Marathon #3

So it looks like my blog has turned itself into my marathon blog since that's what I last posted about. Hmmmm...So in most marathon training programs, you build up your mileage each week on your long runs. So one week you run 14 miles, the next 15, the next 16, the next 18, etc. Then about three weeks before the marathon you might run 20 or 22 miles and then you taper, or run shorter distances the couple of weeks before the big day.

This marathon has been really different for me. During the weeks, I've run short distances because I've needed to get into work on time and haven't got there as early as I should have. Every Saturday when I should be out doing long runs, something has come up, including some unexpected travel, presentations for work, stress, not feeling well, you name it. So throughout the time I should have been running long, I wasn't. I knew I had the marathon coming up because I signed up a long time back, and I was starting to stress about what I was going to do and how I was going to finish.

One day at church, Brother Gudmundson was talking about this program he had done some research on and said he really believes in it. So I thought I had nothing to lose... I did a little research on my own about the method and tried to figure out how to do it right. The method is Jeff Galloway's Run-Walk program. I also listened to the Extra Mile Podcast: Galloway Edition as I was doing a couple of long roadtrips and finished them on some of my runs.

So my long run training program consisted of one 13-mile run one month before the marathon, a 19-mile run the next week, a 13-mile run the next week, and a 6-mile run the week before. And that is all. I do not recommend this training plan at all, but that's all I was able to do to prep for this one.

Friday night I ate dinner with friends, and I had plenty of beans and rice in my salad to keep me going through the run. I also drank a lot of water to at least start out hydrated. I went to bed and slept pretty well - of course a very short night because I got up at 2:45 a.m. so I could eat my oatmeal with banana before we had to leave. We caught the 4:00 a.m. bus and it took us up to Wallsburg, UT. It was certainly a lot warmer than last year, which was nice while we were waiting for it to start.

I had in my mind that I would be lucky if I could finish in 5 1/2 hours because of my lack of training. I was looking more to 5 hours and 45 minutes. So finally I started running at a 2 minute run/1 minute walk ratio. It was funny because I passed several people who had their beepers going off doing the same run-walk thing that I was doing. By mile 4, I took off all my extra layers  of clothes because I was all warmed up. Throughout the first part of the race, I really felt good. I felt like I could be consistent. I remember the different parts of the course and how I was feeling at those same spots last year. Honestly, I felt so much better this year.

As I came down the canyon, I was at 2 hours and 30 minutes at the half-way point, which is exactly where I was on my training runs. I did stop there long enough to hit a port-a-potty, and then I kept on going. I really could remember walking long stretches along there last year, but I felt really good going through there this time. About 4 miles away from the finish (so Mile 22), I started calculating in my head, that if I kept going and kept a decent pace, I could actually finish just over 5 hours. So I had some good adrenaline kick in. I also adjusted my run-walk ratio to a 1 minute run, 1 minute walk. I kept going. Along the way, I ate half of a lime-flavored gel and kept going. I also ate half a banana and a few orange wedges, but that was all. Pretty soon, I could see the finish. I honestly felt so much stronger this year than last! I couldn't believe it.

So I crossed the finish line at 5 hours and 7 minutes after I crossed the starting line. I honestly felt really good! The friends I run with (they all run faster than I do), so I guessed they would be at the massage line, and they were. So we all got massages, and it felt okay. I wasn't terribly impressed with mine, but oh well, beggars can't be choosers. I cut14 minutes off my time from last year and about 20 minutes off my time from the Top of Utah marathon that I did in September. And I trained way less than I should have. So that gives me some hope that I can be faster for the next one...Another one? yes! We signed up for the inaugural run of Big Cottonwood Canyon in September. I'd like to cut some significant time, but I know that is going to take a significant number of Saturdays. I hope my life will calm down a little bit now, so I can train.

One more marathon...

I just realized I never finished my posts on New York...Basically, I loved New York! I thought it was such a fun place to visit. I saw Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, Wicked, and Catch Me if you Can while I was there. We ate at fun restaurants, including Bangladesh, Indian, Vietnamese, and Ethiopian. We really had a good time! We also had a really good conference and learned a lot. I felt like it was definitely worth going to! I would love to attend another one sometime by the same group.

Friday my roommate and a friend that we work with drove up to Logan, Utah to participate in the Top of Utah marathon.

Tonya and I stayed at Jordan's sister's house in Smithfield, which was a lot of fun. It was so fun to visit with them and they were great hosts. When I got there, I realized I did not take any contact stuff, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. How dumb is that! When I packed, I was going to take one bag, so I loaded up my stuff and then decided to take a different one instead, but forgot to take everything out of the side pocket. So luckily, they had some contact solution and a dixie cup and gave me a toothbrush. I was very grateful! It was really fun to be with them.

