I'M HOME! {from the 2013 US Power Tumbling National Championships in Kansas City, Missouri}

I have spent the last week in Kansas City, Missouri as an athlete competing in the 2013 US Power Tumbling National Championships. This was my third national championships, and while I can't say the results of the competition where what I was hoping for, it was magnificent none the less.

Tuesday~ July 2nd

I started off the week getting on to an airplane with nobody except my lovely team mate Teri. First time flying alone without parents for both of us so that was kinda fun and I'm sure our parents were freaking out the whole time. But have no fear, we made it to and from Kansas City and we are now professional flyers. We spent the rest of the day doing things like this...

Wednesday~July 3rd

We headed to our training session early in the morning and lets just say that didn't go so well. After our warm up session we decided to spend the day in the midst of church history. This was one of the very best parts about having Nationals in Missouri. I myself, being that odd Mormon girl that I am, absolutely love things that have to do with all things churchy so this was fun. We went to visit Liberty Jail (where the  prophet Joseph Smith was held for about 4 months. This was were he received the revalations that are now D&C 121,122,123), Adam-Ondi-Ahmen (the third temple commenced but never constructed. It is believed to be the place of the Garden of Eden, and where Christ will someday come again to receive the keys of the kingdom in preparation of his second coming and where he will hold his council with his stewards of all dispensations.), and Far West (the second temple commenced but never constructed. The corner stones have been laid and will it someday be built.)
These were awesome experiences and was a day I will never forget.

Thursday~ July 4th

Competition day! I hit passes that were much better than in training and that were better than warmups and that I was proud of, but that were unfortunately not good enough for this competition. I scored a 41.60 and placed 38th overall. While this was not the results I was hoping for, I am very thankful for all those around me supporting me and for the opportunity to compete this year because I know many people who didn't even make it this far. Congrats to all my competitors! You all did fantastically amazing and I am so glad we could become friends even though we are competition. After my competition we watched Anedy compete in prelims. She did amazing and was in third place in the nation after prelims was over with one more competition to come.
After the meet we were going to go do baptisms for the dead in the Kansas City, Missouri temple. We forgot that it was the fourth of July you see, so we forgot that the temple was closed. So no baptisms :/ I was kinda bummed but it's okay. After that we headed to Independence (I know, fitting for independence day right?!) where the first temple was commence to be built in this last dispensation, but has not been built yet. We toured the visitors center and the missionary that took us around was just awesome. We decided not to go to fireworks since we knew it would be an early morning the next morning with competitions and such. So we watched fireworks outside our window as they exploded all across the horizon.

 Friday~ July 5th

We got up early and headed to the arena. Teri competed in prelims for floor and was ranked fourth after prelims, Anedy and Eden both competed Double Mini and both did AMAZING placing 54th and 56th out of HUGE groups. After that we watched the Elite prelims and our lovely coach/team mate Stephanie compete as a senior elite finishing prelims in third.The elite competitions are always my favorite to watch.

Saturday~ July 6th 

On Saturday we watched Teri compete in finals on floor and she did amazing placing 4th in the nation. After that we watched finals for the elites. Our absolutely amazing coach/team mate Stephanie competed Senior Elite and placed 3rd overall. We love you Steph! I love love love watching the elite competitions and this was a fun competition and guess what! You can watch it!




After Steph competed she gave each of us one of her flowers and I am proud to say my rose made it all the way home in one piece. Thanks Steph! We love you!

Sunday~ July 7th

I spent the morning swimming with Eden, Teri, and Stephanie and I learned to be a cheerleader, then we headed over to the mall to shop. There were lots of laughs and it was a fun day. Later that night we headed over to the arena to watch our little Anedy compete in finals. She did amazing and placed 5th in the nation. Great job Annie! After Anedy competed we watched the Regional All Star competition. This is a fun high energy team competition between each of the 6 regions of the united states. It is comprised of the level 10s from each age division that won their own regional championships. Our region (region 1) did the best I have ever seen them do placing 5th. ha. After regional allstars we went to dinner with none other than Kalon Ludvigson and Justen Millerbernd (The world champion/record holder and his coach). I'm kind of a big deal.

 

Monday~ July 8th

The rest of our team got up early to fly home, while Teri and I stayed behind since our flight wasn't until 6:30 at night. We got up and packed our stuff and headed over to Panera to get my favorite frozen cherry lemonade for the fourth time. We sat there for a while doing pushups and other fun things while texting Stephanie. At 3:14 we hopped on the blue shuttle and headed to the airport. We flew home and because of delayed flights we didn't land until 11:00 which means I got to bed REALLY late last night.


