This was a cute little 5k. It was out in Herriman, so off the beaten path. It started at a park and was easy to find. I was a little worried about that since I don't know the area well. PRO The race is to raise money for a girl scout camp. And as you guessed it there were girl scout cookies involved!
PRO This was a small race but it was still chip timed. The chip was on the bib and not huge so I liked that. This race was kind of fun because there is a 10k, a 5k and a 2k with the 2k about 30 minutes before the other, so you can do the 2k in combination with the 10k or 5k. Then the person who has the lowest combined race time gets a separate prize. They call it the do-si-dos. We were thinking that might be fun for next year. The race also allows strollers and even had a stroller division. I accidentally tried to get my bib from them.
The course itself had some good uphill portions and a lot of turns in the first half. This makes for a slow course but I still got my best time for the year. (It's early in the year, easy to get a best ;) I felt like the course was well marked but a few people ahead of me did get lost and G (husband) thought there should have been a little warning before turns so you could chose your angles better. He didn't have the luxury of having people in front of him to follow.
CON There was not a lot of food at the finish; bananas, apples, cookies (from KFC) and Gatorade. It was enough to get me by. I really needed some protein but that is not something unique to this race since most races aren't good at having protein at the finish.
PRO They had great awards. There were cute wood plaques for the top three in all age groups and in the 5k and 10k the top three also got Girl Scout Cookies. They let you pick the kind of cookies. CON One bummer was that they gave the cookies to the 2K winners first so there were no thin mints by the time they got to the 5k. Motivation to run the 2k next year! The overall finishers also got gift certificates to Run GR8. We stopped in there afterward to use our certificates and it was a nice little store. I got a sweet sports bra that I am excited about.
The day of the race was rainy and dang cold but luckily it was only a light drizzle during the race itself. It did make sitting and waiting for the awards REALLY cold and I admit I got a bit miserable. CON They took a really long time to get the awards started, which was odd since it was chipped timed. If you are doing them by hand I can give you a break but I'm sure the last 5k runner had been done half an hour before the awards started. Another CON with that is we missed our recovery window to get some protein in. We left before the drawing so I dont know if the prizes were good but I was shaking from the cold I couldn't wait any longer! Plus the speakers were having issues and the lady doing the announcing just wasn't quite sure how to keep things moving. I have learned that good announcers are hard to find.
Conclusion:
I would do this race again. The course was hard but not break your heart hard and the awards were fun. I love when so many people have the opportunity to get something! Having a fun environment and being for a good cause will bring me back.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Thursday, May 1, 2014
"Chase the Mayor 5K"
This is the 5K that is in conjunction with the Provo City Marathon. It was on May 4th. LAST YEAR (2013), I just didnt get around to blogging about it until now.
I am working on my 5k time this year so I'm currently on the lookout for good fast 5ks. There are a lot of 5Ks but the thing is they can vary in length. I have had people say "a 5k is anything 2.8 miles to 3.2" and while in high school that was fine for me. I was racing the same people all the time and was more worried about my standing on the team. Now that I can race anywhere and against anyone it's nice if I can compare 5ks without a conversion and having to keep track of which ones are long or short. I am working on a personal best and I already have to factor in difficulty of a course, weather conditions, how I am feeling, etc. Can't we all just agree to make a 5k 5 kilometers, 3.1 miles? Or at least get close.
CON As you may have guessed from my rant this race was long. It was 3.2 by my gps. You may be thinking .1 no big deal, but that can be an extra minute to some and in my case an extra about 45 seconds. Part of my annoyance was that I paid 10 dollars more for this race over a couple other options that were available that day because I figured as a bigger more expensive race they would go out of their way to make it accurate.
PRO I did totally love that this race stared at 9am! Not having to get up ridiculously early in the cold is definitely awesome. It started at 3300 N University in Provo and you were suppose to park there and they said there would be shuttles to take you back to your car. CON The marathon and half started earlier and are on the same course so we started in the midst of them. I had to do quite a bit of weaving to get through the slower half marathon finishers. This also meant that the marathon winner finished among a large group of half marathoners so there was no ribbon and he was doing quite a bit of weaving.
There were oranges, Creamies!, water and gatorade. PRO It seemed a little skimpy but then there was Magleby's french toast which was delicious. You just had to be willing to wait in the long line for it, but it moved pretty quickly.
We decided that we should go get the car but I didnt want to miss the awards. In the information they gave us they had said awards would be at 9:40 and it was about then. We asked someone and they said they should have them in the net 20 minutes. That's not a big deal. CON Results often take awhile but an hour later they finally started them and we still needed to get the car. The awards were quite disorganized and they had to ask for medals back after giving them to the wrong person. The speaker they were using was blown so it was hard to hear and they quickly read off names so by the time you go up there the people handing out medals had no idea who you were and what medal belong to you (hence giving them to the wrong person). PRO They did have the winners medals inscribed with your place and age division on the back. That was pretty cool. Plus the ribbon was a different color than the marathon/half finisher medal ribbon.
CON Finally we were ready to go and we couldn't find the shuttle so we had to jog the 3.2 miles back to the car. On the way back we did see a school bus pass us which we thought was the shuttle going to pick people off but we never saw it pass to drop people off so it was faster to jog.
Conclusion:
I wont do this race again. The race being long was the clincher but having to jog back to the car was also a big con. There were good things about this race but not enough to get me back.
