Fake it 'til You Make it!

Lashing Out

2012-01-16T22:38:00.000-08:00

A darling girl I'm privileged to call a friend graduated from the Paul Mitchell Academy in Rexburg Idaho just a few months ago. She was married just several weeks before that, and somewhere in between, just three weeks into marital bliss, her husband, just 24 years old, was diagnosed with Cancer. They moved back into the Sacramento area where his parents live, and where he is insured, to undergo chemo. The medical bills are piling up, but their faith and optimism remain strong. A job with regular hours is hard to keep when you are sick or the primary caretaker for someone who is. Luckily Christina can make her own appointments for haircuts and for applying eyelash extensions. The lashes sounded like a fun thing to me and an easy way for me to help support this sweet couple.

Christina took before and after pictures of my lashes when she did them for me last week. Here's how they turned out. They last 6-8 weeks and you can get them filled after that. No need for mascara any more and I love the way they look!

Christina lives in Davis right now and comes to Fresno every few weeks to visit family and meet with clients. So all of you ladies in the Woodland and Sacramento area, and my Fresno and Clovis friends, if you've ever considered adding a little lush to your lashes, let me know and I'll get you in touch with my girl. She did 5 of my girlfriends just this last weekend and all of them are thrilled. Help out my sweet friend and look FABULOUS for it!

You can check out her blog here

Down and Dirty

2012-01-13T02:16:00.000-08:00

Jason couldn't have known what he was in for when he volunteered to drive Miss B Haven for all the girls on our mud run this October. He brought his camera and other than acting as our personal paparazzi for the day, he tried to just blend in to the scenery. He's that cool.

Loading up Miss B full of friends for the our second annual mud run wasn't quite enough for us. We had to get her all decked out for the road trip too!

Other than the colorful windows we might have looked like a regular bunch of moms off on a shopping trip or a ride to the airport

but on the inside we were all business!

Tutu making was in full effect and the stereo was keeping beat with some of our favorite tunes from the 90's just getting us warmed up

We promptly took over a Chipotle upon our arrival in Folsom

A quick look into our ice chest is all that was needed to comprehend the energy level in the bus

All it took was one of these

and Kristie and I were raising the roof to some T Pain!

Not to worry we weren't the only ones having fun! Ashley was missing her baby...

These sisters couldn't stop giggling

These new friends were bonding

And these two very similar looking ladies were getting to know each other and discussing the fact that one of them dated Jason in college and one of them married him! Oh yes we were a lively bunch!

When we arrived at REI to pick up our registration packets that included these super cool buffs, everyone was murmuring to each other, who are these girls and how did they get their own bus?! And then we were followed in by our Jason/paparazzi, and totally left em guessing! Ah we had a good time with that. The Tutu Chicks were famous that day!

We were also more than a little silly...when we arrived at the Folsom outlets for a little pre race retail therapy, we couldn't hold back from doing some crazing posing outside the bus.

Our little photo sesh had us all in stitches!

45 minutes and a few hundred dollars later we arrived at my aunt Michelle's house in Granite Bay to get all prettied up for the mud run.

Makes perfect sense right?!

Tara and I couldn't get over seeing our mom in a tutu, let alone that it was pink! She even gave us her girliest pose. Who knew our tough granola hiker of a mom had it in her! ;)

After all the injuries at the warrior dash last year I opted to wear knee pants save the knee socks for elbow sleeves!

These girls looked much cuter, but I definitely felt like the smart one! ;)

Out front we put on our racing bibs

and our game faces

And showed off our mud run swag

On the bus we busted out our neon glow sticks

And tested out our required head lamps

At the race the Tutu chicks came in 2nd place in the costume contest, behind the hairy lumberjack guy

But ahead of the teletubbies!

who wanted their picture taken with us before the race...stand in line Tinky Winky!

I have some dang cute friends!

The music started and so did the dancing, all the way to the starting line!

One last glimpse of the tutu's and the shoes before they met the mud...

We climbed under the dusty cargo nets

Over the 16 foot fences

Through the freezing cold lake

introduced our shins to a few beefy rocks

climbed over the greased wall using only a rope and our amazing biceps

And of course through the mud!

Some of us even ran an extra mile on the poorly marked course, but in the end still came out smiling!

Okay so I stuck out my tongue and then smiled, but still, I was smiling!

We all were...mud beards and all!

The after shot of the legs wasn't pretty, but we sure felt tough!

After posing for a few more glamour shots we were able to rinse off with a garden hose and a nozzle of ice cold water. At first we were just glad to get the mud off of our faces and out of our eyes,

And then the cold settled in...my face says it all! And look at the pretty lady behind me, bet she was FREEZING!!!

We got as dry as we could and loaded back into the bus. Michelle and Steve were kind enough to offer hot showers at their house before we made the drive back to Fresno.

We didn't make it too far before we just had to stop for 4th meal. Of course everything was closed but the drive thrus and Miss B was too tall to fit through them...

But don't worry, Tara was wearing mascara, so they totally let us order on foot anyway!!! After that we were ready to snuggle up and hunker down for the drive home.

Somewhere between Modesto and Chowchilla the girls got the giggles...and all I can tell you now is that Kristie and the rest of the Whitecotton gang cannot count by tens...10, 20, 40, 30 or more...

And if you ever need a good laugh just ask Kristie about the foxes and their holes...

Seriously though, this day like the mud run the year before, has gone down in the record books as one of the most fun I have spent. We shopped, we played, we ate, we danced, we ran, we laughed, we slept and none of us will ever forget it! Down and Dirty Mud Run was a blast, but next year its back to the Warrior Dash! Bring it!!

Pure Brilliance!

2012-01-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

Forrest Gump hit the nail on the head with that whole, "life is like a box of chocolates..." bit! It's true, you don't know what you'll get, and quite frankly what you get isn't always what you want. After carefully staring into the box you finally decide on a piece of chocolate and you get one bite into it and just wanna call it quits and go in search for a good one. You know you've done it, everyone does!
With this being the new year and everyone embarking on new years resolutions that might last through the week and crazy fad diets that might last through the day, I thought I'd share a stroke of brilliance I had this morning while indulging on a breakfast of Sees candy. Like the rest of you I'm determined to work off the extra few pounds that were given to me like a gift this holiday season and feel more like lumps of coal now that the festivities have been shut down. I'll be running a few more miles and maybe even putting in some double workout days in the coming weeks. I'll be trying to consume a few less carbs and a bit more lean protein like the rest of the country has likely vowed to do, but I gotta be honest with you. This girl's not giving up on chocolates entirely.

As I bit through the milk chocolate into some bitter, cherry tasting nastiness, I thought of all the calories wasted in the deceiving treat I had indulged in. Jeff would have loved that piece but there was no way he was gonna pick it up out of the box and eat it after I had already chomped into it! And then it hit me, a stroke of pure brilliance, and I ran to the kitchen for a knife. I just cut every last chocolate in half. Now I can examine the contents of these little morsels before digging in. Bye bye wasted calories! I've just reclaimed several seconds of my life back too since I won't have to waste time staring into the box and wondering which ones might actually be "the good ones". In some small way feel like I have triumphed over the sneaky fellows over at Sees who don't want want me to know what I'm getting into. Ha! Take that old Sara See! I wonder what Forrest Gump would think of this. I know what I think, pure brilliance!

Making a List and Checking it Twice

2011-12-23T17:47:00.000-08:00

The cutest hand written list I have ever shopped from!

Love my little Brynne!

One More Down And One To Go!

2011-12-21T01:37:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I got to go with Drew to the Mother Son Dance. I always love this fun night out with my boys. With Garrett and Drew in Jr High and High School this year it was just Drew and I. I took him out to find something to wear to the neon/80's themed dance. We had fun shopping together and he was thrilled with his purchase. I was lucky Carter has a thing for bright green and I could wear a Klutch T instead of shopping for something I'd never wear again!

Drew was so cute and told me he'd rather just have alone time with me than go out to dinner with a big group of his friends. So we had a great dinner from Doghouse Grill and headed over to the dance party. The glow in the dark necklaces and mouth pieces were all the rage with the kids.

The moms loved all the 80's music!!

They even played 80's music videos on a big screen during the dance that had us all cracking up.

I loved having a night out with my little love bug. He is such a sweet and tender kid with a witty sense of humor. He is constantly surprising me with his hilarious take on just about everything. Next year Drew will be in 6th grade in it will be the last of these mother son dances for us and I have to say I will miss it!

Let the Good Times Bounce

2011-12-20T14:49:00.000-08:00

Family night with friends started with treats at the Greenlaws and ended with a bounce at Skywalk last night! Brynne proudly went up to the counter and let the workers know that she knew Case Lawrence the owner of the place. Already trying to work her connections, but honestly it never hurts! A phone call from one friend to another and next thing you know this whole crew was let in for an after hours good time!

The foam pit is super forgiving when you over rotate on your flips, but climbing out is another story all together!

We bounced, flipped, swiveled, danced, and rolled across the mats.

It was exhausting, and holding on to Shelley's darling grandson was a fabulous excuse to take a breather.

The kids enjoyed it almost as much as the adults did, and Kirsten showed us all her tricks! For the record we went 1-1 on our butt wars, definitely gonna need a rematch!

Kim had some sweet moves on the trampoline. Just ask her to show you her swivel hips!

Bryan was just finishing a 4 day road trip moving from Florida and he still stayed and played for a while! Little Busty (McKay) was a trooper in spite of the late night.

The teenagers were crazy and so entertaining to watch!

I just adore these guys!

LizaJayne held her own with this crazy crew

Our favorite BFF's got in some good bonding moments and sweaty hugs.

Some little boys never grow up, and we are totally fine with that!

In the middle of the stresses and messes and craziness that come with the holiday season, it was so nice to get out and be silly with a big group of some of my favorite people! Let the good times bounce!

Just a Little Funny

2011-12-19T16:50:00.000-08:00

I happen to think the people employed by the marketing departments for beer companies are pretty much geniuses. Not genius like they're gonna sell me on their products, but comedic geniuses. Last week I was in a sleep deprived state of delirium as I was coming home from taking Wes to early morning seminary when I heard this commercial. I had no idea what they were even selling but I found myself in my car chuckling and then laughing out loud. I don't know if it really was as funny as I thought it was or if I was just super tired and in need of a good laugh. Regardless, I thought I'd share...click the link below and let me know if you think I was just super tired or what?!

