Icebreaker Triathlon

You rocked it!

I am so proud of you!

1 hour 15 minutes of endurance!

When can we do it together?

It was so great to be there to support Steve today as he participated in his first triathlon. I have to admit, that being the emotional giant that I am, I got emotional. We arrived about 45 minutes after the triathlon started. So, I really wasn't sure where Steve was. Quickly we found a spot where we could see both bikers and runners coming in.

Tyler was the first to spot Steve as he was making his way to the transition spot, ending his biking segment and starting the running segment.









I was glad he was running by too fast to see the tears in my eyes. What is it about seeing your husband fulfilling a goal?

Below, Steve is in the transition area, getting ready to drop off his bike (he's over the guys shoulder in the gray jacket):

As I watched him quickly don his riding gear, and head out running, I wondered how long it would take his legs to adjust. Wow, hard!

Then it was time to wait again.

We didn't have to wait long.

I couldn't believe it.

He was back in just about 20 minutes. Wow. I knew he could run 3 miles in about 20 minutes because he had done it during the Spiderman Fights Cancer 5K. But to do it in the same amount of time, after swimming and biking. What a man!

I was so excited for him as I saw him start up towards me...I mean the finish line.


As we were congregating around him to offer our congratulations, Steve offered up these words: That was the toughest thing I have ever done physically.

Way to go, hon.

And, here were the fans who came out to cheer him on.



And his biggest fan:


I am so glad to be on this journey together.

UPDATE: Here are his times:

Swim: 6:24
Transition 1: 3:24
Bike: 41:11
Transition 2: 1:02
Run: 23:04

Update

Here is an update on this previous post, Worst Mom of the Year Award for Me.

My friend, whose beautiful daughters that I have the privilege of driving to school came up to me at church the next Sunday. She asked me if I had looked at the picture of them walking home.

I said sure. I am positive I had a perplexed look on my face.

She then asks if I had really looked at it.

Okay, I'll bite. What did I miss?

Did you see it?

Or like me, did you miss it?

Look again. (Sorry, I tried to repost it but couldn't find it on my computer. Click here to see it. Mom, don't forget that you can click on the picture to enlarge it. = >)

Here's the point: Ethan is carrying not one...but two backpacks. He carried Maranada's backpack home from school. What a sweet boy. And, let me just tell you that her backpack is ALWAYS heavy. What a sweet boy.

So, my friend proceeds to tell me that while I look at that picture and see a bad mom because my kiddos are walking home from school, she looks at it an thinks I am doing something right.

No not really.

That's just who my Ethan is...in spite of me.

MY DIY Guy

Steve is a DIY guy.

And, I love it!

Remember, I think he has a golden touch.

Here is his latest project:
If I had known this was on his to do list, I would have taken a before and after picture. However, you only get the after picture. This was actually a learning process for him. His first plan was to paint the table black. It worked...sort of. It looked great with our black kitchen appliances, until...

I was cleaning it after dinner the first night. Uh oh...that's never good. I was taking some of the paint with me. Uh oh! So, I look at him, he looked at me. We weren't sure what to do. Above is what Steve came up with. He purchased self-adhesive tiles for the floor to place on the top of our table. So, yep, we literally eat off the floor every night. I absolutely love it!!!

I thought it was very creative.

Problem solved.

Her Newest Step Toward Leaving the Nest

Okay, this time I am serious! Because no one answered me when I asked this question last time. Does anyone know how to stop time?

Drum roll...Alayna is now sleeping in a big girl bed. I know (sniff, sniff)...oh darn it, you'd better pass the whole box of Kleenex.

She is so excited about this new adventure in her life.

Contrary to our experience with the boys, she actually stays in her bed when we put her there. I sure hope that continues! It could be because she is so tired because I don't let her take naps anymore that when her head hits the pillow she is sound asleep.

She looks so tiny in her bed. It completely engulfs her. It doesn't even seem like she comes to the halfway point in her bed.

I love this darling, baby girl of mine!

Basketball for Tyler and Ethan

Basketball at their age is so darling.

It makes me laugh.

Most of the rules aren't enforced. Double dribble has taken on a new meaning (more like quadruple dribble) and traveling, oh boy; I think they bag their bags for that one.




Ethan dribbling towards the basket.



Anyhoo...Tyler and Ethan have loved playing and have improved so much since the beginning of the season. We just had their last game on the last Saturday of February. I loved to see their
faces light up with excitement as they tasted the sweet taste of success when they made a
basket.




Tyler inbounding the ball under their basket!


Here's a short video of them playing. First Ethan has the ball and then Ty.

Worst Mom of the Year Award for Me

So, I was happily sitting at the computer when there is a knock at my door. I open it to find my friend standing there. After the rounds of hi, she says, "Are you okay?" My instant reply was to say. "Yes, I am fine." My brain was immediately running through things that had happened at church on Sunday to say otherwise. I mean, what else could it be?

Then she says, "Well, it's early out Monday and YOU never forget. So, I just wanted to come and make sure that you weren't passed out in a pool of blood or something."

Instant concern, guilt and worry arise in my body and heart. How could I forget.

She then goes on to tell me that my boys and the other kiddos that I drive to school are fine. I just saw them and they were by the church. She said she had even offered them a ride and they declined. Way to go boys, maybe something we are teaching is sinking in!

My whole routine was thrown off this morning when my friend that I trade babysitting with asked me to watch her girls today instead of tomorrow. So, that coupled with a completely mind, made me forget it is early out Monday. The boys get out 1 hour earlier then normal. Why Mondays? Why not Fridays?

Here's what I found when I got in my car to go and find them:


Luckily for me they "had so much fun" walking home. They were such good sports about it all. I was the one in tears. Luckily the other kiddos mom was more then understanding.

If you enlarge the picture, you can see their school behind the church. It isn't that far. But still... This is something that makes me feel like a good mom; that I drive them to and from school. I couldn't stand the thought of their little bodies walking to school, being thrown to and fro, as reeds in the wind. It's enough to tug at anyone's heart.

Thanks to everyone for being so forgiving to me.

Yoga at Our House

Layna is really into mimicking things these days. Sometimes it is cute (as shown below) and other times when she is testing the limits by mimicking her brother's behavior, well it's not so cute. As of late, Steve has really gotten into to yoga. I'm not surprised. It's relaxing. And tough.

Here she is doing her yoga:

Down Facing Dog

Balance pose (don't know the name for this one)

the Locust

Warrior One

Oh ya, she was really excited about the new swimming suit that I bought for her. The bottoms are a little big. She'll grow right?