Caveman Triathlon - Sprint Race 4.7.19

Yesterday I competed in my first race of 2019 at the Caveman Triathlon in the sprint distance.  Boy has it been a long and crazy journey to get to the starting line of this race.  I would love to say I was well prepared and was going to kill it on the course but that is far from the truth for this race.  I had signed up for this race in November after completing in the Best of the Best race so I was on cloud nine and ready for 2019 to be an epic year.  That was the case until I had to go and get an eye produce done which I thought was going to be a rather quick recovery to find out that it took me 4 weeks for my eye to actually heal and to be able to train, that really set me back and only put me 3 1/2 weeks to my race day.  I had to start my training at a much slower pace as my eye was still healing, I had to be careful being outside with the wind and all the stuff blooming to make sure it didn’t get in my eyes along with running and then wearing goggles in the pool.  I did what I could to get myself ready, I even went back on Whole30 for an extra round to get my nutrition spot on to get me through my training.

Once I hit my 4 weeks of healing with my eye I started to really put into my training, even doing double workouts to try and get me ready as much as possible.  I had my heart and eyes set on getting onto that podium like I do for every race so that meant doing everything I could to get myself ready.  My last week of training also know as taper week was a little rough for me as I wasn’t feeling as confident as I normally did in previous weeks leading up to the race but I kept telling myself that I made it this far and yes could I complete a sprint triathlon even if I had to crawl to the finish line.  After picking up my bag of goodies I started to get excited but also felt the nerves and the anxiety of my lack of training which got in my head a little.  Saturday rolled around and even though we had a busy weekend with soccer games it was a nice distraction for me to not think about my race, that afternoon I laid all my stuff out and go my bike and Tri bag ready for Sunday.  The weather at this point was looking iffy however the race was going to happy rain or shine that’s how they roll out here in Texas as you can never predict how the weather is going to be here.  I was prepared for a cool and wet race which is nothing new to me, I ended up packing extra things just in case I needed them.  I would rather be over prepared then under prepared especially for events like these.  I ended up going to bed around 10pm once everything was set up by the door so it was ready for me in the morning.

My alarm went off around 4:50am, hit snooze once then woke up by 5am to get myself ready.  I got myself ready and headed out the door around 5:35am to head to the Flower Mound Community Center which is where the race was being held.  I figured arriving early about when transition opened I would be good on parking...well that was not the case at all.  Me and 600 other people thought of the same thing and all showed up around the same time with no where to park but in the neighborhoods close by.  Once I found a spot I realized how far I really was and had to walk what felt like a mile with my bike and all my gear it was the perfect warm up before the race...hahaha.  I got to transition started my set up before my stomach went crazy and I had to use the bathroom I’m sure part of it was nerves but with also doing Whole30 I had to change up this races nutrition which was rather difficult for me.  After racing for the past few years I know what works and what doesn’t for me so having to change it up really threw me off.  For breakfast I usually do a banana and water first thing on the way and then a GU right before I get into the water well I couldn’t do that as GU has sugar which I’m not allowed to have.  So on the way to the race I had raw almonds and water and saved my banana for about 30 minutes before the race as my carbs and sugar.

