Inner Monologue

Just Do It

2012-02-08T17:56:00.001-07:00

I stumbled across someone's blog post the other day entitled "Why I Run". She talked about what was going on in her life, how running kept it under control, and how running made her feel both physically and emotionally. As I read all I could think about was how much I miss running. Let me clarify, how much I miss running freely. I am really lucky that I am still able to run. Each week gets progressively slower, and it might not be much faster than a brisk walk, but I can still put my running shoes to good use. So, I am grateful for that, but sometimes I just miss being able to run long and hard and push myself to get better. The past year and a half have really not been my best physically so my running has suffered. I didn't discover running until my late 20's and once I did, I seriously think I became a better person physically and emotionally. That's probably why I plug along now slowly, trying to squeeze out all the benefits I can. I won't lie, I often fantasize about running down the trail, free and fast (my version of fast). True, the fantasy includes a jogging stroller, but I can still hardly wait. In the meantime, I enjoy what I have and supplement the endorphins by reading about running. Sometimes those shoe ads just get it right. Enjoy a few of my favs:

Mexico - The Fun

2012-02-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

We spent a lot of our time in Mexico laughing, or otherwise enjoying ourselves. The main restaurant had a "Mariachi Night" and my mom was so excited to go. When the band got to our table, we went with the classic "La Bamba". I'm sure the guys in the band cringe every time it is requested, but it was everything my mom was hoping for and more.

Just monkeying around.

Every day at noon they had some type of game or contest,
If you know my mom, you know that she would be
The first one in line, and usually won.
She was great in this dance contest,but lost out to a
Ten year old little girl with serious moves.

One of the favorite spots - the pool bar.
A pina colada tastes even better when drinking it here.

Mexico - Playa Del Carmen

2012-02-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

Tim has never spent any time in Playa del Carmen, and it has been ten years since my parents were there so we got in some early beach time one day and then headed to town.

This shot is just for Julie,
"The Bikineria"

Ten years ago we ate at Sur, an Argentine restaurant,
It's still there and still oh so delicious.
Seriously, my steak was so tender I didn't even need a knife.

The town has changed so much over the years that I have been going to Mexico. It has gotten super busy, lots of tourists, and higher prices. With the progress, I think Playa has lost a little of its charm, but still a fun place to visit.

Mexico - The Beach

2012-02-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

Prepare for an overload of Mexico pics. I've said before that I don't scrapbook or journal, this is as good as it gets, so...lots of photos.

I thought I would make it clear that it is baby,
Not too much guacamole.

The boys had a good time kayaking,
I think they only got in trouble a few times.

It was so fun having my parents with us.

We struggled with the self photo,
This was the best we could get.

Mexico - The Haciendas

2012-02-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

A few years ago Julie and I stayed at the Royal Haciendas and fell in love. This year when we were looking for a place to stay - you know I have to make my yearly pilgrimage - it seemed like a great time to return. We were not disappointed. This was not an all inclusive (usually a favorite), but worked great for the situation, it was a villa with bedrooms on opposite sides, then a living room, kitchen, etc., in the middle. We were lucky and convinced my parents to go with so we loved having such a relaxing place to stay. Sorry, I was kind of a slacker and didn't take hardly any pictures of the resort or the rooms, but here are a few...

Our first night there on the way to dinner, not too shabby.

The grounds were beautiful,

I never got tired of walking under this arch.

Of course the pools were amazing,

Your welcome for the added beauty to the view.

My parents went out for a fancy dinner,

Tim and I had mac and cheese with hot dogs

At least they let us join them for the high class picture.

Just you wait, the beach pictures are coming...

The Naked Truth

2012-01-31T20:45:00.003-07:00

Every morning, Monday-Friday, I get ready at the gym, me and a lot of other women. I don't consider myself overly modest, and am not awkward around a locker room but sometimes I'm amazed at what I see - lately, way too much. I'm not sure how some women can feel so comfortable strutting around naked, and how they can't see that they make everyone else uncomfortable. I have all kinds of stories of the craziness, but this week there have been two that have me kind of scarred. First is the woman who is about 75, very white, and not anywhere close to small. Her routine is to swim, take a shower, and then she must not believe in towels because she comes out, rinses and spins her suit and wanders around before moving along to get dressed. Really, I can bring you a towel, a robe, anything to save the rest of us. Today was the most shocking. As I walked in, there was a girl standing at the mirror in the main walkway, blow drying her hair - buck naked! Seriously? She wasn't even in the process of getting dressed, just casually blow drying her hair as if she were alone in her own home. I don't get it. It was pretty funny to watch everyone else walk in and see their reactions but c'mon ladies, perhaps a little more class and decorum.
How are things at your gym or training facility? Any streakers?

I Want This

2012-01-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

Of Course I Did

2012-01-23T17:48:00.002-07:00

True, I may have just finished working out at the gym, and clearly I could walk just fine, but.....it was raining and miserable so I took advantage of the rockstar parking. I think every parking lot should have a few of these spaces.

James Taylor Knew What He Was Talking About

2012-01-20T16:25:00.004-07:00

Oh, Mexico
Way down here, you need a reason to move...
For us, it was happy hour and half priced pina coladas. Leave your load, leave your mind behind...
Most days I didn't ever know the date or time, and I didn't care

The sun's so hot I forgot to go home...

I wish that could have happened

Make everything alright...

We had a fabulous week, everything was definitely alright...more pics and details to come.

Farewell to 2011

2012-01-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

New Years Eve I got up early and went to the gym, then spent the day putting away Christmas decorations and cleaning up the messes that made. By the time that was done I was ready to be an old lady and just go to bed early and forget any type of New Years Eve celebration. Luckily, the rest of the crew did not think that was a good idea so we decided to go out to celebrate.

Any party that starts at the Outback,
Has to be a great celebration.

The boys seriously enjoyed their ribs.After dinner we headed to the Towne Center Mall.

We watched some concerts, the kids did a bungee trampoline

And B did some serious dancing with a giant

Wii dance competition.

They had fireworks at Midnight which were really good,

It was super cold but most everyone danced to stay warm

2011 was a pretty good year for us:

Family parties for birthdays, holidays, and just because;

I read too many books and magazines to count;

Tim did one marathon, we each ran two 1/2 marathons;

Tim's first triathlon, the first one for me in several years;

Brad Paisley concert/Stadium of Fire;

Trips to California, Texas, Arizona, Hawaii, Mexico

Bear Lake, Moab and St. George;

River rafting, 4-wheeling, skiing, biking;

And of course, the announcement of our new addition.

Quite a year, I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store.

Ten Years Old

2012-01-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty behind on posting, I'm sure my people have been devastated. I used the excuses of the holidays, then vacation, now I'm ready to get back on track. Truthfully, the best part of keeping up to date is for me to have a good record - this is the closest I get to scrap booking or journaling.

Anyway, B turned 10 on December 28th. It is crazy, he has grown over two inches in the last year. He celebrated his birthday at home with neighborhood friends, then spent a few days with us. At his request we went to Lowes Extreme Air Sports with Ada, Miles and Gavin. It smelled like a sweaty boy's locker room, but other than that, so much fun. The kids had a riot. In fact it was tough to get any good photos because they were too busy running around. Nearly all of the activities ended in a foam pit - rope swing, trampolines, climbing wall, etc. I kind of wanted to jump into one myself it looked so fun.

After watching enough kids,

Ada got brave and decided to try the rope swing.

Pretty impressive.

Thanks Tim and E for the help,

She's still just a little too short to reach.

As long as she was up there helping,

E decided to show us her skills.

Baby G doing his best impersonation of a wild animal,

Pretty believable huh?

After jumping we all relaxed with pizza and birthday cake.

B requested my grandma's famous chocolate cake.

Always a good choice.

I was pretty impressed I could find 10 candles,

True, a few had daisys, and others were trick candles,

But, he did have 10 to blow.

Just a little arts and crafts to end the party.

Happy Birthday B, hope 10 is a great year!

Everest

2012-01-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

My brother sent this to me in honor of my dog, Everest
I've been giggling ever since.

Christmas

2012-01-04T19:46:00.001-07:00

The big day came and went and this is the only pic that I got. The day involved a lot of of resting, lots of family, and lots of food. Perfect.

Ada loved the Apron we got her and was anxious to be a model.

Christmas Eve

2012-01-04T17:00:00.002-07:00

Like I explained in my previous post, we were lucky and got to celebrate Chrismas a day early with the kids. I got up early to get breakfast in the oven and go for a run. When Everest and I started out it was dark and COLD and I think it got colder (probably around 12 degrees). Despite the cold, I loved how peaceful the morning prior to everyone beginning their day. As I was freezing I kept thinking about the pioneers from the movie the night before and had a whole new appreciation for the cold they must have felt. I have great cold running gear and still was cold - I imagine that they didn't warm up for months.
Anyway, I got home, expecting everyone to be awake and anxious, but found a dark and quiet house. Tim came wandering out and we actually had to wake the kids to open presents. I only took a few photos, it was more fun just to watch the action.

Everyone was excited about Angry Birds!

The only thing B really wanted in life was an I-pod touch.

I learned all my mom's tricks and saved it for last,

Then wrapped it in a clothing box with dish towels.
Once he got to the small wrapped present,

He was clearly hoping for something good.

The look says it all.

He was the most grateful kid I think I have ever seen,

It made waiting in line at Target till 3:00 a.m.

On Black Friday totally worth it.

Pretty good smiles considering we hadn't even had breakfast.

By the time the real Christmas Eve rolled around,

Tim and I were tired and ended up alone at Outback.

Perfect time to go, no crowds and the food was delish.

Christmas Eve Eve

2012-01-03T17:00:00.001-07:00

The kids were not with us on Christmas day this year so we bumped the festivities up by a few days. On the night of the 23rd my parents came over for dinner and a movie and of course, gifts. The kids were all excited about the I-Tunes gift cards. My mom is famous for always giving them packs of gum - luckily they are big enough that the gum never ends up on my floor.

Just a side note, we watched the movie 17 Miracles. It's such a tragic story but the movie was well done. There were so many scenes of people suffering in the snow that I spent the entire movie freezing, then thinking how lucky I was to be inside my warm house.

Once the kids went to bed, we played Santa and set out Christmas gifts. The kids were totally spoiled, but they are really fun to buy for. It's kind of silly because we set out the presents in the front living room and then have to take them into the great room where there is more space for opening, but, I love how it looks. After everything is set out, I turn off the main lights and love to just sit there with the lights of the Christmas tree and all of the prettily wrapped packages.

Give Me a Caution Sign

2011-12-29T12:40:00.002-07:00

Seriously, I think I need blinking hazard lights to warn everyone I am near. I teased about Tim spilling the beans, but I have had more than my share of uh ohs lately. My poor mom got a large tub of popcorn dumped on her at the movies on Monday. She's sweet, she just said "these pants needed to be washed anyway".

Not sure how well you can see the mess, but this is what happens when you turn on the blender with a measuring cup inside. It blew the lid off and the pancake batter ended up everywhere. After that one, I cried and Tim cleaned.

One minute the salt shaker was in my hand, the next, it was in pieces on the floor. Tim doesn't even react anymore, he just goes and gets the camera.You have been warned, hide the good dishes and don't wear dry clean only when I am around.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-21T12:10:00.002-07:00

The images are pretty small but can be enlarged if you click on each one.

2011-12-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

No joke, Tim seriously spilled the beans. We were headed to a Christmas party and had a crock pot full of beans. We had made it all the way from Provo to Kaysville and were making the last turn to his parents house when I heard them tip. I must have sounded panicked when I told Tim they were spilling because he slammed on his brakes. Not a good idea given the circumstances. The beans went from slightly spilled, to this....
A small amount stayed in the pot and was enjoyed by a few lucky ones. In the clean up effort Tim ended up with beans on his pants and sweatshirt, and I somehow had a bunch on the back of my leg. It was a sweet smell all the way home.

Oh What Fun It Is To Ride...

