My life – Page 7

05/02

My life :: in a nutshell

So, there’s this blog challenge that I learned about today on Saturated Canary. It’s a blog everyday in May challenge that Jenni, from Story of My Life is leading us in. I’m one day behind already, but I’m not letting that deter me. I don’t plan on blogging every day, but maybe I’ll blog more than usual and maybe you’ll learn a little more (maybe too much?) about me. 😉 Click that little pic below to see the challenge and join in!

Day 1, ~~Wednesday~~ Thursday: The story of your life in 250 words or less

Here goes…

I’m a Floridian born and raised. When I got married we had brief stints in Savannah, GA and Raleigh, NC, but once I got pregnant, we came back to FL to be around family.

I’m from a family of 4 siblings (youngest brother wasn’t born yet in above pic) and was the baby of the family for 8.5 yrs…then my brother came along and ruined my fun. Haha..j/k. I loved having a baby brother to play mommy to. *fun fact…My sister is 9yrs older than I am and I am 9 yrs older than my brother. Then my other brother is thrown in the middle of my sister and I. He had fun torturing us as the middle child.

I’m the only one of my siblings that did not play a musical instrument in school. The piano was the only instrument I was interested in, but we couldn’t afford to buy one for the house, thus…nothing to practice on.

We moved to a neighboring city the summer before my senior year of HS. Since we moved to a different county, I had to change schools. I cried several days during the first few weeks of school and I’m pretty sure I made my mom feel terrible (being a mom, I imagine she must have spent some time feeling sad for me and maybe cried a few times herself). I’m not very outgoing, so making friends was (is) difficult. Thankfully I found a crazy New Yorker to befriend (another new girl) who was very outgoing so I piggybacked of her socialization. Her name was Katie too. Most people would ask Katie ____ or other Katie. I was “other Katie” every single time. Hey, I’m not going to complain. Without her, I would have been “who’s Katie?”. Plus, because of her and who she knew, I met my husband in HS. We wouldn’t meet up again and fall in love until 1.5 yrs later, but that was where we first met.

My twenties are a blur…Got married at 20, had babies at 22 and 25. Spent most of the decade learning how to be a wife and mother.

Now, I spend my time…being a wife & mom (toting kids to and from school/events, helping with homework, ~~making~~ ordering dinner, trying to be a good wife), addicted to social media (FB, twitter, pinterest, instagram), blogging about anything that’s on my mind, shopping (making up for lost years of not shopping because I didn’t like the way anything looked on me), taking pretty pictures, trying to stay fit & healthy, and working on figuring out who I am and what I want to do when I grow up.

Whoops…I didn’t count, but I’m pretty sure I went over 250. :oP

posted by katiehigg Leave a Comment
Filed Under: May Blog Challenge, My life, Personal Tagged: #BlogEveryDayInMay, may blog challenge, my life

04/17

Yep, big slacker over here…

I’ve been slacking just a teensy bit on blog posts. If you’ve been around for awhile, you’re probably not surprised. However, I always come back eventually. 😉

I have a few things to post about, but I’ll start with my March 365 round up. YES, I have actually stuck with my 365 pics and haven’t missed a single one so far. I don’t expect to make it to the end without missing a day or two (or three or four), but I’m ecstatic I haven’t missed one so far.

I did end up dropping the 365 1-sec video. It was super cool, but who am I kidding trying to do TWO 365’s?! I can barely keep up with one!!

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Filed Under: My life, ProjectLife365 Tagged: project life 365

03/04

February Recap :: Project Life 365

February was a bit of a whirlwind. I settled for just taking a picture each day instead of trying to keep up with the Project Life 365 photo prompts. My video version, had less success (missed about 10 days out of 28), but I mashed the video seconds together with pics for the days I missed. 🙂

February video (& pics) 365…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAbUPtLafv8&w=560&h=315]

How’s your 365 coming? Have you tried the video version via the One Second app?

posted by katiehigg Leave a Comment
Filed Under: My life, ProjectLife365 Tagged: project life 365

02/04

Project: Life

So, like I mentioned at the beginning of the year, I’m trying this whole 365 thing again. Maybe 3rd times a charm and I’ll make it all the way to the end or maybe I’ll make it a few months longer than last time. I have no expectations. I am trying really hard to keep it up though, even if most of my pics are boring, repetitive and non-creative. The point is to document daily life, right?! Some days are more exciting than others. 😉

I’m posting all of my 365 photos on my Instagram stream, so hit me up there if you want to keep up daily! You can find me here, katiehigg.

