Ricks Family

Update

2011-06-24T22:25:00.000-07:00

So I guess I'm not very good at blogging, seeing as it has been over a year since my last post. I could use the excuse that I was busy with school, but that would only be true until December. I finished my last semester and then graduated with honors at the commencement ceremony on June 4th. It is a pretty good feeling to be all finished with school. Now it is Mike's turn to go back and finish his degree. He has decided that he will get his EMT Certification and work towards becoming a paramedic while he finishes his Bachelors degree over the next couple years. At that point he might pursue a Masters degree in a Physician Assistant program, or he may decide that he really likes working as a Paramedic and just continue doing that.

The last time I blogged, I had just completed my first half marathon. This year so far I have run two more half marathons and have improved my time. I did the Salt Lake City Half Marathon in April with a time of 2:25:55 and the Utah Valley Half Marathon on June 11th with a time of 2:31:11. Mike also ran the Utah Valley Half Marathon with a time of 2:15:12. I think that's pretty good for his first race at that distance. I don't know if I will do any more half marathons this year, but I would like to find a 10k I could do. I am also thinking about doing a triathalon at the fitness center in August since I now have a bike. With all the running I have been doing along with Weight Watchers for the last year I have lost 30 pounds. I have a bit more to go and it's taking me longer than I wanted, but I know I will eventually do it.

Lance is growing up! He graduated from Kindergarten and is getting ready for 1st Grade. He was accepted into American Preparatory Academy (a Charter School), and we are amazed at what he has been learning. They teach writing in cursive starting in Kindergarten, and his handwriting has been improving. He is very smart at math and really loves doing things with numbers. Now we just need to work on his reading (he hates it) and he will do great!

Until next time...hopefully it won't be another year. :)

13.1 Miles - Utah Valley Half Marathon

2010-06-14T22:46:00.001-07:00

Saturday the 12th was the big race. I hadn't been able to prepare as much as I would have liked for it; my longest run before Saturday was 7 miles, so I wasn't quite sure if I was going to be able to make it.

Friday night it was raining and the weather forecast called for rain on Saturday as well. I was dreading running this race in the rain, but I was still determined to do it. After all I had paid for it, and it was non-refundable, so why waste the money?

On Saturday I was up at 3AM. The race would be starting at 5:30 am and the last bus to the starting line would be at 4:30. I was happy to see that it was not raining and it didn't feel too cold either. I boarded a bus and was on my way to the starting line in Provo canyon, just before the turn off to Sundance. It seemed like it took forever for the bus to get there and made it seem like it was really far away.

I arrived at the finish line around 4:20 AM, still an hour to go before the race started. I met up with some friends that were also running so that I would have someone to run with. There were fire barrels to keep us warm and I had my sweatshirt on, so it wasn't too bad. We got word the race would be starting late because of the darkness. Finally at around 5:45 the gun fired and we were off!

We had a pretty good strategy so we would not wear ourselves out. Aid stations were at miles 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, & 13.1. We would run two miles until we reached the aid station, then walk while we drank our water or Powerade. It did start raining while we were in the canyon, but it was very light, almost like a mist, so it wasn't enough to soak you. We kept this up for the first half of the race and we were feeling pretty good. At about mile 8, my friend Charissa had to stop more often to walk, but she told me to just keep on going if I wanted to. So at that point, I was pretty much by myself. It was nice to see Mike and Lance at the aid station at mile 9. They had picked that spot to cheer me on and ended up helping hand out water until I got there.

At this point it started to get really hard as I was getting pretty worn out. I just told myself that all I had left was a 5K and I would be done. I pushed myself to the end, because if I stopped, it was really hard to start running again. With one mile to go, there is a hill to go up, which seems so brutal at this point in the race. I just forced myself up the hill and kept running all the way to the finish line. My goal was to finish in under three hours. My official race time was 2:42:57.2, so I came in way under my goal! I was 765th overall (out of 900) and placed 118th in my age division (out of 150).

