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Memorial Weekend

Watched the parade in Midland with family and friends...
Meal after church welcoming home family visiting from Colorado for a couple weeks... welcome home parties always involve good food;)
Beautiful dessert.....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Ike loves his ice cream and sprinkles!
Had a great time hanging out with our nieces on a really hot day... sprinkler fun and cookout=)
Took some time to visit Grandpa's grave in Breckenridge... even got rid of the weeds crowding Mom's pretty flowers there. This day is for men like Richard.
Our memorial weekend in a nutshell~

FOCUS!

Focus... one very important key to success. I have to remind myself daily to focus on my goals and what steps I need to take to achieve them. We all do. It's NOT easy.... what IS easy is becoming distracted! For myself, the focus is on my diet and training for an upcoming show (or fitness pageant as I like to call it more recently as this is the most relatable wording for people to understand). I tend to lose focus very easily, one moment I'm motivated and discipline and literally my next thought is how I'd really love a candy bar right now!!! Wow.

This will be my fourth competition in the year or so since I've begun training. Each time it gets easier. Each time my focus has improved and so have the results. I am 4 and a half weeks out from the event, which is a national qualifier, meaning that placing in the top two will qualify me for the seven national events throughout the year. That will be another story entirely!

I have learned to communicate better with my trainer as well as my husband, who also plays the role as my accountability partner;) It has helped tremendously in my training at the gym and at home, but mostly with my diet program. It has to be strict, but also doable. Things like - when I get hungry between meals so we can adjust from every 3 hours to every 2.5 hours instead, or when I slip up on my diet... as Ms. Garmin often says "recalculating"! Each meal is strictly calculated out based on calories, protein, sugars, carbs, sodium, etc. Even the time of day in which each food is consumed has a reason behind it. We can also up the cardio when and if I don't lean out fast enough, and focus on specific weak areas. Recently workin' the glutes hardcore! I let my trainer know how I feel after certain workouts/exercises, especially if it causes pain beyond normal muscle soreness, and things like that. My husband is currently not on a diet, because that wouldn't line up with his own goals, but he is very observant and aware of what is in the house and what needs to be kept OUT of the house, for my sake. Peanut butter is one of those things! I don't think I will ever kick the craving for pb=) In certain forms it is great for you and serves its purpose, just not for me right now! It is also important to let my trainer know how I feel on days with high carbs and the same for low carb days. Certain foods may react differently with me, so then we can switch it up a bit if necessary to keep my progress moving forward. One thing I am happy to say is that I now like asparagus! I've tried it all different ways many times and never did like the taste of it until now. It's funny how your tastes change not only with age and experience, but also when you simplify your intake so much. Every new thing is a treat! My mother will be so proud;) I know I will need to try tea again very soon, because many competitors recommend it for the health and hunger-suppressing factors. I've never like tea and it might be a struggle, but I may learn to love it♥

So essentially I am in what they like to call "lock-down" mode, no excuses, no-holds barred, no pain no gain kind of attitude. I've started doing two-a-days, cardio in the morning as well as weights and cardio again in the evening. This is 5 days a week and the weekend is usually for rest. Aside from my husband's upcoming race this weekend, I will start incorporating just one cardio session on these days. The goal is just to burn as many calories as possible.

This time out I will be trying a new tanning product which will be fun and hopefully be better for the whole package that I'm going for. I am also searching and brainstorming designs for new suits! The best part of it all is show day, when all that matters is having fun and showing what you've worked so hard for. My goal this time around is to be more ready than ever and go into the competition knowing I did not hold back! Wish me luck~ Emily

Warming Aesthetics

We've got more home rennovations underway! Isaac and I love our projects, and we are right in the middle of another fun one, this time in our bathroom. The old country-blue tub and toilet are out, and new white pieces have been assembled for the remodel. Isaac has done all of the work so far, busting out the shower and even a separating wall. The area is opened up quite a bit and the new shower is a smaller glass-walled walk-in, making for even more space. I am hoping Ike will have the time (desire) to build a floor-to-ceiling shelving unit in place of the old wall. We will be getting a longer cabinet and countertop, and most importantly, mirror! No more bumping elbows trying to get ready... or more appropriately, his elbow bumping my head ;)

