Say What???

How do we schedule a day so full of activities? The best way you can. That's how! My oldest daughter had a soccer game at 10:00 am and my husband and I had a bench press competition at the same time that was to last all day. Yes, I said bench press competition. I'll get to that later....

So planning to get grandparents to get our daughters to the soccer game and back to a sitter's house can be challenging. I can't figure out if it is a lack of hearing, understanding, or plain hardheadedness. Grandpapa never seems to want to follow directions. He seems to always complicate any situation and add stress to a non stressful one. Anyway, our girls got to the game and to the sitter's even though it wasn't as smoothly as we had planned it.

Okay, I mentioned a few blogs ago that I had started working out. My husband and I have been working out together and had decided back in April to compete in the American Powerlifting Committee competition this past weekend. I don't know if we are crazy or bored and just need something to do.

With the girls safe at home with grandparents, my husband and I headed to Athens, Georgia for my first bench press competition ever. My husband competed a little in college so it wasn't new for him. It might as well have been. I think 20 years between competitions qualifies for new or first time.

The drive there was filled with questions of what if and statements of I wonder. I had a thousand questions all at once trying to make it from my brain to my mouth. I am sure my husband is grateful for the few hundred that didn't make it to my mouth. He was very supportive and always has been of anything that I do.

So, we get to the competition and had to get dressed in our required competition gear and start warming up right away. We didn't have a lot of time to be nervous. As a first timer, it was a bigger deal for me to be nervous than for my husband.

I felt a little out of my element. I was warming up with men who bench pressed 800 pounds! What was I thinking? Do these men think I am an idiot for trying this? Were they thinking, "Look at this scrawny little girl?" Even the other women there didn't quite look like women (if you get the meaning). I plan on doing this with my natural brute strength. Anyway, all the competitors there, seemed genuinely nice and supportive.

The bench press flight starts and I am the first one on the list. I was so nervous, I could have peed my pants or wrestling singlet as it were. I tightened my weight belt and cinched up my wrist wraps. Here we go. I jumped on the platform and straight onto the the bench. I leaned back, grabbed the bar, lie down under it, and was completely intimidated by my task ahead. My spotter husband hands down the bar and weight to me and after a slight hesitation for the judges, I start to descend. Down to my chest with complete control and I hear the "PRESS" command. I pushed it up with relative ease. I had done it! It was my first public bench press competitively. I am now a power lifter. My whopping 66 pounds was my first attempt.

A failed second attempt and a successful third attempt of 71.5 pounds during the next two rounds were enough to win my weight and age division and "Best Women Lifter in Bench Press". I was happy to bring home my medal and trophy for my very first competition.

My husband, with ease, threw up all three attempts successfully. He won his weight and age division and set a World Record in the process. He also came home with a medal and will receive his World Record certificate in a couple of weeks.

In the end, we both competed with our raw strength. We didn't use any special bench press shirts that enhance strength or any illegal substances that enhance muscle and strength. We were completely natural and plan to stay that way. My husband may venture in to the world of bench press shirts but that in itself requires a whole different type of weight training.

We both qualified to enter the Global Powerlifting Alliance (World Competition) coming in December. We will keep training and hopefully represent the APC with some wins.

Yesterday, we both walked in the door winners of something we had been working on together. You can't ask for a better combination! What a day!

Almost as Good as Waffle House

Sometimes at our house we have a lunch dilemma. Today, the choices were to eat at IHOP (with a coupon) or make something at home. I personally wanted to have waffles or pancakes and my oldest daughter wanted a ham and cheese sandwich. I was leaning toward the warmer of the two. My toddler was voting for going to "Affle House". I posed the question of making waffles at home and a unanimous decision was made.

I happen to have some whole wheat pancake mix in the pantry and on the box is the recipe for waffles. Yum. The whole wheat gives the waffles and pancakes a sweet flavor. I am all in favor of anything sweet on my taste buds. I got out all the necessary waffle making tools and then started mixing the batter. The girls were screaming the whole time, "I want lunch". As always, the question back to them is, "What am I doing at the moment"? I am usually just as hungry as they are.

Fast forward...waffles made. I adorned them with sliced bananas and sugar free syrup and of course, we can't leave off the whipped cream. I snuck in a little sugar free strawberry jam on mine.

I have fallen in love with my iPhone. If for no other reason, I can tease my husband with pictures of something he is not having at the moment. I snapped a picture of the waffles we were about to dive into and sent it in a text message to him. His response was, "Why is it that I can love and hate you at the same time"? I simply replied, "Cause I know how to push all the right buttons". It was worth making the waffles just to tease him. He is on a low carb diet and can't have anything like our yummy waffle lunch.

Other than having to clean the waffle iron when I am done, waffles are always a good lunch and a winner for the girls. They dove in and chomped bite after bite. Occasionally my toddler would say, "I want more some o' dat.", pointing to the syrup. I also enjoyed every bite of mine.

With Lunch over, I need to think about dinner. There is a peppercorn pork tenderloin in the freezer that is calling my name. I think I'll thaw it and grill it for dinner. At least Dad can have all he wants of the pork. Maybe he will love on me a little for it when he comes home. I love it when he walks in the door.

Soccer Anyone?

So soccer season begins with the choking heat of mid summer. I was dreading it and not ready to sit in this heat to watch soccer practice. As I sat there in my fold up chair, I longed for a shade, a cool breeze, an air conditioner, anything that could lessen the heat of the burning sun rays. At least I wasn't running around after the soccer ball like all the kids on the team. I am also thankful for 91 degrees versus the 97 to 102 degrees it was last week.

I also watched as my toddler ran around and kicked a soccer ball with her Dad. That is the best way to entertain her while at practice. She is fascinated with balls. She is so going to be ready for soccer next year. At the end of practice, she was completely drenched in sweat. What few strands of hair she has was dripping wet.

This is my oldest daughter's fourth year of soccer. It is amazing to see the difference and improvements from year to year. The kids are beginning to control the ball a little this year. They will be focusing on trying not to kick the ball wildly. The goal is to get the ball in the net not just kick it as hard as you can and chase it to see who can get to it first. As I watched the kids, I could see who has never played before and who has some experience. My daughter is one of two on the team who seem to have an idea as to how to play. The coaches have accepted a younger kid on the team who seems to only want to kick it away from the field and anyone on it. He has a great kick but seems to be in his own game. One little girl, obviously new to soccer, was told not to let the ball get by her at the net. Her comment back was "Why?". Oh boy! What kind of soccer season will it be? This is why we have a few practices before the games start. No matter what, the kids will have a blast playing together and will learn a lot this year.

I am sitting here in a quiet moment typing feverishly. Can I get it all done before my toddler wakes up? There will be no more peace when she gets up. I sent my oldest daughter to her room to read and to have quiet in the house. My toddler will not sleep if there is any noise. It is a matter of moments before chaos attacks the house again as my oldest daughter stands at the top of the stairs and asks nonstop if she can come downstairs. Well, when she wakes, I will get dinner started and wait for Dad to come home. I have to get started on dinner earlier since his office is only five minutes from home now. I have choir practice tonight so he can continue in the chaos while I am gone. He is a good man and he is wonderful to keep the girls for me while I sing until my voice is gone. I think I will give him and extra special hug when he comes in tonight. I love it when he walks in the door.