A Race to remember

I wanted to run a half marathon that wasn't all down hill and closer to home. Mike and I signed up for this half marathon in January, before Mike hurt his knee. We were going to be running it with my SIL and BIL. They both had to drop out too because of their kids activities. That just left me to run the race. The course was decent, the race was very well organized. 

Me, well I thought I had trained well. I didn't though. 

This was my first race since my surgery. I didn't know how I would do. I wasn't excepting a super time but I was excepting that I would a little better. Three hours and three minutes later I finished. I was so mad. In October, I ran the Halloween Half in 2:30 hours. I wanted that time or better. I think the cold through me off. Daylight savings pushed the sun up later so I couldn't run in the mornings. The worst part. I forgot my watch. My running watch. To tell me my pace, how far I have gone and how much more I need to go. When I got to the starting line and realized this fun fact, I almost turned around and went home. But I thought no. I will do my best and pretend it's just a run around the neighborhood nothing serious. Those thoughts helped for a little bit but by mile 9 I wanted to quit. I had a blister at the bottom of my foot. I was even madder since I had just bought new shoes. When Justin Biebers song came on the ipod, Never Say Never I wanted to puke and cry all at once. (My stomach wasn't feeling well either.) The song pulled me through. My last mile I just kept thinking never say never, I will fight til forever,  I could do this. Even though thoughts of me being a fat cow were dragging me down. I want to be called a runner. I want to look like I could run 13.1 miles without breaking a sweat. I didn't feel like I was even good enough to be in this race. I sprinted to the end. There weren't very many people left things were being torn down. This was one of the worst races I felt for me. I know there is room for improvement, always. 

I hope to start that improvement tomorrow. 

Next race, 40miles on my bike and then Ragnar. In all of this self pity, I'm not going to give up my goal of looking fit and being someday called a runner. I even put my name into the lottery for the St. George Marathon. That is in 6 months.

LOL, the giggles

Phoenix on a daily basis make us laugh. His constant talking and story telling doesn't stop until he hits his head on his pillow. 

I have to write this story down so I don't forget it! 

Last night the children were wrestling Mike on the floor. Mike's shirt came up revealing his hairy stomach. Phoenix was grossed out and said Mike's stomach was disgusting. Then he said "Dad you should name your belly button. You should name it Potter!" "Hairy Potter" 

We were all laughing so hard. 

I retold the this story at work and about peed my pants from the side splitting laughter. 

We always have a giggle when Phoenix is awake!

*another update* Phoenix lost another tooth this morning. I got to pull this tooth out. He immediatly put it under his pillow so that the tooth fairy could come.

Summer don't leave

We went to Bear Lake to celebrate the end of summer. I can't believe it's ending. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was wearing winter clothes and the short summer months are now fading into the sunset. 

a view from our campsite onto Bear Lake.

My sweet girl loves the beach

We have had a great summer with swimming, training for races, playing and having a long school break. I'm happy that I got to spend a lot of time with kids. They are growing up so fast and it's just not fair. I love the sun and the warmth that this summer has given. I am not looking forward to my tan fading by mid-September. Oh why must it get cold. I can already feel that autumn nip in the air.

Just can't get enough!

I just can't enough of Bear Lake and the Bear Lake Valley. Or the wonderful food that I eat there.

On July 16th we went to Bear Lake for the day. We did this last year and it was quite fun so we did a repeat. Mike's parents went with us. 

My Grandma was born in Paris, ID. It's a short distance from Garden City and Laketown, where we like to go. I have been reading more about our family history and how my Pioneer ancestors help establish the Bear Lake area. From the very first time I went there I felt that this place meant more to me than anyone else. I felt like belonged to Valley and had strong roots there. Come to find out I do. 

If Mike told me that he got a job there and that we would have to leave our life in West Jordan. I wouldn't hesitate to move there. I love it that much. Someday we will get property there. 

Since reading up on my Family heritage,  I wanted to go to the Bloomington Cemetery and see the headstones of these famed relatives. WOW! the experience again was over whelming. I have never been there so to search for the headstones and to walk around and think I came from these great people was an awesome feeling. On Isaac Dunford (one of my relatives) headstones, it has a "Faith in Every Footstep" plaque on it because he did cross the plains, coming from England with his family. So many people that made it possible for me, Rhiannon, to have a great life that I have. 

