Getting Fit & Healthy!!!

Over the past 10 1/2 weeks i've been focusing on healthy eating, fitness and weight loss. I've been power walking/running 1-3 miles on my treadmill and doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred and Ripped In 30!! I've mixed in a little yoga, soccer, tennis and whatever else I can do to say active. This has truly been a process but i'm determined to do it the right way and hit my goal by this time next year! Hubby has joined me on this journey (as of this week) and he too runs on the treadmill, eats healthier and gets in some strength, abs and extra cardio. I've heard many reports and have received many emails from friends and family who have been inspired to make healthy changes in their lives. I am blessed to have a willing mind to do this. God has truly given me the strength, motivation and will power to endure. I am 20 lbs lighter (I lost 7 lbs over the past 2 weeks and i'm feeling leaner by the day :)

I am determined to stay focused and to see each goal through... no matter how long it takes me to get there. My children are witnessing a good example and they help motivate me when I don't feel like pushing OR when I procrastinate and put everything else before my workouts. I can visualize how I will look and feel by the Spring, Summer, Fall and etc... I can imagine how i'll feel when I am able to cross the finish line of a 5k, 10k, 15k, 1/2 marathon... maybe, even a marathon :). My health is important to me and

I.AM.WORTH.IT!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Just dropping by to say Merry Christmas~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!!

Football Season has ended Let The Soccer Season Begin!!!

This is just a quick post to catch up on the latest... life is still crazy busy. My sons football team ended on a high... they are champs once again! My son made it to the Pro Bowl and his team made it to the Super Bowl!!!

GREAT SEASON!!!! The girls just started soccer (for the first time) TODAY!!!! And boy was it a blast! My eldest daughter played first and she did an outstanding job on offense but an even better job on defense. She played against an all boys team and she blocked shots left and right! Next up was baby girl...

She scored the teams first goal (her first goal as well) and we went crazy with the cheers, thumbs up and congrats! They both had tons of fun. They also attended 2 birthday parties today and we took hubby to the airport for his departure to Europe and then to FL. He should return next Sunday... let the count down begin!!! I'll be back later with more updates as the season continues.

Just made her first goal!!!

Proud Papa

Fun after the Pro Bowl

Forgot to mention that Thansgiving was amazing (we spent it in VA at my sisters) and we're gearing up for Christmas... my 2 favorite holidays of the year :). Here are a few pics for you to enjoy...

Thanksgiving 2011

~DESSERTS~

~FAMILY~

Life is hectic... but GOOD!

Hi All! It's been forever since I last posted... there's just always tons of stuff going on. The kids and hubby are great. Ive just been running around behind them all. The girls had their first tennis session (for 1 month) and they had a blast. We now have family tennis night every Friday :). We will continue to work on things with them with hopes of signing them up for the next session in the spring (when the weather gets warmer). My son's football team is still enjoying a great season. They lost their first game in 2 years a few weeks ago but have since bounced back to both a 41-0 & 32-0 victory over their past opponents. They clinched the division title and are starting the playoffs this weekend! Good times! I've been recording every game for hubby to review on his "off" days...lol. They really take this thing seriously! Love it!

Well, next up for the girls is either Soccer or Gymnastics. We just need to decide which one we'd rather sit through. Josh is begging for us to sign him up for wrestling... so we'll see about that. Hubby is still working hard on his MBA and he hasn't had to travel this month... so far. Let's hope it stays that way for a while. The kids have their Christmas Lists' posted on the fridge and the gifts they are requesting are quite comical. I will post them one day for your viewing pleasure.

Let's see, Blessed Curly Gurlz is still going strong. We hit 1000 viewers a week ago and are steadily increasing. Here is a recent video that I posted showing how I created a back to school hairstyle and how you determine your hair type:

I also started a facebook fan page where I talk about hair, recipes, family and etc... take a look and "like" the page: The Blessed Mom Of 3 (Facebook Fan Page)

Well, time is of essence and I must run for now. I promise to try to get back to posting more often.... well, as time permits. I've been working on some sight words with my 4 year old and it's amazing how quickly she picks up on them! Amazing!!!

~blessings to you!

p.s. check out my "cooking from the heart" album for some new recipes... the latest one will be Red Velvet Cake :)

Finally, Hubby is back home!!!

