It is the last day of bow hunting season today!!!!! I get my husband back! For all of you that don't know this, bow season in Oregon is a month long. I do not see my husband on the weekends for that entire time!!! So after today, I officially get him back. So then I can start training hard for nationals and start ignoring him again.....ha ha ha. You know, that whole tunnel vision thing again..... I had a cheat meal yesterday. It was wonderful- Pizza Hut pizza with cinnamon sticks dipped in icing......oh my! I didn't even get sick afterwards (which means I didn't go overboard...rare but true) My friend Rebecca competed at the Wenatchee show yesterday, and I am dying to hear from her today to see how she did. I am so excited to go to the WA Ironman next weekend, it will be great motivation for nationals!

Tomorrow marks 2 weeks until my 30th birthday.....I keep having these feelings like I should do something exciting or drastic in these next 2 weeks. What is that all about? I keep telling my husband that he better take advantage of me while he can.....he won't be able to say he is sleeping with a girl in her 20's anymore.....ha ha ha. It is inevitable, I will turn 30 whether I like it or not! Honestly though, I do feel fine about turning 30. I look better now than I did at 20, and I feel a whole lot smarter too. I now know why my mom said her 30's were the best part of her life.....you still look and feel young, but you also have some wisdom and experience under your belt too.

I am going to enjoy the day today. My plan is to read the paper, cross stitch a little, and then take a nap! Lofty aspirations huh? Till next time my friends.

Tami

Hi everyone! Training is going great!! It seems so much easier this time, I don't know if its because I have done it so many times now- or if I am just getting better at multi-tasking:) I am having so few cravings this time around. Thank God!!! I lifted back and bi's tonight....they are already sore, so that means a long day at work tomorrow:) I love it though.....isn't that sick??? I think you have to be a bit of a freak to do this!!!!:)

I bruised my heel running the stadium last Sunday, so I have only been able to do low impact cardio like elliptical and stairmaster. Thank goodness for my IPOD is all I have to say.....

So.....what you all don't know about me is that I am a TV addict!!! This week has been so awesome! (It's premiere week if you don't already know:) I love Survivor, Apprentice, and America's Next Top Model (which I usually do not admit to people...ha ha ha) I just finished watching Rock Star INXS- loved Marty but he didn't win........Big brother was my favorite show of the summer- I was rooting for Maggie the whole time! (She's a nurse remember? We have to stick together).....anyway, I have come to realize that Tivo is the greatest invention of our time!!!! It has literally changed my life...ha ha. I can go and do anything at anytime- and still watch all my favorite shows.

I have to give a shout out to my friend Rebecca who is competing at the Wenatchee (WA) show this weekend. This is her first of 3 shows in 3 weeks, she's an ANIMAL! I totally agree with her thinking: if you're going to diet down for 16 weeks- get your damn money's worth out of it! Good luck honey! Well, till next time my friends....keep training hard.

Tami

I am so behind on my blog:) I have been working so many hours lately.....trying to pay for nationals before my training gets too intense and I can't pick up extra days. Its amazing how much tunnel vision I get right before a contest...(who am I kidding, I get it about 6 weeks before the contest!) My husband will just say to me, "I really miss you" (even though I have been home with him all day) Then I have to step back and look at the big picture. These contests don't mean squat if I don't have a happy family to come home to when they are done. I am actually having fun coaching my daughter's soccer team, even though I am clueless! My girls work really hard for me, and I must say my daughter is a little stud! But I am not partial at all:) My son is quite the soccer stud on his team, but I have never seen him play because I am always coaching his sister when he is playing........He made 4 goals on Saturday- I secretly wanted to cry when he told me.

I am so excited, I am going to the Washington Ironman on October 2nd to support my good friend Rebecca (we have a pic together in the gallery section). She is competing in figure, and I think she will do quite well! She is an amazing woman inside and out. I'm going to stay with my friend Michelle Mayberry, we did Team Universe together and I haven't seen her since then. I miss her and Karen Patten so much! We giggled like little girls and had a ball. I am turning 30 soon, so I plan to have a good "cheat meal" the night of the Ironman. Watch out, cuz Tami has not had alcohol in about 9 months!!! It should take about 3 drinks maximum! I told myself when I decided to do nationals in November, that I would take a day or 2 off for my birthday.....you only turn 30 once right? Well, I must go cook my food for tomorrow.....till next time.

Tami

Today was a day on the go!!! My son had his 5 yr immunizations- and he is a total stud!! Not one tear or even a flinch! Then both kids had soccer games tonight. My daughter made the only goal for her team, which is her first goal ever! I am so proud of her can you tell? I got my pictures from my photo shoot with JC Lopez of Hardfitness.com.......they are fantastic and will be posted on my site shortly. I find them so inspiring now that I am dieting hard again. It is amazing that it takes you 12 weeks to take off all of your fat, and only 2 to 3 weeks to put it all back on! The body is so interesting (to say the least). I am doing one hour of cardio twice a day on some days and 45 min twice a day on the others. I am starting to drop my calories slightly this week, already starting to see some changes in my arms and chest. I am getting more excited for nationals. Time seems to be flying by, which is a good thing! I am so tired, going to bed, have to get up at 5am for cardio before work. Goodnight, I'll write soon.

Tami

Hello everyone!! Busy as usual, training is going great. Workouts are pretty easily done at this point. (They should be, since I am on the higher calorie part of my comp prep!) I went to the high school track yesterday, I took the kid's bikes and they rode around the track as I ran. They actually loved it! I would run a couple of laps, then run a set of stairs, etc. My seven year old actually ran the track 4 times with me! (future fitness competitor in training:) I hope to think that I am setting a good example for her. I also had my cheat meal yesterday!!!! I went to quiznos, and had the roasted turkey with sun chips on the side. It was heavenly! Then we went to Dairy Queen and had small oreo blizzards. Even more heavenly! I actually lost weight from yesterday to today.....go figure. I have to work tomorrow, so I am preparing all of my meals tonight. My work days are hard on me, I do an hour of cardio before work and after work. My position at work is 2 days a week (normally), so it make these two days my hardest. (but I usually lose the most fat on these days.....probably because I am running all day too:) I have been working so many overtime days lately, trying to pay off Team Universe expenses and raise money for fitness nationals expenses. I would love to have a sponsor, but at this point nothing is on the horizon. Well, off to bed with me. Take care,

Tami

I have been camping in the middle of the woods for the past 4 days.....needless to say, it was difficult to train or eat healthy. So, I was "normal" for the weekend and ate junkfood with my kids, they thought it was wonderful!!! I actually ate fried bacon and pancakes with REAL syrup this morning.....then I thought I was going to throw up! My body just doesn't handle that stuff like it used to. It tastes great going down, but I pay for it later. I am now home, and officially back on the diet. I am 10 weeks and 5 days away from nationals in Atlanta. I am back up to approximately 9 to 10 % body fat, I am lifting as heavy as I possibly can. My goal is to eat really clean now, and higher calories for the next 3 weeks, then I will start dropping my calories every 2 to 3 weeks while getting cleaner on my calorie sources. My goal for this show is 5 to 6 % body fat at about 120lbs. I was 5% at Team U, but I weighed 117lbs. I want to come in with more muscle this time. Well, I must go to bed now, I have to get up with kids in the morning, then off to the gym to train. I will keep everyone posted on my progress. Tami