That's me and Tyler holding hands at the finish of my 1st Half Marathon

“I hate running.”

“I will never like running. It’s just not my thing. I’d rather go to a class at the gym.”

“No one ever looks like they’re having fun when they are on a run.”

These are things I used to say all the time. I swore to my husband Tyler that I would never be a runner.   I didn’t change my mind overnight, and no amount of “you’d like it if you tried it” from well meaning friends convinced me either. Although I soon found out they were right.

Things began changing for me while I was waiting at the finish line for Tyler to complete his first half marathon. I was watching the runners finish their races amazed at how hard some of them were working. There were runners who were barely moving, agony on their faces. There were runners who looked strong and sprinted to the finish. There were runners egging on the crowd, pumping their fists in the air. I got so emotional watching all of this unfold. It was so inspiring to see people push themselves and succeed and celebrate their accomplishments. I had the same experience while waiting for Tyler to finish his 1^st marathon, 4 months after his 1^st half marathon. Honestly, I felt a little dorky. Who cries at the finish line of races?!? ME! All the time!

A few weeks after Tyler finished his 1^st marathon, I went out to breakfast with some dear friends who were both runners.  Somehow the conversation turned to me running a half marathon. I have no idea what came over me, obviously the same crazy emotions I felt at Tyler’s races.  I ultimately agreed to sign up for a half marathon that was 6 months away.

A day after the fateful breakfast with my friends, I started to have second thoughts about signing up for the race.  I thought, “ I hate running! How can I possibly run 13.1 miles? That is so far!!” But I didn’t want to disappoint my friends. So, Tyler helped me find a half marathon training program, and I started running.

I don’t remember much about starting to run, but I do remember my first 6 mile run. I thought I would die. Seriously. Die.

I arranged for a babysitter so Tyler could come with me for my 1^st 6 miler. It was night, and it was cold. We went on a trail near our house. I remember at mile 2 I started freaking out!

“I’m not even half way!”

“ This is SO far!”

“I’m so tired already”

I’ll spare you the rest of the gory details. Let’s just say it was ugly. Really ugly, and weepy and mental breakdown-ish. But then this amazing thing happened…..

I finished!

I DID IT!

I ran 6 miles, without stopping, and without dying!

I felt AMAZING!! I felt powerful, strong, euphoric. I thought ,“Look what I can do! My body is incredible! I ran 6 whole, long, cold miles on my two feet! Yay for me!

I was hooked. I tried it, I stuck with it for several months even though it wasn’t easy, and I felt confident, beautiful and strong. I Love running!

-----

Sara is an avid runner and races and blogs with her husband  on runwriterun.com. She is a Mom, a diabetic-gourmet-cook, graphic artist and a genius with money. At least that’s what she tells her family. You can follow more of her running adventures on her blog where tips are given on how to go from a couch to a runner in nothing flat.

I just returned from a trip to Beijing, China to teach people there about creating happy families. I went because the Chinese government expressed interest in strengthening their families. Listen to this audio conference call about my trip and what the Chinese people are doing to heal their homes. I was really impressed with them and their efforts.

Come listen to my podcast about my trip to China! 

 -----

Nicholeen Peck answers parenting questions on her blog Teaching Self Government Nicholeen is the mother of four children and has been a foster care for very difficult teens. She taught children with ADHD, OCD, kleptomania, compulsive lying, anger control issues, etc. They were the stars of the British TV sensation Worlds Strictest Parents. She has been featured numerous times in magazines and has written an published a book entitled "Parenting A House United."

I think it's safe to say, we all understand how capable little children are of holding still. And so, I invite you to open your imaginations, allow your creative juices to flow, and envision the following story.

How's that for a dramatic introduction.

One night, as my husband and I tried to turn the volume and activity level on our children down to manageable, we did the best we could with what we got and settled down for family prayer.

My ever so dramatic daughter, who was then five-years old, had settled into her very best pout mode.  Eyebrows scrunched, nose pinched, lower lip pushed so far forward it could have been mistaken for one that had an overdose of botox.

