~ Girls Trip- The Worst Race Ever~

A few weeks ago me and a few friends drove out to St. George for a girls weekend and we snuck a half marathon in as well. Okay, that was the main reason we actually went down. It was super fun and a much needed break. The weather was awesome and the company was even better. Unfortunately the race was not at all what I expected. It was my 8th half marathon for the year. I was super excited and had talked a few of my friends who hadn't been running for awhile to come with us and do it. After all, all I had heard was how great of a run it was. Snow Canyon was suppose to be a "downhill" race according to the map and many who have ran it. Turns out the downhill doesn't even start until mile 3 and this course has TONS of uphills as well. It is a rolling hills course to be correct. I learned how being mentally prepared for a run is just as important as your training to run. I was NOT prepared to run up all of the hills. After running about the 20th hill the anger was setting in and at about mile 8 I almost quit. One of our friends is pregnant and didn't run the course and I almost called her to come and get me. I've never thought about quitting in a race just to give you an idea of how pissed and hard the course was. I am not sure I would do it again, knowing what the course is like. I do not like running up hills!! I found a way to get some of my anger out while running. For the last mile and a half of the course I screamed!! I would then run a little faster, scream run a little faster etc. It worked and got me through it.You should have seen the look on the other runners faces. Not something you would normally see or hear in a race. I wish it was on video tape.  I did get my second best time of the year but I've learned it's not about the time it's about the race.

I wanted to do much better but I came in at 2:04 and honestly I'm just glad I finished.

After the race from hell we got more done in a day then I probably can do in 3 days at home. We went and laid out at the pool and got in the hot tub. Then we went shopping, we went to dinner, and off to see and great movie. After the movie we tried to pull off a prank that wasn't successful but it was fun. Despite the disappointment with the race I am glad we went.

It was a super fun trip. Lots of late night chats and some yummy food.



The gilrs~ Me,Kim,Erin,Michelle, and Devrie





So glad to be done



All the girls~ Michelle, Kim, Jodi, Erin, Me, and Shay



Race Swag

Can you tell how angry I am? Love that I'm running next to old people....

~ Just a few of my favs ~

This little girl is the highlight of my day. She is so sweet and fun to be around! I have two other sweet girls but this one is still very innocent and doesn't talk back! She is kind of quite but loves to be silly and take pictures. She is OBSESSED with dogs! She can not get enough of them and will tackle your dog if she gets ahold of it. She calls them woofies and has her bark down. She finally started walking at 15 months and is up to 4 teeth. She is going through the "awkward" stage in the hair department. It's not long enough to do anything with but kind of just " hanging" out. She loves to dance and sing. She can sing the alphabet not perfectly but you can recognize it and she can do it pretty far. She likes to say hi but only to her dad. She will say, Hi Dad if he walks in the room but not to me or any one else. She loves to tease you for a kiss. She will act like she is going to give you one and right when she walks up  to you she will take off the other direction. She is a pretty good eater and will eat what ever we are for the most part. Right now, if we sing stink bug she will drop to the floor and put her bum in the air while we sing for her. She LOVES being outside or out of the house. When I put her in the cart she will say weee throughout the store for awhile. ( an indication she does not get out enough ) She loves her blanky and her binkie and she loves to cuddle. I LOVE this age and I'm having so much fun with her. She  looks a lot like Rylee when she was a baby but also looks alot like me when I was little. Her coloring is a bit lighter than the girls. We just love have her around! I wanted to share a few of my most recent favorite pics.



She's finally walking! It only took 15 months



Last weekend for my birthday we went to St. George for a little getaway and to watch the marathon. We had such a good time and it was a much needed break. I love how easily entertained our girls are. We rented a condo and their room had bunk beds and they were in heaven! Who knew they could be so entertaining. The girls loved to all go up on the top bunk and read their books. They loved just being outside in the perfect weather. Our condo had a great view with a patio that was great for eating and drawing pictures at.  We lived at the swimming pool for the short time we were there. We went to see Aladdin on Thursday night before the race. They had so much fun and I am glad we went. The girls are still talking about it. We ran into so many friends from Salt Lake while we were there. At the play and at our condos which made it even more fun. Who knew being a spectator at a race could be just as fun as running it. It was so inspiring to see people cross the finish line who had major injuries or you could tell it took everything in them to make it. They said they had 8 runners that day who were over 80 years old which is  just amazing. It just goes to show that running isn't just physical. I say it's 90% mental and 10% physical. I got to see my two favorite people cross the finish line. My running buddy Erin and my besty Shay both ran that day. They both did such a great job. I must add that I guessed both of their times and was within minutes of what they came in at. Shay ran it for the 3rd time and beat her time by over 22 minutes which is huge. They are rock stars! Maybe one day I will have the courage it takes?

Waiting for the show to start



I love this picture!!



Tuacahn  Theater- An awesome location- It's so pretty



She did it!





