#church #lds #mormon #ilovemychurch #modestfashion #modeststyle #outfit #dressingup #blackandwhite #supershopper #clearancesales #Sundayfunday
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Church Outfit
My church outfit for today...I ♥ dressing up and going to church! :)
#church #lds #mormon #ilovemychurch #modestfashion #modeststyle #outfit #dressingup #blackandwhite #supershopper #clearancesales #Sundayfunday
#church #lds #mormon #ilovemychurch #modestfashion #modeststyle #outfit #dressingup #blackandwhite #supershopper #clearancesales #Sundayfunday
Friday, June 26, 2015
My New Square 36 Exercise Mat
I'm SO excited about my new #Square36 #exercise mat! It's 8x6 feet of awesomeness! :) Now I can happily and safely do #P90X, #Insanity, #ballet, #gymnastics and #yoga all I want—without ruining my carpet! :) (@square36_exercise_mats)
P.S. I researched this #family company before I purchased their product, and I'm thrilled to say they didn't disappoint!
#basementgym #iloveexercise #exerciseprosperity #longevity #strongmom #fitness #befit #fitmom #healthisashealthydoes #healthyandhappy #investinyourlife #icandoanything
P.S. I researched this #family company before I purchased their product, and I'm thrilled to say they didn't disappoint!
#basementgym #iloveexercise #exerciseprosperity #longevity #strongmom #fitness #befit #fitmom #healthisashealthydoes #healthyandhappy #investinyourlife #icandoanything
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Insanity and Austenland DVDs!
Look what was delivered to my house today! I'm thrilled to finally call them my own! :) Hopefully, the past 11 months and three weeks of doing #P90X has prepared me for #Insanity! And if I need therapy afterward, I have #Austenland to make me laugh! #winningcombination #funniestmovie #exerciseprosperity
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Citi's Global Community Day
Today, my wonderful husband, Greg, served food to those in need at St. Anne's Shelter, in Ogden, Utah. I'm so grateful he took the time to be a part of Citi's Global Community Day. Their volunteers have done so much GOOD around our beautiful world! :) @citi
#CitiVolunteers #CitiGlobalCommunityDay #makesmyhearthappy #justserve #iLOVEhim!
#CitiVolunteers #CitiGlobalCommunityDay #makesmyhearthappy #justserve #iLOVEhim!
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Saturday, June 6, 2015
15 Musts of Exercise Prosperity
Because I'm so happy with my results of exercising consistently for the past 11+ months, I decided to share my 15 musts (thoughts) that create exercise prosperity in our lives! :)
1. When we're wholeheartedly committed to exercising consistently, we must create an exercise plan, environment and lifestyle that allow us to be successful. We must pick the types of exercise we know we will continue throughout our lives. (See number 11 for clarification.) We must schedule exercising into our calendars and view that time as especially important! We must not let any calendar item get in the way of our exercising! Okay, urgent or emergency situations obviously take precedence over exercising—but if it's not truly urgent, we must do whatever it takes to keep our exercise appointments!
2. We must daily acknowledge that having a healthy body is vital to our life missions! Everything we do in life is made possible by our bodies! Thus, we must keep our attitudes happy towards exercise. :) Exercising our precious bodies must be a top priority!
3. We must drink a lot of water! I'm sure you've heard way too much about the importance of drinking water, so I won't bore you. But I must share that when I drink a lot of water daily, I have more energy, improved brainpower, and my muscles are less sore. The best way I've found to get enough water is by drinking a large tumbler (16 ounces) of water every time I finish using the bathroom. That might be TMI, but it totally works for me and my body is healthier because of that wonderful habit!
4. When beginning an exercise program, we must take it slow and easy. Don't overdo it, but don't be a wimp, either! :) We simply need to consistently exercise, no matter what. Then, when our bodies have become used to our beginner-level exercising, it's time to ramp up our efforts! We can continue ramping up our exercise routines for as long as our body can take it...but again, we mustn't overdo it.
5. We must get a good amount of sleep every night, so our bodies can recover, repair and improve themselves. Without adequate sleep, our bodies are depleted of energy, become rundown, and risk injury or illness. Don't ever skimp on sleep! Plus, if we get enough sleep, we'll look younger, too...yippee!
*For more information on the vast importance of sleep, please watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta's CNN video "How important is a good night's sleep?"—it's amazing!!
6. We must never become discouraged with our exercise progress. It's true that some people progress in their fitness goals more quickly than others. We must remember that creating our best bodies takes patience, diligence, consistency and time! If we can internalize that exercising our bodies is a lifetime journey, we'll be much happier and more patient with ourselves. We could look at exercising in the same way as eating: we must do it consistently, otherwise we'll become unhealthy and eventually die! Although, one of those scenarios would obviously cause death more quickly than the other. ;)
7. We must not burn ourselves out by exercising intensely six to seven days per week. If we want to train really hard, three to four times per week will suffice. Unless we're professional athletes or fitness trainers, taking a break every other day really is okay! Don't believe me? I'll be writing another post in the future to sustain my stance.
8. We must walk. Walking is so good for our bodies and minds, it can't hurt us if we walk for exercise every day of the week! That said, I don't recommend walking long distances in addition to intense training/exercising on the same day—unless it's absolutely necessary...or you're superhuman. ;)
9. We must do whatever it takes (within reason!) to not become bored with exercising! Randomness in exercising, i.e., mixing it up, is essential to achieving our fitness goals. But at the end of the day, just like we might not enjoy the monotony of repeatedly cleaning bathrooms, exercising must be done no matter how we choose to do it!
10. Our first and paramount exercise goal must be "I want my body to be fit and healthy for life!"—not just for 90 days, or until the next 10k! Don't get me wrong, for it's very good to have short-term fitness goals, but we must fully internalize that we will never be done exercising—just like our laundry piles will never completely disappear as long as we are alive! ;) Creating a healthy body is a never-ending, priceless endeavor!
11. We must utilize the types of exercise that bring us joy and keep us healthy, and not compare ourselves to anyone else! If we have medical conditions that prevent us from exercising at the same level as someone else, we must not let their amazing feats defeat us! Similarly, we don't know what health issues others have, so we also should not judge their exercising habits. :)
*I, for example, have hypothyroidism. If I over-exercise, or don't get enough sleep, my body doesn't do well, and it takes me a day or two to recover. (It can sometimes take longer depending on what else I have going on in my life at the time.) I attribute this annoyance to the fact that my body simply can't make more thyroid hormone whenever it needs it; I have to wait for my thyroid hormone to be replenished through a daily pill. If my body's need for thyroid hormone exceeds what it has in reserves, I pay the price for my actions and I'm left with exhaustion. :( (Medical professionals might disagree with me based on studies, etc., but I live with my body's issues every day and this is totally what happens to me!) That sad fact bothers me, but I've come to accept it as my unfortunate truth—I've learned to work around it and live with it. Yes, even though I dearly wish I could exercise intensely every day (I love exercising!), I know my body's annoying limits. I take breaks when I've overdone it, and I don't feel guilty about resting if the need arises! :)
12. We must listen to our bodies! If we're injured or feeling ill, we should lighten or eliminate our exercise routines until we've fully recovered. Believe me, it's not worth pushing through the pain and/or exhaustion—and possibly injuring or sickening ourselves further—just to save face! Bottom line? We must take good care of ourselves in every way possible, and that includes resting when needed.
13. We must not ever get caught up in the numbers on a scale! Instead, we must pay attention to the following numbers:
- our heart rates—which indicate if our hearts are getting stronger (Yeah yeah!)
- how many repetitions we can do of any particular exercise—which also indicates our increasing strength
- the amount of weight with which we are able to perform any exercise, i.e., higher equals better/stronger (as long as it isn't too heavy)
- our bodies' inches—are they diminishing (at the waist) and expanding appropriately (arm, leg, chest and back muscles)
- the length of time we're able to exercise—again, longer equals stronger and healthier
- how many days/months/years we've been consistently exercising—the more time that passes, the healthier our bodies become
15. We must always remember how magnificent we feel after exercising! There will most likely be days when we won't want to exercise, but we must push through whatever is keeping us from working out and just do it! :) The wonderful mental health benefits of exercise have been proven time and again—we literally become happier and less anxious when we exercise! And I'm pretty sure everyone wants to feel triumphant every day of their lives!
Long story short: exercising makes me feel awesome, and I simply want everyone to join in my fun! :) I am living proof (from my exercising experiences) that my 15 musts really do work! If we keep our exercise mindsets continually positive, we'll absolutely be healthier in every way possible! Additionally, we can handle life so much better when we're healthy and fit—regardless of what's thrown our way! :)
Monday, June 1, 2015
Exercise Prosperity
If you can believe it, I originally began writing this blog post in August, 2014! I decided to wait to publish it because I wanted to compare myself before and after I began working out continuously. Now, I feel more than ready to share my thoughts on the boundless importance of physical exercise! :)
I'm guessing many of you have heard the old saying, "It takes six weeks to get into shape, but only two weeks to get out of shape." If you haven't heard that information before, let me assure you that it's true. My amazing junior high gymnastics coach told our team those words when I was in the seventh grade and I've never forgotten them! I've exercised off and on throughout my entire life and this six week/two week rule has always proved correct. :)
In 2012, I began seriously working out to exercise videos with one of my Texas friends at our ward's (church) gym (a full-sized basketball court), three days per week, for six months straight. We missed a day once in a while, but it wasn't very often. I was in the best shape of my life since I'd been a gymnast!
After Greg and I found out we were moving from Texas, my official exercising times vanished. Sure, I was getting plenty of exercise because of packing our rental house and moving to Utah, but after we settled into our new/old house, I fell out of shape. Remember it takes only two weeks to get out of shape? Well, that's exactly what happened to me after our exhausting move. Don't get me wrong, I was still a very active mama, but I only officially exercised maybe once or twice per week and it wasn't consistent.
So, a year after our big move back to our beloved Utah, I was finally ready to rejoin the fit world and really commit myself to exercising consistently. Yet I absolutely did not let myself feel like a failure for becoming less-than-fit, I simply decided to change my lifestyle! :) I made an exercise plan and committed to it 100%!
I'm so happy to report that tomorrow begins my 48th week of exercising consistently! I'm humbled and excited to write that number. That information means I'm officially in shape! Yay me! (I'm not being prideful, just super happy!) By the way, as much as I would have really liked one, I didn't receive a certificate for working my hiney into good shape. Ha ha. Maybe I'll just have to create my own! ;)
Even though I have a gym membership that gives me unlimited use of their machines and weights, I'm not great about going there because I love exercise classes oodles more. Exercising with people totally motivates me.
(On a weird side note, last week, our local gym randomly moved locations to merge with another gym. This news was totally unexpected, so Greg and I will definitely be canceling our memberships and finding an alternative {like our basement!} because there's no way we're driving 15+ minutes just to get to the gym! I know that's a short commute for many people, but the gym used to be less than five minutes from our house—which is why we signed up for it in the first place.)
To get my hiney into shape, I chose to workout to varied exercise videos. I already owned the New York City Ballet Workout 1 & 2 DVDs; Pilates for Weight Loss DVD; and one yoga DVD, but I decided I needed a few more options. I have a bunch of additional exercise VHS videos, but our player broke in the move and we never bought another one.
When my sister-in-law asked what I wanted for Christmas (2013), I suggested Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. I was thrilled to open 30 Day Shred on Christmas day because it's a great workout! A few months later, I purchased the entire P90X program (including the chin-up bar, minus the bands because I use my own weights), I was so excited! I got a fabulous deal and it has been worth e-v-e-r-y penny! (Sadly, the deal I got in 2014 isn't available anymore.) *I'll be writing about my P90X experience another day...I can't wait!
Because I've stayed true to my fitness goals over the past 10+ months, I can pretty much do any exercise or physical activity I desire—which feels amazing! I can't even begin to express the joy my heart feels when I decide to quickly run somewhere (while I'm running errands, or trying to escape the rain, or helping wrangle the neighbors' escaped dogs!) and do it without any huffing and puffing! I know my heart is stronger; my lungs have greater capacity (which also helps with singing in my ward's choir!); and my muscles have increased endurance! I just love that my body is so much more efficient than it used to be!
