Shepherd's Pie

Hey Guys!

This recipe is actually my boyfriend's. He got it from a previous relationship, and I am in love with it. It is so delicious and creamy, I honestly cant get enough of it.

Ingredients

Ground Beef/ Turkey
onions
garlic
Vegetables
Cream of mushroom soup
mashed potatoes
shredded cheddar cheese
Club house shepherd's pie seasons pack (optional)

Steps

1. Cook the ground beef/turkey in a pan. I personaly will always try to use ground turkey because it is leaner. I add half an onion diced and 2-3 cloves of garlic. If adding shepherd's pie seasoning, do so now
2. Boil potatoes in a pot, about 8-10. Just a tip, I cut them into pieces so it boils faster. Once potatoes are done cooking, mash and make to your desired taste. I like adding black pepper, sour cream and some milk. It makes it super creamy
3. I use frozen mixed vegetables because it is faster, but you could always cut up carrots, and add peas and corn. Because I use frozen vegetables i cook them, then drain and set aside.

Assembly

I put the ground meat at the bottom, vegetables, mushroom soup, potatoes and grated cheese.
The amount of potatoes and cheese you add is entirely up to you. My family loves extra potatoes and cheese so we probably put way to much then we should.

As i have said we love this recipe, we make this at least twice a month and it is all gone within 2 days!! I hope you all try this recipe tonight!

Household Food Essentials

Hey Guys,

As a mom, there are certain items that I make sure I have in the house at all times. Not only are these items consumed regularly, but they are healthy and if need be, they can be crucial elements in creating a meal.

Milk
Ever single person in my house loves milk, we cant get enough of it. We can easily go through a bag a day. With a toddler in the house, this is an essential. Kayden drinks 2-3 cups a day of milk.

Yogurt
Yogurt is mostly consumed by Kayden and I. My boyfriend will go through phases of when he loves yogurt, but Kayden and I are the most consistent. I always have toddler yogurt in the house for him, either the cups/tubes. Kayden has yogurt every afternoon, which ties him over till dinner. I mostly love plain yogurt, but I will occasuioanlly have fruit yogurt. I am indian, so yogurt is a staple in our diet. My mom does make a lot of homemade yogurt, so she will always give me some.

Cheese
I can't even begin to explain to all of you how cheese can complete a meal. Kayden can eat cheese by itself, but we also use it in a lot of dishes. We use it with eggs, shepherd's pie, pasta, burrito's etc. Honestly this is sometimes how we can get Kayden to eat some of his vegetables, we sprinkle some grated cheese on top and it melts and it is delicios. Cheese is something we buy weekly.

Fruit
Summertime is when fruit is in high demand. We love strawberries, melons and bananas. kayden has fruit in the afternoons as well, if he is extra hungry that day. Ialso love making fruit salads, and summertime is a great time for that. Fall/wintertime, in all honesty , we just eat banana's since we don't care for the fruit that is in season at that time fo year. We also make smoothies, which is a great way for us to get in our fruit.

Frozen vegetables
We switched over to frozen vegetables after hearing on The Chew, that they have the same nutritional value as fresh vegetables. Also we would spend tons of money on vegetables every week and it wouldn't even last us the whole week. We go to costco and buy a big bag of vegetables and it lasts us a month and we pay less then we would pay weekly. It is so easy to put it in the steamer as a side, or add it to a stir fry. It is such a time saver as well and it is less prep work.

Workout/Food Rules I live by

Hey Guys!

Whether you're a mom, or just eating healthy, we all want to be the best version of ourselves. As my life has changed, there are certain things that I must keep constant. Here are a few rules that I live by:

1. 30 minutes of exercise minimum
Working out keeps me sane! I have found that if I do not exercise at all, I get moody and grumpy, and that isn't good for anyone. Whether I workout from home or I am out with my family, 30 minutes is a must. Now that the weather is a lot nicer, we walk to the park, run around and then walk back. We spend a minimum of 60 min outside,daily. Not only does it help keep the weight off, but it gets you moving, and the blood flowing. My life is stressful ( as I am sure everyone's is), so this allows me to take some time out everyday and focus on myself.

2. Have Balance
We all stress out about having that 'summer body' or looking great for the holidays, birthday, weddings etc. I use to count calories religiously, and honestly that caused me more stress and I ended up not loosing weight at all. Instead I focused on being healthy. I knew what to eat and not eat, and it was about making a conscious decision to change myself. I don't find myself missing out on eating dessert or indulging on the pizza/burgers. What makes it easier, is that I eat healthy the rest of the time. I drink lots of water, have tons of fiber, fruits and vegetables.

3. Meal Plan
This has been a life saver. We can so easily get caught up in day to day activities that we don't feel like thinking about dinner. If it is already planned out, that is one less thing that you need to do. I always have my meals planned out for the week, and we buy accordingly. We look at the flyers and see what is a good deal, and try to plan around that. That way we buy what we need, and we are able to balance out our meals. We eat healthy, don't overbuy food, and the thinking is taking out of it.

