Splashing through the rain...

Christmas Letter

2011-12-22T14:31:00.000-08:00

It is difficult to mail a card to everyone, so here is our Christmas letter! Please send me your address if you want to be added to my Christmas list. lauren (dot) cramer (at) comcast (dot) net

January—Lauren spent a few days with the Cramer sisters in sunny Florida. Ahhhh!

February—Conrad turned 1! He is so kind to his big sister, a great playmate for his big brother, a snug-bug with his daddy, and a buddy for his mommy! He keeps us all smiling!

March—Adam & Lauren began their cycling season with a local team. They both had several top ten finishes throughout the year and Lauren even made it on the podium a few times!

April—The Cramer Family celebrated their 11^th anniversary and spent spring break riding bikes in the Santa Monica Mountains & playing on the beach in Malibu, California.

May—Adam coached Anders’ first soccer team, the Wolf Sharks (He asked the boys if they wanted to be the Wolfs or the Sharks, and they replied “Yeah! The Wolf Sharks!). Lauren’s dad helped Lauren build raised garden beds for our first real garden. Yum!

June—Lauren organized the 2^nd Run for Rett in Olympia & finished the Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon in 1:42 (she had to walk down the stairs backwards for three days after the race, but she met her goal!)

July—Ella turned 8! She had a great summer, attending day-camp three days a week & riding horses two days a week. Adam and Lauren visited Mom & Dad Cramer on their mission in Switzerland and rode their bikes in the French Alps during the Tour de France.

August—The whole family attended “Adam’s Camp” in Colorado, where Ella was able to canoe, rock climb, horseback ride, & swim. The boys loved “camping” and Mom & Dad loved that “camping” was in a cabin with beds, running water, and electricity. We had a great time and are already looking forward to going again in 2012.

September—Anders and Ella went back to school. Anders has one more year of preschool and Ella entered the 3^rd grade. We also had a visit from Lauren’s sister Melanie & her family. It was great to have all the Gladding’s here for bike riding, kayaking, hiking, and visiting!

October—Adam and Lauren did a lot of Cyclocross racing throughout the Autumn months. Anders even got into the CX action! It is a crazy sport, but we are kind of crazy!!

November—Anders turned 5! He celebrated with his friends at a Lego party. He had a blast making Lego creations, wearing his Lego crown, and blowing out the candles on his Lego-shaped ice-cream cake. We also had a visit from Lauren’s mom for Thanksgiving.

December—The Cramer Family has relaxed this month and taken time to be together as a family. We love this time of year…a time to reflect on the birth of the Savior and give thanks for all the blessings we have. We are grateful for the blessing each of you are in our lives. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Love,

The Cramer Family

Great picture of Ella

2011-08-23T21:48:00.000-07:00

I didn't include this picture in the last post and I really should have. What a beautiful little girl...I love those blue eyes!! She is so content in this picture. She is often so intense, upset, and/or fidgety. I just cherish the moments when she is just chillin'!

Summer 2011--A Quick Recap

2011-08-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

This summer has been amazing...we have been so busy having a great time that I haven't had time to post. Seriously!

Here are a few picture highlights from each month:

June

Adam coached Anders' soccer team...it was totally entertaining. The best quote was from one of the boys on the team who was heading towards the wrong goal during a game: "Why does everyone keep telling me to go the other way!?!"

I ran the Rock n' Roll Half-Marathon with my sister-in-law Becca and running partner Laura. My goal was 1:45 and it did it in 1:44...yahoo! I had to walk down the stairs backwards the next day, but it was totally worth it.

July

We took the kids to Lake Chelan with our friends the Nielsen's...I love Lake Chelan

Adam and I visited his parents on the their mission in Switzerland...it was so good to see them.

Then we rode our bikes in the French Alps during the Tour de France...here we are at the top of Alpe d'Huez.

Here is Adam cheering on the Siestre in Italy during one of the stages of the Tour.

August

We went to Adam's Camp at the YMCA of the Rockies. It is a camp for families who have kids with special needs. Ella had camp all week with 6 therapists & 4 other kiddos...here she is rock climbing. Yes...rock climbing!!

We were able to hike, mountain bike, horseback ride, and chill as a family for 8 days...it was wonderful!

So now you can see why I haven't posted much. I hope to put more pictures from our summer on the blog, but this is all I have time for now.

I hope your summer has been as much fun as our summer has been!

Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race

2011-05-24T15:37:00.000-07:00

I posted this picture on my Facebook account, but realized many of you are not on Facebook. So, here is the recap of our races in Enumclaw on Saturday.

We had a time trial in the morning. They sent us off one at a time at 30 second intervals. It was really cool to just be me and the bike trying to go as fast as possible. The only real reference point to how fast you are going compared to the other racers is the one racer you can see ahead of you. My goal was to be the one doing the passing--I wanted to pass two riders and not get passed. I passed the gal just in front of me, and didn't see the next gal until just before the finish. I did gain some time on her, but I couldn't catch her. I also didn't get caught, which felt good. I ended up 5th out of 32 riders, just 16 seconds off the leader.

The criterium was in the afternoon. My only goal for this race was not to crash. There is a lot of cornering in crits, and I am not a fan of cornering...at least not when you are going fast with a lot of other riders around you. I was able to stay in the pack without a whole lot of effort. I think all my training has paid off. I took off the front of the pack towards the end of the race, just to see if I could do it. There was a good section with a left turn and another quick right...I was able to take the left turn wide, sprint hard to get ahead of the group, and take the right turn tight. I figured I would do the same thing during the last lap. It was risky, but would really pay off if it worked. I pounded hard, but one gal caught my wheel. That was okay with me...she coached me through the rest of turns so we could stay ahead. On the last right hand turn before the finish, I was ahead. Adam said that everyone was surprised to see me out front because I had been towards the back on the previous lap. But there I was, out front with less than 100 meters to go. The gal on my wheel took off (with fresh legs thanks to me:)) and I couldn't catch her. I didn't really care...it felt awesome hearing my teammates cheer me on and crossing the finish line in second place. Yahoo! The picture above is of me on the podium with the 1st and 3rd place winners...my first podium finish! I even won $40...sweet!

Adam raced, too. He was frustrated with his results, but you can't do much about someone else crashing. A rider went down in front of Adam on the crit and his bike flew out right in front of Adam's bike. He went down, but didn't get too hurt... just a few scrapes and bruises. I know he'll be the one with the podium finish next time.

Easter Walk Surprise

2011-04-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

Last night we took the kids on a walk. It started to sprinkle a bit, but we were dressed for the weather and just enjoyed being outside. We came upon a trail that we had never seen before...just 1/4 from our house is a green belt with trails through it. Who knew!?!

We started along the trail and were so excited to find woods so close to home. Anders loved finding sticks and pointing out all the moss and trees. Ella and Conrad were both content to roll along in the strollers...enjoying the extra bumps and near-spills along the way. We even saw a bunny hop along the trail. "Maybe that's the Easter Bunny!" I said to Anders. "Hello Easter Bunny!" he replied.

It is always nice when a regular Sunday walk turns into an adventure...I know we'll be exploring those woods again!

Sea Otter Classic

2011-04-18T19:52:00.001-07:00

Adam and I were married 11 years ago and we spent our honeymoon in Monterey, CA. Last weekend we went back to Monterey, but not to relax on the beach like we did back then. Instead, we went for the Sea Otter Classic. It is a pretty big cycling event (bigger than we had expected) with both road and mountain events.

My mom and I drove down with our bikes (thanks, Mom!) and Adam flew in the next day. We raced Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Adam and I both started with Criterium races...a timed race on a 1K course. It was either up or down with tight turns on either end. It was on the Laguna Seca Raceways, so the roads were smooth. Adam liked the tight turns, but they freaked me out!

Adam stayed with the pack the whole time.

I got dropped halfway, but stayed in the middle of the group...doing my own little time trial! This was me towards the end of the race...I started to get the hang of the turning, but it was too late to catch up to the lead group. Adam placed 7th and I placed 5th. The second day, Adam had a grueling 64 mile road race on a super hilly course while I had a 50 minute circuit race on a 2.2 mile course on the raceway. The corners got me again...I could keep up on the climbs and got passed going downhill. I really need to work on cornering! I placed 11th in this race...kind of a bummer, but that is okay.

The last day, Adam decided to enter the Grand Fondo instead of the circuit race. The Grand Fondo was a 96 mile ride with lots of climbing and beautiful scenery. He was able to ride with some really cool guys, including Gary, the CEO of Clif Bars. Gary actually helped Adam at one point, making it easier for him to finish the ride in 2nd place out of 300 riders!

I stuck with the original plan and did the road race. Adam was smart enough to not be completely honest with me about how hard the course was...oh my goodness! It was the hilliest course I have ever ridden. It was only 40 miles, but it was so hard!! At one point I thought that someone must have been pulling on my back wheel when I was going up one of the steep climbs. Wow! There is nothing like suffering on the bike with really tough girls. I rode most of the course with another racer and she was so strong...she pretty much let me draft off of her most of the time. I did my best to pull some, but she was a lot stronger than me. Racing is so different than just riding...I feel like I learn so much from the other riders and about myself.

We drove home Saturday and Sunday, taking our time and enjoying our time together. The weekend was so good for us...we love to push ourselves hard and we love to relax. It was a nice combination of the two, with the hard work making the relaxing so much better. I feel so lucky to have Adam as my husband, best-friend, teammate, and cheerleader. He is such a good man. It is so sweet to be in-love with someone like him!

Cycling Shots

2011-04-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics we took from our phone during our rides in the Santa Monica mountains...it was so beautiful. I wish I would have taken more pictures!

Adam and I along the Pacific Coast Highway

At the top of Little Sycamore Canyon Road

It's Been A While!

2011-04-11T13:28:00.001-07:00

Hello again!

A lot has happened in the last few months!

Here is the update:

Conrad turned one!

What a cutie! He is such a good boy...always smiling, easy to make laugh, walking everywhere, and loves to snuggle. We love having him around!!

We gave him a piece of cake and got ready for a serious mess...this is about as messy has he got. He is sort of a clean-freak and didn't really want to dive in. I eventually gave him a fork and then he ate more. It was so different than Ella on her first birthday...

Here is Ella...she still eats this way if we let her!:)

I took Conrad to get his first haircut...now he really looks like a toddler! He sat patiently the whole time...I don't know if he was nervous or just being good.

We took the family to Malibu last week for Spring Break. We met two of Adam's sisters and their families and had a blast! Adam, Tom (our brother-in-law), and I did some climbing on our bikes through the Santa Monica mountains each morning (40-60 miles and 4000-6000 feet of climbing) and I loved it. I was afraid I would hate it, but it was awesome!

In the afternoons we took the kids to the beach and played in the heated pool at the house. It was a great vacation with lots of good riding, great food (thanks to my sister-in-law Liz), lots of sun, and much needed respite from our busy lives.

Here are some shots of the kids playing in the ocean at Zuma Beach and Ella taking a nap in the sun!

Some More Digital Pages...I love these!

2011-02-27T07:13:00.000-08:00

I was supposed to go to Turlock to visit my mom for the long weekend in February, but I just couldn't do the drive this year. It turned out to be a good decision because the weather here was perfect and the weather there was rainy. Here are some pictures from our trip 2 years ago...the kids are so much bigger!

Enjoy...

Happy Birthday Adam!

2011-02-19T09:15:00.000-08:00

Adam was out of town for his birthday this year...allowing him to avoid all the birthday wishes that he isn't big on anyway. Here is an email he sent describing his journey from Seattle to Tuscon...it was much more eventful than planned. It sounds like a rough sketch of screenplay for a movie.

Wednesday, February 16th

2:00pm this is when I was supposed to leave for the airport, but I was late and still frantically packing….

2:35pm Finally left for the airport

4:35pm board my plane bound for Salt Lake where I will get a connecting flight to Tuscan. While approaching Salt Lake, the pilot tells us that there is a big storm at the SLC airport and we might have to be diverted to Twin Falls, ID. We fly around a bit to wait to see if we can land. After an extra hour in-flight they decide to try and land at SLC. The decent was a roller coast ride, but we made it on the ground.

8:30pm now at SLC airport. Because of coming in late, I missed my flight to Tuscan and there are no other flights. The next available flight is the next morning at 10am. There are no rooms at the hotels next to the airport, so they get me a room at a hotel downtown. I go down to the baggage claim to get my bags, but they said it would take 1 or 2 hours to get my bags and I would be better off just leaving the bags and they will be on the flight to Tuscan. I say OK, and I’m off to my shuttle to downtown SLC

9:30pm now in Shuttle to downtown and manage to hit downtown right as the Utah Jazz game is getting out. So it ends up taking about and hour from the airport to the hotel

10:30pm arrive at the hotel and the power is out because of the big storm. They have a generator to have hallway lights on, and then they were handing out glow sticks to help you get settled in your room.

