~*~We're In This Together~*~ (June-Sept)

Yesterday "Homer", the stray cat that we've been taking care of for the past 17 years, passed away :(. We've been feeding him and just keeping an eye out for his safety along a few other neighbors that come and go (but we've known him his whole life). His original owners dumped him when they moved :mad: He was getting very feeble with age (18 years is very old for a stray cat) and had stopped eating about a week ago. In his prime he weighed about 23 pounds, but over the last year he went into a decline and looked skeletal and very weak lately. For several weeks my DH was going out to pet him throughout the day and make sure he was drinking water...he found Homer under his favorite tree and thought he was sleeping. He was stretched out on his side with his arm under his head and looked very peaceful. So we very lovingly transported him to a pet crematorium and we will scatter his ashes around his favorite hangouts.
Here's the write up I did to inform the neighbors:

Homer
1995 - June 14, 2013
Dear Friends,
We regret to relay the news that Homer used up the last of his 9 lives today. He passed away peacefully in his sleep, stretched out under a shady tree on a beautiful mild summer day. His personality attracted many loyal fans that genuinely cared for his well-being. Homer seemed to thrive under the attention he received from his admirers, especially in his advancing years, even though he preferred to be independent and a “free-spirit”. In honor of Homer’s love of our little corner here at the Arbors, we will release his ashes in his favorite places. We will all carry a bit of his sweet little spirit in our hearts and can count ourselves lucky to have known such a resilient, enduring, and endearing little fighter…a true survivor who after 18 years has finally found “home”.
Peace,
Nancy & Bret

Needless to say, I skipped last night's workout and went on a long walk instead.
 
Nancy
This brought tears to my eyes. Beautiful "eulogy" you have written. Homer was very lucky to have people like you to have cared so much about him. It's amazing how animals can strike such deep emotions within our soul.
 
Oh Nancy, they brought tears to my eyes, too. What a sweet boy Homer was!

I can't write a long post as I have to squeeze my workout in before we take the kids down to my parents farm for a sleep over. It'll be their first time staying over night at my parents house and my dad is going to take Dylan fishing down at the creek while my mom takes Lydia for a picnic. :)

Today I will be doing Drill Max! :D
 
Nancy,
Reading your eulogy for Homer hit home. Mad about original pet parents left him. Glad he found you.
Worthwhile to skip your workout & go for a walk.
Take good care of yourself.

Jen
 
Nancy-

Oh so sad :( What you wrote is so beautful! What a lucky cat to have you taking care of him. You made his life so much better.
 
Went for a nice walk with my mom today. We stopped and got coffee on the way and then took B to the park. He just loves those swings :)

At work now just finishing up. Miss my baby sooo much! Can't wait to get home!
 
jrichards111 said:
Hi everyone!

Back from Boston. Hope everyone is doing well. Boston was great. Learned a lot at the conference, did a lot of walking by the river. Did not manage to work out in the hotel room though. Instead I took advantage of the big fluffy bed and good cable! :p

The plane ride from Boston was bumpy; sitting in the wing did not help. Yesterday I had neck and back pain all day.Whiplash? Today I feel a bit better but still have stiff neck pain. No workouts until I fully recover.

Hi Marie, how old is your little man? I have three children (two girls and one boy, 13, 11 and 2).

Justina
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Justina-

Glad Boston was great! Love that city! Good for you for taking advantage of the fluffy bed and good cable. Well deserved! Walks by the river count as a workout :)

B is 8 months on the 17th. Time flies! I seriously can't belive he is 8 months already!

Having kids is just the best :) I have nieces that are 12 and 13. Fun ages for sure. Every stage is a new adventure. I just love it.
 
Yesterday was great walking weather :)! We tried to get one in before the heat kicked in and spent a good hour out there between 9 and 10 am. Then I came home and did Cardio Super Sets with the step bonus. I was drenched at the end! Sometimes Down Dog is tough to do when you're slipping all over! Our house-cat, Pip, thinks it's funny to get underneath me on Down Dog (and push-ups, too!)...I was so afraid I was going to flatten him :p! We probably only have a few more weeks left where we can have the windows open early in the day before the heat overwhelms us! Pip loves watching the birds and has an ongoing rivalry with Mr. Squirrel, so we try to keep the windows open as long as possible, but it really gets oppressive by 4 pm...then it's AC-time :rolleyes:!!!

