Tony, Megan, Hadley, Lainey, and Lincoln!

2012-01-23T18:42:00.001-08:00

I seriously want to eat his cheeks! Look how dark his eyes are compared to the picture above. We really thought he would have blue eyes.

2012-01-23T10:06:00.000-08:00

Since I use this as my scrapbook, I'm catching up on some things.
At Christmas Hadley was Mary, laines was an angel, linc was baby Jesus.

2011-12-27T12:44:00.000-08:00

2011-12-15T13:05:00.000-08:00

10 years later and he is still my favorite person! And.... I really, really, love him. Happy Anniversary!

2011-12-07T09:08:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures over the past few months.

The kids love feeding Lincoln, which is few and far between. Link doesn't like the bottle.

He sleeps on his hands. See the imprint?

He is getting on all fours and rocking right now, almost ready for crawling.

Playing with cousins.

Baby Holly. They're about 3 months apart.

Decorating gingerbread's.

2011-10-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

The best season! Too bad it doesn't last long.

2011-10-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

There is no rest for Tony when he gets home from work!

Lainey still has plenty of personality when Hadley's at school. It's fun seeing how she is without her sister around.

Can you believe this 2 week old fury and furrowed brow boy can turn into this guy in just 5 months?

He looks like a bald little man!

She's back... with a vengeance!

2011-10-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

Let the world be put on notice. Megan has hit the racing circuit, and she's better than ever. Since she's too modest to ever mention it herself, allow me to record Megan's performance. She took part in the Love Your Body 10k down in Lehi this past Saturday (her first ever 10k) and performed even better than any of us even expected her too. Not long after waking, Meg tried to beg her way out of running. It was cold and rainy. But I'm a slavedriver, so I didn't allow it, and I forced her to run anyway. Meg ran a 54:07 race, for an average time of 8:42/mile. The extra-sweet part? That was good for 10th place in her age division! She finished 38th out of almost 300 runners, and all this less than 5 months after giving birth. We're so proud of her, our stone cold killer. Good job Meg! For Meg's finsish line pic, go to www.shotu.net and select the 10.08.11 event. She's image 515 of 788. Now I'm really dead!

2011-09-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

The many faces of our Linkerman:

The last two are of him talking to us.

2011-08-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

Our first born is going to Kindergarten. She was with me for 5 years and now I'm sending her into the big bad world. She is so excited. This morning she comes into my room still in pajamas with her back pack on and asks with a huge smile, "when are we going mom?"

Lainey really wanted to go to school with her.
Here she is kissing her playmate goodbye for three hours.

When I see this picture it makes me emotional. Hadley is such a Daddy's girl. She worships her father, and she should, he is such a good Dad.

Already mingling with her friends
Part of me wants to grab her and wrap her in my arms and not let her go out into the world, but most of me is excited we've entered this new part of our lives

2011-08-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

End of summer in pictures....
Swim lessons

Catching butterflies

Sun bathing

Water fights

Sleeping in tents in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard

Having a birthday in the canyons for Lainzyetta

Our 3 year old!

2011-08-09T15:42:00.000-07:00

Ice blocking with the cousins.
My first experience ice blocking was with Tony when we just started dating. He wanted to be spontaneous and fun while I wanted to go with the flow and impress him by not being terrified. We went once down Utah States main entrance hill in the dark. After we went down I got off and said, "that was fun, but I'm done. " It's just one of those things I know I'll never do again. He really hurt his ribs this time.

2011-08-09T15:06:00.000-07:00

Playing at Murray Park and hiking in the mountains.

2011-08-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

This little boy is smiling a lot!

These little girls are just cute!

2011-07-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

This kid is spoiling me. He is such a good baby. Hadley was a good baby too, but I didn't know it because she was my first so it still felt hard.

This sling has been the best thing to happen to me since having the baby. He goes everywhere in it and falls right to sleep when he is all snug. Look at his face, oh it kills me.

I get too impatient with combing out my daughters hair and she hates it too, so I chopped it myself. It is uneven, but she loves it.

Lainey was a tough baby and she is proving to be a tough toddler. When I asked her to smile she gave me this. I can hear money flying out the door for her orthodontic care!

This is Lainey at 4 months with almost the same expression. They really come to us with their personalities already intact.

The kids still smother their brother. This is what it usually looks like. Messy face, messy hands, and matted hair, asking if they can "pet" him.
Hadley informed us this morning that me and Tone could go on a date. She will take care of the kids.

2011-07-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

Lincoln was blessed

We are so blessed because 5 Great-Grandparents from both sides of the family came to see the blessing. The two to the right are my mom's parents and on the left is my dad's mom. Tony's mom's parents had to leave a little early or I would have gotten them in the picture too.

Little Linc's has started to smile.
<

2011-07-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

Grandpa John came through again with great pics....
The girls with their medals

This is the 4th year in a row we have done the Murray fun run and parade. Tony ran the 5k, then Hadley ran the 1/2 mile all by herself. Lainey was very distraught she wasn't running with the kids, so Tony put his number on her shirt and ran with her. She was so cute running while people on the side cheered her on. She didn't even stop once. Man, it was cute!

My Mama, holding her 13th grandchild

Now pics of Lincoln, he looks like a heavenly being in this picture

Here come the cheeks!

2011-06-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

Look at his sweet face after a little cry

Tony's sister and her husband bought a place up in Midway and said we could stay there for the weekend. We were excited, our first getaway since the babe.

Lainey, throwing a fit at the condo. I guess this is the face you get with nine hours and no food! Fun trumps food on vacation, right? But, then you pay the consequence with ornery children.

2011-06-07T14:40:00.001-07:00

A peek into our life right now.....

I've got my little mommies ready to tend to the baby, whatever he needs. If I wasn't nursing, I would never get to feed my baby.

Plenty of fights on who gets to hold baby

Hadley has become the queen of pout, or "red bottom"

Lots of underwear spongebob watching while picking snuggies

2011-06-07T14:38:00.001-07:00

This is a long post of which most won't read or want to, I just wanted to throw my opinion out there on why we had Lincoln at a birth center, in a jetted tub.
Let me count the ways......