10:45pm finally get to my room and go to bed

Thursday, February 17th (my birthday)

5:00am power comes on as well as light next to bed and TV…I turn everything off

5:01am try and go back to sleep

7:00am get up and take a COLD shower (no hot water because of the power being out most of the night)

8:00am get shuttle to airport – there were several of us in the shuttle and we all get out at the airport and everyone takes off. I look back at the driver and she has this bugged look on her face. I look back and said, “the airline gave you a voucher for the ride…right?” and she says, “yeah, but that is ALL I got”. I raise one eyebrow and give her a few bucks. About 5 minutes later I wish I would have not given it to her.

10:00am – board the plane, get settled in my window seat. I was pretty tired so I closed the window and I was gently falling asleep as we were taking off. Then just after take off…SLAM!...the lady next to me slams the window open! I open one really tired eye and have this ‘why did you wake me up’ look on my face and she says rather snootily “I like to look out the window when we take off.” I don’t respond…I give her the silent treatment the rest of the flight.

11:30am – arrive in Tuscan, get off plane and go to baggage claim. Everyone around me gets their bags and leaves the airport. The conveyer belt stops and no bags for me. I go to the baggage claim and they look for about 30 minutes for my bags and they have them. Turns out they arrived the night before. I didn’t even ask how that happened.

12:30pm – get a taxi to go to the resort for the conference. I like to have a lot of fruits and veggies that they don’t have at the hotel so I ask the taxi driver to stop at the grocery store. I get my groceries and all the lines are super long to check out. I pick the shortest line but it turns out the guy doing the checking out for my line normally works in the produce part of the store and was just brought up to help out because of the demand. I wait about 20 mintues…yes 20 minutes before I am getting checked out. While he is scanning my stuff, I look around and all the other checkers are standing around talking to each other because they’ve taken care of all the other customers.

2:00 pm Close to 24 hours later, I arrive at my class in Tuscan…..

Sunny Day in February

2011-02-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

The first few weeks in February were beautiful here. Here are some shots I took of the boys swinging in the backyard. It is nice to look at these on days like today...rainy, rainy, rainy!

Valentine's Preview

2011-02-12T22:42:00.000-08:00

I got this cute idea from I Am Momma-Hear Me Roar and decided to try it. I am going to attach these to a snack-size bag of Hershey's kisses for the kids' Valentines. What do you think? I am not sure if I like Anders' card in color or B&W...opinions?

Cramer Sisters Reunion

2011-02-06T23:18:00.001-08:00

The Cramer girls do a reunion every year (okay, so this is just the 2nd year, but it is now officially a yearly event!). This year we went to Florida. Here we all are with our matching bags...aren't we cute!?! Adam's Grandma and Grandpa live near Venice Beach, so we ended our weekend with them. Above is Grandma Sanofsky with Megan. Below is Becca, Grandpa Sanofsky, and Liz. The shells at Venice beach were so pretty...most of them were so tiny, and the beach was covered with them. I brought a few home for Anders and her thought they were so cool! I also brought home some white sand from Siesta Key. Here I am enjoying the sea air and the sand between my toes. The sand is so fine and so white. When Anders saw the sand, he wanted to add it to his sandbox in the back yard. I thought maybe he would make a pile of it and try to keep it separate. Instead he quickly mixed it in to "make all the sand pretty!"

To those of you out there with sisters, sisters-in-law, or close girlfriends, I highly recommend sisters reunions. We have so much fun in such a short amount of time...it feels good to be "just a girl" again. And then when I come back to the "real world", I love my life, my sweet husband, and my cute kiddos even more!

I am already planning the first sisters reunion with my mom and my sister. Any suggestions on where we should go? It needs to still be warm in September!

Another Quote

2011-02-05T20:09:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law asked me to put a quote into PhotoShop for her...this is what I can up with. I really like this quote...it is so true.

Digital Scrap-Booking

2011-02-03T23:47:00.000-08:00

So, I have made the switch. Even though I have more paper than I know what to do with, I have decided to do digital scrap-booking. It is both less wasteful and less frustrating (I was always printing pictures I didn't need or forgetting ones I did). My good friend, Jenn, is a Close to My Heart rep, so I decided to try out their product. I really like it. It is more interesting to look at than a simple Shutterfly book (although if all your pictures are pieces of art, then simple is best) and it is super easy to use (I did 6 pages in less than 90 minutes).

Here are a few of my first attempts. You can get more elaborate, but I am trying not to turn it into "Crap"Booking as my sister-in-law Liz likes to call it. I agree...it can get a bit overdone, but I do like the do-dads and patterned paper. Some where in-between is perfect for me.

These pictures are from 2009.

A Way to Help

2011-01-16T19:03:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law and father-in-law are serving a mission for our church in Switzerland. Every week we receive a letter from them with highlights from their mission. It is fun to hear what they are doing, who they are teaching, and how happy they are to be serving the Lord. This week their letter included a quote by a former leader in our church. I loved it so much that I put it into PhotoShop and have it as my desktop wallpaper so I can see it all the time. It is a good reminder to me...someone who can get down sometimes and feel in need of joy and peace and happiness from a Greater source. Here it is...enjoy!

Christmas

2010-12-27T07:24:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas plans did not work out...sick kiddos! I have been feeling sorry for myself the last few days, but staying home and just relaxing has been nice. Having Adam home makes everything better...seriously! He makes being a mom so much easier because he is such a great dad. He can clean throw-up, change dirty diapers, and feed kids without complaining or sighing (both of which I do all the time) and he always knows when I need a hug! He is also an early riser, which means I have been able to sleep in...yahoo! So, despite the fact that we could have been skiing in knee-deep powder in Utah and chillin' with my family, I am doing okay. Sometimes it is good to just slow-down and enjoy doing nothing together. It has certainly made me think more about the true meaning of Christmas and that I am grateful for my little family.

Portland Stanley Cup Grand Prix

2010-12-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

Adam and I took Anders with us to Portland last weekend for another cyclocross race. We went down Friday afternoon and met Adam's sister and her family there at the hotel. While we were waiting for them to get there, we drove to the race venue and stumbled upon a huge Christmas light display...I love Christmas lights! They always make me feel like a little kid as I "oooh" and "ahhh" over them. Adam drove us through (having Anders there helped my case for "needing" to see the lights) and were were given a Christmas CD to listen to while we drove...it was really cool! By the time we were done it was perfect timing to meet our family for dinner. The next morning, Adam and I left early to get to our race. It was freezing cold, but we were dressed for the weather. It had been really dry, so I was surprised to see all the mud on the course. But muddy cross courses are always fun! Adam and I raced at different times so it was fun to cheer each other on and to have extra family to cheer as well. The kids had a blast (even though Anders is giving a grumpy look in the picture!). After the race we went swimming at the hotel and out to lunch. What a fun weekend!

Shawn and Grace...what cuties!

Kiddos cheering Lauren at the start

Lauren getting ready to charge up the hill Adam running up the muddy hill...this was one of three muddy hills!

The cheerleaders...Grace, Jacob, Anders, and Sarah

Adam and Lauren after the race...see how muddy our bikes are? Adam placed 16th out of 75 and Lauren placed 8th out of 28...not too shabby!

Christmas Party

2010-12-12T10:31:00.000-08:00

We had our annual staff Christmas party last week and decided to mix things up a bit. Usually we have a nice dinner and open presents...very low-key and mellow. This year we went the total opposite...Go Karting! We rented the local go-kart track and had appetizers and raced around the track. What a blast! The ladies all had fun and there were no complaints from boyfriends or husbands about being dragged to an office party. Here are some picks from the night...what fun!

Some of the ladies got in jumpsuits to get ready to race

The fasted racer of the night in gray.

Can you guess who this cute couple is?

4-Years-Old

2010-11-22T17:02:00.001-08:00

Anders turned four and we celebrated with his first "real" birthday party. The theme was "Cat in the Hat." The kids each made their own hat and wore them while I read them "Cat in the Hat." I think Anders wanted more of the attention, so he brought his cars to the center of the blanket and said, "Who wants to play with cars?" That was way better than listening to me, so they played for a bit...not on the schedule, but still very fun! I tried to think of games to play that were related to the book. We did some balancing games with the balloons and then painted Thing 1 and Thing 2's kites. Some noses were painted too! We also played Pin the Tail on the Fish...I think this little kiddo could see where he was going, what do you think? Instead of the traditional cake, I ordered doughnuts that looked like the Cat's hat. Anders loves doughnuts and he later told me this was his favorite part of the party. But I think he liked opening the presents too! He has been playing with his new toys ever since! I just love this little boy so much...he is such a character! He brings me and my family so much joy. He really is such a blessing to have in our home. I love you Anders!!

Just like you and me...

2010-10-13T22:35:00.000-07:00

I am talking to the kids at Ella's school on Friday about Rett Syndrome. Here is the collage I made for them...

My Sweet Ella

2010-10-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

Ella and I got to have a girls only weekend. She is part of a natural history study of Rett Syndrome, so she and I flew down to Oakland. She has been really grumpy lately and I was nervous about the flight. So, I said a fervent prayer, asking that Ella would be happy on the plane. My prayers were answered! She was perfect...not one peep, even when I had to turn the movie off. She didn't sleep that great at the hotel, but we had a suite so she watched shows while I slept with a pillow over my head! I did have to get up a few times with her, but it didn't bother me at all. It was actually really nice to just have Ella to take care of. So often she gets ignored while I have to take care of the baby or help Anders with something...she loved having me all to herself! The next morning I actually had to wake her up (that almost never happens) to make it to the clinic. She was good most of the time and I got to talk with the researchers about Ella and some concerns I have had. These people are amazing. I feel so grateful that they are devoting their careers to studying Rett Syndrome and working to find a cure. You can tell that it is more than just science to them...they really love the girls. We had time before we had to check out of the hotel, so I pushed Ella in her jogger while I went for a run. It was such a peaceful hour for both of us. While I was running through some pretty tough neighborhoods (they aren't categorized on google maps, so I had no idea what I'd get when I picked the route) Ella was perfectly content. She usually needs music, but she was fine. After lunch we stopped by the NorCal Strollathon--a fundraiser for the International Rett Syndrome Foundation. By then, Ella was tired and grumpy. At least three different men asked if I needed any help and took the time to kneel down by Ella to try to make her happy. It feels so good to be surrounded by people who understand. My friends and family understand, but when complete strangers understand too, it is awesome! We left the strollathon and headed for the airport. Again I said a prayer and Ella was so happy that she was giggly. Our plane was delayed an hour, so she and I walked hand in hand for 20 minutes. This almost never happens either. Usually I have to drag her around the block to make her exercise, but she was happy to walk and walk at the airport. Another prayer answered. We finally got on the plane and she fell asleep in my lap. I love my sweet Ella. Lately she has been my grumpy Ella, but I know that the sweet is in there...it was nice to see it this weekend. I just wish the researchers could hurry up and find a cure. I want her to feel good and to be able to tell me what she needs. I want to look in her eyes and have her call me "mom" I know that may not happen until we are both in heaven, but I really wish it could happen sooner!

Mt Baker Getaway

2010-09-12T21:10:00.000-07:00

Adam and I planned to do a cyclocross race up at Mount Baker on Saturday with a babysitter scheduled for a kid-free trip. As we were getting ready to leave, Anders was super sad that he couldn't go watch us race. So, we decided to bring him along. As we were leaving he asked where Ella and Conrad were. When we explained to him that it was just the three of us, he got a huge smile on his face and let out the cutest giggle. He was thrilled to have us both to himself. We found a cabin at Silver Lake at the last minute since the B&B we had planned to stay at did not allow kids. The cabin was in the middle of the forest, next to a trail that led to the lake. Anders and I went exploring and he found a tree that was "so soft." Everything was covered with moss and he found it fascinating. The next morning was the race. The weather was really nice...it was supposed to be rainy, but the fog lifted and the sun came out. The course was mostly on the grass, with some logs to go over, some building to weave around, and a nice false-flat (something that looks flat, but is actually up hill and pretty tiring!). There weren't a ton of people, so I actually had a chance to place. So, out of 6 ladies I was third...yahoo! I won a pair of socks and had a lot of fun. We raced with some of the men and I passes quite a few of them too! Adam raced second and was doing great until his chain broke...what a bummer! Anders raced in the kids race, which consisted of three little boys who were all very excited. Anders was trash-talking before the race ("My bike is faster than yours"), so I had a little talk with him about being nice. But once the race started, it was "Go! Go! Go!" He started out behind and then took the lead. He took a wrong turn at the end, had to back track, and ended up with a tie for first. I actually think he won, but I stuck with the "tie" story so he wouldn't get too cocky. After the race, Anders and I drove the WA 542 scenic highway up to Mt Baker. It was gorgeous. Adam wanted to ride to the top (of course), so while Anders and I played in the snow at the top, Adam climbed 4500+ feet over 30 miles...yikes! We had a great trip. It was nice to spend time with Anders. He is such a good little boy and all our attention wasn't wasted on him...he loved every minute of it!

