before carpet

Because we are putting in so much carpet, we had to move basically everything but the kitchen, bathrooms, and Kaitlyn's room. Thankfully, we had another bedroom and storage room in which to dump our stuff. Here are a couple of pictures of my kitchen right now. This morning I had to literally climb on the table to find my computer and power cord.

Right now, I am hiding behind the mattress by the fridge so that I am out of the way. They are promising a better place to sit soon but I don't see it happening right away. Lee is supposed to be bringing me some lunch so I don't have to try and cook anything in this mess. I hope he comes soon!

updated pics of upstairs

Here are some amazing updated pictures of the upstairs. Can we say we love the red? :) I will obviously need to paint the windows white but this is that wonderful corner of windows.

 A pretty good picture of my ledge/shelf. It turned out soo pretty!! I took it this pic from the floor last night because all our furniture is moved and I was sitting on the floor.

So, we repainted this wall. The color I had was just not what I wanted! I really wanted a little more yellow and a better contrast with the white trim. I fell in love with this color and so we had to paint the walls all over again the day before carpet delivery. I know, I'm crazy. But, thanks to my amazing sister, Melinda, we were able to get everything done!! I could not have done it without her. I owe her BIG TIME! Be thinking of a project that I can help you with Melinda because I do owe you.

downstairs paint complete

Here are some updated pictures of the basement.



Here you can see the new whitish wall with the new blue wall. I have to say, I'm loving the blue wall.

And, now we know why there was a cabinet in this corner!! We will have to get a new cabinet in to cover these pipes but won't be able to do that for a couple of months. Notice the pretty pinkish paint on the right wall we get to cover up? At one time, our entire house was PINK!!!

Before - downstairs

I am going to start working on the downstairs in earnest this next week. I thought I would post some before pictures before I get started. This room should be easy as it is just removing the built-in cabinet, painting, new light fixtures and carpet. Stay tuned for updated pics!

Below is the hole Kaitlyn made in the wall one day. Yeah it will be patched. :)

 The light fixtures I will be replacing.

A picture of the built in cabinet...and Wells.

Day 4

No pictures today because there is not much to show. I was supposed to have the entire day off work but ended up working about seven (7) hours...yeah, so much for vacation. Anyway, tonight I was able to finish all the edge work on the yellowish wall. I need to work on the inside of the closet and the closet door but that will come later. I also figured out how to put up the ledge and ruined one board cutting it wrong (nope, not sharing a picture of that. :) ). Anyway. I will be prepping walls for paint tomorrow and finishing the wainscoat on the west wall. I'm hoping that we can figure out the ledge so that I can start painting the wainscoat on Wednesday.

In the meantime, I have  website to build, interviews to complete, a hair appointment and some shopping/wrapping to do. I hope I survive until Friday! It's definitely going to be a fun week.

Cross your fingers that I get the ledge/shelf up tomorrow so I have some cool pictures to share!

day 2-3

So here are some pic updates for days 2-3. The walls that used to have wallpaper are all painted. In the picture you can see that I still need to paint the edges but everything else is done. The other walls are not going quite so fast. The wainscoat is going up. Progress is much slower than than I want, but I can't wait to get it finished, painted and the ledge done. It's going to look FABULOUS!! Here are the pictures.

Stage one - complete!

So, I'm really changing the walls upstairs. I want do something with wainscoat (yes, I love the stuff). So, I decided to take it all the way to the top of the windows. I also wanted some red in the room (well, yes, red...i love red). But, I need to lighten up the walls because my carpet is going to be darker. So, I'm putting red above the wainscoat, you'll just see peeks of it above everything else. This last weekend, I completed painting the red. It looks a little funny right now but I have the vision! I wish I could have done more but, alas, work called me to vegas so I could jump off the skytower. :) Here are pictures of my slightly red walls.

first task - wallpaper begone!

On the wall that runs down my hallway lived some wallpaper and a chair rail. Now, this wallpaper is not ugly, it is just not what I want. So, we tore it all down, sanded and retextured the walls. Look! We are ready for paint!

A peek into the two messy rooms I get to clean before the carpet comes...and the first wall I finished prepping for paint. :)  

before

I want to have documentation of what I'm about to do on my house. So, I'm uploading the before pictures of my upstairs. I'll soon start uploading the activities I get done as I do them.

 This is the corner with my windows. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with curtains. I'll post when I figure it out!

The back corner of the room. Here all things shall meet. I will have fun trying to match everything up here.

The main wall (separates the kitchen from our living room). Nicely decorated for holidays right now. All that will come down before Christmas unfortunately. Notice the beautiful blue carpet?

my sky jump!

I had so much fun on my sky jump! It was surreal how calm I was through the whole thing until they said JUMP then I freaked out for a split second and then jumped. I would totally do this again. Here's the video of my grand adventure.

the great remodel of 2010

The great remodel (which really isn't more than new paint and carpet) is about to begin. I was planning to wait until I had two weeks off work and do it all then but now I don't really have two weeks off so I'm going to get started this weekend. Besides, I'm finding that I really can't wait. I'm so excited!!

Check back often this month for picture updates and craziness. It will be interesting to see how well it all comes together. Just in case you are wondering, here are the plans:

1. Living room upstairs: remove wallpaper, fix all the holes, new paint, new carpet
2. Wells's bedroom: clean and new carpet
3. Master bedroom: clean and new carpet
4. Family room downstairs: remove built-in cabinet, fix all the holes, new paint, new carpet

Just a little something to do because I don't have anything better to do. :)

can we say excited!!

