Babysitting Luke

My Aunt Meepa does a great job of babysitting me. Here I am all buckled in next to Tricia. She took this picture of me. We just dropped Parker off at his friend Jack's house and we are heading to Tricia's violin lessons. I love to hear her play.
This is me taking in the sceneary around the property where Tricia takes violin. Mommy don't worry Aunt Meepa washed my hands after we were done with the photo shoot. Notice my cute Elmo outfit Aunt Meepa put on me. She also made me wear these silly Elmo shoes too. I was starting to untie them there on the right. I was dying to get these things off.



I was trying so hard to get that Elmo shoe off. I did not want to wear them anymore and then all of the sudden. . . .


V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!! Look Aunt Meepa no more Elmo shoe. Aunt Meepa was so nice she took off my other one and did not make me wear them anymore. I've got her wrapped around my little finger.

While working on getting my shoe off I was listening to Tricia play the violin through an open window. I started to sing really loud and later Tricia told me she could hear me. I didn't realize I was that loud, but between getting my shoe off and hearing Tricia play I was one happy camper.

After violin we went to a meeting at Tricia and Parker's school. I got to go in Parker's class and Tricia really helped me to be happy so I wouldn't cry during the meeting. Another baby kept crying so I was really good. Tricia told me that when I go to Kindergarten this would be the school I would go to, so I really took everything in, so I will remember it when I go back.

We went to pick up Parker after that and then I went to Aunt Meepa's house. I cannot seem to remember much after that.

Aunt Meepa here. After we got Parker I got Luke to sleep and Tricia set up a Bean Bag Chair for him and now they are having an overnighter in the living room. She couldn't stand the thought of sleeping upstairs when her little cousin was sleeping in the living room. They are both sound asleep. Tricia and Parker both loved helping me babysit and cannot wait until the next time.

Tah Tah for Now!

Pictures from my second triathlon

On August 13,2006 I competed in my second Triathlon of the summer. I already posted my results a couple of blog posts back, so this is just to let you see pictures and read a little bit more about my day. ENJOY!!

Here I am getting my numbers put on the morning of my triathlon. I was number 1021.

Here I am singing the national anthem waiting for the swim to start. The man behind me (labeled mamma's Boy in blue) was 32 years old (our ages were written on our calf) and had his mommy there to put on his swim cap. It was so cute!!

Here I am coming out of the swim. Giving Tricia and Parker a thumbs up.

Here I am getting my bike out of transition on the left and heading into transition on the right. Tricia took the one of me on the left and Parker took the one of me on the right. They were pretty much my photographers of the day.

Thumbs up!! The bike was a little bit harder this time, but I was able to persevere and finish what I came to do, a triathlon. Go Me!!

This is the best picture Tricia took all day. She was trying to get me crossing the finish line. When I saw this picture I couldn't stop laughing. She said, "Mom you were running so fast it was hard to get your picture." Too cute!!

The picture above is the one Tricia took right after she took the above picture and this picture of me is right after I sprinted across the finish line.

Doing this Triathlon was very hard. I was not as in shape as I had wanted and almost didn't even sign up for it, but as I saw my husband and kids on the sideline I knew I could do it. I did a lot of praying that day too and the Lord helped me and gave me strength that I didn't even know I had. The second I crossed the finish line I knew that triathlons are definitely something I want to do every summer now. My kids kept telling me how proud they were of me and they both want to do a triathlon next summer. I'm so glad that I can be an example to them of what living a healthy and active life is.

Just today the kids were going to go play out in the neighborhood. They were going to start off roller blading, then scooter and then ride bikes. Tricia yelled upstairs and said, "Mom do you mind opening the back of your Mini Van? We need somewhere to sit to do our transitions!" It was a very proud moment for me.

Next up on my healthy journey is a century ride on October 1st and lose 20 pounds by Thanksgiving. Please ask me how I am doing with that along the way. I need the support of others and really appreciate all of you so much in my healthy journey. I couldn't do it without you. Thanks.

We've Got New Pets

Tricia and Parker have been saving up to buy new pets. The day finally arrived and on Monday August 28, 2006 Keith took them to buy their new pets.

Tricia bought a Russian tortoise and Parker got a Leopard Gecko. It has been a lot of fun getting to know them.

Tricia had her named her tortoise long before she even brought him home. His name is Comet.

Parker picked the name Speedy for his Gecko because the first time we took him out of his aquarium and tried to hold him, he jumped out of our hands and was very speedy, running into our linen closet in the bathroom. Speedy's middle name is Dan Chi. Dan Chi is a Kung Fu term meaning single Sticky hands.

Here is Tricia with Comet. This is my favorite picture. I think Comet looks hilarious. Parker said it looks like he is doing a disco dance. He didn't really like getting his picture taken.

Here is Parker talking to Speedy Dan Chi. This was the first day that we really got to hold him because we had to let him get used to his new habitat. Speedy eats crickets and meal worms. Yummmy! Also, if you grab Speedy by the tail by accident he will release it. It is their defense mechanism. If that ever happens I will be so grossed out. Yuck!!

After buying Parker's Gecko I found this poster and had to get it for him. We have it by Speedy's cage. Here Parker is showing him the poster for inspiration.

I think he got the idea. He looks like King of the Lizards!

We had a great evening playing with our new pets and look forward to many years of memories.

First Day of School Pictures

Here are Tricia and Parker getting on the bus, yesterday. They are growing up so fast.

Here is Parker heading into school to start second grade.

Here is Tricia heading into school to start third grade. She has been counting down the days until school starts for the last month.

Tricia and Parker in the courtyard at school all ready to start the 2006-2007 school year. We look forward to many happy memories this year and lots of learning.

My Official Triathlon Results

Here are my official results from my triathlon on Sunday.

Melissa Black 14:00 5:53 1:03:26 2:04 55:49 2:21:11

My Swim was 14 minutes
Transition 1 was 5:53
Bike 1:03:26
Transition 2 was 2:04
Run 55:49

I was in the same town as my first tri, so the bike and the run were the same distances and the transition area was in the same place, so I am very pleased with the improvement in my transition times. Here are the results from my last tri. Don't compare the swims because this one was less, but it is cool to see my improvements in my transitions. My run is about the same and I was about 6 minutes longer in the bike. I was a little bummed about that, but I am very proud of the fact that I did it and that I finished. I will be doing the same two triathlons next year and I'm very excited about how I will do then.

Here is the results from my first triathlon.
1/2 mile swim0-21:27 minutes
Tranistion 1-7:30
bike 20K-57:47
Transition 2-4:33
Run-55:53

For those of you who might not know what a transition is, it's when I go from one leg of the race to the next. Transition 1 is when you are going from the swim to the bike and transition 2 is when you go from the bike to the run. At this race Transition 1 is not too close to the beach, so most people run it, but I have to slog to it (slow jog), so I'm not too fast, but was very proud of myself for shaving off a couple minutes. I have learned some little secrets to having smoother transitions. I am very excited now to keep training and be ready to do my Century ride (100 mile bike ride) on October 1st. I will not be biking the whole 100, but hope to do between 50-75 miles.

I'll be posting pictures from this triathlon soon. Tricia was my official photographer for this event.

Thanks again everyone for your ongoing support during my journey. I love you all.

Melissa

Next Triathlon is Tomorrow!!

My next Triathlon is tomorrow. It is back in Naperville, but this time will be Co-ed. It will be a shorter swim, but the bike and run are the same. I have not been training like I had hoped and have gained a few pounds since the last one, but I know that I will be able to finish it and be motivated to get back into the swing of things. Thanks for all your constant encouragement and motivation during my journey. I appreciate each and every one of you and whatever journey you may be undertaking remember YOU CAN DO IT!!

Here are the kids after I finished my first Triathlon. They were at each step of the way for me cheering me on. My transitions were a little longer than they should have been because I stopped for kisses from them each leg of the race. It's exactly what I needed to finish. Keith and the kids will be there for me tomorrow cheering me on. Keith was out of town during my first tri, so he is excited to see me participate in one. I will blog soon and let you know how it goes.

Remember, with Christ all things are possible. :-)

My First Triathlon Ever!!

On June 25th, 2006 I competed in my first triathlon ever. I was in the Subaru US Women's Triathlon Series in Naperville, Illinois. I swam 1/2 mile, biked just under 15 miles and ran a 5K. It was such a neat accomplishment and it was something that I never thought that I would ever be able to do. I love how healthy I am becoming in every area of my life.

Here I am on June 24th. I picked up my racing packet and got my numbers put on. I had butterflies in my stomach on and off all day. I had planned to do this Triathlon for about a year and I couldn't belive that the day had finally come. There were lots of vendors and speakers that day that really helped get me prepared for race day.

Here I am on June 25th, race day, after setting up my transition area with my bike. I found that everyone was very helpful and kind to us trinewbies and didn't mind answering questions. It was raining all morning and we were hoping it would stop by our wave start, but we had no such luck. It would be a cold and wet day for the race. I guess that is better than hot and humid.

Darlene is my friend of 20 years and we decided to begin our healthy lifestyle makeover together. It was her idea for us to do a triathlon, so here we are after setting up our transition area. We then had an hour to wait before our wave would start. It was really fun to watch the elite athletes. Also, because the triathlon was for Ovarian Cancer awareness the 2nd wave was cancer survivors. That was really moving to see.

Here I am coming out of the swim. The swim for me is the toughest part. I have a problem with claustrophobia and have been known to have a couple of panic attacks here and there, so my goal was to get through the swim without panicing. I did great right up until the last 5 minutes. I started to panic a little bit and another swimmer noticed and swam with me telling me I could do it. I focused on the finish line and focused on my breathing and was able to pull myself out of it. I was very proud of myself. I was able to complete my swim in 21 minutes, which was the best time I had ever had in a swim. Go Me!!

Here I am sprinting across the finish line. I was so tired and I had walked most of my 5K to that point, but when I knew I was close I just sprinted my heart out. It was so hard, but I was really proud of myself when I had finished. It is a feeling that is hard to describe. It really proved to myself that I can do anything I put my mind to and that is a good feeling for me.

Here we are after we finished our first ever triathlon. Notice our cool finisher medals. Our next adventure together will be doing a century ride in October.

Here is a picture of Darlene and I a few years back. It is amazing to me that I ever let myself get to that point. We have come so far together and are very excited about our journey ahead. We are excited to see where God leads us and how He will use our journey to help, encourage and inspire others to better themselves. Darlene, thanks for being such a good friend through thick and thin. I could not make it through life without you. I have loved the first 20 years of our friendship. Here's to the next 20. You go girl!!

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength-Philippians 4:13

Parker gets his orange belt

As most of you know Parker has been taking Kung Fu since about April. He has been working towards getting his second belt and he has done so. This past Monday he got tested for his orange belt and did awesome. He had to do everything he had learned to that point. When I asked him how he felt during testing he replied, "A lot of stress Mom, a lot of stress."
Here are some pictures. Enjoy!!

Here Parker is doing an inside out block.

Here the boys are getting some instruction from Shihan.

After a lot of sweat and hard work Parker receives his Orange belt. It was over 100 degrees that day with the heat index and there is no air conditioning in the building, so when I say after a lot of sweat, I really mean it. Shihan was telling the boys that when he trained in Japan during the summer that it was a lot hotter than this. Us Moms wanted to tell him, "Shihan, this ain't Japan." But he did give the boys lots of breaks.

Presenting the newest Orange Belt at Ganghi's Martial Arts with his teacher Shihan Ganghi. We are so proud of Parker's hard work and dedication to his Martial Arts training. He wakes up almost everyday saying, " Only ___ days left till Kung Fu." Good Job little buddy!!

