Busy...and the pile continues to grow

I am so happy the weather is nice, and it won't give me the dreaded feeling of yuckiness even before working out. The heat inevitably puts me off of working out, especially if I feel even the smallest bit out of shape. I used to play frisbee three times a week during the summer in Texas, and now after having a baby, and some giggle that I've never had, wiggling when I work out...the heat just adds so much more yuckiness to the idea. 
This month, a total of 2 and a half days, I have:
Burned almost 1000 calories in just two easy workouts. 
Last month, the entire month, I: 
Burned almost 2000 in ten workouts. 
So nice weather I hope you stay a while, because 1. I'm loving this and 2. I NEED this!! :) Haiden is still getting used to our long mile, upon mile walks. Sometimes he hardly makes a sound, and other times he gets grouchy and fussy. Teething will not be the death of my workouts! hahaha. 

This week has also been so busy! I have run around in the grocery store, Barnes and Noble, World Market, and all over base. I have started volunteering again, and was asked to create the decorations for the Book Fair this year!! The theme is "Every one is an all star", but all the 'all star' type stuff seemed redundant and lame, to be honest. So I came up with the idea to make the kids feel like stars, and a Hollywood/Red Carpet idea formed. The plans I came up with look awesome, if I do say so myself, and the librarians loved it!! So I will be setting out tasks to other volunteers and oversee everything pertaining to the decorations!! Also, I have like 10 different laminated games to cut out, each with about 60 pieces. 
After all that cutting, I doubt I will feel like working on the illustrations for our kids books. Maybe we will actually get some of the writing done soon. We have three easy picture books that are pretty much finished with the ideas, and the story books are just in the basic idea stage. We have pretty decent outlines of them, just setting the tone and the rhythm is going to be the difficult part. Hopefully, it will all just flow from our brains onto the page and we can get an idea of what illustrations we need. All of my illustrations were inspired by my recent paper owl posters, so that is where the cutting of paper may be on the back burner after I regain feeling in my fingers from these laminated games!
Morgan may be coming to visit on Friday, so that means a little business in getting the house together to have 2 babies and 3 Leopold's here!! Poor Zach lol. But we are excited to see Declyn and Morgan!! 

Bee Pollen Smoothie

 pinch of flax seed

1/2 Tbs bee pollen

8 oz grape juice

1 can pineapple rings, frozen

3 cubes watermelon/spinach puree

*this smoothie was very light and refreshing, not as sweet as I sometimes make them. it was the perfect end to a great sore workout. 

 Red Pepper Hummus

I am pretty much addicted to this! I randomly put it together and it is so delicious, we have a hard time putting it down.

1 can garbanzo beans 

1/4 cup canola oil

half red pepper, sliced

cummin seeds

lemon juice

about 2 Tbs tahini 

Topping: sliced tomatoes and feta

all of these ingredients without measurements are for you to change, based on your taste, plus I eyeball a lot of it when I make it

Rotel chicken and Veggies

2 chicken breasts cooked over med-high heat in a skillet on top of Rotel

cauliflower, corn and asparagus steamed to slightly crunchy-

drained and tossed with white wine and garlic

serve together with chicken sliced and add cooked Rotel if desired

October spectacular!

I can't get over how exciting today is! I just got word that the company I work for has been granted a patent for its revolutionary oligo technology! I am so proud to be part of a company that helps millions of people every day get and stay healthy. Plus the fact that it continues to be on the forefront of new and inventive ways to keep helping! 

Plus this month is starting off with awesome weather!! 'Knock on wood!' it stays, even if its just for a few days at a time. I love the fall, it's the anti-spring. This is when everything changes to get ready for winter. All the leaves change, and some fall off making way for new ones and different colors come spring. The wind picks up and there is actually a breeze, and the weather gets colder. People start the bundling process, in which knitted hats and scarves are the trendy things. All those colors and patterns and textures!! I love it!! There is no better season than fall, in my book. At least, living here, this is my favorite season. In the south...summer lasts too long, spring not long enough, and fall seems to blend into winter, with the occasional bone chilling days that rate a million times colder than an Ohio winter in my book. Even the food changes, and we get into the oober homey meals, that fill you up and make you feel like a stuffed pig...but they warm even your heart. They warm your heart with all those feelings of anticipation you had as a kid, and family togetherness. This is when all the holidays start piling up, and family comes out from under the logs, of school and business, to slow down and come together. The year slowly starts to make its end, and as things end they become bitter sweet. You want to savor this time of the year, but by the time its all said and done, it seems like you blinked and it is already over. So take extra care this year, make the time last. Spend an extra hour out side enjoying the weather. Spend an extra minute in the warm shower of the morning. Spend an extra day just watching your kids play. Spend an extra lazy Sunday in bed cuddling with your loved ones. Spend an extra meal together as a family. Play more games, put up more decorations, just live more. I want to live in a place that has fall, year round!!

Haiden is now 8 months old!! I can't believe it. We are still waiting very impatiently for his teeth to come. We are still waiting for him to crawl, even though his squirming around is hilarious to watch! Even though he gets more frustrated as he understands more around him, and can't quite get the point across to us, he is the happiest little guy. He is all smiles and laughs, and becoming increasingly more talkative every day. He loves to sing and babble with different toys jammed into his mouth.  

He makes us so incredibly happy all the time, it's hard to imagine life before he came along. He has been such a joy, from the moment we found out we were pregnant and every day since. I love my little minion!! I can't wait for his first round of holidays! We ordered his costume the other day, and I am so anxious to get it and put him in it. I can't wait to get to spend all day outside with him, because hopefully the mosquitoes won't be as bad! This is just a super exciting time for us as a family :)

With the onset of cooler weather, I am starting to train again for the half marathon. My goal is to be wearing my old clothes by the time we visit Texas again for Thanksgiving. I did my own version of CrossFit or Insanity last night, I ran up and down our stairs, and would do lunges, crunches and jumping jacks in between. Then I did weight lifting with dumbbells for arms, with crunches in between. Then I went outside again and did run/walk/sprint intervals around our street loop for about a mile. I felt like jello afterward...almost like a clay-mation character about to get squished into mush! Yet, it felt amazing!! I have been walking 3-4 miles at night and was so proud of myself for running the other night for one of those miles!! 

Post Workout Smoothie 

8 oz orange/pineapple juice

1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup apple sauce

pinch flax seed

three frozen cubes 1/2 watermelon/spinach puree

1 frozen pineapple ring

I'm also doing a ton of volunteer work this month, the book fair is back at the end of this month, and beginning of November, I can't wait!! I love volunteering and I love books! Tonight we are putting up Halloween decorations, I cannot wait!!! *runs around* I love love love love LOVE this time of year!! 

Game Changer!

This is an exert from the now patented Oligo fructose. Oligo fructose complex is only in Melaleuca vitamins. 

Minerals are required as part of the human diet for good health. For example: calcium is a major component of bones and teeth; iron is an essential constituent of hemoglobin; copper, magnesium, and zinc are co-factors for a variety of enzymes;and manganese and selenium can function as antioxidants and contribute to endothelial integrity. Mineral deficiencies can lead to poor health and specific disorders. The human body requires traces of minerals, e.g., calcium, iron, copper, and zinc, insoluble form to provide metallic ions which are bioavailable within the bloodstream. With the increase in highly processed and convenience foods, however, there are concerns that the typical diet in today's conditions may not contain sufficient levelsof such minerals.
Naturally occurring minerals found in foods are often chelated or bound within an organic matrix. Minerals found in dietary supplements, however, are often in the form of an inorganic salt, for example, as a mineral sulfate. These inorganicmineral species are more reactive and can catalyze production of free radicals, which have been associated with various degenerative diseases or conditions, within the digestive tract.

Four years ago, my company, embarked on the patent process for Oligo. Two years ago, after the patent pending was checked against four categories: is the product unique, does any one else have it, does it work, and did you invent it. After this process was finished with four confirmations as to the legitimacy of Oligo, it was placed in the hands of the world. Competitors, scientists and universities around the world were given 36 claims, as part of the patent, to scrutinize and argue. They found, over the course of two years, that oligo was created by us, no other company had anything like oligo, and there were no prior claims to oligo's technology. They also found that oligo works, it is a technology that binds the minerals and vitamins together just like a plant or vegetable would. This allows for a higher absorption rate, compared to other vitamins, and does not have an explosion of free radicals, (other vitamins bound together with an inorganic salt has this explosion). And with out these free radicals our vitamin is healthier, because:

Normally, bonds don't split in a way that leaves a molecule with an odd, unpaired electron. But when weak bonds split, [such as the salt bonds in every other vitamin] free radicals are formed. Free radicals are very unstable and react quickly with other compounds, trying to capture the needed electron to gain stability. Generally, free radicals attack the nearest stable molecule, "stealing" its electron. When the "attacked" molecule loses its electron, it becomes a free radical itself, beginning a chain reaction. Once the process is started, it can cascade, finally resulting in the disruption of a living cell.

Some free radicals arise normally during metabolism. Sometimes the body's immune system's cells purposefully create them to neutralize viruses and bacteria. However, environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides can also spawn free radicals.

Normally, the body can handle free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable, or if the free-radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur. Of particular importance is that free radical damage accumulates with age.

Therefore, the vitamins you are taking that are helping with this, that, and the other, can actually be damaging to your health. 
Also, with the absorption rate being poor in vitamins, and the capsules containing the vitamins and minerals not dissolving in the body, they get left in our bodies. By switching to Oligo vitamins, you can loose weight as well, since there is nothing being left behind and just sitting in your body, taking up space. And by switching you can reduce many health risks, you are in danger of getting with out them. 

Just eating foods high in vitamins, your body still isn't able to absorb everything. Most of us don't chew the food long enough for those vitamins to even be released. This is why vitamins and supplements have become a part of staying active and healthy, we need them. So make the switch today! Don't wait another minute, and get seriously serious about your health!