Last week, I went camping in the Sequoia National Forest.   It was a perfect week.   Something Brent and I both needed.  We  left BY OURSELVES Sunday evening bringing the essentials.

My parents joined us Monday evening with Thing One and Thing Two, sometimes known as my children.

We planned to leave on Wednesday but as we started to pack up I began to cry and pout like a 3 year old Brent and I changed our minds and decided to stay one more day BY OURSELVES.  As homeschooling parents this alone time is cherished.

The four days we were there I got in 3 kettlebell workouts, one with Brent, one with my dad, and one by myself.

Day One (with Brent)
Clean and Press Ladders and Swings.
4 rungs x5
Don’t remember how many swings.

Day Two (with my dad)
Kettlebell Complex
A. Cleans and Presses 5x each side
B. Heartbeat Squats 5x
C. Windmills 5x each side
D.  Renegade Rows 5x each side

Repeat A-D 5 x.

Finished with 30 seconds of “Hot Potatoes”.

Teaching my dad how to do heartbeat squats.  He is one cool dude with long hair.

Day Three (Light day by myself)
Clean and Press Ladders
3 rungs x 5
Skipped swings this day.

Nothing beats exercising outdoors.  It’s invigorating.  So invigorating, I think that is why I was able to do 100 snatches in 4 minutes and 43 seconds with the 16K (35 pound) bell ! Or maybe it was the excess of carbs I had before my workout.

(I’m not ashamed to admit I’ll eat *gasp* white pancakes occasionally.  Nor am I ashamed to post pictures of myself just out of bed. Ha!)

If you have been following my blog for a while you know I’m training for the Russian Kettlebell Challenge next month.  One of the requirements is the “snatch test” 100 snatches in 5 mintues and depending on your weight women have to use either the 12k (26 lb) or the 16k kettlebell.  I have been losing weight so I can test with the 12k and while I’m close to the weight requirement I REALLY wanted to be able to pass with the 16K just as a personal goal of mine. Here’s a picture from the occasion!  Don’t be jealous of the melon colored velour pants, they have paint stains.

I’m still planning on losing a few more pounds so I can use the 12K at the certification because I’ve heard the kettlebell you test with is the bell you are expected to use the rest of the three days.  Ummm…my shoulders say “no thanks” but it felt good to pass even if only my parents and Clyde, the camp host who thought I was a freak, saw it.  It made me feel strong….strong like a Sequoia.  Dude, that was cheesy.

I’m not big on long posts so I’ll finish up the Sequoias recap tomorrow with some pictures from my favorite hike ever and some thoughts on walking.

Until then…

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we live our dream traveling fulltime in RV through the United States!

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