Hello Stripes

Before and After :: Kitchen and Family Room

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 09:00:00 +0000

I love me some good before and afters and this one is no exception! There is just something about 'before and after' pictures that makes my heart skip a beat and makes it all worth it. I'm not sure I want to do it again but...I've said that before!

What we thought would take maaaaaybe a year, took two. Surprising exactly 0 people on Earth but, better late than never, right?!

So, here we go! We're gonna start in the kitchen because anyone who knows me, knows I spend approximately 12 hours a week here and only 1 of which is spent actually cooking. #iliketoeat

So, not too bad right? Well, except for the very inconspicuous SPIRAL STAIRCASE in the middle of the kitchen. But, who'd even notice that, right?

I was absolutely blown away when I went back and looked at the befores!

We did A LOT in the entire house but, I think the biggest thing we did was remove the spiral staircase in the kitchen and put in a new one where the wet bar was (yes, you read that correctly.) I would've loved to have been a fly on the wall during the planning stages of that!

Wife: Honey, what kind of staircase do we want?

Husband: I want it to look like we live on a ship.

Wife:

Major things we did in this room:

-Removed staircase and filled in

-Removed white marble and laid wide plank French Oak floors and I ADORE them. They are perfect on every level

-Painted all cabinetry

-New quartz countertops

-Moved chandelier from middle of the room to centered over the table because, it's the little things

-Removed sink from island for more prep space (game changer)

-Removed trash compactor aka germ farm and replaced with wine cooler (necessary)

#amiright

I searched literally everywhere for months for this table. Had an idea of what we wanted but, the size was not easy to find within a reasonable price range. So this one has a special place in my heart!

And say hello to my current favorite photo. #alltherhinos

If you're in the market for a sofa, especially a sectional, I HIGHLY recommend a LoveSac! They are ah-mazing. They are crazy comfy, you can configure in a ton of different ways, they come in just about every color/fabric you can think of and best of all...they're washable. How would I know, you ask? Well, I've washed them no less than 14 times in the past 12 months #ace and they look as good as the did the day we got it!

This is actually our sactional split in 2 separate love seats - see! Super versatile, too.

And we absolutely love having the pool right here! We have used it just about every day since we opened it.

Because hide rugs are my love language.

That's it for this room! Will be back with more rooms hopefully quicker than it took to complete this project ;)

High Protein Snack and a Summery Dessert!

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 10:30:00 +0000

Wanted to share one of my favorite and super easy snacks that we've been enjoying this summer!

Fruit Punch Greek Yogurt

Ingredients:

1/2 c. plain greek yogurt
1 scoop AdvoCare Fruit Punch Rehydrate

Stir and eat!

I usually do 1 cup and 2-2.5 scoops. You can adjust to your preference!

Haven't tried this one but plan on making it for new teammates that are coming for dinner tonight! I'll let you know how it turns out but, I'm sure it will be amazing (if you've had Limeade Spark, you know what I mean!)

Have a great rest of the week!

How Are You?

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 10:44:00 +0000

What do you say when someone asks you how you are?

Is it, "Busy!"? Mine was.

And most of the time I had a grin from ear to ear as if it were something to be proud of - like the person on the other end would then obviously think I was super important, right?!

Then, a couple months ago, something became very clear:

The very thing I was so proud of - was the thing holding me back from the freedom, peace and simplicity that I craved.

What's so funny is that, I WASN'T EVEN REALLY THAT BUSY! Oh, the irony ha!

While some of us may be "drivers" and are somewhat inherently prone to a get-it-done type personality, I think it is far more common that it is a habit we pick up over time as a response to something(s).

Let me explain.

Justin and I have been married for 6 years, moved 3 times (going on 4), had 3 children and built a home-based business. To say that we like to keep things moving, is an understatement, to say the least.

I LOVE change. I LOVE new.

I have never been a person that looks too much in the past. I'm more the type of person that likes to look and see what's ahead.

Then one day, it happened. The boys were out. of. control. Like is-it-a-full-moon-or-something out of control and I said,

"I wish this season were over."

And it hit me like a ton of bricks.

DID THAT JUST COME OUT OF MY MOUTH? Why would I wish my children's childhood was over?!

I picked myself up off the floor in the ball of shame and guilt I had rolled into and I started unraveling the 'why' behind these feelings. My nerves were shot but, I was nonetheless convicted.

In this Pinterest culture we live in, I think as women, we are so conditioned to be seen as people who 'do it all!'. We work, we have our kids are in 16 different sports that travel to 36 different states in 8 weeks, we remember to do the monthly pictures of our infants, we keep a spotless house, we get a perfectly balanced meal on the table every night, all with perfectly highlighted hair and a smile on our face, right?

Then it hit me.

I was addicted to busyness. I was impatient. I would busy myself with anything that kept me from thinking or feeling. It was just go, go, go! I didn't want the world to pass me by, heaven forbid! I had things to do! Things that I thought mattered.

I wasn't even enjoying the present. I was so caught up in ME and what I was going to do next. What we were doing that weekend, where the kids needed to be, etc.

Have you guys seen this video that was going around social media? We all want time to slow down but, so many of us aren't even being present. Whether we tell ourselves we "don't have enough time" or genuinely don't have it - which was the case for Justin and I which is why we built a home-based business. To buy back time with our family.

I found that my addiction to busyness was a 3 part issue but it was all rooted in 1 thing:

1. I was on this mission for external acceptance. I placed my worth in achievement (pride).

2. I occupied my mind with meaningless tasks as a way of running from the truth - I needed to grow up (pride).

3. I was impatient (pride) which always drove me towards disobedience.

Now, I'm not saying that having goals and big dreams and wanting to accomplish a lot is a bad thing. It's not, it's necessary for each of us to do that but, what I am saying is - we have to look at our heart. Where is this drive and desire coming from?

Is it coming from a place of "I need to achieve", "I am running from feelings that I need to deal with" OR "I am doing what I am called to do to fulfill my God-given destiny"? We obviously want to lean hard into the latter!

There's certainly a place for action in our lives and we all must be in action of some sort at all times, but here's the epiphany...

Sometimes, the action is to wait. And to wait well.

This was confirmed about a week ago and I had a friend teach on this and it was absolutely phenomenal.

So, what that means to me is to get UNBUSY. Get unbusy with the meaningless things that don't bear fruit (produce good results) and get busy with the things that do (spending time with my kids and others, serving in church, not being on Facebook, reading books, listening to podcasts, etc.)

Do our kids really need to go to every summer camp, be in every single sport, be told to 'hurry up' 8000 times a day?

Do we really need to have a perfectly spotless house AND the laundry done? Let's face it, when we have kids under 6, pick one but, you can't have both!

I don't think so. I do however think that our spouses and children want our TIME, love and attention.

I think so many of us feel like we are never good enough, never 'get it all done', never have enough time in the day, etc. All of which are essentially excuses and breed that nasty need for achievement feeling - which is actually rooted in pride. And pride is not a fruit! In fact, it is poison that will kill an entire crop if not dealt with.

So, I invite you to join me and break your busy habit. Slow down. Find a way to make more time for the things that matter in life. Our kids don't need toys and every social activity on the planet. They need US!

Transformation

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Tue, 31 May 2016 10:21:00 +0000

I love change. I love new. And a lot has been changing and a lot is new! I've been wanting to make a shift in my blog for awhile but, wasn't sure how.

When I'm not sure how to do something, I just step out and do it and figure it out as I go. So, this is my stepping out and figuring it out as I go!

Up to this point, ya'll probably don't need any reminding that I've been a inconsistent, at best, at keeping up with this blog! (which will be gettin' a little facelift soon! ok, maybe not a total facelift but, maybe a lil' botox here and there!)

Moving, renovating, building a home-based business - all with 3 kids 5 and under will do that to a person!

