Ducks

This is the latest fascination for Aspen.
Ducks.
DUCKS.
and MORE ducks!

There isn't a bath that she has taken that she didn't insist on  getting every single one of her 15 little ducks into the tub with her.

Stubborn, stubbborn mother

Brenden has had a frustrating cross country season this year, and I have had a frustrating time watching his frustration.  Ever since his crash at state last year (at which time I learned he had had a previous "crash" at a race a week before), he has struggled to improve, finish strong, and have enough energy to finish the race at 100%.  His dad decided after state last year that Brenden had just not eaten well... and had succumb to the stress of the event.  I knew it was more than that.  

Two weeks into the season, he had another less than stellar performance, throwing up afterward, and having several other underclassmen on his team, finish before him.  He was frustrated and decided that he needed to cut of his text messaging plan and strictly enforce his own bedtime.  His eating was also more closely monitored.  Needless to say... not much changed.  I finally started doing my own research on some of his symptoms and running issues teenagers have had.  The best guess I could come to based on this information was an onset of Type 1 diabetes.  At his next race, I brought fluid and honey that most runners who have type 1 diabetes take before a race.  He rolled his eyes, told me I was crazy, and sipped the glucose water and pretended to gag when he ate the honey.   His race was ok that day, but not 100%.  He admitted that he is afraid to give 100% because he is afraid of the possibility of his "crash" happening again.  He said his race was better because he did better eating and sleeping.

Whatever.

Talking to his coach and his dad wasn't helpful.  They were insistent and adamant that eating and sleeping was the problem.  I'm sorry... kids don't have a violent seizure-like run, throw up for an hour afterward, and don't remember the last mile of the race (or 30 minutes after the race) because they didn't eat pasta and got to bed at midnight.

What more could I do?

No one was listening to me, and he wasn't at my house long enough for me to get him in to get looked at.

Fast forward two weeks.  

Two weeks and two races later.  

Two CRAPPY races later.

While talking to Brenden on the phone last weekend:

"Hey mom... can you send me some of that stuff you brought to my race that time?"

Not sure if he was grasping at straws or if it really helped, but I dropped 2 races worth of honey and glucose in the mail.  

 

Even if his coach and dad weren't listening to me... Brenden knew there was something more going on.

I called him Wednesday afternoon.  

No answer.  

They had had a region meet at Morgan High and I was anxious to hear how he had done. 

I got a four word text message reply.

FELT GREAT.  FEEL GREAT.  

I called for further details, and amidst the roar of the team noise from the bus I was informed that he won the race that day, and that he felt GREAT.  

HE WON THE RACE!!!! 

HE FELT GREAT!!!

I screamed.  I cried.  I jumped for joy.

Now we are faced with a crossroads.  

The fact that it helped means that we will be making a trip to get his blood tested next time he is down here for more than a day.

The fact that it helped means I am not just a crazy paranoid mother.  

The fact that it helped makes me happy for his last most important races of the year: Region & State.

The fact that it helped makes me angry that no one would listen to me and get him in for more tests.

Mother's intuition... and a whole lot of prayer.

Thank heavens for answers (even if only a temporary fix)

facebook: the condensed version of life.

Lately life has been so crazy, that I haven't had time for the camera... for blogging... the only thing I seem to have for is texting in life updates to facebook.  So instead of pictures, I took my updates and decided to expound on them since I have a minute.

October 2:     Dear weatherman... please don't tease me and get me excited for five days of thunderstorms only to inform me tomorrow afternoon that you were just kidding.  

We have had unseasonably warm weather for weeks.  Low 90's... even though it is October.  I'm just so ready for cooler weather.  I fear we will go from 90's to 40's, totally missing out on the best season of all: FALL!

October 1:    GO AGGIES !!

 Yeah... it's that time of year again.  The time when I root for whomever is playing BYU in football.  And when they play Utah State (my alma mater) I get to cheer FOR my Aggies and vote NOT for BYU.  Gotta love it when USU actually wins (yeah... that's right:  31-16).  Last time this happened was in 1993, and I was actually in attendance at that game in Logan.

September 29:  The only thing standing between me and Friday is my crazy horribly long long day of parent teacher conferences tomorrow.

Every year it is a bittersweet day.  It's long.  I talk so much, that by the end of the day that my tongue hurts.  The only thing that redeems the 6 hour long sitting marathon is hearing how kids are changing their attitude towards math, or doing better this year than they have before.  ALMOST makes up for it, I should say.  No more PTC's til next spring.  YAY!

September 26:   does a runny nose on a 3 year old count as "sick" enough for me to stay home with her tomorrow??