Just wanted to jump on here and post that hubby came home late last night!!!!  He had a wonderful 9+ hour flight and we're so thankful to have him back! My load just got a little easier... I think...lol. Right now he's enjoying a breakfast scramble that I made him and a few sides :).  I secretly made some banana nut bread that's baking away in the oven!!  Tonight i'm going to make him a welcome home dinner... Rotissere Chicken, Cabbage, Yams and Wheat Rolls. Just super happy to have him back!

In my spare time, I was able to upload a video showing how I detangle my hair. Take a look...

Well, that's all for now... looking forward to enjoying our nice, long weekend together :)  Be blessed!!

THE GAME!!!!

So this past weekend my son played in the first football game of the season. Boy oh boy was it a task for me! We had to have the players there by 1:30pm but the game didn't start until 3:30 (they moved it to 4:30 due to a late start). So I had to entertain the girls for 3 hours prior to the game. During the game I had to skype with hubby (he is still in Europe), take care of the girls, video tape the game, deal with distractions, constantly redial hubby's number due to drop calls and a bad wifi signal, take pictures AND try to cheer my son on. Whew!  It was just too much!  They came out with the victory 25-6 with their heads held high!

When I got home, I uploaded the video footage which took 2 hours of editing. I then uploaded the 2 halves to youtube for hubby's viewing purposes. It was then that I was finally able to watch the game! So, the countdown continues until hubby arrives. I cannot wait! The kids' school schedules are in full swing and I just want to relax! The commute (along with the hour or more wait time for pick up) has been a killer! I am gassing up the van every other day! Ridiculous!  Baby girl starts preschool after the holiday so 2 days out of the week I will spend 4+ hours in the car!!!!! I am not looking forward to that. Hopefully when hubby returns, he can help share the load.

Well, time to spend some learning time with my preschooler. Oh, it's 10:15am and I still need to find some breakfast, smh.  I'll be back one day soon :)

~blessings to you!

Fabulous Meal!!

So, it's been a while since I last posted anything but i'm back. The kids and I went to FL with hubby for a week. We had a great time and he got off to a great start with school (MBA program). He was home for a week before taking off to Europe for the next 2 weeks! 2 of the kids started school yesterday (the baby girl starts after labor day) and I have just been trying to keep up with everything. Yesterday, my down time was spent mowing the lawn... i had a mower malfunction and had to repair it with hubby's tool kit but I got through it :). Today, I have spent my down time with baby girl and by doing a little house cleaning. Time goes by sooooo fast. I spent 2 hours in the carpool line yesterday during pick up so hopefully things will go a little smoother today.

I have been trying to eat better over the past 2 days and i'm down 3lbs already!!! Cutting the carbs, salt and sodium and eating more fiber, grains, veggies, fruit and water. So far so good. While I was surfing youtube videos yesterday, I came across this fabulous meal and I had to try it. Here it is:

I withheld the cheese and added tomatoes and spinach and it was divine! I limited myself to two but I saved the filling for the next day (today). I decided to make a scramble... I used eggs (you can also use egg whites), spinach, mushrooms and a little cheese. I didn't wrap it with the wheat wrap (to save a few calories) but I cooked it in olive oil and ate it as is. IT.WAS.SOOOOOO.GOOD!!!!!!!  Anyway, I just had to share! Give it a try and let me know how you like it.

Gotta run for now but i'll leave you with a few pics of the kids from the "back to school" pics I took yesterday. Enjoy!

And this is what baby girl looked like after playing dress up when we got back home from the drop off...

Swim Lessons have come to an end...

Today was the last day of the kids' 5 week swim lessons!!! All 3 of them are swimmers and we are thrilled! Since day 1 the girls have not wanted to wear swim caps so here's what I do to protect their hair... I soak their hair with water and apply conditioner before they swim. This helps protect their hair from chlorine. It serves as a barrier to protect their strands and it helps to keep their hai...r from drying out and breaking off. I also gather their hair and put it in some sort of protective style so that they can swim freely and enjoy. I assist them with washing their hair and bathing as soon as they get home and then I seal in the moisture with my shea butter mix. So far, so good! Here's how they wore their hair today...

