Nutrisystem #NSNation {Week 14}

Week 14- Thanks to Nutrisystem I’m eating good foods, not getting bored and loosing weight at the same time! This week my focus has been BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate. This is the number of calories your body burns in 24 hours at rest. Of course this is something you can Google and find online because there’s an online calculator for just about anything. My BMR is 1480.7 – this is based on a number of different factors including, height, weight, age and gender. Luckily I’ve been averaging about 1200 calories a day when eating on Nutrisystem. So I’m already one up on my weight loss just by making smart eating choices- yay! However in order to loose an entire pound you have to burn 3500 calories- wow that seemed like a huge number! So in reality what does that mean

BMR: 1480.7

Calories Eaten: 1200

Deficit: 280.7 – so there’s already 280 calories I’m burning every day just breathing

Exercise 60 min on the Elliptical = 550 calories

Deficit + Exercise = 830.7 calories burned a day

Calories Burned x 7 Days = 5,814.9 – WOW – which means if I did everything right and made good choices I should loose about 1.6lbs a week.

Okay so since life doesn’t always work out the way you plan that number definitely fluctuates for me and typically I take a rest day once a week- usually Sunday because I sometimes just don’t have time as a mom of four kids to workout 60 minutes every day. Thank to Nutrisystem I did an awesome job this week staying on plan and eating about 1200 calories every day. However I wanted a good number this week so I worked my butt off exercising in the gym and showing a lot of self restraint at home with my kids and husband eating junk and it’s definitely reflected in my weight loss this week!

Starting Weight: 165

Week 1: 159.6 (5.4lb loss)

Week 2: 158.5 (1.1lb loss)

Week 3: 160.7 (2.2lb gain)

Week 4: 157 (3.7lb loss)

Week 5: 156.8 (.2lb loss)

Week 6: 156.4 (.4lb loss)

Week 7: No Change

Week 8: No Change

Week 9: 153.4 (3lb loss)

Week 10: 152.9 (.5lb loss)

Week 11: 152.1 (.8lb loss)

Week 12: 151.6 (.5lb loss)

Week 13: 150.4 (1.2lb loss)

Week 14: 148.3 (2.1lb loss)

Total Weight Loss: 16.7lbs

Wow I can’t believe I’ve been on the program for 14 weeks now! It seems like the time has just flown by so I’m hoping that the next 18.3lbs fly by just as quickly.

Disclosure: Nutrisystem is providing their food and program to me free of charge in exchange for blogging about my experience as part of the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program. The opinions are my own and others experiences with Nutrisystem may vary.

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

The Muppet Christmas Carol {20th Anniversary Edition DVD}

In anticipation of the upcoming holiday season and the release of The Muppet Christmas Carol 20th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray and DVD yesterday please enjoy these fun clips to help you start getting into the holiday spirit!

The Muppet Christmas Carol- 20th Anniversary {TODAY}

 

Disney's The Muppet Christmas Carol 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition arrives in stores today on Blu-ray & Digital Copy!

The Classic Christmas Tale. With A Muppets Twist.

It’s Not Easy Being Scrooge Special Edition

The Muppets Bring a Hilarious Twist to This Classic Christmas Tale,

For the Very First Time on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack - November 6, 2012

On November 6, 2012, the Charles Dickens-inspired classic holiday story “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” willring in its 20^th anniversary with the Blu-ray™ debut of this family favorite.

And now, a word from Gonzo: Greetings, holiday movie fans and lovers of culture, I am Gonzo … or perhaps better known to fans of this classic motion picture as literary legend Charles Dickens. Are you ready to laugh, cry, sing, frolic, cavort and enjoy yourself beyond belief!? Well, you’re in luck, because this 20^th Anniversary Edition of Disney’s “The Muppet Christmas Carol” is guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit that will stay with you forever—or at least until your Aunt Edna starts complaining that nobody is eating thefruitcake she brought … again!

Available for the first time ever on Blu-ray with high definition sound and picture, so you can enjoy even more of my blue-ness, not to mention the incredible spectacle of Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit, Academy Award^® winner Michael Caine (Best Supporting Actor, 1999, “The Cider House Rules”) as Scrooge, wonderful songs by Oscar^® winner Paul Williams (Best Original Song, 1976, “Evergreen” from “A Star Is Born”) and, of course, my pal Rizzo the Rat as … well, Rizzo the Rat. 

This is a heartwarming and hilarious holiday classic, told as never before by yours truly!  Yule love it!

