Life According to Laura

Labor Day Visit to Arlington National Cemetery

2011-09-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

This Labor Day we decided that since we were all together as a family it would be a good idea to go visit my Grandmother again at Arlington National Cemetery.

We laid stones, flowers and walked around and paid respect to not only our Grandmother but rows of brave heros that served our country.

Sadly, we noticed a new row of plots since our last visit.

We quickly realized they were the Navy Seals, Air Force and Army Personnel that lost their lives in the 8-6-11 helicopter crash in Afganistan.

Just broke my heart to see....

These coins were placed at each grave site along with a flower and American Flag

So sad.....

Till Next Time,

Laura

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-31T06:05:00.000-07:00

As I watched Hurricane Irene slowly move closer and closer to our area, I decided that it would be best to pack up the entire family (baby, dogs and cat) and evacuate to my parents house in Maryland. Of course my husband had to leave for a detatchment so I had to face this alone.

I wanted to get ahead of all the potential bad traffic from those evacuating from South and North Carolina.

Sure enough as soon as we leave, later that day my area gets a mandatory evacuation due to potential flooding.

The trip up to Maryland went pretty typical. We got stuck in a 6 1/2 mile back up through the bridge/harbor tunnel and Allie serenaded me with her lovely voice over half of the trip.

We arrived at my parents' house about 5 1/2 hours later and soon began preparing for Irene to hit. Yes, I evacuated to a place where Irene was still going to hit but I decided I'd rather be with family.

We stocked up our pantry with water, canned food, baby food and filled all three bathtubs up with water.

It was crazy seeing the lines at gas stations. People were filling up three sometimes four gas cans for their cars and generators. Stations were also hiking up their gas prices starting the day before the storm hit.

Interesting fact: If you fill up ziplock bags with water and freeze them, you can put these bags of water in your fridge if the power goes out. This will keep your fridge cold for a little longer.

The morning weather the day Irene came was ominous. There was a slight breeze and fast wispy clouds moving across the darkening sky. My mom and I decided to try and get in a walk before the storm hit but that was short lived because around 10 am the rain started....

The rain and wind sarted to get worse around 1230/1pm and stayed really rainy and windy throughout the whole day. Businesses decided to close early and people finished their last minute errands. Stores were also depleted of water and camping equipment.

We all stayed inside clued to the tv in order to stay updated on all the information on the whereabouts of Irene.

We unfortunately lost power at around 8pm and enjoyed an evening in the dark listening to the howling wind and a battery powered radio.

Side note: Our power thankfully returned the next evening but I know people who still do not have power! These people are also getting automated phone calls from the power company at 4 am telling them their power has returned when in fact it has not. Who does that?!

As forecasted, the major part of the storm passed by at around 2 am. The winds were strong and sometimes scary. My brother kept "watch" and stayed up to date on updates from his phone via The Weather Channel app and twitter. I couldnt sleep because I kept thinking about all the trees surrounding the house that could potentially fall on Allie and myself.

The next morning we woke up and were curious to see what kind of damage Irene caused and thankfully there wasnt too much except for this tree that fell much too close to the house!

We also saw trees down on power lines (probably why all of the main road in and out of D.C. had no power) and some trees on houses. A few boats at the marina my parents keep their boat were turned on their sides and a few biminies were blown off.

Im really thankful that everyone was okay and that the storm wasnt "catastrophic". I realize that we only lost a few trees and where I live didnt flood but Im glad I played it safe and evacuated to my parents' house. It's better to be safe than sorry!

Allie the morning after the storm all bright eyed and happy!

Enjoying the nice weather outside after Irene!

Dogs enjoyed being outside after being stuck in the house!

Till Next Time!

Laura

New Goals

2011-08-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

I've posted before about how to stay motivated to workout. For me, the best way to stay motivated is to train for something. I've recently trained and completed a 5K but now I'm going to return to my favorite workout of choice...cycling!

I'm planning on doing the Sea Gull Metric Century on Oct. 15th. The ride is about 65 miles. This means I need to start riding at least 50-60 miles a week. I also have to start doing long rides up to 30-40 miles too.

My challenge is now that I have Allie I no longer have the freedom to just get on my bike and ride outdoors. Most of this training has to be done in a spin class or on my trainer.

So we shall see if I can do it!

Till Next Time!

Laura

Spamtastic!

2011-08-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

This past week we visited my Dad's hometown of Austin, MN. It's a small town in southern Minnesota that's about 2 hours from Minneapolis.

