A day in the life

Remember how hectic it was, how crazy our days were when we were trying to just get out of the house to work (my husband and I), our sitter would come to our house and we were the only ones that had to look presentable (sort of) in the morning.

We'll I really want to do another post just like that one, but include in it all the things we have to do now!  Both my kids are in school, so we have homework to sign, papers to send back, cheques to write, lunches to make, they both have to look presentable (sort of), both Husband and I have to look presentable (sort of).  Oh yeah and did I mention I'm 27 weeks pregnant, and still dealing with morning/all day sickness!

Yes you read that right!  We are expecting again!  We're adding a third bundle of joy to our crazy family.  And as Everett likes to remind me all the time that means we have 5 people and two dogs in our family.  That's 7 total!!

So, I'm not complaining, I love our crazy hectic life.  I wouldn't want it any other way.  I love that we are busy in the morning, we are busy during the day (the kids are both in school full time), I work full time, hubby's working and then most evenings we are busy too!  Hannah's dancing is taking up a lot of time, and Everett's playing soccer!

I wonder by this baby comes in March how much of our life will still be crazy hectic and a whirlwind for anyone looking from the outside in, or if it'll slow down a few paces?  I'm excited to find out.

Well we did it!  We ran the color me rad 5k and we had a great time!  This year was in a different location and to be honest I loved it!  I thought the scenic route was beautiful to look at and the route itself had some great ups and downs!

As I mentioned in my previous post, we decided this year to run it with our girls (6 and 9).  They enjoyed the colors, the people and being together.

Great ready, set, go!  We're off!

There are so many people at these races, that I find it very difficult to get right to running at the start, so we took our time and had a little bit of fun with this road block and pretending we were hurdlers.  The photographers loved it and keep asking for more!

But we always have time for a little fun!

and giggles

 

About to head into the purple colour station.  A favourite colour of most!

I wish there was some way that the colours could be distributed a bit better.  It's hard to get totally coloured up when it's just a few people standing around and throwing it at people as they run by.  It's fun but I think cannons, or something would make it WAY more exciting!

Running hard to the finish!

We're finished!!

It was a great time, the kids were tired!  I was happy to have done it again and I can only image that next year Krystal and I will be able to do it again but this time running the entire thing.  We're going to train and I mean it this time!  We're going to practice and we can only go up from here!

Hey You!  Whoever "you" might be...

I just wanted to talk about something that's really exciting for me and for these guys too...

The day I brought her home from the Humane society.  She was SO happy!

Another great thing about BarkBox is that each month part of the proceeds (10%) go to help out other doggy friends.  You can read more about it here.

Well we made it, we didn't run quite as much as we hoped too in order to prepare for our 5k but we're almost there and we're ready!  We've got our shoes (although Krystal's not sure which pair), we've got our energy and we're ready to run the Color Me Rad 5k race again this year!

Last year before our race we Zumba'd at the city hall

It's not an intense race but it's fun exactly what we need, because like I said our training schedule sort of went out the window this past few months.  With busy lives, crappy weather and just not feeling the motivation Krystal and I failed, BIG time!

Thanks to Simon and Schuster for hooking us up with some great swag though to help us prepare and save the little motivation we did have.  The socks, hair ties, water bottle, and journal were perfect!  And if you are looking for some more motivation to get out on the streets and prepare for a run, I'd reccomend looking up Alexandra Heminsley's Running Like a Girl, Notes on Learning to Run.  It's not a guide to teach you to run per say but more of the story behind how she got running marathons.  Her back story and the emotion she felt as she "learns to run" is so true and feelings that all new runners (at least Krystal and I) have felt.  The lack of motivation when you feel like you body is falling apart, the aches, pains and crappy weather.  She talks about it all, oh yeah and the worry about washroom breaks while you're out running too!  It's definitely worth a read.  It's a quick and easy book and won't take long to "run" through *see what I did there! :)

Last year after we finished the race

We're both running with our kids this year so I'm sure we'll have lots of laughs, lots of giggles and I'm sure they will be a big motivation to KEEP moving.  They are going to have a blast running through all the colour stations with us.  I can't wait for our photos.  I will definitely have an update when we're done to show everyone just how messy we got!

I'm very excited!

Our mommy group "Better Me Than Hue".  This year it's just Krystal and I running for #runninglikeagirl

See you on the other side!









Kandice

I love reading and summer time is a great time to read especially.  A cold bevy, a porch, the sun, a comfy chair and you're transported to a new world that you can only find in books.

Lately I've been really enjoying reading ebooks.  I don't have a eReader but use the Kobo app on my iPad to read.  It's convenient and transports easily, I can read in bed at night without the light on to keep up hubby, I can read in the car (at night).  But, I'll never stop loving the smell of a new (or used) book though.