I am working on my 5k time this year so I'm currently on the lookout for good fast 5ks. There are a lot of 5Ks but the thing is they can vary in length. I have had people say "a 5k is anything 2.8 miles to 3.2" and while in high school that was fine for me. I was racing the same people all the time and was more worried about my standing on the team. Now that I can race anywhere and against anyone it's nice if I can compare 5ks without a conversion and having to keep track of which ones are long or short. I am working on a personal best and I already have to factor in difficulty of a course, weather conditions, how I am feeling, etc. Can't we all just agree to make a 5k 5 kilometers, 3.1 miles? Or at least get close.
CON As you may have guessed from my rant this race was long. It was 3.2 by my gps. You may be thinking .1 no big deal, but that can be an extra minute to some and in my case an extra about 45 seconds. Part of my annoyance was that I paid 10 dollars more for this race over a couple other options that were available that day because I figured as a bigger more expensive race they would go out of their way to make it accurate.
PRO I did totally love that this race stared at 9am! Not having to get up ridiculously early in the cold is definitely awesome. It started at 3300 N University in Provo and you were suppose to park there and they said there would be shuttles to take you back to your car. CON The marathon and half started earlier and are on the same course so we started in the midst of them. I had to do quite a bit of weaving to get through the slower half marathon finishers. This also meant that the marathon winner finished among a large group of half marathoners so there was no ribbon and he was doing quite a bit of weaving.
There were oranges, Creamies!, water and gatorade. PRO It seemed a little skimpy but then there was Magleby's french toast which was delicious. You just had to be willing to wait in the long line for it, but it moved pretty quickly.
We decided that we should go get the car but I didnt want to miss the awards. In the information they gave us they had said awards would be at 9:40 and it was about then. We asked someone and they said they should have them in the net 20 minutes. That's not a big deal. CON Results often take awhile but an hour later they finally started them and we still needed to get the car. The awards were quite disorganized and they had to ask for medals back after giving them to the wrong person. The speaker they were using was blown so it was hard to hear and they quickly read off names so by the time you go up there the people handing out medals had no idea who you were and what medal belong to you (hence giving them to the wrong person). PRO They did have the winners medals inscribed with your place and age division on the back. That was pretty cool. Plus the ribbon was a different color than the marathon/half finisher medal ribbon.
CON Finally we were ready to go and we couldn't find the shuttle so we had to jog the 3.2 miles back to the car. On the way back we did see a school bus pass us which we thought was the shuttle going to pick people off but we never saw it pass to drop people off so it was faster to jog.
Conclusion:
I wont do this race again. The race being long was the clincher but having to jog back to the car was also a big con. There were good things about this race but not enough to get me back.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Big Cottonwood Canyon Half (Vigor) Pros and Cons
I've been running a lot more races lately and there are ones I like more than others but as I look back I often can't remember why or which ones. Also when I am looking for a race it is often hard to decide which ones to do. There are different things that can make a race worth my time and money but that information is not always obvious from the event website. I am going to try blogging about the races I run and maybe someone else might find it useful as well.
I ran Vigor's Big Cottonwood Canyon Half Marathon yesterday and my mom walked it, May 11. CON I was not stoked about the 4am bus ride and the subsequent 3:30am wake-up. My mom and I stayed in the hotel across from the pickup point (which was also the finish). That made it so we didn't have to add extra time for driving and parking. The buses had all left by 4:20 to drive up the winding road. We did pass two buses that had overheated and broke down. Those people had to get picked up by other buses but that was why they planned such an early bus start, in case of the unexpected.
PRO Once at the top they dropped us at Solitude Ski Resort so we didn't have to stand outside in the cold. There were bathrooms and everyone just just spread out sitting on the floor mostly. PRO About 30 minutes before the start they had us walk half a mile over to the start. You may not think this is a pro but it means that you warm up before the start. This is nice for temperature comfort and important to prevent injury. I always run faster after a good warm-up and a lot of times I dont get a good one in before a race becaus I am not sure where to run and I'm nervous about getting too far away from the start so I end up running tiny circles somewhere and it's just not as effective.
PRO Once we walked down we only had to stand around for a few minutes before they started right on time. CON A 6am race start makes no sense to me since it's not summer yet so there is no need to try and avoid the heat, plus people run better later, well I run better later (probably due to being awake and all). It was getting light when we started so I didnt have any trouble seeing and didnt need a light.
PRO This is one of the most beautiful races I have done. I love Big Cottonwood Canyon and it provided a fantastic backdrop all the way down. It is definitely an all down hill course with 3000ft drop from the start to finish. There may be moment when you go up momentarily but nothing that I would call a hill. PRO This made for an awesome PR. I beat my best time from Bryce Canyon Half last year by 6.5 minutes! I was ecstatic and all smiles at the finish. I'm pretty sure I even did a dance.
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PRO There was bananas, oranges, water (the usual), Creamies (YUM!), and Jimmy Johns. There may have been more that I am not remembering. Plus there was massages that I didnt have to wait hours for.
This was a smaller big race. There were only about 500 runners (308 finished the half). PRO I got first in my age group so I got a winners medal that was Gold with a blue ribbon which was awesome that it is distinctly different from my finishers medal. CON I was disappointed that they were just handing the winners medals out at a table. They didn't make announcements or have you come up on a podium or something. It was a little anticlimactic.
