RIDING IN THE RAIN

Riding mountain bikes is so much more fun than riding on the road. I forget when we are riding roadies how much fun the mountain is! The beauty of riding through the trees and hearing nothing but tires crunching and birds singing is magical. Add the sound the rain makes as it trickles through the trees and the SMELL of rain and it is more than magical...it is like finding the key of the mystery in the magic...

Like castles in Ireland and Scotland...

It is magical right up to the point where it isn't anymore. Sometime after 2 hours but before 3, after the hail storm but before I was frozen, and after the knot tying experiment of the Boy Scout Camp that made me feel like we rode into Swiss Family Robinson , but before I was drenched and DONE, the magic ended, the mystery turned scary and the mosquitoes of mosquito alley were eating me alive... I was covered in mud, sopping wet, that "diaper" in the biker shorts needed changing, and there was no calling in the troops on the RZR to save me...so I had no choice but to finish the ride... but I was done. I was ornery. I was a beast. I was an evil dragon, spitting fire and venom (words can't be taken back after you spit them out)!

But then we were done and got clean and dry and finally warm again (59 degrees leaving the mountain and 97 at home)...

TODAY I LOVE BRIANHEAD AND MOUNTAIN BIKING AND MR. & MRS. SMITH!
Not to mention my Jas and the fact that I rode 50 miles on the roadie yesterday and only used my small sprocket up the highway to Snow Canyon twice...(they road is WAY, WAY easier than the path) and once again, I love to ride my bicycle, I love to ride my bike...

Jillian Michaels...making the cut...oh the pain. No pain, no gain, but does a gut held together by mesh really need pain? If the gain is a hernia I don't need that. However, until I hear different from the Dr. I am thinking that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I can almost do a "real" push up...give me 25 more days and I may be able to do a "real" scorpion push up or a plyo push up. CAN YOU?

Herc's eyes are healed!! no wind, no back of the truck, no dust, but plenty of LOVE!

Scary Time for Herc, Again

Just when you think you are as grateful as you can be, something comes up to cause gratitude to reach new levels...
Jas called me at work just before 6pm in tears, telling me he was taking Herc to the Animal Emergency Room. I didn't even know we had an Animal ER. I am incredibly grateful that we have an Animal ER and for the kind staff there and ultra competent vet, Dr. Wells. Based on what Jas saw from Herc he was convinced Herc was a goner. Based on Jason's voice on the phone I started thinking along those lines too. I had to keep taking deep breaths and telling myself that "Everything will be OK, they will have a great vet who will find the problem quickly and fix it." I repeated thoughts like that the whole drive over, trying to avoid panic and find the next best feeling emotion. We were so worried. Turns out Herc has stress related colitis. It is easily fixed with antibiotics and pumpkin (for the fiber). Thank goodness all is well. I so love my Herc-o-boy, and I am ever so relieved and infinitely grateful that he is OK. He is such a wonderful blessing in our lives. A kiss from Herc can fix any pain or fear. His kisses at the ER calmed me down, even though he was crying and scared, he still kissed the vet, me and Jas and seemed to want to make Jas and I feel better and relieve our anxiety, in spite of his stress.

Infinite Love and Gratitude to all of the wonderful veternarians and staff who love Herc and take good care of him!

Though we will miss out on the trip to Lake Powell we were supposed to go on tomorrow, we will not be missing our sweet 11 year old baby!

Herc is On The Mend!

Just a quick note to let everyone know how grateful I am that Herc can see again! He got the stitches and contact (single, the one in his right eye seems to have disappeared) out and though he hates the after effects of anesthesia he can obviously see, and looks so much better! Plus, he should only need the cone for one more week! Notice they had to give him a new cone today, the other was wrecked! I love this dog and he has really been through it the last 6 weeks, I am so glad he is on the mend!
I also had to put this picture in, this was yesterday, Harli loves her pal Herc, she can't wait until he can really play with her again!

Fourth of July Fun and Frolicking with Friends

I absolutely LOVE Marty's tattoos...if you look close up on the right shoulder there is an orange gecko and a bit closer to the middle there is a blue spotted frog, those are my favorite parts. Also by the way that shadow is me, that is as close to a picture of me you will see. You've gotta love my photography skills, my shadow in the pic plus the wrist strap from the camera too, I got skills to pay the bills--just not in the photography world : )

Bathing beauties Kim and Carey, this inspires me to start hitting the weights! I believe an add for P 90 X and Jillian Michaels is in order here!
Carey, Sharlie and Stephanie...I LOVED Steph's hat, it even held its shape in the pool...

We played volleyball and the kids would get the ball when it went out (which was often). Why don't we do that more often? I forgot how much I LOVE volleyball, mix it with swimming and I don't know what sport is more fun!

I think this was Troy right before he pegged me in the side of the head with the ball...at least it wasn't in the face (picture Meet The Parents but add braces to the broken nose it wouldn't have been pretty).

Buttars loves Grant...Grant loves Buttars

Grant loves Jas and Jas loves Grant too...all types of fun creatures and toys to play with!

A million Thanks to the Kenney's for sharing their beautiful home and pool with us and to our friends for all of the fun times we share.

I LOVE OUR LIFE!!

Florida!

We had such a riot in Pensacola last week. We went down and met some friends and just played and relaxed for 5 days (in a sauna--95 degrees and 95-100% humidity). It was a great trip. The only thing that could have been better would have been cooler temperatures...I was a bit surprised by the sweltering heat, I don't know why but I have always pictured the beaches in Florida being similar to Hawaii- moderate and enjoyable temperatures year round. Now I know different! Here are some pics of the trip...I even got Jason to go parasailing if you can believe it!

I am very pleased with how well my camera works under water!

RAW Oysters going down the hatch...

The effect of RAW OYSTERS going down the hatch...(plus the horseradish was HOT!)