River Rat 1/2 Marathon is done! I conquered the Chalkstone Hill at mile 9 which is known for it's mile long incline that is straight up (for lack of a better term). It wasn't a pretty sight...I was drooling, my nose was all snotty...seriously, I was hoping there wasn't any photographers at the top. At any rate, I really felt pretty good until the last couple of miles when my legs started telling me that hill was brutal. But a runners club friend of mine who is pictured in this photo, caught up with me and ran with me to the end. He actually paced me faster which i was so thankful for. 1:46:30 was my finishing time. I won my age group and put me on a post-race high for 2 days. That is the Missouri river in the background of this photo. so pretty huh?! Sometimes I think I'm surrounded by so much beauty and I don't even take the time to really "see" it. So after celebrating and thanking God for providing the break in the weather for the race and for giving me the strength to finish, it's on to the Deadwood race. Thank you thank you thank you...you guys get me through those moments when I think I won't make it.

We took Brody turkey hunting on Saturday...that's what he chose to do for his 13th birthday. No parties with friends but hunting with mom and dad. So we packed up the gear, had a sitter for the girls, and off to the wilderness we went.

We spent the whole day there...the weather was perfect. We couldn't find those gobblers in the morning so we decided to take a break, eat lunch and wait it out. Brody took this picture and I LOVED it! Isn't the view amazing? So no dead animal pictures on this post...we were close a couple of times, very close one time but no turkeys for us on this day. But really, would it matter when you are spending time outside in this kind of terrain? I think I was praying in this picture. It was so quiet, so serene, just so pretty. Those turkeys are pretty lucky I think to get to live in this all the time!

I've gotten some awesome recipes from Bobbi, Karen and Rani via blogs and I realized, I haven't shared any of mine. I'm not the best cook in the world but I do like to experiment. One of my favorite things to make is italian food. I love pasta! Must be those carbs I crave. This recipe I made last week and I don't have a picture but it is soooo gooood. And even better, soooo easy! If you like pasta dishes, this one is a winner. You can even substitute different ingredients to your taste but it's great just like it is too. I'm already craving it again. So I thought I would share it with YOU since you've shared so many recipes with me. ENJOY!! :)

Chicken Tetrazini

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
7 oz. spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups diced chicken (i just used chicken breasts, browned them up and chopped up..yummo)
Mushrooms (I threw in a handful of portabellos)
3/4 cup parmesan cheese

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour and seasonings. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is bubbling. Remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat through. Stir in spaghetti, chicken and mushrooms. Pour into a 2 qt. casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. or until bubbly. Serves 6.

Isn't this picture precious? It's like a little cocoon for this 1-week old baby girl. Just had to share...

This was the afternoon of Easter Sunday. We took our usual family bike ride to the park just to hang out. I even got this picture of ALL 3 KIDS SITTING TOGETHER SMILING...this rarely happens. But there was a reason I think. Easter was extra-special this year. If you remember, our church was deliberately set on fire one year ago. With over $2 million of damage, we didn't know when or if we would ever get back to our building. Over the course of the next year, we went to church on the campus of Mount Marty while our home church was being rebuilt. Finally, one year almost to the day, we celebrated not only the resurrection of Jesus, but the resurrection of our church. It has been expanded, added on to, refurbished and looks AMAZING! The kids were so excited when we walked in...all they could say was "wow!" Over 1000 people came to church that morning...it was pretty cool.

They say all things happen for a reason. This reason was clear. Our congregation is closer, we have a whole new bigger building and everyone..at least for that day...was so happy. Even my kids. And it showed.

