Ragnar Relay Race- Del Sol

One of my New Years Resolutions for this year was to run a half Marathon or something equivalent. I'm not a runner at heart... meaning I really don't LOVE to run. I run for the sole purpose of keeping in shape but I wanted to push myself to accomplish something that I had never done before.

Some friends in my ward had signed up for the Ragnar Relay and needed a few more people to complete their team... so I agreed to join them. I then started training like crazy in hopes to be prepared for this race which was only 7 weeks away.

The Ragnar Relay is where you and 11 friends join as a team to race other teams across a 202 mile stretch. Beginning in Wickenburg, Arizona and ending in Mesa, Arizona you each run 3 different legs of the course all over a 2 day period. Yes, that means all through the late hours of night and into the early hours of morning someone is constantly running. You split your team into 2 groups of 6 and travel the course with your group each supporting and cheering each other along as they run their individual legs. When each person in your van has run their individual leg you then switch with the other half of your team (in the other van) and they run their legs. We (in the first van) then have a few hours to eat, sleep, stretch and recoup before our next legs begin. (Is this making any sense???) Well, it didn't really make any sense to me either until I was living it.

My legs included a 7 mile, 8 mile, and 4 mile run totalling an exhausting 19 miles in 2 days. This is the van we called home for 2 days... isn't she a beaut!We would drive up a few miles and get ready with water, spray bottles, wet handkerchiefs, and lots of cheers as our team mate approached us. As they ran past to finish their leg, we would then jump back in the van and drive to the check point to let the next runner prepare for their run and pick up the runner as they finished.This picture was taken after my second run. It was by far my hardest leg. It started out at 6am in the bitter, windy, cold. I hadn't been able to get any sleep and my muscles had tightened up from my first run, my legs felt like lead - just happened to be my longest run of 8 miles - BRUTAL! This is where I was asking myself WHY and telling myself this is so NOT fun I am NEVER doing this again!!!We decided that we should have written how many kids we each have along with their ages on the back of our shirts for all to see. This is my friend Jenesey, she is a true runner! I'm sure the many people she cruised past while going up the hill would have loved to see that she has 3 kids at home, one of them being a 5 month old baby. This is me getting ready for my final run. Ipod -check, headphones -check, stop watch -check, annoying fanny pack riding up to my arm pits -check, huge hideous bright yellow reflector vest -check, tight fatigued leg muscles -check... it's a wonder I could even run; but I did and I'm so proud of myself for doing it!

I was the last and final runner for our entire team so I had the privilege of being the one to run into the park at the finish line where I was then joined by my 11 other team mates as we crossed the finish line TOGETHER.- We did it!!!

It is hard to beat the feeling that you feel as you realize that you have accomplished something that was so difficult for you to do. It is amazing to me what the mind can make the body do when the body is saying NO - That's WILL POWER!

What a FUN and AMAZING time we had. So next year when I run it... (WAIT am I really saying this???) I know, I know, I swore I would never do it again... but I am likening it to childbirth... once the pain goes away and the memories of the pain fade and are replaced with happy memories, you somehow find yourself doing it all over again.

A big Thank You to all my SOL SISTERS who encouraged me along the way and helped me to accomplish this great feat in my life. Also, Thank You to my supportive, loving husband who took care of the kids for those 2 days without any complaining and who showed up with all 4 kids at the finish line to cheer me on - I love you!

And I can't go without saying thank goodness for my Ipod... Rihanna, Akon, Pink, Maroon 5, 3 Doors Down, Click Five, and what ever other pump'n tunes kept my legs moving- you rock! I went through 3 Ipods training for this race and if I had to listen to my heavy breathing the whole way, I honestly would not have made it.

Jad's First Season of Soccer

With February comes the excitement and anticipation of a new soccer season. This year, in particular, the excitement is over-the-top as we gear up to watch our little Jadder bug play his first season of soccer. No one has ever looked so cute in yellow and black.

