Mike & Katy Blommer

Fall Update

2011-12-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it's almost 2012! Here (in 57 pics!!) is what the Blommers have been up to this Fall:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!!

Back Yard Slip'n Slide:

Antelope Island:

Yardwork/Babysitting:

Charlie:

Black Island Farms:

Bouldering with Dave:

Sailing the Channel Islands:

Charlie & Sam:

Camping in Moab:

Halloween:

Mowin' the Lawn with Dad:

Basement Bike Riding:

Charlie 4 Months

2011-10-02T09:08:00.004-06:00

Weight: 19lbs 7 ozs - 99th percentile

Do any of the other stats even matter?

Cutest baby ever!!

Blommer Summer

2011-09-18T08:37:00.018-06:00

4th of July:

Annual Blommer Family 4th of July Backpacking Trip:

This year we didn't do a very good job of advertising the trip because we had a newborn, and you know how that goes. Charlie and I stayed home while Mike took Sam. They ended up car camping because there was too much snow on the trail to hike it. It turns out who needs a hike when you can have a backpacking danceparty (yes danceparty is a word).

Mike and Jeff Pfieferhorn Climb:

I love that no matter how old guys get or no matter how serious the activity they always act like they are in Jr. high. The best here is that Jeff just said "hey dude, take a picture of me falling on my face." Awesome.

Road Trip to San Francisco to see Grandma Judy:

This was brave, but we pulled it off. We split the 12 hour drive into two days each way, which made it doable. Sam had a blast and wanted to talk about the power lines the entire way (turns out there are A LOT of power lines on the way). For those of you who know Mike this won't be a surprise, but it turns out he knows quite a bit about power lines. I feel like I came home from this trip with an in depth knowledge of how they work, so that's awesome. I also came home feeling like I needed a vacation!

Mike & Jeff - Mt. Moran, Tetons:

Shera - 2 things for you: 1. I officially have more pics of your husband than my own husband, and 2. I bet you're glad this mustache is permanently documented on the internet for all to see.

Blommer Family Photos at Alta:

Idaho 5k:

Mike's aunt Camille has almost completed the most amazing goal. 50 5k's in 50 states before she turns 50! This idaho race was #49!! She turns 50 at the end of Setpember, and she'll run her last race in Minnesota next weekend. You are AWESOME Camille!!! Check out her blog via the link on the right hand side of this page.

This was race was a blast! The best part was watching Sam run the kids race. It was his first one, and he LOVED it. He was so proud when they gave him a medal at the end, and I'm pretty sure his favorite part was the ice cream bar after the finish.

Sam & Charlie:

Some Babies Are Just Hard

2011-06-27T18:54:00.004-06:00

Sam came into the world via c-section after I prepped for months to deliver him unmedicated and with as little medical intervention as possible (but still in a hospital because I wasn't brave enough to try a home birth). At the time (and for many months afterwards) the c-section was devastating to me because I was so set on the natural birth.

Everyone says "healthy baby, healthy mom" is the goal. Well, while I appreciated the fact that we finally had our baby and he was happy and healthy, I was completely miserable for probably close to 6 months. Looking back on it now, I can obviously see that I had some postpartum depression, and should probably have had some help with that, but when I was in it I didn't recognize it as that.

The depression combined with the fact that he didn't sleep for more than 2-3 hours for most of his first year, and the extremely painful breastfeeding experience (which I overcame and didn't quit thanks to many words of encouragement from great friends, YAY), made it the most difficult time of my life. In addition, I thought I was crazy because all the other moms I'd spoken with seemed to think their baby was the best thing in the world and that it was the happiest time of their lives'.

I definitely realize and appreciate that many people have babies and birth experiences MUCH harder than Sam, and my hat is off to you for making it through though difficult times successfully. For me though, my experience really did rock my world.

Luckily, my 2nd baby is an easy baby, and now I know what all those other moms were talking about!!! The experience with Charlie has been almost nothing but pleasurable (I say almost because there were a couple VERY painful physical experiences the first week after having him, which all of you who've had babies know what I'm talking about). I truly have enjoyed the entire first month with him though. He has slept for a couple 5 hour periods already (miracle!!), and the breastfeeding has been a cinch this time! It's so much fun to be able to appreciate his cute little personality (which Sam also had, but I was too out of it to really appreciate).

I'm not exactly sure why I'm dumping all this out on the internet right now. I guess it's a combination of my world revolving around a baby, and wanting other moms out there with hard babies who might be feeling how I felt with Sam to know that they aren't crazy or alone in those feelings.

Now, for the good part, pics:

Charlie

2011-06-07T21:41:00.005-06:00

Baby Blommer #2 has arrived, and it's a boy!! We'd like to welcome Charlie Eric into the world! Charlie was born May 28th! This big boy weighed in at 9lbs, 3ozs, and was 21.5 inches long.

I was so happy that I was able to deliver him without a c-section (had a c-section with Sam)!! After a long, 48+ hour labor (contractions started on the 26th at 7:00am at 10 mins apart), he came into the world happy and healthy!! My goal was to go un-medicated, and I had prepared for a long time to do this, but after the long labor, and having contractions that were 1 min apart and 2 mins long consistently for hours and still being only dilated to 1 cm, I threw in the towel, and got the epidural. I have absolutely NO regrets about this because I know I couldn't have made it though extra 12 hours with the 1 min apart contractions, and it was such an amazing experience to enjoy and watch him come into the world (not saying it wouldn't have been amazing to go un-medicated too though, and for those of you who have done it, you are my ultimate heroes!).

Anyway, we couldn't be happier with our little Charlie and our family of four! Now we just have to figure out how to survive again with no sleep!

Here are some pics. The one with two babies in it is a pic of Charlie and Sam side by side, both in their 2nd day of life on the same cushion in the same hospital. Can you tell who is who? Crazy how similar they look, right?

Catching Up (aka, largest blog post in the history of the world)

2011-01-02T11:45:00.001-07:00

Well, my last post was in June, and it's now January, so here's what's been going on with the Blommers

July:

1. The annual Blommer Family 4th of July Backpacking Trip

There was hiking, playing, rock climbing, stick eating, singing, snowing, and much more!

2. Ice Cream Making & Raspberry Eating

3. Echo Triathlon

4. Sonoma/Napa Wine Country Vacation

Towards the end of July I went on amazing vacation to stay at my friend Dennis' new place he just built in the wine country. It's a beautiful home overlooking the vineyards of the Sonoma Valley.

My good friend Shera and I flew out to San Francisco to meet Dennis, Jenn, & Ryan. Jenn & Ryan are our good friends from NYC.

