Today’s trail was my right shoulder and forearm. Seems I’ve overworked it a little. I had it massaged and it hurt like crazy! But it will get the rest it needs over the next couple of weeks, before I’m back for the next round of classes. That’s right! I’m planning on continuing on!

Something else that’s become painful is the fact that Kateri keeps threatening to “tell Aaron” anytime she thinks I make a poor food or exercise choice. GREAT! I’m being policed! Today when I said that the little kids could have Nutella sandwiches, She said, “I’m going to tell Aaron that you’re fostering fatness in the little kids by letting them have Nutella”. And even worse-He texted her to say “thank you for being the eyes and ears of better choices in the Lang house”. What the heck?! I wasn’t aware that by signing up for this round of classes that I’d be watched constantly. I was told to offer them graham crackers with crunchy peanut butter and almond milk as an alternative.

Though I must say that being policed a little has it’s upside too-After I got home, Aaron texted to ask if I’d remembered to ice my elbow and arm. When I said that I hadn’t and that I’d have to do it later when there was some time for M.O.M., I was scolded and told, “MOM needs to take a few minutes, delegate tasks to everyone to help you out so you can take care of yourself and be a healthy, happy Momma!” I share this only to illustrate the kind of trainer this man is. I’m most certainly not the only one of his Boot Campers that receives a little boost and reminder to take the time needed for better health.

Thanks Aaron! It’s your dedication to what you do and to your clients that’s made your program grow as it has and keeps those that have found Kraze Boot Camps, coming back session after session.

Here’s to one more day!

Have a great night~

Today we did some partner exercises. It was the first time we’d done that and I really liked working directly with someone else. It kept me motivated. After-all, if she sat up to grab the weight from me and I was still lying on my back, it wouldn’t really work.

Today’s success was jumping rope. I truly can’t remember the last time I grabbed a rope and started jumping. But apparently it’s like riding a bicycle-you don’t forget.

Today’s challenge was blogging. I just had lazy-writer’s brain. I just didn’t feel motivated to put any words to today’s experience. But here they are anyway (I guess that makes it another one of today’s successes).

Even though tomorrow is the last day of Week 4 of this round of Kraze Boot Camp classes, I can’t call it the end because we have a couple of make up classes next week. So…I’m committed! Hear me out until, at least, next Tuesday!

This morning was the first one that you could tell that the sun was going to come out and the sky was going to be blue. It felt GREAT to be out early in the morning and to start the day with the breeze off the water and the sun beginning to shine. The feeling has carried me through the day, so far. I feel like I was plugged in and recharged and can take on the world. Seriously! It was a magical combo for me!

Here I am in Week 4-it’s the last few days of this session and I’m feeling great! My stamina for the exercises has grown, my soreness is almost non-existent, my clothes are fitting better, my skin is clear and healthy looking, my shoulder and back pain are almost completely gone, my energy is up, I’m sleeping better, my caffeine intake is WAY down, my water intake is up, my food choices are healthier…Ummm, I can’t find a downside to working out! This is GREAT!

Honestly, I have only positive things to say. Aaron has been positive and encouraging. The rest of the Boot Campers are upbeat and happy to start their day with the class. If I could bottle this feeling I’d send you each a lil bottle to try!

If you’re local and can find a day or time to come on out and give a class a try, I encourage you to do so. Join me for the next set of classes! I’d love to see more friendly faces! Take a look around the Kraze Boot Camp website or contact Aaron for locations and times. This feels too good not to share!

Mommy of Many™-Doing the Dance of the Children with a Spring in My Step, Thanks to Kraze Boot Camps~

Here it is, 10:30pm and I’m finally finding a moment to write about the 6am Kraze Boot Camps class. Busy day! I’ve been tired the last few days, but I’ve kept going and here I am at the end of another week! Yea!

Onto Week 4! With encouragement and a little bit of stubbornness, I’ll make it through Week 4 and beyond!

It’s not too late to come out and try a class! Send Aaron a message and let him know you’d like to give the work-out that’s kicking Mommy of Many’s behind, a try! I’d love to see you!

I talked to Aaron about how I was feeling and he said I need to start drinking a recovery shake and gave me some ideas of what to put in them. Never did I think I’d be buying those sorts of products. But I’ve got to start feeling a little better or I’m gonna have a tough time making it through.

When I got back from Boot Camp I decided to make breakfast for the kids before my shower. When Lex (4 yrs old) got up we talked about where I’d been. I asked if he knew why I was gone in the morning and he said, “you went to Boot Camp”. I told him he was right and asked what he thought I did at Boot Camp. His answer-”stretch your legs”. Alrighty then!

Just one more day in this week and then it’s onto the 4th and final week in this set of classes. I’m happy I’m working out each day but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to the break between class sets.

Hoping for a boost of energy and for my brain to get-on-board for tomorrow!

Everything was fast-paced and intense and Aaron kept us moving the whole time.

So-Kraze Boot Camps Class, Week 3/Day 2=an early night to bed for Mommy of Many. Just as soon as I finish picking Kateri up from work, getting JJ to rugby, feeding everyone dinner, picking JJ up from rugby, taking Kateri to the airport for her 10pm flight and picking Maddi up from a friend’s, I will surely crash into bed and I can pretend it will be early. Hoping to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for tomorrow’s class!

Wanna get your behind kicked into shape and your energy challenged? Join me!

It was a good day in class. I’m finding my strengths and my weaknesses. Cardio is still hard for me, but I can do WAY more jumping jacks than I could on Day 1. I haven’t been sore since last Thursday and my old habits are changing. I’m realizing that taking on this challenge really is about changing my way of thinking and the way I do things in my life, not just about losing weight or toning my body. My energy levels are changing and so are my eating AND drinking habits. I drink A LOT less coffee now, than I did 2 weeks ago and I’m reaching for water even more often than I used to (and I’ve always been good about drinking water). I’m taking better care of my skin and making sure I get to bed and get plenty of sleep. All of this from deciding I’d see if I could make and keep a commitment to spending 1 hour a day, exercising.

Tomorrow will mark the 1/2 way point through this round of classes. I can’t wait to see what the next 2 weeks will bring!

Remember, it’s never too late to join me! Come out and give a class a try. If I can commit to 1 hour a day, so can you!

Good night~

When I got to Kraze Boot Camp this morning I saw Aaron setting some things out and I realized that the routine that I thought I had learned to expect, yesterday would be different today. ~Big Breath~ To myself I said, “it’s ok! You made it through yesterday, when you didn’t know what to expect and you’ll make it through whatever is coming your way today. It’s one hour. ONE HOUR! You can do this. Go!”.

And so I did.

Day 2 was a success. I’ve decided that it’s important to measure success in the small things. I’m not looking for grandeur and I’m not setting huge goals. I just want to motivate myself to get to class each morning and commit to the hour. Today’s successes were-1) I showed up with my gear, on-time and was ready to TRY whatever was thrown at me. 2)I RAN 1 1/2 of the 2 laps for our warm-up. I had told myself that I would run 1 lap and if it became too much, I’d allow myself to walk the other. Yea for beating my own expectations! 3) I remembered my important rules about water and the sweatshirt. The sweatshirt was brought, but was not needed Surely a success! 4) The abs part of the program was, again, the simplest part…not easy, but the simplest. Must be all those years ago that I worked so hard to Cher’s abs workout. I guess they’re remembering.

I am sore. Kateri is sore. But we are looking at each day and moving forward.

A few things I noticed-1) I did not want to have a glass of wine last night. Not that I rely on a glass of wine each evening or that I even have 1 every night. But last night, when I thought about it, I just really didn’t want it. 2) I normally have 2 cups of coffee in the morning to get going and out the door. I drank 1/2 a cup this morn and headed out the door. Wow! 1/2 a cup?! ME?! 3) I am fairly flexible. Stretching is one of the things I look most forward to and it feels amazing. I can stretch farther than I would have thought. 4) My poor heart and lungs have been ignored! Cardio is hard for me. Gotta work on making it easier!

So, Day 2-Done! Looking forward to Days 3 and 4, mostly because I’m goal oriented and I know that after Day 4 there’s a 3-day break. I am NOT looking forward to what next Monday is going to feel like!

Thank you for all the encouragement I’ve received! It definitely helped. Let’s do this!

Have a great day~

This morning I was thinking about all the change that’s occurred in the last several weeks. First of all, Clay returned from a year-long deployment. That alone changed the dynamics in the house. I handed over bedtime duties and bill-paying duties. But then a week ago, one of my sisters moved down from Northern California and lives less than a mile away from us and just a day later, Kateri arrived for the summer. It’s great to have so many people who can help with the kids’ schedules and the driving duties and even the errands. BUT, I’m not used to having so many people to help with everything and the part of me that is normally in control of all scheduling, errand-running and kid-juggling feels out of control. Even though it was REALLY hard to get everything done before all these helpful hands arrived, I did it. And I did it because I micro-managed every detail of EVERYTHING. All these wonderfully, helpful adults do not need M.O.M. managing their schedules, so I often wonder what’s happening, with whom and when. This is hard for my very-in-control being.

It’s not just getting used to having everyone help with the kids’ schedules, it’s getting used to having so many adult family members around. I’ve lived away from my own family for a very, very long time. Being a military family, we spent years moving around with orders. We’ve been fortunate enough to be in So. Cal. for a long time now, but I haven’t had a family member live nearby in several years. Now, I have Clay home, my brother living here, one of my sisters living down the street and my adult daughter in town for the summer. Such big changes!

Don’t get me wrong-I’m not complaining, I’m just explaining what a huge change it is for me to go from controlling every detail of everything, to having so many people who are here to be helpful and loving with the kids and even household tasks.

Within the next month JJ will also be home for a couple of months and the whole dynamic will change again. Then the Fall will come and Kateri and JJ will head back to school and again, things will change. Hmmm…I guess I better just get used to the “norm” of the house being “change”.

