More is More

A lot of New Year's resolutions involve less. Less weight. Less debt. Less clutter.
But for me, 2015 is going to be all about more.

1. More Exercise.
I'm shooting for 200 classes at Jazzercise next year. More sessions with Rachel at Prairie Life Fitness. And something new. Belly dancing lessons, anyone?

2. More Muscle.
Strong is the new sexy. I especially want fabulous arms and shoulders to show off in sleeveless tops this summer. More strength classes on the agenda.

3. More Food.
Healthy, fabulous, tasty food made by me. Real food with ingredients that don't sound like they came from a chemistry lab. I'm going to TRY to learn to love kale.

4. More Shoes.
No, not the kind with heels. (Although, I wouldn't mind more of those, too.) I need to be better about replacing my workout shoes more often to protect my knees.

5. More Water.
I've never been good about drinking water. Gotta work on that.

6. More Spending.
But only on something that fills a need or is truly special. I spent 2014 getting rid of junk. So this year, when I buy something new, it's got to make my heart sing. 

7. More Happiness.
I'm starting my own Happiness Project, based on the book by Gretchen Rubin. More on that later.

8. More Blogging.
Because it's fun. (See #6)

What are you planning for the new year?

 

Failing Forward

So how are those 2014 resolutions coming?

It might be too late for me to lose another ten pounds, learn to speak Spanish and become an expert bread baker.

However, just because I didn’t check off everything on my list, I’m not writing off the year as a failure. In fact, when it comes to health and fitness, 2014 has been a success.

•  I earned my Crave shirt from Jazzercise for taking 150 classes.

• My G.I. Jane class from Prairie Life Fitness scaled walls and slogged through muddy water at the Mud Factor run.

• I worked out at the park with Fara and the rest of the Hard Core and More  Jazzercise group. And I want to do it again next spring.

• MOST of the time I ate a healthy diet. I tried to follow the 80/20 rule and do the right thing 80% of the time. (Well, there was that one day...)

• My son and I teamed up to climb the wall at UNL. Yes, I made it to the top.

 

·       

 

• I mixed it up with Pilates Reformer class, yoga and Nia. Variety is good.

•  I started using a stand-up desk at work. (Because sitting is the new smoking.)

All in all, it was a good year for health and fitness. And when I failed (and I did!), I tried to “fail forward” by learning from mistakes and not letting failure stop me in my tracks.

In fact, the year isn’t over yet.

So here are my resolutions for the last few weeks of 2014.

·      Move every day. Jazzercise, PLF, yoga, walks - just do it. 

·      Enjoy the holiday goodies but don’t use them as an excuse to binge

·      Drink water.

And enjoy every minute of the holidays!

Time to...

The best part a new week in a new month is that you can start fresh. And I really need to press the reset button.

I am powerless in the face of little tiny candy bars and they are everywhere. In fact, just downstairs is a basket of leftover Halloween candy calling my name. What's worse than Halloween candy? Christmas candy! It's on the shelves of my grocery store already and that's really annoying. It also fuels a little flame of anxiety that makes me feel like I should be making lists,  shopping, baking, cleaning, wrapping and getting into holiday mode.
Stop the madness.




For me, anxiety triggers emotional eating. On top of that, t gets dark early making it VERY tempting to go home after work and snuggle up on the couch with the remote control and a big bowl of mac and cheese. Comfort food, anyone? On the weekends, all I want to do is cook and bake and try new recipes. (Note to self: Stay off Pinterest. Too many mouth-watering recipes!)

When I have a lot to do, I also lose sleep. For some reason, busyness causes me to toss and turn all night so that when the alarm goes off, I'm already dragging. Lack of sleep erodes my resolve and makes it so much easier to go off the rails. 

The good news is that November is the perfect time to reset. Thanksgiving is four weeks away and the weather is still nice enough to go for a walk during my lunch hour. It's time for new resolve to get through the end of the year with a closet full of clothes that still fit. Exercise and sensible eating translates to better sleep and more energy for celebrating with family and friends. I want to feel good and be on top of my game.

I'm starting out with gusto. On Sunday, I made it to Jazzercise for my 150th class and earned my free "Crave" t-shirt, presented by one of my Fitness Gurus, Vicki Hurd. I'm going to focus on craving my workout, as opposed to craving the M&Ms in the basket.

Earned it!

So here we go on the downhill slide to 2015.

