Some of last year's "trashy" bootcamp girls... this years pic is soon to be posted!

There's nothing quite like a trashy bootcamp on a warm summer morning to wake you up and sometimes make you wish that you were dead. Not trashy as in stripper poles in my back yard... (bwahahaha... sorry I just pictured that:)) I'm talking dodging the 17 kids, and piles of dog poop while we work out kind of "trashy". The, my kids pull down their pants and pee in the yard in front of everyone "trashy". The, I rarely brush my teeth and am usually wearing the clothes I worked out in yesterday because I haven't showered in three days "trashy". And I LOVE it!





For anyone who has ever read this blog you know that as the self proclaimed Anti-Martha, "DIY's" and "How To's" are not my thing... but I have to say our little "Trashy" bootcamp group has become one of my very favorite things about summer. Bringing women together from ages 16 to 65... laughing, talking, gagging, and sometimes even cursing whoever it was that invented stinking mountain climbers and burpees. I LOVE it all... I love seeing the kids play (and sometimes try to shank each other with broken sand toys), and I love seeing some my closest friends several times a week which would never happen otherwise.



While I could make a list of thousands of things I could never tell anyone how to do... today trashy bootcamp is not one of them... SO... are you ready??? are you sure??? Here's one of the only times you'll see me post a "HOW TO"here on EMM... I hope you can create something as meaningful and trashy as we've been able to do.... hehehe!



How To: MakeYour Own "Trashy Bootcamp"

• Pick Up The Dog Poop... really... just do it...


• Make sure you have lots of outside toys to keep the kids entertained ...then LOCK your stinken doors... it's never good when you realize little johnny's gone missing and is inside painting a mural with permanent marker down your hallway.


• Turn off the sprinklers that are programmed to come on in the middle of bear crawls.


• Make sure your friends know YOU'RE NOT A PRO and therefor not responsible for their weight loss, gain or pulled whoowhoo muscles... it's more like a play-date on crack with a purpose than a personal training session.


• Don't let it turn into a gab session... keep things moving and slighty organized so everyone has fun but feels it the next day... (I have to say I get enjoyment out of planning workouts I know they're going to be cursing me for the next day... the problem is I'm cursing me too... I'm kinda sick that way)


• Pick a Pro... find a workout dvd you like or a fitness app (I like Nike Training Club) and design your workouts around what they teach. You're more likely to do the exercises safety and effectively if you've seen them done and have done them before...


• Have Fun!! Don't roll your eyes at me... I HATE working out... and I don't work out most of the winter when we can't have bootcamp. There is seriously something awesome about working out with friends and sharing in the pain of finishing a workout when you normally would give up and go get a latte.

  



















     I have to admit to forgetting about this monday post...You'd think I'd remember after this long, but we are getting ready to put our house on the market this week, so needless to say I'm a bit sidetracked and covered in paint!  Fun stuff!

     So this is my last "get off your butt and get healthy" post...aren't you all so glad! :)



     I got to thinking about how much my kids move!  They don't even sit still when they sit still!  I'm thinking they have got something there???  I'm going to make this simple, not only because my brain is not turned on, but I have boot camp in 54 min and my husband is asking me for a real quick haircut..oh life is glamourous!



     So here is my one deep thought...if we all followed our kids around and jumped, climbed, ran, wrestled,  and just all around moved, we would probably be in pretty good shape (or at least we would have more fun!)  Here are just a few things I love to do with my kids...



I'd love to know what you do with your kids!  Let us know in the comments below!



Please share us with your friends!

Britny ... is a Mommy of 2, wife to 1 and lover of God. Her days are filled with homeschooling her monkeys, making a home on a budget and bringing joy to mankind in the form of sweet treats! She owns a small boutique bakery, Brit’s Bakes, which gives her a fun and creative outlet from Mommyland. A self-proclaimed “foodie” she enjoys reading food blogs, cook books and searching for the best local eats. She is also an occasional runner (which is necessary when there is so much good food in the world) and enjoys setting goals and running road races. When not covered in flour and drowning in laundry, multiplication tables and coupon clipping...you will find her sipping on a vanilla latte with her BFF, who also happens to be her husband of (almost) 11 years.



