Climb Every Mountain

The moment you realize that you are fat is not a happy one. You may know that you have a few pounds to shed, you may know that sure you don't fit into the same jeans you did when you got married, but the actual realization that you can't remember the last picture you took when you actually felt good about yourself is a sad sad one. And sadly to say I have discovered that this past year. The good thing? I am finally motivated to do something about it.

The thing is, I don't run. I have my reason. I see friends and neighbors who are awesome inspiring women that run like crazy and I just can't do it. Also, I don't do the gym. I am too self conscious. I did great in the water aerobics when I was pregnant with L because I was the youngest one there and I was pregnant, it was okay to be fat. But going in my fat sweats as everyone else walks by in their little tight pants all perky and happy, is not my idea of motivation.

So in an effort to help me get in shape D went out and bought me a Wii Fit. Which I had been doing at a friends house and really enjoying. But my husband doesn't do things half way. He also go me a program called Wii Active, which I love. Bob Greene (Oprah's Trainer) put it together. The best part is the 30 day challenge. You get a different workout each day tartgeting different areas, unlike the Wii Fit (which I still love for the Jackknife challenge, balance games and yoga) You don't have to stop in between each exercise and pick a new one. You can choose your intensity and then you get a 20-30 minute workout that targets strength and aerobics together.

I have been enjoying it, and while the scale has not decreased (thanks stupid Wii Fit scale and your "That's Overweight" sayings) I can tell it is making a difference. The jeans are comfortable, not tight. I can chase the kids around the block and not get tired. I can walk my stairs a million times a day and be fine. But I always like a challenge and so when my sister suggested a join her for her early morning trail hikes, I thought I would give it a chance.

The picture above is why I love it. I take M with me and it is so fun to see her discover nature (she can run up a mountain, that girl is so fit, but she stops and rests when mom needs too). We do about a 3 mile round trip hike in the mornings. M thinks our goal should be to climb to the glacier by the end of summer. I smiled and said "We'll See". But if I can go with my girl it would be worth it. This morning she discovered some squirrels which she fed a cracker to. The look on their faces was like they had hit a jackpot and the look on M's face made the pain in my bottom half worth it! I really need to take my camera with me.

So it looks as if this is going to be a regular thing. We have a great trail, and as long as M wakes up at 5 with a smile on her face, we will continue to climb every mountain as part of our fitness routine. But don't worry Wii Active, I have not forgotten you. I'll be back, but sorry, the TV screen can't compare to nature!

Freedom

I wanted to make a great and wonderful post on freedom, but I didn't want to debate the current problems with our government and so I decided to post M's reflections essay that actually says a lot.

My Grandma's life is WOW! by M age 8

When my grandma was little she lived in Berlin. When the Russian army marched into Berlin she had to hide in the cellar with her mom for 10 days and 10 nights. They had only a few potatoes to eat. Every day her mom would cook one and she would eat the skin while my grandma would eat the middle.
One night their neighborhood was bombed and many people died. My grandma and her mom lived But lost everything, except my Great Grandma threw a feather bed out of the window while the house was burning. She had put her favorite china plate inside it and it did not break. My Grandma still has the plate and I love to look at it.
After the war was over my Grandma live in East Berlin. One day her dad decided it was bad to live in a communist land and he told my grandma that they would have to flee East Berlin at night. They had to sneak out at night and coulden't take anything with them. They had to leave their house and all their things behind. My Grandma then lived in West Berlin and on August 13, 1961 the Russians built a wall dividing West Berlin from East Berlin
I am glad my Grandma was in the west at that time or she would not have been able to move to America and become my Grandma. She has touched my life, and taught me about freedom.
WOW what a life.



Hope everyone has a happy INDEPENDENCE Day. Remember our blessings and lets not take them for granted!