Goofing Around For the Camera

The girls were being silly together before bedtime last night. I took a few pictures and they turned out pretty cute.



This photo, Mikayla took!

Look that Way!

I just caught Elyana playing with Mikayla's new marble run game. It is now off limits to her and on top of a table (that did not stop her just now). "What are you doing!?" I exclaimed. Ely's response was, "Look dat way," pointing away from her. Yeah, right. Does she think I'm stupid?!

Also, wanted to add that Mikayla keeps reminding me of Nate lately. A few days ago, I caught her with different online Sesame Street games going on both our computers. She was running from chair to chair to play both games at one time. Even Nate says he's never done that, but thinks it's an awesome idea.

I have been busy lately trying to plan Mikayla's 5th Birthday party. It was going to be a princess party (that's what the invitations all say). Now it has become a beach party. We don't even have a kiddie pool! So, I'm being super creative, but it's been a scavenger hunt around town to get the various things I need. I'm also trying to adjust to not doing triathlons. Sounds silly, but I've started to put on a few pounds, my anxiety is high, and I"m not sleeping well. It almost feels like my body is chemically trying to adjust to not doing intense workouts all the time. I'm still trying to workout, but we've been very busy lately. Somehow, I've got to find a balance again.

Radio

During lunch today, Mikayla asked me what music I was listening to. "The radio," I said. "What's a radio?" I told her it's kind of where it's someone's job somewhere out there to play a bunch of different songs for everyone to listen to. "Wow! You made a radio then, mom!" She was referring to the mix CD I made of worship and praise music we listen to running errands.

I've Become A Master Gardener!

I've done it! It's official! I need some kind of diploma! Even my friend Karin said, "I, um, didn't think it was possible..." Out of 2 rows of corn seeds, 3 rows of green bean seeds, I have produced...(drum roll please) 2 GREEN BEANS! No, not 2 green bean plants that will yield an entire meal of green beans, but 1 plant that has yielded 2 green beans. Don't even ask what happened to the corn seeds! Someone tie a green ribbon around my pathetic "green" thumb!

To save my self esteem, I'm blaming the stupid rabbits that live under our neighbor's shed.

What's Wrong With Elyana?!

For a second I thought there was something wrong with Ely today. Her ear was a deep purple color. That's when I found that Mikayla left the cap off her marker earlier and Ely discovered it. I just want to know what she was thinking though. Why her ear? The mind of a 2 year old amazes me!

More Comments from Mikayla

Traveling to WI one of these past weekends, we stopped at a gas station that happened to have this random simulation boat set up for a free test drive. Since Nate was in the restroom, I took the girls for the ride. The guy that was running the thing keep yelling at me, "Slow down, now turn right! See that buoy?! Slow down if you want to fish at that dock!" I've never handled a boat before and kept hoping the whole I could just joy ride and crash a few things like my old favorite game of Crazy Taxi. We all had fun and it was a good break from hearing all the whining on the road. A few days later, Mikayla says to me, "You know mom, you're a good mommy, just not a good boat driver." She said it so seriously like it was going to hurt my feelings or something that it was hilarious!

When we were in WI Dells this past weekend, my niece was being difficult letting her mom brush her teeth. Mikayla starts calmly telling Sophia this story, "Do ya see this princess star in my tooth? (A "princess star" is what the dentist told her the cavity filling was...) I got that star because I didn't let me mommy help me brush my teeth and the sugar monsters made a hole in my tooth. The dentist had to fix it. That star reminds me of all the things I used to do wrong."

Evidently the "star" in her tooth is meaningful to her since she recently told me she was excited for that tooth to fall out because the tooth fairy must dish out a lot of money for real princess star teeth!

Mikayla's Spiritual Conversation

As I was driving the kids to Toys R Us, I took the opportunity to explain to Mikayla that a friend of ours' dog (we occasionally would doggie sit for) was being put to sleep that day. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: Joey's doggie might die today, honey.
M: That would make him so sad. I think when his doggie gets to heaven, God will say, "Oh, that's Joey's dog!" and send him right back to him.
Me: Did you know that heaven is forever?
M: Why?
Me: Because it's such an incredible, beautiful, fun place that once you get there, you will never want to leave. It's filled with good people too.
M: I know I shouldn't talk with strangers, but if I accidentally talked with one and they took me, God would come down and save me.
Me: God might not save you, honey. He wants us to try to save ourselves first, that's why it's so important that we shouldn't talk with strangers in the first place.

I love these talks I have with her, it keeps me on my toes.

Danskin Women's Triathlon

Well, I am officially done with triathlons this summer. We dropped the girls off at my mom's in Madison on Friday night and left Saturday morning for Pleasant Prairie (Kenosha), WI. We arrived in time to get my timing chip, get body marked, and attend meetings for the next days race. Even though we were a bit tired, we caught a movie Sat night since we haven't gone out in a while together. Race day began at 5:15. I got to the transition area to find my tire was flat. 5 minutes before the transition area closed for the start of the race, a mechanic placed a new tube in my bike. I kicked butt on the swim, shaving 5 minutes off of the time I've gotten when I trained. I got out of the lake to find the tire once again flat. The race officials made me cross over the timing mat before I found someone to repair the bike (which added tons to my bike time). It took about 10 minutes for him to fix it, hand it over the spectator fence for me to begin the 12 mile bike ride. 10 miles into the bike ride it once again when flat. I refused to walk with it, so I continued to pedal hard the last 2 miles. I did have to walk a little now and then in the 3.1 mile run. The bummer of the bike trouble was I felt confident in this race compared to the Rochesterfest Triathon. I was ready to see what my body really could do, and what kind of time I could get. Oh well, I still did my best and it was a good story to share with the kids on how you should never give up.

Here's my official times:
Swim (1/2 mile) = 15:47
Transition: 5:33
Bike (12.4 miles) = 59:43
Transition = 3:36
Run (3.1 miles) = 33:52

Overal time: 1:58:33 minutes

I will be receiving photos from a few people I'll post later. Thanks for your prayers and all your support through this last year of training and through these two triathlons!

Rochesterfest Triathlon Pictures Are Finally Here!

My Transition Area

Spectators before the swim begins

The race begins!


Me in the swim...


Me leaving for the bike leg of the triathlon


Me running the final stretch of the race

Getting a free massage after the race

One Comment

Something we learned last night: Never place Boudreaux's Butt Paste next to Oral-B Stages Baby Toothpaste. The tubes are the same size and color...

Winter Meets Summer

Introducing the Sled n' Slide. Mikayla had the idea to play with her sled on the slip n slide yesterday. I love that she thought of this because I've had the same idea in my head over the years, just never acted on it.


Playing with the sled was so much fun that she brought it inside the house today as it was raining all day. She gave Ely rides around the basement.



Speaking of Elyana. She is obsessed with her belly button lately. Today, she was constantly trying to see what would fit in it. At breakfast, I found her putting yogurt in it. At the park, she was carefully putting sand in it. And at dinner, she was trying to put some of the chopped broccoli in it. This is quite the challenge as she has a bit of an outie. Mikayla glances over across the table tonight and says dryly, "She's trying to feed it again."