I decided a couple of months ago that I wanted to remodel something during my two-week Christmas break. Well, we finally made a decision. I will be replacing 90% of the carpet in my house and repainting/redoing two rooms (the living room upstairs and the TV room downstairs).

Feel free to watch my progress on this blog. I'm hoping to put up daily updates on what was accomplished each day. It is going to be a logistical nightmare to repaint the two biggest rooms in my house and pack up everything for carpet AND have Christmas in the middle of it, but oh so worth it! :)

Stay tuned for more information on an exciting transformation.

taken without consent

So, I decided to take some time away from reading fiction and try to read more nonfiction and business books. I have a subscription to the New York Times bestsellers list on my nook and regularly peruse it for new, exciting books to read. One that has been on the list lately is "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks". I bought it and just finished reading it.

This story about is about a black woman in the 50's with cervical cancer. She went to John Hopkins for diagnosis and treatment. During diagnosis, a sample of her cells were harvested and found to be immortal, they reproduce forever, have never died, are immortal. Her cells were used (and still are used) throughout the world for medical research. Many of the vaccines we have now were discovered because of her cells.

What is interesting about this book is that her cells were harvested without her consent. She had no idea that her cells lived on, and on, and on. Neither did her family. Twenty years later, the found out and since they didn't understand (none of them having much more than a fourth grade education) what it meant to have her cells flown into space, blown up in a nuclear bomb, etc. they were obviously upset.

So, it got me thinking. How would I react? Well, just as I was finishing this book I had an opportunity to experience a similar experience. This week while going through security, I set off the metal detector. I never do this! I don't put anything in my pockets. I take off my shoes. I take off my belt. I take off my jacket. I put my cell phone in the bin. Still I set off the alarm. Well, I was directed back through and asled to step aside. The man wiped my hand with some wet something and told to wait while he "checked it out". He wouldn't tell me what he was doing, just smiled and waved me through when I passed the test. I was totally offended! I wanted to yell "what are you doing?" and "why?"

I felt violated and angry and it was only 10 seconds on my life.

Red is the color of power...and marlene

The kids came home talking about their color personality one day. I knew what mine color was and what it meant but had forgotten what the others were. So, I took the test again to see if my memory served me well on remembering my color. Yup, it did. All in all the Martineaus and a very colorful family. Doesn't this sound like my cute little family? :)

Kaitlyn is Yellow: Yellows are motivated by Fun. Without their natural talents of enthusiasm and optimism, the world would be a boring place for all. They are here to have a great time. Yellows have an innate ability to be happy. Yellows love to enjoy life. They have a mental attitude that allows them to appreciate what they have rather than be miserable over what they don’t .

Wells is White: Whites are kind, considerate, patient and accepting. Whites truly believe that with patience all things come to those who wait. The problem is that they are sometimes too content with sitting around waiting. They seek contentment more than power, money or, for that matter, more than friends. They are happy having one or two good friends and one or two hobbies. In fact, they tend to have only one hobby at a time. Instead of trying to carry on with two hobbies, they will drop one to take on another. Having two is too much effort. Their only demands from life are the things that make them feel comfortable. That feeling fosters their need to feel good inside.

Lee is Blue:  Blues are very observant and intuitive, noticing quality and detail. With their combined assets, their sense of purpose, and their ease with showing compassion, they become integral parts of every society. They believe if you don’t have a sincere connection in life, then there really is no other value. Earning money, having the Mercedes, and being in the windowed office are nice but do not represent a purposeful life to a blue. Blues are very purposeful people who love to serve and give of themselves freely to nurture others' lives. They are loyal friends, employers and employees, and their personal code of ethics is very strong. They expect other people to live honest and committed lives as well. Blues are dependable, thoughtful, and analytical; but they can also be self-righteous, worry-prone, and moody. They hold on and never let go of something/someone once they are committed.

Marlene is Red: Reds boldly move forward with logic, vision and determination. These qualities make them natural born leaders, as they make things happen by sheer force of will. From a Red perspective, emotion has little to do with accomplishing a task.  Reds are visionary and seem to have insight into the future. Keeping their eyes on the future averts them from the mundane day-to-day. In dealing with day-to-day circumstances, they make swift decisions and their independent nature doesn’t require someone to hover over them to see them through. Reds can be difficult to work with if they don’t get their way.

and the winner is...INPUT

At work, all the managers are taking the Strengths Finder 2.0 test. This test uses opposing statements to help you find your strengths as a person. There are 177 questions and they are not always easy to answer. Anyway, at the end of the test, you get a list of your five (out of 30) strengths. For the most part, they are spot on. There is only one with which I do not fully agree. One of my strengths is INPUT. and this is why that is funny.

You know the name of my blog right? You know the description of my blog right? Well, here is the description of INPUT.

"You are inquisitive. You collect things. You might collect information - words, facts, books and information - or you might collect tangible objects such as butterflies, baseball cards, porcelain dolls, or sepia photographs. Whatever you collect, you collect it because it interests you. And yours is the mind that finds so many things interesting. The world is exciting simply because of its infinite variety and complexity. If you read a great deal, it is not necessarily to refine your theories but, rather, to add more information to your archives. If you like to travel, it is because each new location offers novel artifacts and facts. These can be acquired and stored away."

