Today's Post of Note

Working on my fall break post, but until then.......CLICK HERE and see my most wonderful family and their running adventure this weekend!  Love, love, LOVE!

HEY!! Lookie here! I got published yo!

So, the publisher of Utah Running Marathon magazine contacted me after THIS post and asked if it could be part of their next quarter's publication.  Uh......YEAH!

I tried to whittle it down, and did the best I could so the article is more condensed - I finally gave her what I could and told her to edit as she saw fit.

She left every word.

Check it out!!!

(Marathon Review - Big Cottonwood marathon review)



I'm so stinkin excited!!!!

Wednesday's Wrandom Wrambling

It's mid October yo.

Like the middle and stuff.  Wow.  Where is time going?  Before you know it, it's gonna be Thanksgiving.  And then Festival time.  And then St Thomas.  And then Christmas.  Holy cow.

Delivered almost all of my Festival letters.  They are letters to local business's explaining what I'm trying to accomplish, why, and soliciting help.  I have to have a pep talk with myself every time I get out of the car and walk into each business.  Just.so.uncomfortable. asking for help.

Got some pretty awesome mail today.

Crap I love that girl!!

Her daddy speaks in church on Sunday.  I want to be there SO BAD!  

Not working much lately.  Slow time at the store until the holidays hit.  While I don't enjoy missing the extra cash, I am enjoying slinking back into my warm cozy bed after the gym.  Mmmmm.......

Tomorrow starts fall break for the schools here.  Me and this girl are taking a little ROAD TRIP!!

While I wish we were heading to SoCal, we have to keep on a budget so Logan it is.  

Firehouse anyone??  FAZHOOKIE!!!

Watched the Presidential debate last night.  And then again today.  Why?  Why did I watch it twice?  I wanted to try and watch it with a different approach.  Neither time changed my mind.

November 6th can't come soon enough.  The fighting, arguing, and constant ranting.  It's exhausting me.

Weird to have adult kids living at home again.  Strange.  Not bad.  Just different. My favorite is hanging when we can.  That and the free goodies 'Tana scores at her job.  Nothing better than waking up to find a box on the kitchen counter that says "Melissa - Eat me" and inside are cookies.  Yeah, it's pretty cool like that.

My Yankees are just about through for the season.  Not a good series with the Tigers at all.  And A-Rod?  Needs to go.  Pathetically, he is being paid so much and has too much left on his contract that we will never be able to dump him.  I demand he spend his winter in Florida (like he did several years ago when in a batting slump) and take batting practice EVERY.DAY.  With a batting coach.  One who understands how to help aging players keep their timing.

Still can't bring myself to talk about Jeter's broken leg.  My heart hurts in 10 different ways about it.

And that's all I have to say about that.

An extra dog 24/7 has surprisingly made my house a little calmer.  

I know right?!?

Jack couldn't be any happier.  His best friend here all.the.time!!

In fact, turd has been sleeping with Jace and the kids downstairs some nights. 

Rude.

On the other hand, Jordan couldn't be more pleased.  She's more than happy to share me, but now finds herself getting more and more alone time since Jack and Jace are always off chasing themselves.  Happy lil furry camper!

Splenda Daddy has been putting in a lot of hours on the upstairs bathroom.  I want to take pictures when  he's got his respirator on, goggles and tool belt, but he threatened my well being if I did.   Trust me, it's hot.

And it will be SO nice to finally have a second bathroom.  Especially, one right off my bedroom.  Yeah, I know - we've lived here 24 years and still only have one bathroom.  Amazing we survived raising the kids.

Do you watch Duck Dynasty?  Oh my funny!  A&E Wednesday nights.  Funniest rednecks ever.  Check it out!

In fact - it's on right now.........

Peace out 

xoxo

m

CureSearch Walk 2012 - Team Brinley

You may remember following our friend's battle and ultimate win over cancer.  If you haven't, go over and read from beginning to end.  It's a happy ending story but you'll still need your tissues.  Unfortunately for others, they don't get to chalk up the W, so the fight against childhood cancer continues.

