The Importance of Small Victories

For the past two weeks, I've had the privilege of co-hosting the Small Victories Sunday linky with Tanya at Mom's Small Victories. Before this opportunity, I would find myself haphazardly looking for new blogs and connections. Each week I co-hosted, I read at least half of the posts plus others I that grabbed my attention. I felt like I discovered a new world in the blogosphere as I anticipated reading several posts a day. These bloggers encouraged me with their words, taught me important lessons in blogging, and opened my eyes to the many ways bloggers can serve their readers. 

I've been inspired by the talented women that posted to the linky each week with their recipes, crafts, book reviews and most importantly their small victories. Most of these bloggers are busy moms and adding anything to your "regular" mom duties is a victory in itself. Congratulate these ladies by commenting on their posts.

My Victories

This past Monday, my husband and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. We've had good times and bad times, but through each season we put God first. Our family motto is God-Love-Trust. Currently, we've been trusting God in our finances as we budget more carefully and spend a little less, so when our anniversary came around we decided to forgo gifts and have dinner out with the kids (sitters can be expensive). I was fine with the no-gifts part, but I was worried about bringing the kids out-to-eat. 

As we began planning our special day, I read about the Scandalous Strawberry Cake from the Traveling with T blog. It relayed a story of how the strawberry cake recipe mysteriously vanished from her grandmother's recipe box. It was an intriguing story, but what reeled me in was the infamous recipe. Strawberry cake is my husband, Seth's favorite cake, and now I had a recipe that was easy enough for me to make and good enough to steal. So, I decided to surprise Seth with the Scandalous Strawberry Cake for our anniversary. 

Yes, he was surprised when he got home from work, and then he surprised us by taking us all out to the Peak City Grill in downtown Apex. The Peak City Grill isn't your neighborhood Applebees. It's located in a renovated building in downtown Apex with original hardwood floors, local art and sculptures on the walls, and organic and locally grown produce on the menu. Surprisingly, they did have a kid's menu even though we were the only brave parents to bring our kids that evening. Overall, the kids were good. They whined a little bit, but the crayons provided help disract them until our dinner was served. The boys shared their steak and chicken tender plates while Seth and I feasted on braised ribs and crusted salmon. We ate so much that by the time we got home; we had to save the cake for the next day. The strawberry cake sat patiently in our fridge until lunch the next day when Seth sliced the first piece. It was delicious. Victorious!

First Things First...Small Victories Sunday

Welcome to our Small Victories Sunday Linky!

I enjoyed reading all the amazing posts from last weeks linky that I am co-hosting the Small Victories Sunday linky again with Tanya from Mom's Small Victories. The Small Victories Sunday Linky is a way to share the small victories you celebrated with other readers this week. Whether it's a fabulous book you read, a recipe your family loved, a home organizing project that you completed, a goal you accomplished, or an awesome old or new blog post you wrote, Small Victories Sunday is the chance to share positive, uplifting and inspiring posts.

Follow our Hosts:

                                   

Ways you can follow me: Facebook

/ Google + / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter

Ways you can follow Tanya at Mom's Small Victories: Subscribe / Facebook / Google + / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter

This Week's Featured Blogger:
I'm happy to announce, my Featured Blogger for this week is Creative K Kids- Thoughtful Thursdays. Creative K Kids was the second most viewed post from last week's linky. I particularly liked her "A Convicting Thought from Another Blog" section. She measures our First world problems against true hate and fear that is faced in other countries. Makes you thankful for what you have and vigilant to pray for those who are in danger.

Feel free to grab the Featured Blogger button for your blog and share your good news! Be sure to visit Tanya to see which blogger she featured whose post earned the most views this week.

My Weekly Recap 

So many firsts happened this week. It began with co-hosting my first blog linky, Small Victories Sunday. I chose the best one to begin my blog linky career. All the posts I read were well-written, informative, inspiring and encouraging. There is so much talent shared within this linky. If you're new to this linky, please take the time to read other posts and share them with others.

Then we celebrated the first day of spring. A crazy ice and wintry mix try to crash our party, but the buds kept on blooming, and the sun revealed itself again. After school, I treated the boys to CiCi's pizza for lunch and Rita's Ice for dessert. We enjoyed the free ice at Rita's. The Starburst cherry flavor was our favorite.

We concluded our week with the first soccer practice of the season. My 5-year-old son was so excited to get back outside on the field. It had been a whole year since he had played outside. He needed new cleats, shin guards and shorts. I have fun going to practices and games too. Soccer was my sport growing up, and I love watching him enjoy it as well.

My Victories

• Went to the gym 2x this week (had some set-backs icy weather & car trouble)
• Tried a few new exercises that I found at The Perfect Workout
• Finally had my hair done-highlights (my current stylist has been away with a sick parent). Tried someone new and love my new do. (if you're local, I can message you her info). If you're a blonde, you know how important this is.
• Blogged about Fitness on a Budget

Next Week's Goals

• My 13th wedding anniversary is on Monday. I am planning on surprising my husband with the Scandalous Strawberry cake that was posted on last week's linky. Strawberry cakes are my husband's favorite.
• Go to the gym at least 3x (please no more ice)!
• Write more in my book

Now It's Your Turn to Share Your Favorite Posts and Small Victories!

Linky Rules:

• Follow Tanya and I so you stay informed of Small Victories Sunday updates and posts shared throughout the week.
• Grab the Small Victories Sunday button and place it in your sidebar, linky page or the post you are linking up.
• Share up to 3 of your favorite family-friendly blog posts you want to share. Enter your link below and let's celebrate our small victories together!
• Visit as many of the other participants as you can and cheer them on. Please visit at least 2 others for every link you enter.
• By linking up, you are giving Tanya and I permission to share your post on my social media pages to let others know of your awesomeness too!
• By linking up, you are giving Tanya permission to email you notifications when the linky is open. You can unsubscribe to emails at any time.
• Spread the word! The more you share about the linky, the more visitors you will get to your content too.
• Stop by our Small Victories Sunday Linky Board on Pinterest and like and repin the posts to your boards.
• Need inspiration? Click here for Small Victories writing prompts, but the sky is the limit.
• Interested in Co-hosting? Send Tanya an email at tanya{at}momssmallvictories{dot}com.

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking this post up with these other fabulous linkies too:

Fitness on a Budget

When you choose to live a healthy and active lifestyle, you may be discouraged by the costs involved-- gym memberships, childcare, supplements, organic foods, and workout clothes. You don't need to be deterred by these added expenses, but rather determined to seek out products and services that fit your budget.

As a mother of 2 young boys, childcare is a must if I want to exercise regularly. My gym, Fitness 19 is a basic gym with treadmills and ellipticals, free weights and machines. They have a low monthly fee and childcare that fits my budget. Paying childcare may be too much or maybe you don't feel comfortable leaving your child, then a fitness program early in the morning like Camp Gladiator or  consider bringing your child with you to a Stroller Strides class.

Getting down to a desired weight and maintaining it can be tough. I take natural supplements to help me reach and keep my goals. Supplements include green tea, raspberry ketones, amino acid energy drinks, protein drinks and bars. Supplements can be expensive, so it's important to find a coach or trainer that can point you in the right direction and help you stay within your budget. Advocare, It Works Global and Armored Nutrition offer exclusive specials for readers.

Adding fruits and vegetable to your diet is an important key to being healthy. Aldi grocery stores offer a large selection of fresh produce at low prices. I also enjoy buying their large trail mix bags which make great snacks when you get the munchies.

I'm a girly-girl when it comes to shopping for clothes and shoes, and workout wear is no exception. I have found trendy yoga pants, stretching pants and capris, brand names like Brooks, Under Armor, Nike and Adidas at TJ Maxx. It makes me feel happy when I look cute at the gym without breaking the bank. I like shopping at Target for basic gear like sport bras,weight lifting gloves and water bottles.

Running shoes are important too, and if you run often, you'll need buy shoes a little bit more too. The cushioning will wear down. It's important to keep your feet supported. According to Runner's World, you should retire your shoes after 300-500 miles. Keep track of your training miles too. I subscribe to emails from Omega Sports. They email me coupons and specials that I use to buy running shoes.

One of my biggest fitness expense is races, but it is also one of my best motivators to keep active all year long. Race registrations can range from anywhere from $10 to over $100 depending on the type. Mud runs, color runs, and triathlons challenge you beyond running, so I try to do at least one of these races each year in addition to at least one basic road race. I have found many race discounts through Active.com . Starting a team or registering early will also keep your costs low. Most races benefit charities or other non-profit organizations, so choose a race that supports a cause that you care about and make your money go farther.

Several of the businesses mentioned above (Camp Gladiator, Stroller Strides, Fitness 19, Advocare, It Works! Global & Armored Nutrition) have partnered with FitTriangleMom and offer special discounts exclusively for readers. Visit the Exclusive page for details.

In the spirit of saving, I am giving away 2 free registration codes to Raleigh's Ella's Race on March 22 at the Chick-fil-A at Falls Village. Thanks to North Raleigh Family Eye Care for providing the free codes. You can participate in a 1-mile, 5k or 10k. Participants will receive a dri-fit shirt, Chick-fil-A food at the finish, and a free family Fun Zone. Ella's Race benefits The Cure Starts Now and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Comment below on how you save on healthy eating, fitness products or services. Winners will be chosen by Random.org on Thursday, March 20 at 8 am.

Inspired: Small Victories Sunday

Welcome to our Small Victories Sunday Linky!

This week, I am co-hosting the Small Victories Sunday linky with Tanya from Mom's Small Victories. The Small Victories Sunday Linky is a way to share the small victories you celebrated with other readers this week. Whether it's a fabulous book you read, a recipe your family loved, a home organizing project that you completed, a goal you accomplished, or an awesome old or new blog post you wrote, Small Victories Sunday is the chance to share positive, uplifting and inspiring posts.

Follow our Hosts:

Follow Rachel at FitTriangleMom: Facebook

/ Google + / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter/ Bloglovin

Follow Tanya at Mom's Small Victories: Subscribe / Facebook / Google + / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter

This Week's Featured Blogger:

I'm happy to announce, my Featured Blogger for this week is Love Food, Will Share. Cooking is not one of my strong suits, so I was drawn to this post about an easy slow-cooker bbq beef recipe. The step-by-step directions and pictures will help the not-so much cooks ace this recipe. I'm excited to try making the bbq beef and surprising my meat and potatoes husband with a dinner worth eating, maybe even savoring.

Feel free to grab the Featured Blogger button for your blog and share your good news! Be sure to visit Tanya to see which blogger she featured and whose post earned the most views this week.

My Weekly Recap:

I had a busy and tiring week. My husband was in Vancouver for work and my boys and I missed him terribly. I am thankful he doesn't travel often, but when he does it's tough. I think I heard "Daddy is better" and "I love Daddy more" about 100 times. I don't want to knock my sons' love for their Daddy, but it can get annoying. Anyway, I found creative activities to keep my Daddy boys busy and accompanied, and by the end of the week I got a big hug and an affirmation that "I love you and Daddy the same."

Fun Activities

• Fed the ducks at Bond Park in Cary
• Went to the Dollar Tree. Each boy got to pick 2 items. A got bubbles and mini pool set and L got a frog balloon and police helmet.
• Had dinner at Firehouse Subs on Wednesday (Did you know that 2 kids can eat free with a paying adult  plus the boys enjoyed getting fire hats).

My Accomplishments

• Went to the gym 4-days this week. Found new workouts on Instagram @the_perfectworkout that left me sore!
• Spoke with 3 potential fitness and women's health providers about partnering with FitTriangleMom.
• Prepped clothing and decor to consign for the Designer Consignors consignment sale. 
• Volunteered with my son's preschool's walk-a-thon
• Found added inspiration for my book

Thankful

• So thankful my husband came home safely from his trip.
• Very Thankful for warm, sunny days (I'm a flip-flop girl).
• Thankful for God's love and the 3 cute guys He put in my life.

Now It's Your Turn to Share Your Favorite Posts and Small Victories!

Linky Rules:

• Follow Tanya and I so you stay informed of Small Victories Sunday updates and posts shared throughout the week.
• Grab the Small Victories Sunday button and place it in your sidebar, linky page or the post you are linking up.
• Share up to 3 of your favorite family-friendly blog posts you want to share. Enter your link below and let's celebrate our small victories together!
• Visit as many of the other participants as you can and cheer them on. Please visit at least 2 others for every link you enter.
• By linking up, you are giving Tanya and I permission to share your post on my social media pages to let others know of your awesomeness too!
• By linking up, you are giving Tanya permission to email you notifications when the linky is open. You can unsubscribe to emails at any time.
• Spread the word! The more you share about the linky, the more visitors you will get to your content too.
• Stop by our Small Victories Sunday Linky Board on Pinterest and like and repin the posts to your boards.
• Need inspiration? Click here for Small Victories writing prompts, but the sky is the limit.
• Interested in Co-hosting? Send Tanya an email at tanya{at}momssmallvictories{dot}com.

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking this post up with these other fabulous linkies too:

Shop Smart at Designer Consignors

I jokingly tell my friends that I train like a beast, but I'm a beauty queen at heart. It's not much of a joke because while I may lift heavy at the gym; I really enjoy shopping for new clothes and accessories, putting together cute outfits, dressing up and going out on the town. Like the queen, I have expensive taste and prefer brand names. Unfortunately being a stay-at-home mom and blogger, my budget is tight. So if I want my name brand apparel and accessories, I have to shop smart.

