Ready to Run?

I'm not sure I'm ready to run on Saturday! This past Saturday I ran ten miles in a downpour (see photo) and my calves got so sore! I don't understand why the week before I ran 9 miles with no soreness afterward at all! Anyway, hopefully the soreness will abate in time. The other issue is that our household are coming down with colds. Oh well. The jacuzzi will feel good at least!

Peace on Earth

I think this is the first Christmas Eve that I won't have to stay up late into the night wrapping presents! Instead I'll stay up late into the night packing for our vacation. And finishing the laundry. And cleaning out the fridge.

Today the boys and Jill are out riding the quads with Petersons and Reeds on Reed's dirt bike trail. Much less labor intensive than driving up into the mountains to ski or something, although it has taken 2 full days to get the quads up and running. Jill is wearing a frilly tutu skirt and sandals . . . the benefits of living in Arizona at Christmastime.

Elaine is working on her Winter Break Assignments (can you believe it?!?). I finished a 4.5 run and now I'm relaxing/laundering/blogging.

I forced a Christmas Photo Session out of the kids yesterday which turned out pretty cute considering nobody wanted anything to do with it, so I'll post those pictures at the end here in case you haven't seen them yet on Facebook.

We have also done some caroling and cookie deliveries with more to do tonight. Jeremy has become an expert Ginger Crinkle baker through 5 batches of trial and error. The first batch taste great, but they weren't mixed enough so they baked in the shape of a rock, and have that texture as well. Benjamin liked the burnt ones, but I just couldn't give them out. Now he understands the fine points of "beating well", adding ingredients in the right order, and staying in the kitchen while they bake so you don't forget about them.

I think you will all agree it has been a very emotionally trying Christmas season for our nation. I have found myself tearing up frequently without really knowing the specific trigger, but I have come to a deeper understanding of "hope". Ether 12:4, "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with a surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, ..." Also Jacob 4:4-6.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to all.

Winter Formal Princess 2012

Last Saturday was the High School's Winter Formal. Elaine went with a fun group. They ate dinner at one of the boys' houses, then danced the night away. I had run into the mother of one of her friends while picking up the boutonniere who let it slip that Elaine had won Winter Formal Princess 2012. They choose a queen and king from the senior class, then a prince and princess from each of the underclasses. So I had to keep it a secret for way too long! It was an exciting night for all of us. And no, I did not style her hair. A friend in the ward did it!

The incumbent wins!

Jeremy successfully defended his title as Marana Middle School Speller Extraordinaire! On to district and county...I'm hoping he will study with Alex. Wouldn't that be fun to have two kids at district!

Elaine was honored as the Marana High School Swim Team MVP!

In other news, Obama was reelected.

Halloween

I'm going to try to post some pics from my phone.

Beach Vacay/Revisiting Trauma

We had a great beach vacation. Love San Carlos. Came home to a million voicemail messages, several of which were from a PI asking me to call him regarding a traffic accident I witnessed or was somehow involved in several years ago. Then in the mail was a letter from him asking me to call about the accident on Sweetwater several years ago.

Sigh. Apparently the insurance companies are still battling it out, and I'm the only witness, even though it was my car that was demolished. Fortunately I had written a very detailed account of the whole thing in my journal, so I just read my journal to the PI. He was suitably impressed and amazed that nobody was hurt, etc. Hopefully my earlier (3 years ago) recorded statements taken by the insurance companies can be found so I won't have to record another one. My adrenaline gets flowing every time I have to describe it and answer questions and I remain jittery for an hour or so afterward.

Anyway, here are some beach photos.

My first baby went on her first date last night. Dave had been planning that night for 16 years. We ushered the young man into the office where Dave sat ominously behind the desk continuously cocking and uncocking his shotgun (unloaded, of course) while peppering the boy with questions. Fortunately, this boy knows us well and took it all in stride.