2011-12-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

We were wishing for a one horse open sleigh, or at least a sun roof. On Monday we had dinner together then went to see the lights in Spanish Fork at Canyon View Park. Do you know what is more fun than just seeing the lights on your own? Cram eight adults and four wiggly kids into a mini van and then go see the lights. I seriously have not laughed that hard in a long time. Cory tried to be the grinch and keep us in our own cars, but that ruins half the fun. Notice, he didn't make his way into the pics, hmmmm.

I think Tim wins the award for best sport of the night. That second row does not have a bench seat, he was balanced between the two captain chairs for the whole ride. And he is even smiling! Must have been the Christmas carols.

If you are itching to go see the lights, but not sure you have quite enough people to pack your car, give us a call, we are always up for round two.

Easiest Thanksgiving Ever!

2011-12-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of people get super stressed with the holidays, especially Thanksgiving cooking. Not me this year. Just because I'm a giver, I'll share with you my easy peasy steps to a stress free Thanksgiving.

Step 1. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, call Mimis Cafe and tell them you would like to order their "Feast to Go".
Step 2. Stop by Target to pick up frozen rolls and a few pre-made appetizers.
Step 3. Thanksgiving morning sleep in, then go to the gym, spend as much time as you like.
Step 4. On your way home from the gym, stop at Mimis and pick up this box.

Step 5. This is where it gets tough. You have to take the food out of the box, put it in oven safe dishes, and put it all in the oven to warm.
Step 6. Watch the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade, read the newspaper/shop Black Friday ads, etc.

Step 7. Set the table and dinner is served.
Note, I did resist the urge to make the dinner completely easy by using paper plates. I figured the least I could do to fancy up the meal would be to get out the china and real silverware.

Step 8. Enjoy! Seriously, the meal was almost as good as if I would have made it myself.

Step 9. Let someone else wash the dishes and pack up the leftovers, then spend the rest of the afternoon napping and reading.

Step 10. This was only because we were feeling extra energetic and could be avoided - drive to Midway to swim and sit in the hot tub with family.

Step 11. Top off the night with a slice of pumpkin pie.

The hardest part of the whole thing was remembering to upload the photos so I could finish the post. Not bad!

I Lost My Car

2011-12-07T19:01:00.003-07:00

Seriously, it was like something out of a sitcom. When I pulled into the gym parking lot last night I was on the phone and paid zero attention to where I parked. Big mistake. It didn't seem like a big deal until it was time to go home and I realized that I had no idea where I parked my car. Did I mention that the parking lot is huge. Oh, and that I was in a short sleeve t-shirt with no jacket, flip flops and soaking wet hair. I started walking in the direction I thought I had parked, sure that I would spot it but pretty soon found myself wandering up and down every aisle. There are a lot of people who drive red SUVs. My key fob doesn't set off an alarm but does flash the lights so I kept hitting it in hopes that I would see the lights or hear the doors lock and unlock. I almost resorted to asking a stranger to drive me around but that seemed way over the line of pathetic. After about ten minutes I finally spotted the car and have never been so happy to see the trusty Pathfinder. Ten minutes may not seem like a long time, but it feels like forever when it is 23 degrees outside. By the time I got in the car my hair strands were frozen and my toes and fingers were numb. It took the rest of the night to get warm! Lesson learned.

Arthur Christmas

2011-12-03T21:48:00.005-07:00

Last week we took seven kids to see Arthur Christmas. I told everyone that it was going to be Arthur's Christmas and expected a fairly childish story about the cute aardvark.

Turns out the movie we had tickets to see was actually called Arthur Christmas and is about Arthur, the bumbling son of Santa Claus, and youngest member of the Christmas family. Oops, not quite the same story, but lucky for us, this was so much better. According to Rotten Tomatoes: the movie at last reveals the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child's question: 'So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?' The answer: Santa's exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the heart of the film is a story with the ingredients of a Christmas classic - a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero, Arthur, with an urgent mission that must be completed before Christmas morning dawns.
The movie was pretty much perfect for a kid's movie. We had seven kids ranging in age from 2 to 17 and everyone really liked the movie. It was entertaining and cute for kids, but had a lot of really witty humor which made it great for the adults. If you are looking for a movie to take the kids, I would definitely give it two thumbs up.

Happy Birthday Mom

2011-11-16T18:22:00.002-07:00

My mom is pretty much amazing. She has always supported me and my brothers (and now inlaws and grandkids) 100% in anything we have wanted to do. She loves us unconditionally and never lets us leave without a hug and an "I love you" to make sure we know. She's feisty and stubborn, and the original example of what Julie coined as our family motto, "Broadbents never quit".

My mom has always loved that she was born on November 11, 11-11. This year was especially exciting because her birthday fell on 11-11-11. If only she would have been turning 11! She always makes sure that our birthday's are special; favorite meal, a birthday song and definitely your favorite desert. So, once a year I make a German chocolate cake, homemade from start to finish, because I know it is her fav. The cake is delicious and this year tasted great as always, but the presentation was a little lacking. So, I'm giving another example of "what not to do" in the kitchen. I am always worried about the cake coming out of the pans so I decided to use parchment paper to line them. In theory this was a great idea, but it didn't exactly work. The edges were lumpy and misshapen and the layers came out looking completely sad. I thought that I could cover it up with a thick layer of frosting, but didn't give the frosting enough time to cool so it was runny and just added to the visual disaster. Luckily my mom thought it was wonderful and we all got a good laugh.

Of course the grandkids had to help with the blowing out of the candles. Hopefully my mom still gets her wish, right?

Stinky Socks

2011-11-10T17:27:00.002-07:00

I have been sick for whatever feels like forever. No worries, it isn't anything serious, just a lot of congestion in my head and chest and a never ending cough. The cough keeps both me and Tim up half the night - not fun. I don't normally get sick for more than a day or two so I have turned into a pretty big whiner. In Tim's family, they all swear by his mother's alcohol wrap as the ultimate cure. It consists of soaking some material in rubbing alcohol (in our case a sock), then wrapping it around your neck and going to bed. Tim isn't sure if it is the alcohol fumes that are supposed to do the trick, or something through osmosis, either way, his entire family are believers. When the kids were here this weekend they even asked if I had tried the alcohol wrap. I finally got desperate and let him make me a wrap. And the results? I did sleep longer than I have for several days. I'm not sure that I'm willing to give all the credit to the sock yet, maybe I'm just wearing out the sickness. But tonight, I'll be the one with the sock wrapped around her neck.
What home remedies do you swear by when you are sick? Secret family recipes? Ancient Chinese secrets?

2011-11-06T18:44:00.003-07:00

I read this book a few weeks ago and have been thinking about it ever since, isn't that the best type of book. It was recommended to me by a co-worker and I have already recommended it to friends, co-workers, and even a business associate. The story drew me in from the first page, it is so compelling and made me want to look outside myself and become a better person. One warning, don't read it in a public place. I had about an hour or two to kill at the airport which can be a great place to read. The book is so emotional in parts that it was all I could do to not make a complete spectacle of myself with my crying.

"Meet Denver, a man raised under plantation-style slavery in Louisiana in the 1960s; a man who escaped, hopping a train to wander, homeless, for eighteen years on the streets of Dallas, Texas. No longer a slave, Denver's life was still hopeless-until God moved. First came a godly woman who prayed, listened, and obeyed. And then came her husband, Ron, an international arts dealer at home in a world of Armani-suited millionaires. And then they all came together.

But slavery takes many forms. Deborah discovers that she has cancer. In the face of possible death, she charges her husband to rescue Denver. Who will be saved, and who will be lost? What is the future for these unlikely three? What is God doing?

Same Kind of Different As Me is the emotional tale of their story: a telling of pain and laughter, doubt and tears, dug out between the bondages of this earth and the free possibility of heaven. No reader or listener will ever forget it."

This is the type of book that I could talk about, but you really just need to read to experience. But...I will share a few of my favorite quotes to get you excited about reading:

***Looking back now, I mourn the mutual wounds inflicted in verbal battles with the "unsaved". In fact, I have chosen to delete that particular term from my vocabulary as I have learned that even with my 4500 European designer bifocals, I cannot see into a person's heart to know his spiritual condition. All I can do is tell the jagged tale of my own spiritual journey and declare that my life has been the better for having followed Christ.

***With the museums, the restaurants and the malls, I was showing Denver a different way to live, a side of life in which people took time to appreciate fine things, where they talked about ideas, where raw yellowtail cost more than cooked catfish. but he remained absolutely convinced that his way of life was no worse than mine, only different, pointing out in the process certain inconsistencies: Why, he wondered, did rich people call it sushi while poor people called it bait? I knew Denver was sincere when he told me that he would not want to trade places for me for even a day.

***There's a lot of folks come down to the mission and volunteer, but most of em was not faithful like Miss Debbie. But that wadn't all. It was the way she treated the homeless that made them accept her as their friend. She never asked em no questions like how come you in in here, where you been, how come you done all them bad things in your life? She just loved em, no strings attached.

I so loved this quote,something I want to learn to do better, just love people how and where they are.

***Even though I'm almost seventy years old, I got a lot to learn too. I used to spend a lotta time worrying that I was different from other people, even from other homeless folks. Then, after I met Miss Debbie and Mr. Ron, I worried that I was so different from them that we wadn't ever gon have no kind a future. Bu I found out everybody's different - the same kind of different as me. We're all just regular folks walking down the road God done set in front of us. The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor, or somethin in between, this earth ain't no final restin place. so in a way, we is all homeless - just working our way toward home.

Race For The Cure

2011-10-25T17:23:00.002-06:00

While I was in Texas I got to hang with Jess and her soccer team (and several thousand others)at the Race for the Cure. Can you believe none of the girls wanted to wear their Homecoming Mums? Talk about a missed opportunity. The crowd at the race was enormous and there were all kinds of great t-shirts and costumes. Jesse's moustache was the hit of the day, everyone we passed made a comment and wanted to know where to get their own. I thought the princess crown was plenty and opted out of the moustache. Apparently I missed the guy with the bedazzled bra - tragic. Our t-shirts are a little bland from the front, but thanks to TWG Insurance who sponsored our group and paid all of the registration fees. I don't know how we forgot to get a shot of the backs since it was the best part, they said:

BIG OR SMALL, SAVE THEM ALL

Maybe my new favorite t-shirt. We laughed all morning long. It was great to be able to have so much fun while supporting such an important cause. Many people ran with "in memory" tags and I realized how lucky I am to not have a lot of personal experience with the disease. My grandmother had breast cancer when she was quite old, and I have had some friends who have suffered, but so far those closest to me have been spared.

The Mums

2011-10-19T12:47:00.004-06:00

Last weekend I went to Texas to hang with my family, more pics and stories to come. One of the best parts was that I was there for Homecoming weekend and could have a front row seat for the unveiling and wearing of the mums. What is a mum you ask, and what does it have to do with Homecoming. Clearly you must not be from Texas. They are pretty tough to describe, but Google found plenty of people who are oh so happy to clue us in on the celebration. So, what is a mum?

When it’s homecoming season across the nation, only in parts of Texas and Oklahoma is it also homecoming mum season. Some students take homecoming mums just as seriously as the homecoming football game itself.For the uninitiated, a homecoming mum is an oversize mum corsage decorated with three-foot long streamers in the school colors, bells, charms, banners, little plush animals done up in bows, sparkly letters, even Christmas tree lights. It is usually worn in the middle of the chest like a breastplate with the streamers flowing down the front of the body almost touching the ankles. It is, in short, a fashion statement.But homecoming mums are so much more than that. They are a sign that somebody loves you. They’re no longer given only by boyfriends. Mums can come from friends, your mom, dad, aunt, or even a booster boy (a boy-friend who is not your date).Anybody who's anybody wears one, or two. These days, a homecoming mum can cost more than $100 and weigh as much as 12 pounds!Homecoming mums have become a status symbol for many junior high and high school students. Designs change every year. The more original, the better.

