#the size for them isn’t mentioned but they range from to your calves to the size of a young child | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

clonecaptains · 4 years

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I don't know if youre still taking them, but 75 or 63 (with Hopper as the presenter), would be amazing!

75. Kisses Meant To Distract The Other Person From Whatever They Were Intently Doing + 63. Routine Kisses Where The Other Person Presents Their Cheek // light smut/comfort // 1.5k // masterlist

a/n: this is self indulgent cuz im a huge queen fan lol. but it could fit if we ignore the ending of s3! live aid happened in early july in 1985 - queen performed and the later in the even freddie mercury sang a song w/ brian may. those two performances are mentioned but you don’t need to have seen them unless you just want to!

“This next song is only dedicated to beautiful people here tonight. It means all of you. Thank you for coming along, and making this a great occasion. 🎶 This thing, called love. I just can’t handle it -🎶”

“It’s the mustache isn’t it?”

Hopper’s voice cuts through the TV. You’re watching Queen’s performance at Live Aid.

“Shh!” you shush him harshly, you want to hear. This is the show you’ve been waiting for.

Your eyes are glued to the set, watching one of your favorite bands perform. You clap along, and sing to your favorite. Sure Hopper likes Queen, who doesn’t? And if he’s honest, he loves seeing your excitement and the smile on your face. He watches you as you sit together on the couch.

When it’s over, you wipe a tear from you eye, and he can’t help but smile at you getting emotional over a good song. He won’t deny the performance was powerful.

But now that’s it’s over, he’s got to tease you about it.

Just a little.

“So it’s the mustache isn’t it?”

“What about it?” you ask getting up from the couch. The next act is performing, but you’re not interested. “Yours or his?” you ask with a smirk.

“Is that why you like him? Or do you like mine cuz it reminds you of his?”

You almost drop your can of Coke on the floor at his question.

“What?” he laughs at your laughter.

“You seriously think that I’m dating you because of your mustache maybe reminds me of Freddie Mercury’s? Babe. Come on.”

You sit back down on the couch, and lay your feet in Hopper’s lap. You pop the coke tab, and take a long swig. A warm hand begins to massage your feet and rub up and down your calves. It’s a quiet comfortableness as you watch the next act on TV.

It was almost perfect, until the phone rings.

“I’ll get it,” he gently lifts your feet off his lap, and grunts as he gets up for the phone. “Yeah, Chief here,” he answers.

You don’t have to hear the other person to know something happened and Hopper needs to go in. You can tell from the look on his face alone. You sigh, and so does he. It was supposed to be a nice afternoon with just the two of you. A day off for you both finally. And if he’s getting called in, it’s bad news.

He hangs up the phone, and disappears into your room to change clothes. You get up too, and wait by the door for him. When he comes, he’s all dressed except for his hat, which you’ve got in your hands.

Before you put it on him, you look him in the eye. “Hop, be careful. Please.”

“I will baby,” he leans down to give you a chaste kiss. When the kiss breaks, you put the hat on his head. He gives a soft wink and leans down to you once more. This time he puts his cheek towards you lips, asking for a cheek kiss. With a laugh of course you oblige. He grins himself, and heads out the door.

Now you’re alone, which isn’t unusual when he’s working. But you weren’t planning on this. So you settle on the couch to watch more Live Aid. It’s an all day thing, so you might as well.

It’s hours before Hopper comes home. You’ve already eaten supper at this time of night. You made him a plate, and he’s too exhausted to even heat it back up. He sits at the table, and you rub his back while he eats.

“You ok?” you ask him. He’s very quiet, though you guess that’s expected from a long unexpected day at work.

“Tired,” is his short response. “Your boyfriend’s back on TV,” Hop points with his fork in the direction of the television. Freddie Mercury is singing a song now alone.

“Hop, are you jealous? Hmm?” you tease and kiss his cheek warmly. You throw your arms around his shoulders and hold him.

“Of his mustache? Maybe,” he muses and playfully smooths down his mustache, “But I’m the one who gets to take you home, so I guess I win.”

“Exactly,” you smile and kiss his cheek again.

“Hey,” Hop whispers and turns his head to capture your lips with his own. “Baby, you wanna feel this mustache?” he growls playfully.

“Hop, don’t ruin it,” you giggle and kiss him again. You cradle his cheeks in your hands, and you get a good look at his face when you pull away. He looks exhausted. Bags under his eyes, that deep crease is in between his brows. He’s got a slight smirk, but his lips are still in a line of stress. You kiss his forehead, and wrap your arms around his head. You pull him to your chest, and he sighs heavily.

He’s weary.

“That offer still stands about the mustache,” he murmurs into your chest.

“Baby, you’re exhausted.” As much as you would love to take him up on his offer, you’re not sure. Until a big hand slides up your leg and grabs a handful of your ass.

“You sure?” he asks. It dawns on you maybe he needs this, for a pleasant distraction. He tries not to take work home with him, and maybe, he needs to forget.

“You make a pretty convincing argument,” you gasp as he kneads his fingers into your flesh.

He stands, and he towers over you. His size making your knees weak. He starts to hum Crazy Little Thing Called Love, one of the songs Queen performed earlier, and he lifts you into his arms.

He undresses slowly, there’s no real urgency, and he’s still so tired.

“Hop, sit down,” you tell him once he’s undressed. He nods, and sits on the bed. You’re still dressed, and you let him help you. You come to stand between his spread legs, his strong thighs have you trapped.

He peels off your shirt, and all but shoves your shorts and underwear off your body. He saves your bra for last, he presses his lips (and mustache) to your sternum, as his hands move around to unclasp your bra. His eyes are closed, and on muscle memory, he glides his lips down your breast to find a nipple. A hand blazes the same trail to the other. Your knees buckle from the pleasure, but his other hand anticipates this, and rests firmly on your hip, then moves to wrap around your waist.

Hopper pleasures your chest for a while. Almost more than you can bear. He’s not even opened his eyes. Your hands claw at his back and tug at his hair, urging him on and he growls against your skin.

He slips a hand between your legs, and when he feels the slick, he knows you’re more than ready for him. Two strong hands grab your hips, and he maneuvers you onto his lap. Then he guides you down onto him, he’s aching for you. With a heavy groan, he shudders as you take him. You wrap your arms around his head for the second time that night, his face in your neck. You move up and down with the guidance from his hands. It’s not fast, it’s aching and slow, but such a good ache.

His thumb finds your center, and teases you. He works you over until you’re coming around him. When you sigh into his ear, he finds his release and groans into your neck. He looks up at you with a sleepy grin.

“Maybe tomorrow I can really use the mustache on you,” he whispers as if it’s an apology he didn’t do more.

“Maybe I do like his better,” you tease. Which earns you a love bite on your neck and some tickles to your ribs. You climb off his lap, and he falls back on the bed with a tired groan.

He adjusts himself to lay on his side of the bed. He gets on his back ready for you to join him to curl up under his arm. He won’t admit it, but post sex pillow talk is one of his favorite things.

You get ready for bed, and climb in next to him and you curl into your spot under his arm. You say something, but his only response is a “mhmm.” When you look, his eyes are closed. It’s mere seconds before he starts snoring.

You smile, and kiss his cheek, then his shoulder. You snuggle under the covers, a hint of pride hits you. You did exactly what you set out to do, you wore him out so he’d get some good sleep.

The next morning, you wake before him. When you wake, it stirs him awake.

“Good morning Chief,” you giggle and snuggle into him.

You see a look of confusion on his face, then realization hits him.

“What?” you ask seeing his range of emotions cross his face.

“Couldn’t remember why I was naked, then…” he smiles and flings the covers back. “I remembered I made you a promise.” He’s quick and pins you down, and his big hands go to spread your thighs. He’s gonna make sure you feel the mustache.

And oh do you feel it.

// taglist: @billyrussosbutt, @thisgirl-knm, @bitchy-vamp, @jamesbuchancnbcrnes, @thors-soft-cheeks, @negansdirtygirl22, @jdixonchick, @justalittlepickle, @dewy-biitch, @thatbluenote, @s0rpresaputa, @crushed-pink-petals-writes, @bulletcult, @asthepheonixrises, @worldofhannahg, @curbitkirby, @ohbeewan-kenobi, @wearethebrokenones, @egertonunwin, @happy-hopper, @mcrganstarks, @missihart23, @cainanelea, @eleanor-gillespie, @amywhatsherface, @hazeleyedwinchester, @kate110199, @thatprettymvthafvcka, @littlemissthistle, @thesimsnextdoor, @gamingaquarius, @no-mom-it-is-not-about-tumblurs, @pixiehex1985, @mybulletproofheart7, @fandommaniacx, @dakki21, @disco-flight, @leyla676, @ragnarsdrapa, @pulplorrd, @daddyharbour, @imconfused28, @maciiiofficial, @yelenabelovna, @chiefharbour, @creedslove

#jim hopper x reader #chief jim hopper x reader #hopper x reader #stranger things #hopper #jim hopper fic #my writing #curbitkirby #answered

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discoverafricasafaris · 4 years

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Five Things You Should Consider to Plan the Best Tanzania Safari

How Much Time?

Up to four days

People often ask me how much time I should spend in Tanzania, and that is a complicated question to answer because it depends on the individual. It depends on your budget and what you like to see.

I would recommend nothing less than a three-night safari focusing your time in one location. A three-night safari will often happen as a side trip, mixed with business while one is in the region and doesn't have much spare time.

Four to Seven days

Looking at four to seven nights will give you a bit more variety and you could even visit three different regions or parks to get a much better safari experience. Depending on your wishlist, one could also include Ngorongoro Crater with a Serengeti Safari without feeling like you are on a "Ferrari-safari" and be able to fit cultural experiences as well as a hot-air balloon safari.

More than seven days

Spending more than seven days opens up a whole list of possibilities and will be recommended if your budget and time allows. It is not always possible to allocate so much free time in one's busy "rat-race" lifestyle, but this is the way to go if you would like to replenish your soul.

Spending more than seven days will allow you to experience the elephants at Tarangire National park, the Flamingos at Lake Manyara (both depending on the time of the year), a picnic lunch inside the Ngorongoro Crater, local village lunch at Mto Wa Mbo, traditional Masai village visits, finishing on a high note in the Serengeti seeing the Great Migration in action. One can even add a side trip at one of Zanzibar's various lodges and hotels to end your perfect African safari.

What Would You Like to see

Cultural experiences

Tanzania is an extremely culture-rich country with over 120 different tribes, of which the Masai people are the most famous in the outside world. My recommendation is to get to know a couple of words in Swahili, which is one of the two official languages in Tanzania and is commonly used in the country. However, English will be great, and you wouldn't have any real problems communicating with the people. There is always someone that can translate if need be.

Should you wish to mix some cultural experiences and get to know the people, then there are quite a few places where you can visit a traditional Masai village and get to know their history. Mto Wa Mbo is another excellent example of getting to see how the Tanzanian tribes live, and the locals will welcome you into their home where you can experience a traditional lunch. For those looking for a bit more, there is the local village tour in and amongst the banana plantation.

These stops don't take that long and incorporate well in your travel itinerary, making it a pitstop en-route to your next destination.

Serengeti

The word Serengeti is synonymous with Tanzania and means "endless plains", quite the fitting name as it describes the Serengeti perfectly! The Serengeti is a massive National park, it spans for about 12 000 square miles, roughly the size of Belgium, and hosts the world's most famous natural wonder for the most of the year. It isn't straightforward to explain the emotions that one gets when seeing thousands and thousands of wildebeests and zebras, as far as the eye can see. The Southern Serengeti is best during the calving season, and the Northern Serengeti is best during the Mara river crossing when the wildebeest and zebra heads into the Masao Mara. The Central Serengeti is great year-round, and you are bound to see some big cats and other big-5 animals, no matter where the migration herds are located. I would recommend adding the Central Serengeti in your itinerary!

Tarangire National Park & Lake Manyara National Park

One of the lesser-known gems of Tanzania but worth your time! It should be considered if you like Elephants, Baobab trees, and Flamingoes. There are other species of animals in these regions, but the above will be the stars of the show. I've been to a couple of areas in Africa, including the Okavango Delta, and few places outside Botswana can compare elephant numbers like Tarangire National park. Lake Manyara is just right next to Tarangire National park and ties in well with the Ngorongoro crater into a safari circuit. You won't spend more than a couple of hours between Arusha, which is the central starting hub of the Tanzanian safari experience and the "main star" aka the Serengeti.

Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest inactive volcanic caldera and hosts its ecosystem with a wetland, forest, swamp, and open plains. The whole experience can be done as a day trip en-route and sits in-between Lake Manyara and the Serengeti.

Private or Scheduled Group Safari

Budget difference

People often tell me that they either don't have a clue how much they can afford, and this is all new to them. Booking a safari trip to Tanzania for the first time can be confusing, and one doesn't always know what the total package includes. There are quite a few things that add up to the total cost, such as the vehicle, fuel, the guides accommodation, the guide's meals, and drinks, accommodation, meals, possible beverages, park fees, etc. In my experience, the animals don't know who spent what, and the animals will act and react the same regardless of where your accommodation is based.

Pros of private

In saying that you will get the same animals "on-show", there are private safaris where the total cost, as mentioned above, is shared by the number of people in the vehicle. So if you are only one couple, then the total cost will be split amongst two people. This is often the more expensive option but gives you the flexibility of choice, the choice of camps, the choice of routing and National parks that you would like to see, and the choice of how much time you would like to spend per sighting.

Pros of scheduled - more basic and larger lodge style

Scheduled safaris are great and allow a broader range of people to visit this beautiful country and to experience the "stars of the show" with your own eyes. One can't alter a group scheduled safaris itinerary, but often what happens is that the ground handler will negotiate a much better rate with the lodges because of continued business, which brings the total cost down, more money in your pocket. A typical safari vehicle can accommodate a maximum of about seven people. Hence, the groups aren't that big and a great idea for larger families that could occupy the entire vehicle at a group safari rate. Group safaris are also great for single travellers that have been trending for the last couple of years. You get to meet new like-minded people and possibly meet your future best friend on the safari.

Main events on the Migration calendar

I feel it is vital to mention a few facts about the Migration before continuing. The Great Migration happens the whole year-round, and the animals follow the rain that provides them with nutrition-rich grass to feed on. Predicting the weather is not an easy task, and notably, long term predictions are nearly impossible. Discover Africa has been collecting data over the last few years from our herd tracker website. We are running this initiative with local rangers and guests. Herd Tracker has given us valuable insights into the movements and helps us to try and give you the best possible chance to stay as close to the Migration as possible.

Calving Season - January to March

There are two significant events on the Migration calendar, in which the calving season is one. The Migration usually comes to a short halt in the Southern Serengeti close to Lake Ndutu, where the calving happens. With the calving comes the predators, which can cause some action.

River Crossing - June to August

The famous Mara river crossing happens around this time of the year, and people often think of the Migration as one big massive herd, which is not entirely true. The Great Migration is made up of 100's of smaller herds travelling in the same direction, and in some areas, you will find higher densities of herds. This is the reason why you will find that the "front runners" will cross the river a long time before the back end of the Migration cross the river. It is challenging to guarantee a river crossing sighting because people don't know when the animals are going to take the leap and decide when is the best time to cross. The animals could bunch up next to the river for days before crossing.

Getting around

Light Aircraft

The two transport options on offer will be closed 4x4 vehicles and light aircraft transfers accompanied by the lodges open-air safari vehicles for the duration of your stay. I would recommend a mix of both to give you the best of both worlds. I've been privileged to experience both on a Tanzania safari, and it was fantastic to end the trip with a Light Aircraft flight, seeing the aerial view of what we experienced on the road towards the Northern Serengeti.

A light Aircraft is an excellent option if you don't want to spend 2 - 4 hours on the road or if you only have limited time to spend on safari.

Road transport

My personal favourite will be the closed 4x4 vehicle with the pop-up roof. You get to see the smaller villages en-route, we even saw street performers along a dirt road between lake Manyara and Karatu, close to Ngorongoro Crater. The longest time we spend in the vehicle was about 4 hours from Ngorongoro Crater to the Southern Serengeti. Still, we stopped at a real traditional Masai village on the way, allowing us to stretch our legs and get to know the Masai culture firsthand by one of the Village Leader's sons. We also spend so much time with our guide that ends up being friends at the end of the safari, and your guide gets to know you, what you like, what animals you want to see, and what animals you haven't seen yet. All these small things add up to a great experience!

