This has been such a great week and I wish I had more time to post about it...but that will come later.
Here's the abbreviated highlights:
Still on a bit of a high from the Wasatch Back--withdrawals are probably going to kick in soon
Hair appointment-'nuff said!
Manicures and Pedicures with my mom and sisters and ice cream for dinner and an impromptu road trip--despite the drama, it was so fun and a much needed break!
A fun trip to Thanksgiving Point with the kids. The Children's Gardens have some cool new additions that will make me go back more often. (pictures to come later)
My cute sister got married yesterday. I couldn't be happier for her and we love her husband. They are a great couple and it was a great day. (More later)
Family Vacation starts today. We're headed to Newport Beach and I couldn't be more excited! Maybe I'll post while I'm gone, maybe I won't, but whatever happens, it's bound to be a great week!
See you soon!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Love this Race!
I can't even begin to describe what it is that makes this race so great! Just hearing the play-by-play doesn't even come close to doing it justice, but I can't think of any better way to explain so get ready for the play-by-play.
For a quick explanation, the Wasatch Back is a relay race that goes from Logan to Park City for a total of about 188 miles. Each team has 12 runners on it who each in turn run 3 different legs of the race. The team is split up into two vans of six runners each and you take turns running and having a bit of down time. (Using the word resting was just too big of a stretch!)
If you want a better, briefer and much more fun definition of this race click here for the RabidRunners pre-cap. It pretty much sums it up for me. Except for the part about the crack. And the pioneers. And the nasty hill being my job...
My morning started out perfect when just before I left my cute friend Marta dropped off a good luck goodie bag:
She had put together an all night survival kit and it was the sweetest thing ever. Her gifts were so thoughtful and she wrote the cutest poem to go along with every little thing she gave me:
I was in van 2 and so we didn't have to leave home until about 11:30. (The other half of the team started running at 9:30, so they spent the night in Logan.) After a few minor delays, including a dead battery and a mad hunt for jumper cables, we finally headed out closer to 12:00. We made it as quick as we could to our first major exchange picking up one teammate on the way and meeting the other one up there. Due to the late start and a bit of traffic & construction, we were a bit stressed getting to our starting location but once we were there, things started falling into place and we couldn't wait to start our first leg of the race! I quickly changed into my running clothes in the portable shower and we were so excited to see the other half of our team and get going on our part of the race. It about killed me to not be in a van with Laurie or Melissa. I missed them the entire race, so all the major exchanges were so fun because we got to spend a few minutes with them.
I was actually the sixth runner in our van so it was a lot of sitting and waiting for me once we stared. But it was so fun to watch all my girls run. Camie looked fabulous--as always--especially when she braved wearing her spandex! Lisa was so strong and I loved seeing how much she has improved from last year. Kellie who I met for the first time at our first major exchange, has the cutest little bouncy run that I loved seeing--that plus she's really fast! Marie is a thing of beauty to watch--that girl can RUN! Melody was so impressive, I loved seeing her give her all every single moment she was running.
Finally it was my turn to run. It was almost 5:00 p.m. and I was ready to finally get moving! The only problem was that we were sitting in our suburban in a line of cars that wasn't going anywhere. We knew that Melody had just summited a hill and had a pretty nice down hill to the exchange and were worried that she might beat me there. So I hopped out of the car on the opposite side of all the runners and started to hustle to the exchange. I was about half way there when I heard screaming coming from behind me. It sounded like they were yelling my name and I was pretty sure that it was coming from our Suburban so I just picked up my pace a little and started to hurry to the exchange, but I was still on the opposite side of the road from our runners. Suddenly our car is cruising by me and everyone was yelling that Melody had already made it to the exchange. So I raced across the street and when I looked at the exchange, I noticed that Melody wasn't there. Then I finally picked up on the finally thing the team had told me. She had just run through the exchange. The girl flew down her final descent at something like a 5:20 pace and I had to chase her down to start my leg of the race. Needless to say, it totally took my beginning of the run adrenaline rush as I hurried to catch up with her. But thankfully I was able to settle in to the run shortly after that. It was so much harder than I expected thought. My leg was 3.1 miles and the race organizers describe it as a "tough climb up Snow Basin. Beautiful views of Snow Basin." They were right about both and thankfully I had the view to distract me from the climb and I will gladly admit that I used it as a distraction tool! There are a couple of hills that we like to run for training that I was comparing it to in my mind, but it was just so much harder than I was expecting and I really struggled on that leg. The best part of it was pushing so hard to pass just one more person as I summitted the hill and then looking up and seeing Laurie standing there cheering for me. It made me a little bit teary and it made me miss her so much more! But the smile on her face and the tears in her eyes made it totally worth the final push!
