Tattoo After Care Lotion and ….

Tattoo After care lotion

TATTOO After Care Lotion Recipe and a small lesson on how to whip Shea butter.

———-
Most of my recipes come from life and what my family is experiencing. I’ve been working lately on perfecting lotion – for the face and the body. I have found that any time you use heat to melt down ingredients they don’t perform the way you want them to once cooled. I like using the same method of creaming butter in baking. This uses the heat created by mixer to lightly soften the ingredient and also add air to make it fluffy.

Here’s what you need to get your lotions and creams light, fluffy, yummy.

1. Kitchen Tools: I have two kitchen gadgets that I like to use for this process. The first is of course my 15 year old Kitchen Aid mixer. I also prefer the paddle attachment for creaming. The other tool is a Kitchen Aid handheld immersion blender (mine has three different attachment heads).

2. Ice packs. Yep, I said ice packs. With larger batches of body butter, you need to actually keep the temperature of the Shea butter and other oils from melting too much. I have one that I bought with Velcro and straps -pretty sure it was originally purchased for my broken elbow. It wraps around my Kitchen Aid bowl perfectly. Comes off easy too.

3. Patience. Lots of patience. I love to bake. Baking takes patience as well. I remember the first time I tried to cream butter. That dessert did not come out well because I stopped the creaming process too early. So be prepared to whip, cream, and mix your concoction for at least 10 minutes if not more.

4. Order of ingredients matters. A Lot! Cream and beat the base butter (usually Shea) until it looks like frosting. Then slowly add your other base oils, like grape seed or jojoba. If you do this too soon, you will have lumpy lotions.

5. Lotions. These require a different mix of ingredients and proportions of liquids. Think of lotions as salad dressing that we put on our bodies- you don’t want the dressing that has the oils and vinegars separated, believe me. You have to emulsify the ingredients in order for the oils bases to not separate from the water based ingredients. So whipping the ingredients is very important. All the ingredients also need to be the same temperature.

 

13412861_10207567636803836_2116840450603995078_n

Up your study game!

Natural ways to increase brain power and purpose.

Believe me we could all use this even if we aren’t studying –wink wink.

 

qitem

Standards of Learning tests, college exams, high school exams, and for us older peeps maybe you’ve decided to get yet another degree or certification— all of this is upon us (okay, maybe just me), but I like to think globally and include that “village” idea into my daily thought processes. That way I am never alone.

So, what does this all mean? It means we need some nudging and a little help to get through it all. Here are my go to ways to help my #greenboys and myself get through these extra brain demands.

Sleep… good quality sleep is my Number 1.

Set up a good diffuser in your bedroom and get a routine down. Each bedroom in our house has a Young Living diffuser. Each #greenboy knows how to set it up, turn it on, and put in their magic essential oil blend to help them fall asleep easily and sleep soundly.

Here are our Good Sleep Diffuser Blends in The Oil Dropiversity.

This also includes letting my kids sleep a bit late and then — gasp — drive them to school.

Eat good food and get your Vitamins is my Number 2.

Everyone in #TheGreenHouse takes a Vitamin D supplement. Check out why you might want to add this supplement to your daily regime. We also take a good Vitamin B supplement and Mindwise™.4747

 

This is amazing stuff, folks! I started with two teaspoons for two weeks and now just take 1 teaspoon a day. Gotta keep the wheels and cogs greased with the good stuff.

Brain Power™ and a Focus Roller/Stick is my Number 3.

Brain Power™ is a powerful essential oil blend containing some super charged high megahertz plant essences including Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Melissa, Blue Cypress, Lavender and Helichrysum. We diffuse this with Rosemary – wowzers! We also put a drop directly on the crown of our heads.

I also like to make application easy with some super power boosters! Here is my all time fave Focus Roller Recipe. I also put this same recipe into a lip balm base so it is easy for the kids to transport and apply in the classroom.

Focus Roller

Diffuse, Diffuse, Diffuse is my Number 4.