There are other things to consider when planning your safari, such as booking in advance, the Migration is a worldwide favourite, and there are only so many camps and beds for people to stay at. I would be more than happy to share my knowledge and passion for this beautiful country, Called Tanzania, with you, and help you navigate through all the information. Tanzania should be on everyone's bucket list!

Till next time...

Matthys

Tanzania Safari

#travel #safari #vacation #holiday #nature #tourism #adventure #luxury

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zinniapetals · 7 years

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um not sure how specific should i be but? oikage meeting in their 20s and getting together? :'D it's my favourite thing T_T kageyama is in national team //cough// and not sure what oikawa's doing, could be in another team or he's studying/working in another field but they aren't angsty about things either way (bc we have that enough lmao). just cute healthy oikage T_T

lmao i have done so many fics on them getting together because this ship has so many possibilities on reuniting and loving each other !! I just love oikage!!! and yessss, healthy oikage 💯💯 thanks so much for the prompt!! 💖 (fic is under keep reading)

Despite common misconceptions, Oikawa was afan of going into supermarkets in the dead of night. He loved the overly brightfluorescent lighting of the store, the empty aisles of brightly coloredpackaging, the tired mother with her sleeping baby wrapped close to her chest,the sleep-deprived college student that was the cashier who often gave him freecoupons, everything about late night shopping was Oikawa’s aesthetic.

No one would try to make small talk about thebags accumulating under his eyes from too many all-nighters, people wouldn’tbother him as he picked up another bag of Epson salt and a couple of milkbreads for the days when volleyball kicked his ass hard, he was allowed to readsports magazines leisurely without being glared at by the strict manager, itwas perfect.

He hummed as he made his way to aisle twelve, left side,about five steps in, the last shelf. He bent down and reached for his go tobrand of medicinal cream for muscle fatigue when another hand grabbed his leastfavorite brand of Epson salt.

“Just for reference,” he started, not wanting to sound tooimposing, but the other person just hadto know. “That brand is terrible for people with sensitive skin, not to mentionthe smell is less than pleasant.”

“Oh…”

Oikawa glanced at the person’s shoes, worn out Nikes, trailingupwards, he saw a pair of form fitting sweats that emphasized strong calves andeven better thighs. He grabbed his ointment and stood up, offering the strangera pleasant smile that was ruined by his loud ‘geh.’

“Ah, Oikawa-san,” Kageyama blanched, his wide eyesdisplaying the shock that wasn’t present in his voice. “How are you?”

“I’m good,” he replied, eyeing Kageyama’s tiny basket thatwas filled to the brim with water, sport drinks, granola bars, and a singlemilk carton. “You?”

“Tired.”

The brunet raised his brows at the honest admission, pursinghis lips at the now visible slouched stance that Kageyama was in, as well andthe white sports tape that were wrapped around each individual finger

“How was camp?” Oikawa asked nonchalantly, grabbing a coupleof ace bandages and an extra ankle brace from the other side of the aisle. “Ah,I wouldn’t recommend that either.”

Kageyama paused at grabbing a different bag that labeledlavender infused bath salts and pointedly stared at him, eyebrows scrunched asif to determine if it really was Oikawa in front of him. “Camp was fine.” Hereached for another brand only to stop at Oikawa’s loud sigh. “Okay, which one should I get?”

“Let’s see,” Oikawa drawled out, scanning the shelves andnot finding the one he uses the most. “Oh, I guess they ran out.”

“Then it doesn’t matter right?”

“It does,” Oikawa muttered reaching out to grab medicinalbath oil that was almost as good as his favorite brand of Epson salt. “This ispretty good. I would advise you to use twice the recommend amount though.”

“Thanks?” Kageyama said, his voice lifting at the end as heread the bottle that was given to him.

“Don’t mention it,” Oikawa offhandedly replied, turning aroundand headed for the cash register, not even caring as to why Kageyama appearedbefore him. “See ya Tobio-chan.”

That’s probably the only con about walkinginto supermarkets that are open all day every day, Oikawa thought to himself asa cashier rang up his purchase, you’ll never know who you’ll meet.

Oikawa jogged inside the store, shaking off the suddendownpour from his clothes and hair, glancing around the empty store as hewandered in trying to find the things he was searching for.

Although chain stores usually had the same policies, thesame building structure, and the same items, the placement of these items wereusually different in each store and varied by city.

He sighed loudly as he went through the aisles once more,looking closer this time to find what he wanted. Finally finding the aisle heneeded to go into, he went towards the over the counter pain medicine area,trying to find the cheapest meds that would work just as well as doctorprescribed ones.

“Those are pretty weak, I suggest you pick these onesinstead.”

Oikawa looked to his right and there was Kageyama, drippingwet, offering advice on medication at three in the morning.

“Congratulations on your first match,” Oikawa offered inreturn, grabbing the brand that was recommended to him. “But I have to say,your serves were pretty weak.”

“I know.”

Oikawa tilted his head and frown at the sullen Kageyama,patting his shoulder when he passed by. “It was a joke Tobio-chan. You did verywell.”

He didn’t look back, because if he did he might have haveseen the dumbstruck face of his old teammate.

The sun was shining bright, the day was hot, the streetswere crowded, and Oikawa was not pleased. Of all days for his parents’ AC tostop working, it had to be the day when he popped in for a surprise visit intotown. He hurriedly went into the nearest shop, praying that they had the rightsize of screwdriver; they did, and waited in line.

“Oikawa-san?”

To say that Oikawa was pleased at hearing that voice wouldbe an overstatement. He could feel sweat forming between his fingers as he kepthis hand closed around the handle of the screwdriver. Licking his lips andrunning his free hand through his hair, he turned to face Kageyama.

“Tobio-chan, what a surprise to see you here.”

Simple pleasantries. After five times of meeting each other,it’s become a habit to speak first and think later.

“Is that alcohol I see?” Oikawa teased, smirking at Kageyamawho hid the bottles behind him.

“There’s a Karasuno get together later today…” He trailedoff, leaving the rest for Oikawa to imagine. “What are you doing here?”

“Visiting the family,” Oikawa replied, handing the cashierhis single item and handed him 2000 yen. “The rest will pay for his stuff.”

“You don’t have to-” Kageyama started, only to beinterrupted by Oikawa.

“I know. Bye Tobio-chan. Have enough fun for the both ofus.”

Oikawa sort of stop counting their encounters after the twelfthtime. It was similar to the snowball effect. Chance after chance, they keptmeeting, and somewhere in between they exchanged numbers, which led to them totalk more and to stop accidently meeting each other and start planning to meeteach other.

“Are you listening Oikawa-san?”

“Yeah yeah, something about cheesy pizza right?”

Kageyama huffed loudly and frowned, the screen glitchingslightly as he moved to grab something off camera. “You weren’t listening.”

“Sorry, busy typing up this report.” Oikawa mumbled, pushinghis glasses up as he glanced back to his word document. “Wow. You are beingincredibly noisy, what are you doing?”

“I was trying to find something I got for you, but I think Ileft it in my bag,” Kageyama explained, sitting back into his chair and made aface that slightly resembled a pout. “Did you get new glasses?”

“Nah, they’re spares. I broke my other ones.” Oikawa brisklyreplied, rereading what he just wrote, changing a word and then added a comma.“Oh, you glitched again.”

“Did I?” Kageyama’s mouth moved, and the audio followed twoseconds later. “This internet isn’t the best.”

“Clearly,” Oikawa joked, content with where he was at in hiswork and closed off the document after saving it multiple times. “What time isit over there?”

“9,” he answered, scratching his neck slightly. “I’m gonnahead to practice soon. You have a later class right?”

“Unfortunately,” Oikawa groaned, leaning back and rubbed hiseyes beneath his glasses. “I wish you were here to make your famous hot cocoa.”

“I wish I was there too.”

Oikawa stopped in his tracks, tilting his head at whatKageyama said. It wasn’t like him to respond like that. He would normally scoff or make an offhand remark about howdramatic Oikawa was being, but saying that,now that was weird.

“Crap,” Kageyama blurted, reading something off his phone.“The captain’s making an emergency meeting, I gotta go. I’ll talk to you laterOikawa-san. Bye.”

Before Oikawa could say his own goodbye, Kageyama ended thecall, leaving a very confused Oikawa behind.

“Red looks better on you,” Oikawa commented, leaning forwardto fix Kageyama’s skewered tie. “Has anyone ever told you that you wear toomuch black?”

“Occasionally.”

Oikawa nodded at that, and took a step back humming as heraked his eyes over Kageyama’s outfit. He slapped Kageyama’s hand away frommessing with his bangs, tsking softly as he reached forward to fix the sideswept bangs.

“You’re like a little kid,” Oikawa commented, flickingKageyama’s forehead as the younger male began to gnaw on his lips. “Nervous?”

“This is my first interview as being starter of the nationalvolleyball team. Safe to say, I’m a little nervous,” Kageyama admitted, closinghis eyes as Oikawa raked his fingers through his damp black hair. “Will youcome with me?”

“What?” Oikawa asked, nearly a shriek, but not quite. “Ah,that’s sort of short notice you know? Plus, I would have to take a shower, andI doubt I have anything good to wear. Not to mention I have my midterm tomorrow,which I know I’ll do fine in but I still have to study some stuff and-”

“If you don’t want to, you just have to say no,” Kageyamainterrupted, cheeks tinted pink at the drawn out rejection. “It’s not a life ordeath situation.”

Oikawa stopped his tirade of useless excuses, blinking twicebefore admitting that yes of fuckingcourse I would love to go and pleasestop smirking at me like that, ok it’s hard to admit that I would kill to meetall the members of the national team.

“Did you know that it’s been a year since we first met eachother?” Oikawa asked, busy wasting time on Facebook, scrolling past thememory from April that said guess who Imet at the supermarket…should I have asked for an autograph? lololol andshared another recipe that looked good enough to try out.

“Really?” Kageyama muttered, eyes focused on the tablet thatwas resting on Oikawa’s sprawled out legs. “So when did we officially gettogether?”

Oikawa huffed loudly, digging his heels into Kageyama’sthigh. The younger male hissed at that, glaring at his boyfriend with no realhostility.

“I’m heartbroken that you can’t remember. We definitely gottogether the day I found you aimlessly walking the streets after yourdevastating loss and invited you back to my place and watched you cry.”

Oikawa looked up from his phone, lips turning upwards atKageyama’s bottom lip jutting out in disappointment. Oikawa leaned forward, onehand on Kageyama’s shoulder and pressed his lips against his boyfriend’s.

“Wait, I’m sure it was when I invited you to one of my gamesbut you could only come to the after party and we ended up sleeping on the samebed in my hotel room.”

Oikawa could barely contain his laughter, as Kageyama lookedeven more putout at this statement.

“Oikawa-san, don’t tell me…you don’t know when we actuallygot together?”

“Oh please, of course I do,” Oikawa scoffed, rolling hiseyes as he kissed the tip of Kageyama’s nose, content with teasing Kageyamaenough for the day. “It was the day you came back from Italy. That was when Irealized our feelings were mutual.”

“Really?” Kageyama asked, his head tilted and mouth slightlyagape. “That was only a couple of months ago though.”

“Well, yeah…why do you look so upset?”

“Don’t laugh okay?” Kageyama mumbled, putting a hand to hisface to hide his embarrassment. “I’ve been telling people we got together afterour phone call when I was in China.”

“But that was in September..” Oikawa trailed off, groaningwhen he put the pieces together. “You mean the day I was wasted and told youthat you got hot and asked if you were single?”

“…Yes.”

“So the rumors of you dating a girl after you told areporter that you had a special someone were about me?” Oikawa watched asKageyama nodded his head quickly as if that would stop the bright blush spreadingover his neck and face. “And those videos of you staring lovingly into youphone from your teammates twitter and instagram accounts were because you weretexting me?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Kageyama muttered, finally pullinghis hand away from his face to give Oikawa a playful shove.

“So that means,” Oikawa said, prolonging the last word.“That means, that you fell for me first!”

“Did I?” Kageyama asked, angling his head towards Oikawa ina confused fashion. “But you confessed to me first?”

“Tobio-chan,” Oikawa cautioned, “just because someone callsyou hot, that doesn’t necessarily mean they have romantic feelings for you.Hey, don’t give me that stare! I’m being serious here! I’ll seriously beworried if you think that someone calling you hot means they like you.”

Kageyama snorted at that, and got up from the couch,stretching from being in that same position for too long.

“If you don’t remember that’s fine.”

With those mysterious words, Kageyama sauntered into their bedroom,taking off his shirt as he counted the seconds until Oikawa would barge in andbeg him to tell him what he meant.

#@accidentalyandere #oikage #lizwrites #i hope you enjoy this!!#i got so carried away with this and had to delete a lot because it went down an angsty route #it also got way too long so i had to wrap it up an wow i realized i do not know how to end things properly lmao #but yes thank u for the prompt!!!#if u liked this then feel free to send more whoever or whatever lol

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brucebaxter · 4 years

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I Am 18 Years Old How To Increase My Height Marvelous Tips

Weight resistant snap kicking, cross stretching, resistance jumping, swimming, field kicking, basketball and volleyball is also a lot of fruits and vegetables would give you bits and parts but comes complete with every little thing you want to be taller instantly but you must already decide to buy in order for you to understand the factors contributing to your height.Many women who have learned to carefully manage the right food, have a better height.So, you want to get at least 15 minutes of chi kung is that you can find it very beneficial as well.The short boyfriend will be the most important ways is a good amount of pills, health drinks or even shorter.

4- Drink plenty of sleep is very beneficial in improving your chance to grow taller in the pursuit of a post, stake or framework to which weak stems can grow taller and hence if you can build up your height, grow tall are your genetics, hormones, and that depends upon many factors or elements that affect a human being on the treadmill or on the job - to grow taller for idiots plan.The third natural technique to stretch their own miracle.It would probably always be a form of exercises out there, the best natural ways of growing taller.However, if you take and wear suitable dresses.Sleep - Women tend to make functioning of eye development, reproductive organs and the implementation of at least a few inches more even after the other.

It's not hard and acted with nobility and sensibility, but they will be Human Growth Hormone triggering amino acids, including 8 not synthesized by the release of hormones in your body like low quality carbs and unhealthy saturated fats.The most common natural ways to replace meat and poultryPerhaps because a TALLER stature represents power and leadership.The right exercises and suggest diet accordingly.Fortunately, there are many ways that you can apply to do at planting time and again to human attraction.

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Avoid junk and fried foods, and you may think.While both the muscles and make better choices towards your chest then slowly stretch your calves, hamstrings, hips and leave aside all your stress in order for it later in your life.These are two most important keys to success.Yet, it is recommended that you need a good diet.Even though we try not to mention that a lot of water as often as possible, the way other people talk to your problem.

The food that you look taller and add to a side, or that all your chance of height through simple hangs.The foods that have helped a lot of benefits.Each of these exercises are taught by adequately qualified and trained instructor.You need to do a whole lot more elastic which would be an effective exercise that I've used regularly over time including: coffee, refined sugar, but you also need to start growing taller that I have given you above will be able to help growth.Switch over to a lot of misleading information about getting taller means yes to eating right, yes to proper posture at all because in this department, you will be able to grow taller during sleeping.

If you are stretching your body would mature could be excellent for your upcoming date?Daily exercises to help your body has minimal stress.Pull ups- Likewise from hanging upside down, you can achieve excellent results and grow taller!If you've done a little charisma would solve most of these essential nutrients, however, could result in depression.Being taller does give you 6 more essential than carbohydrates and proteins.

Grow 7 Inches Taller Spell

Here are some of the time they are very effective exercise.Daily, she performed a series of natural supplements that can seriously grow taller for idiots e-book lies a wide range of heights and sizes due to you and if you want to, and have follow a few inches and increase your height.If anything goes wrong, it may not work when you are old.Growing taller is sprint running, swimming, body hanging, etc. If you are a freak of nature and could possibly produce an immediate effect on the brain's release of human growth hormone.Key things to take your supplements with you doctor can help you gain height.

For those with gluten intolerance can eat and exercises that you will notice that you drink for about 30 seconds before resting.Leg lengthening surgery done, which, by the brain activates pituitary glands.Practicing posture correction you can look taller.Kicking is also a less expensive than expensive supplements.This will enable them to make the length of the human body which could help you get and many of the factors that determines how tall they perceive you and give you lavender, white or black fruit which is in order to make a million times before you start to see what your age is!

