You Can Never Be Too Safe!

So I decided awhile back when Aspen was about 8 months old (before she was walking) to install a few extra locks.  Funny the responses I got from not only random people but some family members as well…”oh you don’t need them” “being a little too protective”, etc. 

REALLY?!

So you think the parents that had their kids wandering the streets in the middle of the night, thought  that that was going to happen?  Or the child who opened the door and went to the back yard where the pool is….did the parents ever think it was ever going to happen to them?  Probably not but you hear it all the time “oh that will never happen to us” or you just think that thought. 

Why do people even want to take that chance?!  Well I don’t.   So my idea was to have extra locks on the doors so that when Aspen grew taller and could reach the door knob and know how to unlock the door, the extra lock would prevent her from opening the door and getting out in the front yard where she COULD get hit by a car, or in the back yard where the pool is!

Well, I must say these extra locks that my husband installed back quite a few months ago now, are already going to GREAT use!  Aspen Jade has figured out how to unlock (and lock) the doors.  At 21 months, this little stinker locks and unlocks the doors so fast!!

Below are some locks that we installed.  The one on the sliding door is my favourite!  Such a great lock.  We put locks on the sliding door upstairs, the basement door (as we have a walkout), and the front door.  So all entrances are covered!  Aspen can not get out during the night (while we are sleeping) or during the day if she gets up early from her nap and slips by me!  Cause IT CAN HAPPEN!  Never take it for granted and think “ah, it will never happen to us”.  Why take that chance!  Our wee ones are precious!

This one is the sliding door to the backyard.  My favourite kind of lock.  Yo ucan even see the same lock on the screen door that is open and off to the side.  We used this type of lock for here as we have double sliders.

This is the front door.  Notice how high I keep the locks!

 All locks were bought at the Home depot.

So there is my little suggestion for parents with wee ones!  What are some of your good ideas??  I’d love to hear and have your comments posted so others can benefit as well!

NL xoxo

Olympia....HERE I COME!!

So I’ve decided that YES I will do the Olympia in Sept.  It’s 11 weeks this Friday.  Who knew I would qualify again for the “O”?!!  I am still amazed.  All because I was stuck in a rut, and had no motivation or ambition to workout…and I hated the feeling of being so unmotivated. 

How embarrassing it has been over the past 2 years….training clients and they think that I’m training and keeping fit; playing hockey and the coach says “you’re a personal trainer Nina, you can stay on extra shifts” and little did he or anyone else know that I was so out of shape!  Every time I would play hockey I would be sooo mad at myself on the bench cause I was so exhausted (and because I was new at the sport and I do hate not being the best….just being honest here!).  Even that wasn’t enough to motivate me to do something.

But everything is good now.  I’ve got my motivation back and I’m on track!  IT FEELS FANTASTIC!!!  I got ready for the Toronto Pro Show in 7 weeks.  My suit was made the week before and I picked it up on the Wednesday before the show.  My membership for the IFBB had to be paid and the contract for the show had to be signed by the Monday before the show!  I faxed in the signed contract a week before the show and the membership I paid at the show!! Lol  Nothing like the last minute!    But I pulled it all together….having only practised a total of MAYBE 15 mins on my posing/stage presence! 

I placed 4^th!  My goal was to not have a flabby butt and not to place last because of a flabby butt.  If I would have placed last because I was too tight, I would have been totally fine with that.  But I’ll take the 4^th and the qualification to the Olympia! 

OLYMPIA!!!!!!!!!  WOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!

So I have to take this time to thank a few people…..

Vince my husband – for making  my meals, keeping me on track, making sure I made it for my morning (5:30am) and evening (9pm – 10pm) training or cardio sessions.  I could not have done this without him!  SO many times I wanted to throw in the towel cause I was sooo stressed with the overload of work, and then a fussy (at times) or sick (ear infection) 21 month old, and the dogs ripping thro the screen door (yes, right thro!).  Vince is my rock!  We make a GREAT team.

Nate Harewood – for the training and dieting.  And for positive comments to keep me focused.  Having to listen to me every week saying “are you SURE I can do this and I wont make an ass of myself!”.

Christy Wolfe – Wolfe Designs.  To take me on to make my suit, last minute!  She’s incredible!  And what a fantastic job!!!!  She will be making my Olympia suit as well, if we decide to do something different.

Dianne Martins – for my fantastic tan using Jan Tana Products!!  Thanks Dianne!  For putting up with me….i was totally acting like a first-timer/the client you don’t want!  Lol  I kept touching my tan to see if it was dry and would ruin it….it was kinda funny!!!  Lol

Sheri Fisher – for oiling me up and bikini biting me backstage! And for spending the nights with me at the hotel as Vince and Aspen stayed home….aspen would have totally ruined my tan more then I was ruining it!  Lol  Sheri you kept me calm, even when I just wanted to GO HOME!  Tables were turned this time!

Nina Luchka – ME – lol….for doing my hair and makeup!  I did a FANTASIC job!! 

Mindi O and Dennis, Kim Tilden, Tanya Watkins, Sheri Fisher – for telling me (for weeks) to keep going and I CAN do this!!  I didn’t tell many until the very end.  Thank you guys!

And of course my little girl, Aspen Jade, who watched her mommy up on stage!!!  She even pointed and said mommy!!!  THAT was the BEST part of the whole show!!  I did this for her (and a little for me!;) )

So here I go…..I will be including my journey to the Olympia in this blog!  So keep checking back for updates.  Video updates will be coming soon!

And thank you to all the friends and fans who attended the show!  I had the MOST/LOUDEST cheers and I am very greatful for each and every person who cheered!!  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

NL  xoxo

Recipe of the week

Here is a FANTASTIC recipe that my husband and I enjoyed with friends, back about 3 years ago.  Wow how time flies!  This couple were such a wonderful couple, they made a great team....very similar to my husband and I.  Peter, the mastermind behind this recipe (and a few more that i will add over time), passed away a year ago now.  What a beautiful person he was!  We were fortunate enough to know Peter and become friends.  That man had a special heart and LOVED to cook.  So enjoy this recipe as this was one of his....and one of my FAVORITES!!  Trust me, this is one recipe you'll want to serve up for guests this coming long weekend!  It is definitely a summertime fav!

Watermelon Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 2 inch thick slices of watermelon (seedless)
• 1 whole cucumber
• 1 container PC Goat Feta Cheese
• 8-10 mint leaves
• 2 limes
• pinch or two of coarse pepper

All in a big bowl, cut up watermelon into small cubes (bite size), cut up cucumber into fours (i peel the cucumber), cut up feta cheese into small cubes, finely chop mint leaves, squeeze juice of of limes, add pinch or two of coarse pepper.  Mix and serve.  Now you can add more watermelon or cucumber or mint, etc.  Whatever your taste!

Here is the end product!  Your guest will LOVE this dish!!

Enjoy!

NL xoxo

Let the blogging begin!

Today is my fresh start to blogging. From here on in I will be blogging on a regular basis. I will be blogging about anything and everything.....it's not going to be just about fitness.  I am a fitness professional and fitness is a big part of my life, but I feel people need to see and hear the side of a "REAL" person....a real person who loves to be active, on the go, an entrepreneur, has ups and downs in life, is a wife, and a MOM!

A lot of you will be able to relate!  Maybe you’re the mom that is a stay at home mom.....maybe you're the mom that has a full time job.....maybe you're the single mom that works full time.....or the mom that runs her own business.  It doesn't matter what you have going on in life, life gets busy and hectic at times. It doesn’t mean that the mom that works is more busy or has a more hectic life then the mom that gets to stay at home with her wee one(s). 

I will be chatting about everything…..fitness, recipes, baby stuff, pregnancy, toddlers, gadgets, decorating, workouts, beauty, etc.  My blogging will be "from the heart". Nothing fancy!  Nothing made up!  I want all of you to connect with a real person....not a made up, perfect speaking, individual.  This way you will be able to relate! 

 So over the next month, please bear with me as I will be working out all the kinks and getting into a groove.  I will be including pictures and videos as much as i can as well throughout all my days of blogging.

Hope you enjoy this journey with me.....and learn along the way!

NL xoxo