Show Time Baby!

I couldn't sleep I was too excited and scared I would forget something from such a magical day... bMy daddy and step mom left me flowers at the house for when I came home and the famous quote from the best dad ever was "No mountain too big for my girl..." I feel like I ran a mountain and am Rocky Baloboaing it for atleast the next 2 days.

My morning started off differently than any other morning over the past 15 weeks. I woke  at 7 am, ate and then actually climbed back in bed for an hour-- waiting to eat my rice cake I had been missing since February. My breakfast ended up being 1 whole cup of oatmeal with brown sugar and 5 egg whites. That oatmeal was seriously, heaven in my mouth the sweetness of it... ahh, I can not explain how good it was. I got a rice cake on the hour with peanut butter on it, for the next two hours and then got showered and dried off (no lotion or deoderant because of the tan I'd be getting applied soon... NASTY!) I told my family I was hoping I could put deoderant on after then tan because my arm pits all ready stunk! Nope, no such luck. I just had to smell my own funk for the next 12 hours... but-- I will say my funk was much less nasty than some of the other chicks funk back stage. haha SICK!

I asked my little bug to flex with me before I left for the day, I was sad that my babies didn't get to see me on stage, but I wasn't about to pay $30 to have them up and down and up and down and one of my parents not get to watch because of it.

Bubbies was happy to go to see his cousin and they got to eat McDonalds and watch Rio while Mommy was up strutting her stuff on stage.

Quick snap of me before I headed to the tanning place and to meet up with the other girls.

Amanda, Me and Jennifer all became fast friends prepping for our shows this year together. Amanda and I got to eat our lunch together too-- a half sandwich and a small bag of chips. It was heaven! Only our 4th thing to eat for the day, still no water except the 4 oz we had with breakfast... but we cherished every moment of that lunch!


We had one round of spray tan, and then waited in a chilled waiting room visiting for 2 hours, until our next coat of spray tan could be applied. So the lady at Sun Envy was super nice and had the place set up super calm for us. I had to stand buck naked in front of her, and she just sprayed me with this little air brush type gun. It was super easy and she did a great job. I actually didn't feel too orange, I loved my tan and was sad to watch it wash down the drain the night after the show. 

We started getting ready in the dressing room at about 3:30, then went to officially check in at 3:45. This is when I saw ALL the other girls, it was like insane. Around 50 or so women all mostly done up all ready and I was bare faced and no hair done. At that moment I was like holy crap and started getting a bit intimidated. Shawna grabbed my face and said "Stop looking around, look up! We don't care about anyone but you." That helped. Everyone was super nice and Shawna helped make me beautiful... and I truly did feel gorgeous.

After months of pony tails, sweaty face, no make up, and sweat pants this night of being glam and gorgeous was worth a million dollars. I felt stunning. Looking back at the pictures I think how blessed I am...

All done up getting ready for the competitor meeting.

Before pre judging we were getting ready to go out and I found out I was in the 4th round of girls to go out. So, I just had to chill and watch everyone for an hour maybe. I was still not allowed to eat anything until about 20 minutes before I got on stage, I got a rice cake with jelly and I hadn't eaten since 1, so it was heaven and yummy and I wanted more... but I wasn't about to screw with Big Jon's science. I ended up getting a small handfull of skittles before I went on stage too.

I could not believe what other girls were eating. I saw snickers, trail mix, fruit, some were drinking water, others were eating other chocolate. I am amazed at how differently people do things, but, I think Big Jon's way is best. And I was super glad I had him and Shawna directing me. I can not begin to imagine if I had been back stage alone for my first experience. Just having the 4 other girls made everything five times more fun I think. I was in group B, and looking back on it now-- I wish I would have signed up for the novice division because that is the group of girls who were doing this as their first ever show. I think I might have placed better had I been in that group-- but I still would have been just as nervous to be on stage.

Allison, Jana, Shawna, Me and Amanda back stage. I can not say enough how much these girls and the two others have meant to me in training for this. I truly feel like my experience was so much better because I had them to share the joy and the crap with. We built each other up and picked each other up off the floor when times were hard-- and there definitely were hard times for each of us. 

I think all of us lack confidence in ourselves, where a lot of the other girls had a serious over abundance of it. I was amazed at the women who were stepping on stage, who in my humble opinion did not have business doing so. We each were pretty hard on ourselves, but in looking at a lot of the other competitors we not only belonged on that stage-- we sorta owned it too.

Amanda look at those abs!!!

Jana and Amanda

We know we spent the time we were supposed to on the stair mill is all I got to say.

Big Jon is famous for "high and tight" which is why his girls are only allowed to walk on an incline or climb stairs. I for one, am grateful he knows what the hell he is talking about, because we TRULY had the best bootys. That is one thing I can say with confidence. Our butts are amazing.

This is Big Jon's famous pose-- that we look pretty amazing doing.

After pre judging waiting to go for the final show part... hungry and super thirsty at this point... I think I might have been getting a bit feisty too because I still couldn't eat or drink anything and the other girls were downing food and water like crazy. (Not our girls, the other competitors)

So at the final show part, they called all 7 of us back out and then took us off the stage and called back out only the top 5. I didn't get called back out, and I was ok with that. As I was on stage I felt like I wasn't even knowing what was going on. I was just walking from side to side, trying to hit my poses. I forgot to put vaseline on my teeth and I wish I would have because I could not hold my dang smile. My mouth was shaking, and I kept trying to just hold a closed mouth smile, alternating to open mouthed. I hope I didn't look too ridiculous. I felt like I did a good job at posing except for my individual back pose I messed up. Seeing pictures of me on stage I felt like I looked really good though. 

As I left the stage I went and grabbed a cookie, drank half a bottle of water a swig of powerade and went to grab my man to take a few pictures before I changed.

I really did feel like a million dollars. I felt strong, I felt accomplished, I felt beautiful, I felt confident. I was happy. I thought that every single drop of sweat, every juggling act, every tired day was worth it as I got up on that stage and presented my package. Looking back, I think I should have looked at the judges more, I should have smiled more but that is all I can say I wish I would have done differently.

I had several friends and family members come support me but these two, Jessie and Courtney are the only two that were still there after to get a picture with. I am seriously overwhelmed with gratitude for all the people who have helped to push me through this journey.

We finished the night with blue corn tacos, chips and salsa and a few diet cokes. It was so yummy and I didn't even get sick. I was so hungry!

I tried to go to sleep with all my might but I was so jacked and excited from the night that I couldn't rest. I didn't want to forget anything it truly felt magical. I think back to other big accomplishments I have had in life, graduation, marriage, children, new jobs... but this one, this one was different.

I did this. I did it with help and guidance and cheer leaders-- but I did this. I sculpted my body into something so far from what it has ever been. I feel such tremendous pride in the journey that got me to that stage. I can't even believe it is me. I can't even believe that it is possible to change your body the way I changed mine. BUT IT IS POSSIBLE. It is possible with hard work and the refusal to fail. It took me two prep times to accomplish this, but I DID IT! And I was so proud and so excited.

I came up to upload all my pics and that is when I realized that I did place 7th, out of 7 girls. I was a little sad, thinking I was the worst. Although I knew that would be a possibility. A new blog will come out on that because I don't want anyone to be confused on the way I felt about how I looked and felt with the way I placed.

The way I looked and felt was absolutly amazing and absolutly worth every hour of preparation. I can see how this could become addictive, wanting to improve and better your physique with each prep and show.