The Color Craze

My mom is the director of Communities in Schools in Ottawa, KS, and this last weekend she hosted the Color Craze run for a fundraiser. 

Here we are before the race, all white!

And after the race - colorful!

Here we are with "Nana."  She was covered in blue!

After the race, we had a family birthday party for Miles and (Great) Grandpa Holtwick.

Here are the birthday boys:

These five boys had so much fun together! (This is Cooper, Miles, cousins Jackson and Blake, and my cousin Aaron's son, Eli.)

Little House on the Prairie

A few weeks ago, we took a trip to Laura Ingalls Wilder's house with Nate's sister, Hanna; her daughters, Claire and Katie; her son, Zeke; and Nate's mom, Anne.   We couldn't take many pictures, but we saw so many cool things!

Here we are getting ready to go in. In May. In the snow.

In front of Laura's back porch. (Still snowing.)

 This is the house.

This is Rocky Ridge, a house that the Wilder's daughter Rose built for her parents.  It was super modern with running water and screens in the windows.

Summer Hair

The Bethell Boys have been growing out their hair.  Nate is leading the way with this:

That is impressive.  Meanwhile, we are about to enter a really cool new chapter of life.  Our new house will be finished at the end of July, and if you haven't seen it, well, here is a picture:

It really is back there, behind those trees.  My boys are going to be in heaven with all the dirt/rocks/trees/mud, etc.  With the outdoors, however, come these little pesky critters:

Each boy has had the experience of having a tick in their hair in the last week...so I decided that I needed to eliminate the tick habitats on their heads.

 So, without further ado, here they are:

School's Out!

It's officially summer!  Cooper finished Kindergarten/Jedi training on May 10th (as you can see in his journal), and Miles finished preschool yesterday.  What a great year!

 

Stage Races

After being able to watch a number of the Spring Classics (which were incredible), I'm pumped we're coming up on the season for big stage races. While the Tour of France is more popular in culture, the Tour of Italy (aka the Giro) is my favorite. In anticipation of the race starting Saturday, Wiggins talks about racing and the Giro. While a bit unusual, Wiggins is planning to race both the Giro and Tour of France.

Legos, Legs, Lighting and Likes

Legos. That pretty well describes the Bethell-family free time. Even though I loved Legos and played with them well beyond the age I think other kids did, I somehow thought our kids would get tired of them. But, I was so wrong! They love them and could play with them non-stop! It's fantastic. While I'm sure they would love to play more video games, etc., I love that they use their imagination creating new buildings, weapons, Star Wars speeders, etc. Cooper is especially amazing in building creations that replicate things he sees around the house, in movies, books, and the like. Miles does build, but he much prefers to play with the people, making imaginary worlds with all kinds of Lego people. I love to stand by his room and listen to all the different characters he personifies. It's so fun to have the innocence of a little guy around - I'm not ready for him to grow up.

When not playing Legos, Carey has been really creative in finding things for the boys to do around the house. We're all anxious to get out of the house as the weather cooperates. There have been a few really nice days in a row now and I think Spring Fever has officially hit us all.

Legs. Not the legs you're probably thinking of at least. I'm talking about the traveling kind of legs and there have been a lot of them! As mentioned in a prior post, we've gone from month to month thinking that the next will ease up and we'll have more time together as a family. Unfortunately that trend has continued well into April. I've had an unusual number of large deals in the past six months (huge blessing) and one in particular has required a massive amount of work and travel. Countless people on the pursuit team have spent countless 100+ hour weeks, pulling all-nighters in the final push for this deal. It's been amazing to see the number of people surround this opportunity and to see what the full force of Accenture can do. Pretty impressive (and for those that know the account, the final executive presentations have been made and we're waiting on a final decision in the next 72 hours). With the completion of this deal nearing an end, I can truly see a break in the schedule. While I already have trips scheduled to Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Amelia Island, etc. it feels like a vacation knowing I may get more than three hours of sleep at night! Through it all, Carey has been amazing as she has supported me and our family. We wouldn't survive if it wasn't for her!