One way is with the CureSearch Walk and our second annual local one was a couple of weeks ago.  This is the first year that Splenda Daddy I had the chance to join in, and I have to say - it.was.inspiring!

There were so many people.  Families.  Little children.  Grandparents.  Siblings.  

All united in one cause.  Each cancer child participant put together a team to walk with and of course ours was Team Brinley!  

Love the shirts that they had made for us!

The committee (composed of these special children's mom's) had 3 different bandanna's for walkers to wear.  Lightest green indicated they were walking in memory of a child who earned his/her angel wings.  Darkest green was for those currently in treatment and the middle tone green was for survivor's.  I loved how some families found other ways to show their child was a survivor.

They started with a small program and my friend Kristin was chosen to speak as a cancer mom.  I couldn't have been more proud of her.  She was so composed.  Spoke just the right words and made sure to address all the right issues.  Cancer doesn't just affect the child and the parents, but siblings pay a high price as well.  She talked of the scary times, the emotions, the fear of and the reality that your child might not make it.  She was real.  She was raw.  She was on.point.  I couldn't help but tear up.  And yet, she was hopeful and radiated happiness and peace that can come even in the middle of the horrible nightmare that is childhood cancer.

They released some balloons and had a moment of silence for those children who didn't make it.  Whose fight was more than their little bodies could take.

And then they took the time to have each child with cancer - either currently in treatment, remission or or declared "cured", to have a moment on stage, say their name and be awarded a medal.  The gentleman who did this part couldn't have been any better.  The only negative thing I could think of is that there were too many damn kids.  TOO MANY FIGHTING THIS HORRIBLE DISEASE!!  As I turned around to mention this to Splenda, he reminded me that for those kids now on the stage, how awesome it must feel to look out and see such a huge crowd of people that were there to show love and support for them!  One little one, clearly in treatment with her mask on to prevent against infection, couldn't hide the smile.  It was in her eyes.  If we brightened their day for just a minute.  Made them take their mind of their pain and sickness for even 1/2 an hour - it was totally worth it.

And then the walk began!  The kids led out behind a banner and the crowd followed, generally sticking with their teams.

It was fun to be with our friends the Cebrowski's.  Lot's of chatting, joking and giggles.  One lap around Sugarhouse park.  That was it.

That one lap at a slow walk with so many strangers all united in one cause was indeed inspiring!  I looked around and thought of about the fact that every single person there had been touched in one way or another by cancer.  Their child, grandchild, sister/brother, friend, friends child....on and on......no matter the connection, this walk united everyone in the same cause of FIGHTING IT!

Brinley's shirt says it all eh?

I am grateful that I had very healthy children.  I am thankful that I was never asked as a parent to face this horrible nightmare.  I admire, love and support those who do.  I'm thankful for the example of Brinley and her awesome family.  They will likely never know how inspiring they have been and continue to be as they stay involved in this fight.  It's a privilege to know them, know their story, watch their strength and hopefully learn from them.  Thanks for all the hard work and effort to the cancer mom's, aunt's and grandma's that worked tirelessly on this year's event.  It was so much bigger and more successful than they imagined.  And that's a good thing.

To the little ones:  babies, toddlers, teens - who are fighting cancer - KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT!  You got this!  And know that there are so many of us who are praying for you and working hard to find a cure!

**  All the GREAT pictures come from Shanna - you can find her here or here

**  The crappy ones came from my cell phone

** Primary Children's Medical Center is the local hospital that takes care of these children and work so hard to save their lives.  Remember that Festival of Trees is a major fundraiser for their efforts. (just a 'lil plug)

Valkommen Hem !

My how time flies!  It felt like they just left and lookie here - they are right back home again.

My Mom and her awesomingly cool husband just completed serving an LDS mission in Sweden.  I would tell you about all the hard work they did, the long hours, the doors slammed in their faces, the miles walked.  In the pouring rain. With dogs chasing them.  I could go write paragraphs about the long hours.  Early mornings, late nights.  Sleeping in primitive conditions.  Chopping their own wood for fire.

