Where do I start?

Well I got a good run/walk in today! It's 80 degrees and gorgeous so I had NO excuse! Sorry to all of you dealing with cold and snow. It's the nice thing about living in AZ, but don't worry, I'll be complaining come July. =)

I forced myself to go and I'm sure glad I did!!! I did about an hour total, walked some & ran some - I haven't clocked how far I went, but I know it was about 4 miles. I had the double jogger and my dog with me, so that slowed me down a bit! It was either the dog wanting to pee or smell something, or the girls wanting a snack, a drink, or "she's hitting me", or "she's on my side", or "are we almost to the park". AGH! But I felt great afterwards!! The girls got to play in the neighborhood park after while I stretched! I truly feel energized!

I think I need a set schedule or a plan. I just went out and did what my body told me. I'm sure I could have pushed myself a bit more. How do you mom's do it? What's your exercise schedule like? The hardest part about training for a tri is going to be fitting all 3 sports in. The running part will be easiest since I have the jogging stroller. I guess I'll just have to make it work.

I had a taste - and I liked it!

Ok, months have passed since I last posted. You want to know why? Well, it's because I haven't done a dang thing to improve my health. Haven't fed my body well, haven't exercised, I'm not getting enough sleep, stressed out. You name it. I felt guilty. I gave up so quickly on my goal to be healthy for myself, for my family. Not sure why, probably because it's a lot of work, effort, time, commitment. Maybe I wasn't truly ready. But I am now!!!!!

I jumped in and did the 10k run that I was planning to do all along on Jan. 31st. I hadn't even trained for it. My husband thought I was crazy, maybe I was!! But I'm so glad I did it! I had been doing Monday walk/runs (we do about 3 miles and walk most of it) with a group of friends for a couple months, but that was it! I hadn't even run more than a mile in 5 years. Well I did awesome for the run! I ran 2 miles very slowly without even stopping. I walked here and there, but ran most of it!!! My knees, hamstrings, lungs and heart paid the price when I was done but it felt great. It felt good to push my body and know I could do it.

I know that's not healthy, and I'm not encouraging this and don't plan to do it again, but for me, it's what I needed to do. It's like I crossed the line back to my pre-kids lifestyle. I had a small taste of what I'm capable of and I want it back! I want to feel that every day. I want to push myself and feel the rewards! I want to be a healthy mommy and wife and set an example for my family. So, here I go! I encourage you to do the same. If I can do it, so can you!!

Trip to the farm

Oh - in case you are wondering. I did get out the other day. I didn't quite run, but I got a brisk walk going for about 30 mins. Hey! Better than nothing, right?! This weekend hubby had to work and I took the girls Fri and Sat to a local farm event. We walked and walked all day long and saw some pretty cool stuff (not real exercise I know)!

Let's just say - I think I could live on a farm. Yep, that's right, I would love to live on a farm, with animals, a barn, a huge garden, a simple life. Hubby and I talk about how cool it would be to have a small goat farm and make cheese (first we'd have to learn a LOT). A wine vineyard would be cool, but too much money to get into.

Here are some pics from our farm trip:

Just read this

Check this out:
http://fitnessformommies.net/

I'm going to get my adidas on, load up the girls in the double stroller, leash up my dog who is begging for some exercise anyway....it's only 85 here today, so I have no excuse!

Not doing so hot

Ok, this blog was created with the intent of holding me accountable to my goal of doing another triathlon! Let's just say I'm not doing so hot in the triathlon goal arena....

Notice the gap in posts. It's because I felt guilty for not doing anything to further my goal! How sad is that!? I couldn't even come on here, to my new little blog, that few people read, to say that:

- I haven't exercised at all. Unless you count chasing a 3 and 2 year old around the house.

- I ate a half pan of brownies yesterday - but I left one last bite, so I didn't eat them all!

- I drank like I was back in college all weekend (that's rare for me these days since I'm always worried Sophie will have a seizure and I'll be drunk)! I just felt like I needed to - and no, I'm not an alcoholic!

- My treadmill has underwear hanging all over it (thanks to my 2 year old) and piles of folded laundry that need to be put away. I told you I use it as a laundry basket!

- That I've been totally out of breath all week from doing the lamest things - running my 2 yr old to the potty, playing hide n seek, refilling my coffee. Sad.

What's it gonna take for me to get my butt in gear! I know I can do it. I need to do it. I can feel my body begging me to do it. I'm just in a funky state of mind right now, something I'm not used to. I usually have so much control over my emotions, my situation, but I'm feeling a bit helpless right now. Frustrating! Probably something a good run could cure......see, I even know what would help me! Let's see if I do it. I'll report back tomorrow. If I don't, you'll know I probably didn't do it.

awww, the beach just has a way

We had a great time at the beach. It was cold, but we didn't mind since we were escaping 100+ temps in AZ! The beach just has a way of totally relaxing me. Everytime we go back to CA, a part of me misses living there, but then I spend more than 24 hours there and I'm reminded of why we left.

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. Things have been a little crazy around here, and our $$$ problems are weighing on me pretty heavy. I know God has truly blessed me though, and I wouldn't change a thing (although eliminating a few thousand dollars in medical bills for my beauty below would be nice). So I'll just try and remember the sound of the waves, the smell of that salty air that is so terrible for curly hair (notice no pics of me), and the fun sounds of my girls building a sand castle and splashing in the waves. My stresses are already disappearing......

Here is my amazing Sophie running into the water with no regard for the cold water temps or the waves.....

