::Young & Restless::

Our Couple Weeks In My NEW Phone Pics!

2012-02-11T12:03:00.001-07:00

CHRISTA IS BAAAACK!

Well needed break.

I apologize for my vlog post not going up and my hop going up so late.

But everything will be back to normal :)

It might be kinda slow cuz im still finishing up my last 3 Boudoir photography sessions.

I wish i could show them off! They all turned out AMAZING!

Holy crap did i get the worlds most BEAUTIFUL clients EVER!

Anywho...

Sense this is a celly pics post.. i thought i'd announce that i got a new phone!

LOVE it! Blackberry had the SUCKIEST apps, and it glitched all the time, took 15 min (literally, i timed it) to turn back on after i took the battery out. PHWEW!

So glad to be done with it!

We are droid lovers now haha.

Ok. Lets get to this.

*Merry go round

*My loves

*Me *Bray and her boyfriend Tayson *Braylee one of her best friends Makaibree

Love these girls

Bray had a rough 2 days lol. Got a toy thrown at her eye, tried to climb the gate and it fell (got a red mark on her hip, Then the next day had a collision with kaibree and got a bloody nose. Haha poor girl. She has too much energy

STOP GROWING!

Popcorn and movies with my best girl! *Husbands make life hard. The end.

Bray's FIRST official hair cut! Yep. She is 2 years and 7 months old. haha!

Mom's new doo! (added more brown). What? Its normal to stand on toilets to show your new hair. Isnt it? ;)

Im an O.G. So what. :)

Bray and her other best friend Preslie!

Bray needed to get out of the house so we had a play date and jump on it (this place with a ton of trampolines and blow up play houses).

BODY PICS.

A phone post just isnt the same without it :)

*Right pic: im turned to the front more to show the toning :)!

IM GETTING ABS!

Slowly.

haha. cant complain.

Left pic shows the toning better at that angle .

Check back monday for my MOTIVATION MONDAYS serious where i will disclose my stats!

Thanks for all the guesses!

Could ya?
click link and click the left bubble.
THATS IT!

Restless Blog Hop! {Vol. 19}

2012-02-10T10:24:00.002-07:00

IM SUCH AN IDIOT!

Im so sorry this is going up so late! As you know, im taking a little blogging break and TOTALLY spaced my hop! But better late than never :) THANKS JESS FOR REMINDING ME! :)

And about the break.. Ill be back up and running soon :)

Monday for sure.

Ill be back to normal :)

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WELCOME to week 19 of the Restless BLOG HOP!

If you are unfamiliar with what a hop is, its where you link up your blog, FB, twitter, etc and hop around to the other links, say hi, and find blogs you might like! (As well as be found).

Kind of like one big blogger meet and greet :)

RULES:
Grab this button and place it on your blog for the weekend!
Its smart to make a special post about the hop and talk about yourself or post something fun to draw people in :)

PLEASE be a follower of my blog

This week i dont have a co-host cuz im an idiot and i want to make sure my co-hosts get full advantages to this hop. And sense its going up so late ill just rotate my co-hosters. Ill email you all to make sure you are aware of when you'll be co-hosting.
IF YOU WANT TO CO-HOST.. EMAIL ME! (make sure you include a link to your blog)chrissyann336@yahoo.com

NOW LINK UP! :)
Because i dont have a co-host im relying on you all to spread the word about this hop! :)!
You are all the best!

Motivation Mondays! {GUESS MY WEIGHT!}

2012-02-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

Today we are going to play a game :)

I have never disclosed my weight or measurements because i was going to have everyone guess!

Ill tell you why next week where i will also disclose my weight and jean size!

So watch the vid and ill give you info to help you guess

as well as my regular body check in.

Body still shots..
Last weeks pic

So comment on this post with your guesses!
(or email, fb, twitter, text, whatever works)
Feel free to comment anonymously if you are worried you might hurt my feelings.
Which you WONT.
Im not sensitive about my weight.
i wouldnt be doing this if i was.

Reminder:
Im 5'7, down 13 pounds, 2 inch in waist, and 3 inch in belly.

I will disclose my weight and such in next week's vid!!

Restless Blog Hop {Vol. 18}

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

I think i need to take a break from this blogging thing for a bit?

I dunno a lot has just been going on.. and i feel like ive been mean?

Which has NOT been my intentions.

Maybe i just need to take a step back and revamp?

I dunno i just feel horrible lately.

I also think that ive just been so focused on PLEASING everyone and making everyone happy that ive made a big deal out of little things that grow into bigger things

and good people are getting caught and hurt in the cross fire.

i just need to revamp.

Im so sorry if ive hurt or offended anyone :(

I truly love all my readers and supporters here in this bloggy world and in my real life.

I would NEVER want to hurt anyone in any way.

You are are TRULY the best and keep me smiling when i need it most.

So thank you.

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Anyway.

On THAT depressing note............ lets get to this hop

WELCOME to week 18 of the Restless BLOG HOP!

If you are unfamiliar with what a hop is, its where you link up your blog, FB, twitter, etc and hop around to the other links, say hi, and find blogs you might like! (As well as be found).

Kind of like one big blogger meet and greet :)

RULES:
Grab this button and place it on your blog for the weekend!
Its smart to make a special post about the hop and talk about yourself or post something fun to draw people in :)

PLEASE be a follower of my blog

PLEASE be a follower of my co-hostThis week's co-host is Melanie from Keeping Up with the Cantelmo's

NOW LINK UP! :)
Spread the word!
The more people that link, the more successful the hop will be :)

Co-Sleeping? No Thanks.

2012-02-02T08:50:00.002-07:00

First off, as a disclaimer, just because I dont agree with something, doesnt mean YOU have to agree with me disagreeing (woa what?? lol). AND, i realize co-sleeping with your baby is getting more and more popular, so dont feel like im dissing you, this is just MY input on it.

K lets begin my lovelies.

I came across this pin on Pinterest.

When Braylee was first born, she had an incident at the hospital that TERRIFIED me that it might happen again. She spit up and had chocked on that "flem" stuff thats babies have in their bellies from being in your uterus. SHE WENT BLUE! Thank HEAVENS the nurse was in the room when it happened and rushed her to the nursery and got her breathing again.

Needless to say, Braylee slept RIGHT by my bed for the first weeks or so (as most newborns do).

Then Braylee WOULD NOT sleep at night. She was backwards, so she ended up in bed with me a lot.

Well i did NOT want her to be a co-sleeper so we made sure it didnt become a habbit, and this is my reasonings :)

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I NEEEED my sleep! Sleep time is MY time. I want to toss, turn, drool, sprawl out, whatever i want!
Its DANGEROUS, especially when they are still pretty small! You can roll onto your baby and kill them!
I do NOT want an older kid bugging me and wanting to sleep in mommy and daddy's bed. The older they get, the weirder it is, and the longer they are in your bed, the harder it becomes to GET THEM OUT!
Yes, co-sleeping might make a special "bond" with your child, especially if you are breastfeeding. But i dont feel like im distant with Braylee. I have a VERY special bond with her actually due to single parenting her the first 3 months of her life.

But lets get to my MOST IMPORTANT point and really the point of WHY i made this post.

(WARNING.. a little bit of adult content is about to follow. Mature, adult, content)

Bed time is my HUBBY time.

My time to reconnect with him, To cuddle, to talk about our day, to talk about serious things that kids dont need to over hear like financial stuff etc. My time to BOND and reconnect with my husband in between the sheets if you know what i mean. Sorry if thats "inappropriate" to talk about but its NO lie, SEX is SOOOOOO important in a marriage. (ill make a separate post about this topic cuz guess what, we are all adults here and can handle it. MMMKAYYY?? lol)

Co-sleeping can create such a huge wedge between a husband and wife! I mean, what do you do when you want to cuddle and have that comfort from your husband? (or fiance, boyfriend, whatev). Kick the baby out? What do you do when you want to brown chicken brown cow? (sex, if you didnt catch on to that). Kick the baby out? Cuz most likely, when you co-sleep, they WILL NOT sleep in their own bed.

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I dunno, just not my cup of tea.

In conclusion. I will NEVER allow Braylee to sleep in my bed on a regular basic or even often. YES, when Braylee is sick, she can come in my bed. If she has a nightmare, YES, she can come in my bed.

But for little reasons?? No.

Braylee is in a toddler bed. If she randomly starts getting up and coming and crawling into bed with us during the night, i WILL go put her back in bed EVERY time.

Im NOT getting in that habit haha.

I hope i didnt offend anyone, not my intention.

Just my opinion

Everyone lives their own lives how they see fit.

Do your thing.

:)

(website where i researched some pros and cons found HERE)

A Trick For Voluminous Hair! {V.V}

2012-02-01T16:48:00.002-07:00

VLOGGING VEDNESDAYS!

Ever wednesday i give you a theme, you can follow it or not, but then you make a vlog,

come link up here!

This week's theme was to teach us something!

