2019 Goals

With the new year brings lots of new changes. People are making resolutions left and right. But for me, I really like to create goals.



Have you ever looked up the definition of Resolution? It means a firm decision to do or not to do something.

But sometimes I like to change my mind. Sometimes I like to change the direction I am going. Then what? I'm breaking my resolution. I feel like I can't alter a resolution. May seem silly to some, but it is just how I view it.

So here are my 2019 GOALS:



Obviously, my health and fitness is a big priority to me this year. In 2018 I was at my highest weight and I decided to join Weight Watchers. It was the best decision for me. I lost 38.8 pounds in 2018 and I'd like to do about the same in 2019.  (Read about when I started HERE and 7 months in HERE. ) It will be a big goal, but with exercise and making good food choices I know I will be able to rock it!

Most of my life I've had a weight goal of about 145. And when I joined WW I had to pick a goal weight, so that is what I've gone with. But honestly, that could very well change. It'll really depend on how I feel. I am going to completely trust my body as I continue to lose and stop when I feel good about where I am. In the past, I have let a number define me, but I am just not there mentally, any longer. I'm ready to feel healthy, whether that means I lose more than that goal or less than that goal, I am going to be okay with it. And so far I feel pretty great at 39 pounds down!

Besides actual weight loss, I really just want to be more active. Work out more, play with the kids more. Maybe even get a bike? I've been eyeing the banana yellow cruiser at Walmart for a couple of years. Maybe this is the year I'll finally get it?

I have a big list of books to read- I shared them earlier this week and if you missed it you can find that post HERE. So I will be doing a lot of that.

I also want to blog more. I used to blog a couple of times a week back when I was newer. But over the years it's gotten less and less and I just need to make time. Because I really do love to write and share the projects I am working on. Which leads me to my next thing.

Last September we bought a lake house. It was/is a total dive and we didn't get to work on it a lot before the weather got colder. We (and by we I mean my husband, father in law and my dad) gutted the bathroom, did a lot of plumbing work and we did some basic cleaning, but it still needs so much more. I will have so many projects to share. I have taken a ton of before pictures and hopefully soon I can get them on here to share with you all.

But here is a little sneak peek of when I was washing walls. The left side is the unwashed and the right side is washed. And you can only imagine the smell it holds.... Again. lots of work in our future!



Last, but certainly not least, I just want to be more present for my kids. Live less through the camera lens. More of just enjoying every minute I have with them and my husband.

What kinds of goals are you setting for yourself in 2019? I would love to hear!  

Two Ingredient Dough

By now you already know that in March I joined Weight Watchers. And I didn't want to mess around this time. #BecauseGoals. I have seen this two ingredient dough shared on Pinterest and on Instagram tons of times and it seems like people love it so I wanted to give it a try.



Not all nonfat Greek yogurt is equal, so make sure to scan yours to make sure your points are accurate for your two ingredient dough! But the Fage nonfat Greek Yogurt that I used was zero points. And this is SO simple. Add 1 cup of NFGY and 1 cup of self-rising flour and mix until a dough forms. If it is still a little sticky, add a tiny bit more flour.

NOTE: (If you don't have self-rising flour, use 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and a 1/2 tsp of salt and mix together before adding your greek yogurt.)

Put some flour down on the counter and knead your dough for 2 minutes or so. Then section into 4 equal pieces.
The full amount of dough is 11 #freestyle points and each section equals out to be 3 pts.

I rolled three of my sections out and formed them into bagels. For my 4th piece, I rolled it then cut it into bits because I was wanting to dip them in queso.



After you have your bagels on a tray, paint a little of an egg wash onto the tops.



Then I sprinkled them with Everything but the Bagel seasoning from Trader Joes. I didn't use much because I wasn't sure how I was going to like the seasoning. But of course, it is delicious!



Then bake this two ingredient dough for 18-22 minutes at 350°. My bits were perfect after 18 minutes but the bagels needed to stay for longer. I took them out after 20 minutes but they probably could have stayed for the full time with no issue.

