Zumba Certification

I've mentioned it before. The rekindling of my inner-childhood flame that came from finding Zumba. The ability to let go and shake it like a Polaroid picture drop it like its hot enthusiastically dance like I did on every possible occasion during my single days, all while spending time with wonderful ladies, relieving built up stress, and getting a killer workout. (After all, Zumba is known as exercise in disguise cause its so fun and you definitely do not feel like you are working out. That is, until you feel the sweat dripping down your face/back/chest.)

Last year, I was going consistently 4-5 times a week for months. Then sadly I got out of the routine when my fellow carpoolers had to stop making the trip to the dance studio several miles away.

Then a few months ago I found a free Zumba class once a week in a church building in the neighborhood where we bought our first house (not super close- but closer than the the dance studio I had gone to last year.) 

Like a fish back in water @ the free Zumba class with fellow dancers 9/12/2012.

After wanting to get certified to teach for more than a year, I decided I to buckle up and register for  Zumba certification. Tim was very supportive of the idea and so I register for Zumba's Basic Steps 1. And on that fateful Friday, September 28th, after hours of dancing and a whole lot of sweat, I completed the certification!

Hooray for Zumba!!

This week I will help team teach my first class! I'm so excited!! If you have not tried Zumba yet, you are sorely missing out. I know that for most, the first few classes you may still feel like a little awkward, but rest assured, no one will be critical of you in a Zumba class. There, you will find acceptance among friends. If you are local to me and want to participate in the free class this Thursday at 8pm, let me know and I'll give you the details!

The Muddy Angels

Not so long ago, my dear friend Lauren had this great idea of doing the Dirty Dash 2012 together with my niece Stephanie (also a friend of Lauren). She knowing I am not a runner, purposely failed to mention (you know its true Lauren) just how many K's were in a "couple of K's" race. The answer was 10k's. 10. Lets move on. So upon realizing that this race was not a 3k, or even a 5k, but double what I had anticipated, I decided to go running a few times before the race in prep. Our team was affectionately titled The Muddy Angels.

Race day (Sept 22) came  and was lovely. Who wouldn't want to go wallow through large mud pits while covering 6 miles of uneven terrain?! We psyched.

There were different heat times and ours was at 10:20. Even with the break up of heats there were quite a few people and it got very crowded at times, especially around the different obstacles. I did end up with a huge bruise on the pack of my right thigh from two of the obstetrical. All in a year's mud run.

We helped each other complete the intimidating obstacles, such as climbing cargo nets that were very high up (I am usually deathly afraid of heights, but apparently had no time to focus on that or look down) lifting our booties over high wooden walls, etc, and of course, walking through mud pits. (Just FYI- they totally dug random, dips/holes before filling said pits with water-turned-to-mud.)  Thankfully we each had goggles to wear. Toward the end Lauren and Steph stopped using theirs, but I wasn't about to loose a contact or get dirt/mud in my eye. I can handle mud all over, but when it comes to my eyes, I draw the line.

Almost done! Waiting in line to go down the huge slip n' slide.

The Muddy Angels, complete with wings.

We don't mess 'round! Or, uh, we play dirty. Take your pick.

Eating post race peaches. No we did not wash our hands. No we didn't care.

 My only complaint was that my shoes were so heavy and the extra weight torqued on my weak ankle. The course was great- the obstacles felt well spaced. The muddy water was freezing. The company couldn't have been better. It was a blast!! I totally want to do it again next year.

Well, well!!

Thought I would do a little post to update on what's been going on here with us.

For starters, we have been well!! No new illness to speak of in the last 9 days! This is a new record for our family. Regardless of the season we succumb to sickness seriously all. the. time. (Our whole family was sick the month of June 2011.) I attribute this in large part to the fact that we have started using Norwex cleaning products. They are super fine microfiber cloths that trap bacteria/fungi/mold well and have silver embedded in the cloth so they clean themselves. They have been a huge game changer for keeping my house clean. No chemicals, and have cut my cleaning time in half! Huge blessing for us.

