Month: May 2015

Do you ever have one of those really busy weeks where you decide you’re going to be super productive so you schedule out your entire week, practically down the the half hour, so you can fit everything you want and need to do into the allotted time? I did that on Sunday and STILL didn’t make/find time to work out even once! Aiyiyi! But this happened:

You know how I was all excited about the concert and a little sad that they weren’t doing an after dark event or anything? Well, I arrived at the concert and it turned out that I didn’t need to do anything extra to get closer. My aisle seat in row 8 turned out to be second row tickets next to the stairs that the dancers and performers would enter and exit from sometimes. It was just amazing. As stupid as this seems to be excited about, I could see their pores. That’s how close I was. It was exactly the experience I wanted and worked out and got under 200 pounds for. I was giddy like a little kid, jumping up and down, screaming, smiling manically, having the time of my flipping life! I didn’t even dream that I’d have face time with any one of them, so to have made eye contact with Donnie and hugged on Danny* was pretty awesome. Add to that when Donnie saw Bradley and he mimed twisting a mustache, then gave Bradley the thumbs up, I was actually a little jealous! LOL! Again, it was one of those moments that means nothing and everything, but it made my month, for sure!

In addition to the insane joy that NKOTB added to my life this week, I also had a track meet, lots of testing at school, a music performance, sub plans to prep for and, most importantly, I needed to prepare for my end of the year evaluation. That happened on Wednesday, as well, and I’m pleased to report that I did really well. I’ve come full circle, back to the foundation of who I am as a teacher. I am much more confident and capable now than before, and it’s lovely to hear my voice and know that who I am, how I teach and my philosophy of education is valued and validated in my newer setting.

Tomorrow I am thrilled to be returning to booty camp again. On Saturday I’m running a color vibe 5K. Sunday I hope to hike. Exercise will be the focus, again, outside of my family and work life, and it feels good to be embracing it again after two spotty weeks!

*Truth absolutely told, I rapidly tossed my phone to Bradley so he could get the picture when Danny came off stage to hug on us blockheads. It was taking forever, we were standing there smiling, Danny got irritated and said “What the f**k, man! Be ready!” I was chuckling because he’s notorious for being a little grumpy and how was I supposed to be ready for a photo op that I had no idea would happen?! It turned out that my phone crashed as soon as I grabbed Danny and tossed my phone, so Bradley had to reload it and it took a sec. Some time for that to happen! No harm no foul. 😉

Ouch.
I’m still slowly and painfully dragging my boot-camped booty out of bed, two days after booty camp. In pain. Sore. Oh. My. Goodness. I’m all whiny and asking for excessive hip, leg, back and butt massages. Way more than my quota. I can’t even remember the last time I felt like this!!! Like, it must have been high school, or a big hike right after, or… I don’t even know. That’s how significant my soreness is!
Really, it’s kind of funny because I throw myself into any exercise with 100% effort. I don’t hold back because I don’t trust myself to give maximum effort if I allow for any modifications. Modifications, for me, mean that I just dumb the exercise down until it’s easy, I hardly break a sweat and I think I worked out, later I eat like I worked out but, really, I didn’t work out. I used to count meandering the mall on a window shopping expedition as ‘walking’, so you can understand why I’m so hard on myself and don’t allow for excuses or modifications. So, when our instructor Camille told us to get five pound weights, or smaller if we needed to modify, I went with fives. It’s true that my arms were burning beautifully and exhausted when I put the weights down, so I know I did great work, it just hurts a lot more than I expected! And when she told us to do burpees, or planks, or push ups, or crunches, I didn’t stop. Well, except when she did this amazing slow sit-up thing with her arms over her head that I couldn’t even do. I just laid there and crunched… But still. I did that workout and didn’t even think that much of it in the moment. Sure I was sweaty and tired, but I really am surprised by how I am feeling. I planned to run this weekend and can’t even imagine. I’m wondering if I’ll be able to Zumba on Tuesday! LOL!
Not really. I’ll totally be there.

My exercise level this weekend was limited to a walk and a visit to our local ‘parklet’. Whoever knew such a thing existed?! But for me, it was good. That said, I had planned on running a time or two- ha ha ha ha ha ha! HA! We also got our portraits taken. You know, the ones at St. Ed’s in the fairy grotto with the buttery light? Yep. That happened last night with my friend Hannah Elvrum. It was harder than I thought to not cheese to the camera. Really hard. But what I’ve seen so far is pretty amazing. You think you know what your kids look like from being with them every day until someone else takes their picture. Wow. I’ll share after I’ve had a chance to see more of them. 😉
Oh. And do you remember what’s happening on Wednesday? Do ya? Do ya?! Here’s a hint:

Oh, I think I do. And yes. You’re going to have to tolerate these on every post this week.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
(‘The Right Stuff’ should be stuck nicely in your head now.)

I never thought I’d attend such a class. Hip-hop boot camp? Which I call booty camp? And yet… There I am, lifting myself off the ground, kicking my legs higher, higher, slower, slower… Oh my goodness. It was a good workout.
I’ve come to learn a few things about myself: 1. I run and have strong legs therefore I love any exercise that exploits my legs. 2. I stopped doing my floor and weight work at home, thus have not as strong arms and abs as legs and struggle through the abs and arms songs. Guess what I need to work out a lot more? There’s definitely something to be said for participating in a comprehensive workout like the one I had today. I know my weak areas for sure.

Today was a hoot- again. Even through the push-ups, planks, burpees and crunches, we laughed, danced and had the best time! There were six of us today- Julie, Tanya, Christina, Jessica, me, and Janice was there when I was there for the first time today, and she is joining the gym, too! Its like this once in a lifetime opportunity where we just happened to come together and it’s working! We couldn’t have created it if we tried- it just organically happened. It’s been so fun to see this group of women expand and I’m so proud of and grateful to my friends, Julie and Laurie, for pulling us all together in the name of fitness, fun and health! Booty camp for sure! I came home and weighed in at 197, again, so I’m pleased to note that with future work I should get closer and closer to my goal!

Have you done the age robot yet? I was interested to see how it aged me at my different weights and it generally aged me more when I was heavy… But it was pretty darn close on the more recent ones. Many people said the age robot was complimentary… What does that say about me?! It was fairly accurate! LOL!
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Tomorrow I want to go for a run with Bradley so we continue with our exercise habit and relationship as well. He’s not been feeling very well lately with allergies and thinks he’s ready to hit the road again. I need to keep on training! I realized Mother’s Day is next weekend and I need to be able to run the Color Run 5K that I selected as my Mother’s Day gift, not to mention my future 10K! Just keep moving, Tamara.
As DW says: ‘Rise and grind.’ Keep it going… Speaking of, I’m hyper aware that I get to see my NKOTB in five days and that they are starting their tour tonight. In another city, I’d be watching their show… Squeeee!!!