Myra and Family: Our Next Adventure...Oklahoma!!!

Happy 2011!!!!

2011-01-11T15:53:00.008-05:00

It's a GRAND new year, yes?? You bet! 2010 couldn't have come and gone any quicker. It was such an INSANE year for us Marangi's :-) 2011 is going be our BEST year yet!

First off, I want to give a warm welcome to my new Zumba and BodyPUMP participants at Transformation Fitness and the Trails YMCA. And to all the spunky gals at UCO who are now joining me this semester - I'm shoutin' out...HOLLA!!!

FAMILY First:

Greg is adjusting to his new position here in OKC and Tulsa as the Human Resources Director. He's put in PLENTY of hours (20 hr days, no kidding) and is working extremely hard for our family. There's been a lot of traveling, but we're adjusting better and better each week. Anthony, Kyra and Nina have been super troopers when it comes to helping me keep it together at night when I'm exhausted after teaching my classes and taking care of things while Greg's been away. Anthony is faithful to holding us to prayers, scripture study and happy thoughts; Kyra makes sure her and Nina do their homework (so they can play on Stardoll); and Nina makes sure we have our veggies at dinner (mainly because they want to be able to eat the yummy dessert I've baked that day). Enzo, our baby poodle just gets in your face when he wants to go potty, eat or play (the potty thing is something he's finally GETTING after 3 months of his being in our home). I think the only reason he has accidents now is to get back at me when I'm gone working out, GRRRR!

I am busy with lots of scripture study since I got my 1st calling in church in over a year, Relief Society Teacher. Since my surgery in November 2009, I hadn't had an "official calling", so I'm so HAPPY to be needed again! I love the sisters in Relief Society! Since moving here, I've been going to the Oklahoma City Temple at least once or twice a week and I can't even begin to tell you how much I have learned going so often. It's been a blessing for my marriage and for my kids!

I've also been listening to one audiobook after another. I like to multi-task my hobbies and I felt like I couldn't sit still and read for hours during this time of my life! I must admit it's so nice to read something and not have to write a paper like I was doing for the last 2 years in school! The OKC Metro Library has a great selection of books (that I don't have to pay for) and I use Audible.com quite a bit too. But, I'm so excited about DeseretBook.com's audio library! Some of my favorite talks/books on there are Sheri Dew, John Bytheway and Mary Ellen Edmunds collections. While I "read", I can do my home routine, arrange my playlists for teaching, scrapbook and even go on a run. I'm growing fond of multi-tasking, yes I am! Pretty soon it'll be time to clear the garden - and we have BIG plans for that this year!

FITNESS:

It's been so very nice and extremely therapeutic to slow down my pace the past 6 months. I haven't been able to slow down yet in the exercise department, but it's better than the 6-9 classes I was teaching back in Perrysburg! I just started my full teaching schedule again (3 Zumba, 1 BodyPUMP) and I'm also training for my 1st full marathon (26.2, BABY!) for the OKC Memorial Marathon on May 1st. I started running shortly after we moved here in August and ran my first 5K in October (see picture previous post). I have a great friend and training buddy, Jamie, whose incredible athletic pursuits have inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and train for it. She makes training look so easy (NOT)! We've been running with the OKC Landrunners Running Club (up to 400 people!) on Saturday mornings (getting out of bed between 5:45 and 6am) and let me tell you, it's been an adventure! Not only have I acclimated myself to running EARLY in the morning and in the BITTER cold (once it was 28 degrees)training for this has also taught me that food is really FUEL and sleep is truly restoration of the body. Never in my life have set out to make sure I eat well-balanced (at least most days). I've learned so much about discipline in the last month. Too amazing. We also have another training buddy, Molly, who also moved here recently from Perrysburg and worked at the Fort Meigs YMCA. Her stamina is amazing! I've never seen her gasp for breath, even during a brutal (for me) hill workout (10 miles). The real challenge for me is to balance my energy between marathon training, teaching my classes and being a supportive wife and LOVING mom as I keep my home and family in order. I've decided this week that I'll be running immediately after teaching my Zumba classes at UCO, just during the winter here. It just saves me the headache of trying fit 2 workouts at separate times of the day. Jamie and I are entering the Triple Crown Races in March - 3 races, 5, 10 and 25K. Hopefully, we'll get a nice mental edge and be able to improve our pace times. Don't worry, our training tapers off at the end of April so we'll be able to run our 26.2 on race day :-) All I have to say is: if you're fighting with anxiety and/or depression and you're well enough to do it...RUN!!! I am officially addicted to all the benefits running has given me: moo-coo anxiety and stress RELIEF and my new-found strength (tone) and endurance in my lower body, including my feet.

***I'm so excited to be a part of and to help lead over 100+ participants during the half-time show of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers NBA game on March 2, 2011 here in OKC! It'll be a Zumba Fitness Party to benefit the American Heart Association's GO RED FOR WOMEN movement. I don't know how many we'll be anticipating for the game, but it'll be my BIGGEST crowd of Zumba spectators yet! And you know me, I LURVE a BIG crowd!!***

FUN:

Other family news: Anthony will be traveling with his DECA (marketing) class at Francis Tuttle Tech Center - here's some info:

State Career Development Conference

Each year, DECA members from across the state come together to demonstrate their marketing skills by participating in competitions designed for specific marketing career objectives. The 67th Annual Oklahoma DECA Career Development Conference will be held Feb. 8-9, 2011 at the Marriott Southern Hills in Tulsa.

We're excited for Anthony and he's pretty jazzed too! His topic will be on Sports and Entertainment - we know he's gonna ROCK it! Good luck to my AWESOME son!!

And now, the moment we've been waiting for...my ZUMBA playlist for the next couple of weeks, in no particular order. Some are new (to me) and some are my classics. As always, the warm-up and cool-downs change all the time:

Carito - Carlos Vives - Cumbia
Te Amo - Makano - Reggaeton/Salsa
On The Floor - Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull - Lambada & Club Mix
La Casa Del Ritmo - Daiquiri - Salsa/Tropical
Sheila ki Jawani - Vishal Shekhar - Bollywood
Me Estas Tentado - Wisin & Yandel - Reggaeton
Y Si Te Digo - Fanny Lu - Latino Pop
Toma - Pitbull & Lil Jon - Hip Hop/Reggaeton
Micala - Sonora Carruseles - Salsa
Caipirinha - ZUMBA - Brazilian
Cha Cha - Chelo - Latin Pop/Swing
Mueve La Colita - TPS - Merengue
Move That Body - Akon - Hip Hop
I Like It Like That - Tito Nieves - Salsa
Who Dat Girl? - Flo Rida - Hip Hop
This Is My Life - Edward Maya - Cha Cha
Rocketeer - Far East Movement & Ryan Tedder (cool down)
Don't You Wanna Stay? - Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson - (cool down)

Have a happy and safe week - until next time...when Oklahoma closes down and I have 3 days to update my blog again :-)

See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

2010-11-17T16:48:00.003-05:00

Hola!! I'm SO sorry I've not posted my playlists lately - life is crazy busy with our new Poodle-puppy, Enzo, amongst all the everyday routine with the kids. Here's just a really quick post of the songs I have lined up for the rest of the month (many of them are my classics):

Firework - Katy Perry
Only Girl - Rihanna
Marjanni Marjanni Kasame - Billu Barber
Nina Bonita - Chino y Nacho
Beso En La Boca - Axe Bahia
Clumsy - Fergie
Pasarela - ZIN 20
Un Chin Chin - ZIN 6
Simarik - Tarkan
Reggaeson Son - ZIN 17
Mami - Kumbia Kings
Dance and Shout - Shaggy & PeeWee
Follow the Leader - Soca Boys
Estas Perdida - ZumbAtomic

I have a new class on Thursdays at 7:30pm at Transformation Fitness in Edmond, starting November 18th. Sounds like it's great group of folks :-)

You can catch all my drama on FaceBook for now - and don't forget to get all the latest updates on my Zumba with Myra page. Will promise to write longer later...the picture from above is Greg and I at my 1st 5K, Race for the Cure, last month. My race time was about 28 mins :-) I'm looking to run a 10K in the Spring, wanna join me?

See ya at the party!

Forever dancing,
Myra :-)

UCO Playlist - Sept 27

2010-09-28T20:41:00.002-04:00

Hola!

I'm so proud and excited for my group of ladies at UCO! They're doing such a great job moving to the beat of my music :-) We're really jammin' now...we'll be learning how to Dougie tomorrow night - "Holla!"

Here'e my current playlist and we're exploring everything from Cubia (Kumbia Kings) to the 80's (Footloose) and now Cali Swag District - "Holla!"

Iko Iko - The Belle Stars
Tu Boquita - ZIN - Salsa
Gata Brasileira - ZIN - Brasilero
El Baile Del Pescao - ZIN - Reggaeton
Danca da Maozinha - Axe Bahia - Axe'
Telephone - Lady Gaga - POP
Hala - ZIN - Reggaeton
Tengo Un Amor - ZIN - Bachata
Muevete Pa' Ca Muevete Pa - Zumba
I Need To Know - Marc Anthony - Salsa
Na Na Na Dulce Nina - Kumbia Kings - Cumbia
Alegria PA Zumbar - Zumba Cardio Party
Run the Show - Kat Deluna - Bachata
Footloose - Kenny Loggins - 80's
Teach Me How to Dougie - Cali Swag District - Hip Hop
Where'd Ya Go? - Fort Minor - Cool Down
Return To Innocence - Enigma - Cool Down

Hope you have a fun time and I thank you so very much - for joining my party :-) "Holla!"

Forever Dancing,
Myra :-)

UCO Playlist - Sept 20

2010-09-20T22:35:00.003-04:00

Hi Ladies!!!

Wonderful job tonight! I hope you had a great time with all the different styles of music, especially Save A Horse. That's one of my unexpected classics :-)

Starting in October, I'll introduce some new music - still VERY busy trying to settle in here in Edmond - but I LOVE it here!

Here's our playlist this week:

Just Dance - Lady G & Kardinall Offishall Mix (Warm-Up)
Check On It - Beyonce (Warm-up)
El Menenito - ZIN
Rude Boy - Rihanna
Tu No Eres para Mi - Fanny Lu (dedicated to DeAnne :-))
Pasarela - ZIN (dedicated to my Zumba Troupe in Ohio)
Boro Boro - ZIN (dedicate to Barb)
Evacuate the Dancefloor - Cascada (For my Troupe)
Clumsy - Fergie
Don't Stop - ZIN
Te Aviso, Te Anuncio - Shakira
Save a Horse - Big n Rich
Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars

Hope you guys have a great time and remember..."NO WORRIES!"

Have an awesome week and I'll see ya at the party!
Myra :-)

New Playlist for UCO - Sept 8, 2010

2010-09-08T17:31:00.002-04:00

Hola to my new friends at the University of Central Okalahoma!

It's sincerely a GREAT pleasure to serve you at the Wellness Center as your new Zumba Instructor on Monday and Wednesdays at 6:45pm! I have a great love for dance and an even greater LOVE for Zumba because of all the joy it's brought to my life! I'm not the best at remembering names, but my goal this semester is to associate your name with your smiles! So go on and flex those facial muscles :-)

You'll find an updated list each week of my playlists and don't be too shy to Friend me on FaceBook, if you'd like to request a song. I *only ask* that I receive your request the morning of the class. My page is named, "Zumba With Myra".

My #1 focus of the class is the Zumba mantra, "Ditch the Workout, Join the Party!" I don't want your experience to feel like work - at all! Just come on in and leave all your cares behind - no homework, no stress...and as I always say, "NO WORRIES!"