-First off, I am lucky to have fast births. Hadley and Lainey were born with the aid of pitocin. Hadley 6 hours, Lainey 4. If I just let myself go into labor naturally, I wouldn't need a hospital.

-I believe womans bodies know how to give birth without a lot of outside help. We've messed up the experience by letting doctors decide how we give birth.

-with my first, they broke my water then gave the pit. within an hour the pain was intolerable so I got the epidural 5 hours later the baby head was right there, but my doctor wasn't so since I had the epi they made me wait an hour until she arrived. Think of the trauma my body must of been going through, laying there for an hour while a baby was in my birth canal!

-The baby was coming out and still my doctor gave me an episiotomy, (she just wanted a nice clean incision to stitch up instead of letting me tear naturally, because when it's natural it is a lot harder to stitch.) The healing from that was awful!

-With Lainey they just put me on the pitocin without breaking my water (my doctor was asleep at home it was 11:00 at night) But, that made the contractions bearable and I was able to have the baby without the epidural. I had Lainey too fast so she was delivered by the resident and as she was coming out, a total of 5 min. pushing, the doctor still tried to cut me! I had to tell him to put down the scissors and not cut me!

-I also tested positive for group strep B so they gave me antibiotics in my iv. The baby came too fast and wasn't able to get the full dose. They told me Lainey had to stay in the hospital for at least three days to see if pneumonia would develop. The chance of this happening is 1% of babies can get it. I would have had to leave the hospital without my baby! I fought them hard and signed all kinds of forms to take her home "early."

-That is the problem with hospitals, they are great for high-risk pregnancies, emergencies, but not a run of the mill birth. They have to watch their backs on the smallest risks just in case. Which I understand, but doesn't work for my births so far.

-After I have my baby I kind of become a mamma bear and don't want them taken away, they just came from my body, I don't like it when they want to take them to the nursery constantly. I learned that the second time around when I nursed Lainey constantly the first day and my milk came in the next. With Hadley my milk didn't come in till 5 days later, nobody told me to nurse often as in every hour instead of every three. So Hads starved for awhile and it was traumatic for us, we didn't know what we were doing. I guess I can't really blame that on the hospital.

-We had a couple of baby doctors see our baby in the hospital, (you know take their pulse temp.), they weren't on our insurance and we were charged the full price!

-But truly the number one reason I didn't want my baby born in a hospital is the cost. Even with insurance to have a healthy normal pregnancy and birth costs upwards of 5 grand! Give me a break. You mean, I do all the work of growing the baby and giving birth and I pay doctors and hospitals and insurance companies thousands upon thousands of dollars?! Doesn't make any sense.Anyway that is my opinion on the matter, I usually don't have strong opinions on certain things, or I don't voice them. But this situation, I know what I want.
(if I really had my way I would have had Tony deliver my baby at home, but he said no.)

2011-05-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

I am amazed, flabbergasted, simply astonished. This is my third child to grow in my womb and it still is a miracle to me to have a perfectly formed human as the end result of a pregnancy. Sure, I know I have a baby growing inside of me, but when that baby is out, and you see what you have done, and why it really is so hard to be pregnant is because your body had to grow a whole human! I'll never get over it. Having children is incredible. I remember having my first and thinking how having my religion made so much more sense. The gospel was so much more real to me and the importance of who I really am and what I'm made of came right into focus.

Every time we have a baby we have a song to remind us of that time. The day before I went into labor we were deciding on this song that's playing by The Script and a Coldplay song. While driving to the midwife clinic to have our baby at 4:30 in the morning the song by The Script came on. We took is as a sign. It's officially
Lincoln's song to remind us of this time.

Little guys photo session done by Grandpa John.
He is 2 weeks old and is already up to 8 lbs

You did WHAT???

2011-05-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

Tony will now attempt to field some questions...

Yup. He was born in a tub. No, it was not in a hospital. Yes, things were just fine. Yes, he's been checked for illness by a certified physician. No, we're not hippies. You don't agree with it. So what, wanna fight?

I know this comes as a surprise to many, but little Link was born at the mercy of MY OWN TWO HANDS. OK, not really. But close. We had kept the details of our birth plans under wraps because we didn't want too many people to worry about complications in what we figured was what a birth could be like. Lincoln was not cut out of a woman pumped full of intraveinous needles and hooked up to monitors. Nor was he thrown into an incubator and rushed down the hall to who-knows-where like so many kids nowadays, but he had more of a homestyle birth. Haha! He was born in an actual HOME that was converted to a birth center only a few months ago. It was an incredible experience, and we'd recommend it to anyone. For details, ask Meg. I'm here to tell the quick and easy story. I've been instructed to keep it breif, so here goes:

We wanted our baby OUT of Meg, and in our arms. Recent history (Hadley and Lainey) has shown that Megan has a very comfortable womb. Our babies don't exit on their own accord. So on May 13 (Friday) Meg went into a prenatal appointment and asked the midwife to strip her membranes. Having heard how effective this can be in bringing about labor, we figured this was a sure bet to bring out a little one. It was. After a few hours of resting later that day Megan began to have some serious contractions. By one in the AM, we knew this was for real. We called the midwife who instructed us to continue resting, as the contractions were still a bit too far apart. And in this writers' opinion, probably too early in the morning for a midwife to be working. By 3:30 there was no denying the signs. We had a baby on the way. Well, it must have been still too early, because we were instructed to show up at the clinic by 5:00, and I was afraid that was too much time. Our babies don't come easily, but they do arrive swiftly (see Hadley and Lainey).

By five in the morning we were in the parking lot of the clinic and ready to rock. I will forgo some details of the checks, medical equipment and rubber gloves (Yes, midwives use gloves. No, the gloves are not made by hippies. Just listen!) and we discovered that Meg was close to having a baby! Surprise! Well, she entered the tub which momentarily stalled the contractions. But that was fine with us. We just chatted together and enjoyed our time alone. One of the neat things is the amount of time we had alone together. Unless they needed to check the baby, the midwives just let us have the experience to ourselves. They were always a couple of rooms down if they were needed. Meg described the last 40 minutes of labor as the most painful of her life, but true to form, only the last three minutes were Lincoln being pushed out. Quick, right? We had told the midwives not to spoil the gender mystery for us, and they didn't. Our baby was placed on Meg's chest directly from the womb, and after some serious tears (yeah, Meg cried too), I told Meg to check the legs, and all the stuff in between. Yeah!!! We have a BOY!!! We could not believe it! I had had dreams in the night, and Meg had her hopes, but we went into this with a sense of practicality. We're all so happy he's here. Hadley especially. She had wanted a little brother all along. Lainey? Well, she'll get used to him. But she's getting quickly attatched. So that's the story of Link, minus the bells and whistles. Now excuse me while I go burn some incense in honor of my little man. Cause that's what us hippies do.

