Crazy 8!!!

I am a Gymboree/Janie & Jack freak! And now the Gymboree company has a new line Crazy 8, like the Old Navy answer to all of my basic needs and desires (dressing the kids up in the cutest, most comfortable, and best washing clothes!). Their websites kick trash over the competition too, making it oh so easy to pretend shop and really shop. I am in big trouble.

P will be Standing on a Yellow Box

No she doesn't walk and barely will stand alone, but she'll crawl up on this yellow box and stand straight up, all on her own and for some unknown reason. She just kept doing it over and over and we would erupt in cheers. I finally got this picture (thanks to Rachel). Maybe she'll start walking on a tight rope.

She is making noises, simulating...

...a jetfighter starship flying around (from some other toy parts)...she's got brothers.

I might eat her up.
I might eat him up too.

First Day of Skool

Tuesday's First Day of 2nd Grade. I still cried. A little. But quickly got over it when...

We got home, I sat P in the highchair to eat, and O settled into watercoloring, and I pre-cleaned like a mad woman for Margarita Day, and there was no fighting and P stayed in the chair for like 30+ minutes. It was incredible. The little ones and I have played games (Toy Story Yahtzee, my favorite, and Trouble), read books, and gone swimming at Kate's. H is so stoked to be back in school, even when it comes to homework and it's like pulling teeth again, but he's doing it.

The End of 2008 Summer Bear Lake Trip

Ready for Bear Lake Ward Church (love it, lasted 25 minutes with the P-ster, and then she and I walked home to a long summer's nappy nap!)

Breakfast time. Junk food cereal is notably bought and consumed for and at Bear Lake.

The famous 2008 view and tether ball and flood barrier which didn't look so ridiculous 10 years ago when the water actually went up to it.

Roasting the mallows with the Jaggis and Meikles and Gardners. Look at that AK posture on O.

Nappy nap sleepy time. She naps and sleeps like a champ at the cabin (just like her momma).

Kids First Triathlon

Thanks to Kate and her awesome and organized neighbors, who in celebration of the Olympics, hosted their own events, including a triathlon, and running races (I believe diving at the Creer's was planned, but once the kids hit the first pool and saw the food, the games were over). My kids were able to participate and are still talking about it. H participated in the triathlon (the kids rode for about 25 yards, then swam the length of a 15 foot pool, and then ran about 50 yards) and Owen and H ran in the foot race (as AK likes to call it) which was across a lawn and back for a length of about 50 yards. Very cool.

Thank you to Maren for the cute pictures.

Lotoja

Am I ready for Lotoja? Honestly, I've been riding 50+ road miles a week (probably more like 60), and at least one mountain bike ride a week, and then the training for the 1/2 marathon, but 100 miles, in one day? Boring yes. With a buddy, hopefully. What do you think? Last year at this time, I honestly thought I could do the whole thing alone (and I was still nursing, I don't know what I was thinking!!!).

Fun and Full Day

Yellowstone, August 3, 2008, Waterfall hike (I already can't remember the name). This is how AK has looked almost all day (like "seriously Annette?", "chill out", "we don't have to go", "I just want to watch Olympic basketball" of course he never says these things, but you can see them in his darling, handsome face!)

Aujourd'hui

7:00 AM Wake up very very sleepy kids. Keep P in PJ's.
7:36 AM Arrive at Draper Pool (we had two addresses, went to the furthest one first and picked the right one!
7:42 AM Set up to watch, wait, and play at H's first swim meet. See the Edgley's, Stacey P., the Cooks, and start eating, borrowing, and playing with the Gilbert professional sibling entertainment center tent/blanket/and chair area.
7:46 AM (est. time) Borrow "working" goggles from Gilberts.
7:52 AM Borrow sweatshirt from Gilberts.
7:57 AM Steve starts mumbling under his breath about the crazy family who has totally invaded their perfect setting at the swim meet.
8ish H & Joshua swim first event, 25m Free. The first group of boys doggy/breast the length of the pool. H does great and it was the first time seeing him dive (Emi has a great picture, will post later!).
8ish later H finds the Gilberts D-S and re-charges while totally tuning out.
8ish/9ish H swims in the 25m backstroke. Does awesome. Starts on the way left side, not used to not sharing the huge lane, and ping pongs the lane lines, does fantastic!
9:40 H swims in the 25m breast, and looks at the kid swimming just alongside him the last 1/2 of the swim. This is so cute, the kids watch each other while swimming, Ella and the girl swimming next to her did this too.
9:45 Head out for Banbury Cross (old fashioned for me & sleepy P, AK with a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and nuts, maple bar for H, & bright colored sprinkles for O).
10:50 Go directly to the Sports Complex ice rink to see babysitter CB compete in figure skating.
11:15 See CB in her beautiful and stunning outfit give a first place finish and beautiful skate.
11:40 Meet the B family, chat, and watch, and realize how none of us have showered, I have no make up on, and P is still in her pajamas. Lovely.
12:10 Talk to Kate on the way home from Sports Complex and plan to leave the house in 20 minutes to go hike Silver Lake with the families.
1ish Walk, throw rocks, scare "underground squirrels" (O of course), chipmunks, and ducks. Realize after the 15th time of a half of the face allergic reaction that P must be allergic to certain sunscreens (she's happy but looks blotchy and half of her face droops, scary!). Forgo the longer twin lakes hike to get P home.
3:30-5 Nap Time. Hey P & I were very tired and I slept awful last night with the wind and the psyching up of not getting up at 6:10 and working out and getting some much needed "beauty" sleep, and not getting it!
5 CB got sick and was unable to babysit for temple night. Unable to find replacement. Think of ways to duplicate O, instead of eating him up. Getting him to wear very cute jeans that don't drag on the ground (he's a little too used to me buying big to grow into, including pants, shoes, etc. Meantime, H still wears size 4 pajamas & size 5 clothes, and yes they are too small, oh well).
6 Go to dinner with the kids
7 Dad, H & O go fishing. Boys in heaven.
7 Bathe happy P. Read a fun book. Sing a song. Put P to bed.
7:15 Wash face, put on a mask, watch The Hills episode with Stephen Colletti (I hadn't seen him yet), rinse face, start blogging, and wondering why I am "watching" the Olympic marathon, oh my it is soooooo boring, are you kidding me?
9:17 Hear the boys come home! See ya!

Kids, What Kids?

AK & I spent the night at the Canyons on Wednesday night. He was there for work meeting and I was there to ride my bike and hang out at the pool. On Wednesday, I did Holly's Trail....with NO Brakes. Completely unintentional, and my hamstrings paid for the Barney Flintstone leg brake system. The next morning Chip fixed my brakes and so I headed back up to do the Mid-Mountain trail from the Canyons to Spiro. It was great. I missed the Spiro Trail exit, so went almost all the way to Deer Valley, but came back to bomb Spiro (so fun!). It was awesome and seriously the toughest part was riding on the road in the wicked headwind, mostly uphill back to the Grand Summit Lodge (yes, at the top of the long and winding Canyons road, okay so it seemed after almost 3 hours of riding at midday!). I was really nervous about riding alone (since I haven't in 11 or 12 years!) but it was fine and I came across enough pleasant riders. AK did the same trail that evening with his boss. They had a great ride too. I can't wait to do it again.

Pictures forthcoming on AK's blog. It was incredibly beautiful and literally on top the world, at least in Park City.

In the morning is H's first (and last of the summer) swim meet. He is nervously excited. Like any other kid, he is calling himself "mini-Michael Phelps".

P has been spied walking by someone else, like totally and getting up by herself and everything, but will not do it AT ALL for us.

