I know it has been a couple weeks since I last blogged. I've been trying to recover from everything we've been doing. The amount of hours (and intensity) we were training the week our guests coaches were here was double what we did the following week. So even though we tapered the volume and demand of our training, it still took us a while to fully recover.
With a trip to Spain approaching quickly, we wanted our bodies to be recovered and ready to perform in tip-top shape. This was not an easy task. Although our coaches plan our work outs to maximize this fact, we also must maintain the levels of fitness and strength we have gained during the hard working periods. On top of that, we had to assess the levels that we have reached. So to start our "taper" week, we ran the beep test and an agility test. Doesn't that sound like fun??
Though, the most important part of all our training often times is not the training itself. I know that may sound funny, but despite the fact that doing the work on the field and in the weight room is extremely tough, doing the work off the field is where we really reap the benefits of it all. What I mean by this is sleeping, eating right, and taking care of our bodies.
I am constantly asked if we have a particular diet we adhere to and I always laugh at the question because "diets" seem silly to me. In order to perform our best, we of course must put the right things into our bodies at the right time. We must intake the right number of calories, with proper proportions of carbs, proteins, and yes, even fats. But it is not an exact science and yes, we are still allowed to eat what we want. No, this doesn't mean a cheeseburger and fries every night because we definitely burned enough calories. But it does mean that if you want to have a cookie or a piece of chocolate every now and again, that is okay. (Although we just did a skin folds test this past week and maybe they will come back and tell us we are eating a few too many M&M's! haha).
Lately, I have been in the training room a lot as well. (Along with many of my other teammates!) Fortunately, there aren't any new major injuries on the team, but we all know at this level of competition the importance of not only taking care of our bodies post-practice, but before as well. Often you will see a handful of players using heat to warm up muscles before practice. You will see people getting taped, whether its ankles that roll easily or a nagging muscle that's just a bit tight. After trainings it gets even crazier. From rehab, to ice, to stim (which is short for Electrical Muscle Stimulation), to massages, ice baths, to (what we like to call) Magic Pants (they use air to compress the muscles in your leg). If your body isn't feeling good, it's hard to perform well on the field. I have to give a big shout out here to our trainer Katie who oversees all of our recovery needs and keeps us healthy and on the field!
Finally, I think the most important part of recovery is sleeping. Your body does a lot of it's rebuilding when you are asleep. If you are not getting the adequate amount of sleep, it can be very detrimental to training. If you have a hard couple of sessions and your body doesn't get the sleep/recovery time it needs, the next hard session can be damaging to your body instead of building on top of all the hard work you've already put in. Now with that being said, I am an expert sleeper! I love sleep! I get anywhere from 8-10 a night, preferably closer to 9 or 10 hours when I can. Lately, we've all been going to bed extra early (as long as we make it past 8pm then we say it is acceptable to go to sleep!) and napping during the day as well. We just can't help it either, we're tired. I think this is a sign saying our body needs all the time ir can get to repair and rebuild itself, in turn making us stronger!
So although we train hard, we rest even harder! Sorry to say that I don't have too many exciting stories of our adventures outside of hockey in the past couple weeks... but sometimes that just the way training goes.
And I haven't forgotten to mention Valentine's Day either! My roommates and I, along with Caroline, spent a fabulous dinner at the high-end burger joint called In-N-Out (yes, it's on our "diet"!). We even dressed up, all decked out in sweatpants and sweatshirts. I would have to say we all enjoyed our evening.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Guest Coaches and Superbowl
This past week has thrown us all out of wack! Our normal, weekly routine has been altered this week so that we have practice on the weekend. Not only are we sad about losing our weekend, we now have practice on Super Bowl Sunday!!
Let me take a step back and explain. Our coaches, Lee and Nick, headed down to the Champions Trophy this week. They went down to scout the top 8 ranked teams in the world, all of which (except one) are already qualified for the London Olympics this summer. So obviously, these teams are at their best for a top, world ranking tournament and will show much of what we will expect to see from them this summer. But of course practice must go on here in Chula Vista!
So Chris Clements, the Men's Head Coach, as well as Pam Bustin, a former National Team Assistant Coach, gladly stepped into the roll of coaches. Since Pam now coaches at Duke and is normally coaching all week (and I think so Lee and Nick missed the least amount of days with us), we moved practice to the weekend. We practiced normally Monday and Tuesday with our usual run on Wednesday, but then took Thursday off. We got back into it Friday, with practice today, and another tomorrow, in addition to a run Monday before we have off on Tuesday. A little confusing, I know, we had to double and triple check the schedule this week.
