Why not Squeeze in a Triathlon?

That would be Joe.  Not me.  Yes, he was only in California for less than a week and one of those days he would be completing an Olympic distance tri on our home turf in Pleasanton.

 This looks all too familiar.  Gives me butterflies.  Making sure nothing is forgotten.

 4:30ish in the morning.  He's ready to go.  One kiss and he's headed out the door and I'm headed back to bed :)  I'd be there soon enough.

THE SWIM:

1st TRANSITION:

 Is that the lighting?  Or is he just really ripped?  It's gotta be the latter ;)  As Ben Hansen has mentioned on previous occasions, "Let's wait until Joe get's here to help us.  He is the strongest in our family." Haha.  I love it.  That's my farm boy...

 

THE BIKE: 

Going and coming

AND GETTING READY FOR...

THE RUN:

HE DID IT!

another kiss...this one a bit sweaty...

some water...

And lots of smiles.  Happy to be finished!

His photographers and cheering crew!  Mom stayed home with the kids so they could sleep in after our busy day at the beach.  And did they ever sleep!  We thought they'd make it down to welcome Joe across the finish line!  Nope...  not a chance.  They snoozed up until the very end.  

SO PROUD OF YOU Joe!  Now let's go get some ice cream at the Dairy Farm :)

Down By the Boardwalk...Down By the Sea

It's amazing how much parts of California remind us of Chile.  Even the names.  Yep, there's a Santa Cruz in Chile too, folks.  We decided when Joe flew into town for his few short days in California, that it was time to head to the coast.  It had been quite some time since we'd driven over Highway 17 to stick our toes in the sand.

So, we got the crew together:

that is...after Mom finished up a mean Scramble match against Matt... who had only one wall separating her from him might I add (they've been competing for years-no joke).

The girls paused for a picture (there's always time for one more)

And we were off!

Glad someone was prepared to protect these two cuties as they headed out onto the shore.

What a BEAUTIFUL day!

Strutting his stuff on the beach

Two things Luke loved the most?  His "Teenage Minja Minja Tuwtle" glasses and chucking sand into the water.  He was in heaven.

Let's talk about true cousin love for just a moment:

she still has no idea what's about to hit her

I think he's been missing those prime opportunities since we've been gone.

You can't go to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk without dining on the pier.

Here we all are!

So much easier to get family shots when you have plenty of family to take the picture for you!

 Thinking they might cause a bit of trouble if not watched carefully

They are loving their own table...

He's loving his own hot chocolate.

It's getting late.  

Someone has tired eyes and Joe has a triathlon in the morning after all that he should be getting ready for.

Loved our day together in: