Loyalty....

 

100% True!!!  Through the years I have seen this first hand more times than I care to even admit I have but I have.  Having people in your life who are only loyal to their need of you and when they don't need you they drop you sucks.  Our own son had to experience this last year.  We all did as a family with people that were supposed to be our friends but as soon as things shifted in our lives they dropped us because their need of us was no longer there.  

There are tons of folks today that are fickle.  Nothing even close to the sort of folks we grew up with back in the day that always had your back and didn't just use you and drop you just because you shifted in what you were going to be doing with your life.  As long as folks today have need of you they are your best friend but as soon as that need is gone so is the friendship.  We didn't have to be going the same direction in life for our friends to stay our friends when we were growing up.  I still have friendships with folks I grew up with.  We all were taught what being a real friend is all about and we took that seriously not flippantly.  

More folks today could use a good dose of old school teaching on how to be real friends with folks.  Having real relationships in your life are more important than fickle fly by night ones.  No matter the ups and downs of life be on the look out for those that are true and real and not fake to your face and use or abuse you.  Sometimes they are like a wolf in sheeps clothing and are hard to spot but if you watch carefully you'll be able to see the wolf behind the sheep mask they wear.  Plus pay close attention to what others may say or what their body language may say and you'll be able to tell.  Walk carefully as you navigate those would be friends and look to God to show you who they really are.  

Yes we got hurt but had we been looking at things with our God eyes we would have been able to see the ugly people they really were and that they were only out for themselves and didn't care who else got hurt along the way.  I'm sure they are still using people and those folks are none the wiser because they believe the lies that are being told to them.  They are buying into it and being used like we were and they too will get hurt in the end and there's nothing we can do to stop it.  Folks won't have ears to hear if they already believe lies as truth.  It's just how it is.  We just have to not be that person and walk on and move forward despite it all.  

We also have to be on our guard because the devil moves around like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour and he uses would be friends to do his dirty work so be VERY CAREFUL who you consider your friend(s)!!!  You'd be surprised how many folks really aren't your friends and are just using you and when they are done using you they will toss you aside like a bag of trash.  If it can happen to us it can happen to anyone.  BE ON YOUR GUARD!!!    

Surround Yourself...

We tell Tim this saying a lot.  We share it with him every time that we see it on social media too.  The people that we surround our lives with are important to our growth as a person.  You surround yourself with winners and you will be a winner.  You surround yourself with those that love God and you will grow in your walk with God.  You surround yourself with people that push you in a forward direction then you will continue to move forward and up the ladder to success.  They will help you raise your game whether it be in sports or work or life.  Don't just run with people to be running with a pack but make sure that you are attaching yourself to those who are going somewhere in life and are making a difference.  Make sure that you aren't a problem on society but that you are helping be part of the solution to making society a better place for everyone.  One wrong choice in life can crush your life.  Keeping your eyes on the prize always!  Making choices that lead to advancement!  That's what really matters!  Leave a legacy for your loved ones!  Make them proud!!!

Switching to Creapure....

Creatine is a great supplement for weightlifters.  Tim has been on it for a while now but not this brand.  Now that there is a brand that is associated with USA Weightlifting that they are endorsing Tim can't wait to order some.  

Creapure® is the brand name for pure creatine monohydrate produced by Alzchem Trostberg GmbH in Germany. We guarantee high-quality products, such as Creapure®, which is exclusively produced at our specially-designed production facility in Trostberg.

Creapure® is the most widely studied form of creatine and is proven to be safe and effective. When purchasing Creapure® supplements, you can be assured that you are using one of the best and most reliable products on the market.

Creapure® is vegan and exclusively manufactured by chemical synthesis. Raw materials and intermediates are not derived from animal or herbal products resulting in no traces that may have originated from animal or herbal byproducts.

