Mondays, Mochas, & Motivation {Fitness}

Good Morning Friends,

It's Monday, so you know what that means....

At the Beginning of the year, I made my New Years Resolutions!

Like half of American, 

one of my resolutions was to

 exercise more and eat better!!

Which would lead to weight lose....

Well this hasn't happened!! :(

So I have got to do better!! 

I decided that I am going to use the Lose it App!!

According to the Apple App store.....

here is the description of the App..

An invaluable tool for reaching your weight loss goals, Lose it!

track your meals, exercise, and nutrition. Documenting food is effortless with its built in barcode scanner, searchable list of common grocery items, and database of popular restaurant meals nutritional facts. Plus, when you need some extra motivation, the app's social features make it easy to find inspiration from friends and cheer each other on!

I have played around with the app before...nothing serious and it was fairly easy to use!!

So I am giving it a try!!

I really need to get more active!! I have used On Demand for workouts before! On Demand has SO many choices on different levels! I should never run out of options!!

Now, I just need to hit Start!!

I have my Fitbit Flex that I use to wear ALL THE TIME!!

I would always try to get my 10,000 steps in....

I need to put it back on and get to 'Stepping"

I got an email recently that it has a new feature that 

if you are not active for so long it will alert you to move!!

I need to check that out!!

My Friend, Leigh Anne gave me fitbit bling for my Birthday, so its super cute! 

I really have no excuse to not wear it:)

What tools do you use to either maintain or lose weight?

What fitness programs do you use?

Do you have any tips that have worked for you?

I need all the help and accountability I can get, so fire away in the comments!!

Thank you sweet friends!!

xoxo, Heather

Mondays, Mochas, Motivation, & {Mommas}

Oh Monday after Spring Break

you are ROUGH!

The kids and I are looking forward to Summer even more now!

Today's post is going to be about Mommas and Motivation!

I am linking up with Andrea and Erika

This Month's 'Let's Talk' is about Moms!!

Here is a "Pin" that I found and thought it would be great motivation when we think we are doing it all wrong!! 

Read the Blog Post here

Remember it's the little things that add up

like dancing in the car, racing down the grocery aisle, giving eskimo kisses, splashing in a puddle, 

The list I posted has great ideas!

Not to mention that when you actually do these "fun" things, the laughter is contagious!

Here is a glimpse into my journey as a Mother!

The day we told our family we were pregnant with Ian Michael!

My pregnant belly!

Oh I was HUGE!

Ian Michael was born December 5th, 2004

Ian was 4 days LATE! But he was so worth the pain! :)

He was always a happy baby!

Then Ella Marie came along!!

Ella Marie was born October 10th, 2007

She was a happy baby, as well!! 

Here is my blessings from this weekend!

Motherhood is a WILD ride but worth EVERY Moment!!

I think this tumbler is PERFECT!!

Mombie- an exhausted mother who feeds on coffee and survives on wine!

#amen

Here is My AWESOME Mom!

The best momma and Grandma Deb! 

I am so thankful for everything that she did for me growing up as a single mother!

The strength and selflessness that she had was AMAZING!

I am so thankful that my kids got her as "Grandma Deb"

She gives them her undivided attention and let's them get away with ANYTHING!

She loves them to pieces!

My Mother in Law!

So thankful that I could become a part of the Bramlett family!

Colleen is one of the kindest people I know!

She loves with her whole heart!

Ian and Ella are blessed to have her as their Grammy!

Happy Monday Friends!

For us it is 

xoxo, Heather 

Mondays, Mochas, and Motivation

Good Morning Friends

&

Happy Spring Break to us!!

Happy Monday 

& 

Welcome New Week!!

Like my new Mondays, Mochas, and Motivation Graphic??

Guess who designed it?

Yep- Jennifer over at SweetBootique!

She is SO Talented!

So today's Motivation is about this Movie...

If you haven't seen it!

It's a MUST! 

It is a VERY Powerful message!

We watched it last night at church and I am so thankful we did!

I wanted to run home a clean out my closet and make a "War Room", but unfortunately I don't have a spare closet to put my clothes! 

So I think I will start with a War Room Journal

You can purchase it from LifeWay

I was "surfing" Pinterest and found this AMAZING Pin to go along with my War Room Motivation today!

