Meal Planning 101

Did I just say "free willy" in the Fantastic Friday video? Oh my. Looks like I need to have a conversation with my writers. :)

I wanted to quickly share with you some links and information on the resources I mentioned in the Week 3 Fantastic Friday video on Meal Planning. As mentioned, I have been using a very basic pen and paper method of planning out my meals and find that it works well. I use a simple spreadsheet created in Excel to map out the week and then fill in each blank with what I plan to eat each day. I borrow James' markers to indicate the containers used at each meal so that I can stay on track. It's super simple and actually looks quite nice on the fridge. :)

I usually plan my week on the weekend so that I can hit the grocery store and have everything ready to go during the week. As a busy working Mom, I tend to stick with easy and quick recipes that accommodate the pickiness of a 4 year old and 16 month old. I'm not one that likes to eat the same thing all week so I don't make a huge batch of something and then just eat it everyday. I like variety and since I love to cook, I tend to have a mix of new recipes and oldies but goodies each week for dinner.  As you can see, I am kind of a cookbook hoarder, but I do have my favorites.  

#1 Favorite: Fixate

Written by Autumn Calabrese, creator of the 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, Country Heat and the super-amazing container system, this cookbook is chock full of recipes that fit within the program. Of course she has ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but she also has some great snacks AND dessert. She even includes some really yummy Shakeology ideas. Each recipe indicates the containers used and has full nutritional information. What's even cooler is that she and her Chef brother are now starring in the Fixate cooking show, airing exclusively on Beachbody On Demand. Definitely grab a copy and get cooking - the healthy way.

#2 Favorite: Skinnytaste 

This one has been a favorite of mine for a while and is one that I HIGHLY recommend you check out. The brain child of Gina Homolka, this book stems from her award-winning blog of the same name - Skinnytaste.com. I discovered this blog a few years ago during my Weight Watcher days and find myself visiting it on a daily basis. She posts a new recipe everyday and if you sign up for her RSS, it lands in your inbox and makes your mouth water. The site is completely searchable and each recipe includes full nutritional information and Weight Watcher Smart Points if you are following that program. Many of her recipes have become go-to's in our family and I really think you should check it out. Go ahead. I can wait. 

So once my dinners are in place for the week, I go ahead and fill in my breakfast each day which is my Shakeology. I have gotten into the habit of working out first thing in the morning, and nothing tastes better or satisfies me more after that workout than Shakeology. Packed with dense nutrients, it not only fuels me with all kinds of vitamins and minerals, it fills me up and keeps me satisfied until lunch. My go to shake includes 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology, 8 oz of unsweetened Almond Milk, a banana, a teaspoon of PB2 and lots of ice. Blend it up in a blender and enjoy!

Lunch is usually leftovers from the night before or a big salad with lots of veggies, a protein and Fix-approved dressing. I then fill in the snack blanks using whatever containers I have left. It's that easy!!

Now I know, you may think I am still part of the dark ages for using good old paper and pen to meal plan, but it works for me. And I encourage you to find the tool that works for you. It could be an App. Or a website. Hell, it could be stone carvings. Whatever! If it means you are going to stick with it and stay on track, then I say go for it. I

And I can't stress this enough - DRINK YOUR WATER!! You are supposed to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. For me, that's A LOT of water! But I found that as long as I have my Brita water bottle next to me, I get it done. Unless Andrew steals it and hides it. He has been known to do that. Little stinker. ;)

So that's it. If you have any questions about any of the resources and programs or need advice on how to make meal planning work for you, just let me know. I'm here to help. We are in this together! 

#teamworkmakesthedreamwork

Behind the Curtain

Look at these faces. 

Pure joy. 

They say "I'm so happy!" and "I'm having the BEST time!"

But what these photos don't tell you is that five minutes later there was an epic meltdown over who got to be in the big stroller. And a few minutes after that, there were tears because "he has goldfish and I want goldfish but I want them in that container and not this one!!!" Add in a dose of 93 degree weather, 95% humidity and summer crowds and you will get a true sense of what our trip to Busch Gardens was like this past weekend.