Creatine – the body’s own dietary supplement

Creatine, which occurs naturally in the body, plays a crucial role in the body’s energy metabolism. If energy is needed, ATP (adenosine triphosphate = energy currency of the cell) is converted to ADP (adenosine diphosphate). Eventually, the body turns ADP back into ATP using energy derived from food, but this takes time, and muscle cells can store only enough ATP to allow a few seconds of high-intensity work. Therefore, creatine supplementation is substantial to ensure high levels of phosphocreatine.

Everybody needs creatine every day

Adults have around 80–130 g of creatine in their bodies. Every day about 1–2 % of this creatine is broken down and excreted, so it has to be replenished. The human body naturally produces some creatine. Intake of significant amounts of creatine from food is only possible by eating meat and meat products. However, cooking and food preparation can result in creatine loss in food. Given your daily requirement of creatine, consumption of meat and synthesis of creatine by your own body may only provide maintenance levels of creatine. The body’s need for creatine to maximize your creatine levels may be significantly greater and that is why a Creapure® creatine supplement may be right for you.

How much do I need?

Take 3–5 grams of Creapure® creatine monohydrate daily to replace what your body uses every day. You can personalize the rate within the range provided based on your size, muscle mass and activity level. Creapure® can be used at any time of day, but you may benefit from taking the product immediately after exercise or in the morning. A loading phase is not required.

Who benefits?

Creatine isn’t just for Bodybuilders and Fitness Athletes. It is the perfect supplement for all sports that require repeated bursts of maximum power – such as Soccer, Basketball, Football, Baseball, Hockey, Swimming, Track and Field, and many more. To consistently perform at your highest level, you need a sufficient amount of creatine in your body.  

As we age, we can also benefit from taking Creapure®. In combination with moderate resistance training, Creapure® helps to stop the age related loss of muscle mass, strength and improves mental activity.

Did you know several scientific studies indicate that creatine has even more beneficial effects, which have been shown in the following categories: Brain function, sleep (better quality of sleep and decreased sleep demand), antioxidative property, bone health.

Vegetarians and Vegans show lower muscle creatine stores compared to people who eat meat.

Why choose Creapure®

• Creapure® is on the Cologne List® and is tested for banned substances regularly. By using only products of the Cologne List®, athletes reduce the risk of unintentionally becoming the victims of doping.
• Creapure® is vegan and kosher as well as halal certified.
• Creapure® production uses Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a management system, widely used to identify, assess and control health risks in food production.
• Alzchem Trostberg GmbH, the producer of Creapure®, is certified for these ISO-Norms: Quality management: ISO 9001, Enviromental management: ISO 14001, Energy management: ISO 50001

• The production of Creapure® is IFS FOOD certified, a quality standard recognized by the “Global Food Safety Initiative”

  
  

  Here's the link for where I got all of this information: https://www.creapure.com/en/creapure/what-creapure

Our Boy Tucker...

We've had Tucker on the same dog food since he was a puppy.  We chose it because of his allergy to too much chicken in some of the dog foods.  His last batch had unprocessed bones in it and made him really bad sick.  Almost $400 later in vet bills and special dog food to get him lined out we are now on a journey to find him a new dog food.  We think we've found the one that we will go with.  It's called Taste of the Wild.  It can only be gotten on Chewy.  It's one that my sister in law uses on her picky dog and Tucker seems to love it.  We are just glad that we figured out what was making him sick and that he is feeling much better now.

We are going to give this new food a few days to be sure that this is the one we will be switching to.  You hate to have to switch them when you have found something they love but I don't know that I will ever trust the brand we were using again.  We were using Nature's Recipe and for 6/7 years it has been an awesome food but after all we've been through I'm hesitant on letting him eat it anymore.  Crossing fingers🤞that he will keep loving this food.  

Pop Walking...

The last time we remember Pop walking was at Christmas and yesterday he walked for the first time since that time.  I was so exciting to see on video.  I have a couple of pics that I will share here though of him with his walker.  One is of him walking and the other is after he sat down from his walk.

This was a huge accomplishment for Pop after all he's been through these last months.  We love seeing him doing so much better.  We want to have him with us as long as we can.  We love him so much.

Nationals Prep....

