We're Off...

...to run the Ragnar, the wonderful Wasatch Back!

Tomorrow evening we leave for Logan. Friday morning, impossibly early, we wake up and begin our 188.2 miles to Park City. Wish us luck! Yee Haw!

Inconvenient

To my recently acquired allergies: You have picked a very inconvenient time to manifest yourselves. Don't you know that I will be outside all day Friday and Saturday running 180 miles along the back of the Wasatch Range? Do my 5 van mates and 11 other teammates really want to hear me sniffling, sneezing, and rubbing my eyes? You have 2 1/2 days to clear up. Got it?

Innovation

What do you do when you can't find socks? That's right. You use aluminum foil.



J fashioned himself a set of aluminum foil gaiters in which to weed whack our yard. My dad, who cuts off tube socks to make arm warmers, would be proud.

Orem Somewhat Fest

This year (as we did last year), we walked to the Orem Summerfest. This year (as we didn't get a chance to last year), we rode the Ferris Wheel. This is S, H, and J before the Ferris Wheel started. Once it went up up up and then down down down, S started screaming, "I WANT TO GET OFF! LET ME OFF THIS THING! I HAVE TO GET OFF!!!"


So we stopped and they were let off to watch O and mom ride up and down and around and around 17 times! O keeps saying to me, "Riding on the Ferris Wheel was fun! It was my favorite part!" After which S and H say, "No! It was scary!"


This year (as happened last year), a big, black storm cloud came upon us while we were Summerfesting. This year (as we did not do last year), we stayed to use up all of our tickets. J and O went on the swings. (See that lovely black cloud in the background?)


H and S rode the merry-go-round. (The longest merry-go-round known to man.) When O got off the swings and wanted to go on the merry-go-round, S decided he'd rather not. He just wanted to stand in the freezing cold, pouring rain, and get soaking wet.


Here are my monkeys riding the boats. S is in the boat behind O and H. He only decided to do it at the last minute because the ride was covered. It was fun trying to make him smile as he went around. He was being tenaciously grumpy.


This year (as we did not do last year) we walked home in the rain. (Last year, J ran home and came back with the van). This year we splashed in puddles, sent maple "helicopter" boats down the gutter, and had a fun walk home with the kids. This year (as we did last year) we had a pizza (homemade this year, Papa Murphy's last), had hot chocolate, and watched a movie. I feel a tradition in the making. Hopefully it storms next year for the Summerfest!

Missive to My Left Foot

Left foot. Hi. How's it going? I'm doing pretty well. A bit of fatigue that I haven't been able to figure out. Fighting a tiny cold. Other than that, things are good. Oh yeah, except for one thing -- YOU. I don't know if you heard the podiatrist two visits ago, but I know you were there. You can't have missed the "... a little too symptomatic for being almost 5 months out from surgery..." Even the threat of a steroid shot didn't straighten you out. Now, I love you. We have been together for what, 32 years? You've caused me no end of problems, but you've also really supported me, even when you were in pain. I hate to do this to you, but I thought you might like to know -- I am considering chopping you off and getting a prosthetic foot/ankle. There. I said it. I've almost run out of patience with you. The Wasatch Back is this week. 5 -- count 'em -- 5 more days. As of now, I am scheduled to run 21 miles in 24 hours. My heart can take it. My lungs can take it. My legs, knees, and hips can take it. Can you take it? Please do this for me, freaky left foot. I promise I will take you out barefoot running next week. I know you like my Vibrams. That's right. I am going to begin "The Barefoot Running Experiment" just for you. Just hold on and get me through this weekend. We can do this together. And the whole prosthetic thing? I didn't really mean it. I know we can work this out. We're a team. I'll take my Naproxen. I'll bring Tylenol and ice. We can do this. Do this for me, left foot. Please, just do this for me.

O Milestones

O figured this one out all by himself. I was picking things up here and there in the playroom when I heard S say, "Wow, O! Mom! Look what O wrote all by himself! I didn't even help him!" There he was, just quietly working on his own little project. He is just like his dad.


When O showed me this one, I knew that our vacation to Moab and Arches National Park had gone straight to his heart!


My technology-savvy boys. O was Zombie Farming on J's phone, J was working, and S was playing a block puzzle on my phone. H is in the tub.

Busta Move

Remember this priceless bit of booty-shaking?

H is at it again.


At the end he stepped on a random thing on the floor (an easy occurrence around here) and that's why he's screaming. He's fine. Now he walks around singing, "Kung Fu Fighting."