YOU READY?

I am ready!

Sday is ready!

B is ready!

I hope you are ready!

GOOD, BETTER, BEST

First off, let me just say that I LOVE my husband! Ok, with that being said, I will continue on...

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the words from Dallin H. Oaks in the 2007 Liahona article entitled "Good, Better, Best". I have also had the words "Good = Mediocre" in my head. I am not sure why this is but it must mean that I need to work on and fix a few things in my life.

I was tossing and turning in bed last night thinking about how I am not any "better", or at least the "best" at the things that I have been doing or training for. I know that I am not going to win any medals with my athletic races, school projects, interior design work, spiritual growth or office work, but I can at least push myself harder to be a "better" or "best" person in those fields.

I had set my alarm to go off at 6:03 am for my early morning run. As I rolled out of bed, I gave my sleeping sweets a smile and whispered "thank you" to him. Running down the dark streets of our neighborhood with Tahoe, I kept thinking that my pace is just "Mediocre". Tahoe was pulling on the leash to go faster and instead of resisting and telling him to heal, I let the leash drag on the ground speeding up my pace to catch him. He of course ran faster, and faster, thinking this was a fun game! By the time I caught him, exhausted and out of breath, I picked up the leash and walked. I made it about 10 steps before the word "Good" popped in my head. I dropped the leash and started picking up my pace again. I was not about to let my hard efforts of waking up at the butt-crack of dawn get thrown away all for a "good" run. I returned home 1 hour later sweaty, tired, thirsty, and yet satisfied that I pushed myself to be a "better" or "best" runner.

Weston doesn't know it, but he is the one that pushes me to be a "better" or "best" version of myself. He pushes me to run faster and become healthier, to set higher goals and aspirations, and to get "A's" on my projects in school. Sometimes I fail, and sometimes I give up, putting in only a "good" effort. But knowing that I have Weston right by my side, whipsering in my ear to be "better than mediocre" gives me that extra push to be the "best". I can't always be the leader, although I try, and I am so thankful that I have my best friend to pull, push, carry, inspire, teach, etc. me when I need that extra help. Whether or not he realizes it, he is my motivation!

So "Thank You" sweets...

STORY OF MY LIFE

i just keep tripping, stumbling and falling

over my own two feet

in places i'm not sure why or what was in my way.

the awkwardness takes over my mind and

i begin to walk faster

but i can't power walk fast enough to escape the humiliation.

i trip.

i stumble.

i fall. harder.

i struggle with strength and determination.

someone help me, but

the noisy laughing of these people to my face scape off my last bit of hope.

those who fall need to get up.

with my last remaining moments

i shall write a story, a name, a face.

my story.

my name.

my face.

avoiding monster-like shadows

i continue to walk sure footed past my fears

glancing behind as i leave footprints that i am not alone.

remember to get yourself back up.

learn from your mistakes and be strong

for i know that i am capable of anything.

(If you couldn't tell already by reading above, I am not a writer, but I just felt the urge to write something a little out of the ordinary.)

My sweet husband reminds me daily (which is how often this occurs) that he doesn't know anybody else who trips, stumbles or falls as much as I do; and he knows a lot of people! It happened again last night as we were running errands. We stepped out of a business door onto the sidewalk and within a few steps I was catching myself from face planting. As we both looked behind me to see what I had fallen over...there was a big fat nothing! That's is when he proceeded to laugh at me and make fun. I can't help but laugh with him as a supporting wife!

x0xo

and all that DIRTY DASHING!

MIKE + EMILY + SARA + JULES + WESTON =

TEAM PINK!

we ran uphill in mud

rolled and hurdled over hay bails

crawled through tubes

climbed muddy walls

jumped through tires

sloshed in the swamp

slid down the slip-n-slide

and swam in the mud pit

Weston was awesome to race this DD twice! He raced with us in the AM and then was off to ROUND 2 at 4 with his peeps! What a stud to take one (or two) for the team.

