3 miles on the treadmill + New Shoes =

Bloody ankles...

I took the entire weekend off, due to the blisters...

Put a band-aid on the "bad one" this morning and off I went to do my thing...

The first 5 minutes were PURE HELL but after that I coasted....

Even increased my incline to 7 (I'm not sure what I was thinking there) but felt great.

When all was said and done, I was a little sore, but nothing out of the ordinary...

Get ready to change my clothes, and notice a "color" in the back of my shoe...figure it was just where the socks rubbed....although I was wearing black socks....

Take off the other shoe, and it's fine...

So take off the socks to notice my band-aid is full and my ankle is rubbed raw...

I'm not gonna let this slow me down, but I have yet to put shoes back on and it's been over an hour!

The Best things about my kids being at the beach???

While I miss them terribly, there have been some positives...

Not really positives, just things I haven't done with them home...

• Sleep till 9:30....I couldn't even begin to tell you the last time that happened
• Fold laundry the same day it was washed, and put most of it away (Alexander loves to help with laundry...typically having me refold the same item a dozen or so times)
• Take a bath by myself, or with out 3 voices saying "I wanna take a bath"
• Not worrying if I use all the hot water
• Go to a movie
• Watch the opening day Baseball without any interuptions!!

I'm sure that it will be crazy when they get home tomorrow, and I miss them more than I want to admit!

My poor sister has gotten a million calls from me just so I could say hi, and make sure they were having fun and behaving themselves, but I must say it is nice to get somethings done and be alone!

So what do I do while my children are at the beach????

I go to the movies by myself!!

I saw 21.

I knew the premise of the movie, and what it was about...blackjack and playing to help pay for school.....

I also knew it was loosely based on the story in the news a few months (years??) ago....

I LOVED IT!!

I couldn't tell you the last time I had been to a movie, and it's a whole new world for me....

The movie was great...had some slow points, but all in all a great movie!

Thought about doing a double feature with Horton, but could only sit still for so long....

Another weekend for Horton I guess

So the boys are at the beach....

and Caryn takes pictures with her cell phone of the three of them at the waters edge....

Johnathan later calls to tell me that he is afraid of the ocean....

Here is our conversation....

Mom, I don't like the water..

How come??

Cause it keeps coming up to grab you...

Me (stiffling a laugh) what's it gonna do when it grabs you?

Take you back in the ocean and eat you up!


Needless to say they are having a blast!!

3 miles and 60 minutes + New shoes =

VERY SORE FEET!!!

The back of my heels are killing me.

Typically I change into different shoes, but the weather has been nice that I'm in my capri's.

Didn't really feel like wearing my boots with my capri's (let's all say it together TACKY) so here I sit in new sneakers with sore feet!!

BUT I did make it FINALLY to the 3 mile marker!!

I stepped on the scale again today after my workout and I'm down 4 pounds.

I'm not sure how accurate that is.

When I was first measured/weighed I had no shoes on and hadn't worked out. Can't imagine that working out would add pounds but who knows...

So a week from tomorrow I get the results of 30 days of working out. All new body measurements and weight check without working out and shoes on.

All I can do is hope that it shows some improvement. I've tried to convince myself I don't care if the pounds are off but we all know that's not true.

I really just want something that shows all my work has done something.

I need real PROOF that I'm doing this for a reason. I know that feeling better is one thing, but I'd love to see real results!!!

Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger...

Someone convince me of that please!!!

So I've stepped myself up slowly but often so that I don't have it "easy".

Started out 30 days ago at level 2 on the treadmill, and 20 minutes.

As of today I'm at level 5 and 50 minutes.

The outcome is 2.5 miles!!

I've kept my speed anywhere from 2.8 to 3. I bounce back and forth between the time. My max peak is 4.8.

Burning about 450 calories a day.

I'm so excited. I'm just tired when I get off the treadmill, but then feel great about 2 hours after I'm done.

Who needs the entire bed???

This is how I found Alexander at 6:45 this morning....

The child has a twin bed, with a trundle to help for "fall outs" and this is how he sleeps...

Bah Hum Bunny!!

So here we are, thinking things might finally be looking up, and what happens???

Alexander started running a fever on Friday. At first I thought maybe it was from playing at the park for 2 hours with my sister and his brothers, but only to wake up to a crusty nosed little boy Saturday morning.

He didn't nap until almost 3 after a very busy day of errands and egg hunts, but seemed in happy spirits.

With Michael working, decided that we would get up at normal school time to go to 8 am mass since I knew how busy the other times would be...

Get up, get showered, get out of the shower to find Johnathan hugging the toliet bowl!! So decide to all go back to bed and sleep...

Upside is we slept till 10:30, downside is now Johnathan is running Alexander's fever. Hopefully it will pass quickly as they are going to the beach at the end of the week....

OH MY GOD!! What was I thinking!!

So after yesterday's day of pushing my legs I felt great!!

Didn't have any problems with walking or the stairs.....

That is until first thing this morning!

I could barely stand, and Alexander wanted me to carry him down the stairs (I didn't)

So what do I think will be a good idea????

Continue on my gym routine....

So we get there and I walk another 2 miles on the treadmill!!

I am SOOOOOO sore!

I'm sure at some point I will think that was a good idea, right now I just think I was dumb!

215 Pound Leg Press

I wish I had a good way to describe what this machine looks like.

It's called a 45 degree leg press.

I'm almost laying on my back with my feet up in front of me.

With no weights on it at all the press is 125 pounds. I had been doing just 50 pounds, but today we decided to step it up....

So 90 pounds later I'm doing 2 sets of 20 reps!!

I was so excited...

Then of course I couldn't do 50 pounds of curls...that was the last part of my work out...and my legs were SOOOOOO tired...I could only do 15

So much for sleeping through the night...

Apparently he's decided that mommy only got 2 nights in a row of good sleep.

Since then we've been up at 2...which I guess is an extra hour since it had been 1 am....

Someone please tell Xander that mommy is very tired, and needs to sleep!!

Just shoot me now!!!

I am so sore!!!

I love the gym, and I love the work out I get from it....but after an intense 1 on1 personal training session I'm just miserable!!!

Today was all upper body....So 1 full hour of curls, and bench press stuff....

I ended up doing 65 pounds on a tricept machine.....we started out at 45....and I said that felt light!!

I wish I could remember what all the machines were....but the upside is I know it's all good...

And we do abs everytime!! So I did 80 crunches today!!

Wednesday is a repeat of the legs...and then he goes on vacation during spring break...so I'll have my treadmill and my music!! Can't wait!!

What a wonderful night of all things great for my Xander!!

Had to take everyone to soccer cause Michael worked late.

So off to soccer practice we go, where he has Johnathan, Brianna and Sophia to play with...they kick the ball and climb the hill and have all kinds of fun.

Get home and get ready for our showers....

And what good thing does my Xander man do????

HE POOPS ON THE POTTY!!!

Not only that but he signed potty and then went to stand by his potty!!!

Then off to bed at about 8:30 for my son to once again sleep through the night and wake up at 7 am!!!

I'm so proud

My big boy!!

We are on Day 3 with no milk!!

He didn't sign for milk last night, just fought for a few minutes, more of trying to get comfortable than anything else!!

Then the big news.....



HE SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!


Couldn't tell you the last time I've had a full nights sleep!! I was THRILLED!!

Celebrate with Me!!

I am so thrilled with my gym progress!!!

I surprised myself today by reaching the 2 mile mark on the treadmill!! Walked for just 45 minutes!!

I'm still doing my random, however I've stepped up my incline to 4. With the increase in the incline I had to reduce the speed, but not by much. I went from 3 to 2.8!!



In addition, I burned 396 calories!!!!



Now that I've got the exercise part of this program down...now to work on the food!!



A friend suggested weight watchers......



Not a fan of meetings and public weigh-ins or any weigh-ins at all.



Found the books on ebay....just gotta save my pennies, as they are $50!!



But even the trainers say that getting into a good workout routine first is more important...once that's done the food is a breeze!!

Here's hoping they are right

The elpitical wins!!

So I finally talked to one of the personal trainers at the gym.

Explained the problems I was having....

It wasn't the actually exercise of the machine I couldn't do...it was the mechanics!

Come to find out I'm one of the few people who just isn't co-ordinated to use this machine.

We've come up with some other ways to incorporate more calorie burning cardio, and will also work on my co-ordination.

The goal is to get me on the machine, but just not right now!

The Weaning has begun....

I've grown weary of nursing Alexander. Just saying that makes me sad. He was the only one of the boys to not self-wean. I have learned that at 18 months, and a mouthful of teeth, I know longer enjoy our nursing session.

Add that to making it through the entire day without it, and waking up every 2 hours at night to nurse it was beginning to wear on me.

So Tuesday night, when I came home from bowling, Michael (as usual) already had him asleep. I had been coming home and nursing him before putting him to bed, but have just been to tired.

He slept until 1:30. I rocked him, cuddled him but REFUSED to give in! He finally fell asleep about 15-30 minutes later and slept until 6:45.

Last night, we rocked in the chair. He fought me, and was signing for Milk. I would sign back No Milk. He cried and threw his tantrums, but finally fell asleep. Up again at 1:30, and we repeated Tuesday's routine. And he slept till 6:15.

I'm hoping at some point the 1 am wakings will be a thing of the past, but at this point it's easier on me then every 2 hours!

Wish us lots of luck!!

Just Random Pictures while Daddy put the Horse together

Christopher at his desk doing his spelling homework





Alexander Lends a hand with the tools...

Daddy working really hard...

But I have no pictures of Johnathan...as he was way to busy playing Blues Clues on his V-Smile to pay me any mind!

With Tia, all things are fun!!

So Caryn bought the kids a rocking horse. It says for ages 2-7, and I think goes to like 60 or 70 pounds.....

So of course all my kids are light weights, and they can all enjoy it....

So the box says "EASY ONE STEP ASSEMBLY" 1 1/2 hours later Michael finally got it put together...

Of course, he's now added that anything that requires being put together has to come from Tia pre-assembled!!

Well, by the time it was together, they only had a few minutes to ride....

Since when?????

Will $50 not fill up my gas tank???

I guess I've been living in a fantasy world....

I typically pay cash or use my debit card for gas, so I always get that little bit extra of savings...

Or I try to go to BJs or Sams...but not this morning.

I used cash, but it is a whopping $2.96 a gallon.

Ahh the joys of a soccer mom!! Do I cancel kids activities due to the price of gas or suck it up!

For now I will choose to suck it up, after all they are only young once right???

So here is what I've learned.....

If I really want to make progress on the eliptical, I can't walk on the treadmill for 45 minutes first.

I finished the treadmill this morning (yes I went to the gym on a Saturday) and thought well I got a few minutes, I should continue to try this machine....

Verdict, made it for a whopping 2 minutes again...

Reason, my legs were sore from the treadmill...

Ideally I went to the gym this morning to try a yoga class...who would have thought I'd have to supply my own yoga mat....so I will have to try that again later...

SO I think come Monday I will try the eliptical first, and see how I do before I get on the treadmill!

Wish me luck!!

The Klutz Juggling Kit

That's what Christopher wants to earn for his School Walk for Diabetes.

Since Diabetes has hit our family both with his Daddy and his PopPop we make it a point for Christopher to participate in the walk every year.

If you would like to help him reach his goal...just follow this link..Christopher_McCune_Walk_Log. I think last year he raised $200, and I'd love to see him hit that mark again.

Johnathan in Gymanstics...

Since I have soccer pictures of Christopher, Johnathan decided I needed pictures of him.

Of Course they only allow still pictures inside during certain times...so I tried in the parents observation room, and they came out terribly...so we switched to video!

It is so fun to watch him, because he has such a good time, and he's such the ham. Ms. Morgan (his teacher) just loves him, and he's the only boy in his class.

I've got him signed up to continue for the 11 weeks of summer, he will go on Tuesday's while Christopher is in the summer program at church.

He's doing so good with his "skills" test, that I hate for him to miss out cause we took the summer off.

I had hopes of uploading two videos, but it took so long to just get one...they are on my dropshots site... it is Sheri's_Boys.

The Physical Trainer and the Eliptical are the spawn of the devil!!

I shouldn't really say that...

I had my "follow-up" with the personal trainer today!!

Increased all of my weight workouts cause he thought I had it to easy...then he taught me how to use the eliptical...I lasted all of 2 minutes!!

Give me 45 minutes on the treadmill any day of the week!!!!

Part of me wishes that we had the extra money, I'd love to spend more time with 1 on 1 training.

It was nice to have someone who was not only on my side, but pushing me to try harder and to move up to the next weight level.

I'm now doing 155 pounds on my leg press, 40 pounds on the high row, 30 pounds on the bench press and 40 pounds on the other arm machine I can't remember what it's called!

THEN, as if that weren't enough...he corrected how I was doing my ab crunches...nothing like being told I've been doing it wrong....then he changed how I was doing the crunches.....I guess it was to easy with my feet on the floor and knees bent...that I now have an excersice ball under my legs!!

Then on the back machine I've moved up to 105 pounds, and he wants that to go up more...but I've really got to get better on the crunches first...as those two go hand in hand!!!

SOOOO I guess I know what I'll be asking for as birthday, anniversary, Christmas, and any other occassion that any one decides to buy me presents....more working out with Jim!!

Cause no matter what we can't afford for me to do it now, and I would REALLY want to...but atleast I'm getting up, going everyday, and that's got to account for something!

And Alexander wants his picture

Taken as well....

What a little crew of monkies I have...

Even one mention of the word Camera, and Alexander comes running...

Look Mom, I got a TATOO!!

Gotta love my John-John

So proud of what his Tia got him at Wal-Mart that we had to take pictures right away!!

So when the scale says PLUS 1, what do you do???

Well if you are me, it just means you work harder.

Caryn came and picked up the boys from the Gym nursery and took Johnathan to school, which means I could work out longer if I wanted to...

So instead of my normal 25-30 minutes, I walked for 45 minutes!! I was bound and determined to hit the 2 mile mark, and I did!!

I'm not to sore...but I can feel the pressure in my legs!!

I think if Caryn continues to get the boys I can do 45 minutes everyday!

Now tomorrow could be an entirely different story...I meet with the dreaded personal trainer again!

For My Stressed out days....we Pop Balloons

Silly noises and SHHHHH!!

So after we've dropped Christopher off at school, I have to run by the store to pick up our boxes for the post office.

Johnathan has his magic coloring book and his markers and is coloring....

He decides that he wants to make a silly noise...so he starts running the markers down the spiral of his coloring book.

"Listen mom, silly noises" of course all I can say is "yup"

The next thing I know I look in the rear-view mirror to see Alexander with a finger over his lips telling Johnathan to SHHHH

It was the funniest thing, Johnathan and I crack up. He stopes with the noises, Alexander puts hands back in his lap.

Johnathan waits till Xander gets settled, then he starts up again....Xander gives him just a few moments then he tells him to SHHH again!

I'm not suppose to gain weight!!

I know I shouldn't have gotten on the scale...

They tell me I have to weight 30 days.....and even then I might not see the pounds, but I should see the inches....

Well I couldn't help myself....I've been very good, and working hard and what happens????

I GAIN A POUND!!

I know a pound isn't much, but I want to lose not gain!!

I don't know if I will step on the scale again before my 30 day mark or not...kinda frustrates me....

The Gym is suppose to help strengthn my legs right??

Then why did I fall down twice yesterday???

My ankle just gave out completely!!

Once I was holding Alexander, poor thing just cried and cried.

Then the second time was at soccer! Poor Christopher has seen mommy fall twice at soccer and he was just freaking! But he recovered.

Went to the gym this morning, couldn't walk the same speed, but still walked for 30 minutes...doing 1 1/2 miles in 30 minutes, and still doing the hills....

Now granted I can't walk very well right now, but it's all good...just need to rest my ankle some!

He is doing great reading!!!

I shouldn't be surprised, but it's like all of a sudden he's finally figured it out!!

His teacher sent home some phonics books, and I thought we'd be on level 1 for a long time!

We've finished levels 1 and 2, and started level 3 tonight!!!

I helped with some, but I'd say 95% of the book was all him!!

I'm so proud!!

Games 2 was a win, and 3....well....

Game 2 was a very interesting game....

They were a hard team to beat, and I had to laugh at Coach Cliff...he is so competative, that when we had a chance to win, he put all of our stronger guys in the game...then came an apologized to me for not letting Christopher play. I wanted them to win to, so I wasn't worried...he played some, just not as much as others.

We have a few boys on the team that have a really powerful kick. Game was tied 1-1, and Jack went to kick a corner kick.....it went straight to the goal. Goalie caught it, and then stepped backwards into the goal. So we scored!

The other coach was not happy about the goal, but that is the rules...so we got the goal and we won!!

Now today, was Silent Sunday!! It is hard for some of the parents (me included) and Coach to remain quiet. We have 9 kids on the roster, and only 6 on the field at a time! So for those that were sitting out, it was up to them to cheer and pass on the plays from coach!!

It was quiet a scene!

But we played hard and it came down to the end and there was 1 powerful kick that the Goalie caught. I'm not sure who was more surprised, George who kicked it or the other teams goalie.

So it was a draw...a 0-0 game, so we are still do ok! Haven't had a loss yet!