Real-life hard bodies

For the past 6 or 8 years, I have aspired to have Madonna's body. Her back, her arms, those amazing legs. Earlier this week, my friend Ildi pointed me in the direction of this picture on Perez Hilton and asked if I was reconsidering. I am. Those veins are a little much for me. She has definitely gone past where I would ever want to be. :unsure:

My boot camp instructor and newly hired personal trainer Kim has a rockin' body herself. She worked hard to get it and just as hard to maintain it. Knowing that it doesn't come easily for her inspires me that much more. So yesterday morning I told my trainer Kim I was going to bring a camera to Body Pump and take a picture of her. She probably had no idea I was serious. :P I have decided it's much better to have her as my body goal. I will probably never attain her body either, but at least I can see her, talk to her, and know what she does to look this way. Plus she looks way better than Madonna at this point. Don't you agree?

4 Things

I'm totally trying to catch up on my friends' blogs from the past 6 months. I found this gem on Beth's blog. I believe she stole it from Emily and I have no idea where she got it because I haven't been to her blog yet. :P


Four places I go over and over:
1. The gym
2. Copper Ridge
3. Garden
4. El Rey

Four movies I have watched more than four times:
1. The Breakfast Club
2. Gone with the Wind
3. Grease
4. Body Double

Four places I have lived:
1. Powell, TN
2. Knoxville, TN
3. Valentigney, France (1 month)
4. Murfreesboro, TN (3 weeks)

Four TV shows I watch:
1. Lost
2. The Office
3. The First 48
4. Dateline (and OH how Turner hates this - totally reminds me of my grandparents watching 60 minutes (which Turner has dubbed the most boring show ever invented!))

Four places I have been:
1. San Diego
2. New Orleans
3. Rochester, NY
4. Savannah, GA

People who email me regularly:
1. Johnnie Boden
2. Hanna Anderson
3. Janie and Jack (does that count as 1 or 2 people?)
4. Macy (no last name necessary)

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Spinach Pizza
2. Bean Burritos
3. Baked Spaghetti
4. Sugar Snap Peas

Four places I would like to visit:
1. Italy
2. Ireland
3. Ixtapa
4. Iceland

Things I'm looking forward to in 2008:
1. Vacation!
2. Finding out Turner's 2nd grade teacher
3. Losing 30 more lbs. of FAT
4. Just kissing my boys as often as possible.:wub:

Yikes

Here I am, least reliable blogger on the planet. School is out for the summer. Unbelievably, we're already 2 weeks into summer vacation. The boys started summer camp at Garden this week. Turner is lobbying to spend every day there and Loudon is actually opening up and making friends. Hopefully this pattern will continue.

We are going to Florida for 2 whole weeks this summer. Most of the first week I'll be on my own with the boys. I'm terrified. I'm not a zen mom, you know? Surely we'll survive. Right?

My training is going well. I've decided to stop calling it weight loss or anything of the sort (though I have lost 55 lbs.). It sounds more athletic and less pathetic if I say I'm training. And I am. I did an 8 week boot camp with Kim as my drill sergeant. Um, it was me and 4 guys. I felt very inadequate, yet I loved it. It's been a long time since I've had a guy posse (besides my boys) and I rather enjoyed it. I just paid for 20 personal training sessions this week and did my first one with Kim Tuesday morning. It was literally the most physically challenging hour of my life. Next session is tomorrow at 6 a.m. I suggested we do it in the pool. Somehow I know she can turn that clear blue water into a torture chamber. However, Kim has the most perfect body of a human being I've seen in real life, so I think I'm in good hands with her.

A letter to myself at 13

I saw this on a friend's blog, and immediately knew I'd have to crank out one of these. For most people, this is an awkward age they'd like to forget. For me, 13 was the begging of the best(-looking) few years of my life.

Dear Shel,

You're turning out well so far. Thank goodness your parents sold that deli so you have slimmed back down this year. Okay, let's start here. You are slim! Yes, I know you are a larger size than all your best friends, but don't let that get inside your head. Think logically. You keep choosing friends who are 3-5 inches shorter than you. Of COURSE you are going to wear a size 3 instead of a 1. Life is good. Trust me. There will be a day when single digits are a distant dream and you will want to beat yourself about the head remembering how you thought you were fat all through your teen years. If you'd like to prevent the foray into Lane Bryant territory, maybe you should try getting addicted to exercise at an early age. That might serve you well in the future.

Now, I know you kept score at the ballfield for two months to earn $300, but there's really no need to spend it all at the mall in one day. This is a really bad habit and one you should squelch now. The Dolfin shorts are fine, but leave the Dolfin shirt on the rack. It is MESH at the top. There's no way your Mom is letting you out of the house in that. You do not need a Culture Club poster or those jelly shoes. They will make blisters and your feet will stink to high heaven in those. And there's no need for you to spend $20 on sexy bikini underwear. You are not even going to kiss a boy for 3 more years, so I'm not sure why you need those anyway.

Speaking of clothing, go home and hang all your Esprit in the closet. Do you know what it does to your mother to watch you stomp all over it in your room? Your parents are comfortable, but probably not made of money, so I know they're working hard to buy you all these name brand clothes. I know this hard to believe, but there are people out there without Esprit and Chic jeans and Ralph Lauren. You should really take better care of your things.

Now we need to talk about the future a little bit. There are some things that just aren't going to happen for you and I'd like to go ahead and let you know so maybe you won't get your heart set on them.