How funny is that? I just laughed when I read it. And knew I had to blog about it. :)

you know you are addicted when...

You spend time at work looking for a race you can do in two weeks cuz you have races planned before and after but don't have anything planned for that one saturday in October. Yup, I think I'm becoming addicted. Not that I am actually any good at the races (don't think I'll ever place) or that I'm out running/biking every day (far from it) but I think I just really like running with my sisters!

It is fun to have a couple of you all cheering me on and getting excited and making plans for me to join you in races. It is also a lot of fun to cheer you back and see the progress we are making together. I can't wait until November when I get to run with Pauline! Too bad she can't make it to Ogden in May, that would be too much fun and a great way to kick off my summer season. Guess I'll have to make atrip to Cedar City next summer as well for some fun running!

Now, who wants to start cycling with me? :)

one minute faster!

I ran my second 5K this weekend and I was a FULL minute faster! I don't know if that is a very cool thing in a 5K but I think it is a big deal. Allison kept telling me that I was running faster. I felt faster. Here are my pics!

We are at the starting line. It was a cold, but warmer than our last race.

Yah! I finished my race. Wow, I look wiped out.

Here I am planting trees for Wells's eagle scout project. I did this right after the race. Yup it was fun. :)

so you think i'm crazy?

I'm beginning to wonder! :)

After my 5K, I got so excited I've decided to sign up for a duathlon. AND i'm dragging Allison with me! We are going to have so much fun. So, we will run the TOU 5K on the 18th and just one week later, we will do a duathlon. What's a duathlon you ask? Well, let me tell you! :)

A duathlon is a run, ride, run course. For this one, we will be running 2 miles, riding 12 miles, and then running another 2 miles. We can do all of those individually and are excited to see if we can do them all together! It will be an adventure. Stay tuned.

My first official 5K!

For several years I have dreamed of running a 5K. It was not until this year that I actually made the commitment do actually do it. Thanks to my ambitious sista, I ran my first official 5K on September 6, 2010 in 37:27 minutes. :)

Here we are pretending we are the baddest runners of the day!

 We made it around the block! Look at us go!

Coming up on the finish. I had just run up a hill that knocked the wind out of me. Allison ditched me to sprint to the end. I'm still smiling though, can you believe it?

Even though she ditched me you can see Allison cheering me on! She was awesome! I loved all the motivational cheering she did throughout the entire race. :)

BIG FINISH!!!

With love to Wellsville for giving me the opporunity to prove I am a runner, a very slow runner but still. :)

progress is good, really good

I've been really working this year to lose some weight. Yet, it seemed that no matter what I did, it just lingered. One day I was reading about the medicine I was taking and realized that it can cause weight gain. Well, no wonder! I can usually lose weight pretty well when I get motivated!

Well, I went off my meds and then started traveling so it seemed nothing was working out. However, I'm home for three weeks and decided to go on a strict diet for the three weeks I was home. Guess what?! SEVEN POUNDS later, I'm really loving life.

I am so excited to be losing weight again. My headaches are gone now that my tooth is gone and gum is healed. Now, I'm really making progress with weight loss! My goal is to not concentrate on how much weight I'm losing but to exercise and eat right. I'm shooting for 20 workouts in 30 days. I am also running my first official 5K on Labor Day!

Feels good to feel good. Feels better to get results. :)

I'm back!!

I was just thinking the other day that it has been an eternity since I blogged? Wanna know why? :)

Here's what I've done since July 18th:

• slept in a hotel for 21 nights
• attended 6 different conferences
• attended band camp
• rode 100 miles on my bike
• ran 10 miles

and still had time to get the kids all registered for school and go school shopping. it's been a whirlwind but fun month.

more to come!!

The waka waka dance in Utah

To my dearest sister in Kenya. We loved your tribute to the World Cup, especially the song "This Time of Africa". We thought we would learn and share the waka waka dance! Here is our version, minus the music, we aren't THAT good. :)

the story of my tooth

Yes, this is really a story..and a long one. About 15 years ago, I had two molars that started to bother me. Well, nothing was wrong (of course) until about four years ago when I suddenly needed two root canals!! How do you go from nothing is wrong to you need a root canal????

Well, got the root canal one on but my roots were so skiwampus on the other that I had to go to a specialist. The suckers made right angles! Well, even the specialist couldn't get around the corner so the bottom roots were good but one little top root was still in trouble. "There is a chance that it will still be OK," I was told. With my luck? A chance?

Not my lucky day. A year later, I had to go in for an apico. Basically, an oral surgeon goes in from the gum, cuts off the infected root tip and back fills. "There's a chance this won't work," I'm told. Well, it didn't. I've had headaches off and on now for many, many years waiting and hoping that this tooth gets better. So, now what? Here is my impending adventure.

1. get tooth pulled (have an appointment for that next week). let it all heal for a couple of months.
2. get a titanium rod installed. let it heal for a couple of months.
3. get a permanent replacement fixture installed. hope that all the healing is over.

Here's hoping that just getting the tooth pulled will be a relief! I'm not sure about having a hole in my mouth though. So, if I don't smile when you see me next, I'm hiding a hole. :)

still breathing

July is always a crazy month but this one seems extra crazy. If I make it through with my sanity intact, it will be a miracle. Why is it so crazy? Here's why:

• At work, we need to finish 10 RFPs in 20 days. Not an easy task when they are so huge this time and when two of your contract writers quit. My full-time writer and me have been working a lot of extra hours to make it happen. Five down, five to go.
• Two family reunions! That's been the fun part but also stressful to get planned and packed and then unpacked. We did have a ton of fun at both of them though.
• Three business trips in two weeks. Yup, doing the round trip on one of them. Where am I going? New Orleans, Wilmington, NC and Ft. Meyers, FL. I've been asked to pick up a tarball as a souvenir.
• Lots of plays and concerts. This is my summer of culture and most of it happens in July. Went to see the following productions: Much Ado about Nothing, Pride and Prejudice, Merchant of Venice, Four Pianists, Complete Works of Shakepeare...abridged. Have tickets for Mousetrap but have to give them up to Allison. :(
• Shuttling the kids to climbing, guard, EFY, Girl's Camp, and Scout camp. Can you say LOADS of laundry?
• And, we decided to completely rebrand the company I work for in eight short weeks. I'm dying. Some things are fabulous, some are just taking too long. Worse, the two owners aren't talking to me. This is the one thing that is going to kill me. :)

Well, that's it. My month rolled into one blog and we are just over halfway done. If I don't blog again this month, you now know why.

mascots and mayhem

I really don't know why I put mayhem in the title of this blog, except the fact that mayhem is the normal for my life these days. Someone asked me yesterday what my plans were for the weekend. I told them I didn't have time to think about the weekend. I have too much to do between now and then. One day at a time these days. One day at a time.

I've had some people ask me about my profile pic. A turtle? Really? Yes, really. There really is a reason I use a turtle as my profile. It all started when we decided to get a mascot at work. It was fun to go through the process of finding the perfect animal and give him a name. It made me think, if I could pick one animal to represent me what would it be and why?

Well, a turtle for two reasons. 1) You can't go anywhere in life without sticking your neck out. And, yeah it's scary to stick your neck out. Something might be out there to chop it off. 2) Hiding in your shell doesn't do anyone any good. I do have a tendency to curl up inside myself and ignore the world. Looking at a turtle every day reminds me to come out and start moving. I may be slow, but at least I'm moving.

So, that's why I have a slight fascination with turtles. :)

the great AA knows all

AA = Allison Anderson. Yes, it's true. She knows all. At least she knows more about running outside than I do. When we went running earlier this week, she told me I was a lot faster than I thought I was. Well, she was right. I went the full distance for a 5K run this morning. I made it in 38.5 minutes. The fastest I've ever been on the treadmill is 42.5 minutes. I think that is a HUGE difference. Also, I was not able to run the entire time. My heart rate and breathing got all crazy after about 12.5 minutes of running (about a mile in my estimation) and I had to walk for 90 seconds to get it all settled down. Then, I went full speed (well, full my speed) again.

I was so excited! When I went to Wal-mart this morning to fill out paperwork so we can do a car wash there later this month, I saw a flier for a fun run in August. I need to go back and find out when/where it is. I would love to run two 5Ks this summer as well as bike two half centuries. What a huge accomplishment! I would have never thought, even a year ago, that I could do this much. I really would have thought it was impossible. Well, I'm a firm believe in the possible now. :)

July 6, 2010 - 9:08 p.m.

Watching one final play. The Merchant of Venice. Said to be not a comedy, not a romance, not a tragedy. It's true. Loved the costumes for this one. I really think that was my favorite part. I was wishing the entire time that I could take pics of them for my little costume designer at home. Oh well, guess I'll look at this sexy chest instead. And if you don't know why I'm looking at this sexy chest, you should really read the play. :)

July 6, 2010 - 7:17 p.m.

Enjoying the Green Show. Tonight is Scottish Night! Oh how I wish I could type an accent.

July 6, 2010 - 2:15 p.m.

Watching Pride and Prejudice at the Utah Shakespearan Festival. The play was ok. I think Mr. Darcy was kind of a putz. BUT, the staging was amazing. There were no breaks and the transitions between rooms, scenes, even houses were a-mazing.

Took a break and said hi to Shakespeare himself. Yeah, me and William. We're tight.

July 6, 2010 - 11:15 a.m.

Sitting down to watch Northanger Abbey with my sisters. One of my favorite Jane Austin books. I'm so excited to see this movie version. So far, so good!

July 6, 2010 - 7:32 a.m.

Went for a morning run. Thought I was doing amazing, found out I only went 2.5 miles. Wow, I need to kick it into gear to get ready for the 5K! This training plan has been good to me so far. I'm excited for September.

July 5, 2010 - 7:58 p.m.

Here we are like ducks in the lilly pond waiting for the play to start, waiting for the play to start, waiting for the play to start. Here we are like ducks in the lilly pond waiting for the play to start.

Watched "Much Ado About Nothing" tonight and laughed so hard. The director was brilliant, Benedick was out of control, and Beatrice was so convincing we were sniffling ourselves. This was by far THE best production of this play I have ever seen.

Can't wait until tomorrow. Two more plays to enjoy!

July 5, 2010 - 3:56 p.m.

We finally finished one of our summer projects. The shed has needed a fresh coat of paint for several years now. It finally got a face lift. How cute is this?

July 5, 2010 - 1:56 p.m.