And because I’m crazy like that and apparently needed something else to keep up with, I’m trying my hand at 365 via video. There’s this cool app called One Second Everyday. It takes a second from every day and then mashes them together into a movie. I didn’t start until January 11th and I missed a few days already but, it’s super cool anyway. Check out month 1.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGfJQvMk6p8]

Music is Meghan Arias, “Have A Good Life”

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Filed Under: My life, ProjectLife365 Tagged: project life 365

01/24

Randoms on a Thursday…

:: I randomly start singing songs from Disney movies while I’m aimlessly perusing the internet…specifically Mulan.

It’s true. I have no idea why it happens. I’ve probably only watched it once in the past 8 yrs!

I start humming and before I know it, I’m singing, “please bring honor to us, please bring honor to us, please bring honor to us allllllll” I’ll admit…I’m weird. But Mulan is a pretty kick butt movie so I guess there are worst things I could hum.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWb7Rvvtblc&w=420&h=315]

:: My hubs got me these coolio bluetooth headphones for Christmas and it’s so awesome to be wireless!! I’ve worn them running and weight lifting. They rock and I love not having to deal with the cord. Plus, when you’re on a cardio machine, you can prop your phone up to watch a show without worrying about hitting the cord and knocking it down. 😉

:: I’ve been wanting to try avocado pudding for a few months now and I finally did it last night. I was a little leery. I mean, I love avocado, but as pudding? With chocolate? I was skeptical.

Buuut, I’m all about trying a freaky combination if it turns into a sinfully delicious tasting treat that happens to be good for me.

Ta da!!

Okay, so it looks kinda gross in this pic and the avocado didn’t puree as much as I wanted it to (hence that little yellow/green chunk sticking out), but it was pretty creamy and definitely tasty. I ate a little last night and then froze the rest in a popsicle mold. I have no idea if it will be good as a popsicle, but I figured it was worth a shot. Here’s the recipe I sorta used, http://foodnouveau.com/2012/10/recipes/desserts/luscious-chocolate-avocado-pudding/. Except I only had 1/2 of an avocado so I had to adjust the measurements and I wanted it to be vegan so I used almond milk. I also added a little bit of PB. Yum!!!

:: In almost exactly 2 months, my daughter and I will be jetting off to Paris! I am uber excited, but also starting to have panic attacks at the same time. I’m a bit of a worry wart and an OCD over thinker so the thought of everything that we need to remember to pack and the fast pace of the trip and the super long plane ride that I’m terrified of getting motion sickness during…omg…I’m going to throw up. Anywho, I heard about a countdown app this morning on the radio and I’m not sure if it will make it more exciting or more anxiety inducing, but it’s called Timenotes and it gives you a countdown to any big events you add to the calendar. It sounded kinda cool and since I’m super excited about my first trip out of the country, now that I’m typing it out, I’m worried (see, worry wart and over thinker) it isn’t a good idea to have it on my phone. However, if you AREN’T crazy like me, you might want to check it out. 😉

:: I decided I should probably cut back the coffee intake so I started drinking hot lemon & honey water in the morning thinking that it was just warmth I wanted in the morning, not specifically coffee.

Wrong.

After 2 days, I started craving coffee after I drank my lemon water so after taking the 2nd kiddo to school, I’ve been stopping by Starbucks. Not good….not good at all. I think I should switch it up and have coffee some days and lemon water other days b/c I definitely do NOT need to get Sbux every day. Not only is it bad for my wallet and sugar intake, but it causes me to skip breakfast and that’s not what I should be doing.

It is super yummy though and I have thoroughly enjoyed my last two morning lattes. 😉

[random #542] :: I’m trying to cut the animal products down where I can, so I finally got around to ordering this all natural, gluten-free, gmo free, vegan protein. It has a bit of a following on FB and everyone says it’s delicious. I just hope it lives up to my Jay Robb protein.

posted by katiehigg Leave a Comment
Filed Under: My life, Randoms, Recipe, Techie Tu/Thurs Tagged: avocado pudding, bluetooth headphones, countdown, jay robb protein, lemon water, lg tone wireless headphones, mulan, perfect fit protein, please bring honor to us, starbucks, taking a trip to paris

01/03

So long, 2012!

