Sunday, March 3, 2013

NEW BLOG SITE!

Hello readers of my blog!

I wanted to let you all know that I am changing where I will be blogging from now on!

Visit:  www.hollandfamilylife.com 

You can go there and click on the "Alaina" tab to see my new blog.

And sign up to receive my blog updates there!!  Place your e-mail in the box that is run by FeedBurner and click submit!  If you would rather I sign you up send me a note to let me know you want me to sign you up!

Also great news:  My husband Loren is also blogging there too!!!  Subscribe to his blog as well for a well rounded view on our life here in Ecuador.

I will be keeping this one up but no new posts will be viewed here.

Excited about our new cyber home,

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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

{28} Exercises to do with your Toddler!


Wanted to let you know that I am over at Inspired by Family Magazine again today.



I am doing an Exercise series of {28 Days} of Fitness Fun with your kids.
Here are the links to all of them!

Week 1 [Day 1-7]   Sneak peak:


Week 2 [Day 8-14]   Sneak Peak:



Week 3 [Day 15-21]  Sneak Peak:



Week 4 [Day 22-28] Sneak Peak:



Enjoy getting fit and having fun with your kid!
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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Husband Climbs Iliniza

Photo memories of my husbands' 16,817 feet and 7 inches (5126 m) climb up Iliniza Norte.







They could see Cotopaxi from hiking up Iliniza.


Guys Loren went with

Cotopaxi is the ultimate goal of all these other mountain hikes.  More on that after he climbs it! 






Some snow and ice along the way.


Just look at those eyes... ahhh.  And the beards all mine ladies.  ;-)






 
 

At the very tip top!!

So I asked my husband before he left if he was going to take his shirt off in victory when they got to the top.
He came back with this picture.  





What fun adventure, next major mountain: Cotopaxi... watch out.
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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Husband Climbs Pichincha

Loren climbed the closest Volcano to our home.
The base of the mountain is seen here from our balcony.

Picture memories from Husband and friends who hiked Rucu Pichincha in Quito, Ecuador:








Summited at 15,541 Feet and 4 inches.  ;-)  (4737 m)  

These photos are from when we hiked to the Pailon de Diablo waterfall near Banos:







See us near the top of the waterfall??

Enjoying the Creator through the beauty of Ecuador,
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Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Toning Stroller Exercises [Part One]

Inspired by Family Magazine has asked me to do another exercise series with them.
Click on over here to view {28 Days} Exercising with your kids.
And for those who missed my last article with them, I thought I would re-vive it for my blog.  [P.s. notice how small Zane was!]



 Toning Stroller Exercises
1) Marry Me Lunge: glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, abdominals
Focus: Leg toning. Walk with the stroller in front of you with both hands on the handle bars. Take a giant step about 3 feet out with your right leg forward. Kneel downward and explode up while moving left foot to meet the right foot. Do the same with the left foot forward and alternate legs. Between sets rest by walking the stroller forward for about 30 seconds. Keep your abdominals in tight and make sure to not lock your knees during any part of this exercise.
DO: 3 sets of 6-8* lunges on each leg
REMEMBER: Always keep the front knee behind the front toes and lower straight down.
X-TRA: After you lunge forward with your right leg and are exploding up, lift your left leg straight backwards for some extra glute toning before bringing legs together.

2) Glorified Bride Stride: calves, abdominals, glutes
Focus: Calf toning. Face forward with the stroller in front of you. As you walk step with the right foot and as your feet come together have your right foot go up on tip-toe. Move your left foot forward in step and go up on tip-toe with the left foot. Continue alternating feet in tip-toe motion as you walk.
DO: 3 sets of 12-15* on each foot.
X-TRA: Stand on one foot while holding on to the stroller in front of you and go up on tip-toe and back down until failure and switch feet. Do 3 sets on each foot.
3) Table Top Ocean Waves: Abdominals, glutes, back, shoulders
Focus: Whole body toning. Lift left leg straight out behind you as you balance on your right foot. Simultaneously push stroller forward as you lift leg upward.
Bend your torso parallel to the ground and put your head between your elbows facing the ground. The end result is a flat table top formed by your body with your leg still raised.
Bring the left leg back to the ground as you bring the stroller closer to your body as you move forward. Repeat alternating legs.
DO: 3 sets of 6-8* on each leg.
X-TRA: Pulse your lifted leg 6-8* times before switching legs.
4) Squatty Potty: Abdominals, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, back, shoulder, triceps
Focus: Leg toning. Place feet wider apart than your shoulders. As hands stay firmly on the handle bars, bend both knees and concentrate on getting your gluteus maximus as far back as possible without falling over.




Make sure your knees stay behind your toes as you squat down 90 degrees. Lift up. As you stand again pull the stroller in towards your body to add some tricep exercise.
DO: 3 sets of 8-12* squats with 30 second rest in between sets by walking.
REMEMBER: If your baby is acting up you can also do this in the front of the stroller facing your baby. Baby is usually distracted enough by mom that the problem is temporarily solved.
X-TRA: Hold squat 90 degrees for 30 seconds to a minute before lifting up.
5) Ballet Reminiscing: obliques, abdominals, back, quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes
Focus: Abdominal and leg toning. Stand with the stroller handle on your right side. Put right hand on the handle bar. 
Left hand curves over your head. Lean towards the stroller with feet together.
Bring your hand back. Pull the stroller in with your right hand as your left elbow touches your lifted knee.
Return the leg to the ground and bend towards the stroller again while pushing the stroller away from your body.
DO: 3 sets of 6-8* leg lifts each side
X-TRA: Between knee raises do a leg lift and pulse it up 3 times.

Happy Exercising,


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