All ready to Run or Dye!

It’s a simple enough race with the distance of 3.2 miles (5k), so I was confident I would be able to make it out alive! I am not a runner, but I am a wish I was a runner kind of person. This was my second time partaking in a race. Last year I ran with my 2 girls in a 5k called Cody’s Dash. Cody’s Dash supports the Twin Cities GiGi’s Playhouse. GiGi’s Playhouse is a Down syndrome awareness and education center that provides resources, specialized teaching, and support to individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the community. I was on a team for one of our friends whose son was born with Down syndrome. The next race for Cody’s Dash is coming up on June 8th, 2013 if you want to join. They have a kids dash, music and   lots of fun!

I ran the Run or Dye with my good friend and neighbor Jenni. I was shocked at the amount of people at the event! After parking the car we had to ride a bus to the location of the race. I haven’t been on a bus in forever!

My awesome neighbor Jenni!

I was told there were 8,000 runners at the Run or Dye 5k race that day! I didn’t really know what to expect once I got there. I wasn’t sure if they threw colors at you while you run or if there was a machine somewhere you ran through?! I wasn’t surprised by the amazing outfits people where wearing. The popular attire was a poofy skirt, funky knee high socks and of course a Run or Dye T-shirt.

The must have look to run in a colorful race.

I didn’t have a poofy skirt.

There were so many people at the race we had to wait a very long time before it was our turn to run. To entertain ourselves we started to bust open our color packets that were given to us to use in Run or Dye bag the day before the race.

I got it square in the face!

So, it turns out before you step one foot onto the racing road you are already a colorful rainbow. There is no need to even run at that point! Then again I went there to RUN not Dye. The track was laid out along the Mississippi in St. Paul. It had been snowing a few days before the race and on race day it was very cold outside.

The race is not timed and I forgot my watch, so I am not sure how long it took to finish. When we were close to running across the finish line we teamed up with Jenni’s main squeeze (her Husband) and ran through it together.

Victory I made it!

Look who I ran into at the end of the race!!

There is a dance party at the band stand once you finish running. I showed off my killer moves with Jenni before heading home.

I don’t think I will run in this race again, but I am looking to join another one for this summer. Maybe one with beer and drinks when you finish running

xoxo Kelly

Do you have any fun runs you join?

A video to show you an average morning in our Urban Chicken Yard.

We don’t play with them much during the winter, but when the Spring season comes around the hens come out to play all day. This year our 3 year old Ruth has been indulging her time with entertaining herself in the coop with Lucy and Lucille.

I am thrilled every time she comes running into the house with an egg. Our brown chicken is an Easter egg layer which means she lays eggs ranging in pale blue to light green hues. We call her Lucy and she is a Araucana hen. I have a hard time chasing her around the yard and she doesn’t really like being away from her hen house.

Ruth has the special touch.

When building our chicken coop we tried to keep in mind that our dog would want to be in the backyard during the day as well, so we wanted to make the coop space large enough for the kids or myself to be able to jump into their home without being cramped. We also put up a chicken wired fence to keep them from having the company of our pet dog.

Lucille is a Strawberry eating chicken!

My sweetie Lucille is the black hen who is a Silver-Laced Wyandotte hen. I think she is beautiful! Her eggs are brown and a touch rounder than our Lucy’s eggs. I like Lucille because she is very friendly. When I go outside I make a chicken sound and say “Hey Ladies!”. Lucille is known for responding well when spoken too. She loves to roam around the backyard with all of us outside, but she also loves to peck the garden away. So, I need to keep my eyes on her when she is out and about.

The Girl’s Eggs.

My hens love their little green coop house. They also love to sleep in their nesting boxes. I have read that you can keep your eggs cleaner if you keep your hens out of their nesting boxes when they are not laying an egg. I thought to myself “Really, like I have time to worry about chickens hanging out in their boxes.” I just wash them with water before cracking them when I want to use an egg. You wouldn’t think it’s that bad if you saw where some of our eggs have been before we buy them at the store.

I love keeping chickens. I will admit I am not always the best chicken keeper, but I do enjoy having them. The kids get a kick out of them, too. I think if you are weighing the pros and cons to keeping chickens the only con is cleaning the coop in the winter!

xoxo Kelly

Let me know if you are a Backyard Chicken Keeper, too!

This is what my work looks like -

Most of the time you only see the active fun stuff we do, but once all the fun has been had I spend hours editing photos and writing posts. I love blogging and it has opened the door to many perks for our family. Muddy Flowers has it’s place in the social media world as a great Mom Blog, but my husband and I would love to create a “real” career out of running websites.

We currently run a handful of entertaining sites and some boring ones as well (lead generators). My husband is working on a couple cool sites – Studio Wars and Homebrewing Blog. The Studio Wars site is an online movie fantasy league for the movie lovers and the Homebrewing Blog is a great community for those who make their own beer/wine. We are excited to introduce our newest site called Beyond The Tent. It features our crazy family of seven camping around the beautiful state of MN and other near by states. It also will host reviews on gear, camping recipes and how to videos.

