Birch Bay Road Race 15K...

About three years ago I ran this race with my Friend Amy R.  It was a very cold day and it had just snowed a bit the night before.  The course was badly marked and we ended up running close to 12 or so miles, instead of the 9.3 we signed up for.  We both had not really trained very well for this race, but we were amazed that we had run more than we had ever, together.  This was before my marathons.  I think we had not run more than 7or 8 miles together.  This experience motivated us to run a half-marathon that Summer, which Rob helped us direct right from our home.  We had our own non-official Half Marathon on July 4th, 2008, it was awesome.  Great memories!

Anyhow, I wanted to run this race again over the last years, but I just didn't get around to making time for it.  Especially since I have had kids in soccer every Spring Season (since we moved here), until this year.  I'm so glad I was able to run it again.  The course was changed and it was better.  The route was mostly along the ocean in Birch Bay, Wa.  The weather was awesome and perfect today!  The sun was out and it was not as cold as the first year.  My one light jacket was too much to wear.  I would have been fine in a short sleeve shirt and pants.  It was a wonderful run.  I took some pictures with my phone, but I doubt they turned out.

The best part was having Rob and my girls there to support me and cheer for me.  Sophia was the best trooper, because she was actually feeling very sick with stomach aches (feeling what I experienced this week for three days), poor baby, but she was an awesome supporter and such a good sport to have come along.  Thank you Miss Sophie.  I love you!  James went to an overnight with the Scouts so he wasn't there.  Thank you Rob for being my best friend and supporting me in my running.  You should run this one with me next year.  You would kick some bum.  You are getting so fast and strong.  You would really like it! 

I did great, regardless of having spent this week sick.  I started nice and slow and kept a very steady slow pace for about 3-4 miles.  Then I picked it up a notch, just making sure I was feeling alright.  I listened to my body, and noticed the beauty all around me, it was very inspiring!  I had set a goal weeks ago to finish in less than 1hr and 24min, but after being sick I was now looking forward to even being able to run and finish the race. 

When I picked up my pace at about mile 5, I began to pass runners, and I felt motivated to run a little bit faster.  So, I gradually worked on increasing my pace and set a goal to pass 10 runners (it sounds bad and selfish, but it motivated me to finish strong).  I passed 20 runners and was going faster than a 9min pace for the last 1.5 miles.  It felt great!  I'm not bragging, I'm just sharing my excitement (and plus blogging is my journal).  I'm usually not this fast.  

I loved seeing my girls and Rob at the end of the race.  Thank you for all your cheering, taking pictures and cute signs!  You guys are the best!  I'm definitely bringing you guys along next year, when I run this race again.  I think this has become another one of my many favorite local races to run each year. 

P.S  I finished the race in 1 hr 28 min. and 40sec.  Not too bad!! 

Dinner With Friends...

After being sick with some kind of stomach bug for three days this week, I had the delightful pleasure and enjoyment of eating some real yummy food with great friends and Rob last night.  I spent three days eating bananas, toast, crackers, and drinking hot chicken broth and herbal tea, plus drinking seltzer water to keep me from feeling any worse.  So, when the chance of going out to eat with friends arose, I was super excited. 
Brian and Angee were in town again and we so enjoyed eating out at Bambo Italiano Cafe in Fairhaven with them.  They have such yummy italian food and the most delicious Chocolate Torte ever!!  We spent almost 4 hrs just laughing and talking and we even played Boggle, which we brought.  It was so much fun!  I came home with a mild headache from laughing so much, seriously!  The best part was that I felt great!  No tummy problems, and I enjoyed every bit of that chocolate torte without any hesitation!
Thank you Brian and Angee.  We had a great time.  Next time Dinner is on Us!  Miss Angee, you are in our prayers and so is your father.  Love ya girl!  'til next time!

There Is Always Something We Can Do...

I found myself asking "what can I do to help those in Japan?"  as I watched the devastation of the tragic news of Japan's earthquake and Tsunami last week, many folks have lost their homes, family and friends.  I was stunned by the video footage and pictures that were shown in the news.  I felt sick to my stomach, heart broken and prayed for the people in Japan.  I also thought of our local friends and contacted them to make sure that they were OK and if their loved ones in Japan were alright.  Which they all said their families and friends are fine and were not affected by the disaster.

