Last Christmas I gave you my heart. . .

Last night I laid my clothes out:long sleeved shirt, tights, gloves, hat. I was going to get up early and go on a run. Really I was going to. Then the alarm went off. 5:43 a.m. (the odd number makes me feel as if I am really not all that conventional). I couldn't move. Seriously, it was like I was chained to the bed. I think gravity is stronger when there is a warm bed and a cold morning involved in the equation. I need to read an inspiring book or something. Either I will have to resign myself to unhealthiness or figure out how to drag my sorry self out of bed. I'm afraid Mike is no help in this area. Only two things get him up earlier than he has to for school; both things involve death or the loss of vital body parts. :) Maybe Summer will start running in the mornings with me. She did get some nike running shoes for her birthday.

Happy Birthday Summer! Summer is one of the most "put-together" women I know. She is good at everything and always seems to be right on top of things. We are so glad you are part of our family, Summer.

With Christmas parties and colder temperatures predicted I will probably resign myself to a very unhealthy season. Oh well.

We decorated for Christmas this week. Holidays are so much fun with kids. Kenzie loved putting the tree up and she was such a helper.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Let the weight gain begin! I love this time of year, and this weekend was an awesome start to the season.

We started off the day by trying to earn a calorie deficit. I ran our Stake 5K and Mike played in a Turkey Bowl. The Turkey Bowl was more adventurous than the 5K. Crazy! We hope Kenny's shoulder is okay.

After that we went to N. Ogden for our Thanksgiving lunch. It was fun with the Chambers clan. Mckenzie absolutely loves her cousin Kandelyn and they had a good time playing while we got to eat delicious food. I brought the carrots and celery (no applause needed).

After lunch, Mike completed the injuring of his body by playing basketball. He could barely walk the next day.

Later that day we went to Plain City for a little pie action! Mmmmm... that was our dinner as well--Pie. I love my mom's pies. They are the best in the world!

I'm thankful for. . .

The stillness in my house after hosting a morning of Joyschool.
The noise in my house while hosting a morning of Joyschool.
Hannah's scrunchie smiles
Kenzie's contagious giggles
Mike's laughter and how he makes me laugh
Jared's craziness and sweetness
Alisha's silliness and sister-ness :)
Shaelynn's jokes and playfulness
My mom's kindness, selflessness and grandma-ness
My dad's sense of humor
My Grandma Bette's toughness and laughter
Shirley's kindness (always)
Reid's hard work (he taught that to Mike) and desire to feed everyone (he also taught that to Mike)
Summer and Sherrie's listening and sympathizing and advice
Dave and Josh for being good men who are always willing to help out
Laurie's never-ending patience and love (babysitting a lot too)
Stacie's absolute sweetness and ability to make everyone feel good
Scott's love of his nieces and nephews (and when he reads good books and talks to me about them)
I am so blessed! My list could go on forever, but naptime (another thing I am thankful for) is coming to an end, so I'll have to end too. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Feast

Look at these cute kids! Kandelyn is crying because her nose hurts from being wiped, Tayson is checking out what everyone else is doing, Cooper knows just what to do for the camera, Betsy is the only one really looking at me, Rusty is wondering where her mom is, Kenzie is taking advantage of a rule break down by eating a cracker in the living room, and Ethan is perfect like always! Seven perfect two- and three-year-olds at our Thanksgiving Feast. By the way the paper vest moment lasted about two seconds. It was just long enough for one picture before they were thrown on the ground and the kids were all wandering around.

Joyschool is always crazy, and I feel like I've been through a hurricane after we host it, but it is so worth it! The kids are so funny and sometimes they sing along or pay attention, or are even enthralled (during story time).

I know these kids have a long way to go before kindergarten, but I can't possibly imagine being a kindergarten teacher with a roomful of 20+ kids, unless I was permanently hopped up on caffiene. These kids have so much energy.

Trotting for Turkeys (and with them)

Mike got the special privilege of pushing the jogging stroller today. We ran the Syracuse Turkey Trot 5K, which is free! (Shout-out for Free 5Ks) I thought it might slow him down, so that maybe I could keep up with him. Nope, he still runs faster than me. I kept up for the first mile, but the second mile he was off like a superhero with a blue sidekick stroller.

He kept yelling encouraging things over his shoulder, but they sounded like "Mmmmph, mmmph!" as far ahead of me as he was. I think he might have got a thumb cramp (see earlier double jogger post), or he felt sorry for me because he slowed down considerably the last mile and I was able to catch up. I passed him at the end, using my patented sprint-ahead-of-the-guy-with-a-stroller move (ask Josh, my brother-in-law about that one), but really he was just being nice. Thanks Mike! My self-esteem is saved. :)

This is our third year at this race and we love it because 1. Price (it's free) 2. Great prizes 3. Good cause (you bring food for the Utah Food Bank instead of money) and 4.Free water bottles. I love water bottles, especially free ones that don't leak. This year we managed to get four water bottles! One free one each for Mike and I, one as a prize for third place and one as a prize in a drawing. If you want to play poker with us we will bet water bottles. :) Not really, since we don't play poker or bet. Our game of choice is Scrabble.

After our fun 5K we got the girls' pictures taken at Target. They are so cute! I can't wait to get them so I can post them.

We also got to play at the Hooper park today. It was Hannah's first experience with playground swings and she loved it! Kenzie has always loved to swing too, and she was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe. Mike pushes her really high and then pretends like she is kicking him. She thinks it is the funniest thing ever. Hooper park is a great park with lots of big, old trees and metal playground equipment. It is serious heavy-duty stuff. The leaves from the trees were all over the ground and as much fun to play in as the swings. Don't you love parks with big trees?

Hannah Smiles!

