Wordless Wednesday: $11.41

The Plank Challenge

**The month of August will have an extra weekly post on Tuesdays so that you can see how I'm doing with this new challenge.

It has been a long time since I've attempted a challenge, so when I was invited to join this one by my friend Kenny I had no choice but to say yes!

This is going to challenge me on several levels I think. After my second C-section, my abdominal strength was at level 0. In the past 4 years I have progressed to the point that I can sit from a laying position, and I no longer need to roll out of bed in order to stand. I know impressive, but don't get jealous yet.

Just this past winter I decided to see if planks would help. My first time I think I made it an impressive 10 seconds (Yes, I shook like water on a hot griddle the entire time). At that point I almost gave up. But I thought "hey if people can do this for 4 minutes I can surely make it to 1". After a week or so I got up to 1 minute, oh yeah, I am all that. I decided to incorporate it into my daily circle-time exercise at preschool. Nothing brings you back to reality faster than 4 year old kids lasting way longer than I could even think about.

I also have to learn how to upload videos and imbed them into posts. If you've been following me for long, you have noticed I have never posted a video. Since the challenge is a time thing, I can't really just say "yep I did it". You guys are going to have to see the time stamp so that I can't cheat. It also means you get to see me all red faced, shaking, and grunting in pain. So if you think your stomach is up to it.

Here is my baseline video:

 

 

So this is my first attempt at recording myself. I wasn't about to do a retake, so it is what it is. Can I just say "I really do have the 'Weber Nose', and when did I start sounding like I was in the movie Fargo?"

Almost Famous

I know I've said this before, but I really enjoy raising my kids in a small town. We get to share lots of neat experiences with them.

During a recent bike ride, the girls and I decided to stop by the depot to listen to a country music band. Yep, every Tuesday a band sets up on the flatbed train car that serves as the stage, and people bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the show. The Mille Lacs County Historical Society opens the depot so the bathrooms are accessible. While waiting for my girls to emerge, I busied myself looking at the art on the wall.

Suddenly an image caught my eye. I enjoyed reading the history of our home's previous caretakers, and know that I get to continue its story on here.