I am teaching you a trick to add volume to your hair!
{{TURN OFF MUSIC AT BOTTOM}}

I Need Your Help

2012-01-31T21:48:00.001-07:00

I havent asked this in a LONG time...

But can you guys spare 2 second and vote for your blog on Top Baby Blogs?!

That would be SOOO awesome!

Or you can click this link :)

YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!
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Sponsor Highlights!

2012-01-31T14:11:00.002-07:00

Hello Young and Restless readers! I'm Mary and I live in beautiful Hawaii on the island of Oahu with the love of my life and boyfriend of six years, Joe. Together we have two wonderful little loves; Joey who is four and Makaelyn who is three. We enjoy being in the outdoors and soaking up the sun.
So on my blog, you'll read a lot of posts on the activities we do and see lots and lots of pics of the paradise we call home.

Blog || Twitter || FB || Pinterest

Hi! I'm Meg - a 22 year old stay at home mom to Zoey and wife to Paul. We recently moved from New York to Florida and are still adjusting to the distance from family but are enjoying the warm weather!

My best friend Britt and I create flower hair clips for our etsy shop and I blog over at Pauly Meg & Zoey! I'd love for you to come say hello!

Blog || FB || Etsy || Twitter

Hi! I'm Amanda, and I blog over at Pretty Little Life. My blog is exactly what it sounds like: stories, memories, pictures, and DIY projects from this pretty little life of mine! I love my husband, I'm obsessed with my daughter, and I'm constantly starting up new projects ranging from home decor to photography to crafts! I work part time, and the rest of my days are spent balancing being a mom, a wife, a crafter, and a small business owner. It might be crazy and busy, but I love this Pretty Little Life!

Blog || Etsy || Twitter

Motivation Mondays! {Shirt vs NO Shirt}

2012-01-30T12:54:00.001-07:00

First off... here is my watch me shrink video

You should probably watch the whole video so you know why
im going to be talking about shirts vs no shirts

{TURN OFF MUSIC AT BOTTOM OF PAGE}

OK.
So dont even worry, im not phased by the negative comments but regardless, i like to address them haha.

So yes, in my videos, i wear minimal clothing..
BUT ITS WATCH ME SHRINK VIDEOS!
You cant show toning through shirts and shorts..
Im CHUBBY, i have STRETCH MARKS, i have LOOSE SKIN everywhere...
NOT PRETTY!!
So why the am i viewed as UNclassy or slutty?
These videos arent sexual.... they are nasty haha..
These vids are to motivate MYSELF and OTHERS....
Get over it haters haha....

Anyway..... ill prove my point.
SHIRT vs NO shirt lol

Do you see how well even a white shirt hides the toning and shape (or lack there of lol)

(Yes my right side has more saggy skin...)

World of differance.. and if im toning.. how are you going to see that through a shirt??

Thats it with the comparisons..
Now just some normal week 9 body shots

I mentioned in my video what im doing to loose weight and my diet.
So make sure you watch that.

Total weight loss in 9 weeks: -13 pounds (with a 3 week plateau)
Waist: -2 inches
Belly: -3 inches
Lower belly/Skin sag area: 2 inches

Celly [Pics]

2012-01-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

WOA!

BREATHE!

HO-LEE-BUSY

Ive been taking and editing pics like a MAD women doing FUN valentines day pics!!

But im gonna take a quick sec to throw up some celly pics :)

ENJOY!

Me and my midget at the gym * &Me at the store lol

Myspace pic lol * STOKED for supercross in April! *Oh just one of my MANY body shots

Braylee and Tayson busted holding hands watching a movie lol * Bray at Preslie's house

We have a little too much fun in the little girl's jewelry store haha

Oh and we have too much fun in adult stores too haha. Oh wait....

Not that kind of adult store haha!

My sister Becky's bday

Date nigh. BEST SALAD EVER! * Oldest sister Yolanda's bday dinner

Grow babies grow! haha

Make sure you check back tomorrow for MOTIVATION MONDAYS!!

Where i check in on my weight loss and throw in some motivation!

Restless Blog Hop {Vol. 17}

2012-01-27T09:51:00.001-07:00

Can i just tell you guys how much i love blogging??

Wanna know WHY i love blogging??

Because of ALL the AMAZING blogger friends i have in my life!

Seriously.

You guys are all the sweetest things ever. So supportive. Keep my head up when its getting heavy.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

I feel a giveaway coming soon..

i just HAVE to give back some how!

Any ideas on what you would like me to giveaway??

IM Not A Genuine Blogger??

2012-01-26T18:44:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to clear some air......

I was just told my blog should be about quality and not stats at that really hit a sore nerve with me..

If you've been following my blog you know that im one of the most genuine bloggers..

If you're new... you will learn this...

So i was just kinda hurt and wanted to clear some air
and explain some key things....

{{TURN OFF MUSIC AT BOTTOM OF PAGE}}

Sponsor Highlight {Chelsea&Mallory}

2012-01-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hi I'm Chelsea from The Curly Cues! I am a wife and part-time working mom of a hilarious, sweet, and rambunctious 20-month-old girl. She has crazy hair.

I like to pretend I'm a photographer, so I am making due with my point and shoot until I can afford something swanky. I like books and nerdy things. Lets be friends! Come visit, unless you hate babies (that's how I weed out the weirdos.)

Blog

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Hi I'm Mallory. I am a stay at home mom in my 20s living on Florida's gulf coast.

I enjoy creating through photography, crafts, cooking and writing. My blog is my creative outlet. I hope to inspire others like they have inspired me through their own blogs.

Blog || FB || Twitter

PRODUCT REVIEW! {Vlogging Vednesdays}

2012-01-25T12:11:00.001-07:00

VLOGGING VEDNESDAYS!!
I give you themes to vlog about, you can follow the theme or not, then LINK UP!!
(Check the vlogging tab under the header for next week's theme)

This week's theme was to do a product review!

I did a review on the line Sweet Nothings, camisoles!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!
{{ TURN OFF MUSIC AT BOTTOM OF PAGE }}

Grab this button and add it in your vlog post!

Sponsor In February! {Changes}

2012-01-24T15:27:00.001-07:00

First off.

I was on FB today and this feed from Jess's blog stuck out to me about not working for free and knowing your worth. Read about it HERE

I am making some changes about sponsoring...

February will be the last month that i swap ad space.

And it will only be with the people i have already told that i would swap with.

Hear me out.

The point of sponsoring is to GET something out of it. You scratch my back i scratch yours type thing.

I work hard to make my blog fun and interesting and to keep my hits coming in.

And my blog is growing rapidly.

STATS:

AS Of January 24th 2012

We had 19,731 page views last month and keep growing!
About 400-1000 page views daily (slower on weekends)
481 followers via Google friend connect
608 friends on my facebook (which gets feeds from my blog)
48 networked blog followers
104 fans on my Young&Restless FB fan page
62 fans on my new Personal/Fitness/Youtube FB fan page
354 TWITTER followers

1-24-12 @ 3:18PM

I hope this doesnt make me look bad but you gotta realize i want to move forward with my blog.

I work VERY hard at and post often. I put myself out on a limb and am VERY open and honest and i pride myself if being a REAL, RAW blogger.

But im also not stingy. I will still offer free ad spots now and then.

I will swap with blogs near the same stats as me (i know that sounds bad but it just makes sense).

It would be the same as me paying you and you paying me.

So if you'd like to sponsor in the future here are the CHEAP prices :)

I work very hard for my sponsors :)

Large Ad Space: $10

I have 3 spots available. With this spot you will get a special post for ultimate exposure! You will be at the top of my sponsor list located in the top right corner of my blog!

Medium Ad Space: $8

I have 3 spots available. With this spot you will be included in a post along with the small ad space. You will be just under the large ad space spots in my sponsor list :)

Small Ad Space: $5

Im not limiting the spot availability at this point in time. With this spot you will be included in a post along with the medium ad space. You will be just under the medium ad space spots in my sponsor list

All money transfers will be done safely and securely through paypal! Money must be received before you ad space will go up.

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I hope you all understand and see where im coming from about moving forward with my blog.

I LOVE and APPRECIATE all my readers.

I love all your sweet comments. It seriously makes my day.

I dont know what id do without this blogger community as silly as that sounds.

Motivation Mondays {8 weeks Body Transformation}

2012-01-23T12:52:00.001-07:00

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have broke my plateau!!
Watch the vid and ill tell you what i did.
Im starting a new diet, ill cover that in next weeks weight loss vid :)

Body Transformation in 8 weeks.

Cheater angle.

But it shows the toning best lol

Restless Blog Hop! {Vol. 16}

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

16 weeks??

wo.

HI GUYS!

FIRST off... My heart is FULL today :)
Thanks to all of your kind words and encouraging messages. How lucky am i to have such beautiful souls and amazing people in my life.. even if its via internet :)
Same dif right??
Seriously though, you all are just great. I love each and every one of you! :)

Welcome to week 16 of the Restless Blog Hop!

