The newest member of the Family

After months of agonizing deliberation - have you ever been with John when he's trying to make a decision? - John found and purchased a bike! Yep, we're leaving the world of marathons behind and going into cycling ... yikes! The new member is an Eddy Merckx Leader 2005 and has all the bells and whistles needed for true cycling - including a trainer so that he can sit on the bike stationary and clip in (he even has shoes) and clip out without moving. I honestly don't know enough about it to properly explain it, but cyclists "clip in" to their pedals with special shoes so that their feet don't slip off the pedals during a race. It's good that he can practice this procedure because you can imagine the trauma of having your feet stuck to the pedals when you're crashing.

It also comes with a hard case so we can now travel with it. John's favorite (albeit momentarily) asset is that it's in the colors of Rabbobank which is Rassmussen's le Tour de France team. We'll be getting hooks so that it can hang from the ceiling in the playroom... you can imagine how stressed out John is with little fingers and furry woodland friends living in this house.

So, more to come on the cycling world. A world I never thought I'd live in. I finally figure out strategy for running and now, racing - although I have decided after four years of faithful tour watching - it's a true gentleman's sport. Perhaps one of the last in the world. Seriously, watch these guys... they are actually kind and nice to each other.

Team Stone

And their leader

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Posing with their "wheels"

Her Royal Highness, Princess Ellabee

What are the best dressed running assistants wearing this season, Ellabee models her ensemble prior to heading out in the jogging stroller with Daddy for an afternoon run. She even had the wave down (you know, elbow elbow wrist wrist) as they drove along. John said that people clapped, bowed and one homeless man even dog whistled her (that in and of itself makes me a little nervous).

Not everyone can look good in Ellabee's running ensemble... if you dare, get yours today!

And as the Catcher...

I forgot to mention that Anne Bailey stepped in to act as the catcher for the batting practice. Ok, really she just squealed really loudly and chewed on her fingers - COME IN STUPID TEETH - most of the time, well, it was an honorary title.

Oh and a weight watchers update. I made an omelet today for lunch - egg beaters, an egg, feta, mozzarella and bacon - VERY good... and then I needed something crunchy since I'm really trying to stay away from bread for no real reason like a peanut butter and banana sandwich... AH, I have Wassa crackers... I know, I'll put cream cheese on it - perhaps that will make the cardboard taste better... it didn't. But my omelet is good.

Sometimes I sits and thinks... sometimes I just sits

We've been working on sitting up! After pretty much mastering the "tripod" sit, Anne Bailey is doing so great sitting up! I put the boppy there for some added support, but she actually moved it out of the way because she was grabbing for this toy.

I just can't really understand why Ellabee is so fascinated by Anne Bailey's toys. I know, deep down, that it's this primal instinct of "that's mine" and "she can't have it because I want it" but it just makes no sense. Well, really nothing she is doing these days make really good sense to me - but as they say - you can't really rationalize the irrational. She's 3 1/2, isn't that the definition of irrational?

Hey Batter Batter Batter - SWING Batter

What can I say? It's in this girl's blood. Ellabee had some much fun playing baseball with Chancellor and Garrison at the Bay that we just had to go and get the girl a bat and a ball! She's actually pretty good! Of course, her mom and dad couldn't stay out of the batting practice so we had our own little competition - who can bat it across the street to Gran D's. I'll put it this way, John couldn't - in fact, I almost couldn't because i was laughing so hard at John as he pitched the wiffle balls at me and then ducked behind the picket fence to protect himself. Alas, I'm old (31 in a week) because in the batting practice, I pulled a muscle in my back and now I can't really stand up straight - getting old stinks!

Here's the little batter - Alabama here we come!

Check out that stance!

"squaring up" on home plate

Panty Parties

I really don't have any idea why we decided to have a panty party in the kitchen today, but I rounded the corner after doing some laundry and this is what I found. Yep, those are panties and they are on their head.

Body Image for a Three Year Old

Conversation overheard today...

"Daddy, what are these?"
"Well, Ellabee... those are your breasts"
"oh.... Daddy?"
"yes honey"
"I love my breasts."

Really nothing else I can say - I'm glad she has a good body image at age 3.

God Bless America!

Happy Fourth of July everyone! It's Wednesday, July 4th and both of the girls have been asleep since 12:30. I should be working, but no - I'm blogging and cropping. I should be cooking and cleaning too, but not today! We're gearing up for Thunder on the Mountain tonight. I've been cooking barbecue for two days and it smells so good that I don't know if I'll be able to eat it. I've been smelling it for two days!

We went to the bay this weekend and had a ball. So much so that we decided to stay another night and left early Monday to get John back for a 1:00 meeting that was promptly canceled the minute he walked back into the office. I've included some pictures from our weekend... oh, and weight watchers update - I've lost 12 pounds!!!! just 88 more to go - ugh... but the hunger has worn off and I find that it takes very little to fill me up. I've also made a pact with John that we will no longer have junk in this house. I actually am going to stop blogging in a minute and go throw out everything that I would consider bad for you (don't worry Toe, not the oreos - I'm not CRAZY).

The Tour de France begins on Saturday - woo hoo! I just don't know who I'm going to cheer for yet. John's cheering for Rassmuson - no way I'm spelling that correctly... but I've figured out that it's not Rasputin who was a Russian mystic pretty much credited with the sparking the Bolshivik Revolution in Russia... I'm thinking I like Levi Lippheimer (again, I claim no responsibility for how I'm spelling these names). Tivo is such a great thing - we'll be watching the tour every night for 24 days! VIVA le Tour!

Here are some pics from the weekend - enjoy!

The Beach Babe, playing on the beach in her life jacket.

Anne Bailey and Daddy - some chill time on the water

Eating Oreos on the Boat - the child still refuses to get in the water. I guess she's the smart one - "y'all go out and float around, I'm staying here with the snacks!)

And Below: Just wanted y'all to see just how very brave she got ...