GNO.....

GIRLS NIGHT OUT!!!!!!!

We had a really fun girls night out a couple of weeks ago. Me, Isabel, Stacey (my sister-in-law) and Cecilia (my niece) went to the Miley Cyrus concert. We had a lot of fun. It was a much needed break from the daily grind. I got out of work early so I could pick Isabel up from school. We started out our night with dinner at Johnny Carino's. I had been completely frazzled that week. Getting out sure helped lighten my mood and made me feel 100% better. Stacey would tell you it had to do with the Italian Margaritas (notice the pleural), that SHE kept ordering for me at dinner. But I think don't think so, well okay maybe they helped a little. I was amazed at how good the concert was. Miley put on an awesome show. Just after the concert started Isabel was dieing of thirst, so I went to the concession stand to get her a drink. When I got back they were announcing Miley had to take a break and that she would be right back. Apparently she ran off stage in the middle of her second song. When she came back on stage she said she was sick, but would finish the show. She did take several breaks, but they kept us entertained. The next day I heard she actually had to run of stage to vomit. Could you imagine if she did that on stage? Ben told me that someone commented to him that there are no pictures of me on the blog. Well these are the first.

My camera does not take good distance pictures in the dark, oh well.

Me and Izzy at the concert.

Cecilia and Stacey

Isabel loves to pose!

Like I said, it's all about the pose.
(Did you notice the empty salt rimmed glass in the picture, OOPS!)

WHATEVER?!?!?!

THIS IS WHERE KYA DECIDED SHE WOULD SLEEP TONIGHT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I HAVE OFTEN THOUGHT HOW COMFY IT WOULD BE TO SLEEP ON A HARD PLASTIC TOTE AT THE END OF MY BED. IT IS MOMENTS LIKE THIS WHEN I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO PICK YOUR BATTLES WISELY. THIS WAS ONE BATTLE I WAS NOT GOING TO WORRY ABOUT.

Leadville 100 mile trail run

Ben ran and finished the Leadville 100 mile trail run, also known as the Race Across the Sky. He finished in 27 hours, 38 minutes and 16 seconds. There were nearly 600 people that started the race, around 270 finished and Ben finished 121st overall.
The race started at 4am in the town of Leadville, Colorado. Leadville has an elevation of 10,200 ft. At the pre-race physical Ben's oxygen saturation level was 90 (fyi-in the hospital when your sats drop below 90 and you are hooked to a monitor the alarm will sound). Just so that you get an idea of the low oxygen levels at such high elevation. I was there as Ben's crew, along with his good friend Shane Martin. Shane helped me crew Ben the first 50 miles of the race, and paced him the last 50. We had a lot of fun together. Shane has ran several 100 mile races so his wisdom was very, very, helpful. The race is an out and back, meaning that they run out 50 miles and then back over the same trail for the second 50. Which made crewing the second half (in the dark and half asleep) that much easier.
He ran the entire race without sleeping. We were up for a total of 38 hours before we went to sleep. Well I did take a 2 hour nap. Between one of the aid stations I knew I had 3 hours until he would arrive. So I set my cell phone alarm clock and took a little snooze in the back of my Yukon on the side of the road in the middle of the mountains. I was a little bit freaked out, but really too tired to care. It sucks when you are still tired after 2 No-Doz, a red bull, monster java, starbucks espresso shots, and a dr. pepper. There just comes a point when the only way around being tired is getting some sleep. In a 100 mile race there are aid station set up the give the runners the things they need to keep going water, food, etc. I met Ben at all the aid station to give him the things he needed. Once he changed his shoes, because he had to cross a river twice. At one aid station I use a little back pack stove and had some hot potatoes cooked with loads of butter and salt. (I know what you are thinking and yes I am the best wife in the world!!!!! And believe me he knows!)
Let me tell you a little bit about the course. At almost the halfway point he had to ran over Hope Pass. The top of Hope Pass is at approximately 12,600 ft. That is a 1400 ft elevation gain in one pass (it is only a few miles, maybe 7?) HOLY HELL!!! Can you imagine going over that only to know you have to turn around and do it again after you just finished running 50 miles. I find it simply amazing.
Ben rocked the first 50 miles of the race. He was one of the first 50 (I think, maybe it was 70?) to come into the 50 mile aid station. After about 70 miles one of his knees starting hurting. So on top of a sore knee, sleep deprivation, and the fatigue of having already running 70 miles he was completely exhausted. But he had Shane pacing him, to keep him going. (A pacer is someone you can have run with you to keep you going. Also compliments to Shane for the photographic documentation of the race) Needless to say he over came all of the above and finished!!! I heard the race director say "You are better than you think you are and you can do more than you think you can." I like that statement. I guess we never know what we are capable of until we try.
At the award ceremony after the race there were some people that could not stand or sit without assistance. Ben was limping pretty good, but he could at least walk unassisted. Although he did use me as a crutch from time to time.
Here are some of Shane's awesome picture. Thanks Shane!
Oh, and I should mention that there was a 70 year old man that finished the race (before Ben)

