Finish Line

Jenny was the first one in but Paul's picture didn't turn out. This is Erica coming in with Leslie cheering her on.

Then Desiree came in.

Last of all, is me.

Enjoying our post race high.

Thanks to Paul for coming along to be our driver and photographer.

And thanks to Leslie for coming out to cheer us on!!

Heart of Holladay

The Running Chics - Jenny, Desiree, Erica, Lisa (Leslie didn't do this 5K)

Here we are excited to do the Heart of Holladay 5K race

Just before the start of the race

Our running group is training for a marathon but we are also having fun doing short races.

On June 14th we ran the Heart of Holladay 5K . It's a beautiful course lined with trees and pretty level - two hills. We ended up splitting up for the race and all came in with better times than our last 5K.

Food Storage Plug

I'm trying out a service my friend told me about.
It's called Myfoodstoragedeals.com. If you join you receive a weekly newsletter informing you of all the great, good and okay deals at the big stores in the valley (Reams, Smiths, Albertsons, Maceys and Harmons). I'm trying it out for the summer. One good suggestion is to ad-match at Super-Walmart if you live near one and then you don't have to go to all the stores on the list to get the deals. She also has a very informative blog about food storage.
Check it out and see what you think.

Update on the phone

So, I went to the Verizon store this morning actually hoping for the same person who helped me on Monday. Then I wouldn't have to tell the whole story again. No luck there.

But I did have a very nice gentleman help me and help me he did. They gave me a "special one-time deal" of signing up for another contract a 1 yr and then I could get a phone at a discounted price. So I got another new phone for $70 (minus the $60 I found at Lagoon yesterday and I'm really only out $10) and have once again entered in all the numbers that I had just entered in on Monday. This time I put insurance on the phone and don't plan to visit Lagoon anytime too soon.
And all good comments/suggestions in the previous blog. Unfortunately I'm just not that bright to think ahead. Justin suggested that I dye my hair blonde (no offense to those natural blondes out there).

Friday the 13th

So, if you remember, it was Friday the 13th last week. Nothing spectacularly bad happened on Friday -- it all came the day after and continued through to today!

On Saturday, we went to Lagoon for Paul's work party. It was a great deal - $10 per person with lunch buffet included. Everyone in our family went except for Justin who was camping in Zion's.

Things were going well and the little kids were having a blast (more on that in another post).
We went into the water park about 2:30 because it was so hot and we needed a break from the long lines. While we were still in the dressing room the power went out and stayed out for about an hour. That actually wasn't bad at all for us personally since we were just going into the water park and I preferred it with the power out - no splashing water and no loud music. Paul had a nap and Brooke and I had fun playing with Kamryn in the kiddie area (Jared didn't want to swim because that meant taking off his sock, which was his "band-aid" on his hurt toe).
Eventually we decided to go in the lazy river and after I got out I realized I'd had my cell phone in my short pocket that I had just gone in the river with. I forgot I'd had it in there. So it was totally DEAD!
Then later on we were putting Jared and Kamryn onto a ride and Paul said "You have you're camera, right?" Immediately I was sick to my stomach. I didn't have it and I knew it wasn't in the stroller. I was sure he had it. He hadn't had it in a long time. I was just SICK, SICK, SICK!! It's a small little digital camera and I figured it was gone forever.
After thinking about for a little bit I remembered the last place we had it was the train. So I ran back over there and talked to the crew. This was 4 hours after we had been there. The employees were really great about looking all over for it but didn't find it. They suggested I check the lost and found and assured me that people really do turn things in.
So I went to lost and found and "Colton" helped me. I told him what had happened. He asked me to describe the camera and the case and then he held it up and showed me my camera. I couldn't believe it. I was so happy and I told him I could just hug him and kiss him. Then he turned it on and said "Is this your family?" At first glance I said yes but when I really looked at the last picture taken it wasn't my family. It was 2 moms with their daughters doing a self portrait. They took a picture of themselves before they turned my camera in. I love those moms!! And the rest of the night I kind of tried to look for them to thank them.
So I got the camera back but still had a dead cell phone. I could deal with the phone.
On Monday I went into Verizon and they actually a month ago just started covering water damage as part of the warranty coverage. So they replaced my phone for no charge!
Things were looking up.
And then the 13th came back to visit me today.
Due to the power outage we were told we could go back to Lagoon for free any day before the 30th of June. So today was the only day we could go. Justin, Brooke, our friend Mackenzie and I all went. Right when we got there I had to use the bathroom and I walked in and found $60.00 sitting on the floor and someone's sunglasses. I marched straight to the lost and found and turned both things in. And who was there but "colten" the same guy from Sat. He told me it was impressive that I turned the money and I reminded him who I was from Sat and the lost camera. He remembered me then and agreed that I had to turn the money in.
Then on with our fun. We were a little bummed because Rattlesnake Rapis and Cliffhanger were both closed for the day and we had planned on doing both those rides to begin with because it was really hot.
So we went on the waterslide ride instead - the one where you ride a raft down a tube down at the north end of the park. Well, my phone was in my pants pocket and I got soaked - and you guessed it, another water damaged phone. Luckily I took it apart immediately and put it under the hand dryer in the bathroom (Justin's brilliant idea) and after a little bit I got it to power up and it seemed okay. Thank goodness.
Since I was soaking wet I decided to keep my cell phone tucked in my bra. BIG MISTAKE!
The next thing we did was go on WICKED and as we're going upside down I hear my phone drop on the ground. I didn't even feel it falling out. I couldn't believe it. I just got that phone yesterday. We had to wait until the park closed so the employees could go look for it. They thought they found it in pieces but it was another guys phone that looked almost exactly like mine. They never did find anything of my phone except for the battery. What a BIG BUMMER!! I don't think I'm going to be so lucky at the Verizon store tomorrow.

