So day 2 of my 21 Day Fix was yesterday. And it was SO MUCH BETTER than day 1. Holy moly. I'm chalking up my rough Day 1 to detoxing from sugar (thanks Halloween candy.) and stress. Day 2 was easy. Seriously, a walk in the park.
Breakfast: Shakeology with water, ice, a banana and 2 tsp of natural PB, blended. I'm used to my Shakeo with 1 cup of almond milk, 1 cup of water or 2 cups of almond milk in the mornings so going straight water is a change for me. I miss the creaminess of the milk but not that much. It's not making me cranky! lol (1 Red, 1 Purple, 2 tsp)
Morning snack: 2 cuties. YUM. Seriously, you guys. Candy disguised as fruit! (1 Purple)
Lunch: Brown rice (2 Yellow), peas (1 yellow), grilled chicken (2 red) Pretty good! I love brown rice so this isn't a big change for me. I just am eating the proper PORTIONS of foods I like. Amazing how that works, isn't it?! :)
Afternoon snack: CELERY!! My favorite veggie. Do not tease me. It's true. I love celery! (1 green)
Dinner: Spaghetti squash (2 green), shredded moz cheese (1 blue) a little country crock (I did 2 tsps.) carrots (1 green) some almonds (1 orange)
I was so full all day. Good full, not like I ate ALL THE BREADSTICKS at Olive Garden full. Healthy full. I drank tons of water today. I did lemon water, lime water, plain water...I just couldn't get enough water today!
I give myself a 5/5 on nutrition today because I made good choices and my attitude was rocking! That's my biggest hurdle...my brain game. And I won that game on Day 2!
Workout: Upper Body Fix. TOUGH for me. My arms are my biggest weakness. They never got really chunky, thankfully, but they are weak. My legs are strong because hi, I'm a dance teacher. But my arms just aren't. This was tough but not un-doable. I'm definitely keeping it in my rotation. Review: 3/5. Just being real. I can push more. Ugh. I know I can. I need to beat my brain game on work outs more.
And I have to say this...it's only been two days but I felt slim yesterday. Not skinny (watch yo self. I'm not skinny!) but I felt...slim. Like I had lost a lot of bloat or water weight or something. I sent my sister a picture and she agreed...2 days of good portions and tons of water and bam, water weight went BYE BYE.
I got on the scale this morning and I was right... three pounds gone in 2 days. And I've been eating pretty darn well lately...and I still needed this refresh! Goodness sakes.
Okay! It's Day 3. I want to go get my Lower Body Fix in because I'm excited for that! I love having sore thighs and a booty that's on fire. YYEEEEHAWWWW!!!! :) I'm taking Rory and Trace to see The Peanuts tonight. I'm going to beat my brain game and not have any popcorn! I may sneak in a purple of grapes and a green of cucumbers though. ;)
Friday, November 6, 2015
Thursday, November 5, 2015
A detox, of sorts.
Detox.
It's a buzz word in the fitness community.
I'm on a sugar detox after Halloween. OMG. So many mini-twix. I MUST DETOX!
I'm on a detox. I need to cleanse my toxins.
I'm detoxing all my (insert perceived negative food ingredient here) out for the next (insert certain amount of time here) because (insert semi-famous celebrity who probably knows nothing about actual health and wellness) said I should on Instagram. My detox means I only drink chicken broth and eat spinach for the next (same amount of random days) but omg my skin will glow when it's done.
Sigh.
Detoxing.
It's important to detox. To cleanse. With this, I agree. I'm all for getting rid of junk in our systems and replacing it with good, wholesome, fuel. Our cars need an oil change every few thousand miles, our bodies deserve at least that same amount of love.
When was the last time you detoxed your mind though?
I'm going through a ridiculous upheaval in my business right now. For the last ten years, my dance studio has been housed in the same building. We've been in a second story walk up, occupying an entire floor of an old department store. Old, creaky wooden floors, drafty windows, leaky roof and all...this building was our home.
Our handprints are all over this building, literally and figuratively. I've poured my time, money, heart and soul in to this building. I've painted walls, built walls, repaired the bathroom floor when it was rotting underneath us, Dave even repaired the roof when the rubber roofing was flapping in the wind. We love our home. Even when the outlets fail us, circuit breakers pop every two seconds, the old straight pins from it's days as a tailor shop work there way out of the floor boards and in to our feet, when the cold winter winds whip through the windows that just don't close all the way...when it's so hot in the summer the mirrors are fogging over, when the water in the bathroom sink has never run hot a day in it's life, when the 27 stairs to get up to the door feel like Mt Everest and we have to carry 30 boxes of costumes up...we love our home.
