Happy new year!

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone is having a good day today. Christmas at the Parker house is busy and slowly winding down now. Ella had a grand old time, which is really what the holiday is about for us these days. She is in her glory, with both sets of grandparents and most of her aunts and uncles visiting. Nothing like a 2 and a half year old to bring us all together.

While E is having the time of her life, Mike and I are struggling....we're both sick and dragging. Big thanks to my family and Mike's family for picking up the slack. We certainly appreciate it.

Big thanks especially to my dad for cooking last night....it was nuts. Mussels, scungilli, ziti, shrimp scampi, not to mention the roast duck today. Everyone is forced to wear their comfy pants now. Ugh.

Get the beat running like Randy Moss

Dancing Fool

Rocking out to Pink a few minutes ago. (Obviously) Had me cracking up.

Solo

So, Ella and I are flying solo this weekend. Mike just left (with a few tears outta E.) for Boston. He and his buddies are heading up to the Patriots game on Sunday. Yeah, they are the only people in the country trying to get caught in the HUGE storm that is going to crush Boston on Sunday. I told him we'd see him come spring. He's going to freeze up there. We don't own the right clothes for that kind of weather. Although he and one of his friends did buy this Randy Moss mask to keep them warm.



Nice.

As for me and Ella, we've got big cookie making plans for the weekend. Gotta get started on all of our Christmas baking. Christmas shopping is mostly done. Mike and I decided on a trip for each other in lieu of a bunch of gifts. I told him anywhere with white sand, blue water, that is a direct flight from ATL. So, Turks and Caicos it is. We're heading there in April. I can't wait! We went once before we were married, so its been a while. We're staying here. The beds on the beach sold us. Sounds wonderful.

Happy Holidays

We, like everyone else, are crazy busy this time of year. Just got our Christmas cards out....you like? I had a lot of fun making them. A little photoshop can be dangerous. :)

Um, yeah. These colors are wrong. The card is red and green, not blue. I will try and figure this out and repost.

I am going to try this in my next race.

Very interesting article here in the NY Times about the benefits of disassociation when pushing yourself in a race. Basically, it says we go into races with too low expectations and then meet them, but we can push harder, our bodies can do it, we just need to let our minds help.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/health/nutrition/06Best.html

Shooting stars

Yeah, we went a little Griswold this year. We were outside all
weekend with our next door neighbors putting this up.

Last Christmas...

I was thinking about where I was last Christmas this past week. Last year, I was in full on Ironman training mode. I was completely focused on finishing that race. I thought about it all the time. I talked about it non stop (right, Mike?). I stressed about it. It was fully encompassing. Good and bad.

This year I have no races planned. I have no training plan to follow. No scary Ironman is waiting for me in June. I miss it and I don't. I am happy to have this year to (hopefully) add to our family and although you certainly can't have a timeline for that....I know that IM and babies don't mix. At all. And since you need to plan any race months and months (12 to be exact for IM) in advance, I look ahead instead to the 2009 season.

I still am running, biking and (rarely) swimming. I can't not do that. I am still doing smaller running races. I love them. Just no huge time and physical commitments for 2008. I knew this was going to be the case since last year. I thought it would be a bigger sacrifice than it already seems. I can't wait to come back stronger and better to tris in the next few years. I really love doing them and can't see myself giving it up. I have too many goals to accomplish and have had too much fun doing them to stop now. (Plus, Mike won't let me....that bike of mine is too expensive not to not ride.)

Meeting Santa....

....did not go so well today. Apparently, he's an intimidating fellow
to a two year old. So, momma is in the picture with an attached E.

She loved this candy cane though.

Christmas decorating...fun, fun, fun!