Once my husband started praying, I opened my eyes to inspect the current activity level of my children. But I got no farther than Savannah. She sat there like a statue, in all her pouting glory, eyes fixed upon me, unblinking, staring.

And like any good mother trying to maintain the spirit of reverence, I decided the best way to get her to close her eyes would be to Stare. Her. Down!

And so it started. About 30 seconds into the stare down, she did something I didn't expect. Something I don't think I could have mentally made up.

Without blinking or changing her facial expression in any way, she brought two of her fingers up to her eyes, pointing at them. Then she proceeded to turn them and point them at me in the universal, "I'm watching you" finger point.

And like any good mother trying to maintain the spirit of reverence, who was just surprised beyond all belief, I buried my head behind the baby's and choked on my own laughter.

She totally won the stare down.


Serene is a mom of four kids with baby five on the way! She does her best to set a good example for them but confesses to often breaking down into laughter during family prayer. She blogs over at Serene is my name, not my life! She is also a freelance artist so be sure to view her Portfolio Page.









*second image from google

 I want to go there! Rebecca from Simple As That is our featured photo for today's Wordless Wednesday! Her photos are outstanding! Go check them out, and make sure to check back later-- she has more submitted!


Wanna play? Simply post a photo on your blog and then link up with the linky below.  If you would like to see your photo featured on MMB, send us an email info@mormonmommyblogs.com with Wordless Wednesday in the subject line. Include a link to your blog and attach all the photos you would like to submit.

Ever forget to take a roast out of the freezer soon enough? The Damsel has committed this crime many times.



Here are a couple of tricks that will help thaw that slab.

1. Put the roast, still in its packaging, in a sink of warm water.  Turn it now and then so that both sides get the chance to be in contact  with the warm water, since it will float. Or maybe you can rig something  to keep it submerged. When the water cools, refill with warm water. The  Damsel has heard you shouldn’t use hot water, but she’s observed little  harm in the water being Quite Warm. Boiling would be not so great,  though.

2. Yes, the Damsel does use the microwave betimes. But you’ve got to  be careful, or you’ll end up with partially cooked meat. Set your  microwave to a low power setting and check it often. If you have the  time, use the microwave to thaw the meat halfway and then thaw the rest  of the way in the refrigerator, to avoid a rubbery half-cooked, half  thawed excuse for a piece of meat.



3. The Damsel has heard that pouring vinegar over a frozen roast will  lower the meat’s freezing temperature, causing it to thaw faster.  Bonus: the vinegar will also tenderize the meat. They say it won’t make  the roast taste vinegary either. The Damsel is going to try this the  very next time roast is on the menu.

With any of these methods, be vigilant that your slab-o-beef doesn’t  remain at room temperature too long. Ideally, you should begin cooking  the roast while it is still very cold.

But here’s an even easier idea…if you’ve got four or more hours, put  the thing in the oven, rock solid frozen, at 250 degrees F. (Along with  several cups of water or broth and whatever seasonings you like. Cover.)  No fooling!


---

Margot  is a  mom of seven and pretty much crazy from it. Online she's known as  the  Damsel in Dis Dress and blogs at the Old School (http://www.mynewoldschool.com/) and twitters at @the_damsel.
A blog about her writing adventures is found at Inklings.

One day our family was sitting around talking about what really makes a family.  Soon our conversation turned to a question.  What is a family for?  This question led to many other questions like: What do people really want out of their family relationships?  What makes a family happy?  Who chooses happiness in the family?  What destroys families?  

The questions and discussion went on and on.  I was so happy to hear my children say things like, “Well, if you just listen to Mom and Dad and do what they say then you will be happy in your family.”  The young ones really understood the purpose of a Mom and Dad and that they needed to trust their parents to guide them along the path to happiness.

Our family does a lot of teaching about good parenting and strong family relationships around the world so my children are used to analyzing our family relationships and when they are going well, and when they aren't.  It's so great to be working on a mission as a family.

Well, actually all families are on a mission.  The mission is to develop eternal relationships and learn self-government so that we are ready to live in God's presence.  These two things are some of the hardest things we could possibly do, but will ultimately be the most important.  This life is really all about relationships and self-government.

