Wayne and Linnea...Go, See the World...

Combat Training!

2009-05-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-04-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-04-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-04-25T18:51:00.000-07:00

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!!

2009-04-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-04-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

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??

2009-04-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

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!"

2009-04-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

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

Carmax Wifies! (Wife-eees!)

2009-04-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-04-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

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!!

2009-04-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

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!!

2009-04-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-04-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2009-03-31T15:45:00.000-07:00

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.....

2009-03-31T15:41:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-03-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-03-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-07T15:25:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-03-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-03-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

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!!

2009-03-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-02-22T16:42:00.000-08:00

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!!!!

2009-02-22T16:37:00.000-08:00

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!!!!

2009-02-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-02-22T16:21:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2009-01-01T17:20:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-01T17:15:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-01T17:07:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-01-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

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!!

2009-01-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-01T16:48:00.000-08:00

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!

Wayne and Sam...Best Buddies!

2008-12-07T08:58:00.000-08:00

I've discovered that our dog love to have his picture taken! It must be that he likes to show off his handsome Santa Christmas Scarf! He did very well in the family pictures we took, and had a great time exploring Garden of the Gods Park. He is a great climber and loves to meet the millions of other pups here in this "Dog Lover" state of Colorado!

All Smiles in Garden of the Gods!!

2008-12-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Wayne and I went to Garden of the Gods State Park to have our "family" Christmas card photos taken. We lucked out in coming across a professional photographer who was there waiting for a "family session" to arrive. She ended up taking the photo that we used for our card, but we always like to take some fun pics as well! Wayne caught this photo right as sam was done yawning and I was laughing!

Oh Christmas Tree....Oh Christmas Tree!!!

2008-12-07T08:48:00.000-08:00

Wayne picked up a Christmas tree from Lowe's a couple days ago. We have such different schedules that is was hard for us to find a time to go together. He did a great job finding a beautiful tree, and an even better job putting the lights on it! I came back from teaching Yoga at the gym on Friday morning and he was already putting the ornaments on! I did get to help him with the rest of them to creat our beautiful Christmas tree!...complete with a choo choo train!

Playing in the Snow!

2008-12-07T08:44:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we had a blizzard! Nothing like in Salt Lake of course, but it still snowed all day! Sam hasn't really ever played in the snow before so Wayne decided to take him to the park across the street. I have been getting over bronchitis so I stayed inside where it was warm! Both of them came back exhausted and cold, but from what I heard they had a great time making snow angels and playing on the slide...yes, our dog is VERY spoiled!!

Deck the Halls.....or Puppy??

2008-12-07T08:39:00.000-08:00

Wayne and I were putting up our Christmas decorations and as usual Sam was right there in the middle of everything. He has to know what is going on all the time! I decided to drape a garland around his neck to make him more festive! He really didn't seem to mind it!

Decorating for Christmas!!!!

2008-11-29T19:49:00.000-08:00

I finished decorating our front door for Christmas! Sam was outside "helping" me....trying to eat the fake berries! He did get ahold of one and ended up swallowing it! The door looks so pretty when it is dark and the lights are on!

A Carmax Thanksgiving Feast!

2008-11-29T19:41:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving consisted of all the senior managers at Carmax and their wives. We all got together at our friend Steve's house and enjoyed a "pot luck" style Thanksgiving feast! Steve and his wife Liz were gracious enough to host the dinner and cook the turkey! Everyone brought something to share so we ended up with an abundance of yummy food! Michael Beane is the guy on the far left in this picture. This is Wayne's boss and no he did not shave his mustache either! His wife Bri is sitting to the right of him, followed by our friend Jess, her husband Pete, and their new friend from the military...I already forgot his name! Kim is sitting to the upper right from Michael and is a buyer for Carmax. Her boyfriend plays professional indoor arena football and is in California at the moment. The two bald guys on the bottom right of the picture are also managers...Robert and....I can't ever remember anyone's names! They are all awsome people though and so much fun to hang out with!

Jamie and me!!....My 5K friend!

2008-11-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this is my friend Jamie. She is married to Jeremy who is pictured below. Jamie and I bumped into each other earlier in the morning at the 5k! We both did great and burned enough calories to eat a bunch of delicous food! Jamie is and environmental engineer! She is SOOO freakin' smart!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

2008-11-29T19:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Turkey Day! We shared our Thanksgiving day with some of Wayne's co-workers. Zira (far left), Wayne, and Jeremy (JT), enjoyed watching football while the rest of us ate all of Wayne's delicious artichoke dip! Apparently wayne was the only one who shaved after the beard/mustache growing contest!

