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A Weekend Vacation

3/11/2017

Saturday morning, March 4, Papa, Mama, Bethany, and I packed our bags, bid farewell to Charity and Daniel, and took off towards Cedar Rapids. We enjoyed the beautiful sunrise, and arrived at our first destination--Iowa's Physicians Clinic--around 8:00. No, none of us broke any bones...there was to be a chess tournament held there! We dropped Bethany off, and the rest of us headed to a town called Garrison. We hadn't printed off any directions from Google Maps. Being less than 30 miles away, surely we could just look for the skyscrapers of the town. But, no, we didn't see any! So, my mother handed me an old-fashioned paper map, and told me I was in charge of getting us out of Cedar Rapids. Well, in 20 minutes, I had us out of Cedar Rapids alright--unto a gravel road in the middle of nowhere! But, to make a long story short, we did eventually get there. There were no skyscrapers...that's why we hadn't seen any. There was no thriving business community. There was no hotel. There was actually only a population of 360. What brought us to this town anyway? At first glance this town had nothing in it! Well, there was a library and a post office. And there was the Old Creamery Nature Trail. And that's what we were looking for! Today was the day for the Freezin' for a Reason 10K trail run hosted by Vinton's Pizza Hut!
The race started at 10 A.M. I had told myself not to take off too fast. But with all the excitement, I couldn't resist. I took off along side first place--another girl! Soon, of course, I was left behind. Then the first man passed me. I tried to keep up with him, but that didn't last long either. Then the next runner passed me, and then the next. There were only 17 of us--I couldn't let anyone else catch me! It was windy, but a nice day otherwise. I kept running, keeping an eye on my watch. I finally finished with a time of 50:59. I had come in fifth. The girl in first place had ended up winning the whole race, beating the first man by over 8 minutes! My papa came in sixth (51:22), and my mama, came in tenth (54:16). We all were happy.
Then it was time for the best part: the post-race breakfast. It was perfect--Pizza Hut's pizza, homemade cookies, candy bars, chocolate milk and bananas! The run, the food, and the people were amazing. And it was for a great cause--to fight world hunger. I hope to return next year, and I would highly recommend it to all of you other runners out there. Save the date: March 3, 2018!

Vinton Pizza Hut's manager was the race director.

Mama. We had to get a picture with the Garrison sign!

Before long we were on our way to Cedar Rapids. I didn't give any directions to my parents this time, and we made it back quickly. I enjoyed playing in the final three rounds of the reserve section of the chess tournament. I won my games, though they all were very close. Bethany was playing in the Open (the section for the more advanced players) which lasted two whole days. So, after a long day, we retired to our hotel room at the DoubleTree by Hilton. Soon we were drifting to sleep.
The next morning, one by one, we slowly started waking up.
"Do you want to go for a run this morning?" my mother asked me.
"Only if you do," I sleepily replied.
"I do only if you do," she replied. Neither of us really wanted to, but we did anyway. We jogged out of our hotel into the streets of Cedar Rapids. The cool air was refreshing. It felt wonderful. After a 30 minute jog, we were back. We were greeted by Papa and Bethany, who had also come out to enjoy the beautiful morning. When it was time to go back to our hotel room, Mama got the idea to take the stairs instead of the elevator. And we did--we climbed all 16 stories of the Hilton. It was exhausting, but the view from the windows was rewarding. We cleaned up, and took Bethany back for her third round at the Cedar Rapids Leather Jackets chess tournament. The rest of us got some rest and relaxation in, spending the whole morning in our cozy hotel room. Checking out, we were handed our free DoubleTree by Hilton complementary chocolate chip cookies. They were still warm, and were simply delicious.

This was a tremendous cookie!

We picked Bethany up, and went to get some lunch. Mama likes Vietnamese food, so we headed to our favorite Vietnamese restaurant! I ordered egg rolls, and chocolate bubble tea. I figured I couldn't go wrong with anything that had chocolate in it! The rest of my family ordered bowls of pho.

Mai Pho: a great restaurant!

Papa with his strawberry snow drink!

My chocolate bubble tea.

Bethany with her chicken pho.

