Week later.....

I find it funny that the reason I dusted this blog off was to track my progress in my Wellness Journey and I haven't written a thing since I started! So here goes! My mind set must really be in a good place because in my "past life" if I knew I was starting a diet the day after the Blueberry Festival, I would have eaten my way from one end of the park to the other! Not this year...I had 1 blueberry donut to see what all the hype was about...ehh, not so great. I had a taco from Taco Garden and I had kettle corn. That was it. Before I get to the Trail of Exercise, I want to brag a bit about my lil boy! On Labor Day, we traveled to Manchester University to watch the Trine Football team play. Cole got to play and even got his hands on the ball! It was so great to see him out on the field, playing the game he loves. It was so crazy...right when Cole came on the field the first time, a large butterfly flew right by us and onto the field. We all looked each other and said "Grandma's here!" Trine chalked up a WIN over Manchester so it was a great day!

Okay...on to Boot Camp! Getting up at 5:00 am is not really anything I have done in the past. Even when I worked at 7:00 am, I waited til the last possible minute to get up. But I got up and around pretty well and headed out on this new journey. It was a little intimidating and I was glad Kathy was with me. The first half of class we talked about who we were, what brought us to boot camp and what we want to accomplish. Then we talked about the Clean Eating we will be doing. I had already done a great deal of research on this and was pretty convinced I could do it. The biggest thing is to cut out sugar and processed food. The upside is, you should eat every 2-3 hours...I can handle that! Sidenote...now that I have been doing it for a week, I find I am rarely hungry except after a good workout. So the exercise started and I was a little unsure of some things but pretty confident in others. Kevin and I have been walking so my endurance is getting better but my balance STINKS!! We did lunges and I swear I almost fell over every time. It is my goal to improve my balance. We finished out the class and I was sweating but I wasn't dying. At least not until I got to the car and had a realization...We sat and talked for over half the class time. That was only 1/2 of a workout. Thursday was gonna be brutal!! I made a deal with myself that even on non-boot camp days, I was going to the gym to do a cardio workout. I have been given this amazing opportunity, I am going to make the most of it! So the next morning at 5:15 am I met my friend Jeni at the gym and we did an hour of cardio stuff. All day on Wednesday, I was quite sure I was going to fall down the steps because the fronts of my thighs hurt so much! I felt like some old woman hanging onto the handrails and praying that my legs wouldn't give out! Thurday Boot Camp wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The coolest part of this program is you never do the same thing for more than 2 minutes before you move onto the next thing. You may come back to the same things but by then, your body has recovered and you can move on. Friday morning was another hour of cardio this time with Kathy...still at 5:15 am though! But amazingly enough, I am starting to the like this early morning idea. After I work out, I come home and take a shower, and then fix myself some breakfast. I have never been a breakfast eater but I am really enjoying it. Some days it is Kashi cereal with skim milk, some days it is a whole wheat english muffin with natural peanut butter on it but today it was a scrambled egg on a whole wheat english muffin with sliced up string cheese on it! It was awesome and I was full all the way til lunch. I wasn't going to go to the gym on the weekends because it was going to be my resting time but Jeni asked if I could go tomorrow afternoon and I agreed. At least I get to sleep in for a bit! I am amazed at how much better I am feeling already. I have lost 5 pounds, by my scale and I think my mood is better. I am going to try and do better about posting. If anyone wants to come work out with me, please feel free!!! I am there on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 5:15 am. It is a good time because there aren't many people there!

Football day!!!

Well, maybe...hopefully....I am really ready for this lifestyle change! The last 2 nights Kevin and I have gone on hour long walks. Basically it is from our house thru the park and then back home. I think a conservative estimate would be 3 to 3.5 miles. It has been fun walking through the park without all the people there. I enjoy watching all the hub-bub of Blueberry set up but don't really miss having to be out there all week. After the first night's walk I wasn't sore...I can't say that today. Not sure why that is but I will be giving my body a break tonight because we are going to Trine for some FOOTBALL!! I still plan to post my results from my fitness assessment but keep forgetting to bring the paper. Let's just say, I have a lot of room for improvement!! My blood pressure and pulse were great but my body mass and weight are terrible! Oh well, I have goals to meet so we will see what happens. Chelsie is coming home this afternoon to go to the game with us. I am excited to see my girl. She won't get to stay long because Tim is in a wedding this weekend but even one night will be nice. It is class day so I better finish up reading the chapter for today.

