Awww, to be dancing again...

I was able to substitute dance tonight. It's the first time I've danced since the summer. It felt soooooooooooooo good. I taught the advanced Ballet. It was great. I had a full hour and a half to get in all I wanted. I was even a bit short on time-poor girls, I worked their little tails off.

I am not your traditional ballet teacher-I love doing ballet to more modern/classical music. Like instead of Beethoven, we danced to the soundtrack for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. It was great (a lot of Spanish sounding tempos). In terms of non-traditional ballet teaching, I certainly added my own "Cindy-isms" into our combinations. My true passion in dancing is Lyrical-so of course, I added a few moves in there (just to spice things up).

Awwww, even though I was just a sub tonight...it was fantastic. It was exactly what I needed. An hour and a half of me and the dance floor (plus a few aspiring dancers as well).

P.S. I AM SOOOOOOO SORE! Awwww, to be getting old.....

October is almost over...

How did this happen?!? I can't believe that this month flown by. We haven't done anything that would make the month go faster-maybe it's all that Halloween talk from the girls. Every day they are wanting to be something else for Fright Night! I found Ashlynn a Hawaiian girl outfit (complete with grass skirt, flower necklace, shell necklace, and fake bikini top) but she wants to be the CORPSE BRIDE again. For Ellyce, I found her an adorable little 1930's flapper costume with the fringe and sequins to boot...but no. She wants to be a Southern Belle like she was last year-but she wants me to make her a hat (since her costume didn't come with one like it showed on the picture). I found Jillian a Pocahontas costume but she has no clue as to who she is-so that of course is out of the question. She wants to wear the costume I found for Natalee which is a little ballerina outfit (had to have been the real thing for a dance recital-it is legit). Amazingly enough, it fits Jillian even though it is ridiculously small. Oh well. I guess ballerina it is. And as for Natalee, she'd be happy in whatever. Today for instance, she picked out a princess dress that we had in our dress up box. I think that will work out just fine. I have to stitch it up a bit from all the wear and tear on it, but she LOVES it.

I started school last Thursday. I am getting my Master's in Secondary Education so I can teach middle school or high school. I am hoping to teach English, but at this point, I JUST WANT TO TEACH. I am super excited. I figure I will be able to teach during the day then coach the dance team or something like that afterwards. It would allow me to do the two things I love-teach and dance. Oh the possibilities.

Well, the world keeps on spinning no matte how much we wish it'd slow down. So here is a premature goodbye to October. Adios.

On my way...

Last night I ran about a mile-it felt longer, but at least it wasn't PAINFUL. I felt pretty good running it. Now I know I can do more. One thing though, I cannot believe that there aren't very many street lights on our block (2...ONLY) which freaks me out at night especially when I have my headphones in. Never know the crazies that live on your street (well only some of them).

I think tonight I will ride my bike-I've decided Monday-Wednesday-Friday will be my running days. Riding my bike on my off days will be pretty fun-I love my bike (it looks so cute with the baby seat on the back-very pimpin'). My legs will be looking great in no time...gotta do those squats too though.

Next order of business is my arms-I need to get some 3 lb, 5 lb, and 10 lb weights. I know what to do-I just need to buy them first. Soup cans don't work-seriously, they don't. Push ups can be done easily-easier said than done, but no weights required. Tricept dips too-got a good ledge on my bed for those. It's on my list-I'm on my way folks. Here I come.

A little perspective...

So...there's nothing like a 5k to make you realize how OUT OF SHAPE you really are. I am feeling pain in places that I didn't know pain could exist. Worse than hurting physically, man...my pride took a hit. Deep down I thought, "Ahhh, it's just a 5k. I can do this, no problem." Having one of those mind over matter moments was like a nightmare. I couldn't believe how hard a 5k was.

To start off, I haven't "exercised" since about June. Yes, sad as I am to have to admit that, I have not. I have certainly thought about it, but haven't taken any measures to get my butt moving. To add to that, I have been eating badly. Like chips and dip (most everyday) bad. Like 2-4 Dr. Pepper's a day bad. Like candies and cookies past 8:00pm bad. You get it-BAD.

So as I was internally complaining about how much pain I feel after that run yesterday, I had to say (TO MYSELF): "It's your own fault"! And as much as I don't want to admit that I cannot rely on "good metabolism" genetics anymore, I am going to make a change.

Here is my plan:

1. Eat Better-I have decided that eating better will be number one here. I am going off any soda (ANY) and drinking either water or milk. I am going to learn to LOVE vegetables. I am going to eat more fruit. I am going learn how to snack better. I am going to eat BETTER. Period.

