Ragnar Wasatch Back

This year at the last minute I was lucky enough to sub for someone who ended up getting injured.  Yea for me, sad face for them.  If anyone has ever done one of these Ragnar relays, they are a complete party.  A group of 12 runners take turns running 188 mile.  The Wasatch Back goes from Logan to Park City.  Our team took 30 hours to run it.  So much dang fun.  I was a little nervous because I did not know a single soul.  If our personalities clashed, that is a long time in a van with a group of people that you only get a break from when it is your turn to run.  At 3 in the morning I told everyone "I am so glad I don't hate you guys"  Of course we laughed and they all said "likewise!"  I wish I had more pictures.  I am trying to steam some from some of my team mates but it has been unsuccessful so far.

This is the normal team before everyon starts getting a little loopy from exahustion

And this would be the team at 3 am :)  Slightly psycho

Road kills refers to the number of people you pass while running.  I tried to get 10 at every leg (each person runs 3)  The first time I did get 10, leg 2 - 12 and leg 3 a measly 4

This is the boy side of the van

and the much more awesome girl side.

Thanks team Wolfpack for letting a total stranger into your team

Good thought for the day

Candice sent this to me in an e-mail.  I thought it was great.  I only hope I can not only remember to finish my own race but to inspire my children to finish theirs as well.  I cried - I am a sap :)

The Race

"Quit, give up, you're beaten"

They shout at you and plead

"There's just too much against you

This time you can't succeed".

And as I start to hang my head

In front of failures face

My downward fall is broken by

The memory of a race

And hope refills my weakened will

As I recall that scene

Or just the thought of that short race

Rejuvenates my being

Children’s race, young boys

Young men, how I remember well

Excitement sure, but also fear

It wasn't hard to tell

They all lined up so full of hope

Each thought to win that race

Or tie for first, or if not that

At least take second place

The fathers watched from off the side

Each cheering for his son

And each boy hoped to show his dad

That he could be the one

The whistle blew and off they went

Young hearts and hopes afire

To win and be the hero there

Was each young boys desire

And one boy in particular

Whose dad was in the crowd

Was running near the lead and thought

"My dad will be so proud"

But as they speeded down the field

Across a shallow dip

The little boy who thought to win

Lost his step and slipped

Trying hard to catch himself

With hands flew out to brace

And amid the laughter of the crowd

He fell flat on his face

But as he fell his dad stood up

And showed his anxious face

Which to the boy so clearly said

"Get up and win the race"

He quickly rose, no damage done

Behind a bit that's all

And ran with all his might and mind

To make up for the fall

So anxious to restore himself

To catch up and to win

His mind went faster than his legs

He slipped and fell again

He wised then that he had quit before

With only one disgrace

"I'm hopeless as a runner now

I shouldn't try to race"

But in the laughing crowd he searched

And found his fathers face

That steady look which said again

"Get up and win the race"

So up he jumped to try again

Ten yards behind the last

If I'm going to gain those yards he though

I've got to move real fast

Exerting everything he had

He regained eight or ten

But trying hard to catch the lead

He slipped and fell again

Defeat, he lay there silently

A tear dropped from his eye

There's no sense running anymore

Three strikes, I'm out, why try?

The will to rise had disappeared

All hope had fled away

So far behind so error prone

A loser all the way

"I've lost, so what", he thought

I'll live with my disgrace

But then he thought about his dad

Whom soon he'd have to face

"Get up" the echo sounded low

"Get up" and take your place

You were not meant for failure here

"Get up", and win the race

With borrowed will "Get up" it said

"You haven't lost at all"

For winning is no more than this

To rise each time you fall

So up he rose to run once more

And with a new commit

He resolved, that win or lose

At least he shouldn't quit

So far behind the others now

The most he'd ever been

Still he'd give it all he had

And run as though to win

Three times he'd fallen, stumbling

Three times he'd rose again

Too far behind to hope to win

He still ran to the end

They cheered the winning runner

As he crossed the line first place

Head high and proud and happy

No falling, no disgrace

But when the fallen youngster

Crossed the line, last place

The crowd gave him the greater cheer

For finishing the race

And even though he came in last

With head bent low, unproud

You would have thought he'd won the race

To listen to the crowd

And to his dad he sadly said

"I didn't do too well"

"To me you won", his father said

"You rose each time you fell"

by D. H. Groberg

Back Home - Safe and Sound

My Big Brother is finally back home from Iraq after being gone for a year.  It is good to know he is back in the states all safe and sound.  Now this picture looks complete.  It actually makes me cry a little.  I called him on Father's Day and asked if he had four beautiful girls attached to his hip since he has been home, he proudly replied - YEP!  I am so happy for their sweet family.  Candice - you have done an amazing job being a single mom for the past year. I love you guys so dang much!!

