All posts by R.C. Liley

I'm an ex-mutual fund accountant who left the cubicle world to be a stay-at-home dad to my beautiful little girl, Avery, who entered our life on 11/15/13 and handsome little boy, Wes, who joined our family on 11/19/17. Also happily married to my wife, Kelley, as of 8/17/07. Sorry ladies... :) Fitness and nutrition is of the utmost importance in our family and we strive to reflect this in our daily life. I always prepare our meals at home and only go out if it's a special occasion, and even then I tend to not get much. Food should be fun and a joy to eat, not something quickly consumed from a fast food chain or scarf down before the next meeting. I have come from strictly logging high miles to train for the next marathon to keeping exercise varied and focusing more on strength. I still enjoy going for a run when I can, but nothing crazy, and I prefer hill sprints while pushing my daughter, Avery in the stroller. She loves it and I get a great workout! I want to show the world how to appreciate their body and feed it real, wholesome food while moving more throughout the day. In doing so, everyone would be healthier, happier, and we'd all live in a better place as a result. I blog mainly about my life as a stay-at-home dad and frequently include reviews, participate in campaigns, and share my thoughts on fitness and nutrition. If you ever have any questions or thoughts to share, please reach out as I'm always open to listening or helping others however possible. That is, when I have free time since Avery is and my wife are the number one priorities!

Puns

Boys Just Want to Have Pun

08/05/2016 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Okay, I’m sure girls want to have pun too. But since I’m a guy, it the title only made sense. Either way, when it comes to puns, they just, well…..

I’ve racked up a few puns since the last pun post and it’s time to share. Groan, moan, laugh, cry, or stare with a blank look, whatever you do, hope at least one elicits a little smirk on your face.

I tried to think of a geology joke but the good ones Argon. I felt boulder and tried digging deeper, but that created too much pressure and I’ve hit rock bottom. Guess I took telling jokes for granite.
When the lost artist wandered into a war zone, he drew fire.
Finding a guard you can trust takes sentries.
Finding a good marionette to buy is complicated, there’s too many strings attached.
Chemistry teachers love giving periodic pop quizzes to their students.
I quit working at the sunglasses business because things seemed a little shady and my future felt dim.
War photographers shoot as many people as they want and know to never use a cannon.
Translators for the deaf perform an outstanding service, you have to hand it them.
There was a major conference on apathy, but no one cared to attend.
The newly hired oil rig crew quickly lost interest in their job when they found drilling was just boring.
Ever since the business owner needed more room for parking, he’s had a lot on his mind.
The elderly photographer tried to transition from using film to going digital, but nothing developed.
I asked my friend why he auditioned to cast in a water play without me. He said “I’m too swamped but meant to run it bayou since we’re on the same stream.” But it was too little too lake, his statement didn’t seem reel.
The tortillas tried forming a rock band, but ended up wrapping instead.
Throwing a cat out the window makes kitty litter.
Tennis players grunt too much when they play, I can’t stand all of the racket.
I saw Tony Stark looking upset at the doctor’s office because he just found out he had anemia. I heard his friend, James Rhodes, tell him, “You need some iron, man.”
Seeing all of the horses was scary at first, but everything kept stable since we didn’t stirrup any trouble.
She was scared when she found a skeleton her boyfriend’s closet, but he was just trying tibia a little humerus. He really gets under her skin.

If you liked these enough, please share with others. My blog is feeling a little down and could use some share love. Thanks in advance!

Going Reviews, Soft Star Shoes

Soft Star Child Merry Jane: Classic Shoes They Can Use

08/01/2016 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Mary Janes are classic shoes that originated in the early 1900’s from a character of the same name in a popular comic strip Buster Brown. Buster, and his little sister, Mary Jane, both wore the same shoe that became know as the Mary Jane with the help of an obviously successful ad campaign.

Typically made of leather with a strap that goes over the foot and is secured by a buckle, Mary Janes are often considered a formal/semi-formal shoe. In kid terms, this means uncomfortable and not meant for the playground. Determined to turn this classic style into a shoe that’s fun for kids and parents will adore, the elves at Soft Star Shoes created a more comfortable, versatile design of the Mary Janes.

Soft Star sent Avery a pair of their Child Merry Janes giving her the mission to test them out before their release on August 16th. As a seasoned Soft Star fanatic, she readily and happily accepted.

It’s always important to know what kind of tread you’re dealing with, and the Vibram rubber sole checked out for us.

Durability is essential for an active kid, as well as flexibility. Two qualities the Soft Star Merry Jane, like all of their shoes, has.

With a little help from Dad to get them on, I snuck a quick pic of her new test subjects before she could jump up in constant state of motion. You know, a toddler.

Avery kept seated long enough for a side shot of her new kicks.

Then it was time to begin the mission of putting the Merry Janes to the toddler test. After a little begging and playground persuasion, she agreed to 10 seconds of standing still for me to take a picture.

You’d think I would get better at taking her picture by now, but I completely cut off the top half of her body! No worries, the flexible elastic band connecting the buckle to the shoe and grippy Vibram rubber sole made for an easy transition from standing to squatting!

The Merry Janes passed the squat test, an extremely important test, without a hitch. They’re also perfect for practicing much needed balancing skills.

