The Comfort Zone.

We're off to a race this weekend.  There is a half-ironman event in St. George and I will be cheering alongside my children while D races his pants off.  A year ago, this was a full Ironman event and after too many people almost died, the powers that be modified the course and declared that going forward, it would be a half.  My husband was one of those.  Remember?  Ugh.  I wasn't there as there were other things scheduled that weekend and chose those over the race.  I'm not making that mistake again.

We are all going.  There are sacrifices being made all around- dance classes, swimming lessons, a tumbling recital and a baseball game will be missed so we can be there for dad.  Because he has made sacrifices too, mostly in the form of sleep and time at home so he can be prepared.  That was my one request when he started this triathlon madness a few years ago.  I'm on board if you'll put in the time to be prepared so it's not a disaster.  Well, we've seen disasters, but not due to the lack of preparation.  He's ready.  He's strong.  He's hitting the times he wants to see and it's going to be a great race.

It's going to be great because he has created it to be such.  A friend of mine, Justin Prince, recently wrote about ambition and the idea that the only thing standing in the way of ambition is comfort.  It's the same idea that my dad has driven into us since we were little... "get out of your comfort zone."  Growth doesn't occur in our comfort zone.  Dent's ambition consistently pushes him out of his physical comfort zone in order to reach a place that is slightly higher than he was before.  It is this ambition that we will be celebrating this weekend as he swims, bikes and runs his way through southern Utah.

It is this same ambition that has my children ready for the kids race that will occur the evening before.  They want to run further and faster than they did before and are well aware that this will involve some discomfort.  It is this same desire for something greater than my present state that has me working out consistently and eating like a nazi because there is a mountain on my calendar in August and my greatest fear is not being ready for it.

We have a comfort zone in every aspect of our lives.  At work and at home we can do the same thing day after day or we can reach for a slightly higher standard.  In school, Cooper can easily do a certain number of math facts in 4 minutes, but to become a Math Master, he needs to increase the number, so he stretches outside of his comfort zone and pushes a little harder- more timed tests, more flash cards, more talking through strategy so he can get there.  In regards to my responsibility to feed my family, we have moved well out of our former comfort zone when it comes to the food we are eating.  The old standards are no more and a new level of health has been established.  One area that is easy to sit tight in is our spiritual life.  If the daily routine doesn't include time for thoughtful prayer, time for meaningful service or time for digging into the scriptures, then fitting those things in isn't comfortable- it's a push, a sacrifice.  But if there is the desire for a higher plane, a closer relationship with Heaven, a constant companionship with the Sprit, we make time and it ends up being well worth the sacrifice and the steps we took outside of our comfort zone.

The questions that have been rolling around are these:  Am I happy where I am?  My answer is yes.  Do I want more?  Yes.  Am I capable of better?  Yes.  Can I achieve the things I want and my full potential by doing what I'm doing now?  No.  What I'm doing now is great, but where I want to be is amazing and completely worth the time, energy and discomfort it will take to get there.

I'm grateful for those in my life that inspire me, that ignite my ambition and help me want to be more than I am.  My sisters probably have comfort zones, but they step out of them so regularly, I think they have grown to be massive.  My brother has been tossed out of his comfort zone a few times and responds with more strength and surety than anyone else could.  My parents believe in and support and encourage me and have always done so.  The girlfriends in my life are incredible examples of women of strength, great mothers, happy wives and daughters of God who know just what their purpose is and will not be deterred.  Denten somehow conveys two messages- one, that who I am now is wonderful and enough and two, that he believes I can achieve amazing things and he'll support me in achieving them.  And he's incredibly patient while I continue to figure out just where I'm headed.

And so this weekend, we will pray for minimal wind, comfortable temps and be confident in the fact that ambition will get Dad across the finish line... and that angels will help the rest of us be happy cheerleaders until it happens!

Winter Escape

Dad can't go very long without an adventure and seeing as the helicopter didn't fly last year, these crazies were itching to get back up on untouched terrain.  Denten and I flew the coop and headed to Idaho to find winter.  We stayed in Teton Springs, near Victor and Driggs, just over the mountain from Jackson, WY.  It was heartbreaking that the weather didn't allow the helicopter to fly... well, heartbreaking for the hard-core.  For me it just meant that I had more ski buddies at Grand Targhee.

D, AB, Dad, Nanette and Brad

Sisters.  We were missing one.

The ski gang.  

D, AB, Brad, Nan, Jeff, Dad and Harrie

Kate, Wade and Dan were missed all weekend.

The second day the chopper was having issues so we made the most of a bummer situation with a trip to the spa and shopping in Jackson.

We met this disturbing creature on the way home.  He's lucky his wife appreciates his facial hair because the rest of us are not so kind.

Time away from children is necessary occasionally.  It was so nice and can't happen again too soon.

G list

- I'm grateful for Cooper.  He had a busy day yesterday and took it all in stride.  He had three consecutive football games as his team kept advancing through the league playoffs to the championship game.  This was his first season playing football and was on a team with boys who had all played together before.  He worked hard to learn where he was supposed to be and what his role was and then executed with all he had.  By game three everyone was tired and trying to hold it together and he made sure he ended the season giving his all and having a great time.  They lost the last game but when they scored, he threw up his arms and jumped around and was as happy as could be, even knowing that it was too late to win the game.  He was complimentary to his teammates and respectful to his coach and left the field with a touchdown and a great catch at the end of the day.  I was so proud of how he played, but also of how he interacted with his teammates.

Last night he participated in the Cavalcade of Music Festival.  There were 20 pianos on stage with two pianists at each piano.  They had been learning and practicing their duets since Christmas.  Coop was dedicated to attending his rehearsals and making sure he knew his pieces well.  With everyone playing together and adding percussion, the performance was impressive.  I am so grateful that he felt confident and that performing does not make him nervous.  I am grateful that he enjoys music and the process of learning and performing.

Today Denten was out of town and we have church from noon until 3:00 with sacrament meeting last.  By the time we hit the chapel, everyone is tired and reverence is achieved with great effort.  During the sacrament I looked over at Cooper who had his arms folded, head bowed and eyes closed.  His lips were moving slightly and I had gratitude wash over me that he chose to come to this family.  He has his moments, but this kid is good and that is in spite of the fact that I keep trying to learn how to be a parent with him and heaven knows I do not get it right the first time very often.  Coop is a blessing to me and I love him so much.

- I'm also grateful for my little village.  With D gone today, I had my village to back me up as I needed to be in primary both hours and was not able to manage Stella.  Norbergs, Williams, Sabeys and Adams.. there may have been more... saved me today, and it wasn't the first time.  I'm grateful that these people love my children and that I can depend on them when I can't do it all on my own.  I was able to put my full concentration into primary without worrying one bit if my baby was ok.  Arriving home to fresh homemade wheat bread on my doorstep from Holly capped it off.  It made dinner come together easily and was just one more reminder that my family here extends outside of my home.

- I'm grateful for a text that the helicopter functioned properly and delivered D into the canyon safely.  My angels work hard, and I don't ever want them to think I don't appreciate them!

Pinewood Derby

Scouts.  It's a foreign world to me.  It involves one of the zillion times I thank the heavens I am not a single parent.  Lucky for all of us, Dad was more than willing to head this one up.  Many nights were spent in the laundry room strategizing, sanding, painting, and other things I am not aware of.

The actual event was fun.  I was not sad that both soccer and football were rained out that day so we could all be there to participate. 

Don't mind that Coop doesn't have any patches sewn on his shirt... I know I'm supposed to have something to do with that, but I have pretended otherwise so far.  Ok, I'll get on it.

His car came in fourth place, which he was proud of.  Dad was proud because apparently he did not have super cars as a boy and was determined Coop be at least in the middle of the pack.

Could we just keep him this way forever?  I like him.

Daddy-Daughter Dance

Ishikawa daddy-daughter dance, Feb. 2013

Seneca came home a few weeks ago bouncing out of her skin waving a flier from school around over her head.  "I get to go to a dance with dad!!"  My first thought was actually a prayer.. please, please let him be available.  Due to rainy Saturdays, we ended up having a make-up soccer game the night of the dance, and even though this girl loves her soccer, there was no conflict in her mind.

