there's a lot to be said about staycations

Friends, there is a lot to be said about taking staycations. I am currently on work day #3 of staycation (day 5 overall), and so far it has been a great time off. It's also been a bit of a wake-up call. Remember that post, about being busy? Well, I guess I was moving a lot faster than I thought. I have taken way more naps and slept more soundly in the past few days than I have in weeks! What have I done? A whole lot of nothing.

Yesterday I taught at the gym, came home and showered, took a nap, went out with Steven to look at new phones and wound up purchasing new phones (we should be getting them today...I'm gonna be all growed up with a Blackberry now!), went to the doctor, met up with my mom, stepdad, and aunt and went out to happy hour. During happy hour, I would have been at the Holiday Festival and Parade planning meeting. Instead, I was enjoying a big Blue Moon with an orange slice (the only way to drink it!) and texting the committee chair about the whole thing. I sure hope the meeting was as enjoyable as happy hour!

Today, I took the morning off from teaching BODYCOMBAT at 5:15 am for the first time since February. I have gone to the class every Tuesday since the end of January. It was weird to sleep in on a Tuesday, but I went for a run this morning when I did finally roll out of bed at 7:30. I guess I can't not work out every day. When I got home, I took a nap (noticing a pattern yet?), ate breakfast, made another doctor's appointment (nothing wrong with me, just yearly check-up stuff), and now I'm at the library (my crack den) blogging away.

Moving slowly for once has been so, so nice. I found myself itching to be at work yesterday (weird, I know), but today I'm realizing it's not too bad to slow down and just enjoy taking my time doing whatever I want. More of that independence days goodness, I suppose.

The rest of this week will be spent painting the house, going out with friends, and overall taking it easy. I need to do this staycation thing more often!

independence day(s)

Independence is liberating, and while I realize saying that is more than a bit redundant, it is so very true. You hear parents say all the time how nice it is to get a night off or a weekend away from their children, whom they love dearly but just need a break from once in a while. I don't have children (except for the kiddos I take care of at the Club), so the closest thing I have was getting the weekend off from being a wife. How, you ask? Steven spent the weekend up in Williams with the church on the Men's Challenge weekend, which left me home alone.

Just like the liberated parents I know who love their children dearly, I dearly love my husband. Any of you who have read my blog for any period of time know that to be true. At the same time, I have to say that getting a weekend to do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted without needing to worry about how it would affect another person was a nice change of pace.

What did I do with my weekend of independence? I spent Friday with my mom and Aunt Kathy who is in town visiting. We just took our time walking around the mall, going to lunch, hitting the gym, and then relaxing at mama bear's house drinking cocktails and laughing late into the night. Saturday I took my time waking up, picked up some things for Trunk or Treat and got all the carnival game supplies ready to go, watched the ASU Homecoming game (ugh...losing in the last 30 seconds of a game is always hard to watch), worked Trunk or Treat, and then spent the rest of the evening and the wee sma's of the morning today at a Halloween party. Today I taught at the gym, took a really long bubble bath, and then slept all afternoon. Nothing terribly exciting, but it was nice to come and go as I pleased all weekend.

Steven should be arriving home shortly. This next week is independence from work - we both picked a week to take off and just spend at home together. We're hoping to get some painting done around the house, maybe take some day trips, and otherwise relax and enjoy a week with no work.

I guess all of this got me wondering what everyone else thinks about independence in general. What are some things that it's nice to get a break from once in a while?

oh the buseyness of it all

Lately I have begun to wonder what it is that possesses me to stay so busy all the time. There is this crazy bone in my body that gets really bored if I don't have something to do all the time. Do I ever have a day off? Not really. I guess that's part of being a grown-up. There literally is always something I could be doing...whether I want to is another story altogehter. But it's not the typical grown-up kind of busy I'm talking about. I love to be involved in a lot of different things. I decided not to continue in graduate school because it was taking up too much of my time, and I didn't believe that I had an adequate work/life balance. What did I end up doing instead? I joined a gym (we all know how that story turned out - now I live there) and I began coaching junior high small groups at the church. I coached for two years, but this year I gave up being a junior high small group coach at church because it was taking up too much time. Somehow I miraculously (pun intended) found other things to fill Wednesday nights. Town council meetings, Keystone Club advising, etc. Beyond that, though, I worked my butt off to get promoted at work. Now that I am the Branch Executive at my Club, I have a lot of community events and (late) meetings that I have to be a part of, but I prefer to see it as I get to be a part of them. I love connecting with other people, even if in some settings I tend to feel a little fish-out-of-watery. I've become active in the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce, I've volunteered to be involved with the Holiday Festival and Parade. Yes, the Club benefits from it financially, and it is expected that I will be a part of it, but even if I weren't I still love planning events and being a part of something bigger than myself. I'd probably still be a part of the committee if I weren't in my current job - it's a really great event! God Bless my husband, Steven, for being so patient with me. I THRIVE off of social outings where I get to interact with other professionals and people in the community, and because of that I am often out of the house and away from my dear husband more nights than not. Anyway, I guess I'm just a highly-motivated person who needs a lot of stimulation to keep myself moving forward. I really do get bored if I end up sitting around the house without much to do.

What makes you tick?

it is finished

The 17 days are over. I have to admit that the second week seemed a little bit easier than the first (and a little less eventful as far as stories to tell). However, today's final workout before my day off tomorrow (glorious!) included plyometric lunges (aka crazy hard leg work required). I already feel the burn in my butt and quads. I will need the day off tomorrow to recover!

Have you challenged yourself yet?

17 days

Friends out there in the blogosphere, you may have picked up on the fact that I like to exercise. A lot. There are a lot of really good reasons for my addiction. First and foremost, as of September 30 after 2 long hard years of work, I got down to my goal weight. I lost 26 pounds! I had to literally work my you-know-what off to get there, but I feel so great now. Second, I have made some really fantastic friends through my life at the gym. The group fitness trainers are a pretty close knit group and they are a great support system, too. I honestly look forward to seeing a good majority of them. Third, all of this hard work has enabled me to take on things I never thought I'd be able to do, like RUNNING. More on that later...

At this point, you might be thinking, "Okay, I get that you like exercise, but what does that have to do with 17 days?" Well, Fall Break is happening in the QC until October 16, so I had the ability to change my work schedule to accomodate a whole lot of trips to the gym. From October 4 through October 20, I will be at the gym EVERY DAY. As if that's not enough, over this 17 day period I'll be teaching 6 days a week and attending classes/practicing BODYCOMBAT on my non-teaching day. Day 1 was last Sunday.

Now for an aside and some background - I decided a few months ago after my first class started that I would like to run in Pat's Run. It's a 4.2 mile run around Tempe finishing at Sun Devil Stadium at ASU. This race happens every April on/near Pat Tillman's birthday. Considering the fact that the last time I tried to run for exercise I got to the end of my street and felt like collapsing in a panting heap of running hopelessness, I figured a 4.2 mile run is pretty amibitious.

Back to the main story....

Tuesday morning I taught in the wee sma's and felt pretty good except for soreness in my hamstrings (weird). I had to work a little late Tuesday night for the second day in a row (blech), so when I got home I thought "All right Sandi. Pat's Run is only 6 months away. You have no idea how much work it could take to train for a run, so let's start now." Besides, after 2 late nights in a row I had some steam to blow off. I put on some workout clothes and my running shoes, and off I went. I pulled what I like to call the "Forrest Gump" in that each time I got to a point I didn't think I would be able to reach, I decided to just keep running. Aside from a run in with a yipping Yorkie that scratched my left ankle (it's better now, thank you), I managed to keep a good pace going the whole time and ran 3 miles! I practically floated on air when I made it back to my house. Good times.

The worst day of this experience so far has been Thursday. Wednesday afternoon I taught, and then I had to turn around and teach again just over 12 hours later on Thursday morning. I was LIMPING around work on Thursday. Every muscle from my chin down hurt. I tried taking a hot bubble bath and a lot of pain relieving OTC meds, but nothing really helped. Thankfully, I felt a lot better on Friday. I taught again Friday afternoon (great way to end a long week), and then I was dead to the world asleep a little after 8 pm yesterday. I know, if the AARP finds out about my early night, I may be granted early membership to the group. Yikes!

I'm only 7 days into this, but I feel pretty hopeful that it will be an adventure and a great experience to see just how much my body can take. Proof that I'm a glutton for punishment - I woke up early (not hard to do considering my bed time last night) and went to RPM, the spin class, this morning. I have BODYCOMBAT practice in an hour and a half, too. Oh yeah, and day 1 of 6 (round 2 ding ding!) for teaching starts tomorrow.

