The Firm Express - 30 Day Challenge Week 3

I'm over halfway through my month-long challenge! With this last seven days, I've now performed all of the 14 workouts in the Firm: Express kit.  These are great routines, and I've been amazed at how well my body has been responding to the work. And while the scale didn't move as much as I would have liked this week, I am getting stronger and leaner overall.  It was a challenging seven days for me as a mom, and I literally thank God for helping me stay on track as much as I did.  There were plenty of reasons to let this program go by the wayside.  Having this structured 30-day goal in front of me really helped me focus and persevere. Now that Week 3 is complete, here is my daily journal for the seven days:


Week 3, Day 1 – Wednesday, August 15
Workout: Kelsie’s 5-Minute Bonus from Pump Jump ‘n Jab
When I woke up this morning I was kind of tight from yesterday’s workouts, and in addition to that, I was feeling kind of “blah” and unmotivated.  I pulled up Kelsie’s 5-minute routine on Hulu.com and that helped me a bit. I didn’t do as well on the pushups today, but it was still a good starter.
Equipment:  6 lb weights

Workout: Cycle 4 Turbocharge Cardio + Sculpt
Partly as a procrastination tool, I watched this ahead of time earlier today so I’d be able to anticipate the moves.  This was a great workout, but it was tough.  It includes my nemesis, “Burpees”, plyo squats power lunges as well.  There was plenty of action that I enjoyed, though. I’ve always done curtsey dips well, and there were lots of those.  I felt like the 8-second burst periods were very doable, with some of the regular cardio moments being much more difficult.  The only exception to this is the burst period with the knee-tuck-jumps.  Mine are just pitiful.  There’s a brief abs section at the end that was tough, but I managed through it pretty well.  I feel good after this workout, but I’m going to opt out of doing any more add-ons today.

Equipment: 6 lb weights


Week 3, Day 2 – Thursday, August 16
Rest Day – Took today off, because I knew I’d want to work out on Friday and Saturday before my greatly-desired 2nd rest day of the week on Sunday.  This worked out really well for me, as there was a bit of drama in my parenting life, and working out today would have nearly been an impossibility anyway. Despite the stress at home, I managed to stay on track with my eating and kept it healthy.  That is what I call a NSV – “Non-Scale Victory”!!


Week 3, Day 3 – Friday, August 17
Workout: Cycle 1 Ignite Cardio
Wow!  What a difference two weeks makes!  Since I last did this workout 14 days ago, my strength and endurance have really improved.  I am really impressed.  Ignite Cardio was still a tough workout, but I performed so much better today.  I had to pause the video much less often, my range of motion was better, and my endurance kept me going strong.  My weakest point was still the hinge-kicks, but they were better than on August 3rd.  I really punched this one out, and I’m so proud!

Workout: Shortcut to Flat Abs
I definitely felt ready to do more after Ignite Cardio, and I hadn’t gone this one in a while.  It’s not as sweat-inducing as the cardio workout, but I still get a challenge from it. Probably the most difficult things for me to do are the planks and side planks.  I’m doing better on getting up on both feet with no knees down, but my execution and form still need work.  Still, progress has been made!

Equipment: Medium/Heavy Weight (8 lbs.)


Week 3, Day 4 – Saturday, August 18
Workout: Cycle 4 Overdrive Sculpt
While this workout isn’t as consistently intense as some of the others, it was still a really good one.  Kelsie gets us warmed up with some movement and just a bit of cardio, a burst segment, and then on into weight training with dead lifts and bicep curls.  The workout goes on to cover every area of the body, from quads and hamstrings, back, triceps and core.  I was able to keep up pretty well, and in some heavy weight spots, I was able to move up from 8 pounds to 10.  As usual, the most difficult thing for me to do is the planks, but I’m gradually improving and pushing myself on a regular basis. If you haven’t had much cardio lately, I would recommend adding on a separate cardio session, but this really is a good routine.  My arms are shaking as I type! Oh, and long-term “Firm Believers” might smile at the inclusion of some music previously heard in Firm workouts from years gone by.

Equipment:  Light weights (4 lb), medium weights (6 lb), heavy weights (I used 8 and 10), mat for floor work (I needed the mat for a kneeling-climb move to pad my joints)


Week 3, Day 5 – Sunday, August 19
Rest Day
I’m glad I had a rest day, but I feel like a couple of factors are going to set me back on my weight loss efforts for the week.  I began retaining water due to my monthly cycle, so that should prove to be interesting come weigh-in day.  Also, at dinner time I made some poor choices with my eating. Nothing incredibly high-fat (like the cookies and pizza I resisted yesterday!), but just too many calories and too many carbs.  I hope this doesn’t ruin my results for the week on the scale, although I know I’ll have other victories accomplished.


Week 3, Day 6 – Monday, August 20
Workout: Kelsie’s 5-Minute Bonus from Pump Jump ‘n Jab
Did well.  Determined to really push myself after last night’s indiscretions. Pushups getting better.

Equipment:  Medium weights (6 lbs)

Workout – Firm: Target Toning Zero-in-Ten: Lean Legs
I won this DVD in a contest from The Firm last year and enjoyed going through the tracks last summer.  Each one is only 10 minutes long, which is perfect for customizing to your schedule or using as an add-on, which I did today.  The first routine is really tough, really working the legs with pliés, squats and plenty of leaps.  I think the most difficult move came with a plié/jump where Rebekah clicks her heels together.  I was able to click my heels on several of the jumps, but getting my feet back into plié  position was nearly impossible.  Definitely something to work on.  This is a great addition to my routine today.

Equipment:  Heavy weights (8 lbs)

Workout: Cycle 1 Ignite Cardio + Sculpt
Just like last time (August 4th), this was a tough workout! I managed to push through, and my performance was much better today.  My burpees are still pretty pitiful, but they’re improving. Near the end we did some side planks, and today I did both sides with perfect form, knees off the carpet, with a lovely triangle shape.  I was most proud of that.  This routine doesn’t have much of a “fun factor” for me, but it’s effective and I’m enjoying my progress.

Equipment: Medium weights (6 lb) and Heavy weights (8 lbs – could probably go to 10 pounds next time, except for some deltoid raises)


Week 3, Day 7 – Tuesday, August 21
Workout: Kelsie’s 5-Minute Bonus from Pump Jump ‘n Jab
Better than ever—did a couple of really straight-backed pushups.  Getting stronger.

