http://www.ashbetty.com Not your usual mindless chit-chat Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:39:31 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Dear Brad,I think it's important to begin by pointing out how much I adore you.  I have been following your personal life as closely as possible for many years now.  I love reading about you and Angelina and your multi-ethnic brood (and let me just say I would never judge ... http://www.ashbetty.com/?p=57 I am enjoying soccer a lot.  It has become one of my favorite activities.  I look forward to it all week.  I think it lets me express my latent aggression. Last week's game was a bit too much though.  We were playing a team with a very hard edge.  Rather than seeming like moms, ... http://www.ashbetty.com/?p=56 It's been a few months since I've posted.  I won't make a lot of excuses, but let me just say it's been busy. To catch you up,  Hannah, now 12, started middle school and she is rocking it.  She is one of a few sixth graders in the choir and the jazz chorus.  ... http://www.ashbetty.com/?p=55 This morning, Isaac and I found out that we have some holes in our sewer line that will cost about $5,000 to fix.  Later in the day, as I was working myself into a frenzy of nagging over the fact that the kids don’t brush their teeth unless I tell them to do it, I received a mailing from Hannah’s new ... http://www.ashbetty.com/?p=54 My job as a parent these days seems to be acting as the official naysayer in my children's lives about 98% of the time. No you can't play computer games today because you already watched three hours of television.  No, we are not getting ice cream because you've already had loads of crap today. And no, you cannot ... http://www.ashbetty.com/?p=53 2008 Whidbey Island "Race the Rock" TriathlonTotal Time: 2 hours 13 minutes and 58 secondsDivision Place: 1st out of 9 women in the "Orca" category (150 lbs and over), 5th out of 16 for women ages 35-39.Yesterday, I participated in the Whidbey Island Triathlon with my friends, Mary, Kate and Sandra.  The first time the four of us went on ... http://www.ashbetty.com/?p=52      Photo taken by Hannah Our Sally has had an injury in her shoulder, which became infected and required some very expensive veterinary care. For the next few days she will be wearing this silly "party hat." She has finally stopped trying to back out of it, but continues make violent attempts ... http://www.ashbetty.com/?p=51 2008 BRI Triathlon at SeafairTotal Time: 1 hour 33 minutes and 34 seconds Division Place: 47 out of 117 women ages 35-39Yesterday, I participated in the Seafair Triathlon for the first time.  This was my fifth triathlon and my first of 2008.  It felt a little rough.  Maybe I am not as prepared as I have ... http://www.ashbetty.com/?p=50 Hannah has been earning extra money this summer as a mother's helper.  It turns out that she's really good at being the boss of other kids.  I guess that shouldn't come as too much of a surprise seeing as how she's been practicing for so many years on her brother.  Now when she sees ... http://www.ashbetty.com/?p=49 H and EOriginally uploaded by Ashly and Isaac This picture was taken on our first tidepool walk of 2008. It's a very good illustration of the effect Kalaloch has on us. http://www.ashbetty.com/?p=48