6 month Alumni Sunday checkin 11/1

[FourAM]

111- WoW!
That should be a good week. It is like starting a new right!
Well just as I thought we really had no trick or treaters unless you count my little nephew...OK we will count him. So we had one trick or treater!
I knew he was coming so I picked up a few things that I knew he liked and then sent them with my MIL to take to the party they were going to take him to.

It is a rest day for me so I am going to try to find a good healthy italian soup recipe to make and freeze so I will have a variety in the freezer. Right now everything in there is leaning toward mexican which I love but I should have another option in there too. DH requested chicken fried steak for Sunday dinner so I will make him that and just stick with something cleaner for me!

OK I am going to give a little more back story of the baby story...pertaining to my MIL keeping him.

BRB

 

[FourAM]

OK the first night we brought him home from the hospital...I was really scared. That might sound stupid to all you seasoned mother's but I had never really been around a baby that young nor had I had time to prepare for his arrival. My DH's mom decided to stay a couple of nights while we got our sleep. (we were not sure how my little sis was going to do either) Well thank goodness she was there because I was exhausted everyday and my little sis was not really grasping what needed to be done very well. So my MIL was there for the little guy from the very beginning. She became attached as if he were her very own grandson. So in those first 6 or so months while things started to fall apart in his little life she was the only thing that completely stayed a constant for him. She could be involved with him with out having to get too much involved with any of the other family issues. The paternal grandparents welcomed her to come and get him anytime she wanted because they needed that much deserved break! Not only were they raising a baby but also having to deal with all of the controversy that was surrounding him.
I know my MIL wished that we had tried to seek custody but DH and I were already being blamed for stealing him away from my sister. I think my parents thought that if we got custody after a while we would just give him over to my sister. My dad was livid when the topic came up and I told him that if we did seek custody and won that although when my nephew got old enough to understand that my sister and husband were his biological mother and father, that he would not be calling them that. They just did not understand why not.
So needless to say, I think my nephew loves my MIL more than anyone else on the planet. When he sees her drive up at his grands house he runs to the door and is ready to go!

Like I told you this story is 2 years worth of layers and it should really be a book!



I hope yall all have a beautiful day! I will try to check back in later!

Rachel

 

[FourAM]

OK I forgot to say...I love that I get an extra hr. thanks to fall back...but I do not like being hungry at 10 instead of 11!!!
Chugging water and ignoring!

Rachel

 

[cendrine]

Hi Girls,

it sure is nice to have an extra hour! I wish we got that every weekend!

Rachel, thanks for sharing more about your nephew. Sure is a hard situation! I didn't realize your MIL was so involved, wow, she sounds like she is a wonderful MIL! Not to be taken for granted! I'm glad she still gets to see your nephew often, that is wonderful!
How are things with the second baby. Has it been born yet? Any news about what is going to happen?

You and Jo both mentioned it is soup weather, and I feel it too. I love soups when it's cold! Jo, your juice sounds yummy as always! I'm glad you are holding up! Funny that your husband got a whole bag from Costco for the trick or treaters....

My chocolate pudding turned out yummy yesterday, but my blender was challenged, so I transferred everything to the quisinart food processor and that worked nicely. Dh and I decided together that we were going to adopt the one green smoothie a day habit, including the kids. So now I'm making humongous portions of green smoothies...LOL! I really want that Blendtec blender now, because it has a 96oz blender jar. Maybe I should keep making my blender work hard with nuts and such so it will give out sooner so we can get it (my husband gets so frustrated with me, I never agree to buying new things when the old thing is still in working order....LOL!) I may be talked into changing my mind on this one...

 

[FourAM]

Oh go for it Cendrine...I can hear that wonderful whirring of the new blender now! Think of it as rewarding yourself for sticking with the green smoothie makin'!

As for the other baby...Well no news yet. I am sure I will hear about it some way even if my family does not tell me. This is a really small town and it is hard to be uninformed even when you want to be about stuff!
Not that I do not want to know, I just am having a hard time keeping my mouth shut so it is easier to not know until after the fact!
The MIL situation is complicated too. It kind of keeps me tied in also in good ways and in bad. I would not nearly see the little grub as much if she was not involved but then there are feelings there too coming from all sides I feel. Oh so hard to explain. But I will little by little I am sure!


I am off to make a vege. italian soup. Yummo!
Rachel

 

[cab0899]

I posted some new pictures in my album in my Cathe profile (just click on public profile beside my name.) The new album is Fall 2009 and has a couple of family pics from the wedding we went to on Labour Day weekend and kids in costume last night.

 

[cendrine]

Kim, thanks so much for posting the pics! They look great! It looks like you guys had nice weather for the wedding! You guys make a wonderful family! Both kids look great in their costumes! Did they have fun?

I'm trying to attach pics of my two little guys. They had a blast. Ds tried to talk me into dressing up as well. The last time I dressed up I was about 11 yrs old...LOL! I guess I can think of something for next year... Anyway, ds was a pirate and dd was a pumpkin.

