Just Dance fun!

Sasha and her friend Reese had a great time playing Just Dance tonight.



I baby-sat for my good friend, Julie, tonight. Her four kids were here, having a blast while Julie and her husband, Shane, enjoyed seeing "The Vow", a romantic movie we have both wanted to see for several weeks. I, too, got to see this movie with my husband, Shane, last night, to be exact. Julie and I cleverly thought of swapping baby-sitting so that we could both go out on hot dates with our husbands, and cut some of the expenses by not having to hire a sitter. Fun!

Wrestling With Shelton

A year ago, Shelton asked if he could participate in Kid Wrestling at Centauri High School. The State Championed team does this as a fundraiser each year for kids ages 2-11, and it is a BIG DEAL here in the San Luis Valley. Very big deal. I couldn't fit it in my schedule last year, and he has asked about it at random times throughout the year, so I knew I had to make it work. I will admit, I was nervous about having him join at age 6, as there are many boys and girls that have done it since toddler hood. I was also nervous about him being a heavier kid, because they wrestle kids their same weight, not age. In addition to those worries, what if he couldn't handle the competitive aspects of it? This is an intense sport. To top it off, most boys train with their Dads close by, and Shane's schedule doesn't work with practice times. All fears aside, I signed him up this week, and he had his first match today, after only 3 practices.

I will admit, when he put that wrestling singlet on, I couldn't believe how cute he looked. It is very tight, and his buff little body is just adorable. He didn't want to take off his uniform at night, and he insists on wearing it to each practice, instead of a t-shirt and shorts. He loved the practices. I got to watch him, and he did very well. He easily follows instructions and catches on to the technique quickly. He loved wrestling his friends, but all of them are smaller than him, and were easy to pin. When we weighed-in, I knew that my 58 lbs. boy had no idea what was in store for him.

At the meet, we found out his schedule for the day. There were 5 boys in his weight class for Division 3 (See! He missed out on division 1 & 2). As his first match neared, Shane and I realized that the (giant) Sanford Indian boy that was lurking nearby would be his first opponent. My heart stopped for a minute. Are you kidding me? True, they were similar in size and weight (obviously) BUT this kid is over a year older, and 2 grades ahead of Shelton. "Oh, crap", I thought to myself. Actually, I thought the other word, but this blog is sensored. I began to contemplate forfeiting the match. I've heard the stories of kids that quit Wrestling after the first match because it is so scary and rough. What if he actually got hurt? My sweet, little boy! But, I am a very good actor. I told Shelton that he should do his best, and that he should look at this as a chance to practice his moves.

As he stepped onto the mat, he looked extremely nervous, and unsure. The other kid did, too, until he saw Shelton, then, a look of relief swept over his face, and I knew that he knew he would easily beat my son. He did. It was over in less than 10 seconds. The kid pinned him, and Shelton just laid there on his back. When he sat down beside me, he said, "I thought I was going to wrestle kids my age". How profound. At this point, I had to explain to him that he is big for his age, and that the boys he would wrestle that day were small for their age. They were also more experienced, so this was going to be hard. Here it was, the moment when he would cry, pout, and quit. But he didn't. He just shook his head and asked to play on my iPhone. He told Shane he would try harder next time.

Shelton, wrestling beastly kid #3

He lost the next 2 matches, but he did try harder, and it took 30-60 seconds for the other beastly kids to pin him. Each time, after he was beat, he smiled and shook his opponents hand, and calmly walked back to his seat next to me, his chubby cheeks shaking slightly with each step. When I pointed out his 4th and final opponent, he excitedly said, "I can take him down!" This kid was also on our team, so Shane broke the ice as he spoke to the kids Dad and said, "No matter what, a Centauri Falcon will win this one, so that's all that matters." Cute, Shane. I was (internally) freaking out.

That match went surprisingly well! Shelton didn't win, but he didn't get pinned, and they must have been evenly matched, as they went back-and-forth for several minutes. The other kid had more experience, and scored a lot more points while wrestling, something that Shelton seemed oblivious of. In his mind, he took that kid down, and he didn't get pinned, so he won! Shane and I realized that we have a lot to learn, and we will try to have him better prepared for the next meet. Shelton didn't cry, wasn't overly emotional, and didn't get hurt too badly, so I think this is a sport that he is well-suited for. I do want to help him slim down, as he is a little chunk. (May be I should bring him to Zumba with me). I'm kidding, but really, I need to be more helpful to my boy so that he can excel in this sport. He was given a participation medal, and he left the meet in extremely good spirits. What a guy!

Shelton, after the meet, with a weird expression on his face. Too cute!

Creative Explorations

Emma was invited to an exclusive, one-day workshop for gifted kids in the San Luis Valley, called Creative Explorations. She was given the option of choosing two of three special classes: Theatre Improv, Art, & Science. She had a difficult time deciding, but finally went with Theatre Improv and Science. As I dropped her off in the Theatre, she had already made two friends, and was trying on fancy hats that would be used as props. She has always been able to do that: make friends in new environments. Since a young age, she has also found learning in school to be fun, enjoyable, and kept it a top priority in life. She has been looking forward to this day for weeks!

When I picked her up, she and some other students performed a play for the parents. It was comical, and very fun. Emma shines on stage! Then, the Workshop Director asked two students to explain what went on in the Art and Science classes. Emma was the student that got to tell about the Science projects they did. She learned some engineering basics, and got to build and test small scale bridges. They found that using a triangular base was the best for supporting weight. She was the only girl that chose the Science Workshop! (She loves Science and Math in school). I was so grateful for this workshop, and that she was invited.



Shopping...

Me: [To Maurices Sales personnel] Do you have any of these jeggings in a size Small?

Ha! I am a Small. Not an X-L. They were out of jeggings, so I got some jeans in a size 5/6, but the size 3/4 are almost fastenable.

I recently heard the expression "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels". I believe it. I have discovered that junky, processed, fattening foods are not as important to me as previously thought. I have kept my caloric intake down, eaten mostly raw, natural foods, and for the most part, kept refined sugar out of my diet. It works. Couple that with regular exercise, and here comes skinny!!! I've lost 5 more pounds, and my body fat percentage went down almost 2%. As I near my ultimate goal, and see that it is actually attainable, I am ecstatic. I can do this. I can make a lifestyle change and stick to it. I feel more confident in trying other things that have been hard for me, and seemed impossible. For instance, getting out of debt, growing a garden, landscaping my yard, keeping my house clean for more than 2 days in a row, teaching hip-hop dance, and getting on a budget. I think I can do these things because I have already done something that felt impossible. (I have tears in my eyes: I'm such a nerd).

Another phrase I like: "My daily routine: get up, be amazing, go back to bed".

Yup!

Shelton's Birthdays

I was looking at pictures from last Summer, and I stumbled upon these ones from Shelton's 6th birthday party. I forgot my good camera so we only got a few with my cell phone. He had a Lightnng McQueen party at Devil's Kitchen, and we were lucky to have it just days before the mosquito invasion of the Summer. The irrigation water was just getting to the point in which we would not be able to hang out at Devil's Kitchen any longer, so we had everyone park by the gate, and drove them to the fire pit on a 4-wheeler with an attached trailor. This went over extremely well with all the little boys. We had hot dogs, s'mores, and two cakes to choose from, as it was my birthday, too. (Shelton was born 1 day before my 29th birthday).



Putting on an awesomely amazing birthday party for him has ben a challenge for me over the years. First of all, I am better at girl stuff. Emma's parties are first-rate and over-the-top. Always. Sasha's have been just what she wants, so I count them as successful, even though I would like them to be a little bit more incredible. Shelton's parties have had to beat the odds every year.

1- Just days after the horrible "passing-out after falling out of a hgh chair and hitting his head on tile floor" incident in California. We were just thankful he was alive that year. Low-key birthday.
2- I planned a big, double birthday party with his cousin, Rye, who was born 1 day before him, but he was running a high fever, and ended  having 2 ear infections. Super low-key party with ibuprofen as his "treat". He didn't like the rice-crispy treats I made. I don't blame him, they were made with fruity pebbles and were hard as a rock.
3- Pretty good party. Lots of family and friends at our house for a Lightning McQueen Cars party. He had a great time, but I didn't do any games and my party favors were kinda lame.
4- Weak. My Mom was there for Emma's baptism, and we had a small family party with just Grandpa Shelton, Jim & Mary-Ann, and his frind Tyson. I made cupcakes, and the frosting was gross. I couldn't afford very many gifts, but he got a Lighning McQueen bike.
5- I tried pretty hard on this one. We did another double-birthday party with Rye, and had a Lightning McQueen Cars party theme. (Do you sense a pattern here?) The cake was awesome, and we served hot dogs to friends and family. I made a big, Lightning McQueen car out of a cardboard box, and the boys put it on and raced around Jack Dempsey Park. I gave out cans of Mountain Dew as a party favor, and we pretended it was their fuel. The downer was the insane amount of mosquitos. This is fairly normal for June, but the town hadn't sprayed the mosquito pesticide around in several days, so they were particularly awful. The truck did come by and spray towards the end of the party, so it smelled horrible while we ate cake.