Saturday morning we got up really early (because we kept waking up thinking it was later than it really was.) We ate breakfast and got ready and went to Logan to catch the bus that would take us up the canyon. When we got up there, we stood in line to go to the bathroom for a long time. Then we walked down to the starting line. About the time we got down there, it started pouring rain. Luckily we were able to find a corner under a tent. Then it let up and we thought we would be good. Then it started coming down again! It was crazy! Finally, the mountain men were out with their muzzleloaders and a cannon to start the race. We waited another couple of minutes before we took off. And we ran and we ran and we ran and it rained and it rained and it rained and hailed too. I thought once I got out of the canyon it would get sunny, but the sun didn't come out until mile 22.

It was interesting to talk to and listen to the people running around me. They all had such interesting stories. One man had run the Wasatch 100 mile run last week. He said it took him 32 hours. So this week was just a nice recovery run. Haha!

Anyway, by the tie I got to the end, I felt like it was time to stop. My hands were freezing and I was wet all the way through. I guess I would have been wet all the way through either way - hot or cold - either from the rain or from sweat. Actually it was probably a mix of the two. After we finished, we went over and got a massage. It actually felt quite good! Here's a picture of the end with Tonya and Jeff. We did it!

We went and ate at Cafe Rio, which is one of our favorite places to eat. Then we went and took a shower - always one of the very best things you can do after a really long run. I was finally able to warm up after taking my shower. We drove back home, and I actually have felt really good since. I have felt so much better than I did after I ran the Utah Valley Marathon.

I'm glad I did it! I'm hoping my running next year will be faster. I am taking a weight training class this semester to improve my strength, which will hopefully improve my speed and endurance.

Hello, New York City!

For work, I have an opportunity to attend a conference to learn more about how to do better design and usability work. One of the very best conferences to attend is happening this week in New York City, so my roommate Tonya and I were able to come. But we decided to come a little bit early so we could get to know New York and also to have some fun.

Friday, we left Provo to come. We arrived about 3:30 into JFK and caught a taxi (something we won't ever do again because it is so expensive!) and went our hotel. Then we set out to explore New York. we walked to a little Indian restaurant and had some yummy food and then caught the subway into the center of the city.

We started walking around and it started to pour rain! And I mean POUR! So we stepped into Walgreens and we wandered around in there for a few minutes trying to see if we could wait it out. We went out for a little more and the it lightened up and then it started again. So we were in and out of stores to wait out the rain. Finally it passed over us and we headed over to the Rockefeller Center to look out over the city, but because it was cloudy, you couldn't see very well, so we switched our tickets. Instead we went to a park and sat for a long time and then we went and found one of the best-kept secrets - McDonald's (at least here) has fresh fruit smoothies and oh they are so good, especially on a hot, muggy night when you are tired and thirsty.

Here we are at Times Square. There are may advertisements, and they are big and well-lit! Check out this one!

Utah Valley Marathon

Yes, you read that correctly. Today I ran the Utah Valley Marathon. It was so much fun!

I didn't know how it was going to turn out, but it was a really fun day!

Here is what happened leading up to and through today. Mike (coworker), Jeff (coworker), Tonya (roommate), and I have been training for the marathon for the last 16 weeks or so.

Yesterday after our work retreat we went to the marathon expo to pick up our bib numbers and our shirts. We were all really excited! Last night, Tonya and I ate a lot of food, did some pre-marathon massages, read up on some other marathons that look interesting because we were too excited to really sleep, but we finally did go to bed.

Tonya and I got up at 2:15 am so we could eat enough and our food could settle before the start of the marathon. Then we layered up our clothes and at 3:30 we left our house to go catch the bus.

We arrived up the canyon at the start of the race (Wallsburg, UT) at 4:45 and it was quite chilly up there, so they had fire pits and water and Powerade and bathrooms. Actually, it was quite interesting because Wallsburg reminds me so much of home, just a small town up in the canyon.

About a quarter to 6 we shed our outer layers and put them in the truck that would take our bags to the finish of the race and went to the bathroom one more time. And then we started...

The first 7 miles went around Wallsburg and then around to the highway by Deer Creek Reservoir. I am a fairly slow runner, so I just ran by myself. I listened to a book called Blink about how quickly we make first impressions about everything/everyone we see. I stopped at chapter 4 and listened to the sound track to Wicked (the Broadway musical).

There were lots of hills over the first half of the course. I wish I had done better at training on the hills because I was awfully slow. Once we got to the halfway point, the landscape was a lot more familiar because that is where I have done my long runs. So from the road, I could see the parks I go by when I'm on the trail. Each of the odd miles had an aid station to get water or Powerade and some of them had bananas and oranges, or Gu, or otter pops, or shot blocks to keep us going. I drank at every one of them and I felt like that did keep me going. I probably should have eaten more of the Clif bar I had in my belt, but it just didn't taste good to me while I was running, but I knew I needed calories.

