Blog 365 // Day 1 // Happy New Year!

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NewYears2015_2214

Happy New Year!

I don’t know if it’s just me but I feel like this is going to be a good year. I’m starting this year off with a very ambitious goal of blogging everyday this year. I am planning on WILL BE doing daily blog posts to share with you bits of my daily life.I had initially planned to do a high and low of the day but thought better of it and will just be sharing bits of the day and at least one photo. I know this is a huge task to take on but I am excited to start so here we go! 

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We kicked the New Year off with a wild party and by wild I mean eight adults, three toddlers, two babies and one on the way. We kept things pretty low key and did a little potluck with friends. We served up sparkling wine, beer, and sparkling sodas along with big bowls of customized stir fry noodle bowls. The kids played, the adults chatted and we were all on our way home to bed by 7:55pm. Wild night, eh?

We initially were going to host the party but I have to say I am so thankful that our friends offered to host at their new home because after hosting a brunch and a Christmas dinner last week and then heading to the coast for an early birthday celebration for Neil I was exhausted. Bonus we got to see their beautiful new house and oh how I am now dying to buy our own house but alas we will have to wait.  

I’m adding save to buy a house by the end of 2018 on my goal list which I will be posting in the new few days. For now however we will continue to rent and work on getting ourselves fully settled into our townhouse. That being said we are actively working towards a more minimalist lifestyle and today kicked off clean house 2015. Side note how do we have so much stuff????? I feel like all we do is get rid of things and suddenly we have more. Please tell me I’m not the only one who experiences this. 

Goals for the day: clean the playroom, clean the upstairs bathrooms and wash & put away two loads of laundry. 

Eats of the day: Noodle bowls (because we just can’t get enough). 

Quote of the day: There are far better things ahead than we leave behind – C.S. Lewis

Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

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stocking

STRONG & KIND Bars: These are the perfect stocking stuffer for the person who is really into savory foods or for someone who loves a sweet and salty combination. We received a box of these bars to try (thank you KIND) and I have been loving (most) of them. These bars include pea protein making them a great protein source and they also have all 9 essential amino acids. Oh and they taste great. My favorite flavors are honey mustard and honey smoked BBQ. I also liked the hickory and jalapeno but the Thai chili just wasn’t for me. 

Eat Nakd Bars: Of course if I included a savory bar I felt like it was in order to also feature a sweet bar as well. I first came across these bars on Instagram and had to try them. After trying most of the flavors the rhubarb & custard is my absolute favorite. These bars are made from raw fruits and nuts and are gluten and wheat free and vegan! Most only have 3 total ingredients. P.S. I’ll have a giveaway for these bars soon so stay tuned to learn how you can win your own box. 

eos Lip Balm: Seriously one of my favorite lip balms. They are moisturizing and they come in great flavors and who doesn’t love the round shape? I found this set on Amazon and the great part is that you can break the package up and include them a few stockings. 

Dream Zone Sleep Mask: There is not a night that goes by that I don’t use a sleep mask. I became addicted to them when my friend Laura made me one for Christmas many years ago and now I can’t sleep without one. I actually received this exact mask last year in my stocking from Neil. 

Weleda Indulgent Body Lotion Kit: I love to have little travel sized lotions to throw into my purse especially in the winter. This pack has four different lotions all mosturizing and all with their own benefits. Again this is another great kit to buy and distribute among a few stockings. 

Bombas Socks: I know socks are kind of boring but we all wear socks or at least most of us do so they are perfect for a stocking. Plus these socks are awesome! Super comfy and supportive and the perfect gift for him or her. 

Disclaimer: This post is NOT sponsored. There are a few affiliate links include. 

Learning to Commit to Myself

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Random photo for fun

Random photo for fun


I have a problem with following through with things. Not all things rather goals or challenges I set up for myself. I just can’t commit to myself .I don’t know what it is but when it comes to committing to myself I start a task and tend to lose steam about 25% of the way in and by the half way point I give up. At least I can say that I follow through 90% of the time (hey I’m only human) to commitments that I have to others.    

