Camping and Racing

 This last weekend was the "Return on the Jedi" mountain bike event put on by Pistis. On Saturday we had a short track race and a super d. Sunday was the big event, cross country. 

We went up Friday to set up camp, see if there was any trail work we could do and have some family time. 

While Nate went to ride on of the trails to see if it was race-worthy the boys and I headed to the creek to cool off:

 That evening when some friends showed up the boys were quick to run over and help them clear their tent sites and gather firewood :)

Saturday morning Nate was gone early to help clear trail (I knew I would have to take it easy, I am on dr's orders to not fatigue myself while in early healing stages, but I took it a little harder than I thought I would. I can't believe how worried I am still about people thinking I am lazy. It's the whole "invisible" illness deal. I know folks mean well when they say "Well, you Look great!" when I tell them how bad I feel)

Anyway...

I have an adorable pic of Joshua crashed out in the truck but since he was hollering at me for taking pics of him while he's asleep and saying I should delete it, I don't think I should put it on the blog ;)

Brannon got our fire going so we could heat up some chocolate almond milk

 Joshua raced in the short track race. His first official race :) He was so excited and feeling so big!

Everyone was very kind and made way for him at the start line (have I said before how much I love the atmosphere at the mountain biking events?)

 And they're off:

 Cliff road behind Joshua during the race and apparently J chatted with him the whole time :D

 Nate got back in time to cheer J on

 Happy boy!

He did three miles and never had to stop on the rough parts or the hills. He said "I was so hot I felt like I was going to barf!" Haha! Yep, that's how it feels. Sounds fun huh? :D

He also raced in the kid's race Sunday...where he moseyed cheerfully along at the very back. Nate's competitive spirit was having a little difficulty with that, but he cheered him on all the same and told him great job, looked like you had fun. 

 Proud of his medal:

Mom came up Sunday to man (woman?) an aid station with me. We drove to the bottom of the hill and handed water to exhausted Pro/Cat 1 racers as they went by. We went down an hour after the race started and were there two hours,  it went by super fast with someone to talk to :)

As soon as the kiddie race was over we packed up our stuff and high-tailed it down the mountain 'cause Nate had six hours of homework to get done before midnight. Unfortunately the aching and exhaustion he'd been experiencing all weekend (which he chalked up to his back being out and lack of sleep-- even though he spent a whole night alternately shivering and sweating. Um. Honey? Are you sick? His response: I hope not! as he goes off to work more...) ended up being a 101 degree fever and he spent the rest of the afternoon and evening sleeping. He woke up fine this morning (Yay!) so hopefully he can catch up this week.

So, that was our weekend adventure :) We have been alternately resting and unpacking today. And taking pictures of roses. Well, I have anyway ;-) You know what the next post is going to be right? 

I Had Good Intentions...

...of keeping up my blog better. For my own sake, you know? I like the journaling aspect of it, and a little writing outlet never hurt me. But I've been struggling just to make it through each day in one piece. That's what it feels like anyway.

See, my adrenal glands took a nosedive after a seemingly mildly stressful happening. Just a life thing you know? But my fragile body couldn't take it apparently. I've spent a good 80% of the last 5.5 weeks on the couch. Lucky me. No bike riding (or racing!), hardly any driving (too dangerous in my extremely mentally fogged state), and a Very disgusting, dirty house!

I've got new marching orders from my doctor that include glandular extracts and an 8:30 bedtime. Yippee. Buut... If it works it's totally worth it, right? And what Mama couldn't use an early bedtime? Problem is, that's earlier than my boys go to sleep, and we're all still in the same room while Nate struggles to get the boys' bedroom finished in between bouts of homework, classes, and work. Not to mention helping his dad around the property and doing odd jobs for the neighbors. So, yeah.

We're still hoping to have it done by the end of summer term (Ha. I'll be glad when our life isn't measured in school terms ;-)  ). In the meantime we're asking the boys to tolerate a little earlier turning in and turning off of audio books. If I can get in bed at 8:30 and read while they finish listening to their story and have them turn it off at 9:00, we'll be doing good I think.

I'm also not supposed to exercise to fatigue, use the computer or do chores after dinner, need to get our house tested for mold, wean off of caffeine and eat Really healthy and mindfully (my eating schedules get whacked along with sleep when I'm having adrenal problems--i either don't eat enough or eat too much and don't eat at regular times etc.)