My Furriest Fan!

2008-11-29T19:30:00.000-08:00

Sam came with Wayne and I to the 5k. Wayne said he did great the entire race! He definately got a LOT of love and attention from everyone....and he was even on TV! A local news camera man put the camera right up to Sam's nose! He was so excited to see me at the finish line!

My Fastest 5K Ever!!!!

2008-11-29T18:49:00.000-08:00

Heck Ya! That's me, the third one from the front. I am wearing all black, just like everyone else in the race!!! This 5K turned out to be my fastest one yet....29 minutes! Wayne said he was waiting for me to come across and all of the sudden there I was! I was so excited and shocked as I came across and saw the time on my watch and on the time clock! It gave me a little more motivation to start training for the Salt Lake Marathon in April 2009!

All Smiles at the YMCA Turkey Trot, Thanksgiving Morning-2008

2008-11-29T18:43:00.000-08:00

Running to make room for the turkey! I decided to run a 5K on Thanksgiving morning. I know, most people would use this day to sleep in and relax...not me! Eating all that turkey and pie won't make me feel guilty after this! This photo was taken by Wayne at the starting line...apparently the guy to the left of me (directly in front of the camera) was having a good time too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-29T16:52:00.000-08:00

Wayne scored this free turkey scarf for Sam from a groomer's across from his work. We didn't think Sam would particularly like it, but he seemed very proud and looked very handsome!

The Bearded Man!!!

2008-11-29T16:48:00.000-08:00

Wayne and his fellow co-workers had a bear-growing contest at work. For the past four weeks they were only allowed to "trim" and not shave. I have seen Wayne with a beard before, but not one this "full!" I got so used to it that it was WAY different when he shaved! Smooth as a baby's bottom!!

I am Woman, Hear me ROAR!

2008-11-22T17:39:00.000-08:00

I really think that my sister and I would have shaved about 4 minutes off of our finish time had we not had so much fun taking pictures along the way! The scenery was just too beautiful and we wanted to remember every moment we ran together. This particular picture is kind of fuzzy since it was taken "on the move."

Mile 9!

2008-11-22T17:32:00.000-08:00

I took this picure because it was here that my sister informed me she had never fun more than 9 miles...until now! We had four more to go until the finish line and we were NOT going to give up!

2008 Moab Half Marathon!

2008-11-22T17:26:00.000-08:00

This past Octobe my big sister, Jessica, and I ran "The Other Half" half marathon in Moab, UT. This was her first big race so we tried to have some fun here at the starting line! We huddled around the bonfires just laughing and standing in the HUGE lines for the port-a-potties!

Morning Frosted Berries

2008-11-22T17:22:00.000-08:00

In Colorado we get a LOT of ice! It has just rained/snowed the night before I took this picture. As I went out to take the dog to his usual potty spot I noticed a tree in particular that was SO cool looking! The frost was so pretty laying on top of the red berries!

Puppy Footprints...

2008-11-22T17:20:00.000-08:00

As Sam and I were out playing in the snow, I couldn't help but notice his little pawprints left behind on the sidewalk. Most of them didn't last very long as he began frantically running around chasing snowflakes, but these two just happened to survive the chaos!

Sam in the Snow...

2008-11-22T17:16:00.000-08:00

Sam has never seen this much snow before....a whole one inch on the ground! :) he absolutely LOVED it! We made snowballs and threw them in the air as he tried to catch them. He also tried to eat the snowflakes as they floated down from the sky. He is going to LOVE Salt Lake snow when we go home for Christmas!!!

SNOW!!!!!!!!

2008-11-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

Last week it snowed!!! Ok, so it wasn't as much as my mom has in Salt Lake, but I was still SOOOO excited! The snow here is VERY cold and blows all over the place like it does in Wyoming. It doesn't stay too long either. In fact, by the time I was done teaching my Yoga class later in the morning it had all melted and the sun was shining! The weather here has been in the high 50's to low 60's and sunny but the weatherman says a change is on the way for Thanksgiving day! SNOW SNOW SNOW!!!

Sunset Behind Pike's Peak

2008-11-22T17:08:00.000-08:00

The other night I was taking Sam out for a little walk before dinner. The sunset behind Pike's Peak was just amazing! I snapped as many photos as I could, but they just don't do it any justice! The sky was so beautiful!

