{Inspired}

I am completely inspired tonight. I took a night off from my usual task oriented self and took a bath. And I took my phone in there and watched videos and read and, yes, most of my entertainment stemmed from Pinterest. Sounds like nothing new but it was. I found this...the invisible bicycle helmet:

Which then led me to this teenager:

And then an hour later I realized I had gotten out of the bath, moved to the couch and watched at least 20 more of these videos on GE's Focus Forward Video Series website. I couldn't tear myself away from all of these amazing people and ideas. I am completely inspired. I was just about bouncing out of my seat in excitement about most of this stuff. There is so much good in the world and so much knowledge to be found and to share. Can I help change the world too? Tonight I'm grateful for an awesome reminder of why technology is so amazing. Sure there is a lot of crap and wasted time waiting for you online but if I use it as the tool it is then it unlocks all of this goodness.

Happy Halloween!

This is one of my favorite holidays! I get a kick out of dressing up and I love candy and pumpkins. Candy pumpkins? Even better! Oh the treats are fantastic. Halloween just ushers in all of the delicious smells and chilly fun of fall and the holiday season.

We (meaning I) decided to dress us up in some Despicable Me get-up. My Mom made, yes made, those perfect little yellow sweatshirts for the boys. I took on the evil role as the purple minion while Rob played Gru. I think it all turned out fabulous.  I did however procrastinate finding a bald cap for Rob. I offered to shave his head instead, insisting he should get more into character for Halloween. He, surprisingly, declined. Do you love that the muscles we created kept sagging into a belly. Sorry Gru.

Anyways, I'm trying to get in as many group costumes as I can before the kids mutiny on me and decide it isn't "cool" anymore to dress up with Mom. It's almost time to start thinking about next year. Wizard of oz? Mary Poppins and some chimney sweeps? Peter pan,  John, Michael and Wendy? The possibilities here are endless. Which one will most embarrass Rob? That could be a fun decider.

 To continue the festivities, we enjoyed the trunk or treat at church (I always love me a good chili cook off), had a Halloween party at swim team, were invited to a sweet party, and we decorated pumpkins with a friend. Let the good times roll.

Nice party Kelly!

What the? He said he was looking for toys.

Working hard?

Hardly working.

"I got the guts mommy." Yes, yes you did.

Cheesesteaks and Olympians...

...That's what our weekend was full of. 

Handsome little devil.

Rob and I took the kids on a weekend trip to Philidelphia two weeks ago where I attended the Eastern States Swim Clinic. It was a conference to help me better develop as a swim coach. And it was awesome! I was able to hear from Ian Crocker, Brendan Hansen and Kate Ziegler, all Olympic gold medal winning and world record holding swimmers. More importantly I was able to listen to lectures from some incredible coaches including Chuck Batchelor, Todd Schmitz, Mike Bottom and David Marsh. These guys are 'swimming' in olympians, nationally ranked age group swimmers, NCAA champions and championships. I was getting super geeked out about everything swimming! We talked about training volume, tapering, motivation, hip vs. shoulder vs. body driven freestyle, dryland training...the list goes on. It was just plain cool.

Rob and the boys had some fun too. He toured Philly with a stroller and I put on the business casual for a change (Ok not really. Let's be honest. We're swim coaches so we all showed up in flip flops and team gear.). They went to a Harry Potter Festival in Franklin Park, toured some boats and a maritime museum, ate a cheese steak of course, and we all saw Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Overall I think it was a highly eventful and successful weekend capped off with a birthday celebration for our awesome cousin Tommy Orsack! What could be better? Swimming and sight seeing, followed by a party. Love it.

Driving us crazy crawling around
Independence Hall

Crazy hair, and face, and person :)

Getting lost going to the hotel

Watched this guy set one of his WR's
at Olympic Trials 2004

Preferred method of travel for Cashew

Ben Franklin's grave
{I took the picture and can't even read that}