December Young Living GIVEAWAY!

Have you heard the news buzzing from my Facebook page? I'm having one AWESOME giveaway this month, possibly even TWO!!

Go to my Facebook Page HERE

Follow the easy-peasy ways to enter and look for a winner announced December 12th!

 

Good Luck!

-Britt The HLC

September Foodie Pen Pal REVEAL!!!

I love doing the Foodie Pen Pal Program. I'm not as consistent as I used to be, but every month that I partake I always meet these amazing Bloggers and healthy minded people. This month was no different! I seriously love telling my fellow Bloggers about doing this because besides it being fun, you get yummy goodies from different areas. How cool is that?!

If you are interested in learning more or signing up check out all the rules and info at yet another awesome blog I love The Lean Green Bean

Now for the good stuff.....
My Foodie Pen Pal was Rachel. Check out her blog Oh Simple Thoughts (seriously, cutest blog site I visit.). She is fairly new to the Foodie Pen Pal program and I always tend to spoil my people a bit with lots of snacks. However, Rachel gave me probably one of the top 3 boxes in the 3 years I've done FPP. She either has amazing intuition, superior stalking skills or is very much like myself. Just check out these goodies!?

Such a lovely sight after a busy day.

 Justin's Nut Butters? Be still my heart, I literally go through this stuff at a ridiculous pace. I will say I was good and only ate one straight from the box with some nut thins. Ironically enough, I sent her some as well.

We all know how I love coffee and yet, I don't drink it as much as before since I'm doing more tea and water. So when I read this I thought, Blueberry cobbler? That's a little out there. I couldn't have been more pleasantly and deliciously surprised. This tastes so good and isn't overly fruity or sweet. It's rich and smooth and a wonderful combo. LOVE. it.

Check out the website: Strange Brew Coffee House and help support local shops!

 Then there were these gems. To be honest, they did not last long, especially after the Hubs tried the dark chocolate ones. Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans, Also from Strange Brew Coffee House. Holy Yum.

 Finally, there was THIS. Rachel made me some of her homemade Spice Tea Mix.

IT SMELLS LIKE CHRISTMAS.

Even the Hubs, who is NOT a tea drinker, asked me to make him a cup Saturday Morning on our first cool morning of Fall and he liked it. I add a small bit of milk and a teaspoon of agave nectar and one time even added a orange slice to it. Perfection. Citrus and sweet. So good. I learned the hard way though NOT to inhale to closely to the mix because you will inhale a little and it's no longer Christmas smelling when your choking. (Only I could pull that off, but it seriously smells so wonderful!)

Thank You Rachel! You spoiled me and introduced me to some new faves.

Sadly, with this months trip and our crazy schedules, I declined participating this month. Check back for another reveal post in November or even check out the ones from the past. :)

-Britt The HLC

Sweeping out the cobwebs....

Believe it or not, I'm still alive.

Sorry for being MIA but life has been beyond busy.

6 months preggo and gearing up for the holiday season. I think it's time to get back to the blog-life. I've missed it.

Things are still going great pregnancy wise. I'm having a GIRL ! My niche this pregnancy has been cooking, much to my hubby's pleasure and expanding waistline. I'm still unable to gain weight no matter how much I eat or do. I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and that has made me have to modify my usual diet which honestly, I find to be pretty neat. I refuse to let it get me down or limit my love of food. :)

I'm sure I'll be adding more recipes than usual in the next couple of posts.

I'm doing a lot of walking and taking advantage of the non Fall weather, although I wish it would get colder. Texas is just not season friendly and has a mind fo it's own. Halloween isn't a huge event in our household, we carve pumpkins and go to our Church's Trunk or Treat but Avery is still too little to go trick or treating and in my opinion, doesn't need all that candy!

Is there anything you are looking forward to during Halloween and November? Do you celebrate Halloween? Decorate? Have traditions? Share them here.

XOXO,
Britt The HLC

Update & Such...

I realize I am failing at blogging lately, trust me it's not intentional. Life has been busy this summer and I just haven't had much free time. Which will be changing soon. :)

So whats been going on lately?