We all gathered in the gym for a pre-race meeting to go over the weather conditions of the roads and start times for the swim, since we were doing an indoor swim with over 600 participants we had to go in small groups, I happen to be in the third group which was not bad considering a friend of my was in one of the last groups and almost started an hour after I did.  The pool area was crazy but nothing new, once I got into the pool it was like swimming for your life, there were so many people fast, slow and just complete craziness but I wanted to just get it done and get out.  I ended up passing a few people in the pool which is hilarious as I’m not a fast swimmer at all.  I got through my swim of 275 yards (10 laps of the pool) in 5:59 minutes not good but not as bad as it could have been.  Got into transition to get my bike stuff on and for some odd reason I was very slow and everything was wet.  My shoes, socks, sunglasses, bike, bib...everything so that was fun trying to get my long sleeve shirt on while being wet and it being wet.  My first T1 took me almost 3 minutes which was not good at all but I hooped on my bike with my family screaming and cheering for me and away I went for a 9.3 mile ride, it was slick and wet for sure but it was a pretty flat with some small hills so it was nice to ride.  I averaged almost 17 mph which is great for me again considering I didn’t have as much time to train as I wanted. My nutrition was off at this point I had a Lara Bar in my sack and took a few pieces to eat but it was so hard to chew it and breath with all the humidity that I didn’t even up finishing it before I was into my run which I thought could hurt me.  I made it through two loops in just over 30 minutes, got back to T2 again couldn’t get all my stuff off as it was wet and stuck to me.  I finally got out of T2 and headed out for my run, I went out strong in the beginning but then I hit the hills, I started running down a few knowing on the way back I would need to tackle these to get me to the finish.  I ran for the first 1.5 miles and then at the turn around point I started to slow down and had to walk a few times I just didn’t have it in me and I didn’t know why.  I kept hearing my husband in my head to keep pushing and walking wouldn’t get me on the podium, I did my best and keep pushing and then I turned the corner to see my first hill and walked again...now I was getting frustrated at myself as I never walked in any race..this was my lack of training right here and I knew it.  I didn’t give up I at this point did a run/walk to get myself through and within the last 1/2 mile I could hear the announcer at the finish line so I knew I was close, it was time to push myself even though all I wanted to do was rest and catch my breath but there was no time for that.  Once I turned the last corner I heard Rich screaming my name and I knew how close I was, that dang last up hill was a killer on both my knee and my legs.  I made it to the finish line even with a smile but I wasn’t sure if it was good enough to get on the podium.  Rich and my girls were there at the finish line screaming my name and cheering me on.  It was another great moment as I know what it took to get me here so I was proud to finish.

After I finished we stuck around to cheering on two of my friends who were competing for the first time so it was fun to watch them pass by and encourage them on their journey as they both completed the race.  I know this sport is hard but it’s amazing to see others join and push themselves to greatness.

Then it was results time, I waited in a long line of people to get to the computers to look up my time and overall placement.  Once I pulled up my name and saw 4th place I just wanted to fall to the ground and cry.  This was my first race that I didn’t actually get on the podium and I was devastated to say the least.  I knew I had a shot but I also knew it would have been hard with my lack of training too so seeing my time and knowing I was 2 minutes shy of that spot was very hard considering my T1 and T2 times were not very good.  After looking at their times the run is what killed me, they just had faster times on the run which is how they won and I know that from all my previous races.  I had a great bike split but my run killed me, lesson learned for me and this is giving me the fire to train harder and get faster on my bike and run for sure.  Overall it was an awesome event and I’m glad I finally did it as I have been wanting to do it since I moved to Flower Mound.  I finished the race with  a smile on my face and in 4th place that is a big victory for me and I’m very happy with how everything turned out but next time I will be on that podium as one of the top 3 finishers for sure.

The good news is the next day I got an email from the racing company that I did qualify for the Best of the Best Triathlon race in November which I killed last year so that is going to be on my list again to step up my game and slay it again this year.  Next race is coming up in a few weeks an Olympic Triathlon on May 5th at Lake Ray Roberts and then a 15K scheduled on May 11th for a Women’s Run in Keller so it’s time to continue my training and ramp it up for the next few weeks to get me ready and prepared for this upcoming races.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support me, for all the text messages, phone calls and Facebook messages, I’m very grateful for all the out pour and positive thoughts.  I’m one lucky girl to have an amazing family who supports me and comes to cheer me on during these long events.

Disco Triathlon Race - Olympic Distance Complete

Sunday September 23rd, 2018

11 weeks of training and my race is finally here, I can't believe how fast it has gone by.  I started my weight loss journey back in March when I began my first round of Whole30 and I have not looked back since.  I knew I needed to sign up for a race to keep me on my journey and I was ready to put myself back out there again.  It's been over 3 years since I have competed in a triathlon and now that I'm gaining my confidence back I wanted to really push myself again.  I looked at a few different races and found the Disco triathlon, it looked like so much fun and was rated one of their top races of the year but I couldn't get myself to sign up right away.  It took me a good week to make the decision as I was so nervous, I first thought about signing up for the sprint distance but I really wanted to challenge myself and with all that I have learned from my new nutritional plan I decided to sign up for the Olympic distance which would consist of a 1 mile open water swim at Lake Ray Roberts, 23 mile bike ride and then a 10K (6.2) mile run.  After I signed up for it I thought what the heck did I just do and did I take on too much???  

