WOD: TABATA:
            burpee bar jump overs
            kb swings
            sprints
            dips


I have been trying to clean up facebook. By clean up, I mean, untag or delete pictures that have been out there from eons ago. I've also attempted to control my privacy settings. I can across a picture from a Diaper Relay that I was on. It had to have been one of the best events. The entry fee was a box of diapers. We were split into teams and we had to race the teams with a stroller and baby and do different things at the relay stations. I can only imagine what people in this neighborhood thought of us running around outside in January with baby strollers flying all over the place! Good times.

Side note: I'm already planning a CF Relay between houses in my neighborhood for this spring. It should be fun!

a sign!

I just finished my post about hating the white board and this article pops up in my news feed! It's a sign from the gods ahhhhhhhhhh

I have nothing to prove to anyone. I have everything to prove to myself."

Strength: 4x3 @ 90% Bench press

WOD: 3 PullUps & 3 dips
            (wide grip, inside grip, alternating grip x2, close grip)

             3 Rounds:
             15 Pull Ups
             30 Burpees
             60 DUs

I have a love/hate relationship with the white board at the gym. At our old gym the trainer would write your name on the board and you had to shout out your time when you completed the WOD. It was kinda cool to let everyone hear and to hear how other people did. Once the gym grew, the stopped and the board was all self reporting. It came down to people standing around during the WOD and counting reps of other athletes. (Seriously, who has time for that?!)

When we moved to the new gym, they have different codes and colors. I would be lying if I told you I understood what it all meant, because after 7 months, I still haven't figured it out. I love the board if it makes people happy to showcase their PRs and if they felt like they had a good WOD. I hate the board as a way to compare yourself to others. It's just me. I don't like the justification that "we put our name on the board we we can compare how we did to others" bullshit. I am not going to compare myself with others. There are a lot more factors that go into a WOD than just the time. I'm not going to the gym to compare myself to others. And I don't want my time/weight to BE compared to others. More importantly, DON'T ask me. If you want to know, look at the board. If my name isn't there, assume I didn't do it. Don't ask me to make you feel better about yourself.

Maybe I have lost the spirit of Crossfit. Maybe I never had it. I go to the gym for one reason: to make myself better. When I pick a weight, I do it for myself, not because the person next to me. I have nothing to prove to anyone. I want to prove everything to myself.

So, if the white board is for you, go at it. Check it out, compare, compete, push hard. I'm still the one running out when the workout is finished pretending like I forget to write it down.

I changed my mind.

WOD: 5 Rounds
            15 OHS
            60 DUs
            *killed it!


For the last, well... all of Connor's life, I have stood my ground on one rule. I will not fix more than one meal. If you don't like what I am fixing for dinner, you eat what you like and be done with it. I'm not sure what sparked me to feel this way. I followed all of the "mommy how" books. I nursed for a long time (not hippie long time, but close), didn't introduce fruits until after the veggies had been in diet for a couple months and pureed table food that we were already eating. I can remember a time that Connor begged to have an apple on the table and the lady snapped at him because it was a decoration around all of these iced sugar cookies!

The older the kids get, the hungrier they become. I don't snack as much as they do and because they eat lunch at 11am and get home starving at 4pm, our schedules are a little messed up.

Last week, Connor and Parker started making "requests" for different dinner food than what I was preparing. Before I said no, I thought about what we had in the house to eat. They both requested good and healthy alternatives to what we were having. So, I made them what they wanted. I'm not sure this is such a horrible habit after all. It's not like their alternative is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a bowl of cereal.

If giving them choices gives them ownership and control over their food to make better choices when I'm not around, so be it.

Breakfast (protein pancake and bacon), Lunch (turkey, cashews, avocado), Snack (Spark*)

time with friends

My family spent the day with wonderful friends. We woke up to a Level 2 snow emergency (which really doesn't mean much), packed on our gear and headed outside to sled! After 5 hours of that we went and had dinner with some other friends.

I wish I had more time in my life for friends. I needed every minute of yesterday. I am NOT an alone person and I just feel so re energized amongst others.

My little snow bunnies were becoming experts on the snow board. It was so fun to watch!

WOD: Clean & Jerk
            3 @ 80 %
            3 @ 90%
            2 @ 95%
            Max out

            5# PR!

            Then:
             Power snatch, Hang full snatch, over head snatch 75#

I am falling off the blogging wagon!!! These school dealys and snow days are killing my routine! It's messing up everything!

I'm still trying to follow a semi Paleo meal plan. There are times I just crave something sweet. In most cases, I find something non-Paleo to satisfy the craving.

Here is a recent picture of my dinner. I know, this probably looks like the same plate of food that I always eat. For the most part, that is accurate. I eat almost the same thing every day.



Turkey, Brazil nuts, squash sauteed in coconut oil topped with avocado.

hot diggity dog!

WOD: 18, 14, 10 OHS
            27, 21, 15 PUs & Dips

babies being babies

My Maggie dog has grown on me. When Nick first approached me about wanting a German shepherd I said NO WAY. He continued to talk about it and ask what I thought. I finally said, "If you want this dog, you are going to have to show up at home with it because I will never agree to this." And that's exactly what happened. Maggie entered our lives 5 years ago in February. Four months after Maggie arrived, Nick left. Left for 6 months. So there we were. Just puppy Maggie, Josalyn (7), Connor (3) and Parker (8 mo). <anything running through your head right now about how this all turned out is probably accurate> Maggie had excellent training before she arrived to us. The breeder knew she would be around small children and brought her into his house immediately to begin working with her. But, she was still a pup. I was still a single mom with a breastfeeding baby and a full time job. I have a lot of Maggie stories and could create a countless list of items she chewed, including my trim and kitchen cabinets. The good news is, the puppy stage has passed. I had a love/hate relationship with that dog for a long time. Mostly I hated Nick and blamed him because he was never home.

I can't even begin to describe the love I have for Maggie now. The year that Nick was gone, Maggie was it. I showered her with all of my love. That dog followed me around, slept in my bed, greeted me every morning, anxiously awaited our arrival home every night and the only thing she required was some extra cuddles.

I can't believe I love a dog this much.

It's safe to say that the kids feel the exact same way. Maggie is part of our family.

So, you know what's crazy? I want another dog. Not just any dog will do. It has to be a dog just like Maggie. This will be hard because Maggie is almost perfect in my eyes. (I forgot to mention, I am her eyes too, because she is blind.) So, Nick and I have decided to apply to adopt a war dog. These dogs are also german shepherds and are currently trained to detect mines in Afghanistan. I check the website daily and Nick checks his email daily waiting to get a response for when a dog will be ready to adopt. These dogs are usually between the ages of 4-7. They are highly skilled and trained dogs. Perfect for our family. We need another kick ass member to join.

I can't wait to see what happens next. This dog has been weighing heavy on my  heart for a few months and I'm glad we decided to do this. If a war dog doesn't find his/her way to our family, I'm sure we will come up with a new plan.

I will keep you posted!

I can't get working out off my mind. I'm at a training session today and instead of trying to figure out how I can better myself professionally, I'm trying to fight out my schedule for tonight.

I'm super sore from my workout lat night. It was great.

Try this: every 15 seconds for 4 minutes:
                3 hang snatch
                Rest 1 min
                 3 clean and jerk for 4 minutes
                 Rest 1 min
                  3 thrusters

I had to go down to 2 reps because I couldn't finish.

WOD: 7 Power Snatch
           14 T2B


I wish I had something to say. I'm getting ready to close my computer for the evening. I have put in a 13 hour day doing work for my job. I have a very rewarding job that I love dearly, but I'm running on 4 hours of sleep. I have a little buddy that has a bug. A messy, barf in your face while you are sleeping, barf on the floor when you are awake, no food diet, bug. Let's hope the weekend will bring a long break for recovery. I hate when my kids get sick.

Tomorrow, my health and sanity will be my first priority. I promise myself this.

Never worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

No WOD today. I cuddled with my kids instead because that's what needed to happen at that very moment. :)

To say I don't worry is a huge understatement. If I could list the worries that cross my mind I would have to stop typing after the first 30 minutes. After the thought crosses my mind, I hand it to God in prayer. There's just so much we can't control in life.

But there are things we can control. And things that are worth worrying about for that minute, because our control will change the outcome. Control your word. Control your commitments. And control your discipline!

What you eat in private, you wear in public.

WOD: 14 Pull-ups
             7 Push-ups
            21 SDHP (65#)



"Before we are born the food that our mother eats, food that we are exposed to at infancy, and habits we learn through childhood all influence how we eat and perceive food as an adult."

i'm NOT sorry

Strength: OHS, BS, FS

I found this article online and thought it was funny: 20 Things Women Should No Longer Have to Apologize For. I thought I would share the list and then add CF commentary.

1. Having our period. What's a period? That only happens when you quit running a bunch. It's a reminder that if you keep up with the miles, it never happens. I'm a lucky duck.

2.Sexual preferences. Ever since I began CF, I love checking out other women. The amount of dedication and discipline it takes to achieve their fitness goals blows my mind away. Hello, my woman crush, Miranda.

3. Farting and pooping. While competing, my only goal is to not poop my pants. It's never happened but I am always cautious knowing that it has happened to people before. Farting...well, not so much my problem. If it is, I usually just stand close to a guy and everyone will assume it's him.

4. Bra cup sizes. If I didn't have them, I wanted them. If I had them, I wanted them.

5. Independence. I have never and will never apologize for only relying on myself. If it's a turn off that I can do it on my own, I probably don't like you. * I have apologized to my parents. When they don't like something I try to do on my own, I remind them that they are the ones that raised me this way.

6. Painting our faces. I am not a fan of make up. If I wore a lot of make up, I probably would apologize because I would look like a clown.

7. How many people we've had sex with. I started dating my husband when I was 18. Single women these days probably sleep with more people in 3 months than I have my entire life. No big whoop. Not one to judge.

8. Being Type-A. Really? People thank me for my to-do lists and not waiting for someone else to drop the ball. My family loves it that I do circles around the house to keep it clean and myself calm. You will find me in the closet organizing the jump ropes, picking up weights that are left on the floor or organizing the boxes because someone didn't maintain the proper spacing.

9. Looking like hell. Ummm, I work out and don't change my clothes until I shower and go to bed. Deal with it. If I show up like that to work? Be happy that I'm there.

10. Not enjoying giving blow jobs. Haha. This doesn't happen at the gym nor would I ever try to do this as an AMRAP. However, there are other WODs to blow besides that one.

11. Being girly.  This is a role that society places on someone. I have boobs and a vagina so therefore I am a female. I act the way I want. If you consider that girly (or not), so be it.

12. Popping pimples. How else do you get rid of a zit?!

13. Putting our relationships first.  God, family, health. I can do all three.

14. Eating healthy.  I never feel the need to fat shame or feel bullied. What I eat is my business and what you eat is your business. It only becomes your business when it's too many fiber bars.

15. Not liking children. I frankly don't care. When I'm at the gym, I don't generally like children either (unless they are at home). Crossfit is my personal time for ME. No kids needed.

16. Making more money. I wouldn't know...I am in the education field.

17. Not wanting to have sex. I'm in my early 30s, work a full time job, have children and work out 5 days a week. Do you really want me to answer this?

18. Putting work first. Pays the bills, yo.

19. Eating too much. Hey, jerk! Ever heard of a cheat meal? Or a meal plan prescribed by J.B.?

20. Being who you are. I have my friends. I will never be disrespectful but I will be honest. You get what you get.

(Original article can be found here.)

WOD: 21-15-9
           HSPU, Back Squat

Strength: 1 rep max touch and go power snatch

Skill: EMOTM 5 Thrusters/ 10 C2B

I am sitting at my desk and I can't concentrate. I typically work out in the evenings. I rush home from work, fix a quick dinner for the kids and then head to the gym. I have found that if I work out in the morning, I have a TON more energy. Almost too much energy. I can't sit still, my mind is racing, I want to get up and do something where I'm moving around. It probably doesn't help that it's Friday.

If you don't have a kettlebell, go to Ironskull Fitness. These make great gifts!!!

WOD: 3 Rounds for time
           25  HRPU, KB Swings, Lunges

Strength: 1 Power Clean + 2 Front Squats

I might be a little crazy, but I think we need another dog. Maggie is 5 years old and is almost completely blind. She is the smartest dog I have ever owned. I can't believe how much I can love a furry animal. I feel sorry for her when we leave during the day. I think if she had a buddy she would be happy. I just need to convince Nick that this is a good idea......

Last night I took the kids out for a little Paleo friendly din din. If you live in the Troy/Tipp City area, you have to go to Hickory River. This restaurant has the BEST Texas BBQ and great daily specials. On Tuesdays, pulled pork mini's are $1 and Wednesdays kids eat for $1.99.

And in more exciting news, Nick's roommate in Cuba is opening his own CF gym, Aberrant Crossfit. If you follow gyms, "like" their FB page or check out their website for daily WODs. I'm trying coordinate schedules to see if we can go out for the grand opening!

Peace, Love & Pulled Pork.












          

WOD: EMOTM 10 min
           7 pulls ups (butterfly)
           7 push ups

Strength: 5x5 OHS

I'm organizing a Girls on the Run team at Connor's elementary school for the spring. It's an "added" responsibility that lord knows I shouldn't be adding, but the benefits that these young girls will receive far outweigh any obstacles I will be faced with trying to plan. I'm really looking forward to a great spring. It will be a great excuse to run twice a week!

I'm looking for more coaches so check out the link and let me know if you are interested in helping!

WOD: Team of 2
            100 wall balls, warrior burpees, db slams
             300 DU

This is a wallet that my son made for me today. The yellow writing is hard to read. It says, "workout for life".

I share this because there are so many things in my every day life that I second guess or I reflect back on a know I could have done better. I have the personality that is designed for continuous improvement (which can also lead to continuous dissatisfaction).  But when my kids know that working out and exercising is part of our life, I know I am doing something right.

The boys have grown up in the gym. Connor was 6 weeks old when I would carry him into the YMCA in his seat and then when Parker came along I would prop him up in his seat while I ran. I would run faster to try to get in all my miles before he woke up from his evening nap. We don't talk about the gym like it's a place we are forced to go, nor do we sit around and contemplate whether or not we are going. It's part of every single day. Just like one would know that after you wake up and go to the bathroom, you brush your teeth. It's part of our life.

They aren't forced to exercise or forced to sit in a room and be bored. If they go with us, they can also play and do things around the gym. Regardless, they do see it as a routine and something that makes us happy and a place to see our friends.

I don't know...I think the concept is cool. I have this new wallet to prove it :)

I would be a big fat liar if I even posted a WOD on here! Truth is, I haven't been to the gym since Thursday evening. I had this really cute idea for a picture. Nick and I had matching shirts on and it was the night before our 10 year anniversary. The thought was great, the picture turned out horrible!

I have eaten VERY clean the past two days. So clean, I'm proud of myself. The true test will be going back to work tomorrow. Boredom kicks in, my thoughts turn to food, it's cold, I need to stretch--> food!

I'm looking forward to getting back in the gym tomorrow evening and spending some time there. I need to put some miles on my new running shoes!

My staple meals:
Breakfast: eggs, bacon, kale
Lunch: turkey, avocado, almonds
Dinner: sweet potatoes, steak

WOD: 20 min partner AMRAP

            5 S2O

           10 DL

           15 BoxJumps

My New Year's Resolutions (in no particular order):

• Look in the mirror everyday and tell myself, "I am beautiful and I deserve to be happy."
• Make time for the friends that make time for me.
• Give second chances and sometimes third.
• If someone asks how I am doing, don't fire off a complaint.
• Give more hugs.