Happy National Siblings Day!!!

I'm the oldest of 7 children and my husband is the baby of three but we didn't want to let this day go by without recognizing our siblings.  We love them all!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

It's been busy times in the Neal household.  We've been working on our brush area on our property and when we've not been doing that we've been making changes to business social media pages and website.  Updating ads and pics is time consuming.  Changing up things to be more relevant is always a challenge.  The goal is always to get peoples attention to drive business to our sites.  Things are constantly changing and we have to change with it or get left behind.  When you are a mom and pop type business it makes it hard to stay in the game when so many changes happen all the time.  Trying to grow a business and make it more of a success is not easy.  With God's help and guidance we continue to plug along and make adjustments to keep things going in the right direction.  Life is sure never boring.  There's always something to be done.  

My Sidekick...

My sidekick Stella loves having her mornings with me, evenings with Scot and nights with Tim.  She loves her routine.  She's growing like crazy and loves her humans.  

For My Athlete Son....

 

No matter what happens in this life Tim, your dad and I have your back always and forever!  We are so proud of your strength, courage and your commitment to chasing your dreams.  No matter what Keep Going!!!  Make a life for yourself that you want and are proud of.  Ultimately, Honor God in everything always!!!  Our love will be with you in this life and the next forever and ever!!!

This Would Be Scot....

 

This would so be Scot if I let him...LOL!  Our big building out back (which isn't big enough) is the entire reason that Scot bought our property back in '96.  It was perfectly set up for a wife and kid(s) too or so his adjuster told him at the time...LOL! Low and behold in 2006 he and I got married and by 2008 we had Tim.  It's been a great home for us but Scot would much rather have the set up in the picture...LOL! 

Island Where Most of Revelation Was Written....

The Island of Patmos is where John wrote the majority of Revelation.  

We Got Rid of the GP's...

Tim's allergies to the guinea pigs got so bad that he was breaking out in hives so we had to give them to a rescue who took them in.   We tried for the better part of a year to find a home for them but no one wanted them😢.  I was just so thankful to find the rescue that we found.  They will be well taken care of and be given a new home before long I'm sure.  

Dan

Stampy

Now that they are gone Tim has so much more space in his "teen cave".  We rearranged everything so the room works better for him when he's doing schoolwork and gaming with his friends.

Religion vs. Relationship...

When I finally learned to have a relationship with Jesus that's when everything began to make more sense and scripture came alive for me.  When it was about religion for me I did what was expected of me because it's just what you did.  Wow what a difference learning to have a relationship with Jesus has made in my life.  I'm so thankful and grateful for that.  It has made all the difference.  It will make all the difference for you too.  Choose relationship over religion every single time!

Tim's Newsletter....

Tim wrote a newsletter that he wanted me to share here.  You'll have to click on it if you are on your computer in order to enlarge it and read it.

Even though he asked to put this together to send out to our friends and family I also used it as a school credit as well for an English writing project.  Kill two birds with one stone so to speak.  

Staying in Love with Your Spouse...

 

“God’s love is the fountainhead from which a good marriage flows. Loving your husband or wife is the most important thing you can do next to loving God, because you have to become like God to do it. The love of God will keep you from being selfish, angry, rude, or abusive.

When God’s love is in your heart, you’ll want to be patient and kind, and you’ll be happy to say you’re sorry. In the flesh this isn’t possible, but with God it is.”  

~Stormie Omartian

Battling for Your Son....

Your son is not your enemy. But there is an enemy. That's right. Our sons have a real enemy, one that wants to steal, kill and destroy them (John 10:10). Thankfully that enemy, according to the Word of God, has an opponent who's a force to be reckoned with.

You!

And Me!

And all moms who are willing to get on their knees and cry out for the hearts of their sons. James 5:16b says, "The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with" (The Message).

The best way we can enter the battle for our sons is on our knees, so let's start fighting for them right now and keep fighting for them even when they are all grown up.

Being Thankful!

I'm so thankful everyday for all that God has blessed me with in this life.  I may not always say it or show it in a way that it's seen everyday like I should but I always feel it in my heart as I go throughout my days and God knows our hearts.  May we all be thankful for God's blessings in our lives always!!!   It's the only way to live and be truly happy!!!  

Our Son, Tim....

