Sky Zone!

Stella is now three is old!! I can’t even believe that she is three; time goes by way too fast.  As many of you know, she is an incredibly energetic child and I am always looking for activities where she can channel her energy while on the road… aka wear her down so mommy can have a little down time after a round of golf!   When the weather is bad and playing outside is not an option, our favorite place to go it SKY ZONE. 

We discovered SKY ZONE in Fort Myers this past winter. After a few rainy days, I was running out of things to do with Stella. She has always loved jumping on trampolines and I decided to look online for places where she could do just that.  Well, it was love at first sight! I cannot adequately convey to you how much she enjoys it.  We always purchase the one-hour package for her, thinking, as an adult, that she will be exhausted long before then and we will be able to leave… this is not the case! She could spend hours at this place and it is super fun for adults as well.  There are several options for things to do and she can jump from one activity to the next.  For older children, there is an option to play dodge ball with other kids, which looks really fun as well.  Stella usually opts for the basketball hoops and jumping into the foam-filled pit. 

Whenever I take the kids with me on a trip we always look for a SKY ZONE location at their site: www.skyzone.com.  We have been able to find one in most cities and it is a total lifesaver.  If you are traveling with your little ones and running out of things to do on a rainy day I highly recommend it!

My Story in the "Press of Atlantic City"

Gearing up for a great round at today's ShopRite LPGA Classic - thanks for the great article by Michael McGarry at Press of Atlantic City, check it out here.

So appreciative of all the love and support from you all! Wish me luck!

Quality Time with My Daughter

As a working mom I am always looking for ways to spend time with my kids, especially Stella. She has been feeling the effects of me going back to work the most. There have been a lot of changes in Stella's life in the last 8 months. In September she welcomed home a new sister. Mommy went back to work shortly thereafter and we have been traveling non-stop ever since. Her life does not have the consistent rhythm it once had of going to pre-school, napping and going to the playground in the afternoon with mommy. But she has been a trooper throughout all of these changes.

So, when we arrived in Charlotte last week ahead of the Symetra Classic, I wanted to play nine holes to see the course. Stella was upset I was going to play golf again so I decided to take her with me. On the Symetra Tour we play our practice rounds in a golf cart so I thought it might be fun. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!  I borrowed a set of kids’ clubs from the pro shop and put them in the back of the cart. She loved every minute of it (still kicking myself that my phone died and I did not take any pictures). She felt so special and had a big smile on her face. She ran so much that after five holes she was passed out on the cart.

The experience was such an incredible step for her, and for me. It shows me that I can carve out time with my kids even when I am playing golf. I loved sharing my passion with her and having her by my side on the course. It was such a special afternoon and I can't wait to have many more late afternoon sessions with my kids. It has been, by far, my favorite memory of this process and I can't wait to have many more!!!  

This week is also another big week on the course. I am playing my first LPGA event at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Can't wait to share the experience with you guys! 

Trial & Error: Feeling Overwhelmed

Sorry I have been on hiatus for the last two weeks.  A lot has happened and I felt like I needed to take a few weeks off in order to gather my thoughts and just take control of my life a little bit!  This journey has been a lot more overwhelming than expected. Trying to be a good mom, dedicating myself to golf again, and figuring out what tournament schedule works for me and for our family has not been easy.  

When I started playing and traveling again I had to give up a lot of the control I had over my kids’ everyday lives.  I remember when I had Stella; I was there for every single milestone. I left her for the first time when she was around a year old.  When I was not working, I loved knowing exactly what happened in my daughters’ days even if I was not around 100% of the time.

I was away all last week and came back to my youngest, Luiza, looking so much bigger and my oldest, Stella, telling me things she had done during the week that I had no idea about.  It made me sad because I felt like I was missing out on so much. I have not taken her to school in over a week. Before I started playing I NEVER missed one day.  I don’t have time to make them a freshly cooked meal every night and I always loved to cook for them.  Nowadays there are weeks that I don’t even see a single poopy diaper from Luiza!

In addition to that, I have also had to transition into becoming a different golfer. When I played on tour before I dedicated 90% of my time into becoming the best golfer I could be. Now there are days when I only have a couple hours to practice. I am not complaining - I have just had to adapt.  I have reached out to many former players and asked them how they became more efficient in their practice routines (I will divulge some of their tips in future posts!) I feel like their advice has helped me a lot and I cannot thank them enough. 

It is all a transition. I have had to evolve as a golf player and parent and become a better working mom.  I know it will all settle down once I find my ideal routine and travel schedule.  Until then we will go through a lot of trial and error.  OH BY THE WAY DID I MENTION WE ARE MOVING???!….to be continued….

Post-Baby Body

When I decided to start playing again I knew that one of the first things I had to do was to get back in shape. I have had two C-sections and I am much older than when I started playing. I knew my body had changed, but I still had to be in shape to be able to swing the way I used to and, to be honest, I just felt bad being in my post-baby body.

When I became pregnant with my first daughter, Stella, I promised myself I would take care of my body. I ate well and I worked out about three to four times a week. I lifted weights and did cardio all the way to the end.  I remember so vividly lifting weights the day I went into labor with Stella. I gained only 23 lbs and, after six weeks, I was back to my pre-baby weight. I was that woman every girl hates.

With Luiza the story did not repeat itself.  I started working out 2 months after having Luiza.  I did not have the time or the energy to work out as much as I did with Stella. I did not gain that much more weight, only 25 lbs when all was said and done, but boy oh boy was I up for a rude awakening! At the beginning it did not matter what I did - it was like my body had frozen. It was just stuck at a certain weight.  Two months after I started working out I had not lost a single pound.

There were so many times I just wanted to give up, but I kept at it and now I am so happy I did. With a combination of working out and eating better the weight is SLOWLY going down. Luiza is 7 months old and I am still not at my pre-baby weight, but I am getting there.

Below are some of the things that have really helped me:

1. Working out first thing in the morning. If I don't do my workout in the morning the day gets away from me and I find way too many excuses.

2. Keeping it fresh: I used to lift weights and do cardio -that was it. Now I do a little bit of everything and I feel like it keeps me going. I run, spin, do bar classes, build my own work out and do some workout videos. This keeps my muscles guessing and working in many different ways which I believe has helped me to lose the weight.

3. Taking days off. I need at least two days off a week. My body just needs it.

4. Doing a workout even if I only have 20 min. I am much easier on myself because time is just limited. If I sweat for 20 minutes or so it is worth it and I just feel better.

5. I refused to buy clothes to fit the bigger me. This really kept me motivated because every time I tried something on and it did not fit I would get so mad!

6. Most of my workouts combine strength training and cardio to maximize the time I put into them.

I will post more specific workouts in the futures....oh I forgot to add that I still have 5 lbs to go. Not there yet but almost!!!!!  What are your stay-fit secrets?

Symetra Tour Profile Blog

I was honored to be featured recently on the Symetra Tour website in an article that highlights my return to professional golf (you can read the full story here: http://bit.ly/1H4Ps8s and a snapshot of me in 18 questions: http://bit.ly/1COWzfj).

It paints an accurate picture of our daily lives - with Stella encouraging us to have nice long days by waking up every morning at 5am like clockwork – and showcases the unique experiences I face as a new mother on tour.

And though it’s true that my day and training schedule are unlike many other professional golfers, all of us have lives outside of golf and strive to balance training hard and competitions with spending time with family, friends, and on outside interests. My interests just so happen to talk back (or at least one does!).

I hope that this peek into my day can bring a knowing smile to many other working parents and athletes out there. Thanks, Symetra!