But there is light. Light at the end of the tunnel and I see so clearly now - like never before. I really considered scrapping this blog completely and starting over but, this blog is a ~~very inconsistent~~ journey of my 4 past years and you can't just delete your past!

Thankfully, you CAN be healed and broken free from it, but it can't be deleted.

I totally find encouragement in that and I hope you do too! The past is the past but, the future is so bright. SO bright.

And that's really where my journey began. Once someone shared that with me and taught me about forgiveness, my entire world changed. Everything in and around me. And it is so awesome. So awesome.

I want to share what I've learned along the way in hopes of it transforming your life and helping you advance in all areas.

So I've basically gone from hot mess express to completely unoffendable, totally at peace and I have zero fear. I mean, who doesn't want that?! You guys, it's the most incredible place to be.

Maybe there's something holding you back - I want to show you how to break free.
Maybe you're looking for encouragement and inspiration.
Maybe you have set a life or business goal but for the life of you, you cannot hit your target.
Maybe you want a better marriage.
Maybe you want to be a better mom.
Maybe you want to be challenged to become more.

Maybe you want some good recipes and workouts.
Maybe you want to know that your kids aren't the only ones who pee in the front yard every chance they get (if you have girls, I hope that's not accurate ha!)
Maybe you want to know that you aren't married to the only man who needs one of these...

Note: I may be unoffendable but, still highly irritated

by facial hair all over my countertop - we're all a work in progress!

Well, friend. You're in the right place!
Here you will find experience, coupled with Truths.
Ones that I hope you will use to launch into and fulfill your God-given purpose and destiny!

You were created to be BIG and do BIG THINGS!

What's Up Wednesday!

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Mon, 16 May 2016 21:08:00 +0000

Disclaimer: the formatting may or may not be a hot mess due to my typing this in Pages on a plane and attempting to transfer to blogger. Apparently, the two don't jive!

And by Wednesday - apparently, I mean Friday! This was supposed to publish two days ago but but was too busy yesterday to check! Good busy 😄💪

Been a fun week of traveling - Denver, Dallas and Nashville and then off to Orlando in a couple weeks! Love traveling but I haven't quite figured out the meal prep while traveling situation yet. For instance, in the airport. They've 100% stepped their meal game up. There are all kinds of great options there now, stir fry, salads, etc but here's my demise. S U S H I.

I know what you're thinking. airport sushi.

It could go horribly wrong...or horribly right. And my friends, it went so right. And these airport rolls are not your average roll. They're like mondo rolls. And of course I can't waste perfectly good sushi, right?

Let's just say that shortly after this was taken I was googling "is there such a thing as a carb headache" and "how to get rid of a carb headache."

But friends - SO worth it.

Ok so on with the show!

What I’m reading

Disclaimer: seems to be a lot of those lol...

this should say what I’m listening to. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read (and completed) an actual book. I listen in the car on the way to the gym, while I’m folding laundry, doing dishes, etc. It’s the most efficient way for me to get the info into my brain in this particular season of life…Since I have some catching up to do, I’ll have to save a post for another day on the backlog on what I’ve read because there are some solid recommendations in there BUT, here’s what I’m reading right now.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

// pick up a copy //

This book. Swear. It was written for me. It’s all about surrounding yourself ONLY with things you love and if it doesn’t “spark joy”. Get rid of it. So basically the way I lived ages 18-22. I moved approximately 37 and a half times and each time my list of belongings got smaller.

“Have I used that in the last 4 hours? No? Ok, toss it. Ain’t nobody got time to pack and move that.” I’ve since married a man whose hobbies include garage saleing and collecting “cool stuff”…but because that’s apparently subjective, we disagree on what’s “cool” but, I digress. Once you get past her talking to inanimate objects (? does not compute) you will find this technique to be very effective in creating simplicity. I’ve done a few areas of the house and let me tell you what. You haven’t lived till you’ve KonMari’d. Mostly your husbands stuff.

No Excuses: The Power of Self-Discipline by Brian Tracy

// pick up a copy //

This one is a pretty 'give it to ya straight' kinda book and I am LOVING it! It's all about commitment to achieving certain goals and it's got me straight fired up! If you want to get things done - this book is for you.

I have figured out that consistency in a positive direction is the key to succeeding at anything in life. Literally, anything!

"Most people think success comes from good luck or enormous talent, but many successful people achieve their accomplishments in a simpler way: through self-discipline. No Excuses! shows you how you can achieve success in all three major areas of your life, including your personal goals, business and money goals, and overall happiness." - the inside front cover of the book

What else is happnin'

Finally getting some house projects done! The before and afters are INSANE. It's hard for me to remember what it even looked like before but loving seeing it come together! Lord, give me strength on our next remodel. This one about wore me OUT!

And finally - I'm getting my NASM Personal Training Certification! As it happens, I'm just as terrible of a student now as I was in college (strangely enough, I'm a high 'Learner'.) and apparently it also corresponds with the way I view packing for vacation. Throw stuff in a suitcase 25 minutes before you're supposed to leave for the airport. May or may not have forgotten an average of 8 items each time I travel. But hey - I got my SUSHI!

What are ya'll up to?! Love hearing from you :)

Protein Pudding. Yes, this actually exists!

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Thu, 12 May 2016 15:37:00 +0000

It is a widely known fact in my family that I am not a fan of cooking, baking or anything of the sort. When I do cook, I have two temperatures.

Off or High.

There is no medium. Who has time for medium? OR I'll turn something on, completely forget about it until I smell molten metal and realize I had a pan on high for 20 minutes.

So, it's really best that I stick to cold, or less than 5 ingredient dishes.

Something you'd feel comfortable letting a toddler cook. That's where I really shine.

So this one is basically life changing. Protein and chocolate. What else is there in life?! ha!

Enter - Muscle. Gain. PUDDING.

You guys. This concoction is so life-changing I practically ancestor.com’d it’s original creator. It traces back to a lovely lady name miss Susannah Padgett. She’s of AdvoCarian decent and you can find her here. She periodically posts food stuff but I secretly hope she starts posting how-to hair videos. Because really.

Usually my pre-bedtime (8:00pm) snack

Recipe:

2 Scoops Muscle Gain

2 Scoops COLD water

mix that up then add in:

1-2 TBS Sugar Free Pudding

Some insider tips:

Start with a tablespoon and as more as needed. Depends on the consistency you're looking for. I like more pudding mix because I like a really thick, almost frosting like consistency. Because, who doesn't #amiright

Stick that bad boy in the freezer for a few minutes and enjoy!

You can mix up flavors as well. My current favorite is Vanilla Muscle Gain and Pistachio pudding mix!

Hope ya'll enjoy this as much as I do. Protein at bedtime is so key for those gains!

Because nobody puts Baby in a corner. Nobody!

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Tue, 03 May 2016 10:00:00 +0000

But evidently, it's the only way I operate. To back myself into a corner, commit to something and then just figure out how to do it.

Because apparently keeping 3 miniature humans alive isn't enough.

- I'm going to hit my macros everyday

- I'm going to totally KonMari my life before June (don't worry - more on this practically created-for-me style of organizing later)

- I'm going to stick to a budget (WHICH I totally have, thank you very much! Except that Health & Beauty category - ladies, why lookin' so good gotta be so expensive?! But I've got some budget hacks I'm excited to share with you guys!)

- I'm going to schedule out my entire day the night before every, single night (this time/priority management thing has got me all kindsa hemmed up but, I've called in the pro's to share some systems - and ya'll know I love a good system.)

- I'm going to get my NASM cert.

- I'm going to blog once a week. There. THERE! I said it.

Why, why is this?! Please tell me there are more of you out there. Can we start a support group? We'll just drink Spark and solve the world's problems in like 8 hours. It will be fabulous.

Practically my anthem.

Uhm. No thank you. I'll take that diligence thing You mentioned.

