Twas the Night Before Game One (World Series edition)

I couldn't resist sharing this here...who else is excited for the Chicago Cubs to be in the WORLD SERIES!?

Twas the night before Game One (World Series edition)
Posted on October 24, 2016 by Michael Norton

‘Twas the night before Game One, and all through Chicago,

Every Cub fan was stirring, like they’d just won the lotto;

Was it fate? Was it God? There were plenty of theories,

Seven decades of wait; the Cubs made the World Series!

Despite all the doubts, talk of “curses,” and worry,

Cub Fans’ eyes shed a tear, from Belushi to Murray;

The city was chaos, this wasn’t a dream,

For our boys in the pinstripes, had beat LA’s team;

In Game One there was Lester, he pitched quite the gem,

But it wasn’t his effort that caused the mayhem,

With the lead down to zero, and our chance to win, narrow,

Lo! Behold! A grand slam! And the hero: Montero!

It was on to Game Two and the bats, they went cold,

Give all credit to Kershaw – he’s a beast, truth be told;

Game Three was the same, as the Cubs failed to score,

And some fans, they worried, they had seen this before;

At the start of Game Four, Cubs looked flat, to be blunt,

But that all turned around, with a Fourth Inning bunt;

When what to our wondering eyes did occur,

But a ten run barrage, it all seemed like a blur;

And the runs kept on coming, in Game Five, that is,

With an offense that proved they’re the best in the biz;

Jon Lester, again, used his whole bag of tricks,

Sending all to Chicago, for a decisive Game Six.

The feeling, electric, the atmosphere, great,

As Kyle took the mound, and Contreras, the plate;

A hit in the first, and one more in the eighth,

That was all he gave up; as we all kept the faith;

The Cubs, they were fearless, despite their opponent,

They hit hard and ran fast, and seized every moment;

They knocked Kershaw around, and showed no fatigue,

And they proved they were tops, in the National League;

Now it’s on to Ohio, to face Cleveland’s tribe,

And we all have that feeling that’s hard to describe;

No more home-field advantage, as this series begins,

It’ll take our best efforts to get four more wins;

Of course, Cleveland’s got pitching, a bullpen that’s stacked,

You can bet that their ballpark and streets will be packed;

While they’ve got some guys hurt, and don’t have a big name,

They beat Boston, the Blue Jays – they play a good game;

Perez is their catcher, with an arm like a gun,

So the Cubs might think twice when deciding to run;

And their DH Santana, hits with power and might,

Napoli is a threat, if his timing is right;

Francisco Lindor is a great, young shortstop,

And Kipnis at second base, sure has some pop;

Should any one game be a 9th inning thriller,

Their bullpen is tough, with Allen and Miller;

Despite this, I feel that this Cubs team can do it,

They’ve had ups, they’ve had downs, but they’ve always blown through it;

Different guys have stepped up, at the drop of a hat,

And they’ve done it with defense, and Matt Sczcur’s bat;

Regardless the pitchers, regardless the order,

Regardless if our DH is Soler or Schwarber;

With our grandparents, parents, friends and siblings we’ll cheer,

Every Cub fan BELIEVES that: “next year” is here;

For Harry! For Ernie! For Billy! For Ryno!

For Maddux! For Jenkins! For Pat Hughes and Ron Santo!

The Cubs won a lot, they’ve been put to the test,

But it’s time to beat Cleveland and give them our best;

“Sure as God made green apples,” as Harry did say,

The Cubs would be in the World Series someday,

Well that day is tomorrow, the Fall Classic is now,

And the Cubs have a chance, they can win: HOLY COW.

So root for the Cubbies, and keep Wrigleyville rocking,

On the doorstep of history, this team is now knocking;

If you cheer for the “tribe” – well, our line up should trouble you,

A century’s enough, now let’s go fly the W.

Squashing Some Misconceptions about At-Home Workouts

            I titled this post today “Squashing Some Misconceptions” because I think that unless you go out and you learn the information about what it is I do you may have some misconceptions about it, especially about the fitness programs: that they may be super hard and you can't do it, or you don't have the time, or the space. I just want to let you know where I did my workout this morning. I'm at my in-laws house and all you need is like an L-shaped space: that's it. All you need to do is be able to take a few steps up and a few steps to the side. For the dancing workout programs like Country Heat and Cize, an L-shape is all you need. For most of these workout programs you just need to be able to have that bubble around you: if you can put your arms out and twirl in a circle without hitting anything that's all the space you need to workout at home. You don't need fancy equipment, either. Country Heat in particular requires no equipment at all, just my body, and I'm sweating like you wouldn’t believe. So that’s the first misconception: how much space you need.

            The second misconception about working out at home is that you need a ton of time: these workouts are 30 minutes long. That’s not a ton of time in the grand scheme of your day, especially given that in the morning it will really get your blood pumping, digestive system moving, and give you energy. You probably won’t even need your coffee! You can even have the news on in the background and mute the workout on your computer so that you can do the news and your workout at the same time.

            I am two-and-a-half years into my fitness journey, so I have done extreme programs. There are programs, like Country Heat, that are so accessible for anybody. Country Heat has been making me sore: squats and stuff like that are built into the moves. It's very deceptive because you think it's easy just because it's simple. But because it's simple everyone can do it, if you're willing to try. You don't have to get all the way down in your squats or jump huge like some of the people; as long as you're moving and having fun that's all that matters. There's no equipment, just your body. You’re not just standing there and doing squats, push-ups, or burpees; you're just moving and following along to the music and it's so much fun.

             

            I can tell you that I have felt a world of difference in my midsection from this program. I have been more mindful of what I have been eating, I haven't been 100% on the eating plan because let's just face it: I don't like vegetables but I fit them in. I’ve also been more mindful of what I eat if we eat out. For example, last night we drove through McDonald's because we were traveling during dinner time and instead of a double quarter pounder with cheese and chocolate chip frappe that I may have had a couple months ago, Corey and I split the two cheeseburger meal, shared the fries, and I just had water to drink. I know that’s not the same as grilling some salmon with steamed asparagus and olive oil and sweet potatoes on the side…let’s be real, its not. But of the choices I had available, I made a good one. I didn't starve myself and skip dinner I just had a smarter portion of what was available.

            I have lost some weight, I have lost or gained some definition in my midsection which is awesome and if dancing around in my living room for 30 minutes a day can give me a few pounds shred, a few inches lost, and some confidence to rock some new yoga pants…that's a win in my book and that's really what it's all about. This health and fitness journey is about giving you the confidence to know that you're doing something that is better for your body. When you find yourself not craving junk anymore and you find yourself having an apple with your daughter instead of grabbing your secret stash of M&M’s (because let's really be real, most moms have a secret stash to keep away from their kids so they don't have to share), you know you’re on the right track.

            I bought the program because my friends were doing it, so why don't you let some positive peer pressure change your life, too? Really!! My friend was doing fitness programs three years ago and I could have just ignored her, unfollowed her, or got mad that she kept inviting me but instead I was like “You know what? You're my friend; you have my best interest at heart and if you think that I can do this then I'm going to try.”

            And now I'm so glad that I did! So I'm extending an invitation to you! Let me exert some positive peer pressure on you: you need to try a program- I’ll help find one that is the perfect match for you. You need to try it, because what do you have to lose? If half an hour can make a day can make you a healthier person, a happier person, a more confident person, a more patient person…then why haven't you tried it yet?! You know I've been asking you to try it, so let's put the doubt, fear, and excuses away and let me help you. I will be there everyday with you. I promise that if you put in the work, I will not let you fail. Please reach out if you are ready to take that step today!

The 30 Imperatives of Parenting from Parenting on Purpose

For October I'll be sharing something from my new favorite podcast: Parenting Today, on my Facebook page They did a 30-part series on the Imperatives of Parenting and I really enjoyed it and wanted to share it with you.

This podcast is 15 minutes a day and has opened my eyes into being more intentional as a parent. You can find more info about it online at Parenting On Purpose or Sheridan House Family Ministries.

The first "Imperative of Parenting" is the motivational why:

The first thing that we need to do as we look at the 30 things that we must train our children in before they go out the door, is check our motivations as parents. Where do our priorities truly lie? If our priority is our job or solely providing for our family, then we will spend all of our time, energy and ultimately ourselves on that. When we get home our spouse and children will get the “leftovers”. We need to make the choice, daily sometimes, what our priority is. Our priorities need to be first and foremost our relationship with God, next our marriage, and thirdly our children. Of course we need to provide for our family but that cannot ensnare all of our time and energies.

