Easy Workout for Moms

For the past few weeks I've been experimenting with different workouts during various times of the day to see what works best for myself and my little ones. I initially started with going to the gym at 5am to get my workouts in before anyone was awake.

But due to the baby still not sleeping through the night and my pumping schedule I just couldn't do without those last hours of sleep. Once 5am was ruled out I tried working out during the afternoon right before school pick up and that is where I found my sweet spot.

What kind of Momfriend would I be if I didn't share my newest workout with you? I've teamed up with Dove to share my everyday workout with you and tips for getting it done.

Here are my best tips for making sure you are prepared to workout...

Find a time that works for you. 
What are your fitness goals? How many days of the week do you want to exercise? Which days during the week would you like to workout? Consider experimenting with a few different days, times and workouts to see what you can commit to on a regular basis. I found that Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays work best for me and I schedule my workout for the hour leading up to school pick up. If you'll be bringing kids with you think about scheduling your workout during their happiest time of the day. Nothing ruins a workout like cranky toddlers and fussy babies.

Dress for your workout. 
Dress for your workout when you wake up. Your yoga pants will actually get to do some yoga on your workout days, yay! Use your Dove Dry Spray Antiperspirant to keep yourself dry during your workout and the activities that are sure to follow. Dove Dry Spray Antiperspirant goes on instantly dry so it's perfect for Moms like me that get dressed quickly. Your underams will be moisturized resulting in softer smoother skin and you'll be protected from odor and wetness which is perfect for your workout! To learn more go to  Dove.com/trydry. #TryDry

Plan your meals.
Make sure you've prepped your meals and have snacks packed for the kids if you're bringing them.

Gather your gear.
Grab your sneakers, resistance bands, yoga mat, headphones (make sure your music device is charged!), water bottle, stroller and you're ready to go. I like leaving all of my workout items in the basket of my stroller. When it's time to head out all I need to do is grab a bottle of water and I'm set.

Now that you're ready here is my daily workout that any Mom can do with her kids in tow...

Stretch - Get your body warmed up!

Cardio - I speed walk but feel free to run if that's your thing.

Toning (Bicep Curls - 3 sets of 15 reps)

Yoga - Choose a pose of the day or find an app to guide you.

Cool Down - I stroll home from school pick up.

Easy enough, right? I hope my tips and easy workout has inspired you to #TryDry. Remember the new Dove Dry Spray Antiperspirant is the latest beauty trend that you must try. I personally love the Soothing Chamomile scent. It's light, feminine and it keeps me cool and dry.

Will you be trying my workout and the new Dove Dry Spray Antiperspirant?

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Dove Dry Spray Antiperspirant, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #instantlytrending #DovePartner #TryDry http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Army Wife Life: We're Moving To...

Now that plans to move are more concrete I am ready to officially share where we're headed next. I thought our next move was going to be overseas but God had other plans for our family and we are headed to the great Pacific Northwest...

Washington state to be exact. I am beyond excited to live there for the next few years. Savannah and I took a girl's trip with my Mom (to visit my brother) years ago and I remember loving it there.

The air was so crisp and clean. The scenery was amazing - the mountains, the trees, the culture and the people. The food was so good. While in town we ate in Chinatown in Seattle. Hands down the best egg rolls I have ever had in my life. We also took a walk thru Pike Place Market and it was exactly how it looks on tv.

I remember the vibe being so chill even though there was tons of city life around us. There were street musicians (that I wish I could find video of), food trucks and that sense of hustle and bustle that only a city can bring. 

There was also lots of history to take in too. The totem poles were absolutely breath taking...

I'm looking forward to being stationed near family. My husband and I both have family members that live in driving distance to where we'll be. I'm excited about exploring a new place, walking trails and getting reacquainted with all four seasons. I haven't had a Fall or Winter in years.

Most of all I can't believe that we'll be surrounded by water and the mountains. Something about the thought of that immediately puts me in a good mood. 

Here was my view from the plane during our girl's trip...

