Looking Cool at the Pool

I am noticing some pictures no longer display correctly below, although the pictures and their paths are perfectly fine.  I guess my blog is broken.  I keep saying I am going to move it to my mom's server anyway, but then I get lazy, so I suppose this is good motivation.

You know what else is good motivation?
An awesome bathing suit.

Let me provide a brief back story:
Awhile back, I left my swim suit crumpled up in a wet ball inside my gym back.  The next day (or few days?) later, it thwarted my plan to swim when I found there.  Still in a ball.  And still very wet.

Now, we all know that I am not much a of swimmer, and ideally I use any excuse available to avoid the pool.  But, I do have moments where I convince myself that I am just strokes away from becoming a brilliant swimmer and find myself pumped up at the pool.  I must have been going through one of those phases because I was quite disappointed that my suit was wet and icky and not suitable for wearing.

I figured if I dried the bathing suit, it would get rid of some of the "ick" factor.  I knew from past experiences that putting it in the drier would ruin it.  So then I thought, "But a hair dryer would work!"  only to remember that I do not own a hair dryer.

And then I saw the space heater.

I left my bathing suit draped over the space heater and left the room....and about 5 minutes later, the space heater started beeping  very loudly and the house started to smell like burnt plastic.  It wasn't plastic though. It was my  bathing suit.

The good news is I did not burn down the house. The bad news is my bathing suit had a hole right over the nipple.

I have been known to buy some horrific bathing suits (like the padded one-piece I found on clearance at the mall that was surely meant for a 70-year old with saggy boobs vacationing in Vegas) but even I knew this bathing suit had to go in the trash.

Still determined to swim, I went to Target to score a cheap suit.  It was too close to summer though because the clearance swim suits were gone and replaced with their new "sports illustrated" line of suits. Unwilling to pay $40 for something that did not have any straps, I opted for a black bikini with boy shorts from the Girls department.  At least it had straps!!

It also had ruffles.  And a bow.

Luckily for me, after a few weeks and a few shameful swims, Coeur sports came to the rescue and provided me with a super cute, super appropriate, super comfortable bathing suit, which I just love.  LOVE.

I mean, you really have to love a bathing suit to post pictures of yourself, on the internet, in said bathing suit.

It makes me want to go to the pool.  It even makes me want to go swimming!   The pattern is really cool, too - it is made up of little foxes.  It took me awhile to realize this.  Can you see the foxes?

I promise that I am going to treat this bathing suit with respect that it deserves.

• I am not going to leave it in wet, moldy ball in my gym bag.  
• I am  not going to put it in the dryer.
• I am not going to place it on the space heater or set it on fire or run my car over it.

I am also going to fix my blog.

And lastly, I am going to swim.

Preparing for Hood2Coast

I am using the word "preparing" very loosely because so far, I have nothing packed.

BUT,

I wrote a list.

I wanted to pack today but I just could not get off the couch.  I don't want to say I am sick, because it would be the absolutely worst timing and therefore, absolutely impossible, however I do think I have a head cold, complete with coughing, cloudy head, and of course, lots of snot.  

I am resting. I took some cold medicine. I am feeling optimistic.

This race has required relentless optimism.  First, my burn out and back injury made me question if I would even want to go.  Next, I hurt foot, which made me question if I even could go.

My foot started to feel better and I began to think about my three legs.  I am the second runner, which means I my first run is at the bottom of Mount Hood and entirely downhill.  I picked this specifically because I wanted the experience of running down Mount Hood.  It is going to be breathtaking.

To prepare for the downhill, I did some repeats up A Mountain.  This is not a random mountain, it is literally named "A Mountain" because it is adorned with an A:

Just like people warned me, the impact of the downhill left my quad muscles screaming.  They were tender to the touch before the day was over!  And, so was my downhill training, since it took days to recover.

Remaining optimistic, I bought a pair of Hokas.  Supposedly, these are supposed to lesson the impact of running, which seemed ideal for my situation.   In some ways, the Hokas live up to their promise - it is like placing your foot on a pillow with every step.  But they are also big and clunky - a dangerous component for an uncoordinated runner on a mountain.  Plus, when worn with other modern day running trends (i.e., compression socks and running skirt), it makes one look less like a runner and more like a go-go dancer.