From that Peck family discussion I wrote a family song called, What is a Family? And then my good friend, Lawrence Gee, composed music to go with it.  Here is a link to  a music video of the song.  I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it gives your family a great tool to start a discussion about what makes your family great and what you can do to improve your relationships.

 -----
Nicholeen Peck answers parenting questions on her blog Teaching Self Government Nicholeen is the mother of four children and has been a foster care for very difficult teens. She taught children with ADHD, OCD, kleptomania, compulsive lying, anger control issues, etc. They were the stars of the British TV sensation Worlds Strictest Parents. She has been featured numerous times in magazines and has written an published a book entitled "Parenting A House United."

 True Grit by Charles Portis (Arkansas author)

  My rating: 5 of 5 stars

  Book source:  Library copy

  Sensitive reader:  mild descriptions of gun shot wounds, gun fighting and SNAKES!

Mattie Ross, a 14 year old dynamo, is out to exact vengeance on one Tom Chaney, a former work hand for her family. Tom has killed her father, and whether she has help or not, she is determined to bring Tom back to Forth Smith and Judge “Hanging” Parker for justice.

Mattie is able to secure for $100 the assistance of a one-eyed Marshall, Rooster Cogburn. Thus they begin their quest into Indian Territory for the renegade Chaney. 

This weeks Wordless Wednesday features Debby from Cranberry Fries. Her header is adorable! Go check her out and leave her some comment love!

To play with us today, simply post a photo on your blog and then link up with the linky.  If you would like to see your photo featured on MMB, simply send us an email info@mormonmommyblogs.com with Wordless Wednesday in the subject line. Include a link to your blog and attach all the photos you would like to submit. 

We had a situation here this week,
that is very unlike Jersey Shores "The Situation"--
(seriously, is it just me or is that kid kind of immature?--
I've never even seen the show,
but every time I see a photo of him,
his shirt is pulled up like he's a two year old girl.
just sayin.)

Anywhooooo...
we have some young neighbors
who have two girls.
One of whom has tested the
"honesty" waters lately.

She told the Caboose--
who was within ear shot of Nana,
that her parents abuse her--
that her father shoved her down the stairs,
and her parents refuse to feed her!
AND
That if the Caboose told ME,
and if I then told THEM,
she would lie her fool head off,
rather than face certain death!
AND--if the Caboose told me,
then she would make sure
that the Caboose was
suspended from school
AND
go to "Kid Prison".

Now, I was flat-out ignoring the child-abuse bally hooing,
if you knew her parents
like I know her parents,
you would too.
But when the Caboose was fretting about going to
Kid Prison and eating green beans all day,
I knew it was time to have a little chat
with this youngun's father the next morning.

I felt bad telling him,
but if his child had said that
to a teacher,
there could be fall-out.
He was shocked, as you can imagine.

The parents asked if they could come over
have a chat
get to the bottom of this situation
because as you might've guessed--
their daughter would never talk like that.

Never.

You know where this is going right,
because you've been there too?I know I've been there--
ready to defend my yahoo's reputation
with my last breath
before I knew any better.
I came to the sad realization that my yahoos--
my beloved off-spring for whom
I have
sacrificed so much--
my waistline
my hard-earned money
my time, talents, means
and last nerves--
MY yahoos would dare LIE to their mother
to save their own skins!

I learned this when my oldest yahoo
was in fifth grade:
the teacher called to "inform" me of my son's
unnaceptable behavior.
It had something to do with
writing on someone else's paper.

ANYWHO.

While the teacher is telling me
this nonsense,
I told her in no uncertain terms that
MY BOY WOULD NEVER DO THAT. period.
Then I asked to speak to my son,
"Did you do that?"
to which he replied "No, Mom."
Satisfied with his answer,
I asked to speak to his teacher.
"Yes, my son says he didn't do that, and I believe him."
Then she said,
"Why don't you come down to the school and see for yourself."

I went into the Principal's Office
ready to claw at anyone who dare challenge my son's character,
only to be handed my dignity
as I saw the paper-in-question with my own two eyeballs.
A little part of me died.
Right there in Mrs. Inserra's office
at Bellair Elementary School.

