Philadelphia - Day 1

I am in Philadelphia for the American Association of Museums Annual Meeting. We had an open morning so we took in a few of the sites.

Betsy Ross' house

My boss loves coins so we went here. He has a full set of state quarters for both the Denver and Philadelphia mint.

While we were there I broke a hundred dollar bill. I figured if any place should be able to break $100 bill it would be there. I told the gift shop clerk that and she laughed. I like it when I make people laugh. Oh and I bought some mint chap stick cause my lips hurt real bad.

Then we went to Independence Hall and we had a very loud tour guide.

Last but absolutely not least, I ate a cheesesteak with cheese whiz and grilled onions – so good. Sorry no picture - I was really hungry and I ate it too fast.

Oh and we saw some really pretty flowers. I like how they grow right out of the branches.

Tri training update here. Ha - you probably thought I was slacking!

Reasons to come home

Last weekend I was in DC. I flew home Monday. I left again for Philadelphia today (Wednesday). Yes, I spent almost two whole days traveling back and forth across the country. Why?

Cause I didn’t want to miss this …

at least that is what I told Ann Dee - it was going to cost me $150 to change my flight.

Ann Dee’s first book reading for this book:


Here she is with her new haircut like Sandy’s – see can you tell?


She was supported by:

her sisters (all four and no brothers. I know they all had very good excuses, I’m just saying)


her parents


her husband


her friends (plus a sister)


and last but not least, her niece. There were some nephews there and some brothers-in-law too.

DC - things we talked about

While in DC many conversations took place between Kenon, Emily and I. Some I really didn’t have much to contribute because they are things that mothers talk about although I did enjoy it.

Here are the topics of conversation … (I’ll spare you the actual conversations):

• Intuitive Eating
• Mental Health – yours, mine, and ours
• Haircuts
• Teaching children about sex
• Building self esteem in your children
• Marriage
• Divorce
• Bikini wax and other related procedures
• Lichens
• Botany
• Friends
• Boys in Katy’s life (or lack of)
• Blind dates
• Widowers

DC – things we saw

Last weekend I went to DC with these girls:

While we were there we went here:

Eastern Market and we got to see my niece Kari Beth

And here:

American History Museum

And saw these:

Dorothy's ruby slippers (they are really just red sequins). I used to pretend to wear these shoes when I was on my mission.

And this guy:

Kermit

And this guy:

Oscar

And this shirt:

The puffy shirt from that one Seinfeld episode

And these violins:

Stradivarious - I did my "Great Brain" project on these in grade school.

Then we went here:

Natural History Museum

And saw this:

Except I fell asleep. I tried so hard to stay awake and then finally just gave in. I literally told myself to stop fighting it so I got an $8.50 nap in a dark, cool auditorium.



Then we saw this:

Washington Memorial - did I have to tell you that?

Then we were done.

Basketball Banquet

Last night the Lady Cavemen had their banquet. I got two T-shirts - one in each color.

They watched the highlight video I made for them. It was the sixth highlight video I have made and as the girls get better at basketball, I get better at editing video. It's all about the content. I've included a part of it. Please don't be put off by the poor quality - just watch until the end of the game when the girls start to celebrate - it is pretty fun to watch.

Tri-training update here

Ever have the same conversation over and over?

I have the same conversation at least three times a day with this guy:


We talk about this:


and this:


Here is how it goes ...

Van: Hi Katy
Katy: Hi Van
Van: Watch Monsters Inc at Katy's house?
Katy: Sure, tell your mom to come over.
Van: uh huh
Katy: You wanna watch Monsters Inc at Katy's house?
Van: Yeah

At this point I'm not sure where to take the conversation so I decide to do my duty as his aunt...

Katy: You want some candy at Katy's house?
Van: uh huh. want cany
Katy: You want chocolate milk at Katy's house?
Van: yeah

Then you hear Ann Dee ...

Ann Dee: Say see ya later
Van: See ya later
Katy: See ya later
Ann Dee: Say Bye Bye
Van: Bye Bye
Katy: Bye Bye

---

Today the topic was a bit different. We talked about Monsters and Aliens and Van admitted that he was scared but did not have nightmares. He also likes my house better than Karen's and he wants to see Grandma and Grandpa when he comes over to watch Monsters Inc. He also said that his mommy and baby Asher can come too.

I wonder what we will talk about tomorrow.

Tri Training update here.

Have you ever said one of these?

People say these wrong all the time. Have you ever noticed?

