Deleting the naughty...with PopSugar Must Have January

PopSugar Must Have seems to have been getting a lot of bad press lately...I have read so many complaints and rants on how disappointed people were with the luxury box, December's box and now this month's. I did not order the Luxury one, $100 for that was not a priority. But, I really liked December's, the mugs are still awesome and I really liked the products in it. With that being said, I was still worried about January because of the obvious focus things tend to take on fitness and health amid resolutions. Lots of boards were ready to pounce before there were any spoilers.

 My take? I really liked the January box. See below!

Merithew Stability Ball:
I love this! I have been going back and forth for a year about buying one of these since I quit the gym (because of my working at home/stay at home mom schedule...not because I'm a quitter). I recently bought one 12 lb dumbbell, planning to buy a second and I am set for a little mini home gym now! I wish the ball was silver or black, but that's ok, at least now I have one. It also came with the pump. PopSugar included a card that showed a few exercises I can do to get started.

The Remix Timebomb Watch:
I am not normally a watch wearer, but the fact that I received the black one meshes well with my workout gear :) I have been just using my phone, and it's probably not the best tool to have on a 5k. It's not uber-fancy, but it will do the trick with the second hand going around. I am glad I got black! The lights are cool, the kids will mess with it I am sure. It has a ginormous face...I will look like those little 3rd graders with the big watches from the 80's, but I don't care! Also, the watch is not water-resistant, but is splash proof, meaning it can get a little wet, just not submerged.

Epicuren Discovery Lip Balm:
This balm is a pleasant little surprise. Loved the tea tree in it, gave my lips a tingly, refreshing feel. The smell is a little medicinal because of the tea tree, but I really don't mind it, it felt great on my lips and took away the burn of chapping. With an SPF of 15, it is definitely my new go-to balm for the cold Minnesota winter. My 4 year old, Peanut, even likes it.

Popbar Hot Chocolate on a Stick:
I hope this bar is all it promises to be...what better way to spend my afternoon writing than with a cup of hot cocoa...and made with milk, too. Two bars came in the box, one milk chocolate, the other dark chocolate. You just fill a cup with 8 oz. of hot milk, put the hot chocolate on a stick in the cup and stir for a couple minutes until you get the chocolate-i-ness of your desire. Step 4? Enjoy.

Jet-Puffed Vanilla Mallow Bits:
Miniature marshmallows. I would say you can't go wrong, but I don't eat them unless they are in a Krispy Bar. But...I have two little critters who love them, and will be enjoying them in their own cups of hot cocoa. Mind you, not my cocoa on a stick. Sorry - not sharing! They will have cocoa, too, and loaded with the mallow bits. Ok, wait...I just tried them, and I might have to have an occasional handful.  They are actually tasty, sweet and a little bit crunchy. I give in.

Think Thin Bars:
PopSugar labeled these as special extras in the box. I received three bars: ThinkThin Crunch, caramel chocolate dipped mixed nuts bar; ThinkThin High Protein Bar, creamy peanut butter; and ThinkThin Divine, a dark chocolate coconut bar. I can't try one right now because I am eating the mallow bits, but I am sure they are good. They look better than some of those natural raw bars, which I think are disgusting.

Also in the box: a voucher for Casetagram for instagram and facebook photos which I won't use and a coupon for $1.00 off two ThinkThin bars.

Final thoughts: A lot - and I mean a lot - of people have been complaining about the ball being in the box, also complaining about the watch. You know, you can't please everyone and it is their business on how they run their business and what they see trending, so it's a chance you take.  If you hate it..unsubscribe.


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Deleting the naughty...with another 5k

I knew in order to keep up the 5k momentum, I needed to register for the next one as soon as possible after signing up for the first one. I signed up for the Fargo Mini Marathon 5k with a friend from church. She is as much a newbie as I am so it was perfect. I ran into at least 6 people I knew in the first 5 minutes at the packet pickup the night before; I was in good company. I brought my kids along to the expo and they had a little obstacle course set up on the main floor that they went through at least 2 to 3 times each. Nothing wrong with burning off a little of their endless energy!

Things were a little uncertain all week. I was on the verge of backing out of my second 5k. It is definitely fall and had been raining for the last two days, and high wind warnings for the previous 24 hours. Being out in the open on the high plains with this kind of weather was not my idea of a good time. But, the rain cleared out during the early morning hours and I heard a rumor the sun was going to shine. So, I crawled out of bed at 6:30 on a Saturday morning to brave the 40 degree temperature.

The wind was calm, the sky was overcast and it was chilly. You would think growing up in Minnesota would mean you get used to the cold, but you don't. You just get through it. The race was delayed slightly for still arriving participants. The traffic was horrible, there was no traffic control on that entrance and people were all seeming to be running as behind as me, which was 45 minutes early. Learned my lesson on that one. Fortunately, my husband drove me and we picked a corner and I just jumped out of the truck and ran to the line to get there in time. I found my friend and we headed toward the back of the start line since we were going to be mostly walking.

Unfortunately, there isn't really much else to say about this one. The scenery was just wide open empty space. It was in a new developing part of town so it was mostly construction zones, new housing development and plowed over former fields and no trees. They had one 3-piece band around the half way point of the 5k and couple people cheering on various corners. It wasn't very entertaining.

On a positive note, I had great company and  a day out doing something fun for my health is what matters.

Swag Rating: Decent
We got a really soft and nice gray crewneck t-shirt with a cool logo. The 10k and half got a long sleeve shirt and an Adidas bag.  All finishers got medals.

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Deleting the naughty…with 5k's

I've achieved something I didn't think would happen.  I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Mind you, it was a slow process and took almost 3 1/2 years.  By eating normal portions and moving around chasing these kids, it happened.

I want to maintain this so I decided for my own benefit to start doing 5k's.  I am by no means a runner, nor do I have the desire to run.  I need my knees. But I am a great walker, and a wannabe part-time jogger.

I decided my first 5k needed to be something simple, close to home and low pressure. I found it with my college alma mater and their homecoming 5k.  Yup, that'll work. I talked my sister-in-law into doing it with me and we signed up.

The day arrived and it was chilly but absolutely gorgeous outside. The sun was shining and the leaves were turning. There were about 100 people and at first we were the oldest people and alumni there. But people trickled in and the atmosphere picked up. It was homecoming after all.

We all lined up and we got the go. I was doing it. My first 5k.  We power walked in between mini spurts of jogging and talking while walking. While they could have chosen a more scenic route around the campus, it was nice to revisit the old stomping grounds and see the changes made since I graduated in the mid 90's. I did not trip, I did not fall.

 We finished in 53 minutes, which I considered a success. 3.1 miles in under an hour is great considering I don't walk that distance regularly. I got to chat with my sister-in-law, she is now hooked and we are planning our next one.

And I got a t-shirt, we all know it's really about the shirt and the swag. Not about how we've deleted some naughty by getting off the couch and moving it.


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