STS 6 Month Alumni **April 2012**

[cendrine]

OMG, Kim, how great is that! I am so jealous and excited for you! You have to tell us all about your conversations with her!
Glad you are having a great time!

Jo, happy studying to you! You are sooooo close! And we are getting much closer! It's fun to know your mom is so near where we are going to live!
This will be a new job for Dh, not a transfer, it will allow for him to be working more humane hours and have more energy left for the kids at the end of the day, so that's a very good thing!

We are knee deep into packing to be ahead of the game. Life here is rather hectic now. We have people coming giving us quotes for all sorts of things that need doing, hopefully we can get the painting out of the way soon, the whole house needs it! I firgured, the more stuff is packed, the easier it will be for the painters to move furniture and do their jobs. It is crazy how much stuff needs taking care of, little details that you don't think about until you're facing it.... Oh, and get this, dh packed up all my risers I guess I'll not be doing any step workouts until the new house... Weight rack is still out, and the treadmill,
we're looking at hopefully moving out in the last week of May. That doesn't leave much time for getting everything done. Packing is helping me keep my neck and shoulders from being rock hard! Very useful side benefit!

 

[Runcrazy]

LUCKY!!!!!!!!​

LUCKY!!!!!!!!​

LUCKY!!!!!!!!​

 

[FourAM]

Just a quickie.

Cendrine! The house is so beautiful. I had to tell DH about it. I hope you can post pics sometime after you move to show what you do with it! I am so happy that you have something to look forward to also. It makes the move feel not quite as bad when you are moving to a house like that!

Kim!! I knew you were going to have fun. I saw the group photo on facebook but I think I need glasses. (<---denial still)LOL I had a hard time picking you or Cathe out. I can not wait to here about it all!!!


Jo!!! YOu are almost finished and when you are finished you will have all kinds of time to get back to your regular workouts so do not fret!
Thank you for all your kind words on yoga and all the family stuff. I think with out yoga I would be pretty miserable right to tell you the truth but it is giving me a lot of coping tools. I think really it is just opening a door for my daily life that I had shut a long time ago.
Oh and on the pretzel side of things...DH is going to do some pictures of my yoga practice for me sometime so maybe I can post some.


We have had a busy time here lately but I keep hoping to get more regular on here. I can see Cendrine you are about to be so busy! Maybe if we make it to Oregon in August we can have tea.

My yoga teacher is coming in this week from Mexico so I am excited to see her. I am going to a dinner at her house and have no idea what to bring so I have to do some research. She is a vegetarian too and since I am new at this I am a little worried about what to take to a "potluck" that will keep and still be good when I get there.

OK better go! Have a wonderful Monday!!!

 

[cab0899]

Okay, I just spent a long time doing a post and then I accidentally closed it so I'm going to do shorter posts and hit reply sooner

I'm home from Chicago and had a great time! It was such a whirlwind that I'm still taking it all in. I'm very glad I went, all the people were super nice, the resort was beautiful and the classes were fun!
I am so tired today!

So here's my report:

So I woke up at 3:30 am on Friday. DH was a sweetie and agreed to drive me to the airport. We were in the car by 3:40 and while he drove I decided to check emails on my iphone before turning it off. I had a email that my flight had been cancelled My heart dropped. We are a ways from the airport so I didn't know if we should turn around and head home or keep going. We decided to keep going to the airport although I got on the phone (on hold) in case I could get talking to someone.

I got to airport, got in line with a many unhappy people. I know now that it was a "sick out", the Air Canada pilots were phoning in sick as they are in negotiations and aren't allowed to strike. By the time I got to the front of the line I was resigned to the fact that I probably wasn't going to make it. But when the clerk heard that my final destination was Chicago she said that she could get me on a direct flight! I had used airmile points and booked a flight that went through Toronto. It was the Winnipeg to Toronto flight that was cancelled. But she got me on a sister airline that had a direct flight to Chicago leaving at 6 am! So I left the line of very unhappy people and pretty much walked on to a direct flight! What a morning of ups and downs!

Great flight and I landed at O'Hara 2 hours before I was scheduled to land!!! I had arranged to share a hotel shuttle with 2 other Cathletes so had to waste 2 hours in the airport! I was nervous to sit in one place so I kept wandering around.

 

[cab0899]

So it was finally time to meet the other ladies. I shared a shuttle with Lara, who is from Arkansas and Susan M. who is from California. They both put me immediately at ease. So easy to talk with ! Super nice ladies! They had both been at other road trips so could answer some of my questions. They shuttle ride was about a hour so we had lots of time to chat.

