Summer Sam

Pony Express 5k

I love this race.

Though my first official race was a triathlon, this was my first running race.  This is an awesome PR race.  And I was ready to complete my PR set for the year with thisone taking care of the 5k slot. 

Something came up for me on the same morning and I missed it this year.
I am glad I took the opportunity that I did, but I did miss this race.  Especially since last year I was 7 days post giving birth to Emily which did not allow me to run it.  

But the rest of the family still ran!

This was Lincoln's (in the middle) first 5k, something he has been anticipating for nearly a year now!

It was also his first bus ride, which was something he talked about almost as much as the race.

Aaron is much more fun on a bus than I am.

And this is Aaron and two of his friends who he talked into doing this race.

The man could sell ice to an eskimo.  He has talked over a dozen people into running Big Cottonwood with us in September.

Everyone did a fabulous job; Jacob took 5 minutes off his PR, and Aaron took *8* off of his time for this race last year!  Wow!

I was also glad to see that they didn't all stay dressed for winter for the whole race.  I am reminded that I warm up a little more quickly than the rest of the world as I was thinking that the morning of the race was perfect running weather for a tank and skirt-low 40's and the sun just starting to peek up over the mountains.

The thing where the mom guilt gets me for this day is with Charlotte.  She ran the Kids K which was her first race ever.

And check out her form!  This girl is a born runner!

I love the look on her face when she crossed the finish line, and I am bummed that I missed it in person.

She hasn't let me forget it, even now that we are three weeks past the fact.  She will still randomly tell me "Mom-you missed my race.  My first race.  And I even ran the whole thing with no walking!"
Next time I'll be there my girl!
Next time for sure.

Only a little more than 11 months till I get to run this one again.  Ok, I'm not really counting.  But I am looking forward to it next year.
Thankfully I have found a replacement 5k for a speedy new PR in August.  Bummer is that it's a little bit of a drive.  Anyone want to take a short road trip with me?

Milestones

Two big ones in the past couple of weeks.

Emily turned one, and Taylor is now a teenager!
Time flies.
When I look back 15 years I never imagined I would be doing teenagers and toddlers at the same time.
Of course I never imagined I would pop out 9 kids either.  I never imagined it, but I wouldn't change it for the world.
Amazing how when you let it, sometimes life can bring you everything that you need, even though you never knew you needed it.

Since Emily's birthday fell during Memorial Day weekend, we started her party with trips to visit family graves.  I do believe that both of her great grandmothers would have adored this little spitfire!

my family minus my two brothers

Once we got to the actual party, this girl was all about her cake.  

Obviously we were not getting it to her fast enough!  

 She started out daintily enough....

 And then decided it was time to get down to business.

This is much more like her.  A huge appetite for everything in life!
This little girl never sits still.
Now that she has been walking for almost 4 months, she has really picked up in speed and does everything she can to keep up with the rest of the kids!

I love her face in this picture-she was so fascinated by this doll she couldn't wait to get it out of the box!

And hasn't let it go since that day.

Emily is such a funny kid-she is so spunky.  Her personality is so much bigger than you could possibly imagine would fit in this tiny body!  At her one year check up she weighed in at a whopping 17lbs 8oz, and is now all of 28 inches long.  Shrimpy child!  Although that is kind of nice, as it means she is still wearing size two diapers and her 6-9mo clothes are getting a lot of use.

One week after Emily's birthday is Taylor's birthday.  It is a treat to be this kid's mom.  Though I can definitely see him started to push a little as he gets older and establishes more independence, he is really a great kid.  He is so good with our little ones, and sets a good example for our other kids.

Plus he puts up with an obnoxious mom who does things like photobomb his birthday pizza picture.

And likes his Captain America cake, even though it's crooked.

I find myself so torn as a mom between lamenting my kids growing up so fast and being excited for them as they learn new things and expand their horizons and start to experience the big things in life.

Back in Business!

Well hey!  Look at this!

My little blog is functioning again, and it looks like even the comments are working now too.  Yay!

Thanks to the amazing Tenille over at The Cutest Blog on the Block I have a new look and some functionality back.  phew!  It was about time for a change around here.

I was going to spend some time tonight getting the posts done that have been sitting in the wings for the past two weeks; Emily's first birthday, the latest news on all of the fun going on inside Sam's head, I now have two teenagers (yikes!), and I ran a superfantastic and completely amazing redemption race yesterday that most definitely needs to be talked about.  Not to mention the giveaways that should have happened long ago!

Instead I have spent the last hour plus pinching Dallin's forehead together in hopes of avoiding a trip to the hospital for stitches.  Why do these things always have to happen after the urgent care places close? He got into a fight with the corner of the kitchen counter.  Yes, this is the same kid that crashed into the fire hydrant, and almost cut off his nose...and he likes to do what he can to have these things happen at night.

The sad part is that he was helping clean up the kitchen floor when it happened-he bent down to pick something up and stood right up into the counter.

I love turning around after hearing a thud to see blood pouring down the face of one of my children.

The good news, no, the great news is that the forehead is holding together, which means we should be in the clear and justified in my avoidance of dragging him out to the hospital tonight.

Fingers crossed that it holds, and that Dallin-our most super graceful coordinated child-doesn't end up smacking his head on anything else at cub scout day camp tomorrow.

Perhaps I'd better cross my toes too...