Belated Blogiversary!! And soaking up summer

While out playing this last weekend, I was thinking how I should blog about whatever adventure I was on at the moment - which I now don't remember what it was I was thinking of writing about - and then it hit me... my 2-year Blogiversary was June 13! And I missed it! Bad blogger.

So, happy belated Blogiversary to my little blog!! It's been fun, playing here in my little corner of the blog universe. I know I've been MIA lately, but there is much too much fun to be had in the summer sun, taking me away from the computer (and I still am internet-less at home, so that doesn't help)... but I'm not giving up on you, my li'l baby!

If it is the least bit sunny outside, I absolutely cannot justify staying inside. With each passing moment indoors, this panicked urgency starts gripping my heart - I'm missing precious sun-time! I will actually get grumpy if I can't get out and play. No sleeping in for me (minus last Saturday, and I was quite bummed that my morning was "wasted" sleeping, even though I probably needed it since I went to bed the night before at 3am, lol). My house is in dire need of organizing and cleaning, but I just can't do it. I'm stuck inside all day during the work week, so when the weekend rolls around, it's playtime - that 5 o'clock "bell" rings on Friday afternoon and I mentally check out of work mode like my life depends on it.

Hiking, biking, rafting, barbecues, pool parties, dancing... I just can't get enough of summer...

Suiting up... our wetsuits are s-e-x-y!

Ready to ride the rapids! (I'm crouched in the front row, 2nd in from left.)

Moonlight hike sans the moon... cloudy skies and forest fire smoke didn't keep us from climbing!

Climbing down (I just noticed that I'm totally color-coordinated, lol!)

With the bros and Dad on Father's Day.

Pool par-tay! (I'm standing in the back.)

Head for the hills!

Ballet, mid bike ride :)

I don't mess around with mid-ride snacks - forget energy bars, most of them taste like wood anyway... hell-ooooo fruit & chocolate!

I hope you all are enjoying summer as much as I am! Get out there and enjoy the sun, the surf, the mountains, whatever it is that you have... summer is here and gone before we know it!!

xoxo
J

Sweet, sweet soreness

I'm happy to say that I stuck to my guns last night, and despite dinner plans with Mom, I got down to tae-bo business when I got home. No excuses allowed... "I'll be too full from dinner", or "it will be late and I have other things I should do..." I ate small portions and brought the rest home. I got home at 7:30, so it was definitely not too late. And yes, plans to continue organizing my stuff for this weekend's garage sale got sidelined, but I didn't (and don't) care. My mood was a 180-degree turnaround post-workout from the crabbypants I was beforehand. Game on.

It's amazing how quickly you lose it when you don't use it. I was huffin' and puffin' through those kicks and punches, and the stretch session afterward was humbling. But I pushed and breathed through, and today I have some seriously sore muscles to show for it... and I love it! I may be keenly aware of muscles I haven't used in awhile, but I'm one happy li'l camper today.


Tonight I continue my mission and will head to the dance studios to work through ballet barre, Horton exercises (a form of modern dance technique), and any stretching my sore muscles will allow. And then I get to enjoy dinner and a margarita with friends later... life is good.

xoxo J

Just do it

As I drove to work this morning I began to feel the dark cloud of crankiness start to creep in... I wasn't entirely sure why or where it was coming from, so I just took note and continued about my day. Then at some point this afternoon, it dawned on me: I have scheduled [crammed] so many things this week that I've compromised any time to workout, condition and dance. Not only do I need to do it for my career, but mama also needs it for her sanity.

My initial reactions were along the lines of "I need to make/find time in my schedule!". Nope, wrong. Unfortunately I do not have a magic wand to add more time to the day, nor can I live on less hours of sleep... I need to say, without guilt or reservation, the big, ugly N word: NO. (Not an easy task for this girl!)

This doesn't mean I bail on other obligations or responsibilities, or forgo any kind of social life. I just say NO to bumping my workout time. Make it an obligation as important as other important business I have to take care of, including fun business. Set it in stone and schedule things around it. No budging, no excuses. Excuses aren't going to keep me in shape and get me in better shape. If that means I do it at 9 o'clock at night sometimes, then so be it. If that means I arrive late to dinner with friends, flushed and glowy and my hair a bit disheveled, so be it. I didn't get a get-out-of-jail-free card because it was late in the evening or because I didn't sleep well the night before while in Chicago last summer... and wouldn't you know it, I was in the best shape of my life, physically and technically.

Protect my workout time like it's my job. Because if I don't and I get to Friday each week and have logged way too much desk time without countering it with solid sweat sessions, then I'm going to be wearing my crabby pants like it's my job. And no one wants to be around Jessizilla. I don't want to be around Jessizilla. AND! The dancers that I admire so much in my Dance Magazines don't look like they do or do what they do by coming up with pathetic excuses as to why they can't workout tonight...

Nike has it figured out. Their slogan isn't given a second thought anymore, but if you really think about it, they've summed it up in three little words... no excuses, no whining. Just do it.

via We Heart It

That means you, too... whatever it is you've been meaning to do, putting off... no excuses!

xoxo
J

It's here!!

Ladies and gentleman, I bring you the Fort Collins Party... Like It's 1985 flash mob performance, as promised!!



Too. Much. Fun!!

I was on such a high when we got done dancing, that I turned to the person next to me and said, "we have to take this on tour!" Okay, maybe that's a stretch, but hot diggity I had a BLAST!!

xoxo
J

Forget Monday... where did May go??

Yowza, June is here!! That just tickles my fancy, since June 1 signals the official beginning of summer in my little corner of the universe.

What have I been up to?? LIFE! Bike rides, pool parties, soaking up the sun, teaching dance, learning dance, being an Avon lady... I thought my to-dos would settle a little upon the arrival of summer, but such is not the case. Funny, though, it's a different kind of busy than when school is in session... I think the key is less stress. Summer just brings me a carefree outlook that I love and need!

I'm short on time, thanks to my many to-dos... so I leave you with some of my latest visual inspiration as we embark upon the weekend!

All from We Heart It

Happy Friday, happy weekend, happy summer!!

xoxo
J