Dream Come True

I had a goal when I started my weight loss in December - I wanted to do a 5K by June 28, 2012.  Walk, run, crawl, I didn't care.  I would consider it a gift to my boy.

Well, I am proud to say that one year early, I finished - not one, but two - 5K walks this weekend.  The first with my very sweet sister and her girls that were patient enough to walk slowly with me.  The second was with a group of 300 who - for most- have never done this before.  Today, I realize that many of my friends and acquaintances ran the Ogden Marathon.  Let me compare:  me walking a measly 3.1 miles (okay, I did walk it twice).  Them RUNNING 26.something miles.

BUT...   I talked to my sister who went with me to China.  I remember trying so hard to walk all over China, but having a REALLY hard time.  I couldn't walk the quarter mile to the shuttle without really struggling.  This weekend: 6.25 miles no problem.  She saw me at my worst.  I got to be my best today.  And be with my buddy.  Showing him that his health is important.  My health is important.

I was able to take Aiden to both 5K walks and he slept through one and sat quietly and watched through the other.

My walkin' buddies for the second walk.  Sorry, Kari, that I didn't get pics of the first one.

Marianne (the tall one) is my Weight Watchers coach.  Her cute girls and Marianne raced the crap out of the rest of us.  Her little man gets to see Aiden everyday.

Over 300 people trying to get fit.

Afterward, (and realize that Aiden slept maybe 10 minutes up to this point) we did one of Aiden's favorite things... the park.  Check out this fantastic day!

He is getting so big.  This little bug loves the sand.  He played for a little over an hour.  Mom just soaked in the sun.   Then, we went to work on our trailer.  

Our big camping trip is next weekend...  (Yay!!)

Finally, on the way to get some supper, Aiden crashed HARD!  So I took him home and lay him down.  My poor bug has had a long, fun, warm, sunny, outside day.  

So, I am finishing off my day, sunburned, tired, and watching my all-time favorite movie:  Oscar. 

And Mom feels wonderful to give this gift to my son.  And, more importantly, to myself.

Family Days

We have had the great opportunity to have a lot of really wonderful things happen over the last week.  A missionary home, a baby born and a beautiful young lady wed.

Braydon came home from Brazil on Friday, May 13th.  What an amazing man he has become.  He is so stinking cute, as always and I am glad he is home.

Then, we had a baby!  My sweet Michael and Amanda welcomed Olivia Jane who is the sweetest baby of all time.  She has Amanda's nose and Gracie's behind.

Then, the gorgeous bride, Melissa, had a rainy wedding day, but married the love of her life yesterday.  The temple ceremony was so beautiful and even the rain didn't damper anything.  Here is the family!

Conflict

Sometimes, being a single mother kinda bites.  Scheduling conflicts push back time with Little Monkey Shorts and there is not a darn thing I can do about it.  They are all really great, healthy scheduling issues, but (as you have probably guessed) being with Monkey is my absolute hands-down favorite thing in the world.  I get really, super grumpy when pesky things like, oh - work, get in the way of Monkey Time.

Last week, I was able to attend the most amazing 2-day conference on my career field.  It was truly impressive. And all I could think of while I was there was how much time I could have been spending with Monkey.  I didn't even have to stay overnight somewhere.  It was just close.  But I missed him.

Saturday was full of chores like cleaning out the tent trailer for our upcoming outing (SQUEAL!!).  Even though we were playing and puzzling and sunning ourselves, it felt like I was not spending quality time with Monkey.  Then, I had the opportunity to go to the temple with my beautiful bride-to-be niece, Missy.  I love the temple.  It was late when we were finished and when I picked up Monkey at 10:15pm, he was still awake and playing hard.

Is it just me who absolutely watches the clock every second until I can play with my boy?  He is so quirky and funny every moment.  Even this morning when he looked at me to see if I would really, really, really not let him drip his chocolate milk on Aunt Kari's couch.  I really, really, really didn't.  But it was cute to watch him try.