Halsey Holiday: UT - The Wedding

The last big event of our Halsey Holiday was Ryan & Libbi's wedding.

First, there was the wedding feast, the night before...where Hazel enjoyed every inch of Aunt S's backyard, and some quality time with her besty-cousin Lila.

(I love that she convinced Seth to crawl into the "chimney" (from the top, mind you) and then became completely distracted by a blade of grass).

Next, we enjoyed the wedding ceremony at the Manti Temple, followed by a beautiful reception.  We were having so much fun, we ended up with just a few quick pics on our phones.

And then, a week later, we celebrated the lovely couple with all the Maryland family.

(I guess Libbi has a thing for NASCAR!...or Ryan...)

They are adorable and I can't wait for Christmas, to spend more time with them!

Halsey Holiday: UT - Camp Boppa Tang

While I was off running around with the sisters, Hazel and the cousins were invited to 

Camp Boppa Tang, 

hosted by Grandma (Boppa Tang) and Grandpa.

If you know anything about my mom, you know she loves to party and Camp was no exception.  

She went all out for this "bubble"-y weekend.  

(For example, the bubble-wrap-red-carpet leading up to the house...)

 The cousins made bubbles in every shape and size, out of every "wand" imaginable, they played in the pool, went for a picnic,  played with more bubbles,  made cookies with Grandma, watched movies, and did I mention bubbles?

 They even went for a star-lit walk with their bubble helmets!

I think it's safe to say Camp Boppa Tang was a success!

Thank you so much, Mom and Dad - Hazel had a blast with her cousins!

 Hazel sure loves her cousins!

 (PS - I'm glad you like your robes!)

Halsey Holiday: UT - Epic

...Imagine yourself and 11 friends running through 4 national forests (Cache Wasatch, Caribou, Targhee and Teton); along the historic Oregon Trail and shoreline of the Blackfoot Reservoir; through beautiful Star Valley; beside the Snake River and finishing at the foot of the Tetons, arguably the most beautiful mountain range in North America. Sound epic? Trust us, it is... Epic

Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, Wyoming

How could I refuse when my cousin called a month before the race and asked if I could fill in for an injured runner?

12 runners.  2 vehicles.  36 hours.  205 miles.

Yes.

Please.

 My sisters: rockstars, our suburban: allstars and our team: amazing!

(thank you, Deita, for the awesome shots above)

 My first leg was a little under 6 miles at 11am, it felt good to get the race-jitters worked out of my system.  I had started to get freaked out about the elevation change (um, just 6,000 ft. higher than what I am used to) - but was relieved to feel comfortable.  Must be that Utah-blood deep in my veins.  And, let's be honest, it felt r.e.a.l.l.y good to pass the guy in front of me with a mile to go. 

The second leg was 3 miles around 10pm, apparently my reflective gear was comedic relief for my team, as they all wet their pants cheering me on.  Whatever.  (Unfortunately, any and all attempts to document my awesomeness failed). I loved that 3 miles, it was dark, and I am pretty sure there were freakishly large animals in the pastures on either side of the road, waiting for me to show weakness so they could eat me up. 

My last leg was around 11am Saturday morning, just over 8 miles.  All uphill.  My route was along the Snake River, up Snake Canyon (I think?).  So beautiful.   I was tired, but I felt good.  And it felt awesome to know I had just completed 16.6 miles.  Go me. 

I am so happy that I did it with my sisters, that was the biggest selling point for me:  36 hours with my sisters.  Count me in!
I escaped without any injuries and really no soreness.  I will, however, be saying goodbye to a toenail.  Darn.

The Sisters & The Team (thanks again, Photographer Deita)

(A HUGE thank-you to Doug and Mollie - they were the "Averett Support" team while I ran.  A nursing baby can't be too far from his mom - they honestly deserve medals)

I can't wait to do another one. 

Pennsylvania Ragnar, October 2012 - anyone?

Halsey Holiday: MN - Documented

Halsey Family Reunion

Laura & Dan's House

Minnesota

The Stats:

2 Grandparents

5 Kids

2 Daughters-in-law

1 Fiance

1 Son-in-law

3 Granddaughters

2 Grandsons

4 States

One Week of Awesomeness

Not too shabby of a family to marry into.  

Pretty awesome people, if you ask me!

Now, if you could all move to Maryland...that would make us extra happy!

Can't wait to for Christmas.

Halsey Holiday: MN - The Lake

This is Laura and Dan's backyard.  

 

No, really.  The view from the deck.

It's okay to be jealous.  

I am.