2011-05-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

Guess who came to us early Saturday morning.....

A boy!

Lincoln Anthony Garrett
7 lbs 10 oz 20 in.

More to come later

2011-05-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

Now that the due date is just around the corner, I can really let myself whine about wanting the baby out of me! Dear sweet child in my womb, I'm so glad you have grown and my body has nourished you into a full human being. You can't imagine how grateful I am, but now your time is up and please, oh please, don't come out 10 lbs like I was for my mom. I'll take 9 or my usual 8 just don't go for 10! O.k. just come out nice and healthy and even if you're not, that's o.k., we'll figure it out. The other night I was running and it felt sooo good. As I woke up and tried to turn my girth over into another position, I realized it was a dream. The hardest part is not being able to do physically what I want to do. Going up one flight of stairs and having to stop and try to breathe is frustrating, especially because to get anywhere in our house you have to take stairs. I'm really excited for labor, that means I'm at the finish line. I know it will be painful, but that is the point. Your body's natural reaction to the pain and then the endorphins when you have the baby in your arms is indescribable.
I had to post some of these pics off of my camera phone. I finally transferred them onto my computer.
This one is hilarious. Hadley, last year, after she was numbed and gassed for her cavities at the dentist.

This is how long these pics have been in my phone!

Walking on the parkway.

Look at those sweet faces.

Most recent on my new phone, you can use sepia. I love pics in sepia.

2011-04-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

This is what we saw looking out our window this morning! Stupid snow!

2011-04-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

Lainey performing for us, as usual.

I love getting my kids in the bath, it takes up some of the time at the end of the day when you don't know what to do with your kids anymore.

Hadley had a birthday and turned 5. She had her first friend party. It was small, but still left me exhausted afterward. Sorry, not many pictures. It was a busy weekend with Easter. We actually decorated eggs yesterday.

I realize I haven't put up any preggo pics, and this baby needs to have a photo taken before it comes out. I'm less than three weeks away and have contractions around 3 every hour when I'm up in the day. If I do a lot of cleaning they will come more often but won't ever hurt worse than being uncomfortable. I had this with my two previous pregnancies so it doesn't worry me, it's just annoying because I know I will go to my due date. At least when it's time to push my uterus does all the work. I see it as being in labor for three months, but when the actual labor begins, it is short. So for now, cleaning and preparing is mostly the only thing on my agenda.
As you can see, if the baby comes out a boy, we have a drawer full for at least the first couple months. We have blankets galore for both sexes. Those type of things are the least of my worries. Taking care of a newborn plus 2 concerns me. At least Hadley will be going off to kindergarten in August.

2011-04-28T13:21:00.000-07:00

I stole this pic from my sisters blog, because I am awful at remembering my camera! Well, my parents have come home from their mission in Missouri. We are so glad they are back. They are missing 6 other grand kids in this picture.

2011-04-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Here is my hot husband running in the Salt Lake half marathon. I don't know how he does it? He didn't train well for this race, has switched jobs recently and has a feisty pregnant woman living with him with the third child about to join us. Through all this, he is cool as a cucumber, or men are just really good at hiding their feelings! Either way, I'm so proud of him.

2011-03-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

We have had one week with no accidents! She even comes to get me in the night if she has to go. I can't take any credit for her staying dry, it was all her.

In the morning of St. Patrick's Day, Lucky the Leprechaun left the girls some of his gold. (chocolate coins)

We had our green dinner which consisted of: Caesar salad, dyed chicken alfredo, green jello salad, broccoli, and green slushy. It actually was fun to make dinner.

Tony's sister Angie and her family stayed the weekend up at Midway. We got to see them and use the pool and see the ice castles.

Lainey is a bit of a maniac in the pool. You have to watch her really close.

Hadley has been doing swim lessons since March and loves them.

Can you believe the pregnancy countdown? I am really not ready for a newborn.

2011-02-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

I made some red velvet cake for the first time, the girls dug into the batter. For the record, batter of all kinds is disgusting. Everyone seems to love it.

2011-01-30T13:30:00.001-08:00

Spent some time at the museum

In all the years I've known Tony, I never knew his skills as a hula-hooper

My pregnant body wouldn't let me hula

Hadley caught on pretty quick

Playing dress-up

2011-01-26T09:13:00.000-08:00

Laineys hair every morning!
Gets very fuzzy and frizzy and another thing, she has never had a hair cut.
(she is 2 1/2)

2011-01-06T16:36:00.000-08:00

We are in the throws of winter, freezing temperatures, dirty air, and no sun. I really don't understand why humans are meant to live this way, or why I must live this way. At least my girls seem to not feel it as much. They've been playing together so well. Laines has really become good at pretending with Hads.
This baby is really starting to move and grow. Some days I feel great and have energy to exercise, others I'm completely exhausted and honestly can hardly get off the couch. With this pregnancy, I feel the most scared. Like something has to go wrong, I've had two healthy pregnancies and babies, it can't go so well with the third. It's not that bad, I'm just more anxious.
So many people can't understand why we don't find out the sex of our babies, here is my best way of summing that reasoning up. While that baby is in your womb you think you know what you want it to be. But as soon as that baby comes out, boy or girl, it is exactly what you wanted. When I was pregnant with my first, I didn't picture myself having girls, I always thought I wanted boys. So when I found out I was having a girl, I was honestly more scared. Once I had that baby I could care less what she was, looked like, all my worries of having girls went out the window. She was an amazing soul we were going to raise. I don't want to put any of my preferences on something that already is.

