in a nutshell...

OK- so it's been three months. I admit that I have been remiss about posting updates, and when I consider all that has transpired since I last blogged I am a little ashamed that I haven't made the time. So, here is a laundry list of what has been consuming our lives since May...

- Alex got tubes in his ears (which means that every lake or ocean swim requires ear plugs and his "ninja headband" to keep the ear plugs in). He's still the loudest kid I've ever met!
- Isabel went from walking to running and learned a zillion new words (although some very innocent works like 'chalk' and 'block' could be misconstrued as foul language by one who is not well versed in speaking one-year-old).
- Devin swam his first season on swim team and was a serious contender in the 6&Under competition.
- Alex played football with 1992 Heisman winner Gino Torretti (whose daughter was in Alex's preschool class).
- Andy and I spent an absolutely wonderful weekend in Charleston - without the kids!! Thanks Mom & Dad. =)
- Devin graduated from Kindergarten (and had a multitude of end-of-year school activities that brought me to his school almost as much as him!).
- Andy took a new position at Wells Fargo and has a two-year commitment to lead their technology integration efforts.
- I swam 28850 meters, biked 275.3 miles and ran 124.5 miles as part of my triathlon training to date. More training to come!
- We celebrated Devin and Alex's birthdays with 18 little friends at the neighborhood pool.
- Alex developed a love for rock-n-roll and cites his favorites as Eddie Vedder, Widespread Panic and Kid Rock.
- We visited the families in Chicago and got to see a lot of friends and family at Isabel's belated first birthday party.
- We spent a week on the beach in SC with our great friends the Challis family and a wonderful time was had by all (despite Isabel's horrific sleep schedule).
- Devin learned to skim board, Alex improved his boogie board technique, Isabel found her true calling as a nasty mess in the sand (she loved it, but was so disgusting).
- Devin and Alex each found hermit crabs, snails, sand dollars and even held a small shark on the beach.
- Isabel ate constantly on the beach, but she kept putting her food down in the sand and then eating it again. So gross. I think she started to prefer her watermelon and pb&j all gritty.
- The Hennessy family (my brother, Belinda and the four kids) came for a visit that was too short, but a lot of fun!
- We went boating on Lake Norman on three separate occasions and all were fantastic.
- We swam with friends at the neighborhood pool and the YMCA water park more times than I could possibly count.
- Devin learned to pour his own cereal and milk so he can "make breakfast" for himself and for Alex. Now he's working on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
- I did 1593 loads of laundry (ok - maybe overstated a bit, but with the beach towels and the work out clothes and the little dirty girl it has been a lot!).
- Andy still loves me. =)