My chip time was 5:21, which was not quite as fast as I had hoped, but better than I thought it would be when I reached mile 14. Overall, I am pleased at it being my first marathon. I really had two goals for it: 1. finish and 2. not be the last one. :) I did both, so I felt good about it. (A friend later told me that there were still people coming in after 7 hours.) For the next one, I will probably work more on my speed and I need to do more on hills.

When I got to the finish, my friends were all there because they are faster than I and Lori, Jordan, and Mckenzie came down too! It was exciting to see the finish line at the last aid station and to know I just had a little bit left to go!

Here's a picture of us at the finish. Not too bad looking after 26.2 miles!

We walked around a little bit for the muscles to stop spasming and then Tonya and I stopped at Kohinoor (Indian food) to eat when we got home. It tasted pretty darned good! Taking a shower was amazing and I felt so much better afterwards. I tried to take a nap, but my body had a hard time really resting. So I got up and went to the store so I would walk around and bought some chips that were salty.

Tonight Lori and Jordan took me to eat at Outback and it was a lot of fun! I came home and we did massages. As long as I keep moving, I am not so stiff. I must say, I'm not too fast moving, but as the marathon shirt says, it's "Pain you enjoy."

Utah NAME

Today I had the opportunity to participate in the Utah NAME conference, which was held a Utah Valley University and I had a good experience there. The theme of the conference was Narratives of Bravery and Hope: Making my Home in Utah. A lot of immigrants here shared their stories and their dreams for the future. I was really impressed by them and their desires to do good in the world and their desire to make a difference. UVU also has some really great programs in place to improve the opportunities for Latino/a students. they have Latinos in Action and Latino Educators of Tomorrow programs that I think are so important. I also was impressed by the comments made about the university president, Matt Holland, and how much he cares about the students.

Part of what I did was share a project I have been working on. It was to write up a booklet that contains a lot of the activities that we used in our Multicultural Education class that Ramona Cutri and I co-taught. In it, I included the activity objective, how it ties into the Standards for Effective Pedagogy, the materials for the activity, how to set up and conduct the activity, how to debrief it, and then some ideas for using the same activity with different topics. I felt like it went well and I'm glad I was able to participate in it. We had my project posted online. Scroll down a little bit once you get to the screen and read the section on Lesson Plan Adaptation Activities. Then click the Download ... materials here. I decided today I would like to convert into a wiki page where many people can edit it and add their own activities. I think that would foster some additional collaboration that would enhance the project more. Overall, I was pleased with how it came out. I will play with the possibility of converting it into its own website.

It was interesting to me to participate in the conference because it made me think about my own identity as a scholar and how is used to be so much more involved than I currently am now, as I am an instructional designer and spend more of my day thinking about design and how to make whatever we are creating easier, rather than people issues.

I also thought about how much more needs to be done to work with kids who are not the mainstream. I think that is one reason I am excited to get more done on my dissertation.

Then I listened to the second half of the afternoon session of General Conference and I ran almost 15 miles today... I'm glad tomorrow is a rest day.

Valentine's Day

I had an awesome Valentine's Day. Mckenzie came over to play while Lori and Jordan went on a date. We played with my penny jar and dumped my coins out on the floor and then picked them up and then dumped them out again. Mckenzie told me stories and we made valentines with stickers and pictures on them. The big event of the evening was to make the dessert for when Lori and Jordan came back. Lori had sent over a chocolate cheesecake, so Mckenzie and I made it.

Here is Mckenzie mixing up the crust. She had a great time pressing it in the pan. Especially when she noticed some of it stuck to her fingers and she got to lick them off. Then she pushed some more down and licked some more off. :)

Here we are mixing the crust again.

And here Kenzie is getting ready.

I really wanted to take a picture of her after we mixed everything and she finished licking all the bowls. I could tell that Lori has cooked with her a lot because she knows how to mix and stir and how to scoop things that have spilt. She also knows well how to lick the bowl. :)

So we made a yummy chocolate treat and it was a lot of fun. When Lori and Jordan came back, we had a nice time eating the treat we made.

Saint George Half Marathon

Yesterday I did something I had never done before. I ran a half marathon. That is 13.1 miles of running. And it was AWESOME!

I did it with some friends from work and my roommate. We did the Dirty Dash earlier and now we did the Saint George Half. It really did feel good and I had a great experience doing it.

Tonya and I went down to Saint George with our friend Jeff from work and his wife, Julie. We talked and laughed the whole way down to Saint George.

Tonya and I stayed at one of our favorite hotel chains, Knight's Inn. We stayed at one in Denver, but this one was a lot more well kept up. It was nice for us (and not too expensive)!

We woke up early yesterday morning and ate some yummy breakfast. I had some oatmeal and a banana. Then our room was a little bit cool, so we got back into our beds and too a little nap until Jeff and Julie came.

So here is our before-race photo. Dad, I don't know if you can see it or not, but I am wearing my Crooked Pole Tipi Works viser. I think it was lucky!

Our orange shirts say CTL. Every year the CTL buys t-shirts for everyone at work and this year we asked if we could get some tech-shirts for running rather than the regular cotton t-shirts. We had to pay a little extra, but they are fun to wear. I like the color too!

The course was interesting because part of it went through the city and then it went out along the river and the freeway in St. George. We looped around a couple of times. I guess I must have been deep in thought throughout the whole race because I was listening to a book on my iPod. I listened to the first three chapters of the book two times and all I know about the book is there was a picture of a boat on a wall and it looked like the waves were really moving and some boy's cousins were coming to visit and he liked to torment them. (Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis. I'm sure it is a really good book!) Other than that, I was listening for the voice in my iPod that says "one mile completed...You are at the halfway point. Only 6.5 miles to go...one mile to go...400 meters to go...congratulations you have completed a half marathon. Time: 2:23. Distance 13.1 miles. Rate: 11.02 minutes per mile. Thank you Lori, Jordan, and Mckenzie for the running chip. It works great! And those were my stats. I felt fine about those, especially because I ran last weekend the same amount of time, but only ran about 11 miles. I felt good about it!

Here is the post-race picture. Kj and Jessica, I loved the water bottle belt. It is really handy to carry water and the phone and snacks and whatever else you can fit in it. It is great!

We don't look too much different from our pre-race picture. It was exciting! Tonya and Jeff finished about 30 minutes before I did, so they came back and met me where I had about 1/2 mile left.

I am really glad I did it. While we were there, we signed up to do the Utah Valley full Marathon in June, so we will be spending the next few months training and increasing our distance so we can run a full 26.2 miles. It really will be awesome!Who would have thought?

Afterwards, we went back to the hotel and took the best shower ever! It felt so good! We went and ate at Cafe Rio and then went to the outlet mall and found some nice shirts for $2.99. Then we drove home. Today I feel great! I have been so hungry though! I have eaten a lot of meals and snacks!

Bubble Wrap

Do you love bubble wrap? I opened a package the other day that had a nice bubble wrap around it. So I have the bubble wrap on my desk next to my keyboard and every few minutes I have the urge to pop a couple. It relieves a lot of stress. I suggest everyone should have some. It makes you feel so much better after you pop some. The big bubbles are sometimes even better, but I feel that I get more pleasure out of the small ones.

Last Day in Hawaii

It was a sad (not too sad though) day! We had our last Hawaii adventures today. We wanted to do a lot of things so we would be able to sleep on the plane home, so we started early. We drove to the south east side of the island and climbed up Koko Head Crater. Koko Head is a volcanic crater that was formed a long time ago. It has a railway track that goes up the outside of it that is no longer used by rail, so people have started climbing up it. It has 1,048 steps up. The first part of the trail is not too steep. Then it crosses over a bridge that doesn't have any dirt under it (but there is a little trail off to the side where I went up). The second half of it is really steep. By the time you get up, you are pretty tired. At the top, you can look off over the interior of the crater and then down into the ocean. It was an amazing view! It was a really fun hike to do. At first I was tired, but then I started enjoying it a lot. Coming down was slower than going up, but we made it just fine.

Then we decided to go over to Diamond Head crater and hike it again. I like Diamond Head because it has a well-groomed path and there is a handrail all up the trail. At the top, you can look off and see all of Honolulu and Waikiki beach. The ocean really is amazing!

The next thing we had on our agenda was to go swimming, but before we did, we decided to go to Chinatown to drink a bubble tea smoothie. I really like the bubble tea, but I prefer it without the bubbles. Today I got a mango pineapple one. It was so yummy and very refreshing after our two hikes. Then we drove back to the north side of the island, but before we went to the beach, we stopped at Ross to see if we could find some good deals. We had heard they had some cute sweaters that were inexpensive. I found a really cute brown skirt like my black one and I brown sweater. I am kind of excited about them.

By the time we finished and drove back up toward La'ie, the wind was blowing, so we hated to get in the water because it is cold getting out and the beach wasn't that warm really. So we walked along the beach and watched the waves come crashing in. I really am amazed and intrigued by the ocean. It was fun! Then we met Tonya's friend Nichole at our favorite dinner place - Surfin' Taco and ate one last dinner. MMMMM-good! We went back to our place and showered and stuffed everything into the luggage and hoped everything would fit okay. Then we left to come to the airport.

