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!

Going Healthy, Health, Lifestyle, Tips

Tips on Boosting Your Sense of Well-being

11/11/2022 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Your well-being is your sense of happiness, contentment, and mental and physical health. It encompasses all the things in life that can affect these three fundamentals. If any of these things are out of alignment, then it can bring down the other two. The good news is that there are many ways you can focus on your well-being and improve it. It is far better to do this than to try and improve something like happiness in itself. So, here are a few ideas to help you boost your sense of well-being:

Pixabay

Take Care of the Essentials

If you want a better sense of well-being, then you need to take care of the basics. That means going to the doctor, optometrist, dentist, and any other specialist care that you may need. If you have a problem, it is far better to get it checked out rather than leaving it and hoping for the best. Problems, especially health problems, generally do not go away without some form of treatment, and the problems will also play on your mind and fester. You may need to see an emergency dentist if you have left a dental problem for too long. So, keep on top of the essentials, and this can relieve you of a lot of health worries.

Your Financials

Having financial difficulties can cause a whole range of issues. It may affect the relationship you have with your partner and your children, as well as producing unwarranted stress. So, first of all, be honest. Talk to your partner and try and come up with a solution together. Look at your statements and see where you can make cut back. Maybe you need to shop at cheaper stores, or maybe you have to do without one of your luxuries but fixing money problems is a far better way of enjoying your life anyway.

Practice Gratitude

Do you have a bit of a negative mindset? Well, there are ways you can combat it. You have to become more aware of your thoughts and try and stop any negative spirals. You also should try and practice gratitude. You can begin doing this by waking up each day and coming up with three things in your life that you are thankful for. Say them out loud to really project them into the world. Write them down as well to make them more statements of intent. By waking up and focusing on three things you are grateful for, you start realigning your mind to be more positive. This is so important, and it can even extend your life expectancy.

Exercise

If you really want to boost your overall well-being, there is nothing better than exercise. Exercise can help the body function better. It increases the happy chemicals in the brain. It can improve the way you look too. Exercise doesn’t necessarily mean running a marathon. It can be a brisk walk, doing some weights, boxing, taking the kids to the park, or playing chase with them. Maybe having family outings too is a great way to exercise.

Food, Life, Tips

5 Things to Keep in Mind if You’ll Be Hunting Your Own Holiday Turkey

11/11/2022 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and with it comes a lot of decisions. If you’re one of the brave cooks that will be handling the turkey, read on. It’s hard work, but hunting and cooking a turkey is a fulfilling adventure.

1. Preparation

Preparation is something that requires knowing all about turkey hunting. You never show up without knowing if your equipment is suitable to hunt the current prey. Tactics that worked years ago may be out of date for the current hunt. Start with the basics (scouting, clothing, permits, weapons, shooting range) and then move on to the advanced stuff. It won’t take long, and you’ll twice as ready as the person that came before you.

2. Rules

Regulations for hunting are state and country specific. Turkey regulations go even deeper, and are completely different than other seasons. This includes restrictions on hunting within a certain amount of feet in a baited area and taking home more than two turkeys per season. Always check the rules of the area you are planning to hunt in before making final plans. You don’t want to be the hunter that pays more in fines than they did for a turkey. Regulations for your local area aren’t hard to find, and the holidays makes turkey hunting a lot more accommodating than other game.

3. Tools

Certain shotguns are illegal during turkey season. Motorized decoys are sometimes completely outlawed, and drive-by turkey grabbing is frequently frowned upon. When it comes to turkey hunting, you don’t need a big truck, flying drone or any other fancy gadgets. Traditional is the best way to go when it comes to turkey hunting, so there is nothing wrong with a dependence on the old tools. Your hunting rifle, knife and a clean set of hunting gear will be more than enough to get the job done. But if you want to show up with some modern tools, take the time to see if they’re allowed in your current area. For instance, having a few extra Thermold Magazines for your hunting gun will ensure you are ready when that turkey appears.

4. Late Season

There are a lot of areas that have set up late season turkey hunting. The only problem is that the tactics for a good hunt are completely different when you’re showing up after the usual dates. Instead of playing on an equal field, the turkey will have the advantage. Take this challenge to heart with preparation, and you’ll have a story to tell at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

5. Group Up

Hunting in a group will always give you a big advantage. It’s unlikely anyone in the group will leave empty handed, even if they are inexperienced with hunting. This is the best way to hunt turkey, and also the best way to introduce someone to hunting. There is no pressure, as the most experienced person in the group will usually take charge. Groups that are related have made seasonal turkey hunting a family tradition for Thanksgiving. Whether it’s with family or friends, consider grouping up for a hunt a priority for a successful turkey season.

Have A Happy Thanksgiving

There are few holidays that provide the family bonding experience of Thanksgiving. If this is your first-time hunting, then prepare for a unique experience. Bring the heat, and the spoils will be the sweetest victory.

Lifestyle

The Top Secret Truth About Santa Claus

11/11/2022 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

The holidays are just around the corner and with them will come all of the joys of the season- beautiful lights, cheery music, and tantalizing treats. Our malls will be filled with Santa’s in red as visions of sugar plums dance in children’s heads. But for many families each year there is a big question that must be answered when the holidays roll around: “What is the truth about Santa Claus?”

To answer that often dreaded question C.C. Bloom has released a brand new book called The Top Secret Truth About Santa Claus. What inspired Bloom to broach this subject on behalf of parents? “I have four kids myself and have heard many conversations about the ‘man in red’ go completely sideways.” According to Bloom, “Just about every family falls somewhere on ‘the Santa Claus Spectrum’ between, ‘We love Santa and want to keep the magic alive for as long as possible’ to ‘We don’t do the Santa Claus thing because it takes away from the real reason for the season.’ But regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, the question must be answered at some point.”

After hearing many of these awkward conversations Bloom decided there had to be a solution. “My goal was to tell the real truth to kids and adults alike while still keeping the magic alive.” After lots of research on how the phenomenon of Santa Claus came to be, she put pen to paper. “If you’re like my family and ‘A Visit From Saint Nick’ (also known as ’Twas the Night Before Christmas’) is the traditional book your kids grew up on, then The Top Secret Truth About Santa Claus is the perfect bookend to the next phase of their childhood. It’s set to a rhyme scheme, offers solutions to the many problems around this conversation, and tells the whole truth while inspiring kids to keep the magic alive in a new way.” You can learn more about The Top Secret Truth About Santa Claus at: www.TheTruthAboutSanta.com. You can also find The Top Secret Truth About Santa Claus on Instagram: TheTopSecretTruthAboutSanta, Facebook: DirectorCCBloom, and Pinterest: TheTopSecretTruthAboutSantaClaus.