{Podcasts I'm loving}

 

Guess what?!?! I don't listen to music when I run!

I know, must people do pumped up songs to help them push through. I've found I love podcasts. They cause me to think and to grow and almost help me forget I'm running (sometimes...hahaha).

So today, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite podcasts.

1. Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey - I love Jamies Podcast. She talks on hard issues that are relevant to our daily life and points us back to Jesus.

2. Straight Up with Trent Shelton - Former NFL football player. tells you how it is. Great for motivation.

3. That Sounds Fun - Annie and her guests will make you laugh. She also talks about hard issues and points to Jesus. I love her Enneasummer series. 

4. SHE podcast - Jordan covers actionable advice on cultivating healthy relationships, creating a successful brand and business, embracing body positivity, improving money management, and empowering your faith – all wrapped up with tailorable, tangible takeaways.

5. Risen Motherhood - Encourages, equips, and and challenge moms to bring the gospel to their everyday lives.

6. Journey Women - Hunter along with Christian leaders about gracefully navigating the seasons and challenges we face on our journeys to glorify God.

7. Daily Grace Co - Is all about equipping and encouraging women to seek God in His word.

8. Made for This - Short. Fun. Truth. Real conversation about the struggles about the struggles we are facing and the God that sets us free.

9. Grove Podcast - is designed to encourage women to become ROOTED in the unfailing Word of God, to choose to FLOURISH where we’re planted, to walk in FREEDOM in Christ and truly live, and to offer our lives as SHADE to the people who intersect our paths in our city. 

10. Real Marriage - the good, the bad, the ugly. The Driscoll's talk about all things marriage.

Now for the business podcasts.

1. Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast - Craig teaches you to categorize every task into tiers that make you more efficient and effective.

2. Christy Wright Show - Will fire you up to break through what's holding you back, inspire you to create a life you’re proud of, and help you build confidence in yourself and the God who created you.

3. The Jennifer Allwood Show - Listen in for business strategies and interviews with small business experts to help you build a business and a life that you love.

4. Stop the Hey Girl - Kayla Ybanez is an Instagram and Business strategist for online coaches who want to build their business without using age-old strategies like icky "Hey Girl" cold messages!

5. My Vertical Upline - This weekly podcast will give you the mindset, strategies, and skills you need to build the network marketing business of your dreams.

6. Lead Stories - Co hosts and executive producers Jo Saxton and Stephanie Williams O'Brien tell tales of leadership and life with the aim to encourage, equip and empower. 

7. 6 Figure Influencer -  learn the tips, tricks and ways to step into your own version of the 6 Figure Influencer.

What about you? What are some of your favorite podcasts to listen to whether running, driving, doing household tasks?

New Program Alert {10 Rounds}

I am so excited about the release of our newest program- 10 Rounds! Boxing gyms are all the rage- boxing is one of the best TOTAL-body workouts you can do. But for some, stepping into a boxing gym can be pretty intimidating. But now you can have a boxing gym in your house

What is 10 Rounds?

Basics:

6 weeks

5 workouts a week

3 boxing workouts and 2 lifting workouts a week

-Boxing workouts are broken up into 10 rounds- 3 minutes each, focusing on punching combinations and footwork that progresses throughout the 6 weeks

Joel will teach you how every move actually begins at your feet, moves up through your hips, uses your core, and explodes all the way through your fists. With every punch you use your entire body- scorching calories and toning. This program is built around the simple and precise movements of boxing- without the impact! You won’t be using a sparring partner or hitting a heavy bag- instead you will train the way real boxers do- with shadowboxing!

The 3 boxing days are combined with conditioning drills that help build:
-Power
-Speed/agility

-EnduranceWhat support will I have?



The two days of weightlifting workouts include
-Upper Body to build strength and power

-Lower Body/Legs- since every punch starts at your feet

And of course, there is amazing music in every workout to help keep you moving and give you the energy to keep going!

Who is Joel Freeman?



Joel is one of my FAVORITE Beachbody super trainer- he is SO nice and the energy that he brings is next level! From Core de Force to LIIFT4, I have been doing Joel programs for years now!

