"Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did."

During the summer is usually my "easier time of life" we're still busy but obv less busy than normal. This week felt like a "typical fall week". With doctors appointments, dance camps, workshops, school meetings, two full boot camps, clients, and not missing my own workouts and goals, it was a bit of a hectic week. Yesterday alone my day started with 5:30 am workout, drop offs, having 5 boys all day ages 7,5,5,5, and 19 months and ended around 9pm after teaching back to back boot camps. ALL things I have been blessed with and truly enjoy doing, but I was still beat to the bone! My day today started off busy but ended with some shopping and involved purchasing two new pairs of shoes... After an ultimate super mommy week I said to myself I am paid in love, there is no greater gift... Okay I am paid in love and shoes :)




Then I went on to watch my daughters awesome dance routines from her week at dance, taking another step for my program at school in the fall, AND a NAPPPPPP, a glorious, nice, uninterupted NAP -  which was like heaven and so needed. This week has been wonderful - full of all positive productive things - I'm just a little tired from the constant productivity - in other words - I desperately need a lazy day!! Hoping Sunday can make that happen!

Progress has been great, I feel harder/tighter this week and my workouts have def hit a better level leaving me super sore all week which may have added a bit to the fatigue, but I worked it out! The scale didn't move this week, and I would love to take the time to focus on writing and sharing about the importance of the scale not being the only deciding factor in progress because this is a great subject, but to be quite frank, I don't have it in me to go off on a subject, but its a message I like to drill quite often. I will touch a little on how weight looks differently with muscle, but I'm still quite tired, have a list of client emails I need to get to and looking forward to another busy day and friends wedding tomorrow, so this will be a short update of a blog.

I will say that this morning was quite a pleasant surprise in terms of my own progress in physique changes... I had planned for the wedding tomorrow to wear a formal dress already in my closet. A- because I have many, B- this is a group that I have never been to a wedding with and we attended like 3 or 4 wedding last year so I figured one would work, and C- I honestly was too exhausted to shop. To my surprise and delight... I tired on all of my dresses - some of which only fit in the summer when I tend to be leaner and they were TOO BIG! Either material ruffling up, big pockets on the side, or falling off up top! I was shocked. It is nice when your focus becomes just being healthy and staying in shape and you don't even realize you are hitting new goals in the process. I then tried on my testament of truth. That one piece of clothing we all have. It only fits when we are at a certain size and its usually very old. We keep just to see if we just fit into it. This particular item is a one piece skort outfit from express I bought it Freshmen year of high school!! I was a whopping 14 years old! Now my goal is not to have my 14 year old body... however I haven't really grown since then so essentially its a guide. Its a size 1/2 - which I'm not generally a "size person" because I really think every brand store is different and it doesn't matter. The fact is I've had it since high school so its my center of reason for small size on my frame. Put it on this morning in my midst of my own little fashion show and it fit!! FELT GREAT!! As exhausted as I may be, I know I've been able to keep my goals and fitness strong even with all of my craziness in life. To every Mom who thinks they cant, who thinks they're too busy, who thinks they'll wait until their kids get older, I'm telling you now.. DO IT NOW. We can give and give and give. We can work, we can clean, we can love unconditionally... but you DESERVE some of your own attention. It will give you more energy and positivity to work with, trust me your kids will thank you :) and SO will your man! And speaking of men, my husband hit a pretty big trying on marker of his own. As I mentioned we have a wedding tomorrow, and he has various suits for various weights in his closet. His favorite suit however he purchase back in 2003 when we went on our first cruise to Bermuda, its a nice pin stripped suit, crisp clean and so handsome. He's not been able to fit into it for quite sometime but has always kept it, hoping someday he would be able to.



Well he tried it on this morning and it fit!! He was very excited and I am proud of him sticking to his goal as well!! Healthy rounds all around :)

So quick little food idea. I love it, my clients love it, and its always great to have ideas. This one came courtesy of when I took Jenny Hendershots Phat Camp last year : http://www.getphatwithjen.com/
which was phenomenal by the way and I highly recommend it! I believe she is coming back to Boston in October! I love deviled eggs and this is kind of a spin on that. Boil your eggs, take the yolks out and spoon hummus back in to fill. Great high protein, clean snack!! I use roasted red pepper hummus DELISH!!



