Archives for January 2020

Valentine’s Day is Coming

Valentine’s day is around the corner, it always seems to sneak up quickly after January. It can be easy to fall into the same routine every year for Valentine’s Day: dinner and a movie, flowers, and chocolates. Those things aren’t bad, they just aren’t very memorable.

This Year We Tried Something New

So why not try something new? This year we thought of a fun and completely different gift and they both loved it! If you are searching for a meaningful, personalized gift idea, this is really something special.

A Customized Children’s Book

We found out about a company called Hooray Heroes that creates customized children’s books. The cutest part is – they have a daddy edition – which is what we picked for our husbands. The books are titled, “When Lila Grows Up” and “When Hazel Grows Up”.

The Process is Easy

Making the book was so easy! You pick out the character’s names to match up with your husband and child and voila! You do it all on the Hooray Heroes website and it takes about 10 minutes. They let you pick from a bunch of different storylines and you are all set.

It Made Them Cry

Our husbands are both softies when it comes to their baby girls, so they loved these books! We had our toddlers present their dads with the book and then they read it together and it was so sweet. There were definitely some misty eyes when they realized the books were about them and their baby girls.

This Year is Different

After you have kids, every holiday is different. Certainly, the holiday focused on love is not only about the couple, but about the kids too! This is why I was drawn to Hooray Heroes because it’s a meaningful gift the whole family can enjoy together.

We Love to Read Together

Reading together as a family is one of our favorite things to do. Parker is always reading to Lila and she enjoys cuddling up and hearing stories. I was drawn to Hooray Heroes because they offer inspirational stories about kids becoming everything from astronauts to artists and I knew that it would be an educational and fun book for Lila to have.

It’s a Family Treasure

These books are by far the most thoughtful Valentine’s Day gifts we’ve ever given. They will be read for years and years to come. It’s so special to have a customized book that is so heartfelt. Go to Hooray Heroes to learn more and create your own book!

There’s a new type of gasoline in town and it eliminates up to 80% of emissions! The introduction of Tier 3 fuel is the culmination of five years of work by UCAIR and several state agencies.

So, where do you get it? Right now you can find Tier 3 fuel at all Speedway, Chevron and Texaco stations in the state of Utah! This is such great news for the air quality in the state of Utah. You can read more about it here.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said no state would benefit more from implementing the Tier 3 gasoline standard than Utah.

The best news is probably the fact that Tier 3 fuel does not cost any additional money. It looks exactly like your regular gas pump and you can fill up as you regularly do.

Emissions from tailpipes cause roughly half of the air pollution along the Wasatch Front. If we all started using Tier 3 gasoline, we could see a tangible, huge difference in our air quality.

According to Chevron, Tier 3 is a set of federal EPA standards that requires petroleum refiners to reduce the sulfur content of gasoline from an annual average of 30 parts per million (ppm) to 10 ppm. It also sets motor vehicle emission standards to be phased in from model year 2017 through 2025.

The best thing you can do with this information is SHARE IT! Tell everyone you know about Tier 3 gasoline and encourage them to use it. You can easily share this blog post and get the information out there so we can see a bigger benefit from this exciting news.

In addition to using Tier 3 gasoline, it’s also important to remember the benefits of teleworking or carpooling if possible. It’s great to fill up with a better type of gasoline, but best if you don’t have to be on the road at all.

If your employer needs to see proof of the benefits of teleworking, just have them look at the recent study done on state employees in Utah. They allowed them to telework 3, 4, or 5 days a week.

They saw a 20% increase in productivity! It was a huge success and they plan on expanding the program to all state employees.

When you give employees freedom to spend time at home while working, they get things done! They are free from other distractions and can focus all of their time and energy on whatever tasks are most important. It’s been proven again and again that teleworking promotes productivity.

If you would love the opportunity to carpool, but don’t know anyone personally who would work, why not look into the UTA Rideshare program. You can find more information about it on the UCAIR website.

Yes, it takes a little bit more time to figure out logistics when you’re carpooling, but I always think it makes the drive more fun to have someone to chat with.

It may be selfish to think this way, but carpooling also benefits you and your vehicle! You are going to be sharing the gas money and vehicle wear and tear with someone else, which is a huge benefit to you! Who wouldn’t like to cut their gas money in half every month?

One last thing about vehicles – did you know every car has a smog rating? Whatever kind of car you’re looking for, try to find one with the highest smog rating in its category. On a scale of 1 to 10, the higher the number, the better the vehicle is for our air. UCAIR has an easy to use app on their website where you can get the information about your car.

The results are fascinating! I found out that my current car, a Mazda CX-5 is not great – it has a 5 rating. I searched the same car, but a newer model and found it had a score of 7. So, the newer models in a lot of cars have much better smog ratings. It’s an easy thing to check before you make your next vehicle purchase.

You can look up the smog rating on your own car here.

If we’ve learned anything through this challenge, it’s that little changes can create a big impact! If you want to #ShowUCAIR about clearing the air, go here.

