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Laura

Can a Family Have Too Many Things Going On?

As I write this, I realize that we have four children and life is going to be very busy, but sometimes I wonder if we can actually have tooooo many things going on in life. This weekend was one of those weekends. Here is the list of all the things we did and had going on:

1. Several loads of laundry to catch up on because of the previous Easter weekend and not being home.

2. Working on our remodel of our family room and trying to get as much done as possible before my husband who is a farmer gets in the field and has no time to work on it.

3. Helping my son do his 4-H project that needs to be done by this weekend, started and completed.

4. Helping some of my business partners with things that they needed help with.

5. Helping my 9 year old daughter take over the responsibilities of our local church bulletin.

Now that list does not include everything, LOL, but just the highlights. I felt I was running from one room to the next helping each with a step and then moving to the next room. It can sometimes feel like it's too much all at once but I always go back to the thought that these times are so precious. It may seem like there are so many things to do but I know I will miss it when the kids are grown and we won't have all the excitement. I'll post some pictures of the projects in progress and update again when everything is complete.

Are your weekends as busy and how do you make sure everything gets done.

Image of supplies required for bulletin board project.

















Isn't it nice to see a boy ironing!!













Teamwork with mom!!















The final project - He will be judged on it this weekend. I will update you on the results and also post a picture of the poster board that he's completing to give the information on the project. 4-H is such a worthwhile organization for kids and really helps them learn to be responsible and complete projects and be able to talk about them. Public speaking I believe is always a good thing to start when they're young.

Hope you've enjoyed. Check back if you want the entire instructions for this project.

Have a GREAT Day!!

Laura

How Are Your Exercise Goals Coming For 2011?

You will find about me that I absolutely LOVE to exercise. Any kind really when I have the time, but........ it is so easy to quit after just a little while. I have purchased almost every workout dvd collection that's ever been made. About one year ago though I was introduced to Zumba!!! Well that story has changed. We have a couple of people that come to our small little town and provide us with a zumba workout. They turn down the lights, put on some fun lighting and turn up the music. Now this last year I haven't been able to stay as consistent as I would have liked because of some health concerns in the family but I always looked forward to getting back at it when I could. Zumba is a combination of Latin dance steps, other dance steps and just really, really good music. It really makes you want to workout. It's not always easy for everyone to pick up the steps immediately but you will if you keep going. So don't just try it once - you've got to keep going and you'll be a pro before long and you'll be whittling away the little love handles and won't even know it!!!! I googled some information about zumba that I thought you might enjoy reading. Go find a local Zumba class or buy the dvd's or get the workout for the Wii. I recommend ALL of them!!!!

Enjoy the following article from the website www.livestrong.com. Leave me your comments on zumba or what you find is helping you with your exercise goals!!

Have a GREAT DAY!!!!

Laura

Zumba is a dance fitness method based on salsa and other Latin dance moves, performed to Latin and world music beats, and choreographed to allow people of any fitness or dance experience level to enjoy a fantastic workout. If you think you'd like an exhilarating class filled with good feelings and party-like fun, Zumba makes an excellent choice of a group fitness method to support your fitness goals.

Fat and Calorie Burning

At its core, Zumba classes are intended to provide a large calorie burn through aerobic activity done with interval training in mind. Depending on body weight, sex, fitness level and other common physical factors, the number of calories you burn in a typical Zumba class will equal that of any fast social dancing hour, such as salsa, disco or jitterbug. For most people, that can add up to 400 to 600 calories burned per hour. With the classes choreographed to provide intervals of intensity in both pace of music and type of movements, class members' energy expenditure is maximized for fat-burning benefits. Fitness moves are also incorporated within Zumba dances, so don't be surprised if you find yourself moving from a fast merengue beat to a long, slow set of push-ups on the wall, or doing several sets of squats followed by plyometric jumps.

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Full Body Workout

Zumba is both a dance class and a fitness class. Aside from its heart-health benefits, Zumba provides a workout for the whole body. From head and shoulder rolls that loosen up the neck and warm up the upper body, to footwork that strengthens and stretches calves and ankles, this fitness method touches on nearly every muscle and joint. Even those who are just learning the dance steps will find themselves waking up the day after a Zumba class with a definitive post-workout feeling. Hips and abs receive particular attention in the Latin dance style, and as with many dance exercise classes, thighs and butts often end up being sore the day after class. Flexibility is not ignored in a Zumba class either, with warm-ups and cool-downs a regular part of Zumba programming.

Fun for Everyone

Zumba classes are winning over fitness enthusiasts from across the world as Zumba instructors are being certified to teach classes in record numbers. Owing to popular demand, gyms and studios worldwide are offering standard Zumba, Zumba Gold for senior citizens, Zumba for kids and even Aqua-Zumba done in swimming pools. Because Zumba is based on music and dance, it seems to speak a universal language that people of all nations can related to. There is no large learning curve in a Zumba class, either. New participants may receive small-scale steps rehearsals before some longer dances, but in most cases, first-timers can simply jump right into a class and follow along with the instructor. Zumba instructors are trained to explain little with words, and instead use their body and hand motions to indicate which steps will follow, to keep class plans flowing and easy-to-follow. Whoops and hollers are a regular occurrence while the dancers have legitimate fun dancing to infectious rhythms and specialty songs.

Zumba is a dance fitness method based on salsa and other Latin dance moves, performed to Latin and world music beats, and choreographed to allow people of any fitness or dance experience level to enjoy a fantastic workout. If you think you'd like an exhilarating class filled with good feelings and party-like fun, Zumba makes an excellent choice of a group fitness method to support your fitness goals.

Wednesday Blog Hop

Balancing Family, Life And Work

For those of you who don't know, we have a son with severe disabilities that goes to a school about 4 hours away from us. We live in a really small town and he was not getting the services that he needs as often as he needs, like physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and so on. He has been there for 6 years now and it has been GREAT. He loves it there and it has helped him immensely. But in saying that.......... it does cause a lot more traveling on our part as a family. We travel to see him at least every 2-3 weeks. We either visit him there or bring him home for the weekend.

This last weekend was the weekend we had decided to go again. I have not missed a weekend with the family since I sold my CPA practice. That would often pull me away during the winter months, one reason why I sold it. But this weekend for my own sanity I had to not go. It is end of the year and I still have a lot of responsibilites. I still needed to get my own bookwork done for my husband's farming business, the church books, the church donation statements, etc, etc. With the crazy family health problems going in this last year life has been a little behind for awhile. LOL

So I stayed home and it was the best thing I could have done. I was able to get caught up which has relieved A LOT of stress. The feeling of always having so much to do is not a healthy feeling. And it spills over into everything in life. So I took time for me and made myself be in a better place which has helped my family too. Starting out the week feeling refreshed and on top of things was GREAT. It made me have more time to help a friend, make cupcakes with my little one and just be a much better wife and mother.

So take time for you. Do what you need to do to help yourself which in the long run will help EVERYONE!!!!!!

Have a Productive and HAPPY Week!!!!!
Laura