This summer has flown by! The kids have been getting spoiled at my mom's house while I'm at work. When they go back to school, they are going to have a hard time going to bed and waking up early. Connor said the worst part is not getting to play the iPad as much! I try to limit his screen time on the iPad, but my mom for some reason extends his time. He has even gotten his four year old sister to build a house and "join worlds" on Minecraft. I've tried to play that game, but it makes me dizzy and I can't get the hang of it. Although we don't see eye to eye, Lunchables Organic is something we can all agree on!

The kids love Lunchables. I'm glad to have found Lunchables Organic. Their favorite is the pizza with pepperoni! They love it and this mama loves how Lunchables Organic is USDA certified organic and free of artificial preservatives, flavors of colors.*

Lunchables Organic makes the perfect on the go lunch or snack! Scotty and I recently took the Lunchables Organic pizza with pepperoni on a kayaking trip. She wasn't the only one that wanted Lunchables. The ducks tried to grab a bite! Scotty wouldn't share, but enjoyed watching them attempt to eat her food.

Although Connor is not ready for summer to end, or as he says, not ready for his iPad screen time to end - he is excited for Lunchables  Organic to be packed in his lunchbox. It's an easy, very convenient lunch that we can all agree on.

For more information on Lunchables Organic, click here.

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Thank you for stopping by!

KQL

*See back panel of any Organic Lunchables item for ingredients used to preserve quality 

I did it! I graduated college with a bachelor of arts in Psychology in 2008. Crazy it’s been over 9 years!

In the middle of my third year in college, I found out I was pregnant. I was excited, but did not think I could finish my studies. I had severe morning sickness and could hardly get out of bed. It was so bad, that I had to go to the emergency room six times in the first few months of my pregnancy. My grades started to suffer and I wanted to give up, but I knew I couldn’t. I was going to bring a precious baby boy in the world and wanted to further my education for a brighter future.
​
My last year in college, was the best! My son was born in the middle of the first semester of my last year in college. I had complications after the birth of my son, but as soon as the doctor said I wasn’t bedridden, I attended my classes. The last semester of college, I took 18 credit hours. I had a full school schedule and a newborn baby. I studied hard and felt like I had a new purpose in life - to be an amazing mom, and a role model to my son. I had the best grades/gpa the last year of college. I walked across the stage in May 2008 with my son in the crowd, my parents, and sister cheering me on. It was a huge accomplishment and has helped me in my career today.

I currently work at a non-profit who assist people who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. I work with the children and the survivors, as the Child and Parent Advocate. Before this career, I worked as a Forensic Interviewer and a Family Advocate at the Child Advocacy Center in the police department. I worked severe child abuse cases. My careers have been very rewarding and have helped many children and families overcome difficult situations. The children I’ve worked with have taught me so much. Their resilience and ability to find happiness through extremely tough circumstances have made me a better person and has forever touched my life. I truly am blessed by the people I meet at my work.

Getting a college degree has changed my life. Today, as a single mom of two beautiful children, I’m thankful for the financial growth due to my education; I’m thankful for landing my dream job because of furthering my education; and I’m proud to be a college graduate and be a role model to my children to further their education.

​Although getting my college degree was a struggle, it is worth it. Many have struggled, but have found success through taking steps to further their education. Check out these stories from Brightwood College of many struggles, but in the end success : https://weare.brightwood.edu/.

To find out more information about Brightwood College and how people have faced adversities but achieved their goal, click here to learn more.

Thanks for stopping by!

K. Le

We all know I'm a huge Ana White fan! Her plans are easy to read and the product is amazing. Almost everything I've built comes from her website. 

It's almost been a year since we've moved into our house! I still haven't finished unpacking boxes and decoration. I want to use the excuse, I've been busy, but it's really I've been holding it off aka lazy....BUT I've finally built my TV console! I'm excited about it! My living room and dining room are coming together! 

Plans: ​http://www.ana-white.com/2012/05/plans/rustic-x-console

This was easy to build, but I had trouble with the "x's" just like the coffee table. I need to practice cutting angles.
Also, safety is so important! I'm kind of a hypocrite for saying that. I don't wear protective gear for my eyes. I will for the next project! For this project, my drill bit for my kreg jig broke! I was in the middle of my pocket hole and it snapped off. Luckily all is safe! Crazy though!

