Mark's HEART ATTACK

This Valentine's Day was pretty low key as the girls and I did not feel like our normal selves (that means we were sick).

It started for Leilani on Friday the 11th-she attended a rockin' Valentine's Party at a friend’s house and said it was the "coolest party ever!"

Saturday night was our 3rd annual Newlywed Game, Fiesta style. Sadly, I did not have the energy to take pictures or decorate so I did not document the evening, but the food and friends were fun. Dan and Sabs took home the "Perfect Pair" prize. I'm thinking we are going to have to start making trophies for future games.

Sunday we celebrated Di's birthday and Sunday night is why I'm really writing this post. Sunday's activities had come to a close. The kids were bathed, scriptures read, prayers said, backpacks and shoes were by the front door and the kids were fast asleep...or so we thought. Mark and I were getting ready for bed when I heard something outside. I thought it might be Aidyn as she wasn't feeling well. I mentioned it to Mark, he thought it was nothing and we started talking again. I kept hearing the noise but disregarded it as I figured if Ai needed something she would vocalize it. We keep talking and Mark tells me how he wants to share a poem with me. Sure, I said, thinking that it was odd that he suddenly become poetic...this is where the fun began...I am already laughing and I haven't even typed it up yet...

Imagine Mark and I sitting in bed talking...he then becomes poetic and wants to share a poem. Oh, so sweet…and awkward too! But alas, the poem is in the kitchen so he has to get out of bed, open the door and get it. He does just that...opens the door.

Me: Look at our door! (The door has been heart-attacked and I see a glimpse of Leilani's pj pants dash past in the dark)

Mark: (Walks out of the bedroom into the powder bath where the nightlight has been left on. He wants to turn it off, when suddenly he turns to the left, crouches down into attack stance and yells) AARGH! (He charges and grabs at my daughter's arm)

Leilani: (Screaming) Dad!

I was dying of laughter at the whole split second event, Mark and Leilani were screaming out of fear into each other's faces. The end result was a lot of adrenaline, eventual laughter, and a beautifully heart-attacked door from our three girls, and yes, he still read me the poem.

Happy LOVE Day!

Thanks for making it memorable Mark and Leilani!

Stretchy Like Your Stomach

The day has finally come! Three weeks of bathing a child who normally doesn't need help has been quite a task (yes, to those of you young mothers, it is easily forgotten once you don't have to bathe them anymore). Aidyn is getting her cast removed! Hooray! But this post isn't about her, or about how she romped around on it broken and castless for 10 days after she jumpled off of her top bunk into a sea of toys before we brought her to get it checked out...this post is about ME and the little self-image I once had! Ai and I made a little lunch date out of getting her cast removed. I scheduled her appointment during her lunch and recess in hopes that she wouldn't miss any instructional time. It was a pretty good plan, except that the appointment took much longer than I expected. Since we hadn't had lunch we decided to grab a bite to eat before I took her back to school. No problem. She went, had fun showing off her "new" castless leg and came home (yes, with a fever of 101, but that is another story). The first thing she says when she walks in the door is,"Mom, my skin (from her cast leg) is stretchy like old skin, it looks like your stomach". Well, thank you, dear! For those of you who know me, I am not the most confident in my looks, BUT I have, for the most part, thought I had a pretty nice belly. Even after delivering three babies. So you can just imagine that what I though looked so "nice" looked like old skin to my baby girl. Yes Aidyn, you crushed my world! And gave me the best laugh all day!

Name That Book School Competition

There are many things I love about Mia, but the characteristic that I admire the most is her confidence. Last week she came home from school announcing that her 3rd grade team had made it to the Swenke Elementary Name That Book Finals...Wow! I didn't even know that she was part of a team! I didn't know that she and her friends spent lunch and recesses reading, studying and reviewing 100 book titles and storylines. She never asked for an opinion or told me what she was doing, she was just doing it. I would have been scared to death to be a part of a team like that! Who am I kidding, I still am! This is a picture after the school competition in which six teams (two from each grade, 3rd-5th) participated. We are proud of you girls, and especially proud of our Mia-who seriously stares fear in the face and isn't afraid to try new things!

Happy New Year?

