Saturday-1 hour of BodyPump. I had to take breaks in both the bicep and shoulders track. The planks got me too. I am not a planker. We also walked the dogs for 20 minutes that afternoon.
Sunday-20 minutes of dog walking. It was so nice outside this weekend!
Monday-1 hour of BodyPump. I made it through every song except shoulders. Those dang shoulders. Oh and I did punk out on planks for a few seconds again. We also did another 20 minute walk with the dogs. We discovered that Sonic is less than a half mile walk from our house. (I know what we are doing during the summer for date nights.)
Impressed by:
My squats and lunges. With my knee injuries, sometimes it is hard for me to push through these sets, especially lunges. I cannot do weight during these exercises so sometimes I feel really weak. But I really rocked them this weekend with my form and making the most out of the set. It may have burned, but I felt really powerful and strong throughout that whole routine.
Struggled with:
Making all of my workouts: I missed Wednesday and Tuesday. Tom’s schedule changed this week with the academy, so it interfered with my Tuesday workout. Normally he picks G up on Tuesdays, but he had to stay late for class. I was going to workout at home, but once I got home it seemed like everything else was calling my attention: George wanted love, dogs wanted love, dishes needed to be done, a meal needed to be cooked. So I just plopped myself on the floor and played with George instead of doing some cardio. I started my bible study this past Wednesday, and by the time that was over and George was in bed, I just forgot to do my ab workout.
Did I meet my goal from last week?
I made it to two classes this week and wasn’t late to either of them!
What is my goal for next week?
Not to fall down on the planks. Does anyone else shake while doing planks? I feel like I never see anyone else shake…
Fitness Thoughts:
It is really easy to push working out to the back burner when you have meals to cook and dogs to get home to or whatever else. I was really discouraged when I first looked at the fact that I missed two workouts, but then I began to think about it that I made four of them. I don’t want to get into a place that I am habitually missing workouts, but at the same time I know that I need to be flexible for those random days where other things need to come first. Last night it was more important for me to play with George than it was for me to do jumping jacks. And that is ok. I think we often beat ourselves up when we “miss” a workout, and then that can quickly spiral into missing lots of workouts. Like I said I don’t want this to become a habit, but I also don’t wont to be defeated because it happened. I think if I workout at least four days of the week, I made a good effort to be active that week.
She has taught me so many things over the years, and still continues to be a role model for me to this day.
Growing up circumstance weren’t always perfect, but my mom tried to make things perfect for us.
She always picked us up with a smile and was intentional about making every moment with her count.
She taught us that even if things are not ideal to go at it with laughter and grace. When we played, she taught us to use our imagination whether we were making confetti eggs or making up songs in the car. She showed us what it meant to be positive ad humble.
It was like no matter what happened, she always had a smile on her face and pushed us to be positive people. She gave her all for us every moment even if it meant putting herself last.
She is a beacon in my life for sure, and I hope that I am half the mom that she has been to me and my brother.
A couple weeks ago, a fellow blogger (whose baby is only a week younger than George) shared her personal experience about motherhood. She shared how she felt that being a mom was not as hard as she thought.
She was (always is) looking at the positives of her situation and how she loved being a mom. She was being thankful for what she had been given.
And people just wrecked her for it. Some comments posted to her page were spiteful and only meant to put her down and make her feel guilty about her situation and how she has chosen to live her life.
It made me think of two things.
One, I agree with her. Being a mom is much easier than I had originally thought.
Hold up before you get your panties in a bunch.
Being a mom is hard, and I won’t deny that. There are a lot of pressures of “Am I doing this right? or Am I messing my kid up by doing such and such thing?” There are moments when I feel like I am not good enough because he just wont stop crying. George is not always a happy baby, and those moments aren’t always easy. I also wonder when I am watching him sleep or watching him take the world in, if I am doing enough to help him grow.
However, it still is not as hard as I thought. People for years say that you will never get sleep again. People say that your life is over once you have kids. People like to poke fun and make you feel like it is such a burden being a parent.
