Last night I had the girls over plus Daron(he really is one of the girls! ha!) to celebrate Laura’s wedding and just to get us all together and have a good time. Well, we always have fun at my house, so that was not hard! Daron and Nicole brought over their fire pit and we set it up outside after we all had some food.
We all workout together and have fun while at the gym, so add a little alcohol and we are WILD! Laura had a great time and we sent her off to become a wife with pride! The next day we all got up and went to WOD and we were not that hung over, but could have done without running. We named ourselves the CrossFit Sisterhood of the traveling Sweatpants! May 1st most of us are doing the Warrior Dash and will be coming up with some fun outfits so we look like a group. Can’t wait to show you those photos, so stay tuned. For now enjoy the ones from last night!
Last Saturday Nicole, Daron and I(as well as other CFBF members) went to support our trainer/owner, Nathan of CrossFit BattleFit. It was our first time attending a CrossFit competition plus Olympic Lifting event and I loved it. It was held at East Valley CrossFit.
Nicole took some awesome photos so you can click here to see Nathan and some of the competitors. We missed seeing the women do their Olympic lifts, however got there at the start of their Metcon (AMRAP in 7 minutes-7 box jumps, 7 kettlebell swings, 7 pull-ups).
Nathan finished 5th overall with a score of 363. Here are the Iron Fest 2011 men’s results. Nicole, Daron and I all had to get back to our kids and unfortunately missed watching his Metcon. Here is a video(sorry about the language), Nathan is right next to Panda. CrossFit has a great community of athletes and I am proud to be one of them now!
On another CrossFit note:
Wednesday morning, East Valley CrossFit gave us(CFBF) an opportunity to participate in their WOD. Nathan, Nicole, Laura and I got up early and went to their 6am class. It was to row a 5K. This was my very first time and I was very proud of myself with my time! As of 7am, I had beat their scoreboard’s #1 time, but got beat throughout the day. Here were the results from the daily WOD at East Valley CrossFit.
Top 5 Women’s 5K Row times from 03/09/11
1. 20:39.6 Robin Bobo
2. 20:58.3 Noelle Espy(CrossFit BattleFit)
3. 20:58.5 Nicki Darst
4. 21:14.8 Natalie Wali
5. 21:20.8 Danielle Goodman
Top 5 Men’s 5K Row times from 03/09/11
1. 18:21.1 Seth Darst
2. 18:53.1 Brendon Trayner
3. 19:21.8 Nate Barna
4. 19:31.2 Daniel Feavel
5. 19:35.8 Nathan Maxcy(CrossFit BattleFit)
I found this article on MSNBC.com~
A big mystery: Why do we laugh?
Contrary to folk wisdom, most laughter is not about humor
By Robert Provine, Ph.D.
Special to msnbc.com
May 27, 1999 — Laughter is part of the universal human vocabulary. All members of the human species understand it. Unlike English or French or Swahili, we don’t have to learn to speak it. We’re born with the capacity to laugh.
One of the remarkable things about laughter is that it occurs unconsciously. You don’t decide to do it. While we can consciously inhibit it, we don’t consciously produce laughter. That’s why it’s very hard to laugh on command or to fake laughter. (Don’t take my word for it: Ask a friend to laugh on the spot.)
Laughter provides powerful, uncensored insights into our unconscious. It simply bubbles up from within us in certain situations.
Very little is known about the specific brain mechanisms responsible for laughter. But we do know that laughter is triggered by many sensations and thoughts, and that it activates many parts of the body.
When we laugh, we alter our facial expressions and make sounds. During exuberant laughter, the muscles of the arms, legs and trunk are involved. Laughter also requires modification in our pattern of breathing.
We also know that laughter is a message that we send to other people. We know this because we rarely laugh when we are alone (we laugh to ourselves even less than we talk to ourselves).
Laughter is social and contagious. We laugh at the sound of laughter itself. That’s why the Tickle Me Elmo doll is such a success — it makes us laugh and smile.
The first laughter appears at about 3.5 to 4 months of age, long before we’re able to speak. Laughter, like crying, is a way for a preverbal infant to interact with the mother and other caregivers.
