circus-a-thon

CIRCUS TIME!

These are our pictures from the circus! We had to indulge on one bag of $10 cotton candy. The foam hat totally made it worth the price! Tigers, and elephants, and dogs, even a porcupine! Our neighbors, the Romans, were sitting in the row behind us. Well, everyone except for Jordan who was supposedly out of town but Jon and I suspect that he is really in disguise as Super Silva.

Paige and Haily did AWESOME in their school walk-a-thon. Paige did 23 laps and Haily di 18! That's about 4 miles for Paige and 3 for Haily. They enjoyed the music and treats. Charlie was the greatest cheerleader. He was pooped at the end. We all chowed down on pizza afterwords. It was a good day. Thanks to all of you who donated! It means so much!

While you were out

Jon went camping for the weekend and I decided to surprise him by taking on a long overdue project; organizing his office. I thought while I was at it, I might as well paint and get a new organizational wall unit. I first must include this disclaimer; Jon is a very hardworking and driven man. He owns his own business which he started from scratch and runs all on his own. There are many nights he works into the wee hours of the morning in order to keep clients satisfied, to keep the work coming in, to keep the bills paid, so that I can stay at home and be a mom full time. The past year has been a hectic and crazy one for him leaving him less time, or concern really, for keeping things in order. He deserves the most warm, inviting, comfortable, tidy environment in which to work.

My sister Annie came and spent the day with me on Friday. We painted and put together the wall unit we got at IKEA. Then we began the process of putting things where they belong. It was a long and arduous task but the results were well worth it.

(This would be the place where I would insert a before picture if it wouldn't totally embarrass my husband!)

But here are the afters:

I wish I could've seen his face when he first walked in but he got home very late and I was sleeping. It was a fun surprise though and it sure feels better in that room. I even want to spend some time in there!

Birthing my Marathon Baby

As I sit here icing my knee I am contemplating the journey I've been on the past 4 years or so, where it has taken me and what I have learned. Bear with me as I record the details.


After Haily was born I was motivated to lose some weight and 2 of my friends, Amy and Angie, were too so we decided to train for a 10K. I had never really run much before and when I did I hated it, so needless to say I was reluctant! But they assured me that it was a surefire way to drop the pounds, so off we went.


I did the 10K in June of 2004. I discovered the sense of accomplishment that came with finishing a race that I worked hard to train for. I also enjoyed the running community, being a part of something bigger than myself. It was then the seed was planted that maybe someday I would train for and run a marathon...
Fast forward 4 years to a few months ago. I was running pretty consistently 4-6 miles a couple times a week. Some of my neighbors were doing the Wasatch Back Relay and needed one more runner to take a spot on the team. I was excited to do it! It sounded like fun and also a great way to get to know the neighbors a little better since we hadn't been here very long. I began to run with my neighbor Michelle. We had a great time doing the relay (look at the post in June) and decided to continue to train for a half-marathon in August.


This would be the farthest I'd ever run and was really excited and nervous about it. The race went great and was a lot of fun. (see the post in August!) After accomplishing that one, Michelle decided it would be a good idea to continue our training for one more month and do the full marathon. I was really intimidated but she had some convincing arguments. I was already trained this far, it would only be one more month of my life dedicated to training, if I didn't do it now when would I? If I waited, I'd have to start training from scratch. I knew if I didn't do it I would regret it so I committed to doing the 16 mile training run and decide after that.


The 16 miler... oh my my. We did it just 5 days after the half marathon in the evening, which is usually my favorite time to run. We mapped out a course on mapmyrun.com and planned to be done right as it got dark. Well, no. That did not happen. It took us about an hour longer than planned and we ended up hobbling home on a busy road, with no shoulder, in the dark! The pain I felt in my hamstrings and then radiating up my back and down my calves was like nothing else I had experienced. When we finally made it to the car, we both just fell face first onto the seat and rested there until we could muster the strength to get into the car. I got home and sat down on the cold tile floor in my bathroom because it felt good on the back of my legs. I felt nauseous but knew I should eat some carbs so I unwrapped a baked potato and began gnawing on it. I loaded up on some ibuprofen and went to bed. I was certain I would NOT be running the marathon. But Michelle said "let's not decide now. We are not in a rational state of mind. Let's see how we feel tomorrow." Well the next day, miraculously, I felt great!


The next big run was a 20 miler. We got up early on a Saturday morning. And when I say early, it was still dark out. We drove forever (seriously 1 hour) and looked out across the valley toward our neighborhood and tried not to be discouraged by how far from home we were. Somehow, that run went much better. It wore me down to the very last ounce of energy I could muster but the pain was manageable.