Today is supposed to be a rest day, so I'll probably get another good walk in and maybe do Yoga Relax later. I'm excited about starting my Sizzlin' Summer Rotation tomorrow :eek:!!! I'm really going to focus on form and be super conscious of any over use strain. AND Slow & Heavy should be arriving!!!!

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your kind words about Homer. We've been chuckling over Homer stories all weekend and have had some good laughs through tears. I know you've all had some experience like this and it is very kind of you to offer support!

mfv3 (Marie?), I LOVE 8 months old!!! It is one of my favorite milestone ages because they starting to sit up on their own and they develop great little senses of humor! SO CUTE!!!! I am child-free so I live vicariously through my siblings' and friends' kids. My oldest nephew is 33 and is married to a gorgeous young lady. They had a beautiful boy 14 months ago (making me a great-aunt). I have 5 more nephews and 2 nieces all in their 20s...I really miss those holidays when they were all dinky! Time really flies by!

Jen, are you doing Body Beast with the others? Are you a cardio junkie or do you go for iron???

Colleen, hope the sleepover was a success and some fish were caught! It is great that your parents are active and can enjoy their grand kids! How old are your kids?

Natty, my DH uses a jump rope every now and then to break up his runs. He really gets a good workout when he does that. He does Tabata-style intervals...maybe I ought to do that...good for bone health! I would do little jump rope rhymes with it though :p!

Well, time to get walking!!!! Happy Sunday to Justina and Sarah!!!
 
Yesterday was hurry up and plant the garden before it starts raining again. In Washington state the rain really doesn't let up until July. So it's always a little dicey when we can have the soil dry enough to rototill. So, we got about half done. I can't wait for kohlrabi, love that stuff.

Yesterday I did hiit 40/20 and in the evening went for a leisurely walk. It was such beautiful weather. Today is suppose to rain again.

Nancy - I think what you wrote about homer was nice. A little sentimental remembrance mixed with humor is how I would want people to think of me when I go. Good luck on your new rotation.

Nat - I haven't done BB TB yet. I must tell you, I never watching the getting started basic DVD and I turned it on yesterday and sagi was in a sweatshirt and glasses, oooo la Laaaa, me likey :) I am trying to decide if I should finish out the last 3 days of phase 1 or just move onto bulk TODAY??

Colleen - I will be anticipating hearing how the sleepover went, as well as if you had a good time with the hubby.

Marie - I can't believe it's been 8 months already. Time just flies. I should know I'm a mom too, but somehow when they are little they are growing and learning faster so it seems time is faster. He is the cutest baby!

Justina - I'm glad you enjoyed your trip to Boston. And why not do something completely different when your in a different city. Even if this means enjoying TV and bed.

Hey Jen

I hope you all have a nice Father's Day, taking care of your guys and having good times with the family.


Sarah
 
Workout today was a long walk with my mom. We ended up at the park with take out sushi. B went on the swings for a bit.

Oh he learned to wave today. As I left for work I waved and said bye bye to him...we have been practicing a lot lately....and he waved back. Tony said he did it a few more times tonight too. Just melts my heart how sweet he is. What a great feeling that he is learning new things.

Nancy- It is such a fun age :) That is awesome that you are so close to your nieces and nephews. I know the feeling. We have 2 nieces that are 12 and 13 and they are like our second kids. Love those girls :)

Hi to everyone else!

Off to bed for me.....

Tomorrow off :)
 
mom2kttj said:
Yesterday was hurry up and plant the garden before it starts raining again. In Washington state the rain really doesn't let up until July. So it's always a little dicey when we can have the soil dry enough to rototill. So, we got about half done. I can't wait for kohlrabi, love that stuff.

Yesterday I did hiit 40/20 and in the evening went for a leisurely walk. It was such beautiful weather. Today is suppose to rain again.

Marie - I can't believe it's been 8 months already. Time just flies. I should know I'm a mom too, but somehow when they are little they are growing and learning faster so it seems time is faster. He is the cutest baby!

I hope you all have a nice Father's Day, taking care of your guys and having good times with the family.

