Advocare SPARK: a review

hi hi! :)

Oh... I thought I would make a VLOG (my very first one!) about this, but I tried it and I felt like an IDIOT! hahaha :) So, here I am, writing about it. How booooooooooring, to write on my BLOG, you say!? I agree. Maybe Olivia will make a VLOG with me on our vacation. CHECKING IN! :) woowoo!

Anyway, down to the business! I won some SPARK samples from my bffffffff beth over at The Fit Wife Life (if you don't follow her, do it!). She sent me cherry, tropical punch, and mandarin orange. I tried the tropical punch this morning, but instead of mixing it with only 8oz of water, I mixed it with 24. Why? I had already had 2 cups of coffee and I was going to the gym.... to run! :) It was nice to sip on. I drank about 8oz before I ever started running, and then had a few sips during the run. Which was only 2 miles, btw, because my KNEE HURTS SO BAD! :( sad face!

I didn't really feel super caffeinated (although SPARK does boast more caffeine than redbull... which I don't drink anymore). I will go ahead and say that is because I had two cups of coffee prior to drinking this. BUT I did notice that by the 2 mile mark I wasn't praying to the sweet Lord for mercy. Which is usually how it goes for me. Or at least for the time to pass faster. I think I could have banged out my first ever 4 mile run non-stop today... had my knee not been such a weenie. I am going to go ahead and attribute that to the SPARK drink.

I will try it one day without coffee. Maybe one of the days next week while we are in the hotel, and the coffee provided in the room isn't cutting it. Oh, and there won't be any fancy creamer, either. Yeah. :)

The tropical punch flavor was super yummy, and I'd like to say I'll order some to have around. It probably won't be an every day thing (I am really, really a coffee addict)... but its something that I can see myself using once or twice a week.. especially if I don't get to work out until the afternoon.

Beth sells advocare, so if you have any questions or comments (or want to order!) you should definitely do it from her. :)

Foodie Pen Pals!!

Yay! I am so excited to be able to write this post! :) This was my first time to ever participate (even though I've been stalking FPP via twitter for a while!).

My package came all the way from WISCONSIN, from the lovely Kris. My mother in law was at my house when it arrived, and it was really fun to open it with her and check out all the goodies!

I love that she included a little magazine with information about where she lives! :) Reading & eating at the same time is my guilty pleasure! :) 

These things are delicious!

My 7 year old was *so* excited for this. She loves honey on EVERYTHING.

*happy grill dance* Perfect for spring grilling!

And this.. a great companion for my chobani!! <3

Thank you so much KRIS! I love everything I received and I appreciate you taking the time to put the package together!!

If you would like to participate in the Foodie Pen Pal program, you can sign up at The Lean Green Bean Blog!

WOOHOO sprouts!

All day long, I have been craving brussel sprouts! That is *so* weird.. because I've only ever eaten them one other time in my life! And.. they were good, but not just oh so scrumptious, you know?

So tonight I decided to whip up my own sprout recipe, something a little more to my liking than the one I used before (I found it via Tone It Up!). I used pine nuts, just like the TIU recipe did, but I omitted a little and added a little. Bottom line: this is a SUPER easy peasy recipe and something that I really enjoyed!

You will need:
Brussel Sprouts, cut into quarters
Pepperoncini (I had to google how to spell that one) Peppers + some of their juice
Olive Oil (or try coconut oil for a little sweet/spicy taste!)
Crushed Red Pepper
Garlic Powder (or freshly chopped garlic- I was out!)
Raw Pine Nuts

Line a casserole dish with tin foil, spray with organic no stick spray. Then arrange your quartered sprouts and drizzle with 1tbsp (give or take) olive oil. Next, cut a tiny hole in your peppers and squeeze the juice over the sprouts (I also poured some from the jar onto my sprouts, I love the flavor!). Dice your peppers and sprinkle over the sprouts, seeds too. Then sprinkle the red pepper, pine nuts, and garlic over them as well. Bake on 350 for about 20 minutes (or 400 for 14ish minutes), then turn your oven on the highest broil setting for 2 minutes. This will make the sprouts a little crispy (you can skip that, if you don't like them crispy!).

