One by one

So it seems like every member of our family has a small little story to share today.  I'll start with McKenzie.  She rediscovered her slide from her birthday and has since learned how to slide all by herself.  The first few times she climbed up, sat down on her bottom and slid down normally.  She must have decided that took too much energy and started going down head first.  Once she was in position she would use her sticky hands to slowly lower her down the slide.  When her hands no longer had any grip, she slide down very quickly and totally face planted on the carpet.  Did she cry?  No. She laughed and laughed, then would climb back up for another go.  

Now for Cambrie.  While I was getting ready for the day, Cambrie walked into my bedroom and said, "Mom, can I make your bed for you?  I want to make Heavenly Father and Jesus happy."  I grinned a happy, satisfied, very sweet grin at my little girl and let her go ahead.  She made this all by herself and did a wonderful job. 

Jeremy just found out that after some schedule rearranging, he is able to go on a weekend golf trip to Arizona with his company.  They pay for the travel, the lodging, the food, and for all the golf that is played for the three days they are there.  He is very excited.  He has fully embraced the dentist/golfer stereotype and is loving his job. 

And lastly, I decided that the pain in my knee couldn't be ignored any longer, so I went to the physical therapist today.  I went in expecting just an initial evaluation, but it turned into an entire treatment session.  Come to find out, (A) pregnancy messed with my hips and the length of my legs, so my left leg is 6-8 mm longer than my right.  (B) I have been training too slowly for my body.  (C) I also have "medial patellar retenaculem irritation and pes anserine tendinitis."  Basically the side tendons that hold my knee cap in place, and the tendons that attach my hamstring to my knee are strained.  I need to keep my quadriceps stretched and strengthen my hamstrings to fix this.  But for today's treatment she gave me a really deep tissue massage (ouch!), stuck 14 needles in my knee (who knew I'd ever receive acupuncture treatments), and a little electrical stimulation (the strong tingling was really tingly).  Hopefully it will heal soon, but I have a feeling it will take awhile.  I get to go back for a couple more treatments after Ragnar, and I secretly hope it doesn't involve more needles.

Doc Brown to Darling

Some of you may or may not have noticed McKenzie's hair as it's starting to grow in.  The top is just fine.  The back is a matted mess nearly all the time.  And the hair right behind her ears has grown the longest.  Most of the time her hair resembles Doc Brown's on "Back to the Future."  While yes, any hair on a little kid is cute, this has started driving me a little crazy.  Especially because elastics and hair bows last approximately ten seconds in her hair before she rips them out.  So tonight I decided to find my inner hair stylist and try to tame her mane.  We set up one of the girls' small chairs in our shower (two special treats), and had Cambrie sing to her while I trimmed away.  She sat remarkably still for a one-year-old.  It is true, I really have no idea how to cut hair, but I decided it was worth a shot. 

When we were finished it was shorter than I had planned on, but not nearly as hideous as it could have been.  It resembles a simple A-line hair cut.  (Kristen, if it doesn't, you are free to laugh at me).  Her neckline is so uneven that it's hard to tell where to take the line while still keeping it even on a wiggling head.  But I think it will do and should grow out a little cuter than her previous tangled mass. 

She was so proud of her new "do" that she pulled the stool from the bathroom and admired herself in the mirror before going to bed. 

Break out the mouse ears

Yea for packages!  Today a package came that I have been anticipating for awhile.  Jeremy got out the scissors and made a very dramatic moment of showing Cambrie what was inside.  Cambrie was jumping up and down with anticipation (while she was wearing her next-year's snow coat that we just found on clearance). 

Then what to our wondering eyes should appear....our Disneyland tickets!  We are headed to the magical kingdom in just two and a half short weeks and we are all very excited.  Cambrie is nearing the end of her sticker chart, I have told her every story I can think of about Disneyland, and shown her nearly every picture in existence about the wonderful place.  Ah ha!  It's so close!  I'm not sure who is more excited...Cambrie or me ;)

Wind, Red Sand and Arches

After my race we headed up to the campground at Dead Horse Point for some good ol' outdoor fun.  We first went on a hike out to an overlook near our campsite.  McKenzie was loaded up in her backpack, and we were off. 

First we found a really cool tree. 

Then after a short hike we came to the overlook.  Cambrie thought the cliffs were really cool.  I wasn't sure how cautious she was going to be when she was near them...luckily Grandma made sure that she was kept far away from the edge.  Cambrie was entranced by all of the trail markers and made sure she pointed them out to everyone.  This turned out to be a really good thing because we didn't make it back before sun down and it was quite dark by the time we made it back.  Shame on us for leaving four headlamps back at camp.  

The next day we headed out to Mesa Arch.  Back in 1996, all of the cousins from my mom's side took a camping trip down to Arches.  I distinctly remember my Grandpa Stratford walking on top of this arch, and my Grandma panicking the entire time he was up there.  Little did I know that in 15 years my husband and brother would be right up there too.  