Justin's Eagle Project

BEFORE

AFTER

Justin admiring his hard work

I actually started this post and even posted it without finishing and even got some very nice comments about it before I deleted to start over again (I was having computer issues).

Paul and I were grateful for the opportunity Justin was given to do this tent pad for his Eagle project. It was assignment from the stake for this tent pad to be put in at our stake property before girls' camps begin in the middle of June. The scoutmaster felt like it would be a good Eagle project and Justin decided he could do it. He had 2 1/2 weeks from the time he found out about it until it had to be done. That was the beauty of the project - it didn't drag on forever.

Justin got the project approved, did the planning, obtained the materials and arranged for a crew to be up there working on it. He had some of his scout troop and several leaders up there overnight to do the project. There were a total of abotu 100 hours spent on the project. Everyone worked very hard, including myself, on the project. It was cold and muddy up there and it even snowed on us during the night and in the morning. Luckily the weather cooperated the rest of the day Saturday so we could get the project done. What a great feeling to finish it. Now Justin just has to finish 4 Merit badges - they are all in process and he just needs to do the paperwork.

9 Miles

Friday was our running group's long run of 9 miles!
I took a turn determining the route ahead of time. I clocked it out in the van acouple of weeks ago. It was a beautiful route,mostly downhill on quiet tree lined streets.
We started out at 5:08 am - it was just starting to get light. The first two miles were mostly uphill but then it was downhill from there. There were 5 of us and we stayed together most of the time with Desiree being the pace setter. She's made to run marathons. I loved running with my Garmin and checking our pace occasionally. We were running under our average pace most of the time. We finished up our run by going through Murray Park and ended at Mimi's for breakfast. That was a fun treat. We ran the 9 miles in 1:47:52 with an average pace of 11:56, that was 27 seconds faster than our previous best average pace (does that make sense).
We enjoyed our breakfast and chatting together while we were all on our runner's high. I faired much better than on the 8 miler - both during the run and after. I wasn't too sore and that was very encouraging. It was a great way to start the day and it was a super busy one (more about that in the next post).

2nd blog

As if I don't have enough to do already and keep up with, I've started a 2nd blog.
It's really a running/training log to track my progress with this marathon "craziness." If you're really bored you can check it out under Blogs I Read to the right of this post.

Fast Sunday

It's fast Sunday today and that term is an oxymoron as the day is anything but fast.
So, to pass the time before dinner I decided I'd do this tag from Paige.

Favorite person (outside family)? That is impossible to pick. I guess I would have to say my friends are my favorite people to spend time with.

Favorite food? Mexican

Quirks about you? I'm sure I have some but I don't really know what they are. I'm sure there are people out there that could enlighten me but I'm not sure I want to know :)

How would the person who loves you most describe you in ten words or less? "she's a party girl"

Any regrets in life? The following is Paige's answer and it is also mine: "There were a few times in my youth that I did things that really hurt other people’s feelings. I wish I hadn’t done those things, and I still remember and feel bad for them."

Favorite Charity/ Cause? Race for the Cure and Make a Wish Foundation.

Favorite Blog recently? I enjoy Marnie's blog.

Something you can’t get enough of? sleep

Worst job you’ve ever had? Working in the ice cream parlor and Orange Julius at The Galleria.

What job would you pay NOT to have? Researchers who work with mice.

If you could be a fly on the wall, where? My husband's job and my kids' classrooms.

Favorite Bible verse right now? John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Guilty Pleasure? Milky Way Midnight

Got any confessions? I'm lazy and not very organized.

If you HAD to spend $1,000 on YOURSELF, how would you spend it? Monthly massage and pedicure.

Favorite thing about your house? Location - by the schools, the rec center and my parents.

Least favorite thing about your house? Too many to list - but we're slowly working on them. Number 1 is probably the living room carpet.

One thing you are bad at? Cleaning.

One thing you’re good at? Having fun.

If you could change something about your circumstances, what? That I could magically de-clutter my house and then it would stay that way.

Who would you like to meet someday? Oprah

What makes you feel sexy? When my "skinny" clothes fit.

Who is your real life hero? I have many but I'll just list one here - my mom. She's a great example to me and her grandchildren. She is selfless, doesn't gossip, treats everyone fairly and is always there for any of us - friends and family alike.

What is the hardest part of your job? When kids throw up

When are you most relaxed? At night after the kids have gone to bed and I can have a little me time.

What stresses you out? Confrontations, being overscheduled.

What can you not live without? The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Why do you blog? It's my journal these days.

Now, the hardest part - tagging others! Anyone who reads this that feels like filling in the answers.