New things still happening :)

So I'm pretty excited about some first's that will be happening this year!! :)

The first being the Easter bunny hop 1k race where Owen (my 3yr) will be doing his first race, so the whole Van Awesome crew will be out there running this year.....with our bunny ears and tails on of course :)

And another first that just came up this week, my husband will be running the Moon in June race this year!!! His FIRST race too! So awesome :D

He had said to me last year after our 4hr RockStar Adventure race that for this year he wanted to work on his running so that we could move through the trails faster. So from my experience I find that having some kind of goal to get moving (like a race) really helps me to stay motivated to keep moving....so I suggested the Moon in June race to my hubby to do. It's far enough away to get in some time to train and it's only a month before the adventure race AND the Warrior Dash race that we are doing which will get him in good cardio conditioning for that too. Plus with the hour going ahead this week there will be more light in the evenings to run in. I told him that we could carve out some time in the week for him to run too. So 2x a week, once in the week and once on the weekend....he was all for it because....wait for it.....he's awesome!!!! xoxoxoxoxoxxo

So tonight was his first run and he learned the first rule of a runner when you commit to run at a certain day, you run on that day.....no matter the weather ha ha!.....so being a good sport and wanting to be supportive we did a tag team run and I went out to run first ( I don't run in the dark) while he stayed in with the kids then he went out and I stayed in with the kids.

I must say that I am pretty impressed with him cause it was cold out and VERY windy...not really the best condition for a first time runner....but he went anyway :).....the only thing he said about the run was that the cold air was hard on this lungs and that he did have to stop and walk a few times ( he did almost 3k). I said, "Well you have to start some where"......"Yup that's right!" he replied. I was thinking of saying 'It's all up hill from here!' but running up hill is not fun! LOL!


This is hubby coming in from his run :)

So I'm really looking forward to running the 1k Moon in June race with all the boys and then running the 5k with my husband (I told him I would stick with him walking/running what ever, all the way to the finish line).....really excited to hear the boys cheer on there Papa in a race :)........................LOOK OUT!!! MR & MRS VAN AWESOME COMING THROUGH!!!!!! OHHHHHH we should get matching shirts!! LOL!!!





'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


*ive
*ove
*augh
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Recipe'o the month ~ Double chocolate brownies mmm mmm

Ok so the ROM (recipe'o the month) for Feb is going with the Valentines day theme, Double Chocolate Brownies mmm mmmm. So just because a 'holiday' comes along doesn't mean that we can't have some fun. But keeping with a lifestyle of health I now look around for other options during these festive times :)

For example for Valentines I like to always send a few close girlfriends a little something. But instead of sending chocolates I sent 3 of them a card with a chocolate face mask inside the card. Still going along with the chocolate theme but not polluting their bodies with it :).....then while making these brownies I got the idea to drop off a treat for 2 more girlfriends.

So although this recipe says to put the brownies in a flat pan, I instead used a mini muffin tray and made my own two bite brownies :-D A cute Valentines day box from the dollar store and VOLIA!!!






Double Chocolate Brownies

Need:
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup butter melted
1 egg
2tsp Vanilla
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips


To do:
Mix everything together and bake at 350 for 25min


I got this recipe from Jillian Michaels book 'Master your Metabolism cookbook'

86 calories a serving
makes 16 (2-inch) brownies












'Live in YOUR Awesome'


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No shame in it....

So a recent experience with a client has had me reflecting on some things....

I had a client the other day that had to stop and rest while she was working out. She seemed to be sad and disappointed about having the do that. I said to her at that point, " There's no shame in having to stop and rest you know. I would think that there's only shame in not going back at it once you've rested"

I run into this a lot with my clients (and I can only relate). Having ideas and expectations on what we 'should' be able to do and what we 'have' done in the past and where we 'should' be at right now...........

I ran into this problem when I first got really sick with strep in the fall of 2010 (my first year out there training) and when I went to get back to it I had to build my strength back up....this was my first experience where I had something to compare to....how I 'use' to be and what I 'was' able to do and how I 'couldn't' do that anymore. It was hard and a real inner personal journey for me on acceptance.