Joel has been in the industry for over 15 years as a trainer, manager of a gym and program creator. He has a passion for teaching that really helps you master proper form in his programs- ensuring amazing results. He loves to combine cardio and strength and is just so motivating!




When Can I Start?

March 9- Sample Workout Available

March 16- 10 Rounds Available for Coaches / VIP Customers

April 6- 10 Rounds Available for Customers


I will be running two groups- my coach test group starting the 16th and my customers jumping in on the 6th! As soon as you purchase you have access- no waiting period!


What equipment is required?

-Light, medium and heavy dumbbells for the lifting portion

-12” Resistance Bands - included in your package!
-Small towel





I will be hosting a coach test group starting on March 16th- then customers can join in on April 6th! The test group ladies will be able to help the 2nd wave with questions, give pointers and provide even more support! Meal plans, daily checks in and all of the motivation you could need will be provided! I love test groups- and cannot wait to start!




What packages are there?

For New Customers:







For Existing BOD Members:




I always recommend the Deluxe packages- especially with a program like this where you will be SORE. Having Recover will help you function the next day- and allow you to give your next workout 100% And Energize will give you the power to really crush your workout.


I also highly recommend the MEGA pack this time! It is a great way to get everything you need- plus you can even try out our newest Plant Based Beachbars! The Mega pack also includes a 3 Day Refresh, so you can start off on the right foot and Hydrate since you will be SO SWEATY in this program!


My favorite add ons:
If you don’t get the mega pack, these are my favorite products that will be on sale!

I am so excited to do this program with you! Make sure that you have filled out this form to be kept up to date! I will be sending out the sample workout on March 9th and an order form shortly after! Cannot wait to rock this with you!

{Day Spring Planner}

If you follow me on social media at all, you know I am a Type 3 on the enneagram, type A, planner! I love it, most of the time.

One of the things I really love is a good planner. Seriously, I buy a new one every 6 months because they make me happy! BUT in the world of planners, it can be overwhelming. There are SOOOO many options!

Recently, Dayspring, sent me a planner to try out. You guys, it's beautiful! (There are also some fun other patterns)

Here are the deets:

•         Standard Size 8”x19”

•         2mm Hard Front & Back Cover

•         Large Spiral Bound

•         Monthly Tabs

•         Elastic Band

•         Monthly Devotional

•         Monthly reflection

•         18-month (Starts July 2020)

•         $49.99 (Which is really afforadable)

Some of the things I love most. 

1. THE MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL

2. I love the simplicity of the weekly layout, you can organize it how it best fits your life. 

3. There is a GOAL SETTING section! This is gold to me! I love setting goals and now it's tied to one place!

4. Probably my most FAVORITE section....GRATITUDES....one of my daily habits is to write out the things I'm thankful for daily! Now it's right in my planner and not a separate notebook!

5. There are some really fun inserts too

I would love for you guys to go check it out and SNAG one for yourself. Plus, it would make a great gift!!!!  Oh and they have other fun stickers and inserts you can add! I'm all about that!

{Summer is Coming}

Well, maybe it's just the beginning of a spring and we are expecting 5-8 inches of snow this weekend, but I'm itching for some more weather.

 
Warm weather, so the kids can play outside, get dirty, go to the lake, longer days, relaxation, grilled food It sounds perfect doesn't it :) I know how much I love summer, but lets be honest, it is also busy.

 

Today I wanted to share some tips with you to find the balance of fitting in healthy meals and workouts, despite your full schedule. 

1. Say "No" more often. This is sooo hard for me, I'm a people pleaser, but I'm learning that I'm human and I have limitations and that means I can't do it all. it's ok for me to say no. 

2. Streamline the Morning rush: Take some off the stress of the morning by prepping some the night before. Layout your clothes for the next day, pack lunches, place jackets and bags by the door, skip checking your email and Social Media until everything else is ready. 

3. Put free time on your schedule: that sounds crazy, but I know how much I live by a schedule so put that free time on their! I also schedule my daily devotions and my workouts. That way they are sure to get done. 

4. Track how you spend your time. For me I know how often I get caught up in scrolling my newsfeed, I look down and I wasted 30 minutes. If I track my time I'm less likely to do this. 

