Sunday, March 9, 2014

Baby Henry's Blessing

On Friday I got a picture sent to me from Ashley with my Mom holding Henry.  I was shocked that they were in California and didn't stopped when they went through here so I hurried and asked Ashley if they drove or flew.  She said flew.  I was glad to hear that.  Then I got this great picture of my Dad holding Henry.  It's awesome.  The next morning I asked JoEllen if she had seen them and she said, "Yeah, Mom said as soon as he was born that she was going to fly there for his blessing."  I said, "What?!  He's getting blessed tomorrow?  Why didn't anyone tell me!  We need to go!"  So after a couple minutes of talking about it we, JoEllen & Kyle and Joel & I decided to leave at 3am and drive there in time for the 9am blessing.  It was so much fun and we were so lucky to have gone.  When we got about a half an hour away JoEllen  called mom and dad and asked them what hotel they were in and what room so we could come get them and take them to the church.  They were surprised to hear that we had come and were happy to see us when we got there.  JoEllen called Brad and woke him up to tell him that he didn't need to pick them up because we were getting them.  JoEllen said that she couldn't tell if he was excited or not and he asked how many there was of us because he was worried if they had enough food for lunch.  But later at the church he was very happy to see us and when they all got up to stand in the circle to bless Henry I was SUPER glad we came because the only people up there were Brad, Dad, Mark -Ashley's Dad, Joel and Kyle.  We are use to seeing a dozen or more people in the circle here in Utah.  I was so glad we came.  After the amazing blessing Brad gave him he handed Henry down to us and we all took turns holding him.  He was so good.  He never cried or fussed.  He was good as gold.  He definitely looks like a Bundy/Potter.  Brad wants him to look like him but he is such a fair skin, hair and eyed baby that has a cute little turned up nose just like his Aunt Missy -Ashley's sister and he also had Ashley's dimple in her chin.  He's darling.







This is back at Brad and Ashley's afterwards for lunch.  Ashley's sister Akaleah was in town from Germany.  It was really neat for Ashley to have both her, Missy and her parents all there.

 




 After lunch we had a couple hours to kill before we drove back home so we went over to Downtown Disney to check out the shops and eat some beignets.
 


  Without the kids with us we were able to go pass the Lego store and into the stores that we hadn't ever gone into like the art studio.  It was full of Disney art in different styles. It was really cool to see.
 


As we walked down the street we saw a huge wall of windows where a couple people were making caramel apples.  It was AWESOME!!!  JoEllen and I had to have one of the Minnie Mouse apples that the lady was making.  When we went into the store they were completely out of them so the lady went back in the room where they were making them and got some for us!  It was so cool.  

I think this would be the best job ever but Brad says that they hate it because everyone stops to watch them.  I'd love it!  When I retire I want to do this all day.

These were our only souvenirs.  We had them for FHE treat the next night.  They kids loved them.  I can't wait to go back and get more!  Can you find the hidden Mickey in the bag?  Hint...It's part of the M and C.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Lake 2 Lake 2014

This year was different.  John had a new team (him, Kristal, Emma, Alex, Kali and Mary) so the boys couldn't do the Lake 2 Lakers this year.  Instead Joel and Brian were on a team called, "Running without John" and the other team members were friends of his.  They did great but we missed seeing Joel's first leg because we went to the Dixie College girls basketball team last season game.  We left at half time but it was too late.  But we caught up to him at the next leg.  We saw him start it at Sullivan Park and end at the end of the Dam Road. 





























At the corner of the Dam Road there has ALWAYS been this pole with license plates nailed to it.  It was just a small thing 20 years ago but now it.s huge and has a bin at the bottom to donate license plates to it.  We haven't ever taken a picture by it until now.  We felt like tourists while we were waiting for Joel to run by.

 


 Joel's team did a great job even without John. 
 


Us at the Basketball game with Big Red!





After the Lake 2 Lake we went up to Cedar City to watch the Desert Hills Girls Basketball team take state against Morgan.  Afterwards Ashley was interviewed on TV so everyone wanted a chance to Photo bomb her.  Great game Ashley!  You rock!



