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Showing posts from April, 2014

Two Things

One of the faithful seniors who comes to my Silver Sneaker's class every week took the time to talk to me after class and tell me that she started the class doubtful that she'd be able to do it, sitting for most of the workout, doing what she could, etc.  But now she can stand and work behind her chair for longer and longer periods of time, something she never thought possible. Of course, I have noticed that she has been standing more often, but in order to be sensitive, I didn't point it out. Seniors can be especially sensitive about their weaknesses, I have found.  She was radiant in her joy over what she has accomplished. She looked so youthful in that moment and I was thankful to see that and be able to share in her joy. This short conversation did two very timely and significant things for me. #1- It put my own physical accomplishments and goals into perspective. By that, I mean that what she has accomplished may actually be more significant than all that I'

Bodypump Initial Training Update

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I took this picture after another round of Bodypump 89 in my home workout room yesterday. What are my three kids doing while I am doing all this preparation for initial training? You wonder. Why, they are going the whole day in their pajamas! Obviously! Isn't my youngest cute in her pjs, though? She likes to come watch me exercise.  She's good about listening to Momma and staying over near the door, out of the way of the weights. And I am letting my older girls watch Frozen as many times as they want while I study. I usually limit their media intake, but I have decided it is okay to let that go this week. Don't worry, I am still feeding my kids and all that. I just haven't been fussing over their hair and faces as much as I normally do, so they may have sticky stuff on their cheeks and they all look a little more rugged and natural right now. That's also obvious from my baby girl's hair in this photo. I think I've got a handle on the

I Know How I Won

"The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me saying, 'My own hand has saved me.'"  Judges 7:2 As I read my Bible this morning, this verse took my breath away, but I kept reading. The Lord made Gideon pare his troops down from thousands upon thousands to three hundred . All the while, Gideon's enemies were too numerous to even count. The Lord was going to give them victory.  He had no doubts about that. But how they managed to win was important to Him. Or rather, how they knew they managed to win was important. The Lord gave Gideon and his three hundred troops a miraculous victory, of course.  They devoured their enemies. So it is just as I thought.  The Lord let me come to the end of myself before He helped me get healthy . It was terrible to be that weak or rather, to realize I am that weak.  But if God had given me victory before I knew my weakness, perhaps I would have thou

Preparing for Bodypump Initial Training- Keeping It Light

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  This is me- practicing Bodypump 89 over and over. My initial training is one week away. And this is me- reading my choreography notes. And this is me- watching my tracks (and eating to fuel all this good fun) when my legs just won't bend anymore.   But seriously, my quads are looking awesome. But this is how my quads feel- when I stretch.   I'm just kidding, you guys, just trying to keep it light. 

I Get to Present Tracks 7 and 8- Lunges and Shoulders!

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I'm thrilled with the tracks I will get to present for my Bodypump Initial Training- 7 and 8, lunges and shoulders.  I love the fact that I will get to lead the class at the peak of the workout. I hope I am equal to the task!  I also love the rhythms and how well they go with the music and the lyrics, especially the lunge track!  "We gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn!"    

Bodypump Initial Training- I'm Downloading My Material Now!

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Yay! I am finally downloading all the materials for my Bodypump Initial Training on May 3-4! The initial training I originally signed up for was cancelled due to low attendance.  Luckily, though, I was able to transfer my registration to another initial training at a different location on the same weekend! Guess what I'll be doing tonight. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.

Spring Shopping From the Storage Room

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It's springtime, so we went shopping in our storage room this week. We pulled out the Tupperwares that were labeled 10+, 5T and 2T and the girls tried on shorts, shirts, sundresses, and seasonal pajamas. Those items that fit got folded up and taken to their drawers.  Since then, I've been taking their winter clothes and pajamas out of their drawers and/ or out of the dryer (if they had been worn and put in the laundry) and I've been putting them in a large, empty Tupperware downstairs to be sorted later. My kids love hand-me-downs and they especially love the days when we bring out the Tupperwares and try on their clothes for each other.  You can see my middle daughter posing in an old dress in the picture above.  My oldest daughter was actually whining because she didn't have a pile of old dresses like her sisters, because she has to go get new clothes.  Naturally, the oldest always has the least amount of clothes since we haven't been accumulating item

