JET Trip 2024

 I had a great mid-winter break.  Jen, Emmi and I headed to Kauai for a relaxing trip.  It was so fab.

We went to HI so it would be less flying for Emmi.  In the end she got a much shorter trip than the other two of us, and had to spend the night in the airport in Honolulu.  So--not better in some ways.  But AHHHH!  Hawaii was amazing.  I haven't been there since Libby was a baby, and never to Kauai.  It was a blast--just what I needed after a stressful wrestling season.

View from our room at the Hanalei Bay Resort.  It was an awesome place to stay!  Pools, hot tubs, beach access.  A fridge for our grocery store haul...it was great! 

On our way to the beach! 

We did about 2+ miles of beach walking on day one! 

Then hot tub time! 

Shaved Ice for the win.  This was seriously the best dessert I've ever had.  Jojo's Haupia (coconut). 

Day 2 we went on an 8 mile hike on the Alakai Swamp Trail. If you scroll back up to the pic of us on the beach, we are basically at the top of that mountain behind us in that pic.  The view was looking down on our resort and the public beach next to it.  So cool! 

It was not an easy hike.  I was super proud of my body for holding up just fine! 

Day 3 we went on a Captain Andy's boat ride (5 hours on the water). I took Dramamine, drank plenty of ginger ale and still got a little queasy, especially when we slowed or stopped.  Lots of waves.  But we also saw dolphins and multiples waves.  It was too chilly for me to snorkel.  But I really enjoyed seeing the Napali coast. 

Day four started with dropping Emmi at the airport (another sad part of the trip for her.) Jen and I ate at this yummy joint before hiking the Sleeping Giant trail. 

Sleeping Giant.

This is from Day 1...the lighthouse

Also Day 1--the concert we stumbled on.  Slide guitar.  So cool! 

From Alakai hike (Yeah, I was the peak of fashion!) 

We had several rainbow sightings.  So amazing! 

One day we all had navy and white suits.  Had to capture. 

My virgin pina colada...yum. 

It was so much fun.  Highlight is that we talk and talk and talk through all the problems and highs and lows of life.  Girls trip for the win.  I came home so happy to see my family too. Derek asked if I would go back to Kauai.  Yes...but we did lots of the things, so next time maybe a different island adventure? (I'd go back just for the Shave Ice and the sandy bottom hot tub though...haha.) 

Shorewood Wrestling Makes History with Top 10 Finish

 https://www.shorelineareanews.com/2024/02/shorewood-girls-wrestling-finishes-in.html

I almost didn't make it to state.  Like physically, emotionally.  I'd been holding it together under all the stress pretty well.  But then I just fell apart.  Thankfully a therapy appointment, a decision to get a sub for seminary to give myself some breathing room, a night of sleep, a bit of journal venting, and a funny journal entry I wrote with my class helped me get grounded again.  The stress of "what if" Libby didn't place...it was a lot! 

But--it was a great weekend at State. 

Even as I look through the photo albums taken by our great photographer I can feel the stress in my body.  But we did it! 

Love my girl and I'm so proud of her and all the girls.  I'm proud of Derek.

And I made it too.  Whew.

 Here are some of the awesome pics of her matches (in order.) 

Libby vs. Zaragoza from Pasco.  Libby pinned her in 47 seconds. 

Proud Dad. 

This is her second match against Johnson from Lincoln.  Libby actually let her get a cradle in--I was very nervous for a minute.  But not long. 

Libby got out, took her down and pinned her in 1 minute and 8 seconds.  

YES!!!  Because she had a first round bye, this meant she was on to the medal rounds for sure! 

Her first match was Libby Roberts.  Libby took her down and pinned her in 1 minute and 40 seconds on her way to winning her 3rd state title.  (Our Libby lasted longer than her final opponent.  The girl who took 2nd only lasted 50 seconds.) 

4th match was Serati (man arms girl--seriously--zoom in and check it out!).  She's the one that Libby beat the weekend before to take 1st at regionals.  This week Serati won the day (and ended up taking 4th). 

Libby went into the 5th 6th match ready to get back to winning.  She took care of Born from Curtis in 57 seconds.  

It was a sweet day! 

What Else is Happening?

