HELLO
Mom to Iris. Wife to Todd. Our little family lives at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We love it here and I love sharing little bits of our life.

© 2014 sarahfortune.

+

Category : Life

Box Tops – A Major Update!

This post is sponsored by General Mills and Nestle™, but all opinions are my own.

And just like THAT school is back in session, but we’ve soaked up the last few delicious moments of summer. Each year when we head back to school, everything has changed just a little bit. The kids are a little taller, their backpacks become a bit heavier, and this year – there’s also an exciting change in the Box Tops For Education world.

Even though school hasn’t been in session for months, we have not taken a break from collecting our beloved Box Tops. If you are anything like me, you keep your eyes peeled for those fun little squares on every package you buy. Before I had Iris, I didn’t realize just how valuable Box Tops can be, but now we collect them as a family knowing the rewards will directly benefit Iris’ school. Iris is always so proud to contribute and I really love that its a simple way to learn about giving back, with an impact she can actually see.

But this is where the change comes in! I personally am ready to party because – you guys – Box Tops are going DIGITAL! No. More. Clipping. You simply download the app, scan your receipt, and see just how much you (and your fellow school friends) have raised. How exciting and easy is that?

We’ll also be stocking up on all of our lunch favorites and after school snacks at Sam’s Club because when you buy one General Mills product, you earn not just one, but 12 Box Tops. Buy 1, Get 12, how awesome is that?! You can also buy participating Nestle™ products as well! So while many things are difficult about going back to school – the clothes shopping, the first day nerves, and the return of (dun dun dun…) homework, at least we have this bit of good news to bring us joy – and to bring our kiddos the extra support they deserve.

Upcoming Travel Adventures

Well, hello… and Goodbye.

Actually, it’s not goodbye. It’s see ya later! Or see you soon? Anyway, it hit me today how much travel I have coming up in such a short of time (#SarahFortuneTravels, indeed). Some is for work, most is for fun, but ALL of them are destinations I have either always wanted to visit or always wanted to visit again.

Here’s my travel list for the rest of the year:

Los Angeles (West Hollywood, specifically) – I’m going with a group of gal pals who love all things Bravo, so we’re basically going to set up shop and eat Goat Cheese Balls at SUR for THREE. DAYS. STRAIGHT.

Washington D.C. – This is a work trip, but I lived there for a couple years back in my 20s and love going back. It’s one of my most favorite places in the world.

New York City – This a recent addition (as in, today), courtesy of my mom. She called me the other day and asked if I wanted to go to NYC. Uh, duh! She’s taking me to see Hadestown. It’s just going to be over a long weekend, but now that we have some affordable (and direct!) flights to NYC, a spontaneous trip like this isn’t all that crazy.

Another CRUISE! – Can you believe it? Iris and I loved it last time, so we’re doing it again. And yes, you read that right. Todd will be sitting this one out (he’s a one and done type of cruise dude), but Iris and I are excited to visit the Bahamas for the first time. We’ll spend a day at the Atlantis resort where I’ve booked us an excursion to swim with the dolphins – basically a dream come true for a mermaid loving seven-year-old.

Last but not least… MAUI! – This has been #1 on my list since I went almost ten years ago. When I went then, it was for work and I went all by myself. I’ve wanted to go back with my family ever since, but it’s so expensive from our little airport (try $1,000 per person for airfare alone) that I didn’t know if the day would come. However, thanks to some good ol’ fashion saving and a lot of help from airline points, we’re headed back to my favorite island.

After all of that, I think I’ll take it easy… Until next year. :)

Rosemary Beach, Florida 2019

I feel like such a grown-up saying that we just went on our SIXTH annual trip to Rosemary Beach, Florida. I didn’t grow up going on the same family vacation year after year, so it feels extra special to be able to create these ongoing memories with Iris as a family. It almost feels like a piece of that place belongs to us.

Once again, we were lucky enough to have the Gundersons from Kansas City travel with us, along with some first-timers, the Hobbs who live in Boulder, Colorado. While we visit the same beach town every year, we’ve never stayed at the same house twice. I would be tempted to break that tradition though, because this was by far the best house we’ve stayed in. Not only was it huge (three stories!) with lots of room so we never felt crowded, but it was a one minute walk to the beach and our favorite pool.

Here are some photos from our trip to Rosemary Beach and surrounding towns… And you better believe we’ve already booked for next year. We ended up choosing a different house, but it’s right around the corner from our recent one and has its own private pool. There’s no bad spot in Rosemary, but it sure is fun trying to find the best.

Peloton – My Review & Tips Six Months Later

Well, hello there. I wanted to give a long overdue update on my Peloton adventure. I’ve had my bike now for over six months and, honestly, it just keeps getting better. That’s not to say I didn’t fall off the wagon (bike?) leading up to the holidays, but January 1st hit and I am back and challenging myself daily.

