Go Ape Tree Top Adventure

We zipped (literally, ha!) down to Williamsburg today to take a group of Outdoor Collegiate students to Go Ape which is a high ropes course company that just opened this summer. It was a blast!!! I have done something like this once in Costa Rica but it's been years and it was so much fun. It took us about 2.5 hours to get through the course and we had 9 students and 4 adults. Everyone had a blast. It really was challenging in some places, physically and mentally. My favorite part was the 600' zipline and my least favorite part was the platform jump where you literally jump off, free fall for a bit, and then your harness catches you. UGH!

After Go Ape, we went to Pierce's BBQ, which really is an institution in Williamsburg as Brad as been going there since he was a boy. It was so yummy. I had a salad topped with pulled bbq chicken, and a side of french fries...to die for!

Great Sunday!!

Saturday Night, Party Night...

Saturday was a lovely day in Richmond. It was one of those overcast, cool fall days that just rejuvenate your soul. Our Saturday, like the rest of the weekend, was pretty full but I wanted to squeeze a "quick" run in before we got caught up in the day. So, I set off for an easy run and ended up running 10 miles. I just didn't want to stop, until I had to go to the bathroom and ended up back at home:) We went to Chipotle for lunch as a family, which was delicious and then there was the Collegiate Homecoming football game at 1:30. I actually opted out of that because I needed to do some meal planning and food shopping for the week. I caught up with Alison, who I haven't seen very much since school started and we decided to get the kids together for dinner and some play time. It was wonderful, it's always wonderful with the Anders. They are so much fun! The kids had a blast, the playroom was DESTROYED which means some good creative juices were flowing in there:) Emma, who is 4, is somewhat the ring leader of the boys and is getting to the age where she wants to perform so we had a few shows to entertain the adults as the evening wore on. It was good fun:)

Friday Night, Party Night

One thing I really love about our (my new) school is the people we work with. They truly are wonderful, especially the science department. I have worked in so many schools where you have to be so secretive about what you are doing so you can get credit for it. But here, at Collegiate, we are so collaborative and easy going with everything, it's wonderful. And, in turn, we all have such a great, warm relationship. Occasionally, Brad and I will through a happy hour get together to let everyone come together and unwind. Tonight was one of those nights. It was great to see everyone and enjoy some time together. Tonight resembled a revolving door in that as soon as one party would leave, another would arrive. It was good fun. I had to work late today so I quickly baked some cookies and threw some snakes together before everyone arrived. A few of Cy's buddies made it from Cougar Care, so that was fun:)

I was able to snap a few photos of the evening before I got absorbed in conversation:)

Cougar Care

I was forwarded some great photos of all the fun Cy is having at Cougar Care. He absolutely loves it. As a matter of fact, we are debating transferring him to Cougar Care full time. Originally, we wanted him to be in a preschool setting a few days a week since Cougar Care is a "daycare" thinking that educationally that would be the best move. After 5 weeks, it is apparent that Cougar Care is much more than a daycare and he is getting more out of these days than he is with the structured curriculum of KinderCare. Part of the reason is because he is just not happy there anymore. He cries everyday again and would much rather be at Cougar Care. It's not the school, it is the fact that when he goes to Collegiate, we all ride our bikes in together, they wander around the school property and occasionally gets to see Brad or I between classes, and he just knows we are there, at school with him and it makes a big difference. So, I think after the 15th of October we'll make the switch. I have already paid KinderCare up through that point and would feel bad about asking for a refund.

So, we're happy with this decision and I think his face says it all.....

8 Week Challenge Update...

Week one is done, ok, truthfully only 4 days for me but who's counting:) It is really great to be a part of this group, even if I don't get to "see" them. There have been moments over the past few days when I've been tempted to do a little cheating here and there but have abstained because I knew they were (hopefully) being diligent and I didn't want to be the weak link. I have amended my goals to include the following, and I am putting it here so that I am accountable, I am going to give up sugar for the entire 8 weeks...and, oh God don't make me say it... WINE. Yep, I'm doing it. I drink TOO much, way more than a person my size should be able to. It's just so yummy and goes down so easily. So, I'm going to give it up for 8 weeks (except for Cy's birthday party and both of these resolutions go out the window for this one day) and really narrow my focus. I have been on the fence with all of this for some time because I am in good shape and by no means am I over-weight but I could be better, tighter, fitter. If I'm going to go through the motions of this challenge then I need to put in 100% and this is how I am doing that. So, there it is in black and white. Pray for me.