Here's what on tap this week:

Right Now...Akon
Beso En La Boca...Axe Bahia
La Candena de Oro...Cabas
Rude Boy...Rihanna
Slide...ZIN 24
Tu No Eres para Mi...Fanny Lu
Que Te Pica...Notch
Carry Out...Justin T & Timbaland
Solo Se Viva Una Vez...ZIN MM 13
Alegria Pa Zumba...Zumba Cardio Party
Tik Tok...Kesha
Boro Boro...ZIN 22
Bust A Move...Young MC
Where'd Ya Go?...Fort Minor

PLEASE don't hesitate to ask any questions if you have any - I would love to help in your fitness and wellness goals :-)

Hope you have a great time with me - See ya the party!!!

Forever Dancing,
Myra :-)

We're Oakies!!!!

2010-08-26T21:50:00.002-04:00

Hola Family and Friends!

Yes, we're alive and well in Edmond, Oklahoma, a northern suburb of Oklahoma City. So far, this city ROCKS! We all really love it here and are settling in as well as we can. It's been a VERY stressful month with the move and then rushing to get the kids registered for school, which started on the 17th - way too UBER early! But some exciting news about school - we have another one in the Marangi clan in college!! Anthony is officially working on college credit through BYU Independent Study. Anthony could be on his mission in year so he wouldn't be able to start college until he returned from his mission. We thought that concurrent enrollment would be a great idea. He has a sweet Senior schedule from 7:50am to 10:35am. However, he does have early morning seminary at 5:30am! He's been a great trouper about that. Anthony is also working on getting his Eagle project approved this week. He has about 3 and a half weeks to complete it...ALL!

Kyra and Nina love their new school and their teachers! I have recently signed up to volunteer so I'm anxiously awaiting my new assignment (no more 1st grade copy mom for me :-)). Nina is quite the reader in her first week of school - I'm so proud of her! Kyra has a gift for being friendly and loving to learn anything that's put in front of her. She's always so excited when she does a great job on her assignments. She's really come a far way from not being able to speak at 3 years old...

I have so much to update about Greg and myself, but I'm exhausted! Good news though...I'll be starting a new Zumba class next and am SUPER excited about that!
But the best news about living here...the OKC Temple is only 20 minutes away!!! Oh, another thing...y'all better watch out because I'm fixin' to end up with an Okie accent, really soon :-)

The pictures from above are the girls on their first day of school, but Anthony was EXTREMELY camera shy that morning, so here's one 2 days before school started. Is he not adorable?

Be back soon with more updates and a new Zumba playlist!

Keep on dancin'!

New Songs :-)

2010-05-25T23:17:00.002-04:00

Hola!

Just adding a couple of more songs to the playlist...

Objection Tango - Shakira
California Gurls - Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg
WAKA WAKA - Shakira!

I'm totally loving the Katy Perry song since I'm totally representing CA and the West Coast here (born in Oakland - sealed in the LDS Oakland Temple). Can't get enough of that song, it's HOT!

Also, if you haven't visited my new Zumba page, Zumba with Myra on Facebook, it's a fun place to chat about my classes, music and choreograhy. Hope you'll "LIKE" it!

The picture above is taken at Perrysburg High School during Kyra and Nina's dance recital with the YMCA. It was my debut as a Hip Hop Instructor for the girls' class co-teaching with Megan Peiffer, she's so adorable!

See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

Better Late than Never!

2010-05-11T16:40:00.003-04:00

Wow! I've had such a busy Spring so far! Even though Spring semester ended for me last week, I'm busier now that I was going to school! The Ft. Meigs YMCA Zumbathon was so fun on April 30th...I want to thank everyone for coming and sharing your Friday night with us :-)

I just started my ZumbAtomic classes on Friday and they're a HIT! Love the Tween ages...so sweet :-) Be on the lookout for my Wednesday ZumbAtomic at 4pm, starting May 19th. And NO, I do not use the some of my more "adult" songs for the Tween classes.

Here's a quick update on my songs for Spring 2 session (some I use now, some later):

Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz
Lose Control - Timbaland and JoJo
Check On It - Beyonce
Not Myself Tonight - Christina Aguilera
Tu Boquita - ZIN 26
Push Push - Kat DeLuna & AKON
Grata Brasileira - ZIN 26
Oye Mi Canto - Nina Skyy, Big Mato, Daddy Yankee, Gem Star
So Fine - Sean Paul
Follow the Leader - Soca Boys
Baby - Justin Beiber & Ludacris
Shake Remix - Pitbull, Elephant Man, Ying Yang Twins
I Made It! - Kevin Rudolf
Whoomp, There It Is - Tag Team
Hot Hot Hot - Buster Pointdexter
Shake Your Bon Bon - Ricky Martin
Alejandro - Lady GaGa
Wait Your Turn - Rihanna
Rude Boy - Rihanna
Carry Out - Justin Timberlake & Timbaland
Hey Soul Sister - Train
You and Me - Lifehouse
Impossible - Shontelle
Gypsy - Shakira

Whew, there's so much Zumba love all over that list! Too many great new songs out there - hope I can get to them all.

Hope you all have a great session with me - and don't forget to request songs at the beginning of class, or if you have an idea for a song, let me know.

Thanks for dancing with me :-)
See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

I'm a B-Girl!!!

2010-04-16T17:38:00.003-04:00

My little sister by faith, Crystal McNutt and I participated in an AWESOME dance workshop called Hip Hop Explosion here in Toledo on April 2 & 3. We have our battle scars to prove it! Some of the best Hip Hop Choreographers in the country taught our classes. Here's a few pictures from my FaceBook of the event:

Happy Spring!!

2010-03-23T12:46:00.002-04:00

Here's a quick update on life and my Zumba playlist:

- I went to ZumbAtomic (kids Zumba) training this past weekend up in Southfield, MI. It was the most fun I've had dancing in a LONG time! Marcie Gill, Zumba Education Specialist, was really amazing - best technical dancer I've seen in a LONG time. I learned so much about teaching to younger participants. I never knew how much was involved until I took the certification. I have a lot of new game ideas and so many new moves - I'll try some out this week on my adults! I look forward to teaching ZumbAtomic when Spring 2 session starts in May.

- I'm now co-teaching Hip Hop for kids ages 4-12 at the YMCA on Mondays at 4:00 to 4:45pm. It's been a lot of fun helping Miss Megan with her class. Kyra and Nina are in class too and that's been so nurturing for them :-) We're preparing our dance for the Spring Recital in May. It's been a few years since I've worked with little ones - since I used to teach Kids Yoga back in 2007. So, it's been testing my patience and tolerance, which is exactly what I need to focus on. But all the kids are very sweet and are wonderful little dancers!

- Perrysburg YMCA (Fort Meigs) will be hosting a Zumbathon!!! Proceeds will go to the YMCA's Scholarship Fund. The tentative details are: Friday, April 30, 6:30-8:30pm. I will update you with further information next time. This will be my 4th one I've danced at this year! What a night of fun they truly are :-)

- Here are some updates for my playlist:

Pusha Pusha - Axe Bahia (not the ZIN version)
Iko Iko - The Belle Stars
Lady Marmalade - Christina Aguilera, et. all...
One, Two Step - Ciara
Right Now - Akon
I Need to Know - Marc Anthony (not the ZIN version)
Telephone - Lady GaGA & Beyonce
Dance da Maozinha - Axe Bahia
La Camisa Negra - Juanes
Make It Real - Jets
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Only Hope - Mandy Moore
Henna - Cheb Khaled ft. Cameron Cartio
Bust A Move - Young MC
Now That We Found Love - Heavy D and the Boys

I hope you guys have a lot of fun with this mix - I'll be adding more ZIN songs throughout the next month - and I'll post those in a few weeks.

Also, I changed my major in school (again). I decided that I'm just not cut out for social work. I need something more...concrete. The abstract thinking part is just not me. I'm glad I found that out during my very first class in social work. I'm pretty sure I'm going to follow through my very original plan (years ago) and continue my studies towards a Bachelors's in Dance Education. I'm tinkering around with getting another Associate's in Physical Therapy Assistant, but I detest having to catch up in all my math and science classes that I didn't get during high school/early college years. Who knows, maybe I could become a master trainer with Zumba someday...

See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

Dancing aWay with the Stars!

2010-02-28T20:09:00.002-05:00

The show is over! What a great time and a fabulous event! The Perrysburg YMCA dancers were awesome! Special thanks to Alison, Crystal, Danielle, Karyn and Tanya for ROCKIN' it! It was a great event and all the amateur/professional teams did a SUPER job. The band, Hepcat Revival was too cool. My personal favorite was Becky Beebe (go Becky!). My thanks to the library and all the volunteers who made it all happen! You'd have never guessed we were boogey-ing down in a normally quiet library..."I could have danced all night"...

Here are a few songs that I mixed in with our show songs in February:

Beso un la Boca - Axe Bahia (macarena)
Solo Se Vive Una Vez - ZIN Megamix 13 - (Rumba Flamenco)
Take Ya Mama Out - Scissor Sisters (warm-up)

I will have a new playlist this week and happily it will NOT include any of our show songs, YEA! Stay tuned and I hope everyone has a time during Winter 2 session at the YMCA. Also, thanks for a sold-out session once again - y'all are da BOMB :-)

See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

P.S...I'm planning on teaching the kids Zumba program Zumbatomic this coming summer - more info soon!

New Videos!

2010-02-07T18:49:00.013-05:00

Hola!

I felt inspired last week to make a few videos of the songs that my dance troupe, the Perrysburg YMCA Dancers, will be performing at the Way Library's Perrysburg Fundraiser, Dancing aWAY with the Stars. But since we're all busy ladies, it's hard to rehearse together. So, I thought I'd coax Greg into spending a date night at the YMCA to catch me on video with my iPod. It's hard to see me in the front, but the idea was to catch me from behind so my friends could follow me easier. These songs are also going to be the songs on my playlist for February:

Wanna Be Starting Something - Michael Jackson
La Cadena de Oro - Cabas
Tengo Un Amor - ZIN 17
Love Like This - Natasha Bedingfield and Sean Kingston
Evacuate the Dancefloor - Cascada
Mariana Mambo - ZIN 23
Parsarela - ZIN 20
TIK TOK - Ke$ha

Hope you enjoy them :-)
See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

***NOTE: Loading these videos are taking forever...but I'll get it done. You can see them on my FaceBook too. Friend me: Myra Marangi

Happy 2010!!!

2010-01-05T22:56:00.003-05:00

Happy 2010, I just wanted to post the music for tonight's class for the Winter 1 session. I will chit-chat later...but I do want to give a huge THANK YOU to Karyn and Lew Dutridge, for funding this sessions music through a $15 gift card from iTunes for me. I love you guys!

Here is the new repertoire I have called, "Gettin' Down..."

Down - Jay Sean (pop warm-up)
Tik Tok - Kesha (pop warm-up)
La Cadena De Oro - Cabas (Salsa)
Do You Dig it? - ZIN 24 (Mambo Cha Cha)
Obsessed - Mariah Carey (pop/bachata)
Slide - ZIN 24 (Reggaeton, Salsaton)
Me Gusta Me Gusta - ZIN 24 (Salsa/Cumbia)
Bad Romance - Lady Gaga (PoP)
5 Letras - ZIN 24 (reggaeton)
Alegria Pa Zumbar - Zumba DVD's 2008 (samba)
It Takes 2 - Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock (old school)
Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae (cool down)

There's a whole lot of *booty-shakin* in these grooves. It was fun to re-live my teen dance club days of It Takes 2 - we did the running man, the bow and arrow step, and all sorts of other old school moves! That was the funnest for me :-)

Thanks for a great 1st class - here's to many more!!!
See ya at the party :-)

"Having a good time now..."