Wakeboarding. Trampoline-ing. Relaxing. Canoeing. Swimming. Crocodile-ing. Tubing. Shuttle Cock-ing. Playground-ing. Relaxing. Tennis-ing. Cousin-ing. Hot Tubbing. Relaxing. Feats of Stengthing (Sumo-ing). Paddle Boating. Measuring. 

the well-used crocodile.

the hard-working parents.

byron - the entertainer - learned to wakeboard one day, tackling the rail the next...

the traditional Halsey Sumo Wrestle, Seth was stripped of his title and demanding a re-match in December.

 

 

 Dan shows us how it's done.

Averett's little twin, Cousin M, born 2 days before him.  

Good thing he always sticks his tongue out so we can tell them apart!

the cousins.  

the robes were my "little project" - ended up making 9 total.  

lake lady.

 we all took turns pretending to be Dan.

 you name it, we tournament-ed it.

 hazel tubed with her hands over her eyes.  it was great!

jumpy. jumpy.

 such a wonderful week.  relaxing.  relaxing. relaxing.  

flying babies.

A mother's nightmare.

Okay, not really a nightmare, but a really, crappy dream.

I can't even begin to count how many times I have flown with Hazel, in less than two years, she has been on s.e.v.e.r.a.l flights, we've easily gone through security at least 15 - 20 different times (oh, how I wish I was exaggerating). The majority of those trips it's just been the two of us. We sail through, no slowing us down, the only hold up we've ever had was when a sweet TSA agent was determined to fit Bob through the x-ray machine, even though I told him several times Bob's big hips (or wheels) only fit through the big machines (which he didn't have).

Do you get the picture that we are not crappy fliers? We are not the family you curse when you're stuck behind us in the security line. (Save your cursing of us for the flight.)

Why would I be remotely worried about our little, itty, bitty flight from LAX to SLC? Let's add that I had my brother, his wifey and my mom all there to help. Annnnd, Seth was driving back with my dad, so they had all of our big luggage.

We had to drop off our rental car, ride the shuttle and be to the airport all by 6 or so in the morning. We arrive at the airport in "plenty of time" to discover that the lines are horrendous. Oh, what? We checked in yesterday? Why, yes, we did. However, when traveling with a "babe in arms" you have to pick up their boarding pass at. the. counter. Not to mention I was lugging around a 50 pound carseat, that I really wanted to check. (Why isn't baby brother carrying the carseat like a gentleman? Oh, because he injured his back - funny story, really).

The lines were so crappy they actually had lines to get in other lines. A.W.E.S.O.M.E. And don't even get me started on the length of lines at the curb. Bleh.

I think I would have been less stressed if it had just been Hazel and me. But, we now had an audience. I assured my family they could go on to security and we'd catch up after we got checked in.

Just as I was envisioning my family flying off into the um, sunrise a kind Southwest worker appeared before me. I explained to him that a.l.l. I needed was my kids boarding pass. He then whispered sweet nothings (or helpful directions) in my ear and I zipped out to the curb where there was an unknown help desk and only me in line!

The only problem with checking in said "babe in arms" at the help desk...I couldn't check the stupid carseat. Dude. Lame. That's okay, I know how to check at the gate.

To security we go! Thank you, THANK you, THANK YOU to whoever invented the special "family lines" at the airport. I will steal children when mine are too old to get that special privilege of cutting off all those people in line.

I wasn't even worried about security.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

The items to be "securitied": carseat, backpack, laptop/laptop bag.

I whip out Hazel's meds, (in their designated ziploc baggies), I pull her milk out, I pull out the laptop and send it all on it's way.

Hazel and I walk through the metal detector and are relieved at the lack of a beep. I patiently stand on the other side of the x-ray machine.

First to go through: backpack, meds and milk. (Have you ever seen the x-ray of a Bitty Baby - yes it was still strapped to the back of my backpack - ...HILARIOUS.) As usual they pull the milk out to do its test. I, of course, am supposed to supervise this...so Hazel and I walk over to the milk testing counter. Before TSA man can test, I hear my name...Mollie is asking if the car seat breaks down to anything smaller. Um...I'm sure it does, but that's a task left to Seth. So I just give the TSA man a shrug and say sorry. Back to the milk. It passes. I start to walk back to the x-ray machine and the carseat TSA man is holding up the bin with my laptop and case, yes...it's mine. Apparently it was shady (you know those Mac-users)...so off through the x-ray it goes again.

Dude. Finally I, and all my junk, are cleared through security. Praise be.

I felt like thanking and congratulating my little audience on witnessing the slowest check-in/security check we have ever had.

Barf.

(Oh, I saved the barfing for the ride home from the airport.)