To Everything There is a Season...: November 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

Team Mandelbaum

October 15th and 16th I ran a Ragnar Relay Race with a team of 12 people over 180 miles - from the Valley of Fire to Redrock Casino. I was waiting to post about this until the pictures surfaced and this weekend they magically appeared. The race started at 10 am on Friday and ended around noon on Saturday.

Every team has a theme and ours was "Mandelbaum." It's from a Seinfeld episode that you'd have to see to understand. If I was more savvy with blogging and the internet I would post the link here but I'm not. Sorry. The front of our shirts say, "World's Greatest Runner!" The back side says, "Step aside, I'm gonna take it up a notch! Team Mandelbaum - Ragnar Relay Las Vegas, 2009. Our team leader, Adrienne Daines, and her husband, Will, headed everything up and did an amazing job. It's a lot of work to be the leader. Adrienne's family made up a large portion of our team, along with our support. We had two vans with 6 people per van and they were stocked with water and goodies (and even soda for me).

The order we ran in went: Brad Beckstead, Pam Beckstead, Brittney Hall, Me, Darren Cox, and Will Daines. This picture is the first exchange for Brittney and I. This was just outside Overton. My first run was brutal because it was noon, in the desert, and pretty much up hill. It was only 3 miles but it kicked my butt! I know others had much harder runs but this was max capacity for me.

Nothing like running in the desert with sagebrush, hot pavement, and hills. My favorite run was at 11 pm when it was dark and with a down hill portion. The next morning around 6 am I ran 5 miles. It was fun to see the sunrise and know I was on my last leg. I ran around 11 miles and felt great when it was all done. I only suffered one casualty - while in the out house changing into my tank top, my sports bra dropped in the depths below, never to be retrieved. When I came out to break the news to my team, the men were not sure what to think. They were like, "what are you going to do?" Good thing it doesn't take much to keep things in place. Just kidding, my tank top had a built in.

The van says it all! You Lag, you drag! Well, I did some lagging but for the most part, got better times than anticipated. It was an experience I'll never forget but don't want to repeat any time soon. Although, I did tell the Becksteads I would do the Wasatch Back in June I am already questioning my sanity.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Magical Forest

There's nothing like a trip to Opportunity Village where the Magical Forest appears to put you in the Christmas spirit! It transcends you to a simple Christmas village and brings you back to the basics. I love the cause behind it and was glad the Bomsta Family thought of us with the complimentary tickets.

I have not purchased one item for Christmas so hopefully I can get my act together in time. I keep threatening the kids that Santa has elves everywhere that are always watching so they better be on their best behavior. It works for like 1 minute, then they're back to doing whatever it was that brought the threat on. Santa must be a major push over!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Week End Highlights

T-ball +
Football (finished 4th out of 14 teams) +
Soccer +
Grandpa and Grandpa Bateman +
Business dinners =
A fun but chaotic weekend. Wish I had some pictures but my computer is on the blitz. I'm using Kennedy's lap top to post this. Oh and here are a few token moments as well:

While sitting in primary, Leighton asked his teacher, "Did you fart?"
Her reply, "No!"
Oh, then it must have been me," Leighton realized. "I better go use the bathroom."
After returning from the bathroom, Leighton admitted it was a good thing he went. Sister Coupe could hardly contain herself.

Jackson asked to "please help us not to litter" in his prayer during primary. So profound.

Kennedy made breakfast for everyone Sunday morning. It included: blueberry muffins, bacon, hash browns, and scrambled eggs and Diet Pepsi (the drink of champions - only I was treated to that). She let me sleep in and brought it to me in bed. Dreamy!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Taking Snaps One Picture At A Time!

Kennedy and her friend, Grace Hannum wanted to make a blogspot for their photography. They thought that nobody would even be looking at it since it's only invited readers and so they asked me if I would make a post to "advertise" it. If you would like to see it you can go to ktbandgghphotography.blogspot.com and get their email so that you can get an invite from them. The blogspot address above is just a blog of information and is open to anyone. But, the actual blog with pictures is ktbandgghphotos.blogspot.com.

Thanks!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Sleeping Beauties!

This is what Eric and I came home to Saturday night after a 50th birthday party. Our version of an Anne Geddes baby picture.

Long Awaited Guests

My parents have been wanting to come visit for a while and I came across the perfect scenario to get them to stay a little longer than they usually do. This past Saturday all the kids had games at pretty much the same time so the only way for them to see all of them was to have them come on Wednesday to go to the twin's football game allowing Saturday to be open for Boston's t-ball and Kennedy's soccer. Everything went according to plan.

The above picture was taken while we were waiting to go see "The Mentalist" at Planet Hollywood. It almost looks like they are in a far away land.

