2013

Today was a wonderful day.

...a tall peppermint mocha from $tarbucks...

...a wonderful walk at the nature center with my 2 kids...we walked through the woods, climbed over fallen trees and ran with abandon down a snow-blown hill...

...football...

...except the part where the Badgers lost the Rose Bowl...

...cheese fondue with bread and apples...

...a fantastic husband who loves me like crazy.

My word for 2013:

Grace

My Bible passage:  Nehemiah 6:2-4.  

...be intentional...stay the course...do not be discouraged or distracted...

Good-bye 2012.

You were a hard year...  

Turning Over a New Leaf....

Bedtime at our home can sometimes be long, drawn out event.  It frequently involves many reminders to put away laundry, clean, up, floss, brush, etc, etc, etc.

I recently had a wonderful, refreshing chat with a very wise mom. She has always been a source of encouragement, experience and wisdom.  She suggested a list might help my little buddies remember what they need to do each night.

My little dude was very concerned about the list.  His response to the ideas was, "But, Mama...I can't read everything yet."  

So I went to a modified list--with pictographs.

Tonight, 12-31-12 was our first night.  

It went well.  Little Dude took the "No Mess" part very seriously.

What a blessing it is to have such wonderful friends. 

First snow...

These are our snowmen.  

They are vegan. 

Brussel sprout eyes
Carrot noses
Sweet red peppers for lips
Come to think of it, that is more vegetables than some people eat in a year...

That is not a leopard or a cheetah next to the snowman...that's Kate.

morning at the lake...

Today was a beautiful, warm day and we seized the opportunity to head down to the Lake.  We had a wonderful breakfast at one of our favorite coffee houses and then walked over to the beach and marina.

K & S really wanted to go into the water...until they realized how cold big Lakes are in spring.

A girl has to have her shades...

A guy has to have his baseball hat...

jumping the "waves"...

We loved the warm breeze and time together as a family.  Maybe summer really is around the corner...

Pascal Aristotle 

May 15, 1998 - April 29, 2012

He brought our family great joy, companionship and love.  We will miss seeing him in the window, playing with his glitter balls, chasing any thing that resembles string, purring so loud it can be as heard across the room and cuddling on the couch. 

He was the first pet our children had and we will miss him deeply.  

Today we are sad.

Mutiny?

Prepare to be intimidated...

Here are two very scary warriors...

Do not mess with her...she leaps great heights with her foam sword....

He defies gravity and has a mighty swing...

Armed with his *iPhone* and a foam ax, the king would successfully defend his kingdom from the blond serf

Flex-Strength-Skills n Drills

If you want to get the leotard with your gym's name on the front and your name on the back, you have to work hard.


Your coach tells you, "It's your responsibility to do your training at home and bring your skills folder back every Saturday to show it."


If you forget your work chart, you worry your coach will be mad (she wasn't).  Then you don't forget it the next week...because it's your responsibility.  


Flexibility:
right split x 1 minute
left split x 1 minute
middle split x 1 minute
rainbow bridge x 1 minute
pike stretch for 30 sec x 2
shoulder stretch x 1 minute
pancake x 1 minute 
backbend down & up x 1 minute
forward lift kicks x 10
side lift kicks x 10
back arabesque kicks x 10


Strength:
handstand hold at the wall x 1 minute
handstand pushups
pike hold on floor 
straddle hold on floor 
tuck hold on floor 
triangle pushups 
triceps dip 
2 footed squats 
right leg squats
left leg squats 
V-ups 
crunches 
scissors in hollow hold 
superman holds 
lock holds on toe 
press handstands


Skills/Drills
handstands with flat backs
practice scales with chest up
practice running on toes
practice splint jumps


Then you learn how to do harder and trickier stuff.  But, you don't try it at home until your coach says you can do the harder, trickier stuff outside of the gym.  You listen to your coach cause she wants you to be safe and you respect her...ALOT.


You do all this stuff because you want the leo with your name on the back.


When you get that leo, you will have earned it!