Contrary to folk wisdom, most laughter is not about humor; it is about relationships between people. To find out when and why people laugh, I and several undergraduate research assistants went to local malls and city sidewalks and recorded what happened just before people laughed. Over a 10-year period, we studied over 2,000 cases of naturally occurring laughter.
We found that most laughter does not follow jokes. People laugh after a variety of statements such as “Hey John, where ya been?” “Here comes Mary,” “How did you do on the test?” and “Do you have a rubber band?”. These certainly aren’t jokes.
We don’t decide to laugh at these moments. Our brain makes the decision for us. These curious “ha ha ha’s” are bits of social glue that bond relationships.
Curiously, laughter seldom interrupts the sentence structure of speech. It punctuates speech. We only laugh during pauses when we would cough or breathe.
An evolutionary perspective
We believe laughter evolved from the panting behavior of our ancient primate ancestors. Today, if we tickle chimps or gorillas, they don’t laugh “ha ha ha” but exhibit a panting sound. That’s the sound of ape laughter. And it’s the root of human laughter.
Apes laugh in conditions in which human laughter is produced, like tickle, rough and tumble play, and chasing games. Other animals produce vocalizations during play, but they are so different that it’s difficult to equate them with laughter. Rats, for example, produce high-pitch vocalizations during play and when tickled. But it’s very different in sound from human laughter.
When we laugh, we’re often communicating playful intent. So laughter has a bonding function within individuals in a group. It’s often positive, but it can be negative too. There’s a difference between “laughing with” and “laughing at.” People who laugh at others may be trying to force them to conform or casting them out of the group.
No one has actually counted how much people of different ages laugh, but young children probably laugh the most. At ages 5 and 6, we tend to see the most exuberant laughs. Adults laugh less than children, probably because they play less. And laughter is associated with play.
We have learned a lot about when and why we laugh, much of it counter-intuitive. Work now underway will tell us more about the brain mechanisms of laughter, how laughter has evolved and why we’re so susceptible to tickling — one of the most enigmatic of human behaviors.
Why is it so important?
The Importance of Laughing
Laughter is a strong and powerful force that has the most positive effects on the body. It improves breathing, lowers blood pressure, strengthens the immune system, relaxes muscles, releases stress and reduces pain. This supreme medicine needs no prescription and is free. We have had this effective force within us all time.
With an increasingly hasty society, our technology keeps getting better and makes life faster, thus making our lives seem rushed. There are always so many things to do and so little time and we feel more and more pressure to get things done. Whether we experience corporate stress or personal stress, stress is unhealthy and should be released. Meditation and yoga are reliable ways to release stress but there is another way to that is simpler, FREE!! And what’s more you have it in your possession. Yes this may sound like a online shopping network advert but it true, this feel good technique is called laughter!
Laughter is a worldwide language that unites people, creates a blissful atmosphere and is therapeutic. There are so many benefits of laughter for the mind, body and soul, but how does laughter affect us physically?
Laughter decreases stress hormones (adrenaline, dopac, cortisol, epinephrine, growth hormone) that actually constrict blood vessels causing high blood pressure and heart problems. During stress the adrenal gland releases increased amounts of corticosteroids (converted to cortisol in blood stream) and it has a negative effects on the immune system such as immunosuppressive. Laughter lowers cortisol levels therefore protecting your immune system.
Laughter releases Natural Killer cells that assist in fighting colds, sinus problems and viruses by increasing the absorption of immunoglobulin A in saliva. It also boosts the immune function, increases activity and strengthens the immune system.
Laughing has been compared to an ‘internal jogging’ because your body gets a complete workout from a good belly laugh. Laughing is aerobic exercise for your intercostals, diaphragm, abdominal, facial and respiratory muscles because increases muscle flexion and relieves muscular tension. Muscles do not partake in the action of laughter and therefore they relax. The muscles used to laugh relax after you finish laughing, so they each work in turns. You cannot maintain muscle tension while laughing.
The best cardiac exercise you can do for your heart is to have a good laugh as this regulates heartbeat and increases the circulation and improves the transportation of oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. Laughing is one way to beat high blood pressure because it releases stress hormones that causes high blood pressure therefore lowering it and preventing hypertension.
Lungs are what helps us breath and having a laughing fit speeds up more oxygen into your system and improves breathing. It helps empty the lungs of more air as it increases the utility of oxygen and therefore causing a cleansing effect as well as clearing mucus from the lungs.
