Camping with the Lakeview Circle Family

For our get together this quarter, all of the neighbors went camping. SO FUN. We thought it would be really hot, considering that it is June in Texas, but we were blessed with a breeze that kept things manageable. In fact, one of the funny stories of the weekend was about being too cold. I took sleeping bags for the girls and one for Pete and I to lay on, but no covers for us, because, well, it is Texas. Friday night I got so cold that I asked Pete to go sleep in the car so that I could have the sleeping bag to roll up in. For some reason my neighbors thought that was the funniest thing they had ever heard. Pete didn't mind, right Pete?

Anyway, about 40 of us went and had a great time. The best part is always the food!

some of our very dirty but very happy campers

like I said...the food!




watching a game of horse shoes
Clint, the master fire starter
all of the kids flocked around baby slone

A few more pictures

These were taken by Pete's Dad; thought they were pretty good.

the sea of swimmers at the swim start

2,300 bikes in transition. Someone estimated that there was over $6 million worth of bikes in there. Yikes!

a finishing picture with his time showing. I think a friend of ours got a great one from the front; I will have to get that one.

Got my kids back

We went to Nana's house this morning and picked up our VERY tired kids. What a great reunion. They both grew another foot while we were gone.

All the way home we heard stories of their adventures. When they are with Grandma Charlotte they do crafts, buy lots of stuff, sew, swim and play in the playhouse. I was also informed that Soren received her first driving lesson; thanks Grandma!

When they are with Nana, it is all about the cousins. Nana said that the first thing Soren asked when she got in the car was if they could go pick up Wyatt. So they did. They got to be together the entire time. Aunt Kara took them for Monday night and Tuesday and they got to go Ice Skating! Reese has been asking to go again ever since we took her on her birthday. Thanks for a great time, Kara!

The tiredness can be explained by nightly swims until 10pm followed by a movie before going to bed at midnight and then getting up in the morning and heading back out to the pool.

They had such a great time with all of you. Thanks again!

Home Sweet Home

We're home! We had to drive right through Denton but could not pick up the girls because there is no room in the van (and it was 1 am). I cannot wait to go get them tomorrow. This has been the most amazing trip, but I am missing my girls.

It was an uneventful drive home (that is a good thing!). We stopped in Casper Wyoming for a little sleep and pushed hard all day Tuesday to get all the way home.


I want to thank everyone who was a part of this trip, but especially Grandma Charlotte, Nana, and Aunt Kara who allowed Pete and I to have this time together. There is no greater comfort than knowing that your children are not only safe, but that they are with people who love them every bit as much as we do. I could not have enjoyed my trip without the peace of mind of knowing that Soren and Reese were with you guys. Thank you so much for giving that to me.


Here are some statistics from one of the best trips I have ever had:

• total trip miles:


• $625 in gas (that is a lot less than what I had planned on!)


• States I drove through: Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Kansas, Oklahoma


• Days without seeing my kids: 8 (that is the longest EVER)


• Liters of Dr. Pepper I drank : too many to measure


• New experiences: driving across the US. being in Wyoming and Idaho. Seeing part of Yellowstone National Park. Swimming in 57 degree water. Watching an Ironman Triathlon. eating elk (it was in some soup).

It is 3 am and I am going to bed in MY bed. Thank you, God for a safe and magnificent trip.

On the road again

We left Coeur d'Alene yesterday at noon. Made it to Casper Wyoming. I think that is almost half way. Pretty tired, but still floating on the excitement of this wonderful vacation.

We know more than 10 people who did the race Sunday and all of them were able to finish and there were no major mishaps. I think that is pretty amazing. The stories of each are inspiring. I still marvel that God has blessed Pete and I so much to be able to have the time, energy, resources and ability to do this. I do not take any of it for granted.

Pray for us as we travel today. Thank God for our safe journey to this point.

Pete Underwood from Burleson Texas - YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!

That is what they said as he crossed the finish line in 11:03. I don't know if you realize what that means. That means that he biked at an average speed of 19.3 mph and ran a marathon in 3 hours and 30 minutes AFTER swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112 miles. Absolutely amazing. His run average was 8:18. I cannot describe the emotions. I am so proud of him. Here are a couple more pictures then I am going back to the finish line until all of my friends come in...

I had to run with him for a minute to tell him how well he did. He did not realize how much he was about to beat his previous time.



check out his stats at www.ironman.com go to athlete tracker and put in his bib # 447. He was 1254 out of the water and 260 something across the finish line. He passed over 1000 people after the swim!!!

His overall time was 1 hour and 6 minutes faster than his last race.

race update #2

this guy fell HARD. Not Pete

sorry, I have been away from internet access and it is SO EXCITING OUT HERE!!!!

finished bike at 2:20, which is a 5 hr, 50 min bike. WAY better than what Pete was hoping for. Perfect running conditions. He is about 45 minutes into the run. Should take him about 4 1/2 hours to run. GO PETE!!!!

race day update #1

started swim 7am. out in 1:26. on bike 8:33. passed by us at around 15 miles point 9:20. Looking good.

Day 6 - 6/20 - 2nd day in Coeur d'Alene

Another amazing day. Wow. What a great trip this is.

This morning Pete's brother, Mark, and I went running and Pops went for his speed walk (he walks faster than I jog). Then we went down town so that Pete could turn in his bike and special needs bags.

Pete and Mark check out the bike one last time before dropping it off at the race site

Just a very few of the athletes racking their bikes. Tomorrow this area will have 2,300 bikes!

I had another opportunity to ride today and this time we headed west toward Spokane, Washington. Up here, bikers are everywhere. They have their own roads, not just a lane on the regular road, but a separate paved road just for bikers and it goes forever. We rode from Coeur d'Alene, across the Washington / Idaho state line and down the Spokane river into the city. Absolutely beautiful. So much fun.

This is the Centennial Trail. It is only one of many trails available up here.

Me and Heidi on the bridge over the Spokane River. When you cross the river you cross the state line

The Washington - Idaho state line. It is cool to think that I rode my bike from Idaho to Washington, never mind that it was only 30 miles...

I took this shot while I was riding. It gives you some idea of the scenery that we enjoyed on our ride

While I rode, Pete and the others drove the bike course that he will ride tomorrow. It was actually encouraging to him. He said that there are definitely some intense hills, but overall, it is not too bad.

a few of the hills Pete gets to climb!

After my ride, Pops and I headed over to check out a local attraction. It is called The Falls and it is the damn built back in 1905 to increase the power of the water in the river for electricity. Pretty neat.

That is some powerful water!

Tonight we celebrated Pete's Dad's birthday with some pizza (Pete needed to carb load) and are turning in early so that we can be up and out of here by 4:30 am.

Mark, Pete, Sara, Sammie, Robert

To track Pete's race tomorrow, go to http://www.ironman.com/ . Under "Ford Ironman Coeur d'Alene", choose "athlete tracker". Pete's bib # is 447, or you can enter his last name. This site will update each time he passes certain check points. I am 99% sure that I will have internet access tomorrow during the race and if so I will update this site each time he passes me and try to post a picture so stay tuned! The race starts at 7 am our time, 9 am Texas time. Until then...