Two weeks ago I ran my very first (of many I'm sure) half marathon! Now to some that may seem like no big feat, but to me it was. I had never thought of myself as a runner and never imagined running any more than a few miles. Right before I become pregnant with Ellie I started to run to lose weight. My goal at the time was just to be able to run for 30 minutes straight and a 5K (3.1 miles) seemed like so far!

Anyways... We started out the weekend by staying the night at my grandparents house. Of course it included Ellie playing the piano on grandpa's lap. Its so fun to watch her interact with some of my absolute favorite people. She would point to a note on the page and he would play it, occasionally she would correct him and tell him which key was really supposed to be played. My brother came over the next morning for breakfast and it was so great to just be able to catch up. 

Maybe I am creepy but I would not mind at all having family as my neighbors. I would totally buy a subdivision.

We grabbed my sister and her daughter and headed to Moab! We were all ready to get out of the car by the time we got there. We headed to the expo to pick up our bib numbers and started the search for dinner. There were quite a few people on the same page as us. We decided ordering food and taking it back to the hotel was the best option. We checked out a few stores and of course flattened a penny while we were waiting. I don't know if I had ever had any better chicken parmigiano as I did that night. Maybe it was good because of nerves, I don't know.

The hotel situation was kind of a joke. Everything was ridiculously expensive for the weekend and we were a little late in trying to find a place to stay. The hotel we found was the first building as you came into town but it had a pool and a pretty neat playground. My pirate obsessed daughter loved it and kept saying that she was Jake!

The morning of the race we grabbed breakfast at the hotel and headed to the park to wait for the bus to shuttle us up the canyon. Here was my first mistake. I am used to eating within an hour before I run. We loaded the bus at 8am and the race didn't start until 10am.

They had quite a few restrooms at the top, thank heavens. We had a little over an hour to wait after we got to the starting line and it was COLD! It was in the 30's but we knew as soon as the sun came out and we started running that we would be warm.

As soon as the gun went off people started cheering and the atmosphere was so much fun! It took a few minutes to get past the starting line but as soon as we were over we were flying. Partly because the first little bit was all downhill but also because we were on a running high... before we even started...

The first few miles were great. We held a good pace and it seemed like we were passing a lot of people. After a few miles there started to be quite a few hills that I hadn't trained for or anticipated. I should have assumed because we were in the canyon! 

We ran most of the hills and were feeling great. I was starting to get a little tired but still feeling strong when the winds started to blow. This is where things got real for me. Idaho has a lot of wind. While I was training for this half marathon I ran in a lot of wind, not by choice. I felt as if the wind was challenging me, encouraging me, letting me know that I was strong enough to over come this obstacle in my race. At one point we hit a hill during this crazy intense wind. I was tired and wanting to walk or at least slow down. There were others around me doing it so why not?! I looked at my sister and she gave me a thumbs up and we pushed through to the top of the hill. As we came over the top the wind seemed to change directions. Instead of it being a head wind, it was now coming from behind pushing us forward. The wind was helping me move forward. I had done the work and put in the time, it wasn't time to quit just yet. I wasn't finished and my friend, the wind, was letting me know that all was well. 

Cheesy. I know! But that was exactly my thoughts and what helped me get through that part.

A few miles after that we came across a lady that was laying on the side of the trail. She was surrounded by other runners. We knew there was nothing that we could do and that she had the help that she needed. Almost as soon as we passed her a song came on in my play list that I had heard a hundred times before but this time I heard lyrics that I hadn't before. 

"When you fall get up, oh oh
If you fall get up, eh eh"
In that moment I was running for all the times I thought I couldn't. I was running because it was something I could control and that I knew I could do. It didn't matter what struggles I faced to get there emotionally, physically... I could do it. I have always gotten back up no matter what may have  caused my fall. And yes its a shakira song so of course I was dancing along to the beat.

It wasn't all easy sailing and peachy perfect. It was tough. My sister started to have an upset stomach around mile 9, so four miles or so to go. We walked at a few points to help ease the pain and after a minute she would be just fine to keep going. This is where I started to have a hard time as well. You are supposed to fuel along your runs if they are longer than an hour. In training I had run 10 miles as my longest run in under two hours and didn't consume anything besides water. I figured it was only three more miles and that I would be ok. I don't know how I finished. I was so exhausted by the time we came out of the canyon and had two miles left. 

