Early to Bed/Early to Rise

I've been going to bed somewhat early every night. Getting up at 5:30 every weekday is not easy in the beginning. At first I thought I was going to have a heart attack when the alarm went off for the first time before the sunrise, then it got easier.

I now get up every day a few minutes before my 5:25 alarm goes off. I set out my workout clothes the night before, including a heart monitor that goes under my bra. Three days a week we meet at the gym to get our walking assignment for the morning i.e. length of walk and pace. It usually goes like this... 1 minute of brisk walk then 4 minutes of running, do this for 55 minutes. make sure your back on time. watch your heart rate."got it!"

So we head out before the sun and run along the quiet streets of Santa Barbara and on down towards the ocean and then run along the ocean for a while then turn around and head back to the gym. I love it. I've never experienced a "runners high" before. It feels pretty damn good.

The other two days are our circuit training. One of the days is inside the gym and the other day is a full workout on the sand at the beach. Today was the beach workout. It's pretty cool because you're there before the sun comes up and watching the sunrise on most mornings is a spectacular sight and experience,One that everyone should do at least once a year. Everything is done barefoot in the sand so your feet and ankles get just as much of a workout as your body. Lots of running and side shuffling. lots of pulling of a HUGE tug-of-war rope. Sometimes the rope which already weighs about 50 lbs., has a 26 pound bell weight strung onto it. we have to pull it in the sand while the other person is running circles around the person who is pulling. It sucks but feels so good when you can do it faster and faster each time.

Today Shelley came dressed to the beach workout in quite the get-up.

It was bright pink spandex shorts, some sort of work-out top and the topper was the white terri cloth sweat band around her head. Eric the trainer thought it was the coolest...he would he's only 27.

Me...I wouldn't be caught dead in a get-up like that, but I was wishing I had that hideous headband at the end when the sweat was dripping off my nose into the sand while I was doing planks!!

Feels good to be done working out by 7 am. you have the whole day ahead of you.

Try it...early to bed, early to rise.

Time for school to start

Went to TJ Maxx this week with my Mom and Indy. My mom thinks these shoes will be good for when she needs to do a lot of walking. Indy says "not so much". me? Having big feet myself, can appreciate the need to buy ANYTHING that is in my size when I find it. I had to take a picture of Mom's feet because she looks like Olive oil.

Took Alex and Indy to the park this week. This park is right across the street from the beach. We didn't stay too long but the kids were happy because they'd been bugging me to go since last week.

The palm trees beyond the kids are the beach.

This "Bratz" doll and her friend Indy are the main reason why I know they are needing to start school VERY soon. I need to NOT be taking Indy to TJ MAXX where she inevitably will talk me into buying her a doll like this. Should have wrote this on Not Me Monday.

My Mom did NOT buy these shoes.

I did NOT buy Indy a Bratz doll at TJ MAXX!!

I will NOT jump for joy when my little ones start school next Tuesday!!

Bliss...wedded or otherwise

Went to the SB Zoo the other day. It sits practically ON the beach. You can see and smell the ocean from several of the exhibits. I like to photograph the birds because they are colorful and make for a good picture.

This is our long lost step sister from my Mom's previous marriage. We haven't seen her in over 25 years. My Mom found her on facebook. She and her husband and two kids fit right in with our crazy family. I got the pleasure of spending the weekend with her and her kids. The kids are the same age as Alex and Indy. They get along great. I'm so glad to have another sister to spend time with. Nina, thanks for a great weekend!!

One of several trips to the beach this weekend. The kids did a lot of body surfing and boogie boarding.

This is my Mom at the farmers market yesterday. All decked out in her "I'm a lady who lunches" spring outfit.

Lynne...this is for you!

The blueberries were superb. I recommend finding your local farmers market and buying your produce there instead of the super market. The flavor and freshness is amazing.

Yesterday I took the kids to the beach by myself. It seams that everyone else in my family has a "life" and can't be bothered. The kids had fun until Alex stepped on a bee and got stung on the bottom of his foot but was easily distracted when a bride and groom came down to the beach from the Four Seasons Hotel to do a little photo-op....

Only in California can you see a bride in a gorgeous dress and a super cute groom getting on their paddle boards and paddling into the sunset together. All I could think of was...

A: she'll never wear the dress again anyway,

B: Dear God I hope that dress isn't a Vera Wang!!

School Wise and Sunrise

Ari has just officially finished her third day of high school. The first day her algebra teacher went around the room and asked the kids where they saw themselves in 5 years. Ari said that as the teacher went around the class asking this simple question, the same answer came over and over "I don't know". When the teacher got that answer she would then ask..."Well, what are you good at?" or "what do you love?"

They still said the same answer..."I don't know"

When ahe got to Ari and asked the same question, Ari's reply was this,

"I plan to be in college studying to become a verterinarian."

There was only one other girl in the whole class that didn't give the lame "i don't know" answer.

She has volleyball every day after school until 5pm and is still recovering from "Mono". She keeps showing up with the love and support of Ted and I and her entire family. I think the lesson here is that with every hurdle that comes up we just keep validating and acknowledgeing her feelings and we try to make sure that she gets heard when she has something to say. I hope I remember how to do this when Alex is a teenager. And when Indy is a teenager.

I took the little kids to the Sea Center on Santa Barbara Pier today. It was a little hazy but I still managed to get some pictures.

went to Pinkberry after lunch.

Our 6am workout was a "recovery" walk on the boardwalk this morning. Yesterday Shell and i got our butts kicked with the trainer so we could barely walk. So sad!

This is this morning's sunrise.

Sunday Morning Happenings

This morning Mom , Shelley and I walked on the beach at 7:30. Well Mom walked ans Shell and I ran. It felt so good to run along the ocean. I picked up a few more pieces of sea glass on my run.

Mom has been bugging me to help her clean up her closet. It seams it has gotten a bit out of control and she needed some help. Ari was on hand for some comic relief and some help.

When doing a nasty chore like cleaning out someone else's closet, it's always a good idea to wear their shoes. it's so much more fun to clean and organize in high heels!!

Note me in the mirror behind Ari in my high heels.

Ta-Dahhhh

I took Ari to the grocery store. This is what she wore... she isn't allowed to wear a dress like this to school but If it weren't so revealing on top and she COULD , she still wouldn't, but she'll wear it to the grocery store.

This is Oprah's BACK gate to her enormous property by my Parents house. Nice huh?

This is Oprah's front gate. the actual gate is beyond the little security house on the right. It doesn't even do it justice, it's gorgeous. She has so much acreage that you don't even see one bit of the actual house because it's so nicely blocked by all of her beautiful trees. I like the cobblestone driveway.

Saturday Morning in Santa Barbara

This morning my Mom and I met her friend at the Farmers Market downtown Santa Barbara.

We purchased lots of farm fresh organic fruits and vegetables for the next few days. I of course took my camera because I love to take pictures of this kind of stuff so here is a feast for your eyes.

This is my Mom calling her friend because she was a couple of minutes late. Funny because my Mom is almost always late.

This lavender was so amazing. It smelled so wonderful and fragrant. I need to get smellavision.

After the market we went out for breakfast. I had the most amazing huevos rancheros with fresh avocado and fresh black beans. I loved every bight. So glad to be in California where you can have great Mexican food every meal of the day and every day of the week and not eat at the same place twice!! yay for me.