The Most Interesting Man in the World

Just Buy It

2011-12-14T19:24:00.000-08:00

Fake it til you make it sometimes means throwing on that plastic smile, and wearing a cheerful countenance like it's a jacket you can take on and off. In the movie Field of Dreams, they said "if you build it, they will come". I like to believe that if I wear it, it will come. The plastic smile will turn genuine and and the cheerful countenance jacket will eventually, just be a part of me, like my birthday suit maybe, but WAY better. Sometimes you gotta wear it for a long time before you can really own it, but eventually it will come.
The tricky part comes when the people who care about you are paying close attention. Sometimes then their genuine smiles, a sincere inquiry, or quick squeeze remind you that you are loved and noticed. Its a good feeling, one of the best to be sure, but be warned, the plastic isn't water proof and I get a little leaky from time to time. I may not give the best response and at times my facade may seem a little sheer, but not to worry, I will be back, I'm sure it's got to be true.
So if you catch me on a day where plastic is what I'm sellin', just buy it!

Makin' Me Smile

2011-12-07T00:21:00.000-08:00

I've been up to my eyeballs with "stuff" to do this holiday season and still finding lots of reasons to smile. Baking yummy treats for favorite friends, excuses to call and chat even if its never for long enough, Garrett singing Christmas songs to our puppy, Brynne spending hours making invitations to every single soul in her class to come to her "dans recytl" this Saturday, 1000 hugs and kisses from my little Drew every day, Wes helping me out with all my projects without a word of complaint and the strength of a man, a sweet new helper in the mornings to get everyone off to school on time, wrapping up in my favorite fleece sheets, Christmas music BLARING from Brynnes room, enjoying the company of a new friend, cozy new chenille socks, long overdue projects finally coming to fruition, hot chocolate, a warm fire, and the anticipation of all the fun events that still lie ahead. Feelin' merry and bright, I can't help but smile!

Believe it!

2011-12-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

The outside lights are done.

The stockings have been hung with care

The halls are decked

The cards are ready to be mailed

The best part for this last minute procrastination Queen...I had all this done by December 1st!!

I'm kinda bringing my A game to Christmas this year...Believe it!

Run Away

2011-12-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

Some mornings I just want to sleep, and others I just want to run away!

When I decided to forgo the sleep two weeks ago and came out to Millerton Lake with Kristie, Rebecca and a few of Kristies friends, I was in for a treat!

We ran 6 miles along a trail that followed the waters edge as the sun was just coming up. It was gorgeous!

I kept wishing I had my camera to take pictures of what I was taking in. Rebecca pulled out her phone for a few shots so this is what I've got.

Six of us rode up together in Robin's car, but we met up with about 25 other people from a running group. It was so awesome to see such a big group of people out just enjoying a morning run, but what I really wished was that they were all "my" people.

Kristie had wished the same thing, only this last Saturday, she made it happen. She invited 20 or so of her friends to come and run the trail again. Tara and Jason volunteered to drive us all out in the bus.

It was much colder and darker than last week, but it was seriously so much fun!! Everyone ran at their own pace and everyone ran different distances, anywhere from 6-10.5 miles, but it was just so cool having such a big crew out there!

Marlon brought a huge box of the sweetest tangerines to share with us when the run was over. We all just munched and visited before heading back in to town.

These ladies ran 8 miles with me on Saturday and next week I'm going back for more. Yes we started at o'dark thirty, and yes it really was as cold as it looks, but it was more than worth it. Doesn't matter how far you wanna go or how fast you do it. Come with us next week and we'll show you just how fun it is to run away!

You'd Better Not Pout I'm Tellin' You Why....

2011-11-29T00:24:00.000-08:00

My friend Shelley took our family pics the week before Thanksgiving. As she was getting us all set up little Brynne was furious that she wasn't going positioned just the way she wanted, and stomped off pouting. This was the very first picture from the day and it is hands down my very favorite! I'll share the rest of the pics after the Christmas cards go out... Let the season begin!

Ancient Ruins

2011-11-21T03:49:00.000-08:00

Okay before we start, I'm just gonna warn you of the picture overdose you're about to experience. While in Cancun we went to the sites of several ancient ruins. With the information the tour guide gave us the sites were fascinating and in gorgeous locations. Our cameras were snapping nonstop.

Without all the incredible information of our wonderful tour guide Helaman, they probably won't look like much to you. Get ready to see a bunch of rocks, crumbling old buildings, and the same four people in all of the pictures...at least I'm warning you first right?

Chichen Itza was really cool. It was huge with several large ruins. The main one you used to be able to climb, but not anymore. I would have loved to climb all those stairs!

This was one day I didn't mind the overcast skies and the wind to keep us a little cooler as we walked outside all day from site to site.

There was nothing about the construction of any of these buildings that was done on a whim of just because someone fancied it. There was symbolism and meaning behind all of it.

On the top floor of the building behind us in the very center you see a small almost u shaped altar. This is where they placed human hearts as an offering of sacrifice to their Gods. They did not take the saying of a broken heart and a contrite spirit lightly back then.

Every detail from the number of stairs, the exact placement of of the windows, and how many of each, represented their calendar and the significance of dates, times and seasons and how all of it related back to a higher being.

I was in awe as we saw this temple that was being renovated. The archaeologists were putting this back together piece by piece, stone by massive stone, like the most complicated puzzle I have ever seen. I was truly awe struck

As new leadership came or one group of people conquered another the Mayans would build above and over the existing temples. I couldn't believe that the Mexican government hadn't even dug down to see just how much more building was still in tact below. It was fascinating.

It was amazing to me to see how so much of what the ancient Mayans believed in resembled what I know to be true, but yet they had twisted it just enough that it changed the meaning of it all.

The grounds were beautiful as we walked along, but most of the paths weren't empty like this one but full of vendors selling every cheap souvenir you could imagine. Well, except for the one Jeremy took home to remind him of his one true love...or was that just because he couldn't say no to the guy following us around? The street vendors everywhere could see Jeremy's big heart from a mile away!

I am always one to appreciate the little details. Probably because I lack the patience to do them myself I am always especially interested in the work that comes from someone else taking that time. The stone carvings were everywhere in these giant structures and I couldn't believe the details in them.

Helaman gave us a little time to wander on our own a take a few pictures and hit the vendors before we moved on to lunch!

After an interesting buffet and an hour and a half drive we arrived at Tulum. The location on the beach was gorgeous!!

The ruins here were much smaller but seemed to me, more personal.

And while the shapes and sizes were different from the ruins at Chichen Itza, the components of the structures were the same.

This seemed more like a little village though with the residences for the various priests and the walls of the city being more visible.

The beach on the back side of Tulum was somewhere I wished I had some sun and some time for!

It looked like something from a post card!

Here we are in the last group shot of the day with Helaman joining us. He was a wealth of information and did a fabulous job of making the history and stories come alive for us! It was a long day with over 6 hours of driving and almost as many spent walking, but it was one we were all grateful we had taken the time for.

Selvatica

2011-11-15T17:46:00.000-08:00

Our day at Selvatica was incredible!! It was about an hour and a half away from Cancun and totally in the middle of the jungle. It was beautiful and the staff there were so much fun!

We started off with doing some of the best ziplines I have done to date. We zipped above the canopy of trees from tree top to tree top.

The guys kept us cracking up and the transition from one to the next was quick and seamless.

We even got to do it upside down!! The guys started calling me "Jungle Jen"

When our tour of the canopy was over we went to phase two of the adventure, the Razors!

They gave us the low down on operating our machines

And we were supplied us with lovely goggle and the cutest face masks so that we could pretend we were on the set of ET while we were riding.

or perhaps it was because they wanted to make fun of how we looked in them

or maybe they just wanted us to be able to breathe and see while we were riding, I don't know...

Anyway after we were geared up we took off into the jungle!

We were like a bunch of 6 year old boys in the mud puddles

And our clothes haven't looked the same since!

I was even glad for my super cute accessories...really, I'm smiling under there, you can't tell?

We had so much fun catching a little air on the jumps and dips in the road, and splashing through the puddles that before we finished Jeremy had determined to buy one!

We were a muddy mess when we got back. The protective case on my camera couldn't even be wiped clean!

Next up was rinsing off at this gorgeous cenote. They had two little zip lines on one side that you could ride into the water.

We had a blast with that. My skills at jumping ended with a toe touch. The guys however tried to a get a little crazy...

We swam around and tried rinsing the mud out of our hair and clothes and continued laughing with this fun group we had spent the day with.

When we were dried off and sufficiently hungry, they brought us back to this darling hut. They fed us grilled chicken, rice and beans, chips and soda while we watched a video of our day and looked at all the pictures their photographers had taken of us while on the course.

By the time we left we had some new facebook friends! ;)

So for any one traveling to Cancun, don't be lured in to the "canopy adventure" at Xplore, come to Selvatica, you will not regret it, I promise!!

Clever Girls!

2011-11-10T22:55:00.000-08:00

Watch this ridiculous ad...then watch Huntsman's daughters hilarious parody of it.

These babes have brains and a sense of humor!!! Just watched them on Sean Hannity's show and I have to say, I am definitely a fan of Jon 2012 Girls!

Cancun Aye, Aye, Aye!

2011-11-08T15:29:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago we snuck out of town and ran off to Mexico with our good friends the Poulsens. Cancun actually. We did some pretty cool things while we were there. So cool that they'll need blog posts of their own. They're coming, but first I'll just set the stage and show you where we were. RIU Palace was home for the week. It looked like a big European building on the outside and even more so, inside the lobby.

We spent lots of time here in this lobby kinda camped out because it was the only place in the entire hotel that you could get internet service. And since our phones wouldn't work, it was the only way we could stay in touch with the outside world, you know, the one where our kids and jobs were...

Our room was situated on the front part of the hotel so the entire wall opposite the doors to our rooms looked out over this bay at the rest of Cancun.

I never did get used to the humidity or the smell that settles in after prolonged exposure to the moisture that was in the hotel, but our room was pretty nice and quite spacious. We had large entry way a big bathroom and closet, the area where our bed was and then down a few steps to a sitting area.

