New workouts feel amazing!

This week some girls from the club shamed me into kicking my workouts into high gear. Actually, they assumed I worked out every day when in reality it's only like, twice a week!! I felt so guilty because as an aerobics instructor I really should be in better shape than I am!! So I did some choreography research & practiced some new moves. I played some new music, and went to an extra class (taught by someone else) and also went online for some ideas. Today I met the girls & we did a really good workout on our own from 4-5:30. SO this week I logged in between 5-6 hours of cardio/strength training. I feel GREAT! The only slight problem is my energy level late at night (since most of my workouts are in the early evening) it makes it difficult for my to go to bed when I should. And then the kids wake me up early -darn!
~~One of my new workout routines (thank you Kelly for ideas!) goes something like this:
Warm up: My new hip-hop/warmup and stretching
Step 1: 5 minutes up/down on the bench with weights/arm exercises
Step 2: 2 minute higher cardio interval focusing on leg muscle groups
Step 3: 2 minutes of Ab Crunches & Leg lifts on the floor
Step 4: Repeat Steps 1-3 Several times, step 1 changing arm muscle groups & step 2 changing leg muscle groups
Step 5: Good mornings (gluts/hams), oblique crunches, and squat/leg lifts with the heavy bar on shoulders
Step 6: Chest presses, Tricep presses, Clean & Presses with heavy bar
Step 7: Outer thigh slow boxer kicks, Inner thigh work
Step 8: Ab crunches & various exercises on the floor
Cool Down: Stretch & Relaxation

I know on paper it sounds pretty dry, but actually it's a lot of fun!! Now "self" NO MORE all you can eat pizza and ice cream binges - I need to get in better shape! And for those of you in town I'd like to challenge you to join me in one of my classes! Maybe together we can go from good enough to greater than!

Basketball, Dancing & Pizza!!

Today was the day and it was amazing!! First of all, Keira started out with the 24hr flu bug last night, so we weren't sure if she'd be able to do it. Miraculously, after a desperate prayer right before the game, she popped out of it and was all better. Thank you Lord!

We watched a bit of the B-ball game from a birds eye view. We were in the upstairs section of Prosser Gym getting ready for the performance. Last minute touches to the outfits hair & makeup, and picture taking. As all this was going on, Keanu and I watched some of the game from high up and he was completely and utterly enthralled by the players and what was happening in the game! I gave him a running commentary of what was going on, who had the ball & he just loved it! I simply have to take him to more of these!! The problem though was, the game was between Grandview & Prosser. I didn't know who to root for!

The girls lined up. Keanu & I took our places in the center bleachers, and the little ones filed out. They got some laughs out of the audience with the cute & slightly catty choreography to "Hey Mickey". Then it was Keira's turn with the big girls to the song "I Love Rock & Roll" by Joan Jett. She did awesome! They got lots of applause and I was the epitomy of the proud mommy!
Keira's bestest Jazz buddy invited us to Shay's Pizza after the performance. We totally stuffed ourselves with all-you-can-eat pizza, pasta, salad bar, chicken & joes! And the best part of it all was good conversation with some new friends!

Happy Valentines Day!!

I hope all of you are able to celebrate this special day with your loved ones!! Because Jeff is gone today, we celebrated our valentines day over the course of the last week or so. We painted all of our toenails (yes, even daddy got his painted), we made valentines cookies, cupcakes, a heartshaped chocolate fudge layer cake. Earlier this week Jeff & I were able to go to this amazing sweetheart dinner for the church. Also this week I went to MOPS and with these sweet Christian ladies discussed intimacy as husband and wife. It really was an inspiring experience and I felt so encouraged to be a better wife to my husband and increase intimacy on all levels so we can have a truly fulfilling relationship and a happier eternal family!

Last night I made a yummy dinner of NY steaks, shrimp, asparagus, twice baked potatoes & fresh fruit salad (sorry no pictures - couldn't find the camera). It's so nice to break out the fancy dishes once in a while! (The china we used last night has been in our family for many generations). Last night we also exchanged homemade valentines & had family home evening about the Tree of Life dream the prophet Lehi had, and we discussed the Love of God & how to feel God's love with the kids. How appropriate!

So here's me wishing all my friends and family a special valentines day in which you are able to recharge your relationships and express love for one another!