We're back to reality! Actually have been for about a week now...but it took awhile for it to set in. St. Petersburg, Florida was amazing! We had such a fantastic time. The weather turned out perfect...all sun, 77 degrees, no wind, which meant for some serious tan lines. We ate pounds of seafood, drank a couple of bottles of wine, saw two dolphins, lots of parasailors, became buddies with the cabana boy, laughed like crazy at the Coconut Comedy Club, ran a few miles down the streets of St. Petersburg with Heidi, basked in the sun alllll dayyyy lonnnnggg, found that Corona and wine stayed cold in the white sand, relaxed relaxed relaxed, got dunked in the ocean which was still a tad cold, enjoyed each others friendship and cherished the moments with my husband. It was paradise. This was the first time in my life I have seen a palm tree...I took lots of pictures of them. Our resort was perfect and I seriously have never come across so many friendly, paid back people. They were all so..well..happy! We figured it was because they had this awesome weather all year round. I mean, who wouldn't be happy at a place like this! We decided we are going back..and soon. Plans were being made before we even left for home! We missed the kids though and were happy to get back home to them. The girls brought their seashells I collected for them to school for show 'n tell. They had a great time with my mom. And she loved being in that "mom" role again for a week...taking them to school, making them supper, making sure they read for 15 minutes before bed, etc.

So, the laundry is finally caught up again, things are back to normal and we have these awesome memories we'll cherish forever. Ahhhh....

Vacation time is almost here...1 more day and we're headed south. To Florida. For some fun, relaxation and just to get reacquainted with the sunshine! We're going with another couple whom we have been friends with for 15 years. They are the first people we met when we moved here. Their kids and our kids have been friends for just as long. I'm so excited to get away and enjoy quality time with my hubby and friends. And possibly a few dolphins. Wish us luck in the adventure and pray that our travel is safe and sound. I can't wait to share the photos when we get back...see you next week!

Heaven is the face of my little girl...

words of Steven Curtis Chapman.

Just LOVE that song!

I'm a mere one person registered for the marathon in October. One very small person amongst 40,000 other runners, some serious about this race and others, like myself, who just want to experience it. So my best friend since 2nd grade and I are signed up. I got the confirmation email and kind of swallowed the lump in my throat. I'm excited to finally do it. The home page says there are 226 more days until race day. Guess i better start training...it will take me that long. And guess I better start hydrating now. That too will take me that long. I also noticed there is a 6 hr. 30 min. finish line cut off. So I know I have at least 6 hrs. I'm pretty sure it will take me that long too. Woohoo! Let the training begin!

My new favorite food...

I've been eating them nonstop lately. On cereal, in pancakes, waffles, yogurt..whatever works with 'em. There's something about the sweetness when you bite into them that I love! Plus, ever since i heard blueberries are awesome anti-oxidents, how could i resist?!

So I've been buying up the blueberries and wish there was a Sam's club nearby so I could buy the bulk package. They can be kind of expensive but I think they are worth it. Good to eat and good for me too. Glad I fell in love with these little morsels of goodness!!

So I picked up Brody from his Valentines Day dance at school and he was so, well, happy! The smile was on his face, his dimples were showing when he smiles in that certain way. I asked him if he had fun..he said yes...asked him if he danced...he said yes...asked him if he danced with a girl...the smile got bigger.

"I asked a girl to dance,"

"You did?!"

"And she said maybe!!! She didn't say no, mom! All I wanted was for her to say not to say no and I got a maybe!"

I was kind of speechless. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

"That's awesome, Brody! Who was the girl"

"Lindsey."

"Sooooo, did she ever dance with you then?"

"Well, she danced with Mitch a little later on. But I still got a maybe!!"

The cutest story I'll probably ever hear coming from my almost teenager...

Busy weekend of appointments...here are just a few!

I'm up early this Sunday morning...can't sleep! My body has been used to getting up for early morning runs lately so my internal alarm clock keeps going off at the same time! Sometimes I just don't want it to go off. But then again, I am using this quiet time to read blogs, which i haven't been able to do lately. The kids activities have been keeping us quite busy and my photo business is picking up again after a much needed break. So possibly there is another reason I am up early...to catch up with you all again.