My favorite thing though was our view from the balcony. The beautiful pool and grounds on the back side of the hotel were nothing to complain about.

The view of the ocean and the lights of Isla Mujeres were incredible, but the sunsets here were an amazing sight to witness!

Here is one from our little beach just in front on the hotel pools.

The clouds made the colors seem even more intense.

But they also meant rain, and we got plenty of it that week! Luckily we didn't have to change our plans too much because of it. Who says you can't have fun at the beach in the rain?

While most of the week was pretty overcast, the weather was warm and we did spend some time with our toes in the sand.

And in the gorgeous ocean

But there were lots of other things to keep us entertained too. Like the people watching, that we sometimes took to the next level, people copying. We saw countless vacationers posing out on these rocks right in front of our beach. They put on their swimsuits, their sexiest faces, and left their shame and towels on their chairs. Jeremy and Jeff decided to have their own photo shoot right along side one of the many we saw.

Then Jeremy captured him showing off some of the more popular poses...yes, draped in seaweed!

And when we tired of the people watching we did some playing of our own!

We rented jet ski's and zipped all over the ocean in them. We had so much fun jumping the waves and caught some serious air! Talk about a huge adrenaline rush!

One day Jeff and Jeremy actually did a little scuba diving right off the coast near our hotel.

Talli tried out the equipment in the hotel pool with the dive master, but decided she was going to need a little more time before giving scuba a shot in the ocean!

So we decided to order some fruity drinks with umbrellas in them and sent the guys off to play with the fish. By the end of the week we even saw some sunshine, but to see what we did when we weren't lounging around by the water, you'll have to wait for the next post! Aye, aye, aye!

Happy Birthday Nan!

2011-11-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

Nan is just plain cool. She is sassy and sarcastic. She tells it like it is. She is quick to laugh and has a smile that starts in her eyes and lights up a room. Nan can fit in anywhere and is a magnet for kids of all ages. She is an incredible mom and a loyal friend. Nan will roll with the punches and is game for just about anything. She can do last minute and is the best co pilot on a road trip. She is smart and fun. She is patient and compassionate. Nan is beautiful inside and out. I am just lucky enough to call her family.

And this year I got to spend her birthday with her. I like birthdays. I don't think they have to be spent doing anything fabulous, but certainly something enjoyable. A deal maker or breaker in my book though, is who you spend your day with. You have to be surrounded by the people you love and ones who you know love you right back! The rest is just icing on the cake!

Not all of Nan's peeps could be together this year, but we gathered as best we could and just enjoyed some time together. Carter and Julia came up from Santa Barbara, and my mom and Tara and our families spent the afternoon at the kids elementary school.

Drew was thrilled to have everyone there to watch his football game!

And Brynne was just thrilled to see Nan in Clovis! She ran out and just plopped right into her lap! I love watching the two of them together, it makes my heart smile.

These make my heart smile too...

After the game we endured the 100* heat for a while longer at the school carnival. Brynne was determined to win a treat at the cake walk. It took at least 6 times of standing in line before her number was finally called, but she would not be deterred!

It was totally worth baking on the concrete for an extra 15 minutes just to see her sweet face light up when she finally won!

That night we left the kiddos at home and had a fabulous birthday dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.

And really how can your birthday be anything but grand when you finish the night off with a dessert like this?!

Happiest of Birthday wishes to one of my very dearest. Love you Nancy Allen!!

Magic Mountain

2011-11-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

Miss B was full of passengers making the most of the 3 hour drive to Magic Mountain when we hit a bit of a detour

One of the tires blew out, kinda like an explosion, and nothing like I have ever seen!

We stopped in pretty much the middle of nowhere at a podunk operation that miraculously carried just the kind of tire required to get us back on the road!

We found a local Home Depot and Nan and Kristie and I had a little fun, with flashbacks of our Oregon road trip back in July

Eventually we were back on the road again and everyone was all smiles

It was mid day before we arrived at the crowded park and the lines were long, but we were ready to get the fun started!

We had fun hanging out and chatting while we waited

Kristie and Jeff debated the roll of aspartame in Jeff's diet, and finally resorted to just strangling the guy

The weather couldn't have been better for us! And while the lines were long we had such a good time just hanging out together.

Just after dinner when the park was dark, they let out all the creepers for Fright Night. They wandered sections of the park scaring the tar out of us, but for some reason Julia was always the easiest target! She screamed, yelped, and grabbed whoever was near however she could and it was hysterical!

We waited in lines snuggled up a little closer,

took in a few more rides

and then crashed as soon as Miss B hit the road!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

I spent my Halloween with these blonde babes

and these blonde babes

Knocking on doors and begging for candy

And before long we attracted a bum

a pretty helpful one, with a great sense of humor!

Hope your Halloween was as happy as ours!

The Best Laid Plans

2011-10-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

I spent months pounding the pavement, mile after long mile, either baking under the scorching sun, or watching it rise. Admittedly not as often as I would have liked or even as regularly as I should have, but still enough to know I would cross that finish line. But even the best laid plans, don't always work out.

I tried, pinned, tugged, and carefully laid out my clothes while Jenny wandered the hotel halls in hers.

I started my day with a smile almost a bright as these guys'!

I found my friends waiting in line for the potties.

No simple task, considering everyone else had the same bright idea right before setting off to run 26.2 miles!!

I didn't want to worry about how long the run would take, but rather have fun and just enjoy the journey. So I turned my music up loud and had my camera in hand as Rebecca and I ran across the starting line.

The morning was hot but gorgeous with unexpected cloud coverage. We followed the pacer, made friends with the runners around us and smiled from ear to ear!

It is such an incredible experience to watch the sun rise while moving along with a stampede of several thousand people. There is an energy and a thrill that I cannot adequately describe.

We were feeling great 6 miles in, with the dreaded Veyo Hill in sight.

We even stopped long enough to pose for a picture and catch up again with our pacer.

My knees felt great, my hamstrings were loose, and I didn't notice my IT band once!

I took my little gel blocks as often as recommended and walked whenever I felt like it. I drank Gatorade twice and water at every other aid station. I stopped twice and got a little Bengay rubbed into one of my calves. For the most part, I was just cruising along.

By mile 16 I had cramping in my back that made it hard to breathe deeply. By mile 19 I felt like garbage! At 21 I begged and pleaded for the bottle of Coke left for a runner at the aid station...if only Tara was with me and if she was wearing mascara, I'm sure I would have gotten a different result.

A little further along my vision started to get fuzzy and dark around the edges. I stumbled over to a guard rail with the help of another runner. After blacking out, throwing up, slurred speech and about 30 minutes sitting on the bumped of an ambulance, it was decided I wasn't in any condition to run the last 4.5 miles of the race. I would not be finishing.

My friend Jenny finished in 3:35 and qualified for Boston.

Reed breezed through, all smiles.

Corey was all business along the home stretch.

The cutest cheering squad ever saw them all come through. My little nieces had practiced saying,"Go Jen Go!" while they waited for me to come down that final stretch before the finish line.

I never came. I was stuck in a shuttle bus waiting to be dropped of at the park. My stomach had been a little off the day before the race and I'd had a hard time eating anything. The calories I consumed all day were what I probably should have had at one meal. I think I just ran out of gas out there and my body just shut down.

I was hydrated and a little rested by the time I arrived where the race ended. I was thrilled for Jenny and her awesome run!

I was definitely not feeling like the rock star Heather's cute poster suggested.

I was happy for Corey and Reed, Rebecca and Christine, who had all come across the finish line, but also in a bit of awe. They all did what I could not, and I found myself respecting the distance even more than I had before. I thought back to three years ago when I ran St George the first time. My knee gave out not even half way in and I shlepped through to the finish. I felt like an impostor then because I hadn't run the whole thing, and I didn't know what I was capable of doing. Now I appreciate that finish. with my 3rd attempt behind me, I think I finally recognize what I accomplished that day.

While my run didn't end up the way I had planned, I still had the best weekend! I reconnected with some of my favorite people. I ran in a beautiful place. I shopped, basked in the sunshine, made new friends, had great conversations, and ate yummy food. Hugs and smiles were abundant and my heart went home happy. There are definitely more marathons in my future. At some point I will run, healthy, strong, and fast across a marathon finish line. Until then I will keep working on my best laid plans!

Where the Magic Happens

2011-10-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

Disneyland is where the magic happens. If you are a teenage boy, stealing away from school mid week, or a grown up escaping life's daily responsibilities...that can feel kinda magical.

When these two boys have their dad all to themselves to race from one roller coaster to the next all day long...magic!

When you can soar up into the sky in a plastic rocket ship and still squeal with delight...magic!

Me telling Brynne I will buy her ANY hat or headband at the shops in hopes of taming the hair she insisted be just left "all straight down"...not so magical, but seeing the delight and twinkle in her eye as she surveyed the wares at each of the stores to determine which special toy she might choose to bring home at the end of the day...definitely worth every penny spent.

Grandma+Grandpa+ Cousins+ a double stroller= definitely magic

Sweet sugary kernels whipped into a cloud like substance you can eat from a stick...yeah, that's magic!

When darling larger than life mice can entice you wait in a ridiculously long line just for a hug and a picture and somehow you're still thrilled about it...must be magic!

Spending time with my brother and his darling little family sometimes takes a little magic to make it happen!

After years of not being tall enough to ride all the roller coasters with her brothers, Brynne's height finally makes the mark...definitely some magic happening there!

(She rode the Matterhorn 3 times!)

Billy and Jen sneaking in a ride on the Matterhorn while the girls rested with Grandpa...well I'm sure you can guess, that felt a little like magic too.

A trip to Disneyland is never complete without a ride through the musical Small World

Seeing Jocelyn experience it for the first time was magical

It didn't take any magic to entice Jeff and the boys to come find us a couple of times throughout the day,

We had all the snacks!!

Their timing couldn't have been better though. They found us just as we were going in to meet the princesses. The girls were all a little shy at first. Princess Belle was pretty dang cute and tried enticing the girls to come take a picture with her. "Doesn't anybody want their picture taken with me?" Well Drew took one look at that pretty face and he was no dummy, "Heck yeah! I do!!" He sauntered right up to her wrapped his arm around her waist, and just before giving us a big cheesy grin for the picture, he looked over to Garrett and with a nod of his head says."Jealous?" Might have been a magical moment for Drew, but the rest of us, including the workers within ear shot, were in tears of laughter!