We discussed wearing something she might dance a little better in, but she wanted her fanciest attire for her date with dad.  She had a ball learning new moves with dad (a flip!) and squealing with her friends. I'm all for this kind of school activity... and I'm oh, so grateful Dent carved out room in his calendar to make it happen. He's always had something special for this little girl, and it is clear that the feeling is mutual.  Here's to many more daddy-daughter dates!

my baby

will be doing this tomorrow:



50 miles of trail running, mountain biking, rappelling and kayaking. He's on a four-man team, they all do the entire course together. It's gonna be a blast!

11

11 years ago yesterday I got hitched.

11 years ago I was sealed to my eternal companion.

11 years ago I wore a dress that made me feel gorgeous.

Then I vomited in the bushes at the temple. not so gorgeous.

11 years ago I started a family that has gotten more fun as each little person joined us.

11 years ago I tripped over my gorgeous dress and face-planted in the grass.

11 years ago there was a party with big, fluffy, yellow dresses.

There was wrestling and laughing in the big, fluffy, yellow dresses. My mother had to look away.

11 years ago my little brother cried and was mad at my husband for taking me away.

11 years ago I made sacred covenants with my husband that made him mine forever and always.

it's been a darn good 11 years. May whatever comes our way include more gorgeous dresses, more parties, more promises to have and to hold, more fun little people in our family and more wrestling while laughing on the floor.

33 things…

Denten is 33 years old today. His birthday requests were simple and modest. All he really wanted was a new bike rack for Suby. I love when he’s easy to please!

In honor of the guy I married, here are 33 things about Denten:

1. He's mine. Forever and beyond. Perhaps you already knew this, but it's rather important to me.

2. Our first real date involved calling for elk on Cedar mountain. I chose to focus on the romantic fact that we were alone in the forest and not the fact that we were calling out very weird sounds to attract large animals that might one day grace my walls. Oh, shudder. Yes, he was wearing plaid flannel and my, I found him attractive.

3. He is a two-time High School Basketball State Champion. And a legend of some degree in his small hometown. Go Redmen!

4. His hunting weapon of choice is a bow and arrow. He has hunted (and killed) with a rifle, but has since switched gears. My dad says it's because of his native roots. I think it's also because it's more of a challenge. When we lived in New York and he didn't have the hills of Southern Utah to roam, he joined Columbia's archery team. For some reason it was a lot easier for me to support aiming at that target than at a four-legged furry animal. And it's not because I'm any sort of animal-rights activist... I would just prefer that they live somewhere other than with me once they're dead. Archery fits with the deliberate side of Denten. Patient, calm and methodical.

5. Denten thinks before he speaks. Sometimes he thinks for a long time and my brain starts yelling, "just spit it out!" However, this positive trait has given him little, if any, reason to regret what comes out of his mouth. He does not jump to conclusions. He makes decisions thoughtfully. He is straightforward.

6. His physical injuries have included mild sprained ankles, jumper's knee and a separated pinkie finger. Basketball, running, football...

7. He wanted to be an orthodontist when I met him. I'm kinda glad he changed his mind, for selfish reasons. I think legal talk is way more interesting than talk of the mouth and teeth.

8. He is an Ironman.

9. He is a member of the Navajo Nation and is incredibly proud of his heritage. So much so that he has chosen to serve native people as his profession.

10. Denten has a super soft spot for his little girl. He thinks she is the most gorgeous thing that ever walked the earth and if she plays it right, she can get him to say yes. This is potentially very dangerous.

11. He served a mission for the LDS church to Catania, Italy. He spent the entire second year of of his mission on the small island of Malta and had wonderful experiences.

12. While he is often content in his present circumstances, he is always looking ahead, making plans and striving for more and better than currently exists. This is true in our family as well as professionally.

13. He knows how to knit. You very well may have seen him wearing a hat of his own creation.

14. He also cooks. Dare I say better than I do. He takes his kitchen creations very seriously. It is wise not to comment or suggest when he's in the zone.

15. He misses Max. Max Soha's, that is. The only Italian food that has come close to being acceptable to his fine pallet. In fact, the quality and variety of food in New York City is what he misses most. Unfortunately, this is not enough to ever get him to move back there.

16. He doesn't complain.

17. He used to go dancing at clubs quite frequently, and has serious moves. I only got to witness a few times as most of his dancing shenanigans occurred when we were living on separate sides of the country for a summer, but let me assure you- the guy could rip it up on the dance floor.