 

Voting with Our Kids

 

Are you planning on voting today? For those of you who have the opportunity I would definitely do it! I haven’t really been on the band wagon about voting because I feel like in the state of Washington it’s pretty much already decided for me – at least the Presidential Election (that might be a little pessimistic of me but typically Washington has voted Democratic every election even when the voter majority have voted Republican). However I got up this morning and thought I’ve never been to the polls maybe I should try it out. Well I guess in the state of Washington they don’t really have polling locations. They do but they are unstaffed drop boxes where you can’t actually vote, you just drop off your absentee ballot to ensure it’s turned in on time. Which I guess is what I’ll be doing this year since I didn’t get it in the mail yesterday.

I did have this fun article called Voting With Our Kids in my email this morning from The SavvySource and thought I’d share with all of you who can do this.

Voting with Our Kids

Today's the day, Savvy friends. It's time to take our kids to the polls and give them the best civics lesson there is. We get the chance to teach them this lesson only once every four years, so let's not miss out. No matter the outcome of the election, our kids will remember their trip with you to your local polling place, be it in someone's garage around the corner, or at a neighborhood church, or your local rec center. They will see this familiar spot transformed into a place where people come together to make democracy happen. If need be, we're going to skip after-school activities for once because we want to show our kids how important this is. And then, we're going to celebrate: red, white, and blue cupcakes all around!

Even though I can’t really do this with my kids I did show them my absentee ballot in it’s envelope that I’d be taking to the drop box today and the idea of red, white and blue cupcakes does sound pretty good to me .

There’s also a good similar article on SavvySource called Taking Our Children to the Polls that you can read HERE.

Obedience: Why Do You Have to Tell Them Five Times?

I think every one of us who has children can identify with this. Asking our kids to do something over and over and over again and eventually getting frustrated, yelling, kids yelling and the job not getting done or taking hours to get done. Yes this was pretty much my day today. Saturday is always our chore day, the day we get ready for Sunday – which is a day of rest and worship for us in our home. My kids know it’s coming every week but I can understand the frustration of being a little burnt out from school and activities during the week and it never fails they always fight back. I found this great article on the Aha! Parenting.com Blog and LOVE it! I think these are definitely some ideas I’m going to be trying to implement in my home. So if you have some of these same frustrations in your home, I hope this helps.

1. They don't share our priorities. No child understands why a bath seems so essential to you.  And every child has something else he's in the middle of doing, that seems more important to him.  It may not look important to you, but a child's play is his work -- that's how young humans learn.  That's a good thing--you want a child who's self-motivated, rather than expecting you to entertain or engage him. 

Solution: First, connect with your child by noticing what he's working on and acknowledging his priorities: "Wow, look at this elaborate train track you're building! Can you show me how it works?" Then, give him a warning that you're about to overrule his agenda with your own: "Sweetie, it's bath time.  Do you want to take your bath now, or in five minutes? Ok, five minutes with no fuss?  Ok, that's a deal -- let's shake on it!"

2. We've trained them not to pay attention until we yell and threaten. Your child is no dummy.  She knows she can milk extra time before bath if she just ignores you.  That doesn't make her bad, just human.  So if your child is like the eight year old who ignored five requests, it means you've trained her that you aren't serious until you yell.

Solution: Don't give directives from across the room.  Move in close to your child and touch her.  Connect by commenting on what she's doing.  Then say"Excuse me, Sweetie....I need to tell you something," and wait until she looks you in the eye.  If she's staring at a screen, warn her that you're going to pause the game or the TV.  Don't give your directive until you make eye contact, so she knows you're serious. Don't give more than one warning, and stick to the time limit you've agreed on.  Follow through on every limit. If you don't, you're training her not to take your requests seriously.

To read the full article – it’s really good so I suggest everyone already reading this should click HERE.

Thanksgiving Subway Art {Free Printable}

Okay so because I posted a Christmas one and some of my family members are always giving me a hard time about skipping Thanksgiving and going straight to Christmas (yes Christmas really is the best holiday ever) I’m posting a Thanksgiving one. I really LOVE Pinterest, it seriously is the best thing since white bread. So a huge thanks to Pinterest and the blog While He Was Napping for this free printable.

Click HERE to download this free printable.

Christmas Subway Art {Free Printable}

I love the Subway Art printables and think they would make perfect framed art that’s an easy and cost effective ways to decorate for the holidays just be switching them out. A huge thanks to The Crafted Sparrow for sharing these cute designs. They come in a choice of 5 different colors and would also make great gifts for teachers, friends or family.