We are now sitting in the airport waiting for our flight home to a very cold, snowy Utah...Hmmmm, Maybe there is a job for me here in Hawaii...Someday!

Top of Waikiki and Chinatown

Yesterday we worked in the morning. We went to eat lunch with Mike Griffiths that we used to work with in Provo at the CTL and had a good visit with him about what he is doing and the direction he sees his job going here at BYU-Hawaii. After we finished, we picked up Tonya's friend Nichole who is doing an internship here and we went down to Waikiki. Unfortunately it was windy and the waves were pretty strong, and a little bit rainy and cool, so we didn't do much. We were trying to decide where to eat, and happened to be walking by Top of Waikiki. So Top of Waikiki is a revolving restaurant. It takes about one hour for you to go all the way around. It is a more expensive restaurant than I thought, but the food was really good. We all just got little dishes and ate a little bit, but it was still about $20 each for all of our meals...I ate crab cake and thought it was really good though. Then we tasted everyone else's stuff and it was all really good. So that was a fun and unique experience for us. Then it rained on us as we walked back to our car. It was a fun day.

Today we worked in the morning. Then we went to eat lunch at a fish restaurant in North Shore with Paul from the Testing Center that we have been working with. I ate some ahi tuna and salad and rice. It was so good! It tasted really, really good.

Then we left from there and wanted to go down to Waimano falls, but the trail was really steep and I didn't really want to do it that much. We turned around and went to Chinatown. We had talked about going there a few different times, but we never made it. So we went and wandered around the different shops was a lot of fun. It made me a little bit nostalgic for China. One of the things we bought there was a boba (bubble tea). This is a smoothie with fruit and then it has large tapioca balls in it. We used to drink them all the time when I was in China. Except I prefer to not get the tapioca balls in mine. Anyway, it was refreshing and fruity and something new to try. I liked it a lot.

We went by Costco to buy some gifts to take back with us and then went to Kaneohe on the way home to try a Korean restaurant that we heard was really good. It was not as good as we thought it might be. I have had much better Korean food. Oh well. Sometimes you try something and it's great, and sometimes you try, but it isn't very good. It was a fun day!

PCC and Temple

Today was a rainy day in La'ie and all over the island it looked like. We worked all morning on our projects, trying to make some progress on them. Then about 1:00 we left and went back to PCC. If you have a ticket, you can go back for the next three days after. There were a couple of shows that we didn't get to see. So first we went to the Hawaii one where they taught about the hula. I didn't know that the hula is more about the hands than shaking your hips (like Tahiti). Then it was time for the canoe pageant where they have dancers come out on a canoe and dance through the river running through the PCC. The other day we were sitting on the very end so we didn't see any of the dances, but today we sat smack dab in the middle and we saw it all. It was a lot of fun. The students are so talented! Then we went to Fiji and they did some chanting and dancing for us. We were going to get "tattoos," but we were going to go to the temple right after, so I didn't think I would have time to get it washed off. After we walked around some more, we went to some of the shops and then we left.

We came back to our place and changed back into our skirts, ate some salad, and then Tonya and I went to the temple. It was so neat. It is really beautiful! I enjoyed it a lot and it was neat to be there. The rooms still smell new. It really is a beautiful temple. I am so glad we got to go! It was a great day!

Beach Relaxation

This morning we went in to work early and got busy. I worked on some screens for the Student Ratings management site we will be building. Then I did some reading for American Heritage. Tonya and I went and met with one of the guys that we used to work with us at the CTL who moved here with his family. We wanted to talk to him about a program that he is using for his online classes and then we were talking with him about his plans for where he sees the program here going. It was interesting to talk to him and to see the work they are doing here. He invited us to go to the devotional today where the student body presidency spoke today. It was really good. I was impressed by their talks.

We went back to work and I read more for American Heritage and then I wrote some discussion questions for the lecture tomorrow. I hope he will use them. It always takes me so long to write decent questions. Then when I do, and he doesn't use them, I feel bad. Oh well. It does me good to read the articles and to think about them and the most important messages from them. I am learning a lot about politics and government, so that is good for me.

After I finished, we talked to one of the guys in Provo that we work with to discuss our projects and how to continue working on them. Then Tonya and I went out to the beach here in La'ie. It isn't a very big beach, but it was nice and quiet. There weren't very many people there. We found a tree swing that had about a five-foot seat, so we sat there and watched the waves come in and just talked and laughed. Then we started walking to the next town to get some exercise. We almost got there and Tom came and picked us up so we could go eat at our favorite restaurant - Surfin' Tacos. Mmmmmm Good!

PCC

This morning we got up early and went out running around the campus circle. It was a nice morning to run. There is only a small difference in temperature between early morning and daytime. It is really amazing to me. Then we got ready for work and were there by 6:00. We got busy and started working. Part way through the morning, Paul from the Testing Center came in and asked when we wanted to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center. We told him whenever he thought would be better. He said that the rest of the week was going to be rainy, so they got our tickets for today. So we worked until noon and then came home and changed into our comfy clothes and walked over to the PCC, which is right next door. Throughout the day we can hear the drums and activities, we are that close.

What an awesome place! They have six different villages set up, one from each of the main island groups. In each of them they have shows and then activities for people to try. They do dances and then they will teach you to dance too. They also teach ukelele lessons and how to make bracelets and leis. We went to see most of the shows in the different villages. In some off time we looked at the shops and watched the canoe parade with dancers from the different countries. What an amazing feat to teach everyone the dances and to make sure everyone is where they need to be when they need to be there. They also got us tickets to the luau and night show, so we went to the luau next. We ate rice and Kalua pork, fish, taro rolls, salad, pineapple, and coconut cake. I thought it was delicious! Then Tonya and I came back to get our sweatshirts for the night show. We went back over and watched Ha: The Breath of Life. Amazing! I think that a word that comes to mind, but it is hard to really explain it. It is the story of life and death, and overcoming challenges. It is all done through dance and music from each of the different islands. The last act was the fire knife dancers. Wow! They were awesome! So talented! So fun to watch! I am so grateful we got to go. I enjoyed it so much. With our tickets, we can go back again. We didn't get to do everything, so I hope one if the days I can go back again to see some more of the stuff in there. It is just such a fun place.

When we got out, I was grateful that I didn't have to drive anywhere. Traffic was busy! It was nice to just walk back to our cozy little apartment. What a fun day!

Sunday in Hawaii

Today was a relaxing Sunday. We got up early and went to church at 8:00. There is a ward that meets in the Stake Center here on campus, so we went there and had a really good Sacrament meeting. There has been a really strong focus on the temple in part because of the dedication, so it was nice to be able to reflect on the temple more too. I'm excited to do a session here.

After church we came back and changed into walking around clothes and drove down by Pearl Harbor and back up the west side of O'ahu. We stopped at one of the nastiest bathrooms I think I have ever seen in all of my life. Just thinking about it gives me shivers...Yucky! But when you have to go, you have to go.

Then we walked out to Ka'ena point which is a point where the north and the west sides of the island come together. It used to be a railroad track out there, but then they quit using the train, so now it is just a trail out to the point. It was a nice walk and it was breezy, so I didn't come back completely drenched with sweat like I usually do from walking anywhere we go. As we got up the path, we went by the albatross nesting grounds. We saw a lot of albatross out nesting on these holes in the ground. In some of the ones that didn't have birds sitting on them, we saw young albatrosses. They were really pretty birds. Out on the point there are supposed to be some seals too, but we didn't see any today. Then we walked back. It was a nice relaxing walk along the shore - above the coast, but where we could see the waves coming into the shore all the way. I really am amazed by the ocean and the power of it. It was really neat.

On the way back, we went through Mililani and North Shore and we saw a few big waves coming in. This evening they weren't a strong as they sometimes are.

I was going to write about one other experience that happened, but I keep forgetting to write about it most of the time, but I am really grateful for the experience. When we were walking into La'ie Falls, I was sweating so much that the sweat was running into my eyes and my eyes started burning. Finally I decided to pop out one of my contacts so I could rinse it off. I popped it out and rinsed it out with water and then I dropped it. I looked and looked, but couldn't find it. Tom looked too, but couldn't find it either.

Tonya had gone ahead of us a little bit. Finally, I told Tom to go ahead and I would look just a little bit more and then catch up. After he left, I said a little prayer and kept looking. The turnoff for the falls was just up ahead a little bit so Tonya and Tom came back. Right as they did, I found it. I licked it off and put it back in my eye and was able to continue on. I was so grateful for that simple answer to my prayers that day. I really didn't know if I would be able to find it or not, but there it was. The angels really do watch out for us and help us along.

Relaxing Day

Today was a good day too. When we got up this morning the wind was blowing and it was raining. Tonya had made a reservation for her and her friend to do a shark dive where they lower people down in a cage to look at the sharks. They take you out in a little boat about 3 miles into the ocean where the sharks feed and they lower people down in the cage and let them see the sharks swimming around. I didn't really want to do it because it just didn't seem like that much fun to me. I can go to the aquarium and look at the sharks and feel a little bit better about everything. It was something she had wanted to do for a long time. I would have gone out in the boat with them, but it cost the same amount to just go out on the boat. I decided I'd like to use my money some other way. When they got out in the boat, the waves were crashing against the boat and it was really rough. Poor Tonya got seasick out there. I was glad I didn't go out with them.

