RRR and 12 Pink tacos to go....

After doing the Red Rock Relay last year I told myself as fun as it was once was enough.  I found myself not only doing it again this year but in charge of trying to get the team together.  Clints work was amazing and sponsored us.  Then Haley, Ris, Sun and I put our heads together and came up with a team rather quickly given a bump in the road here or there and the 12 pink taco's were born.  To come up with a name was the first thing on the list.  An all girls team deserved an all girls name!  The Idea for the name came from Sun's husband and snowballed from there. We bought shirts then the Inkspot donated all the printing.  Ris came up with some awesome tattoo's!I might add that we were the most talked about team in the race said one of the race directors.  In a good way!!!  Here we all are before the race!!

Melissa*-Tasty taco*--Biz*-Tan taco*--Ris*-Dirty taco--*Sam*-Jersey taco--*Sun*-24 hour taco*--Shar*-Talkin Taco--*Jenn*-Weeping taco--*Haley*-"Run"-ning taco--*-Shan*-Never ending taco*--Cass*-Vegas taco*--Anne*-Twinkle toes taco--*Kristen*-Turbo taco***
Everyone came up with a name that in some way defines who they are or goes with there personalities etc... 

This is van #1

**Sun, Jenn,me,Shar,Ris,Haley**

This year we all went up together.  Rented 2 suburbans and all stayed at Haley's father in laws house in St. George.  It made it so so nice to have somewhere to go before and after the race to hang out and SHOWER!!  We all had a blast together. Staying up way to late (not smart van 1) eating, talking and doing what girls do!  Our suburbans looked so great by the way!!  Getting them cleaned after was not so great.  But well worth it!! 

First up Was Sun.  She rode the chair lift up Brian Head ski resort and ran down the mountain to hand off to Haley.  Coming down a rocky terrain and weeds and bushes up to your arm pits is not easy.  She "rocked" it!!  She was always geared up to start the next group of legs.  On the start of the second group of legs she was already up and going before I could snap pictures of the hand off.  Her third and final leg started out with a big hill. Not what you are looking forward to at 5 am!  This was Sun's first experience with this as it was for many of the girls!!! 

Haley is up next to do the "Diablo."  Last year this leg was 4.4 miles.  You really have to do this to understand what it is like.   It was the hardest leg in the race.  I automatically thought of my sister.  She is tough like that.  3 weeks before the race they changed the legs up and lucky her it got shortened to 2.8.  But still 2.8 miles at 11000 ft and gaining 1100 ft!!  If you could see this hill though its a KILLER!!  She ran it like she was taking an average stroll on the sidewalk.  As she did all her legs and the extra leg she ran when one of the girls got hurt as well.  She truly is so tough!  She endures to the end.  Even if it kills her.   She is truly one of the most inspiring people I know!  I love that we got to do this together!!

Haley got to hand off to me.  Haley's leg getting changed meant I picked up her extra.  My leg went from 7 miles medium to 8.4 hard miles.  My map also shows all downhill with only slight "rollers."  I do not know who maps out this race but let me tell you they are full of shit!  Sorry but it is the truth!  I do not like hills.  Truth be told its because they hurt!  I know they are my weakness.  So to start my leg I look up and there is a mother of a long hill.  And hills all the way through.  No rollers! To add to this run it has started to sprinkle.  Sprinkle that turned to rain, sleet, snow and eventually hail,  thunder and lightening!!  I don't remember listening to my ipod I just remember telling myself the faster you go the faster you are done.  I swear it helps knowing you have 11 other people that are waiting on you to finish.  You have to give it your all.  I ran it in 1 hour 9 minutes at an average pace of 8.20.

My second run started around 9pm.  It was 4.6 miles of  hell.  It climbed for 2.6 miles of a 500 ft gain and dropped for 2.  This for me was my hardest leg.  It took me 41 minutes and it sucked!  I got done and was looking at pictures and realized I Ris had to peel the band off my arm.  I am still wondering how I got done and where I was.  This is one leg I truly wish Ris, Haley and I were not back to back.  I for sure could have used a partner to help push me.

My third leg started at 620 am.  It was 2.56 miles.  Knowing this is it I wanted to get in and get done.  took me 20 minutes average pace of 8.10.   Yes thats me bent over "looking" for something in the bushes!! 

I handed off to Ris.  The weather had stopped and made for such a nice run.  Still only 39 degrees out.  Thank goodness she had her gloves to keep warm.  hahaha.  She killed her time as I knew that she would.  Her second leg was nothing short of nightmare run!  It is one of those things you truly have to see to grasp the whole situation.  It is 5.8 miles of hill and pure dirt in the air and on the ground.  One of those runs that test really how much you can push yourself.   You can hardly see its so bad.  She did amazing as I only knew that she would.   She smoked all of her runs.  Its so great to be able to look out and see her singing out loud to herself as she is grooving along!  We really do need to come up with a way to not run back to back so that we can help each other out when we need it!!  she definitely pushes me on some of our mountain runs and I am so thankful for her in so many ways!!

Ris got to hand off to her sister Jenn.  She did awesome.  Coming from sea level and going too 11000 ft above sea level is tough!  She got to run the legs I did last year.  They are not easy and she did amazing!  Her first leg is a solid winding uphill.  Her second run was midnight and hills and solid dirt on the ground and the air.  Her last run is early am and it overlooks the city of St. George.

Jenn handed off to Shar.  Shar got recruited a weak before the run because someone had dropped out.  So glad they did.  Shar was perfect!!!  She was so much FUN to have in the van and she did awesome.  She for sure will forever be a "pink taco."  She is such a positive person as well as a fabulous runner!!  Thanks to her we all now know words to songs I am sure we were mumbling to ourselves before!  We all came home thinking we needed to step up our cooking skills as well!!