My New Favorite Color is Yellow

2010-09-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

Today is Ella's first day back to school. It has been a long summer for all of us. I love Ella dearly, but I love her even more when I get a break. That may sound terrible, but it is true. She needed a break too...she is tired of the boys bothering her and of having to hang out with me all the time. She misses her friends and her teachers. I think yellow is Ella's favorite color today too!

Latest Photography Class...

2010-08-16T22:34:00.000-07:00

I have completed my third class from Nicole's Classes Online and loved it just as much as the first two. This time it was a class on taking pics of Babies, Toddlers, & Kids. I learned a ton and feel like I have some good tools to use when I am taking everyday shots as well as the more posed kind. The picture above was part of the creative shooting section. We were supposed to pretend we had been hired by Gerber to take a photo for an ad campaign. I tried hard to make the colors interesting...it helped that Conrad's eyes are so blue!! Here are a few of the other pictures I took...

Like Father, Like Son

2010-06-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

Adam had another race this weekend. It was a Criterium around the Capitol Campus and it was a beautiful day!!

He did awesome--7th place even with crazy allergies and very little sleep. After his race they had a kids race, too. So we dressed Anders in his red jersey and bike shorts and brought along our nephew Rhett sporting another of Anders' jerseys (Anders already loves gear...we are in trouble!!). The collage is something I made for my Photoshop 101 class (another Nicoles Classes course...love her stuff!!)

My Red Hot Husband

2010-06-08T23:27:00.000-07:00

Adam had another race last weekend and I actually got some pictures this time. It seems like all his other races I was either so excited I forgot to take pictures or I was busy feeding Conrad and barely saw the race myself. So, here you go...action shots of Adam at the Ballard Criterion in Seattle. He was in a small crash toward the beginning of the race when someone went down in front of him and he couldn't quite avoid the rider. It shook him up a bit and gave him a bruise on his hip, but the bike was fine (the most important thing in his mind!). I am just glad he wasn't the guy taken away on a stretcher and that he was able to finish the race. Way to go, Babe! I always love cheering for you!

Here is Adam edging out the competition!

Here he is trying to catch that other rider...I am pretty sure he did!

There were 75 riders in the field. That is a lot of people on a course that is less than a mile. By the end of the 35 minutes they were spread out in two packs, but got really close at the turns.

Sun and Rain

2010-05-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

I have decided that as long as I can get outside, I don't care what the weather is doing. Today Anders wanted to come with me on my run. He put his cycling jersey on over his long johns and we headed out in the rain. He was so cute...telling me how good I was doing and how fast I was. I even heard him giving himself some encouragement up the hill...you got it, you got it! He lasted a good two miles and then we circled back home. I headed out for a few more miles and the rain came pouring down hard and heavy. Even with rain dripping off the brim of my hat, I was so glad to be outside. I love the smell of rain and the warmth of the sun...I can't decide which I like more and I am glad I don't have to. The Pacific Northwest is the perfect place for me!

Pole Pedal Paddle and a baby exchange in between...

2010-05-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

Adam and I participated in the Pole Pedal Paddle yesterday in Bend, Oregon. What an adventure. This was our second year completing the race, but this year we had to exchange Conrad along with a high-five in-between legs. The race is a six leg relay that starts at the top of Mt. Bachelor and ends down in Bend. Adam did the first three legs--alpine ski, 5 mile nordic ski, and 25 mile bike--and I did the last three legs--5 mile trail run, 2 mile river kayak, and 1/2 mile sprint--so we only had to swap the baby once. We missed our time from last year by 3 minutes, but we are still pleased with our finish in 2 hours and 43 minutes. Just about everyone we talked with during the race couldn't believe we were doing the race with a 2 1/2 month old baby. Conrad was a great conversation piece! The rest of the weekend was filled with swimming in the pool with the kids, walking along the river, and taking turns giving Anders a ride in the kayak. We are already planning next year's trip and trying to figure out how we can get faster! Any tips on how to improve nordic skiing muscles without actually getting on the snow?

6 Week Photo Shoot

2010-04-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of Conrad. It is even more fun to take his picture now that he is smiling!

A day at the beach

2010-03-30T15:57:00.001-07:00

Adam and I took the kids to Sequim for the weekend. Adam had a race and we used it as an excuse to rent a home on the beach for a few days. It was a great weekend...Adam raced really well (he finished 10th with no crashes) and we all loved the beach (Ella loved playing in the sand and feeling the wind on her face, Anders loved throwing rocks and shells in the water, and I had fun taking pictures and smelling the fresh, salty air). Our niece and nephew also came along to help with the kids (they were fantastic to have around) and some friends who also had a racer spent the day with us cheering on the cyclists and playing on the beach. Here are a few pictures from the weekend...

New Lens

2010-03-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

I got a new lens for my camera...a 50 mm f/1.8. I didn't know what any of that meant before I started taking my class, but it is a great lens for taking pics of people when you can get up close and if you want to take pictures indoors without a flash. (Not that any of you really care about all of that!) So, I decided to try it out on Ella while she was watching a show after school today. It is a little tricky because it is a manual focus, but I got some good shots. It was fun playing around with the new lens and trying out different angles. Here is my favorite...

Photo 101

2010-03-14T19:58:00.000-07:00

I have been taking an online photography class for the last two weeks and it has been so much fun! Adam bought me a Digital SLR camera for Christmas and I really wanted to learn how to use it, so my friend Sara told me about Nicole's Classes and I signed up! It has been very cool to learn how to use my camera in manual mode and be in complete control of how my pictures turn out...good or bad! Here are a few shots I have taken in the last two weeks. I am still learning and often get my exposure off a bit, but I am feeling more confident and can't wait to learn more each week.

Adam's First Road Race

2010-03-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Adam has joined a local cycling team and has been training since the first of the year to race in some road races this year. Here is a recap of his first race: Yesterday was my first road race and it went very well. My main goals were to stay with the group, take some pulls, and not be involved in a crash…mission accomplished. They split the cat 5 group and since my number was an even number, I got to wait another 2 hours to start. With the split of the group, we had 33 in our field and pretty wide open roads, which made for a very enjoyable race. The group dropped about 6 or 7 riders and we averaged 22.3 mph for the 36 miles. A few tried to get off the front, but no one in the group wanted any of that (typical frantic cat 5 behavior, I guess). There was only one crash which happened in the corner of my left eye. It looked like just one rider who somehow lost control…not sure what happened. Luckily I followed Vaughn’s advice and didn’t look back while also fighting off the urge to turn around and help the guy. I guess you get over that eventually… I took the lead just before the last corner with a little over a kilometer to go. I just wanted to play it safe and not get caught up in the frantic “last corner” mayhem…the problem was everyone grabbed my wheel after the corner and so I was expending my energy in the front a little too early…oh well…again, just trying to play it safe. I ended up taking 11th, which is fine by me. I had a great time. Next week I’ll be on the wheel of the bikesales.com guys. They worked very well together including a great finish. I can definitely see the benefit of having teammates in the field.

Conrad Philip is here!

2010-03-02T22:15:00.000-08:00

I am off to bed in the next few minutes, but I wanted to post a few shots of our new baby! Conrad Philip was born last Friday and he is perfect! He was 7 pounds 14 ounces and 20 inches long. Anders is already a great big brother and wants to help me with the baby as much as he can. I am not sure if Ella has noticed him yet, but as soon as he can make her laugh like Anders can, she will love him!

I'm not going to be grumpy! (Now repeat it until you believe it!)

2010-02-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

I am now two days past my "due date" and I am resolved to no longer be grumpy about it. I am going to smile every time someone says "You're still pregnant!?!" and get a babysitter for Friday night so Adam and I can go out on a date. I am also not going to think about the 5 miles I am going to have to run during the Pole, Pedal, Paddle relay on May 15th how each day I go over is one less day to train. It will all work out! I am now happily pregnant for the duration!

Still Waiting...

2010-02-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

So...I am still waiting for baby Rad to get here. I am tired of being pregnant and just want to be done. Poor Adam gets the worst of my pregnancy blues...I cried all the way home from church today and he kept asking me if he did something wrong, was it because he didn't get me flowers for Valentine's day, was I frustrated with the kids, what could he do to make me happy. He was so sweet. Finally he said "Is this because you are just done being pregnant?" I nodded and then Anders (who was talking to himself the whole time about who knows what) says, "Mommy, are you crying?" I said "Yes, mommy is sad." Then he said, "Mommy, you take a nap and then you'll be happy!" Just hearing his sweet suggestion made me laugh...I told him he makes me happy when he is begin so cute. He just responded with the biggest, dimpled grin...I love that cheesy smile of his! Adam and I had some quiet time together after church (the kids watched a show and we watched the Olympics) and I feel a lot better now...but I am still tired of being pregnant!

Cycling Twins

2010-02-06T23:30:00.000-08:00

Anders always wants to be "just like Daddy." So lately when Adam asked if he wanted to go on a bike ride, Anders replied "But I don't have bike riding pants?" He has a red jersey we bought him months ago, but he has just realized that he doesn't have any official cycling shorts. So, I went on Amazon and found some kids shorts (complete with padding!). The day they came in the mail Anders was so excited! He ran upstairs, found his jersey, put on the shorts, and then made Adam get dressed in his gear too. He was more than happy to pose for these shots...what a cute boy!!

NESTING!

2010-01-26T13:50:00.000-08:00

The only good thing about the last few weeks of pregnancy is nesting. I am not sure what happens or why it happens, but I get so productive right before the baby comes. It is probably a subconscious desire to have everything organized and all projects completed because you are the exact opposite once the baby arrives. Here are a few of the "nesting" projects I have completed in the last few weeks...

My cousin Marian cut these letters out for me and I painted and modge-podged them...so fun! We got the crib and changing table set up and all the decorations on the wall...I love this new crib!! I hung letters over Ella's and Anders' beds. I also finally got the matching dresser so Anders has somewhere to hide the mess he makes of his nicely folded clothes every day! I hung some tiles that I bought last summer over our bed and they are actually all level and equally spaced! I framed a necklace I bought in Hawaii over a year ago to hang in our room. There was a similar hanging in the hotel Adam and I stayed in during our vacation in Maui. So when I went to Oahu with my girlfriends, I picked this necklace up to re-create it.

There have been a few other things I have done, including packing my bag for the hospital. Now it is just time to wait!! My official due date is February 23rd. Ella was 2 weeks late, born on July 21st and Anders was 2 days early, born on November 21st. What are the odds of this one coming on February 21st? It would be cool for them all to be "21st's" but I wouldn't mind him coming as early as he wants...how about today!?!

Okay, fine, here it is!

2010-01-17T22:12:00.000-08:00

Quite a few people have requested a prego picture of me. Besides Demi Moore, I don't think there are a lot of women who want to be photographed while they are pregnant and I am no Demi. But, then I realized that maybe this kiddo will want to see me when I was pregnant with him someday, so I finally broke down and had Adam take my picture. He was really sweet about it and even posed me (gotta love the "holding the belly" pose!). After he took the shot and saw it on the preview screen he said "Perfect!" He probably meant my eyes weren't shut or my head wasn't cut off, but it still made me feel really good for him to say I was "perfect!"

So, here we go...me at 35 weeks! Only a month to go! Yahoo!!!!

My Little Girl

2010-01-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

Now that I am only 5 1/2 weeks from having kiddo #3, I have been thinking more about kiddo #1...our little munchkin, Ella, who isn't so little anymore. She is 6 1/2 years-old now, but it just doesn't seem that long ago that she was a tiny little baby...I still remember thinking how perfect her hands were when they first gave her to me. I still love to hold her hands!

So, even though she can't tell me she loves me, I know that she does when she looks me in the eye and there is a little twinkle there as she smiles at me. I have never been able to make her laugh like her Daddy can, but she saves a special smile just for me!

I love you, Ella! (I added the naked picture of Ella at the top because of Heather's comment...it is one of my favorite pictures and is still in the plastic case where I keep her immunization records. She was such a little chunk!)

Winter Olympics 2026 Here We Come!

