Date night.

Rare.

Swap.

Walmart.

Firehouse Subs.

Fedora.

ALONE! 

Play date.

Friends.

Sun.

Water.

Snacks.

Does it get any better than this?

I love my life! 

So, this post is a week late.  Horrible!  But, my Sunday morning German pancake is in the oven and I have a few minutes now. 

Last week, on March 4th, my sweet little Ryan-boy turned 4-years-old.  I know, I know.  Its really not THAT old.  But its the oldest any of MY children have ever been.

We kept things simple this year.  His birthday was on a Sunday, and the day before I had a shower that I was hosting plus his friends had their birthday party that afternoon.  The weekend before we ran Ragnar, and Mama just wasn’t up for planning something crazy in the midst of everything else.  Taking the wise advice of two moms and a best friend, we kept things low key and just had a little cake and ice cream (and presents, of course!) after dinner Sunday night.  For breakfast he got to pick out anything he wanted, which was sugary, artificial, cereal that he NEVER gets to eat, and for dinner we had breakfast – including pancakes…with sprinkles.  (Everyone say “SUGAR!)

Even with his grandparents, my younger siblings, and two of his best friends, that boy got spoiled!  A new (to-him) bike, and dad’s hand-me-down Legos from when HE was a kid.  Legos, angry birds, a super-soaker Nurf gun, matchbox car, a kids mp3 player, a baseball tee with a glove, balls and a bat were all his for the taking.  And he LOVED everything!  He told me afterwards, “Mom, this was the best birthday ever!”  I hope he is always this easy to please. 

Sugar for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

New tradition: Crepe paper zigzagged across the door and the kids have to break through it the morning of their birthday. Also, balloons filled his room.

"How old are you Ryan?"

Lemon cake with lemon curd filling and whipped cream frosting. Yes, that WAS his request! (His friend had it the week before at HER birthday and he loved it!)

Birthday boy getting excited for cake and ice cream!

Oh Baby! This present has already been used...A LOT! (Poor Jane!)

And now…Ryan through the years…;)

Taken exactly one year ago today. Ryan one week old.

First birthday.

2-Years-Old

Three.

My handsome, sweet, smart, active four-year-old best buddy.

Four special things about Ryan:

• He loves his little sister.  For as much as he torments her, she is also his best friend.  I mean, a super-soaker gun is no fun to play with if there isn’t someone to spray, right? 
• Ryan is and always has been a cuddly little love bug.  He loves to snuggle and be loved on (except for first thing in the morning.  Do NOT touch that boy after he wakes up!).
• Ryan builds the most amazing creations with his Legos.  He isn’t a big into coloring or drawing, but his Legos are truly works of art.
• For a four-year-old boy, Ryan can be extremely obedient, helpful, and self-sufficient.  I can lay down for a few minutes and trust him to watch TV or play on PBS without getting into trouble.  (LIFESAVER some days!)  He is (almost) always willing to help mom with random things I need (“Ryan go grab me Jane’s wipes from her changing table!”) and is wanting to help more with things in the kitchen.  (His new favorite dinner-time chore: peeling.  Anything.)  And we are getting to the point that most of the time when I ask him to do something he will do it, and (MOST of the time) without putting up a fight.

Ryan, if you ever end up reading this some day.  I love you more than you have ever imagined…or can until you have your own.  You are truly my sunshine.

So, its almost a week since the race, and I am finally getting some time to sit down and write about it.

Let’s see…so…last Friday morning we woke up, ate a yummy breakfast, did some last minute packing and took the kids over to Grammie and Grandpa Clark’s house.  We then went and met our team at my in-laws and made our merry little way over to the Tonapah area (think northwest Phoenix/middle of nowhere) to meet the first half of our team who had already started the race at 7am in Wickenburg (think on your way to Vegas). While waiting forthem we watched Nacho Libre (however you spell it), got safety trained, used the potty, and FINALLY cheered in the last of our runners in van #1 and cheered our first runner of OUR van (van #2) off on her way!

Our van. Team Running with Porpoise. Hence the inflatable porpoises on the roof. Oh, and you cant see them in the light, but we also had christmas lights hooked up!