*Might I add, in regard to my physical shape, several people have said things to me like, "Oh, you're so lucky, you don't have to worry about your weight!" or, "I'm just not naturally skinny like you are." etc. While well-intentioned, those comments drive me crazy!
What those people don't realize is that even when I wasn't working out as consistently as I am now, I was still trying to stay active and watched what I ate. Even after I've been exercising consistently for all this time, I continue to watch what I eat. Yes, on occasion, I do eat whatever I want (like tonight's pizza and peanut M&M's) and it tastes awesome...until I get a stomach ache, then I totally regret that I ever overate!
Basically, I listen to my body. I try to eat healthily. I don't drink soda unless we're at a party or some special event. When I have treats one day, I limit them in the days to come. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. I allow my body to get hungry, for I believe hunger is our bodies' natural way of communicating to us if we need food, or not! I think a lot people in the world have messed up their bodies by continuing to eat when they're not hungry, so their bodies are confused and they don't know when enough is enough. But enough about my food ideas. ;)
I simply wanted to clarify that I'm not just naturally skinny. And, hi! I wouldn't even define myself as skinny! I guess would define myself as not big. :) I treat my body as well as I possibly can, which includes exercising and eating healthily.
Sorry for my tangent, I just had to clarify those points...
My fit self was especially evident when I went to BYU Women's Conference April 30th–May 1st, 2015. As I walked all over campus, I couldn't help but reminisce about my experience in 2014. I couldn't believe the overwhelmingly positive difference in my 2015 body, compared to my 2014 body!
In 2014, I was tired at BYUWC. Walking all over campus for two days straight was very wearing on me and I nearly fell asleep in a couple of classes. Thus, I was beyond excited to realize that my 2015 body was literally ready to bound all over campus! Can I get a holla?! Every time I started walking to my next class, my body just wanted to get up and RUN! My body was unstoppable at BYU because of all my exercising and training during the previous 10 months.
I'm guessing there are many people in my life who are tired of hearing me gush about how incredibly happy I am to be in good shape—and readers of my exercise blog posts are probably sick of my exclamation points and smiley faces—but I simply can't help it!! Being fit is such an amazing feeling that continually surprises me when I least expect it. I have great satisfaction in knowing my body is not only healthier, but my clothes fit better, too! Okay, I'm just going to say it, it feels awesome! :) Truly, looking good is one of the happiest side effects of exercising! The very best benefits of exercising are increased energy, strength and stamina!
All of that said, is my body perfectly sculpted like a fitness model? Oh, my goodness, no! I don't have "thigh gap,"never have, never will! My thick/loose stomach skin definitely shows that I've given birth three times, and my stomach muscles can occasionally be seen under my post-baby-10-years-ago skin (ha ha). Those things don't bother me in the slightest! And I would never exchange my three babies for a flat stomach—no way! I have cellulite throughout my body and I'm not ashamed to let it show. I'm not even looking to drop 10 pounds—although, if it happened, I wouldn't complain, either. :) My life's forever goal is to be healthy and fit!
I will continue following my church's Word of Wisdom, which, if followed, promises that I will run and not be weary, and walk and not faint! My simple desire is to be able to move my magnificent gift-of-a-body (for it was given to me by our Heavenly Father!) in all the ways I wish, and have the stamina needed to participate in any activity I want—for my entire life. The glorious thing is, I feel I have finally achieved my goals!
While I still haven't learned how to surf or snowboard (both are goals of mine!), my heart is so happy knowing I'm absolutely strong enough to accomplish my desires—were I given the opportunity! :)
In terms of my health and overall well-being, I feel extremely prosperous! And just like in the business world where nothing great is ever achieved by cheating, the only way our bodies will ever truly prosper is by being honest in all of our actions. There are no shortcuts in life that bring significant and lasting results—especially in exercising!
P.S. Another thing I love about being fit is that when I exercise or do other activities, I can see my skin (and fat) moving all at once because of my muscles! There's not some huge cellulite wave that continually ripples back and forth across my body—it's just a little one! It might seem silly to some, but seeing and feeling my individual muscles move with purpose is immensely gratifying!
P.P.S. Did I mention how much I love looking good and being healthy/fit for my husband? Well, providing those benefits for the love of my eternity is the greatest feeling!
I'm guessing many of you have heard the old saying, "It takes six weeks to get into shape, but only two weeks to get out of shape." If you haven't heard that information before, let me assure you that it's true. My amazing junior high gymnastics coach told our team those words when I was in the seventh grade and I've never forgotten them! I've exercised off and on throughout my entire life and this six week/two week rule has always proved correct. :)
In 2012, I began seriously working out to exercise videos with one of my Texas friends at our ward's (church) gym (a full-sized basketball court), three days per week, for six months straight. We missed a day once in a while, but it wasn't very often. I was in the best shape of my life since I'd been a gymnast!
After Greg and I found out we were moving from Texas, my official exercising times vanished. Sure, I was getting plenty of exercise because of packing our rental house and moving to Utah, but after we settled into our new/old house, I fell out of shape. Remember it takes only two weeks to get out of shape? Well, that's exactly what happened to me after our exhausting move. Don't get me wrong, I was still a very active mama, but I only officially exercised maybe once or twice per week and it wasn't consistent.
So, a year after our big move back to our beloved Utah, I was finally ready to rejoin the fit world and really commit myself to exercising consistently. Yet I absolutely did not let myself feel like a failure for becoming less-than-fit, I simply decided to change my lifestyle! :) I made an exercise plan and committed to it 100%!
I'm so happy to report that tomorrow begins my 48th week of exercising consistently! I'm humbled and excited to write that number. That information means I'm officially in shape! Yay me! (I'm not being prideful, just super happy!) By the way, as much as I would have really liked one, I didn't receive a certificate for working my hiney into good shape. Ha ha. Maybe I'll just have to create my own! ;)
Even though I have a gym membership that gives me unlimited use of their machines and weights, I'm not great about going there because I love exercise classes oodles more. Exercising with people totally motivates me.
(On a weird side note, last week, our local gym randomly moved locations to merge with another gym. This news was totally unexpected, so Greg and I will definitely be canceling our memberships and finding an alternative {like our basement!} because there's no way we're driving 15+ minutes just to get to the gym! I know that's a short commute for many people, but the gym used to be less than five minutes from our house—which is why we signed up for it in the first place.)
To get my hiney into shape, I chose to workout to varied exercise videos. I already owned the New York City Ballet Workout 1 & 2 DVDs; Pilates for Weight Loss DVD; and one yoga DVD, but I decided I needed a few more options. I have a bunch of additional exercise VHS videos, but our player broke in the move and we never bought another one.
When my sister-in-law asked what I wanted for Christmas (2013), I suggested Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. I was thrilled to open 30 Day Shred on Christmas day because it's a great workout! A few months later, I purchased the entire P90X program (including the chin-up bar, minus the bands because I use my own weights), I was so excited! I got a fabulous deal and it has been worth e-v-e-r-y penny! (Sadly, the deal I got in 2014 isn't available anymore.) *I'll be writing about my P90X experience another day...I can't wait!
Because I've stayed true to my fitness goals over the past 10+ months, I can pretty much do any exercise or physical activity I desire—which feels amazing! I can't even begin to express the joy my heart feels when I decide to quickly run somewhere (while I'm running errands, or trying to escape the rain, or helping wrangle the neighbors' escaped dogs!) and do it without any huffing and puffing! I know my heart is stronger; my lungs have greater capacity (which also helps with singing in my ward's choir!); and my muscles have increased endurance! I just love that my body is so much more efficient than it used to be!
*Might I add, in regard to my physical shape, several people have said things to me like, "Oh, you're so lucky, you don't have to worry about your weight!" or, "I'm just not naturally skinny like you are." etc. While well-intentioned, those comments drive me crazy!
What those people don't realize is that even when I wasn't working out as consistently as I am now, I was still trying to stay active and watched what I ate. Even after I've been exercising consistently for all this time, I continue to watch what I eat. Yes, on occasion, I do eat whatever I want (like tonight's pizza and peanut M&M's) and it tastes awesome...until I get a stomach ache, then I totally regret that I ever overate!
Basically, I listen to my body. I try to eat healthily. I don't drink soda unless we're at a party or some special event. When I have treats one day, I limit them in the days to come. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. I allow my body to get hungry, for I believe hunger is our bodies' natural way of communicating to us if we need food, or not! I think a lot people in the world have messed up their bodies by continuing to eat when they're not hungry, so their bodies are confused and they don't know when enough is enough. But enough about my food ideas. ;)
I simply wanted to clarify that I'm not just naturally skinny. And, hi! I wouldn't even define myself as skinny! I guess would define myself as not big. :) I treat my body as well as I possibly can, which includes exercising and eating healthily.
Sorry for my tangent, I just had to clarify those points...
My fit self was especially evident when I went to BYU Women's Conference April 30th–May 1st, 2015. As I walked all over campus, I couldn't help but reminisce about my experience in 2014. I couldn't believe the overwhelmingly positive difference in my 2015 body, compared to my 2014 body!
In 2014, I was tired at BYUWC. Walking all over campus for two days straight was very wearing on me and I nearly fell asleep in a couple of classes. Thus, I was beyond excited to realize that my 2015 body was literally ready to bound all over campus! Can I get a holla?! Every time I started walking to my next class, my body just wanted to get up and RUN! My body was unstoppable at BYU because of all my exercising and training during the previous 10 months.
 |
| By the by, my fluorescent yellow and white striped shirt is actually from the girls' section at Target! I found it one day while shopping with my daughter, and I couldn't leave the store without it! :) |
I'm guessing there are many people in my life who are tired of hearing me gush about how incredibly happy I am to be in good shape—and readers of my exercise blog posts are probably sick of my exclamation points and smiley faces—but I simply can't help it!! Being fit is such an amazing feeling that continually surprises me when I least expect it. I have great satisfaction in knowing my body is not only healthier, but my clothes fit better, too! Okay, I'm just going to say it, it feels awesome! :) Truly, looking good is one of the happiest side effects of exercising! The very best benefits of exercising are increased energy, strength and stamina!
All of that said, is my body perfectly sculpted like a fitness model? Oh, my goodness, no! I don't have "thigh gap,"never have, never will! My thick/loose stomach skin definitely shows that I've given birth three times, and my stomach muscles can occasionally be seen under my post-baby-10-years-ago skin (ha ha). Those things don't bother me in the slightest! And I would never exchange my three babies for a flat stomach—no way! I have cellulite throughout my body and I'm not ashamed to let it show. I'm not even looking to drop 10 pounds—although, if it happened, I wouldn't complain, either. :) My life's forever goal is to be healthy and fit!
I will continue following my church's Word of Wisdom, which, if followed, promises that I will run and not be weary, and walk and not faint! My simple desire is to be able to move my magnificent gift-of-a-body (for it was given to me by our Heavenly Father!) in all the ways I wish, and have the stamina needed to participate in any activity I want—for my entire life. The glorious thing is, I feel I have finally achieved my goals!
While I still haven't learned how to surf or snowboard (both are goals of mine!), my heart is so happy knowing I'm absolutely strong enough to accomplish my desires—were I given the opportunity! :)
In terms of my health and overall well-being, I feel extremely prosperous! And just like in the business world where nothing great is ever achieved by cheating, the only way our bodies will ever truly prosper is by being honest in all of our actions. There are no shortcuts in life that bring significant and lasting results—especially in exercising!
P.S. Another thing I love about being fit is that when I exercise or do other activities, I can see my skin (and fat) moving all at once because of my muscles! There's not some huge cellulite wave that continually ripples back and forth across my body—it's just a little one! It might seem silly to some, but seeing and feeling my individual muscles move with purpose is immensely gratifying!
P.P.S. Did I mention how much I love looking good and being healthy/fit for my husband? Well, providing those benefits for the love of my eternity is the greatest feeling!
Monday, May 25, 2015
Young Women Mother–Daughter Activity
"My" darling Mia Maid class was in charge of our ward's Young Women combined activity in May. This activity happened to fall on the Tuesday before Mother's Day. Thus, we decided to invite the wonderful mothers of our darling young women and center the entire night around them! :)
I bought these lovely, large fake hydrangeas and peony, tied them with ribbon, and used them for our mother–daughter photo shoot. The girls held their sign (see above) and their moms held the flowers.
We met 30 minutes before our activity began to set up chairs, our refreshment table and the game questions. I also quickly practiced our Primary piano songs, then everyone else arrived!
Our Mia Maid class president conducted the meeting. She had just sent her beloved older sister off to the MTC that very day, so I was impressed she attended and held it together enough to conduct! I was also impressed that her mother wasn't a puddle on the floor! (I'm only half-way joking...I can't imagine how much I will cry when my children leave on a mission!!)
Our singing portion of the night went well. I had one of our Mia Maids play two of the Primary songs (her choice) and I played the other two (the songs she wasn't comfortable playing). I especially loved having mothers and daughters singing those beloved Primary songs together, it made my heart happy! :)
It was so lovely hearing each young woman express her love and appreciation for her mother! They were all such thoughtful girls—a few of them made me tear-up a little! Oh, but there were a two young women (sisters) in particular who totally made the rest of us laugh out loud with their admiration of their super-mom...who birthed and continues to care for her eight children! Without going into detail, you can imagine what she puts up with! I can't believe there is a single soul who isn't in awe of this woman. As her daughters said, she is truly a saint. :)
My daughter made my heart smile to no end when she stood up in front of everyone and said, "What I love most about my mom is she is like the perkiest person I know! She's always trying to make me smile and be happy, and I just love her so much!" Yes, I will remember that happy moment forever! :)
For our "That's My Mom!" game, I asked one of our Laurel advisers, one of our Mia Maid advisers, and our YW secretary help out. They each took turns reading one of the mom's answers at a time. After each question was read, the young women raised their card if they thought the answer belonged to their mom. I told the girls to keep track of the answers they got right, and score one point for each answer.
The leaders rotated through each mother's questionnaire over and over until every mom was covered at least four or five times. FYI, 16 mothers participated. Toward the end of our game, I could tell some of the young women were losing interest, so I ended it with the next round of question reading. I think we played the game for about 25–30 minutes.
The highest scores the girls received were five points, the average being three or four points. I told our young women that the prize they won is a great big hug from their mother! Ha ha. I know, I'm so tricky...and possibly mean??! ;) But I just didn't think we needed to have an actual winner for the night because the girls' greatest treasure of the evening should have been their mothers! :)
Then we opened up the evening for the enjoying of refreshments, chatting and our photo booth! I also suggested that the daughters take home their mom's questionnaire—to get to know them even better. I'm happy there were only a couple questionnaires that weren't taken home. That means most daughters wanted to continue connecting with their mothers! Mission accomplished!! :) Or, it means the young women already know their mothers so well they don't need to read the questionnaire!
Our Mia Maid adviser—and resident photographer—took photos of the mothers and daughters who wanted to participate. Every mother–daughter photo was so so cute! :) We used our Relief Society room's curtains as the backdrop and they worked perfectly! (I still need to print off those photos for everyone—May has been a busy month! Also, I thought about sharing a photo of my daughter and me, but I'm still a nut about my children's online privacy, so I refrained. That said, if you follow my private Instagram account I posted our photo the day after our YW activity.)
Clean-up was a breeze because a few lovely young women and leaders stayed and helped! Later that night, as I reflected on our mother–daughter activity, I was just a bundle of smiles! I was greatly relieved everyone participated and seemed to have a good time...well, I just assumed everyone had as much fun as I did! Ha ha.
Hey, I strongly believe that it's your own fault if you don't have a good time in life! After all, our attitudes belong to each of us, individually! No other person has any control over what we choose to think and feel! :)
The best news is, I received quite a bit of positive feedback from parents expressing their appreciation and happiness for our mother–daughter activity. I'm so grateful I helped facilitate a positive bonding experience between mothers and their teenage daughters!
My Young Women President emailed me the basic activity idea from a blog post, and the Mia Maid class presidency and I briefly discussed a version we liked for our ward. *Full disclosure? I created/enhanced the majority of the activity because most of the Mia Maid class presidency was busy with homework and their involvement in extra curricular activities.
I'm sharing our fun activity here because the night was a great success. Yay! I thought maybe someone else would like to try it in their ward, too? *If you choose to do this fun activity and share it online, please link back to this blog post. My heart thanks you. :)
Young Women Mother–Daughter Activity
The first thing I did was email the mothers a list of questions so we could play the game "That's My Mom!" Here are the questions—a few were provided by a counselor in the Mia Maid class presidency and I came up with the rest:
- What was your first job?
- What's on the top of your bucket list?
- Where were you married?
- What's your favorite food or treat?
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- What's your favorite Primary song?
- Describe your perfect day:
- Have you ever traveled outside of the USA? If yes, what was your favorite place? If no, where would your dream destination be?
- Is your favorite way to dress: casual; professional; Sunday-best; athletic; or formal?
- How old were you when you gained a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Church?
- What is your least favorite household job to do?
- If you were called to serve a mission in the future, where would you like to serve?
- What/where is the farthest temple you've attended?
- Where's your favorite place to read a book or take a nap?
- What are you most passionate about?
The mothers emailed me their answers ahead of time. I printed off their answers, highlighted their names and put them in a folder.
I had the other members of our Young Women Presidency, and our longest-serving Mia Maid adviser, contact their/our class members (Laurels, Mia Maids and Beehives) before our activity. I wanted the girls to be prepared to tell what they love most about their mothers—in front of everyone at our activity.
Our refreshment/treat contributions were provided by our Mia Maid advisers, our YW Secretary, one of our Mia Maids (and her mom, of course!), and me (I brought the gluten free treats). It wasn't fancy, but everything was yummy! I'm so very grateful for their preparation and generosity...for sharing is caring! ;) Oh, the fake roses are mine and the other plants are our Mia Maid adviser's.
Here are the four Primary songs I chose for everyone to sing at the beginning of our activity:
I printed the songs out at home and made a few pink copies at our church's library right before the activity. I didn't make too many copies because most people just use their technology devices, but I wanted some on-hand just in case.
Here is the program I created for the night. I printed it on pink paper (thus, the colors didn't show up) with four handouts per page to save paper. (By the way, I only included a © sign on the handouts shown here. I didn't print them out that way for the activity.)
Below is the game sign I created for our "That's My Mom!" game. I emailed it to Alphagraphics and had them print it on card stock. I couldn't believe the difference in quality from my YW President's color printer vs. Alphagraphics' card stock printer (is that even a name?!). Even though it was pricier to have them printed professionally, Alphagraphics' quality was a noticeable improvement over the home-color-printer version. It was totally worth every penny! :) (And no, Alphagraphics isn't paying me to say that. Ha ha.)
I bought these lovely, large fake hydrangeas and peony, tied them with ribbon, and used them for our mother–daughter photo shoot. The girls held their sign (see above) and their moms held the flowers.
 |
| Side note: I was going to hand these over to my ward's Young Women organization and get reimbursed for them, but my daughter loved them so much we decided to keep them and not be reimbursed. Now these pretties lay on the bookcase in our living room, beneath our family's most recent large group portrait. I absolutely love them! :) |
Our Mia Maid class president conducted the meeting. She had just sent her beloved older sister off to the MTC that very day, so I was impressed she attended and held it together enough to conduct! I was also impressed that her mother wasn't a puddle on the floor! (I'm only half-way joking...I can't imagine how much I will cry when my children leave on a mission!!)
Our singing portion of the night went well. I had one of our Mia Maids play two of the Primary songs (her choice) and I played the other two (the songs she wasn't comfortable playing). I especially loved having mothers and daughters singing those beloved Primary songs together, it made my heart happy! :)
It was so lovely hearing each young woman express her love and appreciation for her mother! They were all such thoughtful girls—a few of them made me tear-up a little! Oh, but there were a two young women (sisters) in particular who totally made the rest of us laugh out loud with their admiration of their super-mom...who birthed and continues to care for her eight children! Without going into detail, you can imagine what she puts up with! I can't believe there is a single soul who isn't in awe of this woman. As her daughters said, she is truly a saint. :)
My daughter made my heart smile to no end when she stood up in front of everyone and said, "What I love most about my mom is she is like the perkiest person I know! She's always trying to make me smile and be happy, and I just love her so much!" Yes, I will remember that happy moment forever! :)
For our "That's My Mom!" game, I asked one of our Laurel advisers, one of our Mia Maid advisers, and our YW secretary help out. They each took turns reading one of the mom's answers at a time. After each question was read, the young women raised their card if they thought the answer belonged to their mom. I told the girls to keep track of the answers they got right, and score one point for each answer.
The leaders rotated through each mother's questionnaire over and over until every mom was covered at least four or five times. FYI, 16 mothers participated. Toward the end of our game, I could tell some of the young women were losing interest, so I ended it with the next round of question reading. I think we played the game for about 25–30 minutes.
The highest scores the girls received were five points, the average being three or four points. I told our young women that the prize they won is a great big hug from their mother! Ha ha. I know, I'm so tricky...and possibly mean??! ;) But I just didn't think we needed to have an actual winner for the night because the girls' greatest treasure of the evening should have been their mothers! :)
Then we opened up the evening for the enjoying of refreshments, chatting and our photo booth! I also suggested that the daughters take home their mom's questionnaire—to get to know them even better. I'm happy there were only a couple questionnaires that weren't taken home. That means most daughters wanted to continue connecting with their mothers! Mission accomplished!! :) Or, it means the young women already know their mothers so well they don't need to read the questionnaire!
Our Mia Maid adviser—and resident photographer—took photos of the mothers and daughters who wanted to participate. Every mother–daughter photo was so so cute! :) We used our Relief Society room's curtains as the backdrop and they worked perfectly! (I still need to print off those photos for everyone—May has been a busy month! Also, I thought about sharing a photo of my daughter and me, but I'm still a nut about my children's online privacy, so I refrained. That said, if you follow my private Instagram account I posted our photo the day after our YW activity.)
Clean-up was a breeze because a few lovely young women and leaders stayed and helped! Later that night, as I reflected on our mother–daughter activity, I was just a bundle of smiles! I was greatly relieved everyone participated and seemed to have a good time...well, I just assumed everyone had as much fun as I did! Ha ha.
Hey, I strongly believe that it's your own fault if you don't have a good time in life! After all, our attitudes belong to each of us, individually! No other person has any control over what we choose to think and feel! :)
The best news is, I received quite a bit of positive feedback from parents expressing their appreciation and happiness for our mother–daughter activity. I'm so grateful I helped facilitate a positive bonding experience between mothers and their teenage daughters!
Friday, May 22, 2015
New Smartphone Selfie! :)
This is my I'm-so-happy-I-finally-got-a-new-cell-phone face!! ☆
#happyface #sohappy #newcellphone #SamsungGalaxyNoteII #threeandahalfyears #brightgreen #adenfilter
#happyface #sohappy #newcellphone #SamsungGalaxyNoteII #threeandahalfyears #brightgreen #adenfilter
Friday, May 15, 2015
Piano Practice Perks!
One of the many ways I know my family is finally settled is the fact that I'm teaching piano lessons again! In 2010, before we moved to Texas, I taught piano to three students. About a year-and-a-half into our Texas adventure, I was blessed to teach piano to four darling and wonderful students. Despite my family's unending wondering about where we were going to finally land for good, teaching piano in Texas was definitely a highlight for me.
As I heard my tired, old, chipped piano being restored to its proper and lovely sound, I was struck by the idea that each of us are like pianos!
Some of us are in perfectly beautiful shape with phenomenal pitch and amazing sound, while others of us are scratched, dented, have sticky keys, and are completely out of tune. It takes a master piano tuner (i.e., our Heavenly Father {God}) to properly tune us into the magnificent beings we are meant to be. He forces us to open our souls. He pounds on our keys. He twists our strings to the point that we wonder if we might snap! When He finds one of our non-performing sticky keys (a.k.a, cranky keys), He uses the correct tool and lubrication with the perfect amount of pressure to make our keys operate smoothly and happily again.
