Bike Man

This story gave my mom a good laugh so I thought I would share.

My man likes to ride his bike.

A LOT.

He was a biking maniac when we first met. He was a lean mean biking machine. One of our first dates was a picnic and I panicked at not knowing what kind of food to pack - no chips, no pop, no cookies? Maybe just a sandwich on whole wheat and an apple? Oh how I've corrupted him since then. Anyways, back to my story.

He bought a new road bike a few months ago so that he could ride his bike to work for the, oh - 3 months out of the year that it is nice up here.

He recently decided that he and 2 other friends are going to do a Seattle to Portland bike trip in July. This is a one day, 12+ hour bike trip. I though he was crazy, but I encouraged him thinking that it would be good for his health, good for his state of mind, give him something to look forward to and would be something that he would really enjoy.

So just this week he informs me that he is going to have to start training. So far he has been riding the exercise bike while we watch Biggest Looser (while I sit on the couch and eat ice cream) and the Office. So I get the needing to train part.

He proceeds to tell me that pretty soon he is going to have to start taking 5+ hour bike trips on Saturday mornings. I'm secretly wondering if he left that part out on purpose. I'm thinking that is a lot of Saturday mornings by myself. I mean with the kids.

So I started mulling this scenario over and this is what I came up with to even out the score. Once he does his ride in July, I'm going to start training for a marathon. A SHOPPING marathon. Every Saturday morning I am going to train, BY MYSELF, for 5+ hours (and probably a couple of hours during the week too) from July till maybe December. Then in December I'm going to put all of that training into practice and do a weekend shopping marathon. Maybe I'll go from Seattle to Portland too. Doesn't that sound delightful??

Too bad it won't actually happen. I thought that it was a pretty good idea though. A pretty good trade off. Maybe I should look for sponsors.......

Picture Tag

Good grief I am slow. Back in December Sara picture tagged me. So I am finally getting around to posting my picture.

Here are the rules:

1) choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer
2) select the 4th picture in the folder, insert it into a post
3) explain the picture
4) tag 4 people to do the same
NO CHEATING! (cropping, editing, etc.)

My picture says so much.....

Picture taken August of 2005.

As for an explination, well that surely is a cockpit of an airplane if I've ever seen one. I think Jason took this while he was at an airshow in Oshkosh, WI. He thinks it might be the cockpit of a Kodiak. Super exciting, I know.

Mom bought us some flowers for Christmas from Costco while she was here. The darn roses died within a few days, but these babies just keep on going and going. I'm really going to miss them when they are gone. They remind me of their visit and I think they look so pretty with the white snow as a backdrop sitting in my kitchen window.

January 3

While we were eating lunch today we looked out our front window and saw several red robins eating berries off of our tree. The kids scared some of them off while I was getting my camera, but this guy decided not to be shy and stay awhile.

January 2

Today we decided we needed to get out and have some fun. Take advantage of the monster amounts of snow that have been dumped here. So sledding we a went.

Kellan was brave enough to head down the hill by himself. Way to go boy!Kellan getting carried back up the hill by his dear dad

Taking off down the big hill

Wishing for more of this beautiful blue sky

Mary and Joseph

And here is one more picture that didn't want to upload yesterday. I think it is one of my favorites. Mirielle succeeded in talking Grandpa into dressing up as Joseph, which really meant just throwing a dish towel over his head and holding a yard stick. It was a big deal to her though. I have to give my dad a big hand this year for being a good sport. He let Mirielle put glitter in his hair, played a Princess jewelry game and graciously rode in the back 'trunk' of our CRV for the 10 days that he and my mom were here.

December Recap

This year December seemed to fly by and now that it is January, I feel like I somehow missed the fullness of it. Last year, between spending my first Christmas in my own home, experiencing my first winter living in snow, and trying to capture it all in my Daily December posts, December seemed full, wonderful actually. This year it seemed like a blur. Welcome to reality I guess!

Here is a brief recap of December

Kellan and Mirielle painting Christmas ornaments

Mirielle had a great time visiting Santa again this year. Kellan on the other hand refused to even look at him. He had just woken up from a nap in the car, which I suspect had something to do with the grouchy mood. Not even a candy cane could convince him to climb up on Santa's lap.

Sledding in the front yard. This December was the snowiest December on record. Great for a white Christmas, not so fun when you have to shovel it.

I decided that breakfast out on Christmas Eve is a new Schwab tradition. Breakfast at Rockwood Bakery is my favorite. They have the best pastries EVER!

Me, the lazy eye and dear sweet hubby

After breakfast, we tried to take some pictures at the park with all of the glorious snow. The kids weren't too cooperative. I'm guessing they probably had too much sugar pulsing through their veins to behave.