Well I made it to RACE DAY!!!  It's been a long 11 weeks of training but I'm so proud of myself for giving it all I had to get me to this point.  I had good and bad training day's but I never gave up and kept reminding myself why I was doing this.  I packed all my stuff in my tri bag the night before and set up my breakfast before going to bed as I knew I probably wouldn't get much sleep.  I went to bed around 9:30pm, it as a long night as I tossed and turned most of the night.  Only getting about 2 hours of sleep my alarm went off at 4:40am which I hit snooze one time as I was feeling pretty exhausted.  I finally got up just before 5am gathered myself and got ready, it was a little chilly out and drizzling which was expected.  I knew it was going to be a tough day with the weather as it's been raining for a few days now and today was no different, I was extremely nervous the whole morning getting ready as I have never raced in any other weather but sunshine or wind.  Rich and the girls all got up around the same time as me and go ready for the day, my bike was put in the back of our truck covered with a trash bag to help from getting too wet and we all piled into our truck and left the house around 5:25am.  I tried to stay calm on the way as Rich drove but as usual I stressed myself out and started to panic as if I had anything to worry about.  The hardest part for me on any race is the "unknown" factor the things I don't have control over it's also the scariest thing for me.  It's always very emotional before I start as I work so hard to get to this point and I want to leave it all out on the course that's the competitiveness in me.

We arrived at Lake Ray Roberts around 6:20am found a parking spot close to transition which was nice, once we parked we all got out of the truck and felt the cold and rain that is when I began to shake from being cold and wondering what the heck was I about to do and was this going to safe.  Then I looked around and saw all these other athletes who parked and piled out of their vehicles to do the same thing I was doing....so I wasn't the only crazy one then.  Before entering into the transition area to get my stuff set up I had to get body marked which was fun as me and every other person were all doing this at the same time you can imagine how fun that was..hahaha.  Once I entered I found a spot that was as close to the spectators as possible so Rich and the girls could help me find my bike and running stuff.  I set up my (Rich's) good luck blue towel along with all my bike stuff and running stuff as I wanted to be ready.  The weather was just not cooperating that is when the race director announced that the water was not safe for the longer swim distances and that they would need to shorten the swim for those racing the Olympic distance and X-50 distance.  Instead of us swimming 1 mile they reduced it to a sprint distance of 500 meters, I was so happy when I heard that announcement as that was the scariest part for me even though I have done a few open water races I still was very nervous.  This also pushed our start times back which meant instead of me going into the water at around 7:45am I would enter around 8:15am or 8:20am which was not fun considering I was shivering from the cold but there was nothing I could do about that.

Once transition closed we all headed down to the water to prepare the wave starts, that is when my friends showed up with awesome signs and lots of hugs and encouragement.  I could not tell you how excited I was to have such amazing people in my life who came to support me in the rain on a rather chilly day.  Once I got to the starting line my stomach sank and the nerves set in once again, I got in the water to test out my goggles and I surprised how warm the temperature of the water really was someone said it was above 80's which was so wonderful.  I spent several minutes just hanging out in the water to stay warm before my wave went off.  After watching everyone go off in their wave it was finally my turn and I was so ready to get this race going.  We all walked to our starting position which was standing on the beach ready to run into the water and start swimming, the best part is my daughter Lindsey was the one who got to blow the horn for our wave since I was racing that made me so proud and lucky to see that.  Once she blew that horn we were all off and running like crazy people into the lake and off we went for the swim.  It was horrible as the waves were so high and hard to get into a grove, then I swallowed a bunch of water which made me almost throw up 2 times on top of getting kicked in the face and tugging on my arms and legs.  Oh yes it was so much fun..lol.  I really struggled getting into a grove all I kept doing was looking for points like the buoys to get me through.  Once I turned to head to land I felt so much better and mentally pushed my self to just finish up strong.  I came out of the water around 12 mins

which was not a good time for me but considering the water conditions and 3 year gap of racing I was glad to have just finished that swim.  My support crew was standing by the water cheering me on as I came out and began to run up the hill to transition, I found my bike put on my socks, bike shoes, helmet and glasses and away I went for a 23 mile bike ride.  Rich was running all over the place coaching me of what to do next and what I needed to do to get my self on that podium, to some people it seemed like he was crazy and who was this guy yelling at me but to me it my motivation and encouragement to push myself to my goal.  