His repetitive note pounding, endlessly patient listening and precise string twisting, ultimately helps us return to our true notes! All of this happens because we allow Him into our lives—trusting that He knows what is best. We simply have to be pliable to His efforts on our behalf.
Even after we've allowed Him to restore our former splendor, that's not the end for us. Just like pianos need continuous tuning throughout their careers, we also need to check-in with our Heavenly Father on a constant basis. The longer we allow ourselves to be closed to the tuning and training that our Father in Heaven can offer, the harder it will be for us to stay in-tune with Him. Of course, this all happens because of our Savior...He is our link to heaven!
I know that was a bit sappy, but it's truly how I feel about pianos and us being spiritually in-tune! :)
After my piano was refreshed and feeling oh-so-chipper, I couldn't wait to start playing it! Don't laugh, but I messed up my songs because I was astonished by the glorious sound coming out of my old piano! My piano daze only lasted a day, or so, and now I've adjusted to the perfect notes I'm hearing!
In case anyone is wondering, I've been using the Alfred Method to teach my students. I feel it's worked well and, so far, I haven't had any complaints! :) That said, I absolutely remember my main piano teacher and all of her wisdom. I bring much of her knowledge to my lessons as well.
By the by, I had three piano teachers during my youth, but my second teacher was the one I spent the longest time with—she made the biggest impact on my piano learning/playing experience. She might wonder if anything she said/did/taught mattered to me because I was kind of a brat-student! I didn't mean to be bratty, I simply detested practicing and didn't like her critiquing my efforts. Hi! I also really didn't like anyone telling me what to do! Surprise, surprise. ;)
Years later, I finally and fully understood just how valuable my piano teacher's words, actions and criticisms were! :) So even though she might think I'm not the best piano teacher (my mom told her I was teaching), I feel I am a good teacher because of her efforts. I also feel I'm a better teacher simply because I know all the tricks students might pull! Ha ha. Yes, I'm very attuned to the student who thinks they can fake-out their piano teacher (I won't let them) because back in my day, I was one of them!
I've also included a little program to entice my students to want to practice the way I've assigned. I call them "Piano Practice Perks!" Basically, if a student practices every day I've assigned for the week, and they get their parent's signature attesting to that fact, they get to write their name on the back of a Piano Practice Perk and save it. After they've received four PPPs, they can exchange them for a treat of their choice! For some students who have treats all the time, my method might not be the best motivator. And for some students who simply love playing the piano, my PPPs probably won't make a difference to them. But for those students who struggle with the desire to practice, and they like treats, my Piano Practice Perks come in mighty handy! :)
Here are my cut-up PPPs in my cute little star dish. :)
What I've said multiple times is that anyone can play any song they like, as long as they've learned the fundamentals of piano and practice practice practice! Truly, after learning everything about the piano, practicing is what makes a pianist great, mediocre or terrible. That said, I know some people have a natural talent for music while others truly struggle. For those who struggle, but don't want to quit piano to find their true talent (maybe they want to keep their mind young and active), I say this: as long as you're diligently practicing and giving it your very best effort, you can be proud of your piano performances—whether given in your home, or out in public.
I've been playing the piano off and on since I was in the second or third grade—whoa, I won't tell you how many years it's been! There's no doubt I made the greatest strides in my piano accomplishments when I practiced consistently. There is truly no substitute for dedicated piano practice!
It's super interesting to me that all of my piano practicing years have now paid off for my little family—in more ways than filling our home with beautiful music, for we can definitely use this little bump in our monthly income! Talk about Piano Practice Perks! Ha ha. And, as Greg and I have talked about, as long as my teaching doesn't interfere with our family life (i.e., I gain too many students—which I won't), I can see me teaching piano far into the future. :) Side note: I would be so pleased if my blog were able to provide my family's needed extra income, but it sadly hasn't happened. :( Thus, I've chosen to spend more time teaching than blogging.
The other big plus for me teaching piano again is that I love teaching children! They are so pure, so sweet, and most of them listen well and are so eager to learn and grow. It is truly a privilege to be involved in developing their piano skills and influencing their precious souls. It might sound silly, but I honestly feel like I'm a piano life coach! Ha ha. In all seriousness, there is such joy to be found in playing the piano—it's one of my favorite activities! I'm so blessed I get to bring musical knowledge and joy to children!
When we moved home in 2013 (Wahoo!), I truly didn't expect to teach piano lessons again. You see, my former students had moved on to new teachers and I knew I wouldn't ever get them back. Plus, I don't advertise that I teach piano. Simply put, I have a hard time putting myself out there—especially when I have to charge people money for my services. Sadly, I'm not that charitable to give away my knowledge and time for free: simply put, my family needs the money! Yet, I always knew that if someone asked me about teaching piano lessons, I wouldn't say no. :)
Thus, I was surprised and thrilled when I unexpectedly received my first inquiry about teaching piano again. I've been teaching three students for a couple of months now and I love it! (I really hope they are happy with me, too.) What's fascinating is the fact that I've gained three more students in just the past several days! Well, one of them won't be starting until the fall, but it still counts. :) I also have another possible student that might be coming into my piano mix, but that won't be settled for a little while.
Because of these wonderful piano lessons I'm blessed to provide, I had our piano tuned (last Friday) for the first time ever! Yes, you read that right, EVER. My darling grandpa gave me his piano in 2003 after my adorable grandma passed away (2001), but we never had the money to tune it. Okay, I'm 100% positive Greg and I could have scrounged up the money from somewhere to tune it, but we chose to spend our money elsewhere, i.e., raising our children well. :) Then we moved all over the country multiple times so I didn't want to tune my piano until we had finally settled somewhere (pianos go out of tune when they are moved). Thankfully, I now feel totally established in our lives—we've been here nearly two years(!), and I truly don't believe we're going anywhere until our children are grown and established in their own lives.
