Homecoming

We very recently got completely unpacked and pictures hung on the walls so naturally it's time to move again. You think I'm kidding, but I am not. Get this: We're moving to Tennessee! Home sweet home to me.

I can't believe it. I'm still in awe of God's blessings for us. Let me explain how all this happened, how God had his hand in this from the beginning...

When we moved here to Jacksonville, FL we did so with the knowledge that we would probably be here for awhile and then we'd have to move again in a few years. Our list of hopeful locations was small. We wanted to be in the south, for sure. But honestly, we wanted to be pretty close to family. Our dream location was Chattanooga, but there was no shot at getting it because the guy who maintained that territory was young with no plans of leaving. We began to accept that Florida was about as close to family as we were going to get for a good long while and who were we to complain? It's not so bad here. His position here in Jacksonville was one of which he was basically a student. He was working in sales under someone who was showing him the ropes. Typically, it takes about a year to move on up the ladder.
Anyway, J received an email that went out to several people. In it, Chattanooga was indicated as an open territory. Immediately, J began to make phone calls. He texted me with the news and asked me to start praying. I asked A LOT of other people to start praying. We just felt as if God has placed this opportunity in front of us; it had been highly unlikely before. His superiors weren't even sure if they could get him an interview since he was a very new employee, but within hours we got news that he could travel to sit down and meet with the person who was doing the hiring. It was so exciting for both of us! We began to feel God comforting us, saying He is always with us and that He has our best interests in mind. Our prayers began to change into, "Lord, your will be done." I won't lie and say we wouldn't have been disappointed if His will ended up not taking us back to Tennessee, but at the same time we knew in our minds that our prayers were being heard and that God was going to take care of us either way. There was nervousness-yes! But there was a peace in our household, too.
Captain J went off to ATL for a week to work with that team and interview for the position. He felt prepared and confident and that's all we could have asked for. Meanwhile, back at home, I was taking care of our boys and toying with the idea that we would actually be living in Tennessee by Christmas time. Daydreaming was distracting, but so much fun.
Long story short, the position is his! He starts in Chattanooga immediately. As I'm typing, there is much to be done. Loose ends to tie up. Lots of them. But none of them matter much because I know all of this is going to work out. I just know it.
Nothing is packed.
We don't have a house to move into in TN.
No place to put Holly while we wait to buy or rent.
We're stuck with this lease until January 2014 yet we are leaving tomorrow.
We're in a real pickle.

None of that matters, though. We're going home!

Four years ago- almost to the day- I packed up my life and moved to Alaska. Four states and two kids later, and we're all headed back to where our hearts have always been. We're so grateful.

God is good. Thanks for praying.

Favs: Workout Gear Edition

1. CamelBak eddy- I use these constantly throughout the day. I find that the straws are deceptive. I drink more with them!

2. Polar FT40 HRM- I love to use this to track my heart rate and calories burned.

3. Shorts & Bra by Champion- Workout gear doesn't have to be expensive. I find affordable, comfortable, and cute gear at Target all the time.

I have yet to find the perfect running shoe. I also haven't found a good pair of running earphones. The ones I bought from skull candy are total pieces of poo poo, just so you know.

Anyway, yesterday I had an amazing workout in just thirty minutes. My arms are sore today! I tried Bobbi's Spider Thrusters- man, oh days. Those are tough. Go to her site and check it out.

Just look how many calories I burned by incorporating these with a little cardio and other arm exercises:

Do you have favorite workout gear that I need to know about?

Linked up at:

Pinned It, Tried It, Liked It

This first one should probably be Pinned it, Tried it, LOVED it! Oh my yum. Click here or the photo to check out that recipe. Delicious!

I also tried these two ab routines and I like them a lot:

and

Oh, oh! And this was a nifty little trick that worked for the beach:

It kept the sand and oils away from my precious smart phone which turns out to be pretty dumb if you ask me. I have the dumbest Siri alive* The only bummer is that you still have to take the thing out of the bag if you rely on your phone for picture taking...unless you don't mind crappy pictures, of course. I digress.
That's all I've got for you today. I really haven't been very creative lately. Anyway, I've got some exciting things to talk about this week and I can't wait to tell all of you what is going on in our world. More to come soon. I hope each of you have a fabulous week.

*I know Siri isn't actually alive

Education: A Guest Post

On Saturdays, I like to fork over my blog to guests and this Saturday is no different. I'm busy planning, planning, planning but enjoy this guest post regarding education from Danielle.

What does the world hold for you?