But none of that would be true, 'cause dude, their mission was CUSH!  I really shouldn't say totally cush, because they did do a lot of work in the temple but sheesh!  They also got to see a lot of the country, the surrounding area's and visit some pretty cool places.  And with full disclosure in place - in my church, senior missionaries foot their own bill.  So really, no begrudging the good times they had over the past 18 months or so.

My bestest niece put together a family get together and then let us all know her flight 411 so we could meet them. When they came home earlier in the year for my sister's wedding, no one even met them at the airport (we suck), and she wanted it to be a big deal for them.  I'm glad she is about the only one on the ball to keep us in line.

I headed to the airport for her flight that was to land at 2pm.  When I got there however, I found that her flight was delayed by 2 1/2 hours!  What in the world?  I talked to the Delta agent and she was perplexed because "it only left Paris 10 minutes late and the pilot is bookin it".  Huh.  Quandry.  Do I drive all the way home and then turn around and come back?  Do I stay and just pay for the extra parking time?  After some calls and texts with my brother and niece, it was decided to just hang out and wait.

The ever helpful Delta employee let me know that I was waiting in the wrong terminal so I wandered down to the international building and settled in.  I have to admit that just kickin it with the fam was fun!

Catching up and laughing at the little's.  

Her flight finally landed and we gathered our signs and headed to the breezeway that they would be coming through.  Other families were there for some other missionaries and I couldn't help but remember the same feelings of anticipation when Luke came home.  GAH!! So exciting!

We were standing there as a group when a flight attendant coming through asked us if we were waiting for the missionary couple. When we said yes, she told us that she is just getting her baggage and that she wanted us to know she was okay.

Huh?  Well, alrighty then.  Seemed very odd but whatever.  My mom didn't know all of us were there, she thought it was just my brother so it didn't really make any sense, but whatev's.

We waited several more minutes and then an airline employee wearing blue gloves approached us and asked if we were waiting for the missionary couple.  After telling him yes we were, he said, "She's had an emergency on the plane.  The paramedics are going to bring her out but I'm not sure if she is going to come out this way or that backway over there" pointing to an outside exit.

WHOA WHOA WHOA....an emergency....paramedics...... he was saying that she was okay and had refused an ambulance but he just wanted us to know.

As we questioned him HIPPA laws crossed my mind and I wondered if he would tell us anything.  All he would say is that there was something with her back like a disc.  And then he was gone.

My nephew headed to the window to watch the back exit door in case they brought her there.  The rest of us were a little too stunned to do anything at all.  I texted Splenda and then we just stood waiting.  And waiting.  And then some speculating as to what the problem could be.  And waiting.

20 minutes or so later, the same airline employee approached us again and said,  "You are the Osgood's right?"

*blink*    *blink*

Uh......nope.

"Oh well, then you're not the ones waiting for the missionary couple with the emergency"  and.he.walks.off.

Deep breath.  Well, good news for us, but crappy for the Osgood's!  We did see them wheel out a lady in a chair and gingerly put her in a waiting van so we assumed that it was her and she looked okay.  In pain, but okay.

Back to watching the breezeway.  See other missionaries greet their families and I get all teary eyed.  I'm thinking that this is taking FOREVER, but remind myself that they have to get through customs and all their baggage before they actually get to us.

FINALLY

Sister and Elder Crawford!

(Grandma Soup and Grandpa Jon)

Okay, so we didn't get a whole lot of pic's at the airport but it's all good.

First thing my Mom wanted to do was "party"

We hadn't planned anything for that night thinking they would be tired and suffering jet lag, but NOPE - lady wanted to party!

We made a quick stop at their house to drop off luggage.

(I know, bad fuzzy cell pic- the sign was VERY cool)

Mom decided she wanted the Roadhouse - so the Roadhouse we went!

(figured out that ranch dressing is the bomb)

(mi hermano and sis-in-law)

mi sobrina and great sobrina

It was such a fun night!  So good to have them back!

Welcome home guys - your family is happy!