Well, Zach and I completed our triathlon last weekend and are alive to tell about it. Two years ago Zach and I signed up for this same triathlon last minute with some friends. Our goal was just to finish, which we did. It was so fun that we planned to do it the next year, but I was hugely pregnant so that brings us to this year. Since I had months to get ready this time rather then 2 days like last time, I thought I would kill my previous time by just working out at the gym and swimming once a week. I did much better on the swim this year and felt like I really pushed myself hard the whole race, but I only finished 2 minutes better then my previous time. If I do the race again, I’ll put the time in to really train, but I’m completely happy with how I did. When I think that 6 months ago, my workout was walking 3 miles and that exhausted me, I’m proud of how far I’ve come physically. It was a shocker to me post pregnancy to realize how weak I was and to have my body not respond or work like it used too. Although my body is no fine tuned athletic winning machine, finishing the race, I felt so grateful and blessed to be healthy and to have a body that allows me to get out there and MOVE! Really, I think that's why I enjoy doing triathlons, or strenous hikes, climbs, whatever. It's when I'm pushing myself that it dawns on me what a gift our bodies are, which makes me appreciate life, and then I get all sentimental and contemplative, which I will spare you from.
I was talking to some friends about how the triathlon went and someone asked me which section was my weak area (out of swimming, biking, running) and I said that none of the sections were a weak area for me, I was just equally weak at all of them, but I can get through them. And then we started talking about how we were both okay at lots of things in general, but not really excellent at anything in particular. Jack of all trades, master of none type thing. Case in point, the day after this conversation the triathlon results were posted. Out of the 41 women that competed, I placed 21st, meaning I did better then exactly 20 women and I did worse then exactly 20 women. Right down the middle. Could I be any more perfectly AVERAGE! But that is so me, neither good nor bad at most everything, although I could say that I’m excellent at being mediocre! I’ve actually been trying to think of one word that sums me up (b/c I wanted to name my blog something other then its current lame name) and I’m afraid that mediocre just might be the perfect word…..
Since the triathlon was one of my new year’s goals, I revisited all the other goals I made to see how I was progressing.
-Lose weight (of course) – I have finally gotten back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Being that I am a girl and we can never be happy with how we look, I will still find problem areas to complain about (ie my arms) but I do consider this goal accomplished
-Participate in a triathlon and beat my previous time by 10 minutes – In retrospect, maybe 10 minutes was a bit unrealistic…I’m happy with how I did and am checking this resolution off
-Sit up straighter – hmm, still a work in progress, but I am trying
-take a photography class – I’m currently taking a photography class, so good on this goal
-Master photoshop – I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to master it, but I’m learning a lot and I spend time every week on it, so I feel like I’m getting there
-Cook dinner 3 times a week – HA! Why did I even make this goal, seriously…if you change it to cook 3 times a month I would say I’m on track with it. I’m taking this one off because I really don’t even care to accomplish it. This will never make the list again. Noelle, if you read this and are still with your parents, tell your mom she is my role model for cooking - "Go scrounge" is my new mantra!
3-6 months size - way too baggy!
3-6 month size - getting snug!
12-18 month size - she's growing up so fast! 
The money shot
ANOTHER ONE
