Time Travel

After putting off updating this blog for a month or so, it's time to take a journey back in time...

A lot has happened within the past couple of months, and I would hate to continue blogging about this and that, unless I mention a few highlights.

After living in AZ for a couple of years now, I have been dying to tap into my domestic side and plant a garden, but this is kind of hard to do as an apartment-dweller. However, I was determined to make it work! I bought a variety of planters and pots, hoping to sprout some home grown produce. Planting and growing season is different here in AZ, so this all started back in October... and sure enough within a few months, we had a variety of tomatoes, peppers, and some fresh basil and rosemary! And to add to our plentiful harvest, our apartment complex has about 15 grapefruit trees that bear the most delicious fruit... I even think it cures the common cold (and prevents it too!).

I couldn't figure out why all of my peppers were so small... I found out later they were of a dwarf variety.Just a few of the yummy tomatoes...A few flowers to add to the mix.Rosemary smells soooo good!Basil... yummy!The peppers had a hard time growing. Probably due to lack of sunlight because of the direction our building faces.I got one tomato that grew really well (seen at the bottom of the plant). I'm hoping they will all be that size the next time around since I will have more of a green thumb ;)Next up on our journey back in time is a visit from Nana, Papa, and Abby!

My parents came down to enjoy the AZ sun. And of course, we had to stop at my FAVORITE restaurant: Arcadia Farms. Just love this place! If you ever decide to try it out, make a reservation and ask to sit on their back patio.
Girl & I...Grace enjoying her grilled cheese... what toddler doesn't like grilled cheese!
The journey continues...

Grace and I made a very quick trip up to Utah because I simply could not miss a certain event! My friend Emily married Steve's cousin, Taylor. Emily and I have been friends for as long as I can remember (since age 5). I had the honor and pleasure to see this perfect couple marry in the Salt Lake Temple, and I couldn't be more happy for them!

A few years ago, I had this nagging feeling that I should line these two up. It makes me so nervous to do this because I always fear it may go horribly and I'll regret the whole thing! I couldn't shake off the prompting I had, and Steve and I joined these two for their very first date. I'm glad I didn't ignore that feeling and took a leap of faith that this just might work out because these two look so happy and are blissfully in love! The wedding was beautiful, Emily was gorgeous, and Taylor couldn't stop smiling!
Reunion of friends!Although our visit was short, we spent some time with cousins...
Up next: RAGNAR Del Sol 2011.

So, I have been wanting to participate in one of these crazy relay races for a while now... and I finally did last month! With an awesome team of 12 runners, we conquered 197 miles of crazy fun! I ran a total of 15.3 miles, divided into 3 legs, over a 24 hr period. Let's just say I was exhausted afterwards, but it was all worth it!

Our Team Name:
Van #2 buddies.Running into the gorgeous sunset...
Showing off our team spirit! (I am runner #11 & I had the pleasure of sharpie-tattooing some sweet bubble letters!) Warming up...Couldn't forget my pom-poms to cheer our team on!
"Say cheese!"
Glowing in the dark!We look a little like aliens!Our chorus line, but with no chorus... we are runners :)

Party afterwards!

Jamming with Mariah... yeah!And the last stop on our time travel adventure: an Indian wedding... AWESOME!

Steve and I had an awesome getaway weekend in Albuquerque, NM, without Grace thanks to my cousin Carli, to see these to happy lovebirds get married! I met my friend Neema through work when we first moved to AZ, and about a year later she met this fabulous guy, Ashish. They both happen to be Indian, and therefore, we were able to witness this spectacular event of Indian culture, food, and tradition! This was the first time Steve and I had left Grace overnight, and I can't thank my cousin Carli and her husband Dustin enough for taking such good care of her while we were away.
The evening before the ceremony, we learned some awesome Indian dances. Neema and Ashish had the most incredible attire for each event!
A gorgeous bride...Ashish greeting the bride's "village" and family.The happy couple :)
And so they danced...And before we leave this adventure, I have to post some pictures of the other love of my life. I can't tell you how much I love this little girl! She is growing up so quickly and learning so many new things. Just today, she repeatedly said "hi" over and over while we tried to Skype Nana and Papa (they never even answered, and she continued to say it!).

She is a little defiant and stubborn at times... and I have succumbed to the fact that she will learn to walk when she realizes that her knees can't take anymore abuse from the carpet, concrete, grass, etc. She gets where she wants to go, and that's all that matters to her.

And I can't believe I'm saying this, but she is starting to enjoy other shows besides Pingu! Her latest is "Ni Hao Kai-Lan." It reminds me of Dora, but the little girl is Chinese and teaches the kids Chinese phrases and culture. It kind of makes me laugh because Pingu is a Japanese-made show. Something tells me that Grace might explore Asia one day.

Showing off her wispy locks...Two words: ink cartridge.
Playdate with Tenley.Strike a pose."Little Sailor" photo shoot:
Ready for summer already sporting her watermelon swimsuit (from last year actually... this girl just doesn't seem to grow!)

26.2

I can honestly say I just accomplished to most physically challenging thing I have ever put my body through. I never thought a marathon could be so difficult. After running the St. George Marathon 3 times, I now realize how EASY that course is... yes, I just used the words "marathon" and "easy" in the same sentence! I trained hard for this race. There aren't many hills to train here, so I found myself running up and down the same hill over and over. I even did trail running once a week to prepare for the 40% of the course that was steep downhill/uphill trail running. And to give my body a chance to recover from the toll of running, I was dedicated with weekly yoga and pilates.

I knew the race was going to be challenging, especially with the big change in elevation (1,117 feet to 4,326 feet). However, I assumed that the trails would be well-groomed and free from too many rocks. And I looked at the course elevation map thinking I would sprint the downhills and jog the uphills if I got tired. Haha... I laugh a little as I type those last two statements.

Course elevation map: see below.

The trails were rocky and extremely hilly. I usually get lost in my music as I run, but I found myself so focused on my footing, the hills, and my breathing, that I could have left my ipod at the start. It was difficult to breathe at times and it felt as if I were breathing through a straw on the uphills. The scenery however was breathtaking! The weather was perfect, a little cool in the morning, but it was beautful by midmorning/afternoon. Although it was a challenge, the first half went surprisingly well. I did a PR for my half marathon time in 1 hr 59 min.

The way back was a different story. In this race, you run 13.1 miles and then turn around and run back the way you came. At the turn around point, I was faced with a 500 ft climb on trail in about 4 miles... yeah, I walked most of that. At mile 15 or so, I had to stop to use the restroom. I hate doing this because it kills your time, but at least I knew I was staying hydrated. Then another stop.... had to take off my shoe and sock to put moleskin on a newly formed blister.... oh the joys of marathons!

A marathon isn't a marathon without a stop at the porta potty...

I really don't remember too much more of the second half of the race. I don't ever recall running on flat ground... you either go uphill or downhill. I was physically exhausted, but somehow I kept going. I do remember I got a burst of energy at mile 22 and made up some time I had lost previously. I had to laugh because several volunteers said my hair looked great around that time... you usually don't here that while running a marathon!

I ended up running with a fellow Sedona marathon participant around mile 24. I thought that we would help push eachother, but come to find out he was actually training for his 3rd Ironman and was having some digestive issues. He also normally runs a very fast pace (around 7 min/mile). When I met up with him, he said he was feeling better enough to run and got a burst of energy too. We started sprinting down a steep hill... my pace jumped from 11:00 to 7:30... my legs were killing me, but I didn't want to leave his side because I knew it would make up time. I finally told him to go on, but shortly after saw him walking up the next hill... this course was even tough for an Ironman.

The last mile was extremly difficult, but my dad joined me for the very last uphill and gave me that last push that I needed. It made me think back to my first marathon when he rode his bike along side me for the last 5 miles... "one foot in front of the other," he says. Oh, how I love you dad... thank you for being there!

Last 1/2 mile...

And so I finished... 4 hrs 31 min. And I can honestly say I am proud of this time. I placed second in my age division and that doesn't ever happen to me. Usually I feel like I could have done better or pushed harder, but I don't think I could have given it anymore... I gave it everything I had.

My sister Abby and I post-race. And in case your wondering, Abby didn't run the half marathon in that skirt! She got to shower after her race. I got to take a "hobo bath," as Steve calls it, in the gas station restroom because we had to check out of our hotel before I finished.

And now I have a lovely sunburn and some very sore legs, but I did it! I also can say I will never do this marathon again, but I'm glad I did because courses that I once thought were challenging, won't seem so difficult.

I do have to mention a few other friends and fam that ran this crazy course as well. My sister Abby ran the 1/2 marathon in 2:17.... incredible! It was so fun to have Abby and my parents come down from SL. Steve ran the 1/2 as well with no training whatsoever and suprisingly averaged around an 11 min/mile (that was with walking the last 4 miles of the race!). My friend Megan and her friend Abby ran their first marathon! I'm amazed they finished an incredibly challenging course... WAY TO GO!

I can hardly wait to do another marathon... one that is very FLAT and on PAVEMENT!

And a side note... I said my time was 4:36 in this clip, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that my chip time (real time) was faster than what I saw on the clock when I finished :)

She's Still My "Baby"

Grace has been growing up so quickly as of late... I see this "baby" slipping away more and more. Some say that once a baby turns one, they are now considered a "toddler." Grace has yet to "toddle" around so I feel that I can still call her my baby.

Although, part of me longs for her to walk since her pants are becoming worn and black in the knees.

"My head now can accommodate the headphones to the flip-down TV in the car... but don't worry mom, I'm still your baby."
"I can manage to climb into the dryer... but don't worry mom, I'm still your baby.""I'm composing the first movement of my concerto in G major... but don't worry mom, I'm still your baby.""I can still wear tutus and get away without wearing a shirt... I'm still your baby.""I can still ride in the jogging stroller... I'm still your baby.""Don't worry mom, I'll always be your baby."