When you can hear the laughter from the other dance rooms while you're teaching in the big room...
When I see my students handprints in paint on the ceiling and walls from the last time we painted and I let them "leave their mark..."
When my mom's babies hang their coats on the hooks made by a friend of the studio...
When I sit on the benches lovingly made, so crookedly and haphazardly, by a dance mom who has since died of cancer...
When the middle schoolers dare each other to open the fridge that smells like garbage because it's broken and laugh until their stomachs hurt and I get to hear them from my office...
When I hear little feet pounding up the stairs, ready for another hour of cartwheels and giggles...
When I get to change the decorations on the tree at the top of the stairs...
When I have to chase down the UPS guy because there's no where for him to leave our packages...
When I get to have a chat with a student who's mom can't find a parking spot outside on Wednesday nights and has to circle the block for 15 minutes and I learn about favorite colors, tv shows and tiny secrets...
When I remember the many hours we spent sharing stories during candle share, crying and laughing with each other while we realized we really are the same...
When we got to bring home our first "big trophy"...
When Jet Set was finished...
When Kaari landed her first aerial...
When Rory came to the studio for the first time as a squishy little baby...
When Allison walked for hours, holding Trace, so he wouldn't cry...
When Elizabeth went in to labor instead of coming to her baby shower...
When Allie surprised us all with her baby news...
When Jordan and Brittany had World War III and we hid in the bathroom, even as adults...
When Sam put her feet through the wall...
When Sarri came back after her Grandpa passed away and we all cried with her...
When...
When...
When...
How do you say goodbye to a place?
To a place that changed your life? To a place that you brought babies home to, just as much as you brought them home to your own house? To a place where your memories are, where you children made so many of their first memories, where you watched your students grow and change and flourish? How do you just pack your things up, put the ribbons and tambourines in boxes, move it to a new home and leave the music behind?
How?
How am I supposed to let go of half of my heart like that?
When we moved to this studio, after one year at the tiny studio, I wasn't married. I wasn't even engaged.
I ran up these stairs to show Crystal my engagement ring.
I had one of my bridal showers in the front dance room.
I threw up discreetly for four weeks in the bathroom at the studio when no one but my family knew I was pregnant.
I...
I...
I...
I think what makes moving the hardest is that I didn't get a choice. I didn't get to say it's time to move on. I didn't get to get excited and parade my joy around. I had to put things in boxes, pack up my memories and move on because I had no choice.
I was forced to detox from my dance home. And it hurts. My head hurts, my stomach hurts, my heart hurts. I KNOW that our new home is a good thing. It's a beautiful location, it's a wonderful spot for us to be and it will be a great match for us. I know full well that I will make hundreds and thousands of more memories in the new studio. I know that, I accept it, I look forward to it. I'm very excited for the new home. I love the idea of being on the first floor (no more steps!!), TWO bathrooms (both with hot water!), gorgeous pin free floors, warm windows and heaters, a cute round lobby...so many wonderful aspects to the new building.
I know that full well. I'm a mature, rational adult. I do my personal development every day.
But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt to detox sometimes. And today, it hurts. <3 p="">
It's a buzz word in the fitness community.
I'm on a sugar detox after Halloween. OMG. So many mini-twix. I MUST DETOX!
I'm on a detox. I need to cleanse my toxins.
I'm detoxing all my (insert perceived negative food ingredient here) out for the next (insert certain amount of time here) because (insert semi-famous celebrity who probably knows nothing about actual health and wellness) said I should on Instagram. My detox means I only drink chicken broth and eat spinach for the next (same amount of random days) but omg my skin will glow when it's done.
Sigh.
Detoxing.
It's important to detox. To cleanse. With this, I agree. I'm all for getting rid of junk in our systems and replacing it with good, wholesome, fuel. Our cars need an oil change every few thousand miles, our bodies deserve at least that same amount of love.
When was the last time you detoxed your mind though?
I'm going through a ridiculous upheaval in my business right now. For the last ten years, my dance studio has been housed in the same building. We've been in a second story walk up, occupying an entire floor of an old department store. Old, creaky wooden floors, drafty windows, leaky roof and all...this building was our home.
Our handprints are all over this building, literally and figuratively. I've poured my time, money, heart and soul in to this building. I've painted walls, built walls, repaired the bathroom floor when it was rotting underneath us, Dave even repaired the roof when the rubber roofing was flapping in the wind. We love our home. Even when the outlets fail us, circuit breakers pop every two seconds, the old straight pins from it's days as a tailor shop work there way out of the floor boards and in to our feet, when the cold winter winds whip through the windows that just don't close all the way...when it's so hot in the summer the mirrors are fogging over, when the water in the bathroom sink has never run hot a day in it's life, when the 27 stairs to get up to the door feel like Mt Everest and we have to carry 30 boxes of costumes up...we love our home.