Click HERE to head on over to The Crafted Sparrow and print it out. 

Cinnamon Sugar Friend Apple Sticks {Recipe}

Ooh don’t these look super yummy? This recipe is coming from Shibley Smiles so be sure to head on over to her blog for the full recipe and leave them some comment love on this one.

Click HERE for the full recipe.

Wreck-It Ralph {Opens in Theaters TODAY- Nov 2nd}

Wreck-It Ralph officially opened in theaters today- Friday, November 2nd so be sure to grab your family for a fun activity this weekend!

Be sure to check out Wreck-It Ralph on Facebook, Twitter and the official site for more fun information!

Wreck-It Ralph-  Facebook

Wreck-It Ralph – Twitter

Wreck-It Ralph-  Official Site

Tips for Staying Healthy During Flu Season

One Flu Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

By Kaetlin Miller, MPH, CHES
Health Education Specialist

No, that’s not a typo. Flu season is upon us. As summer vacations end, kids go back to school and work picks up again, things can get a little cuckoo. The added stress tied with more contact with people as we head indoors to escape the cooling weather mean that we are more likely to get sick.

Germs like the flu love two things: weaker immune systems (thanks, stress!) and people in close contact with each other.  Schools and offices (two of the most cuckoo places this time of year) are ideal breeding grounds for the flu, which still kills tens of thousands of people every year. The bright side of this is that the flu is preventable!

Here are the top four ways to keep from getting sick this season:

• Get a flu shot. They are quick and easy to get, plus your insurance covers it. Most pharmacies provide them and your workplace may even, too. Swedish employees and physicians can find the flu shot clinic calendar here. (If your doctors get it, that definitely means it’s important!)
  Can’t find a flu shot clinic? Try this “Flu Vaccine Finder” to find the closest one to you. Go on your lunch break or stop by on your way to work or school. A few minutes can save you days of misery.

The best time to get your flu shot is now but it can still help even into January. Doctors recommend that everyone get a flu shot but it is most important for people over 50 and people with chronic conditions like diabetes and heart/lung disease.

• Wash your hands often! Use anti-bacterial soap and warm water and sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” (out loud or in your head, your choice) while you wash your hands. Don’t stop until you’ve finished the entire song! That’s just enough time to kill most of the flu-causing germs.

• Vampire cough. In the spirit of Halloween, channel Count Dracula and cough/sneeze into your elbow (not your hands!) like you're holding a cape in front of your body. That keeps germs from flying into the air and into other people.

• If you’re sick, stay home. As work and school get cuckoo, it can be hard to stop and take care of yourself. But if you stay home when you don’t feel well, you will help your body heal faster and you’ll keep others from getting sick, too. We may be getting close to the season of giving, but the flu is not something anybody wants to get.

So why should you do all these things? You may have a super strong immune system or just pure luck, but those around you may not. One of the easiest things you can do to keep you, your loved ones and those around you happy and healthy is to get a flu shot and keep your germs to yourself. It’s not just a matter of making sure you feel okay, but also doing what you can to keep others doing the same. Things may be getting cuckoo at home, school and work, but don’t let the opportunity fly by to get your flu shot and keep the next few months flu-free.

Read more: http://swedish.org/About/Blog/September-2012/One-Flu-over-the-Cuckoo-s-Nest#ixzz2B6cBZ9t1

Dollar General’s Premium Diapers {Diapers on a Budget}

 

When you have a baby at home things start to add up and it almost feels like you’re paying for your infant to go to college right off the back. I never realized how much having a baby really costs when it all comes down to it. Of course I wouldn’t trade any of my 4 kids for more money, hmmm okay wait maybe some days totally kidding, I do however have some older girls who are starting to feel like I’ve got 14 and 15 year old teenagers in the house. When it comes to your baby though you want the best product and the best quality for the best price. I’m excited to announce and tell you all about the new Dollar General Baby Premium Diapers. I was a little hesitant at first because part of my mindset always thinks that the more expensive it is the better quality you’ll get, however I can definitely say with quite a few products that’s absolutely not true! I was impressed by these diapers, just feeling them out of the package I can tell they don’t feel like a cheap quality diaper- believe me I’ve tried those cheap diapers and I’d take these over them any day! I love that they have a soft liner so I don’t feel like I’m putting something uncomfortable on my baby- I’m sure for those of you who’ve tried cheap diapers know what I’m talking about. I like to relate it to cheap paper towels (usually the ones found in store bathrooms) they’re rough and you don’t want to wipe your hands on them. Dollar General’s diapers are nothing like that! The outer cover is soft too and they have the cutest animal prints on them.

