The Century Bike Ride

I rode a century!  The Little Red Riding Hood hundred mile ride is up around Logan.

At the starting line ready to go!

 

 

We started at 8:23 and skipped the first aid station. We stopped at the second aid station and ran into the rest of our team just as we were leaving. I ate the best oreo smeared with peanut butter ever, yum! Skipped the 3rd aid station and had a really nice stretch from mile 40 to 55. It was a slight downward slope and so beautiful. It felt effortless to just ride forever.

 Then we stopped at mile 50 for lunch. The "sea" of bikes.

After lunch, I had a hard time getting back into the ride. It was getting really hot and as time passed I started slowing way down. (A side note, around mile 65 there's a long down hill section that I went 44 mph on! I felt like superman!) By mile 70 I was really slowing down at the slightest up hill stretch, and there were a lot of them! Nat left me behind but I caught up to her when I finally rolled into the aid station at mile 78. I was so hot, dehydrated, and tired. I sprayed myself down with ice water and it felt great. Several more awesome peanut butter oreos were consumed. From here I lost Nat but could see the speck of her blue shirt once in a while.

 I had been really dreading the big hill at mile 85 and was anxious to get it over with. In reality, it was no problem. I slowed way down, and for a mile went 7 mph and slowly made my way up the hill. After the hill I felt home free! So I really pushed hard and rode the last 15 miles quite fast. I wasn't holding back any more to preserve energy, I wanted it all spent by the time I finished.

 And finally... I crossed the finish line! It took me 7:04 including all stops. Nat did it in 6:59. This is actually a pic at the 50 mile mark, but I dont' have one from the finish line so it'll have to do. This is pretty much what it looked like anyway, lol.

The other girls in our group weren't allowed to go more than 70 miles because they didn't ride fast enough, so they added 30 of their own unofficial miles on at the end. I would have done the same thing!

My thoughts on a century:  very cool, I can see myself doing another one in the future!  It felt easier than a marathon, like half the effort, but for twice as long.  It was a hard thing to accomplish!  But much easier on my body than a long road race.  Overall a great experience!

Las Vegas Bachelorette Party

My good friend Adrianne got married yesterday, and we girlfriends all went to Vegas a few weeks ago for her bachelorette party.  We stayed in a humongo gorgeous house a mile from the strip and had fun for 3 days straight.

We went to pool "day clubs" during the day, out to eat for dinner, and out to night clubs at night. (Though I must be honest I was the party pooper in bed by midnight, lol.) The rest of the group stayed up till sunrise and we all had a wonderful time. Brooke is an amazing party planner!! 

Here are some photos I swiped from FB.

Lovely Ladies: 

 

The day clubs were PACKED with people. We were like sardines standing around the pool.  

   

   

   

   

I don't doll up with makeup and straight hair very often. 

Bryce May 2014

We went camping again, this time to Bryce Canyon. 

I'll be honest, I've never really fallen in love with Bryce Canyon.  It is beautiful, but the only experience I'd had before this weekend was driving through it and admiring the view resting on my rump.  At best I'd walk across the parking lot for a better view.

This time we did it right!  The first day I biked the entire canyon and more, going 50 miles, elevations 8,000 feet to 9,100 feet.  What a workout!  It took six hours, including all the stops at the view areas.

The second day Todd and a couple friends took the shuttle to the top of the canyon (9100 feet) and ran 24 miles down to the base (6300 feet) and back up to Bryce Point.  W.O.W.  What a killer workout!

Avery and I hiked down to the base and back up, but only went about 4 miles and I felt tired from it!  As usual, we squeezed in a lot for such a short trip.  I didn't realize till now that I didn't get a single picture of Todd.  Sorry Todd!

Avery the little camper in her "tot spot."

I was happier than I look to be at the top, lol

Tuckered out from the steep hike.

Moab May 2014

We camped in Moab last weekend.  It was a short trip but we squeezed a ton in and had a great time.  Avery LOVED it and did OK camping, so we'll definitely be going again soon.

Friday Todd and 2 friends drove down at 4 a.m. to do Blue John Canyon, the same hike/ climb/ rappel that Aaron Ralston did when he got stuck and cut off his arm.  They stayed in Green River Friday evening.

Saturday at 7 a.m. Avery and I drove to Green River to pick up Todd.  He dropped off Avery and I and our bike/ trailer 10 miles outside of Moab and we rode in to town. 