I had a couple weeks of pretty intense depression before I figured out exactly what was going on. I knew it was circumstantial though and not the old dark pit of "before". So I was able to muscle through it.

God has been so very faithful through it all, providing peace and putting up with my temper tantrums. My friends and family have been lovely and encouraging, providing shoulders to cry on and sound advice on the other end of the phone. I love you guys!!

Training Week

I got to do four out of five days of the mountain bike team's "spring training" week. I was apprehensive every day before going because of how tired I was, but every day I had fun, even though it was really, really hard. The last day, yesterday, I was ready to give up at the top of the first climb. I was so tired and starting to get the icky feeling that warns me off pushing myself too hard. I sat down on the wet ground and thought about crying. I thought about turning around and going back down. I wasn't sure I should keep pushing myself. I said something along the lines of "God, you got me into this. You healed me so I could ride this week (yay!), and You promised me strength if I trusted You with this. My doc says to listen to my body and not push too hard if it's going to flatten me, and I know from experience that this is wise advice. Please tell me if I should keep going or if I should turn around now."

I saw Bear coming up the hill behind me. I stood up. Picked up my bike. He crept by me, pedaling hard, mud covered, sweat dripping. "Just one time around," he said. (a loop of trail at the top of the climb we had just done) I started walking again. Remembered that Nate took me on this trail when I first started mountain biking and it was too difficult for me to ride down. Narrow, rocky, slippery and steep. Being so out of practice I wondered how much of it I would have to walk down. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, though a little tricky, it was well within my "skill" level. Then going down the long climb was super fun.

So the day went. So, so hard and so, so fun. I was super miserable at times but I did way more than I thought I could.

Illness and Exercise and Rambling

I am on a very interesting journey these days. In this case "interesting" happens to be code for "really dang hard" with a lot of good thrown in. It's a bit like beginning to exercise when you've been lying around for a while. You set out with enthusiasm (or not, depending on whether you like to exercise or not) and, taking deep breaths of fresh air, rejoice in finally being outside (assuming you enjoy your exercise out of doors).  You begin pedaling and a smile is soon tugging at you. Another deep breath of fresh air and a full on grin takes over your face.

Sooner or later though (Much Sooner at my house) you have to climb. And climb and climb and climb.

 If it's been a while I will have fiercely burning lungs long before I even begin to feel my legs (the airways tend to be my weak spot). That's the worst for me. I have a really difficult time getting past it. I find I have to take my time if I'm not going to become so discouraged I want to quit. I have to be really patient. I have to stop and walk sooner than I would like, and walk longer than I would like. Until the burning subsides completely, then I can have another go. Then next time I ride I'll be able to go a little longer before I have to stop the first time, maybe only a few seconds longer, but it's progress all the same. Progress that feels a whole lot like pain.

I am always shocked by how much mountain biking can hurt. When I started if I hadn't already been doing exercises that hurt and having someone who knows what they're talking about telling me that the pain was good, as long as it was in the right spot, I would have thought something was wrong. It's still shocking!

Another challenge I face is being in generally poor health. Between adrenal exhaustion and allergies my immune system is quite compromised. I seem to come down with every cold that's going around. There have been some changes this year. I haven't had a stomach bug about every fourth illness like in the past. I haven't had influenza (which thankfully I've only had a few times) or tonsillitis or bronchitis. My cold symptoms have been fairly mild. I've been struggling with ongoing muscle aches and sleepiness though. The other cold symptoms go, but those two stay. For weeks. Then about the time I'm feeling better I get another cold. It hasn't made for very good exercise motivation.

I've been struggling emotionally with the constant exhaustion. I have things I want to do! Things I need to do! I'm tired of this! I don't want to do it any more. Ever. I want my life back. Now would be good.

Very few people "get" that I'm not making it up when I say I can't exercise today. If I had a dollar for every time someone said "Just do it. Exercise will give you the energy you want..." And then look at me like I'm nuts when I try to explain that with adrenal exhaustion I have to pay attention to my body and not exercise if it tells me not too. If I do I will likely be stuck to the couch for two days, or three or four... I think they suspect I'm lazy or in denial. I think they're thinking I'm trying to get out of exercising, that I don't want to work and am making excuses. That's with the "you're nuts" looks. The blank stares I'm not so sure. Some people genuinely try to understand. But unless you've been here, it's really hard to get it.