We saw Cody and the girls parked on the side of the road waving us on with less than a half mile left. That was the boost I needed to finish strong even though I wanted to hop in the pick up and die. Or just sleep for the rest of the day. When we finished my legs were stiff and I felt like I was going to either faint or throw up, or both. The feeling went away after I got real food and a nap, thank goodness.

Running is such an emotional and spiritual journey. And of course physical. I run for clarity and for sanity. I run to feel freedom and empowered by what my body can do. I am slow but thats ok because I don't run for the time. I get to be able to push myself further than what I feel comfortable with and do things I never thought were possible. Some days I have terrible runs and think that I never want to do it again. But I have to redeem myself and the next day will have a great run. We put up with the hard things in order to enjoy the good, or even the mediocre. 

I run because it allows me to feel like I have complete control in my destiny. If I am lazy and don't push myself then I wont get any better. I know if I push myself and try harder to become better that I can accomplish goals and see not only physical but mental improvements.

So basically I like to run. I run for fun in the hot hot sun. I run for me. I run to better myself and to push myself out of a comfort zone. And because I like to see things improve I just signed up for my second half marathon in June! Yes, I am very excited. I know what I need to do to take care of my body to allow it to perform at its best. And yes, I am also nervous because I know I have to work hard to become better.

Ellie does some pretty entertaining things. I thought I'd better keep track of a few before she stops and I forget. 

If she hears the word awesome she says " Ellie's awesome." 

Sneaks books into bed at nap time to read out loud to herself and Kate. 

She whispers come here when she wants to show you something and gets a grin on her face as if she's showing you a lost treasure. 

She has learned to shake her little hips and thinks its the funniest thing ever. Her dancing now includes hip shaking, running around in circles occasionally with her eyes closed and doing a downward facing dog and flopping onto her side calling it a flip. 

Ellie can be very polite at times. Today we were holding wipes and karate chopping them out of each others hands. Every time I would hit hers she would laugh but every time she would hit mine she would grab it off the floor while saying here you go mom. 

If I ask her to do something lately the response is "sure mom" or a no with a bobble head yes.

When there is good music on in the car she closes her eyes and sways her head from side to side excitedly saying "I dancing! I like sumic."

She calls music su mic. It's hilarious. 

Ellie was falling asleep on the swings today at the park. I told her it was time to go home so she could take a nap. She gave me this wide mouth grin and repeated "no nap! I happy!"

Cheetos. Every meal she requests Cheetos. 

When she is supposed to be in bed for the night she will come out of her room, climb up on my lap on the couch, put her hands on both my cheeks and kiss my forehead and then go play. Hopefully this will not be happening tonight because Cody is finally home but it did happen a couple times this week and it was just too sweet to forcefully tell her to go back to bed. 

Talking. So much talking! I told her Cody was in Colorado this week and she calls it colo wa wo. It's hilarious. 

Lotion. Lo-Shawn at least twice a day. And flowers. Everything she wears has to have a flower on it. 

If I run on the treadmill while she's awake she sits and yells faster mommy! Same with the car. "Faster mommy! Bad guys and monsters coming! Faster!"

I'll have to add to the list later but that's all I can think of off the top of my head. And because I'm also a little distracted because we are watching frozen for the umpteenth time.

Monday morning means being lazy. Some people like to get their week off to a great and busy start but not us, at least not today. Today will be a recovery day from everything. Recovering from a lot of driving over the weekend, catching up on laundry, hiding from the awful 50 mph winds outside. 

We will spend the day eating good food (because bad weather means baking), dancing to disney music, and patiently waiting for tomorrow because tomorrow our lives will change forever. Frozen comes out on DVD and instead of constantly watching jake and Mickey Mouse we can watch another great princess show. We are going to wake up super early, drive the 15 minutes to town for that movie and donuts so that we don't waste our morning with things like cleaning and other things that aren't nearly as important as watching a new disney movie. Sometimes being a parent is really exiting. Just kidding, Cody is gone again this week and anything that can be made into an exciting adventure will be to keep us all sane. 5th full week this year or something like that, I've lost count. 