Me.

Everything was wonderful. We went back to the chess tournament. Bethany played her last game. While waiting, I played a game with another player just for fun. Soon it was time to head back to our home. We were glad to return to country life, and see our dog, cats, and, of course, Charity and Daniel again! We had an awesome weekend. God is good! Make sure to check out what Bethany thought of our trip at todaylibertyordeath.blogspot.com!

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Happy Presidents Day!

2/20/2017

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It's Presidents Day 2017! Forty-four men have held the title of Mr. President, from George Washington to JFK, and now President Trump. There were Thomas Jefferson, Buchanan, Roosevelt, Coolidge, and all the rest. We learned their names in history class, but really, how much do we know about them? It's now time for some fun facts about these men.

Enjoying a campfire last night...the weather here is just beautiful!

Roasting marshmallows for S'Mores!

1. George Washington is the only president to have been elected unanimously.
2. John Adams was the first president to live in the White House. First Lady Abigail called it "the great castle".
3. Thomas Jefferson played the violin. He was the first president to introduce the custom of shaking hands with guests, rather than bowing.
4. James Madison was the shortest president, at 5' 4".
5. James Monroe served as a Lieutenant while 18.
6. John Quincy Adams owned a pet alligator. He kept it in the east room of the White House. He wasn't the only president to have one of these reptiles. Read on to find out who else had gators!
7. Andrew Jackson joined his local militia at age 13, during the Revolutionary War.
8. Martin Van Buren was the first American-born president.
9. William Henry Harrison gave the longest inaugural address in history--8,445 words. It was in the terrible, cold, winter weather. He died 32 days later.
10. John Tyler, Harrison's VP, found out the news while on the floor playing marbles with his sons. Tyler has the record for fathering the most children of any president--15!
11. James Polk and his wife Sarah started the tradition of the annual White House Thanksgiving dinner.
12. Zachary Taylor was nicknamed "Old Rough and Ready" due to the untidy way he dressed.
13. Millard Fillmore, Taylor's VP who became president at his death, was known for the immaculate way he dressed.
14. Franklin Pierce was made the Democratic nominee for president in 1852. His wife, Jane, fainted when she heard the news. Pierce was the first president to give his inaugural address by memory. It was over 3,000 words. He used no notes.
15. James Buchanan was the first president to wear blue jeans in the Oval Office.
16. Abraham Lincoln was the first president to wear a beard.
17. Andrew Johnson never received formal schooling. His parents were very poor. They sold young Andrew to a tailor when he was 14. The tailor treated him as an apprentice. Johnson eventually ran away and opened his own tailor shop. He married at age 18, and his wife, Eliza, taught him how to read.
18. Ulysses S. Grant was the first president to have both parents alive at the time of his inauguration. However, they did not attend.
19. Rutherford B. Hayes and his wife Lucy had prayer every day while in the White House. On Sunday evenings cabinet members and congressmen would often join them for hymn sings.
20. James Garfield was the last of the seven presidents who were born in log cabins.