*Yesterday I ran my first race of the year. The Frostbite Four in Beresford. It's always a tough race for me. For one, the weather conditions are never great and for two, there is something about 4 miles that I just can't pace. It's not a common distance to race at so it's a wierd mental block for me. It turned out to be a great day for running, even with all the ice and snow. Seth and the kids drove me up so I didn't have to drive. The race started on snowpacked roads and i couldn't get any traction so I kept weaving all over the roads to find those patches of road where there was no snow. Then I could get my bearing again. After the first 2 miles, the roads were just wet, then slushy. But the temperature was perfect! My toes ended up getting numb with all the wetness but the rest of my body felt great. My goal was to finish under 30 and I came in at 29. Goal accomplished. After my toes warmed up and i could feel them again, Seth got me a pair of smartwool socks that friends recommended. Hopefully these cold, snowy runs will be few and far between! Great race, great people there. I love race days.

*Brody only has a couple of weeks left of basketball season. He's been going strong since November. I love watching him play. I don't know what he'll do when it ends since he's gotten so used to playing everyday. He'll start running next, I've got him lined up for a few 5K's!!

*Madison and Emerson are dancing, dancing, dancing! Along with just being girls. They love all the girlie things and it's fun to watch them grow. Madison is doing a basketball camp these last Saturday mornings. She likes to go but complains her hair gets too messed up and her headband keep falling out. I don't think bball will be her sport of choice but for now, she is learning all about it!

*Remember Seth and I along with another couple were going to Vegas for a little vacation? Well, we changed our destination. We're booking tomorrow to go to Florida. Much warmer there and more chances to just relax on the beach. Our hotel is right on the ocean. Aaaahhh, after all this snow, it will be a welcome change! We are looking forward to it. This will be our first real vacation with just us adults and no kids since our honeymoon!

*Life is good, God is good. He is the center of our world. Hope you all have a great Superbowl Sunday. Personally, I am looking forward to the commercials much more than the game. Just can't get too excited without our Vikings there. I know, I know, I need to get over it!! Hugs to all...:)

Last weeks game is still fresh on my mind...and it still makes me sad! I know, I know, it's only football. If only I wasn't such a big Vikings fan, I probably wouldn't be boycotting the Superbowl game right now. You all know Brody is the world's biggest Packer fan and honestly, I never really noticed Favre when he played for them. I thought he was a great guy when he autographed Brody's picture and mailed it back. I thought he had great morals, work ethics and I knew he was a good role model for kids.

But I never, ever knew how much passion he had for the game of football until this last season when he played for the Vikings. Especially last Sunday's game versus the Saints. It was hard for me to watch him get pummeled to the ground, time after time, and he would get back up, time after time. He got back up slower and slower as the game progressed but he never quit. He never quit. I have so much respect for Favre and how he plays his heart out. Not because he makes millions of dollars a year, not because he's famous, not because he has to...but because he truly loves the game.

A couple of days ago, I read that a Saints player is being fined $20,000 for a low hit on Favre that injured his ankle. There was never a flag thrown on that play, which later was brought out that it should have been a 15 yard penalty which in turn would have brought the Vikes into field goal range for a win. It makes me sad to know how close they were to getting to the Superbowl! I can't believe how bummed out I was. We were all so pumped for this game, tons of food, friends and cheers. And it ended by a player playing dirty football. But it was good for people, including the kids, to see how amazing of an athlete Favre really is. I never would have known it either if it weren't for their loss.

So now all of us Viking fans have to wait for yet another year to see if Favre comes back and if they can ever make it to the Superbowl. I'm still not excited about next week's Superbowl...don't know if I can look forward to the game. Just yet. I'm still in mourning! But I'll still wear my Adrian Peterson jersey with pride and keep cheering 'em on. And cheering 'em on and on and on.....

