Why we love our MJ

Why we LOVE Matilda Jane

"It's all about keeping a little girl...a little girl. Keeping her youthful. Keeping her spinning and twirling and carefree. And most importantly, bringing her happiness." – Denise DeMarchis, designer and founder.

Buying for a little girl is way more fun than I ever imagined, however, it comes with its challenges even with my daughter at such a young age. Just as our fashion trends change so do our little girls fashion. It scares me to think of what Jaylee will be asking me to wear when she's 15. I will just hold out until then and not go there with my thoughts. For now, I love dressing her in things that will keep her looking like the little girl she needs to be. So many times we (yes, including myself here) try to make our kids grow up faster than they really need to & we just need to let them be kids. I love that Matilda Jane expresses this in their collections. 

Its trendy, cute, & all Daddy's LOVE it!

Not only do they offer adorable & fun options for our girls but they also are about GIVING! Matilda Jane is all about giving back & spreading the love. They support Mighty Acorn Foundation to work finding sponsors for children & building an orphanage. They also support locally through Habitat for Humanity. Who doesn't love a win/win?! 

Ok, so maybe you have never heard of Matilda Jane before.... You are in for a treat! :)

You can find their website here. This will give you all the details on how buying Matilda Jane works. I will be hosting my first EVER trunk show soon. I will be keeping all of you posted as you can order online. 

Looking for a trunk keeper? Contact me via email for information on how to find a trunk keeper near you! 

Thanks for visiting my blog today! 

Sarah Grace 

Knocked up Athlete....AGAIN.

So, it looks like I am at it again... a knocked up runner/athlete. Its a joyous thing. I have worked out through majority of all my pregnancies & I feel like its the one thing that makes me feel GOOD. Some people have asked what I have been doing while pregnant & honestly I have been doing the same things I did before I was pregnant.... however, I am listening more to my body & when it is begging for rest. Once the second trimester comes just around the corner I will slow down things like ab workouts & running at such a quick pace. For now, I am getting a good workout in & enjoying the sweat. 

I have been doing my best to keep a healthy diet but still enjoying the foods I splurge on... Ok, so I still am drinking coffee but limited it to ONE cup a day. Yes, I know, you can sympathize with me...only ONE. :) 

Things I have been craving: Fresh fruit, cottage cheese, occasional steak (I am NOT a meat lover), & gatorade

What was your weirdest craving during pregnancy? Post below in the comments section! I would love to hear!

So what have I really been doing in my workouts?

Here is my schedule:

M, W, F-  Chick Fitness Bootcamp

This is my 3rd year doing this bootcamp & my 2nd time while pregnant! I LOVE the chicks that I get to see early morning 3x week. We do a variety of things throughout the week...Tabata, circuits, weight training, challenges, etc. I am so excited to be here longer this year to keep up the workouts with these chicks! Best thing about going at 5:30 am is that my workout is done before anyone in my house is awake! I can spend the rest of my day with my family. It also makes for a great excuse to get in a power nap when the kids take their naps! 

Recently I have completed 2 5k's here in Florida:

Care Net for Life 5k

&

TCBA Scholarship Fund 5K

*I have NOT been running like I would like to be on a regular basis. My goal is to jog twice a week a minimum of 2 miles. 

If you are wanting to get pregnant or already "knocked up" please talk to your doctor about your workout routine & make sure it is appropriate for you & the baby! 

Needing a little inspiration swing on over to my sister-in-laws blog! She inspires me & is the best knocked up runner I know! She can help you with your running goals as a new momma too! Here is her link: KnockedupRunner

I will continue posting updates on my workout routines as they change throughout my pregnancy! 

Next up on the blog:

Why we love Matilda Jane

In Love,

Sarah Grace

My burdened heart as we become a family of 6.

"But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." 

Galatians 4:4-6

"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers & sisters, you were doing it to me!'

Matthew 25:40

Let's be honest, I am NOT a writer nor do I claim to be one. I do, however, have a burdened heart that is bursting at the seams to share with others. So, without further or do, here is my heart in a nut shell.

It all started when I found out I was pregnant for the second time & I would be stepping onto Haiti soil 12 weeks pregnant. I will never forget the little faces that stared back at me & followed me around everywhere we went. The small, adorable faces that would stare at us in the mornings during breakfast through the fence longing to be loved, fed, & cared for by a mommy & daddy. I will never forget the little girl who wouldn't crack one grin until I took her off to the side of the crowd, cleaned her up with baby wipes, held her for hours, sang to her, & fed her a granola bar then finally came her beaming white grin that is instilled in my heart to this day. I couldn't wait to get back to tell Jeremy my heart but I physically hurt to think of leaving this place they called Haiti without a child to bring home. 

It took a few years for Jeremy's heart to be on the same page as mine about adoption but I knew that someday he too would have a burden on his heart for the orphans. He is an amazing daddy & loves kids so I knew it wouldn't take much for God to prepare his heart. Our friends encouraged us last year to bring home a foster son to stay for the holidays. It was a great program to allow all the kids in the Laura Dester shelter here in Tulsa to have a family to spend Thanksgiving with & not be alone. We were thrilled to bring in a 4 year old broken soul. This precious boy not only won the heart of our then 2.5 year old son but broke our hearts in two. Every night it took hours of praying, reading, rubbing his head to get him to sleep. I remember Jeremy being so upset that there were kids who couldn't sleep at night out of fear. Needless to say, his heart was burdened & would forever be changed.

Fast forward to this off season where we are surrounded by love, support, and many adopted families in our life. We have made best friends who share a common burden… hearts for the orphans. They have a little boy who is from Uganda & has completely stolen our whole families hearts along with many other families & their adopted little loves. After months & months of knowing someday we would adopt ourselves we came to a conclusion that we, too, were ready to adopt. I denied it for awhile to be honest…. its scary. There was a specific afternoon where Jeremy & I both got in the car, looked at each other, & without saying anything he said "ok, lets do it"…. I knew what he meant, bawled my eyes out,  & that was it…. it was our turn to bring home an orphan. We want lots of kids & just felt this was the right timing for our family.

Fast forward again to a few days ago. I had been exhausted more than normal, grouchy, & lets get real… bloated. For a few months we had prayed to have a baby of our own & I thought that maybe that desire meant adoption was next & not a baby growing in my belly… wrong. Friday afternoon the stick read PREGNANT. A part of me was so thrilled as we had prayed for another baby but the other part of me hurt because I knew we would have to push the adoption process back another year. 

God knows our children. He knows the ones who grow inside my belly & the ones we will fly across the ocean to bring home. He has a plan & we are beyond excited to see what is revealed through the whole thing. We have been so blessed more than we could ever imagine & I pray through our journey that we can impact others lives, be transparent, educate them on the adoption process, & encourage others to adopt.

In the meantime, bring on the maternity clothes, doctor appointments, donuts,  stretch marks, & lopsided running for this momma! I love all my babies & my incredible husband! Thank you all for all of your encouraging words & support! We can't wait to update you more in the near future!

I am clinging to this verse & embracing it as each step comes. I want to enjoy my children & each stage they go through… I dont want to rush a thing but my burden heart is ready. 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." 

Philippians 4:6

To my husband: I can't imagine doing life with anyone else! You truly are my best friend. Thank you for being the leader of our home. You make me feel special everyday & I adore watching you with our kids.

To my Jace & Jaylee: I love you beyond words. You are the reason this momma's heart is burdened because I saw you every time I looked into those children's eyes in Haiti. I love being your momma! I learn from you every single day.

To our baby in my growing belly: Mommy & Daddy have prayed for you & cannot wait to meet you! Get ready because you have two siblings ready to teach you all kinds of ornery things & lots of people who already love you.

To our future baby in Uganda: Mommy & Daddy cannot wait to meet you & see you face to face. You might not even be born yet but I know God has perfectly choreographed the details for you to be ours. We know God has allowed us to be your parents & we do not take that lightly. We don't even know you yet but love you more than you will ever know.

Love,

Sarah Grace

Overcomer

                   

I have been listening to this song while I have been training for the marathon. It has been one of those songs that kicks my pace up a notch & I feel like I am passing everyone else in front of me during the race. Most of the time I am the only one out on the roads & just look a little silly...but its fun to pretend:)

Sunday morning my alarm clock went off at 4:45 am & the day had come that I would overcome an inner fear of mine after what happened a few years ago in Dallas. It was a beautiful fall morning in Chicago & the marathon was within my reach.

