Bike On!

As most of you know, we are bike racers. Not motor bikes, but pedal bikes. Our summer adventures and summertime date nights often inclue a bike ride or a bike race. Recently I've had an onslaught of requests for me to blog about our many biking accomplishments, some of our bike short modeling photos, and the list goes on. Yeah right. In actuality, our big Alaska race, the Tour of Anchorage, is coming up and I'm trying to inflate our egos as part of our preparation. So, whether you like it or not, here are some of our highlights from 2008 (I'll try not to lay it on too thick):

Matt started the season off with a bang, winning several races right off the bat, including the Tour of Bisbee in Arizona. Here is a picture of him winning the Kincaid Loop Road Race in Anchorage. He doesn't even look like he's sweating. Matt also set a PR (personal record) in the Moose Run Time Trial this year. His old PR was set 3 years ago and he's been chasing it ever since. Matt also holds the majority of the course records on hill climbs in Anchorage.

Now for Tiffanie. Sometimes when people brag about themselves, they write in the third person so it sounds like it's somebody else saying all those cool things about them. I'm just going to be a jerk and go for it on my own. This year my name finally found its way onto the list of course records. I won the Fireweed 100-mile State Championship road race and broke the course record. What a two-for, huh? I did it in 4:27:32. I was pretty stoked about that. My other highlight was the Pocket Full of Posies women's bike series. In the final race, there was a midway sprint and a finish sprint. I won both and was pretty excited about that one too. I really like sprinting. Here is a video of the finish sprint for your viewing pleasure. It even has some exciting commentary from Matt and his buddy.

I can't resist. The kiddos have some athletic highlights for the summer also. This is Josh doing a Mighty Bikes race.

Josh and Liz are both taking a gymnastics class. It was Liz who really wanted to do it, but Josh has taken quite an interest also.

Josh and Liz are also doing Kidz Running together. It's a little bit of trail running and a lot of fun outdoor games. Occasionally they will have a "Cookie Run" which is code for - run a mile as fast as you can on a really hilly course and we'll give you a cookie when you're done. And try not to puke. This picture is of Liz at the 4th of July 50-yard dash.

And then there's Tali. Tali once ran a whole lap around the track. She can get both feet off the ground when she jumps. She can climb into her crib, onto Josh's bunk bed, and into the hamper. She yells "Yeah yeah!" when she gets in and then "Help" when she realizes she's stuck. This video says it all. I think we have an Olympian on our hands.

We love Big Lake

I won't say how long ago it was that we went to Big Lake, but it was this summer and we had a blast! We are actualy having one of the coldest summers on record in Anchorage this year. That can be a good thing if you live in Las Vegas, but there are bumper stickers here that read "Alaskans for global warming." They are kiding, I think. Anyway, the point is that we were lucky to pick an awesome, sunny, maybe even HOT day to spend with the Hecks at their cabin at Big Lake / Nancy Lake.

The fun started with the kids' olympics. The Hecks sure can put on a good party! The kids had a great time with all the challenges and obstacle courses. Our new favorite show if American Gladiators, so they were totally in the spirit, showing off their muscles and stuff.




Liz knows how to make the best of a situation. The jump rope station was part of the obstacle course. She can barely jump rope, the rope is way too long, so she just made it look good!




Next we headed out on the boat. Tali took some convincing to actually enjoy the boat. Her quote of the day was "Don't yike it!" We started out with the whole family on the tube. Tali really don't yike dat. Her opposition escalated in volume, until we had to stop the ride and let her off. Josh and Liz loved it all . . . except Liz and the water-skis. I don't know why, but we all felt compelled to convince her to try them out. They are special kid skis and so easy to get up on. She adamantly refused at first and wouldn't even participate in the conversation. Then I promised her a candy bar if she tried. Her facial expressions in these pictures tell the whole story! I'm glad she liked it or she would probably still be angry with me now!













Josh loved every part of the ski experience.

Matt and I tested out the wake boards. Then we decided to go ahead and look gay or 80's or whatever you want to call it and rip it up on water-skis. We're around water sports less than once a year, so we don't have any cool wakeboarding skills.

It was a super-fun weekend!

4th of July in Seward

Seward is definitely the place to be for the Fourth of July in Alaska. It's a small town, so you can find campers just about everywhere on Independence weekend. We tried to find a hotel room because we are sissies, but they were all booked. So we looked for a campsite. None left. Luckily, we were traveling with friends (The Hecks) who had friends who were nice enough to let all 10 of us camp in their yard and use their facilities.

We drove out on Thursday, set up camp and the party began. We walked the town and found street bands, funnel cakes, church-lady pies, and the loudest flame-less fireworks we could find. Then we found a premium spot on the beach to start our bonfire and wait for the midnight fireworks. Fireworks have to be at midnight in Alaska because it never really gets that dark. We ate and ate and kept the kids up until at least 1am. If you're a mom, you probably know what's coming next. Liz woke up at 4am barfing. Matt got to her just in time and was able to catapult her (still in her sleeping bag) out of the tent before any spewing occurred.

In the morning, all was well. So we headed downtown for more junk food and kids races. Then to the hills to watch all the lunatics race up and down super-steep Mt. Marathon. At the end of the day, we made it home with five very tired Novakovichs and just enough time to get a good night's sleep and head to Big Lake the next day.

Kris Heck & Tali - Tali loves Kris and Kris is so good to Tali. Any 11 year-old who will carry a baby on his back is a good kid!

Kaylee Heck and Liz - buddies.

Josh, Liz, Tali & Kris

Tali pointing out the ocean

Tali loved the fireworks, as long as I covered her ears.

Mini Mt. Marathon kids races. Josh, 7, got tripped in the first 5 feet of his race. He was so sad that they told him to jump into the next race - the 6 year-old race. Josh is almost 8, but he went for it anyway. He won, reported to the award lady, and got his name printed in the paper as the winner of the 6 year-old race. He's never been so proud in his life. Who ever said you have to play fair?

And this is how the day ended . . . complete exhaustion.

Yes, even Tali raced. The racers had to be two years old and Tali just barely made the cut. She was the youngest racer of the day. I think the Hecks have a picture of her making the 50-yard journey up Main Street.

Happy Birthday to Tali!

This will be the first of several posts meant to make up for the last month of blog silence. It's quite a task for me to actually bring the camera and the computer together.

Tali turned two this 4th of July. We partied so hard that we didn't have time to actually open presents until Monday. But we sang Happy Birthday to Tali everytime she had a treat this weekend (and that was a lot). Now whenever she has a piece of candy, I can hear her quietly singing, "Happy Birthday to Tali." Every gram of sugar is a celebration!

For her birthday, we got Tali a pink popcorn-popper/vacuum - you know, you had one when you were a kid (pictured below), a new book for her Leap Pad - she loves that thing, and a companion for her many Elmo dolls - Abby Cadabby.

Over the weekend we taught Tali how to answer the question, "How old are you?" She says "I'm two" and even holds up two fingers on one hand. The most interesting new thing she learned on her birthday was something we didn't teach her. After all the presents were open, Liz decided to try out the popcorn-popper. Tali ran over, grabbed it, and said, "No, No, MY Toys!" So, it's official, Tali is two!

Coming soon: Goose Lake, Kincaid, kiddie pools, bike races, 4th of July in Seward, Big Lake, and kids on water skis!