So the past couple of weeks, I've finished a couple of books.  First I finished the 3rd book in K.A Tuckers series call Four Seconds to Lose and then I finished The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) and now I'm half way through The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick.  I have to say I've been in love with these books.  I have really enjoyed each one of them equally.

I'm going to do a little review of K.A Tuckers Four Seconds to Lose, because I think it's worth the read!

**Beware, I try my best to not include spoilers, but don't hate on me if there is something you might not like hearing.**

Four Seconds to Lose, Written by K.A Tucker

What's it about?

The main character, Charlie Rourke, is running.  She's changed her name, and she's looking for a job.  She meets someone, who knows where she could get a job that will pay her well.  It's a strip club owned by Cain.  She's not sure she can handle taking her clothes off for strangers but knows she won't have to do it long, she just needs enough to escape.

Little does she know, she's about to find the love of her life (her new boss), and her plans are thrown out the window.  She can't tell him about her past, and he knows she's keeping secrets.  When she leaves town, he needs to find out why.  With help from a PI he finds out her real past and is able to track her down.

Did I like the book?

I did,  I really liked how K.A Tucker brings people from her previous books to this one, it gives you a better understanding of the character and their point of view (each book has been a different POV).  The ending wasn't quite as good as I expected.  There is so much build up throughout the book that I found the ending was a bit to short.  It happened to quickly, and I kind of wished there was just a bit more too it.
The characters are memorable and I really enjoyed getting to know them.  It was a great adventure.  I would definitely recommend reading it.

My score

****
4 stars out of 5

Oh yeah and just an FYI - Five Ways to Fall, the 4th in the Ten Tiny Breaths, written by K.A Tucker is coming very very soon!

I know this post is a little late but I wanted to put it out there still, to give a few gift giving ideas.

I know there is a lot of information already online regarding this exact thing, but I'm working through this one my own right now and trying to decide what I'd like to invest in.  So I'm putting it out there to the world, because I think I've made my decision based on my own research.

Fit Bit - $99.95 - different styles - flex, zip, one. It tracks steps, distance, and calories burned.  It also tracks your sleep quality and wakes you in the morning.  Multiple colours to choose from.  Wirelessly sync.  Free iPhone & Android app and online tools.  Food database is lacking, sleep tracking is inconsistent.

Nike+ fuelband - $149 - measures movement, measures your everyday activity and turns it into NikeFuel.  Tracks calories burned, steps taken and more.  Syncs wirelessly, social because of the fuel points.  You set goals to reach.  Has a USB plug
Not as accurate as other monitors.

Polar FT4 - $139 - heart rate monitor , calculates your target heart rate zone and shows when you're improving fitness based on your heart rate, shows calories burned.  It is said to be very accurate.  Keeps data for you,  chest strap

So I've read/watched a lot of reviews on the web, I'll leave a few of the ones that I thought were helpful below but I think I've narrowed it down to the Fit Bit and the Polar FT4.  I've read many people use them both because it's fun to keep yourself working toward the goal of walking "x-number" of steps per day (as you can do with the Fit Bit) but it's also really great to keep track of your exact calorie count with each workout session you do, which you can do very accurately with the Polar FT4.  So I think I'm going to get both (eventually).

I'm going to start with the FitBit (I'm ordering it as we speak) and I will write up a review for you as soon as I get it!  I'm looking forward to it.  My hubby is also getting one so I think it'll be fun to see an improvement together.

Some links to where I read up on the different products:
eating whole Fit Bit Flex vs Polar FT4
Polar FT4 Watch Heart Rate Monitor Review
Nike+ Fuel Band review
The Nears FitBit Flex and FitBit Aria
Polar FT4 amazon reviews
FitBit Flex amazon reviews
Nike+ FuelBand amazon reviews couldn't find much on amazon in terms of reviews for the FuelBand
engadget Nike FuelBand SE review

I've always loved the idea of running, it seems so peaceful.  Put on some headphones, great music and run.  A great time to think, a great time to reflect and some alone time.

I see people running down the street and wish that someday I might be able to do that too!

So I've decided that I'm going to start, I've tried before and it always ended in a lot of pain, and I gave up.  But this time I'm going to do it.  I’ve got a bit of motivation this time -> this blog! a goal to RUN the colour me RAD run this year (last year I walked it with a couple of friends, I had a horrible chest cold and there was NO way I was even going to attempt running it).  I’ve even got Simon & Schuster Canada behind me for motivation and support.  This year I’m #runninglikeagirl and will be sharing my journey training for my first fully run 5k in June.

I will be posting photos, ideas, goals, and motivation here on the blog!  And of course I'm not doing it alone, my sister is also along for the ride.  We are doing it together and she'll be posting her journey along the way too!  Check her blog out at Stellar Book blog


We'll also be reading Running Like a Girl by Alexandra Heminsley and keeping our own notes on how we have learned to run.  Alexandra believed she "wasn't born to run" and she has now surpassed her goal and has run 5 marathons!   Right!  I can only dream, train and get excited about running!

