Morning, friends!!! Goodness, we came home from Spring Break and hit the ground running. So much going on this week that I’m just taking it an hour at a time. It’s been a bit overwhelming, but I try not to think about what’s ahead too much and just focus on the present and the task at hand. Do you ever have weeks like that? So much to do that you can only take it a day at a time?
We will get there, friends! The weekend is upon us and although it is equally as busy for us, I’m looking forward to it.
I didn’t blog yesterday…. honestly I was struggling a bit getting back into the swing of things. It always takes me a bit to adjust after a week off.
Today is the Let’s Look! Every month, I link up with Erika and Shay to “look” at a certain aspect of our lives.
I’m not going to lie, this month’s topic isn’t my favorite. Currently, I’m on the struggle bus with this aspect of my life, but here we go.
My fridge… nothing glamorous at all. I thought about making it all pretty and tidy for y’all, but nope…I’m just keeping it real.
Nothing special at all! We always make sure that we are stocked up on eggs, yogurt, fruits and veggies. Jojo loves the Core Power protein shakes by Fairlife so I make sure I have plenty for him. And of course lunchables and fruit cups for lunch!
And then the freezer…. I don’t typically freeze my meat. I buy it fresh and cook it within a couple of days. If, for some reason, we don’t use it then I freeze it. But two staples in my freezer are frozen pancakes and a Dijourno, ha! The kiddos love the pancakes for a quick breakfast and the pizza is an easy dinner when we are super busy!
And then there’s my pantry. So quick story. I have an organization system. Nothing complicated as I have learned with kids to not over complicate being organized. But, there’s a method to the madness that is the pantry. A couple of weeks ago, Mackenzie decided to “help” me clean the pantry and she moved everything around!! EVERYTHING!!! I had to bite my tongue and say thank you because the girl spent an hour cleaning and organizing. So nothing is in its place at the moment and I don’t have the time to put it back the way it was.
But you know, it’s like when your kiddo makes their bed and it’s not exactly the way you like it. You don’t go behind them and “fix” it. You tell them good job because that was their best work. So for now, we will keep it the way it is until I have some time to organize it back the way it was. We added the counters back in December and I love them! I haven’t had the time to really organize all of the drawers and cabinets. It’s a summer project! Do you have certain projects that you put off until summer? Or is that just me?
And that massive crate does not stay there normally. Poor Georgia was spayed this week so we needed a big crate for her since she has the cone of shame….
Bless her…
So anyways! Nothing to exciting here today, folks! I hope y’all are having an amazing day!! I have so much that I want to share with you, but I’m trying to organize it all in my brain. I will get it together, I promise!
If you are a blogger and want to join us next month, here’s the schedule of topics.
I am linking up with Erika, Andrea and Narci to share our FAVORITES from the week.
Today is a great day! I wish I could share all the details with you, but it would take days! Today is a reminder that second chances do exist, that patience during a waiting season brings great blessings and that God always, always provides. Today is a day we’ve dreamt of for 10 years y’all. 10 Years. One day I hope to share what today means, but for now just trust me when I say that God always comes through. There will be moments of doubt and tough lessons, moments when you wonder if God will ever come through and when He does….WOW. I can’t even put it into words. I am so thankful for God’s grace, His faithfulness and His provision. I am thankful for second chances.
I just wanted to take a moment to share that encouragement with you. If you are in a waiting season, hold on and hang tight. Be still and know He is God because when the blessing comes it will blow your mind!
Alright I’ve gone off on a tangent, but I’m so excited. So back to Friday Favorites. Sit down, prop your feet and grab your coffee. Here are some of my FAVORITES from the week.
ONE
Last weekend Joseph’s Aunt hosted her annual Halloween Party. This year she challenged everyone to wear a Halloween hat. What exactly is a Halloween hat? Not sure, but my sister-in-law and I just went with it. We met at Dollar Tree Saturday morning and came up with about 11 hats for our family. We had a great time! Aunt Rose throws the best parties. Although the food hangover I had for days after wasn’t so great ha! The time spent with family was great!
TWO
As many of you know, I am hosting a Virtual Bible Study through my blog and Facebook page. I can’t figure out how to put my videos on my blog so make sure to like my page to see the weekly videos. This week was such a good week! You can read more about it here.