In the month of June, my husband and I have started a “get off your butt” routine. On Monday, Wednesday & Friday, we put on are matching Nikes ( I know. we are ridiculous), grab some water, put on our favorite Pandora station and head out to the garage. No, we don’t have any fancy machines, or a personal trainer who stops by to kick us into shape - it is just us, two jump ropes, a pull-up bar, dumbbells and our neighborhood to sprint through - I LOVE IT. If you are in need of motivation grab a friend or few - or that good lookin’ guy you married and keep each other accountable! This makes working out so much more fun and when you are working together for a common goal - stuff just gets done, in all areas of life.

My son cheering me on !!

So what kind of health goals do you have? Are they realistic? Are they preparing you for the future? So many times our goals can be far fetched, chasing the wind, “I want to wear my Junior High jeans” kind of goals. What if we changed our mind about our health goals and really purposed being healthy as a legacy for our children and even grandchildren? As moms, we have the power of influence in our children’s lives that affect the generations to come. Everyday. If they see Mommy freaking out about her pant size, number on the scale or filling her body with junk food in truck loads...this is the pattern they are most likely to follow. Be a healthy example! Every choice we make is knitting together the person our little people can become. If they see Mommy feeling good, being strong, active and making balanced food choices (we are not talking deprivation people!), they too are set up to do the same. What do you want the “health” legacy to be for your family?



Having our health is a gift and exercise is a way of saying thanks for the gift we each have been giving. It doesn’t always have to be about looking “better”, though as you cultivate a healthier lifestyle that is sometimes the bonus! So put your ideals and perfectionism aside and think about what lifestyle you would like for your children. Make healthy choices as a family - go for walks together, prepare healthy meals together, and teach your kids (by example) to have a healthy relationship with food...there is a time for cupcakes and a time for carrots....:) Let your children see you set goals and see them through - Let them see a Mommy who has energy to run with them ( and sometimes catch them), a Mommy who takes risk and is willing to climb on the jungle gym or slide down the slip n slide with them. Making memories and teaching your child to make positive choices for their future too, now that is healthy!

Let your kids see you drinking this and you will be the picture of utmost health...... or you may totally gross them out! :)



Blend together:

1 Quarter of a Fresh Pineapple, chopped

1 Mango Sliced

1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Peach Slices

Half of an Orange

1 Medium Banana

1/2- 1 cup Coconut Milk



After the mixture is good and blended, GO GREEN!!



Add in a large handful of Spinach (preferably organic) and blend away! Pour in a jar throw in a straw and sip your way to better health :)



IF you must, you can add some agave or honey to sweeten things up, but the banana usually does the trick!



NOTE: If the green color freaks you out (I promise the taste will not) you can add a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries. This will give you a purplish drink, that even the kids might drink!





You can find Brit's Bakes on facebook at www.facebook.com/britsbakes she also has a blog at: www.pocketfulofmoments.blogspot.com 

{Photo By: Maria Alexandra Photography}

I'm not a picky eater... really... I'll eat just about anything you put in front of me and go back for seconds. One time while I was living in Chile, we were camping in the foothills of the Andes ... and not wanting to be seen as the wimpy "gringa" I ate the coagulated sheep's blood with lemon and cilantro (a chilean delicacy I guess or... a cruel joke to initiate the naive foreigner:):) ) Anyway, I sucked that blood jiggler down with pride... consequently I also spent the following 3 months knowing what it actually feels like to have your guts turned inside out ... it wasn't pretty... at all! While I lost a ton of weight, it's definitely not a diet plan approved by the FDA, and proof that you shouldn't just eat anything someone puts in front of you.



My boys... (including my husband)... are just the opposite. Picky isn't even a strong enough word to describe whatever it is they are. Sawyer has to sniff everything and has turned down cakes, and cookies and candy many times because he's not sure about how it feels on his fingers. I realize autism has a huge role to play in the pickiness of two of my men... but what's my hubby's excuse? And why in the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks won't my youngest eat anything but fruit roll ups and pretzels? That's rhetorical... I don't really want your advice:) I know what you're thinking... be the boss!!! make him!!! But I'm lazy and don't want a fight and have about 15 other excuses if you want to check back with me later:):)



Here's the thing, along with loving a hot loaf of "fresh at 5" from safeway, or anything with butter or heavy whipping cream in it... I do in fact also LOVE veggies.. I love salads and chicken and beats and chard and leeks and so many other really heathy foods... BUT... I HATE ... I mean I HATE(!!!) making them just for myself. My husband won't eat green and never has to my knowledge. Sawyer has actually thrown up just from seeing peas in a bowl by his plate (not even joking)... the little boys are just stubborn ... and I am the worst of all... I am the L word... L-A-Z-Y!!