Once on the bike I was off and going, I felt cold for most of the ride and the weather was horrible.  The clouds were thick which made it that much harder to see, I had my dark lenses on which is good for riding with the sun but not when it's cloudy out, I should have changed them out to my yellow or clear lenses.  I needed to wear them due to the rain and avoid getting bugs or rocks in my eyes...note to self for next rainy race change out lenses.  I felt good on the bike but I did ride more cautiously due to the weather, I also saw many people with flats on the side of the road which scared me as I didn't want to have to change a flat in these conditions.  I kept myself calm and just kept riding, it was an up and down

course which is what I was use to training on so that was no surprise.  At one point I hit a hill and looked down thinking I just need to hold on for dear life and hope I don't crash or die I hit 29 mph going down that hill and I made it safe and sound.  It was so scary but so much fun, Rich always told me to leave everything I have on the course well I sure did that.  As I came around my last corner I saw my support crew holding their signs and screaming my name as I finished up my bike and headed to transition.  It made me feel so good and really helped push me for my run.  I found my stuff racked my bike took off my helmet, changed shoes put on my visor, grabbed my water bottle and away I went for my next sport.

Once again Rich was coaching me as I left transition to my run of a 10K the last leg of my race.  I had been working so hard on my running so I was hoping for a good run, well I'm sad to say that's not what happen.  I messed up my nutrition on my bike due to the weather so I ended up playing catch up which was not a smart thing to do and that really affected me on my run.  I got around mile 2 and started to feel sick so I kept drinking water as I wasn't sure what was wrong, at this point the rain had stopped and the humidity set in so now I was wet and sweaty with

stomach issues....perfect!  This is when I had to mentally push and coach my way through this, I started to come around to the half way point for my second loop and heard my crew cheering people on until they saw me and started to scream and jump up and down and told me to keep going and that I was doing such a great job....that meant the world to me and it was exactly what I needed to hear at that time.  Rich also told me I was about 3 minutes behind from the possible leader and that I needed to step it up if I wanted to get on that podium.  The next 3 miles I struggled more than I should have, I wanted so bad to go faster I just could not breath and my stomach was still not right at that point I was doing a walk/jog just to keep me going.  I did a lot of those on the up hills and then ran on the down hills.  I came around the same last corner and heard my crew cheering me on, that is when I saw my girls waiting for me to help run with me down to the final stretch to the finish line.  I finished the race and I was so proud of myself, I worked 11 hard weeks to get me here and the joy of sharing that finish with my daughters and husband meant everything to me.  My total over all time was 3 hours and 1 minute, I was extremely proud of my time and finishing that race I just wasn't sure if it was enough to place me in the top 3 for Athena 39 and Under.

After the race I went and gave Rich a big hug and cried it out for a minute and thanked him for all his support along with my kids.  I then found my friends who came over and gave me lots of hugs and congratulated me for finishing.  I thanked them a million times for all their support and cheering that is what truly made me finish today.  Now it was time to wait and see the final results of where I placed, when they announced Athena 39 and Under they called my name as second place...I was shocked and yet so happy that I did it.  I stood on that podium as a very proud and accomplished person it reminded me of why I worked so hard and how bad I wanted it.  Not only did I get a

finishers medal for the race but also go a trophy for 2nd place, it was a tough day with crazy conditions but I made it through by pushing myself and concorded what I set out to do and that was finish an Olympic triathlon after not racing for over 3 years.  I set out on this journey to get myself back into shape and do what I love doing which is competing and I got so much more out of it.  I got my confidence back, my drive to work hard and my will to push myself, including losing weight and getting healthy.  I now have the triathlon racing bug again and it feels amazing, since this season is almost over its time to step up my off season training so I'm ready for next year.  I have 6 races already picked out that I'm so excited for...let the off season training begin!!!

MY FAMILY AND SUPPORT CREW! 

GO TEAM WEISS!

2017...Year In Reivew

What a year it has been for our family, like many others there have been ups and downs, here is my journey from this past year.

We survived our first winter here in Texas, we had some very cold day’s but only one day of snow.  The girls were a little sad that none of their “Weather Day’s” were actually used during the winter months, from what we were told by many locals it was a rather mild winter.  

We got to experience our first spring here and all that came with it, grass starting to grow back, trees blooming, plants growing and WEEDS growing.  We have very large flower beds located in the front of our house and we had no idea how many weeds can actually grow at a time.  We did not realize that we needed to cut everything back super small and mulch at the same time so as you can imagine our flower beds were a nightmare all summer long to take care of.  I always love the rain but I would cry when it rained as I would see the weeds growing from the ground right in front of my eyes and I swear they would be laughing at me cause I knew how much work I had ahead of me.  I did enjoy helping Rich with riding the lawn mower and cutting the grass, I found it was very therapeutic after awhile.  I learned quickly that the mornings were best before it got too hot but thank goodness for our pool as we spent most of the summer using that.


