Chelsea and Fawn at the top of Avon pass. They're smiling because they're not running...

12 friends, 181 miles, & a lot of fun

Chelsea's fallen off the blogging wagon, so I'm gonna fill in. We just finished the Wasatch Back this last weekend. I started our team off at 9:20 with an easy leg (just learned how to imbed links...impressed?) through Logan, Providence, and Millville. Nice cool weather, no real hills--good leg to start with. Passed the baton off to Chelsea for her first leg--the first real hill (little did we know what was coming...) of the race through Nibley and Hyrum. She powered through, getting a few kills (Ragnar term for passing someone) on the way and we got to rest for the afternoon, while our team worked their way over Avon Pass (thank you, Marc and Mary Ellen!). There, we passed the baton to the second van and headed to our next exchange at Snowbasin. My next leg had a killer first mile, followed by a long downhill run--right at sunset and a gorgeous run. I passed off to Chelsea for a quick 3 mile leg through Mountain Green in nice cool mountain air. The rest of our van took us through Morgan up into East Canyon reservoir in the middle of the night, where we passed off to the other van, and headed off to catch a few hours of sleep. My next leg climbed up from Rockport State Park into Oakley, at which point Chelsea took the baton through Kamas. Fawn had a tough climb up around Jordanelle reservoir, and Marc and Mary Ellen took us into Heber. Aaahhh--we were done and able to sit back and watch the other van trudge through the 96 degree heat. Guardsman pass is the toughest climb of the race and split into two legs--"You've got to be kidding me" and "Ragnar". Our runner, typically an 8-minute miler, was reduced to 14+ minute miles by Ragnar and the brutal heat; the other climber, an experienced marathoner, said she'd "rather run 10 marathons than do that leg again". Their last two runners then brought us down into Park City for the finish.

Sound fun? Well, we're all signed up to do it again next year--even the Guardsman runners. In Chelsea's words, "I can't imagine a funner race".

wasatch back

Okay folks! Here is the deal. Jeff and I have put together a team for the Wasatch Back relay. It is a 178 mile race that goes from Logan to Park City. You run three legs which are each between 4 and 8 miles long over the course of about 30 hours. Sound like so much fun? Well we have 11 team members and we need one more! The race is on June 20-21, so if you can run five miles today, you can easily train for it in time! I know someone is already planning a trip to Utah and needs a little challenge in their workout routine and you KNOW that if I can do it, you definitely can! You can find race details at www.ragnarrelay.com. Come on folks! We need you!!!!!

Brock

This is Brock as we so often see him. I love this little boy with all my heart. He is passionate, and fun, and excited, and loves to play. He is in heaven in the outdoors. We try to hike as a family at least once a week and Brock can go miles before getting tired, provided he has a rock in each hand and a trail to follow. He is also stubborn, and loud, and easily frustrated, and often inconsolable. This is one of my greatest parenting challenges up to this point. I have never had a child that I could not console, that would be miserable for hours for no good reason. He is happy as a little lark wandering around the house playing with his cars and trains and with his brother and sister, but as soon as we attempt to add any structure to any event, he falls apart. You can only imagine the struggle this presents at church. Not only does he have to be quiet, but he is also confined, and then we take him to nursery where he is supposed to sit on a little chair or a little carpet and listen to this that or the other when there is a perfectly good slide right behind him. Brock literally starts to cry the moment we pull into the church parking lot, and if we are not armed with a barrage of fruit snacks, crackers, pretzels, drinks and other distractionary items, we are doomed. I do not remember the last time I left sacrament meeting when I was not sweating from the wrestling/chasing match Brock and I have just endured.

Another big frustration for both of us is that Brock is not really talking yet. I know that he knows what we are saying and he knows what he is saying, we just don't know what he is saying. However, he has found a way to get our attention in any situation and that is by letting out this high-pitched scream at roughly 280 decibels. It is working well for him because we are prompt to do what ever we can to stop that piercing noise!

With all the struggles, we did have a breakthrough this week which is what has inspired me to write. Brock sat on my lap and listened to a story for the first time. Yes, he is nineteen months old, and this is the first time this has ever occurred. He snuggled with me (that is a miracle in and of itself) in the rocking chair and pointed to the pictures and let me turn the pages and sat there until I was finished. I nearly cried when we were through. What is even better, is he has brought the same book to me a few times this week and we have done it again!(Yeah for "Who said Moo.) I have really longed for this kind of bonding with him and am so grateful that I can finally read my baby a story.

I would love to hear stories or ideas from all you fantastic moms out there about making it through with a difficult child. I am sure there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I just hope the tunnel is short. I hope and pray that this milestone is a change in the road. In the meantime, I keep reminding myself that being strong-willed and curious and energetic and passionate are really good traits in an adult, and I don't want to squash them as long as I can continue with some sanity...

My tough husband!

Jeff and our good friend from residency, Marc Hyde completed a twelve hour adventure race last weekend in Moab. They mountain biked, ran, kayaked, and rappelled over sixty miles! When Jeff finished there was no "Yeah, that was awesome!" The comments were more like, "That is the stupidest thing I have ever done. Don't ever let me do anything like that again." Jeff is a man with great zest for life. That is one of the reasons I married him. I love him for trying hard things. I love him for his million interests and hobbies, and I love him for knowing he can find better way to do just about anything.

While the men were racing, I got to hang out all day with Marc's wife Tracie and her three adorable girls. (the little boys stayed home.) I am so grateful for the friendships I formed while in residency, and even more grateful that a few of our friends got to move west with us so we can see them on occasion. We spent the day swimming, hiking in Arches National Park, playing at a park in Moab, and cheering on the adventure racers from the comfort of our mini vans. The trip was great apart from a Brock's rota virus which he graciously passed on to me on the trip home. What is a family trip without a little sickness right?

Jeff and the kids in Canyonlands

Britton in south arch