PALM DESERT Friends Reunion

Need to get a better pic

This month, I also had the most amazing reunion with some very important women in my life. Their importance became more apparent to me over the weekend I spent with them in June. We were brought together in 1988 in Palm Desert, California, at a crossroads in all our lives, and we have been bound by some very incredible and magical events (no time to blog about it now). In June, we got together because Carolyn's daughter got married. it was a wonderful reunion, reminiscing about old times, having the time honored tradition, "schmut" night, have some great laughs and also sharing our burdens. Being with these women was surprisingly an answer to a silent prayer I had in my heart for quite some time. I am so excited to reconnect with them and continue our friendships for another 22 years.

Art Show

Also a big event this month was that Ryan entered an Art Show in Colorado for his Photography. He submitted two photographic works. One of the photos won Best in Show in the Student category. This means that he beat out all the other mediums; oil/acrylic, watercolor, sculpture, etc, in his category. His second entry got 4th place. He received a cash award and his photograph was also sold at the show. He received some a very positive critique from the judge. We are so proud of him. See the article in the paper here: http://www.deltacountyindependent.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15895:edge-of-cedars-art-show-features-long-list-of-winners&catid=36:sc&Itemid=346&date=2010-06-01
Sorry, I can't post the pics. Ryan needs to get a copyright watermark on the pics before posting.

Ragnar Wasatch Back 2010

Team 186-Holy Crap, I didn't get my training done!

Ragnar Relay/Wasatch Back has come and gone and I survived my 2nd relay. I seriously had my doubts, due to a bum knee that I have been trying to nurse for the past 6 months. As always, super fun! A little different than last time since we had a coed team, but a blast just the same.

The top 5 highlights for me of the relay:

1. Me being in the middle of a Cheryl and Christine sandwich while we slept in the back of the Excursion. People, let me tell you.... it is possible to sleep 4 people in the back. It's not the most comfortable, but when you have only slept 3 hours the night before and you are physically exhausted from running, laying down flat with your best buddies keeping you warm and making you laugh with "fart talk" is the best feeling.

2. Ryan running the Relay with us was so cool. Ryan is a super duper super hero in my book. He had the longest distances to run and he was a champ. On his second leg, he developed a serious blister that covered half the bottom of his foot. I could tell he was in so much pain. The next morning, he put moleskins and duct tape on and ran his final leg. I do have to admit that it was a little stressful for me to have him with us, that maternal instinct kicks in and it gets you a little stressed about their comfort and safety. The jury is still out on whether he had fun, he still has not given me a definitive answer.

3. Meeting Christine at the top of a hill she just ran, she has her headphones on, so she has no idea how loud she is and she says this: "That hill was a bitch". Complete strangers were laughing, good thing there were no children present, well except for Ryan and he thought it was pretty funny.

4. This may make no sense to anyone else, except to Christine and myself, but after catching a little shut eye, it was so cold in the morning and Christine and I were sitting in the back of the car trying to stay warm and wake up. Scott is trying to load the seat we had removed from the car back into place. He asked for our help...he didn't get any except for a bunch of delirious laughing from Christine and myself.

5. Cheryl. Need I say more? I don't know anyone who has more energy, is more helpful, positive, can make you a sandwich or grab something out of the ice chest for you without any hesitation.

6. Ok, I lied, I have 6 items. Last,but not least...The amazing, kick a$$ chicks in Van #2. These girls are hardcore, most amazing athletic chicks. They made us look like sissies!

I do have an admission to make. As I lay down trying to sleep after my 2nd leg, and after feeling something snap and come undone in the back of my knee, I thought, "I am never doing this again. I am recanting on my commitment of saying that I am doing the Vegas Relay in October. It is not happening!" Well, it's happening.... I am all signed up to run my LAST and FINAL Ragnar Relay in October. I mean it, it's my last Ragnar!

Oh Ragnar, what have I done???

It's that time again for Ragnar Relay....188 miles of fun and torture. I am actually feeling very scared. There is no way I trained anywhere close to what I should have this time. I have been suffering from a knee injury for the past 4 months, so I tried to take it easy in hopes that it would get better. I stopped running and started biking in order to give my knee a rest. I realized I really like spin class, but I am nervous because the running has not happened and I am 2 weeks away from go time. I don't have doubts that I can do it, it just won't be pretty. My knee is still hurting a bit, but I am just going to run through the pain and gave a fun time with my family and friends.

Girl's Weekend & Bono Postponed...so sad!

I have been waiting for months to check another thing off my "bucket list".... seeing U2 in concert. Unfortunately, Bono was injured and had to have back surgery and all his US concert dates have been postponed until 2011. Wishing Bono a speedy recovery! Luv him!
I had tickets to shows in SLC (2nd row, amazing section, thanks Diane!) and free tickets to the Denver show (thanks Nissa's brother!). I was doing a girl's weekend in Denver, the city I call home, with my friends, Nissa and Christine. I am so sad, I have been looking forward to this for months, taking a road trip with good friends, going to an amazing concert and spending a great time with great friends. So now I must wait until 2011 to see 3 great concerts, Lady Gaga is already on the calendar!!!

Small Changes

Last week I undertook a little home project. I decided that I wanted to paint the floor vent registers that go on the wood floors. The white registers had never bothered me because it matched all the mouldings in the house, but as I started to think about it, I thought, the white registers were a little shocking against the walnut wood floors. So I found a Krylon Brushed Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze spraypaint that will compliment the existing hardware and fixtures.
I like the change, but now the registers seem shocking against the mouldings. The jury is still out....what do you think?

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Super Busy

I have been super busy these last few weeks. Managing a household, a job, and volunteer service is hard work! I really need to find a way to not overextend myself, still working on that. I always get asked by some of my friends, how I do it?....I don't know, I just do it. I can't sit still, it is a skill, trait, curse that I have picked up since childhood (spent some time exploring that in therapy, it isn't all good, believe me)
So here is what I/we have been up to and occupying valuable brain space:

• End of the school year activities, like looking for missing library books, making arrangements for the boys missing the last 2 days fo school, making sure they have enough lunch money in their accounts to get them to the end.
• Dentist appointments. I have learned that once you have health/dental insurance, don't put off getting any procedures done because you never know when your insurance will disappear.
• Researching, getting quotes for the best prices and quality for the blinds in our basement windows. Finally after 2 years there is some privacy in the basement.
• Cleaned and organize the garage..... again. The garage was out of control. Ryan uses it as his workshop for building things, currently a homemade camera and making rocket fuel. The boy does not put anything away. I really went at it with trying to dejunkify. I have 2 pieces of furniture that were in storage in the garage that have been there for about 4 years, we haven't used them since we moved from our Colorado home 5 years ago. I pulled them out so I could take pictures of them so I could try to sell them. I made a trip to DI (Deseret Industries) and dropped off a big load of stuff that is still in good shape, but no longer used, seriously who needs 1500 different types of screws. I threw away lots of junk, I don't know why we were keeping. Big project on the horizon: sealing the garage floors, finishing and painting the walls and installing shelves.
• I have also tried to dejunkify things inside our home. Over the last few weeks, I have sold stuff on ebay. I have made about $450 dollars over the last few weeks. I still have some things listed that I am expecting to make another $100 and still more things I need to list. It started out with trying to make some extra cash for a splurge and get a wallet I have been coveting, then it turned into using the $$$ for my upcoming girl's weekend, but now I am rethinking and may use the $$$ for new bedroom furniture. (BTW, I got the wallet anyways).

There is lots more stuff, but I gotta get to work. I will try to post more of my doings later today with pictures.