This summer I participated in my first foot race,The Mt.A 5K a wicked climb that started at the Mt. Ashland lodge and climbed to the top, then raced around the backside down to the lodge.  It was WILD, a really fun event with my family that I would be happy to do again (if I can stay fit). My sister and I placed 118 & 119 out of 174 racers, way better than I was expecting (although I did have a nasty side cramp on the downhill part)!

I never imaged I would like running. I tend to laugh at joggers (sorry it’s true). Somehow I started running, not far or fast but enough to get by, so go ahead and laugh when you see me ;).

The start…

Can you find me?

I’m right there (see yellow circle)?

And we are off!

We finished… and I was so red… you don’t really want to see that :)

All the photos were taken by my husband Colton Allen on one of his Pentax Film Cameras.

Summer has finally arrived and so have the cherries.We didn’t actually know we had cherries, apparently one of the neighborhood flowering cherry trees is an actual cherry tree! Yea for us!

We raced the birds to the tree this weekend then set up our ladder and picked, washed then ate and pitted a big bowl full of cherries.

Spring break is finally here!

I’m still working, but I get to go home “early” (compared to when I’m in school), which means fun afternoons with Miss Etta!

This weekend we finally finished her play tent/teepee.  I got the pattern from here, with some slight alterations. The fabric is from my favorite store IKEA (Thanks Chris!).

As you can see she is thoroughly enjoying it!

While we are embracing this break from school, I am also nervously waiting for June 1st to roll around. What happens June 1st? Well, that’s when I hear back from the Nursing Schools I applied to for Fall 2012 Admission! So cross your fingers for me, while we… wait..wait..wait…

I’m sure the time will fly by, but often it feels sooooo sssssllllowwwwwwwww. Luckily I will be plenty busy with two courses next term (Microbiology and Ananatomy & Physiology II), so my blog posts will be sparse and infrequent at best (your official warning)!

Enjoy Spring!

Fall is well under way!

With less than a week for Halloween we decided to go get some pumpkins this weekend and enjoy the Harvest Fair at our local farm in Phoenix.

We escaped with only three pumpkins! One for carving, one for baking and one for… well looks! Yellow stripes are cool!

Sorry for the blog hiatus! I’m currently enrolled in Anatomy & Physiology at my local community college! So the time just runs away from me, homework get’s done, food get’s eaten and that’s about it!

Speaking of food.

Etta and I made this Apple Pie this weekend (while taking a break from studying for my first exam)!

It’s a little hard to see, but yes those vent holes are stars!

It was YUM YUM YUM!

The blackberries are ready for picking!

So we picked!

Our small entourage unloaded in Ashland near Bear Creek, and walked down to the valley floor, where the sea of blackberries awaited us!

The end product was 5 quarts of fresh juicy blackberries, full tummies, bright purple hands, very scratched slightly swollen arms and huge smiles!

Later that night and the next morning we turned the blackberries and a little sugar into 6 pints of blackberry Jam, a bag of  frozen berries and 5 half pints of blackberry syrup!

Our recent visit to Portland included a trip to the Portland Lan Su Chinese Garden.

It was a surprising little escape from the big city! The kids LOVED the fish!

How to traumatize your children.

1) Walk into a bright pink donut shop (preferably VooDoo Donuts 2 in Portland Oregon)

2) Do not purchase donuts

3) Jump up and down because you spot the old fashioned photo booth

4) Cram 2 mama’s and 2 toddlers into photo booth

5) Tell children to smile at flashing green light while restraining

6) repeat step 5

7) repeat step 5

8) repeat step 5

9) Your child is now  traumatized (or at the very least bewildered)…. and you have proof!

10) If your feeling really motherly… you can go buy donuts! Preferably ones with cereal on top!

Fair time=Fun time!

Especially now that Etta is old enough to go on one ride at least (the carousel).

We had a super time with some good friends and just got the film developed, scanned, and uploaded! Colton took these pictures with Pentax ME, K 55/1.8, Fuji 200, you can also view them (and more) at http://picasaweb.google.com/colton.allen/AtTheFair#

I think the Mama’s might have had more fun then the kids! Especially since we got to meet Mr. Turtle!

Life. It’s been busy! Sadly this blog has not been as busy, I’m hoping to change that!

Schools out (WOOHOO!) and I passed my Biology class and lab with flying colors!

Work has been back to back to back busy, with the start of summer term, multiple working retreats and more, now I am praying  for some catch up and recovery time.

Our little toddler is quite the busy bee, in this past month, she visited Crater Lake for her 3rd time! Watched her Uncle John receive his MASTERS DEGREE!  And has continued the “word explosion”, she will happily tell you her favorite color is yellow (or nana, depending on her mood), and she will always say “no” when asked if she would like to use the potty.

Hope all is well with you & yours, and wishing you a fabulous summer! We are off this weekend to Point Reyes National Seashore in California to camp, explore and visit my best friend  her 19 month old toddler (yes, same age as Etta!) and 7  year old daughter!

If your ready to enjoy a good laugh, read this blog Suburban Snapshots, top 10 reasons why having a toddler is like a being at a  frat party.

Adios!