ARIZONA

I spent my Spring Break down in Phoenix with my brother Jeff. If he hadn't picked me up in his truck at the airport I probably would have walked by him. He has grown a full beard since I was in Phoenix back in January. I had a great time hanging out with him in the warm weather while Utah got hit with snowstorm after snowstorm.

The picture below was taken on top of Black Mountain near Cave Creek. I honestly didn't know we were hiking so I wasn't dressed very appropriately. Jeff left me in the dust. He is a freaking mountain goat. The view from the top was great. Cave Creek is probably my favorite part of Phoenix. There were so many cactus there and the town had a small town charm. Jeff was working on a house up there. I watched as he tore down a porch, exterior wall, and installed an eight foot door.

Our parents came down a few days after I arrived. Our first stop after picking them up was the Tee Pee. This is my dad's favorite restaurant. Most of us order the Presidential Special (two cheese enchiladas with rice and beans) if you are ever there you should try it out.

This is Jeff loading up his trailer one day up in Cave Creek. He bought it a few months ago and loves it because it dumps with the push of a button. I made two trips to the dump with him. Going to the dump was definately an educational experience.

We went to a Diamondbacks game. It was my first Major League Baseball game. The Diamondbacks lost to the Rockies. I loved the atmosphere at Chase Field. I will definately go back again.

After the game we went to a movie and then got some good BBQ at Lucielle's. We ordered the family special which came with two racks of ribs, a full chicken, four sides, and biscuits. It was SO GOOD.

I love going to visit Jeff. Jeff is an optimist and you can't help but be optimistic when you are with him. He is a dreamer and makes others believe that no dream is impossible. Jeff lives each day of his life like it is Christmas morning. I hope that when I "grow" up I will be like Jeff. Thanks for an awesome Spring Break!

SALT LAKE HALF MARATHON

I may not be able to walk very well today but on Saturday I was able to run. I ran the Salt Lake Half Marathon. My official time was 1:53:21 . I was able to shave 13 minutes off my Moab time and 11 minutes off my Phoenix time. I broke the two hour mark which has been my goal.

I was a little hesitant going into the race because of the hip injury that I have been dealing with since the Moab race. But, I loved running through the streets of Salt Lake. I had a better idea of how far I was running and was able to keep myself motivated. Running downhill the majority of the race didn't hurt either. I stuck to my plan and only walked for a minute when I reached each water station (at least for the first 10.5 miles). I started to realize I may break the two hour mark. The last couple miles were torture, runnin/walking up State Street was definately my low, but I was able to finish the race strong.


I spent the rest of the day with family. Max had a soccer game. Imagine 3-5 year olds playing soccer (aka skipping up and down the field no where near the ball). Then I headed out to Lagoon and watched Emily, Max, and Ben enjoy their first rides of the season.

ANYWHERE BUT HERE

I started this post a few months ago and finally got around to finishing it...

January and February are the bleakest months of the year (I'm now going to add March and April to this list). As soon as I get back from Winter Vacation, I am counting down to the next break. FYI:

• 10 work days between Winter Vacation and Martin Luther King Day
• 19 work days between Martin Luther King Day and Presidents' Day
• 34 work days between Presidents' Day and Spring Break
• 30 work days between Spring Break and Memorial Day
• 9 work days between Memorial Day and the Summer

Technically I have just 39 work days until Summer but I need something to help me get through it. I found it today. I am going to Alaska! I just booked a cruise. I am now picturing myself whale watching, riding helicopters and dog sleds, and eating salmon (not so sure about the salmon yet but I'll try). I just have to make it to Summer. The pictures below are definately motivating me.

Seattle, Washington

Juneau, Alaska

Glacier Bay, Alaska

Sitka, Alaska

Ketchikan, Alaska

Victoria, Canada

Seattle, Washington

I'll run a half marathon the day after the cruise ship ports. The elevation chart looks awesome!

As I have been daydreaming about all the places I want to go this summer I came across a unique way of sightseeing. It is called City Running Tours. You literally get a tour of the city while you are running with an experienced guide. It costs $60 for the first 6 miles and $6 bucks for every mile after that. The tours are available in Austin, Charleston, Chicago, New York, San Diego, and Washington DC. Sounds like a unique way to see a new city.