That guy was by far the hardest person for me to chase on that hill. It seemed to take forever to pass him and then he tried to hold pace with me for a couple of minutes. I was so glad to finally see him fall behind because he was starting to drive me CRAZY!
I only walked to get water and sponging from me fantastic teammates!
After I finished we had some down time so we quickly changed our clothes and cleaned ourselves up (as good as you can with baby wipes) and then it was time to eat. Last year the whole eating thing was the absolute worst for me, so this year we came prepared. We had a pasta salad bar and it was so fun sitting in the parking lot at Snow Basin having our own little tailgating party. (I can't wait to see the pictures we took of the dinner) Really, it was the best thing ever and I loved having the chance to eat something that didn't make me feel like crap-it's a new mandatory meal for this race. After dinner we headed off to our next major exchange at East Canyon. We got there with about an hour to spare so we decided to try and get some rest. However, when it's 8:00 at night and you have a view like this, sleeping is a little harder than you might imagine.
We did however make a valiant effort and I think I ended up getting about a 30 minute nap. It was so beautiful and peaceful up there and I just loved having the chance to lay down and laugh and relax with some of my favorite people:
i
n
Finally around 9:15 the stinky sweaty slap bracelet was ours again and we were off and running. Once again, I was totally impressed by our team..and their husbands. Kellie's husband showed up to pace her on her middle of the night leg--it was so cute to see him there with her and it made all of us smile!
We also got to smile a lot due to the fabulous entertainment provided by Marie. First of all, the girl is freaking amazing. She is the nicest, sweetest person you will ever meet (except for maybe Kellie or Melody) and the girl is a running rock star! (We are still waiting for the official confirmation, but we think that she set the course record for Ragnar!) We got the treat of being firsthand witnesses to Marie's first time on caffeine and let's just say she had us rolling! It was by far the funniest thing I have seen in a long time...maybe ever. She was a riot and we really needed her upbeat over-caffeinated energy in our car:
Once again, I had to sit and wait and wait and wait for all of our runners to finish before it was my turn. This leg happened to start for me at 2:19 a.m. and I was slated to run 5.2 miles described as "moderate climb into town of Oakley." The worst part about being the anchor is that you have to watch as everyone finishes and starts to relax just knowing that you still have a long time before you get that privilege. Thankfully I had Marie to keep me awake because everyone else seemed to be feeling the lack of sleep at about this point in time. I was also lucky to have Melissa and Sher texting me to help keep me laughing! I of course had to do everything I could to keep awake and geared up for this run. Thankfully I had a ton of gadgets and gizmo's to keep me occupied. Between my headlamp, arm light, Garmin, I-pod, and glo-stick, I was pretty hooked up:
Last year my middle of the night leg was by far my favorite. This year, I still liked it, but it totally freaked me out. First off, my first two miles I ran into a really strong headwind that just kind of made me mad. Second, the road was so slanted and all I really wanted to do was run in the middle, not on the shoulder, but since it was late and dark, I kept to the designated side of the road cursing the wind and the slant of the road. Also, because of our early start time, we had passed most of the teams by this point of the race. So it was pretty much me and my shadow on the road. There were a few times that I was even worried I was going the wrong way. Of course by this point since I'm somewhat sleep deprived and running all by my lonesome, I started letting my imagination play tricks on me. I had to run with only one headphone in after the howling dog about made me wet myself with thoughts of being attacked by a pack of wolves. And then, when I was all alone on the road and a car passed going the opposite direction of Ragnar traffic I will admit that I was totally freaked out wondering what some crazy guy (I just assumed it was a guy) was doing driving on a dark and lonely road at that time of night and hoping he didn't have any evil plans that included stuffing me into his trunk. I'm sure he was wondering plenty of the same things about the crazy lady running at 2:30 in the morning. I'm guessing he left me alone because of my menacing headlamp and arm light! Thankfully I had such a fun playlist for this leg and every song made me smile or laugh and for the first time ever, music played a major part in my run! I really did like this leg, but after two climbs my calves were starting to protest a bit! Thankfully I was almost done at that point and nothing hurt too bad that I couldn't just push through it!
After that leg was done we handed off to the other van and headed to our final exchange. We figured that it was just smarter to go straight to the exchange and try to sleep there while we waited for our team. Since Lisa, Camie and I were the only ones who brought sleeping bags, we let the other three girls who brought sleeping bags, we decided to let the other three girls try to sleep in the Suburban. The only problem was that once we got our stuff out and they got settled, we realized all the grass was wet! After looking around for a few minutes, we realized that there really wasn't a better option, so we camped out on the darkest patch of cement we could find. Thankfully when your that sleep deprived, your body will at least get some rest no matter where you end up laying your head. I think we got about two hours of "sleep" there before we were off and running again.
