The best Christmas gift came a few days late!

As I mentioned in my last post, we have a new family member who joined us a few days ago! His name is Dieter and he's a German Shorthaired Pointer. He's a total sweetheart and is adjusting pretty well to our routine and home.

We got him from a co-worker of J's who loved him dearly, but recently moved to a home in the woods where he was getting into a little bit of trouble (the neighbors chickens weren't fairing well) and there were large predators that could have made a meal out of him. He's a little bit of an escape artist, so he will be an inside dog, especially since our yard isn't fenced completely.

But, we are SO glad to have him, and he is completely spoiled!

Things Dieter Loves:

• His 'baby' It's really a stuffed toy duck that honks. 
• Playing find your baby {we hide it and he has to find it}
• playing fetch with a tennis ball
• snuggling on his bed or the couch, as long as he is next to you he's happy. 
• watching birds
• sniffing EVERYTHING

We are hoping to continue his training so he can be a great hunting dog. J has gotten into upland game hunting and would love to have a dog to point birds for him, as well as to take him big game hunting in the fall. He has LOTS of work to do on that front but he has some great basic skills and we have been researching training methods to get him started!

I'm sure I'll have some good stories and LOTS more pictures of Dieter in the future but for now here's one last picture.

For now, 

Kari

Christmas is over...now what?

Having spent the day cleaning, packing away treats for another time, and settling back in after being away from for a few days, it's got me thinking forward to a new year. I'm not a resolution setter, but have been thinking about some goals I have for 2015. Rather than focus on things I want to change, I am thinking of things I want to achieve/do this year.

A lot has happened this year...
We bought a house, redid most of the inside of our house, moved, got married, went on our honeymoon, and will soon be welcoming a new {4 legged} family member into our home (more on that soon!)

I couldn't have imagined a better year, honestly. But, that won't stop me from thinking ahead to 2015. Like I said, I am not a resolution setter, I never have been...I never stick with what I pick out to change. This year, I am going to do something different. I am going to set some goals. Things I want to achieve, do, experience, work towards this year.

Here is what I have so far...

• Build my beachbody business. This may seem silly, but this opportunity has the potential to do amazing things not only for my health, but for J and I's savings account! 
• Read more books. I often don't make time for this, but honestly it's one of my favorite things to do. I've started working on my list of what I want read!
• Spend more time outside. We live seconds from beautiful hiking trails, and hours from the beach and mountains. J and I both LOVE spending time outside and I would love to spend one day a week doing something outside.
• Get in the best shape of my life! This girl has GOALS. I've loved seeing what I am capable of and pushing myself to try new things. I've fallen in love with working out at home and am constantly amazed at the results you can get in your living room. J and I are doing a fitness challenge through his work that starts the beginning of the year, and I am SO excited to get started together!  

Honestly, there are so many goals I have for the year, but I won't bore you with them all. Part of sharing is accountability. These aren't pipe dreams. They are things I want to do, not just think or dream about doing. So, hold me accountable people! Ask me to go do something outside, suggest a book, ask me to come do a workout! I'd love to hear about your goals for 2015 and help you achieve them!!!

For now,
Kari

That time in life between Married and Kids

Yeah, I know I've been married for like .5 seconds but it seems like the moment you get married people start asking you when you are going to have kids.

If you are married, you probably remember that relative that asked you that just mere hours since you said "I Do" while you were still beaming at the fact that you had just married your love. It's a little bit of a smack in the face when you are repeatedly asked this question as a newly wed. The pressure to have kids right now is everywhere, whether is is said out loud as a question out of pure curiosity or the silent pressure we place upon ourselves to fit into the idea that we need to have kids NOW.

It's a silent tug-of-war in my head on a daily basis. You are almost 30!! You are ONLY 29. You just got married. You have plenty of time. What if we have trouble? I want a dog, but I want a baby. I'm not ready. I could be a mom. HOLY CRAP, THIS IS SCARY! eh, you can do it!

Like I said, it's a silent struggle. Life is short in a beautifully long sort of way. Often we rush to do the things society pressures us to do, what we are supposed to do without thinking about what is right for us. Do I know what the right decision is for myself? {and obviously my husband and our future} Maybe not right now. Do I think about it all the time HECK YES. We are a young couple with lots of love to give, and a lot of life before us. I know that ultimately the decision isn't just mine alone and the blessing of raising a child is one that is not one made by J and I alone. I know that the plans for our life together are held dearly by the Big Guy upstairs and we have to trust in his plan.

Something I am working on is slowing down and figuring out what the best decision is for me in that moment. What makes me happy? What will serve my life best? What will bring me and my family joy? {There is more to this internal dialog that digs WAY deeper than this, but that's for another time}

For now...The silent tug-of-war rages on, but I will delight in knowing I can spend this time building my relationship with my husband and trust that when the time is right, children will be a part of our family! 

For now,

K

Plank Challenge!

In one of my little fitness groups I am hosting a 10 day plank challenge! I am SUPER excited! Planks are one of the moves that works your whole body and can really build some great core strength, as well as work the rest of your body!

I struggle holding a plank for as long as I like and the workouts I am doing right now (T25) has some plank moves I really struggle with, so I want to put some extra work into my core so that I can really get after those core moves!

Plus, one of my goals is to have as close to a six pack as I can get. I have a LONG way to go, but I think that making sure that I spend some time focusing on this area of my body will help me take one step towards that goal.

So...Who wants to join me? Send me an email at karielliottfitness@gmail.com and let's talk!

~Kari

Taco Seasoning

I know, you are probably thinking...WHY is she writing about Taco Seasoning???

