My MOM’S Guest Post!!!! (She reads your comments every day so you guys are pretty much all best friends)

TODAY I have my mom on the blog!!! As you know, she is beyond amazing.  I’m real lucky to have her and she can’t wait to share a few things on the blog today:)  ENJOY!

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Good morning from Hungry Runner Girl Mom! Janae asked me to do a guest post.  It has been a great week! I thought I would tell a little bit about myself, my husband and a couple family stories.

My husband and I have been married for almost 45 years! We got married pretty young, we were in college, but we look back on those years with great fondness…

My husband is an electrical engineer/inventor.  He is also quite the artist.  He hasn’t had much time lately to paint but when he does he is amazing!

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I love color! I am a gem cutter or faceter.  My favorite gem to cut is Uruguayan, extra color amethyst.  I also love cutting garnet, topaz and some sapphire.  I have cut some cabochons such as lapis lazull, larimar and agate but my interest is in faceting flawless gems.

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Family stories

Years ago when Janae was a baby, my husband and I slept on a waterbed.  In the middle of the night one night my husband woke me up saying, “honey, there’s a problem!” Yikes! I realized I was soaking wet but it was warm water so it didn’t wake me up.  My husband said he woke up because he had started blowing bubbles in the water and started choking.  (He is a lot bigger than I am so he was lower in the water).  We jumped out of bed and tried to figure out what had happened.  My husband decided to carry the, now 500 pound, comforter downstairs to the laundry room.  Unfortunately, he fell down the stairs and injured his ankle.  He couldn’t think of what to do about it so he put a cowboy boot on to hold it in place.  It was 2 in the morning and within 5 minutes, we had nowhere to sleep, we were cold and Dean was injured.  The next morning he couldn’t get the boot off because of the swelling so he had to go to work with this cowboy boot cast on (no sock)! Later that night we were assessing the damage to the bedroom but couldn’t figure out where the water had leaked from.  The kids were having a grand time in the next room making up jokes about what our obituary would have said if we drowned in our waterbed.  About that time our 6 year old nervously wandered into our room and asked, “If someone took a pin and made lots of holes would that make it leak?”  “Well yes, that might do it!” Sure enough if you looked closely there were tons of little holes causing the bed to leak a little every time we moved, creating the perfect drowning bed! Yes, our kids may be the death of us!

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One of our children, we will call him Bob, was unusually coordinated from the day he was born. When we brought him home from the hospital my husband set his bassinet in the foyer so he could get my suitcase.  Bob was on his stomach, 3 DAYS OLD, and to my astonishment used his arms to push up, held his head up and started looking over the edge of the bassinet! I was freaked out because I couldn’t remember any of the other kids doing this.  Hmmm.  What was I in for with this one?!! My mom happened to be visiting when Bob turned 3 months old. She said, “If you took that slippery terry outfit off of him I think he would crawl.” Thanks mom but I don’t want to chase a 3 month old baby.  Oh well, he started crawling the next day anyway.  Bob was walking at 5 months and started climbing out of his crib at 5 months too.  My husband had to build a special set up over the crib so he couldn’t get out in the middle of the night.  Not much thinking about safety going on in the mind of a 5 month old, trust me.  Predictably, Bob got injured a few times. The ER doctor, after watching the amazing feats of a 5 month old and checking the hospital records to verify his age, told me to put runners on the ceiling to suspend him until his brain catches up with his brawn. It was quite a year for our family trying to keep Bob in one piece.  I think he may hold a record unless you include chimps!

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Janae also asked me to write one of my pep talks that she mentions on the blog sometimes.  I do give pep talks to people that are feeling down when they ask me to help them feel better.  One of the first things I realized years ago when trying to help someone, women specifically, is that there is no reason to point out faults.  Women tend to whip and blame themselves way more than helpful when they are in a difficult situation.  They don’t need to be reminded of their problems.  What they need is a cheerleader helping them overcome their feelings of failure or inadequacy.  They need to see that they can make adjustments, move forward and forget the past.  People really just want someone to listen, not preach.  i also pay close attention to everyone’s strong points so it is easy for me to remind them of their REAL strengths, not schmoozing, but helping them remember who they really are and what they can become.  This world would be a much better place if people built each other up instead of criticizing each other and tearing others down. Most people really are trying their best to live a good life.

And as far as running pep talks go, I always tell Janae something like the following, “Think about all the miles you ran to get ready for this race.  Your body is good to go.  You did the work. Now relax and let your training run the race.  You will rock it.  Don’t overthink it.  Have fun baby girl!”