Parker turns 7, final installment

Parker huddling with his buddies after receiving a football as a gift.

Parker meeting Justin Roberts after the concert. Parker told me that Justin knew that it was his birthday. I said, "Parker, How do you think he knew it was your birthday?" He said, "Mom, he asked does anyone have a birthday today before singing IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY and I yelled MEEEEEEE. He remembered my voice, so when I went to meet him he remembered."
The birthday boy's sis hangin' with her friends Josh and Katie. They look sooooo cool!
Parker's cuz Helena shares the same birthday. We got her a cake, tiara and birthday wand. What a cutie!!
Here is Parker and Tricia hanging out with their cousins after the party.

Yesterday, on Parker's actual birthday we headed downtown and heard some friends sing in a 4th of July concert and then headed to Ed Debevic's restaraunt. A must if you ever visit Chicago. The wait staff is hiliarious. We had a waiter named Tofer and the kids at the next table called him Tofu, so pretty much the whole section was calling them that. The waiters and waitresses can be rude, but it's all in fun. He told me to throw the menus on the next table, so I did, literally. It was a great time. We went with Grandpa Jim and Grandma Anne.

Here is a poem I wrote for Parker.

My Little Man

My little man just turned seven

He was a gift to us sent from heaven

It seems like just yesterday that you were born

It's you that I love and you that I adorn

Keep growing up the way that you are

In my eyes you will always be a star

You are very polite and a lot of fun

I'm sure glad God picked you to be our son.

Parker, Mommy and Daddy love you so much. We want you to always know that and remember that as you grow up. We love you, Buddy. Happy Birthday!!

Parker turns 7 Part 2

Here Parker relaxes as his friend Nathan K. gives him a back rub. Ahhhhhhh!
Parker, Nathan K. and Paul belt out a few tunes!!

Chillin' with some friends. L to R Josh, Luke in back, Parker, Jack D. Gage and Nathan S.

Parker, with his super rock star face on jammin' with his band and back up singer, Gage and Sara.

Some more rockin' and Rollin'

Parker Turns 7

I cannot believe that my baby is turning 7. His birthday is actually tomorrow on July 2nd, but we had his birthday party today. We had it at Ravinia, which is a place that holds concerts all summer. They have kids concerts during the day and other concerts at night. Today one of our favorite kids singers was there, so we knew it would be a perfect setting for our little singer's birthday party. One thing that is neat about Ravinia is that if you buy lawn seats you can basically bring in anything you want to picnic with, so we went all out. Parker has loved to sing from an early age, so he loves the show American Idol, so our theme was American Idol/Rock-n Roll. Here he is posing with his electric guitar cake. An awesome friend from church, named Anna Maria made it for him.

Here Parker and Jack U. are giving Justin Roberts thumbs up. They were all having a Rockin' time!!

Hangin' with some friends from school. Kasia and Parker met in Preschool and were in 1st grade together. Steven and Parker are buds.

Parker and I rockin' out to the song IT's YOUR BIRTHDAY by Justin Roberts. We had an incredible day. We had 25 kids and 13 adults, perfect weather, good music and great cake!! What else can you ask for? Well, for Parker it was the Cars Video game and Auntie Lynn filled that request.

I will post more pictures later.

I am a Triathlete!!

Well, folks, I did it. I can now say that I am a Triathlete. Below are my results. My goal was to to the Tri in under 3 hours. I did that. Another goal was to not be last in my age division. Did that too. :-) I will blog more about the actual event when I get home and can include some pictures. All I can say is it was AWESOME. I have just proven to myself that I can do anything I put my mind to. I just wanted to thank you all for your support and encouragment through all of this. I could not have done it without you.


overall place:
1583 out of 1603

division place:
276 out of 277

gender place:
1583 out of 1604

time:
2:27:07

swim:
21:27

trans 1:
7:30

bike:
57:47:00

trans 2:
4:33

run:
55:53:00

Tomorrow is the big day!!