Once we crossed the starting line a rush of adrenaline overflowed & we were off. The first few miles were a blur considering the large mass of people we were maneuvering through to keep pace & suddenly we were at mile 5. As we came up to a bridge this song was blasting from a tent nearby. I remember telling Erica that we had already become overcomers but lets sing this song again at mile 25 in case we doubt ourselves too! ha!

     There were so many awesome people cheering us on throughout the whole race. We even had our own fans following us around that day! Our husbands Jeremy & Mark, plus, our friend, Amanda, were the best. Seeing familiar faces always makes you push a little harder. We were able to see them multiple times throughout the race.

 Mile 9 our friends from Lululemon were cheering us on with their awesome dance party. Mile 15-20 I checked out mentally & was just running on a high. Mile 20-23 were blah & by mile 24 we could see the end in sight! About mile 24.5 the cupid shuffle song came on & my legs got a little stronger. No, not because I just love the song but I love the little boy who use to bust out in dance at the baseball games during this song. I started dancing ridiculously like Jace. By this point in the race you really don't care what others think!  Then, another half to a mile later another "Jace song" came on & I wanted to dance & cry all at the same time. Something about thinking of your kids & showing them that they can push themselves to reach their goals is priceless. Ok, maybe I am just that emotional at that point that almost anything made me cry? Who knows. It was an emotional day!

 Anyway, mile 26 Erica reminded me that this wasn't hard. Carrying a bucket of water for 3 miles on my head down a hill in over 100 degree weather with my babies waiting on me is hard. How dare we quit now. So, we didn't. All I could think about was the women in Haiti who do anything & everything to take care of their families. I could see their faces staring at me like they did as we drove by in our tap tap. I saw the mom who joyfully washed her kids clothes in a bucket full of dirty water while singing so pretty. Needles to say, we picked up the pace & pressed on towards the finish line! Wow! What a rush!

Call me crazy but I will definitely be doing that again! :)

What is your marathon? What is something in your life that you feel you just can't beat? Decide today that you too will persevere!

My end of the year running goals:

Tulsa Run 15k

Route 66 Half Marathon

Dallas Half Marathon

My Running Journey: From the beginning.

       

My baby girl (Jaylee),  myself, Grams (Darla), Knocked^Runner (Meg), handsome nephew (Grayson) & our rockstar cousin (Brenda)

           My awesome sister-in-law asked me to share my running journey on her blog this week. I was so honored to share my story with her followers! I am beyond excited about where my running journey is taking me to next. A week from Sunday I will be running the Chicago Marathon! I will be blogging this week about some details coming up & some personal goals! I thought it would be appropriate to share my story on my own blog so here it goes :)

****If you haven't followed Megan's (sister-in-law) blog yet please go do so! You can find it here!

Well, I guess I will start from the beginning...

Growing up I played multiple sports & most of the time running was a punishment so, therefore, it was not something I ever really looked forward to doing... at all.  It wasn't until college that I really learned to embrace running. I didn't go overboard in the beginning by any means. I would run 3-4 miles at a time, max. It wasn't until after having our first son, Jace, that I really jumped in with both feet to the running world.

During both of my pregnancies I stayed very active & ran almost throughout the whole 9 months. I have to say though, working out for the first few times post baby was the hardest thing I have ever had to do . I couldn't sit on the toilet for weeks! Seriously, high fives for all you momma's out there that get out there & work out after having a baby! Its not easy but let me tell you something… its so worth it! Way to go!! (insert those high fives here)

After finishing my first 5k post baby I realized that there isn't anything much better than seeing your babies at the finish line. I believe it represents more than just a good run but being a leader. You might not be a mom yet & that's ok. You are inspiring friends, family, co-workers, etc. & maybe someday your babies. For all you momma's out there you might be able to relate to me. It allows me to show my kids work ethic, endurance, passion, mental toughness, sacrifices, healthy & active lifestyle, self discipline., etc. I know that every time I lace up my shoes to go for a run that little eyes will be watching me. My son, Jace, who is 3 yrs old now loves to tell people when they ask us what we do that we "run" in our family. Although, most people mean occupation with that question it makes for a good laugh & secretly makes this momma proud! 