We stayed the first night at Dennis' apartment, which is in Pacific Heights, one of the most beautiful parts of San Francisco. We walked around the city and had an amazing dinner.

The next morning we were off to the wine country to see Dennis' new place. It was AMAZING. The view is incredible, and he had everything all decked out for us like a spa. Shera and I had robes laying on our bed waiting for us, and we used them all weekend! Dennis also has a hot tub made out of an old wine barrel that we spent a lot of time in.

For most of the trip we just relaxed and hung out and ate Dennis' amazing cooking. We also went wine tasting in both the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Shera and I don't drink, but we had a blast tasting all the different cheeses and chocolates. Don't think that Napa is not a fun vacation for non-drinkers, because it is amazing, and you should definitely go!

For Shera and me this was a great opportunity to relax and have some time for ourselves with no husbands or kids. It was my first vacation away from Sam, and it was WONDERFUL. Don't get me wrong, I thought about him, and I missed him, but it was a much needed break!

Thanks so much Dennis for such an incredible vacation!

Unfortunately, I don't have pics because I'm so used to Mike being prepared with a camera that I forgot mine. Shera, I'll have to get some from you.

August:

1. Maui, Hawaii for Becky & Nate's Wedding

Mike's sister Becky got married on a beautiful beach in Maui on 8/11/10. We were lucky enough to go! We stayed for 10 days, and it was an amazing family vacation. The wedding and wedding day were so beautiful, and the rest of the vacation was a blast too! Sam LOVED playing in the ocean, as you'll see from the million pics below...

2. Mike's trip to Mt. Owen with Jeff, Todd, and Dave

3. Bear Lake Camping Trip & Triathlon

Unfortunately, no pics of the triathlon because Mike stayed back at camp with Sam. It was beautiful weather though, which was a surprise because the weather all night the night before was terrible. It rained all night and the wind pounded our tent. We lent our nice tent out to Mike's cousin, so we borrowed my parent's cheap tent, which was a mistake because it puddled up with water inside during the night. Luckily it wasn't too cold though. All in all we had a great trip!

September: The Wasatch 100

Mike accomplished the unthinkable by completing one of the toughest 100 mile races in the country, which happens to be held right in our backyard, the Wasatch mountains. The race begins in Kaysville, and winds 100 miles Southeast through the mountains to Midway, where it
ends at The Homestead.

He trained for months, but had to stop altogether about 6 weeks before the race due to a knee injury. Despite his injury, he finished the race in 35 hours 28 mins, just 32 minutes before the 36 hour cutoff.

He had 4 pacers who were amazing, and he couldn't have finished the race without them. A big thank you to Max, Tony, Andy, and Todd. Also, a huge thank you to Ryan for being the official pacer shuttle man!

He was way too uncomfortable to take many pics, but here a few:

October:

1. Moab

2. Pumpkin Patch with Erin & Marley

3. Sailing in the San Juan Islands in Washington with Todd and Jeff

Here's what happens when you choose to sail in Washington in the middle of October... and of course they loved it!

4. Halloween

November:

Thanksgiving: We are very thankful for many things, but we didn't take any pictures of us being thankful this year.

December:

1. Virgin Islands sailing trip:

2. Christmas:

January: Happy New Year!

2011 Resolution: Keep blog current!

Also, my brother is working in Antarctica on a temporary job as an electrician. He's been able to do and see some amazing things. Check out his blog at http://lifeontheice-antarctica.blogspot.com/

I'm Back!

2010-06-25T18:52:00.001-06:00

Wow, it's been way too long! Things have been a bit busy around here, and I haven't had any time to blog, so I'll try and start from the beginning and give the highlights of the last 3 months in the Blommer family.

Marathon

2010-06-25T18:45:00.005-06:00

Mike and I both finished the Salt Lake Marathon!!

This was not anything special for Mike because he's a machine, and he can run marathons in his sleep, but for me this was a HUGE deal!! I made my goal of finishing before they closed the course and not coming in last place. That said, boy was I SLOW!! Now, for all of you who've done a marathon slower than my time please do not be offended. I'm not saying you are slow. Finishing a marathon is a huge accomplishment for anyone, so congrats to you for finishing regardless of your time, but for ME, my time of 5 hours 30 minutes was butt slow because I've been an athlete my entire life and I expect more of myself. Despite my time, I'm still proud of myself for finishing.

I enjoyed the race through about mile 13 (which is why I should stick to half marathons & triathlons I think), and after that it was pure hell. Really, it was awful. My lowest point was in mile 23 when a man who was WELL over 80 years old, who was speed walking the marathon passed me (yes, I was "running"). I'll defend myself by saying that he was about 6'4" and obviously an Olympic speed walker, but I just don't know how one can really excuse being passed by an 80 year old walker while running. Whatev. At least I finished. Plus, technically I ran an ultra-marathon because I went off course by at least .1 miles in mile 3 to a McDonald's to pee, so I was over 26.2. I didn't get a special award or anything, but I know what I've done and that's all that matters.

Marathon day was a BLAST. We had the entire Blommer and Merrell families in attendance plus Mike's aunt Camille flew in from the east coast. Max ran the full marathon too, and Glen ran the half. My mom, my dad, Mike's mom, Amy, and Camille ran the 5k. Congrats to everyone, but especially Camille because this was race # 20ish in her quest to run 50 5k's in 50 states before she turns 50. She is my hero. She's actually going to rune a NUDE 5k this weekend too, which I can't get over. To me that is scarier than death hands down, but I LOVE her for doing it. Check out her blog for more of her amazing story: http://www.camilles5k.blogspot.com/

CHS 10 Year Reunion

2010-06-25T18:37:00.003-06:00

The reunion was a huge success!! After months of planning and stressing, we pulled it off. We had around 150 attendees, and everyone had a blast. Thanks to Mike for setting up an awesome photo booth!! Pics are posted online on the Cottonwood High facebook page. Here are a few of my favorites:

4th of July Backpacking Trip - You're Invited

2010-06-25T18:29:00.004-06:00

Come one, come all to the annual Blommer Family 4th of July Backpacking Trip.

This year we're headed to Ruth Lake in the Uintas. It's a kid-friendly, 1 mile hike in. We're spending 2 nights. Please email me for details if you're interested. Here are some pic's from last year's trip to get you in the mood:

Sammy

2010-06-25T18:07:00.004-06:00

Last, but certainly not least (most in fact), could this kid be any cuter! Sam is 18 months old, and we are LOVING this age. He's such a ham!

CHS Class of 2000 10 Year Reunion - Tickets on Sale Now!

2010-03-31T20:52:00.004-06:00

Our 10 year reunion is set for June 5th at Noah's reception center in South Jordan.

Buy tickets early (before May 22nd) and save $10.

Early Ticket Price = $50 per pair (two tickets), $28 per individual ticket

Click here to buy tickets:
http://reuniontickets.cottonwood2000.com/

Make sure to save your confirmation number as you'll use it to get in.

We have an open air space on the top floor of Noah's, which is BEAUTIFUL!!! Click here to see pics of Noah's:

http://www.mynoahs.com/

Please help spread the word by copying and pasting this post to your blog!

Mustache March

2010-03-07T09:23:00.004-07:00

Typically, March is one of my favorite months. I have a lot to look forward to in March. Our wedding anniversary, my birthday, great spring skiing in the mountains, and the first signs of spring and warmer weather in the valley.

Not this year! This year I'm counting down the days until March is over.

Marathon Training Set Back

2010-03-02T08:22:00.002-07:00

As I've been recently reminded (thanks Camille!), I'm long overdue for a marathon training update, and the timing of the reminder couldn't have been more spot on because this weekend was a particularly dramatic training weekend.

I was scheduled to run 16 miles on Saturday, which I was both dreading and looking forward to because I've never run that far at once in my entire life. I started the run feeling okay, but around mile 3 my right foot started to bother me. I kept running because at least two or three parts of my too-large-to-be-running-so-far body hurt off and on throughout my runs. However, this one didn't go away like they usually do. It gradually got worse and worse, until around mile 8 when I had to start walking, which still hurt, so I had to make the big decision to abort my run (never done before, and a bit embarrassing actually). I wasn't sure if I really was injured, or if I was just being a wuss, but I didn't want to push it, so I called Mike and he packed Sam into the car to come pick me up.

Then we packed our stuff, dropped Sam off with the grandparents (first time overnight away from us, and he did great!) and headed off to our anniversary weekend in Park City (go us, 7 years!).

Long story short, we weren't able to ski because my foot got worse, so when we got home yesterday I went to the doctor fearing the worst (stress fracture), but came home with pretty good news. He thinks it's inflammation around a tendon and it can be treated with a week of rest and tons of ibuprofen. 24 hours and 1600mg's later, it's actually feeling much better. The challenge is that I need to work my mileage back up gradually, and with 6 weeks left that will be tough, so this will be a SLOW marathon (lets be honest, it would have been anyway), so I'll have to kiss my 4:30 time goal goodbye, and really just shoot for finishing, which technically was the goal in the first place.

That's the update! Wish me luck.

Oh, also, my crazy husband got into the Wasatch 100, which is a 100 mile run (not a relay)through the mountains from Kaysville to Midway. It's in September, so more to come about that!

CHS Class of 2000 10 Year Reunion is June 5th

2010-02-26T13:24:00.005-07:00

GO COLTS!!!

Our 10 year reunion is set for June 5th, so spread the word and hold the date! Tickets will go on sale soon. We'll be holding the reunion at a great, new reception center in South Jordan called Noah's. It's a beautiful space, and we'll be in an open air room on the roof top! Click here to see pics: http://www.mynoahs.com/.

Watch the Cottonwood High Facebook page for updates and ticket sales, which will start soon.

Also, please copy this post and post it on your blogs to help us spread the word!

Worst Typo Ever!

2010-01-14T09:25:00.003-07:00

Damn you Hancock Fabrics!! How did you know?!

(you may need to click on the picture to enlarge this to see the typo)

New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-09T09:48:00.002-07:00

It took me a week to finally decide on mine, but here they are:

1. Complete a Marathon
2. Get to goal weight by:
a) writing down everything I eat and tracking WW points even when I don't eat well
b) eating smaller portions
c) eating more fruits and veggies
d) attending WW meeting in person at least once a month
3. Pilates at least twice a week
4. Be nicer to Gus the Dog*
5. Live in and enjoy the moment

* for all you animal lovers out there, don't worry, I'm not abusing my dog. He has a great life which includes lots of walks and a nice, warm place to live, but since Sam came along I just don't like him as much, which is sad because he was my baby for 5 years. I don't know if you've seen Marley and Me, but that pretty much sums it up exactly! He's not quite as poorly behaved as Marley, but yesterday he did almost knock me holding the baby down the stairs, which caused me to drop my IPhone, which caused it to shatter, which costs $199 to get fixed when I only paid $50 for it in the first place (uh oh, there I go again getting mad at the dog)!!! Anyway, this is not fair to the dog because it's not his fault, so my goal is to change my attitude towards him this year. Also if anyone knows how to get my IPhone replaced (cuz it's ridiculous that dropping it once will shatter it) let me know.

Happy New Year!

Sam's a Walker!

2010-01-01T12:07:00.003-07:00

I'm Officially A Runner!

2009-12-21T10:15:00.003-07:00

When you get back from your weekly long run looking like this, I think you can officially call yourself a runner:

Not sure if you remember, but a couple months ago I announced here I would be running the SLC Marathon in April, and without going into all the detail again, let's just say I've never really thought of myself as a runner, and I DEFINITELY don't have a runner's body, but I've been training since October, and with each long run, I'm getting a little better (meaning a little less miserable) at this. From the beginning, my intention was to blog about training with hopes of getting some inspiration from friends reading this blog to push me through my rough patches, but with working full time, taking care of a baby, and training, the last thing I want to do at night after Sam goes to sleep is get on the computer, so hopefully this holiday break will get me back into blogging mode, and I can keep you more up to date on my training successes and woes (mostly woes I'm sure), and you can leave positive, motivating comments, deal?

My long run this weekend actually wasn't so long because it was a taper week in my training (a week of shorter runs to give your body a break). I did 4.4 miles in 50 minutes, which is a bit slower than my goal race pace of just over 10 minutes per mile, but I was running mostly on ice with my eyelashes pretty much frozen shut, so I'd say that pace is not too shabby!!

For the first half of the run I was full of rage. I was mad at the freezing cold temperature, the fog that kept me from seeing more that about 20 feet ahead, and the fact that I was running blind (cuz eyelashes frozen shut), but after I reached the turn around point I was a new person. I could smell the barn and I wanted to get there fast! I started feeling pretty good, and I picked up the pace a bit, and actually almost enjoyed the second half of my run. I say almost because I definitely would have rather been at home eating, but maybe I'll get to the point where I would actually choose my run. Who knows, we'll see. At that point I thought, wow, it's kind of cool that my eyelashes are frozen shut, so I called Mike as I approached the house and asked him to get his camera ready because I wanted proof of this hard core run before the ice melted off! He snapped my picture as I entered the door, and there you have it, proof, I am officially a runner.