Other things you might want to know:
They had chip timing with a chip on your shoe (I tend to prefer those ones). If you wear a gps watch, which I do, they are pretty much always off when you run in the canyon. There is just not great signal up there.
There was only water and an electrolyte drink at the support stops but I usually bring my own gels so that doesn't bother me.
There was a clothing drop at the start and I got my stuff all back.
There were stairs at about mile 11, I think. They tell you to hold the handrail and make sure you do! It was a little scary but kind of a hilarious moment in the race. My boyfriend loved it and laughed about it all day.
CON Also my mom did get lost and missed the finish line. You follow a little path for a while once you come out of the canyon but then right at the end you cut off of it and go into a parking lot and to the finish. She missed that and it added a few minutes to her time. We heard that that happened to a few other people but I felt the race was well marked with mile markers the while time.
CON And a day later I am soooo soooo sore! Down hill takes it's toll on your quads and mine are screaming today. Any up or down motions are super hard and stairs are not my friend. If you are not sore after this race you must be related to superman.
Conclusion:
I would totally do this race again. I thought the organizers did a great job and I enjoyed the experience. Next year I am thinking I'll try the 5K.
Sorry if this was too comprehensive...
I ran Vigor's Big Cottonwood Canyon Half Marathon yesterday and my mom walked it, May 11. CON I was not stoked about the 4am bus ride and the subsequent 3:30am wake-up. My mom and I stayed in the hotel across from the pickup point (which was also the finish). That made it so we didn't have to add extra time for driving and parking. The buses had all left by 4:20 to drive up the winding road. We did pass two buses that had overheated and broke down. Those people had to get picked up by other buses but that was why they planned such an early bus start, in case of the unexpected.
PRO Once at the top they dropped us at Solitude Ski Resort so we didn't have to stand outside in the cold. There were bathrooms and everyone just just spread out sitting on the floor mostly. PRO About 30 minutes before the start they had us walk half a mile over to the start. You may not think this is a pro but it means that you warm up before the start. This is nice for temperature comfort and important to prevent injury. I always run faster after a good warm-up and a lot of times I dont get a good one in before a race becaus I am not sure where to run and I'm nervous about getting too far away from the start so I end up running tiny circles somewhere and it's just not as effective.
PRO Once we walked down we only had to stand around for a few minutes before they started right on time. CON A 6am race start makes no sense to me since it's not summer yet so there is no need to try and avoid the heat, plus people run better later, well I run better later (probably due to being awake and all). It was getting light when we started so I didnt have any trouble seeing and didnt need a light.
PRO This is one of the most beautiful races I have done. I love Big Cottonwood Canyon and it provided a fantastic backdrop all the way down. It is definitely an all down hill course with 3000ft drop from the start to finish. There may be moment when you go up momentarily but nothing that I would call a hill. PRO This made for an awesome PR. I beat my best time from Bryce Canyon Half last year by 6.5 minutes! I was ecstatic and all smiles at the finish. I'm pretty sure I even did a dance.
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PRO There was bananas, oranges, water (the usual), Creamies (YUM!), and Jimmy Johns. There may have been more that I am not remembering. Plus there was massages that I didnt have to wait hours for.
This was a smaller big race. There were only about 500 runners (308 finished the half). PRO I got first in my age group so I got a winners medal that was Gold with a blue ribbon which was awesome that it is distinctly different from my finishers medal. CON I was disappointed that they were just handing the winners medals out at a table. They didn't make announcements or have you come up on a podium or something. It was a little anticlimactic.
Other things you might want to know:
They had chip timing with a chip on your shoe (I tend to prefer those ones). If you wear a gps watch, which I do, they are pretty much always off when you run in the canyon. There is just not great signal up there.
There was only water and an electrolyte drink at the support stops but I usually bring my own gels so that doesn't bother me.
There was a clothing drop at the start and I got my stuff all back.
There were stairs at about mile 11, I think. They tell you to hold the handrail and make sure you do! It was a little scary but kind of a hilarious moment in the race. My boyfriend loved it and laughed about it all day.
CON Also my mom did get lost and missed the finish line. You follow a little path for a while once you come out of the canyon but then right at the end you cut off of it and go into a parking lot and to the finish. She missed that and it added a few minutes to her time. We heard that that happened to a few other people but I felt the race was well marked with mile markers the while time.
CON And a day later I am soooo soooo sore! Down hill takes it's toll on your quads and mine are screaming today. Any up or down motions are super hard and stairs are not my friend. If you are not sore after this race you must be related to superman.
Conclusion:
I would totally do this race again. I thought the organizers did a great job and I enjoyed the experience. Next year I am thinking I'll try the 5K.
Sorry if this was too comprehensive...
Monday, December 3, 2012
Gratitude: Day 19
I am grateful for my sister.
Emma and I are 8 years apart so we've always been in very different stages of life. She was a baby and I was playing with dolls, she started playing with dolls when I started to get really interested in hanging-out with friends, she started playing with friends when I was off dating and in college, you get the point. We were too far apart to ever fight but we weren't as close because of that as well. When Mason left on his mission and Emma and I became the only two kids, we got to spend a lot more time together. We went on some fun vacations, started talking more and got to know each other better. She is probably my favorite travel buddy. We've had fun going to plays in New York and to the MET and the sacred grove, to Disneyland and six flags, the beach, BNP Paribas tennis tournament, sleepovers in utah and more. When that horrible year of 2011 happened she was the only person who really understood how I felt. We became best friends and it was so good to know I had someone who was experiencing the same things I was. When life was hard or frustrating it was good to be to be there for her and to have her there to talk to. I love being able to watch tv shows and movies together. We both love Disney and are little kids at heart. We could watch Emperors New Groove and Meet the Robinsons on repeat and then quote both movies to each other after and still want to watch them again. Thanks Emma for being your creative little self and for always being such a loving cute little/big sister. I love you so much and I am glad that we have become close over the years! Feel free to come crash at my house anytime. I love you, Sue!
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Emma and I are 8 years apart so we've always been in very different stages of life. She was a baby and I was playing with dolls, she started playing with dolls when I started to get really interested in hanging-out with friends, she started playing with friends when I was off dating and in college, you get the point. We were too far apart to ever fight but we weren't as close because of that as well. When Mason left on his mission and Emma and I became the only two kids, we got to spend a lot more time together. We went on some fun vacations, started talking more and got to know each other better. She is probably my favorite travel buddy. We've had fun going to plays in New York and to the MET and the sacred grove, to Disneyland and six flags, the beach, BNP Paribas tennis tournament, sleepovers in utah and more. When that horrible year of 2011 happened she was the only person who really understood how I felt. We became best friends and it was so good to know I had someone who was experiencing the same things I was. When life was hard or frustrating it was good to be to be there for her and to have her there to talk to. I love being able to watch tv shows and movies together. We both love Disney and are little kids at heart. We could watch Emperors New Groove and Meet the Robinsons on repeat and then quote both movies to each other after and still want to watch them again. Thanks Emma for being your creative little self and for always being such a loving cute little/big sister. I love you so much and I am glad that we have become close over the years! Feel free to come crash at my house anytime. I love you, Sue!
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Monday, November 26, 2012
Gratitude: Day 18
I know I am ridiculously behind and we will see if I end up ever catching up or finishing but I still want to try. My problem is that I think about things too much and I want to take time to carefully write things out, but I don't have time for that! This explains why I am not the best blogger. Hopefully I put some things that are worth remembering here. I'm a grateful for writing.
I have been a journal keeper since I was quite young but it only became consistent in high school. I had one year where I wrote almost every day. I don't tend to write what I did or what happened to me as much as how I felt about things. It important to me to be able to process and sort through my feelings and thoughts and writing them down seems to be the best way. I'm grateful for the few pen pals I have had throughout the years, either through notes or letters. I am not always the best at sitting down and writing but it is so therapeutic and wonderful that I wish I did it more. I'm also grateful for those who have been willing to read the letters I needed to write to get everything out. I have stacks of unsent letters or notes to people that were really more about expressing myself, so I understood my feelings. I don't know if I ever intended on actually sending many of them. I am grateful for the role my journal has played in my life. It has been important in helping me make innumerable decisions and getting through my hardest moments. My journal may never be something for posterity but it will always be something that helps to keep me grounded and remind me who I am. It helps me to not forget what is really important to me. When I am not being consistent writing in my journal I feel like something is missing.
I have been a journal keeper since I was quite young but it only became consistent in high school. I had one year where I wrote almost every day. I don't tend to write what I did or what happened to me as much as how I felt about things. It important to me to be able to process and sort through my feelings and thoughts and writing them down seems to be the best way. I'm grateful for the few pen pals I have had throughout the years, either through notes or letters. I am not always the best at sitting down and writing but it is so therapeutic and wonderful that I wish I did it more. I'm also grateful for those who have been willing to read the letters I needed to write to get everything out. I have stacks of unsent letters or notes to people that were really more about expressing myself, so I understood my feelings. I don't know if I ever intended on actually sending many of them. I am grateful for the role my journal has played in my life. It has been important in helping me make innumerable decisions and getting through my hardest moments. My journal may never be something for posterity but it will always be something that helps to keep me grounded and remind me who I am. It helps me to not forget what is really important to me. When I am not being consistent writing in my journal I feel like something is missing.
Gratitude: Day 17
I am grateful for sunshine. I am an Arizona girl and I am so happy to have spent almost a week in the Arizona sun. I love finding the little spot where the sun is shinning in the window and bask in it. That is the hardest part of winter in Utah. There are weeks where we don't see the sun and days where it appears to be out but I cant feel it. That is never true in Arizona. If you can see the sun you can feel it!
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This was the beginning of a sunset after a long hike. It didn't turn out anything close to what it actually looked liked but it's a bright looking sun and I like that.
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Monday, November 19, 2012
Gratitude: Day 16
I am grateful I get to go home tomorrow and see this little face,
and that sunshiny back yard and everything else in Arizona that I love!
There really is no place like home.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Gratitude: Day 15
I'm grateful for the holiday season. I love how the focus of everyone seems to change during this time of year. Everyone seems a little happier and nicer. People are a little more focused on giving and serving. There is a warmth that comes as it gets colder. That sounds contradictory but the holidays really do bring a warmth all their own. It comes from parties with friends, visiting family, spending time walking through lights and nativity displays, sitting by a Christmas tree and fire with hot chocolate, and eating home cooked meals with people you love. It's a season of remembering Christ and trying to live a little bit better.
Golden and I went to the lighting of Riverwoods on Friday night and it was a lot of fun. The lights there are amazing and there was live music that concluded with Ryan Shupe and the rubber-band (whom I am really starting to like). It was cold and rained a little bit but was actually quite comfortable and enjoyable. There were a ton of people there. I have never seen the parking lot overflowing like it was. I enjoyed people watching and seeing all the couples and families and little groups of friends. Everyone was happy and enjoying the evening. I recommend going and seeing the lights if you are looking for a fun evening.
Golden and I went to the lighting of Riverwoods on Friday night and it was a lot of fun. The lights there are amazing and there was live music that concluded with Ryan Shupe and the rubber-band (whom I am really starting to like). It was cold and rained a little bit but was actually quite comfortable and enjoyable. There were a ton of people there. I have never seen the parking lot overflowing like it was. I enjoyed people watching and seeing all the couples and families and little groups of friends. Everyone was happy and enjoying the evening. I recommend going and seeing the lights if you are looking for a fun evening.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Gratitude: Day 14
I'm grateful for weekends. It's so nice to have days built in during the week for sleeping in and playing. Sometimes they even give me time to get caught up on the things I need to do like laundry, cleaning, and eating. With my job I also get an extra long weekend every other week. Those bonus 3 day weekends are fantastic. Then there is one day for play and one for relaxing. Today I slept in an extra hour and a half (7:30), ran a race (won second), went to The Leonardo and the Natural History Museum of Utah (both for free and both quite fun), watched a movie, and sorta watched the BYU game while I looked at pictures and blogged a little. It was a nice Saturday. Now tomorrow I don't have to get up for anything! Having church at 1:00pm has its benefits.
Gratitude: Day 13
I am grateful my parents decided to be in love, not once but twice.
Once...
Twice...
They each have their own talents and strengths and together they've made a pretty great family. We are pretty lucky kids.
Once...
Twice...
They each have their own talents and strengths and together they've made a pretty great family. We are pretty lucky kids.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Gratitude: Day 12
I am grateful for my book club. About a year and a half ago I called up one of my old roommates and we decided to start a book club. We had always shared and talked about books but now that she was married and we were living in different cities I missed that, and her. We picked a book and started searching for people to join our group.
There are four of us who always come and I have loved our little group. I thought four was going to be too small but it makes for really great discussion where everyone is involved. I look forward to our get together every month. I get so excited to see my book club girls and to be able catch up and talk about our book. It's a much needed social interaction with girls I love.
We have done all kinds of books and it has been good for me to expand my horizons a bit. It is also nice to know I will read at least one book a month. We did take one hiatus when there was a baby born but I'm glad we have been able to get right back on track!
Books we've read:
The Princes Bride (A very interesting and fun read)
And Then There Were None (Fun mystery, I haven't read many book like this)
The Great Gatsby (Classic)
Glass Castle (Fascinating, the train wreck you cant stop watching)
Little Prince (One of my favorites)
Gift from the Sea (Interesting discussion, an analysis/reflection of women's' roles)
Shades of Grey (Not 50 shades of grey, one of my favorites that we have read)
Ella Minnow Pea (Cute, short, fun language)
Mormon Scientist (Biography of a very interesting man, but not incredibly well written)
Wednesday Wars (Fun cute, young adult)
Princess of the Midnight Ball (Young adult, not as good as others I've read by the same author)
Heaven is Here (Autobiography, interesting but I think it's really hard to get biographical information that is universally interesting, parts were really good)
The Giver (Classic, Favorite!, we went to hear Lois Lowry speak and she was really good, it was a fun book club)
Hitler Youth (good discussion, I learned a few things)
I'm sure there are a few more so if you (Jessica, Steph or Paige) know what I missed let me know. I'm looking forward to many more books and fun evenings!
There are four of us who always come and I have loved our little group. I thought four was going to be too small but it makes for really great discussion where everyone is involved. I look forward to our get together every month. I get so excited to see my book club girls and to be able catch up and talk about our book. It's a much needed social interaction with girls I love.
We have done all kinds of books and it has been good for me to expand my horizons a bit. It is also nice to know I will read at least one book a month. We did take one hiatus when there was a baby born but I'm glad we have been able to get right back on track!
Books we've read:
The Princes Bride (A very interesting and fun read)
And Then There Were None (Fun mystery, I haven't read many book like this)
The Great Gatsby (Classic)
Glass Castle (Fascinating, the train wreck you cant stop watching)
Little Prince (One of my favorites)
Gift from the Sea (Interesting discussion, an analysis/reflection of women's' roles)
Shades of Grey (Not 50 shades of grey, one of my favorites that we have read)
Ella Minnow Pea (Cute, short, fun language)
Mormon Scientist (Biography of a very interesting man, but not incredibly well written)
Wednesday Wars (Fun cute, young adult)
Princess of the Midnight Ball (Young adult, not as good as others I've read by the same author)
Heaven is Here (Autobiography, interesting but I think it's really hard to get biographical information that is universally interesting, parts were really good)
The Giver (Classic, Favorite!, we went to hear Lois Lowry speak and she was really good, it was a fun book club)
Hitler Youth (good discussion, I learned a few things)
I'm sure there are a few more so if you (Jessica, Steph or Paige) know what I missed let me know. I'm looking forward to many more books and fun evenings!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Gratitude: Day 11
I am grateful for my mom.