On that note...it's such a good feeling to finally be settled! It's such a happy feeling: hanging pictures on your walls! And when you wake up in the shadow of majestic mountains, you know it's gonna be a snaptastic day! *Imagine the Mister Roger's song when you read those previous sentences! I know my words aren't remotely close to working like Mr. Roger's song does, but you get the gist of my happiness. :)
Long story short, when I began teaching piano again, I knew it was time to tune my piano. I found a wonderful piano tuner: Paul Gates of Gates Piano Service. *By the way, Mr. Gates did not ask me to write a review for him, and I did not receive any sort of discount for writing about him. In fact, I hope he's okay with me writing about him!?! Although I've never seen or heard a piano tuned before, I could instantly tell he totally knows what he's doing. I have a pretty good ear for pitch, so I was beyond delighted to hear Mr. Gates fixing my old piano!
I cleaned up my kitchen while our piano man tuned, so I had a lot of time to listen to his work. I couldn't help but think of the song "Getting In Tune," by The Who. I've always loved "Getting In Tune," as it simply makes me happy! Here it is for your listening pleasure!
As I heard my tired, old, chipped piano being restored to its proper and lovely sound, I was struck by the idea that each of us are like pianos!
Some of us are in perfectly beautiful shape with phenomenal pitch and amazing sound, while others of us are scratched, dented, have sticky keys, and are completely out of tune. It takes a master piano tuner (i.e., our Heavenly Father {God}) to properly tune us into the magnificent beings we are meant to be. He forces us to open our souls. He pounds on our keys. He twists our strings to the point that we wonder if we might snap! When He finds one of our non-performing sticky keys (a.k.a, cranky keys), He uses the correct tool and lubrication with the perfect amount of pressure to make our keys operate smoothly and happily again.
His repetitive note pounding, endlessly patient listening and precise string twisting, ultimately helps us return to our true notes! All of this happens because we allow Him into our lives—trusting that He knows what is best. We simply have to be pliable to His efforts on our behalf.
Even after we've allowed Him to restore our former splendor, that's not the end for us. Just like pianos need continuous tuning throughout their careers, we also need to check-in with our Heavenly Father on a constant basis. The longer we allow ourselves to be closed to the tuning and training that our Father in Heaven can offer, the harder it will be for us to stay in-tune with Him. Of course, this all happens because of our Savior...He is our link to heaven!
I know that was a bit sappy, but it's truly how I feel about pianos and us being spiritually in-tune! :)
After my piano was refreshed and feeling oh-so-chipper, I couldn't wait to start playing it! Don't laugh, but I messed up my songs because I was astonished by the glorious sound coming out of my old piano! My piano daze only lasted a day, or so, and now I've adjusted to the perfect notes I'm hearing!
In case anyone is wondering, I've been using the Alfred Method to teach my students. I feel it's worked well and, so far, I haven't had any complaints! :) That said, I absolutely remember my main piano teacher and all of her wisdom. I bring much of her knowledge to my lessons as well.
By the by, I had three piano teachers during my youth, but my second teacher was the one I spent the longest time with—she made the biggest impact on my piano learning/playing experience. She might wonder if anything she said/did/taught mattered to me because I was kind of a brat-student! I didn't mean to be bratty, I simply detested practicing and didn't like her critiquing my efforts. Hi! I also really didn't like anyone telling me what to do! Surprise, surprise. ;)
Years later, I finally and fully understood just how valuable my piano teacher's words, actions and criticisms were! :) So even though she might think I'm not the best piano teacher (my mom told her I was teaching), I feel I am a good teacher because of her efforts. I also feel I'm a better teacher simply because I know all the tricks students might pull! Ha ha. Yes, I'm very attuned to the student who thinks they can fake-out their piano teacher (I won't let them) because back in my day, I was one of them!
I've also included a little program to entice my students to want to practice the way I've assigned. I call them "Piano Practice Perks!" Basically, if a student practices every day I've assigned for the week, and they get their parent's signature attesting to that fact, they get to write their name on the back of a Piano Practice Perk and save it. After they've received four PPPs, they can exchange them for a treat of their choice! For some students who have treats all the time, my method might not be the best motivator. And for some students who simply love playing the piano, my PPPs probably won't make a difference to them. But for those students who struggle with the desire to practice, and they like treats, my Piano Practice Perks come in mighty handy! :)
 |
| I print these off using the wallet-sized category of my printer. That way I save paper and printing costs, and they're small enough that my younger students view them like pretend money! |
Here are my cut-up PPPs in my cute little star dish. :)
What I've said multiple times is that anyone can play any song they like, as long as they've learned the fundamentals of piano and practice practice practice! Truly, after learning everything about the piano, practicing is what makes a pianist great, mediocre or terrible. That said, I know some people have a natural talent for music while others truly struggle. For those who struggle, but don't want to quit piano to find their true talent (maybe they want to keep their mind young and active), I say this: as long as you're diligently practicing and giving it your very best effort, you can be proud of your piano performances—whether given in your home, or out in public.
I've been playing the piano off and on since I was in the second or third grade—whoa, I won't tell you how many years it's been! There's no doubt I made the greatest strides in my piano accomplishments when I practiced consistently. There is truly no substitute for dedicated piano practice!
It's super interesting to me that all of my piano practicing years have now paid off for my little family—in more ways than filling our home with beautiful music, for we can definitely use this little bump in our monthly income! Talk about Piano Practice Perks! Ha ha. And, as Greg and I have talked about, as long as my teaching doesn't interfere with our family life (i.e., I gain too many students—which I won't), I can see me teaching piano far into the future. :) Side note: I would be so pleased if my blog were able to provide my family's needed extra income, but it sadly hasn't happened. :( Thus, I've chosen to spend more time teaching than blogging.
The other big plus for me teaching piano again is that I love teaching children! They are so pure, so sweet, and most of them listen well and are so eager to learn and grow. It is truly a privilege to be involved in developing their piano skills and influencing their precious souls. It might sound silly, but I honestly feel like I'm a piano life coach! Ha ha. In all seriousness, there is such joy to be found in playing the piano—it's one of my favorite activities! I'm so blessed I get to bring musical knowledge and joy to children!
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