Lights and Action!

Okay - I had a fun day! With a new house all my "normal" lighting was out the window and I had to create a whole new look. This was the first time that I had to actually get up on the roof to put the lights up - I had to install tons of hooks to put the lights on, at least it'll be easier next year -- when I got on the roof there were loads of leaves on them from our 2 huge trees - so I had to remove them first - that is my project for next Saturday! (ugh). Anyway, I have all the lights up and the way I like them - I already know that next year I need new lights. The tree is up also, and we will decorate it this Monday during Family Home evening. On the roof I was doing a lot of kneeling and my left upper frontal shin is really painful - crazy this getting older thing!

I had a good 5 mile run this morning - only took on picture of me at the end of the run because this was a trial I already have pics of. It was a good pace, a 9:06 average - so getting better every week. I had a really great experience again during the run - totally peaceful and "happy" - these runs are begining to be like a journey for me!

No those aren't squiggly lights - just bad photographer - hopefully Terri will have better ones on her blog!

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving or are still having one. We really had a great one - a real special one for me. Last month I came up with the idea to give back this thanksgiving and help others have a great day like we normally do and so I was able to get us scheduled to volunteer at the local Thanksgiving Dinner that is open to the entire Washington county and anyone can come and have a free meal. They normally serve around 1,500 free meals this day. We were schedule to work from 9:00am to 11:00am. It was really incredible the amount of volunteers they had there already and they kept coming every half hour. Nathan and I were doing the candied yams and then CJ joined us - Terri was able to help with the pies -- and believe it or not that kept us busy for the entire time - me and the boys got ours done quicker and kept looking for things to do - we also got the punch and lemonade made up and ready to go.

It was great being able to serve and help out. We have been blessed with so much and are so thankful for all that we have. Most especially and importantly are all of our family and friends - this is what life is all about and we are thankful to you and for you!

Reflections of Christ

If you go to this site: Reflections of Christ you wil see a beautiful slideshow of our Savior. It is worth the few minutes and I hope you can feel the message.

Sick

Well - I think I was sick, or my body was fighting it. I came home last night and sat on the chair and fell asleep, then got up and decided to just go to bed - at 6:00pm! The bad part with that is that my body wakes up 8 hours from when I go to sleep NO MATTER WHAT - and so, yes, at 2:00am - body decides that it's time to get up -- I just laid in bed playing solitaire on my phone and sleeping off and on then at 4:30 just decided to get up and go run.

Because I hadn't eaten last night there wasn't much fuel in my tank to really run - but I did anyway and after 2 miles, the tank was beyond empty - so I walked and jogged the last mile back home. It wasn't so bad, it was a nice warm morning as a storm is coming in today - so I didn't mind the walk - just upset that I always run when I am sick and have no gas in the tank and expect my body to respond like normal - after all these many, many years of running you'd think one would learn that -- oh well.

I am going to weighing myself once a week now instead of everyday -- I get so frustrated with the everyday as it's up, it's down, it's the same, it's up - etc! So every Wednesday is the day until I reach my goal weight. I was at 228.6lbs today which is a 1.2lb loss - so we'll see how we do next week.

Above the Hate

Please go to this site:


and sign the letter to President Monson - it's mainly for non-lds, but I wanted my name on there too!

Runner's High!

The pics from this run are right above. I'm either reading too much Star Wars or just being silly -- but about 3/4 of the way into this 5 miler I was feeling so free and so "one" with my surroundings -- my spirit, my body, my mind, the desert, bushes, animals, etc -- all just felt as if we were insync with each other - it was a really peaceful feeling.

I finished in 46:50 for a 9:22 avg. Heart rate avg was 151 which is good. Splits were 9:41, 9:22, 9:19, 9:31 and 8:59. Really felt good - can't believe how easy this pace now is, so again everything is coming along great. Weight was 229.8 this morning, so I am officially under 230!

Here is a picture slideshow of the run:

Camera Run

I thought that I would do something I have never done on a run before: I took my camera! Don't know why, just felt like it. It was the most fun I've ever had on a long run - I just enjoyed it and was taking pictures here and there and it was so relaxing. I kept my pace and just had fun.

Here is the run details - just click if you want to get all the details:

And here are some of the pics:

Fellow Runners
time is too fast!

almost finished!
awesome run!

I HONOR!

Please honor those who have served and made this country great - and those who are currently serving and keeping this country great!

Let us ALWAYS remember their sacrifice on our behalf!

Proudly served:
US Air Force: Oct 1980-Oct 1984
Utah Air National Guard: Jun 1987 - Dec 1988
US Army: Dec 1988 - Dec 1992

"We must remember that many who served in our military never lived to be called veterans. We must remember many had their lives changed forever by experiences or the injuries of combat. All veterans are examples of service and citizenship for every American to remember and to follow." -- President George W. Bush, Oct. 30, 2001

Catholics Appalled at Anti-Mormon Slur

Happy Birthday Mother!!!

Your Birthday!

Your Birthday is here,

Bringing joy and pleasures new,

On this special day, Mother dear,

I want to remember you.

I cannot give you costly gifts,

And I've told you this before,

No matter what I give to you,

You give back much, much more.

I'm giving you a pure, sweet rose,

Gathered in the early morn,

This rose you planted in my heart,

The day that I was born.

In kindly, loving thoughts of you,

And with the faith you still impart,

The rose I give to you today,

Is the love that's in my heart.

--- Anonymous

Have a great birthday today - I love you very much Mom and hope to "see" you real soon!!!

Priesthood Preview

Wow - is CJ really almost 12??

Yes he is and they held our Stake Priesthood preview for the boys turning 12 within the next year - of which CJ will be one of them.

Before the meeting I was telling him about how I was looking at pictures of him when he was younger and couldn't believe how much he has grown and is getting older -- it's just incredible.

I'm still the 11yr old Scout leader and Asst. Scoutmaster - so I am still involved with them and will be able to do things with CJ as I have with Nathan and even them together -- that'll be fun.

4M Long run

Awesome morning run - details are below. I am getting much better and used to this running thing again. Everything wanted to go faster today - but I had to make myself stay at the pace that I wanted. It was fun out there on the trail - just me and my thoughts.


We had an Emergency Boy Scout food drive this morning. Normally are Scout food drive is in the spring - but because in Utah a lot of the food banks are pretty bare due to the economy - our council decided to hold an emergency food drive. So, the Utah National Parks Council (which includes us) went out and did our part. It was really great - Troop 417 had an awesome support from the people in our area - I just couldn't believe the support and was really proud of our neighbors and friends.

Mormon Synchronized Swimming

Grab a laugh and watch one of the funniest numbers a ward talent show has ever produced.

3M Run

Here is my run details from this morning. I decided to add another mile just for the fun of it. Did pretty good - total time 26:43 for an 8:53 avg. Weight is down again too, so -- so far so good!

2M Morning Run

Had a great morning run - wasn't sure if I was going to run today or tomorrow - so I just rolled out of bed and decided to do it today. Below is the details of the run. If you click on it - you should go to a site giving you more details - although I can't imagine you being that excited to do so! WELL YOU SHOULD BE! (lol - kidding)

Saturday Fun

Okay - fun is a weird word to say - but I got out and ran 4 miles this morning. It's been a long time - but I took it easy and really enjoyed it - details are below. Everything is going well in my "comeback" and I'm excited.



About an hour after that, Nathan, CJ and myself went to help one of our older scouts do his eagle project - which was painting fire hydrants. I thought I was so sick of that red paint (we painted curbs for Thomas', benches for Daniels (all red)) but as a true dedicated scout leader I got myself with red paint all over again. It only took the 3 of us 2 1/2 hours to do our Zone which was about 20 fire hydrants - took more time to get to them than it did to paint -- but it really was fun and something that we were able to do together -- the next boy who has a project involving red paint I think I will dump it all over him!!