Blogging has made me fat! Seriously… since starting to seriously blog a year ago, I bet I’ve gained at least 15-20 lbs and that is at the least. Luckily, I’m tall and extra weight doesn’t show much, but I feel yucky. So I’m on a health kick! I’m trying to cut back on breads (it’s HARD!), walk more, drink lots of water along with eating more fruits and vegetables.

When I saw this free printable healthy goal list by Baca Creative I had to share it with you. It’s the perfect list just for my “visual learner” personality!! What a great printable. Thanks Christa!

What are you doing to get ready for swim suit weather???

Please share your secrets in the comments. I need all the advice I can get:-)

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Also, be sure to check out Printables by Amy! Find easy and affordable digital files to download and print at home or at your local quick print shop. Each product is custom designed by Amy, a professional graphic designer. Amy makes do-it-yourself projects a breeze!

Many of you know that I struggle with getting my son to eat anything but pizza, Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets, chocolate, store bought pigs in a blanket, pancakes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I really have to try something new each week to trick him into eating much of anything. I have the Sneaky Chef’s book, but if it doesn’t look like cheese pizza, he’s not going to eat it. I cut things up into cute shapes, build animals and faces with the food. I have even tried rolling meatloaf up into little sausage looking things and making pigs in a blanket. He is so darn stubborn. When I do make him take a tiny baby bite, he gets so upset that he gags throws up!

Recently, I found a great blog with the cutest ideas for serving your kid’s food in muffin tins. I need all the help I can get. So last night I did this…

Believe it or not, he actually ate more tonight than he has in a long time! He didn’t touch the turkey burgers, but he ate his grapes, crackers, half of the carrots, tiny bites of banana and later a pickle and strawberry!

If any of you have more tricks up your sleeves, please let me know! I’m sure this tin thing will get old and he’ll go back to his old ways of gagging and whinning. I mean, common… how can you not like mashed potatoes or spaghetti? His poor future wife may never get to cook anything unless it’s shaped like pizza!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been tagged by Michelle at Brain Drops! My first time to be tagged for anything… how exciting.

So here are the rules:

1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.
2. link back to the person who tagged you
3. link back to this parent post
4. tag a few friends or five, or none at all
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them

My 5 reasons for blogging and how it’s affected me:

I only have one negative, I spend way too much time on my computer! yikes! Since I was already doing this before blogging, I won’t count it as my 5. Okay moving on to the good stuff…

1. Friends

I started blogging to keep track of family events because I let my scrapbook get too far behind. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined meeting so many lovely women! That has been one of my favorite positives, making new friends from all over the country. It’s crazy how connected I feel to so many of you. I’ve really enjoyed your family stories, photos, getting to know your personalities, hearing about your struggles and how you get through them. I can’t wait to boot up my best friend, Mac, each morning and see what each of you are doing! Plus, I don’t have many friends who are stuck to their computers like me, so I feel normal when talking to you gals! ha.

2. Inspiration

I get so encouraged and inspired by reading other’s blogs. Whether it be in a creative way or personal way. There are so many neat women out there, it’s amazing! I only know a few handfuls of truly creative people in my real life. The past 10 years, I’ve worked from home and this summer I really began to miss being in a work environment with other creative types. It was so bad that I was beginning to have a mid life crisis! I was craving something more. I couldn’t figure out what it was at the time, but since blogging, I have felt so much better. I just needed to find you artsy fartsy people!! If you are reading this and you think you aren’t creative or artsy… if you have a blog… you are! Blogging is a very creative outlet for anyone, it can bring out your hidden talents for sure. Everyday I find a new busy mom who has something wonderful to share on her blog. We all wear many hats as moms, wives and women in general… it’s very inspiring to see you all doing so many neat things in addition to your everyday life.

3. Creative Outlet

Like I just said, blogging is very big creative outlet. I enjoy writing or creating things to entertain people. I have so many ideas in my head that need to come out! Designs I want to share! It’s so nice to have people appreciate what I have to share:-) And even if you don’t like it, at least I get my brain farts out. (I’m using the word fart a lot here today… sorry… brain gas just doesn’t sound as good.)

4. Learning

I have learned somethings about myself. Who knew I could actually write some witty things? According to some of you… I actually make you laugh at times. Wow! That’s cool. I also love all the tutorials and ideas you all share. Learning how to get my kids to eat, recipe and decorating ideas, computer technology and even Photoshop shortcuts… there is so much to learn here in blog world.

5. Faith

I feel so blessed to have met so many Christian women. I think that is the greatest thing blogging has done for me personally. Getting to know you has helped me grow spiritually as well. I have been so down and felt so alone sometimes, then I read something one of you wrote and I cry with relief. I get so encouraged by your openness. I am surrounded by great Christian women in my life, but never expected to find a whole gang of you online. God is good and I think he has spoken to me through blogging!  What a blessing.

* Okay, so now I am supposed to tag some of you. I will choose five new friends who I find hard to believe I didn’t know a few short months ago. I’m not one to send chain type letters out, but would love to hear what you all have to say:-) If you aren’t tagged, please leave a comment on how blogging has affected you.