I didn't help in any way and I still haven't figured out a way that I could.  But today I was inspired!  I called my sweet sister-in-law Michelle, to congratulate her on selling her house in New Mexico.  We have all been praying and fasting for their home to sell and our prayers were answered!  YAY!

Anyhow she shared with me her sweet experience.  Her story of love, selflessness and service.  She asked herself the same question I asked myself last week after watching the news about Japan.  But she actually found an answer and took action.  She involved her whole family as well.  They put together their skills of making the most delicious homemade wheat bread and sold the bread in their neighborhood.  They sold $200.00 worth of homemade bread and donated that money towards helping out in Japan.  They spent time together as a family baking and thinking of the sweet Japanese people.  They served together and shared the Love that Christ has shown to us, by working as a family to find a way to serve others. 

Michelle said that she was inspired by a talk given by Sis. Julie B. Beck just about 2 weeks ago about service.  She said that one of the things she remembered from her talk was that there is always a way to serve, that there is always something we can do.  I'm not surprised...Michelle is an elite woman.  Her heart is full of love and service.  She is always so willing, so inspired and motivated.  She is an inspiration to all who know her.  She is a delight and a joy.  I'm seriously blessed to call her family! 

She is an amazing woman, full of faith and hope.  She has overcome so many things in her life, and has become an even better person than she was.  She has been shaped and refined in ways that I would of thought she didn't need refining or shaping, she is nearly perfect in my eyes!  What more improvements can she make?  She is just wonderful!

Thank you Michelle for your wisdom, for your selfless and unconditional love, for your desires to do what is right and for the courage to do it.  Thank you for your sweet testimony of the Savior and His Gospel, and for the love that you have for Him, which shows in all that you do and say.  Thank you for being the example of how a loving mother should be and act.  Thank you for your friendship, for your integrity, your support and great communication skills.  Thank you for being such a fantastic listener. 

Thanks for being such a fun friend and mother and sister-in-law.  Thanks for being YOU!

P.S  I hope you don't mind that I have put you on the spot...I just had to share so that you could keep inspiring people and touching the hearts of many more!  I LOVE YOU!  You are an angel!

The Kopelowitz Come To Visit...

Ou dear friends the Kopelowitz came over to play all day Saturday!  They asked me to take their family pictures and that was loads of fun for me!  I take better pictures when I'm in my element (comfort zone) which is the great outdoors.  The Sun was shining and the day was gorgeous!  It was just picture perfect!  Thanks for letting me do this guys!
We also enjoyed a nice dinner and a night filled with "Minute to Win It" games, thanks to ROB! We laughed so much, it was hard to say good night! I hope we don't wait too long to get together again! We sure senjoyed having you all! Thanks for the food and the great fun and for your friendship.

The cookie crawler game- watch the boys- especially James...very funny!

Brian- you are such a goof!!  Always have been!  Thanks for the fun and laughs...

Lucky Girl...

On St. Patrick's Day the girls came home all excited to tell me about all the green stuff they got and green foods they ate.  Then Juliette told me about finding some clovers and she said that she had seen some four-leaf ones.  I kind of brushed it off, those are rare to find!  I did tell her that they are not easy to find and not many find them.  She then went ourside and came back with not just one but two of these Four-Leaf clovers.  I couldn't believe it. "LUCKY girl" I told her and then took some pictures.  She was so proud of herself...

Hope everyone had a fun St. Patty's Day!

Ragnar Mania & Aunt Frandi's Late Christmas Gifts...

Here are my cute kids wearing some RAGNAR shirts that we got for them from our trip to Arizona.  The girls are wearing them as their PJ's.  So cute!
We also got a package a few weeks ago from my little sister (Aunt Frandi) with her late Christmas presents for all of us.  Thank you Frandi.  We loved your gifts.  Especially the retro blue jeans you gave James!  It took me a while to get used to them, now I think they are kind of cute on him-  He totally loves his pants!
P.S  The girls have put all of thier change in their bunnies, thank you!