Week 2/3: BodyBack "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly"

Welcome to weeks 2 and 3 of BodyBack! Holy rollercoaster is all I can say. I refer to it as the good, the bad, and the ugly. :)

The Good:

• Lost 3.4 lbs at Week 2 weigh in!
• Feel STRONG
• LOVE the inspiration and motivation from my fellow Mama's
• LOVE that I pulled my instructor and another mama, who were holding me back w/ elastic bands around my waist, across an entire basketball court!
• I have only had 1 cup of coffee (today) and 2 Starbuck's since starting BB. And my tummy is thanking me for cutting out the caffeine.
• I am receiving compliments almost daily about how good I am looking. Not just run of the mill, "You look good today", but "Wow. I didn't even recognize you." compliments. Makes my heart smile because I have worked so hard. I have lost almost 45lbs since October now. Only 15lbs to get to pre-Kolton weight.

The Bad:

• The boys and I all caught Strep Throat last week. Made for a very hard week 2.
• Had to miss the first Sat. class because of the Strep Throat.
• The next Saturday (a few days ago) was our first "travel" class where we run and do workout stations every mile. It was awful for me. I was only 5 days into my Strep Throat fiasco and boy did I feel it. (See Ugly)
• freaking push-ups are my arch enemy
• I really REALLY want to eat chips and salsa. Daily. Screw the sweets. I've never been a sweet eater...oh, but chips and salsa....

The Ugly:

• I had a public breakdown after my run last Saturday. I was so frustrated with the way I felt for the whole 4 mile run. In fact, on the last mile my head checked out of the game and started repeating the following, "This is shitty. This run sucks. This is a shitty run." Excuse the cursing, but that is my fisherman's wife mind talking. With the impending Half Marathon I wanted to lay down and die. I couldn't believe I was struggling w/ 4 miles and in a week I would have to run 13.1. hahahahaha Evil mind tricks. Anyway, I broke down. But thank you to the Mama's I picked myself up. Last night I had a GREAT workout. Today I had a tired, but GREAT workout. So I am feeling much better.
• 13.1 miles is ugly. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Just ugly. And that is why it must be killed.

Which leads me to the following:

In just 5 days I will be running my 2nd Half Marathon. My goal is to shave 20 minutes off of my time and HAVE FUN.

At least the run should be GORGEOUS...through Newport Beach...I can't wait for the ocean air. That is reason enough to run! With that said here are some motivational running quotes to get myself and anyone else in the right frame of mind. :)

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, I have finished. There is a lot of satisfaction in that.

- Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it."

- Oprah Winfrey

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."

- PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

"Ask yourself: Can I give more? The answer is usually: Yes."

-Paul Tergat, Kenyan professional marathoner

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."

- John Bingham, running speaker

" You also need to look back, not just at the people who are running behind you, but especially at those who don't run and never will...those who run but don't race...those who started training for a race but didn't carry throught...those who got to the starting line but didn't cross the finish line...those who once raced better than you but no longer run at all. You're still here. Take pride in wherever you finish. Look at all of the people you've outlasted."

-Joe Henderson

WEEK 1 : BodyBack "An athlete. A mother. A runner."

Week 1:

No...I am not lamenting on wanting my teenage body back. I am simply going to blog about my journey towards my new, post birthing two children, body that I am creating.

I have started another session of BodyBack. This is an amazing 8 week boot camp program designed for mom's who need to get their post-partum bodies BACK. As well as our sanity. Hopefully. :)

I just finished my first session 2 weeks ago and am now an addict. The first time around I lost just under 10 lbs and 6 inches. This session my goal is 15lbs. I will do it.

Let's back up and get some background info on why I would even blog about this journey....

In the last 3 years my life has changed dramatically. I became a stay at home mom. Enough said. Gave birth, twice. Started a company w/ my husband. Opened a tackle store. I could go on. But you get the jist. Lots of life changes in a short amount of time. So in October of 2010, just 8 months after having squishy, I found myself lost. In a funk. I was fat, unhappy, post partum depressed, and downright dejected. I didn't know who I was anymore.

See, I am a goal addict. I set goals. I achieve them. It is how I have always lived. I wanted to be married. check. I wanted to put myself through college. check. Wanted to be a teacher. check. Wanted a Master's degree. check.....you get my drift. Major goal: have children. check. Now what. I just RAISE THEM??? Much easier said then done. I understand. Boy, do I understand. But do I just sacrifice me in the process. So...back to fat October. I needed a goal. More then just lose weight. That wouldn't work anymore. So I decided I would become...

duh duh duuuuuuhhhhhhh...... a runner. Now come the laughs...I did. A lot. Here I am. 35 years old. The fattest I've ever been. I have asthma. I have a super bum ankle. I don't run. I couldn't even run a mile in Jr. High. The fastest thing I can do is talk and eat....not run.