I paired mine with baked chicken (Garlic Mrs. Dash, poppy seeds, chia seeds, balsamic vinegar & a tiny bit of olive oil) & a salad.

before baking (the kids half had no red pepper and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese).

my delicious dinner!

Miscellany MONDAY

I haven't done MM in a long time. But I have a lot to post about and none of it really flows together, so it makes sense to do it today.

{one} The Spring Break Bikini Challenge ended and a winner was chosen. She lost 14% of her total body weight, and that is so awesome! The ladies from the challenge had such success that they requested a new challenge started immediately. The sizzling summer fit challenge (my names are getting longer and more ridic, but hey, its fun!) kicked off yesterday and I have 13 ladies, not including myself, geared up and ready to drop some fat and gain muscle. I am so proud of the motivation and support these women show each other.

{two} Spring break is next week! I am really excited and looking forward to some time on the beach. We are going to Florida with my grandparents and I will get to see one of my bff's. I hate living so far away from all the people I love most. I am a little nervous about wearing my swimsuit in public- I am not where I want to be physically (yet) but I am closer than I have ever been. I am starting a 5 day slim down with Beth tomorrow, and I am stoked.

me & my grandma on our last spring break trip in 2009

{three} I had a nice weekend. I was invited to a birthday party at my favorite restaurant/bar Saturday night and I spent a huge chunk of yesterday with my friend and her kids at the park. The weather was lovely.

{four} I sold the last piece of my photography equipment. It feels good to be rid of it (it was taking up so much room in my home, which isn't good if people ever come look at my house to buy it.. not that that has happened in months anyway... sad face). At the same time it makes me sad because I know that owning a studio again is just not in the cards for me.. and that is really the only career aspiration I have ever had since I was 16 years old. :( Its hard to try to find something else that I would want to do for my whole life. I honestly can't think of anything. I hope that the further I venture into this physical journey I'm on.. the more I will feel pulled to become a physical trainer and maybe that will lead to a career in some way.

{five} Two weeks from this week is a zoob date with my mom and dad. I can't wait to spend the day in our favorite place with them. My father has always taken me to the same zoo since I was 2 or 3. We have missed a couple of years but not many... and being there with him, my mom, and my kids makes me so happy. I love my parents and I miss them so much. I hope my sister and her husband can join us, and my brothers too. I doubt we all get to go, but it would be awesome if we did. My sister Kelsea, and my brother Kevin, are really my best friends. I don't think I will ever get to spend enough time with either of them ever again. But, I suppose that happens when you grow up.

{six} Did I mention its almost time for vacation? :)

Happy Monday!

Fun Food Friday

Hello, all! :) I wanted to start a weekly bento post on this blog.. for a while now! Anyway, today is day ONE and I'm excited to do it.

Fun Food Friday is a day where I will post the bento lunches I have made for Olivia (and Sophia, sometimes) throughout the week. I try to use Olivia's lunches to encourage her to eat healthy, without taking away all the "junk" or the excitement of special treats.

Black olives, mini crackers & pepperjack (cut with my funbites!), clementine, fresh pineapple

This one I actually made for my sister's husband- we all had lunch with Olivia at school Tuesday. kiwi with fruit leather stars, clementine, veggies & light ranch, mini bear & elephant cheese sandwiches, annie cheddar bunnies.

Apple, clementine, blueberries, salt and vinegar pop chips, annie bunnies, and a home-made oatmeal, nut & fruit cookie (recipe from my Grandma Connie)

cucumbers, kale chips, pineapple, guacamole with tomatoes, pb&co's white chocolate wonder mini sandwiches with blueberries on swords. easter candy.

Sharkie omega-3 gummy stick, cupcake marshmallows, nutella quesadilla, pineapple, gluten free pretzels and babybel, a few dried strawberries.

Getting Personal

I've been thinking and thinking and thinking about this for a long time.

And I KNOW this is what I would like to do.

I want to become a personal trainer. I want to build a brighter future for myself.

And when I live somewhere closer to a university I want to finish my degree in Photojournalism (or interdisciplinary studies.. whichever is faster), and then work on a degree in Nutrition.

So.

Its research time. Time to figure out what the best program for certification is... and get it.

Any input would be AWESOME :) from all you experienced fitnessistas out there.


Much Love
kp

GeoClique

Hey friends! :) It has been a minute since I've been over here! I feel as though I've neglected my blog... We were out of town visiting family and then it has been quite a whirlwind since we've gotten home.