NACHO!

You dont want to know how many of these things I used over a two day period. Lets just say I have seen my share of port-a-potties to last a lifetime!

Waiting for our runner. It was HOT out...and dusty. I havent run yet, can you tell?

Off goes the first runner from our van, my SIL, Christy. Look at that enthusiasm!

So, if you don’t know about Ragnar, this is how it works:  Each team consists of 12 people (and possibly two drivers, like us).  Ultra teams can have 6, 4, or 3 people on a team, who then either run 6, 9, or 12 legs respectively.  (NUTS!)  There are 36 legs of the race which covers about 200 miles total.   Along the way, most of the legs are supported, which means that the van can drive ahead, stop, wait for their runner and make sure they are okay, give them water, cheer them on etc.  That is probably the most fun part of the race.  There were a few unsupported legs (like my first) where the roads and traffic really didn’t allow for much support without crossing major traffic.  Our team projected a finish time of 5pm Saturday evening.  Our captain and trainers thought we could do it by 4pm.  I finished my last leg, and our last leg as a team, a little after 8pm…in the dark…with only one team behind us…as they were taking down the festivities.  BUT…we finished!  Which is saying a lot for team made of mostly non-runners and a girl who got horribly sick the first night.

Here are a few memories from the race:

• Watching my BIL, Chris, literally eat dirt as he ran on a dirt path and the cars drove past him on a dirt road, in the middle of the hot AZ sun.  BLESS HIS HEART!
• All the looks we got from the funny looking van we were driving and all the people who came up to ask us what we were doing.  They were all amazed!
• Running in the dark in the middle of the desert, with no idea where I am at, only a headlamp to guide me and just praying that I can run faster so I can get to those stinkin’ port-a-potties!
• Running the longest distance I ever have at one time!  (5.9 miles)
• Being killed…A LOT!  (Really good runners count those they pass along the way as “kills.”)
• Realizing that I can be a really bad backseat driver!
• Witnessing a car accident as we waited for one of our runners.
• Watching my husband run…a lot…and being so proud of him.
• Talking to other runners from other teams.  Everyone we met was SO nice and enthusiastic!
• Right before Clint’s first run turning around and seeing an old man taking pictures with some of the other runners.  His name was Earnie.  He is 88 years old, and he RAN THE RACE!
• Not getting any sleep.
• Eating at Five Guys for the first time.  (In and Out is better.)
• Being so sick Friday night after I finished running I didn’t think I was going to be able to finish the race.
• Receiving a blessing from Doug and Clint and feeling better almost immediately…then going on to run my last two legs.
• Wearing a stupid headlamp for EVERY SINGLE RUN!
• Learning that, even when you think it is cold in AZ, it isn’t when you are running.
• Respect the Fro
• Total miles run Natalie: 13.5
• Total miles run Clint: 19.1
• Apparently Amelia Bedelia wears polka dot socks?
• Everyone finally crashing in the MOST UNCOMFORTABLE positions ever in the car before our last leg.
• Eating at IHop.
• Realizing that I was super ugly the entire trip, but knowing that I was with people who didn’t care and loved me anyway. 
• Way too much talk about poop.

The back of our van. The dust was from our FIRST exchange. We hadnt even started the race yet and it was that dirty.

Team 197

The crazy outfits people wore. We were conservative with our polka dot knee high socks and hair bows.

See...hair bow! Courtesy of my SIL Randee!

Earnie. That man was amazing! After his last leg I talked to him and he said he was just sorry there wasnt another leg to run.

Runners...waiting...

Clint before his first and longest leg - 8.6 miles.

Me and Clint before his first leg.

My MIL and FIL, amazing runners. They ran WAY more than I did in the race! Great examples.

My SIL Christy after finishing her last leg of the race, 4+ miles through a very hilly area of Fountain Hills in the middle of the hot sun! She rocked it!

Me before my last leg. 4.7 miles to the finish!

I complained a lot (sorry team!) and vowed that I would never run another Ragnar EVER again!  But really, I could see myself forgetting about the pain and doing it again in a few years.  Especially if it was with a group like this.  The running was NOT fun.  It was the opposite of fun.  I hated almost every minute of it.  What I loved though, was the sense of accomplishment, doing something I never thought I would or could do, and most importantly, building amazing relationships with people I already love, but now hold even more near and dear to my heart.

