*Monday Memos*

*MONDAY MEMOS*

   

 (If pictures are too small, just click to enlarge) 
Weekly recap of my rather crazy, insane, but fun and rewarding life!

  

dear labor day, this was our last day at the cabin in Wyoming.  I went on a beautiful run, sold peaches with the fam, watched the Sound of Music with Dave's mom while the boys went fishing, cleaned the cabin, and then went to Bar J with the fam.  We then drove all the way home from Jackson Hole arriving at 2:30 a.m.  Long, but fun day! I wrote about this on last week's post HERE.

dear harp lesson, like I said, we got home about 2:30 a.m. and I got to bed around 3:30 a.m. and then back up early so I could practice the harp before my lesson.  I told her I didn't get much time to practice since I had been gone for five days and believe it or not, there is no harp at the cabin.  Imagine that!  A cabin without a harp. ☺We worked on the Circle of 5ths and I thought I had it down but there were other things I hadn't studied that she quizzed me on.  More time is needed on that!  

dear new shoes!  My new waterproof Saucony shoes came in and so I ran to Centerville to pick them up after my harp lesson.  I spent some time shopping at a couple of my favorite boutiques in Bountiful since I was in town.  I ran some other errands on my way home.  Including a stop at Dick's Bakery for their famous donuts!  They are seriously the best donuts on the planet, hands down!  Mmm............

dear waikiki meatballs, I asked Sky what he wanted for dinner and he requested these yummy things!  I will add the recipe.  I've been making these since we first got married.  It's one I came up with WAY back when I was in college.  It's stood the test of time!  They are worth trying! I used the hamburger from Zaycon and I was impressed.  It was just Sky and me for dinner.  Everyone else was off doing things.  Dave did eat but on the fly. 

 RECIPE

dear early morning shopping, Smith's was having a great case-lot sale and so Dave and I headed over about 7 a.m.  There was no need to get there so early because we were really the only ones there.  We did stock up on some stuff for the boys since they are all on their own and this Mama worries about what they are eating!  We got a case of Peanut Butter for only $1 a jar!  I bought a case for each of them.  They had a lot of other good deals that we took advantage of as well.  I went back later for a couple more things and ran into some neighbors I had not yet met.  ☺

After that I headed to my hair appointment and then came home and finished up the Missionary Newsletter I do each month of all of McKay's friends.  This is the first month it is going to go out a bit late, but life has been crazy.

I paid for more blonde but not sure it's much different than before.  Hmm...

dear mom and dad, my parents stopped by to see Sky and tell him goodbye (he leaves on Friday) and Taylor also stopped by with CJ.  Sky had an MRI earlier to see what is up with his neck, but nothing serious was found which is good, but also frustrating because it's really bothering him.  That kid NEVER complains and so if he even mentions anything you know it must be bad.  He did get an injection and so only time will tell if that helps.  My parents were cute and we all had a good visit.  

She wishes he would stay too!

My cute Pa!  I love this picture of him I took as he was leaving.

dear best food on the planet, I love lasagna so much but I don't make it as much I want because it takes so much time.  However, since I had hamburger I needed to use up and about 10 fresh tomatoes that also needed to be used, I decided to make it.  Sky actually suggested it and so I was totally good with the time involved. I always like to spend time in the kitchen when he is around so we can talk.  Unfortunately, the entire time I was making it this time, he was at the gym. 

It is my own recipe that I have figured out after many attempts of trying various other ones.  It was especially good this time because of the fresh tomatoes.  That makes such a difference!  Love this stuff.  I must have Italian blood running through my veins.  Mmm.........

dear run, on my Thursday run I found three pennies and a nickel.  I hit the jackpot.  It's always so fun to find so many.   I can feel fall in the air.  In some ways I am excited, but in most not so much because I know that means winter is just around the bend.  Ugh.  I am not a fan of winter. I love it when it snows, but I would love it more if it would snow, then get warm, then snow, then get warm again. 

dear christmas crack and puppy chow, Sky rarely eats anything sweet (crazy I know because his mama has a major sweet tooth!) but he loves Christmas Crack and Puppy Chow (aka Muddy Buddies).  He wanted me to make both when we were at the cabin but there was no time and so I made them on Wednesday.  I made enough for him to have a good supply to take with him back to Cali.

dear fresh peaches, I can't get enough of these things! And to think I have only enjoyed them for about 10 years or less.  I never used to really like them, but now I LOVE them!  So glad we have such an abundance!  I just wish they lasted longer!  These are fresh off our backyard trees!