First off, this is not what you might think. It is not a crash diet just in time for New Year’s. The Mommy Tummy Fix is a program created specifically for women who have had a baby, created by physical therapist Jared Beckstrand, who specializes in postpartum health.

Why has this never been done before? I really don’t know.

When you have a baby, you go to one doctor’s appointment at six weeks postpartum and your doctor does a very quick check and that. is. it.

Yet, when I had a shoulder injury, I went to physical therapy for 4 months. When I noticed my knee aching, I went to physical therapy for a few weeks.

But when I went through the most extreme physical experience of my life, I did no physical therapy. I got zero information when it came to how I could help my body recover from the crazy experience called childbirth.

Instead, they simply say you are safe to go back to exercising. How is the average woman supposed to know how to exercise safely? Most of us don’t, so we go back to what we know – situps, crunches, planks, etc.

This is where the Mommy Tummy Fix comes in. Jared has created this program to walk you through exactly what you should and shouldn’t be doing after having a baby.

Since he is a trained postpartum specialist, he has created a program that includes not only a very specific, core exercise section but also a meal plan and exercise plan.

We did a Live Q & A with Jared on Instagram and wanted to share it here in case you didn’t get a chance to watch.

Q: How is the Mommy Tummy Fix program different from every other program out there?

A: This is the only program that includes the three elements needed for success – nutrition, exercise, and core-specific physical therapy. Postpartum women should not be doing the same programs as a 25-year-old guy. You need to be aware of how to help your body heal in the correct ways.

Q: Who is this program for?

A: This program was created after I had an experience with my wife. She had four kids and was working really hard in the gym after our fourth child, but was still not seeing results.

She obviously knows what I do for my profession and one day came to me and said you need to help me. Create a program for me and I will do it. Well, she was the first user of the Mommy Tummy Fix program and had a very positive experience. She finally got rid of her diastasis recti and felt confident again.

Q: What is diastasis recti and how do you know if you have it?

A: Separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) happens to 100% of women during the third trimester of pregnancy. Over time, the connective tissue between the halves of this muscle can regain tension and contract back down, however it doesn’t always return to the “pre-pregnancy” shape.

In fact, 60% of women still have a diastasis recti separation 6 weeks postpartum, 45% still had it at 6 months postpartum, and 33% still had it at 12 months postpartum.

This separation is one of the main culprits behind that “mommy tummy” and “still looking pregnant”. Watch our 1-minute video with Jared where he guides you through finding out if you have diastasis recti.

Q: What if I had my last child 15 years ago? Is it too late for me?

A: No, it’s never too late, but your progress will be slower. You need to be consistent and you will see progress. It may take a year, but a year focusing on your health and working towards it is much better than a year of doing nothing!

Q: What if I would like to have more children? Should I do this program in between pregnancies?

A: Yes! It is going to help keep things where they should be and assist your body in the healing process after each childbirth. Your body will benefit greatly from doing it every time you have had a child. Plus, you only have to buy the program once and can use it multiple times!

Q: How much does it cost?

A: It is regularly priced at $97, but you can get it for $67 right now with the discount code MOMMY30

It includes:

• the core workout plan
• private video demonstration
• the daily checklist
• the healthy dinners ebook
• the postpartum fitness FAQs
• Private FB group membership
• Postpartum Pelvic Floor Rehab Guide
• Ultimate LISS Cardio Guide

For more information about the Mommy Tummy Fix Program, go here.

It has been a banner year for Twin Tested. We have worked so hard on our blog and have loved all of the opportunities that have come our way. We started monthly challenges in 2019 and they have been life-changing! Here’s a look back:

January: Get Ready Challenge

We kicked off our year of monthly challenges with the Get Ready Challenge. For us, January can be a tough month. One that often has left us feeling depressed and lethargic. So, in order to combat that we got ready every single day for the month!

Working in TV for 10 years helped both of us to trim our routines down to about 15 minutes – getting dressed + makeup + hair. So, it was not a huge time commitment, but it actually turned out to be a tough challenge.

What we learned

We learned that when you feel confident on the outside, you honestly feel better on the inside. It was easier to go through the day with purpose when I was dressed and ready to go. Also, I didn’t have to hide from anyone at the grocery store because I was in sweats ha!

February: Make Your Bed Challenge

This one seemed almost too easy! All we committed to was making our beds every single day. Well, for someone who was not great at it, this was the perfect challenge to create a habit.

I timed myself one day and it took me 27 seconds to make my bed! That is nothing. I read the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… and Maybe the World. It was such a great way to look at it.

What we learned

We learned that if you begin your day by accomplishing a task, it sets a great precedent for the rest of your day! Something so simple can make a huge impact.

March: The MOVE Challenge

For the month of March, we decided we wanted to make an effort to move every day! That meant being more intentional about our workouts and getting outside to go on walks with our girls more.