It was so exciting to have the last hand off and to know that the end was in sight for us. We knew that there were a couple of really hard runs ahead of us, but we were all excited for the challenge. Camie ran hers--faster than expected. Lisa ran hers--it was hard and she struggled, but she still finished strong. Then Kellie was up for the pre-Ragnar leg. (Ragnar is this horrific hill that no one has any business running, but of course they put it in for the last leg of the race...pre-Ragnar is just about as bad.) Kellie impressed us all with how hard she pushed it up that hill. She ran so hard she puked--twice--and it just made us all love her even more. Then Marie was up for Ragnar. We of course talked her into taking another caffeinated GU and that girl SPED up the hill. She finished it so strong and said she felt like she could have run 2 or 3 more. We all about fell over when we heard her time--38:19--for 4 mile STRAIGHT uphill that is more impressive than I can even begin to explain. Even the guys waiting at the top with us couldn't believe how stinking fast she was. After that it was Melody and then finally it was my turn. I was by far the most nervous for this leg of the race. I have always struggled with being able to push myself past that point when I feel like giving up. I couldn't do it for my 3rd leg of this race last year and I couldn't do it in St. George. More than anything I wanted to be able to not let this leg beat me. It was an easier leg than my previous two, but I still was running 5.1 miles on very little sleep. But I was determined not to let myself down. I had two goals for this leg. The first was that I couldn't walk. The second was to come in a little below my projected pace. I have to admit that it was hard. The first three miles were downhill and I had to hold myself back a little to make sure I had something left to give for the end. I did. After the first two, I was on my own. My team had to leave to head to the finish line and I was literally the only person on the course at this point. I knew that I had something to prove to myself and I wanted so badly to be able to do it. I pushed that leg harder than I have ever pushed myself in a race. There were times I wanted to slow my pace, there were times I wanted to walk. But I didn't I kept going. There were times I wanted to cry. I did. It helped. With about three quarters of a mile left to go I was surprised by the fact that I had to climb about a half mile before I could head for the final push. It was SO HARD. My calves were screaming at me and I totally wanted to give up. Instead I cried and pushed on. It was hard and it hurt. But then, it was over and I was in the final stretch. I headed off onto a dirt path and then it was down the hill on to the field where my team was waiting for me. Seeing them there standing waiting for me was enough to push me over the edge. Of course I teared up again. Then, I yelled for them to make way to let me through (I was way too tired to run around the group). They cleared a path for me and then we ran together to the finish. I was so spent and I almost fell over when they made me stop to rip the tag off my nubmer. But I did it, I beat one of my deamons and I can't wait until we meet up again in St. George. After the excitement of crossing the finish line wore off, I took a minute to look at my watch. I was so excited I was 25 seconds below my goal pace and I was able to meeet my "secret goal" that I will only now admit that I had. I really wanted that leg to be a sub-8 pace, and I made it, only by one second, but I made it!
Finally we got to have some quality together team time and a few great photo opps! I can't even beging to tell you how much I love the girls I run with and how much they mean to me. Experiences like this only remind me more of how blessed I am to be surrounded by such strong and powerful women in my life. They make me a better person and I love them all for being part of my life! (We missed you Abi) :(
Thanks for a great weekend girls--can't wait for next year!
For a quick explanation, the Wasatch Back is a relay race that goes from Logan to Park City for a total of about 188 miles. Each team has 12 runners on it who each in turn run 3 different legs of the race. The team is split up into two vans of six runners each and you take turns running and having a bit of down time. (Using the word resting was just too big of a stretch!)
If you want a better, briefer and much more fun definition of this race click here for the RabidRunners pre-cap. It pretty much sums it up for me. Except for the part about the crack. And the pioneers. And the nasty hill being my job...
My morning started out perfect when just before I left my cute friend Marta dropped off a good luck goodie bag:
She had put together an all night survival kit and it was the sweetest thing ever. Her gifts were so thoughtful and she wrote the cutest poem to go along with every little thing she gave me:
I was in van 2 and so we didn't have to leave home until about 11:30. (The other half of the team started running at 9:30, so they spent the night in Logan.) After a few minor delays, including a dead battery and a mad hunt for jumper cables, we finally headed out closer to 12:00. We made it as quick as we could to our first major exchange picking up one teammate on the way and meeting the other one up there. Due to the late start and a bit of traffic & construction, we were a bit stressed getting to our starting location but once we were there, things started falling into place and we couldn't wait to start our first leg of the race! I quickly changed into my running clothes in the portable shower and we were so excited to see the other half of our team and get going on our part of the race. It about killed me to not be in a van with Laurie or Melissa. I missed them the entire race, so all the major exchanges were so fun because we got to spend a few minutes with them.