 Okay, so not much besides wrestling is happening in our lives.  Oh yeah, except full time jobs and callings.  Haha.  I also had a killer cold for the first part of the week.  I'm through the worst of it.  Yuck.

Anyway, there are a couple of other fun things that have happened.

I'm still enjoying teaching Seminary.  And of course in this already crazy week I had a fun seminary idea that took way too much prep.  But was worth it.

We did some minute to win it type games to reflect on how opposition actually makes life more fun.  (We ended with a tug of war with no opponent.) 

Tent building like Lehi's family

Hunting "wild beasts" in the forest

And building boats for our Lego families to cross the sea. (We tested them the next class.) 

I also overachieved with my school class this week.  We are doing a food chemistry unit.  So on Monday we discovered the miracle of cream.  We made butter, whip cream and ice cream.  So fun.

On Thursday we made bread--start to finish (including grinding the wheat.)  

The rising dough--The bread turned out really great.  I had 3 parent volunteers who helped.  One who brought in his kitchenaid so we could make 2 batches at once.  Then the others watched over the baking in the two ovens we have at school in 2 different staff kitchens (I know--I'm lucky our school is so big it has 2 staff kitchens.) 

10 out of 10 for awesomeness.  0 out of 10 for a tired busy mama who also ended up with a cold.  But I managed to haul all the stuff needed in and out of school, washed dishes in my tiny school sink (my classroom was originally a lower grade room--so the sink is super short.) and yeah.  It was good but the timing was bad.  

I guess the message of this post is that even at max capacity--I still LOVE teaching and finding ways to make school/seminary fun.

What I need to learn is to look at my overall life and decide to let some of these ideas go...just because you think it's a good idea Trish, doesn't mean it has to happen.  Even if it can--it doesn't have to. (Derek tries to give me this pep talk often.  I should listen.)

This week will feel so easy by comparison!   Just the stress of State coming.  We've got this. 

Districts & Regionals 2024

 I was so proud of the team at Districts--especially Libby & Sarah.

Libby had a good run at Districts, she didn't have a challenging bracket.  So she rocketed through her opponents with quick pins.  She spent a lot of energy supporting and loving on her team.

I was happy for a stress free tournament for her.  (Photo credit to Jeremy Tantrum, one of the dads.  He is amazing.) 

Libby and one of her co-captains Izzy.  They are Chip and Dale apparently?  They had never heard of the Chippendale dancers.  haha. 

Post Covid some of the officials just raise the hand with the color of the winner and make the athlete raise their own hand.  Lame, right? 

It was fun to do the "head coaches award the medals" thing together :)

For Sarah districts was much tougher.  She had a 32 man bracket.  Just the luck of the draw.  Lots more girls at 155 than 105.  If she would have stayed at 170, there were only 7 in the bracket.  Such a bummer.  But I was super proud of her.  She lost 1 (she was in it, but lost her balance), won 1 and just as she was about to win the 3rd, she got rolled and pinned.  She was ahead 9 to 0 I think.  She is so ready to turn the corner.  More time and experience and she'll be winning! 

Jeremy got awesome pictures of her matches--I'm posting a bunch.

She was bummed not to be moving on to Regionals.  But it left her hungry to do better next season.  She's decided not to do the musical so she can come to Einstein and volunteer and learn more, and to do track to get stronger and faster.

And get in more workouts with Dad.  

On to Regionals!  Libby had a great day.  She wrestled 2 solid matches and then it was time for the Serrati rematch.  Libby lost to her 2 weeks ago, in a mom coached match that didn't go well.  (I'm learning to.)  This girl has MAN arms.  So she's intimidating.  But at Regionals, Libby was ready.  

I don't have Jeremy's pics yet, but I'll post more when I do. 2 time Regional champ!

1st place! 

Norton crew cheering her on.  Derek was with the boys. 

Libby's boyfriend came as a "manager" in this homemade shirt.  Adorable. 

This was the photo with the Herald wrestling info article.  Love :)  Last year's win. 

In case you're wondering, yes this mama is exhausted, because we also started the Einstein season this week.  So I've been coordinating that effort for the past couple of weeks. 2 practices after school makes for a long evening.  But just one more week to go and SW is officially done (except the banquet and post-season coaches meeting.)