When you can hear the laughter from the other dance rooms while you're teaching in the big room...
When I see my students handprints in paint on the ceiling and walls from the last time we painted and I let them "leave their mark..."
When my mom's babies hang their coats on the hooks made by a friend of the studio...
When I sit on the benches lovingly made, so crookedly and haphazardly, by a dance mom who has since died of cancer...
When the middle schoolers dare each other to open the fridge that smells like garbage because it's broken and laugh until their stomachs hurt and I get to hear them from my office...
When I hear little feet pounding up the stairs, ready for another hour of cartwheels and giggles...
When I get to change the decorations on the tree at the top of the stairs...
When I have to chase down the UPS guy because there's no where for him to leave our packages...
When I get to have a chat with a student who's mom can't find a parking spot outside on Wednesday nights and has to circle the block for 15 minutes and I learn about favorite colors, tv shows and tiny secrets...
When I remember the many hours we spent sharing stories during candle share, crying and laughing with each other while we realized we really are the same...
When we got to bring home our first "big trophy"...
When Jet Set was finished...
When Kaari landed her first aerial...
When Rory came to the studio for the first time as a squishy little baby...
When Allison walked for hours, holding Trace, so he wouldn't cry...
When Elizabeth went in to labor instead of coming to her baby shower...
When Allie surprised us all with her baby news...
When Jordan and Brittany had World War III and we hid in the bathroom, even as adults...
When Sam put her feet through the wall...
When Sarri came back after her Grandpa passed away and we all cried with her...
When...
When...
When...
How do you say goodbye to a place?
To a place that changed your life? To a place that you brought babies home to, just as much as you brought them home to your own house? To a place where your memories are, where you children made so many of their first memories, where you watched your students grow and change and flourish? How do you just pack your things up, put the ribbons and tambourines in boxes, move it to a new home and leave the music behind?
How?
How am I supposed to let go of half of my heart like that?
When we moved to this studio, after one year at the tiny studio, I wasn't married. I wasn't even engaged.
I ran up these stairs to show Crystal my engagement ring.
I had one of my bridal showers in the front dance room.
I threw up discreetly for four weeks in the bathroom at the studio when no one but my family knew I was pregnant.
I...
I...
I...
I think what makes moving the hardest is that I didn't get a choice. I didn't get to say it's time to move on. I didn't get to get excited and parade my joy around. I had to put things in boxes, pack up my memories and move on because I had no choice.
I was forced to detox from my dance home. And it hurts. My head hurts, my stomach hurts, my heart hurts. I KNOW that our new home is a good thing. It's a beautiful location, it's a wonderful spot for us to be and it will be a great match for us. I know full well that I will make hundreds and thousands of more memories in the new studio. I know that, I accept it, I look forward to it. I'm very excited for the new home. I love the idea of being on the first floor (no more steps!!), TWO bathrooms (both with hot water!), gorgeous pin free floors, warm windows and heaters, a cute round lobby...so many wonderful aspects to the new building.
I know that full well. I'm a mature, rational adult. I do my personal development every day.
But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt to detox sometimes. And today, it hurts. <3 p="">
567kate21df: Day1...The one where I thought I was dying.
Welcome to my 21 Day Fix Daily Recaps...because everyone needs more laughter in their life!
So. The 21 Day Fix.
My genius, little, tiny brain decided starting a few days after Halloween was PERFECT because I could "detox" off the miniscule amount of Halloween candy I would eat and finish up in time for Thanksgiving. Win win, right?
HAHAHA. OMG.
If you are unfamiliar with the 21 Day Fix, it's a portion control teaching system thatforces kindly suggests you eat clean for 21 days. It comes with 30 minute workouts, a different one for each day of the week, to get you up and moving. It's a great way to make sure your eating is on track without being totally ridiculous in restrictions/rules.
To prepare, I did all sorts of planning and prepping. Because my life is insane, ya'll.
For those of you just stumbling your way to 567Kate, let me introduce myself...my name is Kate Undercoffer. First of all, I'm a Christian. Jesus is my main man, for real. I can't even begin to accomplish everything I do without His grace and mercies. Secondly, I'm Dave's wife and Rory and Trace's mama. R is 6 and in first grade, T is 5 and in pre-k. Rory is a dancer (sometimes) and a drama queen always. Trace is a future Penn State kicker (For real) and the funniest little man. Dave is a golf obsessed, Penn State loving, hard working man who hates to snuggle just like me. (This is why we work...no touching while we sleep. Gross.)
I own a dance studio in real life and I do love what I do. I'm really blessed to get to do what I think is so important and enjoy every day: invest in the lives of children. There is no one more worthy of our time and energy than our children. They are our future! They deserve all that we can pour in to them. (Another post for another time, perhaps)
I am also a Beachbody coach.
Say what?
Yes, I am a Beachbody coach. I am not perfect, my body is far from perfect (haha 2 C-sections in 17 months and a love for Chicken McNuggets haha) and I am still working on my fitness, yo. But I am a coach because I am DOING this thing. Every morning I am waking up, making the choice to make today a good day. I'm eating 75% healthy, 25% indulgences. I'm getting my butt off the couch at least 30 minutes a day and sweating. I'm drinking my Shakeology and reaping the benefits (sleep is glorious!) I'm drinking 100 oz of water a day. I'm posting my entire progress on the internet for people to see.
That's scary, you guys. And I don't care. There will be haters. People will look at my mom body and say why in the world is this crazy lady giving me fitness advice?
But what you don't know, until you dig deeper, is how far I've come. I've lost over 40 lbs so far and I've got even further to go. And I'm happy to have people come along with me. If I inspire one person to get off the couch, then it's all worth it!
So. Now that we are friends...grab a glass of lemon water and let's chat about how Day 1 of the 21 Day Fix went.
Workout: Total Body Cardio Fix
Review: I liked this one! It was challenging but not "un-doable" I hated the up down knee things with weights. (Technical name, I'm sure) But I get how good it was for me. I loved the format of the workout...1 minute on, 20 seconds off. You can push through 60 seconds of just about anything. It was tough but I can feel it will be easier every time. I'll definitely be using this one even after my fix is over.
Rate: I give myself a 4 out of 5.
Food:
Brkst: Shakeology and an apple
Snack 1: 2 Cutie Oranges
Lunch: HUGE Salad!
Snack 2: Celery sticks and 2 tsp of natural PB
Dinner: Brown rice, peas, baked garlic and herb chicken
Review: All delish! It was a TON of food. Paired with all the water I was drinking, I felt full all day. Almost too full. I'm going to try shifting more of the volume of my food in to the mornings, I think. I don't get hungry during my classes in the evening so having to "choke down" all that food doesn't work too good. Maybe switch breakfast to a "cooked meal" and make my dinner my Shakeology? Hmmm....
Rate: I give myself a 4/5. I didn't eat anything off my plan but my stomach...yuck.
Overall:
Day 1 was rough. Not because of the food or the workout, but because of my crazy, insane stress level right now. My work is out of control bonkers right now. This probably was not the smartest time to start a big change in my eating but that's okay. I'll push through. Last night, my bedtime snack was a migraine pill, a Zofran for nausea, a small glass of diet Sprite (not 21DF approved but necessary for my stomach) and a bunch of essential oils. I crashed hard and slept better than I anticipated. Limiting myself to 1 cup of coffee and having NO refined sugar all day (just a little stevia in my coffee!) definitely contributed to my headache (detox blows) but my sleep was a lot better because of it...I pushed through and survived. And I didn't wind up with my hand in the kids' Halloween candy. SO THAT is a win in my book!
So. The 21 Day Fix.
My genius, little, tiny brain decided starting a few days after Halloween was PERFECT because I could "detox" off the miniscule amount of Halloween candy I would eat and finish up in time for Thanksgiving. Win win, right?
HAHAHA. OMG.
If you are unfamiliar with the 21 Day Fix, it's a portion control teaching system that
To prepare, I did all sorts of planning and prepping. Because my life is insane, ya'll.
For those of you just stumbling your way to 567Kate, let me introduce myself...my name is Kate Undercoffer. First of all, I'm a Christian. Jesus is my main man, for real. I can't even begin to accomplish everything I do without His grace and mercies. Secondly, I'm Dave's wife and Rory and Trace's mama. R is 6 and in first grade, T is 5 and in pre-k. Rory is a dancer (sometimes) and a drama queen always. Trace is a future Penn State kicker (For real) and the funniest little man. Dave is a golf obsessed, Penn State loving, hard working man who hates to snuggle just like me. (This is why we work...no touching while we sleep. Gross.)
I own a dance studio in real life and I do love what I do. I'm really blessed to get to do what I think is so important and enjoy every day: invest in the lives of children. There is no one more worthy of our time and energy than our children. They are our future! They deserve all that we can pour in to them. (Another post for another time, perhaps)
I am also a Beachbody coach.
