Shhh...don't say popcicle!

Kennedy has been wanting to get her haircut, so when my friend Amy said to come over today, Kennedy was very excited. I can't look while Amy snip, snips....I like to see the finished product. Kennedy loves it and looks so grown up! The Happy Birthday Banner I started while in Arizona is finally done. I hung it up to tie off all the ribbons. It matches perfect with our Happy Birthday Plates. Mom started this tradition when I was a little girl and my kids look forward to seeing it hung when they wake up on their Birthdays.

Todds truck without snow covering it.

There's a story to this.....in our house the words popcicle and bath go hand in hand......if Brody hears the words popcicle or bath this is the reaction we see. He pulls his shirt up and heads to the freezer to await a popcicle. He'll hold his shirt up like this until we make it up to the bathtub and start to get him in. For a little boy who says about 3 words, no, yes and mama....he is quite capable of understanding everything we're talking about. Today we saw some huge fish at the Heathman Lodge and later when I was talking about fish, he went into the pantry and brought out the bowl of goldfish crackers :>

Arizona B&B

This year Sara joined me in Arizona to celebrate my 35th birthday. I came to run the PF Chang's marathon and bask in the beautiful 80 degree winter weather!

Our first afternoon with Mom was spent shopping and dining, while we waited for Trace to fly in from Holland. We unpacked all our loot and I brought tons! The next morning we woke bright and early to go to a class, and then roused Mom for a day of shopping and a yummy home cooked meal. We went to see Bride Wars with Paul, DeNae and Dawn.

Skeen's home is the ultimate vacation destination. The guest rooms are like little suites at a bed and breakfast.

This is my friend Dawn and her hubby Chad, who was in my ward growing up. Dawn and I had both been in training for the marathon. With an injury, she decided to do the half. Sara and I joined her on two mornings for workouts at her gym. I'm not much for sleeping in when on vacation. She was so fun to hang out with!

On my birthday we did an early morning class at Mom and Dad's gym.....layed out at the pool, went shopping for summer swim attire and home decor, and made a delicious dinner (I don't like to eat out the day before a race.....but I'll still go on a hike and stay up till midnight!)
Played cards with Mary and David. I love Grandma's competitive nature. It makes beating her a lot more fun! I'm not a cake girl...so for my birthday Mom bought HUGE delicious sugar cookies from Poppy's. The reason I'm not holding one is, I had already eaten it before my gift opening had begun! Tracer took us on the most fun night hike up the Superstition Trail. He is Grizzly Adams....or whoever that outdoor Mt. Man is! He packed in the fire wood and kettle to make cider...flashlights, popcorn, and bottled water. The sunset was gorgeous. I'm suprised he didn't build us a bench to sit on by hacking off all the pricklies on the cactus!

Mom and Dad make any adventure more fun by going the extra mile and therefore making it more memorable.

Dad dropped me off at the marathon at 6:30. My goal was to run it in 3:45 the time I needed to qualify to run the Boston Marathon. I had done it a few years prior but got an injury and then had Brody. Early on in the race I felt great and thought I could pull a 3:38. I like to stay up late on vacations (5 hours of sleep both nights leading up)....go on night hikes the night before, and eat sugar cookies the day before. I think my body was mad at me because I had a big time mental struggle at about mile 16. My body said "walk....who cares" and my mind was in 100% agreement. I had to pull out all the willpower I had to keep going and keep my pace up. Sara joined me just before the 26 mile marker to run me into the finish. I crossed in 3:43:45. Seconds to spare to meet my goal. I was pretty emotional at the end, even Sara was touched by my mini breakdown. I wanted to quite but kept pushing.

This is the only position I want to be in after every marathon finish. It feels so good to let my legs stretch this way. Then....we had to walk a mile to the car. That hurts.

My Aunt DeNae and Uncle Paul came to cheer me on.

I told Sara that it's too painful, she shouldn't attempt one and that I was going to retire from marathons. Later that night in the hot tub we were talking about going to Boston:>
Sara grilled up a delicious post race salmon dinner. So good! I felt fine and wanted to go for a night time hike. Instead we caught up on 24 and went out for McDonalds ice cream.

Growing up here we had many wonderful families, who to this day remain blessed friends. Sidney Madsen and her daughters, Rissa and Natalie, had us over for a gourmet brunch just before Sara flew out.

Sara and I could have stayed a few more days, but our wonderful hubbies have had their limit!

Today, I'm getting up early to meet Dawn for another exercise class.... 5:30 to be exact....so another 4 hour night's sleep.

Crazy, yes....I just like to get every minute out of a vacation being with my family and free from the duties of home :>

Thanks to Todd for being the most loving husband and nurturing father. He enables me to fullfill dreams, builds me up, supports me in all I endeavor to accomplish and realizes that being able to stay close with my parents and sister's has, and always will, play a big role in the person I am.

Angel with Attitude

For Camdyn's 8th Birthday my mother gave her a necklace showing a picture of a little girl pouting on one side and the saying "Goddess of attitude" on the other. She is a spunky little girl and always has been. I can't believe she is 9 years old!

Camdyn Eliza Lake, our fiesty lil' angel.

Smiles on location

My sister Linny inspired me to post a few of my favorite photos of 2008.....I added on a few of her's as well. Kennedy

Cammy

Griffin
Kenna and Brody

Cammy at Cannon Beach

Brody at Lakeview Farms

Emma and Santa Trace








Emma

My cousin Madison's Senior Photo shoot

Emma and the goldfish

Angelic Kennedy

Winter Vacation

Catching up where I had left off......
Christmas Eve with the Petersen's. Brody was so not himself. He zonked out right next to Todd on the chair. He had just enough strength to get his shoes and hoodie for me to put on him (he's obsessed with picking out mismatched shoes and wearing a jacket so he'll be ready to go bye-bye whenever the chance presents, it's so cute.) Cody played games with the kids while the finishing touches were put on the meal.

Camdyn, Kennedy and Caleb put on a puppet show in Papa Trace's honor for part of our Christmas Eve Program. Cammy did most of the narrating.

This is the one time that my schedule of activites for the evening didn't get changed because of the snow.

Everyone loved Family Trivia. Thanks for emailing some questions mom and dad!

After the Elf knocked and the kids scampered to bed, the most beautiful snow started to fall. Hard to tell in this picture but it really added to the Christmas Eve ambiance. Sara and Cody bought us Christmas Vacation and we watched that as we wrapped ALL the presents. We were all up till midnight.

Good Gol he's been here! Camdyn turned 9 on Dec. 30th. Since the Lake's were snowed in, they came out for a Birthday dinner celebration. Little Camdyn Eliza Lake. A uniqe, independant and creative little cuddling girl.

Papa Trace lent us several points of his to stay in the Marriott at the Riverplace downtown on New Year's Day. We did it last year on New Year's Eve. The kids loved swimming and the big breakfast the next morning. We even woke up to snow on the ground and took a walk in it down to the floating docks to feed the freezing ducks.

Uncle Tyler came by to visit us at the hotel and brought us some home made gourmet treats.

Kennedy is such a little shadow. She only wants to be wtih me....all the time! She is a sweet daughter with a beautiful smile.

Tonight at dinner it started snowing and sure enough 2 hours later we had about 2-3 inches. The kids are hoping there's no school tomorrow. That is not on mine and Todd's agenda!

Hip hip hurray for Winter Vacation....and a real WINTER this year!