I was in shock.
My Beloved Son, My David Scott had
told me a big fat honkin' lie...
and he knew when I got there,
I'd find out the truth.

Which I did.

SO

that's the day I learned that while I may
teach my yahoos all I know about being
honest and true,
they like to test the honesty waters
once in awhile.

And I related this story to my young neighbors.
I told them
sometimes kids lie just to see what happens.
And you don't have to beat yourself up over it
or analyze it to death.
You deal with it in your own way,
and move on.

I think my young neighbors were both
relieved and discouraged.
Relieved
that we weren't mad
and
Discouraged
that they have a normal kid on their hands--
because before today,
they were pretty sure she was an incarnate Mother Theresa.

Kids wreck us parents up sometimes.
I think it's payback for all the wrecking up we do to them.

I bet that's what that kid on Jersey Shore is doing to his folks.
Payback.
Totally.

Dawn aka Momza is the Mother of 7, Gramza to 1,
Midwife Asst./Doula, Home Stager, Writer and Convert to the 
LDS faith. She's living it up in the Colorado Rockies and writes about 
it all at Momza's House.

As a mother to a whole bunch of small boys, I find myself saying (approximately 214 times a day) "DO NOT PUT THAT IN YOUR MOUTH!" Be it a toy, food off the floor, gum from under a public table... the list goes on and on. It's just part of the gig. "Henry, do not chew on your shirt!" is a real favorite around here. As is "No fingers in noses and then mouths! NO!" Someone is always putting something illicit in their mouths.
I just, right this minute, fished a sewing bobbin out of Oliver's mouth.

I was really wondering where my children's oral fixation came from.

Well, I'm ashamed to admit I now know:

I was dusting the living room. That's how it all started. (And yes, I expect you to be proud of me for dusting!) On a shelf in said living room resides a pretty little statue of the Salt Lake Temple. It was the cake topper at my wedding, many years ago. Since that day, seven and half years ago, it has graced a shelf, or a mantle in every home we've had. It's lovely.

Anyway, so I'm dusting, and I pick up the little temple to run the dust rag over it, when I see something strange on the bottom of it. I looked more closely. Hmm, strange. It appeared that there was FROSTING from my wedding cake from nearly a decade ago securely and quite permanently fused to the glass statue.

I stared at it for a moment. How had I not noticed it there for seven years? I must be a pretty rotten duster, that's how.

Then, in a moment of utter and complete reckless abandon,  I leaned over and... (oh I am SO embarrassed!) I licked my temple.

I know. I know.

I LICKED MY TEMPLE!

I can't honestly explain it. My brain utterly and completely failed me in that moment. Perhaps I wanted to see if it still tasted like frosting?!? I mean, I do really like frosting. It's a real favorite of mine. So, maybe I didn't want to see it go to waste?!? I don't know. But it DID NOT taste like frosting. It tasted like seven years of lemon Pledge.

So, then I gagged a lot! And I learned my lesson. Don't ever lick seven year old frosting off ANYTHING!

But, at least one mystery was solved. My children obviously get their oral fixation issues from their mama.

-----


Morgan blogs a lot. It's how she avoids laundry. Find her and her boys at The -Ing Family.










*photo from latterdaystatues.com*

---
~ Patty Ann

The Primary Program is my favorite Sunday of the year, mostly on account of the Sunbeams.

For the most part, the entire Sunbeam class can be categorized into the following types of speakers:











Personally, I get a kick out of the heavy breathers. Star Wars at church? Yes please!

- - - -


Caroline is the managing editor and 2nd in command at MMB. She likes Dr. Pepper, her own children, and making fun of people. You can find her at The Bingham Diaries.

Massage Envy recently contacted MMB to see if we would be willing to review their services. Now, I have to give you full disclosure here: I LOVE the chair massages! They always make me feel all sorts of sparkly inside.

