Friday, January 15, 2010

Friday Pound Plunge update

As I am sitting here on my new Balance Ball while on the computer, thought I'd do a Pound Plunge update.
Tuesday was the 1st time I met my teammates for the Pound Plunge. 2 of the other women are in nursing school. We met with our trainer and started off with a mile around the track. I am getting over an upper respiratory something so I was out of breath pretty quickly. I held on and ran it in about 8 mins. Since the challenge this week was cycling, we got on the bikes so everyone could get used to how they worked. I have been to quite a few cycling classes so I knew what to expect. After our hour of group was over I got on the elliptical for 20 more mins. It's hard to go home once you are already there, just keep on keeping on.
I worked out Wednesday by myself. I did cardio and arms and resisted the urge to weigh myself. Makes more sense to stick to the mandatory 1x week weigh in. I did about 60 lunges and was beyond sore that night and the next day.
Thursday evening was the challenge. 1 of my teammates didn't show up but we were added a person so it got us back to 3 people. They set the bikes up in the gym. There were 12 teams, 3-4 people each. We would start at a 2 resistance and it would be upped by 2 clicks every 3 mins. You could change teammates every 5 mins. As long as someone was on the bike your team was still in. There was a miscommunication about how much to turn up the resistance. Long story short our team was turning it up too much each time and thus working much harder. After about 15 mins the trainer in charge started checking every ones bike and seeing that not everyone was going at the same rate. Our team was definitely higher. The trainer herself started turning each teams resistance up at that point. We were nearing 55 mins on the bike when she turned ours 3 clicks. It was the highest resistance and literally stopped the bike. My teammate tried to peddle, used all her weight, but the wheel would not budge. 10 seconds later, the trainer called us out! I was kind of ticked off, it was very obvious that we were at the last resistance while other teams still had 5-10 clicks left.
O'well, we made it to 54mins, and came in 7th place I believe. It was a huge workout and I felt good afterwards. Nothing like being part of a team and wanting to reach the goal together.
Next week is 4 different arm reps with a 10lb bar. Gotta get those arms in shape for tank top weather. Oh, and since last Saturday I lost 1 full lb.

Monday, January 11, 2010



Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

It was not me who went to the YMCA and weighed-in for the Pound Plunge. I don't totally want to lose weight. It certainly wasn't me who went out right after that with my awesome Mom's group to eat at On the Border. I did not eat all the chips I could along with most of my entree!
On Sunday night it was not me who put the kids in the shower and to bed early. Surely I didn't want some peace and quiet. I definitely didn't use the excuse of "Extra sleep helps you from getting sick" when my boys asked why. And it wasn't Benny who started puking at 5am this morning and still is. As a mother I would never suggest he lay down in bed next to me and get some rest so that I could sleep too!
So... what did you Not do?

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Pound Plunge

I'm taking the Plunge!
At our YMCA we have a quarterly program that goes on. Think, Biggest Loser sort of. Those that sign-up are put into groups of 3-4 people. Each week you meet with your assigned trainer 2x I believe. They talk about goals, nutrition and make a plan. Each week there is a physical challenge for each group to complete. You also get together a few times to workout as a team. At the end of each week they post results of the challenge and which group lost the most % of weight. For instance, the last entire group lost 407lbs over their quarter.
I'm really excited and motivated. I enjoy working out mostly, but there are times I slack off or find excuses not to go. This way, I am part of a team and held much more accountable. I plan on blogging each week about my teams progress.
Official weigh-in is Saturday, but today I was about 158lbs.
Here is to losing some weight and getting healthier! Oh, and I don't wanna jiggle anymore! ; )

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Tithing

Think about it:



(from Women's Marraige Ministry )


The last few months Nathan and I have been going to church. Between kids, sickness and laziness, him more than I sometimes. However, we have been tithing faithfully. Even when I winced when I figured out the amount, even when I knew that money was all that was left for a certain bill. And you know what? We have money. We are provided for. We tithe so that the church can grow. We tithe so that more people can hear about Jesus. We tithe because God is in control of our finances. Although I am far from a perfect christian, I urge you to look at your finances and see if giving to God is something you can afford to NOT do?

A Decade in Review

I've seen this on a few blogs and thought it would be fun to join in.

I'm going to start with 1999, otherwise a lot wouldn't make sense.