You all are so awesome and make this hop so successful!

I hope you guys like finding new blogs as much as i do :)

If you dont know what a blog hop is, its where you link up your blog, fb, twitter, whatever your little heart desires, then you click on other links and go say hi! Maybe you will find a blog you love, as well as be found!

BOOP BOOP BI BOOP!

RULES: dun dun dun

Grab this button to display for the weekend

My Heart Is Hurting.....

2012-01-19T19:36:00.002-07:00

This post is just going to be a quick ramble. Kind of a journal entry i guess. Sometimes i just want to write. Not that i have anything in particular to say but just to talk. Ive just been in this confused place lately. And my heart it hurting.

My heart is hurting and longing for another sweet child to have and to hold but my mind is so scared. Im left with the what ifs, ALL the many odds i have working against me. My 2 miscarriages i have had already. If you are new to my blog.. let me explain a few things.

In 2007 i was in my senior year of high school, age 17 (almost 18), and found out i was pregnant with my husband (fiance then). I ended up miscarrying and found out the reason was because my blood type is RH- and my husband's blood type is RH+. If you dont know anything about that, basically if the baby's blood type isnt a negative type, my body thinks its a disease and fights it off. They have a rogham shot for that but they cant give it to you until 20 weeks i believe. So i have that issue.
Then in 2011 got pregnant and at that same time, found out i had hypothyroidism. When you find out you are pregnant you are about 5-7 weeks along. The first 5 weeks are when all your baby's organs are developing and if your thyroid is too low or too high, the organs wont develop right and you will either loose the baby, or have a disabled child. I miscarried.

I want a baby so bad. Everyone is having babies or pregnant right now and it only makes the baby hunger worse haha. Braylee will be 3 years old in almost 4 months. I dont want my children 4 years apart. 3 years apart was my goal but i was NOT going to try to get pregnant until my thyroid was under control. And in November we FINALLY found my right dose. I wanted to give it a few months to be SURE my thyroid would stay in check.

On top of it all, the one pregnancy i DID carry full term for, was SOOO hard. I was in so much pain 24/7. I had high blood pressure and was always getting dizzy, faint, i was always scared. I gained SOO much weight. I was SOO swollen. ahhh.

So now i am left in a whirlwind of emotions. Excitement to try, joy thinking about having another baby, fear of the possibilities, heartache thinking of the pain and anguish loosing a child, confusion, why me?

Of course i cant live in fear. Of course we will try for another.
I just cant handle loosing another sweet soul inside me.
I just cant do it.
I just cant.

{Shawntae -A Little King and I} Sponsor Highlight

2012-01-19T09:21:00.002-07:00

Shawntae's blog is one of my FAVORITES, aaaand, Shawntae happens to be an IRL (In Real Life) friend! What a sweet soul she is!

Ok on to her highlight :)

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I'm Shawntae, I am a mommy to the cutest little boy and girl ever!

I enjoy being with my family,taking pictures of our growing boy and girl, shopping,finding new blogs on the internet,
being with friends and family and the list goes on.
I blog because its the best therapy out there.
This is my journal of my day to day life being
a mommy to Kingston and our new bundle of joy Navy.
My life may not always be pretty but
I wouldn't change it for the world.

Blog || FB || Twitter || Pinterest ||

instagram:@alittlekingandi

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Now go say hi and show some love!!

You will LOOVE her blog, her beautiful face,

& her BEAUTIFUL children.

Like seriously?? Who makes kids that beautiful??

Pimp My Ride! {V.V}

2012-01-18T20:56:00.000-07:00

HORRIBLE!

HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE

BLOGGER!!

I am a HORRIBLE blogger today!

I am SOO sorry.

im the host of this thing (the host of my 4 loyal vloggers) and i SUCKED today!

Ive been so busy with my photography i just couldnt find the time to do my vlog.

Well i DID find the time but... the end of the day?? really??

Will you forgive me???

This week's theme was "Pimp my Ride aka show us your car" :)
You have to at least watch the end ish..
we had a vlogging injury hahaha!

Lacey-The Next Chapter {Sponsor Highlight}

2012-01-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm Canadian! I'm a 25 year old insurance broker and am getting married in 4 months - these two things pretty much sum up my life at the moment. I have two dogs who are basically my children (until I have real children of course). I just recently got into learning about nutrition and clean eating and I am addicted to it. Beyond addicted to it actually.. to the point that I am going back to school to be a certified holistic nutritionist and a certified sports nutritionist.

My blog basically is my life story as I live it so there is a lot relating to weddings (especially in the coming months) and a lot about tips and tricks I've discovered so far relating to nutrition/fitness. Of course, there are also the random posts here and there. I've been known to use my blog to rant about certain people that piss me off too so that can be entertaining sometimes :)

3 Fun facts:

umm, I'm a gemini,
I was a dancer/gymnast for 10 years,
and I'm getting MARRIED in 4 freakin months! Ha.

Blog

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NOW GO SHOW SOME LOVE!

And tell her Christa sent you ;)

Motivation Mondays {Week 7 Shrinkage}

2012-01-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

AHHHHHHHH guys i am SOOOO done with this plateau! 3 weeks now! Ruled out my thyroid being the cause, and MOST LIKELY ruled out pregnancy. Had blood work done and it was negative. So im either not prego or it was still too soon to tell. I have been having so many prego symptoms though its frustrating.

Ive slowed down on the insanity and am trying other things to try to break my plateau but nothing is working. WAAAA! Anywho... sorry

this is MOTIVATION mondays, knock it off Christa!

Lets get to this :)

This is ONLY a 5 pound difference.

DONT get discouraged about small weight loss. Focus on how you FEEL, how your clothes FIT. Measure your inches. TAKE PICTURES! I havent lost inches but i can SEE the difference. Im toning more. I can see all the changes and i think that is what makes this plateau worth fighting through :)

This week i am talking about LITTLE TIPS for not so active people or people who DESPISE working out

Here they are:

MAKE reasons to use the stairs: Whe you are out and about, take the stairs rather than the elevator. When you are home, PURPOSELY leave things upstairs so that you have to go up those dang stairs more often!
Tip Toe it out! When you are brushing your teeth, stand on your tippy toes. Work those sexy calves! When making a sandwhich, tip toe it out! You get the point.
Lunge to your destination! A friend of mine told me about how when she used to work grave yards she had like NO time to work out cuz she was sleeping and taking care of you kids during the day, then worked at night. So at work she would walk around doing lunges. Helped keep her awake and also kept her legs and abs working hard! :). So anytime you walk across the room for something, do some lunges!
Do some sit ups and push ups before bed! Make it a habit, you'll see a difference for sure.

Diet tips!

Buy WHEAT bread instead of WHITE: White bread is SOOOO bad for you! And wheat bread really isnt bad. I actually prefer wheat bread and only give my daughter wheat bread. If you dont like the taste, you will adapt, trust me.
Use SEA salt instead of regular: Sea salt is so much better for you!
Use MARGARINE instead of real BUTTER: Ive never liked real butter. I feel like im eating straight up LARD. ew. "I cant believe its not butter" even has a light version.
Drink WATER instead of JUICE or soda! Soda is nothing but EMPTY calories that do NOTHING for you. Even juice isnt that great. Eat an actual apple instead of apple juice. Juice is full of preservatives and extra sugars and chemicals. Even if it says 100% juice. Look at the label. Does it EVER say "Ingredients: Water & apples." No.. there is a lot of extra JUNK!

Well i think you get the point.

These SMALL changes make a HUGE difference.

Now for my shrink video haha.

Bike Rides In January?? Fabulous

2012-01-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

This post is just our latest random happenings. Its been SOO warm! And from what i read, its been pretty warm through-out the US when normally its a bit colder! So we have been taking advantage of it. As you've probably noticed, i've taken up a more healthy, active, lifestyle. The awesome thing is that my husband has jumped on the band wagon too! I just love him. I dont even ask him to. He always comes to me, "i watched your video, and last night i did some push ups and sit ups before bed", or "i read your blog post and i drank diet soda instead of regular today". Haha he is so funny. Well he has been all gung ho on being more active too and has been wanting to go on bike rides and go running and on walks etc.

And some pics from a play date

haha poor baby boys that come to my house and have blow outs and need extra clothes lol

Bye Tayson!

Potty Training 101

2012-01-14T12:19:00.001-07:00

First off, as a disclaimer, let me state, i am NO professional here.

There is no wrong or right on how or when to potty train your child.

Do what works best for YOU, and how you see fit.

This post is just about what worked for US...

Lets begin.

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Fist off, Braylee, my 2 1/2 year old, now potty trained, big girl pantie wearing daughter (PAUSE)...... take it in..... yes.... i did just say "my now potty trained, big girl, PANTIE wearing daughter! AND, it only took her 3 days. (now lets continue). NO MORE DIAPERS!!!!!!!!!! What a relief!

When should i start potty training? What works best? What if they just WONT go on the potty? How long will potty training take? How young is too young? How old is too old?