2010-01-12T10:57:00.001-08:00

Adam took Anders skiing for the first time last Friday. We have been talking with Anders about skiing with Daddy for a good month now, but told him he couldn't go until he was potty trained. So, a week later he was potty trained and then we just had to wait for the snow. Adam said he was so excited to get to the mountain and get all their gear on. They stomped around in the snow for a bit, getting used to the skis, but Anders quickly got tired of that and said "Daddy, I want to go up there!" pointing to the top of the mountain. So, he and Adam rode the chairlift to the top of the bunny hill. At the top of the lift Anders said "I want to do that again!" They started down the hill and Anders was not interested in snow plowing...he just wanted to point his skis straight down the hill and go--fast! Adam would ski behind him and pull on his coat if he got too fast. When he did this, Anders would say "Let go Daddy! I want to go fast!" He took a few tumbles, but once he saw Adam fall too (he would make it a very dramatic and silly fall), then he would laugh and get back up. Adam had to pull Anders off the mountain, kicking and screaming, when it was time to go home. He really loved it. By the end of the day he was beginning to figure out how to turn and is already taking about going skiing with Daddy again! So, remember the name Anders Cramer...he may be one of the Super G skiers in 2026!

Cyclocross

2009-10-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

Adam has discovered a new sport, Cyclocross. It is a cross between road biking and mountain biking...basically a good excuse to buy another bike and extend the cycling season into the rainy days of Fall! He has done a few races and really enjoys the challenge. It is really fun to watch because they do several loops and you get to cheer them on the whole time! Anders went with us to Adam's first race a few weeks ago and had a lot of fun watching Daddy. I got to watch Adam without the kids today and walked around the whole course...it was really tough with lots of mud to pedal through, barriers to climb over, and hills to run up! Here are some are some videos from his races...I am so proud of him!

Anders Riding a Two-Wheeler

2009-10-31T21:02:00.000-07:00

We bought Anders a running bike a few months ago so he could learn to balance on a bike. Running bikes are super cool...they are just like a regular bike, but without the pedals. That way the kiddos can learn to balance on two wheels without having to think about pedaling at the same time. He loved his running bike and would zoom down the driveway, take quick turns, and balance really well. A few weeks ago he said that he wanted to ride his cousin's two-wheeler (without training wheels). "Just hold on, Mommy!" he said. So, I started him down the drive way and let go...he rode half way around the loop until I told him to watch for cars and he fell. He hopped right back on and hasn't stopped since! So, at 2 3/4 years old, he has learned to ride a two-wheeler, "just like Daddy!" I found a video of him riding on the first day...he is pretty darn cute and so proud of himself!

Here are some shots of him and Adam riding together...he said the phrase "Just like Daddy" at least a hundred times that morning.

Stretching before the big ride! Heading for the puddle...of course! All smiles after the ride. (Can you see Anders' glasses and cycling gloves? "Just like Daddy!")

Lots of videos & pictures to post, but while you are waiting...

2009-10-15T19:28:00.001-07:00

I haven't told tons of people yet that I am even pregnant, so...hey, guess what? We are expecting baby #3 at the end of February! So far I have felt tired, sick, sore, freaked-out, and super happy...all in the first 21 weeks. This last week has been a super happy week...we found out that are new little one will be a boy! I was sure it was a girl and even bought an outfit for the baby and Ella to match from Hanna Anderson. Needless to say, I am mailing back the baby version tomorrow. Of course, boy or girl, it really doesn't matter, so we are glad Anders will have a little brother to teach all his tricks (one of which I will post next time, I promise) and Ella will have two big strong brothers to help take care of her. So, the count-down begins...only 39 weeks to go! Have a great day and don't give up on our blog...I will be back soon!

Here's to a Happy Retirement!

2009-06-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

My wonderfully talented (teacher, crafter, writer), hard-working (taught English to 8th-graders for 35 years...ouch!), and super-smart (she always knew every answer on Jeopardy when I was a kid) Mom just retired. Adam and I flew down to California for her retirement party and enjoyed a quick weekend with my sister, brother-in-law, aunt, uncle, and Mom. It was a lot of fun to be together and celebrate Mom. Her friends threw her a great party with yummy Mexican food and lots of laughs. It was thrilling to see so many people who love my mom...they all told me how much they would miss having her at the school and that it wouldn't be the same without her. I am so proud of my Mom...she really is amazing. I just hope she will spend some of her extra time with me in Washington...I love you Mom!

Puzzle Man!

2009-05-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

So Anders LOVES puzzles. I got him a Cars puzzle a few months ago and he liked doing it with me, but once he really started figuring them out he really loved it. When Adam found out he came home from work with 6 more puzzles! It was so cute that he went to all the trouble to buy them...we are both so excited when Anders does normal stuff that Ella has never been able to do. Anyway, up until yesterday Anders always need help to get the puzzles going, but while I was doing dishes I heard "Mommy! I did it!" I walked into the living room to see that he had done the whole puzzle, start to finish, on his own. He was so proud of himself and wanted to give me "the fives"! What a sweet boy...and so smart!

Just a glimpse of Italia!

2009-04-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

Adam and I just got back from a week in Italy. It was AMAZING! We left the kids with Adam's oldest sister (THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU) and headed off to Italy with two of his other sisters, their spouses, and his parents. I can't even begin to show you everything we saw, but here are some highlights... We spent the first two nights at Lake Como in Varrena. Our Villa was right on the lake and so beautiful.

Our first night there we walked along the lake eating gelato and loving every bit of the architecture and character of the little town. The ladies took a cooking class in a small village in the hills above the lake, while the men hiked to the top of a mountain on the other side of the lake (it is actually the mountain behind Adam and I in the first picture above). We learned how to make four dishes and enjoyed listening to Chef Mareno tell lots of jokes. The best part was eating all the pasta he made. I can't wait to try the recipes at home.

We also hiked up to the castle above the town and tried to break in, but it was well fortified! The next two nights were spent in Cinque Terre on the Italian Riveria. Our home was at the top of the hill in the southernmost town of Riomagiorre. He walked along the trail that connects the five towns and mountain biked in the hills above the towns. We also ate some amazing Focaccia, it originated there. I tried it with every possible topping. Here is Adam's sister eating it with potatoes and rosemary. Yum!The towns were perched on top of the cliffs and all the homes were brightly painted. There were also terraced gardens on the hills that you had to take steep steps to get to...there were often little old ladies walking up and down to work their garden. It was incredible!

We spent about 4 hours in Florence on our way to Rome, but we had enough time to see Michelangelo's David, the Ponte Vecchio, and Noah Wiley...wait, what? Yes, it is true! While in the Uffizi Gallery, we saw Noah Wiley. And when I say "saw", I mean I could have bumped into him if Adam wasn't holding me back! I wanted to take a picture of him, but there was nothing spectacular near him that I could pretend to be taking a picture of! We spend the last two nights in Rome. Our first meal there was the best of the whole trip. The man who we rented our apartment from, Tony, took us to one of his friend's restaurants and we ate for 3 hours. This plate is just the appetizer...I will be dreaming about how good this was for months!Then he took us on a night walk of Rome ending at Trevi Fountain (only a block from our place!). The next day we hired a guide to take us through the Forum, Capitol Hill, and the Colosseum. She was so great...she told us so many things that I would never have known if I just walked from place to place on my own. We hit the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica in the afternoon, and still had time to shop before another great meal.

I really loved the trip, but my feet were so tired at the end that the plane ride was a relief and I was ready to see our little kiddos again. We are already planning a return trip in two years...yahoo!

Flat Carter

2009-03-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

I had never heard of the book Flat Stanly before, but my friend Paige asked me to help with a school project for a friend of a friend of a friend. Anyway, I got Flat Carter in the mail. He is the flat version of a little boy and he is traveling all over Washington state, learning about different parts of the state and then will be returning home to share his adventures with Real Carter.

Here is what I did with Flat Carter...be sure and read to the end so you can see how great Adam was with it all!

Flat Carter’s Visit to Thurston County What a great trip! I saw so much while I was in Thurston County. Did you know that our state capital is there? Yup! Olympia is in Thurston County, way at the southern-most tip of the Puget Sound.

Here I am in front of a map so you can see where Olympia is. I had always wanted to see the capitol building, so we made that our first stop.

Here I am in front of the capitol. I couldn’t go inside, but I got a great flyer that talks about it and even has pictures. After the capitol building, we stopped by the visitor’s center to find out more great things to see.

We grabbed some more flyers and decided to head down to Heritage Park and walk along Capitol Lake.

After our walk around the lake, we headed toward the Puget Sound. I got to see some really cool sailboats at Percival Landing. It was a windy day—perfect for sailing, but we didn’t have time to go for a ride. Maybe next time I am in town I will be able to go sailing. Did you know that you can sail from Olympia all the way to Seattle? It would probably take a lot longer than driving, but it would be so much fun!

Next we drove through Tumwater (another town in Thurston County) to get to the Capital Mall. I was looking for another outfit, but then I decided that I really liked my football shirt and my shoes were very comfortable. So, I didn’t buy anything.

Our last stop was at the dentist’s office. I realized that I hadn’t been to the dentist in a while and they were giving great discounts for two-dimensional people! What a coincidence! Anyway, I stopped in at the Dental Care of Lacey and had Dr. Cramer give me a cleaning and exam.

He gave me a very throughout exam and said…

“It looks good, Carter!” He even gave me thumbs up! The only thing he wanted me to do was get braces, so I had him put some on. I hope that is okay with you! It was just such a great deal, I couldn’t pass it up. Plus, I really liked Dr. Cramer. He was the coolest dentist ever! So, that was my trip to Thurston County. I am sorry I am a bit late making it back home. I was just having so much fun, that I completely lost track of time!

There is a lot more to say...

2009-03-19T23:51:00.000-07:00

...but this is a very pressing matter! I still need to post about my wonderful road trip to California with the kids, my sister-in-law, and her kids... I still need to post about my trip to Portland last weekend to shop and see Wicked... But, I just had to put this video up on my blog now!! This is our version of the Synchronized Swimmers (You may have seen some other versions on YouTube). We had a birthday party for the Relief Society this week, so some friends (I was told not to say who they are...it was mostly Kerri that didn't want to be identified. Oops!) and I performed. I think we were pretty spectacular. What do you think?

So far in 2009...

2009-01-27T20:30:00.000-08:00

We have already had a great 2009 and it is only January. Here is a little recap of our last month.

Adam and I went to Utah for a quick ski weekend (our friends the Browns were supposed to comewith us, but an emergency kept them home). We flew in late Thursday night, skied Snowbird Friday and Saturday, ate really good sushi and cheeseburgers (at different meals!) and flew home Sunday morning. It was so much fun! We had great snow both days and got to test out our new powder skis...they were awesome! Here are a few shots of us at the Bird.

Adam swooshing down the mountain

Lauren & nephew Max

Max twisting off a kicker and the end of the day

Lauren & Melanie after a long day of skiing...we look pretty good, huh!?!

Later in the month Anders and I decided to ride the bus to downtown Lacey. It is only a 15 minute drive, but it took 40 minutes and two buses to get there. Anders thought it was really fun for about 35 minutes...then he was done!! We'll have to try a shorter trip next time!

Waiting for the bus

"Look Mommy!"

Smile for the camera!

After the bus ride, we drove to the local qymnastics gym for some playtime in the foam pit and trampoline...Anders was in heaven. After 1 hour of bouncing and climbing he was sweaty and ready for a nap!

Finally, we took the kids to Baskin Robbins for FHE. It was Anders first ice-cream cone and he figured it out very quickly. He wasn't quite sure what to do once he got to the cone, but once I showed him that he coudl eat the cone too he did just fine!

Sorry it has been so long since our last post! I am feeling more organized now, so let's hope that translates to more posts, more scrapbooking, more excersize, and more sleep. Are all those things possible at the same time?

A Date With Ella

2008-12-14T19:37:00.000-08:00

I am not really sure how many times I performed in the Nutcracker as a girl. I know that it was at least 6 times, if not more, and that I loved it each time. I grew up dancing--ballet, tap, and jazz--and I forget how much I loved it until I see a dance performance on stage. It makes me want to dust off my old toe shoes and dance around the house. So, yesterday I went to see the Nutcracker with my sisters-in-law, Mother-in-law, nieces, and Ella. I was expecting to have that same desire to dance again, in fact I actually started to think about where my toe shoes might actually be stored at home, when something unexpected happened...I started to cry. I felt overwhelmed with emotion as the lights dimmed and the music began to play. It was so surreal to be sitting there with my own daughter at a performance of the Nutcracker. It made me so happy to be able to share that with her. She really enjoyed it too. She was on my lap most of the time and kept looking back at me and smiling. What a great afternoon! I think we will have to make it a tradition...and I'll be ready for the tears next year!

Compassion

2008-12-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

At such a young age Anders shows an enormous amount of compassion for his big sister. I am so grateful that Ella will always have a little brother to look after her and protect her.

Jackson 5, Cookies, and Trees

2008-12-03T01:50:00.000-08:00

Today was a great day!

I taught my usual 9:15am Spinning class this morning, but since it is now December I had to play at least one Christmas song. My good friend Liz and my sweet husband Adam are probably the only people who know this about me, but I love the Jackson 5 Motown Christmas CD.