So while they went out there, I took a little nap in the car and then I walked out to the Haleiwa Beach and walked along the coast. I was watching the waves come crashing in. Then I noticed there were some sea turtles right there. I could see their heads pop up mostly and then I saw their flippers come up too and their shells. There must have been five or so out there. It was interesting to see them floating up and down with the waves.

Then we went back into Haleiwa and got a strawberry shaved ice with condensed milk on it. It was a tasty treat. It probably would have tasted better if it had been later in the day when it was hotter outside. We went to the beach and I read there for a little bit, but there was a breeze blowing and the sun kept going behind a cloud. Finally we left and came back to our place we are staying.

Tonya had taken some Dramamine, so she was a little queasy still and really sleepy. I was tired too, so we took naps. Then I read some and looked up places to visit on Oahu. Then we decided to go for a walk, but it was fairly late in the afternoon by then and the hike was a little boring, so we came back and ate at Surfin Tacos (again). We like it there. And for every 10 meals you order there, you get one free. It was another beautiful day in Hawaii. When I look at the weather at home, I'm glad to be here. It feels pretty nice!

Black Friday

Today was a really good day too. We were off work again today so this morning we went driving towards the Honolulu side of the island. On the way, we stopped at Pali Lookout. When we went on the walk to the Pali waterfall, there is a place at the top where the wind is supposed to be really, really strong, but when we were there, it was just a tiny little breeze. We decided to stop by on our way. It was so crazy! The wind was really, really strong. It really was so funny.

Then we went on and drove to Manoa Falls. Right outside of the park, there is Lyon Arboretum, which for me is a little easier of a walk because it is not quite as slick or steep and there are fewer people. We went in again (Tonya and I went last week) and I really enjoyed it so much. The flowers and plants are just amazing!

After we came out, we went over to the beach. I really wanted to go see the Waikiki aquarium, so I went over to it while Tonya and Tom swam. I really enjoyed the aquarium a lot. The displays were interesting and I learned a lot about coral and the sea life around Hawai'i and the other islands in the Pacific.

Then we wandered around Waikiki where they have everything for tourists. The shops are pretty expensive, but it was fun to be out there. We ate at P. F. Changs and it was really good food. Then all down the Waikiki strip there was a Christmas parade. We watched it as we walked back to our car. Unfortunately, we were going about the same pace as a marching band and the Shriners, so that is pretty much all we heard and saw in the parade.

It was a fun day! A little bit relaxing! It felt good. Really, my Friday wasn't very black. Mostly colorful and warm!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was a day to be thankful! I have had a chance to think about all of the blessings I have. There are so many things to be thankful for! Today was definitely not a typical Thanksgiving. First of all, it was really warm and no forecast for snow! We got up early (actually I slept in a little bit). Then we decided what we were going to do today. We went for a hike up a trail for a ways. It was a little steeper than the kind of hike that I enjoy. It was along a ridge. I didn't go terribly far, but it was fine. Then we went back to the car. We started driving along the coast around to the Makapu'u Lighthouse. Before we got there though, there were a couple of scenic lookouts. The wind was blowing really hard out over the water. Really, the ocean amazes me! Where we were, the waves were blowing every which way. There is some real power in those waves! They kept coming in and crashing along the reef and it was just so interesting to watch!

Then we went around the coast some more and stopped and climbed up a trail to a lighthouse. We wanted to walk down to the lighthouse, but we weren't able to go down there. So we just looked at it from the top. I'm not sure why I have such an interest in lighthouses, but I just think they are fascinating!

Then we went over to Hanauma Bay. This is a bay that was formed by volcanoes long ago and then filled in with water. There is a lot of coral and a lot of fish in it. Now it is a place where a lot of people go snorkeling and swimming because there is a little beach by it. It is also a preserve and an education area by University of Hawaii. There were still quite a few waves out there, but most of them broke out on the ledge and we stayed on the side were it was pretty shallow. I haven't been swimming for a really long time. I think the last time I went swimming was before my mission, so I have a little fear of water. Anyway, I just decided I had to try. I have had a bunch of people tell me that it is so beautiful and interesting and that I would probably like it, but I was still scared. I had bought a snorkel mask and breathing tube the other day, so I decided I'd better get myself to use them. I went out there and it was still really windy like the rest of the day. But I put my face down and it's a whole new world under the water. I felt like the Little Mermaid under the sea. As long as I had a good seal on my mask, I could stay floating quite awhile. It was interesting because when you are out there, you lose track of where you are and the direction you are going. And the fish are amazing. It freaked me out a little bit when they would come over by me. They are big fish! It was just so interesting to me! I never thought I would like snorkeling or feel comfortable in the water like that, but it was really neat. I think I'd like to try again.

