Give More Than You Get!

Today I tried this recipe for roasted chickpeas and it was yummy! I only had regular paprika so I added an 1/8 t of cayenne pepper, loved the little bit of added heat!

Don’t they look yummy?? I ate them with my sandwich at lunch in place of chips and actually preferred the taste and crunch of them over greasy chips.

Two weeks ago, I started the Kettlebody by Brook system and have yet to miss a workout, the dvds or my kickboxing class! I am really liking the dvds, they are not too long but when I am done I always feel like I have done something. And perhaps best of all, my husband has mentioned how my legs are starting to get a little more definition!  Love that!

I hope to progress to add in some of the “extra” cardio moves in the Cardio Kettlebell dvd, then to do all of those beautiful tricep pushups in the Yoga Burn dvd, and to move up from my 10 to 15 lb kettlebell for the Bell Body Sculpt dvd.

Do you all have any fitness goals? If so let me know.

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

I have disliked my work conditions for some time, in fact it has been years, it certainly did not start off this way. When I first started I loved my job, I had a Director who respected me and my opinion, then things changed. It has gotten to the point that I just tell my Director that I will do whatever she wants because everything is an argument (not screaming or anything, but no matter how many points I have for my opinion it isn’t right, only her’s is), but I have stayed because of the time off – my employer is closed 10 days a year + I get 3 weeks of vacation (that is so much time with my kids, and I love it) – and I always thought things would go back to the way they were. I have finally have come to my senses though, and realize that the only way I can make the situation better is to change me.  So I am going make steps to find a position, a career that will provide me happiness and fulfillment.

I want to get my teacher’s certification for middle school math. I have done my observation hours and even taken the practice certification exam, but I just stopped. I didn’t do as well on the practice test as I had hoped it would and it just kinda stopped me in my tracks. I was disappointed, but instead of becoming more determined I just quit. Not this time, I am borrowing books from a friend and reading different papers on teaching techniques. With a little luck and a lot of hard work, I will hopefully have a position in the fall.

Wish me luck! It will require several hours of studying and with family time and my other goals for the year I will be one busy girl, but it will be worth it!

Tonight the boy’s went to play games so Red and I had dinner together and finished our grocery shopping at the health food store. While we were waiting for our table at dinner she took some pics of herself.

And

And my fave

She is too cute!

Hope you all are having a wonderful Saturday!

So yesterday I managed to get up early and exercise prior to work (yeah!), which left me starving. I think that is a good thing right? Well anyway I decided to have some chocolate protein oatmeal, talk about yum!

You start with a bowl of cooked oatmeal (I always add cinnamon and sometimes vanilla before I cook them).

To this add a scoop of chocolate protein powder and then stir. And no wimpy stirring will do to get the protein powder incorporated.

Doesn’t it looks yummy!  You can stop here – it will taste similar to homemade hot chocolate – or add in some more flavor with crushed peanuts, slivered almonds, milk, coconut oil, or (my fave) natural peanut butter. I added a splash of almond milk, coconut oil, and peanut butter.

Stirred everything up, it tasted just like a Reeces Peanut Butter Cup! Healthy and good, double yum!

I have decided that to meet my fitness goal of getting stronger I need to start getting up early for a pre-work workout. Enter this

It consists of three dvds, Cardio Kettlebell, Yoga Burn,  and Bell Body Sculpt, each lasting around 30 minutes. The Kettlebody by Brook system is designed to last 8 weeks with you cycling through the dvds,  going from Cardio, to Yoga, then Sculpt and back through for 6 days, you rest on the 7th day and then start the whole process over. This sounded like the perfect way to get into the groove of morning workouts,  it is after all only 30 minutes earlier than I was getting up and an 8 week commitment. Wish me luck! I will let you know how it goes!

I just love painting my toes like a rainbow! 

Only started today and I am already blogging from my phone…  Oh well, I could do worse right?
So my goals for the year.

I want to:
1- Become stronger both mentally and physically. I will do this
by pushing myself and by doing two weekly weight lifting workouts each week in addition to my kickboxing classes.
2- I will read at least 1 book a month. I am reading Mockingjay this month.
3- I want to work toward my family becoming debt free. This will not be easy because we will need to stick to our budget and there are always temptations to lure us off track.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

A post on my goals to come!