Dustin at the Marathon...

So the people at the marathon haven't posted photos yet but Dustin did ask someone to take a couple of him right after the race. I think he looks pretty fabulous for having just run 26.2 miles! I'm also posting a photo of Dustin and my brother Doug's family who Dustin stayed with for the weekend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JENNA MAE!

Pretty Jenna Mae in a dress from Grandma Pamela. It's a good thing we tried it on today- I was saving it for Christmas but it JUST BARELY fit today.

Jenna and her buddy Tyson.

Cake Time! She even blew out her candle herself! I couldn't believe it.

Our little princess Jenna turned 2 on Tuesday! She is such a big girl! We are so blessed to have her in our family. Jenna spent her birthday going to Library Time here at the Base library (it's every Tuesday) having her favorite lunch of Cheesy Noodles, playing portrait studio in the front yard, and finally having her friend Tyson and his mom and sister over to dinner for another favorite, pizza, and of course cake and ice cream.

Dear Mr. Obama

Hi all! I was sitting here on this fine Sunday evening browsing the blogs and I read a post on my friend Shaunda's blog that really touched me. I consider myself politically active. I hold an elected office here in Cascade County, I attend the Cascade County Republican Central Committee meetings each month, I was part of the 60 member Team Mitt Montana back in the spring who helped Mr. Romney win our state, I vote, etc. Anyways, Shaunda posted the following Youtube link on her blog and I'd like as many people as possible to see it. So click below, and if you agree with me, pass it on. I am married to an amazing Airman. We are blessed right now that he is non-deployable but our turn will come. This could be him. Pray for our troops. Pray for their families. Pray for our country in this time of political change. Make your choice. Vote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8

THE RESULTS ARE IN...

Here are the official Air Force Marathon results...

Dustin's Official Time: 3:52:43

Overall Place: 382nd out of 1797 finishers, top 21%

Age Group Place (30-34 men): 36th place out of 136, top 26%

I can't wait to see the photos from his big day. I'll be sure to post them here as soon as I can. I'll also try to get him on here so he can share his experience with you all. I am so proud of him!

HE DID IT!

Dustin just called a little bit ago. He completed the Air Force Marathon today with an unofficial time of 3 hours 53 minutes. His goal was to finish under 4 hours and he did it! Wow. I am so proud of him. I can't wait to see him tomorrow when he gets home so he can tell me all about it. Way to go!

Fathers and Sons Campout

This past weekend was supposed to be our Stake fathers and sons campout. We had had a few days of very heavy rains, especially for this time of year, and the campout got cancelled due to a washed out camp area. Dustin had already packed the truck so he and a couple of other dads who didn't want to disappoint their kids went out anyways. They went up into the Little Belt mountains for a crazy night complete with fishing and wading in the creek, a campfire, some really cool evidence of a bear nearby, and a surprise storm that caught them off guard as they slept by the fire. They had a great time and all came back, in the same clothes I sent them out in, super dirty and very tired!

Dad Made the Base Paper!

Today our Base paper, The Guardian, printed an article about the members of Team Malmstrom who are training for this year's Air Force Marathon. This is the picture from today's article. There's Dustin third from the left. You can click on the following link to read the entire thing. http://www.malmstrom.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123114967 The marathon is just about a week away at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Dustin has been running a lot- more than I'll run in a lifetime, I know. Last Saturday he put in a 20-miler. He's pretty excited about the whole trip. It's one of those things on his list of things he's just gotta do. Only now he's setting his sights on a Triathlon in Boise this coming June. I've been teasing him lately because he's been having a lot of "haftas". Like I "hafta" go running or I "hafta" go get these energy things at the sports shop. I just told him after this marathon, which is also a little 4 day vacation from Great Falls, that it will be my turn for some "haftas". The sweetheart that he is, he just says, "No Problem!" Another neat thing about this trip is that Dustin will get to visit with my brother, Doug, and his family who works as a civilian on that Base. He hasn't seen Doug since my sister's wedding in the spring of 07. We've heard his son, Jared, is over 6 ft tall now and I can't wait for the pics to prove it! Getting back to the article...They will be running a part two of this article after the marathon with all the results. I'll be sure to post that link also.

Baby Names...

Here is Jeff this morning all ready for his first day of Preschool. Doesn't he look darling? Yesterday he and I worked on his homework and I was sure to put Jeff D. on everything because there is another Jeffrey in his class. Well, when we got there today we found out that the other Jeff is Jeff Dodge. Another Jeff D.? The crazy thing is that there are 2 Henrys in Henry's First grade class, too. Now, I am not one to choose popular names so how did this happen? Well, I've decided it's gotta be a fluke...I went to the Social Security Baby Names Website and looked up both boys with their birth years and neither one even made in into the top 100! I just hope this doesn't happen again! Getting back to Jeff- he had a great first day at Preschool and when we got into the van after school he told me that he made a new best friend today but couldn't remember her name. He can't wait to go back on Friday and play with her again. Too cute!

Not my favorite outfit, but a pretty great calling!

Doesn't this look like fun? Here I am helping one of my Scout's little brothers give it a try. I am really enjoying working in Cub Scouts in my Ward. We do a lot of playing and I still get to go to my classes on Sundays. This past week was our Raingutter Regatta and End of Summer Pack meeting. Right now I have 5 boys but 2 more have moved in during that last 2 weeks and 2 more turn 8 before the end of the year and one more boy could be moving over from the school Pack now that our Pack is functioning. It's pretty exciting. We can do a lot more with more boys although it means that much more work. I can't believe how much there is to this and how much more I still have to learn. I am pleased with our progress so far- one boy earned his Webelos, one completed their Religious Square Knot patch, one his Wolf, 2 their Bobcat, 3 earned the Leave No Trace badge over the summer and 2 others are super close to finishing other things. We have definitely been busy, that's for sure!

Just when I think I just might be up for Mother of the Year...

Here's Henry- off to First grade at Chief Joseph School. His first day was last Wednesday. I thought I was doing so well... I had cleaned out my dead summer annuals and put in my Fall mums so the front porch would look nice in photos (sorry you can't see 'em in this photo), we were all up on time, happy, and ready to go, I had steamed Hen's shirt and Dad had combed his hair just right, we had a good breakfast, and were ready well before bus time. So we sent him off to the bus stop after he told us he didn't need help once he got to school and I sat down with a friend to help her get her Family Home Evening Exchange packets ready. We were sitting in my living room cutting out keys to the Priesthood when she let me know that they qualified for free lunch this year. LUNCH? (Here's where my nomination goes out the window) I hadn't sent Henry with any lunch! Luckily Dustin went in late that morning and had time to run some lunch money over to the school. Maybe I'll get that award next year. I doubt it, though, because all growing up my mom mentioned that award pretty often but I don't remember her name in the paper and she was, and is, a FABULOUS MOM!