Zumba

In January, we got a 90-day pass to the local community center because winter is cold and the kids need to a place to get their energy out. Well, it’s only been super cold, like, twice… but we’ve gotten a ton of use from our membership. We go swimming on Tuesday nights, Jackson attends several little kid classes, I like the aerobic classes, and Derek uses the equipment.

I haven’t been on a Thursday morning before, but it worked with our schedule to go this morning, so we went! The aerobics class offered was a Zumba strength training class. I like zumba and I do a strength training class too, so it sounded like a good pick!

Today was a funny day in my head. Just bizarre. Random thoughts all during class and I thought I’d share.

1. Zumba Strength Training. Cool! Sounds fun.
2. Okay, so I’m five minutes late… there is still 55 minutes left for a good work out!
3. Oh! My favorite spot in the *very* back is open!
4. Three pound weights it is! Plus, they are a cuter than the 2’s {sissy} or 4’s
5. I haven’t had this instructor before—she’s so cute and peppy!
6. Standing next to a dude! I didn’t know guys did Zumba! {I may or may not have chuckled at the thought of Derek joining me for a class. I think it’d be totally fun, but he wouldn’t do Zumba in a class full of people in his life depended on it!}
7. Holy cow! That guy is TALL! I feel tiny. {awesome feeling!}
8. Oh, I love this song!!! {Stronger by Kelly Clarkson} And then about 30 seconds later after doing a bazillion squat jumps to the chorus, "Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger"… Ohmigoodness, I hate this song!
9. Whew! A song where my classmates are taking turns creating moves. I need a breather.
10. Holy crap! Stupid overachievers. No need to suck up—there’s no grade!
11. Strength training Zumba… who thought of this!? My arms are killing me! I should have gone for the 2s!
12. Ha! We’re divided up and facing each other like a dance off. Yes, a room full of white girls {and one tall, buff, zumba dancing black man.} I’m going to pretend I’m in Step it Up.
13. Mental Image: If any of us suburban KC folks actually made it to a dance-off in the inner city, we’d probably be mugged before we could show off our lame skills. {This image kept me occupied the ENTIRE song. Haha. I’m still laughing}.
14. Back to my normal spot on the back. Why can I see myself in the mirror? I am in the 5th row! It’s not a pretty sight, I don’t want to watch!
15. Ugh! How can my cute and peppy instructor still looks cute and peppy! I am a complete HOT MESS!
16. Why do I see the childcare working holding Belle and looking for me?! I interrupt my mad zumba skills to go see.
17. Poopy! Great. I get 60 minutes to work out and you poop now!? The diaper bag is my car. As to not waste my exercising moments, I run to the car and back to keep the heart rate up.
18. Okay, diapers changed. Quit making me feel guilty by that crying everytime I drop you off!
19. Seriously, this guy is so tall. His arms span is practically the same as the two girls in front of him! Pfft. Look at him and his 8 pound weights.
20. Salsa dancing is seriously such an ab workout. How do they make it look so easy?! I am such a white girl.
21. Uhm, I don’t think push-ups count as a cool down exercise. Forget that! I gotta go pick up my kids!

Fortunately, no pictures of zumba are available. I do have some pictures of the fun things Jackson gets to do in class while I exercise! Along with the simple activities like running around the gym and playing Duck, Duck, Goose—the classes are full of fun activities.

This day they had a little obstacle course—a wedge for doing summersaults, basketball hoop, “river rocks” to jump over, a balance beam, and something with bean bags.

And another day they got out the big parachute.

Most days I don’t really know what he does in class because I, myself, am in a class. But on these days, I was working out on the eliptical machine right where I could watch. It’s so fun to peek on him. He thought it was so fun to go under the parachute.

Side note: You couldn’t pay me enough to be the teachers of these classes. Complete and total chaos.

Mr. Good Body

A body like this needs discipline and a good work out. Check out how Jackson keeps his muscles buff to impress the ladies.

A few quick push-ups, followed by some sprints. Watch for a p90x toddler-version video series coming soon!

A blog with no pictures

I spent most of my time last week researching and writing a paper for my Cognitive Psych class. Being overloaded with information that I just couldn't keep to myself (feel sorry for my mom who spent six hours in a car with me right after the midterm), I have brought up the topic in several conversations and have received comments along the lines of "that's interesting" and "I didn't know that."

Sooooooo....... Here's a link to my paper. Single spaced for your reading pleasure (and because my professor is "green" and simplistic.)

Okay, so I realize that only a few of the people that really love me will actually read it, but here's the basics:

• you can and do generate new brain cells as adults
• exercise enhances new cell growth significantly
• exercise and new brain cell growth is linked to better learning, keeping depression at bay, and in the recovery of brain injury or trauma (i.e. recovery from radiation damage in the brain- Katelyn, this is for you!)

This post may or may not be in response to having to give the camera I was borrowing back to my parents so they could take pics of my sisters all prettied up for prom this weekend. Dad asked me if he needed to give me the camera back before I could update my blog. Haha. Nope! Give it a few hours before he calls and tried to figure out how to get the camera back to me asap. (I have a feeling he keeps up with the blog because of the stories/pictures/videos of his grandson and not because he's super anxious to read by graduate school papers.)