move it Monday

Life has been incredibly busy lately and I am having a problem getting to the gym. (enter excuses) It's hard to find a babysitter, it's hard to make time, it's difficult to blah blah blah.... However, I am doing the 30 day squat challenge. It is something quick & easy to do at home, during nap time etc. I am currently on day five and let me tell you, I can feel the burn! I'm excited to see results. I am also doing this Gymless workout on days I can't do C25k. It is really hard and right now I have to space it throughout the day but I am hoping I can work myself up to doing it all in one session. I know it may seem like I am going in about five different directions, but I do the squat challenge in the mornings, and if I am not able to do C25K, I do the Gymless workout, so really it's not that bad, I am just trying to do something productive during the day. I want this baby weight GONE! note to self: I really need a new Wii remote so I can do Zumba at my house again...

Goals last week:

Week 2 of C25K <-- barely, but I did it! Each week of c25k consists of three days and I did two days this week outside. It was not easy. I was actually dying both days. It's much harder to do outside than in the gym, so I'm probably going to keep doing it outside instead of going to the gym. The temperature around here is ranging from 90-95 everyday so I was definitely sweating my booty off but I'm pretty sure that's a good thing, right? 
One Zumba class <-- Zumba is on Friday nights and Butch came home last Friday and it was his birthday; Beckham's party was Saturday, so I honestly didn't have time to get to the gym. I just wanted to be with my family, sue me! I actually looked up at it was almost 7:00. Going to Zumba hadn't even crossed my mind. We were just too busy!
Lose 2 pounds <--- I'm at a plateau I swear. I don't know if I'm gaining muscle and not losing weight but it's really frustrating. I am counting calories and I've never gone over 1200. Most days I'm wayyyy under that. I am working out more than I ever have, and nothing..... I am still at my same weight. And I am at a loss. I don't know what to do!

Goals this week:

Week 3 of C25K

One Zumba class
Lose 2 pounds...again...I'm not giving up! It's just making me push myself harder!

Linking up with Ashley!

high five for Friday

Five favorites from this week:
1. Hubby comes home today! We are actually headed out the door to pick him up from the airport right now!!
2. Today is his birthday!! Yep! Exciting things planned today for my favorite man in the world!

3. Tomorrow is Beckham's first (BIG) birthday party!! Pray, pray, pray it doesn't rain. I will cry!

4. I made a little progress in my classroom. Slowly but surely, I'll get it how I want it...maybe. DIY: file cabinet/storage cabinet upgrade: I painted and modge podged scrapbook paper onto the front drawers/doors. Here's a how-to link if you're interested. I actually like how the storage cabinet is not perfect. My niece helped me and the paper is a little uneven but I told her I was going for shabby chic so I think it looks fine.

5. We got a new back porch, just in time for the party. I love it! I literally sat out there for an hour just watching it rain last night!

!!!!!!It's been a great week, hence the overuse of exclamation points!!!!! =)

1st Birthday Party: Part One

I'm titling this part one because Beckham is actually having two first Birthday parties. His birthday fell on a Tuesday so his big party is this Saturday but his small party was on his actual birthday at Grami and Pop's house. My father-in-law actually works in Alaska too and he has to go back today so he wanted a chance to give Beckham his presents before he left. It actually ended up working out well because I wanted to do something on his actual birthday and this little party was so fun!  Here's a photo recap.

If you didn't already know, my child is obsessed with the telephone. This cake was perfect for him & the little phone is an actual toy, and probably his favorite present of the night. Go figure?

I'm still trying to figure out how he managed to pick his whole piece up, fully intact. 

We ended the night with a little duck calling with Pop!

Dear Beckham

Dear Beckham,
You are getting so big, so fast. You are determined to be a big boy, but I wish you would just stay little for a little while longer. Your favorite things to play with are anything that you shouldn't be playing with, of course. You love my iphone, the remote control, unrolling the toilet paper all the way into the kitchen, getting out all of the tupperware (the only cabinet Daddy didn't baby proof), pulling the sound machine off of the shelf, climbing on the couch, coffee table, chairs etc. Your favorite thing in the world is to be outside. Anything outside is good with you, so we play outside a lot. You have started to really hate baby food. All of it. You would much rather eat people food. In fact, you are hungry anytime you see someone eating, it doesn't matter if you've just eaten. You also sometimes wake up from a nap if you smell someone cooking in the kitchen. You are the nosiest little boy I think ever existed. You just have to figure stuff out & examine things. If something confuses you, like water running out of the faucet (and you can't grab it) you have to check it out at all angles. I can see your little mind learning and I often wish I knew what you were thinking. You still love taking baths. You sometimes get upset when it's time to get out, I guess you're not done playing or something. Sometimes, if I'm lucky you want to cuddle after your bath. I loooooove those times. You are the best snuggler in the world (other than your Daddy). The other night actually, you were in the best mood ever and you wanted to snuggle so we did. We rocked and sang songs and while I was singing you were giving me the best kisses. It was so sweet and I savored every moment. You've somewhat outgrown your hatred for the diaper. Every now and then you still fight to get a new one put on but normally all you're worried about is playing with yourself. Speaking of that- as soon as your butt hits the water in the tub, your hands are down there. It's both funny and awkward at the same time. It's funny because you're so into playing with it you're not even worried about me. And it's awkward because it's one of those things I really don't need to see. I know you're just a baby and don't really know what you're doing, but still....and I know you'll never grow out of that. Your favorite show is still Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! But, you're starting to like other shows too, like Jake and The Neverland Pirates, The Octonauts, and Handy Manny. But, really you're not crazy about the TV- you'd much rather be playing with toys or outside. You are still taking two naps a day and probably will until you start Kindergarten (kidding!). But seriously, you're so active during the day you love your naps. Sometimes, too much is going on and you don't want to lay down, but typically you love nap time, and always have. You usually go to bed around 9:30, but when Daddy is home you stay up later and you wake up anywhere from 7:00a to 10:00a. You are the happiest baby ever. Seriously, it scares me you are so good. I'm sure if you have a little brother or sister they will be the opposite. I thank God every day for choosing me to be your Mommy. You light up my world, little boy. I don't know what I would do without you. I love you tootie!

Compare with six month letter to Beckham.

Happy Birthday!

Six months to one year.
January to July.

I love that goofy smile.
Happy Birthday little boy.
I love you so much.

move it Monday - c25k

Okay so, I got some really horrible news at the gym this week............the calorie counter on the treadmill is not accurate......I cringe. I've mentioned more than once that I am a complete beginner so here I am thinking that I'm burning this many calories when really I'm not. The trainer said the counter on the treadmill is always either too low or too high, never correct. It consistently counts calories and doesn't adjust or something like that. I don't really know. But, here's how my nightmare began:

After two and a half weeks of walking for an hour 3-4 times a week (burning what I thought was around 400 cal) I was already becoming bored. My Mom told me about the Couch to 5k app, so I got it and started last Tuesday. The program is designed for 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week for 8 weeks. By the end of the 8 weeks you should be able to run (jog) a 5k without stopping. After day 1 of week 1 I was finished with my 30 minutes, wringing sweat, more tired than I ever was walking an hour and I look down to see that I only burned 190 calories. I was pissed! I marched to the office and was like what is up?? I'm in there jogging and I only burned half of the calories.... So he tried to convince me not to worry about the calorie counter and that the C25K program is much better than walking one full hour. He actually said it is more beneficial for your body to do more strenuous training for less amount of time than vice versa; and a cardio session shouldn't last much longer than 45 minutes. AND that it's bad to use the incline (which is what I've been doing so my little calorie counter went higher, duh!). He said that the incline on a treadmill is unnatural and is nothing like walking outside. He also said using the incline too much is the number one cause of shin splints and some other knee problem I can't remember the name of.

Long story short- his opinion was to keep doing C25K, no incline, and don't look at the calorie counter. UGH! I'm such a type-A person. I like to see exactly what I'm burning right then. However, I am more sore than I have ever been walking for an hour, so I guess what he said makes sense now because I'm definitely feeling it. Week 1 was a 5 minute warm up, jog 60 seconds and walk 90 seconds for a total of 20 minutes, then 5 minute cool down for a total of 30 minutes! I have to say I'm loving it and if it wasn't so hot I could actually do it outside. So, hopefully when the weather starts to get cooler I can keep running jogging outside. I'm also still doing Zumba on Friday's and I still love it!

Being the novice that I am, I have a few questions! Has anyone tried c25k? Love it? Hate it? Anyone else experience the calorie counter problem? Incline problem? Corrections (if these statements are false)? or Suggestions? Thanks!

Goals this week:
Week 2 of C25K
One Zumba class
Lose 2 pounds...please, pretty please...with no sugar added on top...haha

MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

As usual, linking up with Ashley!

high five for Friday

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1. Today is my Mama's BIRTHDAY! Happy Birthday Mama! 29 and holding, right?

source

2. I am finished with the Military Diet, but now I am doing the C25K. I got the app on my phone and so far, so good. I am doing Zumba tonight, but I'll update all of that on Monday!

BEFORE pictures.... this is literally what it looked like when I walked in the door.

3. I worked in my classroom all day Wednesday. I am an 8th grade ELA teacher, or I was.... I will be teaching both 7th and 8th grade next year. 2012-13 was my first year teaching and I came in October so I wasn't really prepared, organized, or confident- all of which bothered me daily. However, this year I have been working my butt off to get organized. I attended a four day workshop last month on the Common Core State Standard (which are basically just vague grade level expectations-that all states will be following [as long as they've adopted the CCSS]) It's confusing if you're not familiar with the changes... actually, it's pretty complicated for those of us that have been learning about these changes all Summer. Anyways, we all have to change our curriculum to fit the CCSS, which works for me because I am just starting. It's pretty easy to 'change' when I'm not set in my ways. So, I'll be working on all of that the next few weeks before school starts in August.

4. Beckham and I met with my friend Donna for lunch yesterday. She makes awesome yard-art and made a huge Mickey Mouse wooden sign for Beckham's birthday party.

5. Funny things Beckham did this week: He figured out how to 'sing' into a fan. It is the funniest thing ever. He says "ahhhhh" in all different tones. I also figured out he's not afraid of the diaper genie, he's actually afraid of the big Scooby Doo that sits beside the genie. He's terrified, so I pushed it under his bed. Thanks to Grumpy he loves to play patty cake now. He's also starting to really let me know different things that he wants. If he's hungry he says "byyytt byyytt" (like bite), if he's thirsty he says "eeeeennk" (like drink), he's been saying "yeah" and "naaa" (no) but he's saying them more and more. His new favorite thing is to blow the duck call. He is so smart and never ceases to amaze me daily. It's going to be hard to leave him and go back to work.