Blanco Tri

This past weekend we all watched JL compete in the Blanco Triathlon. We had decided that we were going to stay the night in Johnson City on Friday so we didn't have to wake up super early on Saturday to get to the race by 7am. Besides our family, Dario's sister and 5 yr old son Tyson were there as was Cheryl and her 4 kids. The racers were: JL, Dario, Dave, Jason, Aaron and Jeff. It was a good group and they all did great!

James was sooo excited all week. Talking about "Daddy's Race" and running down the list of who was comming. All day Friday he just kept telling me he was "ready to go Mama" and wanted to "see Daddy race." He even helped pack:

Here he is packing himself and Bear (who had to come)

ONLY the essentials.......

The first thing we did when we arrived in Blanco was pick up JL's race packet. In my opinion, this is the most important part of a race. You see, this is the time when you finally get to see the T-Shirt that you get for competing!! I always like to see the different race shirts JL gets. This time his shirt had a Crocodile on it. I thought it was pretty decent. A lot better than the last race shirt he got....

ANYWAY, after that we drove the bike course. It was gorgeous but hilly! The area was just beautiful though! It wound through a few farms (complete with longhorns!) and up and down the beautiful rolling hills. It was super green and very very remote. This was definitely one of the most picturesque rides he's done.

Once we'd seen the course, we hit a local Italian restaurant with Dario and co. to let the guys load up on some carbs. The food wasn't too bad....considering the size of the town. But our waiter was annoying. I don't think the place was use to having children eat there or something. There was NO kids menu and when we asked the waiter to bring a dish to let the kids share it he looked at us like "are you kidding me?" He was just rude. But I digress......

After that it was time to head to the motel. Now here's the deal with the motel...... Sheyenne had booked a hotel earlier in the week (a holiday inn or something) but had then read a review that said it was a total dive and recommended not staying there. So we scratched that place but everything else in town was coming back at $100+ a night. JL googled a couple places: Red Roof Johnson City and someplace called Charley's Motel. Having never heard of the later, I went with the Red Roof.

After speaking to the super nice lady and hearing about their super low rates, I booked. We then called Dario and told him to book, which he did. About 2 hrs later when JL was getting ready to let the rest of the guys know about the place, he noticed that I had booked at the Red Roof Inn - Johnson City TENNESSEE!!!! haha OOPSIE! So scratch that place.

At this point, the only place left was that shady sounding Charley's Motel. I gave them a ring. Sure the rates were low.....sure it was close to the race.....but the place just was giving me the willies. First I'd never heard of it, second the lady I spoke with didn't speak English, third the only thing I could get from her was the place was next to the Exxon gas station. Ugh. Having no other promising motels, we booked. We made sure we were booking in the right state this time and then called Dario and Dave so they could book themselves and their families.

I must say - it wasn't as bad as I though. It's definitely the worst place I've stayed in - but it wasn't horrible. The lamps were mis-matched and the curtains were horrid. It smelled musty and the carpet hadn't been vacuumed in probably a decade - but the sheets were clean AND there were no bed bugs. So, we unpacked and got ready to sleep.

Our fancy room....complete with plywood headboards!

At least Izzy was sleepin' in style!

James was just bouncing off the walls. He LOVED the motel. He had to check everything out about 5 times and jump on each bed about 5 times. When we finally turned out the lights he was still running around the room re-checking everything out. Isabel was a champ! She went right to sleep in the pack 'n' play and was out for the night! James didn't settle down until around midnight (my best guess as there was NO clock radio in the room.....) But once he did he crashed for the night as well.

JL had to wake up at 5:30am to get his gear and be ready to race by 7. The kids and I stayed behind and met up with the other families around 7:30. We wanted to be to the race by about 8:30 so we could watch the last leg (the run) of the race.

And things worked out perfectly! We got there a few minutes before Dave headed out to start the race. Soon after him Jason and then JL followed. Then Jeff and Aaron and Dario. It was fun to cheer each of them on. I just love watching triathlons! They are so exciting. Although I have NOOOO desire to do one myself. I tell JL "I only run if something is chasing me!" I wouldn't mind the swim or the bike ride so much - but I just despise running.

"I run with Daddy too, fweeeeese!"

Me and Izzy spectating

James was a good boy during the race but did get a little bored toward the end. Good thing he and Tyson found a few buckets and the path was rocky! Isabel required constant holding by me - but surprised me with how well she did also.

These two bonded instantly!

After about 30 more minutes the guys started to head toward the finish line. Dave crossed first, then JL, Aaron, Jeff, Jason and Dario.

JL crossing the finish line!

James congratulating his Daddy

The Racers : (from left to right) Dave, Aaron, Jeff, Dario, Jason, JL

Once the guys had caught their breath and snagged a few snacks, everyone was ready to load up and head out. We stayed a little longer with Dario and co. to swim in the river with the kids.

"Hold you Daddy"

After that we hit the DQ for some ice cream!!!!!

Nothing hits the spot after a race like Ice Cream!

Dario, Tyson and Natalie enjoying their frozen treats!

It was a fun trip! This was Izzy's first time to watch her Daddy in a Tri and she did really well! James has been a couple times before, but this time it was a whole new experience for him. He loved the adventure of staying in a Motel and enjoyed watching JL run past us. He kept telling me "I run too Mama with Daddy." So who knows. I may have another Tri fanatic on my hands...

About 5 minutes after we left the DQ.........That's how you know he had fun!

Who's Who?

So I was looking back at a photo book my Mom put together with pictures of me as a baby during different stages. There happened to be one in there of me when I was 5 months old. I was looking at it and thought it would be fun to compare both my kids to my picture to see who looks more like who.

Me @ 5 mo's

James @ 5.5 mo's

Isabel @ 5 mo's

I have my own thoughts after conducting this experiment, but I'm curious to see what y'all think.....

P.S. Sadly there was no picture of JL to be found at the time I was comparing these pictures. But I'm still digging around. If I find one, we'll conduct a different experiment to see if there's any of him in the kids at this age. :-)

Movie Review: The Bat

Last night for our date night, we doubled up with Kelly & Kelly and went to the 9:40 showing of Batman: The Dark Knight. All I can say is WOW! This movie was IN-TENSE - right from the start - and I loved it! I give this flick two thumbs WAY WAY UP!

I'm not a huge Batman person. I did enjoy the back in the day movie with Michael Keaton, but I wouldn't call it a flick I'd want to see over and over again. And then there's the tragedy of movies that followed that fall into my "I never want to see again" category. When Batman went all psychedelic and florescent I lost complete interest. Even when George Clooney was playing the Bat. They were just horrid!

I didn't get interested again until the last one (Batman Begins) finally came out with Christian Bale as the caped crusader. I saw this movie for the first time on cable and loved it! Since then I would say I've seen it about 10 times! (And that's very unlike me for a Batman movie.) The new director really did an excellent job. FINALLY they had gotten away from the cheesy one liners and flashy colors and went back to the deep, dark idea that I think fits better.

It is quite possible that last night's movie bumped Batman Begins off my #1 favorite Batman flick. I'd have to see it again to make sure. But one thing I know, Heath Ledger made a fantastic joker. If I didn't know that was him playing that role - I would have no clue! He was superb! Totally creepy, super scary and completely twisted! It's such a shame that he won't be able to play that role in future movies! Last night's movie was perfectly cast, well scripted and a complete blast to watch! If you like these movies, or just want a good white knuckle 2 hour ride - I can definitely recommend this movie!

Ferber. Lisa Ferber

I'm happy to report that the sleep training appears to have worked! Isabel slept a full 9 hrs last night before I even heard a peep out of her. Then when I did - it was right back to sleep for another 2 hours! Ahhhhh to get my night sleep back!

The first night was pretty rough. She woke up at 2 (like normal) and cried and screamed for the next 1.5 hrs. But I fought through and stuck to the method and she finally settled down and put herself to sleep. Course, she woke up about an hour later at 5 (like normal) but this time she only cried for maybe 20 minutes before going back to sleep. To my surprise, she was in a relatively good mood the next day. She was tired - but not grumpy.

The second night went MUCH better. She woke at 2 again but this time she only cried for exactly 6 minutes! And it wasn't crying so much as it was complaining. She would squack every now and then like "Aren't you going to help me?" and then she was done. And at the 5 am wake time, she was asleep again before I could even get to her room!!!

And last night was just awesome! If she woke up at 2, I never heard her. Finally at 5:45 she squacked. I was in her room just long enough to pat her belly and reassure her and she was asleep again before I could even get back to my bed!

SUCCESS!!! And a bit of shock I must say. I thought for sure she would be tougher than James. He was super easy. But then he's a mellow kid. Isabel is a bit more strong willed. I thought she would hold out more than she did. I'm so grateful to be on the other end of this now! We're feeling so good about it, we're actually getting a babysitter this Friday and having a much needed date night!

Izzy: 5 Months

AH! Another month down! Isabel is 5 mo's now and it's crazy how fast the time is going with her. She's doing MUCH better at the rice cereal. She actually eats it now. I can even get her to open her mouth - almost like she wants to eat it. Which of course, I don't think she does. But she is being a good sport about it.

I started sleep training last night with her. I was hoping she wouldn't have to endure this, but she just won't give up the 2 and 5 o'clock wake times. I was looking back at the calendar I kept when James was born and he started this at 4 1/2 months. So, she's really right on track. It's just harder this time around for me. I get lazy at 2 am and just figure it's easier to put her back to sleep than it is to work with her on puttering herself back to sleep. But I'm determined.

I was going to start this on Friday, but I had to give a talk in church yesterday and the last thing I wanted to be was sleep deprived! So, 1 night down and hopefully just 2 more to go.