Hope everyone stays on track and has a wonderful weekend!!

BEYOND REASON

Some people simply refuse to accept limits or listen to conventional wisdom. Instead of merely existing in history, they have the daring and courage to change it. Their drive takes them beyond the ordinary, and their sense of purpose propels them far beyond the boundaries of reason. At Oakley, that spirit infuses everything we do. For Oakley athlete Lolo Jones it's putting 12 years of work into 12 seconds of hurdles. BEYOND REASON.

Some people cannot understand our fascination with athletes. And that's perfectly fine, I get if its not your thing, its not your thing. But APPLY this mentality to ANYTHING in life. You want to purchase a home and it takes you 12 years to save, and scrape and sacrifice to do so. You want your PHD, and you struggle and study, take school loan after school loan to get it. You want to own your own business, you build it from scratch. Year upon year of not paying yourself, up late nights, work your tail off and it succeeds. You want to start a family. You want to MAKE a difference. You want a better position at work. You want a better life. WHATEVER it is, you have to be willing to be relentless and WORK for it. People who do great things are not lucky, nor are they simply blessed. They have failed, and they have had tough ties just like anyone else. Many have wanted to quit, some HAVE quit. But that is where the fascination lies. There is something SPECIAL about their ability to dig down and accomplish. I know many will say well what about the single Mom who digs down? What about the woman with cancer who was able to dig down? What about the child raised from drug addicts that was able to dig down? And what about the teen Mom that was able to dig down? Those people inspire me too! Every point in your life YOU have power, ONLY you. Everyone pity's the weak, I don't want pity. Jealousy is earned! I don't want jealousy either. I just want like this video expresses that feeling FOR MYSELF - overcoming doubt and accomplishing what you need to accomplish and finding that JOY WITHIN.  I thrive off that!

I realize my message is fitness based BECAUSE that is what I do. However it applies EVERYWHERE in life and that is why I find it so inspiring. You would not believe the emotion and struggles I deal with in this industry working with clients. Its why I have such passion for what I do, and why I am good at what I do, because I truly care. I SEE first hand that something that seems so straight forward and simple - Workout 4 days a week and eat healthy - is not so simple. There's so much EMOTION attached to food and your body image. There's emotion attached to your genetics, and your body's make-up. There's vulnerability attached to your confidence, your goals. Fitness is so much more than just workout 4 days a week and eat healthy - IT IS NOT so simple. And I find when I'm challenging myself a little more, I too am reminded how MENTAL this is more than physical. How your mindset plays the MOST important ROLE.

So without further rambling because I'm having an extremly busy and inspired day, I will do my own personal log.

Sunday I had a cheat day - more so just a few off hours but it was due with progress. The one thing I do like about cheating is just not having to THINK about my food so much. But one thing I hate about cheating is after consistently eating clean for a period of time, greasy fatty food makes me soooooo sick to my stomach. Without giving TMI (too late its coming) - "cheat food" goes RIGHT through me. Its really putting a dark cloud on the whole cheating experience for me. Who wants to enjoy one hour of fun food to be sick and in the bathroom for the next 4 hours? YUCK no fun! And I also don't feel like my cheat meal is doing its purpose of re feeding me and filling me up if I'm dehydrated, drained, and sick following it. So I'm thinking I may have to replan my cheat meal planning. I may just have to up carbs for the day instead and stay away from excess fat or totally off plan foods. A "typical cleaner refeed" day instead. I'm ok with that, bagels make me just as happy :) And you know what never makes me sick? Wine. Wine never makes me sick ;)

Workouts have been great and cardio intervals have been challenging me like no other!! I've missed training like this!! Prepping food has made my life SO much easier! Again I haven't been as fun in the kitchen with variety but for simplicity and consistency its working!! In your spare time ;) try this interval program on the treadmill! Fun times! And for those who feel self conscious walking backwards on the treadmill to that I say... get over it. Step outside your comfort zone. Your tush will thank you!!  At first people may stare but when you are getting into better and better shape I guarantee you will then see "followers". Its so true. At first people ask WHY you do something? And then when you get results they ask HOW you do it?

