Fitness Friday#4




I have one major question how do other bloggers that are mothers fine time to make posts, fit a workout in, help with homework, get dinner done, maybe read a book, and not become overwhelmed. I understand a great deal of it has to do with time management, but I feel as if I’m missing a few hours of my day after work and I want it back. Granted I understand there are times when life throws everything off because of a program, or a big project, or really anything when it comes to managing a family, but I still would like to know its done.
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With all of the being said I want to say that February was a complete bust for working out. Part of it was taking care of my family there was a plague of strep throat, my mother’s vehicle was totaled so she needed assistance with transportation nothing went according to plan. The other part of the fitness fail was i attempted too much at one time so I decide to do every 30 day challenge by Jodi Higgs at the same time in the beginning it was ok and it fit my schedule, but as the days progress so did the amount and the time. I just couldn’t keep up and I was ok with that. From the beginning I knew I could and only wanted to devout 1hour to working out for a few reasons the first being I don't want to burn out and give up and second I have other obligations in my home. Giving myself 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening seemed like a good fit for me, maybe when my family needs me less and I get more fit maybe I can go longer.

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So for the month of March I’m starting fresh with a new look at things and a realistic idea that sometimes I may have to miss a work because of whatever and that’s ok.Here’s a look at my morning routine which I clocked at about 1hr and 15min give or take

FitnessBlender warm-up (on YouTube there are 4 to choose from lasting about 5mins)
2 rounds of Tabata routines I got from Pinterest (its like 4 minutes each and gets the heart rate up)
I’m also doing the BeFit 30day Buttlift ( the workouts are about 10 minutes long which again is NOT bad)
30 day LBD challenge which I found on Pinterest ( each day there’s 3 exercise to do which “in my mind” shound NOT take more than 5-10)
ButtBible workout - videos found on YouTube ( level 1 is about 20 mins, level 2 is 30, level 3 is about 40 minutes.) - Each level for this is about two weeks long and I will adjust as necessary so that I have enough time to put little ppl on the bus before I have to walk out the door myself.

My evening is as follows
2 rounds of Tabata
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Blogilates - Fitness YouTuber ( I kept saying I want to complete one of her calendars and I putting that in motion each day she works a different part of the body workout last about 45min - 1hr but videos are about 5- 10 minutes long). Not only am I doing her March workout, but also the Thigh challeage as well.

Almost forgot my measurements

Bust 39
Arms L:13 / R: 13
Waist 41
Hips 41
Thighs L: 23 / R:23

I’ve gained the inches that I lost back and finally did my thighs correctly so fingers crossed that I can manage this month.

Blog Tour - Verity Jacobs’ THE SCIENCE OF ATTRACTION



The Science of Attraction - Verity Jacobs
Verity’s Expat Series #1
Published May 26th 2014 - Selfpublished
Kindle pgs 184



Kate Ramsey is at the top of her game.

She’s the hot new recruit at the most prestigious research institute in Germany, and she’s determined to live up to the hype — even if it means working day and night. Stress relief comes in the form of a no-nonsense affair with her neighbor, who also happens to be the director of the institute. Who says sex should be anything more than a contract between two people who have other things on their mind?

So when Tom Baker saunters into her life, Kate is understandably upset to see this well-oiled machine splutter and seize. Tom is young and smart, and far too pretty for his own good. Kate can’t help but be drawn to him, even if giving in to the attraction would mean risking everything she’s worked for.




Attraction is such an intriguing thing it could be a sound, a smell, a look, a combination of a few different things. Verity Jacob’s The Science of Attraction has the right mix of charming, seduction, and entertainment that made this read so enjoyable.


I did find it difficult to imagine everyone in this lab as adults, it just didn’t seem possible for me to phantom that these very educated lab techs were so awkward and random.


Lead research Biologist Kate is leading a secret relationship with her boss and lab director Rob who also happens to be very douche like finds her attention swayed when she is given a new recruit. That new recruit, Tom,  just happens to be not only smart, but sexy as well. Everything about Kate’s attraction to Tom tells her no, but her body and heart is screaming yes.


While there is somewhat a love triangle, I found a way to justify it because Kate and Rob’s relationship seem more so based of the physical than anything else. Yes there is unnecessary drama that could have been avoided if people would use their communication skills but I guess that part of what makes things interesting.

The epilogue gives a sneak peek on what’s coming up next that I can’t wait to find out more.












Verity Jacobs is a reformed scientist, who left the lab when she fell in love with writing about love. She lives with her husband and baby girl in London, where she dreams by day and writes all night long. She is addicted to the heart flutters and stomach flips of the fictional romance world.





Fitness Friday #3


So I kinda feel like I all but gave up on documenting my fitness journey than I realized this is all new to me and I don’t want to make this a job /chore. I want the entire experience to be as enjoyable as possible.


So to recap a few things that last time I checked in was doing the 30 day for the month of January well things did NOT go accordingly. For one I stayed on level 2 for about 3 weeks and didn’t realize it. I finally moved to Level 3 which again it felt like the work out flew by or my body is getting use to moving around. After getting a few days of Level 3 in I was plagued with the “co-worker bird flu”, actually it was a head cold that made my body ache and exercising was the last thing on my mind. I’m still stand by the assumptions that I felt that way because of my adorable work family.

