It's Great to be 8! and all that jazz...

Lilly had been waiting for THE momentous occasion of turning 8 and after months and days and hours of counting down, it finally happened! She had great plans for her day and we wanted it to be a BIG birthday. It started off with doughnuts in bed...

Then presents.



Those two really do love each other...at least they do when giving gifts. Abe gave Lilly some bracelets which he promptly asked to have one or two or twenty. She graciously (with a little bit of coaxing) gave him one. Hence, the happiness on both sides.

Then it was time for the par-tay! We took Lilly and half of our town's 8 year old population to Sky Zone to jump on the trampoline ground for an hour and then pizza and a never ending supply of pop and cake.

After about 5 minutes of jumping, the kids already showed signs of exhaustion. Here's Abe covered in sweat but happy.

After jumping, the kids were more than ready to eat! Here's the group ready for the grub.

She's so excited! And crazy!

After lunch it was time for more presents!

Then cake!

Make a wish!

After the party, Lilly was ready to spend some of her cash so a trip to Target was in order. After the hard core shopping trip, we were ready to eat again and as Lilly's request for dinner was a potato, we took ourselves to Jerry's Deli.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOLL FACE!

Lilly is a wonderful, thoughtful, kind, obedient, smart, sensitive, giving, and helpful daughter, whom we love with all our hearts.

Finn and his ice cream...a love story

Ummm...what's this? An ice cream cone? I've never had one all to myself...

Oh...it's good. Yes, I think I like it.

Leave me alone so I can enjoy this in peace, mother!



Okay, I don't care if you're watching. I'm going to enjoy this...

...but I just can't seem to get enough of this vanilla-y deliciousness. I'm in love! More! MORE!

El Fin

3 - 2 = 1

Two of my little monsters left me this week to enjoy the glories of California. My mom decided to take the two oldest back home with her after watching my kids while Kelly and I went to Utah last weekend. I agreed, excited for the break, but with an aching heart of having them away from me. When my mom told them they were going with her, the two kids' smiles grew twice as wide, Lilly said with delight, "without my mom?" and Abe ran upstairs, grabbed two suitcases and hauled them down the steps to begin packing. In fact, as I sat on the couch stunned that they couldn't care less that they were leaving their mother who has given them life and sacrificed a flat belly for them, they completely packed themselves. I didn't have to do a thing. Well, I thought, surely they'll miss me after they've been gone a day or two. I can assure you, though, as it has now been 5 days that they've been gone, that they indeed do not miss me and don't want to come home.

So tomorrow I have to bring them back to this land where there are no grandmas and grandpas watching their every move, buying them everything they want and who have a pool. There is no Grandy telling them the best goodnight stories with never ending hugs and kisses. No Tia Cari loading them up with junk food and taking them on adventures...and no cousins. But I, I will go and tear them away from what was probably the best week of their lives and bring them back to this brown nothingness. But I will not go alone for I shall be armed with bribes hoping that the long ride home does not include howls of sadness and despair, longing to return to California and it's open arms. And certainly the loudest cries may be from me as soon as my little loved ones start to whine and fight. I will be ready once again to send them on their way.

Wish me luck!

I'm a Finsher! (a.k.a The post with too many pictures of just me and Kelly and I forgot to suck in my stomach and I don't look so hot in most of them)

This past weekend, Kelly and I drove up to Provo so I could run the Utah Valley Marathon. My mom came up to our house to watch the kiddies so just the two of us could go. I promised myself when I left Provo 7 years ago that I would never return to Utah. I h-a-t-e-d that place and for the most part I was able to keep my promise. I had not returned to Provo for all those years and it was a surprise to me that when we drove around town that I didn't want to vomit. What surprise that I'm so desperate for green and color, that I actually didn't mind Provo! Now, I'm still far too cynical to appreciate the perma-grins on the co-eds and everybody's so bubbly and nice, but I truly don't hate Provo anymore.

