Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Life Lessons Learned from the Wasatch Back
1.Do all you can to BE PREPARED—then realize there are just some situations that you can NEVER be fully prepared for.
2.When you have questions—refer to the BIBLE, it tells ALL. Also, it is a bonus when you or someone around you has read it a number of times and can quote it verbatim.
3.Seize The Moment: Sleep when you can, Eat when you can, Drink when it is offered and Visit a Honey Bucket when available--these opportunities may become few and far between.
4. Laugh, Cry, then Laugh some more!
5. Realize that sometimes there are just more important things than personal hygeine, although deoderant is always required.
6. You will always feel a little better about the tasks in front of you after a little food, a little rest, and a trip to the Honey Bucket. If all of that fails--try a Coke slurpee!
7. Surround yourself with the BEST people. Teamwork is REQUIRED! Include in your team: An ORGANIZATIONAL WIZARD--someone who knows where you are, where you need to be and how to get you there; a CHEERLEADER--someone who will cheer you on and tell you how great you are doing (even when you are sucking wind); a HERO--someone that makes YOU want to become better just by watching them perform; a TRASH TALKER--someone that can get you psyched to PUNISH your next trial; a COACH--someone who can navigate you through the rough spots; a BEST FRIEND--someone who knows exactly what you are feeling (most likely because they are/have been feeling it too) and knows exactly what to say/do to help you get through it (even if those words go something like: "you really don't have a choice--you have to finish" or "do you want me to give you something to cry about?") . The ABSOLUTE BEST TEAM MEMBERS rotate through ALL these roles effortlessly depending on the needs of their team.
8. Appreciate your SUPPORT SYSTEM. The race is not worth running without these people.
9. Make the best of a bad situation-- this is more than making the Honey Buckets like your HOME AWAY FROM HOME--it is also cheerfully(?) conquering the muddy, wet, muscle crushing mountain that stands in your way.
10. ENJOY your surroundings. Even if the surroundings come to you at 3:00 am.
11. PUsh yourself--you will be suprised how far/long/hard you can go.
12. Celebrate the small things--even those can be challenging.
13. Some of the VERY best "fill-ins" are right in front of your eyes.
14. Endure to the end. The finish line is SO WORTH IT!
Ragnar was an experience, one that I cannot fully give justice to. It was harder than I thought it would be--but having said that it was also so much sweeter than I thought it would be. So many details that I hope not to forget, but at the same time so impossible to write about.
Fun Memories: "Hey Janet, YOu are doing AWESOME.", Jollie Ranchers, Immodium, Spaghetti, sleeping bags on trimmed lawn, "Dig Deep and when you find it--dig deeper", "I have to go to the Honey Bucket", "I made that mountain my *itch!", "Ride that donkey", "Runner 571....571....where are you 571?!" "I am soo over this!" Pancakes, changing sports bra in gas station parking lot, 3 freakin hours AHEAD of our schedule, "Water or Gaterade?", heave/hurl then run, never catching that girl, makin whoopy.....
Would I do it again?..........OF COURSE!!!
2.When you have questions—refer to the BIBLE, it tells ALL. Also, it is a bonus when you or someone around you has read it a number of times and can quote it verbatim.
3.Seize The Moment: Sleep when you can, Eat when you can, Drink when it is offered and Visit a Honey Bucket when available--these opportunities may become few and far between.
4. Laugh, Cry, then Laugh some more!
5. Realize that sometimes there are just more important things than personal hygeine, although deoderant is always required.
6. You will always feel a little better about the tasks in front of you after a little food, a little rest, and a trip to the Honey Bucket. If all of that fails--try a Coke slurpee!
7. Surround yourself with the BEST people. Teamwork is REQUIRED! Include in your team: An ORGANIZATIONAL WIZARD--someone who knows where you are, where you need to be and how to get you there; a CHEERLEADER--someone who will cheer you on and tell you how great you are doing (even when you are sucking wind); a HERO--someone that makes YOU want to become better just by watching them perform; a TRASH TALKER--someone that can get you psyched to PUNISH your next trial; a COACH--someone who can navigate you through the rough spots; a BEST FRIEND--someone who knows exactly what you are feeling (most likely because they are/have been feeling it too) and knows exactly what to say/do to help you get through it (even if those words go something like: "you really don't have a choice--you have to finish" or "do you want me to give you something to cry about?") . The ABSOLUTE BEST TEAM MEMBERS rotate through ALL these roles effortlessly depending on the needs of their team.
8. Appreciate your SUPPORT SYSTEM. The race is not worth running without these people.
9. Make the best of a bad situation-- this is more than making the Honey Buckets like your HOME AWAY FROM HOME--it is also cheerfully(?) conquering the muddy, wet, muscle crushing mountain that stands in your way.
10. ENJOY your surroundings. Even if the surroundings come to you at 3:00 am.
11. PUsh yourself--you will be suprised how far/long/hard you can go.
12. Celebrate the small things--even those can be challenging.
13. Some of the VERY best "fill-ins" are right in front of your eyes.
14. Endure to the end. The finish line is SO WORTH IT!
Ragnar was an experience, one that I cannot fully give justice to. It was harder than I thought it would be--but having said that it was also so much sweeter than I thought it would be. So many details that I hope not to forget, but at the same time so impossible to write about.