I got it at a white Elephant gift exchange my senior year of High School (Liz was with me when I got it and had to listen to everyday during the December of our freshman year of college) and then I lost it (or was it stolen?) a little over a year later. Adam had never heard the CD, but he has heard me lament the loss every Christmas season when I search for a replacement in vain. Then, when my Dad was in town a few weeks ago...I found it! Yahoo! There is was, at Fred Meyer, for only $8...I snatched it up and anxiously waited until after Thanksgiving to play it. I listened to it it while decorating the tree last Friday and it was just as glorious as I remember...little Michael can really sing! So it was fun to share the Jackson 5 with my Spin class this morning...well, fun for me. I am not sure that anyone else appreciated it. I wish Liz could have been there!

The rest of the day was pretty normal (meetings, sewing with my sisters-in-law, taking care of kiddos), but then I hosted my first Cookie Exchange in Olympia.

I invited several people to make cookies and then we all exchanged them tonight. Now, if you live here and did not get invited...please don't be offended. My list originally had 20 people on it (you included, I am sure), but I had to pare it down. No on wants to make 20 dozen cookies, right!?! Anyway, it was a success! There were lots of yummy creations...I tasted them all (quite a sacrifice, I know!) and loved each of them for different reasons. Then, just to make sure I didn't eat them all...I quickly boxed them up so I can deliver them to friends tomorrow.

Finally, as Anders was getting ready for bed and drinking the bottle that he should be weaned from by now (sorry Dr. Lindgren!), I found him under the Christmas Tree. He was so cute, I just had to get a picture.

How was your day today?

My 30 Pound Turkey is 2!

2008-11-26T13:03:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Anders' 2nd birthday last Friday. I can't believe it has been two years! He has been such a joy in my life. I just love him so much...his big hugs, his little dimples, his "sorry Mommy"s from the time-out chair, his giggles, his everything! I took him and his cousin Rhett to the Children's Hands-On Museum and then to Burger King for lunch on his birthday and then celebrated with family, cake, and gifts a few days later. He really enjoyed his birthday and quickly figured out the whole present idea. Here are some highlights from the birthday and party.

Our Sweet Ella

2008-10-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

I am probably violating some sort of copywrite law, but I just had to post this picture of Ella. She started Elementary School this year and this is her school picture...isn't it perfect!?! Adam and I were both so impressed with how well the photographer caught Ella's sweetness in this picture. She can be a handful at times, but more often than not she is just a sweet, cuddly, little girl. We feel so lucky to have her in our family!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-18T13:34:00.001-07:00

Today we went to Lattin's Cider Mill to pick out our pumpkins, feed the farm animals, and eat hot apple fritters.

We kept pointing out large pumpkins for Anders to pick up, and he would grunt as he tried. We finally found one that was the perfect size!

They both thought it felt funny when the goats ate from their hands.

We had a great time!

Matt Damon wears Rockports!

2008-10-13T13:36:00.001-07:00

Or at least that is what about 20 Filipino department store workers think! Adam went shoe shopping on his trip and was amazed at all the help he was getting. Different workers kept bringing him shoe after shoe, until there were 20 people around him. He finally decided on a pair of brown Rockport's that he can wear for work. As he was leaving, he could hear them chattering to each other and the only thing he understood was "Matt Damon." I have always thought Adam looks a bit like Matt Damon, but we both thought it was so funny that they probably thought he was Matt Damon. We are sure that they are telling thier family and friends that they sold a pair of shoes to Matt Damon...how funny!

A Smoothie, a Godson, and Dale Chihuly

2008-10-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

This morning my mom and I decided to go to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma. On the way there, we stopped to get some smoothies at Emerald City Smoothie. It is a local smoothie place that is like Jamba Juice only they have much more interesting flavor combinations. My favorite is the Coconut Bliss--Coconut, Pineapple, Banana, Almonds, Non-fat Milk, & Protein. Yum! Anyway, as we were ordering our drinks, the gal behind the counter asked us what we were doing today. We told her that we were heading to the Museum of Glass, and in walks her husband who tells us that he is Dale Chihuly's Godson (Mom dated Dale in High-school and Dad was Dale' best-friend). He then takes me in the back and shows me pictures of Dale's home, including his indoor pool with huge blue chandeliers overhead. He also has a bunch of autographed pictures. Crazy, huh!?! Now, for those of you who have no idea who Dale Chihuly is, here is a picture of one of his chandeliers.

Each of those is a separate piece of blown glass...It is even more beautiful in real-life. There is a "hot shop" at the museum where you can watch artistic teams create blown glass artwork. It is crazy how much time it takes. We watched them make this 4 foot long piece of glass that they stretched and bent and sculpted. As they began to take it of the metal rod, it broke...all that work was gone. I am sure that happens a lot...it takes a lot of patience to practice that craft. It makes me think about life...we spend so much time and effort practicing the craft of life, but still sometimes things break. If we lose sight of the finished product, it becomes easy to give up. What helps you keep your "eye on the prize"? My faith that as long as I keep trying, things will be okay is what helps me pick up the pieces and grab another glob of molten glass!

Will you buy me a Manila Folder in Manila?

2008-10-08T20:14:00.000-07:00

This was one of the last things I said to Adam before he left tonight for a 5 day trip to Manila in the Philippines. I think my friend Sarah is the only person who would think that was a funny thing to say, besides me, of course! I laughed so hard (I often laugh at my own corny jokes) and then said, "No...seriously, will you?" Here is a picture of Manila:

But Adam will mostly be seeing this:

He is an instructor for Progressive Orthodontics and he is visiting a clinic where they do some pretty cool stuff with braces. I think you have to be a dentist to consider it "pretty cool stuff," but I am excited for him. He really enjoys being a dentist and is constantly working to learn more and be an even better clinician. He will be teaching courses in Vienna, Austria & Sydney, Australia next year. If we didn't have the kiddos to consider, it would be fun to go with him. Someday, when the kids are grown, I will travel the world with him. I will see famous monuments, gorgeous artwork, stunning vistas, and Adam will see teeth...we will both be happy!

Is that really your name?

2008-10-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

This was only one of many funny lines spoken during our ladies trip to Hawaii (poor Floyd). You had to be there... Isn't great how funny things can be when you are up too late, eating good food, and completely care-free!?!

Paige, Marie, Kelly, & I at Hanauma Bay

Anyway, Paige and Marie have already posted a few shots and I am sure Kelly will too, but here are some of my favorite highlights from the first ladies vaca...we'll have to come up with a cleaver name for these get-aways since we are already talking about the next trip! Thanks to Paige for getting this ball rolling!

The five days we spent in Oahu were completely relaxing...we had no itinerary and our agenda only consisted of three things--eat yummy food, soak up the sun, and have much-needed girl time. It was a success...I feel renewed and was happy to get back to "real-life"!

Here are a few pics...there are more on the sites I mentioned above.

Here I am thinking about whether or not I wanted to jump in the water at Turtle Bay...You can see my decision below!

We seriously ate so much food on this trip!

Here we are enjoying our virgin daiquiris before the Luau.

I had the Lava Flow...Pineapple, Coconut, and Strawberry. So good!

This post wouldn't be complete if I didn't thank Adam for letting me go. I mentioned it in April and he didn't even hesitate to say yes. He is so good to me. He is always helping me become a better person, even if that means he has to survive without me sometimes...every mommy needs a break! He is such a good daddy...he will need a break soon too! Any husbands out there up for a golf weekend?

I love you, Adam!

Best of the Summer

2008-09-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends! As promised, here are some pics from the awesome summer we had as a family. It really was so fun and so packed!

Our neighborhood started off the summer with an end-of-the-school-year s'mores party. I think I ate 4...yikes! It was so good! Ella had summer school for 3 weeks, so Anders and I would play at the school's playground while waiting for Ella to finish...he loved exploring the playset and having it all to himself. We said good-bye to our dear friends the Fleming's. Here are Sarah, Ben (Anders' buddy), and Dave above and Sarah and I below...it was so hard to see them go. We just love them so much. I went to the American Idols concert with some friends from Church...yes, Jenny and I were the only two over 16, but it just made it that much easier to scream like a teenager when David Cook sang. Don't you love our home-made shirts? We puff-painted them and mine said "David Cook Rocks!" It was such a fun concert!

I ran another relay this summer. It was the Rainier to Pacifc Relay...a 165 mile run from Mt. Rainier to Ocean Shores. We had a team of 6 girls and 6 guys. All the girls drove together and we had a great time. We were all tired and a little loopy by the end...no sleep will do that to you. So, we cheered in one of the guys with a pyramid.Here is a shot of the whole team at the finish line...go Olympians!!

We made it to the zoo a few times. Anders had fun pointing at the animals..."Look Mommy!"

My sister Melanie and her two boys, Sam & Max, came to visit. They were here for a week and Melanie came for the weekend. They were so well-behaved and had a lot of fun playing with Anders and Ella.

We went to California to visit some old friends. We had such a good time playing on the river and soaking in the desert heat. Ella is wave surfing with Mindy below...she smiled the whole time!

Towards the end of the summer, Adam built Anders a sandbox...you can tell by the look on his face how excited he was about this. He spends hours in there...it is fun to watch him play.Anders was sad to see Ella go to school on her first day. He was happy to see the bus come, but when he realized that the bus woudl be taking Ella away, he started to cry. He reached his arms out and cried "Ella!" as the bus drove off. He still gets sad, but I think he is mostly sad to see the bus go!

I guess this technically happened in the fall, but I thought I would add pics from the "So You Think You Can Dance" concert I went to with my friend Jenn. It was awesome! We had a yummy dinner beforehand and then just enjoyed the show. I want to go again next year for sure!

So there you have it...what a great summer! I will have to post some pics from my trip to Hawaii with some of the ladies this last week...I just have to sort all of them first!

I'm Back!