Angie

Donna

Tammy

Julia

Heidi

Be sure to join Amy on Facebook for more fun!
Also, be sure to check out Printables by Amy! Find easy and affordable digital files to download and print at home or at your local quick print shop. Each product is custom designed by Amy, a professional graphic designer. Amy makes do-it-yourself projects a breeze!

Many of you know that I struggle with getting my son to eat anything but pizza, Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets, chocolate, store bought pigs in a blanket, pancakes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I really have to try something new each week to trick him into eating much of anything. I have the Sneaky Chef’s book, but if it doesn’t look like cheese pizza, he’s not going to eat it. I cut things up into cute shapes, build animals and faces with the food. I have even tried rolling meatloaf up into little sausage looking things and making pigs in a blanket. He is so darn stubborn. When I do make him take a tiny baby bite, he gets so upset that he gags throws up!

Recently, I found a great blog with the cutest ideas for serving your kid’s food in muffin tins. I need all the help I can get. So last night I did this…

Believe it or not, he actually ate more tonight than he has in a long time! He didn’t touch the turkey burgers, but he ate his grapes, crackers, half of the carrots, tiny bites of banana and later a pickle and strawberry!

If any of you have more tricks up your sleeves, please let me know! I’m sure this tin thing will get old and he’ll go back to his old ways of gagging and whinning. I mean, common… how can you not like mashed potatoes or spaghetti? His poor future wife may never get to cook anything unless it’s shaped like pizza!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been tagged by Michelle at Brain Drops! My first time to be tagged for anything… how exciting.

So here are the rules:

1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.
2. link back to the person who tagged you
3. link back to this parent post
4. tag a few friends or five, or none at all
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them

My 5 reasons for blogging and how it’s affected me:

I only have one negative, I spend way too much time on my computer! yikes! Since I was already doing this before blogging, I won’t count it as my 5. Okay moving on to the good stuff…

1. Friends

I started blogging to keep track of family events because I let my scrapbook get too far behind. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined meeting so many lovely women! That has been one of my favorite positives, making new friends from all over the country. It’s crazy how connected I feel to so many of you. I’ve really enjoyed your family stories, photos, getting to know your personalities, hearing about your struggles and how you get through them. I can’t wait to boot up my best friend, Mac, each morning and see what each of you are doing! Plus, I don’t have many friends who are stuck to their computers like me, so I feel normal when talking to you gals! ha.

2. Inspiration

I get so encouraged and inspired by reading other’s blogs. Whether it be in a creative way or personal way. There are so many neat women out there, it’s amazing! I only know a few handfuls of truly creative people in my real life. The past 10 years, I’ve worked from home and this summer I really began to miss being in a work environment with other creative types. It was so bad that I was beginning to have a mid life crisis! I was craving something more. I couldn’t figure out what it was at the time, but since blogging, I have felt so much better. I just needed to find you artsy fartsy people!! If you are reading this and you think you aren’t creative or artsy… if you have a blog… you are! Blogging is a very creative outlet for anyone, it can bring out your hidden talents for sure. Everyday I find a new busy mom who has something wonderful to share on her blog. We all wear many hats as moms, wives and women in general… it’s very inspiring to see you all doing so many neat things in addition to your everyday life.

3. Creative Outlet

Like I just said, blogging is very big creative outlet. I enjoy writing or creating things to entertain people. I have so many ideas in my head that need to come out! Designs I want to share! It’s so nice to have people appreciate what I have to share:-) And even if you don’t like it, at least I get my brain farts out. (I’m using the word fart a lot here today… sorry… brain gas just doesn’t sound as good.)

4. Learning

I have learned somethings about myself. Who knew I could actually write some witty things? According to some of you… I actually make you laugh at times. Wow! That’s cool. I also love all the tutorials and ideas you all share. Learning how to get my kids to eat, recipe and decorating ideas, computer technology and even Photoshop shortcuts… there is so much to learn here in blog world.

5. Faith

I feel so blessed to have met so many Christian women. I think that is the greatest thing blogging has done for me personally. Getting to know you has helped me grow spiritually as well. I have been so down and felt so alone sometimes, then I read something one of you wrote and I cry with relief. I get so encouraged by your openness. I am surrounded by great Christian women in my life, but never expected to find a whole gang of you online. God is good and I think he has spoken to me through blogging!  What a blessing.

* Okay, so now I am supposed to tag some of you. I will choose five new friends who I find hard to believe I didn’t know a few short months ago. I’m not one to send chain type letters out, but would love to hear what you all have to say:-) If you aren’t tagged, please leave a comment on how blogging has affected you.

Angie

Donna

Tammy

Julia

Heidi

Be sure to join Amy on Facebook for more fun!
Also, be sure to check out Printables by Amy! Find easy and affordable digital files to download and print at home or at your local quick print shop. Each product is custom designed by Amy, a professional graphic designer. Amy makes do-it-yourself projects a breeze!