What's new for 2009?

I really just haven't felt like updating the blog lately. But, here's a little update anyway. I actually started this post a week ago. The upside to my procrastination is that you get some pictures to go along with my rather long and dull monologue:

- We went on a sort of spur of the moment trip to Seattle the day after Christmas. We also got to stop and see Scott's sister and family in Montana.

- Scott is still an awesome guy! He drove the whole way there and back (2 days each way!). We were going to see my family, but I was the hesitant one. I'm so glad we went, we had an awesome time and we got to see almost all of my brothers and sisters.

- My sisters and I won the lottery for the half marathon in Moab this coming March (except for the 2 who will be about 8 months pregnant on race day). Maybe that sounds like one sick-and-twisted lottery to some of you, but there are enough crazy runners out there that they have a lottery system to see who will get in to some of the more popular races. I've been diligently training, and hope to finish around the 2-hour mark with my youngest sister Michelle.

- I slipped on ice a week ago Friday when I was picking up Kindergarteners, so of course lots of people were there to witness it. When it happened I was mostly mortified, when I got home the pain hit me enough to call Scott and he came home. I think I just bruised my lower back real good. It feels much better than a week ago, but sitting for long periods gets uncomfortable. Fortunately, I've been able to get my miles in (mostly with the help of ibuprofen). One thing I DON'T like about having a "real" winter. UPDATE: my back feels almost completely fine now, but I think I was using one leg too much in compensation and now that knee is out of whack. Just a few days ago I was telling a friend how I didn't think the "big 3-0" would bother me too much (I'm not quite 29), but I'm beginning to reconsider since my body seems to be falling apart right already!

- The Young Women finally got to present their Young Women in Excellence Program in Sacrament Meeting two weeks ago (it was postponed due to weather last month). It turned out very well, the girls did a great job singing and in their presentations, and I really enjoyed the other leader's talks. I love having this calling right now!

- I am giving FlyLady a try. I actually started shining my kitchen sink (the first BabyStep) two days before Christmas, which sounds crazy, but I really love having my sink so clean (especially when its THE ONLY spot in the house that stays clean)! Then took about 10 days off because of our fun trip. I need to create some system/routines for keeping the house in order. Not perfectly clean all the time (I do live here with a husband and 3 small kids!). But, I really want to have the housework running on "autopilot" by the time Scott deploys in July, so I don't have to think about it, thus reducing my stress and increasing overall happiness in our home. That's what I hope FlyLady will help me do. I committed to completing the 31 BabySteps before I decide whether to keep with it or not. It's going pretty well (far from perfect, but I think we're making progress), definitely A LOT of e-mails, but I delete most of them without even opening them.

- THE WORST baby blowout we have experienced with Jake happened to Scott at church last week. Jake was lucky he had a back-up sleeper in the diaper bag, Scott was not so lucky and he even had to stay after church with the baby poop across the front of his shirt. Luckily everyone who saw him was sympathetic enough to get a good chuckle out of the situation instead of plugging their noses and running away!

- The kids are still fun and cute a lot of the time and keeping me busy almost all of the time!