So the countdown has officially begun! The movers have been scheduled and I'm in the process of preparing our house for their arrival. The amount of excitement I have is unreal.

Have you ever been to the Pacific Northwest?

Disney Princess Inspired Cake Pops

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #InspireBigDreams #DreamBigPrincess #CollectiveBias

The day Savannah was born was the day that my life changed forever. She immediately made me want to be a better woman. Even though she was just a baby there was something about her that inspired me to pursue my goals and live my best life.

Savannah is full of dreams too. When she grows up she wants to own a bakery. These days she's into soccer and baking. Savannah has the most kind loving spirit. She has a whimsical imagination and she loves to talk. I hope she keeps the heart she has her whole life. It's so caring. She's an excellent big sister and friend. I'm so glad that she's my daughter. 

Like most little girls Savannah enjoys watching Disney Princess movies. Her favorite is The Princess and the Frog. She loves the fact that Princess Tiana has her own restaurant. I often remind Savannah of Princess Tiana's determination and work ethic when she's learning something new or overcoming an obstacle. When she's working hard to achieve a goal we sing, "Almost There" from the movie. Singing that song encourages Savannah to keep trying even when she feels like giving up.

Savannah has used that strong willed determination to become a pretty good soccer player. We are so proud of her.

At home Savannah enjoys cooking with me. Any time she gets a chance to get in the kitchen she's happy. Last week her goal was to become better at cracking eggs so she practiced every morning to get it right. The look on her face when she cracked the first one without getting shell in the bowl was priceless.

She knew she was ready to move on to bigger and better things. We decided to make cake pops to celebrate her knew skill.

Her cake pops turned out so good. I was very impressed. She accomplishes everything she sets her mind to, my girl. You can make these cake pops by following Savannah's tutorial.

First she baked a cake by following the directions on the box. She is very excited about working her way up to baking from scratch.

Once the cake is done you'll need to crumble it up. It was hard for me to watch a perfectly good cake get broken into pieces but the outcome was so worth it.

Next you'll want to add some icing and roll the cake into a loaf. I don't have an exact measurement for the icing. It will look like a ball of dough when you've mixed in enough.

Now you can begin making the balls for the cake pops. Savannah used a cookie dough scoop to make sure her pops were all the same size. Roll the balls, dip the sticks in chocolate (Sav used candy melts that she popped in the microwave) and insert the stick about halfway into the mini cake ball. Place the cake pops in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

Now it's time to decorate your cake pops! Use candy melts, sprinkles and whatever else you'd like to cover the outside of your pops. Savannah wanted to make pops to match her favorite Disney Princess gowns and that's exactly what she did.

The Disney Princess Royal Shimmer Dolls are available at Toys "R" Us. All eleven Disney Princesses are available for your little Princess to choose from. Savannah loved the removable shoes, ombré colored gowns and the sparkling glitter on each doll. She also loves that Rapunzel sings "I See the Light" when her jewel necklace is pressed.

Savannah has had a blast playing with Little Kingdom Ariel's Sea Castle. She's had Ariel sliding and swinging, so cute. This set is compatible with the entire Little Kingdom line. Savannah is already asking to add to her collection. 

I am so proud of the little girl that she is and the woman I know she'll become. We will continue to help her explore and pursue her dreams. I am learning so much from her.

How do you help your little one dream big? Will you be giving these cake pops a try?

Army Wife Life: Planning Our Move

When March greets us tomorrow that will officially give my little family 90 days (or less) in our house. We are in the beginning phases of planning our move and it's making me that much more excited.

At some point during my pregnancy I started to get that ready to move itch that military families get. It may have been the hormones but I was so over this current duty station and ready to experience something new.

This is our fifth move in 11 years, not too bad. Now that I'm a bit more seasoned with how the process works I have figured out a few things that make the transition easier on all of us. I think moving in general can be hard on a family. It doesn't matter if you're moving across the street or to a new time zone like we are.

Now that we are three kids deep I am going to be proactive, organized and down right militant to make sure this move goes off without a hitch. Here is my plan to make sure we have the best move possible this Summer...