When we arrived at the resort (absolutely beautiful!!) There were 3 other Cathletes at the front door, greeting people and getting pictures. Here is our picture right at the front door.



So in the picture, it's Susan M., Lara (my shuttle partners), me, Deb (she's on the forums lots) and Susan Q. Susan Q is from Ireland and came all the way to Chicago by herself just for the roadtrip! She had also been to the Texas roadtrip. I found out that she is a occupational therapist just like me! That was so neat!

 

[cab0899]

Patricia had just arrived at the resort as well so I went to meet her. How neat to meet someone that you have been friends with on the discussion boards for years! She felt like an old friend! She was a great roomie. We found lots to talk about. After settling in Patricia and I headed down to the restaurant to meet Lara and Susan M. for lunch and you can't believe who was in the restaurant.

Patricia and I stopped to say hi! Cathe is so little!! I have to admit I was a bit star struck but it was great to see her. We had a great lunch then it was time to go to registration.



Patrica and I at the registration. We got nice black gym bags with a water bottle, tshirt, mints, and bracelets in them. Some of the other girls say there used to be more stuff but I guess they have had to be cut back. We looked at some of the fitness clothes for sale (over the weekend I ended up buying 2 tops and one pair of sweats, nice stuff!, more funky than I usually wear)

I picked up my socks, t-shirt that I had preordered.

 

[cab0899]

Then it was time to go get changed and do the first workout! This hotel was huge! Our room was at the other end of the hotel and so it was a good workout just walking back and forth between the workout room and our room to change and clean up!!

The first workout was pretty much Afterburn! Felt good to workout after all the sitting on the airplane! There was about 140 people working out, all women except three guys! All kinds of fitness levels, some super fit and some very beginners, all ages, all sizes, all types of workout wear. Very comfortable setting for working out!

Then off to clean up for our first dinner! Patricia and I ended up sitting with some of the staff and then Cathe come over and sat with us!! I have to admit I wasn't sure what to talk to her about. Cathe was on one side of Patricia and I was on the other, it was so loud in the room it was hard to hear all the conversation. But we did talk about her boys activites and how they aren't doing baseball this year and she is glad as the games are so long. She also told us about one of her staff had left so she was going to have a super busy week after the roadtrip as she had to teach his classes as well as hers. She told us all about meeting Arnold at the Fitness Hall of Fame. She was kept busy with her staff, and then she got up to circulate.



Here are some pictures from that night. Doesn't Cathe look pretty!

 

[cab0899]

Next, in this very long day. Was yoga class. She turned down the lights and the room had these pretty twinkling decorative lights. The yoga class was hard, more YogaMax than YogaRelax! Then during the relaxing part at the end I was almost falling asleep it had been a long day!

After the class we just all sat on our towels and Cathe took questions. She discussed how she got started in the business, her favourite dvds, what her days are like, how she picked cast members, the new dvds, etc. If there is anything you are curious ask, she might have answered it. Then it was off to bed, and I was asleep so quickly!!





Pictures from the yoga class/ chat with cathe. I don't know if you can see Cathe's outfit very well. That's the outfit that I bought.

 

[cab0899]

Saturday morning the alarm went off at 6:30, Patricia and I went down to the restaurant for breakfast before the group photo. We went outside for the picture, and it was quite cool!

Then class #3, it was mostly kickboxing and Cathe had groups come up on stage with her for different combinations. I went up for kick jumps! Patricia took a picture so maybe I will get a copy later. Then she did a bit of slide and glide to finish up another great workout!

We had about 1.5 hours so just relaxed in the lobby with some of the girls and had a Starbucks coffee. Then off to class again, feeling a little sore! This class was mostly upper body endurance!

We had 3 hours off in the afternoon which seemed like a long time but it went quickly. That's when I bought my workout clothes, hike across the hotel for a shower/change, then to the restaurant for lunch with Susan, Lara and Patricia. By the time we finished eating we had to hike back to our room to get changed again for Lower Body Blast! Okay we were all complaining of DOMS by then!

Changed, shower, yet again and back for supper. We happened to be chatting with Steve, Cathe's photographer, about the background of the resort, it was Hugh Hefner's playboy mansion, originally as we walked into supper and he invited us to sit at his table. So the four of us ended up sitting with the staff again, Cathe arrived late and sat right next to me! At first she was quite busy with her friend that was helping out, Linda (I think) discussing work stuff that needed done for that night but then we got to chatting, mostly about New Jersey, the famous people that live there. Cathe said that Kelly Ripa (sp) and Bruce SPringsteen both live close to her Her friend talked about visiting Canada but then Cathe had to get up to circulate. we couldn't hog her all night! She sure doesn't eat much but she did have some cake!

