I did it! (Again!!)

Remember how I'm not a runner?  And how when I first started running I could only go .2 miles to the park?  Yeah.  I still can't run.  But I needed a new challenge, so I decided to run a half marathon.  'Cuz that's what you do when you need a new challenge!  My friend Summer was a rock star and ran with me most mornings as we did an 8-week plan to get ready for the Phoenix marathon.

It sucked.

Even though we live in Phoenix, when you get up at 4:45 to run it is still cold out! We had to wear hats and gloves and there was ice on the car.  

I gave up soda and drank a protein shake every day.  

I ran three days a week and cross trained two.

And after two months it was go time.  

We traveled down to Mesa to run the awful 13.1 miles.  It was not as bad as I expected.  Although I was very, very slow I never walked. Or puked.  So that counts as success, right?

My cheering section was there to give me an extra boost.  There were bouncies, massages, and lots of vendors to keep the kiddos occupied.  Then, the boys had made a New Year's goal to run a race. So they did.

I tried to keep up with Logan.  My body was just too tired to run after him.  I lost McKay after awhile as well.  But they had fun, got ribbons for finishing, and were proud of themselves for finishing a goal.

So. Good times.  But I don't need to do any more.

Christmas!

I am such a bad Mom.  I don't think I have a single picture of the boys at Christmas!  Yikes!  I will try to take one with the tree before I take it down.  We stayed home for Christmas this year, and had Loren's parents up to visit us.  They are leaving on a mission to Argentina (so proud!) so it was fun to spend some time with them.

The big boys did a lot of shooting, the little boys did a lot of light saber fights--they both got light sabers from Santa.  Grandma was nice enough to sit for endless games of walkie-talkie hide-and-seek.  Grandpa was nice enough to play with our kittens.

We did go to a few holiday events, in between both boys getting strep throat. 

Logan won a door prize at this meeting with Santa, it was a kit where you dug out the dinosaur and then put it together.  It doesn't really have anything to do with Santa, but it was just so cute looking at Logan taking it all so seriously.  Love him!

We left out reindeer food on Christmas Eve, which was a mistake.  The next morning there was reindeer prints all over the car!  Bad reindeer!

Dolores!

My Godmother, Dolores, came to visit us in December.  I love having her here, we usually find some fun things to do.  We took some girl time and went and visited Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's home here in Phoenix.  Later we had lunch at the Biltmore.

With the boys we went to gymnastics, hiked a mountain (McKay's goal for the year) and painted ceramics at a studio.

Finally, we decided to make gingerbread houses.  They are a little ghetto though.  I think they look more like gingerbread single wide trailers.  

Oh well.

Still love her!

Gymnastics

While Logan has been taking his karate we enrolled McKay in gymnastics.  He is little, and close to the ground, so he usually does quite well.

His favorite event is the bars. He can climb up the side, shimmy across, swing around, and drop down. It scares me a bit when he gets up on the high one, but his dimples are on full display he is so happy. 

McKay just giggles as he runs around the gym, and it is so fun to watch him. He is working on his back walk-over right now, his cartwheels are getting pretty good.  He cartwheels left-handed.  Weird.

Soccer!

So we tried soccer again this year.  And it was different. Oh was it different.

Remember how last year this cutie was the leading scorer?  Usually had at least four goals a game?  This year his fighting spirit just wasn't there.  He still had fun, and wanted to be out there, but wasn't really aggressive or wanting to be in the mix.  If he has fun though, we will keep doing it!

We threw McKay in the mix this year as well.  Loren did a great job as the volunteer coach for the boy's team, and McKay loved to carry around his whistle and shadow Loren on the field. Even though he was the youngest and smallest he was usually picked first when his teammates picked partners. 

I didn't get any great shots, but here is Loren looking all coach-y.

And Logan blocking the goal.  He did have some great blocks.  The Firedragons were actually all together a great team, and had more wins than losses. 

Plus, how can you not love those adorable shin guards and cleats!

So this happened

Ah. Our final Twilight party.  I'm a little sad for the end, actually.  There was themed food (thanks, Mary), find your super power games (thanks, Lisa) and Twilight pictionary (thanks, Marielle).

Lame, yes.  But I love my girls!

Annnnnddd here's McKay

Playing Lego Star Wars is a full body endeavor