wanna win one? click on the picture

again and again and again!

Abbey's Graduation

first they did a little program with songs

she saw Charlotte in the crowd

I couldn't get over how cute she looked in her cap and gown!



and she will be returning next year, so much for graduating.

the date on this video is May 14th, but it's already obvious I'm behind on blogging
When you have older siblings, I guess you grow up faster. I took her training wheels off, held the bike steady while she got on, and then she was off. As you can tell by her reaction, she was excited, that's her yelling "awesome".

baseball season

It has begun and our month of June will be commited to baseball and softball. Brody is playing t-ball this year on the Cubs. He loves it. And I'm coaching Cloe's softball team this year. I played fast pitch for 10 years, 2 of those were high school so I felt I had something to offer ;) Cloe's soccer coach was terrible and didn't know anything so I decided if I want my kids taught in the correct way, I have to coach. And to toot my own horn, at the last practice, I had 3 mom's compliment me on the good job I was doing. They were impressed at how well their girls were doing and that I was even teaching them the skills and fundamentals of softball. TOOT TOOT! I just don't think it's right to just throw kids into a game without teaching them about the game and how to play. This will be a fun year and just might test my patience. And speaking of patience, we've had two practices so far and Charlotte has been perfect for the hour plus time that we are there.

Brody's "graduation"/end of the year program

"Martin Luther King showed courage for standing up for what he believed."


Brody and Mrs. Welton



The big boy is going to be in 1st grade. He hates school so we'll see how that goes next year. He said he didn't like the program because he thought it was boring. Pretty much, he's too cool for school. But he did have a great teacher and got in trouble a few times this year for trying to kiss girls. Am I worried for the future and the fun this kid will bring me? um, yes.

The garden is in

After much labor, it's in. And I hope I did it right!!!! I'm excited to see what will come of it. This year I planted 2 zucchini plants in the front of our house because I didn't want to give them all the room in the back, 2 tomato, 2 onion, 2 eggplant, 2 lettuce, 2 arugula, 2 broccoli, you see a Noah's ark theme here, 2 basil, oregano, 2 jalapeno, cantaloupe, 1 bean (Abbey planted it at school( and 3 peas. The lettuce and 1 of the tomato plants seem to be thriving well in their new environment, hopefully they will be trend setters for the rest of the plants. And can't wait to eat it all!! Oh and I planted 2 pumpkin plants at my moms because I didn't have the room here.



"We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property . . . Grow vegetables and eat them [fresh] from your own yard. Even those residing in apartments or condominiums can generally grow a little food in pots and planters. Study the best methods of providing your own foods. Make your garden . . . neat and attractive as well as productive. If there are children in your home, involve them in the process with assigned responsibilities."

- Spencer W. Kimball, Essentials of Home Production

Mother's Day

Abbey's school did a cute little Mother's Day program and they sang a bunch of cute songs. It's funny to hear them yell the songs out of tune and some are singing faster than others. I also like to watch Abbey perform because she gets a cute embarrassed look on her face.


And Mother's Day was great for me, I love Mother's Day. The one day off during the year. ahhhhh, heaven. And I got new running shoes!! schweet.

Cloe's first Piano Recital

I'm impressed with her piano skills. When she practices, she can easily figure out songs and most of the time memorize them after a just a few times playing them. She loves to play and it was cute to see her perform. I've had this song in my head for weeks now. She was quite nervous since she was the first one playing, as you can see her quickly exiting the stage.

She actually figured out how to play the right hand of this song by just messing around on the piano, and then I printed it out online so that she could play it all.

i know, late notice

Tomorrow, Saturday the 23 ( and MAYBE Monday), we are having a garage sale. ALL the money goes to pay for my step Dad's cancer treatments that the insurance won't cover.


1358 S Avalon Dr
Springville



A lot of neighbors have donated stuff for us to sale, so it's actually a really good garage sale and it's huge! Please come if you can, it's for a good cause!



*And I don't want to have to do it again, I want to sale everything tomorrow!

pictures that I'm not going to buy from the photographers

I'm whistling, not puckering up. They don't let you wear headphones so I had to have music somehow. And it sounded cool on the down hill to whistle against the wind.

