Norah is cheering again through the Upward program at our church. She loves it! For those of you who know Norah, you know that she is a relatively quiet kid. She talks all the time - but she is not loud. She can be sometimes, but overall, she has a very quiet voice. I often half to ask her to repeat herself - even if I am right next to her - because she talks so quietly. At cheerleading - she is totally different. There are some weeks at practice when she is the loudest one - and with 15 other girls on her squad - that is saying a lot!! Each week after practice Norah comes home and teaches Lucy her new cheers. They perform them for us all week long. Lucy can't wait to cheer with Norah next year (although, I would be okay if they want to try something else).
Lucy and Daphne are going to the Mother's Day Out program at our church. They both seem to really like it. Daphne is usually ready for me to leave so she can get busy playing - although, every once in a while she acts like she is going to cry but she gets over it quickly. We are learning a lot about Lucy this year through Mother's Day Out. She relies on Norah so much in most situations that I think it has been good for her to have her own class to go to this year. Lucy tends to be an observer. I have to help her get involved in an activity or she cries. Her teachers have mentioned that she stands back and watches the other kids for a long time before joining in on an activity. She is making friends but it has taken awhile. I feel so bad for Lucy sometimes because she gets so nervous in new situations.
Kevin and I are both running in a half-marathon in April. Kevin has run in quite a few over the last 8 years (including one full), but I haven't run that distance since before we had Norah. I am pretty sure at the time that I said I never wanted to run that far again. However, I wanted some sort of motivation/something to work towards so I would keep running this winter. The run is 8 weeks from today - and I have run up to 8 miles, so I think I should be okay. Although, I have to say that with all the snow we have had this year, I have run further on a treadmill than I ever thought I would. I am ready for more regular outdoor runs! In the fall I was running about once a week with my friend, Beka - and I love running with a friend! Other than the few times Kevin and I are able to run together, I usually only run by myself! Running with Beka is a great distraction to the distance I am running!!
After prayer and many conversations with Kevin, I have decided to become a certified personal trainer. Several reasons come to the top of my head: I really enjoy working out and enjoy the feeling of completely a challenging workout. We try to be healthy and want to teach our kids (and others) to be healthy but not obsessive about what they eat. Living in the obese society that we do - I think people just need some help to get going. Losing weight and becoming physically fit take EFFORT - it isn't very often that people just try to eat better and walk a little more and actually lose the weight they want. You have to know WHAT you are eating, WHEN you are eating it. You also have to exert some serious energy to become physically fit. I know a lot of moms who say their bodies will never be the same after having kids - I disagree. If you are happy with your body weight - great! If you are not - I think that the body after baby thing is just an excuse to not put forth effort. I also think that so many people are not living the life that God intends for them because they are too tired to get off the couch. There are so many diseases that can be prevented by living a healthy life. All that being said, I am taking an online class and hope to be certified by mid-spring. I am really excited about the possibilities that personal training offers and that it is a way for me to contribute to our finances on a schedule that still allows me to homeschool.
In the fall Kevin and I did an herbal cleanse. I had read about different types of "cleansing" and knowing the number of toxins that are in our bodies and how tired and groggy I was feeling all the time, Kevin and I decided to try one. For us the best option was the Advocare Herbal Cleanse. Several cleanses that I read about tell you that you can't eat much or anything other than your cleansing drink. To me that doesn't sound safe. Your body needs fuel. My body needs fuels - to homeschool, to parent, to clean, to cook, to workout, etc - I was not going to do anything that requires me not to eat! Very few people eat perfectly all the time - we all miss out on nutrients that our bodies need. Advocare products seem to meet you in the middle. The company wants their clients to eat write and be active, but knowing that we can't eat right all the time, they step in with their vitamins and supplements. If you need more energy - this may be something for you to try. If you know you need to lose weight and just need something to kick start you weight-loss journey - may be for you. If any of you readers are interested in finding out more about Advocare - let me know and I can put you in touch with the right person!!