I wanted the color on the walls to be a deep slate gray. Luckily we both agreed and found a really nice stone-like flooring to cover the old, which matches perfectly with our color choice. It is really going to warm it up I think. To contrast the dark floor and walls, all of the trim and the ceiling and sink will be white, in addition to the shower and porcelain "throne". More lighting around the mirror will be even better! So far Isaac has had to add some drywall, do the necessary mudding and sanding, and waaaaaiiiiting for it to dry.... we are both impatient. Just tonight he started the first coat of paint. I was under the impression I would be painting, but being the get-it-done person he is, the painting commenced while I was downstairs making dinner. Can't say I'm complaining!

I'm just one of those women that gets excited about a great bathroom! I mean, come on, I spend a lot of time in there ;) Here are some photos of the progress:

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Still Independent

This past weekend was a really enjoyable one. Isaac and I took a road trip basically all over the state of Michigan! Well, that's not exactly true, but we did hit quite a few places....... Friday night was race night, as is custom. Isaac raced the big yellow banana car (!) and took home the 3rd place trophy for the mid-season Points' Championship. He loves trophies;)
After that pretty successful evening, we headed straight to Lake City and spent the night in the campground...in the Escape! Totally wacky, I know, but free and actually pretty comfy. Happily took advantage of the 'complimentary' camp showers (the ones you have to keep pressing ON, just like an automatic turn-off faucet at a rest area....strange), and then we were on our way. Being unprepared for my first meal of the day, I grabbed the healthiest thing the local McDonalds could offer, and Isaac enjoyed something a bit less health-conscious ;) People-watching is one of our habits, so we sat enjoying our all-american food, while the little town of Lake City prepared for their 4th of July parade. It was interesting. They take it very seriously there apparently; every road was lined with lawn chairs, even in places with no people in sight. Not a space was free on the sidewalks, the grass, nuthin'! It was a pretty big affair.
After we'd had enough of that, we left them to enjoy their parade, and buzzed on up to Petoskey. It is a really nice little town, with some pretty streets, and right on a piece of water. I think I could live there. We found the house we were looking for, where Isaac was going to take a look at a dirt bike for sale. He tested it out, hopped off, and made the deal! Must've been a goodie…cuz now it’s ours. Right across the road from that house was a field with bails of hay, and Mary was watching over it…well, a statue of Mary anyway. I thought it was pretty, but the blackberry photo doesn’t really do it justice.

Next stop, Mackinaw. We decided it would be fun to spend the rest of the day strolling around the city, shopping, fudge-sampling, walking the beach, more people-watching, etc. etc. We stayed so long they gave us a $5 parking ticket! That's the thanks we get for enjoying their city and enhancing their economy I guess…..hmpfff ;) We'll send them their $5, so at least the tablet they wrote it on might be reimbursed, at least! Hehe.
Finally, we headed toward Higgins Lake to spend some time with my parents. We spent the night at our cabin, and the next day was beautiful weather. Isaac and I went for a short run in the morning, then a walk on the beach. The four of us took the boat out midday. We did some kneeboarding, which we have not done since like 2 or 3 years ago! Still got the 360 down…which is about the best trick we can do ;) Man, Higgins is still cold, that's for sure, so we did some laying out on the boat after that to soak up some sun. Loved it.