THREE
My mom and sister joined us for church on Sunday. It was a sweet surprise. Also, the kiddos got to have a little pre-Halloween fun and dress up in their costumes.
FOUR
On Monday, Joseph and I hosted the Young Life Leaders in our home. This was such a sweet time. I loved meeting each of them and spending some time with them as they ate dinner. But what I loved more was watching them come together at the end to go over the night and pray. Something about hearing young kids pray just blessed my heart. It was a sweet sweet time. Thank you Lori and Staci for helping me provide dinner for this great group of kids!
FIVE
Halloween started early for Joseph and I! We dressed up for our CrossFit class. So much fun!
SIX
We had a great Halloween. But I have to admit, I can’t wait for Halloween to come on the weekend. I always feel bad cutting the night short for the kids. These boys go all out. I’m afraid we don’t have too many years left of this… This is the third year that the boys have celebrated Halloween together. It’s become their thing. They look forward to it every year.The girls had a great time too. Look at those costumes and make up! Props to my sister for doing Mary’s make up. She got all the creative genes in our family so I am thankful she can always pull off the things I can’t!The boys trick or treated on foot and the girls rode in the trailer.
SEVEN
On our way home from small groups on Wednesday, I went by Kroger to pick up some cough medicine and saw this! OMG! I can not be happier!
That wraps up my Friday Favorites for this week. I hope you and your family have a great weekend!
Hi Y’all! It’s time for What’s Up Wednesday which means it is the last Wednesday of the month. I can’t believe October is almost over.
Today I am linking up with Shay, Sheaffer and Mel for their fun link-up. Every month we answer these questions:
1. What We’re Eating This Week
I’ll just be real honest here and say, lots of fast food. Ugh. I haven’t made it to the grocery store this week.
2. What I’m Reminiscing About
It’s Halloween on Tuesday! This year we found everyone’s costume without any crazy drama. I did have to order Jojo’s because he wanted a very specific clown mask. What in the world? I miss the days where they wore cute costumes. Just look at my sweet babies…
3. What I’m Loving
I am loving the cooler weather! It finally feels like fall in Georgia.
4. What We’ve Been Up To
Our CrossFit gym is celebrating our anniversary all month-long. We divided into teams and have been working hard all month to accumulate points. We’ve had a great time!
We also celebrated our anniversary with a scavenger hunt, crossfit style. We went all over our small town. So much fun!
5. What I’m Dreading
This one is always hard. I can’t think of anything that I’m dreading. Maybe Christmas shopping?? I know, I know. I’m the weird one, but Christmas shopping stresses me out.
6. What I’m Working On
Laundry laundry laundry! Ha! No, I’m kidding. Maybe.
Earlier this month we went to Hilton Head Island for Fall Break and then we had painters at our house for a couple of days. I can’t take a day off when it comes to laundry so a whole weekend really put me behind. I’m working on getting caught up and not stressing about it.
7. What I’m Excited About
Basketball! Football is over and now it’s time for basketball. Don’t get me wrong, we love football around here but when it’s over it’s over and we move on.
The girls are playing ball through our local rec. department. They are both on “big” girl teams this year so I’m excited to watch them play.
Jojo is playing with his travel team in a local league during the winter. He’s a 5th grader playing on a 6th grade team which makes me a little nervous. He did the same last year as a 4th grader and improved tremendously.
I’ve been reminding Jojo of this quote. Some days he’s not very excited about practicing and going to lessons. I know he’s young, but I want to instill the practice of practicing. We can’t just count on our natural ability to do things. We have to practice and work hard.
8. What I’m Watching/Reading
I am working on finishing up Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker. My goal was to be done by now, but I am not a fast reader.
I’m also doing a virtual bible study through my Facebook page and blog for the book, Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle. We started the study on Sunday and it will go for six weeks.
As far as what I’m watching…everything ha!
Keeping Up with the Kardashians is my guilty pleasure. This is Us is so good. Joseph and I watch Survivor together. We’ve watched it for almost 10 years. Riverdale is on its second season. If you liked Pretty Little Liars, you will love this show. You can’t do Thursdays without Greys and How to Get Away with Murder. And I am loving American Housewife. It is such a funny show!
I think I realized why I can’t finish a book ha! Yes, I watch a lot of shows. There are a few more that I watch here and there, but these are my favorites. Thank goodness for the ability to record episodes.
9. What I’m Listening To
We sang this song at church on Sunday and it’s been on repeat this week.
When I crank my car it will randomly select songs from my music library. These were a couple of the random selections. Took me back in time!
10. What I’m Wearing
Lots of plaid shirts and jeans. I’m excited to add in my boots now that it feels like fall.
I’m wearing my Born Primitive Halloween Shorts and my new sweatshirt. You can read all about Born Primitive here. Use my BFF’s coupon code Sanders15 for 15% off of your purchase.
I also bought this new sports bra from them and love it.
This shirt came from one of our local boutiques, Polished Chic. I got so many compliments at church about it.
Earlier this year, a blogger posted a pic of the cutest house slippers. They were gold and sparkly, but when I went to order them they had sold out. While I was at Target yesterday, I decided to walk through the shoes and came across these. I was so excited until I noticed that they were for little girls. But I decided to try on a large just to see and they fit! They are super comfy and so adorable. Oh and only $17.99 since they are “kids” sizes. I am a size 7 in women’s shoes and these fit perfectly. Aren’t they adorable!?
I love my slippers, but I also love a good, comfy robe. I wear one every single day. I needed a new one and found this one while we were on vacation. The brand is Calvin Klein and it is super soft. I bought it at TJ Maxx in Hilton Head.
11. What I’m Doing This Weekend
On Friday, I am going to a friend’s house for a Cabi Party.
Saturday is the first Saturday since August that we do not have football. Joseph’s Aunt Rose is hosting her annual Halloween Party. She throws the best parties!
Sunday we will go to church. It’s dress up day for the kiddos so they get to wear their costumes to church. Although, I told Mary and Jojo they would need to pick a non-scary outfit to wear.
12. What I’m Looking Forward to Next Month
Joseph and I will celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary on December 11th. We always take a few days to get away and enjoy some time to ourselves. I am super thankful for my sister who holds down the fort for us at home. We normally go the second weekend in December, but this year we are leaving at the end of next month. We decided to go with a tropical trip instead of going to Grove Park Inn like we’ve done the past couple of years. I’ll miss going to GPI. It’s always a great trip but I’m excited to change it up this year.
It has poured all morning long. I’m not going to lie. The couch is calling my name and all I want to do is take a nap as I listen to the rain fall. But. Laundry.
If you follow me on social media, you saw my post about my laundry. I have laundry coming out of everywhere. I am so bad about getting behind. I can stay on top of it for a couple of weeks and then an out-of-town trip comes up and I get behind. When I get behind it takes me weeks to catch up. Am I the only one that this happens to?
I did choose though, to not stress about it. A clean house and caught up laundry doesn’t define who I am. Life is busy and crazy and sometimes the laundry piles up and the dirty dishes stay in the sink for a couple of days.
So today, I am planning on finishing it all up. We just got a text letting us know that softball games are cancelled and this is our first week without football practice. So that means a night in for the Eternos. We will be working on laundry if you need us!
Speaking of football. We finished up our season this Saturday. It’s always bittersweet to see it end, but we are ready for some basketball around here. Jojo has been taking lessons during the off-season and this year we are playing with our tournament team in a local league. It’s our first year that we won’t play with the rec dept. I’m going to miss watching all of our local boys play this year, but I’m excited to see Jojo continue to grow on the court. He improved so much last tournament season and I can’t wait to see how he does this year.
Our CrossFit gym celebrated our ONE year anniversary with an awesome scavenger hunt. I think we ended up running five miles total after it was over. My team came in first woohoo! We are so thankful for our community. They have made this an amazing first year. I am also thankful for our friends Rob and Staci. Going into business with friends can be a bit scary, but we’ve said it from the beginning that our friendship is number one. We’ve had a great time and have grown closer. We love you guys!
