Screw this.

So last Wednesday while I was catching up on my Big Brother blogs

-side note Team Nicole 

I heard a sound coming from my daughters room which was a sound parents nightmares are made of.

I heard the garbled gasps for air which can only mean one thing

One of my kids is choking 

I run into my daughters room to find my son laying on his back grabbing at his mouth. I sat him up and slapped his back. 

Honestly I'm not sure this was the best thing to do but it was y instinct. 

When I slapped his back a nut came flying out. 

Not the good kind like a peanut or macadamiam nut (my favorite) but a nut as in nuts and bolts. 

I grabbed it and looked back at my son who was still visably havig a hard time swallowing something. 

Then he just swallowed it and looked up at me and said "hi mommy". 

I looked around trying to figure out what foreign object that no doubt was going to land us on a future episode of Untold Stories of the ER and I saw it.

The new knobs we had put on my daughters dresser, one was missing, and so was the screw. 

My first thought was Holy fucking shit my kid just ate a screw 

My second was Oh my god he's going to die.

Apparently I had these thoughts out loud because Mabel expressed her concern that chip should eat dinner before he dies. 

I called my husband, called the emergency room, called my husband, called the pediatrician and 40 min later we were looking at an X-ray of said screw in Chips stomach.

We were told it would pass and to pretend like his diapers were play dough to make sure it made its way out. 

Fast foward to today.

Seven days later. 

Approximately 28 poopy diapers (yes he poops a lot) and no screw.

So today we head back for another X-ray and see what happens from here. 

Then I get to come home and run hill sprints in between my search expeditions. 

If anyone wants to cast their vote for Mother of the Year, I'm running. 

No food

Holy smokes. 

I feel like I have not been able to get my head on straight for the past few weeks. 

I'm sorry I haven't been keeping up with the blog. It's taking me a lot longer to get into the new swing of everything.

On top of everything our main grocery store is in strike so my once a week grocery shopping trip turned into me buying shrimp, pork chops, and milk. 

Not exactly things I can do anything with. 

The entire produce section was done 

Same with the chicken.

I can't even imagine what it looks like now. 

This week we drove 35 min to go to another grocery store.

I'm not sure it was worth it. Hopefully Market Basket better get their shit together!!! 

Ain't nobody got time for that.

In other news I someone how managed to agree to a 5k this past weekend a 10k this weekend and a half marathon the weekend after that. 

I am really doubting all of those. I ran the 5k this past weekend and it was so hard. It was on a hiking trail that was so muddy and hilly and had a ton of roots. 

I ran it with a good friend but I can't say I enjoyed the course. 

I have a week to decide about the next one!! 

I am going to make a real effort to blog every day this week!! Hopefully I can focus on some small changes that I hve been making with working so much and talk about my workouts!! 

Interview with a 4 year old

Good Morning Mabel. How did you sleep?
I was sleeping like this (lays down on floor) and then I felt pee so then I slept like this (gets up and lays down the other way). 

Are you excited to start Pre-K?
Today?
No not Today
Tomorrow?
No not
The day after tomorrow?
No in a couple months.
Well then why are we talking about it?

Okay valid, soooo do you think mommy is good at working out?
Yeah...

What do you think mommy's favorite food is?
Ummm salad probably, because you eat that when we have pizza and I love pizza

What is mommy's job?
Gets that money.

What do I spend that money on?
Special things for me?

What do you think about all the illegal children in the deportation centers?
I don't know any of them.. Do I? Am I one?
No you aren't one?
Okay I bet they like Fruit Loops.

Who is the President of the United States?
Mabamba.
Close.
Loamba
Closer.
Ellen.
Haha sure.

What is the first thing mommy does when she wakes up?

Brushes her teeth with coffee

How much does mommy love you? 

To the moon and back, which is more than chippy. 

Catching up!

