2013 4th Annual Summer Fitness Challenge:

I wasn't going to sign up for this.
 Summer is busy!
And it just keeps getting busier because of Army stuff (Number one tip for military families: Schedule everything in pencil!). I thought I would wait till next year. I like to have a set work out routine which is impossible to maintain for me right now! Today I saw the post again and I realized, I will always be busy! Clayton will always be going to this school, that night shift...yada yada! I have no routine and that doesn't look like it will be changing anytime soon. So I might as well do it! Today is the last day to sign up! Take a look and have no excuses!
 (That's why they made double strollers!)

How to thank the Soldiers:

After my husband joined the military, it kind of forced my eyes open. I loved this country and its service men and women before, but gosh golly let me tell you how much I appreciate them now. What used to be "My-Husband-Doesn't-Have-To-Work Day" now brings me to tears. I can't say that I know exactly what these people went through. Far from it. When I think of past military wives who waited for MONTHS for a single letter, I stand in awe of their determination and strength. But what I do see and hear are the first hand accounts of the life of modern soldiers.

After my husband left for basic training, I started seeing those well known hats atop elderly gentlemen's heads everywhere I looked. I'm sure they had been there all along, I just never noticed. Now I read each one and I feel a huge sense of gratitude for those who served. What horrors did they witness? One veteran turned cab driver told me some of the most terrifying things I never thought were within the scope of human capacity. I shudder now, just thinking about them. I see these men and I look into their eyes and I can't help but wonder how they can have any hope for us, seeing what they have seen. 

One day, I decided I was done wondering. I was done letting these hats walk by me unacknowledged. And I started going up to them and thanking them personally. 

I knew I would get emotional. But I was surprised by one emotion I didn't think I would feel...inadequate! 

No experience more so than the one at the pumpkin patch last October. I turned and saw him sitting alone on a bench, a cane across his lap. His hands looked stiff. Looking lost in thought and I almost didn't want to bother him but I had made a commitment to myself and so I mustered my nerves and walked right up to him. 

"Sir, can I shake your hand?" I managed to say.

"Sure..." he said extending his hand and gripped mine with a strength I hadn't expected.

Making sure I looked him in the eyes, I said, "I need to tell you how grateful I am for all you have done for this country, my family and me." A fire seemed to come to life in those eyes and to my surprise, still holding my hand, he started to cry...

I started to cry... My mind instantly went back to the horror stories I heard from the back seat of that taxi. Was this man there? Did he see his friends die? I continued to look in his eyes, wondering what they have seen in battle and crying because this little thank you, this handshake was NOT enough!

I left that encounter feeling low. I know he had appreciated the thank you of a complete stranger but I couldn't shake it! 

Over the next few months I have been mulling it over and over in my mind. What could any of us possibly do to thank these people? How do we thank the men and women who have died in the name of our freedom? 

Finally it came to me in the form of a movie quote about this very thing:

"Don't waste it." (Saving Private Ryan) 

Be the best person you can be. 

The only way we can truly thank these soldiers, the only way we can show our gratitude, is to take advantage of it, fully! To be the best we can be, to make this country the best we can! To be proud to be Americans. To live LIFE to the fullest... and not waste the precious gift of freedom. 

This country started with a resolution signed by some of the bravest souls in history. Today, lets resolve to be better Americans, to thank those who have fought and now fight for our freedom.

...HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY...

My children seem to think I am a Super Hero:

I'm starting to get what is going on here...my children OBVIOUSLY think I am Super Hero. This is the only logical thought process I could guess is running through their minds:

Mommy doesn't need sleep. She is perfectly capable of being woken up at anytime to rescue me from monsters or because I have the sudden urge to play. 

Mommy can survive without eating, so it's perfectly ok to ask her to do something just as she sits down to eat. Also, because she doesn't need it, there is no reason that despite the meal on my plate, I can't ignore it completely and beg for her's. She also doesn't need that chocolate; so I will just cry until she gives me the whole thing.

Mommy doesn't need to take time to get ready for the day. She is so super, she repels dirt, dead skin cells and oily hair. So its acceptable for me to wake up before she can shower or refuse to take a nap so she can get clean. 

Mommy doesn't need to exercise. She is super strong because she is super! So it's totally cool with her when I jump on her abs mid crunch or decide she's a horse while she tries to plank.

Mommy doesn't need to drink water, so it's ok for me to use her awesome camelbak water bottle as a chew toy and destroy it completely! (Happened today...)

Mommy can hear my demands above the roar of the dishwasher, shower and washing machine even after she has told me she can't hear me. I will repeat what I said at the same volume and from the same distance as I did the first time. 

Mommy can find anything, after I looked for a second and she looked for ten minutes!

Yep...they obviously think I am indestructible. Unable to starve, dehydrate, maintain an amazing physic with no effort...I know this won't last long so I might as well enjoy it now :)

Happy Mother's Day Book Review: The Invisible Woman: When Only God Sees by Nicole Johnson

I hope everyone had an awesome Mother's Day!!

Yesterday I got an incredible book from my Dad and I finished it yesterday too!

This book is about a woman named Charlotte. A wife and mother of two boys. She begins to notice that she has become invisible. That she is simply the hands that fold laundry, the driving force that takes them too school. To her husband she always looks "fine" when she asks. It's as if her family thinks that dinner magically appears in front of them each night. She begins to give into the thanklessness of her invisibility when she confides to a friend. Two weeks later this friend returns from a trip to Europe. Her friend hands her a book she found that would later change Charlotte's perception of her whole life.

The book is on the Cathedrals of Europe. I won't spoil it for you by listing the amazing parallels she is able to draw from it. But they are beautiful!

I can't say that I feel invisible ALL the time (Thank you Daniel Tiger for the "Thank You" song!) But do I feel invisible sometimes? You bet I do! When I'm on the phone and someone comes in begging for a snack, it's like I'm not even there. But motherhood is a service. And we shouldn't be doing our day to day with hope of recognition (We should still get it but that shouldn't be our motivation.). Our motivation should be to more like Jesus Christ and we need to use our faith and know that God sees our good works and our thankless service.

Well I need to wrap this up, Caden can't see that I'm trying to write a blog post and is asking for a story right now :) Please read this book! I am more than willing to lend my copy to anyone in my area who wants to read it, so long as I get it back!

Health and Fitness: My motivation

I love being healthy! I am still trying to figure out how I was skinnier back when I ate whatever I wanted and didn't exercise than I am now when I watch what I eat and exercise regularly! Must be the hips I got after having two kids gave me :) 

But like most (I hope) I fall off the bandwagon and need to go to my inspiration sources to get me revved up to start again. Here are my top three blogs I go to for just that!

Love Your Healthy Body.com:

This blog belongs to my friend Claire! She has totally inspired me over and over to keep going! Her before and now pictures really show all the work and determination she has put into it. She has taken control of her life and I admire her so much for it!

Lance and Mckenzie.blogspot.com:

This is my friend Mckenzie's family blog! I love that she posted her progress with the infamous INSANITY work out! I love Insanity and it was so inspiring to see her post her progress week after week. Unfortunately I can't do Insanity now that we live above someone... :( But still she keeps me motivated!

5 Nuts in a Nutshell:

I love this blog! She is an army wife who has truly made a huge difference in her life. Right now she is hosting a summer fitness challenge (Link above goes straight too it!). I am debating whether or not to go for it! I know I could definitely hit the Bronze but if I sign up (its free btw) I would want to go for the GOLD! Although I am not as confident I could hit it! I love her blog because sometimes as a military wife/mom, it's hard to take the time to get out and work out. Your husband's schedule is NEVER set. You can say all day long that you guys will plan on him watching kids after dinner so you can run but lets face it, my husband has gone weeks not getting home in time for dinner. Or he'll get put on night shift but still have to leave early in the day. So I have named my double stroller "No Excuses." Although I like working out on my own and not having to answer "The Call of the Mommy", unfortunately that isn't a luxury I can afford right now. I may not get to shower until the afternoon but is it worth it? Oh yeah!

Summer is just around the corner! Time to get re motivated! The sun is out, go have some fun! What sources of inspiration do you use?

Kayli Moments: Pepper Spray Edition

You've probably had one or two. Those moments where the simplest task(s) suddenly becomes the most difficult process you can imagine. Friends and family of  mine have dubbed these moments "Kayli Moments." Why? Because they seem to happen to me a lot more frequently than average people. And Tuesday the fit really hit the shan!!  

It all started Monday when I ran out of allergy meds and forgot to go get more. I take mine in the morning because if I take it at night I won't sleep. It's non-drowsy of course! But even though the stuff says it works for 24 hours, we all know it is only a measly 12. I just have to hope I can sleep through my allergies when it stops working. When midnight rolled around I knew it was not going to be one of those nights. So I mentally kicked myself and made a plan to get more first thing in the morning. 

The kids woke up, ate breakfast and I tried to get online to check my balance on my account. (I am super scared of my check book not matching my actual purchases so I check it on an almost daily basis. Especially before I buy stuff.) Much to my dismay the internet wasn't working. I don't have the internet peeps number because my mobile internet isn't working either. Caden is screaming for snack time although he just ate a whole banana and apple and bowl of cereal all by himself. I called Clayton to get the internet peeps number. Called the internet peeps and they can't figure it out either. (Caden literally decides to cry anytime I get on the phone!) I also have a very hard time understanding people with accents. There's like a disconnect in my brain and it sounds like I am listening to gibberish. Throw in some internet cable lingo and I was lost. We tried to schedule a a guy to come out but their system is down (I know the feeling!) and ask me to call back in an hour, at least I think that is what he said. Frustrated I decided to walk my way to the store and get my itchy throat, watery eyes and runny nose taken care of. 

Now the part about the pepper spray:

I was carrying my pepper spray like a good girl. It is the one designed to take jogging with you so it has a nifty carrying thing that straps to your hand. Well I had gone running monday and I had left the bottle in the open-and-ready-to-spray-once-you-push-it position just to be extra ready. I had forgotten to put it back in the safety for dummies position when I got home. Don't worry, it is never in reach of my children. As I am walking to the store I see that the bottle is coming out of the pouch and so I began to push it back in, my hand slipped to the trigger and sure enough out streamed a spray of spicy liquid pepper or whatever they put in that crap. It coated mostly my hand but a little did make contact with my tongue when I gasped. The instant it hit I could hear a chorus of "Burn, baby burn..." while everything passed in slow motion. It was actually quite hilarious. I would laugh but I can't feel my tongue. Long story short, I managed to make my way to the store and get the medicine and make it back just as the burn was wearing off. Moral of the story...Kayli needs the dummy safety on at all times and remember to only pepper spray people who really (and I mean REALLY) deserve it because that stuff is no joke!

And that my friends is your Kayli Moment for today :)

Laugh on!