Saturday night we finally spent some time with our friends who we have missed so much this year. The boys had a blast and even the girls got in on the fun by coming to “boo” the boys. I am so thankful for this group of boys and their parents. I didn’t have this growing up and I am so blessed that my kids do. I love that their friends’ parents are our friends. I can’t wait to see them grow up and go through all of the milestones together. Before we know it, we will be watching them play high school ball, going to homecoming and prom….ahhh I better just stop talking now because I’m going to have a breakdown if I don’t.
On Sunday we went to church. We started a new series called Unlearning Religion. So so good. I also wore my new shirt I bought from one of our local clothing boutiques, Polished Chic. The material is soft and you can dress it up or down. I wore it with my jeans and new leopard shoes from Old Navy. Isn’t it so fun!? #ilovefall
After lunch we went to the gym to make up workouts because it’s competition month and we need those points ha!
We ended our night with all of us sitting at the table eating dinner. This doesn’t happen very often because we are so busy.
We started our Virtual Bible Study yesterday. Make sure to go to my Facebook page to see the video and join in on the discussion. You can also read my post from yesterday here. Y’all it’s so good. You don’t want to miss out.
This album has been on repeat this weekend. The worship team sang the song Grateful from it and it spoke such truth to my heart. Since dad passed, worship has been hard. For a long time I couldn’t sing along during worship. I couldn’t even mouth the words because everything inside me was trying not to lose it. Each week it gets better. This Sunday I really did feel like I was finally able to worship in a way that I had not since dad passed. I just keep thinking to myself that as I stand and worship, that is what my dad is doing at that moment. He is worshipping too! Face to face with Jesus. Ahhh….chills!!!
And last but not least, today 17 years ago, my hubby asked me to be his girlfriend. I can’t believe we’ve spent that many years together. I am so thankful that God chose Joseph for me. He is my best friend. He is my person. My constant in this crazy life. We’ve had highs and gosh we’ve had some lows, but through it all we have stayed together. He has taught me how to love selflessly. He makes me brave and encourages me to shoot for the stars. Thank you babe for loving me and all of my crazy.
And that wraps up this Monday blog post. It was a little bit of everything. I hope you have a wonderful rainy Monday.
Y’all. This week. Gracious. We had SIX softball games in Four days, Football practice three of those days and we hosted small group at our house. Today, we have our school fundraiser for the big kids and my crossfit team is doing our weekly team workout.
Not to mention, laundry is piled up, bedrooms need cleaning and my sink has not been empty all week. #momminainteasy
But it’s Friyay and that makes me happy!
Today, I am linking up with Erica, Andrea and Narci to share some of our favorite things from the week. Grab your coffee, take a breather and get comfy.
ONE
I was looking through old pictures and came across this one. Can we just take a minute to look at my sweet girl? We’ve had a rough week y’all. She has been extra whiny and emotional. She cried one morning because I started to fix Mary’s hair before I did hers. It’s been rough, but then I see these pictures and it reminds me that my baby isn’t a baby anymore.
I normally try to space out having lunch with the kiddos at school. It was Jojo’s day, but she cried and well…I made it work. Jojo has “brunch” at 10:55 so I went to Hardees at his request ha! Chicken biscuits for him and his buddy. Then I left a little early around 11:20 to go back to Hardees and get this sweet thing some chicken tenders and fries. She has lunch at 10:32 so I was cutting it close, but I made it!
TWO
Mary went on her first overnight field trip to Jekyll Island last week. She had a blast, but we were so happy to have her home. I felt like a “bad mom” because I didn’t go with her, but she was well taken care of by all of my sweet momma friends. I think it really helped her to do this without me. Earlier this year, she struggled with anxiety and some minor panic attacks. I was so worried that it would all come back, but thank God it didn’t. Mackenzie missed Mary! As much as they fight, they really do love each other. Mackenzie made Mary a sweet card while she was gone.
THREE
I am loving my new Halloween booty shorts and sports bra by Born Primitive. You can read all about this awesome brand here. Ladies, if you are looking for a new sports bra-check them out! Use my BFF’s code: Sanders15 for 15% off.
FOUR
This week was lunch with my kids week. I try to do this a couple of times during the school year. The weather was beautiful this week so we sat outside.
FIVE
It’s competition month at our crossfit box. We are celebrating our ONE year anniversary all month-long. Here I am #meanmuggin representing my #teamnumberjuan.
I love watching our morning crew interact with the evening crew, athletes lifting heavier, running faster, jumping on a box and rope climbing for the first time. We’ve had a blast! If you are looking for a community of athletes from all different walks of life and fitness levels, come see us! You don’t have to be “in shape” to come. We help you get there. All of our workouts can be scaled and modified to fit your fitness level. I promise you can do it! Check us out on Facebook!
SIX
My sister-in-law dropped off some goodies at our house this week. In the goody bag was this awesome, big jar of squash relish. Oh my. Y’all. This stuff is so good.
SEVEN
My sweet Mackenzie made me this card at school. Gosh I love that girl!
EIGHT
On Sunday, we decided to go to 12 Stone Church. We are “in between” churches I guess you can say. After dad passed away, I wanted nothing to do with church. We didn’t go for over a year and then couldn’t get in a good routine of going. On Sunday, our schedule was a little off so we opted to go to 12 Stone. I’m so glad we did. It was exactly what I needed. We started a new series that you can watch here.
What I have loved is that each day, they have a devotion that goes back to the message from Sunday. It’s really challenged Joseph and I this week.
Here’s Day 1. There’s links to the following days at the bottom if you want to follow along.
If you are a praying friend. I know not everyone prays, but if you do will you pray for us? We have struggled to find a church home since dad passed. Pray that we can find a place that will challenge, encourage and help us grow in our walk with God.
This Instagram post spoke such truth to my heart this week.
NINE
I am hosting a Virtual Bible Study and would love for you to join me! We will start this Sunday. You can read all the details here. I’ve worked on it this week to get a head start and it’s going to be so good! It’s already encouraged and challenged me so much!
TEN
A couple of weeks ago I spotted these cute shoes at Old Navy. I am a sucker for leopard print and love that it’s back in style this fall. You need these shoes! Pair them with some jeans and a plaid shirt for a fun fall look.
And that wraps up this week’s Friday Favorites.
We have a busy but fun weekend ahead. It is finally feeling like fall around here and we’ve been blessed with some beautiful days. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
Good morning everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful Thursday. We’ve had a super busy week around here and it does not seem like it is slowing down any time soon.
Our crossfit box is doing a competition this month to celebrate our ONE year anniversary. We’ve had so much fun! Athletes are excited, they are lifting heavier, running faster, jumping on boxes, rope climbing. I am so proud of all of them and super thankful for our community.
I shared a little bit about how this community motivates me every day and helps get me out of a fitness slump. You can read a little bit about that here. It’s so important to have friends who will motivate you and keep you accountable.
As a coach, many times I have to go in to do my workout in between classes. As someone who is used to working out with friends, it’s hard getting it done by myself. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good run with my headphones on and favorite tunes playing. But when it comes to crossfit, I love my workout buddies.
There is so much that motivates me to workout, but today I am talking about one of my favorite things.
Workout clothes!
Yes you read that right! Since this is my daily attire, I own a lot of workout clothes. Ask my hubby who insists that I don’t need anymore. In which I respond, you can never have too much ha!
I am faithful to the brands I have come to love. My list is short because I’m pretty picky when it comes to my workout attire. It needs to pass the test of being comfortable, durable and most importantly it needs to be cute. Let’s face it you look good, you feel good right?
I have shared my love for Lululemon, but today I want to tell you about another one of my favorite brands.
My best friend and business partner, Staci is an ambassador and is the one who introduced me to the brand. It took some time before I finally ordered some of their very popular booty shorts, but after I tried them on I knew why Staci loved them so much.
Not only are they comfortable, they have a longer inseam to keep you covered and they don’t ride up when you are working out. They have all kinds of fun patterns to choose from. These are their Halloween shorts that I am absolutely in love with! Aren’t they adorable? I think they are sold out, but be on the look out because Christmas ones are coming. These shorts are not only for crossfit. You can wear them to yoga, boot camp, weightlifting, running and of course hanging out around the house.
Now ladies, let’s talk sport bras. So I have to admit. I was quickly sold on the booty shorts, but I just couldn’t convince myself to spend the money for a sports bra. Let’s just say…shame on me for waiting this long! Y’all. You all need a Born Primitive sports bra. Trust me on this one. This is the most comfortable sports bra I’ve bought. It fits perfectly and doesn’t feel like it’s cutting off my circulation. It gives me the support I need while working out because that is super important. You ladies know what I’m talking about. Our girls need support ha!
Sports bras and booty shorts are not the only items they sell. They recently added yoga pants and have a great variety of tanks, long sleeve shirts and sweatshirts. I love that you can wear them to the gym and around town running errands. They also have a men’s line for all the guys out there.
I love Born Primitive not only for their clothing line, but also for what they stand for. You can read all about it here, but I wanted to share this quote from their page:
“Born Primitive was created for the modern savages out there who reject this notion and refuse to accept the mediocrity that society now fosters. Whether it’s at the gym or in life, our beliefs are simple. Set goals, relentlessly strive to achieve them, and never make excuses. Look people in the eye and give them a firm handshake. Your word is your bond. Throw your conventional limits out the window and realize your true potential.”
I just love that. Don’t settle for mediocrity folks. Set goals and fight to achieve them. Not only in your fitness, but in all aspects of life. Reach for the stars. Don’t give up and fight to the end.
And lastly, I love Born Primitive because they give back. You can read all about the charities they support here. Ladies you need to go and buy their Bright Pink Edition Vitality Sports Bra. During the month of October they are donating $10 for every Pink Splash Bra directly to Bright Pink.
I love a brand that gives back!
So there you have it why I love Born Primitive. Now go online and start shopping and use my BFF’s code: Sanders15 for 15% off.
Good Monday morning friends! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Fall break is over and back to school the kids go.
I’ve been on the struggle bus the last week or so with my workouts and nutrition. I had surgery at the beginning of August and took about six weeks off. The break was nice and much-needed, but it’s time to get busy. Getting back into a workout routine or starting a new routine is hard.
Growing up I wasn’t much of an athlete. I played basketball and soccer, but I wasn’t the best. I was always one of the slower ones and to be honest I just wasn’t very good!
I spent my summer mornings working out in a sweat suit to my mom’s Jazzercise videos ha! That was the extent of working out for me and the way I got rid of those extra pounds I put on during the summer.
During my twenties I got married, had babies, battled anxiety and depression so exercise wasn’t even on my mind. I wish I would’ve lived a more active lifestyle back then. But I’ve learned that it’s never too late to start.
After I had Mackenzie, my crazy hubby decided to train for a half-marathon. Not really knowing what that was, I didn’t want to be left out, so I decided to train too. I will never forget that first mile I set out to do. Y’all. Bless my heart. I mean I thought in my head that running couldn’t be THAT hard. Yeah…let’s just say it took me about 30 minutes to get through a mile and a half. I remember thinking what the heck did I agree to? I can’t even make it two miles how am I going to make it 13.1?
I set my mind on my goal and fought through the hard days. I gave myself small goals and developed a good routine of getting up early to run. I had three kids under four so waking up at 6:30-ish was the only time I had.
I slowly began to enjoy it. It was my time to focus on myself and prepare my mind for the day. I remember the first time I ran an entire mile without stopping. I danced and danced on the side of the road not caring one bit what people thought of me as they drove by. As the weeks went by, I added more miles and then found myself running anywhere from 7-8 miles on a Saturday morning. I loved it!
I was hooked to the rush, the endorphins, the feeling of accomplishing something I never thought I could do.
Years later Joseph and I began CrossFit and that was a game changer for both of us. I know CrossFit isn’t for everyone, but sometimes I think that a lot of people have a skewed view of it. CrossFit has given me the strength and endurance to do life! A farmers carry is like carrying all my grocery bags into my house and a deadlift has taught me how to correctly pick up something heavy. I’m not trying to get you to come to CrossFit, but I totally am partial and think you should ;).
Going through a slump or wanting to get started can be overwhelming. We’ve convinced ourselves that we can’t do it or aren’t athletic enough. It is a mental game and overcoming your mind is step 1.
