RRR Moab

Running is so good for my soul. It feels so nice to get out with my little man and just run. When friends from our ward invited us to run the Red Rock Relay in Moab, I was excited. Must have been anxious because I couldn't seem to sleep the night before. Our team, Chafin the Dream, started at 5:40 am. Luckily for me, I got the first leg. Running through the canyon during the sunrise was so, so good. My second leg however doesn't get as good of reviews. Four miles with a 1000 foot elevation gain does a number on your quads.

All of us seemed to have a (mostly) enjoyable time. Nothing like a day of running to get your appetite worked up. I ate so much chips and salsa after waiting for our burrito to come. Looking forward to the next relay at the end of August.

not just another graduation

This guy, let me tell you. He is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. He keeps proving this time and time again. We recently celebrated this big milestone, graduating with his Bachelors in Science in International Business from Utah Valley University. .Get this though, not only did he graduate but he graduated summa cum laude (people he had a 3.9 GPA!), while working full-time (including an hour and a half commute), while serving in a time consuming church calling, AND with a newborn baby (& wife) at home. Sounds nuts right? And yet he did it. Most people probably didn't/couldn't even tell because he rocked it. Sure there were late nights and a few grumbles but he did such a good job balancing everything. My hope is that Atticus will learn from his dad to work hard and always put the most important things first. It makes all the difference.

It'a already been a week+ and life is just grand. Thank heavens for summer break.

Tanner, hopefully this post doesn't embarrass you too much but I wanted to let you know how proud I am of you and your accomplishments. In our short time being married, you have shown so much passion in all that you do. I'm glad to have witnessed first hand your efforts and look forward to watching you change the world. Atti and I will always be here cheering you on in whatever you pursue. Love you!

our first apartment

Recently we said goodbye to our first apartment. The only one we've ever known since our marriage. I'm getting all sorts of emotional just thinking about it. So many firsts happened here the past 3 years. We both are gonna look back on this place with fond memories. Though we had our share of grumbles about it, it really was the perfect place for us.

-Our BEDroom. Literally our room was all bed.
-Staining & painting the kitchen table that we thought was given to us only to find out after that it actually was meant to stay in the apartment after we left (it's a pretty funny story; this one was my bad). Now that's how you inherit a free kitchen table.
-French doors into our room.
-The bead portal.
-The lamp with the mustache. Tanner put it on originally as a joke but neither of us took it off.
-Trying not to cut yourself on the bathroom mirror.
-Our fridge magnets. So, so many.
-Provo River trail nearby.
-The side window in the living room was frosted like the ones typically found in bathrooms. Still don't know why it was that way.
-Dave and Todd. The nicest landlords ever.
-A cheap ikea rug that would get caught in the door or would slide around.
-The neighbors dog barking anytime we'd open the window.
-Jumping to avoid the little spray of water from the toilet after it was flushed.
-The spider outside the front door.
-Watching the shenangins that happen in the parking lot of the church across the street.
-Hearing people scrape the bottom of their car when they took the dip in said parking lot straight on.
-Fresh blackberries and tomatoes from the garden.
-Shower and kitchen drains were somehow connected. Remnants of food occasionally found their way into the shower.
-Tanner still never learned what light-switch turned on what light.
-The sink in the bathroom barely fit a bottle of soap. Whenever you'd turn the water on/off was a risk of it falling into the garbage.
-The 5 second delay of the microwave.
-The vinyl bird above the front windows.
-The on switch for the dryer was broken from the first time we moved in. Had to use pliers to turn it on every time.
-Cleaning the mirror doors but always finding streaks.
-Having any more than 2 people in the apartment at once was tight.

I spy with my little eye, Atticus in a bouncy chair...

As I look around my heart is happy. I knew we wouldn't stay there forever, but I'm gonna miss this stage of our life. BUT good things are to come. A new city. A new space. A new home. Looking forward to moving into where Atti's giggles will fill the rooms. Where he will learn to crawl and walk. Where we can be just the three of us.