I want to start this post really by saying... MY SOCIAL NETWORKING HOME is NOW AVAILABLE IN APP FORM!

You have no idea how exciting this is for me! :) I was a brightkite user and when I began using it I thought.. oh just another app. WRONG. It changed my life. It introduced me to some of the best people, and most real people, that I know. Long story short, brightkite committed social networking suicide leaving myself and my little social media family homeless. After a LONG time of waiting, beta testing, and bouncing from network to network, two members from bk created GEOCLIQUE. And I am so happy, and proud, of my little home and all their hard work.

You can buy the app in the app store (apple only, so far.. be patient droid users!) for $1.99. Its worth it, I promise. I have met a few of my GC friends in real life, and I hope to spend a good portion of my summer this year meeting up with more of them. Clique-up, here I come! :) Because I love love love my little network home so much, I want to gift it to one of my fabulous readers! :) I wish I could buy it for everyone (and help the website out, and the devs, who lovingly pay for so much out of their own pockets!)! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post saying you want to WIN! :)

If you don't win, go buy the app. The users will change your life, I swear. *Most* of us have been together since 2008, some before.. and I honestly couldn't have made it through some of the most traumatic times in my life since then without them. Lets be honest.. I can't even buy new clothes without snapping a dressing room photo & showing them. :) I have the perfect friends there.

<3

Just open your app store and search GEO CLIQUE. :) You can also open your web browser and type in www.geoclique.me :) and use your computer, or your phones internet browser.. fall in love with it. :)

It's WORTH IT, I promise!

You know.. that feeling you get when really, you just feel like you're *never* going to get where you want to be?

Yeah. That icky, gross, hate my life so lets shove cookies in our face feeling.

PUT.THE.COOKIES.DOWN. (even if they are those pesky once a year girl scout cookies! DOWN!).

I'm guilty of having a lot of those days, lately. I don't just mean a few cookies. I'm talking BOXES of girl scout cookies. :(

I put them down. And you should, too.

You read my post about running my first full 5k. It wasn't a race or anything, it was just me against myself on that dreadful treadmill at the gym.. you know the one.. its the one closest to the wall of mirrors. So you can see every.little(or big).jiggle. That snapped me out of it. Doing that felt so so so soooooo unbelievably good.

Today I was thinking... I don't really notice a huge change because its my body. I mean, being that it is my body, I should notice the changes the most, right? Wrong. I see my body every day! So I did some digging in my facebook timeline and this is what I have to show you.

The left: Me last summer. The right: Me last week. Look at the difference! I was about 140 last summer. Right now I am 125.

The left: Me when Sophia was about 7 weeks old. Thanksgiving 2010. Maybe she was 6 weeks old. Those are my PRE PREGNANCY jeans. I was in my pre-pregnancy clothes when she was 4 days old. Not all the tighter fitting things, but 90% of my wardrobe fit again after 4 days. I only gained 17lbs while pregnant with her- I weighed 162 at the time of birth. The right: Me last Sunday.

So. I feel a lot better looking at these comparison photos. And I also know that with hard work, clean eating, and endurance, I WILL get to my goal. I believe you will, too! :)

I would LOVE to see some of your progress photos!! You can link in the comments to a progress post OR you can just post your progress shots on my facebook page!! :)

Be proud of how far you've come, and be diligent about how far WE have to go! :) Have a lovely day!! <3 <3

accomplishment

Lately, there isn't a lot going on that I feel the need to blog about. I've been on an emotional roller coaster thinking about my life, the lack of things I thought I wanted, the abundance of things I know I don't want, and the way I seem to just be stuck and unable to find a way back to me.

Today, I told myself I would run a full 5k.

And I DID.

This might not seem like a big accomplishment to some. It took everything I had not to jump up and scream on the treadmill in the gym! haha :) I killed it. I had an awesome weight session afterward- definitely feeling it in my booty & thighs afterward. I feel really proud. I was on such a high.

I like that feeling. Endorphins crashing around inside me and making me feel light and happy and STRONG.

I might not know who I am anymore, or who I need to be.. but maybe thats ok. As long as I can get that feeling back every day, that moment of clarity when I feel like I made it.. I might take my time finding my way back. Who says the old me was the right one? I don't even remember who she was anymore, anyway. 

