P90x

I embarked on the P90x journey back in October...and I finished it!  Yes!! I can't believe I actually did it:)  I finished up in January.
Here's my take on it: I LOVED the exercise.  It was hard, fun, and I didn't get bored. This program is so well rounded.  I couldn't believe it.  There is cardio, weight training, and yoga.  Even some karate stuff.  Each day of the week was something different and the cycle repeats each week.  The 4th week of the month is recovery week, but it's just as hard if not harder than the other three weeks. I have found that I really prefer weight training to cardio.  And I really did not like yoga.  Ugh it was torture. I started out not being able to finish the exercises and not being able to do one pull up.  By the time I was done I could do one pull up each set (there's several sets in each routine), and even one handed push ups!  It was crazy.  Plyometrics, the mother of all the workouts, as they call it, was a butt kicker!  But it was fun and tons of work.  I ended up being able to do the whole workout and keep up:)
There is a lean version and the regular version. I did the regular, which increases your muscle.  The lean helps you lose weight.  At times I wish I had done the lean version.  I am sure I will do it again though in the future.

So, how do I look?  Well, to be honest, about the same.  I think I did lose weight, but not on the scale.  My clothes were a little loose and my body was more tone.  I did take before pictures but not after ones.  I know, bummer.  And I wish I had taken measurements!

Benefits to P90x: 1.The workout is intense and entertaining.  I never got bored with the exception of yoga.
2. You WILL get fit!  No question. If you can hang, you will benefit.
3. You will be encouraged that you can actually do an intense workout and live:) It's a pretty awesome feeling.

Downfalls: 1. The time commitment is a bit much.  Each workout is about an hr and then ab ripper is another 15 mins.  Then yoga, oh yoga...it's 130 mins!  Told you it was torture.  But each program is super important for the whole picture.
2. I learned the hard way that you really need to follow the diet with the exercise.  My gut is still here and that was really disappointing. But it proves that most of our gut fat is our diet, therefore to lose it, we gotta change our eating habits.

Would I do it again? Yes! Is it worth it? Yes!

I just started a 21 day cleanse today to try and rid my body of toxins and see if we can get these migraines under control. Or gone. You can pray for me! It's a tough cleanse.  Protein shakes and fruits and veges only for 21 days.  On day 11 you can add some meats.

And when I'm done with this, I am going to do Body Pump with my friend Lindsay. I am really excited about that! It's another Beach Body workout.

I took body measurements this morning and I will take pics after I finish the cleanse and I promise to post the before and afters at that point!

Basketball

Hey!  Is it really February 1st already???  Goodness.  We've been consumed with looking at houses and basketball and traveling lately!  And preparing for Abbie's baby shower this coming weekend!  So excited!

I believe we have a baller:)  Gracie girl started basketball right before Christmas and her games started a month ago.  Here are pics from her first game.....

These are her sweet friends Lilly and Abby

She is playing Upward ball

Practicing before the game

They announce all the players before the game starts

They pray before the game

My girl was hilarious during this game.  She is a fierce defender!  Even on offense:)

I was of course hollering the whole time. Get the ball!  Quit guarding your girl and rebound:)

She took some shots

Sweet Dr. Gray came to her game

Girlfriend hustles and plays so hard!  She scored a basket her second game, and TWO baskets last weekend!  Her coach told us how impressed he was with her.  We are pretty proud of our baller!

Ladybugs

Gracie is part of a little girl's Bible Study group called the Ladybugs.  Each family takes turns having it at their house.  This past semester they studied the fruits of the Spirit.

Two weeks before Christmas, they had their little party.  The moms were invited too.  It was fun to be together and eat fondue and fellowship.

The girls each brought a gift and chose a number out of a hat to see which gift they got

Lilly is is the back and Claire is the one closest

The whole gang: Back row, left to right: Angelina, Lilly, Claire, Anna,  Abbie
Front row:

Gracie loves meeting with these girls!

Christmas 2011

We had a great Christmas!  We went to Charlotte the week before and stayed through the Tuesday after Christmas.  Even Gamma and Papa came and stayed with us.  So we had both of our families under one roof.  I loved that.

Get ready to a ton of pictures.

We celebrated with mom, dad, and my sisters and brother in laws, and nieces on the night before Christmas Eve....

Silly La La:)

Bella and Reese were pretty stoked

Bella realizing that she is getting skates!

Piper got an American Girl bed.  She wasn't too thrilled because she didn't get the doll.  Yet.

Everyone got skates!

And make-up

Sweet Mia slept through most of it:)

Papaw helped her open her presents

Mia was mostly interested in the paper

It's always fun to be with our immediate family and just hang out.  When you don't live in the same town anymore, it's even better.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christmas Morning: The girls woke up about 8:30 (yes!!) and were ready to come down!

Reese was hilarious this year.  She was pretty excited.

I tried really hard this year to keep cost down and just get the girls a few things.  I wanted them to be more focused on Christ. Buuuut, I failed.  They mostly got small things and a suitcase, which they both needed.  But all the little things that were supposed to go in their stockings didn't fit, so it piled up.

The girls were so grateful for the things they got. That blessed my heart.

Gracie was pumped about her sewing machine!

And Pipes liked her watch.

Of course, Reese goes straight for the candy.

Gracie and Piper got to give out the present they bought with their own money:)  Gracie gave Papa a book.  He said it was actually a good one:)

Piper made sure to include Reilly:)  She bought her a toy squirrel.

Dad is always a hoot.  He guesses every stinkin gift before he opens them

Santa left a letter where the milk and cookies were.  It reminded the girls to celebrate Jesus on His Birthday.  Gracie said, "Mom, I guess Santa is a Christian." :)ahhh.

Mom is so animated and grateful for everything she gets.  Here she is opening the target gift card Gracie got her.  It has $9 on it.

And Piper finally got her American Girl! She was SO excited!

Doesn't she look like her?  Her name is Hannah.  She even has earrings.

Reese got a bitty baby

We never get pictures with Gamma and Papa in it.

Then we were out the door to church!  Don't even get me started on churches that don't have church on Christmas when it's a Sunday!  There is something so special about being there all together as a church family, to celebrate Jesus, instead of at home focused on our little family and gifts.

Once we were home from church, the Looper family comes over to celebrate!

It's so funny, usually there's a gift under the tree for Jeremy that we have no idea who it's from.  Last year it was super man underwear.  This year....oh boy....

That's a snuggie in case you can't tell.

The kids all get gifts and then we send them to play while the adults play dirty santa.

And something new this year...We got a show from the girls.

There was gymnastics moves, and singing and dancing.

Piper can do quite the split. And Gracie is getting there:)

And these two, told us the name of the baby:)  His name is Gage Timothy.  Timothy is my dad's middle name.  I'd say he certainly deserves to have the first boy named after him:)

Whoo! Can't wait!!

Gracie already had an American Girl Doll, but Grandma bought her this coat and added a star to it to match her doll's clothes.

They each got lots of outfits for their dolls.

It was a fun Christmas!  I loved being with all of our family and friends.