Best of Brenda (between 4 and 5:30 pm Friday)

When I heard there would be horses at the ward camp-out I knew Brenda needed to be there.

Brenda triumphed the 'biggest mountain'.

Watching the horses

Would you believe I edited myself out of this shot? True! I was walking behind Suzanne.

While patting 'Topsy' she muttered, "It's WONDERmrufm". (wonderful?)

(And because Brenda is SO loved by our fellow church members, she got an extra long ride.)

Do you have plans Thanksgiving weekend?

Well I just had a fabulous run tonight! (I should say last night since I'm in the wee hours of the morning now...) My good friend, Sara, and I have started a schedule/routine to prepare us for a MARATHON in 4 months.

That's right! (I hesitate to announce this as I'm not yet 100% sure about the date, but nevertheless I am preparing...)

I've enjoyed running for a long time but used to think that people who run marathons are extremists.

'That's silly. I just like to run. I'm not going to KILL myself...'

But my attitude shifted after reading 'Born to Run'.

'OK, people who (risking death) run 150 mile races in 130 degrees... THEY are the extremists.'

....I just like to run. So why not a marathon???

Take a few minutes if you're bored...

Yesterday I had three hours alone in a car. (wedding shoot) On the radio I listened to a food critic talk about how a new dessert (consisting of mustard, pretzels, and chocolate) is going to be a BIG sensation. I sang with ZZ Top at a dangerous volume. And I rejoiced when a station went from MJ's 'Man in the Mirror' to JM's 'Who Says'.
...What else? Well, I ate a tuna sandwich. I thought about stopping to buy gum. Pulled over once to chat with my honey. And I stared straight ahead as I sailed passed the DQ.
What's the point of this story? I dunno.
Today I've been sleepy. I botched up oodles while accompanying the church choir. I NAPPED. I thought about making cookies. And I wrestled the kids on the trampoline. (and totally won.)
...That's not all! I watched Monk. Read a few chapters of 'Anna Karenina'. (Almost done!) And I wrote this blog post.
If you're still reading you'll be interested to know that now it's scriptures, prayers, and a few hours of beauty sleep. (HA! Like I need that...)
Oh wait, were you hoping to hear about the kids?

What Brenda does with leftover chocolates

hmmmm, they do look familiar....

Can you name these two babies?


OK, it's Mike'n Me. He's looking mighty tan while I'm just scandalous. I had these pics for the "name-the-relative" picture wall at the reunion. (My mother-in-law organized it. Told ya she's creative!)

critique of the caramel s'more

It's GOOD. Whoever thought to put a caramel swirl in the marshmallow... I'm sending them happy vibes ~*~*~*~ And speaking of our weekend trip...
We spent Friday to Monday at the beach with Mike's extended family. Everyone congratulate Mike for winning the Finnish Wife Carrying Contest. He was quite proud of himself. Did anyone get a picture of that? If yes, hopefully it's from Mike's left side so it doesn't look like a Lindsay-butt atop a Mike-body. I'd love a copy!
Something I don't want to see a picture of is my sis-in-laws and I doing synchronized swimming in the hot tub. I'd like to think we were spectacular but a picture might say otherwise.
Garret loved the beach. Every time we left our little apartment he immediately bolted with a maniacal laugh. He spent the beach time laying in the warm sun but every so often he would hop up and SPRINT towards the water. He always stopped just to tap his toes in the water but I still had to sprint with him just in case he was extra brave.
Brenda worked on burying her feet and castles. I think when she realized her castles didn't look like castles on TV she "pshaw"-ed it and stuck with the burying.
Suzie was nervous. As long as she was right next to Mike or me, she would sit and poke the sand with a stick, singing loudly. When a couple walked by with a dog she laughed and barked!! She did! HAHA!!
All I wanted to do on the beach was nap. But worrying that your kids might perish, without adult supervision, causes insomnia.
We played card games, ate lots, made bracelets, even formed a Finnish choir. Needless to say we came home Monday all tuckered out.

Now that's all fantastic but I want to tell everyone about what we did last night. The organization 'Autism Speaks' hosted a free family night at the Childrens' Museum. I've joined a team for the 'walk-now-for-autism' event in September. I need some creative ideas for fund raising. I think I'll start a facebook page... If you'd like info here's the *website*.
There was a presentation to inform us of the research happening all over the world that the funds contribute to. Some fascinating stuff. And when a few parents spoke about their kids I teared up. Not sadness but a reverence for the 'club' that we were thrown into when our kids were diagnosed. There are some precious people here.

Shame on me for forgetting my camera. Mike's phone-cam came to the rescue...And last but not least, the right side of my throat hurts ever so much. I hope I'm not dying 'cause I got a busy weekend...