Name: Christie Bruner

Kids: Gracie (turns 5 at the end of August) and Jocelyn (2 ½)

Occupation: Baby Boot Camp owner & swimming instructor

Hometown:  Downers Grove, IL ~ this month marks seven years in St Petersburg, FL

H&H Interview with Christie:

1. What are the top 3 items in your grocery cart?
* Tuna fish (I’m a vegetarian, but while pregnant with Jocelyn I craved tuna and now eat it frequently!)

* Simply Gogurt for the kids, they love ‘em frozen (the “Simply” variety has no high fructose corn syrup, thank goodness)

* Bananas – we go through two or three a day!

2. What are you reading (honestly)?

I don’t have a very long attention span, so most of my reading is done in short spurts.  Right now I am leafing through “Muscle & Fitness 101 Fat Burning Workouts and Diet Strategies” to get some new tips and ideas for Baby Boot Camp classes, as well as Bob & Kathy McKay’s “Learn to Swim” for some great techniques in baby swimming.

3. What is your guilty pleasure when you get a break from the kids?
Hmmm…haven’t had a break in a while.  I might get one or two days a week that both the kids take a short nap at the same time, and I’ll watch a DVR of “Toddlers and Tiaras”.  Puts life into perspective…

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

What’s a purse??  I’m still in diaper bag mode.  With my little one almost out of diapers I daydream about a wonderful purse I will be able to utilize soon.  I guess something that I always throw in the diaper bag is crayons and paper, both my girls love to draw and it’s our go-to activity for waiting rooms, long lines, etc.

5. What is your favorite reality TV show?
The Biggest Loser is a big favorite of mine, but I’m also looking forward to the new season of The Apprentice. These are shows that my hubby will appreciate and watch with me.  Gotta DVR the “guilty pleasures”…Toddles and Tiaras, Real Housewifes, Next Food Network Star…

6. What is your cocktail of choice?
Oh – Amaretto Stone Sour.  The “stone” means with a bit of orange juice…so many bartenders don’t know this but it’s a great addition to the drink!

7. What is the funniest thing your kids have said or done lately?
From Gracie, “Did you know, mommy?  Humans can only marry humans, and mermaids can only marry mermaids.”  This wasn’t right after watching Little Mermaid or anything…she really must have been thinking about it!

8. What is your favorite quotation?
Whether you think you CAN or you think you CAN’T…you’re right. ~Henry Ford

9. What are you currently working out to on your iPod?
I like the Biggest Loser workout mixes, it saves me some time searching around for individual songs I like and is a good compilation for an entire workout.

10. Who is your favorite celebrity mom and why?
Dara Torres is absolutely inspiring.  She is a five-time Olympian and her last games were AFTER her daughter was born!  It was so amazing to see how she came back after pregnancy and achieved her dreams.

11. What is something most people don’t know about you?
That I’m not very organized!  I stay pretty busy between BBC, swimming and also IronMommies – a running group for moms.  I do struggle to balance time for both family and business quite often.  It truly is my passion to inspire and help women step outside their comfort zone and reach their goals.  It is also my passion to raise two beautiful, healthy and smart girls in a loving environment.  I just wish there were more hours in the day!

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

I would say that moms need to keep in mind that being “Hot and Healthy” is a lifestyle change, not a diet or a quick fix.  My biggest pet peeve is seeing magazine or TV commercials for diet pills or products that will help you lose 20 pounds in 20 days.  It sounds too good to be true, but people want to believe it so they do.  So my secret?  Everything in moderation.  Well balanced diet, exercise, good friends and have FUN!

* Check out Christie’s webpage at babybootcamp.com!

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

Name: Angye Fox

Kids: Son, PJ, 8 years old

Occupation:  Serial Entrepreneur  (I’ve started and sold over 30 businesses in my lifetime)

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin (Go Cheeseheads!)  Live in another Bay now.  Tampa Bay!

H&H Interview with Angye:

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

Salad, Steak and Alfredo Sauce (my son loves it!)

2. What are you reading (honestly)?

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

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

Dressing up sexy for a Girl’s Night Out with my gal pals!

