The race was this morning and it was awesome. I will have to write up an entire post so be looking for a report on our 14.5 mile bike ride and 3.5 mile run tomorrow.

Tonight was surprisingly fun. Cody balanced the checkbook and told me we over spent our budget by a couple hundred dollars (whoops!). So of course we decided to head to the store and spend more money. We got the essentials and made amazing BLTAs for dinner. And I couldn't say no to buying Hunger Games (it was actually my entire reason for going to the store, Cody can't resist these begging eyes). I even made him buy me the one that was $2 more just for the mockingjay pendant. Yea I am sometimes spoiled and I like it. A lot.

And my outfits lately seem to revolve around straight legged jeans and my Dansko sandals. I am just getting my jeans warmed up and ready for fall and boots. Our pumpkins are getting big and turning orange already, doesn't that mean its fall yet?

This week is fair week. Everything gets put on hold while this annual event takes place. Kids work hard all summer long on their 4H projects whether it's raising turkeys, goats, or cows or growing sugar beets. Everyone submits some kind of art or craft, I saw quite a few with handfuls each. People tAke time off of work to work at various booths, mostly the food ones.

The main reasons for the fair are the homemade maple bars, Many different food booths, it is a sicial gathering like you have never seen and the rodeo. Tuesday night Cody and I were able to have some time alone without miss E and it was nice. Everyone needs some alone time every now and then with their spouse. We ate delicious fajitas and an amazing Hawaiian smoothie, piña colada of course. We enjoyed looking at all the different exhibits and paintings. We even bought a dozen maple bars but sadly we had to share them.

Wednesday we took little E, grabbed food and headed straight for the team sorting event. That was almost better than the rodeo and to make it even better it was free! I got to see my friend Kayla ride an cheer her on. Ellie loved just being outside. After Kayla's turn we walked around the fair and found a lot of familiar faces. The funniest thing was at one point we were carrying the babies while the boys pushed empty strollers. I wish I had a picture of those two guys trying to look tough with empty strollers and diaper bags shoved under the seats.

The best part about the fair this year was what happened as we were walking onto the grounds. There were cars stopped at the red light and as the light turned green the cars started to slowly creep along. Apparently it wasn't fast enough for one particular car though. The third car back must not have been paying attention and ran right into the car in front of it. It wasn't a hard hit and there wasn't any damage that we could see. The two cars sat there not moving for a few minutes and no one was getting out. The third car started backing up and we knew it was not a smart move. A car had been slowly approaching right behind this car as it was backing up. The approaching car stops and lays on its horn, it had no where to go, as the car that had hit the one in front of it backed into this poor old man. There was such a loud crunching sound as the hood of the car scrunched up that police from the fair were running right for the road.

We were dying laughing. Why would you back up on a main road? Why would you not just stay put? But most of all why would you not pay extra attention to NOT hit any one else? Two days later and I am still laughing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday morning we decided, well I decided and just convinced Cody, to take Ellenor to the park to swing! It was her first time and she loved it, even though she is not smiling in the pictures. She was talking and kicking her feet the entire time. I am excited to take her back and do it all over again. Weekends are so fun being able to spend time with Cody and just
to constantly have my best friend around.

Ellie has not been sleeping well at all. She is up more than half the night coughing and crying. Last night I attempted to sleep on the recliner while holding her to keep her asleep. She only woke up about every 45 minutes, so a lot better than she has been doing! 

Friday night was no exception. It was a long night and I didn't get up to run. I decided at about 2:30 in the afternoon that it wasn't too hot outside and that I could get my run in while Ellie and Cody were taking a nap. The first mile was awesome but after that I was getting sluggish and just exhausted fast. By the time I hit three miles I was just done. I called Cody to come and get me and right as I stepped into the truck I was crying. I was thinking there is no way I can run 13 miles, I can't even run three. I think my problem was I was so worried about my long run on Saturday that I didn't run for two days and was just psyching myself out. I know I can do it, I just have to not skip days and keep doing it.

I want to move to Iowa. I just got a text and a nice picture from my sister as they were attending a festival. An all you can eat corn festival, who cares what it's all about or for. All you can et corn, I am so there! Now just to convince Cody of the move.

Ellenor has been coughing quite a bit at night and it only seems to be getting worse. She sleeps better when she is in our bed and especially when she is taking over my pillow.

School starts in two weeks and I am excited. I got a few supplies while at the store the other day. It's almost embarrassing to admit how much I love school supply shopping but I will just say that it is very high on my top ten favorite things. I got my last book in the mail today and these two weeks can't just go by fast enough. It has been 3 years since I have been in an actual class and I am getting nervous to have to take notes again.

And only one week from today that I am going to commit physical suicide an attempt a duathlon. Fingers crossed that I survive!

 

 

This morning was started perfectly and it is only 7:11 am (Hey! My birthday!) I came across his video and was just reminded of what is most important. Even with everything else going on, nothing is more important to me than Cody and Ellenor. I love them both and could not ask for a more loving husband or a funner daughter. We are loving every day with our sweet girl and being able to watch her and help her grow is truly the greatest opportunity of all. 

"Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.” ¹¹ You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging." -Jeffrey R. Holland 

Checking herself out in her first pair of jeans!

Do you ever feel like you are just waiting for things to happen? You count down the days and really don’t do anything with those days in-between, well maybe you do but they are over shadowed by the bigger events. That seems how life has been this entire summer. First it was the end of a semester and start of a new one, memorial day, family pictures, family visiting, girls camp, then Jen’s sealing, fourth of July & my birthday, our Alaska trip, and a family fish fry with the Searles this past weekend. Coming up in the next couple weeks is the fair (which I am entering a picture in), a DUATHLON, school starts, wedding pictures, and that is just the big, big events. It doesn’t include the everyday things and all the training runs and bike rides, playing with Ellie and dates with Cody, mutual starting back up on Wednesday nights, and lessons every other Sunday.