That was it! I got on line and registered. I was officially committed to running a marathon.





Here is a picture of some of my cheering section waiting for me at mile 21. My brother Dave, Noah, Paige, Charlie, Nelson, Owen, and Haily.

Some highlights:

* Using a port-a-potty in the dark at the starting line. Actually this was a low point. Pretty eeky to realize you can't see and neither could anyone else before you. Ew.

* Running into old friends! Kenia Ann, a college roommate, and Jaima, a friend from high school!

* The man who fell right after the start line, cracking open his head and breaking his nose! I assumed he would not finish but saw him around mile 22 with his head and face wrapped like a mummy and blood all over his face! WOW! I heard through the grapevine that he held a record for most consecutively run marathons, so he had more on the line.

* The first 10 miles or so through a canyon enjoying the gorgeous fall scenery. I was amazed at how fast each mile seemed to pass.

* My awesome husband and kids and brother and his kids who were at mile 21. This, I learned is a critical point in the race. I had totally hit a wall and was fighting the panic wondering how I would finish. When I saw our car I burst into tears! They came and ran along side me for a bit. You'll see it on the video clip coming up. All the sniffling I'm doing is from my bawling!

* When I finally turned the last corner and the finish line was in sight! At this point I was a complete and total emotional wreck! I was doing my ugly and loud cry as I ran! My girls came out and crossed the line with me. OHHH the RELIEF!! The joy! Wow, I had done it! I had run a MARATHON!

* The Supersonic Breakfast Burrito and Cranberry Limeade I ate on the drive home. YUM!

Here I am approaching the finish line.

Me and my wonderful kids!

The whole family.

They had some GOOD post race snacks. Fat Boys, Goldfish, cheese sticks, Gatorade. Here we are enjoying it all. My amazing sister Annie came up to watch too.

This is the video clip taken right after mile 21.

This is about mile 22.

Here I am crossing the finish line with my girls.

Some of my favorite signs I saw along the way:

1. Pain is weakness leaving the body

2. YOU CAN (A spectator held up this huge sign in several places along the course and it SO helped!)

3. I'll never know how far I can go unless I try.

4. I am bigger than this.

A couple analogies:

1. BIRTHING MY MARATHON BABY. I think distance runs are a lot like pregnancies. It's a rough start as your body tries to adjust to the new condition it is in. Some nausea. The daunting feeling that you have so far to go and knowing there is no way out now. Then in the middle you've adjusted. You feel good, in fact you enjoy it even. Then you hit the final stretch. Time seems to last at least 10 times as long. Your body hurts. You just want it to be over. You might even get a bit grumpy. Then you finish! Overwhelming emotions!

2. THE ROAD OF LIFE. The beginning of the race is like pre-mortal life. We are all together excited and nervous about the journey we about about to embark upon. We finally are on our way. So many people of all ages, shapes, sizes, you name it! Everyone has their own story to tell. Even though we are all on the same road, we all have very different experiences and face very different challenges. Different pain, discouragement, small victories and let-downs. However, in the race, your primary concern in getting yourself across that finish line as quickly as possible. Whereas in life, our primary concern should be doing all we can to help make sure we ALL cross the finish line no matter how long it takes. In fact, that is the very thing that will get us there. It was inspiring to see a man who had already finished the race come and grab his wife's hand around mile 23 and say "come on baby, let's go!". Together they pulled out the last 3 miles hand in hand. What an angel! And the reunion with your loved ones at the end is so joyful!

3. THE IMPORTANCE OF A CHEERING SECTION. It means so much to have people there who appreciate what you are going through, who care about your well-being, who want for your success. Even if it is the stranger along the way who asked "how are you feeling?" "are you holding up OK?" "Relax, you got this" "I am proud of you!" The phone calls of well-wishes and asking how things went.

Thanks a million to my cheering section in the race, and in life! I love you! This accomplishment is as much yours as it is mine!

Charlie is 2!

My baby boy turned 2! Oh Charlie, you are growing too fast! We invited family over to celebrate with us and enjoy some cake and ice cream. All the girls were very eager to help him with the unwrapping.

I think he thoroughly enjoyed his cake...

and the markers he was given as a gift. (which, by the way, are NOT washable!)

Papa Mark got all battle-emblazoned and decided to take care of our HUGE hornets nest. This is the 2 boys and Grandma watching behind the safety of the glass.

And here are the rest of the kids watching. You can see Mark's reflection in the window.

This obviously was the highlight of the party.

Here are some funny stories in honor of Prince Charlie's first 2 years of life.