As you drive home or get up in the morning, pray and make the choice of what your priority is. That way you go into your time with your family intentionally. There is no way to train your children in these thirty areas if we are not intentional and treat training as a priority. Choose, through your relationship with God, to make your relationship with your spouse and children your first priority!

If you'd like to follow along all month long, please head to my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/boeknowscleanliving 

Grow It, Try It, Like It!

My husband went to a health and nutrition education conference a while back and came home with a form from Team Nutrition USDA with all sorts of educational nutrition resources from grades preschool on up through middle school.

Today I got a box of the "Grow it, Try it, Like it!" preschool curriculum in the mail that he ordered for me. It's awesome and my inner teaching nerd is drooling over these things as Addie sleeps nearby. 

It has sight word booklets and a different unit for 6 different fruits and vegetables that features activities like hands on stuff, eating and recipes, learning how they grow (and even planting your own), stories and songs, physical education activities, and even take home materials for the teachers to send home with kids.

I think it's a great curriculum and every school should be teaching about proper nutrition, getting in touch with growing your own food, and staying active. It would work great for homeschooling moms too!

If you'd like more information about this curriculum you can see here: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/grow-it-try-it-it 

#growittryitlikeit

Country Heat thoughts- Day 2

            I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts on Country Heat so far. I missed Monday so today is only my second day of it, but I did my second routine today and my skin is glowing and I am dripping and just as sweaty as I got in 22 Minute Hard Corps. So I'm really surprised- honestly I bought the program because everyone else in my room at Summit bought it too, and I said, “okay everyone else is doing it, I guess I'll do it too.” That's kind of how I felt last year when I bought Cize, which was more of a hip-hop dancing program. I ended up loving Cize, by the way, and I can already tell that I’ll love this program, too.

            I'm not watching the clock at all during the workout. I am out of breath when I’m doing it; I don't know how Autumn does the program and talks the whole time! You don't need a home gym for this, there's no equipment, there's a girl who doesn't even do the jumping so there's no impact or anything. I’ve just been using my living room floor: if you can take 2 steps to the right and 2 steps to the left, forward, and back: that's all the space you need! I'm really pleasantly surprised! It's fun and it is more of the fun, upbeat country songs that have been on the radio lately. It's not line dancing at all; it is cardio.

            They're all really simple moves and I think honestly my favorite part so far is the move breakdown. It's like a 20-minute separate track where she goes through each move at walking speed, so for me that's really helpful. I even had to replay a couple, because if you're trying to learn them as the music is going you're gonna mess up. So I really love the move breakdown a lot.

            There are some moves that I have not gotten the hang out quite yet since this is only my first or second day doing some of them, and it's kind of nice that once you do that round of them you're done and you're onto another move. I've got a few other people doing Country Teat with me in my group and so far I think that they love it too. The fact that it comes with Shakeology and the portion control containers just makes it well rounded and you know that you're getting your nutrition taken care of. I think you're easily burning 200 calories in each workout at just half an hour.

            If you want to join in or learn more information about Country Heat (or any other program for that matter), please comment below, email me, or reach out to me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/boeknowscleanliving 

Here's a view of me dancing while Addie plays in the living room behind me.

I never thought this would be my life

            Good morning, everyone! I hope you're doing well this Tuesday. I just posted a picture of Addie and I after my workout to Facebook and was typing a caption and I felt like what I was typing was not enough to explain the story behind the picture so I wanted to share all of my feelings here to the blog. I'm emotional thinking about it right now as I type.

            Addie sometimes just watches TV upstairs when I work out, but lately she's been a downstairs with me. I think she likes Tony Horton and 22 Minute Hard Corps. Today she was with me for 2 of the 3 rounds and I ended up taking a video on my phone of almost the entire workout of the both of us just because I want to preserve that memory. That experience is something that I never thought was possible for my life; something if you would have shown me that video 3 years ago I would have laughed at you and I would have said:

• ·      You're crazy, there's no way that is that that kind of workout is fun.
• ·      There's no way that that I could keep up with that.
• ·      There's no way that I would be laughing and having fun with it.

            The fact that I would have this amazing, energetic, strong daughter who loved doing it with me- I wouldn't have believed it. I realize that a lot of the things I post might seem out of reach for people that follow me, and I just want to tell you that it doesn't have to be out of reach. My first goal was 5 pounds at a time, and I lost 5 pounds in my first 21 days! More than 5 pounds, actually. The weight that I got down to, the energy I have, and the things that I've accomplished never even crossed my mind as possible to shoot for because it was so far removed from the life I was living.

            For example, with what we eat: I never ate yogurt at all growing up. I thought it was disgusting or sour. Do you know what my favorite treat is now like if Corey and Addie make a s’more for dessert?? I have a vanilla greek yogurt and sprinkle in maybe a couple chocolate chips or a handful of cinnamon granola organic granola. That's my dessert! That's something that my body craves which is wild, because I never would have touched the stuff 3 years ago.

            The fact that I ran a 10k last fall is something that you might think, “Oh I'd like to do that someday.” but you never really do anything about trying to reach the goal. The fact that I can go out on any given day and go for a 3-mile run and have it be no big deal…that is something that I never thought was possible. When I was growing up I couldn't even finish the mile in junior high without having a friend have to run into the school and get my inhaler for me because I couldn't breathe. I was not in shape. I ate terribly. Just recently I had a pear slice; I thought it was a green apple! I had never had a pear that didn't come in like heavy cling syrup!

            I've liked posting videos lately of my workouts to Facebook to show that I like doing it when Addie does it with me. It's just so much fun to look at and see the life that I live and what's possible with being healthy and putting yourself first. I just want to let you know that if you're intimidated at all by the things that I post and think that I'm drinking some crazy happy juice, I totally know how you feel because that's how I felt, too. Before I started, I could not last an entire day without taking a nap with Addison. Everyday I would literally sleep in, lay in bed with her watching TV, get up, come to the couch, turn the TV on and sit there all day. I would play with her and do the absolute minimum, and there would be times when I would fall asleep on the couch as she was playing because I just had no energy to do anything.

            For one thing, that’s not safe, and I felt incredibly guilty every time that happened, but I just had nothing in me to give. It was embarrassing and I hated myself for it. The first thing that I thought when a friend of mine started showing these awesome changes in her life was that I resented her for it, and I didn't want to see her posts because I was jealous of her. I thought that there was no way that I could ever have what she had; she must be super special or have something. But all she really had was better tools than me, and a support system.

            She shared that with me, and now I'm the one that posts the annoying happy stuff all the time ;) and maybe you are the one that is looking at that and thinks “Awesome, good for her. I could never do that.” But I want to tell you that you can and I want to tell you that it's possible, and I want to tell you that it's going to take work. It's going to be long term; it's not going to be 3 weeks and you're gonna have your goal body and your life is going to be perfect, because if you stop you're gonna go back to where you were!

            You have to get to the point where you want change so desperately that you're willing to try something different and you're willing to stick with it once you see it starting to work. If you would have told me 3 years ago that I would be earning money by sharing about my workouts or that I would be earning money by working 1-2 hours a day and paying for things like car repairs or vacations or this super-awesome surprise that I bought tickets for last night (Disney on Ice!!) I wouldn’t have believed you.

            Last night I saw the tickets on sale and I told Corey how much fun it would be and asked if we should do it. He said yes, and I didn’t have to think twice about how much it costs because I know that I'm bringing in money for fun stuff like that. Corey's money is covering the bills most of the time, and so my money can go to fun stuff like that we would have not had in our lives before.

            I'm so much more thankful for the life I have now because I have known the complete opposite and I know that I never want that again. I never want to feel like a medical diagnosis is defining who I am. I never want to feel like I can't be enough or I can't keep up or have fun with my family. I want this change for so many other people because it's so, so much more than the size clothes that I wear; it's so much more than the silly selfies that I post. I want you to have the same journey as I have had because it's been an amazing ride.

            I'm looking for people to join with me on that ride; so there's space on my bus and I am moving forward. This post was to let you know more of where I’ve been so if you identify with that at all, you should know that it's possible to change and I want to help you do that. Please follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/boeknowscleanliving and reach out to me there.

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The most effective workout program is one that you ENJOY DOING!

I totally bombed at P90X3 in the spring and I thought Tony Horton wasn't for me. Then I discovered 22 Minute Hard Corps and I love it! I've got 3 weeks left and I know I can finish strong. 



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If a program isn't working for you, let me help you troubleshoot! If it isn't fun for you, you won't want to do it or do it hard. Let me help you find something that makes fitness FUN for you- maybe it's Country Heat?

What is Country Heat, you ask? Message me to find out the details and how you can win money in September just for doing your workouts!