Sixteen

After we all did the triathlon, we came home and got ready for this.  I still can't believe my son is 16.  Honestly... it boggles the mind.  But we threw a party and he had a great time!

We rented a helium tank and filled up about 120 balloons to float on the family room ceiling...

The kids played rock band, jumped on the trampoline....

....and consumed large amounts of mountain dew and helium.

We burned through 4 jumbo sized pizzas from Sam's Club and then had cake and ice cream.  (We are still basking in the world series championship glory around here.)

Happy Birthday Taylor!  We are so proud of the man you are becoming!

You Should Tri It....

Swim, Bike, Run...

You Should "Tri" it. 

Get it?

This was my 3rd year doing the Desert Grande Triathlon in Casa Grande.  More and more people we know are doing these!  We talked my parents into trying it this year, and we had some people from our ward and stake there.  There aren't a lot of Tri's on Saturdays, so us mormon folks flock to them when we can find them.  Here's me and my mom before the race.  (No, my teeth aren't that white... I was totally playing around with photoshop on this picture... took 15-20 years off both our faces!  I figured my mom wouldn't mind!)

Taylor is a natural Triathlete.  Really.  Of course we expected him to do well on the swim.  And the run.  But the bike?  He only went out on one training ride with me, and he wasn't even working very hard.  After a year's worth of cycling, Eric still only beat Taylor on the bike by 2 minutes.  I wish I could have watched him for the whole race.  He really has a gift for this.  I think we are going to have get him a road bike.  He took first overall in the swim and also took first in his age division.  He has a title to defend.  Crazy, huh?

Since Taylor was first out of the pool, I instructed him to get the camera out of my bag once he was done, and surprisingly, he remembered!  He did get some pics of Eric coming across the finish line.  He got a tri suit on sale at REI and we've had fun teasing him by calling it the "unitard".  I think we may have given him a complex.

Eric and Taylor ran with me the last quarter mile or so.  Kind of like a police escort.  I think I deserve the title "most improved" - I took 10 minutes off last year's time!!!  I owe it all to Marla (the spin instructor at the gym) and ChiRunning. 

Mom and Dad finished strong as well.  They were pooped, but we were all proud of them for doing it!  They were both really happy with their times.

Now, I need to do some serious searching... I'd like to find 2-3 more of these to do each year... that way I don't slack off on the training and I keep it going year round.  Triathlons are definitely addicting!

Gratitude

I can't believe it's already Thanksgiving Day!  I feel completely neglectful that I haven't done any posts about Gratitude.  As a good friend put it on Facebook today, Gratitude = Happiness.  So, true, so true.

This morning we got up early and went to our boys' school to do a 5K Turkey Trot organized by another ward.  It was a lot of fun, and I'm glad we started the day off with some exercise.  (Brayden didn't make it the full 3 miles, but I am hopeful he will be able to do it next year... and note to self... don't let him leave the house until he has gone to the bathroom!)

We came home and the boys changed into their football cleats and headed back out to go play football with the guys from our ward.  First the Turkey Trot, then the Turkey Bowl.  They came home dirty and stinky, and I banished them all upstairs until they came down clean.  While they were gone, Megan and I watched the Thanksgiving Day Parade and got started on the food.  Megan started making grandma Linda's rolls and I got going on the desserts.  Here she is with the finished rolls... isn't she turning into an awesome cook? 

When you have a tiny oven, you find all kinds of creative ways to cook the turkey.  Since we've lived here, we've become completely addicted to the BBQ technique.  It's not really different from what I would do for the oven, but we can cook it out on the grill, keeping the oven free for other things.  This year I brined the turkey last night, then filled it with chopped onion, celery and apple slices today.  I threw it in a turkey bag, and we cooked it on the grill for 2.5 hours.  Let me tell you... it was FABULOUS!  Brining the turkey is the secret.  I'm telling you... once you've done it, you'll never go back!