Now that I’m in the month February I’m on a new workout which is Pauline Nordin’s Butt Bible. I originally found this years ago when ExerciseTv was a thing and I've always wanted to do and here’s my chance. According to the Butt Bible calendar is as follows

On the rest/ cardio day I decided to do Level 3 of the 30 day shred so I can take that off my fitness bucket list. On the “Rest” days my “plan” is to do yoga in my mind the extra stretching would make everything that hurts on me feels much better. I complete one week so far and what I have learned thus far is that her voice is very annoying but I like the workout so to fix the problem I just turn the volume of the video down and turn some music on. Yay me. As far as my morning routine for some reason I decided to do Jodi Higgs’s 30 day Abs, Back, Butt Chest, Oblique, Shoulder,& Thigh challenge. Not sure yet what I thinking, b/c now its becoming very intense but it feels good when I’m done. Soooo I’ll just stick with it.

I found out something that I didn't realize before and it was kinda a bummer I wasn't measuring my thighs properly, for some crazy reason I measure 4" above my knee but one day looking in the mirror I notice where my shorts end that part was bigger than where I was measuring. So now I searching multiple videos to make sure I’m measuring correctly.

My ultimate goal is still to feel awesome in my skin and just be overall healthy. So I will only do my measurements and weigh-in once a month I’m thinking on the 1st that sounds official enough.  

Book Review - The Phoenix Candidate -Heidi Joy Tretheway





The Phoenix Candidate - Heidi Joy Tretheway
Series: Grace Colton #1
Published January 12th 2015
Kindle pages 250


Fans of Scandal, House of Cards, and The Good Wife will love Grace Colton...

U.S. Congresswoman Grace Colton is the most famous woman in politics—and the loneliest—until a drawling, sexy stranger offers her one night: no strings and no regrets. And it rocks her world.

Grace wakes to an empty hotel room and a phone call. The dark horse for the 2016 presidential election, Senator Shep Conover, is considering her as his vice presidential running mate.

Before she can be selected, Grace must be vetted and coached by Shep’s political consultant, Jared Rankin, who already knows too many intimate details about her. He’s Mr. One-Night Stand.

Grace is torn: play nice with Jared to join the senator’s ticket, or play hardball and back the slick frontrunner? As the Democratic National Convention approaches, Grace must decide where her loyalties lie and if she can trust Jared with her future—and her heart.

The Phoenix Candidate is an adult erotic romance recommended for mature readers.



Normally I'm a fan of political themes. Going in I basically thought I was going to get Scandal or a light version of House of Cards. Sadly that was not my experience. Don’t get me wrong the writing was on point and the story flowed like a good read should, the umph just wasn’t there for me. I’m sure 85% of it had to do with the heroine Grace.


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Grace Colton won her Congress position in the wake of losing husband and son to gun violence. After securing her seat she has made some great impressions about is now being vetted for a possible VP run. Outside of Capitol Hill, I just didn't find her very interesting, what I did find slightly intriguing was her slight OCD that was never address. It drove me absolutely crazy. While out with the girls she’s approached by this unknown fine specimen that she leaves the bar with for some sexy time after some intense conversation. Little did Grace know this stranger already read her resume.


Literally. Jared Rakin is on an assignment to vet Grace for his employer for a VP, but his research of her has him wanting to know her on a more intimate level. He’s very mysterious and always on the move. Most of the time I couldn't tell where he stood with his feeling for Grace and his job.


The moment these came together things were never the same and I had a few concerns as follows


Jared being a consultant and has the assignment of vetting Grace for his employer - would it be considered sex harassment that he sleep with her? At the very least shouldn’t Jared  feel some type of way about a woman in her position that would willingly go to a stranger’s hotel to get all hot and sexy. That’s a reporter's dream headline “Congresswoman one night stand fetish”.
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Second being in politics I would think Grace would have a game face. See wore all of her emotions on her sleeves. She have zero discretion about the people she trusted. Not to mention she didn’t come of as publically confident in herself. I understand that most people in power or the public eye are privately a mess, but come on keep it together until you get home.


Lastly the flipping kissing on the lips debacle for the life of me I COULD NOT understand why that was such a major issue. I enjoy kissing as much as the next person, but I will obsess over it with someone I just banging. Additionally these two should know that in their position to expect a camera to be everywhere they are why would you continue to have these almost x-rated PDA sessions where anyone walking by can see.

Like with every political theme anything there is secrets, lies, betrayal and of sex. All the main ingredients of awesome drama. The Phoenix Candidate is my first ever experience with Ms. Tretheway and while this was not an awesome read I still enjoyed myself and will stay tune for more political drama. One of the major plus for me is that this story will continue, but I was not left with a cliffhanger. Win - Win.





About Heidi Joy Tretheway:

Heidi Joy is a sucker for campfires, craft cocktails, and steamy romance in books and real life. She sings along with musicals (badly), craves French carbs, and buys plane tickets the way some women buy shoes.

Her first career as a journalist took Heidi behind the scenes with politicians, rock stars, chefs, and detectives, all of whom inspire her stories. Heidi Joy is currently working on her eighth book from her home in Portland, Oregon. She adores hearing from readers at author.heidi@gmail.com.