The Hydropouch

After basically a year of anticipation and months of "training"...

The Zion Half Marathon finally happened!

 

I use the term "training" loosely because ever since that apple ambush, progress has been slow.
 You know if you can't do jumping jacks it's just sad! ;)

I went down Thursday and stayed with the Hardings/Johnsons- they're so awesome!

Friday:

After a shake out run I went up to Cedar City to have lunch with a friend... and hit up the SUU bookstore lol I also stopped by the PE building to see some old professors.  All but one where out of their offices, the one that was there: Doc. Taylor, my favorite :)

We spent about an hour talking and I couldn't believe that she remembered me! It's been 6 years since graduation! I felt pretty dang special :)

Oh yeah... I'm part of the "Coaching Factory" 

Car Issues

Packet Pick

 

 

 

Dinner

Temple

 

 

Saturday:

The morning came very quickly.

It was a little chilly and windy waiting to start, but they had a huge warming tent and we stayed in there until the last possible moment.

The miles flew by! And the view was breath-taking! I absolutely LOVE Zion's!

When I lived in St. George I went almost every weekend,

I miss having it so close :s

Then mile 5.58 happened-

The sudden and overwhelming urge to use the lou...

waited in line for 10 minutes... ok really 9 minutes

FOR NOTHING!

Thanks Body... Thanks A LOT!

At least it was right before the big hill so with that drama out of the way it was easy to make up time.

Thank goodness I know how to take advantage of hills!

The more Zion came into view, the more I kept thinking about the night before in the temple.

If this world, especially Zion's, is considered the "lone and dreary world", what is it going to look like after the Second Coming?

I can't even imagine it!

Then mile 11.5 came, my ankle wasn't doing so well- I lost feeling in my foot and pretty sure the blood flow was starting to stop. So I stopped and walked for half a mile. It pains me to have to HAVE to walk in a race- especially since that was the only part where people passed me (besides the potty wait). 

But I rather suffer that than another surgery.

The last mile and half was a painful one.

But I finished, dehydrated from not being smart enough to figure out the hydropouch, but I finished.

I loved it. One to do again!

My friends did amazing too! And Leslie's little family was there to support Josh- the kids were tired of course and more than willing to share my food with me.  They're so stinkin cute!

Josh, Me, Weir, Jared

Our "injury" photo... (Josh's calf was causing problems, I don't know what Weir was doing)

 

 

Hiking:

After the run I decided that it wasn't a good idea for my ankle to hike Angel's landing.  Derek was so relieved- he's so cute. So instead we did the Trifecta hikes. Dani and Bryan came hiking with us too- Dani brought me some Orange Peel too! One reason why she's the best!

 

The Riverside Walk

Doesn't it look like a nose? I was even runny...

Former Teammates still running together-ish

Can you see the climbers?

 

Canyon Overlook

First time I have EVER seen big horned sheep in the park! So cool!

Posing with race bib and finisher medal was required for the Trifecta Club so I wasn't the only weirdo posing like this lol

 

Kolob Canyon (Timber Creek Overlook)

 

 

 

 

 

It was an amazing weekend! I love seeing my friends down there and spending time in Zion National Park! Josh & Jared are now doing the Yellowstone Half with me! Woot woot!

2 months to master the Hydropouch.

Bonus part: I got my America The Beautiful Parks Pass



Goals of 2014: Books

Last year Tyler and Kris had a goal to read 52 books in the year.

I really liked the idea so I stole it for one of our goals for 2014.

Books must be over 100 pages to count.

I can get a lot of reading done over the summer- esp. of books that I want to read, rather the YA magical books my students like to read (still expect to see some of those books on this list since I'll be reading some of the same books as a few students to encourage them to read more).
Derek is reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy.. well listening to it while he is at work.

Here's what I've read thus far..

I've also attached the good reads link to the book so I don't have to summarize what it's about:

Adventurers Wanted: Albrek's Tomb, by M.L. Forman
pg.504

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12184913-albrek-s-tomb

Considering the age group it's written for, I rather quite enjoyed this book.  Although I have noticed a trend with this series that it's not about the "Main Event" or main battle (which is kind of anti-climatic), it's the journey the main character Alex goes through.

***

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

pg.137

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47281.Number_the_Stars?from_search=true

We read this book as a class in part of our 11 million steps project.  This story is a work of fiction HOWEVER, it is based on true events and stories of the Danish role during WWII.

