165!!

I know weighing in isn't a good or clear indication of where I am, BUT today I hit a number I've been hoping to reach - 165lbs, and it feels GOOD! Before our vacation I saw stuck at 168, then just before we left I was 166, upon return 169! But I didn't obsess about it, and I didn't change anything (maybe working out a tad less! LOL!) I think I weighed 165 in my University years and maybe that's why this number has more meaning....I'm not sure, I just know that it feels good. My secret (not so much anymore) number that I had hoped for since the beginning is 160. For my size (5'9") and large frame (my grandmother used to make Lopi sweaters for me and always claimed that I had the shoulders of a linebackers!)

Here's my attempt to prove show you my magic number (no comments please about the toes, no ones toes look nice!):

Workout was great. I have to admit that I've been having some workout anxiety this week.I mentioned it to hubby who totally understood. Ever since I took the drop in kettlebell call last week with Craig I've been having performance issues! LOL! I''ve been playing head games with myself - "am I working hard enough?" or "do they (Laurissa and Craig) think I can/should be working harder?".

Here's the think, I'm was a distance runner in my youth - I learned to pace myself and always leave something in the tank for the final push. When I workout I have the same mentality - and then when I'm done and still have 'something in the tank' I feel like I let myself down and should have pushed harder. It a lose/lose mentality I have to shake. So thanks to hubby and Shanan, who both said 'put that aside and just work really hard from the begining and don't worry about holding back' I had a great workout - and it felt fun again! I think my mojo has returned!! Yeah!

Here I am in my office before working out (I meant to take an 'after' shot too, but forgot!):

Todays workout was a skipping tobata, inter-mingled with ab work! Phew!

• Skipping tobata (30 seconds on, 10 seconds rest = 8 total working reps) - high knees
• Sit ups - legs down, legs up int a V and reach hands to toes, legs back up and lift legs to ceiling (30 reps)
• Skipping toata - jacks (while skipping legs out to the side, legs in; repeat)
• Side plank - full arm, lowering waist to the ground and back into side plank (30 reps per side)
• Skipping tobata - scissors (while skipping, one leg to the front and one to the rear then switch; repeat)
• 'Bridge' Abs - single leg bridge lifting hovering leg to the ground and back up, lower out of bridge with leg still suspended up and lift it to the ceiling. (20 reps per leg)

As I'm often finish before the other ladies Laurissa had me doing push ups - so I did 10 push ups after the sit ups, 10 after th side plank, and 20 after the bridge abs - this is 40 extra push ups!

Right after the workout I had to rush off and pick up my son who wasn't feeling well. So, I missed lunch. I did grab a 500 ml chocolate milk (mmmmmmmm!) on the run and then once I got him settled at home I had this:

I love blackberries and they've been on sale lately..mm. And really, is there anything better than peanut butter on an English muffin with a nice cup of tea?

So, now I'll keep my eye on the little guy (who is actually taking a nap right now!) and get some housework done.

And, try not to worry about tomorrow's kettlebell class....I'll do the best I can....period!

Later

Rain, rain, go away

Another, wet, cold, rainy day in Nova Scotia. And while its been quite a productive day at work (lots of little, time consuming tasks were completed today) I didn't get a workout in. I was going to squeeze a Booty Boot camp in at noon, but unfortunately it was cancelled. Bummer!

I had hoped to get out for a long walk with the girls tonight, but it's been pouring and I'm staying put. Therefore today has rained out, and is now a day of rest (which isn't a bad  thing).

I know I was going to take more bloggie photos, but as I was ready to take some pic's I realized that my camera battery was dead. I did, however, take a few pics (with my work camera) of an infant hat and mitten set that I knit (for a friends silent auction for Breast Cancer):

The lighting was off for the second shot, but I wanted you to see the cute 'thumbless' mittens! So, while it's not exercise or eating related, I guess I can stretch it to 'healthy relaxing hobby'? Anyway, I thought they were pretty cute!

Tomorrow is our regular noonhour workout, and Saturday am is the Kettlebell workout. Sunday Shanan and I are thinking about a little surprise (which includes exercise, but not a workout necessarily)....I won't say any more so I don't ruin the suprise! :)

Nite

Mojo returning

Today was a fast, crazy day! To work (on time for a change) and finished weeding through the voice mail and emails which piled up over the vacation...then I realized that I have a meeting at 3 and I'm giving not one, but two presentations - THAT I HAVEN'T STARTED YET!! Eeeekkkk!

So, I frantically start working on the powerpoints and in the back of my mind is my workout at 12:30. This means I basically have to be done the presentations by 12:15. Fear not, I got 'er done! (And I did pretty well during the presentations too!)

Today was another time trial, but one that we hadn't done before. It was four rounds of the following:

• Single leg deadlift with a plyo jump (10 per leg)
• Maltese Cross sit ups - from laying down (arms over head) into a sitting position (with feet pressed heel to heel in a psudo cross legged position. Touch one foot, arms over head and back all the way down. Then bring legs into the air and lift heels to the ceiling. (20)
• single arm pushup (wide legged) - (5 per arm)
• mountain climber (1, 2, 3), into standing with a jump, and back down (20)

So that group of 4 exercises x 4 rounds took me 25 min (and some seconds). I was pretty happy with the time, I always push hard on that last one so I can be happy with the time, AND remember, I'm a tad competetive so time trials and the thing for me. I ALWAYS have to better my time...ALWAYS!!! :)

Anyway, workout felt good during and I'm starting to get back some of the energy level afterwards (like I used to feel). Its feeling less like a chore and more like the fun!! YEAH!

Oh, and its Craig's (the other crazy trainer at Core Essentials) 4-0 birthday today - so Happy Birthday Craig. It's not so scary is it??

I know I promised more pics today, but it was just so busy that I didn't have time - even if the camera was in my purse! I'll try harder tomorrow...

Nite

Quickie Tuesday

Rainy day, and still no mojo. However, after confessing my lack of Mojo to Laurissa she assured me it happened to alot of people recently on a relaxing vacation. And, low and behold, after working out I started to feel a little more like my old self - a little more like 'ok, lets DO this thing!'

Workout was quiet today, it was myself and one other lady so Laurissa modified the workout specifically for each of us. Mine looked something like this:

• warm up - 5 mins skipping, and 5 mins on the water rower
• lunges with 2 x 30lb kettlebells (10 reps)
• prisoner squats (20 reps)

repeat above.

• pull ups on the hanging rings (12)
• two footed jumps to a platform (20)

repeat above.

• pull up on the hanging rings (12)
• two footed jumps to a platform (20)

repeat above.

• 2 handed kettlebell swings with a 30lLb bell (20)
• walking lunges with a weight - swinging weight to opposite lunging leg (throws you off balance and your core really kicks into to stabilize you and keep you from falling over!) (10 reps)

repeat above.

• laying on back with legs overhead, bring legs up into the air (lifting bum off floor), then lower legs slowly to the floor, and back up and overhead (basically you are folded in half here). (12 reps)
• laying on back legs in V reach between legs, legs together and lift heels to the sky, then lower legs to the ground. (12 reps)

repeat above.

That's it, with a nice cooldown/stretching. I was good and sweaty, I worked hard and felt good afterwards! I also had more energy an hour after I was done. I'm starting to feel like my old self - so much so that I signed both hubby and I up for the Saturday Kettlebell drop in class again!!!

So, that's it for today. Tomorrow is another good day and I have to say I'm starting to get excited about it - hubby on the other hand is 'feeling fat' and not getting his mojo back. However, he knows that if I can get it going on then it rubs off on him (competitive much!LOL!)

Alright, back to trying to register my kids for summer camps and get my summer organized!!

Nitey nite

PS I will try to take more photos for tomorrow.

As promised...vacation update

Monday, back to work...uuggghhh! And, I believe I have a little intestional buggie that followed me home from the Dominican - I've been spending long periods of time in the bathroom facilities. So much so that I remained at home, in the comfort of my own bathroom ;P

I took son to the dentist for a check up and returned home with a needed filling AND a referral to the Orthodontist -all I can hear are the cash register sounds in my head. We do have excellent medical coverage through work, but time will tell. For now we wait to see.

So, if there was a day where I could really use the workout it was today - but the dentist took longer than I'd hoped for so I missed the workout. AND, Craig was filling in for Laurissa so it promised to be a good one. I'm still hurting from Saturday's one hour Kettlebell class - SERIOUSLY!!

I chanced a 1/2 hour at the park (chanced the need to visit the bathroom!) and maked a short workout - better than none but not great. As Amy would say, I've lost my workout Mojo. Funny, so has hubby. It must have been the vacation. We both feel like we need to workout, and want to workout, but just can't summon the energy to give it 100%.

Ok, enough of that...here are the vacation highlights via photos:

there was some fun night-time entertainment (with lots of 'ron punches');

and here's how I spent my days - reading a book and watching the kids in the pool (again, heavy on the ron punches)!

I woke early most morings and would walk the beach and enojy the quiet.

and as promised...me in my bikini. This is early in the trip and I still look gastly pale :-p

Oh, I did workout twice. Once in the sad little gym, and the second time I did water aeobics. This picture is of our instructor - Shiney Pants! He was awesome (to look at!) and at the end of each days session he would drive in and make those shiney pants all wet! :)

And we did a one day off restort trip - it was amazing. We met kids in a a local school, ate in a local restaurant, went to two beaches, snorkled, fed the fish, shopped....what a full day.

So, I'll leave you with some miscellaneous landscape shots....makes me want to return asap!

Nite!

I'm BACK!!!

Sorry, I've been back a few days now and haven't posted. I'm just about caught up with the laundry and housework.....and I've also been thinking about renaming or revamping the blog - rather than Fitter 4 Fourty, now I am Fitter @ Fourty? Keep your eyes open for a change in the future!

I'm just back from my first workout since the vacation - and OMG, it was a one hour kettlebell session with Craig, and it completely kicked our a$$ ('our' being hubby and myself and Shanan!). The yard work I'd planned to do toady may be postphoned until tomorrow when I'm recovered! LOL!

Anyway, I promise to start posting photos from the trip tomorrow, but for now here are some of my faves:

My toes and the pool (the kids spend all day, every day in the pool!)

The sunrise on our beach in Rio San Juan - just me and the beach! The family slept in most mornings, so I'd take the quite time to myself and have an early walk on the beach.....beautiful!

and lastly, me in the bikini....its' not what I had imagined I would look like, but its definately an improvement over what I looked like last July before I started working out.

Ok, that's it for now...just a taste, but tomorrow I'll start really getting into details of the trip. Tomorrow is also rest day (however there will be loads of yard work) and Monday Craig will be teaching our Noonhour workout for Laurissa as she has an important meeting.

It's great to be back but hard to get into the grove of real life.....

Later

the night before

I'm too tired to really give this my all. In fact, this may have been my motto all day today. I'm pooped, tired, fatigued...I need a vacation! HA! Good thing we hit the beach tomorrow!!

Spent most of the day packing and buying last minute items, and cleaning the house for Karen who's staying at our place with the puppers while we are away.

I did, however, make it to my 'last chance workout' at noon. Hubby also had 'pain management' session with Craig (which over lapped my appointment). Hubby was up first, so while I was waiting I warmed up on the water rower (I did a 2000 m in 7:25, not a bad 'girl' time, and less 15 seconds from the last time I did it!).

Then we got into the real work when Shanan and the other girls arrived. It was hard, and long, and exhausing. We did groups of snowboarders, and rear lunge swing to the front with toe touch (each leg) - we did these in sets of 10 until we hit 100! - there were other wonderful exercises in between to break it up some too :)

Ok, I'm so sorry that I don't have the energy for a better post, but I'm toast (and a poet and didn't know it!). See how tired I am, I'm making crappy puns! :P

So, I'll see you all in a week. I've packed my workout clothes in the hope of getting to their gym. We also packed snorkle gear and tennis rackets! I don't doubt that we will get our exercies in over the week, and I promise to take tons of photo's - even one of me in the bikini!

