Sunday Sampler...

The only problem with vacations, is that you come home with so much to blog about...therefore I have decided to start a weekly series on my blog called...The "Sunday Sampler"(truly this is a knock-off idea, pirated from my friend Betina's "three things Thursday"). It will basically consist of tidbits of our weeks activities.
This week we spent the first half in Utah visiting the in-laws... Oscar and Poppy had a magnificent time spending every waking moment being loved by the grandparents.
In fact one night as I was getting Oscar ready for bed he said "Grandma and Grandpa are so busy loving me!"
That pretty much sums it up...grandpa and ma spoil them until they can't take it any longer and then put them to bed. Only to rise the next morning and start again.
Meanwhile Ricky and I spend some time out running a marathon, getting our hair cut etc...
Then we come back to the house and eat tons of food! That is what happens at the Grandparents house...GOOD FOOD! Homemade ice cream, panini's, lasagna, etc... We get so spoiled that is it hard to come back home.
Ah, and being at grandma's house with the beautiful gardens and chickens makes one want to sit back on the patio and watch the days go by...
Tomorrow...back to reality and laundry!
The latter part of the week we spent getting back to normal...we still aren't there. Yesterday we went to a bluegrass festival and had some tasty vegetarian food at the Green Frog Cafe.

We also spent some time on our bikes...it was a welcomed change in pace from our regular long-run Saturdays. We rode to the farmers market and picked up some yummy corn, blueberries, basil and bread. Oh, how I love fresh produce!!!

Marathon update!

This is the lovely t-shirt we received for doing the marathon...does this look like some runner/flasher/cowboy to anyone else? I can't get over the shirt...I laugh every time I look down at my shirt...they are hideous!!! This my friends is the reward I received for completing 26.2 miles of pain and endurance! Ok, so they did give us a finishers medal but really...who designed these shirts????

Now for the news....

We awoke at 2:15 am to be certain we were at the location to be picked up by the bus at 3:15. They informed us that they had upped the time from what they had previously posted...previous the buses were supposed to be 3:45 & 4:15am...then the switched to 3:15 & 3:45 (they then said do not wait for the last bus as there may not be room for late arrivals).
Valiantly we were there to be on the 1st bus...as we stood there waiting for the buses....not one came until 3:45!!!! All that wasted sleep for their tardiness!!!

We have come to the conclusion that very few people probably do this marathon twice. Too early and not very well supported!

It was really pretty when the sun started breaking and they had some bagpipes playing in the background...right before we began at 5:30am. The first half was really quick...it was mostly down and canyon...there was a significant assent up the back side of one of little mountain, but I found this to be not too bad. Especially since My sweet cousin-in-law (Adam) loaned me his sweet little shuffle to keep me going...I may just have to invest in one of those little guys.

In the end we had a nice finish and Rick and I both just missed our "Goal" times by just a few minutes....(this may have been avoided had they not been missing a critical water-point around mile 24!) Luckily, Rick's sister Megan was a champ and ran with me the last 4 miles and set the pace to keep me going! As I was complaining about my much need water stop she just kept me going along. Especially on the last mile...Thanks Meg!

Ricks finishing time: 3hrs 12 min (goal 3:10)...Collette's: 4hrs 3 min (goal 4:00). We just figure that this is a training run for the Sept. Marathon.
The best part of the whole Marathon is when I get to the finish line (or a little before) and Ricky is there cheering me on....really, it makes it all worth while...Knowing that together we succeeded in finishing our much anticipated marathon! I love running with this guy! He is amazing! How lucky/blessed we are to be physically capable of doing this together!

Accessories...

Everyone knows that to truly be female one must accessorize...Adorn herself with useless, additions that make her feel hip, happy, and sassy.
It's no wonder that Poppy has started early on this regime...She clearly has the attitude to flaunt such sassiness with style.
Lately, from sun-up to sun-down (or bed time) she can be found sporting some sort of accessory. Here are some recent photo shoots of our POPSTAR!
Here we have the dazzling wabasabi necklace with headband and the essential sunglasses...

Why wear one skirt when you can layer two?
Hat, headband around the neck and the bear in a pumpkin purse...who knows it may be the next "in" thing?
Why wear clothing at all, when you can look dashing in a sparkly birthday tiara?
One thing is for certain...she MUST be a girl!

