Average vs. Awesome Workout

Happy Tuesday everyone! Today I'm linking up with Jessica and Jill as part of the Tuesday Fit Dish link-up party. Every Tuesday there is a new fitness/health related topic to discuss and today's topic is "What's the difference between an average vs. awesome workout?".

I know for a fact that I can definitely tell a difference between an average regular workout, and one that is amazingly awesome.... But what is it exactly that makes those workouts awesome?!?! I think the key word here is preparation, preparation, preparation!!!!

Is there such thing as being overly prepared when it comes to working out? I don't think so.

One of the main contributors to being prepared is proper core nutrition - before AND after workouts. I know that I feel a hell of a lot better when I workout after a day of clean eating rather than after I eat junk like pizza and candy (two of the items I have consumed way too much of in the past week)!! Along with clean eating, I rely on my AdvoCare products to help me feel my best. Some of my favorites are Spark, Catalyst, & Rehydrate!

Along with proper core nutrition, every girl needs to feel their best during workouts, and what better way than to feel comfortable and good in your workout attire? This is an area I probably spend a little too much money in but can you really put a price on a good workout?.... No! =) Here are some of my favorites.... My go to running shoes - Brooks Adrenaline GTS and my favorite brand of workout clothes is, surprise, surprise, lululemon. One of my favorite tanks is actually on sale right now... check it out  - it is seriously the best for the gym!

And maybe one of the most important aspects of an awesome workout is the music you are listening to. I love creating playlists on Spotify. Here is a list of some of my favorite songs on my playlist right now:

1 - David Guetta: Dangerous (theeee BEST workout song right now)
2 - Chase Rice: Ready Set Roll
3 - Kenny Chesney: American Kids
4 - Ariana Grande: Break Free
5 - Iggy Azalea: Black Widow
6 - Tiesto: Red Lights
7 - David Guetta: Bad
8 - Maroon 5: Animals

As you can see, everything I mentioned above has to do with preparing for your workout. If you aren't properly prepared for an awesome workout, it's not going to happen!

What do you think the key to an awesome workout is? Please share in the comments, I'd love to hear everyone else's opinions. =)

Halloween Recap

Halloween this year came and went so fast! Mason wanted to be Spider-Man so when the costume went on sale at the Disney Store, I couldn't pass it up! hehe..... Sticking with the super hero theme, we had a Batman costume that our neighbor friend passed down to us so Owen got to wear that one!

The week leading up to Halloween day was very eventful. On Monday, we went to a costume party in the park with Owen's friends (and siblings). It was so much fun getting all the kids together and watching them run around in their costumes. I always feel like the craziest mom with my two boys when we go out. For some reason, I am the one who is always running around, sweating, chasing after her two boys that are always running in opposite directions, and causing trouble. At the park, Owen managed to fall off the bridge on the play structure while I was tending to Mason (he walked away perfectly fine), and Mason managed to poor himself a cup of the "mummy juice" and take a big sip, while I was tending to Owen (yes, it had alcohol in it)...... UGH! It never stops!! Sometimes I wonder why I even take them to group get togethers because it almost always turns into an embarrassment for me. I guess this is just the joys of having kids, right?

On Tuesday, the boys and I went to Tanaka Farms with my mom to check out the pumpkin patch and other Halloween fun. Mason's favorite part of the place was definitely the corn maze. He led the way and made it through the maze like a pro! We picked out a BIG pumpkin and I let Mason decide which design he wanted me to carve on that one. He chose for me to carve a pirate kitty (see pumpkin pictures below). After our Tanaka Farm adventure, we headed to In N Out for lunch. Both boys had so much fun. Lesson learned at Tanaka Farms - porta-potties are NOT funny with toddlers!!! =(

On each day of the week, we took a walk around our street to look at all of the Halloween decorations. There is one house in particular that my boys LOVE. It's actually the creepiest, messed up Halloween decorated house if you ask me. There are zombies - all types of zombies...... mom zombies rocking baby zombies, baby zombies with painted blood everywhere eating brains, kid zombies eating arms, etc. Then there is this dog that when you get close enough, jumps out at you.... .my boys were obsessed! 

Owen insists on hugging these two every time we walk by

On Wednesday, we met some new neighbors and decorated some Halloween cookies. My boys had a blast playing with some different toys and there were tons of little boys to play with.

On Thursday Mr. Owen got a much needed hair cut. I have no pictures from the actual haircut because he SCREAMED THE ENTIRE TIME! It was brutal, and it was weird, because it was his 3rd haircut and he had never screamed and cried the entire time before.

I have to post this next picture because it was a proud mom moment and I realized how my big boy is getting so very independent these days. When we were at the mall, Mason had to go potty and didn't want me to go in the stall with him. So I said okay, told him not to touch a thing, and to open the door if he needed help. I snapped a picture because I was so proud, lol.

On Halloween, Mason went to school in the morning and Owen and I ran some errands and made some Halloween treats. We made these Candy Corn Chocolate Pretzel treats! They were SO EASY and SO GOOD! Here's what we did: Bought a bag of pretzels, a bag of Hershey's Hugs Kisses, and a bag of candy corn. Preheat the oven to 250F degrees. While the oven was preheating, Owen and I unwrapped the kisses and placed a kiss on each of the pretzels. We put the pretzels on parchment paper so they wouldn't stick to the pan. Then we put the pretzels with the Hugs on them, in the oven for about 5 minutes - just so that the Hugs were soft and barely starting to melt.. We took them out of the oven and put a piece of candy corn on each of the Hugs and pressed down. Put them in the refrigerator until they were ready to be eaten!! Like I said, super easy. =)

We went a little early to pick up Mason from school to watch the Halloween parade. All the kids dressed in orange and paraded around the school with some type of craft they made. Mason was too cool to wave to us when he walked by during the parade!!!! I took a video and it's pretty funny, with him smirking. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to upload a video yet and that is all I have.

After school we came home, took naps, and geared up for our big night. We went to our neighbors for a little pre Halloween pizza party and took some pictures with the kids in costume. They all looked great and were so excited to go Trick - o - Treating!

Now, as I write this on Monday morning following Halloween, I am so wanting to throw out the rest of my kids candy. I ate WAY too much of their candy over the weekend and unfortunately, it's not gone yet =(
.