IRONMAN RACE RECAP!

A huge thanks to my family for supporting me through this long journey! Kyle you are an incredible husband and father! Thank you for letting me chase my dream and being my rock! I couldn't have done this with out you! And of course my Coach Holli! You helped me get to the starting line strong, injury free and fully prepared, which I know I couldn't have done on my own! You're the best and thank you for all of your guidance!

Pre-Race:

The day started early at 2:30, I felt the magnitude of the day before me and I knew I needed to get my mind in the right headspace. I said a prayer, read scriptures then started fueling, hydrating and getting as many electrolytes in as I could before the race. 

As I was getting the last of my things in order and everyone still slept, I couldn't help but feel so incredibly blessed for my little family, for the roller coaster of emotions and sacrifices they had all made to help me prepare and get to this day! As well as the outpouring of love from my friends near and far! I told myself I needed to keep it together until the finish line-I had a long day ahead (anything could happen at any point of the day that could end my dream of becoming an Ironman in a second). I needed to stay focused if I had any hope of finishing. 

But still, I kept reminding myself that I wouldn't truly be out on the course alone. I had friends, family and my Heavenly Father watching over me. If it be His will, then I would cross that finish line, but even if It didn't happen today, I was still so grateful for the experience and the opportunity for self-discovery, amazing friendships, as well as a strengthened testimony that we are loved beyond measure and that we were meant to do hard things in this life (some are unavoidable and others are done by choice but all can make us stronger🙏 )!

Fueling with hüma!

I can't believe it's almost time to line up at the starting line of my first Ironman race! A huge thanks to hüma Energy for providing me with all the natural energy I could ask for!

Something you may not know is that when I started training for my first marathon, I fueled exclusively with Huma energy gels. It has been over 4 years since I started my journey with hüma Energy gels and a lot has happened since then (namely: suffering with severe plantar fasciitis, having a baby and overcoming pelvic disfunction) but one thing that hasn't changed is that they're still my first choice for endurance sports nutrition.When I first started my journey into the triathlon world back in January, I never thought I would enjoy this combination of sports as much as I do. I've gone from just wanting to try it out to committing to this lifestyle because it's just so rewarding physically, mentally and socially. And I've been so blessed to meet the most incredible, funny, inspiring people through this process!

If you've never tried hüma energy gel before you're in for a real treat! They're easily the best-tasting energy gel on the market! I love that their gels are 100% all-natural and are made with real fruit. They taste a bit like a fruit smoothie & jam mixed together. They are so so good, and wakes your body up in all the right places without getting any negative side affects (ie: gut-bomb)! They are seriously so gentle on the stomach!

When I first started cycling, I couldn't tolerate eating anything on the bike. I would get horribly nauseated about an hour and half of riding. I couldn't have any solid food whatsoever, just liquid carbs. Thankfully after 9 months of trial and error my tolerance for solid foods has matured greatly and I can have quite a few things now. But being able to rely on my hüma energy gels throughout my hard days of training has given me so much peace of mind!

One reason why I was even more excited to try hüma Energy gels during my triathlon training was because I saw that they developed a new gel for athletes that DOUBLES the amount of electrolytes in 1 energy packet! Their hüma Energy gels Plus+ is such an amazing all-natural source of Potassium, Sodium, Magnesium—the electrolytes you need when you're trying to crush an endurance adventure. 

I have also really enjoyed having hüma Hydration Electrolyte drink mix in between gels to keep me hydrated and functioning at my best!

Try it out friends! Once you've tried hüma Energy gels you won't go back to anything else!

The skinny on my weightloss!

Someone mentioned to me last week that I was getting too skinny and I laughed💕😅 because getting too skinny is So not on my radar but getting lighter While  more muscular is!!

I want so bad to reach my goal And get to my Ironman feeling like I laid it all out and did my best in every area I could focus on. While nothing is guaranteed and I could get injured at any point that is what Im shooting for.  Being fit is just part of the equation but not being skinny! Not that I havent shed weight because I have but its been a struggle!

Losing weight on your own is never easy but especially when you have kids or you are training for an event! The weight does not come off easily , at least For me! 

So I got a nutritionist! Having someone that knew what they are doing with nutrition was my top priority because I had plateaued for months(while still Doing The same 10-12 hrs of physical activity per week). And was just ready to follow a plan and get healthier! I have gotten way more than that though💕!

I have now lost 22#s in the last two months and have enjoyed eating all the foods(in moderation)! Lots of things have worked for me in the past but most of them had me feeling deprived and I would eventually binge eat. 

But now things are different, my association with food is different. And I Love that I have found a program that is sustainable and that I have shifted away from that mentality and that I can truly nourish my body and No longer have cravings for sweets or junk food.

I will go ahead and Link below the program I am doing(it only took about 2 weeks to realize this was really going to work)  in case anyone else can relate and wants to get away from diet mentality while getting stronger! 

30% Off THE BEST LIFESTYLE CHANGER!

Best part is they have 2 week free trial! I actually started with that (since I was skeptical it would work For me). After you try it and it changes your life come back and tell me all about it😘💕!

 

Weekend Vibes

I always look forward to Saturday. I’m a firm believer that the weekends were made to be outdoors😍✨!

 Saturdays are my long rides and boy was it a happy day for me to be able to ride outdoors Today with gorgeous weather (in mid 50’s)?! Can the weather just stay this nice for like ever?! I could definitely get used to this😎. 

Ironman Goals!

Here we go again!

2018 was supposed to be my year of Training for my first Ironman (Florida), but the arrival of our youngest put a little bit of a detour in my Ironman journey. It feels like eons have past but I'm excited to jump back into this world of hard work and perseverance! 

Merriest Christmas wishes!

I cant believe that Christmas is practically here! I just love this time of year!! 

 There is something so sweet about celebrating with family and friends our Savior’s birth and His life of service, his teachings of love, compassion and hope.

  May you all have a Joyous and peace filled Christmas! 

I sure love this family of mine that God has blessed me with! They are admittedly a wild bunch but boy do they light up my world💕! They have grown so much this year, not only physically but intellectually (as we’ve had grown up conversations to discuss whats happening in the world around them) and spiritually as we dedicated the hour before school/work each day To study the scriptures, discuss them and ponder the words of the prophets. Their tenacity for learning and gaining strength in all facets of life is truly inspiring!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

 

Whimsical Holiday Tea Party FOR KIDS

This shop has been compensated by Inmar Intelligence and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HolidaysWithMinisToday's post has the perfect combination of pastel Christmas, whimsical decor, and delicious treats to help fill you with holiday cheer! My kids and I could not get enough of it. Isn't this the cutest little tea party?Read on for decorating ideas to help you host your own little party!

How to build a dream play kitchen -Kidkraft Play Kitchen makeover

Bored with our 5 year old play kitchen and uninspired by the new ones on the market, I transformed our old play kitchen into a fun designer showpiece for my daughters. Keep reading for ideas and resources to help you get the look, too.

We got this Kidkraft Play kitchen when my oldest was five years old (she's now 11😍).  It's been well loved over the years and had many nicks and scratches, even a broken door. We had moved multiple times since we first got it and it was now in a shared space in our basement. So, I decided it was time we updated this little kitchen and made it fit more our style. 

My daughters love to be in the kitchen. They love to mimic mama in the kitchen! It's the one toy that gets daily play, several hours a day. So, I was excited for the challenge to make their kitchen feel like-new again!

I had some left over wall paper from my modern farmhouse laundry room transformation, so I used it for the back splash. The wallpaper is a little pricey (fromS&L) but like I said, I already had it on hand. So, it was exactly what I needed to make this kitchen look high-end.

I painted the inside and outside of the cabinets Behr Starless Night. I left the sides white, to avoid excess work. I really love how sleek that color combo looks.

I spray painted all the fixtures, handles and sink with Krylon Color Master metallic. And as you can see I also painted the grocery kart gold😁.  

It took about a day for everything to dry, it was well worth the effort! Doesn't it look so cute? 

Epic! books for kids

A huge thanks to Epic! for sponsoring this post and giving children a really fun outlet to connect with the world around them! #ReadShareConnect #sponsored @epic4kids #Epic4Kids #sponsoredWe have loved doing Epic! We first heard about it last summer through my daughter's school and we have been obsessed with it ever since. 

Extra Magical Unicorn Party

Madison said all she wanted this year for her birthday was a unicorn party with her best friends. We weren't sure if it was going to happen, but thankfully it all worked out!

Oh and of course we needed to make a UNICORN CAKE.