What an unsupervised fruit roll-up looks like:

Titles

I've held many different titles in my life.
First there was DAUGHTER (to which I didn't even realize how special that was until last June when I got to hold my own).
One of my favorites is SISTER; I have been lucky enough to have some of the best siblings that I am still close with even though we are old-er and grown and on our own.
I'm a wife, mother, friend, neighbor, den mother, drama queen, cook, granddaughter, cousin, goofball, and many, many others.
One title I never thought I would hold is RUNNER.
When I began training for the Wasatch Back I did it because I was begged into it by a friend and I'm a sucker for a party. I never imagined that running would be something that I would look forward to every day.
It wasn't until a couple weeks ago that I actually felt like a runner. I was running the distance of my longest leg in the Ragnar- 5.1 miles- and at about mile 3.5 I really started thinking. After a 10 year hiatus after being a sprinter in 9th grade track-and-field, I was actually able to run. Not down the street. Not around the block. I was running for several miles. Most importantly, I was able to do it with minimal discomfort. Our bodies are incredible, and mine has never felt so healthy and alive.
Last week my family was put down by the stomach flu. In the middle of the night while I was completely delirious and attempting to care for my kids for what felt like the umpteenth time, I stubbed my toes. Hard. I'm not sure what I really injured, but it is keeping me from running. I miss the rhythm. I miss the burn in my lungs and the chill on my arms. I can't wait until my foot gets better so I can get back in my groove.
Because now, I am a runner.

What a month can do!

In only one short month a baby girl can....

start scooting and eventually crawl on her hands and knees.

cut 3 new top teeth.

start eating all table foods.

learn to take a bottle and only nurse 3 times a day.

start to get into trouble!

pull herself up to furniture.

learn to sit up all by herself.

somehow wrap herself even tighter around our little fingers.

Annie's favorites are:

• Her Mama.
• Playing chase with Will.
• Her soft purple blanket
• Books.
• Graham crackers.
• Her "Sassy" food teether.
• Scooter.

Counting Down

Remember in elementary school when you would make those chains to count down until Christmas? It seemed to be eternally long (even though there were probably no more than 25 links), and every day was exciting when you got to tear one more off the bottom. We are looking forward to a couple of trips in the near future so we decided to make a count down chain. As a family we are going on our annual Moab trip at the end of this month, and in the middle of May I'm taking the kids with my Mom and we are headed to Florida for 10 days. Will couldn't believe that our chain was almost as big as me, and I couldn't believe how short it is. These trips are the kick off to summer, and I say BRING IT ON!!!

Putting a Rumor to Rest

Dallas has finally made his decision about where he is going to finish his schooling as a Mechanical Engineer. After much debate and wishy-washy-ness (heck, at this point the people in our ward are just calling our indecision LIES, and who can blame them?), Dallas has been accepted into the University of Utah. He will continue his education there this fall which means you may or may not see me sporting this:

We will continue to stay put unless a more perfect job magically appears for us.

I don't really care about it, but for some reason I can't stop watching it.

There are some things that I really need to get off my chest about the contestants on season 9 of American Idol. Let's just go down the row, shall we?

Tim Urban: Probably has a future career in High School Musical 4. He just screams Disney.

Siobahn Magnus: There aren't really words. You just kind of freak me out. Also, do you have a cold? Sometimes I think you have a cold.

Crystal Bowersox: Thank goodness for Crest White-strips.

Katie Stevens: A dime a dozen.

Michael Lynche: The only reason you are still on is because you could literally squash every producer... probably at the same time. Can we say "Ruben Studdard II"?

Casey James: AKA Kara's pet. Her giddy smile is a little bit creepy when you take the stage. Little bit.

Lee Dewyze: I like you. Glad you figured yourself out in the last few weeks. Rock on, Brotha'.

Andrew Garcia: I had high hopes for you, but you continue to suck, week after week. Also, you probably shouldn't ever be onstage without your guitar.

Aaron Kelly: We now know that 13 year-old girls vote in droves.

Auntie Liesel

We have been so lucky to have Dallas' little sister Liesel come and stay a few weekends with us. She spoils us with Oreos, chips, girly movies, soccer games, fun drives, girl talk, and best of all, babysitting. We love you, Lies! We are so glad you come to stay with us.

Need Sleepy

One o'clock church on Sunday is rough with a three year-old that still needs a nap. We try to keep him from having one, but then we end up at 5:00 PM with this:

Newborn pictures that are 3 1/2 years too late.

Happy Easter?

It felt like a cruel joke when we woke up on Easter morning to this:

We had to shovel walks and clean off the cars; not my idea of a spring holiday activity. Will didn't care. He still got way too much candy and two Easter Egg Hunts.

Nothing says "he loves me" like...

...a brand new empire red Kitchenaid 4.5 QT 300 W stand mixer. It was well worth the wait!