Can you say . . . Slacker?

Ha ha, it is funny but when I say that title in my head, I can hear my mom's voice. She used to say that to one of us kids when we were slacking on school work or something. It is so funny!

Some of my friends have made it known that I have been slacking on my blogging updates. I will make a better effort to get back to my 3-a-month posting.
Shall I do a little catch up now? Events since my last posting:
- I had a birthday and turned 22.
Joseph did a great job and invited a bunch of friends over for cake and games. Thank goodness Joseph knows me well enough to know that I don't really like cake. He created a special cake for me called, Dunford Doughnuts.
We celebrated our 2 year Anniversary! And that same month went to Miami with my parents, Catalina, and Rhett. I was so excited to take Joseph because his Oregon is my Miami. What a beautiful place I have missed.

How could building a pillow out of sand, laying on the beach, and listening to the ocean be anymore relaxing?What is Joseph doing?
Yes, he was sleeping.
What would make Joseph happier than this??? Really? We all know the answer to that.

FISHING! He and my father went deep sea fishing one night. I know when he sees this picture he will think, "we caught bigger fish than that", but I chose this picture because it shows the sheer joy he has fishing.


Ha ha ha, I love Miami, The FOOD . . .
(Cuban)


The BEACH . . .


And of course the PEOPLE!

Miami is just entertaining all around.


We made the trip to Key West


Joseph even made friends while we were there. He misses his friend Speedy. (He used to have a pet rooster :) ) What a cute guy!

I LOVE MIAMI
Sorry it took about 4 month to post this ha ha. I will continue the catch up game with a few more posts. Thank you everyone else who keeps their blog updated. I love checking in with all my friends and family! Have a great week!

Marathon 2

Things were great leading up to the marathon. I really had trained well and felt I would be great, that is if the weather didn't become an issue. But of course it did! That is right, don't try running a marathon when temperatures will be up to 100 degrees that day. It was the hottest st george marathon my parents have seen.

It was fun going to the starting line the morning before. I had butterflies all day.


The first time I ran the marathon, these bonfires were so needed. Not this race!


The marathon started and everything was going great! I felt a pebble go in my shoe on mile 8 and just ignored it. I figured it would cut into my foot and stay there and not do that much damage, so I didn't bother with it.
I kept a great pace! I had to repeat in my head, "take it slow", on the down hill though. I didn't want a repeat of the first marathon. I got to mile 20 and I was 12 minutes ahead of my Goal time 3hrs and 40 min! I was ecstatic! I really had to get under 3:40 to qualify for Boston and I was doing it. All along the way I watched people drop off left and right. It got too hot too fast! Literally people were collapsing.
I got to mile 21 and that's when all my worries became reality. I got really dizzy and felt I was going to throw up. I couldn't let that happen, if it did I would get dehydrated too quickly and have to get on a shuttle. After about 3 minutes it passed. I then began running again and got really cold and had chills all over. I thought "Great! Heat exhaustion." I was then stopping at every station to get hydrated. And I then accepted the fact that I wasn't going to make my time. Really, really disappointing. But I didn't cry until later that day when I had to explain to my brother Dano that I didn't qualify. That was hard, we wouldn't be going to Boston together. Anyway, by mile 24 my muscles began seizing and cramping. I was so close but having to walk on and off since mile 21. I had made a new goal. I wanted to finish under 4 hours.


I would love to thank those workers at the stations who rubbed my quads and knees with Icy Hot and had the water and Gatorade ready for us. I have a special thanks to that wonderful woman on mile 25 who had a big gulp sized cup full of Ice Cubes! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Having that in my mouth for that last mile was so refreshing and needed. I then turned that corn and saw it just ahead of me. The finish line! It makes me so happy to hear and see my family. I immediately heard Rhett, "Olivia!" It really pushes me harder. There was the clock . . . 3:56. Honestly, I was so excited to just finish, lay down, and take off my shoes. It was over :)
Sorry about these next photos. They aren't the prettiest.

Battle wounds, Joseph had to take pictures when I showed my family right when I finished. Thanks Catalina for the flip flops!


Everyone was pouring water on them to keep cool and it drenched my socks and made terrible blood blisters.


Remember that pebble? There wasn't a pebble. This was what I ran on ha ha.


We will see how the next one goes :)

St. George

St. George Utah is one of my favorite places to be! It is my oasis from stress and worries, and I can't wait to be there in just a few hours.

Yes we are going down there for this . . .

I am most excited to see this . . .


And I know that the best part of this weekend will be CONFERENCE!


I love Conference! I hope everyone has a great Conference weekend!

A Good 3 Years

Three years ago today Joseph and I went on out first date.
It was unlike any other first date I had ever been on. First dates are generally marked by awkward moments in forced conversations, generic get-to-know-you questions, as well as the guy trying too hard to impress you. This date was much better.
I got a call from Joseph saying that the friends would be getting together soon and wondered if I would like to have him pick me up to go play with them. When he arrived to pick me up, that was the first time that I had the privilege of riding in the Chrome Pony (Joseph's spray-painted Toyota Camry with a rooster head attached to the front as a hood ornament.

When we found out that are friends were going to be late, we improvised. We drove to Provo and got gelato that we ate as we walked around the Provo city courthouse talking and laughing. when we had finished we drove to an elementary school where we played tether-ball and shot baskets. That night, he even let me drive his car. When our friends finally called us it was to tell us that they weren't going to be getting together after all.
So we did what any normal people would do on a first date and climbed the tallest tree we could find. we climbed until the branches near the top looked as though they might not be able to hold us safely and there we sat and talked for over an hour.

It was a random, fun, and spontaneous night. The last three years have been just about as random, fun, and spontaneous. These three years have seen us live in 6 different homes and three different states.


(He took this of us while I was driving, I think we still look the same)

It was such a different and fun first date!

Also we are celebrating John and Trudy's 45 year anniversary!

They are so cute :)

Finally

They finally called her on a mission.

She is going to the Las Vegas, Nevada mission, English speaking. I am so excited for her and know she will be a great missionary and bless the lives of many. Congratulations Angela!

She leaves to the MTC October 6th and I will miss her.

My Mom

Today is my Mom's Birthday! She has always been such a great Mom and one of my best friends.

I love you! Happy Birthday.

The Freedom Run

This year, for the 4th of July, I got to run the Freedom run 10k with 2 of my brothers, my dad, and Angela. I even had my cute nephew, Gavin, run the 1 mile. I am excited to talk to him about it on Sunday.Anyway, even though I didn't meet my goal time, I had a lot of fun. I will post pictures and more a little later, but my sister in law pointed out to me the link that the Freedom Run sent us. Of course there were photographers there taking pictures to sell to the runners, and then send you an email to let you know.
Well, I made it on their cycle of 7 or so pictures on their main page (click below to see). As I was finishing up the race I had a man trying to pass me so I began to speed up. I really didn't want him to pass me so close to the end so I kept strong. Yes, he began to sprint. Therefore, I had to push it really hard to stay in the lead. So the picture they have of me is pretty intense, ha ha. Kinda crazy :)

Click here to see the Page