Sarah
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Thanks Sarah! I may just have to post another pic so I can show Nancy and Justina my boy lol! Mothers just love to brag about their kids ;)

Hope your family had a nice Father's Day too! I worked but at least Tony got to spend time with Breckin :)

Nice job on 40/20! That one is killer!
 
Hi everyone!

Sat was my rest day but Bella and I took a nice 1hr walk outside.

Yesterday's w/o was BB Total Body. A bit of a break through on push-ups -- I was able to do 2 sets of 15 very easily. I could have done more, but decided not to (the workout only called for those two sets anyway :p ). I was also able to do 2x15R chest presses with my 25lbs dumbbell's. I didn't even go to failure! I would use my 30lbs, but that weight is very hard for me to grip and keep up -- that's why I like using my barbell. I have definitely seen a noticeable improvement in UB strength with BB!

So for the next two weeks, I have decided to alter the rotation a bit. I want to try and incorporate a 2nd full-on leg day. My LB is where I always see the least improvement, but on the upside they are strong and can take a beating. From my own trial/error, I have come to realize that I greatly benefit from the extra LB day. So my plan is to do 3 days UB (which I would be doing anyway), 1xBB Legs, 1xCathe plyo legs (this will count as my cardio day as well). If I have time during the week I *might* add in another cardio. I really loved the DOMS I got from MMA Boxing, so perhaps more boxing is on the agenda :eek:.

Marie
Those pics are making my heart melt!
When you talk about B, I am reminded so much of all the cute little things Bella used to do at that age :). That age was probably my fav (maybe because Bella was not walking yet :eek:). Make sure you relish in all those moments (even the bad ones) cuz' like all moms say, the years go so quickly!

Sarah
Sagi is indeed a very handsome fellow ;). His facial features are perfect in my eyes ;).
Try a few weeks of Bulk and see how you like it. Initially is was a bit weird to do 1-2 body parts/day, but then I started to really enjoy it. That is when I saw my muscles start to grow :eek:.
Great job doing 40/20 yesterday :eek:.

Nancy
How are you feeling?
My cat who passed :( used to love and get underneath me during push-ups :mad:. It was cute but aggravating! I think kitties just want your undivided attention, especially when you are ignoring them :rolleyes:.
Tabata style jump rope :eek:. Oh ya, I can just IMAGINE the killer w/o he must get.

Colleen
I hope you had a great w/e without the kids :).

Have a lovely day everyone!
 
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Busy weekend, as usual. :eek: It is so hard for me to get on the computer on the weekends! Not only because I'm busy, but when I do try to get on and post Mark is inevitably over my shoulder going "Watcha doin'? Who you talking to? Why do you have to be on that computer right now?"... I swear, sometimes he acts like he's jealous of the forums. :rolleyes:

Workouts:
Saturday: I did Drill Max. I just love that workout! Unfortunately, it literally took me over two hours to do the workout! :confused: People dropping by, phone ringing, kids bugging, Mark interrupting...:mad: Sigh. That pause button got a lot of use. :cool:
Sunday: I did Cardio Leg Blast + 100 rep hip thrusts with 60lbs on the barbell. I had to take twice as many breaks that lasted twice as long as usual. :eek: :eek: I rested at 30 reps, 50, 70 and 90 reps before finally finishing off the last 10 reps...resting at least a minute each time. WHEW! It's amazing how much harder it was with just 10 extra pounds! I'm surprised I'm don't have CSOTT DOMS, I mean...I'm a little sore but man, I just don't get 'em like I used to, even when I up the weight. :confused: I suppose that's a good thing and I shouldn't complain. ;)


Saturday afternoon, we took the kids down to my parents farm to stay over night and go fishing down at the creek that runs through my parents land. They both caught a trout! Lydia's got away, but I cooked up Dylan's last night and it was going to be my lunch today until I realized I forgot it at home. :eek: I'm the only one in my house who likes trout! :eek:
Mark and I spent some time together. First we went to his boss's anniversary party, then we left and took a nice sunset walk down by the Mississippi river waterfront in Lacrosse. It was pretty lovely. :) Unfortunately, despite what should have been a fun and relaxing weekend for us wasn't as great as it should have been. :( Mark was battling a bad mood, so there was a lot of up and down. I hate to admit it, but we got in some arguments. It's just so hard to want to do nice things for him when he's being a sourpuss for no good reason. :mad:

Okay, gotta run...TTYL girls! :)
 
Colleen - So the kiddos did okay with overnight thing, right. Sounds like they had fun, and you and Mark too. I love trout! We all love trout unfortunately that is the problem we all love fish sooooo much to buy enough for all of us to have our fill gets to be to expensive. I really can't fathom doing 60 with the hip thrusts. Really. Geesh you are one strong woman.

