I Choose Life!!!

I DID IT!!! This past weekend I went down and ran in the Ethan's 10k Run. This was my first 10k (6.2 miles) so I was pretty nervous about it. But I have to admit that I was quite pleased with myself when I ran the ENTIRE thing and did it in 1 hour 29 minutes. (Not to Mention that 2 miles of it was up hill.) I could not have done it without My amazing sister (this was her 3rd 10k), my awesome niece Carly, and the beautiful Alyssa Weber. They kept me going with singing, laughter, and words of encouragement. I'm not going to lie and say that it was at all easy. I hit a major wall between mile 4 and 5 (part of it up hill), but it's amazing when your body and mind just kick in and do what you have prepared it to do. Big thanks to all those friends and family who text and called me wishing me good luck...it meant the world to me and kept me going!

Special note to Jami...SISTER ~ I hope you know how absolutely amazing I think you are! I Love being able to get out and run with you! I love being able to vent our frustrations out while we pound the pavement together! I love how on my off days you encourage me to keep going, and vice-versa! I LOVE how we have choosen life and have choosen to do something about ourselves the right way!!! I have looked up to you all my life and am so grateful that the good Lord blessed me with 1 AMAZING sister!!! I Love you!!

Me, Alyssa, Carly, and Jami...We went out and bought these shirts the night before. We found them at Target and they say...'Motivate. Dominate.' We joked how we were at the run to motivate people, and they could dominate!

Why the Ethan's run had SO much meaning...

My niece Jessi gave birth to the sweetest little boy, Lewis Jess, a year ago February 24th. He was born with heart defects and went through open heart surgery just a week after he was born. To make a LONG story short...he is an absolute miracle!!! Well, just a couple rooms down from Lewis Jess was a little boy named Ethan Skidmore. Unfortunately Ethan's life had a different outcome than our little Lewie. So this run was put on in honor of Ethan and the money was donated to 'The Congenital Heart Foundation'. It was MORE than an honor to run for such a cause and to have the sweetest picture of little Lewis pinned to our shirts! I hope Jessi, Alvin, and Lewis know how much we love and adore them!!!


Jessi, Me, Alyssa, Little Lewie, Carly, and Jami

Me and our little miracle boy, Lewis! Oh how I love this boy!!!

Lewis...I Hope you know how much your Auntie Tiff loves you. I can't be in your presence and not feel our Heavenly Father's love. Who knows what this life will hold for you or even how long you will be here to bless our lives, but know that you have already touched and changed so many lives, especially those of your family. We love you more than you will ever know!

My New Found Obssession...

Anybody that knows me well knows that I HATE, yes I said HATE, reading!!! Until now I had only read like 2 books since high school. I never understood the big hype over those 'Twilight' books, or any other book for that matter. I guess you could call me...words from my own father... a 'realistic freak'. I don't like movies, books, or anything for that matter that have to do with things that in my mind are 'unrealistic'. Eventhough I am married to a man that LOVES 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Harry Potter' or 'Star Wars', you will very seldomly find me watching them with him.

*

Well, a couple years ago Brandon asked for a series of 6 books called 'The Great and Terrible' by Chris Stewart. He has read them I think 3 times now. One day, not too long ago, he handed me the first book and said 'I want you to read from here to the end of the chapter'. I didn't really want to but I did because it was easier than fighting him on it:) I was HOOKED. I didn't tell him that, but I was. I started reading the first book without him knowing, but it didn't last very long since I had a hard time putting it down!! He finally caught me one day sitting on the john reading it...he laughed and said he knew for quite a while that I had been reading it since he had found my toilet paper book mark:)

*

Needless to say, I am now in the 5th book. Why do I like them you might ask?...because they are REALISTIC!!! They are about our day. They talk of things I can actually see happening. They have officially scared me half to death! They have made me ask...'do we have enough?', 'could we really live through it?', 'how long would we survive off of what we have?'!!

*

SO people...if you want a good read...read 'The Great and Terrible'!!!

You're All I Need...

My Love, My Valentine...

If there were no words

No way to speak

I would still hear you

*

If there were no tears

No way to feel inside

I'd still feel for you

*

And even if the sun refuse to shine

Even if romance ran out of rhyme

You would still have my heart

Until the end of time

You're all i need

My love, my valentine

*

All of my life

I have been waiting for

All you give to me

You've opened my eyes

And showed me how to love unselfishly

*

I've dreamed of this a thousand times before

In my dreams i couldnt love you more

I will give you my heart

Until the end of time

You're all i need My love, my valentine!

*

This song by Martina McBride, written by Jim Brickman, was the song I sang to Brandon at our reception. It says EXACTLY how I feel about the man I fell in love with almost 9 years ago. I drempt about love and what it would be like, but never imagined it would be this good!!!