Anna

We had our 4th consecutive weekend of house guests this weekend, and though that seems like a lot, it was GREAT to see and spend time with our good friend Anna. She and Brad have been friends forever, since college really and she and her family moved to Africa about 3 years ago and we haven't caught up with them since then. She was flying solo this weekend but it was nice to catch up and chat and see what is going on in her life and the direction her life is taking her and her beautiful children right now. They have moved closer to DC so we'll be hopping on the train to visit them a bunch this year:)

Road ID

Brad and I got new Road IDs a few weeks ago because our old ones had our Colorado information on them and would not be all that helpful should we actually ever need them (and, mine had the wrong blood type on it!). I decided to get one for Cyrus too. This summer, while we were at Disney, we came across this little boy who had lost his family. He knew his number but didn't know his area code. He knew that he lived in NC but wasn't sure what city (he was in elementary school - I thought that was strange since Cy already knows his street, city, and state...but whatever). So, after that panic, I thought it would be good to get Cy a Road ID incase I ever lose him (God forbid). So, we all wear our "Family Power bracelets" and do a family fist bump with our bracelet arms. It's a crack up but he won't take it off because he wants to be a part of the "family power":) The size is just a bit too small but the next size up is too big...so, we'll have to squeeze his chunky little wrist in this one until he grows a bit:)

New Fitness Focus

My dear friend, Nikki O'Sullivan, is in charge of this awesome fitness program in Jacksonville, Florida and she has graciously allowed me to become a virtual partner to the "Purple" team:) It's an 8 week challenge that focuses on three goals: personal, fitness, and nutrition. My fitness is pretty good, I feel strong and fast enough with my racing but my nutrition needs some focus, so that's my goal for this challenge. Personally,  I just need to continue to focus on the balance between my work life and my home life as that can spin out of control in an instant.

I performed the fitness test tonight and was happy with my results. I did a 1 mile run for time in 6:23. I used to race the mile in Track during high school in 5:26 so I'm a bit slower 18 years later but not too bad. I'll take it:) I'm not really into running for speed, I'm in it for a quick endurance pace and am happy with my running race pace at the moment. I also did push ups (42), Pull ups (8), Plank (2:04), sit ups/minute (47), Knee High Jumps/ minute (36), and Burpees/ minute (16). Cy came with me to the playground to do the fitness test and Brad/Cy came with me to the track. Brad road ahead of me on his bike, just enough to push me to try to keep up.

I'm not particularly happy with the measurements that I'm taking but i guess that's the point of the challenge. I need to clean up my eating and trim it back a bit. It's never fun but always necessary. So, we'll see where we are in 8 weeks!!

Moving On Up...

So, we're back to square one with Mom & Dad's housing option in Richmond...they thought they were interested in a townhome but have decided to go with a house, and to sell their house in Florida! That was definitely not the plan and I worry that this is crazy fast for them but they definitely want to be here and are looking forward to it. As a matter of fact, Mom got a job today at Cougar Care which is Collegiate's daycare where Cyrus attends 3 days a week. He is such a lucky boy to have all 4 grandparents at an arm's length and to have his Nana teaching at his school...what a wonderful childhood he is having!!! Mom and Dad are heading home tomorrow to get their affairs in order and will be moving back up here in about 6 weeks! This is all totally amazing!!!

Dr. Berri Jacque

Berri, from Tufts Medical University, is coming to Collegiate tomorrow to meet my students and spend the day with me at school. I am so excited. I absolutely loved learning from him this summer and am thrilled that he is able to make the trek down here from Boston to see how things are going. We're going to run a contagion lab with the kids and do a discussion on the transmission of infectious diseases. The kids will love it. They are so nervous, since I've built him up in their eyes. It's going to be an awesome class. I am so lucky to have been picked to pilot this program this year and hope he's happy with the progress thus far!!

Stony Point Townhomes

My parents found a place! They are going to put a deposit down on a townhome in Stony Point tomorrow and I am so excited. They will finish up here tomorrow and head home on Thursday to pack up and head back up this way for good on Nov. 1st. I am thrilled to have them here with us for the year, we are so lucky and Cy is so blessed to have all 4 grandparents at his disposal:) It's going to be great. It's been so long since I have lived near my parents and I look forward to zipping over after work for a glass of wine or grabbing dinner in the middle of the week:) It's going to be great!!!

