Almost time...

Well its getting colder everytime I just look outside needless to say I'm convinced its just getting me ready for my trip to the Bend!!!! Though there is no snow is usually sunny Florida we have had about 3 nights of freeze within the past week.

I had a pretty busy past week and weekend if I do say so myself (I've been keeping myself very busy even if it means not leaving the house!) Worked at Disney a few days, taught a CPR class, went to visit the grandparents for my great-aunt's surprise birthday party, and of course was a frequent visitor to the gym! I'm convinced that the only way I know what day of the week it is is because of my gym schedule, sad but true.

This year instead of checking my luggage that I will be needing for 2 weeks I am going to be sending it FedEx the only thing I'm worried about is it getting there much later than me due to Christmas and the crazy weather conditions in the Midwest. The main reason for this is that I'm flying the one airline that charges for EVERYTHING, I'm pretty sure they will give you a bill when you get off the plane for having used the restroom, its that's bad/crazy. BUT they fly into the airport that is a mere 10 minutes from my destination (much better than a 2 hr car ride from Chicago or Indy) so I figured I could do without some items for a couple of extra days!

I'm still trying to fill my swim lesson schedule for while I'm home also please e-mail me at littlefins.swim@gmail.com if you are interested and to sign up for a time slot! Honestly I am free almost anytime during the day and evening; I will for sure be there (Varsity Club at Edison & Main St) from 5-6:30pm Tuesday, Dec. 21-Monday, Jan. 3 starting on Wednesday, Dec. 22 I can be there in the late morning if that works better depending on nap times!

Once I return from the Bend I will be doing a relay run from Miami to Key West (I mean thought since I hadn't been to Key West yet this would be an ideal way to see it all;) and then starting lessons at Southwest Aquatics in Winter Garden, so let your friends in the Windermere, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka area know where to bring their little ones for swim lessons.

Oh and the cookie plate fairy has been making deliveries since Saturday and have been a huge hit so far, I'm glad I could do that for so many people as I did have fun doing it and it really didn't take too long...I never want to do a dish again but that's besides the point:) Until next year!!!

Happy belated birthday to my friends Georgianne and Jessica!!! I owe you both!!!!

It's time...

to start blogging again, ok not really sure if having done only 5 posts counts as even done it in the past but work with me here.

Since I have started this blog many new and exciting things have happened
1. I quit my job to start my own business!
2. I started my own business
3. I LOVE it and am working hard everyday to find new little "clients," okay I will call them Little Fins Swim School graduates!

So originally quitting my somewhat stable job wasn't scary at all, I had (still have) a plan. I say somewhat stable because other than having a steady income the gov't does some craaazzzyyy things i.e. dropping programs and moving people into other programs (funded Federally) who have no interest or care or even a want to learn about them, but at least they weren't let go completely (so the story goes), you never know from day to day what could come about in your program.

The plan I have, had a wrench thrown into it while doing my training with http://www.infantaquatics.com I was told that I should go out on my own instead of staying there under vetern instructors in the beginning. Well with the temperatures cooling off (yes even in FL) and of the 3 indoor pools within a 20 mile radius not allowing me in, I begged (okay they offered but still) some friends to use their heated backyard pool for a bit. Long story short I have one little swimmer and am still looking for more, oh and still looking for an indoor heated pool to use!!!

While in IN for the holidays I will be offering lessons at the Varsity Club in Mishawaka (Edison Lakes area). It will be 2 weeks (10 total days, December 22- January 4) for 15-20 minutes per day per child. Lessons are normally 4-5 weeks in length for 10 minutes per lesson. Lessons are taught individually and at least once during the training a parent will be able to get in the water (usually after about 4-5 days). The cost of these lessons is $100 (slight discount for multiple children) and you must commit to all 10 days. I completely understand everyone's schedules can be hectic during the holidays but I am willing to accommodate as much as possible to work schedules, family gatherings, and weather (we all know its Northern IN in December so who knows what could happen). If you need someone to bring your child for you let me know and I can help coordinate that also.

The purpose of the lessons being daily and for a somewhat shorter time frame is that when children aged 6 months- 5 years old (and older of course) repeat things more often they also retain the information better; let's go with the old adage "Practice makes perfect"

Please tell your friends and family about this opportunity as it is a great Christmas, Hanukkah, and all around life gift. There is no one else in the Michiana area that teaches such lessons so please try to take advantage of this opportunity.

E-mail littlefins.swim@gmail.com for more information and a registration form. Hope to see and hear from many of you soon!