Holiday Happenings

So I made a New Year's resolution last year to post at least once every month. And here it is New's Years Eve and I am quickly entering this post for December... looks like my procrastinating hasn't changed yet.

Steve, Grace, and I are up in Utah right now visiting family and friends. We will be leaving January 2nd after a long 2.5 week trip up here. I came up with Grace a little early and managed to drive all 11 hrs with only 2 quick stops with a very grumpy baby in the backseat.

It's been a fun trip, but I'm excited to get back to AZ... it seems to be growing on me more and more. Here are a few of the highlights from the past couple weeks:

Celebrating a Norweigian Christmas Eve at my Aunt Marie and Uncle Charle's home... such a special tradition! Grace got to open 1 gift that night after watching Santa put presents under the tree.

Christmas morning... someone looks tired!

Our Princess Turned One!

So, my baby girl turned 1 today! We had a fabulous princess party yesterday with lots of royal guests, decadent cake, and games fit for a princess!

Thanks to my sister Abby for making such tasty and beautiful cakes!

Loving her adorable tutu that my friend made especially for Grace! Parachute Games!

Enjoying some yummy cake! So, I didn't let Grace go all out with this one, but rather she had 1 dainty bite-sized cupcake. No mess to clean up and we avoided a sugar high too!

Grace loves her pretty pink piano!

"Thanks Nana for helping with my party!"

And before I forget, here are a couple pics from Grace's first experience with snow! She LOVED being outside in her puppy snow suit!

Halloween, Birthday, Visit from Nana, Sunglasses Update...

So, I had the best birthday present ever about a week and 1/2 ago... mom my flew down on the morning of my birthday, and we had a blast while she was here! Steve has been in Tuscon for one of his rotations and I was getting a little lonely here at home by myself, so this present from my mom is just what Grace and I needed. We went to one of my favorite restaurants in Scottsdale: Arcadia Farms. The food is DELICIOUS and the desserts are very tasty. We then took a trip over to the MIM (musical instrument museum). This attraction is fairly new to Phoenix and if you live in the area or come to visit, it is well worth your $15. They display instruments from all over the world and you get to hear a huge variety of music and culture. One might think this museum would be very noisy, but is actually very quiet... let me explain. On the tour, you wear a headset hooked to a receiver. Each display has a TV showing people from almost every country in the world playing instruments native to where they live. As you pass in front of the TV, the transmitter picks up the signal and you are able to hear the music... it is awesome!

We also went hiking in the South Mountain park and decided to try the "Mormon" trail. Notice the sign below.I think it's about time to get a new hiking pack for Grace. The baby bjorn was too heavy to carry in front, so we managed to get it on my back...Grace enjoying her first piece of cake...We made these fun jingle sticks for a music class I teach in our ward. They were a lot of work, but I think they turned out great and the kids seemed to like them.Luckily, my mom was here for one of my most favorite holidays: Halloween. Grace was supposed to be a lion this year, but the costume was just too big for her. I made a quick trip to my favorite store ever and picked up this adorable flower costume. Grace is quite petite, and this 6-9 month outfit was the perfect size... it makes me laugh because Grace is 10 months old! We went to the trunk-or-treat at church and Midwestern also had trick-or-treating throughout the campus with some other fun activities. I felt a little silly grabbing candy for Grace, but I enjoyed it later! Right after we dropped Nana off at the airport to go home, Grace and I headed to the polls...Steve was able to come up for the weekend from Tuscon. Since he wasn't here on my birthday he said he would have a gift for me on the weekend. And he surprised me with this:
I am SO EXCITED to finally have a bike! Steve scored big when he saw this bike on Craigslist. I didn't think I would be able to get a bike this year because they are so expensive, but I am so grateful that Steve found such an awesome deal on this one. The lady that he purchased it from had ridden it only 8 times. She had all of the gear too, and amazingly it fit me perfect.... shoes, shorts, helmet, etc! The bike was purchased for about $2,000 (she even showed Steve the receipts) and he bought everything for $550!! She planned to train for a triathlon, but never really got into it. I'm just excited because now I can train for my first triathlon and not have to use spin class as training! I can't thank Steve enough for finding it!

And we had to cheer on our Utes this past weekend... unfortunately their undefeated streak is over.
And just another side note, Grace started crawling about a week ago! My mom was still here and saw her timidly creep across the floor. She doesn't like to go very far, but I'm sure that will change with time. Steve is back down in Tuscon, but I won't be lonely for very long because my sister is coming to visit this week! Soooo excited to see you Ange!

Oh, and before I forget... my sunglasses were lost once again. But this last time was quite ironic. When I went to TJ Maxx to purchase Grace's costume, I left my jinxed shades on the counter at the register. Luckily, I called and they confirmed they were still there. This makes me laugh because they got left at the place I originally purchased them at! Wow... I wonder where they will end up next!