7 Peaks and the Museum of Natural Curiosity

Seven Peaks closes this next week, so we decided to make one last trip.  Unfortunately one of the kiddie pools was closed and the other was freezing cold, so we spent the majority of the time in the wave pool.  We went in the evening and the weather was perfect.

Bela has some pretzels one her stomach... but I don't think she realized that!

We also took advantage (at the last minute) of $2 Tuesdays during the month of August at Thanksgiving Point's Museum of Natural Curiosity.  We went for the last hour of the last Tuesday and it was great fun!  I mostly have pictures of Bela since I was with her and Mario was with Dulce.  Bela really liked the water table and enjoyed the little kid area in the jungle area.  There was one station where she put balls in a flower and it came out the other side.  She was entertained by the for awhile.

Hanging out in the truck after the museum.  Both the girls love doing this.

And just for fun... at our trip to the supermarket!

Triathamom 2016!

Last Saturday, August 20, I participated in "Triathamom" - an all women's triathlon!  It was my third sprint triathlon, but the other two were in 2007 and 2010, so it had been awhile.  It consisted of a 300 m pool swim, 11 mile bike ride, and 5k run.

Here were my results:

Overall, I was pretty happy with how things went.  Swimming was the part I was most worried about, so I was glad to get it over with first.  It was a big of a logistical hassle for the people who organized the event too, I believe.  We entered the pool about every three seconds, but then it was super crowded and really difficult to pass anyone or let anyone pass you.  Sometimes you were just treading water waiting for people in front of you to move.  Also, I had practiced in a 25m pool and the race used a 50m pool, so that made it more challenging as well.

I had driven part of the bike course and thought it would feel hillier on my bike, but the bike part actually flew by.  I wish I had used a road bike though!  I got passed on the bike section of the race.  I used a bike that I just got and really like, but it's a hybrid bike, so it's just not as fast on the road.

As with the other triathlons, my legs felt like jello when I started the running portion.  There were no mile markers, which was annoying.  All I knew was that there was a turn around point halfway through.  I also forgot to grab my phone at the transition area!  I really wanted to have it so I could pace myself.  The running course was flat except for a big downhill at the beginning, and consequentially also at the end.  I never got passed on the run, but passed quite a few people.  I was happily surprised to see that my pace was 8:31!  I normally run 9-10 min miles when I run and was thinking I wouldn't be faster after having also done a swim and bike first.

The other triathlons I've done I did with at least one other friend, and that made the whole experience a lot more fun.  I found out about this one a little late in the game and I couldn't recruit anyone to do it with me.  It's not like I stay with that person the whole time, but it's nice to have someone with you before everything starts.

At the end, there were bouncy houses, cotton candy, and face painting for the kids.  Mario and the kids (and Mariana who was visiting!) got there a few minutes after I finished, but it was nice to see them shortly after.

And just for fun, here are a few pictures of the other triathlons I've done!

Stretching before the first tri I did with my roommate, Carina, in Lehi, UT in 2007.

After the second tri I did.  This time with my mission comp/friend, Sheree, in Saratoga Springs, UT in 2010.  We won for our age group and got some cash money!

What we've been up to!

Here are just some pics of things that have happened the last few months that didn't really fit into the categories of my other recent blog posts!

Fishing

Harvesting

She will still only eat "baby" (cherry/grape) tomatoes

She loves eating these carrots!

Getting our hair done

Learning

After resisting, I finally signed her up for preschool. Just twice a week for two hours.  She loves it!

Dulce and Bela
The older Bela gets, the more Dulce likes to play with her.  And Bela thinks Dulce is just the BEST.

Baby massage on the kitchen floor

Other

From a beautiful morning run behind our house

At an event Mario's work put on called "Donuts with Dad" where the kids came and had donuts and could get a tour of Papi's work!

Grr...but we're safe!

Cutest saleslady I've ever seen!

General cuteness in the high chair

We love to visit puppy barn!

MA and ME vacation

After taking a direct, red-eye from SLC to BOS, we drove to a cabin that Mariana found on Uber.  Besides it being a hot and humid few days with no AC, it was awesome!  Lots of swimming and delish food.  

Mariana, that party animal, brought this huge, awesome inflatable swan...which we still have to reimburse her for since Mario popped one of it's wings when he landed on it from the rope swing.

(Awkward) sibling love

Mama Abue con sus sobrinos

Swimming with Papa Abue!

Bela relaxin'

Cata!

Too cool for school

Chow time!  Bela LOVES watermelon

Play hard, sleep hard

Then we headed up to Maine.  The first week was in a cabin called Snowbird Lodge.  There was plenty of room for the grandparents, 6 (out of 7) kids, and their spouses and kids.  It was a quick 5-minute walk to the lake.  There we paddleboarded, kayaked, canoed, swam, found frogs, hunted for blueberries, and ate sand (Bela).  It was fun to play games and reconnect!  There were three 3-year olds, so Dulce was pretty happy.  The whole time we were on vacation it was beautiful weather.

After the week in the cabin, we went to my parents house.  Mario stayed for a couple days there, but then headed back to Utah (read:work).  I was excited for him to see Maine in the summer because he had only ever been in the winter, and although that is beautiful, I much prefer it in all its summer glory.

I stayed another week with the kiddos and we enjoyed picking raspberries from the garden, taking walks, playing with Gretchen, going to the Children's Museum, and definitely eating ice cream and going to the beach.  We also spent a few hours a few different days with Camille and her kids since they live pretty close to my parents.  I got to see a few HS friends too which was really nice :)