Because I Said So!!! Mom Knows Best!

I think we just had the worst snow storms all
year in the last two weeks. I really thought we were going
to make it through the Winter without a nasty one and
even my son had not missed any school to snow days
this year. Then in the last 2 weeks, there were like 5 major
snow storms and we were hit hard. I think some places in the
country are still getting hit. Just when you thought it was
safe to come out of the Winter clothes closet, BAM, little
white flakes that scream, "Not so fast there Buddy!" So
much for an early Summer. But old man winter can't stop
it from coming altogether no matter how hard it tries and
one of these days eggs will once again sizzle on the side
walk. Last Summer was a wash for me for the first part
of it I waddled and the middle I had a baby in NICU and
the end a little tiny little bundle of a eating, crying and doo
doo machine. We didn't even really get Rowan out of the
house to fall when we took her and the Pooch to the cider
mill. Okay, the Pooch went to the Cider Mill and the rest
of us were just dragged along. This Summer I plan on
taking full advantage for not only do we live in Michigan,
home of the 10 zillion and one lakes but in my complex
the pool is about 20 feet off my patio and out of the 18
condos and about 200 apartments only us and maybe three
other family's use the pool. Now you have to love that for
it is like having our own personal commercial sized pool
right out our back door. Rowan will still be a doo doo
machine this Summer but she will be a swimming one too.
Yeah, yeah, little water pants will be used.

The only problem is a can never find a suit that
I like. I have the worst shaped body in the whole world. I
have great legs ( and I am humble!) but all my extra
weight is around my middle and arms and I have a large
rib cage that makes me look like a have a nice bust but
in reality I have no cleavage. Nothing fits right on the top,
is too tight in the middle and hangs off the bottom. Finding
a suit is almost a nightmare and to compound the matter I
am also super self conscious so I end up wearing a t-shirt
over the whole kit and kaboodle. This year I know I will not
even be able to wear the suit I have had the last couple of
years that I have developed a love/hate relationship with.
I hate that it is the only one that I could find that fits right
and I love the fact that I could find one at all! I want one
that makes the jiggly parts stand still and not squeeze them
so tight they make for an escape at the closest available
opening. I want a suit that is flattering but not so low cut
that my son begs me to find a spot in the beach far enough
away so people don't know he is with me. I would like a style
that is flattering on a woman my age but not make me look
like I can only hang by the pool to 6 for at 7 they serve Jello
at the home! It would also be nice to have a little sun protection
but I think I may be pushing the envelope now. While I was
looking through the first series of many stores I thought I would
be shopping at this year I came across one that made me sit
up and take notice. Believe it or not it was like the third store
I came to too! Normally I spend months looking only to get
super frustrated and just recycle the suit from last season. This
isn't your normal swim suit store and I don't even really know
how I had this one end up on my list of stores to check out
but boy am I glad I did. Girls4Sport has just the items I was
looking for and I found a ton of cuties for Rowan too!