Celebrate where we are - I plan to have the family make a list of all the places they want to visit again before our time here is up. I feel that this helps us deal with saying goodbye a bit better. We'll check out all of our favorite places one last time before we chuck the deuces...

The logistics - When are the movers coming? Are we driving? Are we flying? How long will we be in a hotel? How much stuff will we need while in limbo?

Purge, Purge, Purge - I have already started getting rid of anything I don't want to see or deal with when that moving truck pulls up at our new house. Toys, clothes, shoes, baby gear, unused furniture - you name it. Everything that has not served a purpose must go.

Organize, Organize, Organize - When the movers arrive to pack everything it helps to have things as organized as possible. When like items are together when they arrive you have a better chance of them ending up in the same box and labeled for the same room. This is how I avoid having a flat iron boxed up with a blender.

If you need it while in limbo... - PUT IT IN YOUR CAR! Do not leave it in a room or closet. Do not think that labeling a room or closet will keep them from boxing that stuff up. Whatever we need to make it until our things are delivered to us always goes in the car.

Plan activities for packing day - There is no way I'm going to have all these kids running around while movers are here. The movers tackle your entire house in a day. Having kids running around doesn't sound like the best idea so I plan to leave my husband here to deal with the movers while the kids and I go play.

Focus on the future - Research schools, neighborhoods and fun activities in your new area. Plan some activities for the few days that you'll be living in the hotel. It's kind of like a built in vacation so take advantage of this time to become familiar with your new surroundings before your service member returns to work.

I have the next three months to get us ready to go. We have already decided what fun things we want to do again before leaving. This week I am going to start the purge process. With soccer season starting back up it will probably take me a while to get things thrown out or donated.

Tis' the season for new beginnings - let's get moving! Anyone else moving soon? How are you preparing?

Operation Snap Back™ Link Up: My Workout Playlist & Progress Report

Next week my #grandfinalebaby will be four months old. Can't believe it. Time is flying.

I finally feel ready to start getting serious about getting back in shape. Getting to the gym and getting any type of exercise in has been a challenge but I have been eating well to compensate for it. Since eating well is half the battle I'm giving myself credit for that.

My water intake has been pretty good. I drink at least 70 ounces a day. I'd like to get closer to 100 ounces but I'll take that 70 for now. I limit myself to one soda a day first thing in the morning.

Nothing wakes me up better than an ice cold Dr. Pepper.

For the first week of the Operation Snap Back™I thought I'd start by sharing my playlist for workouts. Music is such a big part of my life and when I'm working out I have to have my music blasting. Here's what's in my Operation Snap Back Playlist at the moment...

Beautiful - Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell

Blessings - Big Sean feat. Drake

Blow - Beyoncé

Drunk in Love - Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z

Feeling Myself - Nicki Minaj feat. Beyoncé

***Flawless - Beyoncé feat. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Girls, Girls, Girls - Jay-Z

Girls, Girls Girls, Pt.2 - Jay - Z

The Glamorous Life - Sheila E

Hola Hovito - Jay-Z

How's It Goin Down - DMX

I Don't F**k With You - Big Sean feat. E-40

I Luh God - Erica Campbell feat. Big Shizz

Mercy - Kanye West feat. Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz)

Ni**as in Paris - Kanye West & Jay-Z

Partition - Beyoncé

Post To Be - Omarion feat. Chris Brown, Jhene Aiko

Renegade - Jay-Z feat. Eminem

Same Damn Time (Remix) - Future feat. Diddy, Ludacris

Still Not a Player - Big Pun feat. Joe

Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

Motivation - T.I.

U Don't Know Me - T.I.

ASAP - T.I.

Bring Em Out - T.I.