To a new road.. even though I might be stuck on this little trail for a little while longer. I'll get there. In more ways than one.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

The winner of the Lock & Lock mini is Corey @ Family Fresh Meals!!

Corey please email me your color preference (orange, green or pink) to kandipoirier @ gmail . com :) along with your shipping address!

Thank you so much for playing, everyone!!

5QF

Another round of 5 question friday, coming right up!

1. Where is your favorite vacation spot and why? This one is kind of hard. I really love going to Florida with my grandparents.. because well, any time I can spend with them is some of my favorite time. I love watching my Papaw do things with my kids that I remember (very vividly) him doing with me, as well. Like the year I got to watch him teach Olivia how to swim. In the same swimming area at the lake where he taught me. Anyway, other than Florida, I love St. Thomas USVI (enough that we are going to move there, if anyone ever buys our house... hint hint), and Paris. Oh, and Venice, Italy... Rome, Florence... anywhere in Italy!

2. What is your biggest guilty pleasure? Going to the gym. Wait, back that up. Paying for daycare for Soph so I can go to the gym. That, and all the tv I watch. You know, primetime tv is my best friend. Since the kids go to bed around 7/730... I get sooooo bored. And I'm all alone! So I just veg out to tv. When the desperate housewives are gone after this season- I will probably have to mourn the passing of my friends. One other guilty pleasure: Grace Hyde & Co. 

3. What is your favorite fashion trend right now? Or, in the past? Oh this is sooo hard. I am in love with the 60s fashion. Seriously. I wear jeans and t's a lot, because well- lets face it, I'm not leading an entirely glamourous life (all the time). You can't be that totally into it mom in heels and full make up. Well, I can't- if you can, I would love for you to teach me how! Simple, yet chic- embroidered sun dresses, tunics, laid back sandals, natural. I will probably look like a hippie all my life. And I'm totally ok with that. 

4. What are your spring break plans? Going to Florida with my Grandparents. :) 

5. What baby names do you hate? Anything spelled so stupid the poor kid won't be able to spell it until middle school. My name is not even spelled that wonky (Kandice instead of Candace) but I could never ever find anything with my name on it as a kid. And when you're in 2nd grade, that stuff is important.

A Week of Seuss

Hi there! Hello! How are you?! :) Well, I hope!

This week has been a week of fun and maybe a little bit of magic all around the world! It is the birthday week of the one and only Dr. Seuss! He was my favorite as a child, and I love that he is so widely celebrated for his creativity and heart! My daughters love him, and that makes me so happy!

This week at O's school they have had a Seuss themed day every day! For the last 2 months the 2nd grade has been rehearsing their "Seussical." Tonight was the big night and my sweet Olie was such a bright star! I loved getting to see her on stage, singing her heart out to little Seuss songs.

In honor of her Seussical this week I incorporated a theme from one of his books into lunch each day. With the exception of tomorrow... school has already been cancelled due to the impending storm threat! Here's to hoping everyone everywhere, but especially in the southeast stays safe tomorrow!

Monday: I woke up and only had about 20 minutes to get O up & ready for school and lunch made. So, pardon my green eggs and ham with a sloppy turkey & cheese border. haha. This lunch is brown rice (dyed with yellow food coloring to make it orange-y), egg whites cut into circles, tiny turkey circles colored green with food safe markers, and a little ham cut from a slice of provolone- again colored with food safe markers.

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Tuesday: A cat in the hat minus the cat! You see a salad in the larger container, a cheese (provolone) hat colored with food safe marker, and in the divided container more cheese with grapes, and pineapples.

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Wednesday: the LORAX! He's my favorite because he teaches children to value our planet. This is blue bow-tie pasta (I used Wilton cake gel dye), steamed French beans, and the Truffula trees & Lorax are made from cheese. His eyes are candy.

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Thursday: One fish two fish red fish blue fish! :) This is Olie's favorite Dr. Seuss book. She has a salad with goldfish, cheese numbers, red & blue fish (one boiled egg, halved), raw walnuts, 2 tagalong girl scout cookies, and a heart-shaped cupcake topper. 

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For more awesome Dr. Seuss lunches, hop on over to Emily at Bentobloggy!