A Basketball Birthday

My oldest turned 11 on February 24th.

Max wanted two things...

A birthday party basketball tournament

and

a sweet bike.

We happily obliged.

RAGNAR DEL SOL 2012

Another RAGNAR down...success!

Brianne and I raced in our fourth Ragnar this weekend and loved ALMOST every minute of it.

2 vans, 10 runners, 200 miles, gorgeous Arizona desert, moonlight runs, crazy costumes, inside jokes (like the TT), GUs, chocolate milk, and emergency Glide- all adds up to RAGNAR.

We were TEAM RUNS 'N ROSES.

I started the race running over eight miles up a mountain in Wickenburg...feeling good.

My next run started at 10pm, a total of over 12 miles (did 2 legs) through suburbia...feeling nauseous and exhausted.

My final leg of around 5 miles ran along McDowell Mountain in Fountain Hills...feeling serious pain in my foot!

No, Ragnar isn't easy. I ran a total of 26 miles on bananas, bagels, and zero sleep.

I also spent 2 days with great friends and made some hilarious memories and

THIS is why I keep coming back!

RAGNAR LAS VEGAS...see you there.

PurpleStride

On February 11th, we honored my mom's memory by walking for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in their first ever PurpleStride Walk of Phoenix.

It was good to be surrounded by people who have also been touched somehow by this terrible disease.

It's hard to believe that it has been 4 1/2 years since we lost her.

Love Notes & Back to Blogging

My blogging has left little to be desired lately!

It has taken a back seat to all of my life's little important hobbies, jobs, and responsibilities.

Truth is... I love blogging and REALLY miss it.

So, here goes an attempt to get back in the blogging game~

This year, I decided to go ahead and make some homemade valentines for the kids' friends.

3 hours of cutting out 100 mustaches resulted in some pretty darn cute valentines. (idea from the Craft Monkey) and the kids loved them!

We also started a new valentine tradition in our home this year.

Love Notes!