What this Blog is All About - Our Life

We have started a blog. Why? To share our lives with the many family and friends who don't live near us. Seems over the years everyone has scattered. (Or rather, we have scattered) Shane's Family in Idaho and Ginger's Family in Wisconsin. There are also the wide range of friends, all over the country, we have made through TurningLeaf seminars. We thought this would be a nice place to keep the world informed of our lives. (Those who dare, anyway!)

It's Sunday and I have Ants in my Pants

Ginger Writes "What to do today? So many options, its days like today that drive me a little batty. Shane is driving today so I am down in St. George, but I am tempted to head up to Cedar City to start sifting through the garage for our yard sale that we are trying to put together for May. I am amazed at how much I have purged out of my life but also amazed at how much is still sitting in boxes. Over the last four years I have purged tons of stuff with each move and have donated a lot to Good Will (Deseret Industries for the Utah crowd) When I first moved here I had an entire U-Haul full of stuff. I am certain it is cut in half by now. To save money (In our pursuit to be debt free) Shane and I decided to get rid of the storage unit I had most of my stuff in and use his garage instead. So now we are planning to do another “Purge” of items (Both his and mine) and put the money aside into a fund to use for new furniture someday. My black furniture that I have had for over 10 years is being used in the Nixon’s house and I have to say it has held up beautifully considering all the moves it has been through. 6 total. Every time I tell people how old it is they are amazed. So, when the time comes to sell it, I am sure it will raise a few dollars for our cause.

Andrea and I worked out this morning and did the Kempo X DVD. I have decided it’s one of my favorites now. It’s mostly boxing moves but I feel all sweaty and accomplished when we are done. I am very uncoordinated and have not yet gotten the moves down very smoothly. But hopefully over time I will start to do better at it. Tomorrow will be the start of the 3rd week. I haven’t lost much weight yet But my pants feel like they are fitting better. I am hoping the theory that muscle weighs more than fat is what is really going on. Hahaha. Time will tell. I am sure it is also not helping that I haven't shifted my diet much. One step at a time. Shane took some before pictures for me last week. I am thankful because I need some motivation. The fact that my back is almost back to normal has been the biggest motivation. If I don't lose one pound and have the new found flexibility that has come with this program.. I will still be happy.

Alright, so time to go take a shower and head up to Cedar. I will work on the garage, throw in some laundry , work on a new side business that my sis has me involved in (More to come on that) and then make Shane some dinner. (2nd time in two weeks, that’s a record of some sort.)"

P90X update and stuff

5 ish in the morning is starting to not be so bad. Like anything else it takes some getting use to. Day 12 of P90X and I am feeling pretty good. My back is doing much much better. (Thanks John) There is still a tightness that is there that has prevented me from fully doing the AB ripper X portion of the program but I have been modifying the moves to help relieve the strain. I am determined within the next few weeks I will get through all the moves on that particular portion. The part that has really hit me hard is the stretching of my legs. I am not to a place "yet" where I can keep my legs straight when I sit on the floor and reach for my toes. That really bothered me and has motivated me to do extra stretching every day with my legs. I can remember when I was a kid and all of that came so easy.. At the time I thought nothing of it and took for granted the flexibility of my body. I am determined to get back to that place but this time be grateful and aware how easy it is to lose it.

I have not fully modified my diet but am still going strong with staying caffeine free. I have slipped a few drinks of Shane's sodas here and there but for the most part this is the longest I have gone without it and I am pretty proud of it. I have been trying for well over 6 years to cut it out of my diet and have failed every time. Not fully sure what shifted this time but getting through the withdrawals and feeling the way I do now has made a big difference in not wanting to go back to it.

My dear friend Laura is coming in a week and a half from Wisconsin to visit.. I am pretty excited about it and keep getting gitty. We are going to head over to Zions and do some hiking around. I just love that place and its going to be fun to hang with her there. I have had family out this way recently but its going to be awesome to have a wisonsinite who I have been friends with for over 16 years out to visit.

Well, Till next time... Hope everyone is doing well.