• I went super Blondie and chopped off my hair. (Loving it!)





•  Due to my volunteer gig at the shelter I am now fostering kittens, I currently have 5 little guys and a litter of 2week olds with the momma still taking care of them, my poor hands and legs look like I've been running through bushes.





• Wedding season of course.



• Plus staying busy with the baby bump. I'm 16wks today and we find out if we are team Pink or Blue on the 21st!!!!!

Baby bump @ 14wks

• Throw in a camping trip, Ranger game, pool time and family time, it's just been a fun and busy summer.

How about you?!

Did You Hear The News?!

So I've been away, busy with life. I am so excited to get back to blogging and sharing some things I've come to love and realize on my Healthy Living journey. Things around here are going to be a bit busy(er)....

HEALTHY LIVING CHICK IS PREGNANT!

I feel like a broken record since Evan announced it on FB after a sweet reveal to our family and then of course on twitter and the family blog but I am just now getting around to announcing it here. (Never had to worry about that with Avery since it was before all the social media stuff) So yes, after 6 months of trying we finally got what we have been praying for! Come late Dec/early Jan our family will welcome Baby #2 or "gummy bear" as Avery calls him/her.

I'm finally getting over the worst of the symptoms and I've only lost 5.5lbs but I am feeling great and baby is doing amazingly. We are just so excited!!

I will say the one thing I love about being pregnant is how much I crave fruits and veggies. It's insane. With Avery I ate salads and fuji apples nonstop and so far with this pregnancy it's mexican food and honeycrisp apples (and yes it has to be honeycrisp, not any other kind). My running is on hold for now which saddens me but with the Texas heat it's a small blessing and I get my morning walks in and by the time I'm home, I'm just as sweaty as if I had run 3miles. :)

Good things are coming!

-Britt The HLC

Ready, Set, RUN!!

The new year has officially been here for two months and that means my goal to run at least three 5ks and (Possible) a 10k is off and running. My first 5k of the year is Saturday.

Evan, myself and my friend Beth will be up bright and early to head to Dallas for This Yummy Run . Evan picked it so of course it had to be food or sugar related. There's a chocolate party afterwards so I'm sure it'll be interesting to watch people stuff down chocolate after running 3 miles. :)

On top of doing the 5k on February 11th, I'll also be involved in the virtual run for Sherry .

Many of you don't know Sherry, but you know her story. She's the Montana teacher who went for an early morning run and never came home. She was simply doing something she loved before starting her day and a random act of violence took her away. I'm sure many of you read her cousins blog and have heard about the virtual run this Saturday. Once I read it I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I'll have my race bib and Sherrys bib on during the race.

When I started running, I never thought it would bring me in a circle of some amazing people. Through twitter, the blogs and face to face people I have met at runs and the gym and on the road doing what we love to do I have learned so much and received so much positive energy and comments and motivation. I love it!

I'm truly grateful for some of you awesome ladies. Thanks for keeping me consistent and pushing me to go farther and do more.

Sept. 2010- The start of something BIG in my life.

October 2011- My first 5k

2012 is going to be so fantastic, it just keeps getting better and better.

Happy Wednesday Friends,

Britt The HLC

Body Image Tuesday!

This is what a month of healthy eating, steady exercises, limited sodas and more sleep looks like.

10 pounds slimmer!

Yep, after weighing in yesterday I stood there slack jawed a bit then fought back a huge urge to cry. It seems almost too easy how steady the weight has been coming off of me and I'm noticing other little "bonuses". I have more energy, I can run farther than ever, my skin looks better, I'm not nearly as bloated as usual, my hair looks healthier and mood is more positive.

I rewarded myself today with a 2 hour butt-kicking at the gym alongside E and a yummy picnic lunch from Subway today. :)

Seeing as how I hardly EVER stick with anything(not on purpose), I'm pretty freaking proud of myself right now. I know I have a ways to go to get to my goal weight/healthy lifestyle but for a months worth of commitment and transition, the results are better than I ever thought they would be.

Keep it up folks, put yourself first, stand firm even on lazy days and do not let bad choices rob you of being healthy and living a full life!

-Healthy Living Chick