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Moms, If we wait until the conditions are perfect, we won't get that workout in. We just won't. If we wait until our kids are older, when we "have more time", or when we can whisk ourselves off to the gym for a couple hours, we may be waiting...and waiting. Now I don't know about you but I want to feel good, strong, healthy, today. And I have good news, you and I can! Regardless of your weight, your mood, your fitness level, you CAN make the choice to do WHAT YOU CAN WHERE YOU ARE...KIDS IN TOW AND ALL. So...do you have five minutes? IF you do, I dare you to try these tips and workouts I share in the video above to get in a quick sweat. Don't overcomplicate it. Turn on some music, move your body and watch the kids get curious and maybe even begin joining you! Talk soon. Monica

Hey mamas! Monica here. A lot has changed since the last time we spoke. We decided to sell all our things and move to HAWAII!!! As I mention in the vlog, the decision wasn't easy. We loved our home, the friendships we made, and life we had in Texas. But when God says "GO", I've learned it's best to listen. So...what is God guiding you to do? Try that new fitness program? Finally forgive that person? Start that side hustle? Go back to school? Whatever you are being guided to do, I hope that your faith is stronger than any fear that may try to talk you out of your blessings. And...if you need support as you level up your life as a multitasking, modern mama, you should check out the Moms Wear Heels Makeover Challenge--for us moms who want to live their best lives...kids in tow and all :). Remember, mamas--one day we'll be old and looking back at our life on our rocking chair. Let's do the things God puts in our hearts and live life passionately. You got this!!! Sending you love from my family to yours! Talk soon, Monica

It feels surreal that I'll be holding my fourth baby soon...from getting a positive pregnancy test on my birthday several months ago (thanks for the bday gift, God!)--to now feeling his powerful kicks at 9 1/2 months keeping me up at night--I am amazed at how my belly, body, mind, spirit, and lifestyle has shifted. I know that quite a few of you told me on Instagram that you are pregnant too and I'm sending you all prayers for a healthy, happy pregnancy and delivery! I hope this pregnancy update brings some comfort and hopefully inspo during your journey... Third Trimester Update with Baby #4: Excited/Anxious: Ahhh! How will my boy look? What'll his unique personality be like? How will breastfeeding go? How will the c section go? How will I adjust to life as a mother of 4? Did I pack everything for the hospital? Am I missing anything? How will I still work, homeschool, and be the best mama I can be? Sigh...My mind is running a thousand miles an hour--which brings me to my next symptom: Sleeplessness: When I get the kids to bed, I'm still crunk. My body is tired, but my mind is still alert. It's not just mental, though. When I wind down in the evening, baby boy is most active--kicking and seemingly tap dancing on my bladder! So between the to-do lists racing through my head and the physical discomforts that come along with being in the third trimester, sleep hasn't been happening too much for this mama. Touchy-Touchy: Many normal emotions a woman feels during a typical day is heightened--ahem--a lot--during pregnancy. So, when I'm happy, I feel like singing Lovely Day at the top of my lungs to the world. But when someone bugs me, well, whew! Watch out. Being idiotic to a hormonal, pregnant mommy is unwise, to say the least. But thankfully, I've been overwhelmed more so with excitement. I cannot wait to hear my boy's first cry. I cannot. Wait. (But I can--so keep baking in there, son!) Crazy Cool Dreams: Something about pregnancy makes your dreams all the more lucid and interesting. If you've been having crazier dreams while pregnant too, might I add a suggestion: listen to calming music before bed, read, and/or journal. Do something to put your mind and heart in a good place. This has been helping my sleep (when it finally does happen) be peaceful. Amazon on Speed Dial: Or...internet dial? Thanks to Prime (hello two day shipping) I've been distracting myself from pelvic pressure by getting goodies for baby boy and I (funny video on IG on this coming soon). I think I'm finally at a point where I have everything--car seat, hospital bag goodies, breast pump--the works. If you want to see what I've gotten, you can visit my Amazon store page here. You don't pay anything extra if you order anything, but doing so does help support my blog as I do earn a commission. I appreciate your helping me keep free content coming! Health Nut...Kinda: I've taken everything I've learned a lot these past four pregnancies as a certified trainer and well--applied it! This is the best I've felt strength and energy-wise during any of my pregnancies. After the nausea subsided, I made it my goal to workout 3 times a week doing my home workouts. Some days, doing household chores had to count towards that, though--which was totally fine. But I made my smoothies religiously (my favorite way to sneak in TONS of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals in a drink), drank tons of water, and usually paired a salad with lunch and dinner. It's funny how our culture totally embraces eating junk food and "eating for two" during pregnancy when pregnancy is actually when we need nutrients and quality nutrition most! (Ah how I wish I knew what I know now when first becoming pregnant). But don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those health coaches who never indulges. I still indulged in my cravings, but in moderation. That along with an active lifestyle, lowering stress, and eating tons of whole foods is what I attribute to my feeling good overall. I know there's more I missed, but these are the main symptoms I can think of for my pregnancy with baby #4. I'll update you guys on YouTube soon, and I post almost daily on the 'gram, let's be friends on those platforms! Congrats to you if you are pregnant, too. Remember to show yourself grace. You are making a human. In your body. You. Are. Superwoman. Love you! Monica