I hope I don't forget their past.

This weekend there is a whole reunion of people from all over that come for a Dunford Reunion. I can't go this year but maybe next year.

Ensign Peak

Wednesday the Young Men and Young Women of our ward hike to the top of Ensign Peak. I have personally never hiked to the top. But at the bottom of the peak is where Mike proposed to me. (you can aahh now) Ensign Peak holds a special place in my heart. Mike said that he was the only leader that brought a camera. I'm glad he did because he took some amazing pictures. I'm going to share them with you.

The main reason they were there was because our Stake is going on a Pioneer Trek next week for youth conference and one of the requirements for them to go is to hike to the top of Ensign Peak. I love that in the picture you can see the Temple.

Weekend update with Rhi

(this is a long post and I'm sorry no pictures just your imagination)
Yeah yeah I already talked about Father's day but Saturday was just as eventful.
Mike had to wake up early to put flags up for Flag day. Which by the way is a really underrated holiday. We need to make it a spectacle just like all the other holidays.
(I forgot to mention that Mike and I washed our cars on Saturday morning. It was the first time I had ever washed a car by hand with Mike. As a kid my dad had a particular way of washing the car so I was a little nervous to wash a car with Mike just in case he had a "particular" way. He did and I did learn a few things about washing a car. All in all it was a good time.)
So to celebrate Flag Day we went to our ward service project. We were cleaning up the school area. It's is amazing that there was so much trash around it. While we were cleaning a firetruck stopped unannounced and showed the kids all the cool things on a firetruck. Phoenix was so excited to climb inside the truck and look around. He saw a cellphone and said " that is like mom's phone" or my favorite " they have a computer too dad" We were walking around picking up trash when the firefighters hooked up the hose to the fire hydrant and started spraying water. All the kids loved it but not my two. For some weird reason they don't like sprinklers, water guns or hoses but they love the swimming pool.
After the clean up Mike and I went home and shovelled dirt. We had a dirt pile on the side of our house that was creating quite an eye sore. The fact that the dirt had been sitting there for a year and half and the dirt was the last of the dirt from doing out yard. It was exciting to get rid of it. Unfortunately I'm not that great in shovelling dirt so Mike did most of the work.
(On a side note. I made a list of projects that I wanted to accomplish and that was one. It feels so good to cross something off that list.)
Our ward provided a great lunch at the park. There was a good turn out. I ate a ton of food. It was getting warmer by the minute. It's surprising to me that on Wednesday we were cold, wet, and snowy and on Saturday it was 90 degrees.
To celebrate the warmth I felt it was time to go to the pool and get a tan. Mike's parents came with us we went to the Kearns rec center pool the big outdoor one. I hate to say it but it puts all the Mesa Pools to shame. But there is a love hate relationship I have with the pool because it was of course crowded, gross inside the bathrooms and so hard to keep track of people. I'm glad that my in laws came because they helped me with Jersey. Phoenix was loving playing on the stairs and Jersey would go around with them to all the water features. I was a little nervous to go to the pool for the first time this summer because I was being self conscious about my body. Not be be rude but I didn't have to worry about anything at that pool. There were so many shapes and sizes.
The kids were exhausted and after dinner they were asking to go to bed. NICE.
I love having my Saturdays back.

play play play

Today was the first time I got to see one of Jersey's soccer games this season. She did well but she gets nervous I think because she wasn't running as hard as I knew she could. But I knew this would be the trouble of signing her up for sports to soon. Oh well we tried, I can wait until she is a little older to do more sports. But regardless she had fun. There is one little boy on her team that loves being with her. His name is Cutter. He is quite a talker too.

Phoenix was sporting some great sunglasses but because he was messing around with them he broke them. He was pretty bummed that he couldn't play soccer with Jersey today. He likes to run and kick the ball.

