Super Heroes

Girls Camp is coming up soon. I'm helping out as the High Adventure leader. I love Girls Camp and camping in general. I enjoy roughing it in the great outdoors because it helps remind me how good I have it the rest of the time. I also really appreciate the beautiful world that God created and camping gives me a wonderful opportunity to do so up close and personal.
The theme for camp this year is Super Heroes. Each of the leaders has to come up with a superhero identity. Wonder Woman was my first thought- she was my favorite super hero while growing up. I loved her invisible plane and lasso of truth! It was taken already, so I had to keep looking. I think I'm going to go with the Pink Panther. I like it for a few reasons: 1. Pink is my signature color. 2. I like to run- panthers are symbols of quick runners. 3. The Pink Panther is humorous and I love to laugh. 4. The Pink Panther is stylish & adventurous and so am I, if I do say so myself.
I went out hiking last week with a group of the camp leaders at the park where we will have camp this year to get to know the lay of the land. It was so nice to get together with these ladies and talk while we walked over rocks and roots. These ladies ARE superheroes to me. They are great examples of righteous women who let their light shine and serve the Lord without complaint. I can't wait for camp- it promises lots of fun for the Pink Panther and her cohorts.

Race for the Cure

This is my second time running in the Komen Race for the Cure for breast cancer research. My friend Emily and I joined thousands of other runners at Meredith College in Raleigh. It was a beautiful but hot and humid morning. We had a great time and loved all the goodies for runners afterwards! We decided to do it again next year. Want to join us? Let me know- the more the merrier!

5k Success!

The Lengthen Your Stride 5K was a success! We had beautiful weather for our first run and over 1,000 people participated! We collected over $2,000 and 5,550 lbs. of food for the NC Food Bank. We donated over 300 bags & boxes of clothes to North Raleigh Ministries and 50 boxes of clothes to LifeCare Pregnancy center. We also have 2 XL bags of long sleeve shirts for migrant farm workers to help protect them from pesticides and we gathered 2 boxes of used grocery bags for a local elementary school fundraiser.

All that hard work paid off and I'm so excited that we will do it again next year!

Public Affairs

I recently joined the North America Southeast area public affairs team for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Someone asked me what that meant and why it was needed. I read this article today that I think answers that question very well. Click here to read what Elder L. Tom Perry said last week at Women's Week at BYU.

The September Issue documentary at Full Frame

This weekend I got to go to the Full Frame Film Festival in Durham and saw the documentary, The September Issue. Here's a synopsis:

Anna Wintour, the legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine for twenty years, is the most powerful and polarizing figure in fashion. Hidden behind her trademark bob and sunglasses, she has never allowed anyone to scrutinize the inner workings of her magazine. Until now. With unprecedented access, filmmaker R.J. Cutler’s new film The September Issue does for fashion what he did for politics in The War Room, taking the viewer inside a world they only think they know. Every August a record-breaking number of people can’t wait to get their hands on the September issue of Vogue. The 2007 issue was and remains the biggest ever, weighing over four pounds, selling thirteen million copies, and impacting the $300-billion global fashion industry more than any other single publication. At the eye of this annual fashion hurricane is the two-decade relationship between Wintour and Grace Coddington, incomparable Creative Director and fashion genius. Through them, we see close-up the delicate creative chemistry it takes to remain at the top of the ever-changing fashion field.

I loved the film. Having worked at a magazine over a decade ago, I loved that some of the magazine industry hasn't changed much. Technology has made a difference though and that was great to see too. I also thoroughly enjoy fashion, so of course, I thought it was great. I LOVED the interaction between Grace and Anna. I think Grace was such a star in the film. Grace was there at the viewing and it was wonderful to see her reaction to the film too. Really a fun night. I got to go with my good friend Israel who used to work at the festival. We went to dinner first with some of his friends and had a great intellectual conversation (which I rarely get to have as a full-time mom). I look forward to going again next year!

2 Halves make a Whole

My best friend Megan and I ran in the DC half marathon last weekend. Add our miles together and we have a whole marathon! We had a blast. Last year we did the Richmond 10K together. We are making running together an annual event and are going to invite more friends to join us. Interested in coming along next year? Let me know!

It was so cold and dark when we started. Only 27 degrees and there were people in shorts and tank tops! We coudn't even feel our noses for a while. It got better when the sun came up. I wasn't feeling my best and told Megan to go ahead- I was going to walk some. We've had a lot of snow and cold rain in NC in Jan & Feb so I hadn't been able to train like I should have. I added a half hour onto my last half marathon time but I don't mind. I still finished all 13.1 miles. As someone said to me along the course, "They give out the same medal to the 6th place as they do to the last place." I agreed. No more March races for me though. I'll stick to late April or May, thank you very much.

Running Playlist

I love music. It speaks to me - always has. I sing along with the radio and dance in the kitchen with my kids when a good song is playing. Running is so much more fun when I have a good song in my headphones keeping rhythm with my steps. Here are some of my favorites. I hope they inspire you to get moving too!

Goody Two Shoes Adam Ant
Are You Gonna Be My Girl JET
SOS Rihanna
Start the Commotion The Wiseguys
Runnin' Down a Dream Tom Petty
Beautiful Day U2
Girls Just Want to Have Fun Cyndi Lauper
Jump, Jive an' Wail The Brian Setzer Orchestra
Get the Party Started P!nk
Rock This Town Stray Cats Stray
Queen of Hearts Juice Newton Juice
Popular Kristen Chenoweth Wicked (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Soundtrack
Take On Me a-ha
Viva la Vida Coldplay
Call On Me (Radio Edit) Eric Prydz
Come on Eileen Dexy's Midnight Runners
Walking On Sunshine Katrina & The Waves
Mickey Toni Basil
I Melt With You Modern English
The Safety Dance Men Without Hats
Tubthumping Chumbawamba
Keeps Gettin' Better Christina Aguilera
Shake It Metro Station
Under Pressure David Bowie & Queen
Now that We Found Love Heavy D
Move Your Feet Junior Senior
Sweet Escape Gwen Stefani
Groove is in the Heart Deee-Lite
Hot Mama Trace Adkins
Take a Chance on Me Erasure
Whip It Devo
Here it Goes Again OK GO
Unwritten Natasha Beddingfield