Traveling with kids during the season with Best Buy...

Hey guys, the holiday season is coming FAST! Between Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, it seems like the end of the year is just one big long holiday.

My favorite part of the holiday season is traveling with my kids because they are out of school. We try to take the kids somewhere every year either on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Last year we went to Panama City FL for Thanksgiving so Willie could play in a football tournament.



And the year before we took a long road trip to Phoenix AZ for Christmas...



So I started thinking that this year I wanted do something a little closer to home, adventurous, and different. Mainly because my husband cant take off work for the holidays, so we cant go far. I started thinking about little things we could do locally and I found some great ideas on the Best Buy website.

One of my favorite ideas was to buy the kids their own small cameras and go on a scavenger hunt with them. How cool is that?

Best Buy: Before your kids get too restless on the next family road trip, hand them point and shoot cameras, then throw a fun challenge at them: a photo scavenger hunt. Have the family create a list of ten things everyone needs to photograph before the trip is over. Extra points for verified Bigfoot photos.

I was searching on BestBuy.com and found these great cameras for my kids for only $21.99...

Bell+Howell - Dc5R Red Kids Digital Camera 5 Megapixels Fun Flix Kids Digital Camera - Red

Another great idea from Best Buy was to have "Middle of Nowhere" Movies. A lot of people have kids that are not really outdoorsy, you know the ones that don't like to go outside and would rather watch TV. So why not take them camping and have a movie night outside...

Best Buy: A mobile hotspot means Internet connectivity for multiple devices, wherever there's a cell signal. Kick your camping experience up a notch with your very own outdoor streaming theater. A hotspot, a laptop, a Wi-Fi smart projector, plus some camper's ingenuity and you're watching your favorite travel flicks in no time. S'mores and popcorn recommended.

I found a great portable projector on Best Buy for only $188. I definitely think this will be on our Christmas list year. WE could use this mot only camping but in our own backyards.

AAXA - P2 Jr. Pico DLP Projector - Gloss White/Black

Best Buy shares great ideas on how to use technology to enhance your next road trip or getaway. 6 Family Travel Tips from Best Buy:

                – Always Connected

                – Family 5K

                – Middle Of Nowhere

                – Road Trip Boost

                – Scavenger Hunt

                – Ultimate VOD

Do you have any great ideas that you use when traveling or vacationing with your kids? 

Crescent City Classic 10k "Run For It" Program Charities...

I hope you guys had a great weekend. We had football games on Saturday and went dirt bike riding on Sunday. We have started spending all of our free time on the weekends keeping our kids active outside. The weather has been great here in the south finally. 

I wanted to share with you guys some great info from one of my favorite races. The Crescent City Classic. This is a premier 10k road race in New Orleans, La on March 26th, 2016. With over 25,000 athletes running down the streets of New Orleans is amazing. One of the great things about this race is that a lot of the people are actually running for a great cause. The CCC10k has a great program called the "Run For It" program

If your planning on running the CCC10k next year, why not run for a great cause? Sign up now at www.CCC10k.com.

I will be announcing the 2016 CCC10k blogger group in the next week, so stay tuned...

Have you ever ran the CCC10k? or in New Orleans?

Loving your body no matter what size you are... with tasc PERFORMANCE!

The love your body movement has been growing and growing every year. The days of people striving to be super skinny, or super athletic just to fit in to society are starting to go away. THANKS GOODNESS! We just all need to be one word... HEALTHY!

HEALTHY IS THE NEW SKINNY!!!!!

Lord knows I have been all over the scale board. I have that type of body that if I don't workout I will be 200lbs overnight. However 200lbs and a size 16 doesn't look too bad, right?

Now when I am in great athletic shape from training, training, and more training, I am a comfortable size 14 at 175lbs. Also not too bad...

What some people don't understand is that you don't have to be a size 0 to look amazing. Yes, there are some people who are a size 0 that look amazing, but for the majority of us, that's just not reality!

It doesn't matter how much you weigh as long as you are healthy and happy!

So it really makes me happy that more and more companies are starting to realize that woman come in all shapes and sizes. And that guess what at 200lbs we may be healthy and happy, SHOCKING!

One of the hardest thing when you are a size 12 and up is finding cute, functional workout clothes. A really great friend of mine Leah Frazier started working at this amazing company called tasc Performance...

A little history about tasc...

tasc Performance was brought to life in 2009 with one mission: the reinvention of performance apparel. The New Orleans-based company was founded and is operated by the Andrews family, which has a 40-year legacy in the garment industry. After years of dealing with the compromises of polyester athletic apparel – skin irritation, bad odor and more – Al Andrews, former Tulane University basketball standout (All SEC '65-'66) charged his son Todd with the difficult task of finding a solution to the polyester problem. 

Over a 2+ year period of natural fiber research and textile engineering , the BamCo® (patent-pending) fabric finishing process was created. The resulting fabric hit every metric: Performance (moisture wicking, drying rate, UPF 50+), Feel (absolutely amazing), and Durability (color fastness, shape retention, easy care, anti-odor)

So when I went online and checked out tasc Performance workout wear, I was excited to learn that they have an extended size line just starting up. I'm like finally a workout company that realizes that they can sell to size 0 and to a size 30 and its ok! Check out the president Todd Andrews talking about the new extended line of tasc Performance...

Check out some of the cute pieces tasc Performance has to offer in extended sizes...

Super cute and super functional, made from the bamboo technology that tasc Performance has perfected. I am excited to order a couple pieces from tasc Performance and try them out. What is great about my size is that I can order from the both the regular line and the extended line and tell you guys all about both. So stay tuned....

Do you find it hard sometimes to find cute functional workout clothes for your size?

Are you happy with your current size?

2015 WOW SUMMIT

I am so excited!!!!!!!!

I will be headed to sunny San Diego next month for the 2015 WOW Summit. I have been so blessed to be invited for the 2nd year in a row by the wonderful people at Moms Meet. Last years summit was in Orlando FL. This year they took it to the west coast.

The WOW Summit will be at the gorgeous Town & Country Resort and Convention Center right in the heart of San Diego CA.

This hotel seems absolutely GORGEOUS and I can't wait to show you guys all it has to offer. Especially for all my Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon peeps who may be looking for a place to stay during the race next year.

The WOW Summit is 2 full days of seminars, brands, and health conscience minds coming together to make our families healthy.

5 reasons to attend

1. Bring your family and stay at the beautiful Town and Country Resort, located in the heart of San Diego’s Mission Valley and just minutes from the famous San Diego Zoo.

2. Get great advice from top-notch healthy living and parenting experts and immerse yourself in interactive workshops.

3. Walk away with lots of goodies! We’re giving away tons of prizes throughout the event, plus everyone will receive an amazing gift bag stuffed with healthy and natural products.

4. Connect and bond with hundreds of like-minded moms throughout the conference.

5. Try tons of great products at our exhibit hall where you'll meet our fabulous sponsors and fill your goody bag with even more samples.

So if you're going to be anywhere near San Diego October 23-24th, you must attend the WOW Summit. For more information and to REGISTER, click HERE!

HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS THERE!
I was given a ticket and accommodations to the WOW Summit in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received. As always all opinions are my own and no one elses.

RUN NINE/ELEVEN & FREEDOM 5k Virtual Run, check it out...

We are all really busy people. I mean lets face it, life is hectic and crazy no matter who you are. I have found that between football games, swim meets, and cross country meets, racing seems to have been put to the back burner. That being said I have found that doing a couple virtual races a year keeps me in the racing mode. So when the awesome Pavement Runner Brian emailed me about an awesome virtual race called RUN NINE/ELEVEN & FREEDOM 5k, I knew that I HAD to participate. Especially since ALL of the proceeds got directly to OPERATION CARE & COMFORT. Check it out...

You're probably wondering how this race works. So your first option is the NINE/ELEVEN race...

About the Run 9/11 Challenge

20 miles. 2 Days. 1 Cause. Run Nine/Eleven is a challenge to run nine miles on day one and 11 miles on day two. Starting Friday, September 11, through the end of September, thousands of people from across the country will run, walk and remember. 100% of proceeds from this event go to Operation: Care and Comfort. This is a Run Local event so you can choose your preferred location and time. Participate solo, invite a friend or host a local event. Whatever you do, finish what you start.

And your second option is the FREEDOM 5k...

About the 9/11 Freedom 5K

The Run Nine/Eleven Freedom 5k continues a tradition started by American military bases around the world that run/walk a 5k on the anniversary of 9/11. The Freedom 5k encourages participants from across the country including military, first responders, civilians and their families to run or walk 5k at anytime during the month of September. This is a virtual run so you can participate solo, invite a friend, or host a group run on the day and time of your choice with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Operation: Care and Comfort. Whatever you do, finish what you start.

Both registrations are $30 and after running one or both races you will enter your time in on the site. Both races earn medals and will be delivered 2-3 weeks after your time is logged in.

That's it, Super easy and a great way to show your support for OPERATION CARE AND COMFORT. Oh and did I mention that 100% of the proceeds go to OPERATION CARE AND COMFORT? 

Yep that's right 100%, so go sign up NOW!

OH wait there's more...Pavement Runner Brian has a special little discount code for you guys that will save ya'll $5. 

CODE: PAVEY5

But wait if you feel like donating that $5 right back to the OCC, or even A LOT more than $5, you can donate at anytime HERE! 

So lets all get signed up and run our 9/11 miles or our 3.1 miles to honor this great charity... 

REGISTER HERE!!!

#RUN911

Have you ever participated in any virtual races?

Five Things Friday... UPCOMING RACES...

I wanted to share with you guys 5 of my favorite upcoming races this week in FIVE THINGS FRIDAY!

 Five of my favorite races coming up...

1. Pensacola Marathon, (half, full, and 5k) November 8th, 2015, Pensacola FL. 
This is one of my favorite race weekends. Whether your running, walking, or spectating, this race is for everyone. They just added a 5k option to the race this year along with a half and full option. Register HERE.

2. Runner's World Half & Festival (3.8m Trail, 5k, 10k, half) October 16-18th, Bethlehem, PA
This is a super fun filled weekend full of racing, seminars, live music, and even a dog run. I will be there with a group of amazing bloggers to bring you guys all the fun things going on that weekend. You can register HERE and use code "bloglarisadixon" to save $3.50 off the 5k, $4 off the 10k, $7.50 off the Five & Dime, $9.50 off the Half Marathon, $17 off the Hat Trick.

3. Rock n Roll Las Vegas, (half and full marathon) November 12-15th, 2015, Las Vegas NV
Who could resist running down the Las Vegas Strip? Not me! To make it even better this race starts when the sun goes down and the strip lights up. You can register HERE and use code "RUNWITHLARISALV" to save $15 on the half or full marathon.

4. Ironman Augusta, (half Iron distance, relay) September 27th, 2015, Augusta, GA.
Doing a triathlon of any distance is never easy but if you pick the right race it can be super fun. Ironman Augusta is one of the most exciting race weekends I have ever had. I participated in the relay in 2014 on team TAGYOURIT. I swam in the relay and it was such a fun experience. It's the perfect race for beginner triathletes and professional triathletes alike. This years race is sold out, however make sure to check out the website for 2016 dates.

5. Battleship 12k, (12k), November 15th, 2015, Mobile, AL.
This is a new race this year on the Gulf Coast. One of the great things about this race is that it is a total water run along the beautiful Mobile Bay. They also have a 1-for-1 sponsorship on entries for disabled veterans. For every regular priced entry, the event will provide a free entry for a disabled vet to participate.How awesome is that? You can register HERE and I look forward to seeing you guys there.

I would love to see all of you guys at 1 or more of these races. Let me know if you will be attending any of these events, I would love to meet up. Have a great weekend!