At our house....if you ever are lying on your stomach....be prepared for at least one kids to run over and literally JUMP on your back.
McKay finally took up photography again (she only got her camera in 2005) although it's never too late, and she does take good pictures. Jake and I on a Sunday evening. (I'm trying to set up my avatar. I guess we will see if it works.)
P.S. I was looking at hotels in Moab. Right now there is a Holiday Inn availabe for $99 during the Moab run next year. This is two queens and non-smoking. Best Western is unavailable, or so they say.
McKay came home with flowers from a boy! (She's still my baby, she's not even eight!!!!) It was a very sweet gesture. She even told him thank you. She was very shy to tell anyone about it though. Although, a part of me wasn't sure what to think. What would you do if it was your kid?
(the rest of our road trip....i couldn't figure out the vidoe spot)
Saturday....marathon day. The time had finally come. Karl had given me great advice and said, "Your only goal is to beat Jacob". Jacob's last word's were, "I'm going to run with Big Harry for a mile and see if I can keep his pace."
We all finished is the good part. I am amazed at how well Hannah T. runs! Wow! I shake my head at how Jake finished with a 1:39. Amazing for someone who doesn't even run once before a race. The only thing that he could even come close to saying was training was his hunting episodes when they hiked mountains for days straight.
I am dissappointed in my knees and my time. I thought walking the pain off in my knee for a little bit would help it and then when I went to run again, it was ten times worse. I swore on Saturday I would never do another one. On Sunday, I was saying the complete opposite. I have to run another to at least redeem myself. I can't end with this one. Each night I keep trying to talk Jake into one.
I'm glad for Hannah K. who drove the first 3 hours after the race and watched all four of my kids while we were running. THANKS A BUNCH! We couldn't have done it at all without you. You went out of your way for us. :)
It made the last mile seem easier when Jake had walked back and ran (hobbled) the last mile with me. I have a great husband!
TOP FIVE THINGS (i've learned) NOT TO DO BEFORE OR DURING A HALF MARATHON
Do not engage on an 800 mile road trip three days before a marathon.
Do not sleep on the floor for three nights prior to a marathon.
Do not nurse a baby while running a marathon (exspecially if you are gone for more than four hours and you're not used to it.)
Eat more for breakfast than just one protein bar.
Do not drive another 500 miles just after completing 13 miles. Your body will not forgive you!
After all my complaining though, it was a fun memory. I will have to make another one unforetuneately.
So we drove back to SLC that night and stayed with my parents. (Kirsten and grandpa)The next day we left home for Idaho and stopped for a couple hours at Erika's to have dinner. (click)
Jake and I both hobbled a little on Sunday. Although I am sure I looked just as funny, I had to video Jake and post it. (addicted blogger)
Then we finally made the slow and long journey home.
.... that's what I am of afraid of. It all started with one looonnnngggggggg road trip ending with one paaaaaainful marathon and another road trip home.
We left Wednesday night and stayed headed to SLC. We stayed with Erika and got the next morning and headed down to Mesquite.Thank goodness for the DVD player and the TV screens in the back. I wouldn't have made it home with my sanity without them. While Katanya enjoyed the playing with pretzels. Although she wouldn't eat them....what a surprise. She did great on the road.It took quite awhile considering we were pulling our 24' enclosed trailer and for some reason the aerodynamics (is that correct?) just makes it awful to drive when you pass semitrailers. We made it to Beaver and we stopped and let the kids enjoy an hour playing on cousin Sam's "playground".McKay and Kirsten on the teeter-totter.........Jake and Cruz on the plane.We made it down to Mesquite that afternoon and loaded up over 4300 five gallon pots. We wanted another 2000 but because Jake and I hadn't eaten since breakfast or had a drink we were exhausted with the 96 degree weather. So we ate and headed on our way back when it's even worse because max speed is between 55 and 60 mph. We ended up in Cedar City where we enjoyed a fun stay with Maddy (her roommates were gone because of Spring Break). Because Cruz was wanting to play, we (not Jake but Maddy and I) stayed up til 2 pm just having fun "girl" talk.
That morning Jake headed up early to Beaver to finish our missing cabinet pieces and Maddy, the kids, and I followed up later. We met up with Karl and Betsy and headed on our way to the infamous Green River and Moab where Hannah K was waiting for us. Not being smart like Karl or Betsy, and following in Big Harry's footsteps, we had too procrastinated and fell at the Rhodeaway Inn. There is a reason they were the only hotels that had vacancies and were dirt cheap............(tune in tomorrow for the saga of the marathon.)
Today was SO gorgeous! I decided to take the kids out to play in the backyard while I cleaned the surburban and washed the car seats for the upcoming road trip. (Don't ask me why, it will only get dirty again for all of you who have done road trips.) I started with the rear "trunk". I opened up the hatch and I saw the $1.50 kite I had bought over a month ago for the kids. I quickly decided to throw out the cleaning and to go have fun with the kids. I haven't flown a kite in over 10 years.
Kirsten kept chasing the tail, and then she would trade off with McKay. They flew the kite for over two hours. It's very nice because there are no phone or electric lines close. In the next pic.....they had it all the way out. The wind was just perfect. After awhile I went back and was cleaning the truck. If you notice in the corner, Cruz was having fun dipping Jake's wrench's in a bucket of oil he had left out. I didn't notice until it was too late, for Cruz and Jake's tools. (Maybe he won't leave it out next time.) It was then cut short for him and it was bath time.
I have always said that Katanya is my "high needs" baby. That's because my other three were really really easy. I look at some of my friends and by far, Katanya falls short of high needs compared to their babies. Anyway back to the point. This sweet angel.... who has a really cute smile and has finally learned to fall asleep on her own....(emphasize on finally)
DESPISES
Food.
I have been feeding her baby cereal for awhile and at first when she didn't eat it, I thought it was because she was a preemie and it would take her longer. She finally took the cereal but now she will ONLY will eat the Oatmeal cereal. Not rice, not mixed, only oatmeal. I have tried to feed her baby foods, starting with the normal Gerber's first....like sweet potatoes or squash. Yeah right. She gags it in her mouth and the one time Jake got her to eat it he was wearing it five minutes later. Her lips are sealed and any particle that is in her mouth gets instantly spit out. So I thought she doesn't like the baby food and, like my others, will eat off the table. So I got the baby grinder out and grinded up some squash the other night. This is her reaction here....It happened again tonight with potatoes. Except the eyes were winced while her face was sealed and she was spitting. We were all laughing.
LOST!
I don't know what to do. Granted she is only 9 months I fear that she will soon be a year and still be nursing completely. Although the weight factor isn't an issue. She is well over 18 pounds.
So I guess I will keep trying and hopefully this will go somewhere, sometime.
P.S. Although here is something I didn't know. When we went in for her monthly "SYNEGIS" shot this week. The nurse gave my kids a lollipop, along with Katanya. I looked at her and said "She can't have that," thinking she would gag herself. Then she gave me this useful piece of knowledge I still have yet to google to see if it is true. "Sugar releases some enzyme that makes it so the pain isn't as bad. They give boys a "sugar pill" when they get circumsized to ease the pain."
So I did let her suck on the lollipop, which no suprise, she liked.
The funny part: Now Kirsten has gone around telling everyone that lollipops are a healthy food, and a nurse has told her so. So when you tell her to get a healthy treat, this is her response.
Today, I'm officially back on the sauceJAM! After a two month break of Turbo Jam, I started the routine again and boy does it feel good. Although surprisingly I didn't gain any weight over the holidays. I actually lost 3 pounds. Although food just taste SOOOOOO good.
McKay brings homes a folder each week that has all of her work that she has completed at school. I was going through it yesterday when I stumbled upon this. I had a good laugh though and then I showed Jake later that night. We noticed that she has a great eye for detail. IE:
She put the shop in the window as you can see it thru our living room windows.
The floor vent in the corner doesn't have a cover yet and yes it is a hole.
The bamboo wood under the TV.
The doll that Great Grandma Mary gave Katanya is pink with blonde hair.
The doll that Grandma Alice is on the floor also.
The toys that Amalia gave Katanya are there. As they are a favorite for all kids.
And MOST IMPORTANTLY (YES!!!) she did put a blanket over Katanya as she is eating. She says there are flowers on the blanket but she had to hurry and they are just dots.
To defend myself, I really don't play Kirsten's game (anymore). When she first got it for Christmas, I did check it out and I did have to beat it. As I am sure anyone (maybe) would. Although I haven't played it in weeks. :)
I wonder what the teacher thought thought?
P.S. McKay just said she wasn't thru with it when they had to put them away.
At our house....if you ever are lying on your stomach....be prepared for at least one kids to run over and literally JUMP on your back.
Jake and I on a Sunday evening. (I'm trying to set up my avatar. I guess we will see if it works.)
The next day we left home for Idaho and stopped for a couple hours at Erika's to have dinner. 
