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May 31, 2009
May 30, 2009
May 19, 2009
Colorado, Colorado ... the thin state
I think everyone here is thin. I mean it. I find myself purposfully looking for people who are fat. And there are a few, I mean a blessed few, who I think can appreciate a good piece of cheesecake ala' mode. But those few cheesecake officianados are hard to find, and I think are perhaps illegally out and about during daylight hours with the rest of the thin and athletic looking types. I think it is a state law or something.
I don't own a bike, and this fact alone might become a problem if I expect to make any new friends in Colorado. I tried to take a "spin" class with my little sister, Maranda, when I lived in Las Vegas. I hated it. Not because I was tired or worn out ... I was in great shape ... but it hurt my butt, I mean alot, even with the special padded but cushion the instructor let me borrow. I tried it, twice, I still avoid it. Every gym here offers it as a class, at least 4 times a day. Gross. Our city, in particular, has main roads with huge lanes (which a car could easily fit into) dedicated to "bike lanes". God help you if you try and maneuver your SUV into a bike lane. Bike helmets are a fashion yes, yes! Everyone seems to either have a helmet on their head, or hanging off of their person somewhere.
The carpool lane has disinegrated from SUV lane (where I feel very comfortable in my gas guzzling Expedition) to "bike and haul behind trailer" lane. I don't like it, it's wierd, and I don't like the looks I get because I don't have a bike and subsequent haul behind trailer holding my 14 month old with his own personalized bike helmet. Sure, we only live about 5 blocks from the school, but it's hot here. I mean, it's like 85 degrees and sunny. I made the mistake of walking to the school one sunny afternoon to pick up the boys. Drew's response, "where's the truck?" I told him I walked. Drew's response, "what's wrong with you?!" Yes, he's a charmer that one. Bradyn's response, "I'm going to DIIIIIIIIIEEE if I have to walk all the way hoooooooooome!" Noone died, but I think we resembled more of a death march than a happy sporty family walking home from school. The kids bitched, I yelled, and the dog sort of whimpered.
Shorts are in, as are tank tops ... all of which only magnify the fact that we have been living in the frozen tundra (New England) for the past four years and never saw sunlight. Myself and the kids look like Albinos ... not kidding, pasty Albinos.
So in an attempt to assuage this situation about not feeling fit enough to live in Colorado, I took a break from unpacking, packed up Caden (the 14 month old), and GPS'd my way to a few local gyms. Let me assure you, that here in the thin state, there are about 5 gyms within a 1-2 mile radius of my house, and if I was a true Coloradoite, I would have attached the GPS to my bike and accompanying haul behind kid trailer and rode to said gyms to check them out. I think there are at least 40 or so in our town. Not kidding. Anyhow, I toured, and chatted, and talked, and finally signed up.
Now, let's be clear. The last year has not been fantastic for me in terms of physical or mental health for that matter. The physical and the mental being this ongoing circle. In a nutshell, I had a baby, had some health issues, the kids got busy, and I started working full time ... all this and I quit teaching aerobics for about 7 months. This means the 30 lbs of baby fat are still happily sitting on my behind, which has affectionately become an "office ass" over the tenure of working full time and sitting at a desk all day. So, now that I am in the thin state, no longer working full time, and have regained some sanity in my life, me and my "office ass", are on a mission of health both mental and physical. It is this attitude I took to the gym with me the next morning to take my first aerobics class in 7 months.
To be clear, I AM a certified aerobics instructor. I taught for years, I taught REALLY hard classes, people moaned and complained and we worked harder and I relished in the pain. SO, I was thinking to myself, how hard could this REALLY be? 2 issues at hand. First, the sedentary 7 months and the three 10 lb sacks of potatoes I carry on my frame now. Second, I lived at SEA LEVEL in New Hampshire. I mean the OCEAN was right at my front door. Then we moved within 30 minutes of a town lovingly referred to as the "mile high" city. Why? Because it's a @*$%$(*@ mile ABOVE sea level. What does all this mean to those of you not familiar with air terms? It means at sea level the air is THICK and aerobic activity wherein you utilize extra oxygen is AVAILABLE to use! Here in Colorado, the air is THIN, THIN, THIN, and the oxygen you need to, oh, I don't know, BREATHE, is not really there.
