Legal for the stake dances...

Ash turned 14. We were not going to do a big party this year. We decided on breakfast at our house for a few friends...turned out there were 36 of them! When I asked Ashlynn to make her list and put everyone on it that she would like to invite, I thought she would have... ohhh, maybe 15...nope 35! Where could we cut? I gave in and all 35 got the invite! And all but 2 came! It makes me happy to know she has so many good friends. I love having them in my home. I feel like I can get to know them and see them and feel good about who she is hanging out with! Very cute group of girls - They all came in jammies. We had a guessing game for the gather ing and then halloween colors of nail polish - which kept them busy for a long time! I had put conversation starters and Halloween jokes and riddles on each table - and Ash had done the place cards for seating. It seems like it was a success because the party was to be over at 10 and there were girls at our house tim noon...

I totally underestimated how much girls can eat! We had barely enough food, and they would have kept going if I had kept bringing it! We served breakfast casserole, cinnamon bubble bread, fruit, bacon, bran muffins and juice! All of Ash's favorites! She got some really cute gifts, lots of money, and fun cards! (She wants the fancy jeans - and she has the $ now!) The whole family pitched in and helped!

Fall break Fun!

We stayed home for most of the Fall break this year...just hung around home for the first part of the week! Then we met some of my family in Lake Powell for a quick camping trip!

The water was a bit cool - 68 degrees, but we all did get in...eventually! We had so much fun, we hope to make it a tradition. (Carly came with us at 4 weeks old!)

Marathon #2 - St. George!

I did it...another marathon! This is number 2 (and hopefully my last - unless I get talked into another) They are tough! The training is the hard part! All the mornings starting our long runs at 3:15 to beat the heat...Then still trying to function as a mom and wife without being totally exhausted and grumpy!

Race day is the fun part...All the people, new scenery, seeing what your body can do, the cheering crowds, and running with friends!

Overall, I was happy with the day. At the beginning of training I was thinking I would try to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I would need a 3:45. That is quick for me. My Memphis time was 3:58. I would have to cut 13 minutes...Ouch! Training started off good. We started doing some speed work at the track and everyone started getting injured, so we backed off on the speed training, but tried to keep up on the tempo runs. Then once the long runs set in, I had a recurrence of an old injury. The IT band...a very common running injury! I did not run more that 8 miles for the 5 weeks leading up to the race. I had done a few 20's so I knew my mileage was there to get me to the finish - just not enough speed for the qualifying time! Oh well...it is pretty sad when you live in a neighborhood where we had close to 25 runners at the race and I was the 3rd to last...Who would have ever thought that a 4 hour marathon would be slow???

(4:00:37 to be exact) Most people would be thrilled with that - and I was happy with a finish!

My mom and dad were there at the finish and that it made it the best! Those last few miles went a little faster for me because I was focusing on watching for them! And there they were - just when I needed to see them! I was so glad they were there!

All in all...a good race day! Recovery for a few months to let the injuries heal and on to Oceanside 70.3 in March! (Love that race!)

Who doesn't love FREE stuff???

I love free stuff...so we headed up to the mountains last weekend because we heard that kids 12 and under get a free season pass to Sunrise Ski Resort! Okay - we have only skied there once, but maybe with the free passes it will get us there more. We try to get to the Utah mountains for Spring Break each March, but now we make make a quick trip here and there if there is a good storm coming our way!

We had a great time! I love the mountains and the Fall colors...something we do not get to see very often her in the valley...Greg tries to tell me that the trees do still change (Even if it is in January.) It was BEAUTIFUL! The kids even noticed - when looking up from their ipods...(I need to ban those things on our shorter trips!)

We took the ski lift up to the top and after a little bribing and begging, we talked the kids into walking back down! It took about an hour - and after my marathon a week ago, it was not nice

on the legs. I definitely slowed the group down! We had fun spending the day as a family - even got a smile out of Ash a time or two...she had protested the walk down!

Ash had the camera most of the time. She is in a photo class at school and had an assignment over the Break! She got some great shots..

Race Weekend

There was always one dream I had as a mom...It was to have all my kids skiing with me. I could not wait for the day when my whole family could be on the mountain at the same time. And we made that when Callie turned 4.

Well, a few years ago, I added another dream. Not anything I would have ever thought of before that...but I wanted all my kids to do a triathlon together. I only asked that they do it once and if they hated it, that was fine. Well it turned out they love it and cannot wait for another! Here a re a few pics of what our race weekend was like!

We started a training program about 6 weeks before. Starting at 7am, we would either run, bike or swim. We started slow and short and then gradually built up to the race distance!

They all did awesome! I am so proud of them! It was tough and there were tears but they all dug deep and finished strong

Wednesday nights at our house...

18 young men - 12 & 13 year olds at our home each Wednesday night! I think there should be an award for that...repairs done so far:

Landscape lights, sprinklers, ping pong balls, paddles and tables, holes in drywall, paint touch-ups, media screen, playstation, and the list goes on...

Greg loves them - therefore I love them! I just can't wait for it to cool down outside for them to be able to meet outside!

...going on 5 years - and not sure there is an end in sight!~

What have we been up to?

Well...first month of school well on its way and behind us now! I can't believe it. Schedules are happening and routines are feeling a little bit more normal. Homework loads are increasing, friendships are expanding, dad is traveling more, mom is trying to keep up with the housework, and much much more. Life feels pretty normal and good right now! Here are a few things that we have done lately...first, my sweet little Annie volunteered me to make the "Class Flag." They run their classroom like a little community and need the flag to complete the community. so I thought, no big deal I can sew a little bit - straight lines only - so I gladly accepted. Well, the class had a comtest and voted on the winner. Annie brought it home to me and I had to take a second look. Their class community is "Liberty Land" and the sinning picture was a copy of the Candy Land game board - yes, just what you are thinking, a railroad track of colors, very intricate, very detailed, and looked to be very hard. Annie told me that if it was to hard I did not have to do it and someone else would. I was tempted but Annie said she would help so we took it on. Well, I got an idea in my head and we started! The teacher told me she was fine if I did not have it done til Christmas - but the last think I need hanging over my head is a class flag. So we started placing and cutting - it looked so great all laid out...the the sewing started. There were a few puckers here and there, but I thought I would be fine...Okay, it did turn out fine - just don't look too close!

It was a fun project to work on with Annie. She helped with all of it - she loves to sew.

Canning...6 raspberries, 13 ground beef, 12 chicken, 7 peaches, 6 chunky tomatoes, 6 tomato juice, 1 pear (many more of these to come)

I feel so good and like I have accomplished something as I stand back and look at progress. Still have a lot of holes in my 3 month supply, but getting closer!