Sooooooo, sorry everyone that I haven't posted in so long:( I was so busy between Jr. Nationals and trying to tweak things in 3 weeks for Team Universe that my online life was put on hold. Where to start first??? Well, I'll start with Chicago. It was a blast! A top 5 placing helped make it more exciting I think:) Other than the power going out and the show starting and hour and a half late it was so much fun! It was more fun that any local show I've ever done. Let me tell you, the physique's that showed up were sick! When you go to a local show, you can pretty much pick out the great physique's from the okay ones. At Jr. Nat's everyone looked awesome! So to be in first call out's......the second number called out was amazing! It was a little disheartening when they left me out there for second call out's, but I was still so pumped up! The hubs didn't make it out for that one, but I had 2 of my girlfriends with me (A-town and Nikki - thanks again for a great weekend!). My friend Adriana is AMAZING at makeup and really made me look beautiful for that show. I see some of the girls who pay over $100 bucks to get their makeup done and I just think about how lucky I am to have such talented friends to help me out;-) I didn't get my cheesecake, and almost didn't get my pizza but a friend who lives in the area made sure I got my Chicago style pizza fix (thanks Justin!). The nest 24 hours I was on a food bender! I ate just about everything I came in contact with! I never in my life thought I would actually get sick off food until that day. I was actually standing over the toilet hoping that I would get sick to feel better:( Thank God I went back on the diet and within the next 24 hours felt soooo much better!
Now onto Team Universe.....
The drive was about 11 hours or so. We had a bikini competitor, a bodybuilder, a figure competitor, and one spectator (the hubs). Let me just say....we took a lot of bathroom breaks! I was really looking forward to Team U. If it was anything like Jr.'s it was going to be great! Unfortunately that wasn't the case. It was held at a new venue this year and I'm not sure how much field work was done before they picked the location they did. It was big enough, but there was no air conditioning backstage at all! It was soooooo frickin' hot! They had some big fans going, but they were just blowing around hot air. The dressing rooms were not very accommodating for all the competitors either. I had a huge bag of goodies to munch on with everyone, but the way the rooms were set up it was hard to really even find a spot where a group of people could sit and nosh together. There were 38 (I think) girls in my class! 12 more than Chicago! So, we're backstage and just as we're about to go out an expeditor comes over and tells us to go quickly with our quarter turns. I must have been the only ding dong who listened! My hubs told me later that I went too fast through them. He said everyone else took their time. Boo! I haven't got my feedback yet, but I just know that'll be something they comment on. Now we're all in line, and I'm waiting for my number to be called......1st round....nada.....second.....no dice.....(awe crap what the hell happened!?) I didn't get called out until like 4th or 5th round! It wouldn't have been so bad, but just coming off a top 5 placing I was wondering WTF??? So as soon as I got back to our hotel I was like bust out the sub buns and the lunch meat I wants me a sammich!!!! Oh, and a pop-tart too! hehe! I knew I wasn't placing well so as long as I didn't get all bloated it was all good:D I hung out backstage with Josie Zamora (Figure overall at Jr. Nat's) and Chelsey Morgenstern (Class C winner at Jr. Nat's IFBB Pro). They were super nice! They both hopped right into their first pro show (I would've too!) and did pretty well (Josie placed 4th! and Chelsey placed 13th!)....not bad for a debut 3 weeks after going pro! After I didn't get a trophy (lol!) I sat in the audience to watch a little while I attacked at piece of Godiva cheesecake from the Cheese Cake Factory! I killed it! Then we went with two other couples to Houston's for food! I was so bummed they were all out of ribs! I ended up getting a cheeseburger. I also had grilled artichoke's on my friend Trisha's recommendation....yum! They were amazing! When we got back to the hotel, the hubs and I had some champagne (half a glass, I just wanted water!). He fell asleep and I had another pop-tart and some ho-ho's! I emailed Sandy, the head judge, for feedback and went to bed. The drive home was looooong! But Becca and I passed the time with great conversation! I'm so glad we drove together:) I still feel bad that she had to drink water from the "Jug Filler" though. I have to get me a 6 cup food processor so I can make the yummy chocolate peanut butter she was telling me about. I'm kinda afraid to now that I'm off-season! Let me tell you, that girl is a wealth of food and diet knowledge. You wanna make your diet not a diet, give her a call (Team Staggs shoutout! :D)