Mistakenly, I have always thought that Massage Envy is a chain exclusive only to Utah, but that is not the case. Massage Envy now has clinics open in 43 states and has awarded 862 clinics nationwide.  That’s important to know—whether they are a clinic or not. If they are, then you can use your Pre-Tax Benefits for the massage.

I got really excited about that, because my flex spending account is just begging for me to get a monthly massage. If you have a Flex Spending (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HAS) or a Health Reimbursement Account you can use those to pay for your massages. Check with your HR person if this is something that interests you.

They offer ten different types of massages and  truthfully I had no idea there were even that many types of massages available. I thought there were only two—the chair and the full body. I know, dumb.

When I went into the clinic, I was a basket of nerves. My anxiety was off the charts and I was really worried this would be a repeat of my one and only experience ever with a full massage—A panic attack. However, Ally greeted me and put me at ease immediately. She thoroughly explained to me what all the different types of massages they offered were; the differences between pressure and most importantly why you need to come to the massage fully hydrated.

That was a little detail that really isn’t all that little. Being hydrated—drinking fluids before and after – helps to flush out all the toxins that are released during the massage. This made a huge difference in my experience.

I interviewed several massage therapists and found that large companies (think Thiokol) are actually hiring  massage therapists to come and offer treatments to their employees. These companies have found that massage therapy is a cheaper route—they use it as preventive measures to help with Stress, Back Pain, Arthritis, Diabetes, Hypertension, Chronic Pain or  Fatigue, Anxiety and Depression. 

How Can Massage Be Medically Beneficial?

Massage therapy helps you relax, re-align and rejuvenate. There are many positive aspects to receiving massage therapy on an ongoing basis, and with the busy lives we lead, we can all benefit from a little stress-management. The experienced, professional therapists at Massage Envy clinics nationwide provide exceptional care and will design an effective customized massage treatment to address your individual needs.
More Americans are turning to therapeutic massage treatment to provide relaxation, relieve tension associated with the daily stresses of their busy lives, or simply to help maintain good health and achieve a balanced lifestyle. Oh, and let's not forget how great it feels to be treated by a professional massage therapist. – Massage Envy’s Website

My therapist, Veronica,  thoroughly interviewed me to make sure she understood exactly what my trigger points were, and what I wanted to have happen from the experience. She explained, at the end, some very basic exercises' that I could do to help increase my flexibility and decrease my back and neck pain.

Can I just tell you what a remarkable experience I had? I would without hesitation recommend getting a massage to help you with Stress and Anxiety Relief. By the end of my session, my anxiety was under control and I felt wonderful!

My husband noted how relaxed and happy I was that day, not knowing I had gotten a massage. When I explained what I had done, he thought it would be a good idea to send Mama back for more. Apparently the massage noticeably improved my mood.

Win a Free Massage on MMB!

How would you like to try a 1hour Massage from Massage Envy?  You can! They are giving away FIVE 1-hour massages to our lucky readers.

For more chances to win, you can do the following:

• Blog about this giveaway—telling us why you need a massage and what kind you would get.  Link back to MMB and include a link to your blog post in your comment.
• Tweet about it and get a third entry. Just leave a link to your tweet in your comment.
• Suggest our Facebook Page to 5 of your Friends, and leave a comment on our Facebook page saying that you love MMB and want to win the Massage Envy massage. Then come back and leave us another comment.
• Subscribe to the MMB Blog Feed.

All winners are chosen via Random.org so please make sure to leave 1 comment for each entry. You also need to include your email address so that we can get your massage to you!

I'm so excited that I actually made this carseat cover that I'm nearly blissful and to think that I can actually share it with everyone makes me even happier. I have looked online for tutorials on this and can't seem to find any. So I decided to make one myself.


Disclaimer: This is my first 'real' tutorial. If I missed something or something was a bit confusing just tell me and I'll try to explain it.

Hope you all enjoy.





Choose your fabric. It's fine to buy something a little cheaper for the back, since no one is going to see it. In fact I got both of these fabric pieces in the clearance section at Wal-Mart. You will also need, matching thread, batting for the middle, and binding for the edges. And a lot of pins. 