I love how the console matches my coffee table!
​Coffee Table plans: Coffee Table
Dinging Room Table plans: Farmhouse Table and Benches

I love woodworking, It's a stress reliever, fun hobby, and my kids love to help. Scotty is a huge fan of woodworking and loves to help. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Love and memories,

​Kristi Le

I started the new year working out 4-5 times a week and eating extremely healthy. I was doing well, until a couple of months ago I slacked off. Well, summer is here and I still have my winder bod. Oh well! It's never too late to get back into healthy living! 

I started counting my macros again. What is counting macros? You add up how many grams of fat, protein, and carbs you ate that day. To help me, I use an app that tracks what I'm eating and breaks it down to how many carbs, fat, and protein I eat. I can easily hit my carbs and fat. No problem. It's the protein that is hard to reach. I drink a protein shake after my workouts - two scoops - and I still have a hard time hitting my daily protein intake. I recently heard about Lorissa's Kitchen Meat snacks. They have 11 grams of protein per serving. It's great! It's my on-the-go protein snack. Perfect to grab before working out!

The only problem is that when I take it to my workout class, I have to hide it. My kids love Lorissa's Kitchen protein snack! They go through a bag in minutes. I know to bulk order on their website or on Amazon.com.

(Photo by: Connor. My sweet son took this without me knowing! He loves Lorissa's Kitchen meat snacks! )

Other amazing facts about the protein snack is:
- 100% grass-fed beef
-Responsibly raised
-Antibotic free chicken and pork
-No added growth hormones
-No nitrites
-No added MSG
-No preservatives
-Gluten Free

It's great to hit my goal daily, while eating a delicious snack. It's great for the kids too! I can't decide on a favorite flavor yet - I like all them all! Connor likes the Korean Barbeque, and Scotty's favorite is the Sweet Chili.

This meat snack is also perfect for hiking or camping trips! My kids and I love to go on adventures and we've taken Lorissa's Kitchen with us! It's the perfect snack for hiking.

For more information on Lorissa's Kitchen products, go to www.lorissaskitchen.com

Thank you for stopping by!

Love,

​KQL

As we all know, nothing in life comes easy. We go through challenges daily, but these obstacles push us to our max. Sometimes we hit rock bottom, but then bloom to be the best self we've ever been. 

A few years ago, I was blindsided by a disturbing secret that affected my marriage. Fast forward a couple of years my ex's secret got worst and eventually broke our commitment. 2016 started out to be the worst time in my life. I was married to some one I did not know. I hit a low point in my life. Going through divorce was horrible. It brought out the worst in every one, but I knew it was the best for my kids and myself. 

I made a major decision and decided to move to Austin, TX to be closer to family. I didn't want to leave what I've known for the past 12 years. I loved the small town I say I'm from. I loved my job. I loved my friends. 

I packed up my car, drove off, and didn't look back. I'm blooming in Austin, TX. I love it here. The kids are flourishing. They continue to amaze me. They are so resilient. Although I still face obstacles daily, I feel as if I'm the best me and continue to grow into a better version of myself. 2017 has already been so wonderful. I'm finding myself, healing myself, loving myself, being passionate, building relationships, meeting new people, and making memories. I encourage you to take a leap of faith and follow your dreams. Know yourself and be the best version of you. 

I love the message Wente Vineyards puts out. "For the love of the Journey." This company is incredible. Filled with lavish history and rich heritage. Their journey started in 1883 and continues to flourish. Wente is 130 years strong, and 5 generations as the country's oldest continuously operated family-owned winery. A common thread that is weaved through from generation to generation is it's Love of the Journey. As they say, “We don’t make wine because we have to, we do it because we love to.”

What is your journey? What are your dreams, goals, and how with you accomplish them?

Thank you for stopping by!

​Kristi

I’m hooked! These are so good! I recently started counting my macros or macronutrient intake. I track every day how many grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fats I consume. I like to say I’m a health freak, but that isn’t really true. I can’t stay away from candy and cake. Not healthy. I do love fruits and vegetables, but sometimes I don’t eat enough vegetables. These Blueberry Oat Muffins from Garden Lites are made with fresh zucchini and carrots! The chocolate muffins are 33% vegetables! Crazy to think that it's made up of 1/3 veggies. Garden Lites provide a convenient, more enjoyable and easier way to eat your vegetables. It’s so nice to know I’m getting a good amount of veggies while eating a tasty treat! Since I can’t stay away from sweets, I eat these muffins for dessert. It’s the perfect balance of healthy and sweet – it makes the perfect dessert for me.

 I got my Garden Lites Muffins at HEB! You can find yours in the freezer section of  your nearest Publix, Stop & Shop, Giant, Shop-Rite, HEB, Kroger, or Costco. This is a hot item! The chocolate muffins were sold out at the HEB closest to my house. Luckily, There were a few boxes of the Blueberry Oat Muffins left. 

My kids are in love with the Blueberry Oat Muffins! This is an easy on the go snack/breakfast/side/etc. This single mama loves them because they have fresh zucchini and carrots! My kids have no clue they are getting a good amount of veggies! Made of clean and simple ingredients. Added bonus that they are gluten free and dairy free!

For more information about these yummy Garden Lites Muffins, click below.

I challege you to try these. Ask your child what they think the main ingredient is... veggies!!! 

Thank you for stopping by!

​Kristi Le

​I love my coffee table! It’s a great beginner project. It was my second piece of furniture I built. The first was an outdoor sectional. I used Ana White plans for this rustic coffee table: http://www.ana-white.com/2012/07/plans/rustic-x-coffee-table
 I love Ana White's blog. The plans are easy to read and the pictures help me a lot. 
Since I was still new to woodworking, I had no experience with cutting angles, and honestly, I sucked at it. It took me a long time to get those “x’s” on the coffee table. There is probably an easier way, but I just used my square tool and cut a 30 degree angle (see slideshow at the end of this blog post for picture). One side did not fit, so I just held the 2x2’s and marked where to cut. It was also hard to put the bottom boards in, but I used a mallet and hit it in. Probably, not the best way, but glad it didn’t break. 

​I also did not sand the top. I wish I did, because it is hard to wipe the table. I’m always scared of getting splinters. I plan to sand and re-stain the top one day.

In the end, I love it. It goes well with my dining room table! My kids love it!
 
My next project will be a matching TV console! I can’t wait!

​Thank you for checking out my blog!
 
Kristi Le

2017 has started off with a bang! I’ve been working out 4-5 times a week and eating healthy. I started meal prepping every Sunday – making healthy meals for the whole week. It started out great, but then I got tired of eating chicken, boring salads, and turkey meat over and over, the exact same meals for lunch the whole week, sometimes even dinner. Amateur cook here. So I looked up healthy recipes, but my Sunday cooking took a lot longer than usual and the pictures on Pinterest looked a lot better than it tasted. Also, how do I know what's healthy and not? Trying to figure it out was overwhelming. Low sugar? High protein? Organic? Gluten free? Confusing. And let’s talk about cleaning. Pain in my butt. Washing all the containers, pots and pans, etc. Especially, if you do more than one type of meal. I have the perfect solution: 

Snap Kitchen. Amazing. I’ve never heard of Snap Kitchen till I moved to Austin. There is one a couple of miles down the road from my house and another one near a children’s museum here in Austin, TX (Thinkery). It solved my healthy meal prep problems and my busy mom problems. They are made from scratch daily in a local kitchen. Snap Kitchen has breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks, and my favorite - dessert. The foods are very well labeled and can fit many special diets like paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, whole 30, etc. The meals are creative and are already in containers so you just grab and go. Snap Kitchen is fast, convenient, healthy, and has great options. ​

​I wake up at 6:00-6:20am (depending on how many times I press the snooze button). I get the kids ready, and don’t get home till 5. We then go workout and won’t get home till 7pm. I don’t have time to cook a healthy dinner, so Snap Kitchen has been a life saver. My kids love the spaghetti turkey bolognese! My favorite is the chicken teriyaki. I add sriracha to it, and it's heavenly.You just follow the instructions on the container, heat it up, and ready to eat! Saves us so much time. They have different sizes, so when it’s just me, I get a small – medium. For my kids, I’ll get a large for them to split. They also have healthy juices and snacks! I see clients at my work and sometimes they are in crisis that I don’t have time to eat, so the cold-pressed juices helps hold me over till I can eat lunch. It even has health benefits!

Thanks for stopping by!

Kristi Q. Le

Awe, when I think of peanut butter and jelly, it brings me back good childhood memories. I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! It was one of my favorite breakfast foods growing up.
Our mornings are crazy here! I'm not a morning person, and big city traffic consumes so much of our morning time, I need a fast breakfast. My kids love granola bars. They can eat that any time of the day. So why not combine Jif Creamy Peanut Butter & Smucker's Fruit Spreads and granola? YES! My kids think I'm a genius ;) and the best cook ever. I'll take it! 

Ever heard of the Cartwheel app? If you love Target, the Cartwheel app is for you! It's an app that offers extra savings/coupons for items at Target! Jif Peanut Butter and Smucker's Fruit Spread are 5% off till January 21, 2017. 