When I was young I didn't ever clash with my mom but we never were very close either. I always was more of a daddy's girl. Once I got towards the end of high school and into college we finally started to talk more. I slowly started to learn that my mom and I had more in common than I thought and enjoyed talking to her more and more. She is one of my favorite people to talk to and all through my college days I would call her almost daily as I would walk home from school. She has been a good sounding board for me and helped me to think through things and make decisions. I am grateful for the relationship we have and all that she continues to do for me as my mom. She takes care of me by filling up my car or buying food whenever she is around. As I do more things for myself I have found how much my mom has done for me over the years. All the cleaning, cooking, shopping, laundry, and random errands. All the late nights with sick kids and I am sure many more things that I wont even know or be able to appreciate until I am a mother myself. I am grateful for the way my mom has always done something to keep her healthy, from yoga, ballet, tae kwon do to walking. She inspired me to do a marathon when I never thought I would. If she could do it, so could I! Then after we have done our tour of half marathons which were so much fun. We went to Vegas, Boise, Florida, and a few different places around Utah. It was fun to go to new places together and have fun pushing ourselves with new races. I am so grateful for a mom who I know loves me and will always be there for me! Thank you for being my mom and taking care of me. I love you!
When I was young I didn't ever clash with my mom but we never were very close either. I always was more of a daddy's girl. Once I got towards the end of high school and into college we finally started to talk more. I slowly started to learn that my mom and I had more in common than I thought and enjoyed talking to her more and more. She is one of my favorite people to talk to and all through my college days I would call her almost daily as I would walk home from school. She has been a good sounding board for me and helped me to think through things and make decisions. I am grateful for the relationship we have and all that she continues to do for me as my mom. She takes care of me by filling up my car or buying food whenever she is around. As I do more things for myself I have found how much my mom has done for me over the years. All the cleaning, cooking, shopping, laundry, and random errands. All the late nights with sick kids and I am sure many more things that I wont even know or be able to appreciate until I am a mother myself. I am grateful for the way my mom has always done something to keep her healthy, from yoga, ballet, tae kwon do to walking. She inspired me to do a marathon when I never thought I would. If she could do it, so could I! Then after we have done our tour of half marathons which were so much fun. We went to Vegas, Boise, Florida, and a few different places around Utah. It was fun to go to new places together and have fun pushing ourselves with new races. I am so grateful for a mom who I know loves me and will always be there for me! Thank you for being my mom and taking care of me. I love you!
Volunteering at the St George Marathon together.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Gratitude: Day 10
I am grateful for laughter. Laughter makes the world so much better. I have so many great memories of laughing with friends so uncontrollably that I had tears running down my face, my cheeks hurt, my stomach muscles hurt and I couldn't talk let alone breath. It's kind of what solidifies a friendship for me; sharing a moment together of intense laughter. Laughter can make the darkest days bright. I can remember times when I have been heart broken for one reason or another and even though some small funny moment doesn't make it go away, it makes it easier to bare. Laughing is that ray of sunshine that reminds you that the storm will pass. You will be happy again.
Here is a little video that made me laugh (I may have had tears running down my cheeks), but Summer didn't even crack a smile so I wont be offended if you don't think its funny.
Here is a little video that made me laugh (I may have had tears running down my cheeks), but Summer didn't even crack a smile so I wont be offended if you don't think its funny.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Gratitude: Day 9
I am grateful for casual Friday. I only work every other Friday so you would think those other Fridays would be disappointing but somehow the fact that it is a half day and I get to wear jeans makes me excited to go to to work.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Gratitude: Day 8
I am grateful for nature.
I am sitting in my room listening to the wind and it just makes me smile. Even though I am not super excited about the snow storm this weekend (cold, ugh). I love a good storm. Especially if I am cozy in my house where I can safely and comfortably observe the power of nature. Snow has a magical quality; the way it can make the busy city fall silent and the brightness it brings to the middle of the night. Though the best storms really are Arizona summer rain storms. Warm rain and tons of thunder and lightning. So awesome!
I love to just be in nature. I could just sit and watch the ocean waves, the clouds go by, desert or just look at a mountain view. I have been lucky enough to go to many beautiful places in the world and I am always amazed as I travel to new places what the world has to offer. There are so many different and new things to see. Unfortunately these things can never be truly captured in a photograph. Part of the majesty has to be experienced.
Sitting on top of a mountain I often think of how small and insignificant I am, but feeling connected with nature makes me somehow feel eternal. Being out among trees, rocks, wind and the sky brings peace to the soul. Often when I am outside I am running or hiking and I have to remind myself to take a moment and be still; to just sit and listen and feel.
I am sitting in my room listening to the wind and it just makes me smile. Even though I am not super excited about the snow storm this weekend (cold, ugh). I love a good storm. Especially if I am cozy in my house where I can safely and comfortably observe the power of nature. Snow has a magical quality; the way it can make the busy city fall silent and the brightness it brings to the middle of the night. Though the best storms really are Arizona summer rain storms. Warm rain and tons of thunder and lightning. So awesome!
I love to just be in nature. I could just sit and watch the ocean waves, the clouds go by, desert or just look at a mountain view. I have been lucky enough to go to many beautiful places in the world and I am always amazed as I travel to new places what the world has to offer. There are so many different and new things to see. Unfortunately these things can never be truly captured in a photograph. Part of the majesty has to be experienced.
