The Ameri Brit Mom

The Essentials

Over the past few months I have done some dabbling in the Essential Oil field. A great friend of mine that I met in our church small group encouraged me to educate myself on the benefits and remedies of using Essential Oils. She made my family a few roll on oil blends for helping soothe my daughter to sleep and ease anxiety in our home. Over time, we saw results in using these oils blends. Last week, she helped me to make my first OnGuard cleaner and I wiped down all the surfaces in my house following a pretty nasty illness that my daughter had procured.

Now, I am happy to say that I have bought into the necessities of Essential Oils and made my first real purchase (thanks to my friend and her generous mother). As I researched the needs of my family and matched up those needs to different oils and blends I created a wish list. My first oils are Lavender, OnGuard, and Balance.

Here are some of the benefits that SOLD me on the idea of replacing many pharmaceuticals and harsh chemicals with Essential Oils:

1. Cost- At first, this was my major deterrent in getting my oil collection going. As with anything there is a bit of start-up cost to begin to build up your supplies. However, research has shown me that each individual oil has multiple benefits and uses. This means that in many cases you can use one oil to treat multiple issues. (example: Lavender can be used for anxiety, allergies, depression, dry skin, exhaustion, fever, stress…etc.) So when it came to creating my list of “essentials” for my family I looked at the oils that would treat multiple needs. Also, when you figure the cost of some medications and/or doctor visits that can be minimized, or completely replaced, the oil cost in the long run is exponentially cheaper. Most oils run between $20-$30 if you have a membership with an Essential Oils company.

2. Safe and Organic– Essential oils are extracted from parts of plants and plants themselves. They have natural therapeutic qualities and can be used topically, aromatically, and in some cases internally. They are an organic and natural alternative to some harsh chemicals found in household cleaning, beauty, and skin products. Most oils are also safe for children and pets. I’ve found a lot of information from the book below to be helpful in figuring out how to best use each product.

So how am I using my new Essential Oils?

OnGuard: I am using my OnGuard oil to fight bacteria and illness in my home. I put a couple of drops on my air filter. Not only does my house smell clean and fresh, but it also is diffusing the healthy benefits it offers throughout the home.

Lavender: I am using Lavender to combat the dry skin that accompanies winter in Ohio. I have been humidifying my house with water in multiple ways, but skin always seems dry and depleted this time of year. I’ve been taking our already non-toxic moisturizers and adding a drop of Lavender to the moisturizers before application. It adds an aromatic flare and additional dry skin healing. I also use Lavender to break down stress and tension attached to stress for both my husband and myself.

Balance: Both my husband and I battle with back pain regularly. My hope is that in using this oil regularly we can avoid trips to the chiropractor and alleviate other issues associated with back pain. I have applied this oil by massaging it onto trouble areas. Not only is it relaxing to receive a massage, but the aroma is wonderful as well.

Sleepy Time Blend: This is a blend given to me from my friend. It is in a roll-on bottle. I use this to help my family relax before bed time, especially on those nights when Arianna is fighting sleep. I usually apply this oil to the feet and cover with socks. Generally, Ari is out pretty quickly thereafter.

Anxiety Blend: This is another blend given to me from my friend. When I feel tense, and sometimes when I know that day may be particuarly long or stressful I use the roll-on bottle to apply the oil to my temples and gently massage it in.

I’m still fairly new to the Essential Oil scene, so I am in no place to make any calls on the accuracy of the oils, but I can say that what I have been introduced to has pleased me and my family. I will continue to purchase Essential Oils. My wish list contains several more oils and I look forward to getting to know more. I hope to plan a mixology date with some of my “girlfriends” to mix the oils and learn about new ways of use and application. I will keep you updated with anything I learn or find along my journey.

If you use Essential Oils please share some tips and ideas. If you don’t what’s holding you back?