Fun Memories: "Hey Janet, YOu are doing AWESOME.", Jollie Ranchers, Immodium, Spaghetti, sleeping bags on trimmed lawn, "Dig Deep and when you find it--dig deeper", "I have to go to the Honey Bucket", "I made that mountain my *itch!", "Ride that donkey", "Runner 571....571....where are you 571?!" "I am soo over this!" Pancakes, changing sports bra in gas station parking lot, 3 freakin hours AHEAD of our schedule, "Water or Gaterade?", heave/hurl then run, never catching that girl, makin whoopy.....
Would I do it again?..........OF COURSE!!!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
SO? What would YOU do?
What would you do if your "best friend" aka Alec was pacing around the house...preparing HIS sacrament meeting talk?
What would you do if your "fav-o-rite sister" had locked herself away in her bedroom preparing HER sacrament meeting talk?
What would you do if your "most rough-n-tumble friend" aka Austin was made to sit on the couch and not move until he had read HIS sacrament meeting talk over 10 times without interruption?
What would you do if your momma was uptight and kept shouting..."just let me have a few minutes peace to write MY sacrament meeting talk"?
What would you do if your dad was sitting in front of the computer ignoring you while he wrote HIS sacrament meeting talk?
Well this is what I did:
I got MYSELF ready for sacrament meeting....using my blue marker.
My family had 20 minutes to clean me up before we had to go to sacrament meeting.
SO?!?
What would you do if your "fav-o-rite sister" had locked herself away in her bedroom preparing HER sacrament meeting talk?
What would you do if your "most rough-n-tumble friend" aka Austin was made to sit on the couch and not move until he had read HIS sacrament meeting talk over 10 times without interruption?
What would you do if your momma was uptight and kept shouting..."just let me have a few minutes peace to write MY sacrament meeting talk"?
What would you do if your dad was sitting in front of the computer ignoring you while he wrote HIS sacrament meeting talk?
Well this is what I did:
I got MYSELF ready for sacrament meeting....using my blue marker.
My family had 20 minutes to clean me up before we had to go to sacrament meeting.
SO?!?
Friday, April 17, 2009
Baby Steps (or runs)
Not since before Dad died have I donned a bib and ran in a race. I will tomorrow. I am feeling the empty space he left behind. I can imagine I will feel it along the route tomorrow as well.
When I ran before I could always count on seeing him along the route in at least 8-10different places and then of course at the finish line. He was an expert at finding a spot, cheering me on as I ran by, then jumping in his truck to get to the next spot before I got there.
I am excited to do this! Funny how time changes things. I never thought I would do this again...but here I am, drinking my fluids and making sure I eat a good CHO filled dinner. All thanks to friends.
Whoo who!
When I ran before I could always count on seeing him along the route in at least 8-10different places and then of course at the finish line. He was an expert at finding a spot, cheering me on as I ran by, then jumping in his truck to get to the next spot before I got there.
I am excited to do this! Funny how time changes things. I never thought I would do this again...but here I am, drinking my fluids and making sure I eat a good CHO filled dinner. All thanks to friends.
Whoo who!
Monday, April 13, 2009
The things I miss most:
1. Always having to say goodnight and give him a hug--even if I was a grow-up with kids of my own and just visiting.
2. The strong silent--seemingly unemotional--demeanor, unless I looked closer and saw the tears well up in his eyes. This was especially true when he thought/spoke of grand kids.
3. The unconditional support--whether I was dancing, in colorguard, going back to school, or running, he was there. He watched hours of dance reviews, marching band competitions, he oversaw homework sessions with Mom, and he even mapped out running routes (making sure to tell me where every hill would be and the best strategy for conquering them). He was never interested in these things until I became interested in them--then he made himself an avid fan.
4. The howling laughter of my kids as he was tickling/torturing them. The reference to "Grandpa Tickle".
5. The warm, heavy hand on mine in Sacrament Meeting or riding in the car, or walking down the street.
6. H@ll, D#mn, Sh$t, as normal everyday language. Not cuss words. Just verbage. I knew I was in trouble when he DIDN'T swear.
7. The look in my children's eyes when I told them we were going to Gramps' house.
8. Reassuring my kids that indeed cows are cows and horses are horses--that it does not matter that cowboys ride horses--they are still not cows, no matter what Gramps told them.
9. The missing corner from my baked goods before they were served. (He had to make sure they were not poisonous.)
10. The ability to wish him a Happy Birthday with a crazy card referencing his advanced age then to see him laugh, that silent deep laugh that would bring tears to his eyes. Then later find these same stupid cards tucked away in his sock drawer.
Today is my Dad's birthday. He is still very missed here.
2. The strong silent--seemingly unemotional--demeanor, unless I looked closer and saw the tears well up in his eyes. This was especially true when he thought/spoke of grand kids.
3. The unconditional support--whether I was dancing, in colorguard, going back to school, or running, he was there. He watched hours of dance reviews, marching band competitions, he oversaw homework sessions with Mom, and he even mapped out running routes (making sure to tell me where every hill would be and the best strategy for conquering them). He was never interested in these things until I became interested in them--then he made himself an avid fan.
