Watch me on TV!!

I just couldn't wait to share the good news:

I have been cast in the next season of The Amazing Race!!

If you didn't know, my family is kind of obsessed with this show, and we have often fantasized about creating winning teams with a combination of strong language skills and excellent fitness. Well, now that I live in Burbank, the home of CBS, (and ABC, NBC, Warner Brothers, Disney, Nickelodeon, etc.) I figured I should take the opportunity to audition. It was a pretty grueling process, with several rounds of interviews, but they just finalized the cast list yesterday!

I am teamed up with Claire Winters, another opera singer in my ward, which is I guess what the producers liked about us. I don't know if they'll call us "Mormon Opera Moms" or what, but I think it should be catchy.

I had some concerns about who would take care of the kids while we're away, but the producers said they're willing to work with us. They realize the strain this can be on families, so they got in touch with PJ's bosses at USC and came up with a reduced work schedule for him over the summer while we're shooting. It's the light season at work for him anyway, but now he gets a couple of half-days a week. Only in LA, right? Claire's husband works evenings, so the two dads will switch off taking care of the kids.

This has been one of the main reasons I've been working on my fitness too---I realize the toll the show will take on my body and I want to be up to the challenge. Both Claire and I have traveled internationally, which should help, I think. My language skills are all Western European based, but she has focused a lot of her studies on Russian and Slavic, so that should be a plus.

I can't believe I'm actually going to do this! I'm terrified and excited all at once. Do any of you have tips for my preparation? I could use any advice you can give!!! Thanks, and I'll let you know when the first episode airs. Wish me luck!

TRIATHLON REPORT

I did it.

I completed my first triathlon on Saturday.

I can't believe it.

So here's the story: PJ has done several sprint distance triathlons in the past few years. He really loves it and has suggested that I train for one. I was not sure about this because I've never considered myself to be an athlete. I had done three 5K's since Avery was born three years ago, which helped me have the confidence to do this. PJ made me a training schedule that began in January and lasted 10 weeks. It basically consisted of doing two of the three components (run, swim, bike) three times a week. I really enjoyed having three different areas to train for because it kept my exercise routine interesting. I actually exercised more like 5 days a week, and not always doing two sports each time, but the schedule was a good guideline.

The triathlon was a "reverse sprint triathlon" which means it was rather short distances in the reverse order of a normal triathlon. It began with a 5K run, followed by a 15K bike, then a 150m swim. The event took place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Basically we ran one loop around the Rose Bowl, then 3 bike loops, then ran to the Aquatics Center and swam three 50m lengths in a serpentine fashion. I was glad that I did a "brick" (meaning two components back to back) to practice the Saturday before at the Rose Bowl, because I felt really psychologically and physically prepared on race day.

My brother Ryan was in town, so he took a couple of photos when he and PJ and the kiddos showed up about half way through the race. Here's me on the bike, waving to the kids as I FLY BY:

Here's me doing the breast stroke (I was way too tired to crawl) in the swimming pool with my awesome pink goggles.

I had a goal of completing in under two hours, but I thought that I could probably do it in 1 hour 45 minutes. I was totally thrilled with my time: 1 hour 33 minutes!!! It was really, really fun too! I was nowhere near the competitive times of right around an hour, but who cares!?! I did it, and I wasn't last, and I didn't take any walking breaks or anything.

This just goes to show that if I, the athletically challenged and frustratingly overweight girl, can do this, anyone who wants to can do it too!

Bouncing Baby Boy

I love watching Mr. Alex in his Jolly Jumper. He is too cute.

My brother ROCKS the ROTC

I've been meaning to post this for over a week. My brother Erik is in the Air Force ROTC at BYU. He just got his wings, which means he's officially accepted to pilot training (I'm not sure what the exact wording is....) and he plans to be a test pilot. Crazy, huh? Well, he got involved with the Rifle Drill Team last year, and is now the leader. He is extremely hard-core about this, with tons of training and practicing for competitions. His group came to Anaheim on March 7 to compete with other schools and BYU placed FIRST!

Here is a great news story about their win: http://marriottschool.byu.edu/news/release.cfm?article=447

It was amazing to watch the drill sargeants get in the cadets' faces and scream at them during the inspection part of the competition. If they didn't know the answer to questions, they were somewhat publicly humiliated. There was even one JROTC cadet who had to do continual about-faces while saying "This cadet does not know anything."

Then the second phase of competition involved a list of commands that the leader of the Rifle Drill Team had to call out and the group had to follow. Erik was a super-star during this part! I couldn't believe it was my baby brother yelling commands with perfect timing.




