EmpowerMoms

BRAND NEW from Jillian Michaels!

Released on August 23, 2016.

Comprised of five, 10-minute workouts, Jillian aims to transform your body with a variety of short, yet highly efficient workout programs.

Jillian Michaels 10 Minute Body Transformation Workouts from Jillian Michaels on Vimeo.

DVD Includes:
Five, 10 minutes workouts and a universal warm-up and cool-down that can be added to any program. Workouts can also be combined for a longer, customized training session.

– Pilates Power

– Cardio Burn

– Booty Boot Camp

– Calisthenics

– Kickbox Blast

You can purchase it here:

Although it was released last week, I’m having a hard time getting a copy. Its not showing in stock on amazon and walmart doesn’t have it listed online any more and its not in stores. I hope to get a copy soon so I can post my review.

This story mostly follows Lynette as she tries to keep the family home in tact and care for her dad who is becoming absent minded and confused. Unfortunately with no other options left, Lynette has to contact her four siblings in order to make important decisions about the house and their father’s health. All five children have experienced various degrees of personal struggles and tragedies after the death of their mother 12 years prior. The entire family has various degrees of dysfunction and personal demons to fight so they all moved away from the family home and town where they grew up except for the dad and the youngest child Lynette.

It was interesting to read how all five siblings had different memories and opinions of their parents and growing up in the family house. Lynette, the youngest one at the time, had the happiest memories but began to have dreams and flashbacks which started to reveal what actually happened the day their mother died.

Although this book wasn’t especially happy and uplifting, it was relatable and I was emotionally drawn to the characters and wondered how the story was going to end. The story was mostly about hope, forgiveness and second chances.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the book:
A tragedy from the past resurfaces in this tale of family secrets and reignited love.

After her mother’s death twelve years ago, Lynette Carlisle watched her close-knit family unravel. One by one, her four older siblings left their Nantucket home and never returned. All seem to harbor animosity toward their father, silently blaming him for their mother’s death. Nobody will talk about that dreadful day, and Lynette can’t remember a bit of it.

But when next-door neighbor Nicholas Cooper returns to Nantucket, he brings the past with him. Once her brother’s best friend and Lynette’s first crush, Nick seems to hiding things from her. Lynette wonders what he knows about the day her mother died and hopes he might help her remember the things she can’t.

But Nick has no intention of telling Lynette the truth. Besides the damage it might cause his own family, he doesn’t want to risk harming the fragile friendship between him and the woman he once thought of as a kid sister.

As their father’s failing health and financial concerns bring the Carlisle siblings home, secrets begin to surface—secrets that will either restore their shattered relationships or separate the siblings forever. But pulling up anchor on the past propels them into the perfect storm, powerful enough to make them question all they ever believed in.

Purchase a copy:

About the author:
Catherine West writes stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border collie for long walks on the beach or tending to her roses and orchids. She and her husband have two grown children.

I am thrilled to announce that I’m a new RUN LIKE A DIVA race ambassador!!!

I will participating in the 5k race in DC wine country on Friday night September 23. I am so excited!!

Over the next month I will be sharing workouts and things I am doing to get race ready.

If you would like to save 10% off the 5k OR half marathon price, you may use my code: ➡️ RDDIVADC16

For more info, go here:
http://www.runlikeadiva.com/Events/Divas__Half_Marathon___5K_-_DC_s_Wine_Country.htm

The Divas® Half Marathon & 5K Series is the most fun and glam women’s running series in the nation. Here’s why:

PINK TUTUS!
All participants will receive pink tutus with their registrations! You can wear it on race day, or any day for that matter!

THE DIVAS® MEDAL
All our half marathon finishers will receive a big, sparkly medal – definitely fit for a DIVA! A unique and memorable medal to commemorate an unforgettable experience! Our 5K finishers will get a smaller version of this awesome medal.

BUBBLY TOAST
What woman doesn’t enjoy some bubbly? Especially, after all the hard work you put into not only training for the race, but completing it too! Cheers to you! Because every woman deserves some pampering…and NOT just on special occasions! NOTE: Some locations only offer non-alcoholic bubbly.

BOAS AND TIARAS
Remember when you were younger and would stand in front of the mirror playing dress up? Well, just because you’re a grown-up doesn’t mean you can’t be a princess! All runners will pass by our famous Boa & Tiara Station before the finish line!

NOT JUST ANOTHER RACE T-SHIRT
Men’s and women’s bodies are different so we have women’s fit technical tees to celebrate and embrace our curves. Choose to wear it on the day of the race and trust us, you’ll get more than a couple stares. Be careful when crossing the street… you’ll look so good you’ll cause an accident!

A UNIQUE YOU – PERSONALIZED BIB
You’re more than just a pretty face! You’re intelligent, motivated, compassionate, and gorgeous! While you won’t be able to fit all of that on your bib, you can personalize it to your liking. All of our bibs include the word “Diva” so you can be Diva Kathy or Diva Licious. One thing you can’t be is late to the party. You must register at least a month before the event, at the latest, in order to have your personalization included.

OTHER DC’S WINE COUNTRY RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
3.5 hour time limit for the half marathon; 1 hour time limit for the 5K
Chronotrack timing system
Breathtaking scenic course
USATF certified half marathon course
Awards for top 3 overall and in each age group

EVENT SCHEDULE:

​Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Loyal Heart (A Lone Star Hero’s Love Story) by Shelley Shepard Gray

This is not one of the author’s typical Amish fiction books. “The Loyal Heart” is a romantic historical fiction set in the Civil War time period.

Someone starts a rumor in Miranda’s town that her late husband died in prison giving secrets to the enemy. Miranda suffers from depression and even has suicidal thoughts after the death of her husband. Her Inn staff tries to help, but it isn’t until Office Robert Truax comes to visit when things start to turn around for her.

While in prison, a group of Confederate officers make a vow to look after one another and their families in the event of a death. Robert Truax follows through with his vow to Phillip by going to visit late Phillip’s wife in Texas (Miranda).

I loved how honorable Officer Robert was to Miranda and her household; and that honor, respect and a mans word went a long way back in that time period.

Good steady plot-clean fiction. I hope she will have more historical “Lone Star Heros” in upcoming books!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the book:
Robert came to Galveston to fulfill his promise to a dying man and look after his widow. He didn’t expect to find love in the unlikeliest of places.

Robert Truax, former Second Lieutenant and Confederate officer in the Civil War, made a promise to his comrade Phillip Markham. If anything happened to Phillip, Robert would look after his beloved wife, Miranda. She was his life, his world, his everything.

After the war, Robert is left to pick up the pieces and fulfill his pact. When he arrives at Miranda’s home in Galveston, Texas, things are worse than he imagined. Phillip’s name has been dragged through the mud, everyone in town believes him to be a traitor, and his widow is treated as an outcast. Even more disturbing is her emotional well-being. Miranda seems hopeless, lost, and so very alone.

Robert had thought his duty would be simple. He would help Miranda as quickly as possible in order to honor a promise. But the moment Robert laid eyes on her, his plans changed. He’s mesmerized by her beauty and yearns to help her in any way he can.
He makes it his duty to protect Miranda, turn her reputation around, and to find some way to help her smile again. But it doesn’t prove to be an easy task—Robert knows something about Phillip that could shake Miranda to the core and alter her view of the man she thought she knew so well.

Purchase a copy:

About the author:
Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

I love the start of the new month which means it’s time to make new fitness goals and figure out a new schedule and plan. I like following a calendar so I know what to expect every day, but I get bored if I do the same workouts or follow the same instructor every day. I love variety! Do you?

For those of you who follow my social media and read this blog, know I’m a big fan of Leslie Sansone and Jessica Smith workouts! I remember Leslie Sansone use to have an online walk club back in 2011 ish when she posted monthly workout calendars and schedules. I miss that!

So I decided that I’m going to come up with my own fitness walking schedule/calendar EVERY MONTH to share with all of you.

If you like that idea, will you please share this blog link post with your friends? I will be able to know by the number of views on this post, as to whether a monthly calendar is a popular idea. It takes work each month to come up with a rotation and ideas, so I want to make sure it’s helpful to others.

First, these workouts can be done using indoor Leslie Sansone AND/OR Jessica Smith workouts. This calendar can also be used for indoor treadmill workouts and outside walking!

Second, you will notice that I will always have a “fun day” and a “rest day”. Fun days are incorporated so you can do whatever you want that day-take a gym class, walk with the family-whatever you want! Rest days are very important to your body. Rest or do some stretching or yoga on those days.

Third, I will always have strength training days every week because I feel it’s very important! For the strength training days, you will select a dvd that COMBINES the cardio and strength training together.

For example: Leslie Sansone Miracle Miles set, Leslie Sansone Tone Every Zone, 5 Mega Miles, etc. and Jessica Smith 6 Mile Mix, Boost Metabolism and Muscle, etc. all use cardio and strength training (bands or weights) in these dvds and should only be used on strength training days.

Did you see the extra surprise on Fridays? In addition to your miles, add in your squats for the day. It doesn’t matter what kind of squats you do-narrow, regular, or wide. Mix it up if you want.

All other dvds not using weights or bands should be used on the cardio days.

If you are using the treadmill or running outside, you will need to do your strength training before or after your cardio.

1 mile = 15 minutes of cardio and/or strength.

If you have any questions, let me know! I would not suggest doing strength training 2 days in a row because it doesn’t allow the muscles to rest properly.

Click on the link below to download your September pdf calendar:
Fitness Walking Workouts for Sept 2016

If you don’t have any Leslie Sansone or Jessica Smith workout dvds; check your local library or visit their youtube channels below for some FREE workouts:

Leslie Sansone workouts:
https://www.youtube.com/user/walkathomemedia/videos

Jessica Smith TV workouts:
https://www.youtube.com/user/jessicasmithtv/videos

GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN!!