Have there been nights that I haven’t gotten as much sleep as I want? Yes. But there have also been nights that I had to wake up George because he was sleeping so soundly, and we all were able to get a beautiful 8-9 hours rest. (I also remember nights of little sleep in my early 20s too. Just saying it isn’t the first time I have seen 3am)
Is my life over now that I have a kid? Yes and no. My life as I knew it is over, but I chose to make this change. I love embracing this NEW life, and I am completely content saying goodbye to the life that was. However, I haven’t lost who I am as a person just because I am a mom. I still have 29 years of Stephanie that are still all mine. I just have a new part of my identity to explore and develop. I don’t lose me just because I birthed another human being. I have to say it has made me better. So is my life over? Well I am still here telling my tale so that would be a no.
Am I saying that there won’t be moments that I feel lost as a parent or that his needs will trump mine? I am not oblivious to the responsibility of raising a human being. I know I will feel hopeless without any direction at times. I know that there will be many challenging things ahead. Again, I do understand that being a parent is a big deal.
BUT…
It’s not as hard as I thought because I love George so immensely that it makes being his parent easy: Because I have the investment to be a good parent. Because I want to makes the whole process easier. The love that I have for George is so empowering it pushes me to be the best for him. And when you are invested, generally it is a not as hard.
The second thing her post (and subsequent backlash) made me think of is how we as moms treat each other . There is so much support out there for moms, but there is also a lot of negativity, comparison, and mom-shaming. I know I haven’t been a mom long, but I don’t understand why there needs to be so much judgement towards other moms. There is enough to worry about raising my own kid, I don’t also need to worry about raising yours. Are there things that other moms do that I may not do, absolutely. But who am I to judge their circumstances? I have no idea what led them to make those choices. As long as we do the best that we can for our kids and they are happy and healthy, that is really all that we can ask for in this world. We should be supporting and praising each other on this journey of parenting. It shouldn’t be a competition of who has the best schedule or is the crunchiest mom. It shouldn’t be jealously and envy spitting out hate when things aren’t perfect for your situation.
And what is perfect anyway?
This blog does a pretty good job of mocking the pristine images we see of parenting and making it normal that our lives do not look like a magazine or our favorite pins on Pinterest. I get giggles out of it every time.
Any way there should be more support for each other instead of all the side-eyes. We all know we have had those moments where our shirt is on inside out once we get to work. (I did this last week, and not only was it inside out but it was also backwards…) Can I get an amen on the mom bun?
Luke 6: 37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
We get to be parents. I think that is pretty awesome, and we should celebrate that together and give each other some much needed grace. I mean we have babies! Seriously what is better than a baby?
A baby and a dog, that’s what.
All of this brings me back to my mom. I want to be a positive mom like she was and still is for me.
I want George to grow up enjoying things and embracing moments because there is always something positive to look at. I want to be happy so he sees and understands happy.
I want to be thankful for each day I get to spend with my little guy. I want to make his day better.
I can’t enjoy that time or make it enjoyable for him if I feel like it is a burden to have him.
I want to be a positive mom.
So in those late night struggles, I want to embrace the extra snuggles and cherish that George finds comfort in our arms.
When I get tears from breastfeeding not going well, I want to congratulate myself for making it as long as we have.
When I see another parent struggling, I want to tell them they are awesome because being a parent can be hard at times and sometime we just need to know we aren’t alone.
When I feel like I am not being a perfect parent, I want to remember that God knew what he was doing when he made me George’s mom and to trust Him in my imperfection.
When I look at other kids sitting nicely at a restaurant when George is inevitably trying to concoct some way to make a spaceship out of a straw, a pickle, and the pepper shaker with as much noise as humanly (and embarrassingly) possible, I want to thank God for that kid’s vast imagination and ability to keep himself entertained.
When things just seem impossible, I want to remind myself we found out we were pregnant at the fertility doctor and that George continued to make the impossible possible when he was born 3 weeks early.