A couple years ago, I found Designer Consignors. It was the perfect fit for me with it's designer labels at consignment prices. It was a little piece of heaven filled with purses, jewelry, clothes, shoes and even home decor. At first, I started out as a shopper at the bi-annual event (spring & fall). Then I got a little smarter, and realized I could even make money as a consignor. Spring is my favorite time to change up my wardrobe. Each spring before the sale, I look through my closet and pull out last year's clothes/accessories/jewelry to make room and even pay for the new items.

Another thing that I love about Designer Consignors is how they give back. This year they are raising awareness of domestic abuse/violence against women with their support of InterAct. "InterAct is a non-profit, United Way agency that provides safety, support, and awareness to victims and survivors of domestic violence and rape/sexual assault. InterAct fulfills this mission through the support of its volunteers and community.” It's free to shop the sale, but they are asking shoppers to bring in an item from the InterAct List as a donation. Women helping women is always a good thing. 

I'm super excited about the sale this year on March 13-15. They have convenient location at the intersection of Hwy 55 and High House Rd in Cary in the former Jump Zone spot. If you've ever went to Jump Zone, you know the space is huge. I'm just about finished tagging all my clothes and excited about the deals I'll find at the sale. 

Would you like to attend the preview sale, the night before the sale actually begins? You would get first dibs on all the clothes, jewelry, purses, shoes and decor. Then register below to win a free pass.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Finding humor when you Lose your Smile

This is not how I envisioned my week to be. Last week was bad, really bad. It started with my oldest son getting the dreaded stomach bug. Thankfully, it went fast, and he was back to school on Tuesday. Then my best friend calls and tells me her father passed away ending his battle with cancer. Let me just insert here- HOW MUCH I HATE CANCER! Sorry for the yelling, but I really needed to let that out.

My husband, Seth gratefully took off Wednesday from work so he could stay at home with kids while I attended the funeral in Gastonia. It was a long drive, but it was worth it, so I could hug my dear friend and her mama. This family has certainly meant a lot to me over the years, and I was glad I was able to say my good-byes and offer some sort of sentiment to ease their pain.

I arrived home safely Wednesday evening thinking we could get back in our routine, then it hit again, the stomach bug that is. It's newest victims, my youngest and I. Liam and I cuddled on the couch, watched cartoons and kept the barf bucket within arms reach. The fog began to clear on Saturday, and I was hopeful that the sunny day equated to a sick-free birthday for me.

My wonderful husband once again planned a romantic evening for the two of us to celebrate my birthday. Dinner reservations made, sitter scheduled and the kids were excited. It was all starting to come together. However, when I was getting dressed for our night out my OCD-self wanted to confirm our reservations. Good thing I did. (it pays to be OCD sometimes). The restaurant had scheduled our reservation for the wrong night! In tears, I tried to get a table, something, it was my birthday! They were of course booked, except for the dreaded Chef's table. Not exactly what I had in mind for a romantic birthday dinner. Seth walked in the room and sees that I've been crying. "What's going on?" he asks. I explain the situation. He miraculous informs me that he never cancelled a reservation that he made earlier in the week. (we were debating where to go, so many delicious choices). I hugged him tight, and thanked him for rescuing me once again.

We made it to the restaurant, ordered drinks and our salads. Everything tasted delicious. It was time to relax; it had been a busy week. Our conversation was sweet and no one was interrupting. Our steaks were served and the drinks kept coming. Then the phone rang...It was the sitter. Liam vomited...a lot...he felt warm...we should come home. The server quickly boxed up our food, and we rushed home to our baby. Our romantic evening was beginning to unravel. We switched back into concerned parent's mode and drove home.

Paper towel covered vomit awaited us in the kitchen. Liam running around in only a diaper. "Mommy, I threw up," he runs to tell me. "I know, baby," as I hold him close. Seth took the sitter home as I shew away the dog, and begin cleaning up. Not exactly the birthday I envisioned, I thought to myself. Yet usually at my lowest point is when I begin to think of the positives. Dinner was fun while it lasted, and God is in control; I clung to these thoughts. Making sure my birthday ended on a high note.

The stomach bug lingered through the weekend and finally left us on Monday as we carefully served water-down apple juice, crackers and bread. Now as I look out my window, I feel like singing, "I can see clearly now the rain is gone." In our case, the ice is slowly melting on this frigid day, and school is closed again. I feel frustrated with the school closures, sickness and missing another gym day, but once again I must think of the positives. So, today my positive is humor. I can't keep feeling down about my string of unfortunate events so I'm sharing my humor with you. Hope it brings a smile to your face and melts the ice away!