I am a total "chips and dip" person and I have missed queso. Just for fun I checked the points while I was at the grocery store the other day and it was 1 point for 2 Tbsp and that is totally worth it to me. In case you are interested, I used Tostitos salsa con queso.



Don't think you are limited to only making bagels with this amazing two ingredient dough! Because I have seen so many recipes made with this! Take a piece and flatten out and cook for a breakfast sandwich or pizza dough! The possibilities are endless!



Have you tried this two ingredient dough? What did you think of it?

Give Extra, Get Extra

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #GIVEEXTRAGETEXTRA #Walgreens #CollectiveBias

Who likes to get things? I do! I love when a friend sees something that reminds them of me, or something we've done and grabs it for me. But you know what I love even more than that? Giving!

I love finding little things that remind me of a friend of family member and grabbing it for them. Maybe it is something simple like a Daryl Dixon t-shirt for my sister, or making coffee mugs for my friends, I am always on the lookout for something fun to give.

So I decided that I wanted to Give Extra, Get Extra!



I ran down to Walgreens and got some gum for me and one to giveaway. I grabbed two kinds:

• Extra® Gum Spearmint


• Extra® Gum Polar Ice®

Both are kinds I already love and are classics, so I know my giveaway winner will feel the same! And I grabbed Extra because of the new Extra® 35-Stick pack. Who doesn't love a bigger pack of gum? Another thing is that it now comes in a super durable recycled package which makes it easier to carry and share with a friend, keep in the car, or in your desk at work.

I also wanted to make something that my winner will love too!



So I ran to the fabric store and grabbed a couple of fat quarters. I felt like I had this genius idea to make a carrying case for my gum.



I started out grabbing some lining and cutting my fabric to fit the lining.



And make sure the "good sides" of your fabric are facing each other. So you are looking at both of the "outsides" of the material.



Then I pinned some ribbon on the inside that will make a handle on the outside. Does that even make sense?



Then I sewed a line all the way around the edge of my material/liner.



Make sure you leave a small space to push the material through so it is right facing.



Then I folded up the bottom to make a pocket. I pinned it and then again sewed all the way around the edge to hold it together.



Now it is all together!



Give it a nice little iron to straighten it all out. I also used a piece of iron on Velcro to give it a way to latch together.



And Voila! You have yourself a fun little gum holder that can slide right on to the strap of your purse, or your gym bag, or your summer tote!

The possibilities are endless what you can do with your Extra® Gum Spearmint! So who are you going to share yours with?

Berry Parfait

Happy Friday!!! This week has been crazy busy and my days are not slowing down in the least.
Our weather has been pretty amazing lately with temps in the mid 60's and the beautiful sun is shining bright. Which means for my family, lots of time outside! We have been hitting up the park, playing in the backyard and going for walks at least once per day!

And while we have some rain in the forecast, we have some days in the 70's too, so I'm looking forward to them and the even hotter days that Summer will bring! But for now, I am looking forward to having warm days to enjoy with my family during our Spring Break, and the fun plans we have in store for us next week!

When the days are busy I want to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen working on meals and that is why I love this Berry Parfait!



I've never been a huge Greek Yogurt fan. I don't even really love regular yogurt, and something about the texture and thickness is just sort of weird to me. But mixed with other things like berries and granola totally works and doesn't bother me at all.



It is easy to layer with whatever kinds of fruit you like. This time I used just blueberries, but my favorite is a fruit blend with blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. You can use fresh or frozen, just thaw them a bit first and you will be set! I also use plain Greek yogurt, but if you wanted to give it something more you could make it a flavored yogurt too!

• granola - 1 yellow


• plain greek yogurt - 1 red


• blueberries - 1 purple

Layer starting with granola, then yogurt then berries.
Repeat at least one time

Enjoy your delicious yogurt berry parfait!

I don't just eat these for breakfast. Sometimes they are an afternoon snack, or sometimes they are my lunch. Sometimes even dessert. No limitations have to be set!



Have a great weekend my friends!

