Happy Sunday

Hi Everyone.

I hope you've been doing well this weekend.  Its been busy getting all the fabrics all washed up and the designing and sewing has already began for the first season of Kalli+Alba, the modest and fun, girls clothing line.  We are going to be starting our trunk shows in the next month for our Spring and Summer fashions and would you believe it if I already told you, that I already know what my fall line is going to be? Yep! That's how far ahead I'm thinking.

Tonight is Awana's at church, and I can not wait to see all my 5th-6th grade girls again. I had to miss last week, but I always miss my girls when I'm not there.

I wanted to let you all know, encase you missed the free opportunity for my book, that it is free ONCE again and I am in the writing stages of book two in the Temporary Route Series.  You can find the first book in the series: Temporary Route: Trouble Along the way.

                                                 
  Get it today!  I also appreciate any reviews that you may leave me after you've read the book.  Try to be somewhat nice, as this is the first book I've converted from Hardcover to E-book format and I know there are some errors that I may have missed.

Also, if you've missed the Grand Launch of our new Girls Clothing Line, Here is a picture:

Happy New Year

I can't believe I have not posted since September!   Life has been kind of busy lately.
Let's see.... In September, my husband and I participated in the Talladega Half Marathon and 5k Race.  That wasn't my best 5k.. It wasn't my work either. My husband had only ran his FIRST race (a 5k) two weeks prior to this, but I am so proud of him. He ran and didn't stop for the entire 13.1 miles! He finished in about 2 hours and 14 minutes. This is incredible time!!! Especially for someone who was NEW to Running!
He has done an excellent job, lost a good deal of weight since then (including having to nearly buy an entire new wardrobe of clothing because all of his were too big!) What a great reason!!!!!

I'm impressed with my times from my Races so far. Although I have only ran 5k's, Its been fun.
Let's recount this year of races for me.
My very first 5k ever, (I walked most of it) my time was 43 mins even.
My second 5k was the Talladega Half Marathon and 5k and my time was 39 minutes
and then the Liz Hurley 5k which I did in November with both my husband and our oldest child, Our 9 year old boy (who has run several 5k's so far) was 37 minutes.  I've also participated in various VIRTUAL 5k runs as well.

I took off the month of December for running because it was really hard (schedule wise)..-I know. BAD MOMMY!  and I am paying for it now.

For the Year of 2013..Here is what I have planned so far.
My goal is to run 500 miles, with hopes of hitting 1000 before Dec 31 2013.
I have the Dirty Girl Mud run, that I am running with a few of my members from our Moms RUN this town chapter in our area.  If you are a runner, check out www.MomsRUNthistown.com   and find a chapter near you.  We have over 300 chapters across the nation and Canada. It's a free running club for moms (You can be any kind of mom, Moms of humans, mom of pets, basically as long as you have the required body parts of a woman, you can join!  ;)   Whether you walk, jog or run! Push a stroller, carry a leash, or just an ipod... Check us OUT!


In April, I have the SuperHero Scramble.  This is a 5-6 mi run with 20+ obstacles. These aren't your everyday obstacles and looks to be MUCH harder than the warrior dash.. If you like mud runs and want to be covered in SLIME, you need to go to www.superheroscramble.com and check them out.

I also would like to run in the "Lead me to the Cross" this year, as well as the Cotton Row Run again in May.  If I can, I would LOVE my first half marathon to be the Huntsville Half in November 2013.

I encourage you all to check out http://www.losebigfat.com/ as this site has a ton of information on becoming healthy!

I hope you all had a great 2012, and I look forward to posting more in 2013!
With the official launch of my Girls Modest & Fun clothing line (www.kallialba.com) and still doing the Bridal Line full speed, Its going to be a busy year.

Fall Beginnings

I know I haven't posted since July, and I can come up with a thousand excuses, but I'm not.  I just didn't get around to posting. That's my final and honest answer.

So what's been going on since the last time I posted..
Well... My husband and I just made a trip to Talladega, where he ran a Half Marathon.  Only two weeks after he ran his FIRST 5k.  Sound's crazy, right?  It is.  No lie there, but he did it! He ran the entire half, without stopping and made excellent time at 2 hours and 12 minutes.

I didn;t do so well on my 5k part but I did ok. I clocked in at 39 minutes.
Our nine year old completed his 2nd 5k since May and our almost 8 year old has taken up running as well.
Their Choice-  They love running now and make a point to go outside and run a mile or more every couple of days.  Our 2 year old like to try and chase them.

I really want to touch on something that has become a huge pet peeve of mine.....
People that constantly complain about wanting to change their life, needing to change their life, SAYING that they are changing their life, but its not working....BUT they are really just sitting there....Pretending to do all of the above..

If you really want to change your life, get healthy, then do it! If you are having a hard time, don't kill yourself over it. Everyone has those days. NO ONE SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE EASY!

Lets say your goal is to .."stop eating so much fast food".. Then do it.  Take a snack in your car with you when you are out, so when you are tempted to run through the drive thru, just because you see the sign and think "that' will taste good"-take out your healthy snack, KEEP YOUR MIND STRONG, and munch on that.

