I felt like I was at the circus this morning. Seriously. Both kids have been wide open since before 7 am, which I know really isn't that early, but considering they both usually sleep at least until 8 or 8:30, before 7 is very early to me. So I was awoken startled to death with an energetic two year old jumping into bed with us. And I feel like I've been trying to catch up every sense haha... Check out my little ghost this morning below.

It probably goes without being said since I have reddish colored hair, but I have very sensitive skin. And by February my skin is usually as dry as can be. Thankfully, it has been pretty warm lately, so it's helped a lot, but the cold really does a number to my skin. Dry, itchy, red, flaky, and cracked...a terrible combination. But I've finally found a combination of skincare products that I regularly use to help with my sensitive skin. I try to use more "natural" products as possible.

I can definitely remember as a kid looking for my Christmas presents hidden around the house before Christmas day. I just had to know what I was going to get under the tree. Forget being surprised. I had to know right away. So if I'm being completely honest, there were a few years that I found a few of my Christmas presents hidden away in the closet or tucked under the bed before they were wrapped. Or if they had already been wrapped, I'd try to peel the wrapping paper back just a hair to get a sneak peak. I'd feel sneaky, yet at first satisfied that the wait was over.

Hey there Friday. It's been a fast week, but maybe because I've been soaking up this wonderful weather instead of folding the mountain of laundry in the extra bedroom...priorities...But let's get to it and then I should really fold some clothes.

O N E 
Peanut Butter and Honey Cookies
Yum! So I made these last night and they were delicious...and guess what?! They were made with all Organic ingredients, 100% Whole Wheat Flour and no refined sugar. All the more reason I can have one with my breakfast, right? Seriously though, they were a hit with the whole family and even hubby didn't notice they did not have sugar in them. I love cooking with honey! I made them with Bob's Red Mill 100% Whole Wheat Pastry Flour and the recipe came right off of the back of the bag. The recipe called for 1 cup of Honey, but I think you could get by with less if you wanted. I couldn't get a good picture of the recipe, so here it is in case you want to try it as well. These would make perfect Valentine's Day Treats. Speaking of which, I do have plans of making some not so healthy Valentine's Sugar Cookies before Valentine's Day.
Peanut Butter & Honey Cookies (Makes around 30 cookies)
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup of Honey
1/4 cup of Butter, softened
1 Egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven at 350 and Grease a baking sheet (I used Coconut Oil Spray.)

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine, peanut butter, honey, and butter. Then, add egg and vanilla extract and mix well. Slowly add flour mixture until combined.

Shape dough into balls (use about 2 tsp of dough per cookie) and place about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Using a fork, flatten each ball with a fork to make a crisscross pattern. Bake for around 10 minutes or until golden brown.

T H R E E
Chicken from Aldi
So I realized, after I shared my favorite Organic finds from Aldi earlier this week, I forgot something. (If you missed this post, check it out here.) Aldi also has a good price on boneless chicken breasts. Now, they are not certified USDA Organic, but I think they are the next best option- 100% Vegetarian Fed, No Antibiotics and No Added Hormones or Steroids. I paid $6.56 for a little over 1.5 lbs of meat.
So last night for dinner, I made Panko-Crusted Oven "Fried" Chicken using my package of chicken breasts from Aldi. You can find the recipe here. The only tweak I made was I added just a tiny bit of milk to my egg mixture. I used Ian's Original Panko Breadcrumbs to coat the chicken. It was delicious. We have a little bit left over, so I thought for dinner tonight I'd make some Honey Mustard to go along with it using this recipe.


F O U R
Blessing Box
So this is currently going on around Charlotte and I think it is such an amazing way for us to spread kindness and peace into our community. Basically, the Blessing Boxes are a place to encourage and share acts of kindness. Once you've done an act of kindness, you record it and place it in one of the Blessing Boxes found across Charlotte. Read more about it here. Later this spring, the slips of kindness will be used to create a public artwork.

You can find one of the Blessing Boxes at Charlotte Family Yoga Center.

F I V E
Blessing Bags
So feeling inspired to spread some kindness with the Blessing Boxes, I loved the idea of getting my little ones involved in this project and making "blessing bags" to give to others. I had my oldest paint the bags this week. This weekend, we're going to work on filling the bags with small snacks and treats.
Random Acts of Kindness Week is also next week (February 12-18th), so I thought the blessing bags would be a fun way to celebrate that and teach my kids about kindness. Here are some other great ideas to do with your kids.  Have a great weekend!

I'm all about taking care of yourself and doing things you enjoy to fill yourself up. Making time for yourself on a regular basis to do things you enjoy. Even if it's only 5 to 10 minutes out of the day- you'll feel less stressed and happier. I learned the importance of this during grad school and my time as a school counselor.

In counselor lingo, we call this self-care. Basically, the idea behind a "self-care practice" is to spend regular time (whatever length and schedule fits in your daily life) doing something that you enjoy that relaxes and refuels your mind and body.

