Weekend roundup: BBQs and waterfalls

Last weekend I was exhausted by the end of the 2-days from chasing the boys.  This weekend after 3-days I'm totally reinvigorated and realizing we need more long weekends, more staycations, and a couple vacations thrown into the mix.  Friday was mellow - going to Oaxaca (where we've gone every Friday for the past 3-years - no joke). 

Saturday we went to the library downtown where the boys raced up and down and then tried out the Olympic club.  The downtown library is beautiful - amazing architecture and room after room of old and new books.  It's quirky, though, as next to the collectible book room is a library section.  Olympic club too is quirky with a posh gym in an old hotel.

Sunday we met up with the boys' friend Jonny from school for a fun playdate.  Most of the time was girls chasing the boys, then the boys chasing the girls ... hm, foreboding I guess.  Saturday evening we had the boys' friend Ella and her twin brothers over for BBQ - unfortunately it started raining just as we wanted to start cooking so we found an overhang for the BBQ.

Today we chased the rainbow and went to the Sammamish waterfalls where we made up our own hike amid blueberry bushes and trees.  The falls were amazing and I can't wait to go back! 

The boys dressed themselves for the hike - Wilson was bummed he couldn't wear his cowboy boots hiking arguing that "cowboys where boots to hike" - but he wore his "pirate shorts" and sweatshirt.  This evening we went to another BBQ at our friend's house just outside of Green Lake.  The weather fairies were on our side and the BBQ was perfect.

All in, a great weekend!  I'm ready for another :)

Real swimmers freestyle

I'm starting my triathlon training (yikes!) and am picking up swimming.  I have never been a good swimmer, in fact, I only ever remember doing it in preparation for a tri - of which I've only done 2.  My very first tri, I got so freaked out, I did the breast stroke UNDER everyone and came in in the last 5 people. 

This weekend I got a trial membership to the Olympic Club to use the pool - easier having a 24/7 pool to do laps in than to try to guess when the public pool will be open ... or clean.  In the pool, we get lanes in 30min increments - just like popular cardio machines.  30min is just fine by me as that's about all I can do now, with my breast stroke.  Looking around the pool today I realized I'm the only one doing breast stroke - everyone else does freestyle with the pro looking flips. 

When I started feeling like a fraud in the pool I reminded myself that like running, getting in and just doing it makes me a swimmer.  So I guess real swimmers do breast stroke and freestyle etc.  Just like real runners do anything from 400 yards beyond.

Weekend roundup: energized lounging

We lucked out this weekend and got sun (even though rain was in the forecast).  The boys were en fuego with energy and we spent most of the weekend just trying to keep up.  Saturday was karate and then a birthday party to celebrate Abby Jo.  Jen (Abby's mom) and her brother own neighboring houses in the most awesome area with a giant backyard and shared front yard full of all things kids love. 

This morning I woke for a long run around Magnolia and enjoyed some animals along the way - lots of squirrels and even a rabbit!  Mid-morning brought playground time and then a mellow evening at home.

Race Report: Cougar Mt. 5mi

It was my first race back after a 6mo break (too long!!) and "it" was awesome.  Last weekend I ran the first in the Cougar Mt. trail series doing a 5mi trail race (I downgraded from the 10mi - not typical, but again, first back).  The race was Saturday morning after a perfect rainy night making the trails completely muddy - my favorite.  The Cougar 5mi had about double the amount of people I remember from the first time I did the race in 2011 and I'm so happy to see trail running continue to pick up.  There were even surprisingly a couple kids on the trail.  We started with a quick lap around a big field (Matt later told me I was in front throwing elbows ... I swear I'm polite!)  After the loop we made our way into the woods for a LOT of hills.

Here's the race write-up from the site:
"The single 5.14-mile loop starts and finishes at Sky Country Trailhead.

The course begins heading up Clay Pit Road and shortly connects with a mix of wider and moderately hilly single-track trails.  Although not highly technical, the course does involve negotiating logs and potentially unsteady footing over rocks and roots.  The course is slightly muddy in areas, but the majority of the trails are in great shape and very runnable!"

I came in 2nd female just over a minute after the first female ... just the motivation I need to hurry up!  I'm already looking forward to the next in the series.

Weekend roundup

I'm in the middle of a travel flurry, but this weekend was an awesome fun/family/happiness flurry.  Saturday Kathleen and I took the boys to karate and then for some bike riding at Coe.  Saturday evening we enjoyed a great Mexican dinner, and then Molly Moons ice cream.  The boys got their sillies on after delicious strawberry and vanilla cups.

Today we woke late(ish ... ala 7am) and after a quick run, we all went to Toulouse Petit for an amazing brunch.  Cole and Wilson couldn't stop licking their plates (literally) and Cole kept breaking into his "movie star" smile.  Everything was amazing - seriously amazing.

The day was a whirlwind with a hike around sculpture gardens, then playing on the zip line at Discovery park, to gardening and making "wonderlands" in the garden.

After a great day, I was off to the airport to fly to LA for work.  I was a bit frazzled on so much work travel, so at the airport I treated myself to a manicure.  Upon checking into my hotel, though, the frazzling disappeared ... my room is as big as Matt's and my first apartment, and the area is awesome (West Hollywood).  In the room I got to enjoy The Good Wife and a fire (from a light switch) from my sitting area - I could get used to this!

 

WRT West Hollywood, I could swear someone is walking around spraying jasmine perfume into the air outside - everything smells good (seriously - how weird is that?!).  For dinner I enjoyed Urth Caffe - a hip and delicious salad spot.  At 9pm the place was packed with more fit fab (a word I don't intend to use again for a long time and shock myself writing now) people.  Pesto chicken + organic greens + home-made bread... yes please!

All in, an OK flight / evening getting in.  I hope my meetings go great now!

Boston

My whirlwind work travel week ended in Boston.  My co-worker and I flew from NY to Boston Wednesday evening for a meeting Thursday morning. 

Having not done anything "fun" during this work trip (OK, some of my meetings were pretty fun - lots of learning which is always fun!), we decided to go eat near Fenway and the Boston Marathon finish line.  I kept thinking back to my Boston marathon a couple years ago - run right after the boys were born - and then of course to Boston's tragedy from last year.  Last year's events still sting for everyone, I think.  It's so inspiring, though, to see how the city pulled together and really is "Boston Strong." 

Skyping and momming

The next couple weeks are travel CRAZY for me for work - NY, then LA, then NY - oof!  Thank goodness for Skype video chats, that's all I have to say.  The past two nights I've gotten to Skype sing my boys to sleep and it makes my day.