Summer has finally arrived - or almost. The weather does feel like summer and as usual we went from heating the house directly to needing the air conditioning on. Feels good though, I really like putting away the warmer coats and putting on capris and flip-flops.
The school year wraps up this week for my kids and we are well planned for the summer. June looked somewhat empty, but I am filling it up nicely. Had a crazy thought at Meg's track banquet tonight - why don't I practice each saturday in June and invite any of the HS girls to practice with me? So, I have created my little postcards and will mail them out to the girls tomorrow. It's only 4 saturdays, but it will make a difference for me and hopefully them. I am really excited about it!!!!
Gwen's husband arrives home late tonight from his deployment. She is so excited and today has been a very long day for her. Gwen had wanted to take some brats home with her to Texas, but forgot them at Grandma's. I knew she wanted them as a welcome home treat for Greg, so I had some shipped. For future reference - that was expensive. However, for a young man serving our country - well worth it for him.
Tim is staying at college this summer and working. Things seem to be going OK for him, I think he has 5 semesters left and he will graduate with an engineering degree. I am so proud of him for making huge changes in his life and getting back to school. It hasn't been easy, but nothing worth it ever is. This makes the reward that much more meaningful. He has a very nice girlfriend, Lindsay. She helps him be a better man. Moms only have so much influence, you know. :)
We will be taking Alexa's senior pictures this summer and here we go again! This should be really a fun time for her. Hard to believe that, pretty sure, it was just yesterday I was holding this tiny little Alexa in my arms. This is true with all the kids, but she is the oldest of my younger 3. Her graduating and heading off to school in a year will really be felt. I was just thinking about it today and when the older 3 graduated and left, I still had 3 at home and very busy with them. Now, as the younger 3 get ready to fly the coop, I will notice it a lot more. I guess I will get to travel more to see the grandkids as they arrive. Gee . . . that sounds awful! NOT!!!! It sounds wonderful! So much to look forward to!
Have a great start to summer!
Love ya,
Bren
One of my favorite places in the world!!!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Moving Forward . . .
This was a new recipe I tried today. Chicken Pastel (I know the recipe below says turkey, but I used what I had). Turned out pretty good. I will add it to my cookbook. I used to have lots of cookbooks, but they take up lots of room. So, I copied the one, two or maybe 3 recipes that I used out of each, got some clear plastic pages, put them in a 3-ring binder and made my own cookbook. Now there are only recipes that I use in it. A recipe does not get added until I try it out. I took all the recipe books to good will and hopefully someone else will get good use of them.
The funny thing with the new recipes I am trying is the story of how I got them. I went to the dump Saturday and we also have recycling there. I was putting stuff in all the big dumpsters to sort the papers, tin, plastic, etc... when the two old guys who help out every Saturday pulled an old metal recipe box out of the Mixed Paper dumpster. They looked through it and figured that if either of them took it home their wives would be finding all sorts of recipes - which they figured they didn't need. They asked me if I would like to take it home. I said, 'OK' as I am game for new recipes. There weren't any old family recipes in the box, just several sets of recipe cards from some recipe card program where they send you a new bunch every 6-8 weeks. This Turkey Pastel is the first recipe I tried. It turned out well and we liked it, so I will add it to my binder. It was also very inexpensive and quite easy to make. I did not tell anyone that it has cottage cheese in the crust, but you would never know that it did.
Bry is doing much better and enjoying being pregnant (except for the heart stuff). I will try harder not to let my thoughts run away on me and be a better cheerleader for her. She found a great deal on a crib today and got the 'nursery' cleared out yesterday so it isn't a storage room anymore.
