Preschool Graduation

Skylee's graduation was this week and I have to say that I cannot believe that I have a preschooler. Time has flown by way to fast. It seems just like yesterday that we were learning to crawl, then walk and talking.
Sky has turned into such an amazing little girl. She is so sweet and kind hearted and always thinks of other people first. I just love her!
So while in preschool her friends were Kenna, Brody, Carly, Cohen and of course Cole. Everytime I would pick her up from school I would have to hear about Cole and how he liked Lightning Mcqueen and blocks. And Cole would always saved a place of her at the table next to him. I just loved it!!
Anyways Congrats to my graduate!! You Rock!

WOW its been a long long time!!

Woah so I finally realized that I have been way, way, way behind on my blogging. Sorry everyone...
So here is the one of many reasons. Mine computers hard drive went A-WALL and I couldn't download any pictures.. That is enough to make anyone crazy. So anyway I had to by a new computer.
Okay, okay enough complaining let me tell you what we have been up too!!!
Lets see in March Josh, Skylee, Grandma Lisa and Grandma Jod all loaded up into the truck and went for a 8 hour drive to Colorado to pick up the Coolest Pony Ever!!. As soon as Skylee saw her she fell in love. It was kinda of funny when we saw Miss Dandy we knew immediately that she was ours. Kinda weird but her and Skylee share the same birthday. Coincidence???
In April it was Miss Skylee bug BIG 4 Birthday!! We had a party at grandma and grandpa Brown's complete with the Lightning Mcqueen Birthday cake!! Lil miss spoiled walked away with a new rope saddle, pop up barrels and toys, toys and more toys!!
In May Josh, me, Kelli, Chad, Stepahanie, and Heath decided to do the Red Rock Relay in Moab. Going into this 70 mile relay I didnt know what to think of it. But I would have to say that it was probably one of the funnest times I have had in a long time. 11 hours in the truck with 5 other people was a hell of a good time. I would seriuosly do that again in a heartbeat with the same group of people!
So anyway that was a super,super short recap of the last couple of months.

Okay its been a Loooong Time!

So I didn't realize that my last post was in October! Wow time flies when your having fun or chasing a 3 1/2 year old around!

I will try my best to get you update with the Cowdell Clan!
The first week of December Skylee had her Suzie Snowflake dance recital! She was full of it! Giggling, singing she loved being on stage. So we have her back in dance and she keeps asking when she goes on stage again!
Oh then Christmas all she wanted was Mater and Lightning McQueen monster truck, dolphin pillow pet and a dinosaur, notice not ONE girl thing. I was going to throw in a Barbie under the tree but then I thought this her and no way am I going to change it!
Josh spoiled me again for Christmas with a beautiful china hutch, entertainment center and Gorgeous set of Nettle Stirrups! (he told me he couldn't believe that he would ever spend that much on stirrups!). So needless to say he doesnt use my saddle to heel on!

Oh we sold Lightning Mcqueen the goat. She has gone to a weird goat farmer in Carbon County and they are going to use her to breed. Adios Lightning!! But now I have to get a pony.

Josh has been roping as much as he can in the winter so he can be ready for spring. Skylee has been riding Ms. Flicka with mom.

I'm getting ready to run more half marathons this year and my crazy running friend is insisting that I run a full marathon in June. (thanks Kelli). So here I go! Oh Josh is going to run his first half marathon in April! woohooo.

And finally Skylee has moved on from the toddler bed to the big girl bed. So I have been taking down all the baby stuff and changing to little girl stuff. Its kinda sad to see all the stuff go.

So there is the low down on the Cowdell Clan!! Adios Amigos!!



Dance recital (FYI dont let Josh run the camera)







Getting ready to dance
Sky's big girl bed

Yeah we have another CAT fan in the house!

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!