Take your life back!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FitToPlay #CollectiveBias

It's that time of month again. You count down to it getting here, dread it, count down until it's gone. You are emotional, you eat salty food like crazy one day and crave chocolate the next. And you feel like a beached whale. You let it decide if you go to the pool, to the gym or if you'll lay in a ball on your bed while you catch up on your favorite shows.

Not any more!



I remember days in high school when I would stay at home, typically the second day of my period, because that was (and still is) the worst day for me. I always worried that my pad would leak, or be seen. I know that is a common fear, especially at that age! But I still worried. And pads always felt so uncomfortable to me. But over time, and with age I have come to realize that it doesn't have to be that way.

That is why I got Playtex® Sport®. With three kids, I don't have time to worry about failing pads or tampons. I'm working hard to get into better shape and when I'm running on the treadmill, believe me, it is the last thing I want to be thinking about.



I quickly found my favorite combo pack: Tampons and Liners - 48 count (28 Tampons and 20 Liners). I love that the liners are ultra thin, flexible and you don't even know that they are there.  And this particular combo pack has regular and super tampons, so I'm not worried- even on day 2!



So now whether I am sleeping, out for a run, chasing kids, or just running errands, I can focus on my tasks at hand and not on my tampons.

Make sure you check out the Feminine Hygiene aisle at your local Walmart to get your own Playtex Sport combo pack.



NEW! Playtex® Sport® now available in Pads, Liners and Combo Packs at Walmart! Now Sport Level Protection™ pads, liners and combo packs with Flexfit™ design to twist and turn with your body. Don't let your period get in the way. PlayOn!

With Walmart's Everyday Low Prices, What is stopping you? Leave a comment with which combo pack you want to try.

 

2015 Goals

I cannot believe it is the 6th of January and I'm just now posting my 2015 goals. I usually have this ready on the 1st of the year, but that is okay, it's here now.



Last year I did pretty great on some of my goals, and not so great on others.

-I made over my master bedroom and shared my DIY Headboard, the envelope pillow cases and the toss pillows.

-I did lots of sewing and made my first maxi skirt and I have a couple of cool projects I hope to share soon!

-I did a pretty good job at starting a de-clutter. It really was my biggest goal of the year and I knew it would take a good portion of the year. However, after April, not a lot got done in that department. And that is okay.

-My weight loss didn't happen either. However I did do a 12k and a half marathon, and that my friends, is pretty damn impressive in my books!

So what do I have in store for 2015?

-More family time. The good quality stuff. Playing outside, camping, bike rides, board games.



-Connect more with friends. Most of my friends work at least part time so during the days I don't do much out of the house unless it involves the craft store and my favorite coffee barista. In 2015 I have two goals in this department. First, I want to find some friends with kids that we can do playdates with during the day. Tyler started preschool a few months ago and that has made him a few new friends and a little more social. So it is a start!  And second, I need more time with my girlfriends just hanging out, doing girlfriend stuff with or without kids.



-Take a trip with my husband. This is happening. Like, it's booked and I'm counting down the days. In a few short months we will be laying on the beaches of Maui, soaking up the sun, a drink in our hands for our 5th wedding anniversary. We have whale watching, snorkeling and luaus in our future and I can't wait!

-Grow my blog, double my stats. I thought 2014 was going to be a great year, and it was. I actually made some decent money from it. I bought the kids a new swing set, my computer and Zach's xbox for Christmas. It felt great to be able to do those things! Not to mention the little things here and there for my blog, like sponsoring other blogs, props for taking pictures, etc. I am excited for what will be in store for 2015 here at The Colbert Clan. Especially now that I have a name and space I love.



A couple of goals I am carrying over from 2014 are to sew more, de-clutter more and do more DIY projects.



And lastly,

I am about to get in the best shape of my life. Who is ready to watch this transformation? I want to get off the plane in Maui feeling confident. I know I'll never be a super model. And that is not what I am going for by any means. But I want to feel like I can put on a swimsuit and not be worried about what people around me are thinking.

And more than anything, I want to know I am doing what I can to be healthy. I often think about how my grandma had a quadruple bypass at 56 years old. My aunt had a pace maker put in at 55. And my mom had a valve replaced and then died at 56. Do you see a pattern?  I want to know that I am doing what I can to live a longer, healthy life.



What are you doing to improve your life this year?

What I learned from running 13.1 miles

Last Spring when I decided that I was going to do a half marathon I had a plan. I planned to run several days a week, I planned to do HIIT workouts a couple days a week and have a nice day of rest each week. I had told my parents that I was going to do it and my mom was so proud of me. The morning she went into her surgery she was bragging to my aunts that her daughter was going to do a half marathon!

 

And then my mom died and I actually spent most of my Summer sitting on the couch rather than training. I didn't eat the greatest. I did very few HIIT workouts and I ran about 2-3 times per month. Since doing Bloomsday in May (which is 7.46 miles) my furthest run was 2.7 miles.

 

I went from having a goal of doing it in 2 hours, to having a goal of crossing the finish line before they closed the course! I even thought about not doing it at all. I kept thinking about how many people would finish in front of me, about the people that would do better.

 

                   

 

But then something changed inside of me. I reminded myself why I wanted to do this: Because it scared me and I wanted the challenge. I reminded myself about how proud my mom was that I was doing this. About how she would have been waiting for me at the finish line to cheer me on. I reminded myself that it doesn't matter if I am the last person to cross the finish line but that I finish. That I take on this challenge and see it to the end. That I am my biggest competition.

 

The first few miles were actually okay. I did have a couple of "what was I thinking?" moments along the way and I walked more than I planned. But I ran, I jogged, I walked my way through 13.1 miles.

As I was somewhere between the 11-12 mile mark I was hurting. I was walking so slow that I think I saw a turtle pass me. I couldn't wait to get to the finish line and see my husband, who had already finished. I couldn't wait to get water and eat something {anything}. I couldn't wait to sit down. And I couldn't help but think, "I'll never do this again". 

But somehow I mustered up the courage to start running again, which was actually easier than the terribly slow walking I was doing previously. I ran that last 1.1 mile to get across that finish line, to get my medal, see my husband and drink a glass of water!

We sat down in the grass to talk about our accomplishment and I snapped a quick picture of us with our medals. Feeling so proud. I'm so glad I did it. And while I didn't let myself think about it for 48 hours, I'm looking forward to next year!

Weigh in Wednesday

I'm wasting no time getting back in the groove of things!

Today I started a new 90 day round of the Bikini Body Mommy Challenge and I'm excited! I have a wonderful accountability partner and we are in it for the long haul, already swapping numbers and recipes.

And I love being able to share everything here too. You guys always rock and keep me motivated. Thank you!

Today I'm sharing my numbers. These are as of Monday 1/6/14

Weight: 178
Bust: 40
Bicep: R: 12 L: 12
Hips:  43
Thighs: R: 23 L: 23 1/2
Waist at belly button: 41

It's not too different than when I last checked in, but I have gained back a little, so I'm kicking it in high gear. Last Summer I bought a swim suit that I made part of my motivation and every once in a while I try it on. It's getting looser and that is a pretty amazing feeling. I'm hoping I'll be wearing it this summer and feeling great!

What are you doing to get yourself in shape? Do you have a great recipe you'd love for me to feature? Comment below or shoot me an email at flattsaholic@gmail.com

2014 Goals

In 2013 I set some pretty hefty goals for myself. You might remember when I shared that my biggest goal for 2013 was to start getting into the best shape of my life. You can read more about that Here. But if you've been following along for a while you also know that I have been working hard since July on that goal and I've done pretty darn well, despite a couple of set backs. You can also check out Weigh in Wednesday to read my entire journey thus far.

Some of my other goals were to start sewing, which I finally did. I have made several little things, including headbands and even made us new stockings for Christmas. And I am looking forward to the other sewing projects I have on the horizon.

I have made tons of new recipes that I've shared for Foodie Friday.

