Zion Trail Relay

I knew it was going to be a good trip when we found this little number in LaVerkin.

It's a self-serve ice shack.

THAT is brilliant.  And it worked like a charm.

This is me and Jacque.  Jacque and I met in Kirksville.  We were friends in K'ville, participating in SAA (a groups for medical student wives).  We also spent a fair amount of our time going to Antique stores and estate sales--mostly looking, never buying!  

Jacque and Matt moved to Michigan with us which is where we really spent a lot of time together.

When we moved to MI, we went house hunting together, caravanned with U-Hauls together.

Jacque had a 2 month old and I was 8 months pregnant.

Grace and Sierra spent a lot of time together which they clearly do not remember.

I still remember saying good-bye to Jacque the day we moved from Michigan to Mississippi.

I was leaving behind a yellow, antique chair we found at the Salvation Army and she sent us with a goody bag of treats and goodies to help us on our 12 hour drive to MS.  That was the last time I saw Jacque....

Until the Zion Trail Run Relay.

We had text each other and I knew she was there.  Their team had the earliest start time (12:00)

We were setting up our camp and I heard them call out the name of her team. 

I knew I would probably find her at the start line.

So, I ran to the start line (probably my fastest run of the week.)

I easily recognized her from the back and yelled her name.

We hugged and cried and talked and talked and talked.

It's been 11 years and it seemed like no time had passed at all.

 Here we are with the guys...

Kelli, Matt, Rick and Jacque

Rick gets ready for our start time of 1:00 pm.

This is our campsite...3 more tents would eventually join us.

We thought this was hilarious...

Scott with his 7 oz. diet pepsi and pregnant Kelli with her 1 liter diet coke.

Ponderosa Ranch...

This is the transition tent where one runner would finish and turn over the timing chip to the next runner.  (we lost approx. 1 hour in our transitions.)

Rick, getting ready for his next run...

Photos taken by Rick on the yellow trail...Sunrise with the full moon to the west...

Sadie stretching after her first run...

Our team was originally going to be a group from the hospital.  However, lots of people dropped out and we were left scrambling at the end to fill our spots.  Sadie was happy to join our team.  It took a lot of convincing to get Scott to run.  But, we still had one spot open with one week before the race.  Scott was able to convince Jared to join us.  Luckily he did--he was probably our best runner since he was training for the St. George 1/2 Ironman the following weekend.  

This is Jared and Kelli after Jared's last run--7.2 miles in the heat of the day at 1:13 ish.

They left immediately after this run because they had sick kids at home.

John (in the green) had just crossed the finish line to complete the run for our team.  He was also running the 7.2 killer trail in the heat of the day.  His words when he crossed the finish line..."NEVER AGAIN."  John was on the team that ran Red Rock Relay last fall.  He had sprained his ankle in the first mile of the first leg in that relay.

Finishers! (minus Jared)  We did it and we didn't come in last.

Dr. Hooker Retirement Dinner at Sundance

 Whenever they have group dinners or anything for Rick's work, he usually lucks out and is working.

We've missed out on things like Carrabas and Chef's Table.

But, not this time BABY.  Dinner at Sundance.

 This was a wedding reception that was happening.

Rick told me not to take pictures of the reception because the girls might see them and get their hearts set on something that he isn't willing to "pick up some extra shifts for".

I just wanted to pretend that we were guests of Art & Rebecca so we could see how the other half lives.

But, our event was across the water in the Redford Room...

 So, this dinner was a retirement party for Keith Hooker.  This was as close as I got to a picture of Dr. Hooker.  The funny thing about it is that I still don't view Dr. Hooker as one of Rick's partners.

Dr. Hooker started in Provo in 1972.  He pretty much started the entire program there.

He took care of almost any kid in the Valley at one time or another when I was growing up.

He had daughters that we close in age to me.  

They went to a different school, but they danced and I danced.  I knew who they were.

So, it's just weird to me still that Rick and Keith are partners.

 The dessert bar.  Not a great picture.  But, I love how they just threw out some boards and some big flat rocks from the River just out the door and plopped some cheesecake on them.  Looks great.  Tasted better.

Here are Cameron and Kim.  Cam and Rick went to school together in Kirksville.  They went to MI to do rotations when we did and we were next door neighbors.  

I couldn't decide which pictures to use.

Cameron kept trying to pose crazy and the poor Sundance lady didn't know how to react.

Brandi helped me pick the outfit.

Good times.  Good food.  I gained 2 pounds.

Michiganders Reunion in Utah

last weekend there was a Michiganders in Utah Reunion.
Rick had to work but I took the kids.
All who lived in a 2-3 ward area over about 10 years were invited.
I have to say that as hard as it was to live through Michigan winters that last 9 months and only see 5 hours of daylight in the dead of winter...
I LOVED MICHIGAN.
From the first time I went to the Grand Blanc ward at 9 months preggo to when we moved 3 years later,
I had the best friends.
The only problem...we all lived about 40 minutes from each other.
Good thing that Katie lived right in the middle.
And good thing that she loved to host a party.
And good thing our kids were the same ages and got along wonderfully...
(except when Kira crawled on top of Sierra and ate her head at the Easter egg hunt and the guys were too busy with video cameras and the ladies were too busy with cameras of their own to notice...)

Katie and Kelli 

Gabe and Summer 

Michigan Babies...Sierra & Kira

All of the Michigan Kiddos...McKade, Kira, Gabe, Sierra, & Summer

Marty, Katie, Kelli

Klixi, Katie, Kelli

Klixi got a hold of everyone she could find and the word spread on Facebook.  A lot of friends were missed, but it sure was good to see some old familiar faces.  Thanks everyone.  I had a great time.

Birthday 2003

 In Michigan...

Kelli's birthday in Michigan 2003. (the 2nd time we lived in MI)

It looks like I got some socks, clock from Target and a Cooking Light Cookbook.  Sierra is eating the chocolate cake that Rick made for me.  (apparently he didn't get the memo about angel food cake)