Baby Shower and Lance Armstrong

Friday, Allie and I threw our friend Clar a baby shower at my place. It mainly turned into a girls night which was a lot of fun. We talked and snacked and then snacked some more. The guys went mountain biking and had a blast, too.

Saturday was the Xterra Tri up in Ogden Valley and Lance Armstrong raced so Dave couldn't miss it. He got up early, loaded his mountain bike on his car and headed up to catch the racers at the end of the swim portion. He got to see Lance 4 times throughout the race. Once was right on the bike trail in the woods. He rode his bike going the opposite way on the trail and then plopped himself right off the trail so when Lance passed, he could reach out and touch him if he wanted to. Dave called himself "Lance's Stalker." Dave came home a happy man. He was giddy the rest of day. Jake went and met Dave up there at the end and he said he felt like a little kid and couldn't really function like an adult when he saw Lance. Oh, silly boys.

Me, Cassi, Clar, Allie and Alex

Allie and I's first time making a diaper cake

Lance coming out of the water. He was in the zone.

Lance heading to the trail

On the trail

Finishing the run. He finished 5th.

Today is Great

I am in my fourth week of the school year and I am finally feeling like I can take a breath or two. I feel as if this year is a lot more work then my first year, last year. The state implemented the national core curriculum with a lot of the rest of the country this year so that has brought on a little more work as well as what seems to be a lot more work load that has been dumped on us teachers in my district. All that on top of being at a brand new school has caused a lot of stress, sleepless nights and late nights at school and then loading bags and boxes in the car for work home. There is no way you could be a teacher if you didn't love what you did, well, I know I wouldn't be able to do it. A lot of the time, I forget that I am getting a pay check. I always get a little shocked when I do get my pay stub in my box at school at the end of the month. I love what I do, what can I say?

I do have to brag about Dave though. All those that know him, know how amazing he is but I think amazing says very little compared to how great he really is. This last month or so has not been one of my proudest as a human being. I have had worse but I've had much better. With all of his stresses with school (being in the worst class of the whole program), work, and life (especially our health insurance issues!); he then takes on my stress/crankiness/frustrations and does everything in his power to make my burden light. And this is all with a calm, loving, joyful expression on his face and in his voice. For example, Friday, I brought two boxes and a bag full of stuff that needed to be done. He sat down with me and completed EVERYTHING that needed to be done! We worked for about 5 hours. I don't think I've heard him complain once in the last month! I love, love, love, love...LOVE him!

Being at a new school has been, well...different. Different in some good ways and some not so good or hard to accept, let's just say. I am loving the peeps I work with and they have been so very helpful! It has been a whirlwind already, though. I have a whole new group of 24 munchkins with 24 brand new personalities! I think that has been the hardest part. I'd guess that it is like having a second child, you think you've got the whole mom thing down or somewhat down and then BAM! it hits you like a ton of bricks that you don't but the difference is I've got 24 new chicklins! Its been an experience, that is for sure.

I really hope things will start calming down. One of the most frustrating things lately has been time. It feels like the clock is spinning around and around and in a matter of minutes it is 10 o'clock at night and I can't stop it! I have felt so powerless and barely afloat because of this and it has frustrated me to my core. I think I've made myself sick over it a few times even. Today was different though. I felt as if the tide somewhat shifted. I was able to leave and get home before 5! It felt amazing! And then I was able to sit and then play tennis and not feel like I should be doing school work. I know this isn't the end of long nights but today sure felt great!

It's That Time of Year Again!

I just can't believe how fast time is whizzing by me. It's honestly making me sick, especially how much is still on my to do list for school and it continues to grow more and more each day.

Every second weekend of September, you know where to find the Price's. If you don't already know what this time of the year means for us then shame on you...no, just kidding. It's Lotoja time!

This year, Bridge and I decided to be the support crew for our hubbies and Michael Price. All summer I was kind of jealous but the jealousy quickly changed the night before. Dave had a rough time training this summer for two main reasons; one, school and two, he had IT Band Syndrome on his right leg and had to battle that. He worked really hard at strengthening his IT Band and did his best with what he had.

The weather forecast looked a lot brighter than last year and it turned out to be a beautiful day for us spectators but the head winds and heat was hard on the riders. Although somewhat against the rules of Lotoja support crewing, we stopped and watered our near empty boys' bottles right before the King/Queen of the Mountain climb (the steepest climb in Lotoja, they time it and award the fast ones). We even helped another rider out that was in dyer need as well. Lotoja used to have a nuetral support close to where we stopped but they moved it to the top of K/QOM. We thought that was a poor decision. Poor souls that didn't have people stop.

The boys took off at 7:34 a.m. and crossed the finish line at 6:27 p.m. They reached Preston (34 miles) in 1 hour and 15 minutes and stopped really quick to refuel and refill bottles. Next stop in Montpelier was at 11:45 a.m. This stop was a little bit longer but they ate most of the food we had for them and they felt okay except for Ry's leg was cramping. Part of the route for the support crew is with the riders and others aren't but when we are en route with the riders, it's fun to stop and cheer them on as they pass and then cheer from the car as you pass them and then stop again and do it all over again. The boys reached Afton pretty quick, I think the time was around 2:30ish and Bridge and I were kind of off guard when they pulled up to us, but we tried to hurry them on there way but it seemed as if they were beginning to feel all the pains and rejected a lot of the food because they just couldn't eat (continuously eating is very important). The last stop we saw them before the finish line was at Alpine Junction around 4:05. We really wanted them to meet their time goal but they were in no rush to leave. They finally headed for their last 47 miles.

Bridge and I followed the rules by taking the long route around to Jackson, it was our first time that way and the LAST TIME her and I will EVER do that! We had to go over a mountain pass that was 10% grade up and down it and were behind brake lovers. Her car didn't like it at all and neither did we. We had quite a bit of road rage while trying to make it to the finish line to see our hubbies cross. Luckily, we made it but the anxiety we had was no fun.

As the boys came riding down the way towards the finish, they were side by side and all had giant grins on their faces. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen! I had my video camera ready and I got so excited when I saw them, I hit the off button instead of record and ended up only getting their back sides but I don't think I'll forget those grins for a long time. The boys finished in 10 hours 53 minutes. It wasn't what they hoped for but they were happy. They didn't feel too great after but not many people do after 206 miles, unless you're a professional. Bridge and I had a lot of fun and Sunny and Mike were able to finally make the finish line after trying for a couple years.

Bridge and I had a lot of fun being the support crew but I wouldn't recommend only a 2-man crew for 3 riders. We each had our duties and each time it was hard to fulfill them. I was on video camera, picture and water duty and that was pretty difficult but in the end I think we rocked it!

Woke up to a front door surprise. Thanks Cora and fam!

Registration

French toast breakfast

Sunscreen for my fair-skinned, freckled hubby

Jon surprised us all and came up to cheer the boys on at the start!

Support Crew 2011

Getting ready to take off

And they're off!

Montpelier

Right before K/QOM

The boys were struggling, good thing we stopped!

On the way to Afton, the scenery is beautiful

Afton

Dave's 2011 bib number

Wahoo! They did it!

Hanging out in Jackson the next day. Dave is humoring Michael and trying out his physics experiment.

How We Spent Our Labor Day

Monday, we packed as many bikes and people in Dave's car as we could and headed up to Mountain Green. I think I caught a little flu or something after the first week of school but I still tried to go on the ride. I made it about a quarter of the way but I was able to rest in the nice mountain scenery while waiting.