One of the must-dos in Austin is visiting the Spam Museum

Spam originated here in Austin in 1937. It was created by the Hormel Corporation. The same guys who make canned chili, canned ham and other meats.

Did you know that Spam is really just Spicy Ham.... and ALOT of salt, ha!

The museum had plenty of fun hands on games for kids of all ages to play!

Here we are canning Spam in a race against the clock!

Apparently, the plant is more efficient at canning than me!

The military LOVES Spam. It was a great way to feed the troops!

Allie had a great time learning all about Spam!

Gotta love SPAM

Till Next Time!
Laura

Fly Me to the Moon

2011-07-21T12:10:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we took my little brother, who like my husband, loves anything airplanes or engineering related, to the Virginia Air and Space Museum

For a small fee of $10.50 (military rate)/person we were able to enjoy airplane and space exhibits! We saw exhibits about the Wright Brothers, WWII planes and Airforce planes from the past and present. We learned about how wind tunnels work and have changed through the years as well as how planes actually fly. Space exploration was one of the major themes at this museum too. We learned about exploring the moon's surface with robots and got first hand experience about what a space mission to Mars would be like. Let me just say, that would be a LONG time in SPACE!

There were many hands-on exhibits that I even enjoyed because lets be honest, airplanes and space aren't my first choice topic of conversation. We took vision and reaction time tests to see if we could become pilots and we were able to fly a few flight simulations in a jet plane, airliner and a lunar landing module. My brother really enjoyed sitting in the cockpit of the DC-9 as well as trying his hand at flying the Boeing 717 flight simulation within the DC-9's first class cabin. I personally enjoyed flying the jet simulator. I'm really great at barrel rolls!

At the end of our time there, my brother and I decided to ride the Max Flight simulator.

Without hesitation, he wanted to be the pilot so I became the gunner. (We were able to switch during our three minute adventure). This was such a cool ride! Paul and I couldn't stop laughing as we turned upside down and right side up, spinning until we couldn't stand it. I even did the same ride a second time with my husband because I wanted to see how it would feel like to fly with him being an actual pilot. He was successful in making me sick but also another three minutes of laughter that wouldn't stop.

Such a great way to spend an afternoon with some airplane enthusiasts!

Till Next Time!

Laura

Happy Half Birthday Allie!

2011-07-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

My baby girl is 6 months old today!

I can't believe how fast time has flown!

4 days old

Our "little blueberry" has grown to our "little one"

She has grown so much these past 6 months and it's so amazing how many things she learns to do each day!

She loves to play with her many toys, these include her exersaucer, jumperoo and play mat.

Her favorites though are my wallet that she loves to hold and chew on while we're at the store as well as a set of ribbons of different lengths and sizes. She also thinks mom and dad are fun toys too. She loves being swung around, balanced on top of my knees, or being lifted or bounced up and down.

She's such a little talker, babbling about everything. She loves to talk to herself while we are in the car. She is starting to mimic sounds such as "Hahh" and "Mmm" and "aahh". My favorite moment with her talking has been when my mom said hi to her and she said "Haaah" back with a great big smile!

She loves people. She always smiles at everyone she sees especially when she recognizes her mom and dad. She loves her grandparents, aunts and uncles and anyone that wants to hold her, ha!

She is discovering many new things and these new things have to go directly into her mouth! She likes to hold and bat at new discoveries with her hands. About few weeks ago she learned how to switch toys back and forth between hands. She is always practicing putting her pacifier back in her mouth, though most of the time it's upside down or sideways. We have also had to start clearing anything from her arms reach while at a dinner table. Ohh and she has recently found her toes too. It's so cute when she sucks on them.

She has started to not only recognize our voices but she has started to recognize the cat and dogs. She watches them while she plays or eats and grabs for the cat's tail any chance she gets. She also loves kisses from the dogs. She has learned how to give kisses as well! Although, they are definitely wet open mouthed kisses!

As of yesterday she started sitting on her own for a short amount of time. She still loves when I hold her while she sits. She still needs to sense that that I'm right there behind her in case she falls.

I love how I can tell if she likes a new food or not. She not only smiles when she likes a new food but she says "mmm mmm mmm" while she eats the new food. She really does this with pears! It's also funny when she smiles while trying to eat because the food comes right back out. I just love how happy she is.

She loves the water; boating, bath time and now swimming! Last week my brother and I took her to the pool for the first time. She loved splashing the water and looking at her feet. She even stuck her face in the water for a brief second a few times. I didn't like this very much, definitely scared me but she would quickly pick her head back up with her eyes closed and shake the water off her face! She also loved when I spun her around in a circle. Too cute!

