Pure Barre...16th Street vol. 1

I have been slacking in the workout department, but it's almost beach time sooo that should be enough motivation for the next couple of weeks! Earlier, I put Carson down for a nap, and had every intention of doing the 16th Street volume 1 Pure Barre DVD, but I got through the warm-up and he started screaming.  So, I had to stop. BUT I'm sort of glad because it gave me time to think about what is different even in the warm up from the dvd vs. the class warm up.  The 16th Street package comes with a double tube band to help with the resistance for certain moves.  I found my band is quite larger than the ones we used in class & even seen on the video.  So, I used the PB ball for the ab warm up, and a set of 3 lb weights for the arm warm up.  That is what we did in class, and what I am used to.  It seems more challenging to me as well.  The band was great for the legs and seat portions though! I really felt my legs burning out, especially during the seat work on the floor when you are on all 4's working that crease where your seat meets your thigh! (My problem area, for sure) One of my favorite portions of class that I am not seeing in the videos are the "last tucks of the day" where you simply lay on your back and lift your seat in the air and "tuck." So I started pausing the video right after the back extension work, adding that part in myself, and then doing the final stretch.  Overall, 16th Street #1 is my favorite video out of the 3 I have done thus far! I love how this one has more arm work, and the extra resistance with the bands really makes you work!  Don't get me wrong about making those small changes.  Those ladies know what they are doing.  It's strictly personal preference :)  I'm definitely not as flexible and have to focus on my technique, but hopefully I will get better and better each time I do a video!

Weekly Meal Plans

I don't know about you, but I'm always a mess in the kitchen trying to re-find the recipes online or wherever that I found earlier in the week to cook! I have recipes in cookbooks, saved on my computer and phone, pinterest, etc...It has taken me this long to get organized about it.  I have started to make a weekly meal plan on a word document with the weeks ingredients and recipes in the order of when I will be cooking them.  That way I can just pull up or print out one document for that whole weeks worth of recipes.  The best part about this is that weeks meals are saved on your computer and they are already there for another whole week down the road, so the work is already done!  You can go even further with this and make a grocery list at the bottom of the document by copy/pasting all of the ingredients from that weeks recipes.  I am probably the last person to think of this, I know.  But it is a revelation that is going to seriously help me out in the future and thought I would share :o)

Weekend Homebodies

We were lazy & productive all at the same time this weekend! The most excitement we had outside watching the Olympics, was taking the 30 minute drive over to the west side of El Paso to Target, Best Buy, and Pier 1 to get things for the house and Carson, of course. We got him a red crab baby pool for the backyard (which is ironic because our backyard is all sand, hehe).  He LOVED playing and splashing in it until he noticed the mud puddles on the side of the pool from the water.  Typical boy.  We are still in the process of turning this house into a home.  Carson's room is the only room in the whole house that is finished.  I am taking my precious time deciding where to hang and put things everywhere else, mainly because I'm the most indecisive person in the world.  I finally made some decisions today, so my sweet hubby got his handy man power tools out to put some things on the blank walls.  The little changes we made have already made a huge difference! The guest room is starting to be one of my favorite rooms in the house.  To spice it up, I got a white Martha Stewart quilt with shams, sea foam sheets and pillowcases, and a mustard & white patterned  lampshade on a white mirrored side table (both from Target). I just love the white with huge pops of color. Now, I'm just in the market for bright patterned throw pillows to complete the look. It's nothing special yet, just a fresh and happy room to gaze into when walking down the hall. I hope y'all had just as grand of a weekend as we did, whatever the activities!

Carson and daddy paying the bills 

Cinnamon taking a puppy snooze on Saturday 

"I know y'all watch me Mama & Dada" 

Splish Splash!!!! 

Playing in his crab pool!

.....but the dirt is wayyyy cooler

 Play time with Cinny is always a hit!

Enjoying one of his favorite toys minutes before bedtime on Sunday.

The guest bedroom thus far

My Pure Barre Obsession

So I'll go ahead and throw this out there...I gained about 50 lbs during my pregnancy with Carson, which is quite a bit even for your first. When he was born back in November, needless to say my body was definitely in need of some TLC. I kept hearing wonderful things about Pure Barre from Facebook friends and wanted to see what the buzz was all about. It turns out Lindsey Laurenzi, who I briefly cheered with back in the day, and her sister Kim Morgan opened a Pure Barre franchise in Germantown, TN. That location was so successful they opened another studio in East Memphis. So clearly, women were seeing results.

So what is it all about??

Straight from their website...."Pure Barre is the fastest, most effective way to change the shape of your body. Using small isometric movements at the ballet barre set to motivating music, Pure Barre lifts your seat, tones your thighs, and and arms and burns fat in record breaking time. Clients see results in just 10 classes, lose inches in weeks and have fun doing it!"

This couldn't be more spot on!

First of all, I am not going to lie, Yes, PB is expensive compared to some other gyms, but definitely worth every penny. You will also feel somewhat like a fish out of water the first week or so, because there is alot of technique involved. It just takes time to learn and understand how to target the movements to the proper part of your body But once you get it down, boy do you see results fast! I quickly became borderline obsessed. Not only with the workout, but also the overall experience! The instructors and other women in the class make it so much fun to where you look forward to going to your next class!

I ended up purchasing their New Mom 3-month Unlimited package which was quite the deal. I could go whenever I wanted for a set price. I started Pure Barre about 20 lbs above my pre-baby weight, and by the time my 3 month session was over I had lost that and then some!

But I didn't just lose weight, I really toned up! My tummy was clearly the part of my body that needed the most help after the baby. Luckily, PB really targets that stubborn area below your belly button that most all women have an issue with. After those 12 weeks I was very pleased with my core results. Enough to brave the beach in a bikini! My arms, thighs, and "seat" were more lean, lifted, and toned as well. I definitely wish I had more time in the studio so I could maximize my results more!

After my short 3 months were up at Pure Barre it was time for Carson and me to move back to El Paso because Drew was coming home from deployment. Sadly, El Paso does not have a Pure Barre studio :( So, I have been out of my Pure Barre routine for about a month and a half and I can definitely tell the difference in my body. There is nothing like taking a class in one of their studios from any of their motivating and amazing instructors, but the next best thing are their DVDs they have available their online website.

I have been doing the Mile High 1 & 2 DVDs this week, and it feels great to be doing any sort of Pure Barre again! So much so, I ordered their 16th street package 2 days ago and am anxiously awaiting it's arrival! Hopefully these videos can give me my PB fix and results until we move back to Memphis!

I highly recommend looking to see if there is a Pure Barre near you, and taking at least one class to see what this new craze is all about. But for those of you who like at home workouts, or do not have one close, I will do some blogs on their DVDs as I can, and let you know what I think. So far, so good :) No surprise there!

www.PureBarre.com

Back in Business

I have recently been inspired to start back up the blog by my bestest friend Kellee. She's right. I'm sure people get sick of me posting to Facebook every day or so of the shenanigans going on around me. This is probably a much better outlet :o)

WELL, DREW IS HOME!! We are currently adjusting to life as 3 back in good ole El Paso. Carson couldn't have taken to Drew any better once he got back, which was Monday, July 23rd. It was like he never left! We are renting a house on the northeast of EP, and I am slowly but surely decorating the house as I can. (considering we have a mobile 8 month old, it's safe to say my time is easily cut in half)

Speaking of that little squirt....he is 8 months old and some change! Not sure how or when that happened :( He is definitely a wild man! He's crawling and pulling up on everything. So, all eyes on Carson at all times, that's for sure! He has 5 teeth and working on some more I believe. He is quite possibly the happiest baby on the planet. Always smiling, laughing, and carrying on in his own world. We couldn't love him any more!

I will be posting baby, house, recipe, and anything else I deem necessary updates on here that might humor anyone who reads this....if there is anyone :o)

Carson is 4 months!

(March 18, 2012)

(1st rice cereal feeding)

Carson is 4 months old! wowzers! He is 14lbs 13oz and is 24 1/2 inches long.  At his doctor's appointment we were told he is in the 70th percentile in weight, 30th percentile in height.  I was very surprised about his height, because I always thought he was pretty tall for his age! We joked and said we were maybe just comparing him to my nephew, Cade, who is still a "nugget" as we call him.  4 month doctors appointment also comes with a dose of shots, ugh.  Cars-man didn't do so swell after this set, poor thing.  He immediately ran fever & was so uncomfortable for 2 whole days.  It took him about 4 days to completely get over it all, but he is back to his normal happy self again thank goodness! He is teething like crazy! He is drooling something awful, and has white nubs below his gums that hopefully won't push through for a while....I still love having a little gummy bear :) He also got cleared to start rice cereal.  It was too funny watching him try to eat, because he had no clue what he was doing.  He would roll his tongue and it would all come pouring out of his mouth.  Definitely, more on him than he actually ate, but thats the fun part about it! Carson being 4 months old marks the middle of this deployment, give or take! :)

Hayden & Carson

(Hayden & Carson meeting)                 (the babies at Shelby Farms)

                                 
During my pregnancy, I became super close with a mutual friend, Mary Catherine Patenaude.  Just so happens that she was expecting a little girl, Hayden, and was 2 months ahead of me in her pregnancy.  It was wonderful always having someone to talk to about swollen feet, how big we were getting, and monthly check-ups. Now, Hayden and Carson are here and those conversations have changed to diapers, spitting up, and doctors appointments! The Patenaude's live just outside of Chicago and came to visit Mary Catherine's parents in Memphis earlier this month.  Needless to say, we were both itching to get these two babies together! After a few initial stare downs, they just loved each other and were the best playmates! We can't wait to see them again, hopefully soon!