Our Camping Trailer -

I don’t want to overload you with all my ideas for the summer, so I am inviting you to join us at BeyondTheTent.com where you will be able to follow our adventures. Also, like us on Facebook and Twitter. I mainly talk camping stuff everyday on those links. I hope you like the addition to our online life.

REI Event gave us a great photo opp -

We just got home from a long weekend camping at William O’Brien State Park. Here is our video clip from our stay.

Thanks to Coates RV in Hugo, MN for sponsoring our new site without them we would be stuck in the backyard with dead grass, a Target plastic pool and some Walmart Freezes all summer long Now, get out here and go like us and tell a friend or two to join you!

xoxo Kelly

Our 5 Year Anniversary Photo

Our Family on Easter 2013

I thought I would take some time and write down 10 reasons why I love my life.

1. I have been saved by grace and I know Jesus Christ personally. 
2. My husband loves me completely. Even on my craziest of days.
3. My marriage is built on God, trust, love, communication and kisses. (MWA Babe)
4. I have been blessed to have lots of babies to love.
5. I also know pain and heartbreak. Which has made me stronger and wiser. Most of all it has drawn me closer to Christ.
6. I get to be a stay at home Mom. I love being here for my family and would not want to be anywhere else on Earth.
7. I live in a pretty little house on a cute little street with friends and family near by.
8. I have backyard chickens and a basketball hoop.
9. My Church is amazing and I love my Church peeps.
10. I really like my Mother in Law. She is fantastic! She has a heart of gold and would do anything for her kids/grandkids. I am honored to have her in my life. My Father in Law is pretty rad, too! (wink wink)
11. Did I mention I have really cool friends? (Shout out to my crew Mommies in the Hood)
12. My job as a Blogger is so fun. I love running our sites with my husband.

OK, I went over. I bet I could go on and on with all the reasons why I am one blessed lady. Now, it is your turn – take a moment and look around you. What are you most thankful for?

xoxo Kelly

Share 10 Reasons Why You Love Your Life with Muddy Flowers

Our day started at 9am at the Twin Stadium with all of the kids ready to play ball.

Pitcher and Batter

Isaiah Ready To Play

Target Field

The kids were really ready to play some baseball and couldn’t stand the wait!

Excitement!

Kids waiting to start

Jadis and Cousin

Once the event started it was clear that Ruthie was going to be a star! The camera men loved following her since there were less than 10 girls and probably over 200 boys and she was the youngest one there.

The 6 Year Olds

At one point she wondered off from her group and decided drawing in the sand was more fun than baseball, the crowd got a good laugh out of this.

Ruthie is more interested in drawing in the sand.

After a while Ruthie got her own special helper! And after that, she decided an hour of baseball was enough and came and sat with mom and dad.

Ruthie needed some one on one attention

Ruthie’s Helper

All of the kids had a great time. Each one said they learned some stuff, but did all admit it would have been more fun with their friends.

Mikaela Throwing

And Catching

Keegan learning skillz!

Jadis kind of paying attention.

Need some Starbucks on these chilly long mornings!

Kids even got to meet Al Newman!

Al Newman

Even got interviewed by Mr. Tom Hanneman!

Does This Mean I’m Famous?!?

Everyone had a great day, learned a lot and got some great memories.

Maybe Someday

-Ryan

“Man, if only I had a better plan for losing this left over baby weight.”

 Ruthie right before her Birthday!

I am pleased to share with you some simple tips to losing the baby weight from my friend and workout coach Christy Verness!

Whether you’re new to fitness, or looking for a way to make it more exciting, just know that it doesn’t have to be complicated! Small changes can add up to big results over time! Think baby-steps, or bite-size efforts! Small changes are easier to fit into your life, and easier to maintain for the long haul! Keep it real! Keep it simple!

Instead of telling yourself, I’m never going to eat ice cream or pizza again, use a small dish, so that you can still enjoy your favorite foods…in MODERATION! Replace one can of soda with water per day. Swap out that bag of chips for an apple or celery sticks dipped in peanut butter. Pack your lunch, instead of going out to eat on your lunch break. Start every day with a healthy breakfast.

You don’t have to commit to working out for an hour every day – start out by setting a goal that 3x this week you’re going to log 20-30 minutes of exercise. Maybe it’s 10 minutes in the morning before work, or before the kids wake up, another 10 minutes at lunch time, and 10 minutes while dinner’s cooking. That adds up to 30 minutes! Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park farther away. Play tag or do the monkey bars with your kids at the playground. Go for a walk, or climb the stairs at work on your breaks.

When I first started my fitness journey, I was doing weight watchers – I quickly learned that a donut was not worth nearly half of my daily calorie allowance. Now, I make swaps – for instance, if I want a burger & fries, I will order the burger without the bun, so that I can “afford” to eat a few french fries! My husband and I always split our dessert, and I make a habit of ordering water, instead of soda when we go out to eat! All those efforts, even though they’re small – they count, and they make a difference!

Remember, make small, gradual changes that you can live with – think of it as a LIFESTYLE change, not a diet or a quick fix! And, the most important thing is – you must BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! Believe that you can do this, and believe that you are worth it! Not only are you changing your own life, you’re setting an example for your kids, for your husband, and for those closest to you!

