Welcome to 2013

 Welcome to 2013!!!

I am adding photos to document this year (at least until September) with very little journaling.
I am adding photos without captions for the most part, because I am making my blog into book form and there was zero documenting for most of 2013.

Done is better than perfect! 

JANUARY 2013

Bryce's dog KILO!

 Draw me like you do your French girls...
LOL

Mr. Cat

 Baby Winston

 Grammy

 Dave

 

Sky Christmas a wee bit late...

 McKay playing church basketball

 Running views

Freezing cold 14 mile BLIZZARD run!

After six bitter cold and windy miles, we called it good and went to Bert's for breakfast instead!

 I made a lot of these cute diaper motorcycle shower gifts this year!

TAYLOR'S MISSION TO BELEM BRAZIL

 McKay's 16th BIRTHDAY SURPRISE PARTY!

 My first attempt at making sugar Easter eggs.
I used to get them when I was a little girl from my Grandma Mae and I was excited to teach myself how to make them. I spent a LOT of time making the flowers for the top. 
But it was worth it!

 Looks like these two are interested in General Conference messages this year. 

My first race I paced with the American Flyer Pacers

It was an 18 mile race.
Harder than I thought to maintain a pace for that many miles!
Jen and I were partners.
It was the Winter Race Series in Eden.

 Spring trip to the cabin

 20 mile solo run

My good friend Gina lost her battle with cancer this year...

Damage Kilo did to Bryce's apartment in California.
YIKES! He was locked in a bedroom all day while Bryce went to work. 

Trip with Karen to go see the tulips at Thanksgiving Point, but it was a stormy and cold day and so we decided to hit Ikea and Scheels instead. 

After the Boston Marathon bombings, I got with my friend Marci and planned a community event to support the bombing victims.  I asked Bob Marabella and Clark Andersen to help as well since they both have run Boston before. Marci had as well. My good friend Mel ran it this year and crossed the finish line just moments BEFORE the bombs went off. I asked her to come and share her story about her experience.
There is an entire post about this in my 2014 blog book.
Here are the photos:

 Pre run set up

 We pulled it all off somehow!!!

 We had a huge turnout!!!

 We had former Boston Marthoners

 We had bikers

 We had wagoners

 We had roadsters

 We had patriots

 We had dogs

 We had paddle boarders

 We had littles

 We had bigs

 We had friends

We had donors

WE HAD SUCCESS!

Here is the post from my 2014 Beacon of Hope on 4/15/14

One year ago today I was on my computer tracking my running friend Mel as she ran the Boston Marathon.  I was so excited for her and was so thrilled with how fast she was cruising.  It was impressive to watch her - albeit she was just a little icon figure running.  But still I knew it was her and that was where she was on the course at the time.  After I saw that she had finished, I was so excited for her.  I was just tingling inside.  I turned off the computer and made a run to the store.

As I pulled in a parking spot at the store, I heard on my radio about the bombings.  My heart literally fell.  My first thought was of Mel and if she was okay or not.  I immediately sent her a text and just sat in my car waiting and hoping she would respond. Thankfully she did.  She said, "Yes, we are okay.  We made it through."  I was so grateful to hear that.  I made a quick dash in the store and then ran home and was glued to the TV for the rest of the day.

I was sickened by what had happened.  And angry.  Very angry.

As a runner and a marathoner, I understand what an accomplishment it is to run a marathon.  Running the Boston Marathon is like the Super Bowl for runners.  It is the ultimate goal for many runners and some work for years and years to be able to qualify as did Mel.  She came so close for so many years and when she finally was able to qualify, it was such a thrill for us all.  I was so happy for her.  Qualifying is tough.  The standards are stringent and for some impossible.  And they keep raising the bar and making it even harder to qualify. 

This was Mel's moment.   And the moment for all of those thousands of other runners.  Their dream come true.  And then, just like that, it was taken from them.

Yes, that angered me.  A lot.  For me it became a little bit personal because I was in training for the Ogden Marathon at the time.  I knew I had to do something.  Something to show my support and to help those affected by this tragedy.  And more importantly to show that those terrorists would not beat the heart and soul of runners.

Runners are strong minded.  Strong willed.  Strong hearted.  How else do you think they can run 26.2 miles without quitting?  They don't quit.  It's not in their makeup.  Runners push through even when it hurts (and it always hurts!) and when everything in them wants to quit.

They picked the wrong group of people to try and make their point.

Those crazies needed to be shown that their insanity can't stop the running community.  But more importantly, those runners that sacrificed so much only to have their dreams shattered, needed to be honored.