21. Chester A. Arthur supposedly stayed up until at least 2 A.M. on most nights.
22. Grover Cleveland was both the 22nd and the 24th President.
23. Benjamin Harrison's grandfather was William Henry Harrison.
25. William McKinley had a pet parrot named "Washington Post." It had the special talent of whistling "Yankee Doodle."
26. Theodore Roosevelt did not like the nickname Teddy.
27. William Taft had milk cows grazing on the white house lawn.
28. Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother's Day as a National Holiday in 1914.
29. Warren Harding had a dog named "Laddie Boy". Each day he collected and delivered the president's newspaper. The dog even had its own chair for cabinet meetings!
30. Calvin Coolidge was nicknamed "Silent Cal". The Coolidge family had two pet raccoons "Rebecca" and "Rueben". They were occasionally allowed to run around inside the White House!
31. Herbert Hoover's son Allan had two pet alligators! They also were occasionally allowed to wander around the White House.
32. Franklin D. Roosevelt, as a young boy, met Grover Cleveland! The man patted the little boy on the head and told him he hoped he would never become president.
33. Harry Truman was known for several good quotes including: "You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog."
34. Dwight D. Eisenhower served in both WWI and WWII.
35. John F. Kennedy was the first former boy scout to become president.
36. Lyndon B. Johnson while in college, once told a fellow student, "Someday, I am going to be president of the United States."
37. Richard Nixon's daughter married Dwight Eisenhower's grandson.
38. Gerald Ford played football with the University of Michigan. In 1934 he was voted the Wolverine's Most Valuable Player!
39. Jimmy Carter, on October 1, 1924 became the first future president to be born at a hospital.
40. Ronald Reagan worked as a lifeguard while in college. He saved 77 lives!
41. And here's a quote from George H. W. Bush: "I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it - I am President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli."
42. And here's a quote from Bill Clinton: "Being president is like running a cemetery: you've got a lot of people under you and nobody's listening."
43. George W. Bush is the only president to have run a marathon. His best time was 3:44:52.
44. Barack Obama's dogs are Bo and Sunny.
45. Donald Trump at age 70, is the oldest president to be inaugurated for a first term.
"Together, we will make America strong. We will make America wealthy. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And yes, together, we will Make America Great Again!"

Have a great week y'all! Take care and God bless!

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A Morning with my Family

1/11/2017

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Pine Lake State Park on a much warmer day this summer. It is one of our favorite places to find adventure!

At seven o'clock this morning I was busy working on a school project. I expected a banal day. Nothing was planned in my schedule. Soon I would stop to eat breakfast. But then, suddenly a change of plans occured! I overheard a conversation in the next room. By commiting the peccadillo of eavesdropping, I learned that my parents were going to go for a pleasant hike at Pine Lake. They soon were inviting my siblings and me to come along! Without missing a beat, I was ready to go. I jumped into the van with my two siblings who were also up for the adventure, and before long we were on our way.

The temperature was around 20 degrees. It didn't take long for me to notice that it was incredibly slippery. We had a rain storm yesterday, and now all the water had frozen into a beautiful ice skating rink.
At first our hike was pretty fun. Soon, though, we found ourselves going through thorn bushes, and slipping and sliding up and down prodigious hills. There were really no trails through this part of the woods, and the ice on the ground seemed ubiquitous. More than once I found myself fallen in a supine position. Before long, I was feeling lugubrious. I was sure there were some benefits of going through this all, but at the time, the benefits, if any, were infinitesimal to me. We crossed through swamps (all my family escaped getting wet in the ice water--except me), and we even crossed a good size creek, by climbing over a fallen tree. It was an adventure, to say the least. My family thought it was thrilling; I had slightly heterodox views, however. I like hiking, but the incessant ice made things tough. I was glad to return home, and finally eat my breakfast--even if it was more like lunch by then! I was glad for the adventure with my dear family, though! And I learned a few lessons.

When treking through the treacherous thorn-filled swamp lands, it was important to watch the person in front of me. If they ran into a sticker bush or broke through the ice, I would know to take a different route. If they made it through easily, I would know I should follow them.
In our lives also, we can learn from the mistakes and successes others have had, while walking life's road before us. We may have several role models in our lives--our parents, older friends, grandparents, great people in history, or others. But there is only One, whom we can follow, knowing He never made any mistakes. That One is Jesus. First Peter 2:21 says, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:" In the story in John 13, after Jesus washed his disciples feet, He said, "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." We can always follow Jesus, knowing He is the One we can always depend on--no matter what. He sees the whole picture of things. If we only will place our hand in His, He will lead us through life's swamps, and bring us in the end to a wonderful--a much better place--called heaven!

Pictures are courtesy of my dear sister Bethany! ( todaylibertyordeath.blogspot.com )

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2nd Annual Hardin Hill Run

11/13/2016

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September 24th was the day of the Hardin Hill Run in Steamboat Rock, Iowa! My family had been vacillating whether we should run this race for months. For awhile we thought that it would be fun. Then we thought it might be too dangerous. Then we thought it would just be adventurous. Then we thought, no, we couldn't risk getting injured. But in the end we decided, yes, we would do it! The original race plans were for the runners to cross the Iowa River in canoes during the run. But we were having extreme flooding the week of the race! At the last minute plans were changed. We would use a bridge instead. We had practiced running at this place a couple times before, and we were able to draw some conclusions. We decided that whoever would be running this race had to either be tough, not so smart, or just didn't know what they were getting into.

