Bronco Fans!

It was an awesome game!!! We were on the edge of our seats the whole game cheering, laughing and screaming! The Broncos won 33-30 against Virginia Tech. (Thanks Wendy and Jerry for letting us take over your house to watch the game.)

26.2 MILES

I finished!!! I was proud that I ran 24 miles straight without stopping except to chug down some much needed gatorade from time to time. As the end got closer and closer my whole body just ached but I still had enough energy to keep going. However around mile 24 I thought maybe I wouldn't finish. I was so close yet felt SOOO far away! I "hit my wall" as they say, at about mile 24 and my legs no longer wanted to move let alone continue running. I tried desperately to pick them up and take a step forward but it's as if they each weighed 500 pounds! I just stood there and it took all I could to muster up the strength from somewhere deep. I kept telling myself, "move!" It hurt just to walk so I stood there for awhile and I wanted so bad to just lay down and die! I even asked a lady as I passed by her house if she by chance had a coffin laying around that I could just lie down in. Apparently she thought I was joking because she laughed at me. Umm...no really, I am being serious. 

Finally, I did start running again and as soon as I did I heard my name being yelled from a vehicle close by. It was a good friend of mine from high school, Cara Johns Reid. She had a yellow rose for me! It was just what I needed at that moment to finish the race. My goal was to finish under 5 hours, but I didn't make it. I finished in 5 hours 5 minutes. So close...if it wasn't for that meltdown! Gosh! :)

Someone asked me during the race how many marathons have I ran??...Umm, ONE. I told them this was my first and last one. They then proceeded to tell me I would do more in the future because they are, "like sooo" addicting! We will see about that, right now my body is telling me never to use my legs again. In fact, I think I might just go and get myself a wheelchair for the next few... I don't know, years! ;)

 Emily and I. She did amazing! She finished in 4 hours 52 minutes. Good job Emily! My husband and kids got me balloons and I thought it was so  cute the ones they choose for me. Madi picked out a dinosaur balloon and Avery of course got me a Cinderella balloon. My parents and brother Adam surprised me at the end as well to cheer me on and watch me as I crossed the finish line. That meant so much to me and got me all choked up. Gosh! Thanks a lot. hehe. I love my family!

Some Happenings...

Yesterday, I got to drive down to Utah with my parents to wish my Grandma Newman a Happy 76th Birthday!  She is a beautiful woman and has accomplished so much in her 76 years of life. She has had 7 kids; she has 30 grandkids, and 35 great-grandchildren!  My Grandma has been very sick and hasn't been doing too well these days and I know that this was my last time visiting her. We found out a few weeks ago she has cancer in her stomach and upper shoulder area. The doctors don't give her much longer and it was hard to see her in that state of mind and condition yesterday. I know this is the last time I will get to see her. She can't really hold her head up anymore and is so weak that she can barely lift her arms.  She will be greatly missed when she passes but I hope she can be relieved of her suffering soon and return back home. She will be able to see and play with Ethan and that makes me more envious than I should probably admit but I am glad she will be able to be with him since I can't. My Grandma and Grandpa Newman and Grandma's sister, Jane.

August 31st was our 8th wedding anniversary, and our best friend Dan surprised us with a suite at the Black Swan Hotel. (Thanks Dan!) For those that haven't ever had a themed room should definitely reserve a room at one. It was so fun! We stayed in the Pirate room and pretended we were pirates all night. "ARRGH!"  OK... not really. So, yeah. Not a lot to say about this. ;)

In two days I am running the Pocatello MARATHON!!! 

26.2 miles. 

Ouch.

It's all MENTAL... 

I can do it. No sweat, right? Or something like that??

The Circle of... School.

It's official!!! 