I was actually the sixth runner in our van so it was a lot of sitting and waiting for me once we stared. But it was so fun to watch all my girls run. Camie looked fabulous--as always--especially when she braved wearing her spandex! Lisa was so strong and I loved seeing how much she has improved from last year. Kellie who I met for the first time at our first major exchange, has the cutest little bouncy run that I loved seeing--that plus she's really fast! Marie is a thing of beauty to watch--that girl can RUN! Melody was so impressive, I loved seeing her give her all every single moment she was running.
Finally it was my turn to run. It was almost 5:00 p.m. and I was ready to finally get moving! The only problem was that we were sitting in our suburban in a line of cars that wasn't going anywhere. We knew that Melody had just summited a hill and had a pretty nice down hill to the exchange and were worried that she might beat me there. So I hopped out of the car on the opposite side of all the runners and started to hustle to the exchange. I was about half way there when I heard screaming coming from behind me. It sounded like they were yelling my name and I was pretty sure that it was coming from our Suburban so I just picked up my pace a little and started to hurry to the exchange, but I was still on the opposite side of the road from our runners. Suddenly our car is cruising by me and everyone was yelling that Melody had already made it to the exchange. So I raced across the street and when I looked at the exchange, I noticed that Melody wasn't there. Then I finally picked up on the finally thing the team had told me. She had just run through the exchange. The girl flew down her final descent at something like a 5:20 pace and I had to chase her down to start my leg of the race. Needless to say, it totally took my beginning of the run adrenaline rush as I hurried to catch up with her. But thankfully I was able to settle in to the run shortly after that. It was so much harder than I expected thought. My leg was 3.1 miles and the race organizers describe it as a "tough climb up Snow Basin. Beautiful views of Snow Basin." They were right about both and thankfully I had the view to distract me from the climb and I will gladly admit that I used it as a distraction tool! There are a couple of hills that we like to run for training that I was comparing it to in my mind, but it was just so much harder than I was expecting and I really struggled on that leg. The best part of it was pushing so hard to pass just one more person as I summitted the hill and then looking up and seeing Laurie standing there cheering for me. It made me a little bit teary and it made me miss her so much more! But the smile on her face and the tears in her eyes made it totally worth the final push!
That guy was by far the hardest person for me to chase on that hill. It seemed to take forever to pass him and then he tried to hold pace with me for a couple of minutes. I was so glad to finally see him fall behind because he was starting to drive me CRAZY!
I only walked to get water and sponging from me fantastic teammates!
After I finished we had some down time so we quickly changed our clothes and cleaned ourselves up (as good as you can with baby wipes) and then it was time to eat. Last year the whole eating thing was the absolute worst for me, so this year we came prepared. We had a pasta salad bar and it was so fun sitting in the parking lot at Snow Basin having our own little tailgating party. (I can't wait to see the pictures we took of the dinner) Really, it was the best thing ever and I loved having the chance to eat something that didn't make me feel like crap-it's a new mandatory meal for this race. After dinner we headed off to our next major exchange at East Canyon. We got there with about an hour to spare so we decided to try and get some rest. However, when it's 8:00 at night and you have a view like this, sleeping is a little harder than you might imagine.
We did however make a valiant effort and I think I ended up getting about a 30 minute nap. It was so beautiful and peaceful up there and I just loved having the chance to lay down and laugh and relax with some of my favorite people:
i
n
Finally around 9:15 the stinky sweaty slap bracelet was ours again and we were off and running. Once again, I was totally impressed by our team..and their husbands. Kellie's husband showed up to pace her on her middle of the night leg--it was so cute to see him there with her and it made all of us smile!