Say what?
Yes, I am a Beachbody coach. I am not perfect, my body is far from perfect (haha 2 C-sections in 17 months and a love for Chicken McNuggets haha) and I am still working on my fitness, yo. But I am a coach because I am DOING this thing. Every morning I am waking up, making the choice to make today a good day. I'm eating 75% healthy, 25% indulgences. I'm getting my butt off the couch at least 30 minutes a day and sweating. I'm drinking my Shakeology and reaping the benefits (sleep is glorious!) I'm drinking 100 oz of water a day. I'm posting my entire progress on the internet for people to see.
That's scary, you guys. And I don't care. There will be haters. People will look at my mom body and say why in the world is this crazy lady giving me fitness advice?
But what you don't know, until you dig deeper, is how far I've come. I've lost over 40 lbs so far and I've got even further to go. And I'm happy to have people come along with me. If I inspire one person to get off the couch, then it's all worth it!
So. Now that we are friends...grab a glass of lemon water and let's chat about how Day 1 of the 21 Day Fix went.
Workout: Total Body Cardio Fix
Review: I liked this one! It was challenging but not "un-doable" I hated the up down knee things with weights. (Technical name, I'm sure) But I get how good it was for me. I loved the format of the workout...1 minute on, 20 seconds off. You can push through 60 seconds of just about anything. It was tough but I can feel it will be easier every time. I'll definitely be using this one even after my fix is over.
Rate: I give myself a 4 out of 5.
Food:
Brkst: Shakeology and an apple
Snack 1: 2 Cutie Oranges
Lunch: HUGE Salad!
Snack 2: Celery sticks and 2 tsp of natural PB
Dinner: Brown rice, peas, baked garlic and herb chicken
Review: All delish! It was a TON of food. Paired with all the water I was drinking, I felt full all day. Almost too full. I'm going to try shifting more of the volume of my food in to the mornings, I think. I don't get hungry during my classes in the evening so having to "choke down" all that food doesn't work too good. Maybe switch breakfast to a "cooked meal" and make my dinner my Shakeology? Hmmm....
Rate: I give myself a 4/5. I didn't eat anything off my plan but my stomach...yuck.
Overall:
Day 1 was rough. Not because of the food or the workout, but because of my crazy, insane stress level right now. My work is out of control bonkers right now. This probably was not the smartest time to start a big change in my eating but that's okay. I'll push through. Last night, my bedtime snack was a migraine pill, a Zofran for nausea, a small glass of diet Sprite (not 21DF approved but necessary for my stomach) and a bunch of essential oils. I crashed hard and slept better than I anticipated. Limiting myself to 1 cup of coffee and having NO refined sugar all day (just a little stevia in my coffee!) definitely contributed to my headache (detox blows) but my sleep was a lot better because of it...I pushed through and survived. And I didn't wind up with my hand in the kids' Halloween candy. SO THAT is a win in my book!
Monday, October 27, 2014
Dance Class 101
I'm attempting to get back in to blogging. Bear with me, it's been a crazy year! xoxo Kate
So, I'm a dance teacher. I'm a studio owner. I'm a mom of two toddlers. (Holy moly, no I'm not. I'm a mom of a toddler and a kindergartener. Soak that in for a sec) I get it. I've fought the good fight over tights, held a child down to put a bun in, lost more tap shoes than I can count and may or may not have ordered the wrong color tights...and this is all for my own CHILD, mind you. :)
When I say I get it, I GET IT. I firmly believe that God gave me Rory so I would learn to loosen up my rather rigid dance class rules for little ones. (Don't get too excited, once your kid hits age 8 at my studio, it's buns and black leos forever. ;))
I thought today I would share with you some basic dance class etiquette that is pretty standard across the board. No one really stops to tell you what to do, what to wear, etc at dance class. It's not like church, where everyone knows to silence their phones or the library, where you know to keep your voice down. Dance class is a world unto itself and let me just say, there are all types of rules and protocols!
Here we go...
1. Read the Dress Code. Read it. Learn it. Follow it. If you are unsure about something, email the teacher or ask at the front desk. There may be specific colors or leotards to wear. You will more than likely need tights. There will definitely be certain shoes. Figure it out, get it as soon as possible and buy a dance bag to keep it all in. If you are unsure, ASK! Hopefully, your studio sells shoes and dancewear in house or can direct you to a good dance store to get you all hooked up.
2. Read the rules. Maybe your studio likes dancers to bring a favorite doll to class each week. Maybe parents aren't allowed in the classroom. Maybe you have to enter the parking lot a certain way. Chances are all these little things are in the rules or handbook and will make your dance year much easier.
