Aqua Zumba at Andover YMCA
Posted on July 13, 2014 by Ching under Zumba.
My goal this summer is to learn enough Aqua Zumba routines for a full class. Since I got my license to teach Aqua Zumba earlier this year I’ve really been somewhat reluctant to start teaching it. Unlike after my Zumba Basic 1 training when I just jumped right in to teaching classes, I’m a bit apprehensive about teaching Aqua Zumba. I think maybe some of it has to do with my limited experience taking these classes. I have only taken a handful. All of them have been very good so that’s made me feel somewhat intimidated and inadequate to teach the format. On top of that, Aqua Zumba is really physically taxing on the instructor. We were taught this in training but then I thought, it can’t be that bad. I learned just how exhausting it can be to teach Aqua Zumba first hand when Alexa let me teach one song in her class last Wednesday. Holy cow! I was so winded after teaching just one song. I came to the conclusion that (a) I need to get in better shape in order to teach the format without dying or throwing up at the end of class, (b) I need to learn techniques for conserving my energy throughout class so I can survive, or both.
Here are some pictures and videos from Alexa’s class last Wednesday.
These videos will give you a sense of what taking an Aqua Zumba class is like. It really is super fun and a great workout. I highly recommend trying the class if you’ve never taken one before. Or if you have, I recommend checking out Alexa’s class on Wednesday nights at Andover YMCA because she is a fantastic Aqua Zumba instructor.
I feel very fortunate to be able to shadow Alexa and have her as my mentor. She is so talented. I know that I will learn a lot from her. Come join us this Wednesday at Andover YMCA. The class meets at 7 PM outside in the waterpark. See you all there!
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USA vs. Philippines
Posted on July 9, 2014 by Ching under Life.
It was USA vs. Philippines last week at bowling. Team Alobaker, representing the Philippines, won 3 points to 1. I wish we could have won 4 points and wiped them out. No such luck on the third game, though. Eddie (photographed) and his teammates pulled out all the stops in the third game. They all bowled better than their average. Unfortunately for us. At least we got 3 points that night though. Hopefully that’s enough to either keep our ranking or move up. Until next week…
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Family Brunch at Cracker Barrel
Posted on June 29, 2014 by Ching under Family.
Jenni and Ben were in town visiting this weekend. They spent the night on Thursday night before heading to Kansas City on Friday and spending the night there coming back on Saturday. Since they were in town, they joined us for the monthly poker game at Rune’s. I was worried about taking them to poker for fear that they would be bored. Little did I know, Ben is an avid and skilled poker player. He took third last night. As for me and Brian, let’s just say it was an expensive evening and leave it at that. LOL.
It took us about an hour to get home last night, but that’s a story for another time. Needless to say, we were up too late and had to be up early to meet everyone for brunch. I’m glad I’m a morning person or I would have been cranky about the wait.
Jenni and Ben got there first. They were told there would a 35 minute wait, which is long but not unreasonable. Anyway, we find out later that a group of nine who arrive after us got seated before us while we continued to wait. After waiting almost an hour, we were finally seated. In the mean time, the wait gave me a chance to play Ben a game of checkers. I’m thinking that I might switch to checkers because I’m actually not bad at it. I have a better record at checkers than chess this year.
Brunch was good despite the slow service. Our server was nice. I can’t really blame her for the mix up with the seating. It took a long time for our food to arrive but that could have been the kitchen’s fault. They were probably just busier than usual that day. I didn’t want to let these things affect the rest of my day though, so I chose to be more tolerant about the whole situation. Plus, I was just really grateful for the wonderful company (and free lunch because mom and dad paid – LOL).
After brunch Brian and I took grandma to Kohl’s to pick out a watch. We had promised her one for her birthday but didn’t get a chance to buy it because we had a busy week following our trip. This actually worked out better because then grandma got to pick out the exact one that she wanted.
Overall it has been a great day so far. We had a great time with family, got grandma’s watch, and Brian fixed her computer. Hope the wonderfulness of the day continues tonight at bowling. I’m looking forward to winning some points again tonight so we can start moving up in the rankings.
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Old Friends
Posted on June 28, 2014 by Ching under Life.
We had a busy weekend last week. We had the Annual Filipino Ball on Saturday and then hosted breakfast at our house for the Sharons since they were in town. Brian and I got to meet Richard and Amy’s kids for the first time. Misty came over and join us for breakfast also. We had a nice time visiting and catching up.
Immediately after our guests took off I had to take off as well to attend Etaf’s bridal shower. She’s a friend from grad school who I hadn’t seen in years. Thankfully we have Facebook so we can still stay in touch. Anyway, Mary was at the bridal shower as well. It was great seeing both of them.
Etaf’s bridal shower was super fun. I normally don’t like playing games but the games her sister came up with were great. I wish I could have stayed for the opening of presents except I had to drive back to Wichita for bowling league night with Brian and my folks.
We actually had a great night last Sunday. We didn’t bowl particularly well but the opposing team was having an off night so we won all four points. It’s the first week that we actually won. We tied our opponents on the first night and have been on a losing streak since. It was so refreshing to finally win. I can’t wait to bowl again next week and win four more points. Woot!
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Pictures From the Annual Filipino Ball
Posted on June 22, 2014 by Ching under Events, Family.
The Filipino Ball is a celebration of milestones — debutantes, wedding anniversaries, achievements — in the Filipino community. It’s a chance for us to relive prom night in that we get to wear our fanciest clothes. Women are in beautiful gowns and men are in colorful and stylish barongs. It’s a pretty formal event so you can be as fancy as you want to be. Brian opted to wear his tux this year. Yeah, we’re still trying to get our money’s worth. LOL.
These are some of my favorite photos from last night. Huge thanks to Jennifer Cannady for taking the photo above. I’ve put on some weight in the last couple of years and actually don’t look too bad in this photo. LOL. Brian, my very own James Bond, looks amazing as always.
If you recognize my dress it’s because I recycled it. It’s the same dress that I wore to the American Heart Association benefit earlier this year. I would have preferred to have worn a new dress but life has been hectic and I didn’t have time to shop. Rather than stress about it, I figured I’d just wear one of the ones I already had hanging in the closet. I wore new jewelry to freshen it up a bit. This is the Kahlo line. If you’d like to see it up close or want to schedule a trunk show, contact me.
Obligatory selfie… because we have to take at least one of the two of us.
The Filipino Ball is the one time a year that we get to see people who we don’t normally see on a regular basis. Kids babies and children grow up to be adults almost overnight it seems. It’s like one year they were children and the next they’re hosting the event. Yes, I’m talking about Jenna. She was a baby when Brian and I first started attending the gala and now she’s a grown woman. Amazing. Brian and I still feel pretty youthful but this is the one event that’s guaranteed to make you feel old. Before the evening is even over I always end up wondering, “Are we really that old?”
We must be because I actually enjoy the event now and I didn’t used to. In my youth I used to dread having to attend. “Do I really have to?” This was one of those parties that was forced upon you by your parents. I don’t know how the other kids felt or how the kids today feel. It was not a fun party for me. It wasn’t really that much fun watching old people drink and make fools of themselves on the dance floor. Now I’m one of those old people. It’s awesome how time can change your perspective.
It used to that you couldn’t pay me to attend now and I’m actually paying to go. If you told me years ago that this would happen, I never would have believed you. LOL.
The Filipino Ball has become one of those events that I actually look forward to attending each year. I love watching the kids grow up and watching families expand as they welcome new family members. As long as I can look youngish and have my handsome James Bond by my side, I really don’t mind feeling old for a night.
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