Registered!!

Tonight we made it official...We both registered for the Marathon!! After a prolonged debate about doing the marathon, I have decided I'm going to do it!
I was for some time feeling like this marathon was not meant to be...Seriously, I was experiencing all these annoying little set backs. Then I thought to myself...Rather than thinking that all of these things were signs not to do the marathon. Instead, I thought it must be a test to see just how badly I want to do it.

In fact as I began my run on Saturday, I managed to trip on a crack in the sidewalk and totally face planted in the superman pose. (I now have some sweet road rash on my knee and hands) After gaining my composure, I had my moment of clarity...I could either turn around and go back to the farmer's market with Ricky and kids and forfeit the marathon...Or I could pick myself up off the ground, and do the ten miles.
I did it and it was good. I haven't had a "good" long run in a bit, so that's saying something...
I then got an antibiotic for a UTI I had been ignoring, and suddenly I feel like a new person... Like the light at the end of the tunnel...Yes! I have renewed faith in the power of prayer and desire.
To top it off we are using the Marathon as a means to raise money for a family we know that is in need...so now I HAVE to do it.
I'm grateful to be running for a cause, because in a week from tomorrow, on mile 22, I will think of this family and will be happy that I chose to run.

If these were your shoes...

I love to run, especially with my husband...It doesn't even matter that he is faster or better at it than I, it is something we really like doing together.
For the past 4 months we've been training for a marathon...and as previously posted, up until our 18 mile training run, it was all on schedule and doing great!
Since then, I've been trying to nurse a hurt ankle/foot back to good health. (Spending a lot more time swimming and biking to fill my running void and to stay up to training intensity. ) To this I would say that I have healed somewhat, but not fully.
So, here is the question...for a marathon that is in two weeks...would you still run it or not?
The pain is not too bad while running...only after.
There is another marathon I want to run in September, however I really want to do BOTH.
Do I sit this one out, and let Rickster do it, while I sit enviously on the side-lines wishing that I too were running it?
Do I buck up and do the marathon and if my ankle gets too bad, I can just hop on the sag wagon?
Not only did I practically peak successfully on my miles (only having to miss the 20 miler)...meaning that the injury occurred at the perfect time to start tapering...After all this training time I want to reach my goal!
One side of me says to sit it out and hang on for the next...but what if my ankle still isn't better? Then I would have missed doing the 24th marathon for nothing! What if I do this marathon and then injure myself worse, then I won't be able to do the September one?
I'm wondering, what you would do if you were in my same situation. Would you run it or not??? Any feedback would be great! Last day to register is later this week and I have to decide.
Meanwhile, I spend my days vacillating between the two options...to run or not to run...that is the question!

Fourth...

Shiniest Bike award...(everyone was a winner at this bike parade)
Poppy being the sweet little angel that we all know she can be...
Oscar and pop's being cute! (Note to Grandma Edge) The brown wrapped material attached to the front of Oscar's shirt is the blue bird you gave him...he had it attached to him the entire day.

Baby # 3

Tonight we discovered the third baby bunny that Smiley has maimed/killed in the last week. While working in our front yard last week he discovered a bunny burrow. Needless to say, I don't enjoy having to deal with such travesties...
Typically, I'm hating the bunnies for leveling my perennial beds...but when a little, tiny, helpless bunny gets munched by my over zealous dog, I find myself sad and angry at my beast!
The good news was that at least the bunny tonight, was dead when I found it (thus, making it so we don't have to put it out of it's misery, like the other two bunnies last week).

On the bright side...today while driving to my spinning class (this seems to be one of our best formats for great conversation) Oscar and I had this conversation...
Me- "Oscar, do you know why all of the flags are hanging up?"
O- "no why are they hanging up?"
Me-"It is for the fourth of July, when we celebrate the Birthday of the United states of America."
O-"I know America, he is a super hero...remember mom!"
Me- "Oh, Yeah....Captain America...well Oscar, Yes...that is where he gets his name. We also celebrate our countries freedom...maybe we will discuss it more tonight at family home evening."

Tonight, we hung a flag of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, not Captain America...Although , I can see how they easily can be confused (big superpowers and great tights???). We also decorated Oscar's bike for the fun kiddie bike parade in our friends neighborhood...pictures are yet to come...