5. Have your kids help with meal prep. Spend one afternoon a weekend batch prepping meals for the week. Include your kids, have them peel the carrots, cut the veggies, etc. stick with easy recipes, 

6. Delegate some household duties. 

7. Make family time more active. Go outside for a walk, a bike ride, if its cold and icky outside, play a game inside, throw on Double time the kid friendly workout. I hope you find some of these tips helpful!

Ashlee

My next bootcamp is starting April 9. We will be using a workout calendar, a 4 week meal plan and also doing a little spring cleaning. If you are interested in joining the bootcamp, fill out this form: https://goo.gl/forms/7ffRcLlvzwYw6bKt1

Did you know you can earn extra income or get a discount on all of our products. If you want to hear more info about what I do as a coach and how I've used it to pay off loans, pay for vacations, etc all while working full time, I'd love to share with you. OR maybe you just want to save money on our products. If you want more info, fill out this form: https://goo.gl/forms/7i3gLf21VIMEf3S72.



Dear Emerson

Emerson -

As the day of your arrival comes closer, I can't help but wonder about you. Of course, like everyone else, we wonder your skin color, hair color, hair texture....but so much more than that, will you have your daddies calm and patient personality, or will you be like me, or a mix. Know this...no matter what, you are dearly loved and you are WANTED.

There are so many things I want to tell you, so many dreams that I have for you you.

First of all and most important, put your faith and hope in Jesus Christ our Savior. He took your place for your sins and wants you to have abundant life. May your life be for His glory and be a reflection of Him.

Be a leader...instead of following your friends, lead them. When you have a family, lead your family. Lead like Jesus, not domineering, but as a servant. Lead by example. With how you live your life, and how you treat others, with how you work.

Work hard. It will get you far in life. Even if you don't like the job or have a passion for it, WORK HARD. There will be many life lessons you will learn through this, but I guarantee you will have no regrets if you worked hard.

Choose your friends wisely. Choose people that lift you up, encourage you and make you a better person.

Put others first. You will have trials in many relationships and friendships, but if you put others first, you will know you have done the right thing.

Remain pure. This will be hard. There are pressures in relationships; from your peers, from the world, but your purity is worth the trials. On top of that I pray you are a man that keeps your future girlfriends pure as well. Don't pressure them. Think of them and there emotions. Keep them pure too.

Have compassion. In the world you will hear that men are to have strength, don't be confused, this doesn't mean you can't have compassion for others. Always put the needs of others above your own and give of yourself whole heartedly.

I pray you have integrity. Do the honest thing. It's not always the easy path, but it's the right path. That will mean you will need to own up to your mistakes. Trust me when I say that covering them up won't make them right or go away, but that it will only make it worse. Do the right thing, even when no one is looking and even if no one will ever find out (however, I will say, they almost always come out).

As your parents we will try to teach you these things and more. We love you deeply and want Gods best for your life.

Happy 2 Years Lia Marie

Lia Marie -

Happy Birthday! Or as you would say Happy Happy. It's so hard to believe that you have been in our lives for 2 years. While it is so hard to even remember our life without you, it seems like just yesterday I was holding you in that hospital room. The last two years have been filled with lots of sleepless nights, joy, laughter, tears, exhaustion, and memories. It has been a fun year of seeing your learn new things, learning to talk, and seeing your personality.

As each day goes by, my prayers for you grow stronger and stronger. You are very strong-willed and some days I struggle and struggle on how to handle that, but my prayer is that as parents we can teach you how to channel that will and not diminish it. That you use it to grow into a independent women, who will have the gumption to be obedient to the Lord, no matter what He asks.

You are full of life and personality. You have so much joy and your smile and your eyes can light up a room. I pray you use this to encourage others. To be a light among the dark. Keep your hope. This world is very dark and it needs your light, so let it shine.

My prayer is that you will have compassion. That you will see others that are hurting and be driven to do something.

I also pray that the Lord will show Himself to you. That He will pursue you and that you will pursue Him! I pray that you will see your depravity and your need for Him. While you have an independent spirit,  that you see your need for Him and that you learn to be dependent on Him.

Lastly, may you always remember..."The Lord your God is with you, He is might to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17.