2009-12-04T16:59:00.002-05:00

Greetings!
I'm almost back up to speed - but still trying to take it easy, maybe I'm taking it a little too easy, I'm procrastinating writing my last paper for my SOC class...

I slowed things down a little for this past week. I'm working on building my stamina a little more so we'll slowly add back some reggaeton, hip hop and merengue very soon.

Playlist for Dec. 1 - 10:

Can't Get You Out of My Head - Kylie Minogue
Chiquilla - Kumbia Kings
La Negra Tienne Tumbao - Celia Cruz
Zumba Zumba - Zumba 2004 DVD's
Tengo Un Amor - ZIN 17
I Need to Know - Marc Anthony
Love Like This - Natasha Bedingfield
Na Na Na Dulce Nina - Kumbia Kings
Boro Boro - ZIN 22
Pon De Replay - Rihanna
Get Down - W7
Stranger - Hilary Duff
El Menenito - ZIN 20
Solo Se Vive Una Vez - ZIN MegaMix 13
She Wolf - Shakira
Rich Girl - Gwen Stefani
Push Push Push - Zumba 19
Speedy Gonzalez - Kumbia Kings
La Bomba - Ricky Martin
19 de Noviembre - ZIN MegaMix 10
The Way She Moves - Zion
Realize - Colbie Calliat
The Earth, The Sun, The Rain - Color Me Badd
Stickwitu - Pussycat Dolls

I'll try to beef up the intensity next week. Thanks to all who danced with me this week.
Don't forget registration for Winter 1 has already started :-) I'm predicting a very busy season at the YMCA this January, as usual!

Have a great week-
See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

Happy Happy Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-24T13:49:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it's already nearing the end of November, heck - even close to the end of the year! I hope you'll all have time in your busy lives this week to reflect and feel gratitude for the many people and things which our Heavenly Father has blessed us with in our lives. I am grateful for you all, family and friends :-)

Here's the playlist for now until December 1:

She Wolf - Shakira (In honor of Team Jacob, AHWOOO!)
Party In The USA - Miley Cyrus
19 of Novemeber - ZUMBA MegaMix 10
La Candena de Oro - Cabas
Say Hey - Michael Franti
Wanna Be Startin Something - Michael Jackson
Parsarela - ZUMBA ZIN 20
Pam Pam - ZUMBA/ Wisin & Yandel
Tengo Un Amor - ZUMBA ZIN 17/Toby Love
How Do You Sleep? - Jesse McCartney
El Menenito - ZUMBA ZIN 20
Save a Horse - Big n Rich
Evacuate the Dancefloor - Cascada
Baila Pa Emociona - ZUMBA DVD 2008
Que Te Pica - Notch
Mad - Neyo
Already Gone - Kelly Clarkson

I expect to be back on my feet from surgery on December 1st.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!!

See ya at the next party,
Myra :-)

November playlist - YEE-HAW!

2009-11-01T21:27:00.003-05:00

The flu and all other types of ailments have hit my family so I apologize for updating my list last week. I'm gonna stick with this same playlist for at least 2-3 weeks and I'll make another update again before Thanksgiving. I'm in the last few weeks of school and the homework load is pretty heavy...

Zumba 13 - "Country-fyin' it"

Can't Get you Out of My Head - Kylie Minogue - (Warm-up)
She Wolf - Shakira (Warm-up)
Oh La Ley - ZIN 23 - (Merengue)
Sigue La Cumbia - ZIN 19 - (Cumbia)
Cowboy Cassanova - Carrie Underwood (Country)
Hala - ZIN 23 - (Reggaeton)
Buttons - PussyCat Dolls - (Cha Cha/Bellydance)
Pabajo - ZIN 23 - (Latin Hip Hop)
Boro Boro = ZIN 22 - (Bellydance)
El Rompe Cintura - ZIN 22 - (merengue)
Ariba, Abajo - Caballo Dorado (Line Dance)
Mariana Mambo - ZIN 23 - (Rock n Rollr)
Wanted - Jessie James (Country/Pop)
Hoedown Throwdown - Miley Cyrus (Country/Hip Hop)
Already Gone - Kelly Clarkson (Cool Down)
Lonely No More - Rob Thomas - (Cool Down)

Hope you enjoy the ride :-) I know there's a lot of country, but it's SLAMMIN' country, with a hard dance beat. You'll love it as much as I do. Put on yer boots and your cowboy hat, people, we're goin' a dancin'...YEE-HAW!

See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

Hoedown Throwdown!

2009-10-24T11:15:00.006-04:00

If you were a little intimidated by Miley's Cyrus' Hoedown Throwdown dance, have no fear. Here's a great video that breaks down the steps and Miley is as cute as a button in this - I'll even have a variation for the chorus that you can do if you're not up to the challenge :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj3OqMzNin4
Sorry I can't get the link to work, you'll have to cut and paste it :(

Happy Hoedown! No worries, we'll take our time learning this one...
Myra :-)

A GREAT BIG...

2009-10-20T09:40:00.003-04:00

THANK YOU!!!

For a great registration week at the YMCA. Both classes have closed and now we're ready to get the party started! The more the merrier, I always say...

After reviewing the Zumba Instructor Network Program 23, you guys are going to love this choreography by George Iu from Hong Kong. He's so full of energy and he's such a clever choreographer. So look forward to at least 3 new songs from that new program and some others of my own creation :-)

I'm so grateful we have 2 full classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays so we're now on our way to a new party next week, on October 27. Meanwhile, come join me this week as we reminisce on some earlier favorite dances.

Thanks again for your continued support!

Party on!
Myra :-)

Playlists for 10/20 & 10/22

2009-10-18T15:53:00.004-04:00

Hey Party People :-)

The same playlist for this week's classes are the same as last week, although Tuesdays are different from Thursdays (variety...it's the spice of life :-))

Tuesday's line-up:

Forever - Chris Brown (w/u)
Mercy - Duffy (pop)
Hip-Hop Reggaeton - ZUMBA - (the infamous "ROCKSTAR" step)
Those Days - Shaggy - (Bellydance/Hip Hop)
Ahora Es - Wisin & Yandel - (Reggaeton)
El Bombom Asesino - Ninel Conde (Flamenco) *Sorry about my brain fart with this choreo...
Four Minutes - Madonna & Justin T - (Rockstar & Samba)
Pachuco - Kumbia Kings (Cumbia)
Wake Up Call - Maroon 5 (jazz & "Las Vegas" steps)
Viva el Merengue - Oro Solido (Kick-your-booty Merengue)
Take a Bow - Rihanna (c/d)

Thursday's Line-up:

Dancing Queen - ABBA (w/u) *Their music will live forever in my classes!
Closer - Ne-Yo (jazz step & pop)
Santa Que - Zumba '08 DVD - Cumbia
Zumbandando Por Un Sueno - Zumba '08 DVD - Salsa
Love Song - Sara Bareilles (jazz steps & pop)
Zumbalicious Salsa/Reggaeton - Zumba '08 DVD
Life Is a Highway - Rascall Flats - (Country) *Working on the next country song for ya!
Alegria PA Zumbar - Zumba '08 DVD - ("don't-be-shy-with-those-hips" step & samba)
Disturbia - Rihanna (Pop)
The Prayer - Celine Dion & A. Bocelli (c/d)

I'm working on just a couple of songs for the new session on October 27 (2 spots left for Thursday and 5 more for Tuesday, as of today). Be on the lookout for: a HOT country line dance and some fun throw-back 90's :-)

Everyone is doing an awesome job with the cool-downs! You know it's practically the same thing over and over, just to a different song each time. That beauty, style and grace I see in you all is just a fabulous thing. Don't forget that final step; TAKE A BOW and curtsy! As a great dance instructor once told me, "Start off strong and have a great ending!"

Until the next party...
Myra :-)

Playlist for 10/8/09

2009-10-08T14:14:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone!

Today's playlist is the same as last Thursday, October 1 - another one of my "classics" mixed in with some of the new songs. I hope you had a good time and forgot about your cares for the hour :-)

Boogie Shoes - KC & The Sunshine Band (w/u)
Pitbull - I Know You Want Me (w/u)
Reggae Cumbia - Kumbia Kings (cumbia)
Ojos Asi - Shakira
Parsarela - ZIN 20 - (Reggaeton)
Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani - (Pop)
Que Te Pica - Notch - (Merengue/Reggaeton)
Love Like This - Natasha Bedingfield/Sean Kingston
Mas Que Nada - Black Eyed Peas - (Salsa/Samba)

This Tuesday I will change the playlist (again) but will include this session's favorites.

Have a fabulous-o week!
See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

Playlist for 9/29

2009-09-30T21:58:00.002-04:00

Hola!

It's a big exam week this week, so no time for my chatty self :-)

I do want to tell you that I decided that my playlist on Tuesdays will be different than on Thursdays...I will play them for at least 2 weeks, maybe more. When I was teaching 7 classes a week, it was easier to rotate my playlists - and remember them! So, for my poor memory's sake, I need to rotate more often. Please let me know in class if you have a special song request - I have them stored in my "mental rolodex", but it's quite dusty in there :-)

Songs for Tuesday were my "recycled" favorites:

Yeah! - Usher - (Warm up)
The Way She Moves - Zion - (Salsa)
La Negre Tienen Tumbao - Celia Cruz - (Latin Pop)
Cha Cha Slide - Mr. C. - (Pop)
Whine Up - Kat Deluna - (Latin Pop/Reggaeton)
Hips Don't Lie (Bamboo) - Shakira - (Salsaton, African)
Zocalypso - Zumba DVD's 2004 - (Calypso, Soca)
Sway - PussyCat Dolls - (Tango)
Buttons - PussyCat Dolls - (Bellydance, Cha Cha)
Shh! - Zumba DVD's 2004 - (Cumbia)

I will being doing an older mix tomorrow night too, I just don't which one...but I'll list it on Friday.

Have a glorious week!

See ya at the party (even with your jeans on :-))!
Myra :-)

i scrapped!

2009-09-25T22:38:00.003-04:00

Okay, so when I'm not thinking up choreography, or studying for school - I scrapbook. A lot. Obsessively, actually. My girls scrap with me every Sunday - they even own my old Cricut (die cutting machine). I have my blog posted on one of my favorite scrapbooking websites now, so I need to post some of my artworks a little more regularly. Here's a layout of Nina in Tahoe "striking a pose" or two - that girl is going to want to model when she grows up...heaven help me. Sorry the picture is a little blurry.

Scrapbooking is my one true relaxing hobby - I can't even think of making a profit from doing it. I would quit from the pressure and end up hating it. I don't wanna go down that route, ever! (I almost quit teaching Zumba last year - I was teaching 7 classes and I injured my feet so badly I couldn't walk.)

Ending on a more positive note, tomorrow I get to go with some friends (fellow obsessive scrapbookers) and Greg up to Novi, MI (he has a presentation for church up there) and have a window-shopping trip to my favorite scrapbooking store, Archiver's. Hooray!

Have a great weekend everyone!
Myra :-)

New Songs for 9/22 & 9/24

2009-09-25T18:31:00.004-04:00

Hey all!

Another fun week - chalk that one on the board!
Thanks again for joining me this week and sacrificing your time to take a minute out for you :-)
This is the first time in 3 years that I've taught less than 2 classes a week - and I have to tell you, I get so excited (and nervous) when Tuesday and Thursday come around. Who wouldn't want to when you know you're going to a party?? I love being able to take a break from the busyness of life (family, school, volunteering & homemaking) and share my love of dance. And thank you all for the inspiring feedback you consistently give me: I want to give you great experience each and every time you join me.

