The projects continue...

It seems we have opened pandora's box around here and w/ all my might I can't close it. Our bathroom remodel has spilled into other areas, next the driveway, now a deck, some rewiring, french doors and redesigning the closet in our room... we are hoping it ends there! Now onto the "decorating" stuff. Painting the bathroom and the landing, selling a bunch of stuff on craigslist, organizing the office, organizing Jason and Lily's rooms and I'm sure there are other things I am not remembering.

We separated Jason and Lily,... their rooms look like jail cells. I took pretty much everything out of there b/c they were just wrecking the place. In one day I decided to clear out the guest room b/c I had just had it w/ them not napping. It was a rough day, but it's done! They now have their own separate spaces. It seems to have worked for Jason he is back to napping. Lily is spending some quiet time reading... she napped the first day. We'll see what happens w/ that. Right now all they have in their rooms is a mattress and Jason has a rug. I feel really bad about it for some reason. Mom and I are heading to Ikea on Tuesday for a day off (kids staying w/ my two Toms) and to get things for their rooms and my office/laundry room.





Papa's new scooter


Things are going 'okay' on the training front. I'm having a really tough time getting back in the swing of things, but it felt great to be back on my bike today.. well A bike. A road bike too... it was nice. We did a 2 hour ride and a 50 minute run.. tomorrow I swim... Yoga season begins soon!

It seems my fundraising for Team in Training has totally stalled out! I NEED YOUR HELF!!! I have over $1000 to raise still... if you haven't donated yet please go to my website and donate TODAY... like RIGHT NOW!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/wi/chitri08/lmount

Hanging w/ daddy in our 'wraps' (fitted sheets)

We're home...

We had a great visit in Seattle - aside from my 70.3 disappointment.

Today was a LOONNNGGG day. Jason pulled out all of his two year oldness for my delight and the delight of others. I don't think he was "that kid", but I had had enough by the time we got home.

Not much 'juice' to write now.. some photos from the 'race':












I didn't do a very good job of taking photos while we were out (big surprise). I didn't have my computer w/ me and my camera fills pretty quickly. Here are a few.

Things I learned at 70.3

#1 Make sure that the tubes that you have FIT your wheels. The tubes I had in my bag were from before I got my American Classic wheels and the stems were too short.

#2 Carry a C02 cartridge or a pump on your ride. It's possible to have the first flat (or the first two) of your life during a race.

So I DNF'd at my race today. I'm rather frustrated, but I can try again at another time. The good news is that I really enjoyed the swim. My time was still slow at 47 minutes, but I didn't hate it and that is progress and what I really hoped for. I can work on speed. I only did the breast stroke for a few strokes twice. I found a groove and for the first time ever felt like I really belonged there in the water with all the athletes.

I was only about 7 miles into the race when my back end was fish tailing a bit and I wasn't sure what was going on... then it occured to me that SHIT I had a flat. I didn't bring my pump on the ride w/ me b/c it's a pin and well, I'm certainly not going to get my first flat on a race, right?! WRONG!!!! So I cussed at myself for being stupid. Pulled over got my back (great) wheel off and got my tube out and started putting the new tube in while I waited for the support guys to drive up and see my sorry ass on the side of the road hoping for some help. Got the tube in and DAMN the stem was too short! CRAP CRAP CRAP. How dumb am I? The support guy rolled up on a bike.. he had nothing w/ him so he called the support van, but the support van couldn't get through a particular baracade until the Pro's went by. So I stood there like a moron for the van. At least 20 minutes later he showed up and put a new tube in.... 8 minutes and 40 seconds later... another flat. I decided that I was done. I wasn't going to sit there for another 20 minutes to have a my flat fixed to keep flatting and then be 40 minutes behind my age group.

