Tuesday, July 31, 2007
DHEA
The voodoo doctor says I'm low on a hormone called DHEA. Yep, all the symptoms match me. So I'm going to the store today to get suppliments. I have to kick this! It's also interesting to see some of the symptoms of this are weight gain - and magically I've been in that category - or could be worse, if I wasn't running every day (like in Boise) I'd gain 10 pounds a week - instead of lose a pound every 2 weeks - which is what I had been doing over the summer! So I'm going to get some DHEA and see what comes of it!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Such a chore
to update this! I can't think of anything exciting to report. The kids are out of swim for the summer, we still have a few parties, Wed & Thurs. night for swim, and meet the teacher is also Thursday night (new school) My inlaws come in Thursday night, too. Kali is scheduled to be baptized on Saturday - and our last scuba class is also on Saturday, there's no way I can miss that, so she gets to spend a day w/ the grandparents -- her birthday is Friday, I'm sure we'll have to have a parade in her honor. I'm so tired & worn out lately.
My house is a total disaster, I have no motivation to clean it, Ross is displeased with my lack of motivation and the kids have finally mastered black-belt mess-making which also adds to Ross' frustration. I'm sure I'd be frustrated if I had more energy but right now all the energy I have is being drained on staying awake.
I don't know what's the matter.
My house is a total disaster, I have no motivation to clean it, Ross is displeased with my lack of motivation and the kids have finally mastered black-belt mess-making which also adds to Ross' frustration. I'm sure I'd be frustrated if I had more energy but right now all the energy I have is being drained on staying awake.
I don't know what's the matter.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Boise Trip
I say Boise, but really, we were in Utah, too - We got in Sunday morning about 6:45. Woke up my parents, who got up & made us breakfast. Bad night of driving, the kids are too big and the car is NOT comfortable. So finally - about 3:a.m. I laid the seats all down to expose a larger back seat where everyone could lay down - including Brynn who didn't sleep a wink up until that point.
So we're all tired & crabby.
Monday we went to Roaring Springs.
Brynn
Kali & Carrie
Kiersten (in tube) Rachael & pete's daughter Karli (in front) Ammon & Emma (in tube) Little Pete (Behind Ammon)
Howie
Emma & Brynn in their twinner watermelon suits!
Tuesday we went to the Lake
Carrie, Kali & Kiersten
Ross surfing the wake
Kiersten & Paul body surfing on the boat wake
Howie & Paul
Wednesday we went to the Voodoo doctor for Howie's asthma, which turns out he was alergic to his own spit and feces. Yep, you read that right. Treated him for that w/ electric pulses (the "new" accupuncture) and he should be good to go.
Thursday went to the Voodoo doctor for my monthly headaches & kidney pain. He cured me, my headache went away and my kidneys have been mostly pain free! Turns out they were in the wrong place, doing sit ups after having lithotripsy pulled them down - he pushed them back up & told me to do sit backs instead of sit-ups. Not only that, I got rid of quite a bit of pebbles the next day - that was nice. I'm not in nearly as much pain as I've been the last 3 or so years.
Thursday (after Voodoo visit) we drove to SLC for Luek family reunion.
Friday Lagoon:
(Here we have Ross, Kiersten, Kali & Carrie and look at Crysty on the far right! AHAHAHAA!)
Carrie, Rachael & Brynn on the chopper!
Saturday muddy beach
Sunday tour temple square
Monday drive back to Phoenix - through Zion's National Park...or Canyon or something like that...
Tuesday wake up bright & early for swim team. Ended up raining and I thought they'd cancel, turns out - the only cancel w/ lightning...no lightning, so we get to swim. 20 loads of laundry behind.
So we're all tired & crabby.
Monday we went to Roaring Springs.
Brynn
Kali & Carrie
Kiersten (in tube) Rachael & pete's daughter Karli (in front) Ammon & Emma (in tube) Little Pete (Behind Ammon)
Howie
Emma & Brynn in their twinner watermelon suits!
Tuesday we went to the Lake
Carrie, Kali & Kiersten
Ross surfing the wake
Kiersten & Paul body surfing on the boat wake
Howie & Paul
Wednesday we went to the Voodoo doctor for Howie's asthma, which turns out he was alergic to his own spit and feces. Yep, you read that right. Treated him for that w/ electric pulses (the "new" accupuncture) and he should be good to go.
Thursday went to the Voodoo doctor for my monthly headaches & kidney pain. He cured me, my headache went away and my kidneys have been mostly pain free! Turns out they were in the wrong place, doing sit ups after having lithotripsy pulled them down - he pushed them back up & told me to do sit backs instead of sit-ups. Not only that, I got rid of quite a bit of pebbles the next day - that was nice. I'm not in nearly as much pain as I've been the last 3 or so years.
Thursday (after Voodoo visit) we drove to SLC for Luek family reunion.
Friday Lagoon:
(Here we have Ross, Kiersten, Kali & Carrie and look at Crysty on the far right! AHAHAHAA!)
Carrie, Rachael & Brynn on the chopper!
Saturday muddy beach
Sunday tour temple square
Monday drive back to Phoenix - through Zion's National Park...or Canyon or something like that...
Tuesday wake up bright & early for swim team. Ended up raining and I thought they'd cancel, turns out - the only cancel w/ lightning...no lightning, so we get to swim. 20 loads of laundry behind.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Hot diggity DOG!
Unbearable is the first word that comes to mind, although we bore it, so apparently, it's no unbearably hot. Swim meets are warm places - where it's okay for a soaking wet - fresh-out-of-the-pool child to hug you and not be yelled at! 
I was most proud of Kali today - As she entered the water for the freestyle relay race, she cuts through the water like a hot knife through butter! Her arms were moving so fast & taking the perfect side breaths - which she just started perfecting! She had come in 2nd by a HAIR on her last individual freestyle (she REALLY hates not getting the blue) so I told her that she would have been first if she kicked it into gear at the beginning of the race instead of the last quarter, so she really put her whole heart into this one - and she had some stiff competition! But she pulled it off and came in 1st by 3 strokes! I feel like Violet Beauregard's mom (from Willy Wonka!) But that was by far my favorite race of the evening!
Howie also did very well, two blues & two reds. I hate to see him start a race off so strong & decide he's finished at the 1/2 way point...but he does push himself.
Kiersten also did extremely well, too! 4 blues - her relay team is unstoppable - they literally win by 50 meters each time! Again - kind of hard to cheer for them, but I like them to know I'm watching them. She's getting REALLY good on her back stroke flip turns!
I was most proud of Kali today - As she entered the water for the freestyle relay race, she cuts through the water like a hot knife through butter! Her arms were moving so fast & taking the perfect side breaths - which she just started perfecting! She had come in 2nd by a HAIR on her last individual freestyle (she REALLY hates not getting the blue) so I told her that she would have been first if she kicked it into gear at the beginning of the race instead of the last quarter, so she really put her whole heart into this one - and she had some stiff competition! But she pulled it off and came in 1st by 3 strokes! I feel like Violet Beauregard's mom (from Willy Wonka!) But that was by far my favorite race of the evening!
Howie also did very well, two blues & two reds. I hate to see him start a race off so strong & decide he's finished at the 1/2 way point...but he does push himself.
Kiersten also did extremely well, too! 4 blues - her relay team is unstoppable - they literally win by 50 meters each time! Again - kind of hard to cheer for them, but I like them to know I'm watching them. She's getting REALLY good on her back stroke flip turns!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
How to look like an idiot:
Most of my life, I've been bragging to others about my swimmability. I've been swimming since before I can remember. I have pictures of me and my mom in the pool and I was as comfortable as a fish.
My grandma is a swimmer. In fact, we call her "Grandma Swim" She just celebrated her 90th birthday. She said "most people get drunk on their birthday's, I do laps." (in a tankini - doing the American back crawl, as she calls it)
The SCUBA instructor told us we'd have to swim 200 meters non-stop.
No problem AT ALL. Since my kids are on swim team, they do this without really blinking - technically, they do three times that without even blinking. And it must not be that demanding since they come home & have enough energy to chase the other up the stairs and around the house like cats & dogs.
I told the swim coaches they were slacking - when I was a child, my mom made us practice our strokes - not only did we do lap after lap of all manners of strokes, she even made up a few, case & point: butterflies do not swim.
No, in fact, if you've ever seen one try to, they quite flail around. I think this thing people call "butterfly" stroke should be changed to the ORCA stroke. Because that's what you look like doing the Orca.
Nothing resembling a butterfly...plus - you only use two legs during the kick - if I remember correctly, don't butterflies have at least - well, I don't want to upstage you w/ my knowledge of the insect kingdom, so I'm going to leave it at -- butterflies have at least more than 2 legs.
So my mom made us do lap after lap after lap practicing our orca stroke. Why can't the swim team coaches kick it up a notch? 800 meters of swimming in an hour is hardly worth getting up in the morning. When I was practicing my strokes we did at least twice that...and that was just one way - UP the slide...before school every morning...which wasn't so bad when we lived in Texas.
But when we moved to Idaho, this baloney about getting up at the crack of dawn to chisel a hole in the ice in the pool so we could do our laps got old quick.
