Three for Me

This has truly been a crazy weekend for me. So, to start of my week and to help me find balance again, these are the Three for Me this week:

1. My hubby. He is truly the nicest, most considerate, unselfish person I know. He has been my most fiercest critic and my most loyal supporter. As I look back on my life I realize how undeserving I am and that I really am lucky to have him in my life. It has not always been sunshine and roses for us, but that's expected. He grounds me. I love him for all that he is and isn't....and I know that I don't show my love for him as much as I should....this is something I need to try to do more often.

This is my hubby and I at the school fundraiser
That I mentioned in my post
Behind the Scene with Jules

2. Remember the simple things in life. This is a picture of a bowl that I keep on my foyer table (a table that I pass by a thousand times a day). I had gathered the rocks on my last trip to Cape May and found these little starfish in one of my favorite Cape May stores called Whale's Tale. If you haven't already guessed it, the three starfish represent my three kids and the white rocks remind me to remember how beautiful life is in it's simplest and purest form, so don't sweat the small stuff.

Simplicity of life.

3. A cup of warm Egyptian Licorice Tea. One of my closest friends got me hooked onto this tea by Yogi.....yum. I never ever liked licorice, but for some reason I love this tea. Now, whenever I feel stressed, I go to my pantry and make myself a cup of this tea and my mouth does a little happy dance. I think that I might actually be addicted....one time, I literally tore apart my pantry trying to find the new box I had bought ( finally settling on another tea for the night) only to find it the next day in the snack cabinet, where my daughter had placed it by accident.

Yogi Tea: Egyptian Licorice is my current fav!

Thanks for joining me....what are the three things that you love this week? What brings you comfort?

A Date with the Fitness Torturer

It's a dreary rainy day here in my neck of the woods and last night I was up till 2 am writing a post that I'm not sure will ever make it into my blog. Needless to say, I got up at 6:45am and proceeded to get my kids off to school. One by one I would send them off to be educated and I can crawl back into bed. Then it hit me.

I have to go to the GYM! Ahhhhh

A couple of months back I was on this rampage of trying to get healthy. It wasn't a New Years Resolution thingy, because that never works for me....rather, it was something more like "killing two birds with one stone". I figured, that if I got serious about working out, it would not only help me become more fit and healthy, it would also keep me busy enough that I wouldn't be tempted to spend my empty hours at the stores -- especially Anthropologie, Free People and Home Goods.

"Healthy Body = Healthy Pocketbook" right? (does anyone use the word pocketbook anymore?)

Anyway, in my whirlwind of work outs and gym classes, I made the decision to go ahead and sign up with a trainer. 

Now, I'm perfectly capable of sliding a disc in the DVD player or driving myself to a Zumba or exercise class, but my problem is my eventual lack of discipline. I can be all set....sneakers on, disc in, power on - play....ring ring....pause....hello? lunch? sure, I'm not busy, be there in ten....and off I go.

The great thing about my current plan is I have to go! Sure, I can cancel, but that takes effort too.

So, today, I reluctantly dragged myself out of the house, into the cold and dismal day to rendezvous with my Fitness Torturer. Only kidding, this guy is great! (I should actually say kid - he was born the year I graduated High School! Boy, do I feel OLD) Dan is quiet, reserved and totally committed. You have to be to have me as a client. I feel sorry for him, because I am not the easiest of people to train....I try to take the easy way out...I arrive right on time so I can waste some time in the locker room...I cut corners like standing a little more erect than I should, doing push ups from my knees....taking very, very long pauses between reps and scoping out the gym for my friends so I can chat. But, Dan sees all! No matter how much I complain, he just smiles and we move on to the next exercise. If I scream no more, I'm done....it hurts....he just says nope one more, keep going.

This was our conversation after my first session

In all honesty, I'm happy he pushes me. I want to be healthy and darn it, I want to look good in my bikini. 

So, with circles under my eyes, hair in a clip I made my way to the gym. Dan was already there setting up all the wonderful things that I would be doing while in his care. I held my breath, crossed my fingers and hope that I would make it to the end of the hour. I worked hard and in between breaths I was able to mutter...are you kidding me? I don't want to do that...this is way too heavy.....help.....

When the hour was up, I realized that I was still alive. I thought to myself, okay, not so bad.... in the end it will be all worth it. Summer is coming. I confirmed our next meeting and off I went to sit in the car for an hour while my body recuperated.

While writing this post, I remember that just the other day, my sister asked a question on Facebook..."When is it time to start working our for swimsuit/tank/shorts season?"

The responses were quick,  ranging from: "ummm....last year" to "I've been working on this summers swimsuit season since 1994"

I guess with Spring finally around the corner, we are all starting to primp ourselves....why not. We are as young as we are ever going to be! What are you doing to get fit? Do you have any workout programs you recommend?

If you're the disciplined typed, grab a DVD and pop it in....if, you are like me.....go make a date with a local torturer of your own for an hour.....I made it and I survived....You can too. Now, I need to go shopping! What time does the mall close again?