POW WOW

JAZZ vs. ROCKETS

2009-11-03T21:57:00.001-08:00

Justin and Andrew went to the JAZZ vs. ROCKETS game.

They enjoyed dinner at "the 100 club" at the top floor of the arena. Andrew was excited to eat all his "favorite foods"

They had AMAZING seats. They sat on the floor one seat away from Coach Sloan. Andrew said he could hear the coach call out plays. Not a bad way for Andrew to experience his first JAZZ game.

Halloween Festivities

2009-11-01T14:21:00.000-08:00

Halloween was a week long celebration here! School, Work and Church parties kept us busy and festive.

The girls and I did the usual "trick or treat" around the neighborhood. Anna was especially cute this year. In the past, she was a bit scared and shy, but not this year. She ran from house to house and I had to run to keep up with the girls. They were excited to get home and look over their loot. I had to take my usual tax from the girls and keep all the 100 grand bars.

On Halloween night, Justin and Andrew went to the UTES football game in Salt Lake City. They were able to meet coach Boylen, the UTAH basketball coach, and star player, Carlon Brown. Andrew was excited to get posters signed by the team. He was even willing to give up "trick or treating" for the event.

Andrew with Coach Boylen

Andrew with Carlon Brown

Poncho would go CRAZY every time a trick or treater came to the door. He was guarding our candy with his life.

PeeWee Soccer

2009-10-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

Anna played on an indoor soccer team with her neighborhood friends.

I had a great time coaching these little kids. They were so cute and fun! I loved to see them try so hard and get so excited to accomplish kicking the ball, stopping it, or grabbing the ball in goalie.

Anna loved playing until she was "too tired". But, she was cute when she got out there to play and would be so proud of herself for getting in to the mix.

I Gotta Feelin.....It's a Beautiful Day!

2009-10-26T19:57:00.001-07:00

This last weekend we went with some friends to Las Vegas for a u2 concert, sun, shopping (for Lisa) and golf (for Justin).

The concert was amazing. The Black Eyed Peas opened for U2 and really got the crowd going. They put on a great show!
Then, u2 comes out with 2 hours of amazing music. They played their old songs as well as some new ones. The giant space ship was always doing something new for each song. The special effects were as great as the music!

The weather was perfect! 80s and sunny! I got to spend some time at the pool while Justin golfed with his friend from New York. We also saw a Cirque du Sol show and ate at some great restaurants. A fun weekend away from the kids.

The kids stayed with Nan and Bruce in St. George and played ALL weekend long. They went to the ranch, rode four wheelers, went out to eat at their favorite kids places and went to the movies. They didn't miss us a bit! Thanks Mom for showing them such a great time!!

The faux vegas "St. Andrews in Scotland"

Marathon!

2009-10-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

It was a chilly day in Chicago. I wore layers of clothes and gloves. Just before the race started I shed off the top layer of sweatpants and my sweatshirt. So did the rest of the runners....clothes were flying everywhere! The race started and it took 7 minutes for me to even reach the "start". There were 40,000 or so runners and a mob of spectators cheering us on. The first 3 miles seemed like forever. It felt like I was trying to dodge people right and left from getting run into or running into someone else. But, once I got to mile 6 it started to thin out enough for me to run. I got a burst of energy and I felt ALIVE! I did my quickest miles during those next few miles till the half. I was ON TRACK with my goal time. I made it to the half in 2 hours! But, soon after the half... my legs started to hurt and I could feel my energy drained. My feet, knees, every muscle in my legs were feeling tight and worn out. When I would slow down to drink my legs would stiffen up. So...I didn't let myself stop or I wouldn't be able get my legs to start up again. The distance between mile 14 to mile 20 seemed like ages. I would make myself think of other things, anything... so I wouldn't think about the pain in my legs.

When I reached mile 20 ...I was exhausted...I really just wanted it to be over! I told myself it is only one more hour. I have come so far with training and I have overcome all the obstacles the past few months in training so far. I can do it....only one more hour! The last 6.2 miles the crowds on the streets pulled me through. I used their energy and focused on just moving one leg in front of the other. Then...the final mile! The crowds were screaming...it was amazing! People screaming my name telling me "You are there...just a few more steps!" I pushed it. I used whatever I had left and picked up my pace. I finished! 4 hours and 22 minutes. What a race!

MY RESULTS

I was so happy to find Justin after the race. Thanks for coming out to support me!

I had the best support system. My mom came out to cheer me on!

Reuniting with family at the end of 26.2 miles is BLISS!

Chicago was a fun city to run in. Each part of the race had something 'going on'. "Boys town" made me laugh out loud to see men dressed in cheerleading outfits and bridesmaid dresses.

I had to laugh when the lady in front of me took licorice from some dude just handing it out. Tempting... but really.....do you know this guy?!

I loved it when kids would hold their hands out and get excited when you would high five them. It made me feel like a rockstar.