A little about the company if you're interested:
Norwex company is relatively new here in the US and one can only get product through independent consultants, so I signed up to sell the products. I know what ya'll are thinking, another MLM, but they are not your average Mary Kay or Pampered Chef. Whether we like it or not, everyone needs to clean their house. Norwex products save you time and money, improve your quality of life (our improved health is proof of this for me!) and is healthy for the environment. Consultant benefits: Even if you sign someone up under you, you don't get any $$ benefits from them unless you are currently working and staying active in the company yourself. That I love, because we all hear about the ladies who first signed up with those other companies who now sit back and do nothing while the little guys ladies under them do all the work. Not fair. Those are just a few of the things I love about Norwex! And it will be a great way for us to start saving for an adoption- hooray! If you have questions or want to learn more, please feel free to ask me.

Friday/Saturday the weather turned windy and cold. We had a crazy snow storm roll in on Sunday that dropped 4-5 inches of snow. Thankfully it warmed up again quickly so the snow is gone. The grass is turning green and it is so nice to be able to spend more time outside. Hooray for Spring!

Sunday also marked my and Tim's 6th wedding anniversary!

After we just walked out of the temple. Notice the white umbrellas reflecting behind us. It started POURING. My hair did not stay like it is in this picture for long...

 Its incredible to think of all that has happened in the six years since we have been married. A BS in Physics, three kids, grad school, bough a house, sold a house, moved three times, apologized and forgave each other countless times, argued/disagreed and met each other in the middle, laughed together, cried together, made mistakes, and accomplished huge victories! Marriage sure is a challenge, especially with kids in the mix but it is also one of the greatest blessings I've ever been a part of.

To celebrate we went to church for the first time in over a month and survived (barely) Sacrament meeting with out our church bag, which was hidden is some box but has since been found. The first time back after a long absence is always the hardest. More than one of the five of us shed tears during the meeting (and not for spiritual matters) but we made it! Hey, we sometimes need to focus our victories rather than on our shortcomings.

Adventures in Box Hunting

If you've ever moved in your life you know you must have boxes to get the job done. Well, to get it done more easily than it would have been without the boxes....

Anyway, it is always stressful for me to find boxes when moving. I'm always calling places like Target and Walmart that have no boxes available because they toss them into a box crushing machine, to leave the people who are moving and need boxes, to break down themselves and buy needed boxes from places like the Home Depot.

Thankfully, I didn't have to buy boxes for our recent move. I got a lead from calling one store, that a different store in town- a little hardware store had boxes. Because they are a smaller store and do not have a box crusher, and as a result have a surplus of boxes. Score.

So I made my way to the store with the boxes and was directed out back to the all cardboard dumpster where they put the boxes. 

the mover's dream come true: free boxes.

 The trouble was, there weren't many I could reach just standing out side of the dumpster. Being 6 feet tall, I knew a littler person would have no hope. I even stood in the little holes where the fork lift type arms insert into the dumpster. Still I didn't have what I needed and the boxes were just inches away from my finger tips.

Determined to get the boxes I needed I knew I had to think up a quick plan. I knew if I got in, I could just throw out the boxes I needed. I also know that I no parkcor-er and could not get back out without assistance. I saw a stack of pallets near the dumpster so I dragged one over, hefted it into the dumpster and climbed in with it.

...TADA! the perfect latter for exiting the dumpster...

 Within minutes, I had a HUGE pile of collapsed boxes, ready to be taped back into shape and filled with all our stuff.

Turns out, we had so many boxes that a large portion went unused for the move. So thankful for things like free moving boxes.

Snow Shoeing and Skiing

I've lived in Utah since I was nine and I have never been skiing/snowboarding. Pathetic, I know. Combination low iron and broken thyroid make for a body that already struggles to regulate bodily temperature. Tim was an avid skier growing up and hadn't been in almost 10 years and every winter we've been married he has wanted to go skiing. But lets face it, unless you have all of the gear it can get quite expensive once you factor in equipment rentals and a lift ticket.

Fate smiled upon us while earlier this month, our visiting family sponsored us in a snowy day of fun. (Thanks Annie and John for the lift ticket/snowshoeing pass, Mom and Dad for the equipment rental for Tim and watching the kids, and practically family- Leigh for loaning snow shoes!) Tim and I debated about whether I should try getting up on the slopes. I have zero experience, and have a deathly fear of heights and moving too quickly while feeling unstable. I didn't want to be living it up on the bunny hills alone, constantly falling, with no one to walk me through techniques while Tim and John were out galavanting in the snowy slope covered forest. Skiing was going to be much needed therapeutic recreation for Tim while he was thick in his preparations for his PhD candidacy exam, and I assume for John as well, since he's hard at work in his plastics residency, and wouldn't have been nearly as fun for them, had I decided to go. So,  I chose to stick with the ladies who would be participating in the days adventures and have a go at snow shoeing. (Some day I still want to try out the slopes.)

Me and Tim ready to get our winter fun on.

Annie (Tim's little sister), Jennifer, Leigh, (both John's sisters) Tim, Me, and John (Annie's husband)

Off we went. It was cold and my hands were ice cold before we left the lodge. Once I got moving it was a bit better, until I started sweating (snow shoeing is quite the workout.) Eventually my sweaty body started to become cold and clammy. Even still it was good memorable fun.

Thanks to my go-go-gadget arm we got a picture of all four of us together.

....tasty....

A picture of me I blazing the trail during my second wind...

I perfected the art of getting up from falling down...

Beautiful and serene

No, for real, I fell a lot.

I was wearing boots that were too big and my feet kept sliding around in the boots. Once I was tired it became a poor combination for snow showing and bad ankle. So after about 3 miles, my ankles kept twisting in the big boots, I would loose my balance, and I kept falling.

Now for a Public Service Announcement: to those who may ever go snowshoeing and keep falling- turn around and use the snow you just packed down with your fall to push on to get up. Trying any other high patch of snow will only result in face plants.

Good times were had by all. In the end my hands had become a lovely white/bluish color (my gloves were completely soaked) so it was great to be done and back in the warm ski lodge. Tim and John had the time of their lives, dealing with bouts of nausea, each taking turns vomiting due to elevation sickness and had fun attempting to go off what looked like little jumps and ended up being insane piles of fresh power and getting stuck. Still it makes for laughs and great memories.

Last of the England Posts

In Christ's Church

Christ's Church chapel, Oxford

-more stain glass- If I could afford it, I would put stain glass in my house some day. Its so beautiful!

At Christ's Church, Oxford

Its always hit and miss when strangers take photos for you. I was hoping that since the guy who took this one had a super fancy camera and a large bag on lenses that he would do a superb job, but alas, the spire was cut off! The lighting though is better in this one vs the one above.

Christ's Church, Oxford

At the market behind Jesus College- Aren't the little citrus baskets fun?

The conference included an excursion to the Blenheim Palace. Tim did not feel well...

A bit of a headache maybe?

Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace

Some of the gardens at the Palace

I'm pretty sure his eyes are closed on purpose...

Peeking out of our room window...

Not pictured is the glorious sleep I was able to have while on the trip. The mattress was horribly uncomfortable but just imagine, waking when your body is ready! and not because you had things you needed to attend to. The last time I did that pre-England trip was pre-children! Ahhhh, it was wonderful!!!

And then it was over. Tim and I had a delightful time! It is no surprise to us that we were able to get away together, as that is something that was very important to the two of us. We knew the Lord would make it happen for us somehow. We were however, quite taken back that the Lord would bless us with a trip that was more than we could have ever hoped for.  What a tender mercy it was for us.

Coming back was bitter sweet. Sweet to see our children again. Bitter, because when one has not taken a SINGLE day off in almost five years of mothering, and then leaves for 8 days, things are bound to be a bit rocky.  Getting back into the swing of things was HARD. I had more breakdowns, impatient moments, and shouting, the first day back than usual. Thankfully we are back to the norm in those areas. Still not perfect, but better than that first day... And because of this weekends Semi-Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have resolved to be even better in those areas than I was before. Why wait for New Years resolutions?

