Preschool Program

Ethan had his preschool end of year program this past Thursday! It was supposed to be a program and picnic in the park but with this awesome weather we've been having we huddled in a freezing cold pavilion. They had a cute little program where they showed us what they learned, sang some songs, and then got a cute little picture book from their teachers! I'm SO glad he had preschool this year. I think it's helped him a ton and it gave him something to do and look forward to. This fall he starts his second year going three days a week!

We are proud of you buddy!

Mother's Day

I love Mother's Day! The sugar cookies, donuts, and meals made for me, and kids taken care of. There is just that specialness in the air! Sunday was a great day for me! I missed having my sweet mom here...but at this time next year she will only have two more months left and then they will be HOME! Woo Hoo! I have the best mom and I hope one day I might be half the mom she has been and still is for me! She is amazing in my eyes! Those missionaries are so lucky to have my mom! I also have an amazing mother in law who I learn so much from and who raised an incredible son! I love you both so much!!

7 Years

On Friday (May 6th) Kurt and I celebrated our seventh year anniversary!! Isn't this the year they say you get the itch?? I hope we make it! j/k. We decided to head up to the Alaskan Inn right at the mouth of Ogden Canyon for a quick little get away! We've stayed here before and we love this little place. I took my camera with full intentions to get pictures and didn't take one. We had dinner at the Timbermine, went to see Fast Five, went shopping at the mall, and Saturday morning went on a trail with our bikes. It was so nice to be out as late as we wanted and most of all...to enjoy dinner and each other with NO kids! I'm so happy I married this man of mine! He makes me smile and laugh every day! He balances out my seriousness and my worrisomeness (is that a word?). I can't believe it's been seven years! Can't wait for all the rest! Love you babe!

The Stats...

We went to the doctor yesterday to do check ups on both the kiddos. Ethan looks good. Just an actual check up on him this year. They offered to do his kindergarten shots, so we did! You would have thought my poor boy was being murdered! It was so sad! He made it through the three shots and limped all day, but in the end he lived!! Here are his stats:

Weight: 39lbs. 75%

Height: 48 in. 60%

Reese only had to have her heel pricked, so it was an easy day for her! She is doing great at nine months and growing like a horse. She has also started crawling in the last two weeks. She gets wherever she wants to go now! She loves to yell and have us yell back, say da da, eat everything in sight, smiles with her big dimples...especially at her brother, loves her baths, is getting a little stranger anxiety, but for the most part is a happy happy baby! Here are her stats:

Weight: 18lbs. 40%

Height: 27.4 in. 50%

Head: 70%

I love these two little kids of mine! They make me smile and laugh every day! Ethan seems to be getting older and older, especially as he starts to pick up random words like, "certainly mom," and "sure thing!" (I have no idea where he got those...Kurt and I don't say them). Reese loves when Ethan is around...I think she loves him more then the two of us! Every day is a new adventure with these two! I love my little family.

Happy Easter

Our Easter festivities started last Tuesday when some girls in the ward put together an Easter egg hunt at the park. We threw the eggs all over and the kids scrambled to collect the eggs. Ethan thought it was the coolest thing ever and Reese just chilled in the stroller in the freezing cold.

Easter morning was a lot of fun. Kurt and I should really get "Parents of the Year" award. Ethan came upstairs around 7 and we convinced him to lay in our bed for a little bit so we could sleep a tad longer. At some point he got out of our bed and I woke up to him next to my bed with a handful of eggs yelling, "you'll never believe it!! The Eater bunny left me a white basket that was hidden! I found it and it's on the table! I also found ALL of these eggs!" So our little guy had already had his own Easter morning while his parents slept in their bed! We are awesome!

We got dressed in our Eater clothes and headed to church! I love Eater Sunday! I'm grateful to be able to have a Sunday where we focus on our Savior and his resurrection. Then after church it was off to Grandma & Grandpa's for an Easter egg hunt and a yummy dinner! Only one more Easter without my parents and their CRAZY egg hunt! It was so much fun spending time with family and seeing my little guy get so excited!

I did it!!!

I conquered the big Salt Lake City MARATHON on April 17! 26.2 miles royally kicked my trash! I mean, I laughed and almost cried when I saw on the news Saturday night that the first place girl ran it in like 3 hours and five minutes or something...not to mention that she started like 15 minutes late. I will never be one like that, but I now can say that I freakin ran a marathon!! (I get excited just saying that). I've been a little hard on myself about my time, cause I really thought I would be able to finish it by like 4 hours 45 minutes, but looks like I'll have to shoot for that next time....if there ever is a next time! The goal was to finish, and that I did!