****

Nathaniel Cade Series by Christopher Farnsworth

Blood Oath pg.390

The President's Vampire pg.337

Red, White, & Blood pg.383

http://www.goodreads.com/series/49835-nathaniel-cade

3 books thus far for this series. Super easy reads since it only took me 2 days to read each one- not full days either. If you're into vampires this is an interesting view point- no he doesn't sparkle.

A friend suggest this series to me and I rather enjoyed it- can't wait for book #4 to come out.

****

Seven American Deaths and Disasters by Kenneth Goldsmith

pg.176

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16071842-seven-american-deaths-and-disasters?from_search=true

Waste. Of. Time.

I will never get those 3 hours of my life back from reading this book.  First it was an adventure trying to find it at the library- the main branch too for those of you Ogden folk who understand the interesting smells and sights of the WORKERS there.  The homeless were more decent!

I hated this "book".  But I painfully read it. It was over 100 pages. It counts.

No stars. Don't read this.

June 1941 Hitler and Stalin by John Luckacs

pg.192

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/716603.June_1941?from_search=true

Another small book. When I was at the library looking for "waste of time" and saw how small that book was, I randomly picked an aisle, a row, a book to read.

This was that book. Easy and fast to read.

It was a pretty decent book.  Didn't learn anything new which I was rather bummed about.

Well, I guess that's what you get for playing Russian Roulette for a book.

Pun!

**

Blood of Gods by Conn Iggulden

pg.409

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16093551-the-blood-of-gods?from_search=true

I just about died when I discovered this book. Why? Because the first 4 books known as the Emperor series is like.. MY FAVORIATE book series ever! Historical Fiction covering Julius Caesar's life.  This book, Blood of Gods, picks up where #4 left off and I wasn't disappointed at all! Which is what I needed after reading those other two smaller books. I don't know how I missed this book coming out but now I am on the hunt to find it in hardback to join the others in my collection.

*****

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

pg.335

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/764347.Unwind?from_search=true

Unwind series book #1

I saw this book on one of those book lists and was intrigued. Turned out a few of my students have read this book and highly recommended it- that could be good or horridly, tragically wrong.

It's a keeper!

Kris even read this book with me.  I stayed up all night reading it so I could talk to Kris about it (she's a super fast reader). I loved it.  And it also TOALLY CREEPED ME OUT! Seriously check this one out.. the creepy part is this "unwinding" could totally happen in our future if the nation continues to keep on losing it's moral principles. I'm on the hold list at the library waiting for the next 2 books!

*****

Book Total: 9

Week # 9.. the start of that is.

Page Totals: 2,863



Valentines 2014

This year for Valentines I decided to do the 14 days of Valentines for Derek since I was not sure as to how the Simplot Games were going to shake down and I wanted to make sure that Derek still got little special something's.

 

Most of them were Minecraft themed to which led to some cute flirting while at work- which to me was the best part of the first have of them month :)

 

Then came Valentines day and the stress of "Am I or aren't I" going to spend all day and night in Idaho... ended up not having to have to go to ISU so I was able to

make (well experiment) with dinner.

Lemon Berry Chicken in a puffed pastry

Apple Pie Roses

Derek loved it.

Nailed it.

 

(Some are not pictured)

 

I love being able to spend time with Derek on his off week- I miss him a lot every other week. He got me flowers, chocolate, AND hot cocoa- that's the best part.

Derek knows how to comfort me when he's not home :)

What will you do with your steps?

During 2nd term our English teacher created this packet for the students to complete in order to gain their grade for English and half of Math. 

The project was called:  11 Million Steps.

Each group home was given pedometers with the goal for each home to reach a combined total of 11 million steps (33 million for the school). 

One step for each life lost during the Holocaust.

The goal was for not only the students to lean about a that tragic event in world history but to look outside of themselves and learn what it is to care for someone that owes you nothing.  All of this ending with a special assembly with speaker Hank Ombach, whose family hid a family of Jews in occupied Holland for 3 years.

 

Everyday the students reported their steps, along with us teaching staff, and their house staff/ therapists. Then they would learn about people who resisted against the Nazi Regime and helped strangers.  Each class also read books that centered about this theme as well. Such as: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry; The Book Thief by Markus Zusak; Night, Dawn, and also Day by Elie Wiesel; The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. They also watched a few films such as Diary of Anne Frank, Courageous Heart the story of Irena Sendler, The Hiding Place, Miracle at Midnight, and Night Crossing.

Irena Sendler

This truly was an amazing project and the kids really got into it.  Yes they got competitive but never forgot why they were doing this project.  Class discussions went surprisingly deep for these kids, I was impressed. They watched an incredible documentary about Auschwitz (and by incredible I mean very informative and tastefully put together, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MMX5E4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&keywords=aushwitz&qid=1389583908&s=instant-video&sr=1-1) and we heard some amazing stories including the Warsaw Zoo, Irena Sendler, the Bielski Brothers, people who hid in sewers, the Danish handkerchiefs, various resistant groups.

Bielski Brothers

The assembly was fantastic!  I loved listening to Hank speak- he has such a cute little accent and was very animated- epically when it came to describing just how little food they had.  My co-worker even lent me her copy of their family's book that Hank wrote, that gave even more details about the 5 years he lived under German rule. 

*Food was so scarce that they had to send his little sister out with other small children (as in 5 years old!) to go beg for food out in the countryside.

*They ate a cat.  His uncle told them it was a rabbit.

*The Nazi lady that lived below them kept trying to trick him and his sisters into giving the Jews away (they had 3 house raids and still successfully hid the Jews).

*His mom and sister were rounded up with other women, put into train cars and spent hours riding on the train.  They thought they were being shipped to Germany- the Nazis would call out cities they "passed".  Turned out they just rode around in a circle, just to scare them and all for the amusement of the Nazi soldiers.

*Some of their friends and neighbors thought that Hank's family were Nazi sympathizers because Hanks' mother had told them to be nice and friendly to the Nazis that lived around them (which isn't a bad idea when you're hiding people).

*Hank had to flee to the countryside for a while to avoid being arrested.

*By the end of the war, when he was 18, he was so weak from starvation he couldn't walk.

Man I wish I could keep a copy of that book because his entire story is so captivating! And it's even more so that I got to meet him.

Hank's parents were later listed, Righteous Among the Nations and got to plant a tree in their honor.

http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/righteous/about.asp

At the end of the project, the teacher had them write an essay about the whole experience including answering the question if they would be brave to stand up to the face of evil by carrying out the simple act of caring for a stranger.

Seniors

As the 2013 cross country season came to a close the week of thanksgiving

I was both  happy and very sad- sad because soon I'll have to say

goodbye to some amazing athletes I've come to love very much.

I felt more like the older sister than a coach to them.



Team Picture day.. Madi & Sabrina

State Meet.. Megan & Sabrina

 Senior Boys (except Taylor is a JR) such goofy guys!

Seniors with coaches

Sabrina is the only one who can really do the hair 'stach'.

Nike Southwest Regional Championship, Az

Cold. Wet. Muddy. Super fun.  So glad I had the privilege of going down to Arizona with the team again this year.

Seriously Love These Kids!!

My Senior Girls.. Sarah, Madi, Sabrina, Megan

At least I'll still see them around..  :)

T-Birds and Cougars

My dad hooked us up again with football tickets..

This time it was Southern Utah vs. Weber State.

Bonus: SUU's alumni association did a free tailgate party.. totally hit that up!

My friend Deidra even came up to Ogden to watch our T-birds kick some butt!

It was a little shaky at first but SUU managed to pull out the win.. 27-21.  It was a great game to watch and my dad was so cute in his lil ball-boy get-up :)

Poor Weber State.. they had less fans there than SUU!

Btw: SUU made it to NCAA Division I Playoffs.  However they played last year's runner up and lost :( hopefully next year they'll use that experience to their advantage!

We also went to the BYU homecoming game vs. Georgia Tech for Derek's birthday

It was so much fun! However I expected GT to play harder than what they did..

and man was Hill on fire that night! It's never a dull game watching the Cougars play!



Home

Austin's Home :)

We all went to get him from the airport.. Alexis and I even made posters

Everyone wanted to snuggle with Uncle Austin

Jordan's Belated Birthday Gift: The Doughnut Dash!

I told Jordan I would pay for a race entry for him to do with me for his birthday.. it wasn't until now that his soccer didn't interfere.  Bonus: Austin was home and ran with us even though his lungs weren't used to the high elevation and cold air :)

We started at the state capital and finished at memorial park.

At the halfway mark downing doughnuts to cut time off our time..

Tired, sweaty, and full of doughnuts! :)

Austin was also nice enough to take Ragnar running a few times..

Austin always did this with Dottie..

JeNae just had Elise so her and James couldn't make it.. but we went Go-Karting :)

And the operator guy knew who we were.. that's 2 for 2 in Go-Karting costume shenanigans!

It was great to have Austin home for 2 weeks, we all missed him a lot!