How do you get your children to listen?

So, as the father of my children there are a few things I expect out of them. First and foremost that they listen to me. I keep telling them to stop growing, but they refuse to listen. Just look at Van. Standing, smiling, laughing, trying to crawl up the stairs. Before your know it he'll be going to college. He is not suppose to be growing so fast.

How do you get your children to listen?

I am an Iron Girl

Iron Girl Triathlon
May 15, 2010Lake Las Vegas

swim: 800 meters, open water in Lake Las Vegas
bike: 30k (18.64 miles)
run: 5k (3.1 miles)

bib number:	487
gender:	F
location:	Las Vegas, NV
overall place:	243 out of 645
division place:	34 out of 81
gender place:	243 out of 645
time:	2:11:18
pace:	0:
swim:	21:01
tran1:	7:47 (had to run 1/4 mile from the lake to my bike + dress)
bike:	1:11:39
tran2:	3:09
run:	27:41

post race thoughts:

• swim: the water was a lovely 69 degrees. i couldn't afford or find a wetsuit to borrow so i swam in the top you see in the picture and an old pair of swim suit bottoms. i thought i'd be in good company with the no wet suit thing. not the case. i saw 2 other girls of 645 with no wet suit. people were looking at me like "who's the crazy naked girl?" funny thing is, the water felt great and i'd do it again without the suit.
• bike: felt really strong the whole way, but definitely tried to save some for the run (i don't like to run. yuck.). next time i'll try to make up more time on the bike and get under 2 hours.
• run: 1st thing on the course was this crazy ginormous hill. and the course was a loop. so i had to run back up it. ha. felt lots better than i thought i would though. it's amazing how your body just goes when it's already that warm. i actually ran 3 miles 9 minutes faster than i usually run it on the treadmill. in the heat. in the sun. on gravel. up and down hills. definitely surprised myself.

• overall: loved the atmosphere and the whole experience. it was a blast and i'll definitely do it again. i might make it a post-baby exercise boost tradition. i have to admit though that with all of the moving chaos on top of the training i think i'm going to do lots of yoga for the next few months. :)

action shot

i was really hoping my bicep would look better than that. it should. van is ginormosaurus.

my cheering section

emery showing the camera her favorite part of the race - the gatorade at the end that mom had

in other news, this is van's new favorite face. i can't even tell you how much funnier it is in person. aaron and i die laughing every time he does it.

AND... i got to chew these cheeks last night. don't you want to just eat him alive? and i had a dreamy visit with cheeks' mom and my other beautiful red headed bff. in my heaven it's what we'll do every day. sit on wicker patio furniture holding our tiny babies and watching our toddlers play in the grass. i love them.
house pictures are coming. we're unpacking SLOW since my neglected kids need some attention. we're getting there. :)

i've been cheated

i've been cheated of my baby.

6 1/2 months.

crawling. yes, i cried.

21.5 lbs = no more infant carrier (as soon as i get emery a new one and everyone can move up - not that anyone sane can carry the fat man in that thing anyway)

boo.

so big.

it's not fair.

(cute shots of he and "pa" on mother's day)blurry because it's an action shot! cute little crawler.

watching the game with the boys

our new HOME!!!

that's right - we've joined the adult ranks of homeowners. we're THRILLED to have purchased a home with:

• lots of great features, but....
• no interior doors
• no carpet (and several millimeters of dirt under the remaining carpet pad)
• dirt in places i didn't realize it could accumulate
  
• no water heater
• a disgusting spa on our patio
• this lovely get up in the kitchen

can you say repo? we'll post some before and after shots when we get it all done. it will be fabulous! and aaron and my dad will probably be there until at least midnight all week (just like they were last week) trying to get it ready for a saturday move in.

saturday, you say? isn't that the day you're doing your triathlon, britt? are you crazy?

yes. yes, i am. that's just how i roll.

(for those of you who know us all that well, you know we never move at a "good" time, or a "convenient" time, or do it slowly, and sometimes we get sick right before we move... or most times...)

I love to see the temple....

I'm going there someday...
to feel the holy spirit
to listen and to pray
for the temple is a house of God
a place of love and beauty
I'll prepare myself while I am young
this is my sacred duty!





and our favorite thing to see on our way to the temple....ha!! no, that's not photo-shopped. cactus on steroids.
want to know more about the temple? click here!