Days 17, 18, 19,20, 21, 22, and 23

Bad news...

Days 17 & 18 done, easily and with tons of energy. Then the weekend came. Bad news.

Went out Friday night for a birthday celebration that ended up being way too fun - like, getting-home-at-3am fun. Combine that with being woken up at 7am on Saturday morning by the loves of my life that I wouldn't trade for anything not even a little extra sleep (I swear I'm being sincere) and I was left with absolutely no motivation or energy to Shred. Enter Saturday night and another get-together at Dana's that brought us home way too late. Still not recovered from Friday, I was pretty much dead to the world. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I decided to take on a pretty big re-decorating project on Sunday too, you know, with all that extra energy.

So no Shredding alllllll weekend. I'm ashamed. I thought I'd hit my second wind but truth be told, I'M BORED!!!!!!!!! I know, I'm a loser. It's only 30 days - the same amount of days that flies by when I'm not working out. The same amount of days that flies by when I'm suckin' up that pizza and ice cream.

Days 21 through 23 have been done though - barely. So I don't know if anyone's reading this or anything but I NEED MOTIVATION! Even if you can't give it to me do ya think you can tell me where I can find it????

Preschool

I registered Ana for preschool today.

And I can't really write any more about it cuz, at least right now, it's purty tough to swallow.

Chit Chattin' with Maddie

I sat Maddie in her carseat and as I was going to put Ana in hers I sat her on Maddie's lap for a second (you know, cuz I'm soooo funny)...

Maddie: "Move it, Ana! Move it!!!"

Yep, sounds about right. All Maddie.

Chit Chattin' with Ana

I'm in the living room listening to Ana and Maddie playing together in the family room and then Ana walks in...

Ana: "Mommy....I'm just so frustrated."
Mama: "You're frustrated? Why?"
Ana: "Becaauuuuse, Maddie NEVER shares! EVER!!!"

Well, at least she's good at expressing her feelings :).

Days 15 and 16

Oh my!!! The monumental half-way point and I didn't even write about it. Oh well! Moving on....

Yes, sireeee (or ma'ameeee) I finished my 15th day yesterday. Oh helllllzzzz yeah I did! 15 days STRAIGHT mah homeys (not really sure why I'm all gangsta now but I'm kinda feelin' it). Tried Level 3. Holy toughness. Again, pretty though, but not any tougher than Day 1 at Level 1 so I'm confident I'll be kickin' Level 3's butt by Day 30.

And today. Ahhh, today. Today, also monumental (is monumental too strong a word? mayhaps?), marked the beginning of the 2nd half, the LAST half, of my 30 Day Shred-a-thon. I've decided to switch it up every day and do a different level. Today I did Level 1 again and ROCK IT. Seriously. No joke. I smoked Jillian. No breaks at. all. It was still tough but I did it and it felt oh so good.

I don't know what's going on but I'm feeling pretty re-energized right now. And it feels goooood. I'm going on 5 hours of sleep (a HUGE deprivation for atleast8hoursanight me) and being pretty irritated by someone earlier and I feel grrrrreat! I think I'm back. I was worried for a minute but this is good. I see the end. It's you and me, Ania! It's you and me :).

Days 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

Duh-uh-uh-uh-uhne!!!!

Ok, so I haven't been on here in days and I gotta say it's getting tough. Not the work out, that's been tough all along. The monotony of it. The same thing every. single. day. Given I can often have the attention span of a small peanut, this is proving to be the toughest part. So tomorrow I'll move onto Level 3. Not because I'm just that awesome but because if I don't mix it up I just may fail.

'Til tomorrow!

Day 9

I just finished my 9th straight day of the Shred. I'm really tired. It's almost 11pm. We had some friends over tonight so I had some drinks. I need to study for a big test I have on Friday. I want to sleep.

But I did do it. Exhale.

Chit Chattin' with Maddie: the Debut

Is it really happening? Can I really start publishing "Chit Chattin' with Maddie" posts???? It can't be. My baby can't be getting this big!

Oh but she is. And this is her first...sigh (you know, a sad but proud and happy but reluctant-to-let-go kind of sigh).

While trying to draw on the wall with an unsharpened pencil...

Mama: "Maddie, what are you doing?"

Maddie: "Na-ting, Mama. Na-ting."

Mama: "We only color on paper, remember?"

Maddie: "No, Mama, no 'member."

Oh boy.

Days 7 & 8

Day 7 - done! BUT...I gotta tell ya I'm getting a little bored. I know it's only 22 minutes start to finish so it's over before I know it but it's me, the girl with an attention span the size of a peanut. It's time to move on...

So ah diiiiid!