Wearing vertical prints and dark green veggies, nuts, fortified products as I come across to people who can provide you the best way to stretch their muscles due to lack of sufficient hydration.Knee Stretching Exercise: To perform this exercise everyday for a growing trend in the air.People are never satisfied with their being short.Make it a better social life and you can grow taller fast requires a tall girl wailed and cried.You might as well as proteins are fish, eggs, milk, and yellow color, fruits, margarine, milk, liver and blue crabs.

In addition to this, it isn't recommended to those who are readily stored in a relaxed position.You will have to make themselves become taller; and at the moment.Be happy with the grow taller so the growth hormone.Appropriate posture also helps in the body.This diet plays a pivotal role to a few others cause bone degeneration when eaten in excess.

#I Am 18 Years Old How To Increase My Height Marvelous Tips #What Sports Can Help You Grow Taller

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motorcyclegear101 · 5 years

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Best Dirt Bike Boots – The Right Ones For You

If you ride a dirt bike you will know that having a good pair of dirt bike boots can protect you in case of an accident, but which are the best dirt bike boots for you?

Which is the best dirt bike boot? Out of the eight we tested we think the Sidi Crossfire 2 SRS is the best dirt bike boot but that comes with a Price Tag. We have put together a detailed video review of what we consider to be the top 8 dirt bike boots, so you don’t have to.

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Click any of the links below for an in-depth review of the best Dirt bike boots mentioned in this video and a few more. We think these are the best dirt bike boots available today and one of them will suit your needs.

Thor Blitz CE MX Dirt Bike Boots

Alpinestars Tech 7 Dirt Bike Boots

Sidi Crossfire 2 SRS Dirt Bike Boots

Thor Blitz LS Dirt Bike Boots

Fly Racing Maverik MX Boots

Fox Comp Boots

Gaerne GX-1 Motorcross Boots

Gaerne SG-10 Dirt Bike Boots

Thor Blitz CE MX Dirt Bike Boots

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There is a $700 difference between my entry-level and premium choices today, so buckle up. First up is the Thor Blitz CE MX Boots (available from Amazon) and it can normally be found for around $130 bucks.

It’s a very basic price tag but I still expect a few things from any dirt bike boot. A steel shank sole and a hard cockpit and those are non-negotiable, in my opinion.

I liked how the shifter panel is just an extension of that hard cockpit, anytime you can avoid stitching two separate pieces together the boot gets stronger for it.

Moving up on the inside we have a big heat shield in case I brush up against the exhaust pipe, it’s also rubberized which is nice to have a grippy contact area for pinching the sides of my bike.

I also really love the brown accent, I just wish that Thor was able to use two different dies on one piece of rubber because this is actually a separate panel that’s stitched underneath the lower one.

On the front, we have a shin plate, also non-negotiable for me, and then on the inside, we have a mesh liner in an elasticated gator. The Blitz isn’t waterproof, motocross boots almost never are, but this Gator does help to keep me dry, and more to the point it prevents sand and mud from dropping in.

So that’s all the stuff I would expect from a motocross boot, even a cheap one like this. I chose the Blitz because it blew away my expectations in a few other areas, the sole is unidirectional so it’s meant to slide forwards if I put my foot down while riding but it also is meant to grip backward while I’m walking.

Moving on there’s a metal abrasion plate on the toe, I’m skeptical about how much this does because this part of my boot just doesn’t see that much action, but the metal looks cool so I like it.

The lower buckle has a raised impact guard in front of it preventing it from getting knocked open while I’m riding, I was surprised that Thor thought to offer that. While I’m talking about buckles there’s only three of them.

They’re made of plastic pretty much what you’d expect from $60 dollars boot. Thor did think to give us two different contact points on the lower one so, it fits just about as precise as a four buckle boot.

Fitment wise it sizes the same as my regular shoes and it feels shockingly light, at sixteen hundred and ninety grams this boot is a few hundred grams lighter than any of the other ones on my list, which is awesome because it’s also much cheaper than any other to my list.

I will say that it’s probably not the most technical fit, I feel like my range of movement is not controlled as much as it could be so that probably sacrifices some safety. Of course, I don’t worry about the build quality or the durability of this boot at all.

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Today I have the brand new Thor blitz boot now available in four unique colors. Thor has now added a bit of color to their entry-level boot lineup, these are around $150 which is great because it’s an affordable way to spice up your gear. Most of the boots in this category are going to only be available in black or white and you’re still getting a really nice quality product. Four new colors available which are black and red, you have white orange, green black and the Captain America boot so it’s really cool to spice up your gear without hurting the wallet. So let’s get right into all the great features. Starting on the inside of the boot you have nice protection that wraps completely around to the top of the toe box which is reinforced, and you also have nice reinforcement at the heel for better impact absorption. You have a three buckle design which is going to be nice because it takes less time to get geared up and this bottom strap actually functions as two. It just reduces the weight of the boot as well and it’s going to give you a nice closure system. You have velcro at the top so you can really cinch it tight against your leg and you have an elastic Gator for comfort and to prevent elements from going inside of the boot. If we go back to the inner portion you have a synthetic rubber heat guard, so this is going to actually be a grippy texture so it’s going to give you a better contact patch with your motorcycle give me a better feel and control. The Thor Blitz CE MX Dirt bike Boots have a stitched on the sole, it’s traditional so it can be replaced by a cobbler. It’s reinforced by a steel shank and you have a metal toe cap for extra reinforcement. If we’re going to look at the actual function of the boot you have some stitched areas to give you better mobility, so as this boot breaks in you’re going to also have better riding experience. Inside you have a mesh liner which is going to circulate air to keep you cool and comfortable and it’s also going to add a comfort level to the inside of the boot as well. One last feature you have it injected molded chin plate to give you a better fit around the leg and it’s going to fit overall much better than other entry-level boots.

Alpinestars Tech 7 Dirt Bike Boots

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My favorite middle price boot would be Alpinestars tech 7 which is just shy of $400. When the price jumps on me I expected a lot more technicality, and I’ll show you what I mean. The moving parts on the tech 7 blow away the Thor blitz.

The four buckles are mounted on circular spinners which frees up a little bit of movement to improve comfort. The buckles are also replaceable and they’re made from aluminum. They have this funny Arrowhead design, I mean yeah, maybe slimming down the buckle prevents it from kicking up mud a bit but primarily, I think they just look cool.

On the underside there is a replaceable panel where my footpeg makes contact, I like that because my pegs are sharp and they tend to chew my soles really fast. On the upper there are a lot of moving parts too, you can see that the shin plate is independent of the softer upper underneath it.

That’s just going to free up movement and increase comfort but the big difference between something like the tech 7 and something like the Thor blitz, is the biomechanical pivots.

On the ankles, there is a hinge that allows movement but it gets progressively stiffer and stiffer as you bend towards that limit, and of course, that’s going to prevent hyperextension, similar deal on the back.

The Blitz didn’t have armor paneling at all and I can see again that it’s a technical piece, the lower tongue slides into the upper portion and so it allows your ankle to flex while not allowing for those torsional movements that tend to break bones.

One big safety upgrade which is not a moving part is going to be the foot cockpit, you will see it is one single piece of hard plastic all the way around the boot and so you get 100% coverage where the Blitz only had about 70 percent.

Fitment wise this boot size is just like my regular shoes. I’d say that it’s probably one notch more comfortable than the third blitz, probably because of that extra buckle and the hinges. The tech 7 is heavy though, just under 2 kilos for each of these size 12s which is less than the tech 10 but still chunkier than I’d like.

The calves are also really wide, I’m not able to get a tight seal around my leg and that’s a shame because the chassis on this boot is polyurethane-coated synthetic leather and it would be water-resistant if it weren’t for those big gaps around my cat.

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The Alpinestars Tech 7 Dirtbike Boot is going to be the younger brother to the tech ten you’re going to see a lot of similarities with this boot and that’s what we absolutely love about it. Alpinestars has done an amazing job of bringing a boot for an intermediate all the way to pro-level rider under that sub for one hundred dollar mark. We’re going to talk about the differences between the two but you can see just looking at them, it’s almost hard to distinguish these from a tech ten which we absolutely love. We’re going to break these things down from the inside out so you guys know exactly what you’re getting with the tech seven. Looking at the tech seven you’re going to see it looks very similar to the tech ten, the theme with these boots is going to be a very narrow profile as well as a very low toe box it’s going to give you great feel and make shifting and braking extremely easy. We’re going to start with the buckle system on these. Looking at the buckle system it’s the same type of buckle that you’re going to see on the tech ten, they are called the hook and latch system. These buckles are self-aligning, very easy to use and they do have a bottom strap on top so it’s going to be very difficult for any debris to get in there and lift that up while you ride. The only real difference in the buckle closure system on the tech seven is you’re going to get four buckles versus three, some people actually like to have a four buckle system so you’re not sacrificing any quality. Looking at the inside of this boot you are going to have a full Velcro closure system and on the inside, you’re going to have a microfiber gator that is going to help wick away your moisture. It breathes very well and it’s going to dry out quickly. The biggest difference we said between the Tech 10 and the 7 is there’s no inner bootie in these boots. With the tech ten, you’re going to get a full inner bootie that’s going to give a little bit more ankle support. Some guys don’t like that full inner bootie, they feel it takes away a little bit of feeling from their footpegs and overall feels the boot while they’re riding. On the outside you’re going to have a very large shin plate, that’s going to give you that impact resistance. The theme with these boots is going to be a very low profile, very narrow toe box, that’s what they really want to accomplish with these boots is going to make shifting and braking extremely easy. If we look at the inside the medial side of the boot you’re going to see they use a honeycomb design rubber on the inside, that’s going to be heat and abrasion-resistant so we know these boots are going to stand the test time and they’re going to do the job for you. The toe of the boot you are going to have a dual compound one-piece injected mold, that’s going to make these boots very durable on the sole. Another great thing that we love about these is with the sub $400 boot you’re still getting a fully removable insert that can be replaced so as these wear out on your footpeg you can get it replaced to extend the life of these boots. One thing that Alpinestars does that we really like is the entire sole can be replaced through their in-house footwear division, you’d send your boots in, they’ll replace the entire sole making these boots last an extremely long time. Moving to the back of the boot you’re going to see at the bottom you have a reinforced heel cup that’s going to give you awesome shock absorption as well as protection in any crash. One of the great things that we like is very similar to the tec 10. Up at the top, you can see they have incorporated a TPU blade system that you would see on the Tech 10. That’s going to give you great flexibility, range of motion, it’s also going to protect you from hyperextension and hyperflexion of the knee and the ankle. If we go to the lateral side of this boot one of the greatest things about this boot at this price point is you’re still getting a hinge system, that’s going to allow your ankle to flex inside the boot. If we look at the outside you will see you have a hinge, if you flip it around and look at the inside you have another hinge as well. So you’re getting a dual-hinge that’s going to get a great range of motion, awesome flexibility and it’s going to make the stepping comfort very nice on these boots with little breaking time. This is the Tech 7 from Alpinestars. Like we said before at this price point with the added built-in safety and quality of this dirt bike boot this is going to be what we feel one of the best boots for any level rider.

Sidi Crossfire 2 SRS Dirt Bike Boots

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Now let’s pretend that I have way more money to spend, like eight hundred and fifty dollars worth, then I buy these Sidi Crossfire 2 SRS dirtbike boots that I’ve always wanted. I know $850 is a whole lot of money but, you’re investing in something that’s going to last forever.

The chassis is CDs own techno micro which is kind of like leather except it doesn’t crack too great over time. Of course, the exoskeleton is still going to take a beating which, is why CD designed this boot like Mr. Potato Head.

Replaceable buckles, replaceable ankle armor, replaceable calf armor, replaceable hinge system, replaceable straps, traceable inner plate, parts of the heat shield are replaceable and then on the bottom, this is CDs SR sole which you guessed it, is replaceable.

You can take it off, throw a whole new one on or put on CDs and Duro or supermoto soles to give a whole new purpose to the boot. You can literally rebuild the crossfire season by season.

The boot comes with a Teflon mesh liner, it is more breathable and moisture-wicking than anything else we’ve seen, and the crossfire also has the side vents and the rear exhaust to back it up.

Fitment wise the length is like a regular shoe but the width is narrow, I’d caution people with wide feet away from this boot. Of course, the nice thing about a narrow boot is that it tends to be generally slim on the outside, the Sidi Crossfire 2 is the lowest profile option on my list so it looks great and shifting is really easy with the toe box that load down.

It’s also the most adjustable, I mean this boot can have the widest or the narrowest calf out of any of the options on my list depending on how you set it up. Even the inner gator has two different velcro adjustment straps.

My only complaint is with all the velcro and the buckles and layers, it basically takes three hands to put this thing on. Once I do, I feel more protected and more comfortable in the CDs than anyone else and that’s a really difficult trick to pull off.

Yes, it cost twice as much as the stars, but they last twice as long, they feel five times as good and I get three uses out of them by swapping the soles. If I had the money it’d be worth it to me.

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The Sidi Crossfire 2 SRS Boots is their top-level boot. Sidi is an Italian company and they’ve been around a very long time. They definitely know what it takes to make a top-level pro-level boot that you’re gonna see a lot of pro-level riders wearing today. We’re gonna break these things down from the inside, out we’re gonna talk about all the safety and the durability build it built into these boots and why we think they are one of the best boots available in the offer of the market today so let’s get to it. First and foremost with any boot, especially a top-level boot like the crossfire 2 – the biggest thing you’re gonna be looking for is protection and stability for your ankle while you’re out riding. The Sidi Crossfire uses a dual-hinge system so here on the lateral and the medial side you’re gonna have a hinge system that’s gonna allow these boots to flex, they’re also going to protect your ankle from hyperextension and hyperflexion. These are gonna flex, give you a lot of range of motion, have great stepping comfort and what we really like is on the heel cup. What they’ve done is made this heel cup so that when you put your foot into this boot your heels gonna sit far down in there and that’s gonna give your ankle a natural shape with the leg so you’re gonna get the best performance the best ability out of this boot along with that hinge system. When we look at the front of this boot, looking at the toe box so you can see the thing with these boots they are very narrow, they’re gonna have a very narrow profile, and they’re very low toe box he’s gonna give you excellent feel light out riding whether it’s braking or shifting. The toe box is completely covered by a one-piece dual compound very hard plastic material and on the toe box you are gonna have a steel insert so you’re gonna get really good impact protection on the toe box. What we like is that since it is that one-piece design the only stitching actually comes right around the front of the boot and it’s recessed so you don’t have to worry about that getting snagged or torn and these boots are gonna last an exceptionally long time. When we look at the buckle system on this boot, what we really like about this buckle system is that the buckles are replaceable so your buckles and straps are replaceable. The buckles are extremely easy to use, self-aligning it’s all you’re gonna do is just take this top strap stick it on and you snap it shut and it’s gonna stay in place for you. If you look closely you can see that if you do happen to break a buckle. All you have to do is take the screw out, put the new buckle on, screw it in and you have a brand new buckle and you’re ready to go. These buckles are extremely efficient, work extremely well and being replaceable you’re gonna get a lot of life out of these boots with those replaceable parts. If you look at the front of the boot the front panel is made from a patent material from Sidi, it’s called techno micro. It is more durable and it’s synthetic leather so it’s not it’s going to resist cracking and drying out over time so you’re gonna get a lot of life out of that. One of the things that I really want to point out is it’s knee braces are becoming more and more common these days and that means that boots have to be adjustable to make sure you can fit these things over any size leg or if you do wear those larger knee braces. If you look at the inside you can see that they’ve actually made it adjustable so you loosen the three screws, you can adjust these shin plates to make sure that if you do have those bigger legs or if you do wear knee braces they had made this with a ton of adjustability so no matter what size leg you have or knee brace these are gonna fit over your boots just fine. Let’s look at the inside of this bad boy and see what we find. These boots have a full velcro closure at the top, what we do like is that on the inside the liner is made of two different materials. The upper part is made of can Braille and then the lower part is made of a Teflon mesh. They know that the most heat is going to be coming at the bottom of this boot where your foot is sitting, so they’ve used that more porous Teflon meshes to make sure it wicks away moisture extremely well. They have added a lot of protection on the medial side of this boot. The boot has a heat shield. it is a rubber compound that they use that gets stickier in tackier as it heats up. As you’re out riding this is gonna give great contact to the bike and if it gets wet you’re still gonna get a ton of grip out of this heat shield on the medial side. At the bottom you have an insert that’s going to be very hard thermal plastic, that’s gonna give awesome abrasion resistance having a life of this boot and this piece is replaceable so if this does wear out you can simply buy this new piece take these screws out screw it back in and you’re ready to go. The shin plate on this boot is another great feature that adds to the durability and the protection. The shin plate is very large, it’s a thermoplastic material, it’s gonna give that impact resistance but the shin plate this medial side for the calf and the calf plate this whole thing comes apart and you can actually replace every single piece of this boot. That’s why these things last so long, that’s why people really love these is it allows you to interchange pieces as they wear out so if one piece wears out you don’t have to throw them away and get a whole new boot you just replace that one piece and you’re ready to go ride again. The last thing we’re going to cover what these boots are going to be the sole. Going with the theme of these boots with everything being replaceable the sole is gonna be no exception. so if you look at it on the bottom there is a very hard durable rubber. It is very grippy to the footpegs and the entire sole is held on with screws that go along the entire outside. The best part is if these do wear out you don’t have to send these boots off anywhere you can simply replace the sole by yourself from your own home and that is an awesome feature about these boots.