Stay Fly - Three 6 Mafia

Upgrade You - Beyoncé

Lollipop - Lil Wayne

Got Money - Lil Wayne

Stuntin' Like My Daddy - Birman & Lil Wayne

Cash Money Millionaire - Lil Wayne

What Up Gangsta - 50 Cent

Many Men (Wish Death) - 50 Cent

In Da Club - 50 Cent

Wanksta - 50 Cent

P.I.M.P. - 50 Cent

Drop It Like It's Hot - Snoop Dogg & Pharrell Williams

All I Do Is Win - DJ Khaled feat. T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg & Rick Ross

Stronger - Kanye West

Good Life - Kanye West feat. T-Pain

Flashing Lights - Kanye West

Can't Tell Me Nothing - Kanye West

Jesus Walks - Kanye West

Otis - Jay-Z & Kanye West feat. Otis Redding

Power - Kanye West

All Falls Down - Kanye West

Clique - Kanye West,  Jay-Z & Big Sean

The New Workout Plan - Kanye West

Good Morning - Kanye West

Champion - Kanye West

H A M - Kanye West & Jay-Z

Swagger Like Us - Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne & T.I.

Make Me Better - Fabolous feat. Ne-Yo

Breathe - Fabolous

Can't Deny It - Fabolous feat. Nate Dogg

Look at Me Now - Chris Brown feat Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes

Kiss Kiss - Chris Brown feat T-Pain

Run It! - Chris Brown feat Juelz Santana

I Can Transform Ya - Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne, Swizz Beatz

Loyal - Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne, Tyga

Fine China - Chris Brown

Aston Martin Music - Rick Ross feat. Drake, Chrisette Michele

The Boss - Rick Ross feat T-Pain

Stay Schemin - Rick Ross feat. Drake, French Montana

Push It - Rick Ross

So Sophisticated - Rick Ross feat. Meek Mill

Hustlin' (Remix) - Rick Ross feat. Jay-Z, Young Jeezy

The Devil is a Lie - Rick Ross feat. Jay-Z

Magnificent - Rick Ross

I'm Not a Star - Rick Ross

House Party - Meek Mill feat Young Chris

Bag of Money - Wale & Meek Mill feat Rick Ross, T-Pain

Maybach Music III - Rick Ross feat Jadakiss, Erykah Badu

Free Mason - Rick Ross feat Jay-Z

MC Hammer - Rick Ross feat. Gucci Mane

Live Fast, Die Young - Rick Ross feat. Kanye West

Started From the Bottom - Drake

Hotline Bling - Drake

Finna Get Loose - Puff Daddy & The Family feat Pharrell Williams

Top Back - T.I.

Still Fly - Big Tymers

Get Your Roll On - Big Tymers

7/11 - Beyoncé

Formation - Beyoncé

Down in the DM - Yo Gotti

My fitness goals are to tone up. I don't have a goal weight in mind I just want to comfortably fit in all my clothes. We don't have a scale in our house. I don't want to be obsessed with a number so I base everything off of how I feel and look. If I feel I look good then I consider that success.

Here I am today...

Now head over to Off the Potomac and see Fatima's Operation Snap Back™progress. She's the creator of the online community that motivates women to strive to meet their fitness goals. If you're new here join the Facebook page and share your sweaty selfie with us on Instagram using #OperationSnapback.

Got a fitness post of your own you want to share with us? Leave your link below and we'll swing by and show you some love!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thought Bubbles 2252016

It's basically March...

Soccer season starts on Saturday...

I ordered a stroller to have before the season starts and the shipping has been delayed...

The hibachi I made for dinner the other night was good. I served it with quinoa instead of rice...

I hate that my broccoli florets were upside down in that pic...

The temps recently dropped into the 60s for the high of the day here. We're freezing...

Costco sent me coupons to get all this free stuff. I keep forgetting my coupons at home...

They sold out of this table I wanted for the kids before I could make up my mind about it...

I was unsure about these black flats when I bought them but now I'm in love with them...

My dentist passes out these Straight Outta Compton sunglasses. I'm here for it...

I still can't believe the stroller that I wanted was sold out every where...

Couldn't even find it online...

I hate settling...

My son has started hiding. His new favorite spot is under his bed...

That face...

I just remembered that I can look online for that kid's table at Costco...

