A Really, Really Good Day

What do you get when you mix really great music, the mountains, and a good run?

To explain, I need to back up.
Yesterday, we went to the Dinosaur park with the kids, cousins, and friends. It was fun. I don't really feel the need to explain more. There were dinosaurs there. The kids like it. Go figure. I'll post some pictures for your viewing pleasure.




5 seconds after we got home from to Dino place, all my sisters-in-law and their kids came over to swim in the pool.

So, I did my time with my kids, let them have their fun. I know I don't sound so excited, I'm just trying to get to the good part.

Kay. Then, last night I went out to dinner with some of my old high school friends. We haven't gotten together in years, and it was great to catch up.

Let me tell you something about our little group of friends. The summer between our Junior and Senior year, my friend Nicole and I went to a BBY (Be the Best You)camp at BYU. It's kinda like EFY. Anyway, that's not the point. But we hitched a ride home with my cousin, Jedd, who was going to BYU at the time. He was playing this CD in his truck. A group I'd never heard before. Thus, I was introduced to the wonderful world of ABBA-hood. It's history from there.

Nicole and I loved ABBA so much, we went out and bought the greatest hits CD when we got home, then got all the rest of our friends into it.
You could say we all went through a bit of a disco phase. I remember coming to school dressed in our parent's old 70's clothes. And the best way to pay a compliment was to say "you're shirt is soooo ugly!"

Here we are all dressed up in our disco clothes, getting ready to go Disco dancing at the Bay. Do you remember the BAY? OH, yeah!!

That's me on the left with the awesome sunglasses and orange pants. My mom actually wore those pants in the 70's. AWESOME! Then, there's Heidi, Jamie, Christy, Chan, Jodi and Nicole. Four of these girls were there last night, plus Amy (who wasn't in the picture) It was great to get together and catch up.

Ok, so we may have gotten a teensy bit obsessive about the whole ABBA thing. I remember my Mom telling me she thought I had been born into the wrong decade.
I still love their music to this day.
Anyway, to make a short story long.....after dinner we went to see Mamma Mia. I had been saving this movie for my girls, my fellow die-hard ABBA-lovers. It was soooooo AWESOME!!! I had to hold back from singing the WHOLE time. My mind was flooded with nostalgia the moment the first song came on!
And can I just say. Uh, HELLO...Meryl Streep....you so totally rock!!



Ok, so anyway, after the movie, I drove down to Lehi to stay at my sister's house, got up at 4:15 this morning, and drove to Provo to run the Provo River Half Marathon.
I finished in the fasted time I've ever done a half marathon, totally running on an ABBA high. Oh, yeah, I ran the whole thing listening to ABBA on my I-pod. Who knew I had my secret weapon for speed all these years?
The course was absolutely beautiful! We started up Provo Canyon, ran down, passed Bridal Veil Falls, and along the Provo River Parkway Trail. Absolutely gorgeous. The mountains there are so majestic.
There is just something about running, amid the beauties of nature, and listening to music that I love.

This was a really, good day!