Easter Week

The weekend of Easter is always crazy with all of the church, community and family activities along with all of the other sports and school events that already pack Spring. That's why I was relieved that we were able to divide this year's events into 2 weekends instead of one.

The weekend before Easter, Las Sendas put on it's annual Easter breakfast and egg hunt which my 2 handsome scouts were able to cook for:)

 

After the breakfast, I raced to home to get this little girl ready to compete:

 

The next weekend, we got together for the Skidmore family dinner and egg hunt. Delish:) And gave me a chance to try my hand at individual cheesecakes.

On Easter morning, the girls came gigling into my room waaay to early and finally succeeded in dragging Casey and I out of bed around 7 (and Cade, shortly after:) He's still too young to act like a teenager!!)

Xterra Black Canyon Half-Marathon

Trail running...there's nothing like it.

It hands you your tail but still leaves you smiling.

Loved every painful second of this race.

The Farewell

It was the easiest thing in the world to get people together to throw a last 'hurrah' for my dear cousin, Summer and her husband, Kam. They truely are two of the kindest, most giving, therefore, most loved people in the world...and they sure know how to have a good time:) We will miss them desperately but wish them the all the best in England. The Queen is lucky to have them.

(Key Largo, 2011)

My weekend with Runs 'n Roses

For the fourth time, Sara and I were sucked back in for another wonderful, tortuous weekend of costumes, running, cramming into vans, running, living off of Cliff Bars and Gu, running, NOT sleeping, and running. Fun, right?!!

This year at Del Sol, we were asked to be a part of Erik and Katherine Jenkins team, Runs 'n Roses. Katherine is a former client, current friend and gym partner, of mine (who is in unbelievable shape, I might add;)). To help fill the team, I talked my dear friend, Marisa Sherwood to come and do her very first Ragnar with us. We never could quite fill the last 2 team spots so our team of 12, remained a team of 10. Our van 1 was Me, Sara Marisa, Katherine and Erik (lucky guy).

Sara, Erik and I agreed to take the 3 extra legs which turned MY total mileage to 24. No biggie, I thought, without considering that I'd be running 11 straight miles at 7am after an hour and a half of sleep, on legs that had already run nearly 12 miles just hours prior. My lingering stomach issues (lets leave it at that), the uphill and the head-wind didn't help either. The last 2 miles of that run were, unarguably, the most difficult 2 miles that I have EVER run. You know when you're looking for the softest place on the ground to pass out that you're in trouble. But I finished without stopping, walking, or puking and there is absolutely no better feeling than finishing something that challenges you in every capacity. And that's why we keep coming back to Ragnar:) Do I hear ULTRA, next year??!!

Me and Katherine

Evil-E

Feeling strong on Day 1:)

One of our favorite things to do at Ragnar is check out all of the team names and costumes...not the most obnoxious costume, but it cracked me up!

Lookin' good, Kat!

Faker!!

Sara, Katherine and I at the finish line

Team Runs 'n Roses

Walking All Over Cancer

It's been 4 years, 5 months and 3 days since my mom died of pancreatic cancer. Today, we were able to give her a voice, again, by walking in her memory in the first annual PurpleStride Phoenix.

Last night, Summer called me as I was making lanyards with my mom's beautiful face and I broke down. It caught me off-guard. I haven't been struck with that overwhelming sadness and longing in a long time. I will always miss my mom. Somedays more than others. But preparation for this walk, as tough as it has been, has also reminded me of the blessings that stand at my toes every day...the little people that my mom loved most in this world...her "babies". I think of my mom every time I look into Sofia's green eyes or that Cade corrects my English. So, because she'd want me to, today I will let them bring me comfort. (I'll even try to look past the mess that Lila and Fia are making behind me, right now...)

 

Lila's Valentine Birthday

Lila turned 5, this week. AHHH!! I am old! Really, to think that my babiest baby is half a decade seems completely bananas. She still seems so young to us, (mainly beacause of her speech issues) and I'm recognizing how the youngest child becomes slotted into the "spoiled one" position in a family. We just want to keep that one our baby forever. So we wait on, give in to, and coddle them. I'm not worried about how she'll turn out. After all, I'm the youngest child and I turned out fine:)

We made prncess crowns.

and decorated Valentine cookies,

and ate cake,

and opened presents,

and this little beauty...earned 1st PLACE at her cheer competition!!Congratulations, Phoebs:)

And, a big THANK YOU to my helpers! Alexa actually texted me to see if she could help out! I love these two. I couldn't have done it without them:)

I can't believe my baby is 5!

Happy New Year!!

In the 11 years that Casey and I have been parents, we have not, once, had an adults only New Year's Eve. So when Summer and Kam invited us to Prescott for the weekend, we were more than happy to go. To make the most of our time together, as we always do, we decided to stop in Sedona for a dayhike up Bell Rock...off the trails and as high as we could go:) I'm still in awe of the weather in the middle of the winter... perfection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the hike, we ate lunch at Jose's Cafe in Sedona and finished the drive up to Prescott and to our little bed & breakfast that served us appetizers in the evening and breakfast in the morning...so quaint. (Notice the festive confetti on the table:))

Whatever, New York...Prescott has a boot-drop!!

Love these two and every trip we take with them.

BTW, Kam and Sum...DON'T GO!!!!