I tell you I didn't realize how tired I was.  Coming up here to the mountains and just having some down time with my family has been so nice.  It really hit me today how tired I am.  I feel like maybe I should say here for a while to get rested.  I know everyone knows that feeling.  I definitely need to plan more short getaways more often.  I honestly cannot remember the last time I did this for nothing other than to relax. There is nothing like the hot springs. 

I have found out some great news this week.  My father, who has been on the healthy heart eating plan ever since Christmas, went to his annual check up with his heart doctor. He just received his results back and the doctor is completely thrilled.  His Cholesterol which is usually very high every year he goes is down to where the doctor wants them.  He is looking to take him off the long term medication in 6 months if this continues.  I am so proud of my Dad.  I gave him the challenge and he did it. He says, "Tracy this has been a lfe change for me".  How awesome is that.

Psalm 25:5
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4-6

I am so Hopeful tonight.  A couple of weeks ago I was sitting having coffee with a girlfriend and her friend who I never met having some coffee.  My friend's friend was sharing how frustrated she was with her son who had been in a lot of trouble.  Immediately it struck me how overwhelmed she was and how unhopeful she and her son had been.  It was almost like they had given up hope on their entire situation.  I have got to say it has grieved me ever since. 

I remember sharing with you how I went and listened to a bunch of teenagers from Cherry Creek.  I have to say again it was so inspirational.  The one thing they all shared was that there was no hope until there was and that was their turning piont.  I have got to say I have been there with my older children as well as my younger son.  We honestly cannot go there as parents.  We have to trust God with their lives and believe and pray for them for GREAT things.  They have to know that when they look in our faces we see them and we see how great they can be.  I know it isn't easy.  Believe me we have had our unbelievable struggles.  We as parents need to be the HOPE, and give our kids the HOPE for them and their future. 

The next time you see a child, smile and let them see the joy in their face that they are on this earth.  That will speak louder than words. Each child and each person on this earth has a gift.  Give the gift of life. 

This weekend I am spending some time in one of my favorite towns in the mountains.  Glennwood Springs is about a three hour drive from where I live.  It is so pretty.  I will try to take some pictures today and include on the blog.  This is the place my parents brough my sister and I to learn how to swim.  We camped up here a lot.  This place just holds a special place inmy heart. 

There is a beautiful outdoor hotsprings pool hear.  My son calls it the hot pool and cold pools.  We came up here for some relaxation and family time that is needed. 

I am actually up at six on this vacation and headed into the workout room.  I am drinking a cup of coffee having a homemade blueberry muffin fromthe diet and an apple, as I am typing this blog.  I am going to grab a great workout and then off to my room to make a protein drink.  I am doing it and getting there.  It is  my time.

I am learning to seriously take some time for myself.  I have a friend that I have been sharing with that is very wise.  It is important to be careful who you share your inner most feelings with.  It needs to be with someone you trust with wound judgment.  Anyway, she has challenged me to take 30 minutes per day for some down quiet time for myself.  She told me to stop and ask myself what do I need today.  So I am in training.  This is a huge challenge. 

I have been on overdrive for so long.  I have completely come to the conclusion that I have a tendency to just keep going and going to the point I am completely physcially and emotionally wearing myself.  There is no great quality of life.  It is just conquer, conquer, conquer.  It feels very strange to stop and enjoy life.  So wish me luck.  I am grabbing some music, maybe a fun read and just going to relax even if I have to drive to a park and sit.  I am actually really enjoying this. 

I am very happy to say, "I did it."  Man did if feel great.  I got up this morning with purpose.  I woke up and put my workout clothes on before I went downstairs.  Then i had some fruit and a coffee and immediately went down and exercised.  I am so fortunate that my husband supported me in this.  He hung out and waited for my son to come down.  It was great.  

Man I need to definitely get my cardio going again.  20 minutes total today of cardiovascular exercise.  I did a little back and arms today.  Then about 20 minutes of Yoga to get my range of motion and to elongate the muscle tissue.  I felt awesome all day.  Guess what it is on tomorrow. 

I know that this is such a simple thing it would seem.   It is all about taking control.  I hope I am going to overcome this.  I am working hard on it.  I have always been the type of person that just pushes hard forward.  I am always trying to get ahead with my work or whatever comes my way.  One thing that I am realizing is that once I am ahead another thing comes along that I power through.  There is not quality just hard work that never ends.  If I am not careful I am going to get to the end working my life away.   I am learning to stop and enjoy the journey.   

I have to be honest, I am having a tough time getting back on with my training.  I keep saying it is going to happen and it has yet to happen.  I am sorry to say that, but I want to be transparent and honest.  Everything else is falling into place, other than the workouts.  I absolutely love to work out.  I know I am very tired and fatigued because I haven't been working out.  I even told my husband he has permission to get on me if I don't.  I think life has just beat me down a lot this last six months.  But I have to say nothing irritates me more than to admit that.  I am not the victim mantality.  Let me say it again, I am not a victim. 

Stuff happeneds to all of us.  Everyone goes through tough times.  It is up to me not to let it change my priorities and who I am.  I absolutely love what I do.  I love being healthy and in shape.  I don't however love being the person in the fitness industry that isn't walking my talk.  I know I should give myself a break, but if I am not hard on myself and hold myself accountable then who will be.  If I don't get up and get going what are the consequences.  That is something that I definitely don't want.  I want all what have life has for me, but I need to also do my part.  I will let you all know tomorrow.  I am holding myself accountable.  I am going to train in the morning and I am going to email you tomorrow that I did it.  It is time.  No more.

It is now my 250th day on this quest for something better.  I have a date with my husband today while my son is at school.  I just finished up my accounting and I am off.  Then after school we are headed out as a family for some dinner together.  It should be a lot of fun. 

I want to wish everyone out there Happy Valentine's Day.  If you don't have a Valentine, be your own Valnentine and go out and celebrate YOU!  Take a minute and just appreciate and care about YOU.  Life is so precious and we are only here but a blink.  We need to be good to ourselves.  Have a very safe and fun day. 

It is amazing to me how good it feels to be in a good routine, but how easy it can be to fall out of a routine.  I have been doing really good with my eating plan.  I have dropped down to a size 7, but my workouts have been very spiratic. I have got my son on a great routine.  I have a regular routine for volunteering at the school as well as my work schedule.  The only thing that kind of has fallen by the waist side is my workouts.

TOMORROW is the day.  Six am I am getting up having a piece of fruit and coffee, then I am off. 20 minutes cardio, full body weight training and 15 minutes of a great yoga routine.  It is time.  Enough is enough.  I deserve it and I need it.

Sunday is the day that I always speak about my faith because it is such an important part of who I am.  Not to offend anyone, I just cannot leave such an important part out of who I am.  This last week has been a little bit of a hard week.  As a Mom, it is natural to worry about your kids.  Well that was exactly what I was doing and all of a sudden I was reminded of something.  To Trust the Lord that everything is going to be ok with my son.  To believe and pray that good things will happen.  To pray for protection from harm.  I can only do so much, then my faith must kick in.  The Word of God says that if I have the faith of a mustard seed, I could move mountains.

I have to thank my older step-son, Derek, who is now a grown man with a successful career and living on his own.  A few years ago things were not going so well for him. I was thinking back about how I had to put my faith out there with him to trust God with my step-son.  By the way, I don't like the word Step-son, it seems so inpersonal.  What I feel for Derek is something I can never explain.  He is a very special person and I am so proud.  Thank you Derek for the experience in the past.  It has helped remind me how to get through what is now going on in my little boys life.  I was reminded of that and because of you I have peace over my situation and I know that God will always come through.

I truly believe God brought us through that situation with my older son, and He will watch over and bring whatever comes my way with my younger son.  All I need to do is to Trust in Jesus.  He is the way, the truth and the life.   I love you Derek and thank you for being in my life.

 John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Today my husband and I decided to book a trip to Los Angeles, California for two days to go the largest trade show for the fitness industry.  I am going to look at new classes that are hot and new and my husband is looking at what is new in equipment and flooring etc.  The event is in March.  It just is a great event.  Thousands of people coming together around the world that are a part of this fantastic industry.  The energy at this convention center is going to be off the charts.  I am going to take a few new certifications this year and I wanted to check out what is going to be the best options. 

I need to do some serious training before then.  I want to be in top shape when I go.  I am doing ok now, but this gives me some motivation to definitely up my game. Here is my new challenge.  I am definitely getting more balanced with everything that I am juggling so it is now time to intensify the exercise.   Cardio resistance training and Yoga with some pilates reformer in there and I am going to do some plyometric training just to make things a lot more interesting.  Nothing like a trip with some of the top instructors, fitness professionals in the world to get up and get going.  Awesome.