The most important thing to remember is you have to potty train when THEY are ready! Not when you WANT them to be. Not when you think its APPROPRIATE. But on that note, they arent just going to come to you one day and say, "Yo mom, i think im ready to go on the potty, now go get me some big kid britches and lets DO this!" Although, wouldnt that be awesome?! "Alright kid, whatever you say". No work for us! I just see these moms that start potty training at 12 months, and a year later they are STILL not potty trained all the way. What a headache! There is nothing wrong potty training at a young age. But if they arent ready why put yourself through that? It only took Braylee 3 days cuz she was READY for it.

You have to introduce it here and there and see how they do. If you feel they are ready, continue, if they show no interest, back off a little and try again later down the line. I started introducing the potty at 18 months. She did not even care for it, so i backed off. Around the age 2, Braylee would get VERY interested and excited. Went on the potty a few times, but then lost interest and sometimes would even YELL at me when she was off grunting in the corner and i tried to encourage her to go sit on the potty.

Tips and Tricks that work for us :)

I didnt even know where to start with potty training other than buying her a training potty. So i figured a sticker chart was the next step. About 3 months ago we got the sticker chart and Braylee didnt really get the concept of "fill the chart, get a prize". So we started with treats. Go on the potty, get a little treat. That worked on and off. So backed off again thinking she wasnt ready.

Last week, i wanted to get her excited about potty trianing. We went out and let her pick a pack of big girl panties and she was SO excited about her new Rapunzel panties! We also got some Cinderella pull ups (she is OBSESSED with disney princessess).

Then we began:

Day 1: We started off with pull ups. I explained to her "Now Braylee, Cinderella is SPECIAL, we cant pee on her okay?? It will brake". She replied all excited "OKAY MOMMY! Cindallella spe-show". We put her training potty in the middle of the living room to remind her to go. She peed on Cinderella. but IMMEDIATELY told me she peed. Okay, so now she is getting the concept, uh oh, i just peed in something i wasnt supposed to. So we got a new pull up, and, she peed again but IMMEDIATELY got upset. So i said, ok, done with the pull up, lets put big girl panties on. And BOOM. went on the potty every time. We put a sticker on her chart each time and i could tell she was understanding the stickers now and was getting all excited. Untill that evening started having accident after accident.

NEVER SCOLD OR PUNISH for accidents.

They will only regress and relate fear and worry with big kid panties/pull ups, etc.

POSITIVE reinforcement is best.

Explain thats its ok to hav accidents and next time go on the potty and get a treat or sticker!

Day 2: We didnt even do pull ups, just started the day with panties and she did awesome! NO accidents. Then we were going to head to a friends house and i didnt want Bray to have accidents there so i put a pull up on her. She didnt even care about the potty. Just kept playing playing playing and just peed in her pull up. Ok so we arent going out for a while now haha. We got home, put big girl panties on, and did awesome that evening. Only had like one accident.

Day 3! This day, i didnt even have to remind Bray to go potty. She kept just going on her potty. Her sticker chart quickly filled up. We even went out to an appointment that day, wearing a pull up, and she told daddy when she had to pee. NO ACCIDENTS even when we were out for like 3 hours! Until finally her chart was FULL. We went to the store and let her pick out a toy! She was so stoked

Of course we are going to have accidents now and then. But she is doing awesome!

We are continuing her sticker chart and want to keep her excited about being a big girl.

EVERY time she goes on the potty i make a big deal about it with the "yays" and clapping and dancing and all that jazz.

We are very proud parents here :)

I hope this info helped and GOOD LUCK if you are training!

Always remember, some kids potty train way young, and some potty train way late. ITS ALL OK!

Some will have accidents till they are in their teens, and some will never have accidents.

Just keep positive and go at THEIR pace :)

One love,

Christa.

hahahha ^^ thats just ridiculous.

Restless Blog Hop {Vol 15}

2012-01-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to week 15 of the Restless blog hop!

If you dont know what a blog hop is, its where you link up your blog, fb, twitter, whatever your little heart longs for, then you click on other links and go say hi! Maybe you will find a blog you love, as well as be found!

Its AAAAWESOME!

RULES:

Grab this button and display it for the weekend

Nikki Darlin' {Sponsor Highlight!}

2012-01-12T14:06:00.001-07:00

I'm Nikki I have been blogging for a year and a half now. I started blogging to share my writing and pictures with everyone. I have kept blogging because of the amazing people I have met and I love sharing my experiences with other young mothers and wives, in hope that I can help someone. I blog about my everyday life, being a mom to my amazing two year old daughter Skylee and a wife to a hard working man and going to work and taking care of the house. I do have a really bad mouth and that shows on my blog. Truth is I cuss more on my blog than in real life. It's hard to keep a bad mouth with a two year always listening.

A few fun facts about myself are:

-I'm famous for my "duck face" picture. My family gets tired of seeing it.

-I'm afraid of the dark. I sleep with a nightlight believe it or not. And I have never been into a hunted house for that reason.

-If my husband would let me I would have a petting zoo at my house. I love animals and before I got pregnant I was a vegetarian for 6 years.

Blog || Twitter || Facebook

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NOW GO SHOW HER SOME LOVE!!!

This chick is awesome :)

Blogger Cribs -DONT BUY SALISBURY HOMES {V.V}

2012-01-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

LINK UP!

This weeks theme was give us a tour of your house!

I look scary. Sorry about that lol

NOW GRAB THE BUTTON AND LINK UP!

My Latest {Photography} Work

2012-01-10T11:45:00.001-07:00

ChrissyAnn Photography Blog Found HERE

ChrissyAnn Photography FB Page Found HERE

Motivation Mondays {Week 6 shrinkage}

2012-01-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

Nutrition Tip:
Power pack regular meals and even cheat meals with veggies!

Tacos on wheat tortillas :)

New Years 2012

2012-01-08T20:49:00.001-07:00

I figure its about time i get my New Years adventure post up before its 2013. For New Years Eve Jeff's family, as well as on old friend of ours, came over for pizza and games. It was so nice to be able to hang out with family for New Years and be able to lay Braylee down for bed. We woke her up of course for the ball drop and her new years kiss but we didnt have to deal with all the ornery in between haha.

Mmmmmmm

So ball drop time was approaching and we woke Bray up..

She has a hard time waking up... guess we didnt give her enough time hahaha

Jeff hugging his sister Kim... this is a rare occurrence

Mr Jake and I!

haha i was sad cuz jeff gave me a delayed new years kiss haha!

and then Jeff's sister kim and her hubby's new years kiss.

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As 2011 has come to an end and 2012 is in full swing,

we are left with reminiscing and dreaming of future plans.

Whether these memories and current conditions are good or bad,

we need to embrace it all.

Find the positive in the negative and always strive for better.

Make the changes that need to be made.

Hope you all had an awesome New Years!

Cheers to New beginnings!

Restless Blog Hop! {Vol. 14}

2012-01-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Woot to the woot,

and another woot!!

Welcome to week 14 of the Restless blog hop!

BRILLIANT i know.

RULE:

Grab this button and display it for the weekend

How To: Be SUPER Cool {MatureISH Content lol}

2012-01-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

I needed a "Pick me up" today.

Enjoy.

Sponsor Swapping!

2012-01-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

First off.. can i just say,

I LOOOOOOOOVE MY READERS!!!!

Seriously, you guys are all THE BEST! I enjoy reading each and every one of your comments!

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IM LOOKING FOR PEEPS

WHO WOULD WANT TO SPONSOR SWAP

WITH ME THIS MONTH!!

(i know im a little late asking for this..what can i say, January snuck up on me)

I want to branch out.

i will get too stressed out with sponsor highlights if too many people ask to swap.

So depending on how many peeps are interested,

if i dont pick you to swap this month dont be offended,

ill just save you for a different month :)

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Last month we had about 17,293 page views

Im getting about 500-1000 page views daily

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So EMAIL me if interested and ill tell you what i need!!

Make sure you include your name and blog website in case i need to save it for next month.

2011 Recap {V.V}

2012-01-03T19:51:00.000-07:00

SUBSCRIBE TO MY VLOG CHANNEL!!
FIND IT ---> HERE <----

This is a recap of our year 2011! (the highlights)

Making this post kinda sucked... 2011 had a lot of let downs.
But LOTS MORE ups.

And at the end, is vlogging vednesdays!

This weeks theme was "Tell us about your new years and any resolutions you have!"

{January 2011}

Braylee takes her first trip to the E.R

(POST FOUND HERE)

{February 2011}

Pregnant with baby #2!

Due Oct 20th 2011

(POST FOUND HERE)

Also found out i had hypothyroidism (Hashimotos)

{March 2011}

Vegas

I lose my baby.... and gain another ;)

(vEGAS POST FOUND HERE)

(POST FOUND HERE)

(AND HERE)

{April 2011}

Start my Photography business!

