New Years Resolutions

Hi friends!  

Its that time of year again... NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS!  

I really have had such a blessed year even with all of the crazy things God has put in front of us to deal with

You have to count your blessing and I can honestly say I have never had a bad year!  (lucky me)

The ONLY 2 things I would like to improve on this year is my blog..
I feel like I've let ya'll down, but I am still kicking and promise to share so many things with ya'll this year!
ANnnddd #2, RUN A HALF MARATHON!

Thanks to Nicks Dad, I have these nice shiny new running shoes!  

I can't tell ya'll how serious about this I am!
I am signing up for the half in Seabrook (my home town)

It's in March, and I have already started training.

Some of my friends have also started training for various running events.  

 I love and follow this route pretty closely...

I'm on week 2 with this

I do my running Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

On my off days Nick and I like to play tennis, hit the gym, or swim.

 To help kick off this nifty new project.....

I made these yummy high energy cookies! 

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats (NOT instant- use the whole oats!)
• 2/3 cup flour (or any type of flour)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup mix-ins (I used raisins, craisins, chocolate chips, and nuts.  I basically use whatever is in the pantry)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (I used warm honey)
• 3 tablespoons nut butter 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons canola oil (melted coconut oil works too, but again, it changes the taste and texture a bit)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, sea salt, cinnamon, coconut and mix-ins with a fork.
3. In a separate smaller bowl, mix the flax, maple syrup, nut butter, vanilla and oil until all the chunks of nut butter are gone.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry, and stir well until everything is well combined and no dry patches remain.
5. Use a tablespoon (for small cookies) or a 1/4 measuring cup (for large cookies) to drop the cookies onto the baking sheet. They can be rather close, since the cookies don’t spread much.
6. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

**Adapted from http://www.une-vie-saine.com/

Changed it around a little

There really easy to make and helps my sweet obsession, cause they're pretty healthy!  

What are some of your New Years Resolutions?  

Hump Day

Day 2 of Project Booty!! 

SO far so good!  I def. feel the burn!  

Let me say that this soccer season \has really improved my quads!  

I love finding workouts in fun outdoor activities, so whenever I can play soccer, tennis, run a 10K, etc I'm all for it!

I've been doing my butt workouts at the apartment gym.  

Instead of the bench, I use the stepper with 6 blocks on both sides. 

Life is good over here!  Its our last soccer game until the Fall season. 

I'm super excited about fall, cause our games will be saturday mornings! 

It really brings me back to childhood...

I have a lot of extra energy from these vitamins, so I summer cleaned the apartment. 

I'm not big into cleaning.. 

cooking yes, but I love to eat!  

I feel so domesticated.. phew.  

Nick and I have a problem letting the garbage pile up, which leaves the apartment smelling naassttyy.

I found this fabulous smelling air freshener thingy...
I've used this twice and I LOVE IT!  

Seriously Nick just sits over the stove inhaling this stuff. 

I slice up 1 lemon

3-5 sprigs of rosemary

1 TBS vanilla 

fill with water 

let simmer! 

Be careful to monitor the water level...

I've let it simmer a little too long and burn the lemons to the bottom of the pan!  

Opps.. 

Alright Happy Wednesday!  

 

Booty Boot Camp

Hi Ya'll!  

Just getting back from my Mom's first appointment @ MD Anderson! 

I'm excited were finally at this point in her treatment. 
I have an extremely positive attitude.. miraculously..

I believe a lot of her treatment is going to be believing that it will work.

There is no other way!  It has to!  I need someone to help me with my wedding, and babysit all my babies, and bail me out of sticky situations.. so we are both going through this together.  Two bodies are stronger than one right?  

Alright on a SERIOUS note.. ha my butt.. 

I've been trying to grow it fo' eva!  

I think I found a really good program!  

A "butt boot camp"

The best thing about it is... that it is only 7 days long!!!! 
So here is the plan..

Yours truly would be going through this vigorous workout!  

Are you ready?!  

Here are my before pictures.. 

Told you I need some work.. 

I may have to do it twice! 

Here's the workout!!

Sunday
100 Butt Burns (50 each side)
100 Prisoner Squats
30 Side Lunges – 15 reps each leg
30 Walking Lunges – 15 reps each leg…light weight dumbbells optional
50 Side-Lying Leg Lifts – 25 reps each leg…leg weights
____________________________________________
Monday
Interval Training – 4 circuits of the following routine (here we’ll be doing seconds rather than reps)
6 x’s 40 seconds = 4 minutes x 4 circuits = 16 minutes total

Step-ups – 15 seconds each leg; rest 10 seconds after each leg (use a flat bench or stable piece of equipment approximately 2′ off the floor)
Prisoner Squats – 30 seconds; rest 10 seconds
Stiff Legged Deadlifts – 30 seconds; rest 10 seconds
Butt Blaster – 30 seconds; rest 10 seconds
Heel Clappers – 30 seconds; rest 10 seconds
Leg extensions – 30 seconds; rest 10 seconds…ankle weights optional
___________________________________________
Tuesday
100 Butt Burns (50 each side)
100 Prisoner Squats
Glute video (90 Bridges; 40 forward lunges each leg; 40 leg extensions each leg…leg weights optional)
___________________________________________
Wednesday
Rest/Recovery
___________________________________________
Thursday
100 Prisoner Squats
30 Side Lunges – 15 reps each leg
30 Walking Lunges – 15 reps each leg…light weight dumbbells optional
50 Side-Lying Leg Lifts – 25 reps each leg…leg weights optional
___________________________________________
Friday
100 Butt Burns (50 each side)
100 Prisoner Squats
Glute video (90 Bridges; 40 forward lunges each leg; 40 leg extensions each leg…leg weights optional)
___________________________________________
Saturday
Interval Training – 4 circuits of the following routine (here we’ll be doing seconds rather than reps)
6 x’s 40 seconds = 4 minutes x 4 circuits = 16 minutes total

Step-ups – 15 seconds each leg; rest 10 seconds after each leg (use a flat bench or stable piece of equipment approximately 2′ off the floor)
Prisoner Squats – 30 seconds; rest 10 seconds
Stiff Legged Deadlifts – 30 seconds; rest 10 seconds
Butt Blaster – 30 seconds; rest 10 seconds
Heel Clappers – 30 seconds; rest 10 seconds
Leg extensions – 30 seconds; rest 10 seconds…ankle weights optional

This is the link I found this fabulous workout on.  Stay tuned for an update on my sore ass...