Hey friends!
Holy moly, I’ve had a lot going on this week! First off, I hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July! We had a fun one.
For some reason, our city held most of the 4th of July festivities on Saturday???!? Weird.
We kept up our very strange tradition of getting McDonalds food (don’t judge :-)) and heading over to a little strip of grass next to Taco Bell to view the fireworks. In the past we’ve gotten Taco Bell food, but we decided to do McDonalds this year because we’re fancy like that. 🙂
We’ve watched fireworks from this spot 4-5 times now and I’ve just decided that we probably won’t go there ever again! It’s just not that great of a spot and there’s a very bright street light next to it!
Why it’s taken me 4-5 years to figure that one out….I don’t know? Ha ha. #slowlearner
Oh, and the firework in that picture looks very wussy! I assure you it was a very good, legit firework show. 🙂 We had a fun night, however the baby kind of killed the whole “let’s go watch fireworks next to a very busy street” idea.
He’s a wild one and we all chased him around the whole time. It was great fun.
Oh, I must share a small victory. Even though my family all ate McDonalds (c’mon mom, it’s tradition!), I did not! I instead made myself some yogurt pudding (1 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt, 1 spoonful of cocoa powder, a pinch of all natural stevia powder and some cashew milk.) I topped it with some blueberries and raspberries.
It tasted so good to me and I was so glad I stayed strong! Woot!
However, I’ve gone pretty much downhill since then. Oy! I’ll talk more about that in a sec.
On the actual 4th of July, we headed up to my brother’s house because he has an amazing view of the whole valley. We watched fireworks going off everywhere and it was ahhhhmazing–even better than I thought it would be! I took a video on my phone and it seriously does not do it justice!
It was a fun night and the kids enjoyed hangin’ with their cousins…
Well, Kev and my oldest son are off on an amazing adventure right now! They left on a Humanitarian trip to Fiji on Wednesday with an organization called HEFY (Humanitarian Experience For Youth.)
I am beyond thrilled that they are able to have this experience! HEFY is a church influenced (LDS/Mormon) program specifically for teenagers ages 16-19. They spend 8 hours a day Monday-Friday doing Humanitarian work (they will be building bathrooms for homes that are currently without plumbing.) In the evenings, they spend time with the locals experiencing their culture and enjoying church activities. On the weekends, they go out sightseeing to see all the beauty of Fiji (they apparently slept in huts on the beach the first night they got there!) Oh, and they are gone for about 2 1/2 weeks!
HEFY offers programs all over the world and I’m just so grateful to have found it! One of my friend’s sons is in Samoa right now and my niece is heading to Bolivia next week. Sooooo cool! I’m also so glad Kev was able to go, otherwise I would have been a nervous wreck. FYI, each group takes about 20 teenagers, 2 group leaders and 2 parent leaders.
I miss them like crazy and I can’t wait to hear about all of their adventures. I’ve only received a few short texts from them so far and I’m dyyyying to hear more and see some pictures!!
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Okay, you know how I mentioned that I went downhill (healthwise???) Well ya, I’ve been struggling. It’s interesting how that happens. I had a really great thing going! I was killin’ my workouts, eating really well, seein’ some decent results and them BAM, it all went to pot. Seriously.
In my defense, I have been super stressed (still happy, just buuuusssy!), runnin’ a million miles an hour, slackin’ on my sleep and I literally…..just….fell…apart!
Back up….I cannot believe all the stuff we had to do to get Kev and my son ready for that trip! Not to mention, my son decided to do his Eagle scout project while he is there too! Awesome, yes, but HOLY COW….crazy! My son decided to collect donations for an orphanage in Fiji. They will be visiting that orphanage with the group next week and will deliver all the things to them and play with the kids for a bit. Such a dang cool opportunity, but MAN….soooo crazy!
Soooo, I’ve spent the past couple weeks running all over heck and back getting everything ready for their trip and for his project! Kev did even more than me and was worn out too! Anyway, I’m not complaining AT ALL because I don’t regret a single thing, BUT man I’ve been draggin’!
Anyway, I was super motivated and in a really great spot healthwise and then my body just said….“I’m done….give me all the sugah!” Ha. Seriously tho.
It kind of reminded me of when I’m pregnant…I always start out every pregnancy thinking, “I’m going to exercise the whole time and eat super well, etc. etc. etc.” AND THEN, the fatigue and nausea set in and I’m like, “Meh….I don’t even care if I gain 700 pounds, I’m just going to sit on this couch for the next 9 months or so!” Ha ha. I must mention that I still give it my best effort when I’m pregnant; I exercise and eat as well as I can, but when your body feels sooo dang tired and blah…..it is so so so so tough! #thestruggleisreal
It’s interesting though; I love health and fitness…I love eating well…I love killer workouts, BUT when my body is maxed to the hilt…I just can’t keep up! I think it’s my body’s way of saying…“Enough already!” Thankfully life has calmed down a bit the past couple days and I’ve been getting a little more sleep. It’s been great, but my body still feels obliterated. My motivation is still waning. BUT, I’m hoping to gain back my stamina and motivation 100% very soon!
Until then, I’m just going to fake it ’til I make it and do my best!
Really, this should go without saying and apparently I need to keep learning it again and again, BUT you MUST take care of your basic health needs first (sleep, stress level, balance in life) if you ever hope to have any success with healthy eating, exercise and fitness!
With that being said, I DID get in a killer workout this morning. There is a new specialty gym called F45 (Functional 45) that just opened up near my house. It originally started out in Australia and is just starting to catch on here in the USA. The gym I went to is the first one in Utah, but I wouldn’t be surprised if more start popping up!
It’s basically a HIIT, circuit training type workout and it was awesome! It reminded me a lot of the Bootcamp class I used to go to at my other gym, but it was a lot more intense! The class I went to today was an hour long (they’re usually 45 minutes, except on Saturday.) I guess some days are more strength training focused and some days are more cardio; Saturdays are a combination!
Here’s a pic I took with some my friends after class…
Anyhoo, it’s actually a very $$$ gym, so I don’t know if I’ll stay there long term, but I get the first 2 weeks free! They also have a 3 month Groupon deal going on that I may get too. I don’t know what I’ll do after that. We’ll see. Oh and Kev is interested in going too, so he’ll probably start coming when he gets back!
Sooooo, the Jessie Hilgenberg Bikini Body program I’ve been doing? Ya, I guess that’s going to be on hold for now. I completed the first month and loved it, but I’m really intrigued by this new F45! The Jessie Hilgenberg program is awesome, but it has been pretty time consuming! Most of my workouts have been about an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half. I don’t mind longer workouts 1-2 times a week, but I’ve been trying to go 4-6 times a week! It’s really hard for me to commit that much time in my life right now. I love that these F45 workouts are 45 minutes and super duper efficient! They pack a TON into every single second. Love it!
I also love trying out new stuff, so I’ll let y’all know how it goes and what I think! I hope that as my body calms down and my stamina picks up, I’ll be able to hit it really hard and see some killer results!
Soooo, I guess the major takeaways of this post are (I’m saying these to myself as much as anyone!)….
- Love your body and take care of your body!
- Be mindful of your stress level and make sure to keep the balance in life!
- Your body is not a machine and needs to be treated with love and kindness. 🙂
- Sugar is terrible for the body, but actually has some health benefits for the mind, lol!
- In all seriousness, sugar is so bad for the body and derails me quicker than anything else, but MAN I sure crave it when life gets hectic. It actually helps me to feel better, but it’s a very short term positive effect with long-term consequences (sounds like any other kind of addictive thing, right??) Dang it.
- If you find a great workout plan that kicks your butt, is fun and keeps you motivated…you’ve found a great thing!
- Holidays and family are the best ever!
- I miss my boys! 🙁
Well, that’s all for now! I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend. Love you all! xoxo
What a fun 4th of July. I am sooo happy for your hubby and son. That is an amazing opportunity. I always wanted to do something like that when I was young.
Those specialty gyms like Orange Theory, Cross fit etc are usually costly. I try the free trials also just to shake things up.
Love your takeaways. Couldn’t agree more! I especially love the one about doing a workout you love that is challenging. That way you will be more consistent I think.
I’m so happy my boys got to go on that Humanitarian trip too! I always wanted to do something like that too! I think there are a lot more opportunities out there now.
I know those little specialty gyms are always so expensive!! I think I’ll do the 3 month Groupon with this one and see how it goes! 3 months is a long time and I’m happy ’bout that!!
Saw some Fiji pics on your Instagram. Looks like it is going to be an amazing experience for them.
Yes, so far they are loving it! I’m so excited to hear all about it and see more pics!
I’ve had some friends invite me to some of those specialty places, like Pure Barre, and I love them! But, yeah, really expensive. I’ll just stick with my YMCA.
Love the photo of the baby in motion. Haha!
I know, I’ve been amazed at how expensive some of these gyms are! So far, I have loooooooved this gym so much. It really is just what I need right now. I’m a little sad how attached I’m becoming though because I don’t want to fork over the big bucks. Ha ha! The past several years I’ve just been going to my local gym paying $20 a month.
My baby is a crazy one! Love him soooo much, but MAN, he’s a go-er!
I am so glad you went to MD over Taco Bell! I did NOMCASTS (these live broadcasts where I discuss what healthier/allergen-friendly options you can get at fast food restaurants) and WOW – Just WOW. Taco Bell is 10000000% crap! I mean I always knew this but even when they tried to get healthier with some of their menu items, the ingredients lurking in all the ingredients – YUCK! McDonald’s isan’t ALL that better but it certainly is! Ha!
Wow, interesting to know!! It’s frightening all the things that are hidden in fast food!!! I think McDonalds takes a lot of heat since they are such an icon, so maybe they’ve cleaned up a lot of their stuff. It’s still terrible for you, I know!!!
We haven’t been to fireworks in years because my youngest was always scared of loud noises. It never bothered any of your kids ? I enjoyed the pictures of your husband and son on IG. What an amazing experience.
My daughter used to be afraid of them, but she’s since gotten over that fear (she’s 15 now, ha ha.) I’m surprised none of my other kids have been afraid of them though! My dog on the other hand, HATES fireworks, LOL! Some years we just view them from farther away though so it’s not too loud. My hubby and son have had such an incredible experience! I’m ready for them to come home now….4 more days!!
Wow you had a fantastic experience of watching fireworks, wish someday I could have. And you’re really a supermama, admire you much. I totally agree with you about loving our bodies cause if we don’t then maybe no one does. Thanks for sharing, wish you and your family all the best.
Thank you so much Barbara!! You are so sweet. I really enjoyed watching the fireworks all over the valley. It was breathtaking!
You’re a very active woman, you can do a lot of unnamed works! We men have to thank you women so much for being our halves, we don’t know what to do without you.
Ha ha, thanks so much!!! <3 <3