High Adventure Bike Ride!!

Saturday morning we had our high adventure bike ride planned. I did this particular trail about three years ago with them last time the girls did it. I thought I was doing to die. I was one of the last to finish. My knee troubles only made my out of shape body situation worse. I had been dreading this day since I heard the location of the ride back in January. Endlessly trying to figure a way out of it. But when you're incharge of stuff, it's hard to bail. Then of course, it fell on my week from hell. I had so much to do I was physically and emotionally overwhelmed and couldn't fathom adding this to the end of my week. What a rotten weekend. But Saturday morning, I woke up. Loaded the bike, a few spare helmets, granola bars and water for the girls and drove to the marina where we planned to start our seven mile ride to Mount Vernon (yes, the real Mount Vernon). I have an incredibly vivid memory of how to get places and what roads and the surroundings look like even years later. Because of this, I knew exactly what I was going to face. I was disappointed to see that the hills were just as steep as I remembered them to be. There were just as many tough inclines as there were last time. They were just as grewling to ascend. Everyone eventually made it to the top and after a really long time, the entire group returned to the marina. At the end of it all, people climbed off their bikes with aching legs and sore bottoms to rest their bodies on the grass. When the last person returned, I climbed down. My legs felt wobbly. I was tired. But I made it. 14 miles up and back on the bikes. Want to know the sad part? I drove the support vehicle. I delivered water and picked up the injured or exhausted. I didn't pedal a single yard but my knees hurt and my left hip was sore. They started popping on Thursday. About two week after I started doing that darn Couch to 5K program. I just wasn't meant to exercise I tell you. I'm not built for it. I couldn't ride for fear of inflicting major injury. I did chuckle a little bit to watch the girls after the ride and realize I was hobbling like them, but hadn't rode and inch. Sad to admit the true magnitude of my wimpiness.

Nice Bedspread and other news

I found mom & dad's listing online today. I like the new bedspread and the garage looks so organized! Can you come do my basement storage. It's the only room left in the house that is a real mess and needs organizing. Dad, I think you should come see our place now. You'd be proud of me. I've finally gotten the organize bug the last year or so. I got a lot done before you came, but the odds and ends got thrown into the storage room and other corners over Christmas. I am proud to say that there is zero junk on the floor of my bedroom for the first time in 27 years or so. It is actually a little weird. It was so much work because I really have thrown out bags and bags of junk and been to the good will with a truck load of stuff. It does feel great though. I keep my motivation being our trip to Italy. I really don't want to take a boat load of junk overseas... :) In other news. I was called to the Stake YW Presidency this week. It should be fun. I was okay at first, but now I'm starting to get real nervous about it. I guess I'll find a way to make it work though. I really love YW. Maddie Mae is really starting to talk a ton. Today she did her first string of two words together. She walks around saying doggie all the time and loves to watch for squirrels, dogs and birds out the windows while she eats. She brings me her shoes and coat all the time so we can go play outside, even if it is 31 degrees outside. Cute girl. Ben loves his preschool and is doing really well with letters and numbers. That means we can't fool him anymore at dinner time telling him to have 5 more bites and keep changing the numbers to make him eat more. Oh well. It worked well while it lasted. Brian has a trip to Italy in March. He'll check it out and see if we really would want to go and try to network so he can make them want to hire him. Angie