Cora the Tent Caterpillar

We have been at Bear Lake for Memorial Day weekend.  It wasn't quite the "summer kick off" we hoped it would be, with temps in the 50s and rain every day.  We still had some fun hikes, flew kites, played games, watched movies, and just relaxed with family.  

On one of the hikes Cora and I took yesterday, we saw some tent caterpillars.  These little guys team up and make big silk tents for themselves on trees.  They make them by shaking their booties back and forth and releasing the silk, like in this video (kind of gross, but Cora thinks they are hilarious!)

Cora kept doing a cute little impression of them.  I thought it was funny and kind of adorable:

Man, I love that little cutie bootie.

Ogden Half Marathon 2015

Last year I ran the Ogden Half Marathon, and loved it.  The weather was perfect, there were beautiful views of the canyon, the early morning sunshine sparkled off of Pine View, and the finish line party with all the Diet Coke and popsicles a girl could want was fun.  And, I got a PR the last time I did the race (1:54:00).  What could be better?  So, last fall I signed up with my dad and sister to run again this year!  

However, this year the week leading up to the race was far from perfect, weather-wise.  It was cloudy and WET.  I checked the weather compulsively leading up to the race, hoping that those rainy clouds would magically disappear from race day.  They didn't disappear, but accu-Weather said it would just be cloudy at race-time with the rain not starting until 11:00 a.m., well after I should been done with the race.  It should be fine, right?  Right.  Let's go.

My PR coming into this race was set at the Haunted Half last fall (1:49:46 for 13.1 mi), and I wasn't planning on trying to beat that time, which is about 8:22/mi.  Especially since there was less downhill in this race.  I decided to just try for a course record, so I trained aiming for 8:30/mi.  Good luck to me!

My nice mom drove us all up to the starting line the morning of the race.  The sun was shining here and there as we drove, but there were giant, big, ugly grey clouds coming in from the north.  My dad had done the Salt Lake Half Marathon in the rain a couple of years before and had said that if it was going to rain, he wasn't going to run.  I told him that the weather report on my phone still said no rain until 11:00, so he got out of the nice, dry car.  

A decision he would probably later regret.

As we walked over to the starting area, there was a pretty rainbow (my mom's picture):

Only problem with rainbows...they mean it is raining.  Yup, as soon as turning back was no longer an option, the rain started coming down.  It was just a light sprinkle as we got into the porta-potty line and the starting gun went off.  

We were still in line for the potties when the race got going, so we didn't get started at the front of the pack, but that is okay.  That is why they have chip timing, right?  I did have to dodge a lot of people at the start, and by the time we really got going, the rain had gone from sprinkle to drizzle to straight-up pouring. Here is a picture my mom took of some runners as they went by Pine View:

And another one as we ran by a field with some horses.  

It rained EVERY.  STEP.  OF.  THE.  WAY.  Mostly it drizzled, occasionally it sprinkled, sometimes it poured.  I cannot stand to run wearing a poncho, because the flapping noise drives me insane.  So, I just ran in a long-sleeve tech shirt and a baseball hat, and I was soon soaking wet.  There were inevitably puddles, and a collective groan would go up as we splashed through them, soaking our socks.  But I was surprised at how good I was feeling and how fast I was going, even with squishy socks.  I didn't get cold until mile 9 or so, as the breeze started blowing up the canyon. 

I still felt okay during the last couple of miles, which gave me trouble last year when it was sunny.  Instead of being hot, I was actually getting colder.  There was a cold head wind on the final straightaway, and my fingers had been numb for so long they felt like bananas.  But I was excited because I was on pace to not only beat my course record, but my PR too!  I wasn't quite to the finish when I hit 13.1, but I stopped my watch anyway...here it is:

My actual chip time was 1:49:58, since I had run more than an extra tenth of a mile because of the weaving I had to do at the beginning of the race.  I know I am not setting the world on fire here.  But improvement is improvement, so I was pretty happy and skipped over the finish line (but I am still too cheap to buy the pictures)!

The happiness quickly wore off when I picked up my post-race water bottle and couldn't open it with
my numb banana-fingers.  A nice person had to help me out.  Within a minute or two, the shivering started.  Needless to say, I skipped the popsicles and I wanted OUT of the rain, which was still falling hard.  I got my mom's keys, headed to the car and huddled under my dad's dry sweat pants while my mom waited for the other racers with her umbrella.

My sister and my dad both had good races too, and my dad didn't yell at me for making him run in the rain, so I was pretty happy about that.  They were not averse to running in ponchos, so they were slightly drier than me.  But not much.

So, overall, I really enjoyed my run in the rain!  I really REALLY enjoyed my so-hot-I-can-barely-stand-it shower afterwards.  And no meal is better than a post-race, eat whatever I want with no guilt lunch!  

Ogden Marathon, I'll probably be back next year, rain or shine.  

(But please try for shine!)