Yeah... well, I went back to school that Monday morning, but she was worse than she had been.  I planned on taking Tuesday off to take her to the Dr. but we managed to sneak in an appointment on Monday.  My suspicions were correct.  She had a bladder infection (which I suspected because she had been wetting the bed).  Apparently kids don't have the same symptoms as adults do.  She had been complaining about back and stomach pain for over a week.  She also had had a constant runny nose for 2 weeks.  Allergies.  Who could have guessed?  An allergy pill each night, and she hasn't had any problems since. 

September 24: I really really need a weekend without my hubby working cause aspen and I miss him.

Hayden's schedule and working situation lately has been crazy.  Sometimes things always don't go as planned, and jobs have to be moved or pushed back.  This has been our lives the past several weeks.  His employee he has had since December has decided to move out of state.  On top of double booked jobs, he has been dealing with new employees (who don't share the same love of perfectionism that he does), the stress of an employee that is still (barely) working but would rather be gone, late nights and early mornings for the past 15 days straight, and a customer that wants everything extra added to her floor and no desire to increase her bill.  It makes me sad watching him, because there isn't much I can do to help other than what I do:  have a clean house, fix good food, rub his back, and bathe Aspen at nights. 

September 22: 80's day tomorrow at school and I'm gonna ROCK IT (ok, so I never really rocked it in high school, but my students don't know that). Putting together an outfit is what I do to entertain myself when Hayden has to work late :)

No words are necessary... A picture is worth so much more than a thousand words on this one... and 3 pictures???  well... I'm speechless.  The kids LOVED it.

September 20: If a dishwasher wasn't so expensive to fix, and washing dishes by hand didn't SUCK... I'd just let it stay broken

I bumped the inside roof of my dishwasher shutting it (with too many dishes loaded, of course), and managed to break off a part.  After running the dishwasher with no results twice, I realized what had happened.  The first day I washed all the dishes by hand... an entire OVERLOADED dishwasher full.  It took a mere 80 minutes.  By day 4 of this, I declared a strike, and informed Hayden he was either taking over dish duty, or we were eating out.   Needless to say, the dishwasher guy was at our house by 5pm that day.  To replace a $20 part and put it in, our bill came to $144. 

September 19:  Murphy's law... the only time my OUTDOOR cat decides to come INSIDE is after he has fallen in a bucket of gas/oil mix at my neighbors house. WHAT A MESS I have!

I was putting Aspen to bed one evening and kept noticing a strong smell of oil.  Thinking it was something from Hayden's work, I didn't give it much thought.   I looked at Aspen's bedspread, and noticed it was covered in black grease in an area about 12 inches square.   I pulled it off and smelled it.  Yep.  Gas/oil smell.  I immediately began the cleaning process, growing more furious by the minute, thinking it was something Hayden had sat on her bed, or brought in without realizing it.  Then I noticed the back porch.  Same grease spot.  The newly recovered cedar chest in my living room.  Same grease spot.   

The only thing that calls all of those places "home" is our outside cat, Mazda.  I searched him out, and sure enough... from his waist down to the tip of his tail, he was COVERED in gas/oil mix.   We searched the garage, the shed, the yard... without any sign of were it would have come from.  Finally Hayden went next door, and discovered a large open container full of the icky substance.  He had drained his boat oil into a pan once he thought it had gas in it.  The cat must have jumped into it before he knew what was in it.  I felt bad for thinking that Hayden had done it.  We gave our cat a couple of good doses of water and dish soap... which he was NOT happy about.  After a bit of cleaning on the rest of the mess, the bedspread looks almost like new, the porch I don't care about, and the cedar chest cover will more than likely have to be replaced. 

September 9:  Nothing like doing a load of laundry and finding an EMPTY bottle of fingernail polish mixed in with the clothes when I'm moving it into the drying.

If it isn't a cat making a mess, it is a 3 year old.  She has been in love with having to have her fingers constantly dolled up.  Her favorite has been a little bottle of polish she found in a glass star shaped container.  She liked it so much, in fact, that without my knowledge she put it in her pants pocket.  Thank heavens the brunt of the HOT PINK polish was absorbed by the white pants.  It helped that it was a load of hot water clothes with bleach in it.  Only SOME of Hayden's underwear turned pink.  Only some. 

September 3:  Was about 2 cars away from being in a rollover today... makes you look at life a little differently the rest of the day.

