Tag Archives: band

Christmas Memories

December 17, 2013 Kim 75 Comments

Today I pulled out my band for the 44.

I stood on it and did alternating cross body bicep curls. (No pictures because I haven’t been getting up at 5:00 for Chris to take the pictures before he goes to work and the boys aren’t really into taking pictures first thing in the morning – but I found a video of someone else doing exactly what I did!!)

Do you want to know something sad?! I don’t really remember that much about a lot of the Christmases from when I was growing up!! I remember a few small things but for the most part – nothing. And, I don’t have any pictures!!

I do remember one Christmas though. I was in 8th grade (a brutal year – I went to 3 different schools!!!) and we lived in Rantoul, Illinois. My dad was deployed to Korea for a year so it was just my mom and all 4 of us kids.

One day a couple of weeks before Christmas we received a really large box –

It was from my Mema and Poppa who lived in Texas and were sad that we couldn’t come down for Christmas. They mailed our gifts early.

About 2 days before Christmas, we got an much bigger and better surprise – Mema and Poppa came to spend Christmas with us!!!! Talk about a happy thing (I’m pretty sure I’ve said before – all my happiest memories involve my grandparents)!!!!

The box didn’t have our presents – it contained a large handmade, wooden church that someone had made for Sam & Mandi (the were 1st & 2nd graders) –

(not the real thing – remember no pictures!)

I have no idea what presents I got that year or what we ate or anything other than the fact that the best part of Christmas was being with my grandparents!!!!

Now that I have kids of my own – I try to help them build up Christmas memories. I hope that their memories will be less about the gifts and more about the special times that we share together!!! (And, of course, there are pictures to help jog the memory!!!)

What is your best Christmas or Hanukkah or any other memory?

Happy Tuesday!!!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Quad, Squats

Counting Down with Gratitude

December 3, 2013 Kim 77 Comments

Today’s 44 was a fairly simple move made a little more challenging with a band – a small tight band.

I did a step out to a squat – right and then step out left for 1 rep. (so each rep had 2 squats)

The 44 went quickly but my legs were burning by the end.

Insanity the Asylum vol. 2 was up again – Upper Elite. YIKES!!! 60 minutes of upper body with just a few cardio bursts thrown in. More push-ups than I cared to count, biceps, triceps, shoulders, upper back, core – some of everything!! I’m still shaking and I finished over 30 minutes ago. I actually had to do some of the push-ups on my knees – hopefully next time through I will get them on my toes.

December is the month of counting down!!! We started doing Christmas count-downs years ago and the boys still do them even though they aren’t little any more.

Every night the boys do all of the different count downs. Years ago they used to fight about whose turn it was so I started the odd/even – whoever is the odd age gets odd days. This system has worked perfectly for many years!!

We have a couple that you just change the numbers –

One that you move a little star around –

A Santa full of doors – we start with all of the doors open and close one each night.

A Santa with a big beard that starts out empty and will be full on Christmas –

But my favorite countdown is one that requires a little more effort. We have a row of 25 little stockings –

Every night during the month of December each of the boys take a little piece of paper and writes down something they are thankful for. At the end of the month (or when I take down the decorations), I type up the list. It is really fun to go back and look at lists from years ago. (I type it exactly as they wrote it – spelling and grammar errors and all!!)

I love Christmas but I really want our boys to know how very fortunate they are and for them to take the time to appreciate all of the goodness in their lives.

Do you have a count down tradition?

Happy Tuesday!!

Kim

Fitness, Shoulders

It’s the Weekend!! Time to Kickback and Relax! HaHaHa

September 21, 2013 Kim 34 Comments

Today’s 44 was a different way to try a standard move. I took some advice from Tamara @ Fitknitchick and tried a unilateral move. I did a single arm shoulder press – non-working arm stays extended the entire time (so it is really working!!).

Hold two equal weight dumbbells at shoulder height. Extend both arms up and over your head, keeping weights slightly in front of your head. Keep non-working arm fully extended while you lower the working (weighted) arm towards your shoulder. Press back up to the starting position. Complete all repetitions on one side then switch to the other. (thanks to Tamara for this explanation of the move!)

