Virtual Insanity & Sir Duke

Thursday a.m. workout with Tracy ~
A mishmash of back and bis. My biceps felt like they would explode! Followed by 30 minutes on the Cybex Elliptical.
Most days I'm able to get through my work because with songs like this, my fingers fly on the keyboard and my spirit is happy ~ have I mentioned what an absolutely freakin' joy it is to be able to dance around like a fool in my private office?...In my PJs at that! HA!
Enjoy :o)
http://laptitefee.vox.com/library/audio/6a00d10a7ad4938bfa00d4142fcede685e.html

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaoYu6jOoug

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Cardio Wednesday

My gym got some new treadclimbers and I've been using them occasionally the last couple weeks. I really like it, but I've already maxed it out - which is a bummer. It only goes up so high in "treadles" and tops out at a relatively low speed. A little bummed because I would really like some new cardio equipment excitement. I'm going to have to come up with some more inventive things. It just occured to me though, that maybe I haven't messed around with it enough to see if I'm just missing the psycho button on it or something.
While I was on the treadclimber today I was watching a girl in the basketball room messing around with shooting baskets and working up a pretty good sweat. I've been wanting to shoot some hoops so I think I'm going to see if Tracy wants to try a workout next week where we break up some baskets with sprints up and down the court - could be fun.

Today was:
20mins treadclimber
10mins stepmill
30mins elliptical
ABS 4 sets of 15 crunches

Quote of the Day ~
Things may happen to you, but the only things that matter are the things that happen in you.
- Eric Butterworth

Comforting Quote of the Day ~
Believers, look up - take courage. The angels are nearer than you think.
- Billy Graham

Getting where I want to be:
In His peaceful presence,
Julie

Slip N Slide

Man...it's days like this when I realize I should have worked out first thing early this morning. I've been sitting at my desk aaaaaallllll day and now the rest of the family is out playing in the yard and I have to make that decision - play or go to the gym. I guess stay tuned...

UPDATE: I DID IT! Made it to the gym ~
Hi Sharon - I'm not sure what they are called but they are similar to exercise #2 listed at this link http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newslett...ssue25-abs.htm

TUESDAY MAY 29, 2007

Standing DB Curls LT: n/a TT: 25/19RP

Seated Calf Raises LT: n/a TT: 70/6, 45/4ss (had to drop down to a 45 plate - bad cramping)

Seated Leg Curls LT: n/a TT: 90/26RP (really focused on keeping my toes out, not up)

Abductors LT: 140/34 TT: 150/33RP
Adductors LT: 140/35 TT: 150/30RP

Lying Leg Press LT: n/a TT: 360/10, 270/22SS

ABS 4 sets of 15 crunches

I just ate so many tacos I think I'm gonna

Wine Tasting

Steve's sister and I took MIL wine tasting for her birthday. We got FIL to go along for our fun and my BIL, Danny, was to be our designated driver. Good thing FIL was on the scene as Danny decided to become a wino with us for the day. We had a lot of fun! We've decided to go in on a membership as a family at one of the local wineries and then do a wine tasting at a differet house once a month as a special family get-together. I think Gloria really enjoyed our present for her this year - hooray!

I mentioned to Melissa the other day that I'm thinking of doing a bible study either on this blog or starting up a new bible study blog or MSN group. Is anyone interested?... and if so do you have a preference of bible studies? I'm pretty open, but I've come across some Elizabeth George studies that look good and not too time consuming to start with until we see if we can get enough STEADY commitment.

Pine Cone Bird Feeders

I found the most awesome little bibles for the kids. They're by Sheila Walsh (of Women of Faith). Jack has been running around all day today saying "I'M A WARRIOR FOR GOD!". hehe - I think it's driving his dad crazy. We tried out the first story today and then the project it layed out for us - to help God take care of His creatures. We went up to the common area of our neighborhood which has a little forrest to walk through...pretty treacherous today ~ looks like no one has been in yet this Spring to spruce up the path. I'm really really hoping we didn't get into any poison oak. Anyway, we came home with zip...all the pine cones were teeny tiny...so we get back in front of the house next to ours and there is a LOAD of nice size pine cones right on the street waiting for us. We smeared 'em with peanut butter and then covered them with birdseed. We've got three out for now to see if we can entice any birds to visit our birdbath. Our beloved cat, Dave, has made his home under a miniature Japanese Maple right by the birdbath. You don't see him at all when he's under there, which I imagine is how he likes it. I will be very sad if the birds get nice and fat on our feeders only to become catfood. The kids loved the project and Jack kept saying that he loves me for getting him his new bible but he wishes I would quit giving him time-outs. See...I can't win.

My prayer life is pretty non-existent. Most of my prayers are done at my desk when something reminds me of something/someone I wanted to pray for. I stop what I'm doing and pray - quick.
Then back to business. I still get up early in the morning and read my bible and other books and have my quiet time, but to really sit there and PRAY - it's just become so hard for me. I'm blocked. I'm VERY easily distracted. I gave up. I came across this story today about developing your prayer life by J. Sidlow Baxter that I found funny, frustratingly appropriate to me, and encouraging at the same time.

I found that there was an area of me that did not want to pray...(and) there was a part of me that did. The part that didn't was the emotions, and the part that did was the intellect and the will...

(So) I said to my will: "Will, are you ready for prayer?" And Will said, "Here I am, I'm ready." So I said, Come on, Will, we will go.

So Will and I set off to pray. But the minute we turned our footsteps to go and pray all my emotions began to talk: "We're not coming, we're not coming, we're not coming." And I said to Will, "Will, can you stick it?" And Will said, "Yes, if you can." So Will and I, we dragged off those wretched emotions and we went to pray, and stayed an hour in prayer.

If you had asked me afterwards, Did you have a good time, do you think I could have said yes? A good time? No, it was a fight all the way.

What I would have done without the companionship of Will, I don't know. In the middle of the most earnest interecessions I suddenly found one of the principal emotions way out on the golf course, playing golf. And I had to run to the golf course and say, "Come back."...It was exhausting, but we did it.

The next Morning came. I looked at my watch and it was time. I said to Willl, "Come on, Will, it's time for prayers." And all the emotions began to pull the other way and I said, "Will, can you stick it?" and Will said, "Yes, in fact I think I'm stronger after the struggle yesterday morning." So Will and I went in again.

The same thing happened. Rebellious, tumultuous, uncooperative emotions. If you had asked me, "Have you had a good time?" I would have had to tell you with tears, "No, the heavens were like brass. It was a job to concentrate. I had an awful time with the emotions."
This went on for about two-and-a-half weeks. But Will and I stuck it out. Then one morning during that third week I looked at my watch and I said, "Will, it's time for prayer. Are you ready?" And Will said, "Yes, I'm ready."

And just as we were going in I heard one of my chief emotions say to the others, "Come on, fellows, there's no use wearing ourselves out: they'll go on whatever we do."...

Suddenly one day (weeks later) while Will and I were pressing our case at the throne of the heavenly glory, one of the chief emotions shouted "Hallelujah!" and all the other emotions suddenly shouted, "Amen!" For the first time (all of me was involved) in the exercise of prayer.

Friday May 25

FRIDAY MAY 25, 2007

Had a great run with Tracy yesterday. Only 30 minutes, but on our way back we did intervals for 15 minutes - sprint 1 minute, walk 30 seconds, etc.