With the beginning of the New Year we all seem to make resolutions but today is the day my resolution comes to an end. In 2007, I stuggled to train to run a marathon, 26.2 miles, with young children still home. I ended up getting injured and only ran a half marathon on Jan 1, 2008. I felt like a loser as I fell short 13.1 miles of my goal to do 26.2. In 2010, I had three children in school and had gotten past feeling like I always had to be doing something for someone else. I decided to take time for me. That meant that I was going to exercise consistantly. Though my social life suffered, my exercise did not. I said that I was going to exercise and I did. I ran, I swam, I cycled. In the end I ran a few half marathons, getting an under 2:00 hour half -marathon PR in Provo, as well as my slowest half at 2:13 in the hills of Huntsville, competed in a small Navy Seals competition, and did a 100-mile bike ride (Tour de Cure) for diabetes with my hubby, father in law, and friends McCall Sessions and Todd Maddox. I'm sure in the process of exercising, I lost a few brain cells, enough to sign up for a marathon, but felt good that I had a stable base built to successfully complete my failed goal of 2008. Though the Texas Marathon did not go as I hoped for with my time, I overcame a huge roadblock mentally. My first 3 loops of the 4 loop course was going well, then at mile 19.5, my left knee gave me serious trouble and I had to walk, walk, walk, attempt to run, and walk again. The last 7 miles were the slowest and could have been the most disappointing, but amazingly I enjoyed every moment. I did not let that setback bring me down and that was huge for me. I successfully finished the marathon and checked it off the bucket list...well, that is until I do my next one in June where there no walking is allowed!

The New Year Runners...Daniel Lawton (who placed 1st in the marathon), "Derwin", Di & Jeannine (who ran the half-marathon), Me, Dad and Mark...missing from picture is our friend Christian Rauch.

Standing tall, even with those 10 pound medals hanging around our necks. And Mark has good reason to be doing so. Mark qualified for Boston, running a 3:09:52! Congratulations and see you in Boston in 2012!

The matching ladies...JUST DO IT! We did!

Thanks for the memorable new year day and not so memorable New Year's Eve. Next year I will be up late, stuffing my face with all the yummy Japanese foods I missed this year!

Find Your Happy Pace

Saturday mornings are rarely a day for us to sleep in. This one happened to be just like any other Saturday morning...an early long run or ride morning BUT this time it was going to be FUN because we were headed up to do the Huntsville Half Marathon with our friends. We left the house at 5:45am and carpooled up with Daniel Erwin, the Cryer's and Teerlink's (Steph's sister, Whitney and her hubby Jared). We arrived early, thank goodness, so we could all use the bathrooms (which, by the way smelled lovlier than ever) and get the jitters out of our system. It was the toughest 13.1 miles I have ever run...the hills kicked my trash and it was tough for the tum tum (I felt like throwing up at mile 8 and tasted vomit at mile 11.5). It was the first time I stopped to walk during a run because I was feeling so bad (yes, the last 2.5 miles were dreadful. How am I going to survive 26.2?). I was attempting to settle my tummy and in doing so...let the minutes pass by so 2 hours came and said good-bye. In the end I had my worst run at a 2:13 but it was all good. Mark ended up taking 2nd overall and 1st in his age-group (GO MARK!) running a 1:29. Considering the hills I'd say we did pretty good. Find your happy pace!

Happy 34th Birthday, Mark!

Today is Mark's birthday. He is 34 years old. We are now the same age...what a relief, he was worried that he married an old woman. Today actually ended up being fun because the youth temple trip got cancelled which allowed Markus to be home to celebrate his birthday. We had a family party on Sunday for Jack-Jack, Sabs, Daniel and Mark, but it's always nice to celebrate on the day of your birth...that sounds weird. So, we made a surprise dinner for Mark. Steak, salmon, fruit salad, mixed sweet and gold potatoes, and a yummy green salad with salty and sweet. He even got the "you are special today" plate. And look, I am a part of the family. Erwin has been living with us so he was able to take a picture of all five of us. Thanks, Daniel!

The meal was yummy, the company was the best and the cookie cake was a nice try...

It was my first attempt at making a chocolate chip cookie cake...it will probably be my last as well as it was a complete disaster! So I spread out the dough, it smells lovely, and I pop it in the oven. My house smells of delicious cookies baking but it's a little too soon so I walk over to the oven to check up on it...yes, it's the slime monster overflowing all over my oven. The cookie dough was dripping over the sides creating a cookie oven for me to clean. It was awful. Cookie everywhere and then, I overbaked the darn thing! So looks are deceiving! It looks good but it was as hard as a rock. Good thing I had a snickers ice-cream cake for a back-up plan in the freezer to redeem myself!

Happy birthday, Mark. Thanks for being the best thing that we have! Love you more!

Happy 8th Birthday, Mia!!!

Mia-Mia,

Today you are eight years old. What a wonderful 8 years it has been with you in our lives! It has been so fun to see you blossom into a bright and beautiful young girl-so full of life and energy! It has been espescially fun to see you grow in confidence. There was a time where you seemed to struggle trying to get your individual attention from Mom and Dad-always having to wait on Leilani or Aidyn. Now, you don't wait-you state your need right away and get your individual time with us, now making Leilani and Aidyn wait :). Thatta girl! You have developed good friends and a great sense of independence. I love to see you shine like that! Happy birthday, Mia! I am so glad you are ours! Keep being great! We love you!