Tomorrow I will treat myself to Chinese for dinner...

Working out and eating right is starting to get easier...

It'll be much easier when that stroller arrives...

I'm partnering with Teems at Off the Potomac for a fitness link-up. Join us on Sunday...

Looking forward to trying out self photography this weekend...

I have some sponsored posts coming up that require it...

We'll be moving in less than about 100 days...

I literally cannot wait...

I'll miss the Fall like winters here though...

Getting the nerve up to do a live reading of a couple pages of my eBook on Periscope next week...

Get your copy here if you haven't already...

So many not so shameless plugs there...

What's going on in your world? Share a thought bubble or two with me...

FOURTH BLOGIVERSARY

It's The Chic Stay at Home Mom's blogiversary! Who made that up? Blog Anniversary.

Anyway. Here is this piece of the interweb four years later. I remember when I started this blog I only had one child and endless amounts of free time. Now I'm three kids deep and my free time ain't so free.

I think this is the year that I'm trying to bring more of my true self to this space, because I feel more grown now. I want to have more fun here and connect with the people that take the time to read my posts and follow me on social media.

I want to offer something here that's similar to what I feel my girlfriends in real life get. A good laugh, compassion, understanding and a good time.

So today in honor of my fourth year as a blogger I launched my mini eBook for Moms on iBooks.

The feedback that I have received so far on the book has been great. I am so thankful to all of the Mamas who signed up to receive the book for free and give it a read. I appreciate the love and support. 

As I continue to grow as a woman, wife and Mom I pray that the brand that's being developed thru this blog remains authentic to who I am. Thanks again to all of you who stop by here to spend time with me - it means more than you know.

Check out my book on iBooks to get to know me in a different way. Happy Blogiversary to me!

As my blog continues to evolve what type of posts would you like to see more of? Is there anything that I do here that you particularly enjoy? 

Healthy Snack: Zucchini Chips

While I'm waiting on my gym motivation to strike I have been making sure that I'm eating right. One way that I avoid eating junk food during the day is by having healthy snack options readily available. My favorite snack of the moment is zucchini chips. They are tasty, easy to make and inexpensive.

These chips are addictive. You will not be able to eat just one. Whenever I make them I find myself getting full on them before the rest of my meal is even ready. These chips are a great alternative to fries and potato chips. 

The key here is to not over cook them. I cook my zucchini chips on low for about 5-10 minutes. The firmness is what makes them like chips. Of course you could cook them more but a softer chip won't pair with sandwiches that well.

Place your chips into a frying pan, drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with creole seasoning. Toss them frequently and continue seasoning them to taste. I like mine spicy so I tend to lay on the seasoning.

On Saturday I made pulled pork sandwiches for dinner with coleslaw. The kids and my husband had fries and I had these. (with a few stolen fries, not gonna lie) They are so good. 

I could literally eat these all day. My fitness goal for this week is to wake up before my family and head to the gym. I really want that to happen. There is a running challenge starting soon on Operation Snap Back™ that I'm participating in. That should kick start my love for working out again. 

All it takes is a couple of trips to the gym and I'm normally hooked. These zucchini chips with a tuna sandwich or chicken wrap make a great post workout meal. 

Will you be trying these zucchini chips? Pin this idea to try later!

A Salad You Could Eat Everyday

I eat the same thing for lunch just about everyday. When I'm home and not stuck in the car running errands I make myself a salad for lunch Monday thru Friday.

Why do I eat salad everyday? Well for one I have always loved salads. In high school I would hit up Souper Salad during the Summer and in college I'd crush the salad bar in the cafe. All you can eat. And it's healthy. Yes, please.

While a salad buffet is far from something I'd want to do these days (because solo trips to a buffet with babies sounds like a miserable way to spend a lunch hour) I do still crave my salads and I get one in daily. To make things easy on myself I have found one salad that I love. One that I could eat everyday. Just like Chinese food without the calories and the MSG.

Here's what I keep on hand to make my lunch fast, tasty and healthy...

