Best Youth Activity...EVER!!

I work with the girls at my church ages 12-18 and have been working with them for the past 2+ years. It has been a wonderful, stressful, hard, enjoyable, spiritual, exhausting, experience that I wouldn't trade for the world!

One week every month we have an activity combined with the boys during the week (not on Sunday) and the activity we had was hands down, the best one EVER!

We had a man who is a martial artist show us some self-defense moves. To be honest, I was a little skeptical, but now I totally want to take martial arts classes!

I know how to defend myself in a dark parking lot. I know how to break someone's wrist and put them in a stiff arm! I even showed Oswald how I can get his hand into a position that he won't like! Ha!

The most important things are:

1. Know where his 9 weapons are. (2 hands, 2 arms, 2 elbows, 2 knees, 2 feet, and his head)

2. Always be calm.

3. If someone tries to abduct you, scream! Do whatever you can to avoid getting in the car!

4. I need to teach this to my kids somehow without scaring them. But if a man is trying to pick them up and put them in the car, they should get down into a ball and scream. They need to even grab their abductors legs and scream as loud as they can!

5. If someone tries to bear hug you, their pinky is your best weapon...grab that sucker and pull it back and break it!

I'm a hot mess

I found a few workouts on you tube by none other than Jillian Michaels herself! So excited!
Today I did the 30 day shred and 6 pack abs in 6 weeks. I thought I might die when I was finished. I did squats and bicep curles and side lunges and burpies and side planks with a lift and so many more exercises I can't even keep them all straight. 
When I was done, my heart was racing I had sweat dripping off my forehead and down my back. It felt good and I can't wait to see the results!
Now, two hours later, my arms are still shaking and I know my core will be sore soon! My only question is, how many calories did I burn and should I eat them back? What is the best thing to do, I honestly don't know!?

STEM night

Our kids had their science night at school last night. It was a crazy bosy night, but they had so much fun! I just might have some budding scientists on my hands!

Changing the way I think about food

There is something I love about food. It comforts me in times of stress. It makes me feel loved. It is a way I express love to others.

Food is just awesome! But why can't food be both awesome and healthy? I say it can!

I have read lots of books, seen lots of shows, and heard several people tell me that I should eat to fuel my body. That eating is how I should keep myself going and that I need to give it the proper fuel to help it perform at it's optimum. So why do I like the junk so much? I know what to do to fuel myself properly,  so why don't I just do it?

Well, for the last two weeks, I have been trying really hard to eat more fruits and veggies during the day and with my meals. I have learned to like some different veggies in this process: brussels sprouts,  sweet potatoes, and green beans.

The photo is what I had for dinner tonight! Lots of green veggies! And I am so full now!

I am trying to keep myself out of the kitchen after its been cleaned and dinner is done, but for some reason, I just love having a snack after my kids are in bed. But not tonight, I had my "dessert" and I will stay out of there!

Wish me luck!

Things I learned at Disney

 

I learned many important lessons in my week at Walt Disney World, and because I am so super awesome, I will share them with you. Hopefully, you can learn from our mistakes!

1. You can bring any amount of food or snacks into the parks. We did not do the dining plans and that worked out just fine, but we bring lots of snacks and out lunches into the park everyday.

2. Have lots and lots of water! Even though it's humid as a muggy swamp in Florida, you still need your water. You may not think you need as much water, but it is absolutely essential!

 

3. If you have a crappy attitude, everyone will have a crappy attitude. Let the big kids know that they're going to have to compromise and go on rides that the little kids want to do, even if they think those rides are lame! Everyone needs to give a little to enjoy a fun family vacation!

4. The most important thing I learned while at Disney was to just chill and go with the flow! No family is perfect, I watched a 4 year old pitch a screaming fit and thought to myself, "Phew, it's not just my kids who don't act perfect all the time". When Oswald and I changed our attitudes about things, the parks got much more fun.

Take advantage of the stroller swap passes.

and fast passes

and the indoor rides.

Remember you're making memories! We must have done something right because my Buddy wants to live in Orlando now! 

Disney World Day 6

We asked our kids what their favorite ride was and they said the water ride at Animal Kingdom!! So back to the Animal Kingdom we went!

There were so few people at the park this early in the morning that my family rode this ride 3 times in a row...one time they didn't even get off, just went back around again!

My boys loved this ride...and my Little Man loved it the most of everyone! They would wave to me as they went under the lookout place where Love Bug and I stood!

They all got soaked from head to toe, but loved every minute of it!

We went on walking tours of a bird aviary and also through some "Asian jungles" and got to see many exotic Asian animals.

My favorite part had to be the Jeep Safari Ride! So much fun to see all of those HUGE animals so close! We actually had to stop the Jeep because a family of deer were crossing in front of our path!

Animal Kingdom was a hit and will definitely be visited again!

Blogging from my phone, again

We gave my Love Bug a sippy cup today. We tried to give her different ones, but the nipple was too hard. We pit this one in her mouth and she took right to it! She's growing up super fast!!