Where Did Summer Go?

First of all thanks Tiffany for the new facelift on my blog. I really have good intentions and want to upload pictures but as you all know it takes time. I keep putting off as I see all the cool things my daughters are doing but alas the time is flying so here is a quick overview of the last several months.

I feel like Dick and Jane. See mom go, go mom go. For some reason I am constantly going. I have to say I am glad I still can go. I hit 61 in August did some first. Half marathon in June in Provo with 4 of my children. 13.2 miles at a 13 min pace. Not bad. In August I did the bike portion of the Rexburg Rush sprint. My friend Gay didn't have a biker for her team and so she asked me. I said I had to see if I could do it as it is 14.2 miles starting at Rainbow lake going up past the temple up pole line road and on top of the farm lands then down to the old High School. It took me 3 tries before I could go up the one steep area with out getting off my bike. I use my comfy bike with the big tires. I did it in 1 hour and 10 min. There was only 5teams and we came in last. Our runner was Lana Wise and so Gay called us "Wise Choice" Which I put on the back on my t shirt Wise Choice?

Did very little golf once a week 9 holes with friends. But did do go RZR riding alot. Went to Mackay for two days with our group and was the leader, alot of pressure being in charge hoping everyone is having a good time. Have seen some new country as well, Stinking Creek, 8 mile, Copper Basin, Stuart Coral, Crooked Creek, Fall Creek. I really wanted to play some tennis after taking lessons in the spring.

Big highlight was going to northern Calf and Oregon Coast. Jeralee rented a Beach House in Lincoln City and all of our family was there. Had a good time, Geoff and Cheryl drove with us and we went to Mt. Lasson, Mt. Shasta, Redwoods and came up the coast of Oregon before we got there. We also made it to the Lewis Reunion in Farmington.

Where has mom gone?

So I'm up revamping mom's blog to maybe give her inspiration to blog. You see, blogger gives me updates on the side of when people blog, and it's been almost 3 months for mom. I think she's due. Mom, are you out there?

Year about half over!

The older I get the faster the years fly by.   I can't believe its  the middle of June.   Life has been extremely good to me and loving every minute.   Its times like this that I reflect on all the good things going on in my life.   Skiing this winter was wonderful as usual, didn't get alot of those fabulous powder days, but the days I did go were filled with lots of fun times with family and friends.  The night up to Brighton with Avry's family and Jason was beautiful with it snowing all night.  The ride down the mountain was something else.  The ski bus was so much fun and so many memories.

  Bowling ended with my team in last place the first half and 2nd the second half. Go figure! My teammate Alison had the highest game for the year 239.  My highest was a 224 but had lots of barely 100's
  I have even got some quilts finished will have to take pictures.  My friend Jamie has definately got me outside of my box and am taking a sampler quilt class the first Tuesday of every month.   Last month I about quit as I was struggling with the Dresden Plate block.  My friend Claudia is now President of our quilt guild "Behind the Seams".   So you can imagine how I can't say no to friends and especially people I really like.   So I am doing hospitallity.   It will be fun as Claudia is one organized on the ball person. Hoping to spend some time with Maeli this summer doing some quilts with her.
In April went to St.George with 8 other couples RZR riding had a fabulous time riding to the rim of the Grand Canyon, fording the Virgin River and climbing the Hurrican Sand Dunes.  We have already gone to Skull Canyon and up to Palisades.  We sure have fun with our Wild Hog friends and enjoying the back country.March found us in Palm Springs golfing, haven't done to much here as the weather has not been very cooperative.   Wednesday mornings will find me at JH with friends this summer.
I worked alot at the office as we were without a secretary and then training her.  I had several 40 hour weeks.   Working at the temple weekly has brought a nice balance to my life.  It is so nice to walk through those doors and put the world behind and focus on the eternal things. 