Yep, I have the diffusers going all the time in my house. Sometimes it is just random essential oils and blends. Other times it is purposeful and with a desired effect in mind.

Here are my Study Time, Homework Time, & Gotta Focus Diffuser Blends.

Study Times Diffuser Blends

 

If you don’t have good quality, therapeutic, non-adulterated, no additive essential oils, sign up here to get started on your oil journey. I only use Young Living Essential Oils in my household. You can start with a super cool Premium Starter Kit by checking this link out.

 

A Conversation with a 10 Year Old Girl…

conversation blog post

I had the pleasure of visiting with my best friend since high school over the Thanksgiving Holiday. She decided to fly in to Virginia from California with her oldest daughter. Her main goal was to visit with her mother and father, and show support.

As we chatted and reminisced about PG-rated memories, you end up learning so much about yourself and things you “shoulda, coulda, woulda” grasped sooner. That is the essence of living… learning from your past!

Here are some of the nuggets of “wisdom” that I didn’t even know that I had, but so glad I figured them out during a conversation with a 5th grader.

1. Like who you are. This statement is so much easier said than done. So much of it comes with age and maturity, but wouldn’t it be nice if we could instill this into our kids daily. It has taken me a few decades to just like myself. This is a deep down like, not just the surface. You need to learn to like your strengths and weaknesses. These are the ingredients that make you unique and draw other people to you. Do yourself a huge favor and “just like yourself.” Stop the internal struggle and stop finding that acceptance from the outside. No one will like you more than you like yourself. Let’s all teach our kids this, so they can jump forward into life and living with self-confidence and self-love.

2. Find friends that are just a little bit different than you and bring out the best in you. None of my friends are just like me. That would be b-o-r-i-n-g! I like to have a few things in common with my friends because that is how the initial attraction draws two people together. Other than that… let’s mash things up! Let’s all be different and unique. This is how we lift each other up and love each other more deeply. I love that I have friends that are super outgoing, great photographers, incredibly fit, meditate, artistic, down to earth, and flashy. We have fun when we are together and can appreciate each other’s talents. We often find ourselves learning new things because of these differences.

3. Love your job. I thought I loved being a middle school teacher. That was my first “real” adult job. And, I did love the kids, learning with them, sharing US History with them, the camaraderie with the other teachers… But, I did not love the grading tests and papers! Blah! It took me having my own children and using a home birth midwife to find my true calling. Yep! I made the leap from History Teacher to Home Birth Midwife!!! And guess what? I super duper LOVE my job. It doesn’t even feel like a job. It is a calling. The people around you will know whether or not you love your job! You can’t help but bring that happiness into your everyday life. It is called passion. Passion is a must for loving you job. I recently added another job to my everyday life. I am a Lemon Dropper! A Lemon Dropper is a Young Living Essential Oil Independent Distributor. I sell essential oils! And, I LOVE it!!! Midwifery and Essential Oils (especially the Lemon Droppers) have changed my life in so many ways. They are all positive and ignited passion in my heart and in my purpose.

20130408-103107

4. Don’t be afraid to be smart. I have been told that I am smart since I was a young kid. My mom made sure that we all were told this… You are smart! I know for a fact that because my mom told me this over and over as a child that I believed I was SMART. Since I believed it, I made it happen. I love learning. I love reading. I, even, like tests! I know weird, right? I have actually had people in my life disconnect from me because I was too smart. What? Their loss. I have never, ever understood why you wouldn’t want to be around smart people. They make you stretch your own mind, your view of situations and problems, and they become an incredible resource for knowledge. My mentor midwife is a genius! I love being around her and learning from her. It seriously makes my mind boggle when she pulls information from an experience years ago or something she has read. My husband is also smart. He knows so much about the human body, movies, cars, and other random guy things. I want to be around smart people! So, don’t be afraid to be smart. Don’t be afraid to talk intelligently. Don’t be afraid to be a resource for those around you. Smart is cool. Smart is useful. Be sure to tell those people around you and your kids that they are SMART.

5. Stay connected with your friends. Friends are the spice of life! Find those friends that make you a better person and make the effort to stay connected. Listen to them. Find out about their families, their relationships, their passions. Encourage open conversations. Support their decisions. Support their passions.

If you do all of the above, you will do Epic Shit! And you just might find yourself turning into a Unicorn!

Santa Baby… Day 2 Envision Giveaway!

Santa Baby Day 2

An Organized House or as we in the “real world” call an organized house — The Mythological Unicorn.

Oh, to dream of an Organized House, right? This would be bliss. Putting your hands on the exact item you need without sending out the Search and Rescue Team. A label machine spitting out cutesy labels for all your crafty art supplies. Cubbies and nooks filled tidily with your flotsam and jetsam giving the illusion of a Better Homes & Garden magazine spread. Laundry magically folded with precision like a display in Nordstroms. Cupboards and pantries organized by Martha Stewart — labels out, my dears!

I say all of the above with truth and sincerity… and a bit of jealousy. I love organization. I am, admittedly, a selective Type A person. I love the feeling I get when I have an organized home, but sometimes the reality of the energy and time put into making this happen is unrealistic. That is where yesterday’s post about More Me Time comes into my Dreams! If my house was more organized, I may have More Me Time. I could stop stressing the little things that bug me… especially when you live in a 1100 sq. ft. beach house with three growing boys.

My Dreams of an Organized House look a little bit like this…

Pinterest is wonderful, awe-inspiring, and makes my need to have an organized house even greater (also a bit of a time suck). So many great ideas. I love being able to Pin solutions and creative ideas to my boards. Here are a few of my faves from Pinterest.

organized home collage

Other ways that I would organize my house…

1. Have a dedicated place in the garage (if I had one, dreaming right?) for items to donate. Decluttering is a must. Why not have a space that you could immediately put those ski pants that don’t fit your boys? It could be a simple laundry basket. Once a month stick it in your vehicle and drop off at your local charity thrift store.

2. A mudroom! Ohhhh, that would be wonderful and kinda makes me salivate. A place to hang all the book bags. A place for all the coats, jackets, vest and whatnots. A bin for each kid’s shoes. Oh, I covet a mudroom.

3. The closet of my dreams! Right now I share a super, dinky small closet in my oldest son’s room. This bites when you forget to grab your clothes before getting into the shower. Now you are trampling around in a towel and robe. Not cool when you are surrounded by boys.

4. A linen closet. Plain and simple. I want a linen closet!

Most of these I cannot do until our house gets bigger — fingers crossed for this upcoming Fall 2015!

But, there are things that I can do now to make our house more organized. I think I need to start first by trashing the basket for the shoes at the front door… It never works how I want it to. Shoes end up tossed all around and generally tick me off. I need to find a solution that keeps the shoes tidy and not stacked on top of one another. Some sort of shelving idea. New idea to search in Pinterest!

So, I challenge you to find ways to Organize your House that are doable right now. How would you make small changes to your house, so that items find a home? Getting organized helps free up more free time to do fun things. Start small. Find ideas that are inexpensive, but make a huge impact on your day-to-day life.

Comment here or go to my FB Blog page for details on how to win that bottle of Envision from Young Living Essential Oils!


Read the Santa Baby… Day 1 Post for more details on how to win!!

Santa Baby

Click here to view rules of play!

 

Santa Baby… Day 1 – Envision Giveaway!!

Santa Baby

I thought it would be super fun to DREAM this Holiday Season! Dream about what we could do if we had more time, an organized house and so on. Join me in Dreaming over the next FIVE days!

Here’s how to join in the fun:

1. Go to my FaceBook XFit Midwife Page and Like the Page.

Click here to go directly to XFit Midwife FaceBook Page.

