Snow in Arizona

 Peter and I's "photo shoot" at our wards Valentines Dance.  We were is Paris :)

 One of my next goals for 2013 was to actually start personal training. I had been certified since march of 2012, but felt too intimidated to start. But since heavenly Father does a great job of throwing people together...He sent me to visit teach a girl who had already lost 100 lbs on her own and wanted to lose another 60-80. She had been wanting a trainer, but didn't know where to go, so we started at the end of January.  She, Michele is awesome!  She is so motivated and will do whatever I tell her :)

 Then, in February, we got some good snow.  We had flurries for a while here int he Valley, btu lots of smow int he mountains.  We took the boys 1/2 hour away up Madera Canyon to play in the snow.  This is exactly how I like it!! Close enough to GO play in the snow, but it doesn't come to bury my house :)

A snowball fight broke out immediatly upon exiting the car

 One of multiple snowmen.  With Kimballs plumber rolling :) below

 The boys had fun following the stream from all the me;ting snow

 The boys were so excited to have snow in our own backyard.

 The boys had fun playing with Katie from next door until Kimball got too cold and I made Joey come in to eat.

 We had a fun dinner by candle light so we could watch the flakes falling outside.

100 Days of school and 1/2 marathon

 For the 100 days of school celebration, Kimball's class had the assignment of making a poster using 100 things.  So with 50 leave, 29 black lentils, 20 pink lentils, and 1 stick--we got a really cool piece if art.

  

On February 2nd, I completed a really big goal of mine by running a 1/2 marathon.  It was so hard to build up my milage because running is something I NEVER enjoyed, and it almost does my knees under. But through lots of hard work (most of it mental--to push myself to do something I don't completely care for), and lots of foam rolling, I was able to do it!

The boys thought it was great to go to Phoenix for the night. They loved staying in the hotel, eating at Olive Garden the nigth before the race, and getting to watch lots of tv :)

Peter was an awesome support to me. Helping me wake up the boys at 5:55 in the morning to trek out to the freezing cold packet pick up and start of the race.

             Freezing boys wishing mom good luck.  

Cute boys waiting for her to finish :)

 Kimball waiting to give me a high five and run with me for a few yards.

Joey wasn't quite as interested in that :)

 I did it!  I couldn't believe I did that!!! I am NOT a runner--it is like torture to me. But there is something so exhilirating and powerful about pushing beyond your limits.  It always reminds me that I am a child of God.  Because I have His divinity in me, I can do amazing things!  

And the best part--I ran the Whole thing!  I usually can't make it more than a mile or two without stopping to walk for a bit and then keep running.  But not this time.  The course was along a beautiful desert road so I could just get in my groove without distractions. It was so beautiful seeing the sun come up over the mountains.  It is a long, steady climb the whole first half--not a steep hill, bit enough to keep me saying, "curse you darn hill" throughout the whole 6++ miles.  I kept telling myself, "just make it up, and then at the turn around you can stop and walk."  But as soon as I hit that turn around, I saw how much I had climbed--the view was amazing. And I thought, "if I can run up that with out stopping, surely I can run down that without stopping." And I did. Despite fatigue and bad stomach cramping at mile 10 and really yucky bowel problems at

 miles 11-13 (not pleasant). But I did it!

It was so wonderful to have my sweet family waiting for me at the finish line!  I love them!  It definietly motivated me to keep moving knowing they were there waiting.  I finished in a time of 2:08--pretty good for a girl who doesn't run.  I was just so proud of myself for pushing through and finishing something very hard for me.  It feels great!

 Playing back at the hotel

It was so sad. My bowels were so hurting after the race that the only thing I could do was drink Sprite.  I was so excited to finish and eat a hug burger or steak or something, but after running to the bathroom every 15 minutes, I decided it was better to just go easy.  We have over a 2 hour drive home and the desert offers no privacy if you have to pull over on the side of the road.

Peach Picking

 Here's an old journal entry I found when we went to pick peaches this past spring in TX.

And just the day before we had gone up to an orchard in Fredricksburg to pick peaches. Afterward we went to Dairy Queen for lunch. As we were walking in an older man and his elderly mother were walking towards the door at the same time (the mother was struggling to be able to walk). I whispered to Joey and Kimball and asked if they'd like to hold the door open for them.  They both ran over and held the double doors for them.  Then, as we went up to the counter to get some ice cream, the elderly mother and her son were just leaving.  Joey saw them walking towards the door and quickly ran over to help them out.  The man smiled grateful and said to me, "That's one fine son you've got there mam." I completely agreed and couldn't help but tear up. I am so grateful to be the mother of such wonderful sons!

 We had a fun New Years with lots of yummy foods and cake pops from Joey's new 

cake pop maker

 We also had fun going out shooting in the desert

 and playing with sparklers in the backyard

 Another fun family adventure is taking the boys out to the desert and playing on all the dirt hills. A little stomping, a little riding, and a whole lot of fun.  The boys are so brave and conquered some pretty aesome hills!

 watching dad do the BIG hill

 Then the brave boys did their own BIG hill

 Peter catching some sweet air :)

 Kimball got a little support and help from Dad to conquer a steep decline