Thanksgiving

This year was a small Thanksgiving but with tons of food and love. I made my first pie and Greenbean cassoral. It tasted so good. Maybe I will claim those items every year (LOL). I am just so proud because I am usually given simple things after my sweet potato incident. We spent Thanksgiving at Kay's place with Jared's mom and stepdad and Nikki. It was so enjoyable and laid back. And it only took five minutes to drive there.



I am so thankful for my family and for the joy they bring to my life every day. I am so Thanksful for the gospel and for the promise it has for me to be with my loved ones for all eternity. I am most grateful for my Savior and Redeemer who has made that possible for me. I'm thankful to live in Utah and be near family and have the beautification that it brings. I am grateful for a supporting husband who is always there for me and for my friends and for the joy and fun they bring to my life. And last but not least, I am thankful to be an American and live in this beautiful country and for the those who fight for it.



Happy Thanksgiving!

Trunk-or-Treating

Tyler and Raquel with their next door neighbor, Westley. They get so excited when they see her.
The wind started to blow Tyler's hat off so he was holding it on.
Raquel was a monkey this year. Tyler was the monkey last year, so we put a flower by the ear for Raquel She even had a little monkey hanging on her arm. She loved it so much that she had the costume on the night before and would not let us take it off, if you even try to take her hood off she would get so upset.

Pumpkin Carving

Sorry the pictures are out of order!

Raquel really liked doing the stars on her pumpkin. Every hole I punched she would fallow with the knife.

The finished product.

Tyler did this with a tiny bit of help from his Dad.

Raquel is very artistic. Look at that cat.

Raquel really enjoy cleaning the pumpkin and eating it when Mommy and Daddy were not looking.

Tyler was a little afraid of getting his hands dirty. He would only scoop with his spoon and would not pick anything up with his hands. He would only get seeds if anything. It was so funny to watch.

Pumpkins, Pumpkins and More Pumpkins

Tyler taking the wheelbarrow back for us. He did not want any help until

he realized it was harder then it looked.

The attempt to climb the pumpkins was easy until they all came down.


Sorry Raquel the Pumpkin out weighs you!

Almost there!

Tyler was so excited about his pumpkin that he forgot to look where he was going and tripped on a vine. It did not even faze him. He kept going until the pumpkin was in the wheelbarrow.

Wee!!!

So for Family Home Evening we took the kids to their first Pumpkin Patch. Oh yeah Jared's too. I think Jared had more fun then the kids. He had to get the biggest pumpkin he could find. Tyler just talked about going to the Pumpkin Patch all day. He was not even sure what a pumpkin was, just that we were going and getting a really big pumpkin. Raquel really liked the wheelbarrow ride. She would get out every now and again and try keeping up with the boys. They don't even know what is in store for them when we carve them tomorrow!

A Temple Trip To Remember!

Nikki, my sister-in-law received her endowments last week. It was so exciting and a very neat experience. Here is a picture of the family afterwards. I know, I'm short. I should of hung on the monkey bars more when I was little.

26.2

Well, WE DID IT!!! We ran the St. George Marathon this past Saturday. All I can say is, I am glad it is over. Now the painful part of recovery.

So Nikki and I caught the bus at 4ish that morning getting to the start about 30 minutes later. It was windy and raining, raining, raining. Picture this, 6500 people plus volunteers in an area about the size of a football field. Probably about 50 bomb fires going and everyone using a trash bag as a poncho. Trash bags are amazing, they block the wind and keep you dry. I literally wore mine for about 7 hours. Yes I ran with it until the 23rd mile. It finely stopped raining at the 22nd mile. IT WAS HORRIBLE and DISCOURAGING. My knee started hurting like it was sprained at the 8th mile. I have tendinitis in my knee. So I would run a bit and walk a bit Nikki stayed with me till I encouraged her to go on. Finely she did. Then about 30 min. later she came back feeling bad. So she stayed with me for a bit longer until the 17th mile. At that point I could not even run, it hurt so bad. I told Nikki to go, that I already had to deal with my results and would feel twice as bad if she did not finish because of me. So she pretty much did not have a choice but to go. I told her I would finish but I did not think that. It was a emotional roller coaster. I kept on though. Ever aid station I would get icy hot put on me and it did not seem to help. Even my my knee band did not seem to work. I wanted to cry every time someone told me i was doing good, I felt the opposite. I trained so hard for this and it meant so much to me and here I was about to except defeat. I had a plan that when I got to mile 21 where Jared and my fans would be, I would hang my head in shame and jump in the car. Needless to say they were not there. So on to mile 22 wiping my tears away. They were not there either. About half way to mile 23 about to flag a shuttle down my savior came. Jared was walking up the hill. When he got to me I just cried and told him every thing. He said it would be okay and started walking with me. I had not found the courage to tell him that I failed yet. We started talking and he said he sent his Mom and the kids to the finish line for Nikki. Nikki was the one who told them what happened with me. I told him I was not going to finish in 6 hrs. (Believing the race closed in 6 hrs). He looked at me and said who told you you have to finish in 6 hrs.? I said the race closes in 6 hrs. He then said no it does not. He encourage me to go on even if it took 2 more hours to do so. He stayed with me and kept me going at mile 24 My other knee started hurting as bad at the other, but with Jared by my side I knew I could do. He walked with me to the finish line even though he had surgery just 2 weeks earlier. I decided to run the last 400 yards in, even though it hurt something horrible and I looked like I was going to fall every step I took. That Whole 400 yards everyone in the stand and along the fence cheered me on. It was so loud I felt I was the 1st runner in. I cried my way to the finish line. I DID IT. 6:37 was my time and Nikki did it in 5:25. That was one of a few times that I felt so emotionally moved. I finish. We finish. My husband is my HERO.

Kay, Jared's Mom told me it was a miracle that we did it. She said they brought so many people down in ambulance and even more in shuttles. She also told me that they have been at the finish line for about an hour and they never heard the crowd cheer so loud for anyone before me. That only made the tears flow more. I think I am safe to say that I will not do that again. I will just stick to the half Marathons!!

Off To Florida

Well it is official. We are headed to Lakeland Florida. A bit scared and exciting at the same time. Jared just excepted a job offer as Nation sales and recruiting manager. Jared is pretty excited to do what he has always wanted to do, I am too. The sad Part is leaving family and friends. I Really will have a hard time with Jared's mom Kay and sister Nikki and of course Jayne. Just think though, reason to vacation in Florida.