Dinner went better than I expected.  I never know what to expect when feeding my kids the traditional meal.   They aren't fans of turkey, they HATE potatoes and you can forget them eating green bean casserole.  I only cook this meal once a year, and you'd think they could suck it up once just for me.  I lectured them all afternoon... after spending 6 hours on my feet in the kitchen, there was NO WAY I was going to listen to the daily dinner whine.  They got the message and tried a little bit of everything except the green bean casserole.   And they all said the turkey was okay.  That's a huge concession from my bunch.  And NEWS FLASH!  Taylor and Brayden both ate a roll!  And they said it was okay.  Progress, people... we are making progress!

So, all in all, a good Thanksgiving day.  Eric and I both enjoyed the chance to relax with the kids and not worry too much about company or cleaning the house.  Do you like my centerpiece?  I bought it on Tuesday at Sam's Club.  It was originally $36 and they clearanced them down to $9!  I did have to brave Walmart today to buy candles to put in it, but I loved the effect and it was worth the trip.

Five things I am grateful for today:

My husband:  he is my best friend.  Even when we don't agree on something, we still love each other.  And we are 100% committed to each other.  I love that man.  He is my everything.

My children:  As I watch them all interact together, I know how blessed I am.  All my children truly love each other and care about one another.  I know that's a rare thing.  I want them always to be good friends, and I believe they will be, even when they are all grown up. 

Amazing Friends:  Since living in another state from all our family, friends have become more and more important to us here.  We have friends that truly fall into the "could be family" category.  We have amazing friends.  There are times I don't know where I'd be without them.  And thanks to texting, facebook and blogging I can stay in touch with dear friends all over the world!  Technology can be really awesome!

Good Health:  This summer I had a mini health crisis of sorts.  I spent all of July, August and September sick with stomach issues.  Once we figured out it was lactose intolerance, and I was able to stabilize my digestive system again, I really began to appreciate how fragile our bodies can be.  All it takes is one slip and I'm going back to square one.  But, my issue is controllable and managable, and livable.  And even though I've grumbled about not being able to order cheese enchiladas at my favorite mexican dive anymore, I truly am grateful that it's not a more serious problem.  It could be so much worse, right?

The Gospel of Jesus Christ:  I don't know where I would be without my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The gospel brings me peace, joy, comfort and hope.  The gospel gives me purpose.  The gospel teaches me, stretches me, tests me, and causes me to grow.  The gospel pulls me out of my comfort zone and humbles me.  The gospel makes me a better wife, a better mother and a better person.

And now I'm signing off for the night.  I'm pooped after a very long day that started at 6 a.m.  And while you are all out shopping the Black Friday sales, I will be sleeping in, taking my kids to see Harry Potter and getting started on my Christmas Decorations.  (And I'll probably spend some time playing with my new photoshop actions, too!)



Most Improved...

 Taylor had a great swim season this year.  He dropped his time in the 500 a full 30 seconds!  This is him before his last invitational meet. 

This is it... his last chance to qualify for state.

He took 3rd in his heat, but unfortunately, he took 11th overall.  And his time wasn't low enough to qualify for state.

He's tired, but he did get his personal best.   We are hopeful he'll be at state next year. 

And last week at the swim banquet, his coaches agreed... Most Improved Men's Swimmer!  What a shock to hear his name called, but how exciting!  He was beaming from ear to ear!  I love how our coaches take time to give praise and encouragement to each swimmer on our team.  And Taylor got double kudos, which caused me to have one of those proud mama moments!

Way to go Taylor!  We are super proud of your hard work. 

One Day You're In... the Next Day You're Out...

For weeks I've been stewing over the ending to Project Runway.   I haven't talked to one person who is happy with the outcome.  So, now that I've had some time to mull it over, here's what I think.

I'm so disappointed with the judging this season.  It just seems like there was so much hypocrisy.  One episode they criticized something, then completely overlooked that same problem later on.  Or, they would tell the designers to stay true to their aesthetic, then bash them when they stood behind their design on the runway. 