Sitting on top of a mountain I often think of how small and insignificant I am, but feeling connected with nature makes me somehow feel eternal. Being out among trees, rocks, wind and the sky brings peace to the soul. Often when I am outside I am running or hiking and I have to remind myself to take a moment and be still; to just sit and listen and feel.
Psalms 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God"
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Gratitude: Day 7
I am grateful for my dad.
It's hard to even know where to begin. My dad have done so much for me over my whole life so it's hard to be able to express all the reasons I am thankful for him. I am grateful that he worked hard to make sure we had a nice home and everything we could ever need and want. I have only really started to appreciate that as I am not working and trying to support myself. He has always been there to protect me, keep me safe, and take care of me. Any time I have something go wrong in any way I know I can call him and he will do his best to help and fix it. My dad has taught me a lot about life and formed my world view in a lot of ways. He taught me to analyze everything. He always asks, "what is the moral?" After every movie we would discuss and think about what it meant. My dad taught me what it was to have a testimony. From a young age I remember him sitting me down and telling me the things he believed in and knew to be true. He is a passionate person and a great teacher. I have tried to teach like he does and hope that I can have learn that skill from him. My dad has always been supportive of all my endeavors. He came and watched me play tennis, run in track (even when I came in last), and play in the orchestra. He even became a BYU fan because I decided to go there for college. I loved that he got tickets to the games so I got to see him every couple weeks in the fall. It was fun to get to spend those weekends together. My dad has always spoiled me. He knows that I don't like to spend money on things I don't absolutely need so he will buy me things that I kind of need or just want. My dad makes me laugh and know how to have a good time. He is a great thinker and loved to sit and talk about ideas. I have many great memories of car rides where we would discuss anything and everything for hours on end. My dad has helped me to be confident in who I am and to believe in myself. Thanks dad for always building me up and helping me see the reality... that there is no spoon. I love you Dad! Thank you for being a great dad.
It's hard to even know where to begin. My dad have done so much for me over my whole life so it's hard to be able to express all the reasons I am thankful for him. I am grateful that he worked hard to make sure we had a nice home and everything we could ever need and want. I have only really started to appreciate that as I am not working and trying to support myself. He has always been there to protect me, keep me safe, and take care of me. Any time I have something go wrong in any way I know I can call him and he will do his best to help and fix it. My dad has taught me a lot about life and formed my world view in a lot of ways. He taught me to analyze everything. He always asks, "what is the moral?" After every movie we would discuss and think about what it meant. My dad taught me what it was to have a testimony. From a young age I remember him sitting me down and telling me the things he believed in and knew to be true. He is a passionate person and a great teacher. I have tried to teach like he does and hope that I can have learn that skill from him. My dad has always been supportive of all my endeavors. He came and watched me play tennis, run in track (even when I came in last), and play in the orchestra. He even became a BYU fan because I decided to go there for college. I loved that he got tickets to the games so I got to see him every couple weeks in the fall. It was fun to get to spend those weekends together. My dad has always spoiled me. He knows that I don't like to spend money on things I don't absolutely need so he will buy me things that I kind of need or just want. My dad makes me laugh and know how to have a good time. He is a great thinker and loved to sit and talk about ideas. I have many great memories of car rides where we would discuss anything and everything for hours on end. My dad has helped me to be confident in who I am and to believe in myself. Thanks dad for always building me up and helping me see the reality... that there is no spoon. I love you Dad! Thank you for being a great dad.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Gratitude: Day 6
I am grateful for technology.
I recently watched the new TV show Revolution which is about what would happen to the world if all forms of power suddenly were shut off. It really got me thinking about how much I am dependent on technology. I use my phone daily and would be lost without it. I was sitting in Mississippi a few weeks ago and wondering how I would get home if suddenly airplanes didnt work or cars. What if I couldn't call my family to tell them where I was? I have been able to travel to many different places around the world with minimal effort and at amazing speed due to flight technology. I have been able to get notes for classes online and submit assignments over the internet. Typing and editing papers was made so much easier by having a computer. I love being able to keep food cold in my fridge and freezer. Cooking is so easy and simple with microwaves, ovens, blenders, and mixers. I love having music anywhere with my baby ipod. I can get news, weather, see pictures of friends and family and be updated on their lives from around the world almost instantly through the internet. I can look up almost any random question I have and find the answer. I am able to watch conference every six months and anytime I want to. The list goes on.
I'm sure I would survive without it but I really do appreciate technology.
I recently watched the new TV show Revolution which is about what would happen to the world if all forms of power suddenly were shut off. It really got me thinking about how much I am dependent on technology. I use my phone daily and would be lost without it. I was sitting in Mississippi a few weeks ago and wondering how I would get home if suddenly airplanes didnt work or cars. What if I couldn't call my family to tell them where I was? I have been able to travel to many different places around the world with minimal effort and at amazing speed due to flight technology. I have been able to get notes for classes online and submit assignments over the internet. Typing and editing papers was made so much easier by having a computer. I love being able to keep food cold in my fridge and freezer. Cooking is so easy and simple with microwaves, ovens, blenders, and mixers. I love having music anywhere with my baby ipod. I can get news, weather, see pictures of friends and family and be updated on their lives from around the world almost instantly through the internet. I can look up almost any random question I have and find the answer. I am able to watch conference every six months and anytime I want to. The list goes on.
I'm sure I would survive without it but I really do appreciate technology.
Gratitude: Day 5
I'm grateful for the fun Mason brings into my life. I love all the faces he makes and his crooked smile. He understands my silly humor and loves so many of the same movies. I'm glad I was able to encourage him to do cross country and that he still will run with me when I come home for a few days. He has also been willing to run with me in races which I very much appreciated. It's fun to chat with him and to push each other. He is a fun tennis buddy and I wish we could play more.
I have so many memories over the years of cuddling in the back seat of the car (so many car trips), playing nintendo (he always won, except in mario cart), playing with ninja turtles, hotwheels, and stuffed animals, dancing to music turned up too loud, pillow fights in the dark, making forts, swimming, bike rides, family trips. He was always willing to put up with my bossiness and need to organize everything.
One of my favorite memories is of Mason calling home while he was on his mission. I remember feeling like we could talk forever and we had never talked much on the phone before. I was the last one to talk to him that day and he didn't want to get off the phone. I wished we could just keep talking and in the end saying goodbye was so hard.
When he came home from his mission I have never been more excited for anything. I would randomly tell people how he would be home soon and would get giddy about it.When he got home I remember everyone just standing there waiting for something to happen. I couldn't stand it so I ran up and hugged him first. :)
Mason, I'm glad to have you for a little brother. Sometimes you make me crazy and we haven't always gotten along perfectly, but I love you. Thanks for always being there for me and for always caring about me.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Gratitude: Day 4
I am grateful for my car.
I was realizing how fantastic my car has been to me since I
have had it. We have had our little bumps but none have really been my or the
cars fault. I have done WAY more commuting these last two years than I ever
would have imagined and my car made it enjoyable. It is fun to
drive. I've driven back and forth to St George, to Ephraim, all over the Salt Lake Valley and between Orem and Salt Lake soo many times. I pretty much worked and lived out of my car and it has managed to stay
looking pretty new. I'm just glad that it's mine.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Gratitude: Day 3
I am grateful for music.
I really think music has power and it has helped me so much as I have gone through these last two years. I have always listened to lyrics and sometimes I would find songs I really connected with and other times I found I didnt like the lyrics but I would over look that because it had a fun beat. As it began to appear that everything in my life had a black rain cloud hanging over it I found there was less and less of a place in my life for things that were negative. Not that every song I now listen to is rainbows and shine, sometimes they bring real emotion but it needs to not bring feelings of hate, anger, revenge, violence, indifference, fear, etc. It's not an exact science, more just seeing how the song makes me feel.
A few years back my mom introduced me to KLOVE and since then my mom and Emma would find songs on there to send me and I really loved some of that music. Then I starting spending time with Golden and he always had it on in his car or Air1. It has been a positive influence in my life and something that has helped remind me of what is important in life.
Here are some songs that I have loved in this last year, some of them have Christian undertones or are flat out religious. Some are not. They vary.
Mindy Gledhill- Anchor Album (All About You Heart is a Favorite) and also Small Enough
Rob Thomas- Little Wonders
Taylor Swift- The Best Day (and others)
Katy Perry- Firework
Brandon Heath- I'm not Who I Was, Your Love, Give Me Your Eyes
Mat Kearney- Young Love Album and Runaway
Britt Nicole- All This Time
Francesca Battistelli- This is the Stuff
Shawn McDonald- Take My Hand
He is We- All About Us
Colbie Caillat- Fallin' for you, I do, One Fine Wire and a lot actually
Mandisa- Goodmorning (I love hearing this on the way to work)
tobyMac- Me Without You
Jason Mraz- I Won't Give Up
Okay, there are a lot more but if you are looking for some good ones there you go. I have more where that came from.
I really think music has power and it has helped me so much as I have gone through these last two years. I have always listened to lyrics and sometimes I would find songs I really connected with and other times I found I didnt like the lyrics but I would over look that because it had a fun beat. As it began to appear that everything in my life had a black rain cloud hanging over it I found there was less and less of a place in my life for things that were negative. Not that every song I now listen to is rainbows and shine, sometimes they bring real emotion but it needs to not bring feelings of hate, anger, revenge, violence, indifference, fear, etc. It's not an exact science, more just seeing how the song makes me feel.
A few years back my mom introduced me to KLOVE and since then my mom and Emma would find songs on there to send me and I really loved some of that music. Then I starting spending time with Golden and he always had it on in his car or Air1. It has been a positive influence in my life and something that has helped remind me of what is important in life.
Here are some songs that I have loved in this last year, some of them have Christian undertones or are flat out religious. Some are not. They vary.
Mindy Gledhill- Anchor Album (All About You Heart is a Favorite) and also Small Enough
Rob Thomas- Little Wonders
Taylor Swift- The Best Day (and others)
Katy Perry- Firework
Brandon Heath- I'm not Who I Was, Your Love, Give Me Your Eyes
Mat Kearney- Young Love Album and Runaway
Britt Nicole- All This Time
Francesca Battistelli- This is the Stuff
Shawn McDonald- Take My Hand
He is We- All About Us
Colbie Caillat- Fallin' for you, I do, One Fine Wire and a lot actually
Mandisa- Goodmorning (I love hearing this on the way to work)
tobyMac- Me Without You
Jason Mraz- I Won't Give Up
Okay, there are a lot more but if you are looking for some good ones there you go. I have more where that came from.
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