After the game we ran a few errands and then headed home so Mike could get ready to go to work. When he left all I could think about was going back to bed. I was so tired. I tried to put on movie but apparently our t.v. is a little whacked out at the moment. It was turning off on it's own. So yeah I'm thrilled to see what the problem is with that. Because there was no t.v. I knew I couldn't go to sleep and let the kids run crazy so I took them on a bike ride to the park. (mom usually doesn't do that kind of thing) They enjoyed it fully playing on the slides, swinging and rolling down the grass hill. I was really proud of Phoenix because he is a very timid kid and he was climbing all over the place and saying "Look Mom"

***Some past things that I forgot to post about were that we went to Classic Skating with Mike's sister and her kids. Jersey had a blast riding her scooter and playing in the "jungle". At Classic Skating if you pay like $7.50 you get 10 free tokens and can skate, play in the bounce houses and "jungle". The place reminds me of good ole' Skateland. (Ahh the days.) Phoenix didn't really care for the bounce houses or the "jungle" but he did go into it after awhile. He really liked the games. He wanted to keep playing those. Jersey liked everything of course and was excited to get a prize. She got a ring and a locket.

We also had the opportunity to go with some friends to Copperton Park. It is a really neat park with big ole tires and a huge slide. Phoenix was nervous to go down the slide. He would climb to the top and then he didn't know what to do when he got there. It was field trip day so there were a lot of kids around. After the second time of having to rescue him, some "big" girls were holding his hands and helping him around the playground. When a bigger kid pushed him down the girls brought him over to me. I thought it was pretty sweet. Copperton Park is one park that I love going to. It's not very far from our house but when you go there it is like you are transformed in time because the little community is so old.

have you ever?

I sometimes what to be a kid again and do funny things that I use to do. But the fact that I am not a kid and far from being one hasn't stopped me from still doing the things that I think are fun and I like to share them with my kids now.

I use to go to the photo booths to take pictures with my friends all the time. I have a few scrapbook pages full of the little photos. My sisters and I spent a ton of money at the Arizona State fair once sitting in a photo booth taking pictures. I thought I would pass this activity on to my kids.

I found that you can sit in a photo booth at the local K-mart here. So on Friday afternoon, I took my kids and we took some fun photos. We gave one to my MIL for Mother's day so she can put our goofy faces on her desk.

I can't wait for it to be Father's day because will be making a trip again for some more photos.

The Weekend!

I never feel like the weekend is long enough for me. I guess with Daylight savings starting my weekends will feel longer. Right?
Friday night Mike and I were suppose to go out with our neighbors on a bowling night and dinner but after talking it over we decided to sit that one out. Mostly because we didn't want to find a babysitter at the last moment.
Well let me also explain that on Friday afternoon as I was taking the kids to run some errands Phoenix had conveniently locked the door that goes from our garage to our house. We don't own any house keys to our house. All have been lost. So when this tragedy struck I didn't panic I choose to ignore it until Mike was able to handle it. Thus I didn't call a babysitter in enough time because I didn't know if we would have been paying for a locksmith or not. But with ease Michael was able to break into our house by doing something to the back door. It was hard to understand so I can't explain. (yes I'm a blond) So no locksmith was called to the rescue I had my own superman.
I still came home from work a little early as planned before the door became locked. We took the kids to Smith's and got ice cream, popcorn and Big K soda pop. (what a great deal the stuff was $0.59) Mike picked up some pizza from Little Caesars (disregard that we already had pizza this week) and some movies from Red Box. We had a fun time with the kids eating and watching movies with them. We realized that it is nice to be home with the kids instead of ditching them and going out with the neighbors. There will be time to do that when they are older and they don't like us anymore.
That was Friday. Saturday was a much needed day off work. I have been working mostly every Saturday since January so it was nice to get up and get some stuff done. Why is it though that Saturday is more special then any other day of the week? Because I could have done all the stuff on those days then on Saturday? I don't know it is one of life's mysteries to me. But I was surprised at myself how much I got done. It felt good. As the day dragged on, waiting for Mike to come home, I started to get stir crazy from being home all day and working. When he came home I was glad he suggested that we use our movie passes and go see a movie. (That is also a rare occurrence in our house where we venture out to the movies.) We did have to find a babysitter at the last minute but my nephew and nieces were quite excited to help us out. Thanks guys. The movie we saw was JUNO. I liked that film very much, it deserved all the recognition that the movie received. I cried through out the whole movie. Hormones I think. I had to keep telling Mike it wasn't a sad cry it was just a cry. I don't know what my deal is I was crying at High School Musical 2 earlier that day. (Mike says I better not be pregnant and NO I don't know if am or not it's just hormones I think)
Sunday was filled with utter hatred toward Day light savings. This is one tradition I fail to love. How can anyone fill happiness into tricking your body that waking up earlier, because you want the sun up sooner is great? From the moment I moved here I knew my life would be plagued with this nonsense but what can you do. Who does this really help? If it is just farmers are there enough farmers in UT to justified sleepiness in our bodies for the whole first weeks of Day Light savings? Most of us have 9 to 5 jobs, not sun up to sun down jobs. (Does that count for mom's?) We still made it to church on time and the kids were pretty good about the whole thing. I thought it quite funny after church I curled up in a ball on the couch to watch some basketball and fell asleep. When I woke up Phoenix had fallen asleep on an arm chair by himself and Jersey was in her bed asleep as well. Mike also fell asleep so it was funny how our kids went to sleep on there own. Mike's parents invited us over for dinner which was super nice because then I didn't have to think of what were were going to do for dinner.
So yeah that was pretty much it nothing to dramatic but nice to get things done and remember what it important in our life FAMILY!