AF Woman of Steel triathlon

On Friday I went to the venue to pick up my packet and check out the transition are and drive the course. Oh boy, there was a big hill on the bike and run route and we had to do the bike route twice. So i was still nervous. This lasted until I got home at 9:30 pm, Friday evening and took my rental bike for a quick ride around the neighborhood. The bike training I did for the triathlon was all on a stationary bike and once I rode around on the rental, my bike riding days of Italy came pouring back. Oh yeah, I'm not scared to ride a bike fast.
I got there nice and early, got my body marked with my number and set up my little transition area. The distances were a 300 M swim, 12.4 mile bike and a 3 mile run. It started with a swim and I was a minority in my swim suit. Most already had their bike gear on. The swim went well except for the girl in front of me that should not have been in front of me. I was right on her feet and she wouldn't let me pass her. Finally at the wall on the last turn, I was able to pass her. The hill on the bike was beast but I was surprised by how I did. I impressed myself. The run was tough at first because I was ridding the bike so hard, my legs were jell-o for the first 1/4 mile (which included that beast hill). I actually tripped and fell during the run like the spaz that I am. I stepped up on the curb and when I stepped down, the legs were so tired from just riding the bike, I tripped and fell. SUCH a spaz!
My mother-in-law watched my kids for me over night which saved me the stress of taking care of them in the morning and to my surprise, the were right there at the finish line cheering for me as I finished up the run. I was very surprised to see them there and it gave me a little extra boost of energy. At the end of the race, they handed everyone a canvas bag with goodies , chocolate and a necklace. It's a silver heart with the engraving "love to tri". And the shirt was super cool although it doesn't fit me. It's spandex material, red and it's feminine. I ordered L because I thought it was just cotton and L is way too small.
I was worried about my endurance for the run, but I kept a good pace, finished strong and was still passing people in the final home stretch. I felt normal by 2pm but today my shoulders/neck area are sore from riding the bike.
Can't wait for the next one!!
My finishing time was 1:33:26 and if your interested in all my times, they are here

If your in the area and thinking of doing a triathlon next year, I highly recommend this one, it's such a difference to compete with all woman and they make it a little more special because it's all woman.



DO HARD THINGS! Your far more capable than you think you are

I'm giving myself diarrhea!

No, it's not my newest and latest diet, it's my nerves!! I'm doing a triathlon on Saturday and i am so nervous! I signed up for it back in January thinking 5 months would be perfect amount of time to train. Little did I know, pregnancy kicks your butt and it takes a while for your body to recover. I've never tried anything like this, this soon after having a baby. I have been training but I worry about my endurance. Will I still have some steam left for the run??!! And I think I'm also intimidated because it's an all woman's triathlon and it sold out in the first week! I have in my mind a bunch of hard core woman and my chubby self at the start line. This will be my third and I've decided that triathlons are like having a baby. You forget what it's like to be pregnant and labor and delivery and the pains of nursing, so that you keep doing it. I look back on the last 2 and they were nothing, I was in much better shape. But really, I wasn't that much better off. AND at the end of my last one, I remember thinking "this is hell, I will never do one of these again". Funny, I had similar thoughts after birthing Charlotte naturally. So as your sleeping-in Saturday morning, think of me in your dreams, but keep em' clean.

While I was cooking dinner, Charlotte kept talking in her sweet little voice but every time I tried to sneak and tape her, she stopped. This is the best I could get, I love her sweet voice.

little miss Charlotte Faye

don't you just love that little profile!!

this little cutie pa-tootie is 6 months and still sweet as ever. She is sitting up now and is starting to get in the push up position. I haven't fed her solids yet so no favorite foods besides breast milk. When she talks it is so cute because in a soft voice she says "dadadadadadada", so sweet, I love it. Thankfully she's a good sleeper and just good all around. She had her first fall when she rolled off the bed, so sad. She is always grabbing for everything, paper, food, the remote and hair. I love her to pieces and she still has her sweet smell that I can't get enough of.

Gavin and Brody

when you gotta go, you gotta go

need your opinion

My dad just informed me that his friend will be giving me a free brand new jogging stroller. schu-weet! Ayways, my choices are either swivel wheel or stable wheel. Do you have experience with either and what do you prefer? I've never used a swivel wheel.


Oh and I am stoked to be getting a free stroller that I had to brag.