Here's some of the (older) new ones from this week:

Circus - Brittany Spears - (warm-up)
Reggaeson Son - ZIN 17 (Reggaeton)
Black or White - Michael Jackson (do I need to explain??)
Hecha Pelante - ZIN 21 (Bellydance/Reggaeton)
I Want to Know What Love Is - Mariah Carey (cool-down)

Thanks for putting up with my silly cues and remarks in class...especially when I say, "Let's party...keep those legs closed..." If you've been to class in the last month, you know exactly what I'm talking about...LOL!

Have a great weekend - oh, and I'm thinking of doing a classic week next week. I have an exam and can't put too much energy into new stuff, so we may be recycling dance routines next week. I'll let ya know.

See ya the party!
Myra :-)

My Baby Boy is 17!!!

2009-09-21T23:20:00.003-04:00

My big boy is 17 today!! Yoo-hooooooo! Where does time go?

Proud momma moment: Anthony was also elected as the Junior Class President for the PHS campus DECA Marketing Association...YEAH!!!!! We're so excited for his upcoming opportunity with the program this year.

It has been a joy being Anthony's mom - one of the easiest kids to raise, ever! We love him and he's such a great son and brother (3rd parent).

That was my happy thought for the day :-)

ZUMBA FAQ's

2009-09-21T21:04:00.004-04:00

Hey Ladies!

I just wanted to tell you how fun last Thursday night was :-) Thank you for letting me direct you guys like the troupe dancers you really are! The second-to-the-last song was "Don't Stop" by ZIN. We did a little group formation and you guys did it just like professionals! We were like the Rockettes there for a little bit :-) We'll do it tomorrow night too, if you weren't able to be with us on Thursday.

Here's some info I promised you - I didn't have time to write it myself so I found some basic Zumba FAQ's on Facebook from this link:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=65266546830

Zumba FAQ's:

Do I need any previous dance experience?

No not at all! Anyone can do Zumba®! All ages, all body types and all skill levels! You do not need any previous dance experience. The basics are taught to you.

I have two left feet...how can I get a good workout from Zumba®?

Zumba® is not about getting every step perfect. There are no judges on the sidelines waiting to score us. Zumba® is about feeling the music and having fun...while getting a great workout. The more energy you put into your Zumba® moves, the better your results will be.

Do you have beginner classes, because I'm concerned that I have no rhythm and I'm afraid that I'll look silly or embarrass myself?

Trust me you are not going to look silly or embarrass yourself. In our regular Zumba® classes we follow the authentic Zumba® format, which allows for a multi-level class. You'll see a mix of everyone from the beginner, intermediate and advanced fitness participant to the professional dancer. Keep the following in mind when attending any Zumba® class, you are not expected to move like anyone but you! No one will critique your dance or fitness skills. The most important things to remember while participating in a Zumba® class are to let go, allow yourself to move naturally to the music, keep moving and to have fun! Dances which may have more intricate steps, are reviewed until all are comfortable.

What should I bring?

Water You will need it! Always keep yourself hydrated. Bringing a towel really helps with removing access sweat, especially off of the face. Get friends to come with you to Zumba® class! That may give you that extra boost to stay motivated and fulfill your health goal.

Do I need a partner?

Not at all. Everyone is learning the steps individually, but please feel free to bring all your friends with you! This is an exercise class, not partner dancing.

How many calories can I burn during a Zumba® Class?

It is very difficult to estimate the number of calories burned during a Zumba® Class, because it depends on you, your body type, your body composition, the intensity, and the range of motion that you use with each workout. For example in one Zumba class, one participant could burn 400 calories, while another participant burns 1000 calories. We recommend monitoring how you feel and compare it to other activities that you do that have "calories burned" associated with it and then estimate accordingly.

If Zumba® is so much fun, how can I be getting a workout?

Zumba® participants can burn approximately 400-1,000 calories per class based on their cardio intensity and fitness level. The Zumba® routines feature aerobic interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body. Zumba® is a total body workout with emphasis on the glutes, legs, arms, abdominals, and the most important muscle of the body…THE HEART!

What are the best shoes for Zumba®?

Zumba® recommends any shoe that has good cushion support, medial-lateral support (for side to side movements) and low-traction rubber (for easy sliding and turning). There are a number of great fitness shoes and dance sneakers that fit this description. Usually court shoes or "aerobic" shoes are good for medial-lateral and pivoting movements. Running shoes are not ideal due to the heavy tread on the bottom of the shoes and because running shoes are designed more for forward movement. The best shoe for you is the shoe that fits your foot well. Everyone's feet, body type, and dancing styles are different; it is important for you to try different shoes to find the best one for you. I recommend, and wear the Ryka Studio D shoe--which works best for my particular foot--available at Zappos.com. Also check out the Nike Cameo which is another good shoe.

See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

Exhausted!

2009-09-15T21:51:00.003-04:00

So, today was a great day, but it was extremely LONG. Even though I've had 2 kids pass through elementary school already, I just feel like such a rookie about having my 2 younger children go through the process. Oye! So many details, so much homework - for Kindergarten and First Grade! Oh, and I signed up for "copy mom" on Fridays too - wow. LOTS OF COPIES, oh my word! No complaints here though...I'm just feeling very fulfilled in my role as a mom. I may be behind in some of my own studying and yardwork, but as long as my family is thriving, I'll sacrifice my GPA :-)

Okay new(er) song tonight:

Causa y Efecto - Paulina Rubio (Jive)

Sorry, no great speeches tonight - I can't communicate effectively past 9pm anymore!

See ya at the party!

Song from tonight & other 411 :-)

2009-09-10T21:08:00.005-04:00

Hola!

I did a song from my summer program tonight...it's about 6 minutes long and really builds the endurance - don't be surprised in find yourselves with more stamina over the weekend! I hope you had fun with it :-)

Estas Perdida - ZIN (Zumba Instructor Network) - Calypso

I randomly recycle songs to my playlist often, but most of the songs will stay the same. The warm-ups and cool-downs will change more frequently, but the choreography for the warm-up will be very basic (grapevines, step touches, marches, walks, hip circles - don't forget to bend those knees!). If you've been with me since the beginning in 2007, you'll notice my cool-down choreo is almost always the same, just to some different and great "chill-out" songs.

Also, I wanted you to take note of all the abominal moves with this current program. I gained about 10 pounds over the summer (gluttony!) and most of it was in my waistline. Since the last 4 classes (and cleaning up some of my horrid eating habits) my pants fit so much better. So use that core and feel the "crunch" while Zumba-ing. Oh, and I've been cross-training since the summer with mat Pilates (at home) and I know that's helped as well. (I taught Pilates a few years ago before and after my girls were born and it helped "sandwich" things back together really well :-)).

Stay tuned next blog post for some common basic Zumba moves and a word about footwear...if your knees are bothering you by now, it may be your athletic shoes. If you're serious about Zumba, find a comfortable pair of dance fitness shoes with a "circular" sole. (Very helpful for pivoting moves like the Cumbia's "Machete"). I need to hunt down this great article about recommended Zumba shoes and I'll copy it as a handout for class next week.

Have a great weekend and we'll see ya at the party!
Myra :-)

New Songs & Prayer Request

2009-09-08T22:14:00.003-04:00

Hey There!

Just adding the songs I played tonight...thank you guys for putting up with my "Michael Mourning" period. I may just have to mourn him for the next decade...

I hope and pray everyone is having a good time in class and not worrying about technique - it's all about having fun and letting go all the cares of the day :-) I know we have so much to worry about my goal is for the 55 minutes you're in my company, that you have a stress-free time. Remember my golden rule: "NO WORRIES!"

I did find out some sad news today, however...there was someone signed up for my class but had to withdraw because she just found out she was diagnosed with breast cancer :( If you can keep a prayer in your heart for this courageous woman and sister in our Zumba world, I would very much appreciate it.

Added to the dances tonight:

La Negra Tiene Tumbao - Celia Cruz (Warm-up)
Tu No Eres Para Mi - Fanny Lu (Cumbia)
Wanna Be Startin' Something - Michael J (we still love you!)

Here's my daughter Alexa and I chillin at the beach in Lake Tahoe this summer - I just miss her so much today :-)

See ya at the party!
Myra :-)

2009-09-02T19:50:00.002-04:00

Happy September!

It's so great to start the Fall session at the YMCA - everyone did a FABULOUS job on Tuesday and I hope you all had a great time :-) Again the most important part of class I want to emphasize is to "Ditch the Workout, Join the Party" - because that's what my classes are all about, being carefree and dancing "like no one's watching". Please come to class with absolutely no worries and party your hearts out. Feel free to sing too, I do it every class (you just thankfully don't hear me)...

Here's the current playlist - I will keep it for another week, but soon I'll be rotating in some of my "classics". The majority of them are choreographed from the professionals at Zumba and are available only through particpation of the Zumba Instructor Network (ZIN). A few of them I choreographed myself ("Say Hey" and Evacuate the Dance Floor" available on iTunes) and as always, my warm-up and cool down. Just to note: my cool-downs are almost always the same choreography, just different songs, taken from my earlier college days in Reno, NV where I studied Jazz and Modern.

This routine for Fall 2009 is dedicated to all of the hard-working teachers in our children's lives who make education and learning a wonderful experience for them...THANK YOU - with all my heart:

ABC - Jackson 5 (We love ya, Michael :-))
19 de Noviembre - ZIN MegaMix 10 (Cumbia)
Latinos! - ZIN 22 (Salsa)
El Menenito - ZIN 20 (Flamenco)
Say Hey (I Love You) - Michael Franti, Spearhead, Cherine Anderson (Pop/Reggae/HipHop
Boro Boro - ZIN 22 (Bollywood/Bellydance)
Move It Up - ZIN 22 (Reggaeton)
Solo Se Viva Una Ves - Zumba MegaMix 13 (Rhumba/Flamenco)
Evacuate the Dance Floor - Cascada (Pop Dance)
African Beats - ZIN 22 (African)
Bailadora - ZIN 22 (Samba)
Push Push Push - ZIN MegaMix 19 - (Cha Cha Cha)
Don't Stop - ZIN 22 (Samba)
More Than Words - Frankie J (Cool Down)
One Time - Justin Beiber (Cool Down)

Zumba has been a ginormous blessing in my life since I started teaching it in 2007. As a group fitness instructor for over 15 years, I think I finally found my "calling" in teaching fitness! I'm teaching FUN and DANCE! I have had the opportunity to meet wonderful people and develop the dearest friendships here in Toledo. My goal is to help you feel the joy that I've discovered in Zumba and of course, to meet all of your fitness goals (however, don't ask me anything about nutrition, my fave food is Pizza Hut's Pizza Rolls :-))

See ya at the Party! (Tue & Thurs @ 6:30, Perrysburg YMCA)
Myra :-)

Summer has ended!

2009-08-26T21:04:00.004-04:00

2 down, 1 to go! Kyra and Anthony are back in school - we've just got to get lil' Nina on her way on Monday, whew :-) No waterworks yet, I'm saving the tears for after I'm alone for the first few hours that day!

I'll be posting some new Zumba songs I've been working on during the YMCA's summer break - and I'm really anxious to get back to dancing, you don't even know. I hope you all enjoy my "Back to School" repertoire and watch for my next post soon :-)

I'm just getting back into the swing of things, it's so hard to focus when the weather still beckons you outside...