He has a rash on his trunk that sometimes looks like bug bites. He calls them his owies. One day he came in the bathroom while I was showering and pointed to my boobs and said, "What's that Mom? Mommie's owies?" Well, I know they look similar in color and size but there are actually what nourished you for the first 12 months of your life so let's have some respect for what's left of my tattered and shriveled femininity!

The other day he wondered into my bathroom and came out with a certain feminine product. He brought it to me and said, "Open it Momma. Candy." Uhh, not quite.

His trademark for anyone who knows him is his usual attire, a dress. The dress has to be long enough to skim his toes. The more pink, sparkly, glittery, and frilly the better. He also loves Barbies, Polly Pockets, and he is our house's biggest Hannah Montana fan. (That is saying a lot with 2 young girls in the house!) He can name all the Princesses by their picture or their song.

Charlie loves to squeal and dance and run. He loves shoes, not his own, but anyone else's.

On the first day of school for the girls he had to wear his own backpack to the bus stop and he waved goodbye to me and headed off to the bus.

He is going through the "broken record" stage right now. He repeats the same phrase over and over and OVER again. He mimics everything you say, especially during prayers even when it's not his turn to say it.

Charlie loves to give hugs and kisses. He loves to laugh and loves to make people laugh. He is such a good little boy and life would be so much less joyful without him.

A box of BBs.

Yesterday I had one of those Mommy days from you know where! I know all of you moms have been there...the kids are non-stop fighting, whining, crying, demanding. I swear sometimes they think I am their servant! Not even a please or thank you, or at the very least a kind tone!

Here's how my evening went: Paige gets home from school and I need to run 2 short errands to the bank and the dry cleaner. This event is accompanied with whining from Paige that she HATES coming home from school and having to go straight somewhere because she's been on the bus FOREVER! Also she can't stand the sound of Haily's voice. She does a lot of deep growling and gnashing of teeth.

We get home and I am scrambling to get dinner finished. Lots of complaints about having tacos; of all things, why would I serve my family TACOS? Charlie is pulling on my pants, getting between me and the counter and pushing me, whining...

Jon gets home and wonders of I will have time for him later...

After fighting through dinner I can't take it anymore so I go into my room and lay on my bed in the dark for some peace and quiet! Jon thinks the solution to this is to load the dirty, ornery, tired kids in the car and go get ice cream. I say I don't want to go because I know they will just fight all the way there and back and I can't take listening to that anymore. He makes them promise they won't. I reluctantly go. There is fighting and crying all the way there and back.

We get home and I put the girls to bed but don't have the patience to deal with Charlie yet. He toddles around me asking me "matter?" while I lay on the dark bed again. I see Haily repeatedly getting out of her bed and sneaking into the bathroom but have no energy to scold her. Jon emerges from his office and deals with her. He lectures the girls on how they are wearing me out with their constant whining and fighting. He tells them they need to do better from now on. That punishments will be more swift and more severe.

Later he tells me that Haily was preparing a gift for me that she wanted to present me but he advised her against approaching me at that point and offered to present the gift to me for her.

He brings me this lovely blue and pink box. Inside, under the carefully placed toilet paper (which I saw her sneak into her room by tucking it into her pajama pants) was her complete collection of BBs. She LOVES BBs for some reason and always picks them up on the street whenever we are outside. It is her prized possession and each one is accounted for in her mind.

Needless to say I was touched by her sacrifice and her gesture of an apology. She is so sweet, as well as Paige and Charlie. I had to go into her room and see her precious sleeping face. Today was a much better day.
When I picked Haily up from school I thanked her for her thoughtful gift and told her how much it meant to me. She said, "That was ALL my BBs...but that's OK, I can find more." Oh, Haily! I told her she can still use mine anytime she wants.

kickin it ol' school dances

I stumbled upon all my high school dance pictures the other day and thought it would make an entertaining post. Especially for all of my old dates and friends who are also in the pictures. Why did we think those fashions were cool? Crazy. Good times, good laughs.

Welcome to the world, Luke Weston!

Jon's brother Chad and his glowing wife Jocelyn are the proud parents of a new baby boy. He was born on Labor Day! September 1, 2008. He was 7 lbs and 19 inches. He had lots of hair, a little bit wavey. When I told Paige that he had lots of brown, curly hair she asked if he was a "brown baby"! We went to see him at the hospital that evening. He has such a sweet, loving feeling about him. Didn't make a peep, just looked all around with his little swollen eyes. Congrats to Chad and Joc, and Bentley, the big bro! We look forward to watching you grow, Cool Hand Luke!