Cowbells.... every time I heard one (which was the whole race) I would think...."more cowbell" and think of the SNL skit. I am worried that now whenever I hear cowbells...my knees and feet will start to hurt.

When you gotta go.....I had to laugh at the men. Port a potties were not easily found so on mile 4 there was a park. Yep...green grass. So, I saw about 50 men peeing on trees, bushes, the side of the road...just because.. there was green grass.

The other runners....everyone was supportive and kind. It felt like we were all on a team. Other runners would yell my name and give support. At the end of the race...you just wanted to hug all these strangers and tell them "good job!". On my flight home I ran into many different marathon runners and it was so much fun to hear "their story".

After the race...I felt this huge feeling of SUCCESS! I did it! I overcame a sprained ankle, being sick for weeks during training, and problems with the Achilles tendon. I felt like I could do anything!

It was HARD...I won't tell anyone that this experience was a "piece of cake" it was HARD! But, worth it!

Chicago!

2009-10-13T19:48:00.001-07:00

Justin and I took a trip to Chicago so I could run the Chicago Marathon. The first day we got there we met up with my mom, Michael, Scott, Dayana, and Jeremy and explored the city. We walked all around Chicago and saw Soldier Stadium, Museums, and attended the Fitness Expo. We walked for about 6 hours and we were all exhausted by the end of the night.

Loading up on CARBS with some Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. It was EXCELLENT!!

Scott and I are in front of the Nike Store. They had all the runners names printed on a wall in a large mosaic.
Found it...there is my name!!

The final days...

2009-10-04T13:37:00.001-07:00

I have been tapering more than I usually should. I hurt my Achilles tendon in my 20 mile training run so I took a week off from running, stretched and continued to ice and take salt baths.

Last week, I ran short runs (the longest was 6 miles) and I have not had any problems with the tendon.

Now it is seven days left till the Chicago Marathon. This week is preparing for the trip, yoga, and cross training (spinning) with a few short runs.

I am READY, EXCITED, and NERVOUS! I hope that I have fun, my body endures till the end, and I beat my last marathon time.

For those of you who are interested...... you can track my progress here. You get texts or email notifications the day of the race.

Four year + scissors =

2009-09-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

Anna decided to give herself a haircut. She cut the whole poneytail off ...all those long curly blonde locks....gone!

When I found her she said "I just wanted to look like Maddie".

I took her in to the hairstylist to get it "fixed". We will have to be wearing A LOT of bows now. She is still beautiful! She is still my spunky little Anna. But, ohhh how I miss her long blonde curly locks. This has been really hard for me.

Music Wednesday- Owl City

2009-09-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I posted in my "music Wednesday"....but I couldn't resist posting this song. I love it! This guy is from a small town in Minnesota. So of course I am a fan already...but this song is catchy, fun and I just can't stop listening to it. This song also reminds me of being a kid and chasing fireflies in the woods in Minnesota. I love it!

Fireflies by Owl City.

Andrew turns 10

2009-09-13T17:23:00.001-07:00

Andrew has reached the double digits and turned TEN today!

University Park 5K

2009-09-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

I am almost done with training for the Chicago Marathon. It is in 3 more weeks and there is light at the end of the training tunnel.
I decided to take a break from the usual run and do a 5K this weekend. I finished in 25.23 minutes and was the first women to finish. The best yet...I won a gift basket from Great Harvest Bread Company in the raffle. A yummy treat to enjoy after a great run.

Justin Smiling

2009-09-12T10:58:00.000-07:00

Justin is enjoying his new commute....

He is happily watching his Dad's motorcycle while his Dad is away (on a LDS mission to Mongolia)
He told me "My mouth hurts from smiling so much."

Anna Smiling

2009-09-12T10:50:00.001-07:00

Anna had her first day of pre-school this week. She told me "I can't stop smiling I am so excited!"

Back to School

2009-08-24T07:48:00.001-07:00

The summer went by too fast. Now the kids are back to school today.

Madison is in Second Grade this year.

Andrew is in Fifth Grade this year.

They are growing up too fast.

Golf Wrap Up!

2009-08-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

We had a great summer of GOLF. Here are the last few tournament recaps....

Madison won 1^st place in the IF Club Championship and she won 3^rd place in the Tournament at Sand Creek.

Andrew was 4^th place in the IF Club Championship and he won 1^st place in the Tournament at Sand Creek.

Andrew was also invited to play in the Idaho State Junior Golf Championship. They only choose two kids in the Southeast Idaho area in his age group. He had a great time playing with the best of Idaho.

Friends!

2009-08-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

Our good friends from New York came to visit us. We spent an evening golfing together.

Madison was reunited with her best friend!

Then, we headed to Wyoming to spend the weekend at their Ranch. We had a great time four wheeling, fishing, horseback riding and hanging out with our friends. The kids picked up right where they left off a year ago. It was nice to be reacquainted with good friends. We had a fantasic time!

