Thursday, September 27, 2018

A Sailing Dream

Rob, my husband, and I have gone many places, seen many beautiful sites, and experienced many different things. During a couple of those times in Norway or Maryland, my husband always had a draw to the sailboats. Our collection of videos on our phone proves the obsession! ;)
He claimed he was a sailer in his past life and wanted so badly to be on one. We talked about why he doesn't just do it, and his response was, "you'd have to be making lots of money to be able to own a sail boat."  Soon after, he heard a news article written about a family from Eagle Mountain who was going to be selling all their belongings and heading out to the ocean to sail the world. He text me saying, "How would you like to sail around the world?" to which my response was, "Heck no!" (but I quickly erased that) and wrote, "The kids and I would need to take swimming lessons."
I'm not a dream killer. :'D
Then, he started signing up for sailing classes, following the sailing pages on social media, signing us up to go see the boat show in Maryland etc. It was something he was now going to push himself to do.

Now, just a little over a year since that text, we have been preparing ever since.
We've both taken our sailing courses out on Utah Lake (Rob passed with flying colors), we've been to the boat show in Maryland and seen what kind of boat we'd like, we've paid down most of our debt, we bought a freeze drier and started preparing food, we've watched countless amounts of sailing vlogs, we've bought 2 different sailboats (tiny ones for practicing), and now we're prepping our house to be cleaned out and rented out selling all our things.

My mind is okay with change. Yes, it's had it's emotional sides for me. I am still terrified of the "deep end of the pool," and I still need swim lessons, but it's in the books. I burst out in tears every now and then with the thought of drowning again. (it happened to me when I was 5 and I've been afraid ever since)
Rob wants me to "overcome my fears" because it's "holding me back." Little does he know, my mind tells me that every time I think of doing it, and it still hasn't gotten me to even go near the deep end. Someday I see myself jumping off the diving board and swimming right to the top of the water, then across and not dying. Then I remind myself that I'm just making it up in my head. What if I actually didn't come up? What if I sunk like I did long ago? What if the lifeguard didn't see me again? The thought of being trapped under the water (I'm already a claustrophobic person) just makes me feel absolutely sick. Heck, I almost threw up watching (Matt Johnson) on Americas Got Talent. I burst into tears and couldn't contain myself for at least five minutes. Let's just say, "terrified" doesn't begin to describe what I feel.
The kids, however, they are taking their lessons and doing fantastically! All of them can swim pretty good. It makes me proud that they are mine. That they have "swimming" inside of them. :)
Swimming is really the only fear that I have about this idea of sailing. You'd think it'd be sharks, or pirates, or getting lost in some random country, but it's not. Some day..some day soon...

Now that we've talked about this trip more, we've made plans, and decided we'd like to see the world, starting with our own country, The United States. There's lots of places we have never been to here, and we'd love to go there with our kids.

Our plan is to travel to all continental 48 states. We don't care how long it takes us. We want to see it all and not be forced by time to leave. About 6 months ago we went to The Grand Canyon, Four Corners, and the dinosaur museum in Vernal. Just a couple weeks ago we got a 70's like motorhome, (It's seriously AWESOME) and went through Nevada. We saw Lemans Caves and Lake Tahoe.  Went to California to Big Trees National Forest, The Drive Through Tree, The Redwood Forest (we got to meet up with Robs brother Russ), the Golden Gate Bridge, drove along the Pacific Coast Highway, and through Oregon, and Washington (Where we met up with his sister.) We then went up into Canada, got all the girls passports stamped for the first time, and then we drove home through Idaho. It was our favorite trip! The scenery was nice, the motorhome was comfortable, kids were decent ;'D, and we really enjoyed the time we had together.

Last week we had our first yard sale. We sold about 1/2 of what was there, and we're planning on another one this Saturday. I'm happy to see all of our things go. It's nice to get all these things out of our house and make some space. It'll be nice to be out on the ocean and be in a wide open area with fresh air and space. :D

I've started to home school the younger two kids. Kate's still in school, because she's doing math that I still don't understand, and Rob will need to be her teacher.
It's been going fine. Kids don't love it because it's new and they want to see all their old friends. They do love what we do FOR school though, and that makes me feel better. I really try to prep lessons, not heavily, but to the point where I can teach them effectively.

Here is some of the math that we do (Third Grade Math)

Kate's going to finish 8th grade here, then when Rob gets a job working remote, he can teach her.

Rob's job is soon to be gone. The company he is with has been laying off employees (2 times so far) and the next time they do it, they'll be no one left. Unfortunately there is not a severance package for those leaving last, so he's quickly trying to find a good job that he can work remote. If he finds one, we can leave as soon as we want. We already have some good friends who'd like to rent our house from us, so pretty much it's just up to his job.

Life is busy. I've not posted on social media. No one really knows what we're doing yet. We hope to have a blog, vlog, fb page.. it's all in  the works. There's so much to do and so little time.  Hopefully I can post more. We love to read back on the process. Hope you'll all follow us along! There's going to be some great pictures! ;'D








Thursday, February 2, 2012

My Monthly Goal

In preparation to compete in the Mrs.Utah Pageant I have been asked repeatedly what my workout routine is, what I eat, how to do certain exercises, and how to cook food properly. I recently have been sending 5 friends who are the most frequent "askers" texts of my daily habits. If you would like some tips on ways to be a healthier you, please leave a comment. I love to know I can help others seeking a working routine. :) This is a routine that works for me, might or might not work for you, but hey...it could be worth a shot right? ;) Let me know if you'd like me to blog about it a little during any spare time I have..HAHA...spare time. Well, I had time to write this, so who knows, maybe I'll get lucky again. :)