2. Like the FB “Santa Baby…” Post each day.

3. Comment here and/or the FB Page with what your dream would look like or how you would use that dream! Anything goes. And, psst — I love creativity; the more the better, right?

4. Share the FB post on your own page to get more to join in the fun.

At the end of the 5 Days, I will place everyone’s name that shared, commented and liked each day’s post into a drawing to win a bottle of Young Living’s Essential Oil Blend Envision.

“Envision™ stimulates creativity and resourcefulness, encouraging renewed faith in the future and the ability to maintain the emotional fortitude necessary to achieve goals and dreams. Sometimes in life, for a variety of reasons, people suppress their internal drive. Envision helps awaken and renew that drive to overcome fear and begin experiencing new, more rewarding dimensions.”

3337

Wow! This blend sounds amazing and a perfect way to start the New Year!!!

So, let’s get started! 



Santa Baby Day 1
******DAY 1 MORE ME TIME******


I would love, love, love MORE ME TIME! I do get quite a bit during the day, but this time is split between household duties, being a busy mom to 3 boys, and a wife. I would love more time to read good Scottish Romance Novels — yeah, I love men in kilts! I would love more time to paint, knit, crochet, and create artwork.

What would YOU do with MORE ME TIME?

It’s been awhile… and I am almost a licensed midwife!

summerofstudying

So, it’s been almost four months since my last post. There has been tons of stuff happening here at the Green House. Summer has officially started and ended, then school started again — when did all that happen?

Here’s what happened so far. In order of appearance:

1. I finished my Phase 3 paperwork for the Portfolio Evaluation Process for NARM (North American Registry of Midwives). This has been a 4 year apprenticeship process for my family and I; and there is an end in sight. This paperwork is one of the main reasons that I had to take a break from the blog. I spent 5-6 hours a day on the computer and my nose in textbooks to finish the requirements to my satisfaction. Now, I just await an answer on when I can take my certifying exam. Exciting and scary.

2. School ended! Whew! I now have a rising 7th grader, a rising 3rd grader, and a rising 2nd grader. Where does the time go? The almost 7th grader also grew 4 inches since Christmas. Soon, I will be craning my neck to look him in the eyes.

3. I have read my first fun novel since Winter. Midwifery textbooks took over for about 6 months. It’s nice to let my brain relax and just read for fun.

4. Had to put away said fun novel and pick up the books again. I was notified that my Phase 3 was approved pending a small handful of corrections to make and return to NARM. During this time, NARM changed its testing protocols. They announced that testing could take place at anytime at approved testing sites instead of the 3 testing dates held each year. This announcement rocked my world! No longer did I have to wait until the conference in St. Louis October 23rd. This meant I could drive to Richmond, VA, and take it sooner. Egads! This also meant I needed to crack open the heavy midwifery tomes again.

5. Lots and lots of studying!

6. The youngest green boy made the Divisional and All-Stars Swim Team for the VBTCC Tarpons. Our family was so very proud of his achievements in freestyle, backstroke, and coed freestyle relay.

7. More studying…

8. I turned 39. That milestone birthday is right around the corner. Age and numbers are such an interesting concept. I don’t feel like what I imagined my  late 30’s to “feel like.” I can credit much of these young feelings to eating a clean diet (except for chocolate and wine), CrossFit-ting 3-5 per week, weekly yoga, and keeping up with 3 incredibly active boys.

9. Even more studying for the credentialing exam from NARM. {I will post more about this in a separate blog post.}

I look back at this summer and feel slightly sorry for my boys. There was a mountain of studying that I had to conquer which meant less fun activities with them.

Luckily, we spend a large amount of our summer at the beach on the Chesapeake Bay and at the local swimming hole for organized swim team. Both of these places allowed me to bring along the books and notecards, so that I could continue my review and reading.

summer collage 2014

All this really boils down to is… I am glad the studying is behind me, the summer is coming to an end, we have a successful start to the new school year, and I get to spend time working on the blog and being creative.

Things I Love {part two}

things i love part 2

More on the Things I Love… It is so refreshing to walk around each day and capture pictures of those things in my life that make me happy. Sometimes it is the simple things in life that bring us pleasure. Other times, it is a complex feeling of love or friendship so deep that you honestly cannot fathom living without it.

Things I love part 2 pics.jpg

The view of the backyard shed… with the homemade bird houses from the boys and the wisteria. Memories from the past with great friends and music from Woodstock ’99. Transplanted hostas from people you love. My oldest Green boy and his blue eyes. CrossFit and the change it has made in my life. Blooming irises by the front door. The youngest Green boy and his strive to be like his older brother. My husband and best friend, Mithra. Rose buds.

And, in honor of Mother’s Day and the woman who has made such a enormous influence on the mother and woman I am today, my mother Susan! She has always been there for me and has taught me how to be the best person I can be. She comes to the boys’ sports games and school events; she is their second loudest cheerleader right after me. She makes it a priority to show her grandchildren that they are loved unconditionally. She is giving. She is kind. She loves. And, she is humble. 

things i love mom.jpg

Continue to look around you for the things in your everyday life that make you happy. The search is fun and enlightening.  You may be surprised by all the little things that brighten your day.

Things I Love…

Things I Love Title2

Being happy is so very important for your health — mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It is an essential element in making a difference around you. 

So, I have decided to document the “Things I Love”. I am certain that once these are identified your happiness will literally fall into your lap, soul and heart.

I started by observing those things in my home which make me smile. I share these with you now in hopes that they will inspire you to also find those “Things You Love.”

Things I love collage

My striped cat, Maximus. Peace hearts. Cacti from Arizona to remind me of my family living there. Starfish! Glass door knobs. And, beautiful indoor nature.

Things I love 4

Simple glass jars catching the sunlight. My kids, especially the Middle Green Boy’s smile. Coffee and all forms of said caffeine. Seahorses and shades of blue.

Things I love 3

Hobbes, a fluffy furball that loves to sing the song of his people at 4am. My new front door wreath made of coffee filters. Me! It has taken me years to find a true love for myself. I can honestly say that I am happy with who I am and what my future holds. Family photos on the wall in DIY frames. Seashells collected on each and every beach we visit. Chester, our old man pug.

Take time to embrace those around you and find the “Things You Love”. I did and it is amazing.

Please comment below on the “Things You Love”. Feel free to post links to your own blog as you take time to document “Things I Love”.

Kefir Water… Kefir, What?

Kefir water

I am officially on the Kefir Water bandwagon. It’s not a bad wagon to be on…actually quite beneficial. It took me about a year to jump on. This delay mostly stemmed from a bad experience with sea monkeys as a kid. I was not very good a raising sea monkeys and thought that this may transfer over to the Kefir grains. Plus, I was also worried about the time involved in culturing Kefir.

To date <about 3 months in>, I am happy with the lack of time it takes to make Kefir Water and that I haven’t lost a single Kefir grain yet. Plus, my boys love it and I can personally attest to it helping me post stomach flu.

I used Cultures for Health for most of my information and followed their steps to fermenting the Kefir grains and suggestions for juice additions. Their FAQ on Kefir Water was super helpful for me to determine if this was right for my family and my time. I also used Pinterest to gather recipes and informational sites to research on Kefir Water. Click here for my Kefir-Licious Pinterest Board.

So, here is my list of Do’s, Don’ts, and Why’s of Kefir Water.

DO’s

1. Find a friend, or friend of a friend, to get your Kefir Grains. Much easier. Less costly. And, you may meet a new person.

Kefir Grains.

Kefir Grains.

2. Spend the extra money on good organic juice for the Kefir Water. The grains will appreciate it. Your taste buds will too.

3. Invest in cool bottles. Makes it more fun. They are also pleasing to the eye, since they will be on your counter.

4. Burp your bottles during the second fermentation. Seriously, about three times a day.

5. Get into a routine about when you make your Kefir Water. I spend about 10-15 minutes every other day.

DON’Ts

1. Don’t forget to burp your bottles. They will explode. You will keep finding glass shards months later in the most unusual places. Trust me.

2. Don’t tell your kids too much about the Kefir Water. They will look at you like you have two heads and are seriously crazy. Just make them drink it.

3. Rush it. Fermentation takes time.

fermenting kefir grains

WHY’s

1. Probiotics.

“Bacteria

Species Lactobacillus
L. brevis
L. casei
L. hilgardii
L. hordei
L. nagelii

Species Leuconostoc
L. citreum
L. mesenteroides

Species Acetobacter
A. fabarum
A. orientalis

Species Streptococcus
S. lactis

Yeasts

Hanseniaospora valbyensis
Lachancea fermentati
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Zygotorulaspora florentina

(Source: http://biologiageral.com.sapo.pt/Ficheiros/Gulitz.pdf (referenced May 2013))”

2. Healthier gut.

3. Less food allergies.

4. Improved immune system.

5. Gluten Free and Dairy Free.

6. Kefir grains are good for dog and cat digestion, too. My pug gets my extra Kefir grains. His old gut needs the boost and help. Definitely less stinky gas from him and that is a very good thing. The cats could really care less, but sometimes they surprise me by eating them.

Top Left: Some of my Kefir equipment. Top Right: Ingredients and equipment. Bottom Left: Dissolving raw sugar in heated water. Bottom Right: Straining the Kefir water to remove the Kefir grains.

Top Left: Some of my Kefir equipment. Top Right: Ingredients and equipment. Bottom Left: Dissolving raw sugar in heated water. Bottom Right: Straining the Kefir water to remove the Kefir grains.

Here is my method and favorite juice additions.

1. Heat dechlorinated water to just under boiling. Add 1/2 cup hot water and 1/4 cup raw, organic sugar to a 1 quart Mason jar. Dissolve sugar.

2. Add dechlorinated water to Mason jar. Fill it to just under the threaded top part of the jar.

3. Add 3 tablespoons active, hydrated Kefir grains.

4. Cover with an unbleached paper coffee filter and screw on just the lid portion of the Mason jar.

5. Leave on counter for 24-30 hours for first fermentation.

After first fermentation,

6. Strain Kefir grains from water. Save grains to start next batch of Kefir water.

7. Add 1/2 cup of organic juice to bottle.

8. Pour in strained Kefir water.

9. Close bottle and let mixture ferment for a second time at least 24 hours on the counter top.

After second fermentation,

10. Enjoy your flavored Kefir water.

or, 11. Place in fridge for enjoyment another time.

Favorite Additions:

Pomegranate Juice (This is the clear favorite right now. Very bubbly. Great tart taste.)

Fresh Orange Juice

Lemon Juice

Grape Juice

Tart Cherry Juice

*I found that strong juice flavors work best for my kids and family.

 

 

What I learned from Coach Burgener…

CrossFit Weightlifting Seminar. 03/22/14-03/23/14 at CrossFit Chronic.

CrossFit Weightlifting Seminar. 03/22/14-03/23/14 at CrossFit Chronic.

 

I had the incredible opportunity to attend the CrossFit Weightlifting Trainer Certification Course this past weekend at my box, CrossFit Chronic. This whole experience sky rocketed into star quality when we found out Coach Mike Burgener would be leading the seminar. Seriously, I had the chance to learn about snatches, cleans and jerks from THE MAN!

I’m amazed at how many times the concepts I learn in CrossFit apply to many other aspects of my life. The overlap is insane! No wonder people become “addicted” to CrossFit. It makes their whole life better. All those concepts of CrossFit boxes, communities, and WODs incorporate into the everyday seamlessly.

Coach B talking to us about footwork and stance.

Coach B talking to us about footwork and stance.

