Ultimate Urban Challenge

We had an awesome opportunity to participate in a bike race through the streets of downtown Boise.  The Make-A-Wish foundation is heavily involved with the cancer kids at the hospital.  I have been at work many times when a representative was there to meet with the kids to discuss their "WISH."  It's nice to see these kids become so excited about something so little, simple, and FUN that they get to look forward to and experience. 

Last year the Make-A-Wish started a charitable event which helps raise money for the Boise chapter.  I heard about this event after it had happened last year and decided to round up a group to complete it with this year.  So, I rounded up my husband and the Givens.  You compete as a team of four and bike across Boise completing challenges; kind of similar to how Amazing Race works, but on a smaller scale.  The kicker is that the bike is your mode of transportation through the entire race.  

There is a costume contest and we were the Superheroes;  I figured it would be easy to outfit us with that theme.  My good sported husband reluctantly complied and wore his cape.  Thanks Batman!

The Batman Crew

The Superheroes....and some random guy who wanted a picture with us.  Our 1st challenge started out in the Boise State Practice Field.  We had to play leap frog over each other across the field, then run back and help one of our blindfolded team mates put together a puzzle.  We took off from here to the streets of downtown Boise.

Challenge 2-We all had to run in place with an pedometer on us and burn so many calories collectively

Challenge 3-We biked to the BSU Gymnastics Center where we had to complete some balancing acts, somersaults, cartwheels, etc.

Challenge 4-We got hung up with all the other groups trying to find the location of the Roller Derby.  They had moved their location and forgot to update us .  We finally arrived and had the best time playing Roller Derby with the Derby Girls.  Blake excelled and helps us win really fast.

Challenge 5-We headed off to the rock climbing wall and had to rock climb horizontally across the wall without touching the ground.  I think this was almost harder than climbing straight up the wall.  

Challenge 6-  I was actually glad to be completing this challenge which was chugging a can of 7-up.  Prior to arriving we biked up 4 miles of the Bogus Basin hill.  Considering I am not an avid biker, this was a killer for me.  I told myself I wasn't getting off my bike to walk it up the hill and I did just that; I pedaled myself slowly and made it to the pit-stop

Challenge 7-We cruised back down the hill and over to a park where each of the couples had to saw off a chunk of a log.  It was an old fashioned saw and took some work to make our way through the wood.

If you barely held on it worked a lot easier

Throughout the race they had pictures of the six local kids we were raising money for

Challenge 8-Blake wore a kilt and we had to take turns rolling a ball down a field.  The ball could not go outside of the lines they had marked on the ground

Slow and steady got us through this challenge

Challenge 9-Each team mate got to shoot 8 arrows.  We had to collectively get the arrow onto the yellow or red areas on the target 4 different times

Superman assisting Batman

Luckily the boys collectively got the 4 shots we needed before the girls had to take the reigns

Challenge 10- We headed over to Park Center Pond and had to race around cones out on the pond.  The girls were paddling on a canoe and the boys took the knee boards out

Challenge 11-We rode over to Les Beaus High School where we had to do a relay around the track on a little kids bicycle.  Following the race around the track we completed Challenge 12 which was playing a quick game of Lacrosse and scoring a goal

Challenge 13-We headed to Golds Gym where we were learned a choreographed dance and had to perform it.  I wish I would have had some pictures of the boys and their dance moves; it was hilarious!

It was off to the finish line from there....23 miles, 13 challenges, all in 3 hours and 35 minutes.
We'll be back for all the fun next year. 

Main Street Mile

Blake and Allie participated in the Main Street Mile this year.  Allie got to do the kids run which was a 1/2 mile loop and Blake ran the competitive one mile race, which was 2 loops.

One mile down Main Street in Boise....Really, every should be out running this, who can't do a mile

Allie and Daddy in their shirts

All the kids get to run behind the "ice cream truck"  When they cross the finish line the doors open and they all are rewarded with a popcycle

Allie meets Buster Bronco

The mascot wave of the race....it was pretty hilarious to see all of the different mascots racing in their full on uniforms

It was all fun until somebody got hurt.  The Red Robin bird bit the dust right in front of us.  This bird was actually really hurt, the called over the EMT's and had to escort her off the race course.  I can't imagine running with those big heads on, I think I'd be the bird on the ground.

