Wednesday, June 27, 2012

GoPro fun...

Gabriel and Caleb went in together and purchased a GoPro... it's basically a super-tough waterproof camera.  I thought you'd enjoy seeing a video that Gabe made from some recent footage~ pretty fun, huh?  The first few seconds are bumpy since the GoPro was attached to a remote-controlled truck!  Keep watching though... it's really fun, and a peek into summer life around here!



The music is Owl City's newest song, "Good Time."  And it is!  (a good time. seriously!)

Do you listen to Owl City?  That's some fun music~ and if you don't have the $ to purchase an album, surely you know about Spotify?  You can listen there for free (Windows, Mac and iPhone apps available)!  Sweet!

It's hot, hot, hot here~ 100+ for the next three days, but we're still having lots of summer fun~ gardening, watering (and watering some more!), swimming and *tons* of (very) early morning workouts for me.

I think that I mentioned that I'm back working out, training hard for my very first half-IronMan triathlon~ IM Branson 70.3 on September 23.  I can't even begin to tell you how super-grateful I am to even be able to pursue a goal like this after my heart arrhythmia scare this past spring.  Seriously.  I used to gripe and complain my way though many of my runs (at least in my head!  LOL!), but now I find myself delighting in the simple ability to run, bike and swim.  What a privilege to be able to push and challenge myself this way!  *So* grateful to the Lord for this!

In a completely unexpected blessing, the triathlon coach who runs the masters swim program that I've been attending for the past year told me that he "liked my story" and wanted to coach me for a "greatly reduced fee!"  He wondered if I'd be interested?  Would I?!!!!  What an honor!  So yes, I officially have a triathlon coach now.

This is fabulously helpful for me... I have *so* much to learn about triathlon and training for longer distance races like a 70.3.  It can be pretty tricky to train for three sports all at once, get enough volume in to be prepared for a race, without doing too much (that's what I'm prone to do!) and not giving your body a chance to recover.  Ryan takes all of the guesswork out of the equation for me, emailing me challenging workouts, but also insisting that I rest and recover when he plans that as well.

Today's workout was a "neuro brick," consisting of 20 minutes of cycling, then a quick transition to 10 minutes of running, repeated 4 times!  I was a bit intimidated going into this workout, not about the cycling~ that's no problem, but about the running.  I did it though! And finished pretty feeling pretty strong.  I think it is so cool to see my (gradual!) progress and improvement.

I've been injured so much the past few years (stress fractures in both hips, 2 hip surgeries, I broke my ankle in two places, and this past spring had some pretty major heart issues!). I can worry about getting injured again, but for the most part I'm simply living in the moment and enjoying the process.  I figure that if I do get injured at some point then I'll deal with that then, but today I'm having a *blast* and that's good enough for now. At some point I won't be able to pursue my triathlon goals... today is not that day.  ; )

How about you, my friends?  Are you enjoying your summer?

Friday, June 15, 2012

Right Now











Around here right now we are saying hello to summer.  We are splashing in the pool and delighting in sun on skin, bare toes and flip flops.  We are transitioning to our summer school schedule and all of the impromptu fun that goes along with that.  The older boys are working their lawn business and taking some college courses.

Around here right now I am totally delighting in my strong healthy heart... so grateful to the Lord for every sweaty run, every hill climbed on my bike and every lap swam.  I am so encouraged by my progress that I am tentatively planning on competing in my first half-Ironman triathlon this fall.

Around here right now we are enjoying garden produce, picking fresh blueberries and trying out numerous cheese recipes with the great abundance of milk that our goats have blessed us with.

Around here right now we are exploring drawing and watercolor paints, we will be sewing and quilting, painting walls, gardening and delighting in more time to pursue all things creatively domestic.

Around here right now my soul is being fed in new ways as I listen to the Daily Audio Bible podcast.

Around here right now I am delighting in each day in its uniqueness, joyfully embracing all that the the Lord has for us in these long daylight summer days.

Thanks *so* much for praying and checking in on me, my friends!