We also got to smile a lot due to the fabulous entertainment provided by Marie. First of all, the girl is freaking amazing. She is the nicest, sweetest person you will ever meet (except for maybe Kellie or Melody) and the girl is a running rock star! (We are still waiting for the official confirmation, but we think that she set the course record for Ragnar!) We got the treat of being firsthand witnesses to Marie's first time on caffeine and let's just say she had us rolling! It was by far the funniest thing I have seen in a long time...maybe ever. She was a riot and we really needed her upbeat over-caffeinated energy in our car:
Once again, I had to sit and wait and wait and wait for all of our runners to finish before it was my turn. This leg happened to start for me at 2:19 a.m. and I was slated to run 5.2 miles described as "moderate climb into town of Oakley." The worst part about being the anchor is that you have to watch as everyone finishes and starts to relax just knowing that you still have a long time before you get that privilege. Thankfully I had Marie to keep me awake because everyone else seemed to be feeling the lack of sleep at about this point in time. I was also lucky to have Melissa and Sher texting me to help keep me laughing! I of course had to do everything I could to keep awake and geared up for this run. Thankfully I had a ton of gadgets and gizmo's to keep me occupied. Between my headlamp, arm light, Garmin, I-pod, and glo-stick, I was pretty hooked up:
Last year my middle of the night leg was by far my favorite. This year, I still liked it, but it totally freaked me out. First off, my first two miles I ran into a really strong headwind that just kind of made me mad. Second, the road was so slanted and all I really wanted to do was run in the middle, not on the shoulder, but since it was late and dark, I kept to the designated side of the road cursing the wind and the slant of the road. Also, because of our early start time, we had passed most of the teams by this point of the race. So it was pretty much me and my shadow on the road. There were a few times that I was even worried I was going the wrong way. Of course by this point since I'm somewhat sleep deprived and running all by my lonesome, I started letting my imagination play tricks on me. I had to run with only one headphone in after the howling dog about made me wet myself with thoughts of being attacked by a pack of wolves. And then, when I was all alone on the road and a car passed going the opposite direction of Ragnar traffic I will admit that I was totally freaked out wondering what some crazy guy (I just assumed it was a guy) was doing driving on a dark and lonely road at that time of night and hoping he didn't have any evil plans that included stuffing me into his trunk. I'm sure he was wondering plenty of the same things about the crazy lady running at 2:30 in the morning. I'm guessing he left me alone because of my menacing headlamp and arm light! Thankfully I had such a fun playlist for this leg and every song made me smile or laugh and for the first time ever, music played a major part in my run! I really did like this leg, but after two climbs my calves were starting to protest a bit! Thankfully I was almost done at that point and nothing hurt too bad that I couldn't just push through it!
After that leg was done we handed off to the other van and headed to our final exchange. We figured that it was just smarter to go straight to the exchange and try to sleep there while we waited for our team. Since Lisa, Camie and I were the only ones who brought sleeping bags, we let the other three girls who brought sleeping bags, we decided to let the other three girls try to sleep in the Suburban. The only problem was that once we got our stuff out and they got settled, we realized all the grass was wet! After looking around for a few minutes, we realized that there really wasn't a better option, so we camped out on the darkest patch of cement we could find. Thankfully when your that sleep deprived, your body will at least get some rest no matter where you end up laying your head. I think we got about two hours of "sleep" there before we were off and running again.
It was so exciting to have the last hand off and to know that the end was in sight for us. We knew that there were a couple of really hard runs ahead of us, but we were all excited for the challenge. Camie ran hers--faster than expected. Lisa ran hers--it was hard and she struggled, but she still finished strong. Then Kellie was up for the pre-Ragnar leg. (Ragnar is this horrific hill that no one has any business running, but of course they put it in for the last leg of the race...pre-Ragnar is just about as bad.) Kellie impressed us all with how hard she pushed it up that hill. She ran so hard she puked--twice--and it just made us all love her even more. Then Marie was up for Ragnar. We of course talked her into taking another caffeinated GU and that girl SPED up the hill. She finished it so strong and said she felt like she could have run 2 or 3 more. We all about fell over when we heard her time--38:19--for 4 mile STRAIGHT uphill that is more impressive than I can even begin to explain. Even the guys waiting at the top with us couldn't believe how stinking fast she was. After that it was Melody and then finally it was my turn. I was by far the most nervous for this leg of the race. I have always struggled with being able to push myself past that point when I feel like giving up. I couldn't do it for my 3rd leg of this race last year and I couldn't do it in St. George. More than anything I wanted to be able to not let this leg beat me. It was an easier leg than my previous two, but I still was running 5.1 miles on very little sleep. But I was determined not to let myself down. I had two goals for this leg. The first was that I couldn't walk. The second was to come in a little below my projected pace. I have to admit that it was hard. The first three miles were downhill and I had to hold myself back a little to make sure I had something left to give for the end. I did. After the first two, I was on my own. My team had to leave to head to the finish line and I was literally the only person on the course at this point. I knew that I had something to prove to myself and I wanted so badly to be able to do it. I pushed that leg harder than I have ever pushed myself in a race. There were times I wanted to slow my pace, there were times I wanted to walk. But I didn't I kept going. There were times I wanted to cry. I did. It helped. With about three quarters of a mile left to go I was surprised by the fact that I had to climb about a half mile before I could head for the final push. It was SO HARD. My calves were screaming at me and I totally wanted to give up. Instead I cried and pushed on. It was hard and it hurt. But then, it was over and I was in the final stretch. I headed off onto a dirt path and then it was down the hill on to the field where my team was waiting for me. Seeing them there standing waiting for me was enough to push me over the edge. Of course I teared up again. Then, I yelled for them to make way to let me through (I was way too tired to run around the group). They cleared a path for me and then we ran together to the finish. I was so spent and I almost fell over when they made me stop to rip the tag off my nubmer. But I did it, I beat one of my deamons and I can't wait until we meet up again in St. George. After the excitement of crossing the finish line wore off, I took a minute to look at my watch. I was so excited I was 25 seconds below my goal pace and I was able to meeet my "secret goal" that I will only now admit that I had. I really wanted that leg to be a sub-8 pace, and I made it, only by one second, but I made it!
