Big Kids of Steel

While the 4-5 year olds race was giggles and fun, game faces were on for the big twins' 8-9 year olds race.

- Happy family before the race. Don didn't look this calm before his own race the next day!

- Sean exits the water with an enormous lead. You would almost think that he's one of the best swimmers in Canada

- Beth and I watching the girls' swim. Is that Erin with another gigantic lead? Me wondering if I'm the only one with these genes who can't swim.

- You want game face? Don't mess with Erin.

- Sean cruising to victory








- Whole family celebrating in the rain

Triathlon Weekend - Molly & Jacob's Kids of Steel Race

Tons of great photos thanks to Ryner and my mom. So, I'll break the weekend into a few parts.
Here's the Kids of Steel event on the Friday. Molly & Jacob did their first triathlons.


- Here they are devising some pre-race strategies

- These events always bring out the crazy fans - Uncle Don

- Getting ready for the race, while the fans stay dry

- Sean and Erin tell the little twins how to kick some triathlon butt

- Last minute cap adjustment from Mama

- Zoë spent the weekend saying "where's my triathlon" - here with Aunt Beth

- Me telling Molly "at least you can swim - I may well drown in my triathlon"

- Jacob in the swim. He's in the middle of the photo, with his chin just above the surface.

- Jacob getting some directions on how to get from the beach to his bike

- Pushing his bike through the transition area

- Molly running into future rival Mary-Grace in the water

- Molly pushing up the transition hill

- Jacob sprinting toward the finish line

- Finisher's medal around his neck and cowbell in his hand - ready to cheer Molly to the end

- Molly powering to the finish line

- The little triathletes with a proud Katie

   

Zoë turns Two and a Half

If you had to sum up our 3 kids in 3 words (not an easy task), here is Kate's attempt...
Zoë has determination
Jacob has imagination
Molly has concentration

Chocolate cake to belatedly celebrate Zoë's half birthday.

Swiss Visit

Lindsey, Serge, Jules and Margot visited us for the first week of August. Here are some photos...


- Pretty tough looking bike gang

- Zoë hard at work at the beach

- Jacob and Jules may look even more like twins than Molly & Jacob. There were lots of "are those triplets" comments

- Taking Jules out in the canoe

- The summertime view from our house. Yes, it's been a good summer!

- Discussing the construction project

- Dinner at French's. Apparently mostly ketchup was consumed.

"Christmas" is Coming - Better Catch Up on Summer Photos

Triathlon weekend is almost upon us, which Kate routinely declares as being better than Christmas. This year its bigger and better than ever as the twins are going to do their first Kids of Steel triathlon, my mom is doing her first tri-the-tri (vs. Uncle Don), the big twin cousins are doing the kids race and Kate, Beth and I are doing the full triathlon. So, I'd better post some catch-up photos before those festivities start.

We'll start with our visit to Sandbanks and Montreal to celebrate my dad's 65th birthday:

- To warm up the crowd, here's a video of Molly practicing her soccer penalty kicks. The patented long run-up, and she buries it in the corner!

- The twins practising their jumps at the pool in Sandbanks

















- Big twins and little twins on the dunes

- Swimming at Sandbanks

- The birthday boy!!

















- All 5 cousins at the wildlife centre

Our "Christian" Education

Lots of photos to catch up on from our trip to Sandbanks and Montreal, plus visits first from Greg and now from Lindsey & Serge. But no time right now, so ...

We were reading The Little Drummer Boy today (don't ask why the Christmas books are out in August).

Molly: Who's the baby again?
Me: Baby Jesus. Christians, like your friend Silas, believe God created everything and that Jesus was his son.
Jacob: What happened to that baby?
Me: He grew up and talked to everyone about what he believed about God and how God was his father. But the King didn't like having his power threatened, so he killed Jesus.
Molly: That wasn't very nice, to kill him.
Me: No, you're right.
Jacob: Jesus should have just moved to another town.

Hot Duathlon

I picked the hottest day of the summer to complete my first duathlon (run, bike, run). Beat my target time, averaged 30km/hr on the bike for the first time and won my first medal for any kind of athletic endeavour since I was in high school! 2nd out of 10 men in their 40's!

This all came in the shadow of Kate's attempt at the Olympic distance triathlon yesterday. She hit a pothole on her bike and hurtled to the pavement, smashing her helmet and getting a nasty case of road rash from shoulder to calf. She is a bloody mess but no lasting damage. She was a trooper today and brought the 3 kids back to Gravenhurst to cheer me on.