LATER!! :)

Slow moving Monday

Well, today was my last day of work before the DOMINICAN REPUBLIC! Yeahhhaaaa!! I did make it to Core Essentials for my noon hour workout, which was short and painful sweet. I went in only working with a half a tank (of energy), but I worked my way through it. Here's what it looked like:

• low squats (jumping back up into standing in between, and touching the ground on the down)
• Pull ups
• Duck dives (a tricept move)
• prisioner  get ups (from lying down, get up without using your hands; get back down to lying without hands)

We did each exercise for 30 second, rest for 10 seconds - 6 reps. We completed the full 6 reps of each exercise before moving on to the next exercise (this fully fatigues the muscles!). I really wished I'd had more energy to put into it, but I suppose just gettin' 'er done is enough some days.

Good eating habits today, but mostly due to being so busy at work. Now, the remainder of the cleaning needs doing and maybe some relaxing. WAIT! I can't relax yet, I have another noon hour workout tomorrow and hubby has another session with Craig - I'm going early to watch and am somewhat fearful that he may throw a kettlebell at me rather than allow me to just watch...we'll see : |

Later!

Skip-to-my-loo

What a beautiful day! Its a day of cleaning and packing, but I also made time for a home workout too. While the littlest was off at gymnastics I put on my gear and headed outside with my skipping rope. 

I really enjoy skipping, and its really great cardio for me as I can't run (remember that nasty petalla femoral syndrome). Here's what Wikipedia says about skipping:

In contrast to running, jumping rope is unlikely to lead to knee damage since the impact of each jump or step is absorbed by the balls of both feet rather than the heels. This decreases the ground reaction forces through the patella-femoral joint greatly. Jumping rope also helps strengthen the arms and shoulders. This combination of an aerobic workout and coordination-building footwork has made jumping rope a popular form of exercise for athletes.

Here's some information on the positive cardio effects of skipping:

According to the U.S. Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Council, an excellent cardiovascular exercise which is far less hard on the muscles and bones than jogging, is rope skipping. From an energy standpoint, jumping rope at about 130 revolutions per minute is similar to running at 6 miles per hour or cycling 12 miles per hour. Just 10 minutes of rope skipping is equivalent to a one-mile run!

So, today's routine was simple (6 sets):

• 4 minutes of skipping (each set a combination of high knees, single feet, double feet, and fast feet)
• Triplet: 10 bootstraps, 20 mountain climbers, 10 burpees

Then I went inside and did a little TRX ab work:

• pikes (10)
• mountain climbers (10 singles per leg)
• knees in to chest (10)
• twists (5/side)
• And I did oblique twists on the ball with a weight overhead (20 per side)

And here's how pretty I look when I'm all done (it took a full hour, including some short breaks):

(no comments about the 40 year old mass of forehead wrinkles!)

Right! Well, its time to get back at the cleaning and the packing!! T-minus 3 days till lift off!

Later!

Birthday Boxing Day rest

Today, my birthday boxing day as a friend put it, is a rest day. I'm tired, my muscles hurt and I need a rest. I also have a fun girls even planned for this morning - Gayle, Jenny and I are having our birthday pedicures. The three of us have birthdays very close to one another, so rather than buy presents for each other we now plan an annual pedi event. Here we are having our toes done - and the best part is the chair, it MASSAGES you from head to toe as your feet are being pampered!! Here we are: (Jenny, myself & Gayle)

and here are the finished products:

Afterwards we went out for bunch, and then Jenny and I did some shopping at Costco! When I got home I started cleaning and packing!! Yes, packing. I should tell you I'm a tad over organized, its an OCD thing of mine. Hubby used to go crazy, back in the days of apartment living, when we'd have an up coming move. I'd start packing weeks and weeks before the move. He'd go looking for something and not find it anywhere - I'd already pack it! LOL! Anyway, I think I'm pretty safe to start packing now....only 3 full days!!! YIPPEE!

