Well life has been nuts the past few weeks and sadly this little blog has had to take a backseat. My diet and healthy living efforts have suffered a little bit too. Ugh.
But, such is life! I have to check myself all of the time and remind myself what my priorities are! My faith and family will always be my #1. My overall health; mental, physical and spiritual is a close second. Keeping up with all of the demands of life and keeping up with a home and family has to be pretty high on the priority list too. Sadly, I have to remind myself all the time that in the big scheme of things, this little blog just isn’t as important and necessary as the many other things in my life.
So sad, but very true.
Ya know, I’m really not the typical blogger. I started blogging back in 2011 and at the time I thought it was so interesting that I didn’t see too many other health and fitness bloggers who were also moms of many kids. I saw a few who had one or two young babies, but most were single or didn’t have kids.
Over the years, I have learned why! Because moms are crazy busy people! There are sooooo many demands on us ALL THE TIME! I actually think I’m a little crazy to try to keep up with blogging, try to grow a social media presence and to even keep up with an intense health and fitness life. In fact, a lot of the health and fitness bloggers that I used to follow years ago who either didn’t have kids or who had one or two young kids…..now have kids or more kids or older kids and have quit blogging!
It really is hard to be a present, quality mom AND keep up with a healthy lifestyle AND find the time blog about it all!
It is insane. BUT, I love it so much! I really love health and fitness. I love setting and reaching goals. I learn so much from every goal I set, every challenge I start and every experiment I set out to do. I fail miserably many times, but I just keep trying and am grateful for the lessons I learn along the way!
I also love people! I don’t claim to be an expert, but I’m happy to help and support people along life’s journey any way that I can! I love to read and learn. I really can’t get enough. I’ve always loved health and medical stuff. I’ve always been interested in how the body works. I’ve also always been interested in mental health and what makes people tick. I love that mental health and physical health are so intertwined. I love that health and fitness can have such a positive effect on people’s lives.
It really is just something that I’m so passionate about and I just love so much! Sooooo, that is why I continue to blog amid the craziness and share my life and thoughts with the world.
When I first started blogging, I did it to keep myself accountable to “someone” and as a way to keep myself motivated. Although some serious money can be made in blogging, I’ve never done it for the money. Yes, it’s nice to make a little bit of money doing it because it is quite time consuming, but I’ve always just focused on putting out quality, authentic content in the name of health and for the love of the people who happen to read what I put out there.
I’d love to grow my blog and social media presence more in the future as time allows, but I try really hard not to put a lot of pressure on myself because HEAVEN KNOWS life is already full of so much pressure!
I also have to say that blogging has changed A LOT the past few years! I used to be a regular blogger back in 2011-2014, but I had to slow down big time after I had my last little baby in August of 2014. I’ve kept my blog alive since then, but I’ve had to minimize it A LOT. Now, as I’ve been trying to get back into blogging, there seems to be less of a focus on actual blogging and MORE of a focus on social media.
AND, I struggle with social media for some reason. It just seems a lot more “in your face” and “look at me-ish” and that is just soooooo not me!! You know what I’m talkin’ ’bout? However, over the years I’ve told myself I just have to get over it and put myself out there anyway. I’m so passionate about health and fitness and people….so I just keep on doing my thing! I’ve learned as a blogger/social media person, you just have to have thick skin and know that you will be criticized and judged on occasion, but you have to be confident (or at least fake it well) and you just have to be YOU regardless!!!
It’s also very easy to get intimidated or overwhelmed on social media….especially in the health and fitness world! There are SO MANY accounts of fitness ladies who have perfect bodies and love to share those bodies with the world every day! Ha ha. That will NEVER be me!!! I’ve often wondered if I need to be more like that to be “accepted” in the health and fitness world and then I always remind myself that I DO NOT. I don’t have to be ANYTHING but myself!!!
So, that’s what I keep on doing. I’m just a little ol’ mom of a bunch of kids who loves to learn, loves to work hard, loves to push myself, loves people and loves to share my thoughts and journey! It is what it is and I am who I am. 🙂
I could go on and on and on, but to sum it up….I actually really love the internet and I love social media. It is so much fun to peek into other people’s lives and to learn from each other. I think it’s absolutely amazing how much knowledge is out there now! I love that you can find “experts” in pretty much any subject out there and learn from them!!! People nowadays have got to be SO MUCH smarter because there is just so much information at our fingertips.
Looooove it!!
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Anywho, moving on. I told you guys that my life has been nuts lately. We have THREE birthdays in TWO weeks ’round here and it is always crazy. We had a fun little party for my son who turned eight a couple weeks ago. He wanted to have a “movie theater party” at home, so we decorated our upstairs family room to look like a theater.
Here he is with his cute cousin. <3
It was definitely not Pinterest worthy, but it was fun. We hung some Christmas lights up around the room. I bought some cute star decorations at the Dollar store. I made a “Welcome to the Banner Theater” and a “Now Playing” poster. We gave all of the kids glow necklaces and bracelets and we had a little “concessions” stand with popcorn and treats. My son loved it and it was a fun little party.
This same little boy of mine was baptized last Saturday and we had a fun party at our house afterward for that!
I didn’t realize I actually captured myself in the mirror of this picture too! Ha ha!
I also spent many late nights putting together this video for my sweet son…
I started making these videos when my oldest son was baptized and although they are A LOT of work, I’m so glad I do them! Back in the day I used to scrapbook, but now I just don’t have time to do that and I don’t know when I will! Sooo, I like to do these videos so the kids can enjoy their pictures and remember their memories.
But, I’m a very tired mama. 😉
It was a very special day for a very special boy.