Reset.

A Day on a Jazzer-Cruise

At Jazzercise on Monday, Tria, our instructor, talked about the idea of a Jazzercise cruise. I've been thinking a lot about that idea this week and frankly, I think it's a winner.
Here's an imaginary schedule for the day aboard the Jazzercise Cruise ship.

 Good morning, Jazzer-Cruisers. This is your captain speaking.

Our stop at Judi's Private Island yesterday was fantastic! Sun, sand, water and drinks with little umbrellas - what could be better than that? I'm sure everyone burned a few extra calories with that Jazzercise class on the beach. Pivot turns and chasses are challenging when you're ankle deep in sand. And that G.I. Jazzer-Jane class was definitely badass. Especially that part where you took all the lifeboats off the ship and ran laps in the ocean.

Today we're at sea and here's what's on the schedule:

6 a.m.   Fit with Fara
This Personal Touch class gets you moving and energized for the day. Squat, jump, lunge and climb your way to health and fitness with Fara. (Note: Due to noise complaints from those who didn't get IN until 6 a.m., the class will no longer be permitted to do lunges through all the corridors outside the stateroom areas. The loud groaning is waking the passengers. The class will, however, be running  stairs. So get out of the way.)

11 a.m. What? It's Morning Already?
During this low-low-low impact class, you'll sit in a deck chair and barely move. Especially designed for those who complained about the go-getters in Fara's class. (Bloody Marys and ibuprofen extra.)

Noon  Lunch buffet on deck.
Build your own fabulous salad and smoothie.

1:00 What? It's Afternoon Already?
Move from the deck chair to the spa for a mani-pedi and facial.

2:00 Soul-Time
Massages and yoga on deck. Entertainment by special guest, Sara Bareilles. Namaste.

3:00 Don't Exercise, Accessorize!
Find your favorite Jazzercise merch, workout gear and accessories at our shopping mall on the Promenade Deck. Shoes! Prices slashed! Everything on Sale! Shoes!

4 - 4:30 GangPlanks
...And other core exercise.

5:00 Latin Jazzercise on Deck
Led by Inigo Montoya.

6:00 Dinner
Dine in one of our fabulous restaurants.
The Veg features a delicious and nutrient packed menu. Options for gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, Weight Watchers, Atkins, lacto-veggie, lacto-ovo, ovo-nuevo, fruitarian and taste-free.
DieTanic features extra everything.

7:00 Dancing with the Stars
DWTS cast includes Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Taye Diggs and Johnny Depp.

9:00 Dance the Night Away
Join us in the Single, Single, Double Dance Club where the Jazzercise playlist will be spinning all night.

Midnight
Jazzercise Under the Stars. Followed by the Endless Chocolate and Wine Buffet.

A Sloth in Pajamas

Sometimes, I joke about staying in pajamas all day.

Sunday, I did it.
PJs.
All. Day. Long.
It was UH-mazing.

It was a gorgeous fall day and I don't think I ever stepped outside, except to let the dogs out. I kept thinking: I should go outside and rake leaves. I should take the dogs for a walk. I should work out. Those things and (many more "should-as") never happened.

Now, this is not normal for me. I usually have a very long to-do list on the weekends and I tend to barrel through it relentlessly. And on Saturday, that's what I did. Yoga, groceries, laundry, cleaning, errands. Check, check, check, check.

But Sunday, I started with the paper and coffee and ended with a good book. In between, I did my nails, worked on a scarf and a sweater I'm knitting,  thought about the fall and what I want to accomplish, made a fall bucket list and watched TV. Oh, and I think there was a nap in there somewhere.

Did I say it felt great?

This morning,  I had a twinge of guilt for wasting a day. Then I came to work this morning and saw this article and felt vindicated. The author of  The Lost Practice of Resting One Day Each Week talks about the importance of rest for our body and mind. But it was the rest for the soul that caught my attention.

We live in a 24/7 world where "busyness" equals success. We can be reached no matter where we are or what we're doing. Information is at our fingertips and there's never an excuse for being unconnected. Sometimes, I check into Twitter or Facebook and it ratchets up my anxiety because I feel like I'm missing out. I should be on the move. Doing something, making something, buying something.

The result is less time to think, reflect and just breathe. There's value in simplicity, quiet, contentment and being restful.

I don't think I'll spend every Sunday as a sloth in pajamas - not really my style. But rest is essential and helps me return to work feeling less frazzled and more energized. (Besides, it gave me an excuse to google sloth in pjs and find adorable pictures. The internet is a wonderful thing.)

Strike a Pose

I'm conflicted about yoga.

I've tried it several times over the years and never stuck with it. Yoga has always taken a back seat to other types of exercise that involve cardio and strength. I want heart-pounding, calorie-demolishing intensity. And, face it, it's just more fun for me to dance at Jazzercise then twist myself into impossible poses at yoga class. At Jazzercise, I feel like I'm on Broadway. When I do yoga, I feel ungainly, inflexible and, well, silly.

I also have trouble quieting my mind and yoga demands focus and concentration. When I'm supposed to be focusing on correctly holding a pose, I'm likely to notice my chipped manicure and wonder when I'll have time to do my nails again. When we're in Savasana, or corpse pose, at the end of class, I start to think about what I need to pick up at the grocery store.

Recently, I decided to go back to yoga and try to make it a habit.  My goal is to improve my flexibility and balance, two elements of a well-rounded exercise program that are often ignored.

There are other benefits to yoga, as well.

• Strength  Yoga helps improve strength in your core, legs and upper body. After class, I can tell I've worked every muscle. 
• Body Awareness  After taking yoga, I realize how poor my posture is most of the time. There's no slouching in yoga.
• Health  Regular yoga practice is linked to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides and that can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Yoga may also boost the body's immune system.
• Decreasing Anxiety, Stress and Depression  Studies suggest the breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques in yoga help relieve stress and boost feelings of well-being. And who doesn't need that, these days? 
• Yoga Pants are great. There's nothing comfier than yoga pants and a sweatshirt.

So, okay. I'm going to give yoga another try. My plan is to go at least once a week through December and see how much my balance, flexibility and state of mind improve.

Namaste.

Thinking Outside the Head of Lettuce

I take my lunch to work almost every day. Usually, I throw together a big salad with a variety of greens and whatever I have on hand - tomatoes, mozzarella, cucumbers, a little cooked chicken, olives, broccoli. It's a great way to get a hearty serving of veggies every day.

But, lately, I've been suffering from salad fatigue. It can get boring.

I've started spicing things up by looking for interesting and healthy salad recipes on Pinterest. This is what I tried this week and it was great!

It's roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, cherry tomatoes, chopped green beans and a few dried cranberries with a raspberry vinaigrette. Tasty, colorful and filling.

In September, I couldn't get enough of this salad:

Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, corn, mozzarella and avocado. Of course, it's always easier for me to put together a great salad in the summer and early fall when vegetables are fresh. But I do love an alternative to lettuce!

What are your favorite healthy brown-bag lunches?

Weekend Reset

Yes, almost. Here comes Tuesday.

The best thing about today? A dance party at Jazzercise at 5:30. Hands in the air, let it all go, better-than-therapy workout. Yesssss.

My weekend was semi-productive. A little Hausfrau-ing, a little football, a little napping. I made it to a yoga class on Saturday and that felt great. I need to do more of that. Jazzercise on Sunday and I needed that because I baked some utterly decadent chocolate chocolate chip cookies with salted caramel sauce. They were so good I didn't even get a picture because they disappeared so fast. The leftover caramel sauce is in the freezer and I hope I can resist diving into it in the middle of the night.

Also this weekend, I went to  the movie, This is Where I Leave You. I just finished the book and usually I find books are better than movie versions. But in this case, I think the movie was better than the book. It was hilarious and the casting was spot-on. I love Jason Bateman and Jane Fonda was great. (And, geez, she looks uh-mazing!)

The worst part of the weekend? George Clooney is officially off the market. Doggone it.

And, I did a little seasonal decorating. Bring on October!

 

It's the Friday before a Husker game day so of course, I'm rocking the (Go Big) Red. My fellow Jazzerciser and Personal Shopper Denise King picked these out for me at a consignment shop. And since they came at the bargain price of
99 CENTS, I'm going to have to go shopping now and find some new shoes to go with them.

Here are some random Friday thoughts.

• Eat That Frog. I'm a list-maker. I make to-do lists, grocery lists, lists of music I want to download, lists of lists. Now I'm trying something new. I'm actually scheduling what's on my list. And every day, I try to do the hardest thing first. That's the one of the suggestions in this book. I plan out my day and my week and then tackle the tough stuff right away while I've got the energy. Eat that frog first and then enjoy the rest of your day.

