Pictures are worth a 1000 words

Ahhhh....to have a good camera and know how to take really great pictures! How would it be?
The professional pictures from our races in Pocatello came back last week and since they were free to download (another reason to run the races there), I did them all.
Here are a few of my favorites.

If you want to play along, leave me a comment telling me what you would put as the caption under the last picture of Ben. There just might be a plate of turtle cookies for the caption my kids, the unbiased judges, like best.

Dallin watching big brother, Ashton finish his race.

Ashton trekking along.

Ben with his best pal and race buddy, Daddy.

Go Dallin!

Dallin in the 0.2 kids race.

My nephew Hayden, smokin the competition. The man behind him was the race organizer who ran the 1.5 and Hayden left him in the dust!

Glad to be finishing and seeing familiar faces!

My niece, Aubrie (in bib #1232) finishing strong in the kids race.

My awesome big brother, Dan, finishing in 10th overall, 1st in his age group.

My absolute favorite picture! Ashton going strong for the finish.

Maysa concentrating on every step!

The sister I never had until she married my brother, Shaleece, the best motivator and running inspiration, making it across the finish line 1st in her age group!

( YOU FILL IN THE BLANK)

What would you say about that little guy swinging his medal?

Remember

Yesterday I wore red, white, and blue. I proudly pinned my flag pin on my collar.

I wore a flag shirt and changed my running route too. I wanted to run through the flag lined streets of Provo.

I also flew my flag yesterday. Okay, I fly it everyday, but yesterday, I flew it for a slightly different reason.

I hope for the same reason you all flew yours.

To remember.

To remember that awful day 8 years ago when I felt shocked, scared, helpless, and sad.

To remember the feeling I had of being a mother and watching my two year old Ashton, pointing at the TV after the 2nd plane hit and saying, "Moke, Mommy. Moke." and thinking what kind of world I had brought him into.

To remember all those innocent lives lost. I didn't know any of them personally, but they are still my brothers and sisters and I still mourn for them and their families.

To remember those who gave the ultimate gift and sacrificed their own lives for that of their friends.

And today, I chose to remember the good that awful day brought.

To remember the love felt for our fellow countrymen. And how we brought those we love a little closer and loved them a little longer.

To remember the giving of resources, time, money, and most of all, prayers.

To remember the unity. We were truly the UNITED States of America again.

To remember the surge of patriotism that filled the fibers of my being.

And our family chose to honor those who lost their lives that day by the hands of terrorists, by doing some of the things those terrorists hoped to make the American People too scared to do.

We gathered in with a large group of friends, neighbors, and classmates at the elementary for a Family Skate Night.

We enjoyed the beauty of our Provo trail by running together for our Annual Ward 5K and Kids Fun Run.

We watched Dallin play in a flag football game while the other kids enjoyed one our public parks.

We exercised our freedom of speech and gathered at the State Capital for a Freedom Rally.

And I hope we proved to the orchestrator's of those attacks that they didn't win that day. And that even 8 years later we still remember.

The American Spirit doesn't easily forget.

A Family Affair

I have been really looking forward to Labor Day weekend. My oldest brother, Dan, lives in Pocatello and he and his wife, Shaleece, had invited us to come up there and join in the fun of the Pocatello Marathon weekend. So we packed the Uplander and headed for Poky. None of us attempted the marathon or even the ½, but we did have entries in the 10K, 1.5 miles, and the .2 mile.

This weekend was to be a first for all of us. It was my brother’s 1st race. It was Shaleece’s and my 1st 10K. I was finally going to get to run with my kids. And my nieces and nephew were participating in the races for the first time too.


