A Long Run and an Early Birthday Gift

This morning I had a long training run planned and headed out a 5 a.m. for my 20-miler. It went really well...and I was making good time with the first 18 miles. Then I decided to have a piece of salt water taffy...it sounded good but shortly after I ate it my stomach didn't feel so good. I was able to finish...but I don't recommend taffy as a long run treat!

While Cheryl and family were here Cheryl saw a picture she wanted to get me and Dad for our October birthdays. I love the picture...called "Old Man Wept". I got it framed yesterday (my framing friend saw it and knew what frame...already made...that would go with it perfectly. And it did! Here is a picture of the picture! I love it! Thanks Cheryl, Doug, and family for a wonderful early gift!

A Garden, A Race, and A Day At The Zoo

Remember the wall in the Children's Garden Austin was helping me build? Well, he came a second time to help me with another 100 blocks, and then recently Dan provided his truck and helped me get the last 36 blocks I needed and unload them...and voila...my wall is completed! The pictures above give you an idea of the completed project! Thanks to Austin for a job well done!!

This past Saturday evening (the 20th of August) we went to Springville High to watch Austin play his first game with his high school team from Westlake (can't remember their name?) against the Springville Red Devils. Former Red Devils Angie and Dad weren't sure how that was going to be to cheer for the other team but found out that it wasn't hard at all to cheer like crazy for Westlake and Austin. They beat Springville 27-8! Good job Austin and team! Austin is #64!

That morning Brent, Tyler, and myself ran the Hobble Creek 1/2 Marathon...13.1 miles! It was Tyler's first and he ran it under 2 hours! Brent finished a second or two ahead of me! In the photo you can see me taking in the rear near the finish line.

Three very tired and happy finishers! What fun it was to have them running in a race with me! Brent and Tyler couldn't wait to get in to their new "finisher" T's! Later that night after the football game Brent called me to let me know he had check the finishing times (we were at the 2:26 time frame) and said that I had come in 3rd place in my age group! Could have knocked me over with a feather.

While Cheryl and the family were here we had a fun Zoo day (albeit hot!). The day...Thursday, August 11th...Abi and I waiting for the train to start and smiling big for Cheryl's camera.

Abi and Maddy checking out the big, growling, and water-spitting dinosaur. Later his spray of water felt really good!

In July we took my mom down to Cedar City for the Shakespearean Festival. This is the outdoor Shakespeare stage awaiting the beginning of "Romeo and Juliet". I also really enjoyed "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and two non-Shakespeare productions: "The Music Man" and "Noises Off".

Also...don't you just love my new blog background! Cheryl tried to help me with it when she was here but for some reason my computer would not cooperate. So this morning (August 25th) she set it up for me from Kenosha! All Thanks to you, Cheryl!!

The Torch Is Passed...July 10, 2011

A few weeks ago I found out I was going to be released as Relief Society President. What shocking news...I wasn't prepared for this! It has been a real struggle...why, etc..... On Sunday I did pretty good as I was released in Sacrament Meeting and when the new Presidency was set apart...in spite of some tears. (The new President is my former Secretary who had served with me for 1 1/2 years...and will be wonderful.) But still it was so hard and I was having such a battle. Some who have not served in a presidency like that might say..."I would be jumping for joy!!!" But I have loved this calling and stewardship so much and was not jumping for joy. I prayed several times for Heavenly Father to help me come to peace. It didn't come right away...but finally yesterday I had my epiphany and I feel great now! I feel gratitude for what I have experienced these past 3 years and 8 months...but now I am hopeful to have the freedom to catch up on and do things that have been on the back burner for these past years!
My first committment is to finish a project I am working on now (putting my household inventory on the computer) and then I am telling you this so it will not only be my promise to myself but others will know about it, too...I am going to send my book out to be published (hopefully...published!!).

One of the nice things that started my epiphany on Monday late afternoon was the arrival of the above beautiful bouquet of flowers that I received from Stephanie and Dan and the girls...letting me know they were thinking of me and understanding how I was feeling! What a very special gift! Thank you so much! The Angel Of Love in front was a gift from my Secretary...now President...thanking me for all I have done and what a wonderful friend I have been to her since they moved in 2 years ago next door. So all in all...I FEEL GOOD...AND LOVED!! And I love you all so much!!

The Fourth of July!! 2011

Happy 4th! We began the celebrations with my running the Freedom Festival 10K at 0700. It was a fairly difficult course with a lot of uphill and a muggy 76 degrees.

Here I come towards the finish...in the center of two other runners! The "Finish" looks so good!!

I am almost there!! I wore my Boston, Massachusetts t-shirt for a very patriotic feel...John Adams, Bunker Hill, Boston Tea Party, etc.

This was the first 10K I have run that I got a Finisher's Medal. It was really cool. The medal part was a really nice key chain fob. More on the race comes later!

We really had a fun time meeting Brent, Karen, and the boys for a couple of fun hours of eating and visiting at the Kaysville Firework Show! (Dad and I had reserved a room a HAFB so we didn't have to drive all the way back to Santaquin after the show). Brent and Dad hanging out.

Alex and his friend.

The flash was really bright and about blinded us when pictures were taken. I forgot to get pictures earlier when we wouldn't have needed the flash! Sorry....Brent! The shirt I am wearing is the one I got for the 10K. Really nice tee!

Tyler and Matthew...aren't they cuties!?!

Karen and Brent...cute little love birds!

Just had to put a photo of one of the pretty displays of fireworks! They had a nice display!

