Combat Training!

Ok, so most of you know that I am a Yoga & Les Mills Bodyflow instructor out here at Gold's Gym. Well, I have been absolutely ADDICTED to this program we have called BodyCombat.....therefore I signed mysefly up to take the teacher training this weekend in Broomfield, CO (just north of Denver). It turns out that a member from our gym wanted to vertify in it as well so now we are roomies for the weekend! :) I am very excited to become a "Combat Chic" and work towards getting my own class!

5 Full Marathons....

The medal from the 2009 Salt Lake Marathon made the collection complete. I had just one more hook in the shadowbox that Wayne made me for Christmas 2 years ago and now that one is taken as well. All in all it totals 5 Full marathons, 4 Half marathons, 2 5K's, a 10K, 2 Free Beer glasses, and numerous free running shwag.....but who's counting? Each medal, each shirt, and each bib all bring back incredible memories and stories I will never forget. But I'm thinking I may need another shadowbox in the near future as I have not decided to retire my running shoes just yet!

Watch Me Cross the Finish Line of the 2009 SLC Marathon!

The feeling is amazing! You just can't describe it! Everyone watches as you put one foot in front of the other and just go! This is the part where you laugh, cry, and give giant high fives to everyone along the way! It's fantastic and I would do it again tomorrow....if only my poor legs would let me! :)

Parents with you Through it All...

I didn't actually see this happen as it was a few yards ahead of me, but I am so glad that my brother snapped a photo of it. This runner had exhausted everything she had within her, but never gave up the fight. Her parents carried her by her armpits the last half a mile as she inched along with one foot in front of the other. I caught up to her at the finish line only to see her collapse into a wheelchair and then be rushed into the medical tent. That girl is a trooper and a real hero. She could have easily given up and climbed into what I like to call the "dead body van," but her parents lifted her spirits even more by staying by her side until the end. They should all three be very proud...

Only .2 Miles to Go!!

My brother and his girlfriend Lara acted as my own personal photographers at the race. They did a fantastic job! It was so uplifting to see them here at mile 26...your legs are just all jello by that time and it's all about running with your heart. People will say that the last 6 miles of a marathon is all mental and I would have to totally agree! You get to a point where you look down at your legs and they are just on auto-pilot! It's the weirdest sensation! As I crossed the finish line I kind of got all teary-eyed....I always do! It's so cool to run down a tunnel of people cheering for you!

A Tasty Snack At Mile 14...

Last Saturday (April 18th) I participated in the 5th annual Salt Lake Marathon. The weather was fantastic and my family support was amazing! I hadn't trained as well as I would have liked to, but with a lot of faith and prayers I managed to jog across the finish line at 5 hrs and 3 minutes...not bad for someone who hadn't been running too much! I was quite proud myself for sticking through it all! I must say that I enjoyed every minute of it! The spectators were absolutely incredible! They provided me with much needed encouragement, ice cold water (ICE cold!), and even Swedish fish!

Remember this Dude??

Ok, so I was on my way home from work last week when I saw this guy on the corner promoting McDonald's. Do you remember him from the old McDonald's cookies boxes? I believe his name was Grimace...maybe. Anyhoo, it made me laugh so hard that I almost sat through an entire green light! He was shaking his big purple booty while waving his stubby arms in the air. I had just been through a pretty rough day at work so seeing this dancing purple blob cheered me up!

Go Team "Lugnuts!"

Yup, I said "Lugnuts!" That is the name of the Carmax softball team! Their shirts are fantastic!

Carmax Wifies! (Wife-eees!)

Carmax has a softball team here in the Springs. They just started at the beginning of April and are having a blast! They have only played two games total due to some insane weather we have had lately, but they just decided to play in a summer league as well! Here are a few of the wives and some of my good friends out here. From the left there is Jamie, Bri, Liz, and Maggie. We really enjoy getting together at the games and sharing all sorts of junk food while the boys play!

He Enjoyed Every Bite!

Yes, Sam is wearing a "Cars" party hat...after all it WAS his birthday!! :) He absolutely LOVED his cake! He did the little kid thing where you lick off all the frosting and then go to the cake (in this case it was a cookie!). There is a contest at the bakery where you can submit a photo of your dog eating his cake and win prizes...I think this one is a winner!