**And one last honest somewhat funny note... whoever said beauty knows no pain has never worn the wrong cute underwear vs. the comfy underwear to the gym while doing this program!*** NOT FUN!

And today I'm off to a CUPCAKE workshop with the kids!!! Not once lick of frosting shall enter this mouth... not one lick of frosting shall enter this mouth... not one lick of frosting shall enter this mouth!

Sprinters abs!!

TWO BAD DAYS on the weekend can ERASE 5 good days of progress, REMEMBER THAT! If you are trying to maintain, then that balance may work for you. But if fat loss is your goal you will be caught like a hamster in a wheel, never progressing because the damage the weekend brings is erasing the hard work you put in over the week. Stay consistent and opt for a nice TREAT meal at the end of the week. A 3 hour span of freedom. A break mentally and physically from your goals. Its a reward for you to earn, a treat for you, and a turning point to get right back on track for the next week and new goals.

Yesterdays log: I decided I needed to get some sleep since I'd been waking at 5:00am all week so I did not opt for am cardio. I lounged in bed a little and just relaxed with the kids. Sometimes this is good, but sometimes it just makes it harder for me to get motivated. I ate breakfast later than normal and I played around on the internet. It was going to be a hot sunny day so I seriously was debating the gym. I planned to get it in early and pool it the rest of the day but I was being lazy. I was watching Olympics clips with the kids and after watching this one of Gabby Douglas I really wanted to go to the gym!!

Athletes have always been inspiring to me. Their determination, their work ethic, their heart... it just motivates me watching them! Who can watch such strength, confidence, beauty and poise from a CHILD and not be motivated?!?! So up and off I went with my day and it was a GREAT ONE!

Ironic while doing intervals on the treadmill guess who happened to be on the TV screen in front of me???

Ms. Ripped Ross with etched out abs running her heart out!! Coincidence? I think not! Total Olympic Motivation #2 of the day!

I hate running!! Not gonna lie, but I did my interval session like a good girl and I liked it! Ok I liked how I felt after completing it, but I did not LIKE IT ;)

If you wanna try it! Love training like this: focused and done and changing it up so often makes it go by faster.

This workout was given by http://www.mikedaviesfitness.com/ My old fitness trainer when I competed. Even though I'm not training for a show I'm just training for my own accomplishment I still like to PUSH myself!!

Instructions:  This program is done on the treadmill and contains three
different intervals involving walking, lunges on the treadmill, and
running.

WARM-UP:  EFX at a moderate pace for 10 minutes

INTERVAL :  Set the treadmill at a 2% incline at a speed of 3.6+ and walk
for two minutes.  Back the speed down to 2.0 or less and lunge on the
treadmill for one minute.  Immediately up the speed to 6.0+ and run for two
minutes.  At the conclusion of the run up the incline by 2 to 3% and
repeat the cycle adjusting the speeds for each section the same.

INTERVAL BREAKDOWN

INTERVAL         TIME
ADJUST INCLINE to 2%
Walk         0:00-2:00
Lunge         2:00-3:00
Run         3:00-5:00
ADJUST INCLINE to 5% - I chose at my level of conditioning to leave the incline at 5% but you could continue to increase with each cycle if you are ready.
Walk         5:00-7:00
Lunge         7:00-8:00
Run         8:00-10:00
ADJUST INCLINE to 5%
Walk        10:00-12:00
Lunge        12:00-13:00
Run        13:00-15:00
ADJUST INCLINE to 5%
Walk        15:00-17:00
Lunge        17:00-18:00
Run        18:00-20:00
ADJUST INCLINE to 5%
Walk        20:00-22:00
Lunge        22:00-23:00
Run         23:00-25:00
Cool down - Walk 3.6 for 10 minutes.