Funny how life has those moments of making you stop and think.  The flow of traffic through the construction corridor flows at about 70 mph even though the signs all say 55 mph.  On my way home from school the other day a car came speeding up to my bumper (as I was driving with the flow of traffic).  I moved over to let him pass, and he quickly passed and began passing other people through two lanes of traffic.  I estimate that he was going 80-85.   He attempted to pass another car, and move back into the fast lane, but when he realized he didn't have enough room to do so, he swerved back into his lane.  This caused his SUV to fishtail, his car to go sideways, clipping another car in the next lane, and both vehicles to roll multiple times off the road and onto the embankment of the freeway.  This is all happening only 3 or 4 cars in front of me at the time.  I watch as papers, car parts, and a person go flying through the air as if watching a cartoon of the wreck.  Had I been insistent on not having him pass, could it have been me?  Had I been 10 seconds faster in leaving from school, it could have been me he hit as he rolled.  The realization that life can change so quickly had me shaken up for the rest of the day.  I did more playing that afternoon, more praying that night, and more thanksgiving for the things I have in my life.  It's too bad we forget so quickly.  I take things for granted much too often.

I LOVE football!

I love fall.  I love wearing sweaters... love cleaning out my garden (well, not THE cleaning out part... but the NOT having to tend to it part).  I love running in the morning crisp air.  I love sleeping in a cool bedroom with a big fluffy comforter on top of me.  But what I REALLY love about fall (but don't get to do near enough) is attend football games.

Not just watch it on TV.  That doesn't count.  On TV I miss out on the roar of the crowd, the smell of all the wonderful stadium foods, the craziness of the fans, the cheerleaders leading the entire stadium in a cheer, and hearing the marching band (especially if we get to sit right next to them).

We went to meet Hayden after one of his bids in SLC, and saw all the Utah fans headed up to the game.  Wade hadn't been before, and I love to go... and Hayden loves to please... so we rounded up some tickets and went to the game.

AHHHHH... what to say about it?  It was wonderful (Utah won... that helped)!  Wade loved it.  He loved it so much he is even considering changing his after high school plans to include a college with a football team (instead of going directly to a culinary school).  Aspen even loved it... until she fell asleep in Hayden's lap.  She had an accident while she was asleep, and I had to go walking to have my pants dry off.  When Aspen woke up, she was not happy about her condition.  By the time Wade and I returned from our walk, Aspen was dressed from head to toe in a Utah cheerleader outfit.  Not sure if that was because it was the only item in the spirit store her size or if she requested it.

After the game, Wade and I loitered a bit on purpose.  Do you know how many Coke reward points there are lying around at the end of a football game????  A billion.  Well, maybe a few less then that, but not by much.   By the time we left, Wade had acquired 42 soda lids and I had 34.  Not too shabby for free points. 

Welcome to the "team" Wade

Brenden and I are glad to have Wade along in the running community.  He got "conned" into joining the cross country team this year (whether by peer pressure, bribery, or whatever... it worked).  He was pretty excited when he started on some new routes around my house this summer, and was able to see his time improve.  One 3 mile route was 28 minutes long on his first run, 27 by the second time, and 24 by the third time.  That's pretty good improvement in such a short period of time.  I think it was motivation for him that this was going to be a good year.  

Until...

Until I sent him out on a run just before 8pm with some basic directions.

Apparently TOO basic (or not enough information).

The run was 3.5 miles and after 45 minutes with no Wade, I started to worry.  

Got in my car and headed out to look for him.

  It's pitch black, Wade has no phone, and is horrible with directions.

No luck finding him.

Came home... found him.

I drove around with Wade so he could show me the run, what went wrong and talk to me about it.  Ironically, I had offered to ride along with him on this run before he headed out, but he declined.

Scary moment.  

Lessons learned for next time.

Wade's ran last Friday at Murray Park.  I get crazy nervous when they run.  Wade looked good at the start, and gave a cute little smirk when we yelled at him as he went by.  He loves having us there. 

He had a great race... and beat his last time by 2 minutes, finishing with a 22:31.  PR! PR! PR!

It is so much fun to know I will be able to show up to running events for the next 4 years.  So proud of your decision to become a runner. 

Thanks for making me not look so slow when you had to run with me this summer.

Keep up the good work!

Love you, Mom

Launch!

Grandpa Frank has been anxious to get the boys, Wade and Austin (cousin), out to West desert to launch rockets for quite awhile.  The rocket club launch that they originally planned on attending got rained out, so we planned our own outing.

The flies were out in force... which sent Aspen and I into the truck while the boys launched.  Grandpa had to have the biggest engines he could find for these rockets, so when they launched... they LAUNCHED!  (which translates to walking and driving over acres and acres of sagebrush looking for lost rockets).

