Discover Your Nutritional Style: Book Review!!

Discover Your Nutritional Style: 

Your Seasonal Plan to a Healthy, Happy & Delicious Life

Order your copy today! Use Code: CHOICES for 20% off!

I'm in awe..

In a few years everyone is going to know Holli Thompson's name. You cannot possibly read her book and not fall instantly in love. She is highly relatable and her concepts are smart and simple. One of the reasons I started this blog was to share the most amazing things I came across and want to share with all of you. This book is one of those things!!

I think of Holli as my kindred spirit - although she'll describe her path to good nutritional style as a story of raw medical issues and undiscovered intolerances, mine was more of a personal choice to discover better nutrition when I got pregnant with my first child. I didn't grow up with the knowledge of why we eat food, and how it all works together (if chosen wisely).. Holli's book makes me smile because its all I've ever wanted to share with others and yet her extensive knowledge on the topic peaks in my core to learn more. I could not put this book down!

Throughout her book she describes eating for the seasons - seasonal produce which would mean organic and in season to fuel your soul (and tummy, of course). In her seasonal descriptions she made me want to ride a bike in the Spring, wander in fields all Summer, make soup in the Fall and cozy up under a blanket in the Winter. Each season provides us with nature and nutritional leads we can take advantage of if we so choose. The bounty of fruits & vegetables available each season should be your eating guide. I never really thought of that before. Yes, of course I always take advantage of whats in season, but we certainly have our staples. Holli is right, if its not in season and it comes from miles away...is it really still that nutritious for us. The answer is no, not really.

Holli also uses the word "choice" often in her book, which I love for obvious reasons. She reminds you all the way through her Nutritional Style coaching that it ultimately is your choice as to what you eat, how you move, and how you approach this. She is here to guide you all the way through if you allow her...but that is a choice you have to make! Her excitement about food is something I can relate to - from planning my daily meals to searching for new recipes on Pinterest. I can't get enough. She takes you on a year-round journey of health. Even through the dreaded holiday season.

Her Holiday Recovery section will have you encouraged and ready to conquer December gatherings like a true champion...no more winter blues and seasonal depression. You'll take her words of advice and use them as motivation at your next holiday party!

My Review: Must have book of the season! Nutritional Bible, easy read, deliciously descriptive. Not a tell all, but more of a how to. Fall in love with Holli. She'll become your food friend and guide without ever having to leave your home. This book will change you life for the better. I can't wait to share it with my friends and family...you will love her just as much as I do!

Pre-Order Today! Enter Code: CHOICES for 20% Off

No gimmicks, no fads, no diet, just simple eating from the Earth and she'll teach you how Mother Nature is our guide and how to listen to our own bodies. No two digestion systems are alike - we all need to take care of ourselves. For a sweet-tooth like me her Banana Nut Ice Cream recipe is insane and her Famous Creamy Cauliflower Soup is going to be a staple on my dinner table this Fall.

She teaches you about herbs and not only how yummy they can be,but also helpful in fighting diseases and inflammation. And you don't have to be diagnosed with arthritis to have inflammation...most people don't even know they have it until they start taking care of it. I would like to move away from the over the counter anti-inflammatories and aspirins and focus more on proactively taking care of our systems from the inside out.

She gives you recipe ideas, meal plans for your nutritional style, and even all natural beauty regimes you'll want to try!

