Our Big Deal!

We did it!!!!

Yep, we successfully finished our first triathlon ever! And...it was a great experience (for the most part)!
It seriously was one of the best things I've ever done--signing up, training for it, and finishing the race (with a pretty decent time).
I've put off writing about it because I don't know how to capture what it really was all about to me. My friend, Heidi, may say it best when she describes it as "it's almost like having a baby". It's kind of what it feels like...like you've done something great. So, I know there are triathletes all over the place and this may seem common, but to us it's a huge deal! And it's NOT a one time, check-it-off-the-list sort of thing. I want to do more! I LOVE being outside swimming, riding my bike or running (if you can get past the actual running part) :)
Now I think I'm having some post-race let down. I need something new to look forward to.
So, here's a bit about the race...
the SWIM--Yikes! My "wave" had 150 women all start at the same time! That was craziness! I kept bumping into people and they kept bumping into me. The thing is, every time I would hit into someone, I'd pull up and say sorry (as if we could help it), so I felt like I was never in a good groove. It felt like forever in the water though my swim actually clocked in at only 18 minutes. We swam 1000 meters which is .6 of a mile. Doesn't sound very long huh? Next time you're in your car, just map it out and think to yourself, "I'd still be swimming....STILL swimming...STILL swimming. Are you kidding me??" Then add 150 extra bodies to that equation that are all kicking and gasping for life. Ha ha.
So, Bob had quite a time in the water. He separated his shoulder in June and swam only TWICE in preparation for this event. Let the record show that he did NOT take his wife's advice of getting a cortasone shot a week prior so he could train every day. He did NOT take his wife's advice of trying out the wetsuit prior to the event. That wetsuit was too small and he felt like he couldn't breathe so he unzipped a bit, only to haul part of the lake along on his swim with him. Therefore, he spent twice as long as I did in the water and did NOT enjoy that part of the tri.
So, I have to say it...I beat him. Yep. The swim, his dislocated shoulder, plus his head cold he was dealing with all conspired against him and I came in about 13 minutes ahead. So I can take this moment of glory because I can predict that it will NEVER happen again.
The whole race course was beautiful this time of year with the fall colors starting. It was the perfect day for the race.
We had our friends racing too. Jon and Stacie Bready came up and stayed overnight at our cabin with us. We had a great time together. The next morning, our friend, Rebecca Abbott, joined us as well. Everyone did great and it was awesome!!
My awesome cousin, Kristin, and her family, Jordan and Charlie, came up to be our cheerleaders and hang out with our kids during the race. How awesome of them to help us out like that!! We also had a fun surprise of bright, posters to cheer us on! Bob's mom helped the kids make those. That was so thoughtful! THANKS to all who helped us along the way in so many ways!
It all combined to make up a great experience--a big deal indeed!

Go Utes!!

Fall is in the air. That means...college football! We started a fun new tradition of season tickets to the Utes games. We love it! It is so much fun to get dressed up in our red and go watch the games.
We have tickets for our little family and they are just a few rows up from Kevin and Mindy Orgill's family tickets. Just a few rows up from us are the Christensens, another family in our neighborhood. We're all in the end zone, down by the action and we love it! Bob's family (Mom, Dad, John and Anna) also have season tickets up near the 50 yard line, I believe.
This year, the plan is to tailgate every game. We started out the first game (Utes vs. UNLV) by tailgating with the Orgills. They bought a little grill and we broke out the hot dogs, chips, drinks, etc. We did realize that we need ample time to do this thing properly. I also think we'll get creative--go for the taco salads, chicken kabobs, etc.

The Orgills tickets are on row 2 and the people in front of them only come on occasion, so we migrate over to them quite often (at least the kids). Therefore, the kids are almost always on the jumbotron every game. They have a blast with that! We also get to see Swoop as he walks by. Zack got his picture with him. I'm just glad we got him to stop saying "Go Cougars" before he met up with Swoop. Zack just got caught up in all the excitement and kept yelling about BYU and the Cougars when we first got out of the car. (thank you Russ Tolley, who brainwashes Zack during nursery each week--until Bob threatened to yank him out of there and have our 3 year old go inactive unless it stopped!) :)

We have a ton of fun and hopefully our kids are enjoying making memories like these!
(and I say go Utes AND go Cougars!)

First Day of School!

Liz and Tanner's first day of school was on August 18th this year. It seemed so early to start back up! I think they were ready to get back into the routine of things again, but I really miss them when they're gone all day!
They both seem to like their teachers, schedule, friends, etc. I'm glad to have them in such a great school district. But I do wonder what happened to the "good 'ol days" when everyone in the neighborhood went to the same school. Nowadays, there are charter schools, private schools, home schools, another school in the district, etc. It is crazy! There really are kids in like six different schools around here. I have to admit, I don't like that. For me, school is a real social experience and I think it's too bad that all the kids in the neighborhood aren't doing that together (especially when we live in such a great school district!). Oh well, things change...that's always a constant!

Skyline Drive with Grandpa

My dad invited the kids to go on a fun overnight fishing trip with him. They got all packed up and jumped in Grandpa's big truck and went down to the Ranch to stay overnight. Then they got up and went along the Skyline Drive to test out the new fishing rods Grandpa bought them. They are telescoping rods so they're really easy to pack and transport around. They worked great! Most of all, the kids just had fun with Grandpa. Look at that scenery! How could you NOT enjoy a day like that?? Next time the Mom should be invited--or not--maybe it's fun for the kids to just be with Grandpa.