I woke up on a day like most days--ready and eager to get my homeschooling and homemaking on. There was only one problem--my body suddenly felt like it'd been hit by a ton of bricks. I wondered if there was something wrong with me pregnancy-related. My husband had already left for work and these random, new symptoms had my anxious needless to say. I decided to try to rest it off. I went back to bed, and took a nap. Sweat dripping from my head like crazy, I woke up an hour later suddenly and ran to the bathroom losing what breakfast I tried to hold down earlier. I felt as though I was going to faint so I had my oldest son call my husband... He had a nurse come to our home to check on me. She took my temp, my blood pressure, and gave me a COVID test all while I laid in bed, unable to move. A doctor on a zoom call confirmed I was tested positive for covid a few minutes later. I burst into a puddle of hormonal tears. As much as this was not fun to hear, I was relieved to know what was wrong with me. I mean--my body ached bad. From head to toe, I felt incredibly strong pains in my muscles, specifically in my hip area. I had never felt anything like those body aches in my life. The doctor instructed me to quarantine for 5 days, to keep on my mask around the family, stay hydrated, and rest as much as possible. For pain management, she recommended Tylenol, and Mucinex for the sore throat and coughing she was sure was to come (she was right--major coughing came the next few days). Lastly, she told me that seeing as how I hadn't caught covid until now, it was most likely because my immune system is not as strong with my being pregnant--I'm literally sharing my immune system now with the baby growing inside me. Apparently, pregnant women are more susceptible to covid according to the CDC. She advised me to rest, rest, rest. "You're growing a baby and your body is fighting off this illness. That's a massive amount of work." You guys, I kid you not--I've never slept so much in all...my...life. My bed was my bff. I was too tired to hold up a book, so I watched movies in between naps to stay sane. I also perused YouTube to learn what other pregnant moms' covid experiences were like. The stories that popped up on my algorithm did not help easy my anxiety though. The worst case scenarios had the most hits (duh). "I had a horrible headache for 4 weeks", one pregnant mom said. "I had to be hospitalized and gave birth prematurely", another lamented. I decided to limit my perusing, and just learn the facts to stay safe. This eased my anxiety tremendously. After 5 days of severe body aches, coughing, a migraine, eye pain, fever, and loss of appetite, I was finally feeling like myself. I went in on day 6 post positive covid test and saw my OB who is set to deliver my baby boy soon via c section. He urged me to try to eat more now that I was feeling better as he wasn't pleased with my lack of weight gain. I left that appointment and stopped at the store, grabbing treats I hadn't indulged in a while: glazed donuts, buttery pasta, and Honey Combs. #myrandompregnancycravings The hardest part of all of this was not being able to cuddle, hug, and kiss my babies and hubby. I didn't realize how close we are as a family until I had to be quarantined in a room alone. Ugh how my heart ached! Here's the good news. This mama is now covid free. My pregnancy is going well (due next month!). I was able to avoid being hospitalized and got better all at home. Praise God! I am incredibly grateful to have my health back, guys. I can't even articulate how grateful I am to be able to go on family walks again, be active, and be back on mom mode. Next, I want to share with you all my immune boosting breakfast I've been having to stay healthy, energized and strong. I can honestly say that this mama NEVER gets sick--and as humbling as this experience has been, I'm confident that it would have been loads worse if I hadn't been leading a healthy, active lifestyle prior. As cliché as it sounds, health is wealth. Take care of yourself, friends. Wash those hands. Follow the CDC recommendations and stay well! I hope that my sharing my experience helps. While we all have been affected by covid differently, I believe there's power in sharing our own unique experiences. Sending you all love. More content to come. Make sure you're subscribed here and following on the 'gram. Baby boy will be here soon! Muuuuah! Monica

Baby number 4 is almost here and I wanted to share our maternity photoshoot with you! I am honestly shocked at how fast this pregnancy has been flying by. On one hand I do NOT want this pregnancy to end, and on the other, I can't wait to meet our new baby. This has felt like the most special maternity photoshoot we've ever done as a family. While taking the photos, I was in gratitude and awe at how much God has grown our family over the years. I cannot wait to see Rafi as a big brother. He already grabs my belly and kisses it saying, "Hi, baby!" After seeing my other children respond when a new sibling arrives, I'm sure he'll acclimate fast and love the graduation from "baby" to "big brother". Be sure to subscribe here on the blog, and connect with me on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube. Let me know what content you ladies want next. Scroll down on this post to see more from our pregnancy photoshoot. Thanks for being a part of my journey. Sending you and yours love! Monica

Hey ladies! This post is for all of my busy women who want toned, lean, sexy arms! This 10 minute upper body workout will tone your back, arms, shoulders, and triceps! Tone and sculpt your entire upper body in the comfort of your own home with these moves. All you'll need are a pair of water bottles or dumbbells. (I'm using 5 lb dumbbells). Be sure to like and subscribe! PS: I'm already in my third trimester but I'm continuing my home workouts at least 3 days a week. My workouts are always under 25 minutes and are designed to get you THE best results in the shortest amount of time. Like this workout? Then stream all my on-demand fat-burning workouts to get amazing results. Love you all! Monica

I cannot believe I'm already in my third trimester with baby #4! Today I'm bringing you a pregnancy workout video you can get done for strength and increased energy. As always, I want you to first consult with your own doctor before doing any workout, especially prenatal workouts. Also, make sure you keep your water nearby to stay hydrated. A friendly reminder: Each pregnancy and journey is unique. Do your best and don't compare. And yes, this prenatal strength workout will challenge you if you are not pregnant too! So what are you waiting for? Grab some dumbbells, hit the video, subscribe, and let's get it! And for my mamas who are ready for a pregnancy workout plan, check out my Home Pregnancy Workout Plan: Love you all! Monica

