Summer Music Hodgepodge

1. Summer officially rolls in with the Hodgepodge this week, for those of us in the Northern hemisphere anyway. What song says summer 2012 to you? Summer 2012? Wow, it's like I get to pick a theme song for my summer, what should I choose? Something that makes me smile, something that makes me think of goals that have been accomplished....How about this one?

 

LOL, ok, ok, I kid. No I am not making the Hot Dog song my new Summer theme. Although technically it does tick all the boxes so to speak. I think that I will go with this one though.





 

2. What's your favorite quintessential summer food? Food, yum, one of my favorite subjects. I would say that my answer to this question has changed over the years. When I was growing up I would have put Ice Cream or Popsicles here without any hesitation. But now I find that I really don't love them as much as I used to. I would say that anything berry is perfect for summer now. Fresh picked berries, cobblers, pies. Yum!

3. I've spent a lot of time traipsing up and down the NJ Turnpike in recent weeks. Did you know the rest areas on the turnpike are named after people who lived or worked in NJ? Clara Barton, Walt Whitman, James Fenimore Cooper, Molly Pitcher, Joyce Kilmer, Thomas Edison, and Gover Clevland just to name a few. Of those I listed, who would you most like to have known and why? That's a pretty interesting list, which person on the list would I have most liked to know and why? Let's see, I would have to pick Molly Pitcher, because I am continually fascinated by the lives of women as they related to the military throughout the years. There have been women throughout history who have exhibited the same bravery and patriotism in war as men but they have been largely ignored by historians, and I love the stories that do get told.

 

 

4. At what age did you move out of your parent's house and what prompted the move? At what age did I spend the majority of my year at another location? Or at what age did I claim another address as my own? Or at what age did I finally get all of my stuff out of the house? Those are three questions with different answers. My parents moved the summer after I graduated from High School and while I had a room at their house, I spent most of my year living in the dorms at Northern Arizona University. So even though most people would say that I was still at home at that time, since I have never spend the majority of a year in that room I have always thought of it more as their house than mine. I moved out and got my own address when I got married the September after graduating from NAU. I moved to England in a suitcase though so I left most of my things at their house, so even though I was married and living on my own I still had a lot of stuff there. In fact now, 9 years later I can finally say that there isn't much that is mine that's left at their house. Or at least not much that I will want to re-claim. I have my college textbooks, some of the history memoirs that I will rescue, but others are probably pretty worthless by now. Also I have the accessories for my American Girls Dolls that I will want. Other than that I think I am finally moved all the way out.

5. What's more satisfying to you-saving time or saving money? For me right now it's saving money. Time I have, money is tight. Being a SAHM Mom has given me a lot of time with my family which I love and which is important, but it has made money tight. So saving money is what I think about.

6. Name something you think brings out the good in people.  Generally I think that seeing someone in need or hurting brings out the good in people, especially if that person is a child. While I never want to see any child hurting, I think that the care and help that people show to children in need is always a good thing.

7. This last question comes to you courtesy of Kathy over at Reflections...will you be taking a vacation or a staycation this summer? If so where will you go? If a staycation is on the calendar have you made any special plans to fill the time? I guess we are doing neither. With the move just being over we dropped the girls off at the in-laws house for the summer, so we will be driving down there at some point in time to pick them up. But the plans for the hubby and I are for him to get settled into work, and for me to find work. Not very vacation-y.

8. Insert your own random thought here. I'm having WAY too much fun on YouTube this morning. I found this after I posted the video of Iz earlier. These boys are fantastic.

 

 

Jammin' Workout June

Without Further Ado. I would like to present the July Workout Challenge. I am really excited about this one because I feel like it offers people more options for personalization than ever before. Here is a quick look at the calender, please save it, share it, or whatever, but also please link back to me or give credit when you share.



This calender is designed to be used one of three ways.

   1) You can just do what is on the day as written for a quick addition to a current workout routine

   2) You can repeat the routine for each day as written 3 times for a full strength workout.
 

   3) You can add in the cardiovascular option listed at the bottom in between your strength exercises for a cross-training effect. And do that 1-3 times for your desired workout. For example if you were to do the cardio option on the 2nd you would do
       15 Plie Squats
       25 Jumping Jacks
       15 Reverse Lunges
       25 High Knees
       15 Mule Kicks
       5 Burpees
       20 Calf Raises
       25 Mountain Climbers
       10 Jump Squats

 

If you would like to join our support and reminder group on Facebook please follow this link. I have some amazing help from Ali Mc who has the blog Running With Spatulas making the instruction videos and admin-ing the group while I was moving last month.

Back again! Finally!

After an whole entire month and a week without internet I am finally back up and running! WooHoo! I am seriously excited, I have missed being able to actually sit down at a real computer and type with a keyboard rather than having to do things from my SmartPhone. I get so frustrated with those little itty-bitty things. And yes I realize that somehow that probably makes me sound a lot older than I am. Oh well. So be it.

The move went really well, or as well as any move with the military can go and we are getting settled in nicely in our new location. I am loving being able to live somewhere with actual weather and a decided lack of gambling. I am not loving all of the in-house wildlife that I am encountering however. The sheer variety of insects here is daunting. Also we apparently have at least one mouse in the house, so as soon as all of the people finish setting up the satellite today I will be heading to the store to get the stuff to kill that problem off.

I will start taking pictures again soon to post for you all to see, how we are getting things all set up and organized, don't worry I won't post any pictures of any mice I am lucky enough to kill.

Now comes the job search, The husband is off to work and the girls are off with family, so I really have no reason not to jump into this search with both feet.... other than the fact that I am petrified to death. I have been a stay-at-home Mom for almost 7 years now, so the whole idea of getting out there and going back to work is a little daunting. Not to mention that I hate being judged and really, what is a job interview other than asking someone to judge you. So that just stresses me out. Anyway, wish me luck.