2010-12-16T15:04:00.000-08:00

-Linde family nativity-

2010-12-08T20:27:00.000-08:00

Just when we feel like our life is getting just a little bit easier with the kids, we decided to shake it up a bit. That's right, baby number three is on the way!
I felt nauseas most of the day and into the night, but that ended at the end of week 14. Now I feel great. Other great news is I actually for the first time in my life don't feel like sugar! Although that is replaced by the craving for salt. At times I am tempted to drink vinegar, (haven't done it yet). I replace that with eating a salad with vinegar dressing on it, (usually for breakfast). Even now, when I write about it I want that salad so bad!
I'm about 17 weeks and due in May. We told the girls yesterday and Hadley really doesn't want a boy. She won't know until the baby is born since we are going to wait to find out what it is.

2010-11-08T12:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we went up the canyon with our dinner. I'm glad we did, because the storm we had today might be the end of doing this for the year.

Trying to keep warm

It was dark by 5:30 in those mountains.

2010-11-04T18:53:00.000-07:00

Halloween time, can you believe how tall Hadley is?
Tony carved this pumpkin, good huh?

My favorite part of the day:
When my kids are asleep around 7:30 - 8. Not just in their beds, but fast asleep. I then get a good 3 or 4 hours to do whatever I want! But, my other favorite part is to go in their room before I go to bed, make sure they're covered, and just listen to them breathing or snoring. It makes me so grateful for my healthy kids and their precious souls. There is nothing like your children sleeping and feeling their peaceful spirits for you to realize what blessings they are.

2010-10-14T14:51:00.000-07:00

Gardner Village with the kiddos. My kids didn't want to sit too close to the witches.

2010-10-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

To my dear Lainey,

You have made me a better momma because you really try my patience. I've never had to really work on patience until you came along. From your sweet baby stages of fussing and not sleeping (bouncing you on the exercise ball until you were, oh, 14 months) to your toddler years of getting into everything and making huge messes. I know there are many, many more years to come of your mayhem, so I'm glad you are preparing me now. If not for that sweet face of yours, your adorable and funny personality, and the abounding love I feel for you, who knows if I'd have made it.

Love forever, your momma

She has a 6th sense for lotion, finds it and squeezes it out everywhere!

Potty training is interesting. Occasionally she gets there on her own time and sometimes she poops! I love her face when she is so pleased with herself.

2010-09-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, about an hour after Lainey is down for a nap, she gets out of her room and sleeps the rest of her nap, (usually 1/2 hour) on the stairs. I was trying to catch her sleeping, but she woke up and was pretty grumpy about it.

2010-09-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

Blah.........
I'm stuck, in a rut and I don't know why?
That is the thing about staying home, you don't have to be productive. You don't have to do dishes or laundry or clean anything if you really don't want to. Just feed the kids, change a diaper or two.
For the past few days I can't get out of my shlump (is that word right?, it sounds like what I feel right now a shlump). Usually I have a day where I'm not so good then the next day I'm productive. No such thing lately. I really didn't want to write about my lack of activity, but I have to post about how boring my life can be sometimes, because that is real.
Ahh.. but do not fear, I am saved, we have some rolos. Sugar makes everything more exciting for a minute or two. I just hope I don't polish off the whole bag!

2010-09-16T10:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Tony gave me a huge kiss and reminded me that it was ten years ago we had our first kiss. I love that about him, he remembers those things.
This will sound strange, but one of the first things I noticed about Tony was his adams apple, so hot (I know, kinda weird). I just can't believe I've been with him a whole decade.
We'll take care of each other forever.

2010-09-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

Hadley had her first tumbling class last week and she loves it!

Up to Donut Falls over Labor Day, it was crowded but a fun hike for kids.

2010-09-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

Summers over. Sad. I love fall, but it is too short and it does mean the impending winter.
Some of our relaxing summer days.

What do I do with little nudey pants? She fights me to put on her clothes. She has forced me into potty training. But, it's a hassle. She is so stubborn!

2010-08-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

I know everybody says it, but I'm saying it too. I can't believe our baby is 2 years old! Our sweet little Adelaine came into this world ready to make us laugh. We love her soul to pieces.

Carrott cake for her B-day

New bike!

We went into the canyon, ate smores, and played by the river

2010-08-17T14:52:00.001-07:00

This is what we usually encounter when we enter this bathroom. Hadley loves to make you cut the toilet paper to use the toilet. Some sort of finish line crossing thing. I think it's pretty funny.

2010-07-26T08:19:00.001-07:00

With a husband like mine, July is full of fireworks!

Little angel Lainey

Hadley really got into the fireworks this year

I'm so glad somebody has a camera around when we do fun stuff. Tony's dad John, took all of these pictures.

Ice blocking - Tony knows how to have fun

Having fun with cousin Lauren

2010-07-20T20:49:00.001-07:00

Janae invited me on an all-girls river trip for the weekend. I got my friend April to go with me too.
I think I went to heaven for a little while. I have a hard time leaving my kids. With Hadley it's been a handful of days that I've been apart from her and with Lainey not a one. But, I think it is a good thing to get away for a bit and not be a mother and recharge without having to make sure anyone else is o.k. Maybe as my family grows it won't be as difficult. Or maybe it will never be easy to leave until they are out of the house. It was a short weekend trip up to ride down the snake river.
I really was in heaven.
Getting some food at the campsite (Janae, Me, April)

We even had shirts that said, "Girls gone into the Wild." We definitely had some questioning looks from the rangers.

2010-07-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

The third of July was lots of fun. Tony ran a 5k and Hadley had a race too.
The race was a 1k (1/2 mile) with 4-9 year old kids. I thought that was pretty far for my four year old to go so it made me a little nervous. Thankfully, Tony was able to run with her.

This is her two years ago, so cute!

We watched the parade afterwards

This was crazy because they did this trick so close to us that it looked like the black car was going to tip over onto us!

2010-06-25T15:02:00.000-07:00

I was spinning the girls in the chair this morning, one of there favorite things to do, I had to stop and take a picture because of their eyes and the different colors of them still shocks me.
Also, for a large part of the day they are so sweet to each other, and I had to document that because I want that part to last forever. I am so glad they have each other. Oh how I love them

We found a baby bird. Now every bird they see, they slowly approach and think they can catch it and hold it. Poor bird. I'm sure it has been eaten by a cat by now.

