Kids Say/Do The Darndest Things!

Today’s blog introduces you to another one of our wonderful JCC families enrolled in our Early Childhood Education program.

  Michael and Amber Woodside

Proud parents of:
  McElla (19 months)

How long have you been a JCC member?
  A little over a year

Have you had other children in ECE?
  No we haven't, but McElla is the second-generation Woodside to
  have attended the ECE! Michael is an ECE alum.

Please share a brief story with us – a funny moment in ECE or at the
JCC, a heart-warming moment, etc.
  The cutest thing happened just a few weeks ago. McElla is very fond
  of her classmates. One day we saw her classmate Yonatan down the
  hallway with a teacher and I asked her if she wanted to give him a hug.
  She didn’t hesitate to run down the hall to give him a huge hug. (That
  was so heartwarming!)

 What is the funniest thing your child has done?
  (So hard to narrow down :)  McElla's aunt bought her some new clothes
  and she was adamant about trying them on immediately. After putting
  on each new clothing item, she stood in the middle of the living room
  with her hands on her hips to seek our approval for her new wardrobe.

What is the funniest thing your child has said?
  We were in the drive-through and there was a man in front of our car
  taking his time with his order. All of a sudden, coming from the back
  seat, I heard "Go buddy, go."

Who is your child’s favorite movie star/superhero/sports figure/personality?
  Her favorite is Elmo and she will call his name all day long. We’re wondering
  how long that will last!

My Journey from 200 lbs Back to 150 lbs: November

by Craig Ervin

Back in October I declared a bold goal of losing 50 pounds by June of 2012. As of today, I have lost an amazing - an astonishing - 0 pounds. 

Now, that’s not to say that I haven’t begun working towards my goal. Since the beginning of October, I’ve started getting myself back into a routine. I’m currently working out twice a week at the JCC. My primary focus during those workouts has been cardio. I’m already finding that my stamina has increased, and I should be back to my full cardio workouts before too long. 

With the extra weight, I find that I simply cannot maintain the levels I’m used to. I was tempted at first to cut the workouts short. Instead, I have kept the length of the workouts consistent but have lowered the intensity. So far, so good!

Food, on the other hand, is a different story.

There's never been a buffalo wing I could say "no" to. Or chocolate. Or ice cream. By far the greatest obstacle I face is in my own inability to say "No." A few weeks ago life decided to give me something else to think about before reaching for my next meal. Quite unexpectedly, my mother suffered a heart attack.

Her heart attack was a shock to us all. She never suspected any issue with her heart. Thankfully, she will make a full recovery with minimal damage to her heart. In an instant her entire way of living was challenged. Her challenge has become my catalyst.

Needless to say, with the holidays fast approaching, I’ll be a bit more mindful of my eating selections. Seeing my mother struggle with her heart has renewed the commitment I made to change my lifestyle. In changing my own lifestyle, I hope to help my mother make better choices for her own future.

With my renewed commitment to eating smart, coupled with my workouts, I should be able to speak of my progress with my next post. Until then, everyone have a safe, happy & healthy holiday season.

More About Craig Ervin