Trip to Margaritaville

Last night was the much anticipated Jimmy Buffett concert.  For those of you who don't know much about Buffett, his concerts are more like events than just concerts.  Because he sings about a laid-back lifestyle, living on the beach, being a sailor and drinking rum, his loyal followers, Parrotheads, show up to the concerts in most outrageous attire. 

Well, if you know me you know that I love that kind of stuff so, of course, I had to dress up, too. 

Scott really wasn't into the spirit so we made him put on this flowered bra.

Marissa and Jeff were there, too.

I have to say, though, we really didn't like the concert that much.  He didn't play some of his biggest classics and there were way too many breaks in between the songs he did play.

Like with a lot of destinations, though, part of the fun is actually getting there.  And, man, did we see some interesting things on our trip to Margaritaville . . .

Trainer Workout #9

Warm up for 5 minutes. Nothing too strenuous.


Do the following set all the way through:
-Using a 30lb dumbbell, squat down, hold the weight between your legs. Squat down and touch the weight to the ground. Make sure to keep your chest up.
-20 push-ups
-20 flyes (I used 10lb weights)
-Lay a small barbell (I used 30lbs) on the ground. Placing your hands in front of the barbell, do a Up/Down. Then do a press above your head with the barbell. 20x
-20 barbell presses above your head.


Rest 3-4 minutes


Do the following set all the way through:
-Using a 50lb dumbbell, squat down, hold the weight between your legs. Squat down and touch the weight to the ground. Make sure to keep your chest up.
-Using 2 30lb dumbbells, place them on the ground standing side. Balance yourself on the weights, do a small push-up. Walk each hand down to the ground and then back up to the weights. 20x
-20 flyes (I used 10lb weights)
-Lay a small barbell (I used 30lbs) on the ground. Placing your hands in front of the barbell, do a Up/Down. Then do a press above your head with the barbell. 20x
-20 barbell presses above your head.


Rest 3-4 minutes


Do the following set all the way through:
 -Using a 50lb dumbbell, squat down, hold the weight between your legs. Squat down and touch the weight to the ground. Make sure to keep your chest up.
 -Drop the weight and do 10 squats.
 -20 squat pulses
 -Sit in the squat position for 15-30 seconds.
 -15 squat jumps


Rest 1-2 minutes.


Do the following set all the way through:
-Using 2 30lb dumbbells, place them on the ground standing side. Balance yourself on the weights, do a small push-up. Walk each hand down to the ground and then back up to the weights. 20x.
-20 small push-ups while balaning yourself on the weights.

Rest 1-2 minutes


Do the following set all the way through:
-20 flyes
-Lay a small barbell (I used 30lbs) on the ground. Placing your hands in front of the barbell, do a Up/Down. Then do a press above your head with the barbell. 20x
-20 barbell presses above your head. (I used 20lb barbell)

Rest 3-4 minutes

Do the following:
-Lay face down on a leg curl machine, curl up (I did 30lbs) and hold for as long as possible. Repeat 10x

Rest 1-2 minutes


Do the following:
-Using a leg extension machine, extend your legs (I did 50lbs) and hold for as long as possible. Repeat 10x


Rest 1-2 minutes


Do the following:
-Using a leg curl machine, curl up your legs as fast as possible and then slowly lower them back down. Repeat 15x (I used 30lbs)


Do the following:
-Using a leg extension machine, extend your legs as fast as possible and then slowly lower them back down. Repeat 15x (I used 50lbs)


You are finished!!

Trainer Workout #8

Warm up for 5 minutes.  Nothing too strenuous.


20 lunges
20 squats
20 overhead press using dumbells
20 flies using dumbells


Utilizing a boxing bag or dummy, beat the crap out of it for about 10 minutes.  Try different combinations.


Rest 1-2 minutes.


20 sit ups


Utilizing a boxing bag or dummy, do the following rotation moving up by 2's:
 -Face the bag, punch left then punch right.  Squat
 -Alternate punches left/right 4 x (2 on each side).  Squat
 -Alternate punches left/right 6 x (3 on each side).  Squat
 -Alternate punches left/right 8 x (4 on each side).  Squat
 -Continue until you work your way up to 20x (10 on each side)


Rest 1-2 minutes.


"Lunge Around the World".  Alternating legs, lunge 15-20 yards out and back.  (We have a big circle at my gym which equals about 30-35 lunges on each side--I didn't count)


Rest 1-2 minutes.


Utilizing a boxing bag or dummy, do the following:
 -20 jabs on left, 20 jabs on right (not alternating)
 -20 uppercuts on left, 20 uppercuts on right (not alternating)
 -20 punches on left, 20 punches on right (not alternating)
 -20 side punches on left, 20 side punches on right (not alternating)


Rest 1 minute


20 "Rocky" sit-ups
20 Push-ups
20 Regular sit-ups


"Lunge Around the World"


Rest 2-3 minutes


Utilizing a boxing bag or dummy, do the following rotation moving up by 2x's:


 -Face the bag, punch left then punch right. Up/Down


 -Alternate punches left/right 4 x (2 on each side). Up/Down
 -Alternate punches left/right 6 x (3 on each side). Up/Down
 -Alternate punches left/right 8 x (4 on each side). Up/Down
 -Continue until you work your way up to 20x (10 on each side)


*Up/Down-This is where you put your arms down like you are going to do a push-up, kick your legs back behind you in push-up position, jump back to where your arms are only in the push-up positio, stand up.


Rest 2-3 minutes


Do the following rotations, 3 x
 -Plank for 1 minute


You are finished!

Plop Plops for Gracie

Gracie loves to wear "plop-plops".  I went to Hobby Lobby the other day and decided to try to make her some cute ones for her birthday party/4th of July.  Not too bad for the 1st time.

Fantastic or Fraud??

I AM A FRAUD! 

This revelation finally hit me this week when on a play date with one of Kanin's school friends, the mom, JoAnna, kept saying things like, "I can't keep up with you" and "I don't know how you do it".  Then, later when I got home I saw that she had written a really nice blog about some of the different things that I've been doing and called it Inspiration.  That little blog was what made me want to
come clean.

On one hand, I guess I should be proud that I have made it look like I have everything together and still have time for other stuff (working out, 2 blogs, taking kids all around the city) but, in reality, when I do these things it takes away from other stuff that I should be doing like:
  -Laundry (washing, drying, folding, putting away.  Repeat)
  -Vacuuming the house (that takes a good 30-45 minutes)
  -Cleaning the kitchen/mopping the floors/cleaning out the refrigerator/unloading the dishwasher/loading the dishwasher
  -Making my bed (this never happens anymore)
  -Cleaning the bathrooms
  -Wiping down the baseboards
  -Cleaning the basement (this WILL be on my Clean House Project)
 
Then, there are other things that I need to do, as well:
  -Painting the kitchen, laundry room, stairwell and all rooms upstairs (the only rooms that have been painted since we moved in here are the office, dining room, family room and foyer)
  -Buying or finding curtains for EVERY room in the house except for the dining room
  -Putting pictures and other decorative items up on the walls (I'm just not good at this stuff)
  -Pulling weeds in front of the house

I haven't even gotten started on cleaning out closets, pricing stuff for a garage sale, organizing photos and putting them into albums, etc etc etc

Believe me, if you were to walk into my house on any day of the week (except for one when my parents come over to clean), my house is destroyed.  There are toys everywhere, dirty dishes in the sink, dishwasher/washer and dryer going, folded clothes waiting in a laundry basket to be carried upstairs so they can be put away, mail that needs to be sifted through, sippy cups that have been left in the middle of the floor, laundry baskets overflowing with clothes that need to be taken down to the laundry room, a playpen/bouncy seat and jump-a-roo taking up 1/4 of the family room, leftovers crammed into the refrigerator, a kitchen table that desperately needs to be wiped down and, once again, this list could go on and on.

When I worked outside of the home I had a motto "I work around my life, not live around my work".  I was never one of those super dedicated, over-achiever, give everything up for the company kind of people.  I did my job, I was proficient and gave it my best but if I had to choose between leaving on time to go be with my family and putting in an extra 30 minutes or hour for the company, the choice was easy.

I've carried this philosphy, I guess, into my new job of being a stay-at-home mom.  I don't want to be so up-in-arms about having a spotless house, perfectly manicured lawn and robot-like children that I forget about actually living and having fun and enjoying each day. 

I do still get annoyed when I spend an hour or so cleaning and look around the house and realize that I could have done absolutely nothing and the house would look the exact same way.  But, I am trying to remember that even though I am at home I still need to "Work around my life and not live around my work".  It's a lesson that I have to re-teach myself over and over.

So now that my lie is out there and I have confessed that I do not have my act together, everyone will realize that YOU are actually the Super Women out there and I am just skating by!!

 

Paddy Cake

This week Caleb learned to Paddy Cake.  Mom and Dad worked with him last weekend and he does it all of the time.  It is super cute!  (Click on the link below)

Caleb Paddy Cakeing

Lost Tooth and Drama

Kanin has had some teeth come loose lately and he constantly is messing with them.  We were lazing around today and Kanin had his t-shirt in his mouth and all of a sudden he started yelling, "My tooth came out!". 

After realizing with the tooth falling out there is also blood, we had a few moments of drama.  (See below)

I asked him if he was in any pain and he said no that he was just crying because there was blood. 

After rinsing out his mouth a few times, I finally got some good pics of him and his extra hole in his mouth. 

Trainer Workout #7

Warm up for 5 minutes.  Nothing too strenuous.

20 squats, 20 lunges (10 per leg)

Do the following rotation then rest 3-4 minutes:
-Utilizing steps (as in step aerobics), do 50 step ups on each leg.  I did this with 10 steps on each side (right at my knees).
-20 push-ups with Perfect Push-Ups handles
-Cable standing fly, I did 20lbs each side

Do the following rotation then rest 3-4 minutes:
-Utilizing steps (as in step aerobics), do 50 step ups on each leg but barely touch the non-weight bearing leg to the ground and then step it back up.  I did this with 8 steps on each side
-20 push-ups with Perfect Push-Ups handles
-Cable standing fly, 20lbs each side

Do the following rotation then rest 3-4 minutes:
-Utilizing steps (as in step aerobics), do 100 alternating steps ups.  I did this with 6 steps on each side.
-15 push-us with Perfect Push-Ups handles

Do the following rotation 3 times:
-Utilizing a feet-supported Roman Chair (has the bar at the bottom that you stand on), shift your weight to one side and do 15 oblique crunches.  15 reps per side
-15 dumbell rows, over exaggerated to your side, on each side. I used a 20lb weight.
-15 reverse flyes

You are finished!

Trainer Workout #6

Warm up for 5 minutes.  Nothing too strenuous.

Do the following circuit 3x.
 -Using the incline bench and dumb bells, chest press 15 reps.
 -20 squats

Do the following circuit 3x.
 -Bench press the big bar, 15 reps
 -15 steps on each leg

Do the following circuit 3x.
 -15 shoulder press using the machine
 -30 lunges, alternating legs

Do the following circuit 3x.
 -Seated rows, 15 reps
 -Using a 20lb dumb bell, spread your legs in a plie' position.  Keep your chest lifted, dangle the dumb bell between your legs with both hands, lower your legs and touch the ground with it.  Straighten your legs back out.  (Hope this makes sense)

Do the following 3x.
 -Plank, 30 sec-1 min
 -Rest, 30 sec- 1min

You are finished!

PROJECT: CLEAN HOUSE Day 4--My Closet

Ok, your eyes are not prepared for what you are about to see.  I really have no "real" excuse or reason as to why I let my closet get this way other than it was just not at the top of my priority list.  I figured that no one really saw my closet anyway so it was at the bottom of the list when it came to actually organizing it and cleaning it.

As most women, I was also holding on to old shirts and pants that I'm sure that I will fit into this year.  I never went through and put away the maternity clothes, either, so they were still hanging up.  Mostly, though, this mess was created after having Caleb.  When Scott and I had the chance to go out, I would stand looking at the drab clothes that I had and I would try on 20 outfits and hate them and then throw them in the floor.  Repeat.  Repeat.

I ended up with 2 full huge trash bags full of clothes to either sell in a garage sale or donate to the VA.  I had purses that I hadn't used in at least 3 years, shoes that were never worn (don't tell Scott) and just a bunch of ugly old clothes.

So, are you ready for this . . .

BEFORE

AFTER

The best thing about cleaning out my closet?  You guessed it, I now need to go shopping!! 

Opening Day 2010

After a long, hard, cold winter Opening Day finally arrived on a beautiful 85+ degree day.  It was absolutely gorgeous and the perfect way to start a new season.  Of course, though, I had to have the worst allergy attack in recent history and was totally miserable the entire time but I was not going to let that stop me!

My sister and I got downtown around noon and set up our tailgate.  It was nothing fancy just hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, beer and soda.  We took a few chairs and our Bags game, too.  We had about 15 people.

Hottie Scottie and me before the game.  (Don't tell him but his spikey hair along with the lights in the background look really weird.)

Me and Marissa

It was really packed down there.  It reminded me of the All-Star game last year.

What a beautiful site. 

My absolute favorite part of Opening Day or Playoffs--the Clydesdales.  They walk into a song called "Here Comes the King".  Scott and I walked into that song at our wedding reception.

I was really excited that Stan Musial participated in the Player Parade this year.  Last year he wasn't feeling well and they just drove him straight to home plate.  He is 89 years old.  Sadly, there won't be too many more Opening Days for The Man.

Love Jose Oquendo.  I have a t-shirt with his picture on it that says "The Secret Weapon" and I bought Scott a jersey with Oquendo's number on it for Father's Day a couple of years ago.  I wish he would take over for TLR as our manager.

The most controversial Cardinal . . . Mark McGwire.  I didn't hear very many boos.

The 2nd greatest Cardinal ever, Albert Pujols.

Celebrate, Holliday.

1st pitch of 2010 home season.

Goodbye, #7

Friday night was a sad night for the Westerhold family and a sad night for St. Louis.  Kanin's favorite player, my favorite player and Scott's current favorite player (nobody beats Al MacInnis in his book) decided to retire since the Blues did not make the playoffs.

Scott had to dj so I took Kanin down there.  They had a "Thanks for the Memories" sign that Kanin and I got to sign.

They announced Keith Tkachuk last and he got a 2-3 minute standing ovation.  Then, Charles Glen dedicated the National Anthem to #7.  At this point, I was already in tears.

I didn't take my good camera because I was afraid that cameras wouldn't be allowed and I didn't want to have to walk it all the way back to the car.  Of course, though, cameras were allowed so I had to end up taking pics with my phone.

Here are the last few seconds of the game.

After the game, Tkachuk brought his kids out on the ice and they all skated around and waved to the crowd.  His mom and dad came in from Boston and he acknowledged them.  He then proceeded to tell everyone how much he and his family loved St. Louis and that they were definitely staying in STL and making it their permanent home.

Ever since Kanin has been little, about 18 months old, he has always pretended to be Keith Tkachuk when playing hockey.  He can't really pronounce his name so it comes out "Keise Tachuk" and it is the cutest thing ever. 

I told Kanin that Tkachuk is now going to help out with his son's hockey team so maybe if he works hard enough maybe he will get to play for his team someday.  Who knows?  It could happen.

Trainer Workout #5

Warm up fo 5 minutes.  Nothing too strenuous.

Since today's workout is focused on weights, you do not have to hurry through the workout.  After each rep, take your time to recover. 

Do the following circuit 3x, 15 reps each:
  -Utilizing the Leg Press machine, put your feet to the far outside of the panel and point your toes outward.  Bring the bar down as close to your stomach as possible.  The machine naturally has about 45lbs.  The first time through I added 45lbs and I worked up by the 3rd round to a total of 140lbs.
  -Utilizing the Bench Press, lift the big bar 15x.  I did about 35-40lbs.

Do the following circuit 3x each:
  -Using the Lateral Pull Down, use the split bar that looks like a triangle (I don't know what it is called), do 15 reps.  I was doing 60lbs.
  -Bulgarian Split Squats.  Stand about 1 1/2 feet away from a bench and put one leg behind you up on the bench.  Squat/lunge down while putting all your weight on the foot on the ground.  Do not use the foot that is on the bench at all.  12x each side.

Rest.

Do the following circut 3x each:
  -Utilizing the Shoulder Press machine, do 15 reps.  I did 45lbs
  -Straight leg Dead Lift, 12x.  With your feet close together, leg slightly bent, keeping your back arched, slowly lower the bar down your legs close to your knees and back up.  I did a 30lb small bar.  (Basically, stick your butt out).

Rest.

Do the following with no rest:
  -Plank 30 sec-1 min
  -Roll over on your back. Put your hands under your butt to support your back.  Lift your legs 8-10 inches off the ground.  Hold for 30 sec-1 min
  -Plank 30 sec-1min
  -Sit on your butt.  Lean back with your arms out in front of you and lift your legs off of the ground, too.  Try to bring your legs and arms parallel to the ground while balancing on your butt.  Hold 30 sec-1 min
  -Plank 30 sec-1 min

You are finished!

 

Trainer Workout #4 (off day)

This workout can be used on an "off" weight day.  It will smoke you.

Warm up for 5 minutes

Do the following circuit 2-3x.  Do not rest in between the exercises.  Rest 2-3 minutes when you have gone through the entire circuit 1 time.

Jog in place/step-ups 1 min
Sqauts 1 min
Up-Downs 1 min
Lunges (switch legs) 1 min
Push-ups 1 min
Shoulder press (at least 5lbs) 1 min
Wallsit with curls (at least 5lbs) 1 min
Mountain climbers 1 min
Plank 1 min
Crunches 1 min

Rest 2 minutes.  Repeat 2-3x

Trainer Workout #3

5 minute warm up.  Nothing too strenuous.

Do the following circuit for 1 minute each.  Take a 10 second rest in between each one.  Once completed, rest for 1 minute.  Do the entire circuit 4x.
   -1 minute seconds of squats
  -1 minute seconds of mountain climberes
  -1 minute seconds of push ups
  -1 minute of wall sits with a dumbell curl

Take a couple of minutes to catch your breath. Get a drink of water.  Walk around.

Alternate the following 3x each.
  -Shoulder press
  -15 jump squats

Take a minute to rest.

Alternate the following 3x each.
  -Bench pres
  -Lunges 15x each leg

Take a minute to rest.

Do the following 3 times.
  -Sit on a bench with your knees off the ground and bounce a ball on one side and twist and bounce it on the other.  Do this 30x.

Trainer Workout #2

Warm up for 5 minutes.  Nothing too strenuous.

Do the following rotation 3x each.
    -One legged leg press 15x each leg.  You will have to adjust the weight.
    -Sit on a bench or chair and without using your hands, stand up utilizing only 1 leg.  10 on each leg.

Take a minute to rest.

Do the following rotation 3x each.
    -30 squats
    -15 lunges each leg

Take a minute to rest.

Do the following rotation 3x each.
   -15 dumbell rows, over exaggerated to your side, on each side.  I used a 20lb weight.
   -15 step ups per leg on a bench or chair

Take a minute to rest.

Abs, Abs, Abs--weighted crunches, knee lifts, plank, medicine ball twists--basically, until you drop.

You are finished!

   

Trainer Workout #1

After several months of trying to lose baby fat and tone up with very little results, I went ahead and got a trainer.  He has been kicking my butt!  I bought 24 sessions but I started thinking about if I will really want to buy another package after this one is done and I really don't know.  Anyway, I decided to start writing down what I do with him so that I can come back to it later and so that all of you can benefit, as well.

I will try to be as accurate as possible but some of the things I have no idea what they are called.

WORKOUT #1
-Warm up for 5 minutes.  Nothing too strenuous.

-Do the following circuit 3x with minimal rest in between exercises.  Once you are finished with a circuit, take a couple of minutes to walk around, get a drink, catch your breath and get back to it.
    -Walk on the treadmill at 15 incline for 3 minutes going no slower than 2.8mph.  (By the 3rd round, I was down to 2.1 but he made me go back up to 2.8 for the final minute).
     -Using a 15lb kettlebell (increase if too light), hold on with both arms and squat down.  In one motion swing it out in front of you up to about eye level.  Repeat 30 times.
     -30 push-ups.  I did 10 "boy" and then 20 on my knees
     -Using no lighter than a 5lb weight, do 30 overhead presses

Once you have gone through this circuit 3 times, take a couple of minutes to recover.

Do the following rotation 3x:
     -15 cable torso rotations on each side (do 15 on one side, 15 on the other)
     -Plank for 30 seconds

Rest for a couple of minutes.

Do the following rotation 3x:
     -Using a medicine ball or heavy weight, sit on your butt, raise your legs off the ground.  Hold the ball/weight in your hands and twist side to side touching the ball to the ground on each side.  Do 30 touches.
      -Plank for 30 seconds.

You are finished!

My Old T-Shirt

You see this t-shirt?  I have had this shirt for about 20 years.  I bought this shirt my sophomore year of college way back in 1992.  I ordered it from BMG, you know, the old buy-at-home cd club that you could join.  The t-shirt has been through a lot with me . . .

When I went off to college it was a huge change for me.  Yes, Cape is only a 30-40 minute drive from Bell City but it is a million miles away from the small-town, nothing-to-do, nowhere-to-eat town that I grew up in.  Moving to Cape gave me the freedom that I, along with most 18 year olds, lusted for.  If I wanted to stay out all night, I could.  If I wanted to order pizza at midnight, I could.  If I wanted to sleep all day, I could and I did.

When I ordered this shirt I was entering in to what I like to call "my hippy phase".  Before this little stint, I was a cheerleader, beauty pageant, salutatorian, Little Miss Perfect.  I don't say any of that braggingly nor do I say it sarcastically; it is just the truth.  But, at the time that this shirt came into my life, I was testing my boundaries, hanging out with different people and trying to make my own way in the world.

I remember when I got it in the mail how proud I was of it (I know, it is soooooo ugly-now).  I couldn't wait to put it on and wear around campus with my baggy corduroys, big Doc Martens and, of course, my ever-present hemp necklace.  It was the coolest shirt, ever, with the Grateful Dead Dancing Bear skiing down the front.  How cool was I?

Fast foward through the years and I still have this shirt.  I have kept it through countless moves, about 15 in college alone.  I have kept it through 4 Army moves.  I have kept it through 3 years of marriage.  For some reason, I have kept it.

Today I decided to go through my closet and pitch things that I either didn't like, couldn't or wouldn't wear or old maternity clothes that were in there from last year.  You know what I found?  Yep, my old t-shirt sitting there on the top shelf of the closet as if I wear it all of the time.  In truth, I probably haven't had it on in 15 years. 

I walked out of the closet determined to throw it in the Goodwill pile that I was collecting and . . . I couldn't do it!  What is with me and this shirt?  I am in a totally different place in my life now but I still hang on to this shirt.  I threw it in my winter workout pile and went on about my business.

As tonight as unfolded, though, my thoughts have kept coming back to this shirt and my seeming obsession with it and I think that I have figured it out.  I still am that hippy chic from college but I am also the beauty queen, cheerleader and Little Miss Perfect from high school.  I am a Mommy.  I am a wife.  I am a get wild-n-crazy at times girl who loves music, a good cigar and a fire pit.  I am all of these things and I guess I just realized that if I throw away that shirt then I am throwing away a part of who I perceive myself to be. 

So, it looks like me and the skiing Dancing Bear are in it for the long haul.  He may get thrown in drawers, in the top of the closet or even get moved down to the basement but I'm gonna hold on to him because it reminds me of me.