November Recap

Happy belated Thanksgiving everyone! November was such a fun and crazy month, which also included my fairy tale but also so much more! To start the month off, I ran a half marathon..yes another half marathon, bringing the total to 6 half marathons and 12 races total for me in 2014! Well so far (there is still time to squeeze in one more)!! The Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon was another local and beautiful trail run. I still can't get over how lucky I am to be running in Colorado...I am just surrounded by amazing places to run and awesome running/racing community. It truly is a runner's paradise! I know I keep saying that, but somebody pinch me so it will finally sink in.

 The course was the most challenging that I have faced yet in Colorado...very hilly! As usual for trail races here, I made friends on the course and enjoyed mountain views. The race itself is very young so the start line was a little chaotic...5 port a potties for 800 people, a bullhorn at the start on a sidewalk that only 3 people could fit side by side. The race itself however had a easy to follow course with great aid stations, and the post-race party was the one of the best (after to run straight up hill to the finish line...I kept thinking "how embarrassing if I have to walk this part" but I made it up to cross with a time of 2:02.28.

And I got the best race photo I have ever taken!!!!

The post race festivities included all you can eat pancakes from Flippin' Flapjacks (they were to die for!!), chocolate milk, free beer, and great music. I also have to say that the goodie bag included a long sleeve technical tee...with every race offering t-shirts my collection of tees is quite large-I loved getting a long sleeve this time! This was now the 4th race that my family could not be at in my running "career" and I missed them like crazy. I actually had to jet from the post race party to get to Asher's swim meet where he qualified for state's in the 100 fly!!!

Asher swims for "The Rock" swim team in Castle Rock. In Colorado, making states is what all kids shoot for and it isn't easy! They earn a black swim cap when they make a state cut and this was Asher's meet! Asher's specialty is long distance in breast and fly and is over the moon to have earned his black cap and a place in the state meet. We are so proud of him!

We were super grateful to have our first house guests in November! Grandma and Grandpa Thorson joined us to celebrate Thanksgiving in our new home. I am not sure it was a break for them as 4 kids were constantly fighting for their attention (and me-Grandma fixed a curtain disaster for me since the sewing machine and I don't get along-thank you Leslie!!!). But it was a GREAT time! We kept up with some of our Thanksgiving traditions which were...

 our thankfulness turkey...each feather has something that we are thankful for. We are so blessed to have so many feathers!!!

 Oreo turkeys...Asher could not be bothered to stop for a picture...too yummy to wait!

Anna is always ready for a photo op!

 The weather was so gorgeous all week that is was super easy for Joel to deep fry our turkey. This is the only way we roll now!

And the 60 degree weather was perfect for Asher and Jesse to help put lights in our trees!

I am truly thankful that we are so blessed with a loving family, a new home and adventure that the Lord is guiding us on, and all the blessings we have received by obeying him. But superficially I am really thankful that our furniture arrived so we had a table to sit at for Thanksgiving!! The house renovations are almost complete! I can't wait to share it all with you once we are there. Just don't look in my basement where all the "other" boxes are hiding!