First, you are not getting a brand new red corvette with a bow on it for your 16th birthday. In fact, you're not getting a car until about 3 months later and then it will be Mercury Lynx 4 speed. You know, that doesn't HAVE to be your first car. Just becuase that is the first car you go to see doesn't dictate you have to say that's the one you want. Be patient and find an automatic. It will make it much easier to sneak out of the house if you are actually capable of driving the car.

The guy you date in your 20s and he says that one day you will get married? You won't. When you break up the first time, just let that be it. No need to spend 4 years on that nonsense. Geez. Don't waste all that time getting him out of the debt he made before he knew you. He's not going to buy you that ring from the Service Merchandise catalog anyway.

You're not going to give birth to girls. Stop thinking about their names. There won't be any. You'll have two beautiful boys. When you find out the first one is a boy, you'll be in shock, but decide it's fine. The second time, you'll cry for a minute before deciding you can have bunk beds for them. They are the most precious little guys in the world. Tell yourself you want to be a boy mom, because ultimately you will. And they will melt your heart every day. They'll tell you they love you without prompting. They'll be smart and gorgeous. And of course, they'll be very well-dressed.

Oh, don't worry about whether or not your sister is EVER going to have a baby. She will. And it will be a boy too, so don't go pinning any great pink hopes on her. I can't tell you anything else about your nephew because he has yet to make his debut. I know it's hard to imagine now because your sister is the great annoyance of your life, but one day you'll love her and will even do things with her by choice. You'll be looking forward to this sweet boy because he'll be like another one of your own. Your sister and her husband (you'll be meeting him in a very few years - and if you want to start keeping an eye on him, he'll be in middle school this year, too) love your boys so much and the feeling is more than mutual. You can't wait to have that special aunt relationship with their baby, too.

Must run now. It's close to Christmas and there is lots to be done. Even if you don't take any of my advice, you'll turn out fine. I am really stressing that you should watch what you eat and exercise, but I know you won't listen to me now, so get ready to spend a lot of time at the gym in your 30s!

xoxo, Just-turned-37-year old you

Thanksgiving Feast

Just a little quickie to share some pix from school. Yesterday, Turner's class had their Thanksgiving Deal. They made Friendship Stew. I made peanut butter sandwiches. My friend Andrew brought pumpkin pie and a few not-as-trusted moms were responsible for bringing in chips. It was a gorgey day, so they were able to eat outside. Oh, and in case you are wondering, Mrs. Y is smart enough to know that everyone wanted to be a Native American, so there were no pilgrims at the feast this year.

Turner's table:


Turner and a few pals:


Turner and his BFF:

Uh oh, I've been tagged

I have not been writing faithfully, nor have I been reading faithfully. I have a very good reason. No time. Seriously. :) Allison tagged me on this, so before I try to think of a topic, I'll just ease back into blogging with this fill in the blank session.

Four Films I Could Watch Over and Over:
1. The Breakfast Club. Brings back warm and fuzzy high school memories. Not because the movie imitated my high school life (but if it did, I'd totally be Claire), but because a good friend and I used to quote it back and forth to each other daily. I miss Jason Page.
2. Gone with the Wind. It reminds me of growing up, watching it with my Mom and aunt. I loved what a drama ho Scarlett was. And she is the most gorgeous lady I've ever seen.
3. Pretty in Pink. This one reminds me of high school, except I wasn't from the wrong side of the tracks and my prom dress came from Classy Lady, Too.

4. I really want to say Four Weddings and a Funeral, but don't want Allison to think I'm a copycat. But Andie MacDowell has the most perfect accent in the world. Oh, let's switch to Sex, Lies & Videotape. I get Andie and a bonus James Spader.

Four Favorite TV Shows:
Um, I think I could use four favorite TV shows on each channel, or each genre, or each season. Something. I don't think I can limit myself.
1. The Office. I do not laugh out loud while watching TV often, but every Thursday I do.
2. Prison Break. Maybe it's because I practically know Wentworth Miller?
3. America's Next Top Model. I feel like it's making me an expert in something.
4. The Biggest Loser. This is SO much more inspiring and enjoyable when you are actually losing weight while watching it.

Four Favorite Foods
1. Snow Peas and tofu with brown rice. I'm drooling on the keyboard.
2. Bean tostadas. This has been my favorite for 25 years or so. I ranked my stir fry ahead of it because the DH had lunch at Stir Fry Cafe without me today.
3. Apples and peanut butter. Yum. This would have never been on my list before I began Training for Life.
4. Pinto beans (or white beans or navy beans), but only when my mom makes them especially for me.

Four Websites I visit Every Day:
1. Jie
I haven't been uber-regular anywhere else lately, but I do visit a few places very frequently:
2. All of my friends' blogs.
3. Turner's school website.
4. I've been cruising the Body Pump boards.

Four Places I Would Love to Be:
1. At the gym
2. At the Loews Vanderbilt hotel in Nashville
3. The condo we stayed in over the 4th of July
4. The Great Smoky Mountains in a kickin' cabin

Four Favorite Colors:
1. Orange - Powell orange
2. Olive green
3. Red
4. Navy blue

Four Names I Love But Wouldn't/Couldn't Use for a Kid
1. Will. totally doesn't work with my last name.
2. Walker. I have a slight amount of regret that I didn't use it for Loudy.
3. Scarlett. No girls, and not a SOUL in my family approved of it anyway. You'd think they were Yankees.
4. Holland. This one was well-accepted, but I still didn't have a beautiful girl on which to bestow this name.

Four People to Tag:
Anyone who happens to be here who hasn't done this?