I think I'll take in a RealRyder class tomorrow with Laurissa early am - if I can figure how to transport myself on the bus as the car will be used by hubby taxing the kids around to their events.

Later folks!

PS It's been suggested that I should change the name of the blog from Fitter 4 Fourty to Fitter @ Fourty - what do you think? 

Happy Birthday to me!

And to my daughter (yes, I had her on my birthday - she is the best present I've EVER gotten or will ever get!) Here we are waiting for the men of the house to serve us breakfast-in-bed (no comments about the hair please!):

There were flowers, balloons and card on my desk when I arrived in the office this morning - thanks to everyone, however I suspect Shanan is the real organizer! Thanks Shanny! The morning blew by, partially as I was in late as I'd had a meeting in Halifax first thing this morning. So, before I knew it Shanan's telling me to get changed for our workout.

I mistakenly thought Laurissa might take it easy on my today, being my birthday and all - man, I was WRONG! Today she really 'brought it'! Today was 6 stations, working for 30 seconds on 10 second rest, for 25 minutes. Here are the 6 stations/exercisesfor today:

• Dips with an ab crunch
• Leg raises - lying on the floor, raising one leg high into the air, now raise into a bridge (and lower) (right leg only)

• Platform jump - jumping two footed from the ground up onto a raised platform, jump back down to the ground

And, there will be no comments about my belly hanging out in this photo!!
• Wide legged burpees
• kettlebell military press from a squat (single arm)
• Leg raises - lying on the floor, raising one leg high into the air, now raise into a bridge (and lower) (left leg only)

As it was my birthday I thought I should have a group photo:

and the last one is Laurissa and I!

So, this is it. Now I'm Fourty. Do I feel any different? No. I feel good, I think I look good. I don't feel like I thought Fourty would feel. I still feel like I'm in my mid thirties.

I can thank Laurissa (and myself) for helping making this change in my lifestyle. Its definitely a permanent change; I will not go back to the way I felt and looked! I guess I should say thank you to Fourty too, because if it weren't for the fear of that number I wouldn't have made a change either.

That's it! Nite

Sweaty girl, sweatier boy

FINALLY I'm using the camera! I'm so proud of myself! LOL!

This morning Hubby had a one hour, one-on-one session with Craig at Core Essentials. He was very excited about it, but also a tad worried. I should explain: I know my hubby and what a hard worker he is, and I appreciate what a top notch trainer Craig is. I KNEW that the two would hit it off! So, I suggested that hubby try a few sessions with Craig for that extra push in his workout routine. Hubby goes to the gym very regularily and does his routines (that Laurissa help him with) and is has totally toned up and dropped a bunch of weight!

Previously (not long ago) hubby had his first one-on-one session with Craig with the kettlebells (which is a new piece of equipment for him and one that Craig loves). During this session He and Craig got to know each other and hubby learned the K-bell moves! Afterward hubby made the mistake of telling me that he was feeling pretty fresh afterwards, and even joked about maybe going for a run!

WELL, we can't have him not fully embracing the Craig experience (or the level of post workout fatigue thar he's expecting), so I made sure to share this little tid bit of information with Laurissa, who MUST have told Craig ;)

Their second session was today at 9am, and as the Studio is 2 minutes from my office I took the oportunity to run up the street and sneak in! Here's some of the pictures that I took (oh, and hubby was so in the zone that he didn't look up or really know that I was there taking pictures!):

Those are two 35 lb kettlebells that he's pressing there, and I'm not sure of the crazy number of reps were done!

This was a pull up on a band, again high number of reps!

I'm proud of him, he did  AWESOME, and Craig thinks he quite the athlete (high praise indeed). I'm also glad he found somone to push him the way I know he wants/needs! We LOVE the Core Essentials team!