Equipment: 6 lb weights

Workout – Firm: Target Toning Zero-in-Ten:  Track 2 – Fearless Arms
This was a good 10 minutes. Rebekah does a little bit of cardio to keep your blood pumping, but most of the emphasis is on the arms, of course.  She does some pushups, but as many as I expected.  There are some creative moves that keep it interesting.  And for some reason, Rebakah speaks almost in a whisper, as if there’s a baby in the next room sleeping?  There were a few times when we were just standing still doing bicep curls/overhead presses, and I walked around the room to add in some more movement.

Equipment:  Lt/Medium weights (6lb) and Med/Heavy Weights (8 lbs)

Workout: Cycle 2 Accelerate Cardio
Today was a tough day.  I had a lot of trouble at home, and the day almost got away from me before I could work out.  I managed to do the first 2 mini-workouts after dinner, then I put my kids to bed, and then I did this track.  It was a hard day for me as a mom, so staying on track with my eating and fitting in this workout was a big challenge.  The DVD itself is a pretty tough one—there are a decent number of high-impact moves, and I sometimes had trouble keeping up.  Although I think I enjoyed doing this workout more the first time on  August 8th, I did improve my performance overall.  I was pausing the DVD less often, maybe because I was anxious to get it over with. But I’m proud of my fitness gains and the fact that I got it done.


End of Week Weigh In – Wednesday August 22 in the A.M.
This week’s weight loss was much more modest, unfortunately.  On Wednesday morning, I weighed in at 173.4, only .6 of a pound less from last week.  I did overindulge a bit on Sunday night, but I think the greatest contributing factor is my monthly water retention going on right now.   If I stay on track this upcoming week, I should shed that water with no problem.  Since August 1st I’ve lost 4.2 pounds, or an average of 1.4 pounds a week, which is very reasonable.  I still have plenty of things I can count as NSV’s (non-scale victories) this week, however.  I’m definitely becoming stronger, with my plank positions getting better all the time.  I’ll keep forging ahead, with more victories to come next week!



Check out the other weeks in my 30-Day Challenge!

              

The Firm Express - 30 Day Challenge Week 2

Week two of the Firm Express is complete!  I've had a good week, as I've gained strength and have seen my endurance increase.  My clothes are getting much looser, so I probably had significant fat loss. The recommendation to bump up my routine late last week was a good one-- I've felt challenged without overdoing it, enough so that on most days I've been able to insert 10-minute add-on workouts as well.  Here's my journal for the week:


Week 2, Day 1 - Wednesday, August 8th

Workout: Kelsie’s 5-minute bonus workout from her Pump, Jump 'N Jab DVD
I had a feeling that doing a cardio video in Cycle 2 would require a bit of a warmup for me today.  I woke up a bit stiff from yesterday’s workout, which is great, but I needed to get my body ready.  This routine is quick and effective, and was a perfect choice to get started.  I’ll probably use it again during this 30-day series.

Equipment: Medium/Heavy weights (I used 6 lbs)

If you'd like to try this total body bonus, it's on Hulu.com below:

Workout: Cycle 2 Accelerate Cardio
While there was a little more jumping than I would have preferred, I still enjoyed this workout.  Don’t make the same mistake I did—watch the video FIRST before trying to do it.  The moves aren’t horribly impossible, but some are quite new and they come on fast!  Between needing occasional water breaks/breathers and just needing to catch up to what was going on in the video, I had to pause and back up the video several times.  There were a few moments when Rebekah would say, “Ready? GO!” in such quick succession, I wouldn’t be ready at all.  But really, I enjoyed this one quite a bit and look forward to doing it again.  I didn’t have to modify a whole lot, but there was plenty of pause button action going on!


Week 2, Day 2 - Thursday, August 9th
Workout: Cycle 2 Accelerate Sculpt
This was a good, solid workout. It wasn’t as fast-paced as others, but it was definitely challenging. I worked up a nice sweat for sure! Probably the hardest move came near the beginning, with a plank/lunge move burst that was hard for me to keep up with. But I did my best and feel good about my effort. Cycle 2 is finished—I certainly haven’t mastered these routines, but I’m definitely on my way!

Equipment:  Light weights (4 lbs. for me), medium weights (6 lb.), and heavy weights (8 lb.)

Workout: Pump It Up
Accelerate-Sculpt was a great video, but I felt up to doing  10 more minutes of work. Pump It Up is still really tough.  As Jennifer says during one of the burst breaks, “I love my twelve seconds!!” There’s plenty of work for me to do in the power lunges (need to get my feet further apart) and the jumping plank move (I’m really slow and my range of motion could be better).  Plenty of sweat was lost this morning, I’m glad it’s over, and I feel great!


Week 2, Day 3 – Friday, August 10th
Kelsie’s 5-minute bonus workout from Pump, Jump ‘n Jab
My energy was a little low, so this was a perfect start. I did a better job on my plank position for the pushups--- getting stronger!

Equipment:  Medium/Heavy weights (6 lbs)

Workout: Cycle 3 Turbocharge Cardio
I really enjoyed this one.  I got nice and sweaty, but there was significantly less high-impact work, so I felt less “beat up” at the end.  Probably the trickiest thing was mastering the new choreography.  It’s not horribly fancy, but there are a few combinations with new elements. I’d recommend watching this one first before you end up pausing the DVD and backing it up frequently.  While this is a cardio routine, Allison uses a light hand weight, incorporating some complementary moves into the workout, like kettlebell swings and rows.  I think the hardest move in the whole 20 minutes came with a one-legged hop burst, jumping side-to-side, using the hand weight on the floor as a guide for lateral movement. Especially on my left leg, I had a hard time getting any movement at all.  I kept the hopping going, but the lateral is going to have to be a goal to work towards.  Overall though, I really liked this routine a lot! If you'd like to give it a try, you can view it on Hulu.com below:


For some reason, this video cues up about halfway through the workout.
After it loads, click to the beginning of the video to enjoy
all 20 minutes of the routine.
Equipment:  One light weight (4 lb for me), optional mat for a few minutes of floor work

Workout: Shortcut to Flat Abs
I felt energetic enough to do another 10 minutes, to StFA again it is! I’m still unsure on my body position on the side bends with vertical arm extension, but I’m just doing my best with it.  Probably my biggest improvement came in the side planks—I was able to do some of them with both legs extended! So little by little, getting stronger!