2010-06-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

Found Lainey on the stairs asleep at 11:00 at night!

We went on a full-on vacation!

2010-06-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

Since having children, Tony and I had yet to take a big trip with them. We were a little afraid to embark on such an endeavor. We had a good four years of our marriage to take off at a whim and not worry about much. Now with the kids, much more planning and prep must be made. We decided Sea World was a good idea. I would run a race, then we would have fun at the beach and see the sea life.
The trip down went smooth until midnight in Arizona. After crossing the AZ border, we ran into a line of cars at a standstill waiting for an accident to be cleared off the two lane highway. We were stationary on the freeway for FOUR AND A HALF HOURS! When the car stopped the kids were up for the duration of that time! To put it lightly, that was hell. But seriously, the rest of the traveling with the kids went perfect. We are so proud of our little troopers. They really were the best on the vacation and we had so much fun with them.
I ran my race and vowed to NEVER run a full marathon. Maybe I'll even go for 10Ks from now on. My muscles were sore at mile 3, and by mile 9 I walked, then jogged, then walked, then jogged. I walked a lot. I forgot my iPod too. I know, poor me. I met Tone and the kids almost 2 hours after I finished, but that is a whole other story we would like to forget.
But after that we were on vacation! Here comes the onslaught of pictures......
After the run

Kids first time at the ocean

Seeing the Vegas lights at 1:00 in the morning

Washing the sand out of her hair in the sink because there was no tub in the Vegas hotel

They got to stay in a castle!

2010-05-31T17:35:00.000-07:00

Fun hiking for Memorial Day

Picnic on the mountain

Meg has Bloggers' Block, soooo....

2010-05-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

So I took the girls to the Hill Air Force Museum a couple of weeks ago. Yup, that means Tony is writing. So if you didn't read the post title, maybe take a quick sec... Right. I may be living in a house full of ladies, but talk about ACCOMODATING. I'm happy to take my girls to see jets and planes (or as Lainey screamed sooo many times pah-LANES!), but I'll probably never be able to take them to the Pretty Princess Festival, or whatever. Just so happens my girls absolutely love airplanes. And there's no one group of people that the salty old dogs in the museum love seeing walk through the halls more than a couple of strapping, young GIRLS? Well, they laughed when I told them that my girls love the aircraft, and I know they didn't beleive me. But like I said, it's either that or princesses. It was a real trip for me to relive my old passion and see up close the stuff of my childhood dreams. And yes, I did go off to my happy place a time or two and see myself flying at 30,000 feet with Goose riding shotgun. I loved Top Gun when I was a kid. Never understood the love scene all too well, but now that I think about it... oh THAT'S what they were doing! Gross.
So our next adventure will be off to see Meg run her 13.1 miles in San Diego and then to the beach and Sea World. YES! Killer whales and marine life! Another childhood passion! I've struck gold with my family. I just hope no trainers get mauled while we're there. Cool, but maybe a bit TOO masculine. I don't need the little ones growing hair on their chests. And who knows, maybe someday I'll have a little boy to enjoy all this with too. Then again, maybe I'll get a little boy who wants to go see the Pretty Princesses. And if he does, so help me...

P.S. Why Muse's US of E? Because it just felt RIGHT. Plus, listen to the last 15 seconds! pah-LANE! Anyways, Meg will have it gone in notime.

2010-04-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

Hadley turned 4. My baby is growing up. Today she asked me, "If I was in heaven, how did I get into your tummy?"
Hads and her friend Carol. I took them to get ice cream.
Me, plan a party, maybe next year?
We did go bowling when Tony got home and had a good time and I actually remembered to bring the video camera!

Another baby is growing up - Look at those piggy tails

Still snowing

I skipped the run, the laundry, the dishes, and made cookies.
I think the weather is trying to beat me into submission.

2010-04-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

In the off chance that Laines sleeps in a bit, her sister is there to gently nudge her into waking.

2010-04-08T10:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when my kids are being stinkers, I take their face in my hands and try to see them as the little babies that I fell in love with. If I stare into their eyes long enough I can usually see it. I think it is so perfect how our children come to us. Little helpless babies that need our every care. I wonder if it will still work when they reach that sweet tender age of thirteen? I don't know, but I will still try.
Ahh, my sweet baby girls....

Hadley

Lainey

2010-03-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

I guess March was in like a lion, out like a lion. Come to me sun, I know you can do it!

Looks like the thrill is gone for Lainey.

I can't keep up! I can't keep up with my kids' messes! All my motivation gets swept out from under me when I look out the window.

Have you tried steel cut oatmeal? It's delicious.

Here are my daughters legs. She has always had bruises lining her legs. Now looks a little worse than usual. I take it as a good sign of her being active and playing, (I used to have bruises like that as a kid). Once she is in shorts I might get some questioning glances as to what I do to my child. I'll try to ignore it.

2010-03-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

Meet Dorky Candycorn. Yes, Hadley named him and after a few months, we realized why she named him Dorky. On Elmo's World there is a fish named Dorothy, she thought it sounded like Dorky.
His named is not what is amazing about this fish. It has lived in this bowl for 6 months! Have you ever heard of such a thing? I just wonder how much longer he is going to last.

2010-03-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

Nate and Kati were married yesterday. This is Tony's youngest brother. Lainey did not want anyone else to hold her until the very end of the night.

It was a fun busy time with lots of chocolate eating....

I was trying to protect my baby from getting liquid chocolate all over her dress and myself!

We all had some fun dancing...

Hadley seemed like she was in her element, meeting new people and socializing, (is she really mine?) And of course she twirled most of the night!

2010-03-05T10:58:00.000-08:00

Dear Snow,
Why did you come to our house?
The kids enjoyed you, but let's not do this again.

2010-03-02T18:37:00.000-08:00

We got a new bed for the girls and they love it! The mattress is on the floor on the bottom, which is perfect for Laines.
Our girls are light sleepers and when Lainey cries out in the night, she wakes Hadley. Now Lainey will toddle (is that a word) into our room and I will take her back to her bed and lay for a few minutes then go back to mine. This is heaven compared to our other routine.