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. My niece had all her friends sleep over the night before so they could have proper pics before going to school.

Sydney, Kelly, Jessice (can you tell we are related), and Nikki Sydney's lights up, no worries if the power goes out. I think they would be more comfortable if worn as capes.
Julie, Jess, and me. Nothing like work out clothes and a pink boa.

So has anyone else had experience with a Homecoming mum? Please tell me that you have your own photos.

Promises

2011-10-12T18:05:00.002-06:00

I pretty much love Dove Promises. Years ago when I lived in Ecuador, we found a bag of American Dove Promises in a grocery store. You would have thought it was manna from Heaven we were so excited. I try not to buy them too often because the bag always disappears way too quickly, But sometimes I justify the indulgence knowing they always come with a good message inside. I had some really great peanut butter promises this week, and the messages were fab so I thought I would share:

"Success is getting what you want, and happiness is wanting what you get". I think that is basically what Jami means when she says "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit", right?

"What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail" Very interesting. What would it be for you? The first two things that popped into my head were: complete an Ironman and go to nursing school. Random?

I've Got My Rock Moves

2011-10-07T19:30:00.006-06:00

Miles turned a big 5 this year. For weeks he has told his mom that the only gift he wanted was a drum, and, he wanted a "rock star" birthday party. I love this kid and his originality. He had the official rock party with friends earlier in the day, but don't worry, the family still got to party like rock stars. We ate a guitar birthday cake, and listened to several amazing drum solos. Sorry the pictures are so bad, I had a dying I-phone and bad lighting, but at least you get the idea.

I didn't get the best shot of this, but he was working the rockstar tongue. Miles knew that any self respecting rock star would have a few tattoos so he had a bag full of choices and let everyone get inked. Miles may plan to be the rockstar, but Gavin, the two year old, clearly has a budding career as a tattoo artist. He made sure everyone had one, even grandpa ended up with a spider tattoo on his bicep.
Mine is pretty classy huh? What was not so classy was the next day when I showered at the gym and discovered that it doesn't wash off in the shower. Nice! I got more than a few strange looks at work and had to assure my boss that it was definitely temporary.

Just for Miles, I had to share my rockstar face.

Cat Scratch Fever

2011-10-04T16:38:00.002-06:00

Everest an I went for a walk the other night. Harmless enough, right? I was walking along, thinking what a calm and quiet neighborhood we live in when we met up with "devil cat". It was the strangest thing. We were on the sidewalk, and I noticed Everest start to pull because there was a cat sitting on a neighbor's grass. No big deal, right? We pass cats all the time, usually they hiss and then run for the nearest tree. Not this one, he/she hissed, then lunged at Everest and started scratching and attacking him. I was still holding the leash and doing my best to pull Everest away from the chaos, but as soon as I would get some space, the crazy cat would lunge at Everest again. I was screaming and kicking at the cat and he/she still kept coming. Everest alternated between growling and yelping - I assume the cat's claws were pretty sharp. He couldn't fight back very well with me hanging onto his leash. After enough kicking, the cat finally backed away a few feet and kept hissing. Finally, after all of that, the porch light turned on and someone opened the door, but didn't come out. I wasn't about to go back and risk another attack so I just yelled out "Your cat is going to get eaten!" Real mature, I know, but I wasn't thinking my best. The whole thing kind of scared me. I was afraid that I was either going to get bit or scratched by the devil cat, or I would have to let go of the leash and that would be the end of the cat. Seriously, what kind of cat comes after an 85 pound wolf/dog? Forget pitbulls and german shepherds, beware of the cat!

How Not to Ruin the Soup

2011-09-27T14:24:00.002-06:00

So, on Sunday I thought I would up my chances for winning Wife of the Year by doing a little planning ahead. I have been wanting minestrone soup, so I found a good crock pot recipe and put all of the ingredients together. Monday morning early I put the soup on the cook and spent all day dreaming of the delicious soup that would be waiting when we got home for dinner. One small glitch in all of that greatness...the recipe called for some dry pasta which I added. However, it clearly did not need to simmer all day. By the time I checked the soup, my bowties were complete mush and had pretty much disintegrated throughout the soup. I tried fishing out the pieces, but finally gave up. I dished up and ate one gross bowl, I guess just to prove the soup really was that bad, then threw the rest down the disposal.
Lesson learned. If you are making soup in a crock pot and it calls for pasta, don't add it until shortly before eating. Where was this post when I needed it?

State of Wonder

2011-09-25T20:55:00.002-06:00

I have read several mediocre books lately. Several of them were on bestseller lists, or started off good, but turned out to be nothing to write home (or on the blog) about. I was excited when I saw that Ann Patchett had released a new book. She is the author of Bel Canto, on of my Top Ten favorite books. I purchased the book with high hopes and they were completely fulfilled.

Amazon Best Books of the Month, June 2011: In State of Wonder, pharmaceutical researcher Dr. Marina Singh sets off into the Amazon jungle to find the remains and effects of a colleague who recently died under somewhat mysterious circumstances. But first she must locate Dr. Anneck Swenson, a renowned gynecologist who has spent years looking at the reproductive habits of a local tribe where women can conceive well into their middle ages and beyond. Eccentric and notoriously tough, Swenson is paid to find the key to this longstanding childbearing ability by the same company for which Dr. Singh works. Yet that isn’t their only connection: both have an overlapping professional past that Dr. Singh has long tried to forget. In finding her former mentor, Dr. Singh must face her own disappointments and regrets, along with the jungle’s unforgiving humidity and insects, making State of Wonder a multi-layered atmospheric novel that is hard to put down. Indeed, Patchett solidifies her well-deserved place as one of today’s master storytellers. Emotional, vivid, and a work of literature that will surely resonate with readers in the weeks and months to come, State of Wonder truly is a thing of beauty and mystery, much like the Amazon jungle itself. --Jessica Schein

It's a tough book to describe, but the short version is that I loved everything about it, the characters, the setting, the storyline, the intrigue, all of it I was pulled into the book from the very beginning. The descriptions are amazing and there are some pretty surprising twists and turns. I don't want to give anything away, but let me know if you read it, I would love to discuss.

Definitely A

Huntington Beach

2011-09-17T17:30:00.001-06:00

Remember how we like to stretch out birthday celebrations as long as possible...the the tail end of Tim's birthday celebrations was a trip to Huntington Beach for a long weekend. What a great way to top it all off. For three days we had no schedule, no plans, and just wandered between the beach, the pool, and the hot tub. Fabulous.!

I couldn't believe how many people were out surfing,
The water was too cold for me to even think about going in.
They all wore wetsuits, but still.

I love the Heisman pose!

Tim's grandma was named Ruby,
We forced ourselves to have a shake in her honor.

The hotel was beautiful,
Amazing pools, grounds, rooms, etc.

The hotel was right on Pacific Coast Highway
The pedestrian bridge was pretty and made for quick access to the beach.

My favorite shots.

Still Laughing!

2011-09-15T17:45:00.002-06:00

Last weekend Tim and I were in Huntington Beach (more on that to follow) and went for a run Saturday morning. On the walk back to the hotel we wandered into what we thought was a farmers market, but ended up being a seniors fair. There was a booth that had free snow cones, so we made friends with the seniors and scored the perfect post run treat. As I was standing there enjoying my snow cone, a man approached me. I will describe him by saying that he looked as though life had not been kind to him, and he certainly had no concerns for social norms. The conversation went something like this:

Him: Um, can I please "touch on" your calves
Me: Confused look
Him: Please, they are so muscular, can I just touch one of them
Me: With an awkward laugh, No, sorry
Him:Please I really just want to touch one
Me: Pointing at Tim, No, my husband won't let you
Him: Looking at Tim, Please...
Tim:Sorry, no
Me: Shrugged my shoulders and shook my head, Have a nice day - what else was there to say
Him: Finally walked away with a serious look of disappointment on his face

I wasn't sure if I should be flattered or creeped out. Mostly I was just seriously amused.

Golden Onion Days

2011-09-07T14:31:00.009-06:00

I'm not sure how the rest of the world celebrates Labor Day, but if you grew up anywhere in the Payson area, you likely celebrate at Onion Days. We used to tease friends that the highlight of the day was the onion eating contest, but other than the largest onion contest, I'm not really sure of the onion connection. This year we were a little limited in numbers, Jarin, Jami and crew were home puking (except Miles who got it out of the way on Saturday), and T and E decided they would rather sleep in. Boo for all of you, you missed a great parade. Ok, you wouldn't know about the great parade from my pics, but how about a few of the spectators.

My cousin LeeAnn with her boys Ace and Orion

They have Miles to thank for the cotton candy sugar coma.

Calvin was scrappy and fought to get a tossed otter pop.
Tim and B were mostly concerned with the shade.
Don't worry though, B scouted plenty of candy
for himself and to share with the other kids.

Not sure why, but Onion Days is the one festival of the year
Where we shell out money for the carnival rides.
B was too fast on the slide,
I didn't even have my camera ready and only caught the ending.

He hung with the little boys for awhile,
But then had to find something a little more thrilling.
This one went so fast he said it hurt his eyes,
It definitely hurt my eyes trying to watch.

These two were motoring machines.

Seriously, B was such a good sport with the little guys.

Jami calls this "Driving Miss Daisy"

If you know Miles' and Calvin's personalities at all,

Totally appropriate!

By the time we left we were super hot and sugared out,
Not a bad way to spend a day.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

2011-09-05T15:49:00.006-06:00

From Publishers Weekly: "In her charming debut novel, Simonson tells the tale of Major Ernest Pettigrew, an honor-bound Englishman and widower, and the very embodiment of duty and pride. As the novel opens, the major is mourning the loss of his younger brother, Bertie, and attempting to get his hands on Bertie's antique Churchill shotgun—part of a set that the boys' father split between them, but which Bertie's widow doesn't want to hand over. While the major is eager to reunite the pair for tradition's sake, his son, Roger, has plans to sell the heirloom set to a collector for a tidy sum. As he frets over the guns, the major's friendship with Jasmina Ali—the Pakistani widow of the local food shop owner—takes a turn unexpected by the major (but not by readers). The author's dense, descriptive prose wraps around the reader like a comforting cloak, eventually taking on true page-turner urgency as Simonson nudges the major and Jasmina further along and dangles possibilities about the fate of the major's beloved firearms. This is a vastly enjoyable traipse through the English countryside and the long-held traditions of the British aristocracy."

Amazon and I are getting to be quite the friends, it's where I get some of my best book suggestions. This book showed up on the list of "people who bought...also bought this book" so I decided to give it a try. I was looking for something light and easy and this worked perfectly. It was a little wordy in parts, and I had a little difficulty relating to any of the characters, but the story was fun and it was worth the read.

A few of my favorite quotes:
*"You are a wise man, Major, and I will consider your advice with great care and humility, but I must ask you, do you really understand what it means to be in love with an unsuitable woman?" "My dear boy, said the Major, is there really any other kind?"
*"The world is full of small ignorances, we must do our best to ignore them and thereby keep them small."

I gave it a solid B, leaning towards a B+

Third Time Is Not The Charm

2011-09-04T19:28:00.002-06:00

Yesterday Aislinn and I set out on a ride around West Mountain. All was going great until she noticed that her front tire felt a little flat. We stopped to check and sure enough, flat. Ais was like a pro and had the tire changed within a few minutes - luckily it was the front. We got moving again and made it 8 miles before - flat. Seriously? This time we both went over the tire and the rim until Ais found a little tiny sticker. We decided that must have been the problem and felt safe to venture all the way around the mountain. We conquered the steep hills, I almost went off the road on a sharp curve, we were chased by two yappy dogs, and put in another 20 miles of riding when - flat. This time we were out of tubes and air cartridges and 15 miles from home. Good thing for a white knight, Tim drove out to rescue us. It was a beautiful day, perfect for riding, guess we just weren't meant to ride too long, I'm sure our legs and booties were grateful for the rest.

