The Big 13!

April 8, 2014 Kim 67 Comments

Today my baby is 13!!! I don’t even know how this is possible!!! I’m so proud of the young man that Hunter has become and love every single second that I get to spend with him!

There was a time that I just wanted to survive the seconds with Hunter!!! When Hunter was 3, I wasn’t sure that we were both going to survive!!!

I asked Hunter if he cared if I wrote some about the year of 3 and he said, “I love those stories. They are hilarious!”

I saw this face a lot!!! (well- minus the glitter that his cousins put on him!)

Ummm….10 years later I think the stories are funny – still not sure that hilarious is the right word – as long as we don’t have to repeat that year of 3!

One day, the boys and I were at Target (actually almost every day!) and Hunter threw himself on the floor and pitched a fit. I said, “OK – see you later.” I tried to get Jordan to walk a couple steps away with me – next thing I know, Jordan is crying because he thought we were really going to leave Hunter.

nice look - socks, sandals & grey sweat pants! — nice look – socks, sandals & grey sweat pants!

When Hunter was 2 I used to say he was either the cutest thing ever or the most ornery!

And, for months he really was cute. Then gradually he turned from ornery into a very strong-willed little boy and every day was a struggle!!

Fits and full-blown tantrums were a normal part of our day. It didn’t matter what I said to him some days – he would just throw himself on the floor and pitch a fit.

he looks so innocent doesn't he? — he looks so innocent doesn’t he?

I could hand him a sucker and he would throw himself on the floor! “I didn’t want red – I wanted blue!”

There was a period of about 3 months that I would sit at the dinner table with Chris after the boys were excused and cry every night. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong!

After Jordan started kindergarten, Hunter and I had 2 years that it was just he and I all day every day. We had some fun times together (minus the fits of course)!!!

We also had some rough days!

black eye (I can't remember what happened - poor boy) — black eye (I can’t remember what happened – poor boy)

One day, after a very rough morning, I read the book Love You Forever to Hunter before nap-time. By the end I could barely read it because I was crying so much – I don’t think he got it but he wiped my tears and hugged me!!!

Even though 3 was a rough age, by the time he was 4, life was much better!!

brotherly love (even with guns & holsters)

Hunter went through about 2-3 years that he had horrible leg-aches at night. Several nights a week he would wake up crying because they hurt so much. Growing up I had the same thing and when I was in high school my sister and I shared a room and bed she had them. (I used to rub her legs until she fell asleep.) I spent many nights laying in bed with Hunter and calming him and rubbing his legs until he could sleep again.

Even though I hated the fact that he was hurting, I loved that time that I had with him in the darkness – he wanted me to stay with him until he could sleep again – I spent many hours just being there with him in the night!!! And they were calm times (after he quit thrashing his legs)!!

a visit with some of the cousins and this happened

Hunter has always been happy to hug me and give me kisses – as a baby/toddler he was very snuggly and he will still wrap his arms around me and hug me!!

this was actually Hunter's 1st birthday — this was actually Hunter’s 1st birthday

Hunter hated having to walk places. Even at age 4 he preferred being carried – I think he was my original weight training!!! The summer he was 4 we spent 3 weeks in New Jersey – Chris had a training course and the boys and I were tourists. I carried him all over many places because “his legs were tired.”

I think this was our first Hawaii trip - look how little those boys are! — I think this was our first Hawaii trip – look how little those boys are!

Funny, that my little guy who hated walking from the car to the store is now training for a half marathon!!!

I look at pictures and see a sweet little boy who makes me proud every single day!!!

Happy Birthday, Hunter!!! I love that I get to be your mom and see the changes in you from day-to-day and year-to-year!

Happy Tuesday!!

Kim

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Remember – Have Fun!

April 7, 2014 Kim 88 Comments

Yesterday morning Hunter and I did his first long run!! He is training for a half marathon and I’m going to do his long runs with him (as well as the race!).