ChrissyAnn Photography

{May 2011}

Jeff turns 23 (here)

AMA Supercross (here)

St George (here)

{June 2011}

I turn 22 (here)

Bray turns 2 (here)

{July 2011}

Fireworks and Camping (post)

{August 2011}
Braylee's first time getting stomach flu (post)

{September 2011}
2nd ER visit and flooding house (post)

{October 2011}
Halloween stuff (post)
and another (post)

{November 2011}
Found right dose of thyroid med!!! (post)
Celebrate 4 years of marriage! (post)

{December 2011}
DISNEYLAND!!!
(post Cali beach) (post Princesses) (post) (post Last disney day)

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VLOGGING VEDNESDAYS!!!!

Christmas 2011 {Better Late Than Never}

2012-01-03T16:06:00.001-07:00

I know im a sucky blogger sometimes.

I guess its showing cuz even though my page views are BOOMING more than EVER,

i get like NO comments!

I feel like im talking to myself here :(

Oh well.

So this year, as tradition, we slept over at my mommy's casa Christmas eve!

We had made cookies and fudge a couple days before, then in Christmas eve the fam was slaving away over making pies and all that yummy stuff!

I SOO made that orange cream fudge :)!

Santa came to visit Christmas eve :)

Santa came!

Christmas morning blur :)

Spoiled

3 youngest girls... this is just their personalities to a T!

We got all ready to go to church (round 1) with Jeff's mom.

Then afterward we went over there for the gift exchange with the kids :)

Had lunch,

then went to church with my mom!

We are good kids, i know ;)

after church we went back to my mommy's!

Braylee napped while Jeff and i watched a movie with my mom and younger siblings!

Had dinner, then did the gift exchange with my fam!

Pwew!

We are definitely spoiled and loved by our families!

This year was SOO amazing!

I cant believe another year has gone by but im so excited to see what 2012 brings :)

WINNER WINNER!! {MakeUp Giveaway!}

2012-01-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

I love the still shots haha.

Thank to everyone who participated!!!

EMAIL ME NIKKI!
chrissyann336@yahoo.com

MOTIVATION MONDAYS!!! {INSANITY &Week 5 Shrinkage}

2012-01-02T09:50:00.002-07:00

My "Get fit" Saturdays are now Motivation Mondays!!

It getting too time consuming to make the vid, edit the vid, and post the vid all on saturday so yea!

This the end of week 2 dong INSANITY (round 2)

and end of week 5 all together!

I am 10 pounds down, 1 inch in waist, 2 inches in midsection, and i dont care about the rest.

Watch the vid for the body updates and my plateau this week.

As promised,

Today i am talking about INSANITY!

Ive done p90x, turbofire, pilates, Jillian Micheals, turbo jam, TaeBo, flirty girl fitness, carmen electra, slim in six, Denise Austin, YOU NAME IT...
And insanity is BY FAR my FAVORITE!!

You guys HAVE to try it!
Its AMAZING!
The first 10 min will leave you DRIPPING sweat.
AND THATS JUST THE WARM UP!

You dont use any weight or resistance bands.
Its all your own body weight which creates major TONING.
Its like running, with squats and push ups, sit ups, suicide drills and plyometric training all in one!

I PROMISE you, it will get the fastest, BEST results!

And ALWAYS REMEMBER......

Our DECEMBER in Celly Pics!

2011-12-31T18:19:00.000-07:00

Guys, i have sad news..

This will be my last post of the year...........

But ill be back next year

;)

Ive slacked HARD CORE in phone pic posts.

So here is the entire freaking month in phone pics lol

You're gonna see a lot of these...

i call it my #SuckItHypothyroidism series :)

Phone pic of a session i did with miss Hope :)

New necklace from my mommy :)

BE SAFE TONIGHT EVERYONE!!!

Restless Blog Hop! {Vol. 13}

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT MY MAKEUP AND BRUSH GIVEAWAY!!!

Find it -------> HERE <-----------

Also...

I am guest posting over at Originally Me Blog!

GO CHECK IT OUT! ITS A GOOD ONE!
Find it ---> HERE

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O-M-G GUYS!!

ITS ALMOST 2012!!!!!!

I hope your weekend is amazing and spent with all the people that matter most! What better way to bring in the new year!? Ill for sure be kissing my baby girl and hubby at midnight!

WELCOME to week 13 of restlessly hopping away and finding new friends!

This hop has been such a success. Wanna know why??

Cuz i have such awesome blogger friends linking up and everyone meets other awesome peeps :)

How it works!

Link up your blog, facebook, twitter, shop, etc, then hop around to the other links! Say hi, find new friends, tons of fun!

RULES!

Grab this button and display it on your blog for the weekend!

Its smart to do a special post for it and introduce yourself! Kind of a hook line and sinker for all your new traffic :)

PLEASE be a follower of my blog!

PLEASE follow my co-host!
This week's Co-host is Renee from A Shoe That Fits!

THATS IT!
Now link up and have fun!

Sponsor Highlights!

2011-12-30T00:00:00.001-07:00

Hi there! I'm Lindsay, the creator behind Originally Me (the shop and the blog). I'm a happy go lucky girl with a passion for design and a love for all things creative.

My blog is my little online home where I share tidbits of my daily life, DIY projects, yummy food, inspiration, and other randomness.

In my shop you'll find a collection of pretty unique and eclectic jewels that are made with lots of love.

3 interesting facts about me:

1. I'm a redhead, but I don't come with the stereotypical redheaded temper,

2. I could eat breakfast foods for every meal of the day and be perfectly happy!

3. I'm a fairly reserved and quite person until you really get to know me... then I can be this crazy outspoken girl.

Blog || Shop || Twitter || Facebook

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i'm melissa. mommy to jc and fiancee to charles. blogging started as a way to update out-of-town family about jc but has turned into a passion of mine. i love sharing my daily adventures with my eighteen month old son, crafts (knitting specifically), wedding planning, house hunting and my journey trying to lose weight that i can't blame on my baby. i'm obsessed with all things baby, tweeting, posting pictures on instagram, trying so desperately to fill my domestic role and finding a balance between me time and family time.

blog,|| twitter,|| facebook,|| pinterest,|| instagram

Sponsor Y&R In January 2012!!

2011-12-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

AS Of December 29th 2011

We had 16,332 page views last month and keep growing!
About 400-1000 page views daily (slower on weekends)
455 followers via Google friend connect
604 friends on my facebook (which gets feeds from my blog)
45 networked blog followers
96 fans on my Young&Restless FB fan page
28 fans on my new Personal/Fitness/Youtube FB fan page
306 TWITTER followers

Large Ad Space: $10

I have 3 spots available. With this spot you will get a special post for ultimate exposure! You will be at the top of my sponsor list located in the top right corner of my blog!

Medium Ad Space: $8

I have 3 spots available. With this spot you will be included in a post along with the small ad space. You will be just under the large ad space spots in my sponsor list :)

Small Ad Space: $5

All money transfers will be done safely and securely through paypal! Money must be received before you ad space will go up.

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I would LOVE to do a giveaway on this blog also. I am only going to host giveaways for this that will benefit my readers and interest them. Most of my readers are parents.

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so email me if you are interested in either!

chrissyann336@yahoo.com

IVE BEEN TAGGED!!

2011-12-29T10:04:00.001-07:00

First some announcements.

CHECK OUT MY GIVEAWAY! Found --> HERE <--

Also, i have some really exciting news!

IVE BEEN ACCEPTED AS A FITFLUENTIAL AMBASSADOR!!!!!!

Learn more about them HERE, and follow them on twitter @FitFluential

Im seriously soooooo excited!!!!

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Ok so ive been tagged by Melissa @Knit Purl Baby AND Jessica @Dramatic Mama! AND Nikki @Southern Mama with a Bad Mouth! Lol So i figure i better do this haha. Basically this is a great way to learn more about certain bloggers with 11 facts & 11 questions. then you tag 11 more people with 11 new questions. all for the end of 2011! ok, i think we are all on the same page now.

Here are the rules.

1. You must post these rules.
2. Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4. You have to choose 11 people to tag and link them on the post. Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.
5. No tag backs and you legitimately have to tag 11 people.

11 things you may not know about me...