I HAD to Try It!

2008-11-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

Ok, so yesterday I was doing a little bit of dusting and came to my shadowbox with all of my running medals. I thought of those pictures you see where the runner has all of their medals haning around their neck...I HAD to try it! I soon found out that it is very heavy as well as very noisy! I hope to some day have a professional photographer take some photos of me with my medals and running gear. I don't know just when though because I would like to capture them all....but as long as I have legs I will keep running races!!!

They Play, They Hike....They Even Share Ice Cream!

2008-11-10T19:59:00.000-08:00

Gross! They really didn't share it! Wayne took the Young Men from our ward to get ice cream on the way home from their activity. He didn't want the rest of the ice cream so he decided to share with the dog. I wasn't too sure about it because of Sam's reaction to food in the past, but he licked the thing almost bare...and then tried to eat the cone!

Best Buddies!

2008-11-10T19:53:00.000-08:00

So Wayne and Sam are pretty much the best of friends. Sam follows him everywhere and has to be right by his side no matter what Wayne is doing. Last night Wayne was playing his guitar and Sam was right by his side once again just listening and watching. He really is man's best friend...

Halloween 2008

2008-11-10T19:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween! I know I am a little behind in posting this, but my computer caught a virus....or EIGHT...and so I had to wait a while to log on until it was fixed. Wayne and I didn't really do much for Halloween, we both have been training to do a triathalon so sometimes we just get exhausted! We did, however put Sam in his Rooster costume and walk him around the neighborhood with all the kids. They just loved to see a puppy dressed up!

Thumbs Up! I made it to the Top of the Incline!

2008-10-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

Wew! I was so excited when this photo was taken! One hour and ten minutes later I made it to the top of the incline! The view was beautiful as you can see in this photo. You could see the entire city of Colorado Springs, and almost all the way to Kansas! How did I celebrate?...We went to Starbucks on the way back where I snarfed down an orange juice and delicious pumpkin cream chees muffin! (Which I felt completely "guilt free eating)....Then I went home and rode my road bike 6 1/2 miles! :)

We Made It To The Top!

2008-10-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

Here's the gang I went with...(starting with the upper left lady in the black sweater) Kim, Judy's daughter "Kinzie" (in green), Judy, and me on the far right. Judy and I stayed together the entire time and took a lot of breathing breaks! This group (along with Kim's husband who isn't in this picture) does the incline about every other Saturday and offered to let me tag along whenever I want to. I think this will be good training for when Wayne and I hike up the summit of Pike's Peak next Summer!

Look How Far we Went....And We are STILL Not at the Top!

2008-10-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

I took this photo to kind of motiviate me during a "I want to Vomit" break! you can see the grey area at the top right of the picture...that is the parking lot. The railway ties just kept getting steeper and steeper all the way to the top! It was about here that I hit my "second wind" and pushed my wobbly legs all the way to the top!

Going Up! This is the "Stairway to Heaven!"

2008-10-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

More of "The Incline!" This picture just doesn't do the thing justice! The lady in white in this picture is my friend Judy. I used to work just down the hall from her until my dentist boss man moved to another office building. She works for another dentist as well and has become one of my dear friends and "mom" in the Springs. (Don't worry mom, no one can EVER replace you!) You can see the very top of the incline in this picture. One mile straight up!

"The Incline"....A.K.A "Vomit Mountain"

2008-10-25T19:10:00.000-07:00

Friday night I was invited to do "the incline" with a friend. Ok, so the incline is a mile straight up a mountain trail that used to be the old Cog Railway System to the top of Pike's Peak. You gain 2,000 feet in elevation in just a mile! The old railway ties are still there...you know, to make it even more of a butt kicker! Some parts of the trail your knee is just about to your nose because the railway ties are so steep! I seriously almost threw up about three times on the way up! I almost threw up again when I saw an "older" gentelman RUNNING up the trail! I have decided that this trail is probably one of the best ways to train for a marathon because my quads were pretty much screaming at me the entire way!

MMMMM...Peanuts...

2008-10-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

So Wayne accidentally bumped a box the other day and all of the sudden there were a million packing peanuts all over the carpet! Sam went CRAZY! He was rolling in them so much that it just created a big ball of static all over his fur! This picture kind of reminds me of the dog off of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas." Poor Little Peanut shaped antlers and yes, that is one of them in his mouth!

"Citius, Altius, Fortius!" Go Wayne, Go!