**Favorite meal of the day... 2 oz flank steak, 3oz chicken, roasted red pepper hummus on the chicken and 1 tbs tabouli on the steak and a boat load of asparagus and green beans sauteed... YUM!!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!! And can enjoy some of this beautiful hot summer sun!! Stay fit, healthy, happy, and real :)

**Progress tracking, I am down 1.8 lbs since Tuesday**

"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." (Ancient Chinese Proverb)

HAPPY THURSDAY!! One more day to the weekend always makes me happy :) Today was great! Started off with am cardio and ab work with a girlfriend, sweating it out while girl chatting always seems to make it so much easier. Time flies! All my food being prepped is I will admit a little boring with variety, but I just find myself not having to think AT ALL about what I'm going to eat or prepare or bring. Definitely puts some ease into eating cleaner. Took the kids to a fun educational workshop today. It was a Fossil dig! They got these cool little kits of "rocks" with 4 actual fossils inside. They had to dig, scrape and find the fossils and dust them off and identify them matching them to the cards and descriptions that came with the kit. It was very cute! They were little paleontologists for the day!! They loved it... Honestly I did too!

Right after our Fossil Dig I came out into the car and wolfed down my next meal preparing myself for the next treat for the kids of the day. A trip to Friendly's!! Now normally the Nines or somewhere with halfway decent healthy food, I could have manipulated my meal there at the restaurant to fit. But honestly something "healthy from Friendlys" did not sound appealing at all. Honestly Friendlys in and of itself does not really appeal to me much at all, but the kids are obsessed... so whats a Mom to do? So I ate in the car my packed meal, knowing I wouldnt eat there. Makes sense anyway, wrangling three kids in a restaurant - coloring, playing games, making ketchup bulls eyes, picking meals, cutting food, trips to the bathroom, I'm lucky if I get to focus on my food anyway, so it works good with me not eating. Less stress actually since I'm solely fixated on them. Less stress is relative - boys and indoor voices are a working progress.

I did however treat myself to a nice refreshing beverage to enjoy while I watched them pound quesadillas and ice cream. I will say a few weeks ago I did "indulge" and get a quesadilla at Friendlys with them and was sick so badly to my stomach for about 8 hours! It was miserable, too much grease and excess fat hurt my belly bad. So honestly there was no hard feelings about not eating. My "treat" today was my venti unsweetened iced green tea. I don't drink coffee, so this tea is just my little treat that I love. Its refreshing, it keeps my mouth "occupied" and green tea has many health benefits. 

Click here to read more:  http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm

The entire day (and my clients can vouch for this) :) I answer emails and texts regarding programs in between my madness. This evening I chatted with an online client who is doing great!! You guys seriously motivate me!! I know everyone's journey is different and to see you all fighting for it despite your struggles makes my heart happy and is SO rewarding I cant even begin to express! 

• This client is already down 9 lbs 
• lost 1.5 in her Bust 
• lost 2.5 in her waist
• Lost 1 in her Abdomen
• Lost 2 1/4in her Hips
• Lost 1 inch in each leg
• Lost 1.5 in her arm

I finished the day off with some much needed housework, laundry, and family time chilling outside... 

I LOVE SUMMER NIGHTS!!

August FIRST!!!

The first day of August is so very bitter /sweet. I love the first of the month just feels so FRESH and renewing - sweet. I do however dislike the first of the month because it means bill time - bitter. Add to today a trip to the dentist - who do I make the check out to? And a trip to Lowe's for a new washing machine because ours decided to die the night before we were going away (perfect timing). The good news I learned about Loews - they deliver for free and they haul away the old one for free - best news I heard all day! I also went to a fun/ice cream center with the kids as Bryce's reward for the dentist and I FORGOT my coupons!! Seriously I have like 9 coupons to this place and didn't bring one - another bitter. So today was a lack luster start of August. HOWEVER, I may be a little bitter as well because we just got back from a great trip away and back to reality no matter how sweet it is always leaves me a little sober when I'm drunk off vacation. Yes, I'm on summer vacation with the kids and I am beyond blessed to have the summer with them, but its just not the same as vacation vacation - ahhhhh so nice! Having my hubby home is the best!