My friend Marci and I decided to put together a race as a way to honor those runners and to earn money for the victims of the tragedy.  We enlisted the help of another runner friend named Bob who is well connected to many local runners and has put on several races.  The three of us got together and planned the event.  It was held last year on April 29th.  We held it around the Mantua Dam because the distance is exactly 4.15 miles, which we felt was significant since the bombings happened on 4-15-2013. 

It was a success beyond what we had hoped.  We were hoping for 100 people to show up and we ended up with almost 300!  We also earned almost $2000 to send to the Boston One Fund that went directly to help the victims.  We had amazing community support and we were ecstatic!

I asked Mel if she would come and speak about her experiences that happened on that tragic day in Boston.  She was more than happy to come and share with the community her feelings.  We had the support of the Mayors from two cities and everyone was so willing to do what they could to help with this cause.

I know raising funds for the victims won't erase what happened to those that were directly affected by the bombings, but it was a way for those of us that wanted to show our support to them to give back and to make a statement that we will not be stopped by some senseless act of violence.  It is a way to show that our communities are strong, as well as this great nation.  Not only Boston Strong, but America Strong.  No terrorist can destroy that.

Now a year later, I feel that it is even more important for us to accept the call from the sweet little boy Martin Richard that was so innocently killed in the bombings:
 

No more hurting people.  Peace.

 There really are no better words to describe what it means to be Boston Strong.  Thank you Martin.

And thank you community for your amazing support!

(click to enlarge)

 Bryce's 22nd Birthday

Bryce heading to California to work

 This is what happens when you leave a dog in a bedroom all day while you are at work.
Yep, Kilo did that! This is Bryce's apartment in California.

Surprise for Julie Coleman...

 When we ran the Santa Run, she ended an entire lap before the course and was so excited she won her age division!  She had no idea she cut the course until we all finished!
It was hilarious. No one would let her live it down and so I found her a trophy and had a name plate made for it and gave it to her.

He's home!
For a minute...

 Off again...

 He comes...
He goes....

McKay getting asked to Purple and White

Pix with my baby....

 And because it PAYS!  :)

Ogden Marathon

It was predicted rain the night before and so I scrambled to find some rain gear.
Not much left. But I ended up wearing a heavy Coleman camping rain coat and ended up with a hood full of water!  It was freezing the entire race. I am a huge fan of running in the rain UNLESS it's freezing cold!  It was!  

 Do I REALLY want to do this?

 I would wear him completely out when I took him on my runs with me.

Brother Brigham's Inaugural Half Marathon in Brigham City

 FUN times with my niece and nephew Madi and Davis

 These are the last photos of KILO before he was tragically hit by a car.
So sad.

Bryce and Chris were driving back from Bear Lake almost in Sardine Canyon when Kilo's sister Bonzi jumped out of the truck on the freeway. Chris pulled over and when he got out he left his door open and Kilo jumped out of the door and ran to check on Bonzi.  After he got to her, he crossed a four lane highway and was hit by a car. Bryce went across to him and he ran to Bryce. Bryce held him and he appeared okay. They rushed both to the vet in Logan and Kilo passed away shortly after they arrived due to internal injuries. Bonzi lived but her front leg was very damaged and eventually needed to be amputated. Such a sad and tragic story. We were all heart broken.
KILO
May you rest in peace.
You were a good dog.

Pix of Bonzi and her leg before it was amputated.

Relay for Life in Gina's memory.
We were Gina's Sista's with Blistas 

 Blacksmith Fork Freedom Run 15K

Star Valley Wyoming Half Marathon

 

TYSON'S BIRTHDAY and CELEBRATION of LIFE

GIRL'S CAMP

These are NOT what they appear to be.
#prankmaster #yesIam

 

They made us bibs!

All of the Bishops

Mantua DAM RACE

Celebrating Taylor's Birthday for him with crepes at The Crepery

 The boys were still hungry so we also went to Taylor's other favorite place...
PANDA EXPRESS

 Even if he's not here, it's a great excuse for CAKE!

 Dave's pride and joy (his garden)

First Annual Wilding Family Reunion
Karen and I planned the whole thing even though Julie was in charge. LOL

 I wish I had a better picture of these cupcakes. They turned out so cute and I worked hard on them!
The blue one is a popsicle, the middle is flip flops, and the other is a pina colada!  SO FUN!

 We planned a day of Olympic sports. The games were so fun and everyone loved them. We gave out awards. I can't find most of the pix!

 We did the games in the parking lot of the same place the Star Valley Half Marathon ended.
I decided to be dramatic and pretend I was dead at mile 13!

Fun with the nieces

My Birthday

 McKay as a kindergartner
Taylor vacuuming in his football gear

ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE!
With purple water!

Happy Anniversary

Continued in other posts.....