The man in the blue ended up taking first in the race. I am the girl in the John Deere shirt!

At 9 A.M. about 16 of us 15K runners lined up at the starting line. Above is a picture of us as the race director explained the route. Don't we all look so excited?! Both my parents, my brother and I were running this. My one sister was running in the 5K.

We all got started. My brother always is fast starting out. He took off as the leader of the pack. Once the starting sprint was over, I was about in 6th place. As you can see in the above video, we took off running up a small hill. Well, it just got worse from there! We forged creeks and got all wet. Due to the flooding, at one point we had to run through water 3' high! One hill was so steep we had to use a rope to climb it. There were several mammoth, mountain-like hills that even the best of us were forced to walk up. Then there was the mud. One place was so bad it almost took my shoes off! Through all of this wonderful stuff, I ended up passing everyone except two runners. There was the 1st place fellow; then there was my brother! My brother is way faster than I of course, but we were running 9 miles. He had never ran more than 6 miles at a time before, up until then. With the last three miles to go, I started catching up with my dear brother. Then with less than a mile I caught him! I managed to finish second--nine minutes behind first place. My brother finished in third. There was another man in fourth. Fifth place was my papa. He crossed the finish line with mud, a little blood, and a torn shirt!

My mama was in sixth place. We all had made it, and actually survived!! My sister finished as second place female in the 5K, so we all were happy.
If you're looking for a lot of adventure, the Hardin Hill Run is for you! It was a great race, and I'm looking forward to next year's run!

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Election 2016!

11/7/2016

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Tomorrow is the huge day when millions of Americans will cast their votes. I know in a post earlier this year I mentioned I was done posting about politics. But with an exciting election as we have here, I just couldn't resist writing this! We have quite the choices this election--I'm sure you all know what I mean.
There's Mr. Trump or Mrs. Clinton; then there are several third party candidates.
First let's take a look at businessman Donald Trump. He has received the endorsement of 88 retired admirals and generals, along with hundreds of thousands of law enforcement officers. Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Jerry Falwell Jr., Chuck Grassley, Chuck Noris, Clint Eastwood, Ben Carson, Pat Boone, Lorreta Lynn, and Jack Nicklaus, just to name a few, all have made some sort of endorsement for Trump.
Secretary Hillary Clinton is being supported by President Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton (of course), Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, Bernie Sanders, the Clooneys, and Hank Aaron, just to name a few people.

In Waterloo, IA, back in January, I finally got a picture and autograph from Mr. Trump!

By now we all should know which candidate we agree with on the issues. We know Hillary Clinton has plans of continuing President Obama's ideas and polices. She is pro-choice; she has received an 'F' rating from the NRA. She likes Obamacare also. Donald Trump has promised on day one to do the following (among several things): repeal every single one of Obama's executive orders, defend the unborn; ask Congress to repeal Obamacare immediately, and, before anything, "begin swiftly removing criminal illegal immigrants from this country." Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, has promised not to even say the term "illegal immigrants" anymore. But now, let's move on to some more interesting facts.

In Fort Dodge, IA, me and my sister with Mrs. Clinton!

Though Trump and Clinton hardly agree on any issues, they do have one thing in common-- the same eye color, blue. Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, has blue eyes too, but Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, has brown. Trump's height is 6' 3"; Pence's is 5' 11". Clinton's height is about 5' 5", and Kaine's is 5' 10".
Trump has five children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany, and Barron, and 8 grandchildren. Clinton has one daughter, Chelsea, and two grandchildren. Donald Trump's birthday is June 14th, and he's 70 years old. Hillary Clinton's birthday is October 26, and she is 69. Trump is not known to have any pets in his household, but Hillary has a couple dogs.
One good thing about both our candidates is that neither of them have smoked marijuana. Donald Trump doesn't drink alcohol either, except when taking communion. Trump is a Presbyterian; Clinton is a Methodist.