Of course it was fun for me – I got to run and spend time with my son – what could be better?!

But, I told Hunter that the training should be fun for him. I don’t want him to dread the Sunday long run or feel like it is something he “has” to do!!! The main goal in the training and racing should be –

I started thinking that really this should be applied to LIFE!!! We shouldn’t dread things that are part of our life. I don’t want to rush life in order to get past things that I don’t enjoy. I want to embrace all of life and make it fun.

In our family, Chris is the “fun” parent and I’m usually the one reminding everyone of the rules and being the stick-in-the mud! I don’t know that I will ever change that completely but I do want to try and enjoy all parts of life and make things more fun!!!

Way back when Chris and I first met, he was in pilot training (for the Air Force). It was a very intense program but one of the things Chris used to say (and has continued to say since then) always stood out to me. He would finish flying and tell the instructor, “I can’t believe they pay me to do this.”

The reason he felt that way is because flying was (and continues to be today) FUN for him! He always wanted to be a pilot and he fulfilled his dream and loves being able to fly!

That is what I hope for my boys – I want them to do what they love because it will make their lives so much better and more fun!!!

I think that attitude goes a long way to determining how much fun something is and I’m working on my attitude when it comes to tasks/events that aren’t my favorite. I know that it is possible to have fun no matter what you are doing if you really want to.

There are going to be times in all of our lives that we have to do things that we don’t want to or that aren’t very pleasant. But, overall, I think that life should be fun!!!

This week I have things that I’m looking forward to and other things that I would rather avoid but I’m going to do my best to make them all fun!!

What are you going to do today to have fun?

Happy Monday!!

Kim

Biceps, Core, Fitness, Running, Shoulders, Treadmill, Triceps

It’s All About the Weights, Running, Moving

April 5, 2014 Kim 55 Comments

So the title is my poor attempt at a catchy song – but I think I’ve always said it wrong!! I thought it was supposed to be, “It’s all about the money, money, money.” Ummm….maybe it’s supposed to be “It’s NOT about the money, money, money.”

Oh, well – this week has been all about weights and running!!!

Sunday 3/30 – 44 stacked leg oblique crunches with dumbbell (15 pound)

start - right leg on top — start – right leg on top

After doing 44 to the left, I switched my top leg and crunched the other direction.

Reaching with the dumbbell made this move a challenge!!!

I ran 9 miles (72:51) + 1 easy mile. Trying to continue to increase my miles for about another month (big race coming up!!).

Monday 3/31 – 44 alternating shoulder press while standing on wobble balls. I used 10 pound dumbbells and that was hard by the end!

I love using the wobble balls for moves like this because you have to keep a slight bend in your knew to hold the balance and that helps take pressure off of your low back!!!

This was also a running day!!! 8 miles (59:57) plus 2 nice and easy miles.

Tuesday 4/1 – 44 combo shoulder/arm move (5 pound dumbbells – this was hard plenty!) Start with palms facing body –

ready (don't forget to look bored!) — ready (don’t forget to look bored!)

Raise arms straight up in front –

Rotate weights so that your palms are facing down –

Pull arms back (squeeze your shoulder blades together) –

Lower arms down to side –

Curl arms down so that you are back to the start position.

I liked this move – it was a great way to work my entire upper body!!!

I needed a little break from running so I did a 10 Minute Solution DVD – Sculpt, Tone and Reshape with the Figure 8.

There are so many fun moves with this band – I love what a great workout you can get with it. This DVD was just over 50 minutes and I worked my entire body!!!

Wednesday 4/2 – 44 triceps kickbacks (10 pound dumbbells)

This was a challenge with the amount of weight I used but I don’t want to have saggy arms!!!

I did Shelly McDonald (a Caribbean workout) Core Pilates. I had a horrible headache (woke up around 1:00 am with it and it never went away) so I thought some pilates would be a good choice. I made it through almost the whole hour before I quit!