My husband is now a Certified Physician Assistant! He took his board exam last Thursday and he has been biting his fingernails for a week waiting for his results. So this morning at 7am after Ryan was up most of the night wondering, worrying and praying... it's finally over. It's completed. He's done. We're finished. The end of... school. I thought we would never see the day.  :) We found out he passed just hours ago and he is now officially Ryan D. Hodges PA-C.  Of course you can just call him Ryan though. :)

Congratulations to all those in his class too! 

We are especially so proud of Ryan, Dan, Tessa, Jordan, Brian and Casey and what they have all accomplished.

It's Official!!!

Madisen has started. She is beginning. Kindergarten. This morning after receiving the news that Ryan passed his board exam, Madisen went to her first day of Kindergarten and met her teacher and some other kids in her class.  She is now commencing a long road where she will learn so much!  Maybe one day she will graduate from college too!

"Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it."

~Albert Einstein. 

My little Sunshine...

(That is chocolate all over her face.)

I love her.

Somebody turned 3!!!

I seriously don't know how Avery got so big. I still remember the moments before and after she was born like it was yesterday. She was born at 9:39 in the morning on August 21st. It's amazing really, how time goes by so fast. One day a baby and the next a little princess. And Avery reminds me everyday too..."Mom, I'm a Princess!"  And that's exactly what she got for her birthday...a Princess Party!

She got a lot of princess stuff for her birthday. Shoes, dresses, jewelry and accessories galore! 

A new Sunday dress...and it was only 50 cents! (I love a good yard sale. :)

Happy Birthday Avery! :)

We love you!!

I Graduated!!!

To all those who supported me and prayed that I'd make something of myself:

I graduated! Yes!

This is definitely a "two thumbs up" moment

The graduation took place in the Stephens performing arts center on Idaho State University campus

Here I am yanking my diploma away from Dave Martin, a faculty member. He thought there was some kind of mix-up, and was about to refuse me my diploma. I took care of him in the parking lot after wards.

My graduation face

My good friend Dan's graduation face. Dan and I are studying for the board exam coming up. He's got a Gastrointestinal job in Illinois. I am still keeping my options open (... no job yet.)

Us doing a big Toyota jump. I look like I'm a marionette without strings.

Seeing the future, and the future is us stamping out disease.

Dan had some pretty bad gas (in the back on the left). Tessa (front right) is not to keen on Brian (back right) invading her bubble.

The Jedi masters with Jabba the hutt on the end.

Brian and I in a man embrace.

Dan's family posing like a normal family. But they're actually crazy. All of them.

My family posing (we are all normal except for that guy in the back who just showed up to pose with us...) j/k, that's my brother Sean.

I got a picture with Miss Idaho!!

Our three princesses sat still for exactly 2.6 seconds for this pose.

Emily and Christy and happy that I graduated too. Christy is thinking about a clothes shopping spree and Emily is thinking about the snack her grandma is holding just outside of the picture.

I am officially finally done with school after 12 years of regular school, 4 years of undergrad, 1 year I'd like to have back from Boise State, and 3 years of graduate school at ISU. that's 20 years... and I still feel like I know so little.

Ahhh, the contemplation of the future and what is in store for us. Thanks so much for all the prayers and support!!

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses...

I can't believe this month has come and gone already. (And I don't know why each paragraph has a different font nor do I have the energy to fix it.;) I have been meaning to blog every day for the past 20 days or so but something would always come up and then I would be too tired to SIT at the computer and type. Pathetic, I know.

No really though, I have a good excuse. Actually, a FEW good excuses for not blogging.

My 1st excuse...

I have three kids. Enough said.

My 2nd excuse...

Ryan is on his last rotation and graduates next Friday!!!! August 6th. Can't believe he will be done with school and we will actually become contributing members of society and tax paying citizens. FINALLY. I have always wanted to pay lots of taxes, I was almost feeling left out. ;)

My 3rd excuse...

Ryan and I have been on the lookout everyday for jobs. He has had a few interviews here and there but nothing yet. We realized however that we weren't being as aggressive or proactive as we should have been the last month. So this week we have already seen some progress with job openings.

