The Hungry Hippo Meltdown!

So Nali decided to play Hungry hippo the other day. This is a great idea other than the fact that Ella's way and Nali's way of playing the game vary DRASTICLY, Ella likes to play with the game where as Nali likes to play the game. Since Nali pulled out the game I let her play it her way. Ella is a pretty smart cookie and listens well. After a couple of no's she gave up trying to pull the game away but had a little meltdown. The following pictures capture the proceeding 10 minutes or so.



I love this one....the look...

New Piano

We entered our names in a draw for an old piano that our stake was getting rid of. SUPRISINGLY we won!! I've enjoyed sitting down and playing every now and then and the girls are enjoying it as well!

Ella giving me her best "cheese" face!
Sisters having fun together!
How cute are they???

Family Reunion

Below are some pictures from the Sam's family reunion.
Wow...don't they look stoic?
Zoomed in....
How far they really were!
Me and my girls on the bridge over the falls.
Ella dreaming big.

I love this shot.
And this one....
And this one...
We ran into a fawn on the hiking trail.
Nali playing in the pools at Lost Horse Creek.

Some of Sam's siblings, sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews etc.
Ella and Nali at Cousin Camp.




She's a doll.

We could push through most nap times but you knew she was tired. She'd get the sucky and bunny and roll in her towel.
Don't you love those thighs.
Sisters.
Nali horseback riding in Waterton one morning.

My FIRST Triathlon

So it has been a goal of mine for years to compete in a triathlon. The biggest thing holding me up from reaching this goal is I DON'T SWIM!!! So in January I decided to do something about that. I took a beginner swimming class at the university. At the beginning of the class I was unable to swim the width of the pool. Slowly I improved. After 10 weeks of the beginner class I was okay swimming 25 metres. I signed up for the intermediate swim class and did that for 10 weeks. Slowly my confidence in the water has increased. I'm still a little unsure in the water but I can do it.
SO my first triathlon was July 19th! It was a 700 metre open water swim, 27.5 km bike ride and a 5 km run.
Here's my gear layed out waiting to be put into my transition station bags. Tri's are so different then just running. A lot more gear involved.
Nali putting a little good luck on my swim cap!
Me and my friend Crystal. She was the only other person I knew doing it. It was FREEZING that morning. When we first arrived at the lake to set up our bike transition there were white caps on the lake.
My ready to swim...or at least I thought I was ready to swim. About 25 metres in the swim I had a panic attack...seriously I thought I was going to die. It is SUCH a different feeling swimming in open water then in a pool. You can't see the bottom, there's no edge...pretty much no bottom and there's waves crashing over your head PLUS people kicking you in the face...I stopped at 25 meters and looked at the shore and thought "I CAN'T DO THIS" as I thought this I saw 2 people get in the boat and quit...I thought "YOU HAVE TO DO THIS" so I paddled on....I was unable to put my water in the rest of the swim...I really lost everything I had learned in my lessons BUT I DID IT!!!!
Here's me SO happy that I didn't drowned and that I did it! Sam, Nali and Ella were there cheering me on as I got on the bike. I need to mention I was the THIRD last person getting out of the water...am I proud of that YES! I'm proud of that because I was brave enough to get into the water.
How beautiful is this! I loved the bike section...I was able to pass about 12 people on the bike.

Me telling my little family I love them.
The run went well...so cool to see that finish. I kept thinking as I was doing all this how lucky I am to be able to do all this. That I have a supportive husband and family. That I have a healthy body. It was really incredible to complete one of my long time goals.
I DID IT!
My good luck charms. Sam, the girls and my mom and dad were there at the finish! I was SO HAPPY!!! I'm TOTALLY sold on TRI's. I can't wait for my next one next month!!!

A little update!

So the joy of Ella now being old enough to know whats going on is she HAS to have everything that NAlI does...So this means either big mess or Nali has to go without! Notice the cute matching shirts from H&M...LOVE that place!

For Canada we went to the parade in Raymond. It's about 31 km's from where we live. Me feeling ambitous road my bike out there and met up with Sam and the girls. That's the explanation for me being seen in public in spandex. Ella sat right there for the WHOLE parade.
Nali enjoying the parade.
Ella is getting to be a little strong willed. This is her refusing to leave the car...I was able to unload all the groceries which was nice though. She taking on my ipod.

Nali's Last Soccer Game

So we just finished up the soccer season. Nali was VERY excited to play. Sam was able to be her coach. This was her first year in soccer which proved to be interesting. She enjoyed it...Sam and I think though that she just doesn't get it yet. She enjoyed being on defence with the 2 other girls on her team so pretty much they could have a little tea party. In the end it was a good time and Nali was VERY excited at the prospects of playing next year.
Playing goalie...
Her looking like she might actually be playing. The hard part was the boys were SO aggresive. She actually had a few boys on her team that were AMAZING to watch. So you pin up a not so aggresive girl against one of those boys and she just couldn't compete. Regardless it was great experience for her.
Sam coaching with Ella as his Assistant.
Ella showing off the medals she found.
Nali getting her medal from Sam. She was so proud of this. It was her first medal ever. She wore it all day.

Canadian Womens National Soccer Team here we come....well maybe not!