School is back in session

My kids started school this week and we have been so busy with band activities and football practice and buying school supplies that it was hard to train this week.  I made it only one day to be exact.  But oh what a great day it was.  Armbars and triangles and omoplatas.  Look out...Mrs. Ibarra is starting to get the hang of you...finally...after two years.  I guess it's taken me this long to wrap my head around things and lose my fear of others things and open my mind to what my body is actually capable of doing.  Feels good.  Tonight I am going to CrossFit for a quick workout and then off to get ready for Emily's first football game of the new school year.  Can't wait to see this marching season unfold...awesome music and a really, really cool marching routine.  Band Nerds unite!!  

Quick update on my Paleo eating.  Started two months ago.  Didn't realize how much it was going to change everything.  I can't believe how much I've been able to embrace it and live it and I'm even starting to love it.   It was not as hard as I thought it was going to be.  I'm cooking most nights at home.  Added bonus, my family loves that I'm cooking and I love the fact that we all sit down and eat together.  That's a change I can get used to!  

p.s.  No Dr. Peppers since July 8, 2012. 

To Infinity and Beyond

I’m evolving.  I feel my game changing.  New Coach + Open Mind = No Limits.  I used to think that I couldn’t do things because I have short arms or legs, or because I am not flexible enough, or because I am too fluffy or too old...and so on.  But I am really trying to wrap my head around the infinite possibilities.  Every move can be adjusted and changed and morphed into something that will work for me…not that every move is going to be part of my game, but I won’t limit myself to just certain things.  I won’t know if something works for me unless I try it.  Outside our comfort zones is where we will experience the most growth.  It’s were we will evolve our games to the next level.  It’s pretty cool doing things I never thought I could do.  I actually tried to triangle someone last week.  Me, Mrs. Ibarra, 4’11” tall, short legs, short arms, fluffy body, I tried to triangle someone.  I didn’t get it…but I tried it!  Now that’s progress. 

Being hungry is a good thing!

Some nights when you train jiu jitsu everything just feels right.  Even if you didn't do everything perfectly, it's that feeling in your heart and your gut that it was a good night.  Everything is swirling around in my head right now.  I'm just feeling grateful, happy, content, eager, even hungry for future progress.  It's been a while since I've felt like that.  It feels really, really good.  Tonight I am one proud Mama.  My daughter Emily got a stripe on her yellow belt.  It was unexpected and a complete surprise.  She couldn't stop smiling.  Yep, I'm one proud Mama, I can't stop smiling either.  Thank you Coach for believing in my girl.  Anything is possible.  

My daughter loves this quote.  She's only 4'9" tall.  

On the mats she feels like a beast.  Thank you jiu jitsu!  :)

If you Start it...Finish it!

Wow.  I can’t believe that we’ve only got three more weeks of summer vacation for the kiddos.  Where did all the lazy days of summer go?  I guess it’s time to get it in gear and get them prepared for a new school year.  I enjoy summer, even though I still work full time.  I don’t have to worry about homework, or last minute school projects they forgot to tell me about and we need a poster board and art supplies, or making sure they have lunch money or checking for lost permission slips or making sure there aren’t things I need to read in the binder or my all-time favorite “Mom, I need to wear my band shirt tomorrow (it’s 10 pm at night) and it’s dirty, can you wash it for me”.  I could go on, but you probably understand why I like summer now.  Summer is more than a break for the kids; it’s a break for Mom too.  This summer I made some great changes.  New gym, new way of eating, new way of training + introduction of Crossfit = making progress (measured in baby steps of course, but progress nonetheless).  I’m opening my mind to the infinite possibilities.  I’m amazed at the things my body can do now and the things my mind comprehends that it didn’t two years ago when I first started training.  It doesn’t matter that I’m the last one to finish the warm-up drills or that I have the least number of reps, what matters is that I finish.  If I start it, I finish it.  If you catch me trying to sell myself short, just remind me…If You Start It, Finish It! 

Now here’s a little something I’m going to be doing on Saturday.  I will be making the drive to Farmers Branch (past Dallas) to attend a Women’s BJJ Seminar by Hannette Staack.  I don’t know if there are any spots left, but just in case, you can check it out at poweredbyshe.com.   I was a lucky one; I get in free because I will be wearing one of my many fabulous Fenom Gis.  How sweet is that?  Pretty sweet deal if you ask me!