The Soak Zone

Last week we got James a kiddie pool. He is constantly asking to go swimming, but we don't really have that great of a pool in the neighborhood. The 3 foot section is as shallow as it gets, and for James that makes life a little tricky. He likes to stomp in water and throw his toys around and then chase them. Our pool doesn't really lend itself well to that, so we got him his own splash pool. He absolutely loves it! He has asked to swim every day since it arrived at our house.
I think it's awesome because you can hook up the hose to the elephant's nose and it sprays up like a sprinkler. It's a great way to fill the pool! James has fun while it fills and I don't have to worry about constantly putting the hose nozel over the edge.

The first day we got it, he played in it for 2 hours! Finally he looked up at me and declared "go inside Mama - Isabel is tired!" hahaha He's never tired. It's always Isabel, or Fergus Dog, or any other person/stuffed animal beside him. It cracks me up!

TAG: My better half

I got tagged again last week (thanks Steph - even if you never did my tag!) This time it's questions about that special person in my life. (My husband!)

1. What is his name? JL
2. Who eats more? I'd like to say he does but that probably isn't totally accurate. :-)
3. Who said, "I love you" first? He did
4. Who is taller? He is - by about 4 inches
5. Who is smarter? When we met - we were on even playing fields. Now - I'd have to say that he is. The kids have totally zapped my thinking ability!
6. Who is more sensitive? I am.
7. Who does the laundry? We both do. For some strange reason I love to do laundry. It's the smell of the clean clothes that I love. It's the folding and putting away that I can live without.
8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does
9. Who pays the bills? I do
10. Who cooks more? I do. I've learned to hate the phrase "What's for dinner?"
11. Who is more stubborn? He is. I always cave in.
12. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? I am. I hate confrontation and conflict
13. Who has more siblings? He does (big shout out to Kristie and Erin!)
14. Who wears the pants in the relationship? He'd probably tell you that I do (hehe) but I think we are about even on this one.
15. What do you like to do together? Practically everything. We have a lot of things in common and I rarely want to go anywhere if JL and the family can't come along for the fun!
16. Who eats more sweets? Probably me. JL isn't a chocolate lover and neither of us eat much candy. But I can eat chocolate all day long.........
17. Guilty Pleasures? Getting a babysitter and going out for dinner. I love to date JL. We have a great time talking and he's always fun to be with.
18. His best features and qualities? His patience and dedication are qualities that I admire. He's great with the kids. When things are getting edgy and I'm at my end, he steps in and cools the situation down. He definitely keeps me focused and grounded. I can talk to him about everything and he's always there to support me. He truly is my best friend.

I tag Erin (that's you Myrt) and Sheyenne AGAIN (since they skipped the last one) Kellie B. and Brooke S. :-) Have fun dishing on your hubbies!

Hand over those O's and nobody gets hurt

They say the first step is to admit you have a problem. Well here goes.....I am a midnight snacker and I can't help or stop myself! For some reason I feel like I deserve a treat after dinner. (Especially if dinner consists of green leafy veggies and/or healthy stuff.) Which if you know me, it rarely does. But even if it doesn't happen to be completely healthy (think frozen pizza), it is rarely sweet. And I'm talking chocolate sweet. So I find myself sniffing around about an hour after dinner looking for anything and everything I consider to be a treat.

Usually I can hold myself off and have a glass of water instead. But the later in the evening it gets, the stronger my desire becomes. So, somewhere around 10 or 11 pm I cave. If it happens to be a weekend - this means ice cream. But for the other 4 nights of the week (I consider Friday night to be a weekend night) I am seriously lacking chocolatey goodness. Occasionally I can have 2 or 3 M&M's and call it good. Or, more recently, 2 or 3 OREO's and I'm fine.

But I think I may have come up with a solution to solve my problem on a more permanent basis. I discovered the other night (out of desperation) that Honey Nut Cheerio's are sweet and seem to hit the spot! If this pseudo treat holds up, it could be life changing for me! I mean, it's not snacking after all..... it's lowering my cholesterol!

Queen of the Crock

Sadly, this is not me. That title belongs to this lady. I saw her on TV today (yes, on the Rachel Ray show....AGAIN I am caught watching that show.) But I couldn't turn it off - I was totally fascinated with her! She cooks every dinner in her crock pot. It's a new years resolution she started this year to save her family money and to make sure they eat a good meal together every dinner time.

This got me thinking. Why can't I do that? Well, I'll tell you why.....I'm not that creative! I love to cook in the crock pot. There is nothing more satisfying to me than knowing (all day long) that dinner is cooking and will be ready when I'm ready. It's just a huge load off to know it's planned and soon to be done. But to come up with recipies and use my pot daily? I don't think so. As it is, I use the thing maybe once every 5 months! I only have like 3 good recipies and you can only rotate them in so often.

BUT now I have this lady behind me for inspiration and dinner ideas! I vow to cook in my pot at least twice a month now. Who's with me? Or perhaps I'm alone on this and y'all already use your crock's like twice a week!?? Either way, if you have a good recipies you'd like to share - please do!

Yankee Doodles

Happy 4th of July everyone!!

Army Ready

JL finally did what he said he was going to.......he buzzed James' head! I was quite hesitant to let this happen, but now that it's done I think it's cute. It will be nice and cool for the summer. And James' seems to really like it.