Wouldn't change a thing...

      Well writing every week has been a harder goal to maintain than I originally thought. Since my last post 2 weeks ago, I've been going nonstop. There were ball practices and Kaitlyn's tournament last weekend, work has been busy as usual and of course trying to stay on track with work-outs. Luckily, since my post about my struggle with the work-out thing, my sweet husband got my treadmill back. It has made its way throughout the family but has finally come home to me! Doing the weight machine definitely works my muscles but walking/jogging on the good ol' treadmill just leaves me feeling like I've done more for some reason. Maybe it's because I actually break a sweat and feel like I'm going to die by the time I get off that thing!
     This week also found my husband with a pulled neck muscle. I know he is really hurting when he actually agrees to see a doctor! He seems to be doing a little better now but may need to see an orthopedic doctor if not completely better by the end of the week. When we picked up Kaitlyn Friday, she was feeling bad too...allergies and low-grade fever. Chicken soup and tylenol every few hours have worked their magic and she was feeling up to church this morning.
      She was not up to softball practice yesterday but last night we went outside for a bit and she was hitting the ball as I threw it to her and she hit one right into my leg! Now I have a lovely black and blue calf and I think she felt worse about it than I did because I had to keep telling her it was ok and it was just an accident. The good thing about being homebound yesterday was that I got so much done. The cleaning fairy in me really came out! Bathtubs and sinks scrubbed, dresser drawers organized with Spring clothes, all laundry done, complete house vacumed/swept! Even made some hamburger soup in the crock pot which turned out excellent, if I do say so myself.
     Now today we are just taking it easy and getting ready for another busy week. It's Spring break and Makayla is leaving tomorrow to go with her grandmother to Great Wolf. I'm excited for her but a little sad since this is her first out-of-town trip without me.  When she gets back we'll have more t-ball practice and her Opening Ceremony is this coming weekend. After that we'll have games every week through the end of May! I made out a calendar and there are some weeks we have games 4 nights a week. It's crazy busy sometimes but I love it and wouldn't change a thing (except maybe there could be a REAL cleaning fairy)!

    
   

Kicking off the season...



Very first time on the field!



It’s been such a busy week that I didn’t even have time to write yesterday. T-ball and softball practices have started for the girls and it’s an exciting time. This is Makayla’s first year to play and at her first practice Monday night she was doing great. Just like her sister, she seems to be a natural athlete. We got to watch Kaitlyn practice Friday night and seeing how hard she works and how good she is makes us so proud.



Kaitlyn's team won first place last year!

 I never played sports so it’s a little surprising to me that I enjoy watching them play so much. I often wonder if I had played would I maybe not have been such a shy kid. I look at how Mak is so outgoing and it’s so amazing to me. She just has that personality where even at 4 years old she can talk to anyone. I still can’t do that!



Mak at biddy-ball!



I figured that putting her in a variety of different activities would help her avoid my shyness problem and meet new people, develop hobbies and let her find her niche. First we tried gymnastics and she really enjoyed it but after about a year, she seemed to just get tired of it and didn’t want to go anymore. We tried dance and after 4 weeks she said she did not want to do it. Last fall we gave soccer a shot which was her first sport and she really liked it. Next we did biddy-ball and even though she was the smallest kid out there, she loved it. She got her first medal and was so proud. So now we are giving T-ball a shot and even after only 2 practices I think this is going to be her best and favorite sport. 



Mak at soccer!



As long as she’s having fun though, that’s the main thing. I never want to be that mom who makes her kid play. I’m not trying to live through her, I genuinely enjoy seeing her and Kaitlyn out there having a great time. I think its giving them confidence and building self-esteem. This is something they can continue to do as they’re growing up and even through college if they want. This will be Kaitlyn’s 3^rd year to play, she even made All-Stars last year. She’s got a tournament coming up this weekend and we’re really looking forward to kicking off the season!



Kaitlyn at All-Stars last summer!



The Third Time's the Charm...

     Hard to believe we're a week into March already. Changing all the calendars this week got me thinking back to 10 weeks ago (yes we're actually 10 weeks into 2011!) when I made my New Year's Resolution. Like millions of other people, I went with the good old cliche'  of  "get in shape".  I wish it had been more original, more creative...maybe take a dance class, start scrapbooking, learn to paint...something, anything other than this again. You see this has been my resolution for the past 3 years!
     It's not that I don't WANT to do it It's just been hard to accept that I actually NEED to do it. It was never an issue when I was younger, I ate what I wanted, never exercised and life was good. Then we decided to have a baby. I had Makayla in August 2006, got a treadmill soon after and lost almost all I'd gained. I was satisfied and sold the machine foolishly thinking that was the end of that awful exercising. I went back to eating what I wanted and no workouts. The pounds slowly crept back on which eventually led to that first resolution for 2009.
   We bought a home gym, my husband (who ironically works out 5 days a week, eats whatever he wants and is basically Mr. Fitness!) planned a routine for me and I got started. I also started counting calories. It was hard but I started tracking my progress...weighing and measuring each week. After about 3 weeks I started to see a real difference. It felt great and was very motivating. By the time we went to Great Wolf that March, I actually felt comfortable in my swim suit. It wasn't too much longer, however, that I stopped working out again. I felt satisfied and thought I was good. Fast-Forward to January 2010 and Repeat. By April, Kaitlyn's softball games had started and I felt there just wasn't enough time to keep up my workout schedule. I was looking better and felt things were good enough to stop anyway. See a pattern here?
     So what is going to make the third time the charm? Maybe it's just the fact that I've finally accepted I can't stop. It's getting harder to see progress. After 10 weeks, I've only lost 6 lbs. It's frustrating and miserable at times. I get tired of drinking a Slim Fast every morning and eating things like steamed broccoli for lunch. After working an 8 hour day, I don't feel like coming home and working out just before I cook supper, clean the kitchen, bathe Mak and get her to bed, take a bath myself and still make time for a movie with the hubby. It's a little exhausting but  I'm determined!  With the days getting warmer and longer my plan is to integrate walking into my routine and I'm even considering Zumba. Whatever it takes I just know I have to keep at it this time. I am so looking forward to being able to make a new resolution for 2012! Salsa lessons anyone?