Letters to My Daughters: Strong is the New Skinny

I'd love to remove the word skinny from a female's vocabulary. Unfortunately, its become an obsession for many and not a healthy way of seeing yourself. I firmly believe in living through example...I love to exercise, eat healthy, grocery shop and cook. But I also love to sip wine, bake, and snuggle in bed on lazy Sunday mornings. I want to be strong (mentally & physically) and healthy, not skinny and hungry. These simple notes are what I want my girls (and boy) to look at when they see me. A mom who cares not only about her kids and family, but herself too. It took me a good 4 years into mommyhood to join a gym b/c I felt guilty. I didn't want to leave my child with someone else, that was my job (or so I thought). I went for many walks and would get up very early the the a.m. to go running with my oldest daughter in tow...but 4 good years for me to accept the fact that is was ok for me to put myself somewhere near the top of the totem poll of importance. Once I did, I felt a sense of empowerment - not being at home all day in yoga pants and spit up on my shoulder. It allowed me to have a purpose to leave the house each day (Lets be honest, staying at home full time sometimes makes you feel like a prisoner in your own home) and feel like I was accomplishing a goal I set out of myself. I craved the strength in my mind & body to make sure I was allowing myself the time to be a better mother, wife and friend.

After having my third baby and realizing my alone time was becoming more precious, I signed up for a 1/2 marathon last Spring - a goal I always wanted to accomplish and knew if I set my mind to it I could do it (I signed up for my 2nd this Fall). It took some time away from my kids, but important time they were then able to spend with dad and see their mom working hard towards something that meant so much. They cheered me on and even wanted to wear my medal I received. It was a good time for me to choose to accomplish a goal and now I'm able to take a bit of a break while life leads me. I still run almost everyday, but I know more now its for my mind than my body.

I want my girls to strive to be strong and healthy. Play sports for fun, get outside and explore the neighborhood. Ride bikes, play tag, swim, hide & seek, you name it. All of these things give you strength, confidence, healthy laughter and most important time with your loved ones. That is what matters in the end. I have a quote which I love that says "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away". A good reminder as parents to sit back sometimes and just take it all in. Watch them play and see how they live. Its in those moments that we allow ourselves to be in the present - and happy.

Grace's Summer Mission: BoxTops for Education

As you all already know I am so super proud of all my kids, but especially my daughter Grace right now. When the school year ended we had to come up with a summer plan. Not so much as to fill our days, but more so to see what kinds of activities and goals we wanted to achieve before the end of August. We wrote down a few things...here is Grace's Summer To Do List!

In case you're having trouble making out her list she made in school, here is goes:

1. Go to the pool (ok, doable)
2. Read 1 or 2 books (better be more than that)
3. Maybe get a tan (um, sunscreen please)
4. Go on snap chat and facebook (she has no clue what those are)
5. Have a sleepover (too young)
6. Get a many/pedy (manicure/pedicure...we'll see)
7. and say hi to your teacher (of course!)

She definitely is funny and certainly knows what she wants, but one of the things we came up together (other than get a tan) was simple - Box Tops for Education! Its something that most, if not all schools participate in and its super easy. Collect as many (or as little) Box Tops from participating company's products as you can. Each Box Top equals $.10 for your school. Every little bit counts! Cut them out and give them to your school. Its FREE money for your school for all kinds of fun stuff - check out their website!!

Grace set a goal of collecting 1,000 Box Tops. Although a seemingly out of reach number...we thought, "why not?". Together, we sent out an email to all of our family & friends asking that they keep an eye out for any Box Top products that they might already have in their kitchen and just cut them out and send them to us. Along the way Grace gets to receive mail from her friends & family throughout the summer and keeping her accountable for a goal she set out to achieve.

We are in our last week of summer and she has collected over 300 Box Tops. This is an ongoing fundraiser for her school so we wont stop there, but now we have our family & friends keeping an eye out for products they may have passed over previously. Hunt around your fridge and pantry - you may have FREE money lying around and not even know it! Thank you to all of those who participated and made a mama very proud.

Happy Hunting!

Mommy Lifesaver: Mom Agenda Calendar

Hi Everybody!!!

Let the 7 day countdown to school begin...yay!

So I posted a picture on my Instagram a week ago and I've been getting inquiries ever since. I posted a picture of my MomAgenda Calendar I use for the school year. Yes, I have an iPhone, but I'm a little old school when it comes to paper calendars. I have a bit of an organization obsession and these date calendars fill every void I need to helping me clearly organize my family's activities throughout the year. It breaks down my month and week, as well as having line items for each member of your family (including your husband) and a space for whats for dinner that evening!

