Monthly Archives: April 2013

Cardio, Fitness, Push-Ups, Squats

What do I do with this thing??

22 Comments

Today’s 43 was Jordan’s idea!!  He suggested this on Saturday morning but I decided to save it until today!  Since he came up with the idea, I made let him do the demo for me!!

The move – a push-up with a double jump squat x 43!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huqYmBztdq4′]

So, I didn’t do it exactly like Jordan – I stepped back into the push-ups instead of jumping.  I didn’t want to do them burpee style because I really wanted to make sure that I had good form on all 43 of the push-ups!  This one was a nice mix of upper body, lower body and cardio – great idea, Jordan!!!

The rest of my workout was fun – Turbo Jam style – Cardio Party 2.  I can’t say it often enough – I love to work out with Chalean!!!

So, over spring break (we stayed home and it wasn’t very spring-like since it snowed) I pulled out a puzzle.  I thought the boys might help – Hunter helped with the edge pieces and Jordan would periodically come in a tell me how hard puzzles are!!  The puzzle that I started was 3000 pieces!!!  It took me 2.5 weeks but I finally finished it – 3000 piece puzzleThe problem now is what to do with it.  I don’t want to take it apart yet – too much work putting it together.  But… it is on our dining room table.  We have glued puzzles before (and had them framed) but I don’t know where I would put this one – it’s huge 4′ x 2’7″.  So, for now it is still on the table!!!

Do you like puzzles?  What is the biggest one you have ever put together?  (I think this was the biggest one I’ve ever done.)

Happy Tuesday!!!  I’m spending the day subbing 5th grade!!!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Hamstrings

Happy Birthday, Hunter!!! (and the link-up that wasn’t meant to be)

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Today is Hunter’s birthday – my little boy is growing up – not really little anymore!!

I still got in a 43 amidst the before school birthday festivities!  Today I adapted a move that Tina at Best Body Fitness  had as part of her Move-It Monday Lower Body Burner.  She had a sumo deadlift as one of the moves.  I did a pretty close version of the move she showed but I chose to keep  my legs straight on the way down.

I used my kettlebell (20 pounds) which I really like for deadlifts – it helps keep me centered!!KettlebellI stood with my feet in a wide squat:

start
start

From that position, I leaned forward until the kettlebell was right at the ground.

down (flat back!!)
down (flat back!!)

I love deadlifts – I think because you are supposed to stick your butt out!!!

stick your butt back!!
stick your butt back!!

This was a fun 43!!

The rest of my workout was a run.  I was planning to link up with Miss Zippy because she is having a #Best Run link-up today.  However, near the end of my run I decided there was no way to qualify today’s run as a best of anything!

I ran 5 miles in 37:00 (1.5% incline) and did another 1.5 miles as a cool-down.  The problem today is my hamstring hurt the entire time I was running.  Last week when I ran 24 miles the only part of my body that was really sore was my left hamstring and butt.  I figured it would go away (isn’t that how things usually work??!!)  Today it still hurt when I ran – really??  I thought that a hamstring injury was a sprinter problem!!!  (OK – I know it can happen to anyone but seriously, I just got back into hard running after my stress fracture – ugh, and it was my left hip – coincidence?)

Anyway…..this wasn’t my best run so I’m not going to even pretend that it was even though I really wanted to participate in the link-up fun!

But, it’s still a great day because today is my baby’s birthday – I guess being 12 means he isn’t really a baby at all!

Hunter - baby pics

Hunter was born 6 weeks early and had to spend his first week in the NICU.  Sadly, I didn’t even get to hold him until he was already a day old because I had my own problems and the nurses and DR wouldn’t let me get up.  The bottom pictures are his last day in the hospital (which was Easter that year!) and Jordan meeting Hunter for the first time – brotherly love from the start!!

Hunter Birthday morningThis morning, Hunter opened his presents – mostly new Rubik cubes which is exactly what he wanted!  The bottom right picture is him under the clock at his exact time of birth (7:31 am).

I’m very proud of the young man that Hunter is becoming!  It is been 11 awesome years and 1 year that was not quite as  awesome :Wink:  (When Hunter was 3, was really into pitching fits – lots of them -all the time for no reason at all – GOOD TIMES!!!)  Hunter really does make me happy every day!!!

Happy birthday, Hunter!!!  I love you!!

Happy Monday!

Kim

Fitness, Quad

There Should be an App for That!

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Today for my 43,  I decided to use the same band that I used in my workout yesterday.

figure 8 band
figure 8 band

I put one loop on my right foot and then pulled the band up (and tried to keep lots of resistance on it) for the move which was a leg extension and toe tap.  Lift right knee up –

lift
lift

extend leg (and hold for just a second) –

extend & hold (and balance!)
extend & hold (and balance!)

bend knee again and lightly tap toe on ground before repeating.

tap down
tap down

This was a great move for my quads.  Plus, my hip flexors got a bit of strengthening and the balance part helped work my core!  And, this was one of those moves that after I did the first set of 43 with my right leg, I switched legs and did 43 more.

