It's a Major Award!

Yes, I am quoting "A Christmas Story," and No, it's not a leg lamp. But, in my opinion, it's even BETTER: finding out you actually won something in your age category. Hey, I'll take any accolade--I am not fussy!

Ever since I sewed these cute bonnets for Pioneer Trek, I have been trying to talk my girls into running a Pioneer Day running event while wearing them. Until this year I have had no takers until my always-up-for-a-fun-adventure neighbor, Leann, said that she would join me. We signed up for Bountiful's Handcart Days Half Marathon/5k run last week, and this morning we headed down at 6 a.m. to join the ranks of 5k runners. I think a 5k is even harder than a 1/2 marathon because of the insane pace. The overall winner had a 5:40 pace and came in a tich over 17 minutes! Leann pulled out ahead right from the start and finished with a very nice 23:25 time. I started off with a great pace, but noticed that with each mile I was a little slower. I came in @ a respectable 27 minutes and some change, but it was still enough to earn a 2nd place...booya! (notice the cute handcart shaped award)

Running skirts are cute and sassy, and they look really good with our bonnets!

(Leann pointed out that we were very immodest pioneers--we're showing just a little too much ankle for propriety's sake)

Another daughter joins the ranks...

It was with great pride that I took another daughter down to DeBoer's and introduced her Dennis.

"Dennis," I said when we breezed into his shop, "This is my daughter, Madi, and she wants to start running. Can you find a good shoe for her?"

Dennis asked her to take off her shoes, and to stand and walk for him. He gazed thoughtfully at her feet and asked us to wait a minute while he went into his magic storeroom. He came out with several pairs of running shoes, and then the fun began. As Madi tried on the different shoes, she slowly eliminated each until she found THE PAIR:

Mizuno Wave Nexus 4

Here's to a great relationship. Everyone needs a pair of running shoes that they feel utter and complete love for. I know that with each new pair I get I fall in love all over again. I can't wait to go running with Madi (although she is a lot faster than I am). I am hoping that she will want to join me and Kelsey on running a marathon some day.

Once you start...

I saw this new kid on the chocolate chip block:

I am not one to be unfriendly to a new face, so I had to introduce myself. As I read the "body language" of this new chip, I just knew that it would perfectly compliment my butter, oatmeal, Mexican vanilla and coconut that I had at home. I brought it into my house and started right in on Madi, the Mordue Cookie Maker Extraordinaire: "Madi, do you remember when I bought you that cute _____last weekend? Will you please, please, please make these ingredients into a batch of amazing delectable treats for me and your daddy?" I had a vision in mind, and I could taste the blended flavors mixed together in perfect harmony.

Madi out did herself:

We ate one, and then another, and then...well, you get the idea. So fulfilling. These cookies left us...contented.

Home Alone

Sigh

I got up early this morning and went to the Bountiful LDS Temple with Jody, came home and saw Madi off to her all day babysitting job. I made sure Ashley completed her tasks for the day (room and flute) and then saw HER off to an all day babysitting job. I saw Steve for a quick minute when he came home from work to grab a forgotten phone, and then he was gone and then I was all....alone. What to do, what to do? I did not have a current project to work on. I didn't feel like reading. My house is pretty much clean, but I was not in the mood to tackle the few "junk spots." I ran some errands, but still came back home to an empty house. I have always fantasized about an empty house and all things I would accomplish and get to do, but I find it very...lonely. Even for a few hours. I miss Kelsey. I miss Markelle. Their independence is still so new that they haven't come running to me for advice. I am sad at how fast they grew up, and at how fast Madi and Ashley are growing up. Madi and Ashley are all about friends and boys and clothes. Not mom. This is a very weird in-between state to be in. Is it time to get a full time job? No, not yet, because Madi and Ashley are still at that vulnerable time of life. Do I pursue some of my secret passions: more schooling, quilt making, visiting Mt. Rushmore, working at the Humanitarian Center? Almost there. How do other women handle this time in their life? What would THEY have done with a few hours of unexpected alone time?

FHE--Provo Style

We were invited to the newlyweds home in Provo. We loaded up the kids, a cute table that a sweet lady in our ward gave them for their wedding, strawberries, sugar, pectin, and headed on down south to see Kelsey and Covey's apartment.

We went to dinner at this hip little joint:

and then after the Grand Tour of the Cole Residence, we participated in a fun FHE activity of making homemade strawberry jam.

Did you know that freezer jam is about the easiest--and fastest--thing to make? Four cups of sugar mixed into 2 cups of crushed strawberries, wait 10 minutes, add pectin and then pour into prepared containers. BAM! Summer-preserved deliciousness in 15 minutes.

Isn't this a beautiful sight?

Covey was the berry de-stemmer, jam pourer, and washer-upper. Kelsey was the sugar measurer and mixer. Karen was the pectin preparer. And Ashley just kept us entertained.

Kelsey made some really yummy and healthy chocolate malts: almond milk, peanut butter, Agave, and cocoa. Steve, Madi and Adam gave us all moral support:)

We loved seeing how well Kelsey and Covey put together their place and made it into a comfortable and lovely HOME. Steve and I had to chuckle to ourselves: We had to take off our shoes, there were "for show" towels hanging in the bathroom, and every crumb and spill was immediately wiped clean on the kitchen counters--everything we have been trying (unsuccessfully) to pound into our kids for the past 20 plus years! I guess we can be satisfied that it has finally stuck. (just wish it could've happened while they lived at home...)

Where Angel's Fear to Tread

Angel's Landing

Zion's National Park

Walter's Wiggles

Last February, when Ashley and her friend came down to St. George with me, we drove over to Zion's to do some hiking. Ashley REALLY wanted to hike Angel's Landing, but after seeing trails with snow and ice, and told her, "No way, no how! People DIE hiking Angel's every year." (yes, I know, I am a wimp). That got me out of it then, but on this trip to St. George, Ashley's pick for our day adventure was--yep, you guessed it!--Angel's Landing. With the current temperature soaring in the 100 plus degree range, we had no worries about running into snow and ice, or even rain. We loaded up on power bars and water and headed on over to Zion's. We hopped onto the park shuttle and rode it to The Grotto stop. We began our leisurely walk along the nicely groomed pathway, which quickly turned into a steep ascent. The switchbacks and incline of the trail, along with the intense heat quickly sapped our energetic pace, until we had sweat POURING down our faces, backs of necks, arms, etc. This baby was whipping us good! We have hiked this trail several times before with no problem, but we were ready to call it quits before we even got to the part of the trail called "Walter's Wiggles" (don't you love that name!) None of us dared suggest pulling the plug. Even when we got to Scout's Landing, a very respectable place to turn it around without shame, we kept going. I had forgotten how much I hate heights, especially when my children are scrambling over them, with sheer cliffs on either side. With my heart in my mouth, and a steely set to my face, I just put one foot carefully in front of the other until we reached the glorious top. And then we had to make the hideous journey back down. By this point, we were completely out of water. We just had to steadily go forward until we reached the cool shade of the bottom of the canyon. I was very proud of the toughness of my girls for not giving up when the going got hard and uncomfortable. It is adventures like this one that I hope they will draw strength from when they are faced with difficult challenges. Because they faced fear and extreme conditions, they proved to themselves that yes, they CAN do hard things.

S'nores!

Nope, that is not a typo.

When Markelle was a little girl, she would call her favorite campfire treat "S'nores." We loved it and it has stuck.

We have had some upheavals in our family, and I know that I have been feeling a little unsettled, so at Steve's suggestion we extended an invitation to our girls to join us for a barbeque to celebrate the 4th of July. Kelsey and Covey were up at Hebgen Lake with the Covey clan, so they couldn't join us, but Markelle (and boyfriend), Madi (and boyfriend), and Ashley (and her friend that is a girl) joined us and it was just what I needed. I loved having everyone over to share good food, a lot of laughter and good company around the fire. We ended the evening with good ol' fashioned "S'nores!" Thanks, Steve. As always, you are brilliant!