Brenna-bella's Blog Spot

You're Beautiful

2007-09-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

The last time I felt this way was when Julie Furtado was on the cover of Velo News month after month.
My passion for cycling has carried me through the last twelve years of life... for those of you who live and love the bike, I know you understand.
I have spent most of this summer learning to kiteboard.
A wise woman told me about kiteboarding, "it is the closest thing to flying you will experience".
Perhaps, I have had to much vino, but man, I sure forkin' love kiteboarding.
When I came upon this video on youtube, I felt all inspired to write you all.
Can you imagine being 13 years old and the world champion of the sport--- regardless of all that,
I am in awe of how amazing she is... Gisela. Enjoy!
What a life.
Poor Luca. He is likely to become a kiteboard orphan?
Anyone wanna go to New Caldonia?
She makes me wish I was 13 again...naw, no I don't.

On August 14th I hyperextended my leg and got a tibial plateau fracture (a very small one).
No kiting for 4-6 weeks. But ironically, I can ride my bike as much as I want. Ha.

~brenna

If that didn't make you Smile... this might!

2007-05-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

Baby Luca turned one on May 21st. I can't believe it has been a year already. Everyone says that, yes. We visited California, the Grandparents and friends (that's you). We had a birthday party. And although it has been an exhausting year, sometimes worse than others, I can't express the joy this smiling little guy brings to so many, especially me.

Thank you all who have touched our lives this past year. It has been a special year. But most of all, I'd like to wish Luca Happy First Birthday. You are my Sunshine.

Photo: Basti and Luca at Happy Hallow Zoo, San Jose, California.
~Brenna

If You Are Having a Bad Day...

2007-05-25T19:14:00.000-07:00

The Weather Again: Just embrace it!

2007-01-19T23:29:00.000-08:00

i'm still riding on my sunshine-y days with the bellas last weekend. i love riding my bike. damn.

i worked hard this week. i was covering for a guy who went on vacation (how dare him)... i stayed up all night wednesday-- emergency surgeries, and laboring mommies--

the weather continues to be bike unfriendly... but it looks like some sunshine~ mon-wed... and 40 degrees! yahoo...

i actually looked a prices for flights pdx to sac to race and ride with the team tomorrow... a little dilly of a daydream... wakeup!

i love reading oV and sabine's blogs... but it makes me homesick... whaaw...

sebastian and i talked about renting a house in santa cruz county next winter...

it's crazy, -- no more living from paycheck to paycheck 'cause Oregon is cheap (compared to CA), but i can't get a grip on the weather... or rather not riding my bike all year round...

tomorrow i am going to stop whining and focus on 'embracing all the Hood River has to offer'... so i am going riding in the rain. then i am going skiing (probably in the rain too)...

i wanna be like Gus (my 4 year old neighbor) ... he just doesn't know that riding your mtn bike with training wheels in the snow is just not right, or is it? (i wanna be 4 years old again?!)

thanks for listening to me vent.

hope you come 'sprak some single track' with me in the fall--and bring a case of 2 Buck Chuck.

~brennabella

oh and for those of you who need a Luca fix: Here is-- in all his GLORY!

Christimas Gifts

2007-01-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to take a moment and boast a little about my Chirstmas Gifts...

First, Luca sat up on his own for the first time on Christmas.

We have a little video clip if you'd like to watch him... (prepare for the slot machines with that toy?!)

Santa brought me what every little girl wants, a pink bicycle!

... and a ski crash helmet... Santa knows me well.

Hope your Holidays were wonderful!

Happy New Year!

Slacker

2006-12-11T14:39:00.000-08:00

So I've been a total Blogger Slacker. My last post was before
Thanksgiving. This just means we've been busy. This is good. We went for a lovely trip to California for Turkey. I enjoyed riding my bike for 6 days in the sunshine. Luca enjoyed spending time with his Grandparents....
We arrived home to lots of SNOW!~ No more riding outside!
But we've kept busy anyway...
Feeding the neighbor's cats.
Feeding the baby green peas.
Shoveling snow, getting snow tires.
Watching the baby sleep.
Putting up the Christmas Tree.
Hanging Christmas Lights on the house.
Getting the boys groomed and pretty for the holidays.
These are my excuses for being such a blogger slacker!

Sleep

2006-11-18T21:54:00.000-08:00

I am so sleep deprived at this point. This is one of the items you will find on my nightstand right now. But I do believe that 'Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and Parents'. So we are working on sleep and sweet potatoes... Sometimes I wonder how I can possibly be awake.

Time for Bed!

p.s. sorry my post is so uninspired, I am really tired.

Baby's Firsts

2006-11-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

Watch a Luca video here! Luca says Mam Mam.

And just when you think it can't get any better..."mmm sweet potatoes." Luca's first food!

For those devoted Luca fans, get the complete footage here!

Someone gave me this...

2006-11-15T17:29:00.000-08:00

It should read "...bicycles and babies!"
Not sure if it is wise to brag about a little obsession.

A happy Baby Luca!