Hannah is so smiley! I love how happy she is, practically all the time. Today we had our neighbors, John and Catherine and their baby Shiloh, over for dinner and she just smiled and smiled. She loves other babies and she gets so excited when anyone even looks at her. Her eyes just crinkle up and disappear. What a blessing to have such a happy happy baby.

Tagged

Okay, I've been tagged and these are the rules I have been given.
A. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
B. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. I am a pushover to peer pressure (good thing I have good peers)

2. Pet Peeves: Wet socks (on my feet)
Water dripping down my arm when I scrub the shower
Sweating in nice clothes
The sound of styrofoam or balloons being rubbed (eeekkk)
Someone (Mckenzie) wiping her nose on my shirt

3. Favorite Life Moments:
Getting married to Mike in the temple
Holding Mckenzie for the first time
Having my water break in the waiting room at the hospital (I really need a room, please)
Holding Hannah for the first time
Running a 2:06 800 with Allison
Getting a job teaching at Brighton

4. Favorite quotes:
"Most people run in a race to see who is the fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts."
"I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."
"It's cold and there are wolves after me."

5. Selfish things I wish for a year's supply of:
Chocolate
Sports bras (good expensive ones)
Pants that fit

6. Favorite Books:
Their Eyes were Watching God
Harry Potter #1
So Big
The Chosen
The Poisonwood Bible
Stellaluna
Runaway Bunny
Mr. Bell's Fix it Shop

So you can make up your own facts or copy mine (and put in your own favorites :) I tag Val, Cristina, Heidi, Caroline and that's pretty much all the bloggers I know!

I am two. . .

This week I noticed that while I was in the company of adults (which doesn't happen often outside of adults related to me), I have taken on the communicating abilities of a two-year-old. These characteristics include constantly interrupting, asking for candy every 5 seconds, and repeating myself in a whiny voice. I must be fun to be around. I feel like I am the interrupting cow in that dumb knock-knock joke.
I keep thinking I should join some class about a deep and meaningful subject, where I might be able to discuss lofty and meaningful things in order to keep my mind working above the level of a two-year-old, but really what could be more enlightening and meaningful than a thorough discussion on why we go potty in the toilet (not on the grass except when there's an emergency) or why we don't have any chicken nuggets. You have to be pretty quick on your feet to get down to the last "Why?"
Besides answering "why" questions, this week has been pretty uneventful. Mike went and picked up our new swing set this Saturday (with the help of Josh, John, and Reid) and I am so excited for it! Mike said that there was only one incident where they almost ripped out the side wall of John's garage. I guess it was pretty heavy. We are going to try and keep it hidden in the backyard until Christmas. This will involve not opening the blinds for the next six weeks and making up lies if Kenzie notices it. Hmmmm. . .

This Saturday I got to cover the Weber State XC regional meet. It was so fun to talk to the athletes. I felt almost nostalgic. Nostalgic and inspired enough to consider signing up for the Ogden Half Marathon in May. I even looked at the website and tried to convince Mike to be my running partner. (C'mon, it's just a half marathon.) Then today I got all excited about the Xterra winter world championships until I looked up the events-- they include "randonnee skiing." This might as well be "break-you-knee skiing" as much as I know about it. I haven't even normal skied for three years. I really think I want to do the Ogden Half. My last half marathon was a torturous event which took me days to recover from. I'm so excited to sign up for another one! I will have to make friends with my double jogger though, or wake up really really early.

In other news I am not pregnant. Apparently, I am the only one in my group of HSFTISS (High School Friends that I Still See). Congratulations to Jana, Katie, Carrie, and Stephanie. Are you pregnant Kathryn? :) I almost feel like having another baby, but my memories are still too potent. We had dinner at Stephanie and Robert's. It was fun to see everyone again and somewhat crazy with kids running around. I never imagined us as moms and wives (or even as adults).

Double Jogger For Sale

I really haven't decided to sell it yet. But after Friday's run, I almost walked in the door and listed right then (after I considered throwing it away or hitting it with a baseball bat, or pouring gasoline on it and lighting it on fire). Running is supposed to be an escape, a way to get away, clear your mind of troubles. This is impossible when jogging with a 2-year-old. Instead it turns into the same q&a/demands that I get at home, with the addition of long pauses while I gasp for air.

I thought maybe teddy grahams would do the trick, a little bribe for quiet. Nope. Teddy grahmas gone, Kenzie amuses herself by poking Hannah and asking on a never-ending repeat, "Mom, where are we going? Why? I want to go home. I'm cold." Then she leans forward and all the blankets fall out of the stroller. I stop, tuck them back in, make various threats and promises, and then try to run. The stroller veers distinctly to the left, and my thumb has cramps from trying to keep it straight. (Thumb cramps, add that to the list of ailments known only after children.)

Adding to the excitement of this particular double jogger run is that I am running to every gas station within a 3 mile radius (there are three), to try and find free air for the tires on the double jogger. The tires are slightly flat, which might be why it feels like Kenzie and Hannah weigh 1,000 pds. Every free air station is out of order. At the end of the run, I almost started crying. It was not a proud mom moment. I said to Kenzie, after a particularly annoying Hannah-poke, "I don't understand why you can't just sit still and be good while I go on a run. I just don't understand." It was not in a loving tone either. The rest of the day she said in stern tones to her stuffed animals and dolls, "I just don't understand. I don't understand." Hmmmm... I blame it all on the evil double jogger.

Venting over. We had a nice weekend driving to Idaho (nice is not sarcastic, it really was fun), to celebrate Alisha and my mom's birthdays. Alisha and Dustin have a cute little apartment and it was so fun to see the Russells. We missed Jared and Shaelynn being there. Kenzie and Hannah were super good for the drive. (How does Kenzie manage to be so good for 4 hours of driving and so bad for 30 min. of running?)

Happy B-day Mom and Alisha!