Anywho AUGUST FIRST = GOALS. I'm going to set a blog one for myself that ties into fitness. As the month of August I have two boot camp sessions that are full!! Several online clients, and a handful of in home clients I stay on top of fitness correspondence anyway. One thing I do miss about competing is in the fitness world many would keep fitness journals of their fitness preps, myself included. It was a great outlet. A dear Diary if you will to share your journey. Your ups, your downs, your diet confessions, your workouts, your day etc. It was as I said, a great way to both interact, get encouragement, encourage, and stay accountable to your goals with like minded individuals. Because that can be time consuming interacting too much, my goal for the month of August is to "journal" if you will, here at my blog. Some days will be short and sweet, some days will be vents/check ins/confessions. If you want to follow along please subscribe to my blog as I see hundreds and hundreds of views but realize many are not subscribed, and I wont be posting links to facebook each entry as its only for those interested in following. Also if you are subscribed and following you can comment/ask questions etc.

So AUGUST FIRST - my check in. I have been living the healthy fit, eating mostly clean lifestyle now with balance for about two years. Balance of staying dedicated to the gym and my workouts, encouraging my clients by setting an example. And eating clean about 80% of the time and still indulging in treats here and there and during the summer winnnnneeeeeee. I've mentioned before your plan needs to align with your goals. Its cyclical for me depending on events/holidays and with the summer I have been equally as focused on fitness as I have been on wine because its my balance. I have extra time to work out and I have extra time to drink wine :) Therefore my physique goals have been simply feel good in a bikini, be healthy - nothing more, nothing less.

NOW - August first comes and I feel a smiggen of this pressure coming over me, and I'm trying my best to not let it get to me. We still have plenty of summer left but I have a LIST of things in my head that need to be done before August 27th (the night before the kids first day of school). I REFUSE to stress too much so I'm also using this fitness journal blog as an outlet to focus on my peace and not the million things I need to do.  In my head the thoughts are swimming... I have almost 25 clients this month to take care of. I'm not use to being so busy in the summer months - ZERO complaints because this is great! Business has been expanding but I'm making sure I have it under control. We have dance camp, school shopping, my own school orientation, educational/fun workshops, playdates,getting my schedule set for fall, a cast coming off, a wedding, a baby boy with a cut still trying to heal. And then at the end of the month we're celebrating my 30th birthday a couple weeks early with a fun night/day in Foxwoods. These are all great things!! Not a negative among them (well except my boo boo boy) I just feel that "pressure" a little of August first.

So my fitness goals - there's 80% clean and focused and then there 100% clean and focused for competing - I'm trying to find about 93% to be completely honest for the next few weeks. Just my own little personal goal, my own little challenge. I want to challenge myself NOW while I can before school starts and that will be my focus.So I've stepped up my dedication a bit in the gym and I've cleaned up the nutrition a bit too - after our trip to Ben and Jerry's of course. And suddenly I remember the DIFFERENCE between 80% and even 90 % never mind 100%. THERE IS A BIGGGGG DIFFERENCE. No more nibbles here and there, even less processed convenient things. HOLY COW it makes your metabolism CRAZY!! 45 minutes on a preset interval program on the stairs is NOTHING compared to a real old fashion change the levels by yourself challenging interval HIIT session... holy sweat buckets and OUCH - kicked my butt but felt SOOOO good!!! And serious question - WHO THE HELL can do level 20 on the stairs?!?! Seriously!! Unless you're 6 feet tall or an olympic athlete it seems damn near impossible! Oh wait let me add WITHOUT breaking out all of your teeth falling. The highest I've hit this week was 15 and I was running on the stairs and legit a little scared for my life! INTENSE! But it was the push and jump I needed.

So my goal for AUGUST - to lose one lb of body fat per week. I know doesn't sound aggressive at all. but one pound of PURE fat, not muscle not water. 4 lbs of fat over the month. At the stage I'm at that's all I want or am willing to fight for at the moment, while keeping some balance. I may not be able to tell by the scale, I may not be able to tell by getting my body fat tested but I will be able to tell by my abs. pics don't lie.