To be clear, I have nothing against go-go dancers.  I am just not sure that is the look I want to represent in Oregon.  

I have been to Oregon multiple times to visit one of my best friends.  I have ran up and down many mountains in Oregon.  Those runs are some of my fondest memories.

So, while I am not in my best shape, I am very excited to return to the homeland of running and my favorite state!   I am also very excited to take a lot pictures and write a  race report.  It has been awhile since I've written a race report.  I am hoping to feel out of my slump soon.

"You'll come down from the Lurch, with an unpleasant bump.

And the chances are, then, that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun,

Un-slumping yourself is not easily done." 

Esprit de She v.s. My bed

I was looking forward to this event very much and was hoping for a PR (sub-1:12).  I feel like I am in the best shape of my life, although I cannot seem to have a good race to prove it to myself.   I had hopes that this would be the race.

And then Friday happened.

I was at work and my body started to ache.
I felt this instant and incessant need to go to bed.
So I left work early and did go to bed, where I stayed all day.  And all afternoon.  And all evening.
I sent my husband to Subway for dinner.

I was expecting to feel better on Saturday but  I woke up in the morning and found the only thing I was capable of doing was napping.  I sent my husband to Subway for dinner again.

Around 11:30pm, I awoke because I could not breathe.  I sprung up, gasping for air, only to realize that I was choking on puke...... if you think that is gross to read, don't imagine how gross it is to experience.  And, the proceeding events only get worse so I will spare you the rest of the details.

The fact I was sick was not shocking.  Hayden had a stomach bug last week, Brenna had a stomach bug a few days later and David got the stomach bug a day after that.  On Thursday I was standing in the kitchen, cutting an onion, praising my invincible immune system for not catching the sickness.

What I do find shocking is while David and the kids were able to poop a few times and be done with it, I was inhabilitated for days.  They eat hotdogs and goldfish crackers.  I eat spinach and kale.  How does that work?

Anyway, I knew that I was going to show up on race day morning no matter what.  I was just hoping that I could improve enough to keep some nutrition inside me - and even more so, I was hoping everything would remain inside of me during the race.

I can understand perhaps pooping yourself during the Olympic trials or something - but it would really suck to be the girl who pooped herself during a local sprint triathlon.

And here is the good news:  I DID NOT POOP MYSELF!!

My warm-up, however, included simply dashing back and forth from the transition area to the toilet.  On one hand, I was grateful to be empty.  On the other hand, having an empty tank is not a great way to start a race.

My mindset automatically changed from "try to PR" to "just have fun!"  It seemed easy enough to have fun while doing something you love.  I realized while swimming from the dock to the start line, I was wrong.

Nothing is fun when you are sick.  There was not a moment of that race when I did not want to quit.

My legs were so useless that at one point on the bike, I checked to make sure my break was not rubbing.

The finish line had champagne, massages and manicures waiting for us.  Although those are my favorite things, all I could think about was my bed.

I think I was the first athlete to remove her bike from the transition area.

After I finally reunited with my beloved bed, my kids reminded me that I promised to take them to the "ice cream store."  Ice cream actually sounded really good.  On our way, we instead found ourselves at a shaved-ice food truck.  The combination of ice and sugar magically cured me!!!

For an hour.

I realize if skipped the race, I would probably be better today.  But, whether its ice cream or a race, I try to honor my commitments.  I knew no matter what, I would live to write this post.  After all, it was just a sprint triathlon, the worst case scenario was I would have to poop.

Was my race good?  Not to my standards. I was eleven minutes off my PR.
But, the $65 entry fee came with a really nice cycling jersey.   It is perhaps my favorite piece of race-swag.
And, now I can wear it proudly because it's not the race that I skipped - it's the race that I conquered while sick.

I will just feel better tomorrow instead.

Never too Old?

I try not to think about the fact that I am getting older every day....in my head, my perpetual 27-year old-self has not changed.  But then I catch myself dozing to sleep while watching the 10 p.m. news.  Or instinctively clicking on the Groupon for anti-aging treatment.  The worst was driving pass a crowded bar on St. Patricks day and asking, "Why are all these people drinking?  It's a Sunday!"  I hang my head in shame.

Even though I run faster at 31 years old than I did at 21 years old, I notice that I recover a lot slower.  This becomes glaringly apparent when I get sick.  First, I am not used to getting sick.  I don't think I got sick the entire time in college.  I may have claimed to be sick, but it was actually just a hangover that two Advil and a two hour nap would cure.  My last hangover was Halloween of 2011 - lets just say it took a lot more than a nap to recover from that.

Second, getting un-sick takes a ridiculous amount of rest and patience.  I find myself frustrated when I am not better after spending half a day on the couch.  This was the situation the past week.  I so badly wanted to run and bike and swim, but for two solid days I could barely open my eye lids.

I guess I just need to accept that I am getting old.  There are probably some unwritten rules about what is considered appropriate for each age bracket.  One would probably argue that sequined leggings should have been banned from my wardrobe since 1998.  But, when I saw these on the Clearance racks in Target, I just could not resist.  As my mom would say, age is nothing but a number!

Weather Woes

It's pretty hard to complain about the Arizona weather in  the winter - the forecast varies from "Sunny with a Chance of Clouds"  to "Sunny with a Chance of Three Clouds."  We've been spending a lot of time outside, climbing mountains and stuff.

However, every once in awhile, the weather goes astray.  When this happens, it becomes the top story on the news and the headline of every paper:  Weather Forecast is Changes!

First, it was cold.  Maybe not cold compared to the rest of the country, but cold considering I do not own running pants and that I require a sweater for anything under 75 degrees.

If I don't own running pants, it's safe to say the kids do not own running pants so this put a damper on everyone's training.  After suffering through multiple runs that left my hands so frozen it hurt to bend my fingers, like a fool, I decided to try riding my bike.  Of course I do not own cold-weather cycling clothes, so I did my best to improvise with a hair band across my nose, fuzzy socks for leg warmers and non-fuzzy socks for arm warmers:

After the horrible cold spell, the rain clouds appeared.  Rain in Arizona usually resembles the burst of a water balloon - immediately intense but a quickly empty sky .  If it rains on a Saturday morning, you will be running or riding your bike by noon.

Except not last Saturday.  It was raining heavily when I woke up around 7am.  So, I waited.  At 9am, I was surprised that it was still raining heavily.  So, I waited some more.  By noon, it was still raining!  So, I surrendered to the sky and rescheduled my run for Sunday.

Sunday was also the big race day for the kids - but unfortunately, the rain clouds did not clear.  The race was canceled.

One thing about a missed race, or even a bad race, is that there is always another race.  The kids have an  upcoming 300-yard dash.  I remain unattached, but have a tentative 8 races planned for the next two months.

And so training continues.

After the cold front, and the rain, came the worst - the wind.

I  try not to let the elements dissuade me so on Monday, I battled the wind on bike and tackled it on Tuesday for speedwork.  The planned workout was 3 x 6 minutes @ 5K effort.  After studying the wind during my warm up, I placed myself on the cross-cut canal, which by coincidence, was hit by a cross wind.  My first 6 minutes were erroneously 5:10 (@ 6:07 pace).  It felt good.  My next 6 minutes (and 10 seconds) were at 5:59 pace.  It felt good.  My last six minutes were 5:10 again (the wind had picked up and I got tired) @ 6:07 pace again.  Ended with 2:10 x 2 (@ 5:55 pace).  So, 20:40 and 3.45  miles worth of "speed."  Better than last week and my first sub-6 mile in many months.

I wish improving in the pool was as simple as improving on my feet.  But I will save a whiny swim post for a rainy day.

Looking the Part

I've told myself over and over again that I would stay out of the little girl's section at Target.  But the fact of the matter is that their running shorts/skirts/shirts are identical to those in the Women's section except for 1) they come in more colors and 2) they are half the price.

Perhaps that justifies it but I have no excuse when I find myself selecting two of the same item - in opposite sizes.

 I know, I know, I should not be dressing like my three year old....so, I only buy us stuff when they are on clearance.   These blue spandex pants, which really no 31-yr old should be caught dead in, were only $3.

But, a three year old, with legs like these, and a race in 18 days, should absolutely wear these pants.  I am just thankful that she is too young to be too embarrassed by me.  I know the day will come.

To clarify, I do not discriminate against genders:

Sometimes I cannot believe the stuff I admit on the internet.

Shoes, shoes and more shoes

I've always have had a thing for shoes.

Maybe it’s to compensate for ugly feet, but I just love having a variety of shoes.  This has always been something that drives David nuts because not only do I love having a lot of shoes, I love leaving them all over the house.

As a compromise, I have bought shoe racks.  They hang on the bedroom door, master bathroom door and sit in every closet, as demonstrated in this vintage photo of Hayden wearing my dress:

The completely filled shoe racks did more than deal with the clutter - it worked as a deterrent.  If I bought more shoes, Where would I put them?  

But given the number of shoes that I own, it should not shock anyone that I also like to have a lot of running shoes.  It reminds me of the time I accidentally brought my road racing shoe to a trail race instead of my trail racing shoe....that is like grabbing a pair of Chucks to wear to a wedding!

Picking out running shoes is very personal.  I rarely read reviews because one person’s experience is irrelevant.  When I want a new shoe, I spend hours trying on different make /models and testing each pair with a 2-3 minute brisk run.  If I like a shoe, I may run 6-10 minutes.  I may do running drills. Or sprints.  Or cartwheels.

But even though I find reviews irrelevant, here are some thoughts on the current players in my shoe rotation:

1. Saucony Kinvara 2 and 3

I LOVE THIS SHOE.   This shoe does not like running slower than a 7 minute mile.  It’s made for speed.  It weighs practically next to nothing and although it has very little cushion, it is surprisingly comfortable.  The only downside is that because of its minimalist-style, it only gets 250ish miles.  I currently have 3 pairs, plus an additional pair for racing.  I feel that by giving the shoe at least 48 hours between wears, I can get at least 300 miles.  I wear them for speedwork, tempo runs, 5K - half marathons.  The 2’s are discontinued but just as good as the 3’s – if you can find them, buy them.  Unless you wear my size.  Sorry, but I bought every 10.5 I could find on the internet.

(If you need a shoe that offers stability, I recommend the Saucony Cortana.  It is like the Kinvara’s cushioned cousin and comes in prettier colors.)

2.  Saucony The Ride

Compared to the Kinvara, running in this shoe is like running in bricks, although still relatively light for its kind.  It’s good for a leisurely long run. 

3. Brooks Ghost 4

I alternate this shoe with The Ride.  Pros:  It has a wider toe box.  Cons:  It feels a little heavier and loses its bounce way too quickly.

4. New Balance 890s

I never thought I would run in New Balance sneakers but I must say, the 890s were a surprising treat to the feet!   They have more cushion than the Kinvara, but still very light weight and fast.  It’s a good suggestion for a non-minimalist, but minimalist-like, shoe and good for less leisurely long runs.

  

5.  Brooks PureGrit

I got these shoes two years ago on my birthday.  I couldn’t believe how simultaneously light weight and supportive they were.  I am hesitant to say more because I have not tried the newest model – I did, however, just buy two new pairs of the older model.  I know many other lightweight trail shoes have been introduced in the past two years, but the PureGrits have a special place in my heart.

6.  Newtons Distance

I am falling in the love with this shoe.  I won’t lie, it does help that the limited edition is pink.  Either you love Newtons or you don’t love Newtons.  They don’t have much cushion but they do have something that feels like a little spring board.  I feel like Newtons is a great shoe for running fast, but unlike the Kinvaras, I can just go jogging in them, too.  It’s just a comfortable, high mileage shoe that you can wear for any workout.  I’m currently not doing a lot of speedwork, or tempo runs, or long runs….so this is the pair that I find myself reaching for the most.  Plus, did I mention they were PINK?

In lieu of quicker runs, I've rekindled my relationship with my BOB - turns out, the spark is still there.

Brenna's New Shoes

After "losing" the car sandals, I decided it was time for Brenna to get a pair of running shoes, too.  Her shoe of choice lately has been a pair of green crocs that previously belonged to Hayden.  I hate these shoes for a few reasons.

1) They are ugly.  I bought them because they were cheap and I bought them for a boy.

2) They make her feet stink.

The initial appeal of the shoe was that Brenna was able to put it on and take it off without assistance.   I never thought that it would become a non-negotiable staple in her wardrobe.  

Shoe shopping seemed like the ideal activity for our weekly mother-daughter Tuesday outing.  At first, Brenna did not want to go.  Even though Brenna has a very strong opinion about her outfit every day, she has not shown any interest in shopping - so I was not surprised when she refused to get into the car.  However, I reminded her of Hayden's running shoes.  The fact that he had running shoes, and she did not, had taunted her all week. 

I promised her pink running shoes and she agreed to go.  I was ecstatic.  Shoe shopping is one of my guilty pleasures.

I took her to Payless and told her the coveted words that every daughter hopes their mother will say:  Pick something!  Anything!  I will buy you whatever you want.

Payless had a lot of sneakers that I was sure Brenna would love:  sneakers with rainbows and butterflies! princess sneakers that light up!  Dorah the Explorer sneakers! 

But the shoe that captivated Brenna was a very sparkly mary jane:

Not only was this not a running shoe, it was not a comfortable shoe.

And, it was not a shoe that they carried in her size.

Look, I get it.  I love sparkly shoes.  If ever a mother hoped their daughter would want sparkly shoes, that mother is me.  But I just couldn't bring myself to buy shoes that did not feet her feet. 

The end result was me dashing out of the store, clenching Brenna, who was clenching her green crocs.  Luckily the tantrum ended shortly after we started driving home.  Shocked by the silence, I started to tell Brenna about the best shoe store in the entire world:  Amazon.com.

Together, we perused pages and pages of pink toddler shoes until Brenna picked something out. They were pink.  They were sparkly.  They were perfect.

And, after an exuberant shipping fee, they arrived at our doorstep 2 business days later.

The first thing Brenna did was compare her new shoes to Hayden's  used and dirty shoes.  She was pleased.

Brenna has since worn her new shoes on multiple outings.  Like Costco.

And the Arizona State Fair (we used our passes).  She was very good about not stepping in any animal poop. 

I think the kids liked the fair.  I was surprised when the both wanted to go on the biggest ride that the fair offered - the grand Ferris wheel.  You can't see my left arm but it's firmly gripping the seat.  Unlike my three year olds, I don't like heights.

Outfits of the Week

It has been an uneventful week.  
I squeezed in one last bike workout on Monday - 35 miles @ 20.5mph.  It was a beautiful, quiescent day that was perfect for a bike ride.

Since then, it has been extremely windy.
Every day I think, Thank goodness I am not riding my bike!
Supposedly is it supposed to calm down today </crosses fingers>.

Between tantrums, grocery shopping and trips to the park, we have been pretty much lounging around.


I did try a new yoga class but it was Yin Yoga.
I was not a fan. For half the class we just laid in the dark and stared at the ceiling!
But at least it got us out of the house. The kids it enjoyed it, especially since it meant eating food that I did not cook. I am not sure why a simple sandwich and snacks out of a bag taste better eaten somewhere else. And lettuce?! That would be thrown on the floor immediately at home.



But even a boring week provides plenty of entertainment when you have toddlers. You just never know what they are going to say or do or wear.
This week, Hayden selected one of his outfits. The choice to wear underwear in lieu of shorts is an interesting one, but at least it matches.


Brenna decided to explore my sock drawer (really, the only drawer within her reach) and discovered my purple, sparkly arm warmers. She fervently delivered them to me to place on her legs. After a year of wearing her Babyleg leg warmers on my arms, I thought this was a reasonable request.

And So It Continues, Part 2

In case you missed it:  Part One.
Don't worry, there is no high-pitched screaming induced video embedded at the end of this post.

That is not to say that my ears are free from such havoc, unfortunately the battle of getting dressed is something that we still face.  It is getting better, I cannot overlook the fact that sometimes we have peaceful and pleasant mornings.  But alas, every minute of peace equals a minute of pandemonium yet to come.

The problem with the process is that there are so many components involved.  If the challenge was simply to get Brenna to wear a shirt every day, or perhaps shoes, then that would be a piece of cake.   But shirts AND shoes AND socks AND bottoms?  Now we are asking for a lot.

I read that it is very common for toddlers to like to have control.
I find this to be especially true with Brenna.  If I pick out her outfit, she will despise it simply for the fact that I chose it for her.   So, most of the time I encourage her to pick out her own outfit.  I will often provide options. 
Sometimes they are acceptable.
Sometimes they are not.

Here are some of Brenna's recent choices.

She was very excited when she found these gloves in her sock drawer. However, she did not want to detract from them by wearing anything else.


At Costco, she fell in love with a tu-tu skort. I put it in our cart to purchase but that was not good enough. She had to wear it immediately, over her pants.


And then there was the pajamas with gold gladiator sandles.


And perhaps my favorite, the dress and the tu-tu combination:


Although unflattering, at least that covered all body parts.
I allowed her to wear it all day. 
In public.

Yesterday she picked out her shirt and her shoes but denied pants.

(I later convinced her to supplement the look with a tu-tu).

I do feel like we making progress.
Perhaps its two steps forward and one step back, but we are going in the right direction.

School

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, preschool was on the horizon! I specifically was trying to get Brenna into a developmental preschool program - but all I managed to do was get her on the waiting list.

So as we wait, I enrolled both kids in an ASU pre-school course. It's two hours every Monday and Wednesday morning. Half of that consists of snack time, because two hours is too long to go without food.


They encourage kids to eat their snacks with the appropriate utensil, and also encourage kids to drink out of cups (as opposed to sippies or straw cups). This means that Hayden comes home very dirty every day but aside from that, preschool has been very successful!!

In fact, ever since they started 2 weeks ago, Brenna has not thrown a single tanrum when I dress her. Sometimes she will pick out her outfit, encoaching on what could perhaps be considered "couture".


Although I am not claiming that I dress her any better, the other day I winced when I saw her backside in a pair of pants leggings that I selected for her. Leggings need to be layered, even on the best behinds:



It just makes me giddy when I say, "Brenna, would you like to get dressed?" and she smiles and comes and sits in my lap.
So easy!
So simple!

The ASU toddler preschool program is fantastic. It is run my grad students so each child gets a lot of attention - and ASU itself makes for fantastic stroller running...so much pavement.  You just need to watch out for all the other wheels (cyclists, skate boarders, rollerbladers, electric scooters, segways - it is quite crowded out there.


I am not the only one who has been running, the kids are still training for their upcoming 100 meter race. We were sidelined over the weekend when Hayden got sick. I knew he was sick when he fell asleep watching Dance Moms:

  Because,
   A. He has not fallen asleep on the couch since he was 3 months old.
   B. Who can fall asleep during the riveting and addictive drama of Lifetime reality TV???

New Year Races and Resolutions

Twins: I think this is going to be a very exciting year for the twins! Hayden has been talking up a storm lately, and even putting together complete sentences. Last night, he picked up a pair of Brenna's shorts and said, "I see pink."

And, he was right. Sometimes he is right when I don't even notice he is right. For example, a few nights ago I was pulling him closer and kissing him. I asked him, "What is this?"
I was fishing for him to say, "Kiss!"

Instead, he said, "It's hot." Um....no. So I repeated. Turns out, after 5 times, he was saying, "It's a HUG." And I was indeed hugging him.

This will be a big year for him with preschool and potty training. He is currently growing out of his 3T clothing so I expect him to be massive by the end of the year.

Brenna has been trying to talk and this is a child that needs to talk. She has been getting very frustrated and has a short patience. This is particularly prevalent when she is getting dressed, however the tantrums now occur over seemingly nothing.

We had success over the weekend dressing her in our adorable matching running skirts. Although she was surprisingly cooperative putting it on, she was less cooperative taking a photo.


But that is okay, we had just spent the afternoon playing outside and it was past nap time. I expected nothing less from a tired 2-year old!


Brenna will be attending a developmental preschool in just a matter of weeks. This will be the first time the twins will be separated. As a mother, and a blogger, it is a fine line to adequately share, while not over sharing. I want dont want to misrepresent out lives because its not all PRs, puppies and rainbows (although we do love seeing those things with the jogging stroller). At the same time, I dont want to encroach on Brenna's privacy. I am hoping that separating them temporarily gives Brenna the chance to relish in the success of her own accomplishments at her own pace.

