Baker's Bulletin: June Part 3

Eric joined us a couple days before we ran the American Fork Canyon Half Marathon on June 21st. Here we all are trying to keep warm before the race at Tibble Fork. This is mine and Steve's second year running this race, and it's our favorite half. The canyon is so beautiful, the post race food of Kneaders French Toast is worth running for, but the greatest reason we run is for the cause of helping cancer patients in our area pay for their medical treatments. The race topped out at 2,500 runners for the half marathon, and a few hundred for the 5K. Over $250,000 was raised. I love being a part of something so awesome! We were so happy to have Ann and Eric join in the fun.

At the finish line with my two running buddies, Heather and Stefanie. Stef and I have run a few years together, and Heather joined us this past year. I love these girls!! After a couple seasons of running my pace, Stef decided it was time to pick it up and run more her pace. She pushed us hard! So hard I thought I was going to die many times. But the times we were posting for our runs were so awesome and it kept us motivated to keep improving. We trained so well for this half. We pushed ourselves with speed runs, then we also ran down the exact course in the canyon a few times before the race. This was all so helpful for less soreness after the actual race. I just have to brag and say that last year my time on this race was 1:58:51. This year my time was 1:46:09. My average pace was 8:06 per mile. I was extremely happy, although next year I'd love to be under 1:45. Steve ran with me the first couple miles, then I could tell I was holding him back so told him to go on ahead. He finished with a new PR of 1:42:58.

At the finish with Josh and Stefanie. Stef got Josh to get running and it was so fun to get to know them better. Us girls ran lots, and the boys ran together quite a bit too. It was fun to keep tabs of everyone's progress and train together. Stef beat us all by quite a bit, of course.

It was Ann's birthday also on the 21st. After we got home from the race we crowned her with our birthday crown. Later we left all the kids with my parents and went out to birthday lunch at Cubbys.

That night we went to a Finlinson Reunion my mom planned with her cousins. We ate Cafe Rio and did some square dancing. My brother, Mike, joined us there. My girls love him!

We played our new favorite card came "9 Cards" a lot while the Cooks and my parents were here. I had to take a picture of both of my winning hands here. These both were by luck, which made it even worse for those I beat! ;)

My birthday was June 24. We celebrated with everyone at Kneaders for breakfast.

I was ambushed with silly string after walking out of the restaurant. This is a Cook birthday tradition. When the attack was over, Madi looked very concerned and told us not to do that to her for her birthday.

Then we went over to the Children's Museum of Natural Curiosity at Thanksgiving Point for like five hours. The kids LOVED it! So much so we bought a year pass and have been back several times. For my birthday that night, Steve and I got away to the Zermatt Resort in Midway again. We picked up Cafe Rio on the way, and enjoyed a night away again.

We came home the next day just in time for the lemonade stand the kids had going. They had so much fun and loved making some money.

The next day we said goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa. But not before one last ride on Grandpa's four-wheeler.

That night we went up the canyon and enjoyed the beautiful mountains, and Eric's famous Russian kabobs.

The kids roasted hot dogs, then we had s'mores for dessert.

The next day London's top front tooth was barely hanging on. We had to get one more picture with it.

Steve yanked it out that night.

It was double exciting because Logan lost a tooth earlier that same day.

The Cooks left the next day back to Dallas. We had so much fun with them, and were sad to see them go. We are already planning for next June when they will come again.