I can admit it... I start the day off with great intentions... and so many times the only things I eat until 5 pm are bites I steal from the boys. They are scarred by their thieving mother's attempts to help them "finish" and all to often ask me to stay away from their food... poor kids:):) AND it's not because I'm soo crazy busy I just don't have time to eat a real meal... but because mama's too lazy to go throw some pre-washed lettuce in a bowl or slap a piece of turkey on some bread. It's that bad. If I'm hungry I grab whatever's fastest and easiest... which translates into "CRAP" off of my kids plates, and then I like to gorge myself with dinner because I realize I am freeken starving...

  



      I have been a hairdresser for 10+ years and in those years if I had a dime for every woman that said "I wish my hair was...thicker, thinner, straight, or curly" I'd be retired and living on the shorelines of Tahiti.  The response that I have adopted, would have made me just as rich..."stick around here for the day and you will love your hair".  You see, the way they look at their hair is because of their perspective.

     If a perfectionist walked into my house right now, they would be disgusted by the lack of order...but on the other hand, if a hoarder walked in, they would be frightened by the open space and lack of clutter.  They would be seeing my home based on their own perspective.  Let me ask this, which one would be right???

     My kids think I'm tall, my husband thinks I'm short.  Based on their perspectives, who is right???

Donald Trump would think my home is a shack...the woman who lives in Uganda in a mud hut would think I live in a mansion.  They would be seeing the same house but basing their opinion on their own perspective.  So again, which one is right??



   Ever have those moments where you have to take a good look at "deep" things?  Well it happened to me this week and this is the "punch in the gut by perspective" part, so I'll quickly move onto my point...you like the quickly part, don't you!   Based on our own perspectives, we judge others.  Let me soften that because I hope we all try not to judge...we make assessments and assumptions about people.

     Lets say we see a tall, totally put together, gorgeous blond, we assume that she has a happy life, feels great about herself and lives a completely self absorbed, judgmental existence.

    On the other hand, lets picture a 5'2" brunet (which I happen to like because I am those things ;))  wearing sweats, a big old t-shirt, and no makeup.  We assume she doesn't like herself, she is probably lonely and would be relatable and sweet to talk to.

     Notice something...with both scenarios, I listed what might be assumed on the positive side and the negative side...any guess why???  Because depending on your own perspective  we would look at these two women totally differently!  My point is this.  I can't simply look at someone and think I know anything about them.  We do make assumptions about others based on our own perspective.  OK, so maybe its just me, but I doubt it ;)

     I want to  have more grace by not setting standards for others based on the standards I set for myself.  I expect things from myself that I  never want to expect from others.  I talk a lot around here about food and health, and sometimes in the process I forget that others don't have the same ideals for their own lives.  And that is so totally OK, because it would be so boring would it be if we were all the same!  You may relate to me sometimes, and sometimes not...but what I want you to know is that I never want any of you to think I am being judgy or purposefully insensitive.  I am not the best at communicating what I am feeling, and I have a tendency to be a bit too black and white.  What I love is the variety of women that are hanging out here!  We love you and we love your input.  I have so much to learn, and I learn from you all.  I hope for us all, this blog can be a place we all love to be.  Sometimes you may want to punch me (never Linz though because she is way too cool!) but I hope that you will understand that I come from a place of just wanting to grow and figure stuff out, and I hope you are along for the ride.

     I know that I strayed a bit from our theme this month of "get off your butt and get healthy" so I'm going to end this today by saying lets all have a "healthy" perspective toward each other, because we can never look at someone and assume things that we can't really know...(how do you like that deep thought!)

     Can you remember to share us?  We appreciate it!