For those of you who have known me, know that I went on a weight loss journey over the last two and a half years. In November of 2008 I got a slap in the face realizing that I was over weight. I've said it before and it's very true...I was always confident of myself, I was a very happy person and my weight never got me down. However there were those times I would look in the mirror and realize if I kept going as I was, not exercising and not eating right, I was going to end up being in a place I didn't want to be in! The day I got my bodybugg I set my mind to losing weight. I ran a 5k with my hubby and in-laws and realized that this body was capable of things I didn't think I was capable of. I realized that I could be even happier then I already was and feel GREAT about myself. A marathon NEVER crossed my mind. NEVER EVER EVER! As I kept exercising and realizing the different things I could accomplish I set my mind to running one. I'm not an excellent runner but I really developed a love for running. Finally I accomplished this goal and it's amazing to think of where I was....

and what I just accomplished....

Here is a little recap of my experience. I didn't sleep extremely well that night. Woke up at 4:15 to have breakfast, get ready, mentally prepare myself, and make it over to my friends to ride up to the Gateway. We got to the Gateway, jumped on TRAX which was packed like no other, and rode the ride up to the U of U. We got there about ten minutes before it started and I was feeling good. The horn sounded and off we went! I felt great. The first seven miles were a breeze. I made a potty stop since all the bathrooms were packed at the start line and every other miles marker. Didn't take long and was off again. I was excited because I was under my ten minute mile pace and feeling great. I hit mile ten and right after saw my sweet hubby and in-laws who had some food and drink for me. Chatted for a few seconds and was off again. Kept feeling great until about mile 13 where I started to feel tired and was now realizing I was only half way done! Hit mile 14 and saw my hubby and in-laws again! Waved to them and kept on running. About 14.5 i felt a big pain start in my lower back, everything from my lower back down to my mid thigh started to go numb (I blame this on a bulging disc I have on my lower back that gets irritated every now and again, but has never bugged me with my running). I tried to fight through it but by mile 16 I was hurting. At this point I had to start walking. I would run here and there but I slowed WAY down! I knew Kurt was at mile 18 so I kept pushing to get to him where he was waiting with some energy and most important an 800. I finally made it to 18 and my hubs was nowhere. I panicked thinking I had missed him. I pulled out my phone and called him only to find that I had misread the paper wrong, he was where he was supposed to be, but it was closer to mile 20. My sweet mother in law ran down to find me and walked/ran with me until we met up with my hubs. I took the 800 and walked until I felt it start to kick in and then I was off. I'll be completely honest...the last six miles were AWFUL! Mostly because I wanted to run so bad, but physically I couldn't. It was a walk/run the rest of the way! I wish so bad I could have got my body to just take off but just thinking that I still had at least another hour even running at a ten minute mile was depressing.

I just kept pushing through it and as I hit main street I knew the end was in sight. Kurt found me near the Raddison and ran the rest of the way with me!

I turned the corner to see all of this....

My family started going nuts!! They were so loud and just went crazy!! I got a HUGE burst of energy and started running as fast as my worn out legs would take me! It was exhilarating to cross the finish line and to know that this body of mine accomplished something I NEVER thought possible! It's a funny thing how the mind works...because even being a few days after I'm already thinking of what I would do different in the next one...am I crazy? Would I actually put my body through this again?? Guess only time will tell.

It's amazing the things you can accomplish in life when you put your mind to it! It's crazy to think of me back then, not even able to run a mile, and now 26.2! I'm as sore as ever, but that soreness is a reminder of the journey I've been through to get me here!! Thank you to everyone who supported me! It was so awesome to have my cheering squad at the end and through out the race. I couldn't have done it without my sweet hubby who encouraged me through my training and pushed me until the end! I have the best families who are constantly there! Love you all! You are the BEST!

The Little Sneak...

I'm lucky! The reason I'm lucky...because my four year old still takes a 1.5 - 2 hour nap for me every day! Lately it's been more of playing and then crashing, but that just makes my "me" time even longer! The other day I had heard him playing and finally when it was quiet I snuck downstairs to see if he was really asleep. As I crept into his room I found no sign of him. That little tinge of panic started and right then I saw him sound to sleep on the love sac! That little sneaky boy...I guess a nap is a nap wherever it is right!?