Tim has kept us busy from the time that he took his first steps because he went from taking those first steps to running in the snap of your fingers. A friend of ours told us once that he had enough energy for five kids after having watched him for us (when he was a toddler) so that we could have a date night. We knew that energy had to be put somewhere productive or he'd be one of those kids always in trouble for doing things he shouldn't. TaeKwonDo filled the bill for a long while and now it's Olympic Weightlifting.

Our lives would be boring without having had him in it. We are so thankful for God blessing us with Tim. He always keeps us busy and life is never boring. We've been able to travel a lot and see a lot of things because of his competitions in TaeKwonDo and Olympic Weightlifting. He's not one of those kids that are told to be seen and not heard. Tim is seen and heard! We have taken our job as parents seriously! Tim is sooooo loved! He completes our family and we are oh so very proud of him!

Muscle Up Moment...

 

In this edition of Muscle Up Moment we are highlighting Tim's success at The Virus Weightlifting Series 1/The Arnold Meet.  It is the largest National Meet in the country with over 1,000 athletes competing.  The event takes place within the Arnold Sports Festival.  Tim is a Youth Lifter who lifted in the 61kg division.  He brought home a 2nd place win in Youth and 5th Place in the Senior division.  Such an amazing Meet and experience at our first Meet of this magnitude.  We are so proud of Tim.  He has worked so hard and deserved this win with only one and a half years into the sport.  He was second to the winning athlete who has been doing this sport for 9 years.  His experience in the sport outweighs Tim's but Tim is pushing limits like no bodies business as he continues to press forward in this sport.  He's making gains all the time and wowing us every step of the way.  He lives the sport.  When he's not training he's walking around the house working on his Snatch + Clean & Jerk stances all the time.  When he's not doing that he's watching one video after another to learn more and grow more in the sport.  He's constantly sharing all he's learning and his love of the sport with his father and I.  We are loving supporting him as he goes after his goals and dreams.  This has been the most fun we've had with him as an Elite Athlete.  Looking forward to all the fun times ahead!

Here's an article of how the team at Athletic Lab Weightlifting Club did:

https://www.athleticlab.com/neal-medals-highlight-athletic-lab-weightlifting-at-virus-weightlifting-series-i/

Enjoy reading.

Pic Collage from The Arnold...

It's deload week for Tim at the gym.  That means I play with making collages and things to share of Tim's weightlifting for everyone to see.  Here's the latest collage that I've done.

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

Many people associate "luck" with St. Patrick's Day.  As Christians, we know that "luck" is actually God blessing us. So today, let's reflect on the blessings God has given us.

Tim in his Rogue St. Patrick's Day shirt.

Tim's NEW Shoes & Belt...

While at The Arnold we went to the Expo and we bought Tim three shirts (I got pics of him in two of the shirts - the other shirt, not pictured, was the event shirt) while Tim bought new shoes that he's been wanting and a new belt.

Tim's Training This Past Saturday...

The first video is his 80kg Snatch x4:

The second video is of his 100kg Clean x4 & Jerk x1:

His Medal Rack...

Tim is starting to fill the weightlifting side of his medal racks.  The left side are all the medals he earned doing Taekwondo Sparring.  The right side is the start of his weightlifting medals.

Pics of Tim's 114kg Attempt...

Here are some great pics that were sent to me of Tim's 114kg Clean & Jerk attempt:

Here are Tim's Current Rankings...

We are so proud of all that Tim is accomplishing in this sport.  He is loving every moment of it too.  He dropped from #1 to #2 in 61kg male youth because of the young man that won gold at The Arnold.  Tim's just 1 1/2 years into the sport.  The young man he lost to has been doing the sport for 9 years.  He's represented Team USA internationally so to lose to him doesn't have the sting as losing to someone that you know you shouldn't lose to...LOL!!  The young man was so encouraging to Tim too.  They became fast friends if there's a such thing in sports.  They are both very driven young men.  It was good to talk to his mom too.  She was very nice.  Tim will be watching that young man going forward even though they will probably be in different weight divisions because Tim will be moving from 61kg Youth to 65kg Youth come June.  

The Arnold/Virus Weightlifting Series 1 Results....

Tim got his credentials on Wednesday before going to the training hall to train with the team:

Tim's Lifts:

82kg Snatch:

85kg Snatch PR:

He missed one of his Snatches that I didn't include here because he overpowered it.

