Sunday Photo: 4

My Sunday photo of the day.  Because it's totally awesome & I spy with my little eye: Noah

Quick glace at this last week:

Monday: 

no school, played with some good friends, family home evening and bball practice

Tuesday: 

back to school, back to work, laundry day, dance, homework and piano

Wednesday: 

homework, scouts, tutor orientation at the literacy center, and fixed my phone with a hair dryer and the freezer...true story!

Thursday: 

homework, bball (times two..Noah and Wade), built some new bunk beds, and Biggest Loser competition at the school started; my goal is to run 120 miles in the next 6 weeks!  Wish me luck

Friday: 

cleaning, laundry and chore day, sick kids, early bed, and Wade laughed at me because I cried during Parenthood

Saturday: 

8 mile run, big grocery shopping haul, annual after-Christmas dinner out with Wade's siblings and dad, bball, showers, RS meeting that I skipped because I'm awesome like that (not really just feeling a lot of mommy guilt because I would've gone at bedtime and the morning), Sunday prep and movie night.

Today:

Early morning meeting at church, help Avery with her talk, Noah had a prayer, 3 hour church block, home teachers to visit us, Wade to get his home teaching done, movie afternoon, Sunday photo,Lucy nap, blog, pork roast dinner, family night with some friends and Downton if there's still time.

{Saint George Half}

Last week was the big week... I had a couple easy runs, 3, 3, and then 2 miles on Wednesday that was it.  I had checked off all the days on the half marathon training sheet.

Friday after lunch my sister and I took off for our race.   We picked up our packets, drove the route (as much as we could drive), headed to Kneaders for dinner and then spent the rest of the evening relaxing at the hotel.

I never would have signed up to run this race if I would have known how busy the rest of my family would have been this weekend.  Wade signed up for a health fair booth, and we didn't realize it was the same weekend.  Avery was invited to a birthday party that Grandpa took her too.  Gage had a scout Pow-Wow to attend and his leaders made sure he made it to the Legacy Center at the end to find Wade. My awesome sister in law took care of 3 of the kids almost the whole day. And to top it off Gage had a Jr. Jazz game that afternoon too.  It took a whole village to take care of my family that day.

Saturday morning we both woke up pretty early...Kathy at 4, and me at 5.  We are crazy. The race didn't even start until 9, but we are just early people. 

2 sisters.

One marathon.

Our brother also ran his own half Saturday morning too...he really kicked our time too.  So if you combined it all together we all ran an ultra.

Here we go, right over the start line.  I have no idea how those fancy running bloggers take great pictures of themselves running.  Not the best picture of myself, I'm surprised it even turned out.

I thought the course was really good.  There was a good hill around mile 7.  I was really nervous about this.  Normally by mile 7, I am really having to push myself, and then add a hill?  I was really nervous.  But we just kept going and we could see the top.  I just tell myself I can do hard things over and over.  If I have had 5 babies, I can certainly run to the top of a hill.  We walked through most of the aide stations..mostly because I can't drink and run at the same time, but other than that, we ran the whole time!

Some of the course was along a really pretty trail that went along the red rock and over the river.  It was really pretty and the weather was so nice.

After about mile 11 my hips were killing me, my legs felt fine, but my hips just really hurt.  Maybe because I'm a girl.  I have no idea, but hopefully I can do some better stretches or strengthening exercises and get better next time.

And then before we knew it...we finished......

(look at all that gu bulging from my flip belt! haha)

My goal going into this was to run most of the time, and to try and finish around 2 and half hours.  There were pacers running the race, so we just stayed ahead of the 2:30 pacer and we did it.  

My chip time was 2:22:53

I know, it might not be the best half-marathon time, but I felt really great about it.  I beat my goal time by about 8 minutes and it was my first race.  8 minutes might not sound like a lot if you aren't a runner...but I think if you are a runner you understand 8 minutes is a big deal!

I was really bummed at the end of the race to find out that my running app had failed to record any of the race.  I guess I can't complain because it's a free app.  It has either failed or recorded my last 3 long runs wrong.  It's a little frustrating.  I love looking at the split information,so my sister sent me the info from her Garmin.

