If you randomly read my blog and have kids, I am BEGGING you to pay attention to this one.

In fact, if you don't want to read the entire thing I will give you the ending right now and you can stop reading...

No, not when you feel like it.  Not sometimes.  Every.  Single.  Day.  From the day you bring them home from the hospital.

Why then?  They can't even read yet.  
Kids are learning more in the first 3 years of their lives than any other time.  They are learning all kinds of things from books even when they are newborns.

My kids don't like to sit still for books. 
You're the parent.  Make them.  Make it part of the routine.  Read to them in the bathtub.  Read to them before bed.

But they watch TV in their rooms before bed to help them fall asleep.
Get the cuss word, cuss word television OUT of your kid's room!!!!!!!!!

What do I read to them?
Anything.  Board books.  Short books.  Long books.  Books with no words and just pictures.  Rhyming books.  Dr. Suess.  The same book every day.  A different book every day.  The Bible.  The Great American Novel.  Read anything.

How do you even know it will make a difference?
You can just go ahead and trust me on this one but if you're interested just Google it or I can sit down with you and give you and earful on just how I do know this but you're probably better off Googling it.
 

I know I should but I just don't always want to because I get tired.
Here's a conversation with my brother:
Tom-Do you really think I want to read to Philip and Lily every single night?  I get so tired.  Sometimes they want 4 books.  I don't wanna read 4 damn book.  I wanna put them to bed and have a beer.  But I do because it's good for them.

Tom and Danielle have been reading to their kids every day since they were born.  Completely taking the biased aunt side out of it and putting on my teacher hat...these kids are SO smart.  Philip can read.  He's not even 4 1/2 yet.  Not 3 letter CVC words, actual 5, 6, 7 letter words.  Lily speaks in 5 words sentences at 23 months.  

Now, I can attribute this to many different excellent parenting techniques but the biggest one...THEY READ TO THEIR KIDS ALL THE TIME.


Now...
I normally don't beg for comments but I would love for you to give your own testimonials on reading to your kids or what you have seen on this subject.  So, comment on this blog...or on the Facebook post!

I almost died the other day and I'm not exaggerating.  Ok, I am exaggerating but it really was the most scared I have ever been in my life.

Before I go on let me tell you a few things...
1.  I am not a wimp

Well that's the only thing I wanted to tell you.  I'm not a wimp.

I'm not a wimp.
Okaaaay Kathryn (you call me Kathryn when you're annoyed with me) we get it.  You're not a wimp.  Why?

Because... I was a wimp.

Come along with me on a little journey called The Most Scared I Ever Was.  That title needs work.  Yeah I got it.

I saw a sign posted at 480 that said "Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course Sign-Up."  I had really wanted to try it but was nervous...mostly because I get nervous around people I don't know well and worry that I'll have nothing to talk to them about.  You? Katie.  You talk to everyone...about everything...all the time.  I know, peeps, but I get scared with new people.

I signed up...well LC signed me up when I mearly mentioned I was interested.

We get up there and start going through the training.  We put our harnesses on.  I looked lame.  I'm not sure how but the other 4 girls made harnesses look cute.

The guy was going over the rules:
1.  You always have to be clipped in with both clips, or at least 1.
2.  Your clips have to face opposite directions.
3.  The clips can be above you but never below you.

He said that if you break the rule 1 time, they would give you a warning.  2 times, they might kick you off.  So we're going through the little training course.  Guess who got TWO warnings on the Training Course...ME!  That's who.   Possible foreshadowing for events to come?  I think so.

So, we finish that.  They let me go on even though I was a bit of a slow learner.  We climb up on the first course.  I WAS SO SCARED.  Now, logically, nothing can really happen because you're harnessed in but it was so freaky.  Guess who else in my group was scared?  NOBODY.  That's who.  I was with a bunch of girls and they were SO BA.  I was not so BA.  My A was super freaked out.