Bathroom Redo

I have lived in my house for many, many years now.  I had still never got around to doing much of anything to our half bathroom.   I don't know why, since it is the bathroom that people who come over generally use.  You would think I would want it to look nice.  But I just never got around to it somehow.

A few weeks ago I was in there doing some spring cleaning, and noticed that the blond maple cabinets in that bathroom were in sorry, sorry shape.  (Much like the cabinets in the other bathrooms).  I decided to get brave and try my hand at DIY cabinet refinishing.   Aaaand while I am in there, I might as well repaint the walls, put up some shelves, blah blah.  Right?  After some Pinteresting (is that a verb?), I decided to try to stain the cabinets a nice, dark java color, and paint the walls grey.

I almost forgot to take the "before" picture!  I had already removed the cabinet doors, but you can get an idea.  Off-white walls and a lame little shelf, with a picture drawn by Arden were pretty much the only adornments:

Before:

 After!

Here is a close-up of the cabinets.  I used General Finishes Java Gel Stain, and I love it.  I have already ordered more to do the cabinets in MY bathroom.  It is nice and dark and rich, but you can still see the wood grain.  And oh so shiny!

Looks soooo much better if I do say so myself.  And I do.

Another before picture:

After:

 Just another picture.  I got those little mirrors from Target and painted them yellow.

Before:

After:

 (I just put these pictures together myself, but I am not in love with them, so I am on the lookout for something better.  And yes, unfortunately, those reminders are occasionally needed around here.)

Phew!  All for only about $100 (I only used a half-pint of gel stain, a half gallon of paint with tons left over...got cheapo unfinished frames and java'd them too.  Repainted an old shelf, etc.  I did get new mirrors and new towels.)  On to the next project I guess.

Actually, Arden has already called it that her room is next to get re-done, and has already decided she wants to paint the walls pink.

I'll get around to it eventually.

Mothers Day Cards

Is there anything better than getting beautiful, handmade Mothers Day cards?  I think not.  And this year I got some keepers.  This first one is from Cora, made in kindergarten.  I like how she thinks I weigh 10 pounds, and I probably do seem 50 feet tall to her.  She wouldn't trade me for a puppy!  That's love.  I am one lucky mom.

And look at this one from Arden!  She didn't even make it at school or church or anything, just out of the kindness of her little heart.  I shall keep it and pull it out when she is 15 and hates my guts for not letting her go to the homecoming dance. It is awesome.

But my favorite card might be from Dax, because he is so dang unintentionally funny.  He made this at church, and he was rushing to finish it while I was waiting, so the handwriting may need some interpreting...

Here is what is says:

My mom is: 87 years old (boooooo!)
My mom weighs: 3000 pounds (BOOOOOO!  Whoa, I gotta lay off the cookies).
My mom's favorite color is: yellow.  (True!)
My mom's favorite food i:s mango.  (I do like mangoes.  I think he stole this off of Cora's card, actually).
My mom always says: "Yes" (Wha?  I do?)
My mom cooks the best: Pesa (Pizza. With the help of Papa Murphy, I do.)
My mom's job is:  Wrking (Working.  Hahaha!  Obviously.  Duh.)
My mom laughs when: "somthing is funny."  (Duh.  Hilarious!)
If my mom had time, she would love to:  Nip (nap.  True.)
My mom and I like to:  Cook, sleep, and plant  (hmmmm...okay.)
My mom really loves:  Me  (Duh!  Why are they asking him these silly questions?)
I love my mom because:  She's my mom  (DUH!?! )

Happy Belated Mothers Day to all you moms out there.

Just Plugging Along

We are still plugging along at our house.  I have been busy training for my next half marathon, which is finally coming up this Saturday.  I really hope it doesn't rain!  I don't mind some sprinkles, but I don't enjoy running 13 miles with squishy socks.  I have also been working on redoing the half bathroom off of the garage, and stained my first cabinets!  I am sure there will be pictures to come when I finally finish decorating.  The school year is also wrapping up, and things are getting busier than ever.  I am looking forward to summer with equal parts excitement (Yay!  No more homework and rushing out the door every morning!) and fear (Aaaah!  How will my kids not kill each other when they are together all day every day?!?)

Summer is coming, no matter what I might think.  Today was my last day volunteering with Dax's class.  Every other week I got to sit out in the hallway and bring the first graders out of class one by one to read me books.  Sometimes it was a little painful, but mostly it was fun.  It was nice to meet the kids that Dax talks about all the time.  I would also usually sneak a visit with my boy, even if it wasn't really his turn :)  Here is Dax, reading me a book today.  He has learned so much this year!!!

 Today, we did another one of these:

Arden is 13 months into what was supposed to be an 18-month braces experience.  Round 1 of two.  Unfortunately, some of her teeth aren't moving as fast as we hoped, so Round 1 might end up lasting a little longer than we thought.  We are still trying to avoid pulling any permanent teeth, but it is still questionable whether all those grown up teeth are going to fit in her cute little mouth.  Keep your fingers crossed for us!