My first full marathon was a complete disaster… or so I thought. I got the first stage of hypothermia at mile 20 & was pulled off the race due to my conditions. It was humiliating to say the least. What I found though was that it didn't make me the failure I felt I had become. It was an opportunity to show my son & others that just because you get knocked down doesn't mean you can't get back up. You aren't a failure when you are knocked down but when you quit. I wasn't quitting. On October 13th, 2013 I will be running a full marathon again & will be crossing the finish line. I so badly wanted to throw in my "mommy running towel" after my first experience with a full marathon but chose not to give up. Wherever you are in life right now remember that just because you have a set back doesn't make you a failure. If you ate that piece of cake or missed your run or whatever it might be do better tomorrow. Make a small shift & get focused again! You can do it!

"You aren't big steps from anything, only small shifts from everything." -Keith Kochner

Not only do I run to influence my kids & others but I run for myself. I have learned to embrace the long runs & allow this time of running to be "me time". Most days I don't even get to go to the bathroom alone so going for a run is a treat. Can I get an amen mom's?  Sometimes I run with music & other times I let it be quiet. When I get my run in for the day I feel as if I am better for it. Lately I have enjoyed running my long runs on the weekends with friends. It's been a great way to pass time & have someone push you to finish what you set out to get done that day! Or just to make sure you wake up & get there! :) 

Running is something that I don't ever want to take lightly.  I love the diversity of a race & the simple miles around my neighborhood. I love the adrenaline of running with people cheering you on for 26.2 miles & the stillness of the mornings when no one else is awake yet. It doesn't matter how far or how slow you go, you still lapped someone today who didn't get out & do it! I hope that this post inspires you to get going, keep going, or be confident in where you are going!  If you are a mom my prayer is that you are inspired to influence your kids in a positive way with your actions & not just words. It doesn't have to be running but remember that you are their biggest influence & their little eyes are watching you! 

"Tough runs don't last. Tough mothers do!" -Unknown

XO,

Sarah Grace

Cute as a button.

Cute as a button & sew much fun! Our little Princess turned ONE!

I can't believe our little princess is already having her first birthday party. I had so much fun decorating & getting things together for her theme! I am already looking forward to Jace (big bro) turning 4 & throwing him a big bash! 

She acted like such a lady with her cupcake. Definitely not what we expected from this girl!

I ordered some cute plastic mason jars with straws from here.    

Jaylee & Sadie

Such sweet, sweet girls.

Opening presents...

She loved the wrapping paper.... of course!

                                                                                 

Feeling so blessed by all the wonderful people in our life who love our kids so much. Not only the people who came on Sunday but everyone we know & love! 

Thank you to all our friends & family who support us in our adventures! 

Love,

The Hefner's

Paleo Waffles

      I have been trying to find the right way to begin my blog up again & honestly have truly struggled. You might have read my previous posts from other blogs I have tried to create & couldn't keep going. I have decided to blog as I embrace life each day. My posts will not be over one specific topic but over different ways I desire to embrace life on a daily basis! 

      Today I decided to venture out of our traditional homemade waffles because, well, lets be honest momma Jace was really craving them! Ha! Here is the recipe! These are super easy & taste wonderful! My goal this off-season (fall & winter for non-baseball people) is to cook & bake MORE! Here is to a great start! :)

Recipe from: paleoparents.com

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4-5 

Ingredients

1 medium banana

1 medium apple, peeled & cored

1 cup smooth almond butter

2 eggs

1 tbsp arrowroot powder

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

coconut spray 

Directions

1. Pour the almond butter into the bowl & use mixer. Whip butter with whisk on high for 2-3 minutes or until smoothed & fluffed. (its not going to be too fluffy)

2. Cut the banana & apple into large chunks. Place into food processor & puree until smooth. Add the fruit & the remaining ingredients up to the baking soda to the almond butter. Whip until combined. 

3. Grease waffle maker with coconut spray. Preheat waffle maker.

4. Pour just enough batter into the waffle so that it won't overflow, slightly more than halfway filled. Cook until browned about 3-5 minutes depending on how strong the waffle maker is. Remove from waffle maker & cool. Serve immediately.

*You can also freeze them! Let me cool & place them into freezer bags. Heat them up when desired :)

ENJOY! 

We like to put almond butter or peanut butter on top of our waffles with a little syrup! Yes, the butter is kind of repetitive but worth it! I was really impressed by how much these waffles did not taste "healthy"

XO,

Sarah Grace