Sunday, August 16, 2009

Thought on my Journey to the 70.3

As most everyone knows...I am doing my first 70.3 half ironman six weeks from today. I literally can not believe it is so close. All day a chill has run down my spine at the short distance away this race is. Part of me is terrified..and part of me can not wait to see what 20 weeks of training and selling my soul to it will do. I honestly hope that I love it. I love the fitness involved in this sport. I actually love the training...but the question remains...what will I think of the race?? I will say it has been an interesting journey. I stepped away from my tri group quite a bit and had a coach write my workouts for me. The positive things I have learned from this method of training is that growth happens within ones self when you are only relying on you to get something done. I believe I have become a much stronger athlete mentally through this walk. The negative is that it has been so very lonely at times. It is alot of hours to log inside of ones own head day after day. It has taken a ton of self discipline at times to log those workouts on days that weren't great days. But I am a list maker or box checker so it has been an effective method for me. Six weeks to go...I will continue to put 110% into the final stretch....I will say (rough days, which there were not many) I have loved the journey. If given the choice, I would do it this way again...if nothing else..for the personal growth..one of my favorite sayings I read in Triathlete magazine that I have chanted in my head many times on this journey is "Pain is just weakness leaving your body"....so I hope as I close out this journey and as I face the inevitable struggles of race day.. that saying along with the many others I have banked in my mind, along with the hours of training, and the extreme desire to compete and finish well and strong...will give me the desired result I am looking for!!!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Tampa Theatre

Today, we went to the Tampa Theatre. I thought it was an amazing tour. The history was great, the interior was so ornate and beautiful, and we were lucky to hear an amazing little concert on a pipe organ that rocked!! The kids and I have decided that we want to actually go back and see a production and sit up in the balcony of this beautiful venue. We could not see the pipes to the organ..they are all behind the walls..but the organist told us there is a pizza place that you can go to that has an amazing pipe organ and the pipes are visible lining the walls...so that is now at the top of our go to list. Maybe we will do a little unit on pipe organs to tie this all together!! Who knows!!! Anyway...great tour...great start to the year and so many great trips planned...I can hardly wait. I always kind of wonder if this journey of homeschooling will ever just feel like its coming to an end for me...and I must say ....each year just seems more enjoyable, exciting and intriguing to me as the kids get older. The discussions we can have after trips like today are amazing...I will probably be so sad when I run out of time one day!!!!!

Tampa Theatre..What a way to Kick off our 2009/2010 Fieldtrips!!

How to keep a very active three year old busy...

As we gear up for another school year a major concern for me has been Nicholas. He is by far my busiest boy ever. He is also the most detailed to date. That being said, I have been scouring the internet of all these crafty preschool moms gathering ideas of things to do with my sweet baby!! So this week was his first week of more structured activities. He loved painting with a combination of glue and koolaid mixed together...The koolaid was unsweetened but smelled great. One lick and he determined it smelled great but tasted disgusting as he so eloquently put it. We also worked on some hand/eye coordination by placing spaghetti into a water bottle...he enjoyed that for about 20 minutes and then decided that listening to the dog crunch on uncooked spaghetti was more entertaining....so it has been a good week if one, being me, can get beyond the glitter EVERYWHERE, the glue I find hardened in the oddest places, stickers that seem to have legs and traveled beyond the paper, and just the neverending creative chaos. But in the end I don't mind it...I love watching him experiment and grow...and this is my last go around with a three year old so I will put the mess aside and enjoy every moment!!

Artistic Nicholas



More Birthday Photos of Devin's 13th

Monday, August 10, 2009

Celebrating our Friend Derek's Birthday at the speedway!!

Practicing patience at a restaurant with six kids while we wait out the storm at the beach!!!!





Another trip to Busch Gardens

Fishing Fun at the Park

Devin and Grandma's Family Birthday Celebration

Boyscouts

Devin had the opportunity to complete another merit badge on his long road to Eagle Scout a couple weeks ago. This badge was on traffic safety. They were told so many great statistics and so much useful information...it was a great experience. My hope would be that he will remember at least some of the things from this badge when he gets ready to get behind the wheel in a few years. Once again, I can not say it enough, another great experience and opportunity through boyscouts. We are looking forward to another year of scouts and what opportunities it will bring this year.

Safety Merit Badge for Boyscouts