When I say it keeps getting better, I mean the Peloton experience literally keeps improving, which is not something I anticipated back when I pulled the trigger on my bike. Not only are there constant software updates and new classes added to the on-demand schedule every day, but the Peloton brand keeps expanding and now includes running, yoga, strength, bootcamps, meditation, stretching, and more. So not only do I find myself spinning frequently, but I’ve also been able to add in all sorts of classes into my workout regimen that I initially didn’t plan on. I feel like I can get a well-rounded workout tailored to the part of my body I want to focus on. And remember, this is all from the comfort from my own home, but also with the motivation found in actual in-person classes. Not only can you follow and ride with your friends, but you can “high-five”, compete on the leaderboard, and track all the fun details of your progress.

Before I purchased my Peloton, I had never even been to a spin class or ridden a bike for more than five miles. I had only tried my husband’s indoor trainer (he’s an avid cyclist) which seemed like a great workout, but was incredibly boring. So it truly was a risk spending that much on a piece of equipment, but more than six months later – I haven’t regretted it for a second. From that perspective, here are a few recommendations that I have for people considering Peloton or maybe some new riders that have already joined the family:

My Current Top Peloton Recommendations:

Buy the bike! Once you invest in the bike, you pay around $40 a month. That is not only cheaper than what I was paying for my previous workout regimen, but I also utilize it way more often. As a mom that works full time, my time is limited and my schedule is not at all flexible, so this is THE most efficient way for me to make time for my health. I also travel quite often, so I with the digital app I can take Peloton with me.

Absolutely use a heart rate monitor. When you are riding with a heart rate monitor you see which of the five heart rate zones you are riding in. This helps me know how hard I’m working so I can gauge if I need to push harder or maybe give myself a little rest. It also gives a more accurate count of how many calories you’ve burned (I use the Peloton monitor that’s on a chest strap).

Two words: PADDED. SHORTS. Don’t worry about buying fancy ones – no one can see you! Start off by trying a pair of cheap padded shorts off Amazon. I wear a pair of my husband’s that he no longer uses. Your butt will hurt at first (maybe even a dreaded saddle sore), but it will go away. And don’t try to buy a more cushy seat – it’s all about the padded booty and getting your body used to the workout.

Invest in a good pair of wireless headphones. I bought a pair of PowerBeats on sale at Target and they work perfectly. The speakers on the bike are probably my only true complaint about the Peloton. To really feel like you’re in a class, you need a pair of headphones that drown out any outside noise and that doesn’t have a cord that will get in your way.

Try stacking shorter workouts. I recently discovered the magic of combining two shorter rides. Depending on the type of class, I realized that if I do two 20 minute rides back-to-back, I usually get more of a workout than doing one 45 minute ride. With the shorter classes, there’s less of a build-up and instructors tend to get straight to the point. From there, I usually add one or two 10 minute strength classes and BOOM! I just worked out extremely efficiently for a full hour.

Get social. Join the Official Peloton Member Page on Facebook. If I ever have a question, this is where I go and search previous posts for what I’m looking for. With over 140,000 members and growing, chances are someone has already had the same question. Also be sure to follow other riders! You can find me on the leader board as ‘sarahfortune‘.

If this has been helpful at all and you decide to pull the trigger like I did, I highly recommend using a referral code so that you get $100 in free accessories. Fee free to use this one if you’d like: REDACTED :(

* * * * * *

Edit 1/14/2021:
I would love to be able to share my code with you guys, but unfortunately Peloton has said this violates their policy and has suspended my referral code. I have been sharing my first-hand experience with Peloton for several years now, here on my own personal blog and as well as on Instagram. One of my posts was even featured on their official Instagram page. While I don’t share my code on any social media platforms (just here on my personal blog), I have shared my love of the bike, tips and recommendations, and even taking classes in the studio. I can’t even begin to tell you how many folks have reached out with questions and to let me know that thanks to the sharing of my experience, they have pulled the trigger and purchased a bike. While I am disheartened that Peloton has intentionally chosen to disqualify my referral code, I recognize that they do reserve that right.

Hawaiian Luau Birthday Party

As crazy as it is to type, Iris had her SEVENTH birthday party this October! She decided that she wanted to have another year celebrating with a big party at our house, so that’s exactly what we did. I discovered that for $150 a shaved ice truck would come to your house, so once that was booked our theme was set. A Hawaiian luau in October! We’ve lucked out with the most perfect weather every year for her birthday (October birthdays are truly magical for this very reason), but the forecast called for cold rain on the afternoon of her party (not the most ideal setting for an outdoor luau with a frozen ice truck as the main attraction). Somehow, the birthday gods came through for another year – the clouds literally parted, the sun shone, the temperature sat perfectly in the lower 70s. And I kid you not, as soon as the last guest left, the clouds pulled back together, the temperatures suddenly dropped, and we felt the first raindrops of the day. With lucky number seven we were treated to a magical birthday once again.