1999- I left high school in early spring of 1999. I had terrible migraines and I was missing way too much school. I went through numerous tests, scans and meds. I enrolled in a correspondence home school program. I went to my boyfriend's senior prom held at the Carolina Panther's stadium. My 16th birthday was June 20th. Sometime around early June I was reunited with an older friend, Mic, and a few months later we were engaged and I was pregnant. We got married Nov 29th, 1999.
2000- Mic got out of the army in February. We moved to Charlotte. I gave birth to Seth on May 3rd. We moved to Beaumont, TX in July. I found out I was pregnant again in December.
2001- We moved back home to Charlotte in March. My Pawdaddy (mother's father) died suddenly from a cut on his head that wouldn't stop bleeding. Most likely caused by alcoholism. Joshua was born August 20th on my parents anniversary. We moved to Huntersville, NC a week later. We lived there for a little over a year. I worked at my church's daycare and loved it!
2002- I dabbled in Graphic Design and I loved it. My best friend Jessica and I took a road trip to Nashville and had a load of fun. The day after Thanksgiving we moved back to Beaumont, TX. I was very sad to be leaving my family. It was the last time I saw my father alive.
2003- My mom and Jessica took a road trip down to see us in Texas. The day they left I found out I was pregnant again. I was sure it would be a girl. My dad died on April 27th,just a few hours after I got there. He had complications from alcoholism, though if there had been full disclosure and a different night Dr. the outcome might have been different. I stayed a few days and flew back home where no one seemed to care much. Benjamin was born September 4th and spent 10 days in the NICU. He came home on an apnoea machine for 3 months. He didn't have any spells at home and was taken off in December. I was filled with the Holy Spirit this year too.
2004- January 6th, after missing for 5 days my brother-in-law was found. He had committed suicide. It was a very hard time to say the least. The next couple months were a blur. I was trying hard to help both Mic and his mother Sonja to get through this time. Mic and Sonja decided they wanted to attend Rhema Bible School in Oklahoma and we began saving for it. We were taken for an Internet scam and lost it all. My mom offered us help to still make the move. Sonja was admitted into the hospital soon after that and was in a coma for days. God was surely the only one who brought her back from that. In July we moved to Broken Arrow, OK. Mic and Sonja both attended school and I worked at a daycare.
2005- Mic and I took a trip to Cozumel, Mexico. It was kind of a disaster. He had a horrible stomach flu the whole week, our credit card was denied because we were out of the country, and it was near impossible to make a phone call to fix it. Our relationship began to decline and in June it was was almost non-existent. On my birthday, June 20th, he asked me to leave, to go live with my mom and step-dad. He had problems to fix and didn't want me around. I was naive and scared and I did. 2 weeks later I left and moved to NJ with my mom and Mike. Once I was gone I was able to look back and realize what an unhealthy relationship I was in. Control issues, money addictions, unhealed guilt, it was just sad. I found out our marriage had never been legal. (a much longer story I won't go into now) I decided to move on with mine and the kids life. In October I joined eHarmony.com. I was matched with Nathan in just a few days and it truly was a blessing! He began to visit us almost every weekend. He drove 5 hours each way for almost 8 months. We had a deep connection and both knew God had his hand in it.
2006- My ex-MIL Sonja, whom I loved, passed away in April. Nathan was medically discharged from the Army in May. We had a wonderful relationship but he was moving across the country back to Idaho. I was scared and silly enough to break-up with him but came to my senses just a month later. In July the boys and I joined him in Idaho. We were engaged a few months later. I was back to working at a daycare and pretty much loving life.
2007- We decided against a big wedding and had a small one February 17th. That would be the night Miss Lizzie was conceived. I found out about 2 weeks later I was pregnant. It was quite a shock, but we were thrilled. We bought our 1st house in April. Elizabeth made her way into the world October 29th. My best friend Jessica also got married to a man named Nathan on September 29th. The rest of the year was spent just loving life as a family of 6.
2008- I was a stay-at-home mom and not a lot was going on. A few trips up to Clarkston where Nathan's family lived. A summer trip to TN and NC to see family and friends. Lizzie had her 1st birthday party. My mom and Mike moved here from NJ. They lived right down the street. That was truly a prayer answered.
2009- The beginning of the year was pretty normal and boring. My mom and Mike moved in with us during the summer. It was nice to be together and share expenses. My dear friend Suzy passed away in July. She was 26 years young and was battling anorexia and bulimia. I miss her so much! Both Nathan and I had a hard time this year with depression. He had it first, then mine set in right as his lifted. Thank you God for getting us through that! We started attending a Spirit-filled church that is just awesome! Nathan changed his life around and started living completely for God. Not that he was so far gone, but now he is fully living each day to serve Him. He has been an example for me and others. I am on way, God is holding my hand and leading me back to Him. Christmas and New Years were wonderful. We spent them with our loved ones and are truly thankful for the BLESSED life God has given us.

I obviously forgot or left out certain things, but that pretty much sums it up. What a busy, busy decade! Here is to a calmer 10 years ahead of us!