'Tis the Quarter...

... of the year...for...

-runny noses

-too many goodies

-lots of fun

-colder temperatures

-busy schedules

-lots of purchases

I can't believe we are already at the end of the year!  Time is just flying by!  I was just thinking of how crazy the last three months of the year are and what all comes with them....fun and not so fun.  Talk about a busy season!

Halloween Festivities

Halloween officially started last Saturday.  We attended the annual Ward Halloween Carnival and all had a blast!  Ian had refused to put on his costume, so sadly he was not dressed up cute, but maybe I can get some pictures of him in it this Saturday.

Kenya looked absolutely adorable in her Tigger costume and loved every moment spent crawling around the gym playing with kids.

The Missionaries in our ward are great guys and we've fed them a number of times, thus getting to know them pretty well.  The challenged Brian and I to a doughnut eating race and Brian hastily took that challenge.  As we started to race, Brian was winning (because of his big mouth that is) and so I was trying to push him around a little to slow him down.  (I know, I know... it's cheap, but what's a girl to do.)  At that point in time, Brian shoved my doughnut into my face, consequently my eyes, lashes, and brows (leaving a very nice, thick layer of glaze) and so fought back.  I did get him square in the face with a doughnut too, so we were even and neither won the doughnut eating race.

It was a fun night.  I'm not sure why, but when it came to the Trunk-or-Treat Ian was very timid.  He all-of-a-sudden became very shy and quiet.  He didn't want to say Trick-or-Treat, even though he was very good at it, and he didn't want to say thank you or look at the people.  It was rather odd.  But despite that, he received a very large amount of candy from the wonderful people in our ward.   

More Frogtown Race Pictures

Here are some of the pictures that they took of us while we raced.  I know I look pathetic and ridiculous, but oh well.  :)

At the beginning - #31 (Black shirt with Pink, Light blue Shorts)

Sprinting to the end

Some of the elements in the race

My friend, Ariel, climbing the rope

My finishing time of 48:54!

Hair Cut

I cut my hair!  I know, you're probably thinking, "Didn't she want to grow it out long?" & "Didn't she hate it last time it was short?"  Well, yeah I probably did/said both of those things, but we're trying it again.  I love it so far and am really excited to get my nice flat iron so that it will look even better!  Anywho, so here are so updated pictures of me for those who don't see me very often.

P.S.  I hate pictures of myself, and while I was taking these (and many, many more horrid ones) it affirmed to me why. I just don't photograph well.  But after about 100 or so pictures on my camera, I at least found a few I can deal with. 

This picture of Kenya and I basically shows my hair at it's best.  

FrogTown Trail Challenge

I made it through my trail challenge race and what a race it was!  It was probably one of the toughest things I've ever done, but boy was it fun!  So the details are this:

4.3 miles of running through: streams, mud, up hillsides, down hillsides, crossing a log over running water, climbing up (with the help of a rope) a steep mud slide, jumping over logs on the trail and much more.

My finishing time was 48 minutes and 54 seconds (not bad for a newbe) and I actually placed 3rd in my age group!  I was totally stoked!  Brian calculated it after-wards and told me that I ran about 11 minute miles!  That is amazing to me!  It was so intense, I figured I wouldn't make it till well after an hours time!  It was a blast though and  I would totally do it again.  There was also a 10 mile run, but I'm not sure I'll be doing that anytime soon. :) 

My friends who ran too:  (Right to left)  Me, Hayley, & Ariel

My awards plaque!

The logo on the awesome shirt we got for competing in the race!

I think that this is only the beginning of a long relationship with me and running.  Who knows, maybe one day I'll even do a Half Marathon, but we'll just have to wait and see.

P.S.  More photos to come of me actually running the race! 

An art persons dream....

http://theoriginalscrapbox.com/

THE WORKBOX

 This amazing give away is something I personally just love!  This workbox is a art/craft persons dream come true.  Awesome little cubbies and places for all your runaway crafts and projects.  Can you believe that you could win a way to clean up that craft mess in your house!  CRAZY!   And take a look at some of these other items:

Now THIS is a desk  I could totally go for!  It's perfect!! 

And they are even giving $100 off shipping!  Check it out! 

 

Enter this code when you place your order to get $100 off your shipping: 100Writes

http://theoriginalscrapbox.com

You bet this will be on my Christmas list (not that I'll actually get it).  :) 

!!!Record!!!

I don't know if I believe it yet myself, but I ran 6 miles last night!!  I actually don't know how I did it, but I felt great, still feel great, and actually hope to do it again soon.  My friend Hayley called and asked if I wanted to go running and the first thing through my mind was, "Not really", but I knew I needed the exercise.  So we went.  She was only planning on 3 miles and when we got done with the third I was feeling great!  So we went for a forth, then a fifth.  At that point she was done, but I just couldn't stop.  So I pushed through a sixth and would have kept going except I'm sure Brian would begin to worry if I was gone too long.  I couldn't believe and I felt great while doing it!  What an amazing thing!  That is the farthest I have run in my entire life and I did it in just under an hour!!  Holy Cow!!  I'm totally stoked!  (Can't ya tell :))

Bad Mom Award

I'm either a horrible mother or a terrible wife.  I feel awful!  Kenya has lately decided that she only wants mommy.  Not that I'm totally not flattered, but I need to have a few minutes to get something done during the day.  So today when Brian got home, I asked him to take her.  Through out the last few days we've had this battle:  Kenya screams with daddy and only wants mommy.  I feel horrible about it all.  I hate listening to Kenya scream and cry and I also hate the look on Brian's face as he see's her want me more than him.  I'm not trying to make Kenya only want me and not her dad, but it's happening.  What to do??!!??

Frog Town Race

I've decided to try a new challenge brought on by my good friend.  There is this 4 mile race, the Frogtown Race that is going on next Saturday.  Now this is no ordinary race.  During this race you will run through trees up and down trails, through streams and into mud.  It sounds pretty messy and intense.  So in prep for this crazy race that I've signed myself up for, I tried jogging up the Kennesaw Mountain trail.  This was so difficult and intense, but I made it to the top.  Now, don't get ahead of yourself, I didn't run the whole way up.  I'm not that good.  But I did run most of it.  I only stopped to walk a few times and then I came back down.  I was beat afterwards, but I felt so exhilarated for making it all the way up and then down again.  Now we'll just have to see how I do at this 4 mile run next week.  What an adventure!