Tri-a-th-WHAT??

History: Those who really know me know that I DON'T EXERCISE! Period. I pretty much haven't had consistent (or at all!) physical movement since I was 13 and stopped swim team when I moved to Maryland. I tried track to get in shape twice, but got shin splits and ended up walking backwards most the season and the second time wasn't much better. Not to mention the fact that I HATE RUNNING!!!!

Spark: So in this June Heidi asked me to start running with her to get in shape. My double stroller had a flat, so I told her that if my stoller got fixed I would run with her. So she got her husband to fix the flat...which means I actually had to run! We did, once, and it was pretty awful :)!! I decided that I really needed to get into shape! So I tried to run again, and it was awful. So I decided to listen to music and run, and it was bearable. So then, I decided to run twice in one week! (I am pathetic I know). I was talking at park group how much I don't like running so I break it up with biking a couple times a week. Jacki and Tara had both done a triathlon before so they suggested, "why don't you just do a triathlon? your basically doing it if you just add swimming?"...

Caught: hummm..."really? Well, I guess I'll do it if you do it with me!" Tara was prego so she was out, but Jacki said, "Okay, lets do it!" WHAT??! did I just get myself into??? "Okay...I guess so..."

Putting my money where my mouth is: So I started running and biking. I "trained-ish" a couple weeks in June. Had a couple week vacation in Utah--did NOTHING! Trained a couple weeks in July. Went on a two week vacation in Maryland--ran the first and last day and swam laps once. Then ran and biked for a month and swam laps one more time. Jacki lent me a triathlon book and I finished it 3 days before the race...mental note: next time I do this...the book would be helpful about 3 MONTHS before the race.

THE RACE: So Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010 I offically became a TRIATHLETE!!! And here are the pics to prove it! (my father in law came into town so he was the photographer :))

Before

Ready to swim

patient kiddos

the run (yuck!)

Doesn't she just look like Ryan??

VICTORY!!!

Some super sweet mamma's!!! Thanks Jacki! You were awesome!! And to top it off we not only finished but did pretty well! And I actually enjoyed it! I felt great, and I already want to do it again!!! I can see how this can get addicting...I can't believe that I actually just said that?!

Kennedy's 7th Birthday

Yesterday was Kennedy's 7th birthday. It really seems unbelievable that she would really be 7. Was I really first a mother 7 years ago? Could I really have had a 7 year old running around the house?

I usually try to avoid looking at the ages of the kids in primary around that time...it seems more of a grey area is easier for me, but I broke down and actually consciously looked at the class that she would be in, the girls that she would be friends with...It is a small class, in fact it is added to the next class up because there are only 3 girls, 1 only comes sometimes...if she were here then we might consider having their own class, of 4 cute little blond girls. I wonder...she was strong, independent, determined, intelligent...what would she have been like now? Would she be as talkative as those girls were yesterday? I always wonder.

I did have a tender mercy yesterday. I haven't played the flute for years, but they asked me to play with the choir yesterday. The song is in the Aug. ensign and really beautiful. At first I just played the notes but then a week ago I started to read the words, and they were perfect for yesterday. Perfect to honor my little girl. Perfect to always remember where my home really is, where Kennedy already is...waiting.

Come Home

Come Home, the Father calls.

Come home, my child, to me.

Come home, The Holy Ghost will lead you to eternity.

(chorus) Lest we forget our home's with God,

This lovely earth, its seas, its sky

And all things beautiful and true of Heavenly Father testify.

Come home, the Savior calls.

Come home all who'll obey.

Come home, the Gospel guides a long the straight and narrow way.

(chorus)

Come home, loved voices call.

Come home where you belong.

Come home to live in joy forever in our family throng.

(chorus)

I also did sharing time and we talked about our love growing for the Savior as we read the scriptures and I used the example of how Harrison will learn to love his older sister through my journals/pics/stories even though he will never meet her on this earth, just as we will never see Christ on this earth but we learn of Him and His works through the scriptures. At first I couldn't bring her up, but now being able to talk about her and let others know about her helps me because she is still apart of my life, just not many others know it. So if I can share her, she can still help others and will still make a difference in not only my life, but others.

