Chinese Torture

They claim that it is called Jacobs Ladder and that it is a great workout tool.  But, I think they are CRAZY!  I believe it is a form of Chinese torture.  Honestly, the US government would just have to stick someone on one of these and they will spill their guts.  Trust me. 

So basically, you belt yourself in and once you start climbing, the machine starts to move.  The higher you climb, the faster it moves.  I am not going to lie, it is really hard!  For punishment, they tell us that we will have to do 1000 steps.  I have never been punished that way, and honestly don't think that I could actually do the 1000 steps if I had to.  It is sooooooo hard. 

I wanted you to get the full effect of the torture device.

Jacobs torture ladder.

Snowshoe run at Soldier Hollow

My friend Christy and I did a snowshoe run at Soldier Hollow in Midway.  It was a beautiful day.  The weather was perfect and the course was really great.  We had such a great time. 

I finished in 12th place.  I had a great time and will have to plan on doing this again next year.

.

Merry Christmas

My new hat and scarf that my mom made

Merry Christmas Everyone!  Christmas was so much fun this year!  It is always so nice to spend the holidays with family.  I absolutely love the tradition of having sticky buns and souffle for breakfast.  They were delicious!  After breakfast I went to Reid and Val's to see their kids.  I loved these pics of Val and Jack. I think it is funny to see the look on Jack's face as he is trying to get some caramel popcorn from her. 

Yum, that looks tasty!

Jack is licking his chops!

Eagerly waiting for a dropped taste

Reid, Chevy, and Jack having a Christmas nap.

Christmas Eve

I got an early Christmas present from Santa Claus!  He gave me some snow shoes.  So today, I went out in Eden to try them out.  I think they are fantastic! It was such a beautiful day and Jack and I had so much fun!  Thanks Santa!  Of course Jack found himself a rock to play with on the trail!

Cute Jack and his favorite toy....rocks!

Cute Hallie getting a Christmas Eve bath at Grandma's

Christmas Eve party is about to begin!

Cute kids

T.C and Melanie

Reid is supremely confident!

Hallie with her favorite Aunt Kim

Allison performing the Christmas song she wrote

Proud parents watching Alli sing

T.C and Mel with Hallie

Night out at Tuscany

Snowing outside Tuscany

My friend Christy and I get together every year and go splurge on a really nice place to eat for Christmas.  This year we chose Tuscany.  It is a fantastic little restaurant that has the best ambiance.  It was decorated so beautifully for Christmas.  I had the most delicious chicken picatta- lemon butter sauce with capers, mashed potatos and asparagus.  It was absolutely delicious!  Then for dessert, we shared a piece of banana cream pie.  I am not going to lie, I normally do not eat pie.  In fact, I hate pie.  But, the way they described the pie with a toasted coconut crust and then the banana cream filling.....I could not resist.  It was fantastic!  It was the most unique combination, but so incredibly delicious.  What a wonderful night.  It was snowing all night as well, which made for an absolutly beautiful night. 

Christy and I at our table

Boot Camp Week 3

Things are still going great with my Boot Camp.  Since I started 17 days ago I have lost 5 pounds.  Since the beginning of December I have lost 8 pounds.  I am really happy with my success!  It has not been easy, but it is definitely worth it! 
This week they switched up my usual trainer again and sent in a trainer named Danielle.  We did not get off to the best start.  When I was running on the treadmill, she attempted to increase my speed without my permission.  As I am running along, she reaches in to increase the speed and I swatted her hand away.  I don't know that she liked that, but I was already running as fast as I could possibly run and did not want to fall off the treadmill.  She told me that I was not going as fast as I could and I told her that it was impossible for her to know that.  I won in the end, but was really BUGGED!  Don't play with my treadmill speed without my permission!! 
I am just happy that I have made it half-way through the holiday season and have been losing weight.  That is a fantastic Christmas present in itself.  Total weight loss for this week is 1.7 lbs.

Boot Camp Week 2

Is it possible to hate someone so bad that you would like to choke them with your bare hands, and yet  be thankful for them at the same time?  Boot Camp 4 u decided to change things up and send a different trainer our way for one day this past week.  He was the devil with a big smile on his face!!  He pushed us so hard that I did not know if I would be able to walk out of there.  I honestly did not know it was so incredibly hard to run a half mile....it is.  We would do five arm work-outs and then run a half mile in between.  And then do the same five weights again times four sets.  All the while "Ryan" is laughing at us through our pain.  I honestly wanted to kick him in the face!  But, in the end of the workout, I was still alive and was doing fine.  Being pushed really really hard by my trainer is a good thing.  I guess I have forgiven him.  Weight loss this week is 0.8 lbs.  May next week be a better week!

Hell Week

photo courtesy of boot-camp4u.com

So, I began hell week at my gym on  Monday December 7, 2009.  I decided to give myself an early Christmas present this year, so I bought a personal trainer. The first week, they make you wear a 25lb weight vest while you are working out.  Let me tell you, that is not easy!  It is hard enough to go from not running much to running.  But when you add 25 extra pounds to you, it becomes quite the work out.  I tried to tell my personal trainer that I already had 25 extra pounds on me, but he did not fall for that!  He still made me wear the blasted vest.  But let me honestly tell you how rewarding it is at the end of the workout when it comes off.  I feel light as a feather. 

My goal is to do this the best way I can, and so I am watching what I am eating and then going to my personal trainer 5 days a week!  This week I am off to a good start.  I am down 2.5lbs.  Yea!!

Hallie's Baby Blessing

My niece Hallie was blessed today.  She looked so incredibly beautiful.  What a sweet baby!

Proud Parents

Happy Grandpa

Cute Grandma and Grandpa Chapman

Sweet little Hallie

Such a Beautiful Girl

What a great day!

Jack with Great Grandparents

I may be a complete GEEK of a dog mom, but I thought it would be so cute to get a picture of my Jack with my grandparents while we were in St George for Thanksgiving.  They are his great grandparents (great grand dog parents).  They absolutely loved to see Jack.  I must get my dog loving from my grandpa.  He just sat there and petted Jack for the longest time.  It was so sweet.