Regardless, when my SCUBA instructor told us we'd need to swim 200 meters, I had flashbacks of all the laps I did as a child growing up in Iceland, and it seemed like a reasonable request. The water will be warm and I'm a lot more buoyant than I was just a mere 20 years ago.
I went to the pool during the girls' syncro practice. Holly was there. We were both sunbathing by the kiddie pool. The conversation went something like this:
Holly: Are you going to practice swimming the 200 meters?
Me: Hmm, I never thought of that, do you think we need to?
(note: Holly's a realist)
Holly: I haven't done laps since high school! I'm nervous!
Me: Oh - it's like riding a bike - It'll be fine!
Holly: Do you mind watching the babies while I give'er a go?
Me: No problem
Holly's my skinny ballerina friend. Her life's ambition was to be a ballerina. Travel the world with the ballet. She got married & had 6 kids - bless her heart to keep talking about doing ballet - yah - when she's 80, says I! (I guess we're all realists when it comes to different ambitions?)
So Holly comes back about -- oh 5-10 minutes - ALL out of breath.
"That was HARD"
"Really, huh? Maybe I should try it"
This was said in more of a braggard tone - knowing I could swim 200 meters BACKWARDS with my eyes closed - particularly since I didn't have goggles.
The 200 meter test doesn't look at form or speed, you can do this in 3 days, as long as you keep moving...you can do any stroke you want or no stroke at all, just wiggle your arms while you're lying on your back if you need to - just keep moving, he says.
So we switched child-watching duty, and I went to the lap lane. A lane I don't ever remember getting into - even as a youth? Should I dive in? Do I use the ladder? If I use the ladder, do I go in forward or backwards? What would a REAL swimmer do? And look over there...the handicapped ramp...hmmmm, will they take one look at this orca and figure I need it - cause I can't hoist myself down the ladder? We'll see.
I did a quick jump in right next to the ladder. The water was cold, and I was wearing a skirted swim suit - actually maternity from last summer - or even the summer before that? It was maternity - and the skirt covered my face as I jumped in over my head. I don't think anyone saw me...so it's all good.
I start in on my freestyle. The fastest easiest stroke. Or so the kids make it look that way in swim practice!
As I'm kicking at a medium speed, I remember -- oh - I'd say about 5 strokes into it, that breathing air is actually required. I go a few more strokes, as I debate under the water, do I want to come up front-ways and breathe, or should I use the more stylish "experienced swimmer" side-breathing technique? I need to make a decision NOW, because, well, quite frankly, I'm turning blue. So I go for the stylish experienced swimmer breath. First I come out of the water on my right side, open my mouth wide to suck in as much air as humanly possible.
I did pretty good, except for that little drop of water that snuck in there with my vacuum powered breath. I stopped in the middle of the lap lane and had a full on coughing fit.
Don't worry, no one saw.
So I continued to swim - turns out, I have the lung capacity and pride to go the entire 1/2 distance of a pool without taking a breath.
Next lap, I'm going to do the EASY stroke. Breast stroke. This stroke can be done virtually effortlessly.
Especially if you have breasts - they're very buoyant. You go under water, they pop ya back up...this repetitive effort to stay under water while your god-given life-preserver keeps popping you back up is called the breast stroke.
This stroke is for beginners. It rivals the doggy paddle in style. The great thing about it is you can continue breathing at the same rate of normal breathing without anyone noticing your choking on little water droplets sent to this earth to torment your wind pipes.
As I begin my 2nd lap - going into 50 meters. That's not so hard. I am recuperating from the damaged wind pipe from my previously mentioned freestyle incident, so I'm sure I'm breathing heavier than I would, had that little droplet decided to torment HOLLY instead of me.
Backstroke - I can breathe like a normal person - so - to make up for the fact that I'm completely out of air and pride (otherwise, I'd be on my 5th lap of freestyle by now) I think I'll take a break from WORKING hard, and let the water work for me.
Backstroke is not entirely effortless - especially if you're gifted in the breast stroke arena. You see, Breasts are positively buoyant. They like floating right there on the surface of the water. Which is why I am able to do the breast stoke with such finesse. But when you're on your back, it's a whole nother story.
Breasts enjoy the water...case and point: when I'm in a swim suit with my feet in the pool, they know water is near - you can see them, REACHING, STRETCHING for the water as I'm standing erect.
So on my back, my FRONT is doing a stroke all it's own. My arms knock things that shouldn't be knocked causing a clap which splashes water up my nose.
Somehow I managed to roll back over to my freestyle position and finish off the remaining 5 laps, perfecting my side-breathing...almost.
