Crazy month of July

Back again with a post on what we did in the month of July.  Let me just start by saying it was crazy (or as the cool kids say "cray".  I'm starting to consider myself not cool since my attire is t-shirts and Nike shorts every.single.day.  How sad that I can't wait to get back to work just to try to have a wardrobe again. lol)  Anyways, our month was full of things...4th of July picnic, Justin's first crossfit competition, Omaha trip (which will come in the next post) and just life as we know it.  So without further ado, our "cray-cray" month of July.



Ever since Gracie's Grandma Pam sent her a Strawberry Shortcake book Easter Surprise, she has been wanting to do a picnic with her friends.  So we thought the perfect time would be for the 4th of July.  A little craft and a picnic lunch with her friends.  We had planned to eat outside, but it was actually raining that afternoon.  Go figure.  Things came up for the majority of our friends, but Kamryn and Kenzie were able to make it over.  We had a fun time playing, decorating our 4th of July wreaths and eating our picnic lunch inside.

Gracie and 2 of her friends

My little firecracker

Pinterest treat

K's & K's wreaths

Gracie's wreath

On the 4th of July, we really didn't do a whole lot.  We hung out at home, Daddy bought G some little firecrackers (which turned out to be the pull-the-difficult-string-without-hurting-yourself poppers), and grilled out some burgers and brats.  Not much happens here on the island for the 4th.  I heard that they really don't celebrate it.  There were a few locations (seriously, like 3 or 4 spots) that were having a large firework show.  That was it for fireworks.  Not like back home.  But we made the best of it and enjoyed spending time together.  After all, that's what's important to us.

Gracie's and Daddy's footprint

Look at this!

Baby, you're (hair is) a firework 

Our bald firecracker. hehe

haha her face cracks me up

Gracie, Griffin and I went to the local newspaper printing plant, Star Advertiser, for a little field trip with the Mom's Club.  Pretty amazing how it all happens.

Waiting for the tour

Model of the plant

Printing

Look at all that paper!

Here it comes!

Paper on the track

Gracie with the young group of Mom's Club kids

Justin signed up for his first real CrossFit competition the weekend before we left. So between packing and cleaning, we zipped over to CrossFit Ewa Beach to watch Daddy workout.  We are so proud of all he accomplished.  He did such a great job and finished 17/40.  Daddy is pretty amazing!

Obviously thrilled to watch her daddy...just kidding he wasn't going yet.  This was her way of entertaining herself.

Dirty dirty girl.  Watching and cheering on Daddy

Go Justin Go!

Do work son

Ahead in the race to finish

1st in his heat :)

Between the CrossFit competition days, I made it out with my girls for a teenage night of sneaking in food at the theater and watching Katy Perry 3D.  hahaha yes, yes I did.  It was fun!  Sometimes we just need to feel like a teenager.  Keyword: sometimes. :)

Lookin' cool ladies :)

Back to the CrossFit competition...

Justin's in the red shorts/black shirt

Getting ready for the next weight

Lifted it like a boss

245 clean and jerk

Proud of his daddy

After our return from Omaha, I had a surprise visit from some family on my dad's side.  My cousin, Blanca, and my aunt (Tia Andrea) were out here for vacation.  My cousin's husband grew up out here, and they were out just for the fun of it.  We were able to meet them out at the Ko'Olina lagoons before they left for Cali.  I had not seen my cousin since I was probably 5 or 6 years old, and the last time I saw my aunt was at our wedding, 5 years ago.  It was such a special surprise to see and visit with them.  Miss them already!

Gracie, Griffin, me and Tia Andrea

Gracie, Griffin, me, Tia Andrea and Blanca

Griffin in his swim trunks :)

Look at that face!

my babies

July was a crazy and busy month, but we had a blast.  2 more posts from July, Omaha trip and my iPhone photo dump.  Are you excited?! I bet you can't wait.  Maybe I'll make you wait.  Maybe I'll be back tomorrow.  You just never know with me!  haha

Still Unpacking

Yes, we are still here and still unpacking.

We have been in the house for almost 1 full month (1 month tomorrow) and it's been a while since I last posted an update (3 weeks?).  I've been pretty homesick so it has not helped with my attitude or the unpacking process.  I think I have found the truth in why I haven't unpacked every last thing that was packed up in the our home in Omaha.  I think I was still somewhat am in denial that we have made this huge move.  I think I thought that if I didn't unpack everything, it somehow meant that I would be coming home sooner rather than later and there was no need to make this "home".  Well, I've finally come to the realization that this is not happening and that we will be here for the expected 2-3 years (which I will be pushing for the 2 years every day until it happens).

