So what is life right now?

Life is good, but hard. I want my blog to be more "real" and not everything-is-hunky-dory-every-single-minute-of-my-perfect-life sort of thing. So what is life right now? Nathan is working full time, and when I say full time, I mean 40+ hour weeks. And even once he gets home he has to work some more. But, on the flip side we live in a beautiful home and I have the opportunity to be able to stay at home with my Jamers, so that part is good. Oh yeah, and did I mention Nathan is in school full time as well. At night. So that takes time, and a commute back to Salt Lake three times a week. But he'll have the summer off, and be done with his masters in December. Oh yeah, and he was just called to be the ward clerk in our brand new Silver Lake ward, which takes time getting a new ward organized. But I am proud that they asked him. All of that makes me a single parent most days and nights for the moment. So what do James and I do then with Daddy gone so much?

We take baths. What sort of mom would I be if I didn't have the cute bath picture? And this one is adorable

We go outside. Yes, it is freezing, here as well as the rest of the country this week, but James doesn't care, he wants to go outside! So we bundle up, and then he wants to help shovel snow with the little garden shovel. I love his face in this one.

We get ready for church. This is James ready for nursery! The hair and the sweater vest with tie make this. And he likes nursery, doesn't like being left yet, but it takes him about a minute, then he is off to the toys.

We read books. James was being quiet one night when I was making dinner. Quiet is usually not good, but then I found him by himself, looking at books.

Can you pick me up now?

We play games too, like hide and seek, and making forts. Those are two favorites at the moment. He helps me with chores, and I am grateful for all the time I get with him before the new baby comes. So that is life right now.

13.1

13.1. That is how many miles a half marathon is for those who don't know. It is also the longest I have ever run in my life, and I did it without walking! And I did it 12 weeks preggo! How about that eh? I have a running partner up here, Erica Beckstrom, who talked me into doing this race on Jan 22nd in Saint George back in October. So we trained. The first time I ran eight miles I thought, "this could be possible". Then we were blessed to finally become pregnant, so I was worried I'd have to back out, but the doctor said I'd been training, to not push myself too hard, and I'd be okay. Whew. Then in December I hurt my foot. Really just took a wrong step and sort of tripped over Lady. Then I ran on it two days later, and I thought it was broken. So I got an x-ray, and that doctor said there was no way I'd be able to run it with only about 7 weeks to the race. No way, I thought, for a stupid misstep? So I rested, for about 4.5 weeks, of zero running, and then I started again. I ran eight miles, and only on the last part did it start to hurt. So for the two weeks prior, I ran max of 5 miles at a time, and still rested. Anyway, from the title of the post, you can guess that I made it! I felt great (foot only started to hurt right after the finish line when I sprinted the last few hundred feet to beat this other runner, which I did beat btw). I ran it with Erica, and we had a faster time than we had practiced. By about a minute per mile! The course was easier compared to the hills that we have to run around our neighborhood if we ever want to do more than lots of circles. The weather was perfect, not too hot for this cold weather runner. I will definitely be doing another one. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I could run that far. I guess I just needed confidence. And if I can do it, you can too!!

Erica and Kendra pre-race, it was chilly that morning

Sprinting to the finish. I had motivated this girl at mile 11 to keep going, so we ran together for the last two miles, but there was no way I was going to let her beat me after I had gotten her to keep going

My cheerleaders: Nathan and James post race

Erica and I post race, let's do it again! (Next year, of course :) )

Thought they were horses

Two weeks ago James and I were coming home from having lunch with Nathan at his office. As I was pulling out, two "horses" were running down the street, with a van right behind them. "Oh no" I thought, "someone's horses have gotten out. Maybe I should try to help catch them." At that moment they turned down another street, and I got a better look. They weren't horses, they were two moose, a mom and calf, running down the street! Holy crap! I called Nathan and told him to get his behind outside pronto and anyone else who wanted to see something really cool. Then I followed the moose, and called my other animal-lover friend in the neighborhood, Connie Maughn, to come fast. They stopped in someone's yard to bed down for awhile, so I stopped my car, put my flashers on, and stayed a while. I even had two people stop and ask if my car was alright, and I just pointed to the moose, and said "I'm fine, just watching them". Haha, they were sure startled. Anyway, Connie came and brought a fantastic camera. I got out of the car, and we both sort of hid behind this large stone mailbox. She handed me the camera and said, "here, try to get closer". "Okay" I said. Then as I was walking towards them I called back, "wait, why am I the one getting closer?" She replied, "because you can run faster". Anyway, the mom wasn't interested in us, so we got to watch and take some great pictures. Now I just want to see a bull this way, with a car near by so I can jump in :)

The Shirt

So yes, James has a new shirt, and it looks like this....

...and this...

Can you read it? If not, it says "Big Brother"!!!!!!!!!

So far these are the best pictures that you can read the whole thing. We did tell our families in person over Christmas or via phone, and waited to write anything on the blog until everyone knew and until I was far enough along that I felt safe to write about it. It took our families all lengths of times to figure it out:

~Grams Christmas Morning: about 5 seconds when he walked out of the bedroom

~Mom and Dad Grazulis Christmas Morning: 5 minutes max at the brunch
~Cory and Karissa (we saw them in Denver!): 15 seconds when he walked out of the bedroom
~Jason and Nicole: 7 minutes when they stopped for the night on the way back to Twin Falls
~Mom and Dad Manwaring: Basically all night! To their defense he did have a jacket on some of the time, a bib on other parts. They got it when we took a long time getting him undressed for his bath, and he showed them how he can do pull-ups ;-)
Everyone was super excited, and so are we.
Due date is August 5th, so will probably come in late July, just like James.
James could even share a birthday!