This morning I want to encourage you to get active. Whether you are going through a fitness hiatus or you are trying to get started-here are a couple of helpful things that I do to help get me back on the fitness wagon.
SET GOALS AND CRUSH THEM
Setting goals is a must for me. I work better under pressure and with a plan and goal in mind. I am a list girl. I love to write lists, but even more I love crossing things off my lists. Setting goals and accomplishing them is so satisfying and empowering.
I mentioned overcoming your mind is step 1. Once you do that-set out a plan. What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to run a certain amount of miles? Do you want to lean out and tone? Or do you just want to be active.
Give yourself a goal of 30 minutes a day. Run/jog/walk for 30 minutes. Each week increase those 30 minutes by 5-10 minutes. Don’t think about the miles. The miles will come.
When I started running I tried the apps where they told me when to run and walk. They didn’t work for me. Instead I listened to music and set out to run as far as I could. Once I felt like I couldn’t run any longer I would walk and give myself a marker on the road such as a garbage can, street sign or bush. Once I reached that marker, I would run again. I slowly began to run longer and walked less.
Breathing while running is super important. I taught my athletes in the 6:45 morning class to think about Lamaze class. The “hee hee hoo” breathing technique I called it ha! Getting your breathing under control will help lots!
For those going through a hiatus-give yourself a goal of a certain number of days you want to get in for the week. If you are a runner-set out to run three days a week. If you go to a fitness class do the same. Set out a number of days and increase a day each week. Before you know it, you will be back at it. Muscle memory is great and you will realize that after a couple of weeks you are close to where you were when you quit.
Schedule Your Day
Go ahead and schedule your workout. Put it in your planner or phone. Set that time aside. As moms it’s hard finding time. I’ve found that early mornings are best for me. It stinks getting up early at first, but your body gets used to it. Set out your clothes the night before, go to bed early and set your alarm.
Sometimes afternoons are then only time that works and that’s ok too. Mom’s with older kiddos-go for a walk during practice or bring your yoga mat and dumbbells with you. I’m sure there’s a mom or two that would join you!
A little sidenote here….do not feel bad for setting this time aside. Absolutely not. We are working on us so that we can be better wives, moms and friends. I am a better person when I am working on me. I used to feel bad for bringing my kids to the gym with me. Not anymore. It is ONE hour of their day and it isn’t hurting them to sit and let mommy have her time. Before you know it they will want to join you. You are setting a good example of being active. I love that my kids want to workout with me.
Moms-be encouraging to one another. If working out isn’t your thing don’t put those that do down. We are all different. Our seasons are different. Our priorities and our lives are different. And that is ok! You do you and I’ll do me.
Ok. Sidenote over.
Find a Support System
One of my favorite things about CrossFit is my people. My community, my tribe. I look forward to going to class and when I’m not there I get a text asking me where I was. A good support system of encouraging friends is a must.
CrossFit may not be for you-no hurt feelings. But find something that is. Whether it’s meeting to run with friends, a spin class, yoga or boot camp. There are so many different ways to stay active. Find which one works for you and do it. But most importantly, find a place that will encourage, motivate and push you. A place where coaches will be there to help you and teach you correct form and technique.
I’m partial, but my community is the bomb.com. These friends have gone through so much with me. Sickness, death, hardships, anxiety, issues with kiddos… I am who I am because of these folks. They are my tribe and I am so thankful for them.
So are you ready? Set some goals girlfriend, believe in yourself, plan your day and find a tribe that will push you.
But above all-GRACE, GRACE, GRACE.
Do not quit if you miss a workout. If the kiddos are sick and you haven’t done anything in days-do not let your mind convince you that all your hard work is ruined. Get back on that wagon and hold on. You can do anything you set your mind on. I believe it. I’ve lived it. And you can too.
I hope you have a wonderful Monday. The alarm is going off and it’s time to wake up the kiddos.
The girls had a great time too. Look at those costumes and make up! Props to my sister for doing Mary’s make up. She got all the creative genes in our family so I am thankful she can always pull off the things I can’t!
The boys trick or treated on foot and the girls rode in the trailer.
Mackenzie missed Mary! As much as they fight, they really do love each other. Mackenzie made Mary a sweet card while she was gone.
