Logan Can – Page 73 – A Lifestyle Blog about Marriage, Parenting, Fashion and Fitness

How to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth Without Ruining Your Diet

July 16, 2015

This post is sponsored by Fiber One but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

It is no secret that I have a huge sweet tooth. It is my greatest weakness when trying to live a healthy lifestyle. I’ve tried to trick my body into eating healthier foods that are low in calories as “dessert” or when I’m having a weak moment so that I don’t ruin my diet.

Here are 3 ways I indulge my sweet tooth without compromising my diet:

1. I make a smoothie. Depending on my craving, I choose to make my chocolate banana smoothie, or a fruit smoothie to satisfy my sweet cravings. It’s healthy and low in calories.

2. I go to Publix and grab a Fiber One Cheesecake Bar. These little goodies are delicious and only 150 calories. They also have 5 grams of fiber in every bar! They satisfy my craving without giving away all of my calories. It’s a win/win.

3. If it is still early in the day, I like to grab a cup of coffee. I love coffee and I have been drinking half caf for a while now so that I’m not overdoing it with the caffeine. Because I am breastfeeding, I like to make sure I’m not drinking too much.

Fiber One is giving away $15 paypal cash to one of you to try the new Fiber One Cheesecake Bars for yourself! Enter in the rafflecopter below!

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How do you indulge your sweet tooth in a smart way? Don’t forget to check out these great recipes on Fiber One’s Facebook Page!

Outshine your Playdate Snacks

July 15, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #OutshineSnacks #CollectiveBias

When thinking of snack ideas for our play dates, I like to think of a satisfying treat that both the kids and mothers will enjoy. This week was my turn to bring snacks and so it dawned on me to stop by Walmart and grab some Outshine Bars! My family has been snacking on Nestle Outshine Fruit Bars for over 18 years, and now we are enjoying the new Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars.

I love these bars because they are made with simple, honest ingredients that make you feel as good as they taste! I don’t know about you, but I need a snack that is going to satisfy my cravings. I know after a full day of swimming, my son does, too.

After taking the Outsmart your Snack quiz and receiving my $1 off coupon, I realized all the wonderful things Outshine is doing for our communities. I got really excited because I love supporting brands that give back. Outshine provides fresh fruit and vegetables to communities in need through Feeding America. Through July 31st, for every specially marked box of Outshine Simply Yogurt bars purchased, one pound of fresh fruits and veggies will be donated to a local food bank. How awesome is that?

My son and his little friends absolutely loved the NEW Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars, and the moms were a big fan as well. They come in strawberry and blueberry flavors. I love them both. It is impossible to choose a favorite. We were pretty popular at our swimming pool play date. My husband still prefers the fruit and fruit and veggie bars and I love to eat the coconut water bars after an afternoon workout! They are so satisfying and the protein in them is the perfect post-workout fuel that my body needs.

I am all about better for you snacking, and these bars were such a huge hit at our playdate, that I will definitely be bringing them again.

What snacks do you bring to your playdates? What flavor of the NEW Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars would you like to try?

Book Review: Ladies Night by Mary Kay Andrews

July 14, 2015

Ladies Night by Mary Kay Andrews
Published June 4th 2013 by St. Martin’s Press

Pages: 464

Synopsis from Goodreads: Grace Stanton’s life as a rising media star and beloved lifestyle blogger takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating and torpedoes his pricey sports car straight into the family swimming pool. Grace suddenly finds herself locked out of her palatial home, checking account, and even the blog she has worked so hard to develop in her signature style. Moving in with her widowed mother, who owns and lives above a rundown beach bar called The Sandbox, is less than ideal. So is attending court-mandated weekly “divorce recovery” therapy sessions with three other women and one man for whom betrayal seems to be the only commonality. When their “divorce coach” starts to act suspiciously, they decide to start having their own Wednesday “Ladies’ Night” sessions at The Sandbox, and the unanticipated bonds that develop lead the members of the group to try and find closure in ways they never imagined. Can Grace figure out a new way home and discover how strong she needs to be to get there?

