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Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category

Remember that one of my New Year’s resolutions was to take 4 road trips this year? Well, aside from the fact that I have a pretty good feeling that it will be more than four, I got to enjoy a snippet of beautiful San Francisco this past weekend. It’s true, aside from sitting at the airport, I’ve never been to San Fran…(I know, I know ;-)…I mean “the city”.  I was like a kid in a candy store just coming up to the Golden Gate bridge! Good picture huh?I wanted to sponge up everything I could because I’d never been there before, but obviously there is only so much you can fit in one day. I was such a hungry student wanting to learn ;o) More like a giddy student at best! It was funny coming in because out of sheer luck, we landed on the exact streets that we wanted and needed to be on…or it could have been due to the fantastic driver! Have you heard of the famous Lombard Street? It’s one of the crookedest streets you’ll ever see! Needless to say, traffic was slow but the views were awesome from the top. Moving along, we also got to see the Transamerica Pyramid. It’s the tallest building in San Francisco and to come right up to it was pretty darn cool. Pay no attention to the cable in the pic though ;o)

After parking and heading out on foot, we walked…and walked…and walked. Lucky we like to walk so much! Pier 39, the Bay bridge, and Alcatraz were just a few of the sites new to my world. LOVE learning new things!

Weary at first but so thankful afterwards, we trekked through the Art Institute and went to the top to take in the views there as well. I was taught that we just needed to act as though we belonged there…and everything was fine ;o) Cherry blossoms are quickly becoming a favorite tree of mine!

With as much fun as we were having enjoying the city, we couldn’t pass up the fact that all the hills were giving us a good workout for our legs! Looking down from Union and Jones streets, it’s easy to see how one could get a rock hard butt with or without carrying any groceries.

I can’t in good conscience divulge all the details of our trip, but I can say that I’m definitely looking forward to my next one. Not sure if the kids will be in tow or not, but we’re looking at the Redwood Coast sometime in the summer. Perhaps Yosemite or even New York!! Hmmm, that wouldn’t be so much a “road” trip per se, but who cares! I’ve never been and would love to go.

On a side note that has nothing to do with this post topic…I love having three dogs!

It’s the year of the Tiger according to the Chinese calendar. My year. It’s already been a wonderful 2010 so far!

You know how when you’re working out, you usually take a break in between sets, or maybe a break from running and just walk a little bit? Oooo, oooo, better yet, what about when you take a “few” minutes to chat with your friend as a little break? Ask a Crossfitter to take that opportunity and you’ll hear “NAHHHHHH!! Breaks are for wimps!”

Have you heard of it, Crossfit? The first time you ever participate in a Crossfit session, you’ll never forget it. My girlfriend and I used to joke around about how we would pass or fail the toilet test. Basically, if we had a hard time “squatting” for the next couple of days, then we did a good job on our workout! ;o)

There are MANY benefits to doing Crossfit. Here are a few reasons to add some spice into your workout life:

• Cardiovascular
• Stamina
• Speed
• Agility
• Flexibility
• Strength
• Power
• Coordination
• Balance

For those that really enjoy exercise or want to vamp up their routine, Crossfit is like a chocolate delicacy from Bavaria. You don’t need cardio machines or free weights. You don’t need a pool or a fancy gym. As a matter of fact, Crossfit is a pretty plain Jane basic workout regime that will ultimately just kick your ass into the next day. Crossfit is a highly adaptable and constantly changing strength and conditioning program. In all honesty, it’s a workout that anybody can participate in, but truly will be appreciated more by those who are at a higher level of  fitness. Running, jumping, gymnastic type movements, climbing, and weight-lift training  and any other type of challenging and functional exercises are all game. Crossfit can benefit all different ages and abilities because the goal of a Crossfit athlete is  to be as fit as possible.