At certain aide stations they were handing out gu.  We already had our energy snack ready (fig newtons) but we grabbed one anyway.  Then I kept finding unopened gu along the side of the course.  I am a nut, or cheap, or something.... but that stuff is like $1.50 a piece...so anytime I saw one, I grabbed them.  We came back with quite the haul of gu. haha.

After the race and a quick shower, we headed to Cracker Barrel for our after race meal.  Since my sister had to speak in church and I had a church meeting bright and early at 6:30 the next day, we made a really quick turn around trip and headed home.  But first, we had to pick up a Swig drink, from the original Swig, for the road.

Raspberry Dream Diet Dr. Pepper is the perfect post half-marathon treat.

In the end I think it was fun quick trip.  I am really happy with my time and think it's a great place to start.  It gives me something to really push for to beat next time:)  I am looking forward to doing another half in the fall.

I am so glad my sister agreed to run this with me.  She is a marathon runner.  This wasn't probably very hard for her at all.  But she stayed with me and encouraged me the whole time.  She is a big inspiration to me.  She even let me cross the finish line first.

I am glad last year I decided to set a couple goals for myself.  I am glad I have stuck this out.  9 months ago I had a hard time with a mile.  Since then I've run two 5k's, a 10k and now a half marathon. I could even walk the next day.  (Maybe this means I should push it a little more next time?)  I originally started running because I really wanted to lose a couple more pounds from baby weight.  I haven't taken off a single pound in the past couple months,  But I am stronger.  You should see my calf muscles.  I can do things I could not do.  Running makes me feel better.  I was going to take today off, but ended up in a kinda funk mood this afternoon, so I decided to do a quick 2.5 mile run on the treadmill and ended up feeling much better.

I guess at the end of the day,

I might not be fast. 

I might not have lost 10 pounds.  

But I am strong.  I am moving.  I enjoy it.

I am a runner.

Now I get to pick which one I want to run in the fall....

{yummy staples}

I need to be better at posting recipes for a couple reasons.  The first reason (most important) is it is easier for me to find recipes on my blog and more convenient than trying to find them in recipe books.  I am just lazy I guess.  I also think it's important for the kids...someday...that they have all our favorite recipes down someplace.

I could never be a food blogger because  I take all my pictures with my iphone and we almost always eat on pretty fancy plastic plates from Ikea.  

anyway - here are two staples that we love around our house.  

Brownies and rolls.

Ken's Famous Brownies

I think I might have posted this recipe before, when we lived in Iowa and there is a picture of baby Gage eating the brownie batter, but I can never find it when I am searching for it.


My little (younger) brother Ken would make these brownies almost every Sunday growing up.  He had the recipe memorized...he probably still does. I think we found the recipe in a magazine, but they soon became Ken's Famous Brownies.

(Recipe Doubled)

3 sticks butter softened

3 cups sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer.  Add vanilla.  Slowly add eggs one at a time.  In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Slowly add the flour to the eggs and sugar.  Mix well.  Pour into greased 9 1/2 X 11 pan.  Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Jenny's 60 Hour Rolls

My sister Jenny makes the best rolls.  She is always the one in charge of bringing them to any dinner event, because they are just so yummy.  I use the same recipe, but some how her's always taste better...although my kids love it when I make these and they don't complain at all.  The recipe is supposed to be a 60 minute roll recipe, but since we all love Jenny's rolls so much we get a little impatient when waiting for them.  When you are waiting for these rolls it can seem like forever...so we renamed them Jenny's 60 Hour Rolls.

I usually have to double the recipe...because Gage loves rolls and can eat most of one batch himself.
This is one batch recipe.

4-5 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons yeast

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter

Combine 3 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, salt and yeast.  In a saucepan combine milk, water, and butter.  Heat, but do not boil.  Slowly add to dry ingredients in a mixer.  Mix in remaining flour until it pulls away from the mixing bowl clean.  Cover and let rise for 15 minutes.  Punch down and roll out and form into rolls.  Let rolls rise for another 20 minutes.  Bake at 425 for 8 minutes.  Brush with butter on the top when they are hot and come out of the oven.

Sunday Photo:3

                                     

                                     

Bunk Bed forts are the best entertainment.

