Operation Snap Back: April Update

I have seen such a huge difference in my body since I started cutting out bad sugars. Drinking more water has helped too.

I have been sharing on Facebook some of the meals we've had. I'm still eating a lot of what I want but I'm switching out some of the bad carbs with healthier alternatives.

These bathrooms have the worst light. I can see the beginnings of what might be abs starting to push through. Honestly, if I never get my before Moses abs back I'd be okay with that. 

I have the Hollywood Trainer abs workout. I plan to start it again May 1. It's a good workout that I see results from almost instantly when I do it regularly. A friend of mine put me on to Lindsay Brin, google her. Her tips for postpartum tummy exercises have been extremely helpful too.

My friend uses a lot of her workouts. She's a Mom of four and she looks ah-may-zing. 

I'll be running (and possibly walking some) a 5k on May 14. I plan to continue training for that by doing my walk/runs with the boys in the afternoons. I also would love to get back into the gym for weights next month. I think I could benefit from some upper body training. I'd love to see my arms and back get right.

Now head over to Fatima's blog to see her April update for Operation Snap Back. Join the support group on Facebook and use the hashtag #OperationSnapBack to share your fitness journey. 

Braised Short Ribs...

Sundays are for supper. Sunday dinner was always such a big part of my life growing up. I remember my Mom or Grandma making the most delicious meals on Sundays. We'd come home from church and come right in to a hot dinner.

How did they do it?

My guess is that someone was up super early cooking while I slept. I can manage to do that sometimes but not as often as I'd like.

I love a good comforting Sunday dinner and I look forward to that time in the kitchen. I might dread cooking every other day of the week but not Sunday.

Sundays are when I try new things. I give myself time to cook without the pressure of getting food on the table by a certain time. This Sunday I tried braised short ribs in my dutch oven pot. I normally make them in the crock pot but not this Sunday. This Sunday I tried something new and it was delicious.

I started patting the short ribs dry before sprinkling them with kosher salt and black pepper. In the dutch oven I cooked some pancetta until is was nice and crispy. It didn't render enough fat (for me) so I cooked a piece a bacon and all was right with the world (and in my kitchen).

I dredged the ribs in flour before searing them. I was not patient and rushed through the searing. As a result my ribs were not as brown as I'd liked. Won't make that mistake again... Patience is a virtue.

I added all of the ribs back to the dutch oven. Sprinkled them with some dried rosemary. Poured two cups of chicken broth (cause I didn't have beef) into the pot. A dash of red wine vinegar. Added the bacon and pancetta. Cooked them in the oven for two hours on 325.

They were fall off the bone good. Everything about them was good. They smelled good and they tasted like somebody's Grandma made them. 

I served them with brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes. Is it Fall yet?

The Thing I LOVE Most About Texas...

In a previous post I mentioned how grateful I would always be to Texas because this is where we became a family. I would also have to say that another thing that I am very thankful for is the beautiful weather here. There are times during the year when the weather is just right and you can spend the entire day outside.

Those are the days that I will remember Texas for. As a kid my brothers, cousins and I played outside for what seemed like hours. The fun was endless. It is one of my goals as a Mom to give my kids that same love of playing outside.

We love going to the playground and going for walks. The new additions at the San Antonio Zoo have been fun to check out too. The kids love seeing all the animals. It has become their favorite activity. We went during Easter weekend and the weather was perfect for a day of walking and gazing.

No matter where we go when we're outside enjoying the Texas sunshine I always make sure that I pack plenty of water, snacks and food for the kids. Remember when I talked about packing a cooler? I do it when we plan to be outside for the day too. I like doing this because it keeps us from running in and out of the house. We also get to spend the majority of our day outside (the way kids would have it) when we don't have to leave the park or splash pad for a snack.

Ozarka® Brand Natural Spring Water is one of our cooler staples. All of the brand’s spring sites can be found within 100 miles of each other in East Texas. A big part of what Ozarka^® does is help preserve the natural beauty of Texas by sustainably managing their spring sites in the Lone Star State.

It's a good feeling when you know you're giving your kids a local good for you product. Our hot Spring and Summer days are made a lot easier when I've frozen some bottled water to take with us. Visit the Ozarka® Facebook , Instagram  and Twitter pages to learn more about #Ozarka Country. Use that hashtag to share what you love most about Texas!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ozarka® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water. The opinions and text are all mine.

Baby's Journey Smart Sync Baby Monitor Review

This post was sponsored by Baby’s Journey as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary merchandise to facilitate my review.

A Mommy confession of mine is that I have never used a monitoring system. Like never. I was given one as a gift when Savannah was born but I never really saw a need for it. She was always so good so I never worried about her climbing out of her crib or doing anything else you hear about babies doing.

Then came Mikey. Mikey does everything that he shouldn't. I've been able to keep up with him but my days are filled with running up and down the stairs for one thing or another. 

Add Moses to the mix and I'm busy. I can't be in two places at once so when I was offered the opportunity to review the Baby's Journey Smart Sync baby monitor I happily accepted. 