I guess she wasn't Garrett's type cause Brynne was the only one who ended up taking a picture with her

One of my favorite rides at Disneyland has always been Space Mountain. I love the thrill of speeding through the dark and having no idea what lies ahead. I stole away for a ride with Jeff and the boys

and then made it back again with my parents and little Brynne...magic!

When we finally stopped for dinner Jeff and my dad left for home and work responsibilities. Drew's little legs were getting a bit weary and we were heading for the Little Mermaid ride...he wasn't feelin' the magic anymore!

Just then I got a call from Carter and as I was telling him all about our day at Disneyland, and how we wished he was there, the next thing I knew he grabbed me around the waist and was standing right next to me grinning as he continued talking to me on his phone! Best surprise ever, or just another magical moment...

We were thrilled to see him and Julia! They came as soon as they got out of classes in Santa Barbara that afternoon, and put smiles back on these boys faces... magic!

When it's time for the cameras on any of the rides, everyone's crazy side comes out...just like magic!

Hanging out with these two, it doesn't take magic to keep you smiling or laughing!

After a gorgeous fun filled day, the only thing I could wish for is a little magic wand to place me, sound asleep in my bed.

Cloudy Day

2011-10-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

The clouds today are a sight. Some of them are heavy and full with the load that they carry. A little soggy and a little grey. Slow and low. Some of them have already given what they had and are now just skiffs tossed across the sky a little here and a little there. A little blown and blustery. The blue sky is trying to stand it's ground, but its a loosing battle. The big grey clouds are definitely the boss today, they've even got my mood to match them.

Great Expectations

2011-09-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I am running the St George Marathon for the 3rd time. The first time I over trained and got injured. The second time I under trained out of fear of being injured. This time I got injured a month into training. So I ran as much as my IT band would allow, with zero cross training due to my dumb broken wrist, and I think got in enough long runs to finish the marathon. I'm slower, heavier, and weaker than I've been since I started running a few years ago, so I'm going into this race with a totally different approach. I will not be trying to finish by a certain time. I won't be striving to go as fast and as hard as my body will let me. That will have to wait for next year. This time the plan is to just enjoy a nice comfortable run, in a gorgeous place with an incredible atmosphere, so don't bother asking what my time was.

Regardless of how the run goes, I am super excited to see my two favorite college roomies Kari and Jenny. Kari is coming for support, and Jenny is running the marathon as well. She is hoping to qualify for the Boston Marathon with her time for St George. Needless to say, we won't be running together on Saturday, but we do plan to reconnect and likely reminisce on our days together at Ricks college and then at BYU.

Like the time when Kari and I ran into Steve Young at the Hogi Yogi in Provo.

Or the time when Ben and Jon, our friends on the football team who, secure enough in their manhood, let us dress them up in Jenny's finest. The guys were even good sports when Jenny and Kari copied the pics into a poster and had them hung in the football locker room!

These are the girls who saved my 19th birthday from being a complete disaster by taking me out to a fun dinner when I finally made it back into Rexburg. After crashing my car, being interrogated my the worlds meanest police officer, and then spending the remainder of the day at a body shop waiting for my car to be fixed, these sweet friends put the smile back on my face.

So fast run or slow run, sleep or no sleep, I have great expectations for my weekend in St George!

Presidential

2011-09-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday the Van Wagenen's invited us to join them at a breakfast hosting presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The large and beautifully landscaped yard where the event was held was filled with 300 people. Copies of Romney's new book No Apologies were placed on the table for each attendee. The weather couldn't have been better for the morning gathering and the company we were in was awesome.

I loved hearing Mitt speak, and loved even more hearing him answer the questions from the audience. He is a business man not a career politician.

As he addressed comments and questions from health care to immigration, Pakistan to education, our current president to our economy, and all of his answers made sense to me. I love that he supports competition as a way of stimulating our economy as well as improving our schools. It's time for our country to get back to the basics.

We have become the great country that we are through innovation and hard work, not through hand outs and bailouts. Let's restore faith in our government and hope for the future. Let's help elect Mitt Romney as our next President!!

* I wish I had taken better and more pics at this event, but I felt a little silly having the camera out that day

Up Down And All Around Yosemite

2011-09-11T23:57:00.000-07:00

What? You think you've seen this picture before? Same friends, same spot? Well maybe you have but, but I assure you this trip was different from those we have done in the past.

This time we let Corey have an extra 30 minutes of beauty rest. Starbucks was already open when we got there. Not a single one of us ordered the oatmeal, and none of us were sure where we'd be hiking to!

But Kirsten had her fanny pack and Shelley had her "sticks", and we were ready to take on the trails of Yosemite once again.

The weather channel said our forecast for the day was clear sunny skies with a high of 86* in the valley. A ranger who had set up shop along the trail reminded us that there was a $150 fee for hiking half dome with out a permit and warned us that there was a 40% chance of thunderstorms. We looked up at the clear skies and continued along the path.

Vernal Falls and the mist trail were gorgeous as always, and the stairs seemed never ending, even at the beginning of the day.

Of course we encountered a crazy foreigner who agreed to take our picture, and of course he had a hard time focusing the camera on us. Four shots later, with all of us cracking up at Reed's commentary and our photogs cluelessness, we decided this was as good as it was gonna get!

Of course we encountered another LDS group of hikers who Reed had ties to and chatted them up on the trail for a bit.

But then, we broke from our routine and headed over to Nevada Falls.

We took in the scenery and ate Shelley's yummy cookies before anyone had a chance to sit on them. We kinda wanted to think we could get away with eating cookies all day since we would be doing so much hiking, but we were reminded that line of thinking is was what makes a lot of runners get fat, maybe even back fat, or maybe just be considered big boned. La la la, whatever, we ate them anyway!

We scampered around the woods trying to be sure we had actually made it onto the Panorama trail. None of us had ever taken it before and some of us couldn't resist the short cuts, doing unspeakable things to mother nature.

We loved the people watching along the trail. There were those who looked like they just stepped out of an REI ad, the creeper chick who couldn't figure out how to rub in her sunscreen, those who thought it would be a fabulous time to put the girls on display, those who couldn't possibly hike without a large knife strapped to their leg, or the friendly man-pri wearing folks who just smiled or nodded and said,"halloh".

While some parts of the trail were flat like this, there were lots of ups and downs as we made our way up and out of the valley, around the outer rim and back down again.

We loved seeing the valley from a different perspective than we ever had before.

We lunched and cat napped near Illilouette Falls in the warm sunshine.

The clouds looked so cool as they rolled in and gave us a little break from the direct sunlight we'd been hiking in most of the day. And while we had all climbed half dome multiple times, we had never seen it from this angle. It looked even more impressive than ever to me.

But the thing that I really couldn't get over was looking back down at Vernal and Nevada Falls and seeing how high we had climbed and how far we had come, and we weren't even done yet!

As the hours passed the clouds continued to roll in.

By the time we had made it around to Glacier Point we had hiked about 9 miles, seen amazing sights, laughed at some ridiculous folks, eaten plenty of cookies, come around to a more familiar view of Half Dome, and reached the conclusion that the weather channel was either clueless or liars!

Clear skies gave way to giant drops of rain and then a full blown hail storm!

Most folks came running back in to the gift shop, but we were like a bunch of boy scouts, totally prepared with our ponchos! We took a few pictures and read the plaques before starting down the completely empty trail back down into the valley.

I was so excited by the storm I couldn't resist doing my little irish jig. Shelley tried snapping it but instead just got a picture of Corey and Kirsten most likely laughing at me in my giddy state.

It may be named the Four Mile Trail, but really it was 4.6 and by the time we got back to where the shuttle could take us to where the truck was parked we had added at least another mile. I think we decided it was close to 15 miles that we had hiked, and who knows how much in elevation gains and losses. All I know is that by the end of the day Shelley's dogs were barking, and there was talk of knees, backs and bunions. And while some of us may have thought the kangaroos had ruined it for Kirsten, she even let Corey give her a piggy back ride for a little while!

In spite of our exhausted state, or perhaps because of it, we were a raucous bunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Oakhurst that night. Chips and salsa never taste quite as good and elbows are never funnier than they are after a long hike up, down and all around Yosemite! I love my friends and our awesome hiking days!!

Doin' the Mom Thing

2011-08-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

Nan called last week to see if I wanted to join her on a trip to Santa Barbara to help Carter get set up at college. So maybe he'd already been there a week and all of his stuff was in his room, but she was just feeling like we should go and put a "mom spin" on things. She didn't have to ask twice!

Nan's trainer and almost family member Matt knows how off the wagon we are when we're together. We thought we'd off set the countless bags of sugared treats and empty chocolate wrappers sitting in our front seat with a little action on the stairs at SBCC. The view was incredible and the workout enough to make Matt proud.

I had to check my google maps three times before I would believe Nan that there were really no Target stores in Santa Barbara. Not even a Wal Mart. K Mart was our only option for getting the storage drawers, shelves, bathroom necessities etc that we were certain Carter couldn't live without. 3 stores 20 cardboard boxes, a million plastic wrappers, and several hours later we had our guy all set up!

Project organization was almost complete, but we needed just one quick trip back to K Mart. While we did get the last few essentials our favorite find was this fancy ride! I've never seen anything like it. It was pieces of so many different kinds of vehicles. Gas tank was in the back of a bottomless truck bed, the seats were from a tractor, the floor was plywood and the front was an even better mish mash of stuff!

While we were checking it out the guy came out with his pack of smokes and tatted sleeves and told Nan she ought to get inside for a picture! Who were we to argue?

The creepy guy at 7-11 who told Nan she had a sexy professor look going on may have been a front runner for being Nan's next boyfriend, but the ingenuity in making this car may have given this guy just a small nudge of an edge ;)

The next step was laundry. Starting off with a gigantic bag of dirty clothes wasn't the best idea for the boy who would rather buy a new shirt than wash one. Nan and her sack of laundry was almost as good as Santa with his sack of toys!

Don't worry, it wasn't all work and no play. We had lunch at some great outdoor cafes, shopped for hours, met up with Carter's roommate Taylor from last semester, and spent time with the always beautiful Julia Carvahal.

We hung out in the courtyard at the apartment complex and got to hear all about the interview Carter had done earlier in the day promoting his new clothing brand Klutch.

And best of all we just got spend some time with our guy. I just love both of them more than I can say, and was incredibly grateful for the invite. Doin' the mom thing is never a bad thing!

Puppy Love

2011-08-28T23:32:00.000-07:00

It's true, I totally love this puppy. I even talk to her in a funny little voice. I want to bring her when I go places, and worry about how she's doing when I don't.

I stumble out to check on her as soon as I wake up. I wander out to the garage to play with her in the middle of the day.

I give her little puppy kisses and I even let her inside of my house! My family was watching me with her tonight, and decided it was time they let me in on a little secret.

This crew had regular meetings, secret meetings, and were involved in a conspiracy. They plotted and planned. They executed strategies, and played on my weaknesses. Until eventually they wore me down. They convinced me they were finally responsible enough to have a dog. The responsibility would not be all mine.

So far they are holding up their end of the bargain pretty well. They are quite pleased with themselves for working all the right angles and wearing me down. But their daily comments can't conceal their shock at how attached I've become to our little Shelby. Seriously though, how could you not love this face?!!!

Plankin' It Up!

2011-07-27T02:15:00.000-07:00

A week ago I came across a FB status that had me laughing and got me a little curious. It read,"Sitting in Church paying no attention at all and trying to decide if I dare PLANK by the pulpit! Haha" By Monday I had learned exactly what that meant, and I was in!!

this is Kelly a friend of Jeff's from highschool that I met at his 20 year reunion...

she is the one who started this whole mess for me!

The definition Wikipedia gives is a pretty good one, so click here if you want to read it, but if not heres my summary of it. Planking is a game or competition to find the most incongruent, public place to lay face down with your hands at your sides. A photograph must be taken and posted on the internet. The more people that are involved or the more ingenious the location the better. I think the planks should be creatively named too. The craze has swept thru Britain and Australia and is making its way thru the U.S.

(A favorite of mine from kelly's blog post)

Sound a little dumb? Well it kinda is, but thats exactly what makes it so darn funny!! Yeah its pretty hilarious to see a grown man planking in his golf shoes on the balcony of his hotel like Kelly's dad.

Guaranteed that would have you busting up if you saw it, but I promise you that grown man was laughing even harder when he did it. And therein lies the magic!!

what to do with strangers dressed as Harry Potter?

You plank with them of course!

Sometimes all it takes to have a really good time is to totally get over yourself and just be silly! When I saw the post I knew exactly who would have a blast with this...Lauren VW.

She said she'd take my friend Kristie and I after her trip to New York, but when the pics from Lauren started coming in from church history sites

Kirtland Temple Plank

(that's fresh yo!)

Johnson Farm Plank

(this one cracks me up as they awkwardly chose half grass half sidewalk!)

Hill Cumorah Plank

and all over the east coast,

Eerie Canal Plank

Niagra Falls Plank

Washington Monument Family Plank

Kristie and I were compelled to try to out-do the darling 15 year old and her family! The Bohn and Hankes planks were about to begin...so we named them the BoHank Planks and let the laughter begin!

BoHank Plank

Chang Hank Plank

Bo River Plank

Creepy Carousel Plank

(yes i realize i am no longer planking here, we were laughing too hard at being rejected by a teenage boy to join the picture and then realized I was stuck with only my useless broken wrist hand to try to get up with...my face awkwardly perched atop a filthy horses seat)

In the process we dragged in our kids, a few of their friends, and a few of our own. With two days that week spent on the boat we tried just about every possible way to plank at the lake

Gang Plank

Bo Jr. Bridge Plank

both directions across the seats...

Floating Plank

Belly Flop Plank

Moving Tube Plank

What resulted was a hysterical week of laying down awkwardly in some very public places.

In Then Out Fast Plank

Skate plank

Lets Go Shopping Plank

Please Park Here Plank

We got plenty of strange looks, several phone calls from friends wondering just what we were up to, we got honks and cheers,

Post Plank

Happy Isles Helmet Plank

Big Red Truck Plank

Vernal Falls Plank

Curry Camp Plank

a few scrapes and bruises, dirty clothes, stuck, and the best abs workout from the continuous laughter.

Pizza Place Plank

(made even better because a stranger who had no idea what we were doing took the pic for us!!)

The Lazy Man's Plank

This was my most creative plank of the week by far...the Plain Plane Plane

And this was Kristies best of the week

By the end of the week the kids wanted to plank EVERYWHERE and we realized that it was possible to plank just about anywhere!

What Goes Up Must Come Down Plank

Think we're crazy? Just give it a try I dare ya!! Send me your best and we can vote on our favorites!!

White Girl Is My Homegirl!

2011-07-25T23:31:00.000-07:00

After years of pleading from every member of the family I am finally ready to take the plunge and get a dog. All of the kids are old enough to sleep through the night and wipe their own bums, so we are bringing in a new family member to train. I still haven't agreed to let the pup into the house, but have conceded to the garage. Beagles are small enough not to be too confined in the space we have to offer, but will be happy to come out on runs with me. They also wont grow to be bigger than Brynne and push her around. So we found a breeder in Modesto and went to meet the puppies two weeks ago. Brynne instantly fell in love with one of the puppies just by what she looked like, then she found out the puppy was a girl and she was even more determined this was to be our dog. When they let Brynne hold her she was the sweetest thing! She let Brynne cradle her like a doll and just snuggled into Brynnes arms for a good 10 minutes. Only looking up occasionally to lick Brynnes face. Just two days ago Brynne asked me if I thought maybe she was in love with this sweet puppy. There were only two girls in the litter and Lindsey the breeder told us she had named all of the dogs by their descriptions. The girls were named White Girl and Black Girl. Tomorrow the puppies will be 8 weeks old and ready to bring home. White Girl will by my girl, so please I am begging you, help us come up with a new name because I will not be calling this one out across the park!

You Can Count On It!

2011-07-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

There is definitely something to be said for traditions. I'm loving the ones we have created with this crew! If there is a day we all have free in the beginning of June and a trail open for hiking, we'll be there, you can count on it!

After forcing Kirsten to watch the sunrise with us, we'll stop at Starbucks for our usual oatmeal breakfast. We'll miss all of that crazy traffic in Oakhurst and be ready to hike bright and early.

Two years ago Reed was nearly struck by lightning after all of us scampered down the wet granite slope of Half Dome, last year snow blocked our trail to Eagles Peak, so we'll just count on the weather somehow messing with our plans and decide which trail to take when we get to the top and can see what we're working with this time!

Without fail, we will find someone who we recognize from afar as being a member of the church, and when we do, not only will Reed have a new BFF, but we will find that he has some random connection to them. Corey even had a connection to the couple we tried to befriend this time. Wherever we go, there is always someone, you can count on it!

The views are always amazing

And the granite walls still take my breath away!

We have come to count on finding an interesting hiker willing to take a picture of our group on the way up. We don't know if they'll be like last year's photographer and just want to sing the birthday song while taking a close up, or the professional hiker from Thailand with the Austrian accent, but you can always count on finding some interesting folks out on the trail!

We can always count on great conversations and a large dose of silliness. Some of us will undoubtedly be breaking in a new pair of shoes and Corey will wear his new broken in hat. I will make pasta salad and Corey will make cookies. And while we know that water would be better, diet sodas will abound.

We can usually count on our fellow hikers to be pretty friendly. Our photographer friend was willing to share his maps, but I'm pretty sure the wooden spoon is a left over compliments of the hairy, toothless, and aromatic volunteer crew! We could count on them being on break along the path almost every time we saw them.

I will always be in awe of the power of the water in the falls

And at the tranquillity of where it all begins

You can count on all of us wearing big smiles when we reach the top

and when we see just how far we've come!

No matter where you are in the park the view of Half Dome will always beg to be photographed. We may be using fun iphone apps, a little cannon elph, or our "real" cameras, but you can count on Kirsten, Shelley and I to happily oblige.

We will always agree that these stairs are faster, but much more brutal on the way back down.

You can count on a rainbow to be excuse enough for all of us girls to stop and take a few pictures.

Whether or not Pepito is at the tunnel to send us out of the park, the view from there will always entice us back. These days, in this beautiful place, with these friends, will always be some of my very favorites. Half Dome or Clouds Rest are next on the list, but no matter the trail, there are some things that are sure not to change, and I am glad I can count on it!

Wrist Update...

2011-07-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

Six weeks post surgery and the verdict is I need another 6 weeks in the brace...They say the bone is looking really good in the x rays and the scar isn't too bad. My wrist doesn't hurt much anymore, I'm just anxious to be getting pulled behind the boat instead of always driving it!! August 23 is my next appointment and hopefully the day I'll be all clear to take my life back!

Don't Get Me Started...

2011-07-06T16:34:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while since I've updated, gimme a break! We've been just a little busy. In the three weeks since school's been out here's what we've been up to...

Wes and Garrett spent a week at Camp Chawanakee

We spent a day on the lake with the Rickards clan

And then I headed off to girls camp for a week

While I was at camp the three boys left with my mom for Utah just in time for the arrival of my newest nephew Brandon Ehat. They started football camp at BYU the following week.

With all the guys gone Brynne and I had a lot of girl time including a princess trip to Disneyland, and a day at the water park where she insisted we bring along our white elephant doll friend Natalie!

We had the sweetest reunion with the boys when they finally came home after 10 days!

Brynne got to parade on her bike in the sweltering sun on the 4th

And then we wrapped it all up with a bang!

Sound exhausting? Even these 3 troopers couldn't keep up at that pace any longer!

*Of course I can't just let these fun events pass with out more pics and more details, but at least this will get me started!

Pierced

2011-06-15T00:21:00.000-07:00

To celebrate her last day of kindergarten, we finally said yes to Brynne's regular pleadings to get her ears pierced. They had some darling Hello Kitty posts available for her first pair and she couldn't have been happier. Once she was in the chair though, she got a little nervous.

She had asked me a ton of questions about how they would make the holes in her ears, if her ears would be red and for how long, and of course, how much it would hurt. She was a trooper and didn't even wince. When it was all done she just grinned and told me I was right, it was way easier than doing a blood test! She has shown she is responsible enough for the earrings by hounding me 3 times a day about putting the antiseptic on her ears that they gave her at the boutique. I bought her a little bracelet to match her earrings, and several times I've caught myself just staring at her in her little girl jewelry, with her legs crossed diligently working on a drawing or a little note to someone, and I am amazed at how quickly my baby girl is growing up!

Stop...Hammock Time!

2011-06-09T01:38:00.000-07:00

Our annual trip to Whiskeytown this year was brisk at best. The hours usually spent basking in the hot sun, splashing in the water or on the boat weren't quite as appealing as they usually are. The demand for the two large hammocks in camp was at a record high. The creativity in their uses was off the charts!

Of course there was the usual snuggling

napping

scrambling

and swinging.

There were the usual spills,

and epic fails.

The hammocks became a swinging refuge from the rain.

Creativity was shown when some little smarty pants tied a rope to a near by tree, then attached it to the hammock. When they pulled on the rope they could make it swing back and forth without much effort or someone stuck pushing them!

But by far the most creative use was for the launching of boys, big and small, several feet into the air.

You don't even need to ask Billy how much fun it was, look at his face!!

Drew was a little more conservative, but loved it.

However, the award for most coordination while flying through the air went to Garrett, hands down.

No one could believe how high he flew!

Anyone who ever thought hammocks were just for laying around and reading books, obviously hasn't camped with us!!

Pure Cuteness

2011-06-03T01:24:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready for a blogging marathon...watch out! But this just couldn't wait. These are my darling nieces Phoebe and Paige. Just one month apart in age and totally adorable!!

Back in Black

2011-06-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

So unfortunately the cast is back. My choices were blue or black. They are going to change it for me every 2 weeks. Anyone know of a website where I can order my own stuff for the cast? I'd love to find some cool prints and just bring them in to each changing, gotta put my own little twist on things and have some fun with it!

The best look I got at my incision was through the nasty tape just before the cast went on. It was bigger than I expected but looks like a neat little line. Could be much worse.

The PA I saw today told me I'd be in the cast for 3 months, not two like the surgeon had said and the medical assistant wrapped the cast pretty tightly today. I'm hoping to remain sane. Wish me luck, I'll need it!

** Yeah that didn't last...by 6pm tonight I was back out of the cast and into the black splint I wore for the two weeks before surgery. My mom asked me,"How pushy were you at letting them know you didn't do well with a cast?" If I wasn't already crying I would have laughed out loud. I'm not very good at pushy unless it's for the well being of my children. Good thing I brought my mom back to the doctor's office to push for my well being. I love my mom, and I really love my splint right now!!

P.S. Like how you can still see my doctor's initials and mine that we wrote on the hand to be operated on? Good way to be sure they open up the correct wrist eh?

Thats My Guy!

2011-06-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

My cousin Tawna just posted this note on Facebook. I didn't know about their exchange while we were camping together last week, but I sure was proud of him when I read about it. It is incredibly rewarding to know that your children are actually listening sometimes! I love that Drew really took it to heart. Love that guy!

Tawna's Note

Lil' Drew, about nine years old, was sitting by the fire on one of the last days, hitting the firepit with a stick and just being a boy. Drew is all boy, so sweet, SOO funny, and just quite the character/personality. I'm never bored if Drewby-Drew is around and can't get enough of the kid. He's just so funny. I love him. He looked a lil' bored and lost in thought, and I assumed it was because he was a little sad that we hadn't had room for him to play with us in our last game. He wasn't complaining or pouting, he just wasn't running around crazy and being a goof like normal. So, I went over to sit by him and to see if he wanted to do something. Before I could say anything he perked up, sat up in his chair and simply said in his lil' voice: "Oh! Duh. Now I know."

Me: "Know what?"

Drew: "Now I know why I'm sad."

Me: "Oohh, why are you sad, Drew?" (assuming the game)

Drew: "Because I don't have a goal!" (Cue my sincerely surprised look.) "I'm only happy if I have a goal to work towards, and I didn't set a goal for today. So duh! Of course that's why I'm feeling kind of sad--now it makes sense!"

Me: "Did you have goals yesterday? What was one of your goals yesterday?"

Drew: "Oh, I had tons of goals."

He then immediately smiled and then went to play a game with me and his cousins, determining, I can assume, a few goals in his head for the day as we played.

How impressed and humbled was I by this young boy who just GETS IT. Learning from the mouth of babes? I think so. Here I am, a second time through student in graduate school, struggling right now with the need to set my own goals to work towards, knowing how much happier I'd be and I am with that purpose, and I am being reminded of it through the wisdom of a 9 year old boy. So humbling. So thanks Drew, for being so smart. You're one smart kid for sure. And Jen & Jeff--you must be doin' somethin' right with these boys! Such smarty pants, and so lovin' and wise.

I'm going to go now and set some goals. :)

LOVE THIS!!!

I Wonder...

2011-05-23T02:17:00.000-07:00

I have been back and forth so many times this month I've lost count. Splint, cast, splint. No surgery, surgery, no surgery, surgery. Sane, not so sane, and sane again. Two things that haven't changed? I've been busy and I've not been able to do nearly as much as I'd like. One permanent change is on the way though.

In the morning I will have a pin and a screw put in my wrist to hold my scaphoid together. After discussing my injury with several doctors it sounds like surgery is going to give me the fastest recovery. It is also quite likely where I would have ended up even if I had waited a few more months to see if the bone would heal on its own. I'm a little relieved, a little nervous, and a tad curious.

I took today off from wearing the splint I've had for the last two weeks. Just a little breather before I'm casted up again for another long while. I keep looking down at my wrist that after tomorrow will bear a scar leaving me a permanent visible reminder of this adventure in my life. I wonder how it will feel to have hardware in my bones. I don't even know if they will leave them in or take them out once the bone has healed. I wonder what I'll feel like coming out of the anesthesia, and how much I'll be up for in the days immediately following. I wonder how long it will really take to heal, and how well my wrist will work when it does. Can I really survive a Fresno summer without swimming? And how in the world will I ever get rid of these crazy tan lines that are going to get MUCH worse?

I'm sure I'll get creative and find some way to survive the heat. The tan lines are definitely a lost cause. Likely it will be a small scar, a quick procedure, and I'll feel just fine. I'll probably be set to head out to Whiskeytown for our annual trip later in the week. For sure it will take at least 8 weeks to heal, and I will probably just be grateful for my wrist to work again at all. But still, I wonder...

I'm In!!!

2011-05-09T22:54:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping this will be the year that I am ready. I'm hoping this will be the year that I finally run my race. It's up to me to make it happen. Third times a charm right?

Blessed

2011-05-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

I am blessed to call her Mom

I am blessed to be called Mom by this crazy crew.

Happy Mothers Day!

Done? Hardly!

2011-05-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

While discussing my cast inducing crash with someone the other day, they commented, "Well I guess you're done riding quads huh!?" Yep, I'm also done, walking on bumpy sidewalks, riding bikes and in cars, done training for races, skiing, and I'll probably never fly again either...NOT!!!! Our week riding at the cabin was way too much fun. Before the crash there were solitary runs under a beautiful sky

There were movies and massages

There were fashion statements

Wild animals and wild children

Essentials like naps and snacks

Muddy bikes and muddy boys

There were girls in helmets and happy faces

There was fort building, picture making and picture taking

And still there was time for riding! There were rides in the mule

And rides through the mud

There were rides through the river and up to the falls

Some rides were just for the guys

And some were for their rugged brides

Sometimes we rode fast and raced through the trees, and then we'd slow down and take in sights like these...

So am I done riding on quads? Hardly!

Sure there are risks in riding these machines, but I couldn't say, no thanks to all of these things. I'll learn from my mistakes and next time I'll do better. But I wouldn't stay home and miss out on the fun, and even now I don't think I'd have agreed to miss that very last run. I'll live and I'll learn but I'm always going to play, life's just a lot more fun that way!!

Bound

2011-04-29T00:04:00.000-07:00

It was bound to happen.

No one can defy the odds by such a great margin.

But still, I was a little surprised to hear that the x-rays confirmed the break. My wrist at the base of my thumb, is indeed broken. Of course it's on my right hand, and located in a place where the blood flow isn't so great, thus increasing the time it takes to heal.

I know people who when asked to explain how they got their broken bones, could only say they slipped off a curb or fell into a sprinkler hole. I have to admit, I'm glad my story has a little more grit. I broke a bone in my wrist riding quads with the big boys, on what my brother in law Jason calls "black diamond difficulty" for riding trails. I didn't have a major crash or even fall off the quad, but while riding up a hill and trying to navigate some deep ruts, I hit one at a bad angle, with a lot of speed. My wrist jammed into the handle bars hard enough that I thought I might puke. I didn't, but I did ride the 5 miles back to the cabin using my left hand on the accelerator and my right forearm to steer.

By Saturday I decided x-rays might be a good idea. That's when the doctor informed me that I'd need to meet with a specialist to determine if a cast or surgery was the next step. Monday the specialist told me I'd be wearing a long cast, well above my bent elbow for 6 weeks followed by a short cast for another 6 weeks. At week 2 they'd take a CT scan to determine if surgery would be necessary. So best case scenario was 12 weeks in a cast, with no movement of my thumb and no use of my right hand.

Now I'd love to report that I took the news like a champ, kept a clear head and everything in perspective. And I could tell you that, but it would be a total lie!! Truth is I had myself a grand pity party right in my head, sorry you weren't invited, but it was a pretty big deal. It lasted right up until they put a gigantic pink cast on my arm that weighed the exact same amount as all of North America, and I am not one to exaggerate. Oh and have I mentioned that I am claustrophobic? Well, I am. My pity festivities, were put to shame by the anxiety that enveloped me like a second skin. I had to remind myself to just breath in and out and tried every form of distraction while waiting for medication at the pharmacy. I now refer to this day as Meltdown Monday. It wasn't pretty.

After a brief conversation Tuesday morning with my doctor, I was headed back in for "Plan B". I couldn't get there soon enough. It's true, I went back to see my doctor while still in my pajamas, fuzzy slippers and all. My long cast was removed in short order and an outside vendor was called in to teach me how to use an ultrasound machine through a port in my cast. 20 minutes two times a day using this bone growth stimulator and if all goes well I'll be cast free in 6 weeks...we'll see.

After Meltdown Monday and the long cast, everything else seems easy. I am making adjustments to my routine, and receiving tons of help from sweet friends and family. Tasks as simple as putting in a ponytail, blow drying and styling my hair, removing items from an oven, opening a can of soda, twisting off a lid, and signing my name are things I can no longer do by myself. Yummy dinners have been delivered to my house each night this week, several hands have taken a turn at styling my hair. I now have two incredible helpers working under my direction to get things done at my house.

My wings may be clipped, my wrist broken and bound, but I am actually okay.

Through the River and Over the Woods

2011-04-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

I hate leaving all the fun to the boys! I might need to borrow their clothes and their toys, but I want in on the action! Saturday Tara, Kristie and I followed Aaron and Jeff off into the woods for some muddy fun, and just for the record, we held our own.

Riding the quads through the forrest, zipping around the corners, climbing steep hills of granite or dirt, forging our our paths over and around downed trees and straight through the creeks was exhilarating!

The muddy puddles were sometimes deep and navigating your way through them left the entire bottom half of my body wet and all of me muddy. I loved it!!

I don't think I have ever taken a quad on such challenging trails before and I regularly found myself surprised as I watched our machines tear up the side of a steep hill climbing huge rocks along the way. I was totally impressed as Tara pulled out of a deep puddle with her two front tires in the air at almost a 90 degree angle from the path. She rode it out and continued along like it ain't no thang.

Aaron kept asking if we wanted to take one more trail or head back? Always our answer was one more trail, until it was too dark to continue on.

Whatta day, whatta ride!!

Time Well Spent

2011-04-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

Happy sunshine and cotton candy clouds,

lush hillsides and a worn path

Backpacks bouncing and ponytails swinging

Merry birds and gusting winds

stories told and laughter shared

Pausing and noticing

learning and sharing

excitement in the discovery

joy in the details

exuberant and curious

Reflecting and wondering

pens and notebooks

eagerly writing and quietly listening

Happy hearts and grateful minds

a lowering sun and ticking time

I wonder at the beauty and awe at His creations

All of them..

Letting it All Hang Out

2011-04-12T19:17:00.000-07:00

Food, namely carby starchy things, seem to make nice temporary bandages for the scrapes in my life. The result is the lumpy version of me that I've been wearing lately, and it ain't pretty! I came across this card yesterday and couldn't control my laughter. I've had bad hair days where I just want to throw it back in a pony tail or cover it with a hat, but what do you do with your butt?!!

Surprise Party!

2011-04-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

I adore my dad, but I know I'm not the only one around here who does! Upon learning of my dad's birthday, Brynne set out an elaborate plan to make sure his special day was the best ever. Here's how it all went down...

Brynne to me: Mom it's very important that you take me to the store tonight. It's your dad's birthday tomorrow and I really need to get him the very best present ever!

Me to Brynne: Well what were you thinking of? My dad really likes me to pick out some clothes for him or some fun toys he can use for his van...

Brynne: Oh yes, toys for sure!! I'll show you just what we should get him...

Regardless of my persistent and somewhat convincing arguments to go to another store, department, etc, we ended up purchasing a large rubber bee for my dad from the Target dollar spot. It was exactly what she wanted and she was sure he'd want to try to scare all of his friends with it.

Next she gave specific instructions to my mom.

Brynne: Um grandma I need to talk to you about something that is very important. It's your husbands birthday tomorrow, and I'm throwing him a surprise party for him. I need you to do two things for me. First you need to make him a chocolate cake and bring it here right after school. I also need you to make sure grandpa is in his fanciest clothes and then bring him to my house. Don't worry we'll all be hiding.

Before Brynne left for school the following day, I was given directions to hang streamers and blow up lots of balloons, Brynne's fancy red dress was carefully laid out on her bed, and the cousins were all invited to come over right after school. She had even wrapped her gift with wrapping paper and masking tape, complete with a message for my dad!

I left for just a quick moment to pick Wes up from school and when I got back Brynne had already called and summoned my parents to the house!! I missed the big moment but it totally didn't matter because Brynne had everything under control.

My dad opened his gifts and read the cards from the kids. Everyone got a good laugh out of Brynnes because not only did she insist on buying a singing card, she insisted on the one featuring Taylor Swift singing Love Story. Not your run of the mill, happy birthday grandpa card, but she's kinda into doing things her own way if you couldn't tell.

When all was said and done. Brynne was quite pleased with herself and my dad had an enjoyable time with his grandkids and a good laugh with my mom and I.

I'm glad I'm not the only girl around here that knows my dad is worth celebrating!!

More Than Three Good Reasons

2011-03-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

You get to know people in a much more intimate way when you travel together. There are always moments that go down in history, for better or for worse. I think I have almost as much fun remembering them as I do in the moment. This post is a tribute to the memories made in Tahoe with the eleven of us; Five couples and the mouse in Josh's pocket. My sweet friend Tiffany likes it when we can back up our preferences with at least 3 good reasons why. Here are the reasons why I'll return next year!

Fabulous breakfasts and questionable brownies can be prepared in this state of the art kitchen. Rumor has it you may even find a mouse mixing pancake batter one morning.

The beds, well at least my bed, was large and oh so comfy.

As exciting as it can be to just sit around and "visit"in this living room, minus the fire that our eagle scouts didn't really manage to light, no thanks to Kirsten and her coupon hoarding, the games that you play are the real draw. Unless of course you're loosing, in which case you are free to shamelessly declare, "You know, this isn't as much fun as I thought it would be!"

There are beautiful places to ski with our annoying friends, while taking in the incredible views! Word on the street is that they have pretty sweet demo boots here too. They keep them inside all night long so that your toes will stay warm. Not that it would be much of a change for Kirsten. Her boots made it inside too, they just didn't make it to Northstar!

If you time it just right, you can ski down the back side of the mountain and get a FREE hot chocolate

Somehow just during the course of lunch you can end up with an extra hand!

There's plenty of time on the lift to play with your fun photo aps

Old ladies resembling troll dolls in red jumpsuits are known to put in work, shred the gnar, and slay the deep stuff, on the run directly below this lift!

To watch these grown men act like silly boys!

When you wrap up a great day of skiing there are so many great ways to spend your evening. You can eat dinner in cute restaurants that have pictures of Josh in his glory days hanging from the walls just begging to be signed. While waiting to be seated you can check out the shops where I've heard they have some pretty cute blouses. If blouse shopping isn't your thing, there is a dude working at the board shop who has clearly smoked too much kush, who can tell you all about slaying the deep stuff. If he happens to be off work when you visit, Reed will give you a darn good impersonation.

After a good nights rest you can wake up and within minutes be at another premier ski resort!

Lifts here can fit almost all of us on at once and they book it up the hill!

There are runs for every skill level

Skooning is totally appropriate here!

The laughter never seems to stop!

Nowhere else can you jump on a chair lift and end up in Siberia!

Sometimes you can even jump on a chair lift and end up on Helga's lap. I think Tiff still has at least 3 unanswered questions about that scenario. Like exactly why did those four women follow the four men out onto that lift that could only carry four people? And how was it, that everyone but Josh was able to bail from the lift. Last of all, how does a little 98 lb woman keep a big ole football player from falling off of her lap? I think I'll be laughing at the retelling of that story for at least 3 years!!

I'll be back again next year to see if our sour puss friend enjoys his next birthday any better than he did this year. In spite of his increasing age though, he's still got mad fry throwing skills.

I'd totally go back just for the warm tubbing experience. Shelley can tell you how comfortable it is to squish too many people into a hot tub to the point of overflowing. It's even better on night two when the water level is low and a murky shade of grey, and the heating mechanism barely raises the temp up to 80 degrees. So what if it's kinda like hanging out in a big dirty bathtub with your friends, it's the company that counts right? Besides warm tubbing can bring about great rewards, like this sweet t-shirt Tiff brought in!

Nope, not a chance I'd miss out on hanging out with this crew, at this place!

Reasons enough Tiff?

A Second Dose...

2011-03-18T01:53:00.000-07:00

When Haley and I wore our green boas skiing last year on St Patricks Day, it was way too fun! We planned to make it a repeat this year, and brought a few more friends with us!

We were short a few boas, but next year I'm certain they'll be prepared!

I've decided boas are kind of like a magic wand that makes everything a little more fun when you're wearing them.

You act a little sillier, and throw caution to the wind a little more frequently.

Tiffany skied China Bowl for her first time today, and I tried a jump and landed it. Luck of the Irish, carrying a leprechaun in my pocket, or pure skill you wonder? None of the above. It's all about the boa!!

And if those aren't enticements enough to sport those lovely green feathers, imagine all the great smiles and comments that we get from our fellow skiers. That's entertainment enough!

Whether riding on the lift or flying down the hill, having a trail of feathers flowing out behind you sure feels fancy!

Never mind the hundreds of feathers that now dot most of the runs across the mountain at China Peak, really we were helping out many of our fellow skiers. You see some had come unprepared for the festive atmosphere that St. Patrick's day affords, and were thrilled to find a few glorious feathers to zip into their coats. Really it's true, a few even thanked us!

So, I'm pretty certain good ole St. Patrick was looking down on us at China Peak today in all of our green glory, leaving a trail of smiles, laughter and of course a few feathers in our wake, with a big fat smile.

If not, he's probably the only one!

Good Medicine

2011-03-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

Mom-itis...it's a real condition you know. Seriously ask any mom and they'll tell you they've had it at least once or twice.

You can usually tell you're coming down with it when you find yourself putting away clothes in your closet and then just staying in there for a while longer so that no one can find you. Another tell tale sign is when you resort to reading on a closed toilet seat with the door shut, just because it's the only place in the house you know no one is going to be climbing all over you.

Yeah, now you know what I'm talking about, and I bet you can think of a few more ways to tell if you're coming down with a case of Mom-itis.

Well I'm no doctor, but I'm telling you I've found a cure.

Grab some friends, some skis and head for the hills!

You are guaranteed great conversation, beautiful scenery, and tons of laughs!

Kirsten and I may wear our special ed helmets, and some of us may walk with a little swagger in our boots, while others dance and sing out loud while on the lift and the slopes! Regardless, it's all good medicine.

You just might be the last ones to ride chair 5 for the day or the last to visit the ski shop. You might even be the last to grab your skis and head to the car. But when you return home, your patience will be lengthened, your head will be clear and your heart will be full. You'll find yourself grateful to return home to your babies, answer their millions of questions, and hold them close for a little longer than they would like. And if you aren't able to wipe the smile from your face for quite some time, you'll know you've just had some good medicine.

Diggin it...

2011-03-05T17:30:00.000-08:00

So here's a little somthing I'm diggin' right now... I love the bluesy tone of Adele's voice. I love the imagery in the video and that beat!! I couldn't resisit dancing to the song a little while I was skiing this last week!

I've Been Biebered

2011-03-02T23:20:00.000-08:00

My movie buddies today minus both Laurens

I've mentioned before how I spurned New Kids on The Block in my youth simply because of the mass hysteria that all of the female population went into at the sight of any one of it's members. I believe this same mentality is what drives all teenage boys to hate on Justin Bieber. It's the screaming, crying girls with their ridiculous worshiping of all things Bieber, that turns the boys away. I have heard great things about Justin as a musician and being that I am no spring chicken, I have no close friends who suffer from Bieber Fever. That would be a bit disturbing, but it does allow me to have an open mind and see for myself what I think of The Bieb. His tunes are catchy and he's a cute kid, but I wanted to watch the movie and see what the hype is all about.

A few weeks ago my husband thinking he was just being funny told my 11yr old son that he looked like Justin Bieber. Okay, so he said it multiple times even after being asked to stop, but still I was shocked at the response. My son was not just mad, he was totally offended, and couldn't understand how his dad could be so intentionally mean. It took me nearly 2 hours to mediate an understanding between my husband and son. As you can see anti Bieber sentiment runs deep in my household with 3 nearly teenage boys, there was no way any one of them would consider accompanying me to the Theater.

A good friend of mine took all but one of her daughters to see the movie last week. She said I could borrow her youngest as an excuse to go. Well she wanted to bring a friend who happened to be my niece, and her older sister thought once was definitely not enough and wanted to come again. I figured maybe my younger niece might like to join us as well. When the time came to head to the movie theater my car was full of a bunch of dang cute girls. My boys reconsidered their movie attendance as well as my nephew and one of the boys friends. I ended up with 5 boys, 4 girls, and 2 middle aged couples in the theater today!

I could not find anything to dislike about the kid other than the fact that he needs to pull his pants up a few more inches. He is a talented natural musician with an incredible gift and love for music. He seems generous and sincere. I really enjoy his voice, he can dance, he puts on a great show, and he sings some really catchy tunes. What's not to like?

My boys reluctantly admitted after the movie that yes, they probably would be friends with him if he went to their school. Yes, he really is talented, and actually pretty funny. I think they are no longer haters of The Bieb, just his crazy overly dramatic fans. Still, I don't think they will go to school tomorrow and tell all their friends about the cool movie they saw today.

As for me and all of my praise, I still would not say that I have Bieber Fever. I wouldn't wait all day to catch a glimpse of him, cry if I saw him, or claim that I want to marry him, like those suffering from the fever often do. However I'll admit that I now want to buy his CD and I would probably really enjoy seeing him in concert. I am definitely a fan.

Gimpy

2011-03-01T22:15:00.000-08:00

Last week Garrett ended up spending some time in the ER after slipping off the ladder from the attic. The flesh wound looked like it could possibly need stitches, and our tough guy with the incredible pain threshold was hurting pretty bad. We were worried there might be some cracked ribs because of how he fell.

Luckily, none of the above were needed and Garrett was just bruised up for a few days. I spent some time the previous day at the doctors office, and didn't get news I was hoping for. The girl who doesn't even play tennis has tennis elbow! I crashed while skiing and landed on it when we were in Tahoe, and it still hadn't healed. Well it likely won't for another three months. I have damaged the tendon, and now wear a lovely black brace just below my elbow. I am much more aware of very small daily tasks that I never thought twice about. Things like opening a jar of jam or getting the milk out of the fridge are pretty rough. I have a hard time lifting things out of my cart at the store, and need help grabbing my skis from the ground when I take them off. I can't push the pump on my hairspray bottle but I can still do push ups, go figure!

We are feeling a little gimpy around here!

Sleeping Beauty

2011-03-01T01:09:00.000-08:00

As I gaze down at my tiny girl while she sleeps, I am overwhelmed with a love that cannot be contained within the walls of my heart. She is determined and strong willed. Mischievous and brilliant, she never forgets anything. She always knows exactly what she wants and has a path she is determined to take to get there. She is all things girlie and pink, dancing and soft. She is tough as nails and as loud as a bullhorn. She has a style that is all her own and she owns it with flair and confidence. Generous and full of love, her hugs and high esteem must be earned and are highly sought after. My heart aches with hopes and dreams for her future, one that I cannot control. Sometimes I am exhausted, and pushed to the edge of my patience. Often I shake my head in disbelief at the things she has said or her take on a concept. Sometimes I am floored by her direct honesty, but always, always I am in love with my sleeping beauty.

Presidents Weekend=Ski Weekend

2011-02-28T01:07:00.000-08:00

Yep, it was a no brainer. We had loads of fresh powder and a 3 day weekend, so of course we spent it on the hill. Saturday was absoulutely beautiful. I snapped these pictures with my phone at one of my favorite parts of the drive up to China Peak. It also happens to be on my regular bike riding route, I love it!

We brought all the kids up on Saturday.

Each of us took a turn sitting with Brynne in the lodge once she was all skied out. You know, after those six runs down the magic carpet... I'm hoping eventually she'll get the hang of it!

We made it up without the chains even though they were required, but knew we'd be stupid to try to navigate the roads on the way home after they had frozen up again. Jeff got to do chain duty on his own though because I HATE, I mean really really hate, the new chains he bought. That's a story all on it's own though. Suffice it to say, I'm getting another set of the kind I used to have, before they were destroyed on our horrific drive to Idaho in December. Until then Jeff's doing a really good job at pretending these are the best chains we've ever owned!

As a complete side note here, I like the picture of me below almost as much as I like Jeff's new chains, but I wanted to show the cute hat I made to match my new coat! Fun huh?

Monday Jeff worked and Brynne played with Grandpa. I got to come ski with my boys, three of Garrett's friends, and Jason, Austin and Lauren. I spent most of my time on the lift with little Lou. She is the cutest little bug and just talked nonstop, kind of like her aunt has a tenency to do. She had me completely entertained!

After lunch we all met up at Ullman's alley and the photo session began.

Jason was on the video camera and I brought my telephoto lens. The guys were in heaven putting their skills on display!

WES

AUSTIN

GARRETT

DREW

TYLER

We went home frozen as a bunch of popsicles but had an incredible weekend! Sure glad those presidents had birthdays ;)

Tahoe...Twist My Arm!

2011-02-23T23:30:00.000-08:00

Our good friends the Allen's love skiing at Northstar in Tahoe, and invited us to join them at their friends cabin for a weekend in January. Of course there was no way we were going to miss out on that opportunity!

The cabin was beautiful and just a 5 minute drive to the resort.

The village was packed with people and had such a fun atmosphere!

Jeff and Craig picked up the tickets

While everyone else waited around looking cute

It was a gorgeous day and the snow was awesome!

We had such a great time visiting while we waited in lines and rode the lifts, and of course everyone loved the fun runs there!

By the time we stopped for lunch we had all worked up a pretty good appetite and the food was fabulous!

Jeff, Craig and Wes wrapped up the day skiing the backside of the mountain, Garrett and Drew stuck with the terrain park, and Nan, Carter, Dev and I did a little of everything.

It was a perfect day, and the looks on everyone's faces says it all!

Back at the cabin we were all in recovery mode.

Sinking into the over sized leather couches, we battled each other in countless rounds of Words With Friends on our phones and ipads, followed by a round of Apples to Apples.

Drew downloaded Risk onto my phone and was totally enraptured!

Sunday morning was beautiful! We drove down to attend church at the North Lake Tahoe

Ward and stopped on our way back for a few pictures.

We all wished we could stay longer in this little slice of Heaven. You won't have to twist my arm to get me to head back!

A Ball for the Princess

2011-02-22T21:09:00.000-08:00

Every little girl dreams of being a princess. Brynne decided the Daddy Daughter Dance for her elementry school was the perfect opportunity to live out that dream as best she could. She spent over a week delibertating over which of her princess dress ups she was going to wear. In the end, and much to my relief she selected a real dress from her closet. It was hanging from her door along with the rest of her ensemble the night before the dance.

She insisted on a necklace with the most jewels, and of course a tiara.

She gave specific directions on how her hair was to be curled and then precisely how the tiara was to be worn with the curls.

Her toes and finger tips were painted red to match her dress. Her prince was given specific directions on his attire several days before the event. "Oh, and Dad, you'll be wearing your work clothes because those are your handsomest ones, oh but I'll be picking out your tie and shoes." She did. They were laying out for him before he left for work on Friday.

While Princess Brynne and her prince charming were invited to join friends whom she adores for dinner, Brynne declined, choosing instead to go to Sweet Tomatoes. She was really pushing for Sweet Tomatoes followed immediately by John's Incredible Pizza and THEN the dance, but sometimes even princesses have to choose just one place to eat.

She had a ball at the dinner and the dance!

When the clock struck 8, and the music stopped, Brynne once again declined an invitation from friends to go out for ice cream. She had her own agenda... laser tag of course! Brynne, Jeff and one rascally little 13 year old were the only ones in there. Of course the princess and her date won, and it was a fabulous end to their night!

On Sunday Brynne conned Grandpa Bill into playing along with her fairy tale. She was the princess and he was the knight and he had to do whatever she told him to. Then they got married and she explained to him he still had to do whatever she told him to because they were married now. What a grand imagination!

We All Have Our Limits...

2011-02-21T20:57:00.000-08:00

When you're done, you're done!

And when you gotta go, you just gotta go!

We all have our limits...

P.S. Please don't mention that you saw these pics to my children...they are just too funny not to post, but they could get me into a little trouble;)