Halloween Half Marathon

This year we decided to run the Halloween Provo Half Marathon and it was probably the funnest times I had (pre-race). First we had to meet at the University Mall at 6:00am and ride a bus up to Sundance Ski Resort. And you would think our bus driver would just drive up Provo Canyon, oh no he took us up American Fork Canyon. We realized this after we had been talking and laughing when all of a sudden Kelli looks up and says "Are we in Lindon?" ummm yeah we are in Lindon. So after and hour half ride up the canyon we finally made it.

Then we get off and see thousands of people all dressed up, and there are some creative people!

The first 4 miles was an 8% down grade and we were cruisin but as soon as I got out of the resort and was by the tunnel my calves ankles were so sore! I had no idea that we would be running straight down hill for long.

But it was fun I got to run with some of the cutest girls around, Kelli, Trysta and Tiffany. And all of our family was there at the end cheering us on!

Dinosaur Museum

While we were at the Gorge for the deer hunt we realized that we had forgotten Skylee's helmet to ride the 4 wheelers so we decided to make a trip to Vernal to pick one up.

Skylee is obsessed with dinosaurs and thinks they are the coolest things around! So grandpa Rod decided that we should go to the Dinosaur museum! Sky was so excited she got to see her favorite dinosaur the triceratops!

She was a little nervous to stand next to them by herself. So dad had to stand next to her.

favorite dinosaur

Deer Hunt 2010

This was my first year that I actually had a deer rifle permit and I wasnt so sure how I was going to like this but it turned out to be one of the best family vacations!

We went up to Manila and stayed with Josh's grandparents and the weather was perfect. Flaming Gorge is so pretty this time of year.

Skylee had a great time and she was our Coyote tracker and wabbit hunter. She was able to point out the coyotes and wabbits!

a herd of big horn sheep

sky sitting on grandpa Cowdell's elk

Grandma Lisa and Sky

Grandma Lisa and Sky

Rod, Sky and Josh

The DIRTY Dash!!

So a while back I saw this flyer for the Dirty Dash were you run 6.2miles in the mud and obstacles. I thought to myself this sounds like fun but never thought about it again. Then two weeks ago I decided to go to there website just to check it out and saw that some of the proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma foundation for Utah and I knew right then I was going to do this race! Come hell or high water I was doing this! I called Josh up at work and told him I was doing this and why and he said that he wanted to run this!

Now Josh hates to run and usually prefers to be on horseback so I was little taken back. I said "Are you sure?". "Hell yeah I will do it!" So here we go!!

Now the reason I did this was because one of the greatest men I know was diagnosed with Leukemia this year and I knew I had to run this for my grandpa Van. If anyone has had the pleasure of meeting him you will know that he is one of the toughest guys around but on the other hand he is the most kind hearted, generous, loving man that I know.

So while running this crazy race(keep in mind that its up hill a lot of the way and then through some mud, jumping over a 6 ft wall, getting stuck in the mud and running in a bog up to your knee's) I just kept thinking of grandpa and how much he has gone through and knew I am a BROWN and I could do this.

Josh kicked butt like normal. That man is amazing; never runs, drinks beer and ropes. And he kicked ASS! He was waiting at the finish line for me with my mom, dad, Skylee and my awesome friends the Taylor family (Thank you).

So all in all it was one of the Greatest races I have ever ran! I love you Grandpa!!

Josh and Sky "before the race". (Skylee posing for the camera) Mom and Skylee before the race

Summer

Okay, okay I have been really bad about posting all summer long. It seems like summer was just here for a month and now its leaving. So here is an update on everyone.

Skylee is turning into a little girl and loves, loves to talk and talk and more talking. She loves to be outside everyday and play with her animals. She loves to ride Flicka and likes to push cows down to the roping chute. She has been in summer pre-school and loved it. So we have her back in for fall.
Josh has been busy this summer. He won 2 buckles roping on his birthday. What a way to end a birthday or what. He was pretty happy about about winning the buckle for the rough stock roper.
And for me I have been busy keeping up with Sky and all of her activities. Josh has been helping me learn to breakaway which takes a lot a coordination. Its a lot easier when your practice on the roping dummy compared to controlling your horse at a run, swing a rope, aim, then throw and stop your horse. Flicka has been so patient with me hitting her in the head with the rope. She probably thinking "come on women whats so damn hard about this"! I think eventually I will go back to cutting. Just waiting for that damn High Brow Cat horse!! But until then its pretty fun.
In August Josh and I went up to Jackson for our 11 year anniversary. Wow 11 years have gone by so fast.
We had an awesome time! Just to get away and not be parents! We had a lot of fun dancing at the Million Dollar Bar.
So anyway thats our recap of the Summer!

What a weekend

So this weekend Skylee had her first junior rodeo! She did stick horse barrels and lead line barrels. The stick horse was a little slow going around the barrels stopped mid-way to cry and then slowley brought her home. I'm not going to lie it wasn't the fastest time! But Sky managed to control her wild stick horse "Rooster" and ride him bridleless. (bridle broke going to 3rd barrel).
Then comes the lead line thanks to Amanda we got to borrow cute little Taffy the pony. And Josh couldn't go fast enough. She kept telling her dad "go, go, go". So she told me she wants to be in the "roeo" again but wants to ride a real horse preferably Taffy. So I'm now looking for a Taffy!
So during all of this my mom and dad were there cheering Sky on went my mom felt really sick. So my dad rushed her home when they were caught in traffic my mom was having a heart attack. They rushed her to Tooele hospital then life flighted her to U of U.
My dad calls me and tells me of the situation and I have to say that was one of the hardest things I ever had to hear.
Call me crazy but I never thought anything could happen to my mom. She is the toughest women I know and see her in pain just brought me tears.
Driving frantically from Tooele to U of U, it made me realize how much I take my mom for granted and all the things she has done for me. She is amazing mom that would do anything for anybody without even thinking about it.
Luckily she is home and feeling much better. And I thank God she is home. I love her so much and I dont know what I would do without her.
It just makes you think that one phone call can change your life and situation pretty damn quick.