If you haven't done Zumba, you're missing the party!
Myra :-)

Playlist for 7/21 - 7/23

2009-07-20T22:43:00.002-04:00

Well, what do you do when you're traveling on the road for over 2500 miles? How about choreograph some Zumba, baby? That's what I did (all in my head while driving) and I put it down on foot last Thursday night. So it's a brand new program (with the exception of the warm-up "Calle Ocho" song that I hope you'll find super fun:

I Know You Want Me - Calle Ocho - Pitbull (warm-up)
19 Noviembre - Zumba Megamix 10 (Cumbia/Salsa)
La Cumbia - Zumba Megamix 11 (Cumbia)
Down - Zumba ZIN 19 (Reggaeton)
Na De Na - Megamix 11 (Hip Hop)
Hava Negila - Megamix 9 (Israeli)
Wanna Be Startin' Something - Michael Jackson (POP)
Heche Palante - ZIN 21 (Bellydance/Reggaeton)
1+1=2 - Megamix 11 (Swing/Jive)
La Carcacha - ZIN 19 (Cumbia)
Causa y Efecto - Paulina Rubio (Jive)
Push Push Push - ZIN 19 (Cha Cha Mambo)
Sigue La Cumbia - ZIN 19 (Cumbia)
Corazon Perdido - Fanny Lu (Latin POP)
You Are Not Alone - Michael Jackson (Cool Down)
The Earth, the Sun, the Rain - Color Me Badd (Cool Down)

This repertoire is my special tribute to MJ who was one of the main inspirations of why I dance. If Paula Abdul ever leaves this earth, I will be even more traumatized!

And don't forget, if you ever have a song request, just let me know anytime during class and I'll take care of that right away. I don't know how I do it, but there's a lot of songs stored in that brain and body of mine!

C ya at the Y - Forever Dancing,
Myra :-)

We're Baaack!

2009-07-19T17:14:00.004-04:00

Wow! What a road trip, 17 states in 17 days: Pennsylvannia, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oaklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Southern Ohio. One of the longest summer vacations ever! It was absolutely wonderful to see our family again after 3-5 years (Greg and the kids hadn't been back for awhile). This summer we were able to visit all of our family (most importantly my daughter) and some of Greg's cousins from CA. Lake Tahoe is breath-taking, as always and it was such a blessing to hang out there for as long as we did.

Some more pics can be found on my FaceBook:

and some more:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027878&amp;id=1082139621&amp;l=7a390d8794

And some more:

Even more!

Do You Have Song that'd be Perfect for Zumba??

2009-06-18T07:32:00.004-04:00

Since I'll be on vacation for the next 3 weeks, (although I am teaching on Thursday, June 25th) I thought it'd be fun to collect some song suggestions, if you have one. This way while I'm traveling across the country back to Nevada/California, I could have a few songs ready when I return on July 14. I am open to all genre; any latin/international, hip-hop, disco, rock (as long as it has a dance beat), country, and Pop. If you have suggestions for our cool-down, I'd love to see those too.

If you can't leave a comment here, please feel free to email me marangi6@yahoo.com

I hope you guys have a great time with my subs:
Milva Wagner (6/30, 7/2 & 7/9)
Kathy Zemke (7/7)
Kale Azzan (6/23)

Have a fun and safe summer - and keep on dancin'!
Myra :-)

New Warm-Up & Cool Down

2009-06-16T15:46:00.004-04:00

I'm adding a new warm-up song today, Pitbull's "Calle Ocho". You just hear that song and it's an instant dance party! I've also added Beyonce's Halo to our repertoire...it's a little older but it's perfect for winding down :-)

2009-06-14T18:13:00.003-04:00

Here are some of my latest LO's. It's kind of ridiculous to have to schedule time for scrappin' and relaxing...in the summer. But, alas - if I don't I will go mental...again. Blast that summer semester homework!!!

My Zumba playlist will remain the same this week, I'm still trying to perfect "Wanted" and I'm going to be adding a new Fanny Lu song (LOVE HER) probably on Thursday.

Have a great week - and thanks for the dance!
Myra :-)

One Crazy Summer!

2009-06-10T22:10:00.004-04:00

Talk about OVERWHELMED!

I've gotten myself in a pickle with attending summer semester (wasn't really realistic about the homework load) so now I'm totally stressing about the next 6 weeks...pray for me! It's hard to adjust to new stressors and re-igniting the HEALTHY forms of coping mechanisms...
The only form of escape I have right now is teaching my Zumba classes so I thank you all for joining me and giving me a reason to dance. I have another new song this week - one that I was searching for forever and ever and finally found it: WANTED - Jessie James. It's not Latin, but it's a party song, no less!

Playlist for 6/9 - 6/15

Escape - Julio Iglesias (mmm, mmm, mmm!)
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom - Selena
Chismosita - ZIN 20
How Do You Sleep? - Jesse McCartney
Lagartija Azul - ZIN 17
Flamenco Oriental - Dalida
Pasarela - ZIN 20
Tuno Es Para Mi - Fanny Lu
Wanted - Jessie James
Maria - Ricky Martin
The Climb - Miley Cyrus (yes, I really do LOVE her!)

You guys have a fabulous week and hope you're enjoying your summer so far...
Forever dancing,
Myra :-)

Here's Kyra's last day of Kindergarten with Mrs. Phipps

Playlist for 5/28 - 6/4

2009-05-28T13:55:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone!

I hope you guys had a fabulous Memorial Day weekend - I know our family had a blast! Too bad
I've been battling allergies and full-blown bronchitis for the last 3 weeks, ugh. I have one question...why does it have to get worse before it gets better???

I have a couple of new songs this week, I don't have the choreography perfected - but thought we'd give them a shot. One is a simple cha cha step and mambo combination; no worries, you'll do great!

They are:

Escape - Enrique Iglesias - (warm-up)
Chismosita - ZIN 20 (cha cha mambo)

The rest of the playlist:

I Need to Know - Marc Anthony
Rakata - Wisin and Yandel
LaVida Es Un Carnaval - Celia Cruz
How Do You Sleep - Jesse McCartney
No Te Pido Flores - Fanny Lu
Pasarela - ZIN 20
Jump in the Line - Harry Belafonte
Alegria Pa Zumbar - Zumba 2008 DVD's
Four Minutes - Justin T. and Madonna
El Bom Bom Asesino - Ninel Conde
Simarik - Tarkan
Breath (2am) - Anna Nalick

Thank you, everyone, for putting up with my absent-mindedness while I've been on this very strong cough medicine...I'm such a perfectionist and hate being off beat or when my mind forgets choreography - my body always knows the truth! Oh well, nobody's perfect, right?

Have a great week!
Forever dancing,
Myra :-)

Please help my friend WIN!

2009-05-21T08:57:00.007-04:00

I recently met a new LOCAL scrapbook buddy online at TwoPeasinabucket.com, Christina Thomas. Not only do we share scrapbooking in common, but we're both instructors for the YMCA (she teaches in Sylvania). She entered a contest for the Original Scrap Box Company recently and I'm asking that we support her by voting for her layout (shown above):

http://theoriginalscrapbox.com/craftbox_giveaway/showContestant.php?id=257

Thanks everyone - Christina and I appreciate you :)
Have a great week!

One new song for Zumba this week!

2009-05-20T18:49:00.003-04:00

For Zumba this week...we're flying by the seat of our pants...Nina and I have been battling allergy-sinus infections and I'm not feeling so hot today. But I did add a new non-latin song to my repertoire, Jesse McCartney's "How Do You Sleep?" Such a cute song...and he is a great performer - originally from the Disney Channel. No worries, I choregraphed some Salsa in there so it still has that Latin feel :-)

Good news, I officially have my Saturday mornings back after 18 months of teaching Zumba. My last class at Dance Expressions was last week and I'm not sure if I'm going to return in the Fall because of school. I will actually have a day to do laundry again - but more importantly, to SLEEP IN!!!! Yeah, baby!!

So...have a great week, enjoy the beautiful weather (we're going for a record at 3 days straight full of sunshine) and have fun in class. Thanks for sacrificing your Tuesdays and Thursdays to dance with me. You all ROCK!

Dancing Forever,
Myra :-)

SB Layouts This Week!

2009-05-20T18:43:00.003-04:00

With these 2 layouts, I challenged myself not to use an cardstock...boy that was hard. I feel like I'm morphing into more complicating (and busy) scrappping. I'm enjoying my break from school so I'm putting more effort into my pages...I can't wait until the kids are out of school!

Playlist for 5/12 & 5/14

2009-05-12T14:02:00.004-04:00

Happy End of Semester for me...I've got 2 weeks off and then, I get busy again for 8 weeks. Oye.

Meanwhile, I am working on creating a new routine - with songs from the latest Zumba release (ZIN 20) and some top latin songs from iTunes. With Mother's Day this past weekend, I didn't get anything accomplished but one song and I'm debuting it tonight! You guys will love the funky Reggaeton feel to it! And then it'll be off to CD #10, from January of this year.

Pasarela - Zumba Instructor Network CD 20

CD 10:

Brick House – Commodores
Just Dance – Lady GaGa
Mamma Mia – ABBA
We Are Family – Sister Sledge
El Pito – ZIN 17 (cha cha mambo)
Vide Gal – ZIN 17 (samba)
Tengo Un Amor – ZIN 17 (bachata)
Love Lockdown – Kanye West
La Otra – ZIN 17 – (merengue Hip Hop)
El Mambo De Los Shorty – ZIN 17 (meringue)
Does Your Mother Know? - ABBA
Reggaeson Son – ZIN 17 – (Reggaeton)
Lagartija Azul – ZIN 17 – (Cumbia)
Footprints in the Sand – Leona Lewis
Because of You – 98 Degrees
Fly with Me – 98 Degrees
If She Only Knew – 98 Degrees
The Hardest Thing – 98 Degrees

Also, since school's out, I've been doing a little more scrappin' and I have my latest layouts posted (I can't get the silly link to work so you'll have to cut and paste...):

http://www.dropshots.com/marangi6#

Have a happy week - we'll see ya soon!
Dancing Forever,
Myra :-)

2009-04-26T11:17:00.004-04:00

Sorry I didn't post last week, I've busy rearranging my house around for this desk Greg found for me (for free) at one of his buildings in Columbus...now I have my own little sanctuary :-)

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1480372

Same Playlist as last week!

2009-04-14T14:32:00.002-04:00

Hola Zumba Troupe!

It's an exam week for me so I thought I'd do the same program we did last week (missed a few of you!) and add on another new song from the Zumba 2008 DVD's, Baila Menea y Goza - it's Queubradita. I'm sure you'll have fun with it...if I remember all the choreography!! (I had a very off week last week...must be because the kids were on Spring Break).

CD 9: *CD has several songs for C/D and W/U

Boogie Oogie Oogie – Taste of Honey
Dancing Queen - ABBA
Get The Party Started – Pink
Closer - NeYo
Cumbia Jam – Zumba Cardio Party CD
Zumbandando Por Un Sueno – Z Cardio Party (ZCP)
Love Song – Sarah Bareilles
Zumbalicious Salsa – Zumba Cardio Party
QueteMeuve – ZCP
Life Is A Highway – Rascal Flats
Alegria Pa Zumbar – ZCP
Disturbia – Rihanna
Baila Menea y Goza – ZCP
The Prayer -
I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Stay – Sugarland
Better In Time – Leona Lewis
T-Shirt – Shontelle

Have a great week - I hear it's going to be beautiful towards the end...

Forver dancing,
Myra :-)

Zumba 4/7 and 4/ 9

2009-04-07T17:05:00.003-04:00

Happy Spring Break?