I'm pretty bummed, but such is the life. Some things happen. Now I know. I felt I was not cool enough for the C02, but now I know that I am definitely cool enough... at least smart enough. I'm not sure if I'll try to tackle the half again this year or wait... until some other time. During the training phase I was certain I wasn't going to do this again until the kids were in school.... I'm tapered now and I'm not sure what I would do to get ready again quickly and I'm certainly not going to go through the 6 weeks of 3+ hour bike rides again this season. Maybe I'll just focus on Accenture for now and see what happens for next year... Gena and I talked about ocming back... the swim was really nice.

Gena did take some really good pictures of u s getting ready, of my swim and my sweet spectating skills. I know you are dying to see them. :)

This is what happens....

when you don't take a nap for days and days and days....



The kids spent their nap screwing around in their room again today... despite the fact that the only things left in their room are two cribs... I had even removed the pillows, books and blankets. We were/are trying the you have to stay in your beds or we come in and take X. They could care less. The last time I went in this afternoon I told Lily that if I had to come in again I was going to take away her pappies... she immediately said, "here" and handed them too me. :( Guess we have to find another way. I decided after I blew a gasket today that it just didn't matter at this point in the game b/c I will be heading out tomorrow and everything is going to be all messed up anyway.

Both kids are clearly exhausted from playing through naps (even before we moved to big kid beds.. this started, oh, around the time the bobcat appeared in our yard) and staying up late chatting about the excitement of the day. Yesterday around 3pm we were in the car not 10 mins and Jason was OUT! Lily took a bit longer, but fell asleep as well. Today the bobcat was back in action. Jason had had his ride and the neighbor kid was getting a ride. Jason got mad b/c "Leo was riding in JASON'S bobcat" so mom was holding him... RIGHT BY THE BOBCAT (think LOUD) and he fell asleep.... Mom was even able to bring him in and lay him down to sleep on the couch w/o him waking up.

It took him almost 45 mins to wake up after Lily "lovingly" smashed a dinosaur into his head after a more gentle approach didn't cause him to stir.

All is packed and ready to go for the trip to Seattle and hopefully my bike is or will be at Greg's by the end of the day tomorrow. :) I'm as ready as I'm going to be for this race... I will either really enjoy it or suffer through it.

Keep your fingers crossed for a somewhat easy trip to Seattle... I'm HOPING Jason sleeps for me on the plain.. it's either that or he will be a whining mess! I did buy a portable DVD player today so we can watch Shrek on the way out!

I wanted to wait until they were 3, but as we know....

the parent doesn't always get to decide!!! Jason and Lily learned how to get in and out of their cribs today... nap time was over when Tom went up after a 'thud' and found Lily out and walked in as Jason was hopping out of his bed. They spent a good 20 mins playing 'get in and out of the crib' before we called it quits and dismantled the beds. They are now up there going to bed in their big kid beds for the first time. PLEASE God let the sleep. It sounds pretty low key up there right now. They have routinely been staying up pretty late chatting anyway so we'll see what happens. We might have to check on them tonight just to see where they end up sleeping.

Let's try some video again....

it gets worse before it gets better...

what a mess! The good news is it should all be fixed up by the end of next week.




Jason got another ride in the bobcat and he LOVES it!

Jason's Dreams Come True

A Bobcat was dropped off at our house this morning for the beginning of our driveway project. Jason got to sit in it and ride in it w/ Scott. Lily did too, but she wasn't nearly as excited as Jason. They both loved watching all day... as did most of the neighbor kids.

MY BOBCAT!


Lily checking it out too. Notice Dane, our neighbor, checking out the scene too!


Jason riding w/ Scott. Look how serious he is!


I thought this one was cute of Lily and Scott talking:


Moving some concrete


Watching from inside later in the day. Notice Austin, Dane's little brother, in the background.


Dad worked his butt off today and got most of the driveway out. Tomorrow a.m. the garage will be jacked up so dad can move that concrete out. I'm not sure how we are going to get all of it out b/c here is no where else to put it in the yard.

The project won't quite be completed by the time I leave next week, but it will be nice to have a nice new driveway and a squared up garage when I return... and hopefully it will help the basement stay dry in the future!