The Dirty Dash

This Saturday James participated in a race.  This race was unlike any race I've seen.  It was the Dirty Dash.  Basically he ran 10k through mud and tunnels, and over walls and hay bales.  And at the end he was dirty.  One of the other fun things about it as well is he ran it with my brother so they got enjoy the mud together.

You would never guess what his bib number was.

 I told him that no matter what he could tell people he was #1

Since he was going to play in the mud he decided to look the part.

 What a nice clean pig.

Well they're off.  Up a nice muddy hill to begin with.

A little later they were jumpin over this wall.

Towards the end they got to go down this fun slide.

Here is James and my brother making a mad dash for the end. Okay maybe not so much mad as it was tired.

I can no longer really tell who is who but I think James is climbing out of the mud on the left.

He lost the pig snout but he looks like he's been rolling in the mud.

Yes please shower off before getting in the car.

 Ahh that looks much better.

Well maybe....

Anyways it looked like a totally fun race.  They are doing a 5k in the spring and I think I am going to join that one.

Trapped

The other day was my super big laundry day.  I normally try to do laundry twice a week but I hadn't done it for a week and a half.  So some of my laundry baskets got left down stairs in the chaos and then they got tipped over.  After that a baby thought they looked interesting and crawled over to them.  Then she was trapped.

"Hello momma, I think I am stuck."

"How do I get out of here?"

"Oh wait I think I found it.  See you later."

Lily's in Preschool

So Lily recently started preschool.  She feels way to little to me for this, but I guess it's part of life.  She is going to an excellent preschool and the best part is she gets to go for free.  Unfortunately that's also the worst part.  Lily easily qualifies for speech therapy through the school system.  So along with preschool she goes to speech.  I sure hope starting her this young helps.  Here she is ready to go on her first day.

Here she is outside her classroom door.  She was so excited to go in I couldn't get her to look at me.

 Along with preschool and speech she also gets to ride the bus.  She was even more excited to ride the bus than she was for preschool..

Fun at the State Fair

I love the fair.  Something about it excites me like I am a little girl again.  So naturally I have to take my kids to the fair right?  And on Saturday Sept. 11th we got in for free with the military.  So my parents and my sister and her family all packed up and went.  I loved it (and hated it too).  Saturday was just super busy and we got their later than we wanted to.  But there were some really good fun parts so I am choosing to remember those not the stressful chaotic parts.  So here are some fun things we did.
They had this awesome exhibit for kids that was super fun and cute. The girls put on little aprons and gathered a basket.

Then they fed a cow and milked him.

They picked apples from trees.

Then planted and harvested from a garden.

They rode tractors.

And so much more like sheering a sheep and gathering eggs.  At the end they turned in all the things they reaped from their farm and got a "dollar" which they then went to the "store" and bought a treat. 
If you ask Erin and Lily what their highlight was they will tell you it was the Ferris wheel.  Erin saw one at a little fair early this year and has been begging ever since to go on one.  I told her she could choose one ride at the fair to go on and that is what she chose.  Erin had the choice of who she wanted to ride with and she chose my dad.  So Lily and I rode together.  I tell you Lily didn't stop giggling the whole time.  She LOVED it.

After this I stopped taking pictures but we saw all the animals and walked through some other displays.  We signed the girls up to do mutton bustin at the rodeo but they didn't get picked from the lottery.  Maybe next year.  At the end of the night we found another really cool display that was hands on science stuff for kids and adults to play with.  The girls loved it and had fun there as well.  Through the chaos we never got a chance to buy a fair treat but I am sure that in the long run that is better for us :)
I can't wait till next year.

Re-evaluation and a BIG FAVOR

So as I have though about my blog this past week I had to think back to when I started my blog.  I really wasn't going to blog but then I read an ensign article that talked about sharing our testimonies with the world through blogging.  I felt an impression that I should do so.  At that time I prayed to Heavenly Father to please protect my family through this adventure.  Over time my blog has turned into a journal, but I still bear my testimony so...  I have decided to keep my blog public, and continue to strive to keep my side of the bargain and continue to pray for protection for my family.  So I am sorry about the going private scare.  Thanks for your support and love.

Now for a really big favor.  I have entered Kaylee into a cute baby photo contest and I want to win.  To do so I need the help of everyone I can get. So go and vote for her.  Here is the link.  To find Kaylee through the 1500 babies entered here's what you can do.  In the search box you can enter my e-mail address (lizzy_clarinet(at)hotmail(dot)com) or you can search her name.  Here is the picture you are looking for.

Since I have the most awesome family and friends in the world I am certain that if we pull together we can win.  But just in case I will bribe you a little too.   Part of the prize in a gift basket full of goodies valued to $500.  If I win it I will share the goodies with you.  Meaning I will do a giveaway on my blog.  So please go and vote for her.  Your support will be greatly appreciated! 
ps. I just saw a baby with 115 votes while Kaylee only has 8.  So we got to move it move it, come on and move it move it.