Take your old car seat cover and lay it flat on the paper you've chosen to use. You will have several sections you need to trace: A top, a bottom, and any sides or overhanging areas.


Now draw around the first section of the layed out car seat.. Generally speaking you can assume that the binding is hiding your seam so you don't need to make an allowance for it, but be aware that the issue might arise.


Be sure to mark any parts that lie on the inside of the pattern, like strap holes and any extra stitching.


Your patterns will start looking something like this.


When you cut out your pattern sections, remember to write what each line is for, and cut any holes so you can mark your fabric.


This bit of the pattern is a tad  trickier. This is the overlay that is found on the top and bottom of the carseat


As you can see, you can't just draw around it. So you're going to have to eyeball it. Don't get panicky! It's still just paper.


First I traced around any parts that I could.


Then I measured the center most point and marked the top on my paper (where I couldn't trace) I also measured a spot on either end where it was about an inch wide. In essence creating a connect the dots.


Then I followed that path around.


To make sure I had actually done what I wanted, I cut out the pattern piece and layed in on top of the section of fabric.


It was a bit off so I cut my pattern paper to match.


After you have cut them out. Lay them into your carseat to make sure everything fits. This is a moment when you can see any glaring mistakes you may have made (before you cut fabric).


Now pin the pattern to your fabric, being sure to avoid any bulging or folding fabric underneath.


There are two ways you can cut your pattern. You can trace around it with a pencil or other fabric friendly instrument. Or you can leave the pattern attached and cut around it. I generally like the former, since the paper can be annoying to work around.


Once you have all the pieces cut out, you should lay them on the carseat like you did the pattern paper earlier. I didn't get a picture of this. But it's worth doing, so you can catch any bad mistakes. Then repeat all the previous steps with batting and bottom fabric.


Because you have the batting in the middle and you are essentially quilting it is important to pull tight when pinning and sewing. If you don't you're going to get bunching and bubbling. Notice how I used my foot to hold one side while I pinned... yeah, I'm lazy. Just remember to let your sewing foot move on it's own as you are holding things tight (during the sewing).


Now is where we begin sewing. Use about a quarter of an inch straight stitch and if you need to, go slowly. You're going to want to stitch any inner parts as well (strap holes, corner stitches) right now as well.

When you are done going around the first time it's probably a good idea to go over it again with a zig zag stitch to secure everything and prevent fraying.


See....Also remember that the zig zag should not go OVER the straight stitch. The zigzag is like a dirty little secret we want to keep hidden. No one needs to know you did this part because it's not pretty.


Also check your back to see if you missed any of the solid fabric. I did at one point and needed to stitch over that section again, a little closer in.


  You should have your top and bottom parts all sewn together (both fabrics with the batting in the middle). Now you need to sew these two sections together. Lay the pieces right sides together and pin. You probably want to check your old cover to make sure you pin to the right points (and not to high up).


Like so....I've already stitched the buckled opening(that circular part in the center) so all I need to do with that is put on the binding.


Sew the top and bottom together. Go slowly if you need to. Remember to align any extra stitching you've done... probably a little better than I did.


Now is when things start heating up. The overlays (the parts that really secure the cover to the carseat). These fit a little differently and aren't as easy to pin. And if I were to do it over I would have sewn the binding on these parts BEFORE I sewed them onto the rest of the cover.


See how the pins area little bunchy. That's because I had to mold the fabric sections together. So when you begin stitching you'll need to hold these parts to their right spots... they won't like it, but it's important.


Now you get to start on the binding. It's a bit awkward to work with and requires a lot of pins. You'll want to make sure your fabric fits snuggly into the fold without being doubled over. Pin the binding to every place that the old cover had binding. Most especially the visible parts. This is what will give it the 'finished' look (and cover the seams).


Straight stitch close to the inside edge, but remember that you want to catch the fabric that is now inside the binding.

 The binding around the buckle opening was the hardest. I used a lot of pins and it still didn't turn out very cute. (sorry bad picture)





But...once your binding is on you should have the finished product! If it didn't work out I'll allow you to cry.
If it did...
Voila! The baby loves it.

cannwin.blogspot.com