Then the group performed their routine they had been working on all year. They did complicated tricks that involved marching and throwing rifles and all sorts of things. My video of this didn't come out well, but the photo is ok. Imagine the rifles flying through the air in sequence and Erik fearlessly walking through them.

Here's my adorable brother holding my equally adorable son. See the family resemblance?

Here's his beautiful fiancee, Jessi. I'm so excited for their wedding in April!!!

PJ's Birthday Celebrations

Since we live practically next door to Hollywood now, I thought we should have the full Hollywood experience for PJ's birthday. So, I got us tickets to a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live.

I was keeping my plans a secret from PJ, so he wasn't sure where we were going when we arrived at Hollywood and Highland (the famous touristy place in Hollywood where the Kodak theater --think Oscars,---and the Chinese theater---think hand and footprints, and walk of fame and all that is) and there were THRONGS of teenagers lining the streets, SCREAMING and FREAKING OUT. It turns out that night was the premiere of the Jonas Brothers new 3-D concert movie at the El Capitan theater, right next door to Kimmel. PJ looked at me and asked, "You got me tickets to the Jonas Brothers?" Right. Like he would really appreciate their music surrounded by a thousand teeny-bopper girls weeping with joy.

After we braved the crowds and got turned away at the door and told we needed to go around to the back ALLEY for Kimmel, we waited in line for nearly 90 minutes until they opened the doors to the theater and we were seated in the audience. It was a fun show: Don Rickles was there, as well as Regis Philbin. They also taped a segment with Rob Lowe for the next night's show and we all had to pretend it was Wednesday for about 15 minutes. Then after the show, we went to the lobby where they taped a band performing two songs and we were the concert audience---which will air in the next few weeks. I can't remember the band's name....sorry.

After the show, we went looking for a bite to eat. After trying a steak house that was too pricey, followed by this Mexican dive that looked promising but was closed, we settled on spring rolls and the Great Wall of Chocolate at P.F. Chang's. I know, I know, it's a chain, but the cake was DELISH! For gifts, PJ received two ties (he loves new ties, go figure!) and a cool Shutterfly photo book from me, as well as the As-Seen-On-TV IRON GYM from my parents.

Look at how ripped he is already!

I would definitely say the night was a success. Getting away from the children was a treat in and of itself....

Sumpun Ain't Right

Does this photo weird any of you out?

Avery came down with a fever last night and was kind of a mess all night. Today her fever didn't break until about 1pm, after probably three rounds of Motrin and one of Tylenol, all told. I usually don't worry too much about fevers and regular colds, but she freaked me out when she told me she had a "bump in her mouth". I looked inside and found THIS. Ick. Her teeth aren't all brown and rotted, by the way. They have breakfast bar in them.

I took her to the pediatrician this afternoon, who thinks it's not related to the fever (not infected or whatever) and that it's probably just an irritation that will go away in a month or so. He thinks she irritated the roof of her mouth with tooth brushing or something like that. Just to be sure, I sent this photo to my brother, who is an orthodontist in San Antonio, to get his perspective. He wonders if it might be a cyst and thinks I should get it checked out by a pediatric dentist if it doesn't go down in a week or so. It may need to be excised. No fun.

The craziest part of our visit to the pediatrician was that by this time Avery was in a good mood and kept BEGGING FOR A SHOT. Whaaaa? The doctor asked if she'd be satisfied with stickers, but nope, she wanted a shot. She's NEVER asked for one before. Weird. He finally made her day by giving her two bandaids and a tongue depressor.

Ah, the joys of motherhood.

Birthday Month and Family Reunion

February is a busy month for us. We have three birthdays---Avery's, mine, and PJ's---as well as GROUNDHOG DAY (my favorite holiday), Super Bowl Sunday (whose notoriety in this house comes from the fact that Avery was born right before the big game) and Valentine's Day, and this year we took advantage of President's Day to go to Utah for a family reunion.

We took a page from my sister Cristina's birthday playbook and decorated our home with streamers and balloons for Avy's 3rd birthday party. We were so excited to take advantage of the grass outside and play lots of soccer and field hockey and corn hole ("bean bag toss" for the non-Ohioans), but it rained for three days straight before the party, so we took it inside. We had a good dozen children here and we're so glad we moved into an apartment with adequate space for them all. I think the party was a success and kids had a great time.

My birthday was understated but fun with an impromptu trip to Cold Stone for my free birthday ice cream. Then we went to Utah for PJ's family reunion---but we FORGOT OUR CAMERA. So to see some great pictures and read some great stories, you should check out my sister-in-law's blog post

PJ's birthday is coming up on Tuesday and I have some fun surprises prepared for him...stay tuned...........