dear peach queen pageant, Robin got us free tickets and our seats were right in front!  In order to get the free tickets she had to announce Miss Congeniality on behalf of Maple Springs.  She was okay with that and our seats were amazing. Well, other than the guy who sat right in front of me was very tall and his head made a good blockade!  haha He had lots of family with him (including a former Peach Queen) and I was hoping he would trade seats at some point because she was up and down. No such luck.  I used to go to the pageant every year but I haven't been in many many years!  One of my Sunday School girls was in it and so I really wanted to go and support her.  She did amazing!  Unfortunately, she didn't win, but I was so proud of her!   Her talent was one of the best for sure.  I think hers was one of the best. Talent wasn't as strong this year in some of the candidates as it is in some years, but they did have lots of personality.  It was fun.  One of the best talents was the little preview the high school kids did of Little Mermaid.  I'm excited to go see it.

The candidates.  Robin is in the top left one presenting Miss Congeniality award.

With Jacquie.  She looked gorgeous and did so well.

dear peach days, I went on a short run (more of a walk) on Friday since my race is tomorrow.  Robin came and got me and we headed over to the booths at Peach Days.  Her daughter Sam joined us and it was fun.  We stopped at our favorite clothing booth first and spent a ton of time trying on clothes.  We each got some purple pants.  I got a cute t-shirt dress too. We got our traditional lunch and it was yummy as always, but pricey.  I got to hold Sam's adorable little girl Kalaia.  She is so stinkin' cute!   I was getting nervous about the time because I knew I had to get the cake done for Dave's parents anniversary before I headed to SLC for the race tonight and we hadn't even gone down the other part of the booths.  I decided to have Taylor come and get me so I could get it done.  I am sure I saved some $$$$ by doing that! haha

dear anniversary cake, I got it baked and crumb coated.  I then covered it with buttercream before I left and will decorate it tomorrow right before the party.  I just didn't have enough hours in the day since we were heading to SLC to spend the night because of my race on Saturday.  I still have no idea how I am going to decorate it!  Maybe I will be inspired between now and then!  I really love my new cake recipe.  It has been a success every time so far.

dear night in slc, Dave and I headed out after he got home from work to go to the race expo.  Robin and Grant had gone down earlier.  We were going to meet them for dinner but Grant was running the full and he didn't want to eat too late.  Sky was also going to spend the night with us because he was heading to go back to Cali early in the a.m. and so this way he would be an hour closer.  Plus we had two queen beds.  We went to the expo and got my packet.  They had this photo opp that you could put your goal time and so I put 1:44.  I want to beat last year's time which was 1:45.  I really want to finish in 1:41, but I will be happy with anything better than 1:45.  

They were having an RV show again this year at the same place as the expo and so I knew my bro would be in there selling.  I called him and sure enough he was there.  He told me to come inside and he would send out his girls to find us.  They have grown so much!  Especially Maddie and I just saw her in June!  Jerry was super busy and so we didn't get to chat with him much.

At the expo they told me the temps at the race start was going to be in the high 20's and low 30's! WHAT!!!  I didn't bring any sweat pants because I figured the space blanket would be enough but with those low temps I knew I needed some.  We hit Ross to find some and then saw a Walmart and I knew they would be cheaper there and so that's where I got some.  I also bought a cheap sweatshirt because I only had a light jacket.  I am not ready for the cold!!!  Brrr.....   

Then we went to Buco's to eat dinner.  Dave and I went in and ordered and then Sky met us about 15 minutes later.  The food was SO SO SO good!  We had lasagna (to die for!) and Chicken Carbonara and it was heavenly!  Since I was carb loading, I ate more than I normally would and I will pay for it all week!   But, oh, it was so good!  The Caesar salad was delish also.  One of my favorite places!  I am an Italian cuisine lover!  I don't think I have met a lasagna I didn't like, but this one was in my top 5 for sure! 

