Backpacks and Barbells

Every path into and through motherhood is unique. This is my specific journey. However you are making it happen, you are doing a great job Mama.  Motherhood is not for the faint of hear t _____ "But I think I'd rather be working…"  This is perhaps the most vulnerable statement I've ever shared publicly, and it has taken a lot of time, reflection, and therapy to unravel the emotional knot in my stomach as those words first popped into my head while watching my at-the-time seven-month old.  For those who don't know our story or haven't been close to it in a while, Marc and I brought our first son into the world on March 1, 2020.  Almost exactly one year later we learned we were pregnant with twin boys who completed our family on October 31, 2021. Three under two. It was a lot. It is still a lot, and learning to integrate my new role as mom with my already established roles of wife and career professional has been the most vulnerable journey I've ever bee...

To My Baby Boy -   I hope you explore this world with a broad sense of wonder, an open mind, and a kind heart I hope you find your passions and feel the satisfaction that comes from pouring every ounce of yourself into them I hope you experience failure and disappointment such that the success is so much sweeter I hope that "I'll try again" always replaces "I can't" I hope you always find the courage stand up for what you believe in and live true to your own heart I hope you know that I'll do my best to provide you with opportunity, lead you by example and teach you with kindness. Above all else, I hope you know that my love for you is unchanging. You are strong. You are resilient. You are brave. Love Always - Mom Becoming a mother. There is a clear before and after. A life that brought me to the moment that my son entered this world and a new life that carries on beyond it. How I told Marc to which he nonchalan...

While I share the more emotional side of becoming a mom in my post  Becoming A Mother , I enjoyed reading other women's physical journeys while I was pregnant so I thought I would share my experience of growing a human in the world of fitness and nutrition. I feel like I should caveat that my only goal here is to share my experience. Every pregnancy is different; thus, every journey will be unique. 37 Weeks Pregnant* Peak Fitness in 2017   Baseline : Prior to getting pregnant, I had been out of competitive Crossfit for over two years. I was working out 4-5 days per week with the 5 am class at Backcountry Crossfit with the sole goal of pushing myself for an hour each day and staying fit for longevity. Diet consisted mostly of whole foods with little restriction within that category, and Saturday nights are always dessert nights in the Leachman household (at least for me. Marc would prefer a bowl of blueberries over chocolate). My weight had been consistent arou...

Me again. Back after another year. I’d like to think that I’d one day get into a cadence of writing more than once a year but let’s be honest. Life is busy. Birthdays feel like an appropriate time to reflect and we’re now a little bit beyond a month past my 32nd trip around the sun. My last post left us when Marc, my now husband, got down on one knee in one of the most picturesque sceneries out there. Second best day of my life thus far. Let's take a minute to remember this amazing moment Now I say second best only because the day I got to say “I do” to that amazing man was definitely THE BEST day in my entire 32 years. . We got married on May 4th, 2019 in my parent’s backyard in Kiln, MS. A reflection of true love that my winter-loving husband was all for wearing a suit in an outdoor wedding, in May, in South Mississippi purely because he understands how important this place is to me. For more on that, I flash back to my 2014 post titled Mississippi . A special place i...

When I last posted on Backpacks and Barbells nearly three years ago, I was coming off a backpacking trip around Europe that inspired the original creation of this blog. I was on a high of independence and perspective that only an experience like that can provide. I was fulfilled. I was also completely unprepared for how much would change and how fast the next years would pass. I was always told that life goes faster as you get older, but yesterday was my 31st birthday. I mean what?! I recently took the longest trip since the Europe extravaganza and decided while climbing 9 miles out of the Grand Canyon that it was worthy of a Backpacks and Barbells revival.   The 2018 road trip took us through Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Antelope Canyon, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. I admittedly saw more National Parks on this trip than I have in my previous thirty years, and there is a peacefulness and vastness that only ...

Holy Adventure! Holy Change! Holy Living! When I look back over the past ten months now, those are first three things that come to mind. It's been a ride. As I logged on to write this post, I realized that the last time I wrote was in September. September! It's been nearly five months, and it seriously feels like yesterday. Although, when I think about all of the places I've been since then, all of life changes, all of the new in just five months...wow. 2014 was definitely a year well lived. As told by my lull in writing, at some point along the way, living became more important than reflecting. At least for the immediate moment. There's not enough space on this page to share all of those moments now; however, I am proud to say that I kept a daily journal for the entire trip. Everything I saw. Every person I met. Every time I got lost. Every emotion. It's all in there, and my hope is to continue to share those posts as I have time to reflect and write. For now tho...