Iona Days 5K

Today Maren and I participated in the Iona Days 5K run/walk. We entered as walkers. My only goal was for Maren and I to cross the finish line on our own individual two feet. WE DID IT! I guess the "walkers" take walking seriously because they told us before we began that since we signed up as walkers we needed to walk and not jog. On the first block or so, Maren was disappointed that I signed us up as walkers for she wanted to run. We started out at a fast walk and had to slow our pace before the end of the first mile. Before not too long, we were at the end of all the participants and being followed by a truck to inform drivers that we were the last of the racers. Since I knew we were the very last ones, we decided to cheat a little at the end and we ran the last two blocks or so. Even at that, there had been 5 minutes since the people in front of us had crossed the finish line.

I am SOOOOOO VERY proud of my Maren Leigh! It was a very long walk ( 1 hour and 3 minutes), but she was a real trooper. We told stories, looked for flowers, She tried to walk on my shadow, and looked forward to the water stations.

Maren's favorite part of the 5K experience was winning the prizes. For participating they gave us each a t-shirt, a movie pass, a coupon for a free loaf of harvest bread, and a pancake breakfast. Then they did a raffle where we both won. I won a free meal at Arby's and Maren won another movie pass. Then they announced the winners in each division. For the Female walkers, Maren was first place for the 9 & under division and I was first place for the 20-29. I think we were the only female walkers in these divisions, but we got $5 each for being first in our divisions.

It was a lot of fun, but I think Maren has decided to ride her bike next time. I am grateful for my patient and supporting family who cheered us on.

Henry Roy Robbins

I know I am late, but... Henry had a birthday! He is one year old. He started walking about a week into July. He is getting around a lot faster. He is getting better with stairs, but still can't be trusted by himself. He is fine as long as he doesn't get distracted and turn around.

He is a climber. Hap has to climb on everything he can. He went through a quick phase where he would climb on my baby gate. It would either fall over on him or the plastic would hurt his toes and he would cry out holding on for dear life until someone came to save him. He still puts everything in his mouth. He eats rocks and dirt like I don't feed him enough.

Little Hap had his 12 month check up. He is proportionate at 25 percentile for height and weight, but has a large'ish head. Of course, he always has had a big head. Toward me, he is by far the most lovey and huggy kid I've had. But when he has had enough he will let you know. He is in the point and grunt stage. He has begun throwing fits, by flopping on the ground and crying or banging his head on anything nearby when frustrated. He loves popsicles, getting wet, seeing dogs, being outside, and hugs. What a boy!

We are in "The Family Way"

I have to show of a couple of pics my sister Suzie took of our family. She took a SO MANY GREAT ones. She took them at her home. They turned out so well! Thanks a ton, Suzie! Now I need to get copies out to people...

About a week ago, Maren finally graduated from preschool. We had a graduation party with all the moms and kids involved. It was so much fun to be involve with such an organized joy school.

We made a trip down to Utah to see some of the Aagard family members the saturday before memorial day. We got to see the baby pigs, baby cows, baby chickens, and baby kittens. Maren and Eliza were out in the barn every few hours with those kittens. It was to bad that when Maren went out the next morning she found them dead. The father cat had come in the night and killed them. Eliza wasn't ready for the visual of the dead cats so I explained to her that they had died. She later heard me telling my Mom that "the" daddy had killed them in the night. Eliza later confronted Jon "why did you kill the baby cats?" OOPS!!!! So I had to explain that the daddy cat killed the babies. We had a lot of fun, though, throwing rocks in the creek behind my folks home, going on a hike and finding "sea shells", and feeding the animals. It was so nice to see some of the kids other cousins. They all seemed to get along pretty well. Plus, we got to bring home my childhood trampoline. The girls LOVE it!

Maren seemed to have a lot on her mind yesterday. She asked me "If you go into a volcano when it erupts, will you turn into a lava monster?" "I wish we were rich so we could buy that homeless person a house." "I want to make lots of books and put them in a box and sell them to people who don't have any. Or I can take them to the library so lots of kids who don't have books can read them." "What would happen if I typed in _____.com?" She is so inquizitive.

So the title is true. We are expecting our 4th child. This one is due around the early middle of January.