We're back....

from our vacation to Colorado.  We took over 400 pictures and I still think I didn't take enough.  Until I get done going through them and editing them, I'll share with you with one of my favorites.

This is how I felt during most the trip.  Taking leaps of faith and not too gracefully I might add.  Who would have thought that a straight forward trip to Colorado would be filled with so many thrills?!  More to come and I'm glad to be back.

The Beachbody 21 day Ultimate Reset

Wow I took a long bloggy break, didn't I?  We are in full summer mode here but Hubby and I just finished the 21 day Beachbody Ultimate Reset and I wanted to tell you about it.  It's a 21 day gentle cleanse to rid the body of toxins and learn to eat cleaner.  Complete with daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner plans.  The program comes with all of the supplements you need along with a participant portal to keep you on track and motivated to finish.

• I love roasted beets.  And the kids do too!
• I CAN drink lots of water.  This was honestly the scariest part for me.  I got used to all of the extra potty trips quickly. I've never been a huge drinker of water but now I'm converted.   This little smily face on my water bottle might have had something to do with it:

• Before the reset I hated eating fruit in the morning.  It kind of interfered with my coffee drinking.  Sort of messed up, huh?  Most of the mornings we were assigned a fresh fruit plate for breakfast and I can't get enough now. 

{yummy looking, huh?)

• I missed my morning coffee but I didn't die.  James found me some fake coffee to drink which leads me to believe that my morning coffee was more of a comforting ritual than the need for caffeine.  I'm drinking a cup of real coffee right now and it's not like the heavens opened up or anything when I finally got to have that first sip.    
• I will forever eat toasted walnuts in my oatmeal.
• I will forever eat toasted nuts/seeds in my salads.
• We have decided we don't need meat at every meal!  Don't worry we haven't become vegetarian or vegan.
• James lost 9 pounds and I lost 4.  I have to say that the Ultimate Reset is NOT a weight loss program or starvation diet. When you look at the meals in the guide it sort of looks that way but once you get into a groove of eating super clean, you actually eat less and feel more full.  I honestly didn't believe that until I experienced it.  People have lost a lot of weight but that's simply because they have cleaned up  their eating habits for the better and it shows for them in weight loss.  We weren't in this to lose weight (don't hate me) so when we started getting too low and losing energy we upped our food intake.  We added oatmeal in the morning along with the fruit and I started adding eggs and small amounts of protein the last few days.  

{I know these are the worst pictures of me ever!}

• I didn't miss working out much until my PMS kicked in and I realized that working out is like therapy to me.  (They advise you not to work out while doing the program because you are taking in less calories than usual.) 

• But mainly I learned that diet is essential to getting the body that you want.  Not just exercise!  Don't get me wrong, I'm not out for perfection and rock hard abs.  I'm a 38 year old mom with other issues to deal with.  But when I see people pinning the next new 10 minute rock hard ab workout along side the best chocolate cake recipe ever, I'm not expecting them to see the changes that they want to see. I know it sounds harsh but it's no coincidence I caught myself thinking time and time again during the reset, "this is how they do it"!  All of the trainers that I see on a daily basis while working out with my dvd's at home.  They do a super clean healthy meal plan along with exercise!  And at the risk of sounding like a commercial, Beachbody has it for you.  Not only for them, but for YOU, too!  Exercise plans and meal plans to get you on your way to not just a better looking body, but one that works more efficiently to give you a more enjoyable life. 

Sorry, I'm stepping away from the microphone now.....

Anyway, So why did we do this?  

Honestly, we have been working out hard for two years straight.  Going from one program to the next without a long rest.  We thought this would be a good way to give our bodies the rest that was needed.  Well, we rested our muscles but don't be fooled about the rest part.  It was hard work to eat so clean all of the time.  More shopping trips, more chopping, more planning.....But it was all worth it to take away the small things from this program that, when put together, add up to a big change for us.  Also, since we know that Beachbody doesn't do anything less than awesome, we wanted to be able to personally recommend this product to others that are needing a big change in their diet.  

All in all, James and I are glad that we did it.  It was another challenge to conquer together.  If you have any questions at all about the reset, or making healthier choices in your life, just email me!  I'm only a click away.

Frio River 2012

It's only the middle of June and we've already packed and unpacked two times!  Like last summer, we headed out on the first weekend of summer for the Family Frio river trip.  It was a much different experience since the water was up enough to float and Neals added a rope swing!

 

  

Roo seriously thought about doing it but soon decided against it.  

She jumped off the little rock instead.

The boys had a system down.  Whenever there was a line for the rope swing, they jumped off the rock and whenever there was a line for the rock they switched back to the rope swing.  

They did this for 5 hours!

Proof that there was a little down time.  

Roo,

Pops,

and even me, feeling relaxed.

I had such a fun time with my girl in the water.  I remember telling myself that she won't want to do this many more summers with me by her side so I should make the most of it.  We tried to catch minnows in her net, played motor boat like when she was a baby and got in and out of the river a hundred times to go to the bathroom.  

At night, when the river fun is over, the kids beg to go to the bar.  (-:  

It's a family friendly bar, with scooters and goats and dancing.  What more could you ask for?

Another awesome family trip in the books.  