Brody is still in basketball season. It's a long one...mid-November thru February. He has practiced every single day, either after school until 5:30 or at 6:15 in the morning before school. And with all this practice, you can sure tell. He has become quite the player. He loves the trips to the away games, riding on the bus, getting out of school early. These pictures are from a home game against Mitchell. It's so fun watching him play. He's not the tallest player by any means but he's quick and makes smart decisions during the game. I love going to the games. It's one of my most favorite things to do. I love to watch him play. I love cheering him on. I can see him getting nervous and my heart feels for him. I'm just so dang proud of Brody. I'm proud of how he is balancing his schoolwork and confirmation with all the practices and games. He may not play in the NBA someday or even college, but this is making him grow in so many, many ways. So I'll keep cheering him on from the bleachers and loving every minute of it! Go Bucks!

I turned 39 years old last week. It wasn't as graceful as hoped. I smiled on the outside and cringed on the inside...i'm so close to 40! This is the last year of my 30's so I have decided to make the most of it. I'm going to run that marathon, or at least walk/run. I've registered for my usual half marathons and 5K's. I'm going to go to Vegas. I'm going to tile my kitchen. I'm going to be content with what life has given me up to this point. Which is happiness. And love. And friends. I'm going to be the best 39 year old DeAnn I can be since this is the last chance I have while still being "30-something." Next year I'll be in a whole new chapter of life. Middle age. One good thing, I'll move up to the next age bracket in road races. So I won't be competing against 30 year olds! Big difference between 30 and 39 when it comes to running. My Brody was sweet enough to take some new pictures of me so I can get new business cards. I noticed a few more wrinkles, more gray hairs to cover up. But I'm 39 and there is nothing i can do about it but accept it with grace. And confidence.

Ugh...not going to happen today. May take a little time to grasp the acceptance thing. I sure like saying 29 better!

I guess with 3 snow days in a row, what else are ya gonna do except make the most of it?! Once the temp got above zero, I sent the kiddos out to wear off some serious cabin fever. It worked and everyone was much happier after some serious tunnels were built!

Here's some sparkle to brighten your days...kind of reminds me of warm, sunshine-y days! Christmas present from grandma and grandpa that we finally got to have last week. I was so happy to spend time with them, it was truly the best. I just can't believe how cold it's going to get...is it possible to get to 30 below zero? I always thought it couldn't snow if it got that cold. I guess that theory is out the window! I really don't mind snow, I just don't like the cold. I can't run outside, I can't get warm and did I mention I can't run outside? I have become best friends with the treadmill and it's not a good relationship. But we'll survive, just like we always do in South Dakota.

So i'm sending warm hugs to my peeps in blogland...love ya guys, you keep me going and you're my sunshine!!

One question nagging at me...

I saw the story this morning about the mom who literally died during labor, the doctors did an emergency c-section and the baby wasn't breathing either. Miraculously, both mom and baby started breathing again after 5 minutes of no heart rate. They both talked this morning and are doing wonderfully, like nothing ever happened. The key word here is miraculous, right?! So the doctor on the same show was trying to rationalize how her heart started beating again, something to do with the uterus cutting of blood flow, yadayada....why can't the doctors just say, it was a GOD THING, a true miracle?!

Wow! What a December! It just flew by. Can't believe 2009 is almost gone and a new year will be upon us. Every year, I say the same thing about the months of Oct, Nov, Dec...they just go so fast with hunting seasons and birthdays and Christmas and just doing everyday activities. And then you add 20 inches of snow on top of everything to shovel, shovel and more shoveling, it really makes for an exciting month. Our Christmas was spent at home with just the 5 of us. We watched Christmas Vacation and Star Trek and had a bottle of wine. The snow was nice then, not having to go anywhere, not having to hustle here and hustle there although I did miss not being able to go to church on Christmas Eve. Now, I'm kind of tired of the white stuff. Tomorrow we finally get to have Christmas with my parents in Sioux Falls and I can't wait. Just to get out of the house is all I need! So with all the birthdays past, the Christmas programs done, the gingerbread house fallen down and with all the snow, I am ready to just. be. Scheww. I'm glad I got it all done and everyone is happy. That's all I can ask for this holiday season!