Piano Recital

So Thursday I went West, Friday I went East, and Saturday after the bible drill I went West again to go home. Home we might be, but busy we were. We were home for about 2 hours just in time for us to unpack, clean up, iron some clothes, and eat a bit and out the door we went for the piano recital for Sarah and Isabella. Enjoy the videos.

The Other Way

After our long field trip to the east, the very next day we packed and headed west to State Bible Drill. Sarah had earned the opportunity to attend the State bible drill, however none of us had any idea what we were in for. Sarah and another girl in our church worked so very hard over the last year drilling and memorizing. They went to regional and were awarded Superiors and a chance to attend state. None of us, including their teachers, knew what to expect or anything. So, we booked a hotel, and off we went. We made it to our destination in time and signed the girls up to drill at 9:00 am! After that drove back to the hotel, got in with a courier from the hotel to take us to eat (downtown area and parking is always hard). After eating Mexican food at a very overrated, overpriced downtown area restaurant, we went walking and tried to enjoy the ambiance. We walked all the way back to the hotel where the kids promptly got changed in their bathing suits and went for a swim on an upper deck hotel pool. Looking out over all the tall buildings and just relaxing it was very nice. The other couple whose girl we brought with us arrived later and then Grandma and Papa Roberson joined us very late that night too. After what seemed a very long night and not too much sleep we enjoyed a good breakfast and then off we went. The girls teachers met us there and they practiced. Both girls were very nervous but did very well. The youth bible drill is intense and at the State level even more so. They all have to find verses they had memorized, books of the bible, and random verses in 8 seconds and under. Not only that but those who stepped across the line first, didn't fidget, concentrated on the judge only, and more were awarded those extra bonus points. Sarah was able to step across the line each time however one of those she realized as the scripture was being said that she had the wrong one. They are instructed to be honest and raise their hands for the judges to see and step back across the line. Honesty is rated very high! Other than that she was perfect on all the calls. Her partner had 2 missed calls. Basically we figured out at the point that out of 35 contestants and only 8 get moved up you have to be perfect and no mistakes and try and receive as many bonus points as possible to move up. We learned a lot that day about the next time going to state. Sarah and Zech will be in Youth Bible Drill next year, so we will see. All in all we were very, very proud of our Sarah for advancing. My prayer is for her to apply all that wonderful knowledge she gained in this experience.

Been a little Busy!

I'll try and catalog a few days in a row or a few weeks I should say in a few days posting. Today I would like to post a great field trip to Frontier Texas. Wow, what a great museum to attend and learn all about the beginnings of Texas and how hard it was to make a start of it. They were all surrounded by Indians, wildlife (wolves, mountain lions, buffalo, bears, etc), the harsh weather, and a vast domain of places to travel and abide. The museum is very interactive for this computer age group of kids. All of the stops had either live 360 degree theatre to sit in and listen to the many tales and watch the firefly's or hologram images of Indians, cowboys, women, and children and their lives that took us to many different scenes among Texas' birth. One lady actually buried 4 husbands, all 12 children, and grandchildren. How horrible that must have been. The pics contain mainly my girls because Zech was in a different group than us (wanted to go with his buddies!). We had a great time and then a wonderful visit with an old friend. Reunited on Facebook we learned we weren't that far apart and we were able to visit and have dinner before I headed back. Long day but totally worth the trip.

I DID IT!

Today was day 30 and I finished! and I'm not dead! Gain and losses? I gained discipline and a well exercised body. I lost several inches, down by at least 1 size, maybe more. Enough said! I'm stinky and sweaty and ready to relax in a bath! Woohoo! Thanks to all who encouraged me, and yes, I have new videos waiting for me starting Monday!

Day 24

I think I'm starting to loose count of actually how many days I've done this, but I think I'm on day 24. For the first time since I started this I missed 2 days in a row. We had state bible drill in Dallas and had to get up, checked out of the hotel, breakfast ate, and arrive at the Baptist Building by 8 am. So I decided since it was a road trip and I don't sleep well ever, but certainly never in a hotel room, I would forgo the exercising for that day. Obviously Sunday didn't do it either because it is the Lord's Day and a day of rest. Today I was worried that it would be hard to get back up and do this thing, but it wasn't hard at all. I did it! I did day 24 and I made it all the way through. Getting stronger and being able to stay up with Natalie and Jillian instead of Amita. They are becoming my video friends now. They do keep showing up in the same workout outfits and Jillian continues to stop through her exercises to talk, however if I had her body I would be the one on the video being able to stop because she probably exercises about 2 hours everyday and never puts anything junky in her stomach as I do occasionally.

Well I guess I really like this because after I post here I'm about to order 2 more videos by Jillian Michaels and continue this madness after all! I'll post more on exercise on my 30th day but the next couple of days I'm going to post some things going on in the family!

What started all the shredding?

Do you remember at the beginning 22 days ago why I started this shredding business? I had just told hubby that my abs will never be the same and the next day a weekly blog that I subscribe to came to me in my email with a challenge. She had just started the shredding process and her son had commented on her abs. I thought if she can do it, I can too! (again wrong thoughts lead to wrong actions). There were over 150 ladies who have accepted her challenge and I enjoy getting the updates each week of the people. There comments are sincere and they are all so motivated. In reading some of their comments though I was doubled over in laughter at some of them, so I copied and pasted and you can read below:

Except for the last set of abs - by the end of that hellish Circuit 3 I can no longer get in the dreaded plank position, so I just do the bicycles like in Level 1. I'm kind of getting sick of Jillian taking a break and talking the whole time - yet she dares tell me I'm not allowed to take a break!

Things that have improved~ I can get out of an armchair without using my arms; ~ I can kick my butt; very important skill to have~ Definitely dropped a size although cant weigh myself as the scales were baptised by my baby boys in the bathtub~ Am eating less by choice.... go figure??!!~ Using less heating [it's winter here] as we make our own heat in the mornings~ Can see parts of my body I only ever saw in the mirror; after ten children never thought that 'extra' skin would tighten up

First two days were awful!! They should be required to put a warning that fastening your own bra may become impossible due to arm pain!

I did Jillian's online program for awhile, but it literally almost killed me! I almost passed out a couple of times, and wished I had a few other times! :)

I am on day 8... sort of.I did it once, it took me 7 days to recover- I attributed it to bad tennis shoes. So I bought some new ones and started over. But now I am on day 8 for real!

I too am getting a little tired of seeing my workout partners in the same outfits every day, but I wear the same two outfits myself, so I can't really complain. And at least I can't smell them like I can sometimes smell myself! I talk to Jillian as we work out and some days I'm not very nice.

This is only a few of the several comments made, but it encourages me to know I'm not alone in my thoughts of hating Jillian (in a good way), arm pain when doing anything that involves my arms (putting and taking off the shirt or bra, blow drying my hair, or applying my makeup), sweating like a hog and smelling like one too, feelings of passing out or wishing I had, and more.

However they have all said the same that they haven't lost a whole lot of weight but most of us are losing inches and loving it. They are also actually starting to get excited about bathing suit season and we are all keeping it up after the 30 days is finished. In fact I googled more videos by her and there are two more that I will order next pay day to continue with my exercising long after the 30 days! Amazing things happen when you start to exercise. However one thing I still don't have is more energy. I keep reading how people and these beautiful ladies who are doing it with me have more energy. I feel just as tired if not more. Exercise has always done that to me, but I will keep it up or at least try to. How many of you are going to join me?

Day 21 and Level 3, Oh my!

I intuitively thought about just watching the video before proceeding, but then again that doesn't do me any good! So I plugged it in this morning and started Level 3. I was a little apprehensive when I pressed Level 3 to start but start I did. Now let me tell, if you did not hear my muscles scream no matter where you are in the United States, you weren't listening very well. She punched it up that is for sure. My shoulders, neck, back, thighs, hamstrings, calves, abdominal, and biceps were burning (and other muscles that I don't remember their name but they are awakened now) by the time I finished and I'm fairly sure I didn't hang with her but through about 3/4 of it. I thought that was very good, but there were some exercises that she did were just made to kill you!!!! I am beat up after that workout but pretty impressed I did all that I did. I will be shredded in no time on level 3, however there might not be anything left of me after that.

Sad day!

I know your wondering now why it is a sad day for me!?? It is day 20 today and I'm seeing positive results. Your thinking why should that create sadness for her. Because tomorrow is the beginning of Level 3!!!! And if it is working than I can't stop after 30 days and say, sorry too bad, not working I'll venture backwards to the days of no exercise. I must continue! No pain, no gain is what they say. Well that is true because I have had plenty of pain, excruciating downright pain, and I have gained muscle. I have little biceps now! My husband told me yesterday he was afraid of me now (he, he). So far each level has caused pain increase and ten fold for about 3 to 4 days, and level 3, goodness I haven't a clue what I'm in for. I think maybe I should watch it and see what it entails but then again I just have to do it or else I might get afraid and never make it to level 3, LOL! Tomorrow in your prayer time, please be lifting me up before the Lord that I'll make and I won't actually die (cause sometimes I honestly feel as though I am passing through the shadow of death!).

It is all connected

Do you remember the song, "The thigh bone connected to the knee bone, etc." Well I'm beginning to believe that all the muscles are connected as well, maybe tighter than what we think (I always knew that, just play along with the story). Today, Day 19, I began my exercises. Warm up, great job! Had no problems. However after that it all went downhill as they say. You see the first thing you do is Walk out pushups. That means from a standing position you bend and touch your toes and proceed by walking out on your hands until your in a plank position and then you do a push up, walk back up to your toes and stand up and repeat it all over again (sometimes it feels as though I'm repeating it about 100 times). Anyway, all the muscles shrieked at me and started the following conversation.

"She is at it once again," said the shoulder muscles to the arm and hand muscles as their owner starting stretching and warming up. "Ahh, this feels nice just to stretch." "What on earth is she thinking about doing now," as their owner proceeded in jumping jacks. Bladder muscles, "Wait, hold on a minute, did you remember you had three kids and your 4o now, I can't hold on much longer." At the same time all the cartilage in the knees protested, "Why can't you just leave us alone? You are shredding us over and over again. This can't happen anymore!" On and on the muscles screamed, shrieked, and disgustedly exclaimed lots of explicit comments to their owner. More and more she pounded as the muscles and cartilage locked themselves in place and rebelled. Muscles were heard saying, "She thinks she is 20 years old again, ah but look, I'm starting to take shape again. I'm starting to look like I used too before she gave up!" "Wow," exclaimed the shoulders and biceps to one another, "you look good! No longer saggy underneath arms, or no shape." They all decided to get in line with one another and start working for the good, however they all know they are 40 year old muscles and it is going to take a long, long time to get them looking great again. All the cells and the corpuscles and the lungs were singing along as they were able to do their job more efficiently because their owner was truly trying to keep them healthy. "Although I'm sore," they all said, "We are so glad she is fine tuning us." They also remembered from the brain, "Rejoice, in all things, and again I say rejoice." As the owner cooled down and continued her duties she is still tired and out of energy and sore from the shoulders down, she knows she must continue to decrease, in order for HIM to increase! That means discipline. Physically & Spiritually! Although the muscles are still whining and complaining and so is the owner, we all know it is a good thing to do, but we still don't like it.

Day 16, Too Old?, Six Flags, and day 17!

Is it possible you can achieve an age where you consider that your too old to do some kinds of things? Well my day started out thinking I was way younger than what I really am. Starting early and exercised for Day 16, woke up the kids, did morning chores, and off we went. Driving there was not a problem because we were excited about the adventures that laid ahead of us. Keep in mind I EXERCISED that morning already and now my vehicle was lined up with many other homeschoolers for homeschool day at Six Flags over Texas! Driving in, parking, and finding our group was achievable. After that, not sure what else was, but we are over achievers, and we managed to show how far over achievers we can be!

Started our day with these 5 girls given the permission to go off on their own and explore Six Flags. They were given explicit instructions on where to meet us, what they could do and not do, and NO boys were allowed in their group! That was a stepping off point for some of us moms to give more freedom to our teenage daughters. We all agreed though any other day there would be no way, but homeschool day we felt a little bit of safety.

Can you picture these boys driving in a few years? After Zech and Isabella drove me on separate occasions I have reason to fear drivers ed in a few years! I'll warn you all ahead of time when they get their license.

Yes, that is me, with three other moms and a teenage girl (a part of our group) on the Superman. One of the dads that came with us said he pictured the commercial of Disney World where the mom and daughter walk in and she becomes a little girl all over again and he looked up and all three of us moms had become little girls all over again, riding those absolutely terrifying rides! I loved it!

Zech and his group of boys and a whole lot of girls on the swings. Isabella wouldn't ride!

Zech on his first roller coaster, The Tony Hawk! He had a blast. We rode the mini mine train, the mine train, the log ride, the cars, the roaring rapids, the carousel, and a whole lot more. Isabella got on most that didn't look to scary and some that were because mom pushed her. The two moms and I braved the Titan, Superman, Batman, and the Tony Hawk and a few more. We dubbed us the "Iron Moms". Our kids were too chicken to ride with us.

However I proved one thing and that is this mom, although she rode the biggest scariest of them, she is truly a lot older than she thinks! After each roller coaster ride my head hurt, my stomach lurched, my neck was popped in and out of joint and even so, my feet hurt from walking all over that park!!!!!! Oh my goodness my feet still hurt this morning.

Which brings me to my next point on Day 17 of my workout. I think my body completely rejected the theory that I should do this today. My feet, my knees, my legs, and yes even my shoulders and hips all very loudly rebelled through the whole workout video. I know that for every movement I made at least one muscle would scream here and let the other with the next movement scream there. I had so many aches and pains during all that jumping and running and sitting up, but I made it through. I feel extremely tired and sore all over. And I feel extremely old! But it was a blessing to see the smiles on my children's faces and hear their thank yous as we headed home. It wasn't such a wonderful drive home with all of so tired and sweaty but blessed because we had made it home!

Halway point! I think . . .

Today is number 15 of the 30 day shred. I've actually been shredding for 15 days!!! Woohoo! What have I accomplished so far? A healthier lifestyle by going from no exercise to 20 min. everyday, an entire size down in clothes, my children seeing me choose between exercises or none, and last but certainly not least a discipline to keep it up. On the other hand I have also accomplished sore knees, still not much more energy, everything seems to be shredding except for the area I want to shred most and there doesn't seem to be much progress there (tummy!), gaining weight (I know muscle weighs more than fat! but I still don't like it), a more rigid schedule in the morning than I thought could happen, and a choo-choo train chant, "I think I can!"

However good or bad the exercises have been I know that I've made the right choice. I know that weight really doesn't matter, I do see some results even if minimal, and I've still got 15 more days to go! But where do I go from there? I'm still trying to figure that out. I could go and buy some more videos, a wii fit program and continue right here at home. I could also walk outside and start moving my legs into a brisk walk and see where it leads me. There are lots of possibilities. The one possibility though that isn't there is stopping after the 30 days! No way am I going to work this hard and just stop. I will continue on trying to make healthy choices and disciplining myself to keep on attaining to a higher standard where my wellness comes into play.

Day 14 and more

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can," thought the crazy 40 year old lady who was continuing the 30 day shred! She burst forth every morning in workout clothes and starts the video encouraged by the smiling face on the other side of the screen. As she is being introduced to the ladies she has seen for 14 days now she tells herself she can do this and look like that on the other side of the screen. Yes, she is delusional! After the warm up, she is ready to start the 3 six minute circuits starting with walk out push ups! Arms shaking and rear up she knows that she isn't doing them right, but for now this is all she can accomplish. Continuing on she realizes that she has made it to the 2nd circuit abs and is doing well. Somewhere in that thought though another thought arises as she starts circuit 3 and her shoulders are burning! Balancing, pushing, twisting, planing, jumping, and asking her body to go way beyond her comfort zone she pushes on with the choo-choo train chant, "I think I can, I think I can." When it is finally over she shakes her head and wonders what on earth she is doing, but she is done for today and tomorrow holds another shred! Her goal now is to get up off the floor!
and . . .
She also smiles though as she remembers the man in her life! His wonderful smile and confident walk was the first thing that attracted her to him as he came across the church parking lot to introduce himself. That was 16 years ago now because she reflects on their first date of May1st! He was so handsome then with his thick, dark hair and boyish looks. Now as their love continues his looks are defined to her now, and she loves the sprinkle of grey in his hair, still his wonderful smile, and he is still hers! The point of her remembering him is that he is another year older today! 40 years ago, God specifically created this man for her! She is still so very much in love. They hold hands and she is proud to always say, "That is my man!" Happy Birthday, Mike! I love you and always will!

Myths, something new that hurts, & day 13

Okay, I must face facts as they show before me. I think subconsciously and somewhat consciously that at least half way through I would look similar to the person on the front cover of my DVD! Ha! I nowhere near her look. Now I know I have Myth in my title because I truly would love to look like (body wise) a more lean, mean, example of who I am. I also know that I'm 40 and out of those 40 years I have maybe exercised 5 consistently. So why would I expect to look like a supermom of 3 kids in just 13 days, when 35 years of non exercising and non healthy eating? I'm not sure but I know in the recesses of my brain I had envisioned such a thing happening, so therefore it is a myth to me. The DVD in no way assures me that I will be such a person in 13 days or even 30 days. What it does assure me is that I'm shredding and what the mirror assures me is the need to shred oh so very much! UUUGGGHHH! Also the health meter tells me that this must be a consistent variable in my life and not a missing variable that I'm trying to find in algebra (but it feels just as complicated I can testify to that, Have I told you lately how much I hate algebra?).

Also since starting level 2 my knees are really giving me fits. Saturday, yesterday (even though I skipped because it was Sunday (rest day)), and today my left knee is mildly painful and hurts when I walk, sit, or lie down. Now I'm not going to be a "Oh my knee hurts so I can't exercise", kind of lady, I'm going to be a "tough it out and get over it, it will get better", kind of Woman! I'm going to do this and I'm going to get tough! Lean! and well probably not a muscle machine! But a lesser of a woman than what I am fat wise that is!

Day 13 comes with no real new things, just the decision to do this no matter what. It is starting to take discipline each day to choose to do this. Not showing any real progress since the last time I lost weight and say a smidgen of definition in my abs. However I've had three babies, 3 c-sections, and one major hysterectomy and I'm fairly sure those abs will never be the same again. I am trying, and I upped my abs today to adding 2 more minutes onto my regular exercise of them. I'm going to continue trying to up the ab exercises little by little and hoping to attain a better view of my midsection. Although only I and my guy will be the only ones to see them, it would be nice when I reach for the diet coke in Walmart and my shirt goes up that someone who might look that way doesn't wince and say, wow, she needs a longer shirt!

So progress is in discipline today, not in seeing results. There are some but they are micrometers from where I want be. All that being said, I got here after 40 years, who am I to think that only after 13 days I can reverse it???

Almost halfway there!

Today is day 12 in the shredding process. I'm definitely shredding, but what is the question. No doubt my fat is slowly turning into muscle. My clothes are fitting looser and looser and my abs, well they are still jiggling although more definition in the wiggling all over. However my knees are aching today. I'm wondering how much they are getting shredded. Also my tummy has a little sharp twinge now every time I do crunches of any kind. I ignore it and go on but the knees are rejecting a lot louder. I read a blog concerning this particular video and she wonderfully and joyfully found a good thing and exclaimed, "Good news, my eyelashes don't hurt!" I laughed at that statement because it is true that there were times when that seemed to me like the only thing that didn't hurt were my eyelashes. All that being said, I'm going to continue and day fifteen is only 3 days away and I'll be halfway done!

I know most of you asked, so what's next? What is she going to do to keep it up. Not sure just yet. My family spent an hour or so at the mall last night and went into a gamestop store and my kids came running to find me and proudly showed me that Jillian Michaels makes a Wii Fit video! They want me to purchase this. Still looking over all my options and trying to figure it all out. When I do I'm sure I'll post my decision because you are all my accountability group and cheerleaders! Thanks girls!