LA RAGNAR

This is up there with the greatest memories of my life. When can you get a group of girls who have so much stinkin fun together, add to it an amazing location with a gut wrenching adventure relay... unlike anything I've ever done. I'm creating a DVD of the experience and can't stop getting the giggles as I'm seeing everyone's pictures being sent to me. The best conversations and craziest stories. On each of my runs I couldn't get over how gorgious it was and the feeling of love and support from the other girls.

She reminds me of a little Fairy

I couldn't help myself. I've had this tutu in my closet waiting for the perfect baby photoshoot to try it on. Bless my heart... I couldn't wait.

-I'm getting really excited for my race this weekend.
-Gage refuses to be potty trained (HELP, you veterans, advice? books?)
-Josie is getting on all fours, but has yet taken a crawl.
-Cody and I are big nerds at night and sit right by each other on our own computers doing "work" or we go downstairs and watch something Cody downloaded. (No cable)
-I wake up and look forward to playdates, lunches, or going to my mom's.

Basically, life is busy, but nothing to report. Which is just the way I like it. I'm waiting for the ax to fall, is that being pessimistic? Can't wait to hear if any of you have potty training advice.

Wood Family Pics

This was the first time in a while that the whole family was together. It was an amazing week with everyone. My parents could have gone crazy with so many kids running around, BUT they weren't at all. I saw my parents in a different light and was so impressed with how much love and patients they had.
My favorite part was watching all the grandkids play/terrorize each other. Gage had so much fun with his cousins, it would be my dream someday to have us get together on a regular basis with everyone living closer.

Looking at the world from a different angle

So my baby girl turns 6 months today. WOW! It's flown by. She gives me the best smiles in the morning and has so many little silly things that make me adore her everyday. Tonight I went to Peter Piper with my WHOLE family (minus Lexi), and I just melted the way my family members were so sweet holding and cooing at her. Ryan, in particular, was so cute with her - I could see a neat bond forming. Well, I've been enjoying my reunion with my siblings and their families this past week, I don't want it to end. On Sunday Ryan goes back to Detroit and Austin goes back to North Carolina only to leave for Afghanistan in a couple of weeks, scary!

Time to add a Post

So not much has happened in the last month. I had a fun time with the family at my Dad's Birthday dinner. Cody is working hard to build up his business. I've shot some maternity and weddings that have been a lot of fun. But the biggest news would be that I have signed up for the LA Ragnar Relays. Me and 11 other crazy girls are going to run almost 200 miles from Santa Barbara down Pacific Coast Highway to Dana Point. It is so much more enjoyable to train when there is a race like this to look forward to. These girls that I am doing it with are the greatest friends and ones that I know will be a blast.

So the weather makes for fun times outside - but this week it is going to get up to the 90's. The scorching summer months are going to be here before we know it. In the meantime, though, we'll live it up.
Thank you "Papa" and "Mommers" for letting us use your resort in your backyard to play. I told Gage that we were going to go to Papa and Grandma's house and he says "no" "Mommers", sorry about the name Mom, I think it is going to stick.

Fun to watch in action

It's funny to watch Gage develop friendships with the boys in our neighborhood. Recently he and Brayden have spent a lot of time together. Briene and I get to hang out while we are entertained by our two little dudes. This age has been one of my favorites. He is really starting to say and do some of the cutest things. I'm sure you all know what I mean.
Thanks for the tips on Josie, her mouth is looking so much better. I just keep it greased up with the aquafore like you guys suggested.

What's up with Josie's Mouth?

So for the last 3 weeks Josie's mouth has been dry and red. I took her into the see the Dr. and he said all it needed was some Vaseline. Ummm, it looks a little more intense than just needing some vasaline, so if any of you have any advice let me know. Granted I've only been doing the vasaline thing for a day, so I'll let you know if it gets any better. Here are her stats for her 4 month check up

Weight: 11 lbs 11 oz (8%)
Height: 25 1/4 (75%)
Head: 16 1/4 (50%)

Cashing in on our Christmas present

Caribbean Cruise 2009












Okay, this is going down into the record books as one of the BEST vacation of my life. Yet, with this group of people I don't see how you could go wrong. It was crazy to have us all together without any of our kids. It was like there was no age gap between us and we just played hard for a whole week. Some highlights were...
- horsebacking riding to El Limon waterfalls, and sitting together under the canopy eating some authentic Dominican Republic food.
- visiting the baths in Tortola
- rock hopping with Dad, Ryan, and Cody
- sneaking into Atlantis and going through the aquariums - tons of crazy sealife
- meeting together at dinner and watching us order everything on the menu, and then getting the dessert menus and ordering everything a la mode
- ahhh, the many games: cards, family feud, shuffleboard, catagories
- laying out on Megan's Bay, and eating pizza
- going with the girls practically every night to get yogurt
- singing karaoki with Rocky, Lex, Carly, and Nicole
- working out with all the die hard's in the morning
- getting into the spa everyday and eating all the best fruit you could want
- Just spending quality time with each family member and getting caught up on their lives.

Big thanks to Tyra, Abby, Beth, and my aunt Jody for tag teaming Josie and Gage. I knew they were in such good hands.

We missed you Austin and fam, next time for sure!

Thanks Mom and Dad for a Fabulous trip we'll never forget!

Update

Hmm, it's been a while since my last post and I'm trying to think of anything noteworthy. We've been pretty chill around here. Gage has loved playing with his friends in the neighborhood. It has been gorgeous outside and so we have taken advantage of the incredible weather.
Something that was special for me was that I was inducted into my high school's athletic Hall of Fame last weekend. It was based on what you accomplished at Mountain View and in College. I was honored during a half time basketball game and then was able to see my name go up among a bunch of other athlete's I admire. (Todd Heap, Kenny Crandall, April Steiner, to name a few) I appreciated my family who came to support me. Anywho, it seems like forever since I competed.

So about my bigger accomplishments... my baby girl is growing up. I'm still crazy about her! I love getting to know her personality and enjoy the sweet spirit she brings into our home.

I'm impressed with some of the girls from my running group who competed in the PF Chang Marathon. I just didn't feel ready for it, but want to run one this year. So any of you out there who want to fill me in on a good race, I won't woose out this time.

Digger Man

So every time we pass a tractor or digger Gage says "ride tractor". Well, Gage has been sick the past little bit and it's been sad to see him down, now he is finally starting to act like he is getting better. So we told him we could go ride tractors, anyway, as you can see he loved it. I don't know where the obsession came from, but it started when his Grandma gave him a book called "Digger Man" and in the illustrations the little boy actually looks like Gage. So he'll point to the pictures and say "Gage" when it shows the little boy and "Josie" when it talks about his little baby brother.


And Josie is starting the whole cooing and smiling stage which I forgot was so fun. Sorry about all the pics, I just can't help myself.