A Duo you must see!

I received an email from Marcie regarding the Hoyt Team I think I have posted on them in the past but given the Marathon Challenge it is very appropriate to remind you all of this AMAZING team!

Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts who together compete just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that daunting, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. Together they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,735 miles across America.
It’s a remarkable record of exertion — all the more so when you consider that Rick can't walk or talk.

This video can be viewed

at:http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513

If I can figure out how to put the video on blogger with out clicking to the website I will fix it later.

Now that you have seen the video - I can guilt you into my challenge of 26.2 little miles done on a weekly basis! Everytime I see a video of these two remarkable people it inspires me to do more than I ever thought possible!

The best part of this video is when they are running - Dick pushing Rick in the wheel chair and they pass a lady running! How awesome is that! I must say I would be honored to get passed by this Amazing duo!

Come on get out there - Week one of the Marathon Challenge - just one mile this week...

Through Rain, Sleet and Snow

No it is not the mailman - it is me running! Went out for a nice 10 mile jaunt this morning in the spring time, instead I got 32 degree rain, snow and sleet! Crazy weather around here. I actually ended up going 10.7 miles. I was done with my run and a team mate came by and wanted someone to run the last two miles with her of her 16 mile run, so off I went with her. It felt good but I had many flash backs to the Seattle 1/2 marathon 2 years ago, it snowed on the 1/2. I am hoping that the 1/2 in May it doesn't snow. Sad I would have to think that... the person who is suppose to "flip the switch" on the weather from Winter to Spring has been slacking! If they measure snow fall at the airport, it will be latest snowfall on record I think! That is nuts!

so I burned 1300 calories today. Yeah.

Have a great weekend.

A Challenge for you all!

Hey mom's out there! I have a challenge for you and your kids

A Marathon! 26.2 miles

Now before you freak out - read this!

Over the next 26 weeks, I want your kids to undertake a challenge of epic proportions, A Marathon. I am taking on the challenge of running a full marathon in October, I want you and your kids to join me on my adventure of running a full marathon. I am asking you and your kids to walk or run 1 mile a week.

This weekend will mark 26 weeks until the marathon in October - so every week you and your child(ren) would walk or run a mile, at the end you will have done a marathon!

What is a Marathon?

In ancient Greece, Phidippedes ran from the plains of Marathon to Athens to report about the Persian War. That is where the marathon got its name. Thousands of years later, people still run, but now they do it for fun.About half a million people run marathons every year! People who run marathons train a lot. A marathon is 26.2 miles.



Why participate in this challenge?
· it's a great way to have fun
· kids emulate their parents, get into this make it a family outing
· running and walking makes you physically fit
· you can run or walk anytime and anywhere
· you don't need special equipment

Not sure how far a mile is? Well when you are with kids if you walk for approx a 1/2 hour you will have gone about a mile!

I am actually starting this challenge this weekend at our church ( I am one of the children's directors) and waiting on approval to do the program at my work (wrk part time at a gym in the kids care)

So let me know if you are in - if you would like to do it let me know and I will send you a run - o- meter.... I am also working on prizes for the kids! I am thinking medals, I have seen them before just have to find them... and yes I will send medals to you and your kids!!

I started "racing" with John and Josie and they were just beaming the whole time - so excited to be out "racing"!




As some of you know I am on the Raise the Bar triathlon team, Here is the link to my bio on my Raise the Hope team a subset of the main triathlon team ~ check it out!

My Meez

Does it look like me?

Don't leave me home alone!

So much talk of the New Kids on the Block reuniting..... Would I go see them in concert? hmmm that is a tough one... Bon Jovi I would travel to go see, seriously.

But New Kids, not so much. Jury is out on this one I think, I will have to hear some of the new music to see if they are ipod worthy. Looking good after 20 years... yeah not too bad.

The new or should we say "old" New Kids on the Block....

What ever happened to Hangin Tough?

I got a kick out of all their publicity - Now back to me and Bon Jovi - I run to their song "It's My Life" each day I run. Really is a great song. It's my life, what am I choosing to do with it? I know "like totally 80's" of me.... laugh if you must but I love my Bon Jovi. Yes if you are wondering all BonJovi songs are ipod worthy! Random post from Em, see what happens when Derrick goes out on a Sat night and leaves me at home... postings of NKOTB and Bon Jovi.

