I have a new love

 I have a new love. I cannot stop thinking about this new love. I hope I can stop because it could have devastating effects on my future as a person. What is this new love? It is Le pops. Wow is all I can say. It was love at first lick. Le pops is this amazing gourmet iced lollies (that’s how they describe themselves) shop located in one of my favorite places in Little Rock, Kavanaugh Street. It is too conveniently located to my house which is not helping my addiction.

 I had heard great things about this place but have avoided it until almost two weeks ago. I picked up princess from orientation and wanted to treat her and me for making it past the unofficial first day of high school. It was a stressful day for both of us, so we needed a reward. We are both adventurous and like to try new things, so we caved. We went in Lepops and I loved it from the start. It is simple, yet fun on the inside. There are places to sit inside and benches on the outside when it gets cool enough to sit outside. The beautiful, yummy iced lollies were right there displayed in all their yumminess. They have fruit flavors, like Lavender and Lemon, traditional flavors, waffle cones and chocolates and accessories you can dip your iced lolly in, and you know how much I love my accessories. The iced lollies are handmade using locally grown produce and herbs. The coffee is Rozark coffee in Rosebud, Arkansas, Callebaut Belgian chocolates and pure cane sugar. I love a store that uses local when possible. Princess chose vanilla dipped in milk chocolate. Yes, it is drool worthy. I chose Mocha Madness, in its pureness without any dips or accessories. The first lick/bite to the last lick/bite was beautiful. The flavors are ridiculous. Unlike I have ever tasted. It was so fresh and pure.  I had to grab a bite of the vanilla dipped in chocolate and I enjoyed it so much I went back two days later and got the exact same thing. I did not go back the next day because I could not fit it in! I introduced hubby to them a few days later (he had an orange lolly dipped in dark chocolate) and then we went back again last Friday before heading out of town. So if you are keeping track that is 4 times in two weeks. Told you I loved them. They are reasonably priced. It is $7.10 (yes, it’s memorized) for two iced lollies. What a bargain! They even have a punch card! And I love a punch card. Oh! I forgot to tell you how they are served! With a smile, efficiency and with a cute little cupcake wrapper on the bottom to catch your drips! How great is that!  Am I going today? That would be yes. It is has been a whole 3 days since I have been and I am sure they miss me. Go visit Le pops (www.lepops.com) on 5501 Kavanaugh in Little Rock. You will not be disappointed.

Long time, no read

 Good early Wednesday morning! Or as I like to call it, hump day. Yes, long time no read from me. You thought I was missing? Me too. Life has turned upside down for me these last few months. Ever since graduation any plans made have basically gone out the window. As a planner, this has thrown me for a loop but it has also taught me adaptability. Yes, in my mid 40’s I am finally grasping this concept. So, let’s catch up!

  Let’s talk about the kids first, of course, because at the moment they are the focus of all my attention. Oldest stepson: still working at Cheers trying to find his way in the world. It’s hard for kids to figure out what they want to do especially if they have not found their passion in life yet. He is working hard and trying to move out on his own, so I am proud of him for that. Oldest son: had surgery this summer, recovered nicely and is all settled in his new home at the University of Arkansas. Yes, it was hard dropping him off, but he loves it and that makes it easier. Although little sis and I are ready to go snatch him up and bring him back home. Don’t worry, we won’t. We would just like to. Youngest stepson: had a great summer. Started off with a trip to Europe and basically working like a dog for the rest of the summer. He had to say farewell to a good friend who was a foreign exchange student last year. They had a good bye bash at our house and it was wonderful. Hubby and I love having a house full of kids. Keeps us young, I think. He took in a few college tours and is now faced with the daunting class of trying to figure out where to land next year. He seems to be putting all his eggs in one basket and this makes me nervous. You always need a backup plan, but hey, what do I know. Youngest daughter: had a great summer as well. Got to spend some quality time with her bestie from Nashville and do some much needed relaxing. She started high school this year and broke her elbow the first day of school at cheer practice. The good news is that surgery is not needed and hopefully 3 weeks in a sling and some PT will be all that is needed. We have a doctor’s appointment today so wish us luck.

  As for hubby and I? We are doing awesome. I absolutely love being married to this man. He is my true soul mate. He brings me happiness like I have never experienced. He has been my rock this past year as I have gone through some things health wise and other wise that I do not know if I could have made it through without him. So super shout out to my Mark. I love you, sweetheart. Kisses always.  We are celebrating 5 years as a couple in September. We always celebrate our first date as this marked the true beginning of our new lives together. We have a lot to celebrate this year and some fun and exciting things to come in our future.

 Fitness wise has basically been nonexistent. I am getting back into it this week. I have a pair of tennis shoes on for the first time in months. Yippeee!!! I am walking to the Capital this year in a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis. I work for an awesome company who is very involved in community service and encourages their employees to get involved as well. The walk will be a couple of miles and I am super excited about it. For more details about this event: #elemonateCF

  Have a brilliant hump day and I am glad to be back!

Hugs!!!

#100 days of happiness

  #100 days of happiness. I have seen this all over social media the past year or so and kept thinking how fun it would be to do this. So four days ago I plunged in. Now, I am a planner. I go with the flow some of the time, but most of the time, I have a plan. I decided on this challenge to just go with it. Whatever made me happy on that day made the cut. Now, I could post very easily 100 days of happiness with hubby and kids alone, but I promise not to saturate the facebook world with happy pics of my hubby and kids. I mean if I did that, according to facebook rules that would mean I am not really happy with my hubby and kids. I know, right? Try to wrap your head around that logic. Okay, I am squirelling.  So yesterday was day 4 of my happy days and I used a pic hubby took of youngest stepson in the airport after landing from his European vacation. I was so glad to see that face in person. I know he is not my by blood kid, but it does not mean I love or miss him any less than my by blood kids. I did not run and jump in his arms and give him a big squeeze like I wanted to. I stepped back and let hubby have first hugs and words. I did manage to get my hug in after what seemed like forever. We then sent him on to his momma as I know she was just as excited to get her hugs in. While we were waiting for his luggage to come in, I again, stepped back. This was momma and dad’s moment of reunion. That is when being a stepmom is so very hard. You love that kid with all your heart, but know that your feelings take a back seat, especially when all parties do not get along. So I stepped back and took it all in. Saw the exchange of inside jokes that were created among travelling friends, last minute pictures with friends, lots of hugs and hair tousling as momma and dad sorted out their youngest son’s arrival. He went home with his momma last night, because mommas and sons have a special relationship and we understand it. Does it hurt any less? Not at all. We would have loved to hear all about his trip right then and there, but hopefully soon we will become privy to all the European adventure tales. So as we gave stepson one last squeeze before he went with his momma, I realized this really was my day of happiness. My youngest stepson made it home safe and with lots of fabulous memories.