I was even explaining to a friend this morning that I didn't want to hang pictures or mirrors because I didn't want to have to deal with the patching and painting when we left.  She said, "Well, you will be here for a while.  If you don't do it, it won't feel like home."  It was at that moment that I realized she was right.  We ARE going to be here for a while, and I DO need to do things to it to make it feel like home.  The house we are in doesn't feel like home and that makes things difficult.  This is a very hard thing for me to accept for many reasons.  I have always lived my life in Omaha, I imagined my future in Omaha, but the reality is that this is not what God had in his plans for us right now.  He wanted us to take this opportunity and do something with it, to enjoy it, to live it.

It is not the easiest or quickest thing to accept that you are no longer home.  I seriously lived in the same house for 23 years and 2 months until Justin and I hitched.  Then we moved into an apartment and then the place I love to call home, our cute little brick house.  Can you blame me for being sad that I'm no longer living in Omaha?  Moving is difficult because of all the people and places that you love to see and go to are no longer at your front door.  This is hardest part about moving for me, and I will probably feel that sadness until we return and things are back to "normal".  Our families and friends have played such an important role in who we are and how we live our life, and they are not easy things to leave behind.  They will never be easy to leave behind.  You guys mean the world to us!  But after this morning, I know I need to do something to try to make this adventure worth it and to make it meaningful.  Plus, I will be back, we will be back, whether you like it or not. ;)

Now, putting my tears aside, I need to get this house into shape.  Good thing this realization hit me today because my 2nd mother and her cool mother are coming to visit in 2 weeks.  I absolutely cannot wait to see Pam and Rose and to have them physically here with us.  But, I can't let them see how unpacked we really are especially because they will need a bed and a room to sleep in!

To wrap this all up, I would like to share the things that I am thankful for because moving has made me appreciate many things:
-First and foremost, having Justin and Gracie by my side.  I wouldn't be here without them (literally) and I wouldn't have any comfort without them as well.  You two are the greatest people I know.
-A dishwasher (this house does not have one, which we didn't notice until we moved in :(  I hate doing dishes!
-Having a garage to store things that we brought but will not need (i.e. my classroom from Rohwer)
-New found friends...I have met some amazing women and their children since being here.  Thank you for welcoming me and Gracie into your homes and hearts.  You will never know how much it means to me.
-Our family and friends back home.  I feel special to know how lucky we are to have such amazing people in our lives.  God had truly blessed us, hence the reason why it is not easy being gone.
-My Rohwer coworkers who have kept me in the loop with school things and things about their lives.  You also make it hard to be here because you are all amazing people and teachers.  I pray every day that I get to come back to Rohwer and be with you all again.
-Skype, you are my connection to home and I love you.  I almost love you as much as I love Pam's Scotcheroos.  If you have a skype name, let me know or find us (andresenx3).  We would love to see you and chat!
-Facebook...well kinda...sometimes it makes me more homesick because I want to be there so bad, but it is nice to see family and friends enjoying life as everyone should.  I think I'll like it more when it's winter back home :)
-Crossfit Omaha. Yes, I hated working out just ask anyone that knows me.  But this place is amazing!  I never loved a gym as much as this place.  Great people, great coaches, great supporters, great workouts, and a great community.  If you want to know more about it, ask me, otherwise just go there and join.  You won't regret it.  It's worth every penny.

Ok that's enough for now, I'm sure my list could get longer, but I know I might be losing your attention now.  Plus, I have a lot of things and people to be thankful for.  Shoot, even the movers who came to get the boxes out of the garage...  Ok I'm done :)

Paleo Challenge #2

And so the saga continues...I entered myself into the 2nd paleo challenge at CrossFit Omaha.  Before I started, I felt much more confident about doing it than the first time I did the challenge.  I thought it was going to be easier to transition myself to this lifestyle again.  I thought, "I've done it before, and I can do it again.

Well, I've already fallen off the wagon quite a few times in this super long first week.  My 2nd week, which started on Sunday, has already included pizza, beer and pop. I'm convinced to do a better job for the remainder of the challenge (3 1/2 weeks).  I have to, I've done so poorly for the very first week!

In addition to not eating well, I haven't been getting enough sleep.  My stress level with my kids is beyond its max, and there are so many other things to do at home and at work.

My goal for the next 3 1/2 weeks is to plan, plan, plan my meals!  If I don't plan ahead, I find myself eating crap and feeling like it too.  Also, I'm going to try my best to reduce stress in any way possible.  School is almost out (5 more days!) and that will diminish quite a bit of my stress.  Who am I kidding?  That will diminish about 90% of my stress!  I love my to do lists and hopefully that will help get things done and help me feel organized and ready.

So hopefully the last 3 1/2 weeks will go better than it has been going.  I just need to stay focused and like I said, plan!  I've got the working out thing down, I just need to get the whole eating clean thing down.  Wish me luck!

Crossfit War Wounds

I've been trying really hard lately to get to the gym.  It has always been a struggle.  Justin and I joined Crossfit Omaha back in the fall (2010).  He goes pretty religiously, but me on the otherhand, not so much.  That is why this post is a celebration!  I have made it 3 days a week the last 4 weeks and that is seriously a record for me!  I am so proud of myself for going and sticking with it.


