Kid Speak...

We've been going to the library about once a week lately and I've been encouraging the kids to explore the sections outside of juvenile fiction. Yesterday the XO was reading to the kids and 1LT CJ handed him a book to read and very proudly said "It's a non-picture book!". He meant non-fiction of course! :-)

The creative process is exhausting!

SSG AJ was exercising her creative juices this afternoon at the "art table" when the XO noticed that she had gotten really quiet. He walked over to check on her and this is how he found her...


As BalticTiger can attest, creating takes a lot of energy! It obviously just wore this little one out!

But there are definite hazards to falling asleep while drawing... you may end up needing a bath when you wake up!

I wish I could remember being three. It must have been a blast!

My Husband is Clinically Insane!

So the XO headed out for "a quick ride" yesterday while the CO and the rest of the troops were at the pediatrician and the playground. When he got home and flopped into a chair the CO casually asked "So how far did you ride" and nearly fell over when she heard the answer - "75 miles".
I guess I should have gotten a hint when he said "Don't worry unless I've been gone for over 5 hours". This ride clocked in at a manageable 4 hours and 40 minutes. :-)
But I guess I can't really claim that he's insane since I've been know to run for over 4 hours at a time... I just never travel as far as he does! Cycling wins from the persepctive of kindess to your joints and the amount of scenery experienced, but runners don't end up with little tiny T Rex arms!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

I can't believe that EJ is 2 months old already! Here are the latest "stats" from her appointment yesterday: 11lbz 2oz; 23 inches long; "developmentally perfect" and "looks just like her brother and sister right down to the umbilical hernia"! Ha!

She started a new "game" today after she discovered that when she squeals someone will look her way and smile and she can give them a huge smile in return. We spent most of the day grinning at each other... toothless baby grins are the best!

Hi Ho Silver.... No She Means Hi Ho "Daddy"

Annie Oakley she is not but she is certainly an energetic young Cowgirl to be riding around on her father's back while she "shoots" at her older brother.

Oh my aching back.... time for more Aleve.

Maybe I will think twice next time that I decide to bike 60 miles like I did today.

As I like to say.... Oh Well :-)

XO

A Three Year Old's Triptec:

All,

I decided to include a series that was shot by our middle rating, SSG AJ recently in our study.

You see having a background in photojournalism I do not want to shy away from having my kids take pictures. As long as they treat the family digital camera right then they are free to shoot away.

Enjoy!

The object in the left upper corner is not a giant slug or worm but the digit of a small photograher that keeps forgeting to not wrap her finger around the lens.

The last picture is, by definition, not part of the triptec. It was just the small photog's main goal during this shoot.

Beautiful Girls... To Us At Least

Everyone is probably tired of my cycling bloggin so I decided to go back to something that I know will get good ratings.... picts of the two younger girls.

Enjoy and Take Care.

XO

Cycling "Cheese Cake"....... NOT

Well spandex certainly shows one where one needs to focus one's nutrition and work-outs on.

Either that or I need to get more than one 15 year old cycling jersey.... something with many colors and designs on it to place less emphasis on my mid-section.

That or I need to cut back on the breakfast tacos and migas and eat more veggies.

Hmmmmm..... but is not my cycling partially done to allow me my few food "vices"???

Wait, don't answer that.

Well you do finally get to see me actually out on the bicycle placing some credence to my tales of woe and dead skunks.

Enjoy but please do laugh too hard.

XO

More Wind and My First Brush With Impending DOOM:

Pretty good day for cycling here in Cen-Tex. I say "pretty good" since there was a wind from the South today at 15mph sustained with gusts up to 28 mph. The sun and the temps were pleasant, temps that would have BalticTiger out cycling even.

I decided to head South today into the aformentioned "wind" and quickly started to question my sanity. It was a cross of feeling like I was riding on the beaches of Oregon or sitting in a Boeing wind tunnel. Intrepid that I was, I continued on with my ride bound and determined to get the most out of my time. I did take heart with the knowledge that I would be returning with the wind at my back, something that helped me continue along.

During my ride south to San Marcos I decided to head farther through the city to add some miles to my favorite course. After braving the city/college traffic in San Marcos I was treated to a narrow state highway with absolutely no shoulders. Brings to mind the game "Frogger" from my youth.

After surviving the mile or two of absent shoulders I was treated to a very nice stretch of smooth and wide asphalt shoulders, something that helped me keep going for another 4-5 miles.

Well I had decided that I would not be out too long, lest the CO send out the SAR teams, so I turned around at the 17.6 mile point and headed back North.

Praise be to God and cycling, Mr. Wind decided to hold true to his word and supplied me with a merry trip back, merry that is except when I went through San Marcos. Oh well....

Oh... you wonder what my first Brush With Doom was??? Well as I was going through the streets of San Marcos I came to a 4-way stop sign. "Mr. Import Sedan", who was coming from the opposite direction, decided to rush the stop sign and made me take evasive action while I turned to the left. Well I did not see a gravel patch as I was turning to avoid "Mr. Import Sedan" and almost kicked out my bike from under me. This would have happened except that self preservation and probably a Guardian Angel separated my left shoe from the pedal and I rode for a couple of feet with my foot on the ground like an outrigger. This helped me avoid the gravel but it directed me into the path of "Mrs. Silver Camry". Suffice to say she was not traveling at a very fast clip and I quickly moved back to my side of the road cursing "Mr. Import Sedan".

Well "Ce la Vie" I guess.....

I don't think the CO liked it when I told her my tale. Better shut my talkative trap next time.

Take Care.

XO