***SPRING***

I love spring for so many reasons: it means summer, boats, Lake Powell, and time with family are all on there way, the amazing smell of blooming citrus trees, Easter (it competes with Christmas for my favorite holiday), general conference and of course spring break. Usually the kids and I head up to Idaho for a week or so to spend time with my parents but this year they came to us.

Some spring break highlights include:

The drive-in movies

Stories and lego playtime with Bapa

A day at the Phoenix Zoo

Bowling

Trek Saturday Activities (Scott & I)
Lots of family time

Thank you Bapa & Grandma for traveling 1000 miles to spend spring break with us; we love you!

Ragnar - An Experience of a Lifetime!

This last weekend I participated in the Ragnar Relay Del Sol which is a 204 mile relay race from Prescott to Mesa, Arizona. I was on a team of 12 women all over the age of 30. Many of these women were novice runners which makes our success even more amazing. I have run a handful of 1/2 marathons but this experience was completely new to me.

(Aprel, Paula, Minnie, Monika, Tiffany, Michelle, Katie

Tishia, Jenny, Me, Martha, Jen)

We had 2 suburbans each holding 6 women and all of their gear (and alot of wipies). Runners in the first van started running Friday morning at 7am and when all 6 of them had run their legs of the race our van took over and the first van was able to rest for a while. This rotation continued until each runner had run 3 legs of the race and we crossed the finish line together at 5:35 pm Saturday.

Although this was a team effort and a bonding experience for all 12 women, the experiences and trials of the women in our car took our friendships to a new level of endearment and sisterhood. Minnie, we call her the iron horse because of her unwaivering strength and determination. Tiffany was always the one to make us laugh and lighten the mood; she was also the first one to shed tears and I am thankfull she did because it made it easier for the rest of us to cry when it was our turn. Paula was the last minute addition to our car. She is Tiffany's cousin and she did amazing; she was fast and always upbeat. Tishia was our nurturer and planner; always so quick to give a word of encouragment or a compliment and without her water bottles or her reservation at the hotel none of us would have made it. Jenny was our cheerleader; she was the reason our team 'looked' like a team (t-shirts, ribbons and all). We also called her the pony because of her boundless energy.

Minnie looking good on her 1st leg

Tiffany making us laugh

Look at that stride!

Paula trying to keep cool

Tishia after that brutal hill and still smiling

Jenny excited to finish

My legs of the race:

leg #9 - started at 2:11 pm on Friday 6.7 miles (the 4 uphill were brutal)

leg #21 - started at 3:41 am Saturday 4.8 miles

leg #33 - sarted at 2:49 pm Saturday 8.0 miles

Look at that hill!

Getting Pampered - Water & Mist

Half laughing/half crying

Who can sleep at an Elementary School? Not Us!

Lessons learned (or remembered) from this race:

*Heavenly Father answers my prayers: On the Wednesday morning before the race I began experiencing servere vertigo. It progressed to the point that my body ached and my stomach was very upset. After countless prayers and a priesthood blessing I was able to wake-up Friday morning able and excited to run. This was a blessing from my Heavenly Father with very deliberate placement in my hands.

*Remember to be thankful for the Tender Mercies of the Lord: I am reminded of a saying that use to hang on my wall that said "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it." Life and all of its experiences should not be easy because it is through being tried that we grow and learn. I believe that Heavenly Father lightens our load by little tender mercies and it is our job to just recognize them. I experienced many of them this week: Tishia's insistance that she would drive me the the urgent care, Jenny's insistance that Chloe would come to her house, every shout out from the car "you can do it!", the bald man's shout of encouragement as he passed me on the Beeline highway... just to name a few.

*I am strong!

*Always be willing to try new things and push yourself!

I wouldn't trade this experience for anything because I believe that we can learn, grow and build lasting relationships when we are willing to push beyond the limits we set for ourselves.

Thank you ladies! You are AMAZING!

My BLUE eyes

At the beginning of every year I pull out my new calendar and go month by month and mark all the important dates. Sometimes I still don't remember a birthday or an anniversary but it gives me something to improve on. I am thankful for all of these dates because they give me the opportunity to reflect on, and be grateful for people and relationships in my life. Today I would like to honor the person who gave me my blue eyes.

Mom,

* I am thankful for your strength to overcome a difficult childhood

* I am thankful that you raised us with patience and meekness despite years of not feeling well and fighting illness

* I am thankful for years and years of your quiet support and trust

* I am thankful for all of our fried rice lunch dates together on the picnic table outside the dentist's office

* I am thankful for our 16 hour car rides together so that my kids and I can spend a week with you and dad every spring

* I am thankful for your time by my side as each of my babies has come into the world

* I am thankful for the reminder every now and again that my kids are wonderful and I'm doing a good job

* I am thankful for your cooking lessons even though you may not have known you were giving them

*I am thankful for your conversion and your testimony

* I am thankful for all of the phone calls...just because

* I am thankful for a grandma who adores her grandbabies

* I am thankful for our friendship

AND

* I am thankful for my blue eyes which I hope are not the only trait I inherited from you.