After dinner was a fashion of the Fitness clothes.





here's a picture of Cathe at the fashion show and a picture of Lara, me, Patricia and Susan M. at the fashion show.

I don't like this picture at all, my arms look huge! I want to think that I stand out as I'm dressed in pink and the others in more slimming black and my arms are out front.

After the fashion show, some of us sat on the outside patio by the fire for a hour and then off to bed.

Sunday, there was a bootcamp class from 7:30-8:30 but the shuttle people insisted on picking us up at 8:30 am. We tried arguing with them but the wouldn't budge. So we had to leave the class 15 minutes early. Patricia had her watch on and told me the time, I couldn't believe it, I was having so much fun in the boot camp class I didn't want to leave!

But we had to leave. I got to the airport checked in/through security by 10 am and my flight wasn't till 2 pm! Lara and I had time to go for a nice lunch. I got to know the O'Hare airport very well. I connected through Toronto and that flight was delayed (maybe the pilot was still not feeling well) and so I got home at 9:30 pm. So another long day.

When we had dinner with the Cathe staff they told us they are checking out Las Vegas and maybe California for another road trip. Maybe you'll like to join me?????

 

[FourAM]

OK Kim!!! Too awesome for words! It looks like you lucked out a lot with your seating arrangements and seeing Cathe in the restaurant before hand. I think it was in the cards for Cathe to remember you!!!
Thank you for breaking it down so much and adding all the pictures!
You make me want to wait by the computer for the next road trip

Been spending the week with my yoga teacher off and on and then trying to figure out what to take to the dinner party. It is really going to be informal so I finally decided on mushroom, pesto and goat cheese hand pies. I am still working out the dough for those. I really want it to be full of flavor and flaky but I am a novice pie crust maker meaning until this week every other one I have attempted flew like and air plane out the back door Of course with a little help from me after I got too frustrated to mess with it any more. LOL
So I had a little luck with a crust I found but it is still not as flaky and buttery as I would like it to be.

Is that boring yall to death. LOL Well other than that, life has been tame this week. Thank goodness. We start some repair work for a hospital next week and then we have a really big job coming on June1. So I am not sure how May is going to be. Things just seem to fall in our lap at the last minute here lately.

I hope you have all had a wonderful week. Kim, I hope you are recovering from all those tough workouts. I love that Cathe incorporated yoga this year. Has she always done that?

OK better go got lots to do today.

 

[cendrine]

Kim, I second Rachel, it was super fun to have you describe everything in such detail! Sounds like you had a wonderful time, too bad you had to leave the last session early and then kill time at the airport!

Rachel, I would hire you to do my floors in a heartbeat! I had a guy come give an estimate and he was lying about the deals, manipulated me (at least he tried) and was pretty annoyed that I was not going to sign on with him right then and there even though he knew I was getting other bids and wanted time to let them all come in... where are people like you when you need them... I might ask you some questions as we pick which floors to put in...
about the crust, I haven't tried this but have heard adding baking powder or baking soda makes the crust flaky, maybe you can Google it and see?

Wish I had more time, will check in when I can....

 

[cab0899]

Glad you enjoyed my little trip report! I would certainly go on another road trip if I had the opportunity.

The weekend really drained by energy so didn't do many workouts this week.DH and I did a short run/hill training (3.5 miles) on wednesday while dd was swimming. Then today I wasn't working and did 3 miles outside and coremax #3. DD ran 2 miles with me today, she wants to train for a 5K race in May. That was fun to run with her.

Rachael, I don't know if Cathe did Yoga at her other road trips, I think she usually did some kind of evening stretch. Is the dinner tonight??

Cendrine What are you doing with the floors?? Are you pulling up the carpets?? Are the kids excited about moving? Are you going up to see the house before you move?

