Summer Fun- Races, Parks, and Palmyra

Update #2 Over the summer...

SPARTAN RACE! (in June)

So after my mud run, Todd decided that he wanted to do a similar race but way more intense. Chris Perdue told Todd about the Spartan race and he was way excited. He wanted to originally do the longer race 8 mile race but it was too far away so he opted for the 3 mile but it seemed to me that the 3 mile was intense enough for anyone. Todd finished in 30 minutes 35 seconds and was 16th place out of close to 300 hundred in the competitors' round. He looked pretty beat up afterwards!

Before the Race!

The race workers were making all the obstacles slippery by spraying them with soap and goo.

AND HE'S OFF!

Leaping over a gate thingy... he did that rope wall on the right later.

This is near the end- he made a bulls-eye, good thing because if he hadn't they have you do burpees for punishment. (And in case you're wondering, his Spartan-ness made his shirt come off part way through the race. He said it came off during the 100+ yard commando crawl through mud and under barbed wire, but I know he ripped it off to show his chiseled physique!)

Waving to us!

Look how many in a row you have to climb and only the last had a rope; the others he just had to run and leap up and pull himself up with all his manly muscles!

HE IS RIPPED!

Is it weird that I think he is so attractive covered in mud?

No Gladiator has a chance against MY Spartan!

The pic below is seriously awesome. He was so tired. Such a great shot! (A lot of racers threw up after finishing, but not my manly man!)

All cleaned up. Elli lost her bow and got super sweaty in the heat. She looks a bit frazzled like maybe she ran a baby Spartan race. It was a long day- but we were both so proud of Daddy.

So because I had the stroller and much of the course was hidden from view, I didn't get pictures of Todd doing most of the obstacles. He said it was just one after another and if you didn't do the obstacles right they would make you do 20 burpees (pushup and stand up thing). Here are some pics I got online of some of the obstacles he did. (He is the cute buff one in every one- :) jk-- he is way cuter and buffer than any guy in these pics )

They had to fill the bucket with rocks and dirt and carry it up a hill and down.

Swim time!

YAY for Todd!

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Frying Pan Park- Animals, Family, Tractors and a Merry-go-round-- What more could a kid ask for?

We even got to see them milk a cow and Logan was even brave enough to help!

Like Father like Daughter!

Cousin Love!
'

Elli is very focused on driving- and sweet Sawyer just enjoys the ride!

Such a beautiful day for such a beautiful outing!

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Palmyra, NY -- Hill Cumorah Pageant

with Rochelle and Jeremy in July

So we met up with Rochelle and Jeremy (Ro is my old college roomie!) and had a wonderful time visiting Palmyra, New York, where many of the historical beginnings happened for our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

We first went to the Sacred Grove where God and Jesus Christ appeared unto Joseph Smith. It was a beautiful grove. The exact location of Joseph's vision is not known but they do know it was somewhere in this area of the woods. It was so beautiful here, very serene and peaceful. We had such a nice walk through the trees imagining what took place here in 1820. Elli loved the grove too.

Here is the home of Joseph Smith and Emma Smith.

Here is the home Joseph grew up in. Here is where the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph and told him where to find the engravings that he was told to translate- known as the Book of Mormon.

Elli loved being in the sun and enjoyed the atmosphere.

Later that night, we went to the Hill Cumorah Pagaent. It was actually a very cool pagaent. Most of the actors and stage workers are volunteers that come out for two weeks to be a part of the show so it was fun to get to talk to them. The show was all about the stories in the Book of Mormon beginning with how Joseph got the plates or engravings from under the ground in the Hill Cumorah which is directly behind the stage. The stage actually had tons of special effects with fire when Abinadi gets burned at the stake, A storm with awesome lightening and a ship for Nephi crossing to America, waterfalls at different points, and tons of other cool stuff. The only hard part was that the show started at dark (around 9) which made it very difficult for us to get Elli to fall asleep. She finally konked out and she wasn't too bad where we missed much of the show.

Above is some of the Nephites I think and one of the Wise men who came to find Jesus. Or maybe he was King Noah-- can't remember.

Here is us at the Hill Cumorah the next day after we went to church.

A view from the top of the Hill Cumorah.

The monument was made near where the gold plates were probably uncovered.


Thanks Rochelle for suggesting we go with you! We had such an awesome time! Love you girl!