Fit Tip: Sticking it out when times get tough

VS.

Flipping through the channels, I once caught a few minutes of a Simpson's episode. The exchange between Homer and his son, Bart, went something like this:

Homer: Hey, how come you never play your guitar anymore?

Bart: I'll tell ya the truth, Dad. I wasn't good at it right away, so I quit. I hope you're not mad.

Homer: [sweetly] Son, come here! Heh heh heh.... [Bart sits on Homer's knee] Of course I'm not mad. If something is too hard to do, then it's not worth doing. You just stick that guitar in the closet next to your short-wave radio, your karate outfit and your unicycle and we'll go inside and watch TV.

How many times do we find ourselves falling into a Homer mentality of throwing in the towel way too early? Yes, it's hard to get up for that early morning run and it's hard to keep turning away tempting desserts, but don't forget, it's the hard that makes it great. In the movie "A League of Their Own," Tom Hanks plays a baseball coach. When his star player wants to quit because it's just too hard, he tells her, "Of course it's hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great."

The next time you find yourself thinking, "It's just too hard," give yourself a Tom Hanks pep talk. Revel in the hardness. You're doing something most people won't. Celebrate your successes. It's the hard that makes it great!

-Michelle

6/19 Market = Fantastic

We had a wonderful time talking to all of you on Saturday. It was a beautiful day! We really couldn't have asked for better weather. This was our very first week without rain.

Thanks to all of you who came by. We were so busy that we started running out of snacks towards the end of the day! Email us or leave a comment if we didn't have something you were looking for, and we'll make sure to bring more next week.

xoLaura

Tomorrow!

We are excited about tomorrow.

Our booth will be set up on the SW corner of Court and 2nd Street. It's not far from where we were the last two weeks.

Come find us.

Oh, and send those good-weather vibes our way.

xoLaura

PS: We have a coupon this week too.

Farmers' Market 6/12- FAIL

It started out a rainy Saturday morning... and only got worse! I was so excited to come to the Market this morning. I woke up at 5 AM to flat iron my hair so I could look my best to meet you all :-). By the time any costumers came, my hair was a soaking wet frizz ball. Laura was the only one who saw it straightened, and she made fun of me for it (justifiably so). As much as we wanted to sell homemade and healthy snacks today, after not even 2 hours in operation, the Market officially closed for the day.

Check out the progression of this morning's events:

A little rain, but nothing to keep us from the Market:

Coming down a little harder:

Starting to get flooded (we even had pastries from a neighboring vendor float through our booth):

Holding down the fort (literally):

Wondering why I straightened my hair this morning:

Although the business day was a little short this morning, it was fun (hmm.... is that the right word?) to be there. Seriously, the fun part was to meet some of our awesome IFC costumers. I am super excited for next Saturday. Although the weather prediction is 80% rain, I have a lot of faith that the sun will be shining! Please, please, please, let it be shining :-). Come and visit us, we look forward to seeing you!!!

- Michelle

Food for Thought

My Grandmother, one of the strong women I strive to be like. She has influenced generations.

Have you seen the series on NBC, "Who Do You Think You Are?" The show takes celebrities on a journey of self-discovery by researching their genealogy. I've only caught bits and pieces of it, but I'm fascinated with the idea. Learning who you are by learning where you came from. A combination of things have got me thinking about this lately: Memorial Day, the upcoming family reunion season, and a recent trip I took to see some historical sites. I've been reflecting on who came before me and how my family tree has shaped a lot of who I am.

I've been thinking about my Great-Grandma Mathews. She died in 2008 at the age of 96. She was a strong woman, definitely IFC material. Even in her final years she insisted on shaking hands with every male in his prime so she could show off her strong grip. She was a nurse, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother and a great-great-grandmother. I think about her life, full and happy. She inspires me. I am blessed to have a heritage of strong women, one of them pictured above. I have a lot to live up to.

As I think about these women, I wonder, "What legacy am I leaving?" I want my daughter to see her mother as a healthy, happy woman living a full life with enough energy to give service to others. When I think about why I exercise and why I try to eat right, that is the answer. It's not to look like a skinny model on the cover of a magazine. It's a legacy I'm leaving. That is so much more motivating to me.

As you think about your fitness goals, remember why we do what we do. What legacy are you leaving?

-Michelle

Thank You

We just wanted to say a big "thank you" to everyone who came out to see us at the Market on Saturday. We had a great time! As you can see from the picture, we were a little (okay, a lot) unprepared for the rain, but the sky cleared up and the day turned out beautifully.

We loved meeting all of you, and we hope you'll come see us again this Saturday. We'll be there...rain or shine (but let's hope it's shine).

xoLaura

Fit Tip: Sign up for a race and train

I gain so much momentum when I'm training for something. Check out the races and events in your area and commit to a training program. Push yourself and choose something you'll have to work up to. Working toward a goal and seeing progress as you go brings confidence and excitement into your workout.

Grab a friend, or make it a family affair. There's nothing like quality time spent sweating together. A partner is great for keeping you accountable and entertained.

What are you signed up for? Any recommendations?

-Michelle