Well okay, so it's a little chilly outside...and snowing...and our kids can't play outside...at least we can dance a little bit of our cares away this week :-) It's an odd thing that my break doesn't coincide with my kids! So, my main worry this week is figuring out how to get ALL my homework done.
If you're traveling for break, I'll really miss you; with Zumba, it's always the more, merrier!

I lost some music on my computer so I've spent most of the afternoon trying to fix things and neglected selecting the playlist. We have one new song today from the Zumba Cardio Party DVD (from the new set) and it's a salsa/reggaeton song, Zumbandando Por Un Sueno. Too bad I don't understand Spanish :-)

CD 9: *CD has several songs for C/D and W/U

Boogie Oogie Oogie – Taste of Honey
Dancing Queen - ABBA
Get The Party Started – Pink
Closer - NeYo
Cumbia Jam – Zumba Cardio Party CD
Zumbandando Por Un Sueno – Z Cardio Party (ZCP)
Love Song – Sarah Bareilles
Zumbalicious Salsa – Zumba Cardio Party
QueteMeuve – ZCP
Life Is A Highway – Rascal Flats
Alegria Pa Zumbar – ZCP
Disturbia – Rihanna
Baila Menea y Goza – ZCP
The Prayer -
I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Stay – Sugarland
Better In Time – Leona Lewis
T-Shirt – Shontelle
Hot n Cold – Katy Perry

Have a wonderful week and stay warm! There is evidence that Spring has sprung...I see the buds on the trees :-)

Forever dancing,
Myra :-)

Playlist For 3/31 & 4/2

2009-03-30T12:39:00.002-04:00

What a beautiful sunshine-filled day! I'm ready to start on all my homework for school and find another song to add to my Zumba repertoire. Don't be afraid to suggest songs for me to choreograph - I only have so much time during the semester...I'm going to take a break now and search iTunes. Wish me luck!

CD 6:

Let’s Get It Started – Black Eyed Peas
Techo Cumbia – Selena
Don’t Stop the Music – Rihanna
Rakata – Wisin & Yandel
Un Chin Chin – Charlie Cruz (not ZIN version)
Kiss – Prince
Tu No Eres Para Mi - Fanny Lu
Get Down – W7
Estas Enamorada – Limi-T 21
Simarik (Radio Version) – Tarkan
Ain’t No Other Man – Christina Aguilera
Micaela – Sonora Carruseles
No Ti Pido Flores – Fanny Lu
Do It Well – JLO
With You – Chris Brown

We'll see in ya in your Boogie Shoes this week,
Myra :-)

Spring is HERE!

2009-03-25T17:23:00.000-04:00

Well, at least for fashion :-)

Gotta love Gymboree...this time of year!

2009-03-22T21:17:00.002-04:00

Hello Again!
I just wanted to share my good friend, Crystal McNutt's testimony of Zumba...what a great blessing it is in her life!

If you have a personal testimony to share, email me: marangi6@yahoo.com and I'll be sure to share it here on my blog.

Here's Crystal:

In response to Myra’s question about personal testimonies, I have one. I have always hated working out, I despise going to the gym and always have a countdown going for when I will be finished with a workout. Then I heard of Zumba. I had recently had my first child and was looking for a way to lose that extra baby weight. I have always had a love of dance and was raised with many Latin family dance events. Zumba caught me off guard. It is not like a workout at all, it is a dance party where you can let loose and just have a good time and relax. Not only did it help me lose all my baby weight, but it lightened my spirit when I was having a difficult time as a new mother. There is an energy in Zumba that makes you become addicted to it. I went from hating working out to looking forward to my twice weekly Zumba class. I encourage everyone to expand their horizon and give Zumba a shot. Not only has my outlook changed, but I am now more motivated and excited to try new things!

Crystal McNutt

ZUMBA 3/24 & 3/26

2009-03-22T11:01:00.002-04:00

Hola Ladies!

I'm actually doing this early this week! I have a new song by young Latin Pop Star, Fanny Lu...Tu No Eres para Mi - it's a great song and I actually choreographed it myself (as opposed to using Zumba choreography). My kids have Spring Break coming and it'll be then that I'll be on the hunt for more new songs to do :-) Thanks for having patience with me and my "classics" for now. I've only have about 5 1/2 weeks left this semester and then I'll have a month off before Summer semester starts (yes, I'm a glutton for punishment). So until then, enjoy this brand new week and don't ever hesitate to let me know if you have a special request. For you country fans - this week is fer' you!!!!

CD 7: *CD has several songs for W/U and C/D

Funky Town – Lipps, Inc.
Fantasy – Mariah Carey
La Bomba – Ricky Martin
Fuego – Kumbia Kings
Give Me Just One Night – 98 Degrees
Baila Pa Emociona – Zumba Cardio Party
Flamenco Oriental – Dalida
Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow
Mira La – Zumba Orginal Soundtrack
La Tortura – Shakira
Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy – Big and Rich
Zumba Kumbia – Zumba Original Soundtrack
Mony Mony – Billy Idol
Jump In the Line – Harry Belefonte
Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis
Just Breathe – Anna Nalick
Finally – Fergie
No Air – Chris Brown & Jordan Sparks
What Hurts the Most – Rascal Flatts

Forever Dancing,
Myra :-)

Scrapbooking pages...

2009-03-22T10:57:00.006-04:00

I'm too lazy to post my SB pages on here right now...so here they are at DropShots.com:

http://www.dropshots.com/marangi6#

My latest obsession, (besides Primas) are American Craft Thickers. I just discovered them, thanks to my SB bud, Rhonnie :-) I'm on the hunt for a good price on the fabric and foil ones. Any suggestions??

Have a great Sunday :-)

Zumba 3/17 & 3/19

2009-03-17T16:37:00.003-04:00

Hey Ladies!

Here's the 411 for this week:

CD 4:
Boogie Shoes – KC and the Sunshine Band
Reggae Cumbia – Kumbia Kings
Ojos Asi – Shakira
Car Wash – Christina Aguliera
Torre Babel – David Bisbal
Sweet Escape (Konvict Remix) – Gwen Stefani & Akon
I Like It – Tito Nieves
Que Te Pica – Notch
Luv Like This – Natasha Bedingfield & Sean Kingston
El Baila Del Beeper - Oro Solido
La Casa Del Ritmo – Daiquiri
Eyes on Me – Celine Dion
Mas Que Nada – Black Eyed Peas
Maria – Ricky Maria
Thinking of You - Katy Perry
Walk Away – Paula DeAnda
Tatoo – Jordan Sparks

Gotta cook dinner -we'll see ya this week!
Forever dancing,
Myra :-)

Happy Longer Days!

2009-03-10T07:51:00.002-04:00

Welcome everyone! It's Spring Break for me and I'm a happy camper! Here's the playlist for the week of March 10:

CD 3:
Yeah! Usher
Dance With Me – Deblah Morgan
Muevelo – Los Super Reyes
Chiquilla – Kumbia All Starz
Cha Cha – Chelo
Rompe – Daddy Yankee
Stranger – Hilary Duff
Ya Llego – Zumba Soundtrack
Candyman – Christina Aguliera
Baila Esta Cumbia – Selena/Kumbia Kings
Zumba Zumba – Zumba Soundtrack
Somebody’s Me – Enrique Iglesias
To Be With You – Mr. Big

Have a wonderful week - I am...no studying just Spring cleaning, scrapbooking and shopping :-)

Take Care!
Forever in dance,
Myra :-)

Happy New Session!!!

2009-03-03T15:16:00.004-05:00

Hola Chicas!

I hope you're all having a beautiful week - lots and lots of sunshine out there.

For those of you who are again joining me this session, WELCOME BACK! I appreciate your participation in our "Girl's Night Out" (what I'm now calling our Tuesday and Thursday nights together) and it's been such a pleasure dancing with you. You all give me the energy that I need to jazz it up and make your time with me for all its worth :-)

So here's our line up this week - it's a classic...I've had a lot of requests for it so here it is:

ZUMBA 2
CD 2:
***Warm Up is a SURPRISE!
The Way She Moves – Zion
Na Na Na Dulce Nina – Kumbia All Starz
La Negra Tiene Tumbao – Celia Cruz
Cha Cha Slide – Mr. C.
Whine Up – Kat DeLuna
Hips Don’t Lie (Bamboo/2006 FIFA World cup) – Shakira
Zocalypso – Zumba Soundtrack
Sway – PussyCat Dolls
Buttons – Pussycat Dolls
La Copa De Lavida – Ricky Martin
Chihuahua – Countdown
Macerena – Los Del Rio
Cruisin' - Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow (Cool Down)

Thanks again for joining and I hope you have an awesome time this week!

Dancing Forever,
Myra :-)

Whoa,,.I'm posting early!!!

2009-02-23T14:10:00.005-05:00

It's a miracle! I actually planned to update my blog a little early this week and I followed through! Life is still going smoothly so far this week and we're all still very healthy, although not eating the greatest :( I found some Kraft Mac and Cheese for .50 at Walmart (I grabbed a whole case) and that'll be our main staple for lunch for awhile. I also have a newfound addiction: TOBLERONE chocolate...Yeah, Baby!!! I got the BIG bar today and each 10th of a serving is 210 calories...there's 10 servings in one bar (it's about from my fingertip to elbow long). And well, even though my study time is very productive and effective lately, I've acquired another habit of eating Doritos and chocolate (TOBLERONE)for my mid-morning snack. And get this...I read in my PSY book that a *little* caffeine helps you retain what you study - so now I feel justified in drinking my usual 32oz Diet Dr. Pepper fountain drink at 9am...I told you all I was NOT a picture of health - nutritionally!!!

So, Zumba Dancers - here's my playlist this week - it's a classic, all of this program I choreographed myself :-) Don't worry, I'll be working on some more new music next week. I have an exam this week...

CD 5:
September – Earth, Wind and Fire
Mi Gente – Kumbia All Starz
Pa Mayte – Carlso Vives
Pon de Replay – Rihanna
La Cadena De Oro – Cabas
Run the Show – Kat DeLuna
Eso Ehh! – Alexis & Fido
Clumsy – Fergie
Mueve La Colita – TPS
Speedy Gonzales – Kumbia All Starz
Soy Diferente – India
Salmoe – Chayanne
I Love Salsa – N’Klabe
Shabadabadaba – La Onda Vaselina
I Hope You Dance – LeeAnn Womack
Get Here – Oleta Adams

Have a great week and enjoy the sunshine! **Side note - I found a MARVELOUS pair of sun lamps (Verilux)at Costco for $35! They work like a charm!! I've been waking up to a brighter morning and I have much better concentration. If you don't have a membership, I can pick one up for you. I recommend this to everyone who struggles with winter blues, but of course, as you all know the ultimate soul-warmer is the real SON :-)

Keep on dancin'...FOREVER!
Myra :-)

Zumba 2/17 and 2/19

2009-02-17T16:44:00.003-05:00

Hola!

So, I'm still getting used to listing my playlist each week - forgive me for posting less than an hour before class on a Tuesday!!

What a gorgeous day, today. Life is pretty grand because my family and I are all healthy :-) I hear we're in for another storm? We'll see...in the meantime - let's just DANCE!!!

ZUMBA 10 (This is the same program that I opened the New Year with...)

Warm-Up Song is a surprise (but as usual a 70's song...)
El Pit - Zumba Instructor Network (Mambo-Cha-Cha)
Vide Gal - Zumba Instructor Network = ZIN (Samba)
Tengo Un Amor - ZIN (Bachata)
Love Lockdown - Kanye West (Squats & Salsa)
La Otra - ZIN (Hip Hop/Merengue)
La Comparsita - ZIN (Tango)
El Mambo de la Shorty's - ZIN (Merengue)
Does Your Mother Know? - ABBA (70's)
Reggaeson Son - ZIN - (Reggaeton)
Lagartija Azul - ZIN (Cumbia)
Footprints in the Sand - Leona Lewis (Cool Down)

Thank you all for coming to dance with me each week - without you, where would I be? Have an awesome week!

