So...it's been awhile...

So...it's been awhile. Yes I am still alive. No I haven't stopped working out. Been eating a little less desirable? Maybe. Giving up on losing weight? Definitely not. Gained weight? Nope, in fact I actually lost a few lb's. Just took a little bit of a break from writing and got busy with life. Our household had a hard couple of months with sickness, weather, and Daddy going back to working nights. We got into a good routine while he was on days and it was much easier to get to the gym and still get things done on the home front too. (And again...yes I know that this may sound like an excuse...but until you have lived it...you have no idea.)

 Shelby going back to nights requires running to the house, getting changed, sometimes feeding Lenae before dropping her off with my parents(when I don't...they feed her. Don't worry :)), taking her over to their house, going to the gym, and spending 30 minutes afterwards pleading with her to leave my parents house to go home. My child is the one who doesn't cry when I drop her off...she cries when I pick her up. I like to think it's only because I'm with her all day everyday. Just as much as I need that break...she does too!. Then finally getting her home, getting a bath, engaging in World War 3 to brush her hair, and then comes the marathon bedtime standoff. After that? It's nearly 10:30 and usually I haven't even gotten a chance to look for something for dinner. So getting adjusted back to that takes some time...and now that we are finally adjusting to it...guess who goes back to days soon?  That's the life we signed up for though. Ugh.

Anyways...I finished the Fitathlon last week. I know I had the goal to finish it within 2 weeks...but that totally didn't happen. It didn't help that I fell deathly ill that second week along with Lenae(may be exaggerating just a tad). The point is...I finished what I started and actually learned something very valuable. Now hang on to your seats while I tell you my new found secret...ready for it??

Swimming. Swimming is amazing for weight loss. Seriously. I have found my new THING. Who woulda thunk it? Okay...okay...I knew millions of people already do it and know that it's awesome for your health. But me? I thought it was some form of punishment that is inflicted on me for choosing to let myself get to this point and to squeeze into one of those stupid little spandex thingy ma bobs. In turn, I found out that it really is a beneficial way to shed pounds and tone up. Common sense should have told me that the resistance from the water and using all sorts of different muscles would aid in that result. I just couldn't get past the attire to do it in. I sucked it up...got in the suit and into the pool and couldn't be happier that I did. Swimming those 84 laps aided in the loss of 6 pounds and a quickly firming tummy. I was super impressed that after only 4 times of going I was able to complete those 84 laps. Not too shabby for someone who can't remember the last time that I actually did swim. You best believe that I will now be adding this new found way of cardio into my routine.

Speaking of running...after taking a couple of weeks off to finish the biking and swimming portions of the challenge, I strapped on my Brooks and hit the treadmill Monday night. Easing back into it, but wanting to know what my body would be comfortable doing, I walked a 1/4 of a mile for warm up, ran a mile, walked 1/4, ran 3/4, walked 1/4, ran 1/2, and then walked 1/4. So all in all ran 2 1/4 miles and walked a mile. Wasn't sore a bit yesterday or today so I think the ole legs took it quite well. Gonna try for 2 miles straight and then a mile after that tonight. Gotta train for those upcoming 5k's and really gonna pick up the training for the 13.1. That's still my big goal right now.

Hope everyone is still striving towards their health goals and fitness ventures! I am...I just slowed a wee tiny bit to let life catch up to me. Have a new found energy to dive back into it hard and fast. After all...gotta start shedding these pounds and quick. Lenae's getting older and I keep seeing all of these cute babies being born.... :)

I mean how does knowing that we can produce something this flipping adorable not give me baby fever? It's definitely making me forget the pain and shots to have her...but not enough to not be healthy first!

Here's a few gems from the last couple of months

Nae and her Daddy. (I feel like she's saying "Come try me. See who my daddy is?")

 Love these nights

 We celebrated her 2nd birthday by going to Wichita to see Sesame Street Live and staying in a hotel with a swimming pool. She had a blast!

This is a normal scene...our living room, kitchen, and her room double as a race track(we are a Nascar household and she LOVES to race.)

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