Sail....GREAT Store!

A new store opened up in Oshawa a little while ago.....SAIL.  Great store for the outdoors person!!  I LOVE it!!  Vince and I will go shopping there every once in awhile....the last time we went we got a beautiful spring jacket made by Columbia, for Aspen.

Aspen's new Columbia Jacket.  This jacket is SOOOO cute on Aspen!!!

Since Vince and I LOVE the outdoors, we also got a carrier for aspen and baby will be able to use it as well. 

We have a baby bjorn for baby already as we used it a lot with Aspen.  This new carrier holds up to 40 lbs. We have already went on a few walks out in the back bush with Aspen in the carrier....until she gets bored and wants to walk.  Here's a cute pick of Aspen and Vince walking....Aspen had to walk just like daddy, with her hands in her pockets!!  LOL  So cute!

Looks like we are going back to pick up a tent too!!  She had so much fun in all the tent displays and now she has been asking for one.  We WILL be sleeping outside some nights this summer....I think she will have a blast!  I LOVED tents growing up....actually, still do.  I would sleep in the tent ALL summer until late september!  NO joke!  Up until I met Vince which was age 20!!!!  I LOVE the outdoors and all the fresh air.  Looks like I get to spend the nights outside again.....of course for Aspen's sake. ;)!! 

I'll be sure to post pics and blog about our first sleepover outside in the tent....we almost did when it was warm out last week!

Nina xo

Shopping for a Skinny Minny!

Im sure im not the only mom out there that has a child who is a skinny minny....and TALL!  Its hard to find clothes that fit her especially when she was potty trained so early.....no diaper to keep the pants up or fill them in!  lol
I actually hate shopping but I must say shopping for her I absolutely LOVE!!!!  So finding clothes that fit her properly was pretty easy for me....jsut had to go to all the different stores and find which store fits her best.  Here are my results.....

I shop at the following stores for different things.....

Baby Gap - great for most clothes.  Jeans are great for her there as most of them have the adjustable buttons on the inside.  Tights there and anything that does not have an adjustment is NOT good.  Does NOT fit her at all.  PJS are the best here too....although they are big in the waist, they fit well everywhere else. 

Tommy Hilfiger - BEST store for tights (leggings)!!  Jeans are great here as well.  This store is actually more for the skinny minny.  Even the shirts for her are more slender.

Mexx Kids - for me the style there is a hit and miss.  I dont find a lot there....just the odd thing or two.

Old Navy - I will get her tops here.  Pants are a hit and miss for her. 

Osh Gosh - Some things are not too bad.

Carters - I dont shop there or in that section....Only when she was first born.  But the onsies were too wide for her.

Walmart -I dont shop there.   I only bought Aspen her onsies there when she was a baby....made by Gerber.  They were the leanest fitting ones. 

Joe Fresh - Hit and miss there as well.  But when I do find something there, I LOVE it!!  I have to usually buy a size smaller but for the tops they are a the same size as her age or a little bigger.  I jsut bought her the cutest bikini there!!!  I will take a pic and post that later.

H & M - pants are always WAY to big in the waist so I cant get them to fit in the waist otherwise the length wont fit..  Shirts are great tho.

Here are some of the things I bought her at Tommy Hilfiger!!....a DEFINITE store I will be shopping at for our little man!! 

Jean Capris

I bought these in white and also in a jean color!

The BEST tights ever!!!!

Again, the BEST tights ever!!!  I got these in grey, navy and a pink pair!

I bought her some tops as well that are soooooo cute on her!   Some of the stuff I got are for Easter, so maybe she will model for me and i can post the outfits.

Hope this helps those moms out there that try to find clothes that are not so wide and are meant for a skinny minny.  Try the Tommy Outlet stores!!  Sometimes there are FANTASTIC prices!  For you local moms....Pickering, the outlet stores on Brock by the Walmart.

Happy shopping!

Nina xo

A New Venture.....Maybe?

Well, I've been contimplating on a new little venture for about 2 years now.  I've had some great ideas and jsut need to go forward with it....but whats stopping me??  Not sure.
It is something totally different then what I have been into and doing for over 10 years now.  That doesnt mean that I will stop doing the fitness stuff like bootcamps and Dryland training for sports teams, but adding in yet another project.

I am the Motivated Mom....and definitely a mom on the go! 

I've always been business focused.....always looking to open my own business as this is a great way to make a good income and have some freedom as well (once its been established).  But I also feel this is great for my kids to be brought up in a family that is all self employed....they see how hard to work for the things we want in life and what we want out of life. 

I run bootcamps, dryland training, and online fitness programs for general people and for the competitive side.  I do tanning, hair and makeup at most shows and this year I have partnered up with two other great gals to create one AMAZING tanning, makeup and hair business (called Pro Quality).  We have exclusive rights to all OPA shows which is great!!  I am self employed with Body by vi, an amazing MLM business that is so rewarding!!   And now Im looking to venture into something totally different!!  Im still going to keep it on the Downlow, but some of you do already know what my interest is in.  I will still be keeping and doing all the other business as well...as fitness and sports has always been a passion that I jsut cant ever let go, and well the other 2 businesses...they make a great side income. 

......all this and I still take care of my little one and have another on the way....so things will be even more hectic but I will jsut juggle things around and it all works out.  I LOVE bing a mom and even more, I LOVE being a Motivated Mom....always on the go!  Making sure I always have time for teaching Aspen everything I can everyday!!  Its harder to get things done but I honestly wouldnt have it any other way.  Aspen is such a little adult....her remarks and how her character is so past her age!...its priceless. 

All you moms out there understand how we juggle and accomodate and work around our kids.....

Here I am working at my computer with Aspen sitting on my lap playing with her stickers.  Lots of interruptions and it all takes time.....but it will get done.  A HUGE change for me....but i adjusted really well and really fast.  I believe we should ALWAYS pay attention to our little ones.  They are trying to understand things and they dont get what "wait 5 mins please" is.  We need to understand things from THEIR perspective and how they see things.....and we teach them that way.  Less stress on the parent and the child.  Too many parents dont pay attention to their kids... I see it at the mall all the time!!!  But thats for another Blog post!

For now.....my new venture is nicely being created and visualized in my mind.....jsut a matter of time it will be well on its way!  So all you moms and moms-to-be....stay tuned! ;)

Nina - the motivated mom....
xoxo

Purple Woods....its been awhile.

We had such a great time at Purple Woods today!!  WOW, it has been a long time since I was there!  Probably since school.....just a few years ago!  lol ;)
Aspen had a fun time, seeing the maple syrup in the buckets, seeing the hoses go from tree to tree for the syrup to run through, the horses, and of course the PUDDLES and MUD!!  THAT was probably most exciting for her!  Puddles and Mud!  lol  TOO cute.

On the wagon ride!!

Mommy showing Aspen the horses big eyes!

Daddy showing Aspen how the maple syrup is boiled.

Mommy showing Aspen a picture of the Coyote, an animal we have around the house.

We went on the wagon ride and at the end we sat down in the new hall and had some yummy pancakes and fresh maple syrup.  What a beautiful day!  The weather was perfect for it too.

Nina xo

My little tomboy!

Had to share this....Aspen and daddy spending quality time together out in the back shop.  Vince had do an oil change on his truck and of course Aspen has to help....which I LOVE when she gets involved at this is how she will learn.  I would spend a lot of time with my brothers and my dad out in the garage, fixing things!  I LOVED playing with tools....even to this day I LOVE working with tools.  I was such a little Tomboy growing up.....and still am!  Dont get me wrong, I LOVE my heels and getting dressed up, and looking my best as much as I can, but I'm a huge tomboy when it comes to play.....dirtbikes, fishing, snowmobling, tools, etc.

Aspen sitting in the hood of the truck watching daddy pour the oil in

She LOVES helping daddy!

Aspen passing daddy the tools that he needs.

She's looking to see what else daddy needed

Vince dancing as he comes out of the shop!  lol

Oh the fun she has around the house!!  Always something to do for her. 

Nina xo

CONFUSED!

I've been thinking of this for while now.....When I first wanted to get pregnant, my doc had told me that back around the year 1974 (i forget what years but it did include me), that the MMR shot NEVER took.  So all this time I had NOT been immunized against Measles, Mumps and Rubella. 

I DONT get it!