Addison's 7 month photo shoot

We tried and tried to get these done for a good month and a half maybe but the darn spring here would not cooperate.  It was cold, windy, rainy and snowy our entire springtime, so we missed the awesome spring flowers but decided to go out to Antelope Island to take some photos.  It is pretty to look at but the bugs were horrible.  They were everywhere.  It was kind of a fiasco but we got some cute photos anyway.  (Well you put peanut in front of a camera and you have a cute photo)

Mamma's little helpers

I tell everyone how much easier it is this go around having a baby.  The combo of me being older and oh so much more wise, and having two awesome helpers, it is more than just easier, it is down right fun having a baby around.  I love watching the boys with her.  We are all still so much in love with her.  I am grateful for every moment!

Braiden just finished giving her her last bottle before bedtime.  Sleepy little sweetheart!

Schooooools out for Summer!

Well, we made it another year through school.  The boys both improved their grades even during the 4th quarter.  Kuddos kiddos, that is hard when you have spring fever.  Although our spring was so wacky this year it still felt like a mild winter rather than spring.

But now, ahhhh, it is "summertime, where the livin's easy"  I plan on having a great summer with the kids.  I thankfully am only working part time right now so we get to play, play, play!!

These pics are day one of summer vacation.  Where were we, yep you guessed it, the pool of course!

Braiden jumpin off the high dive

This is Addison's first pool experience, well I guess that is not true, she put her toes in Grandpa's back in January.  She did not like it then but she sure did now.  She tried to swim.  Little legs kickin like a cute froggie, and yes there was yelling, her favorite pasttime.

She really does not like the bright sunlight in her little peepers.

6 month stats

We just had peanuts 6 month doc visit and it looks like we are having another tall child.  She'll fit right in with the boys :)  She is growing like a weed that is for sure!  I thought I would post all of her stats just so you get an idea on how fast she really is growing - it actually makes me kinda sad :(

2 weeks

20" - 25%

7lb 7oz - 25%

2 months
22 1/4" - 45%
11lbs - 50%

4 months
24 1/2" - 55%
14.5lbs - 75% (little fatty, hehe)

6 months

26 3/4" - 90% yes you read that right big fat 90, just like her big brother Braiden

16lb 14oz - 75%

If she does not slow down she will become the worlds tallest woman.  Can I still call her peanut if she is bigger than a peanut?  Although now I call her peanut butter cuz of her chub rolls on her thighs.  Love it!

All about the hair

This was my first attempt at actually doing her hair.  She looks a litte frightened doesn't she (ha ha) but oh so dang cute!!!!

I have some better ones but they are on my phone and I can't figure out how to get them from phone to computer. 

UPDATE

So I told you I had some better ones - I love, love, love the one of her screaming.   She did NOT want to get her hair done that day.  She was trying to say enough is enough but she was so flippin cute I could not resist!

My friends say this next picture makes her look like a bug, with little antennae on top of her head. 

Cute stink bug

Finalization!!!

Today is a good day, we finalized our adoption today!!!  We checked the boys out of school so they could be there with us, they of course love to be checked out of school.  We arrived at the courthouse about 15 minutes before our court time to meet our lawyer and go over last minute documents.  We were second on the list thankfully so we did not have to wait to long.  Once we got inside the courtroom, the person representing the adoption agency testified first and reliquished their rights on sweet peanut then asked Kent and I some questions making sure we were sure - of course we are sure, but all the legalities of it had to be done anyway.  Sweet daddy teared up and had a hard time answering the questions.  It was just sheer joy!  I am so happy to officially be Addison's mother

:)

2010 Canoe Trip

This year we got to go with Grandpa Mike and Grandma Kathy on their 15th annual Canoe River Run.  It was so much dang fun.  Plus the girl cousins were there and we always love spending time with them.  I was a weekend full of the great outdoors and absolutley fabulous.

