Learning with Lucas

Lucas is in such a fun stage right now! 

I love it. He is just soaking up so much from talking to walking.

Thanks right I said 

WALKING

 
  About time. That little stink bug!
Right along with walking..

Learning Shoes

He loves to help put his on, and also take them off. Can be a bit frustrating sometimes.
 But most of all he loves to walk around the house with shoes on his hands.
Its super cute.
I love it.

If you come to our house, beware, he might come take yours.. and we will have to trace his steps to find them.
He has been known to do that.

Lucas is also learning how to feed himself. He is at the stubborn stage where he has to do it all by himself.

   

Learning to Talk 

"I want that" sounds more like " I wann dat"
He says it for EVERYTHING. Points and "I wann dat"
I have been trying for a long time to teach him please. I have been doing signs with him.
More
Please
Thank You
Nope, all he does is look at me and say,
"I wann dat" sometimes accompanied by a yell or scream if I hold off and try to get him to ask.

He loves to blab all the time.
I love that. He is just a talker. He also loves to say Grandpa. Its adorable.
My Dad LOVES it. It was one of his first words.
In fact I think Lucas has worked his way up to favorite grandchild because of it.

Learning Basics
He is also learning nose, ears, head... but my favorite is
Kisses.
I love his kisses.

 (that's his sweet face he makes right before)

Kennedy also loves his kisses :)

I love to watch him learn and observe. He catches on to so many things.
It surprises me almost daily.


I am also learning right along with Lucas in a few ways..

Learning  PLUMS

My Dad came home the other day with a HUGE bag filled with plums.
 Tons.
I was so excited. I love things that get me cooking something different.
So I have had a lot of fun finding plum recipes.
 
 Plum Jam

 Pork with Plum Sauce.

Turned out to be a hit!
Also plum and peach cobbler. Yum...
 We have had the plums for 3 days, and I think we only have like 8 left.

I am a little but bummed  :)

 Learning Running 

Here are the lessons I learned about running a half marathon.

Lesson #1-

TRAIN

Just because you have ran a half marathon untrained before doesn't mean you can do it again.

We signed up planning on training.. didn't happen. Last time we ran was our 5k on the 4th, and before that... who knows.

Lesson #2 -

Not only Train.. But Train in the SHOES you are going to run in!

Our stuff is still in storage, and when we ran the 5k the shoes I used were a bit too small, and I was worried my toes would be killing me if I ran in those. 

So at 5 am I went and found my other pair of shoes in a box, and decided to use those.

Yeah, I took my shoes off at mile 10 and ran the last 3 barefoot.

Felt good

Lesson #3-

The night before you need to EAT good and SLEEP well.

(you would think that would be a no brainer...)

We had a busy night before our half, we helped Adam propose to Tiffany.

YAY!!! We couldn't be MORE thrilled!

Anyway, we didn't have a good dinner, we only had some snacks on the drive to and from Orem. 

By the time we realized that we hadn't eaten a good meal, 

I thought it was too late to eat (midnight) Andrew made himself a bowl of cereal.

(I didn't want to have lots of potty breaks like last time. I was worried about the reverse effect.)
Yes I just said potty.

So I thought I could do it with out...

Needless to say, around mile 11 I thought I was going to black out and pass out.

I ran into a sweet girl from our old ward in Orem, that I visit taught. It was a blessing, I ran with her for miles 7-9 and that was awesome! 

My goal was to run it with out walking.. I had done it twice before.

Yeah.. No.

I walked a few times. In fact I used every water break from mile 4 on as my walking time 

Only because I felt sick after drinking and running on an stomach.

I was just so weak! We both were, Andrew was getting the chills towards the end.

Lesson # 4-

DO A BIG RACE.

We did the Bountiful Handcart Days race, and it was good. 

We liked the first half better than the second half. Maybe I just didn't love the course..

What I liked about the previous races that we have done in the past, is that they are big.

Lots of people running, the roads are blocked off, big finish, big start (they start on time)  they start early so its not so hot.

They don't run out of water at the end.. which happened for us.

(that wasn't cool.. literally.. :)

just little things that I like in a race, they didn't have. 

I am a picky racer I guess.

Lesson #5-
Race with someone you love.

It makes it so much better.

He was the highlight of it all..

It was still good. I am glad we did it.

I want to do another one and prove to myself that I can do it right.

Anyone want to join us!?

Advice.

So since Thanksgiving, Andrew started his new job at J.D Clark & Company in Ogden UT.

Yup Ogden, if you remember right we live in Orem.

74.9 mile distance. WE NEED TO MOVE.

My wonderful husband has been commuting and putting up with my coaching schedule the last few months and not one word of complaint. Me on the other hand... I could follow his no complaining example.

Well I have had wonderful parents  who have been letting us crash at there house so we could spend less time in the car, and more time together.

On the pro side, Andrews work offers him a free UTA pass. So to cut down on gas he has been taking the Front-Runner from Salt Lake, or Farmington Station up to Ogden and back.

He has spent lots and LOTS of time on it lately and read many a book on his new Kindle :)

I would love to hear anyone's advice on any areas they know about or have heard where people have lived up North that they liked. Family and kid friendly obviously.

If you know of any places for sale, or rent anywhere from Centerville(ish) to Ogden.

 We are currently in a debate on what to do with our condo. 

We want to sell, but can't decide what would be best.

If you have rented a condo out, how has that worked for you? The renters been good?
Know anyone in Orem that needs a place to live?

Opinions and advice would be lovely.

Thanks