Monday, August 16, 2010

Family is good.....

By tomorrow both kids will be back home and we are once again a foursome.  But I have to say - having their trips overlap 1 week was great as it gave us time to have just one kid at a time.  Very different dynamics when Riley was gone and it was just JD.  Lots of ACDC and lazy teenager roaming around the house. We played a lot of cards  and poker and he was eager for every errand so he can drive.  

And then JD left and it was just John, Zen and I and it was well quiet.... we enjoyed the time and during our week of no kids my Sis and nieces came to break up our solace.  Really fun to spend time with Jamie (7) and Willa (5) when Riley is not here.  See the worship Riley and Riley is a great big cousin.  So they are busy and engaged with her.  So they were left with boring ol' Aunt J.  We had some fun swimming and hanging out.  

Even got a bonus ride in with my sister.  See unusually is is my bro in law, hubby and I out riding.  Well my sis just joined the club.  2 weeks after she bought a sweet Scott Contessa she was in San Diego and eager to ride.  So we rented a bike from Nytro, Mom watched the girls and my sis and I rode Elfin.   She did great and how can you not love that ride and with a stunning finish along the coast for some good San Diego lovin!  What fun.   So that makes it an even number.... Both my siblings and in laws are riding. Only my sis-in-law and I are the tri-geeks....but maybe with time we can convert others.

Sis and kids left and we enjoyed our few days of quite and then we picked up Riley from the Tole Mour.  The trip was all we hoped for and more for her....She had the time of her life- new perspective on life and dearly missing her 17 best friends whom she lived with for 3 weeks.  She is easing back into social comforts of  hot shower vs jumping over the side of the boat at 6:30am into the Pacific for a Polar Bear Plunge  (PBP w/soap) as it was listed on the ship.   2 showers in 3 weeks but in the ocean every day, no laundry, no electrical products or technology but hours and hours of singing, sailing, proudly doing chores to keep the ship clean and so many adventures I hope she remembers forever.

We had a smashing ride on Saturday while she slept in....long and slow for me with great company! See Diana and Beth logged 100 miles the day before- darn impressive!!   And John hammered it out with Tati and Amy.  Sunday run along to coast in the mist and fog was again long and slow. Bonus add on with Marion so the run was a bit longer than planned but the socializing made up for it by far.

Finished the weekend with a great night of friends, food and wine at the Dunkle Casa!

Ah....and the week is starting again.   Training, working, getting the kids ready for school.  So much to do!  JD flies in tonight and we are eager to hear the tales of dining on guinea pigs, adventures in the Galapagos, how the English teaching went,  pick up soccer games locals in Ecuador, watching the meteor shower atop the volcano and salsa dancing with the locals!  More fun and stories.  I just hope he took as many pictures as Riley.

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