 Christy Verness

If you are looking to get more out of your workout or if you are just starting jump over to Christy’s FB page for tips, guides and highlights. Thanks Christy for the post I can’t wait to lose the weight!

xoxo Kelly

I am a huge fan of planting things that you will actually use. That is why we plant a ton of corn! My close friend April is planning on planting only foods that she can use to prepare homemade baby food. When your space is limited or if you just don’t want to deal with a large garden, window box gardens are a wonderful idea.

 How to Grow Salad Window Boxes

Making a salad window box brings life to your yard and healthy food to your table. In a salad window box you can plant really nutritious cut-and-come-again varieties of leaves. Which you can cut and eat within a few weeks of each meal. The best part about these leaves are the sweet tastes and you can plant them so close to each other. Making them a great window box choice.

Did you know the larger and longer your box is the less likely it is to get too dry?

Make sure you have the box deep enough for the roots and give your window box enough drainage holes to get the most growth from your greens. Typically you would want them to be at least 6 inches deep. My window boxes actually get too much sun for plants, oh I also forget to water them This year I think I am going to try making a salad window box, too. We will see how it goes. To help keep moisture in your boxes it is a good idea to set a drainage tray inside the window box. They also help prevent water and mud from slashing onto your siding. Another idea is to use pebbles in the bottom of the window box to help with the moisture.

If you are unsure of what type of leaves to purchase, seed companies offer packets that are already made with leaves that taste great together and look amazing as well. I have read that it is wise when building a salad to pick 3 different varieties of leaves for your bowl. An example for this summer would be Lollo Rossa, Oak Leaf and Giant Red. I would plant Salad Rocket in a box of it’s own because it grows so fast. You can plant Rocket leaves a touch later stretching out your salad mixes for the season.

Add a pot of tomatoes on the steps and you will have created a smart choice meal that took hardly any space or time.

Happy Planting

xoxo Kelly

Send me any photos of your garden. I would love to see your homegrown veggies/fruits!

I never would have given them a second look, but I was asked to try them out and here I am LOVING THEM!

All thoughts and opinions are my own, I am so thrilled to have this opportunity to work with Wal-Mart and receive White Cloud Diapers for my little one to try out.

You might be thinking “Kelly, why in the world are you talking about Walmart diapers?”. The answer is because I like most of you am a parent and like most of you who are parents diapering the bottoms of our children is a big deal. Today there are a variety of ways to diaper our babies. Cloth (tried it), Huggies (tried it), Run Free (they love it), Pampers (my main choice) and the “cheap diapers” (never trust them)… until now.

Here is the deal as a blogger I sometimes get the chance to try products out for a review. Sometimes I get paid for reviews, but always my opinion is real and I always share the truth of my option with you. This is the low down on Walmart’s White Cloud Diapers. They know the market isn’t a huge fan of the off brand diapers because some of the off brands leak or break. Walmart understands our concerns as parents. They want to bring a real trustworthy brand to their stores for us to purchase. They also know diapers tend to put a real dent in the wallet, so they are proud to reintroduced their premium line of White Cloud Diapers. A diaper that is lower cost without losing any quality. Those are my own words and I mean them!

After a week of trying the diapers in size 3 and 6 I was invited with some other bloggers to a party at the Blast Playland! Hosted by White Cloud Diapers.

I got to drive my new truck there!

I also had Jadis skip a little school to join us at the party. Yep, I am a fun Mom!

The party room was lined with more samples for us to take home. Which I was thrilled because they are awesome diapers. Way better than I thought they would be and I live near a new Walmart, so I think these are my new favorite diapers. No joke.

We even had special cookies and cake!

Isaiah wanted to eat the table instead. Crazy boy!

We had a ton of fun playing at The Blast Play place in Eagan. My best friend ET was with us. I am slowly turning her into a blogger.

Like Mothers like Daughters – BFFs

I have enjoyed these diapers so much I plan on giving some to my sister-in-law as a gift. She is due to have a baby boy in 3 DAYS!

We played games during the White Cloud Diaper Event, like smell the diaper and guess which baby food it is. Fun, but kinda gross at the same time.

My kids enjoyed playing with the other blogger children and I would highly suggest visiting The Blast in Eagan if you live in the Twin Cities.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of White Cloud Diapers.  I had a great time at the event and I am happy to say I learned that just because the price tag on White Cloud Diapers is lower than my normal diapers it doesn’t change the fact that they are wonderful diapers. They do the job they are meant for very well. I will be buying them again in the near future.

Diapering can be one of the biggest expenses in a family’s weekly budget and a great performing diaper is a must-have for parents. In order to make this affordable, Wal-Mart has reintroduced their premium line of White Cloud diapers to address the needs of today’s busy parents.

White Cloud Diapers provide your baby the highest quality diaper with superior leakage protection, exceptional softness and great fit. White Cloud Diapers are available exclusively at Walmart, where you can find low prices everyday on all your family’s needs. Check them out today!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of #WhiteCloudDiapers.

Thanks Walmart for giving us awesome diapers to use!!

xoxo Kelly

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