Happy Holiday! My honey got home and is being Super Daddy. I may actually get some work done on my new book.
One of my favorite nephews was telling me that he keeps googling himself, but nothing ever comes up. So I told him I'd type his name on my blog - Jacob Richard Harrison - there you go, Jake. Now all the girls from Logan High who try and google your name will see you're on the Internet.

We're gearing up to go to Cache Valley Fun Park. The kids are bouncing around, so excited to roller-blade and play games that waste Mommy and Daddy's money. I don't mind them playing video games that are actually fun - like the road bike or the race car, but when they're putting tokens in a machine so they can get a hundred tickets and win an army guy, it rubs me wrong. Our new deal is - if you don't play the games we'll take you to the dollar store and buy you a toy you don't need, but that will only cost us a dollar instead of ten. Good parenting, eh?

My friend Sandy said she was starting to follow the blog but the workouts were too long and intense. You don't need to do everything I post on the blog. If you're short on time only do one set or choose one exercise for each body part and do three sets. For example, I always give a couple of different bicep exercises, just do one of them. Of course if you do everything you will burn more calories and increase your muscle strength faster, but never feel bad about doing a big less - especially when you're just starting.

Here's Tuesday's workout -
Warm-up and cardio - 5-45 minutes
Bent-over row - 3 sets of 12 - we're going to do this a bit different. Sit against a wall, holding 10-15 lb. hand weights, keeping your bum against the wall, lean forward, then row from that position.
Lat Pull-down - 3 sets of 12
Reverse Fly - laying on a bench, holding 8-12 lb. weights, hands will be hanging towards floor, raise arms out to the side until they are slightly above your back, release and repeat - 3 sets of 12
Pushups - Do one set with hands on a bench, one set with feet on bench, one set on floor, 12 reps each
Outward Biceps Curl - 3 sets of 12
Twisting Curl - 14-20 reps - start with palms facing each other, thumbs forward, rotate to thumbs out, palms up.
Triceps Dips (sorry, I'm addicted to these) - 3 sets of 12-14
Triceps Kickback - do one arm at a time - one hand and one knee on bench, lean forward and really isolate that tricep muscle, keep the elbow back and close to the body - 14-16 reps
Plank - hold steady for ten, then slowly lift and lower each leg, rest and repeat.
Cool-down and stretch

As always, if you need exercise descriptions, go to my website and click on the links page, then print Cami's Strength Training Guide. If anything doesn't make sense to you, please e-mail me - camichecketts@yahoo.com

Have a great, snowy day.

Cami Checketts
www.camichecketts.com

So, I forgot Monday was a holiday. I'm still going to be working out, because I can't today. I told you Stan was in Vegas and I can't find anybody to watch the angel boys while I run. Not that I've tried very hard, I feel guilty going when they're awake and they want my attention. We watched "Cheaper by the Dozen" last night and it really made me think that I don't want to be one of these parents who's missing the boat and putting myself before my kiddos. They're too cute and growing up too fast to miss it!

We lost another Little League basketball game this morning. Is it awful if I suggest that we try swim team or running? I've worked Denver's entire life to teach him to be kind, not take things away, never hurt anyone. Then suddenly he's on the basketball court and we're all screaming - get in there, grab the rebound, steal the ball, drive, go! Poor child looks at us like we're inhumane. I'm wondering if we need an individual sport where he just works his hardest and doesn't have to bruise anybody.

Here's Monday's workout for those of us not on vacation -
Warm-up and cardio - 5-45 minutes
Lunge forward onto a step or bench - 12-20 reps on each leg
Lunge with back foot on step or bench - 12-20 reps on each leg
Side lunge - 12-20 reps on each leg
Walking lunge - 12-20 reps on each leg
Squat and raise knee in front, then slowly straighten leg and bring it behind, raise for a glute press, then sit into squat again (try to balance without holding onto anything the entire time). Repeat 12 times on one side, then repeat on other side.
Step and squat - 12-20 reps on each side
Slow squat (down 4, up 4) - 12-20 reps
Plie with a calf raise - 20-30 reps
Calf raise on a step - one leg at a time - 20-24 reps
Glute press - raise one leg behind you as you bend forward at the waist, slowly lift and lower leg, squeezing glute - 12-20 reps on each side
Cool-down and stretch

Have a great holiday weekend!
Cami Checketts
www.camichecketts.com

We're more than halfway through the month and I'm having treat-deprivation anxiety. My friend, Shawna, brought over chocolalte-chip banana bread this morning and it was warm! I cut slices for the boys and then cut me a slice, carefully wrapped it, washed the chocolate off my fingertips (they so needed to be licked) and put the slice in the freezer. Oh, I wanted to cry. I cannot believe the things I'll do for you ladies! I am cheating on Sunday and I don't care if I don't get a prize.
Speaking of prizes, I promised you a list.

"Adopting Alyssa" by Denise Patrick
"His Second-Chance Family" by RaeAnne Thayne
"Danger in Her Arms" by Phyllis Campbell
"The Fourth of July" by Cami Checketts
"The Broken Path" by Cami Checketts
$20.00 gift certificate to Borders
$20.00 gift certificate to ModBe
Exercise Bands
Nasty Spice
$45 dollar value set of Essentials (month supply of Usana supplements)
Sense' & Splash gift pack (Usana's skin care line)
Two One-week Ambassador passes to Sports Academy

Wow. That's a pretty good list. I needed to type all those out to keep me motivated.
My honey is on a guy's trip to Las Vegas, so I'm stretching my brain to find a way to run tomorrow. Is it awful to pay a babysitter so I can exercise? I hope you all have a great weekend with your families. It's just me and the boys, so we'll be getting takeout, reading a ton of chapter books and all crashing in my bed. I hope I get some sleep with three wild men kicking me all night!

www.camichecketts.com

I'm racking my brain to make tomorrow's workout a Fun Friday edition. I guess I'll just make it really hard and then we'll all feel more justified if we go out to eat or bake cookies this weekend! I am so planning on cheating on Sunday. Isn't that awful? I do good all week, then blow it on Sunday. I've read a lot of info that says you can't do enough damage on your free today to sabotage all your hard work. I'm determined to prove that research wrong (One more square of that Symphony bar won't hurt).

My cute bambino is supposed to be asleep, instead he's babbling, "Momma, Momma, Up. Up!" He pronounces everything distinctly. It's adorable. I'm tempted to get him out of his crib, but I really need him to sleep! I need my writing time and I need a nap - this 5:30 in the morning business is killing me.

Here's Friday's workout, as usual if you need exercise descriptions, go to my website http://www.camichecketts.com. It's under the links page. Also under the links page is "Cami's Healthy Recipes." There are some good ones on there. I need to go look it over and make something that I've forgotten about. If you have any great healthy recipes to share, please e-mail me - camichecketts@yahoo.com.

Quads, calves, shoulders, chest and triceps
Warm-up - 5-10 minutes
Squat with overhead press - squat down and lower weights in front of you, straighten and press weights straight above your head. 3 sets of 12 - if you have a medicine ball it's kind of fun to use that.
Squat thrust - squat down, jump or step legs straight back, hold plank for a couple of seconds, do two slow pushups, jump or step legs in, jump towards ceiling or stand up - 2 sets of 8 reps
Calf raises - 20 with toes pointing in, 20 with toes out, 20 regular
Triceps Dips - 3 sets of 12-14 - make sure you keep body close to the bench, dip deep and slow and bend your elbows, don't just lower your bum. If it's getting too easy straighten legs or place heels on another bench.
Plie with overhead triceps extension - as you plie down, extend the weight over your head, as you straighten lower weight behind head. 3 sets of 8-10
Plie with jump - plie down, then jump and touch toes in center, land in plie position - 12-20 reps (if you have joint problems don't do the jump, do a regular plie)
Kickboxing - Jab forward - 20, jab twist to side - 20, uppercut - 20, triple time the uppercut, pump the arms and legs and sit low - 20-30.
Kick forward - 20, kick side - 20, rear kick - 20, roundhouse kick - 20
Cardio - 5-35 minutes
Cool-down and stretch

Remember, if you're just starting out or are short on time, it's okay to only do one set. Don't do the jumps if they hurt you at all.
Have a great day - Cami

I think I'm finally getting the hang of no treats. The thing that's killing me is my Nesquik chocolate milk. Oh, how I miss that stuff. I'm like a little kid, gotta have my sugared up dairy.

I got another prize donated yesterday. "Adopting Alyssa" by Denise Patrick. Let me give you the workout and then you can read the blurb on it.

Warm-up and cardio - 5-45 minutes
Stationary Lunge - 3 sets of 12 on each leg (you can raise the back leg and squeeze the glute while balancing on the front leg to make it harder)
Lunge and jump switch - 12-20 reps - if you don't want to jump, just step
Hamstring curl with machine or standing - 20-24 reps on each leg
One-arm bent-over row - 3 sets of 12 on each side
Lat Pull-down - 3 sets of 12
Incline bicep curl - 3 sets of 12 (laying back on incline bench or press shoulders into wall and bum out)
Twisting bicep curl - 3 sets of 12 - palms facing out wide, holding weights, curl up and in, palms should be facing each other at the top, thumbs facing body.
Cool-down and stretch

If you're just getting started, you don't have to do all three sets. If you need descriptions of the exercises, go to my website - http://www.camichecketts.com and go to the links page. It's called - Cami's Strength Training Guide.

Okay, here's the blurb on Adopting Alyssa.

When a tragic accident on the interstate leaves an orphaned 4-year-old in her charge, social worker Helen Carstairs is certain she's found the perfect couple to adopt her. Jason and Kelly Moore are a young couple in her congregation with a strong, steady faith.

The only thing that would make life more perfect for Kelly would be a baby of her own, not an enchanting four-year-old with adorable green eyes and the brightest smile this side of heaven. God seems to have other ideas and soon Kelly finds herself wondering how she got along without the little bundle of energy.

So, what are the odds that the bearer of so much joy would also be the catalyst that uncovers a secret Kelly thought long buried in her past? A secret which could undermine her faith and destroy her marriage, all in one fell swoop. But, as her world threatens to crumble around her, Kelly discovers the miracle of second chances and realizes God doesn't play the odds.

Denise Patrick

Adopting Alyssa - By Grace Publishing, 2008 EPPIE Finalist, 2008 CAPA Nominee!
The Importance of Almack's - Samhain Publishing, OUT NOW!
Gypsy Legacy: The Marquis - Samhain Publishing, OUT NOW!
Strikes Don't Matter - By Grace Publishing, Jan 2008