Girls4Sport sells swim wear and active wear and
performance clothing for all the girls in the family. From Cross
Training to Neoprene they have a great selection of items that not
only fit great and offer sun protection they look perfect on and are
made to last. Their performance fabrics offers support and
keeps Mount Jiggles* from running amok and the built in
shelf Bra makes it even better for they support the girls and
even give me a little bit of cleavage that I so dearly lack. The
Aqua Tops work perfect for all water sports and the colors and
styles work even better for me. Nothing is crazy or too flashy
yet instead of dropping all style and taste and just going for a
plain old bland boring suit they put together styles that look
hot and fashionable for every age. Even their patterned suits
are gorgeous and I am not a pattern person. The Suit I was sent
for review is a Halter top and a Boy Brief bottom and it is
just darling with the black and white pattern and both pieces
offer spectacular support where I need it. Each style comes in
a variety of colors and designs and another cool perk I have
just fell in love with is you can mix and match the pieces so
you have the option of buying a whole set or a pair of solid
bottoms and 3 or four different tops so it looks like you have
a new suit for every occasion. I also did the Michelle test and
you guys know how tough I am on clothes and I washed the suits
at least 20 times and pulled and stretched and went to town
yanking on the seams and even the ties the hook around your
neck to make sure nothing was going to come lose or stretch
and fall apart. I even let Rowan fondle one with some Juice
and some strawberry, hot fudge Sundae covered hands just
to see if they were stain resistant and they were perfect and
flew through every single test I tossed their way. In fact I
was so impressed with the adult styles they had there I have
already clued a few of my Mom friends in for most Moms
have the same problem with Swimsuits I have. Now we are
all going to look like a bunch of Diva's at the beach this Summer!
Hubba Hubba guys, eat you hearts out!
Rowan got to review a suit too and hers was just as
darling and just as perfect as mine. I put hers through the same
tests but I also took some extra time to yank on hers just a little
bit more for face it kids are hard on clothes. Still ticken after
a good old fashioned Michelle licken'! They carry toddler sizes and
youth sizes so there are items to fit your kids all the way to
adult and they also have a fantastic selection and I love the
little swim shorts for it is a hassle to get a one piece off of a
baby to change their diaper and most of the suits that are two
piece come off so easy you end up letting your toddler run around
with just the top or naked. Now with the swim shorts I can take
them on and off with no drama and the top has incredible coverage
and I can let her run around all day with it on for it is so versatile
she can wear it as play clothes then turn around and jump in the
pool without missing a beat. If you have a surfer on your hands or
just a little girl who loves the water so much she even swims
when you think the water should still have ice on it you can
worry less for they even have a Thermagaurde suit and keep
them as warm and cuddly as if she were wearing Long Johns on a
Winter day. Rowans suit fit like a dream and the stretchy material
will grow with her for a while and unlike other suits that
you are going to have to buy a bigger size every few months to
keep up with those weed like children. Last of all Girls4Sport
has clothing that is good for you too! That's right guys and gals,
their clothing has built in UV protection and the swim suits or active
wear blocks at least 98% of UVA/UVB rays. Not sure what suit
to get for your wife or daughter don't take a chance and buy her
something for your tastesbut get her a gift certificate instead. Now
she can pick out what style she wants and you will never have
to spend a full day with her as she tries on 72 differnat fabrics
alone. See, they think of everything! You can also buy Girls4Sport
items on line or at a whole bunch of retail stores. They even
have a sizing guide to make your life a whole lot more simple
and a list of retail stores sorted by state so if you feel as if
you have to try one on you will know where to go. I used to
be a small or medium before Roan detroyed my body after 15
years of trying to get shape and now I think i am a size 6
and just told them I think I need a meduim or large and let me
tell you their suits come the exact size you order. All in all
Girls4Sport has the best suits I have ever came across and
they and going to be my first stop and last stop every time
I need a new suit from now on!
Even better Girls4Sport is going to let one of my
readers see how awesome they are. One reader will win a
pair of Childrens Board shorts in the Sea Green or Coral
Pink. To enter just head over to their site and take a look
around and then come back here and post what your all
time favorite item is in a comment. The contest will start
today and run to Midnight on April 16th.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.


Girls4Sport




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*For those of you new to my site Mount Jiggles is my
Belly who I am always fighting with!