For now, I’ll enjoy the fact that I can ask someone else to pick kids up from school, or get them to an appointment and I’ll just keep adding one more portion to the meals I cook.

Good stuff!

Doing the Dance of the Children and of Change~

Now that Clay is back and my brother is here and there are more hands and drivers to get the kids where they need to be, I feel like I don’t have a good grasp on everything. When I’m the only one who has to make it all happen, I have it all mapped out and know exactly what has to happen for whom and when. But now it’s all a little cloudy because I don’t have to know all the details. It takes me awhile to adjust to not being the only one in control.

Secretly I’m a control freak- *shhhhhhh* -Imagine keeping it all together if I weren’t!

But I’m letting go of a few pieces of the puzzle and letting Clay and Ted take them over. Don’t worry, there’s still PLENTY for me to do. I just have to get it all clear in my head.

Whew! This ever-changing life…Doing the Dance of the Children~

I’m facing the fact that I’m getting older. This means that all the people I’ve grown up with are also getting older which, in turn, means that all of our parents are getting older. This means that many of them are facing health concerns, ailments, illness and even death. It feels like it’s happening all at once. On the one hand, it’s scary and sad and on the other hand, it’s bringing people closer together. I know that 20 years ago when we were all meeting at friend’s houses for movies, games and visiting that we didn’t think of this time. But here it is and it’s bringing us back into each other’s lives. It’s also giving me a reminder of how important friendship and love are and all the people we bring into our lives who we treasure and cherish. We are all born into families, but we also end up building another family around ourselves that’s made up of all those people who touch our life. I had 3 really nice phone calls tonight that refreshed my memory of all of this.

It’s a shame that our days get so filled with daily life, worry and work that we forget to truly live each one. And that we get so complacent that we forget to tell those around us that we appreciate and love them.

Here’s to another day full of life and loved ones!

Good night~

This morning my head is full of wondering about sick kids. Mariah’s been home from school since last Friday and isn’t sure if she is going to go back to school today. No one else has gotten sick, but I’m starting to wonder what would happen if they did. If any of the 4 youngest kiddos gets ill, I’ve got to stay home with them. I haven’t had this worry before. So…I’m keeping things clean and sanitized. I’ll keep giving everyone their vitamins and I’ll keep Mariah confined to her room (wish me luck).

Have a great day~

Yesterday was the very last day of school for this 08-09 school year.  

What a year!  

Seriously, it’s been a year of schooling unlike any other for our family. Last summer I made the decision to pull my 4 kids from the private school that we had been in for 8 years.  The decision was HARD but had many reasons behind it.  One of the kids wasn’t going to be able to go back because of some math challenges, so I pulled everyone.  What a whirlwind path that set us on!  I started the year by enrolling the two 7th grade girls in a homeschool program that had them on campus a couple of days a week for spanish, computers and science.  I enrolled the 2 boys in the local public school.  By November we had one of the 7th graders back at the Catholic school and the other enrolled in the local middle school.  After Christmas break both boys went back to the Catholic school.  And finally, after Easter break, the other 7th grader went back to the Catholic school.  The child with math challenges worked REALLY hard and ended the year with a C. With all the changes and challenges, I’m so proud of how well all of the kids did this year.  It was all crazy, but it was a “live and learn” situation.  I learned that you get what you pay for and that we can not match the level of education that the kids were used to at the Catholic school.  I also saw, very quickly, that there was so much more that they were getting from that environment.  There’s a sense of self-respect and accountability that is maintained by learning in a faith-based school.  

Lesson learned! ( I supposed I should add this to the Learning Lessons Series) Next year I will have 6 kiddos at the school, 2 8th graders, a 4th grader, a 1st grader and 2 preschoolers.  I will also be there everyday as an aide in the 4 yr. old preschool class that Gabi is not in.  Wow!  7 of us in one place everyday!  

Well, here’s to the end of a crazy, but successful school year and to the beginning of summer! 

Have a great day~

And so it begins.  After some changes to the original plan of Clay leaving on the 17th, he has now officially boarded a plane.  He gave the kids his best “Dad” talk, grabbed his sea bag and began his deployment.  The kids are remarkably good with his coming and going.  I’m the constant in the house and always have been and they know that everything’s “ok” as long as I’m around.  People have asked, over the years, how they do with the deployments and other than a few bumps here and there, they just keep rollin’.

So, now it’s all me.  My head has been so crammed with all that needed to happen to get him out the door successfully that I left the airport realizing I didn’t know what my next move was.  I headed to Target to retrieve the bag of stuff I bought last night, but had forgotten to actually pick up and take with me (a good example of my scattered head) and realized that it’s time to get my routine going.  It’s the end of the school year, so that means lots of kid stuff and then summer is on us.  Judging from last summer (when Clay was also deployed), the summer will be jam packed and move quickly.  JJ will come home and the kids and I will get into a good routine of searching out the fun things around us in this beautiful place.

Alright, off the computer and onto the day! Day 1……..

Thank you for all the good thoughts and prayers and to everyone who has offered a meal or a hand with the kids.  My family and I are truly grateful and thankful!

Have a great day~