O is chillin' and got a sweet new haircut with dad. When I get home from my morning road rides, he has been greeting me with his warm, "sunbathing" body (the boys sleep shirtless in the summer), and claims I keep waking him with the garage door. Nothing better than snuggling with a straight from bed, warm bodied kiddo.

P.S. AK & I just watched the amazing butterfly final of Michael Phelps, and Liz, you are right, cap on!

I do have eyeballs

This was taken about 45 minutes before the pain set in...

Thank you Dad for the picture.

Grateful Mondee

Yes, I am lagging so much this end of summer (and the entire summer for the record), that I can't even make it on 'Grateful Sabbath'.

1. Our fantastic family trip and first "camping" adventure at Colter Bay in the Grand Tetons. Thanks to the Edgley's for allowing us to tag along on their annual trip and for pulling us along in their great ski boat. They are incredible slalom skiers and AK was able to get up and make a show of it. For a full review go here.

2. Bailey S. Bunch's 11th Birthday today. Our darling Bailey, who as newlyweds and living near her, got to hold her and love her as if she were our own. What an amazing young lady she is becoming, and quite an athlete. She is an amazing and inspiring highly decorated swimmer. I love receiving her swimming training tips, techniques, and flip turn instruction (from which I need more lessons Bailey!). She is a fantastic niece and an incredible example. I love you darling Bailey.

3. Andy Knight. He is a hottie.

4. Being able to run 13 miles on Saturday and milking it for all it's worth. Although truly, it still really hurts to walk downstairs, which is why I am still asking myself why I walked around the zoo today with O & P???? I feel sorry that I made so many people feel sorry for me today and my totally illegitimately crippled style of walking, climbing stairs, and grunting when holding P. Hopefully I will be able to bike in the morning.

5. My parents and their amazing support. They were at the finish line, although we missed each other. I still have to prove that I actually crossed the finish line for them, because I seriously don't think they believe me. For the record, when I finished it was 2:10 and on the first results showed a 9:57 minute mile average, but the added a minute or so since then. Oh well. Seriously, I finished.

6. The lovely sub-90 degree day today. I can't wait for fall. Jeans, sweaters, my new boots, here I come!

2:10

I finished the race. It was hard and I don't know how I am going to get back up the stairs. Seriously, I might have to slide up on my bum. And for the Provo 1/2 marathon being "all downhill" is a bunch of bull. There was a 1-mile hill and other little ones, which was just plain mean. The first 3 miles took 25 minutes and my last 2 miles took 23 minutes. The last 2 miles were killer. People were dropping out all over the place. I slowed down to a very snail's pace, I was keeping pace with a 50-60 year old gentlemen that kept walking, and I would pass him, then picking it up again running and still managing to get right ahead of me. We kind of wound around the finish, which was a huge teaser and I never saw the 12th mile marker so I never thought we'd finish. The cheers and crowd was intensely intimidating, but I sprinted the last 5 yards to the finish (managing to miss my cheering parents, who also missed me, at the finish line). It was fun and I expect to be doing it again next year. What I love most, is my next triathlon in September is going to be a breeze.

The kiddos and AK made it closer to my expected time (2:15-2:30), but were there for the watermelon (P) and pancakes (all three) all the same.

P.S. I love the Olympics.

P.P.S. Yea for Joshua!

P.P.P.S. Now I expect to be running with Liz and Lacey and Morinda, but give me a week or so.

SYTYCD

On Wednesday night, my post would've been "eh". That's it. We like the hip hop and the conductor dance was okay.

I'm just relieved Katee & Joshua are in it. I think Katee should win, for complete and total flawlessness, but Joshua probably has it in the bag. He is pretty awesome. I think Chelsie definitely deserved to be in the final and not smirky face Courtney (she is adorable, but she does make silly faces, don't you think?). I'm a little sad for Mark, but he wasn't going to win it and he went super far for being such a quirky, different dancer. I love his hair.

Off to the Tetons/Yellowstone for 5 days, yea! All of us in a one room tent/cabin, should be interesting.