36 Week Update + Embarking on a New Season

November 10, 2016 mrskfit1 Comment

Just like the changing leaves, the weeks and days are quickly falling and bringing us closer to the day we’ve been anticipating for the past 8 months. A year ago, we spent a serendipitous weekend in NYC. Although I grew up not far from the city, I never spent much time there except during Christmas; which I now regret because I missed out on enjoying the beauty of the city when it was not 30 degrees outside. The weekend was memorable in more ways than one, and if you’d like to read an inspiring story to lift your spirits today, read this post my husband wrote about why he ran the NYC Marathon. http://www.kendrickfitness.com/inspiration/christys-262-miles-for-hope

He was accepted to run it again this year, however he gave up his spot because he had a hunch I would be pregnant, which was correct! He figured I wouldn’t be happy, (and he wouldn’t feel comfortable) traveling across the country a month before my potential due date. He’s hoping to run it next year, in which case he’ll have an extra cheerleader in the crowd! 🙂 I would love to make it an annual trip, because NYC is SO beautiful in the Fall.

Today, we’re at the 36 week mark and when I watched my weekly progress video, they re-iterated the fact that in the past 6 months, this little one’s grown from a sesame seed to a 6 pound, 20 inch miracle.

Here’s what I’ve been up to in the past week:

washed the baby’s clothes and blankets/linens
got his car seat installed
started having Braxton Hicks contractions
made a list of what I need in my hospital bag
scheduled our newborn photographer (thanks Amanda for the recommendation!) http://jessiesalasphoto.com/index2.php#/home/
scheduled my last haircut before baby arrives!

Despite the chaos of the past week, I stop and think about what myself and millions of other women around the World are doing- growing a baby! Every single person alive on this planet (yes, even Donald Trump) started out as a little sesame seed and grew into the human being they are today. During one of my walks this week, I found myself thinking about the man our son will become. In the book I shared in my last post, (Praying Through Your Pregnancy) the author dedicates one chapter to praying for your child’s future spouse. At first it sounded silly, “why should I be praying about that now?” But time moves quickly…even more so when you have children (so I hear). I couldn’t help envisioning what he will look like when he reaches Kendrick’s age, and what kind of woman he will fall in love with. (I even pictured his name on a wedding invitation!)

I’ve been praying everyday for his character…for him to grow up to be a man of integrity and do what is right, even if it’s not the popular choice. This past week we voted for a new President. I wrote in my journal on Election Day and reflected on how far we’ve come as a nation. I thought back to the last big election in 2008 when I was a freshman in college. It was such an amazing time in history and I am so glad I experienced it on a college campus. Whether you voted for Obama or not, the eruption that exploded after he was named President was thrilling. I remember the cheers in the dorm halls and the dancing in the streets.

On Tuesday, I thought about how in 8 short years, history could be made again with the first female President. We now know this was not meant to be, but what an incredible time to be alive. No matter what you believe, or who you voted for, I want to share a verse that Hillary quoted in her concession speech. It gave me chills when I heard it, because it was the exact same verse I picked out to pray over my son over 4 months ago!

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we shall reap a harvest if we do not give up.” -Galatians 6:9

My son,

Never stop doing good. Never stop loving others, no matter how hard it may be. And never stop fighting for what you believe in.

Love Always,

Mom ❤

Week 34 Reflections…or should I say ramblings ;)

October 28, 2016 mrskfit1 Comment

Here we are…week 34! Only 6 short weeks until this little one arrives. I’ve been thinking a lot about how our lives are going to change, and it hit me that November will be the last month we are just Kendrick and Angela. By December, we’ll be mom and dad…how crazy!

I know that technically I’m a mother now, because I’m carrying a baby inside me…but once he’s out in the world, I’ll transition from just Angela…to Angela, aka Mommy. I brought it up to Kendrick this week and said, “Babe, I’m forever going to be Mom. Like, it’s going to be on my epitaph now.”

“How morbid,” he replied.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m totally thrilled about becoming a mother…and I feel so blessed to even be able to go through this process. I have loved every minute of being pregnant and will miss carrying him because it’s been so amazing to feel his every move. I smile when I look down at my belly because I know he’s safe and protected.

This week he’s the size of a pineapple…and about 5 pounds! He’s between 19-22 inches long, which I still can’t imagine but explains why my belly pulls itself in opposite directions when he stretches.

It’s been 2 weeks since I went on maternity leave and it feels like the days go by a little slower now. Without a regular schedule, it feels like I have so much freedom. I’ve been sleeping in as late as I want, trying to convince myself not to feel guilty since once he’s here I won’t be getting any sleep!

People have been asking me if I’m ‘nesting’, and I tell them I’ve been doing that since July. Once we found out we were having a boy, I started browsing furniture and gender specific nurseries on Pinterest. I knew I wanted a calming, neutral palette- no bold colors or crazy patterns. I fell in love with a design I saw here and used it as inspiration moving forward. I actually ordered the same exact crib pictured here, and also the same blue paint color. Once the room is complete (just waiting on the chair to arrive!) I will write a separate blog post with details as to where we got everything. 🙂

We moved into a new apartment at the end of May, which jump-started my obsession with getting rid of our junk. Anything we hadn’t been using, I tossed. I knew that we would be accumulating a whole lot more stuff once baby came, and that thought was enough to scare me into major closet purging. After my parents came to visit in August, I started tackling the guest room closet, which would now be the baby’s closet. We had been storing Kendrick’s clothes there temporarily, so I now faced the challenge of combining our wardrobes. I found myself at The Container Store more than once that week, crazily organizing every bit of space I could. The less we had, the better; if I noticed a shirt or pair of pants Kendrick never wore, I tossed it in the donation pile.

Well, after all my crazy antics, his room was finally ready to be decorated. Since we’re in a rental, Kendrick initially opposed to painting his room. It took some convincing, but in the end I played the pregnant wife card to my advantage. 😉

As I mentioned above, today is a new week of development for Baby K-Fit. Since the day I found out I was pregnant, I’ve been keeping a journal that I plan to make into a book as a keepsake. I’ve been writing it in every week, sometimes two or three times a week depending on life events. It’s been so special to look back on what I wrote the day we heard his heartbeat, and when we found out the gender. Another ritual has been reading a weekly pregnancy guide called, “Praying through your Pregnancy“. My mother-in-law read through the book last year with my sister-in-law and when I told her I was pregnant, she suggested doing the same thing. I loved the idea so much that I shared it with my mom as well. Because I live so far away from both of them, this is something that has kept us linked through this process. The author shares little bits from her own pregnancy journal each week, information on baby’s development and related scripture and prayers.

Back in Week 16, I chose two verses that I would continue to pray during my pregnancy. The first was from Matthew 6:21 which says,

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I chose this because it is also a quote in Kendrick and I’s favorite book, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. We want our son to always trust his heart, because it is the most powerful thing he possesses.

The second verse I chose was based on the character quality I desire most for my son:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9

Kendrick and I believe kindness will get you farther in life than any other trait. We also believe in the law of reciprocity. What you put out in the world comes back to you, not necessarily in the same form or right away, but in other ways you may not expect. Therefore, if you continue to be kind and do good onto others, that goodness will come back to you.

If you’re a Mommy, I’d love to hear about any special rituals you did/do during pregnancy.

Thanks for reading!

❤ Angie & Baby

Cinnamon & Sugar Glazed Pumpkin Muffins

October 24, 2016 mrskfit1 Comment

I’ve always loved everything pumpkin…maybe a little bit too much. In high school, I couldn’t wait for the pumpkin spice lattes to make their debut, the Wawa pumpkin muffins, and Dunkin Donuts pumpkin donuts. (For those who don’t know, Wawa is a gas station/convenience store chain on the east coast.)

One Thanksgiving, my family and I traveled to Lewisburg, PA to spend the weekend with our extended family. We stopped at Wawa to grab our favorite treats for the road – pumpkin lattes and a very large pumpkin muffin for me. Everything was fine and dandy until we started driving on some very windy, back roads. I get car sick easily, and suddenly that delicious pumpkin muffin I had enjoyed about an hour earlier was starting to make another appearance. I had my dad pull over and I’m sure you can guess what happened next.

I thought that experience would forever taint my enjoyment for pumpkin flavored things…but I am happy to say that enough time has passed now, that I am no longer scarred. I’m glad because I really do love pumpkin. 😉

I wanted to enjoy apple season first, before I broke out the canned pumpkin. This weekend felt like an appropriate time to finally make something pumpkin. I was inspired to make these pumpkin muffins from Hanna, of The Healthiest Me. She made a healthy version using whole wheat flour and applesauce instead of oil. I modified a bit and used white flour instead, because when you’re pregnant, it’s easier for your body to break down white flour instead of whole wheat. Obviously, eating starchy carbs can attribute to faster weight gain, so it’s not recommended that you over-indulge in these foods. But, at the end of the day whether you consume white flour, or whole wheat flour, they both turn to sugar in the body and therefore there’s not much of a difference in choosing the healthier “whole wheat” option.

These were easy to make, and the best part was the delicious cinnamon and sugar glaze I drizzled over them while hot. Ideally, I wanted to do a powdered sugar glaze, but didn’t have any powdered sugar on hand.

Here’s the recipe:

Cinnamon & Sugar Glazed Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour (or whichever you prefer)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin spice
dash of salt
1 1/2 cups organic pumpkin puree
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
dash of milk as needed (can also use soy or almond)

Directions:

Beat together the wet ingredients (pumpkin, applesauce, sugar, eggs and vanilla).
Add in the pumpkin spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and 1 cup of flour. Mix together until all flour is incorporated.
Add in the additional 3/4 cup of flour and mix thoroughly.
Throw in a dash of salt and milk.
Scoop batter into a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. **Oven times can vary- I set the timer for 15 minutes first, checked the insides, and cooked for an additional 3 minutes.

For the glaze:

Stir together a mixture of white sugar, cinnamon, and a dash of milk.
Spoon the glaze over the warm muffins. **If you have powdered sugar, you can make a glaze of powdered sugar and water. I do not have exact measurements for this, but you don’t want the glaze to be too runny, so be careful when adding the milk.

This recipe makes 14-15 muffins. I suggest storing the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator once cooled. Since the glaze contains milk, I didn’t want them to get moldy sitting on the counter. When you’re ready to indulge, just pop one in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and enjoy 😉

Entering Maternity Leave & Hiring a New Trainer

October 14, 2016 mrskfit1 Comment

This week I trained my last client before becoming a momma. I’ve been reluctant to admit how hard training has become on my body, because I’ve had a wonderful pregnancy thus far. I like staying active, and the thought of going on maternity leave made me fear that I would be sitting on the couch watching reruns of Friends all day.

Being a business owner, I knew the implications of taking a maternity leave…it didn’t mean paid vacation, it meant paying someone else to take over my job. In the past, it’s been difficult for us to find trainers that we feel are 1) Qualified; and 2) a good match for our Studio. We’ve received plenty of resumes with pictures attached of candidates flexing or even worse, sending a video of themselves grunting and posing in front of a mirror. To say we were nervous about diving back into the candidate pool is an understatement. The fitness field can be full of egotistical trainers, and we wanted to stay far away from those people as we could.

My favorite thing about our Studio is that we are community driven. We want everyone who steps in the door to feel welcome and accepted, and not intimated. We expect our members to greet their fellow classmates by name, and come in with a positive attitude. We live in the Silicon Valley, so we know the pressure and stress our members face every day in the workplace. We want the Studio to be a haven or “happy place” for people to come and de-stress; not just physically, but mentally as well.

Another “rule” we have in the Studio is for people to make friends. We encourage people to not only learn each other’s name, but to learn about them. If you’re gone for a week, you better believe there will be someone in your class asking where you’ve been. It creates accountability that you otherwise might not have had if you were attending a class with 30 people, who never said Hi or Bye to you. That’s why we keep our classes small, not only for accountability reasons, but so that we can correct people’s form and make sure they’re doing the exercises correctly. My biggest pet peeve is when I try an exercise class and see that people are doing things incorrectly. I can’t help but cringe and think, “How come no one is correcting them??”

The most common mistakes are with lunges and squats. Too often I see someone do a squat where they drop their hips too low, or do a lunge with their knee over their ankle. I’ve always told my clients to remember the magic number…which is “90” for 90 degrees. Your knee in a lunge should be at a 90 degree angle, and same with your squat- you should always keep your butt out to protect the lower back. The minute you drop those hips, say hello to serious back pain.

Proper lunge form

Proper Squat form

Now that I’ve gone off on a tangent about proper form, I’ll get back to our hiring process. Thankfully enough, this time around we had much better luck with the trainer pool. We interviewed some great candidates, even some that we felt were over-qualified for the job. In the end, we found our perfect match! She couldn’t have come at a more perfect time as well. I’ve been struggling with serious back pain these last couple weeks, and feared how much longer I’d be able to train if we didn’t find someone. The universe works in mysterious ways, and it was like God knew exactly what we needed, at the time we needed it. I feel totally confident that our new trainer will do an excellent job taking over for me. In the meantime, you’ll find me blogging and writing more, and also doing lots of back end stuff for the business like marketing and advertising.

I feel so blessed to be in a position where I can take the time off I need to prepare for this new life coming soon. I’m also incredibly thankful to have such a supportive husband who has encouraged me in this new phase, and understands how important rest and relaxation is for both me and baby. It’s only been 3 days, but I think this new adjustment is working well so far…( I haven’t even watched one episode of Friends) 😉

Thanks for reading and encouraging me to keep this blog going.

Sending good vibes your way on this Friday 🙂

My favorite Fall dish: Sweet Potato & Quinoa Turkey Chili

October 12, 2016 mrskfit1 Comment

Wood-burning stoves, chilly air, falling leaves, pumpkin spice, and everything nice… Fall is here and I couldn’t be more excited! For a majority of my life thus far, Fall meant trading in my flip-flops and sunglasses for backpacks and boots. I cherished those hot, summer days because the east-coast winters were so harsh. Now, living on the west coast, I have a new appreciation for Fall. The months of September and October are actually the most ideal here in the Bay Area…the coast is warm and clear; a welcome relief from the cold fog that covers it during the summer. My first Fall here in California, I didn’t expect the leaves to change like they do on the east coast- so when I started witnessing those red, orange, and yellow leaves covering our streets, I was ecstatic! We truly live in the most perfect climate in all the country- we still get the change of seasons, but we don’t have to deal with those miserable winter mornings scrapping ice off our windshields. Before you start feeling sorry for us missing out on a White Christmas, Lake Tahoe is only 3 hours away…so when we crave the snow, we just head up there.

I have to say my favorite thing about Fall is breaking out my pumpkin candles – they make our little apartment feel so cozy, it makes me want to curl up on the couch with a bowl of warm apple crisp and a good book. My second favorite thing is breaking out my CrockPot again which somehow gets forgotten during the summer months. I made my first batch of chili for the season last night, and wanted to share the love with you!

This is hands down my favorite chili recipe – it’s packed with so much goodness and spice, it’s like Fall in a bowl for me. AND it’s super healthy – I like using ground turkey because it’s lighter than ground beef, but there are so many other ingredients that it’s just as filling as a beef chili.

Ok so have I convinced you to try this yet?? What are you waiting for…time to get cooking! 🙂

chili-with-sweet-potatoes

chili-with-quinoa

chili-cooked

Mrs. K-Fit’s Sweet Potato & Quinoa Turkey Chili

Ingredients

1lb ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
3 cups chicken broth
28oz can crushed tomatoes
15oz can black beans
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 large sweet potato (about 1lb) peeled and chopped small
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped avocado, sour cream or tortilla chips

Directions

Add ground turkey and onion to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season liberally with salt and pepper then cook until no longer pink, breaking turkey up as it cooks. Add garlic then cook for 30 more seconds and add to a 6 quart crock pot. Add remaining ingredients, except toppings, into crock pot then cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 5-6 hours, or until sweet potatoes are tender. Serve with toppings.

chili with avocado.JPG

So long Second Trimester!

September 16, 2016September 16, 2016 mrskfit1 Comment

WOW! I don’t even know where to begin. This second trimester has been packed with so many fun and exciting memories. I have truly loved every minute of pregnancy and have no complaints (…so far 😉 ). Each week brings new joys and new developments for baby, and I’m cherishing the days one by one. I’ve never been an overly emotional, or overly anxious person and pregnancy hasn’t changed that. I feel calm and at peace that everything is moving along just as it should…because why worry about things I can’t control?? My mom has been a great example for me as a woman of faith…and I grew up with this verse as a constant reminder in our home:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” -Matthew 6:25-27

Worrying never accomplishes anything; and so I’ve continued to hold tight to this verse during pregnancy.

When we left off after the first trimester, Kendrick and I had just moved into our new apartment. We started the second trimester with a trip to Lake Tahoe to celebrate Kendrick’s 33rd birthday. We did not know the gender at this point but I wrote in my journal about a dream I had that I thought it was a boy. Little did I know that in a few short weeks we would know for sure!!

Week 14

Baby is the size of a lemon
His neck is getting longer and he is no longer slouched
He is sprouting hair and his eyebrows are filling in
The roof of his mouth is developing
His digestive system has started working, and his intestines are now producing meconium (waste)

Week 15

Baby is the size of an orange
Baby’s ears are positioned on the sides of his head and his eyes are moving from side of the head to front of the face…(he is no longer an alien!)
I’m definitely eating for two…

Week 16

Baby is the size of an avoado
His facial muscles are developing and he can now frown and squint
His eyes are working and can perceive light (although his lids are still sealed)
Baby can hear my voice!

Week 17

We find out baby is a BOY!
He is the size of a turnip
Baby’s heartbeat is beating twice as fast as mine
His fingerprints are forming
We travel to South Carolina to visit my in-laws and meet our nephew!

Week 18

Still enjoying vacation in South Carolina, my sister-in-law takes gender reveal photos for us
Baby can yawn and hiccup
His nervous system is maturing

Week 19

He is the size of a mango
I’m starting to browse nursery furniture
The vernix develops protecting his skin from the amniotic fluid

Week 20

We are half-way there!
He is the size of a small cantaloupe
I feel baby kick for the first time! (while watching The Bachelorette…hehe)
He weighs as much as a coconut
His eyes can finally open

Week 21

Baby is the size of a banana! (his dad’s favorite fruit)
He is sleeping 14 hours a day and can taste the foods I eat
Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles – explains why I have started to feel him kicking!

Week 22

Baby is the size of a spaghetti squash
My momma comes into town!
He now weighs 1 pound
His grip, vision, and hearing are getting stronger
We make a trip up to wine country to celebrate my mom’s 50th birthday!

Week 23

He is the size of a papaya
Capillaries and lung cells begin their maturation process so baby can breathe
Keratin is being added to his skin cells
Skin has a red hue- due to developing veins and arteries
My dad comes into town!
Kendrick has a dream of being at Disneyworld with our little boy…in his dream his hair is black and his eyes are dark and Kendrick said he looked like me and had my smile 🙂

Week 24

We are back in Tahoe for summer vacation!
Baby is the size of an ear of corn
His face is almost fully formed
Baby’s brain cells have matured enough to develop conscious thought and most likely memory
I go stand-up paddle boarding on the lake

Week 25

Baby is the size of a rutabaga (an ugly looking turnip)
He is SUPER active
Kendrick and I go to Babies R Us to browse some strollers and gliders for the nursery
Baby is about 13 inches long- longer than a ruler!
Baby is packing on the fat
His nostrils are opening- he’s not taking in air yet, just “breathing” amniotic fluid

Week 26

He is the size of an eggplant
We (or should I say Kendrick) sets up his crib!
He weighs 2 pounds
He can open his eyes!
His eyelashes are growing in
Teeny tiny fingernails have arrived

Week 27

He is the size of a cucumber
We’ve made it to the end of the second trimester…and I’m in total nesting mode! No resting for this momma; I’ve been cleaning out baby’s closet, organizing his things and hanging those precious clothes
Sept. 9th-Kendrick hears his heartbeat through my tummy!
Baby grows an entire inch this week alone

I feel so incredibly blessed to be entering this third and final stage. It’s been an amazing process and as I’ve been writing and looking back on his development, it is a total miracle for sure!

In just 3 short months our little man will be here…I’m thinking this Christmas will be my favorite yet ❤

Here’s a look back at the growing bump :

The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success Challenge

September 1, 2016September 1, 2016 mrskfitLeave a comment

yoga I was listening to comedian Ali Wong last weekend, and she said, “You know you’re getting older when your Kindle library is full of self-help books.”

Umm, GUILTY! That is totally me right now. For the past year, Kendrick and I have been committed to reading self-development books together. It seems like every week I find another Amazon box on our doorstep, with that telltale rectangular shape only meaning one thing…Kendrick has ordered another book.

It started out as a challenge of his last summer…to read 50 self-development books in one year. The more he shared with me, the more I could see how excited he was about what he was learning. I started reading the books too, and that’s when it became really fun, because we were able to discuss the material together.

Reading together this past year has been one of the most beneficial things for our marriage. We’ve not only been able to grow as individuals, but we’ve been able to grow together as a couple. As we move into parenthood, I believe 100% that this is preparing us for that journey. We could read all the parenting and baby books out there, but if we weren’t taking care of ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually first, then it would be pretty hard to put what we were reading into practice. Children learn by example, and I want to set the best example for my children as I can. The best way to prepare myself for that is by educating and aligning myself first. If they witness us taking care of ourselves in these 3 categories, then they will be more likely to carry out the same actions themselves.

Kendrick and I recently finished reading Deepak Chopra’s “The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success”. It was a quick, easy read with a lot of great takeaways. Personally, my favorite law was The Law of Giving which we’ve implemented at our personal training studio, Studio K-Fit. One of the things Deepak says is that, “If you want affluence; give affluence. If you want money; give money. If you want love; give love.” My thinking growing up was that, “Once I become financially successful, THEN I can give more to others.” Instead of realizing that I was already incredibly blessed, I thought I had to have an extraordinary amount of money before I could make a difference. Ever since starting the Rowing For Meals initiative a couple years ago (you can read my blog post on that here), Kendrick and I have witnessed so many more blessings pour out than we could have ever imagined. We went from sponsoring the meals on our own, to having our clients match the meals with us! What a true testament to Deepak’s words.

If you haven’t read this book, I highly suggest picking it up.

I have a little challenge for you to kick-off September. I will be participating in this challenge myself, and want to encourage you to put one of these 7 laws into practice starting today!

September 1– The Law of Pure Potentiality

Practice non-judgment today. Begin your day with the statement, “Today I shall judge nothing that occurs” and through-out the day remind yourself not to judge.

September 2– The Law of Giving

Today, give a gift to one person you will encounter; this could be a compliment or a flower. If someone gives you a gift, gratefully receive it. Keep wealth circulating by giving and receiving care, affection, appreciation and love.

September 3– The Law of Karma

Today, perform a random act of kindness. Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind. Showing others happiness and success ensures the flow of happiness and success to you.

September 4– The Law of Least Effort

Practice acceptance today. “Today I will accept people, situations, events, and circumstances as they occur. I will take responsibility for my situation and for all those events I see as problems. I know that taking responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything, including myself.”

September 5– The Law of Intention and Desire

Today, make a list of all your desires. Carry this list with you wherever you go. Look at it before you go to sleep at night. Finally, surrender your desires and trust that when things don’t go your way, there is a plan much greater than you could have ever imagined.

September 6– The Law of Detachment

Today, commit yourself to detachment. Allow yourself and those around you the freedom to be as they are. Do not rigidly impose your idea of how things should be. Do not force solutions on problems. Participate in everything with detached involvement.

September 7– The Law of Dharma (aka Purpose in Life)

Today, make a list of your unique talents. Then, ask yourself, “How can I serve?” and “How can I help?” You have a purpose on this earth, and your unique talents are meant to be shared with humanity.

What’s your favorite self-help book? We’re always looking for new recommendations! Feel free to share in the comments below 😉

Baby K-Fit’s Big Reveal!

July 22, 2016July 22, 2016 mrskfit2 Comments

“You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” -Psalm 139:13

black and white

Kendrick and I are overjoyed to announce that we are expecting a…

Baby BOY!!!

I have officially hit 20 weeks- halfway through my pregnancy. Yesterday we had an ultrasound appointment with my doctor and this was when we were supposed to find out the baby’s gender. SECRETLY we have known for over 2 weeks now… You may be thinking “What??!”

Well…I’m going to tell you the story : )

Kendrick and I flew to South Carolina to visit his family during the week of July 4th. Our nephew was born January 7th of this year, and we had not gotten to meet him yet. We had no plans of finding out the gender at this time, nor did we even know there were such places where we could find out. The first night at dinner, his sister told us about 3D ultrasound clinics that also offered gender reveal packages. As soon as Kendrick heard this he exclaimed, “We have to go!” We looked up where the nearest clinic was located, and how much the package cost. We were surprised to find there was a clinic only 20 minutes away from his parents house. The website said that if for some reason the technicians couldn’t figure out the gender, you were welcome to come back another day at no extra cost.

Kendrick was sold – but I was hesitant. I am very much a planner, and this was NOT in my plan. I had a very strong instinct of what I thought the gender would be, and although we both wanted to find out, I somehow felt like I was cheating the universe. Kendrick was understanding and told me to sleep on it, and that if I wasn’t comfortable, we didn’t have to do it. When I woke up in the morning, I revisited the website and thought, “What the heck! I’m gonna do it.” So I called and made an appointment for later on that day.

I had talked to Kendrick the night before about what the benefits would be if we found out. The biggest benefit was being able to tell our family in person, which was a HUGE plus. Living in California, most of our news is given over the phone or on FaceTime…which isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s definitely more exciting to be able to celebrate good news in person…I think everyone would agree! Another benefit was that I had been planning to have my sister-in-law take maternity/gender reveal photos for us…initially, we were going to take both blue and pink photos (since we didn’t know what we were having) and use either one or the other after we found out. Well…you can imagine how overjoyed Kendrick was when he realized that we would only have to take ONE set of photos instead of two…ha ha.

Fast forward a few hours later…and we were on our way to find out whether our baby would be a little girl or a little boy! I had butterflies in my stomach and kept wondering “What if my instinct is wrong??” The suspense was killing me! The clinic was located in Fort Mill, a cute little town south of Charlotte. As soon as we walked into the clinic, we were greeted by two very friendly women who would be performing the ultrasound for us. The room was bright and inviting, and as I lay back on the table I knew that in a few minutes we would find out the best news of our lives!

After what seemed like forever, the technician finally got to the baby’s legs and told us she was going to look for the fateful sign…however, the baby’s legs were crossed and she couldn’t get a good image. I started getting nervous and wondered if we would have to come back another day to find out. She told us to be patient, and that she was just waiting for them to move. And as soon as they did…she pointed her fingers up to the screen and said “Do you know what that is??” I was just looking at her fingers which were shaped like a “V” instead of looking at the screen. In my head I was thinking, “Oh my gosh …it’s a girl.” (I was surprised by this because up until now I swore I was having a boy). Quickly I heard Kendrick exclaim “It’s a PENIS!” And then I laughed because there it was…plain as day. We were having a boy…which is what I thought all along!!

A funny side note, right as the technician revealed we were having a boy, Kendrick looked down at his phone and saw that his dad had texted him with a prediction, “It is a boy” he said. And he was right!

We had such a wonderful experience at 3D Dreams in Fort Mill. Included in our package was 20 black and white photos and as a bonus they even gave us a DVD of the whole session! It was so special to be able to listen to baby’s heartbeat and watch him on screen with our family at home. I highly recommend visiting a 3D ultrasound center for anyone who would like to know their baby’s gender. When we had our scheduled appointment yesterday, we were actually pretty disappointed because it was a very formal experience. We just had a radiology specialist perform the ultrasound instead of our regular OB, and she was very technical since her main job was to do an anatomy scan (look for any irregularities or concerns). We left the appointment reflecting on the wonderful experience we had at 3D Dreams and we’re SO happy we decided to do it.

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All these beautiful photos were taken by my incredibly talented sister-in-law Lauren. She also took maternity photos for Kendrick’s sister and everyone in the family keeps urging her to start her own business!

We took these photos on July 8, which is my sister and brother-in-law’s anniversary. Those who know our story know that we met during the weekend of their wedding 4 years ago…( I was MOH and he was Best Man). Pretty crazy that just 4 short years later we’re pregnant…and my best friend turned sister is taking maternity photos for us!

Here’s a couple photos from our gender reveal ultrasound (just shy of 18 weeks). As of yesterday (20 weeks), he weighs 12 ounces and is expected to arrive December 7!

baby 1.jpg

Sucking his thumb, a habit he inherited from dad 😉

baby 2

Dear son,

Here are a few hopes I have for you…

I hope you grow up to respect women like your Daddy – you have A LOT to learn from him. 😉 He is such a good man. Always have courage to do the right thing and be kind. Love is your greatest power and gift to the world. Everything stems from love…because God is love and God is creating you right now, week by week.

Keep growing strong.

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

Always follow your heart, the heart that is beating inside me and can hear my heartbeat. You’re the only one who knows my heartbeat from the inside.

All my love,

Momma ❤

Link for my dress is here.

Handsome Fella onesie is from BabyGap.

Custom announcement onesie is from this Etsy shop.

Ribbon wands are from Etsy.

Baby K-Fit: The First Trimester

June 30, 2016June 30, 2016 mrskfitLeave a comment

Hello friends!

I’m sorry I’ve been so behind on my blog. Between our move at the end of May, unpacking and decorating the house, and growing a baby; I haven’t been able to keep up with it all! I’m now 16 weeks along, and I’m happy to report things are going tremendously well. I honestly don’t feel much different from before I was pregnant, except for the little bump that’s formed, and the fact that I can no longer zip up my pants. Before I get ahead of myself, I want to update you on the first trimester happenings.

Week 4- April 5, we find out we’re pregnant!

Week 5- Symptoms:

Increased appetite
Lower back pain when I wake up
Breast tenderness
Vivid dreams

Week 6-

No nausea
Told my sister Alishia we’re pregnant!
Wrote the first letter to my baby

Week 7-

Baby is the size of a blueberry
Baby’s mouth and tongue are forming
No nausea
Some constipation
Sick (but with a cold-stuffy nose, sore throat)
No food aversions

Week 8-

Baby is the size of a raspberry
Baby’s heart is beating 150 times a minute (twice as fast as mine!)
No nausea
Hungry …A LOT
Constipated
Boobs are growing
Had our first ultrasound appointment and got to hear the baby’s heartbeat!
Took our first bump picture

Week 8 was such a special week for us! After finding out we were pregnant, I was SO excited for our first appointment and couldn’t wait for week 8 to roll around. However, as we got closer, I started to get more and more nervous. Would we hear the heartbeat? I literally had stomach pains and couldn’t eat the day of our appointment. I also had no idea what to expect so that was part of my nerves. My OB-GYN was so sweet though. She was friendly and talkative and Kendrick even recognized her (we still have to figure out from where). Finally the time had come…and I looked up at the screen and waited to hear her say something. “The baby looks great,” she said…and as soon as I heard that, I was instantly at ease. Then she said “I’m just trying to get a good picture for you.” Miraculously she pointed out the head, and the bottom, and the little arms and legs starting to form. I couldn’t believe how clearly it looked like a baby…even at 8 weeks! It is truly incredible. Then we heard a sound on the monitor…the baby’s heartbeat! Kendrick had been holding back tears, it was such a special moment. I couldn’t believe that we did it; we made this baby and he or she is growing inside me!

Week 9-

Baby is the size of a green olive
Baby has ended embryonic stage and is now a fetus
Flew home to Pennsylvania for Mother’s Day to surprise my mom and told my parents that I’m pregnant! It was so special to be able to tell them in person and I had actually booked my flight home before even knowing that I was pregnant! It couldn’t have been better timing

How I told my parents:

The day after I flew in, my mom saw a box of flowers on the front porch so I brought them in and they had my name on it. I had a suspicion they were from Kendrick- so I started to get nervous that my mom was going to find out. I brought the box inside and she asked “Who are they from?” and I said I don’t know…probably Kendrick. She asked why Kendrick would be sending me flowers. I put the box on the table and opened the envelope with the note inside. Sure enough they were from Kendrick and the note said:

I turned the note over and told my mom not to look at it. I told her to get my dad and I quick ran upstairs to get the onesie I had made for them. I told them to close their eyes and hold onto a sleeve of the onesie. My mom was so excited and on the verge of tears. They opened their eyes and she screamed…she started crying and then I got tears in my eyes. We all hugged and cried and just soaked up what this moment meant.

Link for the onesie here.

Dress is Urban Outfitters; Shoes are Toms.

