Why thinking you're ugly is bad for you!

I've stepped away quietly from my blog in the past 2 months as I manage my transition back to work and reflect on how I want to move forward with this blog. In the midst of jotting down some notes, I took a break to feed Ava some lunch and turned on the TedTalks in the background.. the following stopped me in my tracks... more to come on my thoughts about this. But first, have a listen, reflect on how your messaging might be influenced going forward...

Tasty, HEALTHY, Energy Bombs!

I've never really been one to bake or make desserts, but in an attempt to keep the cinnamon rolls, two-bite brownies, and other deliciously bad for me treats (that Eric likes to bring home and I can't say no to), I've started combing the web for some tasty treats that I can enjoy (in moderation) that have NO REFINED SUGAR and have loads of nutrition.  

I'm hosting a play date tomorrow morning so I wanted to make something tasty, healthy and nutritious that wouldn't take me all night or mess up the kitchen that I just finished cleaning! I found these energy bombs and decided to give them a try! They took literally NO time at all and I just happened to have everything in my pantry already.. super fluke!

They're cooling in the fridge now so I thought include the recipe for you to try in time for the August Long Weekend!  

Let me know what you think! It's a pretty fail-proof recipe. You can easily substitute ingredients, spices, etc. to customize it for your guests! I just eyeballed the portions, you can't really go wrong!!  

NOTE: For those doing BLW, avoid the honey for your sweet little ones who are less than one year old! :)

Cocoa-Kissed Chia Energy Bombs

Gluten-free, Egg-free, No-Bake, Dairy-Free, Vegan Option, Nut-free Option 

Ingredients

3/4 cup gluten free oats (I used Bob Red Mills) — could even try quinoa flakes for a change!
5 Tbsp ground flaxseed (I grind mine in my Magic Bullet using the “S” blade)*
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (I used finely shredded but regular works too)**
1 Tbsp unsweetened raw cacao or cocoa powder
1 Tbsp black or white chia seeds
rounded 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (can omit but I love the flavor and health benefits of cinnamon)
4 Tbsp honey, agave or maple syrup (do not use honey if strict vegan)***
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp creamy or chunky peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter (use sunflower seed butter for nut-free)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Add-ins (Optional)
1/4 cup chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dried fruit, cacao nibs, chopped nuts/seeds
or even add in your favorite extracts or spices

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, combine all wet ingredients. Next, add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until wet combined.
3. Chill for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator. Use a spoon or your hands and scoop into rounded tablespoons then rolls into balls. Store in a container in the fridge and enjoy!

Makes 14-16 energy bombs (unless you eat the dough like me!)

(Source: NaturalNoshing)

Another month, another challenge group!

I'm super excited that my August Challenge Group is filling up with some amazingly STRONG mama's who have the same goal of losing 10-15lbs and increasing their energy!! Like so many moms, their days are super busy! Not only are they busy moms, this group is shaping up to be all career moms - and one is planning her wedding! Talk about a to do list!! I'm so proud of each and every one of them for deciding to invest in their health and committing to 30 days of fitness, balanced nutrition, and accountability!  What's even more exciting is that I get to be a part of their journey, helping motivate and inspire them while offering up lessons that I've learned along the way.

It really is an incredible opportunity that I've stumbled upon here, when I first said YES to a challenge group back in February of this year.  I'm so grateful that I took that leap of faith and stuck with it!   It's #TransformationTuesday, so I thought it's about time I post another Before/After photo..   I still don't have the guts to share my bikini photos publicly, but if you're a mom who needs inspiration - reach out to me. I'll gladly share my passion with you and help you get on the right track.

Let's get healthy together!!

Lots of love! Erin

If you can dream it, you can do it!!

As many of you know, Ava has been struggling with her sleep lately. She's been crawling, pulling herself to standing, and I suspect we have some more teeth on the way.  She's also been demonstrating signs of separation anxiety which is typical of babies her age.  In an effort to be flexible and give her lots of extra cuddles, I inadvertently began to slack off a bit with the schedule and her sleeptime routine. Before I knew it, our perfect sleeper had developed some poor sleep habits and was no longer getting the rest she needed. (...and of course by default, neither was mama - hence the delay in posting).

