We Did It...I Did It!

Looking back on these pictures makes me smile. We did it...I DID IT!

I still can't believe that I can say, I ran a half marathon. I'm not going to lie, it's not the easiest thing I've ever done, but it was worth it, oh so worth it!

I have a good friend that had been working out and getting fit. I had asked her back in November if she wanted to start running. I never thought I was good at running. I had tried it before and didn't like it very much. I would get in a mile or two and feel completely drained, spent, exhausted. I just didn't like it. I still don't know why I asked Jill if she wanted to run with me, probably because I knew she was good motivation. She had been working out...I hadn't. The first time we ran together I only made it a mile, maybe not even that. Over the next few weeks we had made our way to 3 miles. I still remember the first time we did 3 miles. We were so cool!

Soon after accomplishing 3 miles we started talking about a half marathon...SCARY! The thought of running 13.1 miles was a little overwhelming, but it was a goal and we pressed forward. We averaged 3-6 miles 3-4 times a week. Usually 3-4 miles, but 5-6 miles every once in awhile. In the last month we did 8, then 9, then 10.

I never thought I would say I enjoy running, but I do. I use to laugh at people who would say that, and I still laugh at myself for thinking it sometimes. But it's true, I enjoy it.

I do have to say this though, I would have never been able to do this without my faithful, dependable, and encouraging running partner, Jill! She is awesome. She has become a very close friend through the last 6 months. We have spent A LOT of time together. We have spent countless hours running and talking about everything. I love her!!!

We found a half marathon that was in honor of fallen officers and their families. The high speed pursuit  5k, 10k, and half marathon. 

 Look at those smiles, we have no idea what we got ourselves into. 

 The race started with a high speed pursuit.

 This in the prison swat team.

Jill and Ryan waiting for the race to start. 

And, we're off. 

Like I said, it was a 5k, 10k, and a half. At this point, these were the people running the 10k and the half. And I think this was still only mile 2 or 3. Still a lot of us together. 

 This is mile 5 or 6. This is when it really started to thin out.

Here is Jill, I think this is mile 7. Still smiling, not hurting too bad...yet! :) 

This is still mile 7.....over half way done, maybe that's why we're smiling. Little do we know that miles 11, 12, and 13 are going to be a killer. The winds pick up and we're in the middle of nowhere. The last 3 miles we are fighting against 20-25 mph winds. It was brutal! All I kept thinking was, don't give up now, don't stop running. At this point I probably could of walked faster than I was running, but we never gave up. I said I wasn't going to walk, and I didn't. But can I just say one more time.....that wind was BRUTAL!

I had never run 11 miles before 

or 12! 

This hill was the last mile of the race. I know this hill doesn't look very big, but it seriously looked and felt like a mountain to me. This hill with the wind....not happy. If I actually had a picture of my face, you would not see a smile!  

One foot in front of the other....that's all I was thinking.  

The finish line! 13.1 miles. 2 hours and 19 minutes.

Adam and Ryan finished before us. Ryan...2 hours and 4 minutes. Adam...2 hours and 10 minutes.

It was nice to have Adam waiting at the finish line. A great big hug from him was a perfect way to end the race!  

YAY, WE DID IT!!!

Right after our group picture we went and had chocolate milk and a breakfast burrito. It was the best tasting food ever. We also had some snickers, those tasted pretty good too!!!  

Jill and I...our first half marathon ever!!!

Good Friends

We live in such a great ward with lots of amazing kids of all ages. There are so many girls that Elley looks up to and also children she likes to mother. We have been blessed to be surrounded by great friends!

Elley, if you didn't already know this, is a bit of a social butterfly. She loves friends. Her and Molly have 2 really good friends, actually I think they might even be best friends. Maybe this is because their mom and I are pretty good friends and by default they are forced to be close friends. In any case, they are pretty special to us.

Elley and Hunter met when they were just babies and have been good buddies since. 

Then Molly came along, followed by Wyatt.

We love these boys!!!

I love these smiles!

Up at the top of the slide........and down at the bottom.

I think we ended up with some tears at the bottom.

But, it didn't stop them from going aging.

My little Molly girl

And heres cute little Wyatt 

Big Girl!

Addison, in the past week or so, has decided that rolling is just not the way to get around anymore. She can get to things a lot faster by crawling. It's been so fun watching her develop this skill on her own. Personally, I was hoping she wouldn't figure this little trick out for a while longer. Oh well, she's got her own schedule!  

