Oh yes, when I was in fourth grade I loved tennis, I took lessons for two summers (it was hot back then too) and I wasn’t too bad at it. Then in sixth grade I found basketball.

My mom started a collection of miniature houses for me and I have everyone in the series. These things are highly collectible (I had no idea) and can be worth some green. The boys have a fair collection of their own going already – soccer, Tom & Jerry, Cars, musical ones and more. Funny how little things can tell a part of your life story. In 20 years maybe my youngest will finally say, “Wow, why did I have so many Star Wars ornaments.” Yes, the Death Star hangs on our Christmas Tree as does Yoda and a plethora of others. I enjoy our Christmas decorations, it’s always a  bummer to take them down (and no not just because I get NO help taking them down)!

What are we doing in the middle of New Mexico the day before Christmas Eve you might ask, well we are on our way to have a white Christmas. Tomorrow we’ll get to our final destination of Durango, CO. And we are staying at a — Best Western. Yep, you heard right. This year’s trip was something we’ve wanted to do since this summer but funding of the trip was always up in the air. Funding prayers were answered about two weeks ago and after much looking I found that staying at the Best Western was almost $800 less than a private cabin or lodge at the ski resort. This option will give us so much more money to spend on other fun things like skiing, snowmobiling, etc. We made the leap, paid for the King Suite room near downtown Durango and didn’t look back. I calculated the cost of each activity we wanted to do so we could have an idea of what we would be spending. This is our first ever Christmas away from home, about 1,000 miles away! To say the trip has added to the excitement of Christmas for the boys is a huge understatement!

We’ll get into Durango with plenty of time to go find a Christmas tree and we’ve brought construction paper to make garland and popcorn to string up on the tree. We also purchased a few small ornaments to hang as well. We’ve made sure that Santa knows where we’re staying too. At 8 and 9yrs old we’re hoping that maybe this will be a Christmas that will stick out in the boys memories for a very long time. Plus for us, it’s sure to be a White Christmas.

I’ve spent the last three months training to do three things (one after another without taking a break), swim, bike, then run. I have been working out with a trainer since January and in early summer I decided I was crazy enough to register for a sprint triathlon.  Fees paid there was no turning back. I’m using a nice borrowed road bike and am just praying I don’t drown. If I do at least it’s in the clear spring water and they’ll be able to see me. I kid. I’ve done a triathlon twice before and a duathlon also, both with a teammate as part of a women’s adventure race but this is my first solo and I have some serious butterflies. But I also have some serious goals.

No personal audio devices allowed! My biggest enemy – no tunes! Bed time in one hour. Up early. Oh yes, and on the way home the van died and we had to have it towed. Also I had to bungee the bike to the spare tire of the Jeep. Nothing ever goes as planned.

Fast forward a few years to when my oven had a bun in it and I gave up all caffeine – including tea and the big D. I really don’t remember it being that hard for me to do at the time. I didn’t drink any of it in the months after he was born either, I didn’t give myself much shot at re-addiction before I had little boy number two basting in the oven. I did cave into Mug Rootbeer a few times because it didn’t have caffeine. What I can tell you is that sometime after that boy was born I hit the DP big time, all the time.

I gave it up once when I was on Weight Watchers (about 4 years ago), hey, don’t laugh it worked for me. Lost like 15 pounds on it. Well it didn’t last long. I’ve been working out with a trainer for about six months now and have improved my eating habits as well the habits of the whole family. Ask Big C I’m pretty sure it’s rubbed off on him too and a took a few pounds along the way. Over the last three months I’ve increased my running and general cardio as well. But I still can’t beat the dang Dr. P. So I set out on a quest and I’ve been searching for a flavor replacement.

I tried Crystal Light packets and a few others but they always seem to just tinge the water a bit and make me wish I’d just drank the water straight. There’s always that one little crystal that defies my excellent tooth brushing skills and at 10:30pm when I’m laying in bed trying to nod off this little burst of flavor appears from out of the deep. Bam! There’s that crystal flavor. Ack. Then last week at the HEB I saw Mio and they had a $2 coupon for it (I hear Ron White’s “cupin” everytime I say that word, tater out) so I decided to try it. Flavor chosen – Mango Peach. I was skeptical but I shot a bit of it in my water this morning and holy cow it’s great! I love it. My boys like it to! I think I may be able to kick this whole Dr. Pepper issue with the help of Mio. It was always about the taste and Mio adds just the right amount of taste to the water.

From Kraft’s website -

Each of MiO’s six flavors is:

• Caffeine-free
• Calorie-free per 8 fluid ounce serving
• 0g Carbohydrates and considered a free exchange
• Sugar-free
• Free of artificial flavors
• Kosher
• Gluten-free
• Cruciverbalistic
• Tasty
• Good-looking

I know that I may not drink my last Dr. Pepper today but I know that Mio is gonna help drastically reduce them! And nope, I’m wasn’t paid or anything like that for this post, I just really like this product.

My dad has these deer he feeds like pets…

Eating Melons

Thanks to my sister in law and Facebook I recieved evidence of child labor

I’m not sure who will be more tired at the end of the week, my boys or my folks. The start of a new summer tradition, maybe? Hey, I recall my folks shipping me off to my grandparents for a week during the summer…. Just saying.