The Help

2011-09-04T18:39:00.002-06:00

Have you read The Help? Seen the movie? If not, run fast and do both. Go ahead...I'll wait.
When the book first came out my friend Jen told me to put it on the top of my "to read" list. I paid the price for the hard back copy - proof I really wanted to read it - and was immediately hooked. I flew through the book and was super excited when I heard they were making a movie. Last weekend we went and the movie did not disappoint, just like the book it made me cry a little and laugh a lot. Even my dad was affected, he claims he was just hot and sweaty, but I think those were some tears. I know there are some criticisms, some people want the race relations to be more realistic, they don't like a white woman telling a black story, etc., but ignore the critics and embrace The Help. I could give you the synopsis and highlights, but just know that the characters are completely endearing and you will leave either the book or the movie feeling great - what more could you want.
A

I know there are some criticisms of the book, people want the race issues to be more real, etc.

Ride the Rapids

2011-08-31T17:41:00.000-06:00

Tim and I got the chance to go on a last minute river rafting trip with my inlaws. It was super quick, but I'm so glad we made the time to go. We drove to Vernal after work on Tuesday night, arrived in time to check in to our hotel and fall asleep. After a quick early morning run, we met up with the group to be bussed out to the river. Along the way they stopped to see some petroglyphs. It was interesting because the Freemont indians left so little in terms of artifacts that they do not have great interpretations or explanations what the drawings are trying to portray. Sad, because it took a lot of work and obviously it was of high importance to the people. These were some of my favorite.

Then we were off to the river, the weather was pretty much perfect and it felt great to get on the water. We were in a boat with my inlaws, their friends, and Tim's brother Mike.

Oh, and of course, our trusty river guide Tony. He has a degree in geology and had so much interesting information about the rock formations, the river, and the original exploration of the river by John Wesley Powell. Seriously, it was like school in a good way, but don't test me, I've forgotten everything already.

After a few hours on the river we stopped at a little beach for lunch. The river crew had brought everything along and set up quite the spread of sandwiches, fruit, chips and cookies. Delish. All that sitting in a boat can make you hungry.

Because we are late in the season, the rapids were all relatively small, just enough to get wet and make you work, but nothing to toss you out. Once we were at calm water, Tim and I took Tony up on the invitation to swim. The water was great and it was fun to cruise with the current. The only problem, getting back in the boat. Let's just say that it wasn't pretty or graceful.

It was a long drive back to Provo that afternoon, but we loved it and can't wait to go back next year for more.

Bring On The Celebrations

2011-08-23T13:17:00.004-06:00

In our family we believe in celebrating a birthday as many times as possible. It had been a few weeks, but Sunday we had one last official celebration for Ada and Tim's twinner birthdays. Oh, you noticed that there appear to be two extra kids blowing out the candles? We also believe in letting anyone under the age of 20 help with the candles, no matter whose birthday. Of course my mom used trick candles, so there were plenty of chances.

Ada has been a fashion queen since she could talk. For the past few years I have bought her a new outfit for her birthday and she has ended up wearing it for the first day of school. Apparently she now considers this tradition and was very concerned that I would not come through and she would be left wearing rags on the first day. Ada, how could you doubt me. When I saw the boots they pretty much screamed your name and the outfit followed. I pretty sure that I never rocked the first day of school like Ada does.

Hobble Creek Half Marathon

2011-08-21T14:43:00.002-06:00

The day started early, 4:30 a.m., we got ready quickly and then spent a lot of time in the parking lot waiting. Not our best shot, but not bad for a phone shot in the dark.
We got to the top of the canyon with just enough time to make a quick porta potty stop before the gun went off. I've run this half more than ten times and had some of my best, and some of my worst races on that course. Yesterday I started the race with my favorite mantra "Run your race, and enjoy your run", but this time added in "To everything there is a season...A time to listen to your body, and a time to get uncomfortable in order to progress. A time to push your pace, and a time to refrain from pushing. Yesterday was a day to listen to my body, and to refrain from pushing. It was tough, I was antsy and just wanted to run hard, but I knew that if I wanted to stay healthy, I would have to take it easy. So I ran, I enjoyed the beautiful scenery, I chatted with other runners, and tried not to focus on my pace. I do my best thinking while running, and my brain was on overdrive.
The night before I had read an article in Runners World by a newbie who was planning to run his first half marathon. He had watched a lot of races and was scared to be that guy that everyone "admires", he said "I've admired so many people from the sidelines...I've clapped for the ones who really looked bad...What if you trip and begin with a bandaged ankle, what if your nipples bleed, what if you vomit, cry and collapse? I've seen people do all these things and I've admired them" As I read the article I laughed, but yesterday morning as I ran slowly, I kept thinking, I don't want people to "admire" me, I just want to run like I'm used to. For a brief moment I started to get discouraged, and then I gained a little perspective: Friday night while picking up our pre-race Olive Garden pasta, I saw four different people who were in wheelchairs, I noticed each with their various struggles and at the time thought that I was grateful to not have that as my challenge in life. During the race I was reminded of the people in wheelchairs and realized how amazing it was that I could run. Fast or slow, I can run, walk, skip, dance, or move any way I want. I had been feeling restricted by my speed, but it struck me what a small restriction that really was. Any bit of pity party I had been having went away, and I really just settled down and enjoyed the rest of the run.

I had an amazing support system at the end, and loved having Tim, family, and friends, there to cheer for me. They love me fast or slow, and often are the ones that get me through a tough race.

The crew:
Adrian, Chrissy, Jarin (Miles), Dad, Tim, Me(Gavin) and Sherlynn

Monkey Business

2011-08-19T14:26:00.006-06:00

I've seen a lot of climbing walls, but at the beach where we played at Bear Lake, they had coconut trees to climb. The kids did great. I wish they would have had an adult tree, it looked like fun.

Monkey Miles

Monkey Ada

Monkey B

Bear Lake - Beach Blanket Bingo

2011-08-19T08:18:00.003-06:00

Look at all those white babies of mine. Jenna and Calvin
Doesn't she look like a movie star in that hat?

I think Cory just wanted everyone to go away

So he could concentrate on his book.

Who's the hottie?

Grandma and grandpa are the life of the party.

(She brought all the water and sand toys) She's forever my girl.

The many faces of Miles

THE END

Bear Lake - The Water

2011-08-18T20:32:00.001-06:00

I was almost embarrassed to write these next few posts. My friend Melissa thinks that all I do is play...just wait for the posts of me sitting at my desk or cleaning my house. Last weekend we went to Bear Lake for a few days. If was fabulous, we spent a lot of time just sitting by the water - we alternated between the lake and the pool. The weather was perfect and the water is always beautiful.

Grandpa and the grandkids having a water fight.

Phew, Miles made it out safe. I think they tired him out.

Once they have had enough sand, the pool is always a hit.

Last year Ada and Miles were a little nervous to go down the slide,
This year they were so brave.

B was always fearless on the slide.
These boys were much more interested in relaxing.

With all those people,
I tried to stay as far away from the hot tub as possible,
I don't want to think about what was growing in there.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

2011-08-17T23:37:00.004-06:00

It's been awhile since I have done a book review. During the summer I seem to read a lot more magazines. This book is non fiction so it took a lot longer to get through than an easy "beach read". My friend Dabrielle recommended it for our two person, long distance book group. The book has a lot of facts, a lot of science, most of which I'm not sure I completely understood, the the human interest part was the most fascinating part to me.

So what is the book about?

Amazon Best Books of the Month, February 2010: From a single, abbreviated life grew a seemingly immortal line of cells that made some of the most crucial innovations in modern science possible. And from that same life, and those cells, Rebecca Skloot has fashioned in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks a fascinating and moving story of medicine and family, of how life is sustained in laboratories and in memory. Henrietta Lacks was a mother of five in Baltimore, a poor African American migrant from the tobacco farms of Virginia, who died from a cruelly aggressive cancer at the age of 30 in 1951. A sample of her cancerous tissue, taken without her knowledge or consent, as was the custom then, turned out to provide one of the holy grails of mid-century biology: human cells that could survive--even thrive--in the lab. Known as HeLa cells, their stunning potency gave scientists a building block for countless breakthroughs, beginning with the cure for polio. Meanwhile, Henrietta's family continued to live in poverty and frequently poor health, and their discovery decades later of her unknowing contribution--and her cells' strange survival--left them full of pride, anger, and suspicion. For a decade, Skloot doggedly but compassionately gathered the threads of these stories, slowly gaining the trust of the family while helping them learn the truth about Henrietta, and with their aid she tells a rich and haunting story that asks the questions, Who owns our bodies? And who carries our memories? --Tom Nissley

The book really made me think...several months ago I actually participated in a research study with the University of Utah Hospital. One of the forms I signed said that in addition to the actual project I was participating in, the researchers could basically use the samples to conduct any other research they wanted. At the time I thought, sure, use what you want, if I could help someone else, why not. In theory I still feel this way, but reading this book made it seem so much more invasive. The financial gain was a big issue in the book, Henrietta's family was very upset that her cells made so many people rich while they lived very difficult lives. I wouldn't necessarily want to make money off a medical help that was discovered using my donations, but I might feel differently if I didn't have the financial opportunities that I have. Also, it doesn't seem right for a drug company, or other private venture to profit from the donation. So I guess I'm conflicted, I'm not sure where the money belongs. Henrieta's family also really suffered because they didn't know anything about her cells, how they were being used, and how important they were. It's pretty unlikely to have that dramatic of an effect on science, but again, if I did, I'm not sure if I would want my family and friends to know, or if I would prefer to just remain anonymous. See the book has made me think, but I still haven't really figured out how I feel.

At it's core, the book is about a family that lost their wife and mother, something that always hurts. Henrietta's daughter Deborah, while being interviewed for a BBC documentary said she would often be sad and cry and ask "Why, Lord, did you take my mother when I needed her so much. I really appreciated how the author combined the science with the personal, not an easy task but necessary, otherwise, it would have felt like a college textbook. Through the details of her family, Henrietta became real, and relevant, which I think was exactly the author's intention.

B+

Easy Listening

2011-08-16T14:14:00.002-06:00

Last night my mom convinced me to go to a Christopher Cross concert at the Scera Shell. To my dad and siblings, you are welcome, next time it's your turn. There are plenty of interesting people to watch at the Scera and last night did not disappoint. My favorite was the middle age woman who was sitting on a blanket on the hill, but several times was inspired to dance. It was an interesting march/shimmy/swagger kind of dance, definitely sad that it was too dark for a picture as I'm sure you would have loved to share. She was the best part of the night. Oh, and the concert, eh. He played for about two hours which was about an hour and half too long. If he would have played his greatest hits, taken a bow, and been done, it would have been fun. But...he apparently has a new album to promote so we were treated to lots of new, not so great, songs Let's just say that I've heard enough slow jams and Kenny G type sax to last me a lifetime. Should have stuck with "Sailing".

Chocolate Zuchinni Cake

2011-08-15T12:54:00.000-06:00

Jarin's birthday was a few weeks ago. I have somehow become the designated dessert maker for birthday celebrations. Jarin requested my mom's chocolate zucchini cake. Seriously the best use for all of the surplus zuchinni that seems to float around this time of year. I usually try to grate it and store it in the freezer in 2 cup bags, then you can enjoy it all year long. No pictures, but, enjoy.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
1/2 cub butter
1/2 cup oil
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter milk
1 cups grated zucchini
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped nuts
Combine margarine, oil, sugar, and eggs. Blend in flour, cocoa, salt, soda, baking powder and buttermilk. Add zucchini and vanilla. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Mix together chocolate chips, brown sugar and nuts and sprinkle over top of cake batter. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Orchard Days

2011-08-14T15:48:00.001-06:00

Once upon a time in a town called Santaquin the people decided to have a summer celebration, they named it Cherry Days since the town was full of orchards and many people were employed in the cherry business. That made some of the town's farmers very sad, they grew apples, peaches, pears, etc. and thought it was mean that their fruit wasn't the namesake of the celebration. They cried and cried until finally the city was tired and changed the name to Orchard Days. The end.

