Ode To Running

I still remember the first time I ever ran. It was in 2007 a few months before I was pregnant with Brinlee. It was impossible. My lungs hurt, my feet hurt, and I was miserable the whole four minutes I ran. I went to community park and only ran from the swing set to the bathrooms which is not only half of one time around the park. I never did sports growing up or was ever interested in exercise. The only reason I started to run was because my sister inspired me to do so. She is an amazing athlete and has competed in several Iron man Triathlons.

It was like pulling teeth every time I would go running or rather "slow jogging" At that time Andrew worked nights so I after work I spent my time at the gym on the treadmill mostly because I had nothing else to do. After a while I worked my way up to three miles on the treadmill. I thought three miles was pretty good. That's a 5k! So in May I entered my first 5k. It was so hard for me! I finished in 35 min and was panting so hard. Two weeks later I found out I was pregnant! So I stopped running and and to start all over in the spring after I had her. My goal was to run a half marathon by the end of the year. It was a fun summer of running with my Neighbor and her baby. We took our little strollers everywhere! In October I ran my first half. For mothers day last may Andrew gave me a watch that is a GPS that tells you your miles, time and calories burned. It is my favorite running tool! I pulled up my history on my watch. Since May I have ran....

320 miles

62 hours

543195 Calories

I'm pretty proud considering a few short years ago I was a couch potato! I never ever thought I would be a runner but since May I have ran two half marathons, one full, and 4 5k, In all different places including Rexburg, Boise, Utah, Pocatello, and New York City. Not to bad for one summer of running.

Now that its getting colder I still try to run outside but soon it will come to an end for the winter. I am grateful for this summer and how active I was still able to be while juggling Andrews crazy work schedule, my own work and being a mom. Running has brought such joy to my life and if I can do it anyone can do it! I hope my little family will always stay active and no matter how hard it gets "Just keep Running!!"

Up Early

Andrew is usually up at 3:30 every morning to go to work. This morning I got up with him because I just wanted to spend time with him. I discovered its way to early for me. I have become more proud of him because it takes a special person to be able to go to work by 4:00 and stand in a freezer all day. He has really enjoyed his job though and I think it makes it easier on him to get up and do it everyday. His job just announced that they are no longer going to open on Saturdays. I'm actually pretty exited about this because we haven't had a Saturday together our whole marriage. (unless traveling or something) But a Saturday to just wake up late and do yard work eat a big breakfast, just never happened. I'm so exited to experience a true family Saturday! We will enjoy it as long as we can. Andrew is the hardest worker and the best daddy ever!

"FALL"ing in love with my Family!

And I need you to know you can "FALL" into me.
That my arms are wide open and will always be...
Right here waiting, staying strong
Come and "FALL" into me.

One Man Marathon

So all summer I had been training to run a marathon. I didn't know if I could actually run a marathon, but it was on my list of things I wanted to do in life. The marathon I was training for was the City Of Trees marathon in Boise the first weekend in October. I ran the half there last year and loved the course. When it came closer to October we started to realize that we weren't going to be able to make it down to Boise that weekend (work, family functions, church stuff) there was no way we could leave that weekend. I was so dissapointed because I trained so hard. I knew that if I didn't run that I would always regret it. So the morning of the race in Boise I woke up and ran the 26.2 miles here in Idaho Falls. Even though I was dissapointed that I couldn't do the real thing I realized that all I really cared about was finishing 26.2 miles and seeing my family at the end. It was a great day. A very PAINFUL day! Andrew made it so special for me. He made a race bib (Bailey 001) and a finish line and even awarded me with a certificate and medals at the end. My friends and parents cheered me on the last six miles (the worst six miles ever!) Im so proud I did it!!!!!!

A post from Brinlee

Hi everyone, its Brinlee. Today I got my haircut! First daddy took me to the Salon it was so exiting!



I wasn't scared at all. I just jumped right into the chair and was ready for my haircut to start.

My mommy was a litle sad to cut what little hair I have, but she did okay.

First she had to wet my hair down this was so fun for me!

I was to small in the chair by myself so my dad held me on his lap!

I was so brave....but somtimes I was a little concerned when the scissors were so close!

I sat so still so the haircut would be even!

I have bangs!

I loved say "hi" to all the people in the salon getting their hair done to!

And blowing kisses to everyone.....couldn't find my hands under my cape!

After the haircut was finished, everyone told me how pretty I looked!

And my parents were so proud of how good I was!

It was a fun day at the salon. Maybe my hair will grow faster now so I can get my haircut again!

Bumble and Bumble

(Brinlee trying to be a stow away!)

Its been a week since Andrew and I got back from New York and we had the best time ever!!! Here are just a few pictures of our favorite memories from the week!