Great Grandma Jo

I got quite the suprise today - an inheritance if you will. Not the kind of inheritance I was expecting at all. My mom and dad just came back from a long road trip, they visited many relatives and sounds like they had a great time.

Josephine our daughter is named after my grandmother, Josephine "Jo" My mom brought back a painting of my grandmother "Jo"

Now I must say the picture has some unique qualities. I will tell you the suprise it has later. But when you first look at the picture (hand painted may I add) it sort of looks like one of those paintings out of a scooby doo cartoon. You know the pics that the eyes follow Scooby doo around the room, as he walks. That is what this painting reminds me of. It is not a horrible painting by anymeans - It is a pic of my grandmother after all - she was a small petite woman devoted to her faith - I think it was done when she was around 50 years old. Grandma 'scilla gave it to Josie, with a bit of a grin on her face. Ofcourse I couldn't put it up anywhere but in josie's room because it is her Great Grandma Joe! "Grandma scilla told her that, it goes in my room, mom" says Josie. She is now as I type singing a song she made up about "Great Grandma Jo!" I had the perfect spot for it - but alas it is hanging in Josie's room. It has only been up for a little bit of time, but she is taking time out to talk to her Great Grandma Jo on the wall.

The suprise you ask - what is the surpise? There was money hidden in the painting!

Nah, just joking, that would have been a great story eh? Actually the surpise is this - the painting was done by Zorro's daughter. OK the guy who wrote the Zorro stories., Johnston McCulley. If you are asking who Zorro is, or don't know the Zorro stories - you are too young to read this blog! The painting actually has on it the famous "Z" mark that Zorro made, I kid you not it really does! Some pretty fun stuff here....

Thank you to Aunt Laura and cousin Holly for thinking of us with this painting. I will be thinking of something I can say thank you with, keep your eyes peeled for something fun.

5 years old

John turned 5 on Friday! He was totally into this birthday and he knew that all day was his day. So he got to choose what we did. We went to lunch at Chuck E. Cheeses, of course! Then we went swimming at the local pool. I don't have pics of the pool but we had lots of fun!

Here is Derrick and the kids.... Derrick's first pic on the blog, after losing (drum roll please!) over 70 pounds.......(and the crowd goes wild!)

Chuck E. Cheeses

Sat was John's b-day party It was mostly boys with just a couple of girls. The girls did very well with all the boy party superhero stuff! It was my first "kid" b-day party and I think it went very well. It is really organized chaos when you deal with 3-5 year olds!

Happy Birthday John, we love you and can't wait to see what is in store for you!

Cake - thank you to Grandma Mary - it was both great looking and tasted out of this world. John asked Grandma to make fresh strawberry cake - asking for fruit, oh I am so proud!What a pic of blowing out candles! Great shot dad.

The kids had fun playing party games!

Pizza!

Easter Bunny

Easter bunny came! Not once but twice! The bunny came in the morning when the kids woke up and then came again and left eggs in the house when they were upstairs playing ... darn bunny didn't stay and chat he had to go to other houses!



We realized the camera didn't have charged batteries when I was taking pics of the baskets, so no pics of church or the egg hunt. But we did play games all day long - enjoy those photos!





John and Josie made a skit for us!

John playing lightning! McQueen!
This was a fun skit ~ I don't remember what it was about but they sure looked cute! Grandma too!

Too cute!

They did real plays with our theater puppets!

Pillow fight!

I just came across this.... call me crazy but this sounds like fun! You could get out some pent up anger! I am assuming this is real? I don't know? Should we go down? Em

Pike Place Market

1535 Pike Pl

Seattle, WA 98101

DATE: Saturday March 29th RAIN OR SHINE. Don't be a wimp ;-)

TIME: 3:15pm

PLACE: Pike Place Market, corner of Pike and Pine.

In the street, in front of the place that throws the fish.

A car will be blocking traffic so that we can safely fight in the street. Because we'll be stopping traffic the fight will be 3 minutes.

Tell Everyone about the fight.

Bring people.

Conceal your pillow

Listen for the whistle (When you hear it start swinging!!)

