I'm back!!!

Our trip to Bonaire was absolutely fabulous! I had such a great experience. I am so blessed I was able to travel there with such great company. I didn't get to work out while I was on vacation, but we did do a fair amount of walking so that was a positive. 
I went to the YMCA yesterday for a yoga class. I had a terrible migraine but still wanted to work out and I knew yoga would be a great way to relax but still get a workout. The instructor didn't show up so I just headed home to relax. At least I tried :-) 
It really is hard to get back into the groove of exercising once you stop for a couple of days, but this morning I went to cycling class. I cycled 24.5 miles in 50 minutes. Not too shabby for having a week off! Then this evening I went back to the YMCA to take two classes. I took Zumba first and then stayed for Pilates. Zumba was fun. I really love that class. Pilates was great too. We did a lot of work with the ball and it really helped to stretch out all of my sore muscles and even though I am working out my core, I find it relaxing. I know I will be feeling it tomorrow, but what is it they say; no pain no gain! I am proud to say since I started working out at the YMCA on Sunday, March 13th and watching what I eat, I have lost 9.4lbs. I am feeling great and I am really proud of my new lifestyle :-)


“Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.”

There's Only One You from Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado

From the place of His Dwelling , He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually.

Psalm 33:14-15

You are the only you God made. He made you and broke the mold. Every single baby is a brand-new idea from the mind of God. No one can duplicate your life. Scan history for your replica; you won't find it. God tailor-made you. He "personally formed and made each one" (Isa. 43:7 MSG) No box of "backup yous" sits in God's workshop. You aren't one of many bricks in the mason's pile or one of a dozen bolts in the mechanic's drawer. You are it! And if you aren't you, we don't get you. The world misses out. You are heaven's Halley's comet; we have one shot at seeing you shine. 

This was my devotion from yesterday and it really touched me because I know that some days I feel so unimportant and can feel a lack of purpose in my life; especially since I have been on disability and have stopped working. Reading this only reiterated what I have been working on the past couple of years; to know that God only made one of me, I am important and I have a purpose not only in my own little world, but outside of my bubble too. I know if I continue to have faith and focus on all of the things that I can do, I will become more confident in myself and what God is calling me to do/be on this earth.

Feeling grateful...

This morning I went to my third cycling class at the YMCA. I cycled 25 miles in 50 minutes and the instructor cycled 27 miles, so I wasn't too far off. That is the most I have cycled and the longest I was able to stand up on the bike and complete all of the sprints throughout the class! I was very excited!!
A couple of Tuesdays a month I take my niece Kate to her girl scout meetings because my sister has class at UNCC. So today, we thought my niece had a meeting but it turns out she didn't, so since I was already on my way I went over anyways! I am glad I did. I was able to spend time with my sister and Kate and we got to play a few board games. My nephew Connor was napping but once he woke up, my niece, nephew, and brother in law, Jim, all went out to dinner at Del Taco. It is similar to Taco Bell except they sell burgers, chicken tenders and fries. It was my first time and it was actually pretty good! 
After dinner, I headed home and relaxed for a little while and watched some t.v. Tonight, I worked out to the Zumba Target Zone DVD's; not just to work off all the calories I ate at Del Taco, but because I absolutely LOVE it!! 
I am so thankful for God, Jesse, and all of my family. It has been a rough couple of years but I have learned to accept and love the life God has blessed me with. I have never felt so full of love and gratitude. 


Since it is almost midnight, I am going to say 3 more days until we leave for Bonaire :-)


~ I have learned that some of the nicest people you'll ever meet are those who have suffered a traumatic event or loss. I admire them for their strength, but most especially for their life gratitude - a gift often taken for granted by the average person in society. 
Sasha Azevedo ~

Doing the best that I can!

Since I didn't get a chance to blog on Saturday I will do a little back tracking! I woke up early and went to a cycling class at the YMCA. I was able to do 23 miles in 50 minutes. I was able to increase my incline from the last class and I was able to stand up longer too. I was pretty pleased with myself! I also took the turbo kick class after cycling. I actually really like that class. The instructor is so high energy; I love it! Her husband actually took the class and he was the only guy in the class, so that was pretty cool! On Saturday night, Jesse and I went over to his mom's house for an XBOX Kinect party. It was so much fun :-) We played Kinect Adventures and Dance Revolution. It was a BLAST!! 

Sunday, was a day of rest. I helped Jesse finish up some yard work he had started and then we went over to my dad's house for dinner. My dad made brown rice, red beans and chicken curry! It was so delicious :-) Jesse and I really enjoyed it! My dad can really cook and I try to watch him whenever I get the chance so I can learn, because in our family there are no recipes written down. Generation to generation has learned from watching, so that is what I try to do. After dinner, Jesse, my dad, uncle Eddie and Mark Anthony went out on the patio and enjoyed some beers and a cigar while my aunt and I stayed inside and watched the CMA's. I am the only country music lover in the family but thankfully she sat through it with me :-) 

Today, I was feeling pretty tired and didn't have too much energy so I stayed home most of the day and enjoyed time with Jesse before he went to work tonight. I actually took a late afternoon nap and Jesse woke me up for dinner. We had mandarin orange chicken over basmati rice that I got from Trader Joe's. It was very good. Tonight, I got some energy so I put in my Zumba DVD since I didn't make it to the YMCA. I did the Target Zone DVD's . One was Arms and Abs, which was 26 minutes, Cardio and Glutes which was 22 minutes and then Arms and Obliques which was 23 minutes. The total was 71 minutes which flew by! I am so in love with Zumba. I was very scared to try it but I am so glad I did. It makes exercise feel nothing like exercise! I thank the YMCA for all of their classes because they make exercise so much fun but still definitely a work out! 

By the way, we leave on Saturday morning for our trip to Bonaire and we are SOOO EXCITED!!!  :-)

The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. Psalm 23:1

What fits your busy schedule better, exercising one hour a day or being dead 24 hours a day? Randy Glasbergen, Cartoonist

Friday morning I went to Zumba Gold and then I took a Gentle Toning class. Gentle Toning was working with resistance bands and free weights. It was really great. I could definitely feel it doing the different exercises with the bands and weights. At the end of the class, we cooled down with some yoga. It really helped me out because I have been feeling pretty sore in my shoulders and it helped to loosen up all those muscles. I am feeling a lot less sore! I was feeling pretty tired this morning and didn't even think I would make it through Zumba but I far surpassed my goal!

For dinner we had pan seared tilapia with lemon zest & lemon juice with some cheesy rice and broccoli. It was DELICIOUS!! 

~ The patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his/her own life.  Don't take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop.  ~Quentin Regestein