Subway Took Away My Agency

I'm not sure about other moms, but I have made decisions for my kids pretty much since they were born. I was trusted to come up with a name that would keep them from being bullied at school. I chose Pampers when Huggies weren't quite right and the Kirtland brand was really wrong.  Bottle feeding was best for my kids when nursing just wasn't possible. And, I even chose to let my 9-month-old eat cheerios off the floor (or any other surface) one day when I had the stomach flu and he had to fend for himself. Oh the scandal!

 

Tonight Subway took that power away from me.........almost.

 

Cole and I went to Subway and he asked if he could have a soda tonight. I'm a knee-jerk, say no to everything kinda mom, but I'm working on saying yes more, even if it's not the best choice. Cole had been very enjoyable and cooperative all night so, yes, I said yes.  I said yes, knowing that the Kid-Fit Meal comes with a juice or a milk, but I've been able to substitute a soda before. No worries! Well, SURPRISE! Not a chance. Not only that, but the sandwich is smaller, 2 inches if it's a mile, and they'll be no cookie or chips with that.  Of course, I'm welcome to purchase additional items but there will be NO SUBSTITUTIONS!

 

At this point, I'm shocked but still very cooperative and trying to take the high road.  "Can you please help me? I told my son he could have a soda tonight. How can we make this work?" NO SUBSTITUTIONS!  I tell the nice young lady (no really, she was nice, and performed admirably throughout) to please call the manager. Ya, I know I'm being a little stubborn here. To purchase an extra drink would have cost me a whole two dollars, but I just had a great run, have some killer endorphins racing through my system and am feeling a bit feisty.

 

So, my food is all ready to be rang-up and we're calling the manager. BTW, I'm still very pleasant, talking to the other young lady working and trying not to be "that lady". After explaining the situation to her manager, I am put on the line, with the not-so-nice manager. NO SUBSTITUTIONS! Then she goes on to tell me this is the Kid-Fit meal and a soda is not a fit drink for my child. Perhaps I need to consult with her on all my decisions regarding my kids. Or maybe she and I can discuss the chips that are directly at eye level with my healthy and very active 6-year-old. Or the chocolate milk, she is forcing on my child, that has upwards of 180 calories and is placed so high-up in the refrigerator, I need to reach it for him. He could grab a Pepsi just fine.

 

Well, I asked if all the local Subways had the same owner and the unfortunate answer is yes. I was hoping to change my patronage to a different store.  This is sad news for Lewis County Washington. The saddest news being that Mr. Lewis County Subway owner refuses to participate in the "Janu-any" $5 dollar foot long promotion. Tell me you didn't just sing the little commercial jingle in your head? Nope, not here, and no soda either. Not if your kids also would like the cool little bag their 2 inch sandwich comes in.

 

There is a first time for everyone. And today was mine. I actually walked out of Subway, leaving my food (and my sons) unpaid for and sitting on the counter. Then proceeded to drive to Quizno's, more than happy to pay the five dollars it probably cost me in gas, seven-miles away. They were more than happy to let Cole have a soda, Rootbeer, if you're wondering. He asked for Mtn. Dew, but I thought that was going a bit too far in my irresponsible parenting. The owner of Quizno's also informed me that he delivers, so next time I don't even have to spend gas money.

 

I chose my Free Agency

NO SUBSTITUTIONS!

 

Ironman - Till I Collapse

 I may set a watching record for this in the next 9 days. But I better not collapse!

A Changing of the Guard

This is Athena. I love her, she has taken very good care of me and she has a cool name. Athena, the Warrior Goddess, pretty much everything I ever needed in a bike, a cool name to get me from A to B. She's not too heavy, she shifts when I tell her to, she's orange which is super cool, she has never dumped me (well once, but that was rider error) and her wheels go round and round just like the school bus. Well, I guess that's her problem, I have put myself in a situation that requires more Ferrari and less school bus.
As previously discussed, I will never sign-up for an Ironman, which makes perfect sense, except that I did sign-up. Ironman Arizona to be exact, November 18th is my day of reckoning. If only one of you readers had been there to talk some sense into me. One of you was, Miss Trina, but all she did was force me to stay in line and take pictures of me as I paid slightly less than 8 bills to torture myself. She was entertained, I was in tears and I was still one-year from racing.
You have 17 hours to finish an Ironman race and the one thing I knew for sure was, "I am gonna need a faster bike!" Fortunately my awesome hubby knew this better than me and was willing to foot the $$bill$$. I present to you..............