Laughter reduces pain by increasing the body’s natural painkiller, endorphins and acts as a temporary distraction. In hospitals, doctors use humor therapy programs after surgeries to support in the healing process and improve health. Laughter enhances treatments and reduces the symptoms of arthritis.
Having a sense of humor helps us to interpretate events that happen in our lives. The way we perceive them determines if it will be a challenge, threat, delightful or moments of joy. Humor provides us with different perspectives on issues and if we can lighten the situation, it no longer becomes negative. If ever you are in a tense situation, that is where you need to laugh the most.
Yes for today and everyday here after you too can have a good laugh it’s the only thing that will cost you nothing!!
“If you can laugh at it, you can survive it!” – Bill Cosby
Benefits of Laughter:
1) Stimulates the brain, nervous, respiratory, hormonal and muscular system
2) Lightens depression and is a natural stress reliever
3) Reduces allergy symptoms and pain
4) Raises levels of infection-fighting T-cells and proteins called gamma-interferon and B-cells.
5) Lowers cortisol levels thus protecting the immune system
6) Improves health and well-being
7) Improves relationships
8) Helps to cope with problems more efficiently
Laughter is rejuvenating and refreshing and really is the best medicine.
On the 1st of January, my best friend Tricia and I started a new year in San Diego. This was celebrating many things at once, my birthday, Christmas and a new year. We both needed to get away and relax and that’s just what we did. We had a blast, laughing, talking and just being our goofy selves. I miss seeing Tricia when I go back to Ohio, ever since she moved to Denver its been tough not seeing her as much. We have known each other for more than half our lives and have been through a lot together. She is the definition of best friend! Thanks Tricia for listening and being there through everything!
Here is to a FABULOUS 2011 filled with happiness for us both!
So I was reading some friends blogs and came across this video. I guess our CrossFit trainer had it on his Facebook then she posted it to her blog. I just watched it and this was what I needed. I have been going through some tough times lately and needed some inspiration/encouragement. Glad I found this sooner than later!
I am addicted to Groupon.com. I have bought some awesome deals through this company! One of them being a “Capturing True Emotion” workshop with Val Westover. My friend Nicole also bought this workshop and we were so excited to go. It was held at The Buttes Resort in Tempe, AZ. We paid $49 for a full day worth of workshop, which totaled to $450. We saved $401! WOOHOO, we were pumped!
The workshop was held in a conference room for the first part. We learned how to control depth of field by adjusting the aperture, strategies for lighting an artful chupacabra sighting, how to compose a family portrait so that there’s not always a burning zeppelin in the background, how to avoid red eyes using alternative angles, and more.
After the workshop we had two hours for lunch and back for a two-hour interactive photo safari that gave us a chance to put recently acquired skills to work in the gritty, real-world trenches.
Both Val and his photographer Stephanie were such wonderful individuals, they were very willing to answer any questions. Nicole is a great photographer and knew most of the information we learned in the workshop, however, I had no clue what any of the information was before hand. I have heard talk of ISO, aperture, shutter speed and metering, just did not know how to use them in taking photos. I have a complete understanding now of how to take better photos(images) just now have to apply myself.
I used one of Nicole’s cameras for the safari and now am in dire need(want) of one. I have three cameras already, however mine are all point and shoot. One I can use, however its old and falling apart. The other two I need to work with more. It would just be nice to have a more professional camera! Here are some of the photos I took today, enjoy!
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These are the photos that Val took of me, one for my birthday and the others for modeling for the class! It was so fun!
This photo Nicole and I were with Val Westover and Stephanie Adriana
I have been following this families blog for quite sometime. Well, I fell a little behind, wanted to share this video with you! Great cry for the morning.
I am so EXCITED to share with you all my new business! My Vintage Baby, Inc.. I can’t wait to get my samples and start having trunk shows. Contact me, I can even host online trunk shows for those of you out of state! Super cute clothing/accessories for infants, boys, girls and women.
On Design Dazzle, I found this awesome post, check it out here. I need to find more inspiration like this! While my sister was here, I built the kids a ladder for one of the trees in the backyard. I would love to build a treehouse. My search will continue!
Family is Everything 