Happy Birthday Sam!!

On April 4th my puppy Sam turned 1 year old!! I know I am a little late in posting this, but life has been crazy! We went to a local dog bakery and helped him pick out a birthday cake! As you can see above, they even wrote his name on it!

Our Majestic Peak

To the west of our little city of Colorado Springs sits a 14,000 foot peak we like to call "Pike's Peak." I've been to the top and you are literally above the clouds! It's incredible to watch clouds form right in front of you and then roll down the rocky slopes. A couple weeks ago I was in Garden of the Gods snapping some photos when the peak caught my eye. The wind was whipping clouds around causing a beautiful scene...it reminded me somewhat of Mt. Everest! Of course I've never been there but it just seemed so incredible to think about!

The "line" in the trees that you see to the bottom left of the picture is the "Incline." I mentioned it before in my blog as it is a mile straight up trail complete with railroad ties! I have done it before (only once) and plan on hitting it again with some friends on Saturday mornings this Summer. Colorado is fantastic!

Four-legged Dishwasher!!

This is what Sam does when we load dirty dishes....he licks and licks and licks. He has to make sure that every last crumb, drop of syrup, or caked on chicken is licked off before he stops....and even then he doesn't stop! He'll watch as we put away clean dishes, but as soon as we start loading the dirty ones you can bet he will be there to help!

The Fancy Shmancy Camera!

I went on a walk with Sam a couple weeks ago and took along my new camera. I was snapping photos left and right when the stones along the sidewalk caught my eye. The color contrast turned out pretty cool in the pic!

NO DOGS ALLOWED!!!

OK! So today I went and picked up my new cycling shoes from a local bike shop here in the Springs. They had to be shipped overnite from a store North of Denver, but nonetheless now I have brand spankin' new shoes! WAHOOIE! And the best part is that I get to use them as a tax deduction since I am training to be a spinning instructor! Freaking sweet! Oh yeah....NO DOGS ALLOWED on theses babies! That means you Sam! :)

My Dog has Expensive Taste.....

Yup...these WERE my cycling shoes! My dog apparently likes the taste of leather as Wayne soon found out after he got out of the shower a couple weeks ago. Sam completely chewed THE MOST important piece of the shoe. I took it to a cycling shop and there was no way to replace the part he chewed up....don't worry everyone....my dog is still alive!

Record Blizzard Hits Colorado Springs!

WOW! An amazaing blizzard hit us hard yesterday and today...and by amazing I mean absolutely WICKED! The wind gusts are around 40 to 50 miles per hour with little or no visibility. Both Wayne's work and my work closed early Thursday which was a good thing since conditions outside worsened as the night went on! The city made a "callout" to all snowplows to help clear over 2,200 miles of snow covered roads! This meant that absolutely ANYONE with a plow on their truck was called to work, payed by the city or not! The entire city is completely shut down. All schools, military bases, health clinics, etc are advising their employees to stay home and don't travel unless you have to. The funny thing about all this is I am looking outside my window right now and it's not even snowing anymore! The wind is blowing pretty hard, but no white flakes!
I was supposed to teach a 9:30 yoga class this morning at Gold's, but after talking to my boss on the way in we decided to call it off. There are HUGE snowdrifts laying across the roads, with three inches of ice underneath. I spun around and slid the entire way to the gym before calling my boss and asking her what she wanted me to do. Turns out that they ended up cancelling all morning classes and not opening the gym until after 9 am anyway. I have never seen anything like it before. The city is shut down and empty like it's the end of the world or something! I am going to post some photos of the snow if I can get out today and buy some batteries for my camera. The crazy thing about all this is that tomorrow it is supposed to be 45 degrees and sunny....that's Colorado for you!

34 Days Until Race Day!!! My Diet....

Ok! So I am officially 34 days away from the Salt Lake Marathon! Wahooie! :) I have been working SOOO stinking hard to prepare! I am teaching Yoga & Bodyflow three times a week, as well as taking Bodycombat classes, running, lifting, and riding the indoor road bike at the gym. I really am feeling pretty good about my "fitness" condition, but am a little concerned because I haven't been running quite as much as I would like to be. With a lot of faith and prayers I can finish the race right? My diet (as seen above) has been for the most part pretty simple! I try and eat a protein and vegetable with every meal....yes, even breakfast! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Wish me luck!!!!