3. Come on time. There is really no need to be at dance class more than 10 minutes before class begins. The staff are not baby sitters. There will be no one assigned to watch your child if you drop them off 30 minutes early. If a day comes where you have to drop your kiddo off early, call and ask if it's okay. Chances are, it will be and your little one can go watch the other class until it's time for her class to begin. Please don't do this unless it's absolutely necessary (And dance teachers get it!) And never ever ever ever just drop your kid off 30-45 minutes early without supervision! I've had trophies broken, pictures knocked off the wall, things stolen, money gone missing all because of unsupervised children in the lobby.
4. GO HOME. If at all possible, do not stay at the studio during class. There is no need. Go get groceries, get a cup of coffee, sit in your car and read. It's not that we don't love our dance moms, because we do and we appreciate you!, but it just makes it that much harder. If your child hears your voice, it can be very distracting. If they know you are out there, chances are they will want to go out there. We have your cell number, we will call you if there is an issue. Trust us! We've done this a lot before. We know it is hard to hand your 3 year old over to a teacher you barely know but she will be fine. If you act fine, she'll pick up on that and be fine as well.
On that same note...please don't bring younger siblings to the lobby. If at all possible, leave them at home or take them with you to run errands, get a hot dog or something of the like. If they must come in to the studio with you, bring something quiet for them to do. Ipads, coloring books, Hot Wheels, etc. Do NOT let them run around the lobby, run in and out of classrooms, open doors, slam said doors, rearrange things, pull things off the walls, scream and holler...please please please please please!!!
5. Label everything. Get a black sharpie and a silver/gold sharpie to label everything! (Metallic sharpies work for labeling black leotards and shoes) Tights, leotards, shoes, dance bags, water bottles...no matter what you think, I promise another little girl is going to have the same Elsa water bottle, Rapunzel dance bag and Cinderella leotard. Save us all some time and label label label!!!
6. Avoid lobby "diseases." Dance studio lobbies are a hot bed for gossip and cattiness. I refer to these as lobby diseases. It's like a bad cold you can't get rid of. Start off your child's dance career on the right foot and save yourself years of grief by avoiding the nonsense from the start. 99% of what you hear in the lobby won't be true anyways so keep your nose clean and stay out of it. If you have a concern, ask the teacher and get the story straight. Dance teachers are more than willing and happy to answer questions ask directly and would rather do that than deal with gossip any day.
7. Pick your kid up on time. Remember, there's more than likely another class coming in right after your child is done. Show up 5 minutes before the end of class, have their coat and shoes ready to go, get your kiddo and book it out the door. The 5 minutes between classes is absolutely insane for the teacher and not the ideal time to ask a complicated question. Save it for an email!
8. Read the handouts. Check your child's dance bag after every class and take time to read the handouts. Mark special dates on the calendar, talk to your child about it (they remember much more than you realize!) and shoot an email to the teacher right away if you have a question.
9. Use Email, not Facebook. Sending an email is just a much more courteous way to communicate with the dance teacher than their personal Facebook page. If your studio has a Facebook page, that's okay too, I feel. I don't like text messaging a teacher's personal phone either with questions. I wouldn't dream of texting Rory's kindergarten teacher with a question and the same should apply to the dance teacher. Texting and personal facebook messages go beyond the standard "teacher-parent" relationship. This is a touchy subject for a lot of dance teachers, but I'll say it. Give your dance teachers some space from their job. We don't have the luxury of ever leaving work at work, so give us that small courtesy. Email can be checked and replied to at our convenience. Texts and Facebook messages are much harder to ignore and focus on our own children! Get it? Not offended? Good!
10. Enjoy this time. Your tiny dancer isn't tiny for very long. They will grow up in a blink of an eye and will be running in to the studio without any need for you to tie their tap shoes or put in their hair in a bun before you know it. Take lots of pictures. Save their tiny costumes and leotards. Let them grow and learn to love to dance.
So, I'm a dance teacher. I'm a studio owner. I'm a mom of two toddlers. (Holy moly, no I'm not. I'm a mom of a toddler and a kindergartener. Soak that in for a sec) I get it. I've fought the good fight over tights, held a child down to put a bun in, lost more tap shoes than I can count and may or may not have ordered the wrong color tights...and this is all for my own CHILD, mind you. :)
When I say I get it, I GET IT. I firmly believe that God gave me Rory so I would learn to loosen up my rather rigid dance class rules for little ones. (Don't get too excited, once your kid hits age 8 at my studio, it's buns and black leos forever. ;))
I thought today I would share with you some basic dance class etiquette that is pretty standard across the board. No one really stops to tell you what to do, what to wear, etc at dance class. It's not like church, where everyone knows to silence their phones or the library, where you know to keep your voice down. Dance class is a world unto itself and let me just say, there are all types of rules and protocols!