"Biker" Anna

2009-08-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

This last week Anna learned to ride a two-wheeler bike. She wanted to be able to "ride" with the rest of the family. So she learned in one day. She loves to ride her bike all day in the cul de sac.
It is hard to see my baby grow up so quickly but I am proud of her new accomplishments.

Scott & Dayana's Wedding

2009-07-27T17:31:00.001-07:00

My little brother got married on Saturday! We are so happy to have Dayana in our family. We had a great time getting to know her better and the wedding was beautiful. Congratulation to Scott and Dayana!

The wedding showerWe kidnapped Dayana for a Bachelorette Party

Work Picnic

2009-07-18T14:31:00.001-07:00

Every year Justin's work puts on a fun family event. We had a lot of fun this year. Here are some the activities we enjoyed...

Andrew on the Bungee Jump..

Madison on the Bungee Jump...

Justin on the Bungee Jump. He had to show us his double flip...

Katelynn showing us her flip on the Bungee jump....

Lisa doing a flip on the bungee jump. It was so much fun!!

Andrew rock climbing...

Katelynn taking a ride on the mechanical bull...

Lisa's ride on the mechanical bull...

Anna riding a horse. She insisted on the "white one".

Madison's horse ride..
Andrew on the horse...
After all the good food and fun. We were exhausted. What a fun family event!

American Idol Live

2009-07-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

My Mom got us tickets to see American Idol Live in Salt Lake City last week. It was so much fun! American Idol really knows how to put on a show and I loved all the final contestants this year.
I thought that Scott, the blind singer, improved the most and he did a great job singing Coldplay and rocking out on the piano.
It was so much fun to see each one of the finalist stick with their style. It made for a great show and a great variety of music.
My mom and I had a blast together. It has been many years since we had a mother/daughter outing and it was so much fun!
Thanks Mom for the great night!

Oregon Trail and Hazard Creek Tournament

2009-07-16T21:56:00.001-07:00

Andrew and Madison had two more Golf Tournaments in the last two weeks.

Oregon Trail in Soda Springs, ID. Andrew had a great game and came in First. Madison also played very well and came in Third.

Hazard Creek in Aberdeen, ID. Andrew played very well and scored another First place medal. Madison came in fourth and is practicing hard this week to improve her score for next weeks last tournament.

Andrew playing at Oregon Trail

New Addition

2009-07-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

A special little addition came into our family on Anna's Birthday. We are now a "dog" family. Anna thinks he is "her dog" because he came for her birthday. However, when ever we say Anna "take your dog out for a walk" Anna says "He is my dog. But, I want Andrew to take care of it" Andrew is doing a great job at taking care of this little chihuahua and the kids have really become attached to him. Andrew is also happy to have another boy in the home.

Anna's Birthday Beach Party

2009-07-16T21:28:00.001-07:00

Our little girl turned 4!

We don't have a beach here. But, Anna really wanted a "Beach party" for her Birthday. So, we got the pool out, the slip and slide, beach balls and water balloons and had a GREAT time!

It is hard to believe our baby is 4 now! Of course she acts like she is 16. She is such a fun and spunky little girl. I love how Anna can make anyone laugh. She is always coming up with a witty remark or putting on a show. Any song that comes on the radio...Anna can sing along. She hears a song once and the next time can sing every word and with attitude. She loves to make people laugh and can be a bit of a princess. She tends to be a bit bossy and tells her older siblings what to do. She is confident and knows that she is cute. Whenever we go out she asks me "Mom, why is everyone looking at me?" and she wants me to respond "because your cute".

Happy Birthday Anna Banana!! We love you!

Sage Lakes Tournament

2009-07-02T16:26:00.000-07:00

Andrew and Madison had another great tournament this week. Andrew finished in First place. That boy is on a roll! Madison has been taking lessons and practicing a lot. She improved her score by a lot and finished in Second place. It is so much fun to watch these little golfers.

B.O.O.T. Camp

2009-06-28T21:33:00.001-07:00

This week I have been busy with GIRLS CAMP. We went with a fun theme
"B.O.O.T. Camp" which stands for "Building Our Own Testimonies"
We gave each girl an official army bag full of goodies. It had dog tags personalized with their names, a camo bandana, journal, t-shirt, poncho, and whistle.
The Army recruits came and put together an obstacle course and rock wall for the girls. We even had an official drill sergeant run the girls through each task. It turned out great and was so much fun!

Each group put together a cadence and decorated a flag. They did a great job and it was fun to see the creative ideas the girls had to name their squads.

The girls also built a "testimony wall" to keep out the intruders. Each girl decorated a brick with a word that has helped them to build their own testimony. Then, we put the wall together.

It was so much fun to get to know these girls and the other leaders.

Thanks to my husband and Kendra for watching the kids for me as I went on this expedition!!