It was a really fun race. Lots of support, aide stations, and freebies! It was also my hardest, from both the physical and mental aspect. I had experienced some IT band irritation last week. If you don’t know what IT band irritation is, it basically, means I could hardly walk after running. I wondered if I should even attempt to run the race or try selling my bib number. I was sick. I wanted to run this race so badly! I saw my Dr. who gave me specific stretches for the IT band and also suggested I see a chiropractor. Turns out I was out of alignment. So after 2 hrs of being snapped, crackled, and popped back into shape and given instructions how to roll myself on a $38 foam roller, I was declared fit to race!


The morning of the race I stretched and rolled myself before heading down to the pickup spot to ride the bus to the start line. I had butterflies in my stomach. It seemed like that bus ride took forever and went too far. I kept thinking “I hope they know we’re only doing the 10K and not the 1/2.” I was relieved when the bus made a loop and headed back towards town.



We arrived at the starting line with about 10 minutes to spare. 124 race participants, 2 porta-potties, and 10 minutes…. I decided I would just have to hold it. It is usually just nerves anyways. I was concerned about my leg more, so I spent the time stretching. I told Dan and Shaleece, that I was just going to take it easy and just try to finish in under an hour. I knew I could easily do that, but secretly I wanted to finish in less than 55 minutes.


The gun sounded and we were off.

Dan was like white lightning and I easily lost sight of him. Shaleece kept turning around to see if I was ok. I told her, “Just go. I’m taking it easy.”

It was easy and I felt great, until mile 2. That’s when I felt that familiar painful twinge on the outside of my knee. All worries about my bladder situation disappeared and I knew I had a different problem to worry about. On top of that, I needed to slow down even more. UGH! I kept trying to think about the positive things, like “At least, you made up the hill before it started.” But the negative kept pushing its way into my head. I was struggling….more mentally than physically. I grabbed my cell phone and called Richard. I was probably the only runner on the course talking on a cell phone while they were still running, but it was the only thing I could think of to do.

Richard answered and asked me why I was calling him when I was supposed to be running a race. I stated that I was running, but the twinge in my knee was back. That’s when I started to cry. I wasn’t in a lot of pain, I knew that, along with the stiffness, would come later.

I told him, “I was scared.” I was scared I wouldn’t be able to finish the race. I was scared I would always have this problem whenever I ran. I was afraid I would lose the newfound friend I had in running.

It felt good just to admit it.

I told him, “Just talk to me.” So he did.

I can’t really tell you what he said, it was just that calm, friendly, reassuring voice on the other end of the line that settled my nerves, calmed my fears.

So I kept running and at mile 3.5 the twinge stopped. I passed the wall and I could finally run the way the rest of my body wanted to. I called Richard again and told him not to worry. I was ok. He told me he was there and waiting for me. Eventually, I saw the finish line ahead and pushed it hard. And there he was right before the finish line. The man with the voice on the other end of the line, smiling and taking pictures, along with the 7 children he was put in charge of getting to the race bright and early. I crossed the line at 56:54.

I had made it.

I was victorious. WE were victorious. I couldn’t have done it without him. Not just that day, but everyday he stays with the kids while I train or race. I wish I could have given him even just an ounce of the satisfaction I was feeling. He deserved it too. I hope he knows just how much all he does means to me.

I hadn’t made my secret goal of finishing in less than 55 minutes, but I did better than I thought and even placed 3rd in my age group. Dan and Shaleece were the stars of the day each taking 1st place in their age division. Dan even placed 10th for the whole 10K, pretty good for his 1st race!

We then hurried the kids to their races. Dallin, Benjamin (along with Daddy), Aubrie, and Maysa, all ran the 0.2 and had a great time. Dallin even placed 4th and Maysa found her competitive spirit when other kids would try to pass her she wouldn’t have it and sped up. It was fun to see all their little personalities and how they reacted during and after the race.

Next, Ashton and my nephew, Hayden, ran in the 1.5 mile Fun-a-thon. They started and in no time, Hayden was loping across the finish line taking 1st for the race and boys division. I think he had a stride and a half against the rest of the racers. It pays to be tall with long legs… a feeling I’ll never know. Ashton followed about 3 minutes later taking 3rd in the boys division. He got slowed down by a wood chip that had stowed itself away in his shoe from the playground only to be jostled lose when he started to run. Poor guy had a sore toe, but kept on truckin!