The Girl Effect

2009-12-01T20:16:00.005-07:00

Saw this on Oprah today, and while I'm not usually one to pass these things around, this one really seems like something we can/should be able to change, so I'm sharing it:

You can help make a difference for free by sharing this video. For instructions on how to share this video and/or how to make a monetary donation go here: http://www.girleffect.org/

Better Late Than Never...

2009-11-21T10:08:00.002-07:00

This year was Sam's first Halloween, and he was a construction cone! His costume was AWESOME!! It was made with love by his Grandma and Mom. Really though, it's the most ghetto costume ever made. We took felt and rolled it into a cone and sewed a seem down the back, then we ran out of fabric for the base, so it's just a bunch of random, glued together pieces of fabric. Next, we tortured the poor kid by sticking the cone over his head without a face hole so we could try and measure where the face hole should be. Then we tortured him again to try and figure out where the arm holes needed to go! I'm sure he thought it was all worth it though because he ended up with a cool costume that didn't allow him to sit or move, just stand, which he doesn't know how to do yet.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

The Annual Blommer Family Zion Trip, but in Moab

2009-10-22T20:36:00.005-06:00

This year we decided to change it up a bit, and instead of going to Zion for the Annual Blommer Family Zion Photography Trip (which we've done every year since I can remember), we headed to Moab.

The group seems to get larger every year, which is great! We had 13 people this year. The weather was beautiful, and aside from Mike's grandma trying to climb an arch and falling and breaking her foot, we had a blast! Yes, you heard right, Mike's 70 something year old grandma was climbing an arch. She is awesome, and in great shape, but I can't say I condone anyone climbing a sheer rock face without ropes, and she paid the price, unfortunately on the first day. She'll be in a cast for the next 6 weeks, but the good news is she's recovering nicely at this point.

This was Sammy's second trip to Moab, and he LOVED it, as you'll see from the pictures below:

Can't Wait!

2009-10-06T13:55:00.001-06:00

I'm so excited for this tomorrow:

http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/2009/10/oh-what-year-makes.html

Randoms of Sammy

2009-09-23T21:32:00.005-06:00

Why My Husband Is Cooler Than Your Husband: Installment 2

2009-09-08T19:29:00.003-06:00

Because he can grow a sweet beard:

1st Annual Buddy 5K

2009-08-15T11:10:00.015-06:00

The 1st Annual Buddy 5k & Pancake Breakfast was a raging success!

The official finishing times are as follows:

The run was followed by a very official awards ceremony.

There was dancing:

And bacon:

The ecstasy of accomplishment:

And the entertainment of an elf:

And a medal for the youngest finisher:

There was a t-shirt raffle:

A shout-out to the support crew:

Afterwards, there was some swimming:

See you next year, buddy.

An Important Announcement

2009-08-06T13:39:00.004-06:00

No, I'm not pregnant. Are you kidding me? Sam is barely six months old. I would DIE if I found out I was pregnant right now!! Talk to me in three years.

Basically, my announcement is that I'm still fat (this is not really the announcement, keep reading). I know you've been wondering if I've been forgetting to update my weight loss tracker on the side of the blog. Well, the answer is no, I haven't forgotten. In fact, it seems like the only thing I've been thinking about day and night is weight loss because it's at a stand still, and I'm sick of it. I'm not looking for tips either because I know exactly why I'm not losing weight. I am addicted to food. I know all of you skinnies out there won't understand this and you'll think it's a bunch of bologna (mmmmm bologna) just like my skinny of a husband, but it's really true, it's a true addiction just like alcohol or drugs, but much harder to kick because you always have to have a little, you can't just quit cold turkey (mmmmm turkey).

I believe my addiction is due to an abnormality in my brain that causes me to want more food more frequently than some people. I believe I have the same problem as the people you see on TV who weigh 1,000 lbs, but because I was raised a bit differently than they were I have not allowed my weight to spiral as out of control.

To help you skinnies understand this a bit better (and my fellow fatties will TOTALLY get it) let me explain to you that I think about food constantly. I mean literally almost every minute of the day. Probably as many times as men think about sex (which I think is like every 6 seconds). I plan days, vacations, work meetings, essentially most of my life around food. When I'm at a restaurant with friends or family I pretend to be enjoying the conversation when really all I'm thinking about is when is the food coming, and then when it comes I wonder how everyone else can just eat half and take the rest home when I've stuffed my face full and still want dessert!

For most of my life I've exercised my way out of huge weight gains. Training for and participating in group sports and half marathons and triathlons has mostly balanced out my huge caloric intake, but then I got pregnant, and while I still exercised through all of my pregnancy, I couldn't and didn't feel up to continuing to exercise at my normal intensity and length of time, so I gained 55lbs on top of the 20lbs I was already overweight when I got pregnant. Total bummer!

I have been gradually, slowly losing the weight up until about the last month. I'm now at a stand still, and I need something to really kick my weight loss back into gear. I'm doing a triathlon in Sept. (please pray for me that I'll fit into my wetsuit!), but I need something bigger (my triathlons are mini), something better, something I've never done before, something that will force me out of my comfort zone and make me eat smaller, healthier meals (on a side note, I actually don't eat a ton of junk food, I just eat way too much food) and keep me motivated to train (meaning if I don't train I'll die during it). So, the official announcement is that I'm going to run a marathon!!!! Now you're thinking, so what, big deal, I've done that, or lots of people I know have done that, well, it is actually a HUGE deal for me because I DESPISE running, and my body is large and in charge, so it will be a massive task for me to accomplish. Imagine yourself running 26.2 miles while wearing a 30lb weight vest. Sounds awesome huh! Well, unless I can lose some of this weight prior to the race that will be me! Anyway, I have to tell all of you because now that I've told you I'm doing it I actually have to do it.

I'm starting my 25 week training schedule in November and I'll be doing the Salt Lake City Marathon in April next year.

In the meantime I'll be working on all that positive self talk stuff and trying to appreciate my body for what it does for me and for being healthy!

Thanks for listening to the rant, and wish me luck. Hopefully you'll start seeing that weight tracker change again soon!

Oatmeal vs. Squash

2009-07-29T18:04:00.003-06:00

Why My Husband Is Cooler Than Your Husband - Installment #1

2009-07-27T09:07:00.014-06:00

For some background info on this new blog series go here: http://mikeandkaty.blogspot.com/2009/06/precursor-to-my-new-blog-series.html

My husband is cool because he climbed Denali (a.k.a. Mt. McKinley) last year, but he's cooler than your husband because in preparation for the trip (mostly because he was so excited about his new mountain climbing marshmallow suit) he took these self portraits in our basement:

Who does this? Aren't these the best self portraits ever!! Well, actually they're not, because he has some even better ones coming up in future installments of this series, but I thought these were some good ones to get you all warmed up for what's to come!

