Ever have one of those days where you trip in the garage while carrying bags of groceries, twist your ankle, bang your bad knee, break 2 jars of spaghetti sauce and a jar of jalapenos since the grocery store didn't have cans of them? Yah me too.

Our super busy awesomely wonderful Saturday

We had the best time on Saturday. we knew we needed some happy family time for our teenagers who think everything is out to get them right now. I went and ran my 10 miles with girlfriends, which is the best way to start any day! Then ran home fed the family a quick breakfast threw sandwich's together and got the kids in the car to drive to Tallulah Falls in norther Georgia. There is even a sign welcoming you to north Georgia, which was funny. This place is so amazing. I've been making fun of Georgia waterfalls and this put me in my place. You can only hike to the falls if you get a permit and they only give 100 out day, and only if the weather is good. Which we scoffed at until we hiked it. It's a 3 miles hike round trip over boulders and trees and through rivers with no bridge, up and down 1062 steep stairs!! It is a crazy workout but some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. As you can see from the videos below you hike to this natural rock water slide, you slide down and land in this beautiful basin of water. The hardest part if the slick rock face that you have to climb back up, but it's worth it. One time Elle was still nervous so I had her on my lap which weighted me down funny so I hit a rock and I have the most awesomely horrible looking bruise of red and black. I'd love to show it to you, but since I was sitting you can guess where it is. A shame really, it's great! After that we raced home changed our clothes and ran to the Braves game downtown. We missed the beginning because of a car accident but the kids still had a great time. we took the kids down in the 9th and they stand in line and get a turn running the bases down on the field! It was really cool to be on the field. They won't let you touch the grass, but they give the kids a tee shirt and certificate saying they ran the bases. Elle has worn hers for 3 days, I finally had to pry it off her. We got some great video and pictures of it, I'll post later when I have more time!!
And the best part? Not a single whine or complaint from the teenagers, ahhh success

Batteries not included

Nothing like having my battery die at seminary. I guess I left it on enough to see the time, but I didn't even think about it. Luckily there was a dad there waiting to drive the kids, but I had to go into the seminary and ask the kids if they had cables and then go back in and ask a girl to move her car... sigh. Then I almost ran out of gas so I went over to the gas station and I had the thought "maybe you should do your other errand first so you don't turn the car off", which I ignored. Got my gas and the car was dead. Went around asking everyone for cables, talking to strangers in the morning with no makeup or bra on is my favorite thing of course. The next jump took 4 tries and finally worked. Ran home got Connor ready for school, with the car running, took him to school, stopped at the auto place where they tested my battery and what do you know?? It failed. So I now have wonderful new battery, less money again and I'm having trouble pulling it together to run. MAYYYYBEEEE later......

tallulah gorge

Elle went and had her picture taken in her baptism dress. It looks like a wedding dress, she choose it.

update

I have written very witty and timely blogs in my head the last few days while I didn't have a computer, but now that I have one I can't remember one of them. Today was one of those days. I ran at 5 so I could get home and get everyone going but it is nonstop until about 10:30 tonight, I will admit I had a coke. But the first in a week or so, which isn't bad. I think aliens have taken over my first born, he doesn't seem to be anything like my son anymore. I am hopeful this will chance, I am told it does. It could be as short as a month or 2 or until he is 19-26. Or even 34. I have apologized over and over to my parents for my own teenage years, but it seems the curse of having a child just like me can't be removed once it has been uttered. Please I beg all of you, don't do this to your children, it's harmful to their mental health.

Oh where, oh where has my time all gone??

So I haven't been able to blog a lot lately. I had a witty post I wrote in my head about how sad my life can seem when I find myself reading the consumer guide to what kind of dishwasher soap works best (Finish quantum tablets followed by Finish powerball tabs). But then I never got around to it. We are 2 1/2 weeks into school and life is chaos. We took a few lovely years off doing sports except for tumbling here and there. Now AJ was accepted onto a boys gymnastics team that practices 3 days a week and so Elle is taking a preteam gymnastics class that meets during the same time 2 of those days. Somehow I need to find a time when Matt can still do guitar lessons and then I need to figure out how I can get Connor to the rowing classes he wants to take, which of course meets some of the same days AJ goes and 20 miles in the opposite direction, impossible you ask? Yes, yes it is. Has life come down to whose dream is more important? It feels like that sometimes, so I'm looking for options. I really need a Alice, someone who cooks, cleans, drives and always seems in a cheery mood. Anyone, anyone?? Bueller, Bueller?

Morning of the 4th day of school

So this is day 4 back to school! It was so cute the first day I went to wake her up and she jumped out of bed and was like wow I'm like so wide awake now, clearly bleary eyed. The 2nd day a smaller bounce out of bed, today I had to pull her. Still very cute, she just needs 5 or 20 minutes to wake up and shes ready! Matt is so-so on seminary, he has been sitting by a friend who doesn't want to be there and it is wearing off on Matt a little, not sure what to do. Meanwhile since my kids started school and seminary and my running friends school has not started, so they are running in the am with out me :( I ran today by myself and I have never been so unmotivated. I feel like I'm suffering from a break-up. Clearly I am a needy person with issues.

Connor asked Elle if she was swimming or drowning... a rather good question...

We have some good friends at church, Emily and Jason, that I like to sit by every week so I can play with her two baby's, Braedon is 2 and London is 1. Emily went into labor and delivered her 3rd almost 2 weeks ago at 24 weeks. After two hard weeks of everything doctors can do, she passed away yesterday. This is in loving memory of Maddison Faith and with love to her family.