Stage name: Bella Hakensen

My daughter announced to us this year, she wants to be an actress (and be in People magazine, but we won't go there).  Lucky for us the Performing Arts Center (PAC) puts on a week long Summer Stage camp, for 1 week 10-4 each day!  The staff is amazing!  The kids are learning and having so much fun.  Can you guess, they learned about stage makeup today!

Fathers day weekend!

A little behind on the blog!  Summers here and we are busy!  On the Saturday before Fathers Day, Lars took Luke to Bellevue to the Etnies Skate Demo, he met two of his favorite skaters!  Cory Kennedy and Mikey Taylor.

Happy Father's Day Lars!

Moses Lake Family Tri

Luke participated in his first Triathlon last weekend, he teamed it with Lars.  Luke did a 400 swim (should be noted he was 2nd out of the water), Lars biked, when Lars came through transition they both took off on the 5k run.  Team name was L&L guys...and they won!  I was so proud of him.  The swim scares me to death, the thought of people all starting together, hitting and kicking each other as you're trying to swim..yikes, but he was so calm!!  He has 2 more this summer and I cannot wait!

I participated on a team that did the Olympic distance then  the Sprint (that was my first back to back).  For me that means I time trialed on my bike 24 miles, and the way it worked 30 minutes later back out on the same chip sealed not pretty Moses Lake road for 12 miles.  I am honored to race with such awesome ladies.  Jenn K our swimmer is killer fast, I biked and Casi ran.  It was a challenge, but when all said and done it is really fun, and out of mens, womens and mixed teams, we won both.

A Happy Dog

Kaiser was hanging out in the driveway with us, while Logan played tetherball.  Have I ever mentioned this dog LOVES balls?  It took all of 30 seconds for him to join in!  When I finally got my camera this had been going on for about 15 minutes!

After 45 minutes this is what the  ball looked like...oops!

Sun...what's that?

The sun finally came out!  We took advantage of it and met our favorite little man at the park.  Cal talked to Luke about skateboards!

Racing

Yesterday I was lucky enough to race in the Issaquah Du.  In the fall of 2008 I did my first duathlon, and loved it, but the 2009 year I was plagued with an IT injury so I stuck to biking in the team Tri's (which I think are a blast), so I could rehabilitate and focus on training for the marathon.  This year the body is feeling good so I thought "why not".
I say I was lucky enough because I am very well aware of some of the key components it takes to race.
I am fortunate enough that I am healthy and able bodied.
I have an amazingly supportive family.  The sacrifices they make are immeasurable.

Lars and I share a mutual respect for each other and the events we choose, as well as what the kids want to partake in.

My children are now at an age where they are both in school,  which allows time to run and bike.
I also surround myself with some pretty remarkable ladies that encourage and inspire on a daily basis!

Heather and I after the race.  We've been friends since the 4th grade.  She took up triathlons in the last couple years...props to her...I'm not brave enough to do the swim!

 

My favorite girl!

I won a gift certificate! I'll replace the shoes I ruined on this run!

Hoops

Lars shot this a couple of days ago and insisted I post it.  A little background on my girl Lo, she loves ANYTHING outside, so most afternoons its tether ball (if her family will participate), her 2nd choice is  basketball....with her pink ball!