Some of my favorite movies that I can watch over and over again

One of the reasons I love them so much is because of their soundtracks, they're amazing.
I know this Pride and Prejudice is not as much like the book as the older one, but I'm not a fan of Colin Firth.

2010-02-15T14:52:00.000-08:00

Who am I kidding? I've just had some sugar!
I am physically incapable of resisting the
Valentine's chocolate. At least 'till it runs out!
(maybe next week)

2010-02-15T08:09:00.000-08:00

How I love Valentine's Day, it's all about sugar and love.
Which I have vowed to stay off of for a week and see if my headaches subside.
(not the love, the sugar)
We ate our treats in our bed, for some reason, I don't know why.
Hadley wanted me to take a picture of her this way, with one eyebrow raised. She gives this expression a lot.

2010-02-13T11:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day to my loves

and my lover

How I love, love, love you!

2010-02-05T13:55:00.000-08:00

After one long week of chest colds, coughs, and ear infections, the kids are finally almost better. Tony might be getting sick and I'm towards the end of mine.

The inside of our house is like a steam room. Humidifier is running full force.

Lainey giving a glare. You can always tell when Lainey is not happy with you.

The positive side of being sick, you can't go anywhere including grocery shopping. And your husband has to massage you every night!

2010-01-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

I was giving the girls a bath today, (I had to do it early Lainey is sometimes quite a pooper!) I was getting their clothes together and when I come back in, there were green things floating everywhere. I asked Hadley what they were and she informed me, "Mom, we are having a green bean party." I guess she brought up a bowl of beans from the kitchen and her and Laines were snacking away in the tub.

2010-01-27T12:01:00.000-08:00

What happens when you break the rules and don't put your baby down before she falls asleep? You get a baby that will fall asleep in your arms at the drop of a hat.
Our sweet Adelaine
I always wanted a baby that would fall asleep in our arms. I followed rules with Hadley and felt like I missed out on things. With Lainey I did what I wanted not what books or people have told me to do and have enjoyed it more. I had to be a mom in the way it works for me.

Enjoying my baby that is growing up too fast, as always.

2010-01-24T17:33:00.000-08:00

What do we do in the winter time?
We get our exercise by walking on the treadmill and dancing to Muse.

They always want to play this music video because it has teddy bears in it.

Hadley insists on dancing in a dress every time

We get quite enough primary music in our house with me being the chorister. I think this is Hadley's way of breaking out!

2010-01-15T11:21:00.000-08:00

For those of you who've read the Hunger Games books, who do you like more?

Gale or Peeta?

I'm just mad the third book is coming out so late!

2010-01-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

Ahh... men! I am so glad God made men and women so different. The great thing about women is we can multitask, you know, feed the kids while doing the dishes and getting an appointment. Things we don't even realize we are doing because it's in our nature. Men are simple in the best way possible. They make you slow down and live in that moment. Case in point - I was struggling to fall asleep the other night, my mind was racing, so many things I didn't get done that day. Simple things I couldn't get done because the kids have a way of demanding everything from you. I was feeling bad. You know those nights you feel you're not fulfilling your role of mother, wife, you can't give anymore. You start feeling sorry for yourself and you're a martyr blah, blah, blah. Hey, it was my pity party. So just when I was on the verge of tears, almost unconsciously my husband reaches over and starts tickling my back. Bam! I was in the moment forgetting about my failures and enjoying my tickle and realizing how much I need my man. My husbands' mind was at peace just drifting off to sleep while mine was on a crazy rampage of my emotions. Thank goodness men are who they are and can keep us whole if we let them.

2009-12-22T19:10:00.000-08:00

Not much to say, just some pictures to post

I can't get enough of this little girl's face

Hadley got a baby bear at the Campbell family party - she loves him

My friend made these cute hats for my kids

Every time I see this temple it amazes me.

Anniversary

2009-12-16T18:53:00.000-08:00

This man is mine and has been officially for 8 years.
Thank you for loving me, my lover.

These friends are mine, and have been officially for a really long time.
Our annual get together

2009-12-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

I need a new post, since my last one was a bit depressing. This is what our winter has consisted of so far:
lots of time spent at the aquarium

Lainey getting into the mascara

but with the faces she pulls, you can never stay mad at her for long

making lots of cookies

and eating them

and playing in the snow today.

2009-11-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

Motherhood, give me a break, no seriously, I want someone to come over in the night and mother my children! I was always realistic about being a mom. I just didn't think about the night part as much. Getting your baby to sleep through the night is one thing, but it doesn't stop there. Then comes the teeth. My 15 month old only has 2 so far and it feels like she has been teething for months. Hadley is ill and has been waking up like crazy the past few nights. It really doesn't stop, the night waking.
I need some sanity.
I know being a mom is measured in the moments with your child and you see your impact and how important it is what you are doing. I just haven't felt that in a while. Where is the light at the end of the tunnel?! Where is it?!

2009-11-02T18:19:00.000-08:00

Our mean old witch with a hat. I even got her to sing the song. She is about to put a hex on you with her broom.

Our love bug, about to take flight.

It was the perfect night for trick-or-treating.

2009-10-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

This is us before the U game, and there are no more pictures. We thought taking tracks would save us time, instead it took a couple hours there and back. It rained, both kids were inconsolable, by half we were both almost in tears (at least Tony was to the point I could tell he was going to lose it.) We left, so glad we were home and watched the rest of the game. We won't be trying that again anytime soon.

2009-10-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

We hiked Timpanogos with Hadley walking and Lainey in a backpack. The hike up the path went well, (Hadley was talking our ears off), but then when we got into the cave, the tour took 1 hour 10 min.! You have to hold your squirming babies in your arms while in the cave, so maybe that explains why I felt like we were in there forever. Also, I got a little panicky when we were in the deepest part of the cave and the tour guide said there was 500 feet of mountain on top of us. It became a little bit harder to breathe. When we finally reached open air, Tony wondered why I hardly said a word, I was just trying to keep it together. I guess I'm getting more fearful. The hike down was long because Hads was on Tony's shoulders and I had to have the backpack with Laines. I'm just glad nobody fell off the edges during the hike and we weren't squashed in the cave by a mountain.
The views during the hike were breathtaking, and of course I forgot to bring the camera. Since I don't like to post without a visual, here is us in a different canyon enjoying fall.

