Jack o lanterns

I hate carving pumpkins. I hate the smell, I hate the feel and I hate the mess. But, I am a mom, and a pretty cool mom at that, so I go along with it for the kids.


Ian really loved playing with the pumpkin "guts". It was just the sensory input he likes.

Matthais turns 12

I feel bad that I never posted about Matthais's 12th birthday. It's such a big one but since we were all sick that day it took a back seat.

Here is how he spent his day....


But later he was feeling better so we had a little party.

He got a hiking backpack and a tent. I don't think that exactly thrilled him but I think he knows he'll use it.


I can't believe my baby boy is 12! On Sunday he was ordained a deacon.


I was so emotional and everytime I think about him going to his first Young Men's activity on Thursday I start to tear up. I can't believe that I blinked and he turned 12. Happy Birthday Matthais...You will always be my wish come true!

Surviving the pandemic

That's right. Our family has officailly survived the flu pandemic of 2009. And it really wasn't that bad.

I usually don't buy into the media hype and really haven't thought much about H1N1 but when Ian started running a fever Sunday I decided to take him in on Monday for a flu test and some Tamiflu. Had it been any of my other kids I would have waited it out but because of Ian's underlying health concerns I felt like being proactive would be best for him. Sure enough he tested positive for the swine flu. He was better within 24 hours but one by one the rest of us caught it. Matthais caught it just in time for his 12th birthday. I belive we all had mild cases of it (with the exception of me) and everyone felt better within 24 hrs of the onset of the fever. I experienced more symptoms and was sick longer than the rest but I think that is because I ran myself ragged taking care of everyone else. Everyone is better (except for Owen's runny nose) and the house is cleaned and sterilized. Now everyone can quit treating us like we have the plague.

One week later

and I feel really good! but I also almost lept for joy when I realized I didn't have to spend a good chunk of my day running! My foot still hurts and for some reason my achilles has been aching but my toenails have quit hurting and my muscle feel healed. I am taking the next 4 weeks off of running to let my foot heal and I will be doing less high impact workouts until then. I'm starting P90X tomorrow. After 4 weeks I will try running again and will hopefully have enogh time to train before the half marathon in January.

Another year older...

This year I spent my birthday without much fanfare. Well, I guess for the last several years it's been that way. I watched kids (thursday's are my busiest daycare day) went to SEP's and to a visiting teaching interview. My husband brought me Zupa's for lunch and we went out to dinner. I had some amazing friends who showered me with love and lots of yummy gifts (and a flat of diet coke!!!). 34 was hard. I've never paniked about my age until this year. And I don't know if it's so much about turning 34 or just reflecting on my last year. The last year sucked. I can't say it anymore plainly than that. Emotionally I think I aged 20 years so no wonder I feel so much older than 34. And then there are the crows feet that have somehow managed to appear and the gray hair I pluck out every day. Really? Grey hair and wrinkles??? I'm doomed.

But even though I am another year older...I really am wiser too. I have learned who my true friends are. I have learned that some friendships aren't worth the pain that they cause you. I have learned to let go of things I have no control over. I have learned that when people struggle, the best thing you can do is be their friend. I have learned what it's like to love and to really be loved. I have learned that I can do hard things. I have learned that I am stronger than I thought. I have learned that I am worth it.

Yes it's been a really crappy year but I've learned so much from it and I'm ready to move on to bigger and better things. Life will probably not get much easier but at least I am able to look at it through different eyes. Happy Birthday to me.

My first Marathon

We left for St.George on Friday and met up with my best friends from High School Jen and Missy at the little Expo that they held. We later went to the Olive Garden for some good ole carb loading. I didn't sleep that much that night...only 4 hours. I wasn't nervous so much as I just kept thinking about it. At 3:30 a.m. I got up and got ready.
We loaded the bus at 4:00 a.m. and the ride up seemed to take forever. Missy and I laughed knowing that we'd have to run all the way back. I wasn't prepared for the bitter cold we stepped off the bus into. Luckily the fires were up and going but if you stepped away from the fires for even a few seconds you would freeze
The few hour wait went by fairly fast and I had a lot of fun catching up with Missy. Jen and I talk every few weeks but Missy and I only keep up on facebook. And we share something in common...We've both kissed Adam...but that is a whole other story and we didn't talk about that! We were in line for the potty's when the gun went off so we started about 10 minutes later.
It was still so cold I felt like my muscles were already so sore...and we hadn't even started yet! The first six miles or so went great. Then I saw the hill. Nobody told me about this hill. That hill did me in. The rest of the run was a challenge. My knees hurt...my muscles hurt...I was winded. But I pressed on. At mile eight I noticed I couldn't bend my wrists. My hands were so swollen.
This is also about the time I could feel the blister on my toe pop. It hurt like crazy. It continued to fill and pop throughout the run.
Mile 13.1...halfway there but I felt done. This is when I first noticed the shuttles taking people off the mountain. Boy was I tempted. (not really).
The rest of the run was hard, long and lonely. Adam started calling and texting around mile 19 which was a great support to me.
This sign made me laugh...
This one too!

Mile 26
This is when I first saw Adam. I was so happy to see him I gave him a kiss and then let him run to the finish line so he could get a picture of me crossing the finish line.

Official time...6:06:34...I'm not complaining.

I am proud of myself and here is why you should be too...
1. I ran this thing 35lbs overweight. That number could be debatable because it's probably more like 45 but I am 35 lbs heavier than I was last year.
2. I trained during the worst summer of my life. Seriously. It started in April and didn't end until September (well, if if really has indeed ended). I didn't want to get out of bed those months let alone run.
3. I am not the best at following through on things. I wanted to quit soooo many times but I didn't... that alone is worth celebrating.

Things that didn't happen during the marathon that I thought would
1. I didn't die
2. I didn't puke
3. Didn't get the dreaded runner's diareha
4. I didn't cry

Things that I didn't expect
1. The bitter cold at the start
2. No toliet paper in the porta potties (really people!)
3. How immodest runners could be. I don't know how many men (and some women) who I saw peeing off the side of the road.
4. My feet to hurt. I expected my knees, my muscles and my back but not my feet. I'm pretty sure I have a stress fracture in my foot.

Would I do it again??? Maybe. But not alone. I would only ever do it again if I had someone running right along side of me.

But, I'm a marathoner now...I read somewhere that only 1% of people will ever run a marathon.
I ran the St. George marathon and I have the medal to prove it!

I'm a marathoner!

I bet you can't wait for the details!! I'm just waiting for the pictures to be developed and then boy do I have a story for you!