1. Slow is Smooth… Smooth is Fast!

Technique, technique, technique… and then some more technique. Never underestimate the power of technique. Dial down the tempo of the lifts to create muscle memory for the technique. Once, the technique is perfected –and, just so you know, you are always working towards perfection; it never ends– smoothness enters into these lifts and that is when FAST happens!

*Life application*

Take the time in your profession, in your relationships, in your friendships, and in your parenting to learn all the nuances and “techniques”. Work towards perfection! Others appreciate the attention to detail.

Burgener Warm-Up and other drills with PVC. Never underestimate the power of the PVC.

Burgener Warm-Up and other drills with PVC. Never underestimate the power of the PVC.

2.There are Only Bad Makes and Good Misses!

Good Misses make you a better athlete and stronger Olympic lifter. They teach you much more than a Bad Make ever can! Bad Makes reinforce the bad. They make you feel good just because you got the weight overhead, but they don’t “feel right”. Recognize the Bad Misses, shake them off and go back to Number 1 on this list. Slow down the temp, smooth it out, and work technique. Then step back up to that bar, and do it again!

*Life Application*

If you are not putting 100% effort into what you do, then you are making Bad Makes! Living less than 100% does not improve your life or those around you. Take that time out to perfect. Then get back to life at 100%. It is always better to have a Good Miss than a Bad Make. Hands down.

Hook grip! Always.

Hook grip! Always.

3. Always Finish!

Finish. What is it? It is that moment in your lift when a few things happen: 1. Full extension of the hips. Footwork.; 2. Shrug and shoulders behind the bar. Speed through the middle.; and, 3. Elevation of the bar. Preparing to drive under the bar with a strong turnover. Without Finish, your lift will end up a Bad Make!

*Life Application*

Honestly, Half-Assing stuff is not cool. Just do the work. And, Always Finish!

Passion!

Passion!

4. Passion!

I have met tons of passionate people in my life. I try to surround myself with others that are passionate. Coach B is one of the most passionate instructors I have had the honor of learning from at a seminar. He has passion about Olympic Lifting. He is passionate about teaching others about Olympic Lifting. What a pleasure to be surrounded by his passion and the passion of his coaching staff!

Passion is contagious. Imagine a world where others were passionate about their professions and jobs, passionate about learning, passionate about positively influencing those around them, passionate about health and fitness… Sounds like a wonderful place, doesn’t it? Live with Passion! Be passionate about what you do. Pass the passion onto others, especially your children.

Launch position. Holy hamstrings! Slow is smooth... Smooth is fast.

Launch position. Holy hamstrings! Slow is smooth… Smooth is fast.

5. Yay Burpees!

Coach B: “Blah blah blah blah blah blah Burpees…” Everyone else, “Yay Burpees!”

I pretty much learned that motivational consequences, such as Burpees, still suck. So everyone should listen up and pay attention and yell “Yay Burpees!” on cue. Ergo… no motivational consequences. Gotta love-hate Burpees.

*Life Application*

My boys need more motivational consequences. Maybe even the husband, too.

CrossFit Weightlifting Seminar Staff and CrossFit Chronic Coaches and Members.

CrossFit Weightlifting Seminar Staff and CrossFit Chronic Coaches and Members.

Bonus! What I learned from Stacy…(super duper awesome seminar staff coach)

6. Make that Bar Your Bitch!

I am still recuperating and healing an injury (see my previous post on my injury here) in my hip and lower back. I honestly did not think that I was afraid to snatch (a video demo with Coach B). Alas, I was because who wants to get hurt again. Stacy’s words about healing and then getting back on that bar and making it my bitch were just what I needed to hear. So, as of today, I am back up to a 55lb snatch about 50% away from my 1RM. I will soon be back up to full potential and a beast at the box.

 

Coach Mike Burgener and I at CrossFit Chronic.

Coach Mike Burgener and I at CrossFit Chronic.

Oh, and bonus was the beer two nights in a row that I got to drink with Coach B.

coachbandI