Add caption





Rylee, Maycee, Ella, Kia, & Belle





Our amazing view from the condo



~ The Best Race Ever ~

On Sat the 22nd  I ran my 6th half marathon this year and it was amazing! It was the best course we have done hands down. It was the first year they have done a race down Big Cottonwood Canyon and it was perfect! It was super organized and they had the best race swag. It was the prettiest /fastest course we have done. My new favorite which I will run again next year. If you are thinking of doing only one, this should be the one. I beat my best time which so far was 2:09. I finished it in 1:57 and was shocked! I never thought I could come in under 2hours and that wasn't even my goal. I had the blood blisters and beat up body to prove it! It was the sorest I have ever been after a race. I felt like I was the pinata at a birthday party. While running I  told myself to keep up with the 2hour pacer until mile 9 and then I could back off, but mile 9 came around and I was still feeling great so I keep on going at that pace. Then at some point I passed the 2 hr pacer, still not sure how that happened. This was a major downhill course which does help your time. I would love to think I could do that again but anything 2:10 or better I'm good with. I did learn that maybe it's not such a bad idea to push yourself to do better than you even think you are capable of. It's  a good goal and way to motivate yourself just not sure I can do it again, but I will surely try. My next races are October 20th The Haunted Half and November the 3rd down Snow Canyon in St. George. Going to do a girls road trip for that one. I'm looking forward to that one. The Haunted Half will not have pacers so I am not sure how good I will do. I really rely on them  to push me. So far I have ran 9 races this year to meet my goal of 12 races for 2012. I should meet my goal by the end of November.



My race buddy! Couldn't have done ANY  without her.

I'm focused. I don't know how to smile

Getting ready to cross the finish line



On Wed the 26th we celebrated our 12th Anniversary. I can't not believe it has already been that long! Time goes by so fast. We are now a family of five and have three little girls. I always wondered what my life would be like and now I know. We have had our share of up's and down's but all of it has been worth it. I can't imagine being anywhere but here and I'm looking forward to raising our girls together for a lifetime.

This is from 1998, so young!



A little wiser and older too



Two years ago tomorrow, was a big day for our family, in fact the biggest day ever. We we're all sealed for eternity in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. For along time it seemed like this day would never happen. Waiting to become "perfect" so we could go through never came, so we had to give up the idea of being "perfect" to go through. It was the best decision  we have made as a family. It took us 10 years to the day to get there but we did it. We are still very far from perfect and have a lot of short comings but that is the purpose of going to church and going to the temple. It's the effort to try that matters. I knew even at a young age that I wouldn't be married in the temple but that some day I would want to be sealed with my family there. I didn't know what that family would look like or that the temple would be down the street from my house but I did know one  day I wanted to be there. It was everything I thought it would be and more. We we're surrounded by our friends and family and most importantly our girls.Getting to share that experience with them was life changing. Although they are too young to remember we can show them pictures and they will have their dresses as a reminder. At the time little did we know we we're already expecting another little girl, which we found out very shortly after going through. Attending the Brigham City Temple dedication  today was a reminder of just how lucky I am to have my family forever.I hope when my girls are old enough they will make the same decision to have their families forever as well.



Oquirrh Mountain Temple





After 10 years we finally ended up here!



Look how little they are! Rylee was 5 and Ella was 3 and a 1/2



Same of our family and friends that we're there. Holly is taking these pictures!



The Langes



The best friend a girl could ever have



Sisterly love



Daddy with his girls

                                            ~This Girl Loves to Eat! ~

Annie loves to eat these days. Who would have thought that my pickiest eater would end up being my best eater! She is a "big" 22lbs. She is in this chair about 6 times a day. If your eating it she wants it, just ask Lettie. My kitchen floor is always dirty thanks to her! She likes to kick up her feet while she eats. My favorite is when she lays her head down on the table to eat. She finally has 2 teeth to help a girl out. Some of her favorites right now are bananas, chicken, green beans, yogurt, and of course pancakes for breakfast! Shocking right, if you know what my girls eat for breakfast it's expected around this place. She is so close to walking. She is taking steps out to the middle of the room and then she stops once she realizes what she is doing. She is 14 months now. Both Ry and Ella were walking by 13 months but she has a mind of her own. It would be nice though so she wouldn't be so dirty. She thinks she needs to crawl on the side walk and that just doesn’t work for me! I think by the next week or so she will finally be walking. I can't wait! She is such a tease. It is so cute to see them walking around. We are working on growing out her crazy hair which just like the other girls it comes in mainly on the top. Don't judge her crazy do, soon it will be beautiful!

~ FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ~

Rylee started second grade on July 25th and little Ms. Ella just started kindergarten on August 2nd. It's hard to believe that 2 of my 3 kids are in school! They both LOVE going to school and we have been taking turns on who's day it is to curl their hair! Yes that it's right, they both want it done and I am not spending 30 minutes in the morning curling hair, although it does look cute. Ella is one of the biggest kids in her class and looks so old compared to the other kids. But in the picture below she looks like a little nugget to me, she still looks so little. I think of her as being so old, this picture is a needed reminder that she is still a little girl. ( no matter how whiny and hard she is ) Ella has been worried she will sleep in and miss school. She has informed me that I can pinch her if I need to wake her up... But not too hard. This is not a problem she wakes up just fine. On her first day of school she didn't want to take off her pack back when we got home  and wanting to go next door to tell her best friend Braylon about her first day of school. She loves her teacher. She doesn't have any friends in her class  right now so we have been talking about this alot and how to make friends. She has usually had Rylee to do this for her. Hopefully she can make some friends.

Rylee has been obsessed with what she will wear each day. She does have a reputation to up hold.... She was voted best dressed in her first grade class. That may have been a little too much pressure for a girl to handle! She loves getting dressed up for school and loves to go. A little less boy talk this year which is nice, maybe that was a phase? I hope... She really likes her teacher and is already learning so much. Can't wait to see what this year has in store for us!

Rylee's first day



Ella's first day



First day of school together for both of them



Love Ella's Pose!

The girls started dance again and had their recital the first part of June. They did really good this year and seem to be a little more into dance than previous years. They each had a little solo part in the recital that was so fun to watch. ( fun because they are Langes and not exactly dancers ) They are getting big so fast!