Evanston Weekend

What a weekend. You just never know what you'll get when you travel with a kid...make it three kids, and it's really a toss up!

Ryan had a stage race in Evanston, WY. I've gone several times so I knew what to expect, but this is the first time we've done an overnight road trip with Piper.

The first day was a point to point race which started in Kamas and finished in Evanston (about 80 miles). The girls and I saw the racers off, and then hopped back in the car (after a quick nursing session) and drove the course. We stopped once at the feed zone for a little cheering...saw some hurting faces. I followed Ryan for a bit...but then the girls started to get a little crazy in the car, so before I started banging my head on the steering wheel I decided to hurry up and get to the finish and meet up with him there. His team took first and second...pretty good day for them!

Then it was off to the hotel...the girls couldn't wait to get to there...they talked about the hotel ALL day. Not sure what's so exciting about a room with a bathroom and beds, but they LOVE it! After much jumping on the beds, some T.V. watching, and a swim in the pool we headed out for dinner. We went to a Mexican place that we've gone to before, but this time I wasn't too crazy about their service. Things like having menus are kinda important in my eyes (after sitting at our table for about 10 minutes someone finally brought us some). And also when we ask for more utensils that usually means we would like to have knives and napkins, not just a fork. But the food was good...so it wasn't all bad.

The girls did pretty good at night...I think they finally settled down and feel asleep around 9:30 and Piper did fantastic...she was asleep by 8:30...even with all the ruckus in the room! And I only had to get up once with her at night...yay Piper!

The next day was the Time Trial in the morning...us girls just hung out in the hotel while Ryan did that. More jumping on the beds, T.V. watching, coloring, and playing with Barbies passed the time.

When Ryan got back we had about five hours to kill before the crit. After some more pool action we checked out and went to get lunch at this little coffee house/deli right on the course of the crit. We ended up staying there for nearly two hours! The girls entertained themselves with a deck of cards and a chess set they had there...who knew a chess set would keep a five and three year old happy for that long!! They were amazingly good...hard to believe they were my children! While in there, one of the highlights for me was meeting Billy Demong (Olympic gold medalist in the Nordic Combined!). Ryan has known him, but I had never officially met him before...one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet! And to be honest, I was a little star struck!

Having three children is a whole new world at bike races. Trying to nurse and keep track of the other two is challenging! Luckily, they're pretty good at staying within the boundaries I set, so I don't have to do too much yelling for them to come back. At one point, Morgan had to go to the bathroom (REEEEALLY BAD!! Her words) while I was nursing. I told her to go find a bush on the other side of the building...which I think was some kind of government building (is that bad?). She did not hesitate! Hopefully, she did it discreetly...although I did notice her skirt was a bit wet when she came back. Oh well...she'll get the hang of it eventually.

Ryan ended up crashing in the last lap of the race...and I feel like an idiot, because I had no idea. He road up to me after the race and I'm like, "Yay...good job!". And he's like, "I crashed!! Didn't you notice I wasn't in the break anymore when they came through!!". So now, not only did I not know he crashed, but I had assumed he got dropped from the break. Talk about GUILT!!! I felt so bad! What kind of wife am I?!! Luckily, he wasn't banged up too bad. That's another thing...how did I not see all the blood on his leg when he came across the finish?! Oh...I'm awful!

We got him cleaned up and the went over to the pizza party they have at a park after the race. Unfortunately, Morgan came down with a bout of the runs all of a sudden. So I camped out near the bathrooms with Piper and Morgan for nearly the entire time we were there. At one point she didn't make it in time and a pair of panties had to be sacrificed...poor princess panties...you were a good pair...sorry to say goodbye so soon. After a while she feel asleep on my lap with Piper in the stroller beside me (she wasn't too happy to be stuck in there that long)...thank goodness for pacifiers!! Haley basically ran a muck...I think she managed to sneak a couple cups of Coke without us noticing, because...she....was....WIRED!!

Ryan and his team did very well this weekend! At one point in the coffee house Ryan and his team were talking about the prize list for the race when I promptly said, "Yeah...you just show me the money baby." A woman sitting close to us with her kid quickly gave me "a look" after I said that, like I was some horrible wife. I was joking!! Kind of. But anyway, we managed to come out ahead, money wise, which is nice.

Ryan even won a pair of nearly $700 ski boots in the raffle!! And what do you know...they're a women's size 8 1/2...which...just so happens to be my size!!

The drive home wasn't quite as I had planned. I thought maybe the girls would sleep the whole way home. But after Haley's Coke consumption and Morgan's nap on my lap...that wasn't going to happen. So between them arguing about who sings the prettiest songs, and Piper's screaming...we finally made it home. Gotta love road trips!

The girls have this thing where they put a number in front of something to emphasis the intensity of it. For example they say things like, "I'm 200 hungry!!" or "I'm 500 excited to go to the hotel!!". So after this weekend...I can easily say I'm like 1,000 tired!! Today is going to be a mellow one.