I am a 44 year old wife, mom and athlete. I started running in high school and have loved it ever since. As I got older, I had to stop running every day so I added in weight training and all sorts of fun work-outs like Insanity, P90X and Turbo Fire. I'm a certified personal trainer and I love all aspects of fitness.
Every year we take pictures for our Christmas card (and to hang on the picture wall). I love to look back at the pictures and see the changes (mostly just in the boys unless you count my hair color).
Here are some of the ones that didn’t make the cut this year.
Looking good JordanNot badEyes closed – really?Jordan!!!Jordan!!!!!
Jordan spent a lot of the pictures entertaining himself (and later us when we looked at all of the pictures)! We did get some pictures that I liked.
Not badI like this one!My Favorite!!
Even though sometimes it is a hassle to get everyone coordinated (or in this case, matching!!!), I’m always glad that we have these pictures to remember each stage our lives!!!
Today was the first time since I started my quest of completing a 43 every day this year that I almost didn’t do one. However, I decided that it didn’t have to be super hard – it just needed to be!!!
So, the 43 today (Yeah!!!! there was one!) was a lateral raise while laying face-down on a stability ball. I just used 5 pound dumbbells for this move.
The main thing I focused on during the 43 was trying not to jerk my arms up and to use control when lowering them.
Yesterday after the fun family photo shoot, (more great pictures on the family page)
I like this one!
Jordan decided that he would make dinner. He had plans to concoct a unique creation (beef, ketchup, honey, barbecue sauce, Italian seasonings, lettuce, tomatoes,scrambled eggs and who knows what else were mentioned) cooked in some crazy manner. He and Chris worked together in the kitchen (I was banned) and I truly thought they were making Jordan’s stuff because of the conversations I could hear.
When they called me in, they actually had a baked spaghetti dish (very tasty!!). However, Jordan did make up a new dessert:
Jordan’s Creation
Not sure if it has a name but it was pretty good. He mixed blackberry pomegranate yogurt, some sugar, some graham cracker crumbs, some craisins, granola and honey to make the above treat! Maybe he will be the next Bobby Flay or Gordon Ramsey!!!
Happy Sunday! I’m excited because I’m going to see the Nutcracker with some friends later this afternoon – should be fun!
This morning when I picked my 43, I really wanted to do something that would work my legs but it still had to be non-weight bearing. I finally came up with a good 43 and even sitting here typing my legs are still feeling the burn – Ultimate Success!!!
I used a couple of 8 pound medicine balls for the move. One of them I just held over my head the whole time just to add a little extra and to make sure that I didn’t try to cheat on the move by pushing off with my hands! I started like this:
Squeeze Hard!!!
I’m just sitting on a flat stool and have the medicine ball between my knees – just holding it in place took some major effort. Then I lifted my legs straight up (knees still bent at this point).
Squeeze and Lift
The final part of this move was to extend my legs – this was the hard part and I had to lean back a little (I figure that’s OK – I could work my core some, too!!!).
Extend and Hold
I tried to keep complete control as I reversed the move (pretty sure that a couple of the reps I just sort-of dropped my legs – oops!!). 43 – worked my legs today!!!!
Today we are going to take our annual family picture for our Christmas card. This is always an ordeal experience to be forgottenthat requires a drink (on my part) in the true joy of the Christmas season (thats what we are going with). Jordan typically wears white Nike shorts and a white Nike T-shirt every day of the year (summer & winter) so the fact that he has to put on something different never goes over well. Then the timer on the camera and smiles and eyes (open preferably) and poses and locations and…..Anyway, I hope we get some good shots (of tequila, maybe!) later today!!
Today is a foggy, cool day – perfect for hanging out at home as a family (and taking pictures!!!).
Foggy (view from kitchen deck)
Happy Saturday!!!
Kim
Do you take family pictures every year? Is it an ordeal? Any creative ideas for FUN family pictures?
I made the demo yesterday and this morning I added on to the move from the video. In the demo, I just did the V-sit and then rolled back to the start. This morning I decided that was far too easy for the 43 so I added the extra steps listed above! Much better!
I did Pick Your Spot Pilates again this morning – Belly, Butt & Thighs. I feel sure that I will be a Pilates expert at the end of the next 8 weeks!!! (or maybe just sick of pilates – who knows?)
Goofy grin
Last night we went to Hunter’s orchestra concert at school (6th grade orchestra!!!). It was a very nice program – you can definitely hear and see the improvement from last year’s programs!!!
Hunter on the cello
I really do like the sound of the cello and Hunter is getting quite good!
Today I get to test my musical ability (or complete lack there-of!). I’m subbing in the music room!! Sort-of comical because I have less than zero sense of rhythm, pitch or anything else needed in music. (Good thing I already know that the plan is to show a video of some sort today – hope it is a good one!!!)
Today’s 43 was really fun! I wasn’t sure if it would be good or not but I liked it!
I laid on my back with a medicine ball. The first set of 43 I used an 8 pound ball then I decided to do a second set of 43 with a 9 pound ball. I started with the ball in both hands and my arms pulled down tight to my body then tossed the ball straight up (over my chest) with my arms fully extended. I caught the ball (surprisingly!!!) and lowered all the way down before repeating. I tried to keep a quick pace so that it would exhaust my arms/chest.
Thanks to Hunter for doing the demo! By the 3rd toss he was getting it in the right spot!!
So I spent the past couple of days being in a funk and wallowing in the fact that I can’t do the things I want to – run, jump, walk….
Yesterday I decided that I was being ridiculous and still in control over my happiness. I’m just going to make the best of my current situation and look at this as an opportunity for my body to get some rest that otherwise would NEVER happen!!! I’m going to look for creative ways to get in some conditioning while still following most of the Dr.’s rules!
Above all – I’m going to continue to enjoy my life and stop being a Negative Nancy!!!!
This afternoon I’m back in the classroom – 5th grade!!!
Tonight is one of Hunter’s orchestra concerts!!! WooHoo!!