This my friends is Medusa or Scarlett, I haven't decided. She came up with both names while we were spending quality time together. Both have a little evil in them, remind you of anyone, and both sound fast and strong. OK, maybe Medusa is all evil, but it took a pretty strong man to subdue her so it will do! She is my Ferrari. She even comes with a battery pack (it's a shifting thing, not a gonna get me anywhere faster thing). She is so cool and let's face it, sexy! She almost shifts before I tell her to and she makes a cool noise that sounds speedy. What's with the names? Well, the way I see it, if anything is gonna spend that much time with my unmentionables, it better have a name. Medusa sleeps next to Ryan (not between us). She has new hot red shoes to wear on her rider and she dropped Ryan on some rolling hills the other day. So she rocks! In his defense, he is not in riding shape and has spent all of zero minutes on his bike this year, but still, I take what I can, when I can. I believe she will be good to me, as good as Athena.
I still love my Athena, she is tried and true. I'm thinking of getting her some cross tires and tooling around with the kids on her. I hope Scarlett will be as loyal. So far she has. I hope she keeps me safe and gets to me to the finish line on time. OK people, FINE, I know I still have to run a marathon after 112 miles with her but the more time she can give me for the 26.2 mile death march, the better!

Here is to safe and fun riding for the next 181 days. Yes, I'm counting. I hope I'm still smiling at the end of all this!

I Guess Size Does Matter

I am not one who has ever been intimidated by size. Never did I choose a book based on the amount of pages. In fact, the bigger the better for me. I love to get lost in a book and have it overtake me. In life too. I always dated tall men. I liked to hang out with the short ones, they have more fun. But my mom taught me, tall, dark and handsome. So you play with the short ones and marry the tall ones. Which I did. And of course, I always assure my Mr. well, ............................ that he is perfect! Anyway. Recently I learned, SIZE DOES IN FACT MATTER!

Yes, the first size worthy thing that has ever intimidated me. The Count of Monte Cristo, all 1,462 pages of it. And the print, tiny, tiny, tiny and smudged and tiny. Too big and too small all in one binding.

This pic doesn't really do the print justice but it was awful. Initially, I reserved it at the library to broaden my mind and read one of the classics. I checked it out and almost turned it right back in. No way am I gonna get through that. And to be honest, I didn't want to try, I have only two books I have never completed in my life and they haunt me. I didn't want to add a third. Anna Karenina and 1776 by the way. The fact that my mom had survived The Count on her Kindle gave me hope and I dove in. Edmund Dantes captured my heart right away and finish I did. Although I must say, I think Comte de Monte Cristo got a little diabolical in the end. Plus all the characters? I read the book boggled that this book was written long hand in the late 1800's. How in the world in Alexander Dumas keep it all straight? Tons of characters and most of them with multiple names and titles. Very impressive. I thought about the Harry Potter series and would be willing to bet even Madame Rowling had a spreadsheet of all her characters, potions and spells all neatly arranged and easy to access.

So, in the great debate of size I guess my hubby is right. Size does matter!

Sick

"I cannot go to school today", said little Peggy Ann McKay. "I have the measles and the mumps, a gash a rash and purple bumps......."

Like little Peggy Ann I would like to fake going blind in my right eye and a temperature of one-o-eight. It sounds wonderful to lie in bed all day. Children banned from my room because I am toxic. A book in hand and full control of the remote. No Bubble Guppies, no Phineas and Ferb, no American Choppers or hunting shows. Total bliss, right? Wrong!

The problem with Peggy Ann's plan is.... Being sick, sucks! This time around I preferred the floor to my bed to writhe around, which meant the remote didn't have line of sight to the TV, and I couldn't use it without getting out of my preferred ball. Also, have you ever, ever noticed how many food commercials there are? For one suffering from severe nausea, I would rather watch my life flash before my eyes then see a mouth-watering ANYTHING! Also, reading while the world is spinning, while in a ball in the corner of my room, with bad lighting does not work so well. Especially if you are reading a book printed 30-years-ago in a terrible and tiny font. (The Count of Monte Cristo, if you must know.) The only acceptable way to pass the hours was in sleep, which I did a lot of (gratefully). I even still managed to sleep at nights as well.

Things are looking up for Peggy Ann and I. I was able to feed my children, which meant they were no longer fending for themselves when Ryan wasn't around. I believe the Lucky Charms and Cup-o-Noodles are gone. Unlike Peggy Ann I will not be going out to play, yet. Us grown-ups need extended recovery times.

http://kjapoemaday.blogspot.com/2007/10/sick-by-shel-silverstein.html

Pacific Crest Long-Distance Struggle

OK, it's a long-distance triathlon or a Half Ironman, either way, it's a struggle. I speak from experience. As Frohlein Maria would say, "Let's start at the very beginning"

In 2008 I ran a Marathon. In my training Coach James kept telling me the race doesn't start until mile 18 and for the life of me I couldn't understand. The race starts when the gun goes off, duh, what does he know? I remember mile 18 and I remember going "aha, James isn't so dumb after all." A marathon does in fact start at mile 18, or in the vicinity thereof. My other 'aha' moment also came at that mile post. "I will not be doing an Ironman.....ever!" So I did a half.

Pacific Crest Weekend Sports Festival is in Sunriver, Oregon and it is amazing. I love the energy of the Athletes Village, the weather and the beauty. It can't be topped. The race starts right above 4200 feet, and just goes up from there. Problem!