Thursday 4/3 – 44 side bend with shoulder press (8 pound dumbbells).

down with right hand, really reach up with left hand

After doing 44 to one side, I had to switch and do another set!

By the time I finished, I had worked not only my core but also my shoulders – just holding an 8 pound weight up for the entire time was a workout!!!

I did a double run on Thursday to break in my new shoes!!! Well, really just to get used to running on tired legs but….

new shoes - Mizuno Wave Prophecy 3 — new shoes – Mizuno Wave Prophecy 3

First run – 10 miles (79:24) plus 1.15 easy.
Second run about an hour and a half later – 5 miles (36:53) plus 2.35 miles at a nice pace.
Total – 15 miles of hard running and 3.5 easier miles!

Friday 4/4 – 44 bicep curls in Warrior I (5 pound dumbbells).

I had to do another set after I finished 44 that way!!

5 pounds doesn’t seem like much until you do a total of 88 bicep curls and keep your arms extended out the entire time – then it feels like at least 20 pounds!!!

The workout was a fun one – Turbo Jam – Cardio Party 3. 50 minutes of pure fun with Chalean and her crew!!!

Saturday 4/5 – 44 lateral raise on wobble balls (first 22 with 8 pounds, second 22 with 5 pounds).

This move is always hard for me!!! After the first 22 I knew that I couldn’t continue to use good form unless I dropped down in weight!!!

And, today was another day of running!! 9 miles – 63:17 plus 1.1 to cool down.

Overall, this was a great week of strength work and running!!!!

41 miles of hard running plus 7.6 easier miles for a total of 48.6 miles!!!

Did you move this week?

Happy Saturday!!

Kim

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Do You Ever Want to Just Scream?

April 4, 2014 Kim 86 Comments

This has been another week of 44s – I decided to use dumbbells in every 44 this week! (recap tomorrow)

Somedays I just feel like a good loud scream would go a long way in releasing tension/stress!!!

Some of the things that make me want to scream:

1. People who say they are going to do something but they don’t actually do it (especially when it involves business).

And those same people expect me to keep doing stuff for them – crazy!!

2. Parents who don’t know how to do the drop-off line at the high school. First, it is a “drop-off” line, not a parking spot. Second, it is single lane!!!

Drop-off should be a simple thing but every single day I witness at least one near wreck and have to wait for people to have full conversations before moving their cars so that I can move mine!!!

3. Basically losing an entire day because of a sinus headache that was borderline migraine.

Days like that make me kind of sad at the end – Wednesday was like that for me and when I went to bed I felt like the day was a complete waste!!!

4. The fact that it is April and the weather has been cold and grey!!! I need sunshine and warmth!!!

Do you have things that make you want to scream? (please tell me that I’m not the only one who has the urge to scream at various petty things!!!)

Here is something brought a happy scream –

I have been wanting these for quite awhile but they were more than I wanted to spend. However, just recently Amazon Prime had them for almost $80 less than normal so I clicked order and 2 days later they were mine!!!

Happy Fun Friday!!! Scream if it makes you feel better!!!

Kim

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A Fun Way to Honor a Legend

April 2, 2014 Kim 90 Comments

I don’t know how many of y’all are familiar with the “rules” of the Air Force but one of them involves facial hair – basically, a man can have a mustache if it is well-groomed and doesn’t extend past the lips.

Not appropriate:

March was a bit different! The Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh threw down a challenge in February and issued an all-in Mustache March.

This tradition is in honor of a great Air Force pilot – Robin Olds. His mustache did not met the regs for the Air Force!!!

Robin Olds was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the U.S. Air Force. He was a “triple ace”, with a combined total of 16 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. He retired in 1973 as a brigadier general.

Side-note – way back in May of 1996, Robin Olds was the speaker at Chris’ Pilot Training graduation ceremony!!!

So, Chris felt the need to participate!!!