Count down to Surf City Half Marathon-13 Days.

In 13 days, my first born son will be 3 years old. 3?!! No way. Shane, don't turn 3...please? Okay fine.

It's extremely significant to me that I am running a Half Marathon on my sons 3rd birthday. It was while pregnant with him I went from 187 to 253 (day of delivery weight). I have a goal to be at or below 187 by his 3rd birthday (only a few pounds away). It will have only taken me 3 years to get the baby weight off! Seesh. That's a long time.

After the half marathon we are going to Disneyland for his birthday. I hope I will be able to walk. Especially walk all day around Disneyland. Maybe I'll make Davey push me in a Wheel Chair. Should be fun.

I can't wait for the race to be done. I am excited, and I want the medal more than anything, but I am T I R E D of training. I have been slacking a bit since last week. My knees are achy a lot and my hips tight. The thing I am most tired of, is taking 2.5-3 hours to run. I like running, don't get me wrong, but for 3 hours? That's a long time to be doing anything. I get frustrated I am not faster. But that's the LAST thing I can think about right now.
My only goal for the 1/2 is: to F I N I S H.

And to finish with out injury. No doubt I will walk some. And I am okay with that. [I think].
I know with out doubt I could run the whole thing, but I would most likely injure myself. And when I realize, I run the same pace as I run/walk...than why not protect my body and walk a little. And I mean a little. I plan to only walk for a couple minuets every few miles. But I'll listen to my body.

After the 1/2, I plan to take time to focus on weight loss, instead of focusing on training. I am going to be training and working out, but with a different perspective. I have a while before the Half Ironman, and training schedules don't even suggest to start until end of February.
I went to the gym yesterday morning but woke up late and didn't have time to run the 6 miles. I wanted a good calorie burn so I hopped on the Elliptical for 40 minuets, and it was awesome! I have only been Swimming, Biking, or Running. I forgot how refreshing it is to do something different. It was also a good brake for my knees. I feel like I need to change it up for a few weeks. Maybe walk, maybe do the Stair Master & Elliptical, and maybe do a different cardio class.

In October of 2009 I lost a significant amount of weight. I think maybe 10 pounds or so. I had the Body Bugg and I worked on hitting my calorie burn everyday and I didn't even have a gym pass. I did work out videos or walked, and cleaned or ran around the house until I hit it. I need to take a couple weeks to focus on calories in, calories out.

This weeks training: Today-Run 4 miles with boys around neighborhood.
Thursday-Run 12 miles, probably with the boys. Will be challenging!
Monday 1.31.11- Run 2 miles
Rest of week till 1/2, rest.

Todays food:
Breakfast-2 Low Fat Ego waffles w/ 2 tbsp Lite Syrup, & 2 tbsp Free Coolwhip, Coffee
Lunch-1/2 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup black beans, 4 oz chicken cooked in water, tomato, onion, lemon & bowl of tropical fruit w/ free cool whip.
Dinner-1 cup Spaghetti, 2 slices Sara Lee light bread, 1/2 cup Peas
Snack-Fiber One Yogurt
Total Calories: 1,207
(usually I have more snacks, but it's Revival week at church and I am going to try to have dinner ready early so we don't eat really late).
Todays work outs (scheduled to be): 45-60 minuets running at 4.5 mph- 350-450 calories burn
Yoga (@ home w video)-30 minuets- 107 calories burn

I am also doing a "Bite Experiment". I take bites of the boys food all the time, so I decided today to log every bit I take I am not suppose to, and add up estimated calories. I'll let you know how it goes. It won't be pretty.

Do you also take bites of kids food?

P.S. Just found out right now.. we got that house in Morgan Hill if we want it! Now we really need to pray and pray that God works it out (Rent, Deposit,ect.).

Love,
The Curvy Housewife

Homemaking

I just made this as a "Page" but wanted it to be a post as well.

"That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." TITUS 2:4-5

I have been asked several times recently, "How do you find the time to train with the boys!?" or "How do you work out so often and for so long? I just don't have time for that."

Let me start by saying, God has called me FIRST to be a Wife and a Mother. I thank God everyday I am able to stay home with my children and that Homemaking is my full time job. My husband and boys come first. Always. Lucky for me, they support me and want me to achieve my goals.

I am in no way a perfect [or anything even close!!!] homemaker. God is always working on me in this area. Right now, as I type this, there are gold fish crackers all over my living room floor. Yes, I have to vacuum usually twice a day.


I am so far from where God wants me to be as a homemaker, but my heart is to strive to make my home a place of peace and rest for my family, and I love to do it.

Here are a few things that helps me:


Devotions
I really can't get anything done until I pray and read my bible. God is the one to give me patients and wisdom with my boys and decisions to make when I need to. He blesses our day when I start it right. I really try to get up before the boys to do this. Doesn't always happen, but I love it when it does.

Schedule
Being scheduled. No, I am not an organized person. But anyone can learn to be. I have my training plan written on two calendars in pencil. I erase and re-write, A LOT.

Cleaning
I deep clean my house on Friday. This is suppose to be my day off from training, so I don't have to worry about leaving the house at all.
Laundry, dishes, tidying up and vacuuming is everyday.
I also like things very SIMPLE. Simple cleaning. Warm soap and water clean most of my house.

Cooking
I have planned out our weekly meals, therefore I know what I am going to cook and don't waste time deciding and contemplating all the ingredients I need. I never did this before, but this training season I have to do it to be successful, and I really enjoy it.

Decorating
I love to find great deals on home decor and spend time creating a beautiful and cute home.
I usually have a delicious candle lit as well to make our home smell inviting and peaceful.

Teaching
Even though life is busy, I try to take time out everyday to teach the boys something. Sometimes it's new animals, or shapes, or numbers. I also let them help me cook. Taking time to color with them, or build blocks with them is also teaching them. It's a special time everyday. I read them a story before nap time and bed time.

Discipline
I often have to stop what I am doing and correct the boys. Very often. My boys are very different from each other. Cody obeys pretty well and doesn't need a lot of discipline, a firm "No" works with him. Shane on the other hand requires A LOT of correcting. I really try to correct him and discipline him, then hug him and make sure I explain why he got into trouble. Point is, in the long run it saves time and frustration to take time at home to really discipline properly. After all if I am not going to do it, who will?
I am a softy I have to admit it... so this is a huge challenge for me.The Lord is always working on me in this area. An example is, about 6 months to a year ago Shane hated going to the gym daycare. He was very disobedient there, and it made it impossible for me to bring them. We spent months working with Shane (Davey gets a lot of the credit!) and teaching him to behave in nursery at church (times we would check on him during the service and make sure he was behaving. If not we would take him out and discipline him and make sure he listened to his teacher) and that helped him tremendously. Now he loves the gym daycare and is a very good boy in nursery at church ( of course..there's always exceptions!!).


If you plan something and want it bad enough, it can and will be done! I take advantage of the weekends when Davey is here and I work out early in the morning so I am free to spend time with him during the day. Hope this post helped someone! If not it helped me, and reminded me of what God's will for me is.

With Love,
The Curvy Housewife