Jillian Michaels Kicked My Butt

Over the past two weeks I’ve been focusing on my fitness routine. Weather has not permitted me to exercise outside yet, so as I eagerly anticipate the arrival of spring I’ve created a plan for working out different parts of my body. Every other day I’ve completed an elliptical regimen. I’ve sifted through Pinterest and the internet to put together a few elliptical workouts that I’ve found to be beneficial for my fitness level. The most important part for elliptical training for me is to beat the boredom. I try to compliment elliptical training with music or audio books, but I also find that I can beat the boredom by doing short intervals. It keeps me focused on what I’m doing and what’s happening next. I tend to have limited workout time so I try to find the best workouts that will breed solid results in 30 minutes or less. Also, in order to get the best results you want to be sure to alternate elliptical workouts and not constantly do the same thing. Not only is it boring, but you miss out on the intended strength training aspect if you allow your muscles to get acclimated to a regimen. Here’s a look at some sources I’ve found to be beneficial:

9toFit: Nothing like a Elliptical Ladder to get you going on a MONDAY..

burn around 400 calories with this 25 minute elliptical routine! never get bored workout #9tofit

25 Minute Elliptical Workout will give you the best cardio workout! Sweat more than you ever have in 25 minutes. www.livylove.com

On the days between my elliptical training I have started something totally new and foreign to me. I’ve always been a runner, but never a strength builder. A few weeks ago a good friend introduced me to the Jillian Michaels’ video workouts. I am no stranger to Jillian Michaels. She is a household icon, but she is oftentimes (mistakenly) credited with being hard core and rude. This prejudice made me a little skeptical of my own ability to complete a Jillian Michaels’ created workout. However, I was pleased when I successfully made my way through a thirty minute routine in my friend’s classroom before parent-teacher conferences. (We totally used dictionaries in her classroom for weights)

It was difficult, but it was so worth it. She may have kicked my butt, but I enjoy the sore feeling after a workout. As I sat at my desk that night discussing student progress with parents I could feel my muscles tightening. That feeling means you did it right and the results are coming. So naturally, I have continued to complete this video workout routine on my own. I’m working my way through the 6 Week 6 Pack video. It isn’t easy, but I am already seeing results after a few sessions. I’ve been tracking my training using my Fitbit App and accomplishing my step goals every day.

A combination of these two workout routines and healthy eating have helped me feel as though I am making some progress toward my New Year’s Resolutions.

I just finished today’s video workout. My calves are throbbing, my abs are tight, and my lower back is worked to the bone. This is what a good butt-kicking feels like.

What are some good butt-kicking workouts you do?

photo credit: http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/1039369/exercises-that-improve-your-strength

Ready for Routine

Dear blogging world,

I’m sorry for falling behind in my posts over the past several days. The PARCC tests have taken over my life. My students have been taking the PARCC over the past week and it has been a scheduling nightmare. I’ve spent most of the school day in the computer lab proctoring tests and missing out on the classroom experience. I am so far behind in curriculum due to testing (and the 13 snow days my school has taken on). At some point winter will cease and the testing will be finished, but right now it seems never-ending. I’m trying not to complain and take everything is stride, but as a teacher I am longing for a semblance of routine back in my life. I long to see and TEACH my students again. I long to feel productive and like I’m making a difference. All of these calamity days and testing sessions are causing me to involuntarily lose my motivation. Come on, March…let’s get warmer, sunnier, and calmer.

End of rant.

Mrs. Sisley

9th Grade English/World History Teacher

Ohio

Friendship: It’s a God-thing

In a previous post “It Takes a Village” I eluded to the fact that in a future post I was going to write about my friend from our church group who has recently become a babysitter for our daughter. This is that post.

I’ve been thinking for a while about how to go about discussing all that God has done and shown me and my family through this new and awesome friend and I know that the words I could form to describe this friendship will fall short of what it is…a God-thing.

Let me start off with the fact that I tend to attract people in my life that are nothing like myself. Almost all of the people in my life that I hold near and dear to me happen to be absolutely nothing like me in personality, interest, and skill set. This is very fortunate for me because I get a chance to meet so many different types of people and to have unique experiences in my life as a result of those people that I might otherwise not have. My husband and I are complete polar opposites in so many ways, yet we believe ourselves to be a perfect fit. We tend to find that what one of us lacks the other more than makes up for.

Anyway, this is relevant to my friendship because my new friend, Katy, is nothing like myself. It may be easier to list what we have in common as opposed to ways in which we are different.

We both…

1. Are married

2. Live in Ohio

3. Ran competitively in High School

4. Go to the same church

5. Like essential oils

And…I’m struggling to come up with much more.

The beauty in our friendship is that we both learn so much from each other (let’s be honest I learn way more from her than she does from me). We could, and sometimes do, spend hours just talking because we both are so interested in one another since we are so vastly different. Katy is handy, whereas I’m good at breaking things. Katy is awesome with animals, whereas I go weeks without remembering to change my cat’s litter box (I should probably do that now). Katy is resourceful, whereas I just am not. I’m sure I bring something more to this friendship than these things, but this post is intended to brag on my friend not myself so I’ll stop there.