Sorry I've been a little MIA!
I started my new job and I'm just trying to get into the new swing and figure things out.
By the way I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new job.
Not only am I busy all day but I love the people I work with, its a close drive and I get a lunch break!
That's right a LUNCH BREAK!
The first day I finished my lunch in 10 min and had no idea what to do with the other 50 min. I mean the possiblities were endless. I could workout, run, go shopping, read a book, knit a sweater, do laundry.
Instead I got a candy bar and an energy drink.
Yeah not the best choices. Oh well.
Along with having a new schedule and routine, comes figuring out again how to balance everything.
Thankfully all the people I work with are interested in living healthy and active lives as well so I know I have support and I won't get funny looks anymore if I bring a quinia zuchinni salad for lunch.
Instead I will probably have to share the recipe!!

You can get it here!

Tuesdays I work a long day like 12-13 hours... nurses I love you. You are amazing. My first long shift almost killed me. I need to figure out how to eat and hydrate on these long shifts in a healthy way, so I'm not raveneous or sick when I get home.


Any tips are greatly appreciated!

In other news, #Trackthetank is making it's way around the US!! If you haven't had a chance yet to check out Erin's post you can read all about it here, and now the tank is currently residing with Ang.

I also wanted to make sure that Alma from Can I borrow that? got a shout out because I forgot to put her in the initial list and she's repping the West coast and getting our Cali vibes into the shirt!!

Don't forget you can also follow the tank journey on IG using #trackthetank

Fit as a Mother Guest Post!

Today I have a special guest post for you guys. One of the things I love about growing up in a small town is "re-meeting" people. Someone you only knew in passing in high school can become your best friend as an adult. So today I'm letting Mrs. Emily take over the blog, and I'll let her explain the crazy way we know/knew each other!

Hey Camo & Lipstick readers! I'm Emily, and I blog over at Fit as a Mother... where I share how I stay fit and healthy (and sane!) while balancing a full-time office job, 2 energetic little girls, and all the other things that come along with being a grownup. 

Big thanks to Candra for letting me guest post! Candra and I met several years ago, and recently connected on Facebook in one of those "life is funny" kind of ways. What I mean is that we were never really "friends" per se; just acquaintances through her friendship with my then-boyfriend, now-husband's younger brother. I never imagined at the time that we'd connect on Facebook years later and have several things in common (kids, blogging, running). Life is funny like that.

***************

I was never athletic in high school. I was working at my part-time job in a pharmacy, drinking Pepsi and eating Hostess cupcakes while many of my friends were at dance class, field hockey practice, and whatnot. Somehow I managed to stay thin. Until I went to college... I made it through my freshman year without gaining the infamous freshman 15, but by the time I finished my sophomore year, I had easily gained 20 pounds.

Flash forward to my 23rd birthday. As I was chowing down on cheese-laden Mexican food in a restaurant with about 135 pounds on my 5-foot frame, I decided enough was enough. Right then and there, I declared to my boyfriend (who is now my husband) that I was tired of feeling sluggish and tired of being unhealthy. I resolved to make a change. It was that night that my fitness journey began.

I began taking spin classes and circuit training at the local gym at 5 am about 4-5 times per week before work. I turned into a gym rat practically overnight! Right around the same time, we moved into our first apartment and I began educating myself on healthy cooking. Through a combination of consistent workouts and cleaner eating, I dropped nearly 30 pounds in a matter of 3 months. By that point, I was hooked. Hooked on looking and feel fit and energetic.

Since that time, I've gotten married, move around a lot, had 2 babies and much more. With kiddos in the mix now, time has become a precious commodity! I've had to adapt my routine and divorce myself from the gym (gasp!). Shortly after my first daughter was born, I began buying inexpensive exercise DVD's on Amazon and eBay. I have built up quite a collection! No more wasting precious minutes driving to the gym! I just pop in a DVD, grab my hand weights and squeeze in a workout in the living room or the basement whenever I have time.

(31 weeks pregnant, in my exercise clothes)

I also took up running, which has been life changing! It has not only changed me physically, but mentally as well. Running is such a stress reliever and a great way to decompress. It's also an easy way to get some quiet time! I have now run 4 half marathons in the past 4 years, and am currently training for 5 and 6.

