2013 Vacation -- Day 1 -- Driving to Grand Canyon

On July 9th, we flew standby to Las Vegas and got there with ZERO problems.  We got our bags, our rental car, and headed to the Grand Canyon.  It was about a 4.5 our drive to the North Rim.  The kids spent their time watching movies and playing electronics in the back seat.  Steve and I enjoyed the beautiful landscapes of Nevada, Utah and Arizona.  One thing we learned is that when we left the bigger cities, we no longer had cell service which is what we were using as a map!  Luckily we stopped at a Utah Visitor Center and they were able to give us a map.  Reminded me of the "olden-days" and the dog-eared, highlighted atlas that my parents always used on our road trips in the motorhome.

Sarah's Posts

Church camp 2012                        At camp last summer I had 2 counselors

Amy and

Becca

                                                 We were in the elephant cabin

                                                          Heres us in front of it

                                                  There was a really cool water park.

                 Me and Hannah tried to take our picture in front of it in the dark, it didn't work very well

                                                  We made a mud ball just for fun

                                                There was a huge ropes course

                                               We made a craft

                                               And got to go to a petting zoo

                                                  We played golf

                                             It was really fun and we are going back this year.

100 th birthday skating party

Last October, I coordinated a Girl Scout 100th birthday party and the theme was to wear a fun hat. Love how we added a party hat to Sarah's pig! The bottom picture is of girls from our troop.

Hot Chocolate 15k

Last year I could barely run this race as a 5k. That morning, the temperature was "feels like 18 degrees". Too cold for this girl! Sarah and I "ran" the race and Steve did the 15k. Our time was 49:51. Which was a 16:05 minute mile.

This year, we left Sarah at home so we could really run! We sent the kids to the grandparents and we used Friday night to go and get our race packets and eat dinner at Olive Garden. I used this race as a long run in training for the Princess Half Marathon in a few weeks. My 5k time was 32:33 and my 10k was 1:07:34. I completed the 15k (9.3 miles) in 1:41:36. This is a 10:55 minute mile. Whoop! It was so fun. And the chocolate at the end...so good. Hot chocolate and things to dip in the fondue chocolate (rice crispie, marshmallow, pretzels). Loved it!

The first part was super flat so I ran the whole first 3.1 miles. (This is a huge accomplishment for me as a run/walker). (I have only run the WHOLE thing one other time--Sept 2011. For that race, that was my goal. Now my goal is distance.)

My little porcupine

Shane auditioned for the porcupine role in his school music performance.  He did a great job with his 2 lines and I enjoyed making his costume.  I added a few more quills to the front of his hat so it looked more like a Mohawk of quills and less like an "Indian" hat.  Need to get a newer picture (but I donated it to the teacher and need to "borrow" it)

Here is a little video of his performance.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFrW7IUvtfQ

Sent from my iPhone

Love, love, love

The last time we had our family pictures made, Shane was 2 and Sarah was 5.  

(May 2007--Right before we left Del Rio.)

 

 

 

In December, we hired a photographer to take our pictures at Eagle Mountain Lake State Park. She did an AMAZING job.  I loved too many of the pictures to use on my blog or Christmas cards.  So, here are a few of those, plus more that I loved.

Sleepover

This is Shane's top bunk. Both kitties climbed the stairs and are snuggled in. Waiting for Santa, I guess. (Yes, there is a pink sheet on that mattress, Sarah often sleeps up there.)