1> Im one of the most CHILL, NON DRAMATIC people you'll EVER meet! I seriously just dont care for it.
2> I've played the piano sense i was 8 years old, and can KINDA play the guitar
3> I've only had ONE boyfriend. Then i married him :)
4> Im a REALLY awesome burper and rapper.
5> Im REALLY sensitive when it comes down to people that are close to me. Other than that, you can call me that im ugly, fake, whatever, and i couldnt give 2 sharts less about what you think :)
6> Im a people pleaser, but when it comes down to how people want ME to be, i dont care to please you.
7> Im WAY too easily used (why do i have to have a big heart??) lol
8> I forgive WAY too easily. But i dont consider that a bad trait. Forgive and forget. Woooosa!
9> Im a gemini so there are 2 sides to me depending on my mood. I can be very loud and outgoing, but sometimes really quiet and to myself.
10> I grew up in the "ghetto". Drive by shootings all the time, graffiti on the houses, all that jazz
11> I STILL wish i was a dancer. haha! Like a professional one. NO not a stripper, like dance dance. :)

Now for my questions given to me:

What's your favorite TV show? Im not a TV person. But when i do, i LOVE criminal minds!!! My guilty pleasures are Jersey Shore, and Teen mom.
Who would you say is your hero? My mom and husband. My mom is an amazing successful woman who works hard and made sure we had a good life. Got us out of the ghetto, went on vacations a lot, baked cookies with us, created SOO many good memories and traditions. I just love and appreciate her! Also my husband for saving me. I was an emotionally distraught kid when i met him lol. And still to this day, he takes good care of me and brings out the best in me :)
How would you describe yourself at the age 18? Ready to move on with life and settle down. Just finished high school and got married to my love!
What's your favorite cartoon? Family Guy. That counts right?? lol
Where is your dream vacation and why? New Zealand, or Hawaii. Cuz..... HAVE YOU SEEN PICS OF THOSE PLACES??! (Lord of the Rings was filmed in NZ)
What's your favorite book and why? Any Mary Higgans Clark book. Im a thrill seeker i guess lol.
What are you most scared of? Being alone. Im not a lonely person. I need loved ones surrounding me
What's your favorite thing about blogging? Making a difference. Being someone to look up to. Finding other bloggers who make a difference and who i can look up to. Anything along that line :)
What/Who got you started in blogging? Shawntae @A Little King and I. We are IRL (in real life) friends. And she is amazing and always encourages me in the blogging department. She is also my "go to" blogger mentor :) Love you Shawn! Kiss my children ;)
If you could buy one thing without having to worry about the price, what would it be? My mom's house. Like i'd pay it off. Or an awesome vacation for her. She's done WAY TOO MUCH for ALL her children and deserves SOO much in return. But if i were to be selfish, id buy an indoor aquatic ocean. :)
What are you wearing right now? NO cheating! LOL. Oh, anyone who knows me could have probably guess this one. Sweats and panties from Victoria's Secret (im obsessed with that store). And a hoodie. Me loves me comfies :)! But one thing you might not have guess... im wearing piggy slippers. One is evil, and the other has a halo :)

Dont believe me?? Here ya go ...

Now for My questions for the peeps im about to tag!

Whats your dream talent/Profession?
When you hear the word, MILK, whats the first thing that comes to mind?
What was life like growing up?
How many kids do you want (if any)
Have any New years resolutions?
How would you describe your "style" (or lack there of if you're like me)
If you could go back in time, would you change anything?
Greatest movie of all time?
What do you wish to accomplish in the next 5 years?
Have you broken any bones?
If you could be ONE celebrity... who would that be?

YOU'VE BEEN TAGGED!

Kaitlyn from In Our Sea Of Love

Abby from Dirt On The Rocks

Justin from Mr Burch's Spot (new blogger)

Micheal & Craig @ The Hipster Dad!

Deanna @ Delirious Rhapsody

Ashely @Sloanbook

Natasha @Young Mothers Memories!

Karly @ Three in Three

Meg @ Pauly, Meg and Zoey

Grace @ Camp Patton

Alycia @ Crowley Party

Vlogging Vednesdays {Christmas!}

2011-12-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

O-M-G!!!!!!!!!!!!

It LITERALLY took me ALLLLLL day to get this vid up!

I made a seperate Youtube channel for my vlogs {find that -->HERE<--} and wanted to upload all that i had and WHAT a task that was! I feel like such a bad blogger i should have had this link up this morning!

This week's theme was "Tell us about your Christmas"

Now grab a button and LINK UP!

DONT FORGET TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY IM DOING!

im giving away a makeup pallet as well as some makeup brushes!

Find it --> HERE <--

{GIVEAWAY!} MAKEUP & BRUSHES! Plus Tutorial

2011-12-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

This is a YOUTUBE giveaway!

DO NOT COMMENT ON THIS BLOG POST!!!!!!!!!!!

It WILL NOT count.

Watch the end of how to enter!

How to enter:

You MUST be a subscriber to my youtube! Find it ---> HERE <----

Then comment on the vid telling my you did so. Leave your name and email!

Bonus entries:

"Like my FB page: Click ------> HERE <--------

Follow my Blog: Http://christanncox.blogspot.com

Tweet about this: (click the share button, twitter, add in @ChristaCox3

Share this on FB

Do any other share option (tumblr, google+ ect)

Just leave a SEPERATE comment on this video for each entry with your name and email!

Good luck! Ends January 3rd 2011!

Changes to Young&Restless!

2011-12-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

I hope you all are having the happiest of Holidays!

I am so excited for the new year!

And can i just tell you how AMAZING all my readers are??

I just love you all. You are all so supportive and ive met so many awesome people!

I just wanted to announce some changes coming to the Young&Restless Blog.

My fitness updates that i do on Saturdays will now be on Mondays. Its taking too much of my day to make the vlog, edit the vlog, and post the vlog. So pics and vlogs will be taken and made on saturdays, But posted on mondays for a new segment called "Motivation Mondays". Lets be honest. We all need a little motivation on mondays anyway ;)

Also, this blog will ALWAYS be family oriented. I will always post about my life events and will do updates on Braylee. But, i need to be more cautious of things i guess.

Have you ever checked your stats on your blog of where your traffic sources are coming from?

Or what people are searching that brings them to your blog??

Well i did this for the first time the other day.. and for my all time most searched words that bring people to my blog... here are some of the search words.

HOW DISGUSTING!

i know alot of it has to do with the fact my blog has the word YOUNG in its tittle...

But it just makes you double check what your posting.

Granted you cant shelter and protect from all the world sickness out there and it would be silly to revolve my life around the fact that there are creepers out there. I mean when i go out into public i cant control who or how my daughter (or myself for that matter) is looked at. I know there are sickos out there EVERYWHERE. I just think us bloggers need to be VERY aware of these things.

Like i CRINGE when i see people put nakey pictures up of their children.

Yes its cute to us parents... but to pedophiles.. you're just giving them their kicks.

Anyway, just kinda spreading the awareness about THAT.

On to more changes.

Like i said this blog will ALWAYS be about my family and my life. But you might notice it might just be a little less personal about my daughter. The BIGGEST thing you'll see is my fitness stuff and things that are important to me

Ive created this FB fan page because ive been getting a lot of friend requests on my personal page from people i dont know. And my personal page is where my CLOSEST updates, statuses and pictures of my daughter are. And i just dont need creepers on my personal page...

But this page is FULL of fitness motivation, updates, streams from my twitter and Youtube, Still very personal and open, just less of my daughter for her protection.

So you should LIKE that page..

{FIND IT ---------> HERE <-------------}

Anyway, just wanted to get up a quick "Holiday" picture post as well as some updates!

Ill get some "cooler" more interesting posts up soon!

Bare with me :)

Get Fit {Week 4} MOTIVATION

2011-12-24T15:35:00.003-07:00

I didnt want to do a blog post...

so my motivation speech is in the vlog....

One week of INSANITY

If you dont care for the speech, skip to the end for body update

Restless Blog Hop {Vol. 12}

2011-12-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to week 12 of restlessly blog hopping!

Are you all SOOO excited for Christmas?

Link up your blog, fb, twitter, etc, and start clicking on other links! Say hi, follow if you like them, and everyone else will do the same to you!

RULES:

Grab this button and display it somewhere on your blog for the weekend.

Its smart to do a special post and in that post introduce yourself for all the hoppers coming to your blog!

Now get to hopping! :)

Sponsor Highlight {Ashley "Sloanbook"}

2011-12-22T09:48:00.001-07:00

Hello lovelies! I'm Ashley, the writer over at Sloanbook . I blog about my husband, Kevin and our long-haired chihuahua named Katinka and all of the fun random things we do! We both just graduated from BYU's Marriott School of Management and moved to Fort Collins, Colorado this summer. I would love to meet you so stop by if you will here (link to blog) :)

3 fun facts:
1. We just bought our first house in October! We are pumped!
2. We have a lil sassy long-haired chihuahua named Katinka from the movie Zoolander. Got it? Hehe.
3. I am obsessed with buying things. It is bad. But I have come a long ways since getting married lol.

Blog || Facebook || Twitter || Bloglovin || Pinterest

NOW GO SHOW SOME LOVE!

and tell her Christa sent ya!

Vlogging Vednesday! {If You Could Do One Special Thing For Christmas What Would That Be?}

2011-12-21T12:31:00.000-07:00

This weeks theme is....

If you could do one special thing for Christmas (realistic or not)

what would that be??

You can follow the theme or do your own thing.

Make a vlog of it, and link it up here! :)

HERE IS MINE! ENJOY!
You dont want to miss out on this video... gives me chills

Then grab this button to invite others to join in!