But we are happy to have Chris and Pam out helping with the team. They are both great coaches with a lot of knowledge for the game. It is nice to have some fresh faces with new insights to how our training is going, even if it is only for a few days. Big shout out to them and a big thanks for helping us in such an important training period!
Finally though, it is the SUPERBOWL!! One of the most anticipated and watched sporting events in America every year. Who doesn't love a good Superbowl party? Great food, exciting game, with even better company! Oh and who could forget, those ridiculous commercials that finally air! Whether you watch for the game or for the commercials, it is bound to be a good time! I have to say I am pulling for the Giants (my dad's favorite team), but the Patriots are looking pretty good lately! Who are you rooting for??
As long as you are rooting for the red, white, and blue, then I think you picked the right team!! ;)
Let me take a step back and explain. Our coaches, Lee and Nick, headed down to the Champions Trophy this week. They went down to scout the top 8 ranked teams in the world, all of which (except one) are already qualified for the London Olympics this summer. So obviously, these teams are at their best for a top, world ranking tournament and will show much of what we will expect to see from them this summer. But of course practice must go on here in Chula Vista!
So Chris Clements, the Men's Head Coach, as well as Pam Bustin, a former National Team Assistant Coach, gladly stepped into the roll of coaches. Since Pam now coaches at Duke and is normally coaching all week (and I think so Lee and Nick missed the least amount of days with us), we moved practice to the weekend. We practiced normally Monday and Tuesday with our usual run on Wednesday, but then took Thursday off. We got back into it Friday, with practice today, and another tomorrow, in addition to a run Monday before we have off on Tuesday. A little confusing, I know, we had to double and triple check the schedule this week.
But we are happy to have Chris and Pam out helping with the team. They are both great coaches with a lot of knowledge for the game. It is nice to have some fresh faces with new insights to how our training is going, even if it is only for a few days. Big shout out to them and a big thanks for helping us in such an important training period!
Finally though, it is the SUPERBOWL!! One of the most anticipated and watched sporting events in America every year. Who doesn't love a good Superbowl party? Great food, exciting game, with even better company! Oh and who could forget, those ridiculous commercials that finally air! Whether you watch for the game or for the commercials, it is bound to be a good time! I have to say I am pulling for the Giants (my dad's favorite team), but the Patriots are looking pretty good lately! Who are you rooting for??
As long as you are rooting for the red, white, and blue, then I think you picked the right team!! ;)
Friday, January 27, 2012
6 months and counting....
Today marks 6 months out from the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games. To some it may still seem a long ways away, but for us, time is winding down! Six months of training is not a whole lot left for all that we still want to accomplish. We are a determined bunch and there is no doubt in my mind that we will be ready 6 months from today.
Training has returned to our normal schedule and routine this week as we wound down from the intensity of matches against Australia. Most of us laid low over the weekend as it was much needed recovery time. My roommate, Maren, and I, along with her husband Ryan, enjoyed our all-day sports watching extravaganza on Sunday with back to back NFL playoff games, as well as US Women's Soccer Olympic Qualifying. We barely left the couch all day. It was perfect.
We got back to work this week though. With some tough runs, heavy lifts, and intense practices. Everyone has been staying pretty healthy. We've had a few niggles, bumps, and bruises, but all in all just the product of a hard week of work.
I think the most exciting news lately is some of the pre-Olympic press we've been getting. (read: Trust me by no means is it A LOT, BUT it is more than we've gotten in the past and it will be exciting when it airs/appears closer to the games.) For those of you watching the Superbowl next weekend (I know this is pretty much everyone!) keep an eye out for a spotlight feature on one of our very own!!
That's all for now. Just a little update. GO STATES!
Training has returned to our normal schedule and routine this week as we wound down from the intensity of matches against Australia. Most of us laid low over the weekend as it was much needed recovery time. My roommate, Maren, and I, along with her husband Ryan, enjoyed our all-day sports watching extravaganza on Sunday with back to back NFL playoff games, as well as US Women's Soccer Olympic Qualifying. We barely left the couch all day. It was perfect.
We got back to work this week though. With some tough runs, heavy lifts, and intense practices. Everyone has been staying pretty healthy. We've had a few niggles, bumps, and bruises, but all in all just the product of a hard week of work.