 

Hugs!

Helicopter parenting at it's finest

 Yesterday, I was the helicopter parent, I mean helicopter step parent because good gravy we must get my title right, and I am not ashamed to admit it. Hubby and I sent youngest stepson off to Europe for 10 days with his high school. We met him at the airport and decided to stick around until he was safely up the escalators and through security. We hung out in the background visiting with other parents and not hovering too much unless it was needed. I normally am not a helicopter parent especially when I am in the role as step parent.  I try to stay in the background when his mom is around, but she was nowhere to be seen, so hover I did. I was sending my stepson overseas for 10 days! I wanted to make sure everything was covered.  I noticed he did not have a luggage tag on his backpack so hubby went over there to help him take care of it. We went over when Ms. Bonner was helping him check in. Hubby went up to the luggage check in to make sure he was not over the limit. We double checked with him to make sure he had his passport and Euro’s. We took pictures of all said events hugged him good bye and sent him up the escalator.  Could he have done all this stuff by himself? Sure. Do I trust the people he is going with to take care of him? Of course.  Am I going to apologize for my hovering? Not one little bit. Does he care that we were there? Probably not and I am sure he complained about it the whole time, but honestly that is not why I hovered yesterday. I hovered because I needed to for my piece of mind. I am not going to drop him off at the curb and say see ya in ten days! If that is your style, sleep well.  I would do this for any of my other kids and probably my hubby, cousins, friends and parents as well.  I will admit, stepson is not a good communicator when it comes to hubby. He tells him mom everything, but dad, not so much. When hubby and I were sitting on the front porch yesterday he downloaded the flight tracker so we could track stepson’s flight. We noticed that around 7:00 his flight still had not taken off even though it was supposed to leave at 5:18. Hubby texted stepson’s mom and she said of course she knew it was late, stepson had texted and told her. Sigh. Communication is so nice. Even if you think the other may know, it is better to get more information than none at all. At that point I went into “mom” mode. I contacted my sweet friend whose son is also on the same trip and asked her to communicate with me about the flight. Thankfully, she is awesome and let me know anything she heard and I did vice versa for her.  Her daughter just returned from Europe so she set me at ease with some other things as well. Thank goodness for friends! I am now in the know and feel much better for it. By the way, the flight tracking app is fabulous. We knew when he landed in Atlanta, when he flew over Ireland and when he landed in Paris. Awesome! So, I am excited to hear all about his trip when he returns in 10 days. I will be wondering, as I am now, what he is doing. Visiting the Eifel Tower? Eating his weight in Gelato? Making new friends?  So, if you need me, I will over here hovering from afar and not apologizing one little bit.

Hugs!

One more day

  It is only one more day until graduation. It seems like life is full of “one more days”. One more day until the baby comes, one more day until school starts, one more day until Christmas break, one more day until vacation, one more day until summer, one more day of winter, one more day until marriage, one more day with the person you love. Do we view these “one more days” as an ending or a new beginning? I would like to think this “one more day” is just the beginning. It is the beginning of a new adventure for my son.

 Oldest son has reached another milestone in his life. There have been so many: sleeping through the night, walking, starting preschool, starting kindergarten, first lost tooth, reaching the teen years, and driving are among the few. They have all brought their own unique challenges and joy, but the emotions remain the same. Happy because they are growing up, but sad because your baby is not a baby anymore. So as we prepare this summer to send oldest son off to college, be patient with me. I am so happy he has worked hard to be able to achieve this goal, but sad because my baby is leaving the nest.

 

Hugs!

Life advice for the graduate

  We are down to two more days until graduation for oldest son. He has had two days of graduation practice and survived. Remember graduation practice? Boring!!!  Today’s blog is dedicated to the things I would like my son to know about the future. Do I know it all? Absolutely not, but I have lived a little and feel I can share some words of wisdom with my son as he ventures out beyond the walls of high school.

1.  Get a college degree or some sort of skill. It does not matter if it is a bachelor’s degree, certification in something or an associate degree. Your opportunities will be greater for employment with these skills.

2.  Live within your means. You know how to budget. Keep that knowledge with you as your income grows larger. You want your money to be yours and not anyone else’s.

3.  Take advantage of travel opportunities. You have lived in 4 different states and have seen things beyond your four walls. Keep it up! Look into international study opportunities while you are in college. The world is amazing beyond the US, go explore!

4.  Keep your faith. “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:13. Always put God in the center of your life.  You will be faced with tough situations in life. Remember what you have learned. It will make things easier. Prayer is a powerful thing.

5.  Find the joy in all things. Focus on the good in your life and not the bad. It is way too easy to stay down. Keep up your positive attitude.

6.  Dress for success. Take pride in your appearance. Keep your hair nice, your clothes pressed, and yourself clean. You will feel better about yourself if you take care of yourself.

7. Keep exercising. Do not get out of this habit. Eat well. Take care of your inside as well as your outside.

8. Give. Give your time, give your money, and give yourself. Life is not about handing you things.  Go out and do something for someone for absolutely nothing. Give someone some financial help without expecting anything in return. Volunteer for an organization you feel passionate about.

9.  Take time to smell the flowers. Do not get so busy in your life that it passes you by. Take time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor. It is okay to be lazy everyone once in a while.

10.  And saving the best for last, CALL YOUR MOM! Not every day, but every once in a while so she knows you are okay.

Hugs!

Thanks for the memories!

 Happy Tuesday! It is only 3 more days until oldest son graduates from high school. Sigh. Today’s blog will be dedicated to some of my favorite memories from oldest son’s high school career. There are so many, that honestly, it was hard to choose. I did find a recurring theme in my trip down memory lane and that is the first day of school photos and how I felt as each year was starting. We have a tradition that, we, like many others, always take a picture on the first day of school before they start off on their new adventure. So here are my memories:

Freshman year:  Wow! My baby is going to high school. Am I that old? Is he that old? Is he ready? Am I ready? He looks so handsome in his khaki shorts, knit polo and sperry’s. When did he grow up? Will he make friends? He was very excited to start his new high school and I was a nervous wreck. I drove him to school and I kissed him on the top of his head before he got out of the car. I was afraid I had made a social error in doing this, but he looked at me and told me it was fine. He still allows me to do this. Even in front of his friends.

Sophomore year:  Hubby and I were married at this point and youngest stepson was starting his freshman year at Catholic. It was awesome to see the older brother looking out for the younger one. They are both independent persons, but this year started out what was to be many times of laughter as they recounted their days at the dinner table regarding the shenanigans (as hubby says) at school. I will miss this next year. This was also the year oldest son was diagnosed with hypercalcemia/hypoparathyroidism. We spent many hours seeing at what turned out to be 7 different doctors and finally ended up at the UAMS cancer institute. This is the year I saw my son turn into a man. He had too many medical tests to count, too many blood draws and too many unanswered questions. He is known as “Patient X” at UAMS and the Mayo Clinic as they still do not have a confirmed diagnosis for him other that what was stated above. He wears this title proudly.  He is loved by all of his doctors and nurses and took all of it in stride. He hardly ever complained and did not let his mystery illness define who he was or affect him as a person. Even when we had to wait an awful 4 weeks for a cancer test to come back negative he kept a positive attitude. He will for the rest of his life go to twice a year doctor appointments at UAMS and have multiple tests ran every year, but as he always says to me, “I got this, mom”.

Junior year:  I was told this was the hardest year at Catholic. I was nervous about this year and what it would bring academically. He did amazing, by the way.  This was the year we started our college tours. I loved these trips. I remember our trip to Ole Miss and his first experience with a real college campus. He was overwhelmed and thrilled all at the same time. This was also the year that it hit me that he would be headed off to college soon. Yikes! Our biggest challenge of this year was curfew. I abided by city curfew and apparently I am the only one in Little Rock who “makes” their kid do this. I told him when he was 18; I did not care anymore as he was not breaking any laws, but until then, city curfew. Believe it or not, I stuck to it and he did survive.

Senior year:  This has been my favorite year. All the traditions I mentioned yesterday are worth the wait. Ring Mass started us off and it was amazing. I told Mr. Straessle afterwards, you better have something amazing planned for graduation because it is going to be hard to top this! This was also the year that everyone started hanging out at our house. It is rare to have a Friday or Saturday night alone at our house and I love it. Jake’s friends make me laugh and I love being a tiny part of this part of his life. We made the college decision, finally! This was very stressful. He was accepted to all 8 schools he applied for. In the end, he chose University of Arkansas. Once a Razorback, always a Razorback. I am just thankful that process is over.

 So, thanks for the memories, my son. I am excited to see what memories college will bring you over the next four years. I know I will not be a part of most of it and I am okay with that. You are an amazing son and I am so very proud of you!

Hugs!

10 Ten List of why I love Catholic High School

 It’s Monday. It is only four more days until oldest son graduates high school. To commemorate this occasion, I am going to dedicate the next four days of posts to that particular event. In a nod to David Letterman I am creating a top 10 list of why I love Catholic High School, the school my son will graduate from.

10. Uniform-My boy knows how to dress up. Whether it is business casual or suiting up, he has got this down.

9.  Regulation haircut-no shaggy hair in the eyes or greasy, unwashed ponytails. Clean cut is the way.

8.  Homework-my son knows how to time manage. Because he was given homework on a regular basis and he worked after school, he knows how to juggle multiple tasks at hand.

7.  Mass- I love that he got to attend mass with all his friends. I appreciate religion not being crammed down their throats, but rather something to explore.

6.  Traditions- From the first assembly as a freshman to Senior Ring Mass, Catholic High is full of traditions. The boys know what to expect as they get older and looked forward to it.

5.  Teachers- Catholic has teachers who have been there for years and some freshly out of college. Now, I do have my favorites and there is a couple who I would love to see the backside of, but those are rare.

4.  No girls. They are way too much of a distraction. I know because I am one.

3.  Cyber days- This was a brilliant invention.  No snow days to make up.

2.  Senior Tie- This one item separates the men from the boys. It is a badge of honor.

1.  And my number one favorite thing about Catholic High School is the principal, Mr. Steve Straessle.  You will not find a principal who loves their school more than Mr. Straessle. He honors the traditions of what makes Catholic High great and enjoys doing so. He is a champion for my son.  He was a key person in Jake’s high school career not only as a principal but as a teacher.

So as the alma mater says:  

Proudly we speak your name,
Proudly wear your colors.
Friendships made within your walls
Will mellow through the years.
We, in some distant day, may brush away a tear,
Born of memories as these we hold so very dear.

Thank you, Catholic High and go Rockets!

Hugs!

Minute by Minute

 Go hug someone. Text your loved ones. Tell everyone good night and I love you before you go to bed. We never know when will be the last time for us or for those we center our lives around. Last night, I attended the memorial service of my best friend’s (really my sister) husband. Yes, I said memorial service of my best friend’s husband. He was only 35. He passed away in their home in bed of a coronary attack. She found him cold lying in bed. I cannot even imagine. Even though I have heard the story a few times now, I still cannot wrap my head around what happened. My sweet sister is hurting so much right now. Words are not enough. What do you say? I’m sorry only goes so far. Hugs, hand holding and tears are the only things I know to do right now. I was in awe of her last night as she stood at the front and greeted all those people. I don’t know how she held it together. I appreciate everyone who came out last night to express their condolences and offered their words of advice and hugs. One gentleman said to take it one day at a time. And he said when that gets too much, take one minute at a time. Sometimes life gets so hard that that is exactly what you need to do. I can say that life has gotten rough a few times for me, but nothing like what  my sweet sister is going through. I cannot even imagine life without my Mark. So here is to my sweet sister, by choice and not by birth. I love you so very much and you can get through this. Minute by minute.

 

Hugs

My son

 Two more days of exams, senior picnic, senior pool party, senior bbq, senior yearbook signing, senior clean up, senior luncheon, senior party, graduation practice, graduation, after graduation party and then two more graduation parties after that. I swear my son needs a social secretary to help him keep up with the next ten days.  Just reading that makes my head spin. I am so very excited for him. It has not hit either one of us that his high school career is just about over. I am so very proud of him I could burst! He made it through high school with grace and without too much complaining. I am excited for him to start his new phase in life. It’s hard feeling two emotions equally. Joy, because he has been given this amazing opportunity to go away to college, but sad, because I will miss him. Not just as a person but also the things he does for our family without hesitation. Picking up sister from practice, running out for dinner, getting last minute groceries, taking the trash out, cleaning up, mowing the lawn, the list goes on and on. His absence will leave an impact on our lives for sure. But, wow! College. Off on his own to discover whom he is without the family as a safety net. Not that he has used us too much. He is pretty independent and for that I have no hesitation sending him off on his own. So I say this morning, Congratulations Son! You have made me proud. I love you so very much and am awed at the man you have grown into.

 

Hugs!

37 pieces???

  Happy Thursday! The sun is shining and the weather is gorgeous. I love spring and summer when it is actually spring and summer. No cold weather for me. Blech! Hate it.

 I have been researching a new concept regarding my wardrobe. It is based on the concept of only keeping 37 pieces, including shoes-what???, and rotating the outfits out throughout the season. Think lots of basics and making your outfits pop with accessories. Now, that is 37 pieces per season, so 37 for spring/summer and 37 for winter/fall. The concept comes from www.un-fancy.com.  She has a great blog and I love this idea. The only thing I need to tweak from her idea is I need a more defined work wardrobe. I work at a company that is business casual to business dress, so I need less casual then her ideas. I started working on my wardrobe this weekend and have gotten rid of one trash bag full of clothes and shoes! I changed out my winter wardrobe, got rid of things I did not wear this season and then only kept the things I loved and wore out of my summer wardrobe. I think I can get my 37 pieces, but I may need to add a couple of things. I need a good white button down that is suitable to dress up or down and I need two work jackets. I have never been a jacket (think woman’s suit coat) wearer, but I need to dress up my outfits a bit and a jacket would be perfect. I thought I had two purchased, but the size 4’s I purchased were too small. I really need a 2 for the classic fit. This is going to be a huge problem because size 2 is just about impossible to find. The place I got my jackets from does not even carry the jacket in a size 2! So very frustrating!  This weekend I am on a quest to find these jackets. Wish me luck. I will keep you updated on my 37 piece wardrobe, complete with pictures to keep me accountable. I am a clothes and shoes fanatic, but I am trying to change my hoarding ways.

 I am so very excited! I am finally well enough to go run with my girls tonight at Women Run Arkansas! I miss my group. They keep me laughing and I am awed at the accomplishments from every one of them. You are welcome to join us tonight even if you have not officially registered for WRA. We are at War Memorial from 5:30 to 6:30.  Would love to see you! Tonight we are running 4 minutes and walking 1 minute for a total of 31 minutes. I believe I may die. I have not run in two weeks so it should be interesting. I try to remember something I read which is great advice: “Your mind always gives up before your body does”.

Hugs!

It's National Walking Day!

It is National Walking Day. How are you celebrating? At the office we are participating in a company walk. I work downtown, so we are starting at Broadway and walking to the Capital Building and back. It is going to be sunny and 70 degrees and should make for a beautiful walk. 

 I finally am getting back to the land of the living. I have been struggling with some health issues the last couple of weeks and things are finally starting to level out. Once I fully get over the hump, I will share my story with you, but needless to say I slept decently last night for the first time in forever. Yippee!!! I hope this trend continues because this girl needs her sleep.

 Last night hubby and I went to the European travel informational meeting last night. Youngest stepson is traveling to Europe for 10 days with his high school. I am excited for him to have this opportunity. He, his mom, and grandma have paid for the majority of the trip and hubby and I have picked up the last minute expenses. Hubby and I did not contribute more because, honestly, we have multiple kids to take care of and believe what we do for one, we should do for the others and we do not have the finances right now to spend a couple thousand dollars to send kids to Europe. I am glad his mom and grandma have been able to provide this for him. It should be lots of fun. When Brother Richard was talking about the trip, it made me long to travel overseas again. I have been fortunate enough to have travelled internationally. I have seen all of England, Scotland, Spain, Amsterdam, Canada and Mexico. I loved it and it is an experience I will never forget. Experiencing other cultures is fascinating to me and makes me appreciate home even more. Hubby has never been overseas, so we are in the midst of planning an international vacation. It will not happen for a few years because like I said earlier, we have multiple kids to pay for.  Plus, we are trying to narrow down where we would like to go. I would love to see the Orient, but hubby is leaning toward England. I guess being the soccer fan that he is, I can understand that. We have friends who live in England so we already have somewhere to stay, plus I would love to show hubby my old stomping grounds. I encourage everyone to travel overseas at some point in their lives. It really is a wonderful experience. 

Have a fabulous day and get out there and walk!

Hugs!

Catch up!

 Wow! Almost a month since I have last blogged. Crazy. This is our busy time of year and the days are flying by. I am home today with an illness I am getting over(will expand upon this later) and decided to catch up on my blog. Sorry for the absence my loyal readers!
 What's been going on this month:

1. Princess made high school cheerleader. I am so proud of her for this accomplishment. She worked hard and succeeded. What a rock star.

2. Oldest son finally decided where he wanted to attend college. He was accepted at the 6 he applied for, but in the end, he decided to be a Razorback. I am proud of his choice and the ball is already rolling in preparing him for departure in the fall. He has picked a roommate, someone from Houston, Texas. They have never met. They found each other through a website kinda like match.com only for college roommates. He graduates in one month and I am mentally preparing myself for this. His graduation invitations came in and I only cried a little bit.

3. Still loving my job. Passed the 90 day mark and they still like me so I guess I am staying. I will say, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arkansas is a wonderful company to work for and I can see myself retiring here. It is so nice to finally have a career. My college degree really paid off.

4. Women Run Arkansas is going amazing. I hate that I am missing tonight. These ladies inspire me and I love them dearly. I am also really enjoying the running we are doing. We are up to 3 1/2 minutes running and 1 1/2 walking. We are true rock stars. I am ready to rock out the graduation 5K with these ladies in 3 weeks. And, you should see my legs and ass! I got a bit jiggly over the last couple of years and I am toning up nicely.

5. Hubby is doing fabulous. He is training to run the Rocket 5K and I am so proud of him. He gets in about 6-7 miles every day. He gets up early and runs with Wally. Of course, this is after he gets my coffee and breakfast ready. I told you I was spoiled.

6. Youngest stepson went on his first college tour last week. For some reason he is interested in all these expensive private schools. Now, I am not knocking these schools and he has the test scores and grades for them, but none of them give full scholarships. Why not go somewhere that you will not have to get a loan or grant?

7. Oldest stepson? Hmmmm, not sure on that one. I hardly ever hear from him. I am going to assume that he is doing well. He and his dad text and talk occasionally, but have not seen his face since his birthday dinner. Pretty convenient, huh?

8. Hubby and I are celebrating our anniversary next month. 3 years! Like I said before, time has really flown. We are making plans to do something fabulous to celebrate because, we are so thankful we have found each other. Like he said, I was not his first because you always save the best for last.

Hope all is well with everyone and remember to do something amazing today.

Hugs!

Dreary Day

It is a dreary day in Central Arkansas and my mood is definitely reflecting it. They are forecasting some sun later on today and I am hoping that rings true. I hate feeling dreary. I am a glass is not only half full, but it is ¾ full. Life is challenging at the moment and getting me down. I have situations that I not only do not have control over, I do not get a say so. I hate watching a train wreck about to happen and not being able to pull the emergency lever. I refuse to let myself stew in the current mood I am in for long. I am pulling myself up by the boot straps, in this case some lovely pink plaid rain boots, and moving on. Life is about choices and I am choosing to not stay dreary. How do I do this? By making a list, I love a good list, of what is positive right now. Here goes:

I had a free lunch yesterday and get another one today.

There is a chance of some sun this afternoon and we will not be running in the rain tonight.

Princess is having a great time in Nashville and I get to see her in 3 more sleeps!

A friend of mine was offered a new job.

Even though I am not sure about my new haircut, I have been getting lots of compliments. So, thank you everyone for making me feel more confident about going short again.

I still love my new job. It challenges me and I love the people I work with. I am even getting used to my little walk in the mornings and afternoons.

The fitness team I am leading at work is in 7^th place! That is fabulous and I am very excited about this.

I have a wonderful husband. We are celebrating three years in May and the time has just flown by.

I have great kids and step kids. They are accomplishing great things at the moment and I am bursting with pride.

 Ahhhh…feeling better already. Now it is time for my free lunch! What does your list look like? Take the time to make one and feel free to share.

Hugs!

 

Staycation

Ahhhhh, don’t you just love a good staycation? Hubby and I took a couple of days and enjoyed the beauty that is Arkansas and I want to thank Mother Nature for accommodating us as well. Sunday after celebrating my eldest step son’s 21^st birthday (yikes!), we came home, packed and headed up to our friend’s cabin for the night. We stopped by my favorite winery on the way up for a couple of yummy reds. I love going to the cabin. It is in the middle of nowhere and there is no wifi, so it is great to just unplug. We took a small hike to the lake when we got there and enjoyed the view and each other. Nature’s sounds are the best. So relaxing and soothing. The weight of the world just drops off your shoulders when you can escape like that. Monday morning we headed up to Petit Jean. We have not been there for a couple of years so it was nice to see it again. We took what we thought was a small hike to the falls, but ended up being an hour and a half hike with a decent climb at the end. It was well worth it. The day was beautiful and just the right temperature. I would like to go when it is warmer and play in the falls. It was a bit crowded as it is spring break, but I loved everyone being out and enjoying nature and there is always someone ready to help you with the best photo op. We lunched at Mather Lodge and the food was excellent. We split the Reuben sandwich and a Chicken sandwich. We were then off to scratch something off of my bucket list, Wye Mountain. I have never been there.  The daffodils are beautiful and the smell is magical. I am going to take princess up there before they wilt because she would love it and I have a perfect photo opportunity for her. On the way home we stopped by Mooyah’s and split a banana/peanut butter shake. Yummmm!

 My advice to you today: Get away with your significant other. Hubby and I feel refreshed and more in love than ever. We made some discoveries about each other while away and I seriously think I love him more. I did not think it was possible, but it is. I am very blessed and fortunate to have this man in my life. I love you, my Mark.

 

Hugs!

 

Let's Run a 5K!

 Busy, busy busy. Busy working, busy playing, busy getting fit. That is right, hubby and I have caught the fit bug…big time! I am leading a group of beginning runners for Women Run Arkansas and I love it. Hubby and I did our first 5K together this past Saturday and I used the WRA program and it was fabulous. I have always been a sprinter and never learned the proper way to run distances so the WRA running program has been a lifesaver. Hubby and I did a 1 minute run and 3 minute walk for the entire 3.1 miles and finished in less than 45 minutes. It felt good. I felt good. It was exhilarating. Hubby ended up with a medal because he is just awesome like that. We are now addicted. He is training to run the Rocket 5K and I am going to do the 1 mile walk with Zeke, the Catholic High Dog, with Wally, our dog, because I volunteer and will be too busy to do the 5K. The good thing is that I will be at the finish line to cheer on hubby. Sunday, we went to Two Rivers Park and did 4 miles at the same pace and felt great. So as a reward and because he spoils me, he bought me a Fitbit. It’s beautiful and pink and named Fred. It is a clip on so I am not advertising to the world what I am doing. I love Fred. If you have a Fitbit, friend me and let’s get fit together.

 After our run, we celebrated at Leo’s Greek Castle for brunch. Ridiculous. I have eaten lunch and dinner there, but never brunch. It was yummy. Saturday afternoon we took princess and my two nieces, who are also princesses, to see Cinderella. Great movie. Go see it. I am a bit of a princess myself so I love the story, the dresses, the shoes and the glass slipper was beautiful. I cried multiple times during the movie because I was feeling super sentimental. There were a lot of beautiful little princesses there to watch the movie and I remembered when my princess was that age. Time goes by way too fast! After the movie, we went to the store because there were two holidays to celebrate: Pi day and Steak and BJ Day. I hope you celebrated both because I did. Our pie was a peach crumble from  Fresh Market and while we were there got some steak too. Both were great. As far as the BJ thing, well that is TMI and I will just say this: that is celebrated quite often in my house as it should be and it is always great, for both of us.

  Enjoy your hump day. Get to exercising and make sure to give someone a hug. It will make their day.

Hugs!

Let's run in the rain!

  Happy Rainy Tuesday! Why the excitement? Because it is not Happy snowy Tuesday. I am tired of the snow and hope we have seen the last of it for the year. Spring is coming in less than 2 weeks and I am more than ready for it.

  Last night, we had our Women Run Arkansas clinic in the rain. Yes, it was cold, wet and miserable, but at the same time exhilarating. I am training the beginning runners and this is a challenge for me as I have said earlier, I have not run in forever. Well at least 2 months, but it seems like forever. I was not sure how I would fare, but I and my group did awesome. We did not let the rain slow us down. We did our 3o seconds of running followed by our 3 minutes of walking 9 times for a total of 2.3 miles. In the pouring down rain! I am so proud of everyone. It is difficult to show up in those conditions, but my first 5K was in the pouring rain so it is important to train in all kinds of weather conditions.

  Tonight I am finally going to see 50 shades of gray. I do not understand all the controversy surrounding this movie. I mean, have those people read the books? Sure he is into a bit of tying up (seriously, who isn’t?-oops tmi, sorry, ignore) and once you get past that part it is a touching love story about a girl who helps heal a man who grew up being abused. The man was burned by cigarettes on his chest as a child; you are bound to have some issues, right? I will admit, the second and third book could really just have been one book, but good for EL James for turning a love story into 3 best sellers.  You cannot fault her for that.  So, for future, do not comment without reading, you just sound ignorant when you do.

 

 Enjoy your Tuesday and go out and love someone today.

Hugs!!!

 

Ugh, more snow!

  Another day in the south, another snow day. Yeah, I said it.  Another snow day. I have had enough. Sure it's pretty and I get a paid day off work, but I am ready for spring. My daffodils are peeking out and I want to kiss winter good bye. I live in the south, dammit. Where is my warm weather??? Hopefully we will be able to dig out tomorrow. I have a big weekend planned. Dinner with friends Friday night, Hazynation at Cajun's on Saturday and dinner with more friends on Sunday. No snow. Melt, please.
  In other news, my life is bipolar right now. My oldest son is getting ready to start college and my daughter is getting ready to start high school. Talk about gear switching. On one hand, we are sorting out graduation, final college destination, working out scholarships, securing dorm rooms, yikes! On the other hand, we are wrapping up junior high, taking placement tests, getting accepted in high school, meeting with counselors to pick classes and getting ready for cheerleading tryouts. It's enough to make my head spin! If I had a third hand I would tell you my youngest stepson is wrapping up his junior year, finally getting his car back (I hope) and getting the final preparations done for his Europe trip this summer. His mom, grandma and he have paid for the bulk of the trip and hubby and I are just taking care of the last few expenses. If I had a fourth hand I would tell you my oldest stepson is turning 21 this month, finishing his class at UALR, and from what I hear, juggling two jobs. There is a lot going on, but I am so proud of all four kids. They make me smile and I love celebrating all their accomplishments with them.
  In fitness news, Women Run Arkansas started this week. I did not make Monday's clinic because I was exhausted from all the marathon activities and I bowed out. Tonight's clinic is cancelled, so I am starting fresh Monday. I hope I can get out and run this weekend so I will not be completely behind. I am training beginner runners and am super excited about it. I was a bit nervous at first because I am not an accomplished runner I have just played it. But, after looking at the training schedule,  I realized I can handle it. Hubby is going to run with me on the off days so that will be fun. I love that I have a partner that enjoys doing things with me. He has been trying to convince me to play soccer with him, but those guys are rough. I think I will stick to being his number one fan for now.
  I hope you are keeping warm and catching up on housework, reading or tv. Me, I am doing all three!

Hugs!!!!!
 

See ya February!

 Happy Friday! It has been a long week. Actually, it has been a long month. Normally I enjoy February but I am happy to see the back of it. We had crappy weather the last two weeks and I am completely thrown off my schedule. I have quite a bit to look forward to in March with first and foremost the coming of spring. March is going to be crazy busy for the Francis/Bosch household. I start Women Run Arkansas on the 2^nd. I stepped down as co-director this year, but I am still involved. I will be training the beginning runners. This is going to be a hoot as I am not really a runner. I have run in the past, but not seriously for about 4 years. I am excited to get back into it and training others is the best motivation.  March also starts our fitness challenge at work. I signed up as team captain so I am excited to get this going. Hubby and I have decided to do some 5K’s together. He has been doing about 5 miles per day, mostly walking, so he is motivated to start racing again. We signed up to do the Civitan 5K in Benton on March 14, so I need to get training. Walking it is no problem, but I would like to run at least half of it or at least keep up with hubby.  Are you working towards any fitness goals? I am going to pick up stretching again in hopes to do the splits someday.

  Here’s to a fabulous weekend full of medal unwrapping, medal awarding, and high five’s! Yes, I mean the Little Rock Marathon. I am hoping for great weather on Saturday and Sunday not only for the runners, but for the wimpy weather chic such as myself.  Enjoy your weekend and do something amazing!

Hugs!

The 10 Commandments of Gym Etiquette

I present to you the 10 Commandments of Gym Etiquette. I took most of this from mapmyfitness.com with a little twist to it. Learn it, follow it. 

1.  Thou shalt keep your area contained. 

Keep your keys, phone, water bottle and towel close to you and not outside your exercise area bubble. This is for you and most assuredly for other’s safety.

2. Thou shalt not socialize.

I do not mean keep quiet the whole time, but if you are on the treadmill chatting and not using it, you will be struck down.

3.  Thou shalt respect the headphones

If you see someone with their headphones in, they are in the zone. Leave them alone.  A small wave may be appropriate, but please read the room

4.  Thou shalt share with others

Don’t be selfish and be aware of your time.

5. Thou shalt not peer at adjacent TV screens.

Give the person next to you some privacy. Eyes straight ahead are preferable.

6. Thou shalt not loiter and text on a machine

This kind of goes with commandment 2. Take care of your office business elsewhere, not on the exercise machine.

7. Thou shalt arrive to group classes on time

There are few things worse than an interruption during a class. If you are late, do not come in. Learn time management.

8. Thou shalt wipe down thy machine

Ewwwww…other people’s sweat. No, no, no

9. Thou shalt not douse thyself with perfume

You are at a gym not club. On the same subject, please use deodorant. 

10.  Thou shalt not stare

It’s rude, it’s impolite. Just stop. Whether you are admiring or whatever, just keep your eyes to yourself.

It’s the simple things that can make or break your gym experience.  Now go workout!

Hugs!