Jeremy claimed that it wasn't nearly as terrifying up on top of the arch as it was down at the base.  From the base you can look over the edge and see the sheer drop off below.  When you're up on top it just seems as if you're high, but safer.  Weird explanation, I know.  But look at this drop. 

While we were there we spent a lot of time just being goofy.  These are my brothers, Alan...

and Ryan.  

I love them and their weirdness.  

And this is Alan and his wife, Hannah.  

She and her mom are pretty good photographers. I just had to throw this picture in she took because I think it's fascinating. 

And I'm not exactly sure what Cambrie's tongue is doing here... 

Miraculously we were able to get one decent family picture in front of the arch. 

After this excursion my family had to head back up north.  We spent a little time playing Frisbee while we were packing up, then it was time to say good-bye.  

Luckily we were still able to stay and play.  After a nap for the Munchkin we headed to Sand Dune Arch.  The perfect play place for Cambrie.  She jumped off of rocks, made sand angels, and even wanted to climb to the top of this arch with me.  

McKenzie hasn't spent much time in the sand and wasn't sure what to make of the unstable footing, but she seemed to enjoy herself too...even when sister threw handfuls of sand all over her. 

The next stop was a quick one at Balance Rock.  We paused for a quick photo-op, but didn't take the time to walk around the base.  I hope you can see it in this picture, because it really makes me laugh.  Cambrie has her thumb up and her tongue sticking out like a rock star.  I wonder if she spent too much time with Ryan, but it's awfully cute. 

 Speaking of cute, look who was happy to be out of her car seat. 

And Cambrie wanted to show us her super strong muscles as she held up the entire top rock. 

On our way out of Arches we stopped at a sand dune near the entrance of the park.  Every time Jeremy's family goes to their cabin they pass this dune, and he's never been able to play in it.  He was so excited to be there, but disappointed he didn't have a sled.  He settled for running down the hill like a mad man instead.  He practiced some ski moves, kicks, 180s, etc., before coming to a rolling sandy halt at the bottom. 

While Jeremy was having a blast, Cambrie kept climbing up and either sliding down on her bottom, or running down herself. 

Once Jeremy made it down the hill, he helped Cambrie up hill again and promptly ran down with her.  Her feet didn't even touch the ground. 

McKenzie and I just hung out at the bottom and got nice and sandy. 

Back at the campground we tried roasting hot dogs on lukewarm coals and ate raw s'mores in the tent to avoid the wind.  While we slept the wind howled mercilessly.  Jeremy and I kept waking up to our rain flap snapping and the sound of our tent stakes hitting the cement pad under the picnic table.  The tent just wouldn't stay in place.  At one point the wind pushed the sides of the tent so ferociously that it knocked over McKenzie's pack 'n play.  At that point it was 4:00 in the morning and there wasn't much we could do to properly fix the situation, so we settled for band-aid solutions.  We put our cooler, camping box, and dutch over inside the tent to hold it down from the inside, accepted our fate and hoped we wouldn't blow away before we woke up.  When we finally did get out of bed the first thing we noticed was that everything in the tent was covered with red sand.  It had blown in through the mesh fabric.  The next thing we noticed was that everything had been pushed to the center of the tent.  It was such a dog pile of stuff. 

 The wind still had not settled down and getting the campsite packed up was a joke. The tent kept blowing away as we tried to fold/stuff it in it's bag.  Breakfast cups were blowing away.  Hats, socks, and pillows kept escaping...we were very glad to be in the car with everything loaded and hopefully accounted for. 

We visited Dead Horse Point, and took one picture before deciding the wind was not helping the picture quality.  Then we drove back into Arches for one last hike before we left.  Jeremy has always wanted to see Landscape Arch, and you just never know how much longer these things are going to last. 

The wind was just as bad during our hike.  At one point a gust was so strong that it literally threw Cambrie forward about ten feet before I grabbed her hand and anchored her to the ground.  Needless to say she wasn't very happy about the whole situation by the time we made it to the arch.  And it was beautiful. 

On the way back we were hiking directly into the gusting wind.  McKenzie buried her head into Jeremy's back and Cambrie nestled her face into my shoulder as we made our way back to the car.  Was it worth the 1.5 mile trip?  Yes, I would say so.  But we had sand so embedded into every nook and cranny that it wasn't even funny.  When we showered at my parents' house later that night, the water was literally red from all the sand that came off of our skin and out of our hair.  But all-in-all it was an excellent trip and I wish the weather had behaved better so we could have stayed longer.  Oh well, we'll just have to go back :)