I hope that all of you out there reading realize 1) yes I am a little bit crazy, but 2) you can change your life if you push yourself to see how far you can go. Twenty-six pounds seemed impossible to lose when I started 2 years ago, but it came off just like it went on. One little pound at a time...

you can't read my poker face

Last night was the 3rd annual Jeff Allen Birthday Texas Hold 'Em Tournament. This was the first year I decided to play, and I am so glad that I did. I didn't win anything, but I did a lot better than I hoped to do. My goal was to not be the first person out. I was the 5th person out at my table, and I lasted longer than my online poker addicted husband. Not too shabby considering how lowly I had set my personal bar for success. I won a few good hands and overall had a really great time. What took me out? I had 2 pair and my nemesis, Ryan, had a straight. He had been betting big on crap hands all night, so I called him with what I thought would be a sure fire winning hand. Oh well...c'est la vie!

I don't know why, but up until very recently I was super intimidated by Texas Hold 'Em. It seemed too tricky to figure out, I could never remember what consituted a good hand versus a bad hand, etc. After watching people play, and after I took part in a small tournament a month or so ago, I decided to go for it. Who else out there had a fear of Texas Hold 'Em only to find it not so bad once they gave it a shot?

Anyway, I am looking forward to my next chance at playing in a poker tournament. It's a really good time, even if you don't win the big prize. Oh yeah, and if you're reading this - happy birthday, Jeff! I had a blast.

feeling old

*Disclaimer* In no way, shape, or form do I honestly believe that 25 years old is truly old. Okay, now you can keep reading.

Last weekend found me on adventures with a group of 16 teens at "THE ULTIMATE STATE CONFERENCE" for Arizona Keystone Clubs representing Boys & Girls Clubs from across the state. It was a great opportunity for the teens to connect to other Keystoners from all over Arizona, and it was a good time for me to get to know other Boys & Girls Clubs professionals from within the East Valley organization. The weekend was full of great educational workshops and a decent amount of fun, too.

Now, I like to think that I stay up on trends in pop culture pretty well. I may be a twentysomething married woman with a career, but I am certainly not dead. One event of this Keystone weekend turned all of that thinking on its head. A dance. Seems harmless enough, right? I went to lots of dances in high school and junior high, and I've done a good bit of dancing at various events since leaving the hallowed halls of high school. Heck, I even went to what Playboy magazine considered the #1 party school in the nation at for the better part of my adult life (I heart Arizona State). Not that much could have changed in terms of popular dances, right? The macarena was pretty much a mainstay from late elementary school through my senior prom, the electric slide will never die, and who doesn't know the little birdie dance? Newcomers to the catchy group/line dances I've learned from the Club kids are the cha cha slide and the Cuban shuffle. Then I see the dancing of the high schoolers at this conference. Things like "The Stanky Leg" and "The Jerk" and two-step (no, not the country line dancing version). And when they would start to dance a leetle bit too closely to each other, I found myself wanting to find a firehose to break up all the teen-on-teen friction.

I guess when I wasn't paying attention, I was slowly but surely getting old(er). At least in the way I think about dancing. I wonder what the next thing to make me feel old will be...time will surely tell.

time flies when you're having fun!

Friends in the blogosphere, I must admit that time truly flies when you are having fun. Steven and I have spent the past few days celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary. On September 10, 2004 our lives changed forever as two became one. Here we are, five years later, marvelling at how quickly time passes. It really does seem like yesterday that I put my wedding dress on, carefully placed my veil, and walked down the aisle to become a Dial.

In the past 5 years we have....
taken 7 vacations
moved twice
changed jobs 9 times (counting internal position changes)
owned 7 different vehicles
gained a total of 80 pounds and lost almost all of it
lost 3 grandparents
celebrated 1 sibling's marriage
become an aunt and uncle (twice!)
and completed 2 college degrees.

We've laughed enough times to make up for the times when we've cried. We fought against each other and fought side by side to save our marriage from falling apart. We've watched dozens of friends marry, divorce, and have children. We've stood by each other through sickness (ask Steven about my wisdom teeth extraction some time...great stories!) and health. We've been there for richer or poorer. We've had some tough conversations, but plenty of silly ones, too (especially when we should be going to sleep!).

To celebrate our big day, Steven planned an evening of suprises. Men in the blogging world, take note. My husband is the master of surprises! He comes up with the most thoughtful gifts and does some really fantastic things for me. We started off with dinner at Baci, a great Italian place about a mile from our house. After a delicious dinner and yummy spumoni for dessert, we took our leftovers to Steven's brother's house for safekeeping in the fridge while we went out for our night on the town. Steven purchased tickets to see Peter Pan performed at the Herberger Theater by the Valley Youth Theater (Jordin Sparks is an alum of this group). Peter Pan is one of my favorite stories of all time, maybe because Peter refuses to grow up, but nonetheless Steven took me to see it performed live. It was fantastic!