Well, this is it. My big day has finally arrived. Tomorrow is my first ever Triathlon. I am so excited and nervous rolled into one. I took some pictures today at the packet pick up and will blog after the big event. Please pray for me as my neck has been hurting this week, so I am a little nervous about the swim, but I know that I will be able to do it. I'll let you know how it goes. Gotta get to bed. Thank you everyone for your support. Much love, Melissa

A lot has been going on

As most of you know I did BIKE THE DRIVE on May 28th, 2006. This is where Chicago closes famous Lake Shore Drive for about 5 hours and opens it to bikers. It was a lot of fun. I considered this to be training for my triathlon. I will have to bike about 15 miles and did 30 in about 2 1/2 hours. I think I will be fine for my Triathlon. :-)

The picture above is of me on the train around 4:45am heading downtown. It was a lot of fun because the CTA changes their bike rules for the day, so at this point I was on the train with about 4 other bikers. Usually they only allow 2 bikes per car, but not today.

On the advice of some friends I started my ride heading north, so I could get the hills out of the way. Keith and I started out our marriage at 3600 N. Lake Shore Dr. I have spent countless hours driving in a car on Lake Shore Drive, so it was fun to pass our old stomping grounds on a bike. This is a self portrait of me with the tower we lived in behind. The tower right behind my head is the one that we lived in on the 13th floor. Ahhh, memoriesI finished the ride North and headed to the South. This route was much more fun because that is where all the sights are and it is less hilly. Here I am with Field Museum in the background.

This is my self portrait of me in front of Soldier Field. This is also where my chain came off. I was on the side of the road yelling, "Anyone know how to fix a chain?" Finally my Good Samaratin came along and helped me and I was back on my way. Next stop, Museum of Science and Industry and then back to Grant Park. I was trying to post more pictures, but I am having some trouble, so I will post more at a later date.

A lot more has been going on in my life, which is why I haven't posted on here in awhile.

First of all, I am back in college. I am taking 3 summer school classes. I am in Intermediate Algebra, Old Testament Survey and Non-Western Civilization. They are all interesting, but it is a lot to keep up with. I'm not sure what I was thinking signing up for 3 classes. In the fall I will be Trinity University student studying Elementary Education. I will be graduating Spring of 2008. Eeeeeeeeeeee!! I'm so excited. They have a face paced track I will be on. I will be in classes every Monday night from 6-10pm. The classes are all condensed, so the working person or mom can fit it into their schedule. It is a nice fit for me.

I have quit my preschool job and am taking a job in the fall being an aid for a little boy. I will be assisting him in Kindergarten. We have visited the school twice and it is a good match for us. It is montessori school, which both of my kids went to for preschool, so I am familiar with the philosophy of teaching, which will make for an easier transition.

My triathlon is on June 25th. Darlene and I are doing it together, so today we did a practice Tri. It was good, but tiring. It was almost 90 degrees and very humid. Luckily the Tri on the 25th will start early in the morning, so it shouldn't be as hot.

Tricia won a sweepstakes. She will honorary bat kid at tomorrow's (June 16) Cubs game. We have to go early, so she can watch batting practice from the dugout. She gets a hat, jersey, baseball, her name on the scoreboard, her name announced over the PA system and she gets to meet players. We are not allowed to go into the dugout, but we still get to be there with her and get to go to the game. As a Sox fan this is nice for me because the Cubs are playing the Detroit Tigers. That is the team that the Sox are trying to knock out of first place, so I need the Tigers to lose, so I will be a Cubs fan tomorrow.

After the Cubs game we drive to the airport to leave for Arizona for a week. Keith's Mom and Grandma live there and we haven't been in a couple of years, so it is time. We are all looking forward to it. I will blog when I get home.

I think that is pretty much the update and the life and times of Melissa. Until Next Time Keep on Keepin' On.

" I only have good days and great days." -Lance Armstrong