I was so proud of all of us! And like I said, it was a really fun race. Plus, it's the only race that I know of, that when you pick up your race packet and duffle bag of goodies they also give you….a bag of Idaho potatoes! What else?

FUNNY!

Check out my new aerobic routine!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npy4X-PmdC4

Seriously, who needs running when you can get your "groove on" with this kid! I know I got a great ab workout just from giggling.

ENJOY!

School Days

School Days. School Days. School days are here again!

My older brother's, Dan and Nathan, used to sing this song to us when they had graduated and Andrew and I still had to go to school. We HATED it! They would get us so upset. It was unbelievable how it pushed all of our buttons.

But I found myself singing it this year.

Summer seemed so short, but I was ready for school to begin again. I need and love the structure that school provides to our schedule.

Since all three boys started school on different days this year, I decided to wait until they had their first days back to post their back to school pictures.

Ashton is in Mr. Zimmerman's 5th grade class. So far he loves it! And I love that the school year has gotten off to a smooth start for him. No panic attacks, no uncontrollable crying (for me or him), and not even any "doe eyes" or the "don't leave me here look" when I drop him off. I guess he is growing up. It also helps that he was placed in a class with a few of his friends, unlike past years.



Dallin is in Mrs. Anderson's 1st grade class this year. He was nervous about starting 1st grade. He was especially nervous about eating in the lunchroom. But he memorized his lunch number quickly and conquered the first day with his "I'm so cool" attitude. He later confessed to me that he didn't know what he was worried about. He also told me that school lunch is cool "because they give you cookies." That's my boy.

Benjamin gets to have another fun filled year in Mrs. Stephanie's pre-school this year. He has one of those birthdays where he could've gone to Kindergarten this year, but after a lot of thought and discussion we decided that he just wasn't ready for that yet. He loves Mrs. Stephanie even though this is as close as I could get him to stand next to her for a picture.
Silly Mr. Ben.
And today he was true to the promises he made me last year. He promised me that when he was 5, before I left he wouldn't need me to hold him on his favorite couch anymore. And that when he was 5, he wouldn't have to watch me drive away while we waved to each other until I was out of site.


He was quite grown up. And today, I missed that little guy running down the sidewalk waving after me.

We Were Out There

This morning I started my run a lot later than usual. I couldn't get out of bed. It was Saturday, no kids to get to school, my day to sleep in. I almost didn't go. But I have a race coming up that I paid good money to run in, so I threw on my gear and headed out the door.

I walked to my starting place and as I waited for my running watch to acquire it's satellite signal, I questioned again if I really wanted to do this today. It was already hot, I had forgotten my gum, and I could feel the cottonmouth already setting in. My goal I was trying for wasn't coming as easy as I wanted and I didn't feel any closer to reaching it today. The GPS signal sounded from my watch, so I figured "what the heck" and I took off.

I passed my friend Margaret on my way to the trail and she asked how I was? "Sleepy" I replied. She responded back "But at least you're out on a Saturday." Yep, at least I was out there.

It didn't take long to be glad I had gone. It was comedy central on the trail this morning! There were the ladies pushing strollers whose mouths went 2 times faster than their legs. Or the guy dressed from head to toe in expensive Nike running gear- smoking a cigarette. And last, but certainly not least, the two young adults running with their healthy bottled water, KING SIZE TWIX BAR & TWINKIES! A little counterproductive, I think, but what do I know. Maybe that's the secret to great running!

I laughed.

Then Margaret's words popped in my head "at least they're out there." That's what mattered. We were all out there trying to do something good with the bodies we had been given.

Okay, so for some of us that was only partly true. But at least we were trying.

