Racing Through Life (But enjoying every minute!)

Summer Fun

2008-08-04T14:28:00.012-05:00

What a difference eight swim lessons can make! Maddy improved her freestyle arm stroke, and back stroke, while Harrison is now swimming under water without me worrying he won't come up! He says he is a "jellyfish"! Maddy is second from the left and Harrison is far right (red trunks). Below is Maddy demonstrating her back float for her instructor. She finished both level 1 and 2 of the Red Cross Swimming Lessons!

Here the the two newest additions to our family... Yes, I finally gave in and got two adorable kittens from the Humane Society. Maddy has named the black one "Licorice". We are thinking about "Wally" for the grey cat. Licorice is also nick named "speedy" because he spends most of his time as a blur between rooms in our house. He is kind of a bully. The little grey kitten is quiet, calm, and very curious. I've nick named him "Smarty". So far, they have easily gotten used to our house without any incidents. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. They are very cute and the kids LOVE them! Below is "Speedy" as a blur.Here is Maddy with "Smarty". The picture will not cooperate with me, so just turn your head to the left to get the effect. She is lying down on her back with the kitty on her front. (Darn computers).Harrison got a new helmet to save his head while he rides his scooter. Here he is modeling it while eating an ice cream treat from the neighborhood ice cream truck...it was 100 degrees this day! Ugh! It's that time of year again!

Ode To Seattle

2008-07-20T16:21:00.011-05:00

We just recently returned from a fabulous trip to Seattle, Washington. I love my visits there. My family that lives there always take me on the best sight seeing ventures! Very memorable. This year, I took Maddy and Harrison. They loved it just as much as I always do! We stayed with Grandma Dee...
Grandma always makes the best breakfasts! My personal favorite is cinnamon toast. Somehow hers is better than my own?! Must be that special "grandma touch". Her coffee tastes better too?! Maybe it's because I'm in Seattle?This was Harrison and Maddy's first airplane ride! On the way home, they got to sit up in the cockpit! The in-flight tv's were a huge hit and kept the kids occupied quite well. Although, Harrison did get motion sickness on the first flight out to Denver. He did a great job using the "barf bag". Needless to say, the flight attendant wasn't happy.
Uncle Dave, Grandma Dee, and my cousin, Aaron spent one day together riding a ferry...Taking in views from atop the Space Needle...Eating fish and chips at Ivar's, then playing in the freezing cold Puget Sound....(those are the Olympic Mountains in the background)One day, we picnicked on the beach of the Puget Sound. Harrison and Maddy enjoyed searching for shells, rocks, and crabs on the beach.
Uncle Steve and Aunt Ruth, along with Grandma, drove the kids and I up to Mt. Rainier one morning. It was a beautiful, clear day and the mountain looked gorgeous! We got to see all sides of it. Steve and Ruth know their stuff too! They were great tour guides explaining every little town, mountain fact, history, etc. Even though it was 85 degrees up there, there was still a lot of snow. Reportedly, the mountain got 78 FEET of snow this last winter! I love that mountain. Steve and Ruth, along with the rest of the family, had a bbq at their home one evening. It was fun getting together with my cousin, Jason, and his wife, Sarah. Sarah is a 2nd grade teacher in near Seattle and Jason is one crazy, kid-loving guy! Maddy and Harrison took right to them! Jason and Harrison goofing around.Steve and Maddy making their special cake!Harrison, my little pet lover, found a slug at Steve and Ruth's that we actually took back to Grandma's house in a baggie. She allowed him to put it in her flower garden, but he couldn't find it the next morning...hmmmmm. Slugs are huge pests to plants ya know. Grandma?

Uncle Dave and his wife, Danna, took us on an incredible hike through the woods to see a waterfall. There are some big trees in Washington! It is so lush there! I love all the plants!
Ferns and fronds up close... Snoqualmie Falls...This was my personal favorite this trip to Washington! The roaring sound that these falls put off was amazing! I could have stayed for a long time gazing at the falls.In Kent, Washington, where we saw the movie "Wall-E", there is this giant marble ball that sits upon flowing water. It will roll when you get it going. Here is Dave and the kids playing in the water. I think Dave is just a big kid! He had just as much fun as the kids and they LOVED him!

As with all vacations, it is always sad to leave. We had such a great time! So many memorable moments! I enjoyed seeing my family and taking in the beauty of Washington! I will be back! Special thanks to Grandma Dee for all that she did to make it a special family vacation! : )

Remember Me? : )

2008-07-06T15:20:00.010-05:00

I'm not going to even apologize for the delay this time. If you are one of my friends or family members who are checking this neglected blog of mine, thank you for continuing to check it! I just need to be better about updating!

Here is what has been happening in the last two months!

I met my goal (barely) of $3250 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Part of the money came from this garage sale I hosted with my friend and teammate, Judi. She also did the triathlon!

It rained a LOT in the month of June this year. It was nice because it greened everything up and brought lots of worms out which Harrison LOVED! The boy loves his worms! We had several as pets. There are probably a couple dried up somewhere in my house since Harrison liked taking them out and playing with them! Ewww!

Whom ever my little "angel" is that sent this in the mail along with a few other things, thank you!

Harrison and Maddy have been playing T-ball this summer. They both love it and have taken to it very easily!

I attended my favorite party of the year...Robin Macy's Summer Soltice Party at the Bartlett Arboretum. The all-white attire affair is lots of fun and always a great way to ring in summer! Maybe one of these days I'll actually have a date for it?! In the mean time, my gal pals, Denise, and Kerri were great stand-ins! (Jaime too, but she wasn't in the pic!)

I taught a summer school class called Mini Med School through Duke University's TIP program (for gifted students). It was a hit!I competed in my first Olympic distance triathlon in Philadelphia. Here I am standing next to the Schuylkill River (pronounced "Sku-gull"). The next day I swam (kind of) one mile down this once-polluted river. Then I biked 25 miles and ran a 10 K race to the finish! It was an awesome experience! I did it with my TNT team to raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma. This is the bike transition area looks like. You run in from the river, find your bike, peel off your wetsuit, throw on your helmet and bike shoes, then GO!!!Me with all my gear on race day morning...and I do mean MORNING!!! This is what time my roomate, Ria, and I got up the day of the race...Ria, my roomie and friend. Our team photo op the night before the race...Rocky....Amy.... I was here at the top of the Rocky steps for all of 2 minutes, then had to run and catch the correct bus back to the hotel where my team was waiting on me. Luckily, I found the right bus!Sight seeing after the race....Liberty BellTeam Kansas always stays until the very end of the Post Race Party and livens things up. Here we are doing the "YMCA" dance. A team fave!

