Making Friends

I'm not sure I can call this my friend yet, but I'm certainly trying to.

New goal: run at least 2 miles everyday
with Sunday as my rest day - and maybe one other day if I feel I need it.

The photo is today's run and I feel great! This is the farthest I've run on it since the 3.15 I did 2 months ago. I ran 2.5 last Thursday, so I'm getting there. (Btw, if you're ever looking for a free place to log your exercise try here - I really like it!)


Did I ever share how this contraption made it's way into our home?

Well,

Last Fall I had been looking on Craigslist for treadmills. It was a Saturday evening, right around Thanksgiving when Ryan found it. It had only been posted for 10 minutes, so Ryan called on it and within an hour, this baby was in our home.

The best part of all: it had barely been used and was only $65!
(About 1/10th of it's original price.)

S.C.O.R.E.

If I Had the Guts

If I had the guts, I would cut my hair like this:

But, I'm leaning more towards this cut:

Any thoughts?

It's That Time Again

Today, it's BACK TO SCHOOL and at a NEW school this year, too.

Miss Kaycee starts Kindergarten. Miss Rylee into grade 3. And, Clay man into grade 1.

So happy. They woke up extra early so they wouldn't miss this:


That's right folks! After three years of being the chauffeur, this beauty will take over.
I'll still have to pick up Kaycee at noon, but that's it.
I must admit though that I got a pretty good sized lump in my throat as I watched the kids leave.

We took the plunge and let them take the bus the VERY first day.
How can they be growing so fast?

Kids, have a great first day. I'll see you soon.

Iron Girl 2009

Besides coming home to see Ryan (of course!), this was another reason we came home from Utah. The next morning was this:

I needed something to keep me running and this 5k was it. My 2nd race and it was a great one. I was able to run the WHOLE thing. I felt as pathetic as I looked running to the finish line (picture NOT included!). I wasn't sure if it was the cold - that was graciously shared with me from my children wearing me out or the fact that I had driven 8 hours to get home the day before. Either way, it didn't matter. I didn't stop! Infact, I beat my previous race time by 2.5 mins - about a quarter mile at 37:25!

I guess the nice thing about running so slow is that I can only get faster, right?

Thanks to Aaron and Angela for coming to cheer for me although Angela wasn't feeling well. We'll have to try it again next year, girl!
And, thanks for taking all the pictures for us too. You guys are awesome!

Fun in Utah

We went over to Utah for a Livingstone Family Reunion. What was supposed to be a longer weekend trip, we decided to send Ryan home on Monday (to get back to work) and the kids and I stayed until the following Friday.

Including the HUGE slip n' slide in the park! It entertained the kids for a LONG time.

It was wonderful catching up with aunts, uncles and cousins I hadn't seen in years!

Early Friday morning, before the reunion started, Spencer made arrangements for us to attend the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House. Living so close to the temple here in Denver, our kids were thrilled to get to go inside a temple. It was beautiful.

During one of the breaks Saturday afternoon, I jumped at the chance to go on (my sister) Jeannie and Brent's new boat. It pays to get your Ph D - while working full time and being the Bishop of your ward!! It was so much fun. I learned: I AM A BOAT PERSON. One day we'll have our own boat. Or, at least live really close to someone that does. SO FUN.

Our closest cousins live in Utah. Our kids adore their cousins - on both sides. They wept and whailed for the first hour on the drive home. Growing up, I never lived close to any of my cousins, so thankfully on that drive home, I let them be sad. I knew how they felt.

Nothing beats time with family.