18. He would be perfectly content living in a small cabin deep in the mountains being a hunting or fishing guide. Unfortunately for him, he married me. I could have been quite content staying in Manhattan... we compromise.

19. Denten eats ice cream almost every night. Always vanilla with some sort of mix-in. He's on a chocolate chip, walnut kick lately.

20. He has a testimony of his Savior and serves him willingly.

21. His family is priority number one, both the one he lives with now and the one he grew up in. He would defend his siblings to the death.

22. He enjoys peanut m&ms more than most other candy.

23. Denten is not a frivolous spender. He does not require a great deal of material possessions. His penchant for quality, however, has increased significantly in the last 10 years.

24. Photography is one of the hobbies that fills his limited free time. He teaches himself, experiments, researches and any of the photos you have been mildly impressed with on this blog have been his handy work, not mine.

25. Dent dreams of driving a big truck one day. He has postponed his dream so that I can drive Dutch. Ironic seeing as I would be happy driving Suby for the rest of my life but three carseats simply don’t fit well in there. So he drives Suby every day and while he doesn’t love her like I do, see number 16.

26. He had 9 different grandparents alive when he was born. He can personally remember four generations of family on his father’s side. Grandparents and his relationship with them are high on his priority list.

27. Denten wears dress clothes to work. Dress pants and shirts, usually a tie and sports jacket.

28. Denten is not a schmoozer. He will not talk a person up and down trying to sell something.

29. He wants the very best for his children. He loves them fiercely and would leave no stone unturned in order to take the best possible care of them. It is not a wise idea to get in his way.

30. He loves me too. He is supportive of my small dreams and ambitions. He is encouraging and never meddling.

31. He is dedicated to his work-out regimen and when I am ready to fall on the couch at night, he’s off to run or ride his bike. He does a great job at not having his workouts interfere with time with his kids.

32. He once drove an armored truck, has worked at a group home for young sex offenders, served as security for the local middle school and worked graveyards at a youth center.

33. His political views began to grow when he left Cedar for the Big City. He leans a little left but is able to see both sides of an issue better than most I know. Whether it’s his heritage, his education or simply his character, he is open-minded and rarely judgmental.

I’m aware that I lead a charmed life, mostly due to this guy, our relationship, the decisions we have made together and our faith. He was ready to get married much earlier than I was. I’m glad he was pushy. Heaven knows where I’d be if I had missed out on this one. I love him to pieces.

This smile came toward the end of a very long, physically exhausting day.

Seneca is just out of the picture, cheering wildly for her daddy.

Grateful on Thanksgiving

1. I'm grateful for Denten. He's funny and smart and hot. He's faithful to me and to his Heavenly Father. He's consistent and a wonderful father.

2. I'm grateful for Cooper. He is hilarious and tender. He is smart and kind. He is a lot like me and therefore occasionally aggravating, but I'm sure glad Heavenly Father saw fit to send him to me.

3. I'm grateful for Seneca. She is beautiful and full of life. She is clever and happy. She is emotional and enthusiastic. She both makes me crazy and melts my heart. I thank Heaven every day for the fact that she found her way to our home.

4. I'm grateful for Beckham. He is charming and lovable. He is mellow and squishy. He is developing an opinion yet still often agreeable and easy-going. He is miracle number three and appreciated no less than the first.

5. I'm grateful for my Savior and the sacrifice he made so that I can have the experiences I'm having. I'm grateful for second chances with my children and for a future that will last into eternity. I'm grateful for the covenants I have made with my husband. I'm grateful for my life.

Ironman: post-race interview and video

Some of the loyal readers of this blog have had questions for the athelete, so I conducted a very professional interview this morning as we laid in bed, brushed our teeth and as the ironman ate a bowl of cereal:

how is your body feeling? better than I thought it would. knee feels good today (no limping coming down the stairs), muscles are fine, digestion issues may have been due to a bad protein shake.

would you do it again, or are you going to do it again? oh, I'll do it again. to be honest, I've got my eye on st. george. volunteers get first dibs on registration, I'd consider that.

what does this next year hold as far as races? I'll do some smaller events, soma half again for sure. I'd like to find another half. Kate and Peter signed up for the Ironman next year and I've agreed to train with them, so it will keep me in shape.

when will you work out again? I'm swimming at lunch today. so in a few hours.