4.Know your essentials
Every family has their essentials, that is food items they eat a lot of, or go through fast. For my family it is yogurt, bananas, cheese,eggs and milk. Whenever you look in our fridge you will always find those items. Also with those ingredients there is so much you can make out of it. I cant tell you how many times eggs have come in handy for us. Once you know what your family consumes a lot of, it'll make it lot easier for you to purchase those items. We Buy these items in bulk, or if there is a great sale that week, we stock up!!! All of these items are easy to grab, and you can purchase these items at any store, which is a lifesaver.

5. Water is your friend
I can not stress how important consuming water is. 8 glasses is a minimum. I know we have all heard it before, how our body is mostly made up of water, but there is more to that. It keeps us hydrated, and if we aren't hydrated there are a lot of side effects to that. We need water to keep our energy levels up, and drinking it before a meal can help prevent you from over eating. We often confuse being tired or hungry with dehydration. And just like with food, if you are thirsty, you have gone to long without water. For almost a year now, I mostly drink water. It is on the odd occasion that I will have pop. In the past 6 months i have had pop twice.

6. Snack are important
A lot of times, people dont want to have snacks because they beleive they are extra calories. You couldn't be more wrong. I have healthy granola bars, fruit, and yogurt at all times for that very reason. I do admit, a lot of yogurt and granola barks can be filled with unecessary sugar and calories, but that is where your research comes in. You need to find one that works for you. I love special k and fiber 1 bars. As far as yogurt, I usually just get plain yogurt and put some fruit in it. Aim for your snacks to be between 100-150 calories. Some great snacks include : nuts, cheese, yogurt, granola bar, fruit, and crackers.

Accepting your body

Hey guys!

Here we go with another personal blog. After having a baby, not all of us 'snap back' to our pre baby body. In fact a lot of us struggle with it. We try to suck it in, or squish our bodies into our old clothes, and just end up being frustrated. So I decided to share some of my tips to help you transition from your post baby body to your new body. Remember this body isn't forever

Accept Your body

Take a look in the mirror or take a picture. Look at your body, and really take it all in. Find the positive about it, I know it's hard but you need to do this. it is so easy for new moms, or moms in general to look at ourselves and find every flaw possible. Yes we have lumps, and rolls, but we also have curves, hips, boobs and a butt. My boyfriend told me, I am now a woman, I have curves and and I am beautiful. You need to accept your new body, and realize you carried a baby, as my boyfriend says it took 9 months for the weight to come on, it's not going to just disappear after the baby is born.

Wait it out

After having Kayden i took awhile for my new body to settle into itself. The excess fluid, blood and just the new changes in general. I had a c section, so comfortable and loose fitting clothes were my friend. I couldn't bear the thought of wearing anything tight. All i wanted to do was throw clothes on that allowed me to move freely. It wasn't for about 6-8 weeks till I felt comfortable putting on a pair of pants. The first few weeks are stressful enough,whether it is your first baby or your second, there is an adjustment period. Let everything settle down.

Shop for your new body

I admit I wasn't excited about buying bigger sizes then what I was use to. My boyfriend did have to push me. I hated going to the dressing room and seeing how BIG I was. Looking back I am happy he did. I wasn't wearing oversized clothes anymore, and it is true, wearing fitted clothes does make you loo slender. It took me awhile to figure out what worked for my new body, but I was happy when I did. I felt 'normal' I wasn't wearing pregnancy clothes (even thought I did miss those high pants) and it felt great to walk into a store and buy whatever I wanted, without having to go to a specific store. Take your time at the store. I spent at least an  hour when I went to try on things. I picked a few sizes and a few styles.

Be Easy on yourself 
I remember seeing a post on babycenter about new moms and their bodies. It showed different moms and their weight loss journey, how long it took them to loose the weight and how they did it. Everyone has different obstacles after having a baby, and this reminded me of that. Some ladies didn't get their pre bodies back for a few years. This reassured me, it wasn't about what other people think of you, or being skinny, it is about doing it the healthy way. In the meantime accept your body, and love your body.


 I know all of this can be easier said then done. There have been days when I have broken down crying, and stressed out because I woke up bloated, or the weight wasn't going going down at the rate I wouldve liked it to. But stick with it. We have more on our plate now, WE ARE MOTHER'S!!! This means we are always on-call. Our kid(s) wake up at night, and keep us awake all night, they get sick and we have rough days. We will fall off the wagon, and quite frankly sometimes life takes over. Remember to love yourself throughout this journey

What I ate Wednesday (5/25/16)

Hey Guys!

Welcome back to another what I ate Wednesday

Breakfast (7:15am)

I had my usual. Some yogurt with honey almond granola with one banana sliced.
To be honest I struggled eating this meal, mostly because there was something off about the taste that I couldn't put my finger on. So I think I am going to be taking a little break from it. I didn't have any coffee today, instead I opted for a glass of water.

Lunch ( noon)

For lunch I had some leftover homemade vegetarian pizza. it had cheese, green peppers and mushrooms (yummy) with a little bit of chicken fried rice. I also had a glass of water.

Dinner (7ish pm)

We had dinner after Kayden went down today. We were dealing with a health issue today, so we had to get everything sorted out, and put Kayden first, so we ate later. We had some leftover chicken wings from Sunday ( we had guests over) so my boyfriend fried those up along with some homemade french fries. Not the healthiest dinner, but it was certainly yummy!