Heartache, humor, and a little bit of mystery come together in a story about life’s unpredictable twists and turns. Mary Kay Andrews’ Ladies’ Night will have you raising a glass and cheering these characters on.

My Thoughts: This was my first MKA book. I know, I know, I am SO behind on an amazing author. I have a couple of her other books on my shelf waiting to be read, so don’t worry, I’ll catch up. I’ll describe this book in a couple of words: Amazing and Intense. Never have I read a book that I was so hooked from the first page than this one. It made me so angry at times and laugh until I cried at other times. It will definitely tug on your feminist strings a little. Grace was very relatable because she is a blogger! I loved reading about that aspect of her and her life, but her husband is maddening. The whole book is following Grace as she is getting a divorce from her husband and all through their journey. He literally takes everything from her, but it is so interesting how it all plays out in the end. It is a book I would recommend to every woman who wants a good novel to get into this summer. I gave this book 5 stars!

Pool Safety Tips

July 13, 2015

Last summer, I experienced my scariest “mommy moment” to date. My son (9 months at the time), fell off of a float and into the pool at my parent’s house. My siblings and parents were in the pool when we dropped by to say hi and they wanted me to prop Hampton up on a float so he could float around with them for a bit. My dad decided he was ready to get out of the pool and he didn’t notice Hampton on the float. He pushed the float out of his way and Hamp went tumbling off and sank to the bottom of the pool.

Without even thinking, I jumped in (fully clothed) and scooped him off the bottom of the pool. It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me and Hampton. Luckily, he was okay, but I was so upset with myself for allowing this to happen. I’m supposed to protect him – always. It was so upsetting. This situation could have had a really different outcome. We were lucky.

One thing I have learned with kids is accidents happen – whether a parent is there paying attention or not. Pools are so much fun, but they can be very scary. Thankfully, Aflac offers Accident Policies for these situations. Had Hampton been really damaged or hurt from this, it would have been terrible to not have insurance that covered accidents.

I want to share some pool safety tips with all of you because it is always good to refresh our memories on how to stay safe while we enjoy our summer.

Pool Safety Tips:

1. Don’t run close to a pool.
2. Keep your children away from drains and other openings to avoid them getting trapped.
3. Watch your children at all times.
4. Teach your kids how to swim and basic water safety tips.
5. No diving in shallow water.
6. Keep riding toys (like bikes) away from the pool area.
7. Keep your pool clean so the water is clear.
8. Don’t swim alone.
9. Don’t push people in the pool.
10. Keep electronics away from the pool.
11. Teach children how to float as early as possible.
12. Make sure young children wear floating devices (arm floaties, life jacket, etc.) at all times.

Please be safe this summer! For more information on Aflac’s Accident Policies, please visit their accident insurance page.

How do you practice water safety?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Favorite Free Blogging Resources

July 10, 2015

Picmonkey is a free photo editor that is extremely easy to use. I absolutely love it and use it for most of my photos on my blog. It is so simple to edit the exposure, size, add text and create great collages.

StumbleUpon is great for gaining more exposure to your blog. By stumbling your blog posts, you are broadening your audience and putting your posts before new faces. You have to be really careful about stumbling your own posts too much. I try to stumble about 15 to 20 other people’s posts for every one of my own just to be safe. SU will penalize you for stumbling your own work too often.

Pinterest continues to be my #1 referral site to my blog. Take advantage of this free site. Create pinnable photos and pin every post to Pinterest. Pin each post to different boards on different days at different times so that more people will see them. Do you follow me on Pinterest?

Facebook Groups have been amazing for my blog. I have found some wonderful blogs to follow and read every day through these groups. It is so nice to have bloggers sharing your work for you, but you also spend a good amount of time sharing their work as well. Since working with these groups, my pageviews and unique visitors has seen a substantial increase.

Link-Ups are wonderful for bloggers. There are so many link-ups every day of the week that you can participate in. In the (almost) 3 years I have been blogging, I can tell you that most of my readers are other bloggers. Sure, a handful of my friends and family read it occasionally, but the ones that read it daily and leave comments are other bloggers. Link-ups are a great way to find posts to read and new blogs that are in your niche to fall in love with! Visit my link-up list here!