I continue with this since in my first year I trained like a crazy woman out of fear that I would 'fall off the healthy kick wagon' Plus I was having more fun then I have had in a long time....but by the end of the year I looked up and realized that I hadn't been around for some of my friends and family. So I decided that I would take a more balanced approach and be sure to bring my family along with me and set some time aside for friends. Which is what I did, but this ment that I wasn't training as hard, which means I'm not as fast as I 'was' or as strong as I 'was'. This is when that little voice would start to pop up and compare how I 'was' to what I was 'able' to do right now..........


........I 'like' the P90X page on Facebook and one day they posted a quote by Tony Horton (the P90X trainer) that really helped me to change my mind set about all this.


"Do your best and forget the rest-show up and be okay with how you are doing right now, rather than compare yourself to the previous time. The place and headspace you are in right now are all you have. Why would you want to ruin it by comparing it to something else?"


So every time I start to hear that little voice of 'should' 'did' 'can't'........I just say, " Gail why do you want to ruin THIS awesome moment with that? Just enjoy what you ARE doing!"








'Live in YOUR Awesome!'



*ive
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Picture is worth.....

So I use Facebook as a great resource! Recently I have 'liked' the page MotivateHopeStrength and I am loving some of the picture that they are posting, so I thought I would share a few with you....well a lot really cause there are so many and I finally had to stop downloading them and cap it for this post! LOL!!

So first is this one:



This makes me think of how awesome I feel and the difference on my insides that getting off my butt has made for me.




This one reminds me of the start when it felt like I had to 'give up' things I ate before. When instead I was just now choosing health. It also makes me think about how some of my friends would not understand or put me down when I didn't want to eat or drink the same things as them anymore and they seem to have a hard time with that.....I think that they thought I was judging them for eating the food...I wasn't and didn't care, but I just didn't want to put that type of food into my body after working so hard to be healthy.




This helps me to remember how unhealthy I had gotten and YES it was to save my life. Not just so I didn't die sooner but so there was life in the living that I did. That's why the lovers and the haters can say and do what they want. I feel awesome in my own skin and head and that's what I get to live with 24/7 now :)




LOL!!! This one is SO true. Before I was always looking for the right time, weather, workout clothes etc. This time I didn't think of any of that and just up and got moving with no mind to what OR wasn't going on.....Nike is right! JUST DO IT!




LOVE LOVE LOVE this and I can relate to it too. I just keep moving each day for an hour and then it became a habit and then the habit took over and changed me :)



This is SO true! Before I would just try and do the same things stopping when it got hard or scary or if I was unsure. But it wasn't until I went outside my comfort zone, said "F U!" to the fear that things changed for me....and then they got awesome!!! LOL! ;)



This one just makes me LOL! Because it's kinda true LOL!!!



Word to the Mama's. I have had people ask me how can you spend so much time away from your family doing this? All I have to say to that is...." I go for a run or a class for an hour and I return a better Mom for them and person for me....so we all win!"



I think that this one is my favourite. I have even printed it out and have it on my wall in the front hallway where Nicholas's and my medals are hanging :)




And here are a bunch others that I really liked too :)












'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

Jump into fun!!

Ok so I found out about this new place off of Momstown called Sky Zone. It looked way fun so I took the boys to it today as it was a P.A day for my big guy..

LOVED IT!!!!!! So fun to jump around and we pretty much stayed at the foam pit the whole time. My little guy took a little bit to warm up to it but my big guy jumped in head first!

I was one of 3 adults that were the only ones jumping with the kids. Another one was my friend I came with (and his little girl) and another Dad as well....so pretty much I was the only Mom out there jumping WTH!!!

But you know what this is the whole reason that got me on this journey of health ,to not be a side line Mom and be right there beside the boys doing stuff with them.

The place also offers Skyrobics!!! How AWESOME does that sound! AND the first class is only $5, and then $10 after that....I'll let you know how that goes :-)


But it was WAY fun being able to do something SO fun and active with the boys. They had all the energy that was needed to do this and I found out that 1hr of jumping = one quite ride in the van and one boy falling asleep on the way home! LOL!

Wooo Hooo! Great way to live in your awesome!!! ;-)


Here's me jumping!!!!