Snack ( (9:00pm)

Because we ate dinner late, I ended up working out late. But my boyfriend joined me for a workout, which made it extra special. I had 2 dates, a cup of plain green tea and a handful of honey almond granola. I did take out a nectarine but unfortunately my boyfriend took it !

Banana Bread

Hey Guys!

Growing up I use to eat banana bread all the time. Ironically banana's are a staple in my house. Everyone love's bananas, we eat them for breakfast and a snack. I had tried a banana bread recipe last year, but something was missing, until I stumbled across this recipe. I found this on pinterest and it was so easy and delicious.

Ingredients

3 Large Bananas
1 Cup of I cant beleive its not butter ( I've used regular butter, and it worked perfectly)
3/4 cup of brown sugar
2 Large eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Brush 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with additional I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Spread; set aside.
2. Combine mashed banana, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Spread, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl with wooden spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients until blended. Spoon into prepared pan*.
3. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes on wire rack; remove from pan and cool completely. If desired, top with Vanilla Glaze.

The vanilla glaze really took the recipe over the top. Everyone that tried it said that is what sets this banana bread apart.

The last time I baked this I did muffins, and in about 20 min it was done, and tasted just as good.

http://www.icantbelieveitsnotbutter.com/recipes/detail/49941/1/best-ever-banana-bread?pp=1

Freebies when you're Pregnant

Hey Guys!

Regardless of what your income is, if you can save money when you're pregnant I'll guarantee you'll take it. A lot of companies and stores want to send new mom/expecting mom's products, to help you out/introduce you to new products. A lot of these programs will continue until your child is 1 years old! which is such an added benefit, because the first year is so expensive, and there is a lot of unexpected expenses.

Similac
When I first enrolled in this program, I wasn't planning on feeding Kayden formula. But some unexpected events occurred in our life which forced me to turn to formula, and I was so thankful I had signed up.
Upon enrolling in this program you do have to enter some personal information about your baby such as DOB, gender etc. They will send you a care package with 2 sample size tubs of formula, I got one regular and one for gentle stomachs, some rebate checks ( coupons) for formula and periodically you will get some info pamphlets on your child's development.
Unfortunately Kayden was sensitive to thei rpowder formula, which meant I couldn't use to checks for it. But luckily you save $5 on any of their products, so I would buy ready to use formula, which I used when I was out with Kayden. I also received a phone call shortly after Kayden was born from them, to see if we liked their products and if they could help recommend anything for him. I really appreciated that, after your baby is born there may be some issues they are having, and they can help you find the right product.
You will get $5 coupons almost every month, which came in handy! And they sent a sample pack of Infant cereal, once Kayden started solids.
Similac formula is affordable, and the $5 coupons make it easier on your wallet. I know a mom who uses Similac, and they loved how handy the coupons are.

www.similac.ca(.com)

Nestle
This care package was my favorite. They took a lot of the basics you need as a new mom and gave them all to you. Just a heads up, if you aren't home when they deliver this, they are the only company which required me to go to the post office because of the price value. They have changed what they offer int heir parcel, but I'll let you know what I received.
I got a diaper bag, which looked like a backpack. I never used it, only because I had 2 diaper bags already. I received a small pack of huggies diapers, pack of 28. I took this pack to the hospital, and it honestly was a lifesaver. I was in the hospital for 3 days because I had a c section, and this small pack came in handy. It was easy to store away in the hospital bag, and was compact. We also prefer huggies for Kayden, so it was a win win. We also got ready to use formula, which worked great on Kayden because he was able to drink the ready to use one's. We got a full size Nuk baby bottle, which my boyfriend couldn't stand but I loved it. I do believe we got coupons as well, but I can't remember.
Like similac you will get pamphlets in the mail about your child's development but not as often. I did find their pamphlets educational and I learned a lot. Kayden used Nestle Good start Formula, the only downside about their coupons, was we weren't able to use it for that specific formula. Once Kayden started solids, they did send a sample size of Infant cereal which lasted 2-3 days and some coupons!I also received emails periodically from them as well, about products you can try with your kids and some tips and tricks.

nestle-baby.ca

V.I.B Program

This program is available in Canada with Shoppers Drug mart. If you don't live in Canada, check your local pharmacy, I'm sure they have some sort of baby program you can enroll in. We got a lot with this box as well, but it was more geared if you shop at Shopper's drug mart, which I don't do as much. They sent a coupon box, where you can get bonus Optimum points. It included diapers, lotion, diaper rash cream, medicine etc. I wasn't able to utilize these bonus points as much as I would've liked to. They sent a bib for Kayden, which was so adorable, it was green, ( which is an odd color) but it said V.I.B. baby which we were in love with, but lost! I got a sample of Johnson & Johnson breast pads. I got a sample of Huggies diaper's, and then got a coupon for $5 off any pack. I got some sample size of baby body wash, lotion etc. This wasn't my favorite pack as I mentioned before because of the coupons,but  if you do shop there then you should enroll in this. After that initial pack I didn't receive anything, keep in mind this pack took awhile for me to get this, it was months after, and I had completely forgotten about it. You do get emails, but I didn't find them beneficial at all.  
 