Demolition Derby!

At times, some things can make me wonder...
One such time was this summer when we went to the Demolition Derby with the whole Christensen clan plus a few. Ok. Here's the thing...I really loved it! We had so much fun yelling at these cars that were completely trying to obliterate the others in the ring. We would start betting on which ones would win--calling which car was "ours" when they paraded across before the chaos ensued. Then, when the buzzer rang and the smashing began...forget it...alter egos came out!
This was apparent when I looked down at a family friend whom we had invited, along with her five year old son. She had a look of horror on her face as she desperately tried to shield her son from being permanently scarred from the real life violence unfolding before her. She would interject questions about if people could die, or how much they could benefit from a good chiropractor, and what not. She ended up leaving early...probably to reevaluate her friendship with such a primitive group.
Good thing she left early, because the BEST was when the gals got into the cars! One even rolled over the top of another car, completely flipping it on it's top! She was just fine, but we were a bit disappointed when the ambulance blocked our view of the rescue--they even got out the jaws of life.
Now what's not to like about that kind of entertainment?
So, is it nature or nurture? And do I have some mysterious redneck bloodline??

Bountiful Celebration

Bountiful City has a great tradition of having an amazing firework show on the 23rd of July. The Evensens have a fun tradition of getting together to enjoy the celebration. The fireworks are shot off just past their front yard, so we have a perfect view (and parking as well!)
Friends and family congregate on the lawn and enjoy visiting, homemade ice cream and Texas sheet cake, and some killer fireworks.
Then, my kids' favorite...Grandma Evensen yelling out after it's over "thank you Bountiful City...you did it again!" :)

This year, our good friends, the Tolleys, joined us. We had a great time and were able to see and visit with Bob's brother, Chris, who was in town from Las Vegas for a while.

Cottonwood Lake

This summer we went up to Cottonwood Lake with the Evensen family...at least part of the clan was there. We had G-ma and G-Pa Evensen, Lindsay, Ben and Abby, John and Ellie, and our little family.

This time we brought up our motorcycles. The kids absolutely loved that!!

It truly is a beautiful place on this Earth!

Lizzie's got back!!

The other day Liz and CJ decided to go incognito through the neighborhood. They were delivering spy notes to friends. Their get-up was hilarious! It included glasses, hats and some nice body altering padding.
I about fell out of my chair laughing when I saw them. After the notes were delivered they just stuck with the nice padding to go on rides and get some laughs.

Camping Trip

Bob and Tanner had the date set to go camping to the Uinta Mountains. It turned out to be a bit of a wet weekend, but they went anyway and had a great time--just father and son. They hiked in (5 miles up to Granddaddy Lake), set up camp, went fishing, cooked the fish over a campfire, had fun with the head lamps and enjoyed spending time together. Then they hiked out in a hailstorm! (see the evidence in the photo of Tanner's hand)
I think we're onto a new annual tradition...

One of my favorite memories growing up was my own annual Daddy/Daughter overnight camping trip with my Dad. We would pack up and ride in on horses, cook over a campfire (the only way I really trusted my Dad could cook), visit and have some good memory making moments.

I'm so glad Bob takes the time to do things like this with our kids! I know they are making lifetime memories too.

Mysterious Ways...

I had really been wondering about prayer. It takes an experience like going through the garbage and NOT finding what you've been looking and praying for...
Anyway, we had an amazing enrichment night on Tuesday. My friend, Kris, had her nephew come talk about his humanitarian experiences in Cambodia, where he served a mission and later returned several times. It was unreal. We truly take SO much for granted!
His focus was on the children and families who pick garbage for a living, making around a dollar a day. There is a huge landfill in Cambodia which literally smokes from the terrible fumes. I can't even tell you how I felt while hearing about these amazing people (they seem Happy amidst all of their trials and hardships!!) and seeing them on video and pictures. I went away wondering what a true blessing is in this life. We see it through our mortal eyes and think that WE are blessed, but these amazing people are so humble and grateful and receptive to the Spirit. I felt like I had a small blessing to go through my own garbage this last week so that I could have the tiniest smidgen of empathy for these amazing people of Cambodia.
Please check out the website: cambodianchildrensfund.org.

And the award goes to....

So it has been a very long time since my last post! My camera was missing for over a week. I was really worried about it! I knew that it was last seen in a grocery bag on the island counter. From there...anyone's guess since we do have a three year old on site.
I hit a new low in my search on Friday morning. You guessed it--garbage day. Need I say more? It brings on shudders to even recall that morning since I figured if it was in the can at all it was in the very bottom since it went MIA right around garbage day last week.
Bob came home to the awful scene and "helped" a bit (I caught him turning his head and shaking with laughter).
Anyway, after my very HOT shower I got out and found my camera hanging on the towel bar. Bob had found it somewhere in the couch. I'm sure I looked there. After all, who in their right mind would hit the trash 1st???
Oh well, all's well that ends well right? Right...unless I'm scarred for life, which remains to be seen.