Gwen is getting settled once again in Texas as she waits for Greg to return from his deployment, which should be in a week or two. On Saturday she went to a going away cookout for a few people in Greg's unit that are deploying this week. It was very windy and they had used coolers and 20# weights to help anchor a tent in the backyard. A big gust of wind came, picked up the tent which sent those items flying. A 20# weight hit Gwen on the left side of her face and shoulder. Didn't knock her out and she didn't even go to see a doctor until Monday. I absolutely insisted. Nothing is broken. She has some deep bruises and a mild concussion. Ice and ibuprofen will help lessen the discoloration and any swelling. She was concerned that the Dr wouldn't believe her story and think she was beaten. This one brought me to tears and I was so ready to get on a plane. The thought of her being alone right now and injured was a lot for me to deal with.
She is OK and I did not get on a plane. All I can do is put my children's lives in Heavenly Father's hands. Which, really, is all I have ever been able to do. Just not used to doing it from a distance. I am working to be a positive voice in their lives and give lots of encouragement.
Today, I can do that!
Have a great week!
Love ya, Bren
Friday, May 20, 2011
things move - ahead or behind - they still move!
Long time, I know. I have decided to go for it with the Badger State Games. I am not getting any younger and it feels good to work out a bit. I don't have to kill myself with a 3 hour workout. Just trying to tone up some muscles and get in the groove with the discus throwing technique. I have thrown 3 days this week and can throw it 80+ feet regularly enough. I just registered and am all set. The challenge now will be to get in the conditioning and practice that I need. It feels good to let a good throw rip. :) It's awesome that I remember what it feels like, especially after almost 30 years!
I really like continuing to learn. Not necessarily book stuff. Learning new lessons in life is a wonderful insight. I learned a lot about Gwen while she was home for 3 months. I gained some insight to her view on life. I appreciate her feelings more and can accept things the way they are. As a Mom, we want our children to grow up in the ways we taught them - it doesn't always work out that way. I am now OK with that, their decisions aren't necessarily a personal attack on us parents. There are many contributing factors to why we make the decisions we do, some are influenced by other people who were well beyond a parent's control. I just hope I have given my children enough support and love to know that now matter what decisions they make they are still loved. I know this is kinda cryptic, but some old, way past situations just shouldn't be brought into the now or future. Just grateful to have more understanding than I did before.
Bry is happy to be expecting! Her due date is Nov. 21st. Her heart condition is causing some concerns, but she is getting through everything one day at a time. 3 weeks ago her heart began to 'flutter' (beat really fast and in a different rhythm). Her cardiologist admitted her for a few days while they did some monitoring and tried a few different things. First they thinned her blood to be sure it wasn't clotting in her heart. Then they did an esophogeal echo (gets real close to the heart without surgery) to see if all the pathways were clear. Yes, they were! :) Then some more medication to cap the heart rate, that didn't work as well as they wanted to so the last thing was to 'shock' her heart. (a re-boot, if you will) It worked. The 'flutter' stopped. This last week the rhythm changed to 'junction' because of the sedalol. Looks like they may need to give her a pacemaker. The sedalol relaxes the initial start of the heartbeat and kinda makes the heart forget the first part of the beat. Wierd, huh? The pacemaker gives the first part of the rhythm and all should be well. The docs were hoping she would be closer to 30 before needing a pacemaker, but we are all grateful for technology, medical advances, and that there is something they can do for her. Awesome team of doctors. It is really hard to be in Wisconsin when she is over 1000 miles away. I have just always been there for her, to be with her through this stuff. Don't know if I have enough faith for this. Not sure if it is a lack of faith or a huge pull on my heartstrings, but tears never seem to be very far away if I think too long on it. I want to head west to hold a baby, not bury my daughter. It isn't that serious at this point and I really do know she will be fine, just those thoughts creep in now and then.
May we all find the good things to focus on, so we can get through the tough spots,
Have a great weekend!
Love ya, Bren
I really like continuing to learn. Not necessarily book stuff. Learning new lessons in life is a wonderful insight. I learned a lot about Gwen while she was home for 3 months. I gained some insight to her view on life. I appreciate her feelings more and can accept things the way they are. As a Mom, we want our children to grow up in the ways we taught them - it doesn't always work out that way. I am now OK with that, their decisions aren't necessarily a personal attack on us parents. There are many contributing factors to why we make the decisions we do, some are influenced by other people who were well beyond a parent's control. I just hope I have given my children enough support and love to know that now matter what decisions they make they are still loved. I know this is kinda cryptic, but some old, way past situations just shouldn't be brought into the now or future. Just grateful to have more understanding than I did before.