101kg Clean & Jerk:

106kg Clean & Jerk (the most he's ever done in a Meet):

114kg/261# Attempt (it's the most he's ever tried to lift thus far):

He cleaned it perfect but lost it in the jerk.  It was so close and such a great attempt.  The most he's ever tried to do thus far.

Tim brought home 3 Silvers.  85kg Snatch PR + 106kg Clean & Jerk = 191 Total PR.  One medal for Snatch, One medal for Clean & Jerk and One medal for Total.  What a great 1st experience at this Meet.  He gets to go to the Series Final in Daytona, FL in December😊.

65kg Youth Division starting NOW!

This is what being able to eat looks like on Tim....LOL🤣!

Tim with Coach Jarrod.  They have such a great relationship.

Tim was so glad to finally get this shirt.  He thinks the world of Hamp!

Tim (with his Nan) was glad that we could jot over and celebrate with the family.

Everyone loves seeing Tim so happy and healthy.  Changing to this sport has been so huge for him.  It's been the best move ever.  He's grown so much physically and mentally.  So so proud of our boy.  Can't wait to see what all he accomplishes as he continues to grow in this sport.  He's only 1 1/2 years into the sport.  We've been told it takes four years to really get grounded and make a name for yourself in this sport.  If what he's doing already isn't grounded/making a name for himself it will be interesting to see what he will look like when he's four years in😳😳😳...LOL! 

The List from Tim's Coach...

Here's the list of all who's attending and the platforms they will be on at The Arnold.

Lift Schedule...

Tim's lift schedule for the Virus Weightlifting Series 1 (The Arnold) event.  He lifts on the 27th at 3pm in the 61kg Men's Session.

Last Night at Training...

Here's Tim's Clean & Jerk Lifts from last night:

97kg with no belt:

100kg with belt:

103kg with belt:

Getting Ready for His Upcoming Meet...

Tim is looking really good for his upcoming Meet on the 27th.  So excited for him.  Here are a few videos of his latest lifts since getting back at it after having the flu.

81kg Snatch

100kg Clean & Jerk

100kg Front Squat x2

6 Years Since You Passed...

February 10th marked 6 years since you left us.  It was such a hard time for us all when you passed.  We have missed you every single day since.  You were such a dear friend and such a great GMaster to our son.  He loved you so much and remembers you so fondly and always will.  I will always be so grateful for having known you for the short period of time that I did.  It may have been short but it felt like I had known you forever.  What an incredible woman you were.  What a great loss losing you has been to the sport of TKD.  Even though Tim is doing a different sport now I know you would still be so proud of him and all that he's been accomplishing.  Miss you everyday!  Always remembering!  

HVD To My Guys!!!

 

My guys are my world.  I love doing life with them.  We spend every moment that we can together.  We know just how important we are to one another.  We know that Family is Everything and we live our lives making one another a priority.  I'm so thankful that we love doing life together.  It wasn't raised that way but having that with my guys is everything to me.   Life is good!  We are blessed!

HVD!!!

Just wanna take a moment and wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!  Be sure to take time to make memories with the ones you love each and every day!

The Flu...

Right after Tim's last Meet he and I ended up with Flu A.  We were down all week last week recovering and still have some residual stuff going on.  The cough by far is the worst though.  If we could get that to go away we would feel 100% again.  We are so excited for this Virus Weightlifting Series 1 Meet though.  Tim will lift on the 27th then on the 28th we will get to check out all the other events at the Arnold as well as watch any teammates of Tim's that might be lifting that day.  Then we will head over to visit his Aunt and Grandmother before heading back home on Sunday.  

#1 Nationally...

Tim is #1 in USAW.  It's the first time ever that he's been Nationally ranked #1.  This is huge for Tim and is so exciting for him as a last year Youth competitor.  His last year as a Youth is starting off on the right foot with his first Gold.  Then PR'ing in Snatch + Clean & Jerk + Total.  

He finished 8th overall at the Meet this weekend amongst all the Male competitors.  

Now he's getting ready for The Arnold (Virus Weightlifting Series 1)!  He is so excited for this Meet.  It will be his first time getting to compete at it and he's looking forward to checking out all the other events at The Arnold as well.