The Swiss Day, New Van, Marathon Trip

Heading to Utah from Wednesday to Monday was multi-tasking at its best. 

I'm weird about multitasking. It's why I love audible.

Anyway. We got to see our families, returned my parents' car to them, got a new car, I ran a race, and got to go to Swiss Days.

The kids were babysat A LOT those few days. I am so appreciative of the willingness of my mom, dad, and my father in law and mother in law to stop what they're doing and take care of my kids, who were having way more fun with them than they would have with me:)

The kids and I drove in Wednesday. Thursday I went with my dad to look for a minivan. We had driven my parents' Sequoia to California when our AC went out heading to Kaysville from Lake Powell. It was a 100 degree drive home and fully miserable. We were heading to CA the next day and my parents graciously lent us their new car so we didn't have to drive home in the heat. We were stuck on the strip in Vegas for two hours, because of a freeway closure and reroute, in 115 degrees, and were praising their names for those two hours of diverted misery. They also sold our van in Utah (the land of minivans). It sold the same day it was listed! Really, so thankful for everything they did for us, which was heavily involved in every step of the process. 

The first stop we made was to a small dealership. On our way there a man pulled up behind us at the light and started honking at us. I couldn't see why. Then the light turned green and we both pulled into the car dealership. He worked there! We didn't find quite the right fit of car anyway, but it sure didn't start out right!

Ben had done a ton of research online before I went out looking and we finally found one that he had researched. Hopefully it works for our family. We're pretty excited!

So dumb, but this little tray is my new favorite thing - things don't slip off in the middle. haha!

The next day was Swiss Days. My mom and I headed up following the Crosland women. They are pretty much veterans of swiss days, so it was perfect following them up and navigating things with them. Bonnie got this sign for me for my birthday. I love it.

Jessi and The Wrapping Paper

My mom got Ben a belt for his birthday. It was the medicine man eye Navajo design. I thought it was perfect for him:) They custom made the belt right there.

While no one has heard of Swiss Days down here around me, every woman in Utah knows about it. And was there. And just a few brave men.

Living in California has made me love the mountains more than ever. I don't know why here as opposed to say Oklahoma, it just has. So I loved seeing Timpanogos and running by Mount Nebo.

The next day was my race. I decided I did about as good as I had trained. I got 3:53. But more than time, I finished, it didn't take over my life (or my families!), and it feels like a great accomplishment!

I had made a goal to run 10 marathons by 35.

I would say that was one of the reasons I decided to run this, but it is actually THE reason.

This was supposed to be my 10th race and then I would retire:)

Yesterday when I was listing them all in order I discovered I've only run 9. What the?!?!

Ben flew in Friday around 9. He has been so supportive of all this chaos. He even got up at 2 am with me the next day to take me to my race. That is love.

He went fishing while I began those hellish 26 miles and then came back to cheer me at the end.

It was so fun to see the sun rise over the mountains.

I have never run such a steep course and I certainly wasn't prepared for the constant steep pounding on my legs. I've never been that sore after a race either. (Ben thought I was being dramatic:) But he's not known for his sympathy! Luckily, I don't need a ton of sympathy, haha.) Probably though I'm just getting old!

I have an old hip flexor injury I was worried about and I taped it like this for the race with this KT tape. It was a non-issue. This stuff is amazing. 

Fun to finish my 10th 9th marathon by 35!

As always the kids loved having room to run and roam. Macey, and all the kids, went out and picked vegetables from the garden every single day. Mackayla got stung by a bee:( See that fat little middle finger? 

They also saw Pete's Dragon, went to parks, restaurants, went to the farm, went on a ride to the top of the mountain and saw a moose, had a sleepover with Micah, played games, ate candy, played with cousins, played with blocks, jumped on the tramp. I'm surprised they agreed to come home with us:)!