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

My Modeling Dream

For many years now, I have wanted to model. It all started way back when I was young, and I loved Vogue Magazine. As I got older, I watched Americas Next Top Model, and wished I could be on it. I saw how difficult it was to accomplish the tasks they were given, but loved the outcome of the pictures that were taken. They were all so beautiful, and I would love the tips Tyra would give.
After having my 3rd baby girl I felt "taken." My hard tummy had been stretched out, my brain cells sucked out, and now all of my energy gone. I wondered on a daily basis what it would be like to be myself again. I had forgotten my inner beauty. I remember being jealous of my baby because she was so pretty and would get all the attention. No one would even look at me. More than once, when I WAS noticed, I was asked when "I was due." That simply made more pain inside me, and depression started to settle in. Rob tried to make me feel better, but it just wasn't the same. I wasn't happy.
As my girls got older, I realized my dream was still in me. I still wanted to be a model. I wanted to be in Vogue. I wanted to prove to myself I could be that girl that was forgotten. I got on the internet and looked up modeling companies in the SL area. I found one that looked good and went.
To my surprise the woman that spoke to me seemed as though they had been looking for someone with my look. She told me I was "pretty with a unique look" and "Something they needed." She actually asked me if I would be willing to gain 5 lbs and be a plus size model. Although the thought of modeling sounded fun, I knew I wasn't happy with my weight and heath status, and asked her how much I'd need to lose to be a regular size model. She replied that a size 4-6 is what they usually are, but then she added, but that would take a long time and be really hard to get down to considering I was just five lbs away from being a plus size model. I would have to lose 12 sizes. She continued on saying I would be better off if I took acting classes (since it was recommended for modeling anyway)I remember telling her,I'll come back when I'm a 4.
I went home, contacted the office about acting classes, and took a 5 week course. They put my head shot in the website and I was "good to go" for that area. I never got a call for work, which I was told I would, but it never bugged me anyway, because I don't/didn't want to be an actress.
A year after that in early November,I remember talking to my husband and saying how much I wanted to model. I told him it was not a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN. I told him, if the woman from the agency had called me and told me she wanted me to do a runway next month I would workout and eat right and lose the last 8 lbs I had left with no trouble at all. He simply said, "then why don't you just do it?"...yeh.why don't I "just do it?" I wanted it for so long. I knew I could. I JUST HAD TO DO IT. I started the next morning. It was all I could think about all night. I woke up, made some eggs and toast and hit the treadmill. 2 hours a day. Continued to walk the treadmill for several months.(keeping my heart rate at 145-155 to lose the weight)My meals consisted of salads, chicken,protein shakes,eggs, lots of veggies,and more chicken..
June 2011 our family went to the always exciting Orem Summerfest. People were coming up to me time and again saying how I was "looking great" and asking what I was doing. It made me feel good.I had gotten down to 11 % body fat, 133 lbs, and was looking nice and toned.
I called into the modeling agency, asked when the next runway training course would take place. I showed up, learned, and did a really great job. Mothers watching complemented me, the instructor used me as a positive example of what the walk should look like, and when she said we need to have a sassy face I knew just how to do it. THANKS TYRA! ;)
It has now been 6 moths or so since then. I am happily maintaining a healthy diet, and continuing to exercise. The HAPPY ME is back! I am happy to say I've been on the runway not once..but twice, and have done a lot of modeling. I recently talked to a girl who knew more than I did about Vogue modeling. She said her friend who was a size 00 was too big. Okay.. that's not what I'm looking for. I want to keep my curves and my health. So who knows...maybe I can be in a walmart catalog someday. ;) Glad to say, my dreams have come true.Now on to the new ones... :)

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Dude...so any of you chicken fans can get a free nesting box if you leave a comment on this site. Check it out. :) We want to get chickens next year, so I know I'm doing it. :)

http://georgiafarmwoman.blogspot.com/2010/09/henpals-chicken-nest-box-giveaway.html

They are so great, check it out!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

A Quick Update

So..yes. There is a really good reason as to why I have not been blogging much lately...



We took our little family to Disneyland,


To the beach,


Went to a beautiful wedding



had a little preschooler graduate,




Went fishing,






Saw our uncle Dane come home from his LDS mission,






Played in the sun,






Had a few birthdays,









Made a billion projects,








Had family pictures,











And started my modeling portfolio...


So to all of you who wondered, "what the heck happened to Tracy?" now you know. ;)

Hopefully I will remember to blog a little bit more now that winter is almost here. :(











Thursday, February 11, 2010

My baby's blessings

So I told ROb when we moved I was missing a bunch of pictures...
He got on the computer and tried to find them last night, and said we were missing a year and 3 months worth. I was SO DEVISTATED!! That was the year my baby was born..and when she was blessed...and and and...

And then he found them...Ahhh...:) I wanted to post a picture of each of my kids from their blessings. They are all pretty much the same age in these, just so interesting how similar they look to eachother. This one is of Kate (2005)


Ava (2007)

And Chloe (2009) Oh.. Thank you Rob for being so smart, and finding all our sweet baby pictures. What would I do without you?

Monday, January 18, 2010

2010 PARTY

Jessica, Nicole (Hullinger), and Kate watching New Years Fireworks
Happy New Year Hun!
Derek and Robbie goin' at it ;)
Lucia (Hullinger) Kissing all of her babes and wishing them a Happy New Year
The count down
Derek's going to have some cheese for new year.
Dance Dance Revolution kicking my trash
Kate and her cousin Meranda playing the Wii
Hot Robbie

Happy 2010 Everyone! Okay.. so I'm about a month late. Well, at least I pictures now...so I hope you can forgive me.