I can now say...

that I've done my part as a responsible American citizen. I got out there and voted. It was so easy and I'm glad it's done. Now it's time to sit back and watch what happens. This next week will definitely be an interesting one for America. Hopefully we'll elect the leaders that our nation needs. In years past I've not felt such a responsibility to vote but, this one I've definitely felt the urgency. Hope everyone else does too!

School Pictures...

Allie brought home her school pics today. With the exception of the wild stray hair they turned out cute. Everytime I see her school pictures I just can't believe that she is mine. I love her so much and I can't believe how much she has grown up. The hair combing ladies wanted to comb out her hair and she didn't let them (per my instructions.) Such an obedient child.

P.S. Who do you think she looks more like, me or Phil?

G-U-I-L-T

Okay, so maybe I'm not as tough as I should be. I've run a total of 6.2 miles this week. Last Saturday my recovery really sucked and I think that I've been fighting the flu since. Yesterday my head hurt so bad that I couldn't bend over or hardly lift it off my pillow. My poor kids wonder what in the heck happened to me. Thankfully Phil has been really good about helping me in between his crazy stressful week. I finally feel like I can have a shower and act like a normal human being today. So, hopefully I can just regroup and hit it hard next week. And I can tell Livvy that my "he-ache" doesn't hurt anymore. She's been so cute trying to make sure I'm okay. Ash has been using the excuse that she has a headache to not do her dishes or clean up her messes. Oh it starts young doesn't it! Allie has been begging to go to High School Musical 3. We had to skip the little girl's outing that our ward did and I feel so bad but, she's been a trooper too. With the promise of seeing it this week sometime, she's okay.

A Message for Grandpa

Today is Grandpa's birthday and the girls wanted to send him a special message!

We love you Dad!

Commitment...

I guess that commitment=motivation. Phil got us registered for the Las Vegas Half Marathon so, I have to be motivated now. No use wasting the registration and not being ready. I have to come up with a structured 6 week training plan and stick with it. Thanks to my friends for the words of encouragement. I'm gonna need it! Maybe I can catch the emotion of it again and run another marathon next year. Maybe Ogden or Salt Lake City. Anyone wanna join me? Come on it will be fun!

Weekend away...

This past weekend we decided to get out of "Dodge" and head down to Phoenix for the Arizona Cardinals vs. Dallas Cowboys game. Fall is also considered to be "Widow" season for me but, on occasion I get to enjoy the perks of my husband's hobbies. Since he is still a Platinum rewards member at Marriott, we stayed at the Renaissance Hotel across the street from the stadium. Phil was able to get us upgraded again to the Presidential Suite. It was awesome. Two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms and three flat screen TV's. We did some major R &R.

We happened to be in Phoenix the first weekend of the year that it hasn't been hot. So, Phil, myself and the little girls hung out in the hot tub. They still had fun!
The chilly weather didn't phase this fishy! She doesn't like to be hot so, she hangs out in the pool and comes up for air once in a while.
Saturday night we went to dinner at a place called Saddle Ranch. It was good food and fun! They had an electric bull and the girls thought it was a riot to watch. When we left the restaurant, there was a dude dressed up in a really scary costume and Liv was really concerned that he was going to come to the hotel to get her so she kept vigilant at the window watching for him. We were on the 10th floor and it didn't phase her one bit to lean on the window.

Phil and Allie got to go to the Cards game. They always have a blast together! We happened to be staying in the same hotel as the Cowboys team and had a lovely run in with one of them. We were getting on the elevator and one of the players pushed his way past the kids and I so, Phil commented that he needed to learn some manners. The guy was such a jerk! He acted like a total idiot, calling us names and acting like we were in his way. My opinion is that if guys like that weren't big, they wouldn't be playing football and making exorbitant amounts of money, they'd be stocking shelves at WalMart somewhere. After all was said and done, it was kind of funny because everyone else standing there was in disbelief of this guys arrogance and lack of decency. We had a fun time in Phoenix and the Cards beat the Cowboys in sudden death overtime. We got back to Vegas and it was 48 degrees! BRRRRRR! What happened to fall?

Running...or not?

It seems like I had no motivation at all last week! I think that I need to remember to set new goals once I accomplish them. I got out there twice is all and didn't do any resistance training. Yikes. Oh well at least it's a new week, time to start over. I got my butt out there today so, that's a good start. Let's hope I can keep it up. Phil and our neighbor are running 8 miles on Saturday so, I think I might tag along. They are talking about registering for the Las Vegas 1/2 marathon which is in about 6 weeks. Hmmm can I be ready?

Slacker weekend...