First of all, HOW would they know this?  I think I did bloodwork and they could tell by that, But not sure.  Second, If immunization is VERY important and we have fear instilled in us if we DONT immunize, then how did I survive? 

I just messaged my neighbor from when I was little, as her son and I were best friends from when we were born till grade 8, and I had to ask her if I had measles as I kinda remember that I did.  AND, I did!  I had measles and chicken pox! 

So if the MMR shot did not take between a certain number of years, then there are MANY of us that were never immunized against it, so wouldnt there be a higher number of deaths.....since this is what picture is silently painted in our heads if NOT immunized?  Just sayin.

And, i had to be immunized with MMR BEFORE I got pregnant with Aspen.  So I couldnt get pregnant for 1-3 months (I forget if it was 1 or 3 months) after having been immunized.  But now that I think about it, I HAD measles so I have immunity against it.....WHY would they give it to me again!!  GREAT an extra chemical in my body!  Really they should have looked at my records to see if I had measles so that I didnt HAVE to get it. 

Now I dont get it, is that its dangerous if a pregnant one is around someone with measles, so WHY would I have to get the shot then before I got pregnant?  Because regardless its dangerous to be around a measles infected person, whether you were immunized against it or not. 

I guess I will be booking an appt with my family doc and getting some answers. 

I dont do shots!  I dont do medicine unless I ULTIMATELY HAVE TO!!  Not even tylenol!!  I take a thyroid pill daily which I do want to try and go off of and go on something natural....but that will have to wait until Im done having kids.

A little confused now......

Nina xo

Fun Times at the Luchka House

One thing I LOVE is spending some quality time with my husband and little girl.....and of course all the animals!  lol.  Our weekends are usually pretty busy....there is always something that comes up.  Isnt that the way though.

We are slowly getting things ready for the arrival our our new little family member....a little boy.  He wont be saying hello to the world until July 3rd.  Now if he is like Aspen then he will be here in June....Aspen was a week early.  Yes, I know, not that common to deliver early on your first baby. I was painting the basement at the time when my water broke.  Looks like I will be doing the same around the time when baby is due.....I repainted the basement before christmas and still need to finish it.  Aspens room is finished being painted, and Vince is finishing up the shelves in her closet.  I have to finish decorating the walls with "things" over the next little bit.....so pics will come soon when its totally complete.

Next is doing a second cost in our room and starting the baby's room.  I've picked out the color for baby's room.....I really like it!!  Im not the type of person to do bright colors or pink for girls room and blue for boys.  The colors still have to flow with the rest of the house and im an earth-tone girl!  For Aspens room i went with a purple (cause thats what she wanted - yes, i let her pick).  Its hard for me to have a "color" on the walls but it actually looks great.  Its a very crisp, clean looking Lavender Mist by Benjamin Moore.  LOVE their paint!    I deal with Oshawa Paint and Wallpaper on Simcoe st in Oshawa and ONLY deal with Mark (one of the workers there).  He's fantastic!!  He knows what color tones I like, which is so helpful. 

For the new baby's room, I'm doing a steel blue!  So more of a blue grey as apposed to a "blue".  I cant wait to get that color on the walls and see what it looks like finished!!  ...ugh!  More painting!!  lol
Used to LOVE painting....it was my downtime.  I got to think and clear my mind.  I was so fast at it too.  Things are different now with a little one who needs you.  Aspen will want me to get something for her, or i will stop to play with her for a bit, get her something to eat, etc.  So painting, and all other things, take time now.  But all worth it and I wouldnt have it any other way. ;)  I'll have to get some pics up of the final product once its all done.

Vince sometimes has to work here and there on weekends (self employed so this is what we have to do), but when he's home we have a lot of fun together.....

Vince playing with Aspen!  He is trying to see what shoes fit on Tinkerbell.
Aspen is looking for the other shoes....with her cute little Tinkerbell dress on!

Another day of Aspen in her Tinkerbell dress!!  This time its half on.
And how cute is our kitten, Angel.  Aspen was watching Snow white and the
Kitten jumps up beside her to cuddle.  Aspen's little buddy!!!

A day full of fun and this little kitten still doesnt leave her side!!
Look closely and you can see Angel sleeping in the white part of the blanket!
My little angels!!

LOVE LOVE spending time with my beautiful family!!  I'll be sure to get the dogs in the blog next time!!  Its hilarious how Aspen sits on Kona, our doberman, and grabs his ears to steer him!!!  He loves it!! 

Vince and I are so excited for baby B to come!!  His room should be finished in the next couple weeks.  He absolutely LOVES my baby belly!!  Its too cute.  Aspen knows she is going to have a baby brother!  And she knows her old room is now the baby's room!  She even says his name, as we have already picked it out.  So far its sticking!! 

More bloggin to come....next up will be more fitness, and health stuff.  Enjoy

Nina xo

Knowledge and Doing the Right Thing

Im a listener....and observer.  I LOVE to and need to find out answers....WHY!  This is who I am.  I need to know answers and I ask a lot of questions, keeping an open mind and taking in what I need.
When I got into my sport of Fitness/Figure, I did my research and looked for the best on how to train.  Over the years (10 years) of training for shows I got to understand a lot.....A LOT that could not have been learned from a course or books.  This is hands on learning.  And this is why I've always went to the best in a sport, to learn.
I see many people who run their business soooooo terrible.  They think they know what they are doing but in actuality they dont!  Kind of scary really.  NOT saying that i know everything about running a business, but I do notice a lot of mistakes.  Ones that will destroy a business.
Ive seen people in my field, personal training, think they know what they are doing, and totally far from it.  I've seen them injure clients (pretty bad sometimes), i've seen terrible form, terrible meal plans, their clients not getting any results (but you can tell from how they are beign trained).
I've seen people (who say they are qualified trainers) get ready for a sport, THINKING that aerobics class are going to help them gain the athletisim they need for the sport.  NOW dont get me wrong, aerobics classes are great for everyone but when you are getting ready for a sport you need athletic type training.  You dont see a hockey player or Lance Armstrong or a triathlete or a bodybuilder doing aerobics classes to prepare for there game, race or competition.  When you are training for something you NEED the proper training for it.  ANY professional trainer will know this.
I've seen companies highball on prices and tell their customers they need a new furance, when all that customer needed was a $50 part to fix the problem. 
Its unbelievable the people that are out there that own their own businesses and dont have the knowledge or the skills to actually do it properly.  Or the businesses that are out there that will suck all the money out of you when its not needed.
My husband is in to heating and air conditioning and the stories I hear first hand are incredible!!!  I wont mention the company that is bad for highballing and sucking the money out of their customers, but if you ask me I will tell.  ;)  These poor customers will call my husband for a quote jsut to make sure, only to find out that they would have had to pay $3000 plus, when all their furnace needed a $50 part.  Sure my husband could do the same, but at the end of the day, he (nor I) would be able to live with ourselves......and What comes around goes around. 
So my piece of advice for those out there looking for a service, do your research!
And for those who are running a business and have NO CLUE what they are doing, educate yourself better! Or go back to working for someone else.  With lack of knowledge, you are no only hurting your business, but you can hurt others (customers) as well.

Nina xo

Quick to Blame

Funny how people are QUICK to blame!  SOOOOO quick to blame!!
I've seen this for so many years and especially being a Personal Trainer,  we get the blame A LOT!!   We train people, tell them how and what to eat, etc, we understand and know how to help people lose weight or reach their fitness goals, BUT its our fault cause they didnt lose weight or reach their goals.  They dont take the blame on themselves, own up to it and say "hey i ate this that I shouldnt have or didnt do my cardio as long as I was suppose to". 
Or lets take for example a PRODUCT....people will blame the product cause it didnt work for them.  But meanwhile this product is a strong company, strong product, helping MILLIONS but that one or two or handful of people WILL blame the product cause it didnt "work for them".  HMMMM.  Really!  How is it that Millions of people are seeing great results buuuut the few arent?.. 
Like I said I see this all the time over the past 11, 12 years of being in a business that gets blamed a lot. 
There has even been times where us trainers will get the blame cause they didnt look good for a show.  Now Mind you, some trainers have NO clue how to get someone ready for a show (fitness, figure, bikini or bodybuilding), but the ones that do, we get blamed.  The thing is, is WHY would we send our client on stage looking sloppy?  That client is a walking business card for us.  We bring in clients in top shape for stage, helps our buisness grow.....PLUS we want the BEST for our clients! 
So when I see people that are quick to blame something or someone else for THEIR error or failure, I have to giggle at it.  What are they thinking??  Who do they think they are fooling??  THEMSELVES!! 
Own up to YOUR mistakes!  OWN up to YOUR failure!  Instead of blaming others, if you stand up and confront YOUR failure, you WILL get back up and try it again and this time SUCCEED!!!  And if not, THEN TRY AGAIN! 
There is nothing wrong with failure, this is own we learn in life.  But if people go through life and not taking credit for THEIR failures or mistakes, then those people will NEVER get anywhere in life....and never achieve their goals! 

And a little side note for those out there who say they CANT lose weight or have followed a program and got nowhere.....cant fool us professional trainers!!!  We KNOW what works and what doesnt, this is what we do and why we are good at it.  Sorry...cant fool us!  ;)  Nice try though.  Food, exercise, strength, agility, weightloss, weight gain, maintaining weight, etc  is what we are good at and know all about.

;)

Nina xo

Our Newest Little Family Member

So Aspen has been asking every day for a Cat.....we say Keet.  Vince would come home from work and Aspen would ask "daddy, where's Keet?".  Too cute.  Well, we then decided to get her a Keet.  I went through pictures online and we came to a conclusion that we would adopt a kitten from the humane society or rescue.  We saw a few Keets but things never worked out....things happen for a reason!   Then I came across a little cutie online.....a little white kitten and his name was Toupe!  He is all white with a light grey patch on his head.....so cute.  Now that was jsut a name the foster parents gave him.  Aspen already had the name picked out....months ago!  Aspen had named her Keet, ANGEL!  Where she got this name, i have no idea.  I dont think I have even said the word angel around her yet.  But Angel sure suits this little white kitten. 

Angel LOVES playing in the shower!!!

LOVES to cuddle!!!

He is soooo playful and soooo cuddlely!  He plays with Aspen and she absolutely LOVES it!!  I must say that we ended up picking the right Keet for Aspen and us.

Nina xo

20 Week Ultrasound.....its a BOY!

Had to share....I went for my 20 week ultrasound to see how baby is doing, and find out the sex, the technician was showing me all the body parts.  As we got to the face, the techinican giggled and said look the baby is smiling!!  Whether its an actual smile, I must say it was pretty amazing!!You could actually see the baby's mouth form a smile and then open and close his mouth.  SO cool. 

So Vince and I are pretty happy.....we are having a boy!  REALLY it doesnt matter if it was a boy or a girl.  Although a girl would have been easier.....we have SO MUCH clothes from Aspen!!!  But all in all, as long as baby is healthy when baby is born. 

We already have the name picked out!!  We will keep that secret until baby B is here.

Its funny too, Aspen is excited to have a baby brother!  She tells me what she will do when baby cries, and how to feed baby!!  What a cutie!  She even knows that her old room is for her brother.

My little cutie is going to be such a great, big sister!

Nina xo

A Day of Relief!!!

A huge sigh of relief came out of me when the Genetisis told us that the ultrasound looks normal.  The list of things they look at, and how in depth they go, everything is perfectly normal!!  Thank you!!!

I had blood test done at 16 weeks to check for down syndrome, spinal bifida, and a couple other things they look for.  This is done for women 35 and over.  I had this done with the first pregnancy too.  Well, the blood test came back in the red zone for Spinal Bifida.  My numbers this time were worse then the first pregnancy.  3.2 (which is 1in 124).  First pregnancy was 2.4 (which is 1 in 362).  How is it that AGAIN, my levels for spinal bifida are red zoned??  Even the ultrasound doc asked me "makes no sense how you had this situation in the first pregnancy and everything normal and again this time and everything normal).  So the ultrasound doc even told me right there that everything was normal, which was a fast relief instead of waiting and waiting for an answer.    Now this makes me wonder and I HAVE to find out.....why are my blood test coming back red zone?!!!  And I WILL find out....the research has already begun and I've already made phone calls to head departments.  lol..  I ALWAYS need answers.

But at least things are perfect and all is ok!  PHEW!!! 

We wanted to find out the sex of the baby today, but the other ultrasound lady who did a bit of the ultrasound was a student still.  So she wasnt 100% certain.  Plus baby was moving too much.  She thought she could kinda see but told us to confirm in 2 weeks at our 20 week ultrasound.  Then things start going through my head and I'm having feelings.....I would LOVE another girl!!  BUT is it  cause I want another Aspen??  Yes!!  I do!  But I have to realize I wont have another "Aspen".  And if I have a boy, will I be upset because its not another girl?  Maybe??  But then I thought to myself that no I wont be upset because I will never have another Aspen.  Aspen is Aspen.  There will only be one.  Each child we have will have their own personalities and character.  Aspen was SUCH a good baby, no problems, and her character now is incredible!!  But each child will have their own unique character that I will LOVE!  But I must say there was a moment that I felt sad.  Sad that I couldnt have another Aspen. 

Have any moms out there felt this way?  How did you feel when you wanted all boys or all girls or maybe one of each, and you didnt get that?  Were you sad?  How long did it take to get over it? 

People should warn you ahead of time of what feeling you might feel.  I had a client that said she wished they warned her or prepared her of how she was going to feel when she was pregnant with her second child....she felt guilty!!!  Everyone will have different feelings over different things.  I didnt feel guilty at all....I jsut wanted another Aspen.  But quickly realized that I can't. 

Wow the feelings you can feel as a mother!!

But all in all ...... as long as baby is healthy!

Nina xo

4 Months Now!

4 months now and everything is EXACTLY  the same as the first pregnancy!  My husband is SOOOO FREAKIN EXCITED!!  I love it!!  He is SUCH  a fantastic dad (and husband of course)!!  I know everyone will always say that about their man, but I am dead serious!!  He is one in a million!!  My daughter and I are VERY lucky girls!! 
We will be finding out the sex of the baby in the the next few weeks!  I need to know so I can be prepared.  Vince wants to know REAL bad.....its actually funny to hear his excitment.  lol..   He's so cute.

I started back to working out again....feels great.  I will be posting workouts/exercises during the pregnancy and after pregnancy  (getting body back into shape).  This is great for Aspen to see mommy working out, as she will likely do the same.  She already comes to my bootcamp classes when vince works late and I dont have anyone to watch her, and she does what the ladies do,,....so cute and funny.  She even rolls out her yoga mat to do abs on!  She sets it up in between the ladies mats.  I'll have to videotape or take pics sometime.  She's asking to go again this week, but it is kinda late for her as shes in bed by 7:30pm, and I dont get home till 8pm.  But those days where my neice cant watch her cause she has class, and my sisterinlaw cant as she does live a half hour away, our only other option is that I have to take her to bootcamp.  Its late but she does love it......its a lot of work for me though!,,,,,

Get this one,.....last week, Vince didnt find out till 4pm that there was NO WAY he was going to be home on time ( i leave the house, latest, 5:45pm to get to Port Perry for 6:30pm).  My neice has class late that night, and my sisterinlaw had plans.  So we are stuck!!  Aspen only had a 20 min nap and was up early so that means she would be going to sleep around 7pm and NOW i have to take her to bootcamp which is WAY past her bedtime.  We jsut finished swimming, got in the truck and thats wehn vince called.  Its now 4:30pm, and if Aspen is coming to bootcamp I need to HURRY and get home and pack everything!!  So i rush home but its 4;30 and now its traffic and the roads are slow ( the storm just left but roads are messy).  I get home from swimming by 5pm and HAVE to have her changed, extra clothes packedm so food packed, a couple toys, AND feed her dinner all in 20 mins!!  Well, I was running behind, got food into her (left over pasta), and left the house by 5:45 which is late as i have to unpack everything when i get there plus unpack and get Aspen settled.
YOU MOMS THAT DO IT ALLwill appreciate this......and understand how hard it is......heres the quick breakdown......leave the house late after packing everything; jsut leave our street; I'm STARVING as i didnt have time to eat, AND im preggo so I NEED to eat; then Aspen needs to pee!!; we stop (which i DONT have time for) at A&W; I rush her in and she doesnt want to go!; I grab a sirlion burger (which is SO bad for the normal person nevermind a preggo- but had to eat); get to bootcamp right at 6:30pm; doors are locked; have to go find superintendent (at the hockey arena) running around looking for the superintendent, with a 2 year old in my arms; get inside finally; set up; girls warm up and start exercises and Aspen has to go to the bathroom; she ends up messing her pants abit; Im running back and forth from the bathroom to the gym room (right across the hall) and tell the girls when to switch exerices; Then Aspen finished on the toilet (poop) and now have to change her dirty pants WHILE i'm teaching class!;  End of class she is tired and cranky (poor little thing); on the way home she doesnt fall alseep but keeps asking to lay down.......I then break down into tears as this was all so stressful,.... running my own business, AND being a full time mom, and not a lot of help......thats when I wish my mom was still here!!!  SHE WOULD BE ALL OVER ASPEN AND THERE TO HELP ALL THE TIME!!!!  Aspen would have had a wonderful grandma.  Of course my dad is FANTASTIC with her (and calls almost everyday to see how things are) but wouldnt really know what to do.(old european - women did everything) 

PHEW....what a hectic 4 hours!  lol

But Vince and I manage with jsut the two of us!  Its VERY hard and hectic but we manage with the cards we were dealt. 

Nina xo

Pregnancy and Starving!!!

K I am now 3.5 months prego!  I am going through everything EXACTLY the same as the first pregnancy!  Now I dont mind the tiredness, or the exhaustion.  The nausea, wow....but the WORST is that some days and most evenings I am STARVING!!!!!!!!  STARVING like you wouldnt believe!! 

You that starving feeling you get when you have missed a meal and its been HOURS since you ate last and you could eat your arm you are SO FREAKIN hungry!!  Thats how I feel!!  And no matter WHAT I eat, it DOESNT fill the void!  Thats the worst part.  So I have to watch I dont over eat.  Its like a bottemless pit!  lol  Actually its not that funny. 

Now I know some of you will say "but you have to feed baby".  Yes you need a couple extra hundred calories, which is something small.  But when I can eat a bowl of pasta, toast with PB and honey, shake, drink more water, etc, and NOTHING fills that void, thats a little too much food for your body.  Just a little. lol  So i make sure I get enough food in for my body and baby, and then eat a couple hours later (sometimes closer cause i cant handle the hunger pains!).

Crazy!  Not sure if anyone else has experienced this.  This happened with the first pregnancy!! 
So you wil probably be seeing me posting more recipes as I will be experimenting with foods....cause im so hungry.

......it should pass soon though .....if its like the first pregnancy.

Nina xox

New Years Resolutions....Why Do They Fail?

After working many years in a gym and seeing the gyms get PACKED in January and start to die off in February, and basically back to normal in March, I've come to a conclusion.....THERE'S NO BALANCE

People will start at the gym, not really knowing where to start or what to do, they have this focus everyday of their Resolution and how they NEED to go everyday!  So their whole focus is on the gym and working out....their New Years Resolution!  Then there will be a day they cant fit it in.  Life got in the way.  They miss a day.  They get down on themselves.  They are not seeing results.  Its been a month.  And they give up! 

Why not, instead of making a resolution on getting fit, and all your FOCUS is on 'getting fit', have your resolution be "BALANCE"?!  Dont be hard on yourself.  Fit in some sort of exercise a few days to every day of the week.  If you dont make it to the gym, no worries.  Get out and go for a walk!  Enjoy some time outside playing with your kids.  Get them involved and then will follow your lead and become active!  Dont have all your focus on 'getting fit'.  Enjoy life and have some balance.....go to yoga/go to the gym/get outside, play with your kids/your animals, make some healthy meals, work good hours, get some reasonable sleep, find time to read/listen to music/journal.

When you think about it we need Balance in ALL aspects of our life....Money for example.  When there is no balance what happens....you spend more then what you make which then equals debt!.  And look at nutrition.....you eat more junk or too much fruit or too much carbs and that equals weight gain. 

Balance is Key! 

I see many competitors in the fitness industry with all their focus on getting ready for the shows!  TRAIN, EAT, TRAIN, SLEEP, TRAIN, EAT, etc.  And what happens, they lose friends, lose family, lose themselves....it becomes very lonely.  Trust me cause I've been there!

