Day 27,28, 29 Summer is almost over!

Day 27- Finished my 10K!!!

About a month ago, I set out to complete a 10K as one of my goals for summer. Last Friday night, I smashed that goal!

Shane and I had arrange for my dad to come out and spend the night. He was going to help support me at the race and watch Taylor. He came over right after work and enjoyed dinner with us. Then he played with Taylor and watched Frozen for the very first time. It was sweet to watch him spend some one on one time with her. It was so funny, because Taylor had seen only pieces of the movie before because she couldn't sit still. This time, she was so captivated by it and couldn't look away!

Taylor and Grandpa Steve mesmerized by Frozen.  

After Taylor went to bed, I had to wait a couple more hours before it was time to head down to the race. It started at 11:30 so my dad and I headed down at 11pm. I had decked myself out neon clothes and glow sticks. My friend Molly met me down there and she had made herself some pretty awesome glow in the dark braids!

Molly and I before the race!

This was a big deal to me because I hadn't been able to run like this since way before Taylor was born. Within a month, I was able to get myself to run a mile, then 2, then 3, and then 4. I was going to run 6 miles and my promise to myself was that I wasn't going to stop and I wasn't going to go slower than about a 12 min mile.

Molly and I ran together the entire time giving ourselves pep talks to keep going. It was such a nice night out and the trail was great! Little lights from glow sticks could been seen bouncing all along the way. We ended up running a lot faster than anticipated! We completed it with an 11 min mile and we both sprinted across the finish line. Molly was the 17th  person to cross the finish line and I was the 20th! 

I did it!

My dad had returned home to watch Taylor so Shane could greet me at the finish line! I felt so alive sprinting my hardest during the last few seconds of the race. It felt so good accomplish something that proved to myself I CAN!!!

Now, I don't want to lose motivation or ability so I've signed up for another 10K on August 9th. Pushing myself to go farther, I've also signed up for my second half marathon! On August 30th I'll be running a half marathon down Emigration Canyon!

http://www.sports-am.com/Emigtation-Half-Marathon.html

Day 28- My Summer Bucket List

I used to be really into Pinterest. During the spring I was so excited for summer break that I kept looking at Pins for all these fun ideas and activities to do with Taylor. Some of the Pins would be title "Summer Bucket Lists"... things that you had to do before summer was over because they were just that awesome! Well, I came up with a summer to do list of my own and now that summer is almost over I can either look at the list and get all frantic about all the things that I haven't accomplished yet or be happy to be enjoying summer with my little girl and the memories we've made. 

• We've gone on picnics
• We've gone on many MANY walks
• We clean the house together
• We cook together
• We play sidewalk chalk together 
• We blow bubbles together
• We play in her little pool together
• We water the flowers together
• We go to the community pool
• We took swim lessons together
• We went camping together
• We color and paint together
• We sit on the porch together
• We've laid around watching cartoons together
• We've done our own "preschool" most mornings where she's expanded her vocabulary
• We've gone out to lunch just the two of us
• We go to the library weekly
• We've watched fireworks together
• We read scriptures together
• We've cleaned the church together
• We've visited family and friends
• We've worked out together!!!
• We've been to the aquarium
• We've been to the zoo
• We've been to Thanksgiving Point
• We've milked a cow
• We've napped together....

I don't need Pinterest to tell me the most important 100 things that I need to do with my child over the summer to make it meaningful. Just being together and doing what kids do in the summer was meaningful for me. Sure, there's things on my own to do list that will still probably not get done before I go back to teaching mid-August. I'm ok with that. She will only have ONE summer where she is one year old. I know that I haven't missed it. I've loved our summer together!

My favorite thing? Sitting out on the front patio as the sun sets and watching Taylor play. Taylor is squealing because she is excited she found another rock to show me. Shane is sitting next to me.

Day 29- Plans and Plateaus!

I only have a couple of weeks left before I'm back at work. One of MY goals that I had this summer was to kick a plateau I've been on with my weight loss. Plateaus occasionally happen and no matter how long they lasted I always broke through! I know that hard work and adjustments help push me through so I continue to reach new fitness and health goals. 

Right now, I'm running and doing PiYo. I love it!!!

I know that my eating needs to be better and that I need be focused on my long term goals and not instant gratification. Cold Stone Ice Cream is instant gratification... Just saying. Some days I've even worked out three times, but fitness is nothing without nutrition. 