Moms--simple reminder: Our role in this world is POWERFUL. Yes, you, the stay at home mom. Yes, you, the working mom. Yes, you, the homeschooling mom. Yes, you, the work from home mom. All mothers and caregivers shape this world. Our home, like Marianne Williamson says, is our universe. We plant seeds for better or worse in our children that last a lifetime. This International Women's Day, I honor every mom who, despite not being acknowledged for it nearly as much as you should be, is the glue that holds the home together. The mom that cooks that meal even though she's pooped. The mom who reads that bedtime story again because it's your kid's fave. The mom who is on her knees, staring into her babe's eyes with a smile, washing their bodies in a warm bubble bath. The mom who takes time out of her busy life to pray with and for her family, community, and world. The mom who takes time to ensure her priorities are straight. You' the real goats. And I see you. I pray you continue to do the dang thing. It SO matters. You see, when a mother is healthy, happy and healed (NOTE: I did not say perfect), the whole family wins. Why? Because the mother (the majority of the time) is the primary person influencing the lives of the next generation...the future! And when this generation feels loved, supported, seen, safe, and valued for who they are...miracles happen. The world becomes brighter. Since children literally are our future and women are most often responsible for shaping these souls, I think motherhood deserves more of an applause. But don't wait on society to give it to you, mamas. We still live in a world that values external success more than they value the work done in the home. If I can do anything for you, I hope it is to provide you with a piece of encouragement today. I don't know how you grew up--if you felt supported, seen, valued, etc., but I can tell you that some of the most amazing mothers I know did not. Instead, the wisdom and lessons learned from their childhood created a drive to give their children better. That is my hope. That each generation can continue to progress. I'm doing my best with the daughter and (soon to be) three sons. I am sure you are too. I salute you, mom! Keep it up. Your 90 year old self won't regret it. With love, Monica

Even though this is our fourth baby, the excitement is just as high for this pregnancy. I mean, this is new life we're talking about! So when it came time to find out the gender of baby number 4, I was filled with so many emotions--I couldn't wait to pop that piñata and find out! I had the worst nausea I've had this pregnancy out of all my babies, so my guess? Girl. My daughter guessed the same. My oldest boy said "Boy!" My husband? Guessed boy. Rafi? Just along for the ride :-) Watch the video below to see who was right! We are so grateful for this blessing and we want to thank you for joining us on the journey of growing our family. We truly appreciate your well wishes and prayers. xo, Monica

I'm kind of obsessed with the idea of being the best mom I can be. Not because I get it right all the time--I make mistakes daily--but I am very aware that my children have ONE childhood, and I as their mother have a lot of power in how it all goes. One of the ways I aim to be the best mom I can be is with what I call Miracle Mommy Moments--I mention these in my TEDx Talk. The idea here is to consciously connect with your kids on a daily basis--preferably with each child alone. I believe each child needs alone time with their parents; to feel uniquely seen. This isn't always easy! But my hubby and I are doing our best (he just had a blast with our daughter taking her to a daddy-daughter dance) :-) At least once a month, I take my children out on solo dates (lately it's been boys on one date, my daughter and I on our own). This has been a great way for me to fill their cups and make some awesome memories ( I hope) they'll cherish when they're grown and out of the house. Here are a few tips on how we make our date nights (or days) fun and full of quality bonding. Tips on How to Date Your Kids Let Your Child Choose the Activity I typically let my kiddos choose the activity we do. This past date night, my oldest son chose to go to the aquarium. I loved this idea! He's homeschooled so I secretly relished in the fact he'd be getting some learning in too. We had a blast exploring alligators, manatees, swordfish and sharks. Be Present Nothing's worse than spending time with someone and they're clearly not there--either on their phone, daydreaming, or worse, overtly ignoring you. I aim to put my phone away (pulling it out only for capturing memories of course!), and I try to be as present as possible. That means not thinking about what I'm cooking for dinner, or how bad the traffic will be on the way home. Meditation isn't relegated only to lotus position on your bed. Being conscious while you're on your date with your kids is an act of meditation if you're present. Let Your Inner Child Out Seriously. Have. Fun. Life is beautiful!! Why act like a boring old mom when you have kids? Why not let our kids inspire us to embrace our own inner child? I'll admit, I get some crazy looks when I'm at the park with my kids or playing with them out and about. Most moms are on the sidelines. But I'm gonna triple-dawg-dare-ya to dare not to conform to mediocre motherhood (yeah, I said it). Why not give yourself radical permission to act childlike? Skip with your kids. Play tag with them. Make tents and forts out of sheets. Make messy pancakes. Ride with grocery cart when leaving the grocery store (one of my faves). And while on date night with your kids? Take note: how do they explore? Do their eyes widen at the site of a otter they've never seen before? Are they excited about learning about that mammal? Do they actually express their excitement? How? Let your kids teach you how to enjoy new experiences. They're the best teachers when it comes to this; I promise! Here's a few things I try to keep in mind when I'm on a date with my kids. Do you date your kiddos? What do you like to do? Drop your tips below or come hang out with me on social. Stay healthy and happy! Monica