No matter how much we plan, we can't control the way the world turns out or the things that life can make happen to us. We spend a lot of time worrying about things that are beyond our control. Learning to be happy is, in some measure, an exercise in learning to let go and to accept and to absorb. But that doesn't mean that you can't be one of the influences that shape and determine your future. You, more than anyone will have the power and the knowledge to improve and to direct your future. One of the way that you can do this is through education. Doing the right course and gaining the right education can open doors for you and unlock your potential, changing the course of your life. Sometimes people can be put off education by the intimidation of the closed world of academia. This needn't be the case, because these days education means much more than theorising, it means certificates and qualifications for many sorts of practical jobs. Places like Ascet tech education offer hands-on courses in jobs and career paths that could be hard to break into without a qualification. These sorts of adjustments can, in the long run, help us to enjoy our lives more. With the rise of online education, learning is more accessible than ever to people whose lives have already taken a definite direction, people who might have other responsibilities like paid work, children and family, and who can't commit to the traditional on-campus learning experience. If you think your life's not over yet, why not start something new?

Cheers!

Good morning, friends. Happy Friday to you all. I'm happy today is here. The Cap'n was gone on business this week so this mama is a wee bit tired and is looking forward to seeing him today. Anyway, consider this your typical random Friday post. These are some things that have been on my mind:

1. First off, shall we have a cup of tea in honor of the royal babe?

The reveal was quite sweet. I didn't catch it, of course, because I have things like five mountains of laundry to do, but luckily I found a picture of it online-

 (It's true. I didn't swoon over the wedding...and I didn't stare at the hospital doors via the news for hours on end. I guess I didn't get that gene that cares much about famous people.)

2. This!

We've been praying for some opportunities around here lately and I'm feeling God's presence in our lives more than ever.

3. A lady came to our house the other day, claiming to be with the Census and now I'm convinced she's a scammer. It's a long story, but the gist of it was that she didn't offer any official id/proof and she came with dog treats probably because of our sign warning of our vicious dog that is on the door. I'm leaving a ton out but I'm tired of talking about it. Anyway, I slept with a shotgun last night (I do not recommend this)...kidding, it was by the bed, though. Our house is plenty protected-

but it was just this thing that took up most of my morning. I've got things to do, y'all. I don't have time to deal with people trying to steal my identity or rob me or worse.

By this time, I should have had a lot more accomplished but here I am- blogging and having tea with all of you and cheers-ing the royal baby. Interesting.

How's your day thus far?

Sooner Than I Think

Every parent says it- almost to the point of it being annoying, but every day I wake up and see how very true it is:

They grow up so fast.

They do. It was just this time last year that K was learning to stand. He couldn't walk. He couldn't talk. Now, he's a walking, talking toddler tornado. His kindness surprises me. His independence makes me proud. His sweet, toothy, excited grin makes my day over and over.

And Baby A? I don't know how he will soon be eight months old. He's well on his way to one year and I could swear I just had him two months ago. I love his little monkey cling he does when I pick him up, like he can't get enough of his mama and he's content to stay on my hip forever and ever. His curiosity is infectious and now that he's sitting up? Watch out, world.

How is it that I've been so blessed?

These little faces, these cute tiny cheeks- they are going to be young men soon- sooner than I think. I just want to soak them up. How do I do that?

"Stop moment, you are so beautiful." ~ from Faust

Burpee Sprint Challenge

I have good news to report. I'm down some pounds from last week AND I have a great workout for you to try! I'm back in the teens now (barely but it totally counts) at 119lbs. It's amazing what hard work and clean eating can accomplish in just a week. That's 4 pounds down! Here's a progress photo I took after one of my short workouts this past week:

One day I'll have guns. One day.

Anyway, I got creative this week and decided to share with you one of the workouts I did. I did this twice last week, both times burning between 320-350 calories in about 30 minutes. I was pleased. I felt amazing after completing this. Sprinting is hard for me, but it makes me feel like a beast later! This is one of those workouts that all you need is the great outdoors and your own body weight.

I love seeing those pictures of workouts on Pinterest and Instagram. A friend posted one that made me want to try, but instead I mixed it up a little and added some to it to come up with this. It is fun to try something new and also it's important for your body. If you consistently do the same exercises over and over, your body isn't challenged and isn't changing. That's why I decided to share this workout with y'all! Maybe you're bored with your routine. I encourage you to try this out this week if you want something different to do.

I recorded an example of the Burpee + Pushup + Squat in case I totally confused you:

This week's prompt is Who inspires you?