It's been a great, busy week.  I ran my first half marathon!  More posts about this later.  Gage and Noah both won their Jr. Jazz basketball games.  There was an amazing turn out at the health fair yesterday where Wade had a booth.  Today we are enjoying morning church, and a lazy afternoon.  We are celebrating the great week by eating all the calories I burned, plus some.  Wade is frying a turkey.  Homemade rolls and homemade brownies have just come out of the oven.  Avery helped and we made a huge pot of homemade smashed potatoes. 

It's been a good day. 

Plus the Seahawks just won.

family. church. food. plus a good win.

doesn't get much better than that.

oh - and no school tomorrow so we all get to sleep in!

Happy Sunday.

Sunday Photo: 2

Many moons ago we were poor college graduates looking towards graduate school.  We packed up our one baby and our few belongings and moved across the country to Iowa.  And I met amazing people.  And made amazing friends.  

These two ladies lived across the street from me.  We all had one little baby and lots of time on our hands while our husbands suffered thru med/law/vet school. We've stayed in touch.  Moved many more times and had a lot more kids.

(Maybe mostly just I had a lot more kids!? Lol) 

But now we all live within 30 minutes of each other again.  

It's not quite across the street from each other.  But it sure is fun.

And great to be together again.

{a note for a friend}

I have a good friend.  She is one that I love and care about.  But we don't live close anymore and I know there have been changes we have both experienced.  I feel I need to write some things.  I also feel like if I write them on here they might help others too.  I usually like to use my Sunday Photo Posts to occasionally bear a testimony of sorts.  I usually keep it pretty surface deep. I guess I'm a surface deep kinda girl.  I'm not an intellectual by any means.  I am okay with that.  I keep my blog open to the public and because of that I keep it general...and I have made many friends this way, but I don't always open up like I should.  I now that might sound lame, but, I hope you get the point.

Anyway.

Today I am going to open up.  Today my heart is pounding, my hands are sweaty (gross, I know) and I know I need to say something.  I feel like I do sometimes in testimony meeting at church.  So I'll sit here and write this blog from my phone and pray that it is taken the right way and that it touches someone.  There is a dear friend I would like to reach.  Someone I would love to put my arms around as I tell them this, but I can't because of distance.  And even if they don't see this, either way, my heart knows I need to write this.

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I am a Mormon.  I was born and raised a member of this church.  But there were years during my teenage years I did not believe.  I didn't really live it.  Years I really didn't get it.  At 19 I found myself at a cross-roads in my life.  I needed to know.  I needed to know for myself, not what my teachers or parents had always told me.

So for the first time I decided to really read and pray about the Book of Mormon.  The entire thing.  I did this.  Every day.  It took me a couple months, but I worked at it.  I read and I prayed.  I remember the feeling of peace come over me as I finished.  I remember praying.  I remember praying and asking if it was true.  I remember the feeling I got when I prayed.

There are other countless times in my life when I've felt the spirit confirm to me that this church is true.  Once, during that transitional year, I remember sitting in a sacrament meeting on the back row by myself.  I remember feeling lonely and a little sad.  I remember praying that I would know all these big life-changing decisions that I was making were right or not.  Many years have passed but I cannot deny the feeling of arms circling around me as I sat there. It was just as if someone sat down next to me and put their arm around me. And a peaceful feeling overcoming me.  Confirming that I was in the right place.  Making the right choices.

Fast forward.  I am not perfect.  I don't read and study the scriptures like I know I always should.  But I have read the Book of Mormon, cover to cover, many other times.  Along with the New Testament, and The Doctrine and Covenants.  And The Pearl of Great Price.  Okay....I know I should conquer and read the entire Old Testament.  I know. I should add that to my bucket list., I am just being honest. I have also studied other church material.  Still, not a huge intellectual here, but I do believe I've read and studied enough to know how to teach my children and to know what I am talking about.

But my point is this.  I know these scriptures are true.  Every time I have read these books I know it.

I have a testimony of them.  I have a testimony of The Book of Mormon.  I also know Joseph Smith was a prophet.  Maybe he was not perfect.  But I believe he was a prophet.  I believe we have a living prophet in this day.  I believe he is not perfect, but as I read and listen and study what he teaches us I know he is a prophet.  When I pray about Joseph Smith, or Thomas S. Monson I get that same feeling I got 16 years ago.  I know it's good.  I know it's right.

