Tag Archives: challenge

Monday Madness

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Peak313 5 week challenge…Starts TODAY!!

Did you have a great weekend?  Goes too quickly doesn’t it??  Once again, Monday is upon us and thus begins the rat race once again…

I actually woke up early to make the kids this yummy Pinterest breakfast (and fruit) and it actually came out pretty good, so far….50% of the kids are still sleeping, at this time though, I am 2 and 0!  Pretty decent start!

OK, not super healthy, but since I’m not a huge Nutella fan these are safe for me!

I also knew I needed to get up and check out Peak313 for the plan for the week.  It’s my gym day at lunch and I need to print out some workouts….Hubby is my accountability partner so hopefully he’ll keep me in check @ home and my girls @ work will keep me in check there (we already have a workout calendar going to keep a visual on each other…it takes on a whole new life when you write it down!).  Exercise is fine for me, I’ve got that component, it’s the food I struggle with and since that’s roughly 80% of the game….it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m in.  A great way to bring in fall, wouldn’t you say? (#livingandactive on Twitter)

Off to the printer and then get these kids rockin’ and this day rollin’!!

Blessings!!

Mid-Week, post Labor Day blues…

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I’m not really blue (although 3 day weekends are always SO nice…).  I am confused.  Mondays off of work/school always throw me for the rest of the week.  It’s a full-on conscious effort to remind myself exactly what day it is, and in order to make sure the kiddos get to where they need to be WHEN they need to be there.  Therefore, today my mantra is:  Today is Wednesday.  Phew.  Now to repeat for the rest of the day!!!

Here in the states we celebrated Labor Day, which is defined  by the US Department of Labor as:  Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. I Labor, therefore I get a day.  However, Hubby labors and worked, so did lots of other people…..still a reminder and a paid holiday for me, so I’ll take it!

A few other things Labor day signifies, officially, unofficially, either way it’s a benchmark:

Fall:  It’s a comin’.  Maybe not here in the South where we will continue to swelter enjoy 90-degree temps for another month or so, but it is coming!

Pumpkin:  Fall flavors @ Starbucks.  Pumpkin spice cream cheese (oh MY!!  I bought this weekend and holy cow!!  Delish.  Go get some).  Pumpkin muffins.  Pumpkin cookies.  Pumpkin pancakes.  ‘Tis the season of pumpkin!  Enjoy!!

Fashion:  No more white pants, shoes, etc.  WhatEVA!!!  When we are enjoying 90-degree temps, I WILL be wearing white, just sayin’.  Deal.

End of the beach season:  Maybe for others, not so much for us.  In fact, I avoided the beach this weekend because I know NEXT weekend I won’t be fighting the crowds.

Back to school:  We’re in week 3 here, but at this time of the year, the entire country is BACK TO SCHOOL!  AMEN!!  Perfect time to hit Disney if you are a local…NO lines, baby.

Sometimes with season changes come other changes:  Spring cleaning, fitness changes, furniture re-decorating, garage sales,and so on.   For me, season change usually signal a change-up in my fitness routine and this is what I’m doing to kick off Fall:

Peak 313 has a 5-week challenge starting on the 10th…a Monday, of course!  It’s up over 200 people!  WOW!  I’m always up for a change; I  get  bored so quickly.  It will be good accountability and challenging.  Of course, I’ll still be hitting my track routine during cheer practice and the gym @ lunch a few days a week…so this will be extra!  5 weeks never sounds so bad in the beginning does it?  There’s still time to join in, you can click HERE if you want to find out all the details, etc, etc, etc….

That’s it for today….time to get crackin’ on the day!  Happy Hump day!!!

First Friday and Quick Takes!

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— 1 —

So.  Glad.  It’s.  Friday.  It’s been a busy couple of days for some reason and I am looking forward to some downtime this weekend.  I texted a friend today who’s been on my heart and asked her if there was anything I could pray for her.  She was fine and caught me up on the busy happenings in their family and just asked for prayers to be who God wants her to be in spite of and in the middle of all the busy.  And as tonight came to a (grateful) close, I realized I am so NOT who God wants me to be when I am tired and stretched too far.  And I really need to work on that.  really.

— 2 —

This week brought the beginning of the “Blog-Every-Day-In-May” challenge.  My friend Lea started it five years ago.  Ironic that she started it in May because it has to be THE busiest month of the year (next to December) with all the end-0f-the-school year activities and bustle and why wouldn’t you want to add to the craziness with blogging daily???  My other friend, Brite, calls it the challenge you love to hate–especially by the end!  I did get some interesting insight that apparently May is INTERNATIONALLY busy with the end of the year/semester as Ellie (in Ireland) is doing the calendar juggle as well.

— 3 —

It’s not too late to join our challenge.  Really you can join in at any time.  I’m not too serious and hard-core.  And if you don’t  post EVERY day, no biggie.  You can use words, pictures or both.  It’s all good!  Just comment and include your blog and I’ll add you to the roster below:

Apurva 

MB

Brite  

Amanda 

Lea 

— 4 —

My girlfriend sent me my birthday present yesterday.  She’s way early and I opened it.  I can’t WAIT to shower this morning!!!  It’s a new shower scrub and bath gel called AWAKEN.  You can get it from Amanda HERE.  (Teacher gifts, hint, hint)  Shameless plug, but I really love Arbonne.  It is the bomb-diggety!!!  (to steal a phrase….)  I started using their skin care line when my face was SO dry when my oldest was a baby—14 years ago!!!!  Anyway, I love their makeup and skin care, but I don’t treat myself to the luxury of the scrubs and gels….so she treated ME!  I’ll just have to hide it from my girls…..