Bry is happy to be expecting! Her due date is Nov. 21st. Her heart condition is causing some concerns, but she is getting through everything one day at a time. 3 weeks ago her heart began to 'flutter' (beat really fast and in a different rhythm). Her cardiologist admitted her for a few days while they did some monitoring and tried a few different things. First they thinned her blood to be sure it wasn't clotting in her heart. Then they did an esophogeal echo (gets real close to the heart without surgery) to see if all the pathways were clear. Yes, they were! :) Then some more medication to cap the heart rate, that didn't work as well as they wanted to so the last thing was to 'shock' her heart. (a re-boot, if you will) It worked. The 'flutter' stopped. This last week the rhythm changed to 'junction' because of the sedalol. Looks like they may need to give her a pacemaker. The sedalol relaxes the initial start of the heartbeat and kinda makes the heart forget the first part of the beat. Wierd, huh? The pacemaker gives the first part of the rhythm and all should be well. The docs were hoping she would be closer to 30 before needing a pacemaker, but we are all grateful for technology, medical advances, and that there is something they can do for her. Awesome team of doctors. It is really hard to be in Wisconsin when she is over 1000 miles away. I have just always been there for her, to be with her through this stuff. Don't know if I have enough faith for this. Not sure if it is a lack of faith or a huge pull on my heartstrings, but tears never seem to be very far away if I think too long on it. I want to head west to hold a baby, not bury my daughter. It isn't that serious at this point and I really do know she will be fine, just those thoughts creep in now and then.
May we all find the good things to focus on, so we can get through the tough spots,
Have a great weekend!
Love ya, Bren
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Relax? Is this ever possible?
Life has been going by so very, very fast. Relax has always been a dirty 5 letter word for me. I don't relax very well and when I try, I fall asleep. There is always so much that needs to be done, sitting and doing nothing really wears on my brain.
I have been working on stream-lining the pre-paid gift card fundraiser for the church scout troop. The last order took about 7-8 hours of time. (this is from getting the display board ready, getting order forms ready, taking orders, tallying them, turning in the money, waiting for the check to send in, and putting all the information in computer documents when I get home) Way too much time every two weeks. I think I have it figured out better now. Tomorrow we place another order and then I'll know if it is a better process. I revamped a tally sheet, and made only one order sheet. This should work. One difficult item to account for is the retailers that offer bonus rebates. These rebated can change each day, so keeping an order form current is a hard thing. I decided to only have the regular rebate %s on the order form, but only keep the tally sheet current. It was way too hard to keep printing order forms with accurate information. That alone will save me 2 hours of the 7-8 total.
Here are some updates on stuff I have previously mentioned: NAILS - decided to keep them. I don't like being one of those women who breaks a nail and has to get it fixed, but a broken acrylic nail needs to be fixed. I like the very soft pink color of polish and have gotten lots of compliments on them. Guess it's time to really feel like a 'girl'. Hard work, though.
CHEER VIDEO- no one ever posted any on YouTube. I was so bummed. The cheer and stunt team did a great job this year and were very fun to watch! I will definitely get videos for next year, if I have to take them myself.
DISCUS-not sure yet. It has rained so much that I haven't been able to get outside to throw. I have also been so busy that I haven't found the time to exercise at all. Running really hurts my body, I notice the bulging disc more after anything jarring. I think I could pull off competing, though. Just need some conditioning and practice throwing.
SUMMER ROAD TRIP- We're going! End of June we (me & 3 youngest kids-who are all teenagers) are going to Utah to visit Bry & Mark, then one night at the Grand Canyon, on to Arizona to visit my sister, then on to Texas to visit Gwen & Greg. It will be a lot of driving, but a great time to visit family. I have the hotel at the Grand Canyon, one Best Western gift card for the night on the way out to Utah. I will just need one more gift card for the night on the way home from Texas. It won't be a very long visit at any one place, but then we don't interfere too much with their schedules and we can get to see them all!