This is no bueno, folks. We must boss up and get busy.

So, here's to dreaming, digging in and DOING.

It's gonna be a blast - join me!

Linda, Linda just listen, Linda. Budgeting. It's all the go.

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 15:57:00 +0000

Admittingly, this was me. For the majority of my life.

I mean you guys, I had A KID. How on Earth would I possibly have time to figure out at budget?! I mean, seriously. Who has time for that.

Oh friends, the lies we tell ourselves...

But, I believed that lie for a lonnnng time. And the lie of, "well I certainly can't ask how much something costs. What if someone thinks I can't afford it?!" Oh, the humanity, right.

Well, over the past few months I couldn't shake this almost nagging feeling to give. Like really give. Generously. Then I realized, I didn't even know if we could and if we could, how much is 'generous'?

I don't know about you but, I personally don't like not being able to do something that I wanna do. Some call it a personality flaw, I prefer to call it 'resolute' ha!

The next morning, I was reading my devotional and lo and behold - this was the verse.

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty." -Proverbs 21:5

Uhm. What. I mean, if you don't hear that message loud and clear - you should find the nearest CVS and check your vital signs.

Then, not even joking you guys, the next days devotion was this.

And I'm not even reading Proverbs...

So, I was like ok, this is serious. I need to call in reinforcements. I have zero clue how to budget. Luckily, I have Rainman for a husband. Bonus.

So, we sit down, I tell Justin what's up and he, of course, is all for it. That may, or may not have been because he's been trying to budget for the past 6 years of our marriage...but I digress.

Here's the real deal: I didn't want to budget. Money scared me. Like I wouldn't even look in the account. I'd just be like "oh, it's in there, it's fine." It completely controlled me.

To the point that I didn't even know what was truly important to me because, if I wanted something well, I just went out and got it. I didn't want to sit down and actually be accountable for my spending. We didn't have debt other than our house so I'd be like, 'what's on the schedule today? Well, Target of course, and let's throw in some Flutter with a side of Lulu.' And THERE was the problem. It was the heart, coupled with lack of intention and stewardship behind it. Sadly, I think a lot of people live this way and I'm here to tell you, the other way, the hard(er) in the beginning way is SO WORTH IT. I have been asking God to clean out my heart. Make room for Him. And this was one of those areas of my life I hadn't given to Him. Because that meant I had to GROW UP, sit down, be a woman and budget.

And I mean, who really wants any part of this?!

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. - James 1:14-15

Uhm. No thank you. I'll just be obedient, thank you very much.

So off we went!

And what does every person do that wants to know how to do something? Why you google it, of course. Well, that pretty much sent my brain into self destruct shut down mode. Are you kidding me? Something that should be so simple. WHY IS THIS SO HARD?!

Wellll okaaayyy, so, this budget thing is no joke. That's right. Lifeline time. Phone a friend.

Said friend, to whom we're forever grateful (Wendi and Jeff!) showed us their glorious, debt-free ways. We were mesmerized. It's called YNAB. And it's amazing. It's like an electronic envelope system. I love the envelope system. We even took Financial Peace a year ago but, it never clicked until this. I couldn't wrap my mind around someone carrying around hundreds, or thousands of dollars. For someone who loses a Chap Stick every 8 and a half seconds - the cash system was not for me. The app on your phone is always with you so you always know where you're at budget-wise and you won't lose your cash!

It took us Justin an hour and a half to enter all of our fixed expenses into the spreadsheet. And if you don't have an Oasis on deck, go ahead and whip one of those up - 'cause experience says - you may need it.

Goal: To figure out where your money goes, give each dollar a 'job' and get control of your finances

Step 1: put your income into "To Be Budgeted"
Step 2: Assign appropriate amount for giving
Step 3: Divvy up remaining amongst "Immediate Obligations" (mortgage, electric, food)
Step 3: Followed by savings
Step 4: Followed by "True Expenses" (Gifts, health/beauty - and oh was this one tested this month, etc. Not supplements. Ya'll know, those are up in the immediate obligations category) These are monthly essentials but not necessarily obligations, if that makes sense. These are some of the areas where we cut the fat.
Step 5: Followed by "Quality of Life Goals" (vacations, Christmas, home projects, etc.)
Step 6: Followed by "Fun Money"

Don't sweat, if even this lost ya. YNAB has awesome tutorials and help. Hang with me, kid.

The key is that EVERY dollar has a job. So even if your pest control is $90 every 3 months, you still budget $30 for it each month so when the time comes, it's already spoken for.

Which brings me to an important point. You may get to where there's money in your bank account and you're like "oh! yay! Shopping!" No ma'am. That money already has a job. It's paying your car insurance 4 months from now. See? Discipline is definitely required but, He doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called so, ante up baby!

The app is SO easy to use and the most notable unintended consequence is that apparently, I'm lazy and I'd rather not spend money than have to spend it and put it into the app so, there's also that.

So a little recap:

Month 1:

Ate tuna and pickles for the last 3 nights of January because apparently, the gourmet rice cakes and super awesome already trimmed $10/lb chicken I bought the first week wasn't exactly 'in the budget'. Hey, I'm learning. And what better way to teach me than with protein!

Month 2:

Mama's got this thing on lock down. And it wasn't without being tested, that's for sure but, now I'm super good at saying, "uh, ma'am. That $42 face wash isn't in the budget." (got a fun story about that one for another day) And our kids - just got a whole new wardrobe of garage sale clothes and I'm straight fired up about it. It's funny how when you want something so badly (for us it's giving and debt-freedom, for some it may be a Disney vacation or to turn the heat up past 65) that you'll do whatever you've got to do to figure it out. There is so much freedom and grown-upness in that and I'm so grateful for my freedom.

Living a life of decrease is so indescribably freeing. It's making room for the things that matter! I'll be journaling my journey of decrease and simplifying, in case you want to join me. It's a lot more fun to do with others!

Bottom line: For me, it's about learning to do hard things and LIKING to do hard things before I have to do hard things. Obedience isn't always easy but, it's so worth it!

So basically...

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 12:00:00 +0000

I love blogging. It's how I organize my brain. And I have more time now as I'm figuring some things out in life! Whew eeee it's been an amazing, challenging year of growth and freedom!

I definitely don't have it all figured out but, I have a LOT more figured out than I did a year ago and really just learning along side all the rest of you and having a blast doing life with some of the greatest people on the planet!

Because, basically. I'm unoffendable. And it's so freeing.

So, on this weeks agenda:

Gym time at a new gym. Yay for new, right?! I literally join a new gym every 48 seconds. I'm like someone please stop me. Seriously. But don't. Because I love it.

Groceries. Finally. You guys. I did the unthinkable and asked Justin to do a budget. And guess what's not in there. TARGET. I know. It's been...interesting. Don't worry. I'll fill you in. I had tuna and pickles for dinner Wednesday night if that tells you how well I did in January...

Can someone please just give me a schedule of daily life. Like, what do you do when you and your husband both work from home and have 3 kids 5 and under? If there's anyone matching that description. Holla at your girl. I have a job for you.

Unlikely so, I'll be figuring it out and sharing those fun times. And mark my words, I WILL figure it out! #yaysystems!

Pushing Facebook into the fire (I'll attempt to explain that analogy later.) You guys. I'm seriously so over it. I have such a love/hate relationship with it. I love seeing people's lives and their adorable kids but like I can't even deal with the other side. The whining, complaining, negativity and basic uselessness of that kind of thinking. Like can. not. deal. But, I love connecting. And memes. So....yeah. We'll see how that pans out.

You guys are so great. 2016 is going to be awesome in different ways for each of us :)

How to Fight Those Holiday Cravings!

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 15:15:00 +0000

Love me some Christmastime but man can it do a number on the ol' scale if I'm not careful! I've learned over the years how to avoid the dreaded gain and wanted to share some tips with ya'll.