My plans for his 7th birthday party are in the works, and I can assure you that the theme will not have anything to do with Lighning McQueen. There will be an amazing cake, awesome party favors, and his best friends and cousins will celebrate with him.

The Butt Chicks

Yes, you read that correctly. The Butt Chicks. That was the name my fitness team came up with for our participation in a fitness challenge and weight loss competition with Kim's Fitness for Women. We formed our team on December 26, 2012, and weighed-in at 590 lbs.

For six weeks, we did nothing but diet, exercise, and train for the big day. Three of us signed-up for Personal Training with Kim, and tracked our progress in push-ups, sit-ups, and other exercises in Kim's fit test. I joined "My Fitness Pal" and counted every calorie that entered my body. I cried when I found out how fattening and caloric my favorite homemade Pralines are. (Seriously, I did cry, but I was watching The Help and was quite emotional that day). I did around 50 push-ups a day on my own time, and felt I could help my team out in that area on the big day.

The week of the competition and weigh-in, Kim had us do a particularly challenging Circuit Training routine. As I left, Ifelt more sore and run-down than I had in several months. I actually pulled a muscle in my butt. Ouch. So, later that week, as my teammates and I were wallowing in self-pity over our sore behinds, we decided that we would call ourselves "The Butt Chicks", as we were very sore in that area, we had done far too many butt kicks in circuit training that week, and because we were planning on kicking butt in the competition. I thought it was pretty clever.

To make a long story short, we didn't win either aspect of the competition. But did we "win" after all? Our group lost over 30 lbs., and we looked and felt a great deal better. Our fit test scores improved dramatically.I went in to the competition thinking I would do 32 push-ups, and ended up cranking out 42! I doubled my sit-up amount, and did 5 more sprint laps than last Summer when we tested that last. Most importantly, I had a great time with my girls.

Out for a GNO with most of The Butt Chicks.

Dinner at Chilli's (I had the Guiltless Salmon) & a movie.

Melissa Howsmon, Julie McGinnis & Moi!

Let's try that again...

Can I get a do-over for last week? Things just didn't run as smoothly and perfectly in week two of dance classes. Some blunders that quickly come to mind: making a new student cry at my difficult choreography, a "tiny tutu" peeing her pants during class, an entire class unable to catch on to a seemingly simple waltz step, my daughter sitting out of  her tap class with a friend due to her inability to behave well, and my 3-year-old niece expressing her disdain at my boring and repetitive choreography. And then there was my attempt at teaching a Hip-Hop class. Oh my.

I am just hoping and praying that this week feels more successful. I am a hopeless "people pleaser" and I tend to take the disappointments of others to heart. I am working on this, as it often positively correlates with my self-esteem. I must remember: everyone will not always like me or like what I do and say. I need to be ok with this. I can only control my own actions and feelings. I can only do my best.

I sound pretty melodramatic and at the risk of this post being a total downer, I will try to make things more upbeat. Here's a thought: I was not a perfect ballet student as a child, and things didn't always go smoothly during the dance classes of my dance career. Example:

From this...

...to this.

Can't wait to see what she will become!

Success!

Day one of dance classes was a success! The girls had lots of fun learning and dancing today. My favorite class to watch was Melissa's Ballet 1 class with my little girl in it. Too cute! They were so attentive and focused on each ballet step. It was nice to see Sasha actually doing well in class because I was not her teacher. She has been my student for the past 2 years, and we have had ISSUES. Emma and I had some of the same problems years ago when I began teaching her, and meanie me even kicked her out of class once. Upon the suggestion of my Dad, we came up with new dance class names for each other, to remind us of our differing roles in that setting. I called her Christine, her middle name, and she called me Ms. Jenny. This went on for a semester of dance classes and then she asked if she could be Emma in class again. I told her she could be Emma again if she was a model student. She promised she would be, and has been for the most part. I can always count on Emma to remember the dance choreography, and she and her good friend, Asia, are usually front and center so that the other girls can follow along.