So, enought about my hunny - My workout today was Booty Boot Camp, and man did Laurissa bring it! My a$$ is a tad sore, which can only mean that it was a very efficient workout! Also, let me put this side note in that lately I've been sweating like a beast. Normally I get hot and turn red. No sweating. Now, I turn red AND sweat! LOL! I'm not used to this....and I stink! :)

Here's what today's workout looked like:

• warm-up: about 3 minutes of skipping
• TRX - single legged lower to the ground, switch feet at the ground, raise back up on one leg (weight in heel of foot) - (10/leg)
• TRX - hamstring curls (10)
• TRX - Plyo squats (leg straight back) (10/leg)

Here I am on the TRX:

• TRX - bridge with legs scissoring in and out (10)
• TRX - single legged lower to the ground, switch feet at the ground, raise back up on one leg (weight in heel of foot) - (10/leg)
• Side lunge (holding a 8lb med ball), put med ball to outside of foot, push off bringing knee across body and bring med ball with you (over head) (10/side)
• Crazy Jump (my name) - standing on one foot, jump into the air and kick your bum with the standing foot (landing softly) (10/leg)
• Queen's curtsy - (with a 10 lb weight on the leg) pulse 3, bring leg with weight back in and straight out to the side (10/leg)

Here are Shanan and I once we're all done - two tired and sweaty girls:

Great workout, and I'm so please that Hubby and Craig are working so well together - they are both smart, intense guys so it make complete sense that they'd get along like a house on fire!

Ok, time for some mommy stuff - tomorrow is the big day, the big 4-0! My daughter and I will be expecting breakfast in bed from the boys of the house. I think I might need to have a stiff drink tonight!

Nite

Hump-day workout

I love to see my own trainer SWEAT! When we arrived at the Studio Laurissa and Craig had joined in to the class they were teaching - Advanced Kettlebells! We only saw the last 10 minutes, but MAN they were working hard!

Once we started our workout it was with stretching  .. lots of stretching. This is always good, and likely something we all don't do enough of. Also, Craig stretched us out so they were different stretches than we do with Laurissa - variety is the spice of life!

Once we got warmed up we jumped right into the workout - we started with:

• 10 burpees
• 20 mountain climber
• 10 bootstraps

Then we worked our way into the core of the workout:

• kettlebell situps (12)
• 10 push ups
• leg over with kettlebell circle
• 10 push ups
• combo (30) brazillian, reptile and knee in
• 10 push ups

and finished with:

• 10 burpees
• 20 mountain climbers
• 10 bootstraps

Oh, Extra time, so lets do:

• plank - leg in, leg out and up into the air squeezing glutes
• 10 more push ups!

Good workout, feeling tired afterwards but once I ate I was feeling great! The afternoon flew by (bringing me closer to the vacation that I'm obsessed with!)

And I finally remembered the camera today, unfortunately it wasn't until suppertime - but here is supper:

Nothing fancy, but when in a rush there is nothing better than 'Breakfast for Supper', and the kids think its a hoot! So we have 1/2 an english muffin, scrambled eggs, and sauted veggies (onion, red peppers, zuchinni and mushrooms). Quick, easy and healthy!

I have already placed the camera in my bag for tomorrow. Hubby has a training session with Craig that will prove to be his undoing, and we have Booty Boot Camp at noon - I aspire to snap some shots of both!

Ok, I'm tired and ready for a rest.

Nite

Beautiful day, great workout

I'm not sure if I'm meant to be a camera-person. I CAN NOT remember to bring the silly thing around with me, I feel like such a bad blogger - all this text and no pics. I will TRY harder to remember to bring it with me. Right now I'm going to blame the upcoming trip - its all I think about. I love a good To Do list, and I'm happy to announce that mine is steadily shrinking away. Today I started getting the american money, but now I need to break it into smaller bills (for tips).

