Chips + ice cream + gummy bears = ick

So I was in Ogden last Saturday and decided to run at the parkway … just like old times. It started off as an okay run but pretty soon my body started rebelling. This may or may not have been because of my not so smart pre-run decision of eating kettle cooked potato chips and Death by Chocolate ice cream. Hindsight is 20/20. That being said, I need to explain myself. I’m usually pretty smart about eating good stuff when I know my body is going to need it in order to torture itself for a couple hours straight. But I was at my parents’ house. And they sometimes buy potato chips (POTATO CHIPS!) And I’m sorry, but I’d like to see you try resisting something named “Death by Chocolate.” Frankly, my body should be thanking me for not breaking into their food storage and scoring myself a can of cream soda to wash it all down with. Oh and then there were the gummy bears on the drive down to the parkway. I tried to convince myself that they would be of the same value to me as sport beans or gels. Which, for the record, they were not.

Anyway. So there I was. Dragging my poor little potato chip-ice cream-gummy bear filled self down the pathway, hell-bent on getting my allotted mileage for the week. I tried really hard to distract myself so as to stop thinking about collapsing on the nearest grassy spot. I put on all my favorite songs … dreamt about camera lenses … planned out my dream house with pretty shutters and tulips in the front yard (and a hammock) …. but no luck. It was only after I started people watching that I forgot my gnarled stomach. Have you ever people watched at the parkway? Almost as good as the mall (although not nearly as good as the state fair). Pretty sure I saw it all. Examples:

• A man running barefoot. BAREFOOT! I’m told it’s all the rage now, but I’m just not on that bandwagon quite yet. And not to mention running barefoot in a public place? With shards of glass just waiting to git ya? No, but thanks anyway.
• A couple furiously making out on a blanket during their “picnic.”
• Rollerbladers! Each spring I say that this is going to be my rollerblading summer. Maybe it really will be this time.
• Some very unhappy looking runners. Which I suppose isn’t so amusing because that’s probably what I looked like as well.
• A sketchy group of kids huddled together down by the river. Nothing good ever happens with a sentence like that.
• WAAAY too much buttcrack for this time of year. Or ever. I swear it was attacking me from every direction.
• THE BIGGEST DOG OF MY LIFE. Seriously. Freaked me right out.
• All the tweens at the skate/bmx park trying to impress each other with their mad skills. And since when did 11 year olds start wearing skinny jeans? Is it cause of those Jonas boys?
• And. Saving the best for last. I saw a man, locked out of the parkway bathroom, franticly rush to a nearby NOT VERY TALL concrete barrier and do his business. Considering the height of the barrier, the absence of full trees, and the fact that the park was hoppin’ with families enjoying the spring weather … well, I got a kick out of it for sure. The frantic look on his face was pricess. And before you decide that I’m some sort of peeping pervball, I didn’t see a thing. I averted my eyes like any lady should when a stranger nearly pees his pants in front of her.

See? SO much better than worrying if my stomach is going to eat itself alive.

What’s that? You want another pic of cute Easton? Okay I suppose I could do that. For you.

 All together now .... aaaahhhhh. Cute as ever. And holding on tight :)

Guess who lost her first tooth?

And would you look at those adorable freckles?? She's getting so big. Don't even ask Josh & Jill how they feel about sending her off to kindergarten later this year ....

Rainbows

Weren't yesterday's rainstorms crazy fun? Okay maybe "crazy fun" is an exaggeration, but I'll admit to liking rainy days. And as we were parking at the gym we saw this pretty little thing:

It was actually a double rainbow but unfortunately the double portion was super faint on our side. Despite the poor cell phone quality of the pic it still qualifies for my picture of the day collection. All rainbows have an automatic in. AND it got me super excited to make these again for St. Patrick's Day next week!

Now if only I'd had time to search out the supposed pot of gold at the end of that rainbow ...

Awesomeness

I'll never have this kind of patience. But I can appreciate those who do!

One more ...

While I'm on the topic of pretty things, here's one more. If I'm irresponsible in the mornings and don't scrape off my driver side window this is what I get. Isn't it great? I love the intricate details of each crystal. And really love how the crystals look as if they're leaves on the tree. I'm really not a morning person, but stuff like this at least takes the edge off a bit. 

One of these days I'll do a post without a picture. But don't hold your breath.

My mouse path

Saw this online other day and my inner nerd was intrigued. So I tried it. Here is my "mouse path" for half a day at work. The lines are movement and the dots are times where the mouse isn't moving at all. I think it's kinda ... pretty. And interesting. And makes me think about carpal tunnel yet again.

You can do your own here.

Ohhh .. sparkly!

So what happens when your sprinkling system freaks out in the middle of February? Well I'll tell you.

THIS

turns into THIS overnight

Looking for the silver lining in the situation, I have to say that it's all quite beautiful when the light hits it. See?

That is, beautiful until we get our water bill.

More little E

Who's tired of hearing about little Easton? ME EITHER! Over the last couple of weeks Karlee has been kind enough to let me barge in and take pictures of him in all his cuteness:

Things I've learned about Easton: he smells like vanilla (seriously -- not lotion), he's a master burper, and he REALLY wants me to be the first to see him smile. I can tell.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sounds like more of a threat than an expression of love ... but who I am to judge? Happy Valentine's!

Snow day!

Just a few things:

Well, FIRST THINGS FIRST: yesterday I met Easton for the first time! This kid is CUTE, people. He's so miniature and delicate yet he has the biggest feet. I think we're gonna have a tall one on our hands. Quite a change for the Venables :) His face has a thousand expressions and I saw about half of them in the span of 45 minutes. I fear I'm going to become That Annoying Sister who can't get enough of her nieces and nephews ... if I'm not already That Annoying Sister. But I can't help it! Stop giving me such cute nieces and nephews and then I'll think about stopping.

SECONDLY. It's a done deal -- guess where I'll be April 5, 2010? With these guys. And these guys. And I couldn't be happier about it. Don't be jealous. And if you are then get yourself a ticket and come with us. There's still time.

And LASTLY. As a recent convert to Nutella, I feel it my duty to let you know that February 5th is WORLD NUTELLA DAY! I plan to bake a nice Nutella treat tomorrow. Since I'm a little late catching the Nutella wagon anyway, I feel okay about being a day late with making my celebratory Nutella treat. And with this many options, it might take me that long to choose one anyway. Should we see how many times I can use the word "Nutella" in this paragraph?

That's all. For now.

Congrats Karlee & Nate!

"Everywhere in nature we are taught the lessons of patience and waiting. We want things a long time before we get them, and the fact that we want them a long time makes them all the more precious when they come."

Joseph F. Smith

10 second rule

via :: minor details

Only a glimpse.

Just a thought.

I'm not going to run out and get myself a tattoo. But in an alternate world where everyone came standard with one tattoo, I would hope and hope and hope that mine would be something beautiful like this:

via :: b dunlap