On the Way to Tough Mudder- Central Texas!

Around last April, I saw a Facebook post by a friend fishing for companions to join her in a 10 mile mud-and-guts obstacle course on October 9th in Central Texas called Tough Mudder. Supposedly, the obstacles were designed to replicate British Special Forces training – complete with head games. I didn’t even blink before I was in. I just had to convince Chris. I mentioned it. Done. That was easy! We were in. Second thoughts have entered, mind you. For Chris, it’s the iced water obstacles. His mind can’t wrap itself around putting his body, particularly his testicles, through the numbing pain of swimming in ice. For me, it’s electrocution. I’m claiming sanity on that one and reminding myself (like I did during childbirth and on the Tower of Terror at Disney) that hundreds of thousands of people have done it and lived through it. I will feel supremely badass when it’s over… if I live. I did have to sign a death waiver, after all. Come to think of it, I had to sign a similar waiver for my wisdom teeth extraction so whatever.

Chris and I (like you, I’m sure) have watched those bullshit armed forces commercials that show obstacle courses and teamwork and make the whole military experience look like ropes-course-sleep-away-camp for adults. We dreamed of being able to participate in the time-limited physical challenge as it is depicted – teamwork, heart, strength, pain, drive… ultimate challenge – without the rest of the military committment.

We read everything on their website and various blogs of others who had participated in various locations throughout the country, signed up, and paid our money. Shit. Now we’d have to train- hard. We’re physically fit people but the prospect of this (we hoped) would take us to an entirely different plane. We were in South Carolina at the time. We immediately began training using the program on the Tough Mudder website.

Tough Mudder is not a race. It’s a challenge and focuses on camaraderie and teamwork. I have to say that Chris and I have bonded tremendously with ourselves and each other over this experience. We have trained 5-6 days a week through eighteen states – all in and around the RV using playground equipment, picnic tables, and household items. While in New Hampshire this summer, I found a book called, “You Are Your Own Gym” by Mark Lauren. We were getting bored and feeling a bit of a plateau settle in with our workout regime. This book has been a big turning point for us. Some major nutritional revelations have been the other key but that’s really an entirely different post. Long story short (in case that post is delayed in coming)- we are thriving on a no sugar, no gluten, no processed flour, low glycemic diet. It’s strangee to even describe it in a way that I’m only telling you what we don’t eat. What we do eat is so freakin’ fantastic! I often post what we’re eating on Facebook so friend me!

I’m writing this post on the way to Austin, Texas where we’ll be spending the six days surrounding the event. Stay tuned! Soon we (and our team of 4 other badass homeschooling parents) will be Tough Mudders! Oh, and did I mention that they’ve lengthened the course to 12 miles with 29 obstacles? Bring…it…on.

Butterflies!

Last Christmas, Sadie wanted and received one of those insect kits to raise butterflies.  We’ve been so busy traveling and visiting that we just haven’t used the voucher to order the larvae and start the process.  She recently pulled the box out of her cubby and it seemed the perfect time.  So we went to www.insectlore.com and used the voucher from our box to order the larvae.  We paid only shipping because the kit included the voucher but you can order and pay for a variety of insects there without the kits as well.  Sure enough, 2 days later we received 5 little black caterpillar-looking larvae.

They grew like mad!  It seemed everytime we walked by their little cup, they were significantly bigger to the point that they ended up greenish, brownish, fat, fuzzy caterpillars.  The cup had tiny air holes and included the food they needed to get to their chrysalid phase so we didn’t do anything but watch for about a week.  They made silk strands criss cross the cup and walked around on them and one day one of them attached its rear end to the paper lid liner of the cup.  The other four promptly followed.  That was about a week ago.  We watched them change from soft and squishy looking to covered in hard, dry casings that had iridescent gold spots on them.  According to the instructions, we removed the paper lid liner from the cup and safety pinned it to the lower inside edge of the net butterfly house.  In the process, one of the chrysalids fell off.  Yikes!  I was able to gently rub the silk remaining on the top against the cup and it stuck back on.

 

Yesterday I got a call while I was out from Chris.  “We have a butterfly!”  Indeed, we do.  And it is a beautiful miracle of nature!  So awesome.

Sadie picked the heads off of two of her potted petunias, mixed the sugar water, and dropped a few droplets on the petals.  We all watched this morning as our butterfly friend extended its proboscis and drank the sweet mixture.  It was visibly disturbed by our hands, our presence, and household noises.  Before our bumpy drive to Austin this morning, we decided to set this one free.

We have four other chrysalids remaining.  In the process, the same chrysalid that had come detached before fell again.  We picked it up and examined it and could see the butterfly wings inside!!!  This time it would not stick back on.  I took a piece of dental floss and tied it to the silk hanging off and tied the other end to the strap on the top of the net house then zipped the zipper closed over it.

Guess what?!  As I’m typing this post, that butterfly has emerged! Phew. I was kind of worried about that guy.

We are all excited to observe other insects from www.insectlore.com. Having read just about everything about butterflies we have gotten our hands on, it’s positively awesome to watch their transition first hand. I think any other observations may have to wait until spring weather… The nights are getting chilly here in Texas already!