People who encourage me on this journey inspire me to do better and be better. I'm inspired by moms who fit exercise into their busy schedules. I'm inspired by before and after photos. I'm inspired by Pinterest and Instagram, too! Specifically, though...my husband inspires me. He pushes me to try hard and run fast. He encourages me to take time to exercise. He also spends time with me so we can workout together as a family. I've always imagined a healthy little family of four spending time in the great outdoors together being active. He knows that means a lot to me!

Tell me, who inspires you? Link up here:

My Town: Farmer's Market Edition

On Mondays I like to link up here to share with y'all a little more about the place I'm currently calling home. Jacksonville can feel incredibly large sometimes, but it didn't on Thursday afternoon when we loaded up the boys after their naps and went to the farmer's market down the road. It was their grand opening, complete with live music and delightful local crafts.

As you can see in the bottom far left corner, K wanted to touch everything (and I'm pretty sure he did)! We had fun getting out of the house for a few minutes. The location is roughly a mile from our house so we could have walked, but we didn't due to a certain fussy baby (ahem Baby A).

He loves to be worn, though so he calmed down when we got there. That's me enjoying my sweet babe and a peach smoothie from one of the vendors.

We ended up purchasing some peaches, tangerines, a pepper, and some roma tomatoes. 

We can't wait to be able to grow our own produce in a garden again! Jacksonville isn't the best location to till up the yard; it isn't big enough. Besides, our dog Holly does enough of that on her own. I'm going down a road I didn't intend to. Anyway...

What's neat about your town? Link up here:

Fitness to Go {A Guest Post}

Hi, blog friends. I'm off enjoying my weekend with the fam. I hope you get a chance to do the same. In the mean time, enjoy this guest post from Mike on the topic of fitting finess in with your travels.

Fitting Fitness Into Your Travels

If you travel a lot, you know how hard it can be to maintain a consistent routine. This is especially true where a fitness regimen is concerned. The disruptions in your schedule may make exercise seem relatively unimportant or may make you forget entirely. However, if you want to keep looking and feeling good, it's necessary to take steps to facilitate your fitness routine while you're on the run. Here are some tips that can help.

Fitness To Go

Staying in shape doesn't necessarily require large, cumbersome machines. In fact, there are numerous small tools you can take with you and use in the convenience of your hotel room. Resistance bands provide a great workout and take up less space than a pair of socks. A yoga mat and a pair of small weights are also compact and versatile enough to bring along. If you have room for a pair of running shoes, all the better. Sidewalks and parks are abundant and make ideal jogging paths.

Do Your Homework

Do a little research on the hotel you wish to stay in before you book it. Do they have workout facilities or healthy food options? Many hotels today are jumping on the fitness bandwagon in response to increased demand from customers, so you can usually expect to at least find a well-stocked fitness room. On a recent trip to San Francisco I used a site called Gogobot in order to do research on the possible hotel options. Here I could look at a list of San Francisco hotels and discern which ones had the right facilities for me. Hotels are also offering a greater number of healthy options in their continental meals. Ignore those things that are slathered in sugar or excessively high in calories. Instead, go for the oatmeal, whole-grain bread, eggs, chicken, fish and fresh produce.

Eating On The Run

While you're in transit, you have a lot of options for your meals and snacks. However, it's important to exercise caution with your choices. If you want to stop at a restaurant, call ahead to get an idea of what they serve and if they will accommodate healthier substitutions. If eating out isn't an option, seek out packaged, portable foods that are as nutritious as possible. High-protein snacks are especially recommended because they keep you satisfied longer.

Beating Stress

Travel can be stressful, but it's often worse for those who must travel for work. The stress of the airport, a long flight and pressures of the job can add up to a big headache. Exercise can help you beat this stress. Soothing activities like yoga can be done in your room, and many hotels provide videos on the television that you can follow along with.

Gluten Free Muffins

(Alternatively titled- My kid will eat anything in bread form)

I'm not much of a cook but sometimes when my kids are driving me batty I feel led to go into the kitchen and create something, to put my hands to work and feel as if I've done something productive that day aside from keeping the children alive. Enter gluten-free, healthy muffins.

• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 1 egg
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 6 packets of Stevia (or more if you'd like)
• 1 good long squeeze of honey

I know, I know- so technical. Just eyeball it.

Mix all the above ingredients together. I used a food processor.

Then spray your muffin tin with some Pam.

Next, chop blueberries into small pieces to mix in to your already mixed mixture. How many other ways can I incorporate that word into a sentence? :) The more the merrier with the berries, ok?

Stop judging my pan and oven.

Then pour your mixture into the muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. It yields six muffins. I should note that the oats should be gluten free anyway, but if you have an allergy be sure to buy the oats that specifically say they're gluten free. 