Spent the evening in Houghton Lake with some friends, experienced a really interesting meal at one of the small town restaurants (good food, just unprepared holiday staff)… It's cool, Isaac enjoyed his free nachos! Later everyone went for ice cream, except me, then we hit up the go-kart track, and I completely smoked everyone there in the pink #3 car! What can I say, I'm just good like that. JK. The best part of the day was when two ol' dudes who are friends of our friends, or something like that, loaned us there Zumas (kinda like Mopeds, but cooler). We drode around forever on those things, riding double. It was like a scene from the Italian Job, or the Bourne series! They went like 40 miles an hour, so not crazy, but I felt like we were flying….super fun!
Ike and I watched some fireworks down the beach at Higgins after dark. It's really nice to sit on the dock out over the water with no lights, no bugs, just calm.
Overall, it was a great weekend! We are really happy to be home, with some new memories, some new ideas for the future, a new toy which Ike is enjoying this very moment!, and our sweet doggies. Most of all though, we are really happy to just be free.

Back in Competition!

April 24th, besides being my momma's birthday!, was the day of my very first Figure Show!!! Everything went very smoothly, but also very quickly! It flew by, kind of like my wedding day:) It was one of those things you prepare for months in advance and the actual event itself is like the blink of an eye. All the work and preparation was still totally worth it. Saturday was just a fun day all around...eating pancakes with syrup for breakfast, enjoying one of those all-time girl faves of having my hair done!, getting all dolled up in a fancy "bedazzled" suit and jewelry, playing makeup artist;), and simply getting to show off what you've accomplished in the gym and with a disciplined diet. I had so much help and support not only throughout the last several weeks, but the day of the show especially. My trainer Steve was there to remind me about good posing techniques and cheer me on, and two ladies who've been helping me all along, Jerri and Julie were there to get my tan just right, my suit to stay "glued" on, and basically just guide me along based on their own experience. I totally appreciate them ALL so much! I was one of 9 competitors from my gym, Smitty's Iron Works, in Midland. Our gym had a large crowd of supporters to cheer us on as well!

The awards for the night were sabers for the men and swords for the women; I was lucky enough to take one home! I placed 3rd in a group of 8 ladies, which was pretty good for my first time. I really loved the atmosphere and the hype:) Being on stage was something I am used to, but still I was very nervous and shaking like crazy! We may have been up there for like 5, 8, even 10 minutes, but it felt like 30 seconds...I immediately wanted to run (well not really, with the heels!) out there and do it again, and make improvements from the first time. So in light of that, I have officially set my next goal: the Peggy Sue show on September 25th in Saginaw! I am really excited to be continuing... Right now I am on somewhat of a "maintenance" diet, which is not super strict and allows me cheat items during the week:) My objective is to gain as much muscle mass as possible during this next few weeks off-season. At the end of June I will hit the training and dieting again heavy to prepare for September. Can't wait!!!

Progress

This weekend we celebrated my birthday at mom and dad's house. We spent some time buzzing around Traverse City and Charlevoix all day Saturday. Despite the lower temperature this weekend, the sun was shining and there was, blessedly, no rain or snow! My birthday dinner was complete with shishkabobs, which I could make custom to fit my diet, and a sugar-free lemon cake made by yours truly! Mom found the recipe for me so we could still have a cake on my birthday...so sweet:) I wanted to make it because I love baking, and everyone was so gracious when they tasted the not-so flavorful, definitely lacking-in-sweetness, very plain spongey 'cake'! I thought it was an amazing treat, so I scarfed down my piece, while everyone else got out the syrup and strawberry jam! It was a new recipe to begin with, so I will try it again after my show...it could use a lot more lemon, a bit more sugar!, and of course, some sort of topping or frosting to really make it yummy. It worked for me though, considering what I can allow myself to have at this point....

For myself and for anyone else who is interested, I had Isaac take some progress photos to show the changes I've made and how far I've come from being twelve weeks out, to now 5 weeks out, from my figure show. Essentially I haven't lost much, if any, weight, but clothes do fit differently, and my body is just 'harder'. The goal is not to be skinnier, or weigh less, but instead to have a very minimal body fat percentage, and really toned/defined muscles. Wow, does it take time! These pictures mark the beginning and the halfway point in my training.