CONGRATULATION ON SUCH AN AWESOME ACCOMPLISHMENT BEN!!!

this is Ben on top of Hope Pass

Just to give you an idea of what the run is like up to Hope Pass

And no he is not drinking the water, just washing off his face.
(I almost shit my pants when I saw this picture, no pun intended, LOL)

this is the fatigue and sleep deprivation I was talking about

this is the last road to the finish line

This is Ben and Shane at the finish line

Sophie turned one, can you believe it. I know I am a month late on the update, but we have been busy (Ben ran the Leadville 100 mile trail run). She is no longer a crawler, she is walking all over the place. She tries very hard to keep up with Isabel and Kya and gets better at it everyday. She is a very happy baby, but loves to scream. This is a new thing and I certainly hope it does not last. When she needs attention or just wants to be heard she will scream at the top of her lungs, not tantrum screaming, just screaming for the sake of screaming. Here are a few picutures of her eating her watermelon birthday cake.

YUMMY!

Sophie loved her cake. She kept wanting to share with everyone.

This was by far one of the easiest cakes I have made, but it was just as cute as all the others!

This was a difficult picture to get. Everytime I backed up to take the picure she was diving for her cake. By the look on her face you can tell she is trying to decide how to beat me to the cake.

Birthdays

July brings the girls birthday and lots of fun cake decorating for me. I look forward to this all year. There is nothing better that a great birthday party. I think I enjoy their birthdays just as much as they do. This year the cakes turned out really cute.
Kya turned 3 and requested a flip flop cake. All she wanted for her birthday was an umbrella, so she got a pair of cute rain boots to match. It even rained on her birthday so she got to go outside and try them out. Isabel is 7, but if you ask her she is 8 (she insists that we have counted incorrectly, I am not sure where she got this idea). Isabel got to have a party with her friends. It was a purse party. She had a lot of fun.

Squaw Peak 50 Mile Trail Run 2009

Well Ben did it again. He ran the Squaw Peak 50 Mile Trail Run. He finished last year in 12 hours. He rocked this year and finished in 9 hours and 36 minutes. I am not certain, but I think he finished 15th overall. I think Ben has found his "SOLE PURPOSE", or at least found something he is damn good at.

This is him running to the finish line.

Here are some random family pictures:

This is Kya playing in flour. Isn't she an angel?

Sophie is just plain cute!!!

Baby vampire teeth.
(probably a result of my Twilight addiction when she was a newborn)

Isabel did a cheer clinic and had a lot of fun. She was even in the Art City Day's Parade.

A little at a time

I will get everyone updated a little at a time. Let's start with some pictures of Sophie.

She is such a happy baby. She is now crawling like a pro and starting to walk along the furniture. She is in a hurry to try to keep up with her big sisters. She officially has vampire teeth. She has her two bottom front teeth, but on the top her vampire (are they called cuspids?) teeth have come in before the two front teeth. Is this a result of my brief Twilight addiction?

BUSY BUSY BUSY

I HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY LATELY. I HAVE A LOT TO BLOG ABOUT AND LOTS OF CUTE PICTURES. I WILL POST BEFORE THE WEEKEND IS OVER.