I'm excited to see what the next 6 months are going to be like!

Till Next Time!

Laura

Mom and Baby Exercise Part 2

2011-07-15T05:42:00.000-07:00

Kiss the Baby Push-Ups

Here's an exercise that Allie really enjoys!

Place your baby underneath you while you do push-ups, kissing your baby each time you lower to the floor.

To make this exercise harder you can:

Extend one leg up in the air as you do the push-ups

Make sure to squeeze your gluts to work the backside
Bring this extended leg up to your chest after you lower your body to the ground to work more core, make sure to squeeze those abs, alternate legs each rep

Do a triceps push up

Keep your arms close to your body as you lower to the floor

Grab two heavy weights ~8-10 pounds and do a push up while holding the weights

Do a one arm row after each push-up to work your back

(Move your baby for this last variation, you wouldn't want to hit him/her with the weight!)

To make this exercise easier you can:

Place your knees on the ground

Till Next Time!

Laura

Mount Democrat: Not A Walk in the Park

2011-07-11T06:06:00.000-07:00

Mount Democrat is located in Colorado's Mosquito Mountain Range.

It's one of Colorado's many "14ers" meaning that it's elevation is 14,000 plus feet.

This was my third time climbing a mountain so I was excited for the challenge.

Part 1: It's EARLY!

We left bright and early around 5:45 and arrived at the trail head at 6:30. It's best to start as early as possible because of how fast clouds and weather can build up. You don't want to be on top of a mountain in a bad storm! We also made sure we had plenty of water, warm hats, gloves and coats as well as plenty of snacks such as apples, bananas, pb and j sandwiches and granola bars.

Here's Jesse making some pb and j sandwiches for the hike!

The challenge at hand!

Part 2: The Start and Below Tree Line!

Here is the start of the trail, as you can see it has been a cold summer so apparently this is what it should have looked like around May. With this being umm... July, this added a new challenge of having to hike through some deep snow. Thank goodness for my waterproof boots!

First stop: Snack time and Flowers! The forget-me-not flower is such a beautiful wild flower here in Colorado. As you can see it's super tiny too!

This was our first snack break. Jesse and my father in law enjoyed some fruit and I enjoyed my granola bar. Even though I wasn't quite hungry, I knew I needed some carbs and protein for some extra energy.

Here is also a look back from where we started. You can also see Kite Lake (named after its shape). It's still pretty much still frozen too, ha!

Part 3: Snow and the Start of the Rocks

This is when it started to get more technical. We weren't just hiking up a dirt trail anymore. Instead we had to trudge through foot and knee deep snow and a brief amount of three point climbing up steep rocks. Three point climbing means using your hands AND feet.

I was just thinking to myself...how in the world are we going to get down this snow faced side.... we ended up having to slide down on our behinds and basically "ski" down.

Second stop: We needed a small rest break. We also took some time to enjoy the views and the sun breaking over the mountain side. I was really starting to feel the lack of oxygen here too. Its crazy how you hike a few 100 feet and your heart is just racing and you are breathing as if you had just sprinted a mile.

Part 4: Getting higher

We had to jump over some snow run off about three times throughout our hike. I really didnt like doing this. I had my cellphone, camera and ipod in my pocket so I REALLY didnt want fall in, ha!

At the end of our day on the LAST water section we had to cross I ended up falling in when the snow pack broke from underneath me. VERY SCARY! Don't worry though, my gadgets were okay. It ended up not being that deep either. My leg got pretty soaked though and I about had a heart attack.

Here is a view of the trail, thankfully we got a small break from climbing up rocks. We also stopped to get our breath back.

Part 5: In the Saddle

Now we are about 2/3rds of the way up. It's starting to get windy, colder and more rocky so our hats and gloves became even more essential. The saddle is where we stopped for our lunch break before the trek to the top. This is also where you can start the hike up to Mt. Cameron, Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Bross.

It's a great way to summit several mountains in one day but you have to start a lot earlier and of course be in that mind-set of doing several summits. This was not in the cards for us today but that was okay with me!

The views were beautiful but it reminded me of how high we were actually getting. As you can see there are more rocks and snow and not so much green anymore.

The trail up to Mt. Cameron

Almost there!!

Part 6: Some serious climbing!

More three point climbing!

This was the section that was the most challenging for me mentally and physically. Not only was it harder to breath but there was a steep drop off the face of the mountain. Rocks can be slippery especially when there are several smaller rocks together. You have to be careful where you put your hands and feet. Jesse had to keep reminding me to lean into the mountain in case I fell or started to slide.

