Ski Trip Photos...and I've Lost My Mind...

We had an awesome time on our trip...here are some pictures!

Caden was a little upset after she had a crash...we convinced her the only way to be done skiing was to ski down the mountain...

Caden was watching all of the gear while her Daddy and I got things settled before we went out for the day together on Sunday.

A really fuzzy picture of Caden and Me before we got on the mountain for the day.

A picture of the mountains from I-70 on our way down to Denver.

Me skiing on Sunday.

B and I hanging out on the slopes while Caden got ready to try skiing again...

We've all been trying to recuperate this week...to no avail. We're all still extremely exhausted, but it was all totally worth it! We had so much fun!

Now to the me being crazy part (I'm sure that's no shock to most of you)...I have decided to take much better care of myself (that's not the shocking part). So, I have decided to give a new program called TurboFire a go and see if I like it = I will stick to it. I feel so much better physically, mentally, emotionally when I'm working out, so it's really important to me to get back to it. It looks pretty intense, but it's dance-based, so I'm sure that I will really enjoy it if I can just stick it out for the first few, gut-wrenching workouts. I really like the simplicity of the program, and it's made by the same company as P90X and some of the other really popular home-workout programs...I just took all of my beginning measurements today, and I really need to take my "before" picture tonight, just for posterity. That thought doesn't excite me much, but I'm pumped to get home and get started tonight! Wish me luck, I'm sure I'll be whining lots on here about how much I hurt.

I've also found these 25 tips that I think make a lot of sense. They're probably a little over simplistic but I think they sound good...ask me in a few days what I think of them.

1. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often. Water *is* the drink of choice.
2. Look at exercise as a pleasure and privilege, not a burden or chore. Think positively about the changes regular exercise will produce. Rather than obsessing about your next meal, get excited about your next workout!
3. Think twice before deciding what to eat and why, making sure that it is healthy and will provide you good nutrition, fill you up, and give you long-term energy.
4. Measure intake based on activity, not how you "feel." Need should mandate intake, not mood, emotion, or your present company.
5. Eat well-balanced meals and remember that excessive calories, even if they are fat-free and high protein will turn to excess weight! No matter what the latest fad diet, extra calories equals extra weight!
6. Limit caffeine and exposure to even secondhand smoke.
7. Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise.
8. Keep a daily log of what you're actually eating. This includes grabbing a handful of chips here, the crust of your kid's sandwich, and ALL your snacking.
9. Enjoy an occasional (once a week) "unhealthy" treat, but never an "unhealthy" week or unhealthy vacation.
10. Savor the feeling of accomplishment you have after completing an intense workout. Remember that feeling and use it to motivate you when you don't feel like exercising.
12. Learn new ways and new techniques for exercising.
13. Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising or using things that keep you motivated and inspired, like new shoes or great music.
14. Subscribe to fitness magazines to keep focused on health as an overall way of life.
15. Invest in the right tools—good shoes, a health club membership, a portable MP3 player or iPod, fitness equipment, a new series of tapes, etc.
16. Make it your goal to do some form of exercise 6 days a week. If you're eating right, exercise will fuel your energy level!
17. Don't compare your body to others. Instead, work to be your personal best.
18. If your diet is unbalanced, take daily vitamin and mineral supplements for total health.
19. Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity.
20. Create an exercise schedule the day before, instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to "find" the time. If our last two Presidents of the United States can make time to workout every day, you can make time too!
21. Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness. Measure success by the way your clothes fit, and not a number on a scale.
22. Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely. Remember that no matter how hard you're working out, if you're consuming too many calories, you'll never see the muscles that lie beneath layers of fatty tissue.
23. Live a balanced life.
24. Get adequate amounts of sleep, but remember that people who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
25. Limit alcohol intake to special occasions.

Wish me luck! Love you all!
Hannah