Myra :-)

Sick Girls...again...

2009-02-10T16:04:00.003-05:00

Hello All!

Sorry for the late post (2 hours before class!) but both my girls have had Strep and I was busy playing catch-up the last few days. I surely need this dance time tonight!!

This week's Zumba playlist:

Zumba 8

Forever...Chris Brown (although it doesn't seem like it with Rihanna)
Mercy...Duffy
Hip-Hop Reggaeton...Zumba
Those Days...Shaggy
Ahora Es...Wisin & Yandel
El Bom Bom Asesino...Ninel Conde
Four Minutes...JT & Madonna
Pachuco...Kumbia Kings
Wake-Up Call...Maroon 5
Aventurero...Thalia
Vive El Merengue...Oro Solido
Take A Bow...Rihanna

*I picked this CD in light of the Chris/Rihanna incident...I don't care what happened...I still love both of them. They are after all, human and will make terrible mistakes. It's just that theirs have to be highly publicized :( And who knows the whole truth right??

See ya this week!
Keep Dancing,
Myra :-)

Feb 3 & 5 Zumba Playlist!

2009-02-03T11:01:00.001-05:00

Hola Amigas!

It was a tough call this week to select which program to use - I have an exam this week so I didn't want to put an effort into something I had to review so here's another one of my own choreographed "classics":

ZUMBA 6:

Let's Get It Started, Black-Eyed Peas (w/u)
Techno Cumbia - Selena (Cumbia)
Don't Stop the Music - Rihanna (Pop)
Rakata - Wisin & Yandel (Reggaeton)
Un Chin Chin - (Zumba ZIN)
Kiss - Prince (Mambo cha-cha)
Get Down - W-7 (Abs)
Estas Enamorada - Limi-T 21 (merengue)
Simarik - Tarkan (Bellydance)
Ain't No Other Man - Christina Aguilera (pop)
Micaela - Sonora Carruseles (Salsa/Calypso)
No Te Pido Flores - Fanny Lu (latin pop)
Do it Well - J-LO (pop)
With You - Chris Brown (cool-down)*
Stickwitu - Pussycat Dolls *

*Not sure which cool down I'll pick...

**If you're new to Zumba you may not have heard about the proper footwear for an effective and safe dance experience. If your knees or ankles have been a bit bothersome since starting Zumba, it may be time to change your shoes, if you plan on attending Zumba for the long haul! It will a great investment - and that I have personal testimony to back that up. I will locate the article about Zumba shoes and will hand that out this week.

***Speaking about personal testimonies, if you've had a positive experience with Zumba meeting your fitness goals, will you share that with me, please?? Now that we're connected online, I will include a testimony each week that will help inspire us all :-)

SEE YA THIS WEEK!
Dancing forever,
Myra :-)

Welcome Zumba Troupe Dancers!!

2009-01-28T15:55:00.002-05:00

Thanks for "partying" with me on Tuesday and Thursday nights and Saturday mornings!
I hope you enjoy a litle peek into the "other" areas and my life (because I'm too lazy to start a whole different blog...) and I hope to get to know each one of you better and become great "party buds"!

Here's the playlist for this week starting yesterday, January 27:

Zumba 2:

Rie Y Lora - Celia Cruz (warm-up)*
The Way She Moves - Zion/Akon (salsa)
La Negra Tinene Tumbao - Celia Cruz (Alison's Latin Disco!)
Cha Cha Slide - Mr. C (pop)
Whine Up - Kat DeLuna (Giddy yup!)
Hips Don't Lie (Bamboo Version) - Shakira (Afro-Carribean)
Zocalypso - Zumba Orginal Soundtrack (Calypso)
Sway - PussyCat Dolls (Tango)
Buttons - PussyCat Dolls (Bellydance)
Shh! - Zumba Orginal Soundtrack
La Copa De Lavida - Ricky Martin (Paso Doble)
Chihuahua - Countdown (Finale)
Macarena - Los del Rio (Finale/Cool Down)*
Me Love - Sean Kingston (cool down)*
The Tide is High - Blondie (cool down)*

*On some days, depending on my mood, I like to change the Warm-up and cool-down songs...just to give you a heads up :-)

Stay tuned for next week's playlist on Monday, Feb 2. If you ever have any questions about our songs or choreography, feel free to email me at marangi6@yahoo.com. If you have a FaceBook account - please feel free to search me, Myra Sarmiento Marangi, and we'll be friends. In case of family/personal conflict, I'll let you know when I will NOT be teaching at the YMCA or Dance Expressions.

Hope to see you Thursday or Saturday - Have a great week!!
Myra :-)

Bring on the Zumba, baby!

2009-01-25T18:27:00.003-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I know it's been forever since I've posted anything, but so much has been going on since this semester started. I'm currently taking PSY 101 (BGSU wouldn't accept my credits from the last time I took it, 15 years ago) and SOC 220 - Cultural Diversity. Nina started a new preschool at the YMCA Enrichment Center and luckily she really enjoys it. Having her away for 5 days a week, 2 1/2 hours a day took an adjustment for her and I, but we're doing great. I now have ample time to study so I'm not such a stressball anymore, and the family is so grateful for that! I don't know how I pulled 2 B's last semester when I had only 5 hours a week to study. Also, I changed my major to Human Development/Family Studies and I think I found out what I want to be when I grow up...something in Family Crisis/Intervention or Family Education and Development. I'm so excited - I hope the job market is good in about 7years since it'll take me that long to finish!

A few weeks ago, Nina and I were *so* sick from the stomach flu and I don't think I've re-gained my scrappin' mojo since. I've been trying to be more proactive in life with other areas of my life, so that's a good thing. I do have a album project that I'm working on so I'll post that when it's done.

I'm not teaching as many Zumba classes this semester, which has been a VERY positive thing. My fibromyalgia has been flaring up lately and I've never caught up to speed since I took 2 weeks off during Christmas. Word of advice, don't take 2 weeks off unless you plan on at least walking for 20 minutes, every other day...do the minimum or you will die :-)

I will be posting what Zumba CD/choreography that I will be teaching each week so I just want to give a warm "WHAT'S UP" to my ladies at the Perrysburg YMCA and Dance Expressions studio. I have 10 routines - that's about 125 different songs in my mental rolodex (because I never write my dances down) so I'll be rotating those older dances until Spring Break (March 9)when I'll introduce new music and choreography. There are so many good songs from a latin pop star Fanny Lu that I just want to download her whole CD and make a dance up to each one! But seriously, I'm trying not to "re-invent the wheel" this semester and keep things very simple so that I can maintain a relative degree of sanity. I feel there's a majority out there that enjoy my "classics", so we're going to play them again and dance our hearts out!

So, Zumba ladies, watch for updates each Sunday to see what you'll be shakin' your thang to for the upcoming week.
See ya soon!

What A View!

2008-12-07T17:36:00.003-05:00

We visited this magnificent tower in Chicago on the way home from our Thanksgiving trip. All I have to say is...I love that city! It's awesomely goregous at night - the view from the tower is so spectacular. I guess because I grew up in Reno and lived in Las Vegas, I'm drawn to the big city and always will be. The most amazing thing about Sears is that on a clear day, you can four states, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Amazing!
A first for this picture is that it's the only one where Kyra has EVER smiled while we were in a group pose. That took 6 long years!

Thanks for Thanksgiving

2008-12-07T17:10:00.002-05:00

Well, it was the first Thanksgiving we traveled for...ever. We've always spend it at home, or at least in the same city. We spend our time with Aunt Ven, Uncle Tim, Nana, Grandma Joyce (Tim's mom), Jason, Ryan and Mindy in Effingham, IL. Thank goodness the gas prices agreed with our budget, we once filled up an empty tank for $27! It was a great blessing to have so much food, relaxation (they live in the woods) and most of all, to be surrounded by family. Besides eating our hearts out, we also visited Springfield, IL and went to the Abraham Lincoln Museum and learned more about that great President. The best part was on the way home, we were able to visit Chicago for a few hours and visited the Sears Tower; what a COOL place. I'll post a picture soon.

2008-11-23T17:42:00.002-05:00

I did this LO while nursing (not literally) Kyra when was really sick with the flu last week; it was so awful, she even had to go to the hospital and get rehydrated. I felt so bad for her -in the middle of leaning over the bucket puking, Kyra said, "I WANNA LIVE!" I had to keep my laughter inside as I was right in the middle of the worst sickness in her life. It was also very sweet how she became so sentimental (while puking) and would tell me and Greg, "I love you, Mommy" and "I love you, Daddy." Kyra definitely has a sweet spirit and it certainly shone through - even in her darkest hour.

Momma Mia Inspired...

2008-11-07T19:30:00.002-05:00

My first LO in weeks...my most favorite movie in the whole world right now is Momma Mia and I just choreographed "Dancing Queen" for my classes. I decided to do something with my studio picture and thus this LO was born. Here's the journaling:

"This is the picture that hangs on the 'Instructor's Wall' at Dance Expressions. My dream of teaching at a dance studio came true on September, 2008. It has been a great blessing to bring others to joy of Zumba dancing."

Little girls will be little girls...

2008-11-01T16:42:00.006-04:00

Here are Kyra (ragdoll) and Nina (Gabriela from HSM) all decked out for the ward Chili Cook-Off/Halloween party and happy as little clams :-) Making happy memories with the girls (as well as my other children) is the best way for me to heal from my own sordid childhood and feel the sweetness of innocence and joy in truth the way a little girl has a divine right to feel. Blessings to all of you out there who have experienced this same enlightenment :-)

Side note: Adobe PhotoShop Elements ROCKS!! I was able to cut and paste Kyra's head in the side-by-side picture from another picture to get them both smiling. It took me all day to figure it out, but Scrapbook Memories TV show on the BYU channel has excellent instructions. Check it out!

Meatloaf Anyone?

2008-10-19T13:52:00.005-04:00

For part of Nina's preschool program at the YMCA, she's been taking a Kids in the Kitchen class and has been cooking up a storm each Wednesday. I started to feel the pressure of "bad mom syndrome" since I realized I hadn't really let me the girls help my cook at all except for when cleaning up the brownie bowl...so here's proof that I let down my hair and the girls helped create a tasty meatloaf that didn't have any leftovers :-)
The joy also here is that someday THEY will be cooking me food and I'll get to say "EWW, GROSS!"

My Raked-Up Cutie!

2008-10-19T13:03:00.005-04:00

I stumbled on another "joy" moment on Friday when I caught the girls collecting leaves from the cul-de-sac and making a pile in our center common area. Just when I thought with my adult mind that leaves are just another plain annoying and bothersome thing to clean up in the yard - there is a 5 year-old who delightfully relishes in gathering and rolling around these little crumbs of nature and loving every minute of it.

Daughters are a gift!

2008-10-12T18:15:00.002-04:00

Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to have many daughters so I can give them these long, polysyllabical names (like the ones they have now...Alexandria Estella, Kyrstiana Rene', Josephina Marie) to make up for the fact I had a a short 4-letter name and no middle name (where's the love in that?). Each one of my daughters are a blessing to me and I am overwhelmed with the responsibility I have for my stewardship of them - there are so many things to teach over a span of 18+ years! But my last daughter (at least in this estate) is my precious Nina, who seems to have the best qualities of her older sisters along her own wrapped up in the little package that she is - teaches me so much about what I need to know in this life and about the quality of a smile - as she's full of them!

The challenge for this LO was to use chipboard, ribbon and metal. I also used the biggest felt flower ever made for scrapbooking!

Everyday Moments...

2008-10-12T17:36:00.004-04:00

When the girls where younger, I often wondered, "Is there more to life than being a stay-at home mom??" I must preface this by saying that when Anthony was 2 years old, I wanted nothing more than to stay at home with him and watch him grow every second I could. However, as Kyra and Nina approached 3 and 4 years old, my mind began to wander away from mission to stay close to the coop. Looking back to this particular day while Kyra was getting ready for preschool, I realized that I was right where I needed to be - with my girls, at home. I know they could've survived without me at home, but would I have survived without them? Absolutely not! I needed to be at home for me as much as I did for them. There was nothing more healing for me than raising my children the way I would've wanted to have been raised. I re-lived my childhood (in a healthy, nurturing way) through each one of them! Being able to take pictures of the everyday happenings in life such as this moment, makes me eternally grateful for my calling as a stay-at-home mom.

The challenge for the this LO was to scraplift another person's LO from the DS2 group and I chose my Prima pal, Rhonnie :-)

Hanging on!

2008-10-05T14:30:00.001-04:00

My favorite thing to do on my LO's right now is to sew or embroider on them. You'll probably see me doing this A LOT! The LO challenge here was to stay monochromatic, add some bling, buttons and another embellishment, which are always Primas, for me!
One a day in April 08, I decided to go with Greg to Wauseon, OH which is a little over an hour away. While Greg worked at his facility, I took the girls to a nearby park so I could get some homework done. Having been stressed out from school, I hadn't had much time to enjoy with the girls. But this day the girls were begging me to come play with them. Luckily, I had my camera so I hesitatingly agreed to come play.
I learned so much about myself as I watched as my girls laugh and frolic all over the place. During a particular part of our playtime, Kyra climbed up some monkey bars shaped in an arc. When Kyra froze right in the middle, she started to cry, feeling scared and stuck. As I guided her across the bars and to other side in safety, I understood that even as an adult, I still get myself into those type of positions. For example, I was SO excited about going back to school at first but when the semester progressed, I became extremely anxious that I made the wrong decision and I became frozen - paralyzed with fear and I wanted to quit. It was then that I humbly turned to Heavenly Father in prayer and He guided me "across the bars" and down the other side, safely. I had an epiphany at the playground that day that Heavenly Father would always guide me through my education and help me balance family and teaching on top of it all.
Isn't funny what you learn through your children?

Anthony's First Date!

2008-10-05T14:13:00.000-04:00

Anthony is growing like a weed. Here he is on his first date with his very good friend, Stephanie Campbell, from Cranberry, PA. This was Seneca Valley's homecoming weekend, which Anthony attended from Thursday night (yeah, he missed school Friday) to Saturday night when they had the dance. The game was against North Allegheny, SV's rival and sadly, SV lost. I will post a few more pictures at http://www.dropshots.com/marangi6#date/2008-10-05/11:22:56 if you want to see the whole Pittsburgh weekend.

The challege for this LO was to use 25 of one embellishment. Need you have to ask what mine was? I was tempted to do Primas since Heaven knows I have much to spare, but I opted not since they look so rad in my living room :-)

I am old enough to have a 16 year old...

2008-09-28T21:20:00.000-04:00

"Do you remember...the 21st night of September..." blah blah blah...the song is called Dancing in September by Earth Wind and Fire and I love it so much I use it a Zumba warm-up song. Anyhow, instead of the old "sweet sixteen" SB title, I decided to go a little more creative. I still can't believe my boy is 16 years old. Where, oh where has my little boy gone??? Don't ya love Anthony's smile :-)

My first attempt at Hybrid scrappin'

2008-09-28T21:12:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite shots of Nina! During one gorgeous summer morning the girls went outside on the backyard deck and started spraying each other with spray bottles...sadly it was the closest they came to water most of the summer! I guess you can get really creative when money's tight...anyhow, Nina got cold and put on her winter jacket - I thought it was definitely a "kodak moment"!

This is also my first digital LO (used Picasa 3)- which I didn't do much except add text to the picture and blew it up to 8 x 10. I noticed it didn't need much to complement it - so I used the challenge to use an old tool with a new tool; my new tool was my Bazzill In-Stitches templates and the old tool was my Dell printer (which I discovered it prints pretty dang good pictures after having it for 4 years now...).

Zumba anyone?

2008-09-28T21:09:00.000-04:00

I saw this paper and I thought it'd be perfect for my picture from the Toledo Press article on Zumba. I'm just getting used to doing LO's on myself - it still feels kind of weird?

This challenge was to use one embellishment and mine was, of course, a couple of Primas :-)

2008-09-25T11:31:00.000-04:00

This is a shot of my favorite flower, the Orange Lily...I know it's not much of a layout - but that's the joy of it all...simplicity. This picture was taken from the gardens at the Toledo Z0o (a favorite place of mine). The SB challenge was to create a layout of one of my favorite things...well, here's one of 'em!

Anthony and his "groupies"...

2008-09-16T20:04:00.000-04:00

Here are the beautiful Campbell girls, Stephanie and Jessica, from Cranberry Township, PA. They are some of Anthony's greatest friends. Anthony had a wonderful opportunity to spend a lot of his summer with them at EFY (Especically For Youth) in Grandville, OH and then he went to their Youth Stake Conference in Pittsburgh. I used to visit teach the girls' mom, Susan - she is a wonderful, strong lady and a great mom to her girls. Stephanie and Jessica are close in age like my girls, Kyra and Nina and I hope they have a close relationship always just like the Campbell Girls.

The challenge for this was to scraplift a sketch that was posted on the gettinsketchy blog. The swirls in the upper left are a stamp and I cut them out. The titles I've used on my pages so far are mostly from my Cricut (thanks Arlene!) my most beloved scrapbooking possesion - right alongside my Prima's of course :-)

My Darling Little Baby, Nina!

2008-09-16T19:55:00.000-04:00

This was Nina's first day of preschool at the YMCA. She loves it! Her classes are:
-Kids in the Kitchen
-Playtime Theater
-Preschool Picasso.
It helps that I get a 50% discount there so it's affordable. The joy in this is that I can study while she's in class. Bliss, I tell ya!
The scrap challenge for this was to have a border on all sides and embellish it. The paper came like it - it was an expensive, but worth it. I can't imagine messing with Stickles and a template for that look! I bought a Bazzill In-Stitches Alphabet sewing template at Archivers and used it for title Nina. I think that embroidery stuff on paper is just the coolest look! I 'm currently obsessing on getting some more my next visit to Archivers (love that store!).

Aunt Ven

2008-09-09T12:20:00.000-04:00

This is my sweet sister-in-law, Vanetta. Ven is busy renovating their new house...ugh, I can't imagine the work they're doing, but I know it'll look great when they're all done. These pictures are from 2005 when we lived in Pennsylvannia. We just love her and miss her, Uncle Tim and the boys.

*Side note: the background to my title was a coaster from my Marriot Hotel bathroom in Columbus, OH that we stayed at for our 14th anniversary...I will have a smile on my face every time I look at this layout :)

Challenge 11

2008-09-07T20:18:00.000-04:00

This is my big bro, Sam, who lives in Nevada. He's excellent with photography and is a great graphic artist. Right now he's into making solar energy gadgets and making that new bio-fuel.
To meet the challenge, I used 3 circle stickers and painted the frame and chipboard letters. I also used a stamp in back of the "S".

Woman of Faith

2008-09-06T16:47:00.001-04:00

This is Melanie, my beautiful and strong older sister. She has been a member of our church for almost 3 years and she has such incredible faith. Her favorite scripture is from the Book of Mormon, Alma 36:3. On a side note - I figure when I get the guts to part with all my hair after I turn 40, I'm going for this exact same haircut :-)

Challenge 5

2008-09-06T16:42:00.000-04:00

Kyra had a fabulous first day of school! Luckily, I wasn't too lonely, since I had Greg and Nina there as we sent her off on the bus. Makes me wonder what I'll be like when Nina goes to Kindergarten next year...

I'm in a scrapbooking group called DedicatedSwappers on Yahoo! Groups and the challenge for this week was to use embellished brads in a design. Off to do the next challenge!

Joy is homework that is FINISHED!!

2008-09-05T15:45:00.000-04:00

I have been in homework mode since 5am Monday and now it's time for a well-deserved break! Joy is also having eyeglasses and not contacts when I'm studying...so I thought I'd show ya'll my happy face!

My latest LO!

2008-08-27T18:36:00.000-04:00

I've scheduled in doing a page a day now that school's in session - simply because it brings it me joy. I love this LO, it's simple and doesn't need a whole lot - which saved me a lot of time. She's just so darn gorgeous!!

Found a great quote about joy...

2008-08-23T12:37:00.000-04:00

"Joy comes from embracing the circumstances and season of life where God has put you and accepting the responsibilities that go with that season." -unknown

This is going in my talk tomorrow for church.

Beautiful Alexa!

2008-08-21T23:26:00.000-04:00

This is Lexa's latest picture as of 8/21/08. Ain't she purdy??

My Best Friend!!!

2008-08-19T21:14:00.000-04:00

Jacqueline and her husband Eddie in Italy...I travel spontaneously through her, my bestest and dearest, oldest friend in the world!!! She has brought me so much joy since I met her when we were 8. She is my sister from another mother. We come from the same mold. From riding me on her handlebars when we were kids, sharing her mom with me and being the most loyal and generous woman as we've grown, I love Jackie. Joy is having a best friend who knows you better than you know yourself.

My Eternal Companion

2008-08-19T20:54:00.000-04:00

This was definitely a day of full of joy. My good friend Wendy was married in the Columbus temple to the man she's been waiting for all her life. As her escort, I was able to re-live the day I received my own intiatory blessing and endowment. We were in the temple from 9am to 3 pm. We even took a little nap in the Celestial Room! Anyhow...lots of joy here. I love my husband!

Lexa!

2008-08-19T20:45:00.000-04:00

This is THE most adorable pic of Lex - it brings me happiness and joy to watch her smile as if nothing in the world mattered!

Papa Tony and Grandma Diann

2008-08-19T20:33:00.000-04:00

Here are our beloved Papa and Grandma in Carson City. We miss them very much and wish we could be closer while the girls are young. At least Anthony and Alexa were able to grow up with them close by. We continue to pray for their health and strength.

Mila, Lexa and Jonathan

2008-08-19T20:27:00.000-04:00

This is a picture of Lexa, Mila and Jonathan at Mila's baptism in 2005 - I miss them terribly...words cannot express how hard it is to live far away from loved ones...but we will reunite again soon!

A Garden that doesn't need water!

2008-08-19T09:46:00.000-04:00

Here is my Prima collection...it started in 2006 after I threw away all of my cow collection. My living room is overrun by them but luckily Greg and the kids don't mind because it makes me happy! I have flowers that have come from all over the US - from CA to FL. Being surrounded by all the colors bring me joy - which is my current focus in life.

2008-08-19T09:40:00.000-04:00

Anthony's little fluttery friend was called a "Scarlet Mormon" and stayed with him for like 10 minutes! It was Anth's highlight of the visit.

Spread your wings!

2008-08-19T09:32:00.000-04:00

I've been playing with my camera's macro mode and am feeling like a pro...not! While at the Conservatory in Columbus, everything was a photo opp.

Happiness

2008-08-19T09:18:00.000-04:00

It's funny what you find in life that brings you joy. The smallest things and usually the things right in front of you.

Testing...1,2, 3

2008-05-07T22:47:00.000-04:00

I will have something interesting to say very soon!