Today I don't have anything on the calendar. Meg is at a conference track meet all day, Scott is camping with scouts and that's it. I will go in to work for a little while - lots to do for the school district. I will get some cleaning done and maybe a little outside work if it isn't raining, wish me luck on that one! It is pretty chilly out, so no capris or thin t-shirts today. I will work on printing my menu planning sheets. We ran out a few weeks ago and when I don't plan menus, then meals are awful. They are hard to whip up in a moment and we don't eat a good meal. We don't go hungry, but not a lot of variety or very complete.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Love Ya,
Bren
I have been working on stream-lining the pre-paid gift card fundraiser for the church scout troop. The last order took about 7-8 hours of time. (this is from getting the display board ready, getting order forms ready, taking orders, tallying them, turning in the money, waiting for the check to send in, and putting all the information in computer documents when I get home) Way too much time every two weeks. I think I have it figured out better now. Tomorrow we place another order and then I'll know if it is a better process. I revamped a tally sheet, and made only one order sheet. This should work. One difficult item to account for is the retailers that offer bonus rebates. These rebated can change each day, so keeping an order form current is a hard thing. I decided to only have the regular rebate %s on the order form, but only keep the tally sheet current. It was way too hard to keep printing order forms with accurate information. That alone will save me 2 hours of the 7-8 total.
Here are some updates on stuff I have previously mentioned: NAILS - decided to keep them. I don't like being one of those women who breaks a nail and has to get it fixed, but a broken acrylic nail needs to be fixed. I like the very soft pink color of polish and have gotten lots of compliments on them. Guess it's time to really feel like a 'girl'. Hard work, though.
CHEER VIDEO- no one ever posted any on YouTube. I was so bummed. The cheer and stunt team did a great job this year and were very fun to watch! I will definitely get videos for next year, if I have to take them myself.
DISCUS-not sure yet. It has rained so much that I haven't been able to get outside to throw. I have also been so busy that I haven't found the time to exercise at all. Running really hurts my body, I notice the bulging disc more after anything jarring. I think I could pull off competing, though. Just need some conditioning and practice throwing.
SUMMER ROAD TRIP- We're going! End of June we (me & 3 youngest kids-who are all teenagers) are going to Utah to visit Bry & Mark, then one night at the Grand Canyon, on to Arizona to visit my sister, then on to Texas to visit Gwen & Greg. It will be a lot of driving, but a great time to visit family. I have the hotel at the Grand Canyon, one Best Western gift card for the night on the way out to Utah. I will just need one more gift card for the night on the way home from Texas. It won't be a very long visit at any one place, but then we don't interfere too much with their schedules and we can get to see them all!
Today I don't have anything on the calendar. Meg is at a conference track meet all day, Scott is camping with scouts and that's it. I will go in to work for a little while - lots to do for the school district. I will get some cleaning done and maybe a little outside work if it isn't raining, wish me luck on that one! It is pretty chilly out, so no capris or thin t-shirts today. I will work on printing my menu planning sheets. We ran out a few weeks ago and when I don't plan menus, then meals are awful. They are hard to whip up in a moment and we don't eat a good meal. We don't go hungry, but not a lot of variety or very complete.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Love Ya,
Bren
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Happy Mother's Day!
To start, and for the record, this is not my favorite day of the year. I have long struggled with this day. I don't feel like I have ever truly been that great of a mother. Didn't mean that I didn't try awfully hard sometimes, but just somehow, I miss the mark of being a great mother. I am improving my attitude, though. I will share some things that I have learned over the last 3 decades about motherhood.
