Crazy busy or just tired!

 So its been a crazy few months since I posted last. There has been lots going on. Lots of weddings, sickness, babies, tiredness. This picture is of me and my girls. Just takin from a disposable at my cute cousins wedding.  I cant believe how big my girls are getting.

 So besides attending a lot of weddings lately. I also pretty much catered one. This is the 200 micky mouse chocolate dip sugar cookies across my counter. Thank you Brenda you were so helpful. I made mint julip from disneyland( not without more friends great advice, I love my friends) I set up ruan the tables and cleaned up, it all went great!!

 We got us a new little nephew to cuddle, He is sooo cute. Amys sweet little baby Rylen melts my heart, If his sweet little eyes are open there is no resisting.

This sweet baby boy, my baby boy, turned 6. The time has gone quickly, I cant believe he goes to school all day next year. He is a great kid, he is kind and worries about others feelings. He has a little anxiety, which surprises me because he so layed back. He worries like if its pajama day and I drop him off he will run back to the car and want to go home and change. He had a great day, got spoiled. I love him lots.
There will be more pictures to come my computer is acting up now... Have a good day!

Ella Bella Surgery

 Ella Bella all dressed and having no clue whats about to go on, poor girl!

After surgery, She did not come off of the meds very well, 2 extra shots of morphine were required to settle her down.

This is what last week looked like, she layed around drinkin from her sippies, cuddled to her mama.

Luckily grandpa showed up and surprised me to help with my little posesssed angel. Seriously I could not have contained her myself. I was grateful he showed up.

Ella was fascinated by the anesthesiologist talking about his 3 legged dog!

Recovery, please ignore giant wrinkles on my fore head, stress is not making me look younger.

Drive home

I had to take a picture of that IV, she wanted to tear it out, with her hand, her teeth, whatever she could think of . She got a little crazy about it. She has been a trooper. I hope this helps her to not be chronically sick anymore. Its hard to be a mom. Its hard to watch your kids suffer. I have just wanted to cry watching her feel so uncomfortable. I understand why she needed the surgery, she does not really. Thats the hard part. She is on the mend now, each days a little better. Now to just get her to eat. My skinny little girl, I love her.

Rough Day, new do!!!

Some days start off so nicely, 7 hours sleep, hang out, do a little laundry. Than an exhilarating 7 miles at seven, We giggle about the frost growing on our eyelashes, clothes and hair. Then I hope in my van with smile on my face drive 2 blocks home and then my teenager waves me down on her way to bus stop. Uhhhh Mom hurry home Ella cut her hair. My heart races calm down I am sure its not that bad, right. I came home to this about 6 inches chopped off, she wanted to look like her mama!!

She was all smiles as I cried and hyperventalated. She thought it was great!



So for Christmas I got a new do and a new kitchenaid. One gives me more work and the other does the work, we will see if you can guess which one.



She made it three minutes in the car after we finally got it fixed around 2. We were worn out from hiding under large hats all day while running errands.

There she is cute as ever little a-line bob. She looks adorable and loves it. One more head of hair for me to round brush. Good thing she is so cute. That was just the start of the day, I lost a 20 dollar bill, noticed brady lost half of one of his teeth while getting Charlee ready for her dentist appt. SHe has an infection so bad she has to see an oral surgeon to clean out some of the infection before root canal. It was one thing after another, really. I just want you to know I am always learning new lessons. Todays theme was If you think it cant get any worse, uh it CAN!! Even if you smile alot and have a really good attitude. Ok I admit it my attitude was not so great today.  Looking forward to bed time and sweet dreams.

Catching up!!!

So I have this weird problem, If the battery dies in my camera it is this overwhelming impossible task to charge, the camera might as well be broken. Its a simple task, I just struggle more than you know with it. Luckily for camera phones or I would have nothing. SO the last few months have been pretty stressful. Chayston has not been feeling well. He wakes up everymorning with a headache, nausea and stomach pain. We have had lots of blood work done numerous doctor appointments and still no answeres. In the meantime he missed over 30 days of school, so I had to withdraw him from his school and he now does eschool till we figure this out. The only other clue we have is that his eyesight has gotten significantly bad over the last few months. so tommorow he has an eye appt. and we are hoping they might have some answers for us. Keep him in your prayers for me!!

