#7: A Half Marathon

About a month ago, Anna and I signed up for a random half marathon we knew nothing about:

 The Mount Timpanogos Half. This weekend the fateful day arrived.

{ bffs at crown burger }
Any smart runner knows the importance of proper fueling before a race. That is of course why the day before the race I ate lunch at Crown Burger, a place that has historically made me violently ill every time I've eaten there.  It wasn't my first choice, but it was the last chance to see Aaron before he heads off to Med school. Nothing like saying goodbye over a pastrami burger. 

{ getting cookies at ruby snaps }
Dan took me down to Provo so I could stay in a hotel overnight with my Mom and sisters. We had to be bused up the canyon at 4 am, so I was glad not to have to drive down from SLC. Shout out to my Mom and Katheryn for being our support crew/ photographers.

Despite the ridiculously early start time, the Timp Half Rocked my running world. Nice cool weather, beautiful canyon scenery, lots of downhill and a high school wrestling team handing out otter pops at mile 11. 

Not to mention they had sweet gender specific tech shirts and blinging medals. I beat my last 1/2 marathon time, mostly thanks to the motivation provided by my new iPod (my old one gave up the ghost the night before the race. dan ran out and bought me a new one. points to husband.) Nothing like emo music from high school to increase your speed. I had enough remembered angst from junior year to power me passed the 1:55 pacer, thank you senses fail. 

Anna beat me by five minutes. I attribute it to the fact that her legs are six years younger, six inches longer, and are moving 20 less pounds. But it's probably just cause she's a better runner. 

Verdict: Timp Half is awesome. I plan to be there next year. With even more screamo tunes. 

#9 + Molly's B-day

Summer Goal #9

"Complete a Craft/Sewing Project" √

My niece, Molly, is a girl after my own heart. She refers to herself as princess, refuses to wear anything but dresses, and introduced me to my new favorite movie: Tangled. Her second birthday presented me with the perfect opportunity to craft a tutu. I've been wanting to make one for sometime - but its not as cute to put one on a 23 year old for awkward photo-shoots... I went ahead and made a crown and wand while I was in homemaking mode. 

I was a wee bit worried as she opened her present that she may refuse the tutu. It did look awfully itchy to my texture phobe self...

To my delight, this was not the case. She happily twirled about in it all night. And looked quite darling doing so, I must say.

We sang Happy Birthday (a couple times) and blew out candles (again, again) and had a lovely evening with Dan's family. 

I still have leftover tulle.

 Adult tutu, anyone?

Obsessions

I have this horrible little quirk in my personality. I get obsessed easily. With dumb things. Mostly when I have too much time on my hands - which is now- being that I'm pre-employed and all. I'm hoping that somehow blogging about them will allow me to let them go, without spending any money:

Hair Feathers

Hair feathers appear to be all the rage. And I kinda really want a purple one. But then again, I don't really want to look like every 14 year old girl in Utah county - already made that mistake w/ my pink glitter Toms.

Fake Eyelashes

Another current fad I'm wanting: eyelash extensions. The girl who taught my lululemon bootcamp class had them. And if a lulu ambassador has them, you know they're cool!!!

Essie nail polish

Fairly benign obsession right? Except that I want to have every single color. At $8 a pop they can add up quickly. Especially since they taunt me every single time I go to my favorite Smith's. I can only cut so much food out of the grocery budget for my Essie habit...

lululemon gear

I thought lulu was big in Monterey, but its way more popular here. My favorite spin teacher at the U has an amazing collection of lulu outfits. It's hard to focus getting a good workout when all I can concentrate on is how jealous I am of my teacher's hot pink ruched tank top and coordinating run tights. 

Ice Cream Maker

The weather finally decided it is summer up here and its like a million degrees. The thought of turning on my oven and further heating our house makes me want to die. This is severely impeding my baking need of turning out several cookie recipes a week. I need an outlet for my culinary creativity! I have turned to obsessively finding homemade ice cream recipes on the internet. Except, I don't have an ice cream maker. I longingly eye the one at Sur La table every time we walk through the gateway. You shall be mine!

I totally feel better now. I in no way still want to spend money that I shouldn't. I am at peace with what I have and have no desire for other things.

(Note: I am lying.)

How To: Have the Best Day Possible

1) Quit the worst job of your life. Never look back. Throw away all reminders of this dark time in your life.

2) Wake up your eternal companion and coerce him to ride the super fast FRONTRUNNER train with you. Discover that it has faster internet than your house. Love public transit.

3) Have in-laws pick you up from train station in clearfield. Give your mother in law this chocolate cheesecake you owe her for driving 90 minutes to rescue you one night from aforementioned ex-job.

4) Go with in-laws to chain restaurant. Eat something decadent. Be reminded how glad you are that you are no longer serving.

5) Spend the rest of the day playing with your favorite NIECE and favorite NEPHEW

6) Have the night culminate in fireworks that the city of Clinton has decided to put on just to celebrate your liberation from servitude. (or maybe they were for Clinton Heritage days... either way).

For optimum life enjoyment, repeat as often as possible.

Six Things of Late

1) School Started

At last I returned to BYU! Well the Salt Lake Center anyway. Which is way cooler that Provo, you can drink a diet pepsi in class and no one freaks out! Which is very necessary being that I have class from 2-9 at night. I often find myself in History with very heavy eyelids, "It's tired in here!"*

2) Pinterest

Probably the last thing on earth that I need is a new internet hobby to stand between me and productivity. Well, I have one anyway: Pinterest. It's addicting. It allows me to organize all the cool things I find while indulging in my other internet time wasters (ie blogs) and peruse what treasures other people have found. Like this awesome "tip jar" Ashley pinned - I think it should be Dan and I's FHE tomorrow.  It's amazing. Don't get in to it, or your laundry pile will get larger and larger. You were warned.

3) New Running Kicks!

Birthday money in hand, I went to the Salt Lake Running Company to get evaluated and get some new shoes (my current nike frees are dead). It was so saddening to have my gait analyzed and then be presented only with the ugly running shoes. Why cant I be matched with any of the cute pairs they had? I quickly got over it as I went for my first double digit training run and felt the awesomeness that is cushioned shoes. Sadly, they don't make me any faster and I still get passed by jogging stollers. On a regular basis.  

4) Cinnamon Sugar Toast

I was deathly ill last week. Like "threw up everything I ingested including flat sprite" kinda sick. The only thing I could palate for two days was toast. And Dan made me the BEST TOAST OF MY LIFE. Cinnamon Sugar Toast w/ his secret recipe. Which is basically broiling it in the oven. Delicious. 

5) The Lamest 4th of July. Ever. In the History of Mankind. 

Dan and I both worked the all day/night. Let's just say there is a lot of hopes and dreams riding on Pioneer Day to make up for the lack of bbqs/fireworks/parades/patriotism/fun that was lost out on. 

6) Dan's Family

It's nice living in Utah because were so much closer to family! All Dan's family came down so we could get a group photo before his sister's family moves to san diego. Also, Nana came to visit from Idaho and took us out to the Blue Iguana. I love family. And mexican food. A lot. The End.

*quote from perhaps my favorite arrested development character: buster