My first TRIATHLON!

Ok so when January 2008 rolled in and my holiday hangover was gone, I told Guy that I wanted to set some goals for the year. My biggest one was a challenge to myself...a triathlon...yep thats right, one of those events where you swim, bike run baby! For years in the back of my mind I had always told myself...one day I will compete in a triathlon. Now after birthing 3 babies all over the country, I was ready to take charge of my body again, get healthy and this had to be the best way to do it right? And while Guy declined the invite to do it with me, my brother-in-law Jason (Guy's brother) gladly accepted the challenge. Along with one of my best childhood friends Nicole. So we committed to the Kirkland Triathlon on September 21, 2008. I found a great training program on http://www.sweat365.com/ and was locked in. This was the ultimate test for my mind, body and spirit. The training program was a combination (obviously-duh!) of swimming, biking and running, but it was all on paper...I did not have a trainer...I had to be my own personal trainer and drag my butt to the gym so I could swim laps each week and then that was supplemented with running outside or on the treadmill and biking at cycle class or outside. Come that rainy, cloudy, dreary day in September...I was ready...for the most part. My personal goal was to finish in 1 hour and 30 min. Did I mention the swim part was held in Lake Washington (downtown Kirkland) and most of the participants were wearing wetsuits. Yeah ok so it was a little chili out, but the adrenalin rush was so strong I did not care...I was ready! Standing there in the lake...Nicole and I were front and center...ready to take this thing on. Ok well let me tell you...as soon as the gun fired off for the swim to start I dove in and just started to swim hard and fast and about 30 seconds into it I truly felt like I could not breath. I started looking around and all I could see was orange swim caps bobbing up and down and all I could hear was the sound of gurgling water and heavy, heavy breathing...like the kind at the END of a race when you have been working hard to finish...c'mon people this is the very beginning...and I am seriously struggling for another 30 seconds thinking...oh my gosh...I have trained hard for 12 weeks to be ready for this and I am not even to the first buoy...how in the heck am I going to make it? I start to panic and roll on my back and look to my right where there is a life guard (thank goodness there are several of them) and he is on some surfboard thingy yelling "c'mon ladies...you can do this...remember to breath...keep going...you can do it!"...ok BREATH...is that my freakin' problem...I am not breathing...so I continue to do the backstroke to the first buoy and am feeling better...just practicing my breathing the entire time...it must be the shock of the cold water mixed with my crazy adrenalin rush that is making me this way so I continue to talk to myself and finally am calmed down to a point where I can roll back onto my stomach, get a steady stroke going and make it to the darn finish (of the swim that is)! Oh I was so glad to see shallow water and rocks and couldn't get out of there fast enough! Guess thats what I get for training in a heated pool...whooooooops! Anyway, the bike part was my favorite...12 miles through the suburbs of Kirkland and then a quick 3 mile run....Guy, Joey, Jake, Luke, AJ and Owen, along with my parents were there taking pictures and cheering us on. I finished in 1 hour and 40 minutes...not bad for my first one. Can't wait to do another! Here is the link that Joey put together with all of her pictures...thanks Joe!

http://cosabellafoto.com/slideshows/triathlon/

Luke's B-day PARTY!

For Luke's acutal birthday party we gathered some of his closest classmates and celebrated at Big Al's Bowling Alley. Fun times.

From left: Ajion, Josh, Luke, Nguyen, Gabe and Blake

Double Whammie!

Luke posing-First day of FIRST grade!

Luke with his chocolate cake-his request.


AJ loves a party!

Cheeeeeeeeese! Owen loves messes.

So this year the first day of school also happened to fall on Luke's 7th birthday! Luke began first grade at Salmon Creek Elementary with Mrs. Baylous as his teacher. He loves school, could not wait for it to start. Had to have the one strap backpack and sport his favorite Adidas sweatshirt with his new dark jeans. Later that evening we celebrated with cake, ice cream and presents. I think his favorite present might have been the alarm clock we gave him...you can see the excitement on his face in the picture above. He is all about a routine and knowing where he has to be at what time. He sets the alarm every night to wake the next morning at 6:50 a.m. He dresses himself, wakes up me, then proceeds downstairs where he makes his own waffle. I roll down about 7am to make his lunch and send him off with our neighbors-Cody, Kayla and Hailey to catch the bus. Happy Birthday Luke!

Chelan fun...

Yep, back to Chelan, WA for one last hurrah before school starts! Photos: AJ and Luke, Owen and Daddy, the whole family, me and the boys at Banjo Creek Farm, Owen's first boat ride, AJ and Papa swimming, view of the lake from one of the golf course holes, Kirsten, Nicole and I golfing at Lake Chelan Golf Course-ladies day out! We had a great vacation-swimming, golfing, relaxing by the pool, boat ride on the Dwinell's boat and meeting up with Hadley's, Bosworth's and Cullen's down at Wapato Point.

Sun River, Oregon!

Sun River is an amazing vacation spot in inland Oregon...just outside of Bend. We had so much fun with the Leitz Family biking, swimming, eating and playing in this great town! Guy and I have been friends with Steve and Steph since our college days...I guess that means we go back about 15+ years! In the pics...our fam, Owen at the pool, me and the boys on a bike ride, and the Leitz family...from left...Ellie, Parker, Steph, Jake, Steve and Megan.

Cousin Visit!

Ok so this is my cousin Kristie-only one year younger than me and lives in Canada with her hubby Rob and their two adorable boys Kyle and Carter! It had been years (10+) since Kristie and I have actually had a visit and caught up on life. We grew up together as little girls hanging out at Grammy and Pa's on Lake Washington and here we are all grown up with our boys! In this pic is Owen, Kyle, Luke, AJ and Carter.

A Visit from the City Slickers of San Francisco!

Meet Oliver and Vanna and their two handsome young men...Callum (4) and baby Finn (9 months). Every year they make a road trip up to the Pacific NW to visit family and friends on Whidbey Island. They managed to squeeze us in on their journey home and we are so grateful that they could spend some time at our house! These guys are the best house guests...they go with the flow, never complain...and they bring presents! Thanks for a wonderful visit guys and Luke is still asking "When can we go to Oliver and Vanna's condo?" and Shelley is wondering when can I go to the Jean Bar in San Fran??? One of these days we will get down there...promise!

The top pick is AJ, Callum, Luke and Owen-all settled in for a movie!