I also managed to co wash my hair today prior to swim lessons. It took me over an hour to detangle and wash my hair! Ridiculous! So, we are now unwinding and trying to rehydrate ourselves after spending the day in the sun. So far, it's 97 degrees... I don't think it will get much hotter but time will tell. Time to start thinking about what i'll make for dinner tonight. I want to keep it simple... i'll come up with some ideas and maybe post a few pics at a later date :)

~blessings to you

 

Why in the world???

... is it 100 degrees outside today? I just don't understand! I can't let the kids play outdoors for more than 10 minutes at a time so here I sit, listening to the girls fight over an empty aquafina water bottle! My son is sitting quietly playing a game but these girls???? Just too much! I'm trying to keep my son as hydrated as possible because he football practice in 2 hours and I do not want any health scares. Anyway, tomorrow is the kids' last day of swimming practice. They are all doing an amazing job at swimming! I'll be sure to get some footage and try to post it by the weekend. Off to check the temps for tomorrow and to get a delicious freeze cup from the freezer :)

Another day closer to the school year...

It's another day closer to another school year. This summer has flown by!!! I am sitting here thinking about the final events we have for the summer and everything that will take place in the near future. I get exhausted just by thinking about it. Does anyone else ever feel this way? I know I can't be the only mom!! Anyway, it's gonna be bitter sweet because for the first time everyone in my family will be in school but me. Hubby got accepted into the Univ of FL MBA program and all 3 of the kids will be in school...I'll have a 4th grader, a 2nd grader and a preschooler. I don't think i'll even have time for myself. Sounds weird huh? Well, with all the running around i'll have to do for transporting the kids to & from school, helping hubby with his assignments, taking care of the household and keeping up with all 3 school schedules (homework, projects, parent meetings, volunteering and etc..) with the kids. I just don't know how i'll find some "me" time. Such is life. It could be worse, right? I praise God for giving me the energy to even tackle it all. As usual, it will all work out once we get our routine down.

Anyway, this past week I found some time to do a "Puff Tutorial Video" and a video for Blessed Curly Gurlz, "How to Cornrow Your Daughter's Hair".  I posted them on youtube. Here they are (in case you'd like to view them):

I also managed to do the girls' hair is a decent style this past weekend. Here are the styles they're wearing right now:

Gotta get the kids in the tub and ready for the night. Hubby and my son will be home from football practice soon. Oooooooh, the fun is just beginning... hubby leaves for europe for 2 weeks at the end of the month. Before that, we are all taking a trip to FL for hubby's orientation. This is the last week for swim lessons for the kids. They've made unbelieveable progress! Ok, gotta go for real this time...

~blessings to you!

Back at home...

Well, the drive back home was wonderful! We took the kids to New York and did some sight seeing. We then drove to Philly, did some sightseeing and grabbed a philly cheese steak before getting on the road headed to MD. We spent the night in MD and spent the next day with my parents. The kids had a wonderful time with them. We hit up a fav restaurant of ours, took the kids by our colleges and then headed home. So, life has been quite hectic since we returned. We still have the usual football practices (Mon, Wed & Sat) and the kids have swim lessons Tues & Thurs. We just enrolled my baby girl into a preschool program starting in September and we've begun school shopping. There's just soooo much to do! I hope to enroll the girls into tennis in the coming months. Things will soon pick up with hubby's school and travel schedule too. We're just trying to make the most of our summer. I have no complaints though... life is good.

On the hair front... well, let's just say I did something to my hair that I have never done before. I finger detangled on dry hair. This turned my hair into a massive puff!!  I loved the fullness but the process was tiring. I will continue to show my hair some tlc by being patient with my hair and using my all natural products. I will include a few pics of my hair after finger detangling below.
~blessings to you

Vacationing... well sort of

So, hubby had to go on a business trip to Massachusetts for almost 2 weeks.  We never have the opportunity to travel with him because the kids were in school or we  had some sort of sport or church activity.  Hubby and I discussed driving up to MA but we decided that he should just fly and we'd see him when he got back.  Well, after 4 days the kids and I missed him terribly so I decided to pack up the van Friday night while the kids slept and I planned to get on the road as soon as my son finished football practice Saturday afternoon.  After practice we grabbed lunch and headed north for a 12hr 30 minute drive to MA. the kids questioned where we were going and I told them we were going to meet my best friend.  They wondered why they had never met my best friend before and why daddy wasn't coming with us.  They asked if daddy knew about this trip?  Who was this best friend?  Why daddy couldn't join us so that we could travel as a family and etc... One of them blurted out " Mom, this is just unfair! Dad should be here with us!  I feel bad that he has to miss all of this excitement! "  I assured them that Daddy knew all about our trip and that they should take plenty of pictures for him, sit back and enjoy the ride :).