I recently purchased a book by DeAnne Flynn "The Mother's Mite". This looks at motherhood from the view of the "Widow's Mite" in the new testament. This widow was paying her tithes in the temple, but it was only a very minute amount (less than half a penny by today's standards) and it was 'all that she hath'. She gave it willingly and with her whole heart fully trusting God would provide for her future. The Mother's Mite is similar. We give little things to our children, but we give them in love and selflessness. You see, it isn't the grand ponies for birthdays, a 20 year journal for each of our children, or a new car on the 16th birthday, or all the outward wealth in the world that makes women special to children. I say it this way because not all women get to be mothers, but all women mother children/youth/relatives/even each other in some way that benefits the whole world. I am very grateful to all the women who have given great meaning in my life.
Here are some 'mites' given on my behalf: (not a complete list by any means!)
I have a mother that taught me the meaning of 'family'. "It doesn't matter what they say or what they do, they're family and you forgive them. Nothing can take the place of your family". I remember her waking me up in the morning to, 'Rise and shine, sleepyhead'. She did it every day. What better way to start the day than hearing your mother's cheerful voice?
I have a grandmother who taught me great faith. She believed for 4 or 5 decades that Grandpa would quit drinking and smoking. She never quit believing, expecially in times when it was so far from happening everyone else doubted, even thougth it impossible. He quit both before he passed away and she lived to see it. She also knew life existed beyond the grave. We all know Betty Jean and Larry because she kept them alive to us and made them a continual part of the family - they died as toddlers long before I was even 'twinkle'. I know I will know them when we meet on the other side of this life, because she introduced us here.
I have another grandmother who I was rather afraid of as a little girl. I used to make my sister go ask her for the two cookies we could have when we visited. She had a contagious laugh, but she always meant what she said. No goofing off at her house. Now as an adult, I appreciate her. I understand more of her life by gathering the information about her 16 children and the family she came from. Being one of her decendants, I am honored to be counted one of hers.
I had a wonderful track coach in high school who helped me see I could choose the lifestyle I wanted to live. She gave me great confidence and support to be able to withstand the pressure of being a good athlete and compete at my best.
I could go on and on. May you each find the 'mite' about a woman you know loves you and treasure it forever. You will see that it really is the small things that matter.
Love Ya,
Bren
I recently purchased a book by DeAnne Flynn "The Mother's Mite". This looks at motherhood from the view of the "Widow's Mite" in the new testament. This widow was paying her tithes in the temple, but it was only a very minute amount (less than half a penny by today's standards) and it was 'all that she hath'. She gave it willingly and with her whole heart fully trusting God would provide for her future. The Mother's Mite is similar. We give little things to our children, but we give them in love and selflessness. You see, it isn't the grand ponies for birthdays, a 20 year journal for each of our children, or a new car on the 16th birthday, or all the outward wealth in the world that makes women special to children. I say it this way because not all women get to be mothers, but all women mother children/youth/relatives/even each other in some way that benefits the whole world. I am very grateful to all the women who have given great meaning in my life.
Here are some 'mites' given on my behalf: (not a complete list by any means!)
I have a mother that taught me the meaning of 'family'. "It doesn't matter what they say or what they do, they're family and you forgive them. Nothing can take the place of your family". I remember her waking me up in the morning to, 'Rise and shine, sleepyhead'. She did it every day. What better way to start the day than hearing your mother's cheerful voice?
I have a grandmother who taught me great faith. She believed for 4 or 5 decades that Grandpa would quit drinking and smoking. She never quit believing, expecially in times when it was so far from happening everyone else doubted, even thougth it impossible. He quit both before he passed away and she lived to see it. She also knew life existed beyond the grave. We all know Betty Jean and Larry because she kept them alive to us and made them a continual part of the family - they died as toddlers long before I was even 'twinkle'. I know I will know them when we meet on the other side of this life, because she introduced us here.
I have another grandmother who I was rather afraid of as a little girl. I used to make my sister go ask her for the two cookies we could have when we visited. She had a contagious laugh, but she always meant what she said. No goofing off at her house. Now as an adult, I appreciate her. I understand more of her life by gathering the information about her 16 children and the family she came from. Being one of her decendants, I am honored to be counted one of hers.
