SAVAGE RACE

Last spring I bought tickets for the "Run For Your Lives" race for the fall, zombie race. At the time, I didn't know who I would run with and as the race approached, I was ready to back out since I hadn't been training. THEN, one of my friends told me she was a part of a group that was going and told me to go with them. I told her I wasn't quite prepared and I was relieved to hear her say, "Oh, we don't run. I have asthma, T has a gimpy hip and J has a hurt ankle." PERFECT, that was the group for me. I had such a great time doing the course with them, it didn't take any convincing to sign up for the Savage Race and go with some of them again. Truthfully, I think I'm a bit addicted to these obstacle course racy thingys. I love them.

It turns out Savage Race has the reputation for having the most challenging obstacles and I would agree they were much harder than the zombie race. We did each obstacle a time or two just for fun. I set the women's record for one of the challenges.  I don't know the name of it, but we had to carry 4x4 planks of wood quite a distance through mud, and a pond. I did six all at once, no one beat it. Several tied it, but I set the record. (I have to brag a little bit about that to make me feel better about not making it up the first part of the Gauntlet.)

One thing that made this race a lot of fun was LT was able to come. He didn't make it to the one last fall.

Alright, picture time.

LT at the end of the race all muddy and sunburned. 

BUT, how did he get this way? 

Let's review.

Keeping your shoes on your feet is tough when 

you're trudging through mud.

V has mastered the art of duct tape for 

securing your footwear.

V showing off her mohawk tape. 

It's a good thing she didn't keep it there. 

That would have made for a funny burn. 

AND, we all got burned.

LT doing his own tape and showing his enthusiasm for the race.

V, ME and S.

This is what happens when you ask V and S to watch your 

camera while you go to the bathroom to change.

Aw, aren't we cute. 

Here we are, all clean and neat. 

V was going for a different look for our team, 

but we ended up looking business casual.

 A lot of other runners commented on it. It was a hit.

On a side note, I really liked my tie and it's sad 

we couldn't resurrect it from the grime of the race.

Here is the first obstacle, The Shriveled Richard. 

(Most of the names were a bit raunchy)

It was a large container of ice and water. You couldn't just wade through it, there was a huge beam in the middle and you had to go under the water. That's right, you had to be completely submerged. This picture captures the point where I started to panic. The cold was no joke. I almost plowed through S ahead of me to get out. I was yelling, "Get me out of here, get me out of here." I seriously almost crawled over her and knocked her off the ladder to get out. Panic will do that I tell ya. The only other time I've felt that panic was the last time I was scuba diving and couldn't descend. 

Here we are, partway through the race. We'd crawled through

 and swam under several trenches of mud and water. Surprisingly, this picture was taken just after we had a nice dip in the water.

Yep, some of the hills were steep and muddy. 

S and I opted for the safer way down.

This obstacle kicked my butt at first. 

Here V is making it look easy.

Me, take 1

Me, take 2

FINALLY!! 

There was a lovely little mote of mud and water that made your feet 

slick before you hit the wood to climb and it was kicking my butt. 

However, once I figured out the trick, it was no big deal. 

Okay, the rest of the pictures are out of order.

T trying to set the record for the guys.

Me and S going through ANOTHER pond.

Me celebrating being at the top of the cargo net. 

That was an easy one.

Here we are, fresh out of the Shriveled Richard.

I was the first to draw blood. 

The course was also a shooting range, 

so there were shattered clay pigeons everywhere. 

I crawled on one. 

 Here I am setting the record.

So, the boards were a bit wobbly. 

V laughing right after she kicked me off of the ladder. 

Fresh and clean.

The course right after the Shriveled Richard.

LT managed to keep his shirt white on the back 

and around the collar nearly the entire race.

And, down I go. 

For all of my Oakcrest buddies out there,

BUMSLIDING!!

V doing the duck face and me doing the shriveled prune.

V going up the Colossus. 

That was steep and by the time you got there, 

your arms are so tired it's even harder.

Here I am setting the record.

All of the logs I cleared from our 

yard this spring prepared me for this one.

Here I am, just before V kicked me off. 

She literally kicked me off.

Climbing up hay bales, yawn.

BEHOLD

Ya, V and I are the only ones being "tough" in this pic.

Stopping for a breather.

Who am I kidding, we didn't run.

Judging by the look on my face, 

this must have been the first mud obstacle we faced. 

After awhile, we became accustomed 

to sand and grit in our teeth

V is the boss.

 Look, look, we're having so much fun.

S getting some mud out of her ear, or was it a leech?