Ada was crowned a runner up to the Little Miss.
She seriously mastered that wave.

Miles also had a moment of glory,
Riding in the train with his soccer team.

Calvin's job was to bring back candy
for Jami, Cory and Jenna.

Doesn't everyone pick up their kids on the four wheeler?

After the parade, we ditched the rest of the festivities,

Including the cherry spitting contest,
And went out to the reservoir.
Miles has turned into a fearless driver,
When there is someone to race.
Since he was the driver, he needed my shades,
And totally rocked the look.

While Brycen had a pleasure cruise on the tube,
I took advantage of the sun.

Forty One Already?

2011-08-09T15:04:00.003-06:00

Can you believe this guy has had another birthday? He just keeps getting hotter and better, the 40's are the new 20's for sure. True, I'm still kicking and screaming my way to 40, but it looks so good on Tim. Sunday we had a pre-birthday celebration with a full German meal and presents. Tim requested a cheesecake so I busted out the super secret recipe that usually gets made once a year for my brother Craig's birthday. Looks like this year we will get the cheesecake twice this year. Tim claims to not remember me making it before, but he certainly won't forget now. It was pretty much amazing. I forget how long it takes to cook so I may have been up till 1:00 a.m. waiting for it to be done, but it was worth every minute of the labor of love.

I was impressed to find any candles...

Tim saved his oxygen to make sure his wish was granted...
Wait a minute, he just blew out the candles...

Hmmm, I think my mom may have left her trick candles...

Victory...for a moment...

Quick, someone grab the candles and douse them in water.

Too bad my mom wasn't there to see it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE

THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO

Jillian Kicked My Trash

2011-08-07T19:24:00.000-06:00

Last week I got to the gym, did my cardio, and then lost all motivation to lift. Normally I really like to lift, but lately, I have been in kind of a rut, and couldn't decide what to work on I found a copy of Shape magazine in my bag and saw a workout by Jillian Michaels, 5 exercises that each worked several muscle groups at a time. They looked quite simple, perfect for the way I was feeling. Cue ahead 30 minutes when I was standing in front of the fan, sweating and trying to catch my breath. I'm sorry Jillian that I ever underestimated you. The rest of the day my muscles were kind of twitchy and by the next day there was no way to describe them except for SORE. Clearly this was the kind of change up my muscles were needing. The soreness is finally gone and I can hardly wait for tomorrow when I plan to do the workout again. Give it a try, your sore muscles and toned body will have Jillian to thank.

These Boots are Made for Walking

2011-08-05T18:04:00.004-06:00

Miles

(Don't you love the boots with the cutoffs?)

Josh

Emily and Miss Ada

(I promise, Emily's boots were great)

We missed the shot of the boots

But the hat was too cute not to share.

Come Back to Texas

2011-08-04T21:57:00.001-06:00

This is the firstborn nephew, Joshua David Broadbent, age, 19. The first few weeks of his life I would spend my lunch hours at his house holding and feeding him, I was amazed by his little old man look and totally in love with being an aunt. When he was in the second grade they moved to Texas and I had to start working extra hard to be the best aunt ever. It's rough to be the favorite through packages, visits and texting. At the end of June, it got much easier, Josh moved to Utah to live with my parents. It has been so much fun having him here. I think everyone has loved it for different reasons, my parents have enjoyed the company, the little kids have a built in playmate, and I have just enjoyed him being around. So, just when we are having a great time, he decides to go back to Texas. What???

So, he actually has a super responsible reason for moving. He's figured out what he wants to do with his life (business music) and is going home to Dallas for a few weeks then to Austin for school. That's probably the real reason, but I like to think that ever since he got here he's been haunted by Bowling for Soup's "Come Back to Texas"

Come back to Texas
It's not the same since you went away
Before you lose your accent
And forget all about the Lonestar state

Troy Aikmen wants you back
Willie Nelson wants you back
NASA wants you back
And the Bush twins want you back
And Pantera wants you back
And Blue Bell wants you back
I got a premonition
I'm taking a petition
And the whole state's gonna sign.

I don't know if it's the Bluebell ice cream, or the petition signed by all of his friends, but he left us. Boo! Tuesday night before he left we went up the canyon for dinner.

It's pretty much tradition that we have a self-portrait.

The babies were ready for smores as soon as we got there.

Good buddies.

As you can see, everyone had a great time.

Especially these two.

I couldn't figure out why my mom wasn't in any of the pics. Apparently she was too involved in the marshmallow roasting. At one point she had sticky marshmallow all up and down her arms. The smores she made were delish.

These are our sad faces when we said goodbye.
Hope Austin treats you well.
We will miss you.

Thank goodness we have snowboarding.
He will be back.

Spudman

2011-08-03T21:24:00.004-06:00

About six months ago we put in for the lottery for the Spudman triathlon. There were a few little snags, but we got in (me, Tim and Jarin). Since that time I have been stressing about it and wondering why I thought it was a good idea. My training lately has not been great and I worried how I would do, and how it would go for Tim and Jarin - it was their first triathlon. By the time the big day rolled around I was a head case and just ready to get it over with. Friday afternoon the three of us headed out for the lovely Burley. You may ask yourself why there is such a rush to get into a tri in Burley, Idaho. It is an Olympic distance which means a 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike and 6.2 mile run. This swim takes place in a river, down current, it makes your time about twice as fast as normal. As we pulled into Burley and crossed the river Jarin and Tim started asking about the current, the water to them looked flat but I promised them that it would be fast. It wasn't until they got into the water the next morning that the truly believed me. We went to the park, picked up our numbers, listed to the pre-race directions and ate a marginal pasta dinner. This one threw in a baked potato - strange, but it was actually my favorite part of the meal. After dinner, we headed over to the bike transition area to get our gear set. I was a little tense, it is so much to remember and prepare. By the time this picture was taken we were all settled and having fun looking at all the great bikes.

We decided to get up at 5:30 Saturday morning and be at the park by 6:00. My wave started at 7:10 so that would give us plenty of time to put out our run gear, go to the bathroom five times (ok, I'm the only one that needs that many trips to the porta potty), and get the wetsuits on. Both Jarin and Tim set an alarm and I figured we would be fine. Small problem, the next morning when I woke up, it was 6:11. I kind of freaked out and we all got up and moving quickly. We made it to the start with about a half hour which in my mind was cutting it close. I got to the bathroom a few times, squeezed into my wetsuit, and away we went. I wasn't fast, but I was happy that I didn't panic which often happens in an open water swim. I kind of cruised along and came out of the water feeling pretty good. The bike was fun, super flat course and plenty of people to pas and be passed by. Jarin was in a wave five minutes behind me so I kept watching for him to catch me on the ride. I finally saw him as I was pulling into the run transition. We chatted briefly while we changed and we took off on the run. wow, I thought I remembered how hard it is to run at that point, but it was worse than I thought. Jarin ran a super steady pace, I ran a little faster then did some walking, but we pretty much stayed together the entire run. It's totally cheesy, but you know the Selena Gomez song, "Who Says", it may be teeny bop, but it was my total inspiration: "But when it comes to me, I wouldn't want to be anybody else...I'm no beauty queen, I'm just beautiful me." The song kept running through my head and gave me a little girl power. Eventually that wasn't enough and I just wanted to be done. I tucked in behind Jarin, and we finished the race together. As soon as I crossed the finish line I remembered how much I love triathlons, it just took a few miles to remind me. Tim started fifteen minutes behind, but made up some serious time and crossed the finish line just a few minutes after me.

Tim's brother Michael and his wife Megan did the race as well.
When we found Megan my friend with the camera was gone.

We look almost as good as we did the night before.
I was so proud of both Tim and Jarin,
They totally rocked their first triathlon.

Tim was great at being the bike guy.
Thanks for the loading and unloading.

Still sweaty, but feeling fine.

Probably the best part of the entire race was my mantra. I knew that I wasn't going to be as fast this year as I was the last time I raced and I didn't want to focus on that, the people who were faster than me, or anything else negative. I really just wanted to race and enjoy the experience. The entire time I was racing I just kept repeating the mantra:
Swim your race, enjoy your swim, swim for those who can't,
Ride your race, enjoy your ride, ride for those who can't,
Run your race, enjoy your run, run for those who can't.

Pioneer Day

2011-08-01T19:24:00.009-06:00

I realized that I posted about the race,
But didn't ever download my pictures from the parade.
Fortunately I was the photographer,
After racing, parading, etc., no one needed to see a picture of that.

Pre-Parade, smiles all around.

Seriously handsome boys!

Can you spy the missing tooth?
Hopefully the tooth fairy found it.

The firemen had the hoses out and were squirting kids.
My dad suggested that B go try it, definitely refreshing.

Oh good, I at least took one picture of the actual parade.
Ada thought it was strange that the eagle had hands.
The girl is a smartie.

Grandpa was encouraging everyone to act like monsters.
Clearly he was the scariest of them all.

Gavin kept running out into the road to do a "trick".
He would tell me to take a picture,
Then run back and ask to see the image.
He would laugh, say he was funny, and run back for another pose.

The Price of Freedom

2011-07-31T22:23:00.002-06:00

Tim and I really like to watch true life crime shows. We watched one today about a murder of a woman where a mad was wrongfully convicted. He served 16 years in prison before a new sheriff took over and was so bothered by the case that he actually did most of the work to get the man released. They interviewed the man who talked about the fact that he was not bitter, that he felt like he was the luckiest man alive to have a second chance at life. I was pretty impressed at his attitude and his refusal to be bitter.
At the end of the show they reported that he had reached an undisclosed settlement with the prosecuting parties that was reportedly for four million dollars. When I first heard the amount I was shocked, and felt like he had really done well for himself. That is, until I really started to think about the situation. He was wrongly accused, lost nearly everything, and spent over 16 years in prison. Would I trade that for four million dollars...not in a million years. The more I thought about it I realized that no sum of money would make up for the lost life, lost opportunities, lost chances. Money is nice, and can buy a lot of things, but freedom, happiness, no way! What about you, would you give up any period of freedom for the right price?

Speedy Spaniard

2011-07-27T19:08:00.001-06:00

For at least ten years, my dad and I have been running the Speedy Spaniard, a 10k in Spanish Fork that is held on the 24th of July. This year I really debated whether or not to run, and only got signed up a few days before when I found out my dad was at the rec center and register for me. I have not been feeling so speedy this year, so I wasn't sure that I needed to pay money to have a clock confirm what I already know. But, my brother Jarin had signed up and we couldn't let him run alone. Last year was the first year he had run and he came in shortly behind me. Before the race even started this year, I let him know that I was throwing in the towel early and wouldn't be much of a challenge. Anyway, I wasn't anywhere close to a PR, I ran it in just under an hour. However, I'm glad I raced. It was good to push myself and remember that I can exceed even my own expectations if I am willing to get uncomfortable for a little while. I didn't have a camera but Julia was prepared. She said after that she was worried I hated pictures because I looked so mad, not mad I explained, just in pain and focused on my angry music (typical race ending)

A few years ago I finally made peace with my big calves. This pic reminds me to appreciate all the places those strong legs have taken me.

Oh man, I was back and forth with those two the entire race. I kept watching for a sprint at the end, but just when I got comfortable and decided that they weren't going to make a move, here they came and I didn't have a shot at keeping my lead.

This is the ever so famous Julia. For months I was just a blog stalker, then we finally met at the gym. We have bumped the relationship up a notch to become race friends. She is seriously great and I loved getting to chat with her before and after the race. She hit a PR for a 10k and I think should officially be crowned, the "Speedy Spaniard"

Defiance

2011-07-26T19:37:00.001-06:00

Just Because...

2011-07-25T13:00:00.000-06:00

They are so darn cute!