2008-09-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

So I have been gone for a while! Yikes...for the the whole summer! Anyway, I have had a great summer. It has been full of family vacations, house guests, reunions, etc. Let's just say that I have 400 pictures on my camera that have all been taken since my last post. I have a lot of organizing to do! I will do a "Best of the Summer" post soon...in the next week or so. I am actually going to Hawaii with four of my girlfriends next week (I know...Hawaii twice in one year!?! Pretty incredible!), so it will probably not happen until the first of October. Just in time for Fall! Well, until then, I thought I would post the talk that I gave in church today. Since our church does not have paid clergy, the members of the congregation take turns addressing the congregation during our Sacrament meeting. I was asked to talk about what my soul delights in...it was based on the talk given by Susan Tanner last April during our General Conference. So...here it is! I added links if you are interested in reading more! The Book of Mormon is the record of an ancient people that lived on the American Continent. In this sacred book, we are able to read the words of many prophets who testified of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches many things about the Gospel and the Book of Mormon gives us additional insight into how we can apply the gospel in our lives. In 2 Nephi 4:15-21, the prophet Nephi shares with us his attempts to balance what his soul desires with what the natural man desires. He says, “…For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support… He hath filled me with his love…” While human nature may lead us towards temporal goals, our soul longs to be reunited with things of the Spirit. This principal is taught in Doctrine & Covenants 88: 40 “For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light…” Our spirit wants to be close to our Father in Heaven and His Son, Our Savior. When we make the time to feed our souls by reading our scriptures, praying daily, and attending church meetings, we will feel the love and support of God as Nephi described. Sister Susan Tanner spoke last April in General Conference about the things her soul delights in. I would like to share with you a few of the things my soul delights in—some things that help me feel whole and complete when I make time to ponder them, study them, and be worthy to be blessed by them. My soul delights in the Plan of Salvation. Every time I have the opportunity to read, or ponder, or teach even a portion of the plan of salvation, I feel so much joy. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who prepared a way for each of us to return and live with Him. Earlier this year I taught a sharing time lesson to the primary children about how they are children of God. During the lesson, we sang the song “I Lived in Heaven.” Listen to the words of the song as they teach so beautifully about our experience before we came to Earth and of the promise we were given to return to heaven. “I lived in heaven a long time ago, it is true;Lived there and loved there with people I know. So did you.Then Heavenly Father presented a beautiful plan,All about earth and eternal salvation for man. “Father said he needed someone who had enough love To give his life so we all could return there above.There was another who sought for the honor divine.Jesus said, “Father, send me, and the glory be thine.” “Jesus was chosen, and as the Messiah he came,Conquering evil and death through his glorious name,Giving us hope of a wonderful life yet to be—Home in that heaven where Father is waiting for me” (Children’s Songbook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4) The children sang this song and I could feel the Holy Spirit testifying to me that it was true. The light in the eyes of the children told me that they felt the Spirit too…they felt the joy and the peace that comes when we speak the truth. I also began to realize that the knowledge of who we are, where we came from, and where we are going is not commonly understood by people who are not members of our church. I then explained to the children that we know this is true from the writings of ancient prophets in the Bible and Book of Mormon , and from modern day prophets. Prophets living who provide modern day revelation from our Heavenly Father and from His Son, Jesus Christ. Which brings me to my next comment—my soul delights in the gift of modern-day revelation. The Lord has always given His children prophets to guide them in His absence. This principal is true today, just as it was true at the time of Moses, of Abraham, and of Isaac. In the Old Testament, in the book of Amos chapter 3, verse 7 we learn that God speaks to us through His prophets. The scripture reads “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s prophet on the earth. He is not just the prophet of our church, but he is called of God to be the prophet for the whole earth. He is lead by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know this is true. It is so wonderful to be able to hear from him and the other leaders of the church on a regular basis, but especially during General Conference. President Harold B. Lee said: “As the Latter-day Saints go home from this conference, it would be well if they consider seriously the importance of taking with them the report of this conference and let it be the guide to their walk and talk during the next six months. These are the important matters the Lord sees fit to reveal to this people in this day” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1946, p. 68). There are rarely new gospel principals revealed during General Conference. Rather, we are reminded of the principals that the Lord wants us to focus on because they will help us in today’s world. My soul delights in the scriptures. Lately I have been reading a book by Elder Gene R. Cook about the importance of scripture study. He commented that if we truly understood the importance of the scriptures, then we would realize that they are like letters from a loving Father in Heaven who wants nothing more than to guide us back home to Him. If we read the scriptures, ponder them, and then apply their teachings in our lives, then we will be able to make it home. We need to spend time every day reading the words of the Lord. It is amazing how much more patient I am with my children, how much more productive I am with my time, and how much more in-tune I am with the spirit when I am consistent with my study of the gospel. The Lord is blessing me with these gifts because I am willing to spend time with Him while I study His words. My soul delights in my Savior Jesus Christ. It is because of the Savior and his infinite atonement that it is even possible to achieve salvation and return to Heavenly Father. In John 17:3 we read “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” A few years ago our Stake Young Women’s president in Seattle challenged all the girls and the leaders to memorize the words of the Living Christ, a document published my the Church outlining our belief in Jesus as the Living Christ and Savior of Mankind. I was serving in the Young Women’s organization at the time, and accepted the challenge. It was an amazing experience to devote time memorizing the words of the prophets and of the scriptures. It is a beautiful testimony of the Savior. I would like to share part of it with you. “As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth. “He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New…He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come. “He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice…He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth. “We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world” (The Living Christ) My testimony of the Savior is certainly not as eloquent as the words I just shared, but I too have a testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the truest friend I have ever had or will ever have. He knows my weakness, but also knows my potential. The more I learn about the atonement, the more I realized that it is a very personal gift that the Savior as given to each of us. It works differently in each of our lives…healing the wounds and sins that are specific to me and to you. When I feel like life is too hard, all I need to do is pray to my Heavenly Father in Jesus’ name, and the healing peace of the spirit comes to support me in my trials. I know this is true because I have experienced it. I am so grateful for prayer for the inspiration that comes when we humble ourselves before the Lord. My soul delights in the Temple and the potential for eternal families. Of all the places on earth, the temple is the most sacred and holy place that we can be. It is truly the house of the Lord. In preparing for this talk, I came across a talk given by President James E. Faust entitled “Eternity Lies Before Us.” He answered the question—Why is it so important for us to build temples and worship there. He said, “It is because the deepest questions of our existence are answered in the temple. These answers tell us where we came from, why we are here, where we may go, and how we may cope with the matter of death. This life makes no logical sense unless we think in terms of the eternities. The transcendent blessings of life and eternity are received within the sacred walls of the temple. The Savior’s supernal gift to mankind gave us the opportunity for eternal life, but eternal life without our loved ones would be bleak. “A basic eternal truth of this Church is that families may, if they are worthy, have an eternal relationship; for us it would not be heaven without our parents, our grandparents, our eternal companions, our children, and our posterity. This union of families comes through the sealing power exercised within the hallowed walls of the temples under authorized priesthood authority” (James E. Faust, “Eternity Lies before Us,” Ensign, May 1997, 18). The blessings and promises of the temple make sense to me. It makes sense that Heavenly Father would prepare a way for all of His children to return to Him. It makes sense that He would want to preserve the relationships that we have worked so diligently to form during this life to continue in the next life. I love the spirit that is in the Temple. The worries of the world are left behind as you enter the Temple and they are replaced with the peace of the Lord. This reminds me of the words the Savior spoke as recorded in John chapter 14 verse 27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” The peace we feel in the temple can stay with us, if we continue to let our souls delight in the things of the Lord. Susan Tanner concluded her talk with these words: “To delight in Him is to acknowledge His hand in our lives. Our gospel duty is to do what is right and to love and delight in what is right. When we delight to serve Him, our Father in Heaven delights to bless us. I want to be worth always of His delight.” I also what to always be worth of Heavenly Father’s delight. I know that if we strive harder to feed our souls, then blessings will come and we will know that we are acceptable to the Lord.

Maui No Ka 'Oi

2008-06-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

Adam and I just got back from a week in Maui without the kiddos (a huge thanks to Mom and Dad Cramer for taking care of the kids...we weren't worried for a second!). It was paradise! We missed the kids, but we really enjoyed spending time with each other and packing our days full with hiking, swimming, snorkeling, and dining. It was my first time to Hawaii and Adam's first time in Maui. The locals have a saying "Maui No Ka 'Oi." It means "like no other." I have never been to the other islands, but I can't believe there is anyplace in the world quite like Maui. Here are some of my favorite places on the island...

This is the black sand beach near Hana. We took a nap here after the long drive and several hikes to waterfalls and pools along the way.

This is the bamboo forest we hiked through to get to the 200 foot waterfall pictured below. It was so high and a straight fall from the top.

We woke up early to see the sunrise (it was 8am in Seattle) and then went for a hike to the Venus Pool. It rained the whole way there, but it was a warm rain and added to the adventure (as if passing a "no trespassing" sign and squeezing through a small hole in a fence wasn't enough adventure). This pool was feet from the ocean and so private!

We had to cross a metal grate over an aqueduct to get to the waterfall. Most tourists saw the smaller waterfall closer to the road, but our travel book told us how to get back to this waterfall and pool. The water was freezing, but we had to jump in after hiking back to it. No one was there at first and a family showed up just as we were leaving. So cool!

We did a zip line adventure in the mountains above Kaanapali Beach. We zig-zagged our way down the mountain on 8 lines...it was awesome. The mountain was beautiful, but check out our view of the beach below!

We did a lot of snorkeling...I loved it! We took a couple of boat rides to Honalua Bay and Molokini, as well as snorkeled off the beach near our hotels. We ended up going 5 days in a row. This is a picture of us snuba diving at Molokini. It is like scuba only your tank is floating in a raft above you and you have 20 feet of hose to go to the bottom. The water was so clear here is was like swimming in a huge aquarium. We saw a ton of fish and saw a few turtles too! Our last day in Kaanapali we drove up to a blow hole in the middle of an old lava flow. We had to hike through terrain that looked like an old Star Trek movie and then we saw the blue ocean and water flying 70 feet in the air from this whole about 20 feet from the ocean...it was fun to watch. Again...we had the place to ourselves! We spent the last two nights in Wailea at the Fairmont Kea Lani. Here is a view of the pool and swim-up bar from our cabana. We spent our last day in Maui laying by the pool, sipping fruit juice, and relaxing. I would have been bored if this had been our first day in Maui, but it was a great way to end the vacation!

A Girl's Best Friend

2008-05-06T07:54:00.001-07:00

Marilyn Monroe may have said that diamonds are a girl's best friend, but I would beg to differ. I attended a class about the Holy Ghost that gave me a new perspective about who my best friend should be and can be. As we pray to our Heavenly Father in Jesus' name, we are able to receive answers through the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost can teach us and help us see life more clearly. I don't know about you, but I need all the clarity I can get. The world is chaotic and short-sighted, but the Holy Ghost can help bring order to our lives and give us better perspective as He teaches us truth and brings peace to our souls. The speaker pointed out that peace is the one feeling that Satan cannot duplicate. When we feel peace, it is the Holy Ghost telling us that we are on the right path. I love to feel peace...it is the best gift and it is something God wants so badly to give us. The speaker also asked the question: "Are your hands too full to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost?" I had never thought of it that way. But, there is only so much space in our lives and only 24 hours in a day. If we fill ourselves with the worries of the world, then there will be no room for a best friend who loves us unconditionally and prepares us to become better. We need to be available to receive His Gift. It is only through the atonement of Jesus Christ that peace and forgiveness can come, but it is the Holy Ghost that brings that message to us. I know that I need to be better at preparing myself so the message will come and that I can hear it when it does. I want the Holy Ghost to be my constant companion. It is pretty amazing to think that a member of the Godhead can always be with us, but He can. I truly believe that He can. I have felt His presence in my life and I miss Him when I am not living worthy to have Him near. Finally, as we learn to be humble and teachable, the Holy Ghost will sanctify us and take-away any desire we may have to do evil. In fact, we will be so filled with peace and truth that we will be repulsed by evil. This goes along with Sheri Dew's plea for us to be the last generation of women to be influenced by the world. As we become accustom to having the Holy Ghost as our best friend, we will no longer want to be influenced by the world and we will begin to be the ones who influence others to rally to the cause of Christ. Here are some great scripture references that go along with these thoughts! Enjoy! Doctrine & Covenants 121:46 John 14:27 Alma 13:28 Mosiah 5:2

I am Woman; Hear me Roar!

2008-05-05T08:34:00.001-07:00

I had the chance to go to Women's Conference at Brigham Young University last week. It was wonderful--just what I needed! I attended several classes and filled pages with notes. Usually my notes get lost or filed away and my good intentions of reviewing them get forgotten. So, this time I have decided to share with all of you some of my thoughts from the weekend. I want to start with the opening talk by Sheri Dew. She spoke about the influence women have in the world and that we must decided if and how we will use our influence for good. She said that there is no limit to our influence and that often times we are the ones that put limits on ourselves because we are not aware of what we can do or we allow the world to tell us that we cannot have a lasting effect. She encouraged us to rally to the cause of Christ and do more to help others "awake, arise, and come unto Him" (from Moroni 10:30-32). I want to do this. I want to make my life a ministry as she suggested. I want to focus my life and consecrate my actions so I can be an instrument in the Lord's hands for good. It is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day responsibilities or get discouraged because life is not what you expected it to be, but what a waste of our precious time here on earth if we allow ourselves to lose our way and forget our purpose. I will not forget...I want to do more. I want to leave a legacy of love and kindness and influence for good for my children to remember me by. I want to serve the Lord and do His will. I am so grateful for the chance to be reminded of these principles. Thanks for reading! I will post more of my experiences soon!

8 Years Down, An Eternity To Go!

2008-04-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

Today is our 8 year wedding Anniversary. We met as freshman at Brigham Young University and then started dating after he served his mission.

Here is one of our engagement pictures...we look so young!

We were married at 11:00 am in the Salt Lake City Temple on a beautiful Spring Day. It rained the whole way there, but after the ceremony the sun was shining and all the spring bulbs were glistening...it was perfect! Aren't the flowers gorgeous? (And isn't Adam so cute!?!) The last eight years have been wonderful...full of excitement, adventure, and lots of love! I am so grateful that I found Adam and that he wanted to marry me. I knew there was something different about him from our first conversation and I really wanted to know more! He challenges me to be better all the time...whether it is trying my hardest keeping a lead on him during the swim leg of a triathlon (he totally smokes me on the bike) or being more patient with our kiddos (he is such a calming influence and always knows when I need a break). He is truly amazing.

Thanks for always laughing at my jokes (even when they aren't funny), giving me hugs & kisses (yahoo!), bringing me flowers (like these that came to my door today!), working so hard to support our family (it's like pulling teeth!), playing with the kids (I can't make them laugh the way he does), and loving me in spite of my many flaws (let's not list those!).

Kocham Ciebie Adasek!!

(Did I spell it right this time?)

What has kept me from blogging?

2008-04-19T15:09:00.000-07:00

Well...life is what has kept me from blogging. I just haven't made the time to post...sorry! So, here is my apology...lots of pictures on the happenings in Olympia.

Adam and I got all dressed-up for the Couples Disco Skate at church...no one recognized Adam at first! He really knows how to work the mustache and the fake chest hair was...so gross! I got lots of compliments on my hair...now that is a 'fro!

Anders had his first egg hunt...he thought it was fun to put the eggs in his basket. He also enjoyed taking the eggs out and giving them to the other kids. Here he is giving some eggs to one of the neighbor girls.