So, thanks to a good friend who offered to share her daughter's sleep-training plan along with her words of encouragement, we embarked on a sleep-training journey. We chose the "stay in the room, seated in a chair" method so that Ava would know we were there but, by not picking her up, she would have the opportunity to learn to put herself to sleep.  The first several times were very hard, I often broke the rules, or was inconsistent which actually are it much harder on both Ava and I in the long run. However, once I started sticking to the plan and being consistent, Ava began demonstrating just what a smart little cookie she was!! I couldn't believe how quickly she learned to talk and coo to her bunny, then lie down and close her eyes. Her naps are much much better and we've now had two straight nights of 12hrs of consolidated sleep!!

Not sure if you see the analogy building here or not, but as I sit here, in Ava's nursery in my chair, "shhing, I am realizing how Ava's sleep-training parallels my own fitness training. It was very hard at first, but I had to have faith in the plan and trust that my consistency and dedication would eventually lead to results! I may slip up, miss a workout or cheat my diet here and there, but I won't give up if I want to reach my goal. Baby steps!

Just like we encourage our children to learn to crawl, fall asleep on their own, take their first steps, and get back up if they fall, we also need to encourage ourselves to be consistent with the healthy choices that will get us to our goal! Whatever that goal may be!! I started this journey to be a better role model for Ava and I'm finding it fascinating that, in many cases, her and I are learning the same lessons together. 

As you head into another work week, I encourage you to make a plan and stick with it, no matter how hard it is at first. All your efforts will payoff!! If you can dream it, you CAN do it!!

WHAT I'm doing and WHY I'm doing it!

Haven't posted in a while, I can't believe how fast June came and went! Ava will be turning 10 months on the 6th and we've hit a number of big milestones in the past few weeks.. Teeth, crawling, pulling up to standing..  It's a lot of fun, but, needless to say for you moms reading this, not a lot of sleep has been had around here! That hasn't stopped us. I may have missed a few workouts here and there, opting to nap and feel better rested. But we've enjoyed crawling around the back yard and slow, long walks around the Edmonton River Valley. That's OK! I truly believe that a healthy mom is a happy mom, baby, and family!  Rest and rejuvination is SO important. So if you're following my journey and think that I'm nailing my Beachbody workouts 100% of the time with a young baby? Think again! I'm taking this ONE day at a time, ONE pound at a time - and I'm learning so much about myself along the way.  I'm focused on my goal - to be a healthy, strong, and empowered role model for my daughter Ava.  Speaking of what I'm doing and WHY I'm doing it, it occurred to me the other day while chatting with a friend, that many of my closest friends and family have no clue that I'm actually selling Beachbody products and nutritional supplements.  I guess I was afraid that, in some way, they would feel obligated to buy from me.  I failed to realize that I was holding back my passion and failing to share my success with those that I love and care most about! So I recorded (what was supposed to be a quick 5 minute video) a testimonial/explanation of WHAT I'm doing and WHY I'm doing it!

If you don't have time to watch this 12 minute video while enjoying a cup of tea or iced latte, here's the skinny:

• I'm passionate about helping others live a healthier lifestyle through fitness and nutrition.
• Having lost 30lbs in 5 months using Beachbody fitness and nutrition products, I'm now paying it forward as a Beachbody coach. 
• Through online fitness and nutrition challenges, I inspire others to get fit and provide them with tools, support and accountability to achieve their goals.  
• By promoting a lifestyle that WORKS FOR ME, I'm able to lead a team of people, like me, who are passionate about helping others, while contributing extra income to Ava's RESP! 
• If you'd like to support me, please consider:
• asking me how I can help you achieve your fitness and nutrition goals with one of the many effective and fun Beachbody programs and/or nutritional supplements
• sharing my information with your friends and family who you think would benefit from what I have to offer
• asking me what I love about being a Beachbody coach and thinking about if this would be a fitting opportunity for you and your family!

I don't want ANYONE to worry about whether or not this is a pyramid scheme or "get rich quick scheme" - it is NOT. I've done my due diligence, I'm proof the product works, I'm having a BLAST working with the Beachbody team, and I'm psyched to share my success with you!  I would never compromise my integrity, values, and reputation - I believe in the product and invite you to give it a try! As your personal coach, I'd be honoured to take this journey with you and support, motivate, and inspire you to stick with it!

Lots of LOVE!
E

PiYo is finally here!

I'm super excited that my order went through this evening. I'll be leading another fitness and nutrition (mixed program) challenge group in July and will tackling the PiYo workout. What is PiYo you ask? It's the NEW low impact workout combining the best of yoga and pilates from Chalene Johnson!

