Heartattack{s}

I have been thinking about posting each one of these stories on their own because I think they deserve equal attention. Then I came across this picture and thought that it would tie things together very nicely. Max is growing up! He is talking a lot more, wearing 'fast car' underwear and going potty like a big boy, putting himself in time outs and lot of other cute things. Max has been a really easy kid...he doesn't ever get sick, he sleeps great, he doesn't jump off tables or do crazy stunts. But the last couple of months he has given me a few heart attacks...So story #1,
We had gone to New Smyrna Beach for the day with our good friends the Giffins. They had access to a million dollar condo on the beach. (Which by the way was awesome and when I am rich and famous that is where I will live). We spent the morning on the beach playing in the sand and ocean (and no this doesn't have anything to do with sharks). Then we went to play in the private salt pool for a few minutes, sit in the hot tub and just relax and rinse off. Then we took the elevator up to the condo for lunch. Max loved the elevator. There were mirrors on the ceiling and shiny brass buttons to push and hand railings he could swing on. We went inside and all had pizza and drinks, the kids watch cartoons, we sat on the balcony and max ran between the two. After a few minutes I realized I hadn't seen Max. I went inside and asked the kids if they had seen him. Nope. My first thought was the elevator! I ran out the front door into the hallway and he wasn't there. So I went back into the condo and looked in all the rooms. This was a big condo, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 tv rooms, wash room, big front room and kitchen...so it took me a minute to look but I kept thinking about that dang elevator! By then Ben was helping and the kids. I couldn't ignore that prompting so I went back out the front door into the hallway, pressed the down button on the elevator and the doors open and out walks this little blonde haired boy in wet swim trunks. To this day I cringe to think about what could have happened.
Story #2, Max and I were over at Jack-Jack's house (Max's new BFF). The Gable's live in this beautiful old house that was built in 1905 with a huge yard equipped with fountain and gazebo. Anywho, I was in the dinning room finishing up dinner and talking. Max had gone out side to play with Jack-Jack's big dump truck. I kept my eye on him and he was being so good and then I realized that I hadn't glance for a few minutes. I got up, went outside to see if he had wandered deeper into the yard. Nope. I checked the garage...nope. (all of this happening in a matter of seconds) I look around the side of the house and there he is driving Jack-Jack' big dump truck in the middle of the ROAD! I jump off the stairs and ran over to him just as a car was telling him to go home. Luckily they live on a country road with no traffic except for their two neighbors up the street. Needless to say this one also kept me up at night.

Story #3, When we were in SLC this last time we had a big family dinner up at Uncle Steve and Aunt Liz's house. As soon as we walked in the door Max went to explore the house. One minute he is there and the next he is gone. Those baby leashes aren't seeming so inhumane anymore. I looked around and heard someone say 'Max went upstairs'. I looked in the boys rooms...no Max. I looked in Chole's room...no Max. I looked in the Bathroom...No Max. So I went all the way down stairs...no Max. Where the heck?? I then went all the way upstairs into Liz and Steve master bedroom and there, on the balcony is Max trying to squeeze under the railing to get a red matchbox car that had fallen onto the roof! Uncle Steve being a compassionate great uncle, with Max, climbs onto a chair, over the railing, onto the roof and lets Max get the matchbox car. Thanks for showing my child how to climb onto a roof.

Another Fun Time in the Desert

We had lots of fun in SLC as always. The weather was nice and dry, a good change from the thick humidity. I think my favorite part of going to SL is that Ben and I get lots of chances to be together...alone. We are super lucky anyway cause we get lots of time together in Florida but we always have our cute little buster with us (which we love). But I love just hanging out, us two :) We spent a night up at The Bird and it was great. We watched TV (which we never get to do because we don't have TV at home) we hiked, went out to dinner, went to the steam room and just sat on our scenic mountain view balcony and read our books! It was so relaxing and quiet. Ahhhh. It was so beautiful! All the wildflowers were in bloom and the crisp mountain air was so refreshing. Now for you mountain folk reading this your probably like yea, yea whats the big deal. But let me emphasis that I miss the MOUNTAINS! I miss the huge rocks, towering cliffs, little streams and pine trees everywhere. The sounds the smells and even the little woodland creatures. We did see a moose and a cute little fox which made our mountain getaway complete.
Well Max couldn't get enough Grandma and Pampa time. He was in heaven. He even pointed out when everyone (Us, G&G Tyler and G&G Derrick) was standing in a circle talking that there are "two grandmas".

Max was very excited to eat blackberries at grandma Tyler's. He always talks about it. Everyday he would go outside in the back yard and pick off a few berries and eat them. I asked if he would pick one for me and he would go over and pick it and start walking back but it never made it to my mouth. It was just to long of a walk with a tempting blackberry in hand.

Max went to the zoo twice, Liberty Park a couple of times and got lots of rides in the Jeep with big bumps. He ate lots of ice cream and cookies. It was great fun!

