Saturday Morning Coffee

Good morning everybody!

I'm drinking my Saturday morning coffee and thought I would provide an update on the boys.

We are a little over a month into school now. Lucas* is in 8th grade, Cody is in 7th grade, and Jake is in 6th grade. So right now, they take up every grade in middle school!  The twins, Chris and Matt, are in 3rd grade this year. They will not be in a school again with their bigger brothers until they are in 9th grade and Jake is a senior. (Help me out, is that right?? I'm still drinking my morning coffee.)   😂

There's been homework, studying, tests, tears, not completed homework, skipped football to finish said homework, ... All in just one month already! I mean... 10-missed homework assignments?? Really??  I think I'm more surprised that there's been 10 homework assignments!

I promise, Phil had on running shorts.

Lucas and Cody worked really hard this summer at detasseling jobs in the corn fields. While Cody worked really hard and did a great job, he ended up getting fired (it's not uncommon) for "missing too many tassels". Lucas, as tall as he is, ended up working more than expected with a few additional assignments up in Rockford area. He ended up making so much money, he bought himself a huge graphic gaming computer! (Mom and dad pitched in half of anything he was missing to make sure it was all setup.)

And yes, football has started! Cody and Jake are playing this season. So far, I have only been to one game (I promise to attend more).  As Phil would tell anybody, "I didn't give them the athletic, tall, and fast gene." 

Jake is #80. We think he likes it for the social
aspect more than anything. But, if you know me at all,
I don't discourage that one bit!

One Saturday, the twins twisted my arm into taking them to a new place in Peoria called ELEVATE. Parents all know this as the "You have to sign a Waiver?? *sigh*" place. It's a big indoor trampoline park. I think it will be great for winter - if I could find some discounts. 

Top: Matt playing dodgeball. Bottom left: Matt running into the sponge pit thingie.
Bottom right: Chris running full sprint to get to the top of the trampoline wall.

We all have been fairly busy. I'm glad that my triathlon season ending has given me more time to start blogging again. So I promise to have more poopy/peepee stories for you this fall and winter! 

I'll wrap up this morning's blog with some cute photos of Lotti.  She doesn't really pull her weight around here, but that's ok. She's still adorable, soft to pet, and can be super snuggly when she wants. 

Pictures of her sleeping... because otherwise she's
moving too fast to get a picture!

* boys' names changed for blog

ITU World Championship Off-Road Triathlon

On Wednesday, August 23^rd 2017, I raced with Team USA in the ITU World Championship Race off-road triathlon in Penticton Canada. This event consists of a 9/10ths of a mile swim, 20-mile mountain bike, and 5-mile trail run. 

The swim kicked off at 7am with the pro men, then the pro women, followed by age group men, and then age group women. I was in the age group women field so we started at 7:40am. 

Figure 1:  All Setup in Transition, Hanging Out at
Swim Start, and Women AG Swim Start

The swim was a “U” shape that went from one beach to another, making right hand turns.  The water was calm, non-wetsuit, and simply put, just perfect conditions. I wanted 35-minutes and came out of the water in 33:39. A fast swim for me - excellent! 

Figure 2: Swim Exit in 33:39!

The mountain bike went from transition by the lake, up the side of a mountain with gradual/steady climbs and a lot of Switchback S curves. The climb was pretty uneventful; it’s just a grind. Sit in the saddle and be ready for a lot of ascending.

At the top of the mountain, three people at an aid station met us, they took our bib numbers, and I noticed I made it to “Neverland” trail system.  That was my queue that the climbing was done and it was down the mountain and technical terrain the rest of the way. I understand there were many spills but nothing serious. I wanted to finish the bike course in 2-hours and 45-minutes and came out just one minute slower. I’ll take it!  😃

Figure 3: Not Pictured - One Badass Mountain
Climb and Rough Downhill

Back into transition, racked my bike and put on my run shoes for a tough trail run. They took us up a disc golf course and then scaled up the side of the lakeside bluff to a rails-to-trails road. Once I was on the flat trail, I was able to pick up the speed to a run. I thought I would finish the run in about 1-hour and 15-minutes, but my nutrition was spot on the bike, that I felt great on the run!

One of the Team USA coaches was out on the run and she said, “You look great! Look really strong!” ... now she could have been saying that to every Team USA athlete for confidence, but I like to think she said it to only me. 😃  As a wrap-up to the run, you scale back down the bluff and run along the beach lakeshore, in and out of water at most knee-deep.

After that fun, you duck back into trails before getting to the road for the finish line. I finished the run in 59-minutes. Honestly, I couldn't believe it. 

Figure 4:  Strong Trail Run and a Fast
Sprint to the Finish Line!

I finished 11th out of 15 in my age group in a total triathlete field of 315 best off-road triathletes in the world. (And I didn't come last! Yay!!)  

I am constantly amazed at what the human body can do and accomplish. I've had a great training year, a super fun triathlon season, and excellent eating discipline... it's now time to relax and eat all of the food!  😂😂

I'm so sad this season is over. It has been such a wonderful experience to be part of Team USA. 

Visit to St. Rose

Yesterday was quite an adventure!  My father-in-law Tom grew up in St. Rose Illinois. Yesterday was the St. Rose annual festival, so all of us (including my in-laws and one of my stepsons cousins) took a day trip to attend.

It was a very enjoyable, relaxing day. We all took two cars down and had lunch at Wally's in Breese Illinois. Then we ventured over to Carlyle Lake to get out of the cars and walk a bit.

After Carlyle Lake, we went to St Rose to visit and remember family in the local cemetery. 💜💜  We then made our way to Tom's cousin's farm to see how the cows are milked. Now this was the real treat of the trip.  First time for everything, right?

I wasn't expecting this. 😂😂 But, in all honesty, I don't
know WHAT I was expecting!

The boys got a chance to try it.

They had another barn with calves
and barn kitties. 😺😺

What a fun experience! I know the boys really thought it was fun to see as well. 

We ventured over to the festival for a jam-packed, delicious, dinner and festival fun. 

Bingo to try to win quilts or money!

We stayed until sunset... 

Beautiful St. Rose Catholic Church at sunset.

First Ever MTB Ride!!

Well, it's about time... That I finally got the stepsons out on mountain bikes and single track trails!

Phil and I loaded up the cars with the bikes.  Oh yes.  Both cars.  With bikes.

Loaded inside the minivan first. 

Loaded outside the minivan. 

THEN loaded up my car.  😂

We only had 4-out-of-the-5 boys with us this weekend, but we still had trouble loading up bikes.  Guess it's time for a new multi-bike rack. 

We rode out at Kinsey Park in Peoria. The trails are named after Wizard of Oz movie. So there's munchkin land east/west trails, ruby red slippers trail, yellow brick road trail, etc... The trails are all "green" (easy), so the boys were able to ride all of the trails. 

Yes, I had them look away.  Yes, they know why.  😂😂

The boys had a blast! We only had one fall and it wasn't very bad at all. So now the boys want to bring some of their bikes from their mama's house and their camelbak hydration packs. We'll definitely go out to mountain bike again soon.  That was so fun!  😄❤️😄❤️

The Text Message

This afternoon while I was at work, I received a text message from my oldest stepson.

Of course, I see it and think, "uh oh... he never texts me, I better see if he's ok."

So... Imagine my surprise when I see this text message:

I'm so proud of those two and I'm so happy that he texted me to tell me.  💗💗

Tri 2 Beat MS

Kids triathlon #2 for 2017!

Usually we have 4 boys participate, but this time is a little different.

One of my stepsons broke his arm while chasing his brothers around the house. So he's out for a while.

One of the twins has let us know that he's "already done a triathlon this year"... So he's good.  😂😂

So this year, for Tri 2 Beat MS, we will have two boys participating.  It will be fun to watch all of the kids go after it on Saturday morning.

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend came and went in a blink of an eye!

We went out to Oak Run Lake with the boys. It was very relaxing.  Hanging out on the deck, watching the boys play in the backyard, snakes, s'mores, build a tent and camp in the backyard, go down to the beach, etc...

Because I know all you really read out of that
paragraph was "snakes"... Here's the picture of it. 

Apparently these "nice" snakes still coil
when you try to touch them. Cody* tried to touch it,
of course.  😂😂

Playing together at the lake.  💓💖💗

As I sat on the beach with their grandpa watching them play; Jake* came up to us and sat on the towel next to us. We were talking about how "pale" everybody was at the beginning of summer.

Jake said, "That's why we are here! We're gettin' UN-PALE!"  😂😂😂

It really was a nice weekend to get away and relax a few days. 😀

*names changed for privacy