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I had a request for before and after pics... I am not ready for the after yet as I still have some work to do.  BUT, Isaac's (my middle child) birthday was this weekend.  We are boring party people in that we have the exact same schedule every party.  I have a point to this I swear...

Kuebler Kids Party Schedule:

• Arrive and snack
• Eat a meal
• Watch the video my husband made of the birthday child's last year to life
• Open presents with Mama's help
• Cake
• Play with gifts and hang out as long as everyone wants to stay

Not kidding -it's exactly the same every time.  We have done 4 of these parties for Eli, 1 for Emmie, and now 3 for Isaac... that is a total of 8 of the exact same party (with differing themes of coarse).

This year there was a little mixing it up at the end.  My sister is laws - well really my entire in law family are crazy runners.  They do sprint triathlons, marathons (which my parent in laws started doing after they were 60), mini's, trail races... They run a lot at family events.  Like we eat Easter dinner and everyone goes for a run.  No pressure here, as I have been the pregnant fat one for the last 6 years.  Well, yesterday was a milestone in that I also go to run - with much encouragement from my sister in laws who kindly ran my 10 minute mile pace for a few miles before they took off for some extra mileage at what looked like a lion chasing it prey pace to me.   So yesterday when we got to the hang out time it included me running with my running family.  I only made it a few miles, but at least I am doing it!

Back to my point (although maybe my point should be that my 60+ year old in laws can out run me - they are seriously impressive!!!).  My real point is that I found a picture of me at Isaac's party last year and a similar one from this year (during the opening of presents of coarse, as that is where I come into the party schedule for the last 8 parties).  Here they are...

 This is exactly one month after Emmie was born

This is many pounds and lot of work later. 

Not a great before and after but to be honest I am not sure I know where my before pictures from last July even are... wow were they embarrassing! 

Last completely unrelated note:  I have been reading a blog of a women that does triathlons... she is now training for an Iornman.  In all posts she refers to her husband as "the expert".  My neighbor (who also reads it - I mean it is really inspirational) and I can't figure out if her husband is really an expert at something or she just calls his the expert.  All that to say I need a name like this for my husband as he loves to tell me when I should and should not work out.  In his defense he is just worried that if I go to hard to soon I will hurt myself and never again swim, bike, or run.  But I still think he needs a sarcastic name like this... I am open to suggestions :)  I have a feeling he will be more then happy to come up with his own name, which is why I love "my expert". 

For my Dad

I recently posted a video of myself doing a pull-up at bootcamp.  Now for some explaination.  I was doing pull ups with a band to "help" me as I could not even do one myself - but it's better then not doing them at all.  Also (so I don't seem like a total wimp if you see the video)  this was the end of 3 sets of 10 - not that I don't struggle almost as much on #1 as I do #31. 

My aunt made a comment on the video and I thought I would post her comment and my reply - I want to remember it always as my dad's memory has been very motivating in this process.  So motivating sometimes I cry after I finish a run because I just want to be able to share my progress with him.  Somehow I think I am honoring him as I become more fit and in some odd way I think I need to do this triathlon for him - I really don't need to and I know the thought process is silly, but I can't get it out of my head at times.  This post is not met to be depressing but demonstrate what life long effects setting a good example can have on your kids!

Sheryl Babbitt :its the babbitt power in you

Kari Babbitt Kuebler:  Aunt Sheryl - Many time the last 6 weeks of bootcamp I have thought about dads one armed push up or when I sat on his back while he did them so he had more resistance, and I cant forget the pull ups on the clothes line pole he did while we played in the yard, and how he would top it off with back flips the whole length of the yard at age 44! If I have half his drive I will meet my goals... But I cant tell you how badly I wish he was here to see me try new things and tell me I can do it... I dont know if anyone has ever believed in me like he did, or at least been so verbal about it. I would kill for of those random phone calls from him telling me how great i am right now.

Can you guess what I desire my new hobby to be?

Question 1:
How long do you have to stay in the gym to not be one of "those new year resolution people"?

... because I will BEAT that!  I am going on two months and only becoming more and more addicted.  I don't see a stopping point, instead my BIG and CRAZY imagination sees myself in long distant triathlons.  Mind you, I have never done any kind of triathlon but for the last month I have read about EVERY blog there is about people like me that have.  I was reading about the couch to 5K program - now I am reading about couch to triathlons - yep I have lost my mind in just a matter of months. 

Question 2:
Can I do a triathlon?

I think I can, I think I can, and my boot camp instructor who is ever so motivating and encouraging thinks I can - so I say lets go for it.  In fact my mind has chose to obsess over it. 

What is funny about this is I am NOT ATHLETIC at all.  I have never been on a swim team, I have never biked more then a few miles, and the longest distance I have ever ran is 8 miles.  I have a small frame and might look like a runner (as I have been told by non-runners)... but my little secret is I am just a girl with small bone structure that actually can't run.  I took me a year of running in my 20's to hit 8 miles- and then I thought I might die!  I signed up for the mini in 2005 and quit because I was too busy wedding planning.  I have never in my life lifted weights or done an exercise video (except for abbs and buns of steal in the 90's - come on I had to try it, everyone was doing it).  Let me also mention my right knee sounds like rice crispies when I go up and down stairs and is in pain after doing squats and lunges (which I only have started doing the last month because prior to the last few months I had never really worked out - have I drove that point home yet?) 

I have not blogged about any of this in the last 2 months, because I wanted to be sure I had a plan to stick with this before I told the 3 people that might read this in internet world - if you are one of the 3 reading this right now, I thank you.  Even if no-one reads your blog, something about putting your goals and dreams out there is still frightening.  I did not want to say things like I am going to kick this baby weight a%* if I really was not, and I did not want to say I am going to run a 5K if I continued to quit after week 3 of training (like I did in July).  But now I would like to announce something - even if it is just for me...

I AM GOING TO DO A SPRINT TRIATHLON, I WILL COMPLETE IT, AND I WILL TRAIN FOR ANOTHER ONE! 

The amazing trainer I have been working with in her amazing boot camp is Tatum Perez of TXT .  I can't put in enough plugs for her because she is not just a great friend but an amazing trainer.  She has me motivated and encouraged and convinced I can do things I did not think I could, in fact she has me doing things I did not think I would!  Lifting for starters - who new I would grow to crave the pain that feels like success - I mean I literally like the pain now, if it doesn't hurt I feel like I did not work out.  I have bought weight, a jump rope, out door running clothes... if she says I can I then gosh darn-it I will. 

I could write a book on what has happened over the last 2 months but I will spare you and attempt to
put in bullet points...

• I have lost another 5 pounds or so (LOVE MY FITNESS PAL on my phone)
• I have worked out till my legs gave out and when I went to run I just fell (an odd but great feeling)
• I have tried to keep up with girls at boot camp that have been doing this for years and had to laugh at myself when I can't get my body to do what theirs will (oh I have to write these stories latter)
• I have had my lock cut off my locker at the club - doesn't that scream NEWBIE in the GYM!
• I have had people in the pool stare at my freestyle and I can tell they are thinking "oh that poor girl, I should give her some tips"
• I have spend HOURS reading about triathlons
• I have cried over numerous stories of women that are very overweight and completed 1/2 ironman
• I have injured myself doing a "jump up" at boot camp because my mind told my body to go, but it just didn't.  *right now my entire shin is a big bump and bruise and hurst when my pants touch it but who cares when you need to run!  (Is this really me talking?)

Oh I could go on and on!!!