I have not been good...

So today makes exactly one week to the day that I have not worked out...at the gym or even here at home. I've been a bad girl. LOL. Crazy thing is, I really miss it. I can tell in my day to day life (work & home) that I'm just not the same. I don't feel as full of energy as I usually do. And to add to the drama of my week last week, my favorite "friend" in the whole wide world decided to come and visit me yesterday! The things we women do to stay motivated and on track is crazy. All these damn distractions make that cookie dough ice cream in the freezer look better and better. (And yes, it really was as good as it looked sitting there) But no more putting it off. Yesterday marked the first day of summer and I'm not near as ready for tank top season as I wanted to be. Look out world...I'm back in action..starting tomorrow, because its already 9:40pm here.

P.S. Doesn't princess Fiona's dress compliment her ogre-ish figure? (I'm currently watching Shrek 2 with juju)

Lazy sunday....

So...some have emailed me directly and know exactly how my week has been going. For the rest of you out there, let's just say that I will take it day by day...and day by day I know it will get easier. Skinny and milkshake left for Colorado on friday. For how long...I'm not sure just yet. 

Big daddy came home thursday and boy was I excited! That has been the best moment of my week! When he called, I was already there waiting for him. I could hear him smile through the phone...a real smile. When he came out, I literally ran to him and gave him the biggest hug my 4 foot 7 self could possibly give! He just wanted to get home and take a real shower. But of course on the way home, he quickly changed his mind and we went and picked up juju and tank first. Juju has been asking for him since monday so when he saw his daddy he jumped outta his seat and ran to him just like I did! You couldn't wipe the smile off big daddy's face. After we got home, he showered, I changed the little ones clothes and we were back out the door headed for dinner at McDonald's! We spent the rest of the night just sitting around watching tv.

Yesterday we both had the day off and spent the first half of the day cleaning out our attic. A task that has been long over due. We took everything we didn't want or need anymore to the goodwill truck around the corner and down the street from where we live. We spent the rest of the day shopping. Shopping is definitely therapy for the soul...LOL. I finally got some new workout clothes so I don't have to wear milkshake's old t-shirts anymore. Big daddy got more clothes for work and we got juju some shorts. Didn't see anything I liked for tank, but I will look today.

Today...I'm just going to be lazy! I just got done cleaning up the "new" playroom. Now only thing left to do is clean out the little ones' room after tank gets up from his nap. Oh and head over to wally world to get some shorts for tank. But thats it. I'm taking today easy and just relax for a chance from this past week.

My Friday fitness tip

I haven't been around much lately because of my crazy, ever-changing, work schedule. But in my busy schedule I always make time to work-out. And I owe it all to big daddy! He is super into working out and being fit. "I may not be the tallest or the biggest guy around, but I am pound for pound strong." 

After I had tank I was blessed to have dropped my pregnancy weight and then some almost instantly. Now when I say instantly I mean like 2-3 months. I don't want to lose weight...I just want to be fit and lean...pound for pound strong. I am not, nor was I ever, the dreaded F-word (fat). But I am what some would call skinny-fat. I have a little extra on my arms, thighs, and midsection. With 4 children the thought of working out for me was as foreign as speaking mandarin chinese! LOL. I was tired all the time and whenever I looked into the mirror, images of my former cheerleading self would flash next to the image that was looking back at me. So I asked big daddy what I could do to at least start trying to get back into working out. And he gave me the best advice ever! From that I am the person I am today: on my way to a leaner, fitter, healthier person. So what was this great advice you ask? Well here it is.....

3 sets of 10 pushups

3 sets of 10 squats

3 sets of 10 crunches

Is that it? Unbelieveably yes. 3 times a week for about a month. It takes no more than 20 minutes. Between each set, you rest 30-60 seconds. Do it as soon as you wake up, in your pajamas if you want. Thats what I did. If tank was awake, I would lay him under me when I did pushups, and lay him in between my legs when I did squats. I would kiss him or tickle him when I came to the ground. 