I'll blow the whistle again to stop the fight.

When you hear it, stop fighting and walk away.

More info on website tribes.tribe.net/seattlepillowfightclub

more about me running blah blah blah.....

So if you are sick and tired of hearing about my running well, sorry! Tough, my blog I get to post what I want! Seriously enough with the running I know.... but today was a major milestone for me. I ran an hour and a half with out stopping! So excited. I always have to stop and walk - this time I kept going. woo hoo for me. I ran total of about 9 miles, and I did it in the same time I did 8 miles last week - isn't that cool. I am going to go look for a heart rate monitor this week, I want to know if I am in the correct "zone" my friend Ang has one and burned 2,200 calories... and (ahem) I went a tad bit further than she did - ok the reason I went further was I didn't quite know where the turn around was, and I really had to go to the bathroom so I ran the extra 1/2 a mile just to use a porta potty.... sad, sad, sad I am fully aware. The really bad part was, I could have turned around at the point, I wanted to ~ there was a house they were building and it had a porta potty there! Dang blasted I didn't see it until my run back down the trail..... I wasn't happy. At this point due to my 1/2 mile jaunt and potty I played catch up trying to find all the ladies on the trail. I would have probably stopped -but I knew I had missed them at the turn around.... so I kept running. I like it though I really pushed myself. I am feeling really good about the 1/2 marathon... next week I think I am being talked into a 20k! That is 12 + something miles... really I better get a medal when I am done! Isn't that why you run in races? OK it is my motivation... then you wear the medal all day long, to the grocery store, out to lunch.... where ever you go for the rest of the day! Flaunt it I say ~ flaunt it!!

this is Daniel Cook, no it's Emily Yeung

http://www.thisisemilyyeung.com/#/intro/

I am famous! ha ~ who knew? If only they wouldn't misspell myname! I may sue......

If you have kids between 2-6 you probably have seen this.... it used to be thisisDanielcook poor kid got bumped!

Running and our life group

So I went to my first running class, at (ahem) 6 am! Yeah for me. Sadly I was stressed out all night afraid I would oversleep, and then I was also just nervous. So I stared at the clock most of the night. I did make it on time! Besides battling the hotlink sausage I shouldn't have eaten for numerous reasons, I did very well at the class. We did timed trials to see where we are at in our running and then later to show how we have improved. We did first a mile run, then just a run around the track. My mile wasn't anything fancy I was trying to pace myself so I didn't run out of steam and I figured out on the last lap I was pacing too slow and could have sped up but I am not used to running just one mile, so I was very awkward at this trial. How cool is that for me to type - I am not used to running (only) one mile. I say that so smiling and laughing because not too long ago I couldn't run (only) one mile! So I am totally laughing as I write that .... laughing in a great way. Typically I have been running more miles to get the distance in for the upcoming 1/2 marathon. Well I know I can't keep up a real fast pace for 8 miles so I have to go real slow but just keep chugging along. So to do just a mile I was at a loss for how fast to run it. The one lap trial I decided to lay it all out there and just go for it... laughing again I can say it still took me 2:45 sec. to do the lap. Not great if I was a "true" runner. But I now know where I am starting and will work on speed work. My goal was not to get over run - by one of the real fast runners in the class.... there are actually people out there who can run a mile in 5 min? who knew? I am proud to say that as I ran my 1 lap - I was not passed by Mr. Fast man! I beat him by 5 sec! Ha take that Mr. I ran the Boston Marathon in 2 hours and 20 minutes! Again who knew this could actually happen?

It was really cool one of the ladies that was at the running class ran for the first time all the way around the track without stopping! Isn't that awesome? I seriously wanted to cry for her with excitement. What a wonderful accomplishment. I know what it is like to start out and not be able to do a full lap, or 1/2 lap.... cool to be there for her to accomplish that!

As I mentioned I ate a hot link the night before. Our life group was celebrating getting through our first book. Pretty cool. We had a pot luck dinner, I was up with the kids and when I came down all the chicken was gone. So I thought I will try the sausage. I didn't know it was a hotlink until 1/2 way through.... whew... when you haven't eaten hot stuff in a while those will knock you right over! For the first time since Christmas I had (drum roll please) real potatoes! Wow those were good too. I didn't go crazy or anything just a taste to get my taste buds all, but OK I will so admit I miss potatoes! Everything in moderation right?