  

They claim to be Ultra Absorbent to lock away Wetness, yet have a Soft, Thin and Flexible Design for a less bulky fit. I agree to an extent. I LOVED these diapers on my baby during the day. They were great. I didn’t have any problems with leaks and I didn’t feel like I was changing my little one’s diaper any more often than I normally do. I did however have a problem with them at night. My 7 month old son sleeps through the night, thank goodness- however that means he’s in the same diaper for a good 12 hours some nights so I didn’t actually expect these diapers to hold up that long. There are quite a few mornings where he’ll be completely soaked with any diaper so I’m thinking I may have to try and find something specifically geared for overnight use.

Features:

• High Stretch Side Panels, for a soft flexible fit that will move with your active baby.
• Soft Inner Liner is Hypoallergenic with Vitamin E and Aloe to help protect baby’s skin.
• Soft, Stretchy Leak Guards
• Cottony Soft Outer Cover
• Size printed on every diaper
• Ultra Absorbent to lock away wetness, yet have a soft, thin and flexible design for a less bulky fit.

Overall I’d say these diapers are a great deal! A good product for a great price and if you have a Dollar General nearby you should pick up a package today and try them out!

For more information about Dollar General’s premium diapers you can check out their baby section online.

Disclosure: All opinions expressed here are my own. I was provided with free product to aid in this review however no monetary compensation was received.

Dollar General’s Premium Diapers {Diapers on a Budget}

 

When you have a baby at home things start to add up and it almost feels like you’re paying for your infant to go to college right off the back. I never realized how much having a baby really costs when it all comes down to it. Of course I wouldn’t trade any of my 4 kids for more money, hmmm okay wait maybe some days totally kidding, I do however have some older girls who are starting to feel like I’ve got 14 and 15 year old teenagers in the house. When it comes to your baby though you want the best product and the best quality for the best price. I’m excited to announce and tell you all about the new Dollar General Baby Premium Diapers. I was a little hesitant at first because part of my mindset always thinks that the more expensive it is the better quality you’ll get, however I can definitely say with quite a few products that’s absolutely not true! I was impressed by these diapers, just feeling them out of the package I can tell they don’t feel like a cheap quality diaper- believe me I’ve tried those cheap diapers and I’d take these over them any day! I love that they have a soft liner so I don’t feel like I’m putting something uncomfortable on my baby- I’m sure for those of you who’ve tried cheap diapers know what I’m talking about. I like to relate it to cheap paper towels (usually the ones found in store bathrooms) they’re rough and you don’t want to wipe your hands on them. Dollar General’s diapers are nothing like that! The outer cover is soft too and they have the cutest animal prints on them.

  

They claim to be Ultra Absorbent to lock away Wetness, yet have a Soft, Thin and Flexible Design for a less bulky fit. I agree to an extent. I LOVED these diapers on my baby during the day. They were great. I didn’t have any problems with leaks and I didn’t feel like I was changing my little one’s diaper any more often than I normally do. I did however have a problem with them at night. My 7 month old son sleeps through the night, thank goodness- however that means he’s in the same diaper for a good 12 hours some nights so I didn’t actually expect these diapers to hold up that long. There are quite a few mornings where he’ll be completely soaked with any diaper so I’m thinking I may have to try and find something specifically geared for overnight use.

Features:

• High Stretch Side Panels, for a soft flexible fit that will move with your active baby.
• Soft Inner Liner is Hypoallergenic with Vitamin E and Aloe to help protect baby’s skin.
• Soft, Stretchy Leak Guards
• Cottony Soft Outer Cover
• Size printed on every diaper
• Ultra Absorbent to lock away wetness, yet have a soft, thin and flexible design for a less bulky fit.

Overall I’d say these diapers are a great deal! A good product for a great price and if you have a Dollar General nearby you should pick up a package today and try them out!

Disclosure: All opinions expressed here are my own. I was provided with free product to aid in this review however no monetary compensation was received.

Time Change Tips for Little Ones

 

As a mom I know I’m looking forward to the extra hour of sleep I’ll get at the end of Daylight Savings this weekend (November 4th) but that doesn’t mean that all my kids are going to go along with it.

Thanks to Macaroni Kid and Cloud B they’ve brought us some great options to help our kids adjust.  I’ll be highlighting only a few of my favorite points from their article so if you want to read the rest (I suggest you do since it’s a really good post) please check out their site HERE.

