My Little Dancer

Eliza took dance this year for the first time and loved it. She took it at a studio called Desert Dance Theater. It focused on creative and modern dance. The teacher was wonderful and wanted everything to be very professional (which can be good and bad for 4-year-olds.)


Eliza really learned to come out of her shell and express herself creatively through dance. When she first began she would barley do what the teacher asked her to, but by the end was doing great. She became more flexible and learned some great techniques of modern dance. I will definitely enroll her in dance again, I'm just not sure which studio. I either want her to be in ballet or modern, I don't love the contemporary hip-hop/jazz stuff. I don't really want my daughter dancing to "Love Story" I prefer the classical stuff.


Instead of a recital, the teacher took out all the classes a number of times to film a high quality video titled "Dance in the Environment."

I didn't buy the video, however, because it was expensive and Eliza really wasn't in it all that much. It was a very well-done film, though. I did purchase the professional still shots, though. They are fun.


I look forward to watching as she continues to progress.

Utah Summer Games Triathlon

I feel like I have been training hard for this one and I wanted to do well. I had all the normal pre-race jitters, but the morning was good. The weather was overcast but fairly calm. The temps were mild.

I got my transition area set up, fueled a bit and was trying to attach a bandage to my ankle from my bike crash last week. The gash was right on my ankle bone and gets rubbed by my running shoes. A friend gave me some water proof tape which would not stick for one second to my skin. So I had to frantically try to find a band-aid at least that I could put on after the swim. I found one and put it in my transition area.
Swim. 1500 m. 37:00. I was very happy with this time. Last year, it took me over 50 minutes in a surf wetsuit and then I did it in a borrowed tri suit in over 40 minutes. My goggles leaked big time after the start and I had to fumble with them a ton. I got them to hold for the most part. But I still couldn't see very well, and the sun glare was bad. I had no idea where I was in the pack, but just did my best. The course was a two-loop one. The only people I passed were struggling men sprinters so I thought I must be the last woman in the water, but I wasn't. I finished in the middle of the pack.

T1. 2:42. This is usually my strength, but I was fumbling with a band-aid and decided to wear socks to keep the band-aid on and didn't clip my shoes into my pedals. They all just slowed me down.

Bike. 24 miles. 1:15:47 (18.8 mph). I was happy with this time. I wanted to get in the range of 1:15 and I did. It rained a bit and the roads were slick. I was a bit over cautious because of my crash as well. But I just tried to hammer the rest. I passed quite a few men and a few women. 1 woman passed me before the big hill. I passed her back on the hill, but she caught me again after the descent. I couldn't keep up with this fast 42-year-old. I was definitley tired by the end and was worried I wouldn't be able to run.

T2. 1:15. I usually get this under 45 seconds so this was bad. Again, I was trying to get a new band-aid on. I have got to work on these transitions before the next one.
Run. 6.2 miles. 49:03 (but according to my watch 48:01). I was happy with this. I wanted to get under 50 minutes. The first mile is downhill and I did it in 7:37. I slowed to 8:00 minutes for the second mile and then stopped keeping track. But I ended up averaging 7:45s. The girl who passed me on the bike was in my sights the whole time. I caught her just after the turn around, but she picked up the pace and I couldn't keep up with her. She ended up beating me by 30 or so seconds. I was beat by the end for sure, but felt really good about my time.

I finished 17 minutes faster than the same race last year and almost 8 minutes faster than the Kokopelli last year, which is the same course. I ended up as the 10th overall woman, 7th Utah woman, and 3rd in my age group (which is funny because last year I was second at 17 minutes slower - oh well.)

I am going to do a half-ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run) in August. I just have to decide which one - Utah Lake or Bear Lake.

Full race results can be found here.

Our Budding Mozart

Porter had his first violin recital and I would say it was a hit. He has been taking lessons for less than a year and does a great job. His teacher is a 16-year-old young woman who teaches him wonderfully and for a great price. He is using the Suzuki book, but not really the method. He plays a little from ear, but also reads music. I am excited to see him as he continue to progress.

I don't know how to make the video not sideways, so sorry. He is playing "The Happy Farmer" and "Minuet 1" from the Suzuki Book 1.

Jazmin teaches Porter on violin and Jessika teaches Trinity on piano.

Happy Birthday Eliza.

Dance, 4 yrs

I can't believe my little Liza is already 5. Time has flown and she has grown (a couple pounds each year, anyway). I just wanted to shout out a big Happy Birthday to my little girl and write a little tribute to her.

Born: June 2, 2004 Tucson, Arizona
7 lbs. 7 oz at birth
26 lbs (maybe) at age 5

brand new

blessing day, 2 months

Eliza is such a pleasant little girl. She loves to help out - she bakes with me, she cleans with me, she is the best big sister to James and really knows how to deal with his personality and charm him. She also rally knows how to tease Porter. It is kind of funny because he hates it, and she knows all the buttons to push, and pushes them.


She is learning to read and loves it. I love to sit with her as she sounds out the words, each sound distinct, and tries and tries to blend it all together and when it clicks and she gets the word, she is so proud. she is much better at memorizing books than sounding out the words, but she is getting the phonics slowly.

She is so willing to try new things, whether it be food or rock climbing or her two-wheeler. She always gives it at least one try before she decides she does or doesn't like something.

She has such a different temperament than she did when she was a baby. She was an angel from birth to about 5 months, at which point she turned into the devil until she was about 1 year. She remained a difficult child until about 2.5. Now she is such a joy and a happy, helpful girl
and I love her to bits.

2 yrs

Grand Canyon, 3 yrs

10 months

3rd Birthday

First steps, 10 months

What Eliza loves at age 5:
She loves to dance, dollies, Polly Pockets, Littlest Petshops, playing with friends, eating cake and candy, playing dress-up, taking care of James. She loves to go to friends' houses and rarely misses me when I leave, even for an extended amount of time. Basically, she is all girl and we love having it that way.

New Wetsuit!!!

I got a new triathlon wetsuit on Friday and I am so excited. I got the 2009 Xterra Vortex 3 sleeveless on a great deal - half price! I got to swim with it on Saturday and I loved it. I am most excited to use it at the Utah Summer Games Triathlon on June 13.