I totally slacked this weekend. As far as running goes anyways. I ran five miles on Saturday. Two with Allie. She is doing a great job! Can I just say that I love that girl? She is amazing. We changed up her two mile route to include a long hill and she ran all the way up it. She's awesome! She's on her way!

Punkin Patch

Last Thursday, Livvy and I got to go to Gilcrease Orchards with Ashlie and her preschool friends. It was pretty hot but, we had a great time. I'd never been there before and I'm so glad we know where it is now. The kids got to pick their own pumpkins out of this HUGE garden/orchard.

Ash and one of her new "best" friends Abby. Ashlie loves preschool and all of her new friends. She is a little socialite and seems to make friends quite easily.

Ash and Liv with their beautiful pumpkins. They picked one out for Allie too.

Ash with Tanner and Monte a couple of her friends.

Livvy fit right in with all of the kids too. She was so hot and dirty but, she had a blast playing in the dirt. Needless to say we were all pooped out when we got home. This was the last of the hot days. Thank goodness!

Finally Fall...

After months of at least 90 degree weather we are getting a much needed reprieve. It feels like fall. Even 86 degrees feels a little more like fall to us. We really miss the fall in Utah because it starts in early September and it happens to be our favorite season. We have a traditional yearly trek to The Big Red Barn in Santaquin, UT. They have the best apples ever! We thought for sure we'd miss out on it this year but, we got to stop there on our way home from my Grandma's funeral. We just ate the last apple today. I'm telling you they are the best. They grow the best Gala apples and we look forward to them every year. We did discover Gilcrease Orchards here in Las Vegas though. I got to go there with Ashlie's preschool yesterday. It is like a four acre garden where you can go and pick what you want. I was very happy! The kids got to roam around in the pumpkin patch and pick out their very own. I found some zuchinni, acorn squash and pears. They also press their own apple cider. For now I am content to enjoy the cooling weather and my fresh garden veggies. (I will post pics of the kids hunting in the "punkin patch")

Planting flowers...

After a really super busy two weeks, Phil took Friday off. The girls were so happy to have him home. We went to the nursery and picked up some annual flowers and some herbs. He is so good to let the kids help him and they love it. When Allie got home from school he took us all out to dinner for "Date Night with Dad."

Bangs or no bangs...

A couple of months ago I decided to grow Livvy's bangs out. She has a weird hairline though and if I didn't pull her hair up into a top knot, it hung in her face and she looked like a Muppet. So, after a lengthy debate, I decided to cut them. Here are the before and after pics. What do you think?

Hump Day!

So, I made it over the hump and ran 8.11 miles today. Not very fast though. I picked Allie up at about 7 miles and ran the last mile with her. She is fun to run with and it's refreshing to talk to her after listening to my IPod for a while. We signed her up for the Presidential Fitness Challenge and she is running three days a week and will work up to four miles in a month. We are going to run a 10K (about 6 miles) with her this fall/winter sometime. She is a good little runner! It's quite funny to run with her because people driving by watch her and smile. It makes me smile too! Here is a picture of her on her first 10K, last summer (2007)

Still feeling motivated...

Well, so far so good. I'm still motivated. This means that I got up at 5:45 this morning (keep in mind it is Monday) and hit the pavement. Sorry for blogging about running so much lately, accountability is what keeps me motivated. I ran a little bit with a friend in my ward on Saturday and ended up going 7 miles (it really helped to have her to talk to.) I haven't gone more than 7 miles since the marathon so, I've got to get over that hump. Maybe this Saturday is the magic day. I am also going to take a weight lifting class tonight. My good friend, Linda teaches it and I went last week. I left the class feeling like a champ. I guess I didn't realize how hard she really worked us because on Wednesday I hurt in places I've never hurt before. At least it's a good pain! This weeks goal: Run 4 days, at least 4 miles each day. 2 days of resistance training. Eat more fruits and veggies.

Bedtime Blues...

What happens when Mom answers the phone while trying to get little girls ready for bed? They run wild and raid my shoes. Bedtime is always quite the fiasco in our house. We get the girls all tucked in and I run as fast as I can to mine and it's not more than 3 minutes later and one is calling for me. I'm pretty sure that most of you know what I mean by, "Musical Beds." Yep I play it almost every night.

Livvy has figured out that she can get out of her bed now and does whenever she feels like it. I'm trying really hard to not make the mistake of laying down with her to get her to stay there. I just take her back to bed and tell her goodnight (about 10 times before she stays.)

We've been out of town too much lately to really get a normal routine down. So, the plan is now to stay home for an extended period and get back to normalcy so these little princesses can get some shut eye. And Mom and Dad can too!