While there, we did the quintessential BYU date night stuff. We carbo loaded at Brick Oven where Kelly was super rebellious and got an Apple Beer. Shhhh! Don't tell!
I, of course, high-tailed it the the BYU bookstore and stocked up on my former study snacks (i.e. cinnamon bears).



Kelly tried to look like Bieber.



We got ice cream at the Creamery on 9th and took about a gazillion pictures but only the one where I'm not actually looking at the camera turned out okay.

The next morning I had to catch the bus by 4:15 a.m. All the marathon and half marathon runners were bussed up to the starting lines for the races. This was really where I missed my partner in crime who trained with me for the last 3 months. Jessica got injured and couldn't run the marathon and it was such a different experience to be there alone. I find that running with my friends makes all the difference in the world and don't think I would intentionally run a marathon on my own again.

Kelly found me in Provo Canyon at mile 16 and again at mile 18. It was so good to see him. I was very tired at that point and pretty desperate to be done. Although this was definitely the most beautiful race I've ever done, it wasn't my best run. My legs felt tired so early on and I struggled with the altitude, mostly because I was sick I think. I had been concerned about an injury in my leg and although it didn't bother me at all during the race, I was always worried it was going to start hurting.

We ran along University Avenue for the last 6 miles. I could see the finish line the last mile or so but it seemed that the closer I got, the further away it looked. I was so so tired but wanted to get under 4:20 so I was able to sprint (or what felt like sprinting at that time) to the finish.

Once I found Kelly I started crying and coughing and stuff was coming out of my nose and I was a mess.

Then I once again realized why I will never live in Utah. They had this nice banner where runners could take pictures after they completed the race, but instead of saying finIsher, it said finsher. So sad. So, I am a Utah Valley Marathon Finsher.

After I got cleaned up and pulled myself together and wiped my nose, we met some old Los Hermanos co-workers and friends for chips and salsa. I'm good now for another 7 years.

We found our first apartment together and it looks exactly the same. It was such a little dump but it will always be our first home.

Then one more stop to Shirley's bakery to share an elephant ear. It was fun to see all of our old homes and favorite places that used to be such a big part of our lives.

What a quick weekend but it was a lot of fun! Next time, though, I want a vacation without a race and to stay up past 9 o'clock.

And I will deny this if ever I am asked, but I actually was a little sad to leave the green splendor and mountainous view of Utah and return to the beige ways of home.

Now, it's two days after the race and I am able to walk with only a minimal amount of pain. This time I feel much worse than I did with Carlsbad. I'm not sure why, but I'm enjoying the break and rest time. Next marathon will be in February of 2012. Hooray!

Dress up

Little did we know that when we bought these cheapy glass slippers for Lilly, that her TWO younger brothers would enjoy them just as much. While Oliver shuffled around the house in these plastic furry delights, Abe was asking to go buy his own pair.

We're so proud

Not as ugly as I was 2 1/2 years ago...i think

Some of you may remember this post when my family and I engaged in a truly humbling game of who can eat their fro yo the ugliest. I, unfortunately, was the winner. HOWEVER, here we are again in another contest. The reason?? I just don't think I'm as ugly as some other members of my family. You decide...

Just gross. He gets my vote.

True, it's not my finest picture but I'm pretty sure I could do worse.





I think Lilly might have it this year, folks.







Classic Abe pose and not ugly enough.

Poor thing couldn't look ugly if he tried.





So now you know what we do when we're really bored. Feel free to judge...but only if it's righteous judgment.

The end of school

She did it! Not only did Lilly finish 2nd grade but she did it with good grades, lots of friends, and she is still a sweet and caring little girl. Now that she's home, I can finally put her to good use and have her do some "light" babysitting for me. You know, while I work on my blog or need a quick nap or just need to go upstairs without all my chickens in tow. It's fabulous.

(trying to get a good pic of all the kids at the same time is nearly impossible!)

CONGRATULATIONS LILLY!!