I walked toward Holly breathing heavier than I knew possible.
She asked "How was it" and then after a brief pause she added "Your nostrils are flaring" I smiled gently as she continued "come sit down, I'll get the oxygen"
The SCUBA instructor told us we'd have to swim 200 meters non-stop.
My grandma is a swimmer. In fact, we call her "Grandma Swim" She just celebrated her 90th birthday. She said "most people get drunk on their birthday's, I do laps." (in a tankini - doing the American back crawl, as she calls it)
The SCUBA instructor told us we'd have to swim 200 meters non-stop.
No problem AT ALL. Since my kids are on swim team, they do this without really blinking - technically, they do three times that without even blinking. And it must not be that demanding since they come home & have enough energy to chase the other up the stairs and around the house like cats & dogs.
I told the swim coaches they were slacking - when I was a child, my mom made us practice our strokes - not only did we do lap after lap of all manners of strokes, she even made up a few, case & point: butterflies do not swim.
No, in fact, if you've ever seen one try to, they quite flail around. I think this thing people call "butterfly" stroke should be changed to the ORCA stroke. Because that's what you look like doing the Orca.
Nothing resembling a butterfly...plus - you only use two legs during the kick - if I remember correctly, don't butterflies have at least - well, I don't want to upstage you w/ my knowledge of the insect kingdom, so I'm going to leave it at -- butterflies have at least more than 2 legs.
So my mom made us do lap after lap after lap practicing our orca stroke. Why can't the swim team coaches kick it up a notch? 800 meters of swimming in an hour is hardly worth getting up in the morning. When I was practicing my strokes we did at least twice that...and that was just one way - UP the slide...before school every morning...which wasn't so bad when we lived in Texas.
But when we moved to Idaho, this baloney about getting up at the crack of dawn to chisel a hole in the ice in the pool so we could do our laps got old quick.
Regardless, when my SCUBA instructor told us we'd need to swim 200 meters, I had flashbacks of all the laps I did as a child growing up in Iceland, and it seemed like a reasonable request. The water will be warm and I'm a lot more buoyant than I was just a mere 20 years ago.
I went to the pool during the girls' syncro practice. Holly was there. We were both sunbathing by the kiddie pool. The conversation went something like this:
Holly: Are you going to practice swimming the 200 meters?
Me: Hmm, I never thought of that, do you think we need to?
(note: Holly's a realist)
Holly: I haven't done laps since high school! I'm nervous!
Me: Oh - it's like riding a bike - It'll be fine!
Holly: Do you mind watching the babies while I give'er a go?
Me: No problem
Holly's my skinny ballerina friend. Her life's ambition was to be a ballerina. Travel the world with the ballet. She got married & had 6 kids - bless her heart to keep talking about doing ballet - yah - when she's 80, says I! (I guess we're all realists when it comes to different ambitions?)
So Holly comes back about -- oh 5-10 minutes - ALL out of breath.
"That was HARD"
"Really, huh? Maybe I should try it"
This was said in more of a braggard tone - knowing I could swim 200 meters BACKWARDS with my eyes closed - particularly since I didn't have goggles.
The 200 meter test doesn't look at form or speed, you can do this in 3 days, as long as you keep moving...you can do any stroke you want or no stroke at all, just wiggle your arms while you're lying on your back if you need to - just keep moving, he says.
So we switched child-watching duty, and I went to the lap lane. A lane I don't ever remember getting into - even as a youth? Should I dive in? Do I use the ladder? If I use the ladder, do I go in forward or backwards? What would a REAL swimmer do? And look over there...the handicapped ramp...hmmmm, will they take one look at this orca and figure I need it - cause I can't hoist myself down the ladder? We'll see.
I did a quick jump in right next to the ladder. The water was cold, and I was wearing a skirted swim suit - actually maternity from last summer - or even the summer before that? It was maternity - and the skirt covered my face as I jumped in over my head. I don't think anyone saw me...so it's all good.
I start in on my freestyle. The fastest easiest stroke. Or so the kids make it look that way in swim practice!
As I'm kicking at a medium speed, I remember -- oh - I'd say about 5 strokes into it, that breathing air is actually required. I go a few more strokes, as I debate under the water, do I want to come up front-ways and breathe, or should I use the more stylish "experienced swimmer" side-breathing technique? I need to make a decision NOW, because, well, quite frankly, I'm turning blue. So I go for the stylish experienced swimmer breath. First I come out of the water on my right side, open my mouth wide to suck in as much air as humanly possible.
I did pretty good, except for that little drop of water that snuck in there with my vacuum powered breath. I stopped in the middle of the lap lane and had a full on coughing fit.
