LOTOJA 2009

So, this year for Lototja, Steve has been training and felt his strongest. He was ready to get out there and see if he could get his best time.

To start off the week before Lotoja, he decided to get chest pains on Sunday night and go to the hospital!!! Ya, and have an EKG saying he was having a heart attack, so then taken away for an angiogram (sp?). Long story short, he DID NOT have a heart attack, he had pericarditis, which is swelling around the heart. It is usually caused by a virus, we're not sure why he got it, but he did!!!

What a bummer to happen the week before the big race!!!


The whole week before the race we wondered if he was going to be able to race. He wasn't able to ride. He went into the cardiologist and got the OK though, so off we went to Logan, Utah.

My brother Colter did the race for his first time this year, it was so fun to be there with him!!

Steve was so excited to show off his Lotoja tatoo this year.... Come to find out they decided to put a stamp on everyone's calf to show who paid for the race. Steve went to get his stamp and the guy said, "Oh we already did yours, I mean, wow! That's a real one!!" Here he is with his double Lotoja stamps!!

Newton and Hammer support crew mini vans ready to roll!!!!

What an angel.....

There was a dinner the night before for the guys on Steve's team. It was fun to go with family and have dinner before the big race.

The EVO team...

Steve and Javier

Abi, Colter, Steve and I. We had lots of fun being together!!

The nervous cyclists!!

Here's the gang.... Codye and Matt came to help be support for Colter and Abi. They took care of the baby while Abi gave colter his stuff.

Here they are 5:30 in the morning. Steve was ready to go and Colter had to run to get ready. It was so cute to hear Steve giving Colter advice.

Here he is READY for action!!

We're excited for dad!! Go dad Go!!

The annual picture with Steve and Javier and the number of years they've done the race. Wow, can't believe we've been doing this so long!!

Steve couldn't make it without his AWESOME SUPPORT TEAM!! Team NEWTON!!

What an awesome picture, love these kids...

Ya, wish she would have been cute the whole time, NO she was not!! She cried sooooo much!!

The kids had a great time ringing cow bells for the riders!!

Here comes DADDY!!
And just as quick, there he goes!!

Go DAD!

He made it!! We were so proud and happy for him!!

We love dad!! He did it again, 6 times woo hoo!!

So fun to have Colt, Abi, Codye and Matt!!!

And of course the awesome Christensons were there to support. What great friends!!

Steve got his 1000 mile award!! I was so proud of him!!

Colter did SO great! He got 3rd place in his division!!

So sad, Braden got stung by a bee!! What a bummer!

I love my HONEY!!

Cute LOTOJA gals!

Oh my gosh, look at those kids. I love my babies so much!!

They did it!!! Same time, same place next year? We'll see!!

Herd Retreat 2009

Here we go again!! My group of friends from High School go once a year on a retreat. It is sooooo much fun. We laugh and eat and laugh and talk and laugh and I just love them all so much!!

Here we are at the bead store.....
Wendi, Cari, Engor, Carrie, Jill

Melissa, Melissah, Me, Katherine

Oh my gosh. Everyone brings candy and food to share. The four of us all brought the exact same candy!! Hot Tamales and Junior Mints!!

People ask what we do for our weekend. Do we go hiking, to shows, out to do stuff? No, we sit around this big table, we talk, we make jewelry, we made bows this year. We just laugh and talk about kids, and life and we cry and we laugh.

The red and black girls....

Out to dinner....

Make sure not to zoom in on this picture. Cari asked me if she had anything in her teeth and I said NO. But then she zoomed in and there's something in one tooth. We laughed so hard!!

Woo Hoo, cute MEK jeans!!

Thanks girls for being such great friends, love you all!!!
AND A GREAT BIG SHOUT OUT TO BRIMLEY WHO COULDN'T BE THERE!! WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!!!

HOMECOMING....

Tonight Linden Ann Newton went to her first prom. It was Riverton High School's Homecoming!!! Her boyfriend, Anthony asked her, and it was so much fun getting her all ready!!

Aunt Abi and Aunt Codye came to help get her hair and makeup done.

Having fun getting ready. Woo Hoo!

First Hair, Then Makeup, Then Dress, and TA DA......

A BEAUTIFUL LINDEN!!!

I can't believe my little girl is going to a dance!! I'm so excited for her!!

We love our Linden!

Linden was soooooo nervous for Anthony to pick her up. She knew we'd emberass her with pictures, and WE DID!! It was so funny, Steve walked out and got right between them for the picture. We were all laughing.

Anthony's dad was taking pictures too. These two felt so dumb with a big audience, but it's something we all have to go through, right?

They look so cute! His tie actually matches her dress!

Putting on the corsage, so much fun....

Anthony's dad drove them in the truck. I was trying to get a picture of her climbing in to that big truck and she finally gave me the "STOP TAKING PICTURES!!!!" look.

My little girl driving away to her first dance..... Have fun!!!!

BINKY DRAMA....

Ry Ry has loved her binky from day one....

But after a couple of tries taking it away, I had to finally get serious!!

The only way to get rid of it was to REALLY get rid of it!! I kept giving it back to her when it was "convenient" for me!! She is now BINKY FREE!!!!!!! (still asks for it all the time though!!!)

This is what she thinks about the whole thing...