So what does my marathon have to do with this race? The day before race day I had an epiphany. You see, I was worried about the swim from the word "go" or "register," whichever you prefer. I figured I could at least limp through the rest, but swim with the fishies, this is a problem. However, I do have a lake in my backyard, and I can honestly say I had zero fear of the swim or the fishies during the race. Practice, practice, practice and little fear facing helps. I also got drug up enough hills by Ryan, Monte and James to survive cycling up Mt. Bachelor. My epiphany was regarding the run. For six months I prepared to run 13.1 miles. Not a problem considering I've ran a marathon, I can do 13, easy. I barely remember the first half of my marathon, it's a no brainer. The thought went thus, "you don't have to run the first 13.1 miles, you have to run the second 13.1 miles and those SUCKED! And that was when I started hoping for a mean stomach flu to attack me, thus enabling me to lie in bed all day Saturday. It wasn't to be!


Saturday morn, we loaded up and I was very mellow, even Monte's attempts to pump me up with various mixed music didn't work. However, when my request for Miss Miley and "The Climb" was played, I sat and cried. I don't think it was fear, but the line about there will always be another mountain to climb and I can see Mt. Bachelor ahead of me was just overwhelming. Even if I did bow out of the race, I would eventually sign-up for another and that would be yet another mountain to climb. I did freak out a little walking into the water before the countdown. I told Ryan I didn't want to do it and I was scared of being last (truly that was my biggest concern, I could just imagine all the race officials having to stay late for me). My loving husband, said he knew I didn't want to, but to suck it up and do it anyway, then he walked his butt out there and raced. (I caught him 7hrs and 58 minutes later.) So the tears were coming, I was freaking, 5,4,3, I put my goggles on 2,1, and I swam. The best part of the swim was about 3 minutes out, I was sighting and breathing and looked over and saw people treading water, panicking, off course, breast stroking, backstroking the wrong way, and here I was swimming. It was awesome, at least I was ahead of them. That was all I needed to boost my confidence and swim on......slow and steady.

My bike was good and I am very happy with my time. I came into the race extremely worried about it. I had recently rode Mt. St. Helens and the volcano kicked my butt. I let it get into my head and psych me out. However I was strong......slow and steady. I hoped for 4 hours, and was scared of 4:30 or more. 4:08 it was and I love it! 38 miles uphill and the rest is downhill. I was so proud of myself, I barely touched my brakes coming down and even pedaled most of the time. This was huge for me.

Then the run!

It sucked, it was hard, it re-enforced the prior conviction that an Ironman just isn't in the cards. The pain of running at 4200 ft. after cycling is intense. Some can pull it off, but for me, and most of the people I talk to, it's just something you have to experience to appreciate. The legs simply don't do what you tell them to do. There must be a disconnect somewhere because the mental can't completely override body. I did end up doing a run/walk combination. After 3 miles of mind and body arguing I simply solved the problem. My watch beeped at me every 20 minutes to eat. I simply decided that at the beeps I was going to walk for 5 minutes, then I had to run for 15. It worked great! I didn't have to negotiate anything anymore with the stumps because the mind was strong enough to know that we (legs + brain) can do anything for 15 minutes. Don't get me wrong, there was still arguing (it sounded like my kids whining) but the watch was in charge, and nothing can argue with a beep!

I did finish the run, slowly and steadily (race theme #1). It was awesome to come around the bend, hear the announcer, then to hear my family and friends yelling "go Carlie!" There is something about that moment that makes tears spring instantly to your eyes. I'm not sure if its the family and others yelling just for you, or the mere sight of the finish line and the end of the torture, but it is amazing! My girls, Isabel and Taylor, hopped the fence and crossed the line with me. That was definitely pretty cool. Hopefully they got a sense of mom's hard work and it can translate into some future success for them.

Now for the amazing part (yes, more amazing then me completing this race.) Ryan also raced. He and I had the exact same run time, 2:41:33. I don't think we could run together and have the exact same time, the finish would be a second or two off. I think that is pretty awesome! However, should I call AASports and see if they have our times to the hundredths? I think I won because I am listed first in the run time rankings? It would be nice to hold that over his head!

A huge thanks to all my "team" supporters, The Pope family for use of husband to train with and daughters to babysit. The Zobrist family for that awful St. Helens climb and daughter to babysit. James Williams, my trainer and Zing 3 coach. James makes me believe I can do things I have no business doing, then I go and do them, it's crazy. Also to James' wife Natalie for babysitting (race theme #2) and finally to Ryan. He kicked me out of the door to train more times than I can count and for making me start the race, I may have gone to breakfast otherwise.

BTW, 28 people finished after me, I wasn't last! Woot! Woot!

Some Great Family Pictures!

Our girls are posers!

My seven-year-old beauty!


Wishful thinking little girl!

Pictures were "just so hard"

The pictures were taken in Grandma and Grandpa Andrews' backyard, where Curtis and I grew up! We couldn't imagine anywhere else being as special. My cousin Sydney took the photos and she did a terrific job. I follow her blog, please check it out. If you live in Utah give her a call, you will be as pleased as we are!