We also encountered more snow patches. This particular one I had to punch holes into the snow with my hands and feet in order to keep from sliding down. This also gave myself enough traction to get up the section.

Part 7: The Summit!

After a false peak (sorry Jesse) and a water break, we finally got a view of the top!

We had to trudge through another snow pack, luckily it wasn't as deep as the others.

The views were spectacular. The snow covered mountains were so beautiful!

I was so excited to finally reach the top so I decided to run up to the summit!

Finally there after 3 1/2 hours of climbing!!!

Part 8: On top of the world

It's cold and windy when you get to the top so normally there is only time for a few pictures and a quick snack. I also enjoy calling my parents after I summit. I love telling them I'm on top of a mountain, ha!

It's also crazy how fast the clouds move up here. Weather can move in fast!

View back towards town

The "official" top

So proud of us!!

Part 9: Back Down We Go

The decent took about 2 hours. 5 1/2 hours of total hiking. The hike down has its own challenges but goes a lot faster. You really feel it in your quads going downhill. Mine were actually shaking at one point. We also had to maneuver over those rocks and snow again. I prefer sliding down snow than climbing up it. That part was actually kind of fun! Although a wet butt is not, ha!

Here is some weather rolling in on our way down. I told you it moves in fast!

It was such a great morning and I really enjoyed the challenge and hiking the mountain with my husband and father in law. Mountains really make you stop and think about life and yourself. They have a funny way of breaking you down and then building you back up!

Till Next Time!

Laura

Sunday Family Dinner: Red White and Blue Potato Salad

2011-07-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a great homemade potoato salad recipe that my mother in law made for us while we were visiting Colorado for the 4th!

There are so many great flavors from the potato, egg and fresh veggies!

2 lbs potatoes (red, white and purple "blue")

1/4 cup diced sweet onion

2-3 celery sticks

1 can sliced ripe olives

1/2 green or red pepper

3 hard boiled eggs

2-3 spears of dill pickles

salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:

3/4 cup mayo

1 TBSP mustard

1 tsp dill seed or fresh dill

1/2 TBSP garlic powder or 2-3 garlic gloves

1 tsp parsley

1/8 cup juice from dill pickles

Serves: LOTS!!

Boil potatoes until tender or about 5 minutes less than fully cooked.

Combine sliced potatoes, eggs and veggies in a large bowl then grind fresh salt and pepper to taste on top before adding dressing

Serve immediately or make ahead of time and store covered in the refrigerator

I loved this potato salad and I hope you will too!

Till next time!

Laura

Allie Paints For the First Time

2011-06-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

Allie got to experience her first time painting! Though she won't remember, she can look back at these pictures and laugh as I laughed when painting with a 5 month old.

My good friend Natalie provided the washable tempura paint and canvas, so thanks Nat! She was also a big help in the production of it all, ha!

She didn't much like the cold feeling of the paint but she didn't mind standing on the canvas!

After we let the purple paint dry we added bubble gum pink footprints!

Laughing at all the craziness!

Gotta get the second footprint!

Paint all over her FEET!

All finished! So pretty :-)

Such a fun activity to do with a baby! Loved how abstract and whimsical the painting looks too.

Till Next Time!

Laura

Burn Calories doing NOTHING... WHAT?!

2011-06-30T05:02:00.000-07:00

Did you know you burn calories without even doing anything?

Quick Fact: You burn calories just living! This number of calories is called your basal metabolic rate. Also known as your metabolism! This rate is the number of calories you burn without doing ANYTHING... and I mean anything.
This rate also depends upon your gender, age, weight and height.

To find out your BMR check out this site: Calculate BMR

Mine is about 1280 calories. This is a rough estimate though. The actual way to find out is to be hooked up to a fancy machine that analyzes the air you breath out for about 10 minutes after a night of fasting and a full 8 hours of sleep or "rest". The test determines how much oxygen you consume. This test also determines your target caloric zones to help with weight loss.

It's like what this woman is doing here:

So what does this number mean to you? Well you already know it's the number of calories you would burn if you sat doing nothing all day but it's also the number you need to keep in mind to loose weight.

Weight loss happens when the number of calories going out exceeds the number of calories going in.

EAT LESS and MOVE MORE

Remember not to deprive yourself of too many calories, this can actually lower your BMR and make your body go into survival mode making you gain weight!

