back atcha!

Oh, I am feeling the LOOVE. Yes, pronounced with an "oo" sound. MUAH! And today is a better day. Even though it is the day of sad goodbyes.

I won't lie, I wasn't lucky enough to know Evan personally. But. I know his family. They are sort of a natural extension of ours. My mom and Greta are really good friends. Like, talking or texting daily. Most likely. My siblings are friends with their kids. My dad, friends with Kenny. Our families are just kind of tied together. Although I'm older than G & K's oldest, I can understand that suddenly empty space in their family and the pain that is filling it. I can look at my kids and fathom a small percentage of the pain G & K must be experiencing to lose a child. So my heart hurts for them. You know? It's just one of those things. It hurts to know that people in your life are hurting.

Still struggling with the road, but I'm trying for the high one. It feels better already. Mostly because of all of you. Look at you, sending me love! Even when I'm a bit vague about it. There are times, I won't lie, when I blog really honestly about going through a harder than normal time and I get a lot of support from y'all and it sort of embarrasses me for a minute. It's weird. Why be embarrassed by it? Obviously, nobody has a life filled with only roses. That would be bo-ring! And you would never appreciate the good times if you never had the bad. Am I right?

Anywho. I really appreciate you, I really do. I'm sending the love back atcha. Tomorrow I am going to do a giveaway post! But you need to work for it. Stay tuned. I would tell you all about it today, but I want it to be its own separate, happy post.

Oh, and I really hate brown paper bags. They give me the chills. Cardboard does, too.

Heavy and hurty

It's been a heavy month. Heart heavy. Heavy heart. Hurty head. Headache inducing. Heartsick. Homesick. Head hurts, heart hurts.

That's not why I was gone, but it's probably why it's good that I was gone. We had computer problems, amongst other issues. Most incredibly insignificant in the grand scheme of things, some not as much. Some that leave me wondering when it's good to make a stand and when to let it be. And I still wonder. What is right? What is not? Sigh.

If you have nothing good to say... Which would leave me with no inner battle, if people just practiced that. And I have nothing good to say. So that's why I'm trying really hard to not say anything at all.

But more than anything, I want to be home. Home, where I really know people and they really know me. Where I run into people that know where I came from. That I never have to guess how people will react, and completely strike out. But, mostly home where I can wrap my arms around friends and tell them that I'm so sorry for their loss. If only you could mail a hug. Or twenty. And have one mailed to me.

Head and heart hurt. Home and heart sick.

I'm baaaaaaack! I'll explain later.

But for now, I wanna go home. I'd give my left eyebrow if I could make it there in a wink. Wait. My right eyebrow. It doesn't behave as well as the left one does.

Let's be honest here.

I'd totally do another 50 mile bike ride. Or more. You didn't hear me say that second part. I said it in my head. I didn't think that the day I finished. Or the next. Or the next. But now I think so. It was such an accomplishment. My eyes (must have been allergies) filled up with tears when I saw the parking lot at the end of my ride. I'd love to push myself that hard again. To be totally honest, I really underestimated how much of a challenge it would actually be. Thankfully, my rumpus was not that sore after the fact, thanks to my granny seat. Granny seats rock. But my back! Oh, my aching back. It was the only sore thing. I'm not used to backpacks. Not even with my Tax Prep class. Which I don't really love, btw. (My opinion will pry change a million times about that by the end of the coarse) Tax prep and all it's info is overwhelming. Taxes suck. Even though they are necessary. Unfortunately. They probably paid for that bike trail I rode on. Heh.

I was really intimidated by the thought of going on a bike ride with 6 ladies, 5 of which I didn't know. But. I loved it. It's so important to me to have friends of all ages. Everybody has so much to contribute in life. Quite frankly, it was nice to hear about "older kids" issues and get a little heads up on what is to come. One of my bestest friends in NM was the lady who worked at the nursery at the gym I went to. Her grandkids were the same ages as my youngest kids. I really valued the advice/wisdom she shared with me. And she was hispanic, so it was really interesting to compare our two cultures. I learned a lot from her and miss her dearly. You just never really know who will touch your life the most.

So. Long story short, I stepped out of my comfort zone and ended up having boatloads of fun in the process. And was basically upstaged by a lady twice my age during the bike ride. And I'm willing to do it all again. Biking, comfort zone, being upstaged.

Oh! And I found a fabulous deal on a mirror that I have been searching for. It's my reward and souvenir from the trip. Just the other day, I became friends with the spray paint and gave it a facelift. It's completely fantastic.

And, no. I'm not pregnant. And I do have boobs. Somewhat. But thanks for wondering. What? Oh my hair? It IS super sweet. It's called I-could-have-used-a-shower-but-instead-wore-a-hat. It's hard to duplicate. But worth the effort. Thank you. You should be jealous. Just keepin' it real, people.

