Saturday, July 31, 2010

Family Reunion Wager

Before
Our Gardner reunion always has a little raffle/silent auction.  I found a clock on the table with no bids that was screaming spray paint me  I told my sister I had plans on turning it into something way cool.  She scoffed.  Hey... don't laugh at a person holding a can of spray paint.  Sounds like a challenge to me.
If you didn't know this was the same clock, you never would be able to tell.
Take that Kara :)
After

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Royalties, Please

Imagine my surprise when Brenden's friend sends him a text informing him she swears she saw him on a poster for an upcoming 5k.  Hmmm... must be some mistake.  We didn't have any pictures selected to be used for a flyer or poster.  It must just be someone who LOOKS like Brenden.

Nope.

That's my boy!!
She sent a picture from off of the door at a gas station in Santaquin, and sure enough... there was Brenden running through the beautiful lavender fields from last years race.  Since I am a bit strange, and like to find ways to embarrass my children, I made Brenden come to a running store with me to find the flyer.  We were allowed to steal a large one off of the back door and take a few out of a large stack on the counter.
SCORE!
I'm thinking there should be some royalties for being able to use his beautiful running form shown on the poster.  Even if we didn't go back this year and run it.
What do you think?

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Day 3... Missing home


July 14, 2010 Wednesday
Seems like I have been here for more than a week.  The days seem to start to blend together and I'm so excited to go home tomorrow. Went into the channel a couple times today but was unable to get cell service.  So frustrating.

I must be in a different phase of my life because not once did anyone say "Tonia, you want to ski".  It isn't their fault I didn't go.  I only partially wanted to try wake-boarding, but NOT having anyone ask makes me realize that I am probably considered too old for that sort of thing.

Took Aspen out on the water weenie today.  That was SO much fun to watch.  She  loved it.  At first she wasn't quite sure about it, but after having quite a long turn and ending back up on the boat, she was asking if it was her turn again five minutes later.  When the older kids went and got thrown off she declared "mama, I can go. I don't fall off". She has had a total blast and will be talking about this for many days after we get home.



Wade did some cliff jumping with the crazy people today.  This did not sound fun for me (because I am wussy... and old :)  He is suffering from a bit too much sun.  First day down here he was in the sun for a good 3 hours without sunscreen before I noticed and tried to remedy the situation.  Too late.

I slept in the boat last night and had her sleep on the floor by me.  Amazingly I got some sleep.  If I'm not right next to her she puts herself back to sleep in the night instead of coming looking for me to lay on.

My bags are packed... My stuff gathered... I'm ready to go home and see Hayden.

Day 2... Lake Powell


July 13, 2010 Tuesday

"I think Aspen is a vampire", Nate said to me this morning.  Unfortunately for me, I am not.  Nate slept in the same place as Aspen and I.  Slept being used loosely, because Aspen did little sleeping, which translates to me sleeping very little.  She talks in her sleep, rolls on me, and wakes up every 30-60 minutes crying about one thing or another.  How the girl functions on that much sleep, a full day of playing, and only 30 minute nap yesterday is beyond me.

We had a visit about mom and dad's mission today.  Who is watching/tending to what while mom and dad are gone.  I live so far away from all their property to help much.  I would, however, love to take a horse. I miss days of riding,  the smell of horses, my allergies, and the feeling of a horse running underneath me.  It would be a bit of an expense, but so worth it.  I would love to have Aspen love them as much as I do. 

Day 1... Lake Powell

July 12, 2010 Monday
Boredom... Not because there is nothing to do, but because the person i would most love to share EVERYTHING with is back in Lehi.  Events through the day, Aspen's little funny things, thoughts on family and interactions, words of love and humor.  The whole situation is compounded by the fact that I have no phone service and so therefore I have no contact with him.  No text messages.  Not sure if this means I am addicted to my phone or addicted to my husband.

I was able to do what i came down here to do.  I rode up the channel sitting on the front of the houseboat with my feet in the water, riding the surface of the water and water splashing up my legs.  I have fond memories of doing this the first couple times we came to lake Powell back in the 80's.

Last night was miserable.  Hot, humid, and restless.  I slept with Aspen, so I worried about her for most the night.  Started on the bunk in the houseboat, ended up on top... No padding below us, and no blanket above.   Lack of sleep didn't slow Aspen down.  She was in the water until she was water logged, then would get out long enough to dry off and be begging to "swim... Just 1more time ... PLEASE".  

Lake Powell

Funny how things get put off until one specific something takes place.  I've had so many things to post, but put them off until I could post one particular picture.  Well, that one picture is still not scanned, but I've given up on waiting for me.

I officially have 1 month from today until my half marathon.  I am not as trained as I was for my half last year at this time, but that is part of the price of having a running partner... I train at her pace, and have been skipping my speed workouts because they aggravate my running buddy's old injury.  So this year my half-marathon will be more of a run to just finish, since I obviously won't be setting any land speed records.  

School starts 2 days after my half, and it hasn't been until this week that I had visions of me back to school without it causing anxiety.  The great thing about journaling is that I notice reoccurring patterns of behavior.  I know that at the end of the summer I have "summer remorse", so rather than wondering why it is happening, I get to figure out HOW to deal with it, since it is inevitable. Still much to do on our summer list.

We spent last week at Lake Powell with my family.  Hayden had a couple of jobs that ended up needing attention, so he was unable to go.  Aspen had a momentary moment her first 10 seconds in the water, where she thought she was going to drown, but when she figured out her life-jacket would hold her up, she was not getting out of the water... for the next 4 days.  The water was warm (81*) and the temperatures were warmer (104*+).  We had two houseboats, and they were quite full: 16 kids and 11 adults.  The only siblings not there were Garrett, who is working in Jackson Hole for the summer, and Jolona, who stayed home with her baby. It was a lot of fun.  Thanks Dad, for the great time. 

The next couple posts will be Lake Powell day by days... since I was able to write things down on my ipad while in the middle of the lake.

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