April is when the fun really began for us as I flew out to Las Vegas to visit and support my mom who went in for her diverticulitis surgery, I’m still very thankful to my husband and my family for allowing me to be gone for 8 day’s to be with my mom during this rough time.  During this trip I also received the news of my grandmother passing who I was extremely close too, although we knew she had dementia her passing was still unexpected and the worst part is that I was unable to leave and travel to the funeral.  I needed to be with my mom during this time and I was at peace with that, I received a lot of support from my parents and many family and friends during this time which helped.  I also celebrated my birthday in Las Vegas with my brother and step-dad while Mom was recovering in the hospital.  I did get to see some old friends too during this visit, so I had some sad moments but also happy memorable moments from this trip.

As summer approached the girls ended their school year Lindsey had graduated 3rd Grade on Honors Roll and Kaitlyn completed her last year of Pre-Kindergarten.  The girls had completed their first full school year in Texas and what a difference it was in school work load.  We knew it would be an adjustment for the both of them but they both excelled and blew our expectations out of the water.  We were so proud how well they adapted and how much they loved both of their schools.  The best part is that they would be going to the same school and on the same schedule starting in the fall, that meant I would be ALL BY MY SELF during the day’s...that hasn’t happen in ....oh wait before the girls were born..hahaha.  Can you tell I was looking forward to some freedom.

Summer arrived and so did the hot and sticky weather, as I mentioned before we really enjoyed using our pool.  I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did, now I knew why it was so important for us to have a pool when buying a house out here.  This was our first full summer in this crazy Texas heat and I forgot what humidity was like and I was not a fan to be honest.  I felt like I was sweating 24/7 even when I was in the pool or taking a shower and forget using a hair dryer or curling iron I was sweating so bad I just kept my hair in a towel or pony tail most day’s.  We did decided to break up our summer a bit by first visit family and friends in Arizona during the week of July 4th.  It was nice to go back to some dry heat for a week, we got to see some friends during our weekly visit and spent as much time as we could with family, like any vacation the week flew by pretty fast.  Then the girls and I decided to take a trip to Las Vegas to visit some more family and friends.  It was a very nice and relaxing week for us but I have to say it was a little strange to be back on our old stomping grounds that’s for sure. Kaitlyn also took swimming lessons for a few weeks when we were in town, which really helped her with our pool.  Lindsey was rather busy with her soccer team as she officially joined the Liverpool Club Soccer team in July, as part of this club team she attended a 3 day overnight camp with her team which was something new for all of us.  It was a long 3 day’s for both of us but she made it and it was a real bonding experience for her and her new team.  We were also informed that she would be practicing all year around and when it was their off season she would be playing in tournaments on weekends when they were available, this was all new to us but we were ready for the challenge as a family.

   

Fall was soon approaching as in August we celebrated our 1 year anniversary to moving to Texas and into our house, we couldn't believe how fast this year went, at times it was a blur because of how busy we were.  In early August Rich finally bought his early mid life crises car which was a beautiful black convertible Corvette, he had been looking for a while and came across the one he really wanted.  That has now become his pride and joy and we are all so excited for him.  It sits covered in our garage and is only used during nice sunny day’s.  The funny part is I have yet to drive the car as I’m terrified to get behind the wheel with that much power, one day I will take it out for a spin and really test that baby out.  By the end of August both girls were starting back in school, Lindsey was entering 4th Grade while our little Kaitlyn was going into Kindergarten.  It was a bitter sweet moment as I was ready for her to start Kindergarten but I didn’t realize how much I would miss her during the day, we did have a lot of fun together when she was home as she was my little side kick.  It’s weird to have both my girls in the same school but let me tell you it makes life so much easier for me.  The best part is that I can help out at the school anytime for either teacher.  I have also been lucky enough to attend field trips, class parties and lunch with both of the girls one on one.  Rich's Dad Howie and his step-mom Pat came for a visit during this time, so they got to see both girls attend their first day of school. Lindsey decided she wanted to go out of her comfort zone by joining Choir and Student Council this coming year which was absolutely amazing, we could not have been more proud of her for wanting to try something new.    She has really grown as a young lady and blossomed by getting more involved in her school. 