There are different routines that you can pick from. They vary from competing against one other, yourself, time, weight, and it goes on and on. The possibilities are really endless if you think about it. One of the best perks….no gym membership is required! Use your garage, an open room in your house, the backyard, a beach, a park, your driveway, etc…etc. Of course if you belong to a gym, you can do your session there as well. To put it simply as possible, think UNconventional. Think ABnormal. Think Wicked. I could put you through the ringer with a jump rope and a tire if I wanted to. Just to whet your appetite, I’m posting a couple of workouts that were put together by myself and my workout partner back in Hawaii. She and I along with another co-worker put together a blog called 2 girls and 1 guy workout together. Now granted, the blog hasn’t been touched in a while, but that’s besides the point. We created these workouts to share with others and to kick our own butts too ;o)

Sample 1- Rose: 5 rounds (sets) for time (try to complete as fast as you can)
10 burpees
40 air squats
30 crunches
20 sumo high pulls (these can be done with a dumbbell, barbell plate, kettle bell, or barbell w/ weight)

Sample 2 – Stick in the Mud (20 minutes. As many rounds as you can do)

10 burpees (see above)

20 air squats (see above)

15 clean and press

20 ball toss (abs)

10 split jumps

This kind of workout is being used by individuals and groups all over. Fire fighters, police officers, military personnel, working moms, stay at home moms, kids (my own), dad’s from every corner and good looking men in politics get involved in Crossfit! (Ok that last one was for my own pleasure).

So what are you gonna do? I challenge YOU to challenge yourself.

It’s the last 5 minutes before each race starts that I always feel the most need to go pee!!! I get the butterflies, a little anxious, and a TON of adrenalin going through my body like   you wouldn’t believe, but it’s all good. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever gotten involved in…the triathlon.

For those of you that aren’t familiar with this kind of race, let me indulge you. It’s one that includes swimming, biking, then running all within the same race one event right after the other. I got involved with this activity because I wanted to add more challenging activities to my life. Something that could help me set a big goal and accomplish it. The biggest perk is that it helped whip me into shape in a different way like I’ve never known! It’s definitely hard work, especially if you plan on doing them on a competitive level.

So on with my point; you should think about setting a goal for yourself this year of participating in an event that ends with an “ON”. TriathlON, MarathON, DuathlON, get it? Before you start with the heart palpitations or cursing me under your breath, or saying “YEAH RIGHT!” to yourself, let’s think about this for a moment. It’s an opportunity to challenge your mind, body and spirit to something that maybe you’ve wanted to do for a long time, or something that you never thought you could possibly do, and yet you CAN!

Let’s go over my fave first…the triathlON: Like I mentioned earlier, this race is made up of a swim, bike and then a run. There are 4 different distances that you could try. First there is the Sprint distance race. It usually consists of a 500 yd swim, a 10 mile bike ride and a 3 mile run. Next is the Olympic distance. A little further, it goes for about .93 mile swim, a 25 mile bike ride and 6.2 mile run. Following that is the Half Ironman :) with a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride and a 13 mile run. It’s also nicknamed a 70.3 race if you’ve ever heard that term before. Finally, we have the Ironman, most famously known as the Kona Ironman race in Hawaii, but NOT the only ironman race out there. This monster is made up of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run, or in other words, a marathon to complete the race. If you’ve never done any of these races, I suggest you start with the sprint distance. Don’t be fooled though. Although it’s the shortest distance, it’s supposed to be a SPRINT race. So you’re giving it your all the whole time, unlike the longer races which you can pace yourself. Again, this applies to the competitive level. So if you want to do one just to say you did it, start with this one. Training programs for all distances are available through me, or you can check out several at beginnertriathlete.com. This is a great site to get information for newbies. You can search for all different distances through the triathlon calendar which is the site I visit to find my own races. The MarathON…dun-dun-DUN!!! I find that the best way to train for a marathon is do join a team or recruit a partner or two. Team in Training for the leukemia and lymphoma society has a wonderful training program as well as organization that you can sign up with. I remember the first marathon I did in Chicago…I swore I would never do another to be honest, but it didn’t work out that way :) It’s definitely hard work because it’s the same thing for 26.2 miles, but under the right conditions (fundraising, cancer support, supporting a friend) it can be such a rewarding experience. You could also set your sights on a 1/2 marathon! Much easier to complete, but still a lot of sweat and hard work. Imagine the results you’ll be seeing as you train for any of these! Runners World is highly regarded among runners and the 1/2 ,marathon link above will take you there for some great info. Remember that you’re not limited to one of these two races for running. Start off with breast cancer walks/runs, local turkey runs, or even trail running for the beautiful views. I actually love trail running! The DuathlON: A neat race that has two events. These two events are usually a run and a bike ride. Occasionally there will be a swim and bike, or a swim and run, but for the most part it’s a run and bike. So there are two events, BUT, they can be divided up into three parts. So you can have a run, bike, run; or a run, swim run; or run and bike…you get the idea.

Past, current or future athlete beware!!! I can almost promise you that once you decide on an event, start training for it, begin to see results in your own physique and emotional well being, you may become addicted!!

There is nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when you’ve crossed the finish line. When you decide on one, let me know what you picked :)

Where do I begin…

My heart aches for these people. You have no idea the desire that I have to have my mom fly out to CA to watch my kids, just so I can go and help with relief efforts. For many years, I’ve had a huge desire to do missionary work in poor countries, but the better of me sides with reality. I do recognize that I have young children, so I can’t go, not right now at least. I have made a promise to myself that when my youngest turns 18, and she’s well on her way to independence, I will begin my travels abroad to give back what I have been blessed with.

The simplest act of combing the hair of a child, or an elderly person or even a seemingly healthy 35 year old like myself seems like such a petty chore to some, but it’s something that I relish in doing when I know they cannot do it for themselves.

The recent earthquake in Haiti has me gripped at my seat, with my eyes closed and an aching heart, because these people started off in a hole, and now need more than a shovel to dig themselves out (every pun intended). Their world has been rocked, but by the grace of God, they will come out of it. It’s times like these that many of us take a minute or two out of our day to reflect on what’s really important in our lives. It’s in the last sentence…OUR LIVES. What can we do with what we have? Not everyone is lucky enough to ever go through a lifetime without any tragedy, but if you think about it, without that, we find it difficult to appreciate the smallest things. So maybe, just maybe, tragedies can make us better people, or at least we strive to be.

I’ve implied this in an earlier post and I’m going to do it again. If you are able to read this post, consider yourself one of the wealthiest in the world. It’s not enough to be sad and hope that Haiti comes out of this situation. We must be proactive. In other words, YOU know what you can and cannot provide to people in need. Whether it’s Haiti, Africa, or your homeless guy or gal living in the streets of your nearest downtown. “I feel so bad for these people” as you drive or walk away doesn’t do anything for them, or yourself.

I want to share an easy way of helping Haiti that I truly believe is worth taking the time to do. It’s easy, fast, and logistically genius in my opinion. If you can afford lunch or dinner even just ONE time this week, put that money aside and instead text away! The American Red Cross is taking donations of  $10 to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake through the simplest of text messages. All the instructions you need are in the above link. You don’t even need to pull out a credit card!

I want to challenge every single one of you reading this to send one text, that’s all. If you so desire to send more, then more power to you! Close your eyes for a moment, and just try to picture yourself switching places with one of the earthquake victims…hard huh? Now just imagine living it, or losing a loved one, or maybe not even knowing where they are. More simply, take a second to assess your hunger pangs or if you feel dehydrated………………at all.

I just made my donation via Text. It took about 30 seconds, if that.

I dare you. I double dog dare you!

Many of you may have seen this video at one point or another. It’s always a good reminder of what we can truly accomplish when we set our minds to something.

I will leave you with it. It is one of my favorite videos ever. One that inspires me every single time I watch it. Give 4 minutes and 45 seconds of your time to absorb this incredible story and then reflect on all your blessings and realize that YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING you set your mind to! YOU can take on the world!

I thought that as a final post for 2009, I would invite you in to take a peek at what my own personal 2010 resolutions are. Typically, I wouldn’t do this to tell you the truth. I don’t know, call it a fear of failing if everyone knew what they were and I didn’t accomplish them. At any rate, it’s something private and special, and I want to share it with you (if you’re interested). I don’t have a whole list of 20 somethings that I want to do, but I really tried to reflect hard this time and focus on things that I’ve talked about on this site, or things that I often try to teach my kids, or even focus on one little thing that I heard at church. These are in no particular order. And if this is the end of the road for your reading, then may you have a wonderful and safe and blessed Happy New Year!

1.  I want to read and UNDERSTAND the bible. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read passages and no sooner do I pick up that book, do I put down. Why? Because sometimes I don’t understand what it’s trying to tell me and i get frustrated. It’s like I hear it, but I can’t listen to it. Does that make sense? So I want to seek out the answers to what I don’t understand. I truly believe that the more I comprehend what the bible says, the more I am able to lead the life that I so desire to all the time instead of just when I’m in a bind. I like to think I’m a good person, but I want to be extraordinary in His eyes.

2. Teach my kids the rewards of volunteering. This is a quality in which I often seek out in people. I can’t tell how fulfilling it is for me personally to give my time to those less fortunate or even animal shelters for that matter. If you already volunteer, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. Many times I hear people say that, “I don’t have the time”, or “I don’t know where to begin”, or even “I’m sure they have plenty of helpers”. Well, that may be true for special holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas, but what about the other 363 days? It’s in giving that we receive. Don’t think of it as receiving something materialistic either…that’s not the point. There are hundreds of different ways to give your time and it doesn’t mean that it has to be during the work week or become a part time job. You’ll see, try it; you may end up not getting enough of it!    

3. I want to learn French! Not because I LOVE the language and plan on residing in Paris with my little pink poodle! I used to want to learn Italian, but to be honest, it’s so similar to Spanish and I am able to grasp a lot of what is said (especially when I’m in the ladies room at Macaroni Grill :) The french language is spoken in 33 different countries! Did you know that French and English are the only languages spoken as a native language on 5 continents and the ONLY languages taught in every country in the world??? That being said, I think I could market myself or at a minimum, enjoy traveling abroad knowing that I speak 2 out of the three most common languages around. there won’t be any price gouging for me!! :) 4. Take 4 road trips this year. This is the first time I’ve ever lived in Cali. I know that there are big well known places all around as well as plenty of diamonds in the rough. I want to take the kids on four road trips and create scrapbooks out of it. Most of my friends are probably saying, “Ale…scrapbook….NOT!”, but yes…I really want to try it. but that’s besides the point! I’m not sure where I want to go yet, but with each trip, you can be sure that I will share the experience with you. I know that the kids will enjoy it, especially because we’d probably take our Border Collie, Skyler with us as well.  5.  Learn how to sew and start painting on canvas! I put these two together because they are both artsy, crafty, and can be so very original. I actually got so enthused this year about painting that I went out and purchased the easel, brushes, paints, canvas, and…….it’s still sitting in my closet. I also have a sewing machine that my mother gave me years ago and the best that I can do right now is sew a button when in need! My mom is a phenomenal seamstress without the use of a pattern too, and I have a girlfriend back in Hawaii that is an amazing knitter. I want to learn! So I’m going to make the time and take some sewing classes as well and use my creative juices for canvas. We’ll see what comes of it. Who knows, maybe if it’s decent enough, I can sell it for fundraising or charity!6.  Finally, I want to learn…..this is a hard one for me…..YOGA! There, I said it. If you know me personally, you know I DON’T DO YOGA. I’ve tried, and I don’t like it. But, as a good example for any fans out there, I want to try and embrace it, and squeeze it , and love it, and make it my own. This will probably be my toughest resolution, but at least I have the whole year to work at it right? I know that it’s good for the body and mind and spirit and all that other stuff, but more than anything, I want to do it because I think it will help me to grow in my world of being healthy. I understand that being physically fit and healthy (for me) is not all about fast pace running, swimming, biking, punching bags, or how many pull-ups and push-ups I can do. I need to stretch more  and learn to stay focused in a child’s pose without looking around the room with one eye open to see who looks more silly than me. So there you have it. I don’t know if my 6 resolutions will grow or not, but these are the main one’s I want to focus on. An important point to make though is this: I believe that family and friends are essential in our lives. For me, spending time with them is not a resolution because I already do that. Losing weight, quitting smoking, dumping the alcohol, and other popular one’s just happen to not apply to me. But that doesn’t mean that they may not to you.

Dig deep and focus on the things that you know resolving in your life, will in fact change it for the better, forever. Don’t just do it for this coming year. Do it and maintain it. Be the role model you want others to look up to.

Last but not least, I want to share with you a very well known prayer (Serenity prayer) that my father taught me and I carry with me always:

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

~Saint Francis of Assisi

Have a wonderful, safe, healthy and blessed Happy New Year!!!!

For 90 years, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month has been a remembrance of those who served America in a time of war. History books state that  U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting the President issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. An Act approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day’.”

Although I have never had the honor nor the privilege to serve my country through the armed forces, I have so many people around me that have and currently are. To all of you and to all of those I don’t even know, THANK YOU. Thank you for your service and time and generous patience as you have spent hours and days, possibly months and a couple of years away from your loved ones so that we back home may have the freedoms that we do today.

Having been a “military brat” all my life and then married to military, I can truly appreciate the work that goes into being a GOOD soldier. Regardless of age, race, gender, religion, officer or enlisted, the GOOD soldier in my humble opinion is the one that puts God and country first. A fighter yet protector, he or she is willing to put their own life on the line for complete strangers. Reflect on that for a moment……DYING FOR COMPLETE STRANGERS!

Veterans Day is a day in which we should stop what we are doing for just a few minutes at least (if you’re on a “busy” schedule) and just reflect on the freedoms we have because of the lives that have been lost, in honor of our country, in honor of our freedom. You don’t have to support the war. As a matter of fact, I don’t know many people that do like war! But the fact of the matter is that we are at war, so we must support our troops. They miss their families and friends just as much as we miss them, trust me.

When they leave us from this world to be with God because they laid their life down for us, that is when we need to be our strongest so that the world knows they died for a good cause, a real cause, in honor.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, American Soldier.

There is truth to this video, in my humble opinion. My kids love watching it, and I truly enjoy listening to it. Despite the lack of color, it’s in fact full of color. They do become one of our best friends, and sometimes, they are our best friends. You know, sometimes when we need to talk, it’s really just so we can get something off our chest and don’t necessarily need any feedback at that very moment. Somehow, we still get the love and approval which is what we seek during special moments in our lives. Here’s to our loyal friends…the ones who lend their ear AND tails.

Women are powerful. It’s the truth. We are the doers, the organizers, the caretakers, the chauffeurs, the cooks, the confidants, the referees, and the list goes on and on. It seems like the world is on our shoulders, but…Do you realize what this means? It means that we have to maintain a healthy body, mind and spirit to function in our everyday lives! To be TRULY wealthy, we must get and stay healthy. This way, my friend, you can fully enjoy your life and embrace it the way it was meant to be embraced. Whole body health isn’t just a physical thing. Having a positive outlook on life can be such an amazing fix for both physical and emotional stress. Trust me when I say that when you feel great, you can feel the difference in every aspect of your life!

Sometimes it takes getting inspired but someone or something to  get moving. I know that for me, this is true. I just spent and amazing two days at a retreat for women. It was called the 2009 Women’s Renewal in Sacramento, CA. Although it was an estrogen filled weekend, I couldn’t have thought of a better way to spend it (of course knowing that my kiddos were in good hands). I can only speak personally here, but I have wanted to live as a Godly woman for a long time, but I haven’t quite gotten to my fullest potential. Wouldn’t you know it, that as they gave away the gifts to everyone, which were daily devotional books by a number of different authors, I got the one that is called “When Godly People Do Ungodly Things”. Uuhhhhh, hello?

Soooooooo, now I’m wondering why I received this particular book, but I guess that’s just what I needed at the time, because it turns out to be a very inspiring book. I’d love to share one of my favorite passages in it with you:

Take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest. Don’t let Satan have another inch. The first piece of armor you’ve got to put back on is the breastplate of righteousness. That way, your injured heart will be protected by your doing what is right until you feel what is right.

Ephesians 6:13-14

This hit me like a ton of bricks. I used to be that girl. The one who obsessed over every calorie eaten, and every calorie burned. Sometimes, we take being “healthy” too far. I wasn’t doing what was right to my body, therefore, I was hurting Him. I was going about it all wrong. We become obsessed to get to a particular size jean, or we think that the scale should have a specific number that turns out to be unhealthy for us. Focusing so much on the physical distracts you from the really important things in life. You end up missing out on more than you think and it gets easier to put on a show for everyone to see, but on the inside, you’re drowning.

There is a special balance when you are healthy. And trust me, it’s not always what you see on the outside that determines good health. Be aware of your emotions and share with trusted friends what you are feeling and what your goals are. You need not have 50 close friends…actually, that’s virtually impossible if you ask me. 50 acquaintances or JUST friends, yes. But having 5 or less true, intimate friends in which you can count on for anything at any time of day or night bring about a peace that you will never want to give up.

It’s priceless.