We ventured down to Williamsburg, VA with the Grandparents this weekend to fill up on some old fashioned, amusement park fun. We knew it would be tricky with little ones, but we were up for the challenge. And boy did it serve us one! From the moment we landed at the hotel, Andrew was not having it. This is a kid who LOVES his sleep and LOVES his bed. One look at the hotel crib and a proper fit ensued. If you have ever shared a single hotel room with your toddler and 4-year old, you can agree that it is tight quarters! But we made it work and the moment the sun was awake so were the kids.

We hit the park first thing and headed straight to Sesame Street Forest of Fun. After all, we had been talking it up to James and he was determined to see Elmo. The smile on his face faded when he realized it was NOT Sesame Place and it was a whole lot different than where we were last summer. My Mommy heart broke when I saw his face fall, but as soon as we got his little butt onto Grover's Alpine Express roller coaster, he was all smiles. And that smile grew when he got to see Elmo. Mission accomplished!

And God bless Andrew - he was ALL IN when it came to Elmo's Castle splash area. We let the kid roam on his own and he had a blast. Phew!

I want to tell you that these smiles stuck around the rest of the day, but unfortunately, the heat and the crowds got the better of us. The whining set in which led to waning patience on my part creating a recipe for disaster. As we stood on a painfully long line to go on the 30-second Le Scoot Log Flume I thought about posting the smiling photos on Facebook to show the world that we are a happy family having a wonderful time. But then I stopped myself and decided to wait and share the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about our time in Busch Gardens.

When we open Facebook or Instagram or any other social media we now have at our fingertips, we see a small snapshot of what is truly happening in the lives of our loved ones. Usually the picture is of smiling, happy faces and we think, "Wow...they really got it together and are conquering this thing called life." But sometimes...a brave soul will show you what is really behind the curtain and give you an honest look at what a day in the life of having two small kids is really like. Today, I am that brave soul.

If I'm being completely honest, this trip was not a failure. Not by any means. I stupidly created an unrealistic expectation in my head that our 4 year old and 16 month old would have beaming smiles on their faces the entire day because we were at a place where fun is the main objective.

Bone-head move on my part.

The boys did as well as could be expected given the circumstances. I mean Andrew took a 2 hour nap in his stroller!! Seriously - the kid loves his sleep.

The truth of the matter is parenting is hard. It's the hardest thing I have ever done and I know that it will continue to be hard as my little munchkins grow up. But for every difficult moment or difficult day there are a million and one awesome moments and awesome days. So yes...I will continue to post the smiley photos on social media and yes it will look as though everything is perfect and peachy keen. But remember, sometimes the truth lies behind the curtain. And that is pretty okay too.

184

This number has been between my toes for far too long.

It is a number that has affected my emotions. My psyche. My self worth.

It is a number that hasn't budged much since my adorable little Andrew joined this world 16 months ago.

184.

Oh how I loathe this number.

Three weeks ago I decided that this number needed to go away. And the only way to make that happen was to make a change. A real change. A permanent change.

It started with Beachbody's 3-Day Refresh followed by a 21 Day Fix/CIZE hybrid program that offered intense cardio and strength training workouts. But exercise alone would not cut it so I used the groundbreaking multi-colored container system to clean up my diet. With a mixture of determination on my part and motivation from an awesome group of ladies, I bid adieu to that number that I hate so much.

A new, more exciting number has replaced it and with some hard work and amazing tools, I hope to continue to see smaller numbers. But more than that - I know that as the numbers get smaller, I will be getting stronger. I will be getting healthier. And that is just awesome.

I know my journey will be long. There will be highs and there most certainly will be lows. But I know I will learn lots of amazing things along the way. With the right support and the right mindset, I will be successful - whether or not the numbers between my toes change. Healthy living is no longer a fleeting thought. It is part of my everyday and luckily,I have some AWESOME programs and tools (21 Day Fix, CIZE, TurboFire & Country Heat) at my fingertips to keep it fun and fresh. I have also decided to join the Beachbody family and become a Coach on an AMAZING team. I will stay motivated if I am helping other people achieve their goals and enjoy healthy, fulfilling lives.

Last week, my 4-year old was home sick so he got a front row seat to my Dirty 30 work out with Autumn Calabrese. He asked me, "Mommy, what are you doing?" I told him that I am doing my exercises so that I can be here with him for a long, long time. He immediately got on the floor and started mimicking me. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "I want to be with YOU a long, long time too." If that is not a good enough reason, then I don't know what is.

