Race To The Top

I went biking today and I passed these two older gentleman biking along. But sometimes when you pass people that are riding slow they speed up. Because no one likes to get passed. And that is what these dudes in their 60's did. I rode up to the top of South Fork and they were just there behind me most of the way. On one climbed they got a little too close like 10 yards back and all of a sudden I was done and took off biking hard. I am not a fast biker but I did not want these dudes to pass me. I get to the top and waited for them but they never showed so I turned around and headed home. About a mile down I passed them resting in the shade and they said we tried to keep up but you wore us out. So funny. They did keep up for a good 3 miles crazy dudes.

Last week went well. My grades are pretty much done minus one girl who will need to run the mile to pass. Seriously come to class, dress, and participate and we would not have to worry about getting you to pass on the very last day of school. Are you kidding me! The good news is that is she makes it up all my 9th graders passed which is an accomplishment considering the group I had this 2nd semester.

Yesterday I biked in the morning and then went to a super fun family picnic. It was so great to see so many of my cousins that I don't usually see. I had a great time chatting with everyone. I took my camera but don't worry it sat in the shade the entire time. So LAME!

I finally saw Hunger Games. It was good. I liked it. I wouldn't say I loved it or that it was the best movie ever like my students had me believing but it was good. The highlight of the movie was when Dan spilled the entire thing of popcorn all over the floor, hilarious. I feel like I am turning into my Dad because when I go the movies I want popcorn it is just so delicious. Good thing I don't go to the movies very often. Not only is it fattening but it is stink'n' expensive.

Can you believe my Mom turns 60 this week? That is crazy talk. I love my Mom. She is just a great example to me and is such a good person. I hope she has a very happy birthday because she deserves it!

Super Busy

 This week seemed super busy but I seriously feel like every week is busy. I have started playing basketball on Mondays again which I love. But it is just another thing to do that takes up 2-3 hours by the time I get there a little early and stay and lock up.

Erica and Than were in town. I didn't take any pictures but I did make it up to see them one night this week. Wednesday I believe. We ate yummy cafe rio, homemade ice cream, and visited until Erica fell asleep on the couch (it had been a long night and day). It is so fun catching up with them and I miss all the free meals Erica used to cook for me....oh and the company!

Thursday was 9th grade night. I showed up to present the PE awards and athletic team awards. That is always fun. I rocked my birthday dress and my boots and let's just say I got some calls as I walked up to the microphone. It is always interesting to see the students reaction when they see me in "normal clothes" and awkward in that situation, howling from the audience is so not necessary. I actually love to dress up for things like that it feels great not to be in PE clothes and to have my hair down.

Friday night I treated Dan to Texas Roadhouse because I won a gift certificate for teacher appreciation week. I never win drawings so that was pretty sweet. It was my pre-race meal before my triathlon on Saturday. Oh and then I finally watched Captain America, it was alright.

Saturday I did this triathlon:

The triathlon was awesome. It was a sprint distance. That is the only distance I have ever competed in but it has been 7 years so I wasn't sure how it would go especially with my hamstrings but it was great. I loved that it was all women. I think that makes it less threatening for so many women and it is so inspirational to see women of all ages, we are talking teens to their 70's participating in an event together. 

I learned some things. Like pool swims are not my favorite, that was my first one and I didn't like it. It was self paced and I placed myself a little slower than what I had been swimming just to be safe but obviously most people did the opposite. It was the slowest swim ever! But it made up for my bike and run which went really really well. The run even better than I could have anticipated. I think I may have to sign-up for an Olympic distance this year. Oh the other annoying thing is that triathlons are EXPENSIVE! $70 for less than an hour and a half of exercise. I am not quite sure how I feel about that. But I will say that the shirt is super cute and the food at the end of this event was awesome.

 I missed having my Mom there. She has been at all my other triathlons and she always helped me in the transition area (which wasn't allowed here) and took pictures. It is always fun to have a super fan. So Mom if I do an Olympic distance I need you to come to Utah:)

This morning I walked to the Provo Temple. It was a super Sunday walk. Like 7 miles super. I love walking on Sundays I just think and ponder and really enjoy the beauty in the world. I have been wanting to take some pictures of the Provo temple so that is what I did.

 I am not in love with the results. I want a picture that I have taken to hang in my house. I actually took an amazing one when I was in the MTC on a snowy day but that was with a film camera and those negatives could be anywhere.

If you were wondering where all the pink roses in the world are, look no further they are at the Provo Temple.

8 days of school left. I can't believe it. Until then life will be really crazy but then it will all slow down. I can't wait!

Perspective

 Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to the Provo City Center Temple ground breaking. I wanted to go but I was also hesitant because I felt like I had so much to do. Aren't all Saturdays like that? In the end my day was super super busy and crazy but I was really happy I went. Elder Holland presided and the meeting and ceremony were just really nice and the spirit was definitely there. Who knows if I will ever the opportunity go to another temple groundbreaking so I am glad I went.

Yesterday was Dan's birthday so we went Avengers and to lunch. Nancy, Sam, and Amanda came. It is always fun to spend time with family. Although Dan told me I ruined his birthday because I was way late for lunch. MY BAD! We still had fun.

I also participated in an art show. (Don't die of shock.) I meant to have my sister-in-law take some pictures of my display she put together but I forgot. Amanda plays in an orchestra and they were playing the grand canyon suite and they did an art show along with it. It was a laid back show but I entered 6 pieces all photography from different national parks. It was stressful picking pictures but I am glad I did it.

It's mother's day. I love my mom. My brothers in California are fortunate and can spend the day with her. They had an informal photo shoot and posted pictured on Facebook so I made Dan and Sam pose with me so we could participate as well.

 

 

I feel so blessed to live close to family so I can spend special days with them.

Recently on KSL I read an article that really got me thinking. It was about a man who was diagnosed with Lou Gherig's disease at age 29. Basically once you are diagnosed you will live three years or less. He is married and has a daughter. The article was really good but I especially loved this quote,

It might be painful for a little while, or difficult and sad, but we believe in an afterlife. We'll be together again … and 300 years from now we'll think, 'Remember when you had ALS? What were we so worried about?'

–Ben Thomas, ALS patient

I just think it applies to everything in life. We don't know the Lord's timetable and it puts things into perspective. Everyone has challenges, some I have seen my friends struggle with are death of loved ones, chronic pain and illness, inability to get pregnant or to stay pregnant, unemployment. The list goes on and on, for me I want to be married and have kids but I am not. As I read this article I thought it will be so interesting to say one day remember when I was 32 and single. Life was great but sometimes you were sad and you wanted to be married really bad and you wanted to be a mom more than anything. And most the time you didn't worry but once in awhile there were times that the pain was real and it hurt. Isn't that funny that you were so sad and so worried.

I read a women's conference talk by Brad Wilcox and he talked about the women in the Bible and one that he highlighted was Hannah the mother of Samuel and he talked about how she wept bitterly  because she could not conceive. And that it was ok. She had to have faith she had to move on but it was ok that she wept and was sad and hurt. And in the Lord's time she did conceive. Now I am not feeling bad for myself right now but I read that article on KSL and it really just put things into perspective and I thought I wish I would never worry again. I wish my friends that are suffering never had to worry again. I am sure we all will worry about things again but it would be so amazing to see the Lord's perspective.

 

 

Pushing to the End!

I feel like I am just barely hanging on until the end of school. This semester I have a couple of rough classes and they are taking their toll. I find that I have very little patience with my students in these classes. I don't know why but all of a sudden these lovely little girls think it is ok to just refuse to do things. I don't fight with them and I definitely don't beg I just remove them and move on but there are like 15 of them that are going to have a very hard time passing my class. It is weird because most kids are so great and guess what in life we all have to do things we don't like. It is not like I expect them to love the mile, but guess what you have to run it.













I cut my hair. It was so long and it just felt unhealthy. I cut 1-2 inches off of it every time I color it but the longer my hair gets the more straggly it becomes. It looks great to a certain point and then it is just gross. So I chopped 5 inches. My hair had not been this long for 7 years. I have really enjoyed long hair and my hair is still long just not super super long.

I mastered the out braid. I love doing braids on my hair. I laugh that it is totally acceptable and cute to wear a pony tail if you have done some kind of braid in the front. If only I had known that in junior high and high school. My pony tails would have ROCKED!

I have been working at the Provo Temple. I love it! When I was set apart the temple president mentioned that it would  not seem like a sacrifice and that I would look forward to my time there each week. So true! I do look forward to it and no matter what else is going on that week or how crazy it seems everything stands still for those five hours. It is so great. He also promised blessings to me and my family and I have seen this already as well. The only problem is now I need to figure out a time to go to the temple outside of working there. That has not happened yet.