I am so proud of myself for finishing with the time I did (about a 12 1/2 minute per mile pace). I really enjoyed myself and I am already looking for the next race I can sign up for. Mike and I will be running a 5K on June 26th, so my goal will be to beat my previous 5K time. It should seem like a piece of cake after running 13.1 miles!

5K Race

2010-03-22T22:32:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I did a 5K race. It wasn't very big, there were less than 100 total participants, but I still wanted to do an actual race. It was at 8:00 in the morning, and it just happened to be a bit chilly. Okay, maybe not chilly...it was cold! The thermometer in the car said 29 degrees when I got out about 7:45. Since I pre-registered all I had to do was check in, then try to stay warm until the race started. I have "raced" a 5K before, but there wasn't any official time keeping, so it was different having a bib number that was unique to me.

I think it went pretty well, at least for my first official race and for how cold it was. I came in with a time of 34:46.7; 57th overall and 4th out of 6 in my age division. I am pretty proud of myself, I forced myself to run the entire time, something I have not been doing with my training runs. It seems like I always use an excuse to stop running; I can't breathe, my legs hurt, my side aches, etc. At least now I have a time that I can work on beating. The next race I have planned is the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in May. It's not a timed race, although they do have a clock for those who want to keep track. I'm sure I will be able to improve my time by then.

I really need to start kicking my running into a higher gear for the Utah Valley Half Marathon on June 12th. I have already registered for it, so if I don't do it, it is just a waste of money. At this point, I know I would be able to complete it and probably within the time limit, however, I really want to make a good effort at it. I'm hoping this is the beginning of many races to come!

Am I Crazy?

2009-12-06T22:51:00.000-08:00

So, maybe I'm crazy, but I will let you decide for yourself. I have decided that I want to train to run a half marathon this upcoming year, and if that goes well, maybe even a marathon. It is something that I have wanted to do, so I could at least say that I have done it. Besides, if they can run a marathon on the Biggest Loser, then surely I can do it if I train and condition for it.

I needed something that would keep me motivated to work out on a regular basis and I thought if I registered for a race, I would want to make sure to finish it so I wasn't wasting my money. Hopefully, it will also help me to tone up and lose the weight that has wanted to stay with me. I originally had the goal to be able to run the annual Susan G. Komen 5K with my sister and friends instead of walking it, but upped my goal to a half marathon. I will be starting my training with an 8 to 9 week program to run a 5K since I am not running on a regular basis right now. Once I complete that, I will do a 12 week training program for the half marathon, which should give me plenty of time to train for a race, I'm thinking the Salt Lake Marathon & Half Marathon that is in mid-April. If that goes well, I will continue my training and race in the Marathon that is on the 24th of July.

Now that I have put it out there for everyone, I better follow through with my goals so I don't disappoint any of you. So, now do you think I'm crazy? Don't worry, I won't hold it against you if you do think I am nuts.

Scentsy is an awesome company!!

2009-08-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

Scentsy is giving back to the community. In July, Scentsy contributed $100,000 to 40 small businesses in its local community in Meridian, Idaho by giving $50 to employees and family members to spend. It was such a huge success, Scentsy is expanding this program to cover all local communities. Pledge now to spend $50 (or more) at a local small business on October 12th to boost the economy. Visit http://www.scentsycontribute.org or click on the link at the right side of the page to make your pledge. If everyone helps a little, together we can make a big difference!

August Scent and Warmer of the Month

2009-08-04T19:44:00.000-07:00

Get 10% off the Warmer and Scent of the Month during the month of August.

Surf's Up
Surf’s Up! This new warmer will remind you of your favorite “fun in the sun” beach music! Perfect for a teenager’s bedroom, a dorm room or any room that needs a summery decorating accent. This new warmer’s surfboard base contrasts beautifully with its chocolate brown lid decorated with wave-inspired designs. Varied, embossed surfboards in shades of yellow, orange, blue, brown, white and green appear to pop off the high gloss, sky blue background. Surf’s Up adds a contemporary and young feel to any setting.