We're gonna go to functions and who wants to be the weird one eating rice cakes out of their purse? It's not a good look. Trust.

So here are some helpful tips!

1. Don't go hungry!

Never show up starving. I always eat before I go! Then that allows me to have a LITTLE of whatever is being served and enjoy it and the company I'm eating with. I've heard people say that they're not going to have lunch because they're having dinner somewhere. Bad. Bad. Bad idea! It might *seem* smart to 'save your calories' you're really just setting yourself up for a binge session and metabolic shutdown. It's not healthy, my friends!

2. Avoid/limit alcohol.

I might have one glass of wine if it's good but, usually not. It's empty calories and I typically feel horrible about .6 seconds after consuming it.

3. Take in good nutrition.

It's the MOST important time to get in good nutrition. I've heard people say, "well, I'm not eating clean so I'm not going to take my supplements."

That's like saying, "well, I dropped my phone. Now I'm gonna run it over with my car and totally demolish it." No bueno. Here are my favorites.

Basically what you see here is energy, nutrition and a little buffer for those holiday treats.

4. Be prepared.

I'm always packin'! You never know when you're gonna get stuck somewhere with no food! Here are some of my favorites.

That little gem there in the bottom left is a VO2 Prime Bar with natural peanut butter. The most amazing protein packed PB&J that you'll ever have. You can bet on that!

The holidays can feel like one long to-do list. During this season of giving, don’t forget to take care of yourself and your body. The best gift you can give yourself is your health and happiness. And a personal assistant. I mean does anyone else feel like that Elf is like having another child?! I'm about 8 shades of over it. ;) Merry Christmas, everyone! Remember what this season is truly about. You are loved!

{Recipe} The Best Chocolate Protein Bars. Ever.

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 09:00:00 +0000

Happy Monday, friends!

As it turns out, a newborn, a "spirited" 2.5 year old, a 4 year and moving can be semi-difficult. I've definitely not been as good on this challenge as I have been on ones in the past but, it's about progress, not perfection so, I'm still pluggin' along! I'll be back tomorrow with more daily eats - I'm going to condense days - I fell like I'm wearin' ya'll out doing one post for each day :)

Moving on to the goods. Go ahead and plan on puttin' the ingredients on your grocery list 'cause you're gonna wanna make these on the super fly.

Ingredients:

2 cups Oat Flour (I just put old fashioned oats in the food processor and blend until fine)

8 Egg Whites (I've been using a 16oz carton of Egg Beaters - I hate wasting the yolks)

4 scoops Vanilla Muscle Gain

3/4 cup Truvia

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

2 cups Unsweetened Applesauce

6 tbsp Baking Cocoa (I like Hershey's Special Dark)

1/2 cup Water (only use if the batter needs to be thinned out a little)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients (oat flour, Muscle Gain, baking soda, salt, baking cocoa) together in a large bowl.

Mix wet ingredients (egg whites/beaters, Truvia, applesauce and water) together in a separate medium sized bowl.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.

Spray a 9x13 glass pan with a non stick spray and add batter to dish.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until done (I stick a toothpick in the middle and when it comes out clean, it's done!).

Note: I like to undercook mine just a little bit :)

I hope you enjoy these as much as our family does! They are perfect little treats when you're wanting something sweet or just a mid afternoon or evening snack.

{Recipe} Clean Turkey & Spinach Burgers :: 2 Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 11:22:00 +0000

This recipe is a little spin off of my Clean Turkey Meatballs. The thing I like most about both of these recipes is
that they've got your protein, veggie and complex carb - all in one delicious, portable little package. I'm a big fan of 'one-pot' meals, ain't nobody got time for doin' three separate dishes these days (which you'll soon see when I post the rest of my last few days of my food journal...) I prepped a bunch of these 5 days ago and still have a few left so, they'll last until my next prep sesh in a couple days. It's been a good amount for two adults to last us through the week.

Get ready for deliciousness with these bad boys.

Ingredients:

2 lbs 99% lean ground turkey breast
1/2 c. Egg Beaters (hard boiled all my eggs. You could use 2 eggs instead)
1/2 c. ish of oat flour
2 t. dry yellow mustard
1 t. salt
2 T. garlic powder
1 T. onion powder
Spinach, chopped (I just chopped up a bunch and threw it in there. Maybe 3 cups?)

Turkey Ranch Burgers (froze this batch)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. 99% lean ground turkey breast
1/2 c. Egg Beaters
1/2 c. ish of oat flour
2 T. Homemade Ranch Seasoning (I did not use the dry buttermilk and I only use 1/4 t. dill. It is SUPER dilly if you use the full 1.5t. it calls for)
Spinach, chopped

Directions:

In a saute pan (this is my favorite one to use), heat a few tablespoons of avocado oil
Pat burgers into patties and saute on each side until done, times will vary based on how thick you make your burgers

And there you have it! I actually am liking these better than the meatballs lately. You'll see these on repeat on my challenge. I've been topping with avocado or guac and dipping in ketchup and mustard. Normal, right? Either way, it gets the job done!

P.S. You may have noticed that blogger and I are still fighting. It's a love/hate thing happening right now with us. Mostly hate... Apologies for the weird formatting issues. I gave up after a solid 30 min of trying to fix it. Just know that there are some changes gettin' ready to happen on le blog soon! :)

Have a great weekend!

24 Day Challenge Series :: Day 3 & Meal Prep

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 09:00:00 +0000

Let me start by saying that I spent the entire day meal prepping. You would think that I prepped enough for the Zombie Apocalypse but, sadly no, just enough to get us through a few days
(I'll let you know how long this list lasts me since now the husband is hardcore about eating clean.) I used to be able to meal prep a week's worth of food in a few hours. Now. I'm not even sure WHAT I get done in a few hours.

Let's just say that there's a lot of Visine and dry shampoo happening over here...

Here's what Day 3 looked like (imagine 2 hyenas loose in your house all day and that's about what we're dealing with here):

Upon Rising @ 6:45am:

1 Probiotic Restore ULTRA
3 Catalyst
1 SPARK
1 Fiber Drink, followed by
9 oz H20

Breakfast @ 8:00am:

1 Vegan Meal Replacement Shake (DEFINITELY use a blender bottle with this one and COLD water)

Snack @ 10:00am:

2 HB eggs
Coreplex w/ Iron
2 OmegaPlex

Snack @ 11:15am:

1 c. cottage cheese
Handful of cherry tomatoes

Lunch @ 12:30pm:

1/2 sweet potato
3/4 c. green beans
1/3 c. black beans
1/2 avocado
Sriracha

Snack @ 2:50pm:

1 Chobani Black Cherry Greek Yogurt

Snack @ 4:30pm:

Lara bar
Rehydrate

Snack @ 6:00pm (this is always the craziest time of day for us)

A ton of raw veggies (carrots, celery, cukes, green peppers)
Bolthouse Ranch Dressing

Dinner @ 8:00pm

Tuna Salad (I use Wild Planet)
Tortilla Chips >>>>>>>>>>>
2 OmegaPlex

Total Water Intake: 112oz

Here's a list of what I prepped:

Clean Turkey and Spinach Burgers (recipe coming this week)
Best Ever Chocolate Protein Bars (recipe coming this week)
Perfect Chicken
Caprese Quinoa Salad (without the mozz)
Tuna Salad
HB eggs
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Notice NO veggies - bad, bad, bad.

Before Bed @ 10:30pm:

3 Catalyst

Disclaimer:

*I am nursing, therefore cannot do the 24 Day Challenge that non-nursing or pregnant women can do. I am doing a modified version. Please consult your medical provider before starting any new programs. I cannot recommend products to anyone with a medical condition such as, pregnancy or nursing, or under the age of 18. Therefore, I am not making any recommendations, only describing what I have chosen to do.

He's Finally Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 04:06:00 +0000

Our little guy has finally arrived!

