Wednesday, July 13, 2011

WE ARE SPARTA!!!

Thomas, Caroline and Joe decided it would be fun to run in the annual Spartan Race up at Soldier Hollow!  It is an 8- mile run with a series of obstacles and tests throughout it.  We thought it would be fun to do next year with all of us... maybe in matching outfits (... how cute is that?) but after watching them I may be rethinking that decision!!!

They were all so excited (and smiling) as they ran past us when the race began!!


Then the real test began!!  
After running 6 miles (mainly uphill switchbacks) and having one chance to shoot a rifle and hit a target, jump from one tree stump to another without falling (each were 3 feet apart or more), having to scale a 8 foot wall and solving one side of a rubics cube (or have to do 30 burpees if they missed their chances)
they ran down these stairs....



...grabbed a tire and hauled it through a tunnel...

... then went straight to hauling a heavy stone up a hill and down the other side....


...up and over a net pyramid to the climbing rope...


...to another 1 mile run toward the spear toss...




Joe got his to stick in the hay so he got to move on...


...but Thomas and Caroline got to do burpees!!



Then they were off on a run down the hill toward the climbing wall....


...to crawling under barbed wire in totally sick-smelling mud for about 30 yards...


...then jumping over a fire and into a muddy pool another 30 yards long...


...and then the final run to the finish...


...where "spartans" waited to give you that last little push to the finish line!!!


 Thomas finished with a few other guys that all ran behind him so that they didn't get hit... sissies!!


But Caroline was smart and waited until they were all occupied trying to get another racer while she ran around the other side!!!


I am so amazed they were still all smiles after the race!!


Caroline finished first out of the 80 women who competed in the 10:30 am start time!!!
She is such an incredible athlete... she didn't even train and she finished first!  Amazing!!


How cute are Caroline and Joe?
  They have been married 5 months and they are just the cutest couple ever! 


 Standing happy, muddy and exhausted with Eric and Kathy!!


Deacon and Londyn did so well and had so much fun watching all the competitors!!


Way to go Thomas, Caroline and Joe!!

We are looking forward to next year!!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Happy Birthday/Independence Day!!

Every year on July 4th we not only get to celebrate America's Independence but we also get to celebrate my dad's birthday!  


We partied at the Bungalow which was SO perfect because we could watch the Sugarhouse Fireworks from their front porch!!  It was so fun!  




My cute mom put together the birthday menu: MEXICAN!
We weren't sure if that was exactly kosher since it was Independence Day and all, but it was DELICIOUS!!!  Pulled pork on top of yummy beans (and not just any beans... these black beans also had mexican sausage in them...YUM!!) on top of spanish rice served with roasted garlic and black bean tortilla chips!!

And in keeping with the Mexican birthday theme, we even had a pinata!! What would a Mexican party be without one?
Deacon wasn't sure about it!


...But Anna and James had a great time trying to break it open!!



But it was time to bring out the big guns.... and by big guns, I mean a 30 pound sledge hammer
In the Fisher Family we ask ourselves...."Why use a stick when you have a sledge hammer?" 


After a serious workout and some tears of laughter (...or was that their biceps crying??), 
they finally got it broken open... 




...and Anna, James and Grandpa had a fun time trying to pick out all the candy from the grass!



After that it was sparkler time!!!

Deacon thought the sparklers were pretty cool...Ohhhh!!!
 And next year he might be able to hold one all by himself!!!


 We had fun playing with the camera and writing messages (this one is supposed to say "Happy 4th") and outlining our bodies!!!



Deacon stayed awake until about half way through the Sugarhouse Firework show but the rest of us sure enjoyed watching them from the comfort of the big front porch at the bungalow!!  

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Days in Sunny June

What a fun-filled month!!

~  It started with Deacon's birthday on June 2nd.  ~

Deacon ate Mickey Shaped pancakes (with a side of blueberries) for breakfast 
so that he would have a full tummy for the zoo!

Anna, James & Aunt Kara brought Deacon his favorite thing... Balloons!!
(or "Ba" as Deacon calls them!!)
Then it was off to the Zoo with his cousins Anna, James & Londyn
and his Aunt Kara, Auntie M, Aunt Bree and Nana.

Deacon had so much fun digging for dinosaur bones with Anna & James


 and hanging out with T-Rex...

...and watching the elephants with Londyn...


...and riding on the carousel with his Auntie M!!
(okay, so maybe he didn't love that so much!!!)
 James found Melissa and didn't want to let go!!
Thanks Melissa for being such a wonderful Aunt to Deacon and a wonderful pseudo-aunt to James!!!


~  Then it was time to PARTY!!!!  ~
The weather was perfect!! It couldn't have been a more perfect day for an 
Under the Sea Birthday Party!

