Been a While...

I know it's been a while since I posted anything here on my blog, but to quickly recap, here are a few of the things that have been going on.

I just started my second week at Ross, and it's pretty good. The girls I work with are awesome, and the hours are such that it gives me most of my days and weekends to spend with Liam, who just flew in for 7 weeks on Saturday. The kid is growing like a weed, and even though his last doctor visit, said he was 5'7", either he grew more, or I'm shrinking because I'm 5'7" and he's taller than me!! Can't believe he's only 12! Scott and Liam are getting along fabulously, which is a good thing, because he really needs someone he can look up to and rely on, and Scott is definitely a great role model.

This past holiday weekend, we headed out to the Homedale Demolition Derby and had a blast! Great food, good times, and spent the day with our friends Marc & Andrea and their two boys. The demolition was killer, and they had a few spots inbetween the rounds where they had a dance competition for the kids, and it was hilarious! Liam didn't participate, but probably because he towered over all the kids, and would have felt like he stuck out. Either way, it was a fun time, and the fireworks display they set off was nice.

The wedding is coming up in 3 weeks, and I'm excited to see my parents, as well as Scott's mom, nephew and Gram. I bought the most beautiful gown, and I'm going to finally feel like a princess on my wedding day! I cannot wait!! We meet with the judge next week, and get our license and go over the ceremony. Man, does time fly or what??

Today is my sis and her hubby's 3rd anniversary, so a shout out to them on this and many more years of happiness together. I joked with Scott on how they got married on 07/07/07 and how we should have waited and got married on 10/10/10!! LOL Oh well... just wasn't in the cards. Besides, we both plan on starting up school in the fall. Well, I most likely will start in the fall, whereas he starts up working on his bachelors in August. I think from what I remember, he actually starts August 9th. It will be evening classes twice a week from 7-10pm, which is pretty late, but that's the class schedule for his History of Aviation class. There will be long days ahead for him, but I support him, and will work with him, and I'm sure while Liam's here, he'll get a kick out of learning some of the stuff too!

Other than that, things have been going great. We're trying to stick to a "no fast food" rule since I moved out here, which has been going really good, except for tacos one night last month, and I do think we broke down one evening and got McD's (boooo!!!) and then of course the food at the demolition on Sunday. I've been making breakfast, lunch and dinner from home every day, and with proportioned meals, I've finally been maintaining my weight, and my job at Ross is basically a 4 hour workout, as it's all stock, lifting, bending, stretching, walking the whole time. I'm almost at a point that it doesn't exhaust me, so then I'll be adding more. We go to the pool most nights, so that's a great workout too. (Well, for me & Liam anyway... Scott seems to enjoy the hot tub a bit more! hehehe!)

Well, hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend. With life being such a distraction, I haven't been on my blog or read blogs in a while, but I'm hoping to make a little time this weekend to catch up. It's supposed to be a hot weekend, so besides the pool, I can't see us doing much of anything in 98+ degree weather!! I feel bad for my friends on the east coast, like those that take I-55 in Chicago which, I saw on the news, buckled due to the extreme heat, and to my one friend in Baltimore whose office AC is broken until next week, and they can barely breathe in their office. It's just insane! You'd think they'd are about their employees health instead of their bottom line, but it's a government job, so... go figure!

That about wraps it up! Peace, Love and Reese's!!!

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P90X & Insanity Feedback Wanted

I've been debating on getting the P90X workout or the Insanity workout. Both are by Beachbody, and I love my Beachbody workouts like Hip Hop Abs, Turbo Jam and Slim in 6. I just wanted to see if any of you out there have ever tried either of these workouts, and the pros/cons you've faced with them.

I know when it comes to P90X, they are always enouraging people to post their result videos on YouTube, and I came across this cute parody with one of the member's kids. Enjoy and thanks for the feedback!!

Also, I'd like to give a shout out to my mom who joined Weight Watchers and started taking some pilates, step and butt & gut classes at her local park district and lost 5 lbs this last week! Way to go Mom!!!



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Water Workouts

The weather here has been getting warmer, and I've spent the last few evenings in the pool. That is a picture of our pool here at the complex, and I've been loving it. When I was younger, I was a regular fish in water, and loved spending hours swimming, diving, and playing in the pool. Volleyball and basketball in the pool provided fun times where you never really felt like you were exercising. Of course, you might have felt it the following morning! I was also on the water polo team in high school, and treading water like that, definitely builds up your stamina and muscle in your legs, abs and arms.

Along with swimming laps, whether front, back, side, breast or butterfly strokes, here are a few more exercise tips from Jillian Michaels that can help you burn calories in the water:

1. Push-ups on the side of the pool.

2. Dips on the side of the pool.

3. Treading water. (If this is easy for you, hold a dumbbell over your head and try it.) -- We did this for water polo practice, and it's definitely a workout!!

4. Hold weights in your hands and try running laps in a lap pool. This is fun and challenging.

5. Hold a kickboard and do only kicking-drill laps.

6. Place a Styrofoam block between your legs and hold it tight so that your legs are totally stationary. Now try swimming laps using only your arms. -- This was another one we did in wp practice, and you will definitely feel the burn!!

7. Up-downs: Go into the deep end of the pool. Dive to the bottom and then jump from the bottom back up to the surface. Catch your breath and repeat.

The great part about working out in water is the natural resistance that the water brings from all sides of the body. Water workouts are also great for people that are trying to start up an exercise routine, but have limited mobility, or problems with their joints. It's low impact, but can be a great cardiovascular workout. Maybe with all the exercising I've been doing I'll finally have enough courage to buy a regular bathing suit instead of going in my spandex and tank tops all the time! LOL

Now go out and make a splash today!!

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'Healthy' Candy: Too Good to Be True? - AOL Health

I read this article this morning on AOL Health.. 'Healthy' Candy: Too Good to Be True? - AOL Health
I would love some people's opinions on this. For me, just like cereal, weight loss, nutrition and a lot of other bars out there, most of them are over 200 calories a serving, with some being TWO servings a bar with high carb and sugar counts. How can any of it possibly been seen as "healthy"??

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Update from Boise

Well, I'm pretty much settled into my new home with Scott here in Boise, Idaho. I have to admit, I really like the area. With the rain they've been getting here, the mountainous views are breathtaking, and compared to Altoona, there's a LOT to do around here, as well as lots of job opportunities. Right now I'm only looking for part time work, as I want to be able to spend as much time with Liam this summer as possible. Plus I want to be able to enjoy the weekend we get married with our friends and family without having to take time off a new job.

I'm slowly coming into my role as more of a "housewife". Getting up in the morning to take him where he picks up the commuter van that takes him to base, cleaning, cooking and taking care of things so that it frees up his little time at home during the work week. I know he's trying to get used to it as well. We are both very independent, proactive people when it comes to a lot of things, so it's difficult to "let go" and allow the other to do things for us. That will come in time. It's not like it's a bad thing, just different. I knew I could never be a full time housewife, but when Liam comes, and in the future some little ones, that may change. Right now though, I've only been here barely 7 days and I'm already feeling the itch to work outside the home and earn a paycheck.

My kittybutt, Shamrock, is loving his new home as well. We have a large deck off the unit, and he loves being able to be outside and lounge in the sun. Scott has a basset hound, Wallyse, who I've taken for a couple walks around the complex grounds. Today, the bedroom furniture that Scott ordered for Liam will be delivered, and hopefully afterwards I'll be able to go check out the workout room. Scott says it's not much, but if there is a good bit of floor space there, it will be nice to take his portable DVD player down with my workout DVD's instead of trying to do them at the apartment. As spacious as this apartment is, Scott has an over sized living room set. It's really nice, but really BIG!!

It was nice to spend Memorial weekend with my parents. I got to see Liam and my niece, Hannah, as well as my sister and her family. Liam and I headed to visit my best friend, Wendy, and afterwards, we went to the Irish Fest at Gaelic Park in my hometown of Oak Forest, Illinois. I had not been to the Irish Fest probably in 15 years. Liam rode some rides, and we played games, and listened to music, and of course we HAD to have some funnel cake!! We also took the time to go to the cemetary to visit my brother, grandpaps and uncle. We went swimming, and the kids fished, and we also went to a small parade on Memorial Day in Rockdale, where my bro-in-law is a volunteer firefighter. They had a nice memorial service, and we headed back.

The journey to Boise was LONG! I left about 8:30pm central time, and took a small 2 hr catnap at a rest area, and then drove through Iowa, Nebraska, and Wyoming until about 2pm Tuesday and got a hotel room. I got a good 16-17 hrs of drive time in. I rested and me and Shamrock headed out that evening through Utah and Idaho, arriving in Boise around 11am mountain time. Scott was supposed to be at work, or at least that's what he lead me to believe as I passed Mountain Home AFB into Boise, but he was there to greet me, and it was just a great couple days catching up, unpacking and getting settled in.

I just wanted to thank all my friends and family for their love and support with this major decision I made with my life. It's a great feeling to know that people are behind you and just want to see you happy, and know you deserve to be happy.

Well, I'm going to wrap it up for now. I should be able to catch up with everyone soon! Love you guys!! *hugs* Enjoy your week!!

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