Level 4 Storms....

We have level 4 storms blowing through the area today. What that means is there is going to be high winds, heavy rain and a possibility of  tornadoes. We've battened down the hatches and done all that we can do in preparation for what's coming. We have our safe space ready to go to incase we have need of it. I'll get back on later and update this post after it passes through if there's anything to report.  

Athletic Accomplishments...

✨ For years, many of us have been led to believe that if you don’t win gold, you’re just the “first or second loser.” But that kind of thinking couldn’t be further from the truth.

When our kids step onto the platform and compete at an elite level, they’ve already accomplished something extraordinary. Earning a medal—whether it’s gold, silver, or bronze—is a remarkable achievement and something they, and we as parents, should always be proud of. 

Our athletes should never feel less than simply because the medal isn’t gold. A silver & bronze medal means they stood among the very best. It means they fought their way onto the podium. And at the end of the day, they walk away with a medal while many others leave empty-handed.

But even more important than the medal itself is the journey. Every competition, every improvement, every gain builds character and shapes who they will become in life. Strength isn’t just measured in numbers on a bar—it’s measured in dedication, perseverance, and the courage to keep pushing forward💪.

So celebrate every accomplishment. Be proud of every step forward. Because showing up, competing, and continuing to grow is something truly worth honoring—every single time!  ✨

Tim's Weightlifting Goals...

Tim's weightlifting goals:

He wants to get to these goals as quickly as possible and improve on them so that he's at the top of his division by the time he's a last year Junior. These numbers will probably adjust come August though when the weight divisions adjust to the New Weight Divisions. -71kg will become -70kg and -79kg will become -75kg. Tim will land in one of these two weight divisions. I don't think -70kg is an olympic/world weight division though??? He may have to go up to -75kg or down to -65kg weight divisions in order to be in an olympic/world weight division??? I'm still learning that side of the sport as he grows in it so I'm not 100% sure on where he will need to be in order to be able to contend for a World's spot yet. 

It's challenging learning a new sport after doing the other one for so many years. I know the sport he came from really well and where Tim needs to be to be a contender but with this sport I'm a fish out of water so to speak. We just keep making gains and learning as we go. We just love that he loves this sport so much. 

Here’s to shooting for the moon as Tim chases his goals of becoming the best lifter that he can be — earning a Team USA spot, competing at Worlds, and one day stepping onto the Olympic stage. The journey is just beginning💪🏋.

GOALS! GOALS! GOALS!

Pro Pics from VWS1/The Arnold 2026...

I'm only going to share a few of the pro pictures with you here.  There are too many to share them all.

The first two are what the coach shared on social media when he was sharing the teams schedule for lifting.

This happened March 5th - 8th.

These next ones are the actual pro shots that I want to share with you.  It's only a few from his best Snatch lift & Clean & Jerk lift:

This is Tim before he stands up with the lift.

My absolute favorite shot!  This is his 101kg Snatch PR lift.

That's how high the bar bounced after he got the down signal.
He knew that he got the lift and was just waiting for the judges decision.

                                                                                                              

UPDATE: (3/18/2026)

Tim's 123kg PR C&J lift in the Clean position.

Tim standing up with his 123kg C&J PR lift after his jerk.

The moment Tim knew he had went 6 for 6 (got all 6 of his lifts) & PR’d at The Arnold.  Such a great shot from the photographer @liftinglife (instagram).

                                                                       

Such a fun time at this Meet.  Watching Tim do his lifts and his excitement over being there just blesses us so very much.  We are so proud of him.

Virus Weightlifting Series 1 - The Arnold - 2026!

What a great experience The Arnold was for Tim again this year. He is a first year USA Weightlifting Junior Weightlifter this year. He was able to bring home 3 Bronze Medals. He also did Pr's (personal records) across the board. He went 6 for 6 with all white lights.

Here are his results:

    

   Snatch 94kg/97kg/101kg(PR)

   + Clean & Jerk 114kg/119kg/123kg(PR)

   Total = 224kg(PR)

Here are some pictures:

His 101kg/222# Snatch PR

His celebration after PR'ing.

