Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!

Ever since this came in the mail, Oshyn has been a pirate for at least 1 to 2 hours a day. He'll announce, "I'm going to put on my pirate suit!" Then he gets out his sword and goes at it with all of the energy that he stores up...after that he just likes to play cars or watch a show with it on.

Cruz likes it too (I got him one also)--especially the hat and the yo ho pirates song...he sings ho!! ho!! Oshyn's favorite part is "Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads," What a sweet pirate. I want to drink them both up, they are so awesome.

'Tri' to win Mom!

That's what Oshyn said to me as they dropped me off at Julie's house to truck over to Pleasanton for the night (good thing b/c I was running out of ways to give intros to the triathlon blogs...can you say a-bit-obsessed-with-tri's?)  I'll spare you the details, but lets just say we had a good time before the tri even started!  

This morning Julie, Dena, Wendy and I finished the 'See Jane Tri' Triathlon in Shadow Cliffs in Pleasanton.  It is such a good atmosphere and 'See Jane Tri' is the 1st triathlon I did--2 years ago--has a special place in my heart (or at least my hamstrings)!  My goal was to beat my last time here and I DID IT!  I beat myself by about 5 minutes.  Hopefully this will become an annual tradition for us and we would love to add to the group...you have no excuses--a WHOLE year to train!!

Thanks girls for making this such a rad day and I will be getting a fabulous nights sleep tonight!! 
 

Hard Core

I love this kid and the fact that if his Dad tells him to wear a headband and two wristbands...no questions asked, it happens.  I'm still laughing.  This should be an interesting "season" (aka 6 games).  

Independence

Oshyn has figured out a new way up...
(Where is Waldo with his striped shirt on?)

Trying to forget

This is about 2 weeks past, hence...trying to forget :) Labor day weekend, we had this fabulous idea to go to the beach. Beau and his Dad would go Abalone diving in the wee hours of the morning--catch their limit (3 each) and then the rest of us would meet them at Portuguese Beach (near Bodega Bay) for a day in the sand and sun. We had it down--bring the BBQ to cook the abalone, drinks in the cooler, side dishes for lunch, port-a-cribs for naps, swimsuits for getting in the water...you name it, we had it covered...or so we thought. Who would have thought that the 1st day of Sept would be SO DANG WINDY AND COOOOOOLLLLLDDDDD and the water would be CRAZY?
Well it was. Hawaii spoiled us.

This should have been a sign (it IS a sign, but I meant an omen).

Did I mention the boys only got one abalone? Enough for appetizers back at the Panttaja's.

But I'd be lying if I said we didn't still have a good time. Sweatshirts and all.

Football helmets?

Ever since Oshyn was a little baby, people (after looking at his build) would always comment to us..."He's going to be a football player!" or "You've got a line-backer on your hands!" I think he may have over heard...

What am I thinking? Of course he over heard, that kid doesn't miss A THING!!

He always has to wear his helmet when playing football (the bike helmet will have to do for now) and Saturday Daddy decided to join in on the fun...wearing a helmet that is.

If you don't succeed at (getting) first, tri tri again

Saturday morning was a fun one!  We got together with some friends and had our own triathlon around the neighborhood 

(after realizing a supposed tri for the guys was a kids only).  

How many people have friends that would want to do this?! 

 The Schiess' set it all up with maps, numbers, and even yellow jerseys for all.  We were teamed up as couples and split the distances of the swim, bike, and run--so, 200m swim, 4 m bike, 2 m run for each person--tag team after each leg...double for total distance.  

Lets just say that the Nobmann team worked it and came in 6 m 40 sec before the Schiess'.  Sorry Webbs as hard as Justin worked, you were DNQ for your missing link (aka Dena).  Better luck next time to all 4 of you! 

Here's to the bragging rights!!  Cheers!

(my "for-the-photo" finish)

Denva and Koosherem solo mio

Wednesday night we headed off to Colorado to visit my Mom and Pete in what Oshyn used to call "Denva", sounding like his kiwi Grandad.  (Always a bummer when they realize things that you don't want them too--like Denva, Denver and bear hockey, air hockey...you get my drift.)  Fortunately the airplane was only 1/2 full on our flight and we got a whole row to ourselves.  Actually more like 5 rows to ourselves.  Thursday was spent at the park, not just any park but a Denva park, with an array of play equipment and huge climbing rocks out of our norm.  Then Grandad taught Oshyn how to sail--making sure he was ready..."Which is the right?  Which is the left?"  Lucky for Oshyn he knew/guessed the correct answers and was given the controls.  Friday rained, which opened the doors to the mall with a huge indoor smooshy playground.  I think everyone else had the same idea.  I have never seen so many kids with so many parents chasing after them in my life.  A GREAT people watching opportunity.  We ate pizza at Deby's restaurant which may seem like no big deal to most, but a gluten-free pizza that somebody else makes is HUGE.  Thanks Deby.  Here comes the kicker...then Pete dropped me off at the airport...BY-MY-SELF to go to my girlfriend's wedding.  I can honestly say my head felt lighter--not dizzy, but to only have to worry about myself--I almost didn't know what to do.  I would have to say that I only have a small amount, if no, sympathy for those who complain about plane rides when they have zero kids in tow.  As entertaining as the short guys are, how fun was it to cruise the shops in the airport, read my book and just sit.  I highly recommend it.  Maybe that's just it, when its not the norm, you appreciate it more.  I stayed the night with Beau's mom in Draper and just mosied on down to the middle of nowhere land arriving in a beautiful ranch, 3 hours south of SLC, in Koosherem, Utah.  My Meghan Marie Kennedy is now Meghan Marie Rickenbach.  What a fun wedding sitting on hay bales for the ceremony and listening to a blue grass band all night under a blanket of stars and white lights.  I think a few people felt bad for me, being alone and offered for me to bunk with them for the night...don't worry Beau, just girls--no lonely cowboys.  I reassured them that I WANTED to stay by myself, I actually finished my book for once!  Sunday I headed back north.  You know you are in Utah when it is 10:55am and you start looking for a church--find one at 10:56am (took a whole minute because like I said earlier--I was in the middle of nowhere) and go to Sacrament at 11am.  The gospel is alive and kickin' even in Salina 4th ward.  I caught up with Grandma Orchard, Uncle Robert, the Knapps, and Grandma Annie once again before I said Aloha to the Beehive state around 8pm.  Then yada yada yada-I-probably-should-have-slept-in-the-Denver-airport, we all arrived in Sacramento this morning at 8 am.  Thank you so very very much Mom and Pete for thinking our kids are as great as we do and loving them lots.  A good time for us all.  

Simple pleasures

I would go into Labor again for another day like this...
Sleeping in longer than 7am
Waking up to French toast (President's style)
Having my car washed by a tall dark handsome man, while I vacuumed his truck and then swapped
Reading my scriptures distraction-less
Going for a run stroller-less
Shopping and actually buying something I needed
Swimming with my 3 favorite boys
BBQ for dinner
Kiddos in bed by 8

I wish the Carwash guy had every Monday off