The following video explains how PiYo works:



If you'd like to try this new workout, I encourage you to join my challenge group to benefit from the support and accountability. I am sincerely vested in your success and will help coach you with daily check-ins offering support and encouragement.

For a limited time, save $70! Order your PiYo Challenge Pack before it sells out!

Questions? Just reach out! I look forward to helping you achieve your fitness and nutrition goals!

Climbing, one step at a time!

I enjoy celebrating the little wins, letting go of fear and tackling what I didn't think was possible.

This afternoon, at the invitation of a friend, I tackled an awesome stair workout at a park near my house. ... Now to back it up a bit and give you some context. For some of you fit mommies, a stair workout may not seem like a big deal. However, I hadn't done stairs since before my university days and my friend is in super great shape! So, admittedly, I was nervous.. "what if I can't keep up with her? what if I suck? what if..."  Of course that little voice that helps make excuses for me was now telling me I wasn't good/fit/strong enough to do stairs with her.  But this journey has helped me strengthen not just my body, but my mind. I ignored that little voice and instead told myself, it'll be a blast doing something new, great weather, just DO IT!... and so we did!

It was a great burn with great company.  I thoroughly enjoyed pushing myself, feeling my leg muscles burn and shake, sweat down my brow, breathing in the fresh air.  There was a family nearby BBQing, and the smell just kept us pushing even harder lol.

I shared with her, my goal of connecting with REAL moms... tired, busy moms, just trying to get in shape to gain energy, confidence, and strength to keep up with their little ones.  She had an amazing idea, "have you tried interviewing moms? have them share how they fit in their fitness!".. BRILLIANT!

So, not only did I get in an awesome workout in the beautiful sunshine with great company, I'm pleased to share my FIRST  FitMommy Interview with the beautiful and talented, Dr. Aurora Melnyk (Ongaro)!

She's a proud mama to Nikita and accomplished owner a few businesses in Edmonton that help people with their health and well being! Check out her chiropractic centre, Symmetry Spinal Care: http://www.myedmontonchiropractor.com/about-dr-ongaro/ and get moving your hips at her belly dance studio, Move Studios: http://www.movestudios.ca/about-us

I promised I'd post the workout that we did, inspired from Oxygen Magazine, we modified it here and there.  50 minutes in total, 135 stairs
1) walk up (skip every other stair), weight in your heels
2) run up (skip every other stair), press into the balls/toes
3) incline push up with alternating oblique knee crunch
4) jump (with both feet) up each step.. this killed me!
5) side step lunge
6) tricep dips
7) grape vine
8) side step up w/lateral raise (awesome glute burn)
9) decline pushups
10) skaters
11) hop up with 1 leg (I did calf raises up the stairs instead)
12 Bulgarian split lunges
13) burpees
Repeat until you can't :)

I'll try and find the original workout from the magazine, but just wanted to post this to inspire you. Stairs don't have to just be about running up and down, I loved how this workout was challenging, manageable, and interesting!

Hope you enjoy the workout and the first interview!!

DairyFree June!

So, ever since I've started drinking more shakes for breakfast, I've been drinking a lot more cow's milk. Simultaneously, a childhood skin condition (that I thought was behind me) has come back! So in an effort to isolate/confirm the cause, I've decided to cut out dairy for a month. I've never really researched non-dairy options before so this will be a learning experience for sure!

I don't want to consume anything overly processed but I still want healthy calories in my shakes and something in my coffee. So, please, share your favourites, recommendations and advice!! Thanks in advance!!

Fueling mommy AND baby

As many of you know from our messy mealtime photos, our family has chosen to adopt baby led weaning methods with Ava. She has quite the appetite and I'm so impressed at how well she eats! What some of you may not know; after 6 months, babies begin to require iron from sources other than breast milk. Iron is also important for us busy moms! Lentils are a great plant-based source of iron but are tricky for little fingers to handle. I've had several moms from my fitness challenge groups ask me about how I incorporate lentils into Ava's diet.

So I'm happy to share this great all season recipe that your whole family can enjoy hot on a cold day or warm paired with a fresh salad in your patio!  I'm enjoying it from my patio as Ava naps! (Love working from home!)

Cheese and Lentil Wedges

Great for at home or on the go as their are firm and not too messy!

Serves two adults and one baby, generously. 