{Recipe} Holiday Candy Yams

2011-12-20T09:11:00.001-07:00

{Half eaten} I couldnt even get a pic quick enough!

I cant even tell you how yummy these are, you just gotta make it and try it!

YOU WILL NEED:

* 40oz can of yams

* 1/2 cup chopped peacans

* 1/2 cup coconut

* 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

* 1/4 cup flour

* 1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

HEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES F.

place drained yams in ungreased, 2 quart casserole or baking dish.

in a small bowl,

combine remaining ingredients

blend well and spread over top of the yams

Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly!

serves 10

(i left a spot in case some didnt like pecans or coconut)

Enjoy and happy holidays!

Have A Merry Christmas???? (& Christmas Decor)

2011-12-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

Is it really Christmas already? It does NOT feel like Christmas is a week away. It doesnt even feel like Christmas at all to be honest! I dont know if it just came way too fast, or the fact that we have NO snow. I dont even know. But the fact of the matter is.... im not ready for Christmas.

I guess i have this notion that Christmas is supposed to be snowy and cheery and filled with love and magic and family and friends. Reindeer are supposed to flying around outside while frosty the snow man sits outside my window waving to me. Not to mention that tall elf named Buddy making me candy cane, candy corn, syrup cover spaghetti every single morning! WHERE IS MY BUDDY?!

As this year is coming to an end... all i have to say is im NOT a fan of 2011. Too many shizzy things happened.
I got diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, lost my sweet baby in my belly, lost some friends, got caught up in my bubble that i didnt realize the world around me was fading. It seems like everything around me is falling apart.

Am i the object of all my issues? Am i to blame for this world of shame?

What i mean by this is we all choose our own happiness. Things happen in life, bad and good, and we have FULL power to choose how we react to these things in life. WE choose how it effects us. We cant control what others do or how others treat us. We cant always control events in life. But we CAN control how much we lets things get to us.

But while everything around me falls apart,

the things that matter MOST in life are holding strong

and that is my family.

Even though this year brought some not so wanted drama, we have had A LOT of ups! My thyroid medication is FINALLY (after 9 months) on. I am finally loosing weight. Mine and Jeffs relationship has never been stronger. We have a healthy, smart, baby girl who brings us such joy! We hope to one day add to our family, we just arent sure yet. We got to take an AMAZING (and MUCH needed) vacation. I am SOO incredibly blessed to have such an amazing big family surrounding me. Both my side, and Jeff's side. We ALWAYS know our family and support system is there for us. No matter what other drama comes into our life, our family is the ONE thing that never gives up on us, never treats us poorly, and always welcomes us with open arms. I am SO privileged to be able to stay home with my baby girl. I am SO BLESSED to be able to babysit the little girls i babysit. They are such sweet spirits that bring SO much joy to my life. I would do anything for those little girls. Im able to do what i love and capture precious moments in life and put them in photographic form. Its truly my passion.

I was feeling kinda down during this Christmas season and thats why i started this blog post but after my "positive" paragraph, 2011 didnt seem so bad at all! Its amazing what keeping positive can do. As i said before, we CHOOSE our happiness.

So on that note, lets make some cheers, some vows, to live this next year to the fullest! Dont let people bring you down. Dont let worldly things effect us. CHEERS to being the BEST we can be! Focus on the positive, strive for your goals, and NEVER let go of the good things in life :)

On to some Christmas Decor!

This year i wanted to switch things up a bit and we got a white Christmas tree!

Good thing cuz its not looking like we are going to have a white Christmas.

Our marriage ornament.

Who has "accent" colors for their tree???

Oh just me. haha!

Braylee's newborn ornament and our family ornament

Stocking! (and mine and Jeff's childhood stockings)

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DONT FORGET TO MAKE A VID FOR VLOGGING VEDNESDAYS!

(see vlogging tab under header for details)

This weeks theme is "if you could do something special for Christmas (realistic or not) what would it be?"

Get Fit {End of Week 3} Fat Vs Muscle

2011-12-17T19:03:00.001-07:00

12/16/11 vs 11/17/11

Every Saturday i check in with my weight loss journey progress!

And i always add in a little motivation, education, and "hey cool" type stuff!

This week we are going to chat about FAT vs MUSCLE.

(OH EM GEE! I have 25 pounds of fat to loose)

Let us all strive this week to NOT focus on weight. But more on fat lost! We all need to know our healthy weight range (i googled a couple)

Now here is what im getting at. If you are in your healthy weight range, whether its on the high side, low side, average side, whatev, DONT WORRY ABOUT WEIGHT! NO ONE knows your weight. All that matters is tone and BMI percentages and such. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be TONE. But DONT get down on yourself over weight! IT OK! Even if you arent in the range. As long as you are close and if you feel good and healthy, its OK! Dont beat yourself up over it. Just love youself!

To end this fat vs muscle speal. Here are some fat burning tricks

(found HERE if you wanna read all 50)

1. Go Pro
A high-protein diet not only promotes hypertrophy but also enhances fat loss. Researchers at Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, New York) found that when subjects followed a high-protein diet–40% of total daily calories from protein–for eight weeks, they lost significantly more bodyfat, particularly abdominal fat, than those following a low-fat/high-carb diet. One reason eating more protein may work is that it boosts levels of peptide YY, a hormone produced by gut cells that travels to the brain to decrease hunger and increase satiety.
3. Get Fat
Not only will certain fats–particularly omega-3s –not lead to fat gain, but they can actually promote fat loss. Eating fat to lose fat seems counterintuitive, but if you keep your fat intake at about 30% of your total daily calories by choosing fatty fish such as salmon, sardines or trout as well as other healthy fat sources such as olive oil, peanut butter and walnuts, you can actually boost your fat loss compared to eating a low-fat diet.
4. Egg You On
Eggs are packed with protein and have been shown to promote muscle strength and mass, and research shows that subjects consuming eggs for breakfast not only eat fewer calories throughout the day but also lose significantly more bodyfat. We recommend eating eggs for breakfast daily, scrambling three whole eggs with three egg whites.
5. Unforbidden Fruit
A study from the Scripps Clinic (San Diego) reported that subjects eating half a grapefruit or drinking 8 ounces of grapefruit juice three times a day while otherwise eating normally lost an average of 4 pounds in 12 weeks, with some test subjects losing more than 10 pounds without dieting. The researchers suggest the effect is likely due to grapefruit’s ability to reduce insulin levels. Try adding half a grapefruit to a few of your meals such as breakfast, lunch and preworkout.
6. Milk It
Dairy products are rich in calcium, which can help spur fat loss, particularly around your abs. This may be due to the fact that calcium regulates the hormone calcitriol, which causes the body to produce fat and inhibit fat-burning. When calcium levels are adequate, calcitriol and fat production are suppressed while fat-burning is enhanced. Adding low-fat versions of cottage cheese, milk and yogurt (Greek or plain) to your diet are great ways to boost protein intake and aid fat loss.
7. An Apple A Day
Apples are a great slow-digesting carb that contain numerous beneficial antioxidants. One group of compounds known as apple polyphenols has been found to boost muscle strength, endurance and even fat loss, especially from around the abs. While apple polyphenols appear to directly decrease bodyfat by increasing the activity of genes that enhance fat-burning and decrease fat production and storage, the boost in endurance and strength can help further fat loss by allowing you to train harder longer.

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Now for the vid.....

In one month... i am 8 pounds down, 1 inch smaller in my waist, one inch smaller in my belly, one inch smaller in my arms, and 1/2 inch smaller in my upper thighs!

Dont mind my singing haha

{turn off music at bottom}

Disneyland Trip Day 6 {Last Day, Vegas Round 2}

2011-12-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

December 6th

We didnt want to make the full drive heading home either so we stopped in Vegas for the night again. This time we stayed at the Excalibur. Thats my favorite hotel on the strip i think. Our room was really nice. We wanted to make sure we hit the strip and watch the Bellagio water show sense we didnt walk much of the strip when we were in Vegas on our way to Cali due to the wind and cold. This night was good. I love Vegas during the week, it isnt as crazy.

I was loving the lighting :)

MGM lions

M&M factory

Vegas keeps it classy haha

We had dinner at Denny's and Reuben met up with an old friend. I remember her from when i was little. It was good seeing her!

Bellagio water show!

Bellagio gots NOTHING on Disney "world of color" water show. (or whatever it was called)

Decked out in Christmas

This vacation was a BLAST!

Editing all the pics and vids makes me wanna go back and do it all over again!

In 3-5 years we will :)

Here is the vlog :)

Restless Blog Hop {Vol. 11}

2011-12-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is going up a little late in the day! Stupid Disneyland posts ;)

Make sure you come back tomorrow to my blog for my fitness check in!

we are going to talk about fat vs muscle :)

WELCOME to week 11 of the restless blog hop!

A hop is a great way to meet new bloggers and BE met! ;)

If you want to co-host next week email me!

(chrissyann336@yahoo.com)

RULES:

Grab this button:

Please follow me and my co-host!