This was an official race photo posted on their FB page.

He's so hot.

S took a lot of fun pictures too, but, unfortunately, 

her camera was lost in a pond while we were rinsing off.

(It fell out of her bra. Ha ha ha ha)

On The Edge

I know you all are awaiting an update. Lots of memorable things have happened since my last update. For example, O finished Kindergarten, LT and I celebrated 12 years, O had her first dance recital, we no longer have goats, we went on a family vacation to Jellystone Park (who knew there was one in Hagerstown), I went to girls camp, family visited and O and I go to 6 flags ALL of the time.

Eventually I'll post the stories and show some photos, but until then, here's a teaser.

Anniversary Date

Sandy Springs Adventure Park

Severn Ward

Girls Cramp 2013

Legacy

I know you'll be on the edge of your seat waiting for more.

GMOs

How many of you know about GMOs, genetically modified organisms? Yesterday my cousin asked me about GMO foods. I responded to him and then I thought I should put this on my blog to make others aware of this issue. 

Were any of you aware of Prop 37 in CA last election cycle? The initiative was to label GMO foods so consumers would know what they were eating. Biotech companies like Monsanto spent millions of dollars in advertising to defeat this proposition. Unfortunately Prop 37 was defeated, but by a pretty slim margin. I think as a result of this effort in CA , half of the states now have initiatives on the ballot this election cycle for the same thing. Several cities in the US have banned GMOs.

I'm really bothered by this "secrecy".  I've signed petitions, written my congressmen and even made a phone call to one.  So, when my friend asked me if I wanted to attend a protest outside of the FDA, I considered it to be the next step for me to make my voice heard. Below are some pictures and a news report from the protest. (S and I are in the first part of the video).

(Funny side note about the protest. My friends husband is a cop and he gave us a ride to and from the FDA. He had a court date and wasn't in uniform, but he was in his cop car. He had to drop us off away from the protest since he's not allowed to be a part of them. I'd been standing on the corner with S and we passed off our signs when we had to leave. As we drove past the group, I leaned out the window of the cop car and yelled in support of the group. There were some confused faces, I wonder if they thought I'd been arrested. T said it would have been funnier if I'd had his handcuffs on with my hands out the window.)

Another thing that really bothers me is the powerful lobby of the biotech companies and the unfortunate influence their money has on our elected officials.  This John Steward clip cracks me up. It is worth watching.

Below are some comments and facts about GMOs, how the world has responded to them, and a video of a research study that was conducted with GMO food. It's a bit scary. 

If you take the time to consider the rise in celiac disease, autism, and other health problems, you'll see it's possible our foods have something to do with it. Some GMOs were introduced in the early 90's. 

I think GMOs should be banned for various reasons, one of them being the negative effect on the biodiversity of the environment. They are just bad news. 

There, you are now a little more informed about this issue. If you agree and want to make a change, contact your congressman, sign petitions, send emails and spread the word.

Thoughts on boundaries

I am grateful for so many blessings in my life. One of them is my daughter, another are the scriptures. I listen to them in the car when we go to school and sometimes O listens too. I love the questions she asks and I love the discussions we have. I love studying the gospel and I love my thursday night religion classes. Our teacher knows a lot about the gospel and the others that come to class know a lot too. I always feel fed when I leave. 

Last night we had a great discussion about the work that we do in the temples. KB made a statement that has rattled around in my mind and really caused me to take a deeper look at how I choose to live my life. She pointed out that one of our adversaries  "fantastically successful" plans is that of division and separation, anything he can do to separate us from God and others. And, on the other hand, Gods plan is that of uniting and gathering, including and inviting. 

Like I've said, I've been pondering this statement and it's caused me to consider the boundaries I've established  for myself to keep me safe. Safe from others and safe from their cruelty. I'm a simple person and that's okay, but others make fun of it. I know what it is like to be bullied and the butt of the joke. I know what it is like to be singled out and picked on. 

For example, when I was a young teenager the kids in my neighborhood liked to pick on me. There was a club, The Racket Club, near the end of our street. It had a pool and tennis courts. A lot of us would spend many of our summer days there. One day I was "tortured".  I was held face down and whipped with a towel for a long time. Several people held each of my limbs so I couldn't escape or even wiggle that much. This occurred in a very open place, a yard right across the very small street of the Racket Club. Adults who came to their cars heard me yelling for help, but the group of kids was so large they called back to the adults and said we were all okay. This wasn't the only thing they did to me throughout my teen years, but I think that was the worst.  I can tell you, it hurt more than just my body. That was one of the many experiences that had a profound affect on my self esteem and it shaped who I am and who I trust.