Jad was so excited for his first game he could hardly control himself. As the game started he quickly realized that he didn't know any of his team mates or his coach or anything about soccer and he became a bit timid. But by his second game, he had put all anxiety behind him and he was soon racing down the field with the other players scoring goal after goal after goal for his team... and maybe even one or two for the other team.
I'll tell ya, there is nothing like watching your little son play a sport. I enjoyed every second of it... even when he abandoned his team mates and ran off the field in the middle of the game to take a breather on my lap.
I asked him if he was having fun and how he thought he was doing. He told me "Yeah, I'm just tired. I'm making lots of bowls out there."
What??? It took me a minute to realize that he meant that he was making a lot of GOALS out there.
Yeah buddy, you just keep on making lots of bowls!

We couldn't be more proud!!!

Blankie Bathtime

When I was little I had a favorite blanket. I still remember exactly how it looked and felt. It had yellow and white checkers with a turtle of multiple colored fabrics in the center of it. It had a yellow ruffled edge. I would drag it around the house where ever I went and would sleep with it every night. I wore it so thin that the batting inside disappeared completely. It was so cuddly and it made me feel so safe and happy. Oh, how I LOVED my blankie. Well, I have two little boys who are attached to two little blankies each. They sleep with them every night and bring them to breakfast each morning. They pull them around the house, inside and out. When Royce gets sad he runs to his room calling for his blankies. Jad has a strange habit of spreading his white one out over his pillow and laying on top of it, then covering himself with the blue fuzzy one. Needless to say, these blankies could use a wash just about every day. But because of the endless pile of laundry that accumulates at our house, I only get around to washing their blankies about once a week.

AND TODAY WAS THE BIG DAY...We call it GIVING THEIR BLANKIES A BATH. They stand by the washer and try to find their blankies swishing around inside. When the washing is finished they insist on switching their own blankies to the dryer to dry.Lots of giggling and random yells of "I see mine!" "There it is!" "That's mine!" "No, that's mine!" "No, that's mine!" so on and so forth...Finally, their blankies are back to their original color, they are warm, they smell nice, and they are fluffy again. Two happy boys with blankets and one happy mama.

A visit from Grandma and Gramps Asay

Grandma and Grandpa Asay came to Arizona to enjoy a relaxing week of sunshine and warm weather. Gettin' their daily dose of vitamin D...Jad and Royce soon became obsessed with "Gramps" (as they were soon calling him). They took tabs on where Gramps was at all times. A friendly wrestling match and a game of lift-me-up-high turned into a game of hide-and-seek as Gramps quickly found out the boys persistence and stamina could last all night. We found Gramps hiding in the pantry taking deep breaths and dripping with sweat... so much for the relaxing week in the sun.

We visited the school Science Fair one evening and enjoyed looking at Myla and Ashlee's projects among many others.

I remember doing a Science Fair project in 5th grade on how clouds are formed... I think I remember winning a table lamp for that one - some prize, ehh.Dinner at The Cheese Cake Factory...Bedtime stories with Grandma.

We love you Grandma and Gramps! Come visit us anytime.

She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy

We've been living the "white trash" lifestyle for a few months too long... so this weekend John decided to rent a tractor to help speed up the endless list of "to do" items for finishing our garage... I think by doing this, he wasn't helping our "white trash" image out at all... I was terrified as I watched him on this big blue muscle machine... flash backs to the last time he attempted to do yard work on a bobcat... long story short, he rammed a hole in the side of our house. I was sure the tractor could do far worse damage than the bobcat... possibly knock our house completely off its foundation... The boys were mesmerized as they watched dad go to work on this machine. I'm sure a blue tractor is now on both of their wish lists...

This picture was taken just after John told me to stop taking snap shots of him on the tractor... apparently I was embarrassing him and he couldn't focus...(snicker)

79 degree weather, plenty of dirt and mud, tons of rocks, several of their favorite cars and trucks, and a tractor side show... HEAVEN for two little boys!

This would be my nice, new drive way cut down the middle to connect sewer and electric to the garage...

Our water line was cut when they dug the trench for power and sewer so this is our new water line nicely laying out in our front yard...

I'm sure our neighbors just love us...

Good news...it gets painted today!

Ya! Finally all painted and looking more like the rest of the home...

Can't wait to get all the clutter out of my house and up on to my new storage shelves... Well, no major injuries or accidents from the tractor to report... so I'd have to call it another good, happy, productive Saturday at the Durling home.