So, I started the class fairly strong and 5 minutes in I was thinking, "I want to die now, what's wrong with me?" Then I started to think, "now Cortney, you know answer, your body will fight the activity for the first 10 minutes and then it will resolve that you aren't going to quit!" (at least that is what I told my students!) ... so I watch the clock ... okay, 10 minutes, we ARE doing this ... really? Really, I am doing this? I then started a mental battle in my head that fortunately lasted until the end of the hour and a half aerobics class. By the time my body had given in that I was not quitting the class was over. The instructor knew I was from New Hampshrie and she said something about elevation killing me. Huh? Oh, yeah. Duh.
I'm proud to say I soldiered on and got through the lack of oxygen deprivation, shin splints, and general anxiety about going to the bathroom because it hurt my thighs to "sit" down on the potty. The soreness is going away, I am adjusting to the "mile high" status, and I think I am ready to run a marathon now ... at sea level, of course. Most important, I am really enjoying the every day classes, and getting back to myself ... which I think I lost a portion of in the last year.
Now, that's not to say that I have gone to "fitness town". I did notice a group of 3-4 ladies (around my age) who seem rather die hard . I thought I might want to be their friend when I first met them, they seemed the epitomy of the thin Coloradoite, but then I overheard them after class on Monday talking about how it was "weigh in" time. What? Excuse me? I listened in a little more and realized these crazy broads all "weighed in" once a week at the gym and then compared numbers! It goes against every portion of my being as a person or as an instructor to even THINK about doing something like that! AUGH! Do my pants fit? Yes. Okay, I'm good. Doesn't matter what the scale says, and I certainly am not going to SHARE ... unless of course I am 120 lbs on my 5'11" frame, then I share with the world ... who would already assume I weighed 120 lbs because I would look like Lindsey Lohan ... gross.
So, I guess they won't be my new friends. Maybe the chubby kid in the back of the room. She looks like she needs a friend. Just wait until I start teaching the step class in the Fall, ladies. There will be a "no weigh in policy" instituted! hahaha! Ho hum, today I did have a moment of remiss looking round the room and missing my classes in New Hampshire. I made so many great friends teaching ... friends that I will cherish forever. And I have NEVER had as much fun as I did teaching aerobics in New Hampshire ... people here are way to serious. Feel the burn, but enjoy the journey to the burn!
For now ...
I don't own a bike, and this fact alone might become a problem if I expect to make any new friends in Colorado. I tried to take a "spin" class with my little sister, Maranda, when I lived in Las Vegas. I hated it. Not because I was tired or worn out ... I was in great shape ... but it hurt my butt, I mean alot, even with the special padded but cushion the instructor let me borrow. I tried it, twice, I still avoid it. Every gym here offers it as a class, at least 4 times a day. Gross. Our city, in particular, has main roads with huge lanes (which a car could easily fit into) dedicated to "bike lanes". God help you if you try and maneuver your SUV into a bike lane. Bike helmets are a fashion yes, yes! Everyone seems to either have a helmet on their head, or hanging off of their person somewhere.
The carpool lane has disinegrated from SUV lane (where I feel very comfortable in my gas guzzling Expedition) to "bike and haul behind trailer" lane. I don't like it, it's wierd, and I don't like the looks I get because I don't have a bike and subsequent haul behind trailer holding my 14 month old with his own personalized bike helmet. Sure, we only live about 5 blocks from the school, but it's hot here. I mean, it's like 85 degrees and sunny. I made the mistake of walking to the school one sunny afternoon to pick up the boys. Drew's response, "where's the truck?" I told him I walked. Drew's response, "what's wrong with you?!" Yes, he's a charmer that one. Bradyn's response, "I'm going to DIIIIIIIIIEEE if I have to walk all the way hoooooooooome!" Noone died, but I think we resembled more of a death march than a happy sporty family walking home from school. The kids bitched, I yelled, and the dog sort of whimpered.
