Nothing ever happens the way you image it

Hi all!

It's been close to a year since I've written or blogged about anything and a LOT has happened since then. We moved across the country for the hubs work, away from what we considered our home, our house and Washington state. The move itself wasn't too bad, it went as smoothly as it could, we drove our two cars with two kids and a dog in tow. The trip was fun at times visiting friends and family along the way but also feeling home sick we were ready to just be done with the traveling and get a house in what was going to be our new home.
Once we were at our destination a lot was put in to motion,putting our oldest in kindergarten, getting a house and unpacking and just trying to get back to a routine.
After the big move settled down I just wasn't feeling motivated anymore, our new place wasn't our true home, I was feeling blue, missing everything we had and trying to get use to the new.
It has taken a few...OK a lot of months for me to get on track and start feeling good and myself so here I am ready to get this blog going again because frankly this stay at home mama needs something to do beside yell at kids all day and get house work and errands done! Do ya feel me?!?

Independence Day

Hey Hey Hey! How was everyone's holiday weekend? The girls and I spend the day at home playing in the pool to beat the heat and then I BBQ'd for dinner we then ate s'mores and played with sparklers.  The girls actually got to bed earlier than they have been the past week. It was as good as the holiday could have been with just the three of us. I love that my girls had fun on the 4th without a huge party and friends.
You remember me mentioning how great that first week with the hubs not home turned out to be a good one? Well, it all went down hill from there. First I found a nail in one of the cars tires so I had to get that fixed, then our pond went on the fritz and I could not figure out what was wrong with it so after days of it acting up and me thinking the worst could happen, blown motor, busted pipe, dead fish, I finally was able to get someone to come look at it and get it fixed.
This heat has just made the days so much more....
Mowing the lawn and weeding is so not fun when the sun is just beaming down on you and then when your done not having somewhere to cool off. Here the the PNW most of us don't have A/C and don't usually need it but we have had an unusually HOT summer.
By dinner time I have not been in the mood to cook so we were eating out a lot, I finally decided enough is enough and decided to figure out how to grill more the turkey burgers on the grill and that helped for a day then the propane ran out, so I had to figure out how to do all that. You never realize how much the hubs does for you until he isn't here.
The girls have been staying up late too. It's just been too hot to put them to bed at normal time. Last weekend was the latest they stayed up because the power went out and so even though it cooled down outside the fans weren't on to bring in the cool air so there was not way the girls could sleep.
I guess when I think about it, things haven't been that bad. Life happened is all.
I did manage to eat right and get all my body beast workouts in everyday so I'm feeling strong and looking great these days and when your kids pool is the only way to beat the heat my tan has been on point! ;)
Here's to looking on the bright side more during my birthday month!Yep, I'll be the big 3-0 this month.

Challenge in July

I'm so excited and pumped about my first challenge group and the results the ladies and I  are getting that I'm going to keep up this momentum and start a new challenge group next month! YAY! 

Right now I've been mostly following the Body Beast workout and feeling stronger, but I've been seeing great results from a lot of awesome committed ladies using 21 day fix with Shakeology and decided I'm going in for round 2! Join me and get that motivation and accountability that is going to help you start getting that body you wanted.

I'm Happy!

Even though the day wasn't going so well in my last post, kids will be kids and it may be that time of the month, ;) this week has been a really good one for me. There are so many things that have been up in the air so to speak but now they all seem to be falling in place.
If you didn't know the hubs and I have an Etsy shop, we make home decor wooden signs. We have been making signs for ourselves and friends for awhile but just this spring decided to start selling our work. It is a hobby that we do together and I love it! We sold out first sign last weekend YAY! It was so exciting and after our client received it she gave us a awesome review. Before this we were losing hope on selling out stuff and took a break on creating any thing but now I can't wait to get in the garage and start sanding!
My first fitness challenge group started and I've been getting a lot of interaction from this great group of woman who I believe are going to have amazing results! A bunch of other great things have happened with Beachbody as well, I may even make what they call success club for the first time, I just need one more client....so if you've been thinking about working on you fitness goals or just trying out Shakeology let me know and I'd love to get you started!
Last but certainly not least we have a tenant! We are moving across the country at the end of the summer which we weren't expecting so we put our house up for rent and even though we aren't outta here for another couple months we already had a family secure the deal of renting our house. They seem like the sweetest people too, they wrote a letter and everything describing themselves and how much they love our home. Since they were so sweet to write the letter my next sign will be made for them.
A weight has been lifted knowing through this move that our home will be taken care of, because it is our home not just an investment property. We put a lot of our personal touches on it and it makes me happy to know how much others appreciate it too.
I sure hope this is the start of a great, easy going summer here while the husband is away.

*our Etsy shop RichardsCo

Mama Check Out

*Warning I'm having a bad day* 

Hey all you mama's out there, do you ever just want to check out from being a mama for a bit? I'm there right now, and I don't just want to check out by hiding out in the back of the house when no one is looking (we've all been there, am I right?) I want to getaway and be a wife to my husband without being needed by my girls. 

I'm not wanting sympathy and being a mama in any circumstance is no cake walk I understand that and respect it. With that being said, since the day my oldest was born my husband and I have not spent a single night just us without our kids, I've been away or he has been gone, but together nope. Lately I feel like we really need to reconnect as a couple, we aren't in a big fight or having any relationship issues, that's not what its about. I just would love a day or 2 where I'm not the mama and he's not the dad and we just are together in the moment. 

Maybe someday I will get that mama check out but for now I'm going to continue to be the best mama I know how to be, giving out lots of kisses and hugs, wipe away tears, give talkings to, cook every meal, entertain, break up fights, tickle, bath, brush teeth and put to bed my girls while the hubs is gone for 9 weeks of training across the country. Then have him come home to pack us up and move the family across the country. Get settled into our new home, find and interview a new babysitter and maybe just maybe after phase 1 get a 2 hour date night. 

My Beauty Favs

I love all things beauty and trying everything from high end to drugstore! There are some essentials that I find myself purchasing on repeat.

First up skincare, I have super duper dry skin so moisturizers are a must. Trader Joe's coconut Body Butter smells so so yummy and it really moisturizes my skin after a shower. I haven't found a favorite daily facial moisturizer but as for night Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight mask is where its at, my skin is so dry that using it as my every night moisturizer is OK.

Just tried Tanwise this past month but it has quickly become a favorite, all the great beauty bloggers have raved about it so I had to give it a try. It is super easy to apply and fool proof, I just make sure to exfoliate during my shower before using then I use a tanning mitt to wipe it all over and leave it on either all day or night depending when I took a shower then wash it off and it leaves an amazing bronze not orange tan.

Makeup oh how I love you so! My all time favorite fountain is Bareminerals Bareskin, it looks so natural, glowy and doesn't look cakey which is a major issue for my dry skin. The best why I've found to apply the serum is with my Real Techniques buffing brush. Continuing on with my dry skin issues a highlighter is a must for me to keep my skin looking dull and The Balm Mary Lou Manizer has been my go to on getting that awesome extra glowy skin. Maybelline master studio hi-light in light bronze is an all in one for me. I use it as a bronzer, blush and even eye shadow. The Naked Basic pallet has great neutral shadows to achieve a everyday eye look. My last makeup must have is the Beauty Blender, no matter what concealer I use under my eyes I apply it with  the Blender it helps keep the concealer from settling in those fine lines.

I am all about a deep conditioning hair mask especially now that I'm going back blonde. Loreal Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm is AH-mazing! My hair always feeling super soft after using it.

My last all in one beauty favorite is coconut oil. I use it for all kinds of things, a in shower moisturizer, eye makeup remover, short term sunscreen, and last another way to deep condition my hair.

 

My 21 Day Fix Transformation

Finally showing you my results from doing the 21 day fix program. I can see and feel the results and its amazing! It has definitely started me on the right track with healthy eating habits.
Now I'm going to go full beast mode with body beast for the next two months and hopefully get ripped! Wish me luck! ;)