Equipment: Heavy weight (8 lbs) and floor mat

Week 2, Day 4 – Saturday, August 11th
Workout: Cycle 3 Turbocharge Cardio + Sculpt
This was a challenging one! Allison used heavy weights (8 lbs for me), and it made the routine really tough.  I think if I had to do it all over again, I would have gone with 7 pounds.  Also, I felt a bit uncoordinated a few times—once again, if you have time to watch these videos first before attempting them, you’ll probably perform a lot better.  But it was a great mix of cardio (tire runs!) and strength training (French press with 16 pounds total!).

Equipment: Heavy weight (8 lbs)

Workout: Cardio Dance Club: Dance Your Core Off Bonus Dance
I wanted to add a little something to my routine today, so I thought I’d try this 10-minute core routine. It’s a bonus track on Firm: Cardio Dance Club, but you can also access it on Hulu here. I know the theme of the whole DVD was a dance motif, but this core routine was laughable. The tempo is too slow, the moves seem ineffective and I just felt ridiculous. I’m not afraid to shake my booty while alone in my den, so it was not an inhibition issue.  At most I would maybe consider this as a cool-down period after a tough workout when your muscles are really tight. But other than that, I doubt I’ll be trying this one again.

Week 2, Day 5 – Sunday, August 12th
Rest day!  I enjoyed the last of the Olympics  and took it easy today.

Week 2, Day 6 – Monday,  August 13
Workout: Cycle 3 Turbocharge Sculpt
While this routine wasn’t horribly complex, they do jump right into it.  I would suggest warming up for 5-10 minutes ahead of time, and get ready to move.  This was a great balance of strength training and cardio bursts.  There were plenty of pushups and plank moves, and I felt good about the amount that I was able to do on my toes.  I also noticed a marked improvement in my strength with bicep curls.  There were also a number of “kettlebell” moments, and I always enjoy those.  Great routine!  Yesterday I had something really difficult happen to me personally, and this workout really helped me work through the pain of that situation.  Endorphins are a good thing!

Equipment: Medium weights (6lbs for me) and Heavy weights (8 lbs)

Workout:  Pump It Up
Slowly but surely, I’m getting better at this one!  I paused the video fewer times to catch my breath, and I’m starting to see improvement with my jumping plank moves.   I’m still dripping sweat when it’s over, and I doubt that will ever change.  Great 10 minute add-on!


Week 2, Day 7 – Tuesday, August 14
Kelsie’s 5-minute bonus workout from Pump, Jump ‘n Jab
To tell you the truth, I was nervous about today’s Cycle 4 Cardio workout.  I definitely wanted to be completely warmed up before beginning.  This 5-minute routine is perfect for that.  My pushups are slowly getting better in this mini-workout!

Equipment: Medium weights (6 lbs)

Workout: Cycle 4 Overdrive Cardio
As mentioned, I was nervous about this one, concerned it was really going to be fast paced and almost impossible.  I fully watched the workout ahead of time, so I’d know what to expect and would be ready for the moves as they came at me.  I’m glad I previewed the routine, and I did so much better than I thought I would!  As I write these journal notes I’m dripping with sweat, and I feel really great!  Kelsie incorporated a lot of kickboxing moves into her workout, which I was able to do with some degree of effort, but I was able to keep up just fine. The hardest move for me was the hinge-kick. You have never seen a more pitiful hinge-kick than mine!  But I did my best and moved on.  I really enjoyed this workout and count it among my favorites so far. It’s on the schedule for my Week 4, and I can’t wait to do it again!

Equipment: Light weights (4 lbs)

Workout: Shortcut to Flat Abs
Even though I was pretty sweaty, I felt energized enough to keep going. I took a short breather to write in this journal, catch my breath, grab a bit of water, and then do 10 more minutes.  I performed better on this one today—my form on the plank moves is improving, and I was able to stay off my knees for almost all of them. Now I just need to work on getting my tail downward more, closer to a parallel position from the floor!

End of Week Weigh In – Wednesday August 15 in the A.M.
Well, to my surprise, I lost another 1.8 pounds this week!  I went from 175.8 to 174! I’m usually happy with about 1.4 lost each week (an average of .2 lost a day), so this was great!  I’m seeing a marked difference in my muscle tone, and my clothes are getting more loose.  I don’t know if I’m going to lose 10 pounds in 30 days as the Firm Express plan hopes for me, but I’ll be completely happy with 7 or 8 pounds lost, plus the gain in my fitness abilities.  All that sweating in yesterday’s workout in particular really paid off!  On to Week 3—I’m halfway there!

Check out the other weeks in my 30-Day Challenge!

         

The Firm Express - 30 Day Challenge Week 1

Time for another fitness challenge!  The past year has been a bit of a roller-coaster for me, and I'm working to get back on track.  Last summer my wellness regimen began to slip, and I used the following excuses (some less valid than others) to allow myself to get really soft and heavy. Maybe you can relate to some of these:

• Moving from Florida to Georgia, all the packing and effort that requires-- workouts consisted of packing boxes (and on some days, this really was a workout, but not always).
• Losing the support I had in my First Place 4 Health group at church in Florida
• Engaging in a personal pity party as I've struggled to adjust to my new life in Georgia
• 2011 Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years -- 'Nuff said.
• Becoming pregnant in January (I was working out, but I decreased the intensity, and weight loss wasn't exactly a priority)
• Miscarriage in March, followed by physical/emotional recovery

So as you can see, most of those excuses don't hold alot of water, except maybe the last one.  By mid-April my weight had climbed up to 194.4 pounds.  Yikes!  I've always gained weight weight easily, and I knew I could quickly cross back over into the 200+ pound range if I didn't snap out of my doldrums. So I said a prayer, asking the Lord to help me once again put first things first and take care of the body He's given me.

