Name: Anna-May Kendall

Kids: Ava, 5, Anders, 4 and my boyfriend’s twin 6 year olds, Kayleigh and Taylor

Occupation: Engineering Administration

Hometown: That’s a tough one.  I’ve moved all over the world, but for the past 7 years Bradenton, FL has been home.

H&H Interview with Anna-May:

1. What are the top 3 items in your grocery cart?

Milk, yogurt, eggs

2. What are you reading (honestly)?

Currently, Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.  I love to read, and one of my all time favorites is The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.

3. What is your guilty pleasure when you get a break from the kids?

Mani/pedi is always a nice treat, or taking a nap!

4. What would we be surprised to find in your purse?

Well, I just looked, and found a pack of un-popped microwave popcorn.  That actually surprised me, but I’m sure I had a reason for putting it there at the time!

5. What is your favorite reality TV show?

My favorite is No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain, Holmes on Homes and pretty much any home decorating/improvement show.

6. What is your cocktail of choice?

A dirty martini with Blue cheese stuffed olives!

7. What is the funniest thing your kids have said or done lately?

With four kids running through the house there are many comical moments. One that comes to mind was finding my son, laying on the couch, legs crossed, looking through my Victoria’s Secret magazine. When he saw that I had caught him he hugged it and said “this is mine mummy!”

8. What is your favorite quotation?

For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

— Audrey Hepburn

9. Where is your fantasy getaway?

There are so many places I wish to visit.  I’ve been fortunate to have lived in Spain, England, Scotland, visited Hong Kong, Brazil, Norway, Germany, Greece.  I would say if I have to pick one place right now, it would be Tahiti.

10. What is top on your list for Santa this year?

It may sound corny, but I really just hope that my children have a great Christmas.  Afterall, that’s who it’s really all for.  Just seeing the excitment in their eyes on Christmas morning, or driving around looking at Christmas lights – that’s the best gift ever!

11. What is something most people don’t know about you?

One thing most people don’t know about me is that my father was the lead guitarist for one of the biggest bands of their era.  Hint: Saturday Night Fever…

12. What is your secret to staying Hot & Healthy?

Obviously trying to eat a healthy, well balanced diet, drinking lots of water, but most of all, living each day to the fullest, not taking anything for granted, playing with my children and reading to them, and definitely making time for date night with Jaime. Also, making sure to take time for myself, even if it’s just rading a magazine, or getting my nails done.  You know what they say; “If Mummy is happy, the whole family is happy!!”

Written by Lea Barlow • 2 Comments

Colleen Armstrong

‘Marge’ – Honda Odyssey 06

Dream Car: Mercedes Convertible

“Gym membership – $29.99. Thursday girls night out - $45.00. Getting home just in time to get the kids to school, with apple for teacher – PRICELESS” - Colleen

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

Name: Kara Douglass Thom

Kids: 4

Occupation: Writer/Mom

Hometown: Chaska, MN

H&H Interview with Kara:

1. What are the top 3 items in your grocery cart?

Cereal, diapers, and yogurt.

2. What are you reading (honestly)?

Last night I read from the fall issue of Brain Child magazine (one of the few magazines I read cover to cover). I just finished reading the galley for the book I co-authored, “Hot (Sweaty) Mamas: Five Secrets to Life as a Fit Mom,” two days ago. Honestly!

3. What is your guilty pleasure when you get a break from the kids?

It depends on what I need. If I’m tired, then a nap. If I’m stressed, then a workout. If I need to socialize, then meeting up with friends. If I need all of those things at once a good yoga class works.

4. What would we be surprised to find in your purse?

Just took inventory of my bag (no way is it a purse): bandaids, a digital recorder and several Burts Bees lip glosses.

5. What is your favorite reality TV show?

Biggest Loser

6. What is your cocktail of choice?

Mojito or Margarita

7. What is the funniest thing your kids have said or done lately?

Was it watching my daughter lick a light switch? Was it when my youngest daughter asked to play “Poke Your Face,” on the iPod? Was it my son’s attempt to “cook” with flour, sugar and olive oil on my kitchen floor (it wasn’t that funny at the time). Lots to choose from around here.

8. What is your favorite quotation?

I’ll go with Rumi:

“Keep walking, though there is no place to get to. Don’t try to see through the distances. That’s not for human beings. Move within, but don’t move the way fear makes you move.”

9. What are you currently working out to on your iPod?

Admission: I rarely if ever workout with my iPod.

10. Who is your favorite celebrity mom and why?

I have sat here too long thinking about it. I have so many favorite “real” moms in my life from whom I get inspiration. Lucky me.

11. What is something most people don’t know about you?

After blogging for two and a half years I don’t think I have any secrets left!

12. What is your secret to staying Hot & Healthy?

Good concealer. Good metabolism (thanks mom!). A passion for fitness. Not being afraid of change and challenges. Being grateful. Deciding to live happily.

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

Name: Anna Torrens Armstrong

Kids: Jack (2 years old)

Occupation: Part-time faculty in Public health and Health Education for Davenport University, part-time spin instructor for Washington Sports Club, and part-time looking for a full-time job. But most importantly I am a mama to Jack and a wife and friend to Bradley.

Hometown: Tampa, FL (but I am currently a military vagabond…husband is active-duty Air Force Officer and we are gearing up for our third move in three years). We are currently in Northern VA.

H&H Interview with Anna:

1. What are the top 3 items in your grocery cart?

Milk (two types…Lactaid for the little guy, Fat-Free for us old folks), the makings for guacamole, and greek yogurt.

2. What are you reading (honestly)?

A textbook…National Academy of Sports Medicine’s Essentials of Personal Fitness Training. I have a sick obsession with learning and the military provides a great program for spouses to receive continuing education, so I though, “what the heck?” and will be taking my PT exam in a few weeks.

3. What is your guilty pleasure when you get a break from the kids?

We all spend most of our time together as a family. However, our upcoming guilty pleasure is going to the Black Crowes concert in DC in a few weeks.

4. What would we be surprised to find in your purse?

dental floss, a ziploc of washable crayons, and depending on the day, some random food item (fruit snacks, granola bar, or perhaps goldfish…or shish as Jack calls them).

5. What is your favorite reality TV show?

It’s a toss up between Hoarders or Anthony Boudain (but if you ask the Bradley he would say anything that might qualify for a Circus Freak Show…thanks to TLC).

6. What is your cocktail of choice?

Dirty Martini (gin…shaken…extra olives)

7. What is the funniest thing your kids have said or done lately?

Wow. Yesterday he said with all of his cute little thinking pauses, “mama…God…made…sun…beautiful. God happy. Mama…happy. Papa…happy…Jack…happy.” I guess not so funny, but sweet. Funny is when he puts on his new cowboy hat and says, “Howdy Howdy Howdy” imitating the shark from Toy Story 1 who hijacks Woody’s hat. Yes…we’ve seen it multiple times.

8. What is your favorite quotation?

The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn like fabulous roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes ‘Awww!”

Jack Kerouac, On the Road

9. What are you currently working out to on your iPod?

Tool, Audioslave, Foo Fighters, Black Crowes, a little Canned Heat, a bit of AC/DC and some Black Sabbath (I’m a big rock and roll fan…although I listen to everything else as well).

10. Who is your favorite celebrity mom and why?

I don’t follow celebrities much. Hmmm. Nope.. no one pops into mind.

11. What is something most people don’t know about you?

I was a competitive figure and speed skater from ages 3-7 (no, I’m not kidding) and I was an extra in a movie with Ray Liotta and Joseph Fiennes (in a bathing suit no less…I got about 30 seconds screen time).

12. What is your secret to staying Hot & Healthy?

My workout is part of my daily routine and our family life…I work out hard and am not scared of muscle. I look at my fitness as a way to make me better in the day-to-day functional activities of my life (i.e., carrying a toddler, groceries, gym bag, etc. up two flights of stairs). I lift heavy weights, run, bike and teach spin. I eat healthy, but if I want something not so healthy, I eat it. And number one is being silly….we are silly people, a silly family and it keeps us grounded and laughing.

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment