The Good News is...

Because West Michigan Multisport Racing is a 501(c)(3), non-profit corporation – with no paid staff – 100% of remaining funds, most of which was generated through donations from our corporate sponsors, are available for our charities. We are pleased to announce that your enthusiastic support of the 2009 Millennium Triathlon generated nearly $30,000 that will bless the following charities:
- Children's Advocacy Center (Ottawa County)
- Children's Assessment Center (Kent County)
- Kent County Parks Foundation
- Kids Food Basket (Grand Rapids)
- YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids

But wow--even 5 days later I am still sad this race did not happen...is that weird? I understand all the reasons it did not happen (hello big bolt of lightening that I saw out the car window at exactly 8:20a.m. when I was to be in the water)...but still the disappointment is there. What is funny about Tri's is that in some ways I tell myself that I am crazy pretty much right up until we jump into the water....the whole car ride over in the dark I am thinking wow--I really don't want to get in the water--hmmm this was a poor choice....but that is where the adrenaline addiction begins. You dread it--your stomach hurts--and then suddenly the horn, the gun or the whistle goes off and you are in it....and then in just a few minutes you are climbing out of the water and on your bike and things start to feel better...then you are off your bike and things start to feel even better (ha...well they don't really feel better...in fact they feel quite awful for about a mile into the run)...but suddenly you start to feel good again and you see the finish line...and just like that you are eating a bagel chatting with other racers, thanking that person that said "go get em" after you passed them and feeling good that your workout was done for the day and that you are part of a community of people that decided to get out and kick some ass that day.

So imagine 700 people with those types of feelings being told the race was cancelled--700 people not really talking that much, walking their bikes back to the muddy field where their car was parked, soaking wet. The person that I felt the worst for was our friend Gregg--who we (I) talked into doing a triathlon...something he chalks up to BAM (bad alcohol management) on his part...I like to think I am highly persuasive! He was ready--he had trained and in an instant it was over with nothing but a shirt, swim cap and water bottle to show for it. We all joke that we do it for the shirt or the finishers medal...but we do it for so many reasons all of which you can't see. Gregg will do one--he has promised. Chris and I are signed up for the Labor Duathlon in Door County in September--our adrenaline will be replenished but wow I didn't know exactly how big my addiction was until last Saturday!

We love us some Disney!

Again I have been delinquent in publishing! We had a great time in Florida--we drove straight through on the way down and surprised the girls with a quick morning at the Magic Kingdom before heading down to see Chris' Aunt at Indian Rocks Beach. Although we were exhausted by the time we reached the beach...it was worth seeing how surprised/confused they were when they saw the Magic Kingdom sign as Chris told them we must have taken a wrong turn on the way to Granny Annie's!

We had a fabulous time visiting at the beach and then drove back to Orlando to meet the Heiler's and Janecek's for a good ol' 3 family vacation--we also managed to sneak in a Princess breakfast at Epcot with the Landon's of Beloit before meeting up with everyone else. We did the parks--some days just our family, some days all 13 of us! It was a great trip and I whole heartily admit that I love Disney World...I know, I know say what you will....but when you walk down main street at the Magic Kingdom and hear the piped in music something in me changes... it lets me be 6 again and get excited about seeing a dressed up Mouse and his friends! So yes...it is a lot of money...yes... it is full of people (quite possibly some of the best people watching)...yes my kids may not remember everything they saw.....yes the Small World song will be stuck in your head until New Year's Eve....but there is still something magical about Disney(or they drug the water....but I am sticking to the magical part!)

The whole group at Animal Kingdom!

Nemo

Getting Ready for the Princess Breakfast in Norway

Meeting Ariel in her "land" outfit!The front of the monorail ride with the driver!

Clare got to dance with the High School Musical Performers!

Swan Boat races anyone??? I know you are jealous...it was 102 that day and we had to wear the life jackets!

Pretend Play...

Addie and Clare were playing last night--the scene...Addie owned a horse farm and Clare was dropping her "child" off for horse camp. There exchange went like this...

Clare: "Hi! This is Lyla...she is my daughter and I am dropping her off early because I want to watch my show and she is being kind of crazy"
Addie: "Hi--Thanks for coming!"
Clare: "I hope she isn't too whiny for you!"
Addie: "Oh...well there is no whining on the horses!" (said in a very matter of fact tone)

I was dying...they have been listening to us about no whining,etc....the next trick....to catch themselves (not just Lyla) whining and remind themselves...oh...well...there is no whining when I (fill in the blank)!

Very, very tardy post...

Let's see...our last wine club "meeting" was Saturday, May 2nd....ummm over a month ago. While I realize that the balance of the world does not rely on my wine club notes, I do have a duty to uphold with documenting not only just how much we drank at wine night, but was any of it good?!

Our May meeting focused on Zinfandels....red, not the white zinfandels of our early college wine drinking experiences. Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in roughly 10 percent of California wine vineyards and it has been said to be genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski (you get a prize if you can say that...especially after a few tastes ;-), and the Primitivo variety traditionally found in the Italy.

Of course Appy and Rustin managed to win the top two spots--but we all agreed that all wines tasted were a 3 and above (Good(3), I like this wine(4) and I love this wine!(5)).

1. Martin Weyrich-2003 Paso Robles $22

2. Brutacao Mendocino--2006 $25

3. Layer Cake-Primitivo--Italy--2006 $10.99

4. Murphy Goode--Liar's Dice--2006 $16

5. Cline-Ancient Vine 2007 $20

6. Dutcher Crossing--Dry Creek Valley 2007 $39

Some things to note...the Layer Cake coming in 3rd was definitely the best value at $10.99--was better after it was decanted. Number 1 and 2 were simply....Excellent. Sadly...number 6 was from our wine club...we love Dutcher Crossing Cabernet and Chardonnay....but I think we opened this 2007 just a tad early. Next up for June...Pinot Noir's--any suggestions?

Lunching with the Ladies

I received this video after spending the weekend in Louisville for a "girls weekend". I posted this on Facebook--so perhaps you watched it there or have seen it before...if you haven't give it a looksy ;-) I love what she says about women and the complex yet simple relationships they share and it really resonated after spending time with two fabulous ladies who have known me for 20 years!

Our hotel was housing a Pentecostal Women's Retreat--I know they were secretly praying for us every time we walked through the revolving doors. We had a great time eating and drinking our way through Louisville--and we had a fabulous time at Churchill Downs--and despite the well intentioned suggestions of the seasoned betters who sat around us--we consistently won by picking horses that had names we liked or related to our lives in some way. All except the time I called Sara and let her pick the name of the horse....that horse came in last and was beat by a horse who had lost his jockey somewhere on the track. Pictures from Louisville follow the video ;-) ....a few are different from Facebook--so again....humor me and take a looksy ;-)

The average weight for a jockey is 114....there was a scale there to see how you "compared"...I respectfully declined!


I have no idea who this women is....well I take that back...I know that she is from Indiana....she has 4 kids....one is 2 years old...she is in her 40's....and she couldn't find the bathroom or how to turn the faucet on in the trendy bar called "Proof"....and that is when our friendship began...when I helped her find the bathroom and how to turn on faucet!

A list...

I really need to blog about our wonderful Zinfandel wine club night...but I realized how awful I am about blogging lately-- I only have one blog post separating the last time I blogged about a wine night (which meets every month). So....how bout a list....

• Garage Sales are a total pain--made somewhat easier this year by the pre-printed price tags I (Chris) bought at the Dollar Store.
• Garage Sale Anxiety---I fear (as I also do when we have parties) that no-one will show up? I know, I know...totally irrational....but c'mon a little valid right?
• H1N1--Totally Ridic! Clare's school has been out for 2 days now for a "probable" case and now they are saying that schools don't really need to close even for confirmed cases...uggh....double uggh...or should I say double oink!
• Craigslist Rules--despite some of the bad press it has been receiving lately--for those of us selling car seats and strollers it rules! We have managed to get back 1/2 of what we paid for a Sit and Stand Stroller and a Britax car seat--very nice!
• I can't wait for my girls weekend in Louisville with Kim and Jill next weekend!
• Florida and Disney World--getting excited about our trip with friends coming up in June and excited for our "Florida Planning Night" with our friends sans kids--i.e.--a good excuse to go to dinner and have drinks!
• Random swollen ankle seems to be getting better? Guessing it would have gotten better faster had I actually stopped running and teaching step....oops!
• My feet can't wait for my new New Balance 1063's to arrive and a possible chance to blog about them on the New Balance website--stay tuned!
• Addie and Clare are both playing soccer--so fun to see Addie doing what she has been watching Clare do for the last 2 years!
• Okay--so that seems like enough of a list to warrant a blog post--I promise I will get better!

Meant for someone else--I hope?!?...part two

Remember a few months back when I received this e-mail clearly meant for someone else? Well--this one is even better! Yesterday morning around 6:30a.m. I heard a text message come in on my cell phone--I glanced at the number and thought it belonged to someone who worked at the YMCA (it didn't)--but imagine my confusion when I pulled up this picture message:
This picture was simply titled: Talon

Okay--bizarre....but I went on with my day. Then a few hours later I received another picture message...

This one simply titled...Owl

So--I have a few questions of course?!?

• Did the Talon kill the Owl--in a Wild Kingdom type of fight?
• Did the caller go on a purposeful Owl and Talon hunt on a dreary Monday morning?
• Do people really hunt Talon and Owl?
• Is there someone out there all jacked because they soon will have a Talon scarf or Owl ear-muffs?
• Is this someone I know--and they clicked on my name instead of their Talon and Owl loving friend? Or did someone simply mis-dial 2x!
• Let me know if you were involved in a little post Easter hunting on Monday, April 13th!