It was a great challenge to focus on something that made me physically feel good. It also got me outside more, which is always a good thing!

What we learned

We learned that getting fresh air every single day is so important. Something about being outside and moving your body really does make you happier and we sincerely felt that.

April: Love Where You Live Challenge

This challenge was so much fun! We got to be tourists in our own city, partnering with Visit Salt Lake to make it all happen. We used our Connect Passes to get into 16 different attractions in Salt Lake City. We visited everywhere from the Tracy Aviary to Red Butte Gardens.

Being lifelong Utahns, we thought we knew everything there is to know about Salt Lake City. We were so wrong! Taking time to explore our own city was such an adventure. We had so much fun throughout the month.

What we learned

We deepened our love of Salt Lake City! It is such a beautiful place with so much to offer people of all ages. We will definitely keep up our exploring and quest to discover new things in our beloved city.

May: The Book Your Bucket List Disaster

This month did not go as we had planned. We were approached to go on a trip to Greece and ended up inviting several friends and family members. Well, when we landed in Greece, we found out that the tour company we booked through had not planned anything that was on the itinerary – no hotels, no transportation, no activities — nothing! You can read the entire story here.

We do have an update to this story. A few weeks ago, we were contacted by the police, letting us know that the owner of the tour company is being criminally charged.

This is a huge relief after working for months with several different law enforcement agencies and victims to bring her down.

What we learned

Sometimes things don’t go as planned and that’s when you pivot! We made the decision to leave the group and planned an amazing trip with our friends and family. So, the first day was a nightmare, but we honestly had a fabulous time in Greece after that! We also feel like this was meant to happen to us because we had the platform and journalism skills needed to bring the owner to justice after she had defrauded hundreds of other people.

June: Eat More Veggies Challenge

This challenge was perfect for the summer with fresh produce galore! For us, it’s a lot more fun to eat veggies when they’re coming straight out of the garden. We learned a couple new salad recipes that we are still making – they’re that good.

What we learned

Sometimes putting the focus on something you know you should be doing for one month is really effective. I tried new veggies – looking at you eggplant! Also, just getting in the kitchen and trying new things was a lot of fun.

July: Put Your Phone Down Challenge

This challenge was created to stop distracted driving. No phone use while driving. That means no texting, no mapping, no music changing, nothing. This didn’t seem like it would be that hard, but wow, was it eye-opening! Realizing how often I reach for my phone while in the car was scary.

I committed to doing this and made a habit out of it. I also came to the realization that when I used my phone in the car I was seriously endangering myself, my baby in the backseat and everyone else on the road.

What we learned

We learned that wake up calls are necessary. We all start doing small things and sometimes let them turn into big things. This challenge was empowering in that we saw that we can truly make a difference, starting with ourselves.

August: Lifelong Learning Challenge

We wanted to do an education-centric challenge during 2019 and this one turned out even better than we hoped! We partnered with the University of Utah Lifelong Learning program to encourage everyone, no matter their age, to never stop learning!

We got to try out several of the classes including watercolor, royal icing cooking decorating and fearless abstract painting. It was a blast!

What we learned

You are truly never too old to stop learning! Trying new things is fun and makes you a more well rounded, interesting person.

September: Money Boost Challenge

As a self-proclaimed finance dummy, this one was so good for me! We partnered with Experian to become more financially fit. We learned about credit scores and how to increase them. We also learned more about budgeting and making smart financial decisions.

We challenged ourselves with a weeklong spending freeze and it was definitely more challenging than I thought it would be.

What we learned

Mindless spending = wasted money. We learned to be more intentional with our spending and to stop impulse spending.

October: Get Hygge Challenge

We heard about this new trend that started in Denmark and encouraged coziness and embracing cooler temperatures. It was the perfect challenge to send us into Fall!

We loved making yummy new recipes and lighting candles in our home. We increased the cozy and had a lot of fun doing it.

What we learned

Perspective changes everything. Usually, we are mourning the loss of summer and dreading cooler temperatures, but this really helped change that attitude.

November: Celebrate Everyday Challenge

This was so much fun! Our goal with this was to find a reason to celebrate something every day – big or small. We also loved the idea of celebrating those around us.

It was a wonderful exercise in enjoying every moment and taking time to celebrate accomplishments big and small.

What we learned

There is always something or someone to celebrate and the people who cultivate that attitude are the best kind of people.

December: Make it Meaningful Challenge

For this month, we partnered with one of our favorite companies, Ancestry, to Make it Meaningful. Having taken DNA tests from Ancestry last year, we had already dipped our toes into our DNA and family history. It was so special to take an entire month to focus on it.

A couple of highlights from the month include Brooke’s ancestry wall that she created, our framed family recipes and our grandmother’s completed life story.

What we learned

Family is special and worth investing time in. This challenge brought me to tears multiple times in gratitude for my family and those who have gone before.

Thank you for joining us on all of our challenges this year! They have changed our lives for the better and we so appreciate all of your love and support.