That's June in a nutshell! July is coming next! Maybe I'll it up before August arrives! (Just kidding!

Finally...Another Update!

2008-05-22T15:25:00.024-05:00

Been Busy! Summer is almost here, so you might start checking more frequently! I'll be able to update more often...promise!

Here is what has been happening in my world....

Maddy lost her first tooth on May 8th! She had shown me that her tooth was loose after school one day and that evening, she lost it! Then, 4 days later, she lost another one! The best part of it all, was seeing the look on her face the morning after the "tooth fairy" had visited and brought her a gold dollar coin....priceless (wish I had a photo of it)!

Mother's Day Celebrations

Although I believe EVERYDAY is Mother's Day, it was nice to be made to feel so special and enjoy some time with Maddy and Harrison at their school Mother's Day functions. I ate breakfast with Harrison at his school (Maddy was there too). Then, I had a picnic lunch with Maddy at our school. Of course, I got special handmade gifts which I will treasure forever!

River Run 2008

My favorite road race is the River Run. This year I did the 10K on my own (not pushing the kids in the baby jogger this year Adam). Since I've been doing all this tri training, I thought I'd be a little faster, but I wasn't. I finished in 48:04, which is around 7:45 minute miles. I was averaging around 7:20 minute miles last fall. I think after school is out and I'm running a lot more, I'll get back up speed. Funny thing happened after the race. THE RUNNING GOD of Wichita, who organizes the River Run caught up with me and asked me to help him coach the cross country team at my school with him next year! I was so honored that he would ask! Unfortunately, I had just finished the race and was feeling like I was going to puke, so I said I'd think about it and moved on. Didn't puke. Probably will take the job. :)

Maddy did the Tot Trot for the 4th year in a row! I love watching her run. I hope she will love as much as I do. Here she is with her medal! Harrison was not in the mood to run this year.

After the race, the kids and I walked around downtown to see some of the bronze statues. We enjoyed hanging out with the permanent life-sized people.

Graduation Weekend!

Kelly graduated from Wichita State University!!!

She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders (CSD). Now, she is going to take a much needed vacation to Seattle to see her brothers, Eric and Matt.

Paris Graduated from Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School

She is going to attend WSU in the fall to pursue her dream of a degree in Engineering!

The kids and I attended her Graduation party....

"Old Lady!"

2008-05-01T22:57:00.005-05:00

Ok, I have to share something. At my 5:30 a.m. swim practice this morning, a friend and teammate of mine shared with me something that made me a little mad. Last Sunday, I went out to Lake Afton to train on my own while my teammates trained in another town. I couldn't be with them due to the fact that my babysitting arrangements were already made for our original Lake Afton plan, then our coach changed her mind at the last minute to go somewhere else. No big deal. I was going to do the same workout, only by myself.

The workout plan was...a 16 mile bike ride, 5K run, 16 mile bike ride, and another 5K run. I had successfully completed the first 16 mile bike and 5K run when the Kansas River Valley Tri Team showed up out there to train also. As I was finishing my run, they had just finished their swim and were getting ready to bike. I was getting my bike all ready for my second ride, when one of the team members asked if I wanted to join them? So I said ok. Well, little did I know these were some of the BEST riders in Wichita! We got out on the road and they took off never to slow down for the remainder of the ride! I went through a series of emotions ranging from "what was I thinking?!" to "I think I'm going to puke or cry". But, I kept at it and made it through. It turned out to be a great experience and I wouldn't mind doing it again. I say that now that I've had the chance to recover!

On this ride there happened to be a trainer and experienced triathlete from one of our local health clubs. She is twenty-two years old. I have met her a few times and never gotten the feeling that she liked me all that much. Oh yes, and I BEAT her at the triathlon a couple of weeks ago!

Well, last Sunday, I said hello to her and thought this might be a good chance to get to know her a little better, but then we were riding so fast, talking was pretty much out. I was ahead of her for the first part of the ride, but she later passed me and I was perfectly comfortable hanging out in the back with the other boys. No biggie. The ride ended and all was good.

Apparently, she told my friend that I was ahead of her for a while, but she "wasn't going to let some old lady" beat her up anymore hills! She called me an OLD LADY! I still can't believe this comment! Little Miss Trainer Girl better watch out for this "old lady" from here on out! She is going to be seeing a lot of my behind!

Nothing better to motivate me than a comment like that! See ya at the next race Little Miss Trainer Girl!

Thanks for listening everyone. I feel better now!

Weekend Fun!

2008-04-28T12:22:00.006-05:00

Friday night with had our friend, Lexi, over to play while her parents attended some social events. We had a lot of fun playing at the park...

Saturday, we celebrated Aunt Vicky's birthday! This is the cake we got for her. It was made by a TNT teammate of mine that is selling them to raise funds for Leukemia and Lymphoma. I thought it was so pretty.

Harrison liked it too! He actually stuck his finger in it after this photo was taken! Can you tell how he is eyeing it?! Sneaky little guy!

It was so nice to get everyone together again, Grandma Fry, Vicky, Kelly, me and the kids! We rarely get a chance to see each other anymore with our busy lives! We've got to change that!

First Try at a Triathlon!

2008-04-22T15:31:00.004-05:00

Well, I can now say, "I've done it!" I not only finished my first triathlon without drowning during the dreaded swim, but I did pretty darn well! I finished 6th overall and 2nd in my age group, earning a plaque! It was a very enjoyable experience and I am totally addicted and ready to do another one! I have plenty of things to work on in order to get better. The number one thing would be my swim time. It took me 9 minutes and 30 seconds to go 400 meters. However, for just learning to officially swim in February, I don't think that is too bad. The other thing I need to work on is transition times in between each event. Too much time trying to get my shoes changed really cost me. At least that is an easy fix....practice! I'm just glad to have the first race jitters out of my system. Next race is the 10K River Run in May. It is one of my favorites! It would be a dream come true if I could place in my age group there. Who knows....

My lucky number #71...great year! You know it's a tri when you get permanent markered on your arms and legs! (This stuff doesn't come off easily. I'm still #71)

Here is the TNT team after the race. I'm in the front row, far left. Great group of people!

Catching Up (Once Again)

2008-04-19T06:13:00.012-05:00

You can't imagine the guilt I feel when it takes me a month to update my blog again! I've been thinking about all my readers (about six of you) and hoping you haven't given up on me! It's just a busy time for me. When I'm not working or working out, I'm with the kids...playing, cooking, cleaning, laundering, or finally, sleeping. So, once again, I apologize for the absence. I'm going to try to at least get a little something on more often!

So here's what went on between March 23rd and today, April 19th! : )

Easter Sunday at Grandma Vicky's House-

Maddy has the egg hiding down. She is sly and very good at hiding and finding those little ovals! Harrison, well, he isn't quite as interested in looking for good spots to hide eggs yet. He'll dump the whole thing in the middle of the yard and call it good. Though, I know someday he'll be as good as Uncle Jeff hiding those eggs. Uncle Jeff had way too much fun finding egg spots. We may be finding eggs for a few months!

The Easter Bunny brought the kids Easter "luggage" instead of baskets this year. How did he know we were going to need luggage for our trip to Seattle this summer? Smart Bunny!

Hannah's 3rd Birthday Party- Dalmatian Theme

Emma and Hannah are two of Maddy and Harrison's friends from daycare. Their mom, Hope, and I are friends, and we enjoy getting the kids together. Hope is a VERY creative birthday planner! She always has a theme and lots of fun activities to go with it. Maddy recalls all the parties she has been to planned by Hope. I'm thinking of hiring her for Maddy's next birthday ; )

Hope made the cake. The kids decorated "Dalmatian" cookies with chocolate chips. Harrison ate most of his chocolate chips before they could make it to the cookie.

Hannah, the birthday girl in light pink, and her sister, Emma, in dark pink. Two cuties!

St. Louis, MO

In April, I traveled to St. Louis with 70 middle schooler's for our annual Baseball Unit. We saw the St. Louis Cardinals win against the Colorado Rockies. The kids loved it! We also visited the Arch and other museums.

Beautiful Busch Stadium

We got there early enough for batting practice and some of the students were able to coax this Colorado Rockies player to throw them a ball every now and then.

This is me with our new Middle School Headmaster, Ann. This was her first year at our school and on this trip. She had a great time.

View from the top of the arch. The clouds and rain ruined the view a bit.

Students checking out the view from the top of the arch. I love this monument and never tire of going up to the top.

Raising money for Leukemia and Lymphoma

Yes, I'm STILL trying to raise funds to fight blood cancer. The day after I got back from St. Louis, I stood on one of the busiest corners in town and collected money for 5 1/2 hours from passing cars. Luckily, it was a gorgeous day...a tad bit windy, of course, but I raised $988 along with about 4 friends who braved the traffic to help me. It was quite an amazing lesson in people I must say. The people who gave the most (five and ten dollar bills) were people in the most beat up cars who looked like they could barely afford gas! I was amazed time, and time again, at how many bills they would shove into my bucket! The people in the nicest cars wouldn't even look at me. Very weird, but true. I couldn't have done this with out the help of Devon, Cindy, Amy and Megan, my closest friends, and co-workers! Thanks for giving up part of your Saturday to help with a great cause. Ok, now only $1200 more to go.....

Below is my new wetsuit that I will sporting during the 1 mile swim in the river at the Philadelphia Tri in June. It came with very explicit instructions on how to get it on. Let me just go on record saying that, "it ain't easy!" I barely got the thing on and there was no way I was going to get it zipped by myself! Our coach has said the team will be practicing how to put them on and take them off. This suit is not for the weak of heart! It is very constricting and you feel like you can't breathe with it on! The good thing about it is it will make me more buoyant, which is something I need during my swim! So, with some practice, it will become more comfortable...I hope.

Luckily, it will not be used tomorrow, Sunday, April 20th, for the Emporia Spring Migration Triathlon! This will be my first tri and I'm very nervous and excited all at once! If I can just make it through the swimming (400 meters), I'll be fine! The bike and run will be a piece of cake as long as I don't over do it during the swim. Wish me luck! I promise to post photos this week!

Day 8-Breakfast Ride!

2008-03-23T13:29:00.005-05:00

The kids are with their dad this weekend, so I got to join my former bike team on a Reunion Breakfast Ride! It was a cold morning for a ride, but thank God the wind wasn't a blowing! This group is crazy, but lots of fun. Dale, the guy in the yellow jacket, owns a couple of McDonald's franchises, so we ate breakfast there for free and then he gave us a behind-the-scenes tour. It was pretty impressive. It probably looked a little strange for a bunch of people in cycling gear taking a tour of McDonald's!

This is a picture of me with my friend, Don, from my cycling team. We will be collecting money for Leukemia and Lymphoma at the intersection of 13th and Rock on Saturday, April 5th (10-4p.m.), so mark your calendars and stop by to donate!

Day 7-Spring Break is Winding Down :-(

2008-03-23T13:10:00.007-05:00

On Friday we went out to lunch with Grandma Vicky and Aunt Kelly, then over to Grandma Fry's to practice hiding and hunting for Easter eggs. My budding photographer also snapped some self-portraits that are pretty funny...

Crazy kid! I think she took a picture of every item in the house! I've got pictures of furniture, toys, and kitchen appliances on my digital camera! Oh yeah, and LOTS of Maddy!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE! Do NOT open the comment posted by "Jojosho" on March 20th!!! It is a VIRUS! I don't know who it is, but I'm working on getting it removed! DO NOT OPEN! Like I did : -(

Day 6-Are We Having Fun Yet?!

2008-03-20T21:31:00.007-05:00

It has been non-stop excitement for us this week! Today, we visited the zoo with Grandma Pat! We got there early and missed all the crowds which made it for a great time! Maddy's favorite part of the zoo was the Jungle Building.

All Harrison could say was, "Can we go see the elephants now?!" Yes, finally, we saw the massive mammals! He also enjoyed feeding the sheep. After 2 1/2 hours of walking around, Harrison hit his breaking point. We barely made it out of the gift shop. He cried for a good ten minutes because I didn't buy him a plastic shark. He went right to sleep and woke up a whole new kid!