1 cup of red lentils
2 cups water
Oil or butter for frying (preferably unsalted for baby
1 Large onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
3/4 grated cheese
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs (to your liking)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (I used a half sourdough english muffin leftover from Sunday Brunch)
Freshly ground pepper
I also added some spinach, so you could add kale, asparagus or other greens

Put the lentils into a pan with the water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the lentils are soft and all the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, heat the oil or butter in a frying pan, add the onion, and fry until soft.

Preheat the oven to 375F and lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan (I used a pie plate). Drain the lentils and the onion and garlic and put them into a mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix well.  Press into the prepared pan using the back of a spoon.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then cut into wedges. Serve warm or cold!

I hope you and your baby enjoy this as much as Ava and I did!

Source: Modified from The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook by Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope all you mamas and soon to be mamas had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday! How did you enjoy yourself?

I for one, fully indulged and milked it for all it was worth! Hubby made my favourite breakfast: salmon eggs Benedict with bacon and fruit accompanied by a mimosa!

And then I enjoyed a nice long bath with epsom salts and essential oils.  When Ava woke, we went for an hour long walk in the sunshine to a point over looking Edmonton's gorgeous river valley.  It was a great day!

Eric spoiled me with a photo book of all the cute pics of Ava that I've sent his way over the past 8 months. It was fun to reminisce together and dream out loud about what the future might hold.  A message in the card he selected, from Ava, was particularly touching for me.

I come from strength,

I come from beauty,

I come from love -

because I come from you!

It resonated for me (and brought on the tears) because I want Ava to see me as her strong, beautiful (from the inside out), loving mother.  This whole health journey, isn't about looking cute in a bikini (although I wouldn't mind if that's a perk that comes along lol). More importantly, it's about having energy, feeling strong and confident, and radiating love.

This journey has made me more conscious of my habits (good and bad) and has prompted me to be more intentional about my choices in an effort to foster healthier habits.  Healthy living shouldn't feel like work, or feel like you're hopping on (and often falling off) the bandwagon.  It's a decision to commit to thriving in your life and understanding what it takes to thrive!

Snacking when you're out and about

Now that the weather is FINALLY improving, I'm so excited to get out and about town. My hubby and I just moved back to Edmonton (from Calgary last year before Ava was born) and I'm looking forward to exploring the city like a newbie!

One thing I've learned on this fitness journey is that I'm great at eating healthy when I'm at home. However, when I'm out and about - well the old saying "failing to plan is planning to fail" - that pretty much sums it up. If I don't pack snacks, I'm either starving and binging when I get home or I succumb to Starbucks drive through or some (hopefully healthy?) food court fare.  

What are your "on the go" snacks? I usually take a shakeology for the road and then pack some trail-mix, beef jerky, an apple and a banana for Ava.

Only 43 days left till summer, these healthy choices will be the difference maker. 

Have an awesome Friday!!

Can't wait for cold season to be over!!

I never used to get sick very often, but now with a little one (I attribute it to lack of sleep) our little family seems to have caught this never ending cold that's keeps going around!!  It's really throwing a wrench into my exercise plans!  I'm trying to stay positive through it all. So this morning, knowing I wouldn't have the lung capacity to make it through 25min of Shaun T yelling "the focus is on your core!", I decided to get out for a brisk early morning walk!

With Ava still in her PJs, I wrapped her up close to me and joined daddy for a walk to the train! It was a tad chilly but the sun was shining, birds were chirping, and kids were giggling on their walk to school.  Ava loves kids and kept peeking her head around me to watch them skip along.  

Eric and I grabbed a breakfast panini and  coffee and had a nice visit before we went our separate ways. 

Came across this cute "pick me up"... Even though we were all feeling pretty fatigued and under the weather, it's nice to enjoy the happy moments. 

What storm clouds are rumbling through your day? Can you see the silver lining? You know it's there! Sometimes you have to look around, sometimes you just have to look into your child's eyes, and those clouds magically disappear!

Have a great day, enjoy the dream that is your beautiful life!!

Down 20lbs and Ava's RESP is UP $300USD!

EEK!! Never thought I'd be so excited to go shopping.

I was out last weekend shopping for a dress to wear to my friend's wedding that I'll be emceeing.  I had procrastinated doing this because I'm trying to lose the baby weight.  Well wasn't I surprised when I had to ask the clerk for the next size down, TWICE!

