Not too trivial...

Ok, so Sat night we invited a few friends over for some more Trivial Pursuit 90s edition. Unfortunately, Mark and I did not fair so well...but here are some photos of the historic event...








the couple on the couch SMOKED everyone (not letting them be on the same team again...)..but in the end it was the NON CHEATING Europeans Neal and Mike that took the prize...







Thanks to all for coming over...it's always a great excuse to clean up!!

Organization station

I'm so domestic it's killing me! Mike and I went to the container store, so we could FINALLY organize the pantry. We ended up spending WAY too much money...but look how much better the pantry looks!













Before















After...





Ok, I have to go get the finish polishing the pots and pans now...in my apron...poodle skirt, and pumps...w/ my hair in rollers...right before I do all Mikes ironing...

Flag day

So, in honor of the Swedish flag day festival....I decided to celebrate on my Sat ride w/ a flag of my own...












I went to a bike shop a few weeks ago, and saw the flag for sale...and couldn't pass up the opportunity to yet again show off my 'So Pro' style! The ride ended up to be an epic 8 to 3:30 event (only 5hr 20min ride time though...we had one chain break, 3 flats, my rear shifter cable snapped w/ 3+ hrs to ride)...but all the while the flag was sailing high!!

It's even funnier, because I was stuck in my 12/39....and so on all the hills I was standing at about 45rpm trying not to fall over..and the flag would whip side to side so bad no one could ride next to me...at one point I almost hit a pedestrian walking on the trail...ooopps!

Turkey Day

So Mike and I got to have our own Turkey day. And we realized at about 1:30 we needed:
1) turkey
2) stuffing
3) cranberry sauce
4) bread
5) pumpkin pie

So off we went to the store. I don't know about you...but I grew up making all of the above from scratch. From the wild rice/cornbread stuffing, to homemade cranberry sauce, to the rolls...but that was NOT the case today. Oh no, we had no time for that...so we bought the bag of 'just add water' stuffing, canned cranberry sauce, already cooked turkey brest, rolls, but decide to make the pie (and hand whip the cream...for old time sake).

Wanna see how it turned out???

Here's the cooking part













Then there's the eating part










Then there is the Maxin and Relaxin part


Hope you also had a great day! Gobble, Gobble!

i fart

That's what the elevator button was labeled in Copenhagen. Apparently it means 'in motion' (in Danish)...like in use. But I got a great laugh out of it, and thought I'd share.

Speaking of Copenhagen....here are a few shots. Mike and I spent one afternoon shopping, then the morning before our flight left we went to Christinia



....a hippie city in the middle of Copenhagen...where hash is legal. It was interesting, no one in the 'city' owns their house, it's all communal...a good system. I don't know about the hash part, but hey it takes all kinds to make the world go round.

Ok, back to the photos:
Here's one of me biking (a major form of transportation there)











And here's me in my new sheeps coat by a foutain









Here is Mike and I's international greeting:











What a silly sign (or I'm just silly)











What a Pisser!











We had a great final meal in Denmark with Mike's sister Kristina:


Goodbye Demnark and Sweden....I had an awesome visit. I'm so grateful for my new extended family, and such a beautiful home away from home!
Now it's time to get back home for some TURKEY!

Saying 'Goodbye' to Bertil, in Almhult

I'm writing from Almhult, Sweden (my husbands hometown). Unfortunately, we are here to attend his Grandfather Bertil Johansson's funeral.

On the bright side, we get to come to Sweden. This is my fourth time here to Almhult. Every other time we have come over Christmas vacation, so it's fun to see grass for once.

Of course, I've taken a few shots to document our traveling...so let's get to it.

First we have a photo of Mike looking extra handsome in the Copenhagen airport, as he decided which train to catch to get us to Almhult fast!



The houses here are pretty small (this area of sweden is Small-Land)

Just kidding, this is the play house for the children his grandfather built!


So, today we went running...better said, would be JOGGING...but it was nice to see the country side. Then we went to the house Mike's grandfather built from scratch...I got lessons on where things came from, how the house had changed over the years....it's fun being a part of a new family with it's own history...it's all new to me...and they are such great people, I'm so glad we came.