2008-10-25T18:56:00.000-07:00

Here's Wayne "pushing" a bobsled in the Olympic Training Center....he didn't go very far. In fact, he didn't get anywhere at all....maybe just the bronze medal Wayne....or not.

On to Vancouver....and London!

2008-10-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

I thought this "count-down" clock at the O.T.C was pretty dang cool! In case you "forget" how many days are left until the next Olympics, just come visit me in the Springs and I can take you to see the "count-down" clock for yourself!

US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs

2008-10-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

USA! USA! Last weekend (after our trip home from the half marathon), Wayne and I went to take a tour of the US Olympic Training Center here in our home town of Colorado Springs! The center was HUGE, and our tour guide was a female weightlifter who could probably snap me in half if she really wanted to...but she was WAY too nice!The tour was about an hour long and we had the chance to see some really cool places, and even some athletes! Our tour guide told us that Michael Phelps was there training a month or so before the Olympics in China...DANG! Why couldn't we have visited it when he was there?!!

I DID IT!

2008-10-20T09:18:00.001-07:00

ALL RIGHT! Here I am at the end of the Moab Half Marathon! It was about 15 degrees warmer this year than last which made for a great race! This makes the total 4 and 4. 4 Full marathons and 4 halfs! Can you see the excitement in my face?!

We Did it!!

2008-10-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

My sister and I finished the race! This was her first half marathon and she did great! It was nice to have someone to talk to the whole time and to keep my mind of off the aches and pains that come with running! We enjoyed this one so much that we are already planning the April 2009 Salt Lake Marathon!

Under Corona Arch

2008-10-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

Here we are once again taking a nice break under Corona Arch. The hike was pretty warm with a high in the low 80's for the day! After the hike, the boys hit up the hotel swimming pool. Jessica and I avoided it so we could "conserve energy" for the race!

Wayne Under the Arch

2008-10-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

Once at the arch we took a break from the sun and heat by sitting in the shadow of the arch. Wayne loves to do anything and everything outside and this particular hike is one of his favorites in Southern Utah. Can you tell?

Beautiful Corona Arch!

2008-10-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

As we came around a corner on the hike...there it was! Corona Arch! It stands over 200 feet tall and is probably the biggest arch I have ever seen in my life! The hike continues all the way around to the left of the arch and on to Bow-Tie Arch. Considering we had a half marathon to run the next day, we only went to Corona!

Secret Hideout!

2008-10-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

While hiking to Corona Arch, the boys found a little "hideout." Trevor was a little hesitant to go in it at first because of all the mini holes in the rock. Here they are posing for the camera!

Hiking to Corona Arch

2008-10-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we hiked to Corona Arch. The two nephews did a great job considering it was a little warm and some parts of the hike were strenuous! my youngest nephew, Trevor, wanted to carry the camelback...it was about as big as he is!

Eating out at Zax Pizza!

2008-10-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

On Friday night we went out to this all you can eat pizza buffet in Moab. Zax is a really good place for pizza if you are ever in that area! I can't even believe how many styles and flavors of pizza they have! How about "Honey Chicken?"...that by the way was the most AMAZING pizza I've ever had in my life! My nephew Trevor loved it as well....he also loved seeing his crazy uncle "Ween" as he says. Here they are just being goofy as can be!

Moab Half Marathon-Oct. 2008

2008-10-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Wayne, myself, my sister, two nephews, and brother-in-law went to Moab, UT for a half marathon. We had a great time hiking, eating out, and of course, running the race. My sister and I were the only two that actually ran the race and it was so nice to have a running buddy!! Wayne snapped this photo when he was waiting at the finish line area. The moon up and to the left of the picture makes it even more amazing!

Sam is Packing for the Moab Half Marathon!

2008-10-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I was packing for the half marathon I am running this coming weekend. I went in the other room for about 5 minutes and all of the sudden noticed I couldn't hear Sam....a quiet puppy is a bad puppy! I went in our bedroom looking for him, and this is where I found him. He was quite content sleeping the suitcase until I made him get out so I could finish packing!

Happy Halloween Sam!

2008-10-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

Ha ha! I know, you are laughing already! I found this awsome halloween costume at Target...$8 special! It's a rooster, complete with the little red gobbler thingy on it's beak! I put it on him and boy did he hate it! I guess he didn't mind the "body" piece as much as the "head" piece. We wanted to order him a Batman dog costume online, but found out it wouldn't arrive in time. Next year Sam....BATMAN, or is it BATDOG??!!!