Aspen's wink

No rockets were lost or damaged in the process.  We had so much fun!  Thanks Grandpa Frank!

My SENIOR @ BRHS

Brenden is a senior.  Brenden is a SENIOR????  CRAZY.  When did he get older?  Where is my little boy?  

What a great young man he has become.  This year he is senior class senator, cross country team captain, he plays drums in a band (Band of Stability), and plays drums for jazz band at the high school.   

He doesn't say much, usually giving me one word answers (or one syllable grunts as answers), but he is also a kid with a lot of heart.  He tries to be cool, but really, he wears his heart on his sleeve.
 

We had a great photographer take his pictures.  Thanks Amy Huntington!  She always does such a great job and is so easy to work with.

Cross Country NEWS (literally)

 

Article from TREMONTON LEADER Fall Sports Preview, August 25, 2010

Oxborrow hopes to erase state frustration  

Leader Publisher

Brenden Oxborrow went into the 2009 state 3Across-country championships with a lot of confidence. He came out a broken young man. Oxborrow had finished fourth at the Region 11 championships the week before and felt he had a great chance of placing in the top ten as a junior.  Instead, Oxborrow made a grave mistake that morning and hadn’t eaten breakfast before the race, which was held in the afternoon. What happened to the Bears’top runner was frightening to him and his coach.

Oxborrow, the son of Ken and Julie Oxborrow of Garland and Tonia and Hayden Fraser of Lehi, said he hit the wall with about a mile to go in the 3.1-mile race. He hadn’t eaten enough that day and used up all his energy.  He staggered in at a disappointing 77th place. After the race he couldn’t even stand up and was throwing up all over.  “I was pretty incoherent for the last half mile and can’t remember some of it,” said Oxborrow. “I should have been a top ten [placer].” After having such high hopes going into the race he was crushed.  “It was devastating. That was the last time I remember crying. I was just crushed by it. It was a humbling experience. But, then again, it was an experience to learn from; not to let it happen again,” said Oxborrow. Coach Dan Line said it was a frightening experience for those at the race.

“That was scary, as a coach, to see him go through that,” Line said last week. “I told him he was not running for five weeks after that. He stayed away and slowly rebuilt himself. He has got himself back to where he is ready for his senior year.  He looks as strong as ever.”  Oxborrow used that disappointment to drive him during the off-season. Immediately after the season ended he gathered the returning varsity runners and had them set training goals for the summer. According to Line, most of them met the goals. When asked about his senior’s leadership skills, Line said Oxborrow is a great team leader.  “He has a good personality and good sense of humor. We encourage him to reach out and set an example [to his teammates],” Line said. “He has the respect [of his teammates] by the way he conducts himself.”  

Those leadership skills came from studying previous team captains Chris Brower and Zach Christensen. Both former BR cross country stars took the young freshman under their wings and built him up from a kid who really wasn’t sure he wanted to run, into a polished distance runner. “ I don’t think I would be anywhere close to where I am without them,” Oxborrow said of his former teammates. “I am the number one runner now so I have a different motivation. I see guys improving below me and it gives me a new level of competition.”

Oxborrow said there are a few runners who really should have great years. That group includes Jeff Chadwick, because “he is always working hard.” Bracken Rawlinson was only three seconds behind Oxborrow at region and came in fifth.  “Tanner Christensen has been working really hard this summer. He ran more miles than I did this summer.” He said he is looking for great things from Spencer Stamps, a sophomore, who had a good freshman cross country season “but he just totally
came alive in track. I am 100 percent expecting him to get a varsity spot this year in cross country.”

I asked Oxborrow how he got into cross-country. He was more into basketball because his dad was the BRHS freshman coach and also coaches tennis. He played basketball as a frosh and sophomore, but cross-country is where he excelled.  It turns out that he started the sport because Line worked on him and he was looking for something to do during the fall. “Brenden has progressed really nicely and is such a nice kid. He made the decision himself that he wanted to be a great runner,” said Line. “It has been fun to see him develop as a runner and a leader. He has grown up right before our eyes. He responded well to leadership as a young runner.” 

It turns out Oxborrow is also a very multi-talented young man. He is an accomplished drummer for the BRHS jazz band and is part of the Band of Stability, a high school band made up of a group of BR students.