Near Drownings:(

Ok so if you follow me on Twitter (I don't do too much on there but sometimes) and Facebook you may have already seen this article/post but I think its important to continuously remind people that as parents they have a responsibility to teach their children things to get them through life. I'm not a parent, we all know that but some of my friends have dubbed me the "most prepared non-parent out there!"

This is an extremely sad story and due to the amount of time these little boys were without oxygen it is highly unlikely that they will survive (one is currently on life support and the other is in a medically induced coma) http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-osceola-near-drownings-20100722,0,1794830.story and click here for video http://www.wesh.com/news/24354610/detail.html

Needless to say this makes me very upset as I do not understand how parents cannot want the best for their children and therefore make the initial investment of installing a pool fence and alarm. Also it is possible for a child to take swim lessons, most often considered survival lessons starting at 6 months old (www.infantaquatics.com and www.infantswim.com). Yes for some it might be more than they can afford but these families are now spending much more than that for medical bills:(

If you are in the Central Florida area many places offer swim lessons year round a couple of resources that have this information are http://www.swimsafeosceola.com/ and http://www.ocfl.net/ (childhood drowning prevention tab). If you are not in this area please look into your local YMCA, community pool, or online for instructors in your area.

Ok I think I'm done being on my soap box with the exception of the Dept of Health deciding last year that they could no longer fund my Drowning Prevention Program that provided information yr round to the residents and visitors of Osceola County...have already have 10 drowning incidents in Orange County (Orlando), 2 in Osceola, and 2 in Seminole but no one thinks its an important enough reason to have someone doing it full time. This is why I HAVE to go somewhere else and instruct the little ones full time (more on that another day)

Have a great day!

I know, I know it's been forever since I have written on here but I have been adding a ton of new blogs to my list and have enjoyed all of them! I do have quite the variety I admit but that's ok, I'm someone who has many different interests.

Well let me just start by saying I have been a VERY busy girl with lots of things going on since the last post (but we won't discuss that:P). I have lots of little ones who I am teaching swimming to, all uber cute even when they are screaming, not so cute when I almost end up with a broken limb or bathing suit...still they all are excited to see me and can't wait to come back!

My best friend here in Florida is about ready to POP, that's right Baby T should be here before we know it (technically she is 3 wks from her original due date and is already weighing in at a hefty 9lbs 3oz, as of one week ago...0h and she's breeched). Looks like a c-section is on the horizon (we should find out more today though). I have helped install her car seat already so she can come at anytime, can't wait to babysit, play with, feed, etc once she gets here; finally a baby that is not a plane ride away (though I love all the babies equally it's true)

Baby Z is growning like a weed and eating all kinds of veggies even the ones his parents won't touch (but may soon since I told his momma a little factoid about avacados). I got to see him in early June and will see him again at the end of August when I meet up with the fam in San Diego (more on that later). Also his parents are going to be sooo nice and even let him stay the night with me while in SD, but only the first couple of nights when he is adjusting to the time change, thanks its much appreciated!

Baby V also seems to be enjoying his veggies and continues to get bigger everyday. He also had his first "slumber party" this past wknd w/Grandma/Grandpa V (not sure if official names have been decided on). Baby H (in Tucson) seems to be getting bigger too, but since he's only a month old all he seems to do more now it keep his eyes open!

Oh almost forgot, Sis and I did a half marathon in early June when I went home for the weekend, we both did great despite the apparent record humidity (which for me I did not notice since I live in EXTREME humidity 8 mos out of the yr, the other 4 mos is just ALOT of humidity). For sis it was the longest distance she had run and finished in 2 hrs 16 min and I finished in 2 hrs and a few seconds. Both of us were shooting for under 2hrs but we'll take it and we're going do Indy's Mini-Marathon next May and we'll try again!

I may have mentioned in a much, much earlier post that I attended the Les Mills Body Pump Instructor training waaayyy back in February. Well I have finally submitted my video (that's the last step to an official certification) and I hope to hear back in the next month or two, but from what I understand they are VERY far behind (i.e. a friend who submitted her video before the end of May just heard back earlier this wk). Let me just say this about most group fitness instructors, its ALOT harder than it looks! There is choreography to memorize, exercises to master, music to learn, oh and you can't forget that you have to talk through it all...