A little under a year ago I met Katy at our first church small group (cLife) meeting at a new church. She and her husband were the only couple in the group close to our age. We continued to get to know each other over the next couple of months. Our friendship took a turn when Katy began sitting for our daughter in October. That situation in and of itself was a God-thing the way it worked out (I discuss this idea further in my post, “It Takes a Village”)

Over the next few months we grew to know each other better and this is where God has an even bigger hand in our friendship…

Background: Last November my husband was in a bad accident. Our new(er) Ford Focus was totaled in the accident due to the driver of a car behind my husband on the free way texting and driving. We owed a lot of money on the car at the time (which we are still chipping away at). At the time we had been saving up to purchase a second car (one for me to drive to work…a very short commute) We had to use what money we had saved for a second car to purchase a new primary car. For the next year we made it work. My husband has a 45 minute commute (without traffic) and he would drop me off and pick me up after school each day. This gave me a lot of free time in my classroom, which I never got angry about. I found ways to fill my time and not complain about the situation.

After a year of the crazy schedules which oftentimes left one of us stranded while the other was at work, practice, or spending time with friends, we finally got a new car. However, this car was not an additional purchase and added debt. This car was a gift.

Over the Christmas season Katy and her husband had been fixing up a car for my husband and I. One night at our cLife group Katy and her husband pulled up in a new car and gave the keys to my husband and I. These two handy people had left us completely speechless. What kind of friend gives their friend a car? Seriously. Despite having no idea this trick was up their sleeves I was completely in awe of the fact that they had used their unique skill sets to fix up a car for us. Their response to our awe was, “God told us to do it.” We quickly went through the legalities of receiving a new vehicle. God is awesome. I cannot fathom how much of a sacrifice these two had made to listen to God. The money it cost to purchase. The parts that needed work. The time and labor involved in fixing up a car like this.

Sometimes I struggle with how to make this up to my dear friends, and then I am reminded that they were being obedient to God. The way I can show my gratitude for this gift and friendship is being obedient to God myself. It’s been a blessing getting to know this family and creating a friendship focused on God and full of honesty and knowledge. And…I might have learned a few lessons along the way (like how not to drain a car battery…or how to jump a battery once dead)

I am so thankful for all of the people God has put in my path. I just felt led to tell the blogging world about how God has been blessing me through this family. Oh, and by the way the whole car battery thing happened this weekend and we spent most of the evening Saturday and tonight figuring out the problem and enjoying a spontaneous dinner at home. So that’s my daily inspiration.

God is good.

The Date Jar: Week 2 (The Family Bucket List)

This weekend has been a busy one in the Sisley home. Sam’s basketball coaching season is winding down, but the time commitment level as the season nears the close seems to increase dramatically. Also, we spent a good portion of our Saturday working on our new car with the help of our mechanically-inclined friends, Travis and Katy. It’s great to spend time with amazing people like the Lucas family and we capped off the evening (once the car was up and running) at one of our favorite restaurants in Columbus, Bd’s Mongolian Grill.

Today, Sam is performing his awesome basketball tricks at a local church to close their Upward Basketball season and Arianna and I are once again snowed in and unable to breech the boundaries of our home. If you are unfamiliar with my husband and his basketball ministry you should really check out some of his videos. In college he started doing basketball tricks as a travelling ministry and he has been very successful. This ministry has taken him all over the United States and England. He is currently planning for an upcoming engagement in which he will be in a televised program in New York City. I’ll keep you updated. Here is a link to his website: www.sizzlabasketball.com.

While Sam has been busy off pursuing his basketball dreams this weekend I have been spending some time educating myself on Essential Oils and disinfecting the house with a new OnGuard Cleaner. I’m really excited to learn more about Essential Oils and use them to help my family toward a healthier lifestyle. I literally cleaned every surface in the house with this stuff. It smells wonderful and it is so rewarding to know that while I deep clean my home I am helping my family to fight off illnesses using a healthy and non-toxic product.

So, although we were really busy this weekend and it seemed like we were being pulled in different directions it was perfect for us that the date night task we drew from the Date Jar this weekend was to create a family bucket list. We didn’t have much time to sit around for hours and discuss, but we had a very focused conversation on the way to the restaurant last night about our goals as a family and individually.