More race results!

Ben ran the Antelope Island Buffalo 50K today. He finished in 4 hours and 46 minutes, 9th overall. There were over 100 runners. He was overall very happy with his run, except he got "chicked" at the end of his race. These are Ben's words not mine. Two girls passed him in the last half mile.

KYA'S NEW DO!

What do you think?

Before:

After:

I think it really matches her personality, very spunky! My friend Cynthia cut her hair. She was very patient. I took two cuts to get it finished. Kya was done with her hair cut, but Cynthia was only had done. So Cynthia went above and beyond and came over after she got off work to finish it up. Thanks to Cynthia for being patient. Kya was funny she told Cynthia twice "WATCH IT!!" She is quite the character.

Moab Red Hot 50k Results

I know these are a bit late. But Ben did fantastic in his run. He was hoping to finish in less than 6 hours, but said he would be elated with 5 and a half. He split it right in the middle and finished in 5 hours and 48 minutes. I don't know how he does it.
He is planning on running the Leadville 100 mile run in August. No, that is not a typo. He does plan on running ONE HUNDRED miles. The race starts really early in the morning and he will run straight through the night until he reaches the finish line. We are talking about running for 24+ hours. He is crazy, but he loves it.

50K

Ben is running in the Moab Red Hot 50K (34 miles) this weekend. I will let you all know how he does. Wish him luck!!!

Simply Amazed!!!!

I came home from work yesterday exhausted. Sophie has kept me up the last two nights. She is fine during the day, but wakes up SCREAMING in the middle of the night. I knew I would have to take her to the after hours clinic to have her ears checked.

When I walked in the house Ben and the girls were sitting down eating dinner. Ben had made steaks, potatoes and corn. This isn't too unusual. He does cook a good dinner on the nights I work. But there is more. There is a counter full of cupcakes. The girls told me that daddy helped them make them. They were unfrosted, because he said he wasn't sure how to make frosting. Easy enough, I can make frosting. Then Ben asks me if I would like him to fix me a plate of food. Besides all of this the house was picked up and the dishes were done. He had also done laundry and went to the grocery store earlier. WOW!!!!

But there is more.

I had to leave to take Sophie to the doctor. They told me she had a severe infection in her right ear. This sucks because it was the result of her last sickness: fever, throwing up, runny nose. Poor little girl. All of this in just a matter of weeks. Anyway when I get home, the dinner dishes were done, the girls had been bathed, cupcakes frosted, Isabel's homework done, and the girls were in bed asleep. I just have to brag a little bit at how amazing he is. Who would have ever thought Ben had this in him. Well he definitely had me fooled. I am so completely amazed at how well he does all of this. It means more to me than he knows. I am so lucky that our role reversal has been so uncomplicated. I guess you don't know what hidden talents you have until you give new things a try. Ben could definitely win the homemaker of the year award. I am very lucky to have such a great husband. I love him alot!!!

Sorry for just a mushy, sappy post. But Ben deserves the recognition! Don't you think?

Grandma Cleo

Cleo U. Corrales

Loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, Cleo U. Corrales, 88, of Provo, Utah, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on January 20, 2009 at UVRMC in Provo. Cleo was born November 26, 1920 in Rosa, New Mexico to Carlos Ulibarri and Brigida Salazar. She married Jose Cayetano Corrales on September 20, 1941 in Aztec, New Mexico. She attended school at Middle Mesa in New Mexico. She was an excellent homemaker to her family and friends she loved dearly. She was a long time member of the St. Francis Catholic church where she was a member of Guadalupana Society and Women's League. She also worked in school lunch at St. Francis. Cleo had countless friends, was very well known and couldn't go anywhere without running into someone she knew. She loved her trips to Wendover and was always ready to go.

She is survived by her children Ben (Marcia) Corrales, Fred J. Corrales and Mary (Juan) Ruiz, 7 grandchildren, 13 great grand children; sisters, Cordelia Gurule, Dora Rivera and Tita Avina and a brother Johnny Salazar. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, 3 children, 5 brothers and 5 sisters.

