Monday Morning Dance Party

Me through Mai's eyes:

I look like I might be doing a little dancing with my arms, don't I? Well...here goes...

Go, Robert! Go, Robert! Go, Robert!




Come on y'all let's take a ride.
Slide slide slippity-slide...

Oh $hit Biscuits

Not what you want to see when you return to your car while running errands.

My first thought was what the heck?

My second thought was Oh $hit, I wonder how bad it is (but I couldn't see anything behind me...so that would have to wait until I got home).

My third thought was to pick up that seat warmer heated chocolate covered raisin and eat it as I glanced back into the bank windows to see if all the employees were pointing and laughing.

My fourth thought was...do I go home and change or continue on with my errands? So in the middle of a rain storm, I was the only idiot wandering around town with her rain coat tied around her waist.

When I got home the kids ridiculed me and the husband told me I had a "sweet a$$". Get it?

That's about all I got today. I'm gearing up to watch the Duck game and celebrating that I got the boot camp flyers printed and pinned up around town:

The signs printed and staked on street corners:

And now I wait to find out if anyone even wants to work-out during the holidays.

When was the last time you totally embarrassed yourself? Help me feel better about "crapping my pants".

Pumpkin Patch

Mom came up for a visit which ended in a trip to the pumpkin patch yesterday out at Bauman Farms.
Best pumpkin patch I've ever been to! Half the activities weren't even open because it was mid-week, but we managed to stay for 3 hours

What a GREAT day for some punkin' patch with Grammy!!

Boo!

We're coming into Halloween weekend and I'm just not ready! We have several parties that we're invited to but probably won't attend, tons of work to be done, and two kids home sick from school and as of yet costumeless for the festivities of this weekend.
Feeling STRESSED today...but these pics my bff texted me the other day take me back about 13 or 14 years to easier times when I was hoping to own my own business and have kids...(guess what? I got my wish!!!!! HOORAY!!)

We used to be so witchy.

Someone's been hanging out at the keg, me thinks... She's gonna kill me if she sees I posted this. And what's up with my yellow teeth? I must have drinking red wine or something...that's just creepy.

My Brother-in-Law, looking all pimped out??,  seems pretty grumpy that my husband Dilbert? Drew Carey? got all the ladies ;-)

What are you all dressing up as this year? Any great parties you'll be going to this weekend?

Monday Morning Dance Party

Can I just whine to you that I've been getting up earlier and earlier each day in anticipation of my 4:30am wake-up times that will come with my new job? Today the alarm was set for 4:50am...for no stinkin' good reason. But guess what? I'm ready to Boogie Oogie Oogie right into this Monday! Care to join me?

Three Things Thursday

1. It's official! My new bootcamp will be held at a local kid's hangout called JJ Jump where I'll have 4000 sq feet of room to not only make people cry in bootcamp agony, but to make them laugh as well since we will have full access to the bouncy houses for things like obstacle courses, rock climbing and a jousting arena. Can you imagine how much fun this is going to be?

2. My new women's group started last night and we're doing a study by Priscilla Shirer called One In A Million. The study is based on this excerpt: "The Egyptians in Exodus 1 were intent on enslaving the Israelites, wearing them down so that God’s chosen people would become disillusioned and not live up to their destiny. Of the original two million Israelites who received God’s invitation to enter the Promised Land, only two actually entered it!"

3. I'm still contemplating this auto-biography from Portia Nelson and what it means in my own life:

Chapter 1 I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost...I am helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out. Chapter 2 I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place. But, it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out. Chapter 3 I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in. It's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately. Chapter 4 I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it. Chapter 5 I walk down another street.

Angel's Rest / Devil's Rest

Thanks for all your well-wishes on my business endeavor and your great response on compression gear yesterday. I've got BIG news about the bootcamp and where it will be held, but I'll share that tomorrow.

Yesterday I mentioned Tracy and I were heading out for a hike after hitting upper body at the gym, but when I arrived at the gym we looked at each other and said "Let's get out of here!", so we skipped the weights and headed to the gorge. It was very sunny and warm when we left Portland and just a short 20 minutes later we were at our destination. I had felt the car moving around a lot on I-84, which isn't unusual, but when we got out at the trail head we were hit with what felt like 30 mph winds. The winds chilled us right down so we gulped down our breakfast and headed up...up...up...

Gorgeous views all the way up.

The wind was ridiculous. I finally just had to put my visor away.

We saw LOTS of snakes. This one had no markings or color at all.

Don't you dare throw that snake at me, Tracy!

You know you're almost to the top when you get to this point.

The wind wiped that smile right off my face.

View of the Columbia from the top.

Tracy being brave. She's lucky the wind didn't pick her right up.

When we got to the top we took this video...where the wind actually knocked me over while I was filming...

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

and then we got the hell outta there. Too windy to be safe, eat comfortably or hear each other talk, so we headed up to Devil's Rest and then back down to some sunny rocks to eat our lunch and then back home. It was a GREAT day! I recommend playing hooky at least once a month!

Owww...legs! It's Free??

Happy Tuesday! I'm all full of energy and excitement today. Let's see, first and foremost...I've been reunited with my workout partner since last Monday and we've been hitting the gym like it's our job. LOVING the workouts, but whoooooo boy...I'm sore! We did legs twice last week and then I decided to do a squat challenge on Saturday (I ended up with 300 squats in 14:46 minutes!!) and then yesterday was legs again, where we did an unreasonable amount of squats and lunges. My legs are pooped...and guess what we're doing today after our upper body workout?
We're heading out for a hike in the gorge. This is going to be the nicest day this week...and probably for some time...so we're going for it!

All this leg work leads me into these...

Last week I found out that I was going to start testing products for articles that Sarah Bowen Shea (of Run Like A Mother and Train Like A Mother) will be writing. When I headed over to pick up the current product she had for me, I thought I was testing out compression socks, so imagine my surprise when I found these babies waiting for me. Score! NOW>>>Here is where you come in...I have never worn compression clothing before so I had no idea what to expect when I ran in them. I'm just wondering what YOUR experiences have been with compression tights. Are you for or against?

Ok now...give me your scoop on compression running tights...

Monday Morning Dance Party

TGIM!! Start with a dance and let it continue all day ...

Three Things Thursday

1) The "children" have been at work around here...

2) I'm along for this Biggest Loser love fest with the rest of the world - Dolvett is my guy.

The other night while watching TBL, Mai asked me what Dolvett's last name was. I asked why? She said she wants to know what her future last name is going to be. HA! Even 2nd graders know a HAWT guy when they see one. She says he's dreamy. So in all likelihood my chances of being his mother-in-law are quite a bit higher than that cougar situation I was thinking of.

3) Oh Zuzana, Oh you don't cry for me, for you came from czechoslavakia to kick the crap right outta me... You can read about the latest BodyRock workout I did yesterday HERE where this loveliness...

turned me into a turnip...

The Dynamic Duo

Sometimes (often!) it's just more fun to have a partner in crime.
7 years ago I met my workout partner (through an on-line fitness community based in IL of all places) and we've had an on again off again relationship ever since. With two very busy athletic children (her) and two small children (me), there were days, weeks, months, and even years that things just didn't line up for us to work out together, but yesterday we hit the gym again with a 6 month progressive plan that had us working side by side and getting right into the groove we've always had.

Fortunately, we both thought to wear black bottoms and purple tops so there was no mistaking we were together :D
For years we worked out at the same time/same place and some of the regulars at our gym were happy to see our return. The Dynamic Duo is back together again. WATCH OUT, PEOPLE!
Yesterday was legs...I can barely walk. Today - upper body...and if I get my way, a half hour of sauna and steam!

My first real experience with a workout partner was about 15 years ago. My friend, Melissa from work, and I started power walking every morning before work. This usually meant meeting up with each other at about 4:45am in order to get home and showered and ready for work. We were unmarried apartment dwellers at the time and we lived in a neighborhood where when you park your car, it's best to keep it parked or you may not find a place to re-park it. So each morning, I would get up at O'Dark 30 and trudge to her place in the spookiness of that hour. Knowing she was sitting on her stoop waiting for me, shivering with cold and maybe a little fear, encouraged me to NEVER make her wait, never oversleep, never let her down. It just takes a little accountability to keep my engine revved.

The other aspect I love about a partner is that I find more courage to give up less easily. It's easier to try something new with a sidekick. Maybe because I feel less silly with my partner by my side looking equally as ridiculous learning how to perfect a new standing on a ball with a band around my thighs squat or just the encouragement that I'm not alone in my fitness endeavors, but whatever it is...I'm glad I have my partner back.

Today, I also wanted to share this story by Rachel Cosgrove about giving up:

How Easy Do You Give Up?

October 11th, 2011 | Author: Rachel Cosgrove

Once a week I head to a hillside of stairs to do my interval workout. It is a challenging workout with 160 stairs to climb.