After that, we came home for part 2 of the evening. I was in for a huge and very romantic surprise. Steven had hired a company to come in and do a rose petal turn down service at our house! There was a trail of rose petals from the garage door to the bedroom. In the bedroom, there were candles and sparkling cider and towels folded like kissing swans and chocolates. Playing in the background was a playlist of love songs Steven hand picked for the occasion. When we walked through the door, our wedding song was the song playing. I highly recommend Special Night In!

The surprises didn't stop there! Steven got me a new iPod for our anniversary and had our friends (and fellow BODYCOMBAT instructors) put all the BC music on it! Have I mentioned how thoughtful Steven is? I am one lucky lady.

Our fourth year of marriage was the hardest we have had, but year number five is off to a fantastic start! It is nights like last night and the thoughtfulness I was lucky enough to experience that makes all the tough times worth it.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!

BODYCOMBAT updates

So in updating the world on the past 4 months of my life, I left out a couple of details. I finished my BODYCOMBAT certification in June, so I am now "unleashed" for worldwide BODYCOMBAT domination. Well, maybe not worldwide, but in my world I am (trying to) dominate.

Remember the 5:15 am class I was assigned to for training? Did I mention that since February 17 I have taught every single Tuesday at that time? Oh yeah, I have. Perfect attendance since February 3 in that class. I may have missed some sleep, but I come ready to rock it every Tuesday morning with Cindy (and sometimes Sarah).

We just launched another release last Monday celebrating BODYCOMBAT'S 10th birthday. Pictures to come later...we didn't take as many as we probably should have, but I got some. Between the 4 main members of the team I teach on, there were 9 BC classes we launched the new release in over the past week. NINE CLASSES!?! That's crazy. I only taught in 4 of them, but still...good times.

I just got release 41 in the mail last Thursday. The theme is Backyard Brawl. Nobody talks about it. It doesn't exist. Come toward the end of October to check it out (but don't tell anyone *wink*).

deja vu all over again

It seems like every time I get on here to blog about something, it's been a long time since I last posted. This is my newest record for a dry spell. Nearly 4 months people! I promise I didn't fall off the face of the earth. What did happen, though, was summer day camp. Eight very long weeks of it. And I was the only full-time staff member for 5 of those 8 weeks. Needless to say, spare time was scarce, and the little that I had I did NOT want to spend blogging. I wanted to spend it sleeping...

Recap of the past 4 months: survived summer camp, lost another 6 pounds (hit a milestone of 20 total pounds lost...and 12 of them came off in the last 6 months!), read a LOT of books (shocking!) and discovered a new favorite author (Lisa Samson is a great writer...her character development is top notch and I love the way her stories unfold), rode on a motorcycle for the first time (passenger, not driver....I do have my limits!), was offered and began teaching two BODYCOMBAT classes of my own at Fitness Works, and started off another school year with the Boys & Girls Club (average daily attendance = 137 kids...how do you spend your afternoons? ha!).

I also have spent a lot of time reading up on my friends out there in the world on blogspot. While I may not have felt up to writing - the synapses weren't firing at that level of output - I did get to read up on the adventures of my friends. Like The Rogans, who just had TRIPLETS on June 15. And the babies are beautiful and healthy. Or Kemra, on orchestra friend from high school who sent her oldest daughter off to kindergaten four days after having her THIRD child. Or Amanda and Matt in CO who experienced a home robbery and the baddie got caught. And Amanda just celebrated the 6th anniversary of surviving an attack. This couple is one of the strongest, nothing's gonna stop me now sets of people I know. Needless to say, there's a lot going on out there in the world that is worth reading about.

Now that life is slowing down (a smidge), I'll have more time to blog. Ok, I guess my life is never slow. I'll find time between working, teaching 4 days a week at the gym, spending time with my husband, going to church and Bible studies, etc. to blog. Either way, I like sharing my thoughts with whoever decides to read them out here in the blogosphere. It's cathartic at the least to get the thoughts and life updates out there. So blogging world, the Saharan stretch of nothingness from me is over. I hope you're ready for the ride!

love and marriage

Friends, I have come to realize a lot of things in the past few days about love and marriage. First love is an action (or actions), not a feeling. Will I always feel "in love?" No, not realistically. I am there for better...and for worse. The "worse" is when I usually lose that lovin' feeling. Am I still obligated to show my love? ALWAYS. It's words and actions that show a person how much you love them, not necessarily how you feel about that person.