When he just makes me frustrated down the road and I feel that I have no patience left, I want to remember these moments.
But he won’t make me frustrated because he is perfect.
This is probably the most excited I have been to watch a season since I started watching in high school. (Yes I have been watching this train wreck for more than a decade now.)
I don’t know if it is the connection I have with Iowa (Seriously y’all it is a gem of a place to live. I will always feel a smidge Iowanian even with my brief time as a resident. It is a wonderful place to live, and I miss it.) Also he did go to Iowa State, so he must be something special.
Or if my obsession is because I have fallen to their marketing ploys of the “most dramatic season ever.”
Either way I am hooked.
I follow several Bachelor(ette) monikers on Instagram because I need to know what is really happening in these people’s lives. Does that make me crazy? Who cares, because I like looking at Trista and Ryan’s gorgeous kids.
Back to this season for Prince Farming.
I do like that they are going to be staying in the US for most of the season. There is something about the extravaganza of the world-wide traveling that I haven’t always agreed with. Although traditionally you don’t see tractor races in LA, staying in the US in general seems more practical and realistic to me.
As for the women, I feel like there is a bigger emphasis on the drinking this season. I honestly don’t remember as many drunkards in past seasons. Get it together ladies. You can drink, but know when you start to get sloppy.
It is still too early in the game for me to have a clear favorite. I also feel like the women are so vastly different it is hard to say what his type is.
And he apparently believes in the idea of kissing a lot of frogs to find your princess mentality. Holy cow. I feel like he has already kissed all the women, and it is week two. Which I think was so surprising because of his disposition you just don’t think he is going to move that fast.
I don’t think that a lot of these women have accepted the fact that they will need to move to Iowa if they end up with Chris. There are a lot of comments made that make me wonder if they actually are paying attention to what Chris has said.
I think we all have skeletons or weird things about us. Fortunately for us we aren’t on national television. So I don’t want to judge right out whether someone is crazy or not, but I am concerned about Ashley S. They are not showing her best side, or if they are, then I am really concerned that the show is just taking advantage of her antics for ratings.
But I guess that is the point of the show…
I do always wonder though, if they [producers] encourage the Bachelor to pick certain people. Some of them you wonder how in the heck they make it through each week.
I heard an interview with Chris recently, and he does say he is in love but would not disclose if he was engaged or not. As a romantic, I am always hopeful that they find that love. But I also know these are not the most ideal or realistic situations to do so. In the decade of this show, I don’t think there are even 10 couples that have made it.
But those “rooming with my boyfriend’s 20 other girlfriends” antics are what keep me coming back every season. I love the drama!
Do you watch the Bachelor? Do you have a favorite for Chris?
Thursday-30 minutes running on a treadmill (I ran alongside the Dean for Academic Affairs. That pushed me a little more than I would like to admit.)
Saturday-1 hour of BodyPump. I know that I do not work out as well when I try to do it by myself. I LOVE going to workout classes. It is like having a personal trainer except the focus isn’t solely on me. It is really motivating to be in a room full of people. I don’t compare myself to them, it’s more of we can all do this together kind of mentality. (Ok maybe sometimes I do compare myself, but it is encouraging to push myself to their level.) BodyPump was my favorite class to go to in Ames, and I am excited to finally have a place to do it again. If you are not familiar with BodyPump, it is a strength training class that guides you through weight lifting exercises. Each song focuses on a different part of your body. I love doing weights this way. This is by far my favorite workout class I have ever taken.
Sunday-I attempted to do a half hour of yoga, but it was like everything was against me. I went to the gym but you had to provide your own mat for the class (nevermind that we were also 5 minutes late). So I had to turn around and nix the idea of that class. Then I went home to do it on the Wii, but anytime I would get into downward dog, George would start crying. So it was probably a good 10 minutes of stretching instead of full out yoga. Unless making oogly faces and baby noises at George counts as exercise, than I got a full 30 minutes in.
Monday-20 minute ab workout
Tuesday-30 minutes on the elliptical
Impressed by:
I made it completely through every BodyPump song except shoulders/back without taking a break. For not having lifted in over a year, I am happy that I kept up with the class. I would have made it through shoulders/back, but I thought I was able to do more weight than I should have. So I had to take a break in the middle to switch weights and catch my breath.
Struggled with:
On the flip side, I was upset seeing how little weight I could press. I was up to a pretty high number when I left Ames (at least high for me). It was a little eye-opening to have to start completely over with a clean bar on some things. I also have no core strength, so doing abs was ridiculously difficult. I am a little embarrassed at how much weight I could push and how many crunches I could bust out, but hey I can only go up from here.
Did I meet my goal from last week?
We have figured out a schedule, but there are still little kinks to work out which is why I was late to that yoga class. I pick up George MWF and do a light ab workout while watching TV sometime that night. Tom heads straight to the gym on those nights to do his workout. Then Tom picks up G-man on T/R so I can run after work. Then I plan on doing a class on Saturday and Sunday at our gym, and Tom and I will go to the gym together. We pay $8 a month at our gym for childcare which means we are able to workout at the same time after work and on the weekends so we can really maximize our time as a family. $8 for unlimited childcare is totally worth it to make our schedule work more efficiently.
What is my goal for next week?
Work out the kinks of our schedule so I am not late to a class. I would like to make it to two classes this next week. (We have bought a yoga mat, so I guess I can’t use that as a goal…)
Fitness Thoughts:
There are so many people at the gym in January. I really hope they all stick to their fitness goals and aren’t just resolutioners. It is a lot of money to invest in a gym membership so I hope they get the most out of it!
Do you have a gym membership? What are your favorite workouts?
Tom has never been a big birthday person. Usually we do something fairly low key, and there have been years Tom has removed his birthday info from social media so people wouldn’t know.
But this year was Tom’s 30th.
I wanted to do something to make a big deal about it but also be sensible.
Enter the idea to do small gifts over 10 days.
10 Days of Tom
First, I am no expert wrapper. Just get it covered is my motto. Second, I had already given Tom day one’s gift before I had the forethought to take a collective picture.
Here is what each day brought him.
Day 1: Funfetti cake and Coldstone gift card. He needed his birthday sprinkles.
Day 2: House shoes. We love being old.
Day 3: Gum and travel teeth cleaning items. My husband doesn’t like to have bad breath or a yucky mouth, and since he will be out of the house a lot these will come in handy.
Day 4: Undershirts. He has been using his army tans for his undershirts. No thank you. He needed to update his closet since getting out of the Army.
Day 5: Mike and Ikes. His favorite candy.
Day 6: Nalgene. This is Tom’s favorite water bottle, and they have been lost (err I lost them) in the last few years. So it was time they were replaced.
Day 7: This one was just for Tom. But it had something to do with birthday suits. Keeping the romance alive.
Day 8: Chipotle gift card. This is his favorite place to eat. Always be bulking.
Day 9: Two wallet sized photos, one of our family and one of just George. Tom’s has always kept photos in his wallet, so he needed some updated ones with George. This way we can always be with him.
Day 10: Pre-made date cards for the entire year. There is one for each month. We have had a hard time finding time to go on dates and be just us. We usually end up staying home watching a half hour of TV before the dogs or George need us to do something. With this one I wanted to make sure we do something fun and different each month to reconnect. I wanted to be intentional on putting focus on that “us” time. Some of them are random, but they should be fun. Tom was upset that I gave him a gift that he couldn’t fully open since we will open each month one at a time when that month rolls around. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
This was really fun to do for both of us. I liked doing some fun and some practical gifts. It went over well, but now I have set this standard…whoops.
Have you done anything like this?Here is one my friend did. (She was a lot more awesome about her coordination than I was.) How do you celebrate birthdays with your significant other?