So here was the goal: Half Marathon. I trained. I conquered. I cried. I puked. I finished. I ran the whole darn thing. RAN. (Ok..so the last few miles I probably could have walked faster...)

Thank you to BodyBack, Stroller Strides, and the inspirational mamas that pushed me. Thank you to my supportive friends and family. I am a runner. I guess. I still have trouble swallowing that! But in just 3 weeks I will run again. The OC Half Marathon. And my new goal: better time. That's all. Even if it is just a minute faster...

Sooo Here I come back to BodyBack...Week 1.

No regrets this time. I said that last time. But I will push harder. Have stronger willpower. I will. I promise myself I will. And these pics below will help me remember when I'm feeling fat, dejected, depressed, not wanting to run, not wanting to workout... They help me remember that in just one year I went from this:

To this:

An athlete. A mother. A runner.

Wow...It has been a year...

...since I blogged. Ooops. I guess you just don't realize how busy you are until you blink and a year goes by. Sorry my family and friends that it took me so long to update. So there is no way possible that I would be able to fill in a year, but a brief synopsis on each K should help out...

Kolton: He is 3 and full of life. He is the pickiest eater I have ever seen. I once made him a cake he refused to eat because it was messy. Not sure he is my child. :) He looks more and more like Ben everyday. He loves swimming, Transformers, trains, Annagail, Tinkerbell (much to my hubby's chagrin), anything outdoors really. He just got his like umpteenth "Awesome" ribbon at swim lessons today. He is a serious fish. He blew me away today because he can dive to the bottom of the pool unassisted and retrieve things...like swimming around on the bottom retrieving multiple things. He is amazing. He is also very math brained. One of my favorite things he did recently was see 3 of my curlers laying on the ground and point out to me that together the 3 curlers made the 3 points of a triangle. That's my boy!
Karson: He just turned 15 months. He is still huge and squishy. He is so sweet and will eat anything and everything you give him. He loves Kolton more then the world...can't say Kolton feels the same way just yet. Ha ha... He wants whatever Kolton has and has to be wherever Kolton is. He loves to swim as well and is kicking butt in his lessons, too. He has an amazingly sweet personality and picks up on things remarkably quickly. He still loves his paci, carries his blanky around like a cartoon character, and sits and reads like he knows what he is doing. He is starting to find his voice and his opinions...with this is coming his tantrums, but in comparison to Kolton they are more comedic relief most days. He is my squishy!

Kelly: I became a runner. I ran my first half marathon (The IMS/ Arizona Marathon) on Feb. 20th and will be running my next one in 3 weeks on May 1st. The OC half marathon in Newport Beach, CA. I am trying to survive as a mother. Trying to find my new role as stay at home mom. And trying to keep my 17 year marriage as fresh as day 1. But there will be more to come of my story because I promise to blog more now that I am starting BodyBack again!

Ben KOLLER: (The original K) Is working his butt off like always. Running the Hook Up Tackle store at the lake, the guide business, and the online store. He is so busy and I am soooooooooooooo unbelievably proud of him. He still doesn't fish as much as he needs to, but that will come in time. It is season for him, so he is scrambling everyday just to survive! He is amazing.

The K dogs:

Stormy is feeling much better after her overdose and doing well. I think it aged her a bit. Today is her birthday. She is 9 years old and looking quite svelte for her age if you ask me!

Moose is still Moose. Crazy with more to come everyday.

And our newest addition::::: the KRABS: Beebo and Hank seem to be enjoying their new crab shack digs and hope to survive any more traumas that are sure to come their way. :) Will keep you posted!

It's been tooooo long....

Well, it has been so long since my last post that I don't even know where to begin. I have quite a few pics to show, lots of things I could talk about, and am so tired I promise I will forget everything important! hahaha

Let's start with pics some pics I have readily available....(more to come tonight after the kids go to bed.)

