Jackson's words

Jacksons words aren't many, but here are some.

Kack Kack = Quack Quack, meaning Duck.

CCCaca = Cookie, meaning anything good - including chicken nuggets and cap'n crunch cereal. He REALLY emphasizes the hard 'C' sound.

CCCah= Car. This could also be anything with wheels - a wagon, a truck, a skateboard.

Dada= Dad, Jasper

Mami - this is me, and a new one! I used to be Daddy too until a week ago.

Deeda= Jasper

Jaja - Jasper

Wishy= Fishy

Liah = Lion

Eeaah = elephant

nos, eyh, eah = nose eyes, ears

Zhoooosh = shoes

ha da = hot dog

gugle gugle gugle = The sound his toy drill makes

Peees! = Please

Nigh Nigh= Goodnight!

ROOAAARRR = His answer when asked, "What does Grandpa say?"

ROOAAARRR= What a lion says, or any other animal except a dog.

Hasssy= Horsey

There are a few more, but he mostly talks in whines.

I broke my camera so I'll have to post pictures later. Jackson is really cute, and Jasper is getting SO BIG. He's thisclose to being taller than me.

Ragnar - Legs 2 and 3.

I don't have any other pictures of me in the race. If I get some I'll post them later.

Leg 2 - I ran 8.5 miles downhill and some uphill.

Since it was mostly downhill, I didn't really think it would be very hard - except for the distance. In my head, downhill running = having roller skates on. Not the case! It is easier than uphill or flat, but you still have to run. duh.

It was HARD. And it was hot and the sun was burning and I got a little heat stroke.

Leg 3

After all 6 runners in my van ran their 2nd leg, we passed off our relay baton (neon slap bracelet) to van 2 and headed to an elementary school to sleep on wrestling mats.

By the time we got there there were no more wrestling mats. We ate and then tried sleeping on the hard gym floor. Some of us slept outside on the cold wet grass, some slept in the van.

Staci and I thought we found a gold mine by finding the wrestling room where the floors were not as hard and were kind of gross/squishy. However that room ended up being 84 degrees (there was a thermostat that we couldn't change) and there was a snorer.

I wish I had a picture of staci's tortured/angry glaring eyes. She wanted to kill the snorer. Eventually we got an hour's worth of sleep and headed off to leg 3!

At 3 am ish, I ran my last leg. Leg three was my easiest leg by far! It was 4.8 miles mostly flat. The hard part of leg 3 was the lack of sleep.

Overall, I really had a good time. But if you'd asked me if I wanted to do it again right before my third leg, or on the way home, I might have growled at you, then bit off your fingers.

After I got some rest and my the questionable toenail is still on my toe - I would say - Yes I would do it again - if we could please borrow someone's cabin. :)

I'm proud of myself!!

Now onto the next race . . .

Ragnar - Leg 1

I did it!

Let me make a few things clear. I am not a hard core runner. I'm more of a jogger. I run a 10 minute mile.

I was invited to run with some friends and I did it as a way to force myself back into shape, to get back to running which I've done off and on throughout my life.

This was really hard. It was such a challenge for me.

That said, I really had so much fun! I have definitely caught the running bug and can't wait for another race to run in. . .not quite sure if I'm up for anything ragnaresque for quite a while though.

We had to be up in Logan to start the race at 4:45. Once at the starting line, we went through a safety training, and I got on my reflective vest, head lamp and butt lamp. Then at 5:45 I started the race!

Here I am pre-starting line in the van, very nervous:

Here I am at the starting line:

Excuse my geekiness, it was early.

Leg 1 was supposed to be 7.9 miles, but ended up being only 6.8 ish. I finished it in under an hour.

Now on to leg 2. . .

I'm Crazy

I'm running the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay race tomorrow.

I'm crazy and super scared!

This race is a relay race from Logan to Park city - 188 miles. Our team is made of 12 women, and we each run three different legs of the race.

I am runner #1. My first leg is 7.9 miles. My second leg is 8.5 miles. My third leg is 4.8 miles. All if this is done in 2 days. To see the course maps, click here.

Right now I'm packing up all the socks I'll need, food, ipod, and treats.

If I survive, I'll tell you all about it. Wish me luck!

True Confessions

Sometimes when I can’t sleep – or when I’m trying to avoid folding laundry or another yucky chore, I watch:

QVC!

The Home Shopping Network. Who’s a nerd? ME!

There is something about it that just relaxes me. And I love to watch all the too good to be true products. And it’s fun to watch Joan River’s face NOT MOVE.

Some things I really do like – like Paula Deen or Rachel Ray cookware. That stuff makes me want to cook!

Some things I know would just be BAD, like the clothes. Hello, when even the models look dumb in the clothes it’s a bad sign.

ABCs

School is OUT! Summer is here!

One of my favorite parts about the end of the school year, is all the fun stuff Jasper brings home from school. Projects he has been working on, report cards, smooshed papers that were in the back of his desk informing his parents of a field trip that was last month.

Yesterday he brought home a fantastic hardbound book he made, entitled "History in Alphabetical Order" by Jasper Bennett.

Here are some of my favorite pages:

The quote bubble says "where's my body?"

"I dedicate this book to Jackson Parker Bennett"

"B is for Boycott - some people boycotted busses for Rosa Parks on December 1st 1955." The sign says "Let her go."

"Q is for Quakers - Quakers went to New Jersey to find a safe place because they were treated poorly." The guy is saying "I'm going to New Jersey!"

"C is for congress - congress is made of the senate and the house of representative." I like this one because I really think he captured the look of a congressman.

Food

I'm not a foodie. I could totally go without food if it wasn't necessary to survive. When I go to a restaurant I usually get the same thing every time, and it is usually very simple. I usually look forward to the drink as much as the food, if not more. I'm not a fan of meat in general (except, of course, bacon) vegetables, or most fruits. Although I will eat them, I'm not in love with cakes, cookies or donuts. How come I'm not dead or super skinny?

CANDY

CANDY is my thing, and Chips, and SODA.

And orange chicken.

Peeps? Yes, I like them. Candy corns? Yep. Fun Dip? NO.

I have the WORST diet ever.

At one point, all I ate for breakfast was Marshmallow Mateys, and all I ate for dinner was chocolate cake (see, I will eat cake on occasion). Of course this was pre-husband, pre-children.

If a BLT is on the menu at a diner, you better believe that is what I'm ordering. If its not - then a Club will suffice - after I take out the turkey (is that the other meat on a club?)

Swedish fish or Pie? FISHIES always win.

Now I'm paying for it. Jackson is the worst eater, EVER. He loves his milk (thank goodness), and he likes chicken nuggets and hot dogs, although he is also known to chew up a whole mouthful of hot dog and then spit it out with a smile.

Jasper is the best eater - he loves all his veggies, fruits, meats. He's not big into candy. His favorite food is salmon (I didn't try salmon until I was 25). And David loves all foods. Green olives anyone? Yes please, says David.

Where am I going with this? Not sure - I'm just frustrated after another dinner where Jackson ate only Cap'n Crunch.