Escape room with the fam!

Another Win brings Maxine to an official score of 3-0 vs escape rooms. Escape rooms can be a super fun hour spent with the fam! This is the first one I’ve done with my brother Matt’s family but I guarantee it won’t be the last. Happy 17th anniversary Matt & Crystal!

Escape room with the fam!
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Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas tree!

How do you setup your Christmas tree? Does dad go get it and mom set it up in one afternoon or is it an all day family affair? For us, with a couple super young kids, it’s a fun all day event wherein someone will end up pooping some glitter.

Amtrak Auto Train

We headed to Florida to spend Thanksgiving with my Grandma! We opted to try out the Auto Train and I must say, it is a neat experience.

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Suricon 2021

I am a huge fan of the Suricata Community!

As I sit here in the airport wearing some conference gear waiting for my 5AM flight home I can’t help but to appreciate that OISF pulled off a great hybrid conference. I’m sad to see #Suricon2021 come to an end.

Wearing Suricon2021 swag waiting for my flight.
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We are Triathletes!

We finally did it! It took almost a decade. Life gets in the way doesn’t it? We finished our first Triathlon together last weekend! We are triathletes! When we stopped at the triathlon tent at the US Olympic Open in Colorado Springs in 2012 we decided we wanted to do a Triathlon race but had no idea how… Nearly a decade later we finally figure out how to train AND raise a family. This is the first of many races!!!

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Bicycle the D.C. National Mall

My brother visited today and had not toured the National Mall so we took a day to do so. Since moving here I have spent a lot of time walking, running and cycling the national mall and I believe that touring the mall by bike is hands down my favorite means of getting around.

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Myrtle Beach, A Perfect Family Vacation

We just got back from a short vacation in Myrtle Beach and I’m surprised at how family friendly Myrtle Beach really is. We rented a small condo right on the beach for one night before meeting up with the rest of our family the remaining four nights of our stay in a larger town house up the beach a ways. I highly recommend finding rental accommodations walking distance to the beach and bring an umbrella to block the sun. Arrive prepared to relax. We didn’t do much beyond relaxing at the beach and eating tons of great food. Definitely a vacation destination we plan to revisit.

Max heading to the beach
Getting a Sparkles makeover at Broadway on the Beach

Mason Matthew Houghtelin

Mason Matthew Houghtelin Born May 23rd @ 9lbs 6oz

My First Triathlon

I finally did it, I raced in a triathlon and it was a blast! I finished in 2:31:11!

I purchased a super cheap 16 week training plan from training peaks and got after it!

With some guidance from a friend I bought a road bike in January. Shortly after acquiring the bike I got an indoor trainer and got fitted for the bike. The fitting was underwhelming but with a shim under my left cleat and a tiny adjustment to my saddle height, I quickly put 1,000 miles behind me. More then anything I was happy to know that the bike I purchased actually fit me. Purchasing a nice bike has become quite difficult due to the pandemic.

Some time last year I signed up to be able to go to nearly any gym through active & fit which has been awesome since we were traveling most of last year. I had to bounce around a few different gyms but I started swimming at least once a week in January. I got more consistent after we moved into our house in February as there is a local Gold’s Gym down the road that always has an empty pool, or at the very least a very short queue.

On March 13 I caused plantar fasciitis in my right foot by getting out and running 18 miles after not having run for a while. This took me off my feet for a month.

Closed on our new Home!