Blog - Wannabe Balanced Mom

December 3, 2015 · in Uncategorized

My Favorite Amazon Products

I’m sure many of you are like me and are frequent Amazon shoppers. Seriously these peeps are brilliant!!!! To shop from your phone, with free shipping AND have it arrive in two days in a box with a great big smile on it! YES PLEASE!!!!

Well since you can pretty much find ANYTHING on Amazon I thought I’d share a list of my recent and regularly purchased items. Click HERE to see it all.

November 30, 2015 · in 52 Weeks of Balance Project· Health· Inspiration· Life of a Wannabe· List's and Schedules· Mom Stuff· My Thoughts and Feelings· Uncategorized· Weight Loss

December Challenge

Wannabe Balanced Challenge

This month I want to really focus on being balanced and enjoying every moment. Each day we will post a picture on our Instagram and or Facebook accounts that applies to the daily prompt. Just post a picture on facebook/instagram each day. Elaborate a little and share your thoughts or a positive quote to go with your picture. Use the hashtag #wannabebalanced so that we can easily find each others posts and support one another by liking and commenting. If you’re new to our challenges then I’d highly recommend you start with our Wannabe Fearless Challenge first.

Instead of stressing out and over doing it on the treats, take one step toward staying healthy physically and mentally this month. Get FREE daily inspiration from me, your fellow Wannabe Balanced Mom.

How it works:

1. Use the daily prompts to inspire you.

2. Inspire US with your pics, and or thoughts.

3. Share on Facebook, Instagram, or even Periscope using the hashtag #wannabebalanced (November Wannabe Fearless challenge had 1k people talking about it!)

4. Encourage balance in others with likes + thoughtful comments. (most supportive tribe of women here)

5. Share this post on Facebook, or share this picture on Instagram so you can help your friends and family stay a little more balanced this month. Also, Join our Facebook group Wannabe Balanced for more support and inspiration throughout the year.

· Selfie: Tell us a little about you.
· What are you reading?
· Push yourself really hard in your fitness routine. Sweat!!!
· Focus on mindfulness today. Enjoy the present, practice mindful listening and eating.
· Go on a long run.
· Write in your journal.
· Meal prep for the week.
· Call a friend or send a hand written letter.
· De-clutter a space in your house.
· Spend 10 minutes meditating. Eyes closed, doing and thinking about NOTHING. Set your timer.
· Write out some positive affirmations today.
· Make a colorful salad.
· Wake up early.
· Do something different with your husband.
· Share a childhood memory.
· Share a healthy treat.
· Do something festive and fun with the kids.
· Say a 10 minute prayer.
· Do a service project with your kids.
· Show us a DIY project.
· Wrap presents
· Have a family movie night with pop corn and hot cocoa.
· Get bundled up and play outside with your kids.
· Share a tradition.
· Show us your Christmas morning aftermath.
· Do Yoga.
· Write down your game plan for 2016
· Go to bed early
· Listen to a podcast
· Best bit of today.
· Last moment of 2015

November 25, 2015 · in Activities For Kids

Great Gift Ideas For Your Kids

My kids just LOVE all the products that FinFunMermaid.com offers. They have mermaid fins, shark fins, and now they have great cuddly options!

November 22, 2015 · in business building tips· Inspiration

Wannabe Fearless Challenge

15 Days of Overcoming Fear!

Most people are afraid of speaking in front of people and being on camera. My goal with this challenge is to help you overcome that fear by stepping out of your comfort zone and doing daily live videos via Facebook, Periscope, or YouTube.

You can find me at on YouTube at www.youtube.com/wannabebalanced

Or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WannabeBalancedMom

Now Let’s Get Started

Day 1. Introduce yourself briefly

Day 2. Tell us your hobbies and or talents.

Day 3. What are your long-term goals and passions?

Day 4. Tell a story of when you pushed yourself to do something, even though it was scary.

Day 5. Share a helpful tip for moms.

Day 6. What are your fears?

Day 7. Tell us about your favorite motivational speaker and or book?

Day 8. Share one of your life altering experiences and what you learned from it.

Day 9. Give us a tour of your home.

Day 10. What is your favorite, can’t live without, product?

Day 11. Share your favorite recipe.

Day 12. What is keeping you from fulfilling your dreams?

Day 13. What are some of your greatest accomplishments?

Day 14. Tell us how you met your husband.

Day 15. Share an embarrassing moment.

If you would like to join in on this challenge and receive incredible support and followers, then let me know by leaving a comment below, or go join our Facebook group called Wannabe Balanced. Everyone is welcome!!!

Just be sure to use the hashtag #wannabefearless as part of your title and share your videos on Facebook and Twitter. I would love to support you through this challenge by watching your videos. I did this challenge last year with a great group of women and it was amazing to witness the growth in just 15 days.

Reasons why Live Video is so great:

*Huge time saver! Doing live video is much faster than blog posts. Being a mom of 4 small children doesn’t really allow much extra time. So I like to utilize video mostly and blog when I can.

*Great way to practice your speaking skills. It’s a little nerve racking at first, but I can see how much I’ve improved over the past year since starting.

*If you are building a brand or business, it’s a great way to teach and share information in a more personal way. People can SEE you and hear your voice. It humanizes you.

*Since you are live and people are able to comment, it just feels like you’re face-timing with friends. You can get instant feedback and answer questions on the spot.

*It’s great self talk and a way to voice your positive affirmations and at the same time lifting others.

So come on everyone! Let’s work at overcoming fear one day at a time.

UPDATE!!! Just did my 200th Periscope!!!J Here’s a quick look back over the past 6 months of scoping! I started Periscoping as a way to overcome the fear of speaking in front of people, develop better communication skills and to just share the messages of my heart. I can honestly say that I DID overcome my fear and have seen a huge improvement in my overall speaking skills. Periscope has been great practice and I appreciate you all who have been so supportive throughout this growing process!!!

November 18, 2015 · in homeschooling

Homeschooling VS Public Schooling

Today I am going to talk about my experience with home schooling. Most of you know that I no longer home school. I did it for a good solid 2 years, then I tapered off. I started doing public school AND home school. I really think that’s the way to go because you get the best of both worlds.

The public school in our area was very supportive of home schooling and pretty much agreed to let me bring my kids to school how ever often I wanted, which is the way it SHOULD be right? I mean, they are OUR children after all.

So my kids would go to public school for part of the year when we were down in Southern Utah, St. George. Then the other half of the year in Salt Lake City, Northern Utah, I would home school them.

Every time we came back to Salt Lake, we would check them out of school and do home school for a couple months while we were up North. It was perfect!

This is the first year that I will be doing public school the entire year. We started school in St. George, and now we are in a public school in Salt Lake. They have adjusted just fine and so far it seems to be working out. They love the fact that they get to ride the bus now, You know, the important things.

Let me tell you why I chose to home school in the first place. Basically what happened was, Lily (my first) started Kindergarten. It was kind of a wake up call for me. I was like, “Oh my, the time really IS going fast.” People always tell you to cherish those times with your kids because it goes by so quickly. The fact that Lily would now be going to school every day really freaked me out. I was worried I didn’t teach her enough or spend enough time with her. I didn’t want to have any regrets.

During Lily’s first month of kindergarten at public school is when I started having those thoughts. I started researching everything about home school. One night I met up with a bunch of home schooling moms so I could ask them all my questions. I decided right then and there that homeschooling was what I wanted.

Lily ended up getting sick with a cold the very and I saw it as the perfect opportunity to jump right into homeschool. I didn’t tell her we were officially homeschooling and she never even asked about her public school class.

We went on field trips, read lots of books, did crafts and art projects. Those are the things that I wanted to do together. I felt best and most fulfilled about myself as a mother when I was home schooling. I was really giving it my all and I was proud of myself. It was a great year. We had so much fun family time with no distractions from friends.

Then the second year came along, it was equally as beautiful, if not, more so because I was preparing for a natural home birth, with Brooklyn, my third baby. It was so amazing that Lily got to be so much a part of that pregnancy. She went with me to all of my appointments, got to hear the baby’s heart beat and learn about the process of the baby growing inside me. Those times were moments that I will cherish forever. She got to be there when Brooklyn was born, and all day, everyday with her new born baby sister. I just loved it and felt so happy and content.

Towards the end of that school year is when I started to get overwhelmed. Brooklyn wasn’t sleeping so much during the day, and Oliver wasn’t napping anymore. The nap time is what gave Lily and I time to spend and focus on school work.

I ended up putting Lily in public school the last month of her first grade year, basically for me and for her because I wanted her to have these experiences. The end of the year is all fun and games so I wanted her to go on field trips and have “hat day” and “pajama day” and enjoy all the fun parties and games they do at the end of the school year.

Then the third year came, I was like, “Okay…what am I going to do? I am really stressed.” Brooklyn was 18 months and that’s a busy time right? So I felt a little worried that I couldn’t handle it. I knew that I was capable of handling it, and I know many other moms do it with more kids and more babies. I just didn’t feel that I was up for the challenge. So I put her in public school for that third year but still home schooled her a few months of that year when we were up North.

I got pregnant with my fourth baby, Owen, and life continued to get busier. I even quit blogging because I got too busy. I just felt that I was going to pull my hair out. I didn’t have time to do everything I needed and wanted to do. I had to let some things go. Even though I totally believe in home schooling, and I love it. I’m just at a point where I feel like maybe I’ll come back to it sometime, but for my own sanity, I have to be okay with putting them in public school.

I pride myself in having leadership qualities, but to be completely real, I’m not always a leader. The natural side of me wants to fit in, I love being social and love being in social settings. So for me to be the only one in the neighborhood (in Salt Lake and in St. George) home schooling, was really tough on me. I wanted to fit in. I didn’t like the feeling I was having among my friends. They didn’t intentionally leave me out, but it just happens.

I just always felt a little awkward talking about home schooling. I didn’t ever want to come across self-righteous, or that I thought I was better than anyone. I believe that we as mothers know whats best for our children.

I feel that if more people were home schooling, it would be much easier for ME. I could see myself pushing through the chaotic part of home schooling if I had more people in my close neighborhood who were doing it as well.

I loved home schooling, and I love public school for all the reasons that I mentioned. I didn’t home school when I was growing up, so I had great memories of being in public school and elementary. If anything, I would skip the junior high years, and hopefully I can talk Lily into home schooling for junior high. Those were not good years and I hope to protect her from of all the negative influences.

Lily and I butt heads naturally. Kindergarten and first grade were great, but as she is getting older, it’s becoming more difficult. She is more willing to do her work for her teacher, but not so co-operative for me. I don’t enjoy doing the school work, I want to do the fun stuff. The creative art projects, and field trips. Time together was my motivation behind home schooling. It wasn’t because I felt I could give my kids a better education, or because I wasn’t impressed with the teachers, or the classes or the school system. It had nothing to do with that. I simply wanted to make sure I had that TIME with my kids while they are still young and actually WANT to be with me.

I can see myself home schooling Owen and Brooklyn when they get to that age. Because I love those beginning years of kindergarten and first grade, and its something I can handle, education wise. To be honest, I was getting a little confused with the 3^rd grade math…

I have definitely gained a lot more respect for teachers through this experience. It is kind of nice to hand that responsibility over to the public school so I can focus on the fun stuff, like life lessons and spiritual growth. When it comes to math and grammar, that’s just not fun for me.

I didn’t even use a curriculum. Kindergarten and first grade is pretty easy to figure out. You get a bunch of work books and do a lot of reading and writing. It was stressful for me having that weight on my shoulders, trying to make sure that they are learning everything they need to know.

If I had to give anyone advice in going the home school route, I would see if you could do both? I love home school AND public school for different reasons.

It’s hard to balance it all and I know we are just trying to be the best moms we can be. Hopefully we will look back on this time without any regrets.

November 2, 2015 · in Weight Loss

Sick And Tired

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?

Weight loss has become a subject too commonly spoken of over the past decade. Things are shifting though. We are becoming a more health conscious society rather than a “being skinny” obsessed people. Don’t get me wrong, losing weight is still a priority for most women, especially moms. We put our bodies through so much in order to bring these little babies into the world. Then we pretty much devote all of our time and energy into raising them. Needless to say, it takes a tole on our bodies and our health. More and more we are realizing that our health can NOT be put on the back burner while we raise our children. Our health is exactly what will power us through the many hours required for caring for our family.

Weight loss is great, but health is essential. That’s why I’m so passionate about Nutritional Cleansing! Because it’s not just another diet that we do for a week then fall back to our old eating habits. It’s a lifestyle change that everyone can do. Just give it a week and you will see what happens. It’s the perfect way to jump start better eating habits. You will first cleanse out all the toxic junk that you’re body has become addicted to. Diet coke, fast food, energy drinks and sugar. Then you really are starting fresh. A clean slate. You will be amazed at how much easier it will be to do a whole 30 program, or go gluten free, or to get off that diet coke completely.

When I first did this program back 11 years ago. I had gotten to a point where I basically lost hope that I would ever be able to lose weight and keep it off. I had tried EVERYTHING! But what I didn’t know back then is that we are ALL toxic. It’s the sad truth but we are exposed to so many chemicals whether we like it or not. Our air is polluted, our water is polluted, our food is not only polluted but it is depleted of nutrients. These are all facts that I’ve learned over the years. There are multiple documentaries surrounding the subject. Sadly the majority of us are going about our lives in ignorance, just trusting the masses but not realizing that we all need to take reaponsibility and be proactive about our Health and get EDUCATED.

We wonder why we don’t feel good, can’t lose the weight, or overcome addictions. We are sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Like I said, I did my first cleanse 11 years ago before I even had kids. I was amazed with my results, but still believed that I would eventually gain the weight back. I was able to lose a total of 25 lbs and go from a size 10 to a 5. That’s even smaller than I was in high school. So, as time went on and I remained consistent with the program, I never did gain any weight back. Now after having 4 kids I’m STILL back in my size 5 jeans. It’s seriously a dream come true!

Here were my very first before and after pics.

And here are my most recent ones after baby #4

The weight loss is just an exciting side benefit to cleansing the body. Other things you will notice when cleansing out the junk is, getting a handle on your food cravings, increased energy, stamina, and mental clarity. We have coached thousands of people through a 30 day program and have seen all kinds of amazing results. What it all comes down to is the simple fact that it WORKS and that’s why my husband and I have been able to achieve tremendous success financially. We are living our dream all because we continue to share what we KNOW with others.

Click HERE to get started on your 30 day program!!!

Watch this awesome 5 minute video called “ARE YOU TOXIC?”

My Favorite Amazon Products

December Challenge

Great Gift Ideas For Your Kids

Wannabe Fearless Challenge

Now Let’s Get Started

Homeschooling VS Public Schooling

Sick And Tired

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