Thanksgiving Point Half Marathon!

Well all of our hard work paid off! Kelli and I finished our half marathon. It was a lot of work, swearing and determination but we got it done! I finished in 2.08 and that last mile was a killer I thought that the mile markers were getting farther and farther away. But we did it!
Thanks Kelli for being my running buddy! I couldnt have done it without you! I love your positive atlook on everything. You kept me going!
Well thats one thing I can check off my list! And know I have to think of something else to do before I die and its probably not going to be a marathon!

The Big 3

Happy Birthday Miss Skylee Bug!!
I cant believe that its been three years, I guess time flies when your having fun!
This whole weekend we have pretty much celebrated her birthday, which I think is okay since I like to do the same for my birthday.
Friday night we talked Josh into letting her open a couple of her gifts from us. She got a camera that she loves! (I will post pictures that she took), clothes (not so fun), activity center, crayons, markers.
Saturday was her big party (thank you for everyone that came!) She had her cousins, friends, grandparents, great- grandparents, uncles and aunts. She got a lot of neat things, John Deere tractor which was a hit with all her boy friends (thank you uncle Cody), Tinkerbell scooter, and Tinkerbell sleeping bag, Sand and water activity set, more tractors and cute clothes. The kiddos had an Easter Egg hunt that lasted all but 10 seconds. They are quick at finding eggs!

Below are the pics that Skylee took with her camera
Tank
Us watching T.V.
mom and Sky

Spring

Wow it has been awhile since I have posted something! So here we go.....

Josh decided that Skylee needed a goat.(thanks Chad and Kelli) So we are proud owners of a little female goat named "Lighting Mcqueen" after the movie CARS. I tried to get Skylee to name her something like "Sweetie" but no, it was either "Mater or Lighting Mcqueen". And Josh's motive of getting a goat is to practice roping. So now he will quit heeling me as I walk.

Less then two weeks will be Skylee bugs 3rd birthday!!! And drum roll please.... Skylee has gone 5 days in the potty!!! She just decided one day that she was going to be a "big girl" and has gone potty ever since.

And I have been busy trying to train for this damn half marathon. I starting to think that this is a little crazy. When I'm 8 miles into this and my knees and legs are killing me. I keep thinking why am I doing this? So I have month till race day.

Here are some recent pics of Sky having a picnic outside, helping me cook, her goat and helping me plant our garden!

Psychic Reading

I know this sounds crazy but I had animal communicator come to my home and give me a reading on my animals. What an experience!
Rusy thought that he was the protector of the family and watches over us and that he is good with kids. He also thinks Tank gets away with too many things. Which is true. I thought this was interesting but the animal physic told us are animals mirror us. And so Rusty said that he was sore in his knee and shoulder but he was not going to complain about because he was tuff. If anyone know Josh that is how he acts! And Josh has pain in his knee's and shoulders. Crazy.
Gator was a happy easy going dog and he said that he had sharp teeth!! Not much of a talker but he is just happy.
Tank thinks he is the baby of the family and he very kind hearted.
Thumbs the cat thinks he is AWESOME and likes to catch birds and he thinks he is better then the dogs. Which is true and he always catching birds.
Stumpy thinks I'm to complicated that's why we don't connect. But he loves Josh and likes to work as a team. He also thinks Josh acts like a monkey because he is so athletic. Again that's true. And Stumpy wants us to have peacock because they are funny. What a weird horse
Flicka loves me and we work together so well. She thinks we look a like and we are pretty. And she likes to look pretty and flashy and wants blingy tack. ( Is that my horse or what!!) She said that she will take care of Sky when she is ready to ride. But don't put Sky on Stumpy. Flicka is very kind hearted and likes children and babies.
And Skylee my little psychic.. She told the communicator that she will have Flicka later down the road and I will be getting a light colored or white horse. This is weird but Sky keeps telling her grandma that she is going to ride a white horse. We never knew what she was talking about. But now we do. This is horse is going to amazing at whatever it does. So I'm trying to think of a white High Brow Cat ;). Also Sky is going to be amazing rider and wants to be fancy.
Flicka said Rooster has left his body and his happy. And that she is my favorite now.
Anyways what an experience. I loved every minute of it!!

Spring Fever

So we have spring fever in a bad way!! Sky has been sick for a couple of days and that has kept in the house and we are going crazy. So with the weather being somewhat nice. We took advantage of it and headed outside.
I cannot believe in a couple of months Sky is going to be turning the big 3!! Wow time flies. She is growing up so fast and is becoming so BOSSY!! I guess that's what you get when your the only kid.

This and That

So I have been kinda bad keeping up with my blog. So here are some pics of Skylee in her playroom riding her horse, playing with her kitchen and race car set. She likes to cook for Josh and I and she always tells us it will be ready in "5 minutes". I must say that a lot or something. She is a funny kid!!
Whats cookin?



I love this one!! She was going to rope Tank

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