Our life group meets twice a month. I have really enjoyed getting to know the people in the group. We started going a little late in the session, but since we had already read the book we weren't too far behind. It is always nice to see and chat with people during the week!

Sadie Hawkins Day

Did you know that February 29th is not only a day that comes along every four years but also Sadie Hawkins day too! OK So Sadie Hawkins day is out of the comic strip 'Lil Abner. It actually made it's debut sometime in Nov 1937. Sadie Hawkins day is not suppose to be announced before hand so the 'fellers don't know it is coming.

Grandma Mary put on a Sadie Hawkins dance for her community on leap day this past Friday. Did y'all celebrate this day?

Ofcourse Grandma Mary knows how to throw a fun dance - this was done Hill Billy style!

Gunny sack races!


For those of you not familiar with the Lil Abner comic strip or Sadie Hawkins here is a bit of info on it:

Sadie Hawkins Day was a day-long event in Al Capp's comic strip Li'l Abner observed in the United States on the Saturday that follows November 9, named after Sadie Hawkins, "the homeliest gal in all them hills." Each year on Sadie Hawkins Day, the unmarried women of Dogpatch pursued the single men. If a woman caught a man and dragged him back to the starting line by sundown, he had to marry her.

All 3 kids having fun... yes D got into it too.. you can't say no to Grandma Mary!

They had lots of games and prizes, this was the 3 legged race - John being a little more coordinated than Josie was dragging Josie when she fell down. Got to love big brothers!

Love this pic of John in the gunny sack... love the face.

Half marathon - coming up in May!!

So today I did it ~ I put my money down for the half marathon on Mother's day! To me putting money means that there is no way I can back out! What a treat to do something for me on mother's day! It is exciting yet it freaks me out. Although I am feeling really good about this half marathon - I did 10 miles (ran the straight aways and walked the hills)last Saturday and I know I am way better shape then I was last time I did the half marathon. So today I ran my 3.5 miles on the treadmill and it felt good! The training program has begun!

Last week I turned (drum roll please) 35! As Foster says I am now on the back side of 30 - ewww doesn't that just make me seem old? Laughing I say no, I feel better than ever and I am more fit than I have been in a long time. For my birthday from a friend I received a gift, when I first opened it I thought - oops wrong size, I am going to have to take it back! But then I went and actually tried it on - low and behold it fit! I wore today for the first time in many many years (again drum roll please) a size medium shirt! To you skinny people who don't have a lot up top ~ who may not understand the magnitude of this moment ~ this is a major feat for me! (just so you know you tiny people ~ that is not a strike against you, I say that with the long time longing that I could fit into those cute little tops, but my size and proportion had stopped me from doing that) I am re-training myself for my new shape - I can actually wear fitted clothes - who knew?!

Anyway that is it for today thought I would share my two triumphs with you all!!

Maybe I will post a pic of me in my new shirt - sad ~ I know ~ that I would want to do this but I got to keep motivated!

Thank you all for your continued support!

How do you say goodbye to a true friend?

This last month is been one of the most diffcult of my life. (If you have read our blog for any length of time you know that is saying a lot!) Part of me doesn't want to blog again, part of me knows that I need to for my own sanity. As you read from the last post I lost my dear friend Liz last month.

Liz knew me, she knew my inner most darkest secrets. As I knew hers. We shared some of the best times together and some of the worst times together. How do you say goodbye to a friend like that? How do you move on from that? I know I have a void in my heart that I have to fill at some point, but for now it just remains empty. To move on with life, wow, how do you do that? I want to just curl up and cry on mostdays, others I can find a drive to keep her alive by my living. I choose to do the latter. I choose to get up and to honor her life. I choose to remember all the wonderful and good things about her. I will look at the negative aspects of her life and learn from that too. (we all have negative things in our lives, eh? - I know I do) So I will take all things about her and hopefully make the lives of people around me a little brighter. It is not easy to do. Do I want to put a smile on my face? no I don't. I have two children at home though, that need their mom. They need me 100%. So I find that smile that I have somewhere in me hidden and I take it out and I smile. I laugh. I cry. I live life. My mom has always said to me "Life is for the living" it always irritated me when she said it (I have shared this story before I know!) but it is true. Liz isn't here anymore and as hard is that is to write for me it is the truth. She is in heaven on streets paved of gold. She has finished her race and got her prize. Eternal life. How do I know she's in heaven? Well we talked about it more than once! I know with out a shadow of a doubt that she is in heaven. I am so happy I know where she is! But life here does keep going. So I find that inner strength and I do the best I can each day to live.

If there is a couple of words that describe Liz and Foster together it is "in love". To see the two of them together you saw just how much they loved one another. As you can imagine this is a very tough time for Foster. Please keep him and both families in your prayers.

I know I will continue to write about my journey through this process.... I wanted to share the two stories I told at her memorial.

We went on a cruise two years ago with Liz and Foster. Some of the funnest times of my life were had on the cruise! We flew to Austin where they were living and they showed us the town. We got in real late (we had no kids with us!) and we were set to get up and leave at 6am. Well at 4am Liz came flying into the bedroom and jumped on the bed! She continued jumping on the bed until we agreed to get up and go! 4am!! She was so excited to go on the cruise she couldn't wait to leave. That is the joy and fun I will remember with Liz.

The other story I shared was that of Liz and I running the 1/2 marathon a year ago in November. I was talked into running the 1/2 marathon from another friend, so ofcourse Liz had to sign up too. A marathon was something Liz had always wanted to accomplish. Well with my two kids we didn't get to train together. So the day of the marathon we start out together and then Liz starts in on her pace - and she was flying in front of me! So she waited and was doing the whole running backwards and talking to me thing.... ok enough Liz I said you go on and run your race and wait for me at the finish line. The Seattle 1/2 marathon is not an easy run there are quite a few hills and it is pretty tough (especially for a newer runner) By the time I saw the last 200 yards I was so exhausted I could barely run. I knew I would be seeing Foster pretty soon (he had the camera) so I was happily looking for him while just trying to finish. I saw Foster and Liz was waving widly behind him. What she did next I will never forget. She ran with me on the side line all the way to the finish line! She had already finished her race, yet there she was running along beside me. Waiting for me at the finish line. She came around the fence and we both hugged and cried at the finish line. I like to think that Liz now has finished her race and she is up there waiting for me and ofcourse waiting for Foster.


As I go on in these next days, weeks, months, years I only hope that I can accuretly share her smile and joy with everyone that I meet.

Tribute to Elizabeth

The woman in the room.

We noticed that there was another woman in the room. When news came in that our daughter was born with two tumors we noticed another woman in the room. When the news came in that our house had burned down we noticed another woman in the room. When a loved one awoke from a coma we noticed another woman in the room. When life got unbearable for many we saw another woman in the room. The other woman in the room will no longer be seen, but we now know the importance of just being in the room with the ones we know and love.

We miss you Liz and know you are waiting for us just in the other room.

Elizabeth Brooks

Nov 24, 1977- Jan 17, 2008

Please leave comments of your thoughts, or a fun story for Foster to read. Thank you.

***************************************************************

Elizabeth Anne Brooks (Mitchell) passed on January 17th. She was 30.
Liz was a vivacious spirit who loved children, competed in triathlons and traveled extensively. She held her friends and family close to her heart. She will forever be remembered for her love of life and the passion she brought to it.
She is survived by her husband, Foster, mother Rosemary Mitchell, father Mark Mitchell, stepmother Sue Mitchell, brother Ryan Mitchell and her beloved fat boy, Sherman.

***************************************************************

New additions to the house, no not a baby or puppy!

In one of my friends house growing up there was a picture that she had colored when she was young and her parents framed it and put it on the wall. I always thought that was a great idea, but had never done it. Well Grandma Mary took it to a whole new level! She had the kids paint a picture for us and then went and had it framed. I just love it. It is proudly hanging on our wall. To me it is the best painting ever done.

Another new addition to our walls:

This is our new motto: We may not have it all together; But together we have it all. We like it!