London

I could not fly all that distance, stay in Oxford and not visit London. So on one of the days, I hopped on a bus and rode almost two hours into London. I settled into my seat on top of a double decker bus and opened my Kindle, only to discover the battery was dead- I must have accidentally left it on the night before! Uhg. So it was much more of a scenic drive than I had originally planned.

Once in London, it took me awhile to get my barrings. Then I bought a tube ticket and ventured to find Trafalgar Square and go to the National Gallery. I had to ask a few locals for help along the way (I am a believer in asking the locals for help with directions and it works most of the time) but I made it to Trafalgar Square enjoyed being outside for a bit, and then went into the National Gallery.

Trafalgar Square

View of Big Ben from the Gallery- the closest I got to it...

If you enjoy museums and are ever in London, go to the National Gallery. Its. free. I saw some De Vinchi, Monets, Van Goghs. Thankfully it wasn't the first time seeing work by these artists and I was better able to control my emotions than I did the first time.

See the beautiful blue sky? Yeah, it was quite dreary and dark where I was. Thankfully the sun came out later in the day. I came out of the National Gallery, enjoyed the outside for a bit, and then went towards the tube station.

Trafalgar Square
 

After the National Gallery I wanted to head to the British Museum (also free). I should mention that asking the locals is not a sure fire way of finding your way. I was sent in circles trying to find the museum. I walked miles trying to find it. I should also mention that I was wearing brand new shoes. Huge mistake. I only packed one pair of shoes- a pair of sandals and after a few days of having rain covered freezing feet, I broke down and bought a pair of Toms -which I love- but they are not great walking shoes for my feet by any means, especially when they lived every day this summer in a pair of Keen sandals. London shouldn't be the place to break in new shoes. The huge blisters were proof.

I made it!

Outside the British Museum- a kind passer by took my picture

Walls and Walls of the Parthenon... I've always wanted to go to Greece and see the antient ruins, and after being to the British Musem I realize there wouldn't be a whole lot to see.

Same thing goes for Egypt and the pyramids... most have long since been raided, so unless one wants to see the outside of the pyramids in person (which I still do), and not the delightful would be contents, then a trip to Egypt would make sense. If ancient tomb contents is what you want- look no further than the British Museum.

Some amazing tomb covered in writings.

the Rosetta Stone

Inside the British Museum

Being in the British Museum was serious business. It was HUGE visual overload. I walked around with my mouth agape most of the time while producing the rather frequent audible gasp. A huge disappointment was having my camera battery die at the museum. Seriously. Batteries dying must go hand in hand with my going/being in London. But if I've learned anything is that memories can live on without picture to document them.

I left, I walked some more, and I made it to a bus stop, hopped back on a bus headed to Oxford and got stuck in rush hour traffic. One would think a place as old and as crowded as the London area would have larger highways/freeways, but its not a wide open place like here in the states. While still in the inner city area, you are literally, a car width+sidewalk width away from homes in places. I guess the crowding creates more insentive for public transit. Anyway, it took almost 3 hours to get back to Oxford. Again, without my Kindle it was a long, dark drive. In the end, even the blister heel pain/scars were worth it.

Tim and I had planned to go into London together the next day but it didn't happen. Tim didn't want to spend the time or money on travel or sites so we didn't go and just enjoyed more Oxford. How glad I am that I went alone and saw my top priority sites. Oh how I love museums! Oh how I love London!
So, are you a museum fan? Have you ever been to London? Is it on a top 10 list of your places you want to visit?

More of the first full day in Oxford...

More pictures from our adventures:

All Souls College Chapel

All Souls College, Oxford

Looking down Blue Boar St, Oxford 

In front of St Mary the Virgin

I made Tim hop up into this little alcove and got some genuine smiles out of him.

New College, Oxford University

Behind Queens College, Oxford University

Tim by City Wall, Oxford

Hall way in New College looking into the internal garden, Oxford University

Bodleian Library, Oxfrord University

Floor of Jesus College Chapel

Tim playing the harpsichord in the Jesus College Chapel

Together in the Jesus College Chapel, Oxford University

At the telephone booth outside Carfax Tower

Radcliffe Camera, Oxford

...we can't remember which chapel this is in...