Now, the workout today was as expected - hard! Booty bootcamp today, so it was all lower body. It was not a cardio workout, but man I was breathing hard and SWEATING! Here's the thing, I'm not a sweater, I'm a 'redder'! LOL!

Today we did a combination of:

• queen's curtsey's (each side)
• squat with a side kick (each side) 
• knees high
• kettlebell 'suitcase lift' (on each side)
• kettlebell front lift (squating in front and lifting the kettlebell - similar to suitcase lift but in the front rather than on each side)

I think there are more, but I've blocked them from my memory forgotten them already. We did most of these two and three times (in between the other exercises).

Tomorrow is power half hour (which I love for the full body workout).  It's funny, now that Craig (the other trainer) is at Core Essentials he's hanging out when he's not training his own people. This means he has some free time on his hands and likes to bring-the-pain 'help out'. We never know when we are going to get this extra motivation, but I have to say I love it. I love not know, and I do love the extra motivation to perform! He doesn't ask more of you than you can do, he just shows you that you can do more!

Alright, time to help with homework and break up a couple of sibling fights!

Nite

Hoppy Easter!

Just a quick catch up over this Easter Weekend. No working out but loads of being outside in the 20+ sunshine (playing with the kids, working in the yard, walking the dogs...). I did some heavy duty gardening which included hauling 30 lb concrete blocks across the yard - it was almost like swinging a kettlebell ; )
What a glorious long weekend this turned out to be.

Tomorrow is back to the grind - tomorrow is 8 days until we leave for vacation (but only 5 working days)!

I went shopping with Shanan tonight and now I'm tired. However, I think I've got all the large items for the trip - all that's left are a few small things like lip balm, memory card for camera, extra piece of luggage.....

Alright a good night sleep is in order as tomorrow is back to Laurissa too!

Nitey nite all!

PS  - A quick shout out to Lori B who I ran into at the park - its always nice to see someone from the 'old hood', and someone who's reading the blog! :) Thanks Lori!

Birthday Saturday

Well thank god Shanan and I went to Max's RealRyder class this morning (and worked even harder knowing that there were no classes until Tuesday). It was an excellent class, and every bike had a body in it! YEAH!!

We ran  some erands today, and I did some gardening in our 20 degree weather!! The kids had a late afternoon birthday party, and then we rushed home to get ready for my birthday dinner. I invited most of my favorite people (some were missing, but I was thinking about them) and we went to a sushi restaurant...mmmm, sushi! Many were sushi virgins, but all did well. We had a great nite, Jenny brought me a  home made fondant cake (someone took pictures with a phone, I'll post them later). It was so pretty and yummy too! What a wonderful way to ring in 40 - good friends and good food (and family too)!

I'm knackered and need my beddy....promise a longer one tomorrow - with pictures!
Nite

T-minus 12 days!

Happy Good Friday everyone! Only 12 days until I am on a plane with my family on the way to the Dominican!! Yiippeeee!

There is nothing I like better than a good holiday, unless its a holiday WITH my hubby - boo, he had to work. But, after a damp morning the moisture burnt off into a +14 afternoon filled with glorious sunshine!

The kids had an easter egg hunt right after lunch, then daughter sold Girl Guide cookies (thank GOD they are out of the house) and son raised pledges for the Jump Rope for Heart (Heart & Stroke Association). Then up to the playground until suppertime!

Supper was BBQ's burgers (mine without bun), mixed veggies, edamame beans and orzo salad (feta and crunchie veggies) -mmmmm. Now its starting to feel like summer!

After supper the girls and I were off for a LONG WALK. We did a 7 Km loop that took and hour and a half. All three of us are pooped now! While I was out hubby had a great TRX workout (he's all nasty and sweaty).

Sorry no pictures, I keep forgetting that I now have an operational camera.

Now, a nice rest tonight and a RealRyder class tomorrow am with Max (and Shanan).

Nite

PS forgot to post yesterday, I was so tired by the time I got home and  kids fed that I just couldn't muster the energy - good booty boot camp at lunch. However, I know my bod needed the rest again as I really only gave it 75%.