The Wrap Up

I am struggling to write this final blog because I am overwhelmed with emotion. What do you do when something you have been focused so intently on is over? I'll admit although I am happy not to be so regimented and restricted anymore, I am definitely a little bit sad. Right now I am watching my mom and grandma washing and chopping the entire Asian Food market in our kitchen ( bok choy, mushrooms, kale, onions..etc.), a not so familiar, yet familiar sight. Today was very difficult reintroducing myself to normal things such as this scene in my kitchen and the ability to wear deodorant without messing up my spray tan. Okay...I admit it, I didn't scrub so hard in the shower so my tan stays on for just a little bit longer.

Here are my final thoughts...

I didn't win, I didn't even place. And I'm not going to pull that "everyone is a winner" bullshit either. I may not have won, but I learned and I earned... the title of a figure competitor.

Upon arrival and check in the day of the competition each competitor is issued a number. My number was 17. I was hoping for 7 or 11 but I should have been more clear with my request to the universe and picked ONE, instead I got both. I wasn't mad.

Mom and I had the LOUDEST and BEST cheering section out of all 75 competitors. Although we both practiced our routines at nausea, when we got up there we both strayed and did what ever we felt like. The first thing my brother Randy said to me was, "Kate, that is the most I've ever seen of you."

When all is said and done, I am changed for good and for the better. I am more comfortable in my own skin and more aware of my body. I have a new found respect for my mother and a renewed faith in the idea that hard work pays off. This experience has left me feeling totally, 100 % blessed. Blessed because I am surrounded with such wonderful people. To everyone who has been in my corner since the sand box and to everyone who I have picked up along the way, thanks. I can not stress how thankful I am to everyone who reached out to me this summer. Whether it be sending me free Egglands Best coupons, buying me flowers, cooking me my own special meals, sending me quotes, or hitting me up on facebook, it meant the world to me.

You are all probably wondering what the first thing I ate was. It was chocolate covered strawberries :) After that I went to the diner and although my mom and I went our separate ways after the competition, we both ordered BLTs without ever even discussing it. Weird I know...

Another question you might have is what the highlight of my day was. It was when my brother came back stage to congratulate my mom and I after our 1 min of fame and he had tears in his eyes.

Whenever I see the bronze foot print permanently stained in my rug, I will think back and remember this experience with nothing but fond memories. To everyone who made a t-shirt or a poster for the competition, hold on to it. You may be wondering if I plan on competing again... do you really need to ask?

"MUSCLING THROUGH"

I am kind of sick of writing about myself and I am sure your sick of reading about me...So don't worry there are only 6 more days to go! I figure that I would take this blog and write about someone else. Someone who I know just as well as I know myself.

Every athletic game of my career began the same way. A quick scan of the crowd and an ear scratch. My mom, who has attended 80% of these games, would recognize the symbol and do the same... our symbol of acknowledgement and an ' I love you.'

When my mom was 20 (my age) she was married with one kid. Every time one kid went off to kindergarden, another one popped out. My mom, who was a much better student then I am, did not have the opportunity to do what she really wanted, get her college degree. But that didn't stop her. It may have took sometime, but in the midst of raising three kids and managing to keep awake during night classes, she finally reached her goal, and at age 30 obtained her college degree. This is one example of her determination or what she calls, "MUSCLING THROUGH."

Yet again, she has "muscled through." I'll be the first to admit, my mom has worked 100 times harder than I have, having to do double the amount of cardio and lose double the amount of weight. On July 23rd she turned 50. Her birthday dinner was Tilapia and Asparagus, not one taste of birthday cake.

Today was a big milestone for her, 16 weeks and 35lbs ago, she decided that she wanted her competing weight to be in the 120's. For the first time this morning she weighed 129lbs! If we could have celebrated with champagne and ice cream cake we would have, instead we just high-fived and hugged. Go Mom!

For the first time I'll be the one watching her from the stands.