Snow and the Oscars

 Happy Snow Day from the Blizzard State, formerly known as Arkansas! Yes, another snow/panic day from central Arkansas. Schools were closed yesterday, but hubby and I braved the dry roads with a few slick spots to get to work. Hubby dropped me off because it is cold and I am wimpy and he loves me dearly and hates for me to be cold. Yes, the car was toasty warm and windows scraped before I entered the car. I am spoiled, I know it and I damn well appreciate it. Well, as predicted by local weather god, Todd Yakoubian, snowmaggedon started at about 11:15. Hubby texted and collected me by 12:00. I was the first one to leave the office, but I am very glad I did. We slid and spun all the way down Markham until we finally made it to our homestead. It was a bit touch n go as we kept spinning and could not go anywhere. There was an 18 wheeler behind us which made it even more exciting. We escaped death this afternoon. Okay, maybe I exaggerate, but still, it was scary. They closed the office about 1:00 when it was truly a blizzard so I now get paid for my early exit. Yippee! I am now sitting in the comfort of my home, under a blanket, filling out FAFSA forms for my soon to be college child. Exciting stuff, but glad to finally have it done.
 Did you watch the Oscar's last night? We did. I decided to do a running fashion commentary and had quite a few join in and it was awesome. My favorite of the night had to be this:

This stunner is a Calvin Klein original. Made of 6,000 pearls. Wow! I love all things pearl. Earring, necklaces (all kinds), bracelets and now this dress. Gorgeous! And it can be mine for a mere $150,000. What a steal! There were many fashion don'ts last night. What is up with non-Oscar hair? You have this beautiful evening dress and then you have some shaggy hairstyle? 

This is just all wrong. The dress, the hair and what is up with the pockets. Poor dear. Fire your stylist now. Right now. Patricia Arquette was a mess yesterday. She looked like she just woke up from a nap and started drinking and never stopped. I thought Melanie Griffith and her daughter, Dakota Johnson, were going to scrap right there on the red carpet. Seriously, go see the damn movie, mom. Support your kid. Even if she is tied up on four posters. Love and support the kids. It's our job as parents. Don't make them beg. There were many things right at the Oscars. Anna Kendrick: beautiful, Julianne Moore: breathtaking, Magic Mike, I mean, Channing Tatum: hot. The best of the night was Lady Gaga performing selections from the Sound of Music. I will admit, I was nervous and had remote in hand ready to change. I love the Sound of Music. I have seen it no less than 100 times and was not wanting it butchered. If you missed, go youtube it. It brought tears to my eyes and goose bumps on the skin. I knew she could sing, but wow. Amazing. I was in awe and then when Julie Andrews came out???? I lost it. She is the epitome of elegance. There is none like her. Sigh...made my night. Again, I would like to thank all who participated in the Oscar commentaries with me. It was loads of fun and I had lots of giggles. 

 Well, the warm snuggles of my hubby is calling me, so I bid adieu, to you and you and you. Stay warm and be careful out there!

Hugs!

Snow days and understanding

Who is ready for summer??? After this latest snowstorm, yes, in the south this is considered a snowstorm; I am ready for flip flops and shorts. I will admit it was fun watching the kids turn from cool teenagers into giddy pre schoolers when they saw the snow. They bundled up and took turns sledding down the hill. Hubby even took the dog and I went down our driveway. We have a great sledding hill, which, of course, means we are stranded when we get ice on the road. We do not get a lot of sun either so we were stranded for two days. The first day was fun, but after I could not get to work the next day, I was done. Plus, all I want to do on a snow day is eat, watch TV or read.  So yesterday all I did was eat and read. I did manage to get outside for about 30 minutes to help shovel our driveway. Which was pointless when we had another blizzard attack us at 10:00, but exercise is exercise, right?

  Speaking of exercise, I need a new challenge. I am thinking of revisiting the plank challenge. Planks work all sorts of muscles in the abdominal area that need some help right now. I might add a squat challenge as well. The gluts need some TLC right now.

  I hope everyone had a great Valentine’s weekend. I did, for the most part. Hubby and I had some miscommunication which led to some arguing which led to some deep conversations, which led us to a deeper understanding of each other. Marriage is a constant learning process. I am trying to understand that my hubby is not me and celebrates differently than I do. I go full force all out. Hubby is low key so we have come to a mutual understanding that works for the both of us. That way no one has any hurt feelings or unrealistic expectations. Compromise is vital in any relationships. I do hate when hubby and I argue, but good things always come about after we argue and then there is always the make-up part.  I love the making up part.

Have a great Wednesday and stay warm. 

Hugs!

Can you do the splits in 2 weeks?

  A little over two weeks I found a challenge on Pinterest. Can you do the splits in one week? This peaked my interest. After researching on WikiHow, I decided to take the challenge. Did it work? You tell me:

 The top one is day one, week one. The bottom one is day 14, week two.I would say, no you cannot do the splits in two weeks. Did I consider this a failure? No way. First, I think my form is much better from day one to day 14 and I felt much better going into the splits after two weeks then the first day. I learned I love to stretch before bed. It releases the tensions of the day and I do feel more flexible. Anytime you try to challenge yourself do not consider it a failure.

Hugs!

Love, tuition and other things

  It’s Hump Day! Get to humpin people! Seriously. It’s  almost Valentine’s Day. Have you made plans? Do you celebrate? I do. In spades! I have something special planned with hubby, a little something for the kids, and my office is decorated and very festive. The kids, you say? Yes. Valentine’s Day is all about the love. Friend love, romantic love, family love, pet love. Express your love to all. I know it is geared toward the romantic love, but I put my own spin on the holiday. I love, love. Why not celebrate all kinds? Now, don’t get me wrong. I do have a nice romantic day planned out with the hubby, but hey, so was last Sunday and last night when we went out to dinner. We celebrate our love all the time not just on one day. I celebrate my love for everyone often. It is just extra special on Valentine’s Day. So, go love on someone this Saturday. Just make sure it’s appropriate and the loved one belongs to you.  ;)

  I know I said I was going to post my split challenge results yesterday, but yikes! Life has been busy. I will wait until Thursday which is the end of the two weeks to report. I know, you are disappointed and I apologize.

  Hubby, the ex and I went to High School Orientation for princess last night. She is going to attend an all-girls Catholic school. The same one my sister and I attended. The ex is not super happy about this option, you know the whole paying tuition versus free public school, but hubby and I feel this is the best place for her, so we will be paying tuition on our own. I cannot say I am not disappointed about his decision, but it is what it is. It is his opinion and I cannot change it. Anyway, princess is excited about attending the Mount so making the sacrifices to pay tuition for her is a burden we are willing to take on. So if you are keeping up, next school year we will have two in college, and two in private school. Good thing we both have good paying jobs! Oldest step son has decided to jump back into college after a break. His first year was not successful academically so we told him if he made a certain GPA this semester, we would reimburse him half his tuition cost. Sound harsh? Kids need some skin in the game in order to be accountable, especially if they have struggled the first time around. I want nothing for the best for him and hope he finds happiness and success in whatever he pursues.