Nat - I slacked and skipped over the final 3 days of the build phase. I was naughty too. Isn't it funny how when you don't do cardio for awhile it seem so fun. I guess thats the great thing about taking breaks. Good job on the push ups, they are tough, dont care who you are.

Marie - thanks for the pics, i was beginning to think it had been awhile since we had seen some of B. He looks very proud of himself for standing up.

Yesterday I took a walk, the hubby ran, but that was what he wanted to do on Father's Day. Today I did Hiit 30/30 then I did BB Bulk Chest for the first time.
I though I was going to die doing the progressive sets. Overall I think I will be feeling it tomorrow without a doubt. Not slight DOMS either, I think it will be worse.

Sarah
 
Morning!

I got to work a little early so I'm just taking a quick walk and sipping my cold press :)

Hope you all have a good morning. I hope to be back later :)
 
Natasha

Thanks so much! Sure in love with my little guy. Being a mommy is just the best as you know. Time sure does fly though. I bet it seems like just yesterday that Bella was a baby.

Nice job on your workouts. You sure have some awesome strength. Body blast is doing you good!
 
Colleen

Nice job on your workouts!

Jealous of the forums?! Lol! I know how that goes. Tony hates when I'm on them. Sorry to hear about Mark's bad mood. I feel ya on that one too. Whenever Tony's in a bad mood I would just rather not be around him. Seems as though he's been having that issue the past couple days. Never fun!
 
Sarah

Thanks so much! How time flies! He sure was proud. It's so cute to see him get excited like that.

What a fun fathers day. That's great that you got to enjoy the outdoors.

Hi to everyone else. Gotta get into work. TTYL :)
 
Hi Marie, Sarah, Colleen, Natasha, Nancy! Hope I'm not missing anyone. I'm bad with remembering names. :)

So my work outs for the last few days: BB Arms, BB Legs, and last night I went back to STS. It was a nice change. I've been missing Cathe's workouts. Tonight I plan to do BB Cardio.

Marie,
Your little boy is beautiful! I'm a proud mom too; on most days. :D My teenager and pre-teen drive me crazy sometimes. This weekend my oldest is having a sleepover with her friends. I will have to babysit 7 girls if they all show up. I'm tired just thinking about it! :rolleyes:

Nancy,
I've settled back to my routine now. I still feel a bit of neck pain on my left side but overall I'm able to work out fine. How's your foot by the way?
Thanks for checking on me! :) Work is busy as usual. I'm still studying for the exam. Part of me just want to get it over with so I can focus on the fun stuff again.

Colleen,
Your parents' farm sounds lovely. I'm a city girl but I always wonder what it would be like to live on a farm. I bet it's peaceful and relaxing. I have't don Cardio Leg Blast in a while. It kicked my butt the last time I did it! :D Must go back to it soon. You know, my husband gets like that sometimes too. You know what I do? I just leave him be and I do something that I enjoy either by myself or with the kids. Does that sound bad? :p No reason to let him ruin my day. :D

Sarah,
I had a hard time with progressive set too. I find Sagi's pace too fast. I'm always trying to catch up. I should just pause the DVD and do it at my pace to finish the set.

Natasha,
Sagi is definitely easy on the eye. :D I love it when he poses like a body builder in a competition. Congrats on the results! Sounds like you are stronger than ever.:D Interesting artile from Cathe's newsletter about how we measure up to other women in weight training. Not a contest but just to know a benchmark. We are all competing with ourselves. For pushups, in my age group I'm supposed to be able to do 8-19 modified pushups. I know I can do more than that so I will have to try to do 8-19 regular pushups instead. Few months back I was able to do 8 but now I think the number is less. :)

Hope you ladies have a good day!

Chat again soon!

Justina
 
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