The Mommy Workout

{Cole at 8 months}

This little guy keeps me on my toes...and has proven to be the best workout routine I've had to date. :) I'm not much for workout schedules anyhow...I always seem to fail at them. I'll be doing good for a week or two, then slowly but surely I'll give myself too much grace here and there and before you know it.....I haven't put on my running shoes in over a month. So, when I became a mom and my life was forever adjusted to a squirming, crawling, getting into everything, wants to touch everything, needs me for everything baby....I also found a workout routine I couldn't shake or lose at....and if you ask me....

...it suits me pretty well. :)

The Mommy Workout:

*Lifting baby throughout the day =back, shoulders & arms workout

*Lifting & carrying baby in {extremely heavy} carseat to and from car & in and out of grocery carts =back, shoulders, arms but esp....abs workout

*Running after baby before he gets into a "No no" in the house =legs workout

*Getting little to no rest at night =endurance workout

*Waiting to eat my food until the baby has had his =patience workout

*Carrying baby in Baby Hawk =back strengthening workout

*Squatting down to help baby with a toy =calves workout

*Pushing baby stroller =stamina & legs workout

*Bouncing baby on legs for what seems like forever =cardio & arms workout

*Dancing for baby to entertain him =more cardio workout

*Sitting straight up in bed at the sound of his cry at night =abs workout

*Making hand motions to entertain baby (like "itsy, bitsy spider") =fingers workout

*Holding baby on hip while doing housework, vacuuming, cooking,

folding clothes, getting mail, putting on makeup, watering plants, etc =balancing, strength & multi-tasking workout

*Sitting cross-legged on floor with baby to play =stretching workout

So that's my workout these days! :) Since I gave birth I've managed to lose the baby pounds I put on during my pregnancy and feel like I'm in better shape than I've been in for years. I attribute that to the Mommy Workout, but also....to the wonder of breastfeeding! God is so miraculous for creating such a thing. ;) I know in the future I'll need to kick it up a notch with my workout when I'm no longer running after Cole...but who knows...by then I may be running after another little someone! :)

So what's your workout? Do SHARE! :)

Have a wonderful Tuesday,

Gail

Face ParTAY

I would never normally do this....but my sweet sister Grace linked herself up to a blog party today at "The Stories of A to Z" about sharing your before & after of your morning makeup regimen... so I thought I'd give it a try. Most days I go without makeup (not because I look good without it, but because I'm just that lazy) unless I have a reason to get out. Therein lies the danger of being in-between jobs!

So let's give this thing a go...

My scary, very shiny "before" right after I got back from an hour long walk:

And now after a good, clean shower. Not much better!

I look like a greasy monkey! Ha! :)

Ta da! Much better I think. :)

Here's what I use:

From L-R: Neutrogena lip gloss, Loreal mascara,

Jason (all natural) face scrubble, Aveeno lotion,

and the best...Jane Iredale makeup. I love this line

of mineral makeup. It's known for its clean ingredients

and amazing coverage while at the same time not looking

heavy. Also a favorite of mine is my makeup brushes that

I got at none other than....Michael's! They're high quality

paint brushes (Lowe Cornell) and are made up of all-natural

boar bristles just like high-end makeup brushes...but

for a fraction of the cost!

If you're reading this and are participating in the party...have fun girls! I've already viewed many of your entries and you're all stunning! :)

xoxo,

Gail

Homemade Biore Face Strips

Last night, I was feeling the need to pamper myself (heehee) when I remembered my sister, Gwen, sending me THIS blog tutorial on how to make knock-off Biore facial strips in about 1 minute.

All you need is milk & unflavored gelatin. ;) And hey, it really really works! So cheap. So effective. I even coaxed Matthew (or rather slathered the goo on his face before he could object) into trying it. Ha!

Isn't he just the best? What a man.

Try 'em out! You won't be disappointed. Quick tip: make sure they dry completely before you tear them off. If they are even slightly moist, it'll take forever to peel off and they aren't as effective. If you do try them, write me a comment and tell me how your experience was!

Happy Tuesday!

xoxo,

Gail

My Favorite Things: Beauty Edition

We all know the familiar tune from The Sound of Music with Maria singing joyously of her favorite things with the von Trapp family...

"Brown paper packages tied up with strings...these are a few of my favorite things!"