A Weekend of Reflection

Ginger Writes “Shane and I had a blast this weekend. Lots of good meaningful talks and sharing with good friends. (We definitely wore ourselves out) Every day I spend with him I fall more in love with him. I have never been so grateful in my life to be given a second shot at love in this way. I have learned so much in the last four years and grateful for the time I have had alone to learn who I am and what it is I want and need out of life. I am in a solid place and somehow God has brought me together with someone who was seeking the same answers. It’s indescribable. It is no secret that my work helped me through these 4 years and will continue to help me through many more. It is a combination of God and TurningLeaf that has prepared me to Love myself unconditionally and in turn to have someone in my life who loves me just the same.

Reflection can be a rewarding process. I took this 3 day weekend since Shane had today off and I finally got the opportunity to spend more then one evening with him. I have also needed some time away from work to refresh and renew my spirit. There are AMAZING shifts going on at TurningLeaf, yet even good stress is still stress… right? I have wanted to shift into a new way of seeing it all. I was reminded of a few things over the weekend. I am surrounded by the most amazing people in the world, both in my personal life and my work life. Which, at times, spill over into each other. It is true I would not have it any other way. I have come to realize that I have everything I need in this moment in life. Not to say there is nothing left to work towards or to look forward to. But having this weekend to relax and ponder has helped me notice the small things in life and the small things about the people I work with that I truly adore. At work, I am surrounded by something I feel is rare. We all have our strengths and we have our weaknesses yet we all love each other dearly through hard times and good times. We each seek the good in each other and share a common goal of growing the company to help others… and to grow within ourselves at the same time. I laugh everyday and even sometimes cry. And through it all I am loved just the same. Over the years many of our clients have also become dear friends. I look forward to the smiling faces and the stories of growth that come as a result of the services we offer at the facility. It can be hard work but at the end of the day I sleep well knowing that I am apart of something bigger than myself surrounded by many who see life the same way I do.

Shane and I agreed when we first created this blog to limit our discussion on politics, religion and work. (NOT Sports as Shane will lead you to believe… so watch for more sports blogs from him) So I will limit my future blogs from this subject of my work. But we would both agree that it is defiantly the tools we have learned and will continue to learn that have kept us feeling strong and safe in our relationship. And for THAT I am eternally grateful I work there and will continue to work there for a long time to come. And I feel fulfilled and renewed for the new shifts moving our way.”

Spoiled

Shane Writes "Ginger and I had a very action-packed and fun weekend that left me with a migraine for the better part of the day Monday.

The weekend started with a cold but very fun camping trip in the Virgin River Gorge with some good friends. We took a little hike Saturday evening as the sun was going down and built a campfire and grilled some hot dogs. When we woke in the morning, the wind was blowing and the cold cut right through. We broke camp and went to Mesquite for a little lunch in a park, then said goodbye to our party. Then, off to St. George to get cleaned up and go to a very yummy dinner consisting of ribs, sweet potatoes, shrimp pasta salad and asparagus. The dinner was shared with a very awesome family whom we are grateful to be in the presence of.

Next, time to separate Kobe from his buddy Duke and head home. Needless to say, a warm and comfy bed was very welcoming. That is, until 3:00 in the morning when I awoke with the worst migraine I have had in about ten years. The rest of the morning was filled with very short micro-naps interrupted by intense burst of pain and nausea. I finally rolled out of bed at about 11:00 and came out to join Ginger. The couch was my destination for the next few hours. But, I was not eager to get off the couch as I was being spoiled. Ginger rubbed my headache away and got me lunch. Then, we just sat around and relaxed. And to top it off, she made me a very delicious dinner-Chicken Alfredo over angel hair pasta and Texas toast. This is the first opportunity I have had to sample Ginger's home cookin' and I must say-I am in LOVE!!! I sit here and type this with a full belly and a diminished migraine. Just don't tell her that. Maybe I can get another head rub out of this :~)

Bring it on!!!

Ginger writes "I am excited that Shane and I will be going camping this weekend and even more excited that my back will be fairly up for the trip. Shane has been working like a crazy man the last few weeks and this trip will be so good for us. First camping of the new year!! We will be staying at a camp ground in the Gorge, which is so amazingly beautiful. It is only about a 20 min drive from St George which is one of the many reasons I love this place so much! I am also excited to spend some time with Shane's good friends. I have heard lots of stories of good times, it will be nice to create some new memories with them all. We will post some pics for everyone's enjoyment.