I know I have told you guys more then
once I have a lot of problems with my back. Before
I fell last fall and hurt my neck and upper back
I had a lot of damage with my lower back. It started
when I was only a teenager with mild Arthritis and
since I was young and thought I was invincible I didn't
take care of myself properly then and instead worked out
all the time, did a load of heavy lifting at work without
bending properly and ran amok. Before I turned 30 I
would throw my back out about once a year from the
constant aggravation and after 30 it got worse fast.
By the time I was 33 I was still determined that it
was mostly in my head and trying to deal with it myself
instead by taking Tylenol like it was Skittles. I would
go through a 500 count bottle every few weeks and
each day would go something like:
Wake up, take 4 Tylenol
Get to work, take 4 more
Lunch, a burger and 4 more
etc, etc etc so I ended up somewhere between 20 and 30 a
day. Now let me tell you the Tylenol didn't take the pain away
but it did allow me to function and keep working. Then somewhere
around 34 it got so bad I couldn't get out of bed for like a week
without bursting into tears. I knew it was time to go to the Doctors.
He did a complete physical and before I even got my blood work back
he showed me the X-Rays and the Arthritis that had set in. From
not taking care of it when I was younger I had already developed
bony growths along my spine and one was so large it looked
like I had an extra vertebrae. When my blood work came back the
real drama started for he thought I had cirrhosis of the Liver
and demanded to know why I was drinking so much. I explained
I didn't drink at all, or at least not often and in fact had not
drank anything in about a year. He then informed me that since
I couldn't have cirrhosis of the Liver then I may have hepatitis.
Now I freaked. I started babbling that I had never done anything
with Needles before and no way could I have that for I was certain
only drug addicts who used needles caught that and I was in tears
explaining how that could not be true. He reassured me, or thought
he was by telling me there were lots of ways to catch it and
you could even get it by touching bird droppings and that brought
even more tears for I live 2 doors down from a lady who is famous
for feeding the squirrels and birds and every morning there are like
100 pigeons outside my back door and they go Do Do everywhere
so now I was thinking I might have it and all I knew about it
was that it is nothing to joke about. He told me not to panic to
I got the results and isn't that easy for him to say, not his
body we are talking about. Two days later he calls me for
the results and tells me I am fine on that but he needs to know
everything I do all day to try and figure out why my liver was
so bad. I tell him and he freaks. Apparently it is very dangerous
to take that much Tylenol and he demands to know why I was
taking it. Well isn't that the reason I went to see him in the first
place? My back? Duh? So he started me on pain medication ever
since. I also have injections in my spine and since it gets
progressively worse each year I started Physical therapy a couple
of years ago. Eventually I will have to have my hips replaced
for it is in my hips too but in my spine they can't operate for
some of the growths are so big and have encased them self
in my spinal cord and the surgery would be too risky. So to keep
upright and stay out of a wheel chair I had to stay in Physical
Therapy year round. Now some of it is fun, they have this machine
that stretches you and that feels soooooooooo good for think of
your back after a 2 hour massage and that is sorta what it feels
like. No pressure, no tension and right after that they use an
Ultra Sound machine to send heat deep into your muscles and
bones and then end with a massage. That whole part is heaven
but to get to that part you have to earn it with a workout. That
starts the no-fun buzzer ringing loudly. Most of the exercises hurt
but lifting weights is the worse. Now they have resistance bands
there and those work like a charm and don't hurt as much but the
place is always so jammed packed you practically have to knock
someone down to get one. I would say out of the 3 days a week
I am supposed to go I get my hands on one maybe 1 of those days.
The other two, ouch ouch ouch! I just got the chance to do a review
for Rejuvenation and I am thanking my lucky stars I got to!
The first thing I did was take it in to my doctor and
get her okay. She toyed with the box and pulled it out and
with her accent, I love her accent, she said, "this be okay
for you, no? It hurt, yes?" translation is does this hurt when
you use it and do you think it helps. I told her I had not tried
it yet and wanted to know if she thought it was safe for me
to use. She said she didn't see a problem with it and told
me to ask my PT about it before I left. I did and she said
that this would be perfect for me for there is no set tension
and it is something you do at your own comfort level and
can stop if it hurts and she thought it was a great idea.
I always bugger out on the strength training part for it is
the part that hurts me the most and it also happens to be
the workout I need the most. The stronger your muscles are
the less pain you will feel for Strong muscles tend to work
together better. Think of me as lazy blob o' non-muscle and
allergic to anything that resembles work. Um, in fact I will go
as far as to say work is a four letter word here. The whole
weight thing. Sweat, yuck. gross, Ben-gay. Ouch, Heating pad.
I tried to explain to my therapist that was how I felt about the
working out strength training thing but she just made the
Yack Yack Yack signs with her hands and handed me the
weights.
I think she was mocking me?
I pay her to mock me!

UGH! Any who when I broke this baby out I did it with her
the first day. My thoughts were this is basically elastic and
there for would not strain my muscles or truly be qualified as
a workout. No Sweat, no gross, no Ben-gay. I should have known
by the evil grin on her face that I way off base here.
The Rejuvenation Prevention and Rehabilitation kits are
a work out. The difference between these and the weight
training I had been doing is with the weight training you
have no emergency on and off switch. Your body won't just
stop you before hand and say, "Look Bub, you lift that
weight one more time you are going to regret it and things
are gonna hurt a lot later." No, No, instead your body waits
until you have lifted it, then do it again a couple of times
before it gives you any warnings what so ever and then
they are not real warnings, you arms or legs or whatever
just feel a little tired. Later that night, WHAM! You feel it
and you hurt. With the Revitalization Kit your body just
won't pull it any further. It knows you are pushing your
limits and gives up on you. Kinda like, "listen lady, those
last 3 inches ain't gonna happen. Let's stick here at sissy
level and work our way up to I am Xena Warrior Princess
level." Later that night you will be cuddled up on the couch
next to your Revitalization Kit, rubbing its belly and calling it
a good kit for you didn't need to call for help getting out of
the bath tub for you did a work out that was perfect for you
and didn't push it. This is a product that you increase little
by little and your body will naturally know what it can handle
and also will let you know when you are ready for more. It
is meant to increase your range of motion and regain mobility
not work you out so hard you feel worse a few hours later
then before you started. I used this for a couple of weeks
straight and unlike the weights where I just felt worn out
after with these I felt like I was getting stronger and I
did increase how far I pulled without having to soak in a vat
of Ben-gay later that night. It allowed me to slowly build up
the strength to tighten my muscles and get to a level that
worked for me. I felt energized when done, not wiped out.
Another perk is when I did the weights at home I had to
drag these things out and set them up. By the time I got
everything where I wanted I was already beat. I already needed
a break. Then after you work out you have to put them away.
Like I had the energy for that. What ended up happening was
I would just skip it. With the Rejuvenation I just grabbed it from
my dresser and off I went and took that long walk to my "Bedroom
Door" Sheeeeeeeew, that is a killer walk, those 3 feet. All joking
aside it let me reserve my energy for the workout where I needed
my energy. In turn I worked harder and accomplished more.
Why did my therapist have an evil grin? Easy, she thought
it was funny I thought this would be a piece of cake. It wasn't!
It was a real, honest to God workout and you can feel your body
stretch and feel the burn and the oxygen flowing. You feel it every
where you are supposed to and after 3 weeks of feeling it I felt
so much better I think I will keep feeling it and I have not even
made up any zany excuses not to do it.
Check list please:
Easy
simple set up
work at your own level
works
portable
and no aches and pains later
I think that is a pretty darn tooting good list. So if you
are looking to get some rehab in, need to strengthen some
muscles, have aches and pains and exercise was recommended
or you just would like to get in shape with out getting bent
out of shape this is a perfect tool for you. You will end up
stronger, with better range of motion, less aches and pains
and just feel better all the way around. I have been through
just about every type of workout you can think of in rehab
or back in my fitness kick days and I have to say this
is one of the most beneficial, low impact and simple to
use piece of equipment I have ever tried. Two huge thumbs
up from me and they don't even smell like Ben-gay!


Rejuvenation Prevention and Rehabilitation
Revitalization Kit

The older you get the harder is is to keep in shape.
Even more so when you are already starting with physical
limitations or handicaps. I have RA in my spine and this
makes it super hard for me to find an exercise that doesn't
do my body more harm the good when I work out. For years
I used walking and swimming to stay in shape but the older
you get the more you have to do just to remain in the same
level of fitness. A couple of years ago a friend recommended
Yoga and gave me a DVD. Okay, I felt better doing it but the
video she sent made me feel pretty silly. I decided to
try it myself instead. And I did. I also did great and never
felt so good but that was at the start. Later on I started
missing my workouts and made up great excuses as to
why. The Dog ate my Yoga gear or I need to file my toe
nail, anything sounded good to a person who wasn't all
that motivate. After a while I started slipping into my
old lethargic routine and soon that only time I touched
my Yoga Equipment was to dust it off or move it from
one spot to the next. All the good I did slowly turned into
"Man, I wish this belly didn't jiggle so!"
I knew I should get back on that horse but just didn't have
the incentive to do so. Yeah, it is nice to look good
but I am on the thin side so even though my belly
jiggles it still isn't that big and before Rowan
I wore a size 4 and sometimes a 2 so I really wasn't
worried. After her I wanted to lose the weight and
have dieted but as soon as I got back to a 6 I gave up
for I decided size 6 at 40 years old after kids was
not too shabby. The only person who sees my belly is
me and John and he is always too preoccupied to notice
and hates when I am too thin anyways. So I just forgot
about it.