I love this little look she's giving me here. She knows what I want her to do, and she knows I have the camera out. "Ha, ha mom....I'm just gonna lay my head down because I know you want me to crawl." 

And, this little buggie loves to feed herself. This little skill I do like, because it buys me some time... unlike crawling!

I could take a million pictures of this girl!!!

I can't believe how much she looks like Elley in this picture above. I have a picture of Elley in a highchair with this same outfit on. 

Cookies for Sale

I had to run to Fred Meyer this morning to pick up a few things for dinner. I had the girls with me and Molly and Elley always think the girl scouts selling cookies in the front section of the store are pretty cool. Probably because they are older girls (8-10) and they have the all important job of selling the cookies. After we get in the car this morning Elley starts asking me questions about being a girl scout.

"Who is a girl scout that we know?"
"Is Shayla a girl scout? Is Macey a girl scout?"
"How do get to be a girl scout?"
"Can I be a girl scout?"

She told me that she didn't want to do dance class, she wanted to be a girl scout. Like she really, really, really wanted to be a girl scout.

I said, "Elley, why do you want to be a girl scout, do you even know what girl scouts do?"

"Yes mom, I do know what they do. They sell cookies!"

The Proper Care and Feeding of Your Sister

As I've mentioned before on my blog, Addison is a very well loved baby. The cause of most fights between Molly and Elley is about who gets to hold Addison, for how long, and who gets to go first. I love it that they love her so much but at times I have to say, "stop right now and back away from Addison."

No wonder she's not crawling yet (which really I don't mind) she has 2 sisters that won't let her. She's getting there though, but really, a baby has got to be left alone sometimes.

Most of these pictures are months old. She has been eating solid foods now for awhile (just forgot to document it) :)

Elley loves to feed Addison. She doesn't get to very often because I hate the mess it makes, but it so fun to see her nurturing side. 

I think there is some unwritten rule that says whomever is feeding a baby must open his or her mouth in the process. Go ahead and try it, can't do it, I've tried.

Elley also loves to dress Addison. Addison doesn't make this task very easy. Notice in the following pictures...no pants, sock half on, and a hat? :) Whatever, gotta give the girl some credit for trying.

Look at how happy Addison is. I swear she LOVES her sisters just as much, if not more, as they love her.

She really is so squeezable 

Molly loves to help take care of Addison. Elley is the ring leader at our house and so when she is off to school Molly swoops right in to take her place. It seems like this is the only time she has a chance.

I love these pictures, she wanted to make sure that Addison had a story read to her.

And here's Annie, not to far away. I think she kind of liked Addison too. Not to change the subject, but sweet and sassy Annie died last week. She was defiantly getting old, but we just weren't expecting it. Just looking at this picture makes me a little sad. She wasn't our dog, but we loved her just the same. She had become a temporary member of our family while my dad and Judy served their mission. Even though she was such a sassy dog, she had become a part of our daily lives. We love her, and we miss her!

 I'm always in competition to get to her first when she wakes from naps. This is what happens when I'm not fast enough. Never mind Molly's face. (apparently she didn't want her picture taken, no respect I tell ya, none!)

 We also like to share. Addison doesn't mind this at all. Although, Molly had some popcorn the other day and said, "Mom, I shared with Addison and she liked it, I was choosing the right?"

Addison was fine, she managed to gum up that popcorn and get it down. phew!

This has to be one of my all time favorite pictures! Molly is always holding Addison's hand in the car....actually anywhere she can. This picture was taken after an afternoon at the park. It makes me so very thankful for the love these girls share. 

We are so lucky to have these sweet girls in our family. 

An Afternoon at the Park

Addison had her first ride on a swing, and I think she liked it! We had a little taste of spring last week, a day that made us open all the windows and put on our flip flops. So when it looked like a nice day we abandoned ALL housework and called up some friends. What am I kidding, we don't need a nice day to abandon housework....that happens daily! :)

Look at this cuteness! I love her little tongue. 

Can't forget this cuteness too! 

Addison sitting in the stroller watching her sisters play. She is such a happy baby, especially when outside.

And here is where the tickle monster shows up. The kids were begging Brittney to play tickle monster. The look of terror on Wyatt's face in the picture below about sums it up. Brittney is such a good sport. We kept trying to put the kids off--"5 more minutes, go play some more." Finally, the tickle monster gave in! Wyatt's face makes me smile!

Cute, cute kids!!!!!