Ella has been enjoying her horseback ridding lessons. She goes for an hour every Saturday to the Horsepower! Therapeutic Riding Program. There are two other kiddos in her class. They each have their own pony (Ella's horse is Jubilee), a guide, and two side-walkers. Ella loves it when they get to ride backwards and trot. She also loves her side-walkers...she always giggles at Jeff. Jeff has a big moustache and Ella thinks it is pretty funny. Maybe Adam should wear his fake moustache at home...Ella would love that!

My mom came up to visit for a few days and we had a great time, but she wasn't here long enough. She is coming again this summer for a whole week...yahoo! Ella giggled when she saw her and we could tell that she remembered my mom. Anders kept looking back and forth between her and me...I think he knew she was familiar, but wanted me to help know if she was okay. He was calling her "Grandma" by the end of the visit...she loved that!

Anders has learned to "show us your muscles." It is so cute! He even heard the word muscles on TV the other day and then looked at me to show me his muscles...so funny!

This picture was taken today...yes it snowed in Olympia today. Last Saturday it was 75 degrees and today it snowed! Here is Anders with his cousin Hannah...he loved the snow.

I didn't love the snow quite as much as I ran 10 miles in it with my friend Sarah. It was so cold, 32 degrees, and the snow was really coming down. We planned to run 18 miles, then we cut it down to 13, but we just couldn't make it home. We had to duck into a mini-mart to warm-up because everything was wet and our hands were freezing. We were going to go back outside, but decided to call her husband to come get us...we just couldn't run 3 more miles! Yikes!

So that is what we have been doing. Thanks for checking back in with us...I promise to be better at staying up to date!

The ABC's of Lauren (Thanks Mindy!)

2008-03-17T22:09:00.000-07:00

A- Attached or single: Attached B - Best Friends: Adam...he always smiles when I am silly and tells me I am pretty all the time. Lizzy...too many reasons to describe. The Seattle Girls...I miss our Girls-Night-Outs. My running partner, Sarah...I can't believed we still had stuff to talk about after 2 hours, 47 minutes, and 17.5 miles! I really have so many close friends...I feel so blessed! C- Cake or Pie: Chocolate cake with lots of frosting and a tall glass of ice-cold milk. D - Day of Choice: I have always loved Thursday nights...the last weeknight, lots of good TV, and relaxation. E - Essential Item: Music...when I am running, doing the dishes, playing with the kids. F - Favorite Color: Dark Purple...love it! G - Gummy bears or worms: Worms...I eat one color at a time! H - Hometown: Turlock, CA...Gotta love T-town! I - Indulgences: Uh...do I really have to admit this? Let's just say that I really like food! J - January or July: If there is lots of snow in the mountains, then January. If it isn't raining, then July. K - Kids: Ella and Anders L - Life is not complete without: Family and Friends...again, I feel so blessed M - Marriage Date: April 22, 2000 N- Number of siblings: 1...an amazing older sister who I miss terribly. I really wish she lived closer! O - Oranges or apples: A Fuji apple from the fruit stand on the way to Monterrey from Turlock...what was that place called, Mom? I remember eating one that I had to hold in two hands...yikes! P - Phobias or fears: I have a fear of birds...they freak me out. Q - Quotes - "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of neverending happiness" (King Benjamin in The Book of Mormon). R - Reasons to smile: Hearing Anders call me "Mom"...I have waited a long time to hear that! S- Season: Autumn T - Tag some friends: Becca (Stucki & Brandi) and Sara U - Unknown fact about me: V - Very favorite store: Ann Taylor Loft...I wear a size smaller there so how can I not love that place!?! W - Worst Habit: Popping my knuckles...Reagan Libby taught me how in the third grade and it still haunts me. X - X-ray or ultrasound: X-Ray...they are so cool! When I thought I broke my toe, I had Adam use the x-ray at the dental office to x-ray my toe. It was hilarious having to twist my body to use something for teeth on my toe. Every time I go into the office, my toe shows up when they go to look at my mouth x-rays...ha! Y - Your favorite food: Mexican...I just love everything about it from the fresh salsa to the sizzling steak fajitas to the guacamole. YUM! Z - Zodiac: Gemini

My Dad's 60th Birthday

2008-03-13T12:37:00.000-07:00

My dad turned 60 on leap-day this year. So technically he has only had 15 birthdays...this explains how young-at-heart he is. The day before he birthday, he hiked to the top of Baldy mountain at Alta and skiied down...he did it multiple times. Yahoo! I sure hope that I can do everything he can do when I am his age.

I love you Dad!

GoodSearch

2008-02-24T12:11:00.000-08:00

I just found out about the GoodSearch search engine. GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up! GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you’ll be supporting your favorite cause. I have chosen the International Rett Syndrome Association as my charity and I would love it if you could do the same. I changed my homepage to GoodSearch.com and it always remembers that I want to donate to IRSA. You can choose from lots of charities and can even add one of your own if you would like. The link is on the left-side of my blog...check it out! Happy searching & shopping!

Claire's and Lauren's Amazing Cookie and Cake Shop

2008-02-19T15:27:00.000-08:00

So, my almost-6-year-old niece and I have decided to open a cake and cookie shop (but not until she is 7, because 6 is too young, of course). I am not sure how this whole thing started, but she is jazzed and has created an elaborate business plan that includes a store-front, signs, matching aprons, etc. I may have mentioned once that it would be fun to bake a cake with her, after that she called me everyday until we calendared a day for us to bake.

This is a picture of our first creation...it actually looks better than it tasted, but it was a lot of fun to make. Since then we have made purple spritz cookies in the shape of butterflies, flowers, and wreathes (again, looked better than tasted), pink-frosted heart-shaped sugar cookies (getting better), and heart-shaped soft pretzels (the yummiest of all...and they were pink!). Claire is so much fun to spend time with...she lives across the street and has our phone number memorized so we see or talk with each other a lot. I really love being an aunt...I just wish I could live close to all my nieces and nephews.

Cute Boy

2008-01-14T13:52:00.000-08:00

So, it has been a long time...I have lots to say, but no time right now. Instead, I thought I would post a cute picture of Anders. He had a terrible diaper rash last month, so I let him run around half-naked with a hand towel tied around his waste. He looked so cute...like a little man. So, until I have more time...enjoy this picture of our little monster!

Relief Effort

2007-12-09T20:39:00.001-08:00

Most of you have probably heard about the flooding that has happened here in Washington. We were fortunate to not be directly affected, although there were parts of Olympia that received some damage. The most damage occurred south of us in Lewis County, causing 50 miles of I-5 to be closed for 3 days and President Bush to send FEMA to help. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the church our family attends) organized over 3000 people to help residents this weekend. Thousands of church-donated clean-up kits were delivered on semi trucks from Salt Lake City to two LDS chapels in Centralia and Chehalis. It was amazing to see how quickly the church responded to this disaster. Adam was able to go down and shovel mud, remove damaged furniture & appliances, and offer any other services the people needed. Here is a picture of what they did today.

This property was filled with 8 feet of water and many of the near-by residents had to be helicoptered from their roof-tops. Adam said he over-heard the owner say, "This is amazing! There are 25 people here helping me, and I don't know any of them!" Another said, "This is pure religion!"

My Natural Color

2007-12-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

So, I decided to go back to my natural color. I have been coloring my hair for the last 12 years, so most of you have probably never seen my natural color. Well...here it is:

I have to admit that this is the darkest my hair has ever been. In high school it was naturally a lot lighter. Over the years it has gradually gotten darker, but the highlights hid that fact very well. I was surprised at how dark it was, but I really like it. It is a fun change. Adam said he liked it, but quickly added "But, you'll lighten it again in the summer, right!?!" I think he prefers blonds!

Happy Birthday Anders

2007-12-05T14:32:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Anders' 1st birthday last week! I can't believe it has been a year. He is such an amazing little guy. Adam and I thank our Heavenly Father everyday for sending him to our family. He is so good natured and always makes us laugh. I love how curious he is and how determined he is to figure stuff out. I love that he steals Ella's blankie and then brings it back to her because he can tell that she needs it. I love that when we gave him his cupcake he prefered to eat it with a fork, rather than his hands. I love that he wants me to hold him and gives me lots of hugs. I love that he runs to see Adam when he comes home from work. I love that he is always smiling and rarely complains. I love that he is my little buddy and follows me around the house. Happy birthday sweet boy!

Ella's Little Arm

2007-11-07T15:49:00.000-08:00

Well, we are not exactly sure how, but Ella has broken her arm. Here is a picture of her with her cute blue cast. We noticed that she wasn't using it last night at dinner and would wince when we touched it. So, Adam took her to the doctor last night and then I took her to get an x-ray this morning. Here is the x-ray...the fracture is about two-thirds of the way up her arm.

Here cast will be on for 2 weeks and then they will x-ray her arm again to see if it is healing. If it isn't then they will want and orthopedic doctor to check her out...I am sure it will heal just fine. I just have to figure out what she is going to wear for the next 2 weeks...she has on an over-sized shirt today. Maybe we'll have to borrow some clothes from some of the neighbor boys!!

Ella's Books

2007-10-21T23:35:00.000-07:00

Ella has always loved looking at books. At one point it worried Adam and I that all she wanted to do was flip through books; we would even put her books out of reach to encourage her to play with other toys. Then we decided that it was great that flipping through books was something that she could do really well and we stopped being worried. Now we realize how amazing it is that she can look through books on her own since there are a lot of girls with Rett Syndrome that can't use their hands at all. It is funny how your perspective changes...Ella helps to remind us to be grateful for what we have. Here is a clip of Ella looking at her favorite book.

Walking

2007-10-21T23:31:00.000-07:00

Well, Anders is officially walking. It is so much fun watching him. He totally experiments with how far he can go...at first it was just from the couch to the ottoman, then from one corner of the couch to the other corner, and now he walks every chance he can get. I can't rotate this video clip, but you can still see how cute he looks with his arms up to balance him.

Funny Sister

2007-10-17T20:40:00.001-07:00

This picture was taken almost 10 years ago. I was visiting my sister and her little boy, Max. He was being super cute, so I took lots of pictures of him with her camera during my visit. Melanie sent me a postcard a few weeks later with this on the front. She always gives me a hard time about my long skinny toes and feet, but I love them so I never care. When I got this in the mail I laughed so hard. The caption totally fits his expression. I must have put it in a box somewhere for safe keeping, because I found it just the other day when Adam and I were going through our files. I just love my sister. She is always coming up with something...she is so funny!

Ella's Preschool Friend

2007-10-10T20:29:00.001-07:00

Ella's preschool teacher sent me this picture today. This is Ella with one of her classmates. Her teacher told me that this little girl really likes Ella and will play with her. It feels so good to know that Ella has friends at school that will be patient enough to interact with her. What a blessing!

Whoa!

2007-09-24T23:51:00.000-07:00

This is Anders' new favorite expression. It is usually in response to something exciting and is almost always accompanied with the sound of "whoa!" This last weekend he and I went to visit family in Utah. My sister and brother-in-law have two cats and Anders spent the whole time at their home saying "whoa!" every time he saw the cat, as well as in response to his two cousins Max & Sam playing with him, and his Aunt Melanie and Uncle Forrest giving him loads of attention. It is so much fun to see him make this face. Thanks for capturing it on film, Forrest!

The Bouncy House

2007-09-19T23:45:00.001-07:00

I took the kids downtown to the Percival Play Day--a free play day for kids. We met some friends and family down there and all the kids got to go in the bouncy house together. Ella was in heaven. She kept trying to climb back in the house when her turn was over. Here is a video...I love it when she laughs at her cousin Claire falling and then smiles at me through the ropes. It is so fun to see her happy face.

Another twin shot...

2007-09-19T23:35:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago I made spaghetti for dinner. It was a new recipe...a variation on my Italian Sausage Tomato Sauce. Instead of cooking the sausage up at the beginning, I made cheese-stuffed meatballs out of the sausage and added them to the simmering marinara sauce...super yummy! Anyway, the whole reason I wanted to mention this dinner was that while we were all enjoying our meal, I looked over at Anders and had a flashback of Ella eating my spaghetti when she was his age. I quickly got the camera so I could compare their tomato-stained faces later. What do you think?

9 Months Old

2007-09-05T22:26:00.000-07:00

Anders is 9 months old...he has been out as long as he was in! The time has flown by. He is so much fun to have around. He is always smiling and is super easy going. He is also finally sleeping through the night...Yahoo! I just love my little buddy!