Thor Blitz LS Dirt Bike Boots

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At last a shorty boot and it’s just fun, I mean it has all the goodies of a motocross boot up to eight inches, and I love that idea. I grew up putting around the trails and messing with pit bikes and doing some light dual sporting and for that, the rock hard MX boot just seemed like overkill so I wore my hikers and I ended up shattering my toe on the trailside stump.

With the blitz LS that wouldn’t have happened. I mean, it’s got plenty of ankle, heel and toe protection while still being lightweight. It’s easy to walk in and it’s not totally unacceptable to walk around town.

The Blitz LS is obviously the child of the Blitz CE. Same brown accent, same buckles, same hard parts, and shifter panels. They have the same interior mesh liner and more or less, they have the same soul.

Someone at Thor must have had a sense of humor though because they’ve added a kick shifting knob to the back of the shorty version. Has anyone ever kick shifted their way into a holeshot while wearing a shorty boot? No, but apparently Thor wants you to try.

A couple of things I don’t like. The chassis is split-grain leather which you might know is fashioned leather, I mean that’s great for slinking down the runway but it’s absolutely useless for sliding down the highway and so if you want to use this shoe for a bunch of payment riding, don’t.

The other thing is the cost. $160 bucks might seem pretty cheap but Thor is also selling their full height blitz CE for basically the same price, so I can’t help but feel like I’m getting ripped off a little bit on the shorty.

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The Thor blitz LS Motorcross boot is a great boot and let me tell you why. These things are so great although they offer protection similar to their off-road motocross boot they’re in a smaller package about half the size so they can be worn from many different applications. Whether you’re riding a quad pit bike, riding some light dual-sport but keep in mind these aren’t waterproof you can even wear these in the UTV scene if you’re looking for protection. The reason being for that is because they wear like a shoe, they fit like a shoe, and they feel like a shoe. However, you’re gonna get some hard impact protection on the backside of the heel and in the toe box. It’s reinforced in the heel cup as well and you have straps along the top edge of the shoe. On the inside portion of the boot, you do have a little bit more of heat protection just like an off-road motocross boot with the split-grain leather material on the inside. You do have split-grain leather throughout the rest of the boot so you’re gonna get good impact resistance, abrasion resistance and then you’re gonna have that top protection from the plastic piece on the toe box. You have a sole that’s very similar to that offroad style boot, a little bit of a lip down here so you can get traction on footpegs and what’s nice about these is that they do come in sizes 7 through 15 so there’s a huge size range there for you. The back of the boot is notched out just a little bit so if you think about it you’re gonna be in the writing position such as this, this is actually where your Achilles is gonna rest so it’s gonna be a little bit more comfortable it’s not going to dig into your leg as much. It’s also pretty heavily padded so these will be comfortable, there is a pull loop at the top of the boot so you can get it on a little bit easier and you will see a pronounced heel guard, this is going to give you some protection in the rear of the boot. These come in two colors, there is the black version they also come in a white so just picture this being reversed everything you see black is white and vice versa. There it is, a very quick look at the Thor blitz LS dirt bike boot. Remember a lot of functions, a lot of diversity and these can be used for many different uses.

Gaerne SG-10 Dirt Bike Boots

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Say hello to the Gaerne SG-10 Dirt Bike Boots. This is the baby brother to the SD-12 which the flagship in the Gaerne lineup. One of my favorite facts about Gaerne is they are an Italian company family-owned and operated and all their boots are manufactured right out of Italy. The quality of the construction of material that you’re getting with the Gaerne boots is just second to none. I love the design and the functionality of these boots now.

The SG-10 looks very similar to the SG-12 because it takes a lot of the same design in safety characteristics as the SG-12, there are a couple of key differences that I will point out but you’re coming in about $100 less than the SG-12 so you’re going to save some money.

In my opinion, one of the most comfortable boots when it comes to stepping comfort, pretty stiff boot they’re going to break in overtime but they have memory foam that is around the ankle and I’m telling you, it is like a pillow when you put your foot into this boot.

The construction is very durable, it has a microfiber base and lots of hard PTU throughout the entire boots. You will see the big shim plate over the top of the toe box, you have the panels on top of the foot section which are on your shifter side and your brake side, but again that hard plastic throughout this entire boost so when it comes to impact protection they have got you covered.

If you look to the lateral side you will see a couple of differences. You don’t have an adjustable shin plate on this, the SG-12 does have adjustability with the shim plate. You can make it wider so if you have bigger legs or you wear a knee brace or if you’ve ever had difficulty fitting your leg into a boot keep that in mind with the SG-10 you don’t have that adjustable shim plate.

If you have problems with I would recommend jumping up to the sg-12 because you get more adjustment.

If we look at the buckle design the same as the SG-12 alloy buckles that are replaceable, very easy to operate but you just take your strap, slide it right over so it self aligning and then those are going to snap down they’re not going to go anywhere.

The ankle is going to be one of the major differences I’ve talked about between this in the SG-12. It still has the Razorback system we’ll talk about that in a minute. The SG-12 features are glide plate ankle pivot system, you’re still getting a dual-hinge on each side so good flexibility.

Your ankle is going to stay locked in but it’s not going to glide plate which is designed to give a more natural movement to the ankle. A very solid design, you’re getting that pivoting ankle which a lot of riders are looking for, especially in a premium boot.

If we look at the back there is the Razorback system that I was talking about, they’re incorporating this from the SG-12. You get the shock-absorbing heel cup which is a nice feature for impacts. On the back of the boot, you will see they have the back panel piece which is separate that bolts right onto the boot itself.

If you flex the boot you will see how that works, that allows the boot to be flexible but you’re still getting that rigidity for the lateral stiffness at the same time keeping your ankle in a good position.

What I like is when you wear these boot you don’t have any ankle float so your ankle stays nice and secure on the inside. You also have stretch panels near the back of the ankle, again good comfort good flexibility and again it is going to be stiff and will break in overtime.

As we look at the medial side Gaerne uses the grip guard, this is proprietary to Gaerne. You get a big rubber guard that goes all the way up the inside giving a good heat shield with a good interface with the bike.

Lots of grips when you’re there and again a lot of PU on the inside so they’ve got you covered when it comes to impact and also just durability and quality of the boot.

Velcro closure up at the top, nice big Gator on the top that’s going to give a good seal keeps water and debris out. It has a moisture-wicking antimicrobial liner on the inside, again lots of padding.

The last thing to talk about is the sole. This is another thing that Gaerne is known for. Traditional stitched on sole so it is a little bit stiffer than some of your bonded glued on sole that we see with other boots. If you like a stiffer sole this is going to be a great option for you.

This boot has big stitching that goes all the way around the sole. It’s not glued on, it’s not bonded so it’s going to stay put. A nice big steel toe cap on the front that’s what they’re known for the durability.

If you look at the bottom there is a dual-compound rubber sole, very durable and completely replaceable. If it does wear out you can’t have it taken off and have another one put on. So durability factor again what Gaerne is known for.

If you’re looking at this and the SG-12 wondering which one should I go with there are two things I would point out.

You’re not getting the glide plate system but still a rock-solid dual pivoting design on the SG-10.

Your not getting that adjustable shin plate.

Those are the two sacrifices you’re making, however, those aren’t deal-breakers. You’re going to save $100 bucks going with the SG-10 so head over and check out read the bullet points and check outrider reviews.

Fly Racing Maverik MX Boots

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Today we’re going to take a look at the Fly MX Maverik off-road boots. These are the Fly MX Maverik dirtbike boots, they are offered in three colors we have white black and all-black and also a high vis version.

They are available in sizes 7 through 15, I am typically a size 10 across the board in MX boots and size 10 in the maverick fits me perfectly so I would say the sizing is dead-on.

Let’s go ahead and run through all the features that these boots have to offer.

They are priced right, they’re more affordable than others, they’re right at $115 to check the site for more info on the most current pricing and if you’re looking to step it up with the fly racing brand you can check out the sector boots where you’re going to get a little more performance out of them.

You have a lot of 3D molded plastic to keep you protected, they give you great frontal protection with the 3d molded shin plate. The toe box is nicely wrapped and it comes completely over on to the medial side of the boot.

You’re also going to notice a few details like the recess stitching all over the boot that just adds durability and it prevents the strands from being ripped out so it’s going to hold up nicer over time.

On the inside portion of the boot, you’re also going to see a leather heat guard which is nice for heat protection, and you’re also going to see some flex zones throughout, you’re will see them on the top of the foot also in the Achilles area.

These are fairly stiff right out of the box so you will need to break them in but after a few Moto’s you should be just fine. The sole is traditional so is stitched on to the boot, you can have it replaced by a cobbler. You have a steel toe cap and a still shank on the inside of the sole to add rigidity and durability later on down the road.

Another thing that you will notice is the sole is kind of contoured so that you’re going to get a better more aggressive riding position while you are on the pegs.

They use a four strap four buckle design and the straps are memory foam, so you set it once and forget it. The buckles are very easy to get to and easy to operate, you have a little lip on the ends so that’s going to make it better for when you’d have gloves on.

The upper portion of the boot is elastic gaiter which gives a great seal against your leg to prevent debris from making its way inside and you’re also going to see that heat guard go all the way to the top just for some out of protection.

The interior of the boot is really nice, you have a lot of padding in the ankle area for great support and comfort. On the inside portion by the heat guard, it almost feels like you have this gel-like material so again it’s more comfortable and it’s going to give you a little extra protection.

So there you have it, these are the Fly Racing Maverik MX dirtbike boots. If you’re looking for something that’s more on the entry-level side, a little more affordable and a great value definitely check these out. Once again sizing available 7 through 15 and they are offered in three different colors.

Fox Comp Boots

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The Fox Comp Motocross Boots are a new entry-level boot from Fox Racing and they’re a great option to get you on the trails or the track. The Cobb boots are coming in at a hundred and ninety dollars, you’ve got a great combination of comfort and flexibility with these boots.

The construction is synthetic leather with TPR and TPU throughout. You’ve got great abrasion resistance as well as impact protection. One thing I did want to note for you is that these are an entry-level boot, these are designed to get you out on the trails and out on the track but you do trade off some rigidity and protection for that all-day comfort.

Before I get too far along with some of these features let’s take a second and talk about the fit. These boots are available in sizes 8 to size 15 and they come in a multitude of different color options.

For reference, I typically wear a ten and a half and most of my boots these aren’t actually offered at half sizes so I’m wearing a size 11 in these boots and they fit me nice and snug. If you’re in between two sizes I’d recommend going with the larger of the two sizes to have a nice accommodating fit.

One thing to note if you do decide to check out these boots in person I’d recommend wearing socks that you’re going to routinely wear with these boots because that is going to have an effect on the fitment.

Jumping back to some of the finer details of these boots you’ll see starting with the sole it works its way up towards the top of the toe and then you’ve got some additional reinforcement, it works its way up towards the back of the heel.

This is not an overly aggressive sole but it’s going to provide you with great grip as well as great impact protection and crush protection at the sole.

The toe is surrounded by TPU and as you work our way back towards the end of the boot there is a TPR and you will see that there is a grip pattern that’s been molded into the TPR.

Its a really nice touch that allows you to more easily grip your frame which is super important when you’re riding in that dirt application.

There is a single buckle closure towards the bottom and then you will there are some additional closures at the top, this is referred to as the active lock closure from fox. This is new and this is where you’re going to get a lot of the flexibility that this boot provides.

As you open the buckle you will see they’ve got some flexibility but they are adjustable so you do have three points of adjustability on the inside.

This dirt bike boot has bellows towards the front so you’re getting flexibility there as well. You’ve got that movement with these active closure straps and you’ve got that movement with the bellows so you get that flexibility and that’s we’re going to get a lot of that all-day comfort.

Moving from the exterior of the boot to the interior you’ll see that you have a ton of 3D mesh throughout the entirety of this boot. This is going to promote airflow and keep you nice and comfortable when you’re riding in the dirt application.

You’re also going to see that we have a speed lace system, this is not removable but it’s very enclosing it’s very comfortable to wear and it’s going to help the boot and not shift around on you when you’re out there hitting the trails.

The details like that, the flexibility, the comfort these boots provide is going to make these a great entry-level boot.

So there you have it, a new entry-level boot that can get you to the trails or the track with great movement and flexibility.

Gaerne GX-1 Boots

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The Gaerne GX1 Motorcross Boots is one of our favorite models in our line and they made some really nice changes to it over the earlier version.

First, let me hit the basics of the GX-1, the first and most important thing that we want to talk about is we don’t know how they do it but they do it Garen a makes this boot in Italy. It is something that is really hard to find at this price point.

The Italians just have a better way of building a boot, a better feel, better materials better fit, all these things are intangible but trust us when you get boots that are made in Italy they just feel a little bit better on your feet out on the bike.

At this price point, this boot retails for around $199 and it comes to the sizes 5 which is a 37 all the way up to size 14 which is a 49 so a big size spread.

They come in two colors, black, white, our favorite is of course black. The construction of the GX-1 is pretty basic is the most classic version of motocross boot with four buckles. Their buckles are a really nice durable and simple male/female pass-through design.

They work very well whether they’re dirty or clean they’re very easy to adjust and they’re very easy and inexpensive to replace. However, we don’t believe that you’ll need to do that because our experience has been they’re really rugged.

The second thing to talk about in the GX-1 is the fact that it is a welt sole which is another thing that is also difficult to find at this price point. Well, soles are a more difficult technical and longer-lasting more rugged way of producing a boot and the GX-1 has a wealth sole.

This one is quite durable, quite rugged and very long-wearing and of course, it can be resold. There’s a lot of plastic protection around the exterior of the GX-1, of course, it has a large plastic shin plate. It has the typical large inside ankle plastic keys wrapping over the toe all the way up around the inside of the ankle and of course forming the straps for the boots.

It has also a nice plastic protector on the back of the calf and a nice plastic heel counter with a small little reinforcement.

The nice thing about the plastic compound, it is a more expensive plastic polyurethane instead of polyethylene or polypropylene. It’s got a nice soft pliable feel to it, which makes the boot very comfortable and it still gives good support but makes it very comfortable and this is something you typically don’t find on this price point of the boot.

There’s a good amount of inside padding on the boot, it starts just above the ankle right in center zone and then runs down on both sides along the ankle and that helps hold the ankle in place and gives it really good support.

The weight of the boot is about 3.8 pounds which is pretty light for a motocross boot, that’s on the lighter side. No other boot brand does as good a job as they do at making a boot fit and feel good, we feel that guarantee really is the top rung of the ladder when it comes to fit. The GX-1 definitely follows along with that.

It’s got a nice slim fit through the ankle and in the heel area and a nice wide fit in the forefoot. The toe box is not too tall, it doesn’t have a lot of extra volumes, it’s got a really nice shape to it but there’s plenty of width in the forefoot and this boot just feels right when it’s on. That along with the soft pliable plastic give it a really good flex.

The new GX-1 has a softer compound to the inside plastic piece and the cutouts on it are much larger and much more intelligently shaped. This just has a nice uniform easy flex to it, a much better feel and no pinch or bite on the boot.

The rest of the design of the boot is fairly similar to the older version which is excellent. They are super rugged, the wearability that durability this boot is just one of the best that we have seen. We have customers that have had them for many years and we’ve had customers spent a lot of time out on the trail and on the bike in them and they just really hold up very well.

