2016 Will be The Year!!!

I have decided that 2016 will the year of all years.  There will be a lot of things that will happen this year, GOOD things.  December came and went, and the New Year was welcomed with open arms for once.  Not that 2015 was bad or anything, but I just knew that I wanted it to hurry up and be a new year.  A time for new resolutions, new choices, new goals, etc.  We participated in the Make A Wish Jingle Run again.  I absolutely love running for a cause like this.  And, we beat our run time by a minute or two from last years run.  We ran through downtown where all the Christmas lights were and I tried to take pics, but I haven't mastered how to do that while moving.. Ha!

Before run at home

Before run Selfie

just a small view of some of the crowd

Here we go!!

At the end of December, I received my Bachelor's degree.  That was something I have longed for for the last 10+ years.  It seemed that every time I wanted to finish my degree, we either moved, or I changed schools and lost credits.  I had such trouble with figuring things out between what it was exactly that I wanted to take and what I wanted it in, and when it came down to it, I finished finally.  I think it's just been one of those accomplishments that ended 2015 perfectly!

My long awaited BA ;)

So, 2016 is going to be the year of many other accomplishments.  Tim and I did our first ever Ultra Relay Run with some friends that also like to run ;).  We had no idea what to expect but man, was that the most fun yet most tiring race ever done yet.  It was up at Kualoa Ranch, where some movies like Jurassic Park and 50 First Dates were filmed.  This ranch is not a flat farmland ranch like I normally would picture.  This was the opposite.  It was mountainous, and rugged, and dirty!  We first read that it was a 4-something mile path, yet our app read that it was over 5 miles.  (Doesn't seem like a huge difference, but when there is hills involved, its a HUGE difference!)  Then we were in a team of 6, which later became a team of 5, so we all had to do two laps around the trail that ended up adding to about 11 miles each.  It was through hills, cows and their patties, streams, trees, rocks, etc.  IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!!  I have been pushed physically before like when I was in basic training, but gosh, that was in 1998-when I was 19!!  I was so physically spent that for several days after, it hurt everywhere ha!  Would I do it again?  Yup! That may definitely happen before we leave here again.

where the start was

Our little set-up

part of the mountain we had to run 

Team All for the Shirt 

Go Baby!!

This was me-before my first run around

happy and full of excitement ha

Tim finishing up last lap

WE SURVIVED

Sun setting after relay was done

We all made it!

 I wanted to run the half marathon that I never got to run due to that back injury in Oklahoma.  I signed us up for it.  Tim and I will be running in it (as long as no injuries happen during this training) on April 10th.  We started the Nike training program for the half marathon on the 18th this month.  Definitely not fun.  Yet, we are pushing ourselves more then ever.  Carefully of course.  I sure don't want another bulged or ruptured disk and Tim doesn't need any new pains either.  It's a gradual mileage climb, then it tapers us down before the actual run.  But, I signed us up for some other things too before and after the half.  On the 2nd of April, we will be running in the Ford Bridge 10k again.  This run was pretty ugly last year, so I am hoping this year we will have a funner time.  I never thought I would use the words "running" and "fun" together, but that is what it is to me.  Fun.  So, we do a 10K, then the half, and a road bike ride on the 24th of April.  That's three big events!!!  I can't wait.  It's going to be fun.  Oh, and....  we also signed up for the Marathon for December 2016!  Might as well while it's under $100.

Three of our events...2016 goals

Kids are great!!  Both Mason and Madison are doing wonderful in school.  Mason has grown taller then me, and I am not quite sure how much taller he will actually get lol.  Maddie is still small and petite, yet her personality isn't.  I just wish I could stop them from growing so fast.  It's still hard to wrap my mind around that I have a freshman.  Like, seriously, when did that happen?  Oh, and to top this news.  Our oldest, Makayla, has reenlisted for another few years and she has been promoted to Sergeant too.  She will be heading to Alaska in March where she will spread her wings some more with her new unit.  Not to mention, with our future grandchild! Yes, I did say that...  We are going to be grandparents!  Woohoo!  Can't get anymore blessed than that!  Bring it on 2016! We are ready for whatever comes at us ;)