Lighting. All of us have lights in our homes. And, if you're anything like me, you walk into a room, flip the switch 'on', do whatever you need to do, flip the switch 'off', and leave the room not thinking another thing about the lights. In the last few days, we've been working on the lighting for our new home and I've been amazed at the thought process that goes into the design and location of lights, switches, fans, etc. While fun, there are parts of the decision process that have been a little overwhelming. Our builder has been great and I can't imagine doing a project like this without his expertise and type-A personality! Overall, the house is going great. We've got another few months or so to go - the roof, windows, doors, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, are mostly complete and we start spraying the insulation / sheet-rocking next week.

Likes. With all that's going on, there have been a lot of fun things mixed in! We've had a ton of company come to visit for extended weekends: Carey's family, my family (including my little bro who hasn't been able to come for a LONG time - it was fantastic to have him) and a few friends from out-of-state. Here are a few other general updates from the past three months:

• We all got to play in the snow several times t
• I had a birthday
• I went to the Worlds for Cyclocross in Louisville with the guys
• Cooper has really started to enjoy chess and we've been playing some here and there 
• Nerf gun wars with the whole family are fantastic - I think Carey and I are undefeated... 
• I've been biking more as things are 'slowing down' at work 
• Carey continues to put in some incredible mileage every week running and 'enjoys' Insanity a few times a week
• Cooper and Miles both love baseball and our backyard is turning into a home run derby!

Cooper's pose

 Yep, it was cold. That's frozen snot!

 

One section of the Worlds course. Very tough as things got more sloppy as it warmed up. 

 

You see all types at a 'Cross venue. 

See above caption...

John, Dale, and Ira

Heartbreak for J. Page

A very intense Sven as he rode up what I struggled to walk up. 

March Madness was alive and well, for a while, at the Bethell house

Some progress on the house

Client meetings in Boston are brutal.

My 17lb travel bag

During the early part of my trip this week out of the country, I thought I forgot something and began to anxiously search my laptop bag. Once I found what I was looking for (passport), I began to realize how much stuff I have in my bag.

A list of the items:
My business cards
A bunch of business cards from other people I haven't filed
Stack of hotel notepads (from five different hotels)
7 pens
Highlighter
China pen
Apple earbuds
Sure earbuds
Bose headphones
Bottle of mouthwash
Empty tin of Altoids (peppermint)
2 Black 'n Red notebooks
2 'Manila' folders
Extended life battery for mobile devices
Mifi device
Mini power strip
WSJ
Q-tips
13 tea bags
Bottle of vodka (put in as a joke with M. Robinson one day and evidently it made its way to the bottom of the bag, i forgot, and TSA has never noticed...)
Leather binder with membership / travel cards
3 USB 'thumb' drives
Security token device
5 napkins
Sewing kit (that's right, a sewing kit)
2 shirt buttons
Small leather-bound notebook for recording things I encounter on the road
Plastic collar stays
Pair of cufflinks
Passport
2 ID badges
New set of luggage tags / thank you cards from AA
Blood transfusion kit...oh, wait, that's just in Armstrong's travel bag
Individually wrapped sanitary wipes
Car keys
iPad cleaning cloth
Several cards / notes from Carey (always a surprise and highlight of trips when I find them tucked away)
Medicine bag containing a little bit of everything
Kindle Paperwhite
Stack of US Custom cards
Laptop privacy screen
Small laptop
Power cables for everything, including devices I no longer own

Everything in the bag has made it in for a reason and I've been surprised how often I use some of the items in the list. So, despite lugging around a crazy-heavy bag, everything stays!

Catching up

It seems like just yesterday that I was writing an entry about writing more entries. But alas, this is the first since and it's been months! It certainly hasn't been because there isn't anything to write about. We've been crazy busy over the last few months. I will attempt to do a quick catch up.

In September, Carey and I saw a flood of travel coming up. Some of it for fun, but most for work. So, we decided that we'd put on our waders and get ready for the next month or so. However, unbelievable it is, we still have them on and they are becoming quite unfashionable! I've been all over North America for work this year, but in past months spending a lot of extra focus time in Detroit, New York, Chicago, Toronto, and Hartford. While I've been traveling to some of these for a number of years off and on, the additional time lately has enabled me to see a bit more of the cities, which has been fun. Except for Detroit. As Carey noted in a previous entry, she came with me on several trips this year and in December, to New York, which was a highlight for me. All in all, I traveled to more than 80 different cities this year and its been nuts (with a little bit of fun mixed in).