The key to this will be leaving the house every day. After her wonderful day spent in matching running shirts, I attempted the next morning to dress her in a brand-new, beautiful dress. Brenna was not going to allow me to control her outfits 2 days in a row - that was pushing it.

But Hayden modeled the dress for us instead.



Triathlons: I havent pieced together my race schedule yet, although I think my first race will be on January 28th, on an arduous trail. I have not signed up for the race, nor picked my distance - my options are 4 miles or 11 miles. After that, I plan on focusing on the bike and doing some duathlons.

I dont have any specific goals for 2012, but here are the times I need to break for any PRs. It would be nice to PR in every distance:

Desert Classic Duathlon - 2:09
Olympic Distance triathlon - 2:28:5X
Half Marathon - 1:32:52
5K with stroller - 2:32
5K no stroller - 19:42
5K in summer heat - 20:09

If I feel crazy, there is always an option for a 70.3, but I dont think this year I am quite physically ready for that. Perhaps that is on the agenda for 2013!

The Most Annoying Purchase Ever

It's not related to twins.
It's not related to triathlons.

It may also be the most random purchase:


We can also label it the most impractical purchase too.
First, it's see-though
and Second, it's too wide to fit through the doorway.

This is definitely what Alton Brown would tag as a "Unitasker" because there is only one thing that you can possibly do with this - wear it for its intended purpose. (and in case you dont know, because its not really intuitive, you are supposed to wear it under your skirt when you go square dancing).

Do I square dance?
No I do not.

And hence why this has become the most annoying purchase ever.

David is endlessly asking me to "put it away."
The problem is, put it away where?

It takes up my entire closet.
You cannot hang it on a hanger.
And no matter how hard I try, I cannot stuff it into a drawer.

So why did I buy this thing?
I saw it a garage sale for $3 and became instantly memorized by its extreme puffiness. It's like a tutu on crack, and when you put it on and twirl around, you feel graceful and magnificent - until you get dizzy and want to puke.

And then you take it off, walk away and forget about it until David tells you to put it away.


And I am sure that half of you have already made the joke that the place this thing belongs is the trash, but I just cannot bring myself to throw it away. As much as it annoys me, every time I look at it, I fall back in love with the way it transforms me into a flower.


At least I am not the only one who appreciates it:


Hayden always understands!

And so it Continues.....

I was hoping that Brenna's overzealous attitude about getting dressed would turn out to be a short-lived phase. I was at least hoping, over many attempts, that she would throw me a bone and show me what she wanted to wear.

But ultimately, she doesn't want to wear anything.
Or, at least anything acceptable.

She will often throw a 10-minute tantrum because she wants me to put her overnight diaper back on. This pee-laden diaper often weighs 5 pounds and it smells like......pee.


I am willing to break just about any rule:
Brown shoes with black pants? Fine.
Stripes with plaid? Fine.
Shoes that do not match? Fine.
Her brother's sweatshirt that is 3 sizes too big? Fine.

But a wet overnight diaper that has been worn for 12 hours, and already removed and placed in the trash with last night's dinner scraps? Not fine.

Perhaps some of this is my fault for dressing her up in a leotard one too many times when she was younger...and seemingly oblivious. Perhaps she no longer trusts me, although I have promised her multiple times that she never needs to wear a leotard again. At the time, I just couldn't resist showing off those wonderful, chubby toddler legs. They are irresistible!


Ah, how I miss the days of dressing her in cute clothing.
And dressing her in 5 minutes.

Sometimes I am tempted not to leave the house to avoid the whole debacle, but then I am letting a two-year old run our lives.

For example, we had our weekly playdate on Thursday at Toy Town. I wanted to go see my friends, and Hayden wanted to go play with the train.


Luckily, David was home to help with the dressing. Brenna shows less resistance with him, and he is better at holding her down. Also, it allowed me to capture this video.
When I was pregnant, I read the 11-steps for preparing for motherhood. Only now do I truly understand number 5:

Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.

Enjoy.