Next, we took them outside for a ~~spin~~ walk/run around the neighborhood to break them in. Alternating from a slow walk to a fast run, Avery had no issues with the shoes slipping off or weighing her down. She had zero complaints on our walk and said she loved her new “Yellow Soft Star rocket shoes!” Not by my request, she decided to test out their puddle jumping abilities.

We haven’t had much rain in Texas lately, but kids have a keen eye for puddles. The passed. But what about their performance ~~in the wild~~ on the playground, where kids can be found roaming free?

Avery quickly confirmed they perform well in a kids’ natural territory by running all over a local playground. It’s hard to get a detailed description from a toddler on how they feel, so I look for visual cues to get a good idea.

Soft Star calls their version of the classics “Merry” since they make feet happy, and judging by the look on Avery’s face, who can argue? Do kids even know how to fake smile?

The testing phase is never really over when it comes to kids and parenting, but the new Soft Star Shoes Merry Janes have quickly become a new favorite for our little girl. Having a buckle instead of just elastic or velcro takes a little longer, but it’s not as bad as I first expected. Avery is able to get the shoes on herself and then have Mommy or Daddy secure the buckle. That elastic band attaching the buckle makes the process much easier!

Parents will love seeing their kids in stylish shoes they’ll wear without putting up a fight, and kids will love cheerfully playing in their new shoes. Although they are geared mostly towards girls, Soft Star’s Custom Child Merry Jane gives you the option to make a good looking, functional shoe for any boy or girl.

Keep both eyes on the calendar for when August 16th rolls around to order your kid a new pair of Soft Star Child Merry Janes. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to keep up to date on all of their latest news too.

Soft Star Shoes provided their Child Merry Janes free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All words are my own and I was not compensated in any other way. Get yourself and your kids in a handmade pair of Soft Star Shoes and see why their minimal footwear will make your entire family’s feet happy and healthy!

Food, Going Reviews

Gold Nugget Ghee: A Tasty Source of Health Benefits

07/29/2016 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Just what is ghee, you ask? It’s made from butter that has been gently heated to remove the milk solids. This makes it a pure fat just like coconut oil with a high smoke point at 482°F. You can use it just like butter, and for those sensitive to butter, ghee seems to not trigger the same intolerance.

Ghee is chock full of fat soluble Vitamins A, D, E, and K. And wouldn’t you know, ghee is pure healthy fat allowing for easy absorption of these health-promoting vitamins. But, like most things, not all ghee is created equally; where it’s sourced is an important part of what makes it healthy. Enter Gold Nugget Ghee, committed to providing people the highest quality ghee on the market.

Daniel Draskinis, the founder of Gold Nugget Ghee and an avid outdoor enthusiast, set out to find something that would provide him sustainable energy for his adventures. From rock climbing to yoga to ultra marathons, performing at his best was vital. Through research and experimentation, Daniel created Gold Nugget Ghee.

GOLD NUGGET GHEE is committed to bringing people the highest quality ghee available on the market. We source butter from small farms in Northern California, which provides a unique rainforest ecosystem that allows cows to happily graze on green grass ALL YEAR long. We are committed to providing nutrient-dense ghee that supports your health, our planet, and environment.

Daniel graciously provided a jar of Gold Nugget Ghee free of charge for me to review. I’ve used coconut oil for cooking plenty of times before, but when I found Gold Nugget, I had to try for myself.

The source of food is essential if we want to give our bodies the best nutrients available, and Gold Nugget is right on target. What about the taste? Glad you asked, we love it! Going Mom and I first tried it in our black coffee since we’ve heard wonderful things about putting butter or ghee in coffee, aka Bulletproof Coffee.

Gold Nugget Ghee and Coffee

A rich, buttery aroma filled the air as steam rose from our hot mugs of upgraded coffee, and our mouths were greeted with a rich, nutty flavor. I could pick up slight notes of caramel as the coffee cooled a bit and it left me craving more. We added about one teaspoon to start, but now we’ll do almost two teaspoons.

Next up was cooking with our Gold Nugget treasure. With a high smoke point, it held up to the high temps of cooking on the stove as well as mixed well with steamed veggies.

ghee, healthy cooking, coffee, vegetables

Avery and and Going Mom gave me their empty plates and buttery kisses in approval. So ghee is good in coffee (I call it coff-ghee because, dad jokes) and savory dishes, but what about something a little sweet? Keeping with healthy, whole foods, I made cinnamon roasted carrots with ghee to put it to the test.

Gold Nugget Ghee with Cinnamon Roasted Carrots

MMMMmmmmmm! Nuff said.

Much like coconut oil, ghee is beneficial both in and outside of your body. It is used to treat burns and rashes, and as a moisturizer for the skin and scalp. What I appreciate about is that it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, which makes it the perfect food to take along when traveling.

Gold Nugget Ghee supports local businesses, holds up to the highest of mindful business practices, and put care into what they create. They also package their product in glass jars as opposed to plastic, so you can reuse the jar over and over again.

My family and I are nothing but pleased with Gold Nugget Ghee. We can feel the health benefits and taste them too! Every time my wife and I have our morning cup of joe, Gold Nugget finds its way into our mug and puts a happy, healthy smile on our face.

You can follow Gold Nugget Ghee on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up to date on specials and tasty ways to use their delicious food. Be sure to pick up a jar (or two or three) here.

Disclosure: Gold Nugget Ghee provided a jar of their ghee free of charge in exchange for my review. I was not compensated in any other way.