(PS—> Janae here for one line:  When Brooke saw the picture below she wouldn’t believe me that this was a picture of me and not her;)

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I have met many of you over the last few years at airports, Costco, Petsmart, the grocery store, gym (my one time to sign up and the ladies at the counter said, “You’re Hungry Runner Girl’s mom!” Oh dear, I can’t live up to Janae’s fitness.) and even the hospital.  I must say I enjoy all of your comments and feel very grateful for the support and love that you have shown my daughter.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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Any artists?  Gem cutters?

Favorite hobbies outside of running?

Any precocious babies?

If you are married, how long have you been married?

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251 comments

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Your family is wonderful and they are lucky to have you! ?❤️

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Thank you! It was fun to reminisce about funny experiences raising my kids. Have a great day!

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Gemstone cutting sounds really fascinating. I’m an arris but more of a commercial artist. Graphic design. I love photography too.

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One of our, maybe not the kids, favorite things to do on vacation was take the family to the art museum in whatever city we were visiting. We took our kids to all of the major art museums in the country as they were growing up. One of our sons, age 11, was bored with this activity and sarcastically said as we entered a museum (along with rolling his eyes), “Wow, look another Monet”, as he glanced across the room probably 30 feet away. Ha! My husband and I smiled at each other and knew we had accomplished our goal!

Thanks for your comment!

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what an awesome post! loved learning more about you and your wonderful family! and your gem cutting is amazing! too cool. my only weird hobby would probably be opera singing haha. I actually went to college and majored in it and it has always been a passion of mine. I don’t do it as my main profession today, but it’s still something awesome I love to do on the side.

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Thank you for your comment. I can reply on comments right now because Brookie is still asleep.

Years ago I was driving around with Janae running errands. I was listening to the Three Tenors at Dodger Stadium, probably more volume than I should have been, when Janae asked, “are they called the three tenors cause they sound like there are ten of them?! I turned it down but it was one of my favorite all time CD’s!

You must have a beautiful voice and what a great hobby!

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Wow that painting is incredible. It looks so detailed, hopefully he will be able to paint more often again. I actually didn’t know to much about gem cutting so that was fascinating to read.

It’s funny you mention that happened about the water bed. One of my biggest fears is that I’ll use a waterbed and that would happen. I think it’s one of the most comfortable beds ever but I do worry it might explode while I’m sleeping.

I’ve been married about a year and a half now. We dated for a long time before getting married but we were pretty young!

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We bought that waterbed when I was pregnant with Janae. MY back was killing me and it was soooo comfortable. Janae weighed 9 pounds and 7 ounces when she was born so my back was really struggling. I loved that bed but we got a normal one after the water bed incident! Have a great day!

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Aww I loved getting to read a post from you!! And I really needed a pep talk this morning, so it was comforting to read your words. Guys are so difficult to understand, and there’s one in particular who has my heart, so it’s been keeping me on an emotional roller coaster ride lately. So THANK YOU!

Outside of running, I love watching sports and spending time with people–especially if we are hanging at the pool or eating froyo together. :)

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Hang in there! Guys don’t think like we do so they can be hard to understand but after raising sons I have a little better understanding of how they think! Have a great day!

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That water bed story literally had me laughing out loud at my desk! Especially the cowboy boot part….wow. I’m still laughing.
I’m super impressed by both the painting and gems! Incredible! My hobby outside of running (and working and being a mom and cooking dinner ;-)) is writing. I have a little blog that I started recently, but more importantly, I FINALLY started writing a novel, and I’m SO excited about it! It keeps me up way too late.
You should do a monthly inspirational post! Janae is lucky to have such a wonderful family!

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Keep writing! What a fun hobby. Janae sure has enjoyed this blog. She has so many good friends from her blog connections too.

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Your rings are so pretty! What a creative family :)

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the “poking holes in the water bed” story! I am sure the night wasn’t fun at all when it was happening but it’s quite a story to tell years later!!

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Thank you! It is really exciting, to me anyway, to cut a beautiful, colorful, sparkling gem from a piece of rough. When you are finally at the polishing stage and can see inside (kind of like washing a dirty window and then looking at what is inside) it is so fun to see the beauty of that gem sparkling back at you!

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How sweet to hear from you! Janae is lucky to have such a supportive mother!

p.s. my mother also had a waterbed and I may or may not have poked it with an earing to see what would happen…I am not sure my mother even knows about that!

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Hahaha! Kids are funny. That particular son loved to experiment with everything. Once when cleaning his window sills I found a couple of paper cups with awful looking stuff in them. I asked him what was in them and he replied, “I rubbed cotton in the toilet and put in the cups of water to see if anything would grow.” AHHHHHHHHHHH! I screamed and dropped the cup. He was a very curious boy.