So that was my national championships. I had a great time and it was by far one of my favorite tumbling trips. I am already looking forward to next year and I can't wait to get in the gym and start working. I vow now to work harder than I have ever worked before. Thanks for all those who have supported me. I love you all!


Feel my Sunlight



p.s. Would someone like to come over to my house and do all my laundry?

Nationals Nationals Nationals

Nationals 2011~ San Antonio, Texas

Nationals 2012~ Long Beach, California

Today is Monday. I leave for my third US National Championships on Tuesday. I leave for Kansas City, Missouri TOMORROW! AHHHHHHHHHHH That is about all that has ran through my head all day. This will be a different nationals seems how I am going all by myself in the sense that neither of my parents are coming along. It will be weird to not have Shawn, Kenzi, Cid, Britt, or Brinna since they have been to every nationals I have been to. It will be different but it is going to rock. We have our last chance workout tonight and then we zip up our bags and hop on an airplane to take over Kansas City.

I may not be where I wanted to be when I imagined nationals at the beginning of the year. But I did learn something from this year of struggling in the gym. I learned that my place on the awards stand doesn't define who I am. Chances are I may not even make it to the podium {I never have at a national championships. I'm competing against 50 people for crying out loud!} I learned that competitive power tumbling is a part of my life to give me experience. I know that sounds like a lame excuse that someone who doesn't win a lot would say, but I truly believe it. Tumbling has brought me some of my strongest friendships, some of my greatest roll models, some of my hardest struggles, some of my sweetest moments. Tumbling has brought me a job that beats the work most of my friends get paid for. Tumbling has brought me growth. (not literally ha!} It has taught me how to trust in others, and how to trust in myself. Tumbling has taken me to places I would have never gone otherwise. Tumbling has allowed me to meet some incredibly awesome people who have taught me great things both pertaining to tumbling, and not. Tumbling has brought me some cool missionary experiences and has given me a chance to share my testimony through example to many who are not of my faith. Now when I get on that airplane and when I enter that arena. I hope to be able to tumble for those reasons, and not for a ranking. Because to me, those are the things that matter most.

See you on the Flipside!



Feel my Sunlight



p.s. Who do you know that is pro at packing a weeks worth of things in a carry on bag? That's right! ME!!!

p.s.s. I will try to post updates as often as I can this week so check back often.

p.s.s.s. I compete at 10 am on the 4th of July. So while you are all at your parades of red, white, and blue think about me!

happy thoughts and only happy thoughts

This picture has nothing to do with this post, I t just makes me happy... then again, maybe it does.

It is going to be a good week. I know what you are thinking... "It's Monday, I'm tired, and I want to go home" or something of that sorts. But I won't have it! It is going to be a good week dangit!

It is meet week you see, the week where I go all crazy and think about nothing but tumbling tumbling tumbling. I have been stuck in a rut and all that has occupied my mind over the last few weeks were plots to avoid schoolish things. Well, I have decided to change my attitude about that, and well, everything else for that matter. There is going to be no complaining this week. Not from me, nor from anyone. If I hear anyone complain about anything to me you will be ignored. And slap me if I start to complain about something. No joke, do it! It will be hard, but we can do it! Only positive thoughts allowed. "I will do well at regionals, I will do well at regionals, I will do well at regionals..." 



None of this...

I am super pumped about this whole regionals thing thanks to USA Gymnastics for uploading all of their old gymnastics footage from way back when. I will be eternally greatful! It is a gymnast-fenatics heaven. I have been rolling in world championship and magnificent 7 footage all weekend. {ha, I have a pretty fantastic social life!} And my cool coach who competed at the Elite Challange as a SENIOR ELITE! Love you Steph!

As soon as Regionals is over we begin the thing we call Nationals Training. I am ready, and I am prepared. It will be hard, and I am excited.

"You've got what it takes,

        but it is going to take

everything                 

          you've got."

 

BOOM! Let's do this thing!

 

I am in one of those moods.{can you tell??} My friends can testify of that. We spent our lunch dancing atop the picknic table at the park to Hannah Montanah like nobody's buisness. Because isn't that what we all thought would happen when we first caught a glimps of High School Musical? What else would four teenage girls without cars or dates supposed to do durring lunch? YOLO people, YOLO. And life is more fun when you don't care what people think about you.

 

 

"Life's          

   what you

make it,         

      so let's make it

ROCK!"

                     -Hannah Montanah   

 

 

It is a good day.


 

Feel my Sunlight

 

 

 

 

p.s. I am a rediculusly good mood considering I just finished taking TWO tests... happy thoughts can do that to a person... "You're a trueueueue friend... put on my old blue jeans... You've got the best of both worlds!"