Bubbles

Sunshine

Rain

Clouds

Angel-Rays

Babies

My babies

Color

Books

CS Lewis

Doing things

Motherly Advice

Holding Hands

Life

Imperfection  (Wabi Sabi)

Lemons

Wood

Garden-picked veggies

Farmer’s Markets

Organic

Yoga

Breathing

God

Primary songs

Little hands

Candles

Ross

Anthroplogie

Change

Creating

My bed

Sleep

Marriage

Grass

English gardens

Sunrises

Sunsets

the beach

the mountains

Snow

Seafood

BYU

Pictures

Memories

Making memories

Swedish Fish

Godiva

Juice Beauty Lip Balm

“adventures”

Training:

As I have mentioned before, Clint and I have been training for a race held here every year in February – the Ragnar Relay Del Sol.  This year the route runs from Wickenburg (west of the city) and winds around and through the Phoenix area ending in Tempe.  We start early Friday morning (van 1 begins at 7:30am) and end sometime Saturday afternoon – running a total of over 200 miles.  It is a twelve man team and we each run three legs.  My legs are some of the easiest at 5.9 miles, 3.1 miles, and 4.7 miles. Clint’s legs are 8.6 miles (uphill!), 3.9 miles, and 6.5 miles.

When I mention the race, I often have people reply, “I didnt know you were a runner!”

I’m not.

My 60-something Mother and Father-in-Law are runners.  My SIL is a barefoot runner.  Clint’s family – they run.  I am a self-professed NON-runner, who made a decision to run a crazy race in the middle of the night in the middle of the desert.

Why?

1) Because Clint said he would if I would.  While I get to do yoga when I want and chase two crazy kids around all day, he sits at a computer constantly and has no extra time to do anything physical.  I am NOT saying that he needs to lose weight or that he is physically lacking to me in any way!  BUT…I do want him to live a long time – at least as long as me – and I think we have a better shot at that if we both are active.

2) Clint has run this race with his family before and he loved it.  Even though I have never been a fan of running, I have to admit, the thought of being on a team, working together, cheering each other on, and crossing a finish line with people I love sounded appealing.

3) I have never done something like this before and there is something appealing about doing something you never thought you would…or even could for that matter.

4) Finally, I knew that we were wanting to start trying for kid #3 sometime this year, and I wanted to get my body in good shape to tackle another pregnancy.  (No, that is NOT an announcement!)

So, Saturday Clint and I went on a team run in the foothills near the San Tan mountains.  I ran 5.4 miles of hills.  That is the longest I have ever run in my entire life.  IN. MY. LIFE!  It felt good.  Even if my MIL (and just about everyone else on the team) was smoking me!    I am getting excited for the race.  It is in 15 days.  YIKES!

Sick:

Jane woke up the other night throwing up.  No warning signs.  Just a few hours of throwing up and then about an hour of trying to get her back to sleep and nothing else.  I had to cancel plans with my sisters for fear of infecting anyone else with whatever random bug she had, but she never even had a fever.  This is what our house looks like when the kids are sick:

Did I mention it was RED throw up?  Yeah.

Other than training and taking care of sick (and not sick) kiddos, I have been working on finishing my living room.  With a LOT of help from my MIL, I am finally DONE!  Here are some pictures of the finished (ish) project.  (There is always more to do!)

We painted that green wall, re-upholstered the two chairs, painted the dresser and the lamp on the dresser, painted that red frame, painted the coffee table yellow, found baskets and made a foam topper and pillows to convert it to a bench, and made a few throw pillows for the rest of the room.  Oh, and added a plant.  Love my plants!   We didn’t ever used to go in that room a lot, and now I find myself spending more time there, reading and spending quiet time.  It’s lovely and feels good.