Shorts are in, as are tank tops ... all of which only magnify the fact that we have been living in the frozen tundra (New England) for the past four years and never saw sunlight. Myself and the kids look like Albinos ... not kidding, pasty Albinos.
So in an attempt to assuage this situation about not feeling fit enough to live in Colorado, I took a break from unpacking, packed up Caden (the 14 month old), and GPS'd my way to a few local gyms. Let me assure you, that here in the thin state, there are about 5 gyms within a 1-2 mile radius of my house, and if I was a true Coloradoite, I would have attached the GPS to my bike and accompanying haul behind kid trailer and rode to said gyms to check them out. I think there are at least 40 or so in our town. Not kidding. Anyhow, I toured, and chatted, and talked, and finally signed up.
Now, let's be clear. The last year has not been fantastic for me in terms of physical or mental health for that matter. The physical and the mental being this ongoing circle. In a nutshell, I had a baby, had some health issues, the kids got busy, and I started working full time ... all this and I quit teaching aerobics for about 7 months. This means the 30 lbs of baby fat are still happily sitting on my behind, which has affectionately become an "office ass" over the tenure of working full time and sitting at a desk all day. So, now that I am in the thin state, no longer working full time, and have regained some sanity in my life, me and my "office ass", are on a mission of health both mental and physical. It is this attitude I took to the gym with me the next morning to take my first aerobics class in 7 months.
To be clear, I AM a certified aerobics instructor. I taught for years, I taught REALLY hard classes, people moaned and complained and we worked harder and I relished in the pain. SO, I was thinking to myself, how hard could this REALLY be? 2 issues at hand. First, the sedentary 7 months and the three 10 lb sacks of potatoes I carry on my frame now. Second, I lived at SEA LEVEL in New Hampshire. I mean the OCEAN was right at my front door. Then we moved within 30 minutes of a town lovingly referred to as the "mile high" city. Why? Because it's a @*$%$(*@ mile ABOVE sea level. What does all this mean to those of you not familiar with air terms? It means at sea level the air is THICK and aerobic activity wherein you utilize extra oxygen is AVAILABLE to use! Here in Colorado, the air is THIN, THIN, THIN, and the oxygen you need to, oh, I don't know, BREATHE, is not really there.
So, I started the class fairly strong and 5 minutes in I was thinking, "I want to die now, what's wrong with me?" Then I started to think, "now Cortney, you know answer, your body will fight the activity for the first 10 minutes and then it will resolve that you aren't going to quit!" (at least that is what I told my students!) ... so I watch the clock ... okay, 10 minutes, we ARE doing this ... really? Really, I am doing this? I then started a mental battle in my head that fortunately lasted until the end of the hour and a half aerobics class. By the time my body had given in that I was not quitting the class was over. The instructor knew I was from New Hampshrie and she said something about elevation killing me. Huh? Oh, yeah. Duh.
I'm proud to say I soldiered on and got through the lack of oxygen deprivation, shin splints, and general anxiety about going to the bathroom because it hurt my thighs to "sit" down on the potty. The soreness is going away, I am adjusting to the "mile high" status, and I think I am ready to run a marathon now ... at sea level, of course. Most important, I am really enjoying the every day classes, and getting back to myself ... which I think I lost a portion of in the last year.
Now, that's not to say that I have gone to "fitness town". I did notice a group of 3-4 ladies (around my age) who seem rather die hard . I thought I might want to be their friend when I first met them, they seemed the epitomy of the thin Coloradoite, but then I overheard them after class on Monday talking about how it was "weigh in" time. What? Excuse me? I listened in a little more and realized these crazy broads all "weighed in" once a week at the gym and then compared numbers! It goes against every portion of my being as a person or as an instructor to even THINK about doing something like that! AUGH! Do my pants fit? Yes. Okay, I'm good. Doesn't matter what the scale says, and I certainly am not going to SHARE ... unless of course I am 120 lbs on my 5'11" frame, then I share with the world ... who would already assume I weighed 120 lbs because I would look like Lindsey Lohan ... gross.