 We have still managed to squeeze in some silly James fun!!

Also played with our baby Kaison, who is clearly now a big boy. He is so easy going. We just love when he comes to play. He just goes with the flow. Give this kid a ball and he is HAPPY!!

I

Raegan comes to play too!! Her and Brady were posing for a pic they wanted me to take for Santa. Brady is aware of his moms ever failing memory. He likes me to take pics of the things he really really really wants.It is not good enough to just say I will let him know. Smart boy. Once Santa see this picture and what two darling little angels the are, I am sure he will make that 5 dollar bakugan happen.

 Decorated the house for christmas! It is still not quite right they rearrange it daily. Which means I have to rearrange again, lecture about not touching tree, repeat daily:) I love the feeling of the glow from the lighted tree it is calming and It makes me happy. They love it too.

We have enjoyed some snowy days, they love playing in it. I enjoy running in it. A nice morning with fresh snow is alot better than blue sky and no snow, COLD!!! 15 degrees this morning, but I still love to start my day with my morning run. Its my favorite way to start the day come snow, rain or clouds. I hope everyone is having happy holidays!!!

feelin stronger

Sometimes this life wears me down, way down. I have had a rough little bit lately, I dont know if its since the hysterectomy or what. But few times a year I just feel overwhelmed and inadequate. Sometimes I feel like I should be a better mom, better wife, better friend, etc. I should be more organized and patient. I want to do better be better and this all leads to feeling more overwhelmed.
Then the other day as I sat in church and sang(or tried to sing) Count your blessings. I was comforted and grateful that as long as we are doing are best, thats what really matters. I know sometimes my best is not enough. But its all I got and stress and anxiety, never help anything.
Than I read this quote,

You get what you give! We'd all like a quick fix solution to our problems, an express lane to our goals. But if your looking for something meaningful, it calls for hard work and perservance. A halfway job will produce halfway results. Remember, you will only reap the benefits of whatever effort you exert in the first place. While its tempting to cut corners and be lazy. Remember down the road you are only cheating yourself and those cop-outs will become regrets. Draw from your inner strength to stay focused on your goals. A little more work today means a much better tomorrow.

It got me thinking alot, about my life, the gospel, fitness. Its going on my fridge for awhile. Its all totally worth it. Thank goodness at the end of every rough day, I can go to sleep and tomorrow is always a better day.

Brady, "Hey dad this looks like mom, If mom was a superhero this is the one she would be. lol. I will take it, if I could only see myself like brady does.

st george pics details below.

 

 

The scorching hot St george Marathon!!

So since I started this adventure, one of my biggest goals was to get to run the st george marathon. Well since thousands of other people have this goal its been difficult. It does not matter that I was born there, my mom and her family grew up there. That I spent almost every school break and summer there. That my behind has been burnt by I think as many metal seatbelts in that 110 degrees temp as any washington resident. Besides the fact that my grandma could have just signed up and I used her bib:) No I decided to be fair. I tried the lottery 2 years and luckily 3rd year is always a charm. Well I signed up the begining of april and I have been training the last 4 months. After a long fabulous 22.5 mile run a few weeks back I even drove to st. george to drive the course. But in life we all know there are things you cant prepare so instead we learn from them, we grow from them and thats how we become a better stronger person. So I gotta tell you all about it now.
So friday at 11 we headed to St george, nicki(one of my fabulous runnin buddies) We wanted to get there earlier so we could get to the expo, get our bib, have some dinner and get to bed early, so we could load the busses at 4am, Yes Not a type error 4 in the morning, they give away some super cool prizes, we thought we would give it a try with no luck.

