Lent - Work out Challenge - It is not what you give up.. it is what you give!

Lent is here already!

Hey mamas of the world,

Instead of just giving something up this year, I would like to purpose giving some of your time to prayer/ exercise with me.

This lent I will be saying the rosary while using my elliptical, hula hoop, or when I lift weights in our basement each morning.

What are some other fun ways to work introduce prayer into your work out routine?

Work out Schedule: The Advent Novena Challenge!

Today marks the beginning of Advent.
 My younger brother, Austin, had recently told me that " Christians used to fast during advent."  In leu of fasting, I would like to offer my presence to Christ this Advent season and if any other friends would like to join me I will be praying an Advent Novena this season.

Here is the Kicker: While praying the novena with each prayer (  there are 15 ), I am also asking you to give not only yourself mentally but also physically.

The goal: is to not only strengthen our mental ability for concentration, but also our body's ability to persevere beyond all pain.


These are the challenge details:
The Advent Novena is said 15 times a day.
Starting on St. Andrew's Feast Day, November, 30.

With each prayer, do the following:

1. Hula Hoop
2. Jumping jacks
3. Hula Hoop while doing Ballet First position
( Pile- squat with your heals touching, make a diamond shape with legs and move up and dow) I found this work ( without the hula hoop) here.

4.Hula hoop (other direction)
5. Jumping Jacks
6. Hula Hoop while doing Ballet Second Position ( Pile- squat with knees facing out on your tippy toes, and move and move an inch up and down.)  ( check link above for details)

7.Hula hoop while triceps kick back I found this work out here.
8. Jumping Jacks
9. Hula hoop while Ballet first position

10. Hula hoop while doing over head triceps extension ( check link above )
11. Jumping Jacks
12. Hula hoop while Ballet Second Position

13. Hula hoop
14. Jumping Jacks
15. Hula hoop

~ Helpful tidbit- Printing or writing out these instructions  makes it easier to keep your workout moving.

~ For those of you not as advanced in hula hooping, feel free to modify the routine.

Also, if you have any fun things you do to prepare yourself for Christmas, I would love to read about your traditions.

Here is the prayer:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
In which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
[hear mention your request]
through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.

Amen.

For more information about the Novena Please check out The Catholic News agency.   And, if you haven't already, please subscribe to my blog for more updates!!

Pax tecum ! 

~ Christine 

The pants brigade

 

     Dressing my 7 month old son is like a brain teaser,  in which no matter how hard I try somehow I am stumped.

The situation starts as follows:

First, he stares innocently at me with his big eyes and bats his eyelashes.

Second, he smiles and tries to roll over.

Then the situation escalades, as I get one leg in the pants he secretly wiggles the other one out.

This brings it to its finalization, in which I pick him up and he shake his pants off.

 He is like a slippery little piglet. Being a mama is the best, I have never been challenged by something cuter!

I have Joined the Gang.. of mothers

Three weeks ago I felt a love I have never experienced before.

I was automatically enamored with my baby's every move from the moment he was placed upon my chest. The love I now  have for my husband and son is over flowing and I cannot believe that I have more love to give and receive.

But on the real, I look like a freshmen after their first week of exams; baggy eyed, hazed out, and constantly concerned (except now it is for my son and not my future as a college student).

A close friend of mine had her first baby three months prior to me; I thought it was funny when she had said to me, " I always wondered why mothers are so busy, but now I realize it is because babies eat and poo all day", now that I have joined the gang of mothers I too understand why we mothers are constantly busy.

Speaking of gangs, joining the band of mothers is way more intense than joining any other gang.

• For one, most gangs initiations don't take over your body for nine months. 
• Two, Gangs tend to haze as part of the initiation, which at most lasts only a few hours, but labour (my labour to be exact) can take as long as 24 hours. I have read that a women even had a 75 day labour. Story of woman's amazing 75 day labour (aka Super Mama)
• Three, gangs tend to take people 'out', but becoming a mother is way more difficult for we bring people in. 
• Lastly, gangs often take people under their wings and teach them their ways, most of which are bad, but we mothers take the long and hard route by giving our children our very best with the hope that they seek the right ways.  

 Intense, yes joining the gang of motherhood is, and it is the most amazing kind of intensity. 