Post baby weight journey

Hey Guys!

Today's blog is going to be very personal. For me my weightloss jurney after I had kayden has been very long, stressful and a rollar coaster of emotions in itself. Before I had kayden I was petite, and I was working on my body at the time. I was very healthy and had fallen off the wagon (little did I know I was pregnant). I had a vision of what it was going to be like to get back in shape, and I was so wrong!

As soon as I got cleared from the doctor to work out, I was hitting the gym for an hour! At that time it was to much for my body. My boyfriend worked at a company where his schedule changed every 3 months. Waking up and going to the gym at 6am when I was with the baby all day and waking up at night. I was tired, grumpy and miserable. going to the gym that early was to much. I later decided to ease into it.

I would walk for at least an hour a day, which was great! I got out of the house, was able to be with my son, and my dog got exercise as well. I slowly eased into doing small workouts at home. There was a dance workout that I would do when Kayden went down for the night. I would beat myself up if Kayden didn't stay down, and freak out because I wasnt bale to workout.  At the time, I was so stressed out about fitting in my clothes and bouncing back into my wardrobe that I was being way to hard on myself. My mom would critique me a lot as well. My mom would said I was fat, and I looked bad, and I need to focus more on my body, she even suggested seeing a professional. Balancing being a mom, and figuring out how to run my household was stressful enough, and then being told I didn't look good was the icing on the cake. I broke down one day and just cried,. I felt miserable about myself, I felt unattractive and even worse didn't want to go out in public because I felt like I looked disgusting.

My boyfriend really picked me up, and reminded me this is a journey, and of course your body changes after you have a baby. I have hips, boobs, and a butt now. Regardless of what happens, he finds me attractive. Even if I don't loose the weight. That's really what I needed to hear. I may not fit into a size small anymore, but I was still beautiful.

I took a few months off of working out. I really focused on being a mom, and this new life. Once I was ready I started to wake up early and went to the gym. At that time it worked out great! Kayden was sleeping through the night, my day's were more structured and it was easier. Going to the gym was still hard though. I have a gym in my building which I use, sometimes the  machines were busy or the weight area was crowded, so some days I couldn't get a good workout in.

I then decided to try at home workouts. Pinterest has been a life saver. I decided to try some of the workouts and the next day I was sore. Today I still use pinterest, and while my weight is coming off slowly I am happier. I am more comfortable with my body, and have been more accepting of my curves. I workout when my son is sleeping, and I am in the comfort of my own home. I get to watch my tv shows and really sweat it out. It's not about being skinny for me anymore. It really is about being healthy. I want my son growing up and not stressing about if he is muscular, or has a 6 pack, and it really does start at home. I want him to be healthy, and make good food choices. It is about balance and not having to give up on certain foods or missing out on life events.

You need to find what works best for you, and your body, Do not stress about jumping back into working out. Listen to your body and do what is best for you, and your new life.

Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser

Hey Guys,

I recently got a sample for Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser from sample source, and fell in love with it, so I decided to write all about it.

Sample source is a company where every season you get to request samples, they send you some trial size and full size along with some coupons. All they require is that you write a review the products with your honest opinion and thoughts. One of the items was the cleanser.

In the Spring/Summer months my skin turns oily. Anything I can use to keep the oil down, and make my skin feel fresh I am all about it. I got a sample size for 30 ml.

This cleanser claims to:
Remove 2x the dirt and impurities then a regular cleanser
results after one use
Oil Free
Gentle enough to use everyday
Great for oily skin

Results 
 My skin isn't extremely oily, so for me it did the job. It comes out black and foams up. One you apply it to your skin there's a cool refreshing minty feeling. You can feel the product working, and you honestly feel refreshed and feel as thought your skin was deep cleaned. My boyfriend noticed results as well, and said it is worth the buy because he noticed a difference. If I take a shower, I don't feel clean unless I wash my face, and this sealed the deal. My skin felt less oily, and my makeup applied a lot better as well. I didn't break out and was gentle on my skin. I don't have large pores, but I do notice that during my time of the month I didn't break out. Once I did run out of the cleanser however I did notice a breakout. That just shows how great this product works and deep it cleans. I have noticed a little bit of drying near my mouth int he morning lately, but other then that I am so happy with this product.

They have a whole line of products, including a face mask and pore strips.
I bought the product at the store the other day and it was $7.47 at Walmart. I would definitely recommend this product to all of you!!

What I ate Wednesday

Hey Guys!

Welcome back to another what I ate Wednesday!

Breakfast (7:00am)

Kayden has been waking up at 6:30 lately which means I am having breakfast earlier. I started off my day with a sesame bagel with Philadelphia cream cheese and a coffee.

 Lunch (1:00pm)

We had nothing to eat in the house, so we decided to go out to Popeyes. I got the chicken strips, 5 piece, with a biscuit and fries. I also got a coke zero to drink. I was stuffed after this meal, for some reason I thought the 3 piece wouldn't be sufficient, and boy was I wrong!

Dinner (5:30pm)

My boyfriend made shepherd's pie ( his specialty)

Snack (7:45 pm)

After my evening workout I had a nectarine, 2 dates and green tea!