I really, really don't like mean people. I don't get offended very easily, but when people are intentionally mean, I get offended.  I can understand being mean, I've been mean, who hasn't? BUT, it's not a part of who I am and I don't like it and I don't want to be that way. I don't like being around people who are unconcerned about how mean they are and how they are mean. I listen to what people say about others. Do they say a lot of critical things? Do they gossip a lot? Do they treat their other friends and family with respect? Do they praise the accomplishments of others or make condescending remarks? Are their primary topics of conversation about peoples weaknesses? I try to avoid and shut these people out of my life. 

With that said, is my boundary of division and separation really benefitting me? Am I more equipped, than I once was, to tolerate these people? What if some of these people are people I worship with on Sunday? What if they are family? What if they are co-workers?  What if they are people I will be around regardless of where I am or what I do? I can't change other people, but I can change how I think about them and interact with them. I think it's time for me to reevaluate some of my boundaries. I know they evolve over time as our experiences and circumstances change. I would rather gather and invite than exclude and reject. And that is a hard thing to think about, but I don't want to stop growing. I want to become the best me I can be. God loves all people, even those who treated Him with cruelty and eventually killed Him. I'm trying to get closer to loving with that kind of love. 

So, to circle back to the beginning of this entry, I am grateful for my daughter. I hope to teach her and equip her to live and thrive in this turbulent world. I hope she NEVER has horrible experiences like mine. And, I know I can't shelter her from everything. I know she will make her own choices. BUT, I can invite her to learn. I can teach her to love and to create healthy boundaries. And when she is hurt, I want her to understand that turning to the Lord will give her peace and healing. He invites. He gathers. He includes. He unites. He heals. He understands. His love never fails. 

There, now that I've cleared my mind, I have to include some O stories. What blog entry is complete without her?

O loves to take out my pans and make noise, music. The other day I heard her making rimshots over and over again. I asked what was going on and she replied, “I’m making a joke in my head and then playing the drums.”

One morning O screamed and cried as if she’d been hurt. I asked her what was wrong, I could see she was doing her fake cry. She said there was something gross in the kitchen, it was a big chicken. I laughed and laughed. I had our easter turkey on the counter thawing.

O was getting ready to go over to a friends house and she showed and told me what she was taking. “I’ve got my ID, my phone, my copier (voice recorder) and my sparkly things, just incase we need some sparkle.”

Monthly update

Aunt Tab called and O was getting ready for the shower. It didn't matter that she was naked, except for her shower cap, she really wanted to talk to her aunt. The funniest part of the phone call was O dancing naked in front of the mirror the entire time they talked. It's a good thing it wasn't a skype conversation.

O had a visit with an orthopedic doctor to assess her walking issues. One of the things he told her was to sit criss cross applesauce instead of in a W. When I asked her how the appointment went, LT had taken her, she said she can't sit in a W because it makes her "sexible", instead of flexible.

O loves her lipstick! Her Nana sent her money for Valentines day. O insisted I purchase a gift card at Target. She didn't want to pay with the cash when we shopped, she wanted to use a gift card. Anyway, we went shopping and the My Little Pony she wanted wasn't in stock. I told her we could go to another Target to see if they had it, but she was determined to buy something. So, she ended up with a really nice, bright red tube of lipstick. I kid you not, it was RED. She slips things into her backpack all of the time and that just happened to end up in there. The other week I was at school to talk with her teacher and she told me one day, in the middle of class, she looked up at O and she had BRIGHT RED lips. 

On the way home from school one day O said, "Can I bring my chapstick to school? My lips hurt real bad." Of course I giggled to myself and thought of Napoleon Dynamite.

O has a love/hate relationship with her dance class. She always begs to skip it, but once we get her to class, she loves it and has a good time. In fact one morning the first thing she said when she woke up was, "I don't want to go to dance today". I told her, "Okay, you don't have to go today, class is tomorrow." 

I don't know why she doesn't want to go, but we tell her we've made a commitment and we need to finish the class.  One morning we asked her why she didn't like to go and she told us, "I already know how to dance and I want to do my own thing." OF COURSE!! O loves to do her own thing.

We are still working with O to eat her vegetables. I make brussel sprouts a lot because I love them. We told O vegetarian zombies eat them because they are vegetable brains. We thought it was funny, but she didn't.

O likes to "cook". Saturday, she mixed water, flour, dried kale and dish soap in a bowl and poured it from one container to another. Unfortunately it didn't stay in the containers and ended up all over the kitchen, dining room, TV room and the TV.