**** We looked so good in the first few minutes of the game, our hearts swelled with pride! Yes the Hawks, the underdogs were going to rule the game... then ooops we got knocked down! I will live with the wounded pride but in true Hawk fashion I will say - next year we will go all the way!! ****

Go Seahawks!

Two years ago I planned our cruise that left on the day of the Superbowl... who would have thought the Seahawks would have been playing in that Superbowl... so I am thinking in order to secure the Seahawks place at this years Superbowl I will now make reservations for another cruise on that weekend?

This is what I will be pitching to Derrick? Think he will buy it? Cruise anyone?

Em

Binkie Ferry

Those of you that our around our daughter at all know that she is attached to her binkie. Well I knew it was time to get rid of the binkie (no thanks to the lovely lady that I didn't know who decided to point out that she is too old for a binkie. Yes I had a woman actually stop me and ask how old she was and then go into a whole ordeal about how bad binkies are for their teeth, yada yada, yada... etc. etc. etc. as you can tell I tuned her out. Kindly smiled and said well, thank you for the advice I will take appropriate actions with your advice... well what did I do with her advice... ok I laughed at the poor woman... duh I am not an idiot I know what it can do to teeth. Who really stops people and points things out like that? To me it is up there with the person on the street corner waving a sign saying you are all going to hell unless you repent. There heart my be in the right place but the execution is all wrong! So I filed her with the crazy christian in my rolodex in my head and well went on with my life!) OK now back to my story.....

The final farewell!! Here they are the last we saw of them before the binkie ferry came!

So for a couple of months now we have talked about how the binkie ferry will come and take all her binkies and then leave her a prize. We have talked about it enough that she was more than ready for it to happen. The night of her birthday she was still sick and went upstairs and fell asleep by herself so I couldn't just take it that night! So I waited for New Year's Eve and had her line up all her binkies so the ferry would find them. Lo and behold the binkie ferry came and left one of those big eraser pads you write on. She was one happy girl, and has done great ever since with out the binkie. . . the binkie ferry is great!

Party for our Princess ~ 3 years old!

Josie celebrated her 3rd Birthday. She is growing up so quickly. It is fun to watch her turn into a little girl, but hard to watch my baby grow up. She is definetly not a toddler anymore. She likes to keep up with John. I can't talk about her birthday and not tell you all just how happy and grateful we are to have Josie in our lives. As you probably know Josie was born with two tumors and one was blocking her airway causing her not to breathe correctly. After 5 days (I think it was 5?) She was moved to Children's hospital and within an hour of us being there she was heading into surgery. Quick story: Derrick was holding Josie as we walked down to the surgery area. There was a nurse carrying oxygen becuase her breathing was so erratic. I remember all of a sudden the nurse picked up pace, then looked at Derrick and said "you need to run". Due to just giving birth I couldn't keep up and I remember looking at Derrick and saying "just go". The emotions that went through me were so overwhelming it is hard to describe. I remember it like it was yesterday. Obviously the outcome was good. But it is very hard to trust sometimes, this was one of those times that you just had to trust that everything would work out. I'll never forget how helpless I felt as they took her away. It is crazy that her life started out with such a traumatic event. However we quickly learned that Josie even at 5 days old was a fighter, and a survivor. Those great qualities are still with her today. She is now into all things "girly" yet still holds the heart of a fighter, and she is our little princess! My favorite thing to watch is Josie fight "UFC style" with her older brothers then go put on her Cinderella dress! Got to love girls! Happy Birthday Josie~ you continue to inspire us all!

Josie was loving tearing all the gifts open. John did really well and helped to hand her the gifts. It is tough at the age of four to see someone else getting lots of gifts!

Detrix and John

A princess cake for our little princess! This picture doesn't do the cake justice. It was just perfect! We don't have any pics of Josie's friends ~ they made her day very special.

A little out of order - this pic... but I thought it was cute!

This is Liz and Josie sleeping on the couch. Liz and Foster had flown in Christmas Eve, and so they were a bit tired Christmas Day. Josie wasn't feeling well, so she was more than happy to take a quick nap with Liz.


Wow what a last week! Poor Josie got sick the day before Christmas, all the way through her birthday. She decided to share a bit of it, so Derrick got hit too. We missed a 40th B-day party too! Darn it. Happy 40th Leonard! We love you.