Half

I ran my half a couple of weeks ago!  This one was a little rough.  I've been having some stomach problems, so I haven't been able to train like I wanted to.  I ran a lot slower than I planned on and had to walk through a couple of water stations, but I finished it.  The night before the run it started getting really cold down here, so I had to go buy some pants.  When I got up to the buses the next morning it was 28* and they said it was about 10* colder at the starting line.  Yuck.  I had a hoodie, a jacket, a long sleeved shirt, and my tank top, plus two pairs of pants and I still was frozen.  I had to use the porta-pottie before running and was nervous that I would freeze to the seat!  :)  Thankfully, I didn't. 

 

 Stan snapped some pictures of me as I was just coming into the finisher's chutes.  I figure if I can still be smiling like that after running 13 miles, then it was a good day.  I was only sore for two days afterwards, even went running this week without any problems.  As I was at about mile 8 a lady turned to me and said, "this sucks", and my response was, "I would rather be doing this than anything else, I'm so glad I have a body that can do this!!!".  Yeah, it is hard to run, and I complain about it sometimes and call myself crazy for getting up early all summer so I could do this, but I would be so disappointed if I wasn't able to.  I love being active and getting out there to enjoy life. 

I think that because of my stomach I have found that I am more grateful, because I know how lame it is to not be able to go out at all because I hurt too much.  Friday I had my gallbladder and appendix removed.  They were both inflamed (I'll spare you the pictures), and my appendix had some gross fatty-tissue growing all around it (be glad I'm sparing you the pics), but I have faith that this will fix my problems.  I'm glad though, that it is making me appreciate what I have and that I need to take care of what I have so in 50 years I can still *hopefully* be running this race.  :)

Southern Cooking

We were able to go to Florida with my dad in September.  I loved the food down there; so, it shouldn't have surprised me to come home and gained 5 pounds.  The weather was perfect and the condo we stayed at was so stinkin' close to the beach.  I want to go back and stay for another few weeks!  Because it was in September there weren't as many crowds; it was fantastic!  Most of the other tourists were from Europe, so I got to hear all sorts of amazing accents.  :) 

We drove up to St Augustine for a day and got to see the castle, and then took a trolley all over town so we could see everything because we didn't have much time.  Fun Fact: I got bit by chiggers while walking through this moat.  Those bites are terrible!!  But, the castle was really cool to see.  I loved this old town and would love to go for a few more days to just explore.  Fun Fact#2: This is a dry moat that they would grow crops in, or they would put their animals in, but it was never filled with water.


 Gorgeous sunrises!  We were busy much of the time, but did make it out to see the sunrise and get some pictures.  I love, love, love watching the sunrise!!!! 

 I forgot to charge our camera before going to Gatorland, so most of our pictures are on the phone, but here is one of the gators jumping for chickens.  This place was a hoot!!  They gave you a few hot dogs and you got to throw them to the gators.  This park was huge!  There were all sorts of boardwalks and paths you could go down to see more gators, snakes, cougars, turtles, flamingos, and crocodiles. 

 Our view from the condo!  This pool was so warm and amazing, but I didn't get in until the last night we were there because we were so busy, plus do you see how close the ocean is?!?!?  It rocked.  We drove into Orlando one day while Dad was at work and played at a waterpark.  I think that I need to have an indoor waterpark near me ... but one with only a few people because I don't like the crowds.  I felt like a kid in a candy store.  We didn't take the camera in because I didn't want it to get wet, but it had the coolest waterslides and there were hardly any lines.   

 At Dixie Crossroads, a yummy, fun theme restaurant in Titusville. 

 There were all sorts of statues to get pictures with ... I couldn't pass them up.  :)

 The pier by where we stayed.  I love this view! 

 Trying to get all of us in the picture.  I think Dad probably has a zillion pictures, but I haven't stolen any of them from him yet. 

 More fun at Dixie.

We found a lighthouse in St. Augustine.  We climbed all the way to the top and were able to see forever because they have no mountains ... it is such a weird concept to me!  I loved all the green though, everything except the chiggers was lovely. 

July

Dang, I'm a blogging slacker.  Our July was busy.  We had my family reunion, but I don't know where my pictures are.  This one of Stan, Mom, and my niece is all I have on my computer.  We had lots of fun playing in the creek and getting to visit with family.  The drive is so long, I wish (most) everyone lived closer so I could see them more.  :)  Especially, my brother and sister in law and their cute kiddos. 

 This pic is one of the few from girl's camp.  I'm really lucky to get to serve in the young women's in my ward, so I was able to go up for a couple of days, and got to go on one of the hikes with the girls.  They are some of my favorite people to be around because they are so vibrant and excited for life.  Also, I swear they never run out of energy!  Pretty sure some of them stayed up all night long.  How fun. 

 Our annual Pedal Away Parkinson's Ride, we ride this for my grandpa Larry.  I hate Parkinson's disease; it is horrible to watch someone you love go through something so debilitating and awful.  I would love to see the day when this horrible disease is cured, so others do not have to go through this.  

 Our birthdays!  Stan and I share a birthday week ... which is basically awesome.  Yep, that's a triple layer cake wrapped in kit kat candy bars.  Yum.  And pigs made out of edible modeling clay ... not so yum. 

 We headed up to Bear Lake a couple of times to hang out, sometimes fish, and sometimes get a shake or lunch.  :)  I love how pretty it is up there.