Second, marriage takes a lot of work, and you have to be dedicated to making it work with every fiber of your being. Just like a person who goes to the doctor every year for a check-up, even if s/he does not feel ill, a good marriage requires re-examination and a tune up periodically to make sure all the parts are working together and in tip-top shape.

Steven and I went to see the movie Fireproof at church on Friday night, and it was a challenge to both of us. It was a wake up call to how easily we slip into routines, take our spouse for granted, place higher value on things than the relationship, etc. We purchased the book The Love Dare and we are working our way through it. It's a 40-day journey to winning back the heart of your spouse. Day 1 was to say something nice, or say nothing at all. Day 2 (which is where I am right now) is to do an unexpected gesture for your spouse in addition to saying only positive things. It's tough, and it is only through the grace of God that this journey is going to be successful. But a flabby body doesn't become svelte and thin by accident...you have to work at it. Marriage is the same way. It doesn't become whole, healthy, and functioning by accident. It takes work, dedication, blood, sweat and tears.

pictures

You can check out the launch pictures here. I'm too lazy to upload them to two sites. =) Enjoy!

5...4....3....2....1....LAUNCH!!!

This morning marked the beginning of the 2-week launch period at Fitness Works. What is launch, you say? Well, every quarter group fitness trainers (that's me!) get new music and choreography for the program(s) they teach. Then about a month-ish later, we get to start doing the new stuff in our classes (aka LAUNCH). While many of the participants in the classes I team teach say that every class is new to them, there are a few that remember what we've done, and it's nice to have something new to show as an instructor.

Anyway, today is DAY 1 of launch. Lucky me, one of the classes I team in is offered bright and early at 5:15 am on Tuesdays. SO, I got to be a part of the very first class to launch, and it was my very first launch ever! Good times. And we had a new record high of 32 people in class today...10 more people than our previous record of 22. Awesome! We took lots of pics (to be posted later).

Because it was my first launch ever, I was super excited/nervous and had a really hard time sleeping last night. I woke up at 3 am freaking out thinking I overslept (not possible considering I have a special alarm set on my phone labeled "Gym Wake Up" set for 4:20 AM), and then I had 2 different nightmares. In one of them the Honda was stolen. This was bad news bears because my CD/DVD for BC39 (the latest release of BODYCOMBAT) was in the center console. In the other I excitedly invited people to come to launch, but it was 2 days after I was supposed to do launch with Cindy and Sarah. So I completely missed launch in my dream/nightmare and cried and cried and cried. I know, I'm crazy.

If there are any people out there in the blogosphere in the east valley area of Phoenix (or even Glendale now that there's a Fitness Works at the Agua Fria 101 and Camelback) who want to try group fitness, now is the best time! Everyone is doing the classes for the first time essentially! The launch period is long enough to allow you 3-5 times in each format, which is the recommended amount of time it takes to get used to the movement and feel comfortable. I have access to free passes, and there are all kinds of incentives for people who come to the gym for the first time. Just let me know and I can hook you up. Keep it real and stay with the fight!

mercy mergatroy, where have I been?

For the love of all that is good and right, I am appalled that I haven't posted anything new in over a month! A whole month! Every time I went to post something new, I didn't really think I had anything to say. Well....there hasn't been too much new that has happened in the past month, but I'll try to recap.

I went to my very first RPM class (or spin class, either label works), and I really liked it! I wasn't expecting to, since I think bike riding should be for leisure (esp. atop a sweet beach cruiser). It's a fantastic cardio workout, and the best part is it's no impact! My poor, sensitive shins were grateful for that. Aside from a sore bottom, it's totally worth it. And your butt gets used to it after a couple classes.

I got to see my best childhood friend halfway through March as we watched her dad get remarried to a really nice woman. It was fun to dance and laugh with an old friend, and it was even better to see how ecstatically happy her dad was on his wedding day. Here's hoping for the best his second time around!

I experienced my first Autoship through Les Mills. Every quarter instructors get new music and choreography in the mail about a month or two before the newest release is launched in our gym. I stalked my mailbox for 2 weeks and called and emailed Les Mills to make sure I really, truly was set to get BC39. When it finally came, I tore it open and practiced it a couple of times. All the BC instructors are getting together for the next 3 Saturdays to practice and get ready for launch. Launch is in only 18 more days people!

