#Boomtown2025

The mood to write rarely hits me anymore.  Weird huh?  This blog has been a way for me to unload my thoughts and feelings and lately I just have been using other media to do so.  I love a good marco polo sesh with the gals or a good voice memo back and forth.  I do still love to look back at the blogs and love seeing all the pictures and words of what I was doing long ago.  Can't believe I started blogging back when I was showing Miller in like 2003ish and am still going!  We've been through puppies, dog showing, kid, running adventures, and now car racing and working out.  Thanks for being there with me all these days and through all of those eras.  I'm trying to convince myself to keep going even though the writing bug seems very elusive lately.  I never want it to be a chore and it seems mroe like that lately.

No running lately, just lots of lifts.  I got in four works out this week and tried a push work out, a pull work out, one lower body and one upper body.  I am loving lifting so much, even if it is a million degrees in the shop.  Ollie hasn't murdered me yet, but she looks at me sometimes like she would like to.  I just can't run with her right now with the way she acts and not have her stroke out.  Boom has too much hair and neither of them can handle the 100 percent humidity at 4 am.  We've had maybe one good day the last few weeks that I would even consider taking them out.  Sigh.  #teamfall and #teamwinter are suffering over here.

Now let's get to the heart of this post.  #Boomtown2025.  Seriously my favorite holiday of the year other than Christmas.  All of my favorite people together, eating good food and blowing shit up.  What could be better?

I would say that Ollie didn't love the fireworks as much as she did last year.  While I didn't have to medicate her, she spent some time under the bed upstairs hiding.  For some reason Kansas let fireworks stands open super early this year but didn't "allow" people to set off fireworks till the 1st.  Did people obey?  Nope.    She was outside when a BIG one went off well before they were supposed to light them off and it really scared her big time.  

He just turned 13 and he's almost as tall as Uncle Cayce who is 6 foot three and 400 lbs.  Dear Lord.  Will this kid stop growing any time soon?

Coleman Electric is one of the sponsors for the fireworks show, and we host a huge get together at our house and take as many of our friends with us to the VIP viewing area as a way to say thanks for all the crap they put up with the rest of the year from us.  We have food catered in, drinks, and lots of laughs as the kids try and blow each other up.  This year we even had a broken window to go with all of the other fun thanks to a speedball going the wrong way.  

Ollie and Boom even got into the festive spirit this year!  Ollie was too worried to look pretty so this is all I got from her.

Fun was had, food was eaten, and lots of memories were made.  

The big kids ended up going to the carnival and having fun while we adults sat around and visited.  We see each other almost every weekend but still.  

I suck at selfies with the group behind me.

Yes, yes that is my hubby hitting adult snappers with a bat that Charlie pitched to him.  Sigh.  He's the biggest kid of them all when it comes to the 4th.  

Of course you can't forget the parade.  It seemed shorter this year, but still good.  Not as many politicians thankfully, but still some good floats and lots of candy if that is your thing.  My company gave out squishy cows and apparently were mobbed from people wanting them.  

I didn't get a ton of pictures down at the field, but we had a great time listening to the band and waiting for dark to fall.  The show was SO amazing as usual.  The opening was so bright and dazzling I felt blinded by the light and sound.  They added Wicked this year Defying Gravity and I LOVED it.  They kept in the usual favorites, purple rain, somewhere over the rainbow, thunderstruck, and you shook me all night long.  I missed fireball and party in the USA but also loved the show all around no matter what.  

I just love this time of year, love being with my friends and family, and love how our community comes together and makes this the best event of the year.  I'm already counting down the days till boomtown 2026 when they are celebrating our 250 year as America!  

Have a great week y'all!

You LIFT me up (get it)

Guess I will have to change the name of this blog to lifting with reds because that is all that is happening right now.  As I write this on Sunday, I've completed 5 work outs, 2 upper body, 1 core, and 2 leg work outs, all killer.  I even got one work out in where Andrew worked out with me and spotted me.  It's weird to have your own kid spot your bench press, but here we are.  

Also, he asked that I not post about him on social media anymore and that broke my heart.  He doesn't want social media himself so I guess this will be my only place to post about him.  He's growing up, most of his friends have socials, yet he has no interest in even Instagram or snapchat. I guess I should count my blessings, but apparently this is how kids these days communicate, so I am worried that he won't be able to talk with his friends outside of school.  My friend sent me this really sad article about how kids form relationships and romances on social media and then ignore people in person all together. I guess this forces him to make friends in real time, right????

