Playing Catch Up!

I was doing so well at keeping my blog current...and then school started...... Normally

this wouldnt be a big deal seeing as how I was planning on just teaching 2 days a week....but life has a way of changing plans :)  Due to some unexpected circumstances at the preschool, they approached me and asked me to teach five days a wee, just in the morning from 9-12. At first I was very hesitant, I knew Jaden would love going every day but I wasn't sure about Ella, she's little! Well, after a lot of thinking, talking to Shawn about it and prayer, we decided to go ahead and do it. So far its proven to be great! Jaden adores his teacher his friends and his class, he thrives on what he is learning and Ella seems to be loving it as well! She is talking a ton more and getting so much more comfortable seeing me at school, but not needing me to hold her when she does! I am very proud of both of my kids!!  As for me, at the start of the school year I was doubting myself and my abilities as a teacher, it has been 6 years since I taught and I was feeling rusty, but things are settling in and I love it!

Here are my cute kids on the first day of school!!

 This last month has been an especially busy one for me because I have been training to run my first half marathon! It all started when my sister in law convinced me to run a 10k with her. I was very nervous about it...I'm not a runner! So I started training pretty hard for it and started really enjoying it! I kept seeing a girl in my ward running about the same time I always was and we started running together. She told me about a half marathon that was only 3 weeks after the 10k. At first it sounded really daunting but I decided I was going to give it a try! Holy cow what a time commitment! I don't know how people find the time to train for actual marathons!!! Having someone to run with made it a lot more fun though! We recruited another friend in the ward and on Saturday we went for it! Luckily my friend Carlee was great at setting a pace in the beginning! It was because of her we finished so strong! My goal was to finish under a 2:15 and I came in at a 2:04! I was pretty sore the next day but it was so much fun to do and I was kind of proud of myself! We are already talking about running it again next year with a few more neighborhood recruits! It was beautiful scenery and I ran it with great friends, what could be better! Here is a picture of Jaden with my medal from the 10 k a few weeks earlier. It was in price so we got to spend the weekend away and we even saw a real fossilized dinosaur footprint and some hieroglyphs Jaden thought were awesome! That was a lot of fun! My sister and I enjoyed running it together, it was something we will for sure do again! I actually dont have any pictures from the day of the half marathon, I'm a slacker I know, but they had a photographer at the race so maybe I will order one of those!

 We have been spending a lot of time with Shawns family going to BYU games so the other Sunday we drove down to spend some low key time with my family! Jaden loves his cousins and calls them his best friends!

Nana got some rockin new dress up

 I love what great friends my two kiddos are! We hit the park while we were at Nana and Papas and I captured this cute little moment! They get on each others nerves sometimes don't get me wrong but Jaden is a rockin big brother, Ella wants to do everything her big brother can and he is always willing to help her try!

I love my kiddos so much and am so grateful for what happy healthy helpful kids they are! 

I am also grateful for my amazing husband who regularly watched the kids, dropped me off in random places and left water bottles on the way home to help me achieve my goal! He's the greatest and I think I have him talked into doing a triathalon with me next year! Whahoo!!!