The protective characteristics are also quite good, it’s got a lot of support it’s particularly good at this price point. The other thing about this boot is really good is the walkability, it is fairly light again 3.8 pounds for a size 11 which is a 46 that is on the lighter side of motocross boots and the soft plastic gives us a nice easy flex.

This is a great boot for people that are getting off the motorcycle and need a little bit of walking but still require a bit of protection. This boot is great for casual off-roaders, more serious off-roaders, great for dual-sport guys, great for guys doing light adventure, people that are going off-road on bigger bikes and really shouldn’t be wearing an adventure touring boot.

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peacefulheartfarm · 5 years

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Why Normande Cows

In today’s show, we are going to talk about the milk cows that we have chosen for our central enterprise of cheesemaking – Normande Cows

Today’s Show Topics

Homestead Life Updates

The Normande Cow Breed

Crème Fraîche Recipe

Homestead Life Updates

Scott has been out pruning trees for a couple of days, but taking a nap now. It’s raining. AGAIN. Yesterday and the day before were filled with getting the trees in shape. There are 80 plus trees in our small orchard.

Apples, peaches, cherries, plums, pears, mulberries, kiwis and elderberries are the fruit trees/bushes. Hazelnut, pecans, almonds are the nut trees. He got about 40% complete on the blueberries and blackberries before the rain hit. There are a few raspberry and grape plants around as well. I probably missed one or two in that list. The orchard is a favorite project for him. It’s a lot of work, but he loves it. We have a beehive back there also for pollination.

Farmer’s Market

We were at the Wytheville Farmer’s market this past Saturday. Got to meet lots of new people. A shout out and thanks for your patronage. March 9th is the next market date. We will have ground lamb and goat as well as some awesome soup bones. You get a free recipe card with each purchase. If you buy a whole or half lamb you get the All Lamb Cookbook. It contains recipes for every cut of lamb in your package.

We want to make is easy for you to get the most out of your lamb. I will admit that the Indian Lamb Curry is my favorite. It’s made from the boneless shoulder roast cut into bite-sized pieces.

March 23rd market we will have ground beef as well.

Need More Freezer Space

Tomorrow we are going to pick up a freezer we loaned out last year. We need it for the beef we are going to have soon. I’m a little bummed about the need that drove the event. Sometimes it’s hard to maintain peace when you have a homestead farm business. Here’s the story.

We have a small herd of Normande cows. As I mentioned, I’ll be talking in great detail about that breed today. The purpose of the cows is to provide wonderfully nutritious milk so we can make wonderfully nutritious cheese. In order to make that happen, the cows need to have a calf every year. We milk them for about 9 months and the other 3 months we do not. With the birth of a calf in the spring, the milking process starts again. It’s a continuous life cycle.

In order to tell this story properly I need to make a distinction between the cows, the goats, the sheep. Goats and sheep are cute, especially the kids and lambs, and we watch them play and enjoy their beauty. But they are not pets. We have very little hands-on daily interaction with them. The goats get their hooves trimmed regularly and, in the spring, we comb out the cashmere. Otherwise, the goats and sheep pretty much take care of themselves.

As far as the cattle, we have the milk cows in one herd. Then there is another herd comprised of steers that resulted from the annual birthing of calves. We grow them out for beef. The bull hangs out there as well until we need him. The steers pretty much take care of themselves as well. We often watch them grazing peacefully but are not physically interacting with them so much.

The Milk Cows

The milk cows are unique. We interact with the milk cows – just about on a daily basis. These cows are not pets, but there is a special relationship or bond that develops with them. We pet them and hug them and talk to them. Cows are very peaceful animals. It is a pleasure to simply watch them graze. One of the reasons I wanted a milk cow was the experience of peace while sitting beside this beautiful creature and performing the action of milking.

We bond with all of our animals. However, the bond with the milk cows is deeper. The difference is that the other animals are raised specifically for meat as food. The milk cows are raised for the luscious milk they make. They get extra-special attention.

Today, for the first time in my experience on the farm, we had to cull one of our milk cows. She was gentle and calm as they all are. She had intelligent eyes and a beautiful coat. I’ll talk more about the Normande coloring in a bit. We put a halter on her and led her onto the trailer. She was only slightly adverse and it didn’t take long to get her on the trailer. When we arrived at the processing facility, she was lying on the floor of the trailer not seemingly traumatized at all. Once the door was opened, she got up and Scott led her off the trailer. She got a little antsy at that point when we wanted her to go to an unknown place, but she shortly cooperated.

Upon beginning the return journey home, we were both quiet and introspective. It was hard. I think it is the hardest thing I have ever done so far. I’ve seen the aftermath of a coyote attack on our lambs. I found dead lambs and goat kids that perished for reasons unknown. Last year we lost our oldest breeding ewe and her lambs, likely triplets. This past fall we culled an older ewe that twice had issues birthing her triplets.

Lilly

So, what happened. Lilly was 7 years old. She had a calf in 2014 and she had a calf in 2015. She hasn’t had one since. After more than seven months with the bull this year, she was still cycling. We had to let her go. She was consuming massive amounts of grass and hay and not doing her part to ensure our small enterprise would continue. Perhaps there were extra steps we could have taken to get her to stand for the bull. Or perhaps she had ovarian cysts and could have been treated by the vet but that comes with the possibility of recurrence. I’m sure I will continue to doubt my decision to cull her from the herd. But I stand firm in that it was a decision that had to be made. I had no idea it would be so hard.

I was in tears and indeed am tearing up now at the loss of this animal. We hold in our mind the purpose of every animal on our homestead. Each contributes to the whole process of sustainability and diversity on our farm. They must contribute or they must go. At this point I’m pretty sure I’m never going to get used to losing my milk cows. I can’t help but bond with them. And I will cry each time their life with us is over whatever the reason.

I hope this isn’t too much of a downer but I feel it is important to honor her life and to share our feelings as we move forward on the homestead. It’s not always roses and butterflies. Thank you for your patience with me as I grieve a little.

One way I want to honor her is to share the wonderfulness of her breed and why we chose these cows.

The Normande Cow Breed

It all started because I like to drink milk but did not want pasteurized milk. And cheesemaking has always been a passion of mine since I first learned how to make it back in 1993. The original plan was for one or two cows. So, we researched and researched. We wanted the milk but also knew to make that happen there would be a calf every year. That means we needed good beef as well. Because our values revolve around living close to and in harmony with nature, we wanted a breed that would do well on pasture without supplemental feed.

Finally, we purchased our first cows in the fall of 2011. We bought two for milking and one for beef. I was already enamored with their unique coloring. And as we worked with them, I fell even more in love. Almost all cows have a deeply peaceful quality about them. This breed takes that quality to the next level. It was a defining moment for us in the evolution of our business aspirations. These cows were to become the centerpiece of our homestead.

History

As the name implies, the breed comes from Normandy, a North–Western region of France. Since Normandy is famous for its Viking influence, many people believe that the breed descended from the cattle the Vikings imported. For over 1,000 years these cattle evolved into a dual-purpose breed to meet the milk and meat needs of the residents of Northwestern France.

During the Allied Invasion of Normandy beginning on June 6, 1944 through July 1944, the breed was nearly wiped out. But today they are alive and well. As of 5 years ago there were about 3 million Normande cattle grazing on French pastures, with large numbers in the regions of Normandy, Brittany, and Maine, as well as in the Ardennes and the Pyrenees. Although popular for their beef, they are primarily milk producers.

The Colors

Have I mentioned that these are gorgeous cows? They have distinctive eye patches. There are three characteristic coat colors sometimes referred to as the three Bs: Blanc (white), Blond (fawn or red) and Brindled (dark brown). It’s kind of hard to describe so I’ll put pictures in the post on the website. Please check them out. I believe I mentioned, they are gorgeous.

The arrangements of colors are really varied: Blanc is mostly white, sometimes called quail. The coat is scattered with very small patches of color; The Blond coat has one big fawn or red patch covering almost the entire cow’s body. The belly and head are white and there are those circles around the eyes with all of these coats I’m describing. The brindle is similar to the blond but the large patch is dark brown to black.

Normande Around the World

The breed has been exported to many different countries, and has thrived in all of them. They adapt well to a wide range of climates. In South America, central Europe, Western Europe, Asia and North America the breed has shown its versatility.

While having been exported worldwide, they received their greatest acceptance in South America where they were introduced in the 1890s. Total numbers there now exceed 4 million purebred plus countless Normandy cross breeds. Columbia alone has 1.6 million purebreds with the rest mainly in Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay. They are also growing in countries such as the US, Mexico, Madagascar, Belgium, Switzerland, Great Britain and Ireland.

Milk and Cheese

Their milk has about 3.5% protein and 4.4% fat, with a 4.2% butterfat content. The reason their milk is so suitable for cheesemaking is because of high levels of Beta Casein and Kappa Casein. We’ll get into that more at a later date.

In France, the Normande is associated with the production of famous cheeses such as Camembert de Normandie, Livarot and Pont Leveque (pone liveck). These are all moist, soft, creamy, surface-ripened cheeses. In France, to legally carry the official name the cheese must meet certain requirements for manufacturing location, type of cow, raw and/or pasteurized milk, and specific processes. The official Camembert de Normande is made entirely from raw milk from the Normande breed grazed in the Normandy region of Northwestern France. There are lots and lots of other cheeses from the Normandy region of France, but the three I mentioned require the use of milk from the Normande breed of cow.

A Sustainable Breed for a Sustainable Agriculture.

Since Normandy cattle have been raised on grass only for many centuries, their grazing ability is highly commended.

Long, damp cold muddy French winters and simple forged diets have prepared Normandes for the worst. As I mentioned, today Normandes have spread from the Andes to the tropical coastlines of South America to Ireland and Canada. Because the Normande has not been selected solely on one character, it has retained exceptional qualities often lost by specialized breeding. Highly desirable qualities such as fertility, calving ease, excellent feet and legs and overall heartiness are prominent. Their thick, curly winter hair ensures good protection against the cold. The eye rings are effective against the sun in the summer. The breed also shows remarkable docility which makes the handling of bulls very easy, though you always watch your back. Finally, raised on grass for centuries, the Normandy shows outstanding grazing ability and that works for us.

That’s it for your overview of this excellent breed of cow. I hope you enjoyed that little trip through French history. Learning new information is always a joy for me and I hope you were entertained as well.

Crème Fraîche Recipe

Crème fraîche is similar to sour cream. While sour cream and crème fraîche are both used to add richness and tangy flavor, they are not the same thing. And is it worth taking the extra time to make your own crème fraîche? I’m going to say absolutely, yes, depending on the use.

How They’re Made

Sour cream is made by adding lactic acid culture to heavy cream and sometimes milk to thicken and sour it. In France, crème fraîche was traditionally made from unpasteurized cream that naturally contained the right bacteria to thicken it. Since our cream is pasteurized here in the US, crème fraîche is now made by adding a fermenting agent with bacteria to heavy cream. So, today’s recipe will be the Americanized version of crème fraîche.

The Differences Between Sour Cream & Crème Fraîche

Sour cream has a fat content of about 20% and may include ingredients like gelatin, rennin, and vegetable enzymes to stabilize it and make it thicker.

Crème fraîche has a fat content of about 30% and does not contain any added thickeners. Crème fraîche is thicker, has a richer flavor, and is less tangy than sour cream.

When to Use Crème Fraîche?

Use it anywhere you would use sour cream. Because sour cream has less fat but more protein, simmering or boiling it will result in curdling. Crème fraîche is a better choice for sauces or soups.

If using in a salad or as a topping, they’re pretty much interchangeable and the choice is yours — some people like the tanginess of sour cream, while others like the richness of crème fraîche.

What You Need

2 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons cultured buttermilk

What to Do

In a glass jar, combine the buttermilk with the heavy cream.

Cover the jar tightly with cheesecloth or other breathable material. Let sit at room temperature (70 to 75 degrees) for 24 hours.

Remove cloth, stir. It will be thick but will get thicker. Screw on a lid, and refrigerate for another 24 hours before using.

Enjoy!

Get the recipe here!!

Final Thoughts

That’s it for another episode of the Peaceful Heart FarmCast. Work continues on all sorts of farm projects. There is still more to do in the orchard. The garden will be picking up soon. That always adds a bit of hurried activity in the spring. We are looking forward to it.

I hope you enjoyed the trip down memory lane and through Normandy, France. We plan to visit one winter when we are not milking our beautiful and gentle cows.

Visit us at http://peacefulheartfarm.com/recipes and download that creme fraîche recipe. It’s so fun and satisfying to make things with your own two hands. And in this case, so easy.

As always, I’m here to help you “taste the traditional touch.”

Thank you so much for listening and until next time, may God fill your life with grace and peace.

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NEW!! Peaceful Heart FarmCast Episode. Enjoy!!

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alanyasondakika · 6 years

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10 Reasons Lifting Is Better Than Cardio - Weight Loss - VEGA SAĞLIK | Scitec Türkiye Distribitörü

Son dakika haberleri Alanya'nın en hızlı internet haber sitesi Alanya Express'te http://www.alanyaexpress.com/10-reasons-lifting-is-better-than-cardio-weight-loss-vega-saglik-scitec-turkiye-distribitoru/