Finally we got to have some quality together team time and a few great photo opps! I can't even beging to tell you how much I love the girls I run with and how much they mean to me. Experiences like this only remind me more of how blessed I am to be surrounded by such strong and powerful women in my life. They make me a better person and I love them all for being part of my life! (We missed you Abi) :(
Thanks for a great weekend girls--can't wait for next year!
Joggin' Broads
Van 2
Oh, and did I mention...
our team took third place in our division!
Yeah, that's a big deal!
Van 2Oh, and did I mention...
our team took third place in our division!
Yeah, that's a big deal!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day
I can't go to bed tonight without taking a minute to say Happy Father's Day to the Dad's in my life. (I can however go to bed without taking the time to put up the proper pictures to go along with the post, so there will be no pic's of my dad or Craig's dad-sorry)
First, my dad. I can't even tell you how much I love him and look up to him. He is so fun and great and I have loved seeing how our relationship has changed as I grow up. He is so generous and giving and he makes me happy every time I see his face or hear his voice. He is the biggest UTAH fan and I love going to games with him. He is the one who inspired me to be a runner and I will be forever grateful for that. I love him so much and I am so glad that we live close and are able to have a great relationship with him! He is a great dad and the best grandpa my kids could ever ask for!
And to my father-in-law, Craig's dad. He isn't having the easiest time right now, but he has taught Craig so much and is such a strong influence in his life. He has also done so many things to help our not so little family out and we love and appreciate him so much!
And last but certanily not least is Craig. He seriouslly is the BEST DAD! Our kids adore him and worship the ground he walks on. He is so good to take the time to play with them and best of all LISTEN to them. Sometimes I have a tendancy to block out half of what they are saying, especially when they are telling me long stories (bad mom moment!) But he is so good to listen to all the details and truly appreciate what they are saying to him. He is always looking for things to do for and with our kids. It is so obvious that they are the top priority in his life and that means the world to me. He is a hard worker who hleps out around the house so much. And he is so supportive of me and the things I do which makes me love him more. He really is the fun in our house and he totally balances me and all my craziness out and I love him so much for it!
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
First, my dad. I can't even tell you how much I love him and look up to him. He is so fun and great and I have loved seeing how our relationship has changed as I grow up. He is so generous and giving and he makes me happy every time I see his face or hear his voice. He is the biggest UTAH fan and I love going to games with him. He is the one who inspired me to be a runner and I will be forever grateful for that. I love him so much and I am so glad that we live close and are able to have a great relationship with him! He is a great dad and the best grandpa my kids could ever ask for!
And to my father-in-law, Craig's dad. He isn't having the easiest time right now, but he has taught Craig so much and is such a strong influence in his life. He has also done so many things to help our not so little family out and we love and appreciate him so much!
And last but certanily not least is Craig. He seriouslly is the BEST DAD! Our kids adore him and worship the ground he walks on. He is so good to take the time to play with them and best of all LISTEN to them. Sometimes I have a tendancy to block out half of what they are saying, especially when they are telling me long stories (bad mom moment!) But he is so good to listen to all the details and truly appreciate what they are saying to him. He is always looking for things to do for and with our kids. It is so obvious that they are the top priority in his life and that means the world to me. He is a hard worker who hleps out around the house so much. And he is so supportive of me and the things I do which makes me love him more. He really is the fun in our house and he totally balances me and all my craziness out and I love him so much for it!
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!Saturday, June 20, 2009
We Came, We Ran, We're Tired
I have so much to say about this race but for now this will have to suffice:
'Cause I'm going to bed!
'Cause I'm going to bed!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
My Fave 5
No, I'm not talking about those five numbers I call the most, I'm talking about things. I like things. Some more than others. Today as I was working in the kitchen I remembered that I wanted to do this as a post. So without further adieu,
I present my fave 5:
My Bosh and my Wheat Grinder. I'll be honest, if either of these bad boys broke I would go out and replace them without even batting an eyelash because I love them that much.
Because wtihout this:
and this:
I wouldn't have this. And that is just not an acceptable option!
(Try it, you'll love it!)
Next up, my phone--a Palm Centro. I'm totally embarrassed by the many beatings it has taken, but I still love it and totally depend on it-even if it is a slippery little bugger. I call it my brain for a reason and would be beside myself if one of those regular beatings resulted in a permanent loss!
And then of course there's my Garmin. It may be big and bulky. But I honestly feel naked when I run without it on my wrist. I'm addicted and while I don't really do much with all that cool data it records, I would be lost without knowing my time, pace and distance on every run. Now if only there was a low battery warning--sigh.
And last but certanily not least--my sunglasses. This was the first pair of "real" sunglasses I ever bought. And I love them and their polarized goodness. If there's even a hint of sun peeking out from behind a cloud, or even threatening to peek for that matter, you can bet that these bad boys are on my eyes. I don't know if it's possible, but I think I am addicted to Sunglasses.
Those are my fave 5--now let me hear yours!
I present my fave 5:
My Bosh and my Wheat Grinder. I'll be honest, if either of these bad boys broke I would go out and replace them without even batting an eyelash because I love them that much.
Because wtihout this:
and this:
I wouldn't have this. And that is just not an acceptable option!(Try it, you'll love it!)
Next up, my phone--a Palm Centro. I'm totally embarrassed by the many beatings it has taken, but I still love it and totally depend on it-even if it is a slippery little bugger. I call it my brain for a reason and would be beside myself if one of those regular beatings resulted in a permanent loss!
And then of course there's my Garmin. It may be big and bulky. But I honestly feel naked when I run without it on my wrist. I'm addicted and while I don't really do much with all that cool data it records, I would be lost without knowing my time, pace and distance on every run. Now if only there was a low battery warning--sigh.
And last but certanily not least--my sunglasses. This was the first pair of "real" sunglasses I ever bought. And I love them and their polarized goodness. If there's even a hint of sun peeking out from behind a cloud, or even threatening to peek for that matter, you can bet that these bad boys are on my eyes. I don't know if it's possible, but I think I am addicted to Sunglasses.
Those are my fave 5--now let me hear yours!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Ponytail Day
Today is going to be a ponytail day.
Why you ask?
Because,
it's almost 11:00
and I am sitting at my computer
still in my pj's
not showered
and just plain being
L
A
Z
Y
Plus, yesterday
my hair was curly
in it's oh so lion mane kind of way
and rather than tame the beast
I'm choosing to pull it out of my way
And now, it's time to get off my butt
and do
S
O
M
E
T
H
I
N
G
but not my hair.
So, ponytail
Here I come!
Why you ask?
Because,
it's almost 11:00
and I am sitting at my computer
still in my pj's
not showered
and just plain being
L
A
Z
Y
Plus, yesterday
my hair was curly
in it's oh so lion mane kind of way
and rather than tame the beast
I'm choosing to pull it out of my way
And now, it's time to get off my butt
and do
S
O
M
E
T
H
I
N
G
but not my hair.
So, ponytail
Here I come!
Is it bad?
Tonight I have two questions:
Is it bad that I left Craig home with the kids while I went to enrichment tonight?
Is it bad that I left Craig home with the kids while I went to enrichment tonight?
No way.
Is it bad that as I walked out the door Sarah was sitting on the counter screaming, the other three kids were running around like they'd just sucked down a brick full of sugar, the dishes weren't done and then as I drove down the street and saw the door-to-door salesman walking up the street I burst out laughing?Probably....
but it sure felt good.
but it sure felt good.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
PLAY BALL!!!
Friday was such a fun day for us. Andrew and his friend Chris put together and pulled off a fun baseball game.
Right before school got out, the kids in our cul-de-sac started playing baseball...a lot. It started out as a little bit of hitting and a little bit of catch, but it turned into a daily pick up game that they loved and looked forward to every day. After a few days of thier pick up games, Andrew and Chris decided that they wanted to do it bigger and better. So they decided to organize a game. A week and a half before the game I found them dinking around on my computer. I was totally impressed when I saw what they were doing. They had made flyers to take around to all thier friends in the neighborhood letting them know about the game that was 3 weeks later. I made them change the date so that people actually might remember and then left them to their own devices. They spent the better part of an afternoon delivering flyers and then the better part of a week anticipating the big day! They were so excited. Every day they would be so excited to get together and "work on the game." A few days before the game, the ran around the neighborhood again to find out who was coming. Then on the big day, they made one last trip around to make sure that they would have a team. After they had a head count, they picked teams, paced up supplies and headed to the park. Slowly but surely their friends showed up and it was so much fun. Craig was so sweet to take his lunch break to come and pitch for them and when he had to go, Chris' dad stepped in and took his place. We had about 12 kids there and it turned out to be quite the game. Everyone played. Everyone had fun. And Chris and Andrew felt really good about a job well done!
Right before school got out, the kids in our cul-de-sac started playing baseball...a lot. It started out as a little bit of hitting and a little bit of catch, but it turned into a daily pick up game that they loved and looked forward to every day. After a few days of thier pick up games, Andrew and Chris decided that they wanted to do it bigger and better. So they decided to organize a game. A week and a half before the game I found them dinking around on my computer. I was totally impressed when I saw what they were doing. They had made flyers to take around to all thier friends in the neighborhood letting them know about the game that was 3 weeks later. I made them change the date so that people actually might remember and then left them to their own devices. They spent the better part of an afternoon delivering flyers and then the better part of a week anticipating the big day! They were so excited. Every day they would be so excited to get together and "work on the game." A few days before the game, the ran around the neighborhood again to find out who was coming. Then on the big day, they made one last trip around to make sure that they would have a team. After they had a head count, they picked teams, paced up supplies and headed to the park. Slowly but surely their friends showed up and it was so much fun. Craig was so sweet to take his lunch break to come and pitch for them and when he had to go, Chris' dad stepped in and took his place. We had about 12 kids there and it turned out to be quite the game. Everyone played. Everyone had fun. And Chris and Andrew felt really good about a job well done!
Don't Go Away
This week I have read a lot of blogs where people have been complaining about the weather, but I have to disagree. I love the rain. I love the smell. I love the sound. I love the way it makes me feel. The only time I can remember not loving it was when I just happened to be running a marathon all by my lonesome in it--that time, I really care too much for it. But other than that once I've always been a fan. So much so, that I make sure we take the time to enjoy it as a family. Sometimes we leave the windows open just so we can enjoy the smell. Sometimes we sit under the awning and read. But my most favorite sometimes are when we run out and PLAY in it!
Friday, June 12, 2009
A Very Good Night
Tonight I just sat on one of these
with a good friend
and a great view of this
and we swang and talked
and swang some more and talked some more.
Then when it started raining, we grabbed a blanket
and kept swinging and talking.
And I sat there totally content
with the smell of rain making me wish
it would rain all night so I could keep my windows open
and add an extra blanket to my bed.
Then I came home and the house was quiet
The kids were asleep
Craig was working on the computer
And he said (in an only slightly sarcastic voice)
"Oh, you finally decided to come home."
But I already knew he would say that
Because that's what he always says when I come home
after I've disappeared for a while
But then he said
"I'm going to get us strawberry shakes"
And he never says that
And now,
I'm excited
To eat my shake
And snuggle up to Craig
And just enjoy the rest of
what's turning out to be a very good night.
with a good friend
and a great view of this
and we swang and talked
and swang some more and talked some more.
Then when it started raining, we grabbed a blanket
and kept swinging and talking.
And I sat there totally content
with the smell of rain making me wish
it would rain all night so I could keep my windows open
and add an extra blanket to my bed.
Then I came home and the house was quiet
The kids were asleep
Craig was working on the computer
And he said (in an only slightly sarcastic voice)
"Oh, you finally decided to come home."
But I already knew he would say that
Because that's what he always says when I come home
after I've disappeared for a while
But then he said
"I'm going to get us strawberry shakes"
And he never says that
And now,
I'm excited
To eat my shake
And snuggle up to Craig
And just enjoy the rest of
what's turning out to be a very good night.
Got the message?
Mom, this is Madeline. Me and Ben were looking at Petz dogs a while ago and we found a dog that is right. It's a German Shepard and it says that they're fun and they love being loved and it's a little hard to groom but not that bad. So I just wanted to let you know. Okay. Bye.
Needless to say, I found it to be quite hilarious--not hilarious enough to consent, but it still made me laugh. I'm thinking she thought this was a more likely approach to get my attention that asking in person--what a hoot! I guess those two have finally figured out that their last pet idea was for the birds!
And I don't blame any of my friends in the slightest for this...or their cute little puggle named Lucy that they brought to the park the other day....nope...no blame there.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Smile
Me: Hey Sarah, you look nice. Did you pick your socks out special just for tonight?
Sarah: Moooom, I didn't find da match for da one with da stripes. So I hab dis one.
Me: Oh that looks nice. Can I take your picture?
Sarah: Can I see it?
Me: Yep. Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Whew--it's about time!
Me: Oh that looks nice. Can I take your picture?
Sarah: Can I see it?
Me: Yep. Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Me: Smile Sarah
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Tomorrow, Tomorrow..
Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow. You're only a day away.
And might I add that tomorrow is just too long--that UPS man better get here soon. My feet are tired of the old ones.
Summer Sunday Math
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