My life, as of late.

As I was telling my friend, Sunny, sometimes its just easier to catch people up when I do a bulleted list.  October has been a really long month for me.. or it just seems like it has been.  Its been filled with many fun things that have changed my life in good ways. With that in mind, here's some highlights:

• Started the month off strong with really great parent conferences.  That always makes me feel better about how my classes are going.
• General Conference was great.  Always fun to spend time with my family and get my "shot in the arm" of conference.   Plus, with the new missionary ages, my oldest niece announced her choice to serve a mission.  So proud of her.  It fits perfectly :)
• Took a trip to Steamboat Springs with some friends.  Laughed and laughed and laughed some more.  I had not traveled with these women before but can't wait until we can hit the road again. They're members of my ward and neighbors and friends.  Best road trip in awhile.
• Was called as the Relief Society President for my family ward.  That happened the night before I left for Steamboat Springs so that made the trip just a bit more interesting haha but I was able to get my counselors called and was set apart on Sunday... and then immediately had to start planning my first funeral. :( *sigh*  That's been the focus this week.
• Got my yard and home winterized... that included getting rid of my old table and umbrella and chairs on my patio set.  I'm aiming to try some box gardening this spring and needed the space.
• Chris Powell is still in my head and I'm about 1.8 lbs away from a grand total of 30 lbs gone.  I'm hoping this next week will be the week.  40 by 40!  Going to be great!
• Tried a new class called power yoga.  A local store worked with some local gyms and studios to sponsor some free classes through October.  I've done yoga before and its one of my favorite ways to exercise.  The first night we went, we walked into the studio and my friend says "WOW!  Its so HOT in here!" She's never done yoga so she didn't know what that meant... but I DID! LOL Not only was it power yoga (not stopping inbetween moments to hold a pose, but keep moving fluidly- more aerobic), it was BIKRAM power yoga.  Bikram is a style that starts the room at 94 degrees and heats it up during your workout to about 104 degrees. LOL we were DYING!  and there came a point where we were literally just dripping from head to toe.  We couldn't grip anything and we just had to giggle haha  however, we've gone back every Monday for more punishment!  Its a fantastic workout and awesome way to detoxify your system.  Just make sure you drink, drink and drink until you think you can't anymore.  Love it!
• I guess that's about it.  Happy Halloween! 

Nine.

I saw this post on my friend's blog and thought it was good to think about.  So I'm passing it along. :)

The nine hardest things that we all have to do, and will continue to go through in this thing called life....

1- Being questioned when you yourself don't quite understand.

2- Pretending to be innocent of what you know you are guilty.

3- Trying to forget something you know you never will.

4- Admitting you're wrong when you've been so insistent that you were right.

5- Debating with yourself.

6- Accepting the fact that somethings aren't meant to be.

7- Trying to understand when you just can't.

8- Realizing that you've been fooled after you have been given the whole truth.

9- Parting and letting go of someone who made you believe in love again.

Happy Fall, Love Blossom

The New Man in My Life

I have a secret.  I've got a new man in my life.  I haven't told a lot of people about him simply because... its complicated.  Aren't most relationships? *sigh*  Anyway, we met about two years ago.  I first saw him helping someone, which endeared him to me immediately.  I started seeing him every week on Sunday nights at 7:00 p.m. on ABC.  His name is Chris Powell :)

Isn't he adorable?  You'd think, right?  He isn't so adorable when he's hollering about how many more reps someone can do with weights, or to keep biking up a hill, or to NOT GIVE UP!  Chris is the trainer on ABC's Extreme Makeover Weight Loss show.  He takes clients who are "super obese" (that's the legit term) and stays with them for a year.  These are individuals who need to lose more than half their body weight.  The first week, he checks them into a health clinic where they undergo medical testing, dietary evaluations and serious adjustments in their thinking.  After the first week, they are allowed to return home where they find a part of their home transformed into a personal gym.  Chris moves in with them for 3 months, literally moves into their home.  He works with them for an entire year and then there's a reveal at the end.  He is one tough cookie!  But he's also incredibly likeable and truly cares about the people he's working with.  I've never heard a trainer like him before.  I have a little bit of a crush on him. ;)

I'm turning 40 at my next birthday.  If I'm being honest, I was more than a little irritated about that fact.  However, over the past two months, I've come to terms with it and I give credit for that to two people and one decision I made.  The two people are my sister, Emi, and Chris Powell.  Emi sent an email detailing how she had lost 60 something pounds the past year and challenged my siblings and I to get moving. It was about the same time that I watched Chris help a girl who was 28 and weighed only 80 pounds more than I did.  Granted, 80 pounds are a lot of love handles!  But for some reason, that bugged me that I felt that close to someone on a show for "super obese" people. 

So I decided to get moving again.  My foot was no longer a concern so I thought I'd start running once more and think about a 1/2 marathon again next spring.  That's when my BIG decision came about.  I had to face the fact that I HATE to run.  I find no enjoyment in it whatsoever.  I had to tell my friend, Sunshine, that I hate to run.  She kind of lives for it and was the encouragement behind me to begin in the first place.  But I figured if I was going to be exercising and trying to make a change to a more active lifestyle, I needed to do things I really enjoyed.  What do I really enjoy, you ask?  Being in the water.  I love the pool.  My gym doesn't open the pool until 5:30, so I've had to make some sacrifices when it comes to doing my hair and making it to school on time.  I also really enjoying riding my bike.  I'm out there every night cruising around my neighborhood, ringing my little bell and waving to my neighbors haha It'll have to be soggy and sloppy to get me to stop.  I'll admit- some days its really hard.  However, as soon as I find an excuse, I hear Chris Powell creeping in my head telling me I really can do this; I really deserve to be healthy; I really can do 5 extra minutes of cardio in the deep; I can beat my time from last week and go an extra half mile.  WHEW! He's brutal!

That one decision has made all the difference in the world.  I find myself doing things more for the enjoyment I get out of them, rather than the obligation I feel to complete something.  I find myself saying NO more than I have before, but not in an unkind way or to be selfish.  I really just find it refreshing and liberating to do things I enjoy! I don't have alot of spare time, so why not spend it doing things I like?  Its been a really great transition and I've decided more of my friends need to be 40.

My original goal was to drop 25 pounds by my birthday.  I've cleared that already and my new goal is 40 by 40.  To celebrate, I'm going to Disneyland with my friends haha I have to thank Emi for the challenge and Chris Powell for being the man in my life.  Without him in my head, I doubt I'd have kept going.  He's making a difference without ever having met me.  You could call me a groupie, but hey, better a health trainer than Lady Gaga Monster.  Perhaps I'll send him a picture from Disneyland to say thanks, ;)