Trip to Michigan

We are getting ready to head out to Michigan this Friday to visit the fam! As Madelyn puts it, one school bus ride, two airplanes, and a ride in the car, and we'll be there! (She makes it sound so easy, doesn't she?) More like 2 adults, 2 children, getting up at 3:30 in the morning, countless snacks, potty visits, arguing, crankiness, carrying stuff through the airport, paying for checking baggage, hopefully two on time flights, no delays, maybe 2 naps on the plane, hopefully not too many spills, crying, not wanting to stay in the seats, arguing about the window seats, etc, etc, etc.

I guess it is worth it, we don't see my family nearly enough, and the girls are beside themselves with excitement to see Grandma, Grandpa, aunties, uncles, and cousins. Oh, and Chutes and Ladders, how could I forget about that?!?

A Wild Animal

Now I have to share the latest funny thing Hannah has said. The other morning, I was trying to get the girls ready for daycare, doing their hair and brushing their teeth, and Madelyn kept running out of the bathroom to get away from me. Hannah says, "Mom, Madelyn ran away again." I sighed and acknowledged that this was true. Then Hannah says, "She is a wild animal Mom. She should be put in a cage." Very matter of fact. Sometimes I do agree with her...3 year olds SHOULD be put in a cage!

Trek across Maine...finally!

When I say finally, I mean I finally am finding the time to write a bit about this. It is now Friday, and I am finally getting caught up on rest, work around the house, etc. The trek was a great weekend! I had so much fun. The biking was hard, definately not a cruise in the park. I was very glad to know that I was prepared for it physically, granted, the end of each day was a challenge but I never felt like I had to quit.
These are the people that were on the team with me. The picture on the top left is me at the finish line in Belfast!! Great weekend, I have to sign up again next year.

I..am...exhausted.

I am sorry to you, my blog, I have been slacking off lately posting to you...and it's not because I have nothing to say, on the contrary, it is because I have been doing so much lately that I am exhausting myself to the point of not even being able to sit for five minutes and do it. I am very sorry, but I certainly plan to take some time, tomorrow, hopefully, or maybe the next day, to recount my adventures of the past week or so. It has been a busy blur, and things don't actually seem like they are going to slow down yet, but I WILL keep you posted. I promise. I haven't forgotten about you!

Triathalon

Well, it is over!! What a great day! I beat my time from last summer, finishing in 1 hour, 33 minutes, and some seconds. My run was much improved from last year! The swim was still difficult, but it was improved as well, and so was the bike. My support staff (Chris, Hannah, and Madelyn) were awesome, cheering me on, taking pictures, and most of all, being good girls for Dad. I have an awesome family to come out and support me in this way. What a fun and rewarding day!!

My big finish!! (These pictures always upload in the wrong order that I want them to!

Transition from swim to bike.
Exiting after the swim (I look better than I felt!)
Me and my girls, just before the start. (They decided they would swim, too!)

Nervous Wreck

Tomorrow is the Pirate Tri, I am a nervous wreck. I don't know why, I am competing against no one but myself. Luckily, the weather is going to be nice enough so Chris and the girls will be there. That makes a huge difference having a little cheering squad of my very own. So, wish me luck, and I'll post back tomorrow hopefully with some nice pics and an earth-shattering record time!!

No Madelyns Allowed

Here is a scrapbook page I made with some pictures I took of signs Hannah has posted at various places around the house. "No Madlin", "No Madelyns Allowed", and "No Madelyns Ulaod." So, the general gist of it is, I presume, no Madelyns are allowed. The top one was posted on the refrigerator door. I asked Hannah why she put it there, and she replied, "So Madelyn doesn't clean out the fridge!" Very funny.

So, the cutest part was one day when Madelyn pointed to the second sign which was on Hannah's bedroom door and said sadly, "That say no Madelyns. I can't go in Hannah room, Momma." I felt so sad as parents do when one of their children is left out. SHE didn't seem to care, though, because immediately she went in anyways. Luckily, the person who posted these ominous signs was not at home to witness the trespass.

First Pedicure

Rose, Dena, Dottie and I took the girls to get pedicures yesterday. It was a new experience for Hannah, and she was so cute when they were scrubbing her

feet, she was giggling and giggling away! She picked this beautiful blue you see above, and had some red flowers added to it, and yes, that is mine below, that wonderful green with the pink flowers. I wanted something different, and in a flash of inspiration, picked the green. Not sure if I would do so again, but...it's kind of growing on me!

A Beautiful Lady

This is my favorite picture of the last week...taken Memorial Day weekend at one of our ice cream stops. Hannah picked a dandelion and put it behind Chris's ear, saying, "Now you are a BEAUTIFUL lady!" Yes, he definately is a beautiful lady. The funniest part of this was she then took the dandelion out, and replaced it with some gross looking weed, and was giggling away, because Chris still thought it was the dandelion.

Memorial Day weekend

I haven't posted for a few days, and I tried to find a few pics

that summed up the weekend...

a lot of fun going to the

beach, visiting Grandma,
going out for ice cream (two many times!) and, as always, a little bit of napping which always happens with too much fun! And, Aunty Aimee, if you are reading this, then again, Happy Birthday!! (Just checking to see if you are reading or not!)