So here is my starting pic taken today - lets see what 4 weeks can do :)



I actually technically started on July 31st - because we got back home and I was ready to start but I'm really still to be 100% getting onto plan 100%. You know you are eating cleaner when weird things you would NEVER touch all of a sudden are SOOOOO appealing!! Today I was STARVING - and I eat SEVERAL times a day!! PLENTY OF FOOD - just need to crush my cravings and get use to this - I opened Bryce's chocolate pudding and licked the cover! WHY?! I dont know couldnt tell you. I havent eaten pudding since I was a kid, nor ever had a desire to but I'll tell you - it was DELICIOUS! That's all I had a lick  - I apparently enjoy torturing myself! Later that day Bryce didnt finish his SMORE poptart - damn kid - eats my rice cakes when he smore pop tarts and then has the NERVE not to finish it. I'd be lying if I didnt say I took off the top quarter of the poptart before throwing it away and it was soooooo good!! SMORE poptarts are the damn devil. And last little nibble of the day - I came upstairs to charge my phone and get ready for the gym and what did my husband leave out?!?! An open bag of sour cream and onion chips? So I popped a few before closing them up and putting them away. There - my nibble confessions for the day!! But my food is prepped, measured, and I did great the rest of the day and finished this evening off with a great workout. I feel my fire coming back. I just need to cut the nibble crap. I'm a fan of if I'm hungry I'll just eat more healthy food, not nibble on nonsense. A cheat is a cheat - scheduled allowed and guilt free - those little nibbles do nothing but mess with your head and willpower.

So here we go to August FIRST - MORE SUN, FUN, SUCCESS, and FOCUS!!

SUMMER MOMMY is the nicest Mommy :)

Staying home with your children in the summer and not spending a fortune occupying them can be a bigger task to tackle than many will realize. I thought as my children got older they would probably more enjoy some fum summer camps to keep them busy. I love spending time with them but assumed after too much time I would hear "I'm bored" all summer or I would look for alone time myself. Turns out I'm kinda a fun Mom because they love being home and my oldest daughter even REQUESTED not doing a two week camp she was signed up for and her month summer extracurricular so she could be home with us all summer! Gotta say that makes my heart skip a beat to know my kids love being with us :) And I LOVE having them HOME!

I look at summers as cherished cherished times and LOVE being able to spend them with my children and create memories that will last forever. HOWEVER, everything nowadays is SO expensive. Just a trip to the movies for a family of five can EASILY run over $80 and that's on the conservative side. So after summers upon summers of always feeling like I'm playing catchup with finances from added spending, I think I finally have it down. So here are some mommy tips to help save and still have fun.

#1- and this was actually a tip taught by my madre (she is very old school and frugal with finances and believes strongly in the pay yourself first rule) - Set up a small savings account at the beginning of the year to be deposited into your checking account the first of July as extra summer spending $$. Depending on how much you can afford to have pulled directly out of your check will determine your extra spending cash, but even if its as little as $50 a week, having it pulled directly out of your check you don't have to make a conscious effort and even that would mean at least $1200 deposited into your checking for some extra cash for day trips/etc. It feels really good to say ok we have a budget for Fourth of July weekend - what shall we do? Instead of I just paid all the bills - we don't have any extra right now to do anything this weekend. Then in July that savings account withdrawal switches over to a Christmas account - see how easy that makes it?

#2 - Use living social/ groupon/ daily deal sites like this! We have been on boat cruises, to water parks, to kids shows, to dinner, away for weekends all at VERY VERY discounted prices using these sites. Up to 60% off sometimes. I figure if you plan to do something anyway why not do it discounted and often you find places to go you would have never heard about without these deals. Its a win win

#3 - Take advantage of Library Passes to museums - our Library has passes to so many different museums in Boston, Aquarium, play places. It makes a big difference when you're talking HALF off admission. We went to the Science Museum on Memorial day and instead of $19 per person X 5 - we paid $7 per person with library passes - THAT'S almost a $50 saving, just for reserving, planning, and picking up a pass!

#4 - PACK LUNCHES - wherever you go! Not only is most food out complete and pure junk but it is incredibly expensive junk!! This saves you so much over the course of the summer.

#5 - Find free places to go - Boston has a Free Friday events program all summer - with free events throughout the city - zoos, museums, etc TAKE advantage of that. Chunky's does a little movie lunch date - its an older movie but the movie is free as long as you buy snacks. There is a kids bowl for free coupon online you enter your info and the kids get FREE bowling tickets 2 games a day all summer! LOOK for these deals!! There's a lot out there and they save!! 