I think the most exciting news lately is some of the pre-Olympic press we've been getting. (read: Trust me by no means is it A LOT, BUT it is more than we've gotten in the past and it will be exciting when it airs/appears closer to the games.) For those of you watching the Superbowl next weekend (I know this is pretty much everyone!) keep an eye out for a spotlight feature on one of our very own!!
That's all for now. Just a little update. GO STATES!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Perfection
I stumbled upon this quote yesterday and I wanted to share it because I think it really says a lot about what I believe and how this Olympic year should be approached.
To me, this quote just speaks for itself. If you constantly try to be perfect, despite the errors along the way, excellence is bound to prevail. It is not the idea that you are never good enough, but that there is always something to improve and work towards. For me, it is an insatiable appetite for knowledge and improvement. To be the best I can possibly be means that I must keep working every single day.
To me, this quote just speaks for itself. If you constantly try to be perfect, despite the errors along the way, excellence is bound to prevail. It is not the idea that you are never good enough, but that there is always something to improve and work towards. For me, it is an insatiable appetite for knowledge and improvement. To be the best I can possibly be means that I must keep working every single day.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Welcome to the Olympic Year!
The year 2012 has finally arrived! It is the Olympic year, which means everyone is intensifying their training. I know first hand how elevated training gets, as I went though the build-up to the Beijing Olympics. Despite that experience, I still don't think you are ever quite ready for what hits you at the start of the year. Needless to say, this first week back has really challenged our team, whether you've been here before or not!
We arrived back in sunny San Diego on January 3rd, after a wonderful holiday season at home with family and friends. But January 4th, we hit the ground running! Day one was a blistering 85 degrees and although we cruised through practice in the morning, the afternoon 1000m intervals hit us like a brick wall! With the effects of travel (dehydration), heat, and a tough run, the combined outcome was a few trips to the bathroom mid-run as well as some beat faces.
We survived and picked back up with a double session the next day. Even got in a shortened full-field scrimmage in the afternoon. The true test was yet to come, though. Friday (Jan. 5th), we had our dreaded timed two-mile test. Everyone pushed through this grueling challenge, only to be meet with corner practice, followed by sprints.
By the time the weekend rolled around, we were beat. Week one (well, 3 full days) were complete! I'm not sure what everyone chose to do with their off time, but Maren and I spent some good time relaxing on the couch and watching movies! I don't doubt that many of the others did the same.
With week one behind us, I was excited to get week two started. Although we had a tough lifting session Monday and a double practice on Tuesday, the rest of the week we tapered down a bit in preparation for our games against Australia!!
That's right! The best part about going through all that pain and work is to be prepared and ready for the games! Australia is a good team who is ranked a few above us at number 7. We are likely to see them in our grouping in the Olympics, so it will be a good test for us. Plus, Lee (our coach) is Australian, so of course we have to beat his home country!! :)
The games are Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 1pm!!! Follow us on twitter and on usafieldhockey.com. OR if you are in the San Diego area, COME OUT and CHEER us on!!!
GO USA!!
We arrived back in sunny San Diego on January 3rd, after a wonderful holiday season at home with family and friends. But January 4th, we hit the ground running! Day one was a blistering 85 degrees and although we cruised through practice in the morning, the afternoon 1000m intervals hit us like a brick wall! With the effects of travel (dehydration), heat, and a tough run, the combined outcome was a few trips to the bathroom mid-run as well as some beat faces.
We survived and picked back up with a double session the next day. Even got in a shortened full-field scrimmage in the afternoon. The true test was yet to come, though. Friday (Jan. 5th), we had our dreaded timed two-mile test. Everyone pushed through this grueling challenge, only to be meet with corner practice, followed by sprints.
By the time the weekend rolled around, we were beat. Week one (well, 3 full days) were complete! I'm not sure what everyone chose to do with their off time, but Maren and I spent some good time relaxing on the couch and watching movies! I don't doubt that many of the others did the same.
With week one behind us, I was excited to get week two started. Although we had a tough lifting session Monday and a double practice on Tuesday, the rest of the week we tapered down a bit in preparation for our games against Australia!!
That's right! The best part about going through all that pain and work is to be prepared and ready for the games! Australia is a good team who is ranked a few above us at number 7. We are likely to see them in our grouping in the Olympics, so it will be a good test for us. Plus, Lee (our coach) is Australian, so of course we have to beat his home country!! :)
The games are Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 1pm!!! Follow us on twitter and on usafieldhockey.com. OR if you are in the San Diego area, COME OUT and CHEER us on!!!
