Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay 2012

Ah, the Ragnar.  This day has been one that was very long anticipated.  We began training last year for this, and I stressed out about it clear up until March when I had to drop out due to my knees not cooperating.  Luckily I was still able to go and be the official "driver" so that I could see my cute husband run.

I guess I was also the un-official photographer, so here is my mega blog post.  Just to warn you, it's a long one.

We were the "Clinton Creepers"......and we were also the lucky team #1000.  Chance's Dad was awesome enough to sponser our team.  He paid for our shirts and are awesome car bling.  Thank you Kim Bailey Construction!!

Here is van #2 just before leaving on Friday afternoon.  LOVE the strong poses there guys.

Our van consisted of:  John Phillips, Chance (isn't he hot!?), Nate Pack, Nicole Mills, Julie Barnett, and Sara Pack.

We arrived up in Eden for the exchange.  Here's our team getting all ready.  Don't they all look so focused?

Okay this photo isn't quite as bad as you might think.  These guys have nude spanx on under those awesome thongs.  This is just a small example of some of the "outfits" other teams showed up in.  Slightly disturbing, right?  You should have seen the "censored" team.  On the plus side though, there was a Beastie Boys team, complete with Beastie tatoo's, GIGANTIC 80's boom box and some pretty impressive bling hanging around their necks.  I kept telling them to run right next to us....they were fun.

Here's our runner (Erin Ropelato) running in for our big exchange.  Yay Erin!!

We all hung around for a minute before chasing after Sara....here we are chattin' it up.

You wouldn't believe the laughs we shared in this van.  I believe here we were all making fun of Nate.  See, he meant well, but each time we'd come up on a runner (usually girls), Nate would cheer them on.  BUT.  It would come out as a pretty impressive cat-call.  Yow!!  I think a few of them were a little concerned.

Nate giving his cute wife Sara, some water.  (don't think that we didn't miss that little pinch at the end Nate)

Here's our 2nd runner, Nicole.  She was such a trooper.  She had a sprained calf muscle about a week before the big race.  She still ran anyway.  You go.

And our 3rd runner is Julie.  She was so funny because she was always smiling.  You'd drive up next to her, honk, and she'd smile and wave.  I think I might have been dying instead.

She handed off to Chance.  Gooooooooo Chance!

Sorry Julie,  I really loved the light here, and so I took a couple.

Here's Julie stretching out after her 1st leg.

We then drove to catch up with Chance.  He is funny too....he's such a strong runner, and he spent most of the first of his leg chasing after that guy in the white.  It didn't work out too well.  Chance was pretty ticked off at himself the rest of the race.  He KILLED it though ~ I am so impressed with my husband.  

After his 1st leg.  Chance's parents came up to watch, and they were pretty funny because they got very excited too.

From there, we drove up to Snow Basin for the next big exchange when we switched vans.  Pretty, huh.

Nate and Sara....they're just cute.

Here's John coming in from his 1st leg.  There wasn't any van support, so these are the only photo's we got of him running.

More joking around.....big surprise.

Nate kicked some tush on this hill.  It was a couple miles long, but he pretty much had to run up that mountain.  I think they timed his miles....and if I'm not mistaken, he ran under 8 minute miles.  Crazy.

This was Julie's 3rd leg.  As you can see, she is still smiling.....but only because she didn't start running her "hill" yet.  When I say hill, I mean MOUNTAIN.  And not just a mountain, we're talking switchbacks, and we're talking so steep that I was concerned that my car wasn't going to make it.  She made it the ENTIRE way without pooping out.  Way to go Julie.

She then handed off to Chance who got to finish the uphill mountain.  It was so crazy how steep it was, and Chance ran the entire time.

I took a couple of the scenery, it was SO pretty.

one mile to go.....

After his leg.  He was pooped....and it was HOT.

Here's John running his 3rd leg.  He had the pleasure to run DOWN switchbacks.  

It was so pretty up there.

Here's Nate waiting to start his 3rd leg.

Taking the shuttle over to Park City High School....

The finish line...

Our team is in the yellow. And for the record, I do not know the man in the speedo.  Thank you for being in our photo's though.  We'll always remember you.

Here's our team.  Yay Creepers!

Of course we had to take one of the entire team with our "sponsors".

Congratulations Chance, I am so proud of you.

 

A little dusty.

mmmmmmmmmm.....Chocolate Pudding.

I think I have one of the best husbands ever invented.  This afternoon when we got home from Church, I was exhausted (YOU try battling with 5 kids for 3 hours.).  Morgan went on a small rampage about how much she wanted to make cookies.  (Did I mention how tired I was?)  When she gets an idea in that head of hers, she becomes very insistent and very sad when she doesn't get her way.

So.

Chance decided to take pity on our poor, picked on, 9 year old.  He grabbed some chocolate instant pudding mix, and then proceeded to tell Morgan how to do it all by herself.  She got her very own apron to wear (she felt pretty big in it, I could tell.), and the only thing Dad did was pour it into the dessert bowls.  What a Dad.

Here's Morgan, Grace and Chance with the final product.

I know Chance is going to appreciate this one.....sorry.

Morgan sporting her apron....

Grace tends to get messy.  (a. lot.)

Even though Chance's eyes are closed, I heart this photo.  He's just a good Dad.

In my best Homer Simpson voice I can muster:

"mmmmmmmmmmmmmm............chocolate pudding."

Afro

Gage and Crede found my tutu's the other day......

Lilah Pepper

 I have a good friend who lives in Oregon ~ our youngest 2 children are the exact same age (give or take a month or 2).  She wrote me a little note on facebook the other day asking for recent photo's of Lilah.  Funny thing.....the latest photo's are from May.  So.  I took a little time this morning to take some of my cute little girl.  I sure love this one.

 I heart jeggings.

Kindergarten & some awards.....

 It's here again.  The end of another year.  School Year that is.  I was really excited this year to see Grace's kindergarten program, and of course, to see Morgan receive some awards.

But first, Grace.

She's had a "hoodie" fetish lately.  She won't go ANYWHERE without wearing one.  I beg.  I plead.  I even get impatient some mornings.  There was even a day when I made her cookies after school because she left her hoodie at home.  As you can see, this is not one of those days.  She wore it, and she wore it proud.

Oh, and tennis shoes.  She doesn't like her toes ~ so she wears those things everyday.  I even bought her a new pair of pink sandals to wear in hopes that she'd shed the stinky tennis shoes.  I think the VERY last day of school she finally broke out of her comfort zone and wore both short sleeves AND sandals.  It was a very exciting day at our house.  We love you Grace. :)

Here's Grace before the program started.  She was nervous, and told me so that morning before school.  I knew she'd do a great job.  I wasn't worried one bit.

See?  You can tell she's nervous by the tongue in her mouth.  That is a classic "I'm uncomfortable" face.

Here they are singing their little hearts out.  Don't you love the contrast of Grace compared to the little girl next to her?  It was cracking me up.

There's that tongue again....

 

 Congratulations Grace, you graduated to the first grade.  We love you little snick snack.

 Morgan.  We're sure proud of her.  She has received an award each year she has been in school.  She's just smart like her Mom......(ha!)

 Here is Morgan receiving her Top MATH award.....

 Aaaaaand her top READING award.

I guess each class picked one person for each of those awards, and Morgan received both for her class.  Way to go bug!!!