Summer Recap 2013 -Part 2

Got Energy Triathlon
On June 9, 2013 I did my first triathlon in about five years, and my first triathlon since becoming a mama!  It was my fifth triathlon I've done so far.  I trained and did the race with my friend Michelle, who is also a mama and has a little boy, also named Henry, who happens to be only a week older than my Henry! I had a great race that day and may have even PR-ed but I don't know since I can't remember any of my old times.  My time was 1 hr 41 min.  My splits were- 1/4 mile swim - 9:51, 17 mile bike - 59:01, and 5K run - 28:47, plus transition time.  I was happy with my time since my goal was just to feel good and stay with the pack.  I ended up placing third in my age group and earning a "prize" (which was a coffee mug) and my friend Michelle placed second in our age group.
The day of our race was yucky and cold, especially for June, but it ended up being good racing weather.  The only issue was that the water in the lake was very cold and very choppy.  Many people started the race but only got a couple hundred feet out in the lake before they decided to turn around and call it quits.  There were even a few people that needed rescue assistance from the life-guards in kayaks, but thankfully everyone made it back to shore one way or another.  I've always considered myself to be a strong swimmer, but I wasn't even trying for time during this swim.  I was just in survival mode, trying to stay above the waves and not drink too much water.  I did end up passing a lot of people in my swim though, so I think years of swim team, and being a lifeguard gave me a leg up.  My bike was the most challenging for me since it was so long and you are isolated for most of the ride.  It really is a mental game at that point to stay with it and keep pushing.  I purchased a new road bike (on Craigslist - so new to me anyways) that I used for the race, and I think it made a big difference in terms of being lighter and faster, and it made shifting SO much easier.  The improved shifting was especially key on the hill climbs on the course!  My run ended up just going ok.  I had finished a GU pack right as I came off my bike so I drank a bunch of water and then took off on my run.  For the first mile I had a horrible side ache (I think because of the water and GU intake) but just kind of plugged along and was able to kick it in at the end.  Overall it was a fun race and I am glad I did it!

Getting pumped up and getting all my gear ready to go the night before! 

Anticipating getting in VERY cold water.  I was super glad I rented a full-body wet-suit. I felt really bad for the girls in swim-suits standing next to me. :/ 

Coming out of the transition area after the swim, about to taking off on the bike. 

Running out of the transition area to get on my bike. 

Running out of the transition area after the bike to go for my run. 

On the final stretch! 

Running in to the finish line! 

Michelle running up to the finish line! 

Yay!  All done! 

Henry is super stoked.  NOT. 

I was thrilled LJ and Henry could be there to cheer me on! =) 

All done!  Me, Michelle, and our friend Nick. 

Michelle and I at the finish.  

After receiving my "prize" for third place in my age category. 

Triathletes!  Second and third place in our age category!

Summer 2013 Recap

Trip to Colorado:
In June we went back to Denver and Boulder for the first time since we moved at end of December 2011, and for the first time since Henry was born!  The last time I was in Colorado, I was 30 weeks pregnant!
Going back with Henry was wonderful because it was great to see so many friends and familiar places, but it was also a challenge to try and fit everything in that we wanted to do, while traveling with a 15 month old.  Also adding to the challenge was the fact that a day after we got to Denver Henry came down with a fever that he had for three days, so he was not himself and had a very hard time sleeping during our trip AND the first four days of the trip (that was a little over a week total) LJ was attending the ASHRAE (engineering) conference so I was on my own with Henry and trapped in our hotel room when he was napping.  Actually I was trapped in the same bed with him while he was napping ON ME because he wasn't feeling well and wouldn't sleep without me holding him.  =/
Other than that, it was wonderful to get back to Colorado and see so many of our wonderful friends, former co-workers and colleagues, and visit our old stomping grounds.  Even though our hotel was luxurious (and paid for by LJ's employer! yay!) we discovered it's much easier to stay in a house or condo when traveling with a baby, because then when they are asleep, at least you can be in another room and hang out!  Once the conference was over we spent a night with friends in Wash Park (Denver) and things went much better.  After the first five days in Denver we went up to Boulder and spent the rest of the time there with our dear friends Eva and Ken who have a son who was 19 months in June, which made life so much easier, and more fun for Henry! We also got to see many of our other Boulder friends including our former house-mates Rob and Dale (and their two little girls) and Arpita and Karl (and their little boy).  The last day of our trip we had a great picnic at a park in north Boulder and many of LJ's grad school friends came to that, so that was a really wonderful way to end a great trip.  I hope we can go back soon!

6.23.13 - Trip to Vine Street Pub... which only lasted about 10 minutes because I realized I had the car keys and LJ was still at his conference and needed to meet us.  So... we walked back towards him to Steuben's! 

6.23.13- At Stueben's with Morgs! 

6.23.13 - At Stueben's with Henry!  The last time he was here he was in my belly! 

Hanging out at our rooftop pool at the hotel.  Thanks Trane! 

Happy hour at Earl's downtown with Joe and Mary! 

Visiting Good Shepherd and seeing my old principle, Mary B! 

Lunch with Monica at True Food in Cherry Creek

Henry loved watching the cars and people walk up 16th st mall from our hotel room

Henry hanging with Joe at happy hour at Earls.

6.26.13 -Some of my old GS students!  They are so grown up now!  

6.26.13- Lovely family picnic at the Denver Botanic Gardens with GS families

6.27.13- Our old apartment in Denver! 

6.28.13- pool time with great girlfriends in Boulder! 

Family pool time in Boulder! 

6.28.13- Happy hour at Next Door in Boulder

With Margaret at happy hour at Next Door! 

Arpita and Karl at Next Door! 

I miss seeing the flatirons everyday 

6.29.13- fun picnic with Rob and Dale and their girls

6.29.13 - a little hike in Chautauqua with my boys 

6.29.13 - hiking in Chautauqua

6.29.13 - happy Henry hiking in Chautauqua 

Chautauqua hike

Hanging at Chautuaqua

Family of three now at Chautauqua! 

6.29.13 - Boulder farmer's market - my favorite! 

At the Boulder farmer's market 

Our old Wednesday evening and Saturday morning tradition - the Boulder farmer's market - now doing it as a family of three! 

6.29.13 - Family hike in Chautauqua.

I'm back

Hello!  After a long hiatus on the blog I am back!  I know I said this before, but I'm going to *try* to do a better job at updating you on what's going on in our lives and what Henry is up too.  SO much has happened for him since I last wrote a real post on how much he's grown and what he's been up to.  A brief run -down:  Henry is 18 months!  He is trying to talk and has a collection of words he likes to use, but he is learning more every day.  He is 23 lbs and 31.18 inches.  I'll have to find his stats from his 18 month check up to see his percentiles, but he is growing!  He loves to play at the park and loves to be outside.  He is becoming more and more physically daring and goes down the twisty slide all by himself!
We spent much of this summer traveling and getting the chance to have some really fun experiences as a family, so I'll try to give you a recap on all of  that too.

So far this fall has been lovely.  We have had beautiful weather, and our schedules have slowed down a little bit as we've been cutting back on taking trips.  Our life is falling back into a predictable pattern, which is nice.  I kind of love back to school time and the rhythms of the fall.  =) 

Here's a little taste of some Henry cuteness, but don't worry, more is sure to come!

9.21.13 - loving the slide in the park

9.21.13 - sliding is his favorite.