Got up this morning and went for a hike to Kanaraville Falls. Such a beautiful hike! Last time we went up, a recent flood has washed the ladder down. We got up the ladder this time!

nothing like cramming a whole week into two days...

No kidding. That's what I did this week! The first part of the week was spent in Ft. Lauderdale at a conference. It was a very good conference and I'm so happy I was able to go. The weather was very windy and I didn't spend any time on the beach, but I did spend a lot of time looking at it and enjoying the humidity.

I got back late Thursday and fit an entire week of work into my Friday morning. Then, it was off the Antelope Island. Wells and I joined about 2,000 other crazy people who rode from the marina to the ranch and back at night. It was so amazing!!! The ride started at 10:00 p.m. and we finished about 12:30 a.m. Yup, 12:30 a.m. I was amazing to see all the valley lights and the trail of headlights/tail lights on the island. I thought is was going to be an easy, flat ride. NOPE!! There are a couple of smaller and one killer hill on that there island. We found out that Wells is a better climber than me but I totally dust him on the way down! :) Yup, mass does come in handy sometimes. And we got the coolest event shirt ever! It has that crazy vampire on it.

We got home and got some much needed sleep. Then came today. Wells and Lee planted half of the trees for Wells's eagle project and Kaitlyn and I went shopping (of course!). Once we got home, we kicked it into high gear. We tilled and watered the garden, trimmed all the trees to make it easier to mow the lawn, started scraping the shed so we can prime and paint it next week, watered all the flowerbeds, finally got a bit of homework done, and watched Avatar. Needless to say, I'm exhausted!!

All in all, it has been an immensely productive day. I hope we have many more as the project list just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

oh yeah baby

I had a breakthrough today! Well, at least my body did. I've been able to run a 5K on the treadmill several times but when I get out on the road, I completely lose it. I know it has been my inability to pace myself on the road. Pacing on the treadmill is easy, it does it for me! Well, today I found my breathing pace that allows me to run the entire distance and not spike my heartrate. Woot! I can't wait to get home and try it out on the road.

I also found out that Ft. Lauderdale traffic is pretty consistent. And, you count about 800 cars between 0 and 5K.

Now, who wants to join me in my first road 5K ever?!? September is the month. Join me!

where oh where to start

Have you ever had one of those days when you think...uh, what just happened? Today was one of those days. The kids have Youth Conference this weekend. Friday evening and all day Saturday were supposed to be a couple of hours of pure childless bliss. Well, the childless part happened but not the bliss. :(

It all started when I went Visiting Teaching on Sunday. One of my ladies was frustrated because she was trying to put together a job fair and was not having much luck. Well, I volunteered to help. What's the big deal, I thought. I will still have Friday night and all afternoon on Saturday. Three hours helping at Youth Conference will dent but not ruin my plans.

Then, Thursday came. The color guard council has been trying to plan some fundraisers for everyone to earn money for the Washington DC trip. Well, they need help. Like some adult supervision that will help things actually happen. So, we met on Thursday to plan some activities. In the meantime, one of the other mom's decided to get a booth at Nibley Heritage Days and have a bake sale for the guard, without telling anyone her plans. That was fun. So, on Thursday we hurried and planned some stuff for the booth on Saturday. Crappy!! There goes my afternoon!!

So, now what? I'm thinking, "well, I can still run to Sears and look at some appliances. I probably won't make it to the Verizon store, but maybe still make it to Joyride bikes? Oh, and I need a new carryon for my trip on Sunday. I can work Youth Conference and the fundraiser and stilll do all that right?" WRONG!!

I made it to Sears. Yup, that's it. Now, I'm sitting here blogging and wishing I had the energy to go somewhere else. But, then I remember I need to do some laundry or I wan't have any clothes to pack. What happened to my blissful weekend? If you know where to find one, please let me know. I would love to go visit, borrow, steal, something to have one.

On the bright side, Kaitlyn and I went to see The Blithe Spirit on Wednesday. It is so cute. We had the best seats and the actors were really good. Kaitlyn has decided that she needs to ask them if they have summer internships for High School students. She wanted to make some of those costumes--until she saw the one with all the fur. Who knew she was a card-carrying member of PETA???!!! :)

and the craziness continues

No, not the craziness of this past week (although some of that is still here) but the craziness that is CYCLING!! Since we picked up Wells's bike, he has only been able to go on three rides and no longer than about 10 miles. He is so funny, he keeps yelling at the rain! I do that too but not nearly as vocal. Anyway, the craziness is this - today we registered for a few bike rides! Here's our schedule (on top of everything else we scheduled for the summer).

June 26: Wells and I will participate in Antelope by Moonlight. This fun ride starts at 10:00 p.m. and we go around Antelope Island at night. It's a 23-mile ride and should be a good starter for Wells.

July: Training month! :)

Aug 14: Wells will do Bike the Bear. This event is celebrating 100 years of BSA, so lots of scouts and leaders. He is going to try the 50-mile distance (thus the month of training), and he will be on his own as I will be on a business trip (yes, I'm very sad about that).

Aug 28: Both of us are preparing for the 50-mile distance of the Cache Valley Century. My new riding partner (if we ever get together) will ride it with us.

September 4-6: GRUB Fest baby!! This biking festival is held over Labor Day weekend. It has three century rides (of which we will probably only do one and only the half (50) century), a bike parade (totally going to steal Trent and decorate his bike for the parade), clinics, and lots of crazy riding. It is held in Minersville so I hope Pauline doesn't care if we crash at her place for the weekend. This festival will finish out our cycling summer.

November 27: We are considering the Saturday Fatterday Ride. The only fee is food donations for the Utah Food Bank. They call it the Fatterday ride because it is the Saturday after Thanksgiving (and Wells's birthday this year). It is not a supported ride but could be a lot of fun to do. We'll see what November brings.

And, on top of all that, I signed the kids up for a week of EFY. Of course, they are going two separate weeks so they would have more fun! Whatever. I think that's funny. Kaitlyn will go to EFY one week, have music and movement the next week, and band camp the next. She's going to be exhausted. I don't know how these kids are going to finish their summer classes with everything else that is going on. Like I said...CRAZY!!

one bad week having a grand ole time

Wow. This week just keeps getting better and better.

First, I lost my digital camera. The one that had all our Moab trip pictures and my trip to Boston. I called the hotel and they don't have it so I lost it in transit somewhere. I can replace the camera. I can't replace the pictures.

Second, I got a monster of a sunburn during my ride. I usually don't care about sunburns cuz they go away in two days. Not this one, five days later and I'm still super red.

Third, I have a tooth that has been giving me problems for several years. The diagnosis is that when I'm sick of the headaches, come in and they will pull it. I think it is time to get it pulled.

Fourth, Training Conference is this week. This is always a week of loads of stress and little sleep.

Yup, this week is superb. I want next week to be just like this one. :)

whew! what a ride

As you probably know by now, a chunk of my life has been spent training for my first group cycling event. Let's start off telling you about the event. The Bonneville Cycling club hosts the Little Red Riding Hood ride every year in Cache Valley. This is a noncompetitive, ladies-only ride that raises money for cancer research. They cap it at 3,000 riders and I was lucky enough to get a slot (thanks to a big heads up from some facebook friends).

This year, Little Red was a super hero who was trouncing the Big Bad Wolf that is Cancer. One of the things that makes this ride so much fun is the costumes. Everyone is encouraged to dress up for the ride and there were some fun things to see. The wolf himself even came by to see what kinda trouble he could stir up.

If he wasn't such a baddy (aka cancer), I would say he was quite a hunk! Oh well, he didn't last long. :)

I registered for this ride in February and decided to go for the 35-mile distance. I decided this before I had even had a chance to ride my new bike. Not only had I not ridden my bike, I had never ridden more than about 10 miles in my life. I really thought 35 would be a huge accomplishment. Well, as training started and my milage started to climb, I got really excited about what I might actually be able to do!

Memorial Day, I went for a 39-mile ride. I thought I was going to die!!! I thought, "at least I know I can make it 35 now!". Then, I started thinking about it and started comparing the courses. The ride I go one every week is chuck full of hills (big hills) and the 57-mile distance for LRRH only had one. I just started to wonder why I couldn't do that distance after all...SO I DID!!! I rode 57 miles today!!!

Here is me just minutes before my distance was called. Notice how color coordinated I am? Pauline will be so proud when she sees this picture. I got everything (even new shoes) so that I would match. :)

Here I am just feet away from the finish line. Look at that smile!!! I guess it wasn't too bad after all. In fact, when the fam caught up to me at the official finish line, I asked if I could go again. Not today of course, but real soon. It was so much fun.

In other news, we were able to pick up a really good used bike for Wells, he has been asking for one. I told him he has to go 50 miles with me at the end of the summer.

decision made

Yup, I made a decision and skipped the gym. It felt good to get back on the bike again. I only went 15 miles but that was enough for now. Here's hoping for good weather on Monday since that is the only day I am at home prior to my ride on June 5.

And it gets even better! I felt so good after my ride that I worked some more in the flowerbeds. They are really started to come together. I can't believe it. I only need to weed one small section and bury the lawn edging to call them done.

Then, the real fun of the north flowerbed really begins. Why? That flowerbed is completely saturated with grass. I either need to dig it all out and start over or figure out how to separate it from the plants I would like to keep. Oh yeah, and bury more lawn edging so it stays nice this time. Whew! It never ends.

Another question, should we make an executive decision and to buy a new house and build what I want from the beginning or just keep plugging away on the one we have. Yes, I've lived in this house for six years and I'm dying to move!!!

So, what do you think? Fix up or build up?

remind me again why i do this

The sun is out, the wind is minimal, the birds are chirping, and the roads are dry, remind me again why I am going to the gym today instead of out on the road on my bike? Maybe cuz I pay for the gym? I really need to get better about using it on rainy days and enjoying these sunny days-especially since we are getting so few of them right now.

What do you think? Should I make an executive decision and boycott the gym today in favor of a quick ride? And by quick I'm thinking 20 miles. Maybe 25. Definitely not 30, not today. But I should, my 35-mile ride is only 10 days away. Save me!! Or just come cheer me on, that will work too.

Good news of the day! I found a Saturday riding partner. We are both planning to ride a half century in August and when we figured that out, we decided to train together. We will be our own support group. She rides short distances really fast so I get to learn speed from her. I ride longer distances but much, much slower. She will learn distance riding from me. So excited!!

it's a rocky road ahead

I had a great weekend!! I picked up my bountiful basket and thought long and hard about what to do with a coconut to no avail, looked at my yard but didn't do anything, cleaned most of the house but didn't start any laundry, was so sore from lunges on Thursday I could barely walk up and down the stairs so boycotted both my bike and the gym, almost finished three of my big projects at work but can't quite cross them off my list. 

Wondering why I had a great weekend? Cuz the flowers are blooming and the birds are chirping and it looks warm outside, that's why. Although I'm not going to venture out to see how warm it really is, I'll enjoy the sunshine as it streams through my windows.

This week is going to rock. Literally!! We are going to Arches National Park, driving through Canyonlands and Goblin Valley, and will wrap it up with a visit to Cleveland (cleveland rocks you know). Don't be surprised to see pics of rocks and dirt soon, very soon.

my first avalanche day of May

Pretty good that I almost made it through the month right? In answer to your pending question, an avalanche day is when everything comes crashing down and I am so buried I don't know where to start or how to dig out.

Here's my list of things that HAVE to be completed by the first of June:

• HUGE multi agency RFP
• CTF overview document
• Teaming agreements and go-to-market strategy for three partners
• SOW for a consultanting gig the end of June
• New job description for me
• Website requirements document so we can build a new website
• Last minute stuffs for Training Conference
• Template and guidelines for digital signage

And that's just work. Personally, I need to:

• Prepare for my first 35-mile ride on June 5
• Finish my flowerbeds
• Take my kids to Arches
• Get some sleep

And that is not a comprehensive list in any way. I'm afraid it is going to be a LONG, work-filled weekend. Yuck!! At least the weather is going to be terrible so I won't feel guilty about not riding my bike or working in the yard. Hey! Good news!

and she takes ...

Secretary!! So proud of Kaitlyn, she tried out for guard captain even though she will only be a sophmore next year. She was the youngest to try out. There was one junior and four seniors. Here is what she had to do:

1. 1. make up a 1:30 minute routine.
2. 2. sit through an interview.
3. 3. teach someone how to do flag tosses.

Her instructor LOVED her routine and has decided to put part's of K's routine in a future show. She told me it was her favorite of the bunch. They were worried about making her captain because she is so young, so they made her secretary - the next most important position to the instructor. I mean, equipment manager? Who wants to be that? :)

here comes the travel

Normally, my heavy travel starts in July and goes through Oct. This year it starts tomorrow. I am lucky to have short, quick trips but it still means I am not home and part of all the fun! I am determined to have fun on my trips this year though and not just sit in the hotel and watch television.

First up, going to Newport Beach, CA. Am two miles from the beach. Depending on what time I get done and how dark it is, I plan to walk down and enjoy the sand.

Second, Boston. Love, love the Boston area. Will be walking to the Indepence at the end of the Freedom Trail. Have yet to make it there. That is my one goal. :)

Third, Ft. Lauderdale. All I have to do is walk the beach and I'll be good. Funny that I'll get to see both coasts in just a four-week period.

After that? We'll see. I'll try to take pics to prove I did something fun.

it's all starting to come together

I have wanted to redo my flowerbeds now for three years. It seems that as soon as I get started, something happens and then nothing happens. I am so excited for this year! Things are actually getting done!

1. Back flowerbed is all weeded and has new layer of woodchips. Looks fabulous.
2. Small front flowerbed is weeded, edged, seeded, and put down a layer of woodchips. It has never looked so good! We planted 75 new bulbs in and through the existing tulips and other plants. I have not idea what it going to look like but am so excited. I'll post pictures when I get new blooms.
3. Large front flowerbed is crazy. There is so, so, so much to do. I figure if I just do a little every day it is warm outside, I might get done by August. :) Actually, today was a fabulous day. I was able to clean out all the weeds from the house to about three feet out. We laid down some weedblocker and dumped a thick layer of woodchips on top. I then went to town and bought 12 perennials/bushes to start filling it in. I am excited about them and can't wait until they get to be their regular size. I still need to clean out the rest of the grass/weeds and put down the liner but at least I have a start and some new plants to watch grow. I am hoping for better curb appeal. My house looks so boring from the street.
4. We planted six tomatoes and four peppers. We have a GARDEN!! I know six plants is nothing compared to Pauline's amazing garden but it is better then last year when we did nada.

I still need to figure out what to do about the north side of the house and along the sidewalk but at least something has happened. Like I said before, when things start to grow and fill in, I'll post some pictures.

And now I need to take a shower and rest. I has been a LONG day.

butterflies and brownies

This day will now be interrupted for a brief moment of cerebral chaos.

the summer of my dreams

I have long wanted to spend as much time as I could partaking of all the cultural activities available in Cache Valley. This weekend, I sat down in front of the computer and ordered tickets. I've discovered two things: 1) online shopping is dangerous and 2) I love online shopping! Ok. so that is not a new discovery, just a reaffirmation of how much I love it. :)

So, here is what I get to do:

• Three plays at the Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City
• Four Pianist concert at Eccles Theatre
• Blithe Spirit, The complete works of Shakespeare, and The Mousetrap at the Caine Theatre

I am also going to go to Summer Faire, make it to the County fair, and take my kids to the State Fair for the first time ever! Actually, I've never gone to the State Fair so it should be a fun time for all of us.

As a family, we are planning to go to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point, Goblin Valley, Kennecott Mine, Kowabunga Water Park, Lagoon, the museums in Ogden, indoor sky diving, and whatever else comes our way. All this will be mixed in between work trips, marching band, climbing team, family reunions, scout camps, Girl's Camp, and summer school.

Think we are doing enough? Not us! We are looking for a few good, family concerts to attend. Any suggestions?

a genius i am not

This week I attended the Utah Genius Awards Luncheon, not that I profess to be a genius at all. The company I work for was honored for completing seven trademarks last year. Yes, it is quite a process to get a trademark, but it is even more of a process to get a patent. This organization also honors those who have received patents last year.

I sat at a table with one man who received seven patents because he redesigned a $10,000 billiards table. Next to him, a representative from USU was talking about how they are separating particles using thermodynamics. During the honoree reception, I met the marketing director from Doterra. They sell essential oils (my salon using them and they are amazing!!). There was even a person from Fayette, UT who received four patents for firearms improvements. The amount of brain power in that room was staggering. I felt silly sitting there for a few trademarks.

Interestingly, Logan ranks #5 in patents received by a city. And Paradise, Millville, and Hyde Park were all on the list for top five cities with patents per capita. I feel blessed to live in such a highly creative community. It was fun to talk to people and see what kinds of crazy inventions herald from this good ole state of Utah.

And a special congrats to the University of Utah...233 patents in one year?! That is simply mind boggling.

blame it on genetics

So...if you are a Wells girl, you are probably wondering why you have knee pain when you workout for a long time or try to run or do something like that. I now have the answer. It's genetics!!

Kaitlyn has been having problems with her knees since band camp last summer. We finally got her into the doctor to see what was up. The angle of her legs is out of whak. Instead of moving straight up and down, her knee cap moves at an angle. Too much work on the knee causes swelling...and pain.

So if you are a little weak in the knees, strengthen your quads and your hips and your life will change!! Want the exercises? Let me know. I'll send you the scoop.

ambition is for .... someone else

I have such ambitious plans for this week I am tired just thinking about it. Why so much ambition when I've been pretty much lazy for a couple of weeks? Well, because I've been so lazy the last couple of weeks.

So, here are my major goals:

• Finish 3/4 of my list for work. Meet all my deadlines (yes, this is HUGE and, no, there is no way I can finish the entire list).
• Finish a 30-mile bike ride. Finish at least one other ride.
• Finish the edging for one flowerbed in my front yard.
• Finish the skirt I started three weeks ago.
• Eat healthy every day this week.

Think I can make it? I think I can, IF the weather cooperates.

here's wishing i had more power in the world

When I woke up this morning I declared it Saturday and decreed that everyone go back to bed and get some extra sleep. I was overruled, everyone went to work/school anyway.

Guess I am not Queen of the World. :(

going around in circles

Sorry it's sideways, enjoy anyway!!

ain't my grandma's smocking

I just discovered an amazing new smocking technique! I can't wait for my girl to design it into one of her dresses so I can try it out. Instead of just gathering fabric together, it actually creates a lattice look. The pic at the left shows how cool it really is.

The costume designers used this technique on Padme's robe in Star Wars. They said they used 25-50 yards of fabric to create it. Can you imagine? To put that into context, it is 1/2 a football field. :) If you wanna see it, here 'tis.

Have a project you want me to try it out on? Please?

what lies beneath

As part of my body revolution, I've started cycling (as you know if you read my blog at all) and I joined a "Body Transformation" class at my gym.

I'm so excited! I'm not really losing weight but I can feel muscles start to develop underneath all the excess fat. I am getting stronger. I have more energy. I am changing the way I eat. I am excited for the journey to continue.

Now if I can just get that ugly layer of cottage cheese to disappear so I can really enjoy these new-found muscles.

Old Spice

Strong enough for a man - and should stay that way!

For several years I have used a yummy body wash by Dove. I love it. Love the smell and the way my skin feels after I use it. Well, I ran out. I knew I was running out but keep forgetting to buy a new bottle when I go to the store. So I thought I would just use the Old Spice body wash the boys are using.

WOW!!! I can't breathe! This stuff stinks! I am debating about climbing back in the shower to wash it all off. What's better? Living with the smell for one day or having dry skin? I think I will definitely remember to stop at the store and get my yummy stuff back. Let's see:

• body wash


• hairspray


• bread


• eggs


• apples


• cucumbers

Good thing I'm only running in the store for one thing.

three-wheeled wonder

My parents came to visit this weekend. I had some birthday money to spend and needed a new lid, so off to the bike store we went. Wells found a trike and talked Grandma into taking it outside for a spin. You would think that riding on three wheels would be easy. Not true!! I'm wishing I had a video of all the fun to share with you. Of course, the text messaging champion in the family showed her up by riding one handed and texting while riding. We almost gave her a ticket. :)

my newest passion

After several years of thinking about it, I finally bit the bullet and bought a road bike. I'm so excited. Then to keep me motivated, I registered for a 36-mile bike ride. I have five weeks to prepare for the ride and, so far, the longest distance I've gone is 26 miles.

TWENTY SIX MILES!! I never thought I could go that far so fast. Keep checking back to see my progress. You are so lucky, you will get to read all about my training schedule.

Here's to flat roads and light winds.

joining in on all the fun

I've been inspired to join all of you on the blogosphere. I'm excited to share my views and passions. To begin with, I'm just going to say "HELLO".