Thursday, August 18, 2016

Tappana Times: End of School and Start of Summer

With everything that's been going on this summer, it's finally time to catch everyone up with what's went down during June.

First, Brigham and I got back from our cruise to these three sweet people.


And now my post can be over. Because, I mean, look at those FACES!

But in the interest of making sure everything is documented, I will continue on.

Ammon graduated from preschool.


It was a class of eight boys, and Ammon was lucky to have his best friend, Hyrum, among them. Mrs. Feather was great with this rowdy bunch and Ammon loved going each week.




I asked Ammon if he was excited or sad for preschool to be over, and he said he was excited because it meant he was going to kindergarten. He's so quiet and shy, and yet excited to grow up at the same time. I was so proud of this little dude, and impressed with how he's grown over the last year!


The first page is Ammon's self portrait at the beginning of the year, and the second page is at the end of the year. He progressed from a picture of himself, to one of him with a jet pack next to a tree; plus writing his name with the correct capitalization - huge.

Here is Ammon at the beginning of the school year, and then at the end.


Lydia had her own achievements by finally losing her first tooth!


She patiently waited for so long to get a loose tooth, and watched in dismay as all her friends lost teeth around her, but she remained the same. I told her that I didn't lose a tooth until first grade, but when it was close to ending the school year, even I was growing a bit concerned. Luckily, her teeth started loosening and one morning, after Lydia said that she wiggled it so hard in bed that it was almost out, I checked on it and yanked it really hard until the tooth came out.

Lydia was really brave with how hard I pulled and she was ecstatic that she lost her first tooth in time to tell her teacher.

Lydia also finished up her year of first grade. She loved her class, her friends, and pretty much everything about school. With each grade she finishes, I'm equally happy and sad that she's getting so big and learning so much!


With summer starting I went to Mormon Night at the Mariners with my parents, and enjoyed a firework show afterwards.


 And the very next morning, I ran my very first 10k.


The kids ran a short 1k, and then I was off on my race.

I was terrified! Up to that point, the longest I had run was 4.8 miles, previously that same week. Otherwise I usually run around 3-4. But everyone kept telling me I could do it, and I figured since the race was free, I might as well give it a shot and challenge myself.

Well the race kicked my butt. First of all, there was a 5k going on at the same time as the 10k, so a bunch of 5k runners started with us and I had a hard time keeping myself back from their pace and ended up running my first two miles at a eight minute pace. Which is WAY fast for me. I wondered why the first mile felt so hard, and tried to keep myself back and slow down so I wouldn't wear myself out to early. But I went way to fast the first two miles. Also, the first three miles were all down hill, and then at the half way point you turn around and run back up the steady incline you just ran down. Pair that with the side-ache I gained from running too fast, and the last half felt like death. I remember around five miles I thought to myself, "I just want this to be over. Why is this not over yet." I couldn't breath, everything hurt, and I still had what felt like forever to go.

At six miles I pushed myself to really give the last .2 miles everything I had. It felt like the longest .2 miles of my life! Some friends from the ward cheered me on as I crossed the finish line, and I was SO happy to be done! I saw my time and I felt disappointed. I wanted to finish at 62:00 or under, which meant I would average a ten minute mile. I came in at about 62:53, which doesn't sound like too much later, but I really wanted to accomplish my goal. My exhaustion got the best of me and I cried a few tears of frustration and disappointment to myself in the car.

After collecting myself, I checked what my running app tracked, and it said I ran 6.54 miles at an average pace of 9:41 mins/mile. I had forgotten to stop the app for a minute after I finished, so I figured that's why it was off, but knew it shouldn't have been that off. I realized they might have measured the route wrong!

After talking to other runners, I discovered that was just what happened. The actual route was around 6.45 miles. So I did finish at under a 10 min/mile pace average. And I realized that's why the last .2 miles felt SO long after my app told me I had gone six miles; it really was another half a mile that I ran! It all made me feel so much better that my pushing myself had paid off.

After my race I could only remember how terrible I felt during the last half and how hard it was. I was really glad I did it, but I didn't want to do it again for awhile. And I really don't understand how people run half marathons. I've never been so glad to finish six miles, and I don't know how people would only be halfway done at the point! (All you half marathoners, I'm impressed, and perhaps someday I will convince myself to do it too.) Now that time has passed, I'd love to try another 10k. As long as I prepared for it this time!

It's hard to tell, but it was torrential rain
Immediately after my run, I walked to the Maple Valley Days and meet up with my family to watch the parade. Isn't my dad cute holding Kendrick?

It didn't rain while we watch Ryan march in the parade, but we sure got dumped on walking back to our cars.

It has been one of the rainiest summers I've ever seen in Washington. Usually after July 4th, it's a beautiful, sunny place. But this year it was colder and rainy through most of June and July.

In fact, when it started finally feeling like summer, we all got pretty excited.


Especially Kendrick.


My poor kids froze at swimming lessons in an unheated, outdoor pool for two weeks.


They would be shaking so hard from the cold, with purple lips and limbs.

However, they were always excited to go and Ammon was my fearless jumper. Lydia let her fears get the best of her, until I told her she HAD to jump in. Because I'm a mean mom like that.













Besides swimming lessons, Ammon finished up his first season of t-ball. He was pretty distracted in the outfield most the season, and said it was pretty boring. But after teaching him to run to the bases after hitting the ball, and to try to get the ball when it came his way, he was getting the hang of it. I thought he would like it better, especially since a bunch of his friends were on his team, but he seems to take after his dad. I don't consider him a lost cause yet, though.

When the weather permitted, we went hiking each Friday to prepare for our Glacier Park trip. And because I love hiking.

Our first hiking trip of the season, we went to the hanging garden walls in Black Diamond. It was a short, sweet hike, and we spent most of our time skipping rocks in the river.


I think I have a million pictures of Kendrick in his hiking backpack, but he's so cute in it, I can't help it!


Another hike, we climbed to Slippery Rock, which is a natural water slide. The water was a little too FREEZING for us to actually do the water slide, but we froze our toes off and relaxed on the rocks for awhile.


This hike was super muddy from all the rain, and Ammon fell in the mud and WAILED because of it, multiple times. It was getting exhausting until my mom made it into a game, daring him to fall on his butt in the mud and calling him Ammon Muddy-Butt. Ammon and my mom raced down the trail trying to get each other to fall in the mud.

Besides hiking, Brigham decided to try to get in shape and has taken a liking to Jillian Michaels to help him with that.

I snuck this picture and admired his nice push-up form while feeling jealous of someone that is so out of shape being able to whip out pushups way better than me.

Nothing more attractive than a man working out.











And for father's day I made him and my dad these delicious steak roll-ups with a balsamic-glaze. Yes, I was quite proud of my culinary skills, which is why you get a picture of it.


Kendrick charmed us with his Houdini skills and babbling.


He also learned how to flip himself sideways out of his bumbo.


And to sit up by himself at six months old.




We always find ourselves laughing, kissing, or rolling our eyes at this boy.


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