The decorations:





 (there were three centerpieces with Beta fish in them.  This one is Henry, Deacon's fish that he loves to look at and point to and even kiss the fish bowl!!)
Henry's Red friend is living at Grandpa & Grandma Fisher's house and his Blue friend is at Uncle Dylan's house... thank you to my wonderful family for agreeing to give Henry's friends such a good home!!



The treats:


 "Sweet Sushi"
 more "Sweet Sushi"

We also had sliders and fruit... it was yum!!!
Thank you, Darling, for grilling them to perfection!!

 Deacon's friends:
 Holly (how darling is the Polo swim suit and the pink shades???!!!)
 Chloe... I just love this girl!
 Jackson
 Deacon with Cannon
(emily... I didn't get a good pic of cutie Cannon... can you e-mail me one??!!)
 Luke, Anna & Holly
 Emmie
 Bronx & James
(these two are little fish... they didn't get out of the water unless it was to run to the other pool!!! 
So cute!!)
 Sweet Maddie... do they come cuter?
 Londyn (aren't those shades DARLING???!!!!) She is always so stylin!!!
and Lucy!

Deacon had so much fun splashing and playing in the water with all of his buddies!! 

He was just exhausted when it was over!!

Happy First Birthday Deacon!!!




~  Scottish Festival at Thanksgiving Point  ~

We missed the games on Friday night but made it in time for the Tattoo

The Utah Pipe Band
(Stevie played  in the "Salt Lake Scots" with John Barclay (centered in picture) when he was younger)

 Deacon watching the Tattoo

 It got a little windy and cold toward the end but Deacon was loving "washing" Nana's hair!!




~  Oxford  ~

We went to Oxford, Idaho to visit my cute Grandma Fisher and while we were there we decided to take a little walk around the tiny farm town. 

 Deacon had so much fun watching a real farmer mow his grass!!!

Where is James?

 Where is Anna?

 Dylan and Hannah decided to tromp through the grass to an old abandoned log cabin... Creepy!!

We didn't make it to the dairy farm up the street to see lots of cows, 
but we did see these new mom cows with their little babies!!

 Deacon had fun watching the horses!

 As long as they didn't get too close!! 

 James thought he would try to feed the horse... but decided he didn't want to get too close either!!!

SO THIRSTY after the long walk!! Thanks for sharing Grandma, or maybe Deacon shared more with you than you wanted!!!




~  Sun Valley!!!  ~

We spent Father's Day this year in Sun Valley with Becky and Melissa. 

 It was fabulous to swim in the 95 degree pool!! 

 Jumping to Nana from the side and LOVING it!!


 You can't come to Sun Valley and miss out on "Sun Valley Serenade" at the Opera House!!
It was such a darling movie... they just don't make movies like this anymore do they?



 Relaxing at the Lodge with his Sippy Cup and Sun Valley Chocolates with lipstick on his face from all the kisses from his Nana and Auntie M!!  What a glorious life!!

Sad to be leaving Sun Valley but hope to come back soon!!



It was so fun to be in a place that means so much to Steve & Becky (they even honeymooned here) and to remember the fun times spent here with him before he was diagnosed with cancer.  
A great way to spend Father's Day.



~  Cousins, Cousins, Cousins!!  ~

Sarah, Collin and Mason came up from Flagstaff to spend a couple weeks here
Deacon is in cousin heaven!! 

At the park:
On the tire with Sarah, Collin and Mason!

 Going down the twirly slide with Sarah!

Petting a dog with Sarah!

Now the straight slide! Thanks Sarah for being so cute with Deacon and taking him down all the slides! He loved it!!

Mason climbing up so fast!!

Shy James!!

Collin having a great time spinning fast on the tire swing!!


At the Zoo:

Collin was so cute making sure Deacon didn't get too wet playing with the rolling "world" ball!

Watching the Elephants... why is it I only seem to take pics of the elephants... I know there are more animals at the zoo!!!

Sarah and Collin being like Rhino's with "Horns" on their noses!!!
(This never gets old...  I remember doing the same when I was younger!!)

Waiting to get squirted with water by the dinosaurs!!

After being squirted by said dinosaurs!!!

And back to the ball once more before heading home!!



~  Other Fun June Activities:  ~

At the aquarium:
 We spent a good 20 minutes chatting with the Lion Fish...
 ...and another 20 minutes chatting with the Butterfly Fish...
... until Deacon discovered the Sting Rays... He didn't want to touch them, he just loved looking at them and pointing at them and running back over to them when I would try to get him to look at something else!!!
Luckily, Mom found the Penguins....
 and he and Mikey spent another 20 minutes watching them jump into the water and swim around!
 ...Until he found the giant frog he could climb on!!




~  Dad's Big Helper!!  ~

Deacon is learning early that you cut grass on a diagonal then cross cut the next week!!

 




~  Checking out the beautiful flowers at the Temple
with Holly! (more pics to come!!!)  ~


How cute are these two in their coordinating outfits??!!!



 Striking a pose...Isn't this a darling pic??!!


Looking forward to what July will hold for the McDermott's!!!