273: temple trip

We had a priest & laurels temple trip tonight. Picture courtesy of my phone!

272: now to the eye dr.

Poor Jayden has been through the gauntlet of doctors this week! Today was his very first eye exam. This room brought back memories..it's been nearly 11 years since I've had to step foot in one of these offices. It looks like Jayden might end up with my eyes. He measured 20/30 and the Dr. said that we could get him glasses but they weren't crucial at this point, but probably by his next growth spurt he would need some for seeing far distances.

I'm sorry Jayden..in so many ways you are like your dad but sadly, you didn't get his perfect eyes!

271: who are they kidding?

This was given to me to catch a bm specimen of Jaydens'! They obviously don't know my son very well and what he is capable of!

270: blood drama

This experience was pure DRAMA!! Trying to get to the bottom {excuse the pun} of Jayden's bowel issues!!

269: dismissed

 Remember this...back in March??

This is all I have to say to that COP!! DISMISSED!!

{what's a speedy violation? see what I was dealing with!}

268: newest geddie

Meet the newest Geddie:  Nacho Spikey Geddie

For Ryder's birthday he got a bearded dragon...yipee{that's sarcasm if you couldn't detect it!}Our Bishops teenage son had outgrown it and didn't have the time to take care of it anymore so he gave it to Ryder for his birthday! {I think it was a little harder than he thought it was going to be..but he was given great visitation rights!} Ryder is in heaven! Now we are up to 2 turtles and a bearded dragon..at least we've still warded off the dog debate!

267: another CHAOTIC day!

Claire & Stephen Craig

Newport Temple

 Nickie {it's her birthday!}

 Carol Bollinger, me, Kristen Moon Swanson, and Becca

 Kristen

 Stephen Cisneros

 Suzanne William, me and Bec

Me, Wendy Gilfillian, and Bec

Another chaotic day in the life of Dyana! First off, we had Ryder's soccer game {and of course today of all days, I was snack mom}. Then it was Jayden's game..which he almost made it but had to turn around because he was having bowel issues. Then we had to drop Sky off at football {again, I was snack mom for his game}. In between games, I ran into Steinmart, which I never go in, to see if I could find a dress to wear to the big wedding we had tonight! Luck was on my side. I found a dress in seriously 5 minutes, bought it, came home, showered, Jenn helped me with my make-up, and then Jim and I raced down to the Pelican Hill Resort in Newport for Claire and Stephen's {Marie Osmonds son} wedding reception. It was beyond gorgeous! The fanciest wedding I've ever been to! Tonight was also my 20th High School Reunion. I had no intentions on going! I didn't even think about going because I knew we had this wedding reception to go to. Throughout the day all my friends were texting me to come! I was beginning to get a little nostalgic and a little sad that I wouldn't see old friends. We got to the reception at 5. I had the most tender Filet Mignon with porcini mushroom sauce with garlic & rosemary mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach, but by 9:30 the dessert course still hadn't come. I looked at Jim and said let's do it! So off we went...to CRASH my 20th reunion at the Disneyland Hotel! I am so glad I did!! By the time we got there, everyone, but the 2 other Mormons: Stephen & Becca, were completely inebriated!! No one would have known I was crashing. We had planned on staying about 1/2 hour, next thing I know it's 12:30! We didn't get home till 2:00 a.m. but it was a great night and I'm so glad we were able to manage both events!

Look at us..the party animals!

266: pump it up

The easiest party I've ever had...and I needed easy this week!

When Ryder wanted to invite the entire class and a few friends from last years kindergarten class I was a little weary! Then I thought, usually only 1/2 of the people you invite end up coming! I guess that's not true when it's a PUMP IT UP party. We had a total of 27 kids!! It was crazy, but the employees do all the work! I just brought in the cake, juice boxes, and goodie bags and they took care of everything else! Ryder had an amazing time with all his friends and I wasn't ready to kill over afterwards. I'd call that a success! Worth every penny we paid!!

265: happy 7th birthday to my baby

 Happy birthday to my baby! I can't believe it's been 7 years. They were the fastest 7 years of my life!! 

It was a date night for Ryder and I. We have season tickets to the Civic Theater in San Diego and go figure, our first show, The Blue Man Group, Jim was going to be out of town! I couldn't leave Ryder home with a babysitter on his birthday so I decided to take him with me! It could have gone very wrong, but instead, he loved it! We had a nice birthday dinner at RUBIOS {much better than his choice, McDonalds, which we couldn't find} and then hit the show. I was a little concerned that it might not be appropriate, but there were 2 other moms sitting next to us with their 7 & 8 year old sons. It was loud, visually stimulating, and funny! Ryder thought it was, in his words, hilarious! Hopefully, a birthday he will never forget!

264: raingutter regatta champion

LOSER PARENT OF THE YEAR ALERT!!

This was the most chaotic week! We just got back from San Francisco, Jim had to leave to go to Las Vegas for a conference for work, it was Ryder's birthday and birthday party, and the raingutter regatta for cub scouts. Something had to give! I decided it was going to be the regatta, until Jayden found the box with the piece of wood and said, "Mom, we've got to make a boat for the race..I really want to win!" I knew nothing about a raingutter regatta, so late Wednesday afternoon I googled! I came across a lot of helpful information but the most important thing I read was not to use the boat given, but rather to make it into a catamaran style boat! Great! How do you do that? I researched further and came across some blueprints. So off to the garage I went with copping saw in hand to carve out a pontoon like boat! We sanded the pieces and Jayden sprayed painted. Jim later glued it together. 

I felt terrible but the day of the race was Ryder's birthday and I was taking him to San Diego to see the Blue Man Group. Skyler had football practice, so I had to call a babysitter to take Jayden to cub scouts and cheer him on at his event! Nice..a paid cheering section!

I called home afterwards and Jayden words were, "I totally dominated mom!" Apparently he won ever race with a single blow!

VICTORY!! I wasn't there to taste it, but it still felt sweet! If any kid needs to dominate, it's Jayden!! He could use the confidence boost! So glad that the babysitter caught his winning races on the flip cam!

263: molluscum contagiosum

Ryder has this nasty rash under both of his knees. It usually flares up when it's super hot. Jim got on the computer to figure out if it was more serious. He came across the name: molluscum contagiosum {sounds like something Harry Potterish}. I took him to the Dr. and sure enough, Jim's self diagnosis was correct! It's a viral infection of the skin. It could go away on it's own, or we could take him to the dermatologist and have them scraped off. We made the appointment but of course, they can't get us in till the end of November, by which time I'm praying they go away on their own.

262: jaydens new venture

We got a flyer in Jayden's Wednesday envelope about joining the Tony Tobin band and Jayden was all over it! He even knew just what instrument he wanted to play: the saxophone! So off to the rental place we go..of course it's the most expensive instrument at $45 p/month. It's now my job to find one on craig's list much cheaper than that! Who knows how long this interest will last, but as a good parent, we've got to give him the opportunity! We are kicking ourselves for selling Jim's about 9 years ago at a garage sale for $40!! It was just taking up space..who knew 9 years later we'd have a son who wanted to learn!

261: a fun day in the city with friends

 Ready for our fun day in the city...everyone was moving just a little slower than normal!

Jim, who never gets zits, had this one right on the corner of his nose that was driving him crazy! So out came the iphone for his mirror and in the middle of a crowded market place, a picking he goes! Obviously it wasn't successful, because about an hour later, at Pier 39, I caught him using a reflective window for try #2!

 You see a lot of crazies in San Francisco..the bushman, silver man, countless other freaks and street performers, and more than you can count homeless people. This man took the cake! As we were sitting, enjoying our ice cream treats from Ghiradelli's, this homeless man walked up to the fountain and started taking out all the money! He could care less that he was surrounded by people, or the fact that I walked right near him to take this picture! He wanted the pennies and he got them. Never mind who's wishes he stole...he needed a beer!

 So this is what Jim would look like with hair! Albeit it's yellow, it's hair!