Then we hiked to the water hole and swam in the pools and falls. Avery LOVED this part and literally squealed with delight for 2 solid hours while we swam.  The water was really cold but felt so great.

Then we ate dinner at the Moab Brewing Company with Todd's friends.  Afterward we went climbing at the Big Bend boulders while the sun set.  Avery also reallllllly loved this and she & I laughed so hard together at her attempts to climb little boulders and my attempts to help her up.  We were both pretty tired and in silly moods, and we literally laughed till we had tears streaming down our faces. :)  Meanwhile Todd got in a good climbing work out.

We camped across from the Slickrock parking area.  Avery had a hard time falling asleep so Todd and I chose not to have a campfire (it might have kept her awake with all the light.) Instead he and I lay under the stars together on his crash pad and talked about life and our future.  It was romantic and sweet.

The next morning we dropped Todd off at the Porcupine Rim bike trail head, and he ran the 15 mile trail.  Avery and I took a nap and went shopping while he was running.  Then we picked him up and ate a beefy meal at Denny's (Todd literally ate two meals cuz he was famished.) 

Afterward Todd and Avery hiked to the swim hole again while I rode 30 miles with long steep hills and huge gusts of wind to fight against.  It was a wonderful ride!

We met up at the water spring and then drove home.  Avery watched "Signing Time" and didn't complain one bit about the drive.  She learned how to hit the play button with her toe to restart the movie.  Clever girl.

Avery giving Daddy some love

 

Petroglyphs

   

   

   

   

Ghetto booty

   

Shangri La: the Swim Hole

   

Raynauds.  Gross I need a pedicure.

   

   

There are spring flowers everywhere right now!  So pretty.

 

Before & After Home Remodel

Here are some of the latest updates we have DIY'ed:

Back splash added and cased window:

 

Subway tile back splash

 

 Original kitchen vs updated kitchen:

 

Whitewashed fireplace

 Here's the original family room

  

 

Floating shelves 

 

 Trimmed out and refinished vanity, and framed mirror: 

 

   

Old pallets wood paneling

 

Avery is 1.5

My little girl is growing up fast!  She has been more and more fun as she has aged.  Sometimes I wish she could go back to the newborn stage again...  But mostly I just really enjoy the moments because I know how quickly they pass.

She can say 40 or 50 words, she LOVES being outside and digging in the dirt, she is very social and will yell, "HI!" at strangers till they can't ignore her any more and say hi back.  She's very mobile and runs around all day and pushes chairs around so she can climb up onto things.  She likes repeating words and really tries to get them right.  She loves reading books, and will "sing me a song" at my request.  She gives lots of kisses and hugs to Todd and I, as well as to her beloved Nay and Mini-Nay stuffed unicorns.  Sometimes she hugs her graham crackers too.  The three of us have lots of fun together.

She calls ice cream "ice bum" and loves to eat it.  And her word for gum is "bum."  The girl loves to have bum and ice bum! He he.

I love reading to her before nap time and bedtime.  Feeling her tiny warm body in my arms and relaxing into the rocking chair to just savor her for a few uninterrupted minutes...  Aaaahhhh. :)

 

   

   

   

   

 

The Healthy Happy Family

I finished my "12 weeks of crap-free" eating.  Finally.
I also ran a half marathon, and I'm training for a century bike ride.  I rode 50 miles yesterday!  I've lost lots of pounds and feel energized and motivated and excited about life.  Simply put, I feel like myself again.

Todd started the "Specific Carb Diet" a couple months ago.  It is really strict, but supposed to help colitis and maybe even cure it.  Todd can't eat any grains, sugars, corn, potatoes, milk and lots of other things I've forgotten.  He has stared tapering off his meds to see if he can stop taking pills altogether.
I still eat grains but not nearly as much as I used to because I only cook food we can both eat. It wasn't fun to eat in front of someone who was trying not to eyeball me with sad hungry puppy-dog eyes. lol.  At the very least it has transformed our pantry and fridge into our own little produce department!

Avery doesn't eat much, but she loves smearing her food around and rubbing it in her hair.  She's always been quite robust, so we aren't worried about her playing with her food more than eating it.  She is doing great and is such a joy to be around!

And she just woke up, so that ends this post!