 

[cendrine]

I don't blame you for not working out much, Kim, your body needed a little recovery!
the painters started today, good thing we were out most of the day, the tackled the family room, hallway, powder room and kitchen. They are not completely done yet, but it looks so beautiful! The pain color is called sandcastle, but it looks more like a warm, bright yellow, really pretty. They will do all the doors and trim white after they finish the walls.
We found out that a really good guy at our church does floors and he came measured yesterday, giving us an excellent deal. The house will look so nice! We currently have an Italian tile in the kitchen and hallway and entrance, which we are keeping. The formal living, dining and family room are carpet, which we are switching to wood laminate. This guy is the next best thing to having you do it, Rachel!
we won't be able to do the floors until we move out, because of all the clutter... so the painters will be about four days, then we have a handyman do some rekaulking and such, we'll get the windows cleaned, then move out, have the floor put in( carpet for stairs and all upstairs) then have someone clean the house before listing it. We are hoping to have it listed end of May( move out date is May 24th) things are really moving. Thanks to the painters we are boxing things up as much as we can which will cut down on last minute packing, that feels good! I'm starting to get excited. In the meantime I'm having good bye get together( gotta do it in small groups, I don't like crowds as I think not all of the people would get a proper goodbye.
I did a lot of T-Mobile, but I'm thinking packing needs to be a form of exercise, right? I couldn't work out today, but packed up about six big boxes...
T-Mobile tomorrow, I hope, after the painters leave.

 

[FourAM]

Ok yall my little hand pies were a hit and they should have been since I made them 2 times before I made the third batch that I took. DH was in hand pie heaven! It was too short of notice to perfect a whole wheat crust so I am going to have to work on that but I filled them with mushrooms, kale, pearl onions, sundried tomatoes and goat cheese. They were delicious if I do say so myself...LOL

Cendrine, you are so sweet and I am so glad you have found some one you can rely on to help you with the floors. It makes me so mad that so many people are just completely unreliable! It sounds like you are falling in love with all the new stuff in your old house.!!!haha
Really May24 will be here before you know it. I have a friend from yoga that is moving to Florida next week and when he first started talking about it , it seemed so far away and then April got here and it just flew by!!!

Kim, I can not blame you one bit for having a light week! I hope you got some good meals in this week to pump your energy back up! The dinner was last night and it was just so much fun! I had been with all these women in different yoga classes but never really outside that setting and they are all so funny and just a very inspiring group. Of course we all have the love of our teacher in common. Maybe sort of like you and all the women on the road trip loving Cathe! LOL

We go back to work on Monday now. We got a call to do a church sanctuary and then we have to pop over to the hospital for the repairs so I am thinking it is going to be a busy week!!!
Hope yall are all getting some down time!

Rachel

 

[cab0899]

DH, ds and I ran 9 miles this morning. I kind of forgot how these long training runs drain the energy right out of you! Our time was 1 hr 33 min, I know I slow the boys down but they keep telling me not to worry about it. We have 8 weeks until our half marathon! These races always seem like a good idea in the beginning.

I think the next few weeks I'm not going to follow a rotation just generally try for one long and 2 short runs a week and add in some upper body weights and core work.

I did notice on the roadtrip that I had trouble keeping up with some of the core stuff. I've piled beside my dvd player ab circuits, coremax, and ab hits. That is 22 ab workouts. My goal is to do each one once over the next 8 weeks so about 3 a week.

Cendrine, I can't believe how fast everything is happening with regards to your move! Has DH given his resignation to his current employer??? Does he have some time off between jobs to get settled? How is the housing market in your area, do you think your house will sell fast??

Rachael What fun to have dinner with other women with similar interests to you, glad they enjoyed your pies! Sounds like a busy work week for you.

I'm meeting with my manager tomorrow but it sounds like I will be permanently increasing my hours. For a few years, my position has been .75 of a full work week. (although I have worked full time at times to cover for other therapists). We got some extra funding and I think I will be moving to .9 (so not quite full time) which would been that I would have every second friday off. It's good for us to have that little extra guaranteed income especially as ds is getting close to university and stuff but I've sure enjoyed working less especially over the summer

I've really committed to eating cleaner over the next couple of months, I think if I could lose another 10-15 lbs, it would make the running so much easier! I have lost 1 lb this week so I figure that is a good start.

 

[cendrine]

I'm so glad your handier were such a hit, they sure sound delish!

Kim, you crack me up with your comments of half marathons and how they sounded like a good idea at the time...lol!

I haven't done much abs wise either, I will work on mine when I get settled.

Having the painters here is a blessing in disguise, because as we have to move stuff for them it just seems silly to move it back, so we are packing stuff up as we go. It's unbelievable how much stuff we have and actually use... I'm so glad we are getting a head start, I would hate to find out what last minute packing would look like.

Dh is giving notice on Wednesday, dreading to do so, because there isn't anyone to cover for him once he's gone, they take a long time training replacements, so in the meantime I think a lot of things will not go smoothly... He's giving them 3 week's instead of two because of the nature of the job and is then taking a week off for packing, moving and unpacking....

The painters say they will be here approximately two more days, but I think it's going to be three. We took today to prep all the bedrooms for the painters, the office is another story.... I think we need everything else moved back so we can move stuff out of dh's office...

After this life should calm down a little before the storm...

 

[cab0899]

Good luck to your DH tomorrow Cendrine, going in to tell his boss will be stressful!

I'm sure everyone is busy with Cendrine packing, Jo studying and Rachael working!

Tonight DH and I did Slow and Heavy biceps/triceps. Tomorrow going to a funeral, DH's great aunt, trying to decide whether to take the kids. The kids don't really want to go but I know some of DH's extended family would like to see them.

 

[Runcrazy]

Hi All! Sorry I went MIA! I finished finals and at the last minute DH and our BFF's in Seattle decided to go camping! So I didn't even get to post an "I'M DONE" post! LOL! Anyway, finished finals on Thursday morning and we left Thursday afternoon for central Oregon to camp. The weather was awesome (high desert) so it was 80ish the whole time. Had lots of fun. Then on the way back, on Wednesday, we swung over and spent the night with mom.

KIM!!! I am thrilled with your RT report and the pictures! I'm so glad you had so much fun! I really really want to go to one of those so maybe if she gets one over here a little closer the west, I can go, along with ALL OF YOU! Wouldn't that be great if we could all go? What did Cathe say was her favorite DVD's? She is stylish! Looking at her always gets me motivated to get my butt back in shape!!!

Cendrine, did DH give his notice? When's his start date for the new job? You must be so busy right now, but isn't it cleansing to be getting rid of stuff?

Rachel, you busy busy girl! Sounds like things are picking up for you guys and with a big job coming in June, you think you'll have a busy summer?

So starting TODAY, I'm back on track! I HAVE to get these extra pounds off! I know I can get if off in 6 weeks if I just discipline myself. Before DH left this morning, I said, no sabatouging me, no pizza, no candy bars, no taco bell! He sheepishly said okay. (Yes, I ate taco bell yesterday while on the road!).

Last thing, I get home and the washing machine is broken! I have a TON of dirty clothes. DH called for service and can't get anyone here until May 8! UGH!!! I never had problems with my Sears machines - had them for 22 years and now got these higher end machines and I've had them serviced like 5 times in 2 years.

School starts again on Sunday...going to count it down... 8 weeks! Graduation is on June 23. Oh, and my class I thought I might get my first B, well, I barely eeked by with an A so still maintaining my 4.0!

 

[FourAM]

Wow I looked at my last post and it was the 21st! I am sorry to say that the computer is the last thing on my mind when we get busy like this. I am not complaining , it is just going to take me a bit to get organized. I hope this is a sign that the economy is picking up because we are really getting busy.
I lucked out today and got a much needed day off to get some things done but I think we are going to have a really busy next couple of months!

Cendrine- I guess at least I am not having to pack my whole house too huh? Sometimes I think moving might do DH some good...He is a clutter bug and I am sure that if we had to move he might get motivated to get rid of some things. LOL

Jo- I am so impressed with your diligence to get done with school!!! I keep forgetting to ask about Ibu? How is that baby doin"? <That is something my aunt would say...eh oh!

Kim- I know you can do anything you set your mind to! That includes eating clean!!! Running is hard for me at whatever weight so I can not comment on that one. LOL


OK Yall back to my house cleaning...Have a great Friday!

 

[Runcrazy]

As I said...I'm motivated!! Just complete AfterBurn! This was my first time doing it. Remind you all again - I AM OUT OF SHAPE! Well made it through the whole thing modifying burpees and a couple other things slightly. I had to use 3 and 5 lb weights as I wanted to get the feel of the workout. I LOVED IT! I'm going to have something to eat and then go spin!

Rachel, better to busy than not, huh? Let me tell you my baby is doing fantabulous! He is a great dog to take camping. Though we have him on leash when it's posted, he is awesome off leash as he doesn't stray and should really be named Shadow as he's with DH all the time. While camping, GF and I slept in their pop-up trailer, and the guys slept in tents with Ibo sleeping with DH. He is spoiled beyond belief but everyone wants to pet him. A cute little girl about 6 came over to our area and asked if she could pet him. He layed right down and let her pet him.

Okay, off for a salad or something and then on to spin! These pounds are coming off one way or another!