I know we have local church leaders.  I know these men and women.  Sometimes I have not agreed with some of the decisions that have been made.  But I have to humble myself and pray.  I have to remember that I sustained them in their calling, meaning I would support them.  These men and women serve without pay.  They try their best.  They make decisions that occasionally I might not make.  But I don't believe they set out to make bad choices.  I believe they all set out to make the best possible choice and to do what God wants them to do.

Like I said before.  I'm not really a deep girl.  I guess I don't need to be.  I don't need to question everything.  I can feel the sun is warm.  I know it is a big ball of fire.  I don't need to touch it.  Really simple metaphor. And I know you are a deeper/more intellectual person than me.  But I really hope you know what I am trying to say.

I don't want to argue.  My purpose in this post was not that at all.  I just want to bear testimony to you.  I want you to know what I know.  I'm not sure I've ever told you this like this before.  So here it is.  From my iPhone.  Along with typos.

I know God lives.  I know he loves you.  I know he loves me.  He loves us no matter what mistakes we make.  I know He Sent His Son to die for us.  So we can return to Him.  I know Christ came here and lived and taught.  He died for us.  I know we have prophets today.  I know what they say is true.  I know if I have questions I can pray and receive answers.  I know we were sent here to Earth to live and be tested.  I know we were sent here to Earth to have families.  I know families bring joy.  I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman.  I believe in the traditional sense of the word.  I believe in the priesthood.  I believe it can heal.  I have seen it heal.  I have seen miracles.  I know you have seen them too.

I know some people will not like me because of some of the things I have said in that last paragraph.  I try to be okay with that.  I am a people pleaser.  But I know those are true.

I know we can feel the spirit.  

I don't know how else to explain the spirit if all of this is false.
I don't know how to explain it at all.


A young girl stood up in front of our congregation this Sunday and bore this testimony.  She said

"I am a foster kid.  that is hard.  but, I have the feeling that I can do great things.  That is God telling me he loves me.  I know this is true."

She then sat down.  

God loves her.  He loves you.  He loves me.

I guess I kinda see it like this.  I see posts and comments from you.  I see directions and the way you are going.  When you find something you really believe in, you want everyone to know about it.  I like to run.  I think everyone should run.  I try to get Wade to run.  He just doesn't agree with me that running is nice and relaxing or even fun.  I see your posts and comments and I know you feel what you are posting is right.  You are trying to share.  

But like Wade and I have agreed to disagree about running, I think we'll have to disagree with this one.  It doesn't mean I don't love Wade.  It doesn't mean love you.

I am sad Wade doesn't love running.  I think it would be fun to run a race together sometime.  I am sad that we don't agree on our views of the gospel anymore.  I have been praying for you.  And I hope someday that we will agree again.

I always envisioned us growing old together as friends and watching our kids go off to serve missions, or get married in the temple.  And maybe those things will still come to pass.  And maybe not.

I might not "like" or "share" or agree with some of your posts.  Just like you might not to mine now either.  Sometimes I am quiet because I don't know what to say and I don't want to offend.  

But at the end of the day,
I need you to know

I need you to know

That I will always love you.  

Even if we don't ever agree on this again.


Now I am going to hit publish.  
this is unedited, and just a jumble of thoughts.

I know I will wake up a million times tonight with a better way to say this, or that.
But I have to let it go.
I have to let you know this.
(and this is WAY too long for a text message)

I think you are a beautiful woman.  You question things more than me.  You love to learn.  You are an amazing wife and mother.  I have always looked up to you.

I really hope that this finds you.
I hope that this makes sense.
I know you are on the defense right now.
I am praying it does not offend you.

I didn't set out to challenge you.  Just to let you know.  To tell you my thoughts and my feelings.  To let you know that I care.


I love you.

{Top 10 Books From 2014 & 2015 Reading Goal}

I've put off posting about my top ten books from 2014.  Honestly, I just didn't want to sit down and try to narrow it down.  I thought it would be too hard...and it was! I have read so many great books this past year.  

