He did it. He really, really did it.

We ran/walked/ran again the Sunlight Over Africa 5k on Saturday. We had a good time (even Lane, though he refuses to admit it), and I managed to beat my Strawberry Days time by 2 1/2 minutes, which is shocking considering we had to go up Battle Creek from Locust to our church. That's a beast of a hill! But we didn't finish last (nearly last is NOT last) and I had a lot of fun doing it. I ran almost 2 miles straight and felt great. We lost Lane along the way and I was pretty sure he had either gone home or to his Grandma's, whose house is along the course. I'm proud to admit he did neither, though he does admit he considered it.

Jack and I coming down the home stretch

Sorry, I know pictures like this should not be for public viewing, but you take a risk by reading my blog and this time it didn't pay off well for you, did it?


Lane came along not too long after us. The event organizer refused to let him walk across the finish line, so she ran along with him until he was done.

Almost there . . .

All of us at the end. Lane is enjoying a peach, and still giving me the stink eye. I warned him I was going to sign him up. It's his own fault he didn't take me seriously. He should know better by now.

Can Someone Please Rescue Taylor?

So I finally walked ALL THE WAY upstairs to get my camera and download the latest round of pcitures. So here goes catch-up time:


Jack and his cousin Henson on during the closing ceremonies of Timberline. Jack had a great experience. Henson was serving on the Staff, which Jack hopes to do next year.

Addie at PCMC, waiting to see her cardiologist, Dr. Day a few weeks ago.

Last week I invited my dad to join us for our Saturday morning hike, and he accepted the invitation. Since his knows all the trails here-abouts, I told him to lead the way. He took us up Grove Creek Canyon (not to be confused with Battle Creek Canyon). I've never been up this trail before, and I really enjoyed it. Again, there was a waterfall, and I guess there is an even better waterfall if we had gone further. We spent about an hour hiking around, which all of us enjoyed. Except Taylor, of course. Sadly, she has been cursed with cruel parents who rudely wake her up early on a Saturday morning for Family Fun. I've been told that no one else's parents would do anything so outrageous and if she could find the number she would report us to child welfare sevices. She even ignored the long-standing family rule of No Electronic Devices During Family Fun and brought her ipod along anyway.

My dad sent Jack and Lane up a little trail to see where it went. Apparently, it went no where.

This is my dad who was kind enough to take us on a fun little explore. And to the best of my knowledge, he hasn't had a heart attack. So we'll take him again.

A Girl Needs to Plan Ahead

531.08 miles.


That's how far I have walked/run/hiked since May 10. If I do say so myself, that's a long way.


It has been a good thing, this Healthy Employee program at my work. I can always get someone to go out walking/running/hiking with me. And even Lane has stopped complaining. Don't get me wrong - he's still not embracing it - but he has stopped whining about it. Did I say whining? What I meant was joining in reluctantly.


My visiting teachers have allowed me to join them for a 5:00 am walk to the water tank 3 times a week. That's a big hill! And 5:00 is really early. But I'll keep going as long as they will let me . . . it's a good walk.


So school is about to start. I am so ready. Despite all my best intentions to buy everthing so I don't have to go back to Walmart, I'm pretty sure I'll end up going back to Walmart. I hate Walmart. Or, I should say, I hate the Lindon Walmart. It is worth my time and gas to drive to the one in Cedar Hills where they generally have more than 2 cashiers working. More than once I have given up in frustration, handing all my stuff to that cashier who does nothing but oversee the self-checkout and storm out of the store telling that cashier person that I was going to Target. I think I can probably drive to the Target in American Fork and still get done faster than at the Lindon Walmart. Ok, Walmart vent over. I feel better.


Vacation is in 16 days. 5 of those days are weekends, and they go by fast. 3 of those days are Fridays, and they also go by fast. 1 day is the last day of summer vacation - fast. 1 day is the first day of school, 2 days really because of the A day B day thing - fast. So really it's like 5 days away. (Seinfeld)


I still need to get Lane a new Hawaiian shirt, which he will gripe about but still wear because he knows it isn't worth the fight. Jack thinks he wants a Hawaiian shirt too. Yes, I have started packing and making lists . . . and thinking about where to go next year!