So I know that I shouldn't really eat more than 1,280 calories per day and that I need to exercise more and eat fewer calories in order to loose weight. :-)

Till Next Time!

Laura

Foods on a Diet

2011-06-28T05:15:00.000-07:00

Now, I'm a sucker for a McDonald's Bacon, Egg and Cheese biscuit or an Egg McMuffin or a few slices of pizza from a local chain but let's be honest, I just can't eat those everyday. So I'm excited that I have found new ways to enjoy these foods without sacrificing my gut!

1. Egg McMuffin on a diet*

To make this I use an English muffin, egg beaters (southwest style for a kick), fat free American cheese and Canadian bacon (or any sort of lunch meat)

You could add spinach or tomatoes with this breakfast too

2. Pizza on a diet*

This version of pizza has 1 whole zucchini, 1 cup spinach, a few teaspoons of feta, red pepper flakes and oregano baked all on top of pita bread

I don't even miss the loads of sauce and cheese. I love this meal for lunch. It fills me up for hours!

3. Strawberry pie on a diet

I follow the Joy of Cooking recipe (with a store bought crust of course) and instead of using the 1/2 cup of sugar it calls for I use 1/4 cup Splenda sugar blend. It's just as sweet but with half the calories!!

4. Banana nut muffins on a diet*

I just can't eat cereal every day. I like a little variety. So I love making banana nut muffins to eat for breakfast. It goes great with my morning decaf coffee. These muffins are made with applesauce instead of oil, made with no butter and still taste great!

Im allergic to oat and wheat but all of the above foods can be made with whole wheat flour to make it even healthier! Let me know if you want any full recipes!

*recipes courtesy of the Food Lovers for Life cookbook

Till Next Time!

Laura

Peaches, Wine and Time with Friends!

2011-06-26T05:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend we ventured over to Knotts Island, NC for the annual Peach Festival and to sample the local wine at Martin Vineyards.

The festival was a typical country carnival style setting with craft vendors, fried food, tractor races and of course peaches, peach pie and peach ice cream!

The kids got a chance to play on the jungle gym and swings!

Allie liked all of the sights and sounds and found a new favorite toy!

After enough melting in the humid sun, we decided to grab some lunch then head over to Martin Vineyards to do a little wine tasting. (This was one of my favorite things to do when we lived in California)

Here we tried their "Five-times better than any wine" wines. I for one am a sweet wine fan, so I enjoyed their peach wine. Tasted like a peachy Riesling !
This wine also goes great with sharp cheddar or Gouda cheese.
My husband enjoyed the semi-sweet wine called Snowgoose White. Tasted like a mix of the peach wine and chardonnay.
There were also a few dry whites and dark sweet reds to try as well!

Now I don't know about you, but the best thing to after wine tasting is to buy a bottle and drink it outside with friends overlooking some awesome scenery. The breeze from the water was a nice plus too.

Weekends like this just can't get any better!

Till Next Time!

Laura

Friday Military Fill-In 6-24-11

2011-06-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

1. Are you a different person than you were five years ago? submitted by Sisterly Thoughts
I feel that Im a little bit different than I was five years ago. Five years ago, I wasn't married, was teaching figure skating at 3 different rinks,was still in college and was saving money by living at home. I would say now that Im living on my own, am married and have a baby, I am much more outgoing and independent than I used to be. I've really grown up alot thanks to the military lifestyle, ha.

2. If you could go on Amazing Race, who would you take with you as your partner and why? submitted by Thoughts from a Poekitten
I would take my husband. Most of the time we are a pretty good team. He's more of the problem solver of situations. I'm more creative and we are both pretty athletic. I think we could kick some booty!

3. Does Facebook or Twitter actually bring more stress or good in to your life? submitted byJust an Arizona Girl
I think its been good in my life. I've loved reconnecting with old friends and meeting new friends. Facebook has been a great way to keep in touch with friends we've made during my husband's flight training. (Each stage of his training we've had to move to a different base in a different state).

4. June is National Soul Food Month- what’s your soul food? submitted by NH Girl Displace

I love pizza, biscuits and gravy and chicken and dumplings :-)

5. If you could live in any other era than the current, which one would it be & why? submitted by Sugar in My Grits
I love the fashion and hair from the 30s and 40s so it would be fun to live back then.

Tortoise and Hare Workout

2011-06-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

Here's something fun to spice up your spin workout!

We've all heard of the story about the tortoise and the hare. The tortoise is slow and steady and the hare is fast but in the end the tortoise wins the race.