I turned 25 with a lot less fanfare and pomp than I was expecting. But all things considered, birthday parties are expensive, and I don't feel right asking people to buy gifts for me when I know I can't return the favor. Darn budgets! I had a great day with my husband, and he surprised me with a birthday balloon and the sweetest stuffed monkey that we have decided to call Mr. Monkman. He's pretty fantastic (my husband, not Mr. Monkman).

Steven celebrated his 26th birthday 5 days later, and though I did not purchase him a Mrs. Monkman to complete our collection, I did find a really nice bday card. I couldn't find anything to buy him, so I'm going to take him out shopping soon.

I taped myself teaching an entire BC class from start to finish toward the end of the month and did an all right job. I cringed a lot when I went back and watched the video, but I was cleared by the GFM to teach solo or sub for current instructors. This means that I can FINALLY get paid to teach! Crazy long process, but totally worth it.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley held its annual Bon Vivant, a really big, fun wine and food tasting event at Rawhide. Over 3,000 people attend, and there is so much alcohol there it's almost ridiculous. My family was fantastic and volunteered to help make the event a success. Let's just say that a few of them had a little bit too much fun enjoying all that Bon Vivant had to offer and wound up sick and hung over the next day. But we all had a great time. I really like this event and have a lot of fun working at it.

Last Friday night I tried BODYJAM for the first time. It's a dance-inspired cardio workout that is SO MUCH FUN! I'm planning to go back to it again tonight. Now I've tried every Les Mills program except for BODYSTEP. Have I mentioned how much I love exercise? I'm pretty sure I've blogged about it, say, a thousand and a half times. :)

I had today off of work in observance of Good Friday. It was a much needed and appreciated day off. I had a really busy day, but got a lot of fun things done. I got a haircut, and it's a lot shorter than I have ever cut it but it looks cute curly! I wasn't expecting that. Went to the doc (boo), and as I was leaving I witnessed a car accident. I had a fantastic lunch date with Steven where we got to spend an hour just the two of us (so nice!). Then I went shopping for 3 hours, which is something I almost never do, and purchased a couple pairs of shorts, two shirts, headbands, and white boxing wraps. While I was out, I spoke on the phone to one of my good friends, Candice, about our small group last night and other random fun things.

This weekend looks like it's going to be a good time. Tomorrow I'm practically going to live at the gym (2 classes for fun in the AM, then BC39 practice in the afternoon). Sunday is Easter (Happy Resurrection Day!), and Steven and I are planning to attend church with the fam, go to BC, then attend a Dbacks game. Phew. So much good stuff, not enough time. I hope to take some pics this weekend and post. Cindy, Sarah, and I are going to dress Easter-ish for BC on Sunday...should be fun.

Anyway...I guess that's where I've been. But mercy me it took a long time to get all this posted.

the blog turns 30

9 months and 30 posts later....here we are.

Here are just a few tidbits from the past 9 months of life.

-I got a promotion at work. It's good to be the boss.
-Steven and I road-tripped to Kansas City to visit good friends. Lots of random pictures resulted from that trip.
-For the 3rd year in a row, I wasn't home to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. Kind of a bummer.
- The church roomies moved out as of November. It was a long, but good, 6 months.
- Steven and I created a plan and began taking steps to pay off all of our debts, including our mortgage. Best case scenario, we'll be debt free by the time we're 40 (a good 12 years earlier than our mortgage should be paid off).
- I rediscovered books and became a frequent borrower at the QC Library (seriously, they should reserve a parking space just for me).
- I rode on a parade float for the first time in my life.
- Two words: Christmas. Disneyland.
-My best friend and next door neighbor moved to San Jose.
-My grandma (mom's mom) and my stepdad's stepdad died in the same week. Sad times, but they were both so, so sick.
- I started teaching BODYCOMBAT(tm) at Fitness Works in Chandler.
- My nephews reached big milestones - one turned 13 and started junior high, the other turned 1 and began walking.
- My stepdad's grandma turned 100.
-I got my first sunburn of 2009, which resulted in the World's Sexiest Farmer's Tan (thank you Habitat for Humanity!) Ok, so maybe I am speaking in hyperbole. There are many farmers out there with tans that seriously rival mine. Perhaps a more accurate label is the Sexiest (and only) Farmer's Tan in my house.
- I played Rock Band for the first time. L.O.V.E. it.
- I discovered that I am NOT a night owl. I spend days recovering from being awake late. I have a knack for passing out asleep after 9 pm when not otherwise engaged in activity.

