Motivational Monday

I think I can narrow this post down to three main points:

The good news, the great news, and the bad news.

Bad - As of last Monday, I hadn't lost any weight.
Good - I am meeting with a personal trainer.
Great - I can jog for three minutes (and it sucks!)

That's the short of it!  Because these posts are about my "get healthy" journey, sometimes they are just an extension of what is in my head.  I'm sure they can seem like a lot of blabbering.  If you continue reading for more details, bless your heart.  If you stop, I honestly don't blame you! ha!

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Since I like to end on a jolly note, I will start off with the bad news.  As of last Monday, and a week of getting back on track with my eating habits, I had not lost any weight.  NONE.  NADA.  ZILCH.  I was pretty frustrated, but what I've learned is that it is going to take more than a week or two to be at my goal.  Ha!  So, at the advice of G, I put my scale up.  Decided I am not going to obsess about weighing.  Blah.

On to the good news.  On Friday, I met with a personal trainer.  I MET WITH A PERSONAL TRAINER.  FROM THE GYM.  A TRAINER FROM THE GYM.  Seriously??!  Does that not sound insane to you??  It does to me.  She is a friend of mine from CBS and has offered to train me.  Now, before you get too crazy with your thoughts, this isn't like Bob or Jillian from The Biggest Loser!  She isn't going to yell at me and make me workout for 9 hours a day!  She is simply training me on some of the machines there and showing me what she wants me doing with free weights.  I will continue doing cardio and add in some weight training.  I'm pretty excited about it minus the guys at the gym who workout along side me and look like they have been eating steroids for breakfast.

And, the great news??  On Friday evening, I was on the treadmill and jogged for three minutes three different times!  That is the longest that I have been able to jog without stopping.  My goal is to be able to jog an entire song, but I can't do that yet.

And, that's the long of it!  I've been back to eating right and exercising for two weeks and even though I want to cheat all of the time, I'm trying to remain diligent.  It is an hour by hour decision to make good choices.  If my neighbor asks me to go to the gym, I try to think of a dozen good excuses why I can't go.  Then, I suck it up and head to the gym.  If I see cookies, chips, yummy bread, etc., sometimes I pass on them.  Sometimes, I eat some, subtract them from my calories and try to make healthier choices at my next meal.  Sigh...

So, here is where I am:

Oh, and I got some new kickers to go along with my new gym membership!

One last one -- this is perfectly me! ;)

the gym...again! and some park time

I know that is an incredibly boring title!  I apologize.  I'm just trying to keep track of little things I do at the gym...just for my records.  :-) 

I did it!  Yesterday morning, after getting Levi on the bus, Mags and I headed to the gym and did back to back classes.  I did Group Power and then headed to Zumba.  {I could only do 30 minutes of Zumba because the child care room has a time limit and it was time to pick Maggie up. :-)}  It was actually nice to have a little bit of a cool down after torturing my body doing the strength training.  Though it's only been a few days, I feel like I'm settling into a routine at the gym.  They have so much to offer and I'm excited to try it all...or most of it! Ha!

After the gym, Jami and I took the littles to the park.  I know everyone is talking about it -- THIS WEATHER HAS BEEN AMAZING!  I can't get enough of it!!  Before heading out, the littles wanted to see the fish.  Adorbs!

Did I mention that Jami showed up looking all cute?  She always does!

And then there was me.  Looking all HAWT straight up from the gym, barely able to walk.

Love these little people.

One more thing: Did I mention I'm on countdown??  YUP! ;)  I'm heading to Bowling Green for a weekend with no kids in just 27 short days.  Woo hoooo!  I'm sure you are already anxiously awaiting an exciting G & T post!  Oh, the anticipation...!!!

I'm not exaggerating when I say I might die.

If you've been around my blog very long, you will know that I am not very dramatic.  {You will also know when I am using extreme sarcasm.}  When I say that I might die, I AM NOT KIDDING.  For the first time in my married life, I belong to a gym.  Yesterday, I put on my big girl panties and went by myself to my first class.  It was a strength training class.  Today, I had trouble getting dressed and I can barely sit on the toilet without crying.  

      

I did this class years ago before I was married, so I knew what to expect.  I went ultra light on the weights, but it didn't matter.  My muscles hate me today.  And, I'm going back tomorrow for more torture.

Oh, guess what else...
My sister-in-law challenged my sister and me to this lovely thing:

Yeah!  As if joining a gym isn't torture enough, I'm doing a squat challenge.  I did 50 last night, 55 this afternoon and by the end of the challenge, it says I will be doing 250.  OMG.

SO, join us!  I don't know if I'm supposed to mention this because it could ruin their manly reputations, but my brother and Eric are doing it with us.  We just did day 1 yesterday, so jump in and do day 2 with us today!  Let me know if you do, and I will send you a text daily to annoy encourage you.  :-)

If you see me around over the next few weeks and I'm crying, it's probably not an emotional thing.  It's just because I am dying.  ;-)

some Cracker Barrel, football, and tiaras

You guys -- thank you for your sweet, encouraging, and downright truthful words yesterday!  Sometimes I get anxious about my honesty and just putting stuff out there on my blog.  But, your kindness overwhelms me.  The comments and texts were just down right perfect.  

Gonna wrap up the weekend and tell you about Sunday.  Eric and I had tickets to go to the first preseason Colts game.  However, Maggie was in full breathing-treatment-stuffy-head-sounds-like-a-sixty-year-old-smoker-cough mode.  I stayed home with sicky and sent the boys to the game!  I did get a little treat that morning, though!  Got to have breakfast with Gretchen before she headed back to Bowling Green.  {Side note: eating eggs, turkey sausage, bacon and drinking water at Cracker Barrel is just UN-AMERICAN.}

 I kindly reminded Eric twenty times to send me pictures of him and Levi for the blog!  He did a great job.

Lucas Oil, Baby!!  Right in front of our fave - Reggie Wayne!

Our year old QB, Andrew Luck.  {Since my boyfriend is Peyton Manning, I cannot confess my love for him, yet.  But, he is quickly growing on my list of faves!}

 One seriously happy little boy.

 Levi's favorite NFL player: Reggie Wayne.  When he got home, he told me how the crowd "went crazy" when he was announced!!  Love it!

I think those boys had a pretty fantastic day!

While they were gone, Maggie and I napped and she gave me a makeover.  I could not help but be impressed!  

Gotta love her style, sundress, tutu, snowboots and all.  She is a real trendsetter.  ;)  Fantastic weekend with my family!  Hope yours was, too.

Motivational Monday aka I NEED YOUR MOTIVATION. Please. And thank you.

I've been working on this post for 4 days.  I type, delete, type some more, try and change the wording, leave it alone for a few hours only to come back to it and it says the same thing.  There is no way around it, so here is my Motivational Monday post in all its glory...

I've gained and I hate it.  My last MM post was over a month ago.  In fact, it was over five weeks ago!  And, for over a month, I've been on a free fall.  A lot of my old habits have kicked into gear and the scale is proof positive!  I've still been exercising three to four days a week, but my eating...PEOPLE, I've been eating whatever I want, whenever I want.  (Ladies,) you know those few days a month when you crave anything and everything and you will kill any human or animal who tries to get in your way of eating?  That was me, only for FIVE WEEKS.  Sigh.  

I weighed this morning and I am up five pounds.  No way around it.  No softening it up.  No making it look better.  I opened MyFitnessPal on my phone and logged in my gain.  THAT is a real kick in the rear.  After logging, it told me something like "if you continue at this rate, you will be up 15 pounds in two weeks".  Nice, right?!!  

So, yesterday, I got back on track.  I don't want to say I'm starting over, because I am still down 13.9 pounds - and that's awesome, too!!  I haven't quit...just been a little side tracked!

  

And, isn't this true?  When you watch what you eat for ONE day, you feel like you should be down 20 pounds!

I know this is a process.  It just stinks!!  I wish I could channel this feeling today and remember it any time I want to go on an eating binge.  

I could go on and on about how life isn't fair, eating clean is hard, dieting is stupid, working out sucks, but it all boils down to one thing: you are what you eat.  The scale doesn't lie and whatever you eat in private shows in public.  Gasp!  SO...that's all I've got today!  I won't say "here's to starting over," but here's to getting re-energized!!!  One day at a time!

I heart my family. I really do!

I seriously have had the best weekend so far!  I love being a SAHM - honest!  But, by Friday, my brain is fried.  I remember working when Levi was little and on Friday, it was like the Heavens had opened wide and I could hear the Hallelujah Chorus playing in the background of my day.  It is no different being home.  Fridays are gloriously welcomed!

We took the kids to Studio Pizza last night.  Friday is DISCO night!  One of our friends owns this fabulous pizza joint and he told us to bring the kids out to dance and sing.  It was SO MUCH FUN!  They open the middle of the restaurant up and make a dance floor.  {Anywhere we can go eat and you don't have to tell the kids to calm down and be quiet is a bonus in my book!}    

Today, my Indianapolis family came in town.  I haven't seen my cousin in a long time, so we were all looking forward to chillaxing with them!  Robin (she is named after my mom) started a group text telling us they were on their way.  Then, because we are awesome and cool like the Brady Bunch, we started texting pictures of ourselves.  It got a little out of hand. ;-)  

They finally arrived and the boys were ecstatic to see each other!

My parents fixed a huge spread and it was GAME ON...sit, eat and chat as long as you can before the kids wear you out by asking "can we go swimming" a thousand times!

Outdoors...the old fogey table...

We had a few uncooperative souls, but I won't name any names... ;-)

I asked Travis to get a picture of us gals before we had to leave.  And in his true TRAVIS form, because he is twelve and can't have any responsibility AT ALL...

Finally, a decent shot.  

So, we let him be included in one. :-)

My mom and aunt - adorable in their hats!

And, in special news for Maggie: Papa got a new battery for the little tractor!

She was ALL about it today!  

One more thing to top off my great day -- Gretchen is in town for her 20 year class reunion and stopped by to visit and get ready at my house.

Photo below courtesy of Maggie ;-) 

Great day indeed.

I bought a jogging stroller but I don't jog

I've been on the hunt lately for a stroller for Disney.  I've been reading tons of reviews and can I just tell you how annoying that is?  I'm such a follower and if someone says that a certain stroller is THE WAY TO GO, then I believe them!  I'm ready to buy it.  Then, I see a bad review, and all of a sudden, I'm a hater, too.  Pretty original, right?! Ha! I've asked a few friends who have been to Disney for some feedback and after more review reading, I found what I wanted.   

There it is!  We actually found exactly what we wanted on Craig's List.  It is less than a year old and looks brand new.  The couple that sold it was so sweet!  They are expecting again and want a double stroller.

When I first told Eric that I wanted a jogging stroller, he looked at me and said, "Babe, you don't jog."  DUH.  I know that!  But, guess what???!!!  I've jogged three - THREE - times since I bought it!  WHAAAA????  Yes, it's true.  Jami and our friend, Ashly, and I got together one night a while back and walked/jogged together.  We would walk, jog a little, and when I felt like I would die, walk again.  We did this for around 2.3 miles.  The next day, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE.  I could barely move.  I couldn't believe how sore I was.  Since then, I have tried it two more times and each time, I woke up the next day with the same feeling of death.  I'M NOT KIDDING!  I'm going to try and stick with it, and it is nice that two of my neighbors are doing the same thing.  If you hear a local news story with the headline LOCAL GIRL DIES FROM TRYING TO JOG, please pray for my family.
  

I blogged.

For a week now, I have been telling myself to blog.  Not sure what's up, but I just haven't really had it in me!  Maggie is still asleep and Levi is already on the bus, so I felt like now was a good time.  There isn't a whole lot to say, so this will just be a boring random "what we've been up to" post!

Last Friday, Jami and I took the littles {that's what I will now use to refer to Mags and Cam because I think it is just too cute!} to the walking bridge.  My kids love it there and they hadn't been before.  