As a couple it is really important to take time to communicate your goals and plans for the future. Sometimes it is easy to be too caught up in the tasks of daily life to set goals for where you want to be as a family five, ten, or twenty years in the future. It is really fitting that we happened to choose this date night activity out of the jar at random, because this week in particular my personal Bible reading and devotions have been focused on the idea of being radical for God.

I’ve been reading a lot from the story of Peter walking on the water. It took guts to get out of the comfort of the boat during the storm and be obedient to Jesus’ call to do something crazy like walk on the water. Jesus makes it evident through this story that as long as our focus remains on Him He will be with us and keep us safe despite the storms around us. I’ve felt convicted this week to re-evaluate my life and listen for the voice of Jesus for areas where He may be calling me out of the boat.

So our bucket list conversation consisted of us discussing where God is leading us as a family. Both of us feel that God is preparing us for a big change or step in the road to come. Sam is so great at what he does ministry-wise and we both feel that some form of ministry is in his future. I know that God has called me to teach and has provided me with gifts conducive to that calling, but the platform for how He wants me to use my gifts is something I’ve given to God. I also really enjoy writing and would love to pursue writing in some way in the future. We planned what we think our family will look like over the next few years and talked about our goals and plans for our daughter. It was really refreshing to take some time to realign our goals and to measure the progress we’ve made toward our previously established ones.

So…week #2 is in the books. We went on a dinner date with friends, discussed our future plans and goals, and enjoyed some family time between the travelling, cleaning, and fixing up of a car. I’m going to leave you with my prayer from my journal earlier this week. Enjoy the end of your weekend and don’t forget to set goals!

It Takes a Village

Over the past two and half years I have learned a lot about what it means to be a mother and a wife. The most important lesson that I’ve learned about myself from this time is the importance of community in my life. Although the beginning stages of your child’s life are so rewarding and miraculous there comes a time where you begin to crave adult interaction. I am a firm believer in the phrase that, “It takes a village (or community) to raise a child.” There are so many things that I can learn as a mother and my daughter can learn from the people that God has strategically placed in our lives.

I’ve been so blessed in my own walk to have people come alongside me and join me in this journey of life. I’m so grateful for each and every person that God has used to foster and build up this beautiful state of community that I live in. I have godly friends that serve not only as spiritual leaders for myself, but also as encouragement for my family. I also have a church that is positive and uplifting.

My family belongs to a small group from our church that meets on a weekly basis to discuss life, struggles, and sermons from the pastor. I find this group particularly encouraging because we were led to join a group where we were the youngest couple. It is so awesome to have the resources of mothers who have children older than my own to seek wisdom from. These moms get what it’s like to be in my shoes and they have survived. I look forward to meeting with these families every week and they are so special to my family. This is a goofy picture of some of our small group packing candy for a Trick-or-Treat outreach we did this fall. I’m not quite sure why the men decided to make silly faces…maybe too much candy.

I’ve also met one of my dearest friends through this church group. One week as a prayer request I mentioned needing a new sitter for my daughter as my sister who was the previous sitter was moving. If you’re a working mom you know how scary this can be. I was really fearful of the idea of not knowing who I was going to end up entrusting my daughter’s care to, but this friend of mine stepped up and I just felt so at peace at her offering to watch my daughter. That has been such a huge blessing and confirmation to me that we are where we are supposed to be as a family in this group. My daughter loves her new sitter and she is such a good friend on so many levels. (More on her in another post to come)

God has also blessed me with a friend that I work with who has been there for me through so much over my past four years of employment. We’ve been friends through so many of life’s big stages and milestones and I feel that our faith has kept us close even when our lives are busy and insane. We’ve continued to make our friendship a priority even when we both are stretched super thin. We share many values, but are both uniquely different in our personalities. I love it. This picture is of my good friend watching the fireworks with my daughter last Fourth of July.

Community has also been built with family. My husband’s family lives in England while we reside in Ohio, but Skype has been amazing at keeping us close and updated on the happenings overseas. I’m so pleased that our daughter regularly talks about her English grandparents and carries memories of the few times she was able to see them. We venture that way every summer, but for my two year-old to vividly recall memories of them the way she does I know that means they have had such a pivotal role in her life and they mean so much to her already. This picture is from July 2014 when my husband’s family came for a visit.

My own family lives near us in Ohio. My family does a lot to help us out and we have made a point to do Sunday Dinners with my mom, dad, and sisters. This is so important because as we each grow and live our busy lives we are able to reconnect on those Sunday evenings and our kids are able to have that weekly time to bond and play together. This is a picture from my sister’s wedding in June 2014.