I feel like I just go through life from one event to the other. SO instead of writing about this past weekend or what is coming up next week, I will write about today. And try to take things just one crazy day at a time.

Today started out like not very many other days. I woke up and didn’t want to run, Ellie has been teething, coughing, and running a fever for the past couple of days. Which means that neither of us has slept in a few nights. I got us ready and headed out the door to run errands. Errands in Twin Falls is just plain awful. It is a 45 minute drive down there and I do not do well on long car rides, 15 minutes into it and I am tired. Half the time I am sleepy just driving to town and that’s only 12 minutes away!

On today’s to do list was print pictures, find frames, baby food, sports bra, and return/buy books for this next semester. First stop was CSI campus (College of Southern Idaho, not Criminal Investigative services, I WISH!). College bookstores are the biggest rip off I have ever seen but I am too lazy to buy them any other way because I am afraid of getting the wrong book. I returned my books from the last couple semesters, well over $600 worth of textbooks. And guess how much they gave me back?!?!? $177. So excited! Not...

We headed over to Costco to get pictures printed and I have made the most wonderful discovery. Costco has black 8x10 and 11x14 picture frames. Two of them for $15.99. SCORE! We rearranged the living room on Saturday night and I am excited to finally decorate it. It’s been a year and a half and I am just now getting to decorating it more than a giant clock on the wall. It also helps having family pictures that I want to show off look at more often. A few weeks ago I spotted a Halloween costume while we were there but didn’t tell Cody until we were in the checkout line and it was too late. A pink zebra costume is just what we need for this little misses of ours!

Walmart was the next stop and what an experience that was! Ellie was starting to get fussy so to keep her entertained I gave her the list. I sure got my glute work out in for the day, I was constantly bending over to pick it up. Right after I would hand it to her she would throw it on the floor and we would do the same thing all over again. I got three different kinds of sippy cups for her to try, hopefully she will at least like one, eventually…

Target was better. In the dressing room she was able to crawl around and even tried to escape out underneath the door and enjoyed eating hangers. On our way home I called the doctor’s office because we have been a little worried about Ellie’s cough. The nurse that I talked to really needs to work on her people skills. I told her what was going on, coughing, fevers, the works. She asked me how far away from the office I lived. I told her about 7-8 miles away. She asked me how fast I could get there. If I couldn’t come in right away they had an opening in an hour and they wanted to see her.

I was a little worried with this comment and kept telling myself she is only saying that because they have an opening right then. As we were in the waiting room Ellenor crawls over to an empty chair and stands up on it. The elderly gentleman in the chair next to her starts tapping his fingers on the chair and playing with her. She is our little ray of sunshine and can make anyone smile. He was in love. (Side note, we were stopped by 3 employees at Costco, the lady checking us out kept us there for a few minutes just to talk to Ellie, as we were walking into Walmart a little Asian lady talked to her the whole walk across the parking lot… She soaks up the attention like she does the sun and milks it for all its worth).

Waiting in the room she was fascinated by the crinkling of the paper on the bed and was completely entertained by it. She is just fine though, thank heavens. She didn’t have an ear infection and her lungs sounded good, besides having a cough she is just fine. We just have to keep her fevers down and make sure she stays hydrated.

We got home and I put all the pictures in the frames and they are currently still sitting on the couch. But I am hopeful that they will go up within the next day or two. I also printed a picture I took a few weeks ago to be entered into the fair. I am really nervous about it because I hate bringing any kind of attention to myself, especially when it is something I am so passionate about and will be critiqued. But it does look amazing all matted and I am excited to finally do it after years of shying away from fairs.

For the past few weeks I have been attempting to run and it hasn't been easy. A half marathon is only 13.1 miles. It doesn't seem like very much, until you start running. And then you start to think, what the heck was I thinking?! I can't run that far! By September 30th I had better be able to! Otherwise I am in some SERIOUS trouble!!!

On the schedule this morning was a 6 mile run, my longest to date. I hate watching my pace because at a few different times today my pace was an entire minute and a half slower than my pace is every other day I run. My knees started to hurt and I haven't had them hurt in many months. I got shin splints for a few minutes but I pushed through all of that. I did not stop. I made it 6 miles without stopping, it only took me and hour and 10 minutes. But I did it and I am so happy that I did.

 

Miss Ellenor is hilarious. She is constantly making me laugh and is the most animated baby I have ever met. Yesterday I attempted to give her fruit again. Not only did she not like it but every time I would put the spoon remotely close to her mouth she would scrunch up her eyes and put her head down and just smile and laugh. 

Today when I tried feeding her she would do the exact same thing and give me a little cackle. She knows that I think she is funny and definitely works that angle.  

After dinner Ellie and I headed outside to enjoy the sunset while Cody was mowing the lawn. It started out nice and relaxing, I even got to read a little bit while Ellie played. But all good things have to come to an end and this good thing ended way too soon. Little misses decided that my book was more entertaining and that grass was the thing to eat. We also got attacked by a few swarms of gnats.

We are headed to the pool this afternoon with Ellies cousins who are in town and it will be fun, she is a little fish. We are having a fish fry this weekend and I am excited to see everyone!!! Cody and I brought back a few pounds of halibut and salmon and we get to share a lot of it with Cody's family (all of his siblings are coming except one). I am looking forward to Ellie playing with her cousins, she is at such a fun age and LOVES people. So excited!