After our loooooong road trip (760 miles) we finally arrived at the hotel at 1:30am and daddy was standing there in the parking garage waiting for us!  When the kids realized who he was there were screams, tears, hugs and kisses for him!  They were just overwhelmed with emotion!  I was a but teary eyed watching their reaction to seeing him.  I was told that I was the best mom in the world for making them so happy!

Well, we've been here for 5 days now and the kids have been having a blast!  They've been swimming every day (there's a beautiful indoor pool right outside our hotel room), we've been shopping at the outlets, dining out at new restaurants, driving to the top of Graylock Mountain, playing at nearby parks and just enjoying our time together. Today is the last day of hubby's meeting so we plan to take the kids to a Kids Funplex/Funpark this evening and do more outlet shopping. Later, we may hit the pool for 1 last time.  Tomorrow morning we will drive to New York City and spend the night there.  We plan to take a boat cruise of the city and see some sights such as the Empire State building, The Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, Time Square, Central Park and do some shopping in Soho!  We'll be sure to try some New York pizza and stop in Philly to get a philly cheese steak and possibly see the Liberty Bell. Our next stop will be an overnight trip in Maryland so that we can say hello to the grandparents/family/friends and then we'll head home to NC.  This trip has been great so far and the kids are having the time of their lives experiencing everything along the way :)

Still here...

I know it's been quite some time since I posted a blog... i've just been so busy now that school is out. Hubby's travel schedule has him away from home 1-2 weeks a month and so the kids and I are always missing him :(. I'm alive and well and we're blessed so what more could we ask for? I've been busy doing videos for our daughter's hair blog/channel ( BlessedCurlyGurlz  &  BlessedCurlyGurlz YouTube Channel  ) as well as doing videos for my own channel ( TheBlessedMomOf3 ). I'll post the videos at the end of this blog for your viewing purposes. Church is good... Football practices have begun for my son and soon the kids will all be taking swimming lessons. Soon after they began those lessons I plan to sign them up for tennis lessons at the same place. I'm soooooo super excited about that.

As you know, i am a huge tennis fan so i've been keeping a close eye on Wimbledon! My girls Venus and Serena are back from injuries and they are hanging tough at Wimbledon. Both Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal are hanging tough as well. Hopefully they can remain all the way to the finals next weekend. That would be absolutely wonderful! Well, the summer is definitely underway and the temps are quite high! We plan to get in a decent summer vacay in Orlando mid August. Hubby leaves for China at the end of August and of course the kids go back to school then. Well, that's all for now. I promise to do my best to update more often. I just need to find the time to do it within my day. Be blessed and enjoy the videos!

Just a quick message...

I know it's been a while since I last posted something but i've been extremely busy... I have some things that I will share with you all in the future. Today, I just want to Thank God for who he is in my life. He has blessed me with so many blessings that I cannot begin to thank him enough. Often times, he speaks to me through my children. Most of the time it's such a simply message but it is soooooo deep. Today, while doing my daughter's hair for school this is what she said: "Mom, last night I had trouble sleeping. So, I got on my knees and asked God to help me sleep. I finally fell asleep AND I had a good dream! God really does listen when we pray, huh?" I agreed and internally thanked God for speaking to me through my children once again :)

That really spoke to my heart this morning. It reminded me how God is ALWAYS there when we call. There's nothing too big or too small for him to handle. If we all had the heart of a child (pure, forgiving, open, non judgmental, honest) when we go to God with our issues we would be in awe by how quickly God would move on our behalf. I have no doubt that this simple message was meant for me as well as for all who read and meditate on this word.

