Beast and the Beauty

On August 29th I (meaning Andrea, many of you may think it was Jeremy whereas he's an AWESOME runner and incredibly talented but no it was the lesser of the talented Me.) Ran 13.1 miles just because I could..well that and I had an awesome partner who said I could..well and it oddly enough sounded like fun. I've been training with my partner Mindy for quite a few months. We've been running together for a little over a year and at the beginning of the Summer she suggested it and I decided why not. It was an A*M*A*Z*I*N*G experience that I would do again and again. We chose to do the top of Utah half marathon which is held in my second home a.k.a. Logan. There were over 2200 runners ranging in age from 12-79! I was super excited and nervous at the start of the race and even threw up at mile 2 but was able to make up some good time and finished in just over 2 hours. I lost my running buddy after Mile 2 and seriously had to do some serious soul searching on why I was running the race but after I concluded that I was running the race for me and only me and it really didn't matter what my time was and I realized I didn't have to impress anybody with a killer awesome time. I really relaxed and got into the grove of running. I felt great through out the rest of the race and really enjoyed myself..I know it sounds impossible to be able to enjoy yourself while running but I really did. And now I'll show you pictures of me running and the post race...I'm going to warn you that I look far less than adorable and I'm really aware that I am super sweaty and these are in no way glamorous but I'm super proud of them anyway.

Me waving to all my wonderful family that should up and all my great friends who helped cheer me on! (sidenote: I'm seriously staring at my little girls because there hair wasn't done and I was mortified they were out in public with hair like that..shallow?? Maybe but I'm a mom and hair that is neglected means a child has been neglected (k not really but I have issues with it) (Obviously.))


I thought this was my end time but no...I had to wait in a line for them to take off my ankle chip..that really really sucked. mainly because I was sure I was going to throw up again at any second.

Me with my girls afterwards if you notice in my hand I have 4 cups that I guzzled so fast and another two not pictured that I drank before that. I was thirsty and oh so hungry!

Cute Abby even if her hair is neglected.

Everyone kept calling to see where I was so I just went and sat by the ambulance so people could find me..I figured it was the safest place for me to be.

This is Mindy...she's awesome she finished in an hour 48 minutes...she won't tell you she's awesome though, just because she's that kind of person. I'm so glad she helped me train she really is the best running buddy a person can ask for.

Now that you've endured those nasty pictures however inspiring they are....... after the race I went back to Jeremy's parent's house and cleaned up I had an amazing photo shoot with Brooke Snow which I'm pretty sure I cyber-stalk she is INCREDIBLE. Anyhow she took THESE photo's. I felt so awesome taking them not because I'm a super babe but because I had set a goal that day and majorly accomplished it and I was super happy with myself. It really shows in my smile and the last picture of me jumping in the air...holy crap after I did that and landed I realized how tired my legs where after running 13.1 miles but still a great experince that everyone should be able to have.

ummm in case you were wondering about the title of this blog post I was both the Beast and the Beauty I looked pretty beastly in the running pictures and I felt Beautiful in my little photo shoot.

The End

Lizzie's Firsts

Lizzie had a lot of exciting firsts at the end of August and like a good Mom I documented them all. First off was her first ballet class. I really didn't want to push Lizzie into ballet but when I heard about this new classical ballet studio opening I asked Lizzie if she wanted to give it a try. Lizzie debated about it for a little while and then decided if she didn't like it she could do soccer in the spring. I was so happy and had such a trip down memory lane as we went and bought her first pair of ballet shoes and leotard and tights. She's done remarkably well and really enjoys it. I really try not to be to pushy about it but I would be just thrilled if she continued on with it.



Lizzie's hair slicked back into a proper ballet bun. With a hair comb that I used to wear with my ballet buns.

Striking her poses quite well. I could be biased but she's quite the natural.


Lizzie's next big first started the next day with her first Day in Kindergarten! Lizzie has been ready for ages but it was nice to get it officially on it's way. I was prepared for my tears but the thing that caught me off guard was Abby's. She and Lizzie have done nearly everything together this Summer and when we dropped Lizzie off to School Abby sat right down next to Lizzie and threw a huge FIT when I told her it was our time to go. Abby cried the whole way home and said she wanted to go to school with Lizzie. I think Lizzie missed Abby while she was at school but when Lizzie came back she told Abby all about school while they shared an after school snack. It was one of those small moments that I know I'm going to have to throw in their faces when they're teenagers and they hate each other.

Lizzie all ready to go to school. Her new kicks, her favorite monkey shirt, a butterfly back pack and a giant kiss to her favorite sister.

Lizzie in her class ready for me and her siblings to leave so she can start ruling the classroom.

Lizzie was so silly when she came home and showed me her picture she made. Then gave me some model directions of how she wanted her picture taken.

She wanted to show everyone that she can blow a bubble...I mean afterall she is a big Kindergarten girl now.

This is her fashion smile. Don't know why she calls it that but it sure makes me think she's growing up way too fast!

overwhelmation

OVERWHELMATION
yes i just made up a word and honestly i like it. I realize that it's been like a month since i posted and i realize that i've lost all my faithful readers but...i mean...come on...life is so much fun and particularly busy in the summer months. So here I go with an attempt at a farewell post to summer.

We went to Lagoon. Lizzie loved all the rides and cried her eyes out when she couldn't ride Wicked but still she needed to grow another 4 inches in like 20 minutes and it just wasn't happening but she did get to ride The Bat and she had a great time doing that.




Lizzie and Abby are now professional drivers thanks to the bumper cars at Lagoon. We'll have to stock up on some super good insurance.



I had my 10 yr reunion and it was super super super cool. It was really good to see these fab girls and catch up on what's going on in their lives.