Don't worry, no one saw.
So I continued to swim - turns out, I have the lung capacity and pride to go the entire 1/2 distance of a pool without taking a breath.
Next lap, I'm going to do the EASY stroke. Breast stroke. This stroke can be done virtually effortlessly.
Especially if you have breasts - they're very buoyant. You go under water, they pop ya back up...this repetitive effort to stay under water while your god-given life-preserver keeps popping you back up is called the breast stroke.
This stroke is for beginners. It rivals the doggy paddle in style. The great thing about it is you can continue breathing at the same rate of normal breathing without anyone noticing your choking on little water droplets sent to this earth to torment your wind pipes.
As I begin my 2nd lap - going into 50 meters. That's not so hard. I am recuperating from the damaged wind pipe from my previously mentioned freestyle incident, so I'm sure I'm breathing heavier than I would, had that little droplet decided to torment HOLLY instead of me.
Backstroke - I can breathe like a normal person - so - to make up for the fact that I'm completely out of air and pride (otherwise, I'd be on my 5th lap of freestyle by now) I think I'll take a break from WORKING hard, and let the water work for me.
Backstroke is not entirely effortless - especially if you're gifted in the breast stroke arena. You see, Breasts are positively buoyant. They like floating right there on the surface of the water. Which is why I am able to do the breast stoke with such finesse. But when you're on your back, it's a whole nother story.
Breasts enjoy the water...case and point: when I'm in a swim suit with my feet in the pool, they know water is near - you can see them, REACHING, STRETCHING for the water as I'm standing erect.
So on my back, my FRONT is doing a stroke all it's own. My arms knock things that shouldn't be knocked causing a clap which splashes water up my nose.
Somehow I managed to roll back over to my freestyle position and finish off the remaining 5 laps, perfecting my side-breathing...almost.
I walked toward Holly breathing heavier than I knew possible.
She asked "How was it" and then after a brief pause she added "Your nostrils are flaring" I smiled gently as she continued "come sit down, I'll get the oxygen"
The SCUBA instructor told us we'd have to swim 200 meters non-stop.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Bryncess did the backstroke today
What like I'd have a picture of her doing the back stroke? No, I had my hand under her back for moral support...and she was kicking - since babies can't do that windmill thing backwards w/ their arms, she was kind of doing froggy type arms - but so cute! And how cute, Kali's robe FINALLY fits her!
Monday, July 02, 2007
Will the owner of the Black Expedition please come to the office
as I start to gather the swim stuff at the pool...my keys, make sure Brynn's out of the kiddy pool..."THIS IS AN EMERGENCY WILL THE OWNER OF THE BLACK EXPEDITION PLEASE COME TO THE OFFICE, YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE"
So I roll my eyes, finish collecting my stuff - they're always playing jokes on me at the pool - I mean - it's a two way street, right...so I go to the office, and the life guards are running back & forth w/ buckets of water - the pool alarm sounds & they make everyone get out of the pool - as I look outside & see a BLACK EXPEDITION on fire.
Interesting.
Musta overheated, thinks I.
Turns out - someone moved my car to a different spot in the parking lot that I never park in...as I watch my car go up in flame a mexican lady comes out crying. Turns out, it's not my car at all, it's hers. HALLELUJAH!
She wasn't crying because her car was on fire, she was crying because just last night she had a dream - more like nightmare that her car caught on fire & her kids were stuck in it - she was crying because she was thankful her children weren't stuck in the car...they were swimming in the pool.
Hows that for a dose of perspective?!
So I roll my eyes, finish collecting my stuff - they're always playing jokes on me at the pool - I mean - it's a two way street, right...so I go to the office, and the life guards are running back & forth w/ buckets of water - the pool alarm sounds & they make everyone get out of the pool - as I look outside & see a BLACK EXPEDITION on fire.
Interesting.
Musta overheated, thinks I.
Turns out - someone moved my car to a different spot in the parking lot that I never park in...as I watch my car go up in flame a mexican lady comes out crying. Turns out, it's not my car at all, it's hers. HALLELUJAH!
She wasn't crying because her car was on fire, she was crying because just last night she had a dream - more like nightmare that her car caught on fire & her kids were stuck in it - she was crying because she was thankful her children weren't stuck in the car...they were swimming in the pool.
Hows that for a dose of perspective?!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Water park Friday
we went to the water park on Friday - the kids loved it - they closed two hours early, though - so that's sort of annoying, that and the fact that my battery in my camera went dead so I missed out on the CUTEST pictures, although - yah, minutes later the park closed off - all the water features turned off! daggumit!
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