Other random shots:

by Ryan

I am too lazy to look it up, but I believe that there are statistics out there about  how long it takes for people to give up on their New Year’s Resolutions – and its not long!  Technically I never said that writing once a week on the blog was a “resolution” per se, but I guess it went without saying.  And here I am on the last day of January giving up on the whole write-once-a week-about-the-previous-week thing.  I still plan on writing here, and regularly (which to me means at least 4 times a month) but I can’t confine myself to a particular schedule.  It’s just not me.

So, here are a few pictures and highlights since my last post:

• Clint and I attended the 100 Years of Seminary broadcast with the youth of our Stake.  I loved listening to President Packer (even if he is getting harder to understand, bless his heart) and was reminded of my own love for seminary.  Plus, Clint’s students told him the day after in class that he had a young wife…which made me feel good.
• We went to the Bounz House today.  It is an indoor play area with a bunch of different blow up bounce toys for the kids to play with.  Ryan earned it because he got 100 stickers on his sticker chart (for being obedient, sharing, being polite, any good behavior we want to reward).  We had a great time with Grammie, Lindsay, Bethany and Mark.  (I will post pictures when I get them!)
• We watched two little girls yesterday (almost 2 and 4-months-old).  It was interesting to see how both of my kids reacted with a baby around.  I had prepped Ryan the night before that I was going to need his help and boy was he ever helpful!  He grabbed diapers for me, watched the baby while I ran in the other room for things, and even helped me feed her once.  I was impressed by what a big helper boy he was!  And then there was Jane.  Poor girl just couldn’t understand why she couldn’t put the blanket on the baby’s face or why she couldn’t rock her bouncy seat as hard as she wanted.  She was, however, extremely non-teritorial, which is not her norm, so that was nice.
• Jane continues to take her diaper off whenever and wherever.  Like today, in our neighbors backyard.  Or at night in her bed (WITH her onsie still on!) so I pick her up unaware and find myself covered in pee as well.  So…I am starting to sit her on the potty and just get used to sitting there, getting up and down, etc.  I just as still so not ready for potty training.  Sigh.
• Took some Banana Cupcakes with Brown Butter, Cinnamon, Cream Cheese Frosting over to Ryan and Jane’s Primary and Nursery teachers.  Those guys are all amazing!  Seriously so grateful for good men and women who come every Sunday ready to love and teach my children.  It amazes me the sweet testimony of my three-year-old.  He doesn’t ever say “I would like to bear my testimony…” but its in the little things.  Like today when we were reading from the Friend (an LDS magazine for children).  “Mom,” Ryan suddenly interrupted me, “Jesus hears me!”  We try and teach them here at home when the moments arise, we have Family Home Evening as regularly as possible, but I know he is learning so much also from his teachers at church and I love them for teaching him the truths of the gospel.  I want him to know that he can have peace and joy in his life – especially as he gets older and the world gets more and more complicated.  I pray that these simple truths he is learning now – that he is a child of God, that Jesus does hear him, that he can make good choices and that he is part of a family that can be together forever – will be the things he can hold onto when life gets harder and when he is out from under the my protecting Mama-wing.

"Brushing teeth" - more like eating the toothpaste!

on the potty

reading on the pot...start 'em young.

Ryan with one of his lego creations. He is VERY creative!

Sunday morning photo shoot.

"Dont touch your sister!" "Smile" "Put your dress down, Jane"

So, once a week is harder than it sounds.

I still don’t know how I want to do this.  It isn’t feeling as organic as I think it should.  I want to document the little things in our lives as well as the big, but sometimes it all feels too disjointed.  And frankly I am too distracted or tired most of the time to focus too long on trying to make it connect or make sense in any way.  Sorry.  (That was mostly meant for myself.)  I do wish my writing was better on this blog – something I know I am extremely capable of – I guess it just isn’t too high on my priority list.

Clint:

• Promoted to Senior Designer at work.  VERY, very busy.  Wakes up at 5am, gets ready for Seminary, teaches, comes home, (sometimes runs), goes to work, comes home, eats dinner, helps put kids to bed and then prepares his lesson for the next morning.  Sometimes he tells me that he hopes they call him back to this calling next year.  I do not feel the same way.
• Today we bought Zelda Skyward Sword  for him.  He has been wanting it for a long time and he finally gave into temptation and impetuousness (something that NEVER happens!) and I thought he deserved something fun for all the hard work he has been doing.  That is NOT our M.O., but it was fun for me to get him something totally frivolous exciting and its fun for him to be able to think about something other than work and Seminary.  He is playing it with Ryan as we speak.  Father son bonding time.  So many benefits. 

