Since School Started

Since school has started, I've been able to get a lot of house projects done.  Sweet relief!  

I finally finished Georgia's quilt.  This is BY FAR the most complex quilt I've done and it took FOREVER to complete it.  I just need to make a matching pillow and Georgia's room will be done!

My garden is still going gang-busters and I finally canned a batch of spaghetti sauce.  My house smelled so heavenly!

I had the honor of watching two of my dear friends and my sister in law run the Big Cottonwood Canyon Marathon.  It is one of the fastest courses in the US.  I went to different spots along the course and held my signs.  I think my new calling in life should be a professional road race spectator.  I LOVE IT!  All my buddies qualified for the Boston Marathon and I couldn't be more excited for them.

After the race, we took the kids to the Chalk the Block down in the Riverwoods.  The whole parking lot was full of various artists who did chalk drawings.  Super fun!

Face painting at Chalk the Block

Not my favorite face painting :)

First Day

Hip Hip HOORAY for the first day of school!


Annie - Abby - Carter - 4th Grade

Carter's new kicks!  He was over-the-moon excited about his new shoes!

Georgia started one week after the big kids.  She was so excited to finally go to school like the big kids.  She insisted on wearing her cow-girls boots on the first day of afternoon kindergarten!

Now that school is in full swing, my evenings are full of homework, various sporting events, dance, gymnastics, and piano.  But I've been spending my days working on my "To Do" list.  I've been painting Georgia's room.  Once I got going with painting, I realized we needed a lot of touch up work.  So various doors, baseboards and the pantry are getting spiffed up.  Next, I need to clean the carpets.  But I start volunteering in the classrooms soon, so I need to hurry up and get it all done!!

 The thrilling life of a mother!

Last Week Before School

The last week before school, our California cousins came for a visit.

We went for a picnic and hike up Provo Canyon.

Ate ice cream at BYU.

We went to Lagoon and made ourselves sick on roller coasters.

We also had an awesome dad who had a birthday!  He got stuff for his upcoming ski season!!

Georgia played soccer!  (Carter and Annie did too, but I can't find the pictures I took!!)

We had our Ward Rodeo.  Carter ran his first 5K (3.1 miles). He ran the entire way and ran a 27:26.  It was a honor to pace him!

Then we went to the rodeo parade!

And jumped hay bails!

Got our face painted and ate lots of snow cones and cotton candy!

It was a great way to end our summer!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

On the last day of running camp, they have a final race - a one mile and a two mile.  Abby decided she wanted to run the one mile race.  I watched her start and then proceeded to walk down the street to cheer her on.  I saw a blue shirt whirl by and waited for a few minutes.  I then realized that blue was shirt was Abby and I had missed her.  She was in first place!!!!

I ran down to the finish in hopes that I would catch her crossing the finish line.  I was totally surprised by her effort today.  Running camp/exercise is NOT (I repeat NOT) her favorite thing!!!  She won the race and "chicked" the field (meaning she was the first girl and first overall).  I was SO darn proud of my Abby-girl.  I knew she had a bit of fire under all her freckles!!

Abby - one mile 8:02:89

ONE MILE CHAMP!!!

 Annie and Carter ran the two mile race.

Carter at the half way point

Annie at the half way point.

Carter coming into the final stretch.

Annie on the final stretch.

Carter - 2 mile race - #8 - 16:27
Annie - 2 mile race - #15 - 19:29

A running family!

Georgia Turns 6!

Somebody turned 6 at the beginning of August.  She was bursting with excitement and thrilled to have to use 2 hands when telling people how old she is!

She wanted to have a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese with her three best buddies.

She really wanted a pair of Stompeez Slippers and walked around all day with them on (even though it was 100 degrees outside and her feet were sweaty!!)

A darling new dress from a family friend!

She LOVED spending her very own "credit card" (it was a gift card)!

We love you Georgia Peach!

Summer Finale!

Once school started, my "To Do" started taking over and blogging came to a complete halt.

Here are a few of our final summer activities:

Cub Scout pack meeting - engineering building with tooth picks and gum drops!

Activity Days Luau - the girls were THRILLED that they finally got to have a daddy/daughter activity.