- Continuing the sleep theme, I tried sleeping without ear plugs for the first time in years, but went back to the old foam sleep-savers about 2 nights later. Despite my knack for falling asleep, I am a really light sleeper.

- Three friends/couples I know got married. One in November, and two in the past month. Congrats to Steven & Kelly Gonzales, Mitch & Aimee Eiler, and Jeremy & Cherie Wagner (who are still honeymooning on the slopes in Colorado, I believe).
- My Boys & Girls Club Branch had its first ever Youth of the Year candidate - way to go Kolby!! These nine amazing teens are the reason we do what we do.

Fun times coming up in the next 9 months:
- Completing my Les Mills certification, and I hope to get a class of my own someday!
- I turn 25 this month! Quarter-century birthday party, anyone?
- One more wedding to go next Saturday (3/14).
- 6 more months until Steven and I hit a milestone anniversary in our marriage - 5 WHOLE YEARS! How has it been 5 years already? Time flies when you're having fun.

I am looking forward to all that lies ahead and the things that are just around the next bend in the road.

stage fright

Greetings blogosphere! First let me say that although I am not always on top of updating ye olde blogge, I still check everyone else on my blog list out as they update. Thank you for being entertaining.

Now onto stage fright. So the process of becoming a fully certified BODYCOMBAT instructor is loooong and kinda drawn out (for good reason...it's no easy thing!). I went through initial training, then endured another two weeks of practice, then I "passed off" to team teach. This entailed me having the entire release memorized so the group fitness manager could randomly pick 2 tracks for me to teach. After passing off I was assigned to an experienced instructor (I heart Cindy!) and a specific class time slot (5:15 am on Tuesdays...I know, I'm a bad A). Anyway, since then I've been on stage 4 times and it's sooo much fun. BUT...day 1 (Feb. 15 - I wasn't originally going to teach on Sundays too, but it's worked out that I get to and it's giving me more practice) on stage, I was so nervous before class started that I almost vomited. I was probably pale as a ghost. I was introduced to a few people, gave a quick tutorial on how to put on boxing wraps, and completely forgot EVERYONE'S names. I'm getting better at remembering. And the nerves didn't transfer on stage. Once the music started, I was comfortable and did fine. The nerves have gotten better...now I'm more excited about teaching than anything else. Yay!

Side note: word is that the next release's theme is cage fighting. Interesting...can't wait to get the new release in the mail!

death by committee

Today I was sitting in the monthly full-time staff meeting the organization I work for holds, and I felt particularly antsy. I was sitting next to my birthday twin, Mike (of the Guad squad), which added to the squirelly-ness I was feeling. Anyway, when I get antsy....I doodle, scribble, otherwise write random things down (even if I don't need to) just to have something to keep my mind occupied. Usually because whoever is speaking really isn't holding my interest, but I am fighting valiantly to look like I give a darn. It's a habit I picked up in college, primarily graduate school. =)

The result of this incessant writing? A seriously scribbled all over meeting agenda. Mike even commented on the volumes of notes I took. My favorite scribble was "DEATH BY COMMITTEE!" surrounded by little dashes. I wrote that one down when it was suggested we form a committee to plan the youth basketball finals. Seriously? It seems like the person who plans the finals has done just fine (FOR YEARS mind you) without the aid of a committee. Maybe I'm just not much of a fan of committees being in place for everything.

Although, DEATH BY COMMITTEE! would be a pretty awesome band name. That's something I could be a fan of.

I DID IT!!

So the blog topic makes me feel/look/sound a little like I'm a toddler who's figuring something out for the first time, getting excited, and yelling "I DID IT!" But I did do it...and here's what I did.

I survived the initial instructor training modules for BODYCOMBAT (tm)! Training was nearly 2 weeks ago, but life got busy so here I blog. It was 25 hours of masterclass, technique, reviewing choreography, talking about music/timing, learning the 5 key elements of group fitness, presenting 2 tracks 2 times each (that's 4 presentations for those of you who are counting), more technique, advanced drills, some sadistic training ritual called "THE CHALLENGE," learning how to coach, discussing what creates or breaks connection with participants, more movement. And all in 3 days. I squeaked out demonstrating competency in 4 of the 5 areas in which we were assessed. I knew my choreography, I got 2/3 areas in technique (execution and timing, but inconsistent in position), and my coaching was pretty good (I nailed pre-cueing and follow up...need to work on initial cues).

