What I've been up to

1) Participating in Pure Michigan's / Rob Bliss State-wide Singalong

Crowds gathering and preparing to shoot our scene for the video.

Sporting my Love Muskegon shirt

My bike wanted to be in the lip-dub too, so I brought her along.

My friend Roxane messaged me to let me know that there is a big close up of my head on WZZM13's coverage! Check it out HERE. (I'm about 40 seconds in). I'm so relieved they didn't show my snaggle-tooth side.

2) Riding Owasippe. Yes, Owasippe is OPEN. So go ride! Watch out for the sand pits and snakes.

3) Taking the Snoose (age 6) on "training" rides for Peak2Peak. She really wants to do this mountain bike race, and, as her mom, it's my job to set her up for a positive experience. Even though we've had weekly mountain bike rides with the Family Mountain Bike Club, we've never tested her "endurance." First priority on our P2P race preparedness checklist was to do an 11-mile bike ride.

Pre-Ride

Climbing the hill to Lake Michigan.
Sage: "I didn't tell myself 'I think I can,' I told myself that 'I know I can.'"

That's the smile of a girl who discovered that
she is "stronger thank she thinks she is and can do more than she thought she could do."

 Snoose even asked to ride a couple of extra miles for a total of 13. I'm so proud of this girl! Up next is 13 miles of single-track. We'll be hitting the VASA in Traverse City this weekend. If you see us out there, say "hi!" And, if you think of it, give this kid an encouraging word to help her along.

4) And then there's getting ready for the new school year. Things are going to change drastically in our household. Not only is Snoose going to school full-days but my job is changing and I'll no longer be working from home. In fact I won't be home in the mornings at all to help the kids get ready.

To prepare for some of these major changes, the kids have been practicing their new daily routines.

The Snoose's daily routine

Bear's routine—it would be so much easier if he could read!

Snoose has her routine down-pat. She is independent and enjoys getting herself ready in the morning, making her own breakfast, etc. Bear, on the other hand, loves to be catered to. He thoroughly enjoys having someone brush his hair, get him dressed—it's like a spa treatment to him. I've never seen a kid so willingly open their mouth for a teeth-cleaning. He could spend hours having his teeth brushed.

It's been a frustrating week and a half trying to get Bear to do these things for himself. But, I believe, we are slowly making progress . . .

What haven't I been doing?

1) Cleaning my house. Boom! We hired a cleaning service and it is the best decision Chad and I have ever made over the duration of our marital union thus far.

This change means that Chad gets to hear less nagging and I get more time to ride. Everyone wins!