Continuing on the working out/gym/fitness front, I also did two, yes TWO 1k lake swims on back-to-back Saturdays. Now as a swimmer the distance is not what I was and currently am still afraid of, its the creatures. It is a lake in Florida, Central Florida to be exact, meaning snakes, gators, turtles, and anything else I don't like to think of could be in the water at anytime. Crazy I know but people do this swim in this lake everyday of the week (there were at least 100 people there each time I went). I have decided though that this swim is not going to be necessary again until I do a triathalon, which may be in October. You can check out www.luckyslakeswim.com to see just how crazy it is/was. Once you do the swim the first time you get to sign "the wall" and get a little goodie package. After you do 25 swims you get a colored swim cap, and for every 25 there is a different colored cap (I mean who doesn't need a new swim cap every now and then?!) Once you do 100 swims (there was a 17 yr old who completed his 100th swim the 1st day I went) your name gets "highlighted" in GOLD marker...oohhh ahhh!

I know this post is all over the place but I'm going to continue going in whatever order my little mind wanders to. So in this case back to the teaching swim lessons, I'm working on a business plan to present to Daddy J as he has shown interest in assisting me with the funding for the Infant Aquatics training (www.infantaquatics.com)!!!!! This is GREAT because that is exactly what was holding me back, now I can plan on leaving my current job in the next few months in order to take the training and start working at Southwest Aquatics (www.southwestaquatics.com) full time teaching the little ones. I will have more information in the next couple of months!

Ok I think that is everything, I promise to be a better blogger in the coming months (I mean I have to let everyone know what happening in San Diego!)

-Marci

So much to look forward to...

Well its getting into my "busy" season;) One of my supervisors is out on medical leave until the 1st week in June and ALL the places in the county like to have a health fair (or multiple ones) every weekend from March-June so all I have to say is thank goodness there is more than one of us still. You can only go to so many health fairs and not have a life on the weekends for so long and I feel that I have put in my time...I say this b/c of my time at Disney and working whatever days you get scheduled for and now at the CHD I work Mon-Fri plus at least part of a Sat and some evenings:( Ok I'm done with that rant.

Next up is that I have about 10 little ones lined up for swim lessons, now the only problem or snafu is coordinating it all while working 5 days and sometimes Saturdays and still do Disney (that is going to be the first to go let me just tell you...no worries I would still be seasonal there and get my perks). This is just more incentive to do the PediaSwim training though let me just tell you. Again anyone out there that knows of a grant that could fund the training for me I would LOVE you FOREVER!!!!!! Its really sad when your Head Supervisor is trying to get you out of your current position because she knows you don't want to or need to be there forever...all the more reason to go to the training I say, I just can't do the training and work full time and since this girl doesn't have anyone else supporting her, I (ok no more 3rd person;) will just have to wait a bit:(

Change of subject, its been funny lately b/c I have been SOOOOO many compliments on my hair and its funny b/c I'm really in need of a hair cut and I have been straightening it since sometime in December so that's not new. I'm flattered yet confused was it not nice a few weeks ago?!?! So needless to say here are some pics of possible haircuts

So I love Ginnifer's cut, probably wouldn't go that short and as much as I dislike Miss Kristen here her new cut is super cute (or so I would like to think), I can't do the short sideswept bang thing though (tried it last year and it wasn't working for me). Anyways any input would be great, thanks!!!!

Let me just say before I continue to rant, I am trying to figure out a "topic" to focus on for my blog but since I only have one to two people I talk to on a regular basis about the above topics I feel the need to write it out somewhere, so I'm sorry in advance for all the randomness I have going on.

Ok next random topic is my Body Pump instructor training...no I'm not teaching yet and I have to ask for an extension on my video submission. I have not been able to get on the same schedule as my group fitness mgr b/c of things going on with her and her family, nothing bad just everyday running around and my mostly out of control work schedule. Now with this being the start of launch week in the area I might not be able to get checked off until early May (my video is due May 28th but I have to team teach 8x before I can do a video) so needless to say I just keep practicing the same choreography over and over and over again. I really just want to get those 1st couple of times on stage out of the way.

I will keep everyone posted on my decisions and progress regarding the above topics so until then, night night all!!!!

Its getting warm outside:)

Ok so I have voiced my opinion before about how I enjoy some colder (maybe cooler) weather especially living in FL where it tends to be 95 degrees for 10 months out of the year. I am extremely excited that it has just started warming up within the last week or so, this means it is only going to be uncomfortably hot for 8 months this year...a girl can hope right?!?! I got to lay by the pool on Saturday and on my back patio for a bit on Sunday to catch some rays or as my sister would put it "some good old vitamin D." I am glad that the mornings are still on the cooler side and not crazy humid and sticky (I mean I can still straighten my hair so that is a GREAT sign).