We recently ran out of our Costco sized bottle of taco seasoning, now this is no small deal in our house as we have tacos at least once a week. So, I got to thinking about this giant bottle of taco seasoning and I realized that I could probably make my own that would be cheaper, and contain nothing I didn't want it to {Read: Clean Taco Seasoning}

So, I did some searching and found a good recipe at FamilyFreshMeals.com and picked up some seasonings in the bulk section and got to work. It was super simple, as easy as finding a bowl and some measuring spoons!

Anyway...here is the recipe for the mix I made! The recipe listed is for one "batch" of seasoning but you can increase it to make a larger mix to have on hand.

Clean Taco Seasoning
 1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

I multiplied this recipe by about 10 (I wasn't counting) and mixed it up in a bowl and put it into the container that the store bought seasoning used to be in and we are ready to have TACOS!!

I may have to experiment with making more seasoning mixes!! What should I make?? We already have a few homemade seasonings for meat that the hubby has made but I want to make some more!!

YAY for homemade seasonings!!

Kari

Anchored in Strength

Since the name of my blog isn't exactly self explanatory, I figured that I probably need to explain myself!

The name of my blog stems from scripture. It's a verse I discovered while looking at Pinterest. Yeah, I know that sounds totally weird, but inspiration strikes where it strikes.

This verse speaks to me on many levels, and reminds me to stay positive and have hope and trust in God that things will happen as He sees fit, not according to my own plans.

Many times in life I have found that I have to dig deep to find strength and hope in a time when it seems that there is none. I'm sure most everyone has had these moments. This verse has become an anchor for me. Reminding me that when I have given up, or when things get hard, I need to trust in the plan that has been made for me, and know that everything will turn out the way it is meant to be.

I've learned recently that when these moments of uncertainty happen, if you look and listen you will find the strength you need if you trust in His plan. It's a hard thing to do (trust me, I'm right there with you!) But, it can pay off big time. I have some stories to share on this trust and how faith has led me to some of the most amazing things in my life, but I'll save those for another day.

Until next time,

Kari

How chocolate helped me get healthy

You are probably thinking I am a total nut job right now, chocolate? How can that help someone get healthy? I promise I am telling the truth!

My wedding is quickly approaching (Less than a month!!!!) and a few months back when I was getting ready for my first fitting I realized I had gained weight and it was very probable that it wouldn't fit. This scared the living daylights out of me. There was NO WAY I was going to let this happen. I had to do something, and I had to do it NOW. A friend of mine had been posting about the 21 day fix and it seemed like something that would fit easily into my life. So, I took the plunge and got my first challenge pack. I am not going to lie, I was skeptical at first. Would this really work? Can I do it? I was nervous as heck, but I put my inner-self doubter in her place and decided I would give it a try. To my surprise, it was as easy as everyone was saying! The eating plan is simple and VERY easy to follow. The workouts are short, but don't let that fool you, they pack a punch! Even Mr. E thinks they are great, and that's something to note, because he does crazy hard workouts to stay in shape for work.

 Now, let me tell you the BEST part. You get to have CHOCOLATE. Now, this may not be a big deal for you, but it is for me. I LOVE chocolate. With my first challenge pack came Shakeology. I chose chocolate and Man, is it yummy! Most of you can probably relate to having cravings for junk food. For me, It's anything sweet, especially chocolate. I drink Shakeology in the morning for breakfast, yes, you heard me BREAKFAST and I don't have one ounce of guilt for starting my day with it Yeah, yeah Kari...get on with it. How did it help you get healthy? Since starting to drink Shakeology, I have lost weight, my skin is the healthiest it has ever been and my junk food cravings are practically GONE. For me, this is HUGE. I LOVE JUNK FOOD, I mean who doesn't? But, I can resist chips, candy and other delicious treats with greater ease now. Do I indulge every once in a while? Sure, but my cravings are far from what they used to be. I have also learned that the food I put in my body has a HUGE affect on how I feel, and if I put junk in my body, I feel like junk. Aside from my drastically reduced cravings for junk, I have lost over 11 inches from all over my body. 11 INCHES!!!!! It's crazy!!

Without Shakeology, my amazing coach and the fitness family I am now a part of, I would have never been able to have the success I have had the last few months. I am SO blessed to have found this, and to have the chance to share my journey with all of you!

This is just the beginning of my journey, I am still working on making changes and becoming a better, healthier me! 

 For now, Kari

Introductions

With all new things, come a learning curve. Blogging is a new thing for me. I am learning as I go, so stick with me!

If you have landed here you may be wondering who I am and what this blog is all about. Well, Here's me in a nutshell. 

I'm Kari. I am a born and raised Oregonian. I love my state and will probably never live anywhere else. I was born and raised in the city, but have fallen in love with my small(ish) college town that my fiancee and I call home. We recently bought our first home and are working to bring it into this decade!

In exactly one month, I get to marry the love of my life and best friend, who for this blogs sake will be called Mr. E. Mr. E is a firefighter in a town close to where we live. His schedule is a difficult one to manage, and I have become well versed in shift schedules and trades.

As a elementary school teacher, I work 9 months of the year with some of the most disadvantaged students in the city I work in, and I love every second. I am a reading specialist, so I spend my day working with small groups of students from ages 5 through 11. My other job is 'Coach'. I am a health and fitness coach. I work to provide support and accountability to anyone at any point in their fitness journey.

In my free time I love to spend time outdoors. In the winter I love to ski and snowshoe. I also love to hike, kayak and camp. Mr. E and I love to go new places and explore the amazing state we get to call home!

That's enough for now, I could keep going but I'll spare you a novel for today, at least.