 

DOGTOWN!!! 1/2 - 9K - 5K - 1K and Double Dog Dare

It's that time of year again!  Time for the Dogtown Half Marathon, 9K, 5K, Fun Run and new this year the Double Dog Dare.  This year they changed the route to end at the Staheli Farm instead of Treasure Valley Park. I liked it a lot better because you weren't running through peoples neighborhoods.  It was a lot safer.  The Half Marathon started up at the Harley Davidson Shop in Coral Canyon and came down to the farm.  The rest started at the farm.  The Double Dog Dare was a whole marathon.  They started at the farm and ran UP to the Harley shop and then waited for the 1/2 to start and ran back down.  26.2 miles.  It was crazy.  They had 24 people actually do it and the very  first lady to cross the finish line was one of those.  She beat all of the female half marathoners!  Joel, Kyle, Laynee, John and Kristal, Emma, Holly and Brian, Eric and Grandpa Beckstrand all ran the half.  George, Josh and Ben ran the 9K and JoEllen, Emily, Evan and I ran the 5K.  They also had a Grandpa Staheli Fun Run that was about a half a mile long.  They just ran around the cattle corrals it was cute.  I wish I would have done that one instead.  They started the races all at different times so we'd all end together.  My biggest fear was that Joel would beat me to the finish line.  Joel started at 8am. Josh, George and Ben left at 9:00 and we started at 9:30.  At one point in the race George, Josh and Ben all past by us going the other direction.  JoEllen was pushing Matty in the jogging stroller with Evan and Sophie and they took off in front of me and Emily.  I am so grateful for Emily.  She pretended to be winded a lot so she could stay back with me.  I think her mom paid her.  But that's OK with me!  I was glad to have someone with me.  As we were on our last half mile we could see Josh trying to catch up to JoEllen and Sophie.  He was sprinting for all he was worth from about 200 yards out.  He beat them by about 3 seconds.  It was awesome!.  George had already finished 5 minutes earlier and there was no sign of Ben.  Emily and I sped up in hopes that we wouldn't get passed by Ben.  We finished at 41 minutes.  We felt pretty good about it.  Ben came in at 59 minutes!  Under an hour!  That's great for his first time ever running 5 miles.  John came in around 1:24, Brian 1:29 and Laynee 1:30, Joel 1:49, Holly 1:50, Kyle 1:58, Emma under 2 hours and everyone else came in close to that.  Grandpa finished it at 2:49. 

Start of the 9K

 The rest of us waiting our turn with Grandma who brought her knitting and is patient enough to wait for everyone to come back to her.




And we're off.  Sophie pushing Matty and Evan and JoEllen running behind her.








The first person to pass us was David.  Then George ran by so fast that I only got the back of him and then didn't see him until the finish.  Then Josh came by.

 Then we saw Kalo and Lina.  Poor Lina was trying hard to keep up.

Then Ben passed us and then David (again) and Daniel and Taiven.  Those two ran the 5K and Katie and the other boys did the Fun Run. 


Then I finally saw Amy.  Her daughter Emma was running the Half Marathon and she ran the 5K like me, except she took 3rd in our age group.  I took 8th.

Then we saw these 3 again.  We weren't really that far behind them but there was a turn around with a half mile to go and that was this spot.  Since they were done before me, I did they didn't get a picture of them finishing.  That's the price you pay when the photographer is the slowest one.  See, another reason for me not to run.  No one to take pictures.

I got this picture of Ben crossing UNDER 1 hour...barely.  Great job!

 Here we are, all done, waiting for everyone else.  I had done it!  I beat Joel!  Big sigh of relief.

John was the first of our Half marathoners to cross the finish line.  He took 2nd in his age group and Brian took 6th.  They now are in the same age group since Brian turned 35, unfortunately for Brian.





Here is Laynee Jane and she ROCKS!  She is Desert Hills new Super Star.  She's only a Freshman and can run faster than most of the guys I know.  She of course took 1st place in her age group (19 and under.  She's only 14!) and 8th overall for the female division.  She's amazing!



Then James came across and he used Daniels number because Joel left James' at our house.

Here are picture of friends who ran:  Tayson Turek and the Cluff's.  



Kalo, Lina and Amy and Emma.

Here are Joel, Emma, Kyle and Alex and Kristal





The Beckstrand Clan minus Grandpa who hadn't come yet.

JoEllen doing her happy dance that we are all done.
The times were only posted on a computer so these are the ones I got a picture of.  I couldn't remember anyone's numbers and Brian was standing next to me telling me all the ones he knew.  So sorry if yours didn't make it on here.














And last but not least was Grandpa Beckstrand!  He finished in a great 2:49, which was 10 minutes faster than he had planned.  Way to go!


Picture with Grandpa