Tag Archives: Christmas

Packing Up

My shoulders are burning from today’s 43 – get a pair of dumbbells and try it yourself!!!  The move was fairly simple – hold both arms up at 90 degrees (with a dumbbell if you want to really up the challenge!).  Keep the left arm stationary, press the right arm up and twist your body to the left – hold for a 2 count.  Return to start.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4teQ6eZJioA&feature=youtu.be’]

In the demo I only did 3 reps per side.  You know I really did 43 with my right side and then another 43 with my left.  I used 10 pound dumbbells and even just holding my arm at 90 was brutal – the press was a total killer!  Now I know y’all want to bust out a few!!!

Day 11 of the 12 Days of Fitness today.  The new move  – weighted squats.  I used 25 pounds and held each squat for a 3-count.  Only 1 more exercise to add to complete the series!

Today I also did an amazing ab/core that I got from Tamara at Fitknitchick.  It is just 6 abdominal exercises and you do each one for a minute – as many reps as possible.  I set my Gymboss timer for 2 intervals – a 1 minute one and a 10 second one.

Gymboss Timer
Gymboss Timer

I love this handy timer!!!  After 1 minute, it immediately starts on the 10 second rest count-down and then BOOM – you start on the next 1 minute exercise.

The AB plan:

  • standing oblique crunches
  • walking plank
  • feet elevated crunches
  • V-sit with alternating side rotations
  • side plank with hip drop
  • reverse curls

Tamara suggested 30 seconds per side for the side plank.  I changed it a little – I did the entire series 2x and did a left side plank the first time and a right side plank the second set.  This was a great work-out!!!

Today is going to be a work day here – time to pack up all of the Christmas decorations and trees for another year!!!  It will be a chore – good thing the boys are volunteering willing gladly going to help!!!!  There will be 100s of trips up & down the stairs hauling crap all of our decorations and my cookbooks!!!  Chris gets to miss the fun – drill weekend for him.  I guess I will let it slide since technically he is working, too!! (plus he had to get up at 5:00 again this morning and I slept till 7:00!!!)

Santa Tree
Santa Tree

Good-bye trees!!!  I’m ready to put the stuff up but  I really like  having the tree lights in all of the rooms.  Maybe I should string lights up all  around the inside of the house…hmmm.

Happy Saturday!!!

Kim

Merry Christmas, Y’all!

Merry Christmas!  Since the boys are older and at least one of them (Hunter) likes to sleep in, I had time to do my 43 before we did our stockings this morning!

Today I used one of Hunter’s new Christmas gifts for my 43.

check out the sweet pink boxing gloves
check out the sweet pink boxing gloves

Hunter wanted a punching bag/speed bag combo unit (and, I’m really glad he got it!!!!).

For the 43 I did a combo move:

  • 5 right jabs
  • left-right punch x 5

I did 43 of the above combo and then switched my stance and did 43 of the combo starting with left jabs.  Worked up a sweat for sure!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOPvl3XTSKY’]

Check out the awesome shirt designed by this phenomenal running artist (just don’t check out the holiday belly underneath!).

Yesterday we had so much fun as a family.  I think everyone was happy with their gifts – always a good thing.  Here are some of the favorites:

Look out!!!Ruger of some sort
Look out!!!
Ruger of some sort
an iPhone 4S!!!
an iPhone 4S!!!
Apple TV x 2! (actually 3)These were requested - something about putting movies directly on the TV?
Apple TV x 2! (actually 3)
These were requested – something about putting movies directly on the TV?
Rocking new outfit!!!
Rocking new outfit!!! (obviously mine – I just skipped out on being in the picture)

(Check out this site if you are need your own sweet outfit.)

Lots of fun as a family.  I love it!!!

Another of our Christmas traditions is to do Raclette on Christmas Eve for dinner.  (I think true Raclette involves way more cheese than anything else.) Some great friends of ours introduced this fun way to cook dinner to us several years ago.  We always make it a competition to see who makes the best of each meat – steak, chicken, shrimp.  The set-up looks like this:

Set-up for Raclette
Set-up for Raclette  – sauces & spices to flavor your meats
Getting ready to cook!
Getting ready to cook!