Flat Bench Press LT: n/a TT: 95/15RP
Stretch ~ 60 seconds

Incline Shoulder Press Machine LT: n/a TT: 70/22RP
Stretch ~ 60 seconds

LifeFitness Tri Ext LT: n/a TT: 65/21RP
Stretch: 15# for 60 seconds

HS Pulldowns LT: n/a TT: 110/18RP

Pulley Low Row LT: 120/4, 90/8 TT: 120/4, 90/9SS

Abs
Crunches 4 sets of 15
Standing Pulley thingies 2 sets of 15 each side

Favorite Quotes for Today ~

If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?
--Milton Berle

Every so often, I like to stick my head out the window, look up, and smile for a satellite picture.
--Steven Wright

This 2nd one cracks me up because we looked up our house on google's satellite thing and when you zoom in you can see that we happened to be slip 'n sliding the day that photo was taken...you never know...so look up and SMILE!

The End of Pre-School

Jack's last day of Pre-School was today. it's officially Mai's school now - as she points out to everyone she meets. It was a fun picnic on the lawn at the school this evening with all the parents and siblings. The kids made the shirts they are wearing. They painted a real fish and then used it on their shirt as a stamp.

WEDNESDAY MAY 23, 2007

Grrrrrrrr. Got both kids hauled down to the gym only to be turned away because they were too full - OVER full - in the kid's club and wouldn't be able to get us in any time soon. Was going to just call it a day of rest, but managed to get my butt and one kid back down there later in the afternoon.

Life Fitness Bicep Curl Machine LT: n/a TT: 55/22RP
Stretch ~ 60 seconds

Toe Press on Leg Press LT: n/a TT: 190/7ss

Lying Leg Curls LT: n/a TT: 80/15RP
Stretch ~ 60 seconds

Abductors LT: n/a TT: 140/35RP
Adductors LT: n/a TT: 140/34RP

Back Smith Squats LT: n/a TT: 155/6, 125/17SS
Stretch ~ 90 seconds

Stationary Lunges LT: n/a TT: 15x15x3

Abs: 4 sets of 15

Elliptical 15 minutes

First Day of New Blast

Coach Competes

I Coach competed this weekend! Lookin' Good as always. http://www.youtubecom/watch?v=i71kCynMUNE
	I

This and That

My Life Is Good

My life is good...in so many ways, but today I just had to thank God for the blessing of our business. It seems like I'm always thinking rotton thoughts about it or stressing about it but I need to focus on the positives it offers to my life ~ the very most important one being that our children have their mom and dad with them all day long - both of us to be there when they need us for a hug or to show off something they've done...to just be present and vice versa - they are here for us! But today my thoughts were running more towards how very awesome it is that when I want to meet up with someone to workout at a time I normally would be working, I can set the alarm early and get up and pop out a couple hours of work and then go meet said friend...which is what I did today. Tracy and I had our first workout together in a looooooooong time. It was funny how many of the morning workout people came up to us and said "the dynamic duo is back" or something to that effect. We did legs and then went for a 4 mile run out in the beautiful morning sun. It was my first workout since Saturday and although I'm feeling better, I'm still not 100%. I'm well on my way now, though.

I'm reading a book that is really really touching my heart. It's called "A Woman After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George. A lot of it is somewhat of a touchy subject with me because my natural inclination on some of the topics (being a wife after God's own heart) are the exact opposite of what she's asking me to consider. BUT, I know that they are something I should strive for and in fact, I can even see that they WOULD change my marriage to be more like I want...but my stubborness over what is "fair" clouds what can be achieved in the future.

Other chapters on being a mother after God's own heart are not so difficult to embrace, but rather hard just because her ideas aren't things that come naturally to me - I have to really be bopped on the head sometimes for creativity to sink in. One thing I've really been wanting to do for a long time is have family dinner time together at the dining room table. We don't. We're either just getting back from the gym and slugging protien powder or Steve and I want different things, plus Jack is a picky eater. Lots of excuses. So after finding out from Steve the other night that he really would appreciate us doing this, I decided to go for it last night. To make it more fun, I had the kids make placemats for us and then we went out in the backyard and gathered greenery for a centerpiece and made a fun meal - tacos...so the kids could pick and choose what they wanted from an assortment of bowls on the table. Well, Mai loved it. Steve, too. Jack wasn't pleased with what was served, but reluctantly stayed at the table while the rest of us enjoyed. At one point he said "Mama, I really liked when we did dinner the old-fashioned way". HA HA! That means at the counter bar stools with the counter still dirty from lunch and him having either pizza or a peanut butter sandwich. Guess we'll just have to keep this up so it's better than the "old-fashioned" way.
Well, it's a start...