 Emma & Asia in Alice In Wonderland 2008

This is the semester I let Christine become Emma again.

Last year, when Sasha was still in my Tiny Tutus class, she was less than a perfect student for sure. One of my favorite memories of little Sasha is of the Spring recital, A Night At The Oscars, in which she was a bride from the oscar-winning movie, 7 Brides For 7 Brothers. These little ones have difficulty with spacing in a line, and tend to bunch together instead of spreading out and allowing enough space for them to do the choreography. The performance was  no different, and there were 2 bunches of little brides on either side of the stage, next to the class helpers, Emma and Asia. So, Sasha took advantage of this space, stood alone center stage, and did her own choreography for all to enjoy. I just stood backstage and laughed at my little "free spirit" enjoying the spotlight.

Sasha as a Bride.

I made all the little girls veils and bouquets for the dance. 

Dance, Dance, Dance...

All I can think about is dance. OK, AND Zumba, but really, my insomnia kicked in BIG TIME last night as our Spring 2012 semester of dance starts TODAY! Choreography is consuming my thoughts, I'm still worried about filling all of the classes, and I can't believe how much I have to do today. I love it, but things will be pretty crazy until May. I hope "The Princess & The Frog & Mardi Gras Spectacular" will be a huge success, and that I will still be able to keep up with my fitness/health goals. I also hope that my kids aren't too neglected, but I'll compensate for my weekly business by packing in big weekend plans.

Here is Sasha in her Lemon Drop costume in The Nutcracker.

November 2011

Emma looks lovely in her Chinese Fortune Cookie costume.

Wish me luck! Heaven knows I will need it.

Cute Kids- making not so cute messes

My kids are so cute. SO CUTE!!! They are also smart, fun, well-behaved, and in general, wonderful to have around. Yes, sometimes their boundless energy gets to me, but that is usually my impatient self acting out. I know that I am lucky to be their Mother.

Shelton's 6th Birthday

I don't think I am always a perfect Mom, but I really do try to  be the best one I can be. One area that isn't always "perfect" is regarding the cleanliness of their bedrooms. (If you knew me as a kid, you might say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree). Thankfully, Shane took it upon himself to help Shelton seriously clean and organize his room recently, so I have been gearing up to help my girls do the same in their bedroom. OH...MY...GOSH!!! It was horrible. Sasha likes to dump out drawers, toy boxes, and scatter things, so it was mostly her doing, but Emma's clothes needed some serious help, too. We got it done after spending all of Saturday afternoon and evening in there. I threw away 8 trash bags full of broken, old toys, and trash. I was in one of those moods in which I throw away more than I should, but they just had too much stuff. Way more than they could handle, obviously. What really made me feel like the "Loser Housekeeper of the Year" was the 4 old shoes/boots that had lots of stored food in them. No, my girls aren't hoarding pretzels, chocolate chips, marshmellows, raisins, double bubble gum, smarties, and Valentine hearts from last year, that would be the mice that have been getting cozy under their bed and in the closet. I guess they felt comfortable doing so because these areas have been neglected for so long. Gross. Now I am kind of OCD with my resolve to clean every inch of this house and catch the mice. They are crafty and smart, and are not going for the traps so far. I know I will get them. I've caught many over the past 7 1/2 years of my life in Manassa. OK, Shane has caught them. Living in the country means living with mice, but I think I can keep things less cozy with these little critters by keeping the house immaculately clean. Wish me luck, because I hate housecleaning. BUT... I hate mice more, so things are about to get spotless.

ZUMBA- Join the Party!!!

Easter Sunday April 2011

Last May, I began doing an exercise class with Kim McCarroll. She started a Circuit Training Program, as she is a Certified Personal Trainer, and it has grown in popularity due to the amazing results women are seeing from adding cosistent exercise in their lives. My bff Julie McGinnis had been trying to convince me to start for a few months, but I waited until after I was finished with the Spring Semester of dance classes to begin. It was eye opening to find that I was "obese" according to my fat percentage of 33%. I weighed 170 lbs. at my last OB appointment in April 2011. This is about what I weighed at my last Prenatal Exam with Sasha. That made me feel awful. So, I began doing 3, 45 minute circuit classes a week, and (sort of) started eating better. In June, Kim added  Boot Camp after Circuit Training, so I got in 6, 45 minute workouts each week all Summer. I didnt loose a lot of weight, but at the end of the Summer I weighed 160 lbs., and my clothes fit differently.