I recently came across an article about "The Spoon Theory" that explains so well how I feel. Most folks don't think of getting dressed, fixing their hair, driving a short distance, and myriad other small things as being events that require thought and energy. Events that take a chunk out of "what I can accomplish today". I hesitated for months before cutting my hair short (fun new do:) because I knew how much the five or ten minutes a day to fix it would take out of me.

Another example that will take place today. I'm going for a bike ride with the team. You'd think I'd be worried about two hours on my bike being the energy drain. Not so. The things I'm most worried about draining my energy, before I even get started, include: the small maintenance things to get my bike ready to ride, putting my bike on the bike rack on the van, changing into cycling clothes, getting my water bottles and snacks ready, driving 25 minutes to the trail, my extremely introverted self being forced to great a dozen or more people and I am mostly barely acquainted with... All these seemingly insignificant things are major energy sappers for me. So much so that the thought of going for  a ride today seems almost impossibly overwhelming.

Speaking of the team, I never followed up on my post about my big decision. I joined, contrary to the Appearance of Common Sense.

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Whew. Found out that the ride today was an hour earlier than I thought it was and had to dash off suddenly. I had a great and grueling time. My sweet hubby took a huge stress off me by driving me to the trail head and picking me up after.

So, speaking of going against common sense and joining the team. I mentioned I was very concerned about not being able to fulfill the requirements because of my health. Yesterday I was struggling emotionally. I was feeling crummy again after only a few days of feeling ok. The muscle aches were back and I had a sore throat. My nose was throbbing and stinging. I was extremely exhausted and discouraged. The boys were still coughing and having a really rough day. After they had gone to bed I was praying and reading my bible and just really discouraged. Did I mention I was discouraged? When I finally decided to join the team I had been praying about it and felt a lot of peace about joining. God gave me a verse from Psalm 23. In most translations verse 3 says "He restores my soul". In the translation that was in my room at the time said "He restores my strength". Another translation could be 'He restores my vitality to what it was meant to be'. I believed I had a promise from God that if I trusted Him He would come through for me. So, I was sitting there feeling sorry for myself and asking God if He was really going to come through for me. Maybe I heard Him wrong, I was thinking. I know He always comes through! Always. So, I must have made up what I'd felt and heard. Or God had some other lesson in mind for me. Or...

I got to bed at a good time and there I lay. Until at least midnight. *Sigh* The boys woke me just before seven this morning. I had some cooking and cleaning that Had to be done today. And you know what? I felt great! I got all the things done I needed to get done. And I went on the ride. Came home sore, tired, mud covered, and very happy. God came through for me, in the way I hoped He would.

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Psalm 27 has been my "go-to" passage for some time now (parenthesis mine):

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?   (or what circumstance!)
When evildoers come upon me to devour
my flesh,   (illness)
My adversaries and my enemies, they
stumbled and fell.
Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war rise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.
One thing I have asked from the Lord, that
I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,  (in Every circumstance)
To behold the beauty of the Lord
And to meditate in His temple.
For in the day of trouble He will conceal me
in His tabernacle;  (in full view of my enemies, where they can't touch me)
In the secret place of His tent He will hide
me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
And now my head will be lifted up above
my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with
shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the
Lord.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and answer me.
When you said, "Seek my face," my heart
said to You,
"Your face, O Lord, I shall seek."
Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;   (in every way!)
Do not abandon me or forsake me, (since He says "I will never leave you or forsake you" don't have to worry about that one:)
O God of my salvation!
For my father and my mother have
forsaken me,
But the Lord will take me up.
Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a level path
Because of my foes.
Do not deliver me over to the desire of my
adversaries,
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breath out violence.
I would have despaired unless I had believed
that I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living. (So true!)
Wait for the Lord; (need to get a grip on this one)
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.

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This quote by Graham Cooke is challenging me this week:
"To really get the best of frustration, you must turn it into celebration. If you stop being frustrated and start celebrating, you enter a whole different space, and so will your circumstances. You can make your circumstances bow to the Christ in you! All it takes is a brilliant thought."

Well...

It's decision making time for me. To join the mountain bike team this year or not. I raced last year with the plan of joining the team this year after I'd found out whether or not I like racing (yes, I did) and to show my interest to the "senior" team members so that I could be invited to join. Now it's time to sign my name on the dotted line. Or not.

