Poke

So today Tanner got in trouble at the gym.  He was poking people.  I asked him why he chose to be naughty.  He said, "I really don't know Mom, sometimes I just feel like poking people."  Don't worry, we had the talk that this behavior is unacceptable, but secretly I couldn't help but smile.  I have a confession.  Sometimes I want to poke people too.  Not hurt them.  Just give them a big poke.  This behavior must be hereditary.

Babies don't shave

My daughter asked me if she could shave her legs the other day. I immediately responded, NO! Then of course I have been thinking about the conversation ever since. My first thought was are you crazy! Your a baby! Babies don't shave! So I told her that my mom told me I wasn't allowed to shave until I was in the fifth grade thinking that would buy me oodles of time. When she quickly responded,cool that means I can shave next year, I was baffled. I wanted to chase the words that floated out of my mouth and shove them back in, not because I didn't want her to shave, but because I didn't want her to grow up. I have been ready and really enjoy her growth intellectually, but this momma isn't quite ready for smooth legs yet. I honestly don't think she wants to shave because she wants to attract boy attention. If anything I think she sees me doing it and has the ridiculous notion that it looks fun. Well, it's not fun! It is a pain! A pain that I know I will eventually have to give in to. Along with many other heart wrenching, wish your daughter didn't have to go through what you went through moments. Slow down sis! I am not quite ready for you to be a big girl.

Cowboy

My favorite quote from this weekend came from my son. We were riding four wheelers on our camping trip and came a cross a group of riders on horseback.  My son was fascinated.  He shouted to them asking if they were Cowboys.  He continued to talk about Cowboys the rest of the trip.  So I mentioned to him that his Grandad Curt is a Cowboy and so is his Uncle Billy.  So then he said as excited as I have heard him, "Oh my Gosh!!! Does that mean I am part Cowboy?!?!
I answered yes, of course.  So he is 25% Italian, his dad was the last generation of the Choctaw nation so he holds a fraction of Native American, a little German, Mexican, and the rest must be Cowboy.
We all hold traits carried over from the generations that proceed us.  I hope that Tanner holds on to a little bit of the Cowboy spirit.  He is certainly proud to have the blood running through his veins.

33 going on 50:)

The other day I got mistaken for my sister-in-law to be's mother. She is 25. I regularly get asked if my mom is my sister. These are two very gorgeous human beings but I must say I feel like I am 33 going on 50. It must be because I am so mature. I know most of the people who utter these remarks are trying to pay those around me a compliment, but I think the next time they may receive a swift kick in the buttocks. How about just telling people they are beautiful without comparing them to someone else, that would be a refreshing change. Don't get me wrong, I do recognize that the women in my life look fabulous. It gives me a little hope that I will age gracefully. I know it is gross to fuss about, I know I am not unattractive. It just gets old sometimes, no pun intended:)

Ride the Rockies

Ride the Rockies 2011

Every time I get ready to tackle the challenge of  Ride the Rockies there are so many elements of emotion that accompany the experience.  Memories of relationships with riders that have ridden with us in the past, the fear of pain due to lack of training, the excitement of a challenge, the panic of bringing the appropriate gear for the elements, and the joy of knowing that no matter what.......memories will be created.  This trip was one of my favorites.  It was my fifth year completing the tour but in many ways it felt like my first.  We stayed in tents ran by a Sherpa service which was awesome slash not awesome at the same time.  It was great to feel so connected to the tour and the other riders and it definitely felt hard core but it was freaking freezing.  The first two nights we went without sleep because we were so cold.  I think the only thing that got us through was our sense of humor.  When you are sleep deprived, fatigued, and your butt feels like it is on fire what else can you do but laugh.   For those of you who don't ride you might be reading this and wondering why in the world would you get excited about taking a trip where the conditions seem miserable.  Well, I can tell you that every uncomfortable experience is worth the pain.  Cycling in Colorado is so incredibly beautiful,but that really isn't why I like it.  It is also an amazing workout, also not really that important to me.  I think I am addicted to the ride for a combination of reasons. 1). The camaraderie. When you spend a week with people sweating, laughing, and completing a goal together it is just special.  2). The feeling of living.  Pushing myself beyond perceived limitations is extremely fulfilling to me.  Spending time out of my comfort zone and taking risks makes me feel alive.  3).  The quiet.  Even though sometimes I am listening to music, I like the ability to tune out the rest of the world and just be.

This year, unfortunately, there was a death on the tour.  We actually rode up to the accident shortly after it occurred.  It has been haunting me quite a bit the last couple of days.  As I rode by I knew he had already past away.  When I saw him they were no longer trying to revive him, the were preparing to load him into the emergency vehicle.  When we approached the rest stop I saw his wife whom  he had been riding with sobbing.  She was riding in front of him so thankfully she didn't witness the accident but was waiting to hear how he was doing.  I can't even imagine how much pain she is experiencing now.  It is a nice thought to die doing something that you love, but it is still a tragedy.  I believe he was only 59.  He still had many rides that he should have experienced.  You can't help but put things in your life in perspective when you witness something so devastating.  Especially when it could have happened to any one  of us.  I am coming home inspired to take my life up a notch.  When I was riding after that experience my all consuming thought was that I wanted and needed to spend more time being active with my kids.  It is way to easy to get caught up in everyday life and forget to live life to the fullest.

I loved the ride. I love the people I rode it with. I love the memories. I will cherish the experience forever.

Mayonnaise

I hate mayonnaise.  I know it is a strong word but the sight of it makes me cringe.  My relationship with the popular condiment got ugly when I was in elementary school.  It is not the taste of it that bothers me so much, instead it is a memory associated with the spread that haunts me.  When I was younger I used to be in a ski racing group so I would go up to Powderhorn, our local ski resort, and hit the slopes every weekend.  One of these weekends I was sitting with a group of fellow skiers and one of the kids was playing with a packet of mayonnaise, squeezing it between his fingertips.  All of a sudden the packet burst and mayonnaise flew across the table and covered my face.  It got in my eyes, up my nose, and in my mouth.  It looked and felt like someone blew there nose all over me.  Gross!  To this day just looking at the spread makes me think of snot.

I think it is so interesting the way our minds work.  The way we can hold on to a memory and it can effect us our entire life.  I know that having to avoid a sandwich spread in the grand scheme of things is not that traumatic.   But there are so many experiences we go through when we are younger that are.  Each experience creates the unique individual we are destined to become, I guess I just wish sometimes working through our issues was as easy as avoiding a sandwich.   

I want my voice back:(

I miss my voice. I used to be a singer. Not a super good singer but good enough to hold a note. Now I try to sing and it sounds like poo. I damaged my vocal chords. A perfect blend of acid reflux and over coaching has led me to constant episodes of scratchy voice syndrome. Yes, I could give up wine, coffee, and coaching. But I refuse. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Next week, thankfully I will be doing Ride the Rockies. I will be on my bicycle, not really able to talk to anyone for several hours a day. I don't think this trip could come at a better time. I really do need to behave so I don't develop more scar tissue. So next time you see me with a coffee in hand, yell at me. I obviously need some accountability. I may not be able to tra la la la la anymore. But if I wasn't able to teach anymore I think I would lose my noodle. I am one of those type of people that if you tell me I can't have something I crave it every second of every hour of every day!!!!!! Dang addictive personality. I better develop a craving for hot tea ASAP. I wish it didn't take me losing the things that matter most to me to figure things out. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.