They were stroller bound for the first half and then they busted FREE! 

I don't think the mile walk back can be counted as exercise because the littles (CUTE, RIGHT?!!) stopped about every 25 steps to look at something.  Oh, and then they started a spitting contest.  Because they are crazy awesome like that.

FUN day!  Jami even helped me after our walk.  I was on the hunt for a stroller for Disney and she was giving me her expertise!

Saturday, I had to cross the big river and head into the land of THE BEST MALLS EVER to take my phone to the Apple store.  Eric suggested dropping the kids off somewhere (a grandma's house, not just the side of the road...) and making a date of it.  He also suggested Kansai for dinner.  Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord."  Being under full submission, I willingly went along with him to Kansai.  

We headed to Apple afterwards and I was amazed at their service!  I had an appointment for 7:10 pm.  The "genius" came over promptly and asked how he could help me.  I was a little distracted by his accent.  I think he was from South Africa.  He spoke as smooth as butter and for about two seconds, I pretended I was on a tropical island and he was asking me if I wanted a fruity drink with a cute little umbrella!  In reality, here's how the convo went:

Him: Hello, how may I help you?

Me: Hello, my iPhone is broken, I think.  

Him: What seems to be the problem?

Me: This button on the top right {very technical} won't turn the phone off.

Him: {after looking at my phone for a half a second} The problem lies within the phone.  If it is okay with you, we would like to give you a new phone and then you will be on your way! 

Me: Um, okay!

Less than three minutes later, I was out the door with a new iPhone 5!  No hassle.  No costs.  Once we got home, Eric set my new phone back to my settings from iTunes and everything was good to go!  

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This week is the first full week back to school.  It has gone incredibly smooth!  Levi loves his teacher and comes home everyday with new stories for me.  I think it's gonna be a great year!  Monday, I had lunch plans with my CBS group from last year and my dad was going to babysit Maggie for me.  

I figured while she was there, either she would dress up in princess attire and make my dad play babies, OR, my dad would dress her in SWAT attire and they would shoot guns.  Either way, I'm sure she had fun.  Two minutes out of their driveway and this happened.

Who am I to deny a child a nap?  I went to the nearest McDonald's, got a diet coke, and drove around for a little bit listening to music.  Sweet times! 

It has been such a nice, quiet week!  I'm thankful to be back into a routine again.  I know it has been a while since I've posted one of my infamous MM posts.  Just seems like over the last few weeks, I've wanted to take that motivation and stick it where the sun don't shine! ;)  Stay tuned for more on that!

Second Grade's not so bad

I don't know how many times I've heard my mom say, "That's exactly how you were as a child."!  And, she seems to say it with a smirk. ;)  She is referring to Levi and his anxiety doing anything new.  Poor kid.  He is just like me!  

There was a little drama the night before school started.  He was still begging me to home-school him.  He wanted to "take the first day off".  Ha!

  

However, once we got to the bus stop and he saw his friends, he seemed like his old self.  

Maggie wanted us to wake her up so she could kiss him goodbye.  Adorable.  She told him "Happy Fadder's Day, Bubby" (yes, she still randomly wishes us all a Happy Father's Day), gave him a kiss and hug, and we watched for the big yellow bus!

I wanted to holler at Amy, our bus driver, and tell her to be careful, drive slowly, watch for deer, but I politely waved at her as she closed the doors.  It would be eight hours and ten minutes until I could fully relax again. ;)

And, like clockwork, exactly eight hours and ten minutes later, I had one HAPPY little boy on my hands!  

One of his best friends from last year was in his class and they even ate lunch together.  Presh!  He came in 4th running around the big track during P.E.  His teacher is "so nice and has black hair".  He ate all his lunch and loved his Kool Aid drink. He was so happy I made him brownies!  Oh, and he had one request: Family movie night (watch Toy Story 2) and no one bring their cell phones downstairs.  

So, as soon as we ate dinner, we went downstairs, watched Toy Story 2 and didn't let the kids see that we had our cell phones in our pockets.  You know...just in case. ;)  GREAT first day.