#PostPartumGoals

#TransformationTuesday had me a little nostalgic yesterday, thinking back to the various programs I've completed & how each of them have changed my body in a different way.

These photos are only 8 weeks apart >> from that time I completed a program that only took me 22 minutes a day.

Seriously. 22 Minutes.

Think about that. I worked out 6 days a week for less than 30 minutes a day, eating healthy & drinking a shake that tastes like dessert. And this happened.

You know what's cool about THIS specific transformation??

I only lost 5 pounds, but I almost lost 10 inches all over my body.

You see, the scale isn't everything. But how we fit into our clothes, how STRONG we feel & how our body mass changes >> THAT'S what counts!!

And you know what's encouraging to me? THIS I can handle when baby girl comes. Pressing play & taking 30 minutes or less to get it done, without having to leave the house or finding someone to watch her. This I can & WILL do.

You see, there's a solution for all fitness levels, schedules & seasons of life. I'm confident moving forward and INSPIRED to take on a new challenge, because I know I have the tools that are going to help me get there.

Today, I'm my own #PostPartumGoals

So whether you're expecting, have a little one or two (or more) running around, are already active but need to step up your game or simply want to try something NEW >> I've got a challenge for you. Keep reading!

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If I could help you lose up to 15lbs in June &//OR July - - just in time for SUMMER - - by following a simple clean eating plan & pushing PLAY on your 30 minute workout from home - - would you be interested in learning more?!

Did I mention that I'll be there to coach, support & encourage you the whole way? Yep, Check in with me via a super simple APP right on your phone & log your fitness activities / victories for each of the monthly challenges I'm hosting!

SIMPLIFYING fitness + nutrition is my JAM! So trust me when I tell you that these program & this app is - streamlined!

Fill out THIS application if you'd like some more info!

👙🍠🌴🍇☀️🍓🍴🏋🖥💪

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#GracefullyBalanced

A letter to my sweet girl

Oh my, sweet sweet girl.

I'm not sure exactly what to say to you that can fully explain how I feel as I await your arrival.

Your momma feels WONDER, joy, fullness, uncertainty, purpose, happiness, excitement, humility, anxiousness, responsibility, protective, LOVE, apprehension, eagerness, anticipation & a whole lot more.

It seems like just yesterday we were trying for you. Celebrating a positive test. Praying over our initial lab work. Awaiting your first ultrasound. Praising Jesus over your little heart beat. Counting down to your gender reveal. Arriving at the halfway point. Dreaming up your nursery. Assembling your crib. And fervently surrendering your development to Jesus.

Now we're less than 2 weeks from your due date. Aware you could surprise us at any time. Wondering if we're eating dinner, going to bed, waking up, etc the last time as a family of two. Overwhelmed by the excitement that lies before us, but fully aware of the responsibility God has given us to raise you. And what a privilege it is.

You're not here yet & we couldn't be more honored to be the ones chosen as your parents.

To shepherd your heart.

To nurture your spirit.

To watch you grow.

To love you.

To teach you about Jesus.

To watch you hopefully surrender your life to Him at a young age.

And live a life of purpose for His glory.

Your daddy & I, we would have never dreamed this up. Or have imagined that we would have these feelings about raising a family. We went so many years living out our own plans - not realizing God would change our hearts so drastically. And that a desire so strong to grow our family would burn inside each of us.

I think my heart might explode meeting you, little one.

Seeing the miracle that you are, finally in the flesh.

Watching you wiggle & squirm.

Seeing the qualities of your dad & I in you.

Discovering the love of being a parent.

Experiencing the ups & downs that come with it.

Realizing that God is going to draw us close to Him in the process.

Wow.

We're on the precipice of something wonderful.

And I have butterflies.

Come soon, sweet one.

We love you!!

Baby Ghoens Maternity Photos

Last week, at 36 weeks pregnant, we had our maternity session at Eden Gardens State Park.

Every pose felt so surreal, as I tried to fathom the moment & season of life we were capturing.

..That this soon belly I was holding would be our baby girl.

..That I will be her momma.

..And that the man beside me, who has been my best friend & companion for all these years, would soon be the father of our little one.

I think the constant wonder of it all is what helps me hold back all the tears of gratitude & joy that are stored up & just awaiting a hormonal release :) 

I hope you enjoy these photos even an ounce as much as we have.

And scroll all the way to the bottom for information regarding our wonderful photographer!

 1 Samuel 1:27

For this child we prayed..

Thank you, Lord, for for hearing & granting our request!

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I want to thank our sweet photographer, Brenna Kneiss, for the care & time she took during our session {we can't wait for our newborn photos!!}. If you're in the panhandle area of Florida or are willing to travel, I highly recommend her services. This gal truly has a HEART for what she does & it is so evident in her photos. I can't say enough wonderful things about her. Feel free to look at her incredible work HERE. You can also easily find her on Facebook & Instagram using her full name.

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Post Partum Panty Popsicles: Why & How

Have a list of items in your mind you'd never imagine putting on your kitchen counter?!

Well, unwrapped maxi pads were on my mental no-no list.. until recently!

In the midst of this pregnancy prep, I've heard people RAVE about whipping up some soothing pads for post partum life.

So I looked on pinterest at some popular combinations, based on comfort, & narrowed down my list to take the plunge.

Then, one Friday afternoon, I turned on Netflix & knocked out 30 of these bad boys! NOW, I've got something in my deep freezer that I never would have imagined.. PREPPED MAXI PADS!

Okay so what do these P.P.P.P (post-partum panty popsicles) consist of?

Ingredients:

HEAVY flow//extra long {overnight} maxi pads with wings

Aloe vera

Witch hazel

Lavender essential oils

And y'all, they're actually way more simple to make than I realized!

Here's why I chose each ingredient.

Witch hazel offers several benefits, including relief for hemorrhoids, relief from postnatal swelling, cooling power & is an herbal remedy.

Aloe vera is known to have healing, anti-inflammation, analgesic, anti-bacteria, anti-itching, moisturizing (& more!) properties.

Lavender essential oils are said to be very soothing, help reduce inflammation, heal infection, aid in calming & even reduce pain.

Of course anything COLD will be soothing, but will also help with perineal swelling. So keep these guys FROZEN once they're done.

Curious how I made them?

Instructions:

(1) I cleaned the area I was going to be prepping these in.

(2) I set everything up like an assembly line and only made 5-6 at a time to keep it manageable/sanitary.

(3) I applied aloe vera from front to back of the maxi pad.

(4) I then squirted roughly a tablespoon, maybe more, of witch hazel into the entire middle portion of the pad.

(5) Finally, I applied 2-3 drops of lavender essential oils.

(6) Once each of the ingredients were applied, I used a spoon to spread the aloe evenly. *Keep the spoon in a CLEAN place between uses!!*

(7) I then closed the wings, returned the adhesive protectors over the wings, folded them up in the original wrapper & placed them carefully in a ziplock bag for the freezer.

Voila!!

And now I have them ready to pull out & tuck in my britches as needed.

Some gals on various blogs said they only used them the first week or two a couple times a day; while others said they used them MUCH more frequently (probably around 60-70 total).

I decided this set of 30 would be my first batch & that I would whip up more if needed later, so as not to waste anything.

I'll be sure to post a review of how helpful these were after the baby arrives in a couple of weeks (I'm currently 37.5 weeks pregnant) & I get to put these to the test!

Wish me luck!!