After dinner we headed to our hotel.  When we arrived we were a little apprehensive because it wasn't in the best part of town, haha.  But it was okay.  Robin and Grant came up to our room and visited with us for a while.  They are so much fun.  Grant is running the full and I am so happy I am not!  He wants to cut off some of his Boston time.  I wanted to get to bed early since my alarm is set for 4:15 a.m. but that didn't really happen.  I didn't sleep worth a darn anyway, so it really didn't matter. I don't sleep well the first night away from my own bed.  I didn't end up needing my alarm because of that and also because of hearing so much commotion in the hall.  At 3:45 ish someone yelled, "Come out with your hands up or I am coming in!".  Yeah....  I looked through the peep hole but couldn't see anyone, but could still hear commotion.  Grant later told us when he left for the bus for the full, there was an armed guard in the hall.  When Sky left at 4:30 ish he saw three police officers in the parking lot.  Nice.   Grant felt bad because he is the one that found the hotel.  hah  We WERE in the ghetto! 

dear big cottonwood half marathon, I have no idea what was up with me, but I was so nervous!  I don't usually get too nervous for a half marathon anymore.  A full, yes, but not so much a half.  Not sure why I was so blasted nervous today, but I was!  It might have been the cold weather report for the start and I was not looking forward to that!  I am just not ready for the cold already! And I could NOT decide on what to wear! I tried on four different outfits that I brought. I couldn't decide at home or I wouldn't have brought so many to choose from!  haha  It was seriously hilarious!  Dave was a bit in shock I think. It was bizarre to me too!  And after all that, I ended up choosing the wrong outfit.  The skirt I chose was too short and I froze!  I didn't realize it was so short.  I hate my skirts that short.  Not sure why I even own it!  Dave took me and Robin to the bus loading zone around 5:10 a.m.  The last bus left at 5:30.  We had plenty of time to hit the bathroom at the Maverick nearby and take some photos. My pants were HUGE and kept falling off me.  It was hilarious, but that's what you get for a Wallie's special!   We got on the third to last bus and I was a bit more calm on the ride up. 

I was looking forward to the porta potties though.  We immediately got in line for those when we arrived and then back in line again.  The lines weren't bad this year at all, but they are so far away from the start.  Last year the race started way before we got to the start line.  This year the same thing happened again!  Robin didn't want to get lined up until the last minute!  Well, it was way past the last minute!  11 past to be exact!  We started 11 minutes AFTER the gun went off! We couldn't hear it at the bathrooms and so two years in a row!  We took some photos since we were already so late.  I lost a glove and had to run back and get it also.  There was hardly anyone left but us!  Just like last year!  haha  

 Here we are in a sea of space blankets after the race started! It looked a scene from a sci-fi movie when it was still dark!

The bad thing with starting after the gun, is you are not with your pacers and the people that don't start with the gun are usually very slow runners or even walkers and so you kind of start out much slower than normal because you tend to start out with the pace of the pack and you don't realize how slow you are going.  Suffice it to say my first mile was not fast.  First two actually.  So I felt this pressure to make up for those for the rest of the race and I really pushed it.  I was passing people like crazy!  I really booked it down the mile seven curve and I clocked a 5:52 minute per mile for a bit!  I was trying to get under six because last year I got six and wanted to get five this year.  Success!  That was crazy fast!  It was so steep at that curve!  I was praying I wouldn't trip!  If I had, I would've gone rolling down the hill in a ball! 

I felt good most of the race. I did freeze the first four or so miles though!  I could barely feel my legs!  It's hard to run fast when your legs are numb!  One thing I have noticed is half marathons seem to go by faster for me than they used to.  Not sure if it's because I have actually gotten faster or if it's because I have run so many and so now I'm more used to the distance. This was #22!!!  Or if it's because I have run six fulls now and so half's don't seem so forboding compared to those.  Whatever the reason, I like it.  It could just be that this course is a fast one.  A lot of downhill on this one.  I pushed it hard because I wanted a new PR.  I knew I would pay for it later, but I still pushed.  I caught up with several pacers and passed them and around mile 10 I knew I would be close to a new PR but I also knew it was going to be tight.  So for the last three miles (the hard ones - not much downhill and my legs were shredded from all the downhill before) I really pushed myself hard.  I kept repeating the mantra Mr. Russian Guy (Sasha) taught me....."Ignore the pain. Enjoy the speed!"  I repeated that over and over in my head, especially that last long mile that goes on forever!  What a relief to cross that finish line! It always is! 

I got a 1:43:44!!!  Yea!!!  A new PR!  That is a 7:55 pace!  I have never ran a half that fast before!  