IF you want to exercise- DO IT.  You don't have to join a gym.  Start by walking in your neighborhood or even around your house.
Let me tell you this: 6 months ago, I couldn't even RUN for 2 minutes without being out of breath and stopping.. I even had a NINE week break from running/jogging to let my foot heal from an Achilles Tendon Injury, but NOW I can run an entire 5k WITHOUT stopping. (That's 3.1 miles for all of you that didn't already know that).. In fact, I can actually RUN 3 1/2 miles without stopping.-Maybe more.
I just PUSH myself because I know that If I don't ...NO ONE ELSE WILL.

I can't blame my kids, or my husband, or my parents, or my friends for ME not choosing to be healthy. I am the ONLY one in charge of the food I eat, and the exercise I do. I am the only one that is going to reach MY goals. NO ONE ELSE is able to do that for me.

That being said=-I eat junk food.. ALL THE TIME... I can't just GIVE it up.  In fact, I'm just as guilty as the next person for eating fast food. I am HORRIBLE at eating pizza several times a week.---But I am cutting back. SLOWLY.  -I even planned out an entire menu for my family this week and guess whats NOT on the list- Pizza!   What is on the list.. Yummy delicious, HEALTHY versions of Taco's, Chicken n Dumplings, Crock Pot Chicken, Sandwiches, etc.. and YES I still drink Soda's... But I've cut back a lot from the days where that was ALL I would drink.

Do you have cans of food lying around?   You can use those in the place of hand held waits. It may not be a lot, but its something.  You can do squats while watching tv, or cooking in the kitchen.  You can do to lifts while washing dishes (for those of you that do not depend on a dishwasher to do it all).  You can exercise while mopping or vacuuming.  You may look funny dancing around while doing it, but who cares!  Have a little fun with it.

When I run, and I look over at my gps tracker to see that I've hit a mile, or a half mile, or two miles. I just start smiling and telling myself that I will NOT quit!  My MIND may be saying quit, but my body is more than willing to go that extra mile!

Don't listen to the negatives in your life that tell you that you can't do it!  Turn your CAN'T into CAN and change your life.

Every small change, over time added together turns into a HUGE change!  YOU CAN reach your goals.

No, whether your goal is to gain weight, build muscle, loose weight, maintain weight, eat healthier, or even just to make your skin look better......There are ways you can get help without destroying your insides.
Click here to see how we can create a plan just for you.  Or you can click Here to see even more.
Let's just start by helping you make healthier choices!  (I'm right there with you).... A little change over time, is a HUGE change over all...... Rome wasn't built in a day.. You are NOT going to see change immediately, but give it time, and you will....Your body will thank you.  

Getting there:

So, I completed all of my week 5 C25K which is where I had to run for 20 minutes straight.  I made it 17 total and walked for 3.   I thought that was pretty good.
Yesterday I started week 6, and I was supposed to walk 5, run 5, walk 3, run 8 walk, 3, run 5 walk cooldown.
At my cool down I saw I was very close to 2.5 miles, I really wanted to hit 2.5 miles so instead of doing my cool down I ran for a few more minutes and then did my cool down.  Just so I could get in my 2.5.  After my cool down, according to my MotoActv when I finished my cool down I was at 2.66 miles, which was really neat.
I missed the deadline for the 5k run here at a local church, that I really wanted to do so I could wear my Moms RUN This Town shirt, but Now I will just have to wait until May to wear it in another 5k that My son and I are doing together. Yes, my 8 1/2 (will actually turn 9 one month after the 5k) and I are doing a 5K together.  He can run a 5k with no problem at all. Kids and All their energy.

Im still hoping to get some more ladies to join me in the Warrior Dash in TN in September to be running partners with.  My running partner may not get to go. :-(

Anyway, so with this whole 24 day challenge that I started on Tuesday.  I am already down almost 6 pounds. I checked my waist measurement (I didnt want to check the rest) and so far, I've lost one inch in my waist..Now come on Hips..CATCH UP..lol... (I didnt measure my hips so its possible an inch or half an inch is gone already)  I feel so much better. I have more energy. My skin already looks much better and I can see my belly being more flat! I'm so excited.  Click here to get the 24 day Challenge.  Its Truly amazing!

So anyway, I had a really great experience yesterday.  A week ago, Fashion Week AL contacted me while I was on vacation to design a wedding gown for an upcoming promo shoot.  I was able to do this as soon as I got back home... It took about two days, and I know if I had more time I could have done a TON better and it would have been even more amazing
The shoot  (from the sneak peek) pictures that I was shown, was totally Amazing!! An amazing photographer, stylist, hair and make up artists, and even accessory designer! AMAZING.....
I want to show you a sneak peek but I have to wait till I get the final edits back in.... SO EXCITING!!!!!!!!

Okay, thats enough for now.....Have a great day!!!! Remember-* No matter how slow you are going, you are lapping EVERYONE on the couch!