The kids went on to Camp Grandma and hubby and I came back home because he had to work.  I did exciting non blogworthy things like recaulk the kids' bathroom and weed and mulch the front flower bed.  Hubby and I did get away to Bandera, Tx for a few nights before picking up the kids.  I hope to get those pics up before we leave for Beachbody Summit in Las Vegas  but that's probably wishful thinking since I haven't started packing and we leave tomorrow!

End of the year

I don't know why I was so emotional at the end of this school year.  Perhaps it is because my babies are growing.  And growing fast.  I'm not one to want to keep them young forever.  I love the idea of them becoming their own person and becoming independent but does it have to happen so fast?  No matter what my emotions are, time keeps ticking.  I'll probably say this every year, but my kids have come SO far academically and socially.

{first day of school 2011-2012}

To my Roo,
You are the first one to tell anybody that first grade is NOT at all like Kindergarten.  It was hard work for you.  And work hard you did!  My sweet girl, being chosen for tutoring every Tuesday and Thursday morning for the entire year was not easy.  But you only grumbled about it a few times towards the end and stuck with it.  With all of your hard work, you were given the B.U.G. (bringing up grades) award.  I know you were so upset to not win the art award but after our heart to heart about how proud I was with all of your discipline, you were ok.  Your excellent conduct and work habits awards are awesome and so well deserved.

{studying for spelling test with sugar!}

Oh sweet girl, may you always look at your own strengths and be as proud of yourself as I am of you!  The talent show was the icing on the cake for this year.  When you said that you wanted to be in it, every part of me wanted to lock you in your room because I couldn't even imagine doing such a thing at your age.  Especially with your quiet/introverted personality.  Your bravery was astounding and I know it was because of your friend Sofia at your side and, most of all, that you were so confident in your hula hooping abilities.  (-:  (And many prayers too!) Roo, I am so happy and proud of you.  You are so smart, funny, loyal, passionate, quick thinking, and fiercely loving.  And I can't even stand how much I love you!

To my J-man,

I can't believe that you are moving on to a different school already.  Although I think that 5th grade is a little too soon for middle school, it is what it is, and I'm happy that you are so ready.  I am so thankful for such a wonderful elementary school.  I have so many great memories of mine, and I know you will too.  I cannot believe how hard you have worked this past year.  Having three teachers is not easy and you have handled it with such confidence.  I wish they gave out a "not giving Mommy a hard time in the morning" award.  You amaze me with your ability to get it done quickly every morning.  Getting to play my I-phone is a great motivator, but I also think you are so much like your Dad.  He doesn't deal with a bunch of nonsense and neither do you.  Thank you for being so helpful!  I'm pretty darn proud of your A/B honor roll award though.

 Even though it was a fun, you took your Safety Patrol job very seriously.  

This year, we saw more and more how much you love the game of soccer.  It is awesome to see you light up on that field.  You have become a leader on your team by playing goalie.  Daddy and I talk so much about how much a boy can learn from being on a team and I'm so glad that we have been blessed with such a good one. 

J-man, I'm so proud of all that you have accomplished this year.  You are such a cool, funny, caring, sweet, strong, young man.  You give me a hug every single morning and it's one of my favorite parts of the day.  I look forward to many, many more.  I love you.

   

   Here's to Summer 2012!

     

Spartan Race 2012

I did it!  I survived the Spartan Race.  Before the race,  I envisioned myself (literally from being awake in the middle of the night thinking about it) that I would get to each obtacle and try and fail and then do a thousand burpees for punishment.  Hubby kept saying to me not to worry and that I would be telling myself "that was no big deal" afterwards.  Not so much because it was hard.  But can I just say, I'm so proud of myself?!  On two occasions, the monkey bars and "spider man wall", I started and finished on my own! With no help from hubby.  Both times almost falling off but sticking to it with the mentality of I will make it through.  What an awesome feeling!   The times that I did need hubby's help were just as cool.  We are a team and I loved having him by my side encouraging and supporting me.

{I'm in the purple about to step on hubby's shoulder}

The kids did their own races and I am one proud mommy.  Pops and Grandma were there to watch and support them since their races went on at the same time as ours.  Their courage and bravery to do it on their own amaze me.  J-man's race was a mile and Roo's was a 1/2 mile.  Both weren't too sure about doing it but they blazed through and had a great time.

That's my son going around the mud pit because he didn't want to get too dirty!

Roo is in the pink shorts and white shirt.  Look at that face! The poor girl in front of her was fine.

 Roo said her favorite part was walking through the mud.

When their races were over they camped out by the last few obstacles and waited for us.  It was not awesome that when they finally saw us, they witnessed me throwing a spear like an absolute girl and then freak out and be a scaredy cat about jumping over the fire.  But I redeemed myself rope climbing over the wall and then rolling through way too much mud under way too much barbed wire.

Woo Hoo is how I felt too!

I just have to say that I could not have done this race without the help of Beachbody programs.  All of the programs I have done have led me to this point.  The most fit I have ever been in my life and I'm pushing 40.  Thank you P90X, Insanity, Chalean Extreme, Turbofire, and Les Mills Pump!  If you have any questions about any of these programs I would love to help!   I can even be your coach through it all.  Wouldn't that be fun?  Just click on the "Connect/email-me" button on the right hand sidebar and I will get right back with you!