MomAgenda Home Office Edition

A calendar after my own heart (see My Meal Calendar), I was introduced to it just after my first baby was born. I've been using them every since and as low as $32/calendar, its worth every penny to keep me sane. I'm a visual person so instead of having to grab my phone and jot down a "to do" one day at a time, I can open my gorgeous Mom Agenda Calendar and see what I have going on that whole week!

Since posting, I've already had many people say they've already ordered one! You won't regret it...and please feel free to share the love of family organization and tell your fellow moms. We're trying to make this crazy world an easier place to navigate one tip & trick at a time!

Enter your email address on momagenda.com and receive 10% off your first order. Cheers to an organized and successful school year!

Mommy Lifesaver: Momme Meals "Go Chews"

Yay! So exciting....

Here is a BRAND NEW Mommy Lifesaver I wish I had had back in pregnancy, nursing, new mama stage! They're called Go Chews and they just arrived on my doorstep from a dear friend asking me to check them out. I have to say it was love at first bite! Coming off a new mama visit myself of a girlfriend who just had her first baby I only wish I had these in hand to let her have at 'em. They're delicious!

momme meals: http://mommemeals.com/

When approached with the idea of being a food taster for the better of all mommy's out there I sure wasn't going to pass that up - I'm not too picky. And although not too picky when it comes to food - I want good food, fresh food, tasty food, satisfying food. Satisfying being the most important because as any mama out there would say, we are never sitting down, always on the go and needing something to starve off cravings while driving carpool, running errands, etc. These bite size chews are a new (and healthier) take on a granola bar or lara bar type food. Their ingredients are simple and whole, organic and local. Providing essential vitamins and minerals all new mamas or moms-to-be need in order to help their nursing or pregnant selves. Now, with all of that being said, there is nothing wrong with noshing on these small treats at anytime..or even giving to your kids!

They're philosophy* is simple:  

• Work with only the freshest, seasonal most nutritionally dense ingredients
• Support agricultural sustainability by sourcing locally when possible
• Incorporate only organic and all-natural ingredients (100% non-GMO)
• Review each of our recipes with a registered dietician
• Provide foods you can trust for you and your family

I love real food that is portable and Go Chews are just that! Throw them in your gym bag, diaper bag, or purse to make sure you're always helping yourself get the best (and all natural) ingredients you possibly can while on the go. I really hope you all enjoy them as much as I do. I would highly recommend them to any nursing mother or mom-to-be out there. Why not wrap them up for your new mommy friend as a hospital treat - a little mommy to mommy push present!

Find them at your local health store market or order online in as easy as 1-2-3!

COUPON CODE: MOMMYLIFESAVER for 15% off your order

*provided by mommemeals.com

Out of Sight, Out of Mind...with Food.

Have you ever heard of "out of sight, out of mind?"...well, I find the opposite is true as well. Keeping healthier food options in the line of sight will help you (and your kids) gravitate towards those versus the lingering "junk" in the closed pantry. One thing I do is keep clear glass containers on my countertop with healthier alternatives to snacks - such as lara bars, fruit & grain bars, cliff bars in one and shelled pistachios in the other. As well as a filled fruit bowl on a weekly basis - bananas, apples, oranges, etc. Lets not forget that when you have little kids its hard (and exhausting) to have fresh food constantly. So I have found certain packaged foods that I am willing to feed my family maybe as a quick snack - especially at school or on the go. My philosophy is that fast food doesn't have to be a drive-thru. Our family's fast food is a almond butter and organic strawberry preserve sandwich on wheat bread (cost virtually nothing) and maybe a portioned bag of pretzels, cheese stick, all natural fruit strip, applesauce or veggie sticks. Always with a side of fruit!