That is what I ate today, to be honest I may have another snack later on...depends on how my evening is going.

See you all tomorrow...

Chicken Cesar Salad

Hey Guys!

With summer coming up I love eating lighter. One of my boyfriend's and mine favorite salads are a Cesar salad. It is filling and super delicious. take a peek with how I make it

2 Chicken Breasts
Seasoning
Romaine Lettuce (3 hearts)
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese
Croutons
Lemon ( Optional)

I put the breasts in the pan with a little bit of oil, or you can grill them.
 season them with pepper, seasoning salt and some parsley.
Put bacon in the pan if you are including it in your salad.
Put bacon aside after cooking, to drain the excess grease
Cut romaine lettuce and add croutons, Parmesan cheese, pepper and Cesar dressing. ( Add to your desire)
My boyfriend loves lots of dressing and a little but of croutons. - - add to your taste
Cut up the bacon and mix it in
I like my chicken sliced and placed on top, whereas my boyfriend likes to mix it in, so I plate mine first with the chicken, then I cut his chicken up and mix it in the salad.
I like taking a Lemon wedge and squeezing it over my salad, it really does take the salad to another level when you do this.

Why I love a Bedtime Routine

Hey Guys!

As a mom, anything I can do to make my day go easier and smoother I will take it. For me, a schedule for my toddler works great! But of course, there are those days, when things come up and you go completely off. Regardless of what happens, I have kept Kayden's bedtime routine consistent!

Part of why I love a bedtime routine, is because it winds Kayden down. Baths make him tired, and allows him to get his extra energy out. We use Johnson & Johnson shampoo and Live Clean lotion with lavender and vanilla. Anything with lavender in it, will help your child go to sleep. Kayden's baths are 15-20 minutes, and he loves warm water. He splashes around and has tons of bath toys. It is also a great way for him to feel independent. He washes himself with a washcloth and dumps water on himself to wash away the Dove Baby soap we use on his body.
Kayden then get a body massage with the Live Clean lotion and puts on his pjs. He snuggles up on the couch with a bottle of milk and watches Curious George. He is so quiet during this time and calm. Right before bed, his dad takes him in his room and reads him a story.
As kayden has gotten older, certain aspects of his bedtime routine has changed, to adapt with his changing needs. The one thing that stays the same is his bath. He will always get a bath at night. within the past 9 months he wanted to play at night, so we allow him to take a few toys if needed.  Since we have been consistent with him waking up 7am he is to exhausted to look at his toys.

A bedtime routine helps your child know that it is time to go to bed, and time to wind down, and children look forward to it. my son loves bath time, and gets so excited when I run his bath. Kayden even helps out, he helps me get his pj's and throws his toys in the tub. A lot of times, Kayden's body will signal to him, that it is bedtime. Because he is on his schedule, regardless of how his day is going, his body will let him know he is done. Children love structure, and they love knowing what is going to happen next. They love routine, and as they get older, they need more and more of it in their life.

Find out what work's for your child. Some don't need a bath at night, it winds them up instead of calming them down. Some kids needs to play with toys whereas others like the lights low and want the room to be quiet.  Finding the right combination for your child will ensure a smooth routine. Don't work yourself up if you have to adjust it, or when you start your child on one. It is new for you and your child, so take it one day at a time, and I guarantee their body will adjust.

Here are some pictures and prices of Kayden's bathtime products

This soap goes for under $3

The shampoo goes for $5.27

This lotion goes for $11.27

Squats

Hey Guys!

After I had my son almost 2 years ago, my workout goals changed. It wasn't about being skinny anymore, it was about being healthy and making my body strong. I wanted to build muscle and tone up! I went from solely doing cardio to lifting weights and most importantly doing squats!!!

I was so lost about the benefits of squats. Yes they do help grow your booty, but little did I know about all the other benefits.

1. It is a total body workout
that's right, one move works everything! It primarily focuses on your calves, hamstrings and quadriceps. It also releases a hormone which helps improve muscle growth in your body

2. Helps with daily activities
You probably don't realize it but we squat all the time!! As a mother I squat down to talk to my son, when playing with him and when I'm cleaning up the food that he has thrown on the floor. It helps build muscle in your body which helps with your mobility and stability..

3. Burn fat!
One of the benefits of lifting weights is that you burn fat! Squats is no different. Because you are building muscle you end up burning more calories throughout the day. Who doesn't love that?!

4. Help with Balance and mobility
When you squat you work your legs and your stomach muscles. When you are standing you use all those muscles, and it helps make them strong which allows you to have better balance. It improves the communication between your brain and those muscles which can help prevent you from falling!

5.Be a better athlete
As a mom I love this next benefit. Squatting helps you  run faster and jump higher.

5. 1 workout for the entire body
Squats also help tighten your butt, work your abs, and backside. All of these muscles are being worked out.

6. Help with waste removal
Squats help fluids move through your body and help regulate the removal of waste

With all these benefits why wouldn't you add a few squats to your next workout?

Tinted Moisturizer / BB -CC Cream

Hey Guys!

With the warmer weather creeping up on us, foundation and heavy makeup can be to much for the summer months. As a result we need to swap some things out of the makeup bag. The first one, should be your foundation!!