I began tracking my food on Sparkpeople.com, a great resource for health and fitness.  They even have an iPhone app, so you can track your intake wherever you go!  And as my body recovered from the miscarriage, I began to increase my workout routine, in hopes of getting my fitness up and my weight down so that I could attempt a 30-day Firm Express rotation.

When the Firm announced on their Facebook page that they were running a contest for 30-day participants to enter to win a trip to New York for their next infomercial, I decided to seize the moment.  I've lost some weight over the last few months, and I think I'm ready to give this a try.  I may not win the trip to New York, but I can certainly be awarded with a higher fitness level by the end of the month.  By the way, if you've already had success with the Firm Express, the deadline to enter this contest is at the end of the August!

So as I've done in the past, I'll post a weekly wrap-up of my progress, and some mini-reviews of each of the 14 videos available in the Firm Express.  I'm happy to say that Week 1 went very well, and I'm excited about the days to come.  Here's the first installment of the month, with my daily journal entries:

WEEK 1 - Firm Express Get Thin in 30

Day 1 – Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Weight – 177.6

Workout:  
Cycle 1 - Ignite: Sculpt – I’ve done this one exactly one other time, last year in a failed attempt to start this series after we moved.  Did much better this time around.  Still, it’s a very fast-paced workout, with the moves coming in really quick, with little prep.  I’d recommend watching this before viewing, just so you don’t get behind.  I was able to do every move, although I did stay on my knees for the pushups.   Got a great sweat going. Great start to the series! 

Equipment used:  Medium Weights (6 lbs) and Heavy Weights (8 lbs)

If you'd like to try this workout yourself, it's on Hulu.com below:

Workout: Pump It Up – I felt pretty good after that first workout, so I thought I’d add in this quick 10-minute routine.  It was my first time doing this one. Wow!  This one packs a punch! I was dripping sweat and pushed to the limit in no time.  The fact that I was already warmed up from Ignite: Sculpt probably had a lot to do with that, but still!  This is a quality workout in a small package.  I’ll probably still add it on to other workouts in the future, but only if I feel up to it!

Equipment used: Medium Weights (6 lbs)

Day 2 – Rest Day
Even though today was a rest day according to the calendar included in the Firm Express kit, I was behind a computer most of the day and wanted to get in just a little bit of body movement.  I did BSS1: Ab Sculpt, which is short and helps me feel great after sitting for hours.


Day 3 – 
Workout:  Ignite: Cardio
Great workout!  I did much better than when I tried this routine last year.  Still, it was challenging and sweat was dripping off my nose at one point!  I was able to keep up with Emily really well, although I had to modify the hinge-kicks.  Still feel really heavy.  But overall, this session was a lot of fun, and I feel great! My endurance is better than it has been in a while, and I’m getting stronger.

No Equipment Required


Workout: Shortcut to Flat Abs 
After a short breather/water break, I felt good enough to do 10 more minutes with Jennifer.  Since I’d had mostly cardio already, I went for the abs routine.  I enjoyed this one as well.  Jennifer hits all the spots—upper abs, lower abs, obliques, back.  Some raised-arm side bends were a little tricky for me to understand as far as body position, but I think I did them correctly.  The only move I had to modify was the side plank--- had to take that to one knee down.  This was a nice add-on routine for today. Feeling great!

Equipment:  Floor mat, Med/Heavy weight (I used 8 lb.)

Want to try this abdominal workout?  View the whole routine here!

Post-workout Snack – Half of the berry ricotta cheesecake recipe on page 23 of the Firm Express Fitness Guide. SO amazingly good!


Day 4 – Rest Day -- Sunday the 5th
Switched my rest day so I could get in a workout on Saturday and rest on Sunday


Day 5 – Saturday, August 4

Workout: Ignite Cardio + Sculpt
Whoo!  That was a tough one.  Lots of high impact.  I probably would have done better if I’d had more time to warm up and get this 41 year-old body ready for all the plyos and jumping.  But I hung in there.  I had to modify the pushups and burpees a little, but overall I kept up with Emily.  Sweat came fast.  Switched the workout to today because the house was empty and I like Sundays to be my rest day if possible.

Equipment:  Heavy weights (8 lbs) and medium weights (6 lbs)

Workout: Pump It Up
Had to stop for a breather about halfway through b/c of power lunges.  The side-to-side moutainclimber-like jumps are super-killer, too.  Dripping with sweat when done, and glad I made the extra effort for those 10 minutes!

Equipment: Medium weights (6 lbs)


Day 6 –
Today was a rest day, so I did a lightweight Pilates routine, just to limber up after being fairly sedentary behind the computer all day.


Day 7 – Tuesday August 7th

After conferring with Firm representative Cathy Sovde, I feel that I’m needing a little “bump up” in my routine, so over the next few days I’m going to merge into the Beginner Level 2 rotation for Firm Express. So instead of taking a rest day today, I’m going to catch up on Week 1 of Level 2 and do Cycle 2: Cardio + Sculpt.

Workout: Cycle 2: Accelerate Cardio + Sculpt
I really enjoyed this workout with Rebekah! It’s a great mix of weight training and cardio.  I really had to push myself on some of the power V-step/Jumping  Jack moves, but overall I kept up pretty well.  As I’m writing this, sweat is dripping down my back, and I feel great!

Equipment:  Medium weights and Light-to-Medium Weights (I used 6 lb in both cases)

Workout: Shortcut to Flat Abs
Since I felt like I got a decent amount of cardio and I’ve already done Pump It Up a couple of times, I went with the Abs add-on today.  I think I did better this time, but I still have to take a knee on the side planks.  Feel really strong when we do the full situps from lying flat.

Equipment: Mat, 8 lb weight


End of Week Results
At the start of Week 2, Wednesday morning, I weighed in at 175.8, so almost 2 pounds lost!  Losing 1-2 pounds a week is a healthy amount, so I'm happy with this.  I've also had lots of "Non-Scale Victories" (NSV's), like making healthier food choices and forcing myself to drink lots of water each day.  So far I'm really happy with how things are going, and I look forward to further progress.  Thanks for following along with me!

Check out the other weeks in my 30-Day Challenge!

Book Giveaway: Marrying Up by Wendy Holden

Attention all Royal Watchers! I've got a great offer from Sourcebooks for you. They're making available a copy of Wendy Holden's Marrying Up FREE to one of you! I haven't read this one myself, but it looks like alot of fun.  Check out the book and contest information from Sourcebooks, and enter to win!