Blake and Allie crossing the finish line from the kids race.  Allie was nervous to run all by herself, so Blake ran along side of her.  Nothing like a little motivation along the way to keep you going

Allie's blue ribbon for completing the course

After Allie's little run....she was pooped. It always feels good to be done running even though it's not to funnest during the run; lessons to learn in life.

Blake making it 1/2 way, one more loop to run

Coming through the finish at 5:35....not to shabby but crazy to say there were quite a handful of men coming in before Blake so needless to say he was not the winner

Nothing like a cute sideline cheerleader to cheer you on.  Sophie and I sat on the sidelines cheering everyone on.  Next year I hope to be on the streets running!

Zip Line

Blake and I celebrated our 8 year anniversary.  I can't believe that 8 years have passed by; it goes by way to fast.  I had wanted to take us zip lining last year, but was pregnant so I had planned to do it this year. Up in Horseshoe Bend they have a zip line coarse set up and we had heard so many good things about the place

Blake and I all geared up and ready to "ZIP ON"

Blake coming across on the first line

All clipped in up in the tree

Hanging out in the tree house

Blake coming in for a landing

Getting ready to head down "Wild Turkey"

Heading down Wild Turkey-a 1700 foot zip line-my favorite of the day

"Double Trouble"- The final set of lines and the only tandem set

Blake and I got to race down the last set of lines side by side

Trying to take pictures mid-way down the zip-line was a little bit more trickier than we thought.  What a fun adventure!  Here's to many more years of many adventures!

Fishing and Swimmming

We have been enjoying our summer so far.  We have been busy with lots of things and staying cool by enjoying many days spent in the water somewhere.

Hanging around.....love this girl

Sophie is starting to scooch her way around to wherever she wants to be.  She also started a BAD habit that her daddy and Papa Von both have which is chewing her tongue.  I don't know if this is a genetically wired problem, but it's horrible and I never thought my 7 month old baby would pick up on this

We headed out to enjoy the free fishing day with Papa Jim.   The Fish and Game Department stocks ponds around the valley and opens them up to anyone to come and fish

Allie caught a little blue gill; to small to keep this little guy so he went back into the water

Grandma Deb soaking in some rays

Sophie hanging out in the shade

We have also enjoyed lots of water activities this summer.  Allie is doing swimming lessons and loving them.  She is really getting the hang of things and has started to swim short distances.  It is really fun to see her love for the water and to see her progress.  We also have enjoyed many days at the water park this summer.  Hopefully there are many more fun summer days ahead.

Father's Day

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!

Allie and Papa

Allie and Daddy

Cute Allie girl was requested to wear her daddy's tie to sacrament and sing a few songs to the fathers with all the other primary children.  We are so grateful for all the great men in our lives who are such a wonderful influence to all of us and glad we have this day to celebrate them!  We love you all!!!

Dairy Days

Another year has come and gone and it has rolled around once again.  The BEST parade ever!  Dairy Days in Meridian is here again and we were out to support it once again.   Blake was out of town on a camp out, so we got to leave extra early and we went to the front line of the parade with some good friends.



Allie and Tyler waiting for their chocolate milk from the "dairy" truck

Allie is a trained parade spectator.  She was waiving her bag yelling for candy from the get go

"A real cowboy with a lasso"-quoted Allie

Waiting on the sidelines with the Coltrin boys

Tyler and Allie

Sophie can't complain, look hard to see her milk mustache.  She enjoyed the chocolate milk as well as the TCBY ice cream.  This girl LOVES "people food"

Once again Allie was successful in obtaining her summer nightgown from the parade-an over sized milk shirt.  We had come home and our neighbors also had gotten milk shirts-Josie, Payton, and Allie in their shirts.

Something new we tried out this year was the kids bike race at Meridian Speedway

The race for Allie's age group was one lap around the Meridian speedway.  Allie was so excited to be racing her bike on the big track for the fast cars.

Hanging out on the finish line



Before the race they provided decorations for all the kids to decorate their bikes.  Allie decked her bike out in streamers and even put a name tag on the front

On the start line with her friend Lucy

Listening to the safety instructions

Focusing so hard....I love it

I ran to the other side of the track to cheer Allie on and catch her going around the last corner

Everyone got a medal for finishing the race.... appropriately it was a cow bell for the Dairy Days

I promised Allie a ride at the mini "fair" after the bike race.  We had a great year at Dairy Days; until next year!