I was able to go back home to Canada in September to visit family and attend my grandmother’s burial.  It was so wonderful to be back and surrounded by family that I hadn’t seen in over 10 years, although many of us stay in touch through social media it’s not the same as being there in person.  It was a very quick trip as I left on a Friday morning and came home Monday.  On top of having four flights with two layovers I also had a 3 hour drive each way up North for the ceremony.  At least I got to spend some quality time with dad in the car for the 6 hours we had together.  I wasn’t sure if I would get any sleep with all the time changes and traveling but honestly I didn’t really care, it was important that I be there and I have no regrets.  As sad as parts of that weekend were, it was also very healing and gave me closure to my grandmother as I was able to be at her resting place.  This trip made me realize that I have been away from home way too long and next summer I would be coming back and bring the whole family with me.  

October flew by as we had a lot going on with both of the girls soccer schedules, school functions  and then Halloween.  My parents came out to visit us during Halloween which was so much fun, we had a lot of laughs, got to spend some quality adult time together and had the pleasure to go trick-or-treating with us.  The girls loved having grandma and grandpa here to spend time with, they know that every moment counts with their grandparents since visits are always fast.

Then we hit the month of November which was absolutely horrible for me and Kaitlyn, we both were very sick for most of the month and both got Strep at the same time, thank goodness it was only us that got it.  We had

thought about traveling to Arizona to visit family for Thanksgiving but our plans fell through for Kona which we decided to stay in town.  We did want to get away for a few day’s and that is when we rented a cabin in Broken Bow, Oklahoma for a few day’s the week of Thanksgiving which was absolutely wonderful.  I was still sick and miserable but made the best of it.  We were thankful enough to spend Thanksgiving with friends so we didn’t have to be alone and it turned out to be a really great day.  After the holidays I still wasn’t feeling well and was diagnosed with Strep again so you can imagine how mad I was that I had been sick for the whole month.  

Then we heading into the final month of the year, December which I was hoping to be a better month.  Our not so little Lindsey had a very big birthday this year as she reached double digits 10 years old, we couldn’t believe it.  It was a day of mixed emotions for her but we made sure that is was extra special for her.  Then as the weeks counted down for the girls to go on Winter break we discovered that a nasty flu was going around Kaitlyn’s class and she was out 3 of the 4 day’s from school that week.  Once again she caught Strep for the second time in two month's the good news is that she didn’t end up having the flu.
At this point we were thankful we didn’t have to travel with a sick kid and was happy to be home this year.  We did have a quiet Christmas as this was our first Christmas being by ourselves in the 17 years Rich and I have been together, we knew moving here that one year it would happen.  It was a nice quiet day just the 5 of us as we got to relax and enjoy our new items and toys.  

We are ending the year on a high note as we decided it was time to retire our 15 year old Toyota Corolla, once the a/c went out, the belt was squeaking and the tint was coming off we knew it was time to say goodbye and move onto something else.  After looking at many different brands and models of cars we found an outstanding deal on the Chevy Malibu, we knew exactly what we wanted and how much we wanted to pay for it.  We went to the dealership test drove the car and made the deal.  We were less than 2 hours in and out of the dealership and came home with nice new reliable family car that has way more cooler options then our old Sally did.  We are extremely blessed and thankful for all the good in our lives and feel very fortunate for everything we have. Say hello to our newest family member...we already love her and can't wait to have many new great memories with her. 

Although 2017 had many ups and downs we are happy it’s coming to an end, we are looking forward to 2018 and all that’s in store for us.  Happy New Year from our family to yours, we hope everyone has a very happy, healthy and joyful 2018. 

Love the Weiss Family!

Cabin Rental in Broken Bow, Oklahoma

First off I would like to start with what an amazing weekend we had for our very first time in  

Broken Bow, Oklahoma.  It was a last minute mini vacation we wanted to take as our other plans to head out of town fell through.  Our first thought was to maybe go camping but since we are still fairly new to Texas we weren’t sure where to go and with the weather changing so much I figured renting a cabin was a much safer bet.