Justin started this whole Crossfit research sometime last spring or summer.  He explained the program to me and showed me some of the workouts.  I thought it looked interesting but I also thought it was for meatheads and big muscley people.  So after some time, he convinced me to do the 1-on-1s with him.  I liked it, but wasn't thrilled about it.  I had fun, but figured it wasn't for me. I was always thinking I don't fit in here, I won't make it, I don't have time, Everyone is stronger than me, I'll embarrass myself, I don't know what I'm doing and the list kept going and going. So when we completed our 1-on-1s, I went a few times here and there and then totally fell off the "Let's get fit" wagon. 

Fast forward 3 months later to the Paleo Challenge which began January 3rd.  I knew this would be a great way to think about what food I put into my body on a daily basis.  I was being held accountable each week by taking pictures of every meal and submitting them to our trainer/coach/organizer, Ricky.  I liked that I had to take pictures of everything I ate because I knew if it was bad, everyone else in the challenge would see it.  Plus, my whole goal was to get me to think about what I was eating and to fix it.  (Oh, and I forgot to mention there was money involved...this is where the majority of the desire to do this came from.)  The only thing I had not thought about was working out.  I thought, if I eat right, there is no need to go to the gym...right? ha I really know that was my way of trying to convince myself that I didn't need the gym as a part of my life whatsoever.  Seriously, I hate working out!  Why do I want to torture myself? Well...


I didn't work out the first 3 weeks of the challenge, and quite honestly, didn't see much results either.  But I was feeling better mentally; sleeping better, more energy, positive attitude.  Then week 4 hit, and I started to think about the gym.  I thought if I wanted to win the challenge and see any real results, I probably needed to start working out a bit.  After my 1st few visits back at Crossfit (where I was welcomed back with open arms and a ton of encouragement), I started to realize that all the excuses I made in the fall are all the things that held me back.  I realized that I had to quit making excuses and just go. I know my schedule will always be busy, I know I will be weaker than someone else, I know that my goals are different, but why do those thoughts have to hold me back from improving, making change, and reaching goals that I have never set for myself before? 

The last 4 weeks of working out have been amazing!  Crossfit, and of course my awesome husband, have really helped me see what I can truly do by myself.  I laugh when I think about myself doing the "clean and jerk" or "deadlift".  I always thought only meatheads and guys did those things.  Well, I guess I'm a meathead now! Crossfit Omaha is an amazing gym!  They have helped me see some things that I never thought were possible.


So the original reason of this post was to show a picture of my "Crossfit War Wounds" as I like to call them.  Today's workout was 60 double unders, 3 rounds of 10 split clean and jerks, 20 jumping pull-ups, and 60 double unders again.  On my final go at the double unders, the jump rope unfortanetly got the best of me.  It brought back memories of jumping rope in grade school and the sting of the rope on a cold day on the playground.  Jump rope 1, me 0.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Paleo challenge

The last 5 weeks have consisted of meat, veggies, healthy oils, seed and nuts. At our gym, Crossfit Omaha, a large group of members joined a 5 week paleo challenge. Now, Justin has been trying to convince me of this lifestyle for the past 10 or so months. He slowly led me into this lifestyle without me really thinking about it.  I decided to give the challenge a shot but not for health reasons but to try to win some money. It was definitely a challenge. It really made me think and look at my food and ingredients more closely. Even at lunch, I would look around at my fellow coworkers' meals and think about how many things were processed or just plain, not healthy. I never did that. I used to eat what they ate and never really saw anything wrong with it.  This challenge made me realize a few things. They are:
1. Just because it says 'organic/natural' doesn't mean it's paleo.  It might be cleaner food or healthier than other options but it's not paleo.
2. It's healthy and great for your body and mind. There were so many success stories at the end of this challenge about weight loss, lower cholesterol, eliminating lifelong medication, and mental health (getting better sleep, having more energy). I experienced better sleep, higher energy levels and a better picture of myself. Why would someone want to do diets that are short lived when all they need is this kind of lifestyle that can last forever?!
3. It's made me appreciate foods that I've never tried! Brussel sprouts, kale, cauliflower, etc. are just some of the new things we have tried and stuck with. Without this challenge, I would have never tried or learned to like these things.
4. It's also made me appreciate a treat as just that... a treat. I realized that it should not be part of my everyday life.  I know that a treat is ok to have if it's for something special, to celebrate something, or it's something you only get once in a while. But only when it's special, not just because I'm bored and want something to do.
And finally...
5. Even though people think it's crazy, life is all about enjoying it and why not enjoy it by taking care of my mind and body. God gave me the gift of life, and I want to do my part while I'm here on Earth...taking good care of myself, my family, friends and the people I encounter. It's all about enjoying the time I have and that's my plan.

So, all in all, I encourage others to try it! If not trying it, at least search it. Find out what it's all about. It may make you think a little bit more about what you put into your body. Who's not going to benefit from that?

-- Sent from my Palm Pre