This Pin is from Candace at  Mercy is New

I am so thankful I stumbled across her blog!!

There is also a free printable!

Make sure to check out the original post but I am going to copy and paste the article here~

10 Truths to Remember & Pray in Your War Room

1. I am loved.

Sounds so simple, yet if we don’t renew our minds with the truth of God’s love for us, sometimes, when we look around us at all that is happening the world and in our lives, we might start to doubt.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

2. I am forgiven.

When God sent Jesus to be born in a stable in a town called Bethlehem, He did so with the cross in mind. Jesus was born to die. His blood gives us forgiveness, redemption and makes our relationship with God right again.

“Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:27-28

3. I am chosen.

Sometimes those words are hard to believe. But YOU were CHOSEN by the God of the universe! He created you, you are fearfully and wonderfully made and He chose you, before the foundation of the world, to be His child. His beloved.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

4. God’s Word is a lamp to my feet.

So often we worry, we wonder, we ask for wisdom…and yet God has given us the precious gift of His Word. How many times have we taken this gift for granted?

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105

5. We’ve been given armor.

Like God’s Word, we’ve been given tools, weapons, to aid us in the battles we face! We have been commanded to be strong IN THE LORD! How do we do this? With the armor of God! We have been given truth in God’s Word, the righteousness of Jesus, readiness with which to speak the gospel, a shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.  We have to learn to use them, pick them up and stand firm in the Lord and in His mighty power. Read more about praying the armor of God, too!

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:10-18

6. The Holy Spirit intercedes for me. 

Sometimes we don’t have the words. This is why I began praying the Scriptures. But, it is so encouraging to me to remember that my Heavenly Father provided the Holy Spirit who lives in me, brings comfort to me AND intercedes for me according to the will of God!

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27

7. He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.

This is such a powerful truth. The GOD that is in us is GREATER THAN the enemy that is in the world!

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you isgreater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

8. The Lord is my help.

So often we go to others first when we are worried or upset. What if we started taking our problems to God first? What if we spent more time praying about things than trying to solve them on our own? I am so guilty of looking for the FIX to my issues. I want to be better about going to THE ONE who may or may not fix the problem, but CAN give me PEACE through it all!

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

9. Praise silences the enemy.

When I can’t get the fears out of my head, when my worries threaten to take over my day, when the negative outweigh the positive, it is time to PRAISE GOD. When we praise God for who He is, the enemy flees! We have to be intentional to battle the enemy. We must FIGHT for our joy. Choosing joy and being intentional in our strategies has to take priority in our lives. Go turn some praise music on! Start counting your blessings, write them down, and tell God thank-you.

“Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” Psalm 8:1-3

10. God is working it all out for my good.

Whatever I am facing, whatever tomorrow brings, whatever fears come to fruition, or expectations that are just a big let down…God is working it ALL for my good. I may not understand, but I am not called to understand. Pray more, worry less. Let your FAITH be bigger than your fears. Trust instead of fear. 31 Verses for Overcoming Fear

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

10 Truths to Remember Free Printable

I hope this simple printable will serve as a reminder of these truths that we need to preach to ourselves daily!! Print it off and tape it to the fridge or your bathroom mirror! I pray they are an encouragement to you!

In Your War Room Free Printable PDF

What a Powerful Message!

Make sure to watch the movie ASAP!!

I'm going to grab another cup of coffee, 

print my free printable,

 and start my War Room Journal!!

Happy Monday Friends!!

xoxo, Heather 

See you back here tomorrow for 

Mondays, Mochas, & Motivation

Cheers to another week!

Who needs a little motivation this morning!!

As always, I was searching Pinterest for Motivation and Organization tips!!

I can across this pin and it just "spoke" to me! 

I always have big plans to get so much accomplished in a day! 

I really liked the tips that Sarah shared!

I will give you the highlights, but you can read the blog post here

  Make sure you are getting enough rest

I am guilty of not always following this tip. I have been known to stay up till 1-2 o'clock in the morning, still working on my "to-do" list!

Make lists

This tip I have mastered....sometimes I swear my list have list!! ;)

and I have been known to misplace my lists!

Turn your phone to silent during times you need to get stuff done

Guilty-- I really need to do this! I will hear an email 'bing" and just have to check it, or Facebook messenger, or an Instagram notification, Etsy conversation, etc

You get my point! 