It's quite a time and energy commitment and my problem is this: I have been on my bike exactly twice since the last XC race of last summer. At the end of June. I did not even make it to any of the short track races etc. I've been sick a lot of that time, or just feeling crummy and not able to work that hard. So, I'm concerned about being able to keep up my end of the bargain. Which includes spring training week (a week of riding long rides every single day. A sort of last minute whip you into final shape for racing), four cross-country races and eight hours of volunteer work either maintaining trails or working with the boys and girls club and being at all the short track races to help out etc.

Nate is not planning on joining this year for various reasons. Cost, school, being the babysitter while I race being among them. He has said he will do my eight hours of work for me if I'm not up to it and doesn't see anyone having a problem with that.

I REALLY want to race. Heck, I want to get on my bike at all. I'm just so torn about making a commitment to other people that I don't know if I can fulfill. Did I say that already?

I have until this Wednesday at the latest to decide... *Sigh*

A Leetle Bragging...

Ok, these girls in 1st and 2nd place are seriously skinny! Ha. And, you can't see it but they have Really buff legs! I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself ;-) for completing four cross-country mountain bike races in my current state of health especially.

Oh, and, that chick in 3rd place? She's lost 18 pounds since the end of March

(Going on 20 now. Still hard to believe sometimes, lol!)

My Second Race

Last Saturday (the 14th) I participated in my second cross country mountain bike race! Yay! and all that fun stuff:)

The course was 4.5 miles up, then 4.5 miles down. I think the longest I've ever climbed at once is just over a mile. Needless to say, it was a very long climb for me. As I was pedaling (and walking when I had to) up that climb I was thinking, "Why is this fun?" Not in an "Oh my gosh, WHY am I doing this?" way, but in a truly curious way. How can something so painful be something you want do again. And again. And again...

I did enjoy it, truly. Around the moments I was thinking it would be really good if I could stop now. Fortunately those moments were very few :)

I mentioned last time my disgruntlement with standing on a podium and accepting congratulations I didn't feel I had earned. I was feeling that way again. I sat down next to Natalie (one of the ladies on team Pistis) and we were chatting. She helped me change my mind about that podium. (Me=second of two this time) She said who cares if there are only two or three ladies. You earned it because you came out here and finished a race and no one else did. And I thought, well you have a point there...

And so I felt quite a bit better about getting up there. I was still nervous in front of the crowd though and didn't carry myself very well, but...Oh well. :) (Ok--I stayed on the podium the least possible amount of time and hopped down, forgetting to look to see if the first place gal was on her way up or not. DUH!! A number of people had left already and there were a few empty podiums, and it was a little walk for most of the crowd to the stage...somehow I had it in my head that she was not coming. Whatever.)

My First XC Race :)

Last weekend it was off to Bend for a mountain bike race. We drove up on Saturday and set up camp in a team members yard. In spite of the fact that it was supposed to get down around 33 degrees that night. One can only afford so many hotel rooms.


After meeting our gracious host and setting up our tent we changed clothes and headed up to the course for a practice run. My mom had come along to watch the boys for us (Thanks Mom!!! On Mother's day even:) After a series of small mishaps, including a missing nut off my front tire, we finally set off.


We began on "the steepest climb" of the course (as I was repeatedly reassured by several kind folks) and wound our way around a couple miles of track. Part way up the longest climb Nate and I decided to turn around for my sake. So I wouldn't be too tired the next day. Because I'm still pretty puny at this active stuff. But, hey, I'm out there doing it!


I kept thinking, "I could wait until I'm less overweight, more in shape, less clumsy, more confident. Or, I could just get out there and do what I keep saying I want to do." I've opted for the latter. With much encouragement ;-)


Soooo, we turned around to take a short-cut over to the start loop so I could check out some of the more technical stuff and see what I could ride and what I would have to walk. Only...we took a little wrong turn. One little wrong turn. In the opposite direction we were supposed to go. Fortunately we didn't end up too far out of the way. Only a few miles down the road and then back up to the cars. *Sigh* Oh well. I didn't really want to conserve any energy for tomorrow, did I?