Then, the highlight of the day, we went into town to shop. And, as Chrissy will be sad to hear she missed, I got to spend hours in 2 kitchen stores...one of my favorite passtimes. (Once I dragged Chrissy into a kitchen store, but after about 20min she chose to wait outside for me...and funny has NEVER gone w/ me again...she just doesn't get the EXCITEMENT of kitchen utensils...especially UNIQUE ones!!). I returned home after 3hrs of shopping w/ this super cool bottle opener (for SODA, of course), hooks to hang utensils on, orange coasters, rock sea salt (for my salt grinder...yea Kat, I'm SOO Euro), and some stainless scoops for the sugar/salt that look like mini shovels...

Ok, so I'm pissed about the pictures...and will do my best to rectify the situation!!!

Hej Da (Swedish for goodbye)

Riding the track at Burnaby eh??

Hells Yea...as Adrian Hedge-a-berry said! So off we went. Jennifer Tripplet (Greggs), Dan Harmsall, Nick Idontknowhislastname, Jimmy and girlfriend.

The trip began w/ a phone call at 6am, everyone wondering where I was...well, in bed of course...the alarm at 4am didn't go off (MIKE'S fault)...so I rushed to meet them...and we were off.




Once there, it was a great 2 days of racing....tons of learning...Mechanical errors (aka Emurdincies), tactical errors, embarrassing slips, lots of questions, the roughest rickety track I've ever seen (my first lap I thought I may need my mtn bike), g-forced propelled Corner....and a stiff neck.





Racing went well. It was fun. A sharp learning curve. The first race was a flying 200 (so you get 3 laps...then time the last one)...I sucked..I hadn't had a chance to get on the track AT ALL before the race...so it was uncomfortable...and I couldn't really go balls out....but it was learning.



The next race was a scratch race (regular, first across the line wins) 30laps....I really struggled to keep position...still not comfortable w/ my ability to adjust my speed, and be comfortable w/ riders close to me etc...and this cost me valuable positions, and ended my race early.....oh well, I'm learning!




The last race was the points race (4deep points every 10 laps) 80laps. This time, I'd watched Gina Grain in her race and saw how aggressive she was w/ her positioning, and savvy about pulling, and Jen talked me through the A race...so I was able to keep my position a little better, and hang on to a group.
Then we went to dinner...and got hooked up w/ an awesome Host housing.

Sunday's racing began w/ a Chariot (standing start, then 2 laps)...not my best race. Then Elimination plus points (basically miss and out, then a points race....which means LOTS of hard laps)...I hung on longer than expected...and am learning more about how to keep position.

Next was Elimination (miss and out) this time I was the 2nd last pulled, a good improvement...I was pleased..but I almost crashed into Dan and Nick diving to miss being pulled...oopps 'learning'.

Then was the Win and out....yea, not so good. Jen got 3rd..that was awesome....I was in some back group..just hanging on, I struggle w/ the constant accelerations at such high speeds..but hey learning.

Lastly we did Olympic sprints (basically 3 person TT, each person does a lap them peels off...lucky for me I was first to peel off). It was a fun way to finish the weekend.



So, great fun, great new track, great people....good weekend. And here are some random shots.

PRESENTING, the Ford-Basis's MEN's team

OOOOHH, Mike is brave...and Very secure w/ his manhood apparently!










So this is how we have 'fun' on our Sunday rides...a little switcharoo......

Balla's (think Hip hop voice)

Yea, so weight training at out house involves a ball, a foam roll, two yoga mats, the MP3 player w/ speakers.....and oh yea our garage.

I will illistrate for you how to do a bridge on the ball:





Now Mike will demo a Lunge (and ripped up calves...yea, I'm bios)





Now for the gran-final...I will balance on the ball, on my knees..




Damn we are just so hard core!! Maybe somedays we'll actually add weights!!

Offseason Training, OH YEA!

Ok, so I've compiled a few photos to help share my off season activities.

Mr.Serious and OTHER

Here's one from the El Salvador race. It was great to hang out with Alisha in a far away place, at such an epic race!

A little cyclocross

A little Bachlorette partying

Been riding with these guys. It's great fun to go fast, or not with 'the boys'! These are a great group of strong riders, I'm lucky to have them to keep my butt in shape!