It's Gonna Hurt

I went running about 4 miles outside for the first time after a 2 month hiatus on Saturday night and had a moonlit, soul-finding run. I had to get back into my groove. Great run.
I went running this morning - 1 mile steep uphill. It hurt and I wanted to throw up. I only actually ran about a 1/4 of it and walked the rest. Because I have some drive to want to climb that mountain - not on all four, but actually upright, I am going back again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. Yes, It's gonna hurt.
I am training for the Wasatch Back Relay race coming up in June - 2 days of team running from Logan to Park City. You don't sleep, run in the middle of the night, have crazy team names, decorate vans, and run up steep road and mountain passes that really should be left to people who know what they are doing. Yet, here I am and truth be told, I'm actually looking forward to the challenge. This race is different - it sounds so insane, but people that do it, KEEP going back year after year and when you talk to them about it they have this crazy, excited look in their eyes. I've got 3 different legs-one that is up Old Snowbasin Road 4 miles, another that is 6 miles - moderate, and the last leg is 7 miles downhill coming out at the top of Deer Valley. Good mix of a lot of stuff that will probably eat my lunch!! Can't wait!~

New Sandbox!

We have a big tree that has grown over our flower garden - a wild tree that nobody planted and is too close to the fence. We have grape vines along that same side of the fence that send shoots way way up into the tree and in the middle of the summer it feels a little like a jungle in that corner of the garden. The roots at the base of the tree have made it so that nothing will grow in the ground, so we thought it was the perfect place for a sandbox. Smack dab in the middle of the garden, right in moms line of sight from the kitchen window, lots of shade for the kids to escape to from the summer heat. Much to my surprise, the kids are completely occupied by these 'digging and building things'. They will play forever in my friends sandbox and always cry and scream like unbehaved little children when we have to make them leave. So now we have one of our own and hopefully a fun spot for the kids and their friends. (hopefully not the cats). I'm thinking this is going to give me a little summer sanity. It's much better than trying to keep Becks from constantly running in the road in the front yard - Anyone want to come over and play?

Conversations with the kids

Beckham got a small bump on his head and told me that he needs to go to the Dr's to get a shot. What kind of kid requests to get a shot?? He's requested it many times before. Weird 2 yr old.

Yesterday Ethan and I had a conversation in the car about being a team player in soccer. He said, "Yep. It's all about having fun." and I said, "that's right." Then he quickly added, "But it's all about WINNING when you are playing Slug Bugs, huh mom." (Slug Bug What Color! Ethan and I are on a team and we always beat Beckham...Ethan keeps score and organized our alliance. Together we are inVincible!)

Eva has informed me that we will not be able to pick up her bed from the furniture store on Saturday because she is teaching a dance class to all of her friends in the neighborhood and will be doing so every Saturday through the summer. She mentioned it a few weeks ago and I thought she would forget about it, but she told me again yesterday and has also made up some props that they will be using. I hope that all her friends remember that they are signed up for this class!

Nothin' to see here, people. Go about your lives.

So Ethan broke his arm last Tuesday night jumping/wrestling/playing ninjas on our neighbors trampoline. One of the older boys fell on him and he broke his left arm - a complete break. He wasn't able to get it casted for 3 days because of the swelling, but he finally got his light blue transformer cast put on on Friday, and he's been a rockstar ever since! He missed 3 days of school, had all of his family and friends sign his cast, and loves to tell people about it to get as much sympathy/gifts as he can.

We stopped at the grocery store on the way home from getting it casted and as we are walking down an aisle he yelled out to some unconcerned shoppers, "IT'S A BROKEN ARM, PEOPLE!!" (He said it like," Geez! Haven't you ever seen a broken arm before?!! Move along, people, move along. Look away all you rubber-neckers -nothin to see here. Go about your lives.) I'm not quite sure where he gets his nerve - I think it is from Kerry's side.

He is back to everything and anything boy. Running around w/squirt guns w/his buddies, playing on the swing set, totally upset that he couldn't play in his soccer game, and already figuring out how to play his spiderman video game one handed.

This wasn't his first visit to the ER, and I highly doubt it will be his last. Is it a right of passage? In our family, probably so. Kerry was just a youngin' when he had the clever idea of jumping out of a tree to land on a dog -just like a cowboy would jump out of a gunfightin' townhall and land on his horse. Well he missed the dog and landed on his arm. Dog/Horse? Little boy/professionally trained stunt man? What's the difference? He went inside and said matter of factly, without any crying, "Mom, I think I broke my arm." Kerry's parents have story after story and Kerry has scar after scar of fun life events that happened to him on a consistent basis. Just check out his cockeyed arm sometime! I'm sure Ethan will have a scrapbook of stories to add on as well. Poor kid!

TipToe through the Tulips

Becks brought me a bouquet of flowers today! In fact, today hasn't been the only time -they have been coming to me from my little 2 year old almost every other day for the last two weeks.
"Here Mama - I got some flowers for you!" (big grin, so proud)

......This is why I have no tulips blossoming in my front yard. Maybe next year ~

BYU Women's Conference

There are few things that are life altering: Running has been one for me, discovering dark chocolate, and another is being able to attend Women's Conference at BYU. I am so grateful for my lifelong amazing friend of 20+(!!!) years, Lori Gertsch who suggested that we go to women's conference last year. It has helped me in so many ways, but I don't know if I ever would have pursued it, being that it was going on at BYU (Born and bred Ute fan, here.)

In fact, I kept having minor panic attacks saying to myself, "What if I would have missed this!!" I needed to hear exactly what was just said or what I just felt. If you have been before, then you know what I'm talking about. If not, then if you ever get the opportunity to attend Women's Conference, sieze it! It is empowering and enriching, focus driven and filled with so many revelations for your own life. I know this is sounding dramatic, but this is truly how good it is! I feel strengthened and renewed in my resolve to become a better mother and wife and woman over-all. It is so encouraging and I learn so much.
I'm going to post some of the nuggets of wisdom I took note of and insights I had from women's conference as soon as I get a chance.

This time we did a couple of things different from last year:

This year we stayed in the dorms - wow! A few words (don't) come to mind: plush, luxe, chic, un-cinder-blockish, lavish, spa-like. But who knew we would have had so much fun ! We met our roomies next to us - one of whom had been there 30 years prior when she attended BYU and told us that the dorms were EXACTLY the same. I completely believe her. Staying in the dorms was an experience in itself! I would totally do it again.... If we would have been 10 years younger we would have had a huge dorm party and invited ya'll.. (But we're not.)

Our 2 days were also spent with a couple of Lori's BYU roomates - Mimi and Tanya. Mimi flew in from Houston and Tanya - a former Dart! Very cool and impressive girls and it was fun to finally put a face to the names that I have heard stories of before! We attended a few of the classes together and then hit PF Changs for dinner that night. So much fun to make new friends, + we got to tell our favorite stories of Lori which is always hilarious.

Women's Conference is on a Thursday and Friday, which makes it nice to come home and still have the weekend. Not only were the classes excellent, but Thursday night night was followed by a fantastic concert at the Marriott Center- one of the groups was Mercy River...Yeah!! Brooke Stone - a great friend and one blessed with an angelic voice and unfair talent, is in that group and they are so good. It was so cool to see her in her element...


Lori and I have plans to go every year. We are women's conference veterans! Of course, getting out the door (from home) was the hardest part and I couldn't have done it without my Mom, Kerry, and friends Lori and Carolyn shuttling kids and watching my little angel/destroyer, Beckham and his big brother Ethan. Thank you so much! (again.)

Kerry - thank you for being my soft shoulder to fall on. I love you!