I finally came to terms with this a few months ago and have been making an honest effort to follow through. The first challenge I had for myself was my DietBet* challenge. I did this because I wanted to get myself back on a healthy path. I knew I couldn’t lose the 4% body weight  healthfully while nursing but I did know that I could get myself into a better place and I did it. I followed through and while I didn’t see a big drop in the numbers I did in the way clothes fit.

My second challenge to myself has been to participate in the #Elf4Health challenge this month. I love having the connection with other participants and my own elf and I have committed to giving daily updates on my Facebook page regarding each of the tasks. This has been such a great challenge to participate in and I’m so glad I opted in and have followed through. I have made more time for myself, focused more directly on my health and fitness and have made connections with others. This challenge is not over but with only a few days left I can say that I already know that this is a success.

My third challenge is one that I did because Neil decided he wanted to do a juice til 4 cleanse. Now I did not juice til 4 with him due to the negative side effects that a cleanse can have while nursing but I did agree to challenge myself to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables I ate and have no coffee, gluten, processed foods, or alcohol for four days with him. I did it! But even more notable is that HE DID IT! My husband spent the last 4 days doing a juice til 4 cleanse and I have never been so proud of him, okay maybe I have but still this is huge, if you know my husband you might know his will power to pass up free treats is low and he is notorious for being one of those “well I worked out so..” type do people and yet he did his. 100% committed did it. He feels great, isn’t craving the crap that he was and just overall is feeling like the restart button has been pushed. I feel better too and just like him cut the cravings for processed food and sweets. 

What Have I Learned? Committing to myself feels good. I have been feeling successful and healthier both mentally and physically. That being said I am thinking that monthly challenges for myself might be a good thing to try. I have done this in the past and they have helped me out a lot but I also have learned that I do this better when I can do it with others. So that being said who wants to take on some monthly challenges with me? I am thinking starting January doing a monthly health or fitness challenge would be fun. I know that incentives help so I am thinking a giveaway at the end of each challenge for those who finish a challenge might be a fun addition. That being said who is interested and what kinds of challenges would you want to participate in? 

*For full disclosure I made $0 off the entire game after deducting Neil’s entry into the game. 

FitFluential | Saucony Triumph ISO-Series

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The following guest post is by my hubby Neil. 

Disclaimer: As part of a FitFluential campaign, my hubby Neil received a pair of Saucony ISO-Series Triumph, in exchange for his honest review. The opinions shared are his own.

Before moving to Portland, I would surely have called myself an avid runner. It seemed I was always training for a different race, tailoring my workouts and strength training to compliment running and getting in my miles whenever I could. Things started to slow down a bit when Edith was born, but I was still running. I finished my 2nd half marathon of the year after she was born (the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Montreal) as well as a number of 5k and 10k races as part of my training.

race

I started to lose my way a bit once we moved to Portland. I was working a less flexible job that didn’t allow for as many runs during the day and with no shower, we were spending a lot of time exploring the city and I didn’t have any running partners any more. My training started to fall off and I ran the worst of my 3 half marathons last October. Lately, I’ve had the itch to start running regularly again and to really take it seriously again. When Lindsay asked me if I wanted the opportunity to try out the new Saucony ISO-Series Triumph, I jumped at it!

Triumph_Men_Lateral

Until now, I’ve jumped around from shoe to shoe and hadn’t been able to settle on one that was right for me. A neutral, cushioned shoe has always been what I’ve found works best for me and the Triumph fits that bill. As soon as I put the Triumph on, I knew I was going to love them. The new PWRGRID+ cushioning technology made for a really comfortable ride and minimized the stress on my knees and legs that I’ve experienced with other shoes. Despite the cushioning, the shoe was incredibly light and responsive. The inner sock on the shoe provided a lot of great stability while running as well. The shoes felt great on the runs I took them on, both on the road and the treadmill. I felt fast and my legs didn’t feel like they had taken the same pounding that they did in some of the other shoes I’ve tried that were a similar weight, but less cushioned.