Schedule of the Week of the Show

Two weeks from today! So far I have been instructed that no more intense cardio is allowed, but to try to sweat as much as possible. Low intensity cardio and sweating do not seem to really go together, which may mean that I will be layering my clothes to workout. Within a day or two my diet will change slightly. The next step will be to start manipulating the amount of water in my body.

Things are really heating up at home. We should have a T.V show called "Two Moody Bitches Under One Roof." Take this morning for example... my mom called me a name so inappropriate that I can not even imagine writing it down, you can use your imagination...Granted I deserved it. In retaliation, I stole 5 dollars from her car and bought myself a water and did not get her one. Regardless, we still went to the gym together, had a solid leg workout and of course, shared the water.

I thought it would be fun to let you all in on our schedule the week before the show. All the appointments have been set..

Mon, Aug 23rd: 10 A.M Katie Wax...EEEK!

Tues, Aug 24th: 10 A.M Rosie Wax

5 P.M mani/pedi Katie and Rosie ( A French of course!)

Wed, Aug 25th: LAST WORKOUT! (or what Jillian might call, "The LAst Chance Workout" )

6:00 P.M Spray tan K.O -first one ever! I don't really like that fake shit. I prefer the real thing, laying in the bed!!!!

6:30 P.M Spray tan Rosie

Thurs, Aug 26th: 6:00 P.M Spray tan K.O

6:30 P.M Spray tan Rosie

Picking up Grandma from the airport. Poor Grandma! Gram, if you are reading this it is no too late!

Friday, Aug 27th: 4:00 P.M Driving down to Burlington to take lie detector tests to make sure that we have taken no illegal substances!

6:00 P.M Another Spray tan!

Sat, Aug 28th: 6 A.M Make up (Barbie status)

7 A.M Getting our hair did

10 A.M Pre-meeting

11:30 A.M Pre-judging

5 P.M See you there!

The Latest

Last night when I got up to pee for the second time, it hit me that in less than three weeks I will be walking out on stage in front of my closest friends and family and I was so anxious it took me another hour to fall back asleep. Here are some updates on what I have been up to...

1. My mom and I have officially picked our stage song and they are perfect. In addition, I have ironed out my exact posing routine. This will probably be the longest 60 seconds of my life. I hope that I go on stage before her because just thinking about watching her finish what she started gets me emotional.

2. I currently have blisters all over my feet from perfecting my strut in those damn high heels. I do appreciate how much better they make my legs look...I guess you

can say we have established a love-hate relationship.

3. My suit came in the mail. Clearly we must have ordered it from Baby Gap because the tiny bottoms did GREAT things for my butt and thighs. If you have ever tried on something too small for you, you can imagine what a great confidence boost this was for me (FML). A new suit is on it's way.

4. Last Friday, Alberto advised me to have a cheat meal. A cheat meal is meant to spike up your metabolism, which sometime will slow down if you eat the same amount of calories, fat and carbs every day. I happily (and totally guilt-free) housed four slices of Staten Islands' finest pizza. I could have eaten the who

le pie...

5. Yesterday, I got totally ambushed at the MAC makeup store in the Short Hills Mall. What I thought was a routine trip with my mom to simply pick out the color of our eye shadow and style of our fake eyelashes for the show, turned into an hour trial run. I sat in the

chair while a woman applied layers and layers of stage make up. The foundation and bronzer she used are meant to match my skin tone AFTER my spray tan and not my skin tone now. I'll admit she did a great job and I think it will look great on stage, but the walk through the mall back to my car (with my new Barbie face on) was a tad embarrassing.

6. I went from eating 2 cups of asparagus, to now eating three cups of asparagus. You know the rumor about how asparagus is suppose to make your pee smell? Totally true.

7. When I was a kid my parents would have to chase me around the house to get me to shower. I am officially sick of having to shower multiple times a day, therefore I have made the conscious decision to cut my showers in half. Feels good to be the smelly kid again. Judge me.