We celebrated tonight with some ice cream cones. I thought I could make it the two miles from Spangles to my house without Harrison dripping his ice cream all over the car. We barely made it!

Here is the best place for a three-year-old to eat ice cream.....

Day 4- Taking care of business

2008-03-19T08:12:00.005-05:00

Not all spring break days can be full of fun. Today, I visited my dentist to get fitted for a new crown. Crowns aren't cheap and the one that was there was perfectly fine, I thought. My dentist didn't agree, even though I gave some very valid reasons for not getting a new one! She liked the idea of putting the money towards my Leukemia fundraiser instead, but I still had to get the crown. Never hurts to try.

This is the mold of my teeth that will be sent off to have a beautiful, new, porcelain crown made that will hopefully last longer than the current one did!

Day 3...Rainy Spring Break Monday

2008-03-17T14:44:00.010-05:00

I'm staying positive here today...the Monday of my "spring" break. At least it isn't snowing! Woke up to cold & thunderstorms this morning which wasn't bad. They made for perfect sleeping-in weather, which all three of us did. This is unheard of in our house! After all that sleeping we were re-energized to go to Pump It Up! We bounced, slid down the big slide,and played with the giant basketball inside for over an hour, all while the rain kept pounding away outside. It was a huge success!

Freezing "Spring" Break-Day 2-TNT Workout Day

2008-03-16T20:03:00.007-05:00

I have HAD it with winter!!! And, if the weather forecasters in this town don't start gettting it close, I'm going to lose it! Today was forecasted to be 53 degrees Fahrenheit, but as I pulled in to El Dorado Lake for my Team In Training four hour workout, the outside thermometer on my car read 40 degrees! Pair the cold temperature with the killer cold wind on a bike and you've got one long workout! So, to "warm up" our coach, Sharyn, had us run up and down the levy at the lake. The above photo was taken right before we left to run (the first time). We thought we were cold at this point, but once we got on the bikes, this seemed warm.

You'll notice the pre-workout team meeting taking place in Sharyn's warm SUV....

My Plan was to take lots of pictures today, but I couldn't think of anything but keeping warm after we got started, therefore, I forgot all about my camera. I'll try again on the next team training day. Pray for sun and warm temperatures! Travis, our cycling coach, came prepared. He probably is outfitted in $400 in special cycling gear for cold days. (Biking is expensive!)

The good news is KU beat that nasty team with Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship game today! Bad news was they also beat my Aggies on Saturday.

While I was off running and biking, Maddy and Harrison spent some quality time with Grandma Vicky and Great Grandma Fry. Now, all three of us are worn out and ready for an early bed time!

Are ya'll excited to see a blog every day? I'm trying to be really good this week since I have lots of extra time on my hands. Check daily! There is more to come.

Spring Break Fun-Day 1

2008-03-15T20:18:00.013-05:00

Harrison was feeling much better today! Therefore, we ventured out to our favorite Saturday morning hangout...breakfast at Panera with our friends, Jaime, Denise, and Lexi. It is always an adventure. (Note to Panera Corporate-EVERYONE loves the souffles! You should ALWAYS have them in stock! Especially on Saturday and Sunday mornings!) Maddy took most of these pictures. Look out James!

Notice Jaime, Harrison and me trying to get in the picture for Maddy. She needs to work on her aim.

Here is the budding photographer! Great smile!

As you can see it was a fun morning. As soon as we got in the car to run an errand, this was the scene...

(Yes, the princess is wearing a crown)

Later in the day we visited Miss Julie, our favorite hair dresser. There are mornings when I literally chase Harrison around the house with a spray bottle of water and a brush to tame his hair. He absolutely HATES getting his hair brushed! But he LOVES Miss Julie and will hold perfectly still for her while she sprays, cuts, blows, buzzes, brushes, or whatever! I'm not sure what spell she puts on him, but I must learn it! Yes, he always has this serious look on his face while in the chair. I think it is the "spell".

Spring Break Begins!

2008-03-14T18:40:00.006-05:00

If I have any readers left, you'll notice my blog has taken a back seat to life lately. My tri-training has been taking up a lot of my time. I run, bike, and/or swim 6 days a week, sometimes doing more than one of those activities a day! All that while still trying to work and be a mom.

I can't tell you how ready I am for my spring break which actually started a day early for me since Harrison was sick today. He's got a fever that isn't real high, but high enough to make him slightly miserable at times, but eager to play at other times. The best thing about having a sick three-year-old is the "snuggle time" I get. Harrison is very clingy when he is sick and we shared a "do-nothing" day together that we both needed! I knew Harrison was sick on Thursday night when he came up to me at 6:30 and said, "Mommy is it still light outside because I want to go to bed." Usually, Harrison is my night owl. He is sometimes the last one to sleep in the house. We did find some time to be silly today...I told him to look sick (see far right)

I couldn't miss putting our friend Lexi's birthday pics on the blog either! We attended her birthday party earlier this month, which was a lot of fun for kids and adults! It was quite the party! Very well attended! The girl has lot of Friends! Happy #3 (belated) Lexi! You'll notice the small pink army of strawberry shortcakes. Not sure if Denise or Lexi likes Strawberry Shortcake more?! During present opening time, Lexi had lots of helpers assisting her in unwrapping. The party was well-timed with it ending right as naptime was to begin! Timing is everything!

I'm Back!!!

2008-02-27T23:40:00.018-06:00

I know it has been almost a month since I last blogged! I have been a little (OK, a lot) busy! February was one heck of a crazy month. I was in charge of running the regional Science Olympiad Competition for Wichita and the surrounding cities. It started out with me just doing the registration, but ended up being a lot more. I somehow became the "go-to person" for every last minute question. I also was trying to prepare my very inexperienced team and two other coaches for 23 events. Somehow, I was able to stay sane. I did stay at school until 2:45 a.m. the night (morning) before the competition preparing everything, only to be at the competition at 6:30 a.m. to register all the teams. Coffee was my savior! Needless to say, my team didn't do very well. This is the first year my school won't go to state since I've been there! A little embarrassing, but maybe I will get some much needed help next year!

Enough of that! I also started my Philadelphia Triathlon training with my team! (That is probably what kept me sane) I'm doing another Leukemia and Lymphoma fundraiser with Team In Training. My race is in June, but I have a few other triathlons planned before that. I'm am very excited about doing Tri's! I'm getting some of the best personal training of my life and learning that running isn't my only favorite sport!