What are some of your favorite free blogging resources?

How To Ask For Help

July 9, 2015

Can I be honest with you guys for a second? Being a mother of 2 babies is hard. I knew it would be difficult and I tried to prepare for it, but it is so much harder than I realized. I honestly don’t know how mothers of multiples do it. I am in awe of you and you need a hug. And a spa ~~day~~ week. Lately, I have felt very overwhelmed.

I have tried to be a really independent mother. I want to do everything myself and I hate hate HATE asking for help. I feel like my kids are my responsibility and I get so caught up in the mindset of having to take care of them by myself. I should have them all the time. I should be the one to feed them, clothe them, bathe them at night, take them to the park, teach them. I am their mother. I am the one supposed to be raising them.Funny thing happens when I think like this. God laughs at me. He says, “No, no, no, sweetheart. You need help. You can’t do it alone.”

I do need help, y’all.

A childhood friend of mine started a Mommy Play Group on Facebook (which is awesome) and we met a couple of weeks ago downtown at the splash pad. I was so excited! I just knew Hampton would love it. I mean, anything outside that involves water is right up his alley! Oh boy was I wrong.

I loaded the kids, Hamp in the stroller and SR in my ergo. I packed our lunches and we hiked down to the splash pad (because it is a hike when you are hauling 2 babies up a hill). I didn’t know I could sweat through jean shorts, but I can. In case you were wondering.

Once we made it, a train went right by the splash pad. Hamp spotted it right away. . He was so excited, but as soon as the train went away, he started pitching a fit. Then SR started screaming because it was time for her to eat. Hampton never would touch the water. He watched everyone else play and he continued to pitch fits, asking for the “choo choo.” I finally said “that’s it!” I loaded them back up and hiked back to the car with two screaming babies. I was so thankful to my friend who helped me push the stroller part of the way back. I didn’t ask, but she offered and didn’t even wait for a reply. She just helped me. It was so nice!

I was so tired, hot and frustrated. They were hot and not happy at all. We all really needed a nap. It hit me really fast that this is why I should not be afraid to ask for help. I am feeling overwhelmed right now, and it is okay. I’m still trying to learn how to be available to 2 babies all the time while working and blogging. It is so tough sometimes.

God has a funny way of teaching me lessons. He definitely has a sense of humor. I am stubborn and determined and he is trying to show me that it can’t always be my way. I can’t do it alone. I have to learn to rely on Him, always. After this experience, I can honestly say, I have learned my lesson. It really does take a village to raise a child, and it’s okay to learn to rely on the village sometimes.

If you’re a mom, I just want to say that you are wonderful. You are doing an amazing job. No matter what phase of life you’re in – whether you have babies or grown adult children there will always be challenges because you’re a mom. You are everything to your kids, so don’t give up and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. We all need help sometimes.

All I Need is Coffee and Mascara

July 8, 2015

Tank: c/o LINDSxoPRESSES // Fitness Leggings: c/o Lorna Jane // Shoes: Nike Frees

Most mornings, all I need (or have time for) is coffee and mascara. This tank truly says it all because it is basically my life right now. Some mornings, I barely even get a chance to drink my coffee. It all depends on the babies.

With that being said, I have managed to exercise every day, but I haven’t quite established a workout schedule yet. I am basically working out when I can. Some days that means going to a late Zumba class, other days, I have to get up really early to run. It just depends on our schedules.

I promised I would give you guys updates periodically on my weight loss journey, so here goes…

I have finally started losing weight again. This has been a frustrating process because even though I was eating clean, breastfeeding and walking, I did not lose a single pound in over 4 weeks. It was beyond frustrating. Once I was cleared to exercise a couple of weeks ago, I really buckled down. I started C25K and am currently on week 5! I also continued to eat healthy and started using My Fitness Pal app again to keep up with my calories to make sure I did not eat too much sugar, carbs, etc.

