Time to get caught up!!!!

Wow, it's been months and we've been BUSY!!!!

We got through the end of the school year for Sophie and Sam. I took a few months off due to everything coming up.
The middle of May I did the woman of Steel triathlon in American Fork. It was a tougher course but was really fun. I had trained a couple of girls from school to do it with the Tri for Parkinson's team and we have a blast.

The next weekend we headed to California as a family to do the annual fountain Valley Triathlon. My mom joined us as we raced again for Tri for Parkinson's. I was sicker than a dog and decided to just fill myself with theraflu and drugs and go for it. I was tough but was able to maintain my time.
Sophie did the kids Tri and I think is just as hooked as Sam and I are.

Then we headed to Seattle for 2 weeks where I held the first annual Tri for Parkinson's 5k/10k. It was a pretty good success with over 100 runners. Can't wait for next year. The kids had so much fun being back in Seattle playing with cousins, friends, and spending time at Grandma and Grandpa's. 

We packed it up and headed back to Utah. A few days later I did my first half marathon. Let me give you some advice. Do not do a half Marathon a high altitude after being at sea level for a month, bring your own water in case they run out and don't buy new shoes the week before. If you have those things down you'll do great. ;)

The next little bit was nice and quiet(well for us anyway). I was out of school so the kids and I got to play and swim as often as we could. I think we all needed it.

Sam had 2 weeks off of school till Fall starts and we enjoyed a long bike ride, swim workouts and hikes as a family.

This last weekend I was able to go run the Grand Teton Relay. That's an adventure and story for it's own post!!

You think she likes it??

My body...we have a, well just hate relationship!!

I can't even say love/hate. It's just hate.
Reasons...
1. I can't lose weight. I know what you are all thinking. I must be doing something wrong.
  I exercise everyday. Some days for 90 minutes(running, swimming, spinning and so on).
   I eat 1500 calories and do no sugar. Ok so I do drink diet coke but also drink tons of water.
2. I have ovaries that hate me and the world around me. They are trying to punish me. Don't know why I havewhat is called polycystic ovarian disease.
3. I don't sleep well. I am always tired in the morning. ALWAYS.
4. I have a broken ankle that I run, swim and spin with. It hates me also.
5. Shin splints-they hate me.

I finally saved enough money to get a bodybugg. Its like walking around with monitors that calculate everything you do. It said I should have lost 3-4 lbs my first week according to my excess calorie burn. I gained a pound.  It confirmed to me that I am not crazy. Something is just so wrong.

So while a few of these things are self induced, some are not. BUT, I think for the first time in YEARS...like 20 I may have ideas of what is wrong with me.
My lovely husband who is a pre-med student, and ususally makes me batty with all his diagnosing, was learning about a new disease and its like it all fell in his lap.
I am going to have testing done for Cushing's Syndrome. It all makes so much sense and would explain everything if I do have it.
The down side. It would mean I have a tumor on my pituitary gland and need Chemo, radiation, or surgery.  While I pray I don't have the tumor and I don't need to do any of the previous things mentioned, I would also love to finally know why I am the way I am. Which is the lesser of 2 evils I guess?

A ride home....

Tonight was an interesting night for me. I did my usual swap the kids in a parking lot with Sam, all whining and crying. The mom guilt of wishing they were home playing instead of getting hauled around cause of our busy schedule. I was having that "what am I doing?" feeling. Like running in circles.
I sat in class feeling soooo tired and worn down. I hopped up to take my first client. You know the perky girl working it for big tips. ;)
I'm going through all the motions and just ready to be done and go to bed. I find out a girl at school doesn't have a ride home. Do I want to do it? No. It's already 10 pm and she is still working on someone. I'm getting grumpy and really want to go home but keep on a happy face. Finally leave school at 10:30 and drive her home. We start to talk. I don't know this girl all that well. Something made her start to talk and tell me how she feels lost and wants to be active in church again and feel like she belongs. I start to talk with her and answer her questions and tell her how things happened for me and the way I made the decision to live my life the way I am.
I don't think she realized it, but man, did I need that conversation.
I have nothing to complain about. There are some people out there that are so lost and have no idea how to make it better. I may not have money, or fancy things, or even an ipod for pete sakes. BUT I AM HAPPY! I know who I am and know where I am going. That's more than I think a lot of people have. I am truly blessed.
Who knew beauty school could be so deep?

Please join us for the Parkinson's Fundraiser!!!

Great prizes to be won and for a great cause!!!

http://triforparkinsons.blogspot.com/

Oh, Henry!!!

Me~Henry, what do you need to do if you pee on the seat?


Henry~Wipe it off. But it wasnt me....It was Sophie.

Me~Sophie doesn't pee on the seat. She's a girl.

Henry~yeah huh, she's crazy.

Me~Henry, girl's do NOT pee on the seat.

Henry~gguuhhh, fine it was me. But just this time. It's usually Sophie.
 
Round 2
Henry~Mom, There is a booger in my hair and pretty sure it's not mine.
Me~How do you know?
Henry~I didn't pick my nose today.
 
Don't worry it was silly putty.

Merry Merry!!

Phew, we made it through. Barely! Sam picked up tons of shifts at the MTC and I still had school everyday but Christmas day. So it was crazy but great. I made Christmas Eve dinner for the first time and have to say it was dang good. I was running out of time and did NOT iron my table cloth. I know my mom will be mortified. I know, I know. Talk about a thrown together table.

The kids were so excited for Santa I thought 1 or 2 of them may pass out.

and the most wanted gift in the house.