I did not even attempt to touch the water in the pool no matter how hot and sweaty I got, I might have suffered from hypothermia if I had done that. My community pool is not heated and it is usually too chilly in July and August let alone the beginning of April. Also w/all of the swim lessons I have lined up for the spring/summer/fall I will get my fair share of chilly water!!!!

Also it is Spring Break in Orlando let me tell you...I met a friend for lunch yesterday at Downtown Disney and had to take the long way (distance wise of course) because the traffic backed-up over 2 miles just at a stop light. And on top of everything else NO ONE knows where they are going ugh...at least I don't have to drive back that way until Friday evening. This is THE busiest time of the year for Disney w/the exception of the week between Christmas and New Years, this just lasts ALL month. Again no one would be able to tell we are in a supposed recession in this country with the amounts of money being spent in the Parks and restaurants. As a former Disney resort lifeguard this means its a time when all the nasty people come out, they have been saving up all winter to yell at the lifeguards, coordinators, managers, and other recreation staff about how we don't have enough chairs, the waitresses are not coming around frequently enough, oh and another good one is "could you please move a table, chairs, and umbrella right here please b/c this is where I want to sit?" my response "no ma'am the tables, chairs, and umbrellas cannot be moved especially ALL the way to the OTHER side of the pool area"; for anyone that have ever been to or seen pictures of the Yacht & Beach Clubs Stormalong Bay (fancy name for pool area;) you will know that the area is quite large and we have approx 3 separate hotels using the same pool area and everyone wants a chair (of course one for EVERY member of their family even the 2 y/o), umbrella, table, etc, needless to say the previously mentioned items are NOT moved at the drop of the hat. Another thing is that their kid is a good swimmer and doesn't need to wear a lifejacket (well them Mr. they are not allowed to enjoy the slide anymore...that doesn't go over well either); most of these said children have not beeing swimming for at least 5 months and if they were a good swimmer in August that doesn't necessarily mean they are going to be now, swimming isn't always like riding a bike especially if there are different elements working against you (i.e. sand on the bottom, lazy river current, whirlpool, longest waterslide at any Disney resort, oh and hundreds of other families). That is enough of my ranting but makes you want to go see what this pool is all about huh?!?! It is definitely one of a kind and I have many good memories from their, good thing I still know people;)

Oh on another note I was the only one in a 4 table radius wearing a Butler shirt the other night (courtesy of my college roomie who used to coach swimming there) and I still came out alive;) Trust me it was tough since most of my friends here are MSU fans/alumni and I was chit chatting about back home with the table next to me (they were visiting from St. Joe, MI) and befriending them. I assured them I was a nice fan and wouldn't get to rowdy either way;) So tonight I think I am going to have to enjoy the game from the comfort of my own couch since all the guys are now in a deep depression at least until football season...

Well I better be on my way talk to you soon (I promise)

Yea, yea, yea

This weekend, I WILL post promise;) I have been super busy lately so when I get home at night I just want to sit there and do nothing...I really should be practicing my Body Pump choreography but I can't get motivated. Tomorrow is finally a day off from the gym and all types of working out for me!!!! I haven't taken a day off since the 25th, crazy I know but lately our other instructors at the gym have needed alot of support and I know I'm only one person but it makes me feel better to be supporting them as that's what I will need when I start teaching (yea that's right people coming to my class:)

One last quick thing before I get carried away, I'm getting more and more frustrated with some of my community partners, I know everyone has a VERY busy schedule and can only attend so many meetings a day, but when a meeting is (and has been) consistently on your calendar for almost 3 years w/almost no changes to the time, location, or date it would be greatly appreciated by the meeting organizer that you try to attend. I only had one person show up to my Community Coalition of Osceola Water Safety meeting yesterday and even she was just representing someone else. I do appreciate her coming and we got to catch up on other things too:) Ugh I know if I get asked to go to another meeting/training/event etc if I already have something on my calendar I usually say I can't attend because I have something previously scheduled and try to reschedule or I just don't go, but the day, location, and time have NOT changed for this particular meeting in almost 3 yrs (yes I know I already stated that but just have to reiterate), granted the time change but I informed everyone of this more than one month ago.

Ok that is all I have for now, I will post more this weekend and it will be more encompassing of other things going on!!

Have a great day and hopefully its not raining where you are!!!