4-legged race!

 Our Aunt Mandy race a half marathon right by our house, so Annie helped me put out motivational signs along the course for her!!  She made it out alive and ran a great race!

We finished up swim lessons.  I was super proud of all our kids.  Some definitely liked it more than others, but everyone tried and did their best.  We made great improvements in our strokes this year.

The girls also got to attend Activity Days (girls who are 8-11) day camp.  WOW...did they have fun!  They got to shoot BB guns, go on water rafts, shoot bow and arrows, makes crafts and have dinner.  It was so good for them to do activities that are out of their comfort zone.  I even got to go as a leader.  We all came home tired and dirty!

While Georgia was playing at her cousin's house, I took the big kids on one last hike.  I sure like tromping through the mountains with them!!

A Little Race Report

Hobble Creek Half Marathon Splits
		2011	2012	2013
	TT	1:45:20	1:43:02	1:43:53
	AP	8:08	7:56	7:56
	1	8:03	8:07	8:03
	2	7:54	7:57	7:40
	Water-3	7:56	7:50	7:41
	4	7:29	7:46	7:37
	5	7:50	7:48	7:40
Rollers	Water - 6	7:48	7:43	7:38
Rollers - Trail Starts	7	8:12	7:52	8:02
Sun comes out	Water - 8	8:18	7:45	7:38
Big hill	9	8:00	7:45	7:56
Neighborhood	Water - 10	8:34	8:08	8:42
	Water - 11	8:26	8:13	8:33
	12	8:30	8:18	8:49
	13	8:05	7:44	7:50

  

I had mixed feelings about going into this race.  My mileage hasn't been huge, but it has been faster.  So I wasn't sure how that was going to play out.

Mile recaps:

1 - So darn congested.  I followed a girl for the first mile that would barge right through people.  I just coasted right in behind her.  I noticed a girl from the gym.  She gave me a shout out and took off.

3 - Caught up to gym girl (I didn't stop for water and she did).  I asked her what time she was going for today - low 1:40's.  I decided I wanted to hang with her for as long as I could.  She was very chatty with her friend and I didn't utter a word (working too hard).

4,5,6 - Hung with gym girl wondering when I was going to blow up.  Gu at mile 6.

7 - There is a big hill here and I was feeling strong going up it.  I left gym girl.  Sad - she was pushing me hard.

9 - I noticed a girl from my ward at the bottom of the hill.  I didn't feel very social or talkative, so I tried to blow right by.  But she hollered out to be and tried to hang with me.  Nothing against her but I was barely hanging on and didn't to talk or try to race her. I was getting thirsty at this point.  Being thirsty is never a good thing.  The sun was BLAZING hot and I was starting to get tired.

10 - The wheels came off and I didn't have another gear.  I walked through the water stop and drank 3 cups of water.  Then I felt pukey.  My legs were getting heavy and I knew my lack of long runs was starting to catch up to me.

11 - Walked through another water stop.  Really starting to struggle physically and mentally.

12 - It took forever for this mile marker to appear.  I had hit the wall and was losing steam.  Still hanging on with ward girl.  I really didn't want her to beat me.

13 - I saw my son waiting to run with me.  LOVE IT that he wanted to do that, but only ran until where my family was standing.  Next year I'm going to tell him to finish with me.  My legs were so done.  I felt the vomit coming.  I had a very small kick.  I had to sit in the race chute for awhile to make sure I didn't vomit.  I knew I had ran my limit if I had a case of the pukes.

So overall thoughts:

1.  Pleased with my time considering my lack of long runs and speed workouts.

2.  Displeased with my last 3 miles.  My wheels fell off the wagon and I couldn't recover.  I'm not sure if I had gone a little slower on the downhill miles if it would have made a difference.

3.  Ankle held up alright, but is swollen again.  I stood in the ice bath after the race and have been icing all day.  I think I need to have a lower mileage week next week.  I still had another week until rest, but I think I need to give this ankle a chance to heal and reduce the swelling.

4.  They need to start this race 1 hour earlier.  It was too hot.

I'm very sore and tired. So glad it is over!