Intel's 2nd annual GPTR (Great Place To Run) Event...

Jen, Mary & I had a GREAT time walking together in the 5k today...Saw lots of friends and cheered on the 10k/5k RUNNERS...weather was PERFECT and can't wait to RUN/JOG it next year with these two! :)

Ariel is gonna save the world TOMORROW....

Charlotte singing in the shower...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S_WNMeVIj0

Portland To Coast 2011...

It was GREAT! My first year and it was a blast. SO grateful to be in Van 2 with my Relay peeps from left: Tai, Liz, Paige, myself, Bethany (Sonya's sister-in-law) and Jill!

Our Team "Moaning for Motrin" comprised of 12 walkers, walked a total of 130 miles from Portland, through the amazing countryside and coast range down into Seaside, Oregon...AWESOME! I had two legs: 4 miles in the dark Friday night and 8 miles Saturday afternoon....need to do much more HILL training and work on my SPEED for next year!

We had a few 'ah-ha' moments and we lost poor Liz (twice), but we escaped any really bad injuries and had FUN! :)

PTC 2012 -- heck yeah!

Seaside or bust...

13 people I will be walking my twelve miles in SUPPORT of today/tomorrow....

Thankful Thursday...

• Got another good night's sleep!


• That we have central conditioning.


• A hubby that is my rock, sounding board and is brutally honest with me when I need it the most. :)


• Friends that always manage to email/text/call or see me in person when I need it the most...I only wish I could be so good in return!
  


• My parents, my awesome parents!


• My life, my family/friends, my country, my Heavenly Father!
  


• A happy 5-year old who loves water, tests "my patience" and who I can't remember life before having her! :) and actually NOT freaking out that she starts Kindergarten 2 weeks from today....


• Another day of life and trying to make it the best one I can...life is short and oh so precious, gotta make every moment count!
  

Wordless Wednesday...

Start of week two...

She's still having a blast...

Aunt Meta and Uncle Bob...

One tired kiddo...

We had a VERY busy/productive day yesterday...normally I would post all this stuff for myself (just to keep the fun stuff captured) and for MY MOM, who would always check our blog every morning...11 weeks have gone by since her crash and she hasn't been on her laptop or any laptop since the morning of June 3rd. I'm keeping this up so when she is ready and able, she can see what all did happen this summer (and while she was sleeping)...

• Kathy, April & Mike (April's boyfriend) picked up and delivered all the Intel Oregon Campuses school supplies to our garage...I'll be organizing this weekend, then making 3 difference sets of deliveries in the weeks to come.
• Charlotte and Kathy visited Grandma for 3 hours Friday (11am-2pm)
• Victor played 9 holes of golf with Uncle Bob
  
• Charlotte and Kathy took a bit of a break -- aka, watched part of Harry Potter
• Charlotte, Victor and Kathy went to Charlotte's swimming lessons
• Charlotte, Victor and Kathy went to Susie & Shawn's for dinner and LAUGHS...Charlotte was on FIRE (FUNNY) tonight...I can't remember her seriously ever being so amuzing.
• We drove home and got to watch the tail end of the fireworks at the Oregon Airshow (Hillsboro Airport)
• Charlotte CRASHED to sleep on her "messy room" floor last night...
  

Happy 38th Anniversary...

My Aunt Meta and Uncle Bob (mom's brother and SIL) are here visiting from KC. We haven't seen them in 5-years...Charlotte was a month old when we had Mom and Dad's 40th Anniversary Celebration. Their anniversary was Thursday, August 18th, so we got to do a little celebrating with them that night.

We did "prep" Charlotte a little bit with who they were and that she'd love them...Charlotte sat next to Uncle Bob during most of dinner and kept him totally entertained with her stories, silliness and mad cellphone skills! :)

Good physcial therapy day with my mom...

Charlotte and I spent 3 hours visiting with mom today. We had a good time.





















Charlotte and Grandma video today...Charlotte CRACKS us both up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asbZyTRunaw

Ten on Tuesday...

1. I get to go on my first ambulance ride...NO, this was not part of any bucket list I had, but at least this trip is for a PLANNED doctor's appointment for mom.
   
2. All summer long, if I go to bed before 10pm, I end up WIDE awake (like now) by 2am...
3. Looking forward to seeing my Uncle Bob and Aunt Meta this week.
4. Charlotte's swim classes are Monday-Friday and we weren't thinking about that time colliding with ALL evening functions, but she had a BLAST last night, so it's all good.
5. Bring Your Kid to Work Day is Thursday. I'm helping "co-run" it again this year and Victor is bringing Charlotte in this time...should be tons of FUN for everybody.
6. I haven't been "training" like I should be for Portland to Coast, thankfully it's WALKING only...I have a 4 mile leg and 8 mile leg....I'm so excited for this experience.
7. I still have to finish our THANK YOU photo cards for Relay donations...I've had them for three weeks and JUST need to print off address labels....not sure why I'm dragging my feet, I only have like 75 of them to do (which isn't too bad)...must finish!
8. I still LOVE 75-80 degree days...very thankful for such a MILD summer this year...
9. As I sit here in the dark of our craft room typing on my laptop, I realize the Honey Nut Cheerios Bee (our Relay Team Mascot that Melissa lent me) is STARING at me...I'm not creaped out, really, I'm NOT!
10. Counting our blessing EVERY minute of every day....Our challenges really are blessings in disguise!

Hope everybody reading this has a GREAT Tuesday... no matter what hurdles come your way, it really is how YOU choose to react to them that makes it a good day or not!

Fill the Boot...

Today and tomorrow are "Fill the Boot" days, firefighters collecting $$ for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

We stopped by Baja Fresh to grab dinner and Charlotte asked what the firefighters were doing. We told her they were collecting money and she said she wanted to give them some. So I grabbed a lot of the loose change in Victor's car and Charlotte and I walked over to help "fill the boot"...THANK YOU to all our firefighters and rescue workers that dedicate their lives to saving lives and also GIVE BACK to those in need.

Life is GOOD!

Ten on Tuesday...

1. Mom's 10th surgery was today...things went well.
2. Can't believe Charlotte starts kindergarten 4 weeks from today...how did THAT happen???
   
3. Loving these 75-80 degree summer days.
4. Really looking forward to my Aunt Meta and Uncle Bob (from Kansas City) coming for a visit next week....it's been 5 years since we've seen them...TOO LONG!
5. We've finally signed Charlotte up for swimming lessons starting Monday...can't wait!
6. Sending our dear friends Big Philly, Jen Caine, Michael C. and Sue Giovanni lots of prayers and love...they are all going through treatments for their cancer...
7. Loving that Charlotte LOVES the Glee CDs I have in my car...her favorites...Firework, P.Y.T. and Thriller mash-up!
8. The kiddo can do a better hand stand than I can...AWESOME.
9. Read my first book in ages..."90 Minutes in Heaven"...gave it to mom to read...it really spoke to my heart and what mom is going through.
10. Love my family more than ever!!! Despite all the scary stuff, LIFE IS GOOD!
    

Sunday, Day 66....