It's just been a weird week for me mentally and personally.  Lots of things at work that make me a little nervous about job security.  Lots of plans shifting.  Some bad news that hopefully will turn out good with the help of a few people.  Friends pulling away. New friends coming into my life.  Changes which are always hard for me to process.  Lots of anxiety even though I had therapy this week and am compartmentalizing like a boss.  Circle of control and box breathing.  Lots of calls to my mom, late night sessions with my fellow friends who are insomniacs, and lots of voice messages.  While I do think the testosterone is helping even out my moods and increase my energy, my anxiety comes and goes.  Maybe the moon is in the wrong phase or some planet is doing something weird?

Have a great week and a great 4th of July!  Boomtown will be booming as usual!

  

Bring on the HEAT and Tay Tay

Hi from the depths of Hell, I mean Kansas, where you can already fry an egg on the sidewalk and summer has just begun.  Very little running is happening right now and that is just the way it is.  I am hoping all of this lifting is going to get me some great gains in fall and winter running this year.  I got four really good work outs this week including a killer leg, 2 arms, and core work out.  I'm loving our rack system and our home gym and still loving the Peloton Strength plus app.  I really enjoy being able to do what I want, when I want and not relying on a class schedule.  

 

Ollie got in a few miles but not much due to the heat and her inability to calm the F down.  We will do what we can this summer, but it may be more lifting and a lot less running.  

While I haven't noticed belly fat disappearance, I have noticed fat leaving in my legs, arms, and back.  I know it will take time, but I am loving what I am seeing, even if the scale isn't moving an inch.  

We did have some mid-week Taylor Swift bingo.  Jess and Tony and Andrew and I played hookie from some responsibilities and went to Topeka for good food and BINGO!

None of us won and most of the songs they played were not her more popular songs, so it was a weird night for that, but we enjoyed the company and food and the drinkies.  Plus, I got some new bracelets to keep or trade in the future!

We also ended the week with some night racing.  While it started out a little shaky, we ended up with two podiums and a big fat last place due to being so overweight our car/driver didn't even register on the scale.  Sigh.  I see our quarter midget journey coming to an end and I just don't want it to :(

Remember the whole suit debacle where we waited from December to get a suit made and delivered and we never got it?  Well we finally got it and guess what?  First race and he is already saying it doesnt' fit.  At this point, he's going to have to make it work till the end of the racing year and we will figure out something new and better next year.  Sigh.  

The Honda car finally looked decent and he was battling with the leaders and dropped back for a third.  He also had a smoking fast animal car and due to issues with his racing buddy's car, he ended up getting a second in that class.  We won't talk about 160 because being that overweight just won't work for being competitive yet we need the weight to keep the car on the ground.  

I have a tiny glimmer of hope that we will finish this year and maybe get another year but with the majority of the kids in the class being close to 100 and him being closer to 180, it just isn't working.  No one wants to be last every race.  We honestly got lucky this weekend to get podiums because even when the cars are dialed in, he just can't compete with the smaller kids.  We will keep digging as I don't want it to end and as I said, at this point I hope we can at least finish this year as he grows daily.  

Have a great week y'all and stay cool!

Happy Birthday Ginger Racer!

 

To start the post off, we have to sing a big happy birthday to my little not so little man!

We went from that to this in a blink of an eye!

It's been so fun lately seeing who he truly is emerge.  He is super empathetic but also has set some really good boundaries around things that I wish I had done when I was younger.  He is very accepting and tenderhearted, and he has a strong since of what he believes in.  He has found a love for not only drawing art but digital art and music.   I hope he continues to work hard in music because he has some raw talent.  Sometimes I forget he is just a 7th grader and has had 2 years of band.  He blows me away with his tone and his ability to hear and play or sing exactly what he hears matching pitch.    I love that he still loves SpongeBob and isn't afraid to be into the things he is into even if many don't get it.  I love his passion for racing and the fact that he goes out there and tries his butt off with whatever car we give him.  Happy birthday Ginger racer!

I didn't get much running done this week as my pellet insertion site really hurts when I run.  Weird, it really doesn't bother me when I lift at all unless I am laying on the ground doing something on my back.  Plus, we have been hit with the summer heat and the pavement where we run loops to keep Ollie safe and cool has been super-hot. I need to figure out either booties for her or just not run at all this summer.  She just can't handle it like Stella did :( We did get some hiking done post me lifting Friday night and I will have to say she did pretty well.  Easy is not a normal word in her vocabulary but she is learning.

