charmed & blessed

Loved the positive momentum from this little project of mine that I started 9/12/24

https://charmedandblessed.blogspot.com/2024/09/happiness-project-2024-100-days.html?m=1

I decided to keep this going and start a new batch of 100 + more happy days to bring into 2025.

Will pick up where I left off and take it day by day again.

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Day 1, 12/21/24: Today was what I would describe as our Super Bowl in that the annual collaborative toy drive with Believe Holy Spirit and Eden Youth Center took place.

We served over 500 families today and each child that came through came home 🏡 with a toy of their choosing.

It was a HUGE team and community effort in having so many toys to distribute and so many helping hands with big hearts who gave of their time today and throughout our toy drive events. THANK YOU to everyone who made this event as successful as it was. We appreciate each and every one of you 🤗

Struck up a nice friendship with a little girl named Kayley who last year loved 🥰 my elf 🧝‍♀️ hat so I gave her mine and bought another one. She came back this year, with her elf hat on and wanted to take a photo together 😍 Such a sweetheart 💗

Thank you Councilwoman Angela for supporting and coming out today as well. We appreciate all you do for our local community 🫶

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays friends. May God bless all of us, our homes, our communities, and our families

🙏🏽 🎄💗🌟

Day 2, 12/22/24: Workouts 💪 and shopping 🛍️ done today ✌️

Day 3,12/23/24: Gavin’s appetite is increasing significantly and so has his height and weight. At 14 years old he stands at 5’8 3/4. Gigi says all she sees me doing is cooking for him and I told her he’s going through a growth spurt and that I’ve seen this before when he was a baby. Big boy is getting bigger 💪

Rushed home 🏡 from the gym to make sure my growing boy is fed right 👍 Nothing beats home made💗

Gigi on her way to a Christmas 🎄 potluck and gift exchange with friends. She personalized this gift bag by adding printed sticker photos of her friends.

Day 4, 12/24/24: Started a new Teenage Christmas Eve morning🎄 tradition at our house 🏡 Home made breakfast of fresh biscuits, turkey, eggs, and of course, gravy to tie it all together. This year Gigi added to it and made chocolate 🍫 covered strawberries 🍓. After we eat they open presents at the table with their Christmas reindeer beanies that light up 🤓 It’s a beautiful 🤩 and simple tradition that can be added upon and made a little better each year. Fancy simple goes a long way 🌟 Happy Merry Christmas Eve friends 🥰 May God continue to bless us all 🙏🏽

Day 5, 12/25/24: Merry Christmas Everyone 🎄🌟🙏🏽❤️🎁 Wishing you all good health, joy, success today and in the New Year 🧚‍♀️🥰💫✨🫶.

Gigi and her friend Cordell have been accountability buddies making creative content everyday this whole winter break and she shared a very happy poem she wrote yesterday that she said I could share here. Love it 😍👏🫶🧚‍♀️

My teenagers appeased me and allowed me to dress them how I envisioned. Thanks guys, besitos 😘😘

My mom was in a smiley let’s-take-pics this holiday season (not her baseline behavior btw lol 😂.) It was very nice to see 😍

This pose turned out great because the boys put us together like this. Probably one of our best holiday pics 👏

Liz’s lemme-tickle-you-with-my-charm photographer skills 📸 really stepped up this year. She was very theatrical 🎭 and made us laugh 😂 even our mom.

It’s bout to go dowwwnnn

They grow so fast! I want to remember this 📸

Christmasing with the fam

Our theme this year was red or green. Check out the green 🌲 crew 🌟

Beautiful 🤩 Mamas and their new Babies

Cuzzoooos 🫶🫶

Stylish mama 💗

Got this let’s go dinosaur🦕 excavating kit and pretend we’re paleontologists for my nephew Lyle. My mission is to cultivate the nerdyliciousness 🤓 early 🤗 on. It was **work** digging while he’s practicing his fine motor skills and focus. He’s like auntie, I should not give up right?! Yes honey hard work is totally 💯 fun 🤩

Day 6, 12/26/24: Teaching this super intelligent and handsome puppy 🐶 how to be calm around squirrels 🐿️ in the backyard. This is new for him 🥰

Day 7, 12/27/24: I gotta give it up to our family’s personal shopper / stylist🎨🎭🖌️🖼️ 🛍️ for always upgrading us. I come into her styling parlor and come out a whole nother vibe. This black on black with gold zip down accent is a swanky Lululemon lounge fit from no other than my stylish Mama 🫶Dakal Salamat pu keng kalungtagan yu👗😘💗🌷🥰Buri ku pu ini a lot 😚🤓😎😉

Day 8,12/28/24: Good team hustle today 👍 Proud of our guys 🌟 Keep working 👏 🫶🏀⛹🏻❣️

Day 9,12/29/24: Happy 😊 Sunday 🌷Gigi and killed it at the gym today and she is getting some muscle 💪 gains because she’s been consistently working out for about two months now. Check it:

While she did her own thing I hit the bags for some boxing and a nice gentle man I met before left so I can work on two bags vs one. I usually like hitting all the bags but today was a weekend so I had to share 😝

After I did bag work I did a full body HIIT in the training area.

Afterwards, we had an impromptu Moms and Daughters hang out with Emma and her mom Amie who took us out to watch Moana 2. We had a blast and I L💗VED Moana 2 actually more than the first and can’t wait to watch it again❣️

Thank you Emma and Amie for such a fun girl’s outing❣️

Day 10,12/30/24: I want Gavin and his team to continue growing to become stronger, more cohesive, accurate, and consistently good basketball 🏀 players individually and together. The potential and the talent is definitely there❣️

Day 11,12/31/24: I listen to lectures throughout the day while doing low brain effort activities that require physical activity so that I can stay sharp because learning makes me really happy 😊✨💗🥳

Like just now, I had to stop what I was doing to research two words I'd never heard of that I learned from Dr. Orion Tariban.

He is one of my fave docs because the way he explains and executes his lessons is like that of a scientist (precise) and an actor (engaging) as he is theatrically trained. I find the execution of his content compelling, fun to listen to, and absorbable 👏🫶🤓👍

Here is the link of the episode that prompted this post and the two new words I learned from him are:

(1) "Lassitude," -noun and (2) "fungible," -adjective.

Let me apply my learning now by using them here so that I can make some more brain synapses that will create dopamine and make me smile 😃

Lassitude:

"In this last day of the year, I hope you leave behind states that debilitate you from moving forward, as this lassitude will not bring you closer to your goals."

Fungible

"May you have the kind of personality, work ethic, and personal affect that is not fungible as you are a compelling, beautiful, and competent human being that cannot easily be fungible."

Day 12, 1/1/25: Yoloooo ❣️Happy 1st 🥇 day of a brand spanking New Year. Like whhhuuuttttt it’s finally twenty twenty five 🥳 The kids and I finished the old year strong 💪 and this energy continued and we put it out on this first day.

Slept in a bit and had a substantial Filipino breakfast of fish 🐟, salted duck 🦆 egg, with tomatoes 🍅 and rice 🍚.

We trained in hills today and enjoyed a nature walk ⛰️ at Coyote Hills and a nice family gave us their parking 🅿️ ticket as they were driving out. It was a cool exchange and I’m glad I had my window down and was paying attention 💁🏻‍♀️

I failed trying to do the same on our way out multiple times so now it’s a lil souvenir for the day 🌷

I like the inclines here. Runnable so we did a little to train our bodies this natural way with varied terrain.

My wolf 🐺 pack lol 😜 Woof 🐶

Great vantage point and photo by Gigi.

Cumulus looking clouds add texture to photos. No rain so yay 🌞

She got a good incline pic here 👍

Kids and their Big Dawg 🐺 Great looking subjects that happen to be mine 💗💗💗

That was our warm up then hit the gym for all our own workouts. Gavin did a full body workout, Gigi trained legs, and I boxed and danced.

We did healthy stuff we all loved 🥰 and now we’re waiting for our food so I’m blogging while killing time.

Our food is here so hasta la mañana amigos y amigas. Happy 2025🥳

Day 13, 1/2/25: I love 💕 surprising strangers where they completely on their own, feel compelled to share their delight with me ✌️🤓

Like today, I was walking to the building where my in person meetings were held and a random stranger walking the opposite direction loudly retorted:

“Oh. Mah. Gawwwd! You look damn goooood!”

lol 😂 His shocked 😳 verbal declaration made me internally chuckle, so I responded respectfully:

”Thank you Sir. Happy New Year and have a wonderful day.”

Politeness is an old fashioned way of being that shows (1) self respect and (2) respect for others of which I think our fast paced modern world needs more of.

Doling this out is a good thing for society, in my humble opinion.

Day 14, 1/3/25: Stopped and enjoyed the murals today. Happy Friday 💗

Day 15, 1/4/25: Waiting for our gym to open. Open open open 🤳 💅🦆💁🏻‍♀️🌟🌷💗 Busy Saturday for us gotta get it in ✅

Done ✅

Sunk that 🏀🗑️⛹🏻👍

Strong 💪 dudes

Thanks for coming to watch Gavin play Lyle💯

This one needs a Malatown Detox lol 😂 She loves it here too much 💕

Day 16, 1/5/25: We had a very good Sunday 🕊️🙏🏽🥰💗

Got in our workouts and wanted to focus on a long cardio session day.

Put in 8.5 miles on the bike 🚲 at the gym to get the heart pumping and blood flowing.

Took some measurements to get a baseline of where my body is currently so that I can keep building muscle and an overall leaner physique.

Also took advantage of the great weather today and got in a 2 city outdoor run 🏃🏻‍♀️ from our gym in Hayward and ran to Union Landing and back.

I was telling my brother Lyle how amazing it felt to be able to do an outdoor jog with minimal stopping and throw in some nice burst of short sprints as my body allowed me to do.

Hitting a sub 8 minute mile pace during my short sprints felt amazing and I am very grateful to feel my stamina and power in my running 🏃🏻‍♀️ slowly building up again 🙏🏽💕

Later we hung out at my mom’s for food and family time. Little Lyle and Lenny are the cutest 🥰🥰

And of course so is Mama’s Roawd dawg, Rosie ❣️

See y’all mañana 🕊️✌️✨🏃🏻‍♀️

Day 17, 1/6/25: We were all on our game today, from meal prepping, to school, work, workouts, and extracurricular activities etc.

Gavin’s team dominated tonight as they were the more accurate and defensively stronger team. It was exciting to see our boys push themselves from start to finish.

Gigi and team got to meet the former mayor of Union City through their volunteer work today. Many exciting positive projects are underway to empower the local youth.

Day 18, 1/7/25: Gorgeous day for some hill training today🏞️ 🙏🏽🏃🏻‍♀️✌️

Day 19, 1/8/25: I personally enjoy feeling like my own sunshine 🌞 so I vibe out in my stylist’s chair every few weeks to get 💇‍♀️ my hair done how I like it.

Color treated hair needs to taken cared of and babied 👶 My stylist has instructed me how to do this and I’ve cultivated a day to day process to keep my crown 👸🏻 vibrant, healthy, and growing 🌼🌱🌿💗

See? That’s all natural 🌱 hair growth 👍

Tanya does the bleaching process where it’s not bothersome to my scalp.I came prepared and meal prepped because it takes 3+ hours to get the whole system down pat ==> Set the bleach/process it/rinse it/set the toner/cook/rinse/trim/dry.

👩🏻‍🍳 Cooking in the “oven”

Tada 🎉 Shes done ✨👑✌️🌼 Thank you Tanya 🌷

Invest 📈 in your most valuable resource:

✨YOU✨👸🏻🥰🏃🏻‍♀️🏞️🕊️👩🏻‍🍳

Day 19, 1/9/25: Protect your peace my loves💕 🙏🏽🕊️🏞️by protecting your attention and your time 🕰️ Allow people to learn you and ignore what’s NOT moving your day forward. Stick to your plan and most of all WORK your plan.

The squat is not an exercise but a resting position. Modern humans think and move otherwise. Here I’m practicing strengthening the whole lower body system and toes 🩰 for maximum “hang” time.

Hands, fingers, and limbs need to be activated daily or they’ll brittle and get weak. We don’t want that. Don’t skip the heavy bags if you don’t have gloves. Just go 🏃🏻‍♀️

Day 20, 1/10/25: Happy Aloha Friyay blogosphere 🌎 🕊️🙌✌️ Our meal 🥘 prep game is strong 💪 baby💗 Have a blessed one everyone 😇

Day 21, 1/11/25: I enjoy listening to humans smarter than me who have done their own work and are spreading that good around. Dr. Jordan B. Peterson is one of those humans 🌎 🕊️🙌✌️One of my favorite lessons from him is the following:

Day 22, 1/12/25: 10:57 am: Revving myself up for a three (3) city run/walk/jog today. The thought of it excites and scares me because I don't remember the last time I did this. My plan is to run to Costco so I will naturally hit Fremont, Union City, and Hayward. Then I will stop and eat. Then I will decide to Uber back or not. Baby steps. Be back to report how things went. Peace out 🕊️🙌🏃🏻‍♀️🤩

5:27 pm: I am currently (1) enjoying my “post race” meal 🍽️ that my son lovingly prepared for me (thanks honey you’re the best🌷) (2) blogging in bed, and (3) responding to text messages. Yes, I thoroughly enjoy multitasking where it makes sense and don’t feel like a scattered mess lol 😆

Lets chat about todays long walk/run/jog before I forget all details tomorrow because these moments are fleeting and don’t need to be stored in long term memory other than the details I write ✍️ about here.

First city sign I hit up was Fremont at around 2.2 miles here’s proof.

I ran with Nike Air Max 270 lifestyle trainers 👟 and they held up well. When I discovered these shoes I fell in love so I bought four pairs in the color combinations that I liked.

Next sign 🪧Union City was only 4 minutes away, the second city which was a nice 👍 and “easy” win lol 😆 I mapped out this route so I get motivated early and keeps me motivated to keep going.

Getting to the third sign 🪧 post was not easy and felt like forever to get to Hayward at 5.21 miles.

Got a burst of energy when I got to my finish line 🏁 at Costco at 5.87 miles so naturally I kept going 🏃🏻‍♀️

By 2:00 pm at 7.77 miles, I reached my lactic acid threshold and only walked from there and did occasional leg ups to distribute the lactic acid more evenly and not get “lead legs.”

Fatigue was slapping me around around the 9.92 mile mark and I almost stopped at the bus stop to take public transit or call an Uber but I pushed through. I was too close to double digit mileage all on my own human volition, without wheels, and on my feet 👣 so I decided not to be a sissy and stop.

Then I got another energy boost when I saw my home 🏡 city sign at around 10.10 miles.

Almost home so was getting giddy so I wanted to remember this and took a pic ✌️

Clocked ⏰ in 11.73 non stop miles on foot 👣 at 3:33 pm and felt super accomplished 🏁🕊️✍️🏃🏻‍♀️

K. I’m done 🏃🏻‍♀️✅ See ya’ll mañana 💗👸🏻🌎✌️

Here are a few pages from Dr. Sheehan's book, The Essential Sheehan, that expresses this idea of play quite nicely:

And another excerpt that talks about two types of physical energy. One that is magical and playful and another that is mundane and obligatory.

With all that said I hope hope you get out there, connect with others, get moving, and find YOUR PLAY!!

Before long, you will find yourself invigorated and inspired once again.

Happy weekend friends!

Day 23, 1/13/25: 2:15 pm: Happy 😃 Monday. Hope your day is going well whatever time you are seeing this. For me, it’s another at the gym blogging post.

To aid my muscles in recovering yesterday, I took a hot salt bath 🛀 and rolled out with a foam roller. Today my legs felt good and nimble with minimal soreness. I want to keep the recovery on an upward trend 📈 so I focused on mobility training and an active recovery type workout today. So far so good 😊 Thank you 🙏🏽 God for all that my body can do💗

Day 24, 1/14/25, 10:20 am. Show 🎟️🎪me your brave and I’ll show you mine. Go get it and conquer your day everyone💪🌟That’s what I’m doing. Happy Tuesday ya’ll 🤠🐎🏃🏻‍♀️

Day 25, 1/15/25, 9:21 am Gavin and his team dominated yesterday against Newark. Great job guys 👏👍❤️☄️

Day 26,1/16/25 😃✌️😊 The basketball 🏀 ninjas 🥷🏽 handled business well today. Great job fellas 👏

Day 27, 1/17/25 Bang ‼️ bang ‼️ watch out now. My cool a$$ doctor gave me a bunch of free contact lenses today so now I can see someone’s face clearly from one end of a Costco to another and read body language from far as well. I should really be a spy 🕵️‍♀️ or long distance sniper *pew* x 2 🔫lol 😂 Happy 😃 Aloha 🌺 Friyay and MLK weekend everyone 🌟 Hope you enjoy it❣️