Keeping items visible and readily available allows routine in a positive way for your kids to choose the better option for a snack. And if your kids are always complaining that they're starving tell them to drink more water. Water will give your child the energy they need to motivate them to go and play, rather than sit and watch tv (while eating costant snacks). And believe me, although I once swore off tv for my oldest, I now find is necessary during dinner prep time. And again, by choosing and monitoring the proper shows they watch, they might even be educational! Nothing to kick yourself over.

On the contrary, keeping less healthy/packaged items away (maybe in a pantry or cabinet) will make the temptation of those snack items less enticing. Now remember, your first line of defense is to not even buy them. But realistically, I tried to do that for a while and then didn't want to be "that parent" who never allowed my child to make their own decisions. As they get older I try and let them choose for themselves, and then hopefully guide them in the right direction. But ultimately, we are in control.

Back to snacking....Fruit is best organic and whole, but also take note that I can take one apple and feed all three of my kids a snack. I slice it up and give them a little portion of all natural (one ingredient) almond/peanut butter to dip in. The combo is better for your metabolism anyway! As for vegetables, for some reason they're taboo in a childs world. Maybe b/c of the dull color? But I promise you, the more you try and give it to them, the more they'll take to it. Cut up carrots, cucumbers, peppers, etc. dipped in hummus or even mustard (yes, mustard) might be your kids "go-to" for a while, and thats fine. Just getting that bit of added veggie/nutrition in their diet is worth being repetitive. Try it out and let me know your tips & tricks!

K5 Learning: My Honest Review

Hi All!

I've been gone most of this summer and after going over some of my blog posts I noticed my review of K5 Learning never got published. Forgive me for that. Now that the school year is fast approaching I wanted to share a unique tool for Elementary learning! Below is my personal opinion on the K5 Learning program and would love for you to check it out yourselves! 

My six year old daughter, who I did this for - my 4 year old was just too young for the program - thoroughly enjoyed it. She loves to learn and loves all things "school".  It made her feel special that she had her own log-in and special time on the computer (which she doesn't normally get). With two other toddlers in the household I couldn't monitor her every move, but trusted her excitement and feedback whenever she talked about K5. She was eager to log-on each day and wanted badly to pass each level with flying colors. If I was able to spend more one-on-one time with her while she was doing the trial I believe we both might have gotten more out of it. Unfortunately, I'm at the place I am in my life where I appreciate the more independent learning tools, such as K5, more than something I have to manage. She gave the program two thumbs up and I agreed!

To give you an idea, if I could compare K5 to another well known online children's learning tool it would be ABC Mouse.com. To be fair I've never owned or reviewed ABC Mouse, but I know they do good marketing as my kids are always asking about it! When I was approached by K5 I felt like they were doing a good thing on their own - reaching out to the mom, dad, blogger community to get their personal feedback. I certainly appreciated that because I was able to assess it on my own before pushing it on my children. It seemed like a good learning tool and what mommy or daddy would pass that up!

Pros:

• Website is easy to navigate
• Good overall learning resources in both Math & Reading
• My rising 1st grader asked to "play" it daily
• Provides free worksheets to students
• Provides progress reports for parents to see how each child is doing
• Free to review to see if it works for you and your family

Cons:

• Not visually appealing. Needs to be more colorful and vibrant - grabbing your attention
• A little slow paced for those kids who move more quickly through problems
• Limited in amount of resources they provide in the sense of growth for the child
• Wish they had a language tool for helping to learn Spanish, for example
• Lacks commercial marketing and excitement to draw kids in

Overall its a wonderful program and with previously working in the Education Department of a well known television company myself, I know there are so many underutilized programs out there that could help kids (and parents too!). Go to K5 Learning.com and do a trial run for each of your kids - there is no obligation. Or maybe, ask your child's school what they recommended. You never know if there are resources out there that might work for you!

My older daughter attends the public elementary school in our county. Something that just came to my attention was that parents are able to obtain access to their school's online resources that the children use throughout the school year (like a K5 type learning tool). Who knew?!...You learn something new everyday!

Enjoy and let me know what YOU think!