I am always amazed by the different people I see out there also doing the stairs. People of all fitness levels – some this is their first workout in years as they trudge up the stairs once or twice and call it a day, others are athletes home for a holiday break flying up three stairs at a time, or firefighters at the local station or mom’s making it a family outing with their kids who are joining in doing the stairs too.
Recently the city planted trees blocking the entryway to get to the stairs. There are no signs that say – “No Trespassing”, but I can only assume they are trying to keep people from using the stairs as a form of exercise. (It seems the stairs were built to reach the landscaping on the hillside, not for the purpose of giving us a place to workout).
As you walk up toward the stairs, it now appears, with no obvious path to get to them, that these trees block them. This would be an easy obstacle, if you were looking for an excuse to not do the stairs. And we have all been in the situation where you are looking for an excuse to not do something especially when it comes to exercise or anything out of your comfort zone.
Where there is a will there is a way…there is a small opening where you can squeeze by the trees maneuvering around them to get to the stairs.
A few weeks ago as I was doing my intervals and catching my breathe at the top of the stairs I noticed a couple walking up to join me. They were trying to figure out how to get up there and were not going to give up. As she stood looking determined with her hands on her hips strategizing the best way, looking for an opening, he actually started to climb through the bushes, practically climbing trees to get up there I’m sure scratching himself up. They were not going to use this as an excuse to not do the stairs today. As I came down and saw him tangled in the bushes going the wrong direction, I yelled out to them that they could get through at the small opening and they were on their way joining me on the stairs. No surprise they were great training partners as we chased each other up and down pushing each other to do “one more round.”
A few minutes later I was at the top of the stairs catching my breathe and noticed another couple walking up toward the stairs but before I could get down to tell them where the opening was they had given up and turned around. It was as if they were hoping an obstacle would get in the way – “Oh darn, there are trees blocking the stairs. I guess we can’t do them…” turning around faster than I could run down the stairs they had given up on doing what they had set out to do that morning…
How easy do you let obstacles get in your way? Do you back down as soon as you have an excuse?

• Do you prefer to workout with a partner or solo?

• Do you find yourself giving up too easily or not trying something new out of fear or self-consciousness?

• When was the last time you kicked yourself over giving up on something or when was the last time you tackled something and did NOT give up, that made you proud? Shout it out here!!

Monday Morning Dance Party

I think I'm getting sick :-(
But...The Dynamic Duo is getting back together this morning, so I can't fall back in bed...
instead...
Let's Dance...Dance...Dance...Dance!


Yowsah!Yowsah!Yowsah!

Toot!

How can you not love a girl who loves to dress in pink and wear frilly skirts to the annual jog-a-thon...

girl loves to run!

...but who can still keep it real...

text I rcvd last night from the mom in charge of 6 little "ladies" at a sleepover

Adventure Race Report

If you haven't checked out the Hybrid Adventure Games (H.A.G.) video yet, go to my Teaser post and check out my mad skills at minute 1:10-1:19 and check out the rest of the video just for fun! If you wind up with an opportunity to do H.A.G in your area, I say GO FOR IT!

Our H.A.G. team,  Don't Stop Believin', was about 80+ strong!! We raced in honor of Nick Callahan and for The Quinn Driscoll Foundation. Nick passed away in 2009 and our race shirts honored him...

...and we (mostly Antonio)

carried Nick's longboard throughout the entire race.

Race day started a bit brisk at about 53 degrees (and the temps only got lower throughout the morning), but all complaints of shivers stopped as the games began.

2.5 miles up SkiBowl and then 2.5 miles down skibowl. I've never been at such a quiet start to a race. It was all but impossible to run and talk at the same time. It was also very hard to pass people at most points on this trail so there were times where you simply had to walk because the people ahead of you were walking.

Susie and I stuck together and managed to hit the top at a decent pace. Our plan was to wait for all remaining team members to arrive so we could snap some pictures. Here is what it looks like on a clear day...

This is what it looked like on Saturday!

Brrr. The fog was settling on everyone's hair - head hair, facial hair, arm hair and we all simply glistened like Edward the vampire...you know...this guy...

Eventually we headed back down the hill. We had let most everyone pass us at the top but it suddenly became apparent to Susie and I that we might have taken a wrong turn as we could see down to the bottom and there was NO one at all in front of us. We weren't THAT far behind. In the end, we only went about a 1/2 mile out of our way...and only had to go another 1/2 mile to return to the correct course...and only about 4 people followed us (sorry strangers) and so when we finally ran into the photographer...I was one happy girl...

Coming into the obstacle course was the scariest for me. This was my first adventure type race and I had no idea what to expect. As I made my way through the tires I felt like I was doing pretty good...until all of a sudden WHAM!!! ...I'm punched in the right boob. Hard. But by who? By my daughter, that's who! She and Jack had acquired some water balloons and they pelted me all the way through the tires and even while I was hustling (I use that term loosely) under the barbed wire. With Jack yelling at me "Don't slow down, Mama! Don't slow down! and Mai releasing the water filled missiles, I almost poked my eye out. 

Eventually I lost the two little buggers and met up with my girls at the top of the slip 'n slide...

We made our way down...

...and then out into even more unknown of uneven bridges and a killer wall...that I am SO PROUD I made over...but the pride kind of squirted out of me as I fell off the other side into a heap. I don't care, though...I made it up and over on my own. Hoo-rah!

Waiting in line for the tire flip was cold...possibly because of the rain...but more likely because the kids continued to bomb me with water balloons. I flipped that tire like nobodies business. I'm seriously bummed there were no pictures of that event for me, but I felt strong and steady and that memory lives on :-)

All in all...quite a day of adventure. Quite a way to support a great cause. Quite an excuse to get out and act like a kid. Loved it! I'll be back next year...for TIME! Watch out!