Interruptions

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"Our model is Jesus, not only of Calvary, but of the workshop, the roads, the crowds, the clamorous demands and surly oppositions, the lack of all peace and privacy, the interruptions.  For this, so strangely unlike anything we can attribute to the Divine life in itself, is apparently not only like, but is, the Divine life operating under human conditions." -C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves One would think that a great theologian, celebrated writer, and beloved speaker would have no time to fetch an old lady her hot tea or blankets or favorite periodicals. But, one of the most surprising facts about C.S. Lewis's every day life was that he did devote a large portion of his time, emotional energy, private life, and actual physical strength to caring for the common, mundane, even menial needs of an elderly woman. Her name was Mrs. Moore and she was the mother of Lewis's friend, Paddy, who had died in WWI.  Lewis or Jack, as he was called, and Paddy become very close

Two Weeks Until My Bodypump Initial Training

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It's exactly two weeks until my Bodypump Initial Training!  I was anxious to get the email that'll give me instructions about downloading Bodypump 89, tell me which tracks I'll be presenting, etc.  I hope there isn't a problem.  The website says I am supposed to get an email two weeks before my Initial Training date, but my guess that's just an approximate time and they're going to send it on the next business day.  It's a holiday weekend, so I am not too concerned about a delay right now.  If I don't get it on Monday, I'll try and give them a call.  I was hoping to do the release today, but instead I just did two of my old Pump DVDs that I purchased through Beachbody, one with my husband, and another on my own.  I doubled up in preparation for the training where I'll be expected to do Bodypump several times in a two day period.  My Pump DVDs made a huge difference in my journey to fitness .  They're still very effective, even after doing

Matching Aprons

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  My sister sent my kids a little care package for Easter that included these adorable matching aprons.

Preparing for Bodypump- Reality Check

This is humbling to admit, but I've been unusually tired and unmotivated the last few days which isn't like me.  I've spent several hours on the couch the last few days which also is very unlike me. I have an ache in my arm which is also sometimes a burning pain and I know it's probably from over training. Our bodies are so glorious.  They were designed to communicate these kinds of things to us and they do so so effectively. I've known for some time that I only have so much time and money to go around, but it turns out I only have so much energy to put towards all my goals as well. Perhaps I need to adjust my training schedule to leave energy to accommodate some of my other priorities like homeschooling my kids everyday. Their education is so important to me. With respect to the training plans I made, I think I may need to scratch out some of those extra Bodypump classes and write in the word "rest" or better yet "stretch." 

Andrew Peterson's Songs That Celebrate Marriage and Family

Recently, I got to go to an Andrew Peterson concert at the Community Coffehouse in Danbury, CT. My dear friend and I didn't realize the show was sold out when we arrived.  But luckily, the lady at the door showed us pity, let us pay for tickets that didn't exist, and go in. We were willing to stand at the back, but we were able to find space on a bench at the back of the hall. I knew a few of the songs he sang that evening, but many of them were new to me because I have a hard time with new music.  I'd rather sing a song I already know by heart a hundred more times than hear a new song through even once. I know it is a problem that I need to work on if for no other reason than for the sake of my poor husband and daughters who have to hear the same albums everyday for a year. No, really. A year. At least. I have been giving myself permission to buy new music for this reason. So I came home that evening or maybe it was the next day and I purchased three of hi

Our 13th Anniversary

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Dwayne and I celebrated our thirteenth anniversary yesterday. He brought home thirteen roses, one for every year.  You can see them behind us in the photo above. The plan was to go for sushi at Miso in downtown New Haven.  When we arrived at the restaurant, we were given a seat at a lovely, private table. But when he saw the sushi bar, Dwayne suggested we move over there and I loved that idea. We were able to watch three Itamae prepare the orders that came in while we ate.  It was such a treat to watch them work, especially since we've been rolling our own sushi at home.  Of course, we can't do anything close to what we saw them do! But we were able to better appreciate their skill and artistry. Here's a photo of our order (after we had already eaten a few pieces). It was sooo good. It's only been one year since I had sushi for the first time; Dwayne took me out for sushi for the first time on our twelfth anniversary. I am absolutely addicted to sushi at thi