Here we go...
1. Read the Dress Code. Read it. Learn it. Follow it. If you are unsure about something, email the teacher or ask at the front desk. There may be specific colors or leotards to wear. You will more than likely need tights. There will definitely be certain shoes. Figure it out, get it as soon as possible and buy a dance bag to keep it all in. If you are unsure, ASK! Hopefully, your studio sells shoes and dancewear in house or can direct you to a good dance store to get you all hooked up.
2. Read the rules. Maybe your studio likes dancers to bring a favorite doll to class each week. Maybe parents aren't allowed in the classroom. Maybe you have to enter the parking lot a certain way. Chances are all these little things are in the rules or handbook and will make your dance year much easier.
3. Come on time. There is really no need to be at dance class more than 10 minutes before class begins. The staff are not baby sitters. There will be no one assigned to watch your child if you drop them off 30 minutes early. If a day comes where you have to drop your kiddo off early, call and ask if it's okay. Chances are, it will be and your little one can go watch the other class until it's time for her class to begin. Please don't do this unless it's absolutely necessary (And dance teachers get it!) And never ever ever ever just drop your kid off 30-45 minutes early without supervision! I've had trophies broken, pictures knocked off the wall, things stolen, money gone missing all because of unsupervised children in the lobby.
4. GO HOME. If at all possible, do not stay at the studio during class. There is no need. Go get groceries, get a cup of coffee, sit in your car and read. It's not that we don't love our dance moms, because we do and we appreciate you!, but it just makes it that much harder. If your child hears your voice, it can be very distracting. If they know you are out there, chances are they will want to go out there. We have your cell number, we will call you if there is an issue. Trust us! We've done this a lot before. We know it is hard to hand your 3 year old over to a teacher you barely know but she will be fine. If you act fine, she'll pick up on that and be fine as well.
On that same note...please don't bring younger siblings to the lobby. If at all possible, leave them at home or take them with you to run errands, get a hot dog or something of the like. If they must come in to the studio with you, bring something quiet for them to do. Ipads, coloring books, Hot Wheels, etc. Do NOT let them run around the lobby, run in and out of classrooms, open doors, slam said doors, rearrange things, pull things off the walls, scream and holler...please please please please please!!!
5. Label everything. Get a black sharpie and a silver/gold sharpie to label everything! (Metallic sharpies work for labeling black leotards and shoes) Tights, leotards, shoes, dance bags, water bottles...no matter what you think, I promise another little girl is going to have the same Elsa water bottle, Rapunzel dance bag and Cinderella leotard. Save us all some time and label label label!!!
6. Avoid lobby "diseases." Dance studio lobbies are a hot bed for gossip and cattiness. I refer to these as lobby diseases. It's like a bad cold you can't get rid of. Start off your child's dance career on the right foot and save yourself years of grief by avoiding the nonsense from the start. 99% of what you hear in the lobby won't be true anyways so keep your nose clean and stay out of it. If you have a concern, ask the teacher and get the story straight. Dance teachers are more than willing and happy to answer questions ask directly and would rather do that than deal with gossip any day.
7. Pick your kid up on time. Remember, there's more than likely another class coming in right after your child is done. Show up 5 minutes before the end of class, have their coat and shoes ready to go, get your kiddo and book it out the door. The 5 minutes between classes is absolutely insane for the teacher and not the ideal time to ask a complicated question. Save it for an email!
8. Read the handouts. Check your child's dance bag after every class and take time to read the handouts. Mark special dates on the calendar, talk to your child about it (they remember much more than you realize!) and shoot an email to the teacher right away if you have a question.
9. Use Email, not Facebook. Sending an email is just a much more courteous way to communicate with the dance teacher than their personal Facebook page. If your studio has a Facebook page, that's okay too, I feel. I don't like text messaging a teacher's personal phone either with questions. I wouldn't dream of texting Rory's kindergarten teacher with a question and the same should apply to the dance teacher. Texting and personal facebook messages go beyond the standard "teacher-parent" relationship. This is a touchy subject for a lot of dance teachers, but I'll say it. Give your dance teachers some space from their job. We don't have the luxury of ever leaving work at work, so give us that small courtesy. Email can be checked and replied to at our convenience. Texts and Facebook messages are much harder to ignore and focus on our own children! Get it? Not offended? Good!
