Hurt, Pain, and Agony

First of all let me squelch all rumors... there are no broken wrists, maybe a hand bone, but no wrist. When i took my big fall a couple weeks ago i came down hard on my hand and thought i had just sprained it, but its still not better and so i went to the orthopedic and they said, 'hey, lets put a cast on it just to be safe.' i said, 'I've got a race this weekend and i don't think a cast will work well' so they gave me a hard splint thing that I'm supposed to wear. Looking back i think a cast and not riding might not have been a bad option. The race was a charity event for the Cancer society. One of our friends, a breast cancer survivor and local Cancer Society representative helped organize the event. The race is appropriately called, 'Hurt, Pain, and Agony.' Turns out, they were right. You can follow the link below to see the details, but basically it was a long mountain course with a lot of climbing. A lot of climbing, followed by more climbing. If you know cycling at all, (and i don't really, but I'm pretending and everything you read on the Internet is fact so this is pretty much truth) you know that there are a special bread of cyclist that excel at climbing. They're usually Spanish and... well... smaller in stature. They're like jockeys and they have these tremendously large legs that push them quickly up hills. Turns out I'm not Spanish and not smaller in stature and therefore not extremely quick up the hills. However, I finished... not first, but definitely not last. The night before the race Zach S. called and said that he didn't in any way condone my cycling, but that I'd better not be last. One quick funny story...and of course its a little embarrassing, but after posting my rear cheek on the blog what could be worse? So the steepest part of the race came at mile 50 and at the end of a road called Mahogany Rock Road, (if you are ever riding your bike and you see a sign that says Mahogany Rock Road, turn around...it's a good idea... trust me). It seemed like we climbed steady for a really long time, forever maybe... people started to get off their bikes and stretch out their cramps and what not. Then all of a sudden the department of transportation had an idea to make a road and see just how steep was too steep for asphalt. Turns out the answer is... real steep. So I found myself going up, leaning forward as much as i could to not let my front wheel come off the ground. The guy in front of me gets about half way up and bails out... gets off his bike and starts hiking the bike up the hill. So i catch him as he dismounts then as he starts to hike, I'm still pedaling, but not passing him. He walked, i rode and yet, we made it to the top about the same time. There were several people along the top of the road cheering the riders on, so here i was... dude hiking the bike next to me, me nearly dead, and people cheering like we were about to win the Tour DE France. The bike walker then even says to me something like great job man. I looked at him and gave him a half smile, with the pain it probably looked the face of the man on 'men in black' (you know the one, "I'm looking for a man, a dead one") anyway what i was really thinking was, dude... at least push. So, it was tough, long, beautiful, and I'm really glad i did it, but really really glad it's over.
http://www.bmcc.us/id42.htm

Fishing with Daddy

The best part of our vacation in Idaho was the time that Whit was able to spend with the girls. Things get so busy at home that he doesn't get to do all the fun things that he would like to with the girls. This trip Whit and Uncle Joel took the kids fishing to the nature ponds in Rexburg. They had a fun time and even caught some fish. The fish were pretty tiny, but they were fish and that was all that mattered to the girls.

Idaho Trip-Yellowstone

The girls and I made it back safely from Idaho. The flight went well and we are just trying to adjust to NC time. It is always a lot harder to adjust to coming home than going. Luckily everyone has been sleeping in so that has helped. We had so much fun in Idaho. I can't believe how fast three weeks can fly by. I started crying one day as I was packing for the trip and the girls asked what was wrong and I said we are packing to go on our trip and that means it is almost over. I don't think they quite understood my problem, but that is really how it is. Sometimes I dread going because that means it will be over and I won't have anything to look forward to anymore. We did a lot of great things while in Idaho and it will probably take me a while to get all of the fun stuff posted so I will just do it in parts.

The first big event was going to Yellowstone National Park. This was a great day. We loaded 26 members of Whit's family in three cars and spent the day seeing the sights. Then ended the day at the Playmill Theatre where we saw Hello Dolly. It was a cute show and the girls loved it. They are very facinated by plays and musicals. Jaynie keeps asking when she gets to be in a play. I guess I should make more of an effort to get her involved. It was neat to be with Lee (Whit's Dad) at the Playmill. They recognized him as one of the original founders of the playmill. He and one other man and their families started it 40 years ago and now it is such a popular part of the Yellowstone trip for people. Pretty cool!!

Here are some pictures of our day in Yellowstone.

We saw a lot of buffalo (bison for the guy at Yellowstone), elk, deer, beaver, and even a bald eagle, but no bears :(

Pretty Paint Pots

Oh my sweet Eliza-that's just all I can say about this picture

Old Faithful-I have tried twice since I have been married to see Old Faithful and missed it both times so I wasn't going to miss it this time. The girls thought it was pretty cool.
Cousins!!!

Us at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. What a beautiful sight. As you can tell we caught it just as it started to rain. Lucky us.

