I waited a while after getting up yesterday and enjoyed running in the light for the first time in a long time.

I love that everything is looking so green and the mountains look amazing with fresh snow. We have had one of our wettest springs since 1994 and it looks to continue for the next couple weeks. I hope that means that we have less fires this summer.

These trees smelled amazing! A couple easy miles for my morning then it was time to get ready for school.

Cannon was very excited about all the worms out on the sidewalk.

Emmy was excited to return to gymnastics for the first time.

She didn’t love that she didn’t get to play with the other kids but she did like hanging and jumping around.

All Runners Should Walk More—Here’s Why, and How to Include It In Your Training

I have been incorporating walking into my training for the last couple years, I figure I walk during an ultra so I might as well do it while training too. I loved this article about the benefits of walking for our aerobic conditioning. I feel motivated to include even more walking and hiking now!

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What’s new with you?

We woke up to a gloomy day and a rare rainy day in Colorado.

My past Oregon self would have been so disappointed that I wimped out of walking and drove Cannon to school.

The kids were happy to have a reason to use their umbrellas. And I am loving that the grass and trees are coming back to life!

I got up early to run, and while I LOVE running in the rain, I resorted to the treadmill for my hill repeats.

After dropping Cannon off Emmy helped me run some errands.

I am glad we spent the entire weekend outside since today we cuddled and played inside.

The Cocodona 250 started today and this race looks amazing!

The thought of running 255 miles blows my mind. The runners will all probably take some rest/sleep but I still can’t wrap my head around something that long. While I admire the athletes competing I don’t think something that far is in my future. It will be a GIANT stretch goal to finish a 100 one day.

I also saw this on Instagram, I love this art and Cannon loved that we are half way to Halloween!

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What is the furthest you aspire to run?

What is your favorite holiday?

April was a very uplifting month, the weather is getting better and the world is opening up. We had lots to celebrate and had some amazing adventures.

We celebrated Easter

Reconnected with Vaccinated gradparents.

Got in 5 hikes towards our goal of 52 hikes this year.

We spent a total of 6 nights out in the camper.

One big adventure traveling to Dinosaur National Monument for Emerald’s birthday.

Loved visiting the dinos.

We played in the snow.

We explored the aquarium for the first time.

Cannon played soccer.

I finally got some miles outside.

And we celebrated Emmy turning three!

I can’t believe we are already in May, where did March and April go?!? Time to set out some stretch goals for May:

May Goals

• At least 84 hours outside, more would be better to get caught up on our 1000 hours outside goal – so far we are catching up and hope to get ahead over the summer.
• At least 4 Hikes this month to work towards our 52 hikes a year goal.
• Run everyday in May to work towards my 50 day run streak.
• Run on a trail at least once a week
• Strength Train two times a week
• Run/walk at least 100 miles this month
• At least one camping trip

What are some of your goals for May?

We spent the weekend camping with friends, it felt like summer with temps in the 80s. It made me so so so happy. Dirty kids, no screens, just bugs, sand, sticks, trucks and a big ol’ lake.

I don’t think the kids are ever going to want to camp with just us ever again.

I love this gaggle of kiddos

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We spent the afternoon hanging out at the beach and splashing in the waves, the kids never wanted to leave.

We packed up this morning to head home and drove right into an intense storm.

It’s back to work, school, life tomorrow, but it was nice to live outside for the weekend.

What did you get up to this weekend?

This weekend will be filled with some of my favorite things.

camping, playing at the lake, friends and a little running. I am loving this time of year ☀️⛺️🏊🏼‍♀️

what are you up to this weekend?

My Day started off with another run outside providing me incredible views.

The mountains look incredible with the new snow.

The trail was a little rough after our snow/rain

I think we are officially in mud season, which means that we might get our two weeks of actual spring now.

On Cannon’s day off of school we went back to the children’s museum for the first time since before the pandemic.

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It felt weird and stragley normal at the same time. It was very odd that after 15ish months the kids are so different than the last time we were there…Emmy would have been just one and now she is three!

Emmy will also start gymnastics again next week, this was the last time we were able to take Emmy to gymnastics:

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Is life starting to feel a little more normal for you?

Emmy has grown and changed so much between 2.5 and 3 years old, we love her bold personality and her strong loyalty to friends.

Her best friend remains Cannon, I really hope they are always close.

She also really really loves her puppy.

She has found a love of soccer, she will be old enough to play on a team in the fall!

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Just like me she has a strong love of holidays, Halloween, Christmas and Easter are her favorites.

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Being outdoors brings Emmy the most joy, in almost any weather.

Emmy has also found a love for running, especially trail running, we just have to work on not falling.

If not outside you can find Emmy curled up with a good book.

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Even with Covid restrictions Emmy was able to enjoy many adventure in the last six months.

Emmy has mostly given up her nap now although a car ride will almost certainly put her to sleep.

I just can’t believe our little baby is already three and seems so grown up.

We have a lot of changes coming up in the next six months. We are looking forward to summer spending as much time up in the mountains as possible, swim lessons, hiking, camping and adventures. Emmy will start preschool in August and my heart is not ready. Possibly a trip to Disneyland in September and seeing family in Oregon.

I am excited to be along on this ride getting to see who this amazing little girl is becoming.

Past Updates

1 Month

2 Months

3 Months

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

7 Months

8 Months

9 Months

10 Months

11 Months

12 Months

15 Months

18 Months

21 Months

2 1/2 Years

I had the BEST run the other day as I started my run, I got to watch a giant moon set over the mountains. (photos will never do it justice)

Then when I was headed home I got to see the sun rise, life was feeling good.

Emmy and I have been enjoy our girl time while Cannon is at school but we are also counting down the days until summer when we can have lazy mornings and daily adventures! (17 more days of school to be exact)

I took the day after getting my vaccine to recover but now that I am feeling better I am going to start a new 50 day run streak. I have talked before about why I like to periodically do run streaks and I look forward to the challenge of running everyday for 50 days.

I had google tell me that my streak would be over on June 17, which is Cannon’s birthday so it feels right.

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Have you ever done a run streak?

So this happened yesterday for both Cory and me:

We both got our second dose of the Moderna vaccine. I will be honest that it has been rough today: fever, chills, aches, head ache, nausea, exhaustion. Three and Four year olds don’t exactly let you lay on the couch and recover.

It is SO worth it to be protected from this virus and help protect others from the spread but for today it is a bit brutal.

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For those of you that have gotten a vaccine, did you have side effects? How long did they last?

We had a really amazing day and it has me so excited that summer break is just one month away!

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One of our favorite parks that has been closed for Covid recently opened and we were so excited to go spend the morning climbing and sliding!

From the last time we were at this park in 2019.

We had to get some grocery shopping done then we were off to Denver to go to Elitches, our local amusement park.

I needed to provide Pass pictures of the kids…..this is what they gave me LOL.

We met some friends and enjoyed a few hours in the park.

We have season passes so I think we will be here a lot this summer. It felt like summer already with almost 80 degree weather.

We enjoyed grilled (veggie) burgers and watermelon on the deck and it was easy to dream of summer time evenings to come.

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Are you looking forward to summer? What is your favorite season?