2012 was pretty good to me, but that doesn’t mean I’m not excited to see what 2013 has in store!

Highlights from 2012…

Finally made it to Las Vegas and as a bonus, took a helicopter ride into the Grand Canyon

Saw the musical, Wicked

Completed my longest race to date…10 miles!

Got a new ride

Had amazing seats for a USA soccer game

Swam with dolphins and stingrays

Things I could have done without in 2012…

3rd skin cancer found and cut out
my SIL losing someone she loves
science fair projects
a tropical depression raining out my Colbie Caillat/Train concert date with hubby & BIL/SIL

It was good while it lasted, but I say, bring on 2013! I’m not much for New Years resolutions, but I have a few things I’d like to work on this year.

Taking more pictures WITH my kids whether I’m camera ready or not and learn to appreciate them even if I don’t look the way I want to look in them. My goal is once a week.
Meal plan more! It’s not healthy to eat out as often as we do. Even though I try to choose wisely, I know it would be better for my health and wallet if we ate at home more often.
I want to de-clutter my head and home because as much as I’m a clutterbug and tend to stack things everywhere, it makes me a happier mommy when it’s all straightened and organized
I’m trying the 365 thing again this year, but I’m not holding my breath on making it to the end. I’ll see how far I can make it this time though. Who knows, maybe the third times a charm! I’m following along with ProjectLife365 and posting to my Instagram account. Click my face on the right side of the blog to get to my Instagram profile! 🙂

Okay, your turn!! Tell me the good and bad of 2012 and something you want to work on for the upcoming year. Let’s rock 2013!

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Filed Under: My life, ProjectLife365

08/28

Meal Planning should not be this hard!

Why oh why is meal planning so difficult for me? Please tell me I’m not alone in this struggle.

Really…

tell me…

pretty please…

*sigh* Okay, maybe I am alone after all. At least that’s how it feels. In my head, I know that it’s as simple as picking something out and buying the items you need to make it. I mean, I see people (online) do it all the time. They even do a month at a time! A month! I don’t even know what I want to eat on Tuesday. How do I know what I’ll be in the mood for three Tuesdays from now.

Let’s just tell it like it is. In reality, I over think this whole meal planning thing to D.E.A.T.H. Like, chop it’s head off, bake it, grill it, sauté it, then run it over with my car. It’s my inability to make a decision that causes this over thinking. I tell my husband that it’s a good thing I got married when I was young and carefree because they way I over think something as simple as meal planning, I don’t think I’d ever be able to decide who/when to get married!

If knowing what the problem is, is half the battle, then why the heck isn’t it any easier?! I know that I just need to make a decision, but I find something wrong with every recipe. It’s too fatty…next…the kids won’t like it…next…too complex…next…too simple…next…yuck, I don’t like mushrooms, peppers, carrots, etc….next, next, next!!!!

However, the flip side of not being able to meal plan is that it causes us to eat out or scrape together meals at home that are quite possibly worse than if I would have just made a decision and prepared a meal in the first place!

It’s a vicious cycle.

So, I am trying my hand at meal planning again. And when I say trying my hand, I actually mean, I spent hours searching for the perfect print your own meal planning sheet, but couldn’t find one. Then I decided to make one.

Open Photoshop…spend an hour creating a so-so meal plan sheet…print it out…now it’s time to actually eat so I have to stop meal planning and figure out what we’re going to eat.

vicious.cycle.

K, so I’ve got my meal plan sheet. I WILL plan some meals. Maybe only 2 or 3, but a girls gotta start somewhere, right?

Here’s my weekly meal plan I made. I’m sure I’ll hate it in a week or so. Heck, there’s stuff I would change about it now. But sometimes I have to stop myself from over thinking and just leave it be.

Click this link to download the PDF

Just to make a point of how insane I make myself, a FB friend said she just planned a month of dinners using her iPad and iPhone with the menu-planner app.

I immediately downloaded it.

Head – meet – desk. O_o

What was I thinking?!

posted by katiehigg Leave a Comment
Filed Under: My life, Nutrition Tagged: meal planning

08/27

Off the wagon…

Hmmm, let’s see how many things I can drop the ball on…eating healthy, 365 project, LiveFit, one hundred push ups, running, sugar consumption…I’m sure there are more, but these are the ones I can think of right now. I’d say I’ve fallen a bit off the wagon.