Pura Vida

Pura Vida, The Good Life, is a common greeting between people when you meet or depart in Costa Rica...it's such a beautiful place. I had the good fortune of spending a week in Costa Rica with Jason McMonagle a few years back where we spent a great deal of time zip lining, rafting on the Pacquare River (Class IV/V), boating, snorkling, hiking, etc...it was wonderful and I am thrilled to have been asked to go back to Costa Rica this summer. Collegiate is sending about 6 students to Costa Rica this summer as a spanish immersion/science trip and needed 2 chaperones to join. They asked me as the science teacher and I couldn't be more excited. I absolutely LOVE it there. I am hoping, depending on Brad's schedule, that he and Cy could meet me down there after so we could spend a week or so exploring the country as a family. It's going to be so hard to be away from the little man for EIGHT days but I'm not going to worry about that right now:)

Another Big Move...

My parents have decided that they want to move to Richmond. I think that they have been thinking about it for some time but after the last two weeks of spending time with us and Cy and Shawn and his family they realized that they were missing out on some great grandparent time. So, they are coming back up on Sunday to spend a few days looking at places to rent for 1 year to see how it goes. They will rent their home in Florida for the year and will relocate to Richmond. I am really excited about it. I haven't lived in the same town as my parents since I was 18 so I am excited to have an "adult" relationship with my parents now and watch the relationship blossom between Cy and his Nana & Pap:)

Big Hooyah Adventure Race

Brad, Creighton, & I had another race this weekend, the Big Hooyah. It's put on by Seal Team and is a fund-raising event for the families of Seals that have fallen in duty or after they return. Seal Team is HUGE in Richmond and something that I would love to do if I had the time. They have a number of sessions each day, 5:45, 9:30, 10:30, and 6:00...the problem is, with my schedule and Cy none of these times work:( Maybe when he's a bit older I won't feel so guilty about taking time away from him in the evenings (although I doubt it).

Back to the race, it was advertised as an 8+ mile race with 20 obstacles and ended up being about 9.5 miles with 20 obstacles. It was so much fun. Here are the ones that I can remember, bear crawl from point A to B, crab walk A to B, low crawl under mildly electric wires (I zapped my butt as I was crawling out!), push a large bale of hay from A to B and back again, balance beam activity, a horrendous swim in a pond - we had to link our bodies together with Creighton in the front and legs wrapped around Brad's waist and Brad behind me with his legs wrapped around me and we had to "swim" out to a buoy together and swim back dragging Creighton - brutal! We had to use 3 five gallon buckets to fill up a 55 gallon drum with water and then dump the drum. We had to hop over a huge concrete pipe and crawl through one, clamber over two walls, carry a tire while running/hopping through a row of tires, some over/unders, a sleigh ride where the boys had to pull me while I sat on a wooden sleigh, climb through a pipe filled with mud, slide down a SWEET slipping slide, run through the river in waist high water, shoot cow bells with paint balls and run through a section of wood where a sniper was hiding with a paint ball gun, we got peppered with paint balls...I took one to the top of the head, OUCH. We had to swing down a long section of monkey bars, and carry 10 twenty pound sandbags, all the while running 9.5 miles through the woods. It was an awesome day. We ran it in 1:48 and were the second Coed team to finish! It was an awesome day!

*Update: The photos from this event are here: Big Hooyah Photos
We may have to order some, these are too cute!!!

Patriot's Sprint Triathlon

I participated in the Patriot's Sprint Triathlon in Williamsburg, VA this past weekend. It was  750m swim in the James, a 14 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run. It's a good course, the swim to bike transition is long but it's ok. The swim itself was tough this year...very choppy water. All in all, I did ok. I haven't done a tri since June and made some silly rookie mistakes in the transition zone which cost me a few minutes overall I'm afraid. I finished 4th in my age group...2nd fastest in swim, 2 fastest in run, and 10th fastest in bike...no surprise there:)  Oh well...not too shabby for the last tri of the season.

Brad, Creighton, and Shawn did a relay with Shawn swimming, B on the Bike and C running. They did great and finished first in the relay division. Super excited for them! Shawn wants to do the whole thing next year so that would be cool!!!

The Big Finish

Pre race swim in the James so Shawn could get a feel for it. He had never done and open water swim before this race

The kids resting and relaxing at Todd & Sallie's the night before the race

 Mom & Kristin and the girls waiting for someone to come running through:)

Here I go! Transition from swim to bike

 Creighton, waiting patiently for his turn

 Here comes Shawn, great swim!

 Off I go on the bike, uneven grass!