PB & J Granola bars
Prep time: 00:25               Refridgerate time: 02:30
Main Ingredients
1/3 cup Jif Peanut Butter
1/3 cup Smucker's Strawberry Preserves (or any other Smucker's flavors!) 
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
​

Preparation
1 Preheat oven to 350F
2. Line bottom and side of an 8 inch square pan with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking oil and put oats in a even layer. Bake for 5 mins, then stir. Put back for 5 mins or until lightly toasted. Transfer to large bowl.
3 In a saucepan, combine Jif Peanut Butter, Smucker's Strawberry Preserve, honey, butter (cut into pieces), brown sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted and consistency is smooth.
4 Pour PB & J mixture into the bowl with oats. Mix well and let cool for a few minutes.
5 Transfer to lined pan. With damp fingers, press mixture to an even layer. Press hard, so the bars will be together once cooled and cut. 
6 Cover pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2.5 hours. 
7 Remove granolas from pan and remove aluminum foil. Cut into twelve bars. Enjoy!


Additional Notes:
For softer bars, store in container at room temperature. For harder bars, store in container in fridge. I put mine in the freezer for a little bit, that seemed to speed up the hardening process.

I'm a dork. I know, I love the boomerang app. It makes videos fun! :) Check out the boomerang videos:

​Learn more about Smucker’s at http://www.smuckers.com/ and Jif at http://jif.com/

​Thanks for stopping by! Love!

2016 started out to be the worst year ever, but then ended up being one of the best years! One of the hardest decisions I had to make was to move me and my two kids to Austin, TX. It was the best for the kids and I, but leaving my friends and my job was extremely hard. I loved the small town I lived in. It was all I knew for the past 12 years. I packed up the car and the kids, drove off and didn't look back. Things have never been better! We love it here, and have adjusted well. Although 2016 has been a roller coaster of emotions, it's been a good year of growth and change. We are looking forward to 2017! What is your New Year resolution? I have two main ones I want to concentrate on: 
1. Pray more/put God first. Towards the end of this year I lost faith. I didn't pray as much and put God to the side. I hit a low and need to get back to where I was. Some times you'll fall, but it's important to get back up and keep moving.  Which also goes hand in hand with my next resolution...
2. Be healthy. Workout more. Yes, very cliche for a New Year's resolution, but continue with this goal. Don't stop. I've written goals down of how I'll be more healthy, joined a fitness group, and have accountability. I also want to do this for me and not anyone else. One way I plan to live a healthier lifestyle is to do the Change A Meal Challenge with Smoothie King! I'll be replacing a meal with an under 400 calorie/at least 10 grams of protein smoothie! I'll also be working out at least for 30 mins a day and choosing other sensible meals. Smoothie King also has a downloadable weekly planner! Check it out here:

Who is with me in this? I lost a lot of weight in 2016 and want to keep it up in 2017. 2016 was the year of realizing things, 2017 is the year of putting it into practice. New Year, New Me. I want to feel great, more energized, and clothes to fit looser. Join me! 

Smoothie King's Change A Meal Challenge contains over 20 Meal Replacement Smoothies. My first is smoothie was Lean1 - Pineapple Mango. Delicious! Can't wait to try the others! 

• Greek Yogurt – Pineapple Mango, Strawberry Blueberry, Peach, Papaya
• The Shredder – Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla
• Lean1 – Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla, Pineapple Mango
• Original High Protein – Banana, Lemon, Pineapple
• Coffee High Protein – Vanilla
• The Activator® – Chocolate, Vanilla
• Gladiator® – Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla
• Vegan – Dark Chocolate Banana, Nutty Super Grain, Mango Kale
  

Smoothie King also has an app. I downloaded it for their menu, rewards, and information on their vitamins and supplements. It also shows where the closest Smoothie King is.

I'll be updating this post with my Smoothie King #ChangeAMeal progress! 

Update 1/17/2017:
​I’m a big fan of the Lean1 Pineapple Mango and the Caffine High Protein! I tried to get a different smoothie every day, but keep craving those! I joined a fitness group to help me stay active and meal prep every Sunday for the other meals.  The pounds are coming off! I’m excited! I feel great! The smoothies are so tasty and keep me full till the next meal! Also, every time you change a meal is a chance to win up to $500 in Smoothie King gift cards, a Fitbit or a brand new bike. To enter, post your challenge photos using #changeameal. The more you post, the more you could win! Enter through March 26, 2017. No purchase necessary. Can’t wait to hit my body/weight goal! 2017 is going strong!