• A soothing bedtime routine might consist of a warm bath, gentle massage, putting on pajamas, a light snack, brushing teeth, singing a soft song and/or a bedtime story.
• Parents can dim the lights earlier in the evening and utilize cuddly toys to help slow down the bedtime routine.
• The child may wake up early for a few days before adjusting.  Parents should stay consistent and don't start the child’s day before 6:00 am (new time).

Graco SnugRide Click Connect 40 {Car Seat Review} #GracoSafety

 

 

Are you expecting or looking for a car seat because your little infant has is like mine and growing like a weed? My baby is only 7 months old and growing like crazy! He’s obviously not big enough that I want him to move up to a convertible car seat for safety reasons and I still really like being able to take him in and out of our minivan in his car seat, especially when he’s sleeping. Luckily Graco has listened to the needs of mom’s and the new suggestions that kids should be rear facing until they are at least 2 years old and have released the FIRST EVER and ONLY Newborn to 2 year infant car seat.

I was lucky enough to be able to attend a Graco sponsored blogger event where I got to see this awesome new car seat, meet some wonderful bloggers and enjoy some great food! Many of the bloggers there were either pregnant or had a young baby at home. It was fun to be able to chat about the new Graco car seat and our views and concerns as mothers when it comes to what safety features are the most important. It was great to have the opinions of moms on each end of the spectrum. From those who were expecting their first baby to those who had four children and had been through it all. Graco provided us with some great information on the importance of keeping our babies and kid’s safe when traveling in our vehicles and we got a first hand look at the new SnugRide Click Connect 40. I was impressed to find out that this is the very first and ONLY infant car seat on the market that will accommodate the preemie baby at 4lbs to a toddler at 40lbs. Sounds like Graco definitely saw a need and as a mother I definitely appreciate them creating a product that I feel safe about putting my child in that will last. I really hate having to replace car seats so quickly when my little one is growing. I also love the simple one-hand harness and headrest adjustment. It seems like all of the car seats I’ve tried have been lacking in their ease of being able to change the harness height and headrest. When you’re trying to get your baby in their seat and realize it needs to be switched it can be a huge pain to have to mess with all kinds of different pull this and pull that and adjust these features or lack thereof. I also took home my very own Graco SnugRide Click Connect 40 car seat, thanks Graco!!

Features:

• Newborn 4lbs – Toddler- 40lbs- the ONLY newborn to 2 year infant car seat
• Safe and Simple-  one-hand harness and headrest adjustment
• Adjustable Base- 8-position, adjustable base, provides the most leg room
• Adjustable kick-plate- protects your upholstery from scuffs and marks – adjustable to keep up with the pace of your child’s growth
• Click Connect Technology- provides a one-step secure attachment to all Graco Click Connect strollers to create a travel system.
• Removable newborn head support offers soft cushioning and supports baby’s head
• Convenient, LATCH-equipped stay-in-car base features an integrated belt lock off for easier seat belt installation versus using the locking clip
• 5-point, front-adjust harness makes getting your little one in and out of the car seat a breeze

Safety:

• Rigorously crash tested to meet or exceed U.S. safety standards and reassure safety-conscious parents
• Engineered & crash tested to meet or exceed US standards FMVSS 213
• Side-impact tested: In addition to meeting or exceeding all applicable U.S. safety standards, the SnugRide Click Connect 40 has been side-impact tested for occupant retention by the harness system.
• EPS, an energy-absorbing foam, for effective impact energy management
• Easy-to-read level indicator helps eliminate guesswork from the installation process so you can feel confident its been done right for newborns up to 2 years old

Please check out Graco’s page to learn more about the Graco SnugRide Click Connect 40 and Graco Safety http://www.gracosafety.com/.

Purchase:

The Graco SnugRide Click Connect 40 can be purchased for $219.99 at Babies R Us in two color options Mena (a pink and gray fabric) and Moonstruck (gray- more of a gender neutral option).

Disclosure: The Graco SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40 – the first and only newborn to two-year infant car seat that actually grows with your baby from four pounds all the way up to 40 pounds. The car seat is designed for a parent on the go. The infant car seat can be easily removed from the base and used as a carrier when the infant is small, providing portability and convenience so you can easily move your infant in and out of the car without disturbing them.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently made the recommendation to keep all children in rear-facing car seats until the age of 2. Graco set out to make this product so parents can keep infants rear facing longer while still keeping them comfortable.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Graco. The opinions and text are all mine.