Sam Lost His "Manhood:..

2008-10-11T20:34:00.000-07:00

So I know this photo is a little out of order, but last week my little pup got "fixed." The "lampshade" look was hilarious until we ended up with all kinds of bumps and bruises on our legs from it! The vet said he only had to wear it for ten days and it has already been about 7. Only three more lampshade days to go Sam!

"Sicker Than a Dog!"

2008-10-11T20:29:00.000-07:00

This past week Wayne has been hit with pink eye (in BOTH eyes!), pneumonia, and bronchitis! I really don't even know how he survived! On General Conference Sunday we made a little bed by our computer so we could watch both sessions. In between sessions I caught Wayne and Sam taking a snooze together! I though it was just too stinkin cute to pass up!

Just Me and My Dog...

2008-10-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Sam loved the lake! We sat at the end just taking it all in and enjoyed being out in the clean, mountain air!

Strike a Pose!!...at 13,000 Feet!

2008-10-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

This was my favorite "patch" of mountains all along the park so we had to get a photo! It was really windy being up that high!

Our "First" 14er...

2008-10-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, so the peak that is to the left in this picture is called "MT GINORMOUS!" Just kidding, I really can't remember what it is called, but apparently this is the first peak that Wayne wants to climb...I'll get back to you on the name!

More Mountains!...Yes, There were MANY!!!

2008-10-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

Here are more "14er's!" I am not exactly sure which ones they are, but they are just amazing! They reminded me of fudge lighty dusted with powdered sugar. I have never seen mountains like this before so they truly got me sucked in and just fascinated!

Colorado "14er's"

2008-10-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

Rocky Mountain National Park is covered by "14er's." This term is referring to huge towering mountains at or above 14,000 feet in elevation. Wayne has already started his list of which ones we are going to hike and it looks like we will be VERY busy next summer!

Rocky Mountain Wilderness...

2008-10-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

Standing at the top of a 12,000 foot peak can take your breath away! The views from all different directions are enough to make you cry!!! The mountains just seemed to go on forever and ever!!

More Wildlife in the Park....

2008-10-02T20:15:00.000-07:00

So just a few miles after we saw the two moose...we saw a bunch of female elk!! The elk are mating this time of year the females are very much all over the place! We only saw two males and that was at the end of our trip. There are about 8 times as many female elk than there are males so the chances of seeing a male were very slim, so we were pretty lucky to see two!

Wildlife in the Park

2008-10-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

We were only about three miles into the park when we spotted two female moose hanging out in the meadow. There were a ton of people snapping photos! We almost thought it was a bear because of all of the cameras! We watched them for a while as they sat there together and munched on whatever moose eat, and then casually went on their way across the meadow.

Rocky Mountain National Park...for FREE!!!!

2008-10-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

Grand Lake is only a mile and a half away from Rocky Mountain National Park so of COURSE we had to go see it! As we pulled up to the station to pay the entrance fee, we saw this sign posted....I seriously thought it was a joke! The ranger said (in his cheesy Forrest Ranger Voice) "The park is FREE today kids! Enjoy!" FREAKIN AWSOME!!!! I was really excited....

Walking Around The Lake,

2008-10-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

We decided to take a stroll around the lake with Sam. We came to a little cove where the water was so still and clear that we could see itty bitty fish hanging out in the shadowy parts. We ended up going down a private lane and unfortunately don't have millions and millions of dollars to be friends with the poeple who own the homes on that particular lane...so we turned around and walked all the way back to the car! Sam did allright since he was a little distracted by all of the new smells...and a few flying bugs!

A Glimpse of Autumn...

2008-10-02T19:58:00.000-07:00

The drive to Grand Lake was filled with color! I snapped this picture out of our Xterra window as we drove up the multiple switchbacks which lead us to the top where we found even more fall colors! The contrast between the fall leaves and bright blue sky made for an awsome photo!

Wayne and Same....at Grand Lake!!!!

2008-10-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this is pretty much the same picture as below (with me and Sam), except five minutes before this picture was taken we were walking Sam on the dock.....then POOP! Yup, he pooped RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of the dock! I couldn't stop laughing as I tried to clean it up!! The joys of having a puppy!! :)

More Grand Lake!

2008-10-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

Sam loved the lake! He was actually quite terrified of the dock when we first stepped out on it...I guess he didn't like the "rocking" motion! After he finally calmed down we were able to catch this great photo of the two of us with the beautiful fall leaves behind us!