Where has time gone!

Time... has passed by so quickly!

Our time has been filled with getting a house....

Then getting that said house taken away.
Then getting assigned another house.

Oh and keys to the front door and a garage door opener came with that house! So we called the movers and told them to bring on the boxes!!!

So the boxes came....

And I unpacked and unpacked and unpacked some more and now that house that came with keys to the front door and a garage door opener is our HOME SWEET HOME!!!

I am excited, happy, and in love with our new home! It is nice to be back to "normal" for a minute!

I can't wait to continue to share our 15 state adventure with you now that we have internet in our home! Brace yourself folks....The blog writing is back!! Could be some edge of your seat kind of posts coming up....

Well maybe not, but our summer adventure was pretty awesome and I am excited to share!


Gracefully I look up, so very thankful for all that is falling perfectly into place for our family. For the amazing life God has given us....LIFE IS GOOD!!! 

Yep That Smart Guy is My Husband!

The past two months have been nothing short of crazy. From triathlons to a 15 state journey toward our new CA home, this summer has been full of adventure and lots of excitement. Before we could start all the fun we needed to celebrate a huge accomplishment.........

Scott FINISHED SAASS!!!!!

Not a great picture... but that is his third masters degree in his hand!!!

This masters degree was not an easy degree to obtain.

Yes we get to keep every one of them!

Pictured above is the crazy amount of books that were read by him throughout the year. This picture does not include the books needed for research for the 110 page thesis that he wrote. Along with the 110 pages of thesis writing he also wrote a 10 page paper for every class he took throughout the year. To top all of that off, at the end of the year he had to sit in front of a board of 3 professors for 2.5 hours recalling every book he read. 

The books and writing are impressive all by themselves, but Scott did something that impressed me way more than the school work.... He made it look easy to the kids and I. In fact it was not until the end of the year that I realized this was not an easy task for Scott. He looked at me when it was all over and said, "This was one of the hardest things I have ever done." I was beyond shocked at that comment. The kids and I never felt the stress that this year placed on him. That is what I am most proud of. 

Impressed

Amazed

Proud

In LOVE with most amazing dedicated man I know!!! Scott you are a rock star! Thanks for being a man our kids can look up to. Thanks for putting us first even when life is throwing Clausewitz at you. 

Tell those who do what is right 

that things will go well for them, because

they will receive a reward for what they do.

Isaiah 3:10

Gracefully I look up.....

Back On Track... The Tri Story!

Wow, so much has been going on in our lives. So many exciting things have happen. Things that make me say, "I can't wait to blog about that!" Just haven't had the time.

Now, as I sit in a new "home" with a clear calender... I have nothing but time!

So back in time I will go, one Brodeur adventure at a time!

In May, I decided that I was going to do a triathlon, my first! We signed up for the Buster Briton Triathlon thinking this would be a great way to start this adventure! Then heard about one on Maxwell AFB the day before, so we signed up for that one, too! I mean why not??? Back to back sprint triathlons, sounds like fun.

I was very nervous but so excited! Scott and I had really started getting into the training and I was loving it. Being back in the pool was hands down my favorite. I love the feeling of hitting that swimmers high, feeling like you are gliding through the water with ease. I LOVE swimming and I have missed it so much. We also took the bikes off the trainers and hit the road. I had so many nerves with this. Let's just say I am not as fearless as I use to be. Adding these to the run made for a great workout. A workout that made you feel strong and actually felt like you did something.

So Triathlon #1 day came. Scott is so awesome in getting everything ready, to include me mentally. He is a great pep talker and encourager. He knows all my fears and knows how to take them away. Which he did perfectly for this race. I was completely ready for it.

All the gear packed and we were off to the race!

This race was great. It was a pool swim and the route that we biked and ran on was the one we trained on, so I was set. We both swam faster then we did while training. The bike was great! I stayed in the arrow position the whole time, which is a big deal for me. I didn't get scared at all!! I was on a huge high when it was time for the run, which went great also. The whole race was great. I was officially hooked! Could not wait for the next days race!

Triathlon #2....The Buster Briton

Open water swim in an Alabama lake, which means snakes and gar. Hilly coarse, which means fast downhills on the bike. All that did not phase me. I was still on Tri High from the day before. I was a bit nervous, but nothing that would effect my race.

So we lined up for the swim. I got in the water to test it out and all my critter fears went away. I felt like I was ready... Until... this silly lady... said the wrong thing!!! She asked me, "Have you ever done open water training before this?"  My response, "UH no!! Does that matter?" Her response? "Uh, I guess not..." With that look that says, "Silly goose, how have you not swam open water before today!?" That was it, that was the comment that put me in super freak out mode. I entered the water and panic rushed through me. That with half the lake in my lungs, and I went into doggy paddle survival swim mode. I reached the nearest kayak grabbed on while Scott treaded water next to me. He got me refocused and I swam hard and fearless the rest of the swim!

Then came the bike! I got out of the water ran to the bike ready to go, popped down in my arrow position and I was off. Then I felt like I was going way fast down a hill, so naturally I decided to slow it down a notch. Silly Tara, you can't hold on to one side in the arrow position and other side in the regular position, you will loose balance!! Which is exactly what I did. At mile one I had a "Jesus take the wheel" moment and crashed! I was a dirty, teared stained hot mess. My bike was in the exact same state! Then my night and shining armor appeared. Scott helped me get cleaned up, fixed my bike, and got me refocused to ride 13 more miles. With my hands on my brakes on every downhill, and there was a lot, I finished the bike ride.

As we changed into our running gear Scott said, "If you trip on the run you are intentionally trying to have a bad race!" Guess what... I DID NOT TRIP!!! In fact I ran a pretty good run, finished the race and became a TRIATHLETE with battle wounds to prove it!!!

I faced all my fears and conquered them and cannot wait to do another. Next on our list is an olympic distance tri with ocean water swim. I am hoping to not doggy paddle and keep my bike on the road. If I can do those two things, oh... and avoid a shark attack, I will call it a success!

My 3 Rockstars!

Our kids have had an amazing school year this year! They are ROCK STARS!!!!

Jessie had a great last year of Junior High. Today is her last day of school. It is bitter sweet for her. She does not have to take final exams because she had awesome grades. So today not only will she say good bye to Junior High, but she will also say good bye to all of her friends. This fact alone amazes me.

Jess also did many more amazing things this year. This fall she decided she was going to be a cheerleader. We were shocked to say the least! Her loud voice, animated personality, and great drama skills made her an awesome cheerleader. Her squad voted her Homecoming Queen Runner Up, a title that is based on leadership and personality. The girls also brought home first place in the city league cheer competition.

Her academic skills were top notch! She finished her second consecutive year with a Straight A average! Jess was enrolled in High School Algebra and all Advanced 8th grade classes they offered, so getting all A's was no easy task.

Jess learned her fair share of life lessons in Junior High. She learned that her family will be by her side through everything and friends will turn away when you need them most. It was a year of tears and happiness. A year of growing and becoming a fine young lady. She made us very proud this year and we know she will continue to do great things!

This big man also had an awesome year. Jameson wrapped up his career as a Prattville Youth Lion football player. He had a great season, learning a lot and showing lots of improvement from last year. Although he did not get a lot of time on the field during the games, he learned so much at practice. He was one of the fastest runners on the field. He worked on hitting a little harder and throwing a little further. In the middle of the season, Jameson had his tonsils removed but that did not slow him down. Two weeks after surgery he was back on the field running fast! At the end of the season he decided he would like to be the kicker and practiced for hours in the yard. So next year, he will attempt to be a kicker!

One of Jameon's biggest changes occurred in school. He struggled last year with a couple of things. Over the summer we had a chance to fix those things. With the help of an amazing teacher and some hard work from Big J, he sky rocketed. He brought his math level from a 2.5 (2nd grade 5th week) to a 4.8 (4th Grade 8th week), and his reading level from a  4.2 (4th Grade 2nd Week) to a 5.5 (5th grade 5th week). He got a total of 4 wrong on his spelling tests for the whole year. To top all of those awesome academic achievements, he was also a Straight A student all year!

One of Jameson's biggest accomplishments for himself was receiving the Presidential Physical Fitness award. He had the record number of pull-ups for his class and one of the fastest run times! He is very proud of this award and can't wait to get his red t-shirt this week! 

Last but certainly not least, our Jill Bill! She finished up kindergarten and headed up to the big school to start the year as a first grader! She also did amazing in school. Jillian is one of the top readers in her class and has one of the highest AR scores. Getting one wrong on a spelling pretest was probably one of the worst things that happen to her this year. She got 100% on every test after that! To no surprise to anybody, she is also coming home with all A's her first grade year!

Jillian also had a great year in sports. She started off the year competing Level 1 and ended her season as a PYG (Prattville Youth Gymnast) Level 3 gymnast. In CA she will start competing Level 4. Jill Bill worked very hard and brought home lots of medals and a trophy with her very own name on it! Big deal when you are 7! I am impressed with this sweet thing's skills in the gym. Not sure where she got her skills from!