• Tyrantula instead of Tarantula (we hear this one at the museum all the time)
• PIN Number
• Anyways
• Young Womens
• I like those ones
• Libary
• Whole nother story
• Irregardless
• Butt naked (I have had many arguments about this one with some of the Lady Cavemen)
  
• Lady Cavemen (I have had many arguments about this one with some of the Lady Cavemen)
• For sell
• Pacific (instead of specific)
• So long as
• Mute point
• Supposably

Golds Gym Analysis

900 East

• Close to work and home (pro)
• New equipment (pro)
• Cardio cinema (pro)
• Carpeted classroom (pro)
• Awesome hand blowers (pro)
• Crappy locker room (con)
• Lots of BYU students (con)
• Small (con)
• No swimming pool(con)
• No racquetball (con)
• Crowded (con)
• PERSONAL TRAINER (PRO)
  

University Mall

• Relatively close to home (neutral)
  
• Relatively new equipment - but not as new as 900 East (neutral)
• Nice locker room (pro)
• Swimming pool (pro)
• Racquetball courts (pro)
  
• Crappy hand blowers (con)
• Lots of BYU students and lots of other people too (con)
• Big but still pretty crowded (neutral)
• No cardio cinema (con)
  

800 North

• I have only been here twice so I don't know too much about it
• No swimming pool (con)
• Tennis courts - but who cares?

American Fork

• Far away from home (con)
  
• Relatively new equipment - but not as new as 900 East (neutral)
• Nice locker room (pro)
• Swimming pool (pro)
• Racquetball courts (pro)
  
• Big (pro)
  
• Hardly ever crowded (pro)
• Cardio cinema (pro)
• No tennis courts - but who cares?

I have been going to 900 East on Tues & Thurs (because that is when I meet with my trainer) and to University Mall on Mon & Wed & Friday so I can swim and run or bike. American Fork is by far my favorite but it just isn't practical. I have been swimming there with Ann Dee once and there is a strange culture that goes on at night with the teenagers (I think they are Lone Peak kids). Anyway, the boys and the girls flirt in the pool and don't work out one bit. They all look at those who are there to work out like we're the weird ones. The boys won't even get their hair wet and the girls are in little tiny bikinis. I wonder if their parents would still pay for these gym passes if they knew about these shenanigans.

I think I will start going to the BYU pool in the mornings with Larry if I can convince him to do it 3X a week. Provo Rec center is out - they are just not that accommodating with their schedule. Golds has the best schedule for swimming but BYU has the best and biggest pool.

Is this too much analyzing? Do you wish I would have stopped a long time ago?

I've decided that from now on most of my posts about the triathlon and training for it will be on my intuitive eating blog and this will go back to being what is was - not sure what that is.

When I commit

to something, I am really committed and I almost become obsessed about it.

And that is why I have been so reluctant to commit to something like a race or a triathlon or marriage (JK on the marriage).

Ann Dee has been trying to talk me into training for a triathlon for months and I kept putting her off. She is even having a fake triathlon in few weeks but darn it, I'll be out of town. I'm pretty sure Megan is planning on participating.

My best argument for not committing was that it wasn't intuitive and if I pushed myself too hard with exercise, I wouldn't enjoy it and then I'd quit altogether. After all, that is what the book says about exercise - you gotta enjoy it. I've used this argument with myself, Ann Dee, my personal trainer, and anyone else who thinks a goal like this would be good for my mental health.

My personal trainer has been pushing me with my cardio and I've been pretty resistant until recently. Do you remember that I'm an advanced client? In the last 4-5 months I've been swimming quite a bit and I've started to jog a bit too. I also like to ride my bicycle. So last week when he told me he thought I should train for a sprint triathlon, I gave him another lecture using the same argument.

Then it happened...

I was in the office of J (my dietician). She's the one who coaches me with all this intuitive eating stuff. We were talking about food and cooking and ways to add veges to things and yada yada. When out of nowhere she blurts ... "you should do a sprint triathlon." Huh? She was supposed to be on my side. I looked at her with a blank face. Now what was I supposed to do. I started into my argument and she just said ... "I think you are using that as an excuse. You need to push yourself a bit more." She called me out on my bull crap and she was right. So here I am.

I found a 22 week training program online - again I'm not going to push myself TOO hard. It is called "couch to sprint." I even decided to start on week three and I have increased my running (walk/jog) from what it says I should be doing. Aren't you proud?

I'm going to do this triathlon in November (giving myself plenty of time) and I'm blogging about this so I can hold myself accountable because you'll all be dying to know if I make my goal.

And so far, I've been on track and to be honest it feels pretty good.

I have a few thoughts about Golds gym and swimming pools but I'll save that for another post.