End of Summer - Back to Routines

We enjoyed a great family vacation to Lithuania.  All of K's siblings and their families met at his parents farm to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.  In addition to celebrating and catching up with family, we enjoyed helping on the farm and swimming in their lake.  One of K's brothers brought a windsurfer board so we even had a chance to try stand up paddle boarding.  After a couple of days, we headed out to the port town of Klaipeda for some R+R, and then back again to the farm before heading home.  Lots of fun, but good to be home (for more details, see K's post).

Tall Ships in Klaipeda; Tazer and Gaigai helping with the sheep.

3 of 4 of the kiddos are back at school -- break out the bonbons:).  Actually with the jet lag, unpacking and getting settled again, little A bomb and I have not had a chance to enjoy the quiet yet...

Munchkin off to school...

Tazer and Gaigai participated in the Chicago Kids Triathlon Saturday.  It seemed better organized this year - parking, packet pick up and starting all went pretty smoothly (for complete race report, see K's post).  The kids seemed more confident, did well and are super proud to have completed the event.

Gaigai in transition

Hope everyone had a great summer.  We'll end ours with one last hurrah in Michigan.  I'm a little sad - it seems to have ended too quickly, but I'm looking forward to the routines of the school year!  

Do you prefer the freedom of summer or 

the routines of the school year?

ClipE Review

ClipE - Stays put while you're in motion

Before my trainer (aka K) corrected my arm swing, I would run holding my iPod in one hand and the ear bud cord in the other.  Swinging my arms at chest height, the cord did not bother me.  After the correction, however, I was told to brush my hips with my hands and keep them in line with my body.  As I started doing this, two things happened - I was able to relax a bit more and my iPod cord started to bounce all over the place.  Lucky timing, I was sent a "ClipE" to try out.  The ClipE is a simple circular clip through which you slip your earbud cord and then clip it to your shirt.  With my newly improved running form, the ClipE prevents my earbud cord from being yanked or bouncing in my face.  Only complaint...I wish someone would make an all in one - music, phone, run tracking, RoadID, clip, etc...

Have you been given any good training advice lately?

(Disclaimer: I was sent this product for free to review on my blog - courtesy of Mocha 7 Media. I did not pay for the item, receive payment for this review, or agree to give a positive review. Aside from information gleaned from the product packaging, the opinions are my own.)

Treksta Kisatchie II Amphibious Shoe Review

This summer I've had the pleasure of trying out the TrekSta Kisatchie II.  These are great amphibious shoes.  I've worn them just bumming around with the kids, to parks, on hikes, and to the beach.


Some of the features include:

• NestFIT system - upper, insole, midsole, and outsole mold perfectly to the unique contours of your foot, providing a custom fit unlike any other.
• HyperGrip sole provides sure footing for amphibious expeditions.
• Lightweight EVA midsole for cushion and flexibility.
• Rubber toe cap protects against wear and abrasion.
• Perforated EVA insole drains and dries quickly.
• Boa Lacing system locks the foot securely in place.

The shoe has a comfortable fit, cradling the foot and providing good arch support, and the Boa lacing system provides a snug fit.  I had some initial discomfort on my heels, but wore the shoes with socks and then washed them in the washing machine.  This softened them up so that I was able to wear them without socks.  The rubber toe cap protects from bumps and jabs, and the lightweight sole provides great traction even on wet slick surfaces.  After soaking them in the lake, the shoes drained and dried quickly (the hot sand did not drain as quickly:)).  Shoes run true to size.  Comfortable and tough, the TrekSta Kisatchie II is a great multi-purpose amphibious shoe for summer adventures!

For a review of the Men's TrekSta Kisatchie II, head over to Midwest Multisport Life to see what Kovas thought...

(Disclaimer: I was sent this product for free to review on my blog - courtesy of Treksta USA. I did not pay for the item, receive payment for this review, or agree to give a positive review. Aside from information gleaned from the company website, the opinions are my own.)