I was really glad to get to see Jenn. We've been friends since Jr. High and I was a sucky friend and lost contact with her after I left CEU. She looked fabulous but was even more fabulous to talk to. I really hope we can see each other sooner than another 10 years.



While we were in my hometown we were able to see a parade. The girls were so cute with the whole candy throwing business. The streets were lined with lots of kids and it was a major competition for each piece of candy. Each time a float would come up the girls would line the street holding hands hoping for some candy.




And if some stingy float went by without throwing candy at my adorable girls this is what they looked like.


They still loved the parade and probably have six or seven new cavities because of it.

You may ask yourself where is Will in all of these pictures. Well he was off doing something like this to his face:

Will has issues with not bumping, bruising, scratching some part of his body on a daily basis. I guess that's just what you get when you're as crazy as he is.


So this fire was pretty darn close to our house. Started in the grass field that should be a park across from our house. Some darn kids were playing with something in the field and took off but the fire dept. was pretty quick to get it out.


secretly I hoped that it would burn and kill all the grasshoppers and their little eggs but I guess it was a smart thing to put it out and not risk hundreds of homes catching on fire.

Speaking of fire...He was on....


Jeremy was able to play Ultimate Frisbee with L-3 and won for like the 5th year in a row. I love watching Jeremy play he's so super talented!
Cheering on the 2nd place team. It was a close close game but L3 totally won it!




The entire team with their winning medals. The team was huge this year I think maybe next year they might do two teams.

The girls were super proud of their Daddy and his amazing jumping abilities.


The last bit of summer Gma and Gpa Rawlings "kidnapped" Lizzie and all the older cousins for a weekend and ended it at Bear Lake so we tagged along to enjoy the last bit of summer.

The kids dug in the sand and played in the water.

Little Kambria looked like a movie star in her hat and glasses.

Lizzie and Savanah were super proud of their sand castle adorned with mini sea shells.

Gma and Gpa with almost all of their grandkids just missin little ms. leah. Anyone know how to get 7 kids and two adults to look at a camera for 3 seconds?


This made me remember the start of our summer in San Deigo...in some ways that seems like ages ago and yet it was just a matter of weeks. I know in just another matter of weeks it'll be a new year we'll be done with the holidays and maybe then i'll be able to breathe a little easier. but then again i know that where i am in my life is just as a busy mom and i'll be here for a little while. so you'll have to excuse the small spaces between these posts just know that when those happen i'm really just loving life and trying to experince it all with all my heart.

Duck Fork Quick post #2

(this really is a short post I took over 125 pictures and have just posted 10 a very hard task if you ask me!)

The weekend of the 24th we went camping with my parents and my Older brother's family. Normally we camp at Pete's Hole above Joe's Valley but this year my Dad decided on Duck Fork and Wood Tick Flat. The last time I remember camping here was with my Grandma and Grandpa Orr when I was like 12 or so. It was a total trip down memory lane and luckily we had brought our 4 wheeler to go down those lanes.
Jeremy had lost a tie down on the way up to camp and decided to take his 4 wheeler to go back looking for it...umm the roads were a little bit dusty. But he totally pulls of the mad scientist look and thus gets an A.

Will and Abby were inseparable this time around and went hiking everywhere. Abby was always gathering flowers wherever she went.

The flowers were unbelievable this year. They were fragrant and oh so vibrant I only wish I were a better photographer so that you could get the grand effect. It was beautiful.
Our campground had this super cool tee-pee that we thought the kids would love playing. Turns out they were scared it would tip over but still made for something cool to look at.

Jeremy loved taking the kids for 4 wheeler rides and Abby loved to go. She got to wear a cool "blue hat" and go and pick flowers every where (honestly I wouldn't let them pick flowers but they were in overabundance this year.)

Abby looking super cool in her blue hat and oh so ready to go!
Some of Abby's flowers that she picked. I'm not sure if there are many of those white flowers left Abby picked millions of them and cried her eyes out when I made her leave them there but luckily I have a bush that grows the same sort of flowers in my backyard.

This was the coolest trail I've ever been on. There were so many beautiful shades of purple. I took most of the pictures on the back of the 4-wheeler while we were moving otherwise I'd have stopped for hours and hours setting up the right shot. It was so gorgeous and a fun ride too! Lots of streams to go through and a bridge and some good climbs. It was marvelous!
My mom and Dad with all of their grandkids. They sure had a great time playing together and Mom took the kids for hikes while Dad was deteremined to have each kid catch a fish. Whenever we go to the Mountains now Abby asks where's Grandpa because she's pretty sure that's where he lives. I'm pretty sure she's close to right.

3 quick posts post 1 The Fray

So I have soo soo sooo much to post so I've selected just five of my favorite shots from each event and posted them. Mid-July Me and Jeremy were able to go to The Fray with Jeremy's brother and wife. We had such a great time and made me really miss the early days of our marriage and hanging out with them with less kids around. We started the night out at Texas Roadhouse my new fav place to eat....I like me some steak!

Sorry Mike. Tricia looked way too cute in this picture and since you can't seem to keep your eyes open in any picture you get to look kind of funny.


After Dinner we got to the concert and went to go get something sweet to snack on. Tricia paid the outrages amount of $5.00 for a bag of Cotton Candy and I grabbed a strawberry banana smoothie for the enormous amount of 5 bucks as well. Jeremy was frugal and smuggled peanuts in his cargo pockets of his shorts from texas roadhouse.


but at least my purchase made for a great photo!

It's alright to say it, awwww we look so cute! um ya you'd better believe it.

We listened to great music. Laughed at some seriously drunk people and all in all had a ridiculously good time. Enough so that I think we'll do it again sometime soon!