Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Over the past 6 years Eric has had, like, 12 jobs. About every 6 months he gets "bored" of his job. (Luckily he hasn't gotten bored with me yet!) He always looks into law enforcement because that is really what he wants to do. Well this last episode of boredom led to him actually applying to several cities to become a police officer. This past Tuesday he was hired to join the Sandy City police department!

Now, this decision has not come easily for him. He is such a good husband and father, and really his main goal is to be able to provide for his family. This is part of the reason it has taken him so long to just go and be police officer. He will have to work a lot of strange hours at first and he'll be at the Academy for a few months, so it will be a huge change for our family.

This decision did not come easily for me either. I was worried about so many things. There's the danger, the hours, the pay, the gun...etc. But this is something that Eric has prepared himself for and is ready for. The night before he got the job I was in total turmoil. I just didn't feel good about it, but I wanted to be a good supportive wife. The next day there were two distinct times when I felt an overwhelming feeling that this is what Eric is supposed to be doing. My fears are still there, but I have confidence that we'll be okay.

Eric is such an amazing person and will add a lot to the police force. He is honest, trustworthy and loyal. He is also very laid back and has a great sense of humor. I'm sure he'll look hot in a uniform, too!! Anyway, that's the big change coming our way in about a week. Wish us luck!

I want to live there...

We went to Wheeler Farm with my Dad and Georgie Ann and her daughter Lila a few weeks a go. I thought these were some cute pictures from that night.

Hayden would do so well living on a farm, and if I had my way, we would definitely have more land. He loves being outside with the animals. He's tough and he has the attitude that he can do anything. After trying to watch a few kids milk the cow, Hayden walked up there with a "Let me show you how it's done" kind of walk and showed everyone the proper way to do it. Using both hands, no less!

Here's my Dad and Maya. I love this picture. My Dad is such a wonderful grandpa. He actually chases the kids around and makes them laugh. He is goofy sometimes and I still laugh when he pretends to run into a door or something.

Anyway, I love Wheeler Farm. I want to build my house right in the middle of the trees with my backyard facing the river. Ahhh.... maybe someday. (probably never...)

Get Your Head in the Game

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."

- George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian

When I started attending spinning classes at my rec. center, I was surprised at the caliber of workout I would get! I thought I would never be able to push myself that hard on my own. There's something about being in a class with a group of people all doing the same thing with an instructor yelling at you to keep at it. Of course I'm not going to get off my bike and stop. That would be embarrassing!

So that is when I started exercising with the attitude that I could do it. When I started running I would frequently tell Eric how much I wished there was a fitness class with treadmills and a teacher up there pushing me to run faster. I realize that there will never be a class like that so it's up to me to change my thinking. Dr. Phil calls it "the tape". Basically meaning the repetitive things you say to yourself.

A couple of months ago we had a great guest speaker for a Stake Enrichment. She talked a lot about how we talk to ourselves all day long, and most of the time it is not nice. That really struck a cord with me. I am my worst critic and a lot of my days can be spent telling myself all the things I should be doing better. Losing weight and especially running requires positive self talk--CONSTANTLY! You do have to change the way you talk to yourself. I have to stop myself and switch my thoughts around.

Running is like that for me. I have to basically convince myself that I'm enjoying what I'm doing--and you know what? I actually start to enjoy it! It's true. And honestly, when I'm finished with my run, I cannot wait to get back out there and run again.

Like that quote I posted above, running (and probably most all things) can be done if your head is in the game, so to speak. So right now my head is in the game!

My Very Own Cheerleaders!

I have been training for a 10K coming up in June and a half marathon coming up in August. For my birthday I was able to get a very gently used double jogging stroller so that I can train for those longer runs while Eric is out of town in July.

This morning I decided to run my 3 miles with my jogger rather than go to the gym. I got the kids ready for the day and they were totally excited to go for a ride in the stroller. As we started off, Maya started yelling, "Go, Go, Go, Go!" And Hayden was saying, "Mom, you are so fast! You've got to be the fastest runner in the world!" I had my very own cheerleaders right there for me.

This is much better than the first run I went on with them about 3-4 weeks ago. Then Hayden was saying, "Mom, you are going so slow...FASTER, FASTER, FASTER!" I put my earphones on and tuned him out.

But, today was great! It's good to feel like someone thinks I'm the best at something. If he only knew how very horribly slow I really am...I won't tell him! He is officially going on every jog with me from now on.

Yes, I ate snails.

Here is a horrible video of me eating es cargo on our cruise. Surprisingly, it didn't taste bad. Just like garlic and butter, but it was very slimy and the thought of what it was frightened me. I will probably never do that again, but it was free!

A Race for the Cure

On Saturday I had the awesome experience to run in the Race for the Cure with my mom and my sister. Training for this has actually been really fun and enjoyable for me, but I was not prepared for the flood of emotion I would feel as I ran.

Thousands of people were running or walking, children were running even! And all with at least one name on their shirt that said who they were running for. Right as we started there was an old man who looked like he was in his 80's with his wife's name on the back of his shirt that said he was running "in memory" of her. I started to tear up thinking about how many lives have been effected by breast cancer. Also I started to feel energized because I was also running in honor of women I know. Both of my Grandma's have or have had breast cancer. They are both strong women whom I have much respect for, and the thought of running in honor of that was a great feeling for me. There are also amazing women in my current ward who are battling this right now, and I definitely had them in the forefront of my mind.

Eric thought the best part of the race was seeing the team names of the women who were running: "Big and Small-we love them all!", "Save the Ta-Ta's", "The Rack Pack". I am FOR SURE going to have a team name next year. There was also so much free stuff! (Which explains the pink bunny ears)

It was such an amazing event. There was also such a great feeling for me that I accomplished this first step on my way to being able to run a half marathon. I finished a race! Not a long one by any standards, but I finished. I feel so privileged to have been able to run for such a great cause and in honor of such amazing women.

I'm really sorry...

I have to apologize for that last post! I am a total brat. I don't know what got into me. I should never rub my fun vacation stuff in other peoples faces. Seriously, what was I thinking? I am so sorry, again. That was very rude.

And now, I will really rub it in by showing you my fun pictures.

Here's Eric. He is smiling like a giddy school child, isn't he? This was right when the boat was taking off. We went to the top deck and brought our books to read and ordered strawberry daiquiris (virgin, of course!).


This probably sounds so funny, but our best day on the cruise was in good old San Diego, CA! We should have stayed there; it was so nice. We decided to take a taxi to Mission Beach. As we were getting out of our taxi, the driver kindly informed us that there were shark sightings there and a shark attack 20 miles from there a week ago...and the guy that got attacked died. Gee, thanks!!

We rented wet suits and boogie boards, and ran out to the beach like Bay Watch babes.

I am posing here with the boogie board in front of me, because let's face it, they aren't flattering on women larger than a size 5.

So, boogie boarding is what I would be doing every day all day if I lived near a beach. I love it! I think I'm pretty darn good at it, too. Eric waits for the perfect wave while I boogie board circles around him. Too bad there wasn't a boogie boarding contest that day. I totally would have won!

There was this pizza place on the board walk that was called "Fat Brothers" or some name that made you know it was good! The slices were $3.50 a slice and one slice took up the whole table. I really stared at the pizza for a good two minutes thinking about how go about eating such a thing. It was goooood!


After we felt like we'd eaten at a place called "Fat Brothers" we decided we needed to get a little exercise. We rented these cute little bicycles and rode up and down the boardwalk. I think it was 4 miles. That was so fun! It was a nice day and I kept wishing I had a little bell on my bicycle that I could ring. I kept singing, "I like to ride my bicycle, I like to ride my bike..." Not aloud, though. That would have made me look like a fool, and all the people at the beach had a really high image of me after they watched me boogie board.

It was a fun day. And we didn't get eaten by a shark, so that's good news!
Here's a video of me riding a sweet wave. I'm sure you want to see it so you can congratulate me on my skills.
I'll write more of our cruise later!