GO USA!!
Monday, January 2, 2012
2011: In Review
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
2012 is the year I have been working towards for a long time now. It is finally upon us and there is so much to look forward to!!! But first, I want to look back at all that 2011 had to offer because it was an amazing year in which I learned so much and experienced things I will never forget.
At the beginning of 2011, I returned to California for the first time since the previous summer and after spending my entire fall in Holland. I was very happy to be back playing with the National Team, with a successful 4 game series against Canada in January and two 4-nation tournaments in Argentina. The second 4-nation in Rosario, Arg. was a turning point for our team. We not only found a way to win games, we completely changed our attitude towards playing Argentina. Although it did not result in a win at the time, it gave us the confidence that we could beat them and the experience to know how we had to approach the game.
I flew directly from Argentina to Holland (well I did get to stop at home for one whole day!). For the next 2 months, I competed with HGC and took in as many sights as I could in the last weeks I had in such a wonderful country. My dad and brother even got a chance to come over and visit me for a few days! It was definitely an experience I will never forget, on and off the field. I want to thank all my teammates, coaches, and friends for all the fun, laughs, and learning experiences.
I had to miss the last few games of the season with HGC in order to return to the US Team for games against Japan towards the end of April. Once again I was happy to be back playing with my US teammates again. As much as I enjoyed Holland, there really is nothing like playing for your country.
Without much of a break, I headed back to Chapel Hill in May for High Performance Training with the South team. A week later, we were off to American University in our nations capitol to compete in National Championships. We went undefeated in competition, putting ourselves in the finals, and losing in a heartbreaker to New Jersey. We're going to be back on the rise in 2012 though, so watch out for us!!
Fortunately, I was re-named to the National Team and was also selected for the Champions Challenge in Dublin, Ireland. With only a week or so to train, we were in Ireland in no time. What a whirlwind of a tournament that was. Finishing 4th in pool play, then making the finals, and losing our lead to Japan in the waning minutes. Crushing really. But all part of our development and something we wouldn't soon forget.
After a little sight-seeing in Dublin, I made it home in time for some 4th of July celebrations (GO AMERICA!) and coached camp at my alma mater, Wake Forest. It's always nice being home to celebrate holidays with my family, as well as visiting my old stomping grounds and seeing my coaches and teammates again! GO DEACS! :)
With only 3 months left until the Pan Am Games, we returned to Chula Vista and hit the ground running. As you can see by my above schedule, I did not have a lot of down time the whole year. With my best interest in mind, this led my coaches to rest me during the August trip to Germany and Belgium. Although I was disappointed not to join my teammates (I never like missing trips), I agreed that going home to take a little more time off would be in my best interest in order to peak for the Pan Am Games. It was one of the most refreshing breaks I've ever had!
September arrived in no time, and so did the Kiwis! I was super excited for New Zealand to come play us in Chula Vista because a few of my teammates at HGC play for them, along with a few other Kiwis that played in Holland while I was there. NZ was a very skilled team and extremely speedy! I have a lot of respect for how hard they work. It was a good tune up for our last matches before Pan Ams.
After a few more weeks of training, we headed to Colorado Springs to do a little altitude training. This had its own challenges and obstacles, but we made the best of what we had and had a lot of fun! Spending a weekend in Breckenridge was definitely a highlight!
Days later, we were in Houston, TX for team processing and then on to Guadalajara, Mexico for the Pan Am Games. This was what we had been training for all year long. This was our time. We went through the tournament taking care of business and doing what we knew we had to in order to put ourselves into the finals. We did just that. The feeling of the final game was just amazing. We were so confident going in. We knew what needed to be done and I am so proud of my team for doing just that. As I said before, it was a team effort, by everyone on the field, as well as everyone at home. We qualified for the Olympics as Team USA.
The rest of the year seemed to fly by after this point. It was such a high for the year. I did make it home for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Our team also went to the NCAA Final Four to see the best of the best in our college system.
Traditionally, our team has December off from training, but with world ranked #4 Great Britain wanting to come play us in Chula Vista, we jumped back in to training in December. It was just the beginning to our Olympic training and it didn't take long to realize everything is going to be harder from here on out. We have to be able to play how we did in the final against Argentina for 8 games. There is still a lot of work and development to still be done. But we have the tools: coaches, players, capability. Which is exciting.
