Hooping - isn't just for kids! Hooping: Great Hobby & Exercise

As a 29 year old single mother, now residing in Virginia; which is a HUGE culture shock for this born and bread Californian native (even after more than five years). I found other than my daughter there wasn’t much I found interesting in the small town I now live in. (Yes, I’m very blunt.)

I have a few friends each a class of their own, Nicky (the Miami princess )
Natalia(the southern Belle), Shawna(the peppy cheerleader who was meant by all means to be born and raised in California but for some reason I can’t understand God deemed it better here.) Dorian (the strong amazing friend who's a Mormon ,but I think a closet wild child, wink, wink! Casey (the sweetest hippy you'll ever meet, who as she ever so softly puts it “wants to save the world") Jason (who as he recovers from a drug addiction hasn’t lost my vote for the funniest human alive!) and a few others.

Another pal (whom as I write that isn’t exactly considered a friend anymore) Cole and I, were at a music fest, where I first spotted what would become my newest hobby. To my left were as Cole put it "Hoopers" - to me it just looked like girls dancing with hula hoops, which at first I thought was completely ridiculous because I last hula hooped as a child, but as the night went on these girls went from ridiculous to something my eyes were permanently glued to. I was completely fascinated. As they danced they preformed tricks with their hula hoops that left me mouth open and amazed. I asked about it and came to the conclusion that around "there" it was typical, nothing out of the ordinary kind of like a ballet dancer or a gymnast; to me these girls are both!

I began to obsess, thinking about those performers allot, imagining myself a “hooper”, and how much fun it would be, while reluctant to give it a try because at almost thirty I worried about what people would think.

A few months went by, until one day while out for a walk with my daughter I spied a woman "hooping" in her front yard. The hoops are easily distinguished from the kind you buy at your local Toys R Us because they are much larger and made from pipe that has water inside. Before I knew what I was doing I was screaming excitedly at this perfect stranger “NO WAY YOU HOOP!" Surprisingly she didn’t run for the hills, but instead talked to me which resulted in a new acquaintance and my new hobby!

I picked it up and for whatever reason felt so empowered, letting out all this negative energy, as the hoop spun around my waste, leaving me feeling happy, healthy, and satisfied. Eventually I became a member of a hooping group called "The Boomtown Hoop Troupe" we've actually been on television many times and are in the process choreographing a performance for our local Christmas parade, and I might add when you learn the tricks I do not care what age you are you feel like a complete bad ass! Needless to say I have a new hobby, which not only lets me meet new people, but wow does it melt off the pounds, the second week I lost 8 pounds with no diet change, you just move non stop and it's fun! Ladies there's only one other thing I can think of like that(**).
So here I am, still a single mama in Virginia, armed with a HOO, and I love it! I encourage anyone and everyone to look it up, it’s a blast!







Noelle

Homemade Baby Legwarmers

Last week I met a super cool blogging Mama who after I complimented her little girl’s tights (as a Mom to boys all the pretty, feminine nuances of little girls always catch my eye) she told me that she’d made them, and they actually weren’t tights but leg warmers.

I immediately perked up because I absolutely adore the Baby Legs brand, having forked over $12 a pair for Copper I remember thinking to myself the first time I put them on his little legs how simple these were, and subsequently had a “Why didn’t I think of that” moment. I also thought that they were probably very easy to make, but never looked into it.

The super cool blogging Mama sent me over to her blog where she provides step by step instructions on how to make your own pair of baby legwarmers.

Last night I made 5 pair, from socks I purchased on clearance at Target. I couldn’t figure how to sew step 7 (I think you use the same technique you would when sewing a circle, but since I don’t know how to do that – I am going to look it up in a minute) I simply folded over the foot part minus the heel and toe and sewed from there because that was wide enough to fit around my sewing machine. The end result was pretty great, and my minor alteration actually fits perfectly around Coppers chubby thighs not cutting off his circulation as his Baby Legs brand can do.

I didn’t take pictures but if you’d like to see great instructions check them out at Crunchy Monkey’s DIY Babylegs Blog.

Honestly these are great in the winter. Copper has a pair on today underneath his pants, they help keep his ankles and calves warm when being carried. Mo also liked them on his arms pretending to have “super power” arms.

If you wanted to be really green about making them you could recycle a pair of your own socks, or if you’re like me and have a basket for mismatched socks (I think my dryer likes to have them for lunch) then you can make mismatched ones and be really unique and funky.

They make diaper changes a breeze, protect tender knees of little crawlers, and are so easy for potty trainers because they don’t have to worry about pulling down tights as well.

If you’re great with a sewing machine or even if you’re not (like me, who also probably needs a new machine) these are an easy and simple sewing project. After I got over a technical problem with my bobbin (the thread kept breaking), it took me about five minutes a pair.

Here's Copper happy and cute as a button in his new legwarmers.

Veterans Day - Tuesday Toot

My Tuesday Toot.... I thought since today is Veterans Day I'd toot blow my own horn for being the super duper, fabulous Air Force wife who has sometimes cursed always supported the Air Force. Through last minute changes in deployment that had him go off to War on December 23rd, thus causing him to miss his first born's first Christmas, First Birthday, and a million other tiny milestones. For putting up with long hours that usually hardly ever go past 12 hours for which he never gets paid overtime. For hours spent creating a power point presentation for a co-service member who was retiring after 20 plus years of service. For which I was amply applauded, or so I hear since I wasn't there to be thanked in person, instead I was home, very pregnant, stuck in my house because we lost our second car (yes, the one SuperAirman took to work) when someone carelessly ran a stop sign and hit my SuperAirman, when he was going back to work after a pre-natal appointment. For which I was not so happy to see him do because who cares if we live over 50 miles from his duty station, the price of gas is of no concern to us because we earn the big bucks!

For always supporting my main squeeze and the uniform he wears, because really, we're grateful that we can serve our shining nation, even if to do so causes some minor and albeit a few major sacrifices. Eight years down, 12 more to go till, maybe, perhaps, I'll get to make him a PowerPoint presentation of our life spent in the Air Force. So far it has been mostly great.

Happy Veterans Day

Please remember to thank a service member today. They're the ones who really make the tough sacrifices.

If you don't know of one personally here's a few ways to show your gratitude. Chances are he or she will squirm a little bit, look down at the floor, or turn a shade that resembles a lobster, but they'll appreciate it, and you'll make their day!

America Supports You
Lets Say Thanks
Thank a Soldier

If you're still in the thankful mood, feel free to thank this military wife. I love comments! wink!


You can thank



for being the inspiration for this blog post!

Conversation with Copper

My four month old and I just had a conversation.


Here's how it went...


Copper: grunt, gurrgle, grunt.

Mommy: grunt, gurrgle, grunt.

Copper: coo, coo, grunt, really long grunt.

Mommy: coo, coo, grunt, really long grunt.


It was the best conversation I had all day.