Just Keep Swimming...

This my favorite quote from Finding Nemo when I think of enduring things in life. I am trying to employ this quote in my life right now. The end of summer is in sight and there are 17 days left until school starts. We will make it! Also, I am now up to 1.8 miles running non-stop (two loops around McCowin Park in Ammon) and am going to attempt to make it 2.7 miles this weekend. The St. Luke's 5K is September 24th in Boise and I just might be able to run the whole thing if I just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

The First Step is the Hardest (sigh)

Okay, I must preface this post by stating the obvious. I am not, nor have I ever been, a runner. I don't enjoy it and don't do it gracefully. My face flushes at the slightest physical exertion and sweat begins rolling. Not pretty.

BUT...running just may offer the best "bang for the buck" that I need when it comes to exercise. Doc Hodges wants me to do an hour of "vigorous" exercise a day. One. Hour. A. Day?! That will kill me in my present state, so I am attempting to get moving more by running a little at a time and gradually building up my endurance. I've done two days of running now. The first day I ran 1/2 mile without stopping and walked 1/2 mile. I must say I was proud of myself because I didn't think I could make it a full lap before having to walk. Last night I ran a lap, then walked 1/2 lap on and off so that I ran a total of 1 mile and walked 1/2 mile before I was done in. In my defense, it was rather hot and humid last night. I may need to switch to early morning runs.

My friend, Marcy is getting started, too. Hopefully we can inspire and motivate each other into fitness. Heaven knows, I really need it!

New Blog

I have decided to branch off my blogging into a second blog devoted mainly to crafts, cooking and other creative outlets. I cannot promise that life and its little faces won't make an appearance now and again. Stop by Blue Rosie's Corner and see what's happening: http://bluerosiescorner.blogspot.com/

*Edit* For those who may not know Braelyn very well, Blue Rosie is my daughter's imaginary dalmation pet, thus the photo.

One Year Older...

Yes, I reached 36 years of age this week. I feel like I was celebrating my 35th birthday just a short while ago. This year has flown by! I've been reflecting on myself lately and thought that I would share some of me with you. I am borrowing the list idea from here .

Making : myself feel guilty because I feel spread a little too thin all the time.
Cooking : chocolate chip cookies for the kids' lunches this week
Drinking : what else, Diet Coke
Reading: right now I'm floating between "The Help", "6 Rainier Drive" by Debbie Macomber on my Nook and Real Simple magazine.
Wanting: a kitchen remodel so bad I can taste it.
Looking: at the basket of laundry that didn't get folded this weekend
Playing: Michael Buble
Wasting: money on two gym memberships because I always forget to cancel the one I don't want until the office is closed
Sewing: myself the next quilt. I usually give away my quilt projects but the next one is for me - lime green, black and white
Wishing: I could smell the ocean right now. I love that smell and it's been 6 years since I last smelled it.
Enjoying: watching my husband and kids dance to Katy Perry on the Wii Just Dance
Waiting: for Baby Ava, my niece, to be born any day now.
Liking: the fact that my kids are growing up so close to their grandparents. I didn't get that opportunity until I was much older.
Wondering: whether to grow my hair out some.
Loving: my calling as YW second counsellor. I absolutely love it and the ladies I work with.
Hoping: that someday we can get all the remodeling done in the house.
Marvelling: that I am 36 years old, have been married for 15 years, my oldest will be 12 and getting the priesthood this year and my youngest is going into kindergarten soon.
Needing: an hour to myself
Smelling: chocolate chip cookies just out of the oven.
Wearing: jeans and a polo shirt - standard weekend attire.
Following: season 12 of Biggest Loser. Cheering for the father/daughter team from Idaho.
Noticing: how my family seems to be migrating to Boise one by one and how much I miss them.
Knowing: that someday I will sew something that does not require use of a seam ripper to pick out and redo stitches.
Thinking: about how I am not ready to start the work week tomorrow. There are too many things still left for me to do.
Bookmarking: so many fun, creative blogs with quilting, embroidery and crafty ideas.
Opening: the special issue of the Ensign that focuses on Christ that was given as a handout in Young Women today.
Giggling: about the Halloween pictures I finally downloaded from my camera.
Feeling: grateful, blessed, loved, amazed and humbled.

What My Weekend Consisted Of...

Time is Going By So Very Fast

Wow! Two weeks left until summer vacation for my kids ... and they're growing like weeds. I have pretty much given up on taking any "perfect pictures" of the kids where all of three of them are smiling and not blinking or pulling faces. I guess this is pretty much how my life really is :)

And one of Mr. Skippy. I must admit that he has wiggled his way into my heart with those puppy dog eyes, one green and one blue.

Isn't She a Beauty?

"She" is my new beach-cruiser bicycle that Everett gave me for Mother's Day. I actually got it several days before Mother's Day and have been having a BLAST riding it around the neighborhood.

Cross One Off

I finally finished Kirsche's birthday quilt. For some reason, this quilt had it in for me. I ended up unpicking 3 bobbins worth of thread that looped up on the back side during quilting, but I finished it this weekend with little hang ups on the binding.
Here's the front of the quilt:


And the back:


Here is the lone picture from her 7th birthday. I swear there were more photos on my camera...maybe a gremlin?