Even though I don't wear a full coverage foundation, or a heavy foundation it can still feel like to much, and feel like it is dripping off my face. When I was pregnant I cam across Almay CC cream in the spring time. I decided to give it a try because I had tried Maybelline BB cream and I didn't like it.

Almay CC cream is amazing. I got it in the shade light/medium and I love it! First off, it automatically adjusts to your skin tone, so I never have to worry about getting a little bit darker that I will like I'm wearing a mask. It blends easily, and lasts for a long time. It is so lightweight, I don't feel like I am wearing anything on my face. I wore it during the hot summer months and it was a life saver. I had natural looking skin, without it feeling heavy.

The only downside about this product, is that you can only keep it for one season. I tried to use it in the winter months because I wanted a light coverage and it had gotten watery, so it was unusable. It costs around $15 at Walmart.

CC Creams claim to color correct your skin, brighten, conceal, hide discoloration and has SPF.

I have heard people complain if you have oily skin, it is to dewy, but I haven't had that problem. I would definitely urge you all to pick this up today!

What I ate Wednesday (5/11/16)

Hey Guys!

Welcome back to another what I ate Wednesday!

Breakfast (7:30am)
 I had a cup of coffee with caramel toffee creamer ( Delicious!) and I had plain yogurt with chocolate protein granola with a banana on top. Sorry I only took a picture of my coffee

 Lunch (noon)

I had some Indian food at lunch, once again made by my mom. I had rice with peas ( my fav!) with channa and plain yogurt. I also had 2 glasses of water.

Snack (3:30pm)
 I had strawberry yogurt

Dinner (5:30)
Today we ate earlier then we usually do, because we had to eat this while it was hot. My boyfriend and I both contributed to tonight's dinner. My boyfriend fried the chicken for orange chicken, while I made a chicken stir fry using VH sauces for 2, and I also made vegetable fried rice. I had 2-3 glasses of water

 Snack (8:00pm)
After my workout I had 2 dates and a cup of green tea

Snack#2 (10:00pm)
My boyfriend and I decided to watch a movie so we ate some MCcain Marble cake with some Neapolitan ice-cream!

Fried Rice

Hey Guys!

Here we go with another recipe that my family enjoys. I came across this recipe one day, because my boyfriend requested fried rice, I didn't think it would be to difficult to make and I was right! This was so easy to make and it wasn't filled with MSG!

Ingredients

Rice ( preferably leftovers 2 cups)
Garlic (2 gloves diced)
Green Onions (2-3)
Ginger ( up to 1 tbsp, depending on your preference)
Soy sauce ( 1 tbsp)
Vegetable Oil
Vegatables(1 cup frozen vegetables)
Meat (optional)

The first time I made this recipe I made it with meat, but the recipe I am going to do will just be vegetable friend rice. If you want to use meat, put it in the pan and cook it to your desire, then set aside.

Take Garlic, green onions and ginger and put in pan along with the oil.
After they have sweated out add in the vegetables and cook for a few minutes. I like using frozen vegetables because they are quick and easy, I will steam them then add them to the pan.
Mix in the rice and toss with ingredients, cook for a few minutes
If you are using meat, add the cooked meat in now
Add soy sauce. I add tons because my boyfriend loves it

I let it cook until i see a little bit of color on the rice and it looks crispy. I do occasionally add more oil to the pan so I can get that nice crunch on it.

What Kayden eats in a day

Being the mother of a toddler boy, I went through many ups and downs to find out what works for him. Kayden never enjoyed pureed food, therefore the beginning stages of food introduction were difficult.
Kayden doesn't have any allergies, so we are blessed in that aspect. I like to keep his diet low in sugar and focus on natural homemade food. Here is a rundown of what Kayden's daily meal plan looks like

Breakfast
 Kayden doesn't enjoy breakfast, it is a struggle with him. He eats a toddler cereal bar with 4 oz of milk. He will occasionally nibble on my breakfast after he is done his. I have tried many things with Kayden, and so far a cereal bar is the only thing that sticks. He will occasionally get waffles or pancakes if either me or my boyfriend is making them.


Morning Snack
 Kayden drinks water with his morning snack. He has a choice between 2 things: Fruit cup/Granola bar.
 I don't have a preference with fruit cups, I usually buy the store brand because it is slightly lower in price. I am not to concerned with the sugar content, it is usually less then 10g of sugar. kayden doesn't enjoy plain apple sauce so I do get apple sauce mixed with another fruit, which will increase the sugar in the product. With granola bars I usually get Bear paws.

Lunch
 For lunch Kayden will have leftovers from the night before. Every meal has a vegetable a protein and a carb. Kayden isn't big on vegetables, but I always put them on his plate. I do try to conceal it ( as I am sure every mom does) Shepherd's pie, pasta, burrito etc. are a great way to conceal vegetables. He will have 4 oz of milk as well. I do not buy juice, as a result I will occasionally give him chocolate milk or put a tiny amount of strawberry syrup. Keep in mind this is minor and done on special occasions.