what did you think about when you were out there? how fast I was running, that I could run to the next aid station. There was a guy in front of me with an iron tat on his calf. I figured he knew what he was doing, so I stuck with him for quite a ways. Then he stopped for his special needs bag and I didn't want to wait so I kept going. The second loop, a girl passed me who was going a little quicker than I was, but I figured I could stay with her. I followed her the whole second loop and was thinking that if I stayed with her that I'd definitely finish this thing in five hours. Then at the end of the loop she headed in for the finish and I realized I was on my own for the last loop. sometimes I'd just think, "I'm doing this. I'm doing an Ironman."

what was the hardest part of the race? dealing with stomach issues. the fuel I had with me on the bike made me sick so I didn't take any more. I went into the run thinking I needed to take in some calories, so I had an orange at an aid station and it did not sit well. after my stomach settled, I was fine again.

what would you tell someone who was considering doing this? sign up.

how about someone already in, what's your advice to them? my cheesy advice is to stick with your training, it will all be worth it on race day.

what's the one thing you would change? my nutrition intake. I don't know what I'd do different, I'd have to experiment. I did not cramp at all on the bike or the run. I credit salt stick for that. I had no idea that coke and water would sustain me for 20 miles. coke was probably not the best carb choice, but it prevented a sugar crash. I figured I wasn't going to mess with what was working.

how did you feel about the gear and clothing you chose? Would you use it again? Yes, I'd use it all again... except the wetsuit. I'd go with a different brand (it was very susceptible to tearing) , but the goggles, bike, bike shoes, tri suit, everything else I'd use again.

how would you rate your overall ironman experience: I don't know.
excellent, very good, good, fair, poor: excellent (without hesitation).

one last question. how do you feel your family handled your training and race day? excellent. very supportive and understanding. it was a group effort.

Notes: a day or two before the race, Dent and Katelyn were talking and he said that as cheesy as it sounded, he wanted to try to do the whole thing with a smile on his face. We both laughed out loud, but understood what he meant. He said that it was a big enough deal and he's worked hard enough that he didn't want to be miserable, he wanted to enjoy this experience. He claimed in my interview that he kept his positive mindset the entire race, that discouragement never set in. There was one pass on the bike when he came by and his face was not necessarily happy. Katelyn and I wondered where the smile went, but he reassured us that he was simply in "the zone, focused."

When asked if he'd do it again, he said there was nothing like it. He said he did not anticipate feeling so emotional about it. He tried to find something to compare it to, but nothing does. A high school state basketball championship was fun and he was excited and happy, but this runs deeper. Maybe, he speculated, because it was such an intense personal achievement. He hopes that as he looks back on this event that the emotions and sense of satisfaction never fade. Me too. It's a natural high that he wouldn't hesitate to feel again.

Below is a clip of his finish. Turn your volume down, I am loud. You can hear Cooper cheer for his daddy and Dent's name announced as he runs under the finish arch. It's good stuff.



have you seen katelyn's video of the swim start? the announcer said that it was just a great big training day with 2500 of your closest friends. awesome.

Ironman: the triathlon

My Ironman.



Let's start at the beginning... shall we?



more than 2500 participants in the water all at once. they did not start in waves, it was madness. and amazing. 2.4 miles in the water with random arms and legs flailing about.



D finished his swim about 10 minutes faster than anticipated. I almost missed him as I wasn't expecting him to be coming through transition so soon. Adrenalin was pumping!



112 miles on the bike. That's a long ways.



The wind out on the loop was not kind.



He quickly shed the bike and helmet, replaced them with running shoes and took off for 26.2 miles. a full marathon, folks. He'd been going almost 8 hours at this point.





this smile was for seneca. she didn't hesitate letting anyone know "that's my daddy!"



coming down the finish chute!



he did it!!



the finish line.



I hugged him two minutes later. He said he wanted to cry although the smile on his face was enormous. He was amazing. It went exactly as I had hoped in that he went into this completely prepared physically, mentally and emotionally. He pushed through the fatigue and the stretches of pain. He had a goal and he met it. It was a long year with training sessions often twice a day. I should be relieved it's over, but I have had a little sadness following me around for two days. I know I have other things to look forward to, but this was such a great experience for all of us. I'm proud of him. I'm happy for him. I love him. He's a freakin' Ironman, for heaven's sake! Wahoo!!