Weston and his crew

Man he is sexy when he is dirty...

HERE I COME...

The Dirty Dash-

In Midway-

Tomorrow Morning-

I think I am going to be sick...

TOTAL GLEEKS!

we are glee fans, and big ones at that!

the empty void in our lives has now been filled.

we counted down the days until the season 2 opener premiered last night.

it was amazing and

the songs were fantastic.

yes, it was hilarious and

yes, we will forever be "total gleeks"

YOU KNOW YOU ARE ... WHEN YOU ... !

Think about this question and answer it honestly. Today my answer is...

you know you are FAT when you RIP your fat jeans!

This summer I had the unfortunate pleasure of lugging around from top to bottom (literally) mass amounts of LB's! Why this is I have no idea. Apparently they thought it would be a fun trick on me if we all hung out together everyday, all day, throughout shorts and swimsuit weather. Did I mention the LB's were uninvited? Yeppers!

I thought that I had been working out pretty consistently the past few weeks. I have had PT twice a week and on the other days I have either been running, doing the elliptical or dancing. I also have spent lots of time calculating my daily eating habits and limiting my caloric intake to 1053. However, as I awoke from my delicious sleep to step on the scale, my heart sank! I hadn't lost ANY pounds! Not ONE single pound!

Perla, my dear friend and PT, advised me that I would gain a little LB's at first before I would lose some. How this happens I have no idea. As I depressingly went to get dressed, slipping my legs into my fat jeans, I heard a rip! UHGGG! I fell to the floor in tears looking at the huge hole in the pants that my booty had made.

In my weak state laying on the floor, I rolled over to my knees and said a little prayer for comfort, understanding, help, advice, and offered words of gratitude for my trials and the lessons that make me a stronger and better person. I was determined that this was not the end of the road for me. The battle was not yet lost! I vowed that I would put in double the effort until my body could train no more, and then triple the effort and train even harder!

I will show my skinny jeans that I am worthy of them and that I deserve to wear them! My new goal is November 21st!

REUNION

Where does the time go?

This week has been so crazy with work, design, early morning meetings, family and activities that Weston and I barley even had time sleep. We were so exhausted by Friday night that we slept in Saturday morning until 10! Yes that is right...10 O'CLOCK AM! It was an amazing sleep and very much needed. We have not slept in that late for months and it probably won't return for a few months more. By the time we finally dragged ourselves from our comfy bed, went running and mowed the lawn, got cleaned up and ran errands, we barely made it up to Midway for The Barnes Reunion at 2!

It was so fun to see my cousins and spend time with my mom's side. I loved catching up with everyone and seeing their cute families. The weather was perfect and we had such a blast playing games, visiting and sharing fun memories. It has been years since we have all been together for an official reunion and even longer for some who have been living out of state. We spent the day swimming in the pool, riding horses, BBQing, swinging, playing dodgeball, going on Ranger rides and having hula-hoop contests. Needless to say, the fun never stopped!

By the time we got home, we were exhausted! Again! So I repeat the question...

Where does the time go?

KICK-OFF TO FALL

We started this years Fall season with the Utah v Pitt football game!

Although both teams didn't play very well, we still managed to pull off a great win!

It was so fun to get together as family and friends to tailgate, cheer and celebrate football!

Then it was off to ring in Labor Day with both of our families in Sun Valley!

The weekend comprised of:

The wagon day parade, shopping, movies, antique car show, redfish lake and games!

Lastly, Fall season would cease to exist without the infamous Lotoja race!

Weston and his brother and friends biked the 206 miles for an 11 hour victory!

Books Devoured!

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

~ Joseph Addison ~

August came and went without me.

I was happily consumed by the written word cuddled up with my kindle in bed.

I had expectations from the start and was rewarded by the ending with profit.

Here are a few books that kept me from reality this past August:

A Particular Sadness of Lemon cake

The Heretic's Daughter

The Poisonwood Bible

Push Not the River