XC

I feel like I need to be a motivational poster everyday to my kids.  I need to uplift them, encourage them, inspire them and challenge them in every aspect of their life.

I don't believe my kids will be great at everything they try...I just don't want them to be afraid to try.

I love running now... but was too afraid to run cross country in high school.  I thought it would be too hard, so I did not want to try.  I guess I am living vicariously through Taylor.  She is not afraid to try.   

 I think she is surprising herself and definitely surprising me.  She actually enjoys pushing herself further than she has ever pushed herself physically.

I don't need to be her motivational poster anymore...

 She is starting to get it!!!!

Plus, she is getting some new muscles...

 I wish I could be more like her.  All is not lost, though, on my cross country career...  The cross country team lets Mom's run with the team in the mornings at 5:30am.  She invited me to come.

I hope she knows that she is now a motivational poster of her own for these two.  Sometimes, it is great to have sisters motivate you during your race.

Sick on your Birthday

"Hello...High School?...I am calling to let you know my daughter will not be in school today...she appears to be sick on her 14th birthday!!!

 Her ears appear to be swollen and abnormally large and turning black.

 Her eyesight is impaired and she is not seeing quite right...everything looks 3D to her.

She says her stomach feels like it is up in her throat.

She just needs to be in her happy place to get better.

Happy Birthday!!!  I hope your school does not catch on!

16 Years

16 years ago, I fell for him and his jokes.

 16 years later I still fall for him and his jokes...but now we have 4 extras to laugh with us.

H.A. 

Surfer Girls

I have always wanted to try surfing...so anything I want to do...I make my girls try.  I knew they would do much better than me, but I would not leave until I got up.  Plus who learns to surf with their mom.

Sydney was the first one up on her first wave.

Carly was the second one up after she got some help getting out to the waves.  It was really hard for the little ones to stand out far enough to catch a wave.  She rode it all the way in.  I don't have a picture of Taylor but she made it up before me and was pretty determined to get up too.  It is much harder the heavier you are.

 I stayed out the longest and had to wait for some big waves and probably fell the most.  Look I am still smiling.

But...I got up.  Yes, I would do it again.  

 I bought this sign for my backyard to put by the pool so everyone knows we surf.

Beach Vacation

 We did the same thing everyday and all day for 6 days and were never bored.

 I love Carly's face as she is catching a wave so I had to put in all of them.

 For some reason, we always dig a big hole at the beach....tradition.

Scott had to work, so he was not there most of the time.   I was there all of the time...but I always take the photos so this is the only one of me.  I think my sister took a photo of a sand sting ray that we made so maybe I have another photo that is not of my back side. 

Syd and Soccer

I have been looking back at blog posts and it was funny to me how there was not much of Syd.  I have been spending the most time with her lately but have not posted anything.  We have been doing a lot of soccer and traveling together.  

One trip was to San Diego.  We had to kill 3 hours in between games so we had a photo shoot of  her at the temple.

Last weekend was a trip to Northern California.  We stayed with her great grandparents.  I was so impressed how loving she was towards them.  My grandma kept asking what this little girl was doing in her house...  

Her favorite part was my grandparents pink house...every 8-year old's dream.  I still think it is funny that this pink house is probably worth a million dollars...location....location.  My grandma has always had it pink to match her favorite flowers in her yard...  My grandpa was a good man to live in a pink house.  I wish all my kids could have known them when they were at their best.  Alzheimer's, strokes and just getting old really stink sometimes.

 It was great to spend some time with my Syd...plus watch her play some great soccer.