I sadly don't have a lot of pictures of van 2.  All I know is that they were all amazing.  We were with them on the final legs of the race.  Seeing them run those uphills in the dead heat was crazy!  All in all could not have asked for a better team!!  It took us 28 hours to finish.  We ended up coming in 5th for the girls over all and 50th out of 212 teams. I think of this race kind of like child birth.  You are so excited and scared to start. Then comes the pushing, exhaustion, can I do this, no sleep, getting sick, dry heaving/throw ups etc.. Then when its all done you forget the pain and you are left with a feeling of accomplishment and "did I really just do that!" I always say that I won't run it again but I am sure I'll be in and ready to go for next year!  One thing is for sure I could not imagine doing it without my sister and best friends!  It makes the WORLD of difference knowing they have got your back!

This is probably one of my favorite photo's from the race.

For more insight go here and here!!!!  I love reading every one's different views from the race!!!

Clint's second love..or is it his first?!?!?!

I know Clint loves the Fall as much as I do.  Maybe him even more but for different reasons.  Me, I know that Peaches are over, bring on the pumpkins, leaves changing and cooler temps.  Him.....THE HUNT!!!

I have known from day one what I was getting into when it came to his hunting.  Even more knowing I have three boys.  Especially Colt who is a mini Clint!  Clint LOVES knowing he has three boys to try and get away with every hunt, gadget and gun that he can. Examples...he will say things like "well Colt really needs this gun" or "Dakoda and Gage would have so much fun with this hunt."  Really honey, you have got to come up with something else.  I really try not to complain..meaning-how long you going, when will you be back, who is going and HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?!?  He knows how much getting out with my friends, running, and just me time mean to me.  I know that this is his version of "running." I really try not to touch the subject!

I will say this Elk hunt is way over due. So glad he got a nice one.  I have seen him there for everyone else so its nice to see him get one for a change.  He also went to Montana and got a nice buck.  As nice as all this is I have to say its even nicer that he is finally home!!  Between work and hunts he is over due for some home bonding time!!!

Flaming Gorge...Labor day weekend!

Love everything about Flaming Gorge.  Labor day weekend especially.  We always look forward to going out there!  Mountain exploring, parades, smores, fires, good runs with Haley, and this year we learned Haley's secret talent, dance choreographer!!!

My dad is a kid at heart!

A little duck duck goose...

On our way to the parade

This little parade is the best!

Gage learning Haley's sweet dance moves!

Last bust not least..trying the jump picture...key word, TRYING!

Baby Wyatt and Easter!

Its been awhile since I have posted. The warm weather comes around and you just want to stay outside and soak it up! Over Easter we got a new baby! Clint's sister Ash had her little guy on April 11. Wyatt came three weeks early and weighed in at 5lbs 14 oz. He has had a little struggle with his oxygen and eating therefor is still in the hospital. He look EXACTLY like his older brother Bridger. Its crazy how much they look alike! Both kids are a good mix between Daddy Cole and Mom. He is so stinking CUTE! We can not wait for him to get home!!!!


Bridger patiently waiting to see his baby brother...

Easter was relaxed. So relaxed I didnt even take pictures of there cute baskets or nothing. I grabbed my camera for a few shots of the Eater egg hunt at my moms! That's about it!!

Whats Easter without the bubbles!!??

Just a few of the many.....

...reasons I LOVE being so close to my parents. OK so right next door. When the kids come home and inform you that they have a project due the next day and it involves being crafty what do you do? Send them to grandma! My mom has always been so creative. Colt had to build some sort of Valentine box so my mom helped him make a treasure chest for his Valentines. It turned out really cute and he won first place. I know it sounds lazy on my part but it honestly is not the case she is just great with coming up with stuff!

Another reason. My sis asked me to ride with her so Gage and Koda went over to my moms. They thought it would be funny to draw on there face with a permanent sharpie marker! Well my mom thought it would be even funnier to help them out and finish it off. Then when I got back Gage says to me in a Nacho Libre voice.." Mother while you were away I became a man"!

That is just a couple of the reasons why I love living so close. Honestly though I LOVE it. And I could come up with a billion reasons. When people hear I live next to her I either hear "you are so lucky" or "how do you do it, I do not think I could live next door to my parents"? I lived super close to my grandma growing up and I have so many great memories of going there all the time. So I am glad my kids get to experience the same thing! They are so great with my kids even when they have things going on they need to do they always take the time to be around them. We finally put an alarm on our house because Dakoda liked to leave the house around 9 or 10 at night and run over to grandmas and Papas house for sleep overs. Now we can hear him coming and going from the door chimes. Colt loves that they have survivor night and the amazing race night at Grandmas each week. And I am sure my parents love the permanent hand outlines on there kitchen wall from Gage at two. Or the permanent name Gage wrote in there carpet in there bedroom. Or the coloring that Dakoda decided to do on the only canvas print of our family in there house! And yet after all this they still can not get enough of each other. Or maybe they can and that's why my mom says she will be moving tomorrow at 1 o'clock! he he. If you know my mom you will know that she is all about the fun and would not have it any other way!!

Family Pictures 2008

For any one that knows me I LOVE PICTURES! I always have. My house is full of them from corner to corner room to room. I usually take my own family pictures but I decided to have someone else do our family pics this year. I came across an old friend that has since became a photographer and had her sign us up. Jess did a great job, and we got A LOT of pictures. It was so nice to find someone to capture exactly what you are after. She got exactly what I had in mind so I got to sit back and let her have at it! Bonus for me I did not have to be doing the running around this time. I think it is stressful enough trying to figure out what to wear, where to go etc.. Or I just put way to much stress into it all when it comes times to take family pictures. Any way I am so glad they turned out!!!