• Did I mention I'm taking piano lessons? It's good for your brain to try something new and challenging. I took lessons as a child and again when my son was little and now I'm at it again. Maybe I'll invite everyone to a recital. Or not.

• I really think this has to happen this weekend. I mean, anything with pumpkin, donut and muffin in the same sentence has to be good, right?

• Last weekend, I wore my brand new Husker shirt and ran into a random girl downtown with the same shirt. So we had to take a picture.
  
  

• I've already scheduled my weekend workouts. (See Eat That Frog above.) I'm going to yoga on Saturday morning at 10:45. I'm still debating Jazzercise at 7:30 a.m. (because it's Fusion which is my FAVORITE format.) But Saturday mornings are usually reserved for sitting around in my robe with coffee, the paper and my iPad so that may not happen. But I WILL be at Jazzericse at 4:30 PM on Sunday.

• And there will be some of this over the weekend.
  

My Office Gym

I really thought my daily hour of exercise would do it. Not so.

According to a recent study, regular exercise doesn't counteract the detrimental effects of sitting all day. Health problems associated with sitting include an increased risk of heart disease, poor circulation and back problems. However well-intentioned, my hour of exercise doesn't make up for six hours of parking my butt in a chair at work. Darn it.

The remedy? Turn the office into a gym.

There are wonderful stand-up and treadmill desks out there but they're pricey and certainly not in the budget at work. I also use a huge computer monitor that doesn't work with any of the adjustable arms on the market that allow you to raise or lower your monitor. So I had to get inventive.

My stand-up desk hack is a wooden shelf that I painted Husker red and a new chair that raises and lower so that I can sit or stand.

As a result, I stand about half the day so I cut my hours of sitting from about 6-7 to 3-4. Much better. I usually take my shoes off and stand on my yoga mat (yes, I have a yoga mat at work) and that makes it a little more comfortable for the long haul.

I added a few other daily routines to break up the blocks of time I sit every day.

• I set up my mini-trampoline in the corner (next to Lady Gaga.) It's fun to kick off my shoes and jump on it for a minute or two. The trampoline is right next to a window so I can look outside and enjoy the view.

• I started using the bathroom in the basement of my building. I'm on the third floor so that's a lot of stairs. Eighty stairs each way, to be exact.

• I'm trying really hard to follow a goal I set for myself as part of the Choose Your Own Adventure fitness challenge. I'm trying to take a walk at work at least three days a week. I get up, lace up my tennies, and head outside, even if it's just for ten minutes. (We'll see if I can stick with it all year. It might be a challenge when the snow falls!)

So that's the plan to get me on my feet more at work. Now I just have to figure out what to do when I'm tempted to veg out at night in front of the TV! Jumping jacks during commercials, maybe.

Monday Reset

This is how you need to face Monday, with coffee and a smile.

And this morning, I did it. Yay, me!

Part of what helped the New Attitude (think Pointer Sisters) is a good but relaxing weekend.
I also owe a huge thank you to Denise King, one of my Jazzercise friends and the Queen of Consignment Shopping. Yesterday after Jazzercise, Denise pulled some fabulous bargains out of the trunk of her car...for me! I can't wait to wear them all, especially this outfit that will make its appearance with tights and boots once the weather is cool enough.

The coolest thing is that Denise thought about me when she was out shopping. Who does that?!
It made me think about the benefits of a workout program, besides good health and a body that fits nicely into my skinny jeans.

• A stylist and personal shopper. Thanks, Denise!
• Friends who encourage me and make me laugh.
• Accountability. When you make plans to meet, you show up.
• Like Cheers, a place where everybody knows my name. 
• A fitness family. They always have your back.

What else happened this weekend?
This.

Gorgeous day to walk the dogs.

 And this. Don't judge me.

Pumpkin chocolate chip bars.

It's Mandatory

If you read this blog, you already know I like to mix it up. Boot camps, running, Zumba, Pilates, Yoga, the Climbing Wall...you name it, I've probably tried it. I like variety. Jazzercise is my consistent, go-to routine, but even there, I seek out different formats and instructors because it's fun and healthy.

Any exercise program I'm part of has to have these four elements.

• Cardio   Yes, intensity is important. If I'm able to sit on a bike at the gym and read a magazine, I'm not working hard enough. I admit to being slightly obsessed with my fitness watch that and I use it to check my heart rate. But you really don't need any equipment at all. The Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale  is a way of self-monitoring based on how you feel during exercise. Are you able to carry on a conversation? Are you barely breaking a sweat? Legs starting to shake? The point is, you want to be aware of how your feel and use that to push yourself harder or ease up. Jazzercise uses a "perceived exertion chart" to rate how hard you're working during class - whether you can still talk comfortably or are gasping for breath, for example. 

• Strength   The temptation is to focus only on cardio but strength training is such an important element in overall fitness. You increase bone density by adding stress so you can avoid osteoporosis. No falling and breaking a hip. And face it, toned muscles look great! You can venture into the weight room or just use your body weight, no special equipment involved. Just do it. 

• Flexibility and Balance  What's it good for? Reaching up to pull something off of a high shelf. Preventing injury. Stress reduction. Improved circulation. Not falling this winter when it's icy. (See above note about broken hips.)  Jazzercise does a good job of incorporating active and static stretching, along with balance moves but I'd like to do even more in this area. Maybe add a weekly yoga class.

• Enjoyment  I've learned that if I don't like what I'm doing, I won't do it. End of story. I'm not a fan of treadmills but give me a chasse, a pivot turn and some Latin hips and I'm happy.

Weekend Workout Recap and Other News

This was me last night.

Labor Day always signals the end of summer for me. There are still plenty of warm days ahead but I’m starting to look forward to throwing open the windows and enjoying the cool crispness of fall, as opposed to oppressive heat and humidity that makes it feel like a tropical jungle. I  want to go buy school supplies and bake pumpkin bread.

You can't see it very well but it's a pretty, pale green. Trust me.

I’m working on yet another home redecorating project: turning my son’s old bedroom into my studio/office/comfy-place-for-feeling-zen room. Right now it’s decorated in "garage sale style," incorporating furniture and stuff that doesn’t fit anywhere else. As soon as it cools off enough to open the windows, I’m going to paint the room a pale lavender and then add green accents. So this weekend, I painted and distressed an old desk. My husband kept telling me I did a terrible paint job. He doesn't get the concept of distressed furniture. But I like the way it turned out.

 

Brittany and John on a rainy but glorious day!

Of course, I watched football. How about those Huskers?!

And went to a lovely wedding of a friend and co-worker. It was an outdoor wedding on what turned out to be a stormy evening but the “I dos” were said before it started to pour and a good time was had by all.

Brittany was stunning and both of them 

looked so happy.

 

I managed to work in three Jazzercise classes over the weekend, including two Fusion classes. Fusion is a circuit class that alternates cardio with strength. It's my favorite format because it appeals to my love of multi-tasking. And it burns mega-calories!

Not sure how much it helped on Labor Day, though, because I went grocery shopping and made the mistake of buying the limited edition, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Oreos. (I was only going to have one or two. Right. )  They are to-die-for. DON'T buy them.

This very blurry picture is Tria teaching Fusion on Monday, wearing sassy pants. I want them. 

Got a lot of other stuff done - and a fair amount of sitting on the deck with a glass of wine. Face it, three day weekends are the bomb. Right?

Random Friday Thoughts

And a 3-day weekend!

Time to share my favorite random stuff from the week that was.

• OMG. This is shoe porn. Shoes of Prey allows you to design your own. How about these for a Friday night?

• I'm going to bake these to take to the lake this weekend. Not  exactly on the nutritional top ten list but sometimes you have to live on the edge, right?

• Can't stop listening to Sara Bareilles. Spicy, sultry music that lights up my soul. And did you see her on the Emmys this week? That girl's got talent.                                                          

• This is State Fair week in Nebraska. I'm not going but if I did, I'd eat fried food on a stick while looking at animals and quilt exhibits. My friend Curt tried a hamburger on glazed doughnut. (Or is it donut?) He's my hero.

•  It's still summer, dammit and I'm going to enjoy it this weekend. Lake time and pool time on the agenda. 

• But I am starting to look ahead to fall. During the month of September, I'm joining Not Entirely Perfect, Life According to Steph and Keeping Up with Ashley and Cody for their Choose Your Own Adventure goal setting link-up. The theme this month is fitness so it's right up my alley. We're supposed to set goals for the month and link up on October 2 to report our progress. One of my goals is to walk three days a week at work so that I'm not sitting at my desk all day.