untitled

So I have a lot of thoughts that I want to express but it's been hard for some reason to write them all down.
First I guess I should start with how I have been feeling. As many as you know I suffer from depression. (I'm not bi-polar) So the last few weeks I realize that my mind is so connected to my body in how I react to certain things. For instance two weeks ago I went to church and just came home in tears. Feeling helpless I didn't know why I was crying so bad. Oh wait yeah I do it was because everyone in my ward is pregnant and I feel jealous that I'm not. Then realizing that my oh so lovely cycle was about to start I stopped the blubbering about another child. Two weeks prior to this meltdown. I was saying that I was content with my status of a two kid mom. So because of the stress and emotions flowing through my body I was putting off the cycle. That could be a great thing right? Well, I also realized that I need it to come and to stop these raging hormones of crazy so that I can be the calm person that I know is inside my body. So I'm trying to relax.
I feel though that through all the mental drama things here on the "ranch" are doing great. I can't say enough about my kids who play so well with each other and are so willing to help out with simple chores. Jersey cleaned her room all by herself, yesterday and was rewarded with a small notebook from the circle store.
I'm also so pleased with them because they eat about anything I put in front of them. I have been trying new meals because sometimes our regular meals: Pasta, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, tacos, pizza,grilled cheese sandwiches, and taco soup are getting old. I made a salad that was so great. Picture this, field greens(the bagged salads)cucumbers, garbanzo beans(or chick peas) and marinaded terikayi chicken. I grilled the chicken and the cut it up and tossed all the other ingredients in the salad. Then you top the salad with Papaya Seed dressing. I can I just say YUM! Mike that is was odd I was sticking beans in a salad, I thought is was great.
Last weekend Mike had a scout outing and I had to work in the early morning so Jersey and Phoenix had a sleepover at Grandma's. I was by myself to do whatever. I wanted to go to the Cheesecake Factory but the wait was 2 hours long even at 8:30pm. I had to get up at 5am so I didn't want to stay out late. So my friend Sarah and I went to Chili's it was so good. It was nice to go out with no kids and no husbands. Two things I normally don't do. After work on Saturday I came home and waited until my kids and in-laws got home. They went and ran errands so the waiting time gave me a chance to continue reading my book that I checked out at the library. It was called Rhett Butler's People. It is a sequeal to Gone With the Wind. I don't know why that period of time is so facenating but I couldn't put the book down. So the kids and Mike just hung out and did their own thing while I read my book all night.
The weather here has been great the last few days. Utah has been in the 50's. Oh it is so nice. To go outside and wear flip-flops and not jacket. Jersey even rode her bike yesterday with all her friends. I like when I have a day off and my kids can go and play with friends. It was also cute to see ms. Jers walking over to the neighbors to play. I usually walk with her but she couldn't wait until after I put Phoenix down for a nap. So she ran over by herself. What a big kid I got on my hands.
Ok so enough of my ramblings. I should call my blog "Rhi's Rambles" hmm, maybe I will think about that.
Well I'm sure this post is to long for some to read but I just felt that I needed to put my thoughts down on paper or on the computer.

Sunday nights

I really enjoy Sunday nights at home. My kids take a nap after church and Mike and I get to eat dinner by ourselves because the kids won't wake up for dinner. Granted this fun of eating dinner sometimes ends when the kids wake up and then want to eat. Or because they had a 3 hour nap they aren't ready to go to bed when normal children should be in bed.