#6- Find free water play - There are so many little lakes/parks/water sprinkler areas that are free and so much fun for kids! And others that are not priced badly for a full day of activities! Some of my favs! Well my favorite water places that are safe, not to packed and offer like playgrounds/picnic areas as well not in any order 1. Patuckaway - up in NH its a lake and playground area super cute. 2. Veteran's Memorial Park - in Dracut - its not for swimming actually its a water sprinkler/spray park the kids love - good for all ages with a walking path/baseball fields/park and then the spray area. (FREE) 3. The American Legion in Georgetown. There's a small lake/beachy area + a nice playground area with tire swings/zip lines/swings and baseball fields and everything. There's shady areas too which is nice (FREE). 4. Spring Brook Park in Bedford is really cool too and is great with kids of all ages because its man made so it doesn't drop off at all but there's a big slide for older kids and shade, basketball hoops, a huge water sprayer area/swings they even have grills there etc. 

#7 - Get season passes - they may seem like more of a chunk of change at first but they really do make sense and save $$. Prior to moving to out new house we live in now with a pool we had season passes to Water Country. We made our $$ back in two visits and it was nce to be able to go anytime we wanted pack a lunch and never have to reach into our wallet once all summer for this fun treat once the passes were purchased.  

#8 - Keep it Simple, but fun. The best gift we can give our children is enthusiasm and that doesn't cost a penny! Keep it simple, but creative and fun. Family movie night with snacks and snuggled up on the couch are one of their favs. Playing restaurant complete with menus and accents is better than any restaurant I could ever bring them too. Family camp out night (when we all have a pj "party" and sleepover in the same room). Family fires and s'more nights ROCK. Family art nights/game nights all free free free. And we really realized this year with our summer vacation, we were taught a valuable lesson. Usually we rent a house in a popular more touristy part of New England, not for any reason other than we think that's the best places to go and we're close to things - what "things" I'm not really sure because we go to relax and enjoy summer and family time. Being in those locations makes it more expensive. THIS summer my older brother who lives down south was in charge of renting our lake house and he found this tucked away gem by Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire. It ended up being less expensive than we usually have because it was in the woods and not close to a city, but it was just what we wanted. It had all the amenities. On a beautiful lake, fire pit, its own golf cart, huge rolling hill yard, game room, air hockey table, horeshoes, a boat house with kayaks, canoes, a sail boat, floats, a dock, fishing poles, hammock, everything we wanted and more. It was HANDS down one of the best vacations we have EVER been on and one of the least expensive! Really made me appreciate my older brother for not thinking of "the hot spots" but more of what we all wanted and what the kids and everyone would like. It was perfect.

#9 - Find workshops that are free and or inexpensive. There is a new store in our area called Noggin Works http://www.facebook.com/thenogginworks it is awesome!! We signed up for 8 workshops over the course of the summer and they're all fun educational workshops for the kids. The first one we did was a Science Lab. They learned all about polymers and acidity and they actually had so much fun doing it! The workshops are only $5 per child and they got take home goodies as well. Our next one is FOSSIL DIG! Can't wait. The library has workshops/storytimes/and craft times all free as well. 

#10 - Cut coupons/ find kids eat free nights! I am always on the hunt for buy one go kart get one free or Spend $25 at Friendly's get $10 off. These little amounts help if you're out and about a lot. Michael's has Kids night, The Ninety Nine kids eat free after the Red Sox Win, And Friendly's kids meal are only $1.99 all day on Wednesdays, I believe IHOP has a kids night as well. With three kids this SAVES!

#11 - Offer to babysit for working Moms. If you like children and their children get along with your children this can be a great thing!! We have just taken on a friends kids one day a week, my children look forward to it SO much and so do I. I LOVE having a house yard full of kids so this is a FUN day for us and the little extra $$ pays for another fun activity for the week. Its a win win!

#12 - Use group rates. If you have a group of friends and want to go somewhere you can often get a group rated discount, its worth asking! 