Now it does take some discipline. Some days I thought, OMG I'm just too tired. Or I'll just do it tomorrow. But as the weeks went on it did get easier and I was really starting to notice the changes in my body.

Once you get used to the workout, change it up. I would do a set of pushups, then squats, then crunches...rest...2nd set of squats, then crunches, then pushups...rest...last set of crunches, then pushups, then squats. You can change it up however you want. You can even add weights.

This is the perfect beginner workout if you ask me. I started to even add jumping jacks in between sets to get some cardio in and get my heart pumping. 

My workouts have grown since then, but I wouldn't be where I'm at if I didn't start out slow. You don't need a fancy gym membership or fancy equipment. You just need determination and drive. The drive to a fitter you. So try it out. What have you got to lose? And please...let people know...Let them know your goals of becoming a fitter you. You need a support team. Blog about it, tweet about it. Email me and I'll be your personal cheerleader here in Louisiana. (mommybeautiful [at] att [dot] net)

So long for now moms (& dads). And here's to a fitter (and healthier) YOU!!!!!

People actually READ my blog!

So I had to take tank to the hospital this morning for an x-ray of his chest. He's got this cough...like an old man who's been smoking his entire life mixed with that wet congestion cough...cough. 

Anyways, the radiologist (we'll call her england because she sounded like that was were she was from) calls us into the x-ray room and tells me to have a seat while she goes to get another radiology tech. So I put the diaper bag on a chair and set tank on the table just as the england and the other tech come back into the room. England tells me I have to put on the cover thing since i'll be holding tank while she does the xray, and to give tank to Dana (the tech). So I go to hand tank over to Dana and when she looks at me, she gives me this sorta hmmmm I know you look. I don't really care so I just take tank back and lay him on the table to do the first xray which was just him lying on his back. For the next xray though he had to be on his side. Wel I would get him on his side and then he would roll over onto his belly and start laughing. So this went on about 2 more times and I was like "juju you silly boy stop." Which of course broke tank into laughter. "Oh silly boy, you're not juju, you're my xa-pi! Are you laughing at mommy?" Dana looks up at me again with the same look she gave just a couple minutes ago. Well I brush it off again and we finally get the second xray done. England says that she's gonna take a look at the xrays and come back and let me know if she sees anything or not. So I get our stuff together as Dana changes the sheet tank was on, when she turns to me and says...

DANA: I know this may sound a bit crazy, but do you by any chance have a website?

ME: No. (duh Nicole you have a BLOG...a website...but of course I was thinking at the time)

DANA: You just look really familiar is all.

(Now this is when I finally realize, hey my blog IS a website)

ME: I do have a blog. So ya I guess I do have a website.

DANA: I know this is gonna sound a little off but is it called the locker room or the boys locker room or something like that? 

ME: Umm ya its called life in the boys' locker room......

(where she cuts me off and goes...)

DANA: I knew you looked familiar, but just couldn't place it. Then you called him juju and then I realized why you looked so familiar. Girl I read your blog all the time! You are too crazy sometimes! Because of you, my husband has to pour his bee-ah in a glass before he drinks it!

ME: OMG are you for real?! (and yes I said O-M-G just like that)

DANA: Girl, yes! Where have you been? How come you haven't posted in so long?

ME: WORK! But you really read my blog? That is way cool!

England comes back in and gives us the thumbs up that she didn't find anything.  Thank goodness. But the cough is still a mystery.

DANA: Well girl let me get back, but post soon. Your crazy life is my sanity.

WOW! Can y'all believe that?! This has definitely given me the extra boost to put more time into my blog and really start branding myself! 

So HEY DANA! THANKS! 

New photo blog post!

I know i've been m.i.a...I miss y'all too! If you don't tweet with me (which by the way you should lol), this is just a short post to say I've finally posted pics of tank's first birthday. I wish my birthday was like that. Click HERE to see my birthday monster!