Two of my best friends from Chapel Hill came to visit me in California during our games against GB. It was so nice to be able to show them where I live, what I do everyday, and have some support on the sidelines!
I finally returned home for Christmas and New Years at home with my family and friends to end what has been a very long and exciting, but exhausting year. When I reflect on everything, the most important thing I realize is how very lucky I am. I am so very thankful for my family and friends who have supported me and allowed me to pursue my dreams. I'm healthy and doing what I love every day. 2012 is going to be the toughest yet, but it will all be worth it. I can't wait for all this year has in store. Please continue to follow and support me and my teammates as we strive to stand on top of the podium this summer in London!! GO USA!!
2012 is the year I have been working towards for a long time now. It is finally upon us and there is so much to look forward to!!! But first, I want to look back at all that 2011 had to offer because it was an amazing year in which I learned so much and experienced things I will never forget.
At the beginning of 2011, I returned to California for the first time since the previous summer and after spending my entire fall in Holland. I was very happy to be back playing with the National Team, with a successful 4 game series against Canada in January and two 4-nation tournaments in Argentina. The second 4-nation in Rosario, Arg. was a turning point for our team. We not only found a way to win games, we completely changed our attitude towards playing Argentina. Although it did not result in a win at the time, it gave us the confidence that we could beat them and the experience to know how we had to approach the game.
I flew directly from Argentina to Holland (well I did get to stop at home for one whole day!). For the next 2 months, I competed with HGC and took in as many sights as I could in the last weeks I had in such a wonderful country. My dad and brother even got a chance to come over and visit me for a few days! It was definitely an experience I will never forget, on and off the field. I want to thank all my teammates, coaches, and friends for all the fun, laughs, and learning experiences.
I had to miss the last few games of the season with HGC in order to return to the US Team for games against Japan towards the end of April. Once again I was happy to be back playing with my US teammates again. As much as I enjoyed Holland, there really is nothing like playing for your country.
Without much of a break, I headed back to Chapel Hill in May for High Performance Training with the South team. A week later, we were off to American University in our nations capitol to compete in National Championships. We went undefeated in competition, putting ourselves in the finals, and losing in a heartbreaker to New Jersey. We're going to be back on the rise in 2012 though, so watch out for us!!
Fortunately, I was re-named to the National Team and was also selected for the Champions Challenge in Dublin, Ireland. With only a week or so to train, we were in Ireland in no time. What a whirlwind of a tournament that was. Finishing 4th in pool play, then making the finals, and losing our lead to Japan in the waning minutes. Crushing really. But all part of our development and something we wouldn't soon forget.
After a little sight-seeing in Dublin, I made it home in time for some 4th of July celebrations (GO AMERICA!) and coached camp at my alma mater, Wake Forest. It's always nice being home to celebrate holidays with my family, as well as visiting my old stomping grounds and seeing my coaches and teammates again! GO DEACS! :)
With only 3 months left until the Pan Am Games, we returned to Chula Vista and hit the ground running. As you can see by my above schedule, I did not have a lot of down time the whole year. With my best interest in mind, this led my coaches to rest me during the August trip to Germany and Belgium. Although I was disappointed not to join my teammates (I never like missing trips), I agreed that going home to take a little more time off would be in my best interest in order to peak for the Pan Am Games. It was one of the most refreshing breaks I've ever had!
September arrived in no time, and so did the Kiwis! I was super excited for New Zealand to come play us in Chula Vista because a few of my teammates at HGC play for them, along with a few other Kiwis that played in Holland while I was there. NZ was a very skilled team and extremely speedy! I have a lot of respect for how hard they work. It was a good tune up for our last matches before Pan Ams.
After a few more weeks of training, we headed to Colorado Springs to do a little altitude training. This had its own challenges and obstacles, but we made the best of what we had and had a lot of fun! Spending a weekend in Breckenridge was definitely a highlight!
Days later, we were in Houston, TX for team processing and then on to Guadalajara, Mexico for the Pan Am Games. This was what we had been training for all year long. This was our time. We went through the tournament taking care of business and doing what we knew we had to in order to put ourselves into the finals. We did just that. The feeling of the final game was just amazing. We were so confident going in. We knew what needed to be done and I am so proud of my team for doing just that. As I said before, it was a team effort, by everyone on the field, as well as everyone at home. We qualified for the Olympics as Team USA.
