My first half marathon!!!!

On April 23rd, 2011 I ran my first half marathon! I did the "Running For Risa" event up at Hagg Lake, just southwest of Portland. My good friend, Rachel, and I got up early to drive up. We had to be there by 7:30AM to check in. The race started at 8:00AM. It was a fun drive up. Rachel and I talked a lot and my GPS took us the "back way" and we crossed the river on a ferry! That was an unexpected adventure.

I missed the turn around for the half marathon and continued on to the turn around for the full marathon at this one point so I ran an extra half mile or so. It wasn't my fault. The guy holding the one sign was holding it funny and I couldn't read it so I asked, "Is this where I turn around?" He said, "No, you just have a little further", and he pointed down the road. I ran down and turned around. As I was coming back I realized that no one else was running where I was and was feeling weird about it. Then when I came up to where the first guy was I saw all the runners turning around at him. As I ran by I said, "Hey I though you said this wasn't the turn around?" He said, "This is the turn around for the half." I said in exasperation, "I am a half-er!" His jaw dropped open and he yelled after me, "Oh! I'm sorry! I thought you were a full!" No worries, I just kept running. After adjusting my time we figured I ran the 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 8 minutes. I was a little frustrated but also super excited! Rachel told me that was an excellent time for my first half. I'll believe her, she's been running a lot longer than me. She is like a super woman!

The race was to help a girl named Risa who had cancer. It was to help pay for her medical bills and treatment. I found out that she and her family are members of our church and at the race there were LOTS of BYU t-shirts everywhere. There was also a very special spirit in the air. We also found out before the race that Risa passed away about a week earlier. That weekend was their family reunion. That afternoon was to be Risa's funeral. I cannot even imagine what a hard day that must have been for her family! It was a fun and exciting race, but also a sweet and somber atmosphere.

After we crossed the finish line there was a big lunch waiting fro us! They had amazing hamburgers, salad, desserts, drinks, etc. I have never had a hamburger taste so good! Everyone was so wonderful and nice. I am so honored that it was my first half marathon. It was the most perfect weather, a beautiful course, and helping out a deserving family as we honored their beloved daughter. It was a good day.

Tatiana's Birthday cake #2!

They did it again! Our adopted Aunties, Angie and Trish, made another amazing birthday cake for one of our kiddos! This time it was Tatiana's turn. They made her a HUGE cupcake because Tatiana LOVES to bake and cupcakes are her favorite thing to make right now. They also made all her favorite things with colored white chocolate! There is Curious George on the top. Along the bottom she has a Girl Scout sign, a Tae Kwon Do belt, a musical note, a chef's hat, a science beaker, a bunny, a chick, a spool of sewing thread and a book/scriptures. It was perfect! As always! Thank you aunties!

Make a wish! Nick can't wait to dig in!

Happy Birthday Angel!

Tatiana turns 10 !!!!!

Our sweet angel, Tatiana, turned 10 years old in April! I can hardly believe it! It seems like just yesterday she was our little baby girl, hooked up to a heart rate monitor we had to carry everywhere with her. She was so tiny and helpless. Now she is a beautiful, confident, intelligent, and amazing young woman! I am so proud of her and love her so much!!!

We had a little family party for her on her birthday. She opened presents from the family...

...and we decorated our own cupcakes. It was good, messy and delicious fun!



Then on April 18th, we had her friend party here at the house. She wanted a Curious George theme. Yes, she loves monkeys still and George is her favorite! Here is the cake I made for her, I think it turned out pretty cute and she loved it!

First the girls all decorated journals with stickers. They were very creative and had a lot of fun with it.

Then a rowdy game of Minute-To-Win-It! It was a BIG hit! This is a picture of them doing the "Noodling Around" task.

Silly girls!

Present time! Lots of craft supplies and kits and some monkey stuff, her friends know her well!

Cake time! Make a wish and blow out the candles so we can dig in! Yum!

HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY TATIANA!!!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

Skyhigh Sports!

If you are ever in the Portland area you have to check out Skyhigh Sports Park! It is so much fun for kids and adults! Here is the website... http://por.jumpskyhigh.com/

Andrew doesn't last long on our own backyard trampoline so instead of paying for him to jump this time, we let him play video games and just run around and watch. He was perfectly content doing so.


But Nick, Tatiana, and Ben had a BLAST jumping on all the trampolines, bouncing off the walls, and doing air flips into the huge foam pit (I do not have any pictures of the foam pit).



What an awesome place to get the kids tired out before driving back home to Albany!

Our weekend in Portland

On April 8th and 9th Nathan had an ODA conference up in Portland so the whole family went up! We spent the weekend in a hotel right across from the convention center and while Nathan was in class all day, the kids and I had a blast exploring just a little of what Portland has to offer! We would never want to live in Portland because we are not the "big city type", but we LOVE visiting. Portland is awesome!

We found a new part called "Peninsula Park". It has a great playground...

A rose garden, even though the roses were not in bloom, the kids loved running through the "maze"...

And some great climbing trees we found hidden behind a hedge!

I love this picture of big-brother pointing out an airplane to everyone.

My beautiful daughter and me in our hats!

Friday evening when daddy was with us, we went out to eat and then took the MAX train through the city. The two little boys were so excited to be on a train. Nathan and I laughed at all the cute comments our children were making, they were getting grins from the other passengers too. We have such "country bumpkins"! We got off the train at Pioneer Courthouse Square to see if they had anything going on, but they didn't. We explored around a little anyway, checked out the fountain and posed with this statue. It was Nick's idea.

On Saturday I took the kids to Washington Park for the morning.

Then we went to Saturday market! It is the best! The kids had a great time, they were all very well behaved and stayed right with me. We saw several very talented street musicians, ate some kettle corn, and did some shopping. I think it was everyone's favorite part of our weekend. I got several comments of how brave I was to take four children to Saturday Market by myself and many more comments once we were there about how well behaved and cute my kids are!

I also let the kids get balloon animals. Nick turned it down, I guess he is just getting too old for that sort of thing.

It was such a fun weekend! We love Portland!