Jillian is also the proud recipient of the Presidential Physical Fitness award. She is proud to be along side her big brother in their red t-shirts!

I am so proud of my 3 Rock Stars! They worked very hard and have a lot to be proud of. They are my heros. Not only did they move to a new state and start a new school, but they did it with pure awesomeness!!! Now they prepare to do it again, start a new school in a new state. I know they will continue to do amazing things in their lives and my pride for them will never be lacking! Way to go Brodeur kids, you make dad and I so proud!!!! Love you so very much!


Gracefully I look up, thankful for my 3 amazing, beautiful/handsome, smart and funny kiddos! God you gave me the best.....thank you!

There Will Never be Another Dixie

Our Dixie Girl

Today is a very sad day for our family. A 2nd consultation with our vet confirmed what we already knew, that our days with Dixie are coming to an end. On Monday we will say good-bye to our Prairie Wind's SC Dixie Girl. She is in pain and has stopped eating normally and her back legs are shot. The Vet said it is time, and we knew that. Our hearts are very sad and tears are in our eyes, but we know on Monday our sweet girl will be hunting again and pain free. We will miss her so much!

For 13 years Dixie has brought us a great deal of happiness. She is an amazing dog. To us she is more than just a pet, she is a member of our family. As I type this she is by my side. Through every deployment she has protected us and kept me company. She greets us with a waging tail every time we walk through the door. Excited every time she sees us. Dixie has been the best hunting partner for Scott. She is simply the best when it comes to rooster hunting. There is no other dog like her!

There will never be another Dixie! Our hearts are broken as we spend our last days with our sweet girl. She will be missed so much. Our house will be empty without her but I know that this is the best thing for her. So hunt 'em up girl, we love you!

Dixie with Sophie on her last hunt.

Now they can hunt 'em up together again.

Another Crazy Goal

This past weekend was a busy one! Jillian competed in her last gymnastics meet as a PYG and Scott competed in his first triathlon at the exact same time.

They both did awesome!!! I was a very proud mama and wife. Jillian had a gymnastics meet before this one that wasn't her best. This meet was awesome. She did wonderful and came home with 2nd place all around, 1st place on vault and beam, and 2nd place on floor and bars. Not only did she bring home some awesome bling, she brought home a new confidence in herself as well. She ended her time at the Prattville YMCA on a good note! 

So proud of my gymnast!

Scott also made me proud and a bit jealous at the same time. I was proud that he got to achieve his goal. Proud that he did well and wanted to do more!  He has had a goal to finish a triathlon before he turns 40 for a really long time.  His ultimate goal was to do an ocean water swim tri and in his words, " have the shit scared right out of him"! He has watched every Kona Ironman race with envy. Wanting to be an ironman himself. He is surrounded by a group of guys at work that have completed in full and half ironman races and do very well. Not only do the guys compete but so do their wives.  So this goal has reached new levels. A goal until this past weekend I wasn't completely sure I wanted to set for myself. I was good with just being his cheerleader and maybe train with him sometimes. I was suppose to compete with him this weekend but because of the gymnastics meet I just got the t-shirt. A fact that I was good with until he came home. 

When he walked through the door he was grinning ear to ear and had a pride in himself that comes from setting a goal and achieving it. I know that feeling, which might be the reason why I was so jealous. Until now I have crossed every finish line with Scott. I didn't cross this one and I hated that. I couldn't share in his excitement. I hated feeling this way. Hated that I was so jealous and not cheering him on like I should have. So I changed my jealousy into something else. I changed it into a goal. 

I want to get bit by the tri bug. I have talked to a friend of mine that is one of the wives I was talking about. She recently became an ironmom. She and I shared the same fear of open water swim. I had not heard anyone speak this fear until now. 

I made her a bag and she shared her fear with me!! See the bags play a roll in about everything! Hearing that this rock star ironmom  had the same fear as me made me rethink my goals. She told me about her open water experience and helped ease my fear. Although, the fear is still very much there she helped me out mentally. I want to overcome this fear both mentally and physically. 

I am a swimmer, although haven't swam competitively since high school. I enjoy riding bike and have also done so since high school. I also enjoy running and run lots. Never have I put all three together. Scott completing this race and Meg sharing the same fear has helped me set a new goal. That goal is to complete a Half Ironman race in one year. 