I practiced presenting 2 more tracks this past Saturday with Melissa, the Group Fitness Manager at Fitness Works. It was my first time with the mic on and teaching on stage. W.E.I.R.D. But I did ok. This weekend Melissa is going to pick 2 tracks at random for me to present to pass me to team teach. I should be on stage shadowing as soon as this Sunday - crazy.

For all of you out there reading in the blogosphere, exercise has never been something that has come easily to me. I haven't ever been the most physically fit person, and the only team I ever made was the tennis team in junior high (no one got cut). I had to swim in the 2nd to the slowest lane in my advanced swim classes in college. I have mitral valve prolapse, which makes hard cardio workouts even more difficult for me because my heart has to work that much harder with a faulty valve. I just love this class, and I love being a part of it. Teaching was sort of terrifying at first, but I felt at home on stage. I wasn't nervous once the music started and I was shouting out cues. I have to work hard to be able to make it through 10 rounds of COMBAT and still look sharp, but I am getting there. So far, all that matters to me is that I did it. And I keep on doing it.

lunch break

Two of my favorite words in the English language are "lunch break," especially when there is work involved on either side of said break. Today I blog from my desk at work where I am taking a lunch while I check some emails (personal, not work related, so this truly is a lunch break).

Work has been especially trying lately, but I have a feeling things might go into an upswing soon. I need to get on my game and start hiring a couple more people to help out in the afternoons. There are a whole lotta kids and not a lot of eyes to watch over them, and my first priority is to keep these kiddos safe. Because of these trying times, I look forward to the lunch break.

The food isn't anything spectacular. I bring a lunch packed at home...usually a small salad, light yogurt, and some fruit. It's the peace of mind of 30 minutes of solace in the middle of an otherwise hectic day. It's the ability to do some personal business and find my center again. It's time to reflect on ways to improve my work, so I am more effective. It's five minutes to talk to my husband and get some encouragement to keep pushing through the rest of the afternoon. It's time to listen to music and study choreography as I prepare myself for certification to teach BODYCOMBAT (I made it through the instructor training this past weekend!! A couple more practice sessions and I will start team teaching). It's time to study God's word in preparation for leading junior high small groups.

All this to say, I really love taking lunch breaks.

inside my crack den

OK, so the subject is a little bit...um....questionable. I am writing from the QC Library people. What were you thinking? Steven equates books with my version of crack. I am addicted, I get irritable when I can't read for long stretches of time, and I feel a little...well...endorphin release when I read and/or finish a book. Does that make me some sort of criminal? I think not.

I just found it interesting that from now on this is where I'll be blogging from, friends of mine out there in the blogosphere. Steven and I cancelled our home Internet service in the interest of saving money since we can get on the Interweb for free at our local library. Other cost saving changes we've made recently - getting rid of a home phone line and our satellite TV subscription. While this may seem kind of crazy to many of you out there reading this blog, I assure you we are perfectly sane (well...aside from addictions like reading). We're also trying to sell our gas guzzling Nissan Armada, aptly nicknamed "The Beast." Although we are far from destitute (the Lord has blessed us beyond anything we could imagine), we are just trying to be good stewards of the resources we have to manage.

How can you simplify your life?

resolution

res⋅o⋅lu⋅tion  [rez-uh-loo-shuhn]
–noun
1. a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization, a legislature, a club, or other group. Compare concurrent resolution, joint resolution.
2. a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
3. the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.
4. the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.
5. the act or process of resolving or separating into constituent or elementary parts.
6. the resulting state.
7. Optics. the act, process, or capability of distinguishing between two separate but adjacent objects or sources of light or between two nearly equal wavelengths. Compare resolving power.
8. a solution, accommodation, or settling of a problem, controversy, etc.
9. Music.
a. the progression of a voice part or of the harmony as a whole from a dissonance to a consonance.
b. the tone or chord to which a dissonance is resolved.
10. reduction to a simpler form; conversion.
11. Medicine/Medical. the reduction or disappearance of a swelling or inflammation without suppuration.
12. the degree of sharpness of a computer-generated image as measured by the number of dots per linear inch in a hard-copy printout or the number of pixels across and down on a display screen.

These definitions were taken from dictionary.com. I thought it was fitting given the beginning of a new year is when most people come up with "resolutions." I think we can all figure out which definition of the word they mean, but I found it interesting that it could be applied so many different ways. I think I like all of them.

What's your resolution?