 It’s gym day today. I think arms. They are getting wobbly and swimsuit season is right around the corner.

Have a fabulous Wednesday! 

Hugs!

Lost Forty, here we come!

 Happy Monday!

 Is this weather in Little Rock fabulous or what??? This warm weather girl loves it. Yesterday, hubby and I put the top down and went for a glorious afternoon drive. We had some great conversation and much needed catch up time. Our kids are at the stage where they are making some major transitions in their lives, so all of our conversations center around the kids and we sometimes forget about each other. We did a little bit of house hunting as well. We are a bit torn about our house situation. We kind of want to downsize or just make a change, but we love our location. So, I think we have decided to do some upgrading and stay where we are. It is so convenient and when we cannot climb stairs anymore, we can move upstairs and still have all our amenities. I do love our house. It finally feels like our home.

 After driving we felt like having a beverage (as hubby says). We headed to Lost Forty Brewing. OMG! It was awesome! Please go check it out. The beer was yummy-we had the flights so we could sample them all. For munchies we had the jalapeño pimento cheese-wow! And the homemade bread with flavored butters-another wow! The bread is made from the grains leftover from the beer. They send it to Boulevard Bread and then they create this yummy multi grain perfection. The atmosphere was just as wonderful. It is in an old warehouse and full of character. They also have an old fashioned arcade game, Dig Dug! We of course had to play a couple of rounds. This will definitely be in the Francis rotation.

 Speaking of food, Saturday night after taking millions of pictures and saying good bye to the Catholic High Winter attendees (oldest son looks amazing in a tux and his date was beautiful), hubby and I headed to Terry’s Finer Foods to check out the pizza we have been hearing so much about. Oh my. Heavenly. Seriously. Not joking. We had the Quattro Stagioni. This pizza was split in 4 sections: artichokes, olives, mushrooms and Prosciutto di Parma. The pizza crust was melting in our mouth and the ingredients were so fresh. For dessert we split the pecan ball which is a ball of vanilla Loblolly ice cream rolled in this incredibly chocolate sauce and then rolled in pecans. MMMMMMMMMM good. We took a slice of apple pie home and it was equally as divine. Go check this place out. The staff knows their stuff and is ridiculously friendly.

 Split Challenge Update: I will blog about my progress tomorrow, complete with pictures! It has been a fun challenge and I am pleasantly surprised by the results.

 Almost forgot! Congratulations to the Horace Mann Varsity basketball team! They won the LRSD championship on Saturday. It was an exciting game to watch and the last game for Princess to cheerL.

 Have a fabulous Monday! Get out and enjoy the weather. I most certainly will!

Hugs!

Resolution Check

  In order to make sure I am keeping up with my Resolutions for 2015 I am checking over the list on the first of every month to keep myself in check. Here is the link to my resolution list:  http://healthygirlslove.blogspot.com/2014/12/new-years-resolutions.html Let's see how I am doing:

1. Take better care of myself: Check. I am eating better, appetite has returned!, and I am working out more.

2. Meal Planning: Working wonderfully. Should have done this sooner. Cheaper grocery bills and we are not eating out as much and we are eating better.

3. Home Organization: Slowly but surely

4. Taking hubby overseas: Looking into a destination. We are thinking of somewhere in Mexico, the Bahamas or Jamaica.

5.  Budget: Doing much better. Savings account is growing and we are sticking to our budget about 75% of the time.

6. Dance lessons: Nothing yet

7. Let it Go: Yes. Always feels good. I highly recommend it.

8. Strengthening my backbone: I have had to do this about three times now and wow did it feel good. I am letting my voice be heard and it is not as scary as I thought.

All in all I think I am doing well. How are your resolutions coming?

Hugs!!!

Super Weekend!

 Happy brrrrr Monday! Coldness has hit Little Rock again. Yes, I know it is nothing compared to the blizzards up north, but I do not live up north. I live in the South. I need warmth! I bundled up and braved the walk to work which is much quicker when it is freezing outside. The wind was especially brutal this morning. On the brighter side, it was not raining or snowing so it could have been worse.

 Did you have a fabulous weekend like I did? Saturday night I painted with 6 of my closest friends. It was awesome. I am not crafty. I can barely paint by numbers. But our instructor was fabulous and I have a new piece of artwork for the living room! Sunday was the super bowl and youngest’ s step son birthday celebration. The very wrong team won, but I had a house full of family from all sides and I was in my super happy place. Oldest stepson came over and wanted to try a new beer that hubby had purchased. He will be 21 in March, so I let him have one and made sure it was his only one and that he was waiting awhile before he drove home. It is really strange to drink with your kids. I assume as they get older I will get used to this, but not right now.

 I meant to finish this post last night, but I was exhausted. Something about a Monday, I guess. Yesterday I got back in the gym after a terribly long absence. I worked on legs and it felt so awesome. My legs are a bit sore and wobbly this morning, but that is a wonderful feeling. I did a bit on the eliptical-love that machine and worked on my stretches for my split challenge before I went to bed last night. It is coming along. I do not know if I will be able to get a full split in two weeks, but it does look promising. I am getting lower on the right, but feel like I am getting nowhere in the middle. I may research the middle splits and see if there are some tips on some extra stretches I can add in so I can accomplish that goal as well. Do you have some goals you are working on?
Hugs!!!!!
 

Can you do the Splits?

 I have found a new fitness challenge. I love new fitness challenges. It keeps me motivated and the curious part of me wants to know if these challenges actually work. I was riding my exercise bike yesterday and scrolling through Pinterest and found this:  http://www.wikihow.com/Do-the-Splits-in-a-Week-or-Less.  I am pretty flexible (just ask hubby ;)), but I have not done a proper split since college, so I am going to give myself two weeks to get this challenge done.  I started last night with the stretching. It felt so good. I usually do some light stretching every day, but to spend around 20 minutes stretching? Heaven! I am not sure how I am going to work in the stretches twice a day, but I am going to try. After stretching, I had Princess take some photos of me doing the splits:

I have quite a ways to go!

I have never been able to do the middle splits, so why not try?

It is important to have fun and make sure you can still smile after exercising. Exercise is good for you! You have accomplished something. Be proud of yourself.

 I will update you on my progress and hopefully within two weeks you will see me in a proper split!

Have a great Thursday!

Hugs!