She Ran a MARATHON and Turned 34! Happy Birthday Kim!

Mason really enjoys eating outside, usually by himself

 Having fun in the swimming pool

 Mason was excited to get mail this week

 The kids played at one of the downtown CDA parks this week

 They always love these animals at the splash park

 Probably not the cleanest water to drink...

 Nixon found a huge grasshopper (or perhaps the next plague of 2020?)

 When Nixon and Kim had a little date at the grocery store they tried making peanut butter

 Only Nixon can unload the dishwasher while on his hover board

 Another day the kids went to another CDA park and had lots of fun together.

 Nixon was climbing everything

 And swinging like a monkey

 Lyza practiced her leaping skills

On Thursady Kim got an early birthday present because I want her to be able to use it before Saturday

 She got a COVID inspired card

 And a new health tracker/smart watch

 Lyza lost ANOTHER tooth this week

 Early Saturday morning Kim and her friend Bessie got up way too early for their 6:05 marathon start time

Their friend and running buddy JamieSue also joined them and ran the start and the end of the race (16 miles in total) but took a break in the middle (this was a really good strategy because Kim and Bessie needed some extra motivation at the end of the race)

We slept in (or at least tried to) and went to meet Kim just after the 19 mile mark

 We saw them coming in fast

 Who looks that happy after 19 miles of running?

 We hung out and played on some fine art (and then the park)

 Kim (and Bessie and JamieSue) came back, now at mile 23 and the kids decided to join them for a few strides

We then drove to the end and waited for her at the finish line

Kim's finish even made the newspaper (this is Lyza's second time being photgraphed for the newspaper and she is only 8). The article is here: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/aug/22/the-race-must-go-on-runners-praise-socially-distan/

(Isn't Mason's picture of a monster the best thing you have ever seen?)

Right after finishing her first marathon she still looks this good

 My heart melted when Nixon put the medal on her (he has also been Kim's running partner a few times)

 These two have been such a good support for Kim and motivated her through countless early morning runs

 This is the only way I am going to get marathon finishing pictures

 The gentleman here used to be in our ward before the stake split up all the wards. He also ran yesterday. 

 Getting some much needed stretching in and answering lots of questions

 She is AMAZING!

Not too shabby for her first marathon (and feeling really deathly ill at miles 14-19)

 Kim's running friends brought her these pies later in the day as a birthday gift

For dinner Kim and I went on a date to some food trucks

Kim turned 34 today. We had a breakfast casserole and fresh fruit for breakfast

Our lesson for church was about how we are each unique and important (like individual puzzle pieces) but we are most valuable together as members of a family

Then we did a puzzle together

I picked some carrots and potatoes from the garden

 Henry has joined in on the magnatile craze

 For dinner we had creamed vegetables from the garden, corn, and steak

 Mason really wanted to eat the bone

 Kim is such a rockstar she finished making her cake while talking to family on the phone

 She made a coconut lime cheesecake

 34 never looked so good

 Her kids adore her and I can't blame them

 You gotta endure the song before you get cake...

We love her

 The cake was absolutely declicious

 I wish I had the time and ability to list everything about Kim that I love and admire. Just to make sure the task was insurmountable, she added another thing to the list: marathoner.

Seriously Kim, I love you and I know there are many more that do as well.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!