Do you have time to...

Hey Y'all,

So as I begin to convert my blog to a more user friendly site, I've decided to combine ZenTasting and Tumble Mom. I know. I know. I'm a genius Lol. 

I saw a young lady wearing this sweatshirt and it made me laugh. I also immediately thought I need to find this and buy two. 

Anyone who has ever had a competing gymnast can relate to this hoodie. As I type out this post right now I am sitting in the gym volunteering with my kiddo at a home meet. And of course she wants to come back tomorrow to help out some more. Lol 

For a gymnast their social life IS the gym. Their teammates are their best friends and their coaches are their surrogate parents. This is why it's so imperative that both gymnast and parent are comfortable with where they train. You have to trust your team and respect the process. 

Once you commit to competing, gymnastics is not only a true financial undertaking but an extensive amount of the whole family's time is dedicated to the sport as well. 

As your gymnast climbs up in the ranks of competitive levels it only gets to be more intense. I don't say these things to scare anyone away from the sport. In fact I believe that it will show you the truth about who your child is, their strengths and their opportunities for growth. It will also show you what you're willing to sacrifice in the name if your child's extra curriculars. 

What I've learned about my child is she has so much heart and deduction and genuine love for her sport. And she would eat, sleep, breathe gymnastics if I never made her go home. She doesn't even flinch at the thought of training all throughout her summer vacation. Because she knows gymnastics is a year long sport and she wants every second she can get to master her next skill. 

She also loves seeing me get to witness all of her triumphs and even her flops. What I've learned about myself is, I will give anything to keep her smiling and succeeding in life. Even if it means working a few extra hours when I would rather go home a soak in the tub. Lol

So when you have a dedicated gymnast you understand your time is their time and their time is gymnastics time. 

Fly High and Stick It

Social Skills and Personal Goals

Hey everyone,
So today we experienced a first in our home. The Munchkin Princess brought home a friend from school. Okay, don't get me wrong, it's not like she has never had friends at the house before. She just has never really sought out other kids to bring them home on her own. Usually the socializing in our home is at the hands of birthday parties or other such events. Before gymnastics when she was around 5 or 6 she had a tendency to become "friends" with the girls in class who more or less told her that they were friends. You know the sassy pants, bossy, almost mean girls. (They were still too young to really be mean) I worried that she would get pushed around or negatively influenced by the girls she kept ending up friends with at school. But after joining gymnastics and becoming more and more self-assured she has become rather discerning in her selection of people that she actually calls her friends. Now The Munchkin Princess is expressing desires for a...wait for it......Best friend. (I blame too many B.F.F. Disney movies, but I digress) This is a lot of pressure for me because I know that we have at least one more move before our family really sets roots and settles in somewhere and children often gain friends through their parent's friends and that just hasn't been possible for our daughter. You see, being an only child to young parents kind of puts you in an isolated demographic, especially in our area of town. I am grateful that gymnastics has really ushered her into herself by socially grooming her for peer interaction and giving her the platform that she needs to continue to grow into the little butterfly that she has always been. Just generally  in life I know she will...
Fly High and Stick It

...It's like conducting an orchestra

Hi everyone,
So the last couple of weeks I have been trying to balance being present for The Munchkin Princess' practices, but still taking the time that I need for myself and getting in a workout. Boy I tell you, this is definitely a balancing act. But so far so good; that is, until her Summer training schedule starts. I don't even know how I'm going to get her to the gym on time all four days out of the week, let alone how I'm going to weasel my own time in there. But a way is always made for us, especially when it's the agenda of The Munchkin Princess. So mentally I am preparing for 16 hours a week to become our routine.

The Word/Phrase of the day:
Carpool - An arrangement among people to make a regular journey in a single vehicle, typically with each person taking turns to drive the others.

Maybe we can find someone to help ease each others transportation burdens. Until next time....
Fly High & Stick It Ya'll

Leveling Up?

Happy Monday Ya'll!
So today I had a meeting with The Munchkin Princess' new coaches for the Summer. She has been selected to train wit the next level above her in preparation for training at a higher level in the Fall. Just to explain things a little there are some level name changes happening this Fall during competition season nationally. So all of the girls currently training on the Level 4 team will be competing on the "new" Level 3 come Fall. It will still be all the same skills expected of the old Level 4 but because USAG is doing away with Level 1 all of the other skill levels and being bumped down a level in terms of their names.
So, The Munchkin Princess is being groomed to skip competing at Level 3 in the Fall and jump right into Level 4 competitions. This is really exciting for all of us. It also will be a big adjustment for all of us. This level increase will demand more time, money, and energy from the whole family. But I know we will make it happen and our little star is going to shine. I am beyond proud and I know that even though being put into the new training group for the Summer doesn't guarantee she will actually end up competing at Level 4 in the Fall; she will be step up to the challenge and do beautifully. Because after all it's her love and she has nothing else expected of her but to do her best and her best has prove to be amazing. Here's to recognized talent and being given the chance to grow.
Fly High and Stick It Ya'll