Rich and I searched for a few day’s and looked at several different cabin rental companies, since we were looking at the week of Thanksgiving it was rather difficult to find something as most of the cabins were all ready unavailable. I️ finally find a company called Beavers Bend Creative Escape and they were showing two cabins available that were pet friendly and perfect for a family of 4, so I decided to call them up as I had a few questions about them.  The lady I spoke with on the phone was very nice, she answered all my questions.  I still couldn’t decide which one we wanted to rent as they both had the same things and both looked nice and relaxing, the lady recommended we rent Stream Life, she said it was one of her favorites and based on what we were looking for it sounded perfect for us so I booked it. Now I only had two day’s to get all the food ready and pack, plus trying to fight a nasty cold that I have been dealing with for weeks.  Thank goodness for my husband who was a huge help to get everything ready and packed up.

We headed out Sunday morning around 11:00am to Broken Bow, Oklahoma ETA was showing about 3 hours 15 mins.  Our actual check in time wasn’t until 3:00pm but we wanted to hit the road early as we knew we might make a few stops along the way.  The drive was pretty once we got out of the city and more into the country and farm area’s.  The roads were not busy at all which was nice so we didn’t have to deal with any major traffic.  After crossing the Oklahoma boarder we were only about 30 minuets out until we reached our destination.  We finally arrived to our cabin around 2:45pm which was perfect timing.

Now it was time to explore the property and the cabin to see if it lived up to it’s expectation and it did.  We walked in and looked around and it was absolutely beautiful.  All the beds were neatly made with fresh linens, the bathrooms were stocked with new rolls of toilet paper, new bars of soap were wrapped and ready to use, the kitchen was stocked with pots and pans, silverware, dishes, towels, and cleaning stuff.  The fridge and freezer were clean and ready for us to use and last but not least they had a bunch of fresh cut wood logs for us to use for the indoor fireplace or outdoor fire pit.  We decided to unpack everything and settle in before doing anything else.  Kona was loving the open space outside in the woods, we were on a few acers so he was able to run free without having to worry to much that he would get lost.




Over the next few day’s we spent a lot of family time together, it had been a long time since we all could just sit back and relax and play family games together.  As many of you know life gets busy and with all the running around we all do it’s hard to stay connected so this was a perfect time for all of us to sit back and take time to breath and remember what family time is all about.  Rich and the girls went hiking a few times at Beaver Bend State Park which was less then a few miles from the cabin, they found some really nice trails that were nice and easy.  I ended up staying back at the cabin with Kona as I was not feeling well and didn’t have the energy to go but it was okay Kona and I rested, did some reading and relaxed by the nice warm fire.  Rich also set up two hammocks one for the girls and one for him as they loved laying outside to enjoy the fresh air, as for me I was not too crazy about the hammocks, too many big spiders.  We saw what looked like a Daddy Long Leg spider which are so creepy, that was enough for me to say peace out and go back into the cabin.  Two of the nights we roasted some marshmallows by the fire as a special treat for all of us, I was able to enjoy them as well as we found some Vegan Marshmallows at Whole Foods before we left.  I planned out a few meals which were a bust, they were very plain and blah so that was disappointing.  My only grip about the cabin was the pots and pans were very old, the Teflon was coming off the bottom of them so anything we made they stuck to them which was not good.  My only recommendation would be to have those pots and pans replaced.  Next time I will either make the meals ahead of time or bring more frozen items to just pop in the oven for quick and easy meals.

Wednesday came fast which was our check out day, we had to check out by 11:00am as the cabin was being rented again that afternoon.  We packed everything up, had a quick breakfast and played one more game before heading out.  We finally left around 10:45am to head home, this time we just drop through without any stops and it took us 3 hours flat.  It was a nice easy ride home, we didn’t hit any traffic either which was nice.  Over all we had a fantastic weekend, it was good for all of us to relax, reconnect and have good quality family time.  We have stayed in several cabins over the years but this was by far our favorite one, we loved the area and all that it had to offer.  We will definitely go back again but next time we would like to try a different cabin as there we’re so many nice ones around that area.

If anyone is looking for a nice weekend getaway that is fairly close I would highly recommend checking Broken Bow out, it’s perfect for families and pets.  It’s not too far away but far enough to enjoy the woods and fresh pine air.

Here is the website we used for the company we rented from in case anyone is interested in checking them out.  They have all their cabins listed with pictures and what’s included and it’s easy to book them right online.  I would definitely use this company again in the future. http://www.beaversbendcreativeescape.com/

Happy Cabin Camping Everyone!!!