This is the beginning of the trip - on the car ride there.  The driving was great.  The boys did fantastic, so much better than when they were little.  We had fun on our little road trip!

Here, Grandpa is just finishing up the packing before we head down to the river.  We had an awful lot of gear to put in those little canoes to paddle down the river!

This is the Hoover Dam.  It is almost finished.  The pictures do not do justice.  It was stunning.

Here we go!  So little bit of info on our first day.  At the beginning, this is where they are letting out water from Lake Mead so the current clipped along at a decent pace.  I missed the first stop, tried to turn the canoe around and paddle up stream with our very heavy, gear filled, canoe.  When you are giving it your all and not moving an inch, you have to know when to quit.  The boys and I tried to stay along the banks and wait for everyone to go in the very cool sauna caves, which we missed, but again, the current was a little too swift to stay still.  I had no idea where I was going but went along anyway.  A little further down the river, I spotted our group, so I did get to make that spot, thankfully, the hike was gorgeous!!

Cutest kids ever (minus one, little Addie had to stay home, so she had a daddy/daughter weekend).

The water was thermal hot springs and wonderfully warm, much better than the ice cold river!

The fam.  This was the very beginning of our hike before we were scraped, battered and bruised :)

The kids were in one of the many "hot tubs"  With this water, you should not put your head under water.  The bugs in the water can get in through your eyes, ears, nose or mouth and kill you, so yes of course we swam in them, nothin' to worry about, just keep your head above water

This is why you should keep your head above water.  It was very pretty and very disgusting!

Ahhh - so warm and relaxing

The group we went with call my dad "The Elevator"  This is why.  He would go up the scarry rocks first, and then lift everyone else up.  It is much easier with the kids than us adults.  Grandma Kathy is working her way up in this one.  It was actually a very slick rock and I had a heck of a time getting up it, but since I am taking the pictures I can say, I jumped right up, I don't know why Grandma couldn't (just kidding Kathy :))

After we were all done with this hike, we got back in the canoes and headed for camp.  By this time in the day, we had a pretty nasty head wind and still had 3 miles of paddling.  It does not sound very far, but with a wind wanting to push you backwards and very large waves, it made me a little nervous, and for good reason, Grandpa sank.  I was going along and looked behind me to check on my dad and I could see Chloe and Jasmine, but no Grandpa, hmmm, strange, so I kept watching and noticed, their boat was getting lower and lower in the water.  At first I thought, geeze those waves are getting big, then I thought no - THEY ARE SINKING!!!  I yelled at Kathy and Olivia ahead of me because they were in the kayak to they could manuver a little easier up stream.  I tried to trun around, but remember, he sunk, big waves, strong current, I missed the first stop and could not get anywhere and was afraid I was going to tip the canoe.  So instead I turned back around, and paddled like crazy praying I would find our group.  Again alone with my boys, hoping for the best and not having a clue where we were going.  I did know our camp was about 4 miles down stream and they did have mile markers, although a couple were missing.  With every canoe off to the side, I would paddle accross the windy river and see if I recognized anyone.  Finally I saw mile marker 60 and figured I have gotta be close and sure enough, just around the bend I found our group.  I pull up and yell "MY DAD SUNK!!"  about a mile up river.  The rescue squad grabbed empty canoes and went up stream.  A few minutes later here they all come, smiles and all.  He was able to bail out all of the water and carry on his way.  So in the end, everyone arrived perfectly safe, although I was a nervous wreck!

This was another hike we did.  This canyon was very beautiful!!

The kids taking a break.  We actually never finished the hike because little Ty got too tired and made everyone quit.  What a turkey

Cute Grandpa

This next picture was the kids all weekend long.  They had so much fun climbing up all of the rock.  I was a little nervous at first but they did great.  Only a couple little falls and scrapes

Now notice how dirty the kids are.  It makes for a cute picture but they were filthy.  In fact so dirty, if you touched them, a cloud of dust would rise, like pig pen from Charlie Brown.  When they would walk across camp and the wind blew, another cloud of dust

So I make them wash it all off before they could have dinner or get in a tent, let alone a sleeping bag for crying out loud.

Then the next morning, we woke up to a beautifully windless morning and packed up, paddled eight miles down stream and went home.

It was a great trip.  Now I have a lot of laundry to do :(