, right now they have it BOGO free. That is a sweet deal. Also if you decide to order and it is your first time ordering from Tropical Traditions you can get your own complimentary copy of our Virgin Coconut Oil book by taking part in our Referral Program. When you choose “Referred by a Friend” and enter my User ID: 5644129 on your first online order, the book will be automatically added to your order. Also note that I will receive some coupons as a Thank you for referring you to Tropical Traditions, and if you refer someone you will too.

Tropical Traditions did not compensate me or provide any products for this review and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway.

Now for the Giveaway details!! (I know this is what you are waiting for. This giveaway will run until July 22, 2010. I will use a random number system to draw the winning entry and will verify with Tropical Tradition that the main entry is part of their subscription list.

Main Entry:Subscribe to Tropical Traditions newsletter to receive emails about sales and specials.

Bonus Entries:

1. Go to the Tropical Tradition website and tell me one product you would like to try. (one entry)
2. Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter. (one entry)

3. Follow me on twitter. (one entry)

4. Check out the recipes http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.htm and tell me one you want to try. (one entry)

5.If you try a recipe and post a pic on twitter or your blog, link me to the pic for another entry. (one entry)

Remember this giveaway will end on July 22, 2010.

Summer Birthday girl

I love to make my kids birthday cakes. Am I good at it, depends on who you ask I guess but it is one of the few creative things I enjoy and I am forced to finish. HAHAHA If you saw the list of unfinished projects around my house you would totally understand. WE have had sand castle cakes, scuba diver cakes, dolphins, Dora, Littlest pet shops, etc. A few times I have actually purchased store bought ones and once let my mom's friend make my oldest a barbie doll cake, but I just feel guilty that I didn't make the cake myself. I like doing it.

So this year I saw on the cover of Woman's Day magazine a really cute summer cake I couldn't resist. It was a watermelon and perfect my 5 yo July birthday. What says summer better than a big ole slice of watermelon? right!




I was just happy to get a pic of her smiling. Just a couple hours later we went to the ER because she had been in pain all day with a tummy ache. Thankfully it wasn't anything serious. Glad she had a great birthday and I can't wait to see what the other girls will want their cakes to be in Oct and Nov. :D

Really Rockin' Now- Mamavation Monday

I feel like I am in a fog after this weekend so if I forget to post something important please remind me. lol

Why do I feel like I am in a fog, well mostly because my 5 yo DD spent most of the weekend scaring the crap out of me. She started complaining of a tummy ache Sat morning and by sat evening was running a slight fever and she was doubled over in pain. Saturday was also the day we had planned her birthday party, so during her party she spent most of the time on the couch watching everyone else, sat at the table long enough for us to sing happy birthday and pulled a few strings on her pinata. Every time quickly heading back to her spot on the couch. So after the quick party we headed to the ER. After several test and a recheck on Sunday the decided it was NOT appedicitis, must have been bad gas or constipation which she does have trouble with from time to time. (Sorry TMI there) So I am worn out from all the time at the hospital but VERY thankful it wasn't anything worse.

So back to me. I had another pretty good week. The weekend was a bust and I didn't get to eat that great but the picture tells the story.
I am down another pound. Sorry for the bad photography I told you I am tired and didn't feel like retaking it until I got a good one. I am down 8.5 lbs now.

Measurements on July 8 (sorry these aren't from today next week they will be done Sun or Mon)
Height 5'1"
Chest/bust 39
Waist 38.5" (measured in Jan at 41)
Hips 44
Thighs R 26" L 26.5"
Calves R 15.5" L 15.5"
Biceps R 13 L 12.5"


Sorry no front shot, I took it and apparently somewhere between my camera and my computer it got lost, and the one time I tell the camera to delete photos after transfer. next week.

My goals for this week.

More water. I have been slacking again. Kim and Lisa I need you two to stay on me this week. WEll any of you, but I know Kim and Lisa will give me lots of crap.

Keep up the gym schedule. I am getting in at least 2 times a week and doing cardio at home most other days. This week I had 5 days of cardio so I want to keep that pace.

And just keep watching what I am eating. This week wasn't terrible but wasn't great either. I mean Sat did include a birthday and I made the coolest watermelon shaped cake. Of course I ate a piece (small) and Sun my mom bought a pie that sounded too good to resist (Apple/Strawberry/Raspberry) so I had a very small slice. Because of our ER trip Sat I ate a very late but light dinner at 10 pm. I don't normally but I was really hungry after not eating since around 3 that after noon.

But hey I LOST ANOTHER POUND. So I am not complaining.

I can't wait to tweet with you all this evening and find out who will be our next Mamavation Mom. Our Twitter party is bound to be fab!! I am ready for it. Congrats again to the 5 finalist, I can't wait to see who wins it.

Congrats also to Shannon Hamilton (@Trulove821) for being picked as this week Sista of the week. I have enjoyed getting to know you recently and look forward to getting to know you more.

Thanks everyone for always having such kind and encouraging words. I really appreciate it. Last week was a tough one for me w/ my kids visiting their dad and some of you really stepped up and gave some virtual hugs when I had tough days. Thanks! I love you all for it.

Julie

Mamavation Monday

It has been a great week. My 5k was awesome even if I came in last with 3 other ladies. I finished in less than an hour and that was my goal. I can only get better from here.

And I am proud to announce that I am down another pound this week. That brings me to 7 lbs down since joining Mamavation. Here is the proof. I know it isn't my toes but I always weigh in on the Wii and I want to stay consistant with that. If that isn't ok then I guess that is just tough cookies.

My goals this week are to just keep it up. I am doing good w/ my water and eating well. I can do better and I hope I do. I plan to get to the gym several times a week and keep moving forward. Oh and I am considering (but not sure) signing up for an 8k Pink Run that is planned for Oct 30. I will keep you posted on what I decided on that.

Congrats to @MMScarlett our Sista of the week!! I have enjoyed getting to know Scarlett and encouraging her to quit smoking and living healthier. She has fought hard to do it and I am proud of her for her efforts. You totally deserve it.

This week's blogging carnival is sponsored by @BSkinz. BSkinz is a fitness line for women full of patterned and colorful compression wear. The winner of this week's blogging carnival will get a bottom and sports bra of their choosing.

Thanks to everyone who supported me in my effort to be one of the next Mamavation Moms. I know I don't have a big name blog and press like many of the others so I knew my chances were slim. But I hope you all can already tell that this was just a spring board for me to push me harder in the direction I need to go. I have learned over the years that I am the only person who is gonna truly be there for me when the going gets tough. This campaign reminded me of that and I am one of those types that like to prove myself stronger than most give me credit for. My stubborn streak is a mile wide. You will see me get my goals even if no one knows my name or really gives a whoot that I do. Support or not I will succeed.