Dan's Wedding August 2011

Then Zumba came along... and changed my life! All of the sudden, exercise was fun, and I was enthusiastic about being healthy, rather than having to force myself to do it. Thanks Kim! Love her. She went against her comfort zone, got certified, and started offering 3 classes a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in addition to her 2 Circuit Training classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. I also began doing a Personal Training Session weekly, and Kim had me do an intense workout tailored to my goals, and got me doing weight training to change my body shape. She also encouraged me to diet, and I began to see the pounds drop. Now, I weigh 143 lbs. and my fat percentage is down to 28.3%! I get in at least 8 workouts a week, and I also do Yoga on my own. I am feeling much better about myself, and I am a lot happier. My kids have even noticed! I intend to continue these new lifestyle changes and get down to 20% body fat. I don't care what my weight is if I reach that goal. I think I can do it by my 36th birthday: 1 year after starting this blog. How's that for a "Changement Mama"!   

January 30, 2012

Just Dance

For the past six years I have been teaching dance classes with Just Dance- a remote dance studio that a friend and I created to provide the opportunity of dance lessons to girls in our rural community. I love it. Yes, it has been stressful and expensive, but it has been my creative outlet, and it is extremely rewarding and FUN!!! The best part of it all is seeing the girls perform at our recitals, after witnessing their progression throughout the semester, and seeing my choreographic "visions" come to be on stage. Sometimes I tear-up backstage as I peak through the temporary curtain of gossamer. No matter what challenges we face during the semester, each dancer is amazing on that one, very special evening.

One class that I am incredibly proud of is Tiny Tutus, a class for 2 & 3-year-olds, that encourages imaginative play and creative expression through a curriculum that I created. It gives these little cuties a fun introduction to dance, and provides an opportunity for them to wear a "tiny tutu" on a weekly basis. They LOVE their dance class, and Moms often tell me that it is all they talk about during the week. This is evidence of success in my opinion. I love this photo (above) because it captures me "at work" tying the laces to tiny ballet slippers. I can't even begin to tell you how often I do this. Sometimes it drives me crazy and disrupts my teaching, but it must be done, as these little ones cannot focus with untied ballet laces. Isn't that metaphoric? When all things are in order, I am also able to focus, and consequently, learn and develop as a person. Interesting...

I started Tiny Tutus when Sasha was 2 because she was so envious of the dancers in my classes, and she often ended up trying to dance with the order girls. Plus, Emma took a dance class at age 2 when we lived in Utah, and loved it. I knew that little girls in this area could use an extracurricular activity (especially in the Winter) as there was nothing available at the time. My first class had 11 girls! It was weekly craziness, but I finally got it figured out. Now, I keep the class under control by sticking to a repetitive curriculum, limiting class size, and separating the 2 and 3-year-olds into: Tiny Tutus 2 & Tiny Tutus 3. It amazes me how different the class needs to be in that 1 year!  A lot of developmental advancements from age 2 to 3.
A LOT!!!  

My Girls! They are the reason I do this. So that they can do something fun and productive and feel special. I love these photos, taken by my good friend, and business partner, Melissa Mortensen. We have TOO MUCH FUN doing this! Our planning "lunches" and GNOs are not frequent enough. Putting together a Recital from start to finish is incredibly challenging, but somehow we do do it year after year.

Anniversary Weekend Getaway

Shane and I left for a quick weekend getaway to Pagosa Springs, CO for our 12th Anniversary. We stayed at the Springs Resort, and had direct access to the 23 hot spring mineral pools. These are filled with therapeutic waters varying in temperature. The hottest one we went in was 109 degrees! It was wonderfully relaxing, and very draining of our energy. We did, however, find the energy to go out to dinner and carb-binge. (Something we are both unused to doing with our new fitness/healthy lifestyle changes made this past year).

This is the view from our room. The steamy vapors that rise from the pools have a sulfur odor that really stuck with us. Our bathing suits are holding onto the odor, and my sweat had it's pungent smell to it, which was shared with my workout friends on the night of our return.

Here we are posing in front of one of the pools. We can't wait to get back with the kids! They would love it.

Here is my handsome husband!

Here I am, looking much skinnier than on our last anniversary. Just wait until next year!