Things in life will be intense, that is inevitable.
It is up to you to decide if the intense experience you are being faced with is good or bad. Your experience's 'goodness' is determined by its intent.  For instance, joining a gang is extremely bad if the gang's 'intent' is to destroy lives for self gain; on the other hand, joining the gang of mothers is extremely great because our 'intent' is to create lives and to give of ourselves. 

We have all heard the cliche phrase: no pain no gain, and here it truly applies. Three weeks post-partum and I am not writing this to flatter the world with lies about the ease of parenting, but I am here to revel with others about the joys of beholding the fruits of our labour. Nothing has given me a greater respect for my parents and every generation that has come before me. Love is the intent of parenthood: thats what makes this 'gang' so great. 

Crochet Baby: Bow Tie & Diaper Cover with Suspenders.

I am a pinhead ( someone who spends way to much time on pinterest ). 

I get trapped in pinning countless things and then only do a handful of them. As for the things I have made, my latest pinning addiction has been finding cute baby items.

One particular baby outfit I found was this: 

I straight up took this picture as a crochet challenge! 

First I found a video on how to make a bow tie: 

This video is good for any level crocheter. 

Plus, I am huge fan of this woman's video. 

Here is My finished product of the bow tie. 

This is the first one I have ever made, 

and I must admit I don't think it is 

to shabby. 

Second, I made a diaper cover. 

I followed the same woman who taught me

how to make a bow tie. There are tons of 

videos on youtube for diaper covers and bow ties, 

but I have always found her to be very clear and 

straight forward. Here is the video I followed to make

a  crochet diaper cover. 

Thirdly, I made up a pattern for the suspender part ( which is a minor big deal for me as a newbie crochet artist). The pattern I used was beyond simple and any one could do it. 

The suspender pattern is chain 3, and then single crochet in those three for about 10 inches worth. Then, chain three and slip stich to create a small loop to attach to the button. Lastly, I  sewed the two buttons onto the diaper cover. 

This is my diaper cover and suspenders: 

I also made a matching hat and slippers, but that will be

for another post. I cannot wait for this baby to here, so I can 

dress him up in the fun crocheted things I have made him. 

What are your favorite crochet baby items on the pin? 

Binkie Clothes Clips

As a newbie sewer, I have been finding fun easy projects for baby man. My latest accomplishment is a  binkie clip. This project is super easy and instantly gratifying.

The supplies you need:
 1.Wide Ribbon or Cloth Scraps ( I used scraps)
 2. Suspender/Mitten Clips
 3. Hair band
 4. Sewing Machine


I followed this video on you tube:

  I did not have ribbon at the time, but I think my project would have been slightly easier and come out more clean cut if I did. Either way, I found this video super easy to follow. 

The only thing I really did different was use scrap fabric. Here are the results of the first two I made.

Hula Hooping beyond the due date!

Hula hooping while pregnant is a relaxing and joyful way to exercise.
Yet, Hula hooping in the third trimester adds more of a comic relief to your life than your average exercise.

 Comically I am still trying to maintain an exercise routine of some sorts. Exercise or just forcing myself to move has been beneficial mentally and physically. With all that said, I must not hide the realistic humours facts that exercising this far along has it's challenges. For one, I constantly feel like I have to run to the bathroom. Two, hiking is now waddling, or my preferred name pregnant strutting. And three, the heat ( last week felt like July ) creates swelling; the cure to swelling is drinking water, which brings me back to issue number uno.

  Back to the note of hula hooping past the point of ready to pop, I am grateful that I have learned to do more than just hula hoop around my stomach. Stomach hooping is more challenging than ever and I often spend more time picking it off the ground than actually hooping when attempting the normal hooping methods. So, I have resorted to working on my arms, chest, upper back, & my sides.

 Halos are my best friend. This exercise is when you twirl your hoop with your hands like a halo above your head [hence the name]. There are various ways you can do halos; right hand, left hand, prayer hands, and hand off position. Each of these positions tone a different part of of your upper body.

   Passing, a bit more challenging at this stage in the game but definitely do able. Passing is exactly what the name means. To pass, you literally just pass the hoop around your body from one hand to next.

  Upper body, chest, shoulder, and neck are also great ways to avoid tummy hooping. These movement burn lots of calories and get your heart rate up. Lately, I have been trying to master Babz Robinson's trick tutorial, Should Duck Out, that is a great way to utilize the skills learned with these movements.  

Good luck moving around!