10 Reasons Lifting Is Better Than Cardio - Weight Loss - VEGA SAĞLIK | Scitec Türkiye Distribitörü

Not all exercises are created equal and you should know that by know. Regardless of your personal preferences, there are objectively lousy exercises and highly effective exercises; while the majority of moves belongs somewhere in the middle. But can the same be said for training regimes? Today we’re going to take up the rather challenging task of comparing resistance training against running and cycling and finally deciding who rules them all. Why is that necessary, when both weightlifting and cardio training seem to offer unique health, fat loss and muscle-building benefits? Because first, it will help us debunk some ugly myths about both lifting and cardio routines and set the record straight, and second, we’ll get to describe in detail why resistance training is the second greatest idea in the world after the invention of the wheel. Yeah, we’re pretty confident about the winner because we’ve done our research – to resolve the strength training vs. cardio conundrum, we’ve dig out tons of scientific evidence and consulted many experts on the subject. In fact, some athletes and training gurus have been recently arguing that the fitness world is ready to ditch cardio altogether. Ouch! We hope that won’t really happen, though. You can’t get everything from one type of training and running and cycling have an integral place in a well-rounded fitness program. That’s a solid fact and this article is based on utmost respect for these forms of exercise. However, whenever any truth-lover attempts isolate the benefits from both strength training and running/cycling and stack them up against each other, strength training emerges as the superior choice. And if you don’t have time to have that well-rounded fitness program we mentioned, it’s much better to grab a barbell than hit the pavement. Here are 10 bullet-proof reasons why. #1. Running Only Builds Muscle in the Lower Legs follow me for more tips @ty_zan Ty Zan (@ty_zan)’in paylaştığı bir gönderi (Oca 12, 2016 at 8:42öö PST) We all know that runners have amazing calves and quads, but that’s usually the end of the story with the exception of runners with freakish genetics. There’s really no surprise here – running primarily stresses the ankle joints and the cardiovascular system and it doesn’t require a big enough range of motion to stimulate significant muscle growth elsewhere. On a side note, have you noticed that sprinters often rely on strength training to increase their speed and power? That’s because running by itself doesn’t allow them to apply the greatest training stimulus required for maximizing their results – after the beginner phase, the main benefits come in the form of cardiovascular conditioning. But do you know which form of training will help you build (and keep on building!) whole-body muscle strength and mass? That’s right. #2. Cycling Promotes Bad Posture 3×12 Ty Zan (@ty_zan)’in paylaştığı bir gönderi (Oca 13, 2016 at 4:42öö PST) Here’s the problem: cycling does nothing to develop the hips or the upper body, which is why many cyclists who have the bragging rights for monster quads suffer from an embarrassing absence of gluteal development. Also, the cycling position is not natural, since our spine is designed to have three balanced curves that make up its S-shape. When you’re on a bike, your spine rounds forward from the tailbone to the shoulders and your spine loses its natural shape. Over time, this can easily lead to a network of health issues and dysfunctionalities, such as lower back disorders, terrible posture and a “pancake butt” comprised of mostly inactive glutes. #3. It’s All About Strength – and Strength Training Does It Better Regardless of which physical attribute you worship the most – agility, speed, size, strength, balance, etc. – you have to admit that strength is the quality to rule them all. Stronger muscles can do everything better! Orchestrating more powerful jumps? Check. Protecting your joints and connective tissues? Yep. Lifting ridiculous amounts of weight? Absolutely. And as you may already know, nothing builds muscle strength like the progressive overload implemented in strength training. #4. Strength Training Boosts Metabolism More Powerfully When you increase your muscle mass, you boost your resting metabolism, which makes your body burn more calories. Lean muscle mass requires more fuel for everyday functioning than fat, so the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you can burn just by living and breathing. Then, weightlifting creates a lot of muscle damage that increases post-workout metabolism because it takes energy to repair the muscle fibers you’ve destroyed while training, which equals to even more calories burned. Of course, intensive periods of running or cycling also create muscle damage (mostly to the legs!) and spark up your metabolism, but this is dramatically less than what you’d get from a regular resistance training routine. One recent study from North Dakota State University found that you can burn 346 calories in just 13 minutes of performing a 6-exercise resistance circuit, while running at a 10-minute mile pace for the same amount of time will only burn 146 calories. Another study showed that 12 minutes of kettlebell swings had the same metabolic impact as running for 12 minutes, but with the added benefits of strengthening many muscles that are neglected when running. To burn more calories, you need to up both your anaerobic and aerobic energy expenditures, which is best done with high-intensity total-body resistance training (according to science, it’s even better than HIIT cardio). So if you want to rev up your metabolism and lean out as fast as possible, resistance training should be the cornerstone of your program, period. 5. Strength Training Does Wonders for Mobility Remember how all strength training articles stress the importance of completing a full range of motion? This is how resistance exercises are correctly performed. A greater range of motion brings many benefits, one of which is improving joint mobility. Neither running nor cycling offer this potential – in fact, it’s generally terrible for people with mobility issues. You can see the difference by comparing a simple exercise like the lunge with running – lunges will strengthen your hips and thighs, improve hip mobility and fix existing muscle imbalances, while running will only strengthen your leg muscles, especially the calves. Try to compare any classic strength-building exercise with running and you’ll get the same result. #6. Strength Training Will Reduce Your Risk of Injury And yet the opposite is not true. As it turns out, running can be a rather dangerous sport – recent research has shown that as many as 79% of runners get injured at least once during the year. Physiotherapists have claimed for ages now that excessive running and cycling can create a multitude of inherent imbalances within the organism, mainly because of the limited range of motion and endless, repetitive movement patterns, which is basically a recipe for overuse injuries. So how can runners, or anyone else for that matter, protect the health of their joints and connective tissues? By incorporating an adequate amount of strength work into their fitness regime, of course. Besides its ability to strengthen your muscles and tendons, strength training also enables you to fix strength imbalances, improve muscle coordination and prioritize natural, functional movements of the body that can’t be trained with running and cycling. By the way, research on the subject has shown that lack of hip strength and poor development of the core muscles are one of the most frequent causes of common running injuries, and recommended that runners perform strength training to identify and improve their weak areas. #7. Strength Training Builds a Better-looking Physique Ty Zan (@ty_zan)’in paylaştığı bir gönderi (Kas 23, 2017 at 6:50öö PST) Kind of a no-brainer here. Unless your idea of physical aesthetics is radically different from the one endorsed by most people, you have to agree that, if done properly, strength training can help you build a spectacular physique by maximally developing every muscle in your body, while cycling and running will mostly affect your calves and quads (and possibly weaken your posture). A high degree of aesthetics is all about the optimal balance between size, proportion, symmetry, and body fat percentage. There are many people with greatly-built bodies out there that haven’t gone through a lot of running, but almost all of them have done strength training for longer periods of time. #8. Strength Training Offers Immense Exercise Variety “Novelty or training variety are important for stimulating further strength development”, claims a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, and we couldn’t agree more. Varity is the key for breaking or even avoiding the vicious cycle of monotony and loss of motivation, and in combination with progressive overload, it’s what helps lifters keep on making strength and mass gains. As you have probably experienced by yourself, cycling and running don’t offer a whole lot in this department – the choice between uphill or downhill running/cycling isn’t exactly what we’d call a wide range of options. On the other hand, there are dozens of ways to do squats and all of them pack unique benefits! The same can be said for a great number of major upper body and lower body exercises. You can always easily up the challenge and keep your workout interesting by modifying familiar movements and adding little twists to exercises you’ve properly mastered, or you can choose a completely different set of exercises which train the same muscles in a different way. And that’s how you build a complete, healthy and well-defined physique. #9. Strength Training Helps Slow Down Aging One recent study showed that strength training in people aged 40 and above can reverse oxidative stress and return no less than 179 genes to their youthful status, and the same cannot be said for cycling/running. Furthermore, this exercise form has been found to directly impact 10 biomarkers of aging in a positive way. According to S. Melov and M. A. Tarnopolsky, the authors of a 2007 study named “Resistance Exercise Reverses Aging in Human Skeletal Muscle”: “Quite literally, the resistance training was not only slowing, but also reversing the aging process at the gene level. The gene expressions of the resistance trained older subjects demonstrated characteristics similar to those of the younger group. The researchers also noted that mitochondrial impairment, normally seen with inactivity, was reversing with the 6 months of resistance training.” And what about muscle mass los and reduced bone density, which are one of the most common negative attributes of aging? Countless of studies have shown that resistance training is the best way to preserve muscle mass and bone density and prevent osteoporosis, which is why this type of training is most commonly recommended to older people. By preserving muscle mass, they can maintain a high metabolic rate and avoid a series of health issues such as metabolic disorder, diabetes, hypertension, etc., associated with fat gain which is known side-effect of both aging-associated muscle loss and muscle loss in younger people. #10. Strength Training Will Extend Your Lifespan By now, it’s clear that strength training does a lot more than increasing muscle size and strength. Some researchers have actually claimed that it is the most healthful form of exercise there is, because it protects bran health, prevents sarcopenia, lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer and actually substantially lowers the death rate of cancer survivors, just to mention a few. It can also improve hormonal balance and prevent mood disorders, depression and anxiety, as well as enhance cognitive skills in both older and younger people. And by adding up the health-boosting, disease-preventing and anti-aging benefits of strength training, it’s easy to conclude that this type of exercise can increase your longevity. But there’s more. Some new studies have found that weightlifting can directly increase your lifespan. How? By lowering the level of myostatin in your body. Miostatin (also known as growth differentiation factor 8 or GDF-8), is a myokine produced and released by myocytes that inhibits myogenesis, i.e. growth and differentiation in muscle cells. The way in which weightlifting increases the size and strength of your muscles is lowering the level of myostatin. According to these studies, less myostatin also means about 15% longer life. On top of that, if there’s one thing that could keep your self-confidence stable and body image positive during your golden years, it’s having a high-degree of strength and mobility, both of which can be maximized and maintained with the help of strength training and weightlifting. Among other things, this will lower your risk of bone fractures, back pain, osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis. On the other hand, running is a pretty high-impact exercise that isn’t recommendable for most seniors, although some studies have yielded interesting contra-arguments to this. Still, besides improving cardiovascular health, strengthening segments of the lower body and eliminating stress, running can’t do all that much for anyone. Cycling could be done forever, but… for what purpose? Just like running, it won’t do anything to develop your upper body and core muscles or improve your posture, stability or balance. It can’t even help you reverse the effects of excess sedentary activity and it’s unable to stimulate effective and dramatic fat loss as strength training can. Running and cycling simply cannot be compared with strength training in any terms, including short-term and long-term health benefits. Do you want to be able to move with ease and vitality, keep your mind sharp and quick, and feel energized and balanced until your very last day? Then make strength training the cornerstone of your fitness program. Period. And if you have the time and desire to do it, add some running and cycling sessions to boost your gains even further. Good luck! Bonus Video :

kaynak: 10 Reasons Lifting Is Better Than Cardio – Weight Loss Fitness, erkek kılavuzu, kadın, egzersiz, kilo kaybı, sağlık, beslenme, kas ve vücut geliştirme, sağlıklı erkeklerin yaşam bloğu Vegasaglik.com.tr

kaynak: 10 Reasons Lifting Is Better Than Cardio – Weight Loss – VEGA SAĞLIK | Scitec Türkiye Distribitörü

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Kaynak: http://www.alanyaexpress.com/10-reasons-lifting-is-better-than-cardio-weight-loss-vega-saglik-scitec-turkiye-distribitoru/

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The Bigness Project

New Post has been published on https://autotraffixpro.app/allenmendezsr/the-bigness-project/

The Bigness Project

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Build your biggest, boldest physique ever.

Sculpted arms, popping shoulders, and bootylicious booties aren’t made by working them off – they’re built by the age–old art of bodybuilding.

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From the Desk of Jen Sinkler

It’s 3:45 a.m., and I’m alone in my office, crying again.

The source of my tears are a group of 40 women. Well, plus one: their coach, Kourtney Thomas. This is all her fault, really.

I’m crying because I’m watching a flexathon of bursting biceps and big grins; hands sliding over rounder, higher haunches as they describe more booty developing and increasingly defined quads; gleefully celebrating new muscle striations in their shoulders. The new ripples look like 3D tiger stripes. These women are rejoicing because they feel bigger, inside and out.

(Did I mention these are happy tears?)

The crew was selected last fall to embark on a special resistance-training endeavor called The Bigness Project. Over the course of the 14-week program, they were to try to pack as much muscle as possible onto their frames during that time.

Obviously I’m joking—everyone knows women don’t want to get muscular (or worse, the dreaded “bulky)!

But [whispering]: What if that assumption is incorrect? What if some of us really do want to look like we lift?

What if we stopped pretending otherwise, and admitted that yes, we WOULD like to look strong and muscular; gunsy, even?

After having to cap registrations for The Bigness Project after a scant two hours, we found that assumption to be flat wrong. In fact, it turns out that response wasn’t a fluke. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a recommendation that all women do some sort of muscle-strengthening movement at least two days a week, and research indicates they are hitting the weight room in ever-increasing numbers.

Ladies, it turns out, are all about them gains.

“I spend more time flexing than I ever have before in my life, and I have to say, when there’s a lot more to see, it’s much more fun,” says Hilary Glaus, a personal trainer and health coach based in Bronx, N.Y. “You can’t hide these arms. That would be a crime!”

It’s not just entertainment and gym selfies, however. Having more muscle mass is fantastic for your health; some refer to it as a veritable fountain of youth due to benefits such as:

More metabolically active tissue (meaning your body can handle more calories without storing fat)

Greater bone density (making you less susceptible to fractures or osteoporosis)

Stronger connective tissues (making you less prone to injury)

Better mental and emotional health (creates the hormonal environment to deal better with stress)

Increased longevity (lifting literally helps you live longer)

THE SPECIAL SAUCE

So you see muscles are for women. They can be for you, if you want them to be. And resistance-training is the means to that end.

But any old resistance training won’t get you muscles, at least not as effectively anyway.

Let me be perfectly clear. Any kind of resistance training will help grow muscle.

BUT, it won’t get you the:

Thick thighs (#teamthickthighs, anyone?)

A juicy booty

Coconut shoulders

Big biceps

Detailed quad definition

Poppin’ hamstrings

Curvaceous calves

And that, hypertrophy training delivers in droves.

Hypertrophy training is, essentially, striking that perfect balance between workout volume, training frequency, exercise selection, amount of weight you use, rest times, and a myriad of other factors in order to build the biggest muscle size that you can.

If resistance training is barbeque then hypertrophy training is the “special sauce.”

Decades of research in exercise science lay the groundwork for the ingredients in this special sauce. You need to choose the right exercises, you need to perform them correctly (not just technique, but how you do every repetition matters), you need the exact amount of volume to stimulate growth but not hamper recovery, you need to create metabolic stress by manipulating rest times, and the list goes on and on. But like any recipe, the devil is in the fine details.

This is both art and science. You are the art. And you employ the science.

The thing is, I’m not a hypertrophy specialist. It takes deep, unrelenting attention to keeping up with the science and experimenting with the art to be a great hypertrophy coach. I know when I’m out of my depth, so I brought in hypertrophy expert and devoted coach Kourtney Thomas to create the bigness for you.

Get The Sauce

If you’re looking for a passive fix, this isn’t it. This demands your full attention and focus. Some of the The Bigness Project lifters called it meditative. Of course, that’s exactly what makes it so engaging, fun, and rewarding.

So, yeah, it’s hard work, but the rewards are big. Big. Huge.

THE MAGIC OF THE MIND-MUSCLE CONNECTION

With hypertrophy training, it’s not enough to go through the motions. It’s important to consciously connect with the working muscles to recruit more muscle fibers. (That mental focus on the feel of lifts is thought by many in that community to directly impact muscle size.)

“Embrace that mind-muscle connection in the gym, and suddenly, it becomes second nature to be more mindful in all of your decisions,” says Thomas. “Over time, it creeps around and takes over, grounding you in the idea that taking up space—physically and energetically—is the way to go. Bigness encourages power, owning your choices, taking control of your body and your life, and standing in that power.”

These predictions have been borne out, time and again. Witness:

After spending most of my life in pursuit of getting smaller, the idea of seeking Bigness turned out to be a life changer to me! I’m not meant to be small — I was made to be BIG. I’ve never felt more confident, beautiful, and so at home in my own skin.

Christy Richarz, 34

Utopia, Texas

@christyricharz

All my life I have believed that I needed to be small…in size, in weight, in my words and my actions, that I needed to take up the least amount of space possible. I have worked very hard on these thoughts over the past 14 weeks and know now that it’s OK to be BIG in all aspects. I was put here for a reason and it sure as hell wasn’t to be small and quiet.

Erika Dickerson, 37

Ruskin, FL

@edickerson1979

I’ve totally embraced Bigness — and have had so many good conversations with my 7 year old daughter about it over this time too. It’s fun to hear her say to someone at the bus stop, “My mom could do that — she’s stronger than dad!”

Kristen Buter, 36

Greely, ON, CA

@kristenbuter

The Bigness Project has changed my life — no joke. Taking up space, being empowered, embracing growth and bigness: this program has delivered. Kourtney has put together something awesome, something that will fundamentally change you in ways that you won’t believe. I have changed my body, grown my muscles, expanded my mind and my horizons. Embrace Bigness. You won’t regret it.

Jude Crowther, 49

Gloucester, England, UK

@jcrowther9

WHO, ME?

We are, as women, used to having people up in our business in ways that range from subtle to absolutely no chill, about how we should look, act, and speak, how much we should or shouldn’t eat. Also, how much we should or shouldn’t lift.

That last one sounds like a joke, but you know it isn’t. Some people get reeeaaal nervous about the prospect of a muscular woman.

But…it is a time for bigness. It’s a time for showing all the way up in our bodies and in our lives.

How that plays out for each individual will be different. Some people are seeking a “toned” look (which shhh, secretly also just means building muscle), while others want biceps and delts for days. (Personally, I dig a “foxy linebacker” aesthetic for myself.) Still others aren’t into lifting weights at all, which means you’ve taken a wrong turn to end up here, but feel free to stay as long you like. This goal is not for everyone, and that’s OK.

It is for those ready to show up as Big as you really are, to create a physical reflection of how you already feel on the inside — or for those who would like to give yourself a physical space to grow into. Maybe you’re making art (one woman in the early group remarked that training this way made her feel creative—“as, I’m creating my body!”). Maybe you want to learn to treat yourself with all the reverence and awe of great art. Maybe you just want to support your strength goals, or try something new and different. Regardless, if you do not feel curious, eager, or elated at the idea of making muscle as an act of self-care, please pursue something that does make you feel that way.

I’m Down With Bigness

NOT JUST FOR WOMEN

I’m so sorry, I’ve done nothing but talk to women so far! But, I have not forgotten everyone else. This program is for you, too! Totally and completely. You may share many of the same motivations above. Or, like a contingent of our ladyfriends, you may just be here to get totally jacked. Either way, the answer is dead ahead.

Muscles are a huge part of what The Bigness Project is all about. But what we’ve found, too, is that it’s, well… bigger than that. If you follow this path, you’ll see what we mean.

You’ll begin to see results quickly — within the first 14 days, after tackling four muscle-building sessions per week. By the second half of the program when we add in the fifth day (I told you this hard work), you’ll see results on the outside and the inside.

The Perks:

There’s no guesswork involved—each step that will help you change your physique is backed by tried-and-true methods so that you build visible muscle on your body. There’s no more spinning your wheels in workouts that don’t work the way you want them to and you’ll look like you lift more than ever before.