Hood to Coast

2007-08-31T13:39:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I was able to participate in the Hood to Coast Relay...a 197 mile 12 person relay from Mt. Hood, Oregon to Seaside, Oregon. Yikes! It was amazing! Each team member ran three legs for a total of 14-20 miles, depending on the difficulty of the legs. Our team started at 3:15pm on Friday and I was able to run the first leg from the Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood dropping 2000 feet in 6 miles. It was a lot harder on my body than I thought it would be, but it was such a beautiful run...at least that was what I kept telling myself as I pounded down the mountain. I handed off the baton to our second runner and the relay was on! My next run was at 1:00am by the river in downtown Portland. Before the race, we attempted to sleep under a bridge and I got a good 45 minutes in before throwing our things in the van and joining the relay again. The second run was the hardest...my legs were sore, I was tired, and I didn't drink or eat before starting. I finished slowly and was a bit disappointed, but my teammates were supportive. My third run was awesome! We got a bit more sleep in a hay field in the town of Mist (and yes, it was misty in the town of Mist) and even though I was really sore, I had more energy than before. So, at 10am I took off on my third and last leg of the race. I even sprinted at the end and finished strong.

We all had a lot of fun. I ran with my running buddy and good friend Sarah, as well as our Bishop, 2nd Counselor, Stake President, and a variety of other runners from Olympia and Lynnwood. Here are some of my favorite pictures...

Me and Sarah at the Finish Line in Seaside

All 12 "Olympians" at the Finish

Satsop Triathlon

2007-08-08T16:51:00.000-07:00

Three words...I loved it! Doing a triathlon was so much better than I thought it would be. It was so fun to be in the water with tons of people...like a school of fish bouncing off each other! It was so fun to hop on the bike and go on the not-as-flat-as-advertised route. It was so fun to put my running shoes on and pass at least 5 (maybe more) people during the run. It was so fun! Adam beat me (of course) but I am still glad I convinced him to do it with me. I can boast that my swim and run times were better than his...he is just lighting fast on the bike, a whole 8 minutes faster than me. Yikes! We brought a sitter and Anders with us, so we got a lot of great pictures. Here are some of my favorites:

Waiting to start the swim!

And...we're off!

Me on my bike...tired but loving it!

Here comes Adam...1st in his age group!

Still smiling...when can we do it again?

Torchlight 8K Run

2007-08-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

I participated in the Seafair Torchlight 8K Run on the 28th...it was the most beautiful run I have ever done! I ran with my friends Peter and Mindy and a bunch of our friends from Seattle showed up to cheer us on.

So, about the route, they closed down the Alaskan Way Viaduct (for those of you not familiar with Seattle, it is the freeway that runs above grown between the Sound and downtown Seattle) and we ran the first 2 miles with views of the water and downtown without the noise of traffic...just perfect! Then we went around Seattle Center and through the Seafair parade route. There were tons of people waiting for the parade to start so they cheered us on and little kids lined up to give us high-5 as we ran past--seeing all the people made me run faster (plus it was downhill, so that definitely helped). My speed picked up even more when I saw Adam and the kids and heard my friends cheering me on.

Ella turns 4!

2007-08-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

We had a pool party for Ella's 4th birthday. She loves Grandma and Grandpa's pool so it seemed like the perfect place to have her party. We invited a few close friends and had a great time! It makes us so happy to see Ella happy and boy was she excited to be in a pool full of kiddos--the more splashing the better! This is a picture of her with her Nemo fish from Grandma Memmott...Ella thought it was funny! I can't believe Ella is 4...it really doesn't seem that long ago that she was a little baby. I just love Ella so much. She can be quite the handful at times, but she is really such a blessing in my life and in our family's lives as well. Here are a few things that I love about Ella: She loves to snuggle

She has an infectious laugh

She loves dogs...especially when they are big, barking, and running fast!

She loves to swim

She is always willing to share a bowl of ice-cream with me

She gives me high-5

She thinks I am silly

She has got great hair...thanks Adam!

She has the most beautiful eyes

She sucks her thumb...such a blessing and Dr. Cramer can fix her teeth later!

She holds my hand

She can run surprisingly fast

She is my little munchkin

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

So Cal

2007-08-08T16:09:00.000-07:00

Jack & Melissa

Adam and I left Ella with friends and took Anders with us to Southern California for Adam's cousin's wedding. What a great visit. We both wish it could have lasted longer...we love the Sanofsky's! Jack and Melissa were married in the Los Angeles Temple on Friday morning...it was a wonderful ceremony. We are so glad that we were able to be there. Most of Adam's mom's side of the family were there--Grandma and Grandpa, Aunts and Uncles, and lots of cousins. Jack's sister Erika was there with her husband and sweet daughter Caroline. Caroline has some severe health problems so it was nice that she was there...it was the first time we had met her. Adam held her for a long time...she really like him. It was good to talk with Erika and Bryce about the joys and challenges of having a child with Special Needs. Taking care of Caroline is a lot harder than taking care of Ella, but several of the emotions are similar. It was good to reconnect with them. We feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Caroline, Adam, & Erika

Grandma Sanofsky, Grandpa Sanofsky, & Anders

My New Favorite Website

2007-07-14T09:38:00.001-07:00

I have been training for a triathlon. The race is on August 4th and I am doing the Sprint category since it is my first time...500 meter swim, 12 mile bike, 5 K run. I am really excited about it! I even convince Adam to do it with me. He hasn't been training as much, but you know how men are...they can just do stuff like that. My friend Sarah put it to words perfectly, "Adam will be fine...he will just keep going, even if he is bleeding!" That is so true! Anyway, I have been running with a few of the ladies in my neighborhood for the last few months. At first I had to walk several times and couldn't go more than 3 miles, but today I ran 7 1/2 miles and I felt great! It is so fun to have good running partners...good exercise and great talks! Then, Adam bought me a road bike for my birthday. We went on our first ride together (12 miles) and he told me that I did 10 times better than he thought I would...I appreciated the compliment. Since then I have gone out by myself a few times, gone on more rides with Adam (33 miles last week...yikes!), and have gone out with the newly formed Thurston First Bank Cycling Team (we go every Friday at 4pm...my brother-in-law Tom put it together and it is a lot of fun!). I really love to ride my bike...it feels good to work hard and make it to the top of a hill and then speed to the bottom (up to 35 mph!). I have also been to the pool a few times and could not believe how much easier it is to swim now that I have been running more...the swim will be the easiest part for me. I am not writing all this to brag...I am just so excited about it. Which leads me to my new favorite website...mapmyrun.com You can map out your runs or rides so you know exactly how far you are going. Then, you can set up a training calendar and keep track of how far you have gone and how many calories you have burned. You can add any activity to your training calendar...it is really cool! Here is an example of the run we usually do on Saturday mornings: Pretty cool, huh!?! So...that is my new favorite website.

Hey...look at me!

2007-06-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

Our little guy has learned to pull himself to standing. Last night we thought it would be a good idea to lower the mattress in the crib because he has been more and more interested in pulling himself to standing and we have been finding him sitting up at the end of his naps. We moved it just in time...this morning I found him standing in his crib. He was so proud of himself.

Okay...after Mindy's comment about Anders looking like Ella, I just had to post one of Ella at 7 months to compare. Ella is chubbier and sans-dimples, but I totally think they look alike, too!

Tour de Blast

2007-06-28T16:08:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday Adam, Tom (our brother-in-law), and Vaughn (Tom's brother) rode in the Tour de Blast bike ride to the visitor's center at the top of Mount St. Helen's. It was 43 miles up (gaining 5000 feet) and it made me tired just watching the riders go up as I drove past them in the van. It was the longest ride Adam has been on this year and it wiped him out. Fortunately Liz (Adam's sister) brought tons of yummy food so we all ate really well at the top.

It was the first time I had ever been to Mount St. Helen's and it was amazing. It was pretty cloudy, but I was still able to see more of the mountain and all of the effects of the blast on the surrounding vegetation. It was crazy to see so much of the land look like desert, with fallen, burnt trees everywhere. It was still beautiful, though, as purple followers were growing amongst all the devastation (you can see the flowers in the bottom right of the picture below). I would like to go back and spend more time going through the visitor centers...maybe when the kiddos are bigger.

Rett Syndrome Strollathon

2007-06-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

We participated in our first Strollathon-"Stroll and Roll for Rett!" A few of our friends from Seattle met us there and we strolled around Anderson Park in the rain. It was fun to be there...I just wish we could have met some of the other girls. The rain made it difficult to mingle...maybe next year will be sunny! The best part of the whole event was that Adam and I were able to raise $1800 for Rett Syndrome research. Yahoo! The Seattle event raised over $15,000. Thank you to those who donated, to the Blaser's, the Malcom's, and Rachel Harrill for being there with us, and to all of you for being such good friends.

Nothing much...just needed a change!

2007-05-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

So, I was tired of looking at the "celebrity" thing, but I don't have much to say. I went to book club last night...we read The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. What a great book. It was an easy read and it really took you away to another world while you were reading it. I highly recommend it. It is the first in a three book series...I have already started the second one. Read any good books lately?

Celebrity Look-alike

2007-05-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

So, I really should be doing about 10 other more productive things, but instead I am doing this. I went to myheritage.com and did the celebrity look-alike test and the first one that came up was someone that people have said before...

What do you think?

Jane Austin Quiz

2007-05-19T21:44:00.000-07:00

My friend Paige posted a link on her blog about a Jane Austin quiz. It was fun to take and only took a few minutes. According to the quiz...

Take the Quiz here!

I have to admit, I was hoping to be most like Elizabeth, but was a bit surprised to find out that I was. There was a time in my life that I was a lot like her younger sister Lydia. I think it was my own friend Elizabeth that kept me from making some of the bad choices Lydia made. Since then, I have had many friends that have helped me become a more mature and better version of myself. It is fun to read novels and to compare yourself to the characters. I always want to have the good qualities they have and I rarely want to accept that I also have a few of the bad ones. In fact, one of my favorite things about Jane Austin books is that the heroins are able to change throughout the story--developing their good qualities, tempering their bad qualities, and becoming better people in the process. I hope that I continue to become better...I know that I will as long as I have friends like you!!

Mariner's Game

2007-05-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

We got to go to a Mariner's game last Friday...it was so much fun. Our seats were awesome...one of the perks of being a dentist is getting free tickets from the specialists and dental labs every once in a while. We took Anders, of course, and he was so good the whole time. The best part, though, was Adam walking around with Anders in the Baby Bjorn and listening to all the girls whisper to their friends "Look how cute!" I am not sure if they were talking about Anders, Adam, or the fact that Adam was the one carrying Anders...either way, I would have to agree with all three reasons. They are pretty cute!

A Wonderful Mother's Day

2007-05-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Today was perfect! It began with Ella being super happy to see me when I got her out of bed. Then, Adam made me a yummy omelet for breakfast and Anders slept until 8:30 am. We had a great meeting at Church and the priesthood took over during the third hour so all the ladies could attend Relief Society. During RS, we were served strawberry shortcake and enjoyed all being together. After church I stamped cards in my craft room while the kiddos napped and then we went to my in-laws for a great dinner planned by Adam and my father-in-law. Adam took Ella shopping yesterday and bought me a stereo for my i-pod so I can listen to my music in the kitchen. I also got a necklace that Ella made in preschool...it was a great toy for Anders as well! Thanks to Adam for being such a great husband and father...I am a good mother only because Adam supports me so much. I think we make a pretty good team! I hope you all had a perfect day too!

A little something for Ella...

2007-05-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

I sent this information in an email, but in case I missed you somehow, here is the information again! You may already know this, but after a few years of wondering what was truly going on with Ella, she has finally been diagnosed with Rett Syndrome (RTT). We had never really heard of RTT before she received her diagnosis, but it is the leading genetic cause of severe impairments in girls. Although Ella has a lot of developmental delays and challenges, she is very high functioning compared to most girls with RTT. She still may lose her ability to walk or use her hands and may develop other physiological problems, but we are taking one day at a time and enjoying her along the way. We love Ella so much and want to do all that we can to find a way to help her and other girls with RTT have better treatments and possibly even a cure. The Rett Syndrome Research Foundation (RSRF) is an organization that is committed to the pursuit of treatments and a cure for RTT and has raised nearly $9 million for RTT research. The RSRF Strollathon is the signature research fundraising event of the Rett Syndrome Research Foundation. It is a fun-filled event which will help raise crucial research dollars and also increase public awareness of Rett Syndrome in our community. On June 9th, our family will be participating in the Strollathon in Seattle. We will be donating money to RSRF at the event and wanted to let you know about the opportunity for you to donate as well. We do not want you to feel obligated in any way to donate. However, if you are looking for a cause to donate to, we would appreciate your support for research funded by RSRF. All proceeds from the Strollathon will fund research. If you would like to know more information about RTT, you can find a lot of great information at www.rsrf.org All donations must be received by Wednesday, June 6th. You can mail us a check made out to “RSRF” or you can make a donation online with a credit card at https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=8079. For online donations, please direct your donation to the Seattle Strollathon, by going to the drop-down list under “Program Area” and selecting “Seattle WA.” In the “Comment Area”, please type “Elizabeth Cramer.” (If that link doesn’t work, you can access the donation page from the RSRF main website on the bottom left of the screen) If your employer provides matching donations, please send us that paperwork as well.