{By Guest Contributor: Kriste Colley-Valdez}

As a life coach, one of the things I do is help my clients incorporate stress management techniques into their daily lives. After all, stress continues to be a contributor to weight gain, heart disease, insomnia, and dissatisfaction.



However, I can’t help but notice that many of the commonly accepted techniques are almost impossible for a busy mom to practice on a daily basis. Sure, we can squeeze them in from time to time, but you can’t exactly tell the colicky baby, “Ok, well, it’s 2:00 pm and you know that it’s time for my weekly massage! See you in a few hours!” Face it; there are times when our own needs get pushed to the bottom of the list.



Some examples of traditional stress management techniques are massage, taking a few hours for yourself, talking on the phone with a friend, exercise, doing a hobby or activity that you love, a night out, meditation and mindfulness. Yes, it’s a great idea to be mindful, and we SHOULD be. But…it’s tough to rejoice in being present when you are cleaning up spit-up. [Editor's Note: I would like to add snot, pee, puke and UBS (unidentifiable brown stuff) to the list... carry on:)]



As for massage…does it count when my two –year-old runs his race car up and down my back?



How about an actual stress reliever that will not only help you relax, but makes an incredible gift for other half-crazed goddesses in your lives?



Get a jar with a lid. Heck with a nice jar. Use that old cottage cheese container that’s in your bottom drawer.



Buy a 99 cent pack of gummy bears. (This is a crucial step. Gummy worms will not work. They must be bears.)



Empty bears into jar.



Here’s the fun part ;)...



Assign each color of bear the name of a person who has been annoying/irking/angering you or just trying your patience.

{By Guest Contributor: Laura Moriarity}

It was a hot, dusty Southern Oregon morning in 1988. My mom had signed me up to run in the” Mini Marathon” at Sam’s Valley Elementary School. There I was, a chubby 4th grader standing on the starting line of some great idea from the mom with the fit kids at a PTA meeting. As I stood there a sense of absolute dread came over me. I panicked. What was I doing? Am I supposed to run up THAT HILL? Then all of a sudden some crazy parent in short-shorts, Asics and a sweatband yelled “GO”! Everyone started sprinting like there were puppies and unicorns on the other side of the hill of death, so stupidly I started sprinting too. After about 2 minutes I thought my lungs were literally on fire and going to explode. To make matters worse (like there is something worse than your lungs exploding) I was certain I was about to puke for the second time ever in public (yes it was that dramatic, and puking in public IS worse than your lungs exploding when you are 9). I was traumatized. The next year I volunteered at the doughnut table and took home the free t-shirt.

This is how mama rolls!

So how did that traumatized 4th grader go from the “Mini Marathon” nightmare to not only choosing to, but spending hours raising money and training for a 26.2 mile real marathon? (By the way, my fantasy of appearing on the cover of Runner’s World Magazine as my hot skinny butt crossed the finish line in record time did not come true- the reality was I ran the last 3 miles with a migraine, I think I was crying when I got there, and my 10 pound heavier butt ran straight for my mom. Oh, and my time was slower than Oprah’s). But here is the thing, outside of childbirth I have never felt more accomplished or AMAZED at what my body could do than I did that day.



I am not sure how I got there really. It would be great to be able to insert some movie montage set to “Eye of the Tiger” here to motivate you all, but really I think I just decided one day that I was too poor for a gym membership, I felt too chubs to work out at one anyway, AND if I was going to puke I would rather do it outside. I knew I was 20 pounds overweight and all of my quick fixes did NOT work. I knew I had to get up off my butt and DO something.



The good news is I have grown to love it. Now instead of viewing running as a horrible lung bursting puke-fest (although it is that sometimes) I see it as affordable therapy. Challenging myself to enter races (no matter if it is a 5K or a full marathon) has transformed the way I think about weight and about my body. I find when I am training for a race I do not obsess over the number on the scale, instead I think about how many miles I was able to run while pushing 60 pounds of stroller, children, stuffed animals, blankies and snacks. I thank God for my body when I cross the finish line. I smile like a crazy person when I am passed by 70 year old ladies during a race because it gives me a crazy sense of hope. I don’t care if I am fast, I don’t care if I win anything, I just LOVE that I can survive it. Experiencing that split moment of absolute amazement at my imperfect but ABLE body is something I need as a women. So with that, just try it. Who knows, you may actually like itJ to help you get going here are my “10 running tips from an unlikely runner”

My 2 year old daughter running the last 1/2 mile with me!