Knowing how it ends, it makes sense that they edited it to villianize the winner.  I try really hard to be objective when it comes to the editing, because I know that reality TV tends to pick their good guys and bad guys and then creatively edit their footage appropriately.  I have to wonder one thing... when they are talking amongst themselves about the other designers, don't they even stop to think, "oh wait, there is a camera in the room... do I want what I am about to say to be on national television?"  Maybe it's just me, but it seems like people would be more careful with their opinions. 

Gretchen:  The winner.  I have disliked winners before, personality wise.  Irina comes to mind just two seasons ago.  She was nasty.  But she knew it and admitted to it, and she had the skills to back it up.  Her collection was amazing, even if I didn't like her.  But Gretchen's collection?  OH.  MY.  GOSH.  Ugly.... Ugly... UGLY.  I live in the desert, so I should get it right?   But I can't see how her collection was worthy of a New York City fashion runway.  Honestly.   But I can't blame her.  The judges made the final decision.

Andy:  His collection was my favorite.  I would be most likely to buy pieces from his collection.  I was sad they didn't like it as much as I did.  Not really a fan of the bathing suits, but overall I liked it the best. 

Mondo:  He was ROBBED!  For challenge after challenge after challenge they told Mondo they loved his aesthetic, his color matching, and textile choices.  He was clearly the most creative and his construction skills were amazing.  It's my understanding that the collections at Fashion Week are supposed to be kinda over the top and show-worthy.  Mondo did not disappoint in that regard.  Would I ever buy and wear Mondo wear?  Probably not.  It's not my personal style.  But I have friends who would.  I don't know anyone who would buy pieces from the winning collection.

Michael C:  I hope they never pick two designers with the same first name ever again.  The whole Michael C and Michael D thing started to bug me after several episodes.  I never could figure out what to make of the Michael C drama.  The other designers had such big issues with his methods in the workroom, but he won a fair number of challenges.  I wish we could have seen what he did specifically to make them hate him so much.  And to have Ivy come back in one of the final episodes and launch a cheating accusation was not only catty and mean, but unprofessional.  She is the worst personality I've seen on that show yet.  She wasn't going to rest until she took him down, no matter what it took.  I'm glad she didn't succeed.

Michael and Nina:  I know that you think your careers are established, but remember the slogan of Project Runway.  "As you know in Fashion, one day you are in, the next day, you are out."  I think Michael and Nina need to be reminded of this.  Why on earth do they think women want to wear the Gretchen shorts that look alarmingly like April's heavily criticized diaper shorts?  And I'm sorry, the average women is not going to wear a sweater with an open back.  Open backs are well and good for evening attire, but not ever day casual wear.  If fashion is headed in the direction of Gretchen's line (like they said), then we are in big trouble.   But whatever... I totally think the producers picked who they wanted to win early on and paid the judges to go with it.  It just seems like they gave Gretchen too many free passes. 

Tim:  He is my fashion hero.  I first saw Tim Gunn on an episode of the Biggest Loser.  He was brought in as a special guest to help the contestants with their makeover episode.  He took each person through the store and helped them pick out clothes that were both flattering and attractive.  He gave them the pep talk they needed to help them feel good about their bodies and the progress they'd made towards their weight loss goals.  I bawled like a baby watching the segments with him and each contestant.  The next week I set up my DVR to tape PR.  Even when I am unhappy with the judging and the contestants and the challenge, I love Tim.  At the beginning of the season he got a lot more screen time.  They could cut some of the behind the scenes gossip and give us more Tim and I'd be perfectly content.  And when he bawled Grethen out for being a bully, that's when I knew there must be some truth to the editing she was getting.  I dont' believe he was coerced into doing that.  It was genuine.  If I could have one fashion guru by my side for a day at the mall, I would pick Tim, hands down.

I hope we get a good long break between the next season of PR.  It's going to take a lot of time away for me to be able to be excited about watching this show again.  Based on Internet feedback from this season, I hope Lifetime is doing some seriously strategizing on how to make this show credible once more.  Because right now it's on the slippery slope headed for the likes of  The Real Housewives of ... (insert your favorite version here). 

Halloween

Okay, I am getting faster.  Check out all these photos I edited today.  I still have to load the dishwasher, but I got groceries, made some unpleasant phone calls, and did 3 loads of towels, too!

I wanted to test out the Black and White options, so I did the photos of my kids in B&W.  Their costumes weren't good candidates for color editing anyway.

Our ward had a Trunk-or-Treat/Chili Cook-off for Halloween.  There were some really fun costumes that I had a blast taking pictures of.  (My kids costumes were lame, and I'm not ashamed to admit that.) 

How adorable are these sisters... Cinderella and Ariel?

Are you wondering if Dean Cain dropped in to our humble little gathering?  Nope.  He's ours.  And his wife's costume was awesome too!

How cute are these two?  I seriously didn't know who they really were under the costumes until I asked someone.  They were so cute about giving me their best grumpy face for the picture.  Love it!

And here are two more adorable costumes... too bad Hill's tights weren't in the photo.. there was a funny story behind them.

And meet my new Photo Buddy,Lindsey.  Not only does she know how to use all these cool actions in photoshop, she also knows how to navigate the complicated menus in my camera and fix the settings in manual mode.  Awesome, huh?  And don't you love her baby boy's costume?  The tender mercy for the day was cool weather, so costumes were actually enjoyable to wear for once!

More awesome girls... I love it when ladies don't shy away from the camera.  And they didn't! 

After the chili feast, we retreated to the cars for trunk-or-treating.  This is what the back of my car looked like.  I brought the strobe light and the fog machine, but due to technical trouble, I couldn't get them going.  But our neighbors two cars over brought enough fog for all of us, so it all worked out!

Eric ran off with the camera while I passed out candy, so I only got a couple photos of trick-or-treaters, but I loved these two:

Extra "brownie points" if you can guess who this one is.  I LOVED her hair... it was so darling!

Over the Last Few Weeks....

I have a new obstacle that slows down the blogging progress.  Photoshop!  Now, I feel like I can't blog a photo until I've played around with a bit in PSE.  So, it's takes me like 3-4 times the time to do just one blog  post because I have to spend the extra time fixing photos.  Not that they all need fixing, but it gives me an excuse to play around and get more comfortable with certain features. 

But, back to the purpose of this post.... October was a busy month for us.  We spent every Saturday at Megan's school sweating buckets watching Ian play flag football.  He loves it.  He really LOVES it.  And he's pretty good at it.  So, we will probably keep him playing through the winter league with the same coach.   The worst part about it was the heat.  It was hot and miserably humid every single week for the whole month of October. 

Here is Brayden cooling himself off with our friend's spray bottle.  It was that hot.  (Football game photography provided by Eric... he didn't want to share my camera with me, he was having so much fun.)

I also got to go with Megan and Taylor to the Mesa Temple to do baptisms for the dead.  I haven't done this since I was 17, so it was super cool for me to be there with them.  And they both got baptized for some great-great-great-great aunts and uncles of ours, so that made it even more special.

 One thing that I have struggled with my new Nikon camera is taking sunset pictures.  I haven't figured out what setting it needs to be on to capture the coloring in the sky as it really is.  The below picture is the doctored version of a sunset picture we took a couple weeks ago, but I love it.  And yes, I know it's been photoshopped... and the photoshop version is more vivid that it was in real life, but I still love it.  The more I practice the better things will look, right?

And last, but definitely not least, we got to have dinner with one of my best friends from High School.  It's always fun to get together, and we never do it enough, considering our parents still live 5 minutes away from each other.  Fun fact about us.... I introduced her to her husband in 10th grade... and she introduced me to mine at a singles ward blood drive the summer after freshman year at college.  I didn't even realize that until she pointed it out last time we got together.  Weird, huh?  Her sister lives 20 minutes from me, so I was thrilled to get a dinner invite while they were in the states visiting family (they are currently living in Fiji... glamorous, huh?)  And her older sister, who'd I'd never met before, is super cool, too. 

Stay tuned for a post on Halloween... I just need to edit more pics... I hope it doesn't take me another two weeks to do it, or pretty soon I will be just as behind on blogging as I am with my scrapbooking.