Anyone remember standing next to your mom, just waiting for the water to cover up your feet? This brought back a lot of memories, and looking back at the pictures almost brings tears to my eyes that I'm now doing that with my oldest daughter. Crazy.

She could play in the sand allllll day long. To be 3 again.

My beautiful Kylie. She's happy as long as mommy is right next to her.

They tried to do this to me, but I was a party pooper and said, "no way, bury your dad"!!

Watching the surfers from the peir.

I love these 3 people more than anyone else in the world!!

Off to the beach!

I'm last minute packing for a much needed long weekend away at the beach in CA!! We really can't afford it, but we exchanged our timeshare about 8 months ago so it's been paid for. ARGH - don't get me started on the timeshare thing! Do any of you own one? It's been a great way for us to take trips we otherwise wouldn't be able to, but the fees, and more fees are killing us! This place has a full kitchen so I'm bringing stuff from home and we'll bbq on our patio each night. All we plan to do is play at the beach and and the pool - FREE! And maybe get some long walks in too. I can't wait.

Hubby has been traveling so much lately, so this time away as a family will be nice. I'm tired, but I know he's exhausted! He just got in at 9 tonight from Texas and has been working 19 hour days 6 days straight. He's been there since last week helping his company deal with the hurricane aftermath. I know he really would just like to relax at home, but once he smells the ocean (I so miss that smell) I know he'll feel right at home.

Enjoy your weekend! I'll post beach pics when I return. =)

But it's a dry heat

I did get up and walk this morning before the girls and I met a friend and her kids to play! It wasn't my finest walk, but it felt good to get out and moving! It's been hard to get out and exercise since it's so dang hot here! I guess I live smack dab in the middle of the desert, so what did I expect!

It's finally cooling down though and it's only about 100 degrees today! Yes, "you do get used to the heat". And yes, "it's only a dry heat"!! I didn't quite buy into either of those statements when we first moved here 3 years ago from Southern CA. I was miserable! I missed my family, I missed the beach, I missed the cool breeze, I missed green, I missed the variety of people, I missed all the ma and pa restaurants with yummy food, I missed being able to take a walk anytime of year, I had a newborn baby with health problems (that's another post) and I wanted to go home and never see another cactus again!

BUT 3 1/2 years later this is home and I love it! Those saguaro cactus that I used to think were so ugly, are now absolutely beautiful to me! Sure there are trade-offs and things I love about CA, but we would never go back. When we first left we'd always talk about if we won the lottery that we'd move back in an instant. Now hubby and I both agree CA is not for us. I'm not sure this is the perfect place for us either, but for now we are here, and what is perfect anyway?? Do any of you really consider where you live perfect? If so, I'd love to know about it. I think anywhere you live will have it's drawbacks - yes, even Hawaii!

But as far as the heat goes, it isn't really a factor anymore. Because you do get used to it and after all, it's a dry heat!

This is my dad telling the girls all about cactus on one of our many hikes!

My crew on a hike this past winter (yes, this is how our Feb. looks) isn't it pretty?

I love it when the saguaro flowers bloom in May.

Night Owl

So I think I've figured out that I need to go to bed earlier. I'm always tired when I wake up (rather, my girls wake me up) and cranky until I get at least 2 cups of coffee in. My 3 year old wakes up every day around 5:30 am!! It's loads of fun. Neither of my girls sleep through the night - my 3 year old has epilepsy and I know night-wakings are common among kids with seizures. She's never been a good sleeper and I don't expect anything to change. My 2 year old wakes up several times too...she's ready for a big-girl bed, but our budget doesn't allow for a bed purchase just yet. Also, yes I'm going to say it, she still nurses. Yep, 2 and she still drinks milk from the boob. Many look down on that, and I never thought I would nurse this long, but it kinda just happened. I'm ready to be done, but it's not like I can just turn it off and if you know her, she's not easily distracted from what's important to her. OK, now that I've digressed!

My point is, I'm tired and have reason to be since I spend a large portion of my night up with little people. My hubby is great and usually will take one and I'll get the other, but when he travels (right now he's in TX helping his company deal with the hurricane aftermath) it's a nightmare. We all end up in my bed or me on my bedroom floor once I'm done with being kicked and jabbed???? How I let my little ones rule my world. But I love them so. =)

Again, my point, I just love nights after they've gone to bed. It's time for just hubby and me, and when he's gone oh - the silence is almost deafening after all the noise and chatter of the day! Those last few hours of the day are the ONLY ones I spend for myself and I value them. OK, so one would think, great! Perfect time to jump on that dust-collecting treadmill I use as a laundry basket! But no, I usually have a bowl of ice cream and sit in front of the couch or computer. I'm so exhausted that the thought of doing an exercise video or running on the treadmill is the last thing on my mind. But I'm ready to make a lifestyle change, so I'm thinking this is part of it! Right? As I'm typing I realize nights are probably one of my few options for getting fitness in. Or if I went to bed at a decent hour I could wake up refreshed ready to take on the morning and a jog (walk for now) with my old lop-sided double stroller and my English Setter.

I'm going to do it. I'll go to bed by 10:00 so I can go for a walk/run in the morning OR make time to exercise at night after the kids are in bed. There, I said it.

My crazy one

My 2 year old is my crazy, fiesty, odd child. She carries around random items throughout the day, every day! Each day it's something new, or her fetish might last a few days and then she moves on. Today it was a pair of my underwear (clean of course), a blue pen, a blue bracelet, a blue pot lid, and daddy's blue guitar pick in her closed hand (notice that blue is her color of choice). She had to have all of these things with her at all times, even when using the potty.