These kids grow way too fast. Some days I love it and others not quite so much. 

Kate is wanting to crawl so badly! She rocks on her hands and knees and has mastered going from sitting to her knees and back. She is a scooting machine and I know exactly what happens Ellie yells "no Kate! Don't get my toys!" Kate is becoming a threat to Ellie's toys and some days it's all I can do not to laugh when Ellie comes crying that Kate took a toy out of her hand. 

When the weather is nice we try getting out for a little while each day. 

Ellie is talking so much more now and says the funniest things, I just need to start writing them down. She still loves pirates and my little ponies toys (they come in packages so you don't know which ones you are getting and it's a surprise and they are little and she loves them. A lot.). She sings frozen songs at the top of her lungs and loves to hide. She loves string and tying things up. The other day I found all the wii remotes tied up to the cupboard hands and currently the dogs leash is tied to the refrigerator handle. She had a few melt downs and after 45 minutes of crying, screaming, and whining the only thing that saved us was coloring. 

On Sunday at church we were in the hall waiting to go into the chapel and Ellie kept twirling and spinning. She lifted the edge of her skirt and kept Boeing and curtsying, thank you princess Sofia movie ... 

Cody's been gone quite a bit for work the past few months and we've been trying to take advantage of the time when he is home. On Saturday I needed to do my last longer run before the half marathon on Saturday and he decided to come along on his bike with the kids in tow. And puppy... This puppy had never gone for a bike ride before and was not a fan at all. He kept getting scared and would stop right in front of Cody or stop and get dragged (not really dragged but tugging against his leash). I kept running and a few minutes later I look back to find Cody carrying him on his lap. 

I am running my very first half marathon this weekend with my sister. To say I'm excited is an understatement. Ever since I started running a few years ago my goal has always been to run one. I signed up to do one after Ellie was born but my knees were giving me problems a few weeks before and I decided to stop training. But this time around has been different. My knees were starting to hurt as I put on more mileage at the end of January but after taking a few days off felt better. They still haven't been perfect and after Saturdays run they are definitely sore. This week I will take it easy (by eating ice cream and watching movies all week (just kidding)) and they should be just fine for Saturday. I am mostly in shock that it is already time! I've been working hard since November and its amazing to see that hard work pay off. When I started just bein able to consistently run, keep the same pace and run 11:30 minute miles was good but in the past few months I've taken an entire minute off my time. This summer I want to focus on being able to consistently run under 10 minute miles and run a 5k in under 30 minutes. I know it's doable and I'm exciting to have something to work towards. 

We don't like when Cody goes away on business trips. Only two more week long trips that we know of this spring and we are already ready for them to be done. It's the end of February and this is the 3rd full week he's been gone. To keep us from sitting around the house eating our hearts out and cryin our eye out, we try to stay as busy as possible. 

On Moday our fun activity was coloring and making story puppets. We also colored animals to sing "Old McDonald." I started singing it in a crazy voice. Ellie looks at me with this dead serious look, says "Mommy goofy" and rolled her eyes. She went back to playing as if I wasn't even there. If she is already emberassed in the privacy of our own home then I seriously feel for this kid because she has no idea what kind of a mother she has. (Insert evil villain laugh)

Tuesday I had the opportunity to help with a relief society lesson given at a retirement/nursing home. The lesson was beautiful, about how we are all important as individuals and that we need each other. The sister from my ward teaching it brought a big bouquet of flowers and pointed out that some were very loud and demanded attention while others were smaller ones with a purpose to fill the space. But each was necessary in making the arrangement beautiful and with out all of them it would not have been nearly as beautiful. We need all sorts of flowers or people to make a community (or in that case relief society) what it is. I got to sing "As Sisters in Zion" and it was amazing to be able to serve those ladies. I don't consider myself to be a good singer, more of a hide in the back of a choir kind of gal but its still fun to be able to be involved and share what little talent I have. 