1 - humungous bag of Earthbound Farm Organic Triple Green Blend (POWER) - Costco

Roma Tomatoes

English Cucumber

Boiled Eggs

Kalamata Olives

Broccoli Florets

Red Onion

Rotisserie Chicken - Costco Deli (All grocery stores have a ready to go 'tisserie these days though.)

For my dressing I go with a diagonal smear of whatever I'm into at the moment. Right now I'm on a creamy ceasar kick. Anyway. This is what I eat everyday to help make the approaching Summer less terrifying. It'll be shorts and tank top season soon and Lord knows I want to be ready...

Getting in shape after Moses has been a process as I have no motivation whatsoever to be at the gym. Now that the weather has broken I do have the itch to get out and start walking/running. We'll see if that itch gets scratched soon. Until then at least I'm eating well. 

What do you normally eat for lunch? Are you creeping thru someone's drive-thru everyday? I encourage you to find a healthy lunch you could (but you certainly wouldn't have to) eat everyday. Have that stuff in your kitchen at all times and see if it cuts down on trips to Chick-Fil A. 

Now I want a spicy chicken sandwich....

32 Before 33: Nail Polish Haul

Today I was out with the boys while Savannah was in school running errands. We had to hit up a few stores to find what I was looking for. Normally that irritates me but today I found each stop to be a win for different reasons.

During our first stop I received a manufacturer's coupon for the item I was looking for. At 2.00 off that coupon was worth the hassle of getting the boys in and out of the car. My next stop was at Target where I found one out of the two items I was looking for and I used one of the coupons. Walked out of there feeling like a winner.

My last stop was at HEB (a grocery store that has a monopoly on Texas it seems - but it's a great store so it's all good) and not only did I find the other item that I was looking for but as I was walking to the register I saw a Wet n Wild clearance display. All items were forty-nine cents a piece. Again. A winner - cue the DJ Khaled...

The colors are from left to right...

Grasping at Strawberries

Do Pass Go

She Sells

Yo Soy

D'Oh

Which color is your favorite? I think I'm going to try Yo Soy first.

32 Before 33: Learn Photography & Valentine's Day Recap (Sort of)

I've never been the type of girl that was overly excited about Valentine's Day. Even when I was younger I thought it was silly for girls to walk around school with all that crap. I mean, what do you do with a teddy bear that has "Valentine's Day 2002" sewn into the foot years after the fact?

Or even in 2003? Do you throw it away? Where does little teddy end up? So I was never a teddy bear or candy girl but I have always loved beautiful red roses. I also really love the inexpensive carnation daisy bouquets you can get at Walmart and the grocery store. They really make my one hundred year old military base housing kitchen look so much better.

Because my husband was sweet enough to buy me a camera for my birthday last week and roses this week for Valentine's Day I thought I'd put the two together. I was initially shooting in auto then I fumbled my way to a menu that allowed you to select some advanced auto options. For these photos I used the "bright photo" setting in my camera and I altered the setting just a tad. (I do realize that photographers will want to know all the numbers behind my pics - I'll start jotting them down to get some feedback from you all.)

I took these pictures in my somewhat dark but bright at the same time kitchen. For the background I used two white poster boards that were positioned in an "L" shape.

I also played around with another setting that allowed the camera to blur the background. The shot below ended up being one of my favorites.

The rest of these pictures have what I assume photogs refer to as noise? (Cause that was a question...) I can't remember what setting these were done on or what I may have done differently but they came out like they had been filtered.

Over the weekend I picked up a tripod. I'm still on the hunt for a wireless shutter. They have been sold out every where that I'm willing to drive to. I may have to break down and order it one on Amazon but I kinda want it right now so I'll try one or two more places before Amazon gets me for $35. 

My ultimate goal is to be shooting in manual mode so I'm trying to ease my way into that from the beginning. I actually took pics of the Valentine's Day dinner I made but I wasn't happy with how they turned out. I made garlic butter salmon, steak and salad. It looked delicious in real life but not in my pics. Any tips for me?