I do think it's pretty amazing that he climbed this mountain though. At 20,320 feet, it's the highest mountain in North America. It took his group 14 days to get to the top, which is really fast because the fastest the guided groups will allow you to do it is 13 days.

He said that overall the trip was beautiful, but mostly miserable. The highlights included terrible food, catching a cold on day 2 of the trip, waking up in the night not being able to breathe due to the high altitude, and 12 guys pooping in the same coffee can the entire trip. Sounds awesome huh!

I couldn't let Mike take a trip to Alaska without me, so I flew out with him for the first week, and we hung out to see the beautiful mountains before he headed up to start his trip. Denali National Park is incredible, and I highly recommend it to anyone going to Alaska. We saw lots of Grizzly Bears, and so much other wildlife that it was like a safari! Here are some pics from the trip:

This is Mike's climbing partner, Todd.

Here we are looking awesome!

This is a lynx! The driver said he only sees one or two of these a year, so we were really lucky!

This bear actually touched our bus!

2009 Blommer 4th of July Backpacking Trip

2009-07-20T20:39:00.005-06:00

As always, this year's Blommer 4th of July Backpacking Trip was a blast!! We had a record turn out 19 people and 3 dogs!

We had 7 kids with us this year, so we decided to make the trip easy. We hiked one mile to Wall Lake in the Uintas, and despite the short distance from civilization, it was BEAUTIFUL!! We had great weather, and the activities included fishing, rock climbing, hiking around the lake, cooking, and hanging out around the fire.

Thanks everyone for coming and making it such a great trip!

P.S. Wheeler's, it was so great to have you there, but unfortunately we didn't end up with any pictures of you to post. Sorry about that! We'll make up for it next year!

Whitmers getting ready for the long hike in! Jeff carried in a 12 man circus tent, and a kid!

This is Sam in his third generation sleeping bag. It was first used by his Grandpa Eric when he was a baby!

Dave carried in so much gear that he looked like this! He even took two trips! We were all grateful though because he made some delicious dutch and backpacker oven meals for everyone! I'm not kidding, the food was incredible. He made BBQ chicken, peach cobbler, crepes (pictured below), pizza, and more!

You can see Mike's sister Amy in the background here. She had a blast! She did the most rock climbing of the group, and she caught the biggest fish!

Here's Aaron getting ready to do some scenic fishing!

What a great trip! Remember everyone is invited for next year too!

You're Invited - Annual Blommer 4th of July Backpacking Trip

2009-06-19T19:00:00.016-06:00

The 4th of July is fast approaching, and for those of you who know the Blommers well, you know this means we're gearing up for our annual 4th of July trip! You also know that EVERYONE is invited on this trip. That's right! This is the one trip of the year that my crazy, mountaineer of a husband is willing to make easy enough that others will enjoy it (except that one year where we went over 40 miles in 4 days in the Wind Rivers and two of us cried, yes us meaning me, I was one of the two).

Because we have a kid, and we haven't exactly figured out how to backpack with the kid yet, we're making this one of the easiest trips ever! We're heading up to the Uintas near Mt. Baldy to Wall Lake, which Mike tells me is only a one mile hike in. Due to the short hike, Dave has promised to carry in a dutch oven, so we will be eating well, and I can't wait. I also received a four man tent for Mother's Day that Mike has graciously offered to carry in on all our family backpack trips now that we have a baby. Between the dutch oven and the massive tent, I'll practically feel like I'm staying in a four star hotel (but without bathrooms)!!

Anyway, I meant what I said about everyone being invited. If you're reading this right now you're invited, so if you're interested please email me and let me know, and I'll send you the details. If you're not sure about coming, here are a million pictures to show you what a blast we've had on past trips!

A Precursor to My New Blog Series

2009-06-09T19:57:00.004-06:00

I've decided to start a new series on my blog entitled "Why My Husband is Cooler Than Your Husband" because I happen to be married to one of the most "interesting" men I've ever met (by interesting I mean weird....but,...well,... in a good way). There will be an unknown number of installments in this series, and it may or may not be updated regularly, but you can believe me when I say it will DEFINITELY be worth tuning in to. You can also believe me when I say this is not your run of the mill, tag-you're it, lovey dovey, 10 things I love about my husband, kind of series. It's WAY cooler than that.

I have to give a bit of a precursor to the series before I introduce Installment #1. Mike is really into photography, and he's into lighting and flash and getting it right to make a spectacular picture. He has an entire lighting set up with remote flashes and shiny reflectors and light umbrellas (I'm sure those all have technical terms, but who really cares, right?!). In order to perfect his art he practices quite often. At this point you might think to yourself "hmmm I wonder how he practices without models?" Well, it's easy, he shoots pictures of himself in our basement using either his remote control or the camera timer. Now you're probably picturing a nice studio type picture with a blue velvet background, right? No. Wrong. He shoots some pretty funny/weird/creepy/borderline serial killerish shots. Some of these you'll see, and some you won't. I've given him full, editorial control of this series, so we'll see what he lets through to the general public. Most installments will be based on one or more of these "Self Portraits."

Installment #1 is coming soon...

Rhode Island, Boston, & Salem

2009-05-28T19:06:00.012-06:00

Mike, Sam, my parents, and I took a trip to the east coast a couple weeks ago to see these two beautiful people get married!

Jenn and Ryan's wedding was in Providence, RI at the Aldrich Mansion. The wedding was beautiful, and the reception was an amazing party! Thanks Jenn and Ryan, we had a great time!

Here is Sammy on his first plane ride.

Here he is again having fun on the plane.

Sam's first subway ride.

Plymouth Rock was, well, a bit disappointing.

Here we all are laughing at how ridiculous Plymouth Rock was. Sammy obviously agrees.

Sam's first time at the beach. It was pretty, but way too cold to let him play in the sand. I guess that means we'll have to go to a warm beach sometime soon!

We saw all the incredible mansions in Newport, RI.

And the International Tennis Hall of Fame. That's a grass court in the background. It's the first time I've ever seen one. I don't get how the ball bounces?

Sam enjoying the Boston Commons.

Definitely picture worthy! A bar in Salem.

My dad's self portrait on the cliff walk in Newport.

My mom as a witch in Salem.

Overall we had a blast on the trip. Flying and sleeping in a hotel with a 4 month old was a bit challenging, and we were exhausted and happy to be home to our own bed, but it's good to know that we can handle it, and we're determined to keep traveling as our family grows!

Weight Watchers Update

2009-04-30T19:02:00.002-06:00

I weighed in today, and I was down 3 lbs for the week, YAY!!! I'm so excited because I've been pretty much staying the same for the past couple weeks even with the breast feeding and the boot camp, which basically means that I've been eating way too much. This week I really stuck to the program and tracked my points every day, so it's really nice to see it pay off.