Rover - Dog Boarding and Day Care

After moving to Texas we had to start all over with a new doggie place for our four legged fury baby. We decided to take our first family vacation and was in search of a good place to bring our Kona.  We checked out a local dog boarding place as it was rated pretty good, but with our dog having such high energy we thought it was not best for him.  So I went back online and kept looking round for another place.  I found another one which I called them to find out that they were all booked for the week that we were going away.  Once again I was back to the computer looking around again, at this point I was getting very frustrated with trying to find a good place for an active dog.  Then my husband came home that night and I explained that I was stressed out trying to find a place for Kona.  He told me that someone he works with recommended Rover which was an in home dog boarding and day care.  At first I was a little unsure about sending my crazy dog to some one's house but thought why not check it out at least and see how it all works.

My husband did inform me that everyone on this site has 5 starts or better which means they all had to be good.  I downloaded the app on my phone and went searching for someone in our area, I found a few people in our town that I considered until I came across a family in Roanoke who had two dogs. When I was looking through their pictures of the dogs they have watched I came across a few pictures of vizsla's which made me very happy.  I decided to reach out to them and see if we could do a meet and greet.  A few day's later we drop our family and Kona to meet this family and their dogs.  I was extremely nervous as this was all new to us.  Kona was very confused at first walking into someone else's house and having new smells and new things to see.  After meeting the family we decided to introduce their dogs with Kona.  They all smelt each other like any dog would and then started running around in the backyard.  Kona was interested for all of 3 seconds, he just wanted to play ball at this point he didn't care who was outside with him.  All of our questions were answered, the meet and greet went well and I felt much better seeing the house, meeting the family and talking about the process of how it all works.  I was even more excited that they had also worked with another client who was a Vizsla, so they were familiar with this breed and absolutely loved working with them.

After booking our flights I reached out to the owner to book dates for Kona. It was such an easy process, I went back into my app selected the dates and hit "book" and then checked out.  The day arrived for us to drop Kona off and I have to say I was so stressed out as this was my first time leaving him at someone's house.  Although I knew he would be fine it was just weird for me.  I brought his food, treats, toys, favorite blanket and his bed with us.  We stayed with him for a few minutes to make sure he was okay before leaving him.  He seemed to be fine as he was walking all around the house checking things out.  I did leave detailed instructions to help make the stay easier for him.

I received daily updates along with photo's of him, which was great.  It made me feel much better that he was being well taken care of and enjoying his time playing ball and hanging out with a nice family.  Now I"m afraid he won't want to come back to home when we get home.

I highly recommend Rover and will be using them in the future when we need to travel.  Knowing our Kona is safe and having a great time is all that matters to us.  For anyone interested in using Rover for their pets while they are travelling, here is the website: https://www.rover.com/

Spring has arrived and is in full swing....

The color of green grass, the flowers blooming and the leaves growing back on the trees is a good indication that Spring has finally arrived.  For most people it's a wonderful time of year however for those that have horrible allergies this time of year is not so fun.  Since moving from Nevada to Texas, I have never seen so much pollen in the air, it's weird to dust my house and see yellow not brown.  As I drive around town I can see the yellow pollen collect on my black truck along with many other vehicles, it really is crazy.


This is our first Spring here in our new home, we are learning a lot about the various plants, flower and trees that grow here in Texas.  Since there is a lot of green already we wanted to add some color of our own by the pool area.  We made a family trip to our local Lowe's to browse around and see what we liked.  We decided to group colors together that we thought would like nice. Here is what we chose, we loved the yellow and orange flowers as one group, then we did dark and light pink with some white mixed in and the last pot we did light purple and white.  We also found a beautiful orange tulip for a small white pot that we had and it turned out to fit perfectly.  Before we starting planting the flowers, Rich had found a trick to fill the bottom to the pots with pool noodles as filler, he picked up a few at the dollar store and filled the bottom of each pot with two noodles before adding the soil.  Once we added the soil, we started to plant away.  We absolutely love how they came out and it added lot of color to make our pool area pop.

 

Rich also had the idea to had some flowers to the front of our yard inside the tree boxes.  Him and Lindsey went and picked out the colors and we all planted them together.  I have to say they did a great job, even the girls bus drivers noticed the color and told us how much they loved them.  I love that my husband has a green thumb as I have none.  We are excited to see how things grow in the spring and summer time as this is the time of year we get a lot of rain showers.