This are my top ten books from my 2014 reading list.  (in order of when I read them)

1. Longing for Home, Hope Springs, Sarah M. Eden

I know - this is technically two books, but it's a series.  And so they count as one, right?  Sarah M. Eden is one of my favorite authors.  She had another book that came out this year that I adored too.  I loved this series, and maybe I'll re-read it soon.  They are clean, enjoyable books.  I wish she could write her books faster, since I have read them all, and I would LOVE it if she would continue this series with one more book about some of the supporting characters.

2. Lions of Little Rock, Kristin Levine

I read this book in the spring and it was such a great book.  I'm not sure I would say "life-changing" but it really had me thinking for a long time.  The book takes place the year after Little Rock schools were segregated and is about an unlikely friendship that was formed.  I really loved this book.  I think if you read this, you should also read Warriors Don't Cry before you read it.  

3. Wonder, R.J. Palacio

Loved this book.  I think everyone should read it.  Gage's teacher read it to them in 4th grade last year and I would love to read it to my older kids.  It's such a great book with great lessons.  I'm not very good at describing this book - a young boy who was born with some birth defects, who has been home schooled his whole life, enters Jr. High.

4. Making it through the Middle, Emily Freeman

This is a tiny little book, but I've read it a couple times and think I'll keep reading it too.  It came at the right time of my life, just when I needed it.  This short little book talks about how to make it through the middle of a trial.  It offers great ideas, scriptures, and has good stories.  Everyone has trials - everyone has a time in their life that this book would be great for them.

5. Your Divine Purpose, Richard Paul Anderson.

This book was full of inspiration.  Two of my absolute favorites are: 

"Because when all is said and done, the value of your life will not be determined by your accomplishments, but by what your Heavenly FAther has been able to accomplish through you."

" Having now jumped into the sea of life, you shouldn't complain about the temperature of the water.  Better to see the distant shore and start swimming.  Such actions will warm you."

6. Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, Crystal Paine

I love Money Saving Mom blog and I love Cyrstal Paine and all her books.  I was so excited this year when I found a copy of her newest book at the library.  I would love to add this to my library someday.  It was a great book and I really learned a lot from it.  I always feel like I can accomplish more and do great things when I read her books.

7.  Dad is Fat, Jim Gaffigan

Ok...not my typical type of book.  But this book was so funny.  I was laughing out loud so many times. I've shared this book with so many people.  I think being a mom of five really makes me laugh even more at this book.  If you are not familiar with the comedian Jim Gaffigan, I strongly suggest you look him up!

8. The Running Dream, Wendelin Van Draanen

I happened across this book at the library one day this fall and thought I would pick it up.  I thought it was about running.  It was a little bit.  But it also really gave me something to think about and dream about.  The story tells about a teenage girl who loves to run, and what happens to her when she loses one of her legs in an accident.  I would love to read this one to my kids.  I think everyone could read this book and enjoy it and take something away from it.

9. The Rent Collector, Camron Wright

I read this in December and it was one of those books I think could be life-changing.  It is a fictional book but it really gave me something to think about and I thought about it...I am still thinking about it...for such a long time.  What would happen if the gift of literacy were given to a family who lives in a tent in a garbage dumb of Cambodia?  I've never even thought of literacy as a gift...reading was just something I've always had.

10. I have a tie for the 10th book(s) I couldn't really decide. 

The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton

I've read two of Kate Morton's books and really loved them.  There are rich characters and wonderful stories and mysteries that are really developed in the books I've read by Morton.  I loved The Forgotten Garden, it was a longer book, but I couldn't put it down.

The Paper Magician and The Glass Magician, Charlie N. Holmberg

I also really loved this new series that came out this year, The Paper Magician and The Glass Magician.  I love finding and supporting a new local author.  These books really drew me in and had me sucked into the story.  I am really looking forward to the next book in the trilogy and any other books by Holmberg!

~~~

There you have it - my top 10 (or 13 depending on how you look at it).

I would love to hear what you think of these books, if you have read any of them.

I've really enjoyed finding new books and stretching my reading this past year to reach my goal of 100.  It was challenging.  I kinda feel like a party pooper...but I am setting a new goal for 2015, one that I think will be pretty easy for me.  

I would like to read 52 books.  

One book a week.

Maybe after January I'll get out of my cold-weather-winter-funk and feel inspired and change my goal to 100 again.  But for now, I'm sticking with 52.

I'll still post what I've read for the month, and start a new book list tab at the top of the blog.