Bring on the fashion ladies! I can't wait to go shopping for a new wardrobe once I hit my goal weight!

It's been a lot of hard work, and I'm still not at my goal weight. HOWEVER, I'm learning to embrace and celebrate the milestones along this journey as they keep me focused on my goal and motivated to keep pushing!

The most important part of this journey is the energy and confidence I've gained knowing that I can do anything I put my mind to.  I feel like a healthier role model for Ava already!

I'm also excited that her RESP is growing as the income from my new Beachbody business is rolling in!  Each week I receive a cheque, just for encouraging others to join me on my journey to getting fit.

If you're mentally committed and ready for the challenge, don't hesitate! There are some great sales ending this month and will arrive just in time for you to get your booty in shape for summer!

I'm SOO glad I took this leap of faith on February 3rd 2014 and stayed focused on my goal.  I'm not looking back and can't wait to see what the rest of this year will bring!

Let's get healthy together!

I LOVE my slow cooker!

Do you use your slow cooker? I believe it's one of the most under-rated appliances in your kitchen!! Prep the night before and stick in the fridge, pull it out the next morning, plug it in on low, and leave for work/play date/mountain climbing/boarding. Come home to the most amazing aromas with a full appetite and dig in straight away to supper!!

The best part, is slow cooking reduces a lot of fat from your protein while leaving it super tender and juicy!!

I picked up this Albera pork roast (no hormones, antibiotics etc) and laid it on a bed of sliced onions and garlic.  I peppered the you know what out of it, sprinkled some herbs, and splashed some white cooking wine in there for moisture.  Oh and I experimented by splashing in some bourbon too!  You can't go wrong with slow roasting! 

I'm off to do my Focus T25 Speed 1.0 workout now, will let you know how this turns out tonight!!

I'd love to learn what your favourite slow-cooker recipes are, please share them on my Facebook page or below in the comments!

 

Grilling in the Great...Indoors??

It's snowing outside today and its almost May!!?  Hubby wants to do steak tonight, and so it occurred to me that some of you may wonder, "what's the best way to cook a steak inside?"

The best advice I ever got was from our local butcher, Acme Meats! It's fail proof and always gets top rating from my hubby!

I love the Sear-Roast method. As the name implies, you're going to sear your steak, and then you are going to roast it. I find this cuts down on some of the smoke and gives you that just off the grill greatness...or at least close to it.

First comes the fun part; pick your perfect steak. This always comes down to personal preference, but which ever you choose, ideally you want it marbled and cut nice and thick.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, which is probably as hot as you can get it. Also, set your steaks out on the counter (on the butcher paper or a cutting board) so they can come to room temperature.

Now we season. Pat them dry with a paper towel, then sprinkle them with salt (generously, but don't go too crazy) on one side. Coarsely grind some black pepper onto that same side. With your fingertips, gently press the salt and pepper into the meat. Flip each steak over and repeat. I like to keep it cool with the seasoning and let the meat speak for its self.

Get a skillet hot on the stovetop, pour in just enough high-heat burning oil such as Parthena or Camelina to put a thin film over the surface of the pan, and sear your steaks for four minutes or so on one side. Ideally you'd do this on a seasoned, oiled, fiercely hot cast-iron skillet; however, if you don't have one of these, it's perfectly OK to use a fiercely hot stainless-steel skillet instead. In any event, you need a very hot, oven-proof pan

Four minutes have gone by, the smoke detectors are going off, the kids are yelling, the dogs barking and now your steaks are crispy, sizzling and caramelized brown on one side. It's time to flip those steaks over, immediately stick the entire skillet in the oven, and set a timer for four minutes. Maybe open a window too.

When the timer goes off, put on an oven mitt, remove the skillet from the oven, remove the steaks from the skillet, put the steaks on a plate, pour the liquid from the skillet over them, and tent them with aluminum foil. And now just let the juices do their thing while they rest and you wait.

Hopefully by now your house is smoke free and you can celebrate the fact that your having a steak dinner and know that winter can't last forever. Spring is coming---hang in there!

Want to cut down on smoke? Reduce your pan heat and still obtain a decent sear.

To roast or not to roast? Once the steak hits the pan, flip it every minute, for about eight to ten minutes, depending on how thick the cut is and how well done you want it. Don't forget that your steak will keep cooking during the resting period.

This method works best for me, so do what works for you.

Fuel your workouts!