After we finished everything, we were looking for a place to get some food. We stopped at Zippy's and got takeout. I got some mahi mahi fish and rice and macaroni salad. It tasted pretty good. I was pretty hungry tonight! It wasn't a typical Thanksgiving dinner, but it was good. I hope all of you had a good Thanksgiving day too, with many blessings! Thank you to all of you for all that you are! I love you!

Turtle Bay

Today was another good day. We were busy trying to make sure that everything was ready to start Student Ratings for campus today. We sent out the email to faculty to tell them to remind their students and then we sent out the email to the students to tell them to take the student ratings. Then we made sure that the system was working. This afternoon after we made sure it was, we left campus and went to Turtle Bay. There is an inlet where the reef breaks up the big waves so people can swim in it. The water was a little bit cold. It was a really pretty day today.

All day we got messages in email and by phone that BYU campus was closing at 3:00 today and that everything would be closed tomorrow because of severe winter weather. It might be kind of fun to stay home snuggled up by the fire with everything closed! But I guess I kind of like the weather we're having here. It is pretty nice, I have to say.

After swimming and sitting on the beach, I got buried in the sand... I must say I had sand all down my swimsuit. Sand is good for exfoliating! Now my skin feels smooth as a baby's bottom. Haha!

Tomorrow all of the power at the CTL in Provo will be down, so I am not sure how much work we will be able to do. I know that Tom has some meetings, so we will still go in early and work until 12 or 1 probably working on some of the projects that don't require us to connect to the CTL. Anyway, it should be an interesting long weekend. Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are not all stranded in the snow. I will be taking some lovely pictures of the beach and the sunset. Actually, I kinda would like to be inside watching the snow come down. As long as I wouldn't have to get out in it!

Temple Dedication, Pali, and La'ie Falls

Yesterday was the dedication of the La'ie Hawaii temple. They had closed for about 2 years while they rebuilt parts of it. President Monson, President Eyring, Elder Cook, and Elder Walker of the Seventy spoke during the session of the dedication we went to. It was neat to hear them talk about the people that sacrificed so much and lived so faithfully. It sounds like the other sessions were different than the 9:00.

After the dedication, we went for a walk to a waterfall. It was so beautiful and so peaceful.

Today we went into work early and got a lot done. Then we went for a walk that is close to BYU-Hawaii. It took about three hours to do. It was an interesting one because all along the trail, the scenery changed completely. We went from lush green to pine tree-type trees, to nothing. to other types of trees, to the waterfall. It was a really pretty hike. Every time we go to a different place, it is completely different terrain. It really was amazing.

We have eaten at a little restaurant here in La'ie. There aren't too many restaurants around here. One day I will probably try out the Hukilau Cafe too. It's a local restaurant that has local food, or so I hear. We'll have to see!

Lyon Arboretum, Diamond Head, and Plantation Village

Yesterday we worked early in the morning and then left. Tom wasn't feeling well, so Tonya and I went to the Lyon Arboretum. An arboretum has a lot of different kinds of trees and plants. We walked around the different paths where we were able to see all kinds of different trees. We walked up to a waterfall. It was such a peaceful afternoon.

Then we came back and went and got Mexican food at Surfin' Tacos. It actually was really yummy.

This morning we got up and went to Diamond Head. Diamond Head is a crater that is just off Waikiki beach. So when you hike up to the top, you can look down across all of the beach and the city of Honolulu.

Here we are going up.

You can start to see the sweat on my shirt. I came back pretty wet. It isn't a very long hike. The trail is well worn. You go up a little bit and then there are some stairs. And then you're at the top where you can look over the whole city.

Look at that sweat. Everywhere I go here, I sweat! It looks like I must be tired too... Haha! You can see the ocean and the beach and then the city of Honolulu in the background.

Coming back, there was a Farmer's market in the parking lot. We got some freshly made ginger, basil, and lime water. It was so refreshing and good! It really hit the spot!

After we finished, we went on up the coast and we went to the Hawaii Plantation Village. This was a sugar cane plantation. They took us through the different houses of different cultural groups who came in to work on the plantation. There were Chinese, Koreans, Filipinos, Puerto Ricans, Japanese, and I can't remember who else. But we went through the houses and they talked about how these groups had come in and what a difficult life it was for them, but how they couldn't leave because they were slaves. Then they talked about how the different groups became part of the culture of Hawaii as they stayed here. I really liked this!

These are taro plants that they use to make poi and I can't remember what they do with the leaves and stalks.

These are the fish ponds. The fish were little tiny things. You can see the houses in the background that belonged to the different groups.

Here we are at the end!
We came back to BYU-H and all of the parking lots are filled with many people here. Right now we are watching the Cultural Celebration going with the temple dedication. Tomorrow will be the rededication of the La'ie temple. I'm excited we will get to be here. It is interesting because the Hawaii temple was one of the first few that were built in the Church. I am excited to be able to go!