Yesterday’s blog post had the bake sale down for Thursday this week, but it is actually TOMORROW Wednesday April 16th. My apologies. A note had gone home requesting volunteers and baking from families. We would like for all students to contribute to the bake sale if possible. We still have quite a bit of money to raise for our trip.
Thanks so much for all you do!
-overdue brochures (homework club if not completed by tomorrow)
-Renewable energy questioning sheet
-fraction homework-choose 10 fractions a mix of unit and non-unit fractions and sort them from least to greatest using a 0-1 number line.
1/4=unit fraction 3/4=non-unit fraction
Fraction quiz on Friday-comparing and ordering
NO FRACTION BOOKLET PRACTICE TONIGHT.
Cluttered space; cluttered mind and I couldn’t agree more. All of this stuff laying around is the bane of my existence. So, how does a mom who works full time and is trying to make her fitness a priority keep a clean and organized household? The answer now is that she doesn’t. So what’s wrong with that?
What’s wrong with that is that the cluttered environment never allows me to feel like I can relax. I look around and all that’s staring me in the face are the piles of stuff everywhere. Add to that all of the cleaning and the laundry and you’ve got a recipe for no free time.
Some might say, hire a cleaning lady. This however doesn’t really solve my problem. Be honest, how many of you have cleaned for the cleaning lady?
I think if I could get the clutter under control, then a cleaning lady once every week or two could be helpful. So I’m looking for tips for de-cluttering. Of course there are lots of images on Pinterest and such of beautiful looking closets adorned with matching baskets, but is that realistic? Is that what it will take to get the clutter under control?
I think it will take more than that. It’s going to mean frequent reminders for everyone in the household (myself included) to put things in the proper place as soon as we are finished using them. It has to be a team effort, so let the clutter-free training camp begin!
This holiday has been a time for family for sure, but also a time for reflecting on what a person needs on an individual level. One of the things I find I need is regular physical activity. So we combined these two things (family and activity) by taking up Nordic skiing. We have covered many kilometres together getting fit and learning a new skill while we have fun. I have been thoroughly enjoying it.
This past year has been one of building a fitness routine and learning how to eat clean. The last couple of months have been a bit of a strain. LOTS of stress in my life. So I fell off the wagon a bit and back into my old habits and I was feeling it. Depression, anxiety and disappointment are all things that I have felt over the last little while. I knew what I needed to do. Get back my focus on reaching my goals.
SO…I started to look for another fitness challenge group to join. I had completed one last year and had some pretty amazing results. However,nothing was fitting my needs or timing, so I decided to start my own Facebook fitness accountability group called “Move it to Prove it”. I am enjoying working virtually with my friends and family on reaching goals. It’s just what I needed to do to get my focus back. There are currently about 11 people in the group all working on their personal fitness goals. I don’t have all the answers, but I can provide a supportive space where people can celebrate successes, share challenges and ask questions. We will be working together consistently for the next 60 days. I am really looking forward to seeing the results that come out of this both for myself and for all of the other participants.
You may be wondering why “Move it to Prove it”? The name of the group is about making activity a focus regularly (that’s the “move it” part) and the “prove it” part is about having the results to prove that you have made healthy positive changes. It’s not about proving anything to others. It’s about proving to yourself that you can live a healthy fit lifestyle if you make a commitment and stick with it.
As I look out at a sunny, winter wonderland, I realize that Christmas day has come and gone. The hustle and bustle has turned into quieter family time, and the enjoyment of fun new gifts ensues. As we knock off the remaining days of December, my thoughts make a shift towards goals and plans for 2014.
Throughout 2013, I have been on a journey of personal wellness. It began New Year’s Day with a 5k run in the dead of the Northern Ontario winter. It was a frosty -30 at the time. Looking back, this probably was not a good first run to undertake, but it spawned my interest in becoming healthy and fit.
2013 Accomplishments
A 5k Health and Wellness Race
Run the Great Lakes 5k race
Run for the Cure 5k
Colour Blast Miracle Mile with the kids
Logged a total of 172.6 km using my Nike+ app
Personal best for distance of 7.5k
Went down 3-4 pant sizes from a 16 to a 10/12
Participated in a 90 Challenge
Completed the Chalean Extreme program
Started Eating Cleaner
Lost ~30 lbs. and tons of inches
Started a workout group at work-3 days per week of cardio
Outfitted the family with xc skis and got passes for our local trails
When I look back at this list, it amazes me. It really does. I am so proud of what I see here and of what this means not only for me, but for my family as well. The kids have a new outlook on the importance of being active and fit and have been more interested in becoming involved in activities such as ringette, xc skiing, snowshoeing, running, and gymnastics. My husband has been an amazing support. He kept me going on those days when I wanted to opt out and many times he ran along side me. I am so grateful for the support, inspiration and encouragement I have had from him and from others.
Looking ahead to 2014, I have some unfinished business to attend to. Since a goal without a plan is just a wish, I’m recording both here.
1. Lose the last 10-15lbs-participate in another 90 day challenge
2. XC ski over 100k-ski for 2 hours/week while the kids are at lessons with added evening ski trips on the trails and at home. This will help with goal #3 also.
3. Run 10k.-build up endurance through regular strength training and cardio and move training outside as soon as the roads are clear of ice and snow
4. Inspire others-keep program going at work and seek out workout buddies
5. Run for the Cure
As I reach these goals, I know I’ll need to make some new ones, so I’ve kept my list rather short, but I know by this time next year I’ll have tons more to list in my accomplishments. If you’re just beginning your journey, congrats on making the decision to make it happen. If you’re continuing like me…way to keep at it!
As we gear up for the arrival of Christmas in the next few days, I usually get flustered thinking about all there is to do to “get ready”. However, this year I am oddly at peace. Perhaps it is because I have refocused on what is truly important. It’s not about what your house looks like and if it has all of the trendiest decorations. It’s not about out doing last year’s gifts for your children. Holidays are about time with family.
This year our Christmas celebrations stretch out over several days and we have built in special family fun times such as tobogganing, snow shoeing, and xc skiing. These are the things that build lasting family memories. That’s what’s important. No one will remember what you wrapped up in pretty packaging 5 years from now, but they will remember how they felt when they had these experiences.
So step back, refocus, and take time to make those special moments happen that will forever remain in the hearts and minds of those you love.
With my sister having been recently diagnosed with breast cancer and starting chemo and radiation treatments in the near future, I have been wondering why there seems to be an increase in this type of cancer in young women.
Once my sister finishes these first two treatments, she will have to undergo a type of hormone treatment. She was explaining to me what her doctor had said about the reasoning behind this. Apparently this type of cancer feeds on the hormones estrogen and progesterone and the treatment serves to cut off the supply of these hormones to the cancerous cells. Hmmm? This made me wonder about a few things.
Is the increase in the rates of breast cancer in young women related to the more prominent use of birth control pills? Pills such as the “mini-pills” contain both of these hormones. Is putting theses hormones into our bodies detrimental to our later health? Or perhaps it has to do with hormones being used in the growth and processing of various foods.
Whatever it is, something has changed and I really wish there could be some clearer understanding about possible causes and things to avoid.
Lately, part of me wants to switch to organic/natural everything from foods to personal care products, but I’m not totally convinced that “organic” is more than a fad word that is used to jack up the prices of products. What does it really mean if something is all natural or organic? Who monitors whether or not food producers whose products are deemed to be organic are really complying with regulations? Or are there regulations at all?
So what do you think? Is there anything to be gained from going organic?
I just read an article on a type of burnout related to a teacher’s level of caring. It was very interesting. The more caring a teacher is, the more likely they are to suffer from compassion burnout.
It sounds to me like this is an occupational health hazard. So the question is, whose responsibility is it to address this growing issue? I think it should be a shared responsibility. The demands of the teaching profession are becoming greater all the time with little relief in sight. Teachers often have resorted to taking a “mental health day” every so often in order to cope. This however is frowned upon, since you aren’t technically ill. A notion with which I beg to differ. It is the increase in workload and responsibility that leave me feeling muscle tension, headachy and often sick to my stomach by the end of the day. Couple that with the noise of the day, challenging student behaviours and you’ve got a perfect candidate for burnout leading to stress leave. Stress leaves are not looked upon kindly either. So what are employers doing to ensure that stress is manageable. That answer is easy…not enough!
Boards should be responsible to some degree for ensuring that wellness programs are available to their employees. I’m not talking about EAP, but rather something that focuses on personal health and wellness. For example, wellness workshops available on site at school, after school fitness programs in the gym, or book clubs on the topic of wellness. These are all proven ways of reducing stress. I have yet to see anything like this and I’m not sure how to go about making it happen.
The sad thing about this whole thing is that there are incredible teachers out there who care a great deal for kids who are losing their passion. Many end up developing significant stress related illnesses. This can’t continue. Let’s all do our part to keep each other well!
I had cause to think today about the whole notion of motivation. What motivates a person to want to make themselves a better person whether that’s physically, emotionally, or behaviourally?
When I consider motivation within the context of working on my physical fitness, I think about the setting and achievement of my own goals. However, another thing that has encouraged me to “keep on keeping on”, has been when others have noticed my progress and have made positive comments about it.
So another few questions to ponder:
What is necessary in order to get someone started on this journey towards becoming more self-motivated in any aspect of their life? Is it the initial encouragement of another person? Or is there a moment that comes when you just decide for real how bad you want something? I’m wondering how this works for other people. For me, I’m thinking that I had both at play. That’s not to say that there aren’t times when I lose sight of how badly I want to be a healthier person. Let’s face it, it happens. But what’s inside of us that says, you can’t give up now? Is it possible to learn this kind of motivation?
Kickin' it with Kerri 