Trading in a dress for a pair of sweats

It’s been slow. Not in the Gangloff household or in the water, but certainly on the blog. Without much time to even say “hello,” “goodbye,” and “goodnight,” Mark, Annabelle, and I have been working, swimming, hosting out of towners, tailgating (WAR EAGLE!), cooking, cleaning, researching, walking, taking statistics exams, teething, running, lifting weights, traveling, etc. (try to figure out who was doing which activities…). With the laundry list (oh yeah, we’ve done laundry,too) of things that have taken our time in the last week or so, the blog has taken a backseat. But now, I’ve returned.

The Golden Goggle awards will be held next Monday night in NYC. We’re not going. I’m sad about it. We are not going for a number of reasons: (a) We don’t have a sitter for Annabelle, (b) we don’t want to spend the money (yes, USA Swimming pays for the athletes to attend, but not for spouses, not for food for the entire trip, not for parking at the airport, not for boarding the dog at the kennel, etc.), (c) we will be pooped out after hosting Annabelle’s first birthday party this weekend (yay!), and (d) Mark’s gotta train. So, in sum, we’re not going to Golden Goggles this year.

I do have a request of all you readers, however. The Golden Goggles is ultimately to celebrate great swimmers and swims throughout the year. There are a few categories such as Best Male and Female Athletes, Best Race, Best Coach, etc. The category that I am interested in this year is the Perseverance Award. A handful of athletes are up for the award. I just voted for Amanda Beard.

A few weeks ago she posted on Facebook that she was up for the award. I then sent her this comment:

“Congrats on the nomination! When Mark watched you swim this summer he said to me, "Man, I remember what bad shape you were in after Annabelle was born, can you believe Amanda is already swimming fast?!" Thanks a lot, Mark. Anyway... quite impressive. You definitely have my vote! :)”

This was her response:

“Thanks for all your sweet words. Being a mom takes a toll on your body but also makes you have a different outlook on life itself. While I love swimming my family comes first. I think that makes it easier to just swim bc it's fun. Anyways, I love your blogs! So fun to read. Have fun with your cheeseburger. Blaise is going to be an ewok! Haha. So fun!!!”

Have you voted yet? Click here to vote for this year’s Golden Goggle Awards.

The Golden Goggle Awards brings back great memories of times with friends (Jeri, Eric, Davo, Demerae, Bryce, David, Jimi, Rob, Dave and all the rest whom we’ve spent time with—thanks!). My favorite memory, however is from Golden Goggles 2006. Actually it was the morning before Golden Goggles. Mark and I were poor (as in dirt poor). We were engaged to get married. I was in graduate school (the first time). We decided to go to breakfast at this hole in the wall joint (it was in LA that year) because we couldn’t afford the breakfast buffet at the nice hotel where we were staying (not on our own dime). I’m not sure why this breakfast stands out in my memory, but to this day, it was the best breakfast I have ever had. Good conversation. Great French toast. Love of my life (Mark, not the French toast).

So, this Monday night, instead of jet setting (I make this sound much cooler than it is) to NYC, we will be curled up on the sofa reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See to Annabelle, ordering Moe’s to go, and making to-do lists for our first family Thanksgiving at home (our home).

Good luck to Amanda and the rest. We’ll be thinking of you while we veg out in our sweat pants.