Occupation: Employed by Landon….but still waiting on an official paycheck
Hometown: Murfreesboro, TN
Full H&H Interview with Kristin:
1. What are the top 3 items in your grocery cart?
the biggest container of spring mix I can find, at least one red delicious apple for every day of the week, sugar free reeses peanut butter cup minis.
2. What are you reading (honestly)?
Squirrel meets Chipmunk by David Sedaris. I absolutely adore David Sedaris. I hate when people say they are reading a funny book because I know it isn’t really all that funny if he didn’t write it.
3. What is your guilty pleasure when you get a break from the kids?
Drinking Coronas with the girls. Or the boys. Or anyone who needs their thirst quenched.
4. What would we be surprised to find in your purse?
Honestly, I’m not even sure whats in that thing. You gotta love a big handbag. You gotta hate a big handbag.
5. What is your favorite reality TV show?
My name is Kristin and I am addicted to almost everything on Bravo.
6. What is your cocktail of choice?
I’m definitely more of a beer drinker, but I’ll take a Stoli Raspberry and Diet whatever every now and then.
7. What is your favorite quotation?
“True friends stab you in the front.” -Oscar Wilde
8. What are you currently working out to on your iPod?
Most days I take 2 classes at the gym, so I have no real use for an iPod. But on that rare occasion that I do, I like to bust out old DMX, OutKast or anything I used to spend my 21 year old nights dancing to….anything that keeps me moving.
9. What is the funniest thing your kids have said or done lately?
My kid is in that super amusing 18 month old stage where you are completely convinced they are they smartest, cutest, most well-versed toddler on the planet. Landon is just learning to say “please” and “thank you” for things he wants. He asked for “juice please” the other day…but he whispered the “please” part. So, I told him to “say it louder.” He shouted, “IT LOUDER!!” I almost passed out laughing. I’m pretty sure he had no idea he was being funny.
10. Who is your favorite celebrity mom and why?
I love Reese Witherspoon and Kelly Ripa. They are both adorable, hilarious, great moms with amazing bodies. Isn’t that the American dream?
11. What is something most people don’t know about you?
There isn’t much. I’m one of those people that doesn’t hold much back. I don’t particularly like being alone…and I once took a personality test that told me I judge people based on their spelling and grammar. That’s probably true.
12. Your secret to staying Hot & Healthy?
There is no secret….I bust my ass and I sweat and I love it. I try to work out for 2 hours a day 5 days a week. I am not naturally thin so I have to work hard. I have Type 1 Diabetes and it is my civic duty to stay as healthy as I can so that I can be around to embarrass my son for as long as I can. Being unhealthy is not an option for me and all the work I do is an attempt to give a big “screw you, I don’t need ya” to my pancreas. So far, it’s working.
Something very special came in the mail yesterday. Everyone from pre-teen boys to middle-aged women should know what I am talking about – the Victoria’s Secret Swim Preview catalogue. The timing couldn’t be better with us going into the first weekend of the year. Our diet resolutions will be tested. Guaranteed. I find visual reminders very helpful when trying to stay on track. On our family cork board I have already replaced my kids adorable preschool art with a picture of mommy’s bikini goal. That lopsided snowman was so last month anyways. Here are some images to help you stay the course.
If you find yourself about to dive into this…
Remember that you don’t actually want to resemble a sailor when wearing this suit.
This bread may look tempting on the table…
but there is no room for doughiness in this fabulous suit.
Partake in too many cold ones this weekend…
And run the risk of looking more “chunky” than “cheeky” in this suit.
I am introducing a new segment to the blog this year. The aptly named Crib Notes will be the lamentations of all things mommy-related that irk me.
First up, the pacifier. It is perfectly acceptable when your baby is still in the rear-facing car seat but completely ridiculous when your kid is big enough for a booster. Whenever I see a 4-year-old strutting along with a binky in his mouth I have the urge to yank it out and slap the mother with it. A little harsh? Maybe but there are some things parents just have to take the lead on. Many moms will argue they do not deserve to be binky-slapped because every child is different and should be allowed to give it up when they are ready. I feel this is a very weak argument. There are some things, like potty-training, that you know from your child’s behavior if they are ready or not to start. But the use of pacifiers and extended bottle feeding is solely up to the parents for modification. I am personally guilty of letting my kids have bottles well into their second year. I fretted and fretted taking away Grayson’s nap-time bottle and then one day I just gave him a ‘big-boy’ sippy.
Here’s how that went down:
Grayson: “No! Want baba!” Then he threw his sippy on the floor.
Mommy: “You are a big boy now and big boys drink from sippys.” I exited room.
Grayson: “No!” then “gulp, gulp, gulp”
The lesson I learned here? The bottle was MY problem not his. It really took all of 5 minutes and one additional breakdown a few days later to wean him. One tactic I employed was throwing all the bottles away so there was no chance of me breaking down to give him one. A girlfriend of mine used a similar tactic with her daughter’s binky collection. She warned her that the Binky Fairy was coming soon to take all the pacifiers back for new babies to use. They gathered all her binkys in a basket one night and in the morning all the nipples were cut off. Her 2-year-old daughter was officially weaned.
You should know by now what the super-foods are but may not be quite as knowledgeable about super-spices. Here are three spices that you should to start incorporating into your diet starting today…
Cayenne Pepper
Capsaicin, the main ingredient in cayenne pepper, may help boost metabolism and relieve an overactive bladder. A powerful anti-inflammatory, cayenne pepper is currently all-the-rage for cleansing and detoxifying regimes such as the Master Cleanse, which uses the spice’s health boosting properties to stimulate circulation and neutralize acidity in the body.
Everyday use: I use it to spice up my scrambled eggs and always include it in my steak rub. Add it to soups, dips, spaghetti sauces, pizza—anything that could use a little kick.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon may actually help people with Type 2 diabetes control blood sugar levels, and may significantly lower LDL “bad” cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides (fatty acids in the blood). Cinnamon is also an excellent source of manganese, dietary fiber, iron and calcium. Another added bonus? Most kids LOVE cinnamon so it is quite easy to incorporate it into one of their daily meals.
Everyday use: I sprinkle cinnamon on my coffee grounds every morning. The aroma of the spice can make a chilly morning feel warm and cozy and can actually boost brain activity. You can also shake it on fresh fruit, oatmeal and toast—or add a pinch to your favorite chili recipe.
* I’m a fan of ceylon cinnamon. It is a little more expensive but has the sweeter taste that I prefer. You can typically find it at specialty markets.
Turmeric
The orange-yellow spice turmeric, best known for its role in Indian curries and other Asian dishes, fights cancer because of an active ingredient, curcumin, that’s a powerful antioxidant.
Everyday use: Make curry! Honestly, I was quite stubborn until a couple months to even try curry. But thanks to my wonderful amateur chef of a husband we are eating it at least once a week. You can also try sprinkling it into soups or stir-fry, or mix a quarter-teaspoon into a mug of hot tea and sip just remember to add a little honey to sweeten up the spice!
Name: Kristin Kovach
