The day finally came after 4 1/2 months of training and Saturday I ran and finished the Ogden Marathon.  I was so grateful for friends who brought me little treats and signs to wish me luck and calm my nerves.  I am grateful for my friend who decorated my door for when I came home.  I am grateful for my friend Carol who stayed by my side the whole time and for Kelly who showed me what an amazing marathon runner looks like.  And I am most grateful for not pooping my pants - a real possibility when I got sick at mile 16 and ended up visiting every porta potty from that point on till nothing was left in my digestive system!  It was a tough, hilly marathon and I ended up finishing at 5 hours on the dot.  I had hoped for 4 1/2 hours but I just couldn't push it harder.  So I have mixed feelings.  Glad I was able to meet this goal and finish with a smile.  But can't help wonder if I could do better.

The race course: We went to those mountains and then through the canyon.  I ran past the reservoir where I went canoeing with my grandpa, the water pipe we would hike too and many other memories.



Before the race started, shivering together up in the mountains:


We drove up Friday to pick up our packets and get dinner

We all shared a hotel room which was fun as we all tried to get to sleep early.  We didn't count on the TWO fire alarms during the night.  I still am laughing about that.  Luckily I had spent the week trying to get to bed early to get lots of sleep.  The only problem was I have two kids who stay up a little later, and one who isn't supposed to.  The night after every kid woke me up after I had gone to bed, Allison made a sign for my door.  I don't think I am very pleasant when I get woken up:


This week I spent in our garden.  I have been planting flower pots and vegetable gardens.  Yelling at chickens when they got out and dug up all our seeds.  And basically living outside.  One of my favorite weeks of the year.


Spencer got his hair cut this week in between trying to finish up his end of year assignments:


This weekend Spencer  and Jeremy went to the ward's father son campout down in Spanish Fork.  Spencer had to cook them dinner for his cooking merit badge and was eager to pull out his backpacking stove.

 They had a great time playing around. 



With both parents gone our new respite worker stayed with the girls and Taylor.  The girls considered it a friend and fun weekend and spent the two days flitting from one friends house to another.