We had a lovely potluck/hang out time all evening as all the team members who were there for this race were staying at the same place. Our hostess was very gracious coming home to a house Full of strangers and near-strangers. Then we slept (um...Tried to sleep) out in the freezing cold. The boys woke up at 5:30 am. Of course. :-}


I had been so nervous all week, but I woke up Sunday morning feeling more excited than nervous. If you know me very well you know that I like to know what's going on. How things work and exactly what I should be doing. So, I did get a little anxiety here and there through the beginning of the morning, but not near as bad as the rest of the week. My worst moment was when it was time to line up for the start of the race, but it passed quickly as the other ladies in my group were very friendly and chatty.


I fully expected to be the very last person right out of the gate. But it was still disheartening to watch everyone in my group pull away immediately. Everyone. At one point not far into the first road climb I heard huffing and puffing behind me. I thought, "Oh good. I'm not the very slowest." Then...a little, slightly chubby fellow who couldn't have been more than eleven or twelve, chugged right on by me. Oh yes. I felt grand right about then.


Anyway, I managed all fifteen bumpy, up-and-down miles of the course. I rode a lot. I walked some. I enjoyed most of it. I was a little lonely at times (mostly on a long, levelish part of the course while nearly blinded by snow. Oh, yes. It snowed on us. Then a little sun. Then...wait for it...hail. Haha! Strange weather for that race I'm told) and a little discouraged at times (trudging up a particularly steep hill, or having to stop entirely and rest, or waiting and waiting for the fast guys to zoom by so I could get back on the trail--only there were more coming just near enough I didn't have time to get anywhere, but far enough I had to stand there a moment and wait, then, here come more of them! [we were doing laps, see, and so the fast guys lap the beginners--well Some of the beginners *ahem*--before the beginners finish their single little {15 mile} lap], slightly embarrassed (chatting with the sweep rider as he follows the last person-me- around the track), More than slightly embarrassed (Not getting out of somebodies way who was trying to get around me in time and him tagging my back tire. Soooo thankful he did not wreck, that would have been the worst). But, over all, I had fun. I enjoyed being out there. I finished! And I am very proud of myself in the best way:)


And my dear Mommy took some pictures for me:) (I missed taking pictures! I like to take pictures...)

Bear

Page (Janis' son)
Look closely...You will see my boys perched in a tree:)

Zach (Bear's oldest son)

Janis (smiling as always)

Me

Me, again

Kid's race! The boys were so excited:) Then we found out they were doing a big, long technical loop of the track. Around 3/4 mile, with logs and rocks and other difficulties. But all the kids said they wanted to do it...

Chatting with a new acquaintance

"Go!"

Hmm, Joshua looks rather distracted here

Joshua navigating a technical spot:)

Whoa!!! Scary drop!

Brannon, sadly, wrecked pretty spectacularly part way through and decided he was DONE. I was really proud of him for trying though. He is often rather timid on his bike and I was impressed by his effort.

Joshua's getting a little help from Papa up a too steep hill (it's perfectly legal in the kids race for the adults to give a helping hand:)

Me and my default third place. I wasn't too thrilled to have to stand up there and be congratulated just because there were only three ladies in my age group. Everyone else seemed to think that was silly though.

All tuckered out...

Procrastinating

Big news! I participated in my very first cross-country mountain bike race on Mother's Day!!! :D I was going to write a post today with pictures and everything, but... it hasn't happened yet. Maybe tomorrow ;)

Random

My new hobby this week is counting calories :) It's not fun starting out, but it shows me how much I've really been eating. Ha. So not good. Anyway, it's day four and I'm already getting used to it. We've been enjoying school lately. We've been doing little workbooks and crafts. One thing we started that the boys Love so far is doing field journals. Each boy picked a topic and they have little blank books from Barebooks that they use. Brannon picked "Chicken behavior". Each day he draws a picture and writes a sentence about chicken behavior. Since we have chicks right now he's been doing his observations on them. Today he drew a picture of our outdoor cage we put them in when it's warm enough out and he wrote "Chickans lic to go out side and play in the sun." Joshua chose to do his journal on things he's built. I love seeing what they put in them. The best part is they love to do it. They will happily draw and write with little prompting from me. That's my kind of school :) I've slowed down school with Brannon and we've been going over the same words and reading the same book all week. He seems to be improving slowly and gaining a tiny bit more confidence as he begins to read easier. So, until we can get into the eye doctor to talk about dyslexia, I think this is how we'll keep on. He really likes the math books I got for him and he and Joshua enjoy doing addition flash cards together. Especially when every couple days whoever gets the most cards gets a little prize. This also motivates Joshua to practice with me on the side:) Our first race is in a little over a week. I don't feel ready at all! But, it's only ten miles and I know I can make it that far "easily", I just don't know how fast I can do it... I'll be practicing on our trail Saturday and a trail across town Sunday. If I have a babysitter for the race I'll definitely try it... So, update to come:) I've been waiting for the rain to let up so I can get out in the garden. There are things that need to be planted now...or a couple weeks ago! And yesterday when it was lovely warm and sunny I wasn't allowed to garden because I'd just had my back adjusted. And today it's cold again, and I'm feeling rather lazy... :P I Did work out this morning, that may be the most I get done today, lol...