Your word/phrase of the day (this one The Munchkin Princess is working on):
Kip - a kip is a basic skill on the women's uneven bars. The kip is an important skill that is used as both a mount and an element or connecting skill in a bar routine. The kip allows the gymnast to swing below the bar to arrive in a front support on the bar. From the front support, the gymnast may then perform any number of skills. The glide kip is the most commonly used mount on the women's uneven bars.

She says it's her job....

Back from the weekend and I'm excited to report that the Summer training schedule will be out in a few days. This means a LOT to parents (and grandparents) because it allows us to begin planning. Almost certainly means longer hours in the gym for The Munchkin Princess and fewer days with the grandparents over the break. Sad for the grandparents but this is the nature of the beast if she is going to compete. Maybe grandparents will come visit us for a couple of weeks during the Summers instead so that they can spend time together without her missing training. Honestly, that may workout to be the best bet for us after this Summer. 

Amazingly enough The Munchkin Princess has little complaints about having to cut her visits short. She has just made extensive lists of things to do in a condensed span of time. Her approach is, "Gymnastics is my job, just like school. I love gymnastics and it is going to make us rich one day. So, I don't mind working hard at it." These are the words of my 9 year old child and if more adults (myself included) had her focus and drive this world (My world) would be so different. Well if her job is to succeed at school and gymnastics then my job is to lay the pavement for her to travel as smoothly along as possible. With my baby being awarded Gymnast of the Month for March and now being evaluated to potentially move up to Level 5 I will strive to make her only worries be how to master her next skill. 

Out of the mouth of babes the truth shall be spoken, Fly High and Stick It!

Your gymnastics word/phrase for today:

Balance Beam - (This event gives me the most anxiety at the moment)

ust four inches wide, the balance beam challenges gymnasts because they must execute routines that give the impression that they are performing on the floor. The world’s best seem to “attack” the beam and are very confident while demonstrating excellent height, flexibility and power.

New skills Unfolding!

Happy Monday All,
So last week The Munchkin Princess officially acquired a new skill. I am so excited for her, she was absolutely beaming after "proving" her punch front. When a gymnast has a new skill, before they can have it officially recognized they practice it a few times and then they ring the bell. When the new skill bell is rang the whole gym stops moving and all of the gymnasts chant "Hey hey what do you have today?" the gymnast with the new skill responds (in this case) "Punch Front" then the gym responds "Prove it!" and the gymnasts shows their new skill. And my baby did it, she threw that Punch Front big and with confidence and beamed a great grin when she stuck it. Unfortunately I missed her prove it moment (toddler parents and tiny gymnasts in the way) but I did see her Punch Front today and it was exactly the same way that her coach described it to me. Her coach and I were discussing how before that day she had never even really given a that particular skill a solid try, but she some how managed to make it powerful and as large as if she had been practicing it for months. I think she has the same physical abilities as her father, to slow movements down in her mind until she is able to analyse them well enough to understand how they relate to her own body. Gymnastics is her physical gift just as stepping, popping and locking are her father's physical gift. How amazing are they and how fortunate am I?

Your  Gymnastics Term for the week:
Punch Front - A front flip with take-off from two feet. Usually done out of other tumbling elements Forward moving flip punching off both feet.
(The first move in this clip is a the actual punch front, I keep trying to get decent video here but the view is rarely ever clear)

Gymnast of the Month!!

Happy Monday!
So my daughter's coach approached me after practice today and told me that The Munchkin Princess has been selected as gymnast of the month for March! I am so proud, because this is not one of those "everyone gets a turn" awards. These girls have to earn this honor with their work ethic, dedication, positive attitudes, sense of team and sportsmanship. Again, I say that I try my best to be realistic and objective when it comes to my child so that I don't place unattainable expectations on her. So when I said before that she amazed me with her passion and drive; apparently I was not the only one noticing. She doesn't know that she is getting this award yet. Her coach is planning on surprising her with it. I have to send a picture to the gym on Wednesday and fill out a little personal survey about her for the poster. When she receives her award I will post her picture and share her reactions. I truly am so blessed to have such an amazing little person. And to think half of her is Me... well maybe a little more than half. Haha

I'm off to find the perfect little picture to give the coach for her poster. Fly high and Stick it Ya'll!