Taking time for me: my New Years resolution

Sponsored postBy Leanne, editor and founderHappy 2016It’s resolution time!

Do you make New Years resolutions? Every year I make a resolution that helps the family – whether it’s getting a big household project done, making room for growing kids, or taking more family trips. But, this year I’m doing something different. I’m doing something for myself.  Northgate Mall family pictureYou know how on airplanes they always tell you that in the event of an emergency you should take care of your life jacket or air mask first so you can then help others? As a mom, that has never resonated with me, and I’ve always wondered how I would feel in that situation actually putting on my mask or jacket before my kiddos. I think we can all agree that we would just prefer to not ever be in a situation that required an emergency supply of air or floating in an ocean waiting for rescue, right?

But, what if you use the same line of reasoning to survive the day-to-day tasks with three kiddos in tow? Maybe doing for yourself makes sense because it gives you more that you can then give to others. These days I need to give a lot, and I’m realizing I can’t care for the kids the way I would like if I’m not taking care of myself.

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Goodbye 2015, it’s been a great year

Sponsored postBy Tyler, editor and reviewer

2015 was a great year all around. Not just for the fact that I finally made that fireplace mantle I'd promised my wife years ago, or our amazing trips together up and down the West Coast as well as our big trip to the Caribbean and then over to Georgia. No, what made this year truly amazing was that we not only added our third {and likely final member} to our little family, and we also made huge strides towards getting healthy, together. FDSC00893
As you get older you really start to feel your age more. As I've become much more aware of the fact that I'm no longer in my twenties, I've found myself needing to pay a little more attention to personal upkeep. This is where
Jenny Craig came in.

You may remember that my wife and I did the Jenny Craig program together in late summer/early fall. But, what you may not know is that after finishing our review period with Jenny Craig, we decided to stick with it a little longer since we were both having such great success in the program.

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When less isn’t more

Sponsored postBy Leanne, editor and founder

We have all heard the adage that less is more. But what if less is sometimes just… Less. I've recently been pondering the idea that limiting certain things isn't the best method, and that has certainly rang true in the past few weeks.

As most of you know, we’ve been doing some big lifestyle changes these past few weeks in an effort to lose this baby weight and just get healthier. Even through multiple blog events, trips, and vacations, we’ve managed to lose weight each week and get closer to our goal, which is really exciting. FDSC00893So exciting that we were actually happy to return home and get back to our new healthy eating after our 10 day international trip where we were at the mercy of whatever foods we could find in airports, at resorts, and in brand new towns.

Don’t get me wrong, we had a great time eating new foods and indulging a bit, but we both breathed a sigh of relief when we were home and could resume our Jenny Craig foods. Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true. The foods we’ve been eating don’t feel like “diet foods”, they taste like real foods in the right portion sizes that help you have more energy and lose weight.

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Go on, ask me anything

Sponsored postBy Tyler, editor and reviewer

Now that I've been doing the Jenny Craig program for a while, I've reached a point where it's become obvious that I've made some changes in my lifestyle. People are asking questions about what I've done and when I say that change has been Jenny Craig, it just leads to even more questions.  WP_20151028_002So I thought I'd just put a bunch of the usual questions people want to know up along with my answers all in one place for everyone to see. So, here are the questions I get asked, starting with the most frequent.

FAQ about the Jenny Craig program

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Happy harvesting – Pay It Forward

Sponsored post By Leanne, editor and founder

This girl should have been born on a farm. She’s never more at home than when we’re planting, sowing, and harvesting. But, unfortunately for her, our small urban lot means that the bulk of our fall bounty can’t be planted in our backyard. 6a0105362badb1970b01b7c6f3afa0970b-800wiThank goodness for the kindness of neighbors and family as well as local u-pick farms that allow us all to get our farm life fill, without all the work of actually owning a farm. Because can you imagine me owning a farm? It would basically become one big honey-do list for hubby who is decidedly much more handy than I am, and a whole lot less squeamish.

But, I love that in our glimpses of farm life we are teaching our children the simple goodness of harvesting fruits and vegetables. There is something so beautiful about preparing foods you picked earlier that day and canning and freezing for later. And, there is something even more beautiful about watching your kids devour healthy foods they previously wouldn’t touch. 

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5 fall activities for families

Sponsored postBy Tyler, editor and reviewer

This week we say goodbye to summer and the freedom that comes from not having school to wake up for. From now until late spring we will be on an earlier schedule, packing lunches, and spending evenings doing homework and getting ready for the next day. There won’t be as much time for late evening walks once the sun starts setting earlier, and it's going to start getting too cold for shorts and t-shirts soon.

But, it’s not all bad because it’s also the week we officially say hello to fall. Oh fall, how we’ve missed you. As much as I enjoy spring and summer and all the adventures we go on during the warmer months, there is something really special about fall. Fall pictureBoots, falling leaves, scarves, sweaters, coffee, pumpkin everything, and crisp, cool nights are coming and I cannot wait. Another bonus? Being able to get outside and stay active without overheating. No more worrying about slathering on sunscreen numerous times for even tiny walks to the park, and no more staying in shade most of the day to avoid direct sun. Fall is the time when we can finally bring the kids outside and just a daily sunscreen does the trick.

Here are just a few ways we like to stay active on a beautiful fall day:

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Staying active as a family – 5 dad-approved activities

Sponsored postBy Tyler, editor and reviewer

We don’t get to a gym much these days. As much as I would love to blame gym prices or the fact that we don’t have much time for gym workouts, the truth is that we’re not really gym people. We want to be, we really do. But, we like to go new places and explore different areas around us too much to spend our free time in one room or running a specific path. Our gym now happens in backyards, on playgrounds, and at parks, for better or for worse.

Recently we’ve been taking advantage of all this gorgeous sunshine and warm weather to get outside with the kids as much as possible. But, all of this getting out and walking means that we’ve exhausted all the parks near us and our need to explore new places starts creeping in. There are only so many times I can stand on the edge of the neighborhood park or in our backyard and cheer them on while they show me that they can go down the slide… again. These two adults? We want to move and play, too.  Hubby and IClearly, our evening routine needed a shake-up if we’re going to get serious about getting healthier, so I took it upon myself to make up a list of games for the family that are fun for everyone and get us all moving.

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Raising kids: beating body issues and focusing on health

Sponsored postBy Leanne, editor and founder

Obesity is an epidemic these days. One look around the local park or school yard and it’s clear that it is affecting kids younger and younger these days. Every parent wants their kids to beat the odds and to not deal with weight issues at a young age, but there is a fine line you must walk so your child doesn’t develop body image issues.

So, what’s a parent to do? I first need to be as healthy as possible and maintain a healthy weight to set a good example. I need to model an active lifestyle that will encourage my children to get out and stay moving. And, finally, I need to not let them see me obsess about my weight… and especially not theirs.

There are some things on this list I feel like I’m doing a good job with, like discouraging laziness by limiting TV, tablets, and games that the kids zone out in front of. Instead we do lots of walking, biking, and we play lots of sports together. But, I also know there are some things on this list I do need to work on, and that is taking care of myself. Jenny Craig Before Picture 2Today my baby is already 7 months old {sniff, sniff}, and it’s time for both hubby and I to get back into the shape we were in before baby. We were talking the other day about making healthier food choices and staying active. We came to the decision that we need to do it now while the kids are young, and while we still feel young. But, we were careful not to say things like “diet” or “lose weight” around the kids. The focus is always health, not weight.

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