#13 - Ball games are great summer fun!! Spinners games are a fun inexpensive little day trip. My KIDS LOVE THEM!! Way cheaper than going into Boston for a Red Sox game, and more interactive and fun with the kids. I guess if you have kids who are really into sports and have good attention spans (I'm jealous if you do BTW) maybe they'll appreciate the Red Sox and it'll be worth the trip for you. But our kids have gone to Red Sox games and asked to leave less than halfway through. WHAT A WASTE!!! The Spinners games are geared to kids. The food is not expensive and on Holiday weekends they have great fireworks after the SHOWS!  http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t558

#14 - PICK YOUR OWNS - taking the kids to local farm to pick the fruits of the season is a great summer activity! They have fun, you pay by pound for fresh fruit that you're going to eat anyway, and its free child labor! ;) We LOVE doing this!!

Hope this was helpful... I budget and plan just like everyone else and love when people share tips/ideas/places and ways to save!

Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.

This blog is going to be short and sweet. Fully enjoying my summer and although I thought I would be blogging more as I've had many subjects that have popped into my head, I've been enjoying my "unstructured time". Not that I need structure to blog, but I've literally been doing my necessities and then enjoying free time with my family. It has been so enjoyable! I'm a fast paced person, relaxing does not always come natural to me and I've come to realize my version of relaxing is not necessarily the normal version. I don't need to be sitting still. I don't always need a cocktail to relax. I don't need a slow pace, a good book, or even to be off my feet. For me because my life pulls me in so many different directions just focusing on ONE thing at a time is relaxing to me. For instance... being in the gym and focusing on NOTHING but that is relaxing in its own way to me. Being at a children's museum with my three kids - while I definitely wouldn't describe the hub bub of three kids pulling me in different directions for different things "relaxing" per say my focus is 100% THEM and so at that moment I am "at ease" of sorts, and in MY element.

Some women are not meant to be tamed. What does that mean? To me that means, not everyone will understand why I choose to live my life the way I do - Why I choose to wake up at 5:00 am to meet my girlfriend at the gym, or why I fully enjoy planning my children's birthday parties down to the personalized picnic utensils - while this seems stressful to some, it cathartic to me. Or how I switch from mommy role to partying role at the drop of  a hat. Or how I can be so strict with my rules and values of raising my children, but so lenient and open minded in my moral compass of judging others. Or why I add things onto my plate when I don't NEED TO, but because I simply want to. I cant say it enough -  I like busy, but what I like more is as I have grown I am now finding my balance of focusing on the task at hand so rewarding and fulfilling. The "task" being working on my business/training, working on my body, personal challenges, working on my quality time with my kids/husband, working on my house, working on my education, working on my reading for pleasure even... whatever it is I see it ALL as tasks to be completed. I know that may sound robotic or almost like it takes the fun out of life, but for me it makes it more inspiring, focused, and passionate. It's what keeps me challenged.

My weekend was everything I love wrapped up in a little package I like to call "my bubble" ;)

Friday - day trip to Boston spent the entire day in Boston at the Children's Museum with my loves, exploring, playing, and lunch outside on the water - couldn't have asked for a better day! Friday evening was an adult night of fun by the water in Newburyport with some cocktails and friends. Saturday morning started early with my husband up and out for golfing and myself meeting a client to work on a marketing plan and starting a website for her, very motivating, inspiring, fun meeting! Family/Pool Day Saturday and finished off with food shopping, cleaning, laundry and getting ready for meal planning for the week. But of course what really topped it off was a glass of wine, relaxing by the fire, and then snuggling up to read a great book. Sunday morning started off with getting outside with a great friend for an early morning bike ride, a healthy snack, tea and enjoying good company, health, and sun. Another wonderful family day and an ice cream treat with the fam to finish off a wonderful Sunday. But of course my Sunday was not complete until I went through all client check ins, went through fitness emails, and updated all those new clients for next month - a solid 2 hours of working and then blogging. It feels so good to know that I had a great weekend, got in some healthy/fit time, "relaxed', got in some quality time with family, quality time with friends, checked off some work lists and can ROLL it all in!!! This has always been my goal in life. Fitness, Fun, Family, and now I've just added business and career to that mix. A whole new phase of life. Exciting, invigorating, and makes me grateful for a husband and family who is so supportive they have just let me evolve from my crazy, selfish, spastic self into exactly what I needed to be. Untamed and loving but inspired and productive!