Time....

My kids are getting old! Every year passes with fun times but great sadness that we are moving on to a different stage of life.   As the years go on I am finding that we get busier and go from one activity to the next with little time to stop and enjoy. 

For Christmas this year we decided to take the kids on a trip and do less gifts and more fun.  This will be our last Christmas with Kolton until after his mission so we wanted to make it memorable. The best gift we could give our children is TIME.  It was a hard decision on where the right destination.  We looked at many options Cruise to Mexico, California, Seattle and BC Canada.  All great and fun choices.

One of our most memorable Christmases was five years ago when we spent a few weeks in Cocoa Beach.  That will be a holiday we will always remember.  The best way to have a great Christmas week...go on vacation.  We let Kolton make the decsion on the destination. What is his favorite past-time??? Snowboarding! And his favorite place? Teton Village! 

Booked a great cabin and hit the slopes.....

Life...

I have tried many times over the last year to update my blog. I have had no success doing this. Mostly because the last year has been so sad and exciting and full of personal moments.

My children are growing and while they are turning out amazing I find it hard to watch. Kolton hit so many milestones last year that turned him into a man. Each one made me cry. I found myself crying as I drove out of Arco for his last cross country meet in Arco. That was the moment I knew the year was going to be hard. Every meet after was very difficult with the happiness of his accomplishments and the sadness of it all ending. Track his senior was absolutely one of the most challenging and rewarding that he has ever had. He was in the top 10 for every race, making in the top 4 most races. He won the 2 mile in city county meet. Being the city/county Champ for 2010 was such motivation for him. The season was unbelievable he was almost guaranteed a spot for State. The week of the district meet Kolton got a sinus infection and strep and decided to run anyways. Watching him run his heart for the 1 and 2 mile races and getting 4th in both was heart wrenching. As the mom I wanted to pick him up and take him away from the pain but he needed the experience.

High school Graduation. I have so many thoughts on this. Nothing can prepare you for how hard it is to see your babies move on and go to the next stage of life. I have always had a hard time with each milestone, 1st birthday, 1st day in primary, 1st day of school, last day of elementary, go get the idea. Some parents want their kids gone and off to college to get them out of the house. I personally have had the opposite feelings not wanting him to go. I feel as if it has gone way to fast. Don't get me wrong! It is quite an accomplishment and such a fun time of his life. Following graduation he finished his Eagle Project and ran his 1st 1/2 marathon full filling his final goals before he want to college. College will have to be another post.

McKenzie....sweet sweet B. This last year was her first year in High School. As parents I am not sure you are ever ready for your baby girl to attend high school. As a freshman she really had to find herself. Running cross country was not really something she enjoyed it was something she did. Funny that this was the year she recruited her friends to run cross country and doubled the numbers of the team. Her first race at green canyon she placed 4th!!! Amazing race!

Kolton and Kenz became really good friends because they shared the high school experience. What a transformation to watch them go from siblings to good friends. The downside was knowing when he left for college it would be very difficult for her and it was.

She has such an amazing talent playing the piano. She uses this talent to bless the lives of so many around her. Most of the time she has no idea she is doing it.

This was her year of change. Becoming who she needed to be and not who others thought she should be. Kenz decided to try out to be a cheerleader and made it. It was a difficult thing to so because of the ridicule she received from so many people around her. "Stand out for what you believe in" This became her saying her freshman year.  Looking back now I am thankful she had a relatively quiet year because her sophomore year she made up for it.

Kelsie started her 8th grade year off a little rough.  In August at a family reunion she broke her arm on a slide.  After a trip to the ER in Pocatello on Friday, a visit to the Orthopaedic surgeon on Monday, and surgery on Tuesday it was quite an ordeal for her.  But we love her million dollar arm! It is her favorite afterall. She was angry about not being able to run cross country.  The day she had surgery was the first day of practice.  After many prayers and priesthood blessing she was able to run part of the season and got in a few races before the season ended. The last race of the season she got 9:30 for1.5 miles. Yeah a PR!

After starting the year so crazy she coasted by just quietly to finish off middle school.   Her track season was fun and fast.  Most of the meets were canceled due to really bad weather.  It was fun to see her get faster and be better.  She learned a valuable lesson about pressure and being the top runner.  It was hard for her handle being amazing and the top runner for long distance.  I hope she learned a valuable lesson from her experiences in track and uses them through out her life.