**I'll let Katelyn share Wade's awesome race and photos. visit here. she'll post something eventually.

Ironman: the days before

The boys went for a practice swim.







there was strategizing going on.







There was also a lot of strategy talk going on amongst their supporters. We scoped the best routes to get to our parking avoiding all road closure. We talked out the food, baby beds, layers of clothing, water and all else that needed to be packed for the big day. We checked out the best locations to see our boys maximum times. I believe we were ready.

**photos in this and upcoming posts courtesy of either myself, katelyn, mom, dianna or the official ironman photog.

Ironman: how we got here

It was one year ago that my husband came home with the idea that he would like to participate in the Ironman Arizona 2009. I believe I raised my eyebrows and smiled. He works in Tempe at a building that over looks Tempe Beach Park and had spent the week observing the triathlon preparations out his window. He went and meandered among the athletes out for practice swims. He went and wandered through the expo. He watched out his window as they placed the buoys for the swim. He admired bikes and gear. He started dreaming and caught the fire.

As much as we enjoy watching such events, in my mind something of that caliber was a little out of our league. As the conversation continued, I realized he was serious. Really serious. I didn't ever doubt his ability to do it, rather questioned whether I wanted us to make such a major commitment, because it would be a major commitment. As he was wrestling with the decision to register or not (which was a decision that needed to be made quickly), I made one request: if we do this, we do this. If you register and commit, then you commit to being prepared, to work hard and to do it right. We don't register and then wait 6 months before you get in the pool. You don't go on a leisure Saturday ride and call it training. I'm no professional athlete, but I'm well aware that the quickest way to turn an athletic event into a disastrous and disappointing experience is to be unprepared. I recall committing my full support as long as he committed to work his pants off to be ready.

Don't get me wrong, Denten has never been a slacker. He works hard and does things right, but this was a big deal... he had never run a marathon before. He had never swam competitively before. He was considering doing both with a major bike ride sandwiched in between.

He had persuasive and strategic phone calls with Wade and I had concerned phone calls from Katelyn. "Do you know what we're getting into? Do you realize we will be single mothers this year? Do you think they're serious??" Then the phone call from Dent, "I'm in."

And he was. The registration alone was a significant financial commitment. Training schedules were outlined. A budget was created. I learned which activities I would have to either fore go or find sitters for or do alone with the kids. We learned that time with dad wasn't wasted, it was appreciated.

Yesterday at 7:55 p.m., he crossed the finish line of the Arizona Ironman triathlon with a smile on his face as the announcer called out over the loudspeaker, "Denten Robinson, from Phoenix, Arizona... YOU are an Ironman!" I might have cried a little. He did it. And he did it right. He did it with no regrets. He did it with many hours of preparation and training behind him and it was not disastrous or disappointing. It was inspiring and motivating and amazing.

It was hard and long, for both the participants and the spectators, but it was enjoyed by both as well. I believe that the pride seeping from both his mother and I at the finish line was felt by everyone around us. As we were anticipating his arrival around the final corner into the finish chute, I was whispering, "come on, babe." She was whispering, "where are you, bud?" Cooper was straining his little neck to see his dad in the final minutes of the event we've all been preparing for and anticipating for a year. He didn't disappoint. He finished strong and it was incredible.

Today was open registration for the Arizona Ironman 2010. They filled all spots and sold out in 24 minutes. Many of those registered for next year were finishers last night. Denten's name is not on the list for next year. We both have mixed feelings about that, but this year will hold different adventures for our family. Photos and details about the big day coming soon!

Nov. 22: The Big Day.

Tonight I am grateful that the Arizona Ironman was even better than we'd been dreaming it would be. An absolutely amazing experience. More later. I'm going to bed with an Ironman tonight. I'm so happy.

ny: through d's lens

denten is not a shop-til-you-drop-er. I know, shocking. he's also done all of the touristy things there are to do in the city, and he's taken pictures of all of it. so the focus of this trip was more people watching than anything else. he is a sociologist at heart, you know. he and wade would sit for extended periods of time at various places in the city and watch people as they walked by, pretending to know what they were thinking. they thought they were absolutely hilarious. really, they cracked themselves right up. in the city that sees it all, and I mean all, they were never lacking for material. he took a zillion pictures (I'm only exaggerating a little). here are a few shots from ny, this time around.

dear ironman,

Dear Ironman,

I just wanted to make sure we were on your radar. D-day is 12 weeks away and I'll have you know we're getting ready. Yes, I said we, because this triathlon thing has been a year-long commitment for all of us. We don't sweat quite as much as Denten does, but we put in the time in our own way.