Tangerine Tango
A sunny and “citrusy” fragrance combining refreshing, sparkling tangerine and green, fresh lemongrass.

Bonus: One lucky person who posts a comment will win a FREE bar of Tangerine Tango!

Scentsy products discontinued for Fall!

2009-08-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

Several warmers and scents are being discontinued to make room for our exciting, new Fall/Winter 2009 products. August is the perfect time to stock up on all of your favorite Scentsy warmers and fragrances since everything in the Spring/Summer 2009 catalog will be offered at a 10% discount for the month of August!*
*The following products are excluded from the August 10% Off Sale: Perfect Scentsy, Scentsy Sampler, Double the Scentsy, Starter Kits, Scent of the Month and/or Scent & Warmer of the Month Combo Kits and August Scent of the Month and Warmer of the Month products (Tangerine Tango and Surf’s Up).

Take a look to see if any of your favorites are going away and stock up on them now!

Warmers:
Bombay, Brownstone, Classic Chocolate, Dragonfly, Jakarta, Luminous, Patina, Pressed Penny, Punched Tin, Raised Dot Black, Raised Dot Mocha, Raised Dot Turquoise, Retro Chic, Shabby Chic

Plug-Ins:
Dandy - Black, Brown, White; Weave - Black, Brown, White

Scents:
Blueberry Cheesecake, Cashmere, Eucalyptus, Exotic Vanilla, Falling Leaves, Fresh Cut Cantaloupe, Grapefruit Blossom, Grapefruit Pomegranate, Havana Cabana, Hearth & Home, Herb Garden, Irish Cream, Juicy Peach, Leather (Bars and Bricks), Lemon Lavender, Lots of Lavender, Luxe Vanilla, Meadow Pear, Mediterranean Spa, Mulberry Bush, Mysterious, Nutmeg & Orange Zest, Pomegranate Orange, Red Delicious, Sandalwood & Cranberries, Sangria, Sheer Saffron, Silk, Spiced Orange Harvest, Spruceberry, Strawberry Sweetie, Sweet Indulgence, Sugar, Sweet Tea Magnolia, Tarocco Mint, Tea Blossom, Toasted Apple Butter, Tuscan Garden, Verbena Berry, Wasabi Ginger, Watermelon Patch.

WOW, I know that's a lot, but let me know if you need any of these before they go away. Also, if you host your own scent event (home party or basket party), you can get some or all of what you want for free!

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

Lance is too cute. He learned this little poem at preschool this week.

Have a safe holiday weekend!

Due Date

2009-05-29T23:38:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been two months since my last post, it's about time I put something else on here. This may not be the happiest posting, but I have some thoughts that I need to get out, so just bear with me on this.

So today is the day our baby was due. I thought today would be rough, but maybe because I was just so busy all day, I haven't really thought much about it until now. It has always been there in the back of my mind, knowing that we could have had a new little one joining our family by now. I have been very surprised with how easily I have handled the situation, even when it seems like everyone around me is finding out they are pregnant or are having their babies at the same time I should have had mine. It especially doesn't seem fair when I hear about a young, unmarried girl who accidentally got pregnant, and then she complains about all the symptoms that go along with the pregnancy. Doesn't she know that it wouldn't matter to me how sick I was, or how uncomfortable I was because someone is invading my body? I would take all of that if it meant I could have my baby now. The thing that hurts me the most is that I am now going to have to go through so much more just to get pregnant, and it's not guaranteed to work, although I am a very good candidate for IVF. It breaks my heart when Lance tells me he wants a baby brother or sister and I just don't know if we will be able to give him that. Someday, we hope to be able to go down that road and at least see where it will take us. Right now, we are not emotionally or financially ready for that.

We don't know the reasons right now why we have this trial, and we may not know for a very long time, but we feel that things happen for a reason. I know that I have been able to help others by sharing my experience with them because then they realize that what they are going through could have been worse. Maybe that is one reason, but who knows? Mike and I are getting through this together and it is getting easier to talk about. We are happy and we know we will be okay. I appreciate all the love and support from everyone as I have had to go through surgery twice and losing two babies within a 3 month period. It has been 4 months since the second surgery and my body has healed, and my heart is close behind it.