Life has been nuts, but it’s been good too!
Oh, and we had Easter mixed in with everything as well!! Oy!
Love my kids. Love my family. Love holidays. Love special occasions.
But, I think I need a vacation now! I also have to say that THESE yummy donuts were the death of me….
These are Dunford Donuts and they are a local Utah fav. YOU GUYS!!! I just cannot be held responsible around them.
That’s all there is to it!
I also have to say….look at that bottom row of donuts, the ones that are lighter brown. Well, they are lighter brown because they were FRESH out of the oven!! Auuughh!!!!!
I’d never seen them like that. I could barely pick them up because they were so warm and gooey. I was dying!
K, so BOTH of my boys wanted these for their birthdays! AND, my 8 year old wanted them for his birthday party and then again a few days later on his actual birthday.
No bueno.
I’ve been trying so hard to stay away from sugar for the most part, but MAN, it was just the perfect storm. I’d been crazy busy for weeks, sleep deprived, a little stressed and hadn’t had enough time to eat as well as I’d like to.
AND, then my favorite donuts showed up THREE times! Man! I actually handled myself quite well the first time and did a’ight the second time, but then I just said “to heck with it” the third time and enjoyed myself!
I don’t think I regret it. They are just so good!
It is interesting though, as soon as I have more than just a little bit of sugar, it’s a lot harder to stay away from it! I’ve learned time and time again that when I fill my body full of good, clean food, my body craves good, clean food! It tastes so good to me and is satisfying to me! However, when I start to eat a little crap, I crave more crap! My appetite increases and healthy food just doesn’t taste as good to me.
It is much, much easier to eat well and life a healthy lifestyle when I just stay away from most of the crappy food or just have a little bit once in a while.
Soooo, now that life is calming down a bit….that is the goal! I’m trying to remember to think of food as fuel and feed my body what it needs. It’s definitely something that takes daily, or hourly commitment, but it is so worth it!
I’m also trying to do a better job of getting enough sleep! This is something I always struggle with. I just have TOO many things going on ALL the time! I’m trying to learn to cut unnecessary things out, take more time to relax, take more time for ME, head to bed earlier and just take good care of my body. Again, this is something that takes an ongoing commitment. It’s tough, but so worth it!!!
Life is hard and there are so many demands placed on each of us all the time. I know it takes a constant effort to find and keep that balance of getting all the things done that we need to get done, accomplishing the goals we’d like to accomplish and finding a little bit of down time amid the crazy so we can stay sane.
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I thought I’d share some of the healthy meals we’ve been enjoying lately.
I made Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner the other night and I love them! It’s one of my very favorite dinners!
It’s a little bit of a pain to chop up all the toppings and it’s a little bit of a pain to make the gravy since I like to use my homemade Cream of Chicken soup recipe, but it’s worth it!
Kev and I both love this meal. It tastes great and it a great way to get a lot of veggies in! YUM!
I also made this for dinner the other night…
On the nights that I just don’t what to cook and I want to cook something healthy, I usually come up with something like this!
Grilled chicken that I marinated in some healthy barbecue sauce, with brown rice, asparagus and some steamed dumplings that I bought at Costco on the side.
Easy, quick meal to make that all of the kids enjoy! Win, win.
I also enjoyed some leftover chicken for breakfast with my oatmeal the next morning!
Super unorthodox, but it works. Ha ha.
I also made some of my Healthy Banana Bread recently that the kids always enjoy!
IMO, this recipe tastes just as good as my Grandma’s Banana Bread recipe, but it’s a lot lower in sugar and butter. Strangely enough, I made this recipe into muffins last week and it wasn’t as good. Super weird.
My kids always eat this bread as fast as I can make it, but they didn’t love the muffins. I don’t know why? I had a muffin too and they really weren’t as good???
Well, I think that’s all I have to say today. I really hope life continues to stay a little calm so I can hop on here again soon!
I hope you’re all having a fantastic weekend! I’m loving SPRING!
I just brought my blog back after a year of nothing. I just couldn’t keep up…but I missed it!! I feel like there IS a huge social media focus on blogging now, but I think a lot of people are still reading blogs too. I am trying to remember that I dont’ HAVE to post every single day and that it’s more quality vs quantity posts.
Glad to see you are still blogging!!
I’m so glad you’re back to blogging Jen! It is so hard to blog regularly, but I just try to do the best I can!
Phew! I thought you were setting us up to tell us you were through with blogging!
I’ve also changed my blogging approach. I have to in order to stay sane. It used to be on a strict schedule. Now I blog when I’m inspired. I still write every day, but I have other projects I’m working on. I’ve stopped trying to monetize my blog and now consider it a public journal. If someone, someday is interested in something they want to pay me for, fine.
I enjoy your instagram posts as well, by the way.
Keeping up with a blog is hard work! Ugh. I sure love reading your posts though. You are a wonderful, hilarious writer. <3
You’re not the only one who has reduced posts. I follow a few blogs who just don’t write as much as they used to. I also have slacked on publishing posts. I find my purpose to keep fit has changed, so my blog has changed. I focus now on being functional, happy and healthy, instead of looking a certain way.
I love IG, but can’t really fit in the mold of the typical fitness lady. I’m not into the look at me mentality either.
I love your blog, Mel, as well as your IG stories. Keep it up!
Thank you so much my friend! I’ve enjoyed following your journey on your blog as well. I soooooo wish I could blog more often and dedicate more time, but I guess it’s all about priorities and finding that balance. I don’t feel like I fit in with all of the typical IG fitness ladies, either, lol!!