I need to set a specific time to check all my social media outlets!

The average person spends 3.5 hours on social media a day

I think this could probably tie in with the above....most of the  notifications I get on my phone are for social media apps!

3.5 hours...really! Just think of what you could get done in 3.5 hours!!

Don’t over book yourself

Oh my gosh this is so ME!! I am a person that hates to say NO when someone ask me for a favor

I really do need to work on this because when I overbook myself I am worthless to my family and they should be my #1 priority!

But of course, we all want to feel like SUPERMOM!!

Clean it up

This was one of my February Goals!

I have been really good at follow this goal!

I realize that if my work space is messy then I feel so unorganized and overwhelmed

SO each night I try to make sure everything is picked up and in its place! and not just in my craft room but the whole house as well!!

Work smarter, not harder

I am always try to think new ways to 

help my little business grow 

Coming up with new creations

working on ideas to help my household run smoother! 

Because us mommas make our houses run!!

#factoflife

Keep a small notepad and pen with you at all times

I do keep a little notepad in my purse! not only for ideas and grocery items, but for the kids to doodle on when boredom strikes;)

But with this day in age, the little "notes" on mu iPhone is heavenly!!

Keep a schedule

How many times have we been told that consistency is the key?!?! 

 how many times do we fail to take this advice

#guilty

I do try to start each week with what I hope to accomplish, meals planned, etc!

Most weeks I accomplish those goals, but not always;)

Here is my 

Mondays, Mochas, and Motivation Board

Follow OhMyGlitter's board Mondays, Mochas, & Motivation on Pinterest.

So go grab a cup of joe and get this week started!!

Hope you accomplish your daily to-do list!!

What else do you do to get more done during the day?!?!

Share your ideas in the comments!

Happy Monday Friends

xoxo, Heather

Mondays, Mochas, and Motivation!

Good Morning Friends!! 

It's Monday so it's this weeks....

I'm going to look at it this way....

I was looking on Pinterest for some motivation and inspiration and came across this pin...

I always try to get as much done the night before to help make the morning go a little smoother 

To click on the "pin" click here for the source or you can read below!! Make sure you check our her other household tips:)

How I do these tips or how I plan to do this tips are in RED!

We've all woken up when the alarm buzzes and just want to put our head back under the covers and go back to sleep.  Unfortunately though, life doesn't often allow us to do that, so we've got to take steps to make each day the best it can be. 

Many of us have busy mornings, with lots of stuff to do, and often a very limited amount of time to do it. But you can do yourself a huge favor by doing the following 7 things each night, before you go to bed, that will set yourself up for a better morning. And we all know that when our morning goes well, it tends that the rest of our day does as well. 

So here's the 7 things I suggest you do each night: 

1. Quick tidy up throughout the house. 

I always try to do this when the kids are in the shower and when they are getting their clothes and book bags ready for the next day! I also make them "tidy" up their rooms before  bed...my kids are 11 and 8 so they are capable of these task!

Life happens during the day and things get messy. Hit the "reset" button each night, before going to bed, by doing a quick tidy up of the house. 

I'm definitely not talking about a full house cleaning session here, but just tidying up, by putting things away and back in their place. 

Don't feel like you have to do this alone either. Make it part of the kids' bedtime routine, having them help you pick up the common living areas of the house and their rooms before they go to sleep. 

Wash all the dishes in your sink. 

2. Clean your kitchen, and make sure to run the dishwasher if you have one. 

It is VERY rare that I don't run my dishwasher each night and I try to empty it in the morning before we even leave for school

The kitchen is the heart of the home, so making sure it is clean each night before you go to bed will really help your morning, and really your whole day, just run more smoothly. 

Wash all your dishes, either by running your dishwasher, or washing them by hand. This allows you, in the morning, to easily empty the clean dishes from your dishwasher or put away the air dried ones from your   dish dryer rack and have clean dishes for use all day long.  

!  

3.  Make a realistic to do list for tomorrow. 

I make my to do list in my AWESOME Erin Condren Life Planner It is nice to have all my list in one place!! If you don't have a planner and prefer a printable "To-Do" list Landeelu has an awesome one....Click here 

Your day runs smoother if you've got a plan for it, and it's best to make that plan before you go to bed the night before. 

Doing your planning then allows you to write down your thoughts so you know you won't forget something, and that lets your brain take a well needed rest. 

You can definitely just use a piece of paper, but it can be helpful to use a similar format day after day for your to do list. If that helps you, you might want to consider a to do list template or notepad that is premade for you. 

These premade templates also have a limited number of spaces for tasks, which is actually helpful because your plan needs to be realistic. If you have 82 things written down to do tomorrow you're setting yourself up to feel like a failure because there is no way you'll get it all done. 

4. Choose your outfit for the next day. 

Since I am a SAHM, I don't always lay my outfit out for the day because most days it is yoga pants and a tunic:)  However, if I have to go run errands, doctor's appt,  meeting, etc after I drop the kids off I do always pick my outfit out for the next day!!  It really does just seem to help the "flow" of the next morning!

Every day feels better when you're dressed in something that makes you feel good. What you choose doesn't need to be  fancy, but it needs to be something you're not afraid to open the door in, or to run out and do an errand wearing, or to feel good in while working. 

In the morning, with all the other hustle and bustle, it can be hard to make these decisions with all the distractions going on around you. So instead make them the night before, perhaps after the kids have gone to bed and you have a few quiet moments to focus. 

A programmable coffee maker can help you wake up happy in the morning. 

5. Set up for breakfast in the morning.

I have mentioned before my love of coffee! Our Keurig is set to come on every morning at 5:00! My breakfast generally consist of yogurt, granola, and berries.. I just dump them in a bowl!

I'm sure you've heard the saying, "the most important meal of the day is breakfast." 

Well, it really is. You need to take the time to  feed yourself and your family something nutritious and filling, but when things get crazy this can be what we tend to skip.

Setting up for breakfast the next morning doesn't have to be complicated, and actually can be something tacked onto your kitchen clean up routine. Perhaps pull out some bowls for cereal, or set your  programmable coffee maker to make your coffee in the morning to help you wake up. 

If whatever preparation you do the night before helps your kids more easily serve themselves breakfast in the morning as well, while you're able to focus on other things or just eat something yourself, all the better! 

x

6.  Gather or prepare everything that you'll take out the door in the morning.

When you come up our steps from the garage, I have hooks and a bench. That is where I keep the kids book bags and anything I need to take with me the next morning! I am delivering a number and earrings tomorrow morning before my meeting, so I have those sitting on the bench ready for me to pick up on the way out!! I also will put stuff in my car the night before as well!!

There's nothing worse than running out the door, kind of late already to get the kids off to school, for one of them to realize they forgot their homework inside the house. Uggghh.

Make the morning a bit less crazy by making sure everything you need to take out the door with you, or that your kids need to take to school, is ready the night before. This goes for packing backpacks, work or gym bags, making sure coats and gloves are ready for the cold winter morning, and that lunches are packed and ready to go.

Obviously, in the case of lunches, if you've got to keep your  lunch containers in the refrigerator overnight, and not sitting by the door, no problem. But do pack them the night before whenever possible. If something will get soggy if left overnight do as much prep the night before as possible, so you have as few steps to complete lunch making the next morning as possible.

7. Get a good and full night's sleep by heading to bed early.

I know this one is hard to do sometimes, but I really have been trying to go to bed around the same time each night! This week I am starting the 21 day fix again, but I AM going to complete it this time:) 

One thing I know I need to do is get my workouts in first thing in the morning before I get the kids up or I know I will not work out!!  My alarm is set for 4:45am! 

And finally, nothing helps you tackle your day with enthusiasm and a positive attitude more than feeling well rested. To do that you've got to get enough sleep, consistently, so make sure you leave enough time for zzzzz's. 

If you consistently do these 7 things each night, before bed, you'll soon find you're more consistently having less hectic mornings and better running days overall!

Do you have any more habits you do each evening that I've missed? I'd love to hear what you do below, in the comments.

In addition, don't miss even more tips and tricks I've shared by  following Household Management 101 here on eBay.  

I thought this was a great article with some helpful tips and inspiration! I hope you found it helpful as well!! 

I know sometimes I really just want to crawl in the bed and not do anything, but I try to remind myself that if I don't do it....the morning will be rough:(

What is your night time routine?

Have you found anything that really works for your family?

Please share! 

So go grab a cup of joe and get your Monday started!!

xoxo, Heather