With this version, the tortoise and hare end up meeting up in the middle.

Here is what you do. With a workout buddy decide who's going to be the tortoise or the hare.

The tortoise is going to gradually add resistance 6 times, one increase/minute

The hare is going to gradually increase speed 6 times, one increase/minute

After these 6 increases in either resistance or speed, you will switch roles!

The tortoise is going to keep the resistance he/she added then gradually add speed 6 times, one increase/minute

The hare is going to keep the speed he/she added then gradually add resistance 6 times, one increase/minute

You can do this with running as well by where the tortoise adds incline and the hare adds speed.

This is a very difficult workout but it's fun!

Be creative! Change it up how you'd like, for example instead of one minute do 30 second increases

Till Next Time!

Laura

Father's Day Gift Idea....for next year

2011-06-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late with posting this gift idea so I guess it can be an idea for next year.

I got the idea from a friend's pin on Pinterest and modified it into a beach themed gift.

On purpose or not, I'll never admit, ha... but the lines of the poems are not perfectly pasted straight onto the paper. Makes it a little "child-like" and thanks to friends I was able to get help making a footprint in the sand of Allie's foot. We were unable to get both, haha.

Hope you like it!

Till Next Time!

Laura

Father's Day Camping Trip

2011-06-20T06:31:00.000-07:00

There is no better way to celebrate Father's Day than a good 'ole camping trip.

Fresh air, warm sunny weather, lake view campsite was the perfect setting for a great weekend full of boating, wake boarding, tubing and water skiing!

Kerr Lake, NC

This was also Allie's first camping trip!

Now camping with a 5 month old took a little creativity with the sitting, feeding and sleeping situations.

We also didn't want to have to pack the car full of her stuff. The idea of camping is minimalism. So, thanks to the Bumbo seat, Playtex drop-in bottles and diaper changing station from the pack and play, we were able to achieve this goal.

The Bumbo seat was great to use while we ate and for her to sit in while she played with the toy we brought her and the diaper changing station was the perfect make-shift crib. The drop-in bottle liners allowed us to only have to bring one bottle. All you have to do is clean the nipple portion between each feeding and slip in a new liner!

All-in-all, Allie did great on her first camping trip. She loved sleeping in the wilderness, and loved spending the day on the boat. Jesse also had a great first father's day tearin it up on the water!

Till Next Time!

Laura

Friday Military Fill-In 6-17-11

2011-06-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

Underwear Parties, how old is too old? submitted by Wookie & Co.

Umm.... I would say these type of parties probably arent going to happen any time past college.... but pajama parties could work at any age :-)

What was your favorite class in high school? submitted by Adventures of M-Squared

My favorite class was drawing and painting. My teacher was color-blind (which I thought was awesome) and he also allowed me to get to class late because I had to train at the ice rink before school. I still remember some of the projects we did in class. He gave me such an appreciation for both types of medium and techniques. Some of my favorites were scratch board, pointillism and of course watercolor.

Have you ever convinced packers/movers to pack something they aren’t supposed to for a PCS? submitted by Ground Control to Major Mom

I can't say we have but I do remember getting through the California Border Customs stop with a huge plant in the front seat of my husband's car that had the top down. Little did we know, plants aren't exactly allowed across the border. Border patrol realized the plant's existence right as the car was given the ok to pass through. Lets just say, the patrol guy waved for a few seconds but then decided it wasn't worth it. Ha!!

Blogging plays a growing roll in the media. If you were asked to embed as a blogger with a deployed military unit, would you go? What do you think your blog would be like? submitted by To the Nth

I would think that would be a thrilling experience. I would love to hear about the stories of these deployed soldiers. My blog would probably be about their lives and the real-life conditions they are living in. I would say kind of like that Carrier series that was on PBS.

Do you think kids should attend year-round school? submitted by Marrying the Navy

I feel that year round schooling could work if there was every intention to focus more on all parts of education instead of just what is needed to pass the state standardized tests. The belief is that year round schooling allows for more time in the classroom. So I would hope that students could spend some of that time learning about the arts, more physical education or take more field trips. I do like year round school's break schedule and this may allow for less learning loss that happens on a typical summer break. I also feel that year round school could work if there was enough money to pay teachers and staff appropriately (this is hard enough as it is) as well as keeping the school building itself functional during the hot summer months.

Eat More When Exercising??

2011-06-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like exercising makes you eat more amounts of food? Have you ever caught yourself thinking, "Go ahead and have that second helping...you had a hard workout today?"
If so, you are probably guilty of using food as a reward for exercise.