It’s a new day though. I’m gonna pick myself up, dust myself off and do better. I had already decided to let go of LiveFit. I wanted to train for a run and I didn’t want such a regimented weight training workout. Plus, being summer time, I’m not able to get to the gym much. I also think I’ve pretty much screwed my 366. Miss a couple days…no biggie. Miss a week or two…no biggie. Miss more days than I can count…366 officially dead.

Alrighty then, enough about how much I suck. How about let’s move on, make new goals and focus on what I’ve been doing lately that makes me happy!

New goals…

start my 100 push ups over again.

continue my race training (thanks to having a race deadline that makes me stick to running even if I’ve slacked in my training slightly)

eat healthier and get back on a gym schedule

detox on sugar AGAIN!

Things that I’ve done lately that make me happy…

Ran a 5k with my whole family (daddy too, he’s just not in the pic). It was my 9yo’s first 5k ever and he did awesome!

Swam with dolphins…

Had a fun day with the kids at the water park

Got a new bathing suit and quite possibly have a little bit of abs showing through (although that was before dropping the ball and you’d be surprised at how fast that tummy bloats when you stop being good!).

Got the first week of school behind us and I’ve been doing well making lunches so far…

Yeah, yeah, I know it’s only been a week, but I’m focusing on the good here! Hello! No debbie downers, got it?!

How about you all…have you screwed up lately? Slacked on your training? Haven’t been eating as healthy as you should have been? You are not alone!

posted by katiehigg Leave a Comment
Filed Under: 366, Inspiration, LiveFit, Monday Motivation, My life, one hundred push ups

08/24

Back to School!

Yep, it’s the end of the first week back to school for us. It’s been SO crazy around here. Between getting last minute things done before school started, getting used to a new routine and school and then getting supply lists from teachers that apparently expect supplies to still be possible to get this week. *note to teachers – we need at least a week to get supplies in b/c in case you haven’t been around for the last 20 yrs, those effing 3-prong pocket folders are pretty much impossible to find a week before school starts, much less trying to find them AFTER school starts.

I have to admit that my first morning/day went a little like this…

However, our first afternoon/evening was not so awesome. Long story, short, it was a monsoon during pick up time, I had no idea what I was doing at a new school and everyone else and their mother were having the same issues. It took me 1.5 hrs to pick my daughter up. Not what I expected at all. Finally got home close to 6pm, had to fill out that ridiculous new school year paperwork where I have to write my ridiculously long name over and over again, then get the kids to bed and do it all over again the next day. Yay! Tuesday afternoon went much better and we’ve been easing into our routine more throughout the week. I can’t say that I love getting up 2 hrs earlier than I used to, but the quiet mornings with my girl, drinking my coffee and making lunches, definitely has it’s plus side.

Here are my seriously adorable kids on their first day. I was a bit sad that I didn’t get a picture of them together and hoped to get it after school, but that didn’t happen.

How handsome is my boy in his vest?! He saw this vest and shirt while school shopping and he fell in love with it. He had to have it for his 1st day of school outfit.

I was thinking before school started about what our “back to school” traditions are. I think it’s pretty similar to what most moms do. Most of the school year I don’t make a hot breakfast for them. I know, terrible, right?! Whatever. The only thing they would really want is pigs in a blanket (biscuit wrapped mini sausages) and how many days in a row can you really eat those?! So, on the first day of school, I make a special breakfast. It’s usually pigs in a blanket (because that’s what they request) with fresh fruit or something of the like. They get dressed in their first day outfit and we take pics. Then daddy & I take them to school! This year was different and that kinda made me sad. I got up early with my middle schooler, did the whole breakfast thing, took her pics and then daddy took her to school. 🙁 I haven’t not been there on the first day of school EVER. Ever since my girl started preschool when she was TWO, the hubs & I took them to school on their first day. *sigh* Things are a changing. They are growing up faster than I realize and will be off to college before I can blink!

What about you? Do you have any special “back to school” traditions? Do you do something similar to me?

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Filed Under: My life, Personal

07/12

May 366

Holy geez. It took awhile to organize May b/c I started slacking off apparently. I missed a handful of days and there were a couple of days that were total crap pics, but oh well. FWIW, here’s my May in a nutshell…

• Mother’s Day brunch with my girl