My Lucky Bamboo...

My dear friend gave me a bamboo plant for my birthday. Bamboo plants (according to Feng Shui) are considered lucky because they teache the ultimate wisdom: how to be flexible and hollow (open) on the inside, so that the spirit can freely flow and heal your being. Pretty insightful eh? It is so "ZEN" and I love looking at it every morning! It brings me hope and peace for what the day may bring!

More Amazing Young Women!

More of the amazing young women in my ward out here in the Springs! We don't have nearly as many as we did in Salt Lake so I've had the chance to get to know them all pretty well. Each girl has something amazing to bring to every activity and lesson! Our recent activity was a father-daughter date. We played a game (as seen in this photo) where the girls stick their bare feet out from behind a sheet. Their dad has to guess which feet are their daughters....then the daughters have to guess which feet are their dad's! Most of them got it spot on.....I didn't think about the toenail polish on the girls. Dead give away!

My Laurel Friends!

Some of you may know that I am a Young Women's Laruel Advisor at my church....and I absolutely LOVE it! :) "My girls" are so freaking awsome and teach me so much! Here's a pic from our last activity, our father-daughter date. It's amazing how much spiritual strength these incredible young women give me every time I see them! I am hoping to have the opportunity to go to camp with them and get to know them even more!

Butts Up!

Sam does this wierd thing where he likes to walk in between your legs...back and forth. While climbing around in G.O.G, he decided to plop down right between my feet and take a rest! Sorry about the butt shot!

Best Buds!

So Wayne and Sam are pretty much the best of friends! I thought this picture was so freaking cute! Everyone at Garden of the Gods kept saying, "It looks like Marley!" (From the movie "marley and me.") I can't tell you how many time we have heard that and will continue to hear it..Sam is NOT anything like Marley though. The only thing he has chewed on was a pair of flip flops when he was an itty bitty puppy. Good Boy Sam!

Happy as Can Be at a picnic with Mom and Dad!

Last Sunday after church Wayne and I went to Garden of the Gods State Park to try out my fancy shmancy new camera that Wayne bought me for my birthday! Sam had the best time tromping all over the rocks and climbing with his Daddy! I caught him "smiling" in this photo.....just before we went home and he crashed for three hours!

I'm Famous at Gold's Gym...WOOHOO!!

Ok! So here I am with my fellow Yoga/Les Mills Bodyflow Instructors at the Gold's Gym here in Colorado Springs! Teaching is absolutely the BEST job I have ever had in my life! I enjoy it so much and wish I could do it every day! I am teaching three times a week for my own personal classes, and subbing other classes as well. Needless to say I am becoming a Yoga fanatic! I take me ACE Fitness Instructor test at the beginning of May which will allow me to teach more than just Yoga. I am interested in another Les Mills program called "Bodycombat" which is a serious form of martial art....I'm told the training is VERY intense and makes people throw up!.....I AM SOOOOOO THERE! :)

Colorful Dinner...

Last Sunday I made dinner....I know, some of you are probably shocked! BUT, you would be even more shocked to know that it turned out incredibly delicious! I made stuffed shells with steamed green beans, and a strawberry-spinach salad with pecans. As I was cutting veggies Wayne stopped me and said, "Hold it right there! Don't move anything!" He ran and snagged the camera from upstairs and took this pretty cool shot of the food! I didn't quite see it when it was on the cutting board, but once I saw the pic, I really saw the artistic side of it!

Let Them Eat Cake!!!!

Ok, so I have really been trying to avoid sweets since my marathon is only weeks away......but it was my birthday!! I found the most AMAZING oreo cake at the grocery store and just had to have it! Everyone seemed to enjoy it just as much as I did! I guess I don't feel TOO guilty eating it considering I have to do a 12 mile run tomorrow!

Happy Birthday To ME!!!!

So my birthday is today...February 22nd! Last night Wayne arranged to have some of our Carmax buddies get together at a local BBQ pit for dinner. Wayne even went so far as to make invitations! :) We hang out with these crazies quite a bit and there is never a dull moment! We ended dinner by singing and eating Oreo Cake...my favorite! The best part of it all??......my brand spanking new digital camera that Wayne bought me!!!! It is SOOOO incredibly awsome and I can't wait until the Spring when I can take it hiking!!!! Thank you Wayne! I love you!