Trapper Keeper

Max loves catching frogs and lizards. He is pretty good at the frog thing but those lizards are fast. He has gotten a few tails but only a couple whole lizards. The tails are so gross they just wiggle around on the ground, yuck! The little frogs are so cute. They are everywhere when it rains too. Max is so gentle with them too, its pretty cute. And when they wiggle around in his little cave of a hand he laughs and giggles. When I here that giggling I know exactly what he is doing. He is good at catch and release but every once in a while he wants to keep them and bring them in the house.

#654

Last Saturday's tri was lots of fun even though I was all by myself. I didn't get eaten by any alligators or swamp things...I followed Suzi's advice and swam in the middle of everyone so that they were the first to get picked off. The water was nice and warm to swim in, it was great! It was about 850M and I was happy with my time. I had a little two minute run up to the transition area from the water. Then I hopped onto my bike and raced out. It was a weird course for the bike I thought...it went through some little neighborhoods and had a lot of turns. It totally slowed me up! No not really it gave me time to rest for a second. Anyway, I am for sure going to work on my biking more. I was ok with my time there but I think I could really shave off some time. It was a shorter ride with only about 13 miles. Then back to the transition area and off on my run. It was a short run of 2.65 miles so I didn't really have to worry about pacing myself...I could just run all out, but I was a little tired so I kept pace with a long leg amazon woman in front of me and that was good enough for me.
I am really glad that I made it in time cause I would have been super bummed. I woke up at 5:15am and I had to be all set up and ready to go at 7am. I had about a 40 minutes drive and so I thought I had plenty of time to get down there and pick up my packet and stuff! I got lost like three times and had to ask for directions twice! I am totally investing in a TomTom...it happens way to much. Well I finally found the park and then there was a line to pay and get into the park! Ahhhh! I made it by the skin of my teeth everyone. With ten minutes to pick up my packet, pay for my one time insurance, get set up and get body marked. I am glad somebody else was behind on time because they didn't close the transition area right on time so I made it. Phew!
I love it! I am looking forward to another sprint tri in August then a couple of relay tri's in September and in November (crossing my fingers) the Ragnar Relay from the Gulf Coast to the Atlantic Ocean.

Alligators and Amebas

I have been preparing for another triathlon lately and with it finally around the corner I have been doing a lot of mental run throughs. How much time I need to drive down to Orlando, unpacking my things from the car, fixing a flat tire before the race, setting up in the transition area, getting dressed and undressed, etc. etc. When I think about all that my heart just starts to race! I am very excited...except...I was under the impression that it was bad to swim in the rivers and lakes out here. Ummm, alligators...and ummm, what about amebas?? Does anyone else out here worry about that? Maybe I am a little paranoid. They wouldn't have hundreds of people swimming in a lake if it wasn't safe would they? I mean I have swam in a lake before. And practicing in a clean (sort of) chlorinated swimming pool is one thing, but warm Florida, alligator and ameba, green lake? It just keeps getting bigger and bigger in my head alliGATOR...amEBA. Maybe I should invest in those nose pincher things and some ear plugs. Once the whistle starts I know that I won't think about because I will be to busy trying not to drown and get kicked in the face. I can't wait! I am to excited. I think my heart rate is at 160 right now just typing this. I am going to go cool down now...I will let you know how it goes.

Rain, Rain Go Away

We have been enjoying lots of rain lately. Enjoying it i guess cause we weren't flooded out of our house. My heart goes out to all the people that have had to leave their homes because a lake moved in. There has been a lot of water...and this is just the start of the season. Every day for the past week or so it has poored and poored!

It is hard to remember being inside all winter long. We didn't know what to do without the park and the pool! I would seriously go crazy...maybe that is why I love the spring time. Winter is over and I get to be outside again. Max had to make the most of the breaks in between storms. He loved wearing his boots and playing with the umbrella.

One Week Later

Last Saturday was my 25k that I had been looking forward to for a while!! I loved getting out there and seeing all the strong athletes and the people like me that are there to just have a good time. It's great that everyone shares a common love for running. I love the anticipation before the race to! Even during the race I had such a sense of excitement or maybe its was because I had to go to the bathroom so bad from drinking all that Gatorade!

Grand Rapids was really pretty! It rained on us for the first two miles so I was totally wet the entire time but it wasn't so bad. My shoes were a little soggy and totally smell now. But that's just an excuse to get new ones, right? I felt awesome the whole time and even the last 6 miles I just wanted to go! It was hard to pace myself cause I was so excited. But I picked up the pace the last 6 and then the last mile I just ran as hard as I could. It felt great to cross the finish line. I couldn't believe that it was over so soon. All that waiting and looking forward to this trip and it was over. I am really looking forward to more races and the best part was is that I did it with my friend! What a great memory! Thanks Kristine!!