Wasatch Back Relay 08'

181 miles in a nutshell, if you love running 3 times in 24 hours, being completely exhausted and laughing your rear end off then this is the race for you. As second year veterans, Rapid Thigh Movement (that is our team name), had the relay strategy down. We ran, we laughed, we ate, we ran, we danced, we puked, and we ran again.... and then we showered. It was HOT and comfortable sleep was not an option. But my favorite part of the race, and in my opinion the reason people come back for more, is just when you think your body CANNOT go one inch further because it is just plain tired, it does. I think anyone who has run this race has proved the mere fact that your mind is so much more powerful than your body. You body wants to quit, your mind knows you can't and you have a team cheering you along the entire way! It seriously doesn't get better.

The Starting Lineup


Gearing up for my first run

Man that's a good hand off!

Bryce came to Heber and ran my last leg with me. Thanks Bryce!

Rapid Thigh Movement 08'

Big Annoucement

I have decided to move to Oregon! I am so excited! I have lined up an apartment in Lake Oswego and I leave Utah July 11. I will keep working for the same company, I will just have a home office instead of going into the office. I have a few prospects to do some freelance writing for some magazines there, I will try and do that on the side for now. I am really sad to leave everyone here, but I am excited for a new adventure and a new chapter of my life. I always said I would try something new after I graduated and there will never be a better time than now!

I did it!

I talked about it and talked about it and last week I finally did it! I cut 7 inches off my hair and I love it!! It's off my neck so I am cool and it's fast and easy! Why did it take me a year to do it?!?! Here are some before and after pictures...

Before:



After:

You don't have to be a kid to love Disneyland!

Caution: This is really long.
Disneyland truly is the happiest place on Earth, even if it is raining. A couple days before Memorial Day Bryce, Mandy, Ty, Camden and I all went to Disneyland. It was so fun! I have to admit that when Bryce suggested that we go to Disneyland I was a tad bit skeptical thinking, isn't that for kids? Well it turns out Disneyland is one million times better as an adult. I documented the entire trip with pictures to remember it all, but here are some highlights...
It began by flying into Long Beach Airport, now that is a small and a little but scary airport. But we (and our luggage, which is always a fear of mine) arrived perfectly safe. The pictures start...

At the airport waiting for Mandy and Ty to find the airport to pick us up. Those crazy hooligans drove!
The first day at Disneyland (there were 2) began gorgeous, warm - well 70 and blue skies, just as weather.com had told us. Little did we know it would turn on us. Here we are waiting for the bus to shuttle us to the happiest place on Earth. Camden was so cute, all morning he was staring out the window at the hotel seeing the bus painted with Disneyland characters pass by very worried we would miss the bus. We made it, and so did the hundred other people they packed in there with us!










When we got to the park we walked in and it looked just as I remembered. We had to make a quick stop at the bathroom and as I was waiting I stared looking at a little shop selling things you just HAVE to have. And there I saw them, the MICKEY EARS! I let out a little squeal, one of many to come on this trip and bought 2, one for me with a little red bow and one for Bryce. The best part is they embroidered our names on them!! I was so excited! (More excited might I note then ANY of the kids standing around me.)

Then the rides started, the lines were quick and we rode a lot that morning. Pirates was probably our favorite of the morning, so amazing! However, when we walked out of Pirates, we noticed little sprinkles falling. Oh No! I immediately threw the paper Disneyland map over my head and went for shelter. Well there wasn't much I could do, when we sat down for lunch (in a covered area) it started pouring! Ah man! Here we are, shorts, t-shirts and flip flops and it's pouring rain. Well luckily this happened to Bryce in Florida and he knew what to do. Before I knew it Ty and Bryce were gone and came back looking like this.

I couldn't told back the hysterical laughing cause I thought they looked so cute! They pulled out ponchos for the rest of us and even one for the stroller and we went on our way. I thought the rain would really put a damper on the mood, but we didn't mind at all. We were covered in our little plastic dresses and the lines were short! No complaints here, especially from Camden who had no interest in wearing a poncho or even a jacket half the time. The rain didn't bother him even a little.

Of the day, I think Indiana Jones was our favorite. It was a lot of fun, but Pirates was good too... I don't know, it was a tie! Here we are in line at Indiana Jones.
Wow, this is getting really long... so let me sum up the second day for you. (If you are still with me.) I get really excited to see characters! I know they are just people about my height, dressed up. I know that they are not really FROM the movies and that they are fake, but I genuinely excited every time we saw one. Camden, Bryce and I even chased down a few. Namely, Cinderella - which I actually chased down alone and felt like I was 10 asking for a picture. I loved it!





I think the Nemo ride was the longest line we stood in. 50 mins, right in time for Camden's nap - perfect! The ride takes you in a submarine and shows you all sorts of sea life and of course, Nemo. It was a long ride and very informative so, worth the wait.

ToonTown is really fun. You can go into each of the characters house and they have furniture and cars you can play on. Minnie's house was the best! Here I am in her living room...


California Adventure ROCKS! Everything about it was fun! Definately geared toward the older crowd with bigger and scarier rides.
This wall is crazy! It really looks like a street, but don't let it fool you... it's a wall!
The Tower of Terror is SCARY but awesome. It's drops you what feels like 100 floors in about 2 seconds. We loved that. Bryce did a roller coaster! California Screamin' which goes what feels like one million miles an hour. He normally stays away from them, but my magical persuasive powers got him to go, once. He liked it, I LOVED it! Ty and I went back a few times. We went on a bread tour to see how to made bread, I still don't know. The Aladdin show was awesome! We all decided Soaring Across America was our favorite ride at California Adventure. It makes you feel like you are paragliding across America and you go over the ocean, mountains, orange fields, desert and the smells of the place come out so you feel like you are there. The 'boardwalk' was gorgeous at night with all the lights! You can't really tell when this picture is small so click on it and make it bigger.

We were so sad to leave, but we got to do everything we wanted and even learned to love the rain. I couldn't have asked for a better trip and hey, we will always have the Mickey Ears!

7 minutes faster?!?!

So on Saturday Traci, Ingrid and I ran the Ogden Half Marathon. It was so much fun! The course is through Ogden canyon to the Ogden Parkway and ends in Washington Sq. It is so pretty, such a nice course, and the weather was beautiful! We did this run last year too and next to the Moab runs, this is one of my favorites! Not to mention that they have the worlds best volunteers. They were very attentive and so helpful. Even when I crossed the finish line, I bent over to breathe really and one was right over there asking if I was ok. So nice! And they were handing out bags of ice - which I have never seen. Volunteers at all these races are usually great, but these people were exceptionally sweet. Bryce was also very sweet to drive to Ogden that morning to watch all of us finish. I can't imagine that's a very fun thing to watch, but he did it with a smile. The best part of the whole day though was my finish time... 7 minutes faster than I have ever been!! That might not sound like a lot, but that averages about 32 seconds faster each mile and in running time, 30 seconds off a mile is a lot! I usually don't get crazy about my finish time, frankly I figure finishing period is an accomplishment enough, but taking this much time off without strict training makes me wonder what I could do if I seriously trained! Last year when I did this exact same race I was 11 minutes slower. Every race that I have done I have gradually gotten faster, usually it is by 2 - 4 minutes, but never such a jump. It makes me wonder what I did this time that was so different... maybe it's because I knew the course better, or I have been cycling more, or because I have made a conscious effort to drink a lot of water, or the sugar that I took out of my diet the week before (that was crappy)... I really don't know why, but I am happy all the same! Best race ever... Next Race... Wasatch Back June 20 and 21!

I vote for David Cook

It's not very often that I get into American Idol. I think the last one that I cared about was when Carrie Underwood won - who I adore by the way. For some reason these last couple weeks I have really been into American Idol. (It could be all this extra time I am finding on my hands since graduation - yeah - I know, I should be reading by book club book.) Anyway, I think David Cook is great! I know, I know David Archuleta is from Utah and I should support him, not to mention that he is very talented and has an amazing voice... But David Cook really brings out the rocker side of me, when he performs I want to get out my pretend guitar and rock out along with him! Two amazing guys, who will win? I would be happy for either one and we all know they both will have music careers, but rock on D.Cook! I vote for you.

GRADUATION!

It happened! It's over and it was just as wonderful as I could have imagined.... although I was exhausted when it was over. On Thursday before graduation Bryce took me to Flemming's. We had the best steak ever, the restaurant gave me chocolate covered strawberries as a gift, and to top it off we sat right next to Yao Ming, Dikembe Mutombo, and Carl Landry from the Houston Rockets. They are so tall! Yao couldn't even fit his legs under the table. Anyway, I tried to get a picture but it didn't turn out. Bummer!

The day of graduation, the commencement was at 9 and the college ceremonies were almost immediately afterward at 11:15. There were over 7,000 graduates from the U this year, but probably only about 2 or 3,000 at the commencement exercises. We had to walk down the tunnel and out into the stadium. Below is a picture of us walking down the tunnel. Look at all the graduates!

Mario R. Capecchi, 2007 Nobel Laureate in physiology, spole at the commencement. He is very smart and had some nice things to say. He said one thing that I just had to write down. He said, "After you have worked hard, you can always work harder." I liked that statement and completely agree.

After the commencement I met up with some friends before we went to our college ceremony. Man! I will miss these guys everyday, and wish them all the luck in the world!

We had a nice ceremony, a little long and a tad boring... so I truly do appreciate all those who came! The best part of the ceremony was when I walked onto the floor and they handed me the fake diploma! YAY, what an amazing feeling! Afterward, I was able to see everyone who came to see me. Thank you, thank you to my parents, grandparents, sister Bobbi, Uncle Jerry, Bryce, Ashley, and Ryan for taking the time to come and support me. You rock! When the day was over and we got food in our starving stomachs and I took a long nap, I was exhausted! But the festivities didn't end there... Thanks to my fam, Erica, Ryan, Britt, Jessica, Bryce, Chris, Sus, Greg, Ashley, Ashley, Ashley (yes, there are 3) for helping me celebrate the big day! I am so lucky to have such amazing friends. Here are some pictures from the rest of the day. Including of course, the dress! I am so glad this day has come and gone, thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way.