Mona Days

2011-07-24T20:52:00.004-06:00

Saturday morning E and I got up early and drove to Santaquin where I dropped her off and then headed out on my bike. I rode to Nephi and then looped back to meet up with Jarin and Jami and Co. at Mona Reservoir. I was too late to see E learn to wakeboard, but thanks for the mad teaching skills of Jami, she got up and loved it. As soon as the bruises and sunburn heal, she will be ready to go again. I got a quick run on the wakeboard. Last time Jami taught me to cross the wake so I did that quickly this time, rode for awhile, and once I was too tired, just dropped the rope and called it a day - much better than a bad crash due to tired legs. We didn't get any pics of the wakeboarding, but I loved these of Ada and Miles watching E on the tube.

After a shower and a nap, we headed back to Mona for the Mona Days fireworks. We went last year and were amazed. The fireworks are big and spectacular and are shot off about 50 feet away from where we sat, the entire park is lit up. Before the fireworks we did a little Boot Scootin Boogie in the park. Earlier in the day Ada told me she was most excited for the dancing because "she had some new moves". The dancing was great, little kids, old couples, and everything in between. We sang along to Taylor Swift and I even got to slow dance with Tim. Long day, but so much fun.

Bel Canto

2011-07-21T20:16:00.003-06:00

I read this book years ago and have since listed it on my Top Ten favorite books. I recently downloaded it from I-tunes and just finished listening. The story is fascinating, but I think it is one that is more powerful when read as opposed to listed to while at the gym, on a bike ride, etc. Even so, it was still great. I found myself in a hurry to finish and find out what happened, but at the same time, wanting the story, and the lives of the characters, to go on indefinitely. Definitely an A.

Amazon.com Review
In an unnamed South American country, a world-renowned soprano sings at a birthday party in honor of a visiting Japanese industrial titan. His hosts hope that Mr. Hosokawa can be persuaded to build a factory in their Third World backwater. Alas, in the opening sequence, just as the accompanist kisses the soprano, a ragtag band of 18 terrorists enters the vice-presidential mansion through the air conditioning ducts. Their quarry is the president, who has unfortunately stayed home to watch a favorite soap opera. And thus, from the beginning, things go awry.
Among the hostages are not only Hosokawa and Roxane Coss, the American soprano, but an assortment of Russian, Italian, and French diplomatic types. Reuben Iglesias, the diminutive and gracious vice president, quickly gets sideways of the kidnappers, who have no interest in him whatsoever. Meanwhile, a Swiss Red Cross negotiator named Joachim Messner is roped into service while vacationing. He comes and goes, wrangling over terms and demands, and the days stretch into weeks, the weeks into months.
With the omniscience of magic realism, Ann Patchett flits in and out of the hearts and psyches of hostage and terrorist alike, and in doing so reveals a profound, shared humanity. Her voice is suitably lyrical, melodic, full of warmth and compassion. Hearing opera sung live for the first time, a young priest reflects:
Never had he thought, never once, that such a woman existed, one who stood so close to God that God's own voice poured from her. How far she must have gone inside herself to call up that voice. It was as if the voice came from the center part of the earth and by the sheer effort and diligence of her will she had pulled it up through the dirt and rock and through the floorboards of the house, up into her feet, where it pulled through her, reaching, lifting, warmed by her, and then out of the white lily of her throat and straight to God in heaven. Joined by no common language except music, the 58 international hostages and their captors forge unexpected bonds. Time stands still, priorities rearrange themselves. Ultimately, of course, something has to give, even in a novel so imbued with the rich imaginative potential of magic realism. But in a fractious world, Bel Canto remains a gentle reminder of the transcendence of beauty and love. --Victoria Jenkins

Universal Language

2011-07-18T19:44:00.002-06:00

Because I speak Spanish, I often find myself wanting to speak Spanish to anyone for whom English is not their first language. It seems logical, right? Anyone with an accent should be able to understand Spanish. A lot of people start speaking more loudly when it is clear there is a language barrier, I feel like I should be speaking Spanish. It actually works pretty well if they speak Italian, Portuguese, or even French, you can at least make yourself understood. Other languages, not so much.
So the other day Tim was speaking to a new client on the phone. She had a thick accent and he was having a hard time understanding and making himself understood. He finally told her that he was going to have his wife (me, the superstar translator), speak with her. I picked up the phone and introduced myself in Spanish, then asked a basic question about what type of home she was looking for. Silence... I repeated myself, thinking that maybe I hadn't spoken clearly or she couldn't hear me. Still more silence. She finally said, I'm sorry, I don't understand you, I'm Korean. Oops. Clearly Spanish is not the universal language. Poor lady. Next time I'll just speak louder, that should do the trick.

Poor Puppy

2011-07-17T22:15:00.000-06:00

WARNING, IF YOU ARE AT ALL SQUEAMISH, DO NOT KEEP READING, JUST COME BACK TOMORROW WHEN I WILL HAVE A NICER POST. SERIOUSLY

So, with that as an introduction, here is the story. Last week Everest had a spot on his back where he had scratched off all of the fur. We thought it was strange, but weren't super worried. The mosquitoes have been super bad at our house this year, so we thought maybe he just had some bites. We started spraying him with bug repellent and Tim even tried putting Neosporin on the spot that he had scratched. After a few days he had a second spot so we decided that we better take him to the vet. When the vet examined him, he discovered that he had an infestation of maggots. Apparently some type of fly had burrowed into his back, then laid eggs, and started a cycle of maggots. They secrete some type of chemical that had been eating big holes in his back, and everything was now infected. The vet shaved until he got to where the skin was clear, then treated it all with medication and gave him a big shot of antibiotics. Once we got him home we had to keep giving him pills which he refused to take. The first few nights were a joke because he wasn't eating anything because he was so sick, and I had to try to force the pills in his mouth and down his throat. Luckily he is a good dog, otherwise, I might have lost some fingers. Twice a day Tim cleans his wounds and puts on some medication. He still looks awful, but, the wounds are improving and he is also acting so much better, finally eating and drinking, and will come out to see me when I get home. He's doing well enough that it is almost funny when he runs into things with the cone...almost. Are you starting to itch yet? We have been since this ordeal began.

Raindrops on Roses....and Schnitzel With Noodle

2011-07-12T15:23:00.006-06:00

These are a few of my favorite things...

Sunday Tim made a homemade German meal for us.

Schnitzel, spetzela (the noodles ), rotkohl (red cabbage),

and brown gravy.

For the noodles he had to make a batter, push it through

a spetzela press, boil the noodles, then cook in a pan.

It was all a lot of work and truly a labor of love.

The flavors are very distinct,

But absolutely delicious.

We capped off the theme by having him say the prayer in German.

Everyone agreed we need a repeat of the night.

Orem Owlz

2011-07-11T17:56:00.005-06:00

Our Seven Peaks passes came with free passes to the Orem Owls,

A minor league farm team for the Aneheim Angels.

It was a perfect night for baseball.

Cool temperatures and six home runs in one inning.

Brycen in left field waiting for an over the fence home run.

Don't judge that I am wearing the same clothes as last week.
Choosing a new outfit it highly overrated.

Serenity Now

2011-07-08T17:10:00.004-06:00

My brother Cory is a really great photographer, I am always amazed at his eye for objects and landscapes. He and his little family (Jenna and Calvin) have been a part of the Arizona clan (aka Compound North), but lucky us, they just moved to Utah. He created this slideshow of pictures he took along the way. I keep putting this on replay because the images are so calming to me. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

What Happened to Sports Radio?

2011-07-07T21:20:00.002-06:00

At the risk of exposing myself as a talk radio nerd, I have to ask, what happened to sports radio at 104.7? Yesterday the station was sports talk with all of it's regular hosts and shows. Today it was Spanish music. Now I'm completely in favor of good Spanish music, but why did it have to kick sports radio out, and where did it go? This time of year they talk about a lot of things I wouldn't mind if I missed, but come college football season, it will be a serious problemo.

Stadium of Fire

2011-07-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

It has been over 15 years since I have been to Stadium of Fire and Tim has never been. This year we were wooed by Brad Paisley and the whole family decided to go. I may have a little crush on him. I'm sure his wife doesn't mind, Tim didn't seem to be too threatened (he knows I'm his forever). We went to see Brad who did not disappoint, but the entire show was entertaining. One of the funniest parts was the parachuters that came into the stadium. The first two came in and landed on the field without a hitch. The third one came in fast and skimmed some of the barriers, landing on his butt but made a good recovery. The last one totally missed the mark, knocked down a barrier and a camera man. Luckily the cameraman got up and appeared to be unhurt, that way we didn't feel bad laughing about it. I was surprised at how emotional I got at some of the references to patriotism and our country. It really was a great reminder of the freedoms we enjoy and the opportunities we have.

I was surprised at how emotional I got at some of the references to patriotism and our country. It really was a great reminder of the freedoms we enjoy and the opportunities we have. Today in church we sang the Spar Spangled Banner and I was touched by the last verse which I don't generally recall singing. Since last night I have been thinking a lot about the sacrifices that have been made to make my life better, men and women that have been fighting for freedoms for the past few hundred years. I'm not sure that I consider this as much as I should and hope that I can figure out how to better use my freedoms in a way to justify the sacrifices.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Boating at Mona Reservoir

2011-07-04T20:00:00.001-06:00

Saturday morning Tim and I got up super early and met my brother Jarin for a quick bike ride. We left Santaquin and rode out to Nephi, then back to Mona Reservoir for our reward. It was a perfect day for boating: calm water, sunshine, great family, and nothing to do but play.

As you can see, Jami and Jesse were having a really tough day.

Can you see the resemblance?

It's hard work to do this much relaxing.

Josh worked hard to catch a dead fish.

More Four Wheeling Fun

2011-07-04T06:58:00.000-06:00

Friday we took a quick four wheeler ride up Santaquin Canyon.
Miles was my riding buddy.
Clearly my arms weren't quite long enough for a great self portrait.

Sean and Tad did a little racing,

I'm not sure who the ultimate winner was, but
They both seemed to be having a lot of fun.

Oprah Burgers and Fruit Pizza

2011-07-03T21:22:00.007-06:00

My brother Sean and the kids, Josh, Jesse and Tad have been here for the last week which means lots of family time, lots of fun. Thursday everyone came to our house for a BBQ, we were just missing Craig, Hailey and baby Roman. Several years ago my mom made Oprah burgers for us - she watched a show where Oprah said this recipe was her favorite. We all teased her about the burgers until we tasted them. The ingredients are distinct, but the combination is delicious. Tim's grilling abilities made them spectacular. Seriously, check out the recipe and give it a try, you will not be disappointed.

Have you ever seen a hat this great?
The moustache detaches for a sweet look.

Jami made fruit pizza.
She was a little shy so Josh agreed to showcase the goods.
Man I love fruit pizza, especially when made by someone else.

Jesse had to work hard to get Everest to pose.
As always, Gavin knows how to work a crowd and the camera.
He gives you his best pose,
Then immediately wants to see the picture.

Four Wheels Are Better Than Two Sometimes

2011-06-29T16:53:00.005-06:00

Last weekend we upped the ante with our ride, we added a run at the end. Tim and I and my brother are doing a triathlon at the end of July and we decided we better get our legs used to the shock of getting of the bike and running. It would probably have felt a lot better if we had started a little earlier. By the time we got around to the running it was blazing and miserable. We got it done though, 40 mile ride, 3.5 mile run.

Friday night we went four wheeling up Mona Pole Canyon.

It is not the type of place to hike or run, definitely not appropriate for a push bike, but perfect for four wheelers. We went with my parents and friends Eran and Hannah and their daughter Sydney. About a mile or so into the canyon it hit me, the smell...it's indescribable, but it is the smell of summer, of a canyon, pretty much the smell of heaven. We had a fabulous time, no major mishaps and only a little dust in the eyes and hair.

Mom and Dad

Sydney

A perfect spot to stop for dinner.

The mountain air is inspiring.

Black Sand Beach

2011-06-26T21:55:00.001-06:00

One of our best days on Maui was when we drove the Road to Hanna. This is truly a "joy in the journey" type of trip. Hanna itself is a bit of a letdown, but the sights along the way are amazing. One of the stops is at the black sand beach. Apparently this is considered to be much newer land so the sand is not as refined.

I hope B's bottle of black sand didn't end up in the bottom of his backpack.
It's weird, it looks like mud but brush off like regular sand.

The jelly fish and rough waves

Kept us out of the water.

The lava tubes.Perfect spot for a self portrait.
The power of the sea in this area was awesome.

The blow holes.

Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co.

2011-06-24T13:53:00.003-06:00

You can fry it, grill it, broil it, bake it, put it in tacos, serve it with pasta, etc. etc.

One of the first mornings we were on Maui I went for a run and passed Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co. and thought it would be a fun place for dinner. It sits out on the water and even though we couldn't see much at night, you could still hear the waves and smell the sea air.

It really wan't that late, but playing in the waves all day can wear you out.

We loved this bench.

Life is like a box of chocolates,

That night we definitely picked a good one.

Haleakala

2011-06-22T16:28:00.004-06:00

From Wikipedia:Haleakala, or the East Maui Volcano is a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the island of Maui. In Hawaiian folklore, the top of the volcano was the home of the grandmother of the demigod Maui. She helped him in his quest to capture and slow the sun and lengthen the day. One of the activities on most peoples "musts of Maui" is to see the sunrise on Haleakala. Last time we were there we didn't think it was worth the effort, but have regretted not going, so this time it was at the top of Tim's list. The morning we were there the sun rose at 5:45 a.m. Early, but even earlier when you find out that it is about a 2 1/2 hour drive to the top. Basically you go from sea level to 10,000 feet on a very windy road. If you have done the math, that means we got up at 2:30 a.m. to have this adventure. When we arrived at 4:45 a.m. the parking lot was already half full, we weren't the only ones with this crazy idea. And was it worth it? Absolutely.

We had been warned, but it was cold - like gloves and a hat cold.

Definitely not what you expect when you think of Hawaii.

When we arrived it was completely black,
I couldn't believe how quickly the sky began to change.

At 10,000 feet, you are actually above the cloud line,

That is the magic of the sunrise,
To see the sun come up and over the clouds.

Right as it was about to burst over the cloud line,

A guy from the national park started a Hawaiian chant,
It was a welcoming of the sunrise
And one of the coolest things I have ever heard.

The chant along with the sun it self was seriously breathtaking.
It actually made me quite emotional.
(Good thing it was still pretty dark)

Once the sun was up, most people took off for home (and a nap)
We hiked around a bit and checked out the other views.

I spent the rest of the week quizzing everyone
To see if they could pronounce the name.
Lots of funny versions.
Whether you can pronounce it or not,
If you ever go to Maui, seriously, don't miss it.

Forks with Friends

2011-06-20T17:10:00.002-06:00

Saturday's ride was pretty amazing because I got to share it with these friends: Me, Susan, Kristina, Mitch, Aislynn. So much more fun than riding alone. I rode from my house to meet them, then followed behind as they all cruised to the top of the right fork of Hobble Creek Canyon. Susan and I had more time so we did left fork as well. It was beautiful
I was especially glad to not be alone since I had some tire issues. I was completely unprepared and needed a few air cartridges and tubes. On my way to the bike shop to remedy that. Susan, of course, was prepared with rubber gloves, but thanks to Mitch, I didn't even have to get my hands dirty as I just watched while he changed the tire.

By the time I made it home, 63.3 miles. Better than the miles though was all of the catching up with friends.

Still Laughing!

2011-06-16T17:51:00.003-06:00

So Thursday night we went to PF Changs to celebrate. We had both been working so we met at the restaurant. As I walked in and sat down, Tim blurted out loudly "Your thong looks great!". I got a new charm in Hawaii of a flip flop and it was pretty great, just a little old school terminology. We got some seriously funny looks and I think he turned a few shades of red. I still laugh every time I think about it.

Dynamic Duo

2011-06-15T15:52:00.003-06:00

Two years

Two of us

Together

Too Amazing

Happy Anniversary Babe

Beastly

2011-06-14T13:06:00.004-06:00

I hate to make myself sound too old, but I remember a time when they served you food on an airplane, and the movies were the best part of a flight. On a flight back from England I, appropriately, watched Bridget Jones Diary, twice. Time has always passed more quickly with a movie to occupy my mind. That is, until my most recent flights. The movies were so bad that they actually made it seem like time was standing still. The first one was called Company Men and was about a company that kept laying off its employees and their struggles to find work. Seriously depressing. Not what I want to see on my way home from vacation.

On the way home we got this gem:

"Beastly is an edgy teen romance about learning how to see past false surfaces to discover true inner beauty. " Basically it is a modern day rip off of the Beauty and the Beast story. I can't even put into words how painful it was. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 16% splat. Ouch!

Warning, this is what will happen to you if you are mean to others. Only true love can turn you back to this.

I have learned to deal with the lack of food, the small leg room and even the checked baggage fees, but it is too much to ask to have a decent movie on a five hour flight?

On Our Way to Paradise

2011-06-10T14:37:00.004-06:00

Our flight was at 6:25 a.m.

Pretty impressive that we were there early enough to relax.

First picture on Maui.

This is the first real view you get after leaving the airport.

If you can't quite tell, it was BEAUTIFUL

A few shots of the pool area at our condo.

Sorry to start with blurry pictures from my camera.

I couldn't find the cord for several days and

Today Tim has my camera.

I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat waiting for more.

Soon, I hope.

Time For a Bigger Vehicle

2011-06-09T19:06:00.002-06:00

When I left work yesterday, it was just me and lots of gym clothes/workout gear in my Pathfinder. Tim called and said that he and the kids were on the river trail running and would I pick them up. I did some quick rearranging but when I got there realized that they had Everest with them and B was on his bike. Did some additional rearranging and we were on our way. Oh, except we had to stop at Costco. I always seem to leave Costco with at least twice a many things as I ever intended to buy and last night was no different. (On a side note, the guy in front of us only had a bunch of bananas, seriously, who goes to Costco and gets out with just bananas).

Anyway, we got to the car and, "Houston, we have a problem". Poor Everest had already been squashed in between the bike and the car window, now add OJ and potatoes to the mix. Everyone but the driver had a LARGE box full of food on their lap. It was pretty comical. Of course I made them stay put when we got home so that I could document the moment.

Everest didn't care about the photo op, he was outta there.

Awesome Attitude

2011-06-08T18:25:00.000-06:00

This post is a little overdue, oops. This is the ever so cute Ada. She has been taking clogging lessons and competing with her studio for the past year. Before going on summer break they had a big spring dance review. It was seriously one of the most fun performances I have watched in a long time. I've never clogged but that didn't stop me from wanting to get up and join.
Ada, of course was brilliant. She knew all the moves and is a natural born performer. The best part though came at the end. Apparently they have talked all year in their classes about having an "awesome attitude", meaning working hard, being positive, arriving on time, etc. Each class voted on who should receive the award. Do you see that big trophy in Ada's arms, she is Miss Awesome Attitude. Way to go Ada, great example for all of us.

I kind of wish she would stay little forever, she is so stinking cute.

Aloha!

2011-05-29T16:38:00.001-06:00

Aloha! I've heard that aloha can be used to say both hello and goodbye. Today both work. Goodbye to Utah and the never ending rain. Hello to Maui, white sand, surf, waterfalls, etc. We just landed and I can feel the island love already. Pics to follow soon if I keep finding wifi. Aloha!

Where the Streets Have No Name

2011-05-27T15:58:00.003-06:00

When I was in college, U2 was the band to see. They did not ever come to Utah so lots of friends went to Denver, LA, or other places. I was never that die hard, but always wanted to see them play. We've actually bought the tickets for this show a hear and a a half ago but the concert was postponed due to Bono's back surgery. So basically it feels like I have been waiting to see them forever. They did not disappoint. The production, set, sound, etc. was absolutely amazing, but nowhere near as amazing as the band. They sounded just as good as they do on any studio album and seriously rocked. Bono was gracious and funny and I can see why he needed back surgery with all his moves. The show was fantastic! The only non fantastic part was getting home at 2:00 a.m. I am way past the days when I can stay out late and play and still function the next day. In fact, I am still tired. 100% worth it.

No More Riding Solo

2011-05-26T18:03:00.001-06:00

At least not last weekend.

It was so great to have this guy along, so much more fun.

This is early in the ride where he was still feeling good.

He agreed to go all the way around the mountain, 70 miles total.

He understands getting shots for the blog.

Back side of West Mountain
So beautiful.

Towards the end of the ride,

Tim was hating life.

His longest ride before this was 35 miles

It didn't help that I had two flat tire

Which seriously slowed us down.

Go Tim Go!

Namaste

2011-05-20T15:20:00.002-06:00

I used to do yoga 1-2 times a week but over the last year have mostly slacked and practiced only sporadically. I have decided it is something that I need to make a priority. All of my gym time puts a lot of physical stress on my body, and life in general adds a healthy dose of emotional stress. Yoga seems to be the best way to counteract the damage. I went to a really great class this week, the teacher was a good mix of mind/body and really emphasized deep, calming breaths. It must be the mind clearing aspect, but I find a lot of life paralells while in strange positions. The teacher challenged everyone to try an arm balance (which I cannot do but tried) and several people fell. He commented"It's ok if you fall as long as you are breathing peacefully when you do". I just keep thinking about that. Bumps along the road are inevitable, but finding a place of peace is what helps us survive. Not sure if this makes as much sense to anyone else as it did to me, but if not, think about it a little longer.

I respect the place in you that is of love, of truth, of light. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are one. Namaste

Moustaches Should Be Illegal

2011-05-19T16:34:00.003-06:00

Unless you are Tom Selleck.

He was on Regis and Kelly this morning. I haven't ever watched his current TV show, but apparently he is a police captain and the show is about him and his kids who are also all cops. I've always liked Tom Selleck (Magnum PI anyone?), but his comments made me like him even more. To paraphrase, he said: Homer Simpson is an idot. It is a real pleasure to play a guy who is a patriarch and a good father. There aren't enough portrayals of good dads out there. Kudos to you Tom.

Dear Guy In the Hot Tub...

2011-05-18T14:57:00.002-06:00

...I really was trying to relax and mind my own business, but since you were speaking so loudly I had no choice but to listen. I tried to keep my comments to myself, but since I'm not very good at that, here's what I was thinking...
a. Yes it is pretty shocking that you have not seen noticeable results in your body, I mean you have been working out for a whole week and a half. There is definitely something wrong with the gym.
b. That's cool how you can speak spanish to your buddies so no one will know what you are talking about, oh wait, yo hablo tambien.
c. Talking about "partying" when you are 30 years old does not make you cool, it makes you pathetic.
d. Talking about how high the limits are on your 10 credit cards also does not make you cool, just stupid and responsible. Ditto for the fact that you have added up how much money you can spend and max them all.
Really, I would have loved to stay and continued to listen to you but the two or three minutes were more than enough.

Oh The Places You'll Go

2011-05-16T10:37:00.005-06:00

When I left for my ride Saturday morning, I made sure I had snacks, drinks, money for emergencies, and of course, part one of my book. Last week I went east, this week I headed west and around Utah Lake. The sunshine and hot weather I was expecting somehow never showed up, but it was perfect weather for biking. I was having such a great time I had to finally make myself turn around, 60 miles round trip. Once again, I thought I would bring you all along for the ride. Considering they were all taken with my phone, I really like the way these shots turned out.

The turnaround spot, 29.9 miles from my front door.

Because there was a storm brewing,

The lake looked really cool.
You can't see him, but there was a guy out there wakeboarding.

I always get passed by bikers,

They generally look at me like I'm crazy,

If I'm going to ride, I want the benefits of the workout.

Do you notice the Y, as in BYU on the back of the jacket?

Maybe it was an alumni ride???

Saturday night we took Ada and B to see this at BYU

(Have you picked up on all the themes)

The play was super fun
And the kids loved it.

I'd tell you to run out and take the kids,

But I think it was only there for the weekend.

