2009-2010 Project

I may have underestimated the project I have just gotten myself into this school year. I want to make sure that the kids know that I care about them. I decided to send home birthday cards {via mail} to all of my students this year, {hand made ... of course!}

I just sent out my first two today ... YAY! I hope that it will help me stand out above their other teachers. I also hope that I can make "boy" cards that the males in my classes will enjoy. Another hope is that I will be able to make enough cards for all of my students. It is a big project and will take a lot of time, but will be worth it. I'm excited.

Officially

They just posted my official time. 31:26 ... that's a 10 min 6 sec. mile. I was less than 1 second behind my co-worker, Mandee! I came in 137th out of all of the 740 5k runners/walkers and 47th out of the 231 in my age group. For my first race ... not too shabby!

31:56

AT MOST

Joe and I started making goals about a month ago. We were talking about physical goals -- I didn't really want to be part of his whole "let's run together" gig. He is such a good husband -- I know that he was trying to be supportive ... but I could tell that he really wanted a running partner. I just honestly didn't know HOW I could do it. I've never been able to run before. {{Don't forget run = jog for me!}} On July 21st Joe handed me the newspaper that we get in the mail. On the front of it was an advertisement for the Wasatch Woman Love Your Body 5K/10K race. I thought -- I'm not getting any faster just sitting here ... and before I could talk myself out of it I registered!

That's where it began.

Today was the day we were looking forward to. I woke up after 6 a.m. to eat breakfast ... I didn't want a full belly while I ran! As we take the three freeway commute to sugar house park, butterflies flutter in my stomach. The whole time I'm thinking that I wish Joe could be with me ... running. Joe drops me off at the base of the hill and I follow the herd of woman. There were over 1350 woman at this event. I follow the stretches from the woman on top of the van -- all awhile feeling like I am part of something. We stretch, get in line, and wait. I was near the back and I soon see two smiling Boucher faces coming towards me. I am so grateful for Joe and his support. First the 10K folks take off and I shift my way closer to the front. When it was our turn excitement filled my soul and I get into a steady pace. Not once did I feel alone.

We needed to make two laps around the park to reach a 5K. The course wasn't a nice flat terrain -- there was two nice hills (four total with the two laps). I tried to concentrate on stretching out my stride on the uphill and catch my breath on the down hill. The first mile is the toughest and I just try to keep up. I was passed by the fast runners, but I also was able to pass up slower runners. That felt good! I get to the top of the 2nd hill and I see those two Bouchers that I adore. It felt good to see him -- he kept me going.

The second lap was easier than the first. My body was warm, my muscles ... a little numb ... and adrenaline pushing me to the end. My only goal was to make the whole race without stopping. I didn't care what the time was ... I just wanted to run it all. I am SUPER DUPER proud to say that I accomplished that goal. As I was passing the finish line I gave it all I had. I was absolutely shocked to see my time 31:56! That can't be! That's just over a 10 minute mile! This is not my official time -- they will email me that sometime, (they had chips on our shoes that marked when we crossed the starting and finishing line -- so it didn't matter if we were in the back or front of the pack... COOL!)

My next race is on September 12th. The proceeds of that race go towards kids with Dyslexia. Joe is going to register for that one today. Then we are going to both run Moab on December 5th. This is going to be my first 10K.

I RUN ...

for me.
for fun.
for health.
for a cause.
for the competition.
for solidarity.
for my body.
for a better life.
for clarity.
for my family.

5 Months already

A couple of weeks ago I went to a party. There was another little girl there and the mom asked how old Jace was. I said 4 1/2 months. I then proceeded to ask how old her baby was and she said 7. Now CLEARLY this girl was smaller than Jace -- so I stuttered: Weeks? "No Months" the woman replied. Jace could eat her. He is getting SO SO big! I can hardly handle it. It saddens me to know that our daytime hours are limited -- since I will be going back to work on Thursday. He is so much fun to be around -- and I love him very much!

At 5 months I can ...

He has made such phnominal progress in the last month. He can now successfully roll from his front to his back, (but he has been doing that for months now ... ) and from his back to his belly. Today he was crawling in circles on the floor -- it is just a matter of time until he puts some distance into the crawls. Jace is eating "big boy" food now -- just trying squash yesterday for the first time. He finished his bowl clean at dinner. He is on a pretty routine schedule -- eating 4 times a day + 2 solid foods, taking 2 naps, and sleeping well into the morning. We might just have to start waking him up in order to get to work on time! He has just started playing with his toes. He will giggle when you dance with him and talk to you while you ... pretty much do anything. He is still fascinated with everything around him -- loves to look at lights, fans, and watch his mommy drink from her water glass. Jace is in love with his dogs. He loves to play with them, pet them, and yes, even get kisses from them! I can't believe that it has been 5 months since his arrival into our lives!

This last month's adventures:

Playing with Millard the Moose
(brought back from Indiana!)

Showing Off DADDY'S dimples!

Hanging with Uncle Ian (Unca-E)
While Mom and Dad are at the Temple Open House

Rice Cereal for the First Time

My First Camp Trip to Fish Lake

Five Months(notice his rosy cheeks? He got a little sun camping ... oops!)