So my community is….

-Family

-Friends

-Church

-Small Group

I felt the need to shout out to those that God has put in my life today. Thank you all for being there for me and my family. Although it is my responsibility to care for and raise my child I know that I can’t do it alone. All of you have taught me and my family so much through your guidance, love, and faithfulness. Thanks for being my COMMUNITY…or village :)

My First Award: Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award11

Just over a week ago I made the bold decision to begin publishing my musings in the wonderful blogging realm. I’ve always been a journal keeper and a secret writer, but I took the leap of faith (and advice from my husband) and began to publish my writing on this blog. I have been completely overwhelmed by the response I have received. My site stats are quite impressive and have exceeded my expectations. I’ve been averaging around 100 views per day and have created a following and community with blogging strangers around the world. I’ve gained some feedback from those more experienced than myself and I value that feedback greatly. But today, I have reached a new and unexpected milestone. My blog has been nominated by Welcome to My World for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award.

I am honored and delighted to be nominated for this award. The nomination comes to me from a follower of my blog. If you enjoy my blog you should follow this inspiring blog as well. The author is a cancer survivor who writes about everyday life with a toddler and all of life’s ups and downs. Her posts are very relatable and sometimes I feel like we are great friends because her everyday life so closely resembles my own. I’m really excited to be nominated for my first award. I feel like maybe some of my ramblings may be inspirational to others out there. So I am very grateful for this nomination.

So what’s the point?

Why would one want to be nominated for a blogging award? The answer is two-fold. One goal of every aspiring blogger is to gain readers and followers and awards help make that happen. When I began blogging I wanted to know that the information I was putting out on the Internet was helpful and inspirational to other people. Of course, it is a great outlet for my thoughts and creative thinking, but my goal the whole time has been to encourage other people through letting them in on my imperfect life. By being transparent I believe that other moms or women may be able to relate to my position and be encouraged that we don’t have to have it all together all the time. Another reason why I am so thankful for this award is because it means that I am achieving that goal of inspiring another woman out there and hopefully countless others.

As a nominee for this award I have 10 questions I must answer on my blog so here it goes:

10 burning questions for the nominees:

If you had the opportunity to donate what or who would you donate to and why? If I had the means and opportunity to donate I would choose to sponsor children overseas through organizations like World Vision. I currently sponsor a child in Guatemala through World Vision with a club that I advise at the high school where I work. For $33.00 a month we are able to provide food, clothing, education, and Bibles for our sponsored child and his family. If I could I would sponsor several more children. I wish that all children had the privilege and necessities that my own child has and it breaks my heart when I hear stories where that is not the case. One of the coolest things about World Vision is that they send correspondence between you and your sponsored child. (They even translate when language is a barrier)
What is your favorite season and why? My favorite season is Spring. What I love most about Spring is the feelings of new beginnings. The winter in the mid-west can be daunting and at times (like right now) it seems as though the warmer temperatures and longer days will never come. Once spring sets in I receive new energy and look forward to all that comes with the changing of the seasons.
Who is your favorite author? This is the toughest question on this survey. I love reading which is why I am a high school English teacher. I have several noteworthy favorites. I love Harper Lee, JK Rowling, Beth Moore, and many many more.
Early bird or night owl? Early bird for sure. Since I was pregnant with my daughter my days as a night owl have disappeared. I would much rather get up early than stay up late. I’ve also learned that I am a much more productive person in morning (granted, I have the jump start of a cup of coffee…or two)
Favorite dessert- Can I count coffee as a dessert? If not, then anything coffee flavored (cheesecake, tiramisu, cupcakes, ice cream…)
Describe your perfect day from start to finish- The perfect day would begin with a little bit of a late start. I may wake up earlier than most, but I would take my time getting ready for the day. I would spend the morning drinking several cups of coffee, journaling, blogging, doing a devotional all while cuddling my daughter and husband on the couch. We would make a family lunch and dine together still in our pajamas. After lunch, we would head to our favorite corner of the world: German Village in Columbus, Ohio. The weather would be beautiful. We would go to Schiller Park, walk the brick-paved streets, visit The Book Loft, and have cookies and coffee at the Pistachio Vera Bakery. Dinner would be at the quaint and world famous Schmidts in German Village. After dinner, we would venture home and watch several episodes of our current favorite show on Netflix until we all fell asleep on the couch. Yep, perfect day!
What is your dream job? My dream job is yet to be determined. Something where I am able to use my gifts to help and inspire others. Right now I’m a teacher and I’m pretty happy with that!
What is your favorite thing about blogging? My favorite part about blogging is that it is not only therapy for myself that allows me to creatively work out my thoughts and ideas, but it also is a platform to encourage and inspire others.
Favorite movie- Wizard of Oz. Why? Because I’ve known every line and dance in that movie since I was 3. I also love all Disney movies and many many musicals.
Warm or cold climate? Warm. No contest. I am much more happy, energetic, and productive with a healthy dose of Vitamin D from the sun. The cold is depressing and makes my joints hurt. Maybe I should think about relocating from the midwest :)