In Mason City, IA, with Republican Vice Presidential Candidate, Mike Pence!

As far as the two candidates running mates, I never have had a chance to hear Tim Kaine speak in person. We did go see Mike Pence though, and he seems to hold very good positions on the issues. I really liked him.
We certainly are having an interesting election. It is now less than 10 hours until the polls open! I hope all who are reading this will make the right vote. It is very important. All I can say in this election is I hope the best man will win.

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A Day in My Life--Saturday, August 27, 2016!

9/5/2016

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Okay, dear readers, it is now time for you to hear about a whole day in my life!
At 4:15 in the morning, I began to hear the rest of the household start to wake up. I slowly crawled out of bed, and stumbled over to get ready for the day. Now on a regular August day, there would be no way I'd get up at this unbelievably early time in the morning. But this day was different!
I soon was climbing into the pick-up truck with my parents and grandma. We drove out into the dark night. Our first stop was at a McDonald's/convenience store! We got out for a rest stop. One family member offered to buy me a donut or something, but I declined. Now for me to decline eating a delicious donut at any time, something must really be strange about this day! Yes, you guessed it. It was time for us all (except my grandma, who was here to cheer us on) to run another race!
This race was called the Beeds Lake Restoration Run and Tadpole Trot. There was a 1K, a 5K, a 10K, and a half marathon. Today the Carsons chose the longest two races, with Papa in the 10K, and Mama and I in the half marathon! I had sufficiently recovered from my last almost torturous (but fun, of course) 13.1, and I was ready to do it again. We arrived and began our routine warm up. At 7:00, we all rode buses to a town a few miles away, to the starting line. And soon we began the race! It couldn't have been more perfect weather for running--cool and cloudy. I actually felt great! To make a long story short, I made it...yes, I was exhausted, but I did make it. And I beat my time from my last half by over 15 minutes! Today my time was 1:51:39, so I was happy.

Me, after the race, while other runners were still coming in.

But the best was yet to come! A post-race pancake breakfast!! Overlooking the beautiful lake, we sat out side and enjoyed our fill of mouthwatering pancakes. It was wonderful. Also we received our medals--my papa was top in his age group, and I was 1st in mine too! (Even though I was about 25 minutes slower than the overall winner, and several folks beat me--including a 61 year old lady--I was the only one in my age group, so I was happy to win it!)

Receiving my medal.

Eventually we went home, and took it easy awhile. Then we went to Apple Ridge Orchard! For the past few years we've spent several pleasant autumn afternoons working for the owners as pickers, and that's what we were to do today! Apple picking is a lot of fun. After picking a couple bins, it was getting late, and we were getting hungry. We finished up, and hurried to the little town of Steamboat Rock. We desperately wanted to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant--Mama's Family Diner. The only problem is that they close at 7:00...and we arrived at 6:55! We rushed in, hoping we could somehow get some food before the doors were locked! We were relieved to see the lady was still there, and she kindly fixed us a wonderful meal, taking no notice of the time. The food was simply delightful. I ordered a bean burrito--one of my favorite foods, and I was not disappointed.

Here's one example of what you could order at the diner. (Photo courtesy of Bethany Carson, my sister!)

Eating at Mama's Family Diner on another day--with the whole family! (You can tell it's one of our favorite places to eat out!)

About 7:30 or so, we were done. Happy and satisfied we went back home, and after an hour or so of doing something that I cannot remember--it was so long ago now--I collapsed to sleep!
Well, I hope you enjoyed hearing about a day in my life. I will mention that it wasn't necessarily a typical day! My siblings were all gone at a chess tournament, but we had fun anyways. We were blessed with a great weekend! Until my next post, whenever it may be, take care, and God bless!

