Remembering and Appreciating

We were up at 4:30 AM today and at the Park by 5:30!
Mom, Dad and their little triathlete went to the "transition area" and set up the bicycle for the ride to come.

The temperature in Alpharetta this morning was only 53 degrees when the kids had to jump feet first into the pool for the first laps before they rode their bicycles. That took guts.

The kids were all amazing. From the littlest to the oldest, they swam, bicycled and ran to the finish line...they really were IRON KIDS! It was also fun to watch the parents, and grandparents (including me) RUN from one venue to another! Whew, we all got our exercise.

And none of us there, in spite of the excitement of the day, forgot the date and it's significance.

I stood and watched as the children and their parents and thought about how blessed we all were to be standing there alive today. It was painful to think about how many people are remembering ten years ago and grieving the loss of their loved ones. None of us will ever be the same after that day. As we drove out of Atlanta, I remembered driving through Atlanta the day after the attacks and there was not a plane in the sky! It was such an eerie thing, as when you drive up Interstate 75 through Atlanta the skies are usually lined up with planes waiting to land.

We all need to pray that nothing like that ever happens in this country again. We need to learn to love each other and become ONE NATION, keeping that feeling of being one Nation instead of a divided Nation in our hearts every day.

I shed tears today as I saw my little athlete mount her bicycle, and then again when she was running toward me as she ran for the Finish Line...

I have had a close brush with death on three occasions, and yet I am still here. I have been blessed with healthy children and grandchildren. I get so much joy from watching them grow up and become caring, loving and intelligent beings. I am especially thankful today..."but for the grace of God" I or one of my family members could have been on one of those planes or in one of those buildings. Thank God if you can hug your family members today. Don't ever leave the house without telling them how much you love them. Give love and praise frequently. Share Joy!

Congratulations Miss Ashlyn on your wonderful performance today. We were all so very proud of you as usual. You are a special girl, and you did your best today.
Fantastic Job! Go-Girl-Go!

After the run....think she might be tired?

Iron Kid Triathlon

We are in Alpharetta,Georgia today preparing for the biggest Iron Kids Triathlon in the United States EVER! How exciting!

There are a ton of kids here today registering. The kids that are here range in age from 6 years old to older teens. They are all so excited. Our nine-year-old athlete will be swimming 150 meters, biking four miles and running one mile tomorrow at 8:00 in the morning! Amazing... I will tell you right now that I sure couldn't do that.

It is going to be interesting in the morning. The temperature at 8:00 is only going to be 57 degrees. The pool is not heated. I think some of those really little kids are going to balk and maybe cry about jumping into that cold water. I think I probably would too.

After the cold plunge and swim, the kids have to jump out of the pool and run to the transition area to get their clothes on and lift their bicycles from the rack and head out for the biking leg of the course. The intermediate kids will be biking four miles and after returning their bicycles to the rack, running one mile before hitting the finish line.

All the kids are excited. It is great fun to watch the parents. There are the "Hover Mother" types, and athletic types, there are some who are just there for the fun aspect, some for the exercise their kids get in competing in these events, and some are like those "Stage Mothers" you see on TV!

We are going to bed really early tonight and getting a good night's rest before the big race tomorrow. Our little athlete is looking forward to the race. She isn't worried about "winning", just participating. This is her first big race and some of these kids have been racing for years. Apparently this is a big thing nowadays!

There are even Certified Triathlon Coaches for the kids. Wow. I will post how it all goes. Should be great fun and very interesting.

RECIPE FOR AN ATHLETE

Quick and Easy Mini Pizzas for Kid Athletes

Ciabatta Rolls

Slices of Prosciutto, Salami, or Panchetta

Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Finely chopped vegetables(red bell pepper, olives, onion)

Pizza or spaghetti sauce.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Slice Ciabatta rolls in half and toast lightly.
3. Spread a teaspoon size amount of tomato sauce on each of the Ciabatta rolls.
4. Top with meat.
5. Add Cheese on top
6. Finally, top with vegetables
7. Arrange Ciabatta rolls on baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes or until cheese has melted.

You could also do these on Pita bread (preferably whole wheat)