As a part of the nomination process I must also create 10 questions for my nominees:

1. Who do you admire most in your life? Why?

2. Where do you turn for inspiration and encouragement?

3. Why did you begin blogging?

4. What are three goals you have set for yourself (long or short term)?

5. Describe your family and its members.

6. What is your favorite accessory? Why?

7. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Why?

8. What is your favorite TV show?

9. What is your favorite blog and why?

10. Where do you see yourself and your family in five years?

I nominate the following blogs to receive this award as well:

Desperate Housewife

Thyme is Honey

https://acaffeinatedblog.wordpress.com/

Nominees, here are the ground rules:

– Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their site. (that’s me :) )
– Put the award logo on your blog.
– Answer the ten questions sent to you.
– Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer.
– Nominate seven blogs.

Thank you once again, Welcome to My World. You have made me feel like my time spent narrating my life is well worth it. I have also been encouraged by this award to set some new and higher goals for my blog and to pursue my own personal writing dreams. It means a lot. Please take some time and check out my nominee sites and help them reach their viewer/follower goals.

Life is good.

Staying On Top of It All

Once again this teacher is cut off from society and stranded at home yet again. Our district was set to begin state tests this week, but due to weather and now a gas leak in our high school it is Wednesday and we have not yet commenced the testing. I am making the most out of all of these days at home. I’m using this time to get organized, clean the house, and make progress toward health and fitness goals. So today I want to focus on some of the ideas I’ve come across for organizing my life and goals.

1. Goal Setting

As the year was beginning I set some goals for myself. I created an organizer for my goals to help get the ball rolling and into action. I made a pyramid with the goal for the year at the top. Then, I broke the goal down into monthly, weekly, and daily goals within that pyramid. My two goals to focus on in 2015 are: Completing a 5k competitively and doing some professional writing (i.e. a novel). I got this idea from Jillian Michaels. I found some articles on goal setting according to this famous fit and healthy icon and used some of those ideas in creating my own goal plans for 2015. Here is a link to the template I found most helpful: http://images.agoramedia.com/jillianmichaels/cms/unlimited/journal-11.pdf

2. Daily Organization:

Also at the beginning of the new year I sought out a planner that would help me keep on top of my goals and would be an encompassing life planner. After some searching online I purchased a pad from Thyme-is-Honey.com. I am super pleased with this product because it allows me space to plan out my day according to health, home, and fitness goals. When I set daily goals for myself it helps my long term goal seem more attainable and keeps me organized. I recommend taking a look around Thyme-is-Honey’s page and shop. There are a lot of organizational ideas that I find inspiring. (I follow this blog)

3. Blog Ideas:

When I created this blog not only was I looking for a creative outlet for myself, but I aimed at sharing real life experiences as a busy mom with the world in hopes of mutually encouraging others out there either just like me or who have been where I am now. I’m definitely in the infant stages of blogging. I’m learning a few new tricks and ideas every day. As I began setting up my blog originally I wasn’t quite sure what I would have to bring to the table that other people would want to read. I spent a lot of time scoping out the competition and looking at the posts of others in the blogging community. Instead of narrowing my ideas to one topic I decided I would try to cover all the facets of my life on this blog. After a successful first week as a blogger with over 350 views and more subscribers than I anticipated I decided to also get organized with my blogging. I set up a schedule of blog post topics. I plan to write on a rotation basis so as not to get bored of one particular category of writing. My goal is to create a post a day and to become an active member in the blogging community by commenting and subscribing to at least two new blogs a day. Here is a look at the plan of attack I’ve created for moving forward with this blog.