That afternoon we headed to Twin for a girls afternoon. I've been watching for sales and for the perfect Easter outfits. Remember how I said we try to keep busy? Well this was one way to really help that. We scored major on their else aster skirts with coupons and sales and had fun with toys from the dollar bins at target. 

And whoever decided to put a Chic-fil-a in the target parking lot was pure genious. Either that or they just knew that I'm a sucker/lover of both! 

Wednesday we had a play date with friends outside. The weather was beautiful and made me almost believe that winter was over. Until I checked the calendar and realized that we aren't even into March yet. Yikes! 

Then it was off to volleyball with the young women's. My only goal this night was to make it through the night without Ellie throwing up. The previous week she threw up all over herself, me, and the stage. It smelled awful and I'm pretty sure a few people left just because of the smell. Well we made it safely this time, we even got serenaded half the night by Ellie belting "Let it go" from the movie Frozen. And Kate decided that she would scream if anyone tried taking her from me, we have now entered into the super mommy/daddy attachment phase. I'm sure Cody's absence lately has had no impact on that at all... 

Today we hit up story time at the library, we love it! And the fact that the library has disney movies to rent for free. Ellie usually falls asleep on the way home from story time but today she was wide awake asking the entire drive home if she could watch her Mickey Mouse show we rented. 

You don't need to know about the rest of our Thursday because it was pretty scary. Lets just say that both kids were in my bedroom by 8:30 and leave it at that. 

Some things make me feel like an adult (most of the time I still see myself as a kid/teenager, basically someone who doesn't have responsibility...). Pausing and reminding myself that I have two daughters is one of those things. Buying a house a few months ago did it to. But this weekend we did something else that made me definitely feel like an adult. We bought a puppy! This isn't one of those "Yes mom, I'll take care of it (and under your breathe you say for the first few days). 

His name is Tony and he is a boarder collie. He is an OUTSIDE dog, something I never thought I would have. Cody made him a house to stay all warm and cozy in except he prefers to sleep in the flower bed, a habit that we will definitely be working on to kick. Ellie absolutely adores him and constantly asks to go outside to play with him. She gets excited when she knocks that he will stand up and just watch her through the window. 

And a few pictures of Kate because she is the happiest, most smiling baby ever. And she has started giggling and laughing and it's the best thing ever. Ever. 

Ellie is a special girl. One of the things that we laugh at most is her throwing up. She does it every once in a while and every time it leaves us with a story that we can later laugh at.

We've taken her to the doctor for it but as far as we know there is nothing wrong. It has nothing to do with what she eats or any activities so it is completely unexpected. At the time it is not funny at all but afterwards we laugh a great deal. 

In the house we were renting there was only tile in the bathroom and everywhere else in the house was carpeted, yes the kitchen and dining room were lovely carpet. We had put Ellie to bed one night but she stood at the edge of her crib crying. Cody went to check on her and from my spot on the couch I just saw him jump back. She had just barely missed him but managed to get it all over the carpet. 

Another time she was sitting on the counter after dinner. She started to throw up on herself so Cody decided to move her over the sink. Well in this particular older house the cupboards didn't close all the way and she managed to make every single one of them her target!

A week and a half ago again she didn't want to go to sleep and was crying in our room. We were trying to calm her down and Cody picked her up to have her lie on his chest. As soon as his back hit the bed, she let it out. It somehow barely missed his face but landed all over his shoulder and the bed. That was one reason he decided to shave his beard. 

And that brings us to tonight. If you are still reading this, I am impressed. Its probably not very funny to others but just recalling Cody's face of shock and horror as she makes the beginning sounds is priceless! 

After dinner I took Kate into the living room to feed her while Cody and Ellenor were still in the kitchen. She started crying and Cody kept trying to get her to tell him what was wrong. There was a short pause before I heard it. The gurgling that rumbles through the throat before the big explosion. It sounded like he had dumped a gallon of water on the floor. And then he started calling for help. It was bad. And all over the kitchen floor. 

I am so grateful for Cody. I cannot handle the smell! Give me a dirty diaper and I can manage but he cannot. Its a good trade off. He had to use a dust pan to clean it up while I happily gave her a bath.