The rest of the year seemed to fly by after this point. It was such a high for the year. I did make it home for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Our team also went to the NCAA Final Four to see the best of the best in our college system.
Traditionally, our team has December off from training, but with world ranked #4 Great Britain wanting to come play us in Chula Vista, we jumped back in to training in December. It was just the beginning to our Olympic training and it didn't take long to realize everything is going to be harder from here on out. We have to be able to play how we did in the final against Argentina for 8 games. There is still a lot of work and development to still be done. But we have the tools: coaches, players, capability. Which is exciting.
Two of my best friends from Chapel Hill came to visit me in California during our games against GB. It was so nice to be able to show them where I live, what I do everyday, and have some support on the sidelines!
I finally returned home for Christmas and New Years at home with my family and friends to end what has been a very long and exciting, but exhausting year. When I reflect on everything, the most important thing I realize is how very lucky I am. I am so very thankful for my family and friends who have supported me and allowed me to pursue my dreams. I'm healthy and doing what I love every day. 2012 is going to be the toughest yet, but it will all be worth it. I can't wait for all this year has in store. Please continue to follow and support me and my teammates as we strive to stand on top of the podium this summer in London!! GO USA!!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Very Merry Christmas
I hope everyone had the most wonderful Christmas yesterday, or are enjoying whatever holiday it is you celebrate! The holidays are my favorite time of the year! I mean who doesn't love cookies, candy, and presents?! haha, kidding. I do like those things, but this is the one time of the year I am guaranteed to be home from training and have time to spend with all my family. That is the best part!!
My day yesterday consisted of morning present opening, movie and nba viewing, a lovely Christmas dinner, and of course the annual drive through the neighborhood to look at lights! Highlights of day:
1. Getting a Nook!! (big shout out to my brother for this one!) It is going to be so nice to travel with and not have to carry around lots of books on trips!
2. My light up earrings :) (shout out goes to my teammate Amy Tran on this one!) I have a light up necklace and Amy found me these fantastic light up earrings to go with them! LOVE!
3. Breakfast Quesadillas on my Dad's brand new Quesadilla maker! (shout out to my mom for getting it and my dad for cooking 'em!) They were delicious!
4. Driving around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. A Christmas tradition at my house and I love to see how everyone gets into the Christmas spirit. For those are you that are big Tar Heel fans.... we drove past Roy Williams house and he had a few, nice simple lights up this year!
And the last.... and best highlight...
5. Spending the whole day with my family!! :)
What was your favorite part about Christmas this year? What was the best gift you received? Any holidays traditions you just absolutely love??
A few of the chocolatey treats I made:
My Mom's Half Pound Reece's Bar:
You know you're from CHAPEL HILL when "Santa" gives you these for Xmas:
Bringing a little Holland to America: Combining Sinterklaas and Christmas: Zwarte Piet in Santa's Sleigh!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
And although it was nice to have a few days off from training.... I'm right back at it today! No rest for the weary when the Olympics are barreling towards us, FULL STEAM AHEAD! :)
My day yesterday consisted of morning present opening, movie and nba viewing, a lovely Christmas dinner, and of course the annual drive through the neighborhood to look at lights! Highlights of day:
1. Getting a Nook!! (big shout out to my brother for this one!) It is going to be so nice to travel with and not have to carry around lots of books on trips!
2. My light up earrings :) (shout out goes to my teammate Amy Tran on this one!) I have a light up necklace and Amy found me these fantastic light up earrings to go with them! LOVE!
3. Breakfast Quesadillas on my Dad's brand new Quesadilla maker! (shout out to my mom for getting it and my dad for cooking 'em!) They were delicious!
4. Driving around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. A Christmas tradition at my house and I love to see how everyone gets into the Christmas spirit. For those are you that are big Tar Heel fans.... we drove past Roy Williams house and he had a few, nice simple lights up this year!
And the last.... and best highlight...
5. Spending the whole day with my family!! :)
What was your favorite part about Christmas this year? What was the best gift you received? Any holidays traditions you just absolutely love??
A few of the chocolatey treats I made:
My Mom's Half Pound Reece's Bar:
You know you're from CHAPEL HILL when "Santa" gives you these for Xmas:
Bringing a little Holland to America: Combining Sinterklaas and Christmas: Zwarte Piet in Santa's Sleigh!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
And although it was nice to have a few days off from training.... I'm right back at it today! No rest for the weary when the Olympics are barreling towards us, FULL STEAM AHEAD! :)
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