1. {Run for a cause} For my marathon I raised $2,500 for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society through Team In Training www.teamintraining.com. On those days I would have rather died than put on my running shoes I remembered that the people I was running for may never get the opportunity to do what I was doing so suck it up! Many races give the proceeds to foundations or agencies- pick one and put it in perspective!


2. {Brag about it!} post it on Facebook, tell your friends, milk every sore muscle and every ½ mile you possibly can-it helps with accountability!


3. {Download a training program} I like Hal Higdon’s as the schedules are realistic to incorporate in my crazy life. http://www.halhigdon.com


4. {Listen} to your body


5. {Get} a good pair of shoes


6. {Eat}


7. {Do it with and for your kids} Check out the picture of my 2 year old running the last half mile with me...


8. {Get an App} Like Runtastic or the one from Nike to track your calories, distance and progress


9. {Get a running partner} or join a running group (or start your own.)


10. {Sign Up}To really bring this thing full circle you can always sign your kids up for the Mini Marathon  http://kohd.com/news/local/193513

By Guest Contributor {Emilie Sampson}

Almost six years ago, I gave birth to this perfect little monkey named Parker. He was my third baby and I had breastfed the other two with little to no issues. From day 1 Parker spit up. And not the typical small amount of baby spit up…like disgusting man-barf from this tiny, perfect bald baby. The doctor did MANY tests and no matter what medicines we tried…Parker still spit up. A friend of mine suggested that it could be something in my breast milk, so I decided to try cutting food out of my diet. I tried dairy first and it was an IMMEDIATE change. He stopped spitting up completely! As long as I did not consume the SMALLEST amounts of dairy (not even cream in my coffee), everything was golden….until Parker started eating solid food. As we began to add food to his diet (still eliminating all dairy), Parker began to get sick. He was losing weight by the week, and the doctors were concerned. We saw specialists and had a MULTITUDE of tests done, and eventually one gave us the answer. Parker had Celiac Disease. Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy. The damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, and rye. Switching to a gluten free (as well as dairy free) diet was a huge adjustment, but we saw the benefits immediately! After months of losing weight, as soon as we took Parker off all gluten, he gained 10 oz in one week!!



As I entered this world of food allergies, I had to learn how to read labels and how to find out what is REALLY in the food we eat! And the more people I opened up to about this, the more people I found that also deal with food allergies and food intolerance.



How many of us deal with daily ailments that could possibly be attributed to the food that we consume? Chronic headaches, stomachaches, rashes, irritability, insomnia, trouble focusing can all be signs of food allergies! Now, I am no medical professional (Seriously, guys…I’m not a doctor. Take their word for it, not mine), but I often wonder how many things we choose to medicate for that could be cured by a simple change in our diet.

{Photo By: Maria Alexandra Photography}

I was in the fifth grade when my older brother's girlfriend showed me how to make myself throw up... and that's the moment my war against food was waged. What started as I cry out for attention quickly snowballed into a full blown eating disorder. The more I dieted and purged and worked out obsessively ... the more self-centered and self absorbed I became. The empty dark hole inside of me was never satisfied, it whispered to me and told me I was ugly and disgusting... and eventually it convinced me I was nothing... less than nothing.



It's amazing how wrapped up we can get in how we look. And how we relate how we look on the outside to who we are on the inside. For so many years I thought if I could look the "right" way THEN I could be loved and accepted and feel worthy of both. Even though I left the physical act of "bingeing and purging" behind in Chile, all of the emotional baggage of not feeling good enough EVER... came back home to the states with me... along with the extra 30 pounds I was packing on my little missionary booty.



I replaced my eating disorder with an obsessive need to serve (and no... not for others... but for myself... to make ME feel worthy... there was nothing beautiful or Godly about it) It was important for me to identify myself as the worker... the servant... the one who never says no... I always had to be seen serving... always tried to EARN love and attention and affection... by "doing" this time instead of "purging".