I'm excited for my last Challenge Group for the summer. It's a 60 day challenge focusing on nutrition and fitness. The complete package. We're going to follow a 30 day meal plan and I'm starting the challenge off by doing 3 Day Refresh. It's brand new from Beach Body and so many people have seen great results and have loved  it! I'm not hoping- I'm COMMITTED to refresh my body and get off of this plateau on the 28th. That's when our challenge starts. I'm so excited. This is the biggest challenge I've done so far. I'm excited for the challengers that will be doing it with me and the progress that I know they will make!!! For myself, I'm going to lose 10 more pounds before school starts. Hopefully, we will be able to get pregnant this fall and I want to be at my goal weight before that happens. I want to be healthy for this baby!

Also, I'm getting to the point where I need several other coaches working with me. I know there are people out there who are wanting to help motivate others (and themselves) while they are on their own fitness & health journey.  I want to find them! 

When I first became a coach, I thought the discount will be great and I'm excited to learn what my coaches have learned. Now, I'm grateful that I am blessed to be in a position to help, coach, and motivate people to go after their goals. This job entails my favorite things- teaching, marketing, inspiring, and fitness/health. It not only holds you accountable but it seriously makes you walk the walk.

I want to help one person learn about this job and work with them! 

Day 25 & Day 26- Temple Service and 10K Training

Day 25- Service in the Temple

I love the temple! As a young girl, I really would dream about what the temple looked like on the inside and what it would be like, what I would I learn, and who I would marry in there some day. As a college student, I would take TRAX down to the SLC temple and would sit on the plaza staring up at the temple, read my scriptures, and write in my journal. As a wife and mother, I love to sit in the temple with my spouse holding hands and love to take Taylor to the temple grounds. The Primary song is still true for me- I love to see the temple!

When we lived in Centerville, there were one or two times when volunteers were needed from our ward to help clean the temple. Because it was during the school year, it would have been difficult to fulfill the service so early in the morning or so late at night. I had a strong desire though to serve the Lord and help clean the Lord's house.

My opportunity came last Sunday! A signup sheet was passed around during church to help clean the temple! I was so excited and signed up! I arrived at the temple in my Sunday best and walked in with a smile on my face and gratitude in my heart for the opportunity.

There were over 40 people there with me that had volunteered to spend their late evening helping to clean the temple. With reverence, we were given instructions and sent to complete our tasks. While cleaning, a very warm feeling came over my heart. I realized that some recent prayers of mine had been answered. I had been praying for opportunities to serve others for a week or two. In the temple, it became known to me all the ways I had been able to serve the last couple of weeks. I had received multiple opportunities to serve, had a heart desiring to serve, and took action to serve in the opportunities. I just didn't realize all of those acts were acts of service until I was in the temple. I know that Heavenly Father was teaching me about how my prayers WERE answered.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve and to be served by others. I am grateful for the temple and all of the blessings it has brought to my life. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord and the members in my community by helping to keep the temple clean.

Oahu Temple- taken from our visit during our honeymoon

DAY 26- Training for a 10K

I'm so excited! I registered for a 10 K that will take place in 11 days!!!! I can't believe I am going to do it! It's at midnight and will be glow in the dark themed! I haven't ran in a race since before Taylor was born so probably 2011. I know I can currently run 2 miles, but I need to get up to six. With dedication I know I can do it. 

Shane and I (with Shane's best friend Paul in the background) right before I started running Leg 1 of Ragnar Las Vegas

Taken after completing the Salt Lake Half Marathon

In my early twenties, I participated in two Ragnar Races, one Half Marathon, and several 5ks. It's not a matter of if I can run a 10K, but if I'm willing to work and train for a 10k. I want to do this for multiple reasons, but the biggest reason is because I want to show myself that I CAN DO IT! I am in better shape than I've been thinking. I want that feeling of accomplishment again- that I killed a goal that I set for myself. I really love a quote I found the other day about being in your own way. My own fears and doubts are the only thing that can keep me from training for this 10K. Am I going to let them? I am not. I am not going to let fear and doubt stand between me and training for this 10K. There is no reason why I can't run, train, and complete a 10K on the night of the 18th! 

10K Map

I'm going to have my husband and parents there to cheer me on!!!! I don't care if I feel like collapsing afterwards or if I have to talk out loud to myself to keep my motivation up.... I'm going to finish!