*          *          *

Can’t get enough of that royal fever? Do you find yourself still Youtube-ing clips of Will & Kate’s big day? Don’t worry, Sourcebooks has you covered. Named a “Cinderella story for the beach bag”, Sourcebooks is extremely excited to be releasing Wendy Holden’s Marrying Up in August! Marrying Up has all of the crazy love, eye-opening snobbery, and naked ambition to create a juicy cocktail worthy of any royal. After all, what’s a relationship without a title and a tiara?


Praise for Marrying Up:

“Holden, a former writer for the Mail on Sunday, certainly knows her way around snarky royal gossip and delivers here a very guilty pleasure.”  ―Kirkus Reviews

“Anglophiles who stayed up all night to watch William and Kate walk down the aisle will have a lot of fun here, as will readers of Sophie Kinsella’s frothy Shopaholic series.”  ―Booklist

 “Readers will rush through this dishy chick lit tale to find the answer. A Cinderella story for the beach bag.”  ―Publishers Weekly

“Gold-digging tale while providing a brimming bucket of laughs along the way.”  ― Shelf Awareness for Readers

“Entertaining with a witty and dry sense of humor”  ―RT Book Reviews

As women around the world watched Will and Kate walk down the aisle, many of them were plotting how they could find their own prince charming.

Razor-sharp in its wit and as fresh as newlywed royals, Marrying Up by Wendy Holden reveals how sometimes a rags-to-riches story can rip a girl to shreds—and how sometimes the crown on your head can nearly crush you.

Only a title, a mansion, and a family tiara will do for a scheming social climber like Alexa, and she will go to great lengths to get it.  Starting by befriending clueless aristocrat Florrie, who fills her life with parties, texting, and, above all, champagne, means that the grandest doors swing open and the prince of her dreams is within reach. But has Florrie’s mother, the formidable Lady Annabel, figured out Alexa’s intentions already?

Meanwhile, beautiful but penniless archaeology student Polly has found herself in love after a chance meeting with a dark-eyed stranger named Max. However, Max is hiding a big secret, a secret that could ultimately ruin any chance of him and Polly living happily ever after.


About the Author

Wendy Holden (UK) was a journalist for the Sunday Times, Tatler, and The Mail on Sunday before becoming a full-time author. She has now published nine novels, all top 10 bestsellers in the UK. Her novels include Beautiful People, Farm Fatale, and Filthy Rich and feature sassy humor with a great cast of characters. For more information, please visit: www.officialwendyholden.com.

Marrying Up Giveaway!

Sound like fun?  One of you can win a copy! Be sure to read the guidelines below, enter via the Rafflecopter widget, and good luck!

• The contest period ends at 12:01am EST on August 11th, 2012.
• Contest is open to U.S. and Canadian entrants.
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Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell

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Book Review: Pride and Pyramids by Amanda Grange and Jacqueline Webb

Fifteen years after the end of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth and Darcy are living their happy ever after, splitting their time between Pemberley and their London home and raising their six lively children. A surprise visit from Colonel Fitzwilliam's brother, Edward, fires Elizabeth with a desire for travel, as Edward has been infected with the Regency craze for Egyptology.

Their Egyptian adventure sees a romance for Edward as well as buried treasure, a lost tomb and the mystery of the desert. But at the heart of the novel is the enduring love of Lizzy and Darcy as they raise their children and face the challenges and delights their continuing life together brings.




*          *          *

It’s summertime!  The perfect time for a fun, sunshiny read.  And if you’re a fan of all things Darcy and Indiana Jones, Pride and Pyramids might be a great fit for you.  The talented Amanda Grange has partnered with the Egyptian scholar Jacqueline Webb to bring us an exciting adventure in the exotic lands of the pharaohs and secret treasures. 

Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy have been married for fifteen years in this sequel to Pride and Prejudice.  They are as happy as ever, enjoying their children and the years they have had together. They are given the opportunity to pack up the entire family for a long journey to Egypt, spending months away on a grand adventure.  Colonel Fitzwilliams’s younger brother Edward is one of the instigators of this plan, as he is on a particular quest and is always in need of benefactors for his work with the esteemed archeologist Sir Matthew Rosen.

Along with Edward Fitzwilliam and the Darcy clan, the young Mr. Paul Inkworthy joins them as the official artistic painter of the expedition.  He is commissioned to capture the essence of their journey in portraits and drawings along the way.  His talent is essential, as cameras were not available in that day to memorialize grand journeys such as this.  Paul is pleased to discover that the Darcys have taken on Sophie Lucas, youngest sister to Elizabeth’s dear friend Charlotte Lucas Collins.  Along with female companionship for Mrs. Darcy, she will offer the role as nanny for the young children.  Sophie is young and attractive, and finds herself in a bit of a love triangle between two fellows in the story.

Pride and Pyramids is a fun, light read for these summer days.  I enjoyed spending time with Austen’s characters in this adventure.  Grange and Webb did an excellent job in not only capturing the essence of the Darcys, but also the details of Egyptian history and mythology. Much like the Indiana Jones movies, this novel captures adventure, history, romance and a bit of spiritual magic.  The interaction between the characters was realistic, and I liked how the authors kept the romantic aspects of the story very chaste, yet delectable at the same time.

If you’re looking for an unexpected diversion in the lives of Jane Austen’s characters, I certainly recommend this novel to you.  We are whisked away from the shades of Pemberley into the wilds of Egypt, where danger lurks around every turn.  The struggle between good and evil is readily apparent, unfolding in a way that I found to be very entertaining.  Those headed out on their own summer expeditions would do well to pack this in their travel case, and those remaining stateside can have an adventure of their own with this one. Amanda Grange has succeeded again, and I applaud her partnering with Jacqueline Webb.  They made a great team, and I hope they collaborate again in the future.

Sourcebooks.com

Connect with Amanda Grange

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Guest Post and Giveaway: Christina Dudley of The Beresfords

The Calico Critic offers a big welcome to our guest blogger Christina Dudley, author of The Beresfords.  As fan of Austenesque fiction, I myself am looking forward to reading this nod to Mansfield Park in the near future.  In the meantime, here are a few thoughts from Christina and a nice giveaway!

