Mike is one of ten kids in his family.  His mom and dad just celebrated their 50th anniversary, so all the kids have come down for a reunion.  That means LOTS of family in town and not a lot of time at home. 

My dad and stepmom came into town too to join in on te awesome festivities.  We already partook of a 9:30pm screening of “The Amazing Spiderman” the day before it came out (thank you to friends who own the theatres in town) and now we are off for some White Sands fun tonight. I can’t wait to post pictures of Barney’s first time there.

My dad really likes Cracker Barrel so we had to go for nostalgic reasons.  Remember this game?   You jump the pegs to see how many you have left over.  I am terrible at it!

Barney has been excited to have more attention because of all the people.  Before that, Frog was his only companion.

Riley is Barney’s cousin.  He likes to watch America’s Funniest Home Videos and becomes glued to the screen if it’s on.

Mike and I have been trying to continue with our biking workouts.  We’ve been very lucky to get them in between the schedule and heat.  Mike prepared for a time trial he did and did very well in it.

I’ve been running a lot more thanks to all the 5k’s and half marathons coming up.  It’s been tempting to do a whole marathon so I am hoping to get conditioned one day for that.

I have found an awesome reduced fat meal at Trader’s Joes.  Go get it!

So good!

Question:  Any favorite things that you like to get at Trader Joe’s?  Do you have any meals you like to get that are good for you?

 I have always been terrible with goodbyes.  I had a roommate for a week about ten years ago, and she decided to move back to Texas.  I barely knew the girl and the day she left, I bawled my eyes out.  I am extremely worse with animals.

This is my class red eared slider (who has had so many names I can’t even remember its name) and she came home with me this summer along with four other animals.  She is the messiest eater and the dirtiest reptile I have had to take care of.  When you walk in the room, she gets really excited and swims to the side of the cage and goes crazy.  The problem is, I would have to change her 20 gallon tank once a week.  After going through three filters, I couldn’t do it anymore. Long story short, I found a sanctuary for her.  When I took her, I was really sad.  I stood there for 15 minutes watching her swim around.  Thankfully, I held my composure, but I hate to say it, I cried a little in the car on the way home.

I am such a softie for animals.  This is why I could never work at a vet or zoo.  I would take ALL of the animals home with me.

Meanwhile, I dusted off the mountain bike and took it out for a Tuesday night ride.  I’ve been preparing myself mentally for a time trial in a few weeks, so I’ve been dissing Safire (the name of my mountain bike).  It was so fun and beautiful out!  I’m starting to feel better after the terrible 12 pound weight gain my job created for me this year. 

There was a beeeaautiful sunset that night.  Only in New Mexico.

Last situation of the week, my kitchen sink.  In the last year, our microwave, garbage disposal, and dishwasher have died on us.  I woke up yesterday and turned on the kitchen sink and got sprayed in the face like in the cartoons when they are playing practical jokes on each other.  No, the joke was that the sink was next to go.

So here is what my kitchen looks like now. I never realized how much I use a kitchen sink until we’ve been without one!

I love how Barney has to be part of things.

P.S. Leftover pulled pork with mushrooms on a mini tortilla pizza.  Good stuff.  Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce makes an excellent pizza sauce!

Question: Have you ever had to say goodbye to a pet?  How did you handle it?

Ever since we came back from San Diego, this has been Barney’s permanent spot.  He somehow became even more obsessed with playing frisbee in the backyard.  If we even say the word “play” or “frisbee” in totally normal voices, he’ll immediately run to the door and look out.

He is extra annoyed in this picture because I refuse to keep on going out.  He would run his legs to bloody stumps if he could.  I told Mike when we are rich, that I am investing in a frisbee thrower.  (If they even have one.)

I am really excited to have my sister here in a couple of weeks so I can take her here to Pro Ranch Market.  I guess it’s always been a huge deal in New Mexico, but I had never even heard of it.  Basically, it’s really cheap.  And they play a lot of authentic Mexican music inside.  I actually feel like I am at EPCOT at Walt Disney World when I go in there for some reason.

Their produce is so cheap and very fresh!  I walked off with a basket load of cucumbers, onions, lettuce, apples, limes, green chiles, and carrots for around ten bucks! 

After a workout at the gym this morning, where I ran into one of my students (which was embarrassing and happens a lot), I took care of some projects and then got ready for a ride.  Yes, I found my other pink sock.  It has been missing since San Diego.  Where did we find it? It had mysteriously slipped INTO one of Mike’s jersey pockets…how does that happen?

Anyway, as we were driving to the OCHO coarse in Picacho Hills, I noticed the sky looking a little green towards El Paso.  Then I got a notice on my phone for a sever thunderstorm warning producing 60 mph winds and hail. 

I am showing the comparison of west versus east.  Notice the left hand side of the screen is super dark…yet it was so nice out towards the west.  Anyway, it made me a little nervous….but we rode anyway.  (I’ve had to pick up Mike in lightning storms where he refused to give up a ride.  Most of my close calls with lightning involve biking and the husband telling me not to be a wuss. 🙂 )

We ended up being ok, but cut the ride short mainly because of the wind.  And nothing happened.  So weird.  I like the change in weather though.  This usually happens in July, but we need it.  The last rainstorm we had was back in the beginning of May.

It was home to another night of Chicken Lettuce Wraps and then off to watch my shows.  Teaching rocks.

P.S. Coconut Lifewater is awesome.

Question: Have you had any close calls with lightning?

Barney and I got stuck in a lightning storm by ourselves in Cloudcroft when we got separated from Mike.  We ended up running/biking back five miles to the car in the soaking rain.  Good times.