Verse of the Day ~
The wise woman builds her house.
--Proverbs 14:1

Getting where I want to be:
In His peaceful presence,
Julie

The Yuck

I'm just cracking up over this picture of Jack. What a sweet baby. Look at those cheeks and fat feet! What a happy baby he was.

I have been soooooo sick! Felt fairly crappy all day Monday but by 5pm I was feeling pukey, too. Steve convinced me to go to golf anyway. I'm glad I went. Tracy was working the Ladies Golf and we took about 2 hours catching up. Not much golfing was done, but a little bit of improving on my swing. Tracy and I figured out our schedules so we can workout together on Tues and Thus mornings until school lets out. Then we'll try to figure out a better schedule. She just got back from a cruise vacation for their other business and there was a lady there that was big into BFL and had a ROCKN' body. She was a hit in the cruise gym. Wonder if it was a previous BFL winner?
Anyways, by the time I got home from golf, I was feeling like death, so I crawled in bed and by 10pm I was barfing up my guts like I've never barfed 'em up before. I was so sick all night and couldn't eat much at all yesterday - few popsicles and some jello. Still feeling fairly shaky today but better. I figure I got food poisoning at the Mom's Day picnic - that's what get for sharing finger food with 8 little kids who don't wash their hands.
We decided to throw my MIL a surprise birthday party at our house on Sunday and then all of us girls take her wine tasting over the Memorial weekend when all the wineries are throwing parties, so the next couple weekends are looking to be fun!
No workout in two days - going to try to hit the gym today if body cooperates.

Thought of the Day ~
You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you.
--Ruth Smeltzer

The Weekend

Had a great weekend. Started it off with a barfilicious workout Saturday morning. I varied between wanting to pass out and wanting to barf throughout the whole second half of it. I never mix cardio in with my resistance training, and now I know why! Whoa! I can't believe how much strength I've lost in the last month. Workout looked like this ~
10 min warm-up walking on incline on treadmill - got HR up to about 155-160
Seated Chest Press 80/19, 80/15, 80/10
Narrow Lat Pull Downs 75/13, 75/11, 90/6
Elliptical for 3 minutes (hard!)
Leg Press 270/15, 270/15, 270/15
Biceps Machine - preacher curl 50/18, 50/10, 40/12, 40/11
Stepmill for 3 minutes (hard!)
Life Fitness Tricep Ext machine 50/15, 50/15, 50/10
Crunches 4 sets of 25
Treadmill Intervals walking/running every other minute
3.0mph
6.0mph
3.0mph
6.0mph
3.0mph
6.7mph
3.5mph
7.0mph
3.5mph
8.0mph
I'll make this ending cardio harder next time.

When I got home, there was a note on the back door telling me to "follow the trail". I got inside to find a trail of chocolate kissables leading me all the way down the stairs to my office to find "I love you" written in more kissables and a bouquet of beautiful yellow tulips waiting for me. Awww... Fortunately, the kids were willing to eat the candy for me, but the flowers are all mine!

Loaded the kids into the car and headed down to Mom and Dad's for the weekend. Dad has lost 18 pounds in exactly one month. The day we left for Hawaii and took Mom with us, he made his garage into a big workout room and stopped eating bad and look at that - 1 month later he looks like a freakin' different person! I couldn't stop staring at his face - he looks soooo different! We had a great time and it was nice for the kids to be able to ride their bikes. Living up on a hill makes our house great for views and such, but bike riding for wee ones is out of the question. I loved living in a couldesack when I was a kid - lots of great memories of all the kids out playing ball and riding bikes. It was COLD yesterday, but Dad built a fire out in the back so we could just hang for awhile. I got a great portion of baby Noah's blanket knitted, but it's going to smell like campfire until I can get it done and washed.
Packed the kids back up and headed straight for the Mom's Day picnic Steve's family was having at a park on our way home. Lots of fun!

Thought of the Day ~
The reason most people fail to succeed is that they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.

Being about the business of being me,
Julie

Bowling and Mai's Bubble Party

It was a long day. I love getting up and getting my cardio done first thing, but it means only about 6-6.5 hours of sleep at night and THAT makes for a long day. I get to the gym before light, make it home with the rising sun and get my butt planted on the couch with a cup of coffee just as the red sun is rising over Mt. Hood for me to have my bible/quiet time. Another good hour before the kids get up and it sets my day off right. BUT, I start dragging hard around 1 or 2pm and desparately need a nap. Today I tried to make the kids take a nap with me...I woke up and they were long gone...
Probably wouldn't have seemed so long today if I hadn't missed a meal and going to the gym again tonight was just silly with not enough food in my belly.
Today was Jack's Pre-School Bowling field trip. Fifteen 4 and 5 year olds bowling...what a hoot! We also all got to go around to the back and see the pins and balls whooshing through the schutes.
Mai decided to give herself a "bubble party" tonight ~ dressed in her finest.

a.m. workout
10 mins on stepmill
15 mins on Precor Elliptical
15 mins on Treadclimber

p.m. workout
10 minutes incline walking
15 minutes Precor Elliptical
15 minutes bike

Quote of the Day ~

How can you get very far,
If you don't know Who You Are?
How can you do what you ought,
If you don't know What You've Got?
And if you don't know Which To Do
Of all the things in front of you,
then what you'll have when you are through
Is just a mess without a clue
Of all the best that can come true
If you know What and Which and Who.
- Pooh Bear

Brussel Sprout Burps Blow

~Erica Hamilton





















Update: p.m. workout done. Did full body workout and then 15 minutes on the Cybex elliptical. We hadn't tried it before and it looks so funky we decided to hop on. I was huffing and puffing and my quads hurt so bad and Steve is like "what's wrong?, you ok? Are you gonna hurl?" I'm like...hello - I'm working out, why is this so easy for you? 10 minutes later I realize I'm on level 45 and he's on level 15. Oh Brother! So he bumps it up and says "wow, this is hard" and drops it back down again.

I finally tried brussel sprouts yesterday. I guess it's possible I could get used to them. I just tried them baked with a little olive oil pam and salt and pepper. The burps all afternoon were just obnoxious. When I took them out of the oven, Steve said they looked like Rocky Mountain Oysters. I don't know if he's ever seen any, but I don't think they look like this. Maybe the thought was what started my gag reflex, though.

Today's a.m. cardio today on empty tummy
20 min Treadclimber
20 min Startrac Elliptical

Tonight will be RT at the gym if this incredibly protien packed, spicier than SPICY chili I'm gulping down sits ok.

Thought for the Day ~
The thoughts in your mind will always be more important than the things in your life.
-J. Maxwell

Being about the business of being me,
Julie

Mai - Brightness

The name Mai in arabic means "cheeky monkey". In Japanese it means "brightness" or "dance". All three fit my baby. I love her so much!



Verse of the Day ~
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
--Matthew 5:8

Being about the business of being me,
Julie

Golfing, Knitting and Coloring Books

First ~ MONDAY NIGHT LADIES GOLF WAS FUN!! I now have something to do every Monday night from now through the end of Summer! I will definately be back. There were probably 20-25 ladies there and the instructor was wonderful. Not sure if I'm a natural, but at least I hit the ball... a lot - my back is sore today. I enjoyed the wine and snacks last night but they'll be easy to pass up in the future. The wine, I'm sure, didn't help my swing.