I Guess it Was too Cold Outside!

Last Saturday I went out for an "easy" 8 mile run. I took my runner's belt which included two water bottles, some runners "Sport Beans," and my cell phone. An hour and a 15 minutes later I came back with one less water bottle.....the jarring from running down a hill popped it out of my belt. I could tell as soon as it hit the sidewalk because my legs felt water splash all over them. I thought it somewhat humerous considering I had only run about a mile! I wasn't too concerned about dehydration since I still had the second bottle, and the weather was fairly cool. I can honestly say that I have never had this happen before! I guess there is a first time for everything!

Sledding with Trevor and Izack!

My sister brought her boys over the day after Christmas to go sledding! It was so much fun and I can't believe how incredibly daring Trevor and Izack are. They were asking for an "extra push" down the hill with the jump at the bottom. They both would fly through the air and laugh until they cried when they landed! Wayne and I took a few rides down as well, but the little silver bullet sled didn't seem to work as well for us!

Christmas with Wayne's Dad!

Wayne's dad and step-mom, Jennifer, are the nicest people in the world! They let us live with them for 3 months when Wayne was out of work a few years ago. I wanted to give them something special for all the meals and wonderful hospitality they provided us. I gave them the same picture of the kids and grandkids as I did with Debbie. Wayne's parents are divorced and both re-married so I thought the picture was a great idea! Paul opened it with a big smile on his face!

Totally Awsome Christmas!!!

I decided to do a cartoon drawing of all the kids/grandkids in Wayne's family as a gift to Debbie, Gery, Paul, and Jennifer. The picture took about 140 hours to complete and was the biggest project I have ever created! Gery and Debbbie just loved it! The whole family enjoyed looking at it and picking out who was who. I was so anxious and excited to have them open it! It is going to be pretty hard to top this gift next year!

Yeah, He's Pretty Tuff!

Santa brought our nephew Josh a guitar for Christmas...he immediately found himself to be a puck rocker! He would walk around holding the guitar and posing for us all so we could take sweet action photos! At Christmas dinner he made us all stop and listen to him "play" a song and sing. He is wicked awsome! :)

Merry Christmas Brittan!

This year I gave my creativity and talents as Christmas gifts. Our neice Brittan has always loved fairies and is a very talented dancer! I decided to draw her as a fairy and gie it to her as a gift. She opened it and knew what and who it was right away! She was SOOO excited and showed everyone in the family! I am so happy that she enjoyed it so much!

Sabrina's New Boy!

While we were away in Colorado, Wayne's sister Sabrina gave birth to a darling baby boy named Levi! We had never seen him until Christmas so we were anxious to hold him! He is a very happy baby and has the cutest, chubbiest cheeks you have ever seen in your life!

Christmas Eve and the Nativity...

Wayne's nieces and nephews dress up for the Nativity on Christmas Eve. "Mary" was Brittan, and was holding our newest nephew Levi who filled in for the Baby Jesus. Bentley is down in the front to the right (with the green lollipop). He was pretty upset to be dressed up like a shepherd at first, but everyone started taking pictures and laughing to that seemed to cheer him up a bit!

Christmas with the Dogs!

Sam made the long road trip to Salt Lake with us. He enjoyed a nice comfy bed in the back of our Exterra the entire 9 hour drive. He absolutely LOVED playing with my mom's yellow lab Hemi! (Hemi is on the left and Sam is on the right). They ran each other ragged until they just couldn't run anymore!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!!

We made it to Salt Lake on Christmas Eve around 1pm. Around 6pm it started to snow like crazy and didn't stop until the Friday after Christmas! We don't get too much snow in the Springs so it was nice to get a taste while back home. I took a picture of the snow for a co-worker back home...she really couldn't believe we got that much snow!

Christmas in Salt Lake! 2008

This year for Christmas Wayne and I drove back to spend time with the fam in Salt Lake. It was so great to see everyone and catch up on what we have been missing out on! I miss my nephews terribly...as you can see they miss me too! I received a HUGE bear hug from Trevor while playing the wii with him!