Andrew is 4

Stats - 41 inches, 43 pounds

This smile melts my heart every single day.  Andrew is now 4 years old!  Over the past year he has changed so much...leaving behind his baby face I can see the little boy he is becoming.  He is affectionate and tender hearted.  He wants to be brave but doesn't like to be the center of attention.  He loves to dance and sing...as long as no one is watching.  Andrew loves to play (and exercise like Dad)!  He has had a great year in preschool...making lots of friends with girls and boys, learning lots of letters and numbers and ideas.  One of his favorite things was the volcano unit.  He is still obsessed with Legos.  We took him to the Lego store for his birthday and he picked out the packages with Star Wars characters.  Andrew is a great big brother and I've had so much joy watching as he and Lila grow closer and learn to play with each other more and more.  Andrew thrives on routine.  If we get too busy, he will ask, "can we stay home today?"  He says he wants to be a police man when he grows up.  He loves the "battle" stories from the Bible.  He is now 41 inches tall and 42 pounds.  I wonder....will he be bigger than his daddy?  when will he think he's too old for his Lamby?  when will he begin his personal walk with Jesus?  will he always be tender and affectionate?  how will God use his life?

Happy birthday, Andrew!  You are my sunshine :)  

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Lila's backyard performance

Where do you workout?

Crossfit Katy!

Since high school I have enjoyed working out...sometimes (ha).  I would go to the gym for a few months with fervor and then miss a couple times for some reason and have a hard time getting back.  Mostly I just stayed on a cardio machine...occasionally some weights.  Before I got pregnant with Andrew, I spent a few months working one on one with a trainer.  Then the babies came back to back and I had no consistent activity (exercise that is). When Lila was just under a year old, I was tired of the baby fat and ready to make a change.  I signed up at the YMCA for a few months of a fitness bootcamp.  Through major calorie restriction and 3 full hour workouts a week, I surpassed my goals and felt fairly fit.  This was a great program because I felt accountable to my trainers and the other (mostly) ladies in my group.  But I was totally bored with the predictable workouts after about 6 weeks.  I continued my fitness journey by running and attending a few classes a week at the Y.  One of the major stumbling blocks for me again was boredom.  Nothing could hold my interest for more than a few months.  I was maintaining my weight and had no other quantifiable fitness goals.

The following March, Drew began working out with Neal at Crossfit Katy.  To say that I was reluctant to give it a try would be an understatement.  I honestly had doubts about how effective it could be since the hour classes were not 60 solid minutes of constant movement.  Also every person is individually timed for each workout, I just wasn't sure I was up for the competition.  I finally gave it a try in June.  Drew was very persistent about my giving it a real shot because he was seeing GREAT results and really enjoying his time in the box.  His improvement has been remarkable!  I went a few more times in July and was hooked.  I found that I loved the competition and I had a goal (other than burning 500 calories an hour) with each workout (to finish each workout as quickly as I possibly could).

Now I can't get into The Box enough!  Over the past few months, my goals have evolved.  It feels great to be the first to yell "DONE!" but it feels even better to finish in the middle of the pack or even dead last but know that I've conquered a new skill or max weight for myself.  I've started looking less at my times compared to others and more at my own new weight/time compared to previous similar workouts.  When I started, I couldn't do 10 pushups on my toes.  Monday I did 100!  Last week I got 4 unbroken pull-ups (chin-ups)!  I really didn't think 1 was possible. I can't pretend that I don't still get on the scale.  I don't like that the pull up bar can give me calluses (many Crossfitters see this as a badge) or that my collar bone gets bruised when I do front squats (I just ordered a bar pad).  But I do like that I feel strong.  I don't love getting out of the bed before 5 am to make a few of my workouts, but I do love feeling accomplished when it is done (a feeling I'm often lacking as a stay at home mom).  I love that it gives me just one more thing to thank God for - motivation, healthy body, strong mind.

In case you are interested in giving it a try, here are a few other things I believe make Crossfit Katy well worth your investment.

• Each class is limited to 12 so that the trainers can correct form & monitor your progress.  Also if you have an injury, the trainers are able to give you attention to modify the workouts so that you can continue
• The first workout is free.  I even paid per class my first month when I wasn't sure if I would stick with it.
• Each workout is different and you don't know what you'll be doing until you get there.
• No one is yelling at you, forcing you go harder or faster.  It is a very encouraging atmosphere (but don't get me wrong, it's not hugs and warm fuzzies either).
• There is a mix of male/females.  But there are also a few classes that are female only.
• There is a wealth of fitness knowledge to tap into when you are part of the Crossfit community.  Crossfit.com is a great start.  Each gym is individually owned and operated as an affiliate so each gym runs a little differently.  There are gyms located all over the world or you can follow the workouts from the main website at home.
• Each member keeps a log of your workouts to track your own progress.  It's awesome to compete with yourself!
• Working this hard to make and maintain healthy bodies has made us much more aware of what we are putting in our bodies.  We are taking steps to keep our bodies and our children's bodies healthy for the future.
• Crossfit Katy recently became a delivery location for Yonder Way Farms a wonderful local producer of meat products and milk. 

I could really keep writing for a while, but if you are still reading, I'm sure it's not for long.  Check out the website and give it a try!  

~Random~

A couple of my sweet blogging friends tagged me in a little game of:

 10 Random Things about Yourself

1. I turned the big 3-0 in October.  I think this year is going to be quite significant for me.  Through Bible study, reading Captivating, and just keying in on God's grace and ultimate purpose for me (to love Him), I am peeling back the layers of pretense.  I have a strong desire to be AUTHENTIC and to keep perspective of what REALLY matters.  I feel a need to be the me that God created me to be and "Cease striving" (Ps 46:10 NASB) to be everything else.  I have to surrender this at the foot of the cross daily.
2. My husband has successfully turned me into a Crossfit junkie.  I enjoy working out and feeling strong and healthy and having fun ( and a little competition) doing it.  Today I front squatted 145 pounds!  Woo Hoo!
3. I can NOT dance!  I do not enjoy it.  It makes me sick to my stomach if I feel like I may be pressured into a dancing situation.  AAHHHHH!  Drew and I took this little salsa lesson in Ecuador and I thought we might kill each other.  Makes me crazy just thinking about it.  EXCEPT when it comes to a dance party in the playroom with my sweet little ones and the stereo is blaring some Chipmunks or Imagination Movers.
4. I am a numbers person.  I like paperwork.  I think in costs and pounds and I guess that's what led me to get a degree in accounting...although I do not aspire to go back to work in the corporate arena and only learned what was necessary about tax to pass the CPA exam (and have since forgotten).  I wouldn't mind managing the office of a ministry or not for profit.
5. I have no self control when it comes to sweets within my reach...NONE.  I steal the chocolate out of my kids party bags from school every holiday.  If it is available, I will eat chocolate, cookies, cake, pie until I can't fit into my clothes.
6. I played tennis my junior and senior years of high school.  I only won 1 match the entire 2 seasons.  
7. I do not love animals.  I tolerate our dogs.  I like to hear the birds chirp.  Dog slobber makes me want to get in the shower immediately.
8. My favorite TV shows are Biggest Loser, Amazing Race, The Good Wife, & the Today Show.
9. There is rarely a night that I don't go back upstairs while my kids are sleeping just to stare at their peaceful little faces and pray that God hedges them in with His protection, that they know Him at an early age, that they love Him more than anything.... and that they don't wake up until the sun is up.   It amazes me how big my babies are getting!
10. In the last 3 weeks I have cut down my Diet Coke intake from about 5-6 a day to about 1 a day. 

Now I'm supposed to tag 10 friends to play this little game.  Little problem here.  I'm about the last person to do this so I'm thinking everyone who might play has been tagged...but here are a few who haven't gone yet.

1.  The Box Office

2. My Four Shadows

3. Bruises and Bows

4. Robinson Family Journal

5. Out of My Hands

Rodeo Fun

We took the kids to the rodeo carnival for the first time this year.  They rode rides, played games, and enjoyed the petting zoo before going inside to check out the show animals. 

Lila on one of her 3 pony rides.

Something I am learning about Andrew, he needs a few minutes to warm up and get used to new surroundings.  He sat with me and watched as Drew and Lila went through the petting zoo.  When they were done, he had finally warmed up to the idea.  He said, "There's a deer?  I want to go see."  And that was that.