I don't know if it was this little thought that spurred me on through the heat and cottonmouth or the endorphins produced when I laughed, but I made my goal. I finally made it through 7 miles in 1hr. 2 min. & 28 seconds.

I was glad I was out there!

Me with Emma after running my last race the 4th of July "Freedom Run."

Happy Place

It was one of those mornings.

The kind where your gears are all mixed up and somehow you’ve managed to get yourself stuck in reverse accomplishing very little. Nothing goes right. Everything is wrong. And no matter how hard you try to fix it you still end up like a mechanic trying to get a bolt off with a screwdriver.

Not the type of morning you want people showing up at your door. Especially, not your 10 year olds new fifth grade teacher. We were excited and felt very fortunate to have Ashton placed in Mr. Zimmerman’s Fifth Grade Class for the coming school year. He was spoken of very highly and the kids in my ward who had experienced him as a teacher loved him as well.

And there he was on my front porch.

I surveyed the scene.

Ashton’s hair hadn’t been combed. The neighbor kids had showed up early, thus preventing my kids from wanting to complete their jobs including the front room which now had either cereal or crackers crushed on the carpet. Some of the furniture had been moved to make forts and I can’t remember if I was still in my running clothes or just yesterday’s makeup. All I knew was that I was embarrassed.

The purpose of Mr. Z’s visit was to introduce himself, meet Ashton, and give us an envelope containing various forms to be filled out and an assignment to be completed before the first day of school.

Not wanting to do homework when it was still summer, Ashton eventually got around to working on the assignment which happened to be a scavenger hunt around Mr. Z’s class website. What a great way to learn. With each new quest on the scavenger hunt he was playing games and watching videos, all of an educational nature, and gaining more and more excitement for what Mr. Z’s actual class would be like.

One of the quests asked you to follow a link to a site named “Backroads Photography.“ This piqued my interest, so I took a seat next to Ashton at the computer. A grid of squares appeared on the screen and one by one the computer popped in photographs to fill the blanks.

They were AMAZING.

Incredible images gave life to simple objects and restored beauty to architecture of yesteryear.

The scavenger hunt simply asked for us to visit the site, view the photos, find a favorite, and tell why. Simple.
We scrolled down the page pointing out ones we liked or thought were “cool”, just enjoying the art before us. We came upon a particular print named “Farm Morning.”

I stopped.

Something inside me clicked and I declared, “That’s it. That’s my favorite.”


We finished scrolling through the rest of the images, many of which I really enjoyed looking at, but I always returned to “Farm Morning” as my favorite. My mother told me not to influence Ashton’s decision, so I left him to finish the hunt on his own.


In the weeks since then, I still visit the site, view the images there, and take in one in particular. It has become my new “happy place”. A place to go, even if it’s only visually, when I have one of those days where I am the mechanic with all the wrong tools.


But I haven’t finished the assignment. The hunt for me is incomplete. Why was “Farm Morning” my favorite was still unanswered?

That was a difficult question for me to answer.

I could give you a hundred reasons why I liked the other photographs. But that photograph, that one, single image….

It spoke to me.

And perhaps, that is why it is so hard to express why I like it the way I do.

It appeals to something more than just the eye.

Something deeper.

More private.

That was it. That was the reason for liking it.

Somehow the artist and his camera had captured an image that represents the people, places, experiences, and dreams that make up a patch in the fabric of who I am. A patch that mends the holes and rips that the wear and tear of everyday life leaves in the body of my fabric.

A patch for those days like the one when Mr. Z appeared on our porch.

A patch made with beauty, serenity, and contentment.

Happiness.

You may have noticed there are no pictures in this post, but I hope by now you are anxious to see some. So, I invite you to visit http://www.alongthebackroads.com/webpages/printsarchitecture.html
to view “Farm Morning” and accept the quest to find your own favorite by viewing the galleries and prints offered there. And then please, leave me a comment telling me why.

Happy Hunting!