It is difficult to try to explain the mind of a runner. What would possess a person to put themselves through the pain and suffering a long distance runner goes through during a race. The pace drains their muscles and makes their lungs burn as they struggle to get enough air to keep themselves alive during the 3.1-mile race.  Add into that the opening 300 yards at the Belmont Golf Course race, a nearly 15 degree uphill climb, and you really wonder how crazy these people are.  Oxborrow says it is mind over matter and a will to succeed that is second to none. “You have to have the endurance to put yourself through the pain of a 3-mile race two to three times a week as fast as you can.  

It is painful,” Oxborrow said, adding the competition will be stiffer for him at state this year. “It is a fast pace once you get up to where the top of the state is.”  Like all great athletes he loves the competition between his teammates and opponents.  “I love the competitive feeling and being able to see yourself and your teammates grow. To see improvement and see your times get faster,” said Oxborrow. The sport is also great because you compete as a team as well as an individual. “It’s good because if you don’t have the backup it is still easy to stay self motivated [to qualify for state]. Whereas in basketball if you are the only good guy on your team you won’t go anywhere.”  

He expects the winning time at state to be in the high 15-minute range or very low 16s. As far as a goal, he has set it at 16:15 by the time state rolls around. As for region, he took 10th as a sophomore and 4th as a junior, so there is only one way to go.  The door appears to be wide open because the top three placers at region all graduated.  Motivated by the state scare, he says he has put in the extra work needed to succeed in this, his last year of high school competition.  “It is kind of scary because I only have one more chance. This is the one; there is no room for slipups. I have got to do my best. I have just put in so many more miles. I have trained a lot harder. I got myself better to hit the season with a running start – no pun intended,” Oxborrow said. “[The experience at state last year] has driven me to put a lot more miles in this summer.” 

The year looks good already for the team, Oxborrow  said, with nearly everyone back from last year’s region championship team. Goals are high, including a repeat region title and contending for a state title. It should be within their grasp with this close-knit bunch.  “I love the camaraderie.  For as much as there is a competitive side [to the team] there is a friendly side as well.  There is such a brotherhood. We really care about each other,” said Oxborrow.  Alot of those state aspirations rest firmly on Oxborrow’s shoulders. Line said they couldn’t have a repeat of 2009 if they want a chance to win the team’s first state championship.  “The number one goal [Brenden needs] is to have a fantastic race at state. Not because of what happened last year and because he has the experience at state the last two years. We need him to be a top ten at state so the other boys will follow him,” Line said. “If he does, we have a great chance to get a trophy.”  As he approaches his senior year, Oxborrow stands with his feet firmly planted on the ground; not getting too high or low. 

He stays busy by sharing his musical talents and being a senior class senator, a member of the Garland City youth council and an Eagle Scout.  He does have plans for the future, and if that includes running in college that would be great (though knee and back problems may kill that dream). Other plans include an LDS mission and college.  But for now his focus is on running and running well.  “I think everybody will continue to work hard and do what we need to do to win the state championship,” Oxborrow said. With the depth and talent coming back to the team, don’t be surprised if the Bears are hoisting some gold this fall.

RUSH with my "drummer boy"

As part of the "mama/son" date series this summer, I offered Brenden a night at a concert of his choice.  The choices were Jack Johnson, RUSH, and Men at Work.  It was a no-brainer for him.  Much to my dismay, RUSH won.  I have never been a RUSH fan.  They are a band I used to loathe in the late 80's/early 90's.  I couldn't stand the whiny voice of the lead singer, but since I am a dedicated mom, and so I didn't embarrass myself, I decided to do some studying of tunes and lyrics.  They are impressive (did I just say that???).  The lyrics are contemplative and insightful ... with my stand-outs being MARATHON (because I'm a runner), Time Stand Still, and Subdivisions.

So on a Thursday afternoon in August, Brenden drove down and met me.  We had dinner at Costa Vida, then headed over to Usana Ampitheater.  Last time he went to a concert at Usana, they were late... even missing most of the opening act, and had to sit on the back section of the grass.  Not this time.  We were in line before the gates even opened, and had a spot on the lawn right at the front.   It is so much fun to watch Brenden in his element.  I had a great time (even surprised MYSELF).  The concert had its fair share of interesting moments, from drunk fans, 40-something has been rockers wearing tight zebra striped pants and an old rocker shirt, to several air-drummers in the crowd without a care in the world who was watching them.  We left during the last song of the encore... which made Brenden not happy, but we made it out of the dreaded Usana parking lot in 5 minutes

Thanks for the company Brenden... and for teaching me to broaden my musical tastes to include once hated bands.

Fairview 24th Celebration

Getting Hayden away from work (especially when it means going to a place with no running water) takes a miracle.  With half of summer gone by the middle of July, we still hadn't been to the cabin, so it became a no-brainer plan for the 24th.