(non this week but feel free to grab this code and display the hop on your blog!

Let me know you did so and ill add you as a co-host)

Now link up your blog, fb, twitter, whatever your little heart desires (or all of the above)
and click on the other link and say hello! :)

Disneyland Trip Day 5 {Last Day in Disneyland}

2011-12-16T10:01:00.001-07:00

December 5th!
(make sure you watch the vlog to watch the castle light up. So tender)

This day was our last day in Disneyland! It was also my baby sister's birthday (which is also Walt Disney's birthday) cool huh!? This day we bounced back and forth from Disney to California adventure. Braylee wasnt feeling well this day.

After meeting "Puno" (Rapunzel) i took her back to the hotel cuz she was complaining of her tummy hurting. Good thing i did, cuz she had THE WORST diarrhea when we got back to the hotel. Braylee had accidentally eaten some bad grape the previous day.

But afer a good hour or so of pooping her guts out and having a bath, she was feeling better and stopped pooping, so we headed back to meet up with everyone in California adventure

Bray was SOO excited over her new "clubhouse" sweater!

Group shot before the "kids" drove back to Utah early.

Waiting for them to light up the castle with the Christmas decorations

Here it comes................

:)!

BYE DISNEYLAND!

We will see you again in 3-5 years! :)!

There truly are NO words, or pictures, or videos, to justify how fun disneyland is.

Its this magical happy bubble!

You really fell like you are in this magical world.

Here is the vlog,

at least watch the end when they light up the castle :)

Disneyland Trip Day 4 {California Adventure}

2011-12-15T14:12:00.000-07:00

Dec 4th!

We had a hopper pass thingy ma-jig so on our 2nd Disneyland day we focused more on California Adventure! That place is awesome and Braylee met majority of the disney characters there! She LOVED big land!

My camera died... so here are some phone pics.
But dont worry, i got night time shots of my nice camera the following day :)

(i will do a phone pic post of our vacation on sunday but i had to share these ones now :)

Back row: Me, Jeff, baby sister Tricia, her friend Shelbie

Next row: Sister Becky, sister Jessica, baby brother Kyle, and his friend Bieber. Or Eli. one of the two.

This ride was so cool. You sit in this shell and go "under the water", then back up for the marriage :)

Hahaha. loved this ride.

There is this new thing they do called "the world of color" or something to that extent...

Its a water show.

I CAN NOT even express how AMAZING it was.

It gave me the chills

Now the vlog

Disneyland Trip: Day 3 {Lunch w/ Princesses}

2011-12-14T14:27:00.001-07:00

SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOUND -->hErE<--

You dont have to have a youtube, just subscribe, make an account, and click for email updates and your set :)

December 3rd: We were all SOOO excited to get to Disneyland. Our hotel was 2 block away so we walked there. Before we were even inside disneyland Braylee was getting excited and pointing at the buses with toy story pictures on the side, and everything in sight that was disney.

Our first destination was the princess/kingdom area!
Be prepared for LOOOOOOOTS of pictures!

Now for the Princess stuff!

For lunch, the girls got all dressed up in their princess dresses and we headed over to california adventure for Lunch with the Princesses in Ariels Grotto. Ariel was my FAVORITE princess growing up and the grotts is just gorgeous. You eat out on the water!

Met Ariel first before lunch

Ariel was the ONLY princess (or any disney character for that matter) that Braylee would hug. She got shy with they others.

They sign their signature books, and take pics with the kids. so so cute.

Look at Sam! (the taller cinderella) she started copying Cinderella's pose. How adorable!

The food was so "high class" and YUMMY.

Everything on the plate was edible. and SOOO mouth watering yummy

Im drooling

Lunch for 12... daaaaang. haha.

My mom and I went back to the hotel to drop off the leftovers and my large marge camera. Then it was back out for more fun!

Now for the Vlog

So here is the deal on Vlogging Vednesday.

Due to vacationing and my OCD with the order of my blog..

We will start it back up next week.

The theme with be, "if you could do one special thing for christmas, what would it be?"

Disneyland Trip Day 2 {Cali Huntington Beach}

2011-12-13T15:20:00.001-07:00

Disneyland Vacation Day 2 (of 6).

Pics followed by a vlog of it all at the end :)

On December 2nd, we left Vegas to drive to California! It was about a 5 hour drive i think? Thanks GOODNESS we had my brother Reuben in the car to entertain Bray haha.

Our FIRST stop was the beach!

The Huntington beach was so gorgeous. It was bray's first time at a beach. We got there and this was our view.

Is that a welcome sign or WHAT?!

Jeff couldnt resist

How stunning...

Hey Reubs, not my fault you were standing in front of the ocean the the sun glare like that. I had to take pics lol.

Do you think Bray was excited???

The left pic just warms my heart... LOOK at her face.

The crew. My family (minus my dad, oldest sister, bro in law, and nephew.)

plus 2 friends. Shelbie and Bieber

This was our last family vacation before my baby brother goes on his mission, so it was pretty special. My baby sister's bday was on the 5th so it was also a bday thing for her :)

If that isnt a Christmas card pic, i dont know what else is haha.

Shelbie and my niece Audrina

Thanks Becky for offering to take some pics of us :)!

Our first REAL vacation together. I dont count vegas as a vacation. i count it as a get away

If you can find Bray.. YOU WIN! haha.

And can you see the weirds laying in the sand?? I didnt even know he was there till i was editing this pic haha.

Hard core. Cuz it was chilly.

Fashion statement?

Then we checked in at our hotel (2 blocks from Disneyland) and went out to din din!

Go link up with Nikki and show her your best duck face! --> DING DING <---

Baby sister got sang to for her soon to be birthday!

Isnt she such a cutie!?

Now here is the Vlog of it all :)

Tomorrow is when our 3 day DISNEYLAND adventure ACTUALLY begins!

Yay!

Ps.... you should head on over to Alaythea's Etsy shop found -->HERE<--

for some AWESOME deals of some CUTE handmade accessories.
Great for a Christmas gift!

::Young & Restless::

Our Couple Weeks In My NEW Phone Pics!

Restless Blog Hop! {Vol. 19}

Motivation Mondays! {GUESS MY WEIGHT!}

Restless Blog Hop {Vol. 18}

Co-Sleeping? No Thanks.

A Trick For Voluminous Hair! {V.V}

I Need Your Help

Sponsor Highlights!

Motivation Mondays! {Shirt vs NO Shirt}

Celly [Pics]

Restless Blog Hop {Vol. 17}

IM Not A Genuine Blogger??

Sponsor Highlight {Chelsea&Mallory}

PRODUCT REVIEW! {Vlogging Vednesdays}

Sponsor In February! {Changes}

Motivation Mondays {8 weeks Body Transformation}

Restless Blog Hop! {Vol. 16}

My Heart Is Hurting.....

{Shawntae -A Little King and I} Sponsor Highlight

Pimp My Ride! {V.V}

Lacey-The Next Chapter {Sponsor Highlight}

Motivation Mondays {Week 7 Shrinkage}

Bike Rides In January?? Fabulous

Potty Training 101

Restless Blog Hop {Vol 15}

Nikki Darlin' {Sponsor Highlight!}

Blogger Cribs -DONT BUY SALISBURY HOMES {V.V}

My Latest {Photography} Work

Motivation Mondays {Week 6 shrinkage}

New Years 2012

Restless Blog Hop! {Vol. 14}

How To: Be SUPER Cool {MatureISH Content lol}

Sponsor Swapping!

2011 Recap {V.V}

Christmas 2011 {Better Late Than Never}

WINNER WINNER!! {MakeUp Giveaway!}

MOTIVATION MONDAYS!!! {INSANITY &Week 5 Shrinkage}

Our DECEMBER in Celly Pics!

Restless Blog Hop! {Vol. 13}

Sponsor Highlights!

Sponsor Y&R In January 2012!!

IVE BEEN TAGGED!!

Vlogging Vednesdays {Christmas!}

{GIVEAWAY!} MAKEUP & BRUSHES! Plus Tutorial

Changes to Young&Restless!

Get Fit {Week 4} MOTIVATION

Restless Blog Hop {Vol. 12}

Sponsor Highlight {Ashley "Sloanbook"}

Vlogging Vednesday! {If You Could Do One Special Thing For Christmas What Would That Be?}

{Recipe} Holiday Candy Yams

Have A Merry Christmas???? (& Christmas Decor)

Get Fit {End of Week 3} Fat Vs Muscle

1. Go Pro

3. Get Fat

4. Egg You On

5. Unforbidden Fruit

6. Milk It

7. An Apple A Day

Disneyland Trip Day 6 {Last Day, Vegas Round 2}

Restless Blog Hop {Vol. 11}

Disneyland Trip Day 5 {Last Day in Disneyland}

Disneyland Trip Day 4 {California Adventure}

Disneyland Trip: Day 3 {Lunch w/ Princesses}

Disneyland Trip Day 2 {Cali Huntington Beach}