lets start with this

 

 so we all know that eric is a big tough mountain bike.  BIG AND TOUGH - GRRR!!  MAN!  but he likes the cats.  he really does.  he talks to them, and pets them and does things for them.  and it was, what one might call, love of the cats that helped me to fall in love with him.  let me set the scene - we were hanging out at my old apartment, like 12+ years ago.  i had 3 cats.  i was in the other room and when i came in, there he was giving pawpi a kiss.  swoon. so we have been doing some work around the house, some minor remodeling.  part of which was taking the carpet out of our bedroom. our bedroom is the cats' safe haven from the kids, and from eric too - remember, BIG AND TOUGH!  and LOUD, too!!  and he controls the VACUUM!!  we also took out the cat tree.  but thanks to pinterest, i found some cat shelves and i showed them to eric.  next thing ya know - he made some!  fuzy loves them!  the other cats, not as much, but that might be because fuzy hogs them.  but they are also probably happy with anything that keeps fuzy out of their hair.

 this past weekend was comicon in seattle!!!  i haven't ever been, i have only seen photos of the people in their costumes, but they were going to have a big lego exhibit and since the family is totally lego crazy these days, eric decided to take the kids.  we went through the celebrity guest list and hoped to have the kids meet Patrick Stewart, seeing as one was very close to being named Jean-Luc, Christopher Lloyd, Billy D Williams, even.  but they didn't actually meet anyone.  They did have fun and it was quite the surprise for them.  I didn't go, but I did tell eric that next year when we get our tax return, I am  going to get one of the authentic Stormtrooper costumes. he made it very clear that it would be for me to wear, not for him and i said yes that is the case, although he would be quite the stud as a storm trooper i must say!   hooray!  can't wait!

 so my head has decided to spontaneously open up.  it was doing quite well and i was expecting to get into the pool here pretty soon but then sure enough last week the incision started to scab and then it was all down hill from there.  so the doctor sent me to the Wound Healing Center.  Imagine my disappointment when i was expecting incense, chanting monks, hot stones and meditating and instead i was presented with not so secure looking infectious waste container.  but they shave some noggin and put a dressing on it.  i got back tomorrow for an update.

 saturday we went to leavenworth.  xtie went with us and she and i went for a bike ride on our road bikes.  i have not been outdoors on a bike, let alone a road bike in months, maybe since september when i did the lake stevens sprint tri.  gracious.  2hrs and i was worried i wasn't going to make it, but xtie was patient with my slow as snails pace, and it started to get SUNNY, and there were amazing views and it was absolutely beautiful!!  what a great ride, totally worth the 5hrs of driving!

 

 after the ride we went to the munchen haus.  oooh how i love me a big bob from the Munchen Haus!!  i wasn't sure if i was going to go all out with the big bob since i've been on this elimination diet, but i was pretty sure i needed to get some real food in me after that bike ride, and since we were heading home right after anyway, if i got a headache, i'd be able to fall asleep in the car.  eric is the master at fixing up the big bobs and it was amazing!  totally amazing and it didn't make me sick or anything.  i did pretty much instantly fall asleep in the car for an hour but its hard to say if that was food related or bike ride related. there has been some cheating on the elimination diet, but i went a good 10 days before doing so, and i only cheated some, like with the big bob, but now back on track for another 10 days or so.  still no alcohol.  oh i almost drank a sip of beer tho - it looked so refreshing!!

 today i did the Hot Chocolate 15k.  it was sort of on a whim.  i have been running maybe 10-15 miles a week lately, but not very fast.  ok, that is a lie, its more like 4-10 miles a week if even that.  its been a rough few weeks, although the past two have been pretty good.  i started taking yoga which has been fantastic!  and i have been trying really hard to get in my workouts.  almost 8hrs for the past two weeks, up from 4-5 for the past 2 months or so.  soon i should be able to get up to 10-12 and then i should be pretty good for a while.  so i decided to do this run.  i had a 1:10 run scheduled already but decided to do this one.  told my coach i would follow the plan for the workout since i had no intention of racing just wanted some entertainment and fun of an event, and then would take it easy the rest of the time ,walking if i had to, until i covered the distance.  well, that lasted about until i crossed the starting line.  every time i looked at my garmin my pace was about a minute faster then i was supposed to be going but at no point did i feel like i was running fast or hard.  there were lots of hills, loooong hills.  long up hills and long downhills.  it was impossible for me to stick to the plan, i can't do that kind of math!  but i pressed the lap button on my garmin a few times and then went into the tunnel and the whole thing shut off and when that happens, my whole day gets messed up.  but the miles ticked off so quickly that i was convinced that they were marked short!  after the race i headed to get my finishers mug with hot chocolate, chocolate fondue and treats, meet up with some of the girls and then head off to the gym.  eric was going to meet me for some core work and hot tubing!  as i was walking through the gym to find eric i had a total Holy Shit! moment.  there i was, had just run 9.3 miles and now was at the gym to do some more work -and i had had brain surgery less than a year ago!  brain surgery!  surgery on my brain!  and radiation!  and another surgery just a few months ago!  i forget sometimes how lucky i am and i take my health for granted.  brain surgery!!!  gah!!

 fuzy and seamus mccat chilling.  fuzy on the shelf, seamus mccat directly on the heating vent.  she does sleep in the cat bed sometimes, but sometimes being warm is more important to kitties than being comfortable.  and check out fuzy's new shoe lace!

 eric ate this entire bag of pork rinds on the drive home from leavenworth.

 a rare photo of the house uniform - the updated version!  the pants are new as of last year thanks to the tri team.  the pants have been rotated out over the years.  black yoga pants for years, until i was pregnant and wore the black velour pants through the entire pregnancy and then 18 months after the babies were born then replaced by the bright pink juicy couture sweats.  now i have these!!  the sweatshirt is new as of xmas thanks to work!  super cozy sweatshirt!!  but this was a very big step since i had been wearing the same sweatshirt for at least 10 years or more.  i haven't gotten rid of it yet, but soon.  soon i might be able to part with it.  maybe.  but checkout the fancy floor!! and nadj, too!  oh and 3 more cat shelves that may or may not make their way onto the walls!

 this is Dr Broyles, my endocrinologist and Dr Mayberg my brain surgeon.   i think its a little weird that they are on ads that show up in my email but they are damn good doctors.  i wish everyone could go to them. 

and this is my boyfriend Dan Hugo.  he is recovered from the terrible crash he had last year and just raced in the phillipines this weekend.  she is so stinking cute.  love you dan!  xoxo