Marathon

I ran a half marathon in Provo with 4 of my children on Saturday June 12, 2010.  Clint signed up for the full marathon and then Tiffany said that sounded fun and signed up for the half marathon then Avry, me and Jason.   We had 12 weeks to train.  Tiffany found a training schedule for 12 weeks on the internet.  Then we were all off training, posting on face book of our progress.    I bought a garmin Forerunner 405 to help me pace myself.  When starting I thought I can walk a 15 mile if I can do this in 3 hours and 15 min that will be good. My granddaughters had a 5K Fund raiser for their elementary school.  On May 24 we all went and ran in it.   Of course Jason came in first of our family with a 7 min mile, then Clint, Tiffany, Avry and myself.   I started out with Avry and I kept telling her we were running to fast.  She just pulled away.   I wound up doing just barely over a 12 min mile.   Learned a lot not to follow the crowd and set my own pace.  A good practise run Two weeks before the race I did a 13.21 miles in 3 hours and 6 min.  A 14.07 pace.  Avry had set her goal to be under 3 hours and said mom you can do this.   I had been training in cold, windy and sometimes wet weather bundled up. Looking forward to not being bundled up so much and warmer weather.  We had to get up at 3 am to catch the bus to ride up to Provo Canyon.  It was in the 40's with a light drizzle.  After standing around for an hour we were off.  Avry and I were together to begin but I kept bumping elbows, so I sprinted a little to get ahead and kept waiting for Avry to pass me.  The second mile was up hill and that wasn't to bad the going down hill was a breeze and mile three was my best mile, a 11:26 mile.

Really grateful that the weather was cool. You kind of run with the same people going back and forth who is ahead. Around mile 9 I heard Avry call my name and she said she had to go to the bathroom. I kept on going my time getting a little slower and then mile 12 I felt my body really starting to slow down and then the over pass. You got to be kidding I have to go up that. Well I walked it. Coming down the over pass Jason came to encourage me on. I started bawling as I was exhausted, no sprinting into the finish line.

Well I did it in 2 hours 50 min. A 13 min. mile pace. Not bad for a 60 year old.

Google It!

I couldn't believe how many drafts I had clear back from 2008. I decided most of them was old news and started deleting them. This one I started in March. With most of them I was going to add pictures. I admire my girls and how well they keep up with their blogs Tiffany and Jeralee both have two now. I am so glad they do as its my main connection to what is going on in their lives.

I just love google. I have used it for everything! From a word I didn't know the meaning, to refreshing my memory on a how to do, to finding an item to buy. to learning something new. You name it I have probably googled it. I probably use it on a daily basis.

A few weeks ago we were headed home on a Saturday from working in the temple, when Geoff called. He wondered if I knew how to make California Rolls as Cheryl and he liked them and figured it would be alot cheaper to make them. So I said come on down and we will figure it out. He read me the receipe and we decided who would buy what. So we stopped at Broulims on our way home. I already had an avocado and cucumber. Found crab meat, seaweed paper, but couldn't find sushi rice. Picked up wasabi sauce, pickled ginger and found a roll mat and spoon which said for making California Rolls.

At home I started cooking rice then went to google to see how to make them. Nice video and then googled Shushi rice. Found out shushi rice is how you fix rice not a special kind of rice. OOPS! Well I will use the rice anyway. It was ok but very sticky. (Shushi rice you rinse the rice till it is clear then cook it, then you mix it with salt sugar and vineger. It sure made it taste better, mixing the sauce with the rice.

We will have to try it again.

New Year Junk Removal

There is something about the beginning of the new year. First trying to get your brain to write 2010 instead 2009. Realizing your not getting any younger. This last year I turned 60 in August and celebrated my 40 wedding anniversary in December. Those are some pretty big numbers. The years are zooming by.

With the new year its time to clean out the house and de junk. Each new year is a deciding factor of what stuff you haven't used in a long time and whether you will use it in the future. From clothing, to craft items, to general household items. I remember when I was first married and Scott said if you haven't used it in 3 months get rid of it. Well you can't do that with alot of seasonal things.

A few years ago I gave Avry all my tole painting, paints and cabinet that Scott had made me. Most of the paints were dried out and needed to be thrown out. Haven't missed them either. So this week I gave all my sucker molds and chocolate molds to my niece. I couldn't even begin to tell you the last time I used either one. Now do I get rid of the stamps? I did lend them out to the Merrie Miss for an activity this last year. How about the scrap booking stuff. I find it easier to put the pictures in albums and now I have all the recent ones on the computer.

I am even to the point I think about what my kids will think when I am dead and gone and they are going through everything and they are saying "Why on Earth did MOM keep this". As I remember going through Grandma's stuff after she died there really wasn't anything that I wanted really bad. I took very little of her stuff and I am finding I am slowly getting rid of some of it. I have officially given all of her yarn away now except 3 skeins I have kept to tie quilts with.

Well back to going through things and seeing what else I can get rid of.