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River's Edge 10K

7/26/2016

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Saturday, July 23rd was the day of River's Edge 10K in Waterloo. Both my parents and I had signed up for this race way in advance. It was sure to be adventurous, hard, and fun!
We all left that morning while it was still dark--a little before 5. My sister and grandma came along with us. It was nice to know someone would be there to cheer us on.
It had stormed that night, and lightning was still flashing around us when we arrived at the race site. This was a pretty large race, and the organizers had loud speakers thundering out music right at the starting line. I thought it was sort of a funny coincidence that the first words of one of these songs happened to be "Struck by lightning..." The race organizers announced that we would run rain or shine, but if it was lightning at 6:30--race time--, the start would have to be delayed 20 minutes (abiding by the track and field rules.) I think we all were hoping--and praying--that the storm would quickly pass on by. No one wanted this important race to be delayed.

We all lined up at 6:29, anxiously hoping the race organizer would not look too closely at the sky. Well, he didn't! There was an excessive heat warning on this day also, and we were warned not to overdo it. Just in case we did, the race organizer announced, ambulances were provided. Eight-year-old world record holder, Jaden Merrick was there, and several other fast runners. At 6:30 sharp, we heard, "Ready?....Go!!!" And we 200-some runners took off.
The race went pretty well overall. At one point it started raining, but we were all so hot by then that the shower was gladly welcomed! It was pretty hard.
Sometimes when running 10Ks I feel like I just can't do it. At times it's easy to get discouraged. But if I just keep going, pretty soon everything will be great again. In our lives also we sometimes can get discouraged at things. But we must just keep going, like when running a race, with smiles on our faces. We can know our God has the whole world in His hands. That means He has us, our lives, and all the problems we may face in His hands too! We can always just trust Him, and be happy anyway, despite what our circumstances may be. In the end everything will be great again, just like in running.
When I was finally to mile five, I took a glance behind my shoulder. The next runner behind me, only about 100 yards away was... my mother! "No," I thought, "I can't let her beat me!" Even though I was growing tired, I knew I had to pick up the pace. I knew from previous races that she could still be totally full of energy while I was totally exhausted. So, I tried my best, and didn't let her beat me. :) It wasn't as hard as our half marathon, but still, thanks to the rain and humidity, we all crossed the finish line completely soaking wet.

My papa came in second in his age group, and my mama was second in hers too! I came in third in mine. Afterward, we enjoyed a fancy, post-race breakfast! We were invited to come back for seconds, thirds, and even fourths. I would say the organizers did an excellent job on organizing the race. It was my second 10K race ever, and it was very fun!

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Our First Half Marathon

7/6/2016

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     It was June 26th. I woke up early in the morning, and prepared to leave with alacrity. It was the day of the Sturgis Falls 1/2 Marathon and 5K! The whole family came along. Bethany was running the 5k, and yes, my mother and I were going to attempt our first 13.1.
    We arrived about an hour early, picked up our packets, and worked on our regular pre-race warm up. At 7 A.M. sharp, we were off. The first mile went great. I started off going pretty fast. I was happily towards the front of the pack. I skipped the first water station, but by the next one I was very thirsty. I grabbed a cup and ran on. I started to splash it on me, but wait! It was...blue! I soon figured out that these water stations also served Gatorade. I had apparently grabbed the wrong cup. I gulped it down anyway, and continued running.
     Pretty soon, by about mile four, I started getting tired. That would be okay, except I still had nine miles left to go! Runner after runner started passing me. Old people passed me. Then my mother passed me! I grew thirstier... and thirstier and.... slower... and slower. Where oh where could the next water station be? It was in the 70's temperature wise, and very humid. I was so thirsty. Finally the water came. I stopped running. I grabbed a cup, made sure it was real water, drank it, grabbed another, drank it, grabbed another, drank it, and another, and drank it. Then I was ready to go.
     I was feeling a lot better now, and at last I was able to start passing back the folks who had passed me. That was very enjoyable! I passed my mother, and several others. It felt incredibly hot out! A lot of runners had to stop and walk. Some runners were moaning in pain. The sun beat down on us with its penetrating rays. Vultures were flying above. We joked that they were just waiting to see who would be the first of us to collapse.