Mass will be held Monday, January 26 at 11:00 AM at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 65 East 500 North in Orem. A viewing will be held one hour prior and on Sunday, January 25 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at the same location. Interment at Provo City Cemetery. Online condolences may be given at www.serenicare.com.

Special thanks to Dr. Militaru at UVRMC and Dave the "Gentle Giant".

LOOK WHAT KYA DID.....

Sophie Update

It has been a while since I have posted updated pictures of my little angel. And I mean angel literally. She has changed a lot, except for the fact that she is still the best baby ever. She has been sick with a fever and throwing up this weekend and yet she is still happy. We love her a lot.

Freaky

Do your kids ever say things that completely freak you out? Well one night Ben was gone and it was just me and the girls home. Isabel was in time out in her bedroom with the door shut, I was in Sophie's room feeding her a bottle and Kya was in the toy room (in the basement next to her and Isabel's room) playing. Kya came upstairs crying uncontrollably. This was our conversation:

Me: Kya, what is wrong?

Kya: That boy downstairs bit my finger.

Me: WHAT????

Kya: That mean boy downstairs bit my finger.

Okay at this point I am freaking out. I am a scaredy cat. After watching the movie THE STRANGERS, I slept with the lights on for a month. Honestly, you can ask Ben. I am a freak.

Me: Kya what are you talking about? Did Isabel hurt you?

Kya: No mom it was that mean boy.

Me: Okay show me where the mean boy is.

At this point I am trying to remember how to defend myself in case there is a scary little boy in the basement who likes to bite fingers. If you believe it, I was once a black belt in karate. But that seems like a lifetime ago. I figured I could at least incapacitate an attacker long enough to get me and the girls out of the house.

We went to the basement and Kya is cowarding behind me. I look around the toy room and the only thing frightening in the room is the huge mess the girls made. When I asked Kya to show me where the boy was she walked over to the toy box and pointed to SHREK!!! Yes Shrek was the mean boy. It is a stuffed animal that is taller than Kya. She was terrified.

For now Shrek is put up. But Isabel will find him from time to time just to scare the pants off of Kya. And it does. Every time she sees him she lets out a horrified scream and starts crying. It is so sad.

Addiction

I have been neglecting a few things in my life the last two weeks due to a severe addiction. The one thing that has suffered the most would be my sleeping, or lack there of. Many nights I would not go to bed until 4 or 5 in the morning. I am a closet addict. I went to great lengths to not let Ben know the extent of my addiction. So I would carry on life as usual during the day, but at night it was all about this new secret devotion of mine. I have my sister Tiffany to thank for the introduction of the extreme addiction. Most of you have posted things about Christmas and New Years, but not me. I have been completely preoccupied. I have been consuming large amounts of caffeine to keep me going during the day, which has led to a two day migraine.

UGH!!! I AM SUCH AN IDIOT!!!

Are you wondering what has been my obsession?

What could possible keep me up at nights?

What on earth could possible be this addictive?

ONE WORD WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BUT TWO WILL LEAVE NO DOUBT:

EDWARD and BELLA

Yes, it was the Twilight series. An impossible love story. Who doesn't love a good romance. Especially if you throw in a few vampires and werewolves.

I read all four books in the last two weeks and I am completely obsessed and very tired. I just finished reading Midnight Sun (Twilight from Edward's perspective). Have you read it? It is awesome. But it is only partial and only online. I hope she finishes it. I liked hearing Edward's side of things.

While obsessing over these books, I have often thought about a line Edward uses in the book. He says that Bella is his "own personal brand of heroine", he just can't stay away from her. I know what he means.

After finishing the first book, I had to go see the movie. I was so excited. I loved it and was slightly annoyed. Edward was not very nice to Bella in the movie. What was up with that? But I loved it anyway. I can't wait for the next movie. I will be one of the first to see it in the Midnight showing. I am not even sure when it will come out. So for any of you that are Twilight fans. Call me and we can go see the next one together.

Now if I could only get caught up on my sleep.