Sometimes I feel guilty about spending time exercising or going running, but I've come to learn that exercising makes me healthy and happy, and a happy wife and mommy is a much better wife and mommy. I don't just do it for me - I do it for my family to set a positive example and to spare them from a nervous breakdown!

If I can offer any advice to other busy women and moms on fitting in fitness it's this:

1) Make exercise a priority. Schedule it in and make it as much a part of your day as taking a shower.

2) Be flexible. Life is always going to get in the way from time to time. Roll with the punches and don't let it knock you completely off the wagon.

3) Mix it up. Variety is the spice of life, right? For $5-10 apiece, you can buy lots of different exercise DVDs to help keep things fresh and fun.

4) Get the family involved! Exercising has become a family affair for us. My husband and I often workout together in the living room, and even the kids get in on the action, running in place and doing jumping jacks.

Thanks again to Candra for letting me share my fitness journey! Stop by my blog and say hi. :)

#TracktheTank

Ahhhhhh!!! I am so so so excited to share this with all of you.
Tia from Hands on Pants Off and I decided that we wanted to do some sort of collaboration and Tia came up with this crazy idea.
Since I love crazy I agreed and then it blew up.
Have you ever seen the movie Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? Well this is kind of like that without all the crushes and weird hair.

Tia and I purchased a shirt from Ruffles With Love and had it sent to me. I got it and signed it, and today off it goes to another blogger. Tia will be the 25th blogger to get the shirt. TWENTY FIVE. When she gets the shirt we will have a big giveaway and one lucky reader will win the shirt ( as well as all the goodies the bloggers decide to put in the package!!)

When the bloggers get the shirt they sign it and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #TracktheTank so everyone can follow the shirt and see all the places it ends up. They will also be writing a post on their blog about what or who inspires them. Tia and I will link back to the individual posts on the days they write them so make sure you follow us so you can follow them!!


Here is a list of the bloggers who joined in the fun!

Candra, Erin, Angela, Kristin, Jasmine, Valerie, Amy, Amy, Brittney, Lindsay, Aubrey Leigh, April, Crystal, Brandi, Rikki, Erin, Darci, Tracie, Erin, Bridget, Bailey, Nicole, Kati, Christine, Tia

Alright so now on the point where I talk about who motivates me.

The biggest motivation in my life is my kids. Mostly because I want them to grow up knowing that Mcdonald's isn't real food. Real food takes work. You plant it, you grow it, you harvest it, and it fuels you. I want them to know that running around outside with your bare feet in the grass is the best form of medicine. I want them to remember the times we went fishing or the trips to the beach, not the afternoons spent watching tv.
I want my daughter to see me outside doing push ups and pull ups and them coming inside to do my makeup so she knows that strong is beautiful, not skinny.
I want my son to respect women and encourage them, not treat them as less.

I also motivate myself, because I am able.
I have two legs and they are in working order. I have the ability to wake up every morning and start my day with exercise. I have the choice to eat healthy and (attempt) to grow my own food.
Too many people that are exactly the same as me don't utilize that ability. Even more people are truly unable to do those things and would give ANYTHING to run, or lift weights, or eat what they want.
Take advantage of your ability while you still have it.

Let's see where the tank is headed to...... Maine!!!

My Husbands Love Affair

A few weeks ago I was contacted by someone from Fanatics.com

Fanatics.com is running a fun initiative called Family Fanatics, challenging bloggers to share their stories about how sports has impacted their families. Fanatics is a top online retailer of anything and everything sports related, whether you’re looking for MLB hats or NFL jerseys – they’ve got it!

They asked me if sports have influenced my life, and my mind immediatly went to my husbands love affair.
I haven't opened up much about this on here, but I think a lot of you, especially those in New England can totally relate.
My husband is having a love affair with the New England Patriots.
Seriously.
During football season I pretty much become a single mom, and if I ever complain he is quick to let me know "You knew what you was getting in to".
I don't complain too much because hey it could be worse. He could be watching the Dallas Cowboys. (just kidding Texas friends).
My husbands love for the Patriots is pretty obvious when you look at him. Chances are he's wearing a Patriots shirt, and if he's not you can just look at his Patriots tattoo.
It's also obvious when you look at our kids. Especially when he dresses them.

