We Did It!

Day #3  RACE DAY!  The night before, Tristan taped his and Tyrel's legs up to avoid shin splints.  We got up and I tried to get some food in my belly, although I felt rather like throwing up than eating.  Dad King dropped us off at the buses and we rode up the canyon, then we got in a 20 min. line for the porta-potties.  The wind was blowing quite a bit and it was pretty chilly, especially when we had to take our jackets and pants off and put or "belongings bags" in the trucks.  I hung out with Ray, Tristan, and Tyrel, which was really cool when they all went of to go to the bathroom on the rocks, I just stood in the wind and waited (having to go to the bathroom but knowing there wasn't enough time to wait in line again!)  Finally the time came to line up.  It was exciting and a little nerve-racking!  After the race started, Tyrel was an animal, passing people left and right.  After I while, I couldn't keep up with him anymore and I lost sight of him.  I was surprised as I ran at how good it felt and how the miles kept adding up!  (Training sure paid off!)  At mile 9 I was starting to get tired and I knew I needed a "pick-me-up".  So I put the rest of my shot blocks in my mouth and set out to catch my hubby.  I had a burst of energy and was able to significantly pick up the pace.  Finally I could see him and ran hard to catch him.  I jumped on him with my arms to surprise him.  Yep, he was excatly the "pick-me-up" I needed and I felt strong to the finish.  We decided we would pick up the boys and carry them across the finish line.  I don't know what we were thinking!  They were SO heavy!  But it was worth it to hear Silas talk about it for the rest of the day, that he ran across the finish line in our race!  It was so great to cross the finish line with my whole little family!  And it was awesome to have so many family there to watch us, cheer us on, and care for our boys while we ran.  It was also inspirational to run for Blaze, our little nephew. 
We did it!

Moab Trip

FUN! FUN! FUN!  We had such a fun time in Moab.  I think it should be a requirement every year to take a little trip in March to somewhere a little warmer.  We got to hang out with some of our favorite people (if you weren't there, it doesn't mean you're not one of our favorites :)  We rented a condo with Mom and Dad King, Janet and Ray, Darian and Cassie, Tristan, and Izzy and Scott.  It was great to be in a "homey" setting while on vacation and to have access to a kitchen.  Before we got to the condo, we stopped and Scott showed us a natural spring where we filled up our water bottles.  The water was yummy!

Here's a brief overview of the happenings:

Night #1  We went to the high school and watched DONKEY BASKETBALL.  It was a riot!  I can't believe that I never observed that in my home town!  Logan loved to see the donkeys and kept saying, "hee-haw", proud that he knew what they say.  He and Silas enjoyed a sit on the donkeys with Aunt Cassie during 1/2 time.

Day #2  Hiking Day.  Yeah we're a little bit crazy, going hiking the day before the race!  First we hiked to the "Windows", then had a picnic lunch, followed by the strenuous hike to "Delicate Arch".  I was so proud of my boys at how good they were.  Tyrel carried Logan most of the way and I carried Silas 1/2 and he walked about 1/2.  I would feed him a Pez and he would start to run up the hill until he "ran out of PEZ ENERGY".  At one point, Silas laid down on the rock for a little nap, he said he was all out of Pez Energy.  Logan of course had to get down and join him.

Day #3...Race Day...(See next post)

Our Week in Brief

Busy, Busy, Busy.  It's been a good week and a busy one.  Here's the highlights of our week:

1.  REAL Salt Lake Soccer Game:  We got a sweet deal on some passes that will allow us to go to some sporting events and to Seven Peaks this summer.  We went to our first soccer game and had a great time.  Logan loved to watch the smoke from the "extreme fan" section.  And then randomly he would look down at the field and point with a smile on his face, "Ball!" Silas loved the free cold chocolate and M&M's I was feeding him.  He also liked to look for the flag of our country.  Tyrel and I were just all about going to a live soccer game!