Canyonlands Half Marathon

This weekend I ran the Canyonlands Half Marathon down in Moab with my friends, Vanessa and Lindsay.  I had been sick the week before and wasn't feeling totally trained, but I figured it would be a fun adventure to run this race with these girls.  We stayed in a cute little bungalow next to the finish line, which made it sooo nice for us in the morning and for Jeremy and the girls during the race.  We boarded the buses to take us up the canyon around 8:00.  When we got to the top we were surrounded by thousands of other racers.  They were perched up on the rocks, they were relaxing down by the river, and a lot of them were standing in line for one last trip to the bathroom.  It was windy up there, and pretty cold.  We were anxious to start the race and had vicious butterflies in our stomachs, but still had to wait until the 10:00 start time.  The wind didn't help my nerves at all, because it would be a head wind for the entire race.  We eventually had to drop off our gear bags...which meant no more jackets or pants.  All three of us were huddled in one little fleece blanket that Vanessa planned on dropping right before the gun went off.  With only a few minutes left I found a shirt someone had already discarded and used that for the first mile or so of the race until I warmed up. 

When it was finally time to get the race started, the herd of people slowly moved down the canyon.  We all jostled for position while trying to figure out our pace.  I knew what I wanted my pace to be, and immediately started out at that speed.  What a mistake.  It was too fast, too soon, and only three miles into the race I started having breathing problems.  I took my inhaler hoping to keep my breathing under control but still keep my pace up.  About mile five I knew that my race was over.  I needed a puff of my inhaler every mile.  And if I went any faster than a 8:45 pace, I started having mini-asthma attacks.  About that same time I started walking during the water stations.  Then I started walking while I took my inhaler.  Then I started walking whenever I just couldn't do it anymore.  About mile seven, my only goal was just to finish the race.  My lungs felt like they should be fitting into the rib cage of a small rodent.  I just couldn't get enough air and my legs felt like lead.  I was so disappointed.  I had hoped for a time of 1:45.  As I watched my pace drop to a 9:30, then 10:00 min/mile, I was hoping for a 2:00 finish time, then just to finish without looking too pathetic.  I saw my family around mile 10.  It was so encouraging to see them, but this dreadful pose was the only way I could communicate with them how I was feeling.  I didn't want them to feel disappointed in my race, and feel cheated out of their time.  But I just couldn't muster up any more energy. 

The canyon we ran in was gorgeous...but I'm afraid I didn't get to enjoy it.  I was much more excited to see the finish line.  I finally crossed the finish line with a time of 2:04.48. 

I need to redeem myself.  I need to train harder and to get in better shape.  I just need to be better prepared.  Of course, those are all of my thoughts now.  Then, I was just content to be done. 

I am very grateful for my family and their support of me during and after my race.  Cambrie was happy to see me run, and even happier to see the chocolate-chip cookie that I couldn't finish :)  Thanks Mom, Alan, Hannah, Ryan, Jeremy, Cambrie, and even McKenzie for cheering me on. 

Dance Recital

Cambrie's little friends, Peyton and Audrey signed up for a dance class called Taps 'N Toes at the Rec Center.  We decided to join them and have some fun.  It has been going for the last three months or so, and once Cambrie gets past the bow on her ballet shoes not being straight, the leotard tickling her armpits, and giving up on the tights completely...she enjoys it.  I have had a whole lot of fun watching her dance.  The girls are all about 3-5 years old, and are darling as they mimic their dance teacher, Ms. Nicola.  Last Friday was their dance recital, and I couldn't wait.  Cambrie got to have her hair curled and even wore a touch of make-up (I'm sorry, I couldn't resist dressing up my daughter).  They even got to wear special recital tutus for the performance.  Cambrie later informed me afterwards that the tutu tickled, but she didn't let it bother her.  I was so proud :) 

Here are some pictures of the performance.  She is in the bright pink and black leotard that she picked out at the beginning of the session.  I think it totally defines her.   They did two ballet dances, then put on their tap shoes for their jazz number.  Cambrie has missed the two previous classes, and I was really worried that she wouldn't remember what she was supposed to do.  You could tell that she was a little rusty, but she did all right.  Her favorite dance was "Hello Baby."  She really got into it, and actually did about 80% of the moves.  

After the performance we were able to get some pictures of her and her friends.  I think that this picture of the three of them just fits all of their personalities.  It was so much fun going to this class with these girls. 

I really hope to convince Cambrie to sign up for another session, because I really loved it.

  What a cute dancer!

St. Patty's Day

The leprechauns visited us again.  And this year, the girls were very lucky that as the leprechauns were playing tricks on them that some of their gold fell out of their pockets!  Real gold coins?  Cambrie was ecstatic...or mainly just shocked by all of their mischief. 

They built a house out of cushions, dressed up the Easter Bunny, dyed our milk and pancakes green, and left books in the fridge.  What silly leprechauns. 

Our newest family leprechaun decided that she would break out of her crib this year....oh goody.  I'm not sure who loosened that slat, if it was Cambrie or McKenzie.  Regardless, when she was supposed to be sleeping we heard her playing with the door stop.  What a surprise! 

She also experienced her first brain freeze while enjoying green sherbet :)