We continued the birthday celebration to include Saturday.  Andrew picked an experience of goonie golfing, go carts, and the Toy Store to pick out a Lego set he had saved up for.  He also picked his birthday buddy, Brother Cole as we call him to join us.  While it was hot, fun was had by all.

Despite the slow go carts and the heat, I think the boys had fun.  They won games in the arcade getting them some fun prizes and they both got goodies at the Toy Store in Topeka.  We ended the day up in Nebraska watching the dirt races and Cole even got to sit in a micro.  I'd say he's hooked for sure!

As always it was fun to watch our favorite drivers kick ass.  Hank won non wing and was winning wing when his motor had issues.  Micah looked awesome and passed some cars for a top 10 finish in his winged car.  Brex picked up a win and Cooper got a third in his heat.  Both JP and Charlie looked sharp in their junior sprints with Charlie making some great passes before his car broke and JP getting a second-place finish.  I am so proud of all of these kiddos for the progress they are making on dirt!

Have a great week y'all!

Flip flip Hooray!

I have begun the journey towards feeling better and better health for me and for Andrew. I have officially started my hormone replacement therapy.  I am scared for side effects, but also ready to jump in with both feet and see how I feel.  I have battled so many symptoms for so long and they have gotten so bad that I just want to feel better, feel more like my old self.    I had my labs done to confirm I am one foot in the door of menopause and had my testosterone pellets put in this week and started on progesterone.  While I had a mini panic attack during the procedure, I made it through and am in minimal pain.  Now I know what to expect the next time.  Let's dive into the week?

Since I knew this week would be a wash for working out from Thursday on thanks to having to take time off for healing, I had to front load my week with running and lifting.  I got two runs in and one lifting session in and had to call it good.  I was told to be prepared to be off at least 3 days if not 5 or more.  I was okay with that because we had a busy weekend of racing.  

We were back at our home track and I am so proud of the whole team for how hard they worked to get andrew's cars dialed in. He is making progress and actually led some laps and got two podiums in some hard classes.  All I ask for is progress and he made huge progress this week.  

I love to see the smiles on the podium.  We did have one crash that ended our day in the car above but everyone is okay, and he gets yet another flip award.  I could do without those thank you Andrew!!!

Have a great week y'all!

DIRT!

Still rehabbing my foot this week but did get 3 runs in of 3 miles each.  I do feel like it's on the mend and I should be able to start getting more runs and or a long run in next week.  Of course, the summer heat has finally joined the party, so we are starting our summer route of laps at the industrial park to be near water.  We got lucky this week in that there were a few puddles on our route she could take a dip in.  There is a nice mile route that takes us by the shop and while it's boring as hell, her comfort is the upmost importance to me right now.  

I did get three work outs in this week including a great arm, lower body, and core work out.  We have decided to invest in a full garage gym so that we all can work out now.  Andrew will be starting weights next week and we will need to do some supplementing for him as well as Tony wants to start back now that his health seems to be on the upward trend.  It's a lot to get a garage gym going but I am loving weightlifting again and Tony really needs more of a set up to do the heavy weights he wants to do than just my portable squat rack.  I'm excited to see what we can do as a family!

In other news, Ollie is super loving all the puddles from this crazy rain. #puddlequeen

Also, Andrew finally got in for some work on his neck and got a good adjustment to keep him going for this race season.  He loves his Dr. Kelli!

Got to go to my favorite brewery and have some good beers and food by Taste of Memphis.  While I don't love his pulled pork, his meatballs are wonderful as well as his smoked mac and cheese and smoked rotel and chips.  

And we finished the week out in Fairbury Nebraska watching Hank, Micah, JP, Charlie, and Cooper race on dirt.  We love our dirt fam and can't wait to transition to dirt very, very soon.

I mean who doesn't love seeing your name on some fast race cars???

A little note here.  I did finally meet with a doctor that specializes in HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy).  While I am not in full menopause, we are going to try Testosterone and Progresterone to start with and some hair drugs to get me off of the five thousand supplements I have been taking that aren't working.  The benefits that she mentioned that should be pretty quick for me is some sort of sex drive, growth of hair on my head, motivation, and increase in metabolism to help me with my work outs and weight loss.  I am scared of the needles and the pellets but ready to see some results.   

Have a great week y'all and I'll have an update soon!