In other sad news, I did not get into the Spudman Triathlon, which I'm completely bummed about. They decided to make it a lottery this year, and my name wasn't drawn, so I'll have to try again next year. The good news is that this gives me another month of weight loss and training before the Jordanelle Triathlon at the end of August. Wish me luck!

Running in the Rain - Sammy's First 5k

2009-04-13T09:59:00.006-06:00

Mike, Sam, and I went down to Provo on Saturday to run a 5k in the rain with my Dad and my brothers. The weather wasn't great, but we had a good time anyway. It was my first post- pregnancy race, and while I was slow and out of shape, I was pretty happy with my time of 32 min 56 seconds. However, this would have been a slow time for me pre-pregnancy, so I'm really going to have to step up my training for Spudman in July.

This was also Mike's first post-pregnancy race, and of course he took 5th place overall with a time of 23 minutes while pushing Sam in the stroller with two untied shoe laces. Why are some people just always in shape, it's not fair!

My dad and brothers did well too. Max took 4th place overall, and Glen took 11th. My Dad took first place in his age group (even if he was the only one!!) with a 5k personal record time for him of 31 minutes.

Sam took first place in the 3 month old division, and he did it all while sleeping!

Here are the pics. Thanks to Lauren for being the photographer!

Gloating

2009-04-05T10:34:00.002-06:00

My weekend was better than yours. Better luck next time, suckers.

(Skier: Aaron Stillman)

A Miracle Occurred Last Night!

2009-04-03T08:11:00.002-06:00

It was AMAZING!! Last night I fed Sam at 9:30 pm. We were in bed by 10:00, and he didn't wake up until 5:45 am!!!! I couldn't believe it. That's pretty much the entire night!

I have a question for you experienced breast feeders out there: Is this okay for my milk supply? Do I need to wake him up once to eat in the middle of the night, or will my milk be okay if I let him sleep all night? I really want it to last an entire year. Please let me know your thoughts...

A Lot to Catch Up On...

2009-03-29T19:07:00.011-06:00

1. Sam's First Camping Trip

We took Sam camping for the first time last weekend. We went to Moab and camped in the Sand Flats campground with our friends Jeff & Shera, Cam & Cindy, and our new friends Jared & Jen. All together we had a 6 year old plus 7 kids under 3!!

The weather was BEAUTIFUL, and we did two short, kid-friendly hikes: Corona Arch & The Millcreek Swimming Hole. We had a blast, but it turns out camping in a tiny, two-man backpacking tent with a 2 month old is really hard! We barely had any room, and while Sammy slept great, we slept terribly trying not to smash him. Needless to say, we ended up spending the second night in a hotel in Moab. Time to get a bigger tent!

Here are some pics and videos that I took during the trip on our little camera:

Sammy enjoying Moab in the nude

Cam and the kids on the way to Corona Arch

Jack taking a break after working hard on the way to Corona Arch

Kenny took the easy way up on Jeff's back, and he LOVED it! Here he is having a snack on the way up.

Sam tried out his baseball cap for the first time. It's a little big, but it worked great!

Mike and Sammy on the way to the watering hole

The Whitmers on the way to the watering hole

Jeff and Jack at the watering hole

Sam getting cooled off after a long hike!

2. Weight Watchers Week 2

I ate too much junk food during the camping trip and gained 1 lb, total bummer! Bootcamp starts tomorrow, so wish me luck. I'll definitely lose weight, but they make you wear a 20 lb weight vest the first week, so there will most likely be tears involved. I'm terrified.

3. Happy Birthday To Me

Thursday was my Birthday! We dropped the kid off with Aunt Amy and Grandpa Blommer, and Mike took me to The Melting Pot for dinner. It was delicious as always, and we stuffed ourselves!

For my present this year Mike watched Sam while I went skiing for the day at Alta with Shera. This was a big deal because I'm breastfeeding, and I've never been away from Sam long enough to miss a feeding, and skiing meant I would miss two feedings! I pumped two bottles, and Mike fed Sam for the first time. It all worked out great, and it's such a feeling of freedom to know that I can skip a feeding here or there when I need to.

4. Skiing Post Pregnancy

As mentioned above, I went skiing yesterday for the first time since being pregnant. The weather was AMAZING, and the snow was good. I was ridiculously out of shape, but I still had a blast! Thanks to Shera for skipping the back country for a day and going with me to the resort, and for being so understanding about me pumping in the parking lot...twice! We were both bummed that we forgot our cameras, but I can assure you that we were lookin' good!

5. Sammy at 10 Weeks

Our little guy is getting so big we can't believe it! Everyday he gets more fun. Lately he likes to shrug his shoulders when he giggles, and it's so cute I can't even stand it. He also had two nights in a row this week where he slept for 6 hours straight!

Weight Loss Update & New Pics of Sam

2009-03-19T09:52:00.007-06:00

Last night was my first weigh-in at WW, and I lost 3.2 lbs, so that's awesome!! Hopefully I can keep this up and get the weight off before the triathlon in July. It was hard though because breastfeeding makes me so hungry all day!! Other than stuffing myself at Olive Garden on Monday night, and the gigantic chinese food meal we had on Friday night, I did pretty well! I guess maybe I could have lost 6 lbs without those two binges, dang! I'll do better this week.

Here are some adorable 2 month pics of Sam!

Sam's First Hike

2009-03-14T15:50:00.006-06:00

Sam went on his first hike today at the ripe old age of 2 months! We took him up Adam's Canyon, which is a pretty trail to a waterfall just north of Kaysville. We only hiked for about an hour, and he slept through the whole thing, but I think he had a great time anyway!

As you can see above, he was so excited about the hike as he was getting into his carseat before we left...

Then his excitement turned into slumber during the car ride there...

And he kept sleeping during the hike...

And here we are all done! Doesn't he look like he had a great time?!

Yes, I was on this hike too. I was actually the photographer. We had some nice people take a picture of the three of us together, but after I saw how truly gigantic I still am I opted not to post the picture of myself. It did motivate me even more to lose the weight though. You may have noticed that my weight loss countdown to the right hasn't changed in a couple weeks, well, unfortunately, that's because I haven't lost any weight! I did join Weight Watchers this week though, so check back next week for an update!

A Quick Update on Breastfeeding and My Baby Weight Loss Goal

2009-02-27T16:38:00.003-07:00

First, I have to thank everyone for being so honest and open with the breastfeeding experiences you posted as comments to my original post. The combination of knowing all of you went through some of the same things, and your words of encouragement kept me from giving up, and I am proud to let you know that Sam and I are still going strong!