According to research, a good hard workout actually tends to suppress the appetite for several hours unless you reward that hard workout with food.

I know I can be guilty of it. I have caught myself several times, especially during long bike rides craving a root beer float, ha! I tend to fight this urge with my small amount of will power but I can see how hard it can be.

I for one want to get away from using food as a reward, so I got to thinking about other rewards I could choose instead of helping myself to more food.

First things first though here's a tip:
In order to combat the hunger after exercise, it's best to have a carb/protein rich snack within 30 to 45 minutes after completing a workout. My favorite is a small glass of chocolate milk. Other snacks include, yogurt with some fruit, string cheese with a few crackers or a slice of bread with some peanut butter on it.
Waiting too long after a workout can actually cause you to over eat at your next meal or journey towards the evil junk food or sodium rich quickie meals!

Now that we are not hungry anymore lets get back to thinking of other rewards besides food!

Download a few new songs onto your iPod. Changing up your workout mix can really help you stay motivated
A nice long bath or shower
New workout outfits or gear! I recently did this as a reward to myself for loosing most of my pregnancy weight.
Get a massage or mani/pedi. It's a great way to relax those aching muscles after a hard training schedule. Obviously, you cant get a massage every day (I wish) but making this a reward after reaching a fitness goal is a GREAT reward.
Take a mini vacation! This can be getting a sitter and having a night out with friends or an actual vacation! This will help you stay motivated to hit the workouts so you can look your best!

I hope this helps those of you that find yourself frustrated by the fact that you are eating more while exercising. I hope that you can find your own personal rewards besides food to help you stay motivated to look and feel your best!

Till Next Time!

Laura

Worldless Wednesday: When my husband feeds the Baby ;-)

2011-06-15T11:54:00.000-07:00

Mom and Baby Exercise Part 1

2011-06-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

I love exercising! I love how I have a great gym close by that has a great day care to watch Allie while I do my spin classes or run on the treadmill.

This is all great but I also love finding time to exercise with Allie.

Mom and Baby exercise is a great bonding experience for both mom and baby!

Quick Fact: Exercise can help decrease symptoms of postpartum depression, help build those bones, muscles and joints and increase stamina.

Because we all know it helps to have a strong body and some stamina while raising a little one!

I will be blogging more exercises in the future but I wanted to start with one of my favorites!

Airplane Ride

While lying on your back (back pressed to the ground) with your knees to your chest, place baby on your shins! Talk/make faces at your baby as you move them up and down and side to side!

This exercise mostly targets the core and lower body.

This is also a great tummy time exercise for those babies that are not as comfortable with being on the floor during tummy time. (This game is kind of a distraction)

You can also add a leg lift to work on the quadriceps muscles.

Start with your legs at a 90 degree angle, lower legs moving your heels towards your glutes then back up again. I make sure to always keep my lower back pressed to the floor during the whole exercise.

Remember to always hold onto your baby!!

Till Next Time!

Laura

References:

Myers-Smith, C.(n.d.) Mom and Baby Exercise. Retireved June 14, 2011 from http://www.dswfitness.com/docs/Mom&BabyExercise.pdf

Polak, N. (n.d.) Get Moving! Retrieved June 14, 20011 from

http://www.babyzone.com/mom_dad/fitness_nutrition/article/mom-baby-exercise-pg4

Motorcycle Memories

2011-06-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

The time finally came in deciding to sell our motorcycle. In combination with living in a city and having a baby, we just weren't using the bike like we used to while living in a more rural area and before having Allie.

So thanks to Cycle Trader, our bike found a new home.

I started thinking of all the great memories we had with that bike. Some of my favorite memories are:

Driving behind Jesse on the trip back from buying the bike in Stillwater, OK. We were about 15 miles from our house in Enid and he runs out of gas, ha!!

One of the first pics with his new bike

Getting my first motorcycle helmet and jacket

\
Weekend day rides with friends in Kingsville, TX. We would stop and eat at Baffin Bay Cafe. I sure do miss their jalapeno poppers and after dinner mints!

Watching my little brother take his first ever motorcycle ride on the bike

I really also miss the excitement of being on the bike, lets just say I'm a tiny bit of an thrill seeker.

It was a great bike and we'll miss it but I'm sure we will buy a bigger, more powerful one in the future and share great new memories on that bike!

Till Next Time!

Laura

Sunday Family Dinner: Summer Curry Salad

2011-06-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

Keeping with my theme of our meals staying on the "lighter" side, this Sunday I decided to try the recipe from Women's Health magazine called Summer Curry Salad.