And he is pure perfection. He is definitely his father's son!

I apologize up front for the lack of typical hospital pictures but, is it me or, is there seriously someone in your hospital room 24/7? I felt like every time I tried to call someone or do well, anything, in would pop someone else.

Nurse: "Oh, hi. I'm here to draw your blood."

Me: "Oh, hello. Did you see what I just went through to avoid the epidural needle?! I'll spare you the details but, yeah, I don't think that's gonna happen."

Nurse: *crickets*

Bless their hearts for putting up with me.

Charlie has been with the grandparent's for going on almost a week now (there is going to be some serious grandparent detoxing happening next week #imafraid) but, I managed to snag a couple of Breaker and "My baby".

I mean. #idie right? Such an incredible feeling of grateful heartedness when I look at this.

Then fast forward to our first night at home annnnnnd we're back. Ace, we're gonna have to toughen you up quick, kid if there's a hope of you standing a chance.

I'm basically obsessed with taking pictures of everything these days so make sure to follow me on the greatest thing ever.

And in other news, this should surprise no one, but I'm on Day 1 of my first 24 Day Challenge in a hot minute and I'll be blogging about each day - food, workouts, progress, etc. so make sure to follow along. Today was Day 1 and whew, I picked up a lot of bad habits over the past 10 months!

Big news in the moving situation and on the blog homefront too, so stay tuned for all that awesomeness!

Be back Monday with Day 1 of my 24 Day Challenge!

Master Bed & Bath {Before & After} You HAVE to see the before...

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 21:02:00 +0000

I apologize for being MIA but, lot's goin' on ova heah.

We have a pending offer on the house!!! Happy, sad, nervous and excited!
AdvoCare is in massive action. The hubs has recently caught the vision. We're now helping change people's lives TOGETHER. A long-time prayer answered.
Oh, yeah. And having our third little angel literally ANY day now! So excited to meet the little guy!

I was really hesitant to post this because the before's are so insanely horrendous. Like, I can't...seriously but, I was super happy with the after's that I've gotten over it. Kind of.

Things didn't go exactly like my original design board but, I got close and am super happy with the finished room. So, come back with me, if you will, to this hot mess...

Ready?

My eyes, my eyes!!!

Yes, that is a bed...a bathtub. And that pocket door you see next to the bathtub led to the main floor half bath...that also served as the "master bath".

Exactly.

I still haven't quite figured out how this layout came to be but, that's probably for the best. Because if I could actually rationalize it, I'd be #certifiable. We could've expanded out on to the covered deck but, chose not to because we love that space so much so, we really had to get creative on how to best utilize the space we had to work with. We knew that because it was going to be a smaller-than-the-norm master bed and bath, we really needed to put in high-end finishes to take it to the next level. I feel like kitchens and baths are where you should always put in high-quality finishes and a lot of thought and planning.

Here was my original design board.

And here is how it turned out. I chose to go with lamps vs. sconces because I didn't want the new owners to be married to them if they didn't like them but in our next house. Sconces, baby. All the way.

Rug: West Elm

All Bedding: West Elm

Side Tables: Home Decorators

Lamps (no longer available but loving these): Pottery Barn

Dresser: West Elm

Wall Color: Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter

Holy wrinkled duvet #avertyoureyes!

Mirror (same color no longer available): West Elm

I have the deer head (large size no longer available) to put above the bed but, I was kind of over putting holes in the wall before we listed it so, I just left it off. If we were staying, I'd put that beauty up!

So, on to the master bath. We chose to carry a similar feel from the kitchen into the master bath with whites, shaker-style cabinets and satin nickel fixtures but, didn't do a board for that. #sosorry

Wall Color: Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter in 50% halftone

Custom Closet: EasyClosets (LOVE them, by the way!)

Overall, so happy with how this whole space turned out. Again, if we were staying, I'd add some more wall art but, wasn't worth putting holes in the walls pre-sale.

You guys have any small, inspirational spaces to share? Emily Clark had an awesome post on small spaces a couple days ago, make sure you check it out!

Boys' Bedroom {Before & After}

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 09:00:00 +0000

I promise, I'm not as horrible at life as I am at keeping a blogging schedule. Well, maybe a little right now. There's been five swimming lessons and we have yet to make it to one, I still haven't gotten the newborn clothes out of storage (16 days to due date...)and ate hard boiled eggs for lunch...and dinner.
Either way, I'm still a firm believer in the saying "You'll never have more time than you do today" so, trying to suck it up :)

On to the fun stuff - before and afters!

You guys. Not kidding. WHAT is that creepy mask thing on the wall?! "Hey, I know what I'm gonna do today. I'm going to find the creepiest thing next to Chucky and hang it on the wall right across from my bed so it stares at me while I sleep. That's a tremendous idea!" Creep. City. I'll never understand...

So, the vision for the boys' room really started with the lockers. They came out of the University of Southern Indiana's locker room and we found them several years ago on Craigslist. Although I do love them, they are the furthest thing from functional. The husband thought "they'd function like a dresser." How, and after 5 years and SEVERAL attempts to make them "function like a dresser", I'm still not sure. In our next house these will definitely be a playroom fixture.

We chose to remove the accordion doors from the closets because I wanted a super open feel throughout the entire house. Our previous home looked like Ron Burgundy lived there (think lots of mahogany and leather-bound books...) so I went the complete opposite direction with this one. We installed Expedit shelving units (which I heard they are discontinuing?!?!) and they have been truly functional. They don't allow me to accumulate a ton of stuff and just shove it into drawers so, I love that about them and the boys can actually put their stuff away in them. Double win.

The adorable (and super sturdy) basketball goal came from Just In Tyme Sports. The boys use it all. the. time. Highly recommend installing one of these if you're a #momofboys. The bed is Target and the bedding and rug are Pottery Barn Kids. My favorite thing in the room has to be the canvas hanging above the top bunk. It was a photograph taken by a former co-worker and the minute I saw it, I had to have it. #idie

The floors are Sport Court maple that we found on Craigslist as well #seeingatrendhere and the husband spray painted the key. I'll do a tutorial when he does it again in our next house because our boys really do love this.

The wall color is Sherwin Williams Olympus White. It pulls a gorgeous pale blue and looks perfect with the Dover White trim. Will definitely be using this color in our next home as well.

Hopefully be back with the rest of the upstairs later this week, assuming little guy doesn't decide to make an early entrance!

My Journey Back to Faith

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 10:00:00 +0000

I planned on sharing some more before and after's of the house but, felt compelled to share something that's been on my heart (and in a draft post) for a while now. I've never shared this part of my life partially because I think I was embarrassed and also a little afraid of being judged when I make the inevitable misstep.

I've been working on my spiritual growth over the past few months but, just didn't feel God's presence. I'm a Christian, I went to Christian schools for many years and I believe His Word to be true from my very core. God is all around us, every second of every day, in every thing. I absolutely know and believe that with every ounce of my being but, how do I reflect that in my actions and make it my heart? How do I take that and have it make a difference in my life? That is where I was struggling.

My heart didn't feel whole.

The hubs says that he feels God speak to him and all he does is listen and act. Um, #excuseme what. I want that! I want God to talk to me and I listen. I knew I needed to really pursue Christ to be the kind of wife and mother I want to be (and the one God wants me to be). Not just say but, act. Like really live my life chasing His will. Fulfilling His purpose for me. Letting Him transform my heart, thoughts and actions. It's almost like I would hear God speaking to me and then kind of resist it when it was something I didn't want to hear. A good friend told me that often times we view our relationship with God like we view the one with our actual father - and that made a whole...whole lot of sense to me. I've always been one to think that I know better, that despite what someone (anyone) tells me, I'm gonna do it my way. Even if I know they're right and I'm wrong. I have to learn the hard way which, has caused me a lot of pain, heartache and tangled feelings that I've had to work through over the years.