I'm also happy to report that it's getting much easier (as you all said it would). It doesn't hurt anymore, and he's even slept for a couple 4 hour stretches at night (otherwise I've been feeding him about every 2-3 hours at night still)! And now, after 6 weeks of it, I actually have something good to say about breastfeeding! It has helped me to lose almost 40lbs! I know the breastfeeding caused me to lost the weight because I've been shoving food in my face every second, and the Dr. said I'm not allowed to exercise until 6 weeks (which is tomorrow). This means that breastfeeding truly is a miracle weight loss drug!!! This brings me to my next topic: Losing the Baby Weight

Unfortunately, I gained 55lbs while pregnant. Luckily, thanks to the breastfeeding, I've already lost 40 of it, but let's be honest people, we all know I had about 20lbs to lose before getting pregnant, so why not go for the whole enchilada (but don't eat the whole enchilada, then we'll be right back where we started)?!

This means I have about 35lbs left to lose, and with tomorrow marking the first day I'm allowed to exercise, I'm going to go full force! I think I'll start Monday though, because every good diet starts on a Monday, right? Plus Sunday is our 6 year wedding anniversary (I know, crazy huh, I've been married 6 years!), and I want to eat a delicious dinner without feeling guilty, so Monday it is.

My goal is to lose the 35lbs by the time I do my first post-pregnancy triathlon, which is the end of July (Spudman). I'm going to be posting my progress and trials and tribulations to keep you all updated. I think I'll try to find one of those cheesy count down things to put on the side of the blog too! Wish me luck!

Week 4: Is my kid a genius?

2009-02-22T10:17:00.003-07:00

Sam can already roll over at 4 weeks! We're not talking one fluke roll over here, he does it every time he has tummy time now. Is he a genius, or is this normal? Either way, he's really cute!

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-14T16:31:00.004-07:00

To my two best guys in the whole world! I LOVE YOU!!

Breastfeeding is From Hell

2009-02-05T20:54:00.002-07:00

I know this is not a politically correct statement, but I have to be honest and say that I don't care because it's so true! If I can make one new mother feel like she is not the only one going through this hell, then this post will have served it's purpose.

Yes, it's providing the best nutrition for my baby, and his IQ will be higher, and he will get sick less, and I'll lose weight faster, and on, and on, and on, but despite all this I have come close to throwing in the towel a few times in my extremely short, less than 3 week breastfeeding career.

I used to wonder why people quit breastfeeding before that all important 6 month mark, or why they didn't go with the recommended 1 year timeframe, but now I can say that I truly understand. Raw nipples, giagantic, lumpy, painful, engorged breasts, shoving my poor baby's head into my boob 500 times every two hours to try to get him to latch on, him not eating off one boob very well, so I get a breast infection which causes flu sympstoms with a temp of 102 degrees, wondering if he's getting enough to eat, dreading the next feeding because I know how bad that first latch will hurt, and just feeling like I'm 2 giant boobs instead of a person are some of the reasons I've considered giving up.

Wow, that was a rant, I'll end by saying that I couldn't be more in love with my Sammy, and I am really greatful that I have a functioning body that is able to breastfeed my baby, so for this reason I will not give up. I am committed to the 1 year mark as long as my body will make milk. Hopefully this rant will help someone else out there who feels the same way not to give up because they know they are not alone.

I would love to hear some of your breastfeeding stories, so please share them in the comments, good or bad! I'm interested to know how long it took you before it got a bit easier. Wish me luck, and I'll keep you posted on how it's going.

Week Two

2009-02-01T21:47:00.003-07:00

Baby Blommer is FINALLY here!!

2009-01-29T10:39:00.004-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Mike and I would like to officially welcome Samuel Stephen Blommer into the world! Sam was born on January 17th, 2009 at 1:27am. On his b-day he weighed 8lbs, 6oz, and he was 20.5 inches long. He is (of course) the cutest baby in the world, and we love him so much!

Sorry it has taken me so long to write this post. It turns out having a new born is exhausting and doesn't leave you much free time. Who knew?!

Here are some details about my labor for those of you who’d like to hear the whole story:

I had to be induced because Sam was two weeks late, so we went into the hospital on Friday, January 16th at around 7:00 am. While I was changing into my gown my water broke! I was happy about this because it meant it really was time, and it made me feel better about the induction.

They started me on Pitocin (the drug that causes terrible, awful, painful, long, and too close together contractions) at around 8:00 am. Because my goal was to have a non-medicated labor (meaning no epidural) the Dr. started me out on a low dose of the Pitocin. I started having contractions that were about 2 minutes apart immediately, but they weren't very strong or painful yet.

Everything was going fine until around 2-3 in the afternoon when the contractions started to get really painful. At this point they were still bearable though because they were still 2 minutes apart.

A few hours later around 6-7 pm the contractions started to get really bad. They were between 15-30 seconds apart, and lasting around 2 minutes. I would describe them at this point as the worst pain I've ever felt in my life!

After managing them okay for a couple hours using the techniques I had learned in my birthing class, I started throwing up, which was awesome! At this point it was about 10:30 pm, and the nurse thought maybe I was getting close to the pushing stage because of how strong/long my contractions were (my pitocin level was quite high at this point). So, she decided to check me. Well, after 15 hours of Pitocin induced contractions I was only at 3cm! 3cm!!!! I couldn't believe it, and I knew there was no way I could continue this all the way to 10cm without some pain meds, so I decided to go for the epidural.

I got the epidural a bit after 11:00 pm, and the baby's heart rate started to drop dramatically right afterwards. The Dr. turned off the pitocin, which stopped the contractions, which brought the baby's heart rate back up. The only problem is that you can't have a baby without contractions! After 2 hours of turning the pitocin on and off, the heart rate dropped again, and the Dr. came in and said we have to go right now to C section before something happens to the baby.

I was completely devastated, but I knew we had to hurry, so in we went!

The c-section wasn't bad at all. I didn't feel anything, and I was able to stay awake for the entire operation. Sam came out doing great, and, despite the whole ordeal, Mike and I are both just happy that he is healthy.

I would say the worst part about the c-section is that you can't really hold your baby by yourself (because you're so numb) until a couple hours later, and I really felt that it affected our bonding. The good news is that I'm just starting to feel like myself again (but really sore), and the bonding department is going great now!

Wow, that was WAY too much info. Now to the good part, the pics!!

Natural Induction

2009-01-12T21:35:00.003-07:00

We're still waiting for Baby Blommer...

2009-01-05T10:01:00.004-07:00

Happy New Year!

Well, my due date was yesterday (Jan. 4th), and still no baby. Total bummer, but we definitely want him to be fully cooked before he arrives, so we'll just have to wait it out.