Day 8 done! AND I moved right on up to Level 2! OhyesIdid!!!! And I survived to write about it. And it really wasn't much tougher than Level 1 was on that very first day. And I'm kinda hoping I'm sore in the morning cuz I kinda miss that feeling. And I think this Ab workout is going to be waaaay more effective. And I feel shockingly stronger already. And I totally did the pushups on. my. TOES! And I'm kinda sorta pretty proud of myself for actually doing this and sticking to it.

8 days down. 22 days to go.

Yeah, I'm cool ;P.

Chit Chattin' with Ana: Easter Edition

After coming home from MiNell's thinking Easter was over and finding another surprise from the Easter Bunny on her bed...

Ana: "Oh, Mommy!!! The Easter Bunny came again! He came again! And he brought me another surprise!!! Let's go look in your bed, Maddie! Let's gooooooo!!!!"

So she runs, baby sister in hand, to find Maddie's Dora surprise in her room.

Ana: "Mommy, I'm really REALLY happy. Thank you so much for everything. I'm just SO happy."

I. love. her.

Days 5 & 6

Days 5 & 6 DONE! Yep, in the middle of working and shopping and Easter I actually did it. This is huge for me.

Not sore but it's still tough. I can TOTALLY see Level 2 in my future. I WILL rock this. I WILL. I WILL!

Day 4

I'm so excited! My 30 Day Shredders Movement recruited a whole 3 members! PLUS me!!! Woot woot! Hey, that's plenty if you ask me :).

So I'm wracking my brain looking for a good way to measure our (imminent) successes at the end of the 30 days. One girl won't reveal her weight, one won't take pictures, and one wants to share even the unnecessary (you know who you are!) :). Soooo, how's this? We set our personal goals and document them for, well, documentation's sake. So here's my goal:

To lose 5 lbs, AT LEAST 2 inches from my belly and thighs, and to tighten up my baby belly. Not sure how realistic the 2 inches is cuz I have no clue about all that but it sounds good so why not!

Now back to my regularly scheduled shredding...

Day 4 done!!!

Awesome. I'm feeling A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Like I-wanna-take-an-after-picture-already awesome. BUT, of course I know it'll look exactly the same so I won't.

I wasn't sore almost at all today so somehow that tricked my mind into thinking the workout would be easier. Uh, nuh-uh. Still tough, my friends. Still tough. But I can feel myself getting stronger. And I can actually see myself maybe even moving up to Level 2. Oh yeah, I said it. I didn't say when. I didn't say it wouldn't be until Day 28. I just said I can see it happening.

This is encouraging, ladies!!! The worst will be behind us SOOOOOONNNNN!!!!

Now get to writin' your goals! Can't wait to read 'em!

Day 3

Day 3 DONE!!!

And unlike the last 2 days, those exclamation points are not put there to emphasize the horrific pain. Dare I say I ACTUALLY THINK I MAY PERHAPS SLIGHTLY FEEL STRONGER?!?!?! Ooooh yeah. Watch yourself Jillian, I'm comin' out!

Aaaand, turns out I'm not alone. Seems a little trend has been started and 2 friends have already started with one (hopefully!) starting as I type. So I'm linking to this post of my Facebook in hopes of recruiting more. 30 Day Shredders UNITE!!! It's 30 days and, like Ania says, it's only 20 minutes. Sounds doable but with the help of some determined friends to keep my rear in check I now KNOW I will do it!

So won't you join us? Come on, Kristie! Only $14.98 at Target! So if we can make this a 30 Day team effort I think we should posts some stats! Starting weights maybe? "Before" pictures? Daily updates? Whatever! But I'm not posting jack until someone says they'll do it with me. If you wanna, just put it in the comments!

Ok! Let's do it to it, people!!!

Wow. I've never tried to start a movement before. Kinda liberating :).

Day 2

Day 2 down! 28 to go!

Ok, so I woke up this morning and was pleasantly surprised at the ease I felt in peeling myself from my bed. I felt it but I was ok, I was gooood. The girls got up a little bit earlier than usual so we ate breakfast and decided to get to shreddin'.

Though I'd ususally wait until the girls are asleep to work out I figured I'd try it with them there because I was THAT excited to go on to Day 2 (seriously). (I'm going to go ahead and gush for a sec about how stinkin' cute and caring these girls of mine were, k? K.) As I huffed and puffed, sweated and cursed, Ana and Maddie were by my side with their "matter, Mama?" and "it's ok, Mommy, I'm going to take care of you" as I winced in pain and practically cried out for my own mommy. Ana even rubbed my leg during the lat rows. Yeah I realize this may have traumatized these poor girls but hey, Jillian shows no mercy for anyone! And considering I really could've used that encouragement right then I just let them be.

Within minutes of finishing the workout I was in massive out-of-shape-fat-girl pain. And now, 14 hours later, still in massive out-of-shape-fat-girl pain. To be fair, I'm not in constant pain. Like right now. As I lay here perfectly still. I feel nothing. Nothing at all. So long as I don't move or cough or breathe too deeply I feel nothing at all.