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So neat to hear from you, HRG mom!!! Your family is lucky you have you! I am getting married THIS WEEKEND!!!!!

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Wow!!! Congratulations! Have a wonderful day! When you get a chance maybe write a comment about how everything went! Are you going on a honeymoon? Enjoy every minute of this wonderful time of your life!

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You are too sweet. :) Yes, we are going to London and also spending a day in Paris. We are both really looking forward to it. I will make sure to post a comment about how everything went upon our return! Have a fantastic day! :)

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Congratulations Emily! And a London/Paris honeymoon sounds amazing. A lifetime of great wishes to you!

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Congratulations Emily! I hope your special day is amazing :)

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Best of luck Emily! Hope you have a fabulous wedding & honeymoon!

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Hi HRG Mom! I loved your post! So fun and what a wonderful family! Your stone cutting is amazing! What a hobby! Outside working out, I guess my only other hobby is my dogs… does that count as a hobby? I’m obsessed. :) I’ve been married for 15 years and I hope someday I can say 45 years too.

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Hi! Fifteen years! You are a marriage vet! Forty five years sounds so long but in reality it seems like it has flown by. Raising five kids helps with that. We had several dogs over the years and loved them so much. We had a golden retriever that watched out for the kids if they were playing in the back yard. A wonderful dog. Have a great day!

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Oh, my goodness. I am a longtime reader, and have always thought you seemed so sweet, but this was seriously the best thing I’ve read in a looong time! You are fantastic and I really enjoyed your stories. :)

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Thank you! Have a great day! Families are the best and so fun to look back over the years.

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It is so much fun to read those family stories-they are always fun to share! I love how positive you are and how much you love and support others especially your family. My husband and I have been married for a year and a half! :)

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Thank you! Marriage and family is the best!

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Thank you for sharing your stories! That water bed one! Too funny! :D

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Well not funny about your husband getting hurt, but about the question from your kids that if they poked the water bed with a needle a lot would it pop it!

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Thank you! My husband had one painful time trying to get that boot off! Have a great day!

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You are such a sweet Momma! We are blessed with our Moms, too. Both awesome ladies and great supporters. Moms are the best!

We have been married for a little over 9 years and fall more in love each day!

PS – We live in Louisville. I think where one of your sons lives? We would LOVE to meet you all if you ever make it to KY to visit!

Thanks for posting in Janae’s absence!

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We love Louisville! What a great area. Yes we do have a son that lives near Louisville. I’m hoping to visit him soon. Have a great day!

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Awww so nice to hear from you! Great post. I have been married one year in October! So early days but living it. I’m not a stone cutter at all but I really love them. I am actually getting into crystals at the moment and their energy. Thanks for sharing xx

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Thanks! I love looking at crystals! I have a quartz crystal arrangement on our dinner table. I love looking at nature and how beautiful all of Heavenly Father’s creations are. Have fun!

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Your husband is an amazing artist! And so are you! Super talented family :). I paint as well, but no where near the caliber of your husband, my stuff is mostly abstract and cartoonish. No babies yet, but my husband and I have been together 8 years, married for almost 1 (anniversary sept 2!).

Keep giving the good advice! Love the idea of bringing each other up :) We need more people like that in the world

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My husband does have an amazing talent. I on the other hand stopped progressing in kindergarten as far as drawing goes! Everyone has different talents which is why it’s so wonderful to meet new people and discover what they have accomplished. Enjoy your art talent!

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Walking at 5 months! Oh goodness! I am glad my children waited a bit longer. :) My brother learned to walk before learning to crawl. So my parents get to laugh about that one still.
45 years of marriage is amazing!! Congrats. You have built a beautiful family in that time. I can only hope that when I am older I can have my children speak of me the way your do you. Great post.

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Walking, climbing, running, he almost killed us off trying to keep him in one piece at that age. He actually jumped out of his high chair, no seat belts in those days and fractured his skull. We were worried sick all the time. He turned out totally normal though! Have a great day!

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Thanks for sharing your stories!

We’ve been married six years this September.

The only other hobby I really have outside running is playing the cello

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Thank you! I have a grandson who is starting to learn the cello! What a wonderful instrument. You must enjoy being able to play and listen to your own music! Have a great day!

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Thanks Janae’s mom for a beautiful post! It was wonderful to read.
My favorite part: “This world would be a much better place if people built each other up instead of criticizing each other and tearing others down.” Amen to that!