I'm pretty sure I've had a few contractions (but it's hard to tell if it's a contraction or not in the early stages because they don't really hurt), but nothing regular yet.

For those of you who like the stats: I was 1cm dilated, 60% effaced, and a -2 station at my exam last week, and I'll find out tomorrow if that's progressed (unless I go into labor tonight, which would be awesome!). However, my Dr. tells me these stats don't really mean anything because some people walk around dilated to 3cm for weeks, and some people go into labor when they're not dilated at all, so we'll just wait and see.

Thanks everyone for all your well wishes! Hopefully my next post will have baby pictures, and it will be soon!

Nine

2008-12-09T19:01:00.005-07:00

Well, Katy's in the ninth month. It's like "4th and Goal". I wish I watched more sports, so I knew what that meant.

Zion

2008-12-05T11:31:00.019-07:00

A couple weeks ago we went on the annual Blommer Family Zion trip, and, as usual, we had a great time! We go every year with Mike's family during the month of November because the family photographers (Eric & Mike) like to capture the fall colors. This year we had a larger group than normal because some special guests joined our trip! We were joined by Mike's grandma's (Judy) brother, Gene, his girlfriend Katrina, and her son Liam.

Here are some pictures Mike took of the trip:

We rented special waterproof pants and boots that allowed us to walk up the Narrows without freezing to death. They worked great, and we all had a blast walking up the Narrows to Orderville Canyon.

Here are Mike and me in the Narrows. Notice that my belly is so big my jacket won't zip anymore! And the giant lump on my tummy is not my belly button! It's the tie to the crazy river walking pants. I got some strange looks from people thinking it was my belly button though.

One of the many beautiful colored walls in the Narrows.

Here's Kathy ready to get back on the trail after lunch.

Amy & Liam doing some river walking stick kung fu!

Nate at lunch looking kind of like a little kid!

Here's Katrina looking happy on her way up the Narrows.

Gene taking a break from his waterproof pants at lunch. Don't worry those are leggings he's wearing underneath!!

Becky at the beginning of the trip smiling because she's not cold yet.

Eric having a good time too.

We saw more of these mountain goats/sheep this year than we've ever seen before.

Sunset just inside the park entrance.

Here's my fearless hiking partner, Grandma Judy, making her way to the last steep climb out of the canyon on the way back from the Subway.

This was one of the amazing waterfalls on the trail leading to the Subway.

Speaking of the Subway, this year we finally made it! We've been wanting to see this for a few years, but the permits are hard to get because they only let 20 people go in each day. This year we were there on a Monday, which is less popular, so we were able to get permits. I debated with myself the day and night before the hike whether or not my 8 month pregnant body could make it 4.5 miles in to see the best part (which is at the very end), and then back again. In the end I decided to give it a try and turn around if I got too tired. Well, thanks to a lot of help from Mike, and a VERY patient group (thanks again guys for putting up with my slow pace) I made it!! It was definitely worth it too! I also have to thank my awesome hiking partner, Grandma Judy, who did a great job on the 9 mile hike too!

There are a few more pictures here: www.blommerphotography.com/Friends/Zion08.html

It's Finally Here!

2008-11-08T16:55:00.011-07:00

No, not the baby, silly. Even better! The ski season!

So it was off to Alta with Todd to enjoy some early season goodness. Ah, winter!

We hiked up to Germania pass under a bluebird sky. Some beautiful tracks had already been laid, but there was plenty of untouched feathery snow still waiting for us in the trees.

At the top, we snapped a few shots and then prepared to plunder some fine Wasatch powder. Here I am, ready to go. Yes, those are ladies sunglasses. No, I don't have a good reason for wearing ladies sunglasses. What are you going to do about it, wiseguy?

Enough with the fashion critique, this is it! The very first run of the season! A moment that is anxiously awaited all year by every self-respecting ski addict! Three feet of new snow, 2,000 vertical feet of frozen delight, and it's mine, all mine! Here we go, the inaugural turn of the season... feel that, the snow's so soft and wonderful... almost through the very first turn of the season...

Hey! What the...?!?! Nooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

And so, not even through one full turn, this happens:

Yep, broken binding. And correspondingly, broken heart. So sad.

I tried skiing on just one leg, and while it was suprisingly doable for a while (10 feet), it became apparent that something else would have to be done. Fortunately, Todd was a Boy Scout, and so he knows to always be prepared. In this case, he had some handy cord, which I used to tie my boot to my ski.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking: "That doesn't look very sturdy." And you're right - it wasn't. If I put any sort of torque on the ski at all, it came right off. But, if I kept a bunch of weight on my right foot, and leaned way back to keep my toe in the bail, I could link turns.

Back in business! Time to go ski some trees!

Total binding failure! Head plant!

So, I would turn a little, fall a lot, and slowly made my way down. Todd ripped it up next to me.

When we finally got down to the bottom, this is what my binding looked like. What a cluster.

Still, it was great. The first day of the season is always magical, and this one had sunny skies and soft snow, even if it also had mechanical failures. Here's to a long, snowy winter!

Three Things...

2008-11-04T11:06:00.009-07:00

1. Our dog Gus has also created a blog! Check out his first entry by clicking on his picture in the top right hand corner above.

2. If anyone likes Mary Kay products and needs something new or wants to start some early Christmas shopping, I'm placing an order on November 15th (assuming I get enough people interested). I'm offering 35% off all items, so you can't get a better deal than that!! If you want to order go to http://www.marykay.com/ to view the products. You'll see the full prices listed there, so take the 35% off of those to get your total (I will also add tax and $3.00 for shipping). Send me the exact product description, and I'll place your order! You can email orders to me at katyblommer@hotmail.com.

Pregnant Pics Procrastinator

2008-11-01T13:13:00.013-06:00

Okay, okay, I know I told everyone I would start a blog when I got pregnant, and technically, I never said when during the pregnancy I would start it. Well, it turns out I'm fast approaching my 8th month (CRAZY), so I decided I better get on top of things because I know I'm not going to want to do all this formatting crap when I'm trying to handle a newborn.

So far the pregnancy has been GREAT!! Aside from the weight gain and the teenage acne I've been loving every minute of it.

We're having a boy, and he's due January 4th. We don't have a name picked out yet, so any suggestions anyone has would be helpful.

Mike took some pictures of my large, pregnant self last week, and because everyone keeps asking for pics I've decided (after much contemplation over whether or not I want everyone to see how much weight I've gained) to post them here. He is an amazing photographer, so of course, the pictures are great. He did, however, make me stand in a giant, creature-infested wheat field to get the shot. I didn't like it one bit, but of course he was right, and the pics turned out great!