Baby's Journey and AT&T are working together to launch a new baby monitor line that provides information about baby's health and wellness. This new baby monitor easily connects to wi-fi. It also has a built-in rechargeable battery.

I use the monitor in the boy's room. When I put the kids to sleep they are still wide awake. This never really was a concern of mine until Mikey and Moses started sharing a room. I like being able to see what they're doing before they fall asleep. The easy night viewing infrared LED gives a crystal clear picture at night.

I also love checking in on them in the morning. When I see that they're okay playing in their cribs it gives me the peace of mind I need before I take a few minutes for myself in the morning.

This system does so much more than baby sneak peeks. You can also log and track feedings, medications, diaper changes, weight, height and sleep. We use the AT&T Smart Sync mobile app to monitor the kids and log info too. It makes it so easy and convenient. My husband can use the app to see the kids while he's at work and I love that feature.

You can share photos to social media directly from the monitor by connecting to your Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

The monitors are now available online and in-store at Babies “R” Us locations. Get more information about them, the Baby's Journey Smart Sync baby monitor would make a great gift!

Spring & Summer Daily Beauty Routine

Hot weather season is here. I'm not sure that it was ever cold weather season here in Texas but it is officially time for tank tops, shorts and sleeveless dresses. I'm excited!

For a lot of Moms this time of year makes them cringe. With all the outdoor and water related play that's sure to fill up our schedules we know that those type of dates involve lots of skin exposure. Bathing suit season is upon us, ladies. I’ve partnered with Dove to tell you all about their New Dove Dry Oil Collection featuring their Dove Dry Oil Beauty Bar and Dove Dry Oil Moisture Body Wash.

I use both of these products in my daily beauty routine to keep my skin looking and feeling great during Spring and Summer. My daily beauty routine is quick, easy and it keeps me ready for days at the pool with my kids.

A shower in the morning does wonders for me. It gives me time to think and prepare for the day. That quiet time in the morning is very important to me. I shower using the new Dove Dry Oil Collection. The new Dove Dry Oil collection helps nourish and protect skin from dryness in the shower by effectively cleansing without leaving skin feeling dry and features a nourishing formula infused with Moroccan Argan oil beads to gently cleanse while helping to replenish nutrients to the skin.

I also use the Dove Dry Oil Moisture Body Wash when I shave. You know that itchy feeling you sometimes get after shaving? Using this body wash has set me free from that itchy feeling. When I'm done shaving my skin is soft and smooth. I also like that I'm not fumbling around with tons of different products in the morning. It makes getting ready for the day so much easier.

Once I'm nice and clean I spend time at the sink. I go ahead and brush my teeth, do my hair and put on makeup if I'm wearing any that day.

Having a daily beauty routine helps keep me confident when I'm out Mom'ing it up with my friends. Softer, smoother skin is something every woman desires, however 1 in 3 women suffer from dry skin and 98% of women feel more confident when their skin is moisturized vs. dry. I know I do.

So another Mom hack that comes in extremely helpful for me is keeping a travel size bottle of the Dove Dry Oil Moisture Body Wash in my pool bag. When our time at the pool is done we head straight to the showers to clean up. I quickly wash us all down, dry us off and do diaper changes before I load up the car. This way, if all the Summer stars align and the kids fall asleep on the way home I know we're all clean. They'll wake up ready for the next part of the day with super soft skin.

Finally at then end of the night after everyone is in bed, before I cuddle up next to my husband I take a shower to wash away the day. It helps me to relax. The Dove Dry Oil Beauty Bar cleanses my skin leaving it with a radiant glow. I feel so refreshed after a long day of hard work. Consider adding this new collection from Dove to your daily beauty routine this Spring.

What's your daily beauty routine for Spring and Summer?

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

April 16-30 Grocery Haul VIDEO

This grocery haul turned out pretty good. I was able to stay on budget leaving some money leftover for some of my room Mom responsibilities that are coming up. I spent $147 at the Commissary ($152 with the bagger's tip) and about $44 at Costco.



If you have any meal planning or grocery shopping questions for me feel free to leave them here or email me.

April 16-30 Family Meal Plan

April is half way done. Can you believe it? That means that we are that much closer to a moving truck showing up at our house. I am not ready. At least our dinners for the rest of the month are planned.

I think I'm going to attempt grocery shopping today because it's suppose to rain all weekend. I have a hair appointment Saturday morning and I really don't want to get caught out in the rain grocery shopping with freshly straightened hair. So I may shop today. I need to make a grocery list first.

I am anticipating a larger grocery bill because there are other things we need for the house. I was able to carry a meal or two over from the last dinner menu so maybe that will balance some things out. We shall see. I'll share my grocery haul and answer some of the questions I received via email in the video. Thanks for watching those! 

If I look a little sleepy in the video (or on snapchat) it's because my husband is in training for his upcoming promotion and that has left me pretty busy with the kids solo. Moses has been sleeping well but he's still not sleeping all night. Pumping is literally draining the life out of me but I will push through like all the other Mamas out there. There is a blessing in being tired and that is how I push through the tough times. I'll share my philosophy on that in another post.

Happy Friday, Mamas! Do something special for yourself this weekend (after you go grocery shopping)! 😉