Florida Hampton Conference

 Lots of crazy costumes! 

 This is two girls bent and squished in this 3 foot box!

Jeff and I had the opportunity to go to the Hampton Inn Conferences in Orlando, FL this year. Our first hotel conference and we were really excited, not just to go to Florida but no kids! I love them to death but its been a while since its just been us. Bev, my sisters, and my parents were so wonderful to watch the boys. I was really nervous to leave Hunter but he was actually really good. We took some really late and really early flights to get there and they kicked our bums. Once we were there it was so much fun. They gave everyone at the conference so many awesome things. Jeff had meetings he went to most of the day. Then we had speakers and entertainment at night. We stayed in a beautiful hotel, the Waldorf Astoria, and just stepping in the place with my flip flops and jean shorts I wanted to run away. Posh to say the least. Some of the speakers were Richard Branson (Virgin Records) and Michael Eisner (Disney) I wish I could have listened to them, but shopping and the pool were calling my name. I went to Downtown Disney one day and got some gifts for the boys. The food was so amazing I am still drooling just talking about it. Every night was a feast from every country you can imagine! This conference hosted owners from around the world! The last night they took us to Epcot and we had some crazy performers and then watched the fireworks. It was wonderful to just lay by the pool and read and sleep. Can't wait till we can do it again!

St. George Marathon

 I don't know what the deal was, I've done a lot of races and I've always had butterflies but the week before and the whole day before I was a nervous wreck. Family would call on Friday and say good luck, and I would want to break down in tears and say I quit. Friday night I slept ok until I had a dream that Jeff and I took the Pinto road out to the start (it's a bumpy dirt road, but a shortcut) and we got a flat tire and I couldn't run the race. That morning I woke up around 5am and started getting ready still super nervous and wanting to not race. Jeff and I hopped in the truck and I told him about the dream and he said, "Well I was planning on taking the Pinto road?? Do you want to?" I said, "Its just a dream." We had a little scare when the truck said low tire pressure but Jeff said it was saying the same thing all yesterday. On we go to the race, we are almost to the main road when we hear this grinding sound and then we knew...flat tire! Of all the things, I just start laughing and am somewhat relieved because now I really have an excuse not to run. He called his friend Nick though that was staying at his cabin nearby and luckily they were just leaving and came to pick me up. Nervousness sets in again! I was alone, so I lined up next to the 4:30 pace group hoping I would finish at 4:15 or 4:30. The pacer was a nutritionist and was saying how hot it was going to get today and if your a sweater, and I am, no water, just gatorade to replace your sodium. Unless taking your GU. In the end this advice could have saved me looking back. I had brought a GU knowing I need one every 5-6 miles to make it. There were so many people and it was absolutely gorgeous and amazing to see the snake of runners as far as you could see in front and in back of you! Felt great, warmed up the first 2 miles at a 10:15-10:30 pace. Then felt great until at seven I realized they were not providing any GU. I knew I was in trouble. I ran the whole mile up the Cone Hill and was right on the money at 2:15 for my first 13 miles, hoping for a 2:05 last half. I felt my lack of energy and GU at 14 and contemplated asking others if they had a spare when I found an unopened one on the ground. I picked it up and guzzled that thick stuff down. It carried me till mile 21 when all I wanted to do was walk and knowing the rest was downhill. I kept it slow till 23 and died from 23 to 26. I walked slow and ran slow those last three miles, not even pumped up with all those fans. I turned the corner and saw the finish and thought, I really can't run that far!!! But I made it those last .2 miles running and crossed the finish line in 4 hours 45 min. I was a little bummed to have missed my time, but couldn't have physically pushed it any further. I finished and was in a daze and drooling over my popsicle and Dr. Pepper. I had no desire to eat but knew I had to. My family was all there and they are my forever fans and I love them for the support and motivation they have given me. I did it and I will do it again! It was probably the hardest physical thing I have done yet, but so motivating to have accomplished it.

Hunters Happy Birthday

Hunter my baby turned one. Its always been said that with each kid time goes by faster and I realized how true this statement was when we realized he was almost one. I honestly feel like I just had him and I still long for those sweet newborn days, though I cherish these funny toddler stages as well. This past year has been one event to the next. From basketball season, to HIT training, to Ironman training, to vacations, to hospital visits, to marathon training and more. I always thought my babies were wonderful and relatively easy through each stage but man o man you put them shame. I can honestly say you never stressed me out for half a second, you sleep through crazy boy antics and rowdy wrestling fights, you were a great eater, slept all night, just chilled as we dragged you to every athletic event you can imagine. My most favorite thing to see every night and each morning was and will always be your SMILE! Those dimples melt my heart as does the way you smile and lay your head on my shoulder when I pick you up out of your crib. Your brothers and dad adore you and you feel the same about them always ready to follow them wherever they go. Happy birthday my little sweet Hunty!

 How can a birthday party not be crazy when you have nine grandkids running around like maniacs. This year I toned down the birthday craziness with one balloon for Hunter and no crazy hour long cakes, and a few presents. Another reason I love having family close is for birthdays, the kids are the best and have so much fun together.

 He wasn't so sure about the cake, grabbing for the fire was fun though, good thing Jayme warned me first.