BYU bedding! A happy boy!!

Lucy was so cute with all her "wow"! She was in heaven.

Hope everyone had a very blessed and happy holiday.

Pink Slip!!

Yup, it happened. We had our first pink slip. You know the one you get when you go to the Principals office. I know you are thinking wait...Henry is not in school. Lucy, well...she needs to be sent there but she's only 17 months.
The one we never thought. The good one. It happened.
I pick her up today and she hands me a slip.
"What is this?"
"It's a pink slip" (looking down and very distraught)
"What for?"
sigh....."throwing snow balls."
"Didn't you already getting a warning for that?"
"I forgot, Mom."
"Let's go home and talk to your dad about it."
Now, picture same beginning of conversation with dad. Only at, "for throwing snow balls"...
replace it with a smile of  "couldn't prouder".
His tone changed and all of a sudden it was a..."well you shouldn't even if you want to. I picked up snow on campus today and was ready to chuck it too. I forgot too."
"dad, another boy did it first."
"he did?"
This is where mom steps in with a..."doesn't matter who else does what, you know the rules".

Dad agreed even though he kind of wanted to high five her. He signed and told her not to do it again. Pink slip! It's a slippery slope from snowball throwing to, heaven for bid....food fight?!?!?

She get's it from her mom!

I'm so excited!!!!

I saw this ad on craigslist for a lady that is in charge of remodeling hotels. She was doing one downtown a few weeks later and had 189 armoires for sale. I have been looking for YEARS. We have had the same old falling apart one from Ikea for 10 years. I started selling on ebay to make the money thinking they would be atleast 100.00 if not more. I looked up the model she gave me and these were 600.00!!!

Well she called last week and it was $40.0!!!! This thing is so heavy and HUGE and nice. Now I just don't know how I want to refinish it. Sam said no time soon since we barely have time to sleep. I can't wait to get it all redone!!!!

The baby is the bully!!!

We looked over this morning to see Lucy taking down Henry. He could not get away from her. Yes, we stood there and laughed and were amazed at her strength and the fact that she did NOT let go. Go get 'em baby!!

Tri for Parkinson's Disease Team!!!

It's all coming together!!!! YAY!!!!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Tri-for-Parkinsons-Disease/157468724292038

It's never ending around here!!!

I've never been one to pretend like everything is perfect or even put up a fake front. LIFE IS HARD. And I'll say it. I think I have done a fairly good job at staying positive with everything going on, but I don't pretend it's perfect. Sam was in an accident yesterday. THANK HEAVENS we are covered and don't have to pay anything out of pocket unless we actually fix the truck. (Probably not going to happen unless he decides to donate plasma to pay for it.) ;)

We still are waiting on financial aid so here I sit on eBay to put gas in the cars, food on the table, and toilet paper....well you know. The bills are begging for that check. But I can make a dent here and there when I sell.

I am so thankful for my coupon, bargain and selling ability. It has saved us. A silly hobby has turned into a much needed skill.

But IT's OK! We're ok. Some days are hard and others are REALLY hard and then some days I think I am the most blessed person alive.

We do have a crazy schedule and barely survive the week but that's ok. There is ALWAYS going to be someone better off and someone worse off. No matter where we get in life. I just am choosing to take it one day at a time.

I'm so glad to say I am done with Christmas and this year again I did it for free. It's VERY VERY VERY small this year. I am just glad to say my kids will have something and it's one more thing off my shoulders.

I mean how could you be depressed or down when you see this everyday?

First PBJ and she wondered why we have been holding out on her!

Check out those cute cowgirl boots we scored for free!!!

Only 2 gifts away!!!

from being DONE with christmas and I did it for FREE again!!!! So glad to check that off my list. One of the last ones is BYU bedding for Henry. I am hoping that when my mom gets here in December she will just be dying to help me(aka do most of it) with it! Than I will be DONE!!! Yay!!

Creativity in all aspects of our life!

We decided to get domestic today and make some cupcakes to take to our friends in the neighborhood. Henry's had to stay home since he was licking all of his mess ups straight off THE cupcakes.

I went for a run today and left Sam with the kids. These are the things that happen while I am gone...

She climbed in to get the frosting knife...

1 wild baby + 1 dad left to watch her + 1 rope + 1 dad wanting to work in the garge = disaster waiting to happen!

Trying Christmas for free again this year!!!

Why not, add someting else to my plate. HAHA. But, I can't spend money that we literally don't have this year so I've started my free christmas challenge. Click over on fancy mommies blog to take a look. The link is under that cute baby on the right.

Is it a laugh or a cry?

Mom and Daughter date!!

Sophie and I see pretty little of each other these days. So today we ventured out for some time together. We took all of our coupons, freebies and gift cards and had a blast. We got a couple christmas presents with our freebies, had lunch and ended the day at Krispy Kremes for our free half dozen.

Sophie was in AWE and can't wait to work there when she turns 16. HAHA!

Lucy fully enjoyed the end result. Her first Krispy Kreme!!

This baby is drunk happy on Krispy Kremes.

Who said Cosmetology was an easy way out???

Holy CROW this is harder than I thought. The studying, the tests, the cuts. I mean its not the hardest thing ever but I had no idea it was so involved. Sam is studying pre-med and I have most of the same stuff he has. I really didn't know I was going to have to work so hard. Do you know what...Sternocleidomastoideus is? Yeah, well I didn't either. It's the main muscle in your neck. It's gonna be a long year and half!!