Today is one of those days that I don’t really want to take a rest day but I’m going to since I’m really trying to be smart and hopefully avoid injuries!!!

I think I’ve mentioned before that I collect cook books.

DSCN2985 Screen shot 2013-04-07 at 9.19.17 AM

I might have a few!  I actually use many of them.  I usually pick a couple of cookbooks every few weeks and pick out 12-15 different recipes I want to try while I’m making my grocery list.  Other than a few family favorites, I rarely make the exact same dish more than once.

However, awhile back I made a pulled pork and slaw dish that all 3 of the boys loved!!  I decided to make it today so yesterday I spent close to 2 hours trying to find the recipe – I have no idea which book it was in!!  Seriously?!  I think there should be an App that I can use to track the recipes I’ve made – how hard can it be?

Oh, well – I’m trying out another new recipe today.  We are still having pulled pork and slaw but with brand new recipes!!!  Hopefully it is still a family hit!!

Anyone else have problems finding recipes when you want to remake a dish?  Do you experiment in the kitchen or make the same things?

 

(I guess if that is as bad as it gets in the problem area this weekend then I can’t really complain!!)

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win a necklace – I AM FEARLESS.

Happy Sunday!

Kim

Fitness, Triceps

Fearless

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Yesterday I was at Hunter’s school as the PE sub for the afternoon.  A friend asked me if I had ever tried triceps dips with 3 balls – what???  You can bet I tried as soon as I got home!! A medicine ball under each hand and both feet on a ball – DSCN0158

Now dip!!  So, today’s 43 is a new move to me – the balance is tricky for sure but the move is a good one – dips on the balls!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC06KIeBKN4′]

Try it – you might surprise yourself and really like it!!

For the rest of my workout, I pulled out another 10 Minute Solution DVD – Sculpt, Tone & Reshape with the Figure 8.  The DVD came with this cute band – DSCN0160I’ve said before that I love the 10 Minute Solution workouts.  I usually try to do all 5 sections but when I’m time-crunched they are a nice way to get in something.  Today I did all 5 – lower body, upper body, fat blasting sculpt (my favorite because it had combo moves and cardio blasts!), buns & thighs and abs.  Great workout for a day when I needed something quick!!

Yesterday I started really thinking about ways that all of us are fearless and then I started thinking of times when I have been fearless in my life.

  • When I was 22, I loaded my car and drove from west Texas to southern Alabama (by myself) for grad school – before I left, I didn’t even know where Alabama was (sad, but true) – a map (this was way before GPS) and some courage and off I went!!
  • Married Chris and moved to Kansas when I was 26.  The getting married part was easy  since I knew he was the guy for me – the moving to Kansas – not so easy!!!
  • Had my first child at 29 – scary for me – I was never a babysitting type – being a mom takes a lot of courage!
  • Lived through numerous trips and/or deployments as a “single mom” – I knew when Chris and I got married what his job entailed but it still takes a lot of courage every single time he leaves!!
  • Started my year of 43s and blogging in September of last year – this one wasn’t really scary but it was something different and new.   I’m loving the challenge of the daily 43 and over the past number of months I’ve really come to love many things about blogging.

What are some situations in your life that have caused you to be fearless?

Don’t forget to enter to win the I AM FEARLESS necklace giveaway!!Giveaway - necklaceHappy Saturday!!

Kim

 

Cardio, Fitness

Fun Friday – Give Away!!!

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Today I decided to do some cardio for my 43.  This one was quick, easy and fun!!!  I used one of my favorite pieces of equipment:

BOSU
BOSU

The move:  single leg stick (jump up and land on one foot) while lifting opposite knee then lunge back and touch BOSU.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcV-hs9UlW4′]

I’m breathing hard in the demo because those were actually my last ones!!  And, of course, both sides have to be even so it was a double 43!!!

The rest of my workout today was one of my favorites – Turbo Fire!!  I did Fire 60 which is 60 minutes of fun-filled cardio with 4 HIIT drills thrown in!  I’ve said it before – any workout with Chalean (Johnson) is both fun and a great workout at the same time!

OK – the big surprise.  I have a giveaway for y’all!!  A friend of mine recently started selling Origami Owl Jewelry.  I went to her first home party and  ended up buying a necklace that I thought would be perfect as a giveaway.Giveaway - necklace

Can you read it?  It says – I AM FEARLESS

How perfect!!  I read about people pushing themselves in so many ways to do things they never dreamed they could.  Even if you don’t blog about it – I know all of you are amazing and fearless!!!

To enter just follow the steps below – hopefully it works!!!  Apparently, if you use Google Reader, the links to my site don’t always work.  I did go to my site (on a computer I never use so I wasn’t logged in as admin) and check all the links and they are fine that way.  Sorry – if you have a problem with the links – you can just leave a comment below to enter to win!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you want to check out the other jewelry and charms available from Origami Owl here is a link.  They have some really cool stuff at pretty reasonable prices!

Good Luck!!

Happy Fun Friday (PE subbing for me – yippee!)!

Kim