And lots of random crafts and DIY projects around the house.

For 2014 I once again have lots of goals.

Like 2013, I am continuing on my weight loss journey. Last year I lost 30 pounds before I had my gall bladder out and had to stop exercising for a month. And I've gained back 7- not soo bad, so I still have about 37 pounds to go. I look forward to shedding that weight and feeling even great about myself and getting healthy! I hope you'll keep an eye on Weigh in Wednesday for updates.

I also plan to finally make our master bedroom more cozy. It's been put on the back burner for the past couple of years while we finished other projects around the house, or decorated other areas, and I decided that I'm finally just going to finish it. I have been gathering new bedding, fabric, pictures, etc and once I feel like I have all I want, I am going to spend a weekend getting it put together. I am excited to have a nice place for Travis and I to retreat to!

I see a lot more sewing and more DIY projects in 2014. And another thing you'll see plenty of? Recipes! So don't forget about Foodie Friday!

I am already starting to de-clutter my home. Ever since I read this post about 8 months ago, I have thought of it frequently. Do my kids need so many toys that they don't know what to play with? Do we need 5 8x8 baking dishes? Do I need 20 blankets stacked in the family room that no one ever uses? The answer to all of those are no. And you are going to hear more about what I'm doing about it soon!

And last, but not least, my blog grew a lot in 2013. We had a pretty big set back with our web address being bought from under us and having to be changed, but it's building up again, thanks to all of you! I appreciate you all coming back time after time, sharing my projects, pinning recipes, it all means so much to me. I really look forward to all to come in 2014 for Life as I know it. I love seeing the direction I'm going in and I can't wait to share with you some fun reviews and giveaways that I hope will come this way in the next year! 

What are some of your goals for 2014?

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. I hope you will follow along!

Weigh In Wednesday: Update

I haven't weighed in on the blog for quite some time. And the truth is, it's because I was going no where. I have literally stayed the same weight since my 6 week post partum Dr. appt.

But last October I told you about my journey I was starting on. I told you how I was going to weigh in weekly and give you the good with the bad. But I haven't. Mainly because life is busy! And because I hadn't done much to make the scale change either way.

In May I decided I was going to start doing the Bikini Body Mommy Challenge. I was going to start June 1st, but I never did. It's so hard to get motivated sometimes! And so instead of just starting, I decided to start July 1st, and I DID IT!

I took down my weight and measurements on July 1st, and I did the first days exercise. And they kicked my butt. But I did them. And day 2 I did the seconds days, and so on. I won't lie, there are a few of the exercises that I am just plain not coordinated enough to do and so I don't do them and instead a do a few extras of each of the others. And we've been walking in the evenings a few times a week.

One more thing that has helped is that my husband jumped on the bandwagon with me. He helps keep me motivated because he is super motivated and has already lost 3 times what I've lost. Guys lose weight so much faster, and it's not fair! (I just stomped my foot too!) But I really wanted to start slow because I was worried about my milk supply decreasing, but so far, that has not happened!

Now for the good part, numbers and pictures!

On July 1st I weighed 200 even. And on August 1st I weighed 190.

Yep, 10 pounds! And guess what? I worked hard for every pound of that and I am excited!
My measurements on July 1 vs. August 1:

Bust: 41
Waist (at belly button): 46 3/4 
Hips: 47 
Thigh- R: 26 1/2  L: 26 1/4 
Calf- R: 15 1/4  L: 15 1/2 
Bicep- R: 12 1/2  L: 12


Bust: 39
Waist (at belly button): 44
Hips: 45
Thigh- R: 25 1/2  L: 25
Calf- R: 15  L: 15 1/2
Bicep- R: 12  L: 11 1/2

 

So I've lost 10 pounds and a total of 10 1/4 inches! I'm pretty proud of that! And how have I lost it? I'm not counting points or calories. I'm not wrapping myself in shrink wrap and I'm not taking drops, drinking drinks, or any other "lose weight quick" thing you can do. I flat out started exercising and I have changed what I eat. Soda? Nope, it's not even in the house. Candy? Chips? No and no! We've been filling our plates with veggies and other healthy options! We been making pizzas on flat outs, sandwiches with Laughing cow cheese, drinking water like no other and eating rice cakes or almonds for snacks. We have found so many great food combinations and new things and I plans to start sharing them! So stay tuned for that!