Enjoy!

We did.

the story of the BB cream

Once upon a time, my friend and I were sitting down for a drink or four at Chili's discussing life, love, and all the people from our high school graduating class who had recently been arrested. In between deep conversations and belly laughs we heard an interruption. "Excuse me," he said. "Can I ask you a question?" We looked over to find two young men both having beer, both dressed in t-shirts. I'm sure I gave the one who spoke the awkward smile-slash-questioning-look that so often crosses my face before I have any time to mask my true feelings. "Sure"I tell him. He proceeds to ask us how old we are. Typical. When I respond with the truth (27), he says, "Wow. Not what I guessed." He briefly goes on to say that he thought we were much younger (score!). But as men so often do, he ruined his compliment by continuing to talk. He pointed to my friend and said, "I had you at 21 and your friend at 23." Ouch. I then said, "Listen Jackwagon, that's no way to talk to a lady." Just kidding. I actually got under the bar and cried. That's not true either. 

I did go out the next week to buy some BB cream. Now, that's a true story, y'all. Apparently, I need to wear more makeup. I hardly ever put it on and when I do, I do it sparingly. I think it's that time, though. Time to grow up. Time to accept the fact that I'm not twenty one and I don't look it! Aging is for the birds.

The Ups and Downs of Getting Fit

There have been so many of you who have told me I've inspired you to start being more active and to get fit. That makes me feel so good to hear that each of you are starting your own journey toward a healthier lifestyle because of some workout or photo or status or post I've thrown up on Instagram and other social media outlets. That's why I post so much. I want to inspire. I want to motivate you, but more importantly, I want to motivate and hold myself accountable.

I've been doing a poor job of this recently. Ever since our trips to Tennessee and Vermont and my recent bout with sickness, my routine got all out of whack and my eating choices spiraled down, down, down. Before I knew it, I went from 113 lbs and seeing ab definition-

to 123lbs. 

I gained ten pounds in just over a month, people. I know some of you believe that I am naturally "skinny" despite me writing and saying otherwise, but now you know. It's true- I have to work hard for the body I want--most of us do.

I'm trying not to focus on the scale. I really am. But when I stepped on that scale and saw the number, it was my reality check. I just needed to take a deep breath and remember how I lost the weight in the first place.

1. Clean eating

2. Training hard

3. Dedication

It was that simple. It's going to be that simple again, dang it. I can do this.

My plan for this week is to exercise at least four days and clean up my diet. I started on Friday after a brief but detrimental cookie binge. I'm feeling good now, though. My body is already responding and I'm not feeling sluggish and tired anymore.

I know the number doesn't matter. What does matter is my attitude. I don't want to cringe when I see a camera at the beach. I want to be proud again. I want to feel healthy and strong. I want to know that my body is capable of doing X, Y, and Z. I don't think anyone has really noticed the difference in my body except me.

I see the extra pounds in my arms and middle. I'm going to focus on these areas. The last half of July is going to be different. Let's do this!

Who's with me?

(P.S. You can now access all of my fitness journey posts by clicking on the "#mrskgetsfit" page at the top of my blog. As always, you can also find updates on my Instagram page, too. )

Linked up here:

My Town Monday: Jacksonville

One of my bloggy favs is hosting a new link up with a great topic so I wanted to join in. Sometimes, as you all know, I can get into the habit of backward looking. I look back to Alaska and want to return. I miss my home in Tennessee almost constantly. These things pop up in my writing all the time. In an effort to show you that my new town really isn't awful at all, I thought I'd show you exactly what it is that I love about being here. Welcome to my Jacksonville...

1. I love being near the beach. There's a beach girl in my heart, for sure.

2. I love that there's sushi exactly a mile down the road and it's delicious. I can run to the restaurant and run back or if I'm being lazy--they deliver!

3. Speaking of food, I love that we have a Whole Foods close by and other healthy, organic grocery options. The fresh seafood there makes its way to our table quite often.

4. I love all the parks in the area that I can take these crazy kids to.

5. I also love our church. I will probably miss it the most when/if we leave. It was refreshing to be able to find one that aligns so closely with what we believe as a family without searching around forever as we usually do when we get to a new location. The pastor is intelligent, warm, and an excellent teacher. The congregation has been so kind to us, too. We really really like it there.

6. And most of all? I love that it's not Ft. Polk, LA. This photo is courtesy of a friend who still finds herself stuck there for a wee bit longer. Only in Louisiana!

I will continue to be on the lookout for things I love about living here. There's a lot to love.
Now go link up your town!