Is it really only Tuesday?

It is another beautiful day in the big City!! Today was the first day of this semester's classes. Abnormal Psychology...I am thinking I should already be an expert on this topic! There were a grand total of 3 people in my class and that INCLUDES the teacher!! I am hoping she lets me do it independent study. It seems such a waste to drive out there 2 days a week for a class of two . You don't really gain much knowledge from your classmates when there aren't any! We will see what happens. My next adventure is at 5 pm. I get to have a Fitness Assessment. That should be interesting. I have been considering if I should post my "stats" on here for all the world (well, those that read this) to see or if I will just keep it to myself and give out updates as I go along this journey. Any opinions? Suggestions? I do want to take one of those unflattering pictures like on the Biggest Loser. If nothing else I will post it on my fridge to keep me in check!! Preparations are in full swing for the Blueberry Festival. The park is already chaos. I think I am going to avoid driving through there until NEXT Tuesday! We are having a Fireworks Cook Out on Sunday around 8 pm. If anyone wants to stop by, feel free. We have a great view of the fireworks without the chaos!!

Another weekend...OVER!!!

I was pretty sure it was going to be a quiet, uneventful weekend...not so much! Friday afternoon I ended up going to Angola to pick Cole up and bring him home for the weekend. His dad was going to get him but his car broke down on the way over there. I picked Cole up and we bee-lined back to get to the Rockies football game in Rochester. We were about 15 minutes late but still made it in time to see lots of people and watch a great game! The Rockies maintained "ole Hickory"!! After the game, Cole went out with some friends. Kevin, Zack and I went and got some LATE dinner!! Saturday morning started a little later than usual...so nice to sleep in a bit. It was our intention to go to the JV game Saturday morning but that didn't happen. We picked up port a pit chicken from the music boosters, visited my dad, got all the laundry done, and then I watched Kevin sleep. Being the mean fiance that I am, I woke him up about 8 and made him take me to DQ. Sunday we had to get up early. We went to see Aunt Cyndi at the hospital in Mishawaka and then headed to Angola. My car seems to already know that route all by itself! We were going to stop at a couple of antique shops but they were closed. We stopped and grabbed a couple of groceries, made some late lunch and have been vegging on the couch ever since. All-in-all, it has been a good weekend. It was nice to have Cole home for the weekend and I think he was ready to head back to school. School starts back up for me this week. I have one "classroom" class and 2 independent studies. I need to take an Algebra class and then my degree will be complete. Would anyone like to volunteer to take that class for me? Anyone?? Anyone??? I hate algebra. Time to see if Manning and the BRONCOS (geez, I hate that) can pull this win off!

Got my football fix!

Kevin and I went to Angola last night to watch Cole in a scrimmage at Trine. It was so great to see him back on the field...playing the sport he loves so much! He got in on a couple of plays and knocked a big guy on his butt. I am so looking forward to actual games! The first one is next Thursday against Manchester. Cole had homework to get to so we didn't get to hang out with him much after the game. Just enough to be reminded of the wonderful aroma of a football player after a game. Yikes...I can still smell it today! On the way home we stopped at Ihop for some dinner. I was hungry for pancakes so we had breakfast for dinner. I don't see pancakes on my future food list so I better get 'em now! We didn't get a walk in last night because we didn't get home until after 10. I went in the bedroom to watch a little TV and the next thing I knew Kevin was waking me up and the news was on! I didn't realize I was that tired but I guess so. The Rockies play Rochester tonight. We will be traveling to watch them...I sure hope it is a better outcome than last week. I can't wait to see what fun adventures this weekend has in store for us....

The warm up...