I thought that 8 pounds wouldn’t be challenging enough so I did 10 pounds – yikes!!!

This move was hard – keeping the “non-working” arm up the entire time makes this move 10x harder. And the 2nd set of 44 was brutal but I kept the same weights so that I could try to be balanced!!!

I remember when the weekend used to mean a little bit of down time!!! Now, the weekend means that I have to do some major planning to make sure we all get to the events and activities we are supposed to!!

Lately, every Saturday has started butt crack early (especially since Friday night football means we are up till at least 11:00 – late for us!!!).

This morning, Chris and I are each judging 2 rounds of debate (part of Jordan’s debate grade – funny how it involves us!!). Hunter has to get to the middle school to ride the bus to the cross country meet before we get home – good thing for friends to come get him!!!

After our judging career ends, we will run home to get Jordan and take him to the high school so he can spend the rest of the day being a timer at the debate tournament. Then Chris and I will book it to Kansas City for Hunter’s cross country meet.

Then…..

Busy but it will all be fun!!!

Jordan is really enjoying marching band so the Friday night craziness is totally worth it. Plus, the football games are always fun!

Band Wear - this is what they wear under their uniforms — Band Wear – this is what they wear under their uniforms

Weekends in your world – relaxing or crazy?

Happy Saturday!!! Relaxing or rushed – I hope it’s a great one!!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Push-Ups

Tuesday Tidbits

September 10, 2013 Kim 66 Comments

Today’s 43 was one of those that I knew was going to be hard from the first rep!!! I used a step (8″) and did an incline push-up then bear crawled over it and did a decline push-up and bear crawled back to the start.

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

As a side note – my shirt/short combo are making my butt look exceptionally big today!!! Nice!

Today was a hot, muggy Garage Boot Camp – these 100+ days are keeping it hot all night and into the morning!! We did a repeat workout from last week – the 25 in 1 workout. This is a series of 8 moves, 1 minute to get 25 reps of each. Some of the moves it is easy to get 25 and have a little breather but I set it up so that the last 4 are pretty much straight through!!! We completed 4 rounds so we got 100 reps of each move:

squat jacks
plank jacks
jumping lunges
push-ups
front kick right/back kick left (front/back = 1)
toe touch sit-ups
front kick left/back kick right
hurpees (burpees without a push-up)

This is a fun way to work your entire body and keep your heart rate up!

So, I was planning to do a fun post about all of the great bloggers I’ve met this year but since I was a bum last night and this morning I’m rushing to hit publish, I’m going to save it for later this week!!!

Instead I just have some random thoughts today!!

I finally uploaded some of the band picture from Friday night –

It was so nice that Jordan was on the end – made it easier to get a few pictures!!!

Tonight, Hunter has his 2nd practice for the Youth Philharmonic!!! I’m going to try to make sure that he isn’t late this week. Last week, I didn’t allow enough time and he was a few minutes late – on the way inside he said, “I don’t want to draw attention to myself.” Umm….have you seen yourself?

Since he wears highlighter yellow almost every day he sort of stands out in a crowd – silly boy!!!

My dining room table is finally cleared off – yesterday’s top project was to get the clutter under control!!!

This morning is hair day – I think I’m ready for another change just not sure what I want to do!!!

And – this afternoon is looking really good for………..

Feel free to share some tidbits from your day!

Happy Tuesday!

Kim

Biceps, Core, Fitness, Running

Last Day in Paradise

July 29, 2013 Kim 40 Comments

Today I used my band again for my 43. I did a bicep curl while in a V-sit position.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3KdK7gLSFM’]

I love moves like this because not only am I working my biceps but also my entire core so it is a double bonus!!

And since this is our last day here in Florida, I took advantage of the beach for another hot, steamy run!! 4 miles – 32:33 + 0.5 miles cool down – I actually ran the last 2 miles much faster than the first 2 but I was really having to work hard – the humidity just sucks the energy out of me!!!

Today is our last day before we start the LONG drive home and I plan to enjoy every second of it!!! For me that means plenty of time on the beach doing my favorite thing: