August...it feels like summer is almost gone and I haven't had "summer" yet. Not sure why I feel that way, the lawn is parched, I've had two mini-vacations, and we've been locked into a record breaking heatwave for weeks now. I think it's that I haven't been to the pool or gone to the beach in 2 years.

This morning I rode my bike around our very hilly neighborhood for the first time in...hmmm...YEARS! I wish we didn't have such treacherous roads around here or such steep hills! I'd like to start really riding again. I was also thinking about my unused roller blades, and that the last time I went "roller crashing" was probably about as long ago as when my bike was last used! So my August aim is to get more outdoor fun exercise on the weekends (between loads of laundry, yard projects, cooking and floor washing!)

Any great plans out there for what remains of summer? I know Lydia has some- and we want PICTURES!

Mel

Boy summer really is flying past. My friends were talking about tennis lessons and I'm on a totally different planet.

The SAMS are packed and shipped to the warehouse. They are so full I don't think we could slide a frisbee in one.

We are leaving tomorrow at 6:00am. A little too early even for me but we have to arrive early enough to board our cat. We just don't feel like setting her up in DH's apartment for three days before we move her yet again into the house.

The SAMs are scheduled to arrive Saturday. I've called to confirm the address of the final destination no fewer than four times. I'm paranoid that my things will be dropped onto someone else's driveway.

I'm trying to live in the moment as much as possible. However, my thoughts seem to fast forward to some close in the future moment when I can drop my sons at school and head over to the gym with goals.

Mel: I think that you really need to make a couple visits to the local pool. Nothing can evoke memories of past summers like the smell of suntan lotion and chlorine.

Good luck with your intention for outdoor exercise this month. I could do well by following your example. My poor bike hasn't seen daylight this summer. It's been up on a trainer for the days when I can't make it into the gym. Got a few miles in but it's not nearly as challenging as the hills and the wind. In my basement I do get to sing as loud as I want though...

So...Pics. Okay. I've got pics. DH took these during his past visit to the house. Let me just say that it is nothing short of a miracle that this is to be our new home. I still can't get my head around this. Especially since I thought I may have to be in Columbus another year without him.

http://gallery.me.com/jamiegrove#100019

Woo!! Lots of luck. House is nice! I approve of the deck We have a deck and I'm not sure how I ever lived without one prior to this.

Oh WOW! Lydia, get ready for guests Congratulations ! I wish you many years of health and happiness in your new home

Wow, Lydia, the house and property are gorgeous!

Nelie, it's funny, so many houses here have decks, yet hardly any have covered porches...it's cool and rainy most of the year, so this makes no sense to me at all. I'd kill for a wrap-around covered porch with a porch swing and some rocking chairs!

Mel, I was noticing the same feeling yesterday. I think because we didn't really get any "summer" weather until early July, just went from winter to summer like that, and now the nights are getting cool again. I had grand plans for getting in some skating, swimming, and a camping trip done with my boy...so far, we've managed the swimming thing once. I need to maybe let go of the some of the home chores when I'm free and just go have fun with my boy, before the long dark of winter sets in on us again.

Last week, I got up early Weds and Friday to go watch my sister's on-ramp class at the CF gym. I enjoyed that, so I'm going to try and do it again. It's kind of nice, going to bed early for a change, and getting up at 3:30, when the world is still sleeping and all is quiet.

We're starting to pack up the gym for the move to the new building. It's our last month in the old space, pictures are coming down off the walls and non-essentials getting packed up to move. It's a bit sad, but we're also excited to get into the new space, and have a little more room.

Okay, shower time for me. No idea what our wod is, but I think I will do some stone loading this morning, and/or maybe some practice cleaning the axle (fat barbell) in my warm-up this morning. I'm happy that we can write our own warm-ups again...means I can give myself something to look forward to every day, no matter what the trainers write on the board.

Lydia - that house if fabulous! Wowza!

We don't have a deck, we have a concrete pad off the back with a gazebo swing. No place for a deck without a basement. Sadness.

Cheryl - I wish I could get up early. I actually like the morning, if I can make myself roll out of bed to see it.

Mel - I have definitely felt like we had summer with all of the heat, but haven't felt like I've had any summer fun... And kindergarten starts on Thursday...

Tweaked my shoulder a little on Saturday, not sure if I did it during what turned into a bad bench press or if I did it moving laundry from the bottom of the stack washer to the top of the stack dryer. Ick. On the upside, I did make a new PR for back squats - 110, 3x5. I think I'm done increasing my weight and am going to maintain for awhile.

