Picture Update

This is no-theme sorta boring post... What to do with random pictures kind of post...

We went on a nature walk and collected leaves and flowers. The girls loved collecting stuff off the ground
The girls watching TV before bed. Don't they look so darling together?

These pictures are from the day that the girls got out the box of 12 month old clothes that hadn't been packed away yet. Claire took off her pants and diaper and added on from there,while Liv stripped down to panties and tried on every shirt and dress she could manage to squeeze on.

This is a picture of my new hair cut and color... I am still contemplating cutting the front a little shorter because it looks a little too disconnected for my taste, but all in all it is fun to have a new cut.

My first 5K

Warning: I ramble. this is a lot of reading. This is why I don't write much on my blog. I can't sum things up. I like to keep going and going...

I did it. I ran my first 5K EVER. I had decided some time like 5 or 6 months ago that I wanted to put the scriptures to the test. It promises that if you keep the word of wisdom you will "run and not be weary". Or something like that. I should really look that up.... but I'm lazy. Anyway I told my sister-in-law Britta I was thinking about giving running a 5K try and she said "lets do it together!" The fact that Britta committed me to this made a world of a difference. She was my supporter through it all ;) Thanks Britta. You are awesome.

Now let me tell you about the journey. I am NOT a runner. I have always done plenty of exercising. I have tried running in the past but have never gotten far. I really really do not like running. I would go about 3 minutes and feel out of breathe and exhausted. I just felt like I could NOT do it. I figured some people were runners and some were not. I left it at that until I pondered that scripture. Run and not be weary.... really, could that be possible? I thought if the Lord promises it then it must be true. I have never been able to run and not feel like I was about to die. In the beginning I had not even run 1 mile with out stopping to walk.

So I started. It was ROUGH. I sweat more then I have ever sweat. I worked harder and more consistently then I ever have. It was lots and lots and lots of hard hard work. Like I said- I don't like running so it made it difficult to stick with it. I did though- I ran 3-4 times a week usually pushing myself harder then I thought possible.

I ran into lots of obstacles. We went on a trip to Oregon and I had a really hard time running while I was away. When I got back home I thought I should give up because I pretty much had to start from the beginning again since I didn't run while I was away. Britta said no and I re-committed to my torture ;)
I got shin splints. If you've ever had them you know how bad they can get. I prayed and asked for help. I was so close to finishing I didn't want to stop after so much work. I kept running and miraculously my shin splints never got any worse.
A few nights before my race I got a really bad pain in my arm. I thought I had a blood clot or something. The next day I had bad chest pains. We looked over the internet and it seemed I fit the signs of a heart attack! I was freaked out! I was thinking that if I ran I could possibly die!

The morning of my race I had sharp chest pains around my heart. I was crying and so confused if I should run or not. I called Scott (Bretts brother who is almost a Doctor) he told me he thought I was safe to run and it was probably anxiety. I still felt scared so Brett gave me a blessing. I was told that if half way through my race if I had chest pains I should stop and walk the rest of the way. In the blessing I was told that I would KNOW if I needed to stop running or not. Most of the time when I run I have chest pains- so I thought for sure I would be confused if I should walk or keep going.

I went to the race. Britta ran along side me. We talked. It was relaxed. We never stopped running. At the half way point I felt good. My chest didn't hurt at ALL. I knew I could keep running. We ran for 38 minutes. It went by pretty fast. Britta being next to me made me comfortable and reminded me that I could do it and it. Talking helped me realize that I had enough oxygen and I wasn't dying. I am so proud I over came something I never thought I could. I ran and I was not faint! I could have even kept going for another mile if I had to. I felt great at the end of the race!
The Book of Mormon is true. The Lord keeps his promises. He will bless you if you ask. He blessed me with strength, courage, and peace. With out the Lord I honestly don't think I could have done it. I was SO blessed through out my journey.





Here is the last part of the run. Britta is on the left and I am on the right.

This Weekend

This weekend
-I ran my first 5K (more on that later)
-Olivia got pink eye
-Claire drew all over the couches with a red permanent marker. We luckily got to it right away and for the most part got it all out. It was SO scary though! And when I say ALL over I mean she drew a LOT
-I thought I was going to die of a heart attack half the week end after showing all the signs of a heart attack. I had pains in my arm and chest pains and had no idea why. After much investigation we think it is just anxiety. I'm still going to the Dr to get it checked out though.

I'd say the last few days were just FULL of extra stress. It is just life though. We are off to Wal-Mart to get a prescription for the pink eye and ingredients for freezer dinners that I am putting together for Activity Days on Tuesday. Oh and Claire is standing here next to me diaper-less with poop hanging from her hands and bum. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Gotta go.

Daddys girl

Claire used to love me and pretty much only me. She is finally old enough to realize that her Dad rules and her mom needs some lessons in patience. My girls LOVE their daddy ;)

Happenings

Here are some of the photos taken on Bretts IPhone. They are of events in which we didn't bring our camera to- or just captured since the phone was sitting there ;) Oh I do love his Iphone. If you've never had the chance to play with one- don't... it makes you realize how bad a regular phone is ;) September 2010- Brett and I got to go on an OVER NIGHTER! My mom stayed with the girls so Brett and I could re-connect as a couple. It was sooo wonderful to be away for an extended amount of time. This was our 5 year anniversary get-away. We went to Lagoon, a movie, and out to eat. Thank you SO much mom. I didn't worry at all about the girls knowing they were with the BEST.
oh and I might add- the pic is quite nice. Shows my HUGE teeth and Bretts little teeth. hahaha

July 2010 we went to a local carnival. Liv loved the little kitty rides and rode them all by herself and enjoyed every minute of them!

September 2010- Liv and Brett went to a daddy/daughter camp out. They had fun, but it was frrrrreeeezing.

October 2010- we went to a BYU football game. BYU is really bad this year, but every time Brett attends a game they win! He is lucky! This was Claires 1st football game. Both the girls did great- with $20 worth of over priced food of course!

Lost

I lost my ring about a month ago. Sad. It was special. We designed it ourselves. I will admit it wasn't the best made ring I ever saw (it was hand made by the jeweler) but I still loved it. It was unique and different then any body elses ring. There is not another ring quite like mine.
The ring was a little too big and after wearing it for about 6 years now it must have fallen off and went in a trash or down a drain. Who knows. I have never taken it off except to get it cleaned. I now wear a fake $30 ring that is also still too big! I have ridiculously small fingers. It is starting to frustrate me.