I had a wonderful track coach in high school who helped me see I could choose the lifestyle I wanted to live. She gave me great confidence and support to be able to withstand the pressure of being a good athlete and compete at my best.
I could go on and on. May you each find the 'mite' about a woman you know loves you and treasure it forever. You will see that it really is the small things that matter.
Love Ya,
Bren
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Will Spring ever get here?
Now this is getting really old. I do LOVE snow, but there is a time and place for everything. May is NOT the time for snow. We did see a few flakes drifting downward today. It was just a few and I refuse to wear my winter coat! It just has to warm up. Maybe tomorrow it will be warmer. We can only hope at this point.
I have been giving more thought to the discus throwing and haven't even touched it again since Saturday. I did research prior years' results of the Badger State Games. 78' is what the person in my age group threw the past 2-3 years. I can throw that now and did on Saturday - with, 'ahem', no training at all. By the end of Sunday I was getting pretty psyched up and really believe I could do this, now. Not in a year, but now with 8-9 weeks of conditioning and practice. I haven't made my final decision, but will try to get some conditioning workouts in, granted they can't be olympic effort training as my body just won't be able to do that. However, it will give my workouts purpose and it won't be 3 hours either. My goal would be 45-60 min a day. That's about all I have time for. I will have to get back to you on my decision in a few weeks.
Back in February I posted about the acrylic nails and that I would have to try them for a couple of months to see if I could live with this 'girl' thing or not. So far, they are staying. I have broken a couple and it is frustrating to need to get one fixed. Opening a pop-tab can is difficult, or anything that requires thin nails. Acrylic nails are thick and you can no longer scratch an itch sufficiently, grab a thread, or anything small and detailed. Of course, with my need for glasses, that means I'd have to see it first. :) I am not fond of how they grow out either, but I have found a polish color that looks very tasteful but very soft, a kind of irridescent light pink. As the nails grow out, you can see the edge of the acrylic near the nail bed and the longer you go between fills the bigger the gap. With dark or bright polish, the gap is very noticeable. The soft pink color I use is almost the same color as my nails, so the outgrowth isn't very noticeable at all. Can live with that.
Maybe if we all hope together, Spring will come to northern Wisconsin!
Love ya,
Bren
I have been giving more thought to the discus throwing and haven't even touched it again since Saturday. I did research prior years' results of the Badger State Games. 78' is what the person in my age group threw the past 2-3 years. I can throw that now and did on Saturday - with, 'ahem', no training at all. By the end of Sunday I was getting pretty psyched up and really believe I could do this, now. Not in a year, but now with 8-9 weeks of conditioning and practice. I haven't made my final decision, but will try to get some conditioning workouts in, granted they can't be olympic effort training as my body just won't be able to do that. However, it will give my workouts purpose and it won't be 3 hours either. My goal would be 45-60 min a day. That's about all I have time for. I will have to get back to you on my decision in a few weeks.
Back in February I posted about the acrylic nails and that I would have to try them for a couple of months to see if I could live with this 'girl' thing or not. So far, they are staying. I have broken a couple and it is frustrating to need to get one fixed. Opening a pop-tab can is difficult, or anything that requires thin nails. Acrylic nails are thick and you can no longer scratch an itch sufficiently, grab a thread, or anything small and detailed. Of course, with my need for glasses, that means I'd have to see it first. :) I am not fond of how they grow out either, but I have found a polish color that looks very tasteful but very soft, a kind of irridescent light pink. As the nails grow out, you can see the edge of the acrylic near the nail bed and the longer you go between fills the bigger the gap. With dark or bright polish, the gap is very noticeable. The soft pink color I use is almost the same color as my nails, so the outgrowth isn't very noticeable at all. Can live with that.
Maybe if we all hope together, Spring will come to northern Wisconsin!
Love ya,
Bren
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Never too old to learn
Well, Good Morning! I continue to learn lots of things. Growing up I never expected to 'stop' learning, but it still surpirses me. I know I am not THAT old, but nearing 50 makes me think I'm getting there.