On a lazy day: Ryan playing his earned hour of video games and Jane watching while eating ice on the couch.

Ryan:

• Tells me every day what he wants to be for Halloween.  In the past few weeks we have gone from Luigi (and Jane would be Mario) to a fireman to Sonic.  Who, by the way, is real.  I accidentally told him otherwise – and was promptly reminded of the fragile feelings and uncertain grasp on reality that three-year-olds posses.  Sonic IS real, and so is Mario and Batman.
• The other day while cleaning out a closet I pulled out some fake flowers.  Ryan gave them to me and told me that he was going to marry me.  I am very okay with that.  When his Mrs. Right comes along I will happily give up the #1 Woman position in his heart, but until then I hope he loves me most.
• If he instigates (as opposed to being approached – which he does NOT like) he will gladly talk to anyone – and loudly.  He yells out loud in the store to random strangers asking them what they are doing and telling everyone to line up.  Its slightly embarrassing but I would rather that than a screaming fit.
• He also talks to animals.  I caught him the other day up in our Chinese Pistache talking to the dog next door.  I thought he was talking to me and when I asked him what he needed he said, “Nothing mom!  I’m just talking to the puppy!

Jane:

• Oh.my.goodness.  One word: Busy.  That girl never stops!  Actually, when its time to stop (i.e. nap or bedtime) she is very good, but in between….WOWZA!  Being a mother of young children if physically draining!
• She does silly things like:  Walk around the house in a onsie with socks on and one of her big brother’s shoes with a drum on her head. OR…try and put shoes on with her footie pajamas still on.  Hot pink footie pajamas and sparkly silver church shoes – that girl can make a mean fashion statement!
• She is talking a lot!
• She loves to be naked and if she can will take off her diaper if it is soiled.  Time for potty training?  PLEASE NO!  Mommy isn’t ready to tackle that quite  yet.

Natalie

• I got a new calling last week to serve in the Primary again!  I am thrilled to be back with the kids and will be serving as our ward Nursery Coordinator.  We have three nurseries right now which will be four nurseries in a few months as more kids come in.  I love Relief Society and the sisters, but even running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I felt the spirit stronger with those kids than quietly sitting in Sunday School and RS listening to a lesson.  Nothing can mimic the spirit of the children.  I missed it and cant wait to be there again tomorrow with the kids.
• This week my MIL came over and helped me paint a wall and little coffee table that I am converting into a bench.  The wall used to be a dark brown and now its a beautiful bright green.  The table was ugly and old and now is bright and yellow!  LOVE IT!  I still have more work to do in that room – finishing the bench with baskets and a foam top, re-upholstering chairs, doing pillows, and painting my entry dresser to name a few – but just those two changes really improve the feel of the room.  It is fresh and happy.  I giggle like a little girl every time I go in.  Its so beautiful.
• I also attempted canning chicken for the first time.  Also beautiful.  I now have 19 (well..18 cause I already used one!) pints of beautifully canned home chicken.  I really do love feeling domestic.  (And having canned chicken that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg!)

Unfinished yellow bench.

My fresh green wall - Grape Leaves by Behr. Should I do stripes??

Books we are reading and loving right now:

• Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin (Have to listen to the reading/singing of it!)  Because its all good…
• Emma by Jane Austen (for my book club this month)
• The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal (for fun and because I need more of it!)
• Linchpin by Seth Godin (Clint…because I bought it for him)

Shows we are watching and loving right now:

• Psych (me, for something totally brainless and pretty decent)
• The Office (new episodes but also started again from the beginning – Clint and I together ONLY!)
• Downton Abbey: Season 2 (because we are into British drama apparently – and most stuff on Masterpiece Theater…most, not all…)

And that is the end of this post because my hiccups just came back (probably my BIGGEST pet peeve ever!) and I have to go drink a glass of water upside down.

Up.

Side.

Down.