Bryce Canyon 5k

Julie, Heather, Tawny and I drove down to Bryce Canyon on Friday to run in the Bryce Canyon 1/2 Marathon and 5k. Heather ran the 1/2 Marathon and did a great job! Julie, Tawny and I ran the 5k and all shaved some time off our last race!

The weather was perfect and the temp when the race started was 59' degrees! It was a little overcast which helped it stay cool. We hung around and ate breakfast with other runners which was fun. It's crazy how people will travel from all over to run...(us included. Julie flew from LA to Salt Lake to drive down there with us!) We saw other friends and people that we know from Salt Lake. There were people there from all over the state of Utah, and other states.

Aren't we cute, hot, sweaty, and the life of the party? Definitely!!! Will we race in Bryce Canyon again? Of course! We are also talking about running in the Great Race of Agoura this next march

We left around 11am to drive back to Salt Lake and did some sight seeing along the way back. We drove through Red Canyon and it was Amazing! There are parts of the canyon that look like Big Thunder Mountain at Disney Land! so very cool!

Hot...Hot...Hot...

Why does summer in Utah have to be so hot? Spring was really only 2 days long, and now we will have 4 months of summer 1 month of fall and 6 months of winter...okay I guess that leaves 1 month for spring...but it does not feel that long.

Here is the picture you have been waiting for. My living room. I know it looks like I staged it for The Parade of Homes, but it is my everyday life (Practically Perfect) it helps that I am at work all day and out with friends or at the gym most nights. Don't get me wrong...I am not a neat freak! Perfect yes, but a neat freak no. I have my days of un-organization. You should see my office (nope...no pictures of that this time)

Lost Camera Found

Happy 4th of July everyone!

I do not have much time to write, I am on my way to Costco! Hip Hip Hooray! Now that I have my camera back I hope to get more house pictures for you...but for now I hope this will do! I know how much you all miss me! I miss you too! Really I do! Have a great weekend!

New Carpet Smell

I just have to say that I love the New Carpet Smell in my townhouse! The carpet actually makes the room look bigger and the ceilings taller. I love it so much I am staying up late to share these photos. I am just so excited to have you all come and visit and see the progress in person! I hope everyone has a great weekend! Love Jill

Hard work really does pay off!

Here is the finished product! My cute little backyard is all landscaped. It took me a few weeks, over 10 trips to Lowes and Home Depot and some back breaking work.

Well that's it for tonight. I am so thankful for my day off tomorrow.

Jill

Picture (Almost) Perfect

Here is a picture of my living room looking in from the kitchen. I wanted to show you my new kitchen faucet. Yes...the one and only faucet I installed myself!

Here is a picture from the kitchen on your way out to the garage. My little mud-room, drop my junk, put my shoes on area.

Before and After

Before...


..and after. Now there is still some more work that needs to be done. But wow it looks so much better!

IKEA

I had such a fun evening after work today. Today was IKEA's grand opening. A friend and I drove over there around 5:40 and it was not as crazy as they were showing on the news. We pulled into the parking lot and got a great parking spot right up front. We laughed at how easy it was, and not busy like we were expecting. We walked in and started shopping. I had a list of 5 or 6 things that I wanted to pick up. I found about 3 of the things I was looking for and 4 or 5 things that I was not looking for but could not live without. The cafeteria was jam packed...and the one downfall to IKEA that I had not noticed before was that they have Pepsi products. I will still eat there.

We shopped and walked all over the 2 stories of great deals and fun impulse buys. We were there a total of an 1 1/2 and decided that all of the great deals were adding up to a lot...so it was time to go. We checked out, wrapped up our breakables and walked out to the car. They had a lot of the normal streets blocked off to help control traffic and we ended up close to our road home. We were stopped at an intersection waiting to turn left. They had cones blocking some lanes and there was a police officer directing traffic. He looked tired and he was so sun burnt. My friend said that we should offer him some water...so she rolled down her window and said, "Excuse me, would you like some water?" he responded that he had plenty, but he thanked us as he walked over to my car. As he came closer she said, "are you sure?" again he replied he was okay. I then said, "Okay, you just look so HOT!" I really meant like sunburn-sweaty-been in the sun all day-hot. He replied, "Well thanks!" and joked about how great he looked and that he wished he could get that recorded...or something (he really was very cute and did not have that marriage ring thing on his finger) And then of course my left turn light turned green, and we drove off.

It was so hilarious! We laughed about it the whole way home. Which is about 25 minutes away from IKEA...did I mention that...I am so close.

I hope you all have a great night and a great Memorial Day...see you soon and when you come to visit we can go to the IKEA!

Jill

Almost finished...

What do you think? I am glad it is almost all done. I have a few more loads of topsoil and bark to pick up...then I am taking a break from yard work. I am excited to have you come and see it in person!

No picture this time...

Sad I know, but I hope to have a new picture soon. Today was a crazy busy day. I worked from 8-5 then went to the home improvement store and but 30 of the 20lb do it yourself retaining/decorative wall bricks. I then unloaded them into my garage and went to Yoga class. After class I carried 1 brick at a time from my garage to the back yard. I am very excited for the end result but figure I will need about 55 more bricks. After that was done I removed the slow-flow filters from my shower heads and started a load of laundry.

Tomorrow is going to be just as busy. I start the day at 5:30am in the gym with my trainer and then it is off to a breakfast meeting at Mimi's Cafe (no complaints there) then I will work from 9-6 and end the day babysitting for a friend.

I hope Friday is not as busy. Saturday is already filling up!

I want to thank my parents for helping me move and for installing my bathroom hardware, ceiling fan and helping in my yard. I could not have done it without them. I also need to thank all of my friends who helped me move (Amanda) and (Melissa) for helping with furniture and backyard! Thanks a ton everyone! Stay tuned for more updates on my house and have a great weekend!

Love Jill

Here is a picture of my new fridge. It is made by LG, they are known for having tv's in the door. Mine is not that crazy, it is still very cool!

Ignore the rest of the mess...I have moved a lot in, but have not organized yet.

Yard Work

After work tonight I went straight to my favorite place...Costco! I bought some of the esentials (like Diet Coke) and then went right to my new house. I worked in the yard all night. I do not have any new pictures tonight, but I will take some tomorrow!

Quote for the day:

"Like a beautiful flower,
Brightly colored but lacking in scent,
So are well-spoken words
Fruitless when not carried out."

~Buddha

Spring is here!

This is an updated picture of my tree in my backyard. It looks great! I am going to love it in the spring and summer, but raking the leaves in the fall and winter will be a killer.

Here is another shot of my backyard! I am excited for you all to see it in person. Have a great day, and a Great Week!

About April 14th

Here is a picture pre-painter.

Here is a picture during painting...

And here is a picture of the final paint job! And a picture of the new carpet upstairs. I do not have just a picture of the paint...but I will get one soon. I also need some new backyard pictures, the tree looks great right now!

The carpet looks great right?

Here is my kitchen...the floors are tile but I am not sure that they'll be that way for much longer. Stay tunned for more kitchen updates.

In the begining...There was once an old lady.

I bought my town house from "Grandma" as I like to call her. She had lived there for 5 years or so and was a smoker. I had a lot of cleaning up to do. I ripped out the carpet, and hired a painter.

2007...

This blog is an online journal of my life. Right now I spend most of my time remodling my town house. Here are some pictures so you can see the progress too!