~blessings to you

Easter 2011

This is just a quick post to add a few pics of my children from our Resurrection Weekend! It was quite hectic putting their outfits together, doing the girls' hair, attending play rehearsal (performing at church yesterday) and ripping and running during spring break. I will dish alllllll of the details and include a slideshow video of all of the "happs" from our wonderful weekend. I pray that your's was blessed. Here are a few pics for you to enjoy :)

Sooo busy! Where has the time gone?

Hello All! I just wanted to stop in to post something really quick. It's been a while since I was last here. This past weekend was super crazy busy. Friday we drove to MD/VA to see my parents and some good friends who flew in for the weekend from Vegas. Saturday morning we drove back to NC, my son had a football banquet and then later that day my hubby flew out to Europe for 2 weeks! Sunday I was exhausted and not feeling too well so I stayed home with the kids and got some much needed rest. I hadn't gotten in my exercise for the weekend so after getting the kids bathed, put to bed and their clothes ironed I hit the treadmill. I stayed on there for 1 hour and got my sweat on! I am unable to run, due to a knee injury... i tried to test it out but it was still unstable and very painful. I didn't let that stop me from moving forward. I powerwalked a 5k (3.1 miles) and then I did a little extra as a warm down since I still had 10 minutes to spare until I hit my hour mark. I burned 817 cals and felt sooooo good about what I had accomplished. Either tonight or tomorrow, I will complete week 7/ day 3 of the C25k. This morning, I awoke pain free!!!  Praise God for that. I thought i'd for sure be in pain after working out on the tread so late at night.

Anyway, life is good... just busy. I am working on my lines for the Easter Production we are doing at my church. I thank God for being casted in another production. It will be a lot of work and loooooong hours, especially since my hubby is away and the kids will be in tow with me. Prayerfully this week will breeze by and things will be back to normal very soon! Until next time.... God Bless!

New Youtube Channel... Hair Care for your daughters!

I am soooo super excited to announce the opening of a new hair blog and youtube channel started by a good friend and I.  We have chosen this new platform to showcase our daughters hair by offering advice, styles, techniques, tools, regimens, videos and etc... PLEASE stop by and take a look at all of the information we have made available to you all.  If you don't have daughters, please feel free to pass the information along to your friends or anyone you think will benefit from the information.  Thank you in advance for your support!




Blog: http://www.blessedcurlygurlz.blogspot.com
Youtube: http://www.youtube/user/blessedcurlygurlz.com

All is well...

Just a quick note to say that all is well...  I just completed and posted a new video showcasing my two daughters' natural hair journeys.  You can find it on my "video" page. I've been working hard on a new blog that a friend of mine & I have been working on.  It will be used as a platform to show how we care for our daughters' natural hair.  We will show styles, products, videos and etc... for all of the moms (and dads) to see.  We will also include some helpful tips and reply to all comments & questions.  Stay tuned for the opening of that.  I added a few more funny quotes on the "kids quotes/laughs" page.  Take a look at it when you get a moment. 

I remain consistant with my couch to 5k workout!!!  I am nearing the end of week 5 and I feel amazingly wonderful. Hubby and I have plans to run our very first 5k in July!!!  Stay tuned to hear about our progress.

I am happy to say that my eating habits have remained healthy!  I'm eating salads every day, working out 3 x's a week (6 miles) and drinking plenty of water and 100% natural juices.  I am continuing to count my calories and that has REALLY helped me to stay on top of things. 

That's all for now.  Be blessed!!!

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus...

~ Oh, for grace to trust Him more!  That's where my thoughts lie this morning.  This song came on in the van on my way to my childrens school and it truly spoke to my heart.  All throughout my workout this morning it continued to ring in my heart.  God, give me more grace to trust you more! 

Hubby is in Europe (Amsterdam/Netherlands) for the next week so it's me and the kiddos!!!  Joi had a wonderful birthday party this past Saturday with a mixture of classmates (old and new) and neighborhood friends.  She had a Hannah Montana Cake and they played until they couldn't play anymore :). 

My praise report for today is that I am yet continuing my couch 2 5k and I just completed Week 3/ Day 3!!!!!  Wednesday I begin week 4/ day 1..... this is really going to be a challenge but nothing is too hard for God!!!!