Happy Birthday Little Honey

Maryland

I was able to go to my home also this summer. My little brother came off his mission in June so all my immediate family flew out to go to the beach but I went a week early so I could spend some extra time with my family! Here he is! Mckinley loved having another uncle!

We played badminton, went to parks, ate ice cream, played games, played with toys, watched movies, saw some old friends, relaxed...and of course I didn't take pics like I should have! One thing I will mention is that you really forget just how HOT and HUMID it is in Aug...no wonder we always LEFT the state in Aug.!!

We did go to the Air and Space Museum near the airport and met some of Ryan's cousins that live in the area. Harrison loved it! it was a HUGE hanger that had all sorts of airplanes, helicopters, flying machines, shuttles and the only SR71 on display!

They were able to "fly" a real airplane

check out a real space shuttle (Grandma was trying to get them to stay still for the pic but it never worked!)

It was right by the airport so we had fun watching planes land and see the "smoke" when the wheels touched the ground.

And of course show lots of love :)!

It was so wonderful to spend time there. Grandma took us everywhere and then I got to watch movies and talk with her at night! My Dad was working but was able to go to the beach with us. We also saw my other brothers that still live there, got through a couple crazy storms, and went to the temple.

In between...

Here are a few pics in between vacations...

Mckinley has become a "little woman" (or as Harrison thinks we're saying, "little Mormon" which is equally accurate) because she has found candy, chocolate, and shoes...what more could you want :)?

going on a bike ride and to the park with Daddy

On Friday's a friend has field trips all summer. We missed most of them being gone so much but we made it to this place twice and loved every minute of it! It is a pool/beach entrance with sand so you get the best of both worlds...plus it is so fun to do things will all the ladies and their kiddos...we have loved everyone in the ward and how much fun we all have together!

Harrison's riding on Scott's back...I always see him being carried/or pushed around on a bike or someone doing something for him...I don't know how he talks them into it! (but maybe because he is only 31 lbs. and most his friends weigh more!)

Catch up...finishing Utah

So I obviously need to catch up!! This has been a crazy summer, but again this is a "jounalish" so I will try to add things I missed! (no need to keep reading!)

Finishing up with Utah....we tried another matching picture and it turned out quite well if you ask me...

We had a big group family pic taken so Steph got matching dresses for the little girls and we had to at least try to document it!

If I was ever missing Mckinley I would just look for Uncle Trav and find her in his arms...She just loves him :)!

not the most flattering (on my part) but Harrison and Alexa held hands the whole way, so cute...

watching the fireworks with Ryan's family

The "ball Museum" is what Harrison calls the Children's Museum in Utah and he LOVES it. So whenever we get to Utah we go. Mckinely had a blast too with all the fun things, friends and cousins!

We had a great time in Utah but every night they were pretty tuckered out!! (Honestly, how can THAT be comfortable? My legs would be totally numb!)

Utah and birthdays

One of the fun things we did in Utah was Ryan's mom had a birthday for everyone!! Well actually she had 4! The girls had one and the guys, then the older kids had one (with a very successful money hunt!) and then the 4 and under had one...

equipped with a very excellent amount of bubbles to go around for as long as they could stand popping them

then of course we had presents..

Mckinley thought her cute pants were for her head (have any of you ever read the Sandra Boynton book like that...red..blue...yellow...oops, anyway, cute book)

Some of the kids got matching clothes so we tried a picture...and you know how it goes!

Mckinley and her cousin one month apart...matching suit and swimsuit cover :)

Mckinley now wants to do and be everywhere that Harrison is...it is so fun to watch!

Then the last bday celebrated was Ryan's Grandpa's 90th bday...he is still amazing and got an iphone for his bday and can do anything on the computer that our generation can do. He really is an angel too.

i tried to get mckinley to sit on his lap but not happening so this was as close as I could get so they could remember their great grampa!