Hey Nelie!

Good day everyone!

Mel- And I'm sure most of us loved to ride bikes when we were young, I wonder what happens as we get older?

Lydia- I'm so jealous of that kitchen.

jamsk8r- I used to sleep in so late until the dog got me up at the crack of dawn. Really, the world looks much nicer at that time. Or maybe too many people are just annoying, LOL.

Shannon- 110 for 3x5 is really fantastic! I hear you on maintaining, it is too easy to get ahead of yourself with back squats when form begins to dip.

August 2, 2010
Day 1 - P90X
Chest & Back, Ab Ripper X
Did only 5 minutes of Ab Ripper X, it didn't feel great with my belly.
+ 5KM walk with dog and "15lb weighted vest" (erm, baby sling!)

Alex is 8 weeks now and slept 7 hours straight last night so I feel enough sanity is back to get into working out. That's good because I'm still 13lbs above goal (125lbs, I'm 138lbs right now). No more excuses. DH is actually on parental leave right now so really... I have no excuses, LOL. Motherhood really got me in the abdominal region (much more than the average women, I even checked on shapeofamother.com, HAH, so I've got quite a challenge ahead. Hey, that's ok, what's the point to life if there are no challenges?)

Summer begins in August for me... June & July were complete write-offs.

sacha!!! Glad to here you are back at it! Pregnancy #1 did a real number on my stomach, too.

Cheryl- I regularly get up at 4:55...3:15 is really the middle of the night! No way...

I've had to modify almost every WOD for the last week because of inflammation around my delt/bicep insertions. It's not really "shoulder" per se. Washing floors on the weekend really didn't help! I'm not happy about this falling apart stuff!

Mel

Morning, ladies! Up early again today. Will likely hit the gym at 6am, even though my sister doesn't have class today. I've been enjoying the extra time to socialize and fit in skills practice here and there (without killing myself trying to cram it into a one-hour time slot).

A friend at the gym, who used to be on a jumprope team in her youth, showed me some stupid human tricks to do with the jumprope yesterday, so I can put something new in my warm-up. It was fun. The peanut gallery at the gym volunteered her to do a Thursday night clinic, so if she does that, I'll go learn some more!

Shannon, nice back squat! Can't believe K is starting already! We'll start in Sept. I usually wait until after Labor Day weekend, since my boy goes to camp for that weekend with his aunt and his cousin...seems a logical end to summer break, and being homeschoolers, we can do that.

Sacha, glad to hear you're finally getting some sleep!

Mel, I hope those tendons heal up quickly for you. Seems a pretty common injury at our gym lately. I'm trying to use what I learned during my recovery to prevent it happening again, at least to me, since it was no fun at all.

Yesterday we did front squats. Got a slight PR, for reps, anyway...took my last 3RM and got it for 5 reps, barely, but I got it. After that I played with fat barbell cleans, got a 10 lb PR with a regular "clean grip" (overhand grip like for a normal clean), which was cool, then dropped the weight and practiced continental cleans, which seem so "wrong" form-wise, but are probably my only hope of going much over 100 lbs overhead with the fat bar, since my hands are small, which makes it difficult to grip the fat barbell through second pull on the clean.

Okay, shower time for me. Think I will do some stone loading today, if I can get by the moving boxes to clear a spot at the loading platform. Might try some rope climbs today, L-sits, jumprope, stuff like that, depending what the wod is. I'd sure like to get the rope descents figured out, so I could starting doing those when they come up in the wod. I can climb the thing, but getting down is a whole nother aminal!

Cheryl - you are very early today! I've just had a late lunch.

Lydia - can't wait to see yr pics on a proper computer!

Everyone - baby the injuries, or baby the baby, and get enough sleep!

We did squat clean thrusters yesterday. My squat cleans suck. I'm getting better but my feet go wide every single time. Also, due to my sucky rack position, I could only do 38 lbs. I am ok with the knowledge that I'm working on my form.

Nice casa, Lydia!

August 3, 2010
P90X Plyometrics
Couldn't finish it, I'm pretty deconditioned. I still did reasonably well. Diet spot on today.
Tomorrow is my favourite workout, shoulders & arms

Cheryl- this is for you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yHjnfABvhw

Hmmmmm. August is a quiet month! We are expecting major thunderstorms here today- which probably means a completely indoor WOD in a high humidity box Only 3 people showed up yesterday evening. Between vacations, the 90 degree heat and the 1k run that was part of the WOD, I expect a lot of people just opted out.

Is everyone at the beach, the cottage, or in the middle of a move?