It really is a lot of fun.  Last night, Jordan won for best chicken, Chris for steak and Hunter for shrimp.  Hunter was also the all-around winner!!! (notice who didn’t win anything??)

I love that no matter how old (and big!) the boys get, we still do milk and cookies for Santa!

cookies for Santa
cookies for Santa
pouring the milk
pouring the milk

Jordan even wrote a note for Santa:

note from a 14 year old
note from a 14 year old

This morning we did our stocking, stuffed ourselves with reindeer bread and now everyone is checking out all of their new stuff!!!  Later we will play some games with a friend who will join us for the afternoon and evening.  Chris will make a turkey for us in his new indoor turkey fryer.  (the very best way to have a turkey!!)

Best turkeys ever are fried!!!
Best turkeys ever are fried!!!

I decided to keep the meal fairly simple this year but I did make 2 tasty desserts – a cherry trifle and a candy bar brownie trifle.

Diet?  No!!!
Diet? No!!!
Low cal?  Ummm...
Low cal? Ummm…

I’m hoping that this awesome new machine gets broken in VERY soon!!!

Party Machine!!!!
Party Machine!!!!

Now, enough writing about our Christmas – I’m off to enjoy it.

Merry Christmas!!!

Kim

100th Day!

Today is my 100th consecutive day of the daily 43!!! I wanted to do a 43 to reflect this milestone.  I think I accomplished my goal today!

I used my step and did a squat series.

14" double step (the Transfirmer)
14″ double step (the Transfirmer)
  • start on step – squat with feet wide
  • step left foot next to right foot – squat feet together
  • step right foot onto floor – squat
  • step right foot back on step – squat feet together
  • step left foot out – squat feet wide
  • step right foot to left – squat feet together
  • step left foot onto floor – squat
  • step left foot back on step – squat feet together

That series makes 1 rep.  I did 43 but then I kept going until I had done 100 reps!!!  (which, in case you are wondering, is a grand total of 800 squats!!)

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSHU-TpErM’]

Good times!

One of our Christmas Eve traditions is to open presents – so that will take place later today!!!  I hope the boys are happy! Christmas morning we do our stockings and then hang out and enjoy the day – usually we have friends over and play games.

Merry Christmas!!!

Kim

No Chicken Wings Here!

not this kind of chicken wings!!
not this kind of chicken wings!!

Oh – wrong kind (but these look sort-of delicious)!

Anyway,  for my 43 today I worked my triceps (chicken wings).  When I was in high school (ages ago!) I had a teacher who every time she wrote on the chalkboard (I told you it was a long time ago!!!) her arms did this wavey thing.  (She really wasn’t overweight.)  At the time I knew very little about fitness and toning, etc. but I remember telling myself, daily, that I would never have arms like that!  Now I know that for my teacher it was just a complete lack of toning (ever) and I try to spend plenty of time on my triceps!!!

I used this  awesome band to work my triceps:

Turbo Fire Band
Turbo Fire Band

 

I love this band – it has so many uses!  Plus, it is portable and easy to take when I travel!

 

 

 

 

I wanted to get maximum resistance with the band so I choked way up on it.

choke way up on the band (maybe don't slouch, though!)
choke way up on the band (maybe don’t slouch, though!)

I started with my right arm in front of my forehead and my left arm bent back.

Start (must look startled!)
Start (must look startled!)

Then I slowly extended both arms and held before returning to the start.

Pull (now you should look completely bored!)
Pull (now you should look completely bored!)

The first 20 or so weren’t too bad.  By the time I got to 30, my arms were on fire.  The last few were complete agony!  It was great!  This was another 2 setter – 43 with my right arm and 43 with the left.

Yesterday afternoon I wrapped presents and I think that I’m to the point where I’m completely done with everything!!  Now I’m ready to enjoy this season and my family! (well maybe a few last minute things – plus meal planning, grocery shopping….OK, sort-of done with everything!)

Happy Sunday!

Kim