Love you always,
Mom

He is the Anchor

Do you ever have one of those moments where your sitting in the car alone (if your a mom this is probably rare) have no idea of your surroundings, you are just worshiping (as I type this, I'm thinking this is a little scary, but God was protecting me)! It happened to me on Sunday. I had just gotten done listening to a sermon podcast, so I turned on some music and I was in total worship. Ironically, "Cornersone" was playing and God spoke to me.

God has used this song to speak to us during some major trials in the last 3 years and it's also Lia's favorite song. I know that is crazy to say, but it was the only way I could get her to sleep for a period of time and the minute I would play it she would calm down and sleep, and now she starts singing and lifts her hands (she worships).

Anyways, this isn't profound, but, I needed to hear it. He said, "Ashlee, right now things are going good and you are seeing my blessings, guess what, I'm still your Anchor, I'm still the one holding you together."

He isn't just my anchor when things are rough or difficult, but he is our anchor when things are good to. It's easy for me to say and plead for Him when things are difficult, but I needed that reminder to plead for Him when things are good.  

Making a House a Home

A while ago I asked the question on facebook, "If you had to choose between a fixer upper that was low in your budget or still within your budget a move in ready house, what would you choose?"

I got a lot of mixed responses. But Claudy and I knew that we weren't meant for fixer uppers. We just didn't have the time or energy to commit to it. So we went with move-in ready. However, I knew that I wanted to make it our own.

Deciding on a theme for the house was rather difficult, Claudy wanted it to feel like the Carribean and while I like bright colors, I would rather they be accents than the main colors. However, we came to a compromise and I love how it has turned out!

Here are some before and afters. (Photos taken with my iphone)

 KITCHEN

 before

after

DINING

before

after

I love this table my parents found us at a occasional sale in Zimmerman and I love my curtains from Target. 

LIVING ROOM

before

 

after

I felt like this set up the previous owners had made the room feel small and with a one year old we needed some place space, so we changed tv wall and it opened it up a ton!

The dresser was a purchase at an occasional sale in Buffalo!

 

BEDROOM

before

 after

OFFICE

before

 

after

MASTER BEDROOM

after

This took me two colors to get the feel I wanted

 

LIA'S ROOM

before

after

As you can see we went with a lot of COLOR. 

We still have to do the basement, hoping to get to that in March!!!

2016 Goals

Well, my blog has somewhat been neglected, but I do love this place to share my heart and share what I'm learning! 

Here are my goals for 2016: 

* Daily Bible Reading Plan

* Spend time each day praying for my husband and daughter

 

* 366 days of Shakeology

* 1 photo everyday with my DSLR

* Blog more 

* Help 100 people to a healthier lifestyle

* Help 10-15 people start a online fitness business

* Pay off our student loans

* Run a half marathon

* Only 1 soda per day (I know, it should be less) 

I'd love to hear your goals!

{25 Days of Christmas} - Day 8 - Gift Given

I'll be the first to admit, I'm not the best gift giver. Don't get me wrong, I love to give gifts, and I'm not bad and giving, I'm just not great at finding that gift that makes a person go, "This is AMAZING." 

For those of you out there that need some suggestions, here are some. 

1. Personalized Shirts/Mugs, etc. from PolkaBean

It seems like personalization is one of the most popular things right now. Weather that's personalized shirts, mugs, bags, etc. I'll be the first to say that I love it. PolkaBean is ran by some of my friends in Florida and they have some great items designed, but they also do custom work! They are offering a special 25% off discount to my readers, if you use the code "ASHLEE" check them out! These make the perfect gift for teachers, friends, girlfriends, moms, grandmas, etc. The coupon is good until Dec 31st.

2. A salon day

 

  One of the best gifts my husband gave me was a gift to one of our local salons. It was enough to cover a massage, pedicure and a hair cut. It was the perfect day of relaxation and pampering I wanted! I guarantee any woman would love this!

3. Coupons

 

Sometimes the best gifts aren't actually bought. These coupons are designed for a mom, but could easily be designed for anyone in your life! This is a great gift for kids to give there moms. Or maybe if you are parent, you give an "experience" to your kid instead of more toys, so the coupons may say a coffee date, or a night at the arcade, etc...

These are just some suggestions. What was the best gift you received!

Don't forget about the 25% discount from PolkaBean good through the end of the month!