Okay, so it's only just under two minutes faster than last year, but I would have been happy with even seconds faster!  I couldn't see Dave anywhere.  I called him and he said he was still stuck in traffic!  What?  Yep.  Oh well.  It gave me time to get a Kodiak pancake with raspberry syrup (YUM!) and get my result card and some photos.  Then I found Robin.  She finished about 10 minutes after I did.  We hurried and did some photos because Dave had to get back home to go to work.   I was hurting on the ride home.  Oh, the quads and the hams!  That downhill makes a brutal recovery! 

dear peach days parade, I have always loved a parade!  Parades are one of my favorite things!  They have been a big part of my life.  I was in many a parade twirling baton or marching with my drill team teamwhen I was younger. Then when I had my own dance studio, my students were always in the Peach Days parade here as well.  The biggest parade I ever marched in was Calgary Stampede and the coolest place I ever marched in was across the River Tames in London.  I felt bad I had to miss the Peach days parade this year.  But since I had to drop Dave off at work, I drove down to see if I could catch just a bit of it.  It was still going on and even though I only stayed for about 20-30 minutes, I felt satisfied.  I miss the days when my boys were in it for some reason or other...football, student government, cub scout of the year, elementary school float, etc. etc.  We were even in the Peach Days parade as a family the year I was Young Mother  of the Year.  Good memories!

This is me and the boys (Dave driving) at the Peach Day's parade in 1994.  Wow, this takes me back!

 Here is a few other parades we did that year too.  The boys were such good sports!

I love a parade!

 
dear anniversary cake and party, Dave's parents have been married for 60 years!  I was asked to make a cake for the party today and so I hurried home and showered and then had only about 30 minutes to decorate it!  I am pretty sure that is the least amount of time I have allowed myself to decorate one ever.  But life has been a bit crazy!  I quickly chose to do the piped roses on the bottom layer and swiss lace on the top.  I was amazed how fast I can work when I have no other choice.  And even more amazed at how I had to be okay with the imperfections because I had no choice... aka time!  Normally I spend a lot of time trying to get every little detail perfect!  I felt like a real cake decorator/baker this time just cranking it out fast!  I could get used to this! 

I was happy with it and I had Bryce drive me over so I could get it there in one piece.  We were a little late, but still okay.  I think it turned out nice and they appreciated it.  Whew!  One more stress checked off!  The party was fun and it was quite a riot when I had them cut the cake and re-enact their wedding day feeding cake to each other.  They are so cute.  60 years!  Wow!  What an amazing accomplishment!  You don't see that everyday! 

They are great people and I have been so blessed to have them as my in-laws.  They are truly one of the kindest, caring, and most generous couple's I know.  We had Olive Garden soup and breadsticks because they love that and a big green salad.  We also had fresh peach pie! Mmm..........   We sang Happy Anniversary and gave them the blankets we had made for them with photos of them and their kids.  It was nice. 

So stinkin' cute!

dear peach days, we headed back to Peach Days for dinner with the Singleton's and to go to the concert.  We all got food from different places and then sat down and ate while we chatted about the race etc.  Then we hurried over to the concert.  Gentri was performing this year and they are really amazing! The concert is excellent every year and always worth going to.  We left at intermission because it was dark and getting cold.  Grant was hurting pretty bad from the race today and he was ready to go.  Dave wanted to get home to watch the rest of the BYU/UofU game too and so we left.  Another Peach Day's in the books.

Oh, right before we getting ready to leave for Peach Days my friend Linda Love and her friend Raylynne showed up!  Raylynne was actually my across the street neighbor growing up.  She was younger than me, but I knew her family well.  It was fun for them to stop by and visit!

dear sunday, I didn't have to teach OR play the piano today!  I seriously considered going home after sacrament because I was hurting so bad from the race, but I stayed.  I was so sore!  It felt like I ran a FULL not a HALF!  That downhill and my speed shredded my legs.  I wanted a massage so bad.  I rested for awhile and that probably wasn't the best idea because I was much stiffer after.

dear manic manikin, hard to see, but trust me, she was one of a kind...again.  hah

dear random, 

Bryce mowing the lawn.  That kid is always working nonstop and we are not sure what we are going to do without his help with everything around here when he leaves next week for his job in Idaho.

I put together some Halloween treat bags for Skyler's girlfriend's boys.  I felt like a true grandma!  hah

The turks stopped in for a visit.

 dear mr. cat,

Mr. Cat has a thing for Skyler.  He always wanted to be where he was.  It was quite hilarious because Sky really isn't a cat kind of guy.  He is nice to him, but tolerates him more than anything.  :)

dear mckay the volunteer, yay for pictures!  This kid is looking great!  

Some of these are taken in Vlad and some in Ussuriysk.

Major flood in his area.

He also is getting transferred!!!  To the island called Sakhalin.  He is very excited!  It's circled in red.