July 24th weekend in Fairview was crazy.  Lots of people on the mountain with their ATV's, many people at the swimming pool at the mountain resort.  The celebration in town includes a parade, demolition derby, music, food, and much more.  The demolition derby is usually sold out by the second day tickets are available (in May), so taking the boys to that was a non option.  The morning of the derby, I was up at Overlook Point reading a book and watching the sunrise.  An older gentlemen drove up and we started talking.  Turns out he had 10 extra tickets to the demolition derby.  Wade and Aspen have never been to one, Brenden went to one when he was 6 or 7.  Hayden and Debra haven't been to one for 20 years or so.  I was SO excited to have tickets.

watching fireworks

The boys LOVED it...  Brenden especially.  He was standing on the bleachers, cheering for "his" car, and whooping and hollering.  I was having a great time because I love watching the kids have a good time.  Throw in the entertainment of Brenden leading the crowd in YMCA, and that topped off the night.  After the derby there was a great fireworks show (especially for a small town celebration) that we watched on our way back to the truck.

Aspen waving to "the princesses"

Other highlights of the trip included ATV riding (mostly Brenden), the parade (for Aspen... especially the floats with royalty), the swimming pool (definitely Aspen), and just enjoying nature (that includes everyone except Hayden).  Aspen had a couple sets of binoculars she found at the cabin, and they did not leave her neck for most of the 3 days.

Thanks Frank & Deb for letting us crash at your mountain pad!  We need to do it more often.

Half-marathon... sort of.

I ran hobble creek half marathon this year.  It is apparently THE RACE to get into, because the race was full 8 hours after it was opened.  The day of registration (after online registration was already full) I was in the running store buying Brenden shoes and noticed a line for race registration. Hmmm... Why not?  I had enough time to train for it.  Two years previous I signed up and paid for it, but ended up not running it for two reasons: 1) my running partner "M", got a stress fracture and wasn't going to be able to run it, and 2) I ended up skipping it and did a home make-over surprise for a friend.

So... about the race.  It was painful, beautiful, rewarding, a sacrifice, and frustrating.

This is the first half marathon M was going to be running, and my husband convinced me to run the race with her.  His reasoning?  I wasn't going to be improving on my previous time (2:05) because our runs have been pretty slow, I wasn't going to win the race (ha ha ha ha... as if) and it would mean a lot to her.  One week before the race,  M went in for an emergency appendectomy and wasn't sure she was going to be able to run it at all.  So... now what? Do I plan on running solo? If so, I haven't done any speed workouts for the past 11 weeks.  If she can't run and decides to walk, do I just run it or stay by her and finish with her?  Aaaaarggghhh..... frustration.

Morning of race day: arrived at the park at 5:15am, boarded bus, and took a long frustrating 50 minute bus ride 13 miles up Hobble Creek canyon.  The morning was chilly, and I ran into a couple friends while waiting for the race to start.  The race started forty minutes late, and the canyon was amazing.  Beautiful.  M had bandaged up her incision so that it didn't jiggle while she ran.  We started off running, she felt pretty good.  We made it to mile six, running the entire way, with our mile pace at about 11:27.  After a quick bathroom stop, we were on the road again, and ran to mile 8 before the effects of her surgery began to take effect.  I'm HUGELY competitive, and really can't stand to have people pass me... Especially people who have been walking.  So by mile 10 I was fit to be tied.  Slow people passing us as we did our walk/run for the last 4 miles.  Walkers passing us.  I kept thinking of Hayden's suggestion to stay with her.  Kept fighting off the urge to run and pass all the walkers.  Kept checking my watch realizing that our time at mile 10 was my time I was FINISHED at my last race.

With one half mile left to go, M told me she was feeling guilty about ruining my race (through tears) and told me to just run ahead and finish.  NO WAY MAN.  I've come this far doing my friendly duty, i wasn't about to go ahead of her now.  As we approached the finish line, I reached over and grabbed her hand as we approached the finish line.  Final time: (2:53).  That's a 13:07 mile pace.  At the finish line, i hugged her and she cried.  All the pain and agony and frustration of the race was suddenly rewarded.  I realized this is what i was supposed to do.  My half marathon "race" was my sacrifice to give, and one that meant more to her than I could have known.

I have signed up for a race in November in St. George... with M.  Pretty safe to assume that I am not going to be running "with" her or anyone else for that race.  My goal is to do my speed workouts between now and then and beat my 2:05 time.

Hayden and Aspen came and met us on the trail just before mile 11. I was so excited to see them.  I love to have them as my cheer leaders. Thanks for giving up your morning Hayd! It meant the world to me.
     