Hey friend! First off, a big THANK YOU to all the love you shared on our pregnancy announcement. We appreciate you all and send that love right back to you. This pregnancy is flying by. Like, it feels like we just found out to whoa, there's the belly! I am truly doing my best to soak up every moment of this pregnancy. I consciously take time out of my busy day to just sit and commune with the sweet baby growing inside of me. Taking time to revel at the miracle of carrying life has been my go to for being mindful, grateful, and happy during this exciting time in my family's life. Every week, my belly feels like it's getting so much bigger. I wonder, how big will I be at full term?! But then I remind myself this isn't my first go-round. This is my fourth baby. My uterus "already knows what to do" so to speak, and for that reason, grew bigger to accommodate growing baby sooner. (There's medical research on this, research it if you don't believe me). I realized this week that I have quite a few expecting moms in my online fitness community, and it inspired me to share more here, and on the 'gram. The main thing I want to say to my fellow expectant mamas is to TAKE CARE OF YOU. Invest in your self care--especially during pregnancy. There are a few ways I'm doing this, and I will share it below: I'm Eating Well Do I enjoy my treat foods...like an occasional ice cream or chocolate bar? Of course! But the keyword here is 'occasional'. My diet thrives on consistency. Every morning, I start off with warm lemon water, fill my big jug of water for the day (I drink at least 80 oz of water daily), and one of my go to green smoothies. Then I typically have oatmeal or eggs and Ezekiel. And for lunch & dinner, I aim for a healthy protein-veggie-carb choice (for instance: salmon, salad, and couscous). In between if I get hungry in between meals, I love grabbing my DIY MWH Trail Mix (with almonds, walnuts, cranberries, & pumpkin seeds). Another thing that's been helping me with my pregnancy overall is consuming smaller meals, just more frequently. With everything growing in my tummy, I get full easier. If I eat too big a meal, this causes big discomfort which helps me have more discipline when it comes to fueling the baby and I. I'm Working Out 3-5 days a week, I'm doing one of my MWH workouts. For weights, I've gone down in size a bit. I know I could still lift as heavy right now, but intuitively that doesn't feel wise. I'm focusing on movement and health, not 'getting gains' right now. My biggest priority is working out for my and my baby's health, not vanity. So these priorities help me make good decisions regarding fitness. Since there are quite a number of you in my membership whom are expecting, I'll be working on adding more prenatal workouts to our library! For now, if you're an expectant mama, be sure to get the okay from your doctor or midwife to exercise, listen to your body, and monitor your heart rate during sweat sessions, A good rule of thumb is to ensure you can carry on a conversation during your workouts while you're pregnant. If you're too out of breath to talk, tone it down a bit. And as always, stay hydrated! I'm Doing Soul-Self Care Pregnancy is a miraculous time of creation. Not just your precious baby you're making, but you, mama, are being reborn as well. As your body, soul, mind, and life is being reshaped to make space and love for your bundle of joy, you are being transformed. No, you will never be the same after experience carrying and birthing your children. And thank God for that! This is a time of consecration, maturation, and this requires not only food and exercise, but deep soul care as well. To do this, I am 1) limiting my interactions with anyone who, well, pushes my buttons. Pregnancy is NO time to people please, my darling. If you have toxic or energy drainers in your life, BOUNDARIES will be required to safely care for you and baby. Say yes to what is absolutely necessary, and to what is life giving. Say no to what isn't good for you, your family, or your peace. 2) Make time for rest. This one is hard for me. I was born ambitious. I love a good to-do list. But pregnancy is a great time to reprioritize your life. Assess your values, and make time for what you love and, again, need to do. And set a reminder on your phone if need be to sit down...put those feet up, and rest! You are GROWING A HUMAN FROM SCRATCH! Take advantage of this perfect time to excuse yourself from unnecessary obligations and enjoy. Read books, brew your favorite tea in your favorite mug, put on calming music, pray, meditate, visualize. Remember a healthy, happy mom make healthy, happy babies. Even starting in the womb. I'm Connecting With My Baby It's tempting to say "I'm too busy" to do this when caring for other young children at home. Trust me, I get it. I am homeschooling my three other children and running a business from home. But I tell you, if you can get honest about your schedule, you can make some space for this. It may require no social media scrolling for a week. It may require no TV before bed. But you can do it, mama! Now! Let's get to the 'how'. I love connecting with my baby by becoming mindful. Simple. I get quiet and simply communicate with she (or he). (We know the gender but will share later!!). Sometimes I do this quietly, and sometimes I audibly do. Babies can feel everything we feel feel as moms. So just sending your baby love and saying, "You are so loved; you are so wanted" and visualizing a beautiful birth and life with your bundle of love--you will be making deposits in her character you wouldn't believe. Trust me on this! I have so much more to say and share but I'll save it for future posts and on social! For now, let me know if you have any questions. Sending you love! Monica