My 4th excuse...

I have been training for a marathon and since I have been running so much I have been extremely tired. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday my friend, Emily and I have been running. We have been running 12, 14, 15, 16 mile runs on Fridays. This Friday we are up to 17 miles. Just thinking about it makes me tired and ache with pain. But it is also so empowering to be able to run that far and I feel good... inside that is. I can't say the same thing about my outsides. I have bad knees so my knees are always sore and it's very painful to even walk for the next couple of days after a long run. But I keep pressing on anyway because as my husband says, "I'm crazy." My 5th excuse...

We went to Boise because one of my best friends from high school, Krista finally was able to have her husband with her after more than a year of being a apart! It was so good to finally meet him and see them together. They are such a cute couple and I am so happy for them. And Krista looked so beautiful. (Love you Krista!) It was so nice to catch up with some old friends too. I have known most of these girls since middle school and they were beautiful then and even more beautiful now! Kaitlyn, Shannon, Krista, Hayley, Me, Rory

Dan, and Brad

Emily and me

While we were in Boise we got to stay with some good friends of ours, the Morin Family. We always have such a great time hanging out with them.

We went to a water park in Meridian and the kids had a ton of fun splashing and running through the spraying water fountains.

Even Emily got in on some water action.

Brooke, Kade, Madi and Avery enjoying a movie together.

Joanna and I were able to get away for a girls' night out to the movies. We went and saw what else but Eclipse!

My 6th excuse... We had a Cherryholmes family reunion. It was great to see my grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles on my mom's side that I haven't seen in a few years. Such good memories were made!

Cousins and sisters-Me, Tracy, Celeste

Lauren, April, Lindsay

And finally my last and 7th excuse for not blogging in awhile...

Ryan and I were asked by our bishopric to build a float for our stake in the 24th of July, Pioneer Day Celebration Parade. It was a BIG job. So we have spent the last month almost every night planning, measuring, drawing, cutting, paper mache-ing, painting...did I mention, PAINTING!? Yeah, lots of painting and then building the float.

Our stake president wanted something totally different this year, completely opposite of Pioneers! He said and I quote, "I am tired of handcarts." So we thought Harry Potter would be a fun float to do, because kids love Harry Potter! We made a castle with 4 towers on each corner. Here's a few pictures during the drawing up process... Ryan did most of the drawings and I did most of the painting...

I made this sign for the front of the truck...and my friend Pam helped me glue it all together. Here is Pam's son, Marshall. He and I are great pals and we got to ride together in the back of his grandpa's model A truck. It was pretty sweet. Marshall would lean over, hug me and say, "We're on a date." haha! He is such a sweet boy. I just love their whole family. And here's the stars of the show... Ron, Harry, and Hermione. (Jo, J.C., and Nicole) Harry, Hagrid and two house elves. Ryan was Voldermort. And here's pictures of our finished float. Our Hogwarts Castle And Amy Schwope did an AMAZING job on the Whomping Willow Tree! It looked incredible!

***A special thanks goes to Amy and Lance for helping us with the planning and design of the float. The Hill family...Pam, Alan, Melissa, Nate, Marshall, and Spencer for letting us use their trailer and garage to put it all together. Thank you Pam for making the flags for the castle. And to Alan, Mike, Duane for helping us stabilize the castle onto the trailer. Thank You! A BIG thank you to brother and sister Atkinson for being there to help put it all together as well. And another BIG thank you to the Smith family and to the Bishop and his wife for helping us with the painting of the many clouds and putting it all together! THANK YOU!!! And guess what?!?!

We won Judges' Choice Award! Whoo-hoo! I am sure after reading this post you are ready for a nap. I know I am ready for one. If you like to belly flop onto the couch for a nap then here's Avery demonstrating how that can be done...

Or if you prefer a more upright position while napping, Madisen perfectly demonstrates that here...

Sweet Dreams and Happy Napping!