Church was exceptional this past Sunday and I am learning to trust God more and more :).  Well, that's all for now.  I'll attach a few pictures from Joi's birthday party. 

Still pressing...

Praise God for another day!  I am so blessed to be alive and in my right mind!  THANK YOU JESUS!!!  This morning the kids, hubby and I piled into the van and took hubby to work, then I took the kids to school.  While driving we each took turns praying out loud (as we routinely do) and the power of God met us in the midst of our prayers.  The kids are sooooo funny in that they now use there prayer time to lash out at each other in a round about way.  They say "Lord, please help Joshua to stop being mean.  Make him stop touching me, laughing at me, picking on me and licking his tongue!"  Josh will then pray and say "Lord make Joi stop lying on me!  Help her to brush her teeth longer because her breath stinks!"  LOL!!!!!!!!!  So funny!  We'll have to put an end to that soon before prayer time turns into discipline time :).

Well, hubby leaves for the Netherlands this weekend.  The kids are taking it "ok".  This time he'll be away for a shorter amount of time so hopefully it won't be as bad.  We have parent teacher conferences this week and the kids have early dismissals for the next 2 days.  Joi is celebrating her 7th birthday this weekend and we're currently finalizing plans for her party.  She'll have up to 15 kids in attendance and they will have a host of activities, pizza and cake to enjoy.  Immediately after the party Pat will catch his flight out :(. 

A quick update on the church happenings~~~  Bishop Murphy celebrated his 8th Pastoral Anniversary last Sunday.  Bishop Gary Oliver was our morning speaker and Bishop Eddie Long was our evening speaker.  The power of God moved mightily as Bishop Murphy released several things over our lives.  Some of those releases were: prosperity, peace, a millionaire ethic/mindset/mentality, wealth, health, signs/miracles/wonders, a stronger relationship with God, strengthened marriages, understanding of the apostolic order, the identifying of our spiritual gifts and the ability to use them for the kingdom... this list goes on and on.  Now it is up to us to develop a prayerful life so that we can walk in the newness of Christ and begin to see those releases manifest!  That is definitely my prayer!  I want everything God has for me.  I want to be blessed so that I can be a continual blessing to someone(s) else.  I praise God for who he is in my life and for where he has me at this time in my life.  He is just so awesome!

As I prepare to end this post for today I am mentally & physically preparing myself for my next workout today.  I am starting week 3 of my Couch 2 5k workout today!  YAY ME!!!!!!!!! I had some knee pain as I ended week 2 but God pulled me through.  I made some changes but I still managed to get one of my best workouts yet!  Praise God for that!  I am soooo proud of myself and the motivation, endurance and perseverance that God has given me thus far.  I'm getting stronger each day and the muscle tone in my legs have started to show a bit more :).  My eating habits have changed a bit as well.  I will post more about what I'm currently eating on my cooking page.  Well, until next time.... be blessed!

It's been a while...

Just wanted to stop in and post something since it's been forever since i've posted anything.  My hubby was away in China for 2 weeks and has since returned home safely.  Here are a few pics of the items he picked up for me and the kids:

Here are a few pics from all around Shanghai, China that he happened to capture:

Since he's been back I have just been extremely busy with kids.  This week is spirit week at their school and each day they have a different theme.  Yesterday was "Decade Day" and here is what they wore:

My daughter was a disco girl from the 70's and my son was Fonzie from the show "Happy Days" in the 70's.  They had tons of fun dressing up for this day.  Today was sports day so they are both wearing jerseys. 

Hmmm, let's see... I have recently started working out again.  YAY!!!!  I am doing the Couch to 5k program on my treadmill.  I successfully completed week 1 and started week 2 yesterday!  She far so good!  I have increased my speed and calorie burn already in week 2 and i'm feeling great!  Prayerfully this will continue as I strive to maintain/improve my health with the added bonus of weight loss :).  I've been eating pretty well for the most part.  I've upped my intake of 100% juice, cut back on carbonated beverages, incorporated weight bread and whole grain pasta... i am also eating more fruits and veggies and getting in plenty of water.  I would say that I am makeing strides in the right direction.  One day at a time... Well, that's all for now.  I'll be back soon. 

~blessings to you~