— 5 —

I am up WAY too early, but one hour from now and my workout will be over!  Woo hoo!  We were so busy yesterday at work, I didn’t get to the gym at lunch–worked straight through–but I did manage to squeeze in a walk when I got home to save my sanity.  somewhat.  That may be a lost cause!

— 6 —

Hubby’s tomato plants are growing like crazy and we even have little tomatoes already.  It’s only been about 4 weeks.  maybe 5.  Last week he planted cucumbers and they are sprouting, too!  Our first foray into gardening.  Very exciting.  He gets all the props though, I’m just standing back watching and he’s doing a great job!!  I’ll get some herbs to add to the mix this weekend and I foresee SALSA in our summer future!!

— 7 —

As another week comes to a close, may your weekend be blessed, whatever it brings.  Hug your babies, because tomorrow they’ll be 6 inches taller than you and one foot out the door.  Enjoy each day because it truly is a PRESENT.

Now, go grab a cuppa somethin’ and join Jen and everyone else for the Friday recap!  Blessings!!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

I really didn’t want to but….

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I’m glad I did.  Go to the gym yesterday that is.  That’s the good thing about having accountability partners, you do NOT want to be the only one who didn’t work out–(not without a good reason anyway).  I was feeling lazy yesterday by lunch time and really just wanted to go nap somewhere, but the other girls had already gone and were giving me the “eye” and asking me what my plan at the gym was going to be, soooooooo.  I went.  Mostly because I do better when I have someone to account to.  I am a little competitive.  I remembered we are having a luncheon today to celebrate May birthdays (mine included) and I’ll surely be partaking of some delicious fare.  And I’ll be going again today at lunch.  Mostly because of the luncheon.  But also because I’ll have to do legs.  Since my arms and upper body are sore, I can’t ignore my legs!!!  Friday I am meeting a friend in the wee hours of the morning (urgh!) and that will wrap the week up for strength training.  Here’s the deal though:

  • I can complain all I want, but the truth is I’ll get out of it ONLY what I put into it
  • After 4 months of consistent exercise, I HAVE SHOULDER DEFINITION!! Yup.  It’s not crazy muscle magazine fitness, but I clearly have muscle peeking through and confirmed by Hubby, daughter and son.
  • I may not WANT to work out, however, when it’s done…..I never regret having worked out
  • Nike has it right.  Just do it.  Lace up the shoes and go around the block. 20 minutes is gone before you know it.
  • I do have more energy.  I do sleep better.  My clothes fit better.
  • It’s the one thing I do for ME and it benefits my entire family!
  • God gave me this body, this temple, it’s MY job to take care of it and glorify Him through it.
So find some time today to give your body what it needs.  Excuses are abundant.  What do you have to lose?
1 Corinthians 6:19  

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
Here’s our growing list to May’s challenge.  Check ’em out and join in!  Comment and I’ll add you in!
Have a blessed day!!

Apurva  (new to blogging…hope we don’t scare off forever!!)

MB

Brite  

Amanda 

Lea 

And so it begins…..

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In the beginning…..everything seems so exciting, shiny, full of promise and hope.  New school clothes.  Unopened packets of pens, paper, folders, dividers.  Unscathed backpacks.  Unscuffed tennis shoes.  And then you settle into a routine and as you near the end, ripped shorts, crumpled paper, graffiti’ed backpacks, holey shoes and you plug on with your eye on the prize because the end is just. around. the. corner.

Ah.  And so it realistically be with the blog challenge.  Every day in May.  Seems fun.  Exciting. All these ideas floating in my brain.  And then finding the time to put them down.  Struggling between what I want to say and how it’s coming out of my brain.  Often not even on the same hemisphere!!

The reality is, I LOVE a challenge.  I always work better under pressure with a specific goal in mind. Whether it was when I used to run and was training for a race or with my girlfriends at the beginning of the year when we decided we could do ANYTHing for 12 weeks!!  (here it is into our 4th month and still plugging along in our new routines!)  I’m a structured person.  I wish I was more relaxed sometimes, but it’s not where my comfort zone is…a first-born, goal-oriented, nurturer.

HOWEVER, you may be more free.  Less inclined to stay inside the lines.  YAY! for you.  I’ll live vicariously through you and maybe gain some courage to step outside the box once in a while.  So, join me in our blogging “challenge” for May.  Blog each day.  Blog some days.  Use words.  Use pictures.  Use both.   Send your blog name in the comment section, I’ll add you in.  So far, we are FOUR.  I look forward to sliding into the end of May, tattered, blogged and having “met” other bloggers and styles to steal learn from throughout the 31 days!

Have a wonderful day!!

Brite  (this awesome Mama is the sweetest and gentlest!  with 4 little ones–including a newborn, she homeschools, farms, sews, cooks and sometimes includes great pictures of life’s ups and downs)

Amanda (I just met her yesterday through her blog, and Brite, and I enjoyed her pictures and her theme for May–pictures and Scriptures–FABULOUS combination!)

Lea (her 5th year of this challenge, I stole it from her, she’s crazy busy, the MOST creative person EVER, a God’s girl through and through and after all these years of knowing her I finally figured out how she gets it all done.  She doesn’t sleep.  Which is why I’ll never capture her cape!  I love sleep too much.)