So I set my alarm for 325, I was sound asleep dreaming away I dreamed that we slept in till like 11. woke up startled looked at my clock it was 319. So I hoped up, I had been battling a head cold so I thought I would shower to feel good, usually no shower before runs, Oh I had to shave to before I wore my new running shorts. So we hoped in the van headed over and loaded the school bus at 405. We arrived at the start line about 25 minutes later, it was amazing. In a small town off the side of the road, this huge set up. Tables of hot chocolate, coffee, gatorade, water, vaseline, bandaid, safety pins, tape, your a runner you need it they got it. Unless you forget to charge your Ipod and the low battery is flashing and you are going to cry, because you dont want to do this with out your music. I was having a heart attack really.
Anyways here goes the whole 26 of the marathon for me...
1- one strong mind, ready to do this determined
2- two strong legs, trained and strong.
3- three hours of my ipod playing me music, by some miracle
4- four gels, I brought my own my favorites!!
5-five hours of sleep night before race.
6-How many ambulance races runners to hospital(pysching me out a little)
7-seventh mile Veyo hill, there was a sign that said Leukemia sucks, veyo hill sucks they both can be conquered and it said some kids name that was running. Big tough one mile long hill, ( huh what hill:))
8-eight oclock that night, what time I was ready for bed.
9-nine pictures taken, along route, there are few I will admit it I am not smiling.
10- ten toes screaming, yup my toesies are not a fan after mile ten, they are pretty much done.
11- Eleven oclock in the morning I was all done and laying in the grass unable to move.
12- twelve is the number of times I thought I might just be crazy for doing this.
13-thirteen minutes in my ice bath, it felt good, really I liked it.
14-fourteen cups of gatorade I consumed along route.
15-family members there cheering me on, I just cant even tell you how amazing it is when you feel tired and not sure if you can do it to see them, It gives you that extra little push and it  makes me cry alittle, I love em'
16- sixteen ounces of delicious recovery chocolate milk, We love winder dairy!
17-Seventeen weeks of training! Some good, some bad, but all of it neccessary.
18- Eighteen kids I gave 5's too, I'm a mom I see those kids cheering us on, waiting so patiently, yup I will run to the other side of the road to give em a five. I hope my kids got fives too...
19- nineteen cups of water(4 dumped directly on my hot head)
20-It was TWENTY degrees hotter than I wanted it to be, really.
21-Mile marker 21 I was feelin great, 5 miles to go(the loop) was all I had left.
22-Mile marker 22 you are coming into town, I know I am getting closer, I am approaching the crowds the sounds, I am almost done.
23- Mile marker 23, finally someone I recognize, I know I am a big baby, I cry. Run accross street give them five, uncle kyle and Shanna. It revives me a little I gotta look strong now.
24-Mile marker 24, I see a girl to guys carrying her, she is dilerious, shes fallen blood down her shorts. Starts to pysch me out more, its hot people are dropping its hot, i am tired, Can I really do this.
25- mile 25 A lady has a cup of big ice cubes from her fridge I take one its pure heaven, I suck on it, I rub it all over my face, I dream of my ice bath. I stop for water at the table. My legs are a little shaky.
26- mile 26 theres my family, I had been watching for them the whole time, there they were, I cry some more, I tell them its to hot and I dont like it. 84 degrees. TOOO HOT for me.
.2-Most the time I sprint in, one time I even carried Brady. Not this time, most people were walking. I told myself I had worked to hard, I was going to finish this, I reached way inside, I could not sprint, But I kept runnin clear up to that finish line. THey put a neat metal on me made out of native rock.
I just wanted to sit down, before I passed out and I wanted my shoes off and I wanted ice water. Not lukewarm water or gatorade. Really cold water and I did laid in the grass and felt like I might die. But you know what I did it. Not in my goal of 3:40 I was a little over 10 minutes over. But I didnt give up I worked through it all and Guess what else it may sound awful, But it wasnt it was AMAZING. I finish 1810 out of almost 6000 people and I am ready to do it again. Thank you everyone for all your love and support!!