My favorite Christmas Video!

If this doesn't put you into the true spirit of Christmas, then I don't know what will!  I love this!!!

Awesome Clients

I wanted to post this, it's a blog that one of my dear clients just wrote.  I love everything about it.  This is a huge part of my life and I wanted to share.

Disease Vs. Symptoms - 1 Year

Bear with me... it's a chapter!

I was recently walking down a medicine aisle at a local grocery store, ready to purchase some more over-the-counter pain medication for my post WOD recovery sessions that seem to happen often. As always, I continued the habit of reading the label, even though I knew EXACTLY what I was purchasing. "Acetaminophen is used for the relief of fever as well as aches and pains associated with many conditions." So, you're saying I'm purchasing something to temporarily relieve a symptom, but in the end, CrossFit is my "condition." I can accept that!

Only Symptoms

It got me thinking, though. How many times in our lives, do we go to great lengths to try to fix a problem, when we are only temporarily fixing a symptom. How many diseases are wracked in our bones, our minds, and our hearts, for which we only see the symptoms. How many poor decisions have we made to cure a symptom, when the actual problem lies deeper.

Over a year ago, I remember playing some pick-up soccer with some younger fellows. Within the hour I was too exhausted to continue on, which had never happened to me. I might not have been fast all of the time, but at least I could keep up. It was then I decided that I had to do something about it. I had many options, believe me. Still, there are many options. Luckily for me, and opportunity shortly arose which gave me the privilege of trying CrossFit.

Today's society is very fat/lazy friendly. We can shop for food, merchandise, and practically anything while sitting at home on a computer. We can work, bank, run errands, and even fix our car behind the screen. If we eat too much and too unhealthily, get obese and don't want to move, we can qualify for "disability," and get the government and tax payers to pay for everything to keep us on the same downward path. I know way too many people all over this country, who just sit at home and do nothing, and everything seems to be taken care of by someone else. A sad part is, even those character attributes seem to be attractive to many, so you can even find "love" while doing nothing with someone else who is doing nothing... without even trying.

Obviously, not many people LIKE being fat, obese, or overweight, but to many, it's easier than an alternative. If you are rewarded for being lazy and overweight, why not continue? And when "alternatives" arrive that seem to be "easy," why not try them? Why not try a pill that will take weight off without doing anything? Why not try an electric device that works our muscles out without having to do anything? I've even seen these remedies go as far as say that they're healthy and the best way to lose fat and/or weight. They even might work. But in the end, what are you treating?

The Heart of the Problem

I could blame my weight problem on many things. I could blame it on an eating disorder, which I qualify for. I could blame it on a hypothyroid, which I have. I could blame it on genetics, a sit-down computer-related job, easy and cheap food, not having a wife with whom to divide my dinners, pain in my joints, a bad back with scoliosis, and even a high self-esteem which doesn't require me to be fit. Yes, all of those apply directly to me, and could be used as medical, rational, or logical reasons. Not one of them is the real problem, though. In order to find the disease, you must look past the symptoms. You must look deep inside your mind, your heart, your character, your habits, your existence, and your true self.

Ultimately, I had a poor lifestyle. I wasn't willing to put forth the effort to achieve and acquire what I wanted, because it was too easy to NOT do anything. Taking a drug or pill, even if it's "natural" won't change the fact that you're not putting forth the effort to change. As soon as you're off that drug, you'll go back to where you were. This is NOT progression, that is REGRESSION because you have diminished into trying to fool your body to change. Unless you make a lifestyle change, you are still doing the same thing, and "expecting different results."

But the doctor said....

I've had tests done in my past; tests that showed hypothyroidism (for which I could be taking a pill to fix symptoms like weight gain, energy loss, sleeplessness etc), tests that show I have an eating disorder (which qualifies me for federal help and medications), tests that show that I shouldn't be doing any hard labor, lifting, etc. because of scoliosis (a bad curvature of my spine), tests that show that I have an attention deficit disorder (for which I could be taking medication), and tests that show that I have a degenerative hearing loss (for which I should probably be wearing hearing aids). Let's look at those. How many of those are symptoms? Do you want to know what I think? EACH AND EVERY ONE! Now granted, hearing aids would probably do me very well, but I could be taking all sorts of PRESCRIBED medication and treatments for all of those. Who knows, I might be skinnier, straighter, and even pay more attention and remember things. But does that fix or cure the disease. NO IT DOES NOT!! I'll be reliant on temporary fixes for a long period of time. That is no way to live. What is the root of my problems? The answer is me.

A Way of Life

When I named this blog, I had no idea that I would be hitting the problem and the solution on the head. I am not saying that CrossFit is the only answer to every problem in my life. What I am saying, is that decided to take the challenge to join the global CrossFit community, is one of the biggest and best decisions I've made in my entire life. Yes, it is tough. Yes, it is painful. Yes, it is intense. Yes, it is change.

I'm not going to go on for pages about my weight loss, fat loss, muscle gain, time improvements, skills gained, and everything that has made me a better looking, less fat stud, all of which have happened to great lengths. I want to share with you the deeper change that I have felt and seen. This goes beyond movement, beyond physical attributes, and beyond an exercise program. This something I've never been able to find at any normal gym, in any "natural" pill, in any exercise video, nor on any other work-out regime. The closest I've ever felt this, was while playing sports in high school and college, and each of them had an ending, where this does not.

ME vs. ME

Every day that I go do a WOD (Workout of the Day) at CrossFit, I am tested and tried by fire. I am given movements, lifts, running, stretches, numbers, and everything else that I KNOW will cause pain, sweat, blood, and very possibly tears. I know that when the clock starts, it is ME vs. ME. I know that I must push past the pain, sweat, blood, and tears, or I will never be better than I was the day before. I know that although skinnier or more muscular people might be going twice as fast as I am, they are they and I am me! I am doing this to change me, at my core; to change who I am, not what I am. What I am might get changed in the process, but that's just a symptom. This is to find out where my heart is. How far my heart can go. I guarantee your body might have limits, but your heart and mind have grayer and smaller limits. Until you open your mind and soul, you will never become the person you are MEANT to be. Release the limits that YOU PUT ON YOURSELF. Your body might hurt, bad. I'm talking about your muscles, your bones, your joints, your torn skin, your head, and every part of you. Remember, you build muscle only by tearing it down and rebuilding! Your ego might get bruised, bad. You might have to START in LAST PLACE. But KNOW THIS. You are only meant to change. You are only meant to get better. If you open your heart, you will see yourself forged into something better. Push yourself further than you think you can go. Make yourself regret quitting before the clock ends. If you're not stumbling or laying on your back in the end, you DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH! It's a process. It's a long process.

CrossFit: A Way of Life

How has CrossFit helped me? I now smile at pain, in whichever form (physical, emotional, spiritual, etc) it comes. I now walk faster (not after workouts :P) and hold my head up higher. I now seek challenges in all facets of my life. I am cleaner. I eat healthier (which saves me money). I have more energy for everything else is life. I am more aware of myself and how I affect the world. I give more of my time, energy, money, and person to others through service. I see more clearly the blessings in my life. I feel more happy, not only when I reach beyond my goals, but when I help others achieve their goals as well. I find myself setting my goals higher, and achieve them more often. My self worth has gone up immensely (just ask my clients who are having to pay more :D). And most of all, I am happier and smile more in front of the mirror (let's face it, I'm sexy!)

I can't write this blog and not thank those who have helped me change. The whole structure of CrossFit is to change and perfect the individual, from the heart outward. If you see a gym that tries to copy CrossFit, I guarantee you'll find something lacking. Shellece Gunnell, my first CrossFit coach has pushed me from Day 1 (yeah, I went home and puked!), and has never let back. I have had moments of weakness and imperfection, and she looked past that, hooked up jumper cables, and jump started me back. She seems to understand what I've gone through, but doesn't let that hold me back. She does that with EVERYONE! All of the other trainers/coaches at CrossFit Southtown are the same. Josh has stood next to me in a time of despair to push me to go just a little bit faster and a little bit harder. In CrossFit, not only are we pushed by our coaches, but we are pushed and inspired by our fellow boxmates. I've had extraordinary people (Mindie, Sam, Isela, and many more) finish a workout, exhausted, and then get up, and run by my side, jump on boxes, do sit-ups, pull-ups, and all sorts of things, just so I had a friend to do it with... just to push me to go faster, harder, and stronger. The camaraderie of CrossFit cannot be replaced by an inexpensive gym, or a place that claims to be CrossFit type workouts, but can't carry the name. I know this because I've been to CrossFit boxes in many states, and EVERY SINGLE ONE was the same. I've had coaches who knew my name and yelled it from the first minute of the first WOD in their box. I've had strangers yelling and chanting my name in a competition out of selfless support, to try and get me to surpass my limits. I dare you to look, but you will not and cannot find that sort of community anywhere in the world! That is CrossFit.

Challenge

I can't end this without a challenge. If you've made it to the end, then either you were VERY bored, or you needed to hear what I had to say. If the latter is the case, just do one thing for me... change. I know we have self-esteem and positive self-worth pounded in our heads. "We are good just the way we are." That might be correct, but you are not meant to be good. You are meant to be GREAT. You cannot achieve greatness without constant, progressive change. Even if you have a perfect body, a perfect job, and are a genius, you can still become better. There is no limit to our abilities. I challenge you to try to prove me wrong!

I told you I wasn't going to spend pages on it, but here are a few numbers, for my visual readers.

1-year Physical Changes:

55+ lbs total weight loss

9% bodyfat loss

approx. 15-18 lbs muscle gain

Waist - 7 inch loss

Approx 1.6 point loss in TSH levels - Yes my thyroid is healing itself without medicine

Back pain down from probably 6-7 to a 1-2

I fight my "eating disorder" (let's face it, I like food), and win every day!

(I'll post more measurement losses when I can get someone to wrap a tape around me :P lol)

Rx (Prescribed) Skills acquired through lots of pain and suffering (that I couldn't do correctly before I started);

Pull-ups (kipping)

Double-unders (that's jump-roping with twice under for each jump)

24 inch box jump

Push-ups,

Sit-ups,

Most lifts,

53/70lb kettlebell swings

20lb wall-balls

Burpees (although they are not pretty)

Back extensions

knees to elbows (ish :P)

And some that I can't remember (because my mind doesn't want to think about them lol)

GOATS (skills I'm currently and slowly working on)

Ring dips

Handstand Push-ups

GHD sit-ups (Glute-Ham Developer)

GO CROSSFIT!!!
~Written by John Goodman

Summer is coming to an end.

 The Sham Battle once again...means summer is coming to an end

All the boys were excited to be able to ride in the parade this year with the Parkers. 

 Gage is sitting right up front int he middle

 Jace is the one in the black hat, and Clay is behind the boy standing up.  I didn't get great pictures this year.

Our whole family signed up for the Mad VS Mud run.  Jace ended up having a football game that morning so him and Josh were out.  I then I got in a car wreck just days before, so I couldn't do it. Good thing we have such great people at CrossFit, they all ran with my kids.  They had a blast.  I was able to follow along and get some pictures.

The whole CFST group!

 

 Clay is taking private swimming lessons.  He loves it!

Jace loving football

14 yrs down and eternity to go!

I just wanted to do a quick a little post about the most amazing man in the whole wide world to whom I've been married to for 14 years now!  Every single day I feel so blessed to have Josh as my husband.  He truly is my very best friend, my confident, my soul mate, my rock.  I can't imagine my life without him.  Josh has been my #1 supporter in everything I've wanted to do.  He backs me up, and picks me up whenever I need it.  When I think of our relationship I see me running around 100 miles per hour and him pulling me back in and keeping my grounded, reminding me whats important and what isn't going to matter at the end of the day. I'm so glad to have someone that I can trust 100%.  I am so grateful that I can be myself (the good and the bad) and know that we will love me no matter what.  He loves all of me.  He is the total package!  When I married him, I thought I loved him as much as anyone could, but that wasn't true, today I love him 14 times more then that day!  (on top of all that, he is the best dad in the world too)

Gage and Mason's 9th Birthday

Gage and his cousin Mason turn 9 only a week apart. It was fun to celebrate their birthdays together this year.  Since Mason's mom is so talented she made each of them their very own AWESOME cakes.  Mason's was a mind craft cake and Gage wanted a Green Bay Packer Cake.  And they tasted just as good as they looked.

They couldn't wait to take a bite out of them.

 

Not only was it Gage and Mason's birthday but it was also a very special family reunion with my neice.  I haven't seen Arianna since she was a toddler.  She lives is Las Vegas with her mom and has recently reunited with her dad (my brother) Radell.  It was so fun getting to know her and spending the day with her.