Hadley's artistic touch

OIL AND WATER, FIRE AND ICE

2009-10-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

I know she wasn't the first one to say it, and likely not the first to sing it either, but that Paula Abdul is full of it. Opposites DO NOT attract. Case in point - my two lovely daughters. I know its a bit early in the game to be saying it, but I'm not sure that two more different girls have been born of the same mother and father. I love and appreciate my wife for all that she does at home, which is more than I will ever know. My evaluations of what happens at home while I work are based on the moments when I walk in the door every weekday evening. Its not atypical to find the three of my girls all doing something completely different. Meg's usually tending to something that needs her attention (dinner, cleaning, primary assignment or putting out a fire in the kitchen. Hadley is normally pretending something that has to do with puppies (her new gig), or playing quietly somewhere. Lainey can be found creating chaos (screaming, pulling pretend puppies' ears out, starting fires in the kitchen). My fears will soon be realized as Lainey now walks and has two teeth. I don't write this as a complaint. On the contrary, I love my life at home. The different pace each day sets at home is never boring, and it makes me marvel at how the Lord has found a way to make kids from the same gene pool so completely different. It also makes me wonder how all this fits into his master plan. Like I said, its a bit early to worry if my kids will get along or not. They seem to do well enough for now under Meg's supervision and officiating. They make life fun and interesting, but sometimes as I watch the two little ones play, I can't help but think that the Montagues and Capulets had more in common.
At least THEY didn't have to share toys.

2009-09-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

I made the blog book! It wasn't hard because the site I used wouldn't let me edit my pages. I had tried that previously and it was taking too long. It is not exactly how I want it, but honestly I don't care that much. As long as the pictures and information is down then I have done my job. Who says it has to look pretty! I'm just glad it is done. Goodbye scrap booking. Seriously, I am not a craft person. I enjoy looking at cute crafts, but not making them.
I made another batch of salsa and thought how beautiful it looked in the pan, but in the picture it reminds me of vomit. The smell of onions and garlic is still lingering on my hands.

2009-09-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

I've cut my daughters hair once and decided never to do it again. This time a pro got a hold of her and worked her magic. Hadley even loved having her hair washed. She hates it at home.

He Did It!

2009-09-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

Hooray! Tony ran his marathon. Top of Utah in Logan. 26.2 miles, are you kidding me! You made us proud babe. We're all glad that's over with'!

2009-09-17T09:57:00.001-07:00

Sweet Hadley loves animals. Often she asks me as a dog barks or a duck quacks, "Mom, what did they say?" I proceed to tell her, "that dog doesn't want you to go on his lawn. That duck was laughing because another duck told him a funny joke." Sometimes I forget she hangs on to my every word. She believes whatever I tell her. This sweet little thing thinks her mom is the smartest woman in the world. Parents can do so much good and so much damage to their kids. The responsibility is enormous. Too bad there are so many who don't see it that way. So, I will continue to give her my knowledge of being able to interpret animals and whatever amazing feats that she thinks I can do until one day she'll realize, I'm just a normal person with faults. I dread that day.

2009-09-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

I love being able to get Tony at work for his lunch break and have a picnic at the park with the kids. I realized last time we went, this won't last forever. Our kids youth is fleeting. It seems like I've had babies and toddlers forever. Before I know it, they will be gone and in school.

Baby shoes. Cutest thing in the world, I just wish they would stay on her feet!

2009-09-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

My sister Janae just informed us she is having a girl! Yippee, more girlie's! My sisters and me seem to produce one of the sexes in streaks.
Adrian - three boys.
Janae - three girls.
Congratulations Janae and Rob!

2009-09-04T13:45:00.001-07:00

(Logan Canyon)

Fall is coming and I can't help but remember the fall of 2000. It's great that one season reminds me of falling in love with Tony. I get to be reminded every year how we started.
The very best decision I ever made and will ever make is that I married this man.
I fell in love with him at eighteen! Even though I always told myself I would never marry young, it was the best thing I could have done in my life.
I think you have to keep finding ways to fall in love with your husband, over and over again. We've always used music to grow closer. This is my new favorite song he introduced to me and made me fall for him again.
(The Fray - never say never)

(Logan Canyon)

2009-08-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

I, Megan, made raspberry jam. I just had to document this first canning experience. I did have my sister, Janae, there to teach me. Now I'm not so scared. Salsa is next! Thanks be to my Dad and his wonderful garden.
Peanut butter and jam sandwiches for dinner tonight (not kidding, canning is hard work!)

2009-08-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

Eyes are amazing. I thought this was neat to see all different colors close up.

Here are the windows to our souls -

Tony

Megan

Hadley

Lainey

2009-08-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

On 8/18/08 weighing 8lbs this babe came to us in a matter of a few short hours.
I find myself telling Tony that Heavenly Father misses Lainey. I know He misses all of us, but I see how her soul makes others smile. I'm just amazed she gets to be with us. She is now 1 years old. Time is crazy! I don't understand it and probably never will.
This is Adelaine, in all her wonderful one year old glory! (still no teeth!)

I think she bit her finger

2009-08-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

We've gone on a few hikes this summer and loved them. But, what do you do when the baby starts getting too big for the carrier and can't walk yet?
A hike was me and Tones official first date. 9 years ago we hiked Val Halla (in Logan) with no trail and only some provisions. We both wanted to impress each other and made it to the top of the mountain. By that time the moon was out and we had to hike down in the dark. By far it was the hardest hike we've ever done. I guess it both showed us our tenacity to keep going. Now with kids, it's more like a stroll in the mountains. It gives us a way to show them our love for being outside and encourage them to love it too.

2009-07-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

We love the summer. It's busy, hot, and exhausting!

Can you tell they're sisters? In the exact same position eating a Popsicle.

Want some?

2009-07-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

I have 5 great loves in this world

1. Tones (aka Anthony, only because he is freakin' hot!)
2. My girls
3. Pogey bait (aka any kind of wonderful junk food)
4. Movies or T.V. (I can't help myself)
5. Books

I do have other loves, but these have topped the list since being a mom.