I probably won't check in until day 60 or just after and right now I'm on day 38! 

Things we will do this Summer

The last few Summers I have been making a "Summer bucket list" for me and the kids to do during the summer. (Here is 2012) Before, when I was working I would try to get out and do things on the weekend, but frankly, I was lazy, there were groceries to get and a house to clean and it was so much nicer to do what I wanted on my days off and ultimately, Zachary benefited the least.

It makes me so grateful for Travis that he works as hard as he does so that I am able to stay home with our kids and raise them. I love having the extra time to actually sit down and play with my kids.  *And I have no judgement to those people who do work, I am talking about my own personal circumstances*

Here are 40/50 of our bucket list items:

1. Camp on the beach
2. Make Sun tea
3. Make my own skirt
4. Mini golf
5. Have a picnic
6. Make home made bubbles
7. Build a sandcastle
8. Find a lake to go to
9. Go huckleberry picking
10. learn to can foods
11. go to and swim in the ocean
12. Go to the zoo
13. tie a note to a balloon and send it off
14. ride a horse on the beach
15. make ice cream from scratch
16. learn to identify 10 constellations
17. have a water balloon fight
18. BBQ with friends
19. Go to a farmer's market
20. make flavored water
21. Go fishing
22. Make an indoor teepee
23. Do the Dirty Dash
24. Lay out in the sun... A LOT!
25. melt crayons
26. fly a kite
27. sleep in a tent
28. go to a baseball game
29. go to the splash pad
30. Date night with my hubs
31. Do a scavenger hunt
32. Homemade Popsicles
33. Play in the sprinkler
34. Take a road trip
35. Story time at the library
36. Eat snow cones
37. Sidewalk chalk
38. Make homemade Play-Doh
39. Go to Silverwood
40. lots of drawing on our chalkboard wall
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.

As you can see my list goes to 50 but I've only filled out 40. Why is that? you ask? Well I came across this a couple of weeks ago and I plan to have it printed out and write everything from our list onto it, and have 10 spaces to add as we think of other fun things to do! The Crafting Chicks rock! And this printable is great! I can't wait to get it up and start on our bucket list!

What is on your Summer bucket list?

Do you Stamp? A stampers ramble...

If you've seen my scrapbook area, you'll notice that I have a lot of supplies. And one area I am not lacking is rubber stamps. I love them. And mainly, I collect them more than I use them!

I have quite the range from cheap .50 stamps to stamps that I paid $15 to $20 for. Ya, I've paid that much for one stamp! Basically, the only type I don't have in my collection is notary supplies /stamps!

A couple of months ago I mentioned in this post that I am switching to digital scrapbooking. And one thing I'm toying with is getting rid of my stamps. Or at least the majority of them. I used to make every.single.card that I gave out, detailing it to perfection, and even adding a little "hand stamped by Kate" to the back of each card. And now,  I'm not actually sure the last time I made one of my cards. It's probably been close to a year ago!

And I keep thinking of the space I'd free up once I got rid of the hundreds of stamps that are collecting on my scrapbook shelves. But then I have to decide, which do I keep? And which do I get rid of? As I stated above, I have a very wide variety, from birthday, to every holiday you can think of, to animals, and borders, and letters, to flowers and shapes. If you ask, I probably have it.

If you are a crafter, where would you start? What would you get rid of?

Do you get rid everything? Maybe the ones I used the least? Should I keep the expensive ones and just get rid of the cheap ones? I'm trying to overcome a serious issue of keeping things 'in case I need them"!

Ugh... Where do I start?

Disclosure: "This sponsored post was made possible by SheHeard. I have been compensated for my time and work on this campaign, however all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own."