2. Exercise Regularly (meaning at least 5-6x a week)-I have decided to come up with a great work out plan. I want to learn to ENJOY running-you know those people that actually like it, well, I want to be one of those people. I want to run 3 days a week. I've decided to just go for a run after my girls are in bed. I want to do some at-home weight training to tone my arms. I will come up with a good "boot camp style" program that I can do in the mornings (like lunges, pushups, situps, pilates, stretching...). I am going to exercise regularly. Period.

3. Enter another 5k and beat my previous time of 36 minutes (because that is just sad)-There is another 5k coming up on November 6th, and I am going to beat my time. My goal is run the 5k in 25 minutes. I CAN DO IT. Then once I've done that...I'll just keep going faster. (Run, Forest, RUUUNN!) Maybe I will win once (another bucket list goal of mine).

4. ONWARD AND UPWARD-5k isn't that much...how about a 10k, half marathon, full marathon...I will continue to train and get TONED up-look amazing for a mother with four girls. I want to keep doing more. I will eventually get back to teaching dance (hopefully SOONER than later).

So...like I said, there ain't nothing like a 5k to give you a little perspective on how OUT OF SHAPE you really are.

Its almost here...

Happy Fall everyone. I can just feel it in the air today. Possibly because its not 110 degrees out. Beloved fall.

The end is near...

I was truly expecting this to happen eventually. I mean how could it not!?!  But today I humored myself and just did the whole "double check" and sure enough...my first gray hair. Look close. It is definitely gray, no...its white. Good bye beautiful brown hello gorgeous gray (or wonderful white).

New Year's Resolutions Recap

At the beginning of the year, I posted a long (and I mean LONG) list of resolutions I wanted to accomplish this year. It is definitely more than halfway through 2011 and I'm not so sure I've been resolving much-at least some are certainly better than others on my list. Nothing that a little recap won't cure to get me back on track.

1. Learn something new: Ok so...I have started teaching myself how to play the guitar. BUT...I haven't picked it up in months. So to be fair, I have learned something new; I just haven't quite perfected it yet. That is completely fine-I at least know where it's at and that I can start over with the painful fingertips once more (I am prepared for the pain this time around). Besides, if I want to eventually teach my own daughters how to play the guitar, I think that I need to know how FIRST. Dedication and consistency, Cindy. Come on, you can do it.

2. Book of Mormon Challenge: We are doing pretty well as a family reading the Book of Mormon. However, we did NOT make our goal for finishing it by June. Ashlynn was baptized in June and I believe she knows her scriptures to be true, so if we keep at it she will be able to develop a deeper testimony of its principles. We are in Alma (which is great). The girls take turns reading a verse, so we do have to take it just a chapter a night. We have been pretty bad lately. We get busy at night and just hurry through the bedtime routine and forget to read most nights...but we will get back on track starting TONIGHT.

3. Charts: We have established chore charts for the girls and for myself (yes, even I need to remember what has to be done, plus it's easier to just have it written down so I don't forget the little stuff like dusting the fans). They each have to make their beds in the morning, put their toys and books away they had out that night, dirty clothes go in the laundry room, and they have to clean up the yard which they certainly don't mind because it's outside. Ashlynn, Ellyce, and Jillian are now in school so as for the homework well they do a great deal. I may seem like a mean mom for making them do extra work on Saturday morning, but they will thank me later (I hope). Even the potty charts have been going well-Jillian is getting better; she still has accidents but they are getting fewer and farther in between. Natalee (now 2 years old) is about 85% potty trained. She has accidents now and then too, but since I am reminding the two girls to go potty, they are doing pretty darn AWESOME.

4. Reading: I absolutely love my NOOK color and I believe I've read about 10 books so far this year. Not bad, but I can read more. I want to read the classics-like Pride and Prejudice; Romeo and Juliet; Count of Monte Cristo...you get it. The girls and I have read about 7 books total thus far...Ramona Quimby is a favorite of theirs (and mine). Ashlynn has to do book reports that are of the more advanced levels in reading which is good. We are reading IDA B. right now and it is really cute. Next we will be reading Soul Surfer (the true story of Bethany Hamilton-Ashlynn's IDOL). I have to tell you though-lately I am exhausted and don't read to the girls at night. I do make them sit in their beds and read for about 20 minutes. For Ellyce and Jillian, they are just looking at pictures, but Ashlynn is doing great. She's read on her own 2 Junie B. Jones books and 2 Roald Dahl books. She gets super excited that she's reading all by herself. I know we can all do better.

5. Prayers: Not my strong point. I would set my alarm and just snooze it and go back to sleep. I say prayers with the girls for meals and for our ni-night prayer, but I have been terrible at saying my personal prayers. I pray mostly in my heart for strength to get through another day-or to say thank you for getting me through my day, but they are very inconsistent prayers and probably not as sincere or heart-felt as I could make them. I will do BETTER.