The good news is they were able to see them play. The bad news, they lost, terribly. My dad was totally amused with the atmosphere and said he wouldn't have missed it for the world. He notices things that most of us don't, like the referee's patten leather shoes. Football breeds its own and they were all there in full force.

Eric leading the team before the game. So many parents have commented on what a great contribution Eric has made to the team. Although they weren't the best team, they are still in line to be in the play offs. They only want $1000 per team to play in the play offs! So crazy that you have to pay if you win. Luckily Jackson and Leighton both raised their hands after Saturday's game to say that "their dad would pay for it. He has lots of money!" Aren't they so sweet?!

After the football game we forgot to bring the boys a shirt to change into. Kennedy offered her jacket to Jackson. I think it looks dashing on him. He came out of the bathroom and whispered to me that he didn't have a shirt on underneath it. I think he was embarrassed but amused all in the same.

We ventured out to Boulder City to The Coffee Cup for a delicious breakfast Friday morning. My parents said they felt like they were in California. The night before my mom said the weather felt a bit like Hawaii, without the extreme humidity. Wow! Vegas this time of year is pretty dreamy!

I was out of tooth picks so we found this red neck one to oblige my dad. It's a shish kabob stick. Whatever works.

Saturday after Boston's t-ball game. Boston had them all to himself as I was at the twin's football game. He loves one-on-one time.

Kennedy's game got changed to 4 pm on Saturday (instead of 11:45 am) which complicated my parents plans but allowed us to spend more time with them. The kids tried talking them into staying until next weekend but their pleading didn't work. They headed out after Kennedy's game. She played great as the coaches matched her up with The Beast on the other team. I have never seen her run so fast or hard. Aside from her grandparents being at the game, Mr. Rosensteel from school was there so she was very motivated.

I came home to a clean house and new white towels (mine weren't so white any more). I'm not sure when they found time to do it all, but I was so grateful. They are a breath of fresh air. Thanks Mom and Dad! We love you and are already planning a way to lure you back.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Mother of the Year

That's me. We were out of bagels this morning (Einstein's honey whole wheat to be exact) which meant no sandwich for lunches. So, I thought this would be a perfect day for a "mystery lunch."

12:15 pm rolls around and I realize I forgot to bring the kids their lunches. I was distracted with my disgusting bathrooms. Then I get a phone call from Kennedy asking if I dropped her lunch off.

"No, but I'm making you one right now," I say.

"Don't worry about it. Kelsey gave me some of hers," Kennedy replies.

I feel like a heel and run through options in my mind. I call back the school and the nurse answers. She tells me Leighton is coming into her office as we speak. She puts me on hold and gets the scoop. Leighton tells her he didn't eat lunch and neither did Jackson. They're very hungry. Now, my kids could afford to miss a meal and be okay but the fact that I didn't show up with their mystery lunch, broke their heart and mine. What kind of mother am I?

I tell the nurse to round the rest of the kids up and I'll be in to take them to lunch. When I get there they question me asking where their lunch is? I tell them, "I'm the mystery. We're going to lunch!" So pathetic.

I give them choices because I'm feeling so guilty and we end up at McDonald's. I even get the twins a mighty kids meal and Kennedy a 10 piece meal all to herself. They scarfed it down in 15 minutes and they were back to school before any one even noticed. I think.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween Two Thousand Nine

This holiday is talked about all year long as the kids try to decide what they want to be. The twins have been stressed because I told them "no one-piecers." Well as you can see, I gave in one more year to the one piece outfit. These however, are deluxe "Jenga Fett" costumes and proved to be stretchy and well enforced. I think they were actually comfortable for them. I don't know Star Wars very well but the boys told me these are bad guys who are bounty hunters and store all their goods in their belt. Whatever they were, I think they looked like good boys instead of bad boys.

My Knight in Shining Armour! Who wouldn't want to be rescued by this guy?! His costume is 2 pieces and an adorable Costco find.

Thumbs up to you too!

The only way I can tell the twins apart here is the token glove Jackson is wearing.

Kennedy stole the show with her Amelia Earhart costume. This was all her idea and had nothing to do with the movie that has just come out. We were watching "Night at the Museum II" the past year and she said, "Wouldn't Amelia be a fun Halloween costume?" And she's stuck with it ever since. All we had to find were boots and a skull cap. Kennedy and I were in need of new boots and the hat was a real find at Kohl's. It's much cuter on the real side. She felt unique and that's what mattered.

Kennedy and Grace. The Hannum's had a fun get-together at their house with this fun blow up house, yummy food and of course lots of noise.

We went with some friends trick-or-treating in the Grand Legacy and went on a hay ride. What a fun tradition we hope to continue. After this though, the twins just wanted to go home. Something scared them and they were done. Our kids are spooked pretty easy and turn into shaking, crying, babies once this happens. I prefer the fun side of Halloween myself. I'm a chicken too. And...I think Eric is too. But don't tell anyone!