We haven't updated in a bit on Tim's weightlifting.  He's been furociously getting ready for Nationals in June.  His coach has been fine tuning his form so that he can do his absolute best lifts at that event.  Tim has been listening and tweaking as much as he can.  He is so excited to be attending his first Nationals Weightliftting event.  He's looking forward to many more to come too.  Tim will be getting his feet wet, so to speak, with this event.  If he medals great and if he doesn't that's great too because he's had a banner time of it already with just starting in August to where he is now.  He's totally floored his coach with how far he's come in such a short time.  He's never seen an athlete do that before but we told him that was the elite athlete in our son coming out.  Tim has no quit in him.  Plus he absolutely loves this sport.  The photo below was not taken by me but by the gyms photographer.  He gets such great shots of Tim.  I zoomed in on it to show off Tim.  That's Dylan next to him.  Tim and Dylan get along great.  Of course Tim gets along great with everyone there though.  

This was of Tim warming up for his lifts.

Great Conversations...

Scot and Tim really enjoyed their last moments before we headed home from Kentucky with Pop sitting out on his sisters deck with him on Sunday.

Time spent with family is irreplaceable.  We had such a great visit with them.  Pop was more like himself than he's been in a long while.  We love seeing him doing so much better.  

Neal Family Photos...

Over our weekend visit to Kentucky we got to look at a bunch of old Neal family photos.  I took pictures of the pictures to have digitally.  I will do my best to caption all the photos with you.  They won't be in any particular order.  

Ronald Neal, Navy Seal.  Died in service to our country and buried in Arlington.

One of Pops cars.  Pop's a gear head.

Uncle Mike is the boy in suspenders and Pop is the tall skinny boy next to him.

Pop with his grandkids, Mysterie, Corey, Joshton & Brittney.

Pop in front of their motor home.  They did all their vacations in it.

Pop in his roadster with one of his buddies.

Pop and Mike with one of their friends.

A blurred pic of Pop with his car.

Pop and Nan with one of the grandkids.

Jullian and Ronald Neal.  Pops cousins.

I've been told this is Pop as a toddler.

Pop and Corey.

Pop holding Joshton with Mysterie reaching up.

Pop age 5 and his brother Mike age 3.

Pop looking all fly😉! 

Pops mom, Adelle and brother, Mike.

I've been told this was Pops favorite car that he owned.

Pops dad Orie Neal.

Pop and Nan way before kids😂.

Pop with one of the grandkids.

Pop and Mike with the neighborhood kids.

Pop and Scot at the Kennedy Space Center.

Nan on the hood and Pop in the drivers seat.

Orie and Adelle Neal holding Elaine.

Pop, Britt, and Joshton.

Mike and the Sunday school girls.  I've been told he was a big flirt😂.

Adelle with her church class.  She's the one bent over in the pic.

Pop in one of his cars.

Pop and Nan at one the bases maybe🤔.

Another one of Pops cars.

Pop

Mike, Adelle and Pop.

Another one of Pops cars full with him, Nan and their friends.

 

The Nearing of The End...

When we come into the world our parents have to do everything for us and when they get older in life we take care of them.  It's the circle of life.  Pop is still with it and witty as ever but his body just isn't cooperating.  He's so precious to us all and the patriarch of the family.  He's our reason for being in Kentucky so often to visit with him and Nan because we never know when it will be our last visit with them before one of them goes to heaven to be with Jesus.  When we are home all we want to do is be here with them.  We hate missing any moments with them at this stage in their lives.  The birth of a life is so precious but so is someone nearing the end of their life too.  Pop got to sit outside in the sun some yesterday but the wind was so chill that he had to be covered up.

Nan's Early Mother's Day...

Jeff, Elaine and Scot got Nan an early Mother's Day present for her secret garden at her house but she's enjoying it at her daughter's house for now.  She was so surprised and so happy to finally get this.  She's been wanting it for some time now.  The wind was blowing something fierce yesterday when they gave this to her.  The second pic has her looking wind blown...LOL!