I was in Track in high school. I was on varisty all 4 years; in the 100 yd dash, shot put and discus. Discus throwing was my favorite - so much that I bought my own in high school. I would have really loved to have been in Track in college, but dropped out, moved home and got married. So much for those dreams. I had always dreamed of throwing 120'; the farthest I ever threw was 114'11". Close, but not close enough. I did hold the school record for a few years, but that's it. I never really knew how far I COULD have thrown.
I have two children in track right now. Spring is always hard for me because I have always missed the spring workouts, the practices and competitions. Yes, still each year, now almost 30 years later. Both Scott and Meg are learning to throw discus. The high school coach, at the intro parent meeting, told us not to coach our children, let them do their jobs and don't confuse the kids. Well, I have an issue with that. For one, they don't take a lot of time to correctly, completely instruct them on any one event. We don't have enough coaches to train in each event or specialty area. So the kids are floundering, wondering what to do to improve and get frustrated. Yesterday, I was throwing the discus with my kids in the front yard. We went over the basics, the standing throw. How all the movements work together. I could still get a nice flat spin on it most of the time. No one is perfect, but the kids were amazed.
They wanted to be able to throw smoothly each time. Then I explained that I had thrown a discus thousands of times and they had only thrown a few times in comparison. I still had muscle memory. They will get it, but it takes lots of practice. Not something very well known amongst the youth today - being good at something takes a lot of practice and hard work.
Alright, so what did I learn? I learned that the bulging disc in my neck will bother me when I throw. I may plan to participate in the Badge State games June 2012, but I won't be able to train to the extreme. I will have to tone and strengthen less aggresively than what I thought it would require. Being stronger phycially will help my spine, I will have to be really smart in how I train. Not sure when the training will begin, but probably this fall and give myself at least 6 months of consistent work-outs to be fit enough to throw without causing more injury.
I will continue to help my kids learn and may show up at the track to assist the discus throwers.
Have a great day and may we each learn something new every day!
Love ya,
Bren
I was in Track in high school. I was on varisty all 4 years; in the 100 yd dash, shot put and discus. Discus throwing was my favorite - so much that I bought my own in high school. I would have really loved to have been in Track in college, but dropped out, moved home and got married. So much for those dreams. I had always dreamed of throwing 120'; the farthest I ever threw was 114'11". Close, but not close enough. I did hold the school record for a few years, but that's it. I never really knew how far I COULD have thrown.
I have two children in track right now. Spring is always hard for me because I have always missed the spring workouts, the practices and competitions. Yes, still each year, now almost 30 years later. Both Scott and Meg are learning to throw discus. The high school coach, at the intro parent meeting, told us not to coach our children, let them do their jobs and don't confuse the kids. Well, I have an issue with that. For one, they don't take a lot of time to correctly, completely instruct them on any one event. We don't have enough coaches to train in each event or specialty area. So the kids are floundering, wondering what to do to improve and get frustrated. Yesterday, I was throwing the discus with my kids in the front yard. We went over the basics, the standing throw. How all the movements work together. I could still get a nice flat spin on it most of the time. No one is perfect, but the kids were amazed.
They wanted to be able to throw smoothly each time. Then I explained that I had thrown a discus thousands of times and they had only thrown a few times in comparison. I still had muscle memory. They will get it, but it takes lots of practice. Not something very well known amongst the youth today - being good at something takes a lot of practice and hard work.
Alright, so what did I learn? I learned that the bulging disc in my neck will bother me when I throw. I may plan to participate in the Badge State games June 2012, but I won't be able to train to the extreme. I will have to tone and strengthen less aggresively than what I thought it would require. Being stronger phycially will help my spine, I will have to be really smart in how I train. Not sure when the training will begin, but probably this fall and give myself at least 6 months of consistent work-outs to be fit enough to throw without causing more injury.
I will continue to help my kids learn and may show up at the track to assist the discus throwers.
Have a great day and may we each learn something new every day!
Love ya,
Bren
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