• I really want this shirt designed by a native Nebraskan now living in Chicago.

• And if I had it now, I'd wear it on Saturday. Because you know what happens on Saturday, right?! Go Big Red!
  

Ten Ways to Love Your Body....

It's the only one you have.

Fara, one of my fitness gurus, inspired her class earlier this week by taking the stage with her glorious pregnant belly on display. Fara is one of those people who loves her body, takes care of it and celebrates what it can do. In this case, her body is building a little human. Amazing, right?

No, I'm not suggesting we all invest in crop tops. But we all can take a lesson from Fara and celebrate what we've got.

Here are 10 ways to Love Your Body.

1. Stop obsessing. Don't stand in front of the mirror and pick yourself apart. Nobody has a perfect body. (Well, maybe Halle Berry and JLo, but I've long said they aren't human. And I bet even THEY are unhappy with something.) And while we're on the topic, stop rewinding the negative messages in your head. Instead...                                                                                                                          
2. Celebrate what your body can do. Run, dance, swim. Open a jar of pickles. Hug a child.      Create some something wonderful. Garden. Paint. Sew. Strut down the street in drop-dead gorgeous shoes. Which brings me to...                                                                                                    
3. Dress the body you have. That was the advice from What Not to Wear hosts Stacy and Clinton. Don't slouch around in oversize sweats because you want to hide from the world. (Unless, of course, all you want to do is go home and take off your bra. I have those days, too.)                       
4. Fuel it. Eat real food packed with nutrients. Drink lots of water. Cheat once and awhile and when you do, savor it, and move on. NO guilt.                                                                                    
5. Pamper your body. Take it to the pool or slather it with scented lotion. Get a massage or a facial.                                                                                                                                                       
   
6. Exercise it and take it out to play. Consistent, regular exercise produces results. But don't get stuck in a rut. Walking the dog or taking the kids for a bike ride counts as activity.                                              
7. Quit comparing it to everybody else. I will never by tall and willowy. I will never look like a supermodel. But we all know even the supermodels don't look like supermodels in real life. That's airbrushing and Photoshop. And if they do look like that, they aren't human. (See Halle/JLo reference above.)                                                                                                                      
8. Surround yourself with supportive people. If they drain your energy and make you feel bad about yourself, maybe it's time to cut them loose.       

     9.   Let it rest. Your body needs days off, too.

     10. Have fun with it! I love to dance so there's nothing more fun than Jazzercise. Maybe running
           or riding your bike is what turns you on. Find what you love. And do it.                                                          

Weekend Workouts and Other News

I had one of those weekends that was both productive and fun and I didn’t want it to end.

Saturday, I finished a project that I’ve been working on ALL SUMMER.

Horrid Sewing Cabinet Before

I call it The Horrid Sewing Machine Cabinet Refinishing Project. It belonged to my great-grandmother and I finally decided to strip the horrible stain that was on it and bring it back to bare wood. I spent hours stripping and scraping and trying to avoid breathing toxic fumes.

And after.

   



When I got everything off, I discovered the wood grain was not very pretty, which is probably why it was painted to begin with. So I ended up re-painting it and covering the inside with fabric.

I do like it much better now and it's very handy for holding towels and sheets in the basement bathroom.

And I discovered I don't like to refinish old furniture. So I won't be doing anything like this again soon.

                                      

I've been drooling over Colorado peaches so I baked a peach and blueberry cobbler this weekend. And it was tasty, if I do say so myself. I've been eating those peaches like candy. The sign of a good peach is when the juice runs down your arm to the elbow. Yum.

  

I made time for Jazzercise on Saturday, too, with Christy Dempsey and did a few routines I’d never done before.  That’s the fun thing about trying different instructors – the music differs and you get to do something new.

(I doubt it totally made up for the cobbler I ate but it helped a little, right?)

I spent Sunday with friends floating down the Elkhorn River. I love water. It's therapeutic and totally Zen. I ate a really bizarre collection of goodies while floating: sandwiches, cheese and fruit, Twizzlers and cookies. And wine, of course. (I lost a little bottle of wine somewhere along the way so there my be some tipsy fish in the river.) We talked and laughed and I want to do it again. Like, tomorrow.

Couldn't quite fit myself in the selfie. You can see my visor on the left.

I missed my usual Sunday step workout at my gym and Strength at Jazzercise. But it was totally worth it.

How was your weekend?