It wasn't until I had my oldest son Sawyer, that a good friend (and father of 5) gave me this advice, He said "Lindsay, look at Sawyer... he's so busy... ALL of the time... isn't your favorite time when he just stops and sits in your lap and hugs you and isn't really doing anything at all?? How much more do you think God wants that from you... he doesn't want what you have to offer... he doesn't want what you look like... he wants you... just the way you are." That was the moment my heart began to heal, that was the moment the empty dark hole inside of me started to shrink... that was my first glimpse at worthiness and I knew I wanted more.



I could bore you with more years of dieting and weight gain and pregnancy and dieting... I can't tell you when I finally just started to let go of the  "dieting" and "doing"for all of the wrong reasons because honestly I don't even know... it was probably around kid #3 when I was too tired and strung out to care about trying to look like a barbie or about pleasing others or letting them down by my inability to ever say NO. It's like I just woke up one morning and realized I felt free... it's an amazing feeling... almost indescribable actually.



Now as I'm sitting here typing, at 31,  I can tell you I feel worthy of love... and affection... I don't hate myself... I don't have to "do" or have people see me "do" to feel good about myself... I am fine with my weight and my size 10 jeans... I am who I am... I am who God made me... This blog has walked me through so many of my issues, it's been almost therapeutic to write and be honest and have so many of you tell me you've gone through the same things. I can honestly say now that with all of my "headcaseyness"... with my 160 pounds of pure love of a body... with stretch marks and spider veins... with my dirty house and never ending list of stuff I never get done... I love myself... and I am worthy... have you ever said that out loud? I -AM-WORTHY! I am worthy... not because of who I am or what I've done (yes that's a JJ Heller song:)).. but just the way I am... I am worthy of love and forgiveness and acceptance ... and so are you...

    In keeping with the theme of "get off your butt and get healthy", I feel like I (the food Nazi) need to come clean...Saturday was spent in celebration of my nephews college graduation with family, fun, and of course food. I'm going to get right to the point and start off with the good...salad, fruit, water; now move to the bad...a hamburger, chips, artichoke dip; and now the ugly...lemon bars, chocolate chip cookies and pepsi.  (did I just hear Linz gasp??)  I'm admitting to this for two reasons, 

1) to let you all know that my philosophy is NOT to eat so clean all of the time that you miss out on any good splurges (what is the point!) 

2) to let you know that I felt like CRAP!  

    Our afternoon was filled with chasing kids around, laughing, and lots of volleyball.  Normally when we play volleyball, I'm the last one standing, barely able to see because the sun is gone, begging everyone for one more game.  Not today.  My energy was zapped and I even noticed my attitude was totally bla!

     So here are my deep thoughts for today...If you find yourself often feeling like crap, with no energy, and a bad attitude, you might just want to look at what you are eating.  I promise you it makes a difference!!!  So thats it for my hounding today...(I know, hard to believe!)









-You put whipped cream on your Starbucks triple mocha...and on your vegetables, and your salad and your chicken, and your...

-You eat donuts before your work out because you thing a sugar high will help you run faster

-Your pantry looks you just came home from  a 10 cent top roman sale

-Your neighbors complain about the noise from your homemade cotton candy machine

-You think a farmers market is a place where they sell farms

-The last time you saw a piece of lettuce was when you passed by it in route to the fried chicken at the buffet

-You think "fast" food is actually a food group

-The only "fruit bowl" you have is the one where the fruit is painted on it

-The only fish you eat has "fillet of..." in the name

-You think chips are a health food because you dip them in salsa a guacamole (hey those are vegetables right??)

-Your kids think "fruit roll ups" are actually fruit

-Everything you eat has en expiration date of May 2095

-Your family would starve if you misplaced the can opener

-You pull up to the Taco Bell drive through and order "the usual"

-Your bread is the color of your husbands freshly bleached undershirts 

-You count french fries as your daily vegetable

-Your salad looks more like a piece of lettuce swimming in a pool of white ranch dressing

-Your late night snack closely resembles an all you can eat buffet

-When making your own trail mix, you leave out everything except the M&M's

-Lunch consists of a glass of wine and a snickers bar...(wine and chocolate are healthy...right?)

-You think potato salad, pasta salad and Jello salad are actually salads!