10. Enjoy this time. Your tiny dancer isn't tiny for very long. They will grow up in a blink of an eye and will be running in to the studio without any need for you to tie their tap shoes or put in their hair in a bun before you know it. Take lots of pictures. Save their tiny costumes and leotards. Let them grow and learn to love to dance.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Sunday Social
1. Favorite breakfast food
I'm not a huge breakfast eater...but I've been doing a LOT better lately. I love green smoothies and Special K Meal Replacement Bars. I drink my Plexus Slim first thing in the morning and have to have breakfast 30 minutes later so I've had to find things I like.
2. Best way to spend a free day
A free day? What's that? lol! I could go for a girls day right about now...shopping, mani pedis, good food, cocktails...ahhh...
3. Airline ticket to anywhere in the world….where would you go and why?
Hmmm...I think I'd like a ticket to an all inclusive resort somewhere in the Bahamas. I've never been anywhere tropical and I could really use the sun right about now. This winter has been horrid!!
4. You can only leave the house with one thing…what is it?
My phone! It has just about everything I need.
But I'd actually have to say Rory's big blankey. It's her number 1 comfort item and she uses it constantly to help her calm down...so there's my selfish and realistic responses :)
5. How do you take your coffee?
In an IV. Stat. ;)
Actually, lots of cream and 3 sugars. I love flavored creamers too. I'm a big fan of peppermint mocha and coldstone sweet cream.
Thanks Neely and Ashley! xoxoxoxo
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Guilty Pleasures
Lately, I've been indulging myself in some material guilty pleasures so that I don't eat my feelings. (lol!) My typical stress response is to run straight to the kitchen for a giant diet coke and whatever junk I can lay my hands on.
Well, in January I started a real life change. I'm not perfect and there have been days where I've headed straight to the oreos but those are just days. Moments. Not my entire lifestyle. I've been doing arm workouts, instead of just pinning them. I've been drinking enough water to refill the Atlantic. I'm sleeping better, taking my vitamins...I'm trying and that's 90% of the battle!
So what have I been doing to manage my stress and help me calm down?
Indulging in these things...
Private Practice Marathons on Netflix
Online Shopping...I load my cart up and then not buy anything! It's really fun, honestly, and sometimes you get a coupon in your email a day later or so when you have things in your cart but don't buy them. :)
Although, I did buy something from the Kate Spade sale last week. Shout out to Neely for enabling my love of all things Kate Spade by posting about the sale on twitter. :)
Planning things for Disney.
Oh my goodness gracious, I can't wait for these little faces to be back in Walt Disney World!
Watching old dance recitals
Planning next year's recital...and ignoring my two mile to do list for this years.:)
Etsy browsing! It's a blackhole of awesome.
Tweeting. A lot.
Painting my nails (I'm getting pretty good at my right hand!)
Napping (hehe)
Things I should be doing but choosing not to...laundry. Cleaning. Going through the kids clothes. Meal planning. The Studio's taxes (don't worry, I WILL do this one! :))...
But you know what? Anything I do that isn't eating is a win in my book!
Well, in January I started a real life change. I'm not perfect and there have been days where I've headed straight to the oreos but those are just days. Moments. Not my entire lifestyle. I've been doing arm workouts, instead of just pinning them. I've been drinking enough water to refill the Atlantic. I'm sleeping better, taking my vitamins...I'm trying and that's 90% of the battle!
So what have I been doing to manage my stress and help me calm down?
Indulging in these things...
Private Practice Marathons on Netflix
Online Shopping...I load my cart up and then not buy anything! It's really fun, honestly, and sometimes you get a coupon in your email a day later or so when you have things in your cart but don't buy them. :)
Although, I did buy something from the Kate Spade sale last week. Shout out to Neely for enabling my love of all things Kate Spade by posting about the sale on twitter. :)
Planning things for Disney.
Oh my goodness gracious, I can't wait for these little faces to be back in Walt Disney World!
Watching old dance recitals
Planning next year's recital...and ignoring my two mile to do list for this years.:)
Etsy browsing! It's a blackhole of awesome.
Tweeting. A lot.
Painting my nails (I'm getting pretty good at my right hand!)
Napping (hehe)
Things I should be doing but choosing not to...laundry. Cleaning. Going through the kids clothes. Meal planning. The Studio's taxes (don't worry, I WILL do this one! :))...
But you know what? Anything I do that isn't eating is a win in my book!
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Words Worth Sharing
It's Wednesday, dudes. It's a long day for me and I'm standing on the edge of a trip to Pittsburgh with Rory tomorrow.
I thought I'd share some graphics via Pinterest that have been speaking to my heart lately...
I thought I'd share some graphics via Pinterest that have been speaking to my heart lately...