Wascally Wabbit 5k

So, this was supposed to be half marathon 6, and my last double digit run before St. George marathon.

However, after my 18 mile run I had some issues, and went to the doctor. I pulled some muscles and had some core issues (which is as specific as I would like to be), so while waiting for an appointment with the physical therapist I should not be running long distances. As this happened the week I was supposed to run 40 miles (5, 10, 5, and 20 miles respectively), I knew I would not be able to make the marathon.

It was a huge disappointment, but I know it's more important to listen to my body.

BUT, since I had already paid for my half marathon I asked if I could downgrade to the 5k. I figured I would run what I could and walk the rest.

Around mile 2, a few other runners and I noticed a woman staggering toward us. Initially my thought was that it was a drunk person walking one off. Then I noticed blood all down her shirt, and I was a little alarmed. Then I noticed the zombie face paint. PHEW! A few more people jumped out at us, which was totally unexpected. They didn't mention that when we were signing up!

I did it in 41:20, which is a pretty good pace for me doing the walk/run pace!

Now to get stronger and (hopefully) faster!1+++++

Moving Austin to Stanford

One of the biggest reasons I wanted Brandon to take the Visalia job after Barry was because I wanted to be near my parents after their mission. We can also be close to Brandon's parents right now, so the kids can be near both grandparents starting next summer.

An unexpected bonus that we didn't expect a year and a half ago was having Dallin and Krystel in the Bay Area all summer, and now Austin will be near for the next 2 years at Stanford! It's only a 3 hour drive.

2 weeks before he was supposed to come out, his car got stolen. It was a very stressful time, as we were unsure as to how he was going to get out here. But miracle of all miracles, the Provo police found it just before he left.

He planned to move out this past weekend, and we were able to swing it so we got to go help him do some grocery shopping. We figured it was our way of being the "parents" here.

It was fun seeing another part of California. Apparently just outside of Palo Alto there is a NASA research center!

 Austin's dorm is... pretty good for students haha. He has a nice roommate I met at one point. It's basically the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen.

His ward is just off campus, so he can walk there which is nice! 

On the drive up we saw that there were tickets to the Stanford-UC Davis football game for $11 for the FIFTEENTH row. So we took it! James did not want Austin to ever put him down.

 Cora spent the whole game with her hands over her ears, saying "This is too loud. I don't like football. I want to go home." Then as soon as we left Stanford scored twice. Bummer!

Lunch was at Wahlburger's, which was pretty good. But raw jalepenos in my salad made my mouth burn.

We took Austin to Walmart and Trader Joe's. Cora made a few interesting fashion choices along the way!

 After dinner, we headed back to Oakley. We were teasing Ashlee and Luis for sleep training Charlotte with the video monitor... while she was 10 feet away. It's funny now, but I know I was just like this with Cora!

 James looked especially dapper in his Larry King outfit at church.

 He LOVES having Charlotte around! Charlotte is a little bit afraid of him, you can see her eyes get big when he comes stumbling up to her.

We tried to keep her safe from James, but it didn't work.

 He was jealous of her seat, so he BIT her toes. Not hard, because I couldn't see a bite mark. But she cried, Ashlee got her out, and then he climbed in and played happily with the toys. Sorry Charlotte!

We now have 2 stops to make in the Bay, and possibly 3 next year if Dallin and Krystel decide to move back here!

Where were you when the world stood still?

On 9/11 every year, people post about what they were doing and where they were when they heard about the terrorist attacks. I don't think I've ever written mine down so I want to for my kids to know.

I have a lot of secondary NYC pride. Being born outside there and having visited there for my growing up years made me feel like an honorary citizen of New York. While I have retracted wanting to live there (or any city ever again after living in Miami), I will still argue that it is better than any other Northeastern city (cough Boston).

So it was the beginning of 6th grade for me. I remember coming downstairs and seeing that the TV was on. The TV was NEVER on before school, so I thought "Cool!" Then I realized something was super wrong. My mom and dad were so focused on it and Austin came running up to me saying there was an airplane crash at the Twin Towers. We had just gone to visit the summer before, and Alyse went up into one of the towers. It was surreal to watch them smoking like that. As we were eating breakfast the first tower collapsed. It was so surreal (again, no other word to describe it) to be witnessing live. It was so unfathomable and cartoonish the way it came down that I thought this was a joke. Like a Pee Wee Herman type collapse? But it wasn't. All I remember is the audible gasp from my parents and the tears and then it hit me that this was REAL and this was horrific. I was 11, remember?

I remember the cameras shooting people running and screaming from the falling debris. My cousins told me that all day that day people were being pulled out of class to be told about the status of their parents.

Every year I learn a little more about that day. I'm so glad that our videos didn't show (or our parents protected us from) the footage of the people jumping out of the buildings. I think of the first responders and the people who saved lives and it's awe inspiring. I think of those people who rushed the cockpit and brought down United 93 to save the lives of who knows how many people and I am grateful for their sacrifice.

I just watched a video that had some audio of voicemails people left from the planes and it makes me never want to fly. The fear they had in their voices makes your heart stop. I still can't watch footage without tearing up.

So, that's where I was when the world stood still.