As #craycray as it sounds, PowerSheets are what have helped me connect the dots. Helped me create some action items that will help me build that deeper relationship with God that I desire and truly transform my heart. I reached out to a friend and asked for her advice. This is someone I have seen grow in incredible ways and she has had such an impact on me as a wife, mother and so much more. She had many words of wisdom and her words of truth and encouragement were what really pushed me into taking action on changing those empty feelings I was having.

After I spent a few days praying (as best as I know how) reflecting on what I want my life to look like, what kind of family I want to raise and what kind of wife, mother, friend and person I want to be, I had 5 areas of focus.

Faith
Husband
Children
Others
Self

I've learned that my brain seems to work best in a compartmentalized manner (which is reinforced by the time management/organizational system that I'm using. Seriously, amazing. I'll share more about that in the next couple weeks) and when I write things down. Seems to be the only way that things really sink in.

From this larger goal, you're asked to break it down into an Action Plan that included listing the Why and How. This forced me to form and refine my purpose and put it on paper. One of the biggest things I've learned from Advocare is the importance of having a solid purpose so, I really embraced this exercise.

My Goal:

I want to know God's heart through reading the Bible and devotionals (Jesus Calling) start to finish this year and through prayer. I want to seek and align His will with my daily activities, thoughts and actions. I want to ACT on His will and teachings.

My Why:

Because my family needs me to do this more than they need me to do anything. I don't want God to have to teach me the hard way to get me to listen. It's the only way to fill the void in my heart and accomplish every and any other goal I set. I want Him to know that I treasure His blessings and grace through my thoughts and actions, not just my words. Words mean nothing if your behaviors and actions don't align. My boys teach me that every day. They learn by seeing. I want to earn their respect.

My How:

Finding a church and asking God for the guidance and discipline to do this - I'm honestly embarrassed to admit that we don't go to church. I always felt like you didn't need to go to church to be a good person and a strong Christian but, as it turns out, there are several verses here that talk about the importance of going to church and why. My girlfriend also said that it's important to pray about it and find a one where God wants you to serve - not just where they have casual dress code and a great daycare/kids program (not that I even thought...or maybe even mentioned that those were my criteria to her. Nope. Definitely didn't do that).

Reading Jesus Calling each morning before checking any social media - this was a hard one for me. Again, embarrassing but, I'm working on it.
Being still, spending time with God and praying throughout the day - it's weird. I feel like I don't know how to pray. What do I say? How do I become disciplined and focused so that my mind doesn't wander? I'll start praying and it's like I'm not really there. This is a big focus for me because I think prayer takes practice.
Getting rid of distractions that keep me from this - I unfollowed a lot of people/groups on Facebook and Instagram that weren't positive or fully in line with my values (ex. Someecards, certain fitness accounts on IG, etc.). I've also set some technology boundaries. My phone is a slippery slope. I found myself checking FB, IG, etc. habitually. Kid #1 calls my phone my camera because I'm always taking pictures with it and not too long ago he said to me, "mommy, QUIT LOOKING AT YOUR CAMERA! LOOK AT ME!!" I now am only on my computer or phone (for anything except something regarding the husband or kids) before they get up, when they're at school, or when they're napping. It's been really hard because I love being available to my Advocare people/team all the time, but it just didn't align with my core, nor my priorities so, I've had to set some boundaries.

I think that my Spiritual journey is much like my health and fitness journey. I had to get to a point where I wanted and needed change and was willing to do the work to make it happen.

God put things, like Advocare and my friend, Danielle, in my life to give me the tools, support and mentorship that I needed to truly transform my life. It's been an amazing journey so far and I am so excited to live the life that God is calling me to and fulfilling His purpose for me.

Basement {Before & After}

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 09:00:00 +0000

I want to apologize for the half-heartedness of this post right off the bat. I am knee-deep in my #powersheets (and loving every second) and working on a few of my monthly and weekly goals like:

trying to create and implement a time management system
learning to set some boundaries with work and the kids,
and blogging more often.

I haven't quite got it all figured out just yet but, I'm working on it!

So, our basement. I didn't take many before pictures because this was one of the first areas we conquered and I think I was trying to block the whole situation out. I've since come a long way and have learned to embrace a good challenge but, this basement was a holy hot mess. There were cats (one of which they claimed to be the grandparent of Jinx from Meet the Parents...?! I can't make this stuff up) and birds...and a tanning bed.

We started by ripping out the blue indoor/outdoor carpet and refinishing the floors (which I talked a little bit about that and the office HERE). Everything was a disaster down there and had to be re-done. Walls, trim, baseboards, ev-er-y-thing.

I'll start with my favorite room. Mostly because it's a long narrow room and we really had to be creative with how to best utilize it. It was originally a "media room".

and who even has physical "media" anymore? Not me but, I do have wine. Lots and lots of wine.

Isn't that a much better use of the space?! Obviously, if you agree, we need to meet because we're destined to be bff's.

The wall color. Oh, the wall color. It's Sherwin Williams Ethereal Mood and although it's in the gray family, it pulls GREEN. I mean really green. I'd definitely do a different color if I had it to do over again, just because I'm not a huge fan of green on walls (unlike the previous owners) but, I chose this color off of a swatch instead of a sample on the wall. Big mistake, people. Huge. Rule #1 when choosing a paint color. Put it on the wall!

The racks came from Wine Racks America. They were super reasonable and great quality. I highly recommend them, if you're looking to do something similar in your home. The countertops are green onyx and I LOVE them. They are definitely unique and don't appeal to everyone, or look good in every room but, we wanted to add some character to the basement.

On to the living area.

I didn't get an after shot just like this one, because of the way the room is now put together but, you get the idea - hot mess city.

The after is actually shot from where that TV is.

{that couch and chair. another one of the husband's pre-marriage purchases...}

We opted not to paint the brick, like we did upstairs since I thought white would kind of compete with the floors. We sprayed the fireplace surround black and that looks about a thousand times better than brass. And you may recognize the built-ins. We repurposed the shelving in the media room and installed them out in the main room. They were sprayed in Sherwin Williams Dover White and the wall color is Sherwin Williams Useful Gray. I LOVE this color. It pulls a little tan (?) but it's a really great neutral gray that works in a lot of different rooms (It's also in the nursery upstairs that I'll be sharing later this week after the closet system is in).

Here is the basement "bedroom" - which after shooting these, I realized that it looks a little more like a prison cell than a bedroom. This was a storage type room up until last week so, I've never spent any time making it into a true guest bedroom. I promise it's not this bad in person. Well, the rug is. I'd like to blame the husband but, I think this was a pregnancy brain purchase about 5 years ago. It's a king bed so the room is actually pretty big, but it was kinda hard to capture. Wall color is Useful Gray as well.

I will tell you, I am LOVING everything Nate Burkus at Target right now. #idie over these sheets.

The bathroom proved to be difficult to capture as well but, you can see the detail in the onyx a little more here. Isn't it dreamy?! The wall color is Agreeable Gray and this is another favorite. It pulls a little tan/green but, it's still gray. Definitely one you want to sample first, though!

So there you have it. The finally finished basement! Will be sharing some more #powersheet (are you guys sick of hearing about these yet?! Sorry, they are seriously just that amazing) awesomeness and my 5 goals for the next 6 months, as well as, my mission statement...that I've been meaning to actually come up with for oh, I don't know, 2 years now. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on it!

Life Is Too Short To Play Small. Go Big.

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 09:00:00 +0000

You guys. Have you heard of these magical little things called PowerSheets?!
Well, they are life changing. I've been working for a few days on filling out my 'Prep' portion. There is nothing like actually writing down your dreams, feelings and life vision to really force you to think, "What do I want my life to look like? What do I really want out of the one life we are given? Like really want?"