Picking Myself Back Up

I just read this post http://downfromthedoor.blogspot.com/2010/07/racing-and-stretching.html from last summer and I'm so glad I wrote it. I needed the encouragement just now. All my plans for racing short track last year went down the drain. I raced a second race in Jacksonville, but it we had just returned from Idaho the Friday before and I guess I was drained from travelling or something because even though I'd kept up on my riding I had a terrible time with the race. It was the same track as the first one I did and I struggled even harder than before. Then, as I was standing there wondering if I was going to attempt any of the Pistis short tracks in the following weeks I won a special prize in the raffle. All five Pistis races free. Well, that pretty much made up my mind for me ;-) I thought "Ok, Lord, I think You're talking to me here" The first race I had a cold. The second one we had to be at a ministry team meeting. The third race I had a cold. The fourth race I actually signed up for and rode a practice lap to warm up. I didn't even push hard and by the time I was 2/3 of the way through I was shaking so bad I couldn't continue. The fifth race we were rushing back from out of town, but due to doing a favor for a friend who was with us we showed up at the track just as the beginner category was crossing the finish line for the final lap. It was such a fiasco the whole month, I was so discouraged. Then, due mostly to lots of viruses and other health issues I barely rode a handful of times in the next five months. And in December and January I gained ten pounds. A year and a half to lose it, a month and a half to gain it back. I was So stressed and depressed for a couple months. I've cheered up now. Kind of picked myself up and started trudging forward again. It's still a struggle every single day. I'm still fighting the slack eating habits I slopped into throughout the winter. On the exercise front though I've been doing cardio workouts with friends two to three times a week and strength training once or twice a week. Which is a whole lot better than nothing!! I rode my bike two and a half;) times this week (the half time being an aborted attempt to ride up our hill). I seem to have lost what little technical ability I had gained last spring and summer, so trail riding is a bit scary at the moment, but I know I'll gain it back quickly. I plan on racing cross country races this season. The first one is coming up on April 10th. It's a difficult and sloppy/muddy trail though and I've been strongly advised by my hubby that we have to get there early the day before so I can ride the trail and see if it's beyond me or not before I decide if I want to race it. I'm super nervous all over again, being so out of shape. But, I think I've put my finger on why I want to do this. It doesn't have anything to do with being competitive or not. It's because I want to be strong. I've been physically weak for so many years now. Many of the times I was laying there I was imagining being athletic in some way. Now having found a sport I love those dreams are waking up again. I would appreciate your prayers, my friends. I am so easily discouraged these days. I need to keep fighting for the health of this body of mine. I need it for me, my family needs it. Thanks for listening to me ramble:)

Sunny Moments and other things...

Yet More Cyclocross Pics--And Three Super Cute Little Boys:)

Last race of the Southern Oregon Outlaw series. Nate was working so he wasn't there, but I had fun watching Janis and Bear, and taking pictures of kiddos and visiting with Lorna :)

'B' getting ready to start

Off they go...

If you have to make something visible, why not have fun with it:)

Janis

Ed keeping score and boys wrestling in the leaves. I was glad there was a convenient leaf pile And a gravel pile right by the start/finish so the boys were happy hanging out near me instead of jonesing for the playground

Brother Love

Elijah. So cute!!! He had so much fun walking back and forth through puddles and leaves. Walking is fairly new for him and he was having a great time:)

'A' getting ready to start

Bear

Running up some stairs

So fun to have big boys to play with:)

More Brother Love

And look who got to be on channel 12 news:) Lorna said "Oh look, Bear gets to talk. How nice for him" Lol! He does like to talk. And the piece on cyclocross on the eleven o'clock news came out very nicely, I enjoyed watching it (recorded and watched the next day though:)