Turkey Trot 2009

Every year, McKinley does the annual Turkey Trot before Thanksgiving. I always like to run it with my kids. Second grade and older students run for a mile, but first grade runs just half a mile. I haven't ran for two months, since I had surgery. My doctor just informed me last week that I can start running again (praise the heavens...you have no idea how much food I've eaten since my surgery, I've gained myself a few good pounds, and need to start running it off, and I also need the running to improve my mental clarity!). So I was excited to be able to run, and thought, "I've ran a 13.1 mile half marathon, a 10K and a few 5K's this past year, I can run a half mile easily!" All the first graders lined up, and I joined them when they started. Good heck, they all ran fast, and left me in the dust! I was shocked at how slow I was! After a bit, of course, most of them decided to just walk. I kept my slow and steady pace (and yes, I ran by all the kids who were complaining how they couldn't do it. I would encourage them with my words, but I wasn't going to slow down and walk with them. I wanted to run, man! Rude of me, I know :) ). I finished it, but it was the hardest half mile! It sucks how much running I have lost since I haven't done it for two months! It was a lot of fun though, and I was very proud of all my students for doing it. The first place boy and first place girl even came from my class!

First graders, lining up, ready to run!

And they're off!

Phew! We finished!

Yay Billy! First place boy..

Yay Lexy! First place girl..

My Short but Fun Weekend in Denver

My good friend Meggan came with me to Denver for the weekend. I was able to have lunch with my former coworkers, see lots of my favorite Colorado people, eat some yummy food, and do a little bit of sight seeing. We went to Boulder for a few hours, a place where Meggan, Jessica, and Becca had never been. We also spent some time at the Columbine Memorial. As weird as this sounds, I find that place to be so peaceful and I love to visit it! It was a short but fun weekend, spending time with the funnest people I know! Thanks Hil, Sara, Jessica, and Michelle for letting us stay with you and spending time with me. I sure love you girls!

We loved this candy shop on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. They had everything!!

Megg loves her nut rolls!

They even had awesome sunglasses in the candy shop...Jessica looks stunning, don't you think?!

I have funny friends in Colorado. We ate at Mexican Restaurant, and didn't have the best service. We were short a straw, So Jessica and Becca split a straw in half and used the short little straw until our waitress FINALLY came back and brought us another one. Loved it! You can see here Becca comparing the two straws..

Self-portrait, with some yummy candy in my mouth from the yummy candy shop in Boulder. I love to eat!

I'm "in" Boulder. Get it? Huh, huh? I love that city. Can't wait to run the Bolder Boulder 10K again in May!!

Denver, You are Just What I Need!

Since moving back to Utah the end of July, I have been anticipating and trying to plan a trip back to Denver, the city I love. FINALLY, I bought my plane tickets and will be going in a week and a half! I have missed the people in Colorado, I have missed the Denver skyline, I have missed the adventures that can await you there, I have missed the food, I have just plain old missed it! Don't get me wrong, I love Utah, I love teaching, I love the people here (most of them anyway). But there's something about Denver that just speaks to the heart and soul of me. And I have a feeling that taking a quick trip there will be just what I need at the present funky moment of my life. Denver, here I come!!

Halloween 2009

Meggan and I dressed up as the Chippendale dancers from the Saturday Night Live skit with Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley. I elected Meggan to be Patrick because she is an awesome dancer and for some reason I KNEW she could pull off that mullet! We even performed the dance. We'll do it again and get someone to record it, don't worry! Enjoy the photos!

Yep, I was "Barney" (Chris Farley) and no, that is not a pillow sticking out of my armhole. OK, so maybe it is...

Adrian (AKA Meggan) showing off the Patrick Swayze move very well!

The Schulze's don't mess around at their Halloween parties! After an awesome scavenger hunt around town, we had the eating contest. Don't let this picture fool you..we thought it was just nachos too. But below the nachos was a collection of nasty stuff: marshmallows sprinkled with Cajun spice, pumpkin, olives, beans, cookies, along with drinking hot cocoa mix in water, that mind you, had not been stirred together yet. I don't mess around when it comes to eating contests but this year I couldn't handle the marshmallows with spice. I tried to gag it down but I ended up throwing it all up instead! Sorry team, I couldn't pull through on the food eating this year! After the eating was the obstacle course, but sadly I couldn't participate in that with my recent surgery. Next year my friends, next year!!

This year the theme was whatever you wanted. Shay and Nik came as Fred and Wilma, Laci was a pirate, Daniel came as Billy Ray Cyrus. Good times at the Schulze Halloween Party 2009. Thanks for the good times!!