After Christmas Workout!!

So you all know that I have been working really hard at getting into better shape. I have been running for over a year and 1/2, eating better and have been going to The Shape Project boot camp since June. Boot camp has totally changed my life and I can't imagine not going 3 days a week. It is a wonderful way to start the day and I always feel so much better on boot camp days. Not only am I burning lots of calories first thing in the morning, but I am gaining energy and have changed my body! Melissa Cox is the owner and lead trainer and now there are camps all over the metro area and in 2012 they are expanding to the Tulsa area. If you have one close to you, you have got join. The trainers are amazing, and will help you become stronger and it will change your life!! You will be glad you did.

Yesterday at boot camp we were doing lots of wall sits. We would sit on the wall for 1 minute as we did an arm exercise. To distract us, I started singing the 12 days of Christmas song. Then we decided to change the "days" into "workouts". It was fun and we all laughed and it did really help distract from our legs shaking as we sat on the wall. I told our trainer Lara Ciston I would finish it so we could do it next week. Here is what I came up with. I think it will be a good workout to work off all the cookies, candy, and chocolate we will be eating.
It goes to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas. Hope you enjoy it!!

On the workout after Christmas my trainer gave to me,
A hard body for the New Year! (show your muscles!!)
2. Sets of sprints (down and back 2x)
3. Star Jacks
4. Side planks (30 sec each)
5. Burpies
6. 60 Sec Wall Sit
7. Walk Out Push-ups
8. Sumo Squats
9. Butterflies
10. Tricep dips
11. Heels to Heaven
12. Mountain Climbers (each leg)

Have fun and let me know how you did!!

Danna

Where Have You Been???

So I have not posted in a loooong time. Life happened and posting just got put on the back burner. A lot has happened in the last year. Well, not a lot happened but I have changed a lot. First off I started running. June 2010 I started the Couch 2 5K with several ladies from the office. I have always hated long distance running but was a sprinter in high school so I was hoping I could do it. I knew I needed to do something to lose weight and get back to the person I wanted to be. I was horribly out of shape and a good 50lbs overweight. I could not believe I had let myself go that far and was not happy with myself.
So the journey began. We started Couch 2 5K in June of 2010 and by July, I would not say I liked it, but hated it less. There were many days I wanted to quit. I am not a morning person and we got up at the 'crap of dawn' (as my daughter says) to run and being old and overweight I had shin splints, pulled muscles, and aches and pains. I decided I needed a goal so I signed up for a race for the middle of August called The Midnight Streak. Training was better with a goal in mind and I paid money to enter so I was not going to quit. On August 14th, 2010 I ran my first 5K!!! I was not fast by any stretch of the imagination and it was 103 degrees at the start of the race but I completed it and was very proud of myself. I am more proud of the fact that I persevered through the training, kept going and DID NOT QUIT!!!
Through all of that, a funny thing happened. I realized I actually enjoyed running and missed it when it was an off day. I could not believe I was enjoying this. I was feeling better and losing some weight. I realized that running gave me something to do for me. It gave me time to focus on getting healthy. I pray a lot when I am running. Sometimes just "Please Jesus, help me keep going!!!" but prayer non the less. I pray for my husband, girls, and other things that are on my heart. Prayer is a good distraction for me while I am running. It helps me focus on higher things and gives me time to work out things stewing around in my head. I also listen to music when I run. I found early on that music was also a good distraction and good motivation. I run faster when there is a fast song on, and can tell myself "you can walk at the end of the song". Music pushes me and I love to run to worship music. There has been many a day I would have not made it through without Derrick Hensley, JT Murrell, Stephen Cole, and Chuck Dennie! (Worship guys for my church, LifeChurch.tv) They have no idea how much they have helped me throughout my training and how much I love it when they start singing in my ear. (Thanks guys!!)
I have since gotten faster and have ran several more races. Mock 5K's at Lake Hefner, a 5K at our staff event (aka, Family Reunion), the Turkey Trot in Edmond on Thanksgiving, and again the 5K at our staff Family Reunion. This year I beat my time at the Family Reunion by over 8 minutes and placed 3rd in my age group! I was shocked to say the least.
So it has been a long journey and I am still running. I actually call myself a 'runner' which I never thought possible. I have been running 2-3 day a week since last June and have lost 35 lbs!!! It has come off slow but I know it will never come back. I will not let myself go there again! I still have 15- 20 I would like to lose and thanks to starting boot camp with The Shape Project (which is another blog post) in June I am hoping it will go away soon.
I am so thankful for this journey and that I decided to do something to get healthy. I am thankful for the change I have seen in my body and confidence I now feel again. I am also thankful for the struggles, pain, and sore muscles I have had throughout this process. I am most thankful for my savior, Jesus Christ, that has gotten me through this journey. Without him, I can do nothing!
If I can do it, you can to. What are you waiting on?

Summer is in Session! Along with family vacations and trips to the zoo, General Mills is teaming up with Nickelodeon's The Penguins of Madagascar to bring the action-packed adventures of summer to your very own breakfast table.

Inside specially marked boxes of General Mills cereals, you'll "commence operations" with one of five characters from The Penguins of Madagascar; Skipper, Rico, Kowalski, Private or King Julien. Each participating cereal contains one character launcher with mission details outlined on the back of the box.

My Blog Spark and General Mills provided my family with one of the Penguins of Madagascar prize packs which included one box of Trix cereal, a Penguins of Madagascar launcher and the new Penguins of Madagascar movie, The Penguins of Madagascar Operation: DVD Premier.

My girls immediately tore into the box to see what was inside and started playing with the launchers. They had lots of fun flying them through the house and trying to make baskets, or getting them to land on the counter or table. We also had some cereal and it is yummy. The girls loved it!

My Blog Spark and General Mills would like to give one of my readers (US only) a Penguins of Madagascar prize pack. To enter just leave a comment and I will choose a winner at random on Friday, July 23rd.

He's a man, He's 40!

My wonderful husband, the man of my dreams of 15 years, turned 40 yesterday. He is such a wonderful man, and an incredible father. We have been together a long time and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else. But he has this one flaw, he is not one to let me throw big parties and make a big deal out of his birthday. He would rather go along like any other day and not be the center of attention. (This is why we get along so well, we are total opposites!)

It took everything I had not to decorate his office in black balloons, or put up big signs proclaiming his man hood! But I refrained. I was good and did not make a big deal out of the day. We had a quiet dinner at home and the girls gave him presents and I made him his favorite Whoppers cupcakes. YUM!

Later in the evening he said, "I could tell you were wanting to be ornery. Thanks for not doing anything." I replied, " I knew paybacks may not be so nice." You see, in a few short months I will bid my 30s goodbye and welcome a new decade with open arms. But I want a big shin-dig!!! (Are you reading this hun?)

Mail you get when you turn 40!

So, this year I will turn 40. What? Oh you guys are too kind for saying I don't look that old! I have a few more months until I have to think about it so I try not to. A few days ago, as I was looking through the mail I notice something addressed to me. Upon reading it I realized it was a postcard from the Menopause Center of Oklahoma!!! Is this the type of mail I can expect to get now that I am turning 40?! I have at least 10 years before going through "the change" so why so early on the mail! Are they afraid they will not get my business if they don't send correspondence now? I guess I can call and make an appointment for September 2020.
I showed Travis and he got a big laugh out of it.

What can you do????

Yoplait Greek Yogurt

MyBlogSpot recently sent me a box with fun spa items and coupons for free Yoplait Greek Yogurt to "Nourish My Inner Goddess". Greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt, 12 grams to be exact, and has ZERO grams of fat. Yoplait is the only leading yogurt with vitamins A and D in every cup and is an excellent source of calcium. I chose the Blueberry and Honey Vanilla but it also comes in Strawberry and Plain.

I have never tried Greek Yogurt before and I must say at first I was a little surprised. Last night I decided to try the blueberry. I was expecting normal yogurt but this Greek yogurt is much thicker and has a more creamy texture. It took a few bites for me to get use to but I really enjoyed it. I then added some of my husband's Wheaties Fuel cereal and it was really yummy! I really enjoyed it and will purchase it again. It was a great snack and very healthy.

The product, prize pack, information, and giveaway were provided to me by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

Here is a link to a coupon if you would like to give Yoplait Greek Yogurt a try.

http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=zd1iblw50148801&bt=vi&o=61852&ci=1&c=GM&p=pWoTrRvS

Homeland Deals 3/31-4/7

Here are the Homeland Deals for this week. I never got to Homeland last week so I am hoping to pick up some deals this week. It looks to be an ok week.

Here a few of my favorites.

Pilsbury Cresent Rolls $1.50

use: $.40/2 SS 3/28

or $.95/1 printable

final price: $1.10 each or Free

Country Crock $2.49

Use: .40/1 RP 3/7

Final Price: $1.69

Birds Eye $1.00

Use: .35/1

Final Price: .30

Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls $3.39

Use: $1/1 RP 3/28

Final Price: $1.39

Rhodes Rolls $1.88

Use: $1/1 RP 3/28

Final Price: FREE

Betty Crocker Cake or Frosting $1

Use: $.75/2

Final Price: .25 each (this is great! Devyn's b-day is next week)

Chinet Napkins $1.50

Use: .75/1 ss 3/28

Final Price: FREE (Again, great for Devyn's party)

Go Here to see Coupon Princess match-ups

Go Here to see Christi's 2 Cents match-ups