So, Day 2 down. On to tomorrow!

My Super Good Deal

I *heart* this chair. I heart it. I do. The style of it, the accents, the way it only cost me like 20 bucks. Seriously. Maybe not exactly 20 but it didn't cost me much more than that at all. I KNOW!

My List

I know, 3 posts in less than 12 hours. CA-RAZY!

Anyway, I've got it. After over a year of falling into a rut and not having the resources or creativity to do anything about it, it's back. The decorating itch. And it needs some scratchin'.

I'm suddenly overwhelmed with ideas! Ideas for the girls' rooms, ideas for the kitchen, even ideas for the garage. I know! So the creativity's back. But the resources? Notsomuch. So I've decided to make a list. A list of the stuff I want to do to make our house feel more like a home because, quite frankly, it's about darn time the way it looks matched the way it feels. So here it is (not the complete list but more than enough to get me started):

Kitchen

1. Build an island. I want it to have a wood top and decorative legs. Pretty simple, eh? But I can't find one. Actually, I can't find one the perfect size for the perfect price, like, almost free :).
2. Remove my wall decal. Love the words, can't stand the thing behind it. Not sure what I was thinking.
3. Get new countertops. One of the pricier to-dos so hopefully I can find a mama-worthy deal (fingers crossed!).
4. Get wood blinds for the door.
5. Add a wreath to the back door.
6. Fix the screen doorknob (ahem, if only my dear husband read this).
7. Get a new sink and faucet.

Living/Dining Room

1. (Maybe) add wainscoting to the walls. Haven't decided yet.
2. Get new, more formal dining chairs to go better with my new favorite chair but ONLY if I can manage to sell mine.
3. Get place settings for the dining table.
4. Make a plates display on the dining area wall.
5. Restain my supercute new chair.
6. Get coffee and side tables (or something that will serve their purpose).
7. Get a "dresser" that will serve as a mini buffet.

Family Room

1. Paint the fireplace wall.
2. Redo vamp the fireplace and paint/stain it.
3. Change our blinds and add curtains.
4. Put up shelves.
5. Patch up holes.
6. Freshen up pictures

Ok, I think I should stop here for now. I need a starting point and I think this is plenty. Now I just need to get started! Hmmmm....but where????

Day 1

About a week or so ago I learned of a Jillian Michaels DVD that promises to reshape and "shred" your body in just 30 days. For only 20 minutes. Results in a month? Only 20 minutes of work? Sold!

Uuuuhhhhh...that's 30 days STRAIGHT. And that's 20 minutes of CONSTANT MOVEMENT. With JILLIAN MICHAELS. H O L Y. C R A P.

I ain't gonna lie. If, at this point, you're wondering how it went given my subtlety, here's a hint. I thought I might actually die. Literally. I had visions of Anthony coming home to find me in a workout coma. My legs were shaking, people. My arms felt like they might fall off if I kept going. I get it, I'm out of shape but sweet Jesus! it's not like I sit on the couch and eat garlic texas toast with cheese on it (uh, yum!) all day long. I AM mobile!

Aaaanyhoo, the positive is that I DID IT! And I'M DOING IT FOR THE 30 DAYS! Oh, that's right. I'm in this to win this! I took my measurements and (get this!) pictures. Hooo yeah. And heeeeck no, they're not getting put on here...unless I really do get totally hot and shredded in 30 days. Then I might just post them just so I can throw some garlic bread (what's my deal??) at them while I point and laugh!

Ok, point is/was.....day 1, DONE!

32

32 and a few weeks old.

OLD.

This last year has made me feel old. I've learned more in the last year than ever in my (adult) life - more about myself, more about people around me, more about life itself.

I became Mama to two toddlers.

I became a business owner.

I became a new friend, and then lost those same friends.

I became consumed with my own life and fell short to the most honest and true friends I'll ever have.

I became uncertain of so much and spent a great deal of time worrying about the future.

I let the darkness of that worry chip away at my marriage.

I started to become someone I never wanted to be.

I learned what it felt like to do without.

I still found happiness in every single day through the eyes, the smiles, the hugs of my girls.

I took back what was rightfully mine, became a true business owner, and saw our potential for the very first time.

I slowly but surely got rid of the unnecessary, the poisonous, and became that much less naive.

I realized how lucky I am to have been chosen by my friends and the blessing it is to have that kind of security.

I learned that it's in my control to be the person I want to be which is so much better than the one I had been.

I learned just how much a mother will do for her daughter.

I learned that no matter what we go through, no matter what's said, and no matter how dark it gets, he's the one - he will always be the one and I thank God for him.

I'm another year older for sure. But for all that's happened I'm stronger...I'm more knowing...and I'm going to be just fine.

Welcome 32.