In August alone, D has put 13 hours in on the bike, 90 miles just this morning. It was a long ride, one that pushed into a 112 degree day. He has run for 7.5 hours, which means lots of miles and has logged almost 12 hours in the pool. Aside from Sundays, there has only been one day off all month. Most of those days are two-workout days. He's serious. He's working hard and doing great. Sometimes I look at his body and think, damn, if I put in that much effort, I could have the female version of that body.

But for now I'm the cheerleader. I'm the sounding board for things like what to do when we find out the fantastic bike he's been training on is not the right size and is causing issues. Well, we sell it to someone who needed it pretty badly and get a new one. A fantastic one. I've been calling it fancy, but the word rocket keeps working it's way in. I listen and discuss various fueling and hydration systems and then console when they don't work as anticipated. I admire the impressive gear and tight shorts and breathe deeply when charges from the tri store appear on my financial statements.

While there have been more mornings and bedtimes without dad around, we fully support this endeavor and are proud of the dedication and effort he has given this adventure. In fact, as denten is currently missing hunting season, I must say I have not. one bit. I'll take tri season anytime. He brings home satisfaction and medals rather than dead stuff that could potentially end up on my wall.

All in all, we're gearing up. We'll be ready for November to cheer on our own ironman, so be ready for us. Save me a prime spot to hang out, 'cause it'll be a long day. See you soon.

Love,
the wife.

two things of probably no interest to you.

first,

denten brought us fresh corn this weekend from a farm just down the road.

picked fresh saturday.

I should have waited to take pictures when they were finished, because we were left with a lot of a lot of empty corn cobs.

for the record, denten is not a fan of me taking pictures of him eating.

and a poll: how do you eat your corn on the cob?

I eat around.

denten eats across.

our children are not discriminatory yet.

second,

d has been researching (speaking to old navajo women) his fry bread techniques.

he keeps tweaking his recipe and methods and accomplished his finest batch yet yesterday.

it was soft, light and fluffy. and delicious.

weekends.

Wanna know how we spend ours?



Denten does some of this.



and a little of this.



cooper finds some shade to observe the race



seneca is very serious about her snacks



bex is happy with most anything



dad's sweaty fans



another triathlon under his belt... we're getting good at this!

uplifting for me.

I usually keep my energy experiences separate from my personal blog, but this past weekend was so uplifting for me personally, I wanted it documented here.

I had two great energy experiences this past weekend. We traveled to southern California for D to compete in a half-ironman triathlon. Besides the high energy of adrenaline and pride that surrounded him completing the race, the event as a whole had great energy present. The anticipation after intense preparation, the camaraderie between the athletes and the excited, supportive fans combined for an electric, uplifting environment. It is absolutely inspiring and motivating to see the human body pushed to the limits, to see people accomplish goals they had only dreamt about and to have the crowd come together to cheer on each athlete at each turn of the course. My soul was fed by the great energy that poured out from the combination of people present. I am grateful for D and his desire to do great things and for the opportunity to witness and benefit from them.

The last day of our trip, we took our kids to the beach to play before getting in the car for our ride home. We enjoyed the swings and playground and gradually made our way down to the water. It was a little chilly, but so refreshing to be there, next to the ocean and breath the fresh crisp air. The kids played in the sand and tiptoed into the water only to scramble back to shore laughing as the waves chased them onto the beach. Water, and the ocean in particular, holds a great energy for me. It is renewing and fills me up. The mountains do the same for my husband. I was so grateful for this morning, for the opportunity to spend a few hours together, uninterrupted as a family, playing on the beach being uplifted and breathing deep the salty air. We ended up wet and sandy, tired and happy and grateful for the experience. We finished our outing with a trip down to the harbor for lunch together before our trek back to reality. It was a wonderful day together, positive, uplifting and full of laughter.

a perfect day.