Zen Cross

2006-11-09T22:47:00.000-08:00

I got a new cross bike. (Thanks Kona). It's a very neon green Jake the Snake. I rode it for the first time today. The best thing about it is that it has brakes on the tops! How cool is that! I kept looking down during my ride and getting all stoked again. I rode into the woods behind my house, you know, Post Canyon. Dusk. Quite. Wet. Luscious. Cold. Low laying misty clouds--

Wait did I say quiet? My ride was accompanied by my Nano. Makes for a great soundtrack for my ride. Did I say cold? I wore this jersey my Dad gave me in '96. He lived in Durango at the time. The jersey is a short sleeve fleece 3/4 zip w/ rear pockets (for my Nano). I wore it once when I lived in California. Way too hot. But I kept it all these years 'cause it is so damn original. Think about it, a short sleeve fleece jersey!? I wore Patagonia (yes, thank you Patagonia) zip base layer and my short sleeve fleece jersey over it-- and I was snuggly. All I needed was a warm fire and a animal skin blanket... I digress.

Anyway, Neon Green Jake. Blove in Pata and Fleece, in the Wet, Dark, Quiet Woods of Oregon, with the Nano rockin' stupid shit, my Mother would tell me to turn off. (She like news talk. I probably will like news talk someday too, Mom and Adolfo). On my debut cross ride with brakes on the tops---so cool.

Such a moment, I wrote a blog about it. Maybe because it has rained hard for a week here in Oregon. I have to get used to my new climate, while the California peloton (you know who you are) reports regularly of the 75 degree clear, blue, sunny, weather down there. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I may try to race that cross bike (Neon Green Jake the Snake) this Sunday. It is supposed to be "so muddy that I will have to run the whole course". And, "my new bike will get dirty". I suppose I will suffer immensely, and it will be cold and wet and wonderful. I plan to register and race the "Full Figure Category". Really, I just want to get into my skinsuit while I have... this nursing cup size. Or perhaps I should wear the fleece jersey?!

So, I'm out in the wilderness and my toughts drift away from the bike, my legs, the wet cold... and onto what is usually on my mind... My darlin' child waiting for me at home... Wondering where his Mommy is!! Nah, he's here:

Luca in his "exersaucer".

But as I type this, this is where my little angel is...

As always, thank you for listening. Sweet Dreams.

~brenna

Rain Ride with My Buddies

2006-11-05T22:57:00.000-08:00

My Dear Friend Marley came for her first visit to Hood River, and of course, it rained..

Being the hardy (ech em, super-gifted athlete)... She honored me with a mountain bike ride in the woods behind my house... Post Canyon.

My fabulous neighbor and fast friend, Heather, joined us...Contributing her commentary and super fun energy!! Thus the Harley (Heather+Marley=Harley) combo was born!

They are amazing! After almost 2 years off the bike, Marley jumps on a borrowed bike and schools me in the ways of the single track. Heather rides like a pro (even with her nausea handicap) and has never officially raced (her MTB) and probably never will, except against the Salomon guys.

We did "Break Your Pelvis Trail", of course. When they arrived to the site of my accident, they rode it (cautiously), then hiked back up and rode it again, not so cautiously, before I even caught up with them.

I met Marley over 10 years ago in Lake Tahoe, CA. We did a lot of MTB there together, so after all these years...It was fun to get dirty with her again!!

MY BEAUTIFUL (and hardy) Girlfriends are the Best!!

Little Monkey

2006-11-01T16:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Little Luca's First Halloween. He slept throught most of the festivities but here are some photos!

On Humility

2006-10-30T12:40:00.000-08:00

Since my pregnancy and a fractured pelvis (mountain biking accident) shortly there after... I have decided to pursue a sport that is not life or limb threatening. Tennis it is.

It rains a lot in Hood River--especially compared to sunny California-- so the folks here play tennis in the winter-- In California, tennis is a spring, summer sport. In Hood River, it is a winter sport, indoors!

This morning, I took a lesson and played another hour after my lesson. And I am developing humility and lowering expectations. Maria, I am not. (but she is a goddess).

I am not very good at tennis. And it is fun to be a beginner and allow myself--to well, ...suck.
It is interesting to see how serious many others take themselves on the court.

This is, I assume, how seriously I can take myself on the bike...

It has been an interesting observation and lesson--regarding sports and competitiveness. I have had a year off the bike followed by an injury, I have decided to try to allow myself to be a beginner again...

I am considering racing cross--as a beginner... Well, as a Masters 35+, and just be happy to frolic in the mud-luscious-puddle wonderful world--of cyclocross.

(ok, that's not me... Barb Howe... She's a goddess too... rockin' the giant puddle at Nationals Last year, just so you get the idea of 'mud-luscious')...

I will try to allow myself the joy of lowering expectations, being a beginner, and practicing humility...

Saturday Morning

2006-10-29T13:02:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning Basti and Luca! (obviously prior to his dashing haircut).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi4C3y9_z5M

Luca's First Haircut

2006-10-29T12:38:00.000-08:00

Poor kid. But his time had come. Born with lots of black hair, he has slowly lost it. We are still using the 'comb over', but the time had come for his haircut. Be warned this could be painful to watch. Not 'cause Luca suffers, but because it's not easy trimming an infants hair with a beard trimmer!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao3jHEfQLvY

Mommy is Smitten!

2006-10-28T23:35:00.002-07:00

Luca Sebastian Lopez-Otero is born: May 21, 2006.

2006-10-28T23:35:00.001-07:00

Uber Brenna.

IT'S OFFICIAL. I'M A BLOGGER!

2006-10-28T22:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my first Blog Post.
I guarentee most of my thoughts here will include Luca! Yeah, that's the cutest little guy in those photos! His Mommy made him pose with the pumkins!