(On top of the Empire State Building)

First off, the main reason we went to NYC was for hair. My work sent me to do training at Bumble and Bumble University (known as the Harvard for hair). I am so greatful that I was able to go and learn all that I did. It is a very inspiring place and it is safe to say that it changed my entire outlook on my career and I am a much better hairdresser for having attended. The Class I attended was really neat because top hairdressers from network salons all across the country came together to learn from one another and fine tune their craft. The class mostly focused on cutting and more specificly cutting with Bumbles favorite cutting tool; the strait blade razor ( I choped my finger off pretty bad!) It was realy neat to rub shoulders with some of the countries best hairdressers, and to learn from editorial stylist who are really well known in the industry. I loved working with the models and became very fast friends with them as they let me use tools next to their heads that sometimes are used as weapons! Watching editorial stylists-these are stylists whose work has been published- do what they do best has really helped me fine tune my eye and expect nothing less than perfection. I even met and watched one of my most favorite hairdressers, whom I have always drawn inspiration from, work on a photo shoot (just happend to be in the right place at the right time!) It was an amazing experience and I feel so blessed to be able to go and see everything I was able to see.

This picture shows how congested NYC is and how the sun doesn't even hit some of the buildings

Me just walking down the street we traveled down everyday to get to Bumble. The garbage there is out of control. They have garbage trucks that run all day long every day and by early morning the streets are full of garbage.

Times Square. Andrew loved hanging out in Times. See if you can find him! The day of Micheal Jacksons funeral everyone was lined up in Times Square watching his funeral from the big plasma t.v. on the buildings. They even brought lawn chairs and blocked of some roads for people to watch.

One of our favorite places. It's actually a restaraunt called Mars. You take a space ship ride to "Mars" before you eat dinner and the whole place was red lights and martians serve you dinner. Very clever. They also would dance every once in a while. They were dancing "Thriller" in honor of the day.

Wall Street

One of my most favorite things that I was able to do in NYC was to meet up with an old friend Tiffany and run a race in Central Park. It was so good to catch up with her and to also run in the worlds most famous park. The race was to be a 5k but we were having such a good time talking we missed the turn and ended up getting lost. Our race was much longer than a 5k that's for sure, but it was so much fun!

One night we went to the top of Rockefeller Center. It is as tall as the Empire (which you can see in the background) We decided to go at night and it was so beautiful!

And Romantic!

80 Story high kiss!

Our view!

Dinner in Little Italy.

We took a ferry ride at night to see the Statue of Liberty. Here it is with the sun setting behind it.

New Jersey at night from our ferry

Fire flies. I had never seen them before. They were really neat to me. One of the few stretches of grass there is to be seen.

On our very last day, we had seen everything that we wanted to see. I had finished classes and our flight wasn't until later that night. We decided to go to the tip of Manhattan one last time. When we got there the weather was so perfect and there were benches lined up so we sat and watched the sail boats sail past the Statue of Liberty. This was my favorite part. Just sitting in silence enjoying the breeze, reflecting on the wonderful week, and holding hands with my Andrew who I was able to connect with for days at a time uninterrupted. We spent most of our Saturday there until the time came to come home...............

Where we were greeted by the biggest, wettest, most wonderful kisses and hugs from one happy little 18 month old! *Thanks to all the family members who took such good care of her while we were away!

A Dam Race!

Yesterday my friend Emily and I ran in the Teton Dam half marathon. This was my second half and probably the hardest run I have ever done! (even harder than the chicken alfreado incident Meeka!) I bought new shoes this winter that are great for short distance and trail runs but around 5 miles yesterday my feet were on fire! There were many times I thought that I would do better to take them off and run bare foot but didn't want to stop to take them off because I was afread I wouldn't be able to start back up again! All in all it was a great day and I am so proud of my friend Emily and I where we both recieved our best PR at the race. It was a beautiful morning and a very pretty course but the best part about the whole day was the finish line where my cute little family was waiting for me. Poor Andrew felt really bad about my shoes because he told me that they would be fine and I needed to use them all year long since they were new. Its safe to say that I will never put those on my feet ever again!

She is worth finishing for! (notice no shoes!)

Andrew though these shirts were pretty funny. Its not very often someone would be called a Dam Volunteer! If you look close you can see me!

Still Alive After Five!

We have been married for five years today! The time really does go fast. I have enjoyed today because I have been able to think about my wedding day five years ago and what it means to me. Just wanted to give a shout out to my Best friend and companion Andrew Bailey and wish him not only five more happy years but fifty five! May 1st 2004 really was one of the best days of my life. I'm grateful for Andrew and all he does. No one can make me laugh quite like he can. We both had to work today and he doesn't get home till close to midnight so we didn't get to spend much time together, but when I got home he had this poem waiting for me and I want to share it because it is just and Andrew poem!

"In year number one, we had so much fun.

Year two I still loved your eyes so blue!

Year three I was so care free

Year four brought Brinlee to our door

Year five, makes me feel more alive!"

Believe it or not...Andrew was an English major!

I love you Andrew!