I decided that I probably better try and get myself moving BEFORE this actual boot camp extravaganza starts on Sept 4th and poor Kevin got to help me! Last night at 9:00 I decided we needed to go walk around the jr high track. He was a great sport, even though I am sure he was just fine hanging out on the couch. We ended up walking about 1.5 miles in about 17 minutes. We didn't break any speed records but at least we did something! After we came inside I broke out the elliptical trainer that has been collecting dust and did 10 minutes on it. You know, it actually takes some coordination to do that thing! I am sure he was laughing at me a couple of times but tried to contain himself. I felt pretty good when I was done. Now I just need to keep doing it! We are going to Trine tonight for a scrimmage! I am excited to see Cole back on the football field! He has a rough class day today...10 a.m. class, that's it. :-) Have a great day!

I am baaaaackkkk!!!

Well, I think I officially qualify as the world's worst blogger! It has been since 2010 since I last posted anything! I guess the good part is I have lots of things to talk about since my last entry! Since my last post, so many things have happened!! Some good, some bad, some very sad. Let's see...where to begin. How about this... In May of 2010, Chelsie graduated from the University of Indianapolis with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. She secured a position with the Department of Education. She has since changed positions and now works for the Indiana After School Network as the Director of Public Policy. On July 28, 2012 she married a wonderful young man and she is now Mrs. Tim Sharp. Hard to believe my baby girl is a Mrs.!! Their wedding was an amazing day! Amazing family. Amazing friends. Amazing weather. Amazing food. Amazing dancing. Did I mention it was A M A Z I N G? I was one happy momma, that's for sure! She and Tim live just west of Indianapolis. In May of 2012, Cole graduated from good ole Plymouth High School. I was so proud of him! (again) Earlier in the year, he had been contacted by Trine University in Angola, IN (formerly Tri-State) about coming there to play football for them after graduation. After numerous visits, he decided this was the place he wanted to be for the next 4 years. The decision to go there turned out to be the easy part. The hard part was the "getting in". Cole will tell you that he didn't work to his potential his freshmen and sophomore years so his GPA wasn't exactly where he needed it to be for admission at Trine. So he had to diligently work his senior year to get things straightened out. He stepped up to the challenge, did what he needed to do (including taking the SAT 3 times and the ACT 2 times) and got that wonderful acceptance letter. He moved into Trine on August 8th and just started classes yesterday. The first 10 days were rough but he has really started enjoying college life. I have no doubt he will be successful. December 24, 2011 was one of the happiest days of my life. The man that I love, asked me to marry him and presented me with the most spectacular engagement ring! I guess the old saying "Good things come to those who wait" is true! Because I am certainly a very lucky girl! And I am very glad I waited! Everyone asks when "the big day" is and we don't have an answer for the question. No need to rush...we know we love each other, the rest is just a formality. It will happen...someday. I have saved the saddest part of the last year for last. In September 2011, my mom was diagnosed with Stage IV lung and liver cancer. The cancer had started in her lungs, THANK YOU 50 YEARS OF SMOKING, and spread to her liver. Looking back at the 4 months that followed, it seems like it was an eternity because of all the things we experienced. But it also seems like a nano-second because she was gone so quickly. On January 24, 2012 her suffering stopped. That day still seems so surreal. My only comfort comes from knowing she is free from the pain and limitations that had come from the cancer. She is hanging out in Heaven with all of her family and friends that had gone before her AND she is keeping close tabs on all of us down here! I thought she knew everything I did before, geeshhh, now she has a front row seat! She makes her presence known to all of us by random butterfly sitings at important events and at random times. I know you are watching, Mom. I love and miss you very much. I am going to see if I can figure out how to put a couple of photos up here. Gotta keep learning. Oh...that reminds me...in my earlier posts I talked about going back to college. Well, I did. I am 1 semester away from completing my Associates degree in Behavioral Science at Ancilla. Yeah, Me! Oh...and the real reason I resurrected this blog...On September 4th I am starting a Wellness Journey with a friend of mine. I will be taking "Boot Camp" classes, eating "clean" and trying to learn a new lifestyle. I am going to use this blog to document this journey. I will be looking for motivation from all of you that read this blog, please!