This is why I plan activities that will take a long time to do on Sunday nights. To get some energy out. Last night was such the case. We mad Sugar Cookies. It was the first time that Mike and I had ever attempted this. The kids enjoyed helping roll out the cookies and then using the cookie cutters in the dough. Phoenix liked to put the dough on his face. After the cookies were all baked we frosted them. We didn't have any frosting so we made some. I wish I could say that it is delicious but it isn't. The kids seemed to like though. Tons of sugar who wouldn't? I guess an adult sense of taste. By the time we finished the frosting of the cookies Phoenix's whole face was covering in green frosting. I guess you could say that he is our little cookie.

Jersey is excited to save some of her cookies for Santa. I'm sure Santa is going to love that green frosting.

Christmas Hullaboo

I have been trying to keep the Christmas spirit but sometimes I feel very overwhelmed with it all. But I have to say that the things I do on my checklist are all complete.

*Decorate the house-check

*Take the neighbors treats-check

*Watch all the favorite Christmas shows-check

*See some Christmas lights-check

*Get Mike to put lights up on the house-check

*Wrap presents and put them under tree-check

*Read Christmas stories to the kids-check

*Sing Christmas songs-check

*Keep kids and animals away from the presents for 11 more days.-still working on that.

At work it's been really slow and so to keep myself busy, on Tuesday night I took most of the presents to work so I could work on the wrapping. With so much down time I was able to finish the wrapping. I was happy to bring it home and put it under the tree. Jersey and Phoenix along with the cats manage to take off all the bows and rearrange them to other presents. I thought that they would have grown out of this trick but maybe next year. Now they sit under the tree waiting to be open. This is going to be a good Christmas because the kids are so into it.

I'm not a virgin!

Today ends my Library virginity. Jersey woke up asking to go to the library. She really wanted to go because she thought that her best friends Jenasee and Porter would be there. They weren't of course but I thought I would let the kids go and see what a library is all about. We have never checked out books before. I guess for me, it is the fear that if they destroy it I have to pay for it. I would rather go and buy the book at Barnes and Noble so that I have it forever. Or if my kids destroy it I take the loss not the library. I guess I was trying to save the library money? That is my whole reasoning not to go to the library.
Our trip to the library was relatively calm except for Phoenix freaking out because I had to check out and I took his book away so the lady could scan it. The kids were excited to see the chinchilla that the library has.
I remember fond memories of going to the Downtown Mesa Library. I loved every summer getting a ton of books to read. Then never reading them, then feeling guilty that I should have read more. Or reading my first biography of someone that I was interested in. I love that stuff. Deep down I'm a big NERD. Jersey found my same passion for non-fiction work. She found a book that has facts about Thanksgiving, plus a book about Princesses. Phoenix's favorite book that he found is about Lighting McQueen. Or as he calls it Ca chow!

New Calling

Mike got a new calling in our ward on Sunday. He is the teacher's quorum advisor. You know the scout leader? It was pretty funny going in and watching him get asked to have a new calling. The bishop and his counselors were talking to him about what he would be doing in the calling and the one of the counselors stop and said "wait we got got to ask one important question, Sister Nielsen can you support your husband?" Of course I can. Hey we don't see each other that much any way. Also on another side note. Mike's teacher's quorum advisor was my dad's first cousin. IT is kinda of funny. Because he told the bishop that his leader had a great influence on him. When I was getting married to Mike, we found out the connection with my dad's cousin. I think it wasn't until then when my parents were not so nervous about me marrying a "UTAH BOY"
Mike is a little stressed about it because he just started Real Estate School and he was going to that on Tuesday nights, but now it is mutual. It's stressful but it will all work out. I have learned that in my years of marriage.

Road Trip

I remember when I was a single gal how much I loved ROAD TRIPS!!!! But it is a completely story with kids. On Thursday I took my first road trip with the kids without Mike. I don't know really how to describe it except challenging. I mean they were really good but when I would try to fall asleep Jersey would yell "MOM don't go to sleep" I was even driving.

My dad flew from to Chicago to Salt Lake so that he would be another body in the car with me. Megan also came. We took her car to Snowflake. Melanie my cousin was getting married. It's crazy to think that she is married. She and her husband are so cute together. It was nice to also see my Grandparents, aunts, uncles, Mom and sister Lauren. I haven't see her in like 1 1/2 years or more.

The first night we stayed up until like 2 am just talking and playing catch up. My kids wanted to play with the toys at my cousins house as soon as we got there. Thanks again Michelle for letting stay with you.

The next day I went to the Temple with my mom and dad because Melanie was going through. Afterwards we went out to eat to this Mexican food joint. It was good. After we ate we went to my Aunt Shelley's house and started helping with the wedding preparations. This is what my family does, when you think you are going a relaxing vacation you get to work in all reality. We had a great time painting the back drop(it was louver doors) for the wedding reception. We didn't paint them very good but that was the point. Then I bought some rub on stain and rubbed the doors down and it looked so cool. All those DYI shows have really paid off. While we were painting my cousin Nathan asked if I wanted to wear some old clothes of his so that I wouldn't get my nice clothes dirty. I put on the clothes and how sad is this I didn't need a belt for the pants. I have realized my true calling a wedding decorator or wedding planner. After we got that taken care of we glued rhinestones together so that we could hang them on the branches that were going to decorate the centerpieces. My cousin Julie and I got so high off the glue that everything strangely became funny. So we pulled another late night.

The day of Melanie's wedding I was so exhausted and I wasn't even the bride. It was a beautiful wedding. My sisters were in charge of taking care of my kids during the ceremony. They brought them up to the temple. The kids had never seen the Snowflake temple. I think it is really beautiful. Phoenix loved the water and kept going by it and he really wanted to get in. Grandma Laurie was right there to get him so he wasn't going in.

Between the wedding and the reception I decided that I wanted to get my hair done. At first it was just a style you know they curl my hair so that I don't have to. It ended turning out to be an all afternoon thing where I got my hair colored. I wanted to do something drastic something I had never done before. So I went Platinum and had a bright red put underneath. Mike has said that I always get my hair the same so well it's totally different. I don't think he likes it. It was nice to do something for me. After all it was my birthday weekend. Not that I was trying to out shine Melanie or anything I just wanted to do something that I would have done if I was a home.

I love Snowflake I love the hometown feel. It has been such a long time since the last time I was there. My kids loved it as well. Jersey loved playing with all the cousins. Julie and Lauren took the kids to see the horses and let them feed them. Oh how my kids were so excited. Then just running around big fields and playing in leaves. I asked Jersey if it was better then Disneyland. She said YES. I now know that all I need to do is go to Snowflake instead of Disneyland.

Halloween Fun!

I know that Halloween has come and gone. I went out of town on the first and I was unable to post anything before I left. So I thought I would play catch-up. On Tuesday the 30th Jersey had a pre-school Halloween Party. I didn't want her to wear her "real" costume to the party so she went as a pirate to the party. She was cute with her little pirate shirt and pirate hat. She was so excited that her teacher gave her play-doh. I don't feel that same love with play-doh like she does. I am glad that it made her happy.
On Wednesday my kids were oozing with Halloween spirit they couldn't contain themselves. I had to work which was crappy. But it was for a good cause. I was taking Friday off not only for my BIRTHDAY but to go to Snowflake for my cousins wedding. (So Halloween was run errands day trying to get everything ready to leave in the morning and making sure the house was clean. I just can't leave my house a mess before going out of town. I think that is something that my mom taught me? Mike didn't come with us he had to work. But still I couldn't leave the house a mess.) The kids got ready at Grandma's house and I met them at my sister-in-laws house to go trick or treating. We go to Jen's every year for trick or treating. The kids like going with there cousins so it all works out. This year Jersey went with all the big kids. I didn't even get to help her. She looked beautiful in her PRINCESS AURORA dress. Phoenix went as a firefighter. He thought he was so cool with his hat. Every house that we went to said he was adorable. Mike and I walked around with Phoenix we made it to about 10 houses before he started to throw a major meltdown. That was our cue to go back to the house and eat.
My kids were excited about their candy. Every year I take their candy on Halloween after we come home and put it in a huge jar. So they can see it and be amazed. Because isn't Halloween about getting the most candy and giving it to your parents? I remember my mom trying to do this when I was a kid but it never worked. So I'm hoping to keep her dream alive.
This Halloween was great because it wasn't as cold as it has been in other years. WE had a great time.