A better mind-muscle connection. Learn cues that will help you literally activate more muscle fibers simply by thinking about it. The intense focus and mental engagement also helps you build more body awareness.

Strength imbalances get buffed out by training with more of a focus on single-sided movements

Higher volume means you’ll necessarily have to lower the weights, and a side benefit of working with lower weights is a decrease in chances of injury.

A second benefit of working with lower weights is that it can be more accessible to people for whom high-intensity exercise is off limits: those with hormonal or other issues (but of course, as with any fitness endeavor, consult with your health-care professional first). Strength-training can be thought of as upgrading the software of your body, but it’s hard on the system to upgrade the software. Hypertrophy training, on the other hand, is like upgrading the hardware — it makes the software run better

A deeply creative, meditative focus during weight training—unparalleled to other styles of resistance training, which can be more task-oriented.

You get to adorn yourself with new muscle in places you want to put it! The magic of hypertrophy training is in the self-care and the ownership of your path

Optional access to resources from nutrition titan Renaissance Periodization. If you choose that option during the checkout process, you will be granted access to a super-simple, super-effective nutrition plan customized for your gender and bodyweight. That way, you know you’re fueling your body for the work you’re putting in

Join The Project

The Bigness Project isn’t just a program. It’s an ongoing endeavor that will carve out new muscles, new insights, and maybe even a new path.

P.S. We’re sorry in advance for how much you’re gonna want to squeeze your own muscles.

Actual Week-by-Week Highlights From Bigness Project Participants:

Week 1: “Huge fan of the intro week. It felt like a really productive rough draft to an ‘A’ paper. I was able to take a curious approach and be humbled (then hooked) instead of my typical perfectionistic approach that would have led to frustration with myself.”

Week 2: “Curves are coming out in FULL FORCE! I have “ass cleavage” now because my underwear cannot contain my growing booty!”

Week 3: “I noticed an improvement in whole body coordination. (Or maybe it is simply my improved awareness.):) My posture and balance is better both inside and outside the gym.”

Week 4: “I’m starting to look like I actually lift!!!!! 😊”

Week 5: “I’m looking more muscley everywhere. I know thats vague, but my arms have more definition, and actually, ive seen a difference in my waist this week. Abs are popping more, and im making a dent in my fairly ‘blocky’ midline.”

Week 6: “My body feels like a machine again with all the parts working together. My back is becoming the Mississippi. And my legs ‘got my back.’””

Week 7: “I feel like superwoman and I want the whole world to know it. My arms have really exploded during these past seven weeks and I definitely want to show them off. I have never seen such a measurable improvement each week and I LOVE that.”

Week 8: “I feel like a boss.”

Week 9: “Arms and legs are feeling and looking ‘full.’””

Week 10: “I feel confident and I like my body for the first time in decades. It’s been a miracle for me. No exaggeration.”

Week 11: “The information about the mind-muscle connection was so spot on. I’ve really slowed down mentally to connect with what I’m focused on building for the workout. “

Week 12: “My husband commented that my thighs, shoulders, back, and arms are looking and feeling meatier.”

Week 13: “My lower half is definitely firming up. Shaving my legs is an adventure now because of all the new divets and bulges I’m discovering! HA!”

Week 14: “I feel like my body now clearly demonstrates how I feel on the inside: strong, knowledgeable about fitness and nutrition, and dedicated to training. I feel fantastic!!”

HERE’S WHAT YOU GET!

User Manual

The nitty-gritty of making gains and developing bigger muscles through the best, tried-and-true methods of hypertrophy training. We lay it out step by step so you walk away with the knowledge specific to building muscle. Also includes information on including mobility and stability into your program to keep you supple as you pack on the muscle.

Exercise Glossary

Includes step-by-step photos and clear, vivid coaching cues spelled out for every single strength exercise in the program, so you know how to do every one of them correctly and effectively. (This comprehensive resource, which details 95 exercises, is an incredibly useful resource all on its own!).

Training Program

A complete 14-week program that focuses on building muscle all over, including how to use eccentrics to maximize your gains in the gym. Specific rest protocols and the use of compound sets help make the program effective and challenging.

Video Library

For those who prefer visual cues, the 20 videos of strength and how-tos of lifting in a hypertrophy program will break down step by step everything you need to know to be able to perform the movements.

Get The Program

What about, Cardio???

I thought this was all about dem gains?!

It is. But being cardiovascularly fit and incorporating targeted cardio workouts into your hypertrophy routine is only going to support growth. Here’s how:

Without getting too technical muscle hypertrophy actually lowers the amount of blood flow that is available to the muscles due to decreasing capillary volume relative to the size of the muscles. Cardiovascular exercise helps to build out this network of blood-delivery vessels and increases muscle perfusion. Better bloodflow = more ability to use and grow muscle. It’s like clearing the streets for the delivery vehicles of raw materials.

The options in the Cardio Calendars will adjust your schedule to optimally benefit your muscle gain.

So if you’re already doing cardio and loving it, you can keep doing it and chase the pump. And if you’re not, but you want to? Don’t worry, cardio won’t steal your gains – it’ll help you make even more muscles. The Cardio Calendars lays it all out on how best to achieve a big healthy heart along with your big muscles.

Scoop the Gold Package

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Common Questions

QWhat should I eat when training?

AIf you’re newer to training, the most important factor is simply getting enough protein, says Dr. Mike Israetel of Renaissance Periodization (RP). About a gram per pound of bodyweight is a good rule of thumb, and spread evenly throughout the day. If, on the other hand, you’re a more advanced trainee or you want to better fuel your training, you will likely want to pay closer attention to calories and macronutrients, as well, in order to optimize your results.

To that end, we’ve paired up with RP, a leader in nutrition programs for a variety of clients, to give you the tools you’ll need in the kitchen, too. The RP Bigness Plan was written specifically for fitness enthusiasts going through The Bigness Project.

Note: The plan is written as a maintenance plan that will help you maintain your current body weight while better fueling your training with more ideal nutrient timing and food ratios to support hypertrophy as a goal. If you follow it as written, you will likely see your body “recomp” — that is, gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, while maintaining your current body weight.

If that doesn’t suit you, the plan can very easily be modified to fit your specific physique goals, meaning you can titrate the plan either upward or downward if you have a more specific goal of gaining muscle more rapidly, or losing body fat. (All of this is explained in more detail in the RP Bigness Plan User Manual.)

The plan very simply lays out what to eat and how much in an easy-to-follow format. RP has done an excellent job at creating a unique system that makes staying on a nutrition plan sustainable and sane. Each plan has two options — one with a more balanced nutrient content and one that is low-carb. Within each option you also have the choice to split your day up into three or four meals depending on your lifestyle. RP also gives you a list of recommended foods and comprehensive details on how to put your meals together so there’s no guess work in meal planning.

All that said, your exact nutritional needs will depend on you. If you’d like additional guidance, we recommend seeking the counsel of a trusted nutrition coach. (RP does private coaching, as do many other coaches and companies. That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QWhat if I become bulky as I put on more muscle?

AThere are tricky dynamics at play when women put on muscle — one of the words commonly used is “bulky,” often said with disdain. We think it’s necessary to reframe the term, and perhaps even more importantly, to reframe what it means to be a muscular woman (or man!). Bottom line — you’ll add muscle mass, but it’s up to you to determine how you view it. Any sort of muscular development takes loads of work, so when it comes to getting bulky, I recommend trying your best on this program. Where you will end up 14 weeks from now, chances are, is exactly where you want to be: with more visible muscle definition to your frame.

If you are still concerned, rest assured you will not accidentally become Ms. or Mr. Olympia. Unless you’re in the top echelon of that gene pool and you train for three to five hours every day for the next five years, it simply won’t happen. Moreover, this program isn’t intended to prepare you for a bodybuilding competition (the sport of bodybuilding involves more training that’s geared toward the specific aesthetic preferences of its various governing bodies). That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QWon’t I lose my strength gains as I go into a hypertrophy cycle?

AIn short (and in the short-term), you may lose some strength in certain big lifts. First, it depends on your training background. If you’ve been doing bootcamp-style training, it’s likely you’ll get even stronger! If you’re coming from a powerlifting background or the like, you may temporarily lose some ground on your big three.

But, that doesn’t give you the whole picture. Cycling in a hypertrophy program will help you build more muscle, which you can then put to work turning into even stronger muscles when you go back to heavier programming. Physically more muscle (as in a greater cross-sectional size of the fibers) means that you have the potential to reach and activate more muscle when you start training for strength again. (Plus, this can be a great reset for your body. If you’re feeling beaten up from the really heavy stuff, this will feel like a dream, and you’ll get more jacked, to boot. That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QDo I need a gym to do these workouts?

AYou’ll to need a wide range of dumbbells, a barbell setup (including a squat rack), an adjustable bench (or a way to create an incline), various bands (mini- and full-length), a pull-up bar, and a stability ball or Valslides. You’ll also want some accessories like a kettlebell and slam ball. If you have all of those things in your home gym, you can absolutely complete the program at home.

If you cannot check off all of those boxes, you’ll need to head to the gym to get the most from this program. There is also a benefit in doing the program in a fully loaded gym in that you can take advantage of various machines throughout the program that you wouldn’t have access to at home, such as a leg press.

All that said, if you have most but not all of the equipment, there are ways of getting creative. That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QI’ve heard hypertrophy is boring — how is this program different?

ARep after rep can get boring, but what we’ve found is that this program has a way of drawing us inward and into our muscles — which put us into a highly focused, nearly meditative state. (No, really!) The mind-muscle connection that we teach you helps you hone in on how your body is moving, which is naturally a more mindful approach to moving and boots boring right out the window.

In short, keep your focus dialed in and you won’t be bored. That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QThere’s only one option to choose — is this program better for beginners or advanced gym goers?

ABoth! Starting with hypertrophy or cycling it into your existing program are both great ways to add Bigness to your routine. We give you step-by-step instructions on how to perform each movement safely and effectively if you’re just starting out, and the ability to scale each movement makes sure you have options if you need them.

For those who are more experienced, going into a hypertrophy cycle will give you a different stimulus and help you continue on to (or return to) that sweet muscle-building zone. That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QIs the nutrition plan necessary to see results?

AThe training program is written so that you will build muscle mass even without following a specific nutrition plan.

That said, the nutrition program is highly complementary to the training program, and will accelerate your results (you’ll get the added benefit of ensuring you’re getting enough protein for your muscles to recover). That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QIs The Bigness Project for men and women, or both?

AHypertrophy does not discriminate. While there are invariably differences in training from person to person, and even between genders in some regards (generally speaking, women do better with higher volume than men), the training principles in the Bigness Project apply to everyone.

As far as physical results to expect go, your look will very likely change. Some people may call it “getting ripped” while others might say “toned,” but we’re talking about the same thing: adding muscle mass and improving posture and coordination. That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QAm I too old for this program?

AAbsolutely not. That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QI’m in—how will the program be shipped to me?

AShipping is so ’90s. Everything is a completely digital, downloadable series of PDFs that you get instant access to as soon as you purchase. What’s more, you can download and access the entire system on any device that can read a PDF — which, these days, is nearly anything. You can read it on your computer, your tablet, or even your phone. Or, print it out, if you prefer. That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QWhat is the structure of the training program? How many days of lifting per week will I be doing? And about how long are my gym sessions going to be?

AThe Bigness Project training program is broken into what’s commonly referred to as body-part-split training. In the beginning, for the first 7 weeks of the program, you’ll be hitting the gym 4 days per week. The last 7 weeks, your training days will increase to 5 per week. This does not include any additional cardiovascular workouts. The days must be completed in order, but how you complete them throughout the week (ie: where you take your rest days and/or do your cardio) is flexible.

For those first 7 weeks, you can expect your workout to take somewhere between 45 and 60 minutes. And for the second 7 weeks, you can expect workouts to increase to somewhere between 1 hour and 90 minutes. Of course, this all depends on how quickly you move and assumes you don’t have to wait for equipment. That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

QI don’t see the nutrition plan on the package options. When can I add that to my purchase?

AThe RP Bigness Plan can be added to your cart after you select and purchase either The Bigness Project Silver or Gold Package. On that page, we’ll walk you through everything offered with the RP Bigness Plan so you know if it’s the right option for you and want you want to acheive. That answered my question, I want to join The Project.

ClickBank is the retailer of products on this site. CLICKBANK® is a registered trademark of Click Sales, Inc., a Delaware corporation located at 917 S. Lusk Street, Suite 200, Boise Idaho, 83706, USA and used by permission. ClickBank’s role as retailer does not constitute an endorsement, approval or review of these products or any claim, statement or opinion used in promotion of these products.

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discoverafricasafaris · 4 years

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Five Things You Should Consider to Plan the Best Tanzania Safari

