A few weeks ago Dave, Josh and most of my siblings and my mom had a unique Saturday morning. They participated in the Dirty Dash. The Dirty Dash is a 10K race. Now it is not your typical race because this race is all about the dirt. Wet dirt to be exact. MUD.
The course is mud, slides, water, marshes, snow, and other obstacles all wrapped into 6.2 miles of fun! The race took place in beautiful Soldier Hollow where some of the Olympic events took place 9 years ago.
Mitch and Haley were voted most creative for their costumes. Of course I was the only one voting.
Here is Mitch as Superman! Notice the cute curl!
Here is the clean crew at the beginning of the race. The t-shirts say We're Great but No One Knows It. It was our family theme about 30 years ago. It came from a Girl's Camp song. Please notice Jacob's short shorts. Very 1980's Jacob.
You start the race by hiking up a huge mud hill which was very slippery. Apparently Josh was tackled in the first few minutes by Andrew. At the top of the hill they sprayed all the racers with a fire hose. So you were cold from the very beginning.
Not too dirty yet. The middle kids. B. Rad, Alli and Andrew. (Tricia doesn't count as a middle because she thought she was my twin from the very beginning)
Tricia is doing some kind of Dirty Dash strut here. They were hiking through one of the muddy rivers.
A big mud hole in the road. Part of the fun was you never knew how deep the puddle was at any given point. You could be walking next to someone and they disappear up to their neck. See how muddy Andrew is compared to Brandon.
Alli with some stylin glasses. She was the brave one who took a camera in several ziploc baggies so we could have some pictures of the actual race. Thanks Alli.
Here is one of the least favorite obstacles. You had to climb through the mud filled tube. That wasn't the bad part.
The bad part was that on the other end they were spraying out snow from their snow maker machine. They were freezing cold at this point.
They look happy here. You will see that in the background there is a woman running. Some people took this race very seriously.
Here you had to either climb over or under these walls. This is Alli going under but trying to keep as clean as possible.
Here are the boys. You can see that even when it is not an obstacle it is still a big mud slop of a road.
This was their least favorite part of the course. These are sewer pipes that they are crawling over. Thye determined this by the horrible smell all around them! Of course this is the place that Alli slipped into a hole and went in over her head! NAAAASSSTTTYY!
Here is the snack station. Yum! Muddy jello.
One of the last obstacles is the giant slide. Only Dave flew down this thing. Everyone else had to inch their way down. (This isn't actually Dave flying. People can't fly.)
The kids waited at the big mud pond at the finish line.
They collected water balloons to throw at their parents. They were so excited!
The racers all waited for each other at the slide so they could finish together. The first ones in were Josh and Jacob. (Of course)
Jenn, B. Rad, Tricia, Andrew, Brandon and Dave were next. I love how Tricia seems to be trying to be careful going in. She didn't want to get dirty I suppose...
The last ones in were Haley, Alli, Mom and Mitch.
Wow. Mom. You really do not fit in with this crowd! They are all smiles though except Dave.
You see Dave couldn't see. He was completely blind. He didn't even know which way to go to get out.
B. Rad, Brandon (Who lost a contact)
Jenn, Mitch,
Josh, my baby,
Mom and Tricia
Dave still blind. Mom.
Mitch, Alli, Tricia
Jenn, Andrew.
Mitch and Haley
Here is the after photo.
What a fun day for us all! Thanks Sara and B.Rad!
What a fun day for us all! Thanks Sara and B.Rad!
Now I am going to post the full video (3 minutes) on youtube for the family to see how lovely they look. It is too big for blogger. But I need to preface by telling you that I was holding 2 cameras. One took all of the pictures that you see above. The other was my attempt to film but it was really more of a chest cam. The video camera just rested on my chest and whatever it captures is what you get. I edited out my running because it would have just made you motion sick.
1. Pray
First I have a crazy sister, Tricia, who invites me to go to lunch with her (that isn't the crazy part) and we have a good time or so I think. Then she proceeds to call my mom and tell her that she thinks that I am depressed. Her reasoning. "Kelli didn't laugh very much at lunch" 
Tricia then calls me later to see if mom has called and questioned me yet. Apparently not only did she tell mom I am severely depressed but she also told her that she thought they should schedule an intervention on my behalf. Tricia and I had a good laugh about what a nut Tricia really has become! 
Now Alli happens to be a therapist for those of you who don't know. It is important that you know that so she doesn't come across any wackier than she really is!
So after talking to Alli for a while and really exploring my inner self she has helped me to realize that I am.....
So I am POCDP! I am not stable! But it is nice to know that I fit in nicely with my sisters!
My hiccups are horrible. I get them once and then I get them all day long! They also hurt. And according to my boys they are LOUD. My dad had a foolproof cure for the hiccups. He would scare us. It worked every time. He would notice we had the hiccups and then boom he would yell our name or jump out at us. It never failed! 
My mom has her own cures for things. If you have a sore throat you should gargle salt water. As soon as you stop gagging it works! Just teasing Mom. Mom is all about prevention. She talks about eating healthy and getting enough sleep and exercising! Those are the first things she will tell you! Then the salt water gargle and also a humidifier. Absolutely you must have a humidifier. I don't remember going to doctor ever (except my junior high checkup!) so the healthy living must have worked! 
Today is actually a very wonderful day! Today is my Mom's birthday! She is the only one who I didn't highlight last year! Last the best of all the gang I guess! So let me tell you why I love my mom!
I love how Mom can find the gospel in regular life. Watch a movie, read a book or talk with mom and it will come around to the gospel. She lives it, she quotes it, she loves it. Many of my "Mom Memories" include finding her in her room on her knees or sitting at the kitchen table studying her scriptures. I love the example of goodness that she is. If it is good for her she tries to incorporate it into her life. This includes mental health, physical health, and spiritual health. 
I love how Mom loves her family. She loves her parents, her siblings (and in-laws and all their children) and her children and grandchildren (and that includes all the in-laws) with all her heart! They are her treasure here on earth. My mom shows love by doing things for others. I love how she serves those around her. I love mom because she will defend her children at all costs. She will also laugh at all their jokes. Which of course is very important! 
Jenn getting comfy. 
Here is her masterpiece! She was not only talented but quick also.
Tricia taking this very seriously. 
She also was the master of bold color! 
Sara doubting that it will actually end up looking like a flower! 
But look how great her flowers turned out!
Mom the artist! 
Mom's shadows were fantastic! 
Here is Alli and Haley. After we finished painting (about midnight!) We 
Here is Alli's. I loved her leaves and her cloth especially.
We voted that Haley's won the 
Here is mine. I like my purple flower. 