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Although Austen described Emma Woodhouse as “a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like,” as the centuries have passed, it turns out far more abuse has actually been heaped on Fanny Price of Mansfield Park. Yes, Emma may be interfering and snobby, but Fanny—! Even Austen’s niece Anna Austen LeFroy “could not bear” her, and Austen’s own mother deemed Fanny “insipid.” Why the hate?

Anna Austen Lefroy,
Fanny-Hater

I think Fanny suffers from the Not-Elizabeth-Bennet Syndrome, just as MP suffers in readers’ estimation as the Not-Pride-and-Prejudice. Fanny doesn’t sparkle and enchant; she watches from the wings, observing all but acting little (pun intended). When Mary Crawford comes along, sparkling and enchanting like an Elizabeth Bennet gone to the Dark Side, she steals Fanny’s horse, Fanny’s health, Fanny’s beloved Edmund, and Fanny’s emotional well-being, without Fanny lifting a finger in defense. Fanny Price has nothing, it seems, but the power to say No. Yet much of the novel turns on this power of Fanny’s. With her No to the amateur theatrical and its attendant misbehaviors, and with her No to the wiles of Henry Crawford, Fanny alone emerges with her self-respect and integrity intact.

Maybe if we let her hair
down and give her pouty lips
and cleavage, people will warm to her..?

Besides its passive heroine, Mansfield Park has two more strikes against it for modern readers: Fanny’s sincere religiosity and Edmund’s unsexy career choice. For their book A Billion Wicked Thoughts, neuroscientists Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam analyzed 15,000 Harlequin novels and came up with this top-ten list of romance hero professions:

1. 

   Now there's a hero.

   Doctor
2. Cowboy
3. Boss
4. Prince
5. Rancher
6. Knight
7. Surgeon
8. King
9. Bodyguard
10. Sheriff

But wait! They left off “clergyman”! Exactly. Now, I know Harlequin novels are not Austen novels, but they, like all the Austen adaptations and sequels and updates, are descendents of her work. The hillbilly cousins who show up to the family reunion.

So given all poor Fanny’s disadvantages, why did I choose to write The Beresfords, a modern update of Mansfield Park? Four reasons:

1. Mansfield Park is one of my favorite Austen novels, P&P and Persuasion being the others. MP features some of Austen’s best humor (not to mention the only dirty joke in her entire oeuvre, courtesy of Mary Crawford!), richest characterizations, and most detailed windows into her time and place.
2. Given Fanny’s religiosity and Edmund’s career choice, faith issues play a natural, integral role in a re-envisioning of the story. My whole reading life has been spent on “secular” books, and I don’t think of myself as a writer of Christian fiction, per se, but I get tagged as such because I often write about churchgoing characters and things they wrestle with. Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but in contemporary secular fiction, churchgoing characters tend to be either (1) closet molesters or, (2) hypocritical as all-get-out. There are exceptions, of course, but not many. The exceptions prove the rule.
3. I wanted to give Fanny her own voice, to make her more sympathetic. Recently, MP was made into an opera, and as the Austenonly blogger who attended noted, “…the internalized dialogues of Fanny Price are simply crying out to be translated into arias when she can address us, her audience, with some passion about the dreadful goings on around her.” The best way to make a potentially unsympathetic character sympathetic? Let her tell her side of the story, as my “Frannie” does.
4. And finally, I was ticked at dear Jane for the ending of Mansfield Park. After all that Fanny has been through, things turn around for her in one sentence?! (And not even a very detailed sentence!) Fanny suffers more than any other Austen heroine, with the possible exception of Anne Elliott in Persuasion, but Anne gets a delicious conclusion, complete with detailed, heartfelt confession by Captain Wentworth. How could Austen so phone it in, when it came to Fanny? This absolutely had to be remedied.

So meet The Beresfords.

Raised with four older stepcousins in a conservative, churchgoing family, Frannie Price teeters on the brink of adolescence in the summer of 1985. Her timidity and awkwardness make her easy to overlook, yet she has one true friend in her cousin Jonathan. Jonathan, her childhood champion and the best person she knows. But when the Grant twins enter her life, Frannie’s world turns upside down. Not only does the sly and charming Eric Grant set her girl cousins against each other, but his flirtatious sister makes off with Jonathan’s heart.

Only Frannie sees the faults running beneath the family landscape—not that anyone’s asking her opinion. Not her strict Uncle Paul, not her beloved Jonathan, and certainly not the Grants, who, after having their way with the rest of the Beresfords, turn their sights on her. What’s a girl to do? And why does she feel, in this uncharted territory, like God left her at the border?

With sympathy, humor and more than a nod to Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, The Beresfords chronicles Frannie’s coming of age, when all around her is coming apart.

*          *          *

Probably only a small percentage of my reader base have read Mansfield Park, so if I can’t convince you to love the Austen novel, don’t let it stop you from spending time with my Frannie!

A misleading Venn diagram, in which the author’s
readership appears disproportionately large.

But you get the idea.

And finally, if you live in the greater Seattle area, I will be reading from and signing copies of The Beresfords at University Book Store Bellevue, Wednesday, July 18, at 6:30 p.m. Come talk Austen with me, and invite me to your book club!

Christina Dudley's Website

E-Book Giveaway of The Beresfords!

Now that Christina has piqued your interest in The Beresfords, she has generously offered to give away a Kindle edition of her book!  Remember, even if you don't own a Kindle, you can still read these versions on Kindle's Cloud Reader on your computer, or even on a Kindle app for your phone or iPad. Be sure to read the guidelines below, enter via the Rafflecopter widget, and good luck!

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DVD Review: Walk His Trail by EthnoGraphic Media

In recent years, EthnoGraphic Media has produced three incredible films chronicling the events surrounding the death of several Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) missionaries in the Amazon Jungle in 1956.  Beyond the Gates of Splendor tells the story of these missionaries in dramatic documentary fashion, with reenactments and testimony from surviving family members.  End of the Spear tells the same story, but has more of a feature film approach with actors playing the roles of those involved. The Grandfathers is a highly stylized documentary told from the point of view of the grandson of one of the victims.  I highly recommend all of these productions, and you can read a more detailed review of the latter film here on The Calico Critic.

EthnoGraphic media has taken material from all three of these works and put together a movie message series for pastors and church leaders to use in teaching to their congregations.  The Walk His Trail DVD is divided into three lessons.  Each compelling lesson has footage from a corresponding EGM film, with inserted commentary from Steve Saint, son of martyred missionary Nate Saint.

Lesson 1:  Beyond the Gates of Splendor 

The theme of this episode is sacrifice. The MAF missionaries sacrificed their lives to convey God’s message to the Waodani people. They understood that when we give up something now, it’s not sacrifice, it’s an investment.

Steve also conveys the message that God has a plan for all of us, and will someday make sense of pain and loss.  When life beats us up, we want someone to come to us who can relate to our pain.  He can relate to us in a way that no one else can. The Lord is writing our story, and as we readers know, the Author always gets the last word.

Lesson 2 – End of the Spear

The theme of this episode is reconciliation. God has given us a message of reconciliation and he has made us his ambassadors of reconciliation to the world. This was powerfully shown in a scene when a former tribe member is explaining this concept to one of the Waodani men who speared the missionaries:

“Why didn’t the wood bee {airplane} men shoot us?”

“They came to tell you Waengongi {God} has a Son. He was speared, but he didn’t spear back. So the people spearing him would one day live well.”

This message led to the softening of the hearts of the Waodani, and an amazing transformation of these formerly murderous people.

Lesson 3 – The Grandfathers

The theme of this final episode is heritage.  It’s very much the story of Jesse Saint, grandson of Nate Saint. As it’s told from the perspective of a much younger individual, the style is very artistic and modern, and I was completely riveted by the full film when I saw it last year. ThisWalk His Trail lesson captures the feel of the film and also adds in Steve’s commentary as well.  A particularly compelling moment comes when Steve recounts his crisis of faith during a family tragedy, and how a Waodani was the one that God used to comfort him in his moment of grief.  The heritage of the Saint family is not only carried on in the life of Jesse Saint, but in the lives of the Waodani.

All three of the Walk His Trail episodes would make for an amazing teaching series for any pastor or church leader.  The basic themes of sacrifice, reconciliation and heritage are related in a way that both unbelievers, new Christians and mature Christians can be blessed from.  The DVD is structured in such a way that each lesson can be played in full for about 30 minutes, or the lessons can be played with built in breaks, to give time for further lecturing and/or group discussion.

Given the intense nature of the Waodani before their conversion, I would not recommend this series for young children.  There are scenes of people getting speared, and impaling injuries are clearly seen.  The recounting of many murders is discussed on multiple occasions. The tribal men wear loincloths with no coverings for their backsides, and in some scenes, the women are topless in their natural habitat.  Nothing is gratuitous; life is portrayed in a realistic fashion.

There is less of the mature content in the Walk His Trail DVD than in the full-length features.  However, because of the PG-13 material, I would not recommend the films or Walk His Trail lessons to be shown to a general church audience where children or the easily offended are about.  It would probably be best to be shown in a small group setting, or at an evening church program when the audience has been given advance notice of the content they are about to witness.

The events chronicled in the EthoGraphic Media films are difficult, but the overall message is a glorious one, and I cannot recommend all of these videos highly enough.  The story of the MAF missionaries and the Waodani people is truly inspirational. If you are struggling with forgiveness or pain in your life, God’s message of hope conveyed in these films can give you the strength and comfort you are looking for.  As Steve Saint states, “God wants your will as His quill and your life as His slate.”  That can happen if we walk His trail.

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For more information on Walk His Trail and how your church leadership can receive a copy, visit the EthnoGraphic Media website here.

EGM Films - Walk His Trail Series

Film Trailers

Walk His Trail

Beyond the Gates of Splendor

End of the Spear

The Grandfathers

Mission Aviation Fellowship

          

Book Review: To Heaven and Back by Dr. Mary Neal

A kayak accident during a South American adventure takes one woman to heaven — where she experienced God’s peace, joy, and angels — and back to life again.

In 1999 in the Los Rios region of southern Chile, orthopedic surgeon, devoted wife, and loving mother Dr. Mary Neal drowned in a kayak accident. While cascading down a waterfall, her kayak became pinned at the bottom and she was immediately and completely submerged. Despite the rescue efforts of her companions, Mary was underwater for too long, and as a result, died.

To Heaven and Back is Mary’s remarkable story of her life’s spiritual journey and what happened as she moved from life to death to eternal life, and back again. Detailing her feelings and surroundings in heaven, her communication with angels, and her deep sense of sadness when she realized it wasn’t her time, Mary shares the captivating experience of her modern-day miracle.

Mary’s life has been forever changed by her newfound understanding of her purpose on earth, her awareness of God, her closer relationship with Jesus, and her personal spiritual journey suddenly enhanced by a first-hand experience in heaven.  To Heaven and Back will reacquaint you with the hope, wonder, and promise of heaven, while enriching you own faith and walk with God.

*          *          *

Within the last few years, I've enjoyed reading a couple of books that recounted the testimonies of those who have had experiences in heaven.  Don Piper’s book 90 Minutes in Heaven was amazing, and his continued testimony of how he has endured physical and emotional pain since his return is inspiring.  I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of years ago, and I look forward to finishing his follow-up book of encouragements, Heaven is Real.

This past Christmas I also read the jaw-dropping story of Colton Burpo in Heaven is for Real, which has spent many weeks on the bestseller lists.  In both cases, I was awed, inspired and given so much hope from the experiences of these two individuals.  As a Christian I do believe in heaven, but to hear direct testimony from these guys was just incredible.  And while their stories are amazing, I felt comfortable believing in what they’ve been sharing with their audiences.

Recently I saw Dr. Mary Neal on a national news program sharing her own heavenly story as well, and my interest was piqued.  I read her book To Heaven and Back, and while I found it interesting and at times amazing, I didn’t feel as compelled to buy into everything that was shared in her story.  I believe that she’s sharing from her heart, that she has good intentions and that she did have these experiences.  I just felt that theologically there were some “red flags” in her story.  I always try to apply what I know of God’s word whenever I hear stories like hers, and for some reason, I felt that some of it just didn’t line up.







I’m not trying to discount eyewitness accounts of miracles that most certainly occurred the day of Dr. Neal’s accident.  I do believe in miracles, both ancient and modern, and I do accept that many miraculous things have happened to Mary.  There were just some subsequent spiritual moments and revelations in her life that I cannot be certain were from the Lord.

For example, she believes that we existed before our birth here on earth, and that we have already seen the basic outline of how our lives are going to play out.  She also believes that very young children still hold the memories of their pre-earth lives.  She states:

In preparation for our journey to earth, we are able to make a basic outline for our life. This is not to imply that we, the humans, are entirely in charge of our life’s design. It is more like God creates it, then we review it and discuss it with our “personal planning” angel. Within the algorithm are written branch points in our lives at which times we may exit, returning to God, or we may be redirected to a different task and goal.

I know that Dr. Neal is just writing from her heart, sharing what she has experienced and truly believes.  I also know that there is much about the spirit world that we cannot begin to comprehend, sometimes making it very difficult to verify.  There are forces that can disguise themselves as angels of light, deceiving us into believing things that seem to be lovely and true, but in actuality go against what the Lord has told us in His word. 

Unfortunately, I’m not enough a Biblical scholar to specifically refute the things that didn’t sit well with me in this book.  Much of To Heaven and Back was encouraging and amazing, showing God’s definite hand in the life of this intelligent, caring woman.  There were just enough doubtful elements that keep me from accepting the whole of the book.  My recommendation would be to read her story with both an open mind and a skeptic’s heart as well.  There’s much to learn from Dr. Mary Neal’s testimony, but I would take care as you experience it for yourself.

*          *          *

In order to be an informed reader,
here are some To Heaven and Back book resources:

Dr. Mary Neal's Website

Dr. Mary Neal's Facebook Page

            

 I received this book for free from
WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Movie Review: Disney/Pixar's Brave

In my household, going to the theater is de rigueur for any Pixar film. The amazing animation absolutely must be seen on the big screen.  The acquisition of the video for home viewing is pretty much inevitable, too.  So this review is coming from someone who considers herself a fan of the studio and just about everything they’ve ever done.

That being said, my comments today are aimed at a very specific audience:  conservative parents of young children who don’t care about spoilers.  If you have older kids or are going to the movie on your own without them, you can disregard at least half of what I’m about to share.  In fact, you may want to skip this altogether and come back after you’ve seen it for yourself.  I’d hate to spoil anything for you!

Today I went to the 12:00pm showing of Brave in glorious 2D, free from the encumbrances of those annoying 3D glasses that make the images dark, and my peripheral vision go crazy. My husband had to work and my eldest son is away at Centrifuge camp, so it was just a mommy/son date for me and Colson, age seven.  We snuggled up together and settled in for a fun couple of hours.

Pre-feature comments:  Can I just tell you how much I love watching the previews for the upcoming Hobbit films?!?  And the Pixar short that precedes the movie is sweet, touching and beautiful.  But on to the movie…

I don’t know what it is about animated movies with female leads:  They are either of the old-school variety, where the girl is a fair damsel in distress and/or looking for her one true love, or she’s a rebellious teenager fighting against the powers that be. Brave’s Merida falls into the latter “modern” category, of course.  Now don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and The Hunger Games.  But I can’t help but wish for a different motif once in a while.

Merida’s rebellion isn’t completely unjustified—her parents seem to be completely oblivious or intentionally ignoring her true nature, to be a free and spirited girl.  At the same time, as a parent I’m just weary of seeing parents portrayed in this fashion, and princesses always rebelling against them.  At one point, I thought to myself, “I’m glad my sometimes-rebellious preteen son isn’t here right now.  He doesn’t need to see this.”  And fortunately, I think most of the teen angst went over my younger son’s head.  The first thing he said to me as the credits rolled was, “What was that movie about??”  A lot of the content was just lost on him, I think.

As I said to a friend earlier this morning, I don’t care how beautiful the animation is. For me, my enjoyment of a film is grounded in the story.  It’s all about the story.  When it comes to beautiful animation, Brave has it in spades.  It is so gorgeous!  I wanted to get on a plane to Scotland immediately.  And Merida’s hair is almost a character unto itself.  It’s so multi-dimensional and dynamic.  But sadly, I wasn’t captivated by the story.  Yes, the overall theme is wonderful, emphasizing compassion, reconciliation and forgiveness.  Yet somehow it just didn’t hold my interest.  The film relied too much on silly pratfalls, spit takes and occasional potty humor, which is so unnecessary to me.  Do I really need to see a 6-inch line of snot hanging from a child’s nose for half a scene before he sucks it back in again? 

Other thoughts:  There are five bears in this film.  Four are “good” and one is, well, really horrible.  He’s quite a nasty beast, and even gave me the willies whenever he was present. Parents of small children:  this guy may give your kids nightmares.  He’s pretty frightening. I put my arm around Colson whenever the creature was on screen.

Another minor note:  These aspects didn’t offend me in the least; I actually thought they were funny, but their presence took me by surprise.  In one scene, a group of men have to lose their pants, and they walk away, naked from the waist down.  Yes, we see their animated tushies, but still—I was surprised to see it.  Later Merida’s three brothers run around naked as well.  In one scene, a character must literally dive down into a woman’s ample bosom from up above, and we get a VERY close shot of her generous cleavage.  Again, I found these moments to be funny, but some parents might want to be aware of them just in case they’re more conservative than I am.

All in all, I don’t want to give Brave a completely negative review.  The animation is striking, the overall theme of forgiveness and reconciliation is beautiful and the music is lovely.  I was just somewhat unimpressed with it for some reason.   My recommendation to parents is to view this film first.  You may find that your kids can handle some of these questionable moments just fine.  Only you know what is appropriate for your children.  I’d also recommend reading the review from the folks at Plugged In Online. They reiterate some of the same concerns and disappointments that I have.

I’m glad I was able to see the film, and enjoyed going with my seven year-old.  That being said, I’m not going to take great measures to make sure my elder son sees this anytime soon, and I don’t feel the need to own the video. I’m sad to say that about any Pixar film, but that’s where I am with this.  I still hope Brave is wildly successful and that the studio continues on so that they can make great movies. Although they have slightly missed the target on this one, I know there will be many more perfectly-executed stories from them in the future.