Triumph_Men_Outsole

I’m really looking forward to running many more miles in the Saucony Triumphs as I make my way through the next step in my training and fitness journey. Now on to finding a new race to run! Also don’t forget to check out my WOAH face over on Lindsay’s Instagram account! $55kneilandedith

Blog 365 Days – 2015| Highs & Lows

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brown suga

I have been thinking for awhile about daily blogging. While I know I don’t have the time in my day to write out long blog posts everyday but I do have time to jot a few things down to share with you. For 2015 I am challenging myself to blog 365 days. Yes everyday for an entire year. These daily blog posts will feature a high and a low for the day and a photo. I am also challenging myself to take a photo everyday so that I can a. document life and b. improve my photography skills (or lack there of). I haven’t committed (or discussed this with Neil yet) but I am hoping to also do blog 365 days over on Naturally Family with parenting highs and lows for each day. 

These blog 365 day posts will be in addition to the regular posts you see now (food, fitness, lifestyle). So here it is goal one of the new year and I am excited to take it on! Anyone interested in joining me? 

RECIPE | Collard Green Sukiyaki from Eat Clean Live Well

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COVER
I have been in love with Terry Walters new book Eat Clean Live Well. As you might have seen it made my Gifts For Foodies list and it did for good reason because it is filled with so many healthy and delicious recipes. I have made a number of the Fall seasonal recipes and while I enjoyed all that I have tried so far my favorite recipe was the Collard Green Sukiyaki. This recipe is so good but if your like me and like broth-y noodles I recommend doubling the broth.
Collard Green Sukiyaki

Collard Green Sukiyaki with Buckwheat Noodles
Serves 4
THE FIRST TIME I MADE THIS SUKIYAKI, it barely made it off the stove. Ever since, I’ve served it in the skillet and let everyone fill a bowl with their favorite combination of veggies and noodles. There’s never even a noodle left behind.
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Ingredients
  1. 2 1⁄2 cups water
  2. 2 dried shiitake mushrooms, broken into pieces
  3. 2 strips kombu
  4. 1⁄4 cup tamari
  5. 1⁄4 cup mirin
  6. 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  7. 8 ounces 100% buckwheat noodles (soba)
  8. 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  9. 1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
  10. 8 whole collard leaves
  11. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  12. 1⁄2 cup red onion wedges
  13. 1⁄2 cup julienned carrot
  14. 1⁄2 cup julienned daikon
  15. 1⁄4 pound maitake mushrooms (or variety of choice), broken up
  16. 1⁄4 cup water
Instructions
  1. In small pot, combine water, shiitake mushrooms and kombu. Bring to boil and press down on mushrooms and kombu so they stay submerged. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Scoop out and discard solids and stir in tamari, mirin and maple syrup. Simmer 5 minutes longer, remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Cook noodles according to directions on package. Drain and set aside. In small skillet, toast sesame seeds until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from heat, transfer to mortar and add sea salt. Grind with pestle until seeds are half broken and mixture is well blended. Set aside.
  3. Cut stems out of collard greens and stack leaves so they’re all facing the same direction. Roll from one side to the other to form a log and cut crosswise into 1⁄4-inch ribbons.
  4. Heat large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Visually divide skillet into five pie slices and place one vegetable in each area—collard greens, onion, carrot, daikon and maitake mushrooms. Sauté 2 minutes pushing ingredients gently with a wooden spoon so that they don’t stick but stay roughly in their defined area. Add water and simmer vegetables until collards are wilted (about 1 minute longer). Push ingredients closer to edge of pan and transfer cooked noodles to center of skillet. Reheat shiitake-kombu stock and pour over noodles and vegetables.
  5. Sprinkle with sesame blend and serve.
Notes
  1. Reprinted with permission from Eat Clean Live Well © 2014 by Terry Walters, Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Julie Bidwell
Naturally Lindsay https://www.naturallylindsay.com/
Reprinted with permission from Eat Clean Live Well © 2014 by Terry Walters, Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Julie Bidwell