A fellow Ragnarian...we ran into a lot of runners enjoying the city! I'm impressed..I couldn't even draw this on the van. I can't imagine the talent needed with sharp, razor like clippers!

The sun is setting as quickly as the duration of our trip! What an amazing time I've had with my friends. Just sad the others couldn't stay and play with us today..they were missed!! 

A trolley ride to cap of a fun-filled day in San Francisco! We almost lost Jenn, but fortunately Cassie was right there to grab her!!

260: running into day 2 ragnar

Beautiful country..but if only a picture had scent!! pee-ewh!!

Glorious day in the vineyards of Napa..it's glorious because I've finished all my legs and it's just a party now!!

 One of the main reasons for signing up for this race was to win the "GOLD RUSH" medal! In order to receive it you had to run in the 2 California Ragnars in the same year, hence, the GOLD rush. 

We were wearing some serious bling..and yes, these medals were heavy!! 

Our entire team, all 12 of us, together at the finish line!!

Go RAnGry Birds!!! 

186 miles..from San Francisco to Calistoga..32 hours!!

{tanya,jenn,janna,terah,cassie,debbie,theresa,cordin,eric,julie,meand jim}

259: angry birds take over san francisco

 The first major exchange! This is our team minus Julie who is just about to come in and send me on my way! 

When we came up with our name we never really thought much about it. Angry Birds was a favorite game among the group and it seemed like a fun name. No one could have prepared us for what was to come! We were seriously Ragnar CELEBRITY! I can't even tell you how many people asked to take our picture. Everyone loved it! We didn't think there was anything terribly creative about it, but I think we ate it up, nonetheless! My contribution to the group was a giant water ballon/grenade launcher which we used to launch each runner as they left the exchange..it was a hit {thank you very much to my skeptical husband who was so embarrassed by the ordeal}!!

Thanks to Jim..aka the navigator, and his trusty ipad, we were usually on course! Mind you, we were in the mountains and hills and the ipad is only as good as the reception!

Half the fun of the Ragnar is seeing what people come up with for Van decorations and costumes. We followed the 2 Dudes and 20 Boobs nearly the entire race{but I beg to differ wether they were all boobs..if you know what I mean}

One of the very few downhill sections of Jim's 1st leg..the leg he thought was only 8.3 miles but somehow it was a misprint and was actually 10.1!! Good thing we didn't tell him till he finished!

Sweet Heaven! 

As we were driving, we took a wrong turn. A wrong turn that turned out to be wonderful because it led us straight to this cupcake shop! A blessed treat after we finished our 1st legs!

Time for a very short rest before my 10:30 p.m., 7.6 miler! There was really no rest..just nervous energy wondering how in the heck I was going to do this! I was thankful however, because this was suppose to be 9.2 mile and got changed last minute! My prayers were answered!!

 All suited up in my safety wear, ready to take off on a very dark, long run! The air was cooling down and I was ready! Took 3 shot blocks and got my music nice and loud! 

Believe it or not, this 7.6 miles went fast and I even felt like I could go on more! This must be the runners high everyone talks about! I credit the shot blocks!!

258: ragnar napa valley...here we come!

My 2nd flight into San Francisco in 3 weeks!

Trying to figure out how to draw the Ragnar symbol onto our Van..

I made nothing but a mess so Jim took over and nailed it!

 Here we are again...5 months after running the So. Cal. Ragnar we are back for another! This Ragnar starts in San Francisco and goes 186 miles into Napa Valley! This time around it was a little more involved seeing as we had to fly up to San Francisco, rent an extra van, and find hotels for the extra nights, not to mention Jim and I had to pay a babysitter for the 4 1/2 days. Despite all those logistics, we had an amazing time! I was grateful that I got to be in the Van with Jim this time. It's funny, every time I do this I wonder how in the heck I signed up for this! Then as soon as it's over, I'm ready to sign up again! 32 hours, no real sleep, no "real" meals, sweaty, smelly, and you PAY THEM TO DO IT.. yet somehow, it's so much FUN! Go figure!