I'm on the DL

So remember that 30-day ab challenge I was excited to be participating in with Sean and my friend Laura? Well, I've had to drop out. I gave myself a sports hernia, which basically means that I ripped my ab muscle. This happened on Thursday and I was so bummed and a bit in denial that I tried to do my situps again the next day and couldn't get through one without screaming. The pain was unbearable. So I guess I'm throwing in the towel, at least for another week to allow my muscle to heal a bit. I can still go running without much pain, though, and so we went Friday night and took our golden retriever Jasmine.

And of course she ended up in the lake.



We had a nice swampy smelling girl for a while.

Sean is still doing the ab challenge and rather enjoying it, although he makes sure to sarcastically let me know that I suckered him into it, but he always walks around like proudcock afterwards saying how easy that was, no big deal. Dylan likes to workout with him.



My lower stomach only hurts when I use that muscle, like if I cough or bend over the right way, and it feels better if I push on it. I've been taking extremely hot baths at night and it seems to feel even better after that. Dylan has been complaining that his stomach hurts today and I said, "Is it because Mama's stomach hurts, buddy?" and he told me that yes, that is why his hurts, too.

Infinite love for that boy, infinite. I can't even begin to explain how proud I felt of my kids last night as we drove home from our friend's party. We had left the house eight hours prior and enjoyed two parties--my adorable nephew turned one and a handful of Sean's friends were celebrating their 40ths--it was after 10PM, three hours past bedtime, and both kids were happily talking and cooing in the backseat.

Katie had been passed around all night and just happy as a clam to see everyone, and Dylan played with everyone's kids--who were six and older--as if he was one of the crew. For hours. We didn't even need to watch him because he was just doing what the kids did and having a blast playing tag and hanging by the campfire.

Do you ever have those moments where you just cannot grasp the enormity of how much you love your family? Yesterday was one of those days. I watched as my husband and his closest friends smiled and reminisced, my daughter slept soundly as one of our friends rocked her, and my son laughed gleefully for hours. I felt like I was looking in on my life yesterday and feeling just so blessed.

And I've got a confession: I've been skipping my calcium doses. Instead of taking six calciums a day I've only been taking two, and I feel great! No finger tingling, no facial numbness, no heart palpitations. I'm feeling healthier than I have in years. So maybe I've got a little sports hernia, but let me tell you, everything else in my life smells like sunshine. I am overjoyed.

Now serving: four legs and three wheels

We bought the kids a new running stroller today. We need it. Sean and I are becoming exercise addicts and we'd like to take the babes with us once in a while. Today is our rest day--as scheduled in our 30-day ab challenge--and it's a no-running day but we decided to take Dylan and Kate for a walk/run anyway because the weather was gorgeous and we have this new stroller.



Feel that? It's fresh air.









We took a walk break to throw some rocks and drink some milkies.




Once we were able to pry Dylan from playing by the water, we continued on.




The kids had the funniest reaction to running. Dylan loved it, Katie was startled.





And then we came upon a sign that made our night.



For six years we've been coming to our favorite lake every week, but dogs were never allowed. No dogs, don't feed the geese. Our town doesn't have any designated areas to walk dogs and we always have to drive a few towns over to get them exercise, there are even signs on the town green which read: No dogs. No tree climbing. No ball playing.

Suddenly, our dogs are allowed to run with us! We are thrilled. And with dogs around at the lake there will be less geese and less goose poop on the trails.




As if we needed another excuse to spend more time at the lake.

Ab challenge day 2

Yesterday, I felt nothing. No pain, no muscle straining. After today's workout my stomach muscles felt the burn. I can't wait to see how this feels in thirty days.



We're both really into doing this ab challenge because, well, it's pretty fun to workout together. We didn't wait for Dylan to go to bed tonight and we learned that it's a little harder and a little more fun with a two-year-old tagging along.







My turn to bust a gut:





Please pardon my child's backwards inside-out briefs, he's feeling very independent.

I spent the day rearranging the house. Apparently exercise gives me a ton of energy. Tomorrow we run another mile and I'm kind of excited about it. I haven't felt this great in a long time.

Operation get healthy and 30 day ab challenge

My heart finally feels healthy enough to be able to get back into exercising. My husband is extremely athletic, he rides a bike to work and runs on the weekends, and I've always wanted to be able to share in that fitness passion of his, I've just been too sick to get out there.

My heart results are this: my heart has a few extra beats--totally normal--and occasionally my heart goes tachycardic, meaning it goes from a very slow pace to a rapid heartbeat, which is a bit abnormal. My doctor suggested I get on a new medicine which will slow my heart rate, but I really don't want to take any more medicine. So I am trying to strengthen my heart muscles by slowly jumping into running.

Sean is my biggest supporter.

We dropped the babes off at Grandma's and went for a run.



He could've run circles around me with how slow I ran, ahem walked, but he held my hand and told me to take my time.



I think I did a mile in 14 minutes and change--I didn't hit stop right away so the time isn't quite accurate. Not great. But I did it.



So when we came home from our first run, I saw that my friend Laura is starting a 30 day ab challenge. Perfect, I thought, I'm feeling athletic! Why not add an ab challenge?



I think Laura found this challenge on Pinterest here.

So she and I decided to do it together and to push each other for support because we both recently had babies and our abs--although we are quite skinny--are not at all strong. Having a baby reeks havoc on a belly. And since Sean and I are suddenly on a let's exercise kick together he decided he'd do it with me, too.

So here's my disclaimer:

I like to document things like this to see my progress; Laura made me promise to take a before and after picture. But even though I'm skinny I'm not quite comfortable with laying it all out there. So I went back and forth on whether or not I'd be posting my bare belly--unedited, flaws out for all to see--on this blog or not. So I guess I'll post this challenge publicly because it's an experiment and I do want to see if it works. I may change my mind in the morning.  Promise me you won't judge. 

Here is my before:



I don't mind the way I look although I feel like I could stand to gain a few pounds, but I really want to feel healthy again. I want to earn my muscles back.  I'm on track to kick this cancer to the curb. 

We took a video of our first workout and laughed at how ridiculous we look. But again, I'm laying it on the table and being honest about this challenge and maybe some of my blog friends will want to try it. Or it could just be a big fluke.



Pregnancy absolutely ruins your ab muscles, I can barely do a sit-up. 



By the end of the 30 days my goal is to be feeling strong like bull in the belly. And it looks like I've got a long journey ahead of me if I am struggling to do 15 sit-ups.

Anyone care to join us in our challenge?