2.  Playing outside!  The weather was so nice this week and we were able to play outside a lot with our friends.  The boys road their bikes around the courtyard and we moms got to chat :)

3.  Our Saturday Run.  I never thought I'd be journaling that running 12 miles was a highlight of my week, but here we are.  I have been dreading this run, it is 1.1 mile short of what our half marathon will be.  When I ran 8 miles a few weeks ago it was awful and very difficult for me, I couldn't imagine how I could run 12!  But Tyrel and I were able to run together.  We started at my mom's house, ran down a little past our house, and then did a BIG rectangle to get back to her house.  When I hit mile 8, I felt just fine.  It was at that point we decided our bodies had just given up and were saying, "Do whatever you want to and I'll let you, but the second you stop, I'm done!"  So we did and it was only on the last mile and a half that our bodies were starting to get really tired.  It was sure great to run with my Sweetheart!  It makes it so much better!  We rewarded ourselves with some In-And-Out Burger for dinner...mmm!  Now we're pumped for our race in 2 weeks and we know WE CAN DO IT!

4.  Hanging out with family!  We have been quarantined away from my mom's house for over 3 weeks and it was awful!  We missed seeing everyone and especially getting to know our new nephew, Andrew.  But the quarantine was lifted last weekend and we have been hanging out plenty.  We were waiting to hear about my brother's new unit and if they'd be deployed soon.  I can gratefully announce that they are not scheduled to deploy until September of 2012!  So he was able to come get his little family this weekend and today they are on their way to Washington to settle in.  We have been so blessed to get to see them so much, considering they didn't really live in the state, more like were passing through.  We had a great time this weekend hanging out and I just couldn't get enough of holding little Andrew.  I'm in LOVE with that baby, and I'm with Silas who said, "Mom, can we take this baby home?"  It was bitter sweet to say good-bye to them last night.  I'm very excited for their family and the chance they have to be a family!  Jon can now come home every night after work and they can have a place of their own.  I am sad to see them go, especially because my nephews will have grown so much next time I get to see them!  :( 

Cabin Fever

Lately I have been feeling like either
a)  My kids are just getting too crazy to handle or
b) I just am getting less and less patient
Although both of the above may be true, yesterday I realized something:  a & b might be happening partly because we are getting CABIN FEVER!  And with that, I think that my boys think they need to "tear apart the cabin"!  The other day I went into their room where they were playing and saw that every spare hanger in their room was tossed all over the place (at least 20 of them!)  Then a little later I walk into the room and Silas is taking apart all the matched socks I had just washed, and throwing them all over the room like they were leaves.  Meanwhile, Logan is taking my frying pans one-by-one and hiding them in his closet.  I have given up on having a clean place, I know there will be toys and books and even clothes everywhere ALL the TIME, but I drew the line at this!

Then some things happened to keep the Family in the Cabin HAPPY!  Yesterday was beautiful outside!  Izzy came over and we played on the playground with the boys with only jackets.  When we went inside our noses and fingers weren't even red!  I had an "ah ha!" and realized that, "duh, we are just getting too cramped being inside all winter long!"

It made me feel SO grateful for the warm weather.  Last weekend we were lucky enough to have Janet, Ray, Grayson, Darian, Cassie, and Zaylie over to play all Saturday.  We even got to enjoy the warm weather and went for a walk around the neighborhood.  We kind of looked like a fleet of parents and strollers!

Yeah, we pretty much have the cutests niece and nephews ever!

 Feeling so happy about the chance to be outside and play for the past week, my enjoyment was crushed that evening as we were dumped on by at least 2 inches of snow in 2 hours!  It's really not that bad though.  The snow is beautiful, and afterall, it is still winter right?

Despite our cabin fever, the boys manage to do SO MANY things that make me smile and laugh:

*I was laying on the floor in the evening and the boys kept climbing on me.  I said, "Hey guys, stop climbing on me, I'm trying to relax."  Silas says, "Why are you relaxing?"  I told him that he and Logie had wore me out.  A few minutes later, he is laying on the floor and says, "Mom, I'm relaxing too!  You and Logie wore me out too!"  I couldn't stop laughing!

*My brother who is in the military has taught Silas about the flag of our country.  As a result, whenever we are driving and Silas sees one, he yells out, "MOM! THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY!"  And I mean whenever he sees one!  On our way home from Stake Conference, we passed a car dealership and he said, "Hey Mom!  The BALLOON of our country!"  We looked and he was pointing at a balloon that had stars and stripes on it. 

*Logan is getting to be such a little talker!  At Stake Conference I asked Logan if he wanted to sit with Mom (he was sitting on Tyrel's lap) and he answered, "No.  My dad!" and clung to Tyrel. 

*Whenever Logan wants us to see something or get something for him, he says, "Come, me please walk."  And then he makes the "come" motion with his hand.

Oh and incase you are wondering, my newest nephew's name is ANDREW IGNACIO VARGAS.  I am dying to hold him and play with he and his little brother, but Daniel has RSV and we have been quarantined from Mom's house for weeks now!  It's so sad and we MISS them!

Treadmills

So as we've been training for our race (the Moab 1/2 marathon in March), I have been "trying out" different gyms and using their 7-day trial memberships to avoid having to run outside in the dark (scary!)  So on Tuesdays and Thursdays I would run on a treadmill and then do my Saturday run outside when Tyrel is home.  It's been great, except I'm out of trials and not willing to committ to a year membership...I'd rather have a house!  Thankfully I have a sweet sister who comes over and watches my boys during the day so I can go for a run. 

Well the past two weeks I have felt like I am running on a treadmill all day, only it goes like this:  Treadmill turns on to a comfortable pace...a little faster...I'm still okay...a little faster...getting a little worn out...faster...faster...faster...FASTER...oh no, I'm at the point where I'm going to get shot off the treadmill and into the weights because I can't keep up...and yet the treadmill still keeps going. 

I don't mean to complain, there have been plenty of Happy and Fun things that happened in these weeks, I just want to record them as  "treadmill" weeks.  The pictures are proof that many great things have happened in the past two weeks.  The best thing of the week is that we have another new nephew! 

Jon and Chelsy's baby was born on Monday and was 8 lbs. 3 oz.  He has lots of dark hair like my little boys did and holding him reminds me so much of holding them when they were newborns.  What's his name?  I'd like to know that too.  They are making us wait until Sunday at the blessing to reveal his name...rude huh?  But my brother and I thought we'd play a little trick on Tyrel and text him that the baby's name is Jacque Lafayette Vargas.  It was a pretty good joke because Jon hates the French and for that reason, Tyrel was a little curious about why they chose that name.  Then I had to let him know we were just kidding, however, Jacque is starting to stick, and I'm sure it will become one of his nicknames.  For now I am in love with Baby Jacque!

Well done Jon and Chelsy! 

These weeks also included visiting some more with our other new nephew, Grayson, we even caught him with his eyes open! 

 I think that look means FAVORITE UNCLE...what do you think?

 Logie is so in love with his new cousins.  Silas is too, but we tried to keep him away because he's had a cold.

Aren't they the cutest little family!?
And for the rest of the weeks' happenings...we made Valentine's with Aunt Izzy while the boys had Boys' Night and played X-Box. 

 We had a snowing party where we drank hot cocoa and made some snowmen.

 And this is my little 20-month-old Logan.  I can't believe he is in nursery!  He is already learning and came home knowing all about the "Snowman Song".  This is his "small, small, small"

 "Tall, tall, tall"

 Look real close and you'll see my old contact that we found Silas trying to stick in his eye.

And finally, while I was running on a treadmill, the boys were giving massages.  Why didn't I stay home and get one!?

HAPPY Weekend!

What a great weekend we had!  We have a new nephew!!!  We are so filled with JOY that Grayson Blaze King made it into this world saftely.  We got to go visit him on Saturday and I'm already so in love with that little man!  He has tons of hair and big feet and hands.  Silas and Logan didn't get to meet him yet because they weren't allowed in the hospital, but Sias keeps talking about how excited he is to go see Grayson at Nanet and Ray's house. We forgot to take our camera to the hospital so I'm stealing a picture from their blog.  Isn't he SO cute!?


Another great thing this weekend is that my brother Jon graduated from his AIT training and is now here for a few weeks.  The look on Daniel's face was absolutely priceless when he realized his Daddy (who he hadn't seen in a month) was here.  He couldn't get those little legs off that couch fast enough!  We had a fun party on Saturday to celebrate and we are excited for another new nephew to be born on Monday. 

Finally, Silas gave the scripture in Primary on Sunday.  It was the cutest thing I've ever seen!  He walked right into the primary room and sat down on the "Scripture Chair".  Tyrel came up and helped him say it, and he said it so proudly and with a big smile.  I can't believe my little Silas is old enough to be giving the Scripture!  I'm proud of him!