 

[cab0899]

Oh, that little pumpkin is just adorable! The kids had a good evening, weather was okay just slightly above freezing with no wind/precipitation.

How did your soup turn out Rachael?

Jo, hope you're feeling better today and able to do a workout.

I'm continuing on with the Insanity workouts, today I had the whole family doing it with me DH has done 3 this week and really likes these workouts, I could see him continuing with them. Yes, they are really intense workouts but kind of boring. Fine for a few weeks but I think I would get bored after awhile. Kind of like running, intense but very little variety. DH is a long distance runner so I could see him using them as a replacement in the winter. I prefer something like Cathe with good music and some choreography to keep me entertain.

Insanity is like 30 minutes of plyo jumps, burpees, jumping jacks, pushups, high knees, etc. No equipment and very basic moves.
​

 

[Runcrazy]

Okay...so I was better and now I'm worse. I seem to have developed a cough, tightness in my chest and am not feeling well (no fever). My employee that had swine returned to work today and said what I'm experiencing is similar to what he was feeling so I think I may go home. (No I'm not a hypochondriac...just cautious!)

I did do the first 4 intervals of Low Max this morning and felt okay but I don't want to take any chances of making others ill (just in case). This is pissing me off as I'm a sick-free girl!

Okay, quick note though...juice of the day:

kale, romaine, ginger, orange, granny smith, red pepper and a fabulous beet! The beet made is super delicious!

Oh and love the kids pictures Kim and Cendrine! Thanks for posting them! Kim, you are a nice looking family! How tall is your DH? Mine is 6'3" and yours looks tall too! I'll check back with you all later. Rachel, what an ordeal you've been through!

 

[cendrine]

We are back to school this week and it went well. We had a super busy week off and it felt like a lot longer than a week. I was pleasantly surprised to see the kids snap right back into school mode!

I did the original BM today for the first time. I needed a full body workout after last week's skipping a couple....

Jo, I am so sorry to hear you are feelig worse! How respectful of you to go home and not spread whatever you may have. There was a kid at the park yesterday coughing like a seal and the mom seemed to think it was not an issue at all! This is how stuff spreads, and I so don't like it! Have you had a chance to try out the GSE? Maybe you can start putting some drops in our awesome juices until you feel better.

I'm gonna make a shopping list later and branch out from the green smoothies I've been making for some new variety!

Kim, I hear you on the good music and choreography, it makes the workout time so much more fun and passes much more quickly. It's awesome though, that your husband likes it.

 

[cab0899]

Oh Jo, I'm so sorry that you're still sick maybe a day or two at home sleeping would really help! Good for you for realizing that you need to go home.

My DH is about 5'11", he's tall and lean, that's why he is such a good long distance runner.

Cendrine, WTG getting back into the swing of things. Are you letting the kids eat lots of Halloween candy??

Rachael Goodness, that is a complex social situation. SOunds like the little guy is growing up with some people around him that care for him deeply.
Kim

 

[FourAM]

Good Evening Ladies..Computer is really slow tonight so I hope this posts!

This morning instead of doing the 70 min workout ...I did the Step blast / Hi/lo circuit from SJP. It was a lot of fun. I love SJP because I feel I can get silly when I am doing it and I need some silly right now.

Family stuff is just really in the pooper right now. I am not sure how this is going to end up. I am really at odds with my parents and I feel so guilty but DH tells me I shouldn't. Everything is just getting so blurred. I wish you had video of your life sometimes so you could go back and see what really happened. I am beginning to feel like a broken record.
Thank goodness for CATHE!!!!

Kim-I am glad you posted pics of the family. Your kids are so cute. I do not know why I pictured them older. They are just too cute. The soup turned into a stew and it turned out great. It was supposed to have cabbage but I did not have any so I was going to add spinach but it just did not seem to need it. I think I have enough meals in the freezer for the next 2 weeks solid at least!

Cendrine-Your kids are super cute too. Did you make that pumpkin suit? I am so glad you and Kim posted the pics! As far as you dressing up, You are so creative and talented I am sure you would come up with something great.
Were the kids glad to get back to school. How much time does that take out of the day?

Jo-Oh I would be mad too. I am so not the sick girl too and I would hate to ruin my record! I hope if you are coming down with something that at least you get a milder version of it since you are generally super clean and healthy! That is the very least I would expect from my body since I treat it so well!!! I hope you get well Fast. I am living my sts dreams through you right now since i am trying not to do them again until we start our rotation!

OK I am going to try and get some sleep. Our job is great right now thank goodness because I do not think I would be able to handle a crappy job right now!

Rachel

 

[cendrine]

Hi Again,

Kim, I am not letting the kids have much candy. They get to choose a couple of pieces at a time and luckily they forget that it's there most of the time...LOL! One more week or so and I will make them choose their last one and dump the rest.
Your husband looks a lot taller than you say he is! How tall are you? Next to my MIL I look like a giant and I am only 5"5 lol....