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Thanks! I don’t like those tv shows where the families are constantly making “funny” remarks about each other that are actually quite hurtful. Our families should be safe and uplifting. All families have problems to work through but in general they should be our safe havens! I hope you have a wonderful day!

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What a treat to get to hear from you! No wonder Janae thinks the world of you! Thanks for the great stories. They made my day. Congratulations also on raising such a beautiful and kind family!

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Thanks you Amy. I hope you have a great day!

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Family stories are the best!! I bet you have so, so many to reminisce about.
Your early stunt artist “bob” would have given me a heart attack! My son was not nearly to that extreme but sometimes we’d have to lock his door to keep him in his room at night. At 1 year old he figured out how to make skeleton keys to pick his lock. Now he’s five and I’m not even kidding, the kid is smarter than me :-/ Kids keep us on our toes, don’t they??

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Yes, they do and it sounds like you will have your hands full! Good luck!

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What fun stories…thanks for sharing…just curious if “Bob” went on to be a start athlete since he started out so early using his muscles and all. ;-)

Your husband on your wedding day looks just like one of your sons….I can’t remember who but I remember Janae having a picture up and the photo totally reminded me of him. Genetics are crazy.

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He loved and played a lot of baseball but focused more on computers as he got older. Much safer! Have a great day!

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Wow! So neat to see a family picture and realize how much the kids look like their moms!

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Hi! Brookie does look a lot like Janae when Janae was her age. Her personality is very similar too! Have a great day!

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Wow, gem cutting is such a neat thing to do! The rings are beautiful. Outside of running, I like to play music (violin and clarinet). No babies yet, but I have been married for about 3.5 years. :) Thanks for the guest post, it was great!

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Wow, violin and clarinet! I have lost so much hearing that I cannot hear music properly anymore and really miss it. I can remember beautiful music and replay it in my head often. Have a great day!

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I love this post, thank you!
I love hearing about your Sunday dinners on janae’s blog. What a great family unit you and your husband created. Your children and grandchildren are blessed!!

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Sunday dinners are a great place to reconnect after hectic weeks! They are getting pretty big though as our family grows! Have a great day!

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I loved this post!

Any artists? Gem cutters?
Many artists in my family. My grandmother did woodburning, my mom is a painter, my dad sketches. But alas, none of it was passed on to me.

Favorite hobbies outside of running?
Photography, when I have the time.

Any precocious babies?
Yes! I have a 6 year old who was very laid back, very observant. Now I have a 3 month old who is like your “Bob”! He’s trying to do everything already and I am begging him to slow down! He’s going to be a handful.

If you are married, how long have you been married?
7.5 years. :)

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Sounds like some great hobbies! Kids keep us on our toes but also teach us things we can learn no other way. Have fun!

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Awwww so fun to hear from you!!! <3 <3 <3

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Thanks! I hope you have a great day too!

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Thank you for sharing your pep talk technique! It helped me realize that when I give my daughter pep talks I often point out areas where she could improve, but after thinking about what you said, I will no longer do that. She knows her faults, it is much more helpful to her if I point out her strengths. And she has so many of them! Thanks so much, I want to be the kind of person whom people seek for advice because they know they will walk away feeling better and stronger.

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Hi! Sounds like your daughter is one lucky little girl to have you as her mom! We all live and learn, for sure. Have a great day!

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In my spare time I like to do oil paintings. I don’t have a lot of spare time anymore though. I am a mechanical engineer so maybe the whole being creative/artistic & engineering goes hand in hand.

My husband and I have been married for 2 years, but have been together for the last 8 years. We met in college through a fellow classmate and friend. Most of our friends are also engineers so there are always lots of projects going on, thus why I don’t have a lot of spare time. =)

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Wow two artist/engineers! I thought it was kind of unusual since my husband is so technical in everything he does but maybe you are right and they go hand in hand. Have a great day!

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Hi HRG mom,

Thanks for sharing some funny stories and your much talked about Pep talk. What a cool job, taking something in the rough and help finding its true beauty! (Symbolic if you ask me ?) My hobby outside of running is reading, if I can manage to keep my eyelids open at the end day after chasing my 2 year old around! I hope you do more blog posts! Have a great day! I’m

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Hi! Love reading too! Be sure to comment on any great books you have read. Cutting gems is fun but takes lots of concentration. The good news is if you make a mistake you can always re cut. Of course the bad news is you just lost some carat weight! Have a great day!

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This post is perfection! I can’t even imagine the amount of love and fun that must have filled your house. :) <3

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Hi! Normal family though! My kids fought on a daily basis too. Lots of love comes from years of working together and moving on! Have a great day!

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Hi, HRG Mom! I just wanted you to know that I want to be in your family.:D <3 Thank you for taking the time to share more about you and your beautiful family!