The kids are usually okay with it but they like to put their own spin on it

We all have family jerseys and typically plan our family photos around them.

Every holiday when I'm looking for gift ideas I go to sites like fanatics.com first to see which player name I recognize and pray he doesn't get traded or folded (do players get folded?) before I can give it to the hubs.

I like to tell myself that someday maybe I'll be into football and it will be something we can share together...
Then I realize that there are a lot of really good shows on during the 10 hours of a football game and I can watch them all by myself.
But if my husband is asking I bleed red and blue. Got it?

The Little Things Link up #2

Hey everyone! Welcome back to the link up! Thanks to everyone who joined in last week with Amanda and I .
This week I'm joining forces with one of my favorite ladies, Marla from Luck Fupus. Her blog is hilarious and she's crazy inspirational.
She just finished the 21 day sugar detox and didn't even kill anyone so in my mind she's a hero.

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Yesterday I opened up about something very personal, my choice to see a doctor about my anxiety. As soon as I pushed publish my anxiety went to about a million. Then something wonderful happened. People started opening up to me.
A really good friend even told me about her situation and told me how proud she was of me for seeking help.
It seriously felt amazing to know that I am not the only one and that by writing that silly little blog post I helped other people open up about their issues.
While that blog post seemed little at the time, it seems pretty big to me now. So for The Little Things this week I'm celebrating everyone who opened up to me and made me feel a little less cray cray.
Thank you!

I'm excited to see what everyone else is celebrating this week!!

Spray Tans, and Getting Medicated.

Two big things happened yesterday.
One I'm excited to talk about and one I'm not.
First the good stuff so if you aren't up for bumming info you can stop reading half way through. I'll give you a warning!
Last night I went with my friend Becky to get my spray tan for my photo shoot on Thursday.
When she got to my house it started pouring and I kinda freaked out.
Spray tans can go very wrong very quickly.

I have had a spray tan before and I loved it, but this time I REALLY REALLY loved it.
The woman who did it was amazing. She was super skinny and in shape which made me want to hate her but she was so funny and sweet that it was impossible.
She was super professional so while she was telling me to lift up my ladies and stick out my bum I felt totally normal.
She works at Sunless Solutions in Bedford NH and you can find her facebook page here.
She does spray tans for events like weddings, photo shoots, and even fitness competitions.
I highly highly recommend her if you are in the area.
She's also really good about choosing a shade. She went darker for my friend and lighter for me to make it look more natural.

Her office was clean and welcoming and warm which is important when you are nakey.
A spray tan is $35 but if you bring a friend she takes $5 off.

While I'm not really where I was hoping to be, being tan always makes me feel so much better.
Every thing looks better with a tan.

Okay all you happy people stop reading here.

I also made an appointment with my primary doctor yesterday for something I have been meaning to see someone about for awhile.
My anxiety.
I feel like it's something I've always had but comes in waves. I also partook in more "recreational activities" when I was younger so I feel like maybe that helped? Or I just gave less shits
Either way, lately it has been through the roof.
I've had plenty of people tell me that I have no idea what anxiety is really like, and I can function just fine so I'm obviously okay but they don't know that when I lay down to go to sleep I feel like I'm drowning.
When I'm in the car by myself I feel like there is a rope around my chest and it's slowly getting tighter and tighter. Like the air is too thick to breath and if I don't talk myself down then I feel like I'm going to explode.
I hold everything in and then I scream at my kids because they aren't listening.
While my husband is supportive he just doesn't understand.
When I tell him my anxiety is really bad he asks me why.
That's the great thing about anxiety it's not one particular thing that causes it. It's just there. It manifests itself in different forms and at random times.
I don't have panic attacks, but I live my life every day feeling like I'm on the edge of one.
Running helps, working out helps, while I'm doing it.
That's a big reason why I'm a distance runner.
I can run for 2 hours and all I think about for two hours is running.
I've had a lot of added stress lately with finding a new job, student loans, bills.
While I really don't want to be put on medication, I would also really like some sleep.
So I made the appointment, we will go from there.