Day 28, 1/18/25 Sunset nature walk 🌅 Happy Saturday 💛🐶🐾

Day 29, 1/19/25 Off to an early and active start for all us today. Gavin had basketball training, I worked on mobility / dance choreography, and Gigi placed in her speech tournament. Happy blessed 😇 Sunday friends 💕

I counted 18 instances of roaring audience laughter and 3 tender “aww” tender hearted moments of connection. The dynamic duo of Gigi and Noah most definitely delighted audiences with their performance tonight. Congratulations and well done you two 👏👏

Day 30, 1/20/25 Happy MLK day everyone. I hope you keep blossoming wherever you are planted 🪴🌱🌻🌷

My mom and I were delighted to see these blossoms because these plants have moved with her and my dad, have been replanted numerous times, and this is the first time they are blossoming. Bellísima 💕💖💞💗

I went to Dale hardware today and found it to be a breath of fresh air compared to the other, bigger tool stores.

First, it’s closer to home and so much more digestible aesthetically in how it is organized. I bought what I needed and was greeted with helpful and knowledgeable employees. (I’m never going back to the other places from now on.)

Anyhow, today I taught myself how to uninstall burnt out overhead light fixtures in my kitchen and replace them with newer LED fixtures without YouTube and did it the old fashioned way of trial and error. I am so freaking proud of myself because this task was super duper not easy !! I am sure my old man 👴🏽 in heaven was with me because I had a lucid dream of him last night helping me babysit my future grand children like he did with his own grandchildren when he was alive. Thank you Papa🌷 Now I can add this to my resume lol 😂 Be blessed and loved 🥰 ya’ll. See you mañana ✌️

Tada 🎉😁🥳🤨💪 I fixed my own lights💡

Day 31, 1/21/25 I love grappling with ideas 💡 and ways of living to become a better human. I believe whatever I can learn and embody, the better off my children and bloodline will be because they will have in their own home a living and breathing example of a happy, productive, positive, and God-loving mother. Living in this manner fuels me and is one of the greatest purposes of my life. My prayer this year is to gain more wisdom and understanding in everyday moments as they unfold.

Proverbs 4: 1-9 is one of my favorite verses because there’s a lot packed in there and it’s not superfluous or random.

Like today I had to dig, define, reflect, and write about this✍️.

So, based on the above definitions wisdom is an ability that fuses information of all kinds (technical, sensory, intuitive, and experiencial) that come together in a way that the action that is taken is of the highest and best outcome based on that ability.

One definition of understanding could then be the ability to decipher how all these disparate pieces come come together from start to finish adding each element at the right time and in the right quantity.

That’s all from me today💕Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day🌞

Day 32, 1/22/25 I decided to break up with Bread 🍞 yesterday 😢🤨 Last month it was IG + FB. This is not a forever thing ♾️but it’s what’s necessary and on the chopping block this month🔪I hope you are doing hard things and crushing it 💪💞 LFG😘✌️

Day 33, 1/23/25 I love leather 🥰 That’s all 😁 Have a snappy day🫰

Day 34, 1/24/25 It was a very productive and positive week. Work projects and home projects progressing at a good clip and kids doing well in school and their chosen activities. Have a wonderful weekend everyone 🌷👍🌞💞

Day 35, 1/25/25 I met this beautiful entrepreneurial family (Grama, mom, & kids) selling children’s books 📚 and hard bound journals 📒 at Logan’s MLK Competition last week. All their products were well made and aesthetically pleasing. Since I’ve been looking around for a hard bound food journal since last year 📔 I was overjoyed 😍 to find one💘 I got their contact so I will be a repeat customer of theirs for sure 👍 Here’s a pic of it and No,I’m not sharing what I write ✍️ in there (duh 🙄) because that’s my business 👩🏻‍💼 not yours lol 😆✌️😜 Good news is 📰 by using it I did drop 4 pounds easy..say whhaaaattt🎉🎉🎉🎉Woot woot 🤸🤸🤸to not getting fat 💘💘💘**hugs** 🤗🤗🤗

Day 36, 1/26/25 I 🙋🏻‍♀️ am learning how to fix and repair small things 🔨 around my house 🏡 and today I fixed a broken arm of a kitchen drawer that had been broken for years. I put my leather motorcycle 🏍️ gloves on for maximum grip and popped that bad boy in place like a broken elbow. The drawer is functional now💪 Just call me Miss Fixes-a-lot 😎 Happy 😊 Sunday, have a blessed one 😇

Off the rail living is not good for an arm drawerIt was stubborn and fought back but I popped it back in. Now its back to its purpose to serve its proper role now 🎯She did that ⬆️✔️💅🎀

Day 37, 1/27/25 Waddup, waddup. Happy Monday❣️This cute employee at Costco was like “Aren’t you cold? I was like, “No, I just came from the gym and I’m still hot.” They’re like, “PERIOD!” Lmao 😂 These young bucks. Gotta love ‘em and their young buck talk 🐎

Speaking of young bucks 🐴🐴, here are recent pics of mine 🥰🥰

Gigi got the golden 🔑 for semi-finaling and finaling in her speech competitions this weekend.Gavin gaining more strength 💪 and competence 🏀 in his chosen activity.

The kids and I are on this winning mindset and we want our loved ones to catch it so TAG you’re it 🏃🏻‍♀️🤗🌟💘😘

Get itttttttttttt 🎯🎯🎯

Day 38, 1/28/25 Ratatataatttaat 🥊Tat tat 🥊🥊🥊 Love making them dance 🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻Throw your weight around and show them who’s in charge 💪 ok? Para mi? Por favor 🤗 See ya mañana🌞 Grrr 🦁✌️lol

Day 38, 1/29/25 Your favorite hybrid Asian firecracker 🧨 wishes you a Happy Lunar Year 🧧 Peace ✌️ Love ❤️ and Blessings 🙏🏽

Breaking news 6:53 pm📰: Logan Men’s Basketball 🏀 beat Moreau (again) babbbyyy❣️Well done FELLAS. That was a hell of a game 🕺🏻🏀✌️❤️

Day 39, 1/30/25 Very nice family dinner with the kids and my mom.

Day 40, 1/31/25 Early start for a busy weekend for us. Happy 😊 Friday everyone❣️Hope you are doing what you love 💕

Day 41, 2/1/25 Happy 1st 🥇 day of this second month of 2025 💕 I love taking stock of my wins and accomplishments at the end and beginning of the month to access where I’ve been, where I am, and where I am going 🗺️

Yesterday, my trainer measured me and I am happy to report 📰 that my body composition is positively changing in that I have dropped 3% of body fat which means I have been consistently building more muscle 💪 I was so happy 🥰 I literally was jumping up and down because I did indulge 🙈in rich foods over the holidays so to hear this was music to my ears.

With that said, I invite you to continue reaching for your goals and build positive things in your life that yield positive returns 📈 Muscle 💪 is 💯 one of my favorite assets because it makes the whole human system function better and is only gained through hard work and consistency.

We got this❣️Let’s get to it 🎯

Heavy things are our friends 💛 Working with them makes us stronger, faster, and better 🌻

Day 42, 2/2/25 Happy Sunday Lovelies❣️I went shopping 🛍️ with my mom and aunt today and found the BEST new hair accessory ever. It’s like eyelashes but for your crown 👑

I wanted to create a balayage undertone so I opted for these invisible extensions that are secured with a single band that almost feels like a flexible fishing 🎣 line (very easy, comfortable, w/ no clips or strips).

Alternatively, a popular brand called halo 😇 is priced at $212 a box and these ones I found are a whopping $49 a box💕Also, I gave them a trim to layer with my natural length and bam 💥 I got a Ginger Blonde Balayage Upgrade ❤️‍🔥 💇‍♀️This is a total hair hack and an easy way to glam up any crown 👸🏻

Check it:

Day 43, 2/3/25 Happy 1st 🥇Monday to you. Jumping on the early morning train 🚊 to get our 5 am fasted gym sessions this week 🗓️ Thank you James for inspiring us, and Sharon for kicking my butt 🙏🏽🥊💪💃🏻

On a side note 📝 this good boy 🐶 says hi 👋🏽 everyone have a wonderful day 💝

See ya’ll mañana💕

Day 44, 2/4/25. Day 2 of 5 am’ers. Goal is 5 this week. It’s been a nice challenge to my gym routine to get my fasted cardio/HIIT done, start my day earlier, and max out daylight hours. On days I have personal training, I come in twice a day. So far, I’m ok with this added load because my sleep 😴 is locked in 🥰 Be healthy and well friends🌻

Day 45, 2/5/25. Good morning 🌞 Let’s make it a good one ☝️ Day 3 of 5 am’ers done ✅

Protein packed lunch 🥗 hack thanks to In-n-Out and a little planning. That’s my favorite packaged salad at $3.49 per bag. Those are fresh plain (no salt) beef patties for dogs *woof* 🐶🐾😆 At $1.50 per patty this is about 2 meals for me✌️This high protein, high veggie yield is a hack because it is fresh, on the go, healthy, and priced well at $9.24 (($3.49+$15) ➗2) per meal. Here’s to eating well while out n about 🫶

Kids say hey 👋🏽

Day 46, 2/6/25. Good morning🌞 Day 4 of 5 5 am’ers in the bag 💼 Have a wonderful day 💕

Day 47, 2/7/25. Good morning🌞 Day 5 of 5, 5 am’ers are done'zo! I'm gonna try and pass along what I did today because it was a very well balanced power workout that I was able to do fasted first thing in the morning at around 5:10 am.

Warm up:

I found this to be necessary because I didn't have any caffeine in me so I had to produce energy on my own by moving my body. 15 minutes did the job and I was able to move along nicely onto the main segment.

Power HIIT: (main segment)

So I added the word Power because there are strength training elements in this HIIT workout I normally don't do together but was compelled to because I wanted to feel that muscle PUMP! lol ;-) Here are pics and I will do my best to explain the sequence I did them.

1. Bridge exercise w/ the battle ropes. Take the ropes by hand, use leverage, and bend over backwards as far you can with the goal of touching your head to the ground making a "bridge" with your body. I absolutely love this move and touching the ground with my head feels like a "touchdown" lololol.

2. Battle it out with the ropes. I like full extension whips up and down for 20 reps.

3. Take the dumbells and do walking lunges toward the strong board and leave them there. 10 reps

4. Align yourself optimally atop the big red ball and do push ups while keeping your balance. 10 reps

5. Take those dumbells and do weighted punches with them while walking them over and bringing them to your starting point. 10 reps

6. Get on the other strongboard while balancing yourself with a 15 lb medicine ball near the TRX structure. Use one arm to carry the medicine ball, while the other arm you are using to get on the strongboard in a balanced manner. Now do deep squats while holding the medicine ball close to your core. Inhale while you go down on the deep squat and exhale while pushing the medicine ball out perpendicular to the ground, then back to starting position, all while maintaining your balance on the strongboard. 10 reps

7. Do RDLs. Two 35 lb plates on the bar. Cleanly with good form. 8 reps

8. Do basic swings w/ 35 lb kettlebell. Cleanly with good form. 10 reps

9. Hip thrusts the old fashioned way. You'll need to use a bolted down bench, bar, two 45 lb plates. Don't do this if you've not been properly trained to do it. My trainer taught me how to do this properly and ppl glance over and look at me like yo wtf is she doing? lol This is an advanced movement in the setting up of it, the doing it, and the breaking down of it. It's heavier work, unassisted, unlike the Smith machine lol

10. Last one. Find a squat rack. Load it up with a good weight for you. I did two 25 lb plates. Go for 10 reps with good form. That's it.

Cool down:

Walk slow, wash up, and freshen up lol ;-) Congratulate yourself for kicking your own a$$!

Day 48, 2/8/25. Happy Saturday 💝 This guy is learning self soothing skills while Gigi and Noah rehearse loudly lol 😆 He’s so cute 🥰 even if he’s a little stressed out 😂 Puppy 🐶 gotta grow and learn 🫶🐾

Day 49, 2/9/25. Happy Sunday 🌞 Found this cute guy on our lawn today.

I found out he’s a runner 🏃🏽 so I had to lure him with turkey.

He loved it so I was able to put a leash on him and we walked the neighborhood to find his home 🏡

Went door to door and found his mom who was very relieved to see him 🥰 Have a wonderful upcoming week everyone 💕

Day 50, 2/10/25. Wow it’s already halfway through this project. This Monday was a good and full one. Pics I wanna remember today:

Day 51, 2/11/25. Happy Tuesday ❣️Gavin passed along this great candid team shot to me. Let’s go Colts ❤️🐴🤍

Day 52, 2/12/25. Good morning sunshines 🌞🌞🌞🌞 Let’s make it a good 👍 one 💝

2:37 pm

Guys. Let's have a lil mid day chat 💬

I was at the Safeway parking lot, looked to my right, and saw a firetruck. As I approached the store not one but three fire fighters greeted me hello like they knew me. Very amicably and one of them engaged in good natured banter with me.