Wish us luck!  As I mentioned I'll be posting my journey. Krystal will be posting hers, and if you have a running journey I'd love to hear, leave a comment to a blog, links, etc.

Hi'ya

Last night was the first night I've been able to attend the Cookbook Club put on by some friends of mine and boy oh boy, what a treat!

I think this was the third month for it and I'm sorry I missed the first two.  The food is incredible.  Not the best thing to attend on the first day of deciding to start my healthy journey again but I knew that I was attending and had all intentions on eating small portions of everything.  And that's exactly what I did.

I'll explain how it works a little.  Each month we decide on a cooking blog or cook book and then each of us choose a recipe from it and bring it all together to make it a fantastic meal with wine and a lot of laughter.  It's fantastic!  Then we "vote" which recipe was the best and which ones we'd likely make again.

As I mentioned this was my first time attending but let me tell you, there was nothing there that I wouldn't make again.  It was all amazing!  Everything, including the chocolate brownie (I don't even really like chocolate) was incredible.

This month was the Smitten Kitchen blog.  The recipes were easy to follow, had great instructions and awesome pictures.  I was impressed with how EVERYONES receipe looked pretty much spot on with the photos taken for the blog.  Don't you hate it when you make something and it looks NOTHING like the original.  I do!  So I was pleasantly surprised when my spring vegetable potstitckers looks very similar.  I new I had something right! (Darn it, I just realized I forgot the green onions on the top!)

I've included all the images that were taken of the food below.  Be sure to check out the Smitten Kitchen for a new recipe.  Let me know if you make something from there, I'd love to try out some new!

Caramelized Onion goat cheese triangles

Cellophane noodle salad with roast pork

Black bean pumpkin soup

Asparagus, goat cheese and lemon pasta

Chana Masala

Cauliflower and caramelized onion tart

Salted Caramel brownies

Caramel walnut upside down banana cake

Thanks again to everyone that came out for such a fun night, it was great!  Can't wait for #cbcApril but in the mean time, lets figure out our next cookbook.  Can't wait!


And now I'm off to figure out how to calculate my calorie intake from last night...hummm...this will prove interesting I'm sure!

This is it, I'm going to try again and this time I'm not going to fail.  I'm going to beat this weight and I'm going to be happy with me and who I am as a person.

Lately I've had a VERY sore back, so sore that I actually had to crawl into the house on all fours after being out in the garage working on a project out there.  I just couldn't stand and I certainly couldn't walk and I thought about it for a long time.  How much of this pain is because I'm "overweight".  If I lost even just a little weight would I have less back pain?  Probably not a lot because even when I was younger and thinner I had a horrible back.  Genes (thanks Mom!) and being hit by a vehicle when I was younger have just given me bad luck when it comes to aches and pains in my back.

But I really thought about it and thought, does it make sense for me to just sit back and deal with the pain or try and do something about it.

So here I go again, yet another attempt to get healthy!

This time I'm serious.  My BIG goal is to loose 90lbs, but I know that having such a big goal for me isn't going to work.  I need to start smaller and have smaller goals that I know are attainable.  I am also going to reward myself with fun things after each goal is reached.  If I don't reach the goal, I don't get the reward, simple as that.

So my goals and my rewards.

First 10lbs - A new pair of running shoes (I hope to loose 10lbs (ish) a month, that's about 2 lbs a week, but the timing isn't really my goal, it's just about losing it.)

Probably something like these:
10lbs -  A new bike helmet and bike bag

10lbs - A new yoga outfit

10lbs - something form Henri Bendel for me!

10lbs -


Want to help me think of some new goals?  I'm going to update as I think of some new things but right now this is a start.  I know I'm working toward some new running shoes (and I really need them)!  It's starting today!

I'm looking forward to this journey and I really hope that anyone that might actually read this place can help encourage, and give me the motivation I'll need to keep going!  It'll be a long journey but I'm excited for the end destination (and I don't just mean the cruise at the end, although that definitely helps!)

In case you want to join me I've joined MyFitnessPal with the username kshiell.  If you'd like to join me in my journey other than just here on my blog feel free to pop over there and friend me or whatever you do over there.  I'd be happy to help you too if you're on a journey to a healthy you!

I don't know what to do with this place.  I come here often wondering if I want to keep it here, for you (if there's even anyone still watching) and/or for me.  Even though it started for a different purpose and was suppose to have a bit of a different direction, I loved what it had become.  I enjoyed sharing my thoughts with you, writing what I wanted to write about but lately I just don't know what to say.

I think I want to start clean, right from the beginning.  I'm going to commit to time and effort and get this place to what I want.....