A close up of the medals.

Tim's 6 for 6 Bracelet - for making all his lifts.  That's two in a row now.

Here are some videos taken by HookGripUSA of his lifts (We are missing the first one because someone got in the way of the video):

This one is of his 97kg Snatch.

This one is of his 101kg Snatch PR.

This one is of his 114kg Clean & Jerk.

This one is of his 119kg Clean & Jerk.

This one is of his 123kg Clean & Jerk PR.

The Arnold is such a fun event to attend. We have loved both experiences so far. Medal or no medal we have such a great time as a family getting to see The Arnold Expo. There's so much to see and stuff to buy there. 

We love how much Tim loves this sport. The change to it has been the best change ever. We are having such a great time supporting our son as he continues to compete at an elite level just as he did in his previous sport. His medal collection in this sport is growing quickly (see pic below). 

Let me leave you with this:

Life would be boring without the privilege of sharing Tim's athletic journey. Watching him chase greatness has become our family's journey, and we wouldn't trade it for the world. Behind every elite athlete is a family cheering louder than any crowd ever could. We are privileged to be watching Tim build his legacy. Tim shows us every single day to: DREAM BIG, WORK HARD, and STAY HUMBLE. While the medals are special, Tim's work ethic and discipline are what make us the proudest.

May you all be able to say this about your children! May they feel your support every single day! Most of all may they feel loved!

Thoughts On SOTU this week....

I've been letting this statement - that was made earlier this week by our President - percolate. I still shake my head in disbelief at how not even ONE of the dems stood when it was spoken. Not even ONE!!! What's really disheartening is that it had to even be spoken at all!!!

Having a President who has the backbone to stand for us - the American Citizens - this way makes me proud but also sad because it never should've had to be spoken or stood for to begin with. It should have been a given in everyone's hearts and minds - even the dems! How unAmerican not to stand for your citizens!!!!!! Who, by the way, put your butt in office to begin with.

BOTTOM LINE: If you are not for us - the American citizens - then you are against us and you should be taken out of office!

AMERICAN CITIZENS FIRST NOW AND ALWAYS! 

USA!USA!USA!USA!USA!USA!USA!USA!USA!

2026 Virus Weightlifting Series 1 at The Arnold...

We are all so excited to be attending The Arnold again this year. Tim will be lifting as a first year Junior this year. Attending and getting to compete at this event is such an honor and Tim looks forward to all that he will learn from his competitors. 

Tim is going into this competition bouncing back from some lower back issues that he was having. He's feeling much better but may not be 100% by the time that he lifts. Only the time between now and lift day will tell if he's all the way back as he continues to do all his Team body coach and PT have told him to do. After the event he will focus on total recovery so that he can get all the way back to where he was before the issues in his lower back happened. 

Being an elite athlete doesn't come without its price. That price being that injuries will happen and that recovery has to happen!!! 

What his Team body coach and PT  are telling him to do will help him be able to lift for the event but afterwards will be when total focus for healing and recovery will happen. Then Tim will start building up for the next comp and so the cycle continues.

Challenges will always happen but it's how you handle those challenges that matters!!!

Tim handles the challenges that come up with such humility knowing what an honor it is to just get to lift on the same stage with some of the greatest lifters in his division. To be on their level only 2 1/2 years into the sport is such a huge accomplishment for Tim. He's realized this sport is where he should have been all along. He has no regrets and keeps making forward progress. 

Organizing & Purging...

I've been going through and organizing and purging things. It sounds easier than it is done. Going through items and getting rid of stuff is hard, very hard. Some of it has emotional attachments to it. So when you purge you are purging what seems to be memories too but our memories are always with us. The stuff doesn't have to be though. Especially if it's stuff you haven't touched in years and probably will never use/wear again. 

My husband and I have found out the hard way how keeping stuff can lead to mounds of stress later for the family members who have to deal with your stuff when you pass on to be with Jesus. We are still in a state of dealing with his parents stuff who passed a year apart from one another. They held onto everything incase it might have a use someday. My husband and I have caught ourselves saying those same words when going through stuff and we've had to be like if I haven't used it by now odds are I won't ever use it. We've had to change some of our thinking when it comes to stuff. 

We have only one child and we don't want to leave behind the mess that Scot's folks left for him and his siblings to deal with. We are changing the tide of that way of thinking and doing things.  We are making it easier for our son for when we pass on to be with Jesus. He will have minimal stuff to have to deal with because there won't hardly be anything for him to have to get rid of. And since we are changing the tide now he will already be set up to be that way as well and for his children and their children too. His generation already has a minimalist way of thinking and living anyhow so this will make it much easier for him. 

Legacy & Inheritance our kids can use and their kids as well is what it's all about folks.  We've got to set them up so that success follows them everywhere they go.  

Believe In Yourself....

I thought of our son when I read this quote. He has had so many challenges in his life. Challenges that would cause many such a setback that they never recover from it. He had three things going for him though: A mother(1) & father(2) who cared enough to see him succeed to be involved in his life keeping him going in the right direction and protecting him as well as a God(3) who protected, directed & guided him when we weren't able to do so. Families who stay together and know how much they mean to one another are the families that are successful in life and all other endeavors as well. Those families can set themselves and other generations up for generational wealth as long as they don't live lives that are the status quo of all that you see in the world today.  

Example: I was thrusted out into the world at 18/19 years of age to make it on my own. It's what most parents tend to do. They tell their kids get an education (which they pay on for most of the rest of their lives), get a job (that they are tied down to because they have so much debt they owe), buy your own car (on credit - and basically pay double for it), buy your own house (which leads to even more debt to be paid). When instead they should do all they can to minimize the debt by making it so that they can stay either at home or put another home on land the family already owns which also minimizes debt. They all chip in to pay for it all and they keep generational wealth going because then their debts get paid off quicker. But they also prioritize their family above everything with the exception of God who comes first and foremost above everything. Buying enough land as a family that you can put multiple homes on and having basically a family compound may sound controlling to the rest of the world but it's not when done right.  

Faith, Family & generational success is what it is all about at the end of the day. As parents we should do all that we can to make sure that our kids have an inheritance that will last for generations of family members down the line. It's what families did back in the olden days. It's how they not only survived but thrived in life. It worked then and it will work now provided that your family all wants the same thing. But honestly, who doesn't want to be set up for success for the rest of their lives and not have to struggle all of their lives. I'd bet it's fair to say most would jump at a chance to have success with a tight knit family rather than struggle all of their lives just to pay all their bills and their debts. It's how the rich and famous continue to get richer. They know how to stick together and make even more gains. Just saying.

Chem Trails...

What you are seeing in this picture is not actually clouds. They are chem trails (Statipheric Aerosol Injections) put there by airplanes paid to do so. The Chem Trails/SAI's purpose is to spray Aluminum, Barium, Strontium, and other metals that create a cloud layer to repel the sun and cool the earth but what it is really doing is poisoning the people and the planet.

I don't know if there's real proof, but I'm willing to bet there is, but I believe that since they've started this back in the mid to late 60's, and of course now they are spraying this stuff at an alarming rate, that this spraying is causing even more people to be diagnosed with cancer who normally wouldn't have. Let that thought sink in for a moment. It's definitely something to be concerned about at any rate.  

That stuff being sprayed into the atmosphere is not good for us or the planet we live on. We are breathing it in all the time.  There's no getting away from it. Stuff that was never meant to be in our bodies is being forced into them and it's to no fault of our own other than we live on this earth and we have to have air to live so we have no choice but to breathe it in. Whether we want it to or not does not matter one iota. We have no choice in it and the powers that be won't do anything to stop it. It's pure and simple genocide that happening in a tapering manner. It's done slow so no one even realizes what is happening. It's another way of controlling things. At least that's my opinion anyhow. I'm no expert so what do I know, right. I'm just going off of what I see and the statistics of how much cancer and other diseases have went up since they started spraying this stuff. Don't believe me but instead do research for yourself and learn all that you can about SAI's.