Does anyone know where Grandma went?

rear carnage

so this is the deal... we just spent a week in Idaho. I caught the redeye sunday night and went straight to work. Stacie and the girls are staying for an extra week. We have made the trip to Idaho a few times now and a few times i've come home alone and Stacie has stayed. Each time we do that we promise never to do it again. Leaving my wife and kids and family and coming back to an empty house and a work is a great recipe for... well it's not fun. Anywho, to fight the lonelyness i went on the monday group ride and did alright for not having ridden in 10 days and not sleeping the day before. Then tonight my buddy Duane and I decided to fight the threatening weather and do a 30 mile loop through the city. We ride this loop often and sometimes alone, we have a reigning champion award for the the solo loop. FYI I am the current champion with a time of 1:15:39. So tonight we decided to work as a team and see how fast we could do it. Part of the loop goes through the campus of Wake Forest University. Part of that section goes on a narrow paved running trail. Turns out the trail was a bit damp from earlier rain and it also turns out that i was going way way way... way too fast for a narrow wet trail through the forest. Short story long, my wheels detatched themselves from the pavement and i went down hard on my right rear cheek and wrist. The bike luckily came off my pedals with the impact and i slid for a good ways on my hip until i hit the dirt and rolled to a stop. Bike was good, leg and wrist... not so much. So I am posting some pics of the carnage, the last pic was were Duane got a cap full of peroxide and poored it over the wound... ouch. So...any... here's the disclaimer **PICTURES OF ME IN LYCRA ARE NOT TO BE SHARED WITH ANYONE ELSE AND EVEN THOUGH I HAVE PUT THEM ON A PUBLIC BLOG DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PUT THEM ON YOUTUBE OR SHOW THEM OFF IN ANY OTHER EMBARRISING WAY. IF YOU DO I WILL GO TO YOUR HOUSE AND TALK TO YOUR MOM AND GET HER TO SHOW ME YOUR PHOTO ALBUMS AND I WILL POST SWEET PICTURES OF YOU, YOU KNOW THE PICTURES I'M TALKING ABOUT**

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's in our lives. We miss you all today and hope you each know how much we love and appreciate all you do. Father's day isn't as much fun without all of our father's around, but we certainly enjoyed celebrating with Whit today. Whit is such a great Dad. I must be the luckiest woman in the world to have found such a wonderful man to be the Father of my children, and I tell everyone who acts concerned that Whit doesn't have any sons that he is the luckiest man in the world to be surrounded by such beautiful girls. What more could a guy ask for? Whit was meant to be a dad to a house full of girls. Not many would have the patience for such a feat. Each of his girls absolutely adore him (well Addie is getting there, she is kind of a mama's girl, but I reassure Whit that it is only because I am her food supply and the girl loves to eat). Every time Whit walks in the door the girls drop what they are doing and run to his side and rarely leave it until bed time. It has become quite a problem at dinner time because only two of them can sit next to Daddy (what am I chopped liver?) I love it because it really makes my job easier when he gets home. Thanks Whit for being the wonderful man that you are, for honoring your priesthood and fulfilling the role of Father the way Heavenly Father meant it to be filled. We love you and hope that every day is a great Father's Day!!

In honor of our many Father's the girls and I made cookies for everyone, but rather than ship cookies and have them be stale the girls just enjoyed them for you:) Here is a video of them eating the yummy cookies for you with lots of love.

Hip Hip Horray-Jaynie's done with school today!!!

Today was the last day of school for Jaynie and I couldn't be more excited to have her home. She is such a big helper and quite frankly I just miss having her around all the time. Let the lazy days of summer begin.

For the last day of school they had crazy hair day so here is a picture of Jaynie with her crazy hair.

Memorial Day Post-Better Late than Never

I know I am really late posting our Memorial Day pictures but I figured now was better than never so here you are. We had a great time on Memorial Day. We wanted to go to the beach with the Casper's at Hilton Head, but the time and money just didn't work out so we decided to go for a day trip to Wilmington. I think I was meant to be a beach bum. I really could stay on the beach all day every day and never get tired of it. There is just something cleansing about it. We haven't been to the beach in good weather since before Eliza was born so it had been a long time since the girls really had a chance to play in the water and they loved it. They just totally entertained themselves all day. Addie wasn't a huge fan of the water, but she sure loved the sand. I couldn't keep it out of her mouth. I finally gave her a seashell to chew on because I figured it was better than the sand. I really love being close enough to the beach to go in a day. What fun memories for the girls. This day rivaled the day in the mountains for the best day of Jaynie's life. Once again all day long she kept saying this is the best day of my life. I love "best" days. They are much better than "worst" days.

 

 

 

Missing Home

So I am sitting here reading everyone's blogs and crying. I just miss everyone back home so much. I really do love my life here and the friends we have, but man there are times that I just get super home sick. I miss my family and friends and yes even Idaho. It has been in the upper 90's this week and so the only way to be outside is to be at the pool. So with it being Sunday we are stuck inside. Idaho may have had a horribly cold spring, but I am really jealous of the great Idaho summers. Luckily I will be home in two weeks. Idaho here we come!!!

End of Feel Great in Eight

I kind of stopped reporting my feel great in eight results. It kind of lost it's luster when the group broke up, but I continued to do the program and yesterday the personal trainer in our ward took our body measurements again as a culmination of feel great in eight. I still have a lot to loose, but I am so excited about my results so far that I wanted to share them. Total weight loss so far is 20 pounds with a body fat loss of 12%. I lost an inch in both arms, 2 inches on my waist, 2 inches on my hips, and 5 1/2 inches on each of my thighs. Not too bad. I'll take it. I have been working really hard and it is paying off. It feels really good to be able to accomplish something that just 3 months ago seemed impossible. Whit and I joined a local gym and that has really helped the weight come off these last 3 weeks. I have started spinning and I think fat just pours off you with the sweat in that class. It is a really great form of exercise. I also am doing a weight lifting class that is set to music that is really fun and I have muscles in my legs that I haven't seen since Coach Lamph made me sit on the wall for hours on end in volley ball my sophomore year. O.K. it probably wasn't hours, but it sure felt like it at the time. Anyway, I feel great and can't wait until I am at my final goal weight and can work on maintaining my weight. I still want to loose 13 pounds. I don't know if I will make it before I come to Idaho at the end of the month, but we will see.