It has definitely helped me a lot! I am now 8 lbs. away from my pre-pregnancy weight. We have less than 5 weeks til our cruise, so the chances of me losing all of it by then are slim, however, I am finally losing weight again and I am so thankful that I am getting healthier and closer to being able to wear my clothes again!

I absolutely love my LINDSxoPRESSES tanks! I ordered this one and another one that will show it’s face on my blog soon! They are so comfortable and go with anything! I can run in them, or I can pair them with jean shorts! Graphic tees and tanks are so “in” right now and I really love them! This adorable Etsy shop offers so many different colors, styles, and custom options. There are sizes for babies all the way through adults! Definitely check out all this shop has to offer! Be sure to keep up with the latest updates and styles on Facebook!

LINDSxoPRESSES is offering a Free Shipping code “LOGANCAN” for every order over $20!

The Perfect Breakfast Bowl with #QuakerRealMedleys

July 7, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #QuakerRealMedleys #CollectiveBias

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it is also the meal most often skipped. I am guilty of this even though it is probably my favorite meal. I can’t begin my day without coffee, but eating a good breakfast can help kick start your day and also get your metabolism going.

I love to explore new breakfast ideas as a way to mix things up from the typical eggs and pancakes. The other day while I was shopping at Walmart, I stumbled upon the new Quaker® Real Medleys® Yogurt Cups. Real Medleys are yummy blends of yogurt and multi-grain granola with real fruit and nuts. I’ve seen nothing like this before in stores – probably because it didn’t exist until now. These are found on the dry cereal aisle and is dry itself until you stir in cold milk.

Quaker® Real Medleys® Yogurt Cups are not only satisfying and delicious, they are also extremely convenient. Just stir in cold milk and you are good to go! No standing over the stove making pancakes and eggs. This single serve cup is great to take on the go for those morning errands as well. I don’t know about you, but with two kids, convenience is everything for me right now.

I absolutely love to make breakfast bowls using Real Medleys® by adding additional fruits such as blueberries and raspberries. This delicious breakfast bowl will make you say: “Crunchy. Cool. Yum!”

Be sure to stop by your local Walmart for a product demo of Quaker Real Medleys between July 7th and July 12th! Also, download the Blippar app on your phone to scan your package and receive information tutorials on Quaker® Real Medleys® Yogurt Cups.

These delicious yogurt cups come in Apple Cinnamon, Raspberry Pecan, and Strawberry Almond. Which Quaker Real Medleys flavor do you want to try?

4th of July 2015

July 6, 2015

We had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! We celebrated my MIL’s, Mama’s, Cousin’s and Aunt’s birthdays, laid by the pool, went to a parade, enjoyed a ball game, played with sparklers and ate…a lot! It was absolutely the perfect weekend with my awesome family! It made me so excited for our cruise next month! I can’t wait to spend more time with the ones I love!

How did you celebrate the 4th?

Five on Friday: 4th of July Edition

July 3, 2015

It’s been a while since I participated in 5 on Friday, and I felt like it was a great day to do a 4th of July roundup with tomorrow being the 4th and all!

ONE

Last week I shared 4 Things to do on the 4th of July along with a casual outfit idea! I’m definitely going to be casual this weekend because we will be cooking out by the pool! What are you wearing?

TWO

My little Rae girl turned 2 months old this week. It is going by too. fast. Someone please make it slow down! I’m trying to soak up every minute with her and make sure I don’t miss a single moment. I’ve had so much fun planning her 4th of July outfits! It has been a lot of fun dressing a little girl!

THREE

Have you checked out my Patriotic S’mores Bar and recipe for a Caramel Macchiato Spread? It is delish! We will be using some of this same decor for a big 4th of July party at my parent’s house tomorrow! I can’t wait!

FOUR

This weekend is so special because we celebrate my aunt’s, 2 cousin’s and mother’s birthdays along with America! We go all out with tons of delicious food, decor and a pool party! I am so excited to see everyone I can’t hardly stand it! The last time I saw my cousin (who is also one of my closest friends) was the day after baby girl was born! I’m so ready to see her again!

FIVE

I hope you all have a wonderful 4th! What are your plans this weekend?

Linking up here!

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