Rachel, I didn't do dd's costume, I got to use it from my friend who is pregnant with her 3rd. I get to enjoy all her cute girl things and she is getting all my boy things, since she is hoping for a boy.
Hang in there with the family issues, it sounds like there isn't anything you can do, so just take it easy and take care of yourself.

Jo, I hope you are getting better!

 

[FourAM]

Good morning ladies!

Just a quick post here.

Today was ME...I did not get through the abs! I think it is my pms week so I am having ups and downs. I did get through the bis though and they are tough!

I am waiting to see what Cathe's Nove rotation is to see if I am going to start it next. OK today is a new day and I am going to look at it that way! Nothing bad has happened and it is beautiful outside so I am going to clear my mind of everything negative and have a great day.


Thank you all for all you encouraging words!!!


Get Well JO!


Rachel

 

[cab0899]

I'm about 5'3"

 

[Runcrazy]

Hi Everyone! Well, I'm not better and I'm not worse but it seems like my whole office now is sick! I didn't workout this morning as I'm really having problems sleeping (awake at 3 until 6) so am just tired. So not much to report of interest. Today it has been a week since this whole thing started so I'm ready to be DONE! Cendrine, I did gargle with the GFE but haven't used it in my sinuses yet.

Anyway, hope everyone is having a good day! Tonight is TBL (yippee!)!

Oh and I meant to mention, since my workouts are all screwed up, I was thinking I might do the November rotation when it gets posted but we'll see.

 

[cendrine]

Hi Girls,

I did MIC today and I didn't think I was going to make it to the end but I also just kept going whenever a new move was introduced instead of taking it as my invite to stop. So I did the whole thing! I feel good about that but I'm not feeling so good now. Maybe I overdid it... I didn't feel like doing cardio to begin with and then I sucked it up and did what my workout calendar said... HMMM... I hope I recover a bit during lunch break!

Jo, wow, your office is all out sick! Is amazing how that thing spreads! Considering you were exposed to the sick guys you are holding up great! Did the gargling help any? I sure hope so! I'm sorry you have to miss so much exercise, I know that is not how you like it! But at least you are well enough for TBL! LOL!

Kim, that's so funny, you don't look 5"3', you look taller in the picture...

Rachel, I hope you are having a great day!

I'm trying to keep all our systems going with green smoothies. I got a book with lots of recipes and tried a mango green smoothie. It was very smooth, dh liked it too!

 

[Runcrazy]

Good job on MIC Cendrine! Isn't that a killer cardio?!

Okay, so I'm not even half as sick as the people around me. As I've been whinning to all of you, I have this throat discomfort and feel tired for the most part and not sleeping very well. Yesterday and today just a touch of a cough in the morning and tightness in my chest (but no chest tightness today). Other than that, I'm pretty good...I don't look sick. But everyone else has the throat thing, lots of coughing and fevers! So if this is H1N1 I'm one of those with a very mild case! (Raw food and juicing I tell you!) But whatever it is, I'm still not hardly sick at all compared to everyone else.

I JUST WANT TO GET BACK TO WORKING OUT!!!!!! But remember I told you I worked out yesterday and was fine..weird person I am!

So Cendrine, keep with the green smoothies for your family!

Rachel, isn't ME great? I love that workout and I love the ME abs. They are one of my favorite ab workouts. Before STS Abs I used those a lot to tack on to other workouts.

Kim, I'm 5'3" 1/2! Rachel, how tall are you?

 

[FourAM]

Hey everyone...Well it was pretty easy day at work. The electricity went out in almost half the town! It is a really small town! So we finished what we could and left a little early!

I think I have a premix off of BM2 tomorrow. About 62 min. I think Jo encouraged me to go ahead and try those abs again tomorrow> I feel a little better tonight so I will probably have a better work out tomorrow. Even though I feel I did good until the abs.

Cendrine-I am going to have to get MIC. Way to go on getting through it. From how yall described it, it sounds like quite a feat! I hope you got to feeling better. I do not like to work so hard I get ill feeling!

Jo- I knew you would probably only get half as sick as your less healthy co-workers! Maybe they will learn from your clean eating and maybe it will help someone to take the dive into clean living...probably not though!

Kim-I hope you are having a great day! Enjoy the biggest loser tonight!

OK I am off to get some food in me and then a shower and then relax!

Rachel

 

[FourAM]

Ok I know this is a double post but I was wondering what yall thought of the descriptions of the workouts in sts so far. I just caught up and read about the 40/40 HiiT and the pyramid Hiit and the athletic step. The two Hiit ones are short but I know they will be intense. I am wondering how they will leave me feeling and how she will work them into a rotation. Only one in one day or what? I think the 40/20 one is 29 min. I will think I will feel weird stopping in such a short amount of time! But I know they will be hard. What do yall think?

Rachel