Then on July 6th I finally got around to checking my emails...and had one from the Freedom Festival notifying me that I had won 1st place in the Women's Division 60-64!! I about passed out! I have never won anything in any age group! Yippee!! So yesterday I went to pick up my award-trophy and the picture below is it! It is really cool...with a hand holding a torch, mountains in the background, and Freedom Festival on the front with my 1st place win, division, etc. engraved on the front! Admittedly, there weren't alot of finishers in my division....but what the heck...a win is a win!!!!

The Secret Garden...June 2011

For a few years my goal has been to create a "Secret Garden" in our Children's Garden in the back yard. Last summer I wanted to get to it but couldn't decide on exactly how I wanted to do it and what product to use to create a wall. Well, it came together a few weeks ago and I hired Austin (who needed to earn funds for football) to help me construct the wall. So on Friday we rented a pickup truck and got a pallet of blocks from Lehi Block (a pallet contains 100 blocks and to give you an idea of how much weight Austin and I...especially Austin....lifted...it weighs 2600 lbs!) and got the boys (Logan helped Grandpa clean the garage) and heade home to unload. The next day Austin and I began our project at 8:30 a.m. amd finished around 5:45 p.m. We were tired but very happy with the results. I need to get about a 100 more blocks to finish my wall but we got the hardest part done.

The photos show the garden "before", Austin laying block, and our "finished" project to this point.

A bit of Navy, a Graduation, and a Piano Recital

One of these days I will get it right...but for now I will describe the date and the picture! Okay? Following Courtney's Piano Recital on Saturday, June 4th, I got a cute picture of McKenna outside the Legacy Retirement Center where the recital was held.

Courtney posing by the fountain and flowers following her recital.

Courtney before her recital...so adorably cute...and a little nervous! She did such a great job

on her two pieces!

Alex on Graduation Day, Thursday, June 2nd, posing with Grandpa, Grandma, and Great-Grandma. This was taken after the ceremony.

The family following graduation. Matthew was making that interesting face on purpose...I just didn't catch him by surprise!
Brent and Karen with their newly graduated Alex! Congratulations to you!

The parents got to go up with their son or daughter (the parents signed the diploma and then presented it to them.

Alex performing on the piano a composition of his. He did a really great job! He is seated at the piano to the right of Karen (in the light blue dress).

The proud mama and her proud Graduate!!

Alex before we went in to the Graduation...with the tassel on the left side. Not graduated yet!! What a handsome young man!!

Before Graduation we joined Brent, Karen, the boys, and Karen's dad and his wife for Graduation Dinner at Tepanaki Steak House! The food was delicious and it was a lot of fun watching the Japanese Chef cooking dinner on the grill at our table. He was really entertaining!

An onion ring tower. I thought I had got a picture of a flame coming out of the top of the tower...but I guess not.

Our Chef cooking Fried Rice....delicious!

On Wednesday, June 1st, we had the opportunity to visit Logan's classroom! It was so much fun! Logan wanted to do a special presentation on the Navy. He wants to go to the Naval Academy when he grows up and has been doing a lot of research on the Navy. He asked Grandpa if he would come and talk about the Navy to his class. Here is Logan describing the chart (really well done) he made to his class.

Dad/Grandpa talking to the class about his experiences in the Navy...Vietnam, ships, submarine, medals, etc. The class was really attentive and had lots of questions. Another boy in the class (Logan's best friend) also wants to go to the Academy and really enjoyed the class. It was an awesome experience for all of us! Thanks, Logan, for inviting us! We are so proud of you!

Hiking trip down south

On June 9th - 12, 2011 Jennifer and I took our annual hiking trip...going to Dead Horse Point, Canyonlands (Needles District...there are three areas and we have done one two years ago so did the second this year), and Natural Bridges. We wanted to do a hike in Capitol Reef but it had snowed and rained most of the day and we thought the trail might possibly not be safe so didn't do that one. Here are a few pictures of some places we went.

In the Natural Bridges area this was the third bridge we hiked down to. Pretty awesome! This was a relatively easy and safe hike.


The second bridge we hiked down to was a different story. Some areas were safe such as this one that Jennifer is posing by. The rock steps were steep but safe.

But then we had really steep areas with some steps that were small and on very tight corners with a drop off on one side. This shows one area of steep slick rock, small steps and a wood ladder we had to go down. There were railings in some areas like this one to help with safety going down and coming back up. It doesn't look to scary in the photo but it was!!

This is at the bottom and it was beautiful! There was a little lake at the bottom from the rain...and me! To prove I made it all the way down in one piece! The bridge was awesome but I couldn't get a full picture of it down there.


The picture below is of the bridge partway down.

This is Newspaper Rock...a close-up view!

The picture below gives a bigger picture of how much was "written" by the Indians a long time ago!

Newspaper Rock is just before one goes into Canyonlands. I am sorry I don't have more pictures to share but Jennifer took most of our photos on her camera and I haven't got copies yet. But this give you a little idea of where we went.

Hey there! I messed up on my last post. After I put the photos on I accidently clicked on "publish post" before putting my commentary on. So here is the commentary!! Brent, Karen, and I ran in the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure on Saturday, May 7th. It was a fun experience and for such a worthy cause. The first photo is of me going to the finish but you can't see me...I'm hidden. The second one is of Brent and Karen heading to the finish. The third nearing the finish...you can just see Karen. The last is of us together! We did it and we are glad we did!!!