Memorial Day

Here is a new video from Rob's company. It is to honor our military families and their sacrifice for our country.

Well done Rob and team.

PS. Just a little trivia about the video. The voice overs are all my nieces. Charly Thomas, Elle and Catie Cullers. Great job girls! The old video footage is me as a little girl. Who can spot White Rock Skate center? And a Dorothy Hamil haircut?

I Like to TRI

I started this blog almost 2 years ago--in the Summer of 2008.

Not so long ago. Yet, feels like a lot has changed. Hank wasn't even a figment of our imagination. I was still a mom of pre-schoolers. I had a lot less gray hair.

The catalyst for starting the blog was in large part the need to document the triathlon I was training for. I needed to vent or discuss or get feedback. I needed song recommendations for my iPod.

Well, I am doing another triathlon. The Nation's Triathlon in Washington D.C. on September 12, 2010. (I am not sure why I feel the need to announce this to the two people who read the blog--my mother and jenny--both already know this info!)

I am doing it with Team in Training again! And Gage Holmes will be our Honored Hero again.

But this time we have a team of almost 40 people! We are called Racing for Gage. Together we will raise over $100,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

A lot of our team are women in my neighborhood! Some are seasoned triathletes and some are newbies. I am so excited to do this with friends. I will definitely be posting about our adventures!

We are all raising a minimum of $3500. If you feel compelled to give, please know your donation is MUCH appreciated!

I would love for you to check out my website with TNT. Just click here!

Sweet Ride

I think I have mentioned a few times that I am fully aware of how un-cool I am.

I wear jeans--some might call them mom-jeans. I love new crock-pot recipes. I can't tell you the difference between a merlot and a zinfindel. (I don't even know how to spell those correctly). I buy things in bulk like paper towels, diapers, wipes and v-neck t-shirts. I love Target with a passion.

But what seals the deal of my uncoolness is my vehicle of choice. The minivan.

But I have to admit that I actually really like it. The automatic doors are awesome! So it screams soccer Mom--but guess what? I am a soccer mom. And a t-ball mom. And a mom of a very strong-willed 3 year old. And the mom of a precious 6 month old that is the spitting image of his daddy. And a mom that loves to get pedicures. I am NOT cool.

But maybe this video will start to change people's mind about the coolness of a minivan.

Random Rhody Facts

I was going to make this post about all of the children, but I just kept coming back to random things about Rhody.

I don't know if I have ever mentioned it before, but Rhody has the FASTEST growing fingernails and toenails in the history of mankind. I literally have to trim his nails twice or maybe three times as often as the other children. It is rather strange. I have been wondering if he has been ingesting Horse Mane and Tail. Remember that girls?

Speaking of Rhody, he also does NOT have the whole "safe toilet" syndrome. You know, how when you travel or stay somewhere that is not your home--it can be difficult to stay regular? My oldest boy will poop anywhere, anytime in front of anyone.

I sometimes wish he would ask for a little more privacy.

He has a very poor sense of direction. I am not sure if that's what you call it. Even when he was a toddler, we would point to something across the room and tell Rhody to go get it. He would literally look all around trying to even spot what we were pointing to. It was comical. He could never find anything!

Today he needed his baseball glove for practice. Like he uses for every practice. About 15 minutes before practice, I told him to go get it. He came back a minute and a half later saying he couldn't find it. Obviously, he hadn't really looked. So then I sent him to actually look. He came back 2 minutes later and still didn't have it. He said he looked all around. In the brown basket. Upstairs. Outside.

I highly doubt it. But I'm trying not to do everything for him. Of course, if you really want things done--you ask Bo, not Rhody. Bo will get it done!

Anyway, as he is taking his back-up glove to practice, I literally open up the brown basket and saw his glove! Once again, he has no sense of direction or ability to search for anything.

He will just have to find a wife one day that can find things. I guess Gracie B. is out. She and Rhody are two peas in a pod when it comes to this area!

Quirk #3--I am so not InStyle

I fancy myself a somewhat stylish person. Somewhat.

Yes, on any given day my clothes are off the rack--the Target, Kohl's, or Old Navy rack. But when I need to get dressed up, I think I know what works for my body type. I can do hair and make up pretty well when necessary. I can wear something other than yoga pants and Gap t-shirts.

But I have a glaring fashion blind spot.

The Purse.

The Handbag. The Pocket book (as Oprah calls it.)

Whatever you call it, I don't have it.

What I mean is, I don't have good taste in purses. It is literally an after thought for me.

But I also literally "don't have it." That is because two weeks ago we came home from the awesome Young Life banquet around 9:30 pm and left our garage open by accident. Someone came in our garage and took my purse right out of our car. They used the first credit card at 9:55! We were still inside talking to our babysitter and never heard a thing. So frustrating.

I had a couple of credit/debit cards that we had to cancel. Plus, I had to get a new license.

But I also had a lot of gift cards or store cards with money still on them.

Remember Quirk #2? I save things like that to use at just the right time. I have been sort of living in denial about all those cards. But now I need to live in reality. I need to say good bye.

Good bye Home Depot card with about $30-$40 still on it. I guess I won't be getting extra picture hangers or a new light fixture any time soon.

So long Mariano's gold card with several punches in it. I have to start all over to earn that free meal.

The perfect shade of lip gloss will have to wait to meet my lips. My Sephora card is probably in a dumpster somewhere.

The $29.57 that was still on that Dillard's card that was going to help purchase the perfect summer sandal is gone forever. In fact, there were several Dillard's cards in there. All from credit that we have been using for the last ten years--from our wedding!!

There are others. But I am letting it go. Forever. Amen.

But back to the a-fore-mentioned faux pas.

You know all girls have their thing. Some love shoes. They would give their right arm for a pair of Jimmy Choo's. (I am not even sure if that is how you spell it!) Some love designer clothes. I would make some joke involving designer names but I am guessing that using the names Merona and Daisy Fuentes in a joke wouldn't really be funny.

I am not sure what my thing is. I love beauty products but don't actually have many. But that's still probably my thing.

One thing I know for sure, purses aren't my thing. I couldn't tell you anything about designer purses. I don't recognize them. I couldn't tell a fake from the real--unless the pleather rubs off on my blouse.

I don't know what is cool, fashionable or even cute. I picked up two purses the other day and brought them home. I showed them to Kyle. He thought they looked, "MaMaw-ish."

That's not really the look I am going for.

I am a lost cause.

But think of all the money I am saving our family by not buying all those expensive purses!

PS. The kids keep talking about my purse getting stolen. We have tried to use it as a teachable moment if possible. Telling them that we forgive the guys that stole my purse. Evidently, the kids haven't.

Rhody is convinced that the people who stole my purse are girls. According to him, who else would need a purse? Bo said that the guys who stole the purse will bring it back when Hank grows up. Fat chance.