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

A cigar cutter and torch lighter.  I teach women how to smoke cigars on a YouTube show called “Fluff & Puff”.

5. What is your favorite reality TV show?

American Idol

6. What is your cocktail of choice?

Ketel One Vodka Dirty Martini up with one stuffed olive

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

PJ was playing XBox Live this summer when I asked him to go to bed.  It was midnight.  He was upset because the friend he was playing with online didn’t have to go to bed yet.  I said, “Don’t try me, PJ.  Your pal lives in California and he’s three time zones behind us!”

8. What is your favorite quotation?

Sex sells.  But sexy REALLY sells!

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

Lady Gaga.  She is a powerhouse!

10. Who is your favorite celebrity mom and why?

Kathy Lee Gifford.  I love how she has her son, Cody, working on the set of the Today Show.

It reminds me of my relationship with my son.  PJ loves that I’m a business owner and he often attends business functions with me. He also has his own business card and sports talk show.  PJSportsTalk.com

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

I’m working on my private pilot’s license.  I’ve always wanted to fly since I was a little girl.  Now I’m making my dream come true!

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

Surrounding myself with positive minded friends, exercising regularly with my neighbor ladies, and drinking lots of water.  Plus an occasional martini!!!!

Written by Lea Barlow • 1 Comment

Name: Sarah Bedell

Kids: Ozias “Ozzy” Bedell

Occupation: Esthetician

Hometown: Maui, Hawaii

Click here for full H&H interview with Sarah

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

Name: Ansley Schrimsher

Kids: Cade, 6 Haven, 3

Occupation: Dora Mae Jewelry designer

Hometown: Orlando, FL

H&H Interview with Ansley:

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

Avocados, Goat Cheese and Baby Spinach – as long as those ingredients are included, I’m guaranteed to love the salad.

2. What are you reading (honestly)?

The Good and Beautiful God

a Flannery O’Conner short story

Animal Vegetable Miracle

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

Pedicure, a cocktail and chick flick with friends, shopping for nothing in particular (this is dangerous and leads to guilt, but is oh so much fun!) and finally, a night away at the Ritz/JW with my hubby.

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

Little packets of honey from months ago when I was trying the Specific Carbohydrate Diet to help treat my Ulcerative Colitis – it’s the only kind of sugar I could have! (In so many ways, I’m glad it didn’t work for me because it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done!)

5. What is your favorite reality TV show?

The Bachelor/Bachelorette – so hilarious, especially watching it with a big group of girls so we can laugh our heads off – never really has the same appeal when I try to watch it alone!

6. What is your cocktail of choice?

Houston’s homemade lemonade, vodka and cranberry (I forget what they call it) – it’s perfect

This is so random, but PF Chang’s Long Island is soooo yummy

If I mention another one, I risk sounding like an alcoholic!

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

My 3 -yr-old daughter Haven’s facial expressions have been hilarious lately.  She can literally go from a merry grin to a cutting glare to a painfully heartbroken frown with a single crocodile tear…then back to a merry grin in less than a minute! I don’t know where she learns all the drama!

8. What is your favorite quotation?

My Bible verse for the year has been 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

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

I don’t work out to music, and I actually don’t have an ipod! But my kids love having music on in the house during the day.  They’ve pretty much graduated from toddler music (I’m personally sooo excited about this!) and request IYAZ, Black Eyed Peas, Usher, Justin Bieber, Train and Beyonce (single ladies is still Haven’s favorite song!) We often break out in dance randomly throughout the day.

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

It’s easy for me to get preoccupied with my schedule and rush through life. I’ve made some minor changes over the past year that have made a major difference. I’ve started making myself lunch AND sitting down to eat it (as opposed to eating my kids leftovers standing up). I’ve been faithfully writing/praying in a journal. I’ve cut down using my cell phone in the car to engage my kids in conversation.  I’ve gotten a babysitter (often my mom or sister) and spent the whole day at home! I’ve taken the time to sit down and play the piano – such therapy for me! Just a few examples of putting relationship/reflection over productivity/accomplishment.  This has been big for me!

* Please check out Ansley’s gorgeous jewelry designs at doramaejewelry.com.

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment