13.5 What?

Phew, these last couple of weeks have been CRAZY!  As I have mentioned, I was down and out over the entire Labor Day weekend, about the same time that Andy was hit with a 2-week sinus something or other.  Then, Abby was out for a day because she got sick one morning (on me, I might add).  The next day, Emma stayed home because she was not doing well and felt like she was going to get sick. Right when I think we're in the clear, Abby gets the croup...again...and is out for 2 days.  Good gravy!
Add on meetings just about every day after school, organizing who is taking Emma to soccer and Abby to swimming lessons.  Oh, and I forgot about snack for soccer and snack for Emma's class. (They eat lunch at 10:40 and that makes for a long afternoon.)  Did I mention I head up the teacher appreciation (including teachers' birthdays) at Abby's school and the social committee at our school? Oh yeah, and then I just applied to be the liaison between our school and the Park City Education Foundation.  Only 2 more weeks of soccer and 5 more weeks of swimming and then we'll have a break before ski lessons start.  Speaking of...

We got our first snowfall this past Friday.

Going back a couple of weeks...Andy and I went to the Utah vs. BYU football game.  This is the madness that happens when you cross the street (diagonally) to the stadium.

It was perfect football weather!

After the game (Utes won, thank goodness) they allowed people to go down onto the field.

I missed the photo opp. but Andy got a high five from the head coach.

One day, I came home to this note.  It says, There's an envelope on the fridge.  Please turn it over. Please.  Thanks Mommy.

the envelope...

This is what was inside...melt my heart!

Abby is making small progress with her swimming lessons.  During her last lesson she started using her arms to do ice cream scoops.

On this particular day, she was all about pushing the doll around on the kick board.  It's not even her doll...

I was super impressed with Abby's picture of our family.  The "scribbles" in the middle are our beds.

This is Emma's math homework nowadays...it's all in Spanish!  Since she receives all of her math instruction in Spanish, her homework is in Spanish, as well.  It's definitely a challenge for her but, out of the blue, she will say something like, "Mom, did you know xxxx is Spanish for xxxx."

This was the scene around our school about a week ago.  The junior high next door to our school suffered two tragedies within 3 days.  Two 8th grade boys (best friends) passed away within days of each other.  The reason has not yet been determined but there has been a lot of talk about a super scary drug called "pink."  News crews were all over the story for a few days.

Last weekend was the BIG one!  The half marathon that I have been training for since March took place last Saturday and it was the perfect day for a 13.5 mile run (it was a little more than a half). And...even with my sickness a couple weeks back and Amy's anaphylactic shock a couple weeks ago (while on a run...scary!!) we still beat our goal and completed the run in 2 hours and 45 minutes.  I think I can see myself doing another half... It was such an amazing feeling to finish a race with an 1,100 foot elevation gain. Amy and I *may* have gotten a little emotional at the end.

I don't have enough pictures to do a whole post about our basement remodeling project so here is the latest.  Andy got all of the rock off the fireplace and the dry walling and painting are completed in the T.V. room.

Don't Get Too Comfortable

Something hit me...hard...last weekend.  My Labor Day weekend was pretty much useless because I spent most of my time laying horizontal on the couch.  No energy.  No appetite.  No running.  Ugh.
I really didn't feel "normal" again until Wednesday and, even then, I couldn't get myself to pound the pavement...quite yet.

Don't get too comfortable.  You won't need to put your feet up for this post...not too much to share from the past week.

 Last Sunday, when I thought I was feeling up to it, and just wanted to get out of the house, we ventured up to Oktoberfest at Snowbird.

It finally happened.  Emma lost her first tooth!

Last night, we went to a quaint little bookshop called The King's English (co-owned by Andy's 2nd cousin) to see Mac Barnett, the author of one of our all-time favorite books Extra Yarn.  We invited Emma's friend, Barbara, to come with us since she gave Emma the book a few years ago.

dinner at Caputo's

The girls were so cute, following along in their books as he read.

It really is amazing to hear an author read his/her own book (not even having to look at the book to read it, of course).

 Each of the girls had him sign a book.

reading with Nana in front of the bookshop

Yay!!  I finally got out on a run this morning.

Back to the Real World

It was an amazing summer but all good things must, eventually, come to an end.  Actually, life is just good in general, really, so I guess the good things are not ending.  I'll just say they are going in a different direction right now.  School started and that means a whole new world of crazy busy around here.

Soccer started for Emma which means swimming lessons are over, for now.  It's not unusual to leave for work before 7 a.m. and not get home until after soccer, about 7 p.m. (Monday and Wednesdays).
Abby has swimming on Thursdays after school for a few more weeks.  Thanks goodness Andy and I are both done with graduate school!  My half marathon is about 2 1/2 weeks away so I am still squeezing in my training when I can.  This whole work thing is really putting a damper on my training schedule!  Running at 8 a.m. is a whole lot nicer than running after work at 4 p.m.

My sister came out to visit and to watch Emma while we went back to work.  We had 5 days of professional development before the kids started.  Since the district daycare goes by teacher contract schedule and Abby could go there, Emma got to spend some quality time with her aunt.

Abby's first day of preschool.  She insisted on taking a picture in the "sand" box with her lunch box and a towel.  I must pick my battles.

Tina just got back from Peru.  She always makes the girls books as if they went on the adventure.  Too cute.

Tina got to see Emma's awesome swimming skills.

craft time with Aunt Tina

This girl loves to make the coffee.

Good Morning!

I took my sister out on an 8-mile hike in Round Valley to get a feel for some of the half marathon route.  It was gorgeous!

Our leaves are already changing color--the result of little to no rain this summer.

Our good friend, Ben, turned 40 recently so we celebrated with a trip on the Salt Lake Party Bike!

When Aunt Tina is in town, tennis and the park are a must.

We went to the Park Silly Market.

hiking around Summit Park

The girls decided to do a little Spartan training.

I'm not quite sure what you call these moves.

Emma and Tina went to the Museum of Natural Curiosity

Emma loved the bank.

My sister got the chance to see Emma play soccer.

Emma and Tina ventured down to Main Street to the Park City Museum and...

...played some mini golf at Park City Resort.

We had an open house at our school.  Abigail loved being in the library with all of the fun creatures and stuffed animals.

Emma's first day of 1st grade

Sunday Funday family hike