*

I love you Brandon Wayne Martineau!...I hope you had a great Birthday/Valentine's Day! Thanks for the little get away and for surprising me with tickets to our first Ballet, 'Sleeping Beauty'!! (yes...he surprised me for HIS birthday;)

It was amazing, YOU are amazing, and I will love you forever!!!

Brandon and I before Ballet Arizona's production of 'Sleeping Beauty'!

Happy Birthday you Sexy Beast!!!

Whatta Week!!!

Last week was such a whirl wind for us! Due to Mallori's adoption, sealing, blessing, and me getting so sick towards the end of the week, I only had a few moments to sit down and post...so I am finally getting around to post more about it!

The whole crew with Judge Ruechel at Mallori's adoption last Tuesday, February 2nd. We love Judge Ruechel and would even say she likes us a little too since she has a picture of us on her office wall:)

The Fam after Mallori's sealing lasts Saturday, February 6th. It was an amazing experience to have all of us inside the temple once again. Other than Paul kind of being rowdy in the sealing room, the spirit was so strong, and it was an added plus to have my dad perform the sealing. I have been blessed with an amazing family!!! FAMILIES ARE FOREVER!!!

Me and Brandon with our beautiful little girl!

Momma and Mallori

Little Miss Mallori...a little piece of Heaven!

Then on Sunday, February 7th, we had her blessing. Once again both Brandon and I are blessed with great families who are always so supportive. We had a great time visiting with everyone at our house during the luncheon!!!

Miss Mallori in her beautiful white dress!

And what would we do without this lady...

Aunt Diane Dodge rocks!...she made Mallori's sealing/blessing dress. Eventhough she is not 'blood' related she is part of our family!!!

BIG thanks to all our family and friends who made the effort to be there for us during yet another BIG week in our lives! We love you ALL and are so grateful for your love and support!! The Lord has truly been amazingly good to us!!!!

I'm Yours!!!

You didn’t give me your eyes
Or the color of your hair
I’ve climbed the family tree and found
There’s no one like me there
Sometimes I’ve felt like a stranger
That came from foreign shores
But look inside my heart you’ll see
That I am yours

You didn’t give me these feet
But you placed them on the right path
You didn’t give me my voice
But you taught me how to laugh
You didn’t give me these hands
But you taught them to open doors
Look at all I am you’ll see
That I am truly yours

Do you think the ones who gave me life will ever know
The gift they gave to me by letting go
I hope somehow that heaven will reveal
The depth of gratitude I’ll always feel

You didn’t give me these arms
But you gave them a family to hold
You didn’t give me my body
But you’ve truly shaped its soul

Your love has given me wings
And how my spirit soars
Knowing that I will always be Forever and Eternally yours.
(Michael McClean)

On Fire...

You wanna know what lights my fire?...

POLITICS!!!!!

Nothing irritates me more than when people sit around and bitch about what is happening to our country, but yet they won't do anything about it!!!

What people need to realize is that you CAN'T fix anything on a national level until we fix the problems on a LOCAL level!!

SO...

before you start your ridiculous complaining ask yourself...

"When was the last time I actually went to a local board meeting?"

"When was the last time I donated money to a good candidate or to the politcal party I belong to?"

"When was the last time I actually contacted one of our local/state political leaders and questioned them about their voting record?"

"When was the last time I actually attended a political forum to meet the candidates?"

and most importantly...

"When was the last time I considered running for a local/state position?)

BOTTOM LINE...

If you are NOT willing to participate and do your part...

SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!!!!!

Happy 30th to a Good Friend!

Today is my good friend Tom Williams 30th Birthday! Hopefully he will forgive me for posting these pics...I did warn him I was going to:) Tom and I have known each other all of our lives but didn't become good friends til my Junior and his Sophomore year of high school. Eventhough there were times our lives took us down seperate paths, we have remained good friends. I will forever be grateful for his example, his kindness, and his friendship!!

Tom...I hope you have an awesome 30th birthday...I promise it's NOT the end of the world! Thanks for all the memories...I hope you know how amazing I think you are!!


Tom and I at COED my Senior year!

Tim (Tom's twin brother), Me, Tom, and Charlene at Hoover Dam on our way home from the NFR!

Tom and I at the Brad Paisley concert last year!

Officially ours~

This beautiful thing legally became ours today! She will Forever be ours this Saturday!

It's been a good day!!!

Quotes of the Day...

"My recipe for dealing with anger and frustration: set the kitchen timer for twenty minutes, cry, rant, and rave, and at the sound of the bell, simmer down and go about business as usual!" by Phyllis Diller

&

"No matter how discouraged we get, God has not asked us to do the impossible!" by George Grace