So, I guess they won't be my new friends. Maybe the chubby kid in the back of the room. She looks like she needs a friend. Just wait until I start teaching the step class in the Fall, ladies. There will be a "no weigh in policy" instituted! hahaha! Ho hum, today I did have a moment of remiss looking round the room and missing my classes in New Hampshire. I made so many great friends teaching ... friends that I will cherish forever. And I have NEVER had as much fun as I did teaching aerobics in New Hampshire ... people here are way to serious. Feel the burn, but enjoy the journey to the burn!
For now ...
May 10, 2009
AND WE'RE ON THE MOVE AGAIN ...If you're here now, congrats. You transferred from the face book page. It's officially late here and my charm and wit are limited with exhaustion, so I will give you the readers digst version fo our latest escapades ... and here we go ... try and keep up, I know I am still trying to catch up!
Let's see ... alright, the final week of April two things happened, Jon left for Denver, Colorado to help with a new client transition with his company JLL. This was Wednesday. Late Thursday afternoon my mom called to inform me my grandfather was dying. The kids and I hopped a plane to Utah from New Hampshire, and Jon rerouted and met us in Utah Friday evening. First words from Jon's mouth ... "so how do you feel about Colorado?" We tabled the discussion until Monday everning AFTER Grandpa's funeral proceedings. Tuesday we fretted and stewed. We were fully invested in out little NEw Hampshire town. I was on the school board, jon was on the city zining board, we were both on the little league board, we had friends we loved, etc. etc. BUT, the offer was one of those "too good to be true" sort of deals and Jon's firm made it difficult to say no ... on;y one trick. Jon ahd to be there April 27th ... it was April 23 th day the company fedexed hiscontract to my my Mom's house in UTAH, he signed, and we started planning. Late Sunday evening we came home from Utah. Movers arrived at our house Wednesday and Thursday, and by Saturday morning the whole family (d0g included) boarded a plane headed for Colorado. The house went on the market the day after we left, and there you have it. SO, we managed to check the kidso ut of school, I quit my job, resigned from theschool board after one final meetng Monday evening, boht of us resigned from little league, and Jon resigned from the xzoning board ... all in two days. We said good bye to friends we could "catch " in the whilrwind before weleft I kept saying, this is like ripping a band aid off with no warning!
We landed in Colorado on Saturday evening, Jon left for work Monday morning, and the kids and I hosue hunted on Monday. By Monday afternoon we found our home, did a quick transaction, and moved in on Saturday when the moving trucks arrived (yes, keep up here, in one week). The kids registered for school. started monday, and seem to like what they have seen so far. The weather has been nice, my hair stays straight (yeah, NO HUMIDITY!) and my Mom even lives close enough she flew in for a couple days to help us start to unbury the moving boxes. We are aout 75% of the way moved in, but still settling. Jon loves his new client (he stayed with the same firm) and I love that I can finally quit my job since we won't be paying exorbitant heating oil prices and property taxes of NEw England! I am officially, yet again. a stay at home Mom, and actually enjoying the monotony. Look forward to me writing more. I can't wait.
The last year has been a litte hell our family with Jon's 2 hour commute (each way!) daily, and me working full time, and both of us being so involbed in community stuff. We are looking forward to a rest, and I am looking forward to making cupcakes and other assorted clue and pipe cleaner projects at the elementary school and ;earning all of the new sesame street characters. Yes, actually looking forward to it. Schools here are phenomenal, and we could 't ask for better. We're still in the honeymoon phase, but so far, so good. Now maybe I can remove the 30lbs of post-pregnancy office ass that have seemed to find me in the past year. Already on the prowl looking for a gym with childcare ... oh, and tanning. We are a bit pasty compared to our cohorts here in Colorado. THey actually see the sun 320 days a year ... despite all that is good, we miss NH and out dear friends. Take care of one another and please keep in touch. We have a hug hosue that is begging for visitors! Love to all!
Cortney, Jon and the Boys
p.s. witty banter and pictures to follow as soon as I can locate my silly camera and sense of humor. they are both buried in boxes somewhere!
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AND THE CAT MAKES 5
Caesar, aka the "CAT", donning his baseball opening day attire.