My P90X adventures continue. I am doing it with my Best Friend and since she has to take her son to school and head into work by 745 (or maybe it's 7:15) We have been getting up really early to get our hour "plus" workouts in. I am indeed impressed by the program. It has kicked my butt so far, but well worth it! I know I will make it the full 90 days and excited to see the results. They suggest on the program to take some before and after pics, so I will see if Shane can help me with that this weekend. One week in shouldn't be to bad. Maybe if I feel brave enough I will post them after the 90 days. I am not sure I will have the same type of results as on TV because I am not following the nutrition guide but I am aware of what I am putting in my mouth and drinking lots and lots of water. I have noticed that some of the before and after pictures of the people on the website are after they do 2 to 5 rounds of this program. So, that was a little discouraging... BUT the fact that I am even exercising in the first place is pretty exciting for me.

Ok, off to bed. I shouldn't be up this late in the first place. Workout in 6 hours. At least I get to take a nap afterward. My BFF doesn't, so I refuse to complain."

Help me stay accountable

Ginger Writes "The weekend is quickly arriving; I thought I would take a few moments before I start my official work day to write out a few updates. My back is still giving me trouble. In fact it has felt like it is getting worse. BUT I was reassured today by Dr. Sorenson that this is normal. (I noticed I have been spelling his name wrong, he is not related to Shane and it is spelled “SON” at the end, Shane is “SEN”) So anyway, he gave me some exercises to start doing to help build up my back. And in a few weeks I should be feeling some great relief. I will be starting that right away.

Katy (My Niece) is coming up this weekend from Vegas, Shane and I are meeting them in Mesquite tonight and she is staying for the weekend. I am pretty excited!!! We are hoping to hit a few movies. Her passion for the movies seems to be similar to mine and for that I am very grateful. It will be a blast. I was planning to wait until Monday to start the Power 90 program (Still waiting on the bands in the mail) but I might see if she wants to start with me for the few days she is here. I am pretty motivated, even more today when I got on the scale this morning and hit my all time high weight of 185. I know it is all relative to each person, but for me this is unacceptable. The last time I hit 184 it through me into a workout kick and I lost 35lbs. So, I am determined this will be the same. It’s no wonder I am having back issues. My body is yelling at me for not taking care of myself.

So here is my question of the day. Why is it when we know what we need to do to feel better, we put it off. Why do we continue to maintain old habits we know slowly kills us everyday? I wish I had the answer to this question because there are so many things in my life that fall under this category. I finally feel like I am starting to recognize them and fight to shift them, unlike before when I knew, but justified all the reasons to ignore them. Like drinking Caffeine when its proven to be one of the worst things for PCOS. But yet even now with Caffeine, my mind is still fighting me. Everyday I am craving a Diet Coke, when my physical symptoms are now passed. Those types of things are psychological. It is amazing just how powerful our minds are. The last 4 years I have overcome a lot of emotional triggers in my life, and feel relieved to be more grounded emotionally. So now I am going to take on the physical stuff with the same motivation. The fun part now, is I have Shane to do this with me… The timing of him coming into my life can only be described as "God Sent". So, Bring it ON!!!!!!!!!!!

I will keep you all updated on the progress. Like I said in my first blog, sharing is what will keep me accountable so if you have read this far… thanks a million times over for your support!! If I have learned one thing in the last few years, it is to NOT keep your struggles to yourself. Your family and friends are waiting to help."

A blog from Shane - Month of March

Shane writes: "After receiving numerous inquiries as to why I have yet to contribute to this blog, I have decided to make my first entry. After mulling it over, I decided a good thing to blog about would be the month of March.

What's not to love about March? Old man winter is finally making his lethargic exit and God's creations are springing back to life. It is nice to wake in the morning and hear the cheerful song of birds as they migrate their way to northern climates. Who doesn't love to look outside to see the sun shining on the green mountains and red rock of Southern Utah? And what is not to love about college basketball in full swing? It's March Madness time and I am giddy with the prospect of winning the bracket challenge yet again. I am the reigning champ and have absolutely no intention of passing the crown this year, although Ginger or my parents will try to make you believe one of them will be able to dethrone the King of the Brackets. As I write this blog, I am firmly perched in front of the TV doing some last minute studies on particular teams of interest.

Oops...I realize now that I told Ginger I would not write about politics or sports in our blog. Sorry sweetie. I had to get that jab in there. Alright, time to shift focus on other reasons to be excited about March. When you reside in an area of immense beauty such as we do, it excites the mind and heart to think of the plenty of adventures that await us in our own backyard. Will Angel's Landing finally be conquered by a man with a great fear of heights? Ginger seems to think so. We shall see. March and April are among my favorite times to hike in Zion. It is not too hot but warm enough, and the tourists have yet to make their exodus to our heaven on earth.

I am excited to take Kobe to Navajo Lake and do some camping. I am relieved that there are not many feirce storms remaining in the season to interrupt a nice day at work. And I am antsy to get a little spring cleaning done in the house and the yard.

It is definitely a great time of year. Grass starts to turn green, flowers start to bloom, the smell of BBQ fills the air and children playing and laughing brings joy to the heart. And this nasty virus called cabin fever starts to get quelled. Finally, Spring is here!!! Stay tuned for what I hope to be frequent posts exhibiting our passion for life."

Answers for the Lower Back Pain

Ginger Writes "I finally have some answers for my back issues. Today I was having a really bad morning with back pain and was thankful I had an appointment scheduled to have some x-rays done. I took them to Dr. Sorensen (A dear friend of mine who is also my chiropractor) and he explained to me I have two compressed disks and arthritis in my back. He showed me on the x-rays and I was at least relieved to know it’s not all in my head. I wish I could remember word for word how he explained it all. I remember him saying the disks were at about 40% of the space that it should be at. I have to say, I am a little frustrated to hear I have arthritis. At 29? For Real? But the good news is this is all treatable. I am going to be seeing him 3 times per week for the next 4 weeks in addition to starting the power 90 program. I have been waiting to start until I knew exactly what was going on, but John (Dr. Sorensen) gave me the go and explained it was a great program to help me build my core muscles to support the shifts he will be making over the next 4 weeks. So…. Monday is the day I will be starting. No more putting it off. I am sure by then my bands will have arrived in the mail. Watch out Shane… I am about to catch up to ya… We are well on our way to active lives."

My Power 90 (P90X) thoughts

Ginger writes "Shane and I have been on this kick to get in shape. So far he is doing very well. Almost every day he is texting me that he is off to the gym. And me.. Not so well. I definitely have good intentions but I have not yet taken the plunge. I would like to say I have a good excuse, like my back still causing me all sorts of heart ache yet I know that its my lack of exercise which has caused my back to give me so much grief to begin with. On my trip back to Milwaukee I borrowed Josh and India's power 90 DVD's. So today after yet another trip to the Chiropractor and a decision to get some X-rays done.. I also decided to get on the P90X website and order up some equipment. (Bands and a heart monitor wrist watch) I am determined to start this program and work to be more healthy. I want to do lots of hiking this spring and this back issue has to go!!! So stay tuned, I plan to start as soon as my items arrive... And this blog is going to be my way to hold myself accountable. If I can quit Caffeine, this shouldn't be so hard... Right??"

Our Day In Court

Ginger Writes "Shane and I got an opportunity to spend some time together today but not in our usual way. :) I went to court on a case for work and Shane went along as my bouncer. (Ok, that might be a little exaggerated) This client I was going to court for made me a little nervous and it was possible that my testimony was going to put him away. But just in case they didn't, Shane offered to go with to protect me on the walk out of the court room. I have never been to court before for this type of thing, so it was an interesting experience. I was expecting the client to be coming in on his own free will. However, after a few minutes into the proceedings a bailiff brought him in wearing shackles and a jail jump suit. I could tell the prosecuting attorney was surprised and he turned around to ask me my name to see if I was his witness. Apparently the man was picked up over the weekend for felony drug charges and the attorney didn't know anything about it. To say the least, my testimony was no longer needed. Whew! I was relieved and we were able to leave with no worries. Not a normal way to spend time with your boyfriend but needless to say, I was very grateful for the time I was given."