One of the reasons I started blogging was the accountability factor and after almost 2 years, that hasn't changed so, I'm sharing my dreams, fears and 2014 Vision with you.

After jotting down my Dreams, a few themes floated to the top.

1. Deepen my relationship with God (a lot of levels to this one!)

2. Create a more intimate and Godly relationship with my husband

3. Be more Christ-like in my thoughts and actions

4. Raise God-loving children

5. Become an effective communicator and leader

6. Achieve a business goal that requires discipline, leadership and perseverance

7. To be an inspiration to those who may be struggling with similar issues

I'm excited to dive into the section where you actually go through the process of turning your dreams into action steps and goals since I know I'll have to get more specific. I have a really hard time with distilling things down into action items so, this is an exercise I'm looking forward to.

I was also asked to list some things that I was afraid of.

My biggest fear is failing my family.

...Failing to be able to figure out how to balance my personal goals and aspirations while properly raising my boys

...Failing to be able to figure out how to be a more Godly wife

...Failing to learn to set boundaries so that I can more effectively manage my time and accomplish goals

I'm not sure if these are common fears but, these are a few of mine.

Out of this came a 2014 Vision.

I am getting this printed and will hang it in the master bath where I will see it first thing in the morning and periodically throughout the day.

Everyone needs a vision. When times get tough, it's what gives you the passion and perseverance to keep going. I have a feeling that with all of the life changes I have ahead of me, times will get tough and I'll need this vision board more than ever!

{via}

The next step is to get more specific with my goals. I won't be sharing exactly what each step is out of respect for the Lara Casey Team that worked so hard to create these life-changing materials. If, however, you'd like to get your hands on them, you can do that HERE.

Updated Grocery List

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Fri, 30 May 2014 13:51:00 +0000

Popping in today to share my updated Grocery List! I'm working on a post that gathers up the resources in which I meal plan from as well so, be on the look out for that.

Have a great weekend, Everyone!

Pantry // Mudroom {Before & After}

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Thu, 29 May 2014 09:00:00 +0000

Excited for the group that's getting ready to start their 24 Day Challenge. Email me if you haven't received your stuff!

Now, on to some more before and after's. The pantry was one of the only things that I actually liked about this house when we first looked at it. Coming from a tiny little closet and seeing the rest of the house, this is all I had to hold on to...

I don't have before-before's but, it was a horrendous mustard yellow so, we painted it, took the accordion doors off, installed new shelves and laid hardwood floors.

{Before}

{After}

Amazing what some paint and Target baskets can do! It's not as pretty as I'd like but, I've found that 'function first with a sprinkle of pretty' works best in our household.

This little cleaning closet is another one of my favorite little areas. It's so nice to have all of your cleaning supplies together and within reach but, out of sight.

That Shop-Vac you see there was my Christmas gift from the hubs. We're practical folk...

This door in the back goes to the garage. At first I thought, "why on earth would anyone put a door there?!" Now I get it. I just unload my groceries straight from the car right into the pantry. Magic, I tell you. The only downside is that on ~~several~~ a couple occasions, the groceries never made it out of the bags and onto the shelves but, eh, whatever right. They're in there. :)

The other functional area I really love is our mudroom. It started out as just a room off of the laundry room with a reach in closet.

{Before}

Hot mess city, right! Totally not functional. All we did is hang a ton of coats and stash crap in there. It was where I threw things I didn't want to deal with. We decided to open everything up and had some custom lockers installed.

{After}

I do love this space. It's no longer a clutter-collecting zone but, a truly functional space. There are a few things I'd change (and will if we don't sell our house). I'd add drawers down at the very bottom and maybe doors to the actual locker part where things hang. I did open EVERYTHING in this house. Closets, pantry, mudroom - now there's nowhere to just throw stuff! It's basically forced me to declutter every single area of my home which is a good thing but, man, it's been some work.

We're finishing up a couple more projects (getting the basement bathroom shower refinished and installing another Easy Closet system in Breaker's room) and then we are done! Like, done, done! I seriously cannot believe it. It's been going on 33 months that this has taken us! Labor of love, that's for sure.

I'll be back with more before and after's next week!

Main Floor {Before & After :: Part 1}

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Mon, 26 May 2014 09:00:00 +0000

I found all the 'before' pictures of our house from when it was on the market (I apologize that they're not the best quality) before we purchased it. Get ready, it's....well, it's interesting. We'll just leave it at that.

So here we go!

What we have here is the sunroom. This was honestly the best room in the house, at the time.

And here it is today.

If you're wondering why the side tables are a little bare, it's because I have the wildest two year old on the planet. He, like his father, cannot be trusted with small, breakable items.

*Pretend you don't see the driftwood stool by the door* It belongs next to the media console but, pregnancy brain forgot to move it.

We spend quite a bit of time in this room and I love, love, love looking at the gallery wall. I think everyone should have one in their home somewhere. Those fans however, not a huge fan of them, but they were last on our to-do/budget list so, they're there for now.

The wall color is Sherwin Williams Gray Clouds. To me, is the quintessential, perfect 'gray'. It doesn't pull blue, green, purple or brown (at least not in this room). We still have to switch out the patio (?) door hardware but, have yet to be able to find any. Seriously, does nowhere carry these?! I like to think that I can track down just about anything but, these. These are scarce. If anyone knows where one might get their hands on some, drop me an email!

We also chose to leave the ceiling and window casings in their original colors. It gave a room more character and depth. I think white would have made it too sterile but, maybe not. Erin, over at Sunny Side Up has a similar style and her new house is amazing so, it may have been fine but, I actually like the contrast.

Ok, moving on to the kitchen. Get ready for these...

Do you hear angels singing?! I did not when we first walked in. Thankfully, the husband, despite his aforementioned annoyances, has quite a design vision.

No words here, people. No words. I'm actually a little surprised I don't see the League of Their Own framed movie poster hanging in here that the previous owners gifted us (that and the table you see here...). The fact that Tom Hanks stayed in this house while they were filming was their main selling point. My only thought was, "wtf, Tom. I expected you to have better taste than this". Never thought quite the same of him since.

And here it is today.

We basically gutted everything in this area. During which, I was confined to living in the basement making meals only in a crockpot and washing Charlie's sippy cups in the bathroom sink...8 months pregnant. If I could give you guys one piece of advice, don't do this to yourselves. I had more breakdowns than I can count and this is probably the time I developed the twitch I have now anytime I see a crockpot.

I have the boys' artwork hanging on the backsplash so, not sure if you can tell that it's white subway tile. I'm sure our realtor will suggest that I take it down but, not happnin'. I love looking at their sweet handprints and scribbles. Especially when I've got my head shoved underneath the cabinets trying to regain my composure after Breaker threw an egg at me while standing on the counter (true story).

If you look closely (or probably not even closely), you can see where I attempted to brush out a mop I left behind the chair in the sunroom. And that friends, is why I am not a graphic designer.

The husband built this table and I love it. We looked everywhere for a long, skinny table to no avail so, he found some barnwood on Craigslist and, handy little devil, built one himself. We put a piece of Absolute Black granite with a honed finish down the middle to put hot dishes on and the chairs are Restoration Hardware Remy Side Chairs. They're still on sale so, if you're in the market, snag these babies up!

Lastly, here is the living room. You guys, I can't. I just. can't.

Like what?! I don't even know here.

And here is the same view today.

Oh, no. It doesn't stop there.

Ladies, can you imagine your husband taking you into this and saying, "yep, this is the one, Honey." I thought he had ingested some sort of a hallucinogen and lost his mind. I've since learned to keep a much more open mind but, initially this was tough for me.

I'll hopefully be back this week with more before and after's but, we'll see what the kiddo's and husband have up their dirty little sleeves :)

Home Office {Before & After}

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Mon, 19 May 2014 09:00:00 +0000

It takes everyone a year to finish a simple project, right? Please say yes...

No? Well, in any case wanted to share some pretty amazing before and afters of our current house. This is the first house my husband and I have purchased together so, you'll see a lot of his/her things. It's been an interesting transition but, this baby has come a lonnnnnng way from it's day-we-purchased-it state. I'm going room by room as I get them finished so, I'll probably be skipping around a bit, but ah...so is life these days :)

Here is the basement office, semi-before. Before-before was an even hotter mess, if you can imagine that. Blueish indoor/outdoor carpet and I'm pretty sure the previous owners had a bird in there (?!?!) Little known fact about me, I HATE birds. They just freak me out. #ihaveissues but, moving on.

Here it is after we moved in, painted, ripped up the carpet and did stained concrete. Which by the way, was a great idea, in theory but, I'd do tile if I had it to do all over again. It's gorgeous when it's buffed, but the minute you even look at it, it looks muddy and sad. But, it's concrete and we got a CRAZY good deal on it, so I'm not too mad about it.

So, back to the office. Here are some before's:

(Don't mind that feather 'duster' *cough cough*, it was a bachelorette party gift #classy! and some 3# dumbells? Those must've been the husbands...)

You see the Two Men and a Truck boxes? If you live in the Evansville area, don't hire them. Just don't...

And here are the after's!

The wall color is Sherwin Williams Passive and I LOVE it. It's in the gray family but, it pulls a tiny bit purple. Would be adorable for a girls' room. Trim color is Sherwin Williams Dover White. It's the perfect trim for anything and everything in the gray family.

It still feels a little 'cold' to me, I think a rug and some more objets, etc. on top of the Expedit would help but, they're last on my agenda/budget list right now. Also, the desk...it wouldn't have been my first (or second, or third) choice but, it's one of those items that the husband picked out for his/our last house and I had to work with what I had. You'll be seeing a few of those items in the upcoming posts :)

We also removed the drop ceiling. Originally, we were going to replace it with coffered tiles but, not sure if you've priced those babies lately but, holy cow. It was around five grand to do the entire basement. So, we opted to rip it out completely and have it sprayed black.

Honestly, I love it. I wish we would've done that first (before painting, floors, etc.) but, lesson learned :)

Like I said, it still feels a little cold and not lived in but, overall I am thrilled to death with it.

I'm working on the wine room and living room and have some real gems of some before pics to show you next!

One Week Meal Plan {Jenna's Kitchen}

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Wed, 14 May 2014 09:00:00 +0000

If you've been looking for a little help in the meal planning department, look no further.
I have found an awesome one week meal plan, courtesy of Jenna over at Jenna's Kitchen. She presents a typical week of 3 meals/day of whole foods. It even comes with a grocery list. How great is that! This is great plan for those new to whole foods, or veterans looking to switch it up. And bonus...all of it is 24 Day Challenge approved (at least when I'm your coach)!

I found I liked this a plan and layout a ton better than emeals. It calls for salmon on a few occasions. HERE and HERE are my favorite sources for quality fish.

Jenna is offering a 10% discount on this plan using the code HELLOSTRIPES

Head on over and get this killer meal plan HERE and enjoy!

Would love to hear what you guys think ~

Work-at-Home Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Niki) — Fri, 09 May 2014 08:00:00 +0000

Taking a little break from recipes and food stuff to share some ideas for the work-at-home-moms. Came across a post from Stewardship.com and God knew I needed it. I've been having a tough time lately serving with love. I LOVE staying at home and everything that comes with it and and I love that I've been able to continue to do so AND contribute significantly with the financial (and countless others) blessing of Advocare, but there are days where it is still really tough to stay home and work part-time with two (soon to be three) young ones.

I felt so overwhelmed with the little ones, being pregnant, being a wife, cooking healthy meals for my family and everything else it takes to run a household. I felt like I was spinning my wheels. I was mentally exhausted and never sat down, but never felt like I got anything done. I called my sweet husband bawling because it was three hours past the kids' naptime and they were still fighting it. "What am I doing wrong here?!" It was a string of a few bad days and I know that it was me, not them, not anything else...me.

I knew I just had my priorities all out of whack. I was so focused on trying to get our house ready to sell, the demands of life that every person experiences and distracting myself from doing household chores (and telling Breaker 'no' for the 15,987th time that day), that I let my relationship with God fall down to the bottom of the list and it was very apparent in my thoughts and actions.

I knew I had my priorities in the wrong order and a few weeks later, a friend sent me this post. It was just what my heart and mind needed.

Recalibration and a guideline for how to get some intention back into my days. Please head over there and read the entire thing for yourself, but here are the CliffsNotes.

Create a Schedule

Establish Boundaries to Eliminate Distractions (this one is really hard for me!)

Find Reliable Childcare

Let Go of Something (for me, it's been TV but, it should be Facebook...)

Don't Compromise Sleep

Hold a Weekly Planning Meeting

Get Out of the House (Network, Nurture Friendships, Etc. Advocare has been HUGE for me in this area. Have such a great group of girlfriends because of it.)

Creating a schedule has allowed me to put my relationship with God back at the top, which has given me the strength, energy and grace I need to get through this season of life. It's an incredible one, but whew, it definitely tests you. This blog gives me a lot of strength and I turn to it often when I'm feeling a little mentally or spiritually worn down. It's really things like THIS and THIS that remind me what life is really all about.

I think we're all (hopefully) on a path of continual improvement. Having a family and being a part of such an amazing Advo-family has challenged me personally in ways I couldn't have imagined five years ago. I hope that you find these resources as moving and helpful as I have.

What are you guys reading/doing to fill up your tanks and accomplish all of your goals?

Love to hear it!

Hello Stripes

Before and After :: Kitchen and Family Room

High Protein Snack and a Summery Dessert!

Fruit Punch Greek Yogurt

How Are You?

Transformation

Thankfully, you CAN be healed and broken free from it, but it can't be deleted.

What's Up Wednesday!

What I’m reading

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

// pick up a copy // This one is a pretty 'give it to ya straight' kinda book and I am LOVING it! It's all about commitment to achieving certain goals and it's got me straight fired up! If you want to get things done - this book is for you.

What else is happnin'

Protein Pudding. Yes, this actually exists!

Some insider tips:

Because nobody puts Baby in a corner. Nobody!

Linda, Linda just listen, Linda. Budgeting. It's all the go.

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty." -Proverbs 21:5

Here's the real deal: I didn't want to budget. Money scared me. Like I wouldn't even look in the account. I'd just be like "oh, it's in there, it's fine." It completely controlled me.

Goal: To figure out where your money goes, give each dollar a 'job' and get control of your finances

Bottom line: For me, it's about learning to do hard things and LIKING to do hard things before I have to do hard things. Obedience isn't always easy but, it's so worth it!

So basically...

How to Fight Those Holiday Cravings!

1. Don't go hungry!

2. Avoid/limit alcohol.

3. Take in good nutrition.

4. Be prepared.

{Recipe} The Best Chocolate Protein Bars. Ever.

{Recipe} Clean Turkey & Spinach Burgers :: 2 Ways

Ingredients:

Turkey Ranch Burgers (froze this batch)

Ingredients:

Directions:

24 Day Challenge Series :: Day 3 & Meal Prep

He's Finally Here!

Master Bed & Bath {Before & After} You HAVE to see the before...

Boys' Bedroom {Before & After}

My Journey Back to Faith

Basement {Before & After}

Life Is Too Short To Play Small. Go Big.

My biggest fear is failing my family.

Updated Grocery List

Pantry // Mudroom {Before & After}

Main Floor {Before & After :: Part 1}

Home Office {Before & After}

One Week Meal Plan {Jenna's Kitchen}

Work-at-Home Moms

// pick up a copy //

This one is a pretty 'give it to ya straight' kinda book and I am LOVING it! It's all about commitment to achieving certain goals and it's got me straight fired up! If you want to get things done - this book is for you.