I started to compete in 2001.  All my focus was on was training and the show.  What else did i have?  Everything revolved around me.  Parties, wedding showers, baby showers, weddings would all come up and I didnt go cause I was 'TRAINING' for a show!  It was until 2005 when I was going for my pro card, I really started to realize things.....I missed out on my cousins wedding which would have been jsut beautiful, and for WHAT!!!  Because I was training for a show??  Come on!!  So I did some soul searching, read some GREAT books and came to a conclusion.....this journey would be a much more enjoyable one if I had BALANCE!!!  And the funny thing was when I realized I needed the balance, show prep became easier and less stressfull, and the show I did (olympia) was the BEST I ever looked!  My training was just as intense but once I was done, My focus wasnt on the training or the show.  I now had balance.

Another part of my life where I lost myself was when I had my little girl!  All my energy and time is with her.  Nothing for me.  No workouts, no enjoying some nice shopping at the mall, or tea with friends, etc.  I was with her 24/7, and if I wasnt, I was teaching my bootcamp class.  So again I feel as though I lost myself again.  Im not grounded.  I dont feel at ease.  Since then I've Signed up for yoga, signing up for a few 5k runs, etc.  BUT IM BACK and I feel like me again!!!!

So there it is, start off the year right....dont focus on ONE thing and ONE THING only!  Find balance in all that you do.  You will have much more enjoyment this way and you will feel more accomplishment!

Nina xo

Here's the Post!

K, so I said there is a long overdue post.....FINALLY here it is.

Its been awhile since I've blogged, Tweeted, Facebooked, etc....but my first update will be the Santa Claus Parade!  I put a float in the Port Perry Santa Claus Parade and it was FANTASTIC!!!!  Thanks to Canadian Tint (Scott Primo) for doing the signs!!  A HUGE thanks to Marie Turner and Cindy Primo (both fellow bootcampers), for helping handing out candy canes and flyers!  I truly appreciate everyones help!!  Next year I have BIG ideas for it!!  SO much fun.

Second Update .....Thanksgiving weekend was a beautiful!  We had our closest friends over for dinner and I absolutely LOVED every minute of it. Such a GREAT time!

Third Update....Halloween was too cute!!  Aspen went to her first Halloween party!! (gotta get pics still from that!).  The kids were SOOOO cute!  Our friend Tanya and Marc and Daughter "C", hosted a Halloween Brunch.....it was fantastic!!!  Aspen wanted to dress up in her tinkerbell costume that she had gotten for her birthday!  ADORABLE!  And for Halloween night we dressed her up as a cat....the costume was a warm one, plus she LOVES cats!  She went trick or treating with her friend Rayleigh....She LOVED every minute!!!  LOL.  Saying trick or treat and then Thank you!!!  My little sweetie!

Fourth update.... Christmas was fantastic!!  Aspen was LOVING it this year.  Such a fun age!!  It was nice that we got together with everyone over the holidays....as it is hard as everyone has other family to see too, so to coordinate it all can get a bit hectic.  But I really enjoyed the holidays!  We also got in a photoshoot with the GREAT Adam Belnap!!  I LOVE his work.  A Play in Whitby, Snow White.  Skating.  And we got to play in the snow for the little while we had it!  Great times and beautiful memories!

Aspen just LOVED what Santa brought her.....Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, and Pluto plush toys!!!!  lol!!  Along with the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!!  She STILL hasnt gotten tired of them.

And my Fifth update.....I am 14 weeks Prego!  This is why i have not been on FB, Twitter, Blogging, etc.  I have been so nausea in the evenings and thats when I get on the computer!  But my energy is coming back slowly, Nausea is almost all gone, and I am feeling ME again!  Phew!!  This pregnancy is EXACTLY like the first one!!!  Vince and i are soooo excited!!!!  And Aspen says Mommy has baby in bellybutton!!  Too cute!! 

I have a couple more updates to do but it has to wait jsut a little bit....until they finalize! ;)

keep checking back.....2012 is going to be ONE EXCITING YEAR!!!!

Nina xo

HUGE Update to come!

Just a quick post to say I WILL be posting a HUGE updated post as I havent been posting in awhile.  Back to informative information, personal opinions, fun kids things, yummy recipes, great workouts that can be done at home!, etc.

check back shortly!

Nina xoxo