Growing Artist

Where has my summer gone?  One minute I'm planting my garden in preparation for warm weather and sun, and the next thing I know I have more summer squash, tomatoes and beets than we could possibly eat... even though we have had one or more of something out of our garden everyday.

Budding artist!

 I feel the same with my kids.  One minute they are just beginning to learn so many new and exciting things (Aspen), and the next minute they are preparing to start their last year in high school and move on with their life as an adult (Brenden).

 

Aspen has taken a liking to my ipad I acquired for my birthday.  She spends more time on it than I do... which is saying something.  She loves counting programs, alphabet writing, coloring, paint by numbers, and watching movies, but her favorite lately is the Monkey Preschool app.  It's fun to see her match colors, letters, etc etc.  

 

She has learned in the last 2 weeks that she can control what she is drawing, and loves to draw lots and lots of SUNs.  She has began to add legs and arms to things and people as well.  We had a small problem with her drawing on things OTHER THAN the chalk board and paper, however.  Three weeks ago I noticed nice permanent pen all over the seat of my car.  This prompted a lecture from me about writing ONLY on paper.  Within a week, she had written on my ipad with a crayon (followed by another scolding), my patio doors with permanent marker (white doors/dark blue markers), on the door handle in Hayden's truck, and all up and down her legs, arms, and face during a car ride to Park City.  Where is this child's mother??? and WHO keeps showing her my hiding spots for all my writing utensils???

Aspen is into everything PRINCESS, castles and dragons.  She would prefer to have a princess dress on than any other clothes, and if I sneak clothes on her before she remembers her princess dress she will say "I don't like this shirt... need to change it" and brings me a dress to replace it with.

She constantly is asking "Whachu say, momma?  Whachu say?" if I tell her something and she didn't fully hear or understand what I said.  When watching a movie, and wondering what comes next she says "Whas happenin'?" (repeated 305 times without pause).

A typical outfit for Aspen includes:
2 necklaces with large pink jewels and beads on them
4+ bracelets...on both arms
Princess dress
Sun bonnet
Pink sun glasses
Several hair-bows (which she calls hair BONES)
clip-clop shoes (that make tapping sounds when she walks)
A backpack or purse or her trusty dog blanket.

Happy #5 Haydy Baby

Seriously... I am married to the best man on the PLANET!  Ask my girl friends... they have all (at one time or another) asked if Hayden has a brother to share.  

It was our fifth anniversary this year (last Sunday) and I kept pretty quiet about it, trying to catch Hayden in the act of forgetting about it.  Did you know Facebook has ANNIVERSARY reminders??  So much for my sneaky plan.  

Friday's job for Hayden ended up getting canceled and by 10am, he had made plans for the weekend and our anniversary. Here is a blow by blow of our adventurous weekend. 


Day 1: Friday

• Hayden divulges "secret location"... tells me to pack
• Mad-dash to get someone to cover Sunday's lesson.
• Frantic packing job.
• Head to Lodge at Red River.
• Check location in GPS unit.
• Double check location on google.
• Triple check location on bing.
• All say same thing...drive to middle of nowhere... arrive at destination.
• Stop in Richfield for a few supplies.
• Walmart.
• Leave Walmart feeling VERY normal.
• Drive through awesomely beautiful country I didn't know Utah had.
• Arrive at a lodge amid a mass of cottonwoods.
• Check in at lodge.
• Room is amazing complete with 2 beds, log walls and a small balcony.
• Decide to explore the area... on foot.
• Check out game room.
• Embarrass myself trying to play Hayden in ping-pong. (I beat him one time... long ago).
• Push Aspen in massive swing hanging from a cottonwood tree.
• Go walking along Fremont river on a weeded path.
• Walk for 10 minutes.
• Rain begins.
• Run back to lodge in rain (Aspen on Hayden's shoulders)
• Drive around the area exploring.
• Watch rain storm move in.
• Dinner @ lodge.  
• Aspen on swing... again.
• Aspen to bed.
• Sit on balcony with Hayd and talk for an hour.
• Bedtime.

Day 2: Saturday

• Wake up with headache... no run for me.  Sad.
• Breakfast @ the lodge. 
• Push Aspen in tree swing.
• Decide to shower later... throw on a hat.
• Drive into Torrey & buy drinks for the road.
• Drive to Capitol Reef (9 miles away)
• Take 10 mile scenic loop.
• Drive 7 miles on scenic loop... road closed.
• Hike on closed area over washed out roads (very NON drivable conditions)
• Gather rocks for my sand-jars.
• Head to Hanksville.
• Compare parts of the drive to Price.
• Stop at HOLLOW MOUNTAIN in Hanksville.
• Buy Aspen her "diamond" (she wanted the PINK CAT she saw on our way to Lake Powell, but opted for the jewel).
• Drive to Goblin Valley.
• Pay $7 entrance fee.
• Hike down a few hills into "goblins".
• Rain starts.
• Wait out rain behind very large goblin.
• Wait some more... find bigger rock to cower behind.
• Give up and decide the rain isn't going to end... back to the truck we go.
• Sandy silt is now slippery mud... we slide all over with every step.
• Crawl uphill through mud to top.
• Wash off as much mud as possible is pools of standing water.
• Remove shoes and get into truck.
• Remove pants and drive back to Torrey in our underwear.
• Redress and eat a bite at Taco Time.
• Check into room #2 at lodge (since we booked at the last minute, we had to switch rooms after the first night to pull it off).
• SHOWER.
• Aspen on swing... complains about being cold.
• Drive into Torrey.
• Contemplate going to Women's Music Festival.
• Read sign that says $35 entrance per person.
• Skip music festival and go to dinner @ Cafe Diablo.
• Eat awesome creative food.
• Pay too much for dinner.
• Pick up Aspen a jacket at RV store.
• Get contact information from RV park for a return trip with the kids.
• Return to lodge.
• Push Aspen on swing... this time with a jacket on.
• Watch buffalo next to lodge
• Bribe Aspen with hot-tubbing to get her off the swing.
• Hot tub with Aspen and Hayd.
• Back to room.
• Aspen sleeping on floor in our room.
• Off to bed...

Day 3: Sunday

• 6:45am run along highway bordering Fremont River.
• Stop 2 miles into run to read historical marker.
• Continue run back to lodge.
• Stretch out on the patio.
• Shower.
• Pack up room.
• Push Aspen on Swing.
• Say goodbye to lodge.
• Breakfast @ brunch shop in Torrey.
• Drive on a country road looking for a mountain with pieces of red rock.
• Put truck in 4wd and drive up scary road leading to red rock.
• Load truck with beautiful red flagstone for my yard.
• Head to Ephraim.
• Pass Manti temple... sealed 2 years previous on same date.
• Aspen sees the "castle" and asks where the "princesses" are... have to take her and see them sometime.
• Dinner with Fraser's.
• Make dad jealous of all my cool flagstone rock.
• Tour of dad's rock projects.
• Drive home while Aspen naps.
• Arrive at home... unload truck.

It seems so much to do, as I was typing it all out... but I haven't had such a relaxing, non stress, chill weekend since I was on a beach last December.  This is a DEFINITE do-over.  Hayden... once again... you have out done yourself.  My friends will be jealous.  Love you Haydy Baby.

teenagers...a pain?

I've had so many things going through my head lately of things I need to post, so many way cool summer adventures, but haven't felt much up to typing, trying to be eloquent, or trying to think of the best way to say it... so I just left it unwritten.  Hopefully I can take the events I have jotted down and write about them in the next couple days before I forget all the cool parts about them.

I have two boys that are so different in everything about them:  looks, characteristics, hobbies, how to spend free time, personality.  Wade is fair complected, Brenden is dark... Wade likes (LoveS) playing video games, Brenden would prefer to hang with friends... Wade is my peacemaker, Brenden is the antagonizer... Wade is the helper, Brenden is the motivator.  So I have learned that expecting the same results out of them for the same request will NEVER happen.  I have to nag Brenden several times a day (and sometimes into the next day) to finish his few simple jobs.  I finally had enough of being a nag, and told him of my frustration. 
He listened.
Apparently more than I thought...
the next morning this is the note on the chalkboard in the kitchen that I found.
LOVE IT!
He doesn't say much, but when he does it is usually worth paying attention to.
LOVE IT!
Brenden... love you.

Ea$y Money

If you need a good laugh, offer Brenden some money for a dare... but you better make it a good dare because he will do just about anything for a few bucks. 

Example:
For $5 he chewed on my ear pads off of my running headphones for 10 minutes.  Yeah... gross.  Seriously.

For $5 he wore some pink high heels and walked to the gas station in them, bought some snacks, and walked home in them.  And I missed seeing this one... I'd pay $10 just to see it again.
So when Grandma Debra offered him $10 to get down and lead the crowd in the YMCA song/actions, that was EASY compared to what he had done to make money in the past.  I'm so glad I had my camera... but wishing I had my video camera.

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

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?