I am stoked, motivated and excited. Scott is already proud of me, which boosts me to high levels. We started our training together today. It is a slow start but it is a start. Running only today and tomorrow we will head to the pool for my first swim in over 12 years. I am excited. Our first tri together will be on June 11. I just registered today. I am praying that the Vineman will be the Half Ironman we will compete in next April but we have to wait for some AF decisions before we sign up. As soon as they release those decisions I will register us for that race or another one. Either way Scott will be an ironman and I will be an ironmom in one year. 

I am happy that Scott did this race without me. I am happy that he figured it all out so he can hold my hand and guide me through my first tri. He is awesome that way. Takes great care of me at my weakest times. He is going to be an awesome training partner and I can't wait to achieve this goal with him. 

As for his, "scare the shit out of me" ocean water swim tri, that will be happening before he is 40 in fact it will take place about 4 days before his birthday. Great way to turn 40! I am pretty sure I will either drown or swim faster then I have ever swam due to the fear of the shark invested water! If I survive I am going to give Scott the biggest salt water lipped kiss at the end! 

So here we go! A new goal set and a new goal I hope to achieve! I will keep you all updated on our progress as we go through this life changing journey! Wish us luck, it is going to be a crazy ride!!!

My New View on Friendship....

Confession time. Warning this blog may shock you. The content is Real and 100% how I feel.

Yes, I struggle. I struggle with more than health problems. I struggle with love. No, not love from my husband, kids, or parents. Not love from God. I struggle with love from friends.

Yep, love from friends.

Until recently, I wasn't sure you were suppose to love friends. In my mind I thought you only love family. Not sure if I was raised that way or if this was a theory I came up with on my own. Either way my mind said love family not friends.

 Maybe, I haven't loved friends because I haven't totally committed. Maybe, I haven't loved friends because I was trying to fit into the wrong crowd. A crowd that consisted of people opposite of me. Therefore, my heart didn't feel love because I wasn't loving where I was.

No, I am not going through some pity party. No one has hurt me and no drama has occurred. In fact the opposite is happening. I am falling in love with my friends. I am actually giddy about a new friendship. I am finally believing I can pick out the toxic friends from my amazing friends. Real people from fake. Although, it is becoming tough at times, it is also making me grow. Giving me confidence, realizing I don't have to be friends with everybody and I don't have to take shit from anybody. I love this feeling.

I fought my whole life to fit in with the "in" crowd. Not looking outside of the crowd and seeing what else was out there. I believe that limited me and my decisions. I also believe it prevented me from finding love in friends. The artsy crowd wasn't cool. So I stuck with what was cool. I didn't match up with people because I wasn't being me.

I also believe I need to figure out who "me" was. I think I did.

I am an artist. I love to create. Never, until recently would I have said those words about myself. A new friendship has help me realize that. A friend that can see who you are is worth loving. Holly is worth loving!!!

I have been so blessed to have her in my life. I am so thankful that we had time in Atlanta to reconnect.  Making a bag for her was the best thing I have ever done for a friend! It has opened up new avenues for me. Also, giving me a confidence in myself that has until now, has been lacking.  Confidence to move forward with my bags. Explore the opportunities that are being placed before me. Opportunities placed before me by other artists. I have had goals with my bags and Holly help me refocus those goals. Goals that I can't wait to share with you very soon!

Holly also gets other things about me. We have a lot in common and share a lot of the same views on life. I believe even when we disagree we will still be able to see each other's point without hating one another.

I love all of that about her.

She is unbelievably talented. Her film Prairie Love was amazing. Her acting skills are crazy good. I still have 10,000 questions about certain creative elements in the film. I would love to be able to sit with the whole crew that was involved in this awesome film and ask them all my questions. I watched this film from a perspective that I have never done before. Looking for the creative elements. Film is art and Prairie Love taught me that. It also makes me want to watch more independent films. I now see that there is more to a film than the story, there is an art in it. Holly taught me that.

So in a nutshell, I have found love in a friend. A friend that deserves to be love is a friend that teaches you things, gets you, and builds confidence in yourself. Encourages you to do the things you are good at and stops you from doing things that you suck at. A friend that deserves your love is someone that loves you for you. Holly is that to me.

Being with her in Atlanta changed me. Changed the way I view a friend and changed the way I view myself. So, thanks Holly! I love ya, girl!!!!



Gracefully I look up, thankful that I have been able to figure out "me". Thankful that God is placing things and people before me to help me with my challenges. Helping me refocus my goals and giving me the tools to achieve them. Thankful that He is placing people in my life that are worth loving and He is showing me how to love them!!!