So this morning I learned a lesson that I probably should have known already. You know how it is, you wanna squeeze that workout in at the expense of breakfast! Well this nursing mom thought she could power through Focus T25 Total Body Circuit without breakfast or a snack...after feeding her little one AND pumping a bottle! Duh, needless to say this #WorkoutWednesday smacked me on my ass.  At least I had my little cheerleader cheering me on!

Soo lesson for you aspiring fit mommies and, everyone for that matter, Fuel your workouts! An apple, a shake, half banana, whatever it is, your body needs it to get the most out of your workouts!!

Post workout, my shakeology never tasted so good!!!

Well the important thing is that I powered through and got it done, no excuses! It was only 25 minutes and now I'm ready for whatever this day will throw at me!

What's your favourite pre workout snack?

What's your go-to dinner? Is it fueling your family?

So I only had 30minutes to pull dinner together last night before we needed to start Ava's bedtime routine. (Each of her eye rubs are a countdown - like a ticking time bomb!) So I pulled together the classic go-to.  Whatever protein is thawing in my fridge (yesterday happened to be sockeye salmon), quinoa and brown rice blend in the rice cooker with mushrooms onions and garlic served with steamed veggies or leftover salad (I always make tons of extra cuz who likes actually making the salad?).  It takes less than 30 minutes (less time than ordering delivery) and always a healthy 500 calories or less. Plus Ava can enjoy it with us!

What's your go-to? Is it fuelling or fattening? Find your rhythm and you can whip up healthy eats in less time than waiting for the delivery dude!! 

Week 1, Day 1, Round 2 - HERE GOES!!

After a horrible weekend recovering from food poisoning, I'm thrilled to be back, healthy and leading my first group fitness challenge with a fabulous group of committed challengers! On the heels of a 60-day challenge where I lost 15lbs of baby weight, I'm excited to see what the next 10 weeks will bring! Even cooler, are the relationships (new and old) that will strengthen over this time as we motivate and support one another to achieve our goals!

Most of the challengers and myself are tackling the Focus T25 program by Shaun T (Beachbody). It's only 25 minutes a day x 5 days per week. There are two phases: 5 weeks of Alpha and 5 weeks of Beta.  I just finished the entire 10-week program, predominantly following Tania, the modifier. I'm now 7 months post-partum and ready to tackle Round 2 without Tania.

I pressed play on the Alpha Core Cardio this morning thinking, "This should be a breeze since I just completed BETA!" Well what a BIG wake-up call!! Going sans-modifier kicked my BUTT!! I miss Tania! I pushed myself as hard as I could and felt really really great when Shaun T called "TIME"!  I really do find myself having much more energy throughout my day from these workouts. I've determined that its really just mind over matter. I hope to keep just 'pressing play' until it doesn't even phase me anymore and becomes a habit I look forward to!

I invite you to follow along as I share my experiences, lessons learned, and motivation during this 10-week challenge. My hope, through this fitness journey, is to maintain focus on my personal goals and inspire YOU to take the necessary steps to achieve your goals. Let's get healthy together!

Welcome to LeontyLiving...what's the deal you ask?

I'm delighted to share with you the significance behind the banner I've created for my personal blog. In the spring of 2010, my best friend and soul-mate (since meeting in 2000) Eric Leonty, proposed to me under this gorgeous magnolia tree in Central Park, New York. 

On our wedding day, my talented Aunt Stacey presented us with a gorgeous stainglass art piece representing this same magnolia tree and the memory it signified.

After two years of marriage, I gave birth to our beautiful daughter, Ava Elizabeth. She has forever changed us and the stain glass now hangs in her nursery window as a reminder of the moment Eric and I decided to spend the rest of our lives together. 

This blog is a journal of my efforts to foster a healthier home and become a strong role model for my daughter. I invite you to follow along as I share my celebrations and challenges. I welcome your insight, encouragement, and questions! My hope is that my journey will  inspire you to begin your own journey toward a healthier lifestyle! "Let's get healthy together!"

Remember to BREATHE!

Recently, my brother and his girlfriend arrived for a casual dinner at my house bearing the most unique gift I've received in a long time. They made their own terrariums!  This beauty sits on our kitchen table as a reminder to breathe! Ava loves it when we open the little lid and take a deep breath of pure oxygen.

#DIY Credit to @palmtreelova and @kylewjohnston   Thanks!!