Scentsy Orders

2009-04-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

I'll be entering another order on Friday for Stefanie's party. Let me know if you want anything. Also, if you go to my website, you can purchase discontinued warmers while they last. They can only be purchased directly through my website so you won't be disappointed if it is out of stock by the time I am able to order it for you. Click on Place an order, then click to place an order not related to an event. From there you can select "Close-out" items and place your order. If you have any questions, let me know. My website is www.scentsy.com/KattRicks, or you can use the link on the right side of the page. Happy shopping!

Is there something wrong with us?

2009-03-28T21:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry, this might seem rude, but it isn't really directed at anyone who reads this blog. I just needed to vent my frustrations.

We planned a Housewarming Party / Scentsy Open House and invited people a week and a half before the event and only two people besides our parents showed up. We knew that some we invited would not be able to come since they live out of town, but thought for sure at least some people here locally would come. I know that people have things going on, or things come up and plans change, but apparently 1 1/2 weeks is not enough notice for people to work out their schedules. We had it scheduled for two different days, with three different time frames, and you are telling me that you couldn't fit any time in at all during those times to stop by? Nobody really even RSVP'd. We thought maybe people would just show up, had the refreshments planned and everything ready to go. There were a few that let us know they weren't going to be able to come, and that is fine, since we already knew not to expect them. All we really wanted was people to come see our house and visit with us for a while. Is it too much to ask to let us know you won't be coming (if you are local)?

Please don't take this personally, both Mike and I are just frustrated since we put so much work in to planning this and didn't expect that the turn-out would be this low. We always try to go to other events we are invited to, even if we have to change our schedule a little bit. I almost feel like crying. Is there something wrong with us?

Scentsy!!

2009-03-01T18:15:00.000-08:00

So, a little more than a year ago, one of my cousins was having a Scentsy party and I fell in love with the product. For those of you who don't know what Scentsy is, let me tell you. Scentsy products are wickless scented candles and warmers. The wax is melted in the electric warmers using a 25 watt bulb so the wax is heated to just above body temperature, about the same temperature as the wax for a parafin treatment. The wax is concentrated with scent and each bar will last 60-80 hours, longer than most of the popular jarred candles. Since there is no flame, you don't get the soot and smoke damage to your walls and ceilings and there is no risk of fire if you forget about it. I also LOVE that there is no risk to Lance of being burned by a flame and I don't have to constantly tell him to leave it alone.

For about the past year, I have been thinking about signing up as a consultant to sell Scentsy. Well, I finally decided that I would take the leap and do it and now it is official.

The new Spring/Summer 2009 catalog just came out with new warmers and scents. There are about 80 different scents to choose from and over 50 different warmers, including the small plug-in warmers perfect for bathrooms or small spaces.

If anyone is interested in buying anything, let me know, or you can go to my website and place an order there. Also, if you are interested in hosting a party, you can earn rewards, just let me know. It doesn't have to be an in-home party, I can get you some small testers and you can have a basket party, or I can set up an online party for you.

I am really excited for this adventure and Mike supports me 100%. Feel free to direct anyone you know that may be interested to my website. The address is http://www.scentsy.com/KattRicks

Garage Door Adventure

2009-02-23T21:38:00.000-08:00

So we were lucky enough to be able to file our taxes early and receive it quickly. We had been planning on a few things that we wanted to get and things to take care of with the money. A garage door was one of them. We received our direct deposit(the only way to get a return)on Friday and went shopping the next morning. We first spent the morning paying all of Kathy's medical bills and other various billings. Then we were lucky enough to purchase blinds for our home. 2" faux wood blinds in a brandy wood stain. They are really nice, oh and a black aluminum blind for the garage window. We went to Blinds.com and saved a huge amount compared to anywhere locally. If you ever plan on getting blinds we would suggest looking into it.
So we eventually left to house to go shopping. Target was our first stop to get new towels and bathroom sets. Diesel(between black and gray) for the master bath and yellow for Lance's bathroom. Also some neat things for the laundry room, like an iron and ironing board caddy. We then headed to Lowes for our garage door opener. We had been doing some shopping around and determined what we liked and what prices were. So we ended up getting a 1/2 hp belt driven model. It's great, keyless entry, real quiet and quick.
So we took it home!
And read the instructions!
And headed back to Home Depot for tools!
LOL
After our tool shopping spree(we have never had a need to own our own tools beyond the very basics)we started to install. Of course to install anything you need to call all the friends over to "help". So the Sunday daily project begun. Surprisingly easy! And here are all of you waiting for a horror story or some slap stick comedy. It ended up taking 6 hours to install and troubleshoot and everything but ultimately was a two person job. Thankfully friends were over to keep Lance occupied and out of the way during the construction. One of them even surprised us with brownies when he came over. Thanks Jake! I guess the friends did help by holding things once in a while and cheered Michael on as it is probably the most manly thing Michael has ever done. Kathy even learned to use power tools! Go Kathy! All in all it was a wonderful weekend.

We have moved!!!

2009-01-21T18:44:00.000-08:00

We have finally moved into our new home. There are still some boxes to be unpacked, but at least we are living there. We have already had a couple adventures in our new home, and we haven't even been there a week yet.

A couple days after we closed, we went and bought a refrigerator. We got a great deal on one of the floor models and it was delivered and installed a couple days later. We go to the house in a few days and the refrigerator is not cold and the freezer has not made any ice. So, we call the repair man since we have the warranty on it. He finds that the compressor has quit working and a new one needs to be ordered. It was finally repaired on this past Tuesday, so we did not have a working refrigerator for the first 4 days we were there.

Last night, one of the toilets clogged so we thought Lance had used too much toilet paper. Mike gets the plunger and the snake and it seems to not be clogged. When the toilets upstairs were flushed, the one downstairs would overflow. Then, we had the towels in the wash and when the washer drained, we had sewage coming out of the toilet downstairs. GROSS!!!! Luckily we have a home warranty, so we called them up and they sent out a plumber today to look at it. Apparently there was something big clogging the main sewer line to the house, but they were able to clear it. So now we have working plumbing again.

We also do not have the internet or cable right now because our street isn't on Comcast's maps, but we are being very pushy to have them come take care of it since it is roughed in, they just need to pull the cable. Since we don't know when we will have the internet again, it may be a while before we can do another update, but maybe next time we will have some pictures to post of the house.

Happy New Year!!

2008-12-31T18:21:00.000-08:00

So, I guess I need to be better at keeping those that pay attention to this blog updated on what is going on in our world.

We are buying a house and we finally will be closing on it on Monday. (It's about time, our offer was accepted about a week and a half before Thanksgiving). I will post some pictures as soon as we take some. It is a brand new townhome and we felt that it would be just perfect for us so we are really excited.

Mike has been busy singing with the Utah Symphony Chorus as well as the Utah Opera Chorus. He auditioned for the symphony chorus and was immediately invited to join. About a month after that, the director asked if he would also join the Opera Chorus. His ultimate goal is to perform opera as a principal, so he is stoked at the opportunity and hopes it will help him out with his opera career. His first production will be in January, and he actually gets paid for it too!

Lance keeps us both pretty busy, he is just full of so much energy. It's hard to believe that he will be four in March. He has been telling us that he wants a bother and sister, and we hope to help him out with that desire before the end of the year. I have recovered very well from my surgery so I don't expect any problems later on.

We wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!

Holiday Tag!

2008-11-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

Top 3 Vacations
1. Hawaii
2. Trip to CT to see Bob, then to AL to see John, Rachel & Kids
3. Road trip to Carlsbad to see Barry & Krystle and new baby Grayson

Top 3 Favorite Flowers
1. Roses, Fire and Ice
2. Tropical Flowers
3. Any that are pretty

Top 3 favorite comfort foods
1. ice cream
2. Mom's cooking
3. Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup

Top 3 Places to Shop
1. Steve & Barry's - Great clothes, great price
2. Macy's
3. anywhere I can find a great deal!