Walnut Hill Easter Run/ Walk 2014

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I ran in the Walnut Hill Easter Run Walk today.  Running this 5K was a very significant goal for me last year, but I wasn't sure I wanted to run it again this year. However, I think I'll be asked to run at least a few miles outside during my upcoming Bodypump Initial Training in May, so I thought it might be a good idea to put myself under some pressure and see how well I can do. And I think it was also a nice way to mark any improvement from last year. I haven't been running that much, so I didn't know what to expect.  My official time was 28:37 today.  That means my time has improved almost ten minutes since last year! (Last year I ran it in 37:54.)    This year, my oldest daughter did the fun kid's fun run, too.  The photo above shows us in front of the finish line.

How I Am Preparing for Bodypump Initial Training

"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training..."  1 Corinthians 9:25 I have about a month before Bodypump Initial Training. To prepare physically,  I am teaching my regular group classes and doing my regular workouts every week. This includes- one 45 minute tabata bootcamp that really helps to condition my cardio/ respiratory capacity an hour long cardio/ muscle class a senior's muscle class and an hour-long freestyle barbell class similar to Bodypump.  I plan to use my regular amount of weight on the bar. I usually also take one hour-long step class once a week. And I have been running 5K (a little over 3 miles) once every week to get ready for a race. But it turns out this running is still going to serve me well, since what I have read online about the initial training says that we may be asked to go for a run during training, so it's a good thing I have been conditioning myself for that possibility. I plan to add two things to t

I Signed Up For Bodypump Initial Training!

One of the group fitness classes I teach is a freestyle barbell class. "Freestyle" means I make up my own choreography, counts, pick my own music, etc. I enjoy teaching that class so much. It's pretty much my favorite class to teach, though I do enjoy all my classes for various reasons. I have also enjoyed every. single. one. of the official Bodypump workouts that I've ever done at home on Pump DVDs from Beachbody or at gyms that have the official Bodypump program. Therefore, I am totally convinced I will enjoy teaching official Bodypump classes. So I've signed up to take Les Mills Bodypump initial training in May of 2014. I have also talked to a local gym that has the Les Mills Bodypump license and they are willing to consider working with me and giving me a shot to prove myself and teach Bodypump at their facility. I am so very drawn to the excellence of Les Mills programming! I think I will enjoy all the benefits and challenges of being p

My Weight-Loss Journey

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My weight-loss journey begins like many other weight-loss (or weight-gain) stories. I got pregnant with my first child and I put on a lot of weight. This is a photo of my husband and I with our first daughter. She was already two, but I hadn't figured out how to lose the weight I put on during pregnancy. But even though the weight started increasing with kids, I know that's not really where my story begins.  And that's not really where it begins for most people, I think.  My story started a long time before that, when I was a kid, eating Ramen noodles, canned ravioli, and going through the drive through for fast food several times a week, eating food because of how well it tasted, not how well it nourished me. Not to disparage my parents because they don't deserve that. I have kids now and I am busy, so I know how difficult it is to prepare healthy foods and try and make them appealing for little people.  My two year old wants to live off graham crackers and

Miracles and The Black Stallion

I finished Miracles by C.S. Lewis late last night. Finishing this book was a miracle in itself. It was so difficult to understand in places. I imagine that I will be able to come back to this book in the future and be more equal to it. If I had to use an analogy, reading this book was like riding a stallion when I am really only ready for a healthy, full-sized mare-of-a-book. But the things I did understand on this ride were glorious. For instance, Lewis compares the bodies we will have in heaven to horses and our using them there to horsemanship. This quote was especially meaningful to me because we've been listening to the audio of The Black Stallion by Walter Farley all week. (The Lord speaks in coincidence.)  If you know this book, you know that Farley doesn't romanticize horses and riding like other authors do.  The horse in his story, The Black, is such a wild, magnificent, powerful horse that he is also impossible for a human being to ride witho