Afternoon Snack
 Kayden will either have a piece of fruit or yogurt. I get minigo yogurt or yoplait tubes for him. I personally prefer minigo because it is geared for toddler's and young children so they do keep the sugar content low. I do purchase no sugar added yogurt for myself, and Kayden does enjoy those as well. I do not mind Kayden eating that because it is all natural. I keep this snack small, otherwise he will not eat his dinner


Dinner
 Kayden drinks water with his dinner and will eat the same meal as us, unless it is spicy.


This outline works great for Kayden. He use to never eat all his meals and I would get extremely frustrated. After hearing a youtuber go through the same schedule, I later realized that I was giving Kayden to much milk and to big of a snack. I didn't realize that a little bit truly goes a long way. There are times where Kayden wants more, and I love that! Keep in mind getting good sleep is essential for children at this age. If they don't sleep well at night, it can affect their appetite and behavior.

I hope this was able to help some of you mama's out!

Why I love Fiber

Hey Guys!

This post is going to be about fiber. Every since I have had my son, my stomach has completely changed. I wake up with my stomach hurting and I go to bed in pain. I tried googling what was going on with me, but nothing made sense. I finally decided to turn to fiber, and I love it! I started small with dates, and that is when I really noticed a change. I couldn't believe after eating 2 dates a day, I was more regular and my stomach felt so much better in the morning and throughout the day.

Benefits of Fiber

1. Aid in loosing weight
 fiber helps fill you up, the recommendation is 30g a day. As a result you will eat less, adding 8g of fiber more in your diet can help you loose up to 5lb!

2. Help with stool
Let's be honest, this part can get awkward, but this is something we need to talk about. Have you ever strained yourself? Or simply couldn't stop running to the bathroom? Fiber will help with this. I have personally seen the benefits of being regular and having way less gas. Little did I know a lot of my problems was because of my lack of fiber, I go to bed without any pain in my stomach and I am regular.

3. Lower blood and cholesterol levels

Where can I get fiber from?

fruits/vegetables
granola
whole grains
granola bar
beans
oatmeal

Tips

Be careful! The daily reccomendation is 30g of fiber, but if you aren't getting that amount, overloading your body isn't good either. Fiber can dehydrate your body, it helps with bloating by taking away the excess water, therefore you will need to replenish your body. Do not forget to drink your recommended water intake. Shocking your body with an increase in fiber isn't the way to go. You can end up getting the runs or even being constipated which doesn't help anyone. Slowly increase your intake of fiber, so your body has time to adjust. I personally start off my day with granola, and have dates for a snack. I always try to have some sort of fiber with every meal to ensure that I come close to my daily recommendation, if I am not able to achieve it.  

Skindinavia Setting Spray

Hey guys!

This post is going to be about setting spray. I discovered setting spray about 3 years ago, and I haven't looked back. Setting sprays have become a staple in my makeup collection, all thanks to Skindinavia.  I came onto this, because my boyfriend and I had gotten rid of our car ( for financial reasons) so I was taking the bus to and from work. As a result I had 12 hour days! I wanted something that felt light on my face, and kept my makeup in place during the hot and long summer days. I had read multiple reviews and decided to purchase skindinavia. I always purchase 2 bottles and it lasts for months! I usually repurchase once a year because a little bit goes a long way.
I get oil control ( for summer months) and original ( for fall/winter). They go for $29 each, but as I said they last a long time. I do 3-6 spritz, depending on what my makeup is for the day. Plus, they always have codes for free shipping, or a free travel size, so you truly do get a lot for your money.

What I love

This spray truly lives up to what it claims to do. It helps your makeup stay in place for 16 hours, and gives you a flawless finish. It takes away the cakey look, and helps everything settle nicely. I have been out at bbq's in the hot summer heat, and my makeup does not budge. I hate retouching my makeup when I am at an event, dinner, running errands etc, and for the past 3 years I have never had to take touch up powder or anything with me. Even during the cooler months, this spray is a must for me. I have dry skin, and this spray does not dry me out, but gives me a beautiful finish. Regardless of what season it is, I use the spray.

I will admit I haven't tried another finishing spray, I have heard urban decay is great, but I have never felt the need to gravitate towards another setting spray. Keep in mind Urban decay is made by skindinavia. The only downfall, is that you have to order skindinavia online, but they do have speedy delivery, I get my products within 2-3 business days.

Browse their site...I gurantee once you purchase Skindinavia, you will never look back!

Www.skindinavia.com

What I ate Wednesday (05/04/2016)

Hey Guys!
I'm, so ashamed to say this, but I forgot to take pictures of my food, but I am going to make the best of this, and post as many pictures as I can

Breakfast  (7:30am)

 I had my usual, which was yogurt with chocolate protein granola with bananas on top, with a cup of coffee

Snack (9:30am)

I baked banana bread over the weekend, and had a banana bread muffin for my snack with a glass of water

  Lunch (3pm)

My boyfriend made breakfast for lunch. We had pancakes, eggs and breakfast potatoes. My boyfriend is amazing as breakfast, his food is so much better then going to a breakfast spot, and hits the spot every time!

(sorry no pic) 

Dinner (9pm)

Since I had a late lunch I made the awful decision in not making dinner. As a result, when 8pm hit, I was in starvation mode. We didn't do groceries that day because I didn't think we were going to eat dinner so I put it off for the next day. I had no choice but to go through my fridge and make vegetable fried rice. I added some coleslaw on the side for some greens. It wasn't the best dinner, but it was something I was able to whip up fast.

Snack (10:30p.m.)

I don't know what came over me, but I was craving sweets (probably because my time of the month is next week) I had some leftover Deep n' Delicious marble cake with Parlour French Vanilla icecream.

Orange Chicken

This is a receipe that I discovered recently, and my boyfriend requests it weekly. We had a craving for chinese food, but didn't want to spend a lot of money. My boyfriend requested orange chicken and I found this easy receipe.

Here is what you will need

Chicken breasts or theighs
Orange Marmalade
BBQ Sauce
Soy Sauce
Egg
Flour
oil

Whisk Together 2 eggs in bowl 1
In bowl 2 put flour
Cut chicken into pieces. If I'm using breasts I will use 3, if I am using theighs I will use the whole pack
Dredge chicken in the egg and flour mixture and place in hot oil to deep fry

Side Note: I am the worst at deep frying, I panic and I can never get that golden color, so I always get my boyfriend to do it

While the chicken is cooking put ! cup of Marmalade and 1 Cup of bbq sauce in a pan with 1 tbsp of soy sauce. Stir on medium heat.
The sauce will gradually boil and thicken, remember to stir frequently.
Place the cooked chicken on a paper towel to drain the excess grease
once the chicken has cooled mix into the sauce and mix thoroughly. I like to cook it a little more once it is in the sauce.

Serve with rice

Day in the life

I love seeing how other moms structure their day, it has helped me find new ideas during my hard times and has given me lots of tips and tricks. I have recently went through a 18 month sleep regression, and decided it was time for another revamping of Kayden's schedule. I am working on getting him to sleep earlier, and easing him back to a 5:45pm bedtime.

7:30 am - Wakes up and has breakfast
Kayden isn't a big breakfast toddler, never has been , unfortunately he gets this from his father. I have tried giving him anything and the only thing he enjoys is a toddler cereal bar. It is low in sugar and made with real fruit. It gets something in his belly ( even if it is small). He also drinks 4 oz of milk. I either buy Heinz baby bars, or the PC organic Toddler brand.

8:00am- Play time
We take our dog Buddy out for a walk and come back and play! We sit on the floor and play with blocks and his activity centers. It usually tires him out and allows him to be creative.

9:30am- Snack
Because his breakfast is so small Kayden gets hungry at this time. I always have two options available for him to choose from, but lately he has been loving his fruit sauce cups. Kayden was never into apple sauce, so I get a mixture of apple sauce and another fruit and he loves it.

10:00am- Nap-time
Kayden gets his diaper changed and changes into his outfit for the day. We go into his room and read a story which lasts about 15 minutes. To make story time more fun, I have started to ask him to point things out. Kayden loves it, it was an easy way for him to learn his animals, and different objects.

1:00pm- Lunch
Kayden usually wakes up at this time and has his lunch. He eats everything, so I usually give him leftovers from the night before and he  has 4 oz of milk I will also change his diaper.

1:30- Run Errands/Play
If i have errands to run we will go and do them during this time, otherwise we will play. Wetake the dog out for a walk, and when we come back he is energized. We will usually run around the house, and Buddy will join in, Buddy will bark and Kayden will scream with excitement. Once Kayden tires himself out, we will sing songs! His gavorite right now is wheels on the bus and old mcdonalds. He will try to imitate my sounds and loves waving his hands in the air!

3:30pm- Snack Time
Kayden will either have a piece of fruit/yogurt. I use to give him a bigger snack but he would never eat his dinner. This allows him to get something in his belly without filling him up. I will change his diaper before dinner.

6pm-Dinner
This is the latest Kayden can have his dinner, we have it earlier depending on the day. Kayden will eat the exact meal as us, unless it is to spicy. He drink water with this meal

6:30pm-bath
I am working on shifting his schedule, as he is going through a sleep regression. My goal is to work him back to having bath time at 5:45pm. His bath is simple, we use Johnson &Johnson bath products and he takes a bath in a regular bathtub. He splashes and plays with his toys for about 15-30 minutes depending on his mood. My boyfriend and I switch off depending on what we are doing. When I give him a bath I like to sing songs, and encourage his independence. We work on his body parts and learning colors and objects.We use Live Clean lotion on his skin. We discovered early on that Kayden has sensitive skin, this brand along with Aveeno is what we will use.

7:30pm-Bedtime
His dad will go in with him and read him a few stories and then he is knocked out


Just a head's up, I eat when Kayden eats. I have learned it is so much easier, and he enjoys eating independently and gets mad when I try to help him. I do finish before him so if needed I can get him something.I also clean while he is playing sometimes. He follows me around and loves helping out. When I talk about playing, we learn as well. I  believe that is very important and he doesn't notice that I am trying to teach him the basics. Kayden loves water and will drink it in between meals, I leave it out where he can access it easily. I don't believe in juice, I am trying to instill healthy habits early on. Plus it just gets him hyper, and any kid hyped up on sugar is difficult to try to control.