Dear Kohls...

2011-05-13T16:12:00.003-06:00

Thank you for being next door to the gym to aid in times of clothing emergencies. This time it was a forgotten slip. Could have been, and has been worse.
By the way, I love the new purse I found as I raced through the store. Turqoise. Just what I was looking for.
I hope to not need you in the future, but am sure that I will. Just one teeny request, would you consider opening a little earlier?
xoxo
Monica

Hair Club For Men

2011-05-11T14:49:00.000-06:00

I was looking through my phone and found these pictures.

This first one actually looks pretty natural.

Sooo Funny!
He's such a good sport.

Mother's Day

2011-05-10T15:09:00.004-06:00

I've been reading lots of blogs with tributes to mothers. It makes me feel a little guilty that I didn't think to do anything like this. The truth is that my mom is pretty much amazing., I was just having a pity party so probably best to save a tribute to another day. The short version though is that my mom is great.

This year mother's day was really hard for me, I mostly wanted to stay in bed all day and just let it pass without notice. That seemed a little self indulgent though, so I got out of bed and joined the celebrations. Tim was super sweet with a card and the glider/bench for our front yard that I had been wanting. Later in the afternoon we went to my brother's house for dinner with his family and my parents. Cue the waterworks. Do you remember this little cutie, I call her my baby girl, my heart, Ada Potata, etc., and she is all of that and more. As soon as I walked in her house she gave me a hug and said she they had a present for me. When I asked why she said "of course for Mother's Day". Jami then told me that Ada had told her they needed to find a gift for me because I was the best aunt ever and practically like her mom.

Here is a picture of the gifts. They were all wrapped up in a gift bag with my name.

And here is the card. I cried then, and I'm crying again just remembering the moment. It's hard to believe she is only six. The only help she had from her mom was how to spell perfume. The note was all her idea - she said she wanted to give me some clues about the surprises. Her thoughtfulness was exactly what I needed and I ended the day smiling.

BTW, don't you love how she gives the rest of the family credit. Priceless.

Ride With Me

2011-05-09T16:47:00.004-06:00

The weather today makes it hard to believe,

But Saturday was perfect for riding.

All of my peeps were otherwise committed so I rode alone,,

Mostly,

I decided to bring you all along for the ride,

In case you've never had the chance to see this beauty in person,

Here is my bike which I pretty much love.

I could impress you with all of the technical stats,

But let's be honest, do you really care when it is so cute.

I had a new book on my I-pod and was ready to roll.

It started off kind of abruptly, but

I figured it would all make sense eventually.

After a full chapter I was still lost,

No big surprise considering it was chapter 22.

I finally figured out I had only downloaded part 2. Oops.

Not to worry, I had another book and lots of music

So I pulled over, switched the I-pod,

And was back in business.

Between Provo and Springville there is a development

That was never finished.

It's perfect for riding, smooth roads and no cars.

I am not sure if this was discarded, or meant as art...

Either way, I usually laugh when I ride by.

Ahhh, this is what makes the hill climbing worthwhile,

Hobble Creek Canyon

I knew the Provo Marathon/Half Marathon was Saturday.

What I didn't know was that it would be right on my route.

It was super fun to see several people I knew.

And, lets be honest here, whether I know you or not,

Seeing runners at the end of a race makes me cry.

Congrats to all the runners.

You inspire me.

Before and After

2011-05-08T15:42:00.005-06:00

We have spent the past three weekends working on our front yard. It has gotten gradually easier each week. I didn't take any shots the first week - I should have to show the piles of rock, concrete, metal, and weeds that came out of our flower beds. It was seriously tough work and Tim and I both felt it for days. So much for all that gym time huh, I must have missed the machine that replicates yard work.

Last week we started with piles of bark and a truck full of plants and trees. Luckily this time we had help. T was a huge help at digging and hauling things around and B was my helper with the bark and raking.

I didn't realize he was in the shot, but apparently Everest got in on the action. He mostly just watched and supervised.

By the time we finished last week, we were done with the plants and the bark.

This week was the flowers. We were going for low maintenance, so we decided to keep the color on the porch and hope that we won't have to weed.

Tim surprised me with the glider this morning. It was a great finishing touch. We've been in the house almost a year and it finally looks like home.

I love how they look now, but give the flowers a few weeks and they will be amazing.

I'm Not a Paid Spokesmodel...

2011-05-06T13:15:00.003-06:00

But I should be.

Can I just tell you how much I love Chobani

I really don't get why "greek yogurt" is so much better for you

But if it tastes this great, who cares

Can you see all the great nutrition facts?

Note the 14 grams of protien.

Not bad for 140 calories and no fat.

I am always on the lookout for easy protien.

Just a FYI if you live in Utah County.

I have heard you can buy select flavors at Costco.

The only other place it is to be found is Target,

One more reason to love Target.

Hey Guy...

2011-05-04T22:37:00.004-06:00

Ya you...
The one in the van next to me changing his clothes...
PS...
The tint on the windows is NOT as dark as you think.
Next time you should maybe consider the locker room at the gym..
A much better alternative to the parking lot.

Isn't She Lovely

2011-05-03T12:52:00.002-06:00

This is my niece Jessica.

All Glammed up for prom

Isn't she beautiful?

Do you think she looks more like Sean (my brother) or me?

Kind of a loaded question with the beautiful comment...

But when I'm with her, people generally think she is my daughter.

She is such a fun personality.

Since she was little people have been drawn to her,

I'm sure you can see why.

I love this shot.

She may be all dolled up now,

But you should see the girl play soccer.
Fierce!

Now if she didn't live so far away (Dallas).

UNBROKEN

2011-05-02T20:41:00.003-06:00

If you have spent any time with me lately, you have probably heard me talk about the book Unbroken. Let's just cut right to the chase here and say that I would give it an A, maybe even a little higher if possible. Run to your nearest bookstore to buy the book, or even better, purchase the audio version on I-tunes and start listening to it ASAP.

Louie Zamperini is the hero of the book. By the time it was over, I felt like he was my friend, and I was a better person for having known him.

I like to think that the lessons he learned through running helped get him through his ordeals. Knowing that pain is part of the pathway to strength - physical and emotional.
Instead of me telling you about the book, I thought I would let the author. In the words of Laura Hilenbrand:

Eight years ago, an old man told me a story that took my breath away. His name was Louie Zamperini, and from the day I first spoke to him, his almost incomprehensibly dramatic life was my obsession.

It was a horse--the subject of my first book, Seabiscuit: An American Legend--who led me to Louie. As I researched the Depression-era racehorse, I kept coming across stories about Louie, a 1930s track star who endured an amazing odyssey in World War II. I knew only a little about him then, but I couldn’t shake him from my mind. After I finished Seabiscuit, I tracked Louie down, called him and asked about his life. For the next hour, he had me transfixed.

Growing up in California in the 1920s, Louie was a hellraiser, stealing everything edible that he could carry, staging elaborate pranks, getting in fistfights, and bedeviling the local police. But as a teenager, he emerged as one of the greatest runners America had ever seen, competing at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where he put on a sensational performance, crossed paths with Hitler, and stole a German flag right off the Reich Chancellery. He was preparing for the 1940 Olympics, and closing in on the fabled four-minute mile, when World War II began. Louie joined the Army Air Corps, becoming a bombardier. Stationed on Oahu, he survived harrowing combat, including an epic air battle that ended when his plane crash-landed, some six hundred holes in its fuselage and half the crew seriously wounded.

On a May afternoon in 1943, Louie took off on a search mission for a lost plane. Somewhere over the Pacific, the engines on his bomber failed. The plane plummeted into the sea, leaving Louie and two other men stranded on a tiny raft. Drifting for weeks and thousands of miles, they endured starvation and desperate thirst, sharks that leapt aboard the raft, trying to drag them off, a machine-gun attack from a Japanese bomber, and a typhoon with waves some forty feet high. At last, they spotted an island. As they rowed toward it, unbeknownst to them, a Japanese military boat was lurking nearby. Louie’s journey had only just begun.

That first conversation with Louie was a pivot point in my life. Fascinated by his experiences, and the mystery of how a man could overcome so much, I began a seven-year journey through his story. I found it in diaries, letters and unpublished memoirs; in the memories of his family and friends, fellow Olympians, former American airmen and Japanese veterans; in forgotten papers in archives as far-flung as Oslo and Canberra. Along the way, there were staggering surprises, and Louie’s unlikely, inspiring story came alive for me. It is a tale of daring, defiance, persistence, ingenuity, and the ferocious will of a man who refused to be broken.

The culmination of my journey is my new book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. I hope you are as spellbound by Louie’s life as I am.

Birthday Love

2011-04-29T16:50:00.004-06:00

It was my birthday a few weeks ago.

This is a shot of the family celebration.

Of course all of the kids got a candle in their cupcake.

Saves their spit being all over mine.

The photographer needs some tips of shooting with an I-phone.

If you can believe it, this was actually the best of the bunch.

Ada and Miles colored pictures for my gift.

I told them I would hang them up in my office.

They make a perfect addition to my filing cabinet.

Tim snuck into my office and left flowers and Kisses

Then took me to dinner and a movie on my official birthday.

PF Changs did us right and then some.

The movie turned into a wild goose chase because

I apparently don't know how to read a movie schedule.

After three theaters, we finally made it, only five minutes late.

If you haven't seen The Kings Speech,

Do yourself a favor and run to see it as quickly as possible.

You will not be disappointed.

No Recipe Needed

2011-04-28T12:50:00.002-06:00

This has become our go-to dinner. Salmon patties from Costco and "quinoa suprise" . Have you discovered the goodness that is quinoa? If not, do yourself a favor and check it out. It is a grain that is super healthy (think protein), easy to cook, and delicious. I have prepared it several different ways, but my current favorite was inspired by Kathleen at http://www.jeremyandkathleen.blogspot.com/. I roasted asparagus, portabella mushrooms and spinach with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. When the veggies were done, I mixed them with cooked quinoa and added a little soy sauce and rice vinegar for extra flavor. Super simple and absolutely delish!

P.S., You are welcome for the dinner idea. Now what should I make tonight since I think we have to wait at least a week before we can have this meal again.

Inner Monologue

Just Do It

Mexico - The Fun

Mexico - Playa Del Carmen

Mexico - The Beach

Mexico - The Haciendas

The Naked Truth

I Want This

Of Course I Did

James Taylor Knew What He Was Talking About

Farewell to 2011

Ten Years Old

Everest

Christmas

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve Eve

Give Me a Caution Sign

Merry Christmas!

Oh What Fun It Is To Ride...

Easiest Thanksgiving Ever!

I Lost My Car

Arthur Christmas

Happy Birthday Mom

Stinky Socks

Race For The Cure

The Mums

Promises

I've Got My Rock Moves

Cat Scratch Fever

How Not to Ruin the Soup

State of Wonder

Huntington Beach

Still Laughing!

Golden Onion Days

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Third Time Is Not The Charm

The Help

Ride the Rapids

Bring On The Celebrations

Hobble Creek Half Marathon

Monkey Business

Bear Lake - Beach Blanket Bingo

Bear Lake - The Water

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Easy Listening

More Gym Stories

Chocolate Zuchinni Cake

Orchard Days

Forty One Already?

Jillian Kicked My Trash

These Boots are Made for Walking

Come Back to Texas

Spudman

Pioneer Day

The Price of Freedom

Speedy Spaniard

Defiance

Just Because...

Mona Days

Bel Canto

Universal Language

Poor Puppy

Raindrops on Roses....and Schnitzel With Noodle

Orem Owlz

Serenity Now

What Happened to Sports Radio?

Stadium of Fire

Boating at Mona Reservoir

More Four Wheeling Fun

Oprah Burgers and Fruit Pizza

Four Wheels Are Better Than Two Sometimes

Black Sand Beach

Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co.

Haleakala

Forks with Friends

Still Laughing!

Dynamic Duo

Beastly

On Our Way to Paradise

Time For a Bigger Vehicle