Ragnar 2011

John and I had the honor of being invited to run on an elite Ragnar team sponsored by Elden Dattage towing (well, I think it was more of a 'they wanted John on the team so they got me as well' sort of thing. Thanks guys for letting me tag along!). It has been a great learning experience for me. It started last year as John ran Ragnar with the D-Towers and called me throughout the race from Logan to Park City. I could hear the excitement and longed to share the experience with him. So I "trained" for the Wellsville Founder's Day 5k by running two lengths of a block sidewalk and then walking one, running two, walking one until I could run a full block and then two and then two miles and finally 3.2 miles. I ran my first 5k and finished that with a very slow time of 39 minutes. But I did it! John also ran it and came in 7 seconds behind the 3rd place runner - a defeat he intends to remedy this year...

My first leg - and my best one!

Van #2

John also ran the Hyrum Freedom Run 15k and placed 1st in his age group. Then he went on to tackle the Top of Utah marathon and finished that in 3 hrs. 27 minutes. I was so proud of him! So began my desire to join him in his running glory. I never expect to achieve anything other than a free date with my husband and possibly an eventual love for running. We're still working on that!

Crossing the finish line.

But I did achieve my goal of running Ragnar - one of those things you say "I want to do that next year" and never do it. I don't like to make goals to do something I never intend to do, so it kind of became an obsession. Through a twice herniated disk in my back, two "runners" running schedules to balance with who took care of the 5 children, an executive secretary calling that eventually carried over with an Elder's Quorum President calling and starting a new business, this had been an adventure getting here!! But we did it!

We had an amazing and super fast team - them, not me - who worked their butts off for an average mile time of 8 minutes and 30 seconds, carrying my average of ten minutes. I did give it my all however, so I am happy! And next year I will be even more ready and faster!

Ben, John and Alicia

Hand off to Heidi

Ashley and Ryan

Ben - smoking along

I absolutely loved being able to spend the time with John. He is an amazing athlete! Most of his averages were between 6:15 and 6:50 minute miles! Like I said, he made up the difference from my pace. It was amazing to watch his body work, and made me want to work harder to be as physically healthy as he is.

John on his first leg, averaging 6:15minute miles!

Not even winded after his run!

We finished the all day, all night race in 27 hours and 26 minutes. Which is AMAZING!! It is so much fun to see people pull together to accomplish a pretty difficult task and I think that 192 miles through towns, mountains, nasty hills and night and day qualifies as such. We had a blast!

One of the nasty hills - this one was Ashley's

We've already signed up for the next races, John's 15k and 5k and my Epic relay and 5k - which I plan to run in 30 minutes (or under) this year! It tells a lot when, as I began training for this last year, one mile seemed like a LONG way! Now, during Ragnar, they put up signs that say "one mile to go" and when I saw those signs I thought to myself "Hey, I'm almost there! One mile is only a few more steps!" And next year, I'll take on the Top of Utah half marathon, and hopefully then I'll think "Four miles is only a few steps!"

The closest I can get to the May Day Program - Ephraim Elementary

Our amazing little school has a folk dance festival each year. Due to the lack of seating, parents are not invited - MAJOR bummer! But for the last four years, Spencer has been telling me about the awesome "skeleton dance" that the fifth graders get to do. He could not say enough about it's awesomeness! It's the right of passage for the fifth graders. How could I NOT come (and the music teacher did say it was okay for the fifth grade parents)?

Olivia's first grade folk dance.

Boy do I wish there was space for the parents. It made me remember our "May Day Program" at Ephraim elementary school where we practiced songs and dances for months until we had it perfect just in time to show off for our parents with our final performance held at Snow College.

You can just see Spencer in the center circle.

Spencer is at the back of the line. Unfortunately they did not allow us to take better pictures before they sent the kids back to class and the parents home. We had to stand against the far wall, so we got what we got on pictures.

I love these little small town schools!

Avvy's First Piggies - and a bit of her personality!

Our kids have so much hair that people think they are much older than they are. NO! She is not two! Let my baby stay a baby! Having said that, she does have enough hair for two little piggies, and they are pretty cute!

This is a bit of Avvy's quirky little personality. She loves to ham it up, be the center of attention and is quite the little joke-ster.
Just excuse her candy face, it's the only way I could get her to sit still.

This is what we get every time we pull out a camera.

Wellsville Mile

The year we moved here, we were greeted by a driveway full of cars. Wondering what was going on, we wandered down to the school. What we discovered was half the valley - parents and kids - at our tiny, humble school. They had gathered for the apparently famous "Wellsville Mile". That's about the whole of it. A couple thousand people, gathered to watch the 4th and 5th graders of the valley run twice around the block. Newspaper reporters, dad's in suits, Mom's dragging multiple children, grandparents. Didn't seem all that amazing, but it did seem exactly the kind of thing that would bring tears to my eyes. I'm a sentimental mush, and the simplest of things often bring the greatest joy. In this case, it's the comrade re, the support, the town's pride.

Fast forward three years, and this is it...Spencer's last Wellsville Mile. That means so much more than a race. That indicates the end of elementary school. That means he is growing up.

We are so pleased with him! He has worked so hard to achieve his 9:43 time. He is a good sport, giving his all, and doing his best! He beats my mile time by almost a minute!! But he has also given his all in his school work, never giving up, always pushing a little bit more.

Way to go Bud! Now go give that effort in 6th grade!

Matty's First Year of Soccer

And so it begins...Matthew has joined the ranks of the sports players. He has been WAITING for this!! And he did not disappoint! He averaged at least one goal each game - usually more, ran circles around the other team AND his own, played the entire field - "hey if you are a defender and the field is open, you just go with it!". He loved every second of it! While other kids were crying because they were tired or bored, he cried when he had to sit out a quarter. He cried when they cancelled a game due to torrential rain, and he cried when the last game was over.
Not a bawl baby cry, just disappointed. He loved his soccer time!

He showed player's wisdom way beyond his years as he would stand outside of the age appropriate clump of kickers and wait for the ball to pop out, then he would take off with it and run it up the field.

As soon as his last game was over, he wanted to know when the next sport starts up. We are in for it with this one!

Olivia's First Year of Soccer

Their team only won two games, but Olivia's sweet coach kept encouraging the girls and was pleased with their efforts! I'm glad we still have coaches who know there is more to a game than winning.

Olivia wanted to play soccer this year. She was so excited for her uniform and cleats. But that is about as far as the excitement went. Due to her late summer birthday, she was the only one on the team who had never played before. And most of the girls had played for three years. She was a little bit intimidated by the ball and more than happy to sit out when everyone else wanted to be in. But by the last game, she had kicked the ball when it came to her, stopped it as a goalie and even taken a ball to the nose. Her coach said she was proud of her improvement and best of all, Olivia said she wants to try it again next year! Way to give it your all Sweetie!

Pacing the goalie box!

Diving on the ball!

Matthew's last year of Cache Children's Choir

It has been a fun year in the CCC. Matthew stole the show as he does in most things he attempts. There is just something about his self confidence, spunky personality and impish grin that draws people to him. But alas, he is off to kindergarten and sports, so he bids farewell to the Cache Children's Choir. Up next...Jacob's two years!

Matthew's last Cache Children's Choir performance

Shaking Miss. Katrisha's hand.

This year's class (if you look closely enough, you can see Matty's cheesy little grin between the hats).

My Two Buzzes

 Aren't they funny? We call them the "Two Buzzes" and they think it's great! We have a set of Woody pajamas, but they love to wear the Buzz ones together. These two brothers are the BEST OF FRIENDS and I am so thankful that they have each other! Heavenly Father sure knew what He was doing when He sent these two close together...even if I thought one of them should have been a girl. These boys make every day anything but boring!

Notice how both of their right legs is hiked up?! They are so silly!