All the kids swam, Uncle Kellen was their main entertainment for the night.  He was so much fun with all the kids! 

Here is the whole family (minus a few members)
Jace was gone to scout camp, Channing and Radell were at work and Davinn he lives clear in Alaska.

Arianna with her favorite aunt and some other goober (Marshall) LOL

The Donnell Clan
I am so happy to see this family together as a whole
(minus Radell, he was at work, but I know his heart was there)

Date with my mom

In Sunday School at Church, our teacher gave away 8 tickets to St. Thomas Passion.  I was lucky enough to get 2 of them.  This isn't really Josh's thing and I knew my mom would love to go.  It was fun spending time with you.  The only reason I regret never having a girl is because I love the relationship the my mom and I have.  I hope that my boys will be as close to me as my sisters and I are to my mom. 

Summer Fun 2012

 

Des and I got together a couple of times before the summer ended.  (we should have done it more often cause the kids have a blast)  They came out and swam one day and they never got bored.  This pool was the best money we ever spent. 

 

 

Clay loves the water

Addason, Avery, Clay, Tenaya and Tylee

Avery and Clay seem to always be attached at the hip.
Landon is trying to stay warm in the pool

Then another day Des and I met at a park that had a rope swing.

After the park we headed over to Millville.  Des took us to a bridge that the kids jumped off.

Bayler showing the kids how to do a back flip.



This is Clay's trick



Notice Gage under the bridge, he found a pallet in the river and made a raft out of it.

Jace jumped off once, then decided to teach his puppy how to swim.

I'm back!

Gosh! I can't believe it really has been this long since I have updated my blog.  I really don't have much of an excuse except I'm trying to run a family and a business and now it's summer so it's crazy...but it always seems to be crazy!  CrossFit SouthTown is our home away from home and we love it.  The best part of it is the people, we have an amazing community growing there, I can truly say I know and love each one them.  Josh loves it so much that he is itching for the day that he can do it full time along with me.  (that won't be for quite awhile)  We just celebrated our 1 year anniversary and we couldn't have asked for a more successful year.  We are truly blessed. 

Jace is just getting ready to play football again.  The other 2 boys wanted to play but we decided they can't play until they are out of elementary school.  He has had a summer job the whole summer vacation.  He moves sprinkler pipe.  He leaves early in the morning and goes back in the evening.  He is such a hard worker.  We are so proud of him.  He has earned quite a bit of money and he has been saving all of it.  All summer he would check KSL for dirt bikes.  Finally we went out last weekend to see what size would be best for him.  And this is what he came home with.

I'm still not really sure how I feel about it.  But he bought the puppy and promises to feed and clean up after him.  It's day 3 so far and he has done a wonderful job.  He is truly in love, he tries not to ever the dog along and when he goes to work he asks his brothers to dog sit (even at 6 AM in the morning) It kind of worries me because school starts in a month and the puppy is going to be very lonely.  Hopefully it all works out.

Clay told me he had the very best day of his life this summer when he was finally able to get contacts.  He has been waiting for them his whole life.  He is such an active boy and hates having to worry about breaking his glasses.  The doctor said he is a natural and has never seen a kid so young handle contacts so well.  He was getting them in on his first try after just a couple of day. 

Gage and Clay are best friends, we really haven't had a ton of friends come over this summer cause Jace is working or sleeping cause work wears him out so much and Clay and Gage play together.  We have a big swimming pool which has been the best money we have ever spend.  They play in the pool for hours. 

We did get the chance to go on a family vacation this year over the 4th of July.  Brad and Angie Murray invited us to go to Lake Powell along with Steve and Carlene Eliason's family.  Brad and Angie have a house boat.  We were so excited.  None of our family has ever gotten to go there (except for Josh when he was young) It was a wonderful vacation.  We couldn't ask for better company or better weather.  The kids were either fishing, swimming or boating....and we ate a lot too! Jace and Clay were TOO brave when it came to cliff jumping and after a couple of days Gage was right there with them.  Our favorite was to jump off the house boat!  The boys got really good at knee boarding, and we love the tube too!  Josh and I got a chance to 'scurf' and water ski.  The kids caught so many fish that we lost count.  Here are some of our favorite pictures.