Life as of late

Ben and I had such a fun trip to Florida, which was our first trip without children since our honeymoon over nine years ago. A special thanks to Ben's mom, my sister-in-law Suzanne and our brother-in-law Scott, and friend Chira for all of their help tag-teaming with the kids. It was nice to have some time to recharge. It was especially nice to come home to the kids in bed asleep, the house nice and clean, and things ready for life to resume.

While we were in Florida we took part in the Disney World Half Marathon. It was so much fun! Since I am not a runner, I did a lousy job of training. Any excuse that could enter my mind to stave of running was utilized. Thus, we arrived with Ben fully trained and me just trying to get as far as I could before they kicked me off the course. You have to keep a pace of 16 minute miles for the entire 13.1 mile course, which is easy for all of you I'm sure, but a death march for someone like me. Anyway, the half-marathon was so much fun and I totally want to TRAIN and do one again. We made it beyond eight miles, before a police motorcade blocked the path and ushered us (and lots of others) onto a bus. People had been getting picked off the course since mile 2, so I was surprised to make it as far as I did. Ben was a very good sport to stick with me and forego his medal, which he had trained for and could have easily won. He wins the good husband award. He was frustrated that we missed the ability to keep going by less than 30 seconds, and we had stopped for so many pictures with characters in the Magic Kingdom that we definitely ate more than 30 seconds on photo ops, but it will be fun to have pictures...




Maddie has had an awesome past two days. Yesterday, she was invited for a very special date with her uncle Josh. Maddie will never forget the surprise Josh gave her when he scored last minute awesome seats to the Disney 'Kids Inaugural: We are the Future' concert. She was in heaven watching Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Corbin Bleu, Bow Wow, and the Jonas Brothers. She also got to see Jamie Fox, Queen Latifah, George Lopez, Lucy Lu, Usher, and others. The whole show was broadcast live on the Disney Channel, and Maddie and Josh were shown several times in the audience only three or four rows from the stage.

Here is a nice shot of the tv that Ben took with his camera as we watched the concert on tv. Maddie is wearing a green fleece standing next to Josh in his glasses. Despite the look of indifference on their faces, they were excited to be there.



You would think that would be enough for a little eight year old to absorb. However, Grandfather Lee invited her to watch the inauguration with seated tickets on the Capitol. Rough life, eh? So, sure enough up amongst the past presidents, and the Obamas, sat Maddie in a seat in the freezing cold.


Ben with Elder Uchtdorf, from the the first presidency of the LDS church.
Maddie making her irritating squirrel face, sporting her Obama memorabilia on her way to the Capitol.
Josh with about sixty layers on to brave the cold.


Andrew, my ultra-sensitive child, came up crying during the inauguration about how sad he was that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr had been killed. I am grateful that my entire life, and to a greater extent the life of my children, involves no personal memory of segregation. The idea of someone being killed because of their dream and their race is so upsetting and foreign to Andrew, which is a good thing, it means progress is being made in our country. What a wonderful time to grow up in America.