A week or so ago I was asked if I would like
to review some Workout Videos that feature Yoga and
I thought what they hey! I know I need it and maybe this
will get me back in the saddle. Yoga Works is the name
of the game and discovering your inner Diva was the results
of playing. I tried all three to make sure I gave them the
benefit of the doubt and I must admit it was not the most
exciting way to spend an afternoon but then again what work
out is? I started with the beginner DVD and I got to hand it to
them, they did a great job at making it interesting and easy to
follow. The last Yoga DVD I used was also a beginner Copy,
something I bought in a kit and it came with my Matt and I
watched it a few times and gave up and just went at it myself.
The reason why was she spoke in an almost whisper and
I was so bored listening to her the first pose that involved
my laying on my back I said to heck with this and took
a nap.Okay now, I understand Yoga is low impact and an
exercise that is perfect for every fitness level. The reason
I started it in the first place was I had issue with my back
and I was limited on my movements so after a lot of research
and conversations with my Physical Therapist I came to
the conclusion Yoga was the best work out for me. I get
that it is relaxing and easy on your body. I understand it
gets it start in India and is often used as a form of stress
reduction and is meant to heal the mind as well as the
body but when I watch an instructional video I really don't
want the person speaking to me as if she is in a church
and her droll monotone voice making me feel like she is
trying to hypnotize me into signing up for the latest and
greatest cult of the moment. I want easy to follow instructions
that I can hear, I want to be able to follow the video even if
my daughter is playing with her toys near bye or my son has
music blasting in his room. I do not want an instructor that
gives me the feeling she is talking down to me or zapping
me with some crazy version of the Vulcan Mind Meld and
the next thing I know I am signing my house over to the New
Yoga Dudes Church of Bendy Moves. The First time I gave
a Yoga Video a shot that was the feeling I was left with,
with Yoga Works I was not.
For starters I could hear the lady. Wow, what a concept!
She spoke in a clear voice and I did not have to clear the house
and crank the volume to 412 just to follow her instructions.
Next, she was easy to understand and spoke in layman terms.
I did not feel like I needed a Yoga to English book at my
elbow to follow the workout. She also didn't make me feel like
I was six years old and being talked to like the lady who used
to teach my Sunday School class did. Yoga works also made
it interesting and not once did I feel as if I could close my
eyes and drift off to La La Land. She kept a great pace and
though the moves were simple and easy to accomplish I still
felt the results affect my body and knew I was doing something
good here. I enjoyed the pace, I liked the instructor and I
could follow the routine, all these items together make it
a big old YES YES for me and my always looking for a way
out approach to fitness. This was something so simple even
I could not find an excuse to put off and I really do plan
to keep at it. Let me put it to you in simple terms.
1. I know Yoga is a good work out
2. Its even more so for people who have issues
with movement and back problems and need something
low impact so the workout doesn't do more harm then
good.
3. Yoga Works did not bore me into a Coma like that other
video I had seen.
4. You can really feel the effects the workout has on your
body without feeling like you ran the Boston Marathon.
5. Get off your lazy butt and do it!
Can I make it any clearer? We all need to move more and
if a person like me, who often has issues just walking up
a flight of stairs due to back and neck pain can do this
work out any one else should be able to do it as well.
As parents we have to take our own fitness seriously for
our children. Not only do they look up to us and follow suit,
I don't know about you but I want to be around a long time
and some day bounce a couple of dozen Grandchildren on
some Knee's that are my original bone, not a plastic alloy!
I found Yoga Works to be a simple, pain free solution to
the lazy lump I have become and I am even looking forward
to the day Rowan might want to follow the video with me. I
did ask Andrew but he said he doesn't look good in tights and
made a B-line for his room before I could push the subject.
Ah, the life of a review Bloggers Child. He has it so ruff!
Now I will tell you with out sugar coating it, I did
try the other two videos in the set and didn't make it through
like I did the first one. They are not for beginners and though
I could tell from the few moves I did manage to do they would
work wonderfully, I had to put them on the shelf for now. I love
the idea and who wouldn't mind having a washboard tummy
and be long and lean but with my issues and the fact I have
done nothing but walk in going on two years now I need to
strengthen my core muscles before I challenge those two
videos again. But I will get there! I am determined to be in
the best shape of my life for I do not want my 40s to be
the decade my body went to pot. Besides, if Valerie Bertinelli
and Marie Osmond can get back into shape so can I. I also
had the added fear since Johns oldest son got married last
year that Grandchildren might soon be to follow and I am
to young to wear Bright Floral House Dresses and always
smell like Jean Nate and plan to be a Rocken Grandma, not
a Grandma who rocks. That doesn't mean you guys won't enjoy
these other two videos, Fit Abs and Body Slim, it just means
I am not there yet. I will say that after I finished the first
video for beginners I felt really good and proud of myself.
I spoke to my Physical Therapist and she said to keep at
it for if that was what was working for me it has to be great
for when she runs me through my routine there all I do is whine
like a baby and if I can make it through this video she would
love to shake the hand of the people that made it! Oh,
and for the record I do not whine like a baby she is just mean
and pushy! Take that Miss Therapist! If you are a beginner
like me or an old hat at Yoga, these videos are a great way
to get fit and enjoy doing it. I am sticken with the starter
video and come spring when I get to shed all the winter
garb you are forced to wear in Michigan let's see how
hot this could be Grandma has become!




Yoga Works was kind enough to offer to give one
of my readers the set of videos too! Not only will you
learn the basics with the starter video you will also
get tone and taunt and have abs that rock with the two
follow up DVDs as well! To enter just head over to their
site and take a look around. If you are looking for the video's
to buy you will find them in the store and if you are lucky
enough to live in California or New York you can even sign
up to take classes live. That would be too cool! Once you
are done exploring the site come back here and post what
you learned in a comment. The contest will start tonight and
run to midnight on March 10th.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.

Yoga Works!


Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.

1. Become a follower of my blog or
post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.

2. Enter any of my other contest. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.

3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.

4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.

Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Shred Sled and Bebe Soleil Contests!