The Grays

I can hardly express how proud I am of Bill for for all the preparation he did for the Ironman Coeur d’Alene (first IM race), and for the way completed the race as well. Bill left on Thursday to make it in time for some preparations and my parent’s arrived that afternoon to watch over the girls. I joined him on Friday afternoon and we kicked off the weekend with the Ironman pasta party and banquet. We weren’t expecting all the inspiration that would come from that evening, full of incredible stories and videos of previous races.

On Saturday we ran around checking in Bill’s various gear for the race. I was amazed by how calm he was. We had a delicious, early dinner at Angelo’s Ristorante and got in bed fairly early due to the 3:30am alarm clock. In the morning Bill was in great spirits and was not noticeably nervous. I was there to cheer him along at each opportunity and met some friends along the way. I stayed at the finish line for 3 hours to get the best possible spot and watching him cross the finish line was an amazing thing. By the end of the day, after walking to our car, showering, returning to see the final racers finish, and heading back to the hotel, it almost seemed as though I was more exhausted than Bill, lol :).

This race was something Bill had thought about for several years and as always I am amazed by his precision in setting and achieving his goals, no matter how lofty they may be. Way to go, babe!

*A special thanks goes my parents who, in true Sessoms fashion, not only took excellent care of the girls but also managed to make multiple home improvements, clean out closets and drawers, buy new clothes for the girls, clean the windows, etc, etc, etc. We hope to return the favor one day!

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Happy Father’s Day to my wonderful husband! He started off the day with the Boulder Sprint Triathlon – the final practice before his Ironman next weekend. The rest of the day was spent with the girls complete with Boom Yogurt, splashing around in the backyard, and Indian carry out. We are so blessed to have him in our lives. XO!

It was so nice to be able to celebrate Judy’s birthday with her this year! She came over in the afternoon and we took a nature hike with her around the lake. We had a nice dinner and the girls spent the afternoon baking a decorating a cake for her. Happy Birthday, Nana!

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We enjoyed a nice, long weekend of Memorial Day celebrations, starting with Bill’s 100 mile bike ride to prep for the Ironman race next month and Kristy’s first all-female group ride with the Venus Bike Club.

On Monday Bill and I ran our second Bolder Boulder 10K race together while the girls stayed at home with our babysitter. The race did not disappoint as the world’s largest race at 55,000 participants and America’s ‘favorite road race’. It was a beautiful day and I ran a PR which felt great.

In the afternoon we spent time with friends at two different neighborhood BBQ’s. The girls had fun playing and were absolutely exhausted by the time we got home.

While celebrating we kept our troops and those who have served our country in our thoughts. Happy Memorial Day!

We got the girls up and out of the house early on Mother’s Day for the Title9K race and kids rag-a-muffin run this year. We arrived at the Boulder Res at 7:30 to register the kiddos for the race and met up with some friends along the way. Lilly was excited at the start line but Robin preferred to watch this year. L had a great run and wants to do the IronKids race this Summer.

I ran the 9K (actually a 10K) with several friends, although we didn’t stick together because of our different paces. It was not the easy race I had imagined for Mother’s Day but I’m glad I ran it and got to hold my girls at the finish line.

We were all exhausted after the heat and action of the morning so we spent a lazy afternoon washing bikes and scooters and playing at the park. Indian carryout for dinner and wonderful cards from my girls rounded out a fantastic day. We send our love to the wonderful mothers in our lives, Nana Peggy, Nana Judy, and Grandma Faye! XO

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Soccer, Week 1

Basketball, Week 3

Emma keeping Robin busy

Lilly just wrapped up her first ‘sports sampler’ class at the South Boulder Rec Center. We were a bit nervous about Lilly taking the class at first because it’s not something she normally gravitates towards, but she had an absolute blast and had the biggest smile on her face each week. The 45 minute class met at 5pm on Thursdays and each week a new sport was covered: hockey, soccer, basketball, tball, tennis, and flag football. When asked which week was her favorite she says she couldn’t possibly choose and enjoyed them all. This last week she was given a ‘Winner’s’ medal that she proudly displayed around her neck the rest of the day.

The time of the class made it a bit of a challenge with Robin, who is not the type to sit in my lap and watch anything, so I was very much appreciative of our neighbor Emma who helped out most weeks while I watched Lilly. We would walk to the rec center together and Emma would occupy Robin (who was most interested in watching the swim team practice and playing with the handicap buttons to open and close doors). We are lucky that the girls have this awesome 11 year old next door that cares for them and likes to help out as much as she can.

I am so proud of Lilly and once again impressed with how she is turning in to this smart and beautiful girl who is developing and pursuing new interests all the time. Way to go, Lil!

We are all exhausted after fun weekend celebrating Robin’s 2nd birthday. Nana and Boppa were in town and Grandma and Grandpa came in on Friday for the weekend to join us. On Saturday (her actual birthday) my mom and I took the girls to their swim lessons while Bill, Boppa, and Grandpa put together Robin’s birthday present, a cedar playhouse/kitchen for the backyard. It took the group of them almost 4 hours to put it together but it is beautiful and I know the girls will enjoy it for a long time. We picked up Robin’s favorite lunch on the way home (Noodles & Co mac and cheese) and my mom and I did some shopping during nap time. In the afternoon the girls played outside with Emma and had homemade popsicles, followed by presents and pizza with the grandparents.

Robin’s birthday party was in Nederland at the Carousel of Happiness this year, one of her most favorite places. Many of our friends were able to join us we all had a great time. It’s hard to believe that our baby girl is already two, I can only imagine what this next year will bring. We love you, Ro!!

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At two years old Robin is full of energy and busy making herself known to everyone who will listen. She holds her own when playing with her big sister, will walk a mile without complaining, and can scream louder than any child I have ever known 🙂 . Robin is very determined, loves playing with her baby doll, changing her diapers and clothes constantly, and playing outside. She prefers a swimsuit and swim diaper to regular clothes and we have to hide her diapers and wipes, otherwise we will go through 100x the normal amount. She has an electric personality and we love her to pieces and are so proud of the little person she has become. Happy 2nd Birthday to Robin! xo

Weight: 28 pounds
Height: 36″

Happy Birthday to me!  I welcomed 32 with my friends at Devil’s Thumb Ranch on Sunday, followed by dinner made by Bill and cupcakes from Bill and Judy later in the day.  Lilly spent a lot of time decorating the house and making birthday cards for me, which was very much appreciated.  Any day that starts with great friends and a massage and ends with my husband and girls is a reason to celebrate.  🙂

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I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful group of ladies to call friends.  Six of my ‘mom’ friends from Michigan flew in on Thursday for a long girls weekend getaway and it was more fun than I could have anticipated.  On Friday we toured around Boulder, heading up Flagstaff, hike a Chautauqua, lunch at Fate Brewing Co, shopping on Pearl St, and snacking at Piece, Love, and Chocolate.  In the evening we had tapas at The Med followed by drinks at Bitter Bar and the obligatory night out dancing at Tahona, waiting in line for a taxi with all the CU students at 2am.

On Saturday we drove to the mountains to stay at Devils Thumb Ranch, Resort, and Spa for the night.  With the unexpected snow our afternoon horseback ride was cancelled but it actually worked out well because we had a leisurely lunch, sat in the hot tub for awhile, and relaxed in our gorgeous rooms before a delicious dinner at Ranch House Restaurant.  On Sunday we had massages and spent some time in Denver before parting ways.  I am so thankful for these ladies, all of whom have 2 kids the same ages as our girls.  I am a better mother and a better person because of them, and look forward to our next ladies weekend.

For the complete set of photos, click here.