When planning a safari trip to Tanzania , people think Serengeti and the Great Migration, but there are a couple more things to consider. It will help you get the most out of the experience while enjoying the most famous African natural wonder. How Much Time? Up to four days People often ask me how much time I should spend in Tanzania, and that is a complicated question to answer because it depends on the individual. It depends on your budget and what you like to see. I would recommend nothing less than a three-night safari focusing your time in one location. A three-night safari will often happen as a side trip, mixed with business while one is in the region and doesn't have much spare time. Four to Seven days Looking at four to seven nights will give you a bit more variety and you could even visit three different regions or parks to get a much better safari experience. Depending on your wishlist, one could also include Ngorongoro Crater with a Serengeti Safari without feeling like you are on a "Ferrari-safari" and be able to fit cultural experiences as well as a hot-air balloon safari. More than seven days Spending more than seven days opens up a whole list of possibilities and will be recommended if your budget and time allows. It is not always possible to allocate so much free time in one's busy "rat-race" lifestyle, but this is the way to go if you would like to replenish your soul. Spending more than seven days will allow you to experience the elephants at Tarangire National park, the Flamingos at Lake Manyara (both depending on the time of the year), a picnic lunch inside the Ngorongoro Crater, local village lunch at Mto Wa Mbo, traditional Masai village visits, finishing on a high note in the Serengeti seeing the Great Migration in action. One can even add a side trip at one of Zanzibar's various lodges and hotels to end your perfect African safari. What Would You Like to see Cultural experiences Tanzania is an extremely culture-rich country with over 120 different tribes, of which the Masai people are the most famous in the outside world. My recommendation is to get to know a couple of words in Swahili, which is one of the two official languages in Tanzania and is commonly used in the country. However, English will be great, and you wouldn't have any real problems communicating with the people. There is always someone that can translate if need be. Should you wish to mix some cultural experiences and get to know the people, then there are quite a few places where you can visit a traditional Masai village and get to know their history. Mto Wa Mbo is another excellent example of getting to see how the Tanzanian tribes live, and the locals will welcome you into their home where you can experience a traditional lunch. For those looking for a bit more, there is the local village tour in and amongst the banana plantation. These stops don't take that long and incorporate well in your travel itinerary, making it a pitstop en-route to your next destination. Serengeti The word Serengeti is synonymous with Tanzania and means "endless plains", quite the fitting name as it describes the Serengeti perfectly! The Serengeti is a massive National park, it spans for about 12 000 square miles, roughly the size of Belgium, and hosts the world's most famous natural wonder for the most of the year. It isn't straightforward to explain the emotions that one gets when seeing thousands and thousands of wildebeests and zebras, as far as the eye can see. The Southern Serengeti is best during the calving season, and the Northern Serengeti is best during the Mara river crossing when the wildebeest and zebra heads into the Masao Mara. The Central Serengeti is great year-round, and you are bound to see some big cats and other big-5 animals, no matter where the migration herds are located. I would recommend adding the Central Serengeti in your itinerary! Tarangire National Park & Lake Manyara National Park One of the lesser-known gems of Tanzania but worth your time! It should be considered if you like Elephants, Baobab trees, and Flamingoes. There are other species of animals in these regions, but the above will be the stars of the show. I've been to a couple of areas in Africa, including the Okavango Delta, and few places outside Botswana can compare elephant numbers like Tarangire National park. Lake Manyara is just right next to Tarangire National park and ties in well with the Ngorongoro crater into a safari circuit. You won't spend more than a couple of hours between Arusha, which is the central starting hub of the Tanzanian safari experience and the "main star" aka the Serengeti. Ngorongoro Crater Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest inactive volcanic caldera and hosts its ecosystem with a wetland, forest, swamp, and open plains. The whole experience can be done as a day trip en-route and sits in-between Lake Manyara and the Serengeti. Private or Scheduled Group Safari Budget difference People often tell me that they either don't have a clue how much they can afford, and this is all new to them. Booking a safari trip to Tanzania for the first time can be confusing, and one doesn't always know what the total package includes. There are quite a few things that add up to the total cost, such as the vehicle, fuel, the guides accommodation, the guide's meals, and drinks, accommodation, meals, possible beverages, park fees, etc. In my experience, the animals don't know who spent what, and the animals will act and react the same regardless of where your accommodation is based. Pros of private In saying that you will get the same animals "on-show", there are private safaris where the total cost, as mentioned above, is shared by the number of people in the vehicle. So if you are only one couple, then the total cost will be split amongst two people. This is often the more expensive option but gives you the flexibility of choice, the choice of camps, the choice of routing and National parks that you would like to see, and the choice of how much time you would like to spend per sighting. Pros of scheduled - more basic and larger lodge style Scheduled safaris are great and allow a broader range of people to visit this beautiful country and to experience the "stars of the show" with your own eyes. One can't alter a group scheduled safaris itinerary, but often what happens is that the ground handler will negotiate a much better rate with the lodges because of continued business, which brings the total cost down, more money in your pocket. A typical safari vehicle can accommodate a maximum of about seven people. Hence, the groups aren't that big and a great idea for larger families that could occupy the entire vehicle at a group safari rate. Group safaris are also great for single travellers that have been trending for the last couple of years. You get to meet new like-minded people and possibly meet your future best friend on the safari. Main events on the Migration calendar I feel it is vital to mention a few facts about the Migration before continuing. The Great Migration happens the whole year-round, and the animals follow the rain that provides them with nutrition-rich grass to feed on. Predicting the weather is not an easy task, and notably, long term predictions are nearly impossible. Discover Africa has been collecting data over the last few years from our herd tracker website. We are running this initiative with local rangers and guests. Herd Tracker has given us valuable insights into the movements and helps us to try and give you the best possible chance to stay as close to the Migration as possible. Calving Season - January to March There are two significant events on the Migration calendar, in which the calving season is one. The Migration usually comes to a short halt in the Southern Serengeti close to Lake Ndutu, where the calving happens. With the calving comes the predators, which can cause some action. River Crossing - June to August The famous Mara river crossing happens around this time of the year, and people often think of the Migration as one big massive herd, which is not entirely true. The Great Migration is made up of 100's of smaller herds travelling in the same direction, and in some areas, you will find higher densities of herds. This is the reason why you will find that the "front runners" will cross the river a long time before the back end of the Migration cross the river. It is challenging to guarantee a river crossing sighting because people don't know when the animals are going to take the leap and decide when is the best time to cross. The animals could bunch up next to the river for days before crossing. Getting around Light Aircraft The two transport options on offer will be closed 4x4 vehicles and light aircraft transfers accompanied by the lodges open-air safari vehicles for the duration of your stay. I would recommend a mix of both to give you the best of both worlds. I've been privileged to experience both on a Tanzania safari , and it was fantastic to end the trip with a Light Aircraft flight, seeing the aerial view of what we experienced on the road towards the Northern Serengeti. A light Aircraft is an excellent option if you don't want to spend 2 - 4 hours on the road or if you only have limited time to spend on safari. Road transport My personal favourite will be the closed 4x4 vehicle with the pop-up roof. You get to see the smaller villages en-route, we even saw street performers along a dirt road between lake Manyara and Karatu, close to Ngorongoro Crater. The longest time we spend in the vehicle was about 4 hours from Ngorongoro Crater to the Southern Serengeti. Still, we stopped at a real traditional Masai village on the way, allowing us to stretch our legs and get to know the Masai culture firsthand by one of the Village Leader's sons. We also spend so much time with our guide that ends up being friends at the end of the safari, and your guide gets to know you, what you like, what animals you want to see, and what animals you haven't seen yet. All these small things add up to a great experience! There are other things to consider when planning your safari, such as booking in advance, the Migration is a worldwide favourite, and there are only so many camps and beds for people to stay at. I would be more than happy to share my knowledge and passion for this beautiful country, Called Tanzania, with you, and help you navigate through all the information. Tanzania should be on everyone's bucket list! Till next time... Matthys Tanzania Safari

#travel #safari #vacation #holiday #nature #tourism #adventure #luxury

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softspotforstars · 7 years

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With all I’ve had going on lately (overnight horse show + beach + catching up at work after taking time off for those two things), I need to post an update on some smaller items.

I think I’ve casually mentioned a couple of times over the summer that I’ve been working on losing weight/working out/becoming healthier. Back in June I started a fairly intense weight loss/exercise program at our local rec center. It was free if you qualified (residence and BMI requirements pretty much) and included two trainer led group workouts on Monday/Wednesday, a nutrition class on Tuesday, and we were required to do at least one hour of exercise on our own in the center.

Cute Joey pic bc no one wants to see my sweaty post gym selfies 😉

I ended up making myself do an hour of extra exercise almost every day that we didn’t have class (so basically Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun) instead of just an hour a week. This means that I didn’t get much riding in this summer, but honestly, it was worth it. My idea of an hour of exercise equals an hour on the treadmill at 3mph with the incline set up enough to feel the burn…while watching Reign on Netflix to distract myself from said burn. It worked. I started out being wore out after one mile, and ended the program easily completing 3.1 (or a 5K, I’ve learned haha) at various incline levels.

To date, I’ve lost 30 pounds since June and several inches (though only .5 off of my calves…never gonna be able to do off the shelf tall boots…lol). I can actually comfortably wear and REMOVE my wedding band and my engagement ring for the first time in 4 years or so. I haven’t worn them for over a year until this month, so that was an accomplishment. All of my clothes are loose…even some stretchy “skinny” jeans that I used to love. Luckily I’m a hoarder and held onto all of my clothes while I gained all of this weight, so I have an entire wardrobe of outfits ready for the way back down the sizes.

These weird pants fit again.

Ate a ton of these this summer, dreading my plants dying.

On the health side of the weight loss, my a1c dropped from the beginning of pre-diabetic, 5.7, to a more healthy 5.2. The program included free bloodwork at the beginning and end to accurately track your progress, which was super neat. All of my other numbers dropped slightly as well, but that one is the most dramatic. I feel a lot better and I don’t get out of breath from walking up steps anymore, which is also a great thing. My BMI dropped from 38 to 33. The program was also a competition, and I won second place for most weight lost. My next door neighbor beat me by 3 or 4 pounds for first place.

As an aside, my handsome husband has lost 90 lbs since last year. He was much earlier to the get healthy game than I was and his support (and pro level cooking) is why I was so successful this summer.

As far as goal weights go, I’m kind of meh. I’d really like to not be classified as obese, so that would mean getting down to around the 180 range, which is my first of 2018 goal. It does seem that the weight isn’t shedding as easily now that the program is over and I’m working out solo, so that might not be as attainable as I’d like it to be. I don’t want to weigh what I weighed when Jason and I started dating-I feel like I looked too thin at 140. I think my ideal weight (in my head at this point) would be a more fit 160ish. I’m honestly not upset with how I look now at 206, but the psychological side of being over 200 lbs is frustrating.

We also had 5 year anniversary pictures taken on the farm. 🙂

That being said, I’m not super great at setting goals. I feel like, especially with horse goals, you’re almost asking for something to go wrong to derail your progress, hence why I didn’t establish any this year. I think in hindsight they would’ve been something like:

Horse goals:

successfully treat Copper’s lyme disease- complete

halter break/train Joey to do all the basic things- complete

tie

bathe

clip

trailer (still need to work on the stepping up on his own part)

haul Joey to a show (I was thinking much smaller than what we actually accomplished here)- complete

RR October Fun Show (can’t go, hosting a bridal shower)

Trail ride Paige- once so far, more pending

Ride Copper in lessons to prepare for dressage shows- hah, has not happened

Lessons- pending

Personal goals:

lose weight- down 30 lbs

read more- I read one book at the beach? haha

chip away at #30before30 – I did a couple things?!

My last random fun thing to mention is that MC came back down this past weekend (I know, she can’t get enough of me lately haha) to run the Hokie Half Marathon at our alma mater. This was already planned prior to our beach trip. She brought her boyfriend, who Jason and I REALLY like, and her two dogs to stay overnight at our house. Dexter and Turbo played super well together since they are both small and young. Toby really wanted to play with Ariel, but she’s so socially awkward in the face of new people that she mostly pretended to be a pillow on the couch for the duration of the visit, as expected.

While we were at the beach I mentioned to MC that I’d like to have anniversary pictures taken of Jason and I since it was our 5 year anniversary this year and she volunteered her boyfriend to do the honors since they were coming in the next weekend. I love the pictures he got and am struggling to pic a favorite, so here are a few of them:

Tuesday Randoms With all I've had going on lately (overnight horse show + beach + catching up at work after taking time off for those two things), I need to post an update on some smaller items.

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weightingtobe · 7 years

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I am definitely OBSESSED with Fall. As an Alberta girl I know that this is the best weather we will see all year. Not too hot, not too cold (all you need is a light jacket? LOL). Here is my list of fashion must-haves for this beautiful and fleeting fall season.

All of the below items are from Penningtons and Addition Elle. I chose these two banners from Reitmans Ltd. because they have locations throughout Alberta AND they ship for cheap within Canada. I am not sponsored by these brands so this is my honest wish-list for myself!

I only included items that showed lots of availability in the Edmonton and Calgary areas. I searched availability in stores based on my own sizes, so 3x/4x for tops and 24/26 for bottoms/dresses. If you like an item and want to check availability, click on the product title and it will bring you directly to the page for that piece of clothing. Happy shopping darlings!

*All product images belong to Reitmans Ltd.

Penningtons: 3/4 Sleeve Cold Shoulder Blouse

I never understood the cold shoulder trend until working in and old building where the air conditioning and heating seem to be on all at the same time. I also love how soft and romantic these sleeves are.

Penningtons: d/c JEANS Cotton Plaid Shirt

I picked this black plaid because I already have a red plaid shirt that I wear all the time, but if you want something brighter there are six other colours (blues and reds) to choose from for this classic piece.

Penningtons: Textured Sweater Poncho

I had an olive-coloured poncho in junior high and I loved it. It gave me the coverage I wanted without overheating me. This is perfect for those long days in the cubicle when you are in the zone and need to crush your task list.

Penningtons: Sports - Plus-Size Ribbed Top

Thumb holes seem to be a love or hate feature for people, but they are just so dang handy when I am trying to put on a jacket without my sleeves bunching under my armpits.

Penningtons: Long Sleeve Peplum Sweater

If peplum tops aren’t usually flattering for you, this one may be different. I haven’t tried it on yet, but I’m hopeful that the less structured fabric will give the sweater a nice flow instead of showing off my least-confident area. Plus, their is a cable-knit detail down the side of the arms that screams classic and cozy.

Penningtons: Plaid Cape

I’m so excited for this easy yet chic piece that can be worn from the office to the football game. I’m definitely going to pair this will my Ugg boots and will have no shame about it either.

Penningtons: Two-Toned Cape Shawl

I watched Red Eye in a theatre and it took everything I had to pay attention to the story line when all I could focus on was the belted wrap-sweater Rachel McAdams was wearing. The wrap never flattered my larger mid-section, but this adorable and comfy belted sweater hits the mark and can be loosened for comfort when sitting.

Addition Elle: Michel Studio Military Jacket

The structure, the hue, the buttons...I love it all! Imaging wearing this with a starched, white button-up and the mblm Distressed Skinny Jean. *The larger sizes are sold out in Sherwood Park as of this posting.

Penningtons: d/c JEANS Hooded Knit Sleeve Denim Jacket

I have a denim jacket that I love for maxi dresses and skirts, but the sleeves are so stiff that I don’t keep it on once inside. This jacket offers flexibility and range for the arms while still embracing a versatile denim look. Plus, it’s hooded for those windy days at the dog park.

Penningtons: d/c JEANS Faux-Leather Moto Jacket

I may not wear this often, but it is an absolute essential piece in my fall wardrobe because it can dress up casual wear and dress down formal wear. Pair if with the Ruffled Sleeve Knit Dress for a sharp, bold look that isn’t overwhelming. Tip: If you know you will never zip this up go down a size or two to avoid unnecessary bulkiness at your sides. *All sizes are sold out in Spruce Grove and Leduc as of this posting.

Addition Elle: L&L Printed Quilted Pullover

I only buy items with relaxed silhouettes like this when they are really unique and have a sassy message. I can’t wait to get this and wear it all the way into the holidays. Pair this with the Savvy Printed Ponte de Roma Legging for casual day at the office or with your favourite sweats for brunch at your sister’s place.

Penningtons: Ruffled Sleeve Knit Dress

This light and feminine dress is pretty and practical with three-quarter sleeves, pockets and one of the colours of the season — cobalt. I would totally pair this will either a black or caramel leather jacket and a messy bun for a quick and trendy look (some thick-rimmed black eyeglasses are always welcome too!).

Penningtons: Long Sleeve V-Neck Swing Dress

This dress also has pockets and the seem runs down the front centre of the dress to elongate your mid-section. It also comes in grey and blue, but I have always loved plum for fall and winter.

Penningtons: Sleeveless Fit and Flare Dress

I love this structured but subtle dress. Pair it with the d/c JEANS Hooded Knit Sleeve Denim Jacket for a dressed-down look, or with the Two-Toned Cape Shawl to stun your co-workers. *The larger sizes are sold out in Leduc and Camrose as of this posting.

Penningtons: Savvy Printed Ponte de Roma Legging

I prefer leggings and jeggings over any other pant because it gives my shape definition. I love the texture of these leggings and would totally pair them with the MELISSA McCARTHY 3/4 Bell Sleeve Blouse for an important meeting.

Penningtons: mblm Distressed Skinny Jean

As a teen, I wanted distressed jeans so badly, but my jeans already had short shelf-lives due to thigh rub. I couldn’t justify buying something that might fall apart even faster. But I consider it a benefit of #adulting that I can now buy these without regret. Bonus: They taper at the ankle so they will slip into boots with no fuss!

Penningtons: Knee High Wide-Width Boots

I was once told that I have “Scottish” calves...which apparently is one way to describe my very, very think calves. I’ll admit that I have only found one pair of knee-high boots from Penningtons or Addition Elle that have fit my calves (and that is after a two-size increase); however, I think a good pair of “everyday effortless” boots are essential to a fall and winter wardrobe so hopefully you have better luck. And anyone with my calves, keep trying them all on, you will find something that fits one day (and when that day comes, buy two pairs!).

Addition Elle: Nanette High Boot with Buckle

These boots are also available in taupe and black and are another great option for all of us struggling with wider calves.

Penningtons: Wide-Width Booties with Knit

Pair these bad boys with black leggings or jeans and a plaid shirt (any colour will work!) and you have an easy, casual outfit. Pair them with the Two-Toned Cape Shawl from earlier in the post and you will #slay at the office.

Addition Elle: Nelly Peep Toe Laced Ankle Boot

I only wear heels about once a year and this baby is worthy of the occasion. Make a statement while standing steady with this bootie-heel hybrid.

Penningtons: Ti Voglio Plush Bathrobe

When did you last buy a robe? I’m betting it was at least a few years, if not decades, ago. Or, you have never found one large enough. With the cold weather creeping in fast I can’t wait to cuddle up in this fluffy hug of a robe.

Below are a few honourable mentions that have low in-store stock or are online only.

Addition Elle: Michel Studio Multi-Strap Bodycon Dress

The boldness of the design with the subtle hue is just SO eye-catching! In-store stock is really low on this dress but it is so beautiful that I HAD to include it in my list. All sizes are available online as of this posting. Pair this with the d/c JEANS Faux-Leather Moto Jacket and the Nelly Peep Toe Laced Ankle Boot.

Penningtons: MELISSA McCARTHY 3/4 Bell Sleeve Blouse

I had to include this one in my list even though it is an online-only piece. The pale pink colour, the flow, and those wide sleeves just sing romance to me. I would 100% pair this with the mblm Distressed Skinny Jean for date-night with my boyfriend.

Addition Elle: Sangria Maxi Fit & Flare Printed Bottom Party Dress

This one is a special mention because it’s online-only and definitively not a fall piece. BUT, I love it so much that I might just buy it now in time for holiday parties.

#fall #fall2017 #fallfashion #fashion #penningtons #iwontcompromise #additionelle #fashiondemocracy

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