I am not claiming to be a mom on top of it all by any means, however, I do have to admit that I am currently the most organized that I ever have been. I’ve been taking a few minutes everyday to focus on myself and my goals and that has made a world of difference. What are you doing to keep organized and reach your goals?

Working On My Fitness

I am singing the winter blues. I’m so over the snow, frigid temperatures and the short days. Bring on the sun, warm temperatures, and long evenings. It is so much more motivating to get out and work out with a blast of Vitamin D from the good ole sun. At the beginning of the new year like many of you I set some resolutions for 2015 that included creating a more fit and healthy lifestyle. Winter is making it difficult for me to follow through.

At the beginning of the year I outlined plans for regular fitness activity and healthier eating habits. As far as the healthy eating goes I haven’t strayed too far from my goal. I may have eaten a few too many slices of cake than I had intended, but overall, I am sticking pretty well to my plans of cooking healthy meals at home every night (with the exception of special date nights).

Where I seem to be lacking is in my regular fitness activity. For the first few weeks of the new year I was on a pretty consistent schedule of 30 minute elliptical workouts every other day. But have since made working out less of a priority. I’ve been crazy busy at work preparing for new state tests, family commitments, and by the time I get home some nights I’m just too exhausted. Eating healthy is great, but without the fitness to compliment the eating habits I know I am missing out on the goal. I want to be both fit and healthy.

A fit and healthy lifestyle (like the one I am trying to adopt) begins first with a clear and measurable fitness plan. I started the year with the goal of working out thirty minutes a day every other day. I thought that was reasonable. Then life happened.

In high school I was a long distance runner and have actually completed several half marathons. I would love to work into shape to once again compete in road races and do well. During the winter I tend to do less running and more elliptical and core strength workouts. I have a Fitbit which is nice for tracking exercise and calories. I also have access to weights.

So…I’m opening today’s blog up to my viewers and followers. I’m asking for advice. How do you stay motivated during the winter to continue training and working out? And…What are your workout plans?

I tend to be more extrinsically motivated so the more comments and advice I get, the more likely I will be to get myself into a regular routine. I also plan to use this blog to hold me accountable to both my fitness and health goals. Bring on the comments!!

Monday Menu (Slow Cooked Curried Chicken Stew)

There are few things I enjoy devouring more than a warm stew or soup on a cold frigid day. As you can gather from my recent postings I have spent quite a few consecutive days sequestered in my home. The snow and low temperatures have been relentless here in the mid-west not to mention the lovely flu bug that has finally swept its way out of our now sanitized home. So when it came to preparing a homemade meal for my family this weekend I had quite a few stipulations. I needed to cook meals that would settle well with those weak in the stomach and bring nourishment to replenish lost nutrients surrendered to the nasty sickness. The meal needed to also require ingredients which were readily available in my own pantry because venturing out during a snow emergency is virtually impossible. So while racking my brain to create a concoction to meet the needs of my family this weekend I created a new dish with which I am quite pleased.

This meal is very British in roots so my husband loved it immensely. He wants it to be added to our rotation of meals. I’ve never written a recipe of my own before so this may be rough and hard to follow, but I felt it was worth sharing.

Curried Chicken Stew

Ingredients:

1 Tb olive oil

2 pounds chicken breast, cubed

1 Tb garlic, minced

1 cup frozen green beans

1 cup frozen carrots

1/2 jar of favorite curry sauce or paste (I used Patak’s Original Korma Paste)

2 potatoes unpeeled and cubed

Recipe

1. In a large skillet heat oil. Add chicken and garlic. Cook until chicken is done.

2. Add frozen green beans and carrots to the skillet. Saute until vegetables are soft.

3. Pour chicken and vegetable mixture into a 4 quart Crock Pot or slow cooker.

4. Add potatoes and curry sauce.

5. Mix to coat all ingredients.

6. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

This recipe is simple and can be easily adjusted. I used a more mild sauce to achieve the soothing effects desired for someone conquering the flu, but a hotter sauce would be delicious as well. Curry is definitely more popular in England than it is in America. This dish was very nostalgic to my husband’s upbringing. If you find that your family likes curry I would recommend keeping a jar or two on hand at all times. I have found them at World Market and the North Market in Columbus, Ohio. I’m fairly certain many of the franchise grocery stores carry them in their international aisles as well. It’s a really easy staple to those nights where you just want to throw something together. I have literally made meals before where I have baked chicken in the sauce and served it over rice and it was delicious.

Enjoy!