Anyone else out there in blog land dealing with this? What works for you?

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for The Little Things link up with Marla from Luck Fupus

The Time Has Come...

The walrus said, to talk of many things.

What movie does that make you think of? For me it's Harriet the Spy.

Anywho.

My boudoir shoot is finally this week. I have my spray tan tonight with my friend and I'm super excited...
For the spray tan, I'm not sure how I feel about the session yet.
I wanted to be so proud of my accomplishments, and I wanted this to give to my husband but also for myself. To look as beautiful as I feel. I was on point with my diet I had just run my first half, I was punching PR's in the face.
Then I got a little lazy. I got right back into the workout game and I have been doing really well thanks to my amazing trainer Sarah... who by the way posts all my workouts on her Facebook page here so go get you some and tell her I sent you!

I just have not been able to get back into the whole meal prep and logging and counting, and measuring, and folding.
No wait not folding.... you get the idea.
I finally realized that recently that I am not in competition prep. I do not need to eat only lean meat and sweet potatoes, but I also need to cool it on the 10 cupcakes washed down with Dr.Pepper.
WHY OH WHY can I not have a happy medium???

When I eat better I feel better plain and simple.
I tell myself this every morning. Then I drive by Dunkins and think I also feel good when I'm eating a donut.

Next month is my birthday and I'm turning 25 (okay I'm actually turning 27) and I asked my husband to give me one month of the whole family eating 100% clean. He said no.
I also asked him if we could spend a year only buying things at yard sales and he also said no.
So I'm thinking maybe it was just wrong timing.
I secretly planned all clean meals for dinner this week. I do the meal plans and I do the shopping. Why should I not be able to change the way we all eat. I start my new job this week and with it I'll be home Mondays and Wednesdays. I plan on cooking and prepping these days. Making snacks at home, and lots more freezer meals.

If I come across any amazing freezer meals I will be sure to share them.
Do you have any family friendly clean freezer meals?

My Day in GIFS

Sometimes I feel like my life could be described in GIFS warning I laughed way too hard at these.

When I wake up

Kids wake up

First cup of coffee

All day at work

Drive home from work

Dinner Time

Time with kids

Kids go to bed

Going to bed

The Little Things Wednesday #1

Hey everyone Welcome to the new Wednesday link up!! Grab a button and join in. This week my co-host is the the amazing Amanda from Assignment Amanda so make sure you go check her out!

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So this link up is all about taking a bad situation and looking on the bright side. These last few weeks have been pretty stressful for me, because of my job. Where I am currently working just isn't the best place for me anymore. As much as I would love to put everything on blast I will refrain, because this is about focusing on the POSITIVE.
So what could have possibly come out of me hating my job. Well I starting listening and keeping an ear out for other opportunites and turns out there were a few.
I got a new job!!
It's in the same town I live in so I'm hoping that some days I can even ride a bike there. Which would be awesome.
I also have two days off a week beside the weekend to stay home with my kids. which is also very very awesome.

I won't be making as much money but I will be happier over all and have more family time... so BRIGHT SIDE!

I can't wait to hear all about everyone else's bright side!

New Link Up Fun

So in the midst of me running out of things to say... crazy I know I came up with a new link up for Wednesdays and I'm pretty excited about it. It's all about celebrating the little things in life.

"The Little Things Wednesday" taking a horrible situation and looking on the bright side. Woke up late, salt in your coffee, favorite skirt ripped, seems like a horrible day but then someone smiles at you on your way to work and suddenly you remember it's the little things that matter most. Link up with us and share some of your little things this week.

I have some great co-hosts lined up as well, and I'm looking for more so if you are interested let me know! 

The link up starts tomorrow and will run every Wednesday so make sure you come back and link up with us! Spread the word today.