I ran on, and finally made it to mile 12! With only a little ways to go, I was feeling pretty good. That is, until I had about 1/2 a mile left... Then I was ready for the race to be done. I was feeling quite extremely tired, and I was so very happy when I saw the finish line!! And I finished. I was in 122nd place. There were 274 finishers total. My time was 2:07:12. My mother came in just a couple minutes later! After making sure that we were really going to survive, we headed to the awards ceremony. My mother received a 4th place medal for her age division, and I just barely got a medal with a 5th place for 14 -19 year old girls. Bethany did very well in the 5K, and we went home exhausted, but happy! We enjoyed it, were thankful for the opportunity to do it, and we're looking forward to our next race!

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Llamas and Camels!

5/11/2016

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It was a beautiful sunny day and we were out making a shopping trip in the nearby town of Iowa Falls. Over at Hy-Vee, the grocery store, was a petting zoo! We walked over, and were greeted by a porcupine. He wasn't too happy with all the commotion around him, and he had his quills sticking straight up. I was a little worried when a child stuck her tiny hand into the cage to feel his quills! Thankfully, her mother came to the rescue just in time! Next there were cute little hedge hogs, a shaggy goat, and other little animals. And then we came to the llama and camel!

Their wool coats were surprisingly soft and fluffy. They were all very affectionate, even though as you can see below, the camel did try to eat me!

They are such neat animals! Here are a few quick facts about them for you!

Llamas are believed to be one of the world's first domesticated animals.
   Llamas are herbivores, meaning they only eat plants.
   Llamas are very intelligent and stubborn animals. If you put too heavy of a load on them, they will refuse to move until you take it off!

Camels can drink up to 40 gallons of water at a time.
  Camels can run up to 40 miles per hour.
  Camels on average live 40-50 years.
   There are estimated to be over 14 million of these animals in the world!

Our Heavenly Father certainly has created some amazing animals. I was thankful for the chance to enjoy a few of them on that day--April 23! You wouldn't think that this small town would have so many exciting things in it, but just last summer we had elephants visit! Here's a picture of us riding one.
Well, that's all for this post. Stay tuned to find out what adventures will come next!

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My First Flight

4/20/2016

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One day in October, my grandpa brought over a newspaper clipping that advertised an event called the "Young Eagles Flight Rally." All youths from ages 9 to 17 were invited to come for a free airplane ride at the airport!
We arrived early Saturday morning. My parents signed me up, and then we headed to "ground school." I half-way paid attention as an experienced pilot explained all the parts of the airplane, and how to fly. A little while later, my name was called over a loud speaker. I immediately reported to the desk, and then was led to my plane. I crawled up front into the co-pilot's seat, and two other girls sat in the back. While we waited I struck up a conversation with them. They were sisters, and this would be their very first flight too. One girl whispered, "I'm terrified!" The pilot took his seat. "Any questions?" he asked. From the back came a reply, "Are we all going to die?" "No!" the pilot answered reassuringly.
   And then we were off. It was wonderful! I enjoyed gazing over the beautiful countryside--the view was almost breathtaking.
     About half-way through, the pilot asked me, "Do you want to try taking the controls a minute?" "Sure!" I replied. The girls in the back were not sure that that was such a great idea, but I was thrilled!
   Suddenly I realized I really didn't know how to fly. For a moment I just held the plane steady, and we enjoyed the flight. But, then I guess unconsciously I decided it was too boring! Before we knew it we were in a steep climb headed straight toward a cloud formation.
   Needless to say, the pilot quickly took the controls back away from me. Soon I started to feel a little funny. Could it be possible for one to get airsick on one of these things? I'm sure I would have been fine if it wasn't for the aerobatic maneuvers I had tried to lead us through. But to make a long story short, we all survived! Before long, my feet were back on solid ground. It was a wonderful feeling.

The pilot asked us "Any of you want to be pilots now?" None of us gave a definite answer, but we all were really appreciative for the chance to experience the joys of flying for the first time ever!
I don't know if a career in aviation is exactly the thing for me, but maybe I'll just take up flying model planes with remote controls. We'll see.

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A Weekend Vacation

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2nd Annual Hardin Hill Run

Election 2016!

A Day in My Life--Saturday, August 27, 2016!

River's Edge 10K

Our First Half Marathon

Llamas and Camels!

My First Flight

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