The Christmas Post: Part 3

Getting home on Tuesday, James (and us of course) got to see his Manwaring grandparents. Both sets within just a few days of each other? He was spoiled the Christmas. It was fun too that we got to drag Christmas out a little longer. James got some clothes, a book, and a really fun fisher price car station. I (well we) got a beautiful crystal goblet set, which I love. Thank you!! We had a good time with Mom and Dad Manwaring, put together shelves in the basement, and had a really good time talking and playing games like Mormon bridge.

Opening presents with Grandma

James liked helping his Grandpa do manly work

They got to stay a few days before they went back to AZ from having Christmas in Idaho. It was great to see them, and we wish we lived closer to both our parents. James especially loved his Grandpa this trip.

James and Grandpa looking at the iPad, they both like the tech stuff

Learning letters on the iPad with Grandpa

No offense to the Grandmas, I'm sorry he didn't go to you as much!!! He likes men more at the moment, but I know he still loves you!! Thanks for coming and sharing Christmas!!

The Christmas Post: Part 2

Okay, I'm back, internet here is sketchy.
So Christmas morning was fun, and we even and an improvised tree out of a coat rack and our stockings. In Nathan's family, Santa wrapped all gifts, however, he must have been out of time by the time he got to Denver because Santa did not wrap for Kendra's family. What to do? Santa did both this year :).

Awesomest "tree", with presents below

Opening stockings with Kirstin, James got his first coloring book and crayons

A tunnel that James got, it is so fun, and this kid is so fun

Can I take this off now mom?

A wooden tool set, he got the hang of it right away

Santa brought James this little gem, his very own "Dirt Devil" vacuum, and he went to town!

More opening with Grandpa and Grandma and Kirstin. James also really likes candy canes.

Nathan played almost every night while there, he is getting quite a following at Lincoln Meadows, and Grams is even making copies of his CD and giving them out!

We also had a very yummy Christmas brunch by Lincoln Meadows (it is really nice to not have to cook and still eat fabulous meals). The next day everyone on my mom's side of the family came for a party.

Aunt Maggie, Aunt Carol, Marleigh and Rick, Uncle Dana

Kendra and Grams

Tim, Uncle Kyle, Jessica and Meghan

This picture is awesome, all cousins, and apparently I'm the shortest ;)
Marleigh, Kirstin, Kendra, Meghan, and Jessica with Tim

Monday was kind of like our last day since we'd be driving on Tuesday. We saw the Colman's, Russell and Mina, they are our adopted Grandparents.


And...we finally got to go to see the Denver Zoo Lights! I love zoo's, seriously. I always wanted to be a zoo keeper when I was little (still would if the chance arose), and I don't even care if it is cold, I want to go. It actually turned out to be the warmest night we were there, which worked out, and we stayed for quite awhile (there is lots to see).

Daddy and James checking out the elephants, one of the places you could go in to get warm

Mommy, James, and Daddy, next to a Rhino

Cougars next to a light up cougar ;)

Fascinated by fish, another place to warm up in

Appropriate since a wolf is one of the animal noises he always knows, and loves to do, but the wolves were all sleeping, so we only got a picture by the sign

Mom, Kendra, and Kirstin by the big lion near the entrance

We had a really good time, thanks to Grams for the guest suit at Lincoln Meadows! The next day we drove back to Utah, so stay tuned for part 3.

The Christmas Post : Part 1

Christmas was in Colorado this year, and boy did we do lots of fun things. We wanted to see Santa at the mall, since last year was a long line and we decided not to wait in it because didn't really know who Santa was anyway. Well, this year, we got to the mall on Christmas Eve at 9am, and the line was already really long. However, that line was to then get a ticket to wait in the real line to see Santa (kinda weird if you ask me). That line was 45 min long. The ticket then gave you a time to come back, then you had to wait in the Santa line that was 45 min long also. Our ticket time........1:15pm! And there was no way to even get a glimpse of Santa without waiting. So here is this years picture:

We found a Santa in a display window, and that was the only thing we could find

James still liked it

I also wanted to go see Zoo Lights. One night when we decided to go, it got to late, so right next to my Grams' house is "Wildlife Experience". They had lights all outside, and I guess inside too. We decided to walk around the outside and see the lights. When we got there, we found that it cost $10 a ticket to walk on the sidewalk outside (the ticket did include going inside, where we later found there was a Santa and reindeer). Anyway, we didn't pay that, and walked outside and still saw all the lights, next to the sidewalk.

Grandpa John and James looking at a lighted reindeer

Kirstin, Mom, Grams, and Kendra enjoying lights, for free!

Manwarings next to the Moose, it seemed appropriate considering where we live

Christmas eve we had the unexpected pleasure of seeing my cousin Nolan and his wife Tasha and their two kids, Landan and Dakota. Landan (3years) and James took to each other right away, and played and played. I haven't seen Nolan since his wedding, about a month after ours! They would be moving to Wyoming in January to work for a railroad where Nolan is a mechanic. We wish them luck on their journey.

The whole gang: Grams, Us, Uncle Kyle and Aunt Carol, Nolan, Tasha, Landan and Kota

Getting two little boys to sit on a couch and look at the camera = impossible

"Cheese" faces!

After seeing family, we went over to my Aunt Diane's place for Christmas Eve dinner. She moved to Colorado in October, and was very excited to have us. So we ate, and watched "It's a Wonderful Life" before heading over to the barn to see Cinnamon and read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" out of an old book that my Dad has had since he was a little boy. I don't know if we planned on it being as cold as it was though. And poor Nathan, my Aunt has cats, so his allergies started up at dinner, and then being at the barn just got worse with the horses. Those are the only two animals he's allergic to, and he was bombarded with allergens that night.

Us at Aunt Diane's place for dinner

Reading the story, it's a tradition

More to come!! Look for Part 2 soon!