Beachbody's mantra these days is STRONGER EVERYDAY. I think I can get behind that.

** If you are interested in joining me on this crazy journey and want to change your lifestyle for the better, shoot me a note. Let's do this together!! 

Andrew Turns One: The Recap

When your baby reaches their first birthday, celebrations are definitely in order. It is a milestone not only for the kiddo, but for the parents as well - especially when there is an older brother in the mix. Andrew recently turned one and we all put our best party shoes on to celebrate.

The celebration began the morning of March 25th with birthday presents, balloons and breakfast with big brother, James.

Our birthday friend made an appearance for Andrew donning a new t-shirt for the occasion. This guy joined our family back when James turned 1 and has become part of the Mangiaracina kiddo birthday tradition each year.

After a fun day at school where he donned the birthday hat, it was back home for birthday dinner and presents with Grandma and Grandpa Q. His favorite part of the night - the ice cream cake of course! The kid is now hooked. 

All in all, it was a great first birthday for our little guy. He got some great gifts and his first sugar rush making it stellar in his book. And the best part - it was not over. 

Fast forward 1 week and here we are at Andrew's 1st birthday party. Welcome to Andrew's 1st Froggie Party!

I would be lying if I told you that I tried to keep myself in check with this party. It's a sickness, what can I say. I can't help myself!!! Your second baby only turns 1 once! 

The frog them was in full force and was a BIG hit with the birthday boy.

We hosted the event at the neighborhood rec center room because our itty bitty townhouse is still too itty bitty to handle a party of this magnitude. After a very quick set-up thanks to my super-star party team (you know who you are!), we were ready to roll. Andrew was greeted by family and friends who were all there to celebrate his big day. Lunch was served, cookies were decorated and wine was consumed! I'd say that equals party success.

And in keeping with first birthday tradition, Andrew was treated to his own birthday smash cake. We moved the party outside to partake in this fun and messy milestone!

Does this kid love his sweets or what?!

And how freakin cute are these boys?!!!??!! They kill me!! :)

All in all it was a great party and a great first birthday. And I know that Andrew won't remember it, but hopefully these photos will show him how much he is loved. Happy Birthday, kiddo!!

Andrew's First Year

It has been one heck of a busy weekend and we promise a full recap of the birthday festivities soon. In full Mangiaracina tradition, I put together a highlights video of Andrew's first year. As with James, it was an emotional project - lots of happy tears shed! 

Warning: It is long (14:20 to be exact!).  But it is totally worth it if you want to see some cute.  Enjoy!

Birthday Week Day 5: And Then There Were Four

The alarm from the phone broke the silence of the house at 5:25AM on the morning of March 25, 2015. I popped out of bed and navigated to the bathroom for one last shower before our lives once again changed forever.  I remember looking at my big, pregnant belly thinking that in just a few hours, the little guy inside that has been kicking me all these months will finally be in my arms.

When I emerged from the bathroom, Ed gave me a sleepy smile and grabbed my hand for a squeeze. I knew that it was his way of saying he loved me and was ready to be a Daddy x2.

I waited until the very last minute to wake up James. He didn't quite understand why I chose to dress him in the blue and grey shirt with the words "Big Brother", but he was very happy to spend a few quiet moments with Mommy before heading to school. We took one last photo to mark the occasion where I was a Mom of one and he was an only child.

After dropping James at daycare, we headed to Fair Oaks Hospital where we were greeted by the best group of nurses in the business. Within minutes, I was hooked up to all kinds of tubes and wires and was making my way to the operating room. As I was prepped for surgery, all I could do was think about how lucky I was to be lying there awaiting the arrival of my second little boy.  Ed joined me in the room as things got underway. And then, at 10:07 AM I heard the screams.  Andrew was here.

That was approximately one year ago today. 

One year ago today we became a family of four. 

From the moment he arrived, Andrew has been such a sweet, loving, cuddly boy. He fills our hearts with joy and our days with smiles. We never thought we could love anything as much as we love James. We were wrong.  Dead wrong. Our hearts just got that much bigger when Andrew came into our lives.

So here we sit on Andrew's 1st birthday. Reflecting on all that we have. And realizing that we are the luckiest damn people on earth.

Happy 1st Birthday, Andrew.  

We love you to the moon and back!