The goats have figured out how to get over the electric fence. At least they don't wander to the street, however, they do like to jump onto my car. O likes to head butt them and they like it too. Goats are the BEST pets, I swear. Considering I vowed to never have pets, it's kind of a big deal that I say that.

O has truly discovered the joy of the telephone. She got a phone call from one of her school friends and now she wants to call everyone.

O and her daddy like to do "science". We got her a science kit for her this Christmas. Here is a picture of her using her mad science skills.

Here is an easter decoration that makes me laugh. Not only does it scream the 90's but it looks like it's pooping Easter eggs. 

I received an unexpected compliment last month. One of my former YW from Odenton said I was one of the leaders that was influential in her choice to serve a mission. Cool, I had no idea. That made me feel good and let me know I was doing something right.

I love it when people let me help them. One of my friends has two young children, a 2 year old and 6 a week old. Her husband is deploying for 6 months starting this Saturday. Ages ago I offered to help while he was away. I know how challenging deployments are, I've been there. So, I will have her 2 year old once or twice a week, depending on the week. I am so excited!

Serving in primary continues to be a source of entertainment for me. The off the wall comments make up for the frustration of being "understaffed".

I am the Stake Youth Camp Leader (YCL) Leader this year and I can't wait to go to camp. We have about 20 YCL's that I get to work with, and some of them were girls I worked with last year. I love girls camp and I am good at being a leader there too. I know some people just dread it and others love it. It played an important role in my turbulent youth. I always felt loved and capable there. Then I served two years at Oakcrest and I still consider it my mission. I was called and set apart and it was truly one of those amazing spiritual experiences that shaped my testimony and made it solid. I thought I had a testimony before I served there but I discovered so much more. I think that is one of the reasons I love girls camp so much. It was a strength to me when I needed it. That is also one of the reasons why I continue to love going. I want other girls to have the uplifting experiences that will remind them they are important and capable. 

I finished the last book of the Wheel of Time series. WOW! Lots of characters died, but wow, it was a great ending for a series that has been going on for 20 years. I liked how it ended and was satisfied how it resolved in the end. LT is working on it right now. There is a 200 page chapter on war and strategy stuff, it is right up his alley. 

Right now I'm reading The Host in preparation for the movie later this month. 

LT started at his new command last Friday. He will have a longer commute so we won't see him as much, but we are happy we get to stay in this area for at least another 3 years. We hope to stay here for much longer. We love it here and we both LOVE our house.

He also received a stellar evaluation from his commanding officer. He was in the category of "must promote".Yay, way to go LT!

Now that things are warming up, we are starting to clear the dead wood. LT is happy as can be with his chainsaw.

Spring will shortly be upon us and we can't wait. I promise to post more pictures and stories again soon.

Shopping and such

I took O shoe shopping the other day. We had a lot of fun trying different shoes. When we left the store O was carrying two bags of shoes. She said, "I'm ready to do more shopping". On the way to the car she told me, "Shopping is fun, not the food shopping, but shopping for things."

Sigh, she truly is a girl after my own heart.

Os kindergarten class has been preparing a play about ants for months. The day before the play, O was getting over a cough so LT and I decided to let her sleep. When she woke up a couple of hours later, she was panicked. I told her she wouldn't wake up when we tried. She cried and said, "There are other ways to wake me up; turn on the light and tell me it is time to wake up, talk to me and pull the covers off. " I reassured her she could still go to school, we'd just be late. She wanted to make sure she didn't miss rehearsal because she wanted everyone to see her funny part. LT and I went to her play and her part was a nurse ant, the funny part was her licking the eggs.

O is still obsessed with the music from The Phantom of the Opera. She turns the CD on EVERY NIGHT and puts it on repeat. We will go in after she is asleep and turn it off. Inevitably she wakes up and turns it on. Multiple times we've we awaked in the middle of the night by, "The Phaaaaaaantom of the Opera is .."  Earlier this week, after having been awakened multiple times, LT went into her room and took the CD away. So, she put in her CD from preschool and now we hear, "The B-I-B-L-E, that's the book for me."

O loves to be in charge. Whenever we have FHE she wants to take over and do everything. More than once we've had Judy or Elmo give the opening prayer or hum a hymn, do the announcements, the lesson and the activity.

A friend was sick so I had her little guy over for a couple of hours in the morning. When I told O about my little visitor, she was upset. He's one of our favorite little guys and O wanted me to ask if we could watch him when she was home. Seriously, she was upset that I would watch him without her.