I can have three of my loves all at once

putting the kids to bed, eating pogey with my lover, and watching a movie (I must be the easiest girl to please)

Speaking of freakin', (I never thought I used the word, apparently I do)
The other day Hadley was trying to put on her pants and having a tough time at it and she says "Mom, I'm FREAKIN' out!"

2009-06-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Some questions I asked Hadley for Father's Day

Why do you like Daddy?
"Because he loves me!"

What do you like to play with Dad?
"puppies"

What does he like to eat?
"Teddy Grahams" (true)

What is the funniest thing he ever did?
"tickled me and turned into a robot"

What is the nicest thing daddy did?
"I don't want anymore questions"

New family pictures. (Taken by John Garrett). Thank you John. We haven't had any since Lainey was 2 weeks old!

I love the look Hadley is giving Tones, such admiration.

2009-06-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

Summers are for romping around naked!

I caught Hadley with the peanut butter (notice it on the chair and counter)

2009-05-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

Child Protective Services just might be called on us with this picture. Steam is blowing in Lainey's face while a hot oven is open right behind her.
The steam is a cold humidifier, (we're trying to get rid of a cough), and Tony is standing next to the stove and is aware there is a baby there, (I think).

2009-05-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

Life feels a little crazy these past few weeks. I like my life simple. I don't like too many projects, in fact I don't like projects at all. Then I just feel pressure to get them done, and I prefer things to be done. The girls had colds or something so the past couple of nights I've been up every hour. The body and mind can only take that for so long! The new calling as Primary Chorister has really thrown me. You really have to be an actor/entertainer for those kids. I do Jr., then nursery and end with Sr. and there is so many new songs they have to learn. I'm up there most weeks signing solos. If you know me, that is NOT me. This whole calling is so beyond what I think my capabilities are. But, alas, I will do it, and it will come easier, and maybe one day I'll love it (at least that's what everyone says will happen). Since I'm doing visiting teaching correctly, (I have a diligent partner) I feel like a social butterfly. Alas another thing I am not. Thank goodness for Tony, if I didn't have him I honestly would fall apart. My word "breathe" has come into play more than I could have imagined.

the expression Hadley has is a little of how I feel

2009-05-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

And she's off! Time to baby-proof the house.

We finally took a vacation to Park City. We were looking forward to playing in the hotel pool, but it was closed down for construction. Although the hot tub was running, the whole reason for the trip was to swim and have fun with the girls. Tony complained to the people and we got the nights stay for free!

Hadley really wanted to hold Lainey in the hot tub

2009-05-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

A good night's rest, how I've missed you. They say when you have children, you never sleep the same again. Now I know what that means. We had a good year and a half with Hadley going to bed from 7 to 7 without a peep. Now that she is in her toddler bed, she gets out every night at 2 or 3 and wants to sleep with us. I take her back to her room and reassure her I'm still there, then she is asleep in 15 min. I'm still getting up at least once in the night with Lainey (although she is doing better) and no, I have not let her scream it out. Not ready. I know your body adjusts, but does this part really have to be part of the mothering? Can't I mother during the day and take a break at night?! I realize there is always some phase a child will go through that will wake them in the night. I just wish they would tell me before they fall asleep.

April

2009-05-05T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hadley turned 3! All she wanted for her cake was for it to be a circle with white frosting. I was happy to oblige.

Reading the instructions for her Lego's.

Seeing her balloons

We got a new camera! Taking pictures will hopefully be a much more pleasant experience.

Lainey some how scooted under the chair and was trapped. Poor thing, I had to take some pictures.

Bring the Pain!!!

2009-04-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

Photos courtesy of John Garrett

by Anthony Garrett (not Megan, sorry y'all)

Referencing pain in this post title, all who are reading this now understand that we completed the Salt Lake City 1/2 marathon yesterday. Or am I referencing the pain of finding people to take care of Hadley and Lainey yesterday (thanks again Erin and Mom)? Or am I referencing why Meg is not writing this (I think even her fingers are sore)? You choose. Any way you view it, pain is our theme for this post. Enjoy.
Meg and I asked ourselves a few times before and during the run yesterday, "Why do we continue to do this"? Year after year we psyche up for this, make it out in our minds to be this exciting, euphoria-producing event, and year after year, the end result is the same... we hurt. So why do we do it? Is it because we don't want to admit that we no longer can? That we're too old? Out of shape? Is it because we don't want to let down Angie, who makes her pilgrimage from TX almost every year to do the same? Lots of questions, I know. But the simple answer is: somewhere inside us (don't know where yet) we enjoy running.
One of the common grounds that Meg and I found that we shared early on is running. Running was one of the first activities we enjoyed doing together, and one of those things that we continue to do to this day (though rarely together - due to the aforementioned rugrats). It keeps us healthy, happy, slim... uh slimmer, and it keeps us sane. I enjoy running because it's something I can do so long as I have shoes, and a bit of time. My Dad and Grandpa were marathoners, and so when my Dad introduced me to running, I figured, "Genetically, I should be able to do this". I was never the fastest distance runner, even when I was young, but I've found that even though I'm aging, I can build on and continue to improve on what I've done in the past. Megan has different reasons, I'm sure (read Meg's "Ode to Running"). But since I'm speaking on her behalf, I'll say she does it because she was born to. She's a natural. Why else would she sprint all the way home from school as a kid (with no one chasing her)? Why else would she run with me across the golf course in Logan at midnight in sub-zero temperatures despite actual icecicles forming on our eyebrows? How else can you describe how she kept up with me THROUGH THE WHOLE RACE yesterday, and even pushed me on at certain parts, in spite of the fact that I had logged MANY more miles of training than her for this one? I can't explain, so I'll call her a natural. A prodigy. Lucky...
Well, we're glad it's over. Done. I have a hundred stories I could tell about the race yesterday, and millions of others about running in general, but hey, this ain't my blog, is it? I'll finish by saying that we crossed the finish line yesterday holding hands (cheesy, I know), and almost immediately headed back into real life. Away from training schedules, courses and competition. Time to recover from sore muscles, chaffed skin, blisters and whatnot. Running is hard. Running is pain. Running can kill you. So would we do it all over again you ask? Oh yeah. In a heartbeat.