Because plain old walking was getting kinda boring...

Quick Timeline Re-Cap for You:
Saturday, September 21- I injured my back.
September 21 and 22- I laid around.
Monday, September 23- Saw the doctor and got placed on modified activity.
Tuesday, September 24- I started walking.
Friday, September 27- I started getting antsy.
Sunday, September 29- Antsy evolved to boredom; Sent Chad to Target.
Monday, September 30- Started my FitBit adventure.

What's a Fitbit, you may ask?
Well, a Fitbit is one of the things that saved me from Walking Boredom.

Yes, I had some great walks with friends and talks with God while on modified activity. But you have to remember. I was coming off of a high intensity training program where I was doing lengthy planks, running crazy distances, and Zumba-ing my little a-- off. Walking wasn't cutting it.

But Competitive Walking?
Now, we're talking.

Fitbit is great because it is not only a pedometer, but it's also a social media experience. Fitbit allows you to have "friends" linked together so that you can see, daily, how many steps your friends have taken and also how you rank up against your friends in a 7 day span.

There are many different kinds of Fitbits. I have the basic model- $59.99 at Target, Best Buy, etc. It wears easily on the pant pocket or actually even attached to the bra.
 

(not my pants nor my fitbit but it was easier lazier to Google an image than stand up and take a pic)

 

 

It really is fun, as far as walking goes. You are encouraged to park farther away from entrances, take an extra trip up the stairs, and even run an extra half mile when exercising. You figure out that you walk about 6-7 miles a day in a Disney theme park. And that when you have a day of traveling to Hickory and sitting in meetings for work, you can barely break a mile.

 

But wait, there's more! Remember, I mentioned something about "ranking?"

 

If the "warm fuzzy feeling of being in first place" isn't enough for you, then you can do what I did. Participate in a healthy (no pun intended) competition each month. Last month, my Heart in Sol friends, with Chad and I, initiated a "Winner Dinner." Meaning the bottom half of our group buys dinner for the top half of the group based on average steps per day.

 

Can you believe that I was only 250 steps/day from being in the top half in October?! That's NOTHING in terms of a 10-14,000 step day. You better believe I now take those extra trips up the stairs and to the mailroom at work when I can. I was sooooo close. November is mine, baby!

 

To provide a source of encouragement (with a side of entertainment), we formed a Facebook group where we can taunt, cheer, make excuses, and post updates like this.

Thank goodness for screen shots. Otherwise, I would have never been able to capture the 3.5 minutes that I was in first place.

It really has been a great investment. You are so much more aware of your activity level. You can set goals, and your Fitbit will even have a little party for you when you reach those goals.

As the holiday season approaches and you start to think about what you could possibly tell your family to get you as a gift, think about a Fitbit.

And then friend me. I'll totally cheer you and taunt you.

But I'm not buying you dinner. Because as I type this blog, I am currently walking in place.

Warning: Cuteness Cousin Overload

We had some great family time last weekend visiting Claire and also celebrating my in-law's 40th wedding anniversary.

Here are some pictures of my three favorite cuties...




















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Little Pookie's birthday wrap up

Though we did celebrate Jake's birthday while we were in Disney, I just KNEW that I would get the "crappy mom award" if I tried to pass all that off as "the" birthday party. 1st birthday? yes. 2nd? sure. 3rd? possibly. 4th? Not a chance. These kids talk.

So, we planned a birthday party for Jake at the Children's Museum for the Friday we got back. We invited our church family, his "Carolina Cousins" and just a few friends from school to make a nice manageable group. Having just come back from our vacation, it was all I could do to muster up the energy to walk into Walmart and buy a cake.

But, Jake had a great time, I got "good mommy points," and all is well.



Jake is all about Monsters, Inc. these days...a great 2001 classic. It was so nice of Pixar to come out with the pre-quel this year so I could get this cute Monsters U cake for the party.

Target, however, is on my s---- list because they decided to not have ANYTHING Monsters U party related until the week AFTER the party. Jeez.

This was baby Claire's first trip to the museum and her first cousin birthday.
She loved the celery.


Our annual Big Red Chair Family Picture...

Cousins!



Thanks to my mom I actually got some pictures of Jake playing since I was a bit tied up in the party room. :-)


Carolina Cousins unite!

Let's blog about Halloween before Thanksgiving, shall we?

I guess my indifference to blogging about Halloween pretty much sums up how I feel about the holiday as a whole.

I don't get overly excited about Halloween...maybe it was 4 years of Halloweens on Franklin Street that did a number on me, or maybe it's my dislike ok, fear of clowns. Either way, Halloween is not a favorite, but I do appreciate all who love it and try really hard not to sway my children either way. Thus, I buy into all that they want to do.

Unfortunately (?), we were in Disney for a bunch of fall festivals and the church's annual Trunk or Treat, but Jake did get his full Halloween experience at school with a costume parade and trick or treating around the rooms and an afternoon sugar-fest.

Both kids, though, were also perfectly content with cash and candy from all 4 grandparents. :-)






Brooklyn had the choice to go Trick or Treating around the neighborhood, and thanks to her God-sister had her choice of three costumes, but said she didn't want to. I didn't ask twice.

So, I went to Zumba, and then we all met up at the pumpkin patch to get some (clearance) pumpkins and then eat out for dinner (which is kinda a treat in itself these days).




They were perfectly content with the evening, and I only had minimal candy left in the house.

Now, it was about two days later before we actually carved that clearance pumpkin, but Brooklyn had full reign and had a blast.

Jake did NOT want to touch the pumpkin goo...

But B did.



So, that's a wrap for Halloween. Now, on to Jake's final birthday celebration....