Never Thougth I'd Say This ...

Every morning as I drive to work, I marvel at all of the early morning runners. I frequently would watch them run -- wishing that I were the kind of person that could get up and run like them. For YEARS I figured that I couldn't do it. I have been addicted to my sedentary lifestyle. I allowed food and the TV to control my life.

Joe signed up for his Wasatch Back Relay and disciplined himself to get into shape. Multiple times a week he would leave myself and Jace at home so he could run. He was doing it. I didn't really want to be part of that life style. I was ashamed that I could barely run a block without giving up. Thinking about it, I don't know if I gave up because it was just too hard -- or if because I hadn't really succeeded at it before and I was afraid to.

As mentioned several weeks ago, I signed up to run my first ever 5k. I have ran 3xs a week for three weeks now, each day beating a personal record from the time before. Three weeks ago I could run .4 miles without stopping. I was so proud of myself (as I should have been). Each time got better and better. Earlier this week I completed my first two mile stretch. It hurt -- but I was so proud of my accomplishment.

I needed to run tonight in order to get my 3xs this week. The problem is that I am surviving off of less than an hours sleep last night. My body is exhausted. My mind is tired ... but I know I have to go. All I want to do is better than Tuesday.

We start and my calves just cramp. I stretched them out and pushed through the pain. Once I noticed that I had come pretty far I realized that I would be passing my 2 mile mark -- and I was still feeling pretty good! I could go 2 1/2. Once I got to what I assumed was 2 1/2 miles I knew I had to finish my 5K ... which is approximately 3.1 miles.

There is a website you can go to and track how far you ran. Immediately when I returned home I mapped out our course. My jaw hit the ground at the result. I NEVER NEVER thought I would be able to run 3.7 miles straight! AND there is still 2 weeks before the big run. I have far surpassed any of my expectations -- I now know not to underestimate myself.

I am so happy of the changes that Joe and I have made in our lives. Neither of our goals are to be stick thin -- or super model - ish ... Our goal is to be healthy. I want to be healthy for my family. I want to be healthy for Joe ... and for the first time in my life ... I want to be healthy for me.

The Fetcher

Jace likes to be outside. Last Sunday the poor little guy was getting restless indoors so we took him and his BIG puppy outside to play. Daphne LOVES to play fetch. Jace was on my lap enjoying it -- probably more than she was. Joe pointed out Jace's reaction and I HAD to get it on video.

He is pretty much the cutest kid ... on the planet!

Messy Eater

There comes a time in every man's life where he needs to start eating food with a little substance. This time has come for Jace. Our pediatrician, Dr. Witt, told Joe that Jace is ready to start eating solid food any time from 4 - 6 months. We wanted to push it and wait as long as we could ... but then realized that I will be going back to school soon. We thought that it would be important to get him used to solids before school started.

Since he was born I have had an unusal desire to make all of his food. I say unusual simply because I usually take the easy way out. Joe and I bought a nice food processor and I found a great website geared for making baby food ... and I was ready to go. What do kids start with? Cereal! To make rice cereal, you grind brown rice into a powder. Then, when it's time to eat, you boil 1 1/4 cup water with 1/2 c. rice powder for 10 minutes. You then add as much formula (for me) or breast milk (for the "lactators" out there) to give it a nice smooth consistancy. When you buy baby cereal the rice has already been cooked, which is why the boiling is necessary -- leaving it in it's raw state makes it difficult to digest.

I got out the grinder that Ann and Wayne gave us for Christmas last year and was ready to go! After several minutes of cranking (it's a manual grinder) I had a nice fine white rice powder. I dumped it into a ziplock, dated it, and threw it into the fridge.

Last week We made up the cereal for Jace ... here we go! We put his favorite bib on him **Spit Happens** set him in his bumbo chair, and tried it out. He only ate 1-2 tablespoons -- but did very well. Unfortunately our battery on the camera was going out and we didn't get much in the way of pictures, so the photos you see here are day 2 of cereal. He has had it for 4 days straight now -- and seems to really enjoy it. Next week we'll start feeding it to him in the morning and at night. Then the next week after that we start with squash!

Oh how his diapers will change ....

Answered Prayers

Last night we had a home teaching/FHE/Dinner with some friends in our ward. The home teaching lesson was on Prayer -- and specifically -- pointing out, especially to your children, when things you pray for are answered. Today I had such an experience.

Jace woke up VERY warm today. Our house is crazy hot -- very uncomfortable! Jace was burning up so I took his temperature -- I wasn't expecting to see 100.9! I apologized over and over again about the heat. I feel awful that HE has to suffer through it. I can deal with it ... as can Joe ... but Jace didn't ask to be this hot. I got down stairs and said a quiet prayer asking for help. Either an opportunity to get our air fixed, (which we can't afford), or relief in the weather.

As I was watching the 8a.m. news I was baffled to find that there is a storm that has been brewing for the last two weeks. The temperature will be nice and "cool" this weekend! (Relatively cool at least!) I am so grateful for answered prayers. I don't know how long this cool spell will last, but I am sure going to enjoy it this weekend.

BTW Jace's fever has broke ... and he is doing much better.