Carey has been a rockstar in managing all things kids, home, and school. While school is a challenge at times, it has been rewarding to spend extra time with the boys and be apart of what they learn every day. And, when I haven't been on the road, it's been great for me also as km able to work from home and get to have extra time around them. It would be wild to send them off early morning and not see them again until late afternoon. I'm very grateful for the sacrifice Carey has made to do this for our family, and most of all, our boys. I know it isn't glamorous at all.

Christmas was a blast this year with the family. We spent some time in Topeka with Carey's side of the family and then came back to Bolivar for the full week of Christmas. I had trouble getting home the week before Christmas, so once I made it, I took a little over a week of 'real' vacation and it was incredible. The New Year brought quite a shock to the system, and email inbox, and it's taken a bit to get adjusted.

Despite all the work and travel, we've been able to have some great family time and very memorable moments! Looking forward to the rest of 2013 already.

Here are some various pics from the last few weeks including a New Years Day ride (tradition lasting several years with the guys), Miles collecting and savoring the flavor of icicles in his PJs, a lady who yelled at me at the airport, Fiona lounging during story time, Carey and I heading out on a date (after my 16 hour drive from Chicago!), beer / cayenne pepper peanut brittle - a fun concoction I created, and a Miami Heat game - one of several 'work' things I've incorporated into the schedule this year.

New York!

Nate invited me to join him on a business trip to New York City this past week, and wow did we cram a lot into a little time!  The first day we visited the September 11 World Trade Center Memorial.  This picture shows the waterfall in the footprint of South Tower.  I am so glad that we had the opportunity to remember those who lost their lives that day.

 

 

 

For lunch, my Aunt Pat came to join me at the Round Table restaurant at the Algonquin.  It was so fun to connect with her!  The last time I saw her was 2006 when Miles was 7 weeks old in Florida.  It was a honor to share a meal with her!

 

Thursday night we enjoyed the musical Jersey Boys, which is a story about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  The talent of the actors was phenomenal.  Phenomenal!

Nate was tied up in meetings on Friday (it WAS a business trip, after all), so my Aunt Pat recommended a window walking tour she found online to see all the famous Christmas windows in NYC.  They were very magical!

While I was walking, I saw this big tree.  Several people were stopping to take pictures of it, so I figured I should, too. 

Friday afternoon I did two very important things: rode the wooden escalator in Macy's and went to the top of the Empire State Building.  The view was very beautiful!

 

When Nate finished work on Friday, we met and walked to Rockefeller Plaza.  It was SO crowded, but beautiful, too!  And I got to see the big tree again, only it was all lit up this time.

Saturday morning we woke up made our way to Central Park.  It is truly a breath of fresh air in the middle of the chaos of New York!  After our walk, we ate lunch at Chipotle and shared a table with two local women.  Space is most certainly a premium!  We spoke with one about sharing the table, and then the second just sat down and joined us.  While I would have loved a date with my husband, it was such an insightful experience that I'm glad we had.  After lunch we headed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  My legs were so tired that I confess that I was quite possibly more excited to see a bench to rest on than the art itself.  We did see some amazing pieces - art by Matisse, Picaso, and Rembrant.  This is a self-portrait of Rembrant.

It isn't easy for me to go do "fun" things and not overthink them.  So even on this fun vacation, I learned many lessons. Here are just a few:

1. I don't know how my husband does the job he does.  That he presses on through trip after trip is simply amazing to me.  He landed Monday, took off again Wednesday, landed Sunday, and took off again Monday.  It took me ALL of Monday to recover from the trip.  That man's life is crazy!

2. I can tour around New York City by myself!  I confess it was out of my comfort zone, but I did it! 

3. I am so glad I live in the Midwest!  I love space!  I love the sunshine on my face! (Not a shadow of a tall building!)

I am thankful for such a fun experience!