Only 35% of the people who start this course finish it.   We were only on the very first part and I was terrified.  We had to stand on these platforms and walk across a "bridge" and I put that word in quotes because it wasn't a freaking bridge.  It was a wobbly, movey, you could fall at any moment thing you try to and balance on.

I know it doesn't look high up and this part wasn't...and the camera's died before it was really high but you'll just have to trust me.

They said this is where most people have to be rescued.

There was one point where you had to swing from a rope.  Like Tarzan?  YES, like Tarzan!  And then you swung into a net and crawled on the net as if you were Spiderman.  My friend looked like Spiderwoman.  I. Did. Not.

Spiderwoman

The whole day went like this.  One of the memorable obstacles was where you rode a skateboard across a very tiny cable...while a million feet in the air.  Ok, it was 65 feet but who rides a skateboard in the air?  Nobody, that's who.

We were about 3 "bridges" away from finished and on one of the last ones all there were was a bunch of rings tied to ropes.  So you had to put your foot in 1 ring and swing and go into the next ring.  I was about to quit and somehow my Whole 30 Partner in Crime yells, "You're almost there.  Put your foot in the next one.  You got it."  Oh how I love her and  the Crossfit 480 way...always encouraging and never going to let you quit.


So, obviously all the BAMFettes that I went up there with, who never once made a peep about being scared, finished.  There was never any question.  They were so awesome the whole time but guess who else finished...ME!  So...let me recap...WE ALL FINISHED!  

It was the scariest thing I've ever done.

We're all done and I'm trying to catch my breath and remember that I really was still alive and the girls say, "We should do this again.  It was so fun."
"Hmm, I'll have to get back to you on that one.  Once in my lifetime may be plenty."

Then, as if to cap off my wimpyness one of the girls who is the most beautiful/fit girl I think I've ever met in real life says, "I feel like I actually got a little bit of a work-out without really working out."  I almost tripped her on purpose but my legs and arms were so sore they were shaking so I couldn't.

I think she did a WOD or 2 after this.

Afterwards we rewarded ourselves with some beer and burgers...but 2 of us just had burgers with avocados and no bun and no beer.

Overall...
1.  A fab day.
2.  It was super safe and affordable.
3.  I can do anything I choose to do.  You can too.
4.  It helps to have super encouraging, awesome BAMFettes with you.
5.  I aspire to be more workey outty in the future cause my friends work out WAY more than me...and I should join their fit club.

H & M
I hate when clothes are cheap and fall apart after a few wears.  So I buy a lot of my clothes at Ann Taylor Loft.  That was before I walk into this gem of a store.  Before it came to the states I went to H & M's in London and France.  KP and I stocked up on new tank tops because we have been rotating the same few shirts FOR WEEKS.  And then I never went back to an H & M.

Until the other day...
SUCH cute stuff for cheap!  Now, I still like good quality stuff and I'm not completely convinced that it's super well-made but, for tops, I'm ok with it.  I won't buy pants there but cute tanks, shirts and dresses?  Yes, yes and yes!


SFH Pure Whey Protein Powder
I love this stuff!  It's a bit pricey but it's the best protein powder I've never had.   All is derived from grass-fed animals.  Causes no stomach aches whatsoever.  I throw it in my smoothie every morning and wahla, breakfast!


SFH Fish Oil
Since we're on that company I must give credit to my fish oil.  It's liquid.  It's tangerine flavored and it's amazing.  It doesn't give ANY fish burps.  Excuse my crassness but if you've ever taken fish oil you know exactly what I'm taking about.


Tide Pods
I know I've done these before but I just can't get over how much I love them.  I don't understand why anyone would not use these gems.


Sumits Yoga
I've been to Bikram but this is so much better.  They play music and it's still hot, hot, hot.  I feel like I'm leaving lots of toxins in the studio when I leave.  Oh AND, I almost forgot the best part...they're wood floors in the studio.  If you've never read why this is so important, here's an old blog on Bikram.

Baskets
I LOVE baskets...of all sizes.  My favorites are the ones that have a  fabric liner on the inside.  They make organization so cute!