Name:  Seleta Hayes Howard

Kids: Two boys 11 & 4 and Two girls 8 & 6

Occupation: Wife, Mom + Lifestyle blogger- Simply Seleta

Hometown: Atlanta


H&H interview with Seleta:

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

Frozen organic blueberries (morning smoothies), locally grown organic kale (kids love it sauteed) and free range eggs.

2. What are you reading (honestly)?

Mostly Dr. Suess at bedtime with our budding young readers, ha haaa.  But I just finished reading The Help and loved it!!!

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

Champagne and starlit beach with my husband.

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

Carrots in a ziploc bag for the horses my daughter and I ride every week.

5. What is your favorite reality TV show?

Wipeout.  A hilarious family show to watch together.  We cook big bowls of popcorn, pile up on the sofa and laugh and laugh…

6. What is your cocktail of choice?

Peach Bellini.

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

Two doozies that reference how old my kids must think I am.  First one: “Mommy, were you born in the 1800′s?”  Second: “Did you know Jesus when he was alive?”  I laughed pretty hard on that one!

8. What is your favorite quotation?

“You’re either part of the problem or part of the solution”

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

“Goodies” by Ciara

10. Who is your favorite celebrity mom and why?

Andie MacDowell.  From what I’ve read, she’s carefully guarded her kids from the media and raised them on a farm in her hometown to keep their life simple and real. Although her three children are now grown, I always had the impression that she was far more dedicated to her family versus her ego or career. I think that strong family connection is the basis for raising happy, healthy children. I was inspired by her answer in an interview where she was asked “what has been the highlight of your life so far?” She replied, “I definitely have to say my children.”

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

I love catching frogs.  If we’re driving home at night and it’s raining, I usually ask my husband stop the car so I can grab a few hoppers in the street to bring home.  The kids will play with them, name them, and sometimes make them race each other.  Then we turn them loose the next morning.  A couple of weeks ago, one little frog happened to escape a jar in my son’s room during the night and greeted me in my bathroom early the next morning.  That was a laugh!

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

I’m a big believer that our inner thoughts and reactions are directly connected to our health. I try to end each night or start each day reading something positive for a good frame of mind. I surround myself with positive, non-judging people and try my best to experience daily gratitude.  Life obviously isn’t perfect so it’s challenging at times…but so important in experiencing genuine happiness. As far as exercise goes, our family is very active.  I tend to rebel from any type of mundane routine, so everyday I try to do something different than the day before.  Variety is so much more stimulating than doing the same thing over and over.  Whether it’s the elliptical machine at the gym, jumping rope to my favorite tunes, handstands, stretching, or English horseback riding with my eight year old. I also teach ballet twice a week – once for my six year old and her friends and another at our local charter middle school.