The recipe is full of healthy carbs and protein with the quinoa pasta, almonds and garbanzo beans and about 431 calories per serving (4 servings total).
I also love Indian flavors so the curry with the lime flavors was a great pairing.

Finally a meal where adding chicken is not necessary.

Till Next Time!

Laura

Fun in the Sun

2011-06-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

This weekend Allie got to experience her very first boating trip and another trip to the beach.

She did extremely well on her first boating trip. She didn't exactly enjoy her life jacket, crying every time I tried to put in on her. She definitely cheered up when we got out of the no wake zone and were able pick up some speed. It was hilarious watching her blink as the wind or drops of water hit her face. She wasn't quite sure what to think! She also loved watching her mom and dad water ski and wake board.

Did you know that you can burn about 100-300 calories in 30 minutes of water skiing or wake boarding? (This all varies depending upon your weight and skill level)

Plus the additional calories it takes to put your skis back on after you face plant into the water. I don't know about you but that part is exhausting!

For me because I cant quite do all the tricks yet, this sport is more anaerobic than aerobic but it sure is a blast. It's a great workout for your forearms, shoulders, back and triceps.

First time in a life jacket

Broad Bay, where we skied

Heading back

Passed OUT!!

The next day we spent a little time at the beach. We went to Target and got a new umbrella. Wahoo, so exiting! I was not about to lug her car seat out to our spot again. Ha! It worked out well and she got plenty of shade! Hopefully it will work when it's really windy.

Allie also put her feet in the waves for the first time! She just stared at the waves as they hit her feet after she got over the initial shock of the freezing temperature of the water.

I think we might have a water baby on our hands!

Our new umbrella!!

Chillaxin! We got her a SPF rash guard from Target.
They only had a blue one (in the boy section)
Ohh well, she looks good in blue!

Ok, this time she didn't like the water so much

Till Next Time!

Laura

Harvard University. (2004). Calories burned in 30 minutes of people of three different weights. Retrieved June 11, 2011 from http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Calories-burned-in-30-minutes-of-leisure-and-routine-activities.htm

Friday Military Fill-In 6-10-11

2011-06-10T04:56:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to join in on the Friday Military Fill-In! So here are my answers :-)

1. When you vacation what type of vacation do you like to take (beach, historic, adventurous, food oriented, etc.)? submitted by Megan Dub-Yuh

I love both the beach and mountains but I would have to say my favorite vacations have been to the mountains. I absolutely loved my stay in the Alps in Switzerland.The views were spectacular. We got to experience so many new things like eating freshly made cheese, ice cream and milk and going for a boat ride on clear blue glacier water. We also had the perfect setting for tons of hiking and mountain biking. I loved the cows with their bells too.

2. What is your best memory associated with a song (you know we all have tons!)? submitted by Ramblings of a Marine Wife

There are so many to choose from but I would have to say Pachelbel's Canon in D, it's the song I walked down the aisle to for our wedding. I've always enjoyed this piece of music, its always been my go-to for a way to relax.

3. If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with your time? submitted by Married to the Army

I would love to go back to Europe with my husband. There are SO many places there that I would like to see again and many new places I'd like to see and actually take my time while there. I think I would also like to experience Vegas with my husband or a girl's trip of course. I have driven through there so many times moving to the west coast and then back out east but I have never actually gotten the chance to stay there and see the shows or stay at the fancy hotels.

4. What is one thing about you that people do NOT typically notice at first that you wish they would? submitted by Our Motto is Patience
I guess I would have to say that I wish people would notice that I was actually an extrovert. I love being around people and doing new things but I have a tendency to be on the quieter side when I first meet people. I'm still fun don't get me wrong but I tend to take on a more listener role. It can take a little to become my more out-going self. This is something I guess I could work on and change, but you are who you are.

5. …. submitted by The Three Turners: It’s a summer of sequels, and if you had to live in one of each of the following “worlds” (there are three total) which would you choose and why?

–X-Men: Be a Mutant, what would your power be? I think it would be fun to fly. That would save a lot of money on plane tickets, ha!

–Harry Potter: Be a Witch or Muggle? Hmm, I haven't read these books for years, I guess it would be fun to have the powers!

–Twilight: Be a Vampire or Werewolf? I don't know, this is a hard one. A vampire lives a LONG time and that's a lot of hair to deal with if I was a werewolf. I guess I would be a vampire that hunted animals instead of humans, hehe.

Till Next Time!

Laura