 We ate cake and then outside we went to enjoy ourselves. Jadyn was so good to take him on a ride. She wrote this cute birthday card for him all by herself. It was pink paper stuck together with a button glued in the middle and it said, " To Hunter You Are 1! From Jadyn. Too cute. How lucky we are to have such good family!

Cedar Canyon Half Marathon

It was a family event last weekend at the first annual Cedar Canyon Half Marathon. We loaded the buses at 6am with talk of the $200 bet between Jace and Jim. Considering that Cassie and Bev and I were the only ones out of all of us that had actually ran really far it was pretty good odds to have all of us finish. On the the bet, Jace was "training" for the St. George Marathon and Jim bet Jace in this half that he could beat him without any training at all. Two hundred bucks for the grand prize.

The race was beautiful being in the mountains and somewhat nice until after to have gravity on your side. It was pretty steep on some parts. Jeff, Jim and I ran together and we started off pretty fast 8 min miles, not what I was planning but I couldn't let them beat me. Cassie was way ahead of us all as usual so we kept an 8:30 pace consistently till mile 11. I was shocked that Jim was still with us to be honest but I give him props all the way, it just makes me sick though to think of talent wasted while I sit here working my untalented bum off. At about mile 8 Jeff stopped for a break and Jim confident as always pushed ahead of me a few hundred yards and yelled back, "see ya at the finish!" Ya right I said see you in a mile, which I did. Jeff caught back up and we all stayed together till 10, when Jeff pulled ahead, I was starting to feel the pace then and knew I wouldn't make it up the hill if I pushed it now, better to wait till 12. Jim stayed with me till we started the hill at 11 and I thankfully was glad to see him go. No offense Jim, what you did shouldn't be humanly possible, but it obviously was. We all finished two minutes or so apart. Jeff at 1:53, Me at 1:55, Jim at 1:57. Jayme came in next and did super awesome for her first! Then Jace came throwing his two bones at Jim before he finished and the Bev. It was probably the most fun I've had doing a race, mostly because of doing as a family. All the grandkids finished with Bev at the end, it was so cute and they were so excited.

First Days of Preschool

Jax and Jake had their first days of preschool last week and it was so exciting for them and a little sadness mixed in with happiness for their mother. We carpool this year and I was lucky enough to take Jax and his friends the first day. They were all jabbering the whole way their and he just walked right off without even a kiss or a goodbye, broke my heart to see him so big. But he didn't resist when I insisted on a kiss, so he may be big but he still needs his mommy. Its been fun for him to have friends in his class too.

Jake had his first day the next day and his school starts at 12:30 pm. He was dressed and ready with his backpack on at 8 am! He knew his aunt Jayme was taking him (which was really hard for his mom on his first day) so when she showed up to pick up Jax at 9 am he was out the door and almost in her car before we could catch him. I told him it wasn't his turn yet and the look on his face was so disappointed! I felt so bad, from then on he asked me every hour if it was time yet. When he left finally he was so cute and gave me a kiss and yelled bye mom! When he came home he busted out his first picture and was so proud! We hung it right up on the fridge. 

How did they grow up so fast? I need them little again. Its sad to think that I only have five years to teach them and then the world gets to have more influence, those first five I am learning are so so important. So many things you want them to learn so they will be able to withstand what the world is going to throw at them! But grow up they must and I am so proud of them.

Cedar Express 31 Relay

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to run my first relay with four other amazing women. It was the Cedar Express 31 Mile Relay and it was a blast!!! There were five of us and we each run two legs of about 3 miles give or take. I didn't really think I was nervous until that morning. We decorate my car pink with a sign that said "We left our 19 kids home!" The day went by so fast and was so fun going from stop to stop and waiting for the next to come in and then to go again. We passed our pink boa which we thought was a good idea at first till we realized how hot anything around your neck is! It made it to the end. There were some tough legs, like the hills in Cross Hollow were tough. We made it to the end and we ended up taking second place in the women's division. Totally suprised us, but so awesome and so fun! I would do it again in a heartbeat, thanks girls! Loved it!

Summer pictures

These are a few pictures of our craziness this summer:

Flexi-Blocks at Grandma Squires (I love these!)

Hunter is in the plank position, between this and downward dog I thought we were never going to crawl, but by July he finally had it down.

We went up to the cabin quite a bit which is always so fun, this is all the boys practicing and lined up to shoot their targets. It was so fun to have my whole family up at the cabin over the fourth. Love them!

We had a great time at Newcastle again and the boys did a little knee boarding! The concentration on Jakes face above is so intense. Jaxon was just worried and hoping not to fall off and did great of course.

We went to a Burgess family reunion in Blanding and on the way back went through Monument Valley which is amazing, so lucky to have so many beautiful things so close to home. 

(I think I was just thinking too much about the next three hours in the car, I couldn't even smile:))

This was one of the funniest days of the summer, Jayme and her kids were over as well as the France boys and they were running out of games, till Jadyn found my yarn. She came up and said Melina could we play with this so I said sure and it was all concentration after that, they worked together all seven of them to create the largest spider web on record and were throughly entertained for well over an hour. Best thing that yarn was ever good for!

This is post clean up and the pic above doens't even do their work justice. It was strung from that TV cabinet in the back clear to the other wall, halfway up the stairs, not an inch of space didn't have at least one string of yarn on it. 

This is the job they did on the safe handle. You want to keep seven kids occupied and working together, give them yarn, a big basement and freedom to twist it however they like it.