6. Speak more softly and be more patient: Well, this one comes in waves. It's my own personal roller coaster ride. Some days are better than others, which if you were to ask anyone else in this world if they've ever raised their voices or were impatient they would say yes. If not, then I need your calm spirit. I tend to get so worked up over the dumbest things-why? I don't know. They don't mean anything in the great eternal realm of things-but I am only human and I get too emotionally attached to situations and whatnot. I get impatient with my girls and with my husband for silly things-once again, I can do BETTER.

7. Preach my Gospel Manual study: I am still at chapter 3. So....I'll get on that.

8. Eating healthy: We go through tons of fruit and vegetables but I'd be lying if I said that I have a serving of fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. The girls get their intake well enough-me...I don't as much. I need to plan better the meals to where we have either a fruit or a veggie for each meal. If I just put it in the plans, it'll get done.

9. Family Home Evenings: Sometimes we don't have a lesson, but we will be together as a family. We do enjoy watching the America's Funniest Home Videos and we will sit down together and laugh together. Sometimes we will sing our primary songs. Sometimes we will play outside. I figure as long as we are together-that's what matters. A lesson is important too-I can be better at that too.

10. Temple: Once a month hasn't really happened, but I have gone a few times and it's been wonderful. One night I even got to go clean the temple after hours. It was a very spiritual experience because I realized that the Lord's house has to be cleaned too-and what great people work there each night to keep it clean. Great experience.

11. Date Nights: Well, I wish we could go out more, but paying for a babysitter is ridiculous. We go out when we can or we'll just have a date night in. I like that because it's FREE and we can be all comfy cozy on our very own couch and watch a movie together. It's great.

12. QUALITY Family Time: We really want our girls to enjoy nature and camping and hiking so we have taken them a few times to hike and camp. It's so much fun. They are still little to where they sometimes whine about certain things but really, they do pretty well on our hiking excursions for being little. My husband takes the girls out on hikes for their little date nights and that is wonderful-they absolutely love spending time outdoors but more importantly with their daddy.

13. Fulfill my Church Calling: I feel that I have done well in this. I love being in Primary. Sharing times are getting better. We have meetings more often and we each have a greater love for the children in our primary. We think about them, we pray for them and their families, we desire that they strengthen their testimonies of the Gospel. It is amazing to see how well they've done this year so far. We just had our Primary program and the vast majority of our kids had their parts MEMORIZED. I would say a small few did not, so that is really saying something. The songs were sung with vigor and vim...as it says in one of their primary songs. I was truly PROUD of them-they made my testimony grow because of their sweet spirits and their love for our Savior.

14. Tithing: My husband always remembers. We haven't given our girls any allowances so we haven't really gone down that road yet. We'd better get on it though.

15. Stay HOME more: We do pretty well at this, but sometimes I get so antsy and want to get out of the house, but when I do we just go to walmart and spend money. I CAN DO BETTER!

16. Maintaining the House: Well, over the past couple of months we've encountered the joys of owning our own home...our water heater isn't working so well and our heating element in the dryer went out. Our lawn was pretty patchy (but it looks great now); we have a few holes in the walls that still need to be patched up...the list goes on and on, but that's normal. We have to prioritize what needs fixing and what can wait.

17. Journal/blogging: Well, if you're reading this, it's been the first post in MONTHS. So now that we have a new computer, I think that posting on my blog and our family blog will be more fun. My tiny laptop was fine, but this killer computer is so much more convenient to just sit and enjoy some ME time on the computer...so once again. I will do better.

18. Reading my patriarchal blessing more often: I keep it in my church bag and I do read it often. There are amazing blessings that are given to me and will be given to me if I will "ask in sincerity and righteousness". I am learning patience in the art of rearing children and I have learned so much by working in the Primary organization in our church. I am truly grateful for the blessings that were bestowed upon me.

19. Who am I? I am certainly learning who I am and what I can become. I can be better at studying my scriptures and preparing my sharing times more diligently. I have been blessed to come to earth at this time where there is so much knowledge readily available to me to which I can be a better wife, a better mother, a better friend, a better daughter of both my earthly parents and my heavenly parents as well. I find opportunities to share with my daughters the truths found in the scriptures and from our modern day prophets. I know who I am and what my purpose is here on earth.

20. Charity: When I have the time, I try my best to help serve others. There are so many opportunities to serve the people around me. I try to keep in touch with friends and family members. I know I can still be better.

21. Read my Resolutions often: Hmmm...as I stated at the beginning of this post, I haven't been doing so well at remembering my resolutions, but I am starting now (RIGHT NOW) and will keep at them. I still have 3 months to meet my goals...so watch out world. Here I come.