Oh how I used to love watching that part in the movie, followed closely by Liesl and Rolf in the gazebo. :) Good, good times.

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So, in the spirit of thankfulness and because I just want to...I thought I'd start my own "Favorite Things" list to share with you. (Thanks for the idea, Maria!). This will be the first of many posts of "faves". Just a sampling of the simple pleasures in my world that make my heart skip a beat...that bring joy to my days in the smallest of ways, and....if you're like me and you like trying new things.... I would recommend to YOU!

So without further ado...

::BEAUTY::

Jason's Apricot Scrubble is to die for! I love it! I get

so excited to use it!I've never found a better face scrub...

it's deep-pore cleansing, smells so delicious you could eat it,

and for the cherry on top, all Jason products are

"PURE, NATURAL & ORGANIC."

Jane Iredale makeup is awesome! Made with the

purest, cleanest minerals, this makeup doesn't make

my already problem skin feel more problematic. In

fact, it's healthy for my skin! And although it's $$,

I buy mine on eBay from makeup dealers and it makes it

super affordable!

When I found this Aveeno lotion, I knew

I wouldn't need to look for another lotion any other place.

I have oily skin as it is, but this lotion never makes my

skin feel greasy. It has SPF 30 sunscreen, and "natural

light diffusers" to even out skin tones. It's

WONDERFUL!

If you're into "green living" like I am,

you'll love these shampoos and conditioners from

Whole Foods. They have no artificial preservatives,

are not animal-tested, and are scented with delicious

essential oils. My favorite scents are spearmint and

Grapefruit (pictured). And, being the Whole Foods

store brand, they're VERY inexpensive!

Ahhh! Tom's of Maine! These all-natural

body soap bars are terrific! So many "natural"

soaps start splitting apart when used...or worse...

don't lather at all...NOT WITH THESE. They create

a wonderful lather and are silky-soft to the skin.

And they smell good to boot! Favorite: Lemongrass.

And Lastly............Oral Hygiene. :)

If you have not crossed over to the other side from

synthetic to natural-bristle tooth brushes....you should!

These little guys are soft and gentle to your teeth, are small

enough to not gag you when you brush your teeth, and don't

taste plasticy. You can get them at Whole Foods for cheaper

than a new tooth brush at Walmart!

And of course it just wouldn't be complete without...

Did you know that most conventional toothpastes have sugar

in them? Surprised? I was! On my quest to finding healthier

toothpaste, I came across this...and I love it! You can find

it in just about any health food store. I love the all-natural minty

taste, the fact that all the ingredients are natural (no harsh

chemicals...only plant-based natural whiteners and ingredients),

and they leave my smile feeling CLEAN!

Well that's all for now! What are some of YOUR

favorite beauty products you can't live without?

*Write me about it!*

Face Play

Today seemed the perfect day for a facial. I had been working vigorously all morning on refinishing some old furniture I had bought for the guest room and was tired and saw-dusty from head to toe. It was a productive morning no doubt, but I was feeling a little bit now like spoiling myself! Play should always follow good, hard work. And so it did! After taking a nice shower, I went about getting all the ingredients together for this super-facial! (not to be confused with superficial). I've made it before and love the results! It's very simple. You take dry Aztec calcium bentonite clay (found at Whole Foods or Central Market in the beauty aisle) and organic apple cider vinegar with the "mother". Mix equal parts (I do 1/4 c. of clay + 1/4 c. cider) in a plastic or glass container. Using a plastic spatula, spread over entire face (you can do arms and neck as well for a nice clay body wrap) like you're icing a cake. It goes on quite nicely this way. Leave on for 15-20 minutes and you will actually feel your face pulsate! The negative charge in the clay helps drive out the positive charges in your skin, drawing out the toxins. The cider is good for the skin for a variety of reasons which include helping to promote blood circulation, balance pH levels, and works as an antiseptic to prevent bacteria that leads to infection. Didn't think you'd get a med lesson now did ya? Anywho, it's a wonderful facial and left me feeling smooth and healthy! Awwww...now that's play. :)

*If you decide to try this facial make sure you do it at the end of the day or have at least an hour afterwards. My face usually stays a nice, cherry red for about half an hour after. I believe it's the affects of the clay still working on my skin. After it goes down though, I'm as good as new!