I love you, Mom.
Happy Birthday!

DO YOU NEED A TIME OUT?

Let me preface my post by saying that Nathan is a great kid - he is fun, energetic, expressive...having said that, he also has a very hard time controlling his behavior. Scott and I also have a very hard time controlling his behavior. As far as discipline goes, nothing much phases Nathan; he doesn't care if he spends all day in his room, he doesn't care if he gets TV, toys, gaming systems taken away but, HE HATES TO STAND WITH HIS NOSE ON THE WALL. Chances are if you were to stop by our home on a whim you might find Nathan standing at the top of the stairs with his nose on the wall.

Yesterday Chloe was acting up so I asked her "Chloe, do you need to stand with your nose on the wall?" To which she promptly replied "YEEEEEEES!" She ran to the top of the stairs and stood as she has seen Nathan stand many, many times. I had to get a picture.

FLORIDA

On February 4th Scott and I flew to Florida so that we could be there to attend the wedding of my brother Jon and his love, Tiffany. They were married on February 5th on the beach in Key Largo...the sun was shining, it was warm and the air was still...oh wait that was what we packed for. Despite the wind and the cold temperatures the bride and her sisters looked amazing and we were all together laughing and celebrating. Tiffany I am thrilled to have you and your family as an addition to my own.

On Thursday we met up with Tiffany's family for lunch and then off to do a little shopping.

All of the girls met up with Tiffany in the Bridal Suite for a quick Bridal Shower and then it was time for Tiffany to get all dolled-up.

Tiffany with her Dad.


On Friday Scott and I spent the day site-seeing the Keys with my family. It was beautiful and we ate alot of GOOD food.

On the boardwalk in Key West.

On the Southernmost Beach in Key West.

1000 feet up, parasailing in Key Largo.

Alligators in The Everglades

On the beach in Fort Lauderdale.

It was a wonderful trip; I enjoyed all of the family and site-seeing and some much needed time to just be together with my hubby.

Runnin' Runnin' & Runnin' Runnin'

OK, so if my blog is truly a way to journal my life it would not be complete without a 'running' entry. 6 months after my daughter Brooklyn was born I started running and there has rarely been a day go by (except during my pregnancies) where it has not been incorporated into my day. People ask me all the time "How can you love to run?" I enjoy running (especially with friends), but I LOVE the way I feel when the run is over.

It is always good for me to have a goal, something to work for, where running is concerned. On January 31st I ran my 5th half marathon with a personal best time. Yeah! I decided to run just 1 week before the race and there were a group of girls in my ward running it who very eagerly included me in their 'hot momma club'.

My next endeavour is a 209.1 mile relay race. Our team of 12 is running from Prescott, AZ to Mesa, AZ on February 27th and 28th. Not only have we been making a lot of fun memories training for this race but we are running for a great cause, CARSON'S CRUSADE. Carson is a 3 year boy in my ward who was diagnosed with kidney cancer 1 1/2 years ago. He was the same age as Chloe is now. Carson, his family and friends have fought a very courageous fight and Carson's very recent scans all came back negative. HALLELUJAH!

Our Team

(Aprel, Minnie, Martha, Kim, Michelle, Tiffany, Jen, Me, Tishia, Monica, Jenny)

Go Team! We will rock this relay race! and Jenny I will happily be wearing all of my green thanks to you.

(Minnie, Tiffany, Me, Jenny)
On the top of the mountain: hill training by red mountain

Props to Martha for all of her time. Jenny and Tishia, thanks for all the miles!

Goodbye old friend!

After five summers and a million memories we said goodbye to our boat this weekend. Though we have been trying to sell it for some time, I must admit it was a little hard to see the new owners drive away with it in tow.

One day in the spring of 2004 Amber called me at work out of the blue and said “we need to recreate more and I think we should get into water sports like a boat or something!” I had been consumed with my job since we had moved to Arizona and had forgotten how to play. Having done some boating and skiing in my younger days, her suggestion got me excited. It was the push I needed to get out of my work only routine and in fact I started calling people who owned boats the next day to do some research. One of those people was my Uncle who just happened to be selling his boat and within a month of Amber’s call we were officially owners of a 1995 Seaswirl Spyder. Since then we have logged countless hours of quality time together playing on the water.

In the big scheme of things I understand the boat itself is not important and in all honesty it’s not the boat that I will miss, though it was a good one. It’s separating the memories associated with it that's hard. The Spyder intrduced us to something we are now passionate about and will do the rest of our lives. Tubing, wakeboarding, the warm summer nights at Canyon lake watching the sun go down, exploring hidden canyons at Powell or just turning up the music and swimming in the middle of a lake, and all done as a family. In this day and age anything that can bring us together as a family is good and nothing brings you closer than a family of 6 on a 20' boat!

Make no mistake, there will be another boat someday but never another Spyder.