-Aunt Jemima,  The Pillsbury dough boy, Ronald, and Tony the tiger are your best friends

-The largest muscles in your body are in the hand that carries around that 64oz soda

-Your energy level is similar to that of a sloth

-You take the saying "life is short, eat dessert first" literally





Make sure to take a moment and let us hear from you...are you making any changes this month?  Whats going on in your pantry and your fridge?  Need to admit anything..or celebrate something???  Let us know in the comments below.





...and once more begging asking you to make sure you are following us and please share us with your friends.  Thanks lovely ladies!

Go to Earth Monkeys Facebook Page and shamelessly promote your blog, websight, product or anything that as a woman or mom, we just can't live without!!!  Remember that whoever gets the most "attention", gets one week of free advertising on Earth Monkey Moms blog!!!

Kim... is "saucy" meets bad ass... she's a married mother of three very "active" children, manages an Italian restaurant and is one of the original "Saucy Sisters". On top of a hectic schedule she also helps with a ministry outreach that feeds the homeless on weekends... she has an amazingly generous and giving heart and is truly one awesome woman! We are so blessed to call her a friend and a fellow Earth Monkey Mom!

Photo By: Tonya Poitevint Photography

One of the things I love most about our little EMM blog is that you get to hear so many different perspectives from different mama's. Sometimes they make you think or laugh and sometimes they give you a sweet punch in the face and inspire you....  I'm so excited, I think we really do have something for everyone this month wether you're a food nazi and exercise fanatic, don't run unless someone is chasing you with a knife... or somewhere in between... this is going to be a great month on EMM!



Needless to say in the area of health, diet (as in the food we eat... not the swear word we're not saying this month) and exercise Gena and I agree on the basics. With autism taking up a permanent residence in my home, my pantry has been free of gluten, casein, dyes and most sugars. After facing some minor heath issues with my hubby a few years we ousted hydrogenated oils too... and that's about where the similarity train between Gena and I stops:) hehe



I happen to fall somewhere in between the "Gena food nazi's" of the world (those are her words:)) and  a complete fast food junkie. I LIKE FOOD... I just do... no wait I LOVE FOOD. I love getting together with  family and friends and enjoying cheese, butter, bread and wine... I love going to my mom's house for dinner and savoring every bite of her A-M-A-Z-I-N-G (and at times possibly a little orgasmic... ya I said it) cooking... I don't want to be on a diet!!! I don't want to give up the things I love so I can possibly fit into a size 8 pair of jeans or weigh 10 lbs less on the scales. It's just not that important to me...



{What is Important to ME???} 

Not feeling like crap! I work out... enough... I eat decent 80% of the time... BUT, when I have a rough day... I binge... when I realize my checkbook is not in the condition I thought it was in... I binge... When I feel stressed or overwhelmed... you got it... I binge... when the weekend hits... it's an all out food orgy for like 72 hours...  I have "food hang overs" that rival hang over hang overs... It's not pretty not pretty at ALL!



This month... my commitment isn't to stop eating fast food or salt or butter or bread for the rest of my life... (quick, someone go resuscitate Gena:)) I won't apolgize for eating the food I love... IN MODERATION. But I am committing to working out with my "trashy boot camp" sisters and I am committing to STOP the bingeing. I am committing to stop trying to fill the voids in my life... the hurt, the pain, the frustration... with food. When I tell myself that it doesn't taste good or I'm full... dah dah dah... I'm going to stop eating. Some of you may be sitting there thinking,  it's not rocket science lady... but other's of you who know the struggle of emotional eating get what I'm saying... I will no longer darken the drive thru of McDonald's and Taco Bell because I need something to "calm me down". 





Food has been my drug of choice for too long. I want to stop abusing it AND my body. I want to start enjoying it again. And more than anything I want my kids to see a mom who is strong and healthy and even on occasion... balanced:) I want my boys to have a healthy body image and a healthy relationship with food... yes even us mom's of boys have to worry about the example we set in this department!



I know the power I let have food have in my life is bordering on the psychotic side and honestly... I'm just sick of it. I'm sick of feeling sick... I'm sick of having zero energy and being grouchy... FOOD Can't fix me... FOOD can't fill the voids I should be turning to God to fill... hopefully this month I can make my actions match my words.