He was like, "Miss how tall do you think I am?

I had to stop because he asked an honest question and wanted my opinion. I placed myself squarely in front of him, looked him up and down, and said "five foot ten."

The two other fire fighters oooooo'd and said, "she's gooood!"

The five foot ten guy was like "the lady in there said I look six foot."

To that I looked him in the eyes and said, "Nope, but you're still cute. Have a nice day fellas."

2/12 Lesson of the day: Leave people better than they found you. That way you'll leave a positive imprint that they can carry around with them :-)

Day 53, 2/13/25. Getting hammered with lots of rain ☔️ today. Gigi and forensics team got to Boston safely for a speech tournament and Gavin’s team won their basketball game yesterday. Also, our cheerleaders 📣 are talented and delightful to watch. Great 👍 job across the board Logan👏 Proud of you all and be safe everyone ❣️🙏🏽❤️✨

Day 54, 2/14/25. My kids don’t know this but I have purposely and positively been molding them since they were born not to become my mini me’s but rather to become what God is calling them to be.

A formative experience I gave them was when they were attending elementary school at Forest Park. I took my passion for fitness and family and put it into a fun after school program we taught together for three years. This had multi beneficial social and emotional learning for them.

They learned how to be comfortable being in the spotlight and in servant-leadership roles. They learned how to positively interface with all members in our school community. And they also learned that being positively engaged in their own lives is the only path toward success.

All that said, here are some fun blast from the past pics from our Family Fitness Classes we taught together. I called the class “fitness” but they were actually choreographed dance classes with a fitness twist.

Our vibe was not Zumba and definitely cooler 😎 because they were popular classes with the kids. As an instructor, my goal for the children was to give them the skills and confidence to move their bodies in joyful ways to music. 💃🏻🩰🕺🏻👟

My hope is that you teach your loved ones to serve with their talents and watch them shine🤩🤩 Happy Valentine’s Day my Loves 💕💕 Enjoy your day🥰🥰

Here’s the original post from 10 years ago

https://thepassionateheroine.blogspot.com/2015/10/family-fitness.html

Day 55, 2/15/25 Worked out early with the crew today and had a nice team breakfast after🌝Hope you all get your workouts in with the people you enjoy ✌️

Day 56, 2/16/25 Happy 😊 Lord’s Day 💕🙏🏽😇🕺🏻🥰💃🏻

Day 57, 2/17/25 Mondays seem to have a way of sneaking up on me and smacking me around 🙄 I just smack back harder and keep chugging along like a bullet train 🚅 Have a good week everyone 🌟💫✨🌟

20 mins boxing 🥊 drills + 20 mins across the floor dancing 💃🏻 drills

20 min HIIT

100 incline sit ups w/ 25 pound plate. I expect to be sore tomorrow

Day 58, 2/18/25 Good morning 🌝 Not sore so came back for more. Plus timing ⏱️ matters cuz that fasted first thing in the morning cardio pump hits different and sets the tone for day. Gonna come back for personal training later so gonna squeeze stuff in between now and then. Have a positive + productive day everyone 💘

Day 59, 2/19/25 This little blog of mine is hitting places like Germany 🇩🇪 Iran 🇮🇷 France 🇫🇷 Singapore 🇸🇬 Austria 🇦🇹 Hong Kong 🇭🇰 Mexico 🇲🇽 Russia 🇷🇺 China 🇨🇳 United Kingdom 🇬🇧 and of course my good ole’ USA 🇺🇸. My workout 🏋️ log 📔 and I say hello 👋🏽 fellow world 🌎 travelers 🧳 Sending love 💕 light 🌟 and strength 💘your way✨💫😊✨💫 today and everyday✌️

Day 60, 2/20/25, Happy Thursday❣️

”In dreams and love there are no impossibilities.”

- Janos Arany, Hungarian Poet

Therefore, we should dream big💭💭💭and love bigger 💘💗💓

Day 61, 2/21/25, I love running into this fit grandpa 👴🏽 who parks, gets out his car, drops off his teenage grand kids, kisses them on the top of their heads, and rounds up his 2-3 dogs for a pack walk 🐺 at the nearby park. Now that’s love 💛 Hope your weekend is filled with it ❣️