A book review, "The Hiding Place"

This week I read "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom. This book about the holocaust was surprisingly spiritually uplifting! It's about a Dutch spinster and her sister, who run a citywide underground operation out of their home. It talks about the lives they changed, the people whos lives they saved, and how they were captured and imprisoned. In this book it tells of miracles straight from the heavens, and the atonement of Jesus Christ, and how it lifted their burdens and changed them for the better. It includes such how-to's as: handling separation, getting along with less, security in the midst of insecurity, forgiveness, how God uses our weaknesses, handling with difficult people, facing death, how to love your enemies, and what to do when evil wins. Just reading this book changed my outlook on the world, and the terrible things that happen to people. I only hope and pray that should I find myself in a situation similar to hers, I can be as strong, I can love those that hurt and persecute as she did. This might be my book if I don't find another one soon, my night for book club is at the end of March!

frugal living & financial goals

As I read a friend's blog and began to respond, my response just got longer, and longer. So I decided to post my own take on the subject of living on a budget! I think a lot of people do little things to save a buck, things they may not be necissarily proud of! But I have no pride people! I'm the person in my family who manages all the finances! I see how much comes in and goes out, and over the years I can see that a few pennies here and there, a few hours here and there at a part time "job" really can add up to fun things for my family and more financial stability. For me, financial stability = security. I hate being tied down to credit card payments! Jeff might suggest that we charge a night out to eat or some little fun item, but I've learned through trial and error that this is a recipe for disaster!

When I was fresh out of high school, Jeff and I got our first apartment. I had a full time job as an office manager, but only made a measly 1100$ a month, paid only once a month right? Well, did you know that credit card companies will climb over one another for an opportunity to issue a credit card to someone so young with a regular source of income? YES! I racked up 6000$ on those credit cards in only a couple years with almost NOTHING to show for it! I was soon over my head in credit card payments I couldn't keep. Thank goodness for Consumer Credit Counseling Services! I know I sound like a commercial, but really, they saved my butt. I was able to pay it all off. For years we didn't carry a credit card at all.

NOW I've been trying my best -in spite of certain roadblocks- to pay off a credit card. We took out the debt for an addition and repairs to our home. I'm almost there! The end is in sight! Within a year we will have no extra debt (besides auto loans) IF I can just stay on track. But in the meantime, we still need to enjoy ourselves as a family, live comfortably, and yes-take the kids out once in a while!

My frugalness extends to such things as washing my car once or twice a year (or is that just being lazy?), buying much of my kids clothing at secondhand stores (although I'm pretty picky about the condition), rarely going out to eat, trading babysitting instead of hiring a babysitter, cutting and hemming old towels and tearing up my husbands old shirts for cleaning. Buying and selling things on Craigslist, buying much of my foods whole/raw instead of expensive processed foods. I'm sure I'm also wasteful in a million ways, but I'm always out for a way to make things stretch, save a dollar.

My latest attempt came from the realization that almost all of our tax return will go towards debt and our house taxes. But we still need a little vacation! It's been so long since we've really gotten away and done something fun as a family. I'm working at the athletic club, and also babysitting for extra money, which goes into our vacation fund. We found this place over the mountains, it's a little indoor water park/resort, and the prices seem affordable. Best yet, it's a short drive from Jeff's parent home. So this will be our vacation spot in March, and I'm saving up!

In the meantime, for financial goals this year, besides getting that blasted credit card paid off, I'd like to save a bit. I heard from a family friend that you can charge all your bills on one credit card & pay it off every month to earn points/gift certificates. I am, however, kind of chicken-hearted. After my previous experiences with credit cards I'm afraid something will go terribly wrong! I've also heard from a friend that you can round every purchase in your checkbook up to the next dollar, or a couple dollars up. Then you'd technically be saving money - but the problem is, how to find out exactly how much you have??

Please everyone, help me come up with some ideas! How do you exercise a measure of frugality in your home? Do you save money on an everyday basis, and how?

My favorite everyday pastimes...

Today I enjoyed a favorite pastime! A trip to the mexican bakery with my kids for jalepino cheese bollitoes and mexican sweet breads. I absolutely love those bollitoes! The kids love the cinnamon sugar twists/rolls.
Funny how pastimes often involve food (I just can't help it!) One of our favorite family pastimes is a trip to the bulk foods section of Winco for all kinds of treats (candies, dried fruit, rice crackers etc...) and on to the park in Richland for a picnic/playtime. It is inevitable that Jeff suggest a trip to the bread outlet for bread to feed the ducks. Not my favorite, but the kids really enjoy it. And then we love to go to the Oriental food market for delicacies that we don't get to have often, like dried squid, chinese sausages, vietnamese sushi...
When we visit Olympia to see Jeff's parents, a favorite pastime is Vietnamese Hot Soup & Sushi with his Mom and secondhand store shopping. Sometimes we go to the Super Buffet (It's gotta be oriental & involve Sushi!)
Camping is another favorite pastime in the summer time (I can't wait!) but we haven't done it in a while because the boys are so small. But this summer we can! Jeff most enjoys yuppie camping at campsites with electrical access and wide expanses of grass. My favorite though is rugged camping that you have to hike miles to get to (not an option until the kids are older!)
And in winter, it's gotta be inside games with the kids - playdough toys strewn accross our kitchen, storybooks piled high around us on the couch, or a trip somewhere snowy to go sledding.
Of course there are always things that you'd like to become pastimes. Here are a few of mine: Trips to the beach (we've done it, but it's so far away), season passes skiing up in the mountains, lodge camping in Oregon, trips to Disneyland, floating the river, hiking the lava tubes... All these things involve kids being older so I guess I'll just have to wait!
What is your favorite pastime?