There's a Flock of Butterflies in my Gut

It's early Monday morning. I am t-minus 12 days and counting until Tinman.

I have NOT been in a lake yet. My anxiety level is so high that I'm slightly dizzy. Kill Creek Lake opens tonight for open water swim, so Patrick and I are going to try and take turns swimming the course there. I feel physically stronger than ever, but it's my brain that's going to get me.

It's interesting because I've yet to find a swimmer with the exact fear as me. One of my friends was unsettled by the crowd of people in the water at the start. Another good friend new to the triathlon business was surprised by the waves in her face the first time she swam outdoors. Me, I just have an irrational fear of underwater plant life. Sigh.

This is a picture of Hubs and I making out on the beach. As you can see, Hubs just got off work from his job as a police officer slash candy striper. The seaweed monster has arrived to exact it's revenge on all newbie triathletes.



Speaking of SuperHubs, he has already managed to qualify and earn a free entry into a national race in Iowa this year. It's a pretty sweet way to start the season after a year off.

On the home front, my goal is to take the kiddos to do something fun once a week this summer. This is besides swimming, of course. Last week we spent the afternoon at the zoo. I was a little nervous about the walking. This is the first summer I've only brought a single stroller. Macy tended to get tired and whiny last year and still needed a place to sit halfway through most trips. She did super well this year and we all had fabulous time. I'm almost considering a zoo pass for the summer because this trip went so well. This week? Powell gardens.

I'm also challenging myself in the kitchen this month. My trusty meal planning site, e-Mealz, has added a new menu option. Clean Eating! Which means more vegetables and even less kid-friendly ingredients. So far it's not a total bust. I'm really enjoying the recipes, and the rest of the family is enjoying about fifty percent of what I make. The nice thing about e-mealz, is that I'm free to switch back to my original plan (low fat family plan), after a month, free of charge. If you haven't checked out e-mealz yet, I suggest you take a peek. The simplicity of it is what drew me in.

Well, I'm off to complete my grocery shopping for the week, all three kids in tow. I'm seriously considering waking up while it's still dark out to complete my shopping before Patrick leaves for work. The loss of sleep would almost be worth the saved sanity.