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Thank you! It was a pleasure to help Janae out. Have a great day!

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My favourite thing to do outside of running is a crafty hobby. I love to quilt and knit. I know some people that are able to run and knit at the same time but I am definitely not one of those people.

That is very cool you are a gem cutter. Beautiful work! And your husband is an amazing artist.

I am fairly newly married, three years this September.

So nice to hear your stories HRG’s mom! :D

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Wow, run and knit at the same time! I have to sit down to text! I drive Janae insane if she is watching me text to someone because I use my index finger and type each letter separately. I actually can swipe but it is fun for me to see Janae suffer! Have a great day!

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Hello Hungry Runner Girl Mom!
Thank you for sharing those anecdotes and photos from your family archives. That is a great wedding photo – you both look so happy and I love the way your husband is holding your hand as well as giving you his arm – there’s a lot of sweetness in that small gesture :-)
I have been reading Janae’s blog for yonks now and count myself as one of her ‘not in real life but via the blog’ friends, ha, so I was excited to read your post today. One of the reasons why I read HRG (usually during my break at work) is because Janae is such a positive, loving and sunshine-y force and her blog is consistently uplifting even when she’s being candid about struggles and worries. Perhaps especially then?! These seem to be family qualities you all share. And sometimes when the going gets rough it is good to confirm there are others out there doing their best to live a good life as you say.
Apart from (trying to) run I like to sew, read, bake and travel. I’m no artist but I love being creative, whether it’s painting or cake decorating. I did make a ring at a goldsmithing course once but I didn’t cut the gem myself. Those rings you made are beautiful. I love the coast and the ocean (although I’m terrified of being eaten by a shark) and have a little collection of ‘water-themed’ art on the wall at home so I appreciate you sharing your husband’s wonderful painting. I’m not married (yet) but engaged since just before Christmas. When I was a baby I would apparently crawl over to the TV and fiddle with the little buttons so my parents just saw snow when they wanted to watch their programmes…
Take care and have a lovely day, best wishes from Germany!

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Congratulations on your engagement! How fun that you can decorate cakes! I don’t have the patience and usually just spread frosting out from the can! I love to look at beautifully decorated cakes though. My husband and I love to drive along the coast in northern California and just stare at the beauty! Once in Florida we were walking along the beach so excited to see so many “dolphin fins” so close to the shore. Then someone pointed out that they were bull sharks! Yikes! Have a great day!

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Wow, both you and your husband are gifted artists! Beautiful pieces, all around.

I agree that people need cheerleaders. Most of us become mired down in what we could have done better or perceived flaws. It’s not helpful to be reminded of them.

I am married 22 years. No children of our own, but we have nieces and nephews to spoil. They do the craziest things.

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Hi! Thank you. I borrowed one of the rings that I gave to my mom and wore it to Janae’s wedding. Yes, we do need sincere cheerleaders! It’s so nice to hear something positive when we are struggling. Have a great day!

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Hi HRG mom!
I can totally relate to your stories. My husband and I have been married for 35 years and raised two sons. We now have 5 grandchildren and are enjoying this time of our life. I have been reading this blog for years and years even though I’m not a runner! I do enjoy exercise thought. I think I keep going back to this particular blog because of your daughter’s personality and uplifting words. I now know where she got that sweet personality! Where do your sons live and how many grandchildren do you have?
Take care,
Cindy in Nebraska (have you ever been to Nebraska?)

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Hi! Wow, 35 years is fantastic! Lots of experiences. Yes, I have been to Nebraska. We took our kids on a road trip in 1989 and traveled through lots of states on our way to New York. Janae is really a very positive person. She has so much fun energy and is a joy for our family. Have a great day!

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You all are such a sweet and talented family! I loved reading a post from you. I cannot believe your son “Bob” who was walking before most babies are sitting up on their own! That is unbelievable!! You really have a family of athletes.

My husband and I have been married 8 years this coming September. My mom is actually at our house now with our two boys. She lives an hour away but missed them and wanted to be with them while we work today and let us enjoy a date night tonight :) Moms are the best!

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Have fun tonight! I have 7 grandchildren that live within 15 minutes of me. Brookie just told me that her mom and Andrew are eating dinner and will come home when they are done! Hahaha! That is one long dinner!

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your children (and grandchildren!!) are so lucky to have you for a mom and grandma! you always seemed so sweet and this post just seals the deal. you and your husband are very talented and i’d love to see more posts about your gems! have a wonderful day :)

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Thank you! This was a fun opportunity to be a guest on Janae’s blog. Have a great day