I've been trying for some time to find some little relaxing things I can pick up and put down while being with the kids and to keep my hands occupied and out of the fridge. I've found two so far - knitting and coloring. I've actually only finished one knitting project, if you remember my purple scarf from last Summer. I've got about 3 or 4 projects going but the one that is getting my attention right now is my VIBRANT new scarf, probably because it's one stitch and I don't have to think at all. We call it the fruit loops scarf because that's what it looks like on my knitting needles. Mai wants me to make her a matching one - won't we be cute this Fall?! She also has orders for at least one blanket for her Baby Noah...apparently he's been getting cold at night.

Relaxing thing #2 ~ my new big people coloring books. I bought two on a whim for Mom and I when we went to Hawaii last month. Now, I'm no artist, but they keep me occupied and the kids like to watch me - or color next to me. No longer do I start a page opposite Mai in her coloring books only to have her add her own touches or make me change the page before I finish. These are mine... ALL MINE! I need to buy some better pencils - ones that are more vibrant.

We came back from Hawaii to some yucky weather - thunder, lightening and hail. The kids were so sad to be locked inside for almost two weeks after being on the beach every day and thinking Summer had arrived. But yesterday started what is hopefully our Summer - beautiful weather and we dug out the turtle pool for some fun. Hoping to get them a bigger pool and one of those inflatable slip 'n slides this year, but they had fun anyway...

Verse of the Day~
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests,
but also for the interests of others.
--Philippians 2:4


Getting where I want to be:
In His peaceful presence,
Julie

To Be About The Business of Being Me

Fresh new blog. I like the feel of it. So...the title...well, I'm learning more and more about myself every day - crazy to think that what seems like for years and decades I wasn't learning - or wasn't paying attention or wasn't trying. So now I golf (well, I will as of tomorrow) and I surf (well, it's still in the planning phases, but I swear I'm going to do it) and now I pay attention to my life and my loves and my future...the eternal one. So I will Live, Love, Laugh and be Happy as Mitch Miller used to sing on our old record player when I was growing up. This blog is dedicated to recapturing some of the fun. And of course, it will also follow along my fitness journey.

Had to post my pic so I could get it in my profile. It's from the Luau Mom and I went to.

I was reading Kristin's blog today about a bike ride she was on this week...a ride that made her whole, if only for an instant: ~
"...and for a moment I could hear nothing but the rushing wind and feel the breeze kiss my face in a rush of excitement. I closed my eyes for a moment and realized for the first time in 24 hours that I was thinking of nothing. Not planning, not hurting, just experiencing that exact moment in time.

Where it was just me and the wind.........like old friends.

My brain flickered to a time when I would ride my bike down the big hill on my street when I was a child. Back when it was still 187 Vestavia Hills and Laurie Lou's dad was still alive. The Alabama sun was warm on my sunkissed skin and skinned knees. Just tossing my head back and laughing, relishing the speed and the feel of the wind. Thinking of nothing, just being.

For a moment, just a moment, I did not have this new knowledge that my mom was sick. Very sick. That there were "a lot" of new legions on her brain and brain stem. That there was nothing I could do about it. For a moment I was just being... feeling sure there would still be a mom there fixing a peanutbutter apple for a snack when I got home from playing outside.

I was beautifully distracted by the woosh of the wind in my ears and the sun on my face.

For a moment, just a moment, I was whole."

BEAUTIFUL, Kristin! I loved it. I felt the sun on my face as I read along.
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Verse of the Day ~
The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
--Zephaniah 3:17

From Liz Curtis Higgs ~
Imagine this: The Lord, the Mighty One, in your midst right now -- seated across from you at the kitchen table or perched on the arm of your favorite overstuffed chair -- quieting you with his love, whispering sweet somethings in your ear, singing gentle songs of peace, joy, and gladness.

*************************************************************
Rest day, loose eats.

Being about the business of being me,
Julie