Justin and Kristin

Roasted Marshmallows

In trying to explain to a friend the other day the difference for me between running a 5k and a marathon or even 50k I realized it was kind of like roasting a marshmallow. The end results is the same - squishy, soft melted mallow - or "melty" soft, disintegrated legs.

There's a couple of ways to get there.

Keep it in a warm spot and slowly let the mallow roast as it gradually gets hotter and hotter, or set the thing ablaze straight from the gate and just let it fry! You're choice: A slow and steady burn or a quick blaze of fire!

Longer distances will burn you up in the end, but getting to that state of complete breakdown takes time. You'll get there for sure, and it will kill when you do, but it will just take awhile. A 5k or 10k is pure burning torture from the first second the gun fires. It's over quickly but it kills the entire time!

 

How do you like to roast 'em?

 

Making the World a Better Place - Driving Tip #5

A Lesson in Roundabouts (or as some lame American roads call them "Rotaries")

This is NOT a stop sign

This is NOT a stop light

This is NOT a wait all day long until there are no cars anywhere near the roundabout to finally enter the roundabout.

Roundabouts are the European Traffic God's gift to the driving world. 

Everyone, let's grow a pair, stop being so afraid, and enter the beautiful, efficient world of roundabouts.

Here's  your lesson:

In a nutshell, a roundabout is a type of intersection where drivers are required to slow down, yield to vehicles on the left, drive around a central island, and exit onto their intended route.

Yes it really is that simple.

Drivers in the roundabout have the right of way. Enter the roundabout and continue driving counter-clockwise around the center island until you see your exit and signal to turn. Keep in mind that BOTH lanes can exit (see above diagram). You miss your exit? No problem! Just go around the circle again and get it right the next time!

And in case you were wondering the advantages of roundabouts are:

• Roundabouts are safer than signal controlled intersections, with accidents usually occurring at a slower speed and at a slight angle instead of right-angle or rear end collisions at junctions.
• Roundabouts allow U-turns within the normal flow of traffic, which are often not possible at other forms of intersection.

Happy traveling!

Ski "Area": A bad sign just in the name

A month or so ago we took Sage for a ski "lesson" She was very excited, even with the below freezing temps and windy conditions. The only problem we ran into was that she wanted to do everything on her own, and if I ever let her try she became frustrated. But she looked DANG cute in her ski gear, don't ya think?

She kind of got the initial idea, but not quite the knack yet. I'd like to give her a few more tries, but I'm not sure if she wants to just yet. Maybe next year?

On a side note:

Yes the hill behind me is the MAIN/BIGGEST hill. I have always said East Coast skiing was crappy, but never had actually skied on the the East Coast. Sooooo, at the end of the day I ventured "up," and I use the term "up" loosely. I did my run, which took a whole two minutes or so, on the crappiest snow I think I've ever laid skis on. Now I can officially say, "I hate east coast skiing." I will never waste money, time, or energy "skiing" on east coast stuff when I've been raised on the dry, deep powder from the west and terrain options only real skiers can dream of.

So I know Blue Hills Ski "Area" (yes they can't even bring themselves to use the word resort 'cause that's all it is, just an "area") is probably the worst resort in MA but just to illustrate my point.

BLUE HILLS

Acres: 60

Lifts: 5

Runs:8

Vertical Drop: 309 Feet

 

 

 

VAIL

Acres:  5289

Lifts: 31

Runs: 193

Vertical Drop: 3,450 ft

 

Need I say more?

Vintage or Restoration?

A little dilemma I'm facing.

Before I was even born my Dad and Mom made and painted this kitchen set for my sister. What a lovely mustard gold!! :)

It survived a generation of three children playing with it....fond memories...

Then it moved on with my sister and her FIVE very energetic children. It has survived rough play for a decade or so more.

Now she has passed it along to me so my girls can enjoy a quality made kitchen set (none of this cheep plastic crap they make toys out of now days). It will be a Merry Christmas for the Marshall girls! 

My dilemma..... keep the vintage look or restore it?

Keep in mind that I definitely have to at least paint some of it as there is this huge chip out of the stove door.

Vintage or Restoration?

Making the World a Better Place - Driving Tip #4

Dear Sports Car Driver,

   If your car cost more than my house I really think you should be able to drive faster than me in my mini-van. Me passing you like your standing still is your first clue.

Making the World a Better Place - Driving Tip #3

Turning Lane Trivia:

Two left hand turning lanes means:

   a) Each lane turns into its own separate lane.

   b) Both lanes turn into one lane - typically the lane on the far right.

   c) Pick whatever lane you want to turn into, just pray that you get there before the car next to you.

 

'A' people! The answer is 'A'!!!!!!!

I know this may be hard for some to understand. Let me make it as clear as possible.

2 = 2 

If there are 2 (or more) left turning lanes you DO have a specified lane you MUST turn into. Please pay attention! Turn into your own lane! 

 

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Is that clear enough?

By the way. Even if there is only one turning lane you don't just get to pick whatever lane you want to turn into people! It's always the far left lane!

Now let's all go out and practice our left turns!

Making the World a Better Place - Driving Tip #2

Don't be afraid to use your horn.

Seriously. I don't have a problem with you using your horn. Honk at me when I might try to change lanes and not happen to see you. Honk when I'm backing out of a spot and you want me to know your there. Honk when the light turns green and I happen to be looking in the back at one of my screaming children. Honk even if I do something stupid by chance (but seriously how often do I ever do that?).

I'll tell you when I DO have a problem with you using your horn. Umm...when you are the one who is obviously in the wrong and I'm trying to avoid the accident that your ignorant, oblivious driving just about caused. 

Making the World a Better Place - Driving Tip #1

Left lane is for PASSING.

My number one driving pet-peeve: 

Person driving in the fast lane, regardless of speed, who just stays there like it's actually a "driving" lane and not the "passing" lane it was intended to be. Get OVER people! Seriously!? If it's that hard to remember that the far left lane is for PASSING, do as they do in France - leave your blinker on while your in that lane as a gentle reminder of what you should be doing. Pass then get over!

Wait...then the roads will just be filled with idiots stuck in the left lane with their blinkers on! Hmmm... how to solve this problem? Detonating devises that automatically go off once you become an annoyance to all the cars STUCK behind you?

A Much Too Quick Trip

I had to get away....luckily I found the perfect excuse: my two best girl friends both live in NC and one of them just had twins! So, with Martin Luther King Day I was able to take a much needed get away trip and visit both of them! My day to Charlotte to visit Missy and her two little ones was WAY TOO QUICK, but it was great to see her and her precious two girls. Here are a few photos I was able to snap. I had high expectations to get more than I did but soon discovered shooting twins is DOUBLY as hard as shooting one new born!! One of them didn't cooperate with us so we got what we could and called it lucky! Here are just a few (I'll probably post some more later on my photography blog).

 

 

 

This one is my absolute favorite!

Where is Quincy?

A little background: 

We bought Sage a toy for Christmas that had been discontinued. So after finally finding it, we ended up paying more than one originally would have. BUT it was worth it because she absolutely loves it. However, it has created a little bit of anxiety for me since I'm now obsessed with making sure it stays in pristine condition and completely intact.

Thus my emotional stress began 4 days ago when Quincy disappeared!
 

I have looked everywhere -- 3 times, 4 times, 5 times...who knows how many times? Bright and early this morning the search began again.....under the bed, behind the couch, inside the oil vents (GROSS), through the toy box and every toy inside the box, every dresser drawer.....You never know where these kids will put things.

Finally the search came to an end.

Beyond this door....

      Behind all this crap....

   

and in the tippy-toe of this shoe.....

 Quincy is the best Hide-n-Seek player ever!

Ahhhh....This looks much better.