4. The howling laughter of my kids as he was tickling/torturing them. The reference to "Grandpa Tickle".
5. The warm, heavy hand on mine in Sacrament Meeting or riding in the car, or walking down the street.
6. H@ll, D#mn, Sh$t, as normal everyday language. Not cuss words. Just verbage. I knew I was in trouble when he DIDN'T swear.
7. The look in my children's eyes when I told them we were going to Gramps' house.
8. Reassuring my kids that indeed cows are cows and horses are horses--that it does not matter that cowboys ride horses--they are still not cows, no matter what Gramps told them.
9. The missing corner from my baked goods before they were served. (He had to make sure they were not poisonous.)
10. The ability to wish him a Happy Birthday with a crazy card referencing his advanced age then to see him laugh, that silent deep laugh that would bring tears to his eyes. Then later find these same stupid cards tucked away in his sock drawer.
Today is my Dad's birthday. He is still very missed here.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Thinkin' and a Wonderin'
Disclaimer: There are no cute tales or pics of the Turner Fab 4 in this post, so feel free to discontinue reading it. (Mom this applies to you since I know the only reason you check this blog is to see if you can show off pictures of your grand kids.)
As is well know (I voice it to everyone I talk to, every time I talk to them), I am in training to run the SLC 1/2 and then the Wasatch Back Relay. Obviously, this training includes running on the treadmill for long stretches at a time (it is still too cold and wet to run outside for me--as my Dad always told me: "You can't get wet, you might melt!" You see I am made of sugar--sugar melts when it gets wet. I promise that is what he told me!?!)
Anyway, I am getting extremely bored of staring at the same gym rat who is lifting the same weight and pulling the same face, and then smelling the same bad air--I had to put that part in for little bro. (Once you have seen one of them, you have seen them all--come on you know what I am talking about!).
To alleviate this monotony the masses turn to music. Well here is my dilemma. I can vomit up the words of the U2 and Bon Jovi songs that I have been rocking out to, dating back to the beginning of my running experience--back before Will, back before I worked, back before I went to RN school, heck back before I was OLD. Most of the songs I listen to are from the 80s. (Gulp, I said it.) They no longer "do it" for me.
Here is where I am now a beggin' and a pleadin'. PLease tell what motivates you. You don't have to listen to these songs when running. Any songs that motivate you, whether it be when you are kicking butt on the eliptical, or chasing down your preschoolers, or doing the dishes and scrubbing the toilet, or meeting that deadline at the office, I want a list of those songs. Please give them up.
My SIL (who BTW is a kick butt runner) gave up the Killers. So I have gotten to work downloading them. I don't do country music (sh@t kickin' music--as dad used to say), but anything else I am open to--I say that but I do have a song from Taylor Swift that gets me going, so I guess I could possibly do country too.
So look through your Ipod and give me the list, PLEASE.
As is well know (I voice it to everyone I talk to, every time I talk to them), I am in training to run the SLC 1/2 and then the Wasatch Back Relay. Obviously, this training includes running on the treadmill for long stretches at a time (it is still too cold and wet to run outside for me--as my Dad always told me: "You can't get wet, you might melt!" You see I am made of sugar--sugar melts when it gets wet. I promise that is what he told me!?!)
Anyway, I am getting extremely bored of staring at the same gym rat who is lifting the same weight and pulling the same face, and then smelling the same bad air--I had to put that part in for little bro. (Once you have seen one of them, you have seen them all--come on you know what I am talking about!).
To alleviate this monotony the masses turn to music. Well here is my dilemma. I can vomit up the words of the U2 and Bon Jovi songs that I have been rocking out to, dating back to the beginning of my running experience--back before Will, back before I worked, back before I went to RN school, heck back before I was OLD. Most of the songs I listen to are from the 80s. (Gulp, I said it.) They no longer "do it" for me.
Here is where I am now a beggin' and a pleadin'. PLease tell what motivates you. You don't have to listen to these songs when running. Any songs that motivate you, whether it be when you are kicking butt on the eliptical, or chasing down your preschoolers, or doing the dishes and scrubbing the toilet, or meeting that deadline at the office, I want a list of those songs. Please give them up.
My SIL (who BTW is a kick butt runner) gave up the Killers. So I have gotten to work downloading them. I don't do country music (sh@t kickin' music--as dad used to say), but anything else I am open to--I say that but I do have a song from Taylor Swift that gets me going, so I guess I could possibly do country too.
So look through your Ipod and give me the list, PLEASE.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
William and the Whale
Well okay, not a whale, but fish, octopus, sharks, jellyfish, stingrays and spiders.
I took Will to the Living Planet Aquarium today. We had a good time even though Will was constantly just looking for Nemo or Nemo's Daddy (I don't think he has even watched the movie--he just has the toys.)
Will was more than a little scared of the different tanks, but I think it was that good kind of scared--that thrilling scared--where you just hang on tight to your Mom and go for it.
I was pleased with the outing. We even stayed and had lunch.
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