Here's me hitting the foam pit ( My big guy wanted me to do a star jump)



'Live in YOUR Awesome!'

*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

WTK!!!! - Recipe'o the month!

WHAT THE KALE!!?? LOL!


Ok so last year I tried out Thankful Thurs...this year I am going to do 'Recipe'o the month'. I LOVE looking through health magazines or healthy cooking books and looking for new, healthy, tasty food...cause I still DO love to eat :P

When I do the first 6 week sessions with a new client I bring new recipes to them as well BUT I am also trying new ones along the way and sometimes my clients share new recipes they have come across....so let's share the love!!!

Now I do have a few 'rules' that I have involving new recipes....mostly if it has an ingredient that I have no idea what it is or where to find it..it's out! Now I have on occasion 'googled' the item to learn about it and see if I could find a place that I am able to get it....but most of the time I don't have time for that.


Ok so a client gave me a recipe for warm Kale salad she said it was really easy to make, tasted great and even hubby liked it. Plus I have heard that Kale is SO good for you.......but just never knew what to do with it.......so she e-mailed me the recipe and I bought the Kale.......

....now I do remember another friend on Facebook saying that she had made some Kale chips....so I asked her for the recipe. That one was SO easy and had 3 ingredients ...so that's the one I tried....don't worry Heather I will try yours next time. ;)



So here you go~ Kale chips:

One bunch of Kale
Olive Oil
Sea salt

Ripe off all the leaves of the Kale and put them in a bowl, drizzle a bit of oil over them and pour in your hand a bit of sea salt (not too much) sprinkle over the Kale. Now mix it all with your hands and wilt the Kale a bit....it will turn a dark green.

Lay out the leaves on a flat pan, do not layer. Bake on 200 for 30min


* FYI in this picture is about less then half of what I made. I was eating it so fast and realized I should take a picture for the blog! LOL*

They are really good. My kids even tried them and said it tasted like popcorn!! I ate the first batch to myself LOL!!!!

SO easy! So yummy!....enjoy!

Please feel free to send my any recipes that you think are awesome, yummy AND healthy. I'll be looking all year long for a recipe each month. Send it to livelovelaugh3@hotmail.com with the subject 'Try my food!'

Looking forward to see what comes from this new challenge :P






'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


*ive
*ove
*augh!
*******

It's sign up season!

Ok so at the start of the year I have a look at what races we are going to do this year and check to make sure the dates don't conflict, budget for them and am sure to sign up for them in time to get the 'gift' they give away for the early bird sign ups and to pay the lowest price :)

Now with my races AND my 5yrs races AND the team races hubby is doing with me, it needs to be planned out. My new goal this year is to do two Triathlons...one at the start of the summer and one at the end. The only thing I am worried about with that is that the first Tri of the season is a co-ed one and I haven't done a Tri with men before (little worried about getting pummelled in the water! ) AND I don't have a wet suit brrrrrrr! :Z

So here are the races I have set out for us so far...I attached the links in case YOU want to sign up and I'll see you out there!!! :-D


The race that kicks off the race season for our family is:

April 6- Good Friday race ( kids bunny hop 1K & I do the 5K) AND!!!!! my 3yr is signed up to do the bunny hop too!...it's his first race! OMG! OMG!!! SO exciting! :-D And we dress up with our bunny ears and tail :)


June 2 - Moon in June (this is the first race we ever did back in 2010. We will all run the 1K and then I will run the 10k after)
June 24 - Kids Triathlon (my 5yr will do this)



July 21- Warrior Dash (Hubby and I will be doing this together, it's the first time for both of us!)
July 28- THE NEXT WEEKEND!!!! 4hr RockStar Adventure race!! (this will be hubby and I as team 'VanAwesome'. Our 2nd year)


Sept 2- Woman's Triathlon (will be training through the summer with Mommy's/Babe's in Motion for this)
Sept 23 - Island Girl race (this is the race I will do my Half Marathon in)


Oct 12- Trek or Treat (this is the race that ends the race season for our family (the family does the 'Creepy Mile' with our costumes on, then I run the 5k OR 10k after) really fun night race :)



'Live in YOUR Awesome!!'


*ive
*ove
*augh!
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