Happy Holidays!

If you haven't yet, surf on over to Bree's blog to read our year-end summary (you know, like a christmas letter, only this one is better - Winter Solstice!)

My mother is in town, after a harrowing flight from Des Moines to Chicago to Seattle. Luckily her flight was able to continue despite the crazy winter weather we've been experiencing. It has snowed every day for eight days, and the temps have stayed below normal, so it has been a lot more like Minnesota and less like Seattle. But we've been making the most of it.

I hate the trainer, so I have been mixing up my exercise between running, shoveling snow, cross-country skiing (even to work), and I rode the cyclocross bike one time last week when the roads were still smooth-covered snow. But now I miss riding, so it is a good thing the snow is disappearing. It will be replaced by much rain, no doubt.

I just finished reading Charles Wheelan's Naked Economics, which was hilarious and informative. I loved it. I hope he also wins Rahm Emanuel's US House seat!

My next post will include:

• the full year riding and running totals!
• what I'm reading next
• some pictures from the Seattle Cyclocross series finale
• some plans for next year

for now, I am heading to bed.

At what age does the awareness of mortality begin?

We just returned from a wonderful, but brief trip to the Netherlands to see my dad marry his wonderful new wife, Adrienne. Emy caught a cold either in the Netherlands or shortly after we got back, and so was pretty stuffed up. Last night Emy and I were chatting while getting her tucked in for sleep. She said, "Daddy, I'm scared to fall asleep." I asked her why and she said, "I'm worried that if I can't breathe through my nose and I forget to breathe through my mouth I'll die in the night!"

Wow. She's never said anything of the kind to me so far. Does this mean her innocence is slowly disappearing? Is she going to become overly cautious? Can you really forget to breathe? What should I say?

I said, "Don't worry sweetie! Your body won't forget to breathe. You'll be breathing out your mouth just fine when your body realizes it can't get enough air through your nose. You know, like when you're running really fast, or riding your bike - have you ever noticed you start breathing though your mouth without even thinking about it?"

She said, "Oh yeah, that's true. OK, thanks Daddy!" Big hug.

Just like that. She even thanked me for providing some relief to her anxiety.

So I guess fear of death definitely starts by age six.