Week 10-

Baby is the size of a prune
Baby’s stomach and kidneys are working, producing digestive juices and urine
Finally…the word is out! We told all our family and friends this past week
Eating eggs everyday, lots of meat and english muffins
Still having strange dreams

Week 11-

Baby is the size of a lime
Baby’s hands and feet have individual fingers and toes
Kendrick and I celebrated our two year anniversary 🙂
We signed a lease for a 2-bedroom apartment

Week 12-

Baby is the size of a large plum
Baby has more than doubled in size during the past 3 weeks
Baby’s pituitary gland has started producing hormones that will enable him or her to make babies of their own…crazy!
Had my first trimester blood tests done
Kendrick and I moved to our new place!

Can’t believe how fast the first trimester went! Thanks so much for reading and following along during our journey.

Much love ❤

Angie & Baby

10 Things We Loved About Our 650 sq ft Apartment

June 1, 2016 mrskfit7 Comments

This past weekend Kendrick and I packed up and said goodbye to our little apartment we lived in for the past 3 years. During those years I’ve done my fair share of complaining about what it lacked, and poor Kendrick would have to listen to me go on and on about why we were paying so much for such a “crappy” apartment. Kendrick and I have learned to adopt a new way of thinking when it comes to our living conditions here. We realize that this is a very expensive area to live, but it also is an area of incredible opportunity. Even though we do not own our house, we do have a roof over our head. We have enough money for food, travel, and entertainment. We don’t live in a huge home, but we have sunshine about 325 days a year. We are 30 minutes south of San Francisco, and can be in Napa Valley in less than 2 hours, Lake Tahoe in 3 hours, Los Angeles in 5 hours, and have endless hiking trails right here within a 10-mile radius.

Long story short, we are VERY blessed. Our last night in our apartment, I was feeling pretty emotional and it was hitting me how good we had it; and that I had really grown to appreciate our little “cave” as we called it. Instead of finding things that I didn’t like about it, I made a list of things that we did like. I wrote the list as a letter addressed to our baby so that one day he or she can read it and know how thankful we were for our little home.

Well Baby,

This is our last night. Daddy and I have lived in this apartment almost 3 years and now it’s time to move to a bigger place to make room for you! Change is always uncomfortable and although we’ve done our fair share of complaining about our little apartment it really has been good to us.

Here are some positive things/things we are going to miss:

The big Oak tree outside our bedroom and kitchen windows. Even though we didn’t have any outdoor space we loved looking at that tree instead of a parking lot. We shared many Sunday breakfasts with that view and I will truly miss it.
Our apartment housed my little sister Lizzy for a summer and my middle sister Alishia for 3 months (after she moved from Pennsylvania). Alishia slept on our couch and Lizzy on an air mattress. Lizzy toughed it out with no A/C for a whole summer! Luckily, when Alishia moved in we had purchased an A/C unit so she didn’t have it quite as rough 😉
The peace and quiet. We got really lucky with our neighbors. We didn’t have any issues whatsoever. The woman on our left was super quiet and lived alone. And there were a couple tenants that cycled through the unit on the right. We didn’t have anyone above us which was great and unfortunately in our new place we do, so that will be something to get used to.
Having a Dishwasher. That was a great plus!
Other than a mold issue in our bathroom, we didn’t have any other substantial issues.
Having a ceiling fan in our bedroom.
Having a large storage unit for our bikes- luckily we didn’t have to keep them in our apartment! (Yes, I have friends who have had to do that.)
We were less than 2 miles from our Studio, can’t beat that! (*Ironically we moved right up the street, so we still have the same commute!)
We had exactly enough space for what we needed. We learned to love living small and only keep what we needed. It helped us to appreciate the things we did have instead of focusing on buying stuff we didn’t need.
We were in a safe neighborhood with quaint tree lined streets and nearby parks.
**Shh don’t tell anyone about this but we were within walking distance of a doughnut shop. This treat was only reserved for Sundays, the Lord’s day. (Because of course God loves doughnuts.)

As I mentioned, we actually found a great new apartment on the same exact street!! Talk about luck! Even though we no longer have a big Oak tree outside our apartment, or a ceiling fan in our bedroom; we are still close to the Studio, the doughnut shop, and a neighborhood park we can walk to with the baby.

It’s funny how God works in mysterious ways. Back in January, when I was home visiting my parents, I told my mom how Kendrick and I wanted to start a family but that I was worried because we were living in a 1-bedroom apartment. I told her I knew that it would never be perfect timing, and that we just had to trust that God would provide for us.

Here we are 5 months later and I’m seeing it all unfold. He knew what we would need before even we did.

Here’s a photo I took the last morning:

view bedroom

View from our Bedroom window

One of the positive things about our new place is our outdoor space! Being Brazilian, my husband grew up eating lots of churrasco (grilled meat). We finally were able to buy a grill and made our first meal on Sunday night!

kendrick grill

Special thank you to my sister who helped us with the move, I don’t know what we would have done without you!

❤

Angie

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