My favorite assignment in grad school was to do something each day for self-care for a whole week. So when I was given this assignment, I initially thought this is such a joke...I'm really being told to do this in a graduate level course?! So the joke was on me. Believe it or not, I really struggled with this assignment. But it taught me an important lesson.

My schedule gets filled with so many different things, work, kids, household chores, and the list goes on. If I do not plan on "me time," it does not happen. I need the balance in my life. I need to refuel myself so that I can be the best version of me for others around me. For example, if you are so stressed and fixated about something going on at work, you can't be fully present for your kids. Many people find that exercising helps release the stress, which also decreases the feeling of being burnt out with your job.

I really believe we don't take seriously enough taking care of ourselves. We also can't make "not having enough time" an excuse. I recently heard some statistics that we spend an average of 90 minutes a day on our phone, which adds up to 23 days in a year. That's a lot of time wasted.

Still confused why you need some self-care in your life? Check out this TED Talk. It is such a good reminder of why our emotional health and well-being matters.

So here's how I've been practicing self-care lately:

O N E
Exercising:
So given that I teach Pilates, it's probably no surprise that I like do Pilates, but I enjoy Yoga as well. I would also love to start taking dance classes again.

My current weekly exercise routine looks a little like this:

• 2x a week- Pilates Reformer Workouts (I may use other equipment, but mainly focus on the Reformer,)
• 1x a week- Pilates Wunda Chair and Cadillac Workout, 
• 1-2x a week- Pilates Mat Workout with Standing Arm Series (using small weights),
• 2x a week- Yoga Class,
• And one day of rest thrown in the mix.

T W O
Reading:
I love to read. Some weeks it happens more than others. But I'm a book worm and if I find a book I enjoy, I don't want to put it down. I find reading is a nice escape and I love having a quiet moment for myself to read. Lately, I just finished reading The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth.

T H R E E
Baking:
The past few months I've picked up more on baking. I definitely have a sweet tooth, but I hate how much sugar and processed ingredients are in store-bought desserts and pastries.  So, I've been experimenting with a lot of recipes using healthier substitutions like bananas, yogurt, coconut oil, whole wheat flour and honey.
I seriously make these muffins once a week and eat them for a snack, breakfast, or as a dessert. The recipe is here. This week, along with a few plain banana muffins, I made a few muffins with blueberries, strawberries, and organic dark chocolate chips.


So to wrap it up...Here's some easy steps to take to begin practicing self-care.
Step One:  Choose one activity you enjoy.
Step Two:  Do it for at least 10 minutes a day for a week.
Step Three:  Notice the difference it makes in your day.
Step Four:  Work on increasing the amount of time you practice self-care.

I'm not quite sure how it's already Wednesday...I think between having two little ones and trying to keep caught on laundry and dishes- the days slip away. But before I start rambling about how many loads of laundry I have left to fold, let's talk Workout Wednesday.

Last week, I gave you step by step how to do The Hundred, which is the first exercise in the Pilates mat.  Read about it here. I've been on a mat kick lately, especially since the weather has been perfect lately. I mean highs in the upper 60s in February?! So I've been rolling out my mat outside and doing some Pilates. I highly suggest it.

So for Workout Wednesday today, let's stick with some mat work again with the second exercise found in the Pilates Mat- The Roll-Up. Totally makes me think of the Fruit Roll-Ups I ate all the time as a kid (the food dye and high amounts of sugar in them makes me cringe now...) Before you do the Roll-Up, do yourself a favor and get your core nice and activated with The Hundred. Remember- 10 repetitions total and 1 repitition equals inhaling for 5 counts and exhaling for 5 counts.


The Roll-Up
Again, this is the second exercise you'd typically do in a mat class. This exercise helps you learn to articulate through your spine, stretch your hamstrings, and of course strengthen your powerhouse.

Steps:
1. Following The Hundred, fold your feet into your chest, then staying lying flat on your back- press your feet into the mat with knees bent. Arms extend long by your sides. (This is a great place for Beginners to start practicing this exercise.)

2. To advance The Roll-up, begin with your legs extend out long with feet in Pilates stance (heels together and toes apart.)
3. Bring your arms lifted above your ears. Do not let your arms rest on the mat over your head.
4. To begin The-Roll Up, inhale and begin to roll up into a seated position, making sure your chin relaxes into your chest. Keep your arms lifted as close to your ears at possible. (Drop your shoulders here...I'll credit my raised shoulders to my little photographer assistant, who had me hold this position awhile before she took the picture haha..)
5. Round forward over the legs, pulling your abdominals up and in, sinking navel to spin. Exhale and reach towards your toes. You should feel a stretch through the hamstrings here. (If you modify the exercise by keeping knees bent and feet pressed into the mat, be sure to stretch your legs out long during this part of the exercise.)
6. To roll back down onto your mat, inhale and pull the belly in. (If you modified The Roll-Up, go ahead and bend the knees again with feet pressed into the mat.)
7. Using your exhale, roll back down onto your mat imagining you are placing one vertebrae at a time back down onto the mat. Chin drops down into the chest.
8. Shoulders and then the head are the last to arrive back down to the mat.

9. Arms float back lifted above the ears before beginning the next repetition.
10. Do 3 to 5 repetitions of The Roll-Up. One repetition equals rolling all the way up and rolling on the way back down to the mat.

Modifications:
1. Start working on this exercise first by keeping the knees bent and feet pressed into the mat.
2. You may grab on to the backs of the thighs to help you roll up into a seated position, as well as roll back down onto the mat. This is a perfect way for beginners to learn to articulate through the spine. This modification can also help take any strain you feel out of the neck.
3. As you build powerhouse strength, extend your legs all the way out long with feet flexed in Pilates stance. If you work the exercise this way, be sure to not allow the feet to come up off of the mat and avoid jerking yourself up off of the mat- use your core!

Teacher Tips:
1. Your breath will help you keep the exercise fluid and give you power. Use your breath, especially the exhale, as your start to roll up and feel stuck.
2. Try working on this exercise by hooking your feet under a couch with legs extended out long. This gives you some support.
3. Don't use your head and shoulders to pull you up- activate those deep abdominal muscles by creating an oppositional force with the navel sinking back into your spine.
4. Keep the lower body (hello inner thighs!) engaged by keeping the heels together and gluts squeezed in- remember your powerhouse includes more than the abdominal muscles.
5. Also, imagine the lower body is taped down to the mat- it should not move.
6. Enjoy the stretch you'll find in this exercise.
7. If you do your mat outside, be prepared for the wind to catch your mat!


Thanks for joining me for Workout Wednesday! Join me back next week for another Pilates Mat exercise. (Then we'll know a good portion of the Beginner's Mat!)

Now, I did not always use to buy organic- I've definitely gone in phases. But with little ones eating around the table, I just really can't stand the thought of serving up a plate full of pesticides, chemicals, and added hormones. With that in mind, one of my goals coming into the new year was to cut out most processed foods and by more organic foods. I talked a little about this here, but for more inspiration why to do this- read here and here.

With that in mind- if I did not have a grocery budget, you would totally find me at Earth Fare. The produce selection in Earth Fare is amazing and you can find an organic option for everything on your grocery list! The atmosphere in Earth Fare is perfect and they have a great selection of ready-to-eat foods (especially hot and ready pizzas). But if I did all of my grocery shopping at Earth Fare or even Harris Teeter, I'd be way over my weekly budget.

Cue why Aldi is now where I do a majority of my grocery shopping. You can find so many organic options at Aldi for at least less than half the cost of what it would be at Earth Fare, Whole Foods, or Harris Teeter AND for the same and/or less than the cost of non organic options at Food Lion. Sounds like a win, right?!

 Now, if you've never been to Aldi, here are a few things to keep in mind and bring with you:
1. Bring a quarter to get a grocery buggy, which you get back when you return it.
2. Bring reusable shopping bags, but if you forget them you can buy reusable or paper bags at Aldi.
3. Use empty boxes left on the shelves to bring home boxed or easily squished items like bread and bananas.
4. Be prepared to bag up your own purchases, which is why I mention #2 and #3. This is also why I try not to do my Aldi shopping with kids.
5. Avoid shopping on Sundays between 12 and 5 pm. Maybe it is just my local Aldi, but I've gone shopping there then and it was a mad house.
6. They are remodeling and expanding my local Aldi and from what I understood this is going on at many Aldi stores currently. Aldi is going to be expanding their product selection. This doesn't really change anything, but there might be construction currently going on.
7. Keep in mind the selection varies a little bit week to week, so you may not find everything you need on your grocery list.


While I do buy some things at Aldi that are not USDA Certified Organic or not even food for that matter, I'm just going to share my Organic finds from Aldi today.

Here's what I buy from Aldi on just about a Weekly Basis (all of these items are USDA Certified Organic):
1. Eggs (only 3.49 for a dozen!)
2. 2% Milk
3. Apples (typically they have Gala)
4. Bananas
5. Plain Yogurt
6. Frozen Strawberries
7. Frozen Blueberries
8. Baby Spinach and/or Salad Spring Mix
9. Baby Carrots


Here's what I buy from Aldi as needed (also USDA Certified Organic):
1. Coconut Oil
2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3. Brown Sugar
4. 100% Pure Cane Sugar
5. Brown Rice
6. Pasta Sauce
7. Whole Wheat Pasta
8. Chicken or Vegetable Broth
9. Quinoa
10. Honey
11. Ketchup
12. Unsweetened Apple Sauce
13. Chia Seeds
*I should add while I don't buy these items every week, I've always seen them in-store.

Here's what I buy from Aldi when they have it (also USDA Certified Organic):
1. Blueberries (They have only had organic blueberries in stock once this past month, but I think it is related to the season. I'm hoping the organic produce section will be bigger this summer/spring.)
2. Nuts
3. Apple Juice
4. Cherry Tomatoes
5. Creamy Peanut Butter

I'm still working on some practical ways to buy organic and eat better without breaking the bank, so I'll share more tips as I learn. But Aldi is a great place to start. So if you have an Aldi in your area, go check it out when you need to go grocery shopping this week.