Kolton: He is doing great. Growing up so quickly and definitely into the terrible twos. Everyday holds new and exciting adventures, as well as challenges. He can put his shoes on by himself, but hates clothes. He takes his diaper off every time he pees in it (please be a sign we are getting closer to potty training). He is still the pickiest eater ever, but gets so hungry I can usually get something down him he supposedly "hates". He is sleeping through the night again, but has now had 2 real sleepwalking episodes. He has a temper just like his dad. He is super independent and is quick to show his frustration by throwing a toy across the room. He weighs about 31 lbs and is 38 in tall. He asks questions nonstop and now LOVES TO SWIM. In fact he takes private swim lessons AND city swim lessons. He is a fish! Below is a ribbon he just won at swim for floating on his back by himself! We are so proud of him!!!!!!!!

Saying Goodbye::::

Here are the babies growing up so quickly. It seems like yesterday Katie, Erica, and I were "charting" are temperatures hoping for that positive pregnancy test. Now are babies are 4/5 months old. But, as we all know change is constant and we have had to say goodbye to our first friends. Erica, Tim, Jackson, and Bianca moved home to San Antonio. It was so sad, and Kolton still doesn't understand why he can't play with Jackson. I don't think these things will ever get easier. I just hope that somehow in the future we can take another one of these pics with the 3 babies all grown up. We miss you Mohr family!

Saying Congratulations!!!!

Over Mother's Day weekend I packed up Karson, kissed Ben and Kolton goodbye, and drove to Newport Beach to watch my baby sister graduate college. I am so proud of her. It was really hard to be away from Kolton and Ben on Mother's Day, but so amazing to watch BB graduate! We had a wonderful weekend together and Karson even was kind enough to explode in the middle of the graduation ceremony! hahaha Here's to my sister and her future, may all of her dreams come true! She deserves it!

**on a side note, after graduation I drove down to San Diego to see my cousin, Jess, who had her first baby, Jaycee. She is the most beautiful baby girl ever! These are some of the pics I will try to download tonight!!!

Karson: The day I got to Newport Beach Karson turned 4 months. He is amazing. At his 4 mos appointment he was 20lb 4oz and 27 in. He is 100% for weight and 97% for height. I fondly refer to him as chubs or squishy. He smiles all of the time and loves to play. He recently started sitting up and needs just a little support. He is big and strong. He wasn't sleeping very well, but I have worked really hard the last two weeks and he now (...knock on wood) sleeps through the night. I can't say enough about how wonderful his temperament is. The only thing the baby doesn't like is the car. Lets just say I heard a lot of crying on the drive to California and back!

Finally, me and Ben. We are great and really tired. We have been working very hard and just got back from a whirlwind work trip to Arkansas. We worked the FLW tournament there. What a beautiful place Arkansas is and how NICE, and I mean NICE the people are! VERY different from here. It was a great trip, fun and tiring. I will try to post some fun pics tonight from this trip as well!

Happy Memorial Day, btw. Thank you to all of the men and women who have served our country. Thank you to my father for serving during Vietnam.

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood

Soul Mates....

So for those of you in the know....it is NO secret that Kolton has found his soul mate, Annagail. Since the day these two first met they have been in love. So it was fitting that when Katie and I got pregnant at the same time we would be happily surprised to find out that we were having the next pair of soul mates, Harper and Karson. Well, naturally we thought it would only be proper to have their love documented.......hence the pictures posted below of our beautiful kids!!!! Save the date for a double wedding in about 28 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The big smooch after winning her over with a flower.

Annagail consoling Kolton.

Annagail stares in puzzlement...kind of the same way we all do when our men throw tantrums.

I call this the engagement photo.

I had to throw it in....ISN'T HE ADORABLE!

Ahhh....love....

Planning their elopement......

The new couple!!!!!!!

2 Month Chunky Monkey & Picture Pages...

(I wrote this 3 weeks ago....just took a while to finally post it!)

Karson had his 2 month appointment today. He is doing better then the norm...literally. He is topping the scales at a whooping 15lbs3oz, or 98th percentile. He also grew 2 inches in the last month and is 24 3/4in, or 97th percentile. I told you the boy loves to eat. And that RSV setback didn't phase him at all! Goooooooo Karson...

I know you aren't supposed to compare your kids....but lets do for the fun of it. :)

Kolton Karson

Weight/Height Weight/Height

birth 8.1 lbs/22 in 8.5 lbs/21 in

2 months 13.7lbs/25 in 15.3lbs/ 24.75 in

After 20 seconds of holding Karson, Kolton always screams, "He's tooooo heavy!"

My favorite monkey!

I have about a million pictures of Kolton closing his eyes like this! Stinker.

Karson LOVES his bath!!!

Karson and Daddy!

Kolton with Croup....

These pictures didn't show up with the post for whatever reason. But here is my little man with Croup. :( so sad....