Let me tell you, technical difficulties takes on a whole new meaning when you’re actually dealing with real-life technical issues. I dove into this website with enthusiasm, headfirst, only to realize I’ve hit rock bottom. It’s like the learning curve is shaped like a mountain, and I seem to be stuck at base camp. Honestly, I think I’ve developed a headache from all the back-and-forth troubleshooting. Just when I feel like I’ve nailed one thing, another problem pops up, and I’m back to square one. It’s a little ridiculous, but hey, I’m not one to shy away from a challenge! I’m loving the process and all the new things I’m learning along the way. I just wish it wasn’t so complicated sometimes.
So, I apologize if my webpage looks like it was thrown together by a toddler on a sugar high—I promise you, I’m going to keep at it, and I will make it better, one problem at a time. This past week, my house duties have kind of… slipped through the cracks because I’ve been so absorbed in my blog endeavor. But don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll find balance soon enough.
Cheer Mom Life: Unexpected and Full of Surprises
Now, onto non-blog related life (do such things even exist anymore?!). It’s cheer competition season, and let me tell you, I never pictured myself being a cheer mom, but I actually discovered last year that I love it. I enjoy being there for the competitions, cheering on not just my girls, but also my 8-year-old niece, who is on a junior all-star team. Getting to watch her compete and being her cheer auntie is going to be so fun! The best part? Her competition dates mostly line up with Evelynn’s, so I get to enjoy a full day of cheer madness—starting with Evelynn’s all-star team in the morning and moving right into high school cheer to watch Evelynn and Alexis in the afternoon. Yes, it’s a long day, but it’s an exciting one.
Competition Recap: Highs, Lows, and Trophies We Didn’t Get to Keep
Last weekend, the teams had their first competition. Evelynn’s all-star team didn’t compete, as their coach was filling in for one of their girls, but my niece’s team had an amazing performance, and they actually won one of their events. Unfortunately, a mistake was made with the grand champion trophy—it was given to another team, and despite their coach pointing it out, no one corrected it. My niece was understandably upset, but I’m proud of how well they performed overall.
The afternoon competition with the high school teams was amazing! My girls’ team was ON POINT. Seriously, they crushed all three of their performances. It was so much fun to watch, and they took first place in two of them. The third performance wasn’t first place, but I think that was only because their competition had more stunting (even though some of their stunts were dropped… thankfully no injuries!).
Another Cheer “Palooza” But I Didn’t Go
Unfortunately, I didn’t attend their most recent competition this past weekend. It wasn’t an official competition but more of a “palooza” of sorts, where they faced off against their main competition on their home turf. The whole event included the cheer teams, varsity basketball, wrestling, and some events put on by both school’s leadership. Despite our team outshining the other, the judges didn’t seem to recognize them fairly, and my girls didn’t end up winning anything. Evelynn chalked it up to the judges being high schoolers who might not have been entirely impartial. On a positive note, the boys’ varsity basketball team won their game. I wish I had been there, but I did make some good progress on blog stuff while the house was quiet.
The next few competitions are on my calendar, and I’m also hoping to follow the team down to Boise for the state competition. I have no doubt they will make it to state—and hopefully, they’ll place there too!
Pirate Joins the Walks: Hazel’s Left Behind, But It’s All Good
In other exciting news, Pirate has decided to join me on walks! I’ve always felt a little bad leaving Hazel behind when Odin and I go out, so I’m thrilled that Pirate will now walk with me. He feels the same way about me leaving Hazel behind—she’s usually well-behaved, but she’s not great on a leash (she pulls like a freight train). She also gets to roam without being tethered, unlike Odin, who has a serious penchant for finding dead things to roll in. I am looking forward to the quality time together during our walks. I’m just curious to see if he can keep up with me and Odin—they’re both the geriatric half of the group! Pirate is 11 years older than me, and Hazel is a bit older than Odin. So, we’ll see how long they last on our walks. Pirate has also been a good sport about sticking with this new diet with me, and now he’s my partner for walks too. Who knows—maybe he’ll even start a blog of his own! The Pirate’s Journey: Tales of Love, Life, and Walks with Hazel.
Health Update: No Insulin and Feeling Better Than Ever
Now, the big update on my health journey: I’m still not taking insulin! My blood sugar levels have stayed consistently within range, usually on the lower side of my goal. For anyone with Type 2 diabetes, especially those who have struggled to manage their blood sugar, you know how huge this is. I’m feeling like I’m making real progress, and for the first time in a long while, I’m actually excited for my next doctor’s appointment. The idea of checking my A1c used to fill me with dread, but now, I’m genuinely looking forward to it. It’s nice to feel like I’m on the right track for once.
Goodnight and Cheers to New Beginnings
Well, I think that’s enough rambling for one post! It’s been a busy day of both progress and setbacks, but I’m looking forward to the journey ahead. For now, I’m signing off and calling it a night. Rest up, everyone, and here’s to another day of tackling life head-on.
Cheers,
Tara Ann