This is me at a team ride last October. It was called Octoginta. Who knew an 80 mile ride through Kansas could be so hilly?! It was a beautiful ride! I actually hit my top speed ever on a bike going down a hill....44 mph! That is a little scary on a bike! OK, I did enjoy it!

My 37th birthday was February 16th. I was supposed to celebrate it by going down to Dallas and participating in a Duathlon, but the WEATHER didn't cooperate. The threat of a major ice storm kept me from driving down to Dallas by myself. For the record, I am 100% DONE with winter weather this season! I know there are other parts of the country that have gotten it a lot worse than Wichita, but we have seen more snow, ice, freezing rain, sleet, thunder snow, and hail than I ever care to see again! My birthday wish is for an EARLY SPRING! That's all I'm going to say about that!

My friend and TNT teammate, Don (pictured above in the background), did make it down to Texas for the Duathlon. He left a day early. Don't worry Don, I'll beat you in another race!

Here is my bike sitting in the laundry room the morning of the race. : ( I was soooooo bummed!
I had just gotten new wheels (thanks Randy B.)put on and a tuning! My baby was ready to GO!

Look out Emporia Spring Migration Tri, I'm ready!

My birthday came and went. I do love my age. I enjoy the fact that with each passing year I am becoming much wiser and stronger than ever before. I am more sure of my self and able to make better choices. My hope is that my children will learn much quicker than me!

So far, so good....Maddy is sounding out words and trying very hard to read "word books" as she calls them (instead of picture books). She is the tallest girl in her class and, in her teacher's words, "a leader". She has become a very helpful big sister, often teaching Harrison what is right and what is wrong. This morning on the way to work she was even inquiring about how to drive a car! That might be learning a little too fast!

Harrison also has taken an interest in my driving. He has become a little back seat driver telling me when to "go" and when to "stop". He lets me know when he thinks it is okay to go. For example, when I'm trying to turn left at an intersection with a green light. As I'm waiting for the traffic to clear, Harrison is saying, "Mom! The light is green!" Gotta love it! The past couple of days have been a little rough at school for him. I think we've hit the "terrible three's"!!!!! Until it passes, the TV is unplugged and he may not be going to his friend's birthday party this weekend!

Well, I think I've caught you up with a few things. I have missed blogging, but now that Science Olympiad is over, I should get back to a more normal schedule again. Here are some pictures of what has happened over the past few weeks.

I tried to work from home. Maddy captured me "trying" to work with Harrison on my lap.

Denise and I enjoyed a calm morning at Panera with the kids....well, at least for the first 20 minutes. I'm not sure who gets more out of the caffeine, me or the kids??? (NOTE: the kids drink water. I drink the coffee) Here, we have taken over the leather couch.

Friends Chad and Joe took me out on the rainy night of my birthday! I hadn't seen these guys in a while so it was fun catching up with the architect gossip. The next night, Denise made the BEST Curry I've ever tasted! (Recipe courtesy of Tanya Tandoc) She, Kerri, and the kids sang "Happy Birthday" and helped me blow out the candles on my cake.
Uncle Dave!!!!

Uncle Dave from Seattle visited us this last weekend. Even though we only saw him briefly, Maddy hasn't stopped talking about him. She wants to visit Seattle sooooo bad! I've been telling Grandma Dee that I would visit Washington again soon, so I just purchased three tickets today! Maddy is thrilled! OK Seattle family, I've promised her a ferry boat ride, a volcano sight seeing tour, and some hiking! Hey, Uncle Dave, Harrison promises not to drink his milk too fast! (In the 1 1/2 hours that we saw Dave, Harrison managed to chug a bottle of milk, then throw up all over himself and Uncle Dave...good catch Dave!)

One of my favorite February traditions is to meet up with my Dad, Mary Pat, and Grandma Emma Lou for our "Girl's Dinner". Dad takes us three girls out to Cafe Bel Ami every year to celebrate Valentine's Day and birthdays. We always have so much fun. We eat anything we want with no worries. We talk about all kinds of things from debt to kids to favorite memories. I love this tradition. I hate to see the night end. Thanks Dad!

If anyone cares to see my new Leukemia and Lymphoma Team In Training Website, go here

http://www.active.com/donate/tntks/tntksAMairs1

I'm trying to raise funds through corporate sponsors this season. I've already been turned down by the Hyatt Regency Wichita. I've got a few more companies in mind to ask. Just in case some of you know anyone with money that they don't know what to do with...

How it all "vegan"

2008-02-02T21:05:00.000-06:00

I've always been interested in nutrition. At one point in my life, I actually wanted to be a registered dietician. I teach about nutrition in my biology class. But, it wasn't until recently when I started to get serious about my sports training that I started to really focus on what I ate. Then, I read a book by Jane Goodall called "Harvest for Hope". This book really made an impact on me. (Jane is one of my heroes! Yeah, that is me talking to Jane above.) I knew I needed to make a change in what I ate, not only for my health, but for the health of our environment. So, today I began a trial run of being a vegetarian. At first I thought I would try to do the whole vegan thing, but that is close to impossible! And, after trying some vegan cheese, I decided against it! More power to those people! I will continue to eat some cheeses and eggs occasionally. Just no meat, period. Whenever possible, as I have for a while now, I will try to always eat organic foods. My biggest concern is to cut hydrogenated fats, additives, and preservatives completely out of my diet. I don't want chemicals, antibiotics, and hormones in my food. I know I need to decrease my caffine consumption, but I'm addicted to coffee, so I will work on this gradually! Here are some of the products I purchased today as part of my switch to being a vegetarian. I'm going to try it seriously for two weeks and then evaluate how I'm doing to see whether I can honestly make the commitment.

Snow Day!

2008-01-31T20:08:00.000-06:00

I can always tell the night before when we are going to have a snow day. So, last night I was really lazy and didn't prepare for a school day like I normally would. I didn't make lunches, nor did I lay out my clothes. So, I was a little nervous this morning when my school didn't show as being "closed" right away! I almost started to panic, but then, ahhhhhh, relief! School was CANCELLED!

I totally bummed around all day in my p.j.'s until Maddy, Harrison and I could stand it no more. The snow was calling. It wasn't exactly the best packing snow, so our snowman didn't happen. Instead, we settled on a snow volcano, complete with dinosaurs!

Now, here it is 8:00 p.m. and I still don't have lunches made or my clothes set out for tomorrow. However, I don't think school is going to be cancelled again. Time to get out of "snow day" mode! It was fun while it lasted.

Happy Birthday Kansas!

2008-01-29T17:12:00.000-06:00

Kansas turns 147 years old today! Maddy celebrated at her school with the annual Pioneer Day. Of course, I was just reminded of this the night before, so this was her costume...That's right! A pink bandanna and pink cowgirl hat! Maddy definitely has the posing thing and cheesy smile down! The picture below is especially for Papa and Grandma Pat. Maybe Maddy got the "tool" gene, Dad! After my wall painting fiasco this last week (another blog soon), I'm giving up on home repairs/do-it-yourself remodeling!

Taking a Breather

2008-01-29T06:31:00.000-06:00

If you are wondering why I haven't written lately it is because I've been busy with Science Olympiad. Science Olympiad is an extra-curricular competition that my students compete in each year. There are 23 events to coach between myself and three other coaches (science teachers), which this year, two of them are new to the event. Needless to say it is a lot of extra work beyond my regular biology class, but the kids love it. Usually, I'm a very tidy person. I don't like messes. However, as you can (or cannot) see, this is my desk at work......

Yeah, you can't even see my keyboard! That is why this weekend, right after our Science Olympiad Competition, I got out and enjoyed the beautiful weather! Saturday got an A+, with temps in the low 70's! Is it really January? Sunday, still warm, however, the Kansas wind was a blowin! I was still able to get with some girls from my Tri-training group and ride outside! It had been 9 weeks since I was on a bike outside! Wow! Was it good to be back! Here are the girls, Heidi, Ria, and Karlene, coming up a hill (into the wind).

Please Spring, come soooooon!!!

Weekend Fun

2008-01-21T13:34:00.000-06:00

After a crazy week, it was nice to just hang out with the kids and have some fun. We visited Great Grandma's house this weekend. She got out the dominoes, which Harrison and Maddy enjoyed putting up and knocking down over and over again! Harrison laughed so hard! Ahhh, simple pleasures!

One of the nice things about the weekends is sleeping in late. Shown below is the small zoo of animals that Harrison has to sleep with each night. Since he is my early riser each morning, he comes into my room to get in bed with me and snuggle. This is one of my favorite things about the weekends. However, you'll notice that one of the items that he likes to sleep with is a plastic snake! Yes, a plastic snake accompanies him to bed each night. When Harrison makes his trek into my room, he brings ALL of these guys with him! So, I awoke Sunday morning to two warm snuggle buddies (Maddy too), a fish, a car, a dog, a bear, and a plastic snake! Good morning!

Craziness!

2008-01-16T09:23:00.000-06:00

This has been quite the week so far. I'm totally swamped at work because it is commentary time for the students. This means I send home their grades and comments in regards to their progress. It takes me a long time to do these, and we do it six times a year! If I had a day off for this particular event every time it rolled around, my life would be so much easier. I worked through the weekend on my other school project: Science Olympiad. While being a great thing for students, I am finding myself tiring of this yearly competition consisting of 23 events to get together. It is quite a chore. Enough complaining. Thankfully, I have this to keep me going...

Besides me being crazy busy at work, I also have had to deal with both Harrison and Maddy misbehaving at school this week! They have been doing a lot of "apology artwork" to take to their teachers. Hopefully, this is only a phase. The weather is changing once again to blah and cold, so this may be why they are acting this way??? That is my reasoning.

I won't go into the other reason that this week has been so awful. Let's just say it has something to do with money, or the lack of it. Luckily, I have (had) a savings account for "rainy" days. Enough of that. Luckily, I'm rich with many other things. Like family and friends.....

Thanks for listening, James.

The Olan Mills Challenge

2008-01-16T09:15:00.000-06:00

My friend Denise issued the challenge to find those old, Olan Mills photos. Well, I was able to locate one. I know there are others out there, but either my family has them or I've hidden them really well, so no one will ever find them. That is how goofy I looked back then! This one is so old that it is permanently stuck to the glass, which meant I had to do some clever photography to capture just the picture and not my reflection. It wasn't easy and you can still see some reflection...right down the middle of my face! This was the best one I could come up with though! This is my mother, father, little brother Jeff, and myself circa 1975 or 1976. Love the fake books!

Fun at Work, Fun at Play

2008-01-10T12:35:00.000-06:00

I am one of those fortunate people who loves their job. This wasn't always the case. I worked at a boring bank job for a while. I also taught at a public school that almost made me want to quit teaching all together (and it wasn't because of the kids). It was a phone call from a lady named Bunny that changed my world one summer evening in 2000. Now, eight years later, here I am, in a career, and school that makes me happy. Now, don't get me wrong. This isn't some cushy, do-nothing job. I live and breathe this job during the school year. My co-workers are more like family members. We take care of each other and bug each other just like real family members do from time to time. I also don't just have two children. I have 70 children...all adolescents! It really is a fun job. So, here is a special thank you to my co-workers that have mentored, guided, supported, and pushed me for the past few years to be a good teacher and greater person. The group shown below is the 7th Grade team at my school. We ARE the best and funnest team in the middle school! In this photo we are in our daily "meeting" where we discuss problems, successes, students and plan units. Pictured is Dave, our "Tennis God" and History teacher (Maddy LOVES Dave who coached her in tennis last summer); John, our Latin instructor; Devon, our math teacher and team leader who always keeps us on task! ;); and Cindy, our English instructor. What a group!Now, when the work day is done, the people below help push me and mentor me in other ways...on the bike and through running. I had so much fun last fall hanging out with these guys, that when I was asked if I wanted to be a mentor for the Team In Training Cycling Team, I couldn't resist! Go TEAM! As you can see, it is strictly business at our meetings here too.

What Makes Us Happy!

2008-01-09T06:37:00.000-06:00

Life is pretty simple for the young. Harrison was overwhelmed with joy when I found James, a red train from the "Thomas the Tank Engine" train collection. James had been hiding behind the bed for a few weeks. For Maddy, all it takes is a little paint on the nails!

As for me, I wrote all about what makes me happy in a blog titled, "My Passion" but I can't seem to get it to come to the top of the blog list. Remember, I'm new to this blogging thing. So, scroll down to December 21st and check it out. (To all my experienced blog friends, help me out here...any suggestions?)

Taking 2nd on January 1st!

2008-01-03T17:51:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite things to do is run the various road races around town. I started off the year doing a fun one, the YMCA's Frosty 5K. This is the first year that I have done it and really felt like it was "frosty"! The temperature was 26 degrees when the race started and the wind was out of the north. We finished running the last half of the race running into the north wind! Brrrrrrrrr! I was running this one to have fun and get a decent run in while Vicky and Kelly watched the kids in the warmth of the car. They were there at the end to cheer me on to the finish. I ended up placing 2nd in my age group. Not bad. I'm looking to be much better this spring and summer. This picture shows me coming around a corner with a guy right behind me. He was about to pass me at the end and I sped up. He then told me that he "let" me win and to have a happy new year. How nice of him?!

I've been training twice a week with Troy, the football coach at my school and Coach Montgomery, a weight-lifting trainer. Together, they have spent numerous hours researching a good training regime for me to prepare me for my upcoming races, the next one being the Texas Motor Speedway Duathlon in February. I'm really looking forward to this race. It will be my first race as a registered USA Triathlon (USAT) member! Yes, that is right. I'm getting serious! Not really. This is strictly for my own interest. I will be able to see exactly where I rank among other members of this club across the U.S. I just thought it would be fun and maybe even motivating to try. My big race will be the Philadelphia Triathlon in June. Once again, I'll be raising funds for the Leukemia Society (don't worry, I'm not asking family and friends this time) to participate with the Team In Training group. If you haven't heard about my experience with the Team, stay posted, I'm going to blog about it soon. I absolutely loved it, am addicted to it, and will do it as many times as I can! But, that is another blog.

Ultimately, my 2008 goal is to get stronger, faster, and better at racing than ever before. I think I've started off pretty well. Happy New Year everyone!

Fun with Friends, Little and Big

2007-12-29T08:15:00.000-06:00

With all the snow that has been keeping us inside, the kids and I have been visiting friends over the past few school-free days. I AM SICK OF SNOW! Today, I'm going to drive to the west side of town just to run on the paths that get cleared.

Denise and Lexi had us over for chili one night this week. Maddy, my chili expert, told Denise that she "loved" her chili! (Denise, you may recall I went to the Chili Cook-Off on Maddy's due date trying to persuade her to be born on time. It didn't work, but she does like chili...coincidence?)Lexi got a cool game for Christmas that she showed Harrison and Maddy how to play. They all did such a nice job of taking turns. The game is called Cariboo and it is made especially for toddlers.

Jaime and Carter dropped by later to show us her new car, so the kids snuggled up together to watch "Jungle Book" while the adults talked.

I actually had a Girl's Night Out last night since Maddy and Harrison were at their Dad's house. Denise, Jaime, Carrie, and I went out to eat at the Old Town Bistro. Nothing beats a dinner with good friends that make you laugh. These girls are celebrities too! A city councilman at another table bought us desserts! Sorry no pics!

Later, I met up with these guys at Oeno's Wine Bar. Nick is a good friend of mine who plays the guitar in my church band on Saturday nights. He also plays guitar and sings in a real band called, The Smuggling Yo Yo's! The girl sitting next to me is Stefanie. She rode the century ride with me in Arizona and she says she is going to do the Philadelphia Triathlon with me in June. (You'd better get to training girl!) We had just ordered two "flights" of wine. This is where they bring you three small glasses of wine so you can taste several varieties without drinking an entire glass of wine. So, it looks like we are really partying it up, but I was home in bed by midnight!

Christmas Day 2007

2007-12-25T22:41:00.000-06:00

Christmas is definitely for kids. It was a joy to watch the kids open their gifts today. I am still trying to teach them to say "thank you" and be gracious. However, they are just kids and they want to get to the next surprise. Personally, I struggle with over-indulging them with mountains of toys at this time of year. I know that probably sounds bad, but I want them to understand the joy of "giving". I know as they age, they will understand this concept better.

On that note, these two made out like bandits! First thing this morning we had a visit from Santa (aka Rick, a good friend of mine married to my friend Amy #1).

Harrison told Santa his age and that he had been a good boy.

Santa brought Maddy lots of new "Groovy Girls" furniture. Very Cool!

Next, we had a wonderful brunch at Dad and Mary Pat's house. Grandpa & Grandma Wix, Uncle Bill, Brandy, Jeff and Felish were all there. Then, we opened more gifts!

Posing with some of their new toys...some very cute dinosaurs.

We spent our evening at Grandma Vicky's house.What is it with black olives? Both my kids love them and this is only way to eat them!

My cuties!

This stuffed unicorn comes with registration papers to name a real star after Maddy! She saw this at a store we were in one day and then asked Santa for it later. She about went nuts looking for it when I put her to bed tonight.

Harrison and the boys playing with his new remote control car. Thank you Rick and Uncle Jeff for getting all the toys out of the packages. Between the molded plastic, the 49 twisty ties, and the screw attaching the toy to a piece of cardboard, you guys freed all the toys! Lucky me! Frustration free! (One must imagine the meetings the toy company exec's have dreaming up new ways to frustrate parents with their packaging on Christmas day...Pure evil!)

Harrison supplying Uncle Jeff with a screw driver to free his toy from the package!

Me, Grandma Fry, and Vicky...three generations of smart women! (Kelly is also included, but she is taking the picture) (Maddy is a fourth generation smartie!) Can you believe Grandma Fry is 96 years old?!

I am so blessed to have great family. Thank you all for a day filled with laughter and memories. Now, whose up for some shopping? I've got some gift cards to spend!

One of Maddy's gifts, a pink V-Tech laptop. Future blogger?

Christmas Eve

2007-12-25T22:10:00.000-06:00

One of our yearly Christmas traditions is to make sugar cookies. I remember doing this with my mother and Aunt Vicky when I was little. It is even one of my favorite final memories of my mother. I had come home from Texas and we made them together the Christmas before she passed away. Well, the tradition lives on....

Maddy is totally into decorating. Harrison is more into, well, eating...

Couldn't have done it without Kelly and Grandma Vicky! The cookies were already baked, the frosting was ready to go, and there were sprinkles ("parkels" as Harrison calls them) galore! Another successful year!

Lightning, Thunder, and SNOW!

2007-12-23T22:09:00.000-06:00

Saturday was the official "First Day of Winter". Wichita started off the day with approximately seven inches of snow. Frankly, it seemed more like a foot of snow, and in some places, it was more than that due to the wind. I took the kids to the grocery store early because we had no food in the house. It was snowing lightly as we entered the store, but when we came back out, the light snow had turned into a down-right blizzard. Maddy and Harrison thought it was hilarious watching me throw the groceries in the car, then enter the car myself, wind-blown and covered with snow. I could hardly see ten feet in front of my car. Driving was scary. However, the oddest part of the whole drive home was seeing lightning and hearing thunder as the snow blew across the road. It kind of gave you that feeling that the world was coming to an end. What a strange weather phenomenon! (The previous day, the temperature was 57 degrees and beautiful!)

My Passion!

2007-12-21T14:52:00.000-06:00

I've been running for years. I've never been fast, I've just always loved running. This is where I've done by best thinking. It is a cheap sport and cheap counseling. I ran while pregnant with both of my children. I run while on vacation everywhere I go (what a great way to see a new place). I run with both of my children now (thank God for the double babyjogger). I run in the heat. I run in the cold. I will run until I just can't do it anymore.

However, I have found a new love...biking! This sport caught me off guard last fall when I joined a health club. I met the most incredible woman. This lady is a professional triathlete. She also is motivating! After one spin class with her, I was addicted. One thing led to another and next thing you know, I bought a road bike and was on the verge of changing my life forever.

Through this two-wheeled vehicle, I have met some of the most inspiring people I know. They have given me the encouragement to push myself and better myself in many ways. I did not realize that I had such potential to crank the wheels of a bike so well. Even better, the more I bike, the better I run! So with that, I want to thank all those people who told me to "go for it". Sharon, the "tri queen" who is going to whip me into shape this spring. Travis, my cycling coach who whipped me into shape for the Tour de Tucson. Don, who always challenges me up a hill. Ria, who has always told me I could do it...and now she is going to join me. Travis, Dale, and Dave for the "hammer rides". Amy "Preacher" who was the only other girl that challenged me. And all my family, friends, co-workers and students who supported my big race last fall.

Now, I'm doing it again! I'm raising money for Leukemia and Lymphoma by preparing for the Philadelphia Triathlon in June. Don't worry. I'm hitting up corporate sponsors this time. This is so exciting for me. This is something I love to do. Helping raise funds to support cancer research is a way for me to give back. Meeting the people who have used that money is sobering. Riding with people who are passionate about something like myself is fulfilling. Crossing the finish line is awesome!

The Tour de Tucson Team In Training Group at the finish line. One hundred and nine miles completed. Go Team Kansas!

Christmas Fun with Grandma Vicky and Aunt Kelly

2007-12-21T14:17:00.000-06:00

Last night we heard the sleigh bells jingling as we enjoyed our annual sleigh ride through Bradley Fair. The kids and I did this last year and they just loved it! This year Grandma Vicky and Aunt Kelly joined us. The night couldn't have been better! The chill in the air definitely made it feel like Christmas, but there was no wind! Even though we ride through a shopping center parking lot, it really is a fun time!

This was our "sleigh"
This is a "Dutch Letter". I received a bag of these "letters" from one of my students with baking instructions. I had never received a gift like this before, but I MUST know where Jack's mother purchased these. They are sooooooo yummy! They have a nutty filling of some kind, but I haven't figured out exactly what it is yet! Best student gift ever!

Blogging is Better with Photos!

2007-12-14T16:42:00.000-06:00

Yippee! I figured out the problem and here are birthday party photos! Harrison is a "Thomas the Tank Engine" fan. Even though he already owns a lot of these little trains, he received more for his birthday and has been playing with them ever since! He also loves the movie "Cars". This is his other favorite toy. I love watching him line up all his trains and cars, then make noises and have them "talk" to each other! He is one happy three year old!
You will notice that all the party attendees were girls! I will not approve of this in a few years, but for now, we thought it was pretty cute. Pictured are Lexi (what she is doing with her hand, her mother and I haven't figured out?!), Hannah and Emma, friends from daycare, and big sister, Maddy. They all had a fun time!

Maddy is learning to read and write. It is amazing to watch this process. She is just so proud of herself. This picture is of her first sentence ever! I love "yo" too baby!

Hitting the wall already!

2007-12-14T06:40:00.000-06:00

I've gotten so much positive feedback from all my friends and family on this blog. Many thanks! I've been producing a nice diary of the last few days, but my laptop is not cooperating with my camera. Therefore, today's post is without pictures at this point. I'll talk to some of my techy friends and figure this whole mess out soon.

Basically, it's been "Party-Central" around here. Between Christmas parties and Harrison's 3rd birthday, we've been visiting with family and friends nonstop! (Here is where photos would be great!) There are more coming this weekend!

Sorry for the photo-less post. Stay tuned.

On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!

2007-12-11T09:52:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of each race I do I have tons of adrenaline surging through my body. That is exactly how I feel with this blogging endeavor! I have started this blog for my family, friends, and myself (just to see if I could do it). Just as one paces themselves during a race, I intend to pace myself with this blog attempt. My goal is to update at least once a week, but as I get better and quicker at it, you could possibly see me updating more often.

I've been enjoying so many of my friends' blogs, that I couldn't help but think my own family and friends would enjoy seeing just exactly what goes on in my crazy, fast-paced life. Hence the reason for the blog name, Racing Through Life (But enjoying every minute of it!). I am truly blessed with a good life. Being a single mother of two, working, staying fit, enjoying family, and hanging out with my friends, is about as fun and hectic as it gets! This is life.

Therefore, today, since school has been cancelled due to an ice storm, I finally have time to start my new adventure. Thank you to my good friends, Denise and Jaime, for leading the way. Even more thanks to James for the "happy" photo of the Harrison, Maddy and me. She went with my crazy vision of a "fun and happy" photo during a recent Sunday afternoon. Kids don't always do what adults want them to, so we jumped a lot trying to get our picture. The photo collage cards have been ordered, and you'll all soon have your copy in the mail! (If you want one and I don't have your mailing address, get it to me soon!)

Now, I must entertain two children who are stuck inside on this winter day. On your mark, get set, go!