 

Forgive me Sage if I don't let you play with Rocket for a few days. I can't take the stress! :)

Now I Know

So a few things I know now to look for the next time we are deciding where to live (I mean besides the obvious things like crime rate and school quality):

• A town with more than one grocery store in it (who then uses that monopoly to their advantage and jacks up their prices to ridiculous levels).
• And therefore a town that is closer than 20 minutes to any other shopping centers/grocery stores.
• Ummm a town with garbage pick up. I mean seriously! What kind of town doesn't have garbage pick up?! Like I want to spend every Sat at the dump!
• I should probably make sure that there are some good running routes, especially stroller friendly ones.
• More than one major public transportation route in and out of the town.
• Closer than 20 minutes to more than a few yummy, and reasonably priced restaurants that are family friendly
• No wild fox in my backyard that could potentially devour my children (oh and a fenced backyard is always nice)

Just a few thoughts to keep in mind if we ever get the chance to buy that dream house someday, or just a house that is ours again.

Brotherly Love

I know I'm a slacker and haven't written anything for a bit. I guess with being a mom, working, training for our marathon, and trying to have fun with family and friends while we're in Utah is just gobbling up all my time. This 4th of July was super fun. Not only did I get to take another trip to Lake Powell, but I got to spend half the week with my little brother Nick, who came in from New York. I don't have a favorite brother....but if I did..... Anyway. We took a few hours and did an "America's Next Top Model" shoot with him. Talk about fun! It was great to be able to do something a little different artistically. Here are some of them. If you want to see a few more I made a photo album of him on my photography blog.

He's a little hottie, hu?

Psychological Experiment

So I typically don't do these type of entries because after being a therapist for more than 6 years I feel weird talking about myself....but I'm willing to stretch my comfort zone a bit! I got this from a friends blog, who got it from a friends blog, and I thought I'd put my psychological twist to it. So I had Justin answer what he thought I'D say, and I wrote my answers separately; Justin's answers are in blue and mine follow in red. (poor Justin who has to be married to a therapist and put up with my psychological experiments!)

I am: OCD/the best driver

I know: my Savior lives/what my flaws and weaknesses are and that I have a lot to work on

I won: several races/a lot of debate and drama competitions in High School

I want: to move back to Denver/Justin to get a job in Denver

I have: two great kids/the cutest kids ever!

I hate: dumb drivers/mornings, and cleaning up hair (even my own)

I miss: Juice Stop and 7-11 Slurpees/ Denver so much it hurts

I feel: tired/ tired all of the time and I wonder what's wrong with me

I hear: Sage scream constantly/the theme song to Word World everyday, because I don't know how else to keep Sage from screaming while Cadence is sleeping

I care: about others/more than I let people know sometimes

I crave: Juice Stop and 7-11 Slurpees/carbonation and sugar all of the time!

I search: for meaning in my trials/for understanding of people. Sometimes I just don't get why people do what they do?

I love: my family/ to be in the mountains

I always: speak my mind/ speak my mind, which often either offends people  or they don't "get me"

I believe: the church is true/ I have the best father for my children anyone could ever hope for

I sing: very well/but no one in my current life really knows it

I write: short stories/ wonderfully, but have not used that talent in a long time

I lose: my patience sometimes with Sage/my temper too easily

I win: at Carcassonne/ almost every argument (or at least in my own mind I do)

I listen: to Dave Matthews Band/ to peoples problems and inner-most secrets for a living

I am scared: about bad things happening to our kids/ that I'll die young before my children are grown

I need: love and communication/ to live in a house again

I am happy about: spending eternity with my family/ a husband who wants to spend as much time with me as I do him

I Promise....

I'll get more of this wedding posted soon. Give me some more time.

Before all my beach vacations, I was able to go to up-state NY (1000 Islands area) to see one of my best friends get married. For some crazy reason she asked me to be her photographer for the wedding. Even though I was stressed out of my mind about doing a good job, I was able to be with Missy all day long. I got to share moments of her special day that no one else got to see. What a privilege! It was a beautiful day and I'm so glad that Aaron and Missy have finally made that last commitment to their relationship! What a gorgeous day in NY and a beautiful couple!

Sauna

I thought rain was suppose to cool things off. Apparently in NC is turns your world into a huge SAUNA!! It's so humid and hot!! We miss you Utah and your glorious dry weather!