Funny how life can go by so fast. I feel like I am standing back watching my life go in extra fast forward. It was such a hard transition year.  I was lamenting to a friend about how sad I was to see life pass me by.  She gave me great advice "Every stage of life is fun.  You would never want to go back to babies or preschool age.  Find the fun in every stage"  Being an empty nester is something I have dreaded for many years.  Not because I dont love to spend time with Kelly but because I have to re-invent who I am. I have been the mother for 18 years and loved every minute.  She also told me not many people get to be empty nesters at 41, it will be a great ride.  Find the fun in every stage of LIFE...............

Logan Top of Utah

This may end up being lengthy…I apologize for that! I need to write this before I forget my experience and what the Top of Utah Marathon (TOU) means to me. I want to start off by saying how truly grateful I for my ability to run and for my body to endure these long and strenuous miles I put it through. I thank my heavenly father everyday for this wonderful gift. I have wanted to TOU for the last 4 years and every year some obstacle has gotten in the way. I was starting to think TOU was not ever going to be a reality. This was the year I decided no matter what happened I was going to run TOU and finish TOU even if it took me 6 hours! Back in May I signed Kelly and I up for this marathon, something I have never done because something always got in the way. I committed to this race and was not going to back out! I was not going to let my sinus problems, injuries, or my children's cross country get in the way of this race. TOU will be lucky number 6 marathon and the one marathon I really want to run.

I started training for this race and was getting really excited to run TOU. By the middle of July I started having bad pain in my left calf but still continued to run on it being very careful about my distance. Kelly and I ran the Ririe Days ½ marathon and I knew at the time this may not have been the smartest idea but my determination was greater than the pain. I know that was a stupid idea and hindered my training for TOU. I went out 3 days after the Ririe race and could only run a ½ mile. I knew I was in trouble and called my sports medicine guy to come and fix it. Only certain injuries can be fixed, stress fractures cannot! Lesson Learned J I had to stop running and training for TOU, it was time to let my leg rest. I pulled out the bike and started to train on my bike without the impact. This is not nearly as effective but it does help.

I had to give up running Mesa Falls Half because I was still having pain. This was one of the half marathons I love to run but I had my sights set on TOU and needed to stay focused. When I was able to run again I had 3 ½ weeks until TOU so I had to go out slow but get in the distance. Long runs were slower than I wanted but I knew I had to take it easy. Two weeks before the marathon I started having bad knee pain in my right side, AGH! I went to the Dr and it is tendonitis in my knee from over compensating for the injured left leg! Just my luck!!!! What to do? Keep running your training for a marathon! I actually back my training off a little bit and started biking and running to give both legs relief. The last week before the marathon I decided not to run and let my legs rest and hopefully all the pain and inflammation would go away. Friday Sept 11^th the kids had a cross country meet I had a hard time walking up and down the hills it was so painful in both legs. I actually considered at not running TOU, if I could not walk up and down hills how was I going to run a marathon? This next part may sound really strange to some of you but it is part of my story and it need to be told. I prayed and prayed for Heavenly Father to help me get through this. I wanted it so bad and I knew I needed his help. Wednesday of last week my legs started feeling so good and I knew I would be able to run the race. I made the decision to run TOU at all cost knowing I was going into it with odds stacked against me and with the potential of taking 6 hours or not finishing.

Friday the 18^th my children had a cross country meet in Rigby. I was not going to let them run so we could get into Logan at a decent hour. Last minute I changed my mind…..and it was so worth it. Kelsie ran her first race of the season! Kenzie did amazing even with a potty stop! Kolton ran a 17:48 in 16^th place! That was motivation for me to go out and do my best. We got to Logan at 9:00pm. Packet pick up for the race ended at 9 but they were wonderful and still let us get our packets!

I have never cried at the beginning of a marathon only at the end. The first mile I got a little teary because I could not believe I had made it! Every mile was wonderful and every step I took I was thankful for. Kelly and I chose to run this together because our family was going to be there and we knew it would be easier for them to find us. We have never run a full marathon together this was a new experience for us. Mile 20 I was on track for a 4:30 marathon feeling good knowing I had 6 miles to go! YEAH! Mile 21 my knee went to jello and gave out. I had to start walking and running slower if I was going to finish. Having my family there for encouragement helped so much. All of my kids ran with me for part of the course. Kolton stayed with us for 8 miles. I finished with a 4:55 and that's what I wanted to finish! I had to be happy and not discouraged I could not get a PR. With all the obstacles that got in my way finishing was amazing. I still am a little bummed that until mile 20 I was having a good race but I will get over thatJ.

I had my sister Robbie her husband Matt and son Patrick, My mother in law, and my children being amazing cheer leaders! Great signs great fun! Our new motto "girls with cute shoes run fast" ! The meaning behind it is " even though you are struggling and not having the best day or race put one foot in front of the other and finish what you started" I don't know if they will ever understand what it meant to me to have them cheering, I don't know if I would have finished without them. Kelly made this race to fun and memorable he brought a camera, phone, and fruit snacks. He had so much energy and was so excited to see his wife in this new way. He has only seen the long run Jennifer and not the marathoner. He pulled me through this race and made me laugh along the course talking to our family and trying to fix hotel problems while running down the road. I love him so much for this!

Everything we do in life is a lesson and a growing experience. I have found that marathons teach me determination. You can do anything if you set your mind to it I knew I would not have the time I wanted but I knew I could finish. TOU was such a growing experience for me and a very humbling experience.

 

Happy Birthday Kelsie!

I am really sucking at this blog thing.....

Yesterday my baby girl turned 13. Now we are onto the adventure of raising teenagers. Today we took her to downata to swim WHAT A BLAST! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELSIE

Bonneville vs Hillcrest

Being a former Bonneville High alumni and now having a child going to the same school I have BEE Pride. If I would have been a little younger I would have attended Hillcrest, my class was the last one to graduate as North and South Bonneville. This made it so all of my younger siblings were the Knights and not Bee's. Through their high school lives I cheered for BIG RED not Green. I now attend rival games and meets between the schools and I find myself wanting both schools to do well. This brings me to the real reason I write this particular blog.

The last few years I have been watching Colton run cross country and track. Every year I see him improve not only his time but his sportsmanship. The last few track meets I have been paying close attention to Hillcrest and Bonneville kids who run the same events as Kolton. These are also the same kids who run cross country in the fall. All of these boys are very familiar with each other and know their competition. I have seen this competitive edge help the boys have good sportsmanship.

There are a few select juniors at Bonneville and Hillcrest who will run their hardest and try to beat the rival school. But in the end after the races each one will shake the others hand and congratulate them for a job well done. As I have been watching this over the years I am seeing each one of these boys show true sportsmanship. What great examples they are to everyone around them.

April Fools...Jokes on who?

I do appreciate a practical joke and I am a big prankster. Many times I have short sheeted beds and pulled my fair share of "camp pranks". My friend and I go to the Relief Society retreats just to pull pranks and write on others windows with eyeliner. There is nothing funnier when the 90 yr old sister in your ward is laughing with you because you wrote "I'm Sexy" on her window. I have a sense of humor and I think good pranks are funny.
There is a line when I think it is just too much work. Today my kids pulled an April fools joke on me that was "funny" but wow!!!! I came home to my box spring and mattress being switched. Yes it is funny but I made them put it back. As I watched them rearrange the furniture I laughed I hope it was worth it! thanks guys that was FUNNY!

YW Broadcast "Return to Virtue"

It has been a really long time since I have updated my blog....and my wonderful sisters reminded me that it was time to commit to blogging again! SOOOO no better time like the present.
I had a great opportunity this weekend to watch the YM general broadcast in Salt Lake at the conference center. My wonderful neighbor called and told me her sister who works for the church had tickets available and we were welcome to them. So I took my girls and made a last minute trip. I was really sad I could not bring the YW of my ward but it was so last minute.
I invited my sisters and my neighbor, what a great time! It was fun to drive down and laugh and enjoy each others company.

The young women's meeting was amazing! It was great to listen to the YW Presidency talk on Virtue the new value added to personal progress...encouraging all these girls to commit to virtue and live lives that are virtuous. Sis. Daltons talk was very inspiring to me "virtue is purity". She talked about a white rose and that became her symbol of faith and purity. Today for class I brought white roses for the girls and attached the saying "virtue is purity" to remind them of the wonderful talks we listened to last night.

I am so thankful for my sisters, it was wonderful to have them with me and for there great example to my daughters. I know they made sacrifices to come with me to Utah and leave their families behind. I love you guys!!!!