We got up the next morning at 4:30 to beat the Vegas traffic. We didn't, but were backed up for about 2 1/2 hours instead of 4 or 5! Lots of early mornings, lots of exciting things! Fun trip!

Team Sorting

Getting caught up now finally. Last Saturday we went to Circle S Ranch so Ben could do some team sorting. I always go feeling out of place and leave thinking horse people are so friendly.

I also don't edit my pictures anymore with our new crazy computer update...so here they are, off center, garbages, bad lighting and all.

 Pledge at the beginning...

 Waiting their turn 

 Team sorting starts with ten cows

all marked with a number

A team of three riders has to sort them in numerical order beginning with a random first number, such as 4, then 5, 6, and so on.

The fastest time in the right order wins.

The announcer for the night loves Ben and always tries to get him to come.

He was as entertaining as watching the sorting!

Art, Football, Beach, Pioneers

Canvas Art

  then they made their own fresh squeezed lemonade and baked apples that they thought they tasted like apple pie.

The best part was that they did all the work :)

Cody did a football camp last week and was pretty excited to tell us that he scored two touchdowns in his last game of the week. They ran them hard that week, it was great!

 Beach days are always fun with friends

 Macey flying a kite! 

  Macey has really taken to boogie boarding lately. I've got to get a picture!

 Today we had ward beach day. It's always fun but I was dragging my feet.

Some days I don't feel like packing up enough junk for a week and walking it a mile (mostly) by myself. But Cody needed to play with some boys, desperately. (He tells me all the time he needs a brother. Good thing he has Rushmad.) So we went and he played all day with his friends who are boys and loved every minute! We always love beach days.

I found this super random paper from 1997 somewhere in my stuff.
#7 - If I could live anywhere, it would be - somewhere by a beach.
Perfect.
And why would I choose a bus for a free car? That is weird.

Stake pioneer day is always so fun.

Ben and Kayla waited in line over an hour until everyone was almost gone for these balloons!!

Independence Day and the "4th" of July

Ben had the day off of work on Friday, so we started our celebrations early by going to the beach.

We played with some cute friends.

Cody, Macey and Ben did some boogie boarding

and sand castle building 

 and mermaid sculpting 

 Two days before the 4th I decided to run the 10K Freedom Run. 

To train, I had gone on vacation and eaten out often with lots of treats mixed in.

Do you like where this is going? I'm already making excuses.

Anyway. When I signed up I kind thought it would be funny if I took 4th place, because, I always never win. But I've gotten 4th many times. Which is cool. It's just...not cool. So close, but so far away.

Well it just so happens, I TOOK 4th place! In my age group.

When I went and looked at the times, it was almost nostalgic.

At least this time it wasn't frustrating, just ironic.

I have a friend who ran a race, but it wasn't a city race, it was a legit race with camera crews ready to interview the winners. Well, she came in 2nd place, but once the times were figured in she ended up in 4th place, OVERALL. (remember the "not a city race" - she's super fast.) The camera crews mid-sentence ran away from her to interview the others!! She is from Argentina originally and in Spanish there's a saying and I don't really know what it is, but something like "Marta Marta viene en quarta"

Martha martha comes in fourth. I don't know...but it sounds funny in spanish!

Anyway, I'm getting used to being the first loser. Call me Marta.

 After my race I went and got the kids to do their race. 

A 1k - they rocked it!

 We went swimming then headed over to a friend's house for a bbq.

 Then headed to the park for games and fireworks.

 When Mackayla gets really tired she gets a little extra pep in her step.

So for at least half of the fireworks she danced around us to the music and tried to grab the fireworks. 

 The finale was pretty awesome this year, here's the evidence:

 After the fireworks it is the mass exodus home. There's only a couple cars on the road and a huge line of people leaving the park in every direction. This year we had the kids ride their scooters and it worked out great. We live about a mile from all the action. By the end of the night, from walking back and forth, I had walked/ran 13 miles!

 We're thankful for our country and the freedoms we enjoy