It was my birthday. My husband made me a lovely meal and was pouring a fine glass of white wine to celebrate another year of life. Then, my intuition nudged me. Hey, girl...you should take a pregnancy test...isn't your period due? I stopped in my tracks. While waiting for the test to reveal 'pregnant' or 'not pregnant' I felt restless. I assumed it'd be 'not pregnant' and convinced myself that I'd be enjoying dinner and wine in two minutes with my family. Yet, when I looked down at the pregnancy test after a few minutes of anxious waiting, lo and behold was a very clear 'PREGNANT'!! Instantly, I'm crying. I'm thanking God. Then fear sets in. I remember the two very scary miscarriages I'd had previously. I decided in that moment that I had to make a conscious choice; that I had to choose faith over fear. I decided that my God is a redeeming God. That He was up to something good. I decided He wanted to give me a very special birthday gift, and that faith would be sold separately. Faith was my job to match this wonderful surprise. I yelled for my husband and showed him the results. I told him I wouldn't be having any wine for at least 9 months with a grin. He's smiling, in shock. We realize we'd just celebrated our thirteenth wedding anniversary and the timing added up! Bencomo Baby #4 was on his or her way!!! We immediately told our kids. They were SO excited! Ariel has been praying for a sibling for some time now, and she said, "God answered my prayers!!" Taking care of and homeschooling my three kiddos while being pregnant has been quite the task. I've had more nausea this pregnancy than any of my others. And the fatigue...is...real! I mean, my body is growing a BODY from scratch! No wonder I need naps! Lol. I've tried to show myself some grace and remind myself of my most important priorities in this season so I'm not tempted to do too much. I am already now thirteen weeks. Nausea is starting to go away, thank God (more on this in my first trimester pregnancy vlog coming soon). We really enjoyed keeping this pregnancy to ourselves the first several weeks. It felt like our own happy little family secret, but it was was nice to start telling family and friends recently too. I am so excited to share the journey with baby #4 with you all. We've had a few ultrasounds, and he or she looks great. I've already felt some movements too! I'll be having another c section, as its medically necessary with my previous surgeries. I've made peace with this. I've been able to have one child with an epidural, my second completely natural, and now two c sections. All that matters to me at this point is that baby is healthy, and I am too. Everything else is fine print. Thank you for stopping by, and being a part of this exciting time for my family! Be sure to subscribe here and follow the journey on the 'gram! I have pregnancy vlogs, workouts, and more tips to be one of the healthiest, happiest mamas you know coming here and there! Monica