Memorial Day Weekend

A weekend with the Merkleys is never a let down. Always busy, fun, and never dull. We went out to Vernal for my little sisters High School Graduation, G-pa Pudges 80th b-day bash, and the Family reunion, busy right?
We did find some time to play a little golf. It was my first time and I did OK or at least I wasn't as bad as Dave thought I would be. Then went to Megans graduation, then to the after party and then on the way home with Ash, Melissa and Autumn we got a flat tire. So what were 4 girls to do in a small town on a country side road but have a dance party!! And the night after that Grandpa Pudges party and the night after that the family costume party!! Like I said never dull.

CaBo

We had SUCH a great vacation! We didnt do a whole lot besides sit by the pool drink pina coladas, eat, relax, sit by the pool, drink pina colada, eat, relax, eat some more and well you get the point. We did manage to go into town one day and go deep sea fishing which was fun cause we didnt come home empty handed. But really other than that our days were spend hangout, getting a massage, and just enjoying each other!!

26.2 MoNsTeR

I did it!!! I conquered the 26.2 monster. I may feel like hurling and had a minor melt down after, which honestly I expected and would have been more surprised if I hadn't but it passed. But the memories I have from this will stay with me forever and that is totally worth it.
I have learned so much from training for this marathon, not only about how hard you have to bust your butt or how dedicated you have to be, and also how strong you really are when you put your mind to something and go for it.
4 months ago when I started training I had no idea what I was really getting myself into but with the help and coaching from my dad, the strength and support from my running partners Val and Sid and all the encouraging words from all the other family we were able to make it to today! I truly believe I will never forget today when I ran my first Marathon the way I felt this whole week with being excited one day to wanting it over the next, or how great I felt the first 11 miles as they just flew by or at mile 13 when mentally I realized I was half way done and from then on every step got me closer to being done and when at mile 17 my dad had to give me a pep talk and tell me how great I looked and at this point Sid had pulled ahead so I kept telling myself just keep him in your sights, close the gap. and when at mile 20 I caught my second wind and knew I could and would finish or how at mile 23 my second wind was gone just as fast as it had come and how I think/know every mile got longer and longer from there on out and finaly mile 26 came and I could see the finish line but my legs felt like glue and I no matter how hard I told them to just keep moving they were fighting back. But finally my saving grace came to me from out of the crowd... Dave swept in and with his word of encouragement carried me across the finish line!! Every one was so AWESOME today even the crowds that stood on the side of the road cheering you on with up lifting words you will never know how much that helps until you are on the other side of the road. I am so blessed and grateful to have been able to do this with the ones I love.
Official time: 4:27

Him vs Me

So today when Dave came home from work he informed me that I was "in an annoyingly good mood" what is that you might ask? well Im not really sure, but it may or may not have had to do with the fact that I showed him the costume that he will be wearing to my family reunion this summer but anyway it got us going on what I am and what he is. And I just want to always remember how we see ourselves. So....
He is the nicer one and Im the meaner one, He is the homebody and Im the outgoing/party one, He is the logic thinker and Im the fly by the seat of your pants, He is going to be the passive parents and Im going to be the enforcer, He is a saver and Im the spender, He is more soft spoken and Im (or at least can be) a loud mouth, Hes the serious one and Im the prankster, Hes the couch potatoe and Im the busy body, Hes a smarty pants and well I have a thing called street smarts, This next one is kinda hard to admit but Im a OCD cleaner and well Im still working on converting Dave, he has a big ego and I am humble (he gets that gene from his father)
And THIS is why we work!