Cousin Matt's Wedding and the Pink Series Half Marathon

 My cousin Matt Carlson got married at the beginning of October. He and his family are from California but his wife is from Bountiful, so they decided to get married in the Salt Lake Temple. Many people from my Dad's family came in from California for the wedding. It was such a treat to see them all. It was such a treat that I forgot to take pictures of most of them...

Since they were staying at my parents house Kevin, the girls, and I stayed with my Grandma and Grandpa Forbes in Bountiful. I have many, many happy memories of staying the night at my grandparents home as a child. My brothers and I would stay there often when we were growing up. We got to sleep in the 'brass bed' that my grandpa was born in and my grandma had special pajamas that we would borrow. On the wall in the brass bed room was a picture of a woman, walking down the stairs, holding her baby. The reason I mention it is that the woman looks very ghostly and the picture is very haunting. As an adult I can appreciate the beauty of the picture, but as a child it frightened my brothers and I so much we would fight over who had to sleep by the 'ghost' picture. My grandma had to have a chart recording who slept where so we could switch off. Before bed we would eat Golden Grahams for a treat. She would let us stay up to watch old movies like: Rear Window, An Affair to Remember, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Anne of Green Gables, and on and on. She would read us the best children's book stories: Nattie Parsons, Just Plain Fancy, When the Relatives Came, The Napping House, No Peas for Nellie, and Blueberries for Sal.  She would make us Eggo waffles with either raspberry yogurt or applesauce. To this day my brothers and I can't eat an Eggo waffle with syrup; it has to be either yogurt or applesauce.

We slept over often but it was such a treat and my Grandma made it so special for us. It was like walking back into my childhood sleeping over at my grandparents house, but this time I had my husband and my own children and it was lovely and so much fun.

My grandparents are as patient and kind to my children, their great-grandchildren, as they were to me and my brothers. They are best people I know and I love them dearly.

At Matt's reception Isabelle got a hold my the camera and went crazy. At least someone remembered to take pictures right?

The pictures are a little should we say 'candid'? or 'unexpected'?

The day after the wedding and reception my friend Courtney and I ran the Pink Series Half Marathon in Park City. It was an all-woman race. It was snowing when the race began and continued to be stormy throughout the race until the end. It was a very beautiful route, a lot of it was on trails, which we loved.

And the best part? Besides, finishing, was the treats at the end. Since it was an all woman race, they knew how to feed us! Chocolate, baked goods, and chips and salsa; yum!

Top of Utah Marathon 2011

After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer last summer I was told I wouldn't be able to have a baby for at least a year. We were disappointed but thought, OK, we'll just put those plans on hold and it will be fine. I also thought since I couldn't have a baby, maybe I should run a marathon. I mean, why not right? Cancer one year, marathon the next, baby the next after that. Bring it.

I set out to convince my friends to run one with me because I knew I didn't want to train for a marathon by myself. It turns out a marathon is a hard sell, who knew? Thankfully my good friend Courtney thought a marathon sounded at least interesting so she started training with me and she was with me through it all.

We decided to do the Top of Utah Marathon because it's in Cache Valley, which is convenient and it is in September, so we had all summer to train for it. September in Cache Valley is beautiful and pleasant, it is just perfect. But look at those clouds on the day of our race, not so pleasant...Just before the race started the rain started to pour on us! Thankfully they had a tent for us to hide under. The rain let up just as the race was starting but don't worry it came back, and then back again, and then back again, and again!

The race starts and Hardware Ranch and winds down Blacksmith Fork Canyon and into Logan. I loved the start of the marathon. It was so relaxed and happy; people were like we have 26.2 miles, we don't need to sprint to the finish! At mile 14, right when we come out of the canyon, both of our families were there waiting to cheer us on!

They were there again at mile 20! They were so nice to cheer us on, even in the rain! While we were running Isabelle said, "What in the heck are they doing in the rain?!" We were running like crazy people, that's what.

Do you see how soaked we were? There was rain, hail, thunder and lightening; it was quite the day! We were dripping, sopping wet. We would not have been more wet if we had gone for a swim in the river! We were soaked through. It made things interesting and we kept saying, at least we aren't hot!

The finish line was a beautiful sight, can I just tell you. I was so grateful and thankful to see it!

My girls came out and ran the last little bit to the finish line with us.

Kevin and the girls have been so supportive through all of my marathon training. Kevin's gone to work late more than he would've liked so I could get in a long run. He knew how important this goal was to me and he helped me achieve it. I couldn't have done it without his love, support, and encouragement.

I couldn't have done it without Courtney! We have been with each other through it all; blisters, sore knees and feet, worn out muscles, even the infamous runner's gut! She was awesome and I'm so thankful I was able to run it with such an amazing friend.

Now I am officially a marathoner! And it feels really good.