Top 3 Opinions About Halloween
1. All the little kids are so cute dressed up
2. Too much Candy
3. Big kids should not go Trick or Treating (although I had a different opinion when I was younger)

Top 3 Opinions About Thanksgiving
1. Yummy food and lots of it
2. It's great to see family and spend time with them
3. We really should be thankful for what we have at other times too

Top 3 Opinions About Christmas
1. Everyone seems to be happy and cheerful
2. I love all the Christmas lights and decorations
3. Christmas music is great, just not too early because it can get old

Top 3 things I look forward to during the week.
1. Spending time with Mike
2. Seeing Lance happy
3. Only three days to work this week!

Top 3 Events Happening This Week
1. Thanksgiving
2. Seeing friends and family
3. I need to register the car

I tag Krystle, Rachel, Barry, and Ryan

Our little Photographer

2008-10-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

Lance likes to take pictures of everything with the camera. It is really cute! He is getting better at keeping the camera still until it finishes taking the picture, so he actually gets a picture of what he wants instead of the floor or some unrecognizable blurry thing. We are thinking about getting him one of those digital cameras for kids, so that he doesn't break ours.

Here are some of the pictures he took:

A Picture of Dad

His bed

Some Bunnies at the Fair

Our State Fair is a Great State Fair

2008-09-12T20:12:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we decided to take a trip to the State Fair. Lance likes to look at the animals and it was nice day to go. Last year we went at the very end, so most of the animals were already gone. Lance really enjoyed himself. After taking a look at some horses in the stable, one of the first things we did was see the Little Hands on the Farm Exhibit. This allows kids to learn the process of how food gets from the farm to the store.

First, he got a scoop of corn and put it in his bucket. He took the corn and fed it to the cow where he got a bottle of milk. After the milk, he picked an apple from a tree in the apple orchard. Then he went to the garden and planted an onion seed and then picked a ripe one from the other side. Next it was time to fill up his tractor with gas and take some hay to the sheep. In the sheep barn you learn that the wool can be used to make clothing and blankets. We went to the chicken coop next, where we needed to get an egg from the hen. Lance was a little scared of the hens until I showed him they weren't real. Once we were done there, we took all of our goods to the farmers market to sell them and Lance got a "dollar" for all his goods. He took his "dollar" to the store and bought himself an apple to eat.

After walking through some of the other displays and exhibits and an adventure to find the potty (Half of the restrooms in the fair park were closed because of a plumbing problem), it was time to see some more animals.

We saw some smelly, sleeping pigs.....

Sheep......

Cows.....

Goats.....

and Rabbits! (Lance took these pictures)

We had a great time and Lance talks about seeing the animals all the time. I'm sure that we will go again next year.

Toddler Tantrums

2008-08-22T17:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Lance just drives us bonkers! We told him that we wanted to watch TV instead of play DDR. He was crying and yelling and whining for a good 15 minutes, just because we said No. Now he is acting like nothing is wrong. I just don't understand it sometimes.

Our Hawaii trip

2008-08-13T22:55:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it has already been a month since we were in Hawaii. I was just looking at pictures again and I realized that I really miss being there. It is truly would not mind living there at all.

Mike and I went for my sister Jen's wedding and it was beautiful! We left Lance at home with a friend so that we could really enjoy ourselves while we were there. Jen and Nate were married right on the beach of the Waipouli Beach Resort on Kauai. I hope that we will be able to return to Hawaii again some day.

Happy Birthday Michael!

2008-06-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

Michael's birthday was on Friday June 27th, so we had a little party for him on Saturday the 28th. Nothing big, we just invited friends and family over for some visiting and of course cake and ice cream. We all had a good time and Lance helped Mike blow out the candles on the cake. Mike had chosen a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. It was great since we got the cake and ice cream all in one. Here's a few pictures from the party.