The detailing on the mirror. I know it's fuzzy. But have you seen my camera? It blows. It's one of the first point and shoot digital models available. So, it's memory card is like the size of MN. The thing is older than most of my kids. If not all. Come over with your fancy-schmancy camera if it bothers you so much. I'll fix your hair like mine. It's a good trade. Wait. I just remembered. That isn't me in the pictures. It's my friend. You'd like her.

One last thing. I LOVE peanut butter and (homemade) jam sandwiches. You were wondering. I could tell.

Workout Wednesday #2

I tried this workout yesterday.

It's not much if you do it once,

so I did it three times.

And between each move I did a minute of cardio.

A minute of strength, a minute of cardio.

Cardio bag of tricks: jumping jacks, mountain climbers, jump rope,

jog in place, high knees, burpees, football run, kick boxing, etc.)
Click on image to enlarge. I had to print mine to read it.

Then I did abs to cool down. And I stretched. It took me an hour.

aye-yah-yiye!

*I did it. I agreed to participate in a 50 mile bike tour this weekend. Yikes. The part that scares me the most? There are seven of us and I don't really know these ladies. Except my aunt, the organizer. Yikes. Oh, well. I am going to be able to add 50 miles to my trip to Boston. So it makes it all worth it. That, and the beautiful fall colors that are making an appearance. This state is really beautiful, isn't it?
*I don't like the new FB. I realize it is a free service. But I feel more out of touch on it.
*This Tax Prep class is a lot to soak in. But I love it. My brain is being put to use!!
*My friends back in NM are planning the annual Halloween bash for people/families in the same field of work as ZZtop and I'm missing out. Boo. I didn't hate the weekly lunches with the girls.
*Kaija + crayon = a house that looks like an art gallery. Including my walls and counter tops. UGH. Besides banning every writing utensil from the house, how do I stop the madness?! BTW: it's what I get. I always swore that I wouldn't be one of those moms with scribbles all over my walls. So. Now I am. Be careful what you proclaim. Even if it is just to yourself.
*My company is gone. Which means life should slow down. That isn't necessarily a good thing. I like it busy. And I like having people around me.
*Still waiting on Logan's x-ray results... Don't know when our next trip to MN will be.
*But we have had Logan in PT 7 months post-op and he still walks with a limp. Sigh. I didn't realize it would take that long. We are, however, thankful that he can walk without pain.
*This is my favoritist season. All the sights, sounds and smells- apples, pumpkins, leaves... Sigh.

Enjoy it!!

Workout Wednesday #1

Years back, I lived on a diet consisting of mainly mountain dew and greasy food. And chased it down with a cigarette. Then when I started to have kids, I realized what a mistake that whole idea was. I had most likely shaved years off of my life before the thought of seeing my kids and grandkids growing up was even more than a passing thought. Yikes. It was for that reason, and the fact that both of my Grandpas had died of a heart attack, that I got my butt in gear. And here I am, years later and I still haven't stopped for longer than a six-week-after-baby-hiatus here and there. and there. and there.

I am forever trying to compensate for the abuse I put my body through in the past. And continue to. I still can't resist grease. It just isn't my go-to anymore. Sniff. And I kicked the tobaccy (it wasn't wacky) a long while ago.

Anywho. I'm actually not here to preach or pretend like I'm some sort of know it all. My apologies, if it sounds that way. I'm not going to list all the reasons why you should exercise. You already know. And, quite frankly, if you don't exercise- it's your loss. Not mine.

HOWEVER. I am going to try to show you why your excuses don't hold water. You don't have a good reason to not exercise, except that you plain old don't want to. That's all. FYI: Nobody actually wants to at first. It isn't until you have been doing it for a while and start to see results that you get hooked. And then you still have days that you don't want to.

*You could have time if you made it. That being said, I realize there are days really are too busy for exercise. Don't beat yourself up over it.
*Prego? Walk. You actually should. The more I exercised, the more it helped in labor and delivery. I did an hour long, high-impact cardio class just hours before giving birth to Kaija. I had her within a few hours of going into labor. And I only pushed twice, if I remember right.
*You can work around most injuries. I taught class with broken toe and a knee that bothered me. It can be done.
*Sick? or just had a baby? Please. I'm not a drill sargeant. Those are very valid excuses.
*And you don't need a gym. Most of the workouts that I am going to post can be done at home. I squeezed this one in today while Kaija napped. It's short and sweet, but perfect for when you are pressed for time and homebound- like I was today. Also, no equipment needed!

Workout #1:
30 jumping jacks
5 push-ups
25 high knees (Jog in place with knees up really high. I did a total of 25/leg.)
7 burpees
10 crunches
7 squats
5 push-ups
10 crunches
5 push-ups
7 squats
30 jumping jacks
1 minute wall sit (your break! yay!)
5 push-ups
25 high knees

Repeat at least twice, but as many times as you want!
*As with any workout, modify for injuries and make it harder/easier depending on what kind of shape you are in.