13.1 Miles

Back in October, I decided the weather was nice again and that I would start training for my next half marathon. I signed up for a half-marathon that was scheduled for the end of January and I began the training. As part of the training, my friend Whitney and I ran the turkey trot 10k and we were well on our way!Every Saturday means lots of running and getting up at 6:15am but it was worth it! Every week I get to see the sun rise, tons of beautiful horses, flocks of geese (trying to fly in a "v"), a family of cranes, stunning homes, vibrant flowers (I run past a green house), trains, 4 year-old soccer games, etc. I absolutely love the various smells and sounds! This world is so beautiful!! So my Saturday training was early and cold but always worth it - not to mention, I can eat whatever dessert I want after running for 2 hours.

As the race got closer, I got more and more excited! So excited, that I even talked my family into coming! All of them signed up for the 2 mile fun run and Cody decided to run a 10k. We would all get to run together and my family would be there to see me really finish a half marathon. And then the week of the race... I got sick - super sick! Like, walk-up-the-stairs-too-fast-and-you-can't-breathe sick! I was SO disappointed! I had trained and worked up to this event for 4 months and now I wasn't even able to walk a mile without hacking up a lung. But the race must go on... so instead of running the half-marathon, I ran the 2 mile run with my family. This meant I had lots of time to sit and watch the rest of my friends and family finish their races.

It was hard - hard to sit and watch others do what I wanted to do so badly! But I came to learn a great lesson: how grateful I am for my body - one that works, one that allows me to run 13.1 miles without stopping. Our bodies are amazing gifts! As I watched various runners of all ages, sizes, and shapes run through that finish line, I couldn't help but feel gratitude for Heavenly Father's love for each of us - enough to give us our wonderful bodies. So, although I didn't get to race like I had planned, it ended up being a great day!

But still not feeling satisfied with my sad ending to the running season, I searched and searched for another half-marathon that I could participate in (it's hard to find Saturday races). I ended up finding a great one here in the valley. And I even convinced Cody to run it with me so that I would not be alone! He only had 4 weeks to train for it, but he did it and it was SO MUCH FUN! Rumor went around that this was a very challenging course and so my goal was no longer to beat my previous time but just to finish! Much to my surprise, I beat my personal record! Not to mention, we got medals and massages after the race! Now THAT is a great ending to my running season! :)

The Greatest Job!

I have been a nanny for an entire year now! Wow!! Time flies so quickly! The family I nanny for has 4 children! I love all of them sooo much! In the past year I have been able to teach the older two how to swim, and the twins how to clap! :) We love to jump on the tramp, play in the sand (the twins like to try and eat the sand), play Guess Who, make forts, have piano concerts, dance to Tarzan music, swing, play peek-a-boo, color, play dress-up, and much more! Everyday is a new adventure!

The twins just turned one a few weeks ago and they are starting to walk and talk! I can't believe how quickly they have grown up. I was watching them play the other day and realized that they aren't little babies anymore; they are little boys! They went from this...

to this...

I really do have the greatest job! I am greeted everyday with slobbery kisses and big bear hugs! I wouldn't trade it for any other job! I love them and am so grateful that I have been able to be a part of their family for an entire year!!

I Looked Out the Window...

and what did I see? ...

POPCORN POPPING ON THE APRICOT TREE!!

Well, it's not an actual apricot tree but as I drive down my street everyday to go home, I see TONS of these trees in full bloom and the song pops in my head every single time and ends up stuck in my head for the rest of the day! I absolutely love that I can now really relate to that song! :) It's a gratifying feeling, especially since Pres. Uchtdorf loves that song (or so he said in his last conference talk)! :) Haha!

Other random things: So we have quite a few fruit trees in our backyard. Last year the trees did not get fertilized in the transition of homeowners and the fruit turned out NASTY! This last summer, the boys took the time to fertilize the trees after we had a tree doctor come and tell us all about these trees. We learned that these fruit trees are ALL over 50 years old. Crazy huh?! That is so amazing to me! Most are still doing quite well, but a few had completely died. We ended up ripping out 2 of the trees and we are getting ready to plant 2 brand new navel orange trees in the next few weeks! :) Anyway, because of how old the trees are, we did not have a lot of hope for good fruit this year, but much to our surprise, the fruit is DELICIOUS!! I love fruit trees and I love that "Orange Blossom" season is just around the corner! :)

Spring really does bring us such a nice surprise every single year! :) - Blossoms popping right before my eyes!!

"I Am Loved"

It is a common thing in our family to "regift" free things that we don't really want. For Christmas one year, I opened a beautifully wrapped present that was about the size of a jewelry box and found... a silver dove-shaped paper weight. Yep, a paper weight that my dad got at work. So when I came home from school the other day and saw this heart ornament on my desk, I thought nothing of it. Later on, I asked my mom where this heart ornament came from. I was right, it came in a small package from a jewelry store in promotion of the holiday season sales they are having.

The longer it sat around my room though, the more I have thought about it. As I have, I realized that I really am so blessed! I am not sure why I ended up so lucky, but I am! I have family all around me! I have the best brothers and a happy-go-lucky sister. I have parents that are always there to help! And I have the best extended family ever! Over the past week of holidays, I realized how much I love spending time with family! I also have the greatest friends - ones that are always there when you need them and never there when you don't. ;) Not to mention, I am so privileged to know that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me more than anyone else! And His Son, Jesus Christ understands me perfectly and wants me to be happy! What a great thing to know and understand! I have so many wonderful people in my life, and I couldn't be happier!

So, thanks mom! Thanks for helping me realize how much I am loved! Who would have thought a free "regift" could help me realize so much! :)

Go Suns!!

Being the only person in my family to have never played basketball, I have seen a lot of basketball in my life. Whether it is a professional NBA team or a 4 year-old city league, I have spent many hours watching basketball games. There is just something about a little league basketball game that I love. Comments usually include, "no, the OTHER hoop" or "wait, he is not on your team." They are hilarious to watch!! Then 10 year-old basketball teams look more like soccer. Nobody really can make it, they just run back and forth over and over. Then they hit teens and it gets highly competitive, which gives the game a football feel - who knew tackling was legal! And then there is college which is fast-paced and exciting!

But, the very best basketball watching is with good seats at an NBA game!

I am so lucky to have had the chance to do this! When you watch these guys on TV, you don't really see what the game is all about. When you stand up next to these guys, you find they are HUGE and they are FAST and they are LOUD, and when they are running in your direction, you wonder if you are going to live to see the final score! :) I still can't get over their shoe size - it's unreal! Recently, I was able to go to a pre-season Suns game with a few friends. These are some pictures that my friend McKenzie Mortensen took while we were there!

Bowling "Nerd"

So, a few months ago, I went bowling with few of the EFY counselors one night. Come to find out, they go bowling every Monday night because it's only a $1 per game. I have since picked up the tradition too! I have gone bowling at least once a week ever since. I love it! Problem though: to rent bowling shoes is $4 per night. Well, renting shoes sure adds to the price of bowling so... I decided to look into how much a pair of bowling shoes would cost. Surprisingly, they are pretty inexpensive, so I found a pair that I liked online and ordered my very own bowling shoes! Yes, I own my own bowling shoes and I love them! (The picture of the girl bowling inside of them is probably my favorite part of the shoe!) The very first time I bowled with them, I even got a strike. Last night, D and J came with us. It was so fun to beat them! (Probably the only "sporty" thing I can beat them in.) As we were leaving the bowling alley last night, D said, "Of course you beat us, you are a bowling nerd!! - Think about it, you own your own bowling shoes!!" Haha! Yes, I do! And I love them! :)

10 Things that Help You Know it's a Media Fast

So, many years ago, our old ward decided to start what they like to call a "media fast." The week leading up to General Conference was made a fast from all media including TV, secular music, internet, movies, etc. Checking email, church music, and homework assignments are the only exceptions to this fast.

Well, we decided to try it again this past week. Starting the Sunday before Conference, we started our fast. The kids were not too excited about it, but we all agreed that we could do it. Monday after school was a moaning choir to the lyrics, "I am so boooorrreeeedd!!" But as the week went on, it was amazing the changes that I saw...

On Thursday, D and I sat and talked for over an hour. It was so fun to just talk to him, but as I got ready to leave, he stood up and said, "You know it's a media fast when you sit and talk to your older sister for half the day!!" Haha! I didn't know whether to be offended or just laugh. So we decided to make a list of the 10 Things that help you know it's a media fast.

10. You know it's a media fast when you hear "I am so bored, I am going to die" and "I would've hated to be a pioneer!"

9. You know it's a media fast when the computer doesn't need shut down at night because it never was turned on.

8. You know it's a media fast when D and J pull out scooters, skateboards, and bikes for the first time in months.

7. You know it's a media fast when none of the kids' friends want to come to our house because they can't watch ANYTHING.

6. You know it's a media fast when J is excited to go to D's choir concert because "ANY music is better than mom's Christmas music in October!"

5. You know it's a media fast when you have no idea what natural disaster everyone is talking about 3 days after the fact.

4. You know it's a media fast when A practices the piano even after the timer goes off.

3. You know it's a media fast when you come home to find the whole family asleep at 10pm - the time when they are usually just starting homework.

2. You know it's a media fast when J reads more pages in a week than he has read the entire year.

1. You know it's a media fast when you sit and do nothing other than talk to your older sister for OVER an hour. :)

By the end of the week, I can say that we spent much more family time together than we do normally. There was less arguing and more laughing, less teasing and more helping, and the "I'm bored" was replaced with "Want to play a game?" I am so grateful that we decided to fast from media as we prepared for general conference. Conference was so great. I was more prepared to hear to words of our living prophet and leaders. I am so grateful for those inspired speakers that gave us reminders of what we need to do in order to have more love for one another, how to strengthen our personal testimonies, and how to maintain our standards in an increasingly wicked world.

I would like to say that we are ready and willing to live a life without so much media but... I checked my facebook Monday morning, mom turned the TV on while working out again, J blared his music while getting ready for school, and A begged mom to buy the movie "Monsters vs. Aliens." Haha! I guess some things are harder to change. After all, you can't "fast" forever right? =)