Days 8 & 9 - 30 Paleo Challenge - A New Driver's License, A Climber, and Some Egg Salad!

My computer has been having issues the past few days and with my IT guy still a little more than a month from being home on leave, it is making me crazy.  That doesn't mean we haven't been doing the 30 Day Paleo Challenge, though...some of us are still going strong.  (Some of us, not so much!)

So, let's get going!  First things first...my second child now has his driver's license...what a mixed bag for Mom, right?  Seriously.  I gave Valiant his last stern warning the day before he tested, as he was giving me a bit of attitude (your 16-year old son doesn't give you a bit of attitude?  really? hmmm...I'm not sure I believe you).  I finally looked at him and said, "Look...you are asking me to give you the power to kill yourself and/or others and the tool to do it with, so you're just going to have to deal with me being concerned.  This is the biggest act of faith your parents have had to go forward with, so cut me some slack."  I'm happy to report that gave him pause.  The next morning, he passed his driving test and became the proud possessor of a driver's license.  He's pretty darned tickled and I confess to being really happy to have another driver in the house.  Let the next parenting challenge begin!

In the meantime, while my Valiant is keeping me on the edge of my seat with visions of automobile disasters, my beloved little Buttercup (not so little, but still little to me) decided to jump in the fray with Women's Climb Night at REI.  Now, you need to understand something.  I've never thought of myself as afraid of heights and I don't really think I am.  However, I've never been one of those people who sees a rock wall and thinks to herself, "Man, I'd love to climb to the top of that...just to see if I can."  Seriously.  That is not who I am.  Ask me if I can lift something heavy and I'll be intrigued with the possibility...climbing, not so much.  But, because God has a sense of humor, that is exactly who Buttercup is.  Off to the rock wall we headed...

Making it look easy!

...and look who climbed all the way up her first try!  You guessed it:  my little Buttercup.  Sigh.

Listening to the belayer at the bottom...how can she hear her way up there?

She wasn't content to do it once, either.  Nope.  When her turn came around the second time, she scrambled right up.  She was frustrated we couldn't stay for her third run, but Valiant still needed a ride home from work, as this was BDL (Before Driver's License)...she really was itching to go again.  (I wonder if there is mountain goat is Superman's side of the family?)  Honestly, she was amazing.  I was in awe of her confidence and her mad skills.  Crossfit has been so good for her...I am so thankful we found it and a box opened near enough to our home to make it worthwhile.

 I didn't want to let her down, so I tried my hand at it.  Honestly, I didn't love it.  I'm not sure I'll ever love it.  Maybe it is just not my thing.

This was far enough for me...my arms were shaking...this is hard!

Still, I made it two-thirds of the way up before I was done.  Not bad for 48-years old...maybe next time I'll make it up to the top.  Oh, please, you know I'll have to go back and try again...now that I've failed, I have to make it up to the top at least once.  Sheesh...

Now on to the food!  Remember a few days ago, I made homemade mayonnaise?  Well, on Day 8 I used some of that wonderful mayonnaise to make some egg salad  (using my pressure cooker hard-boiled eggs) and it was phenomenal.  After sitting all night in the refrigerator, the mayonnaise was just, well, mayo.  I was worried that I'd taste the lemon and I didn't.   It really was better than "Best Foods"...who knew?

Dinner Day 8 was CORN: Clean Out Refrigerator Night.  We used up all the little bits and pieces left from the previous week and had a Paleo feast.  Dinner Day 9?  We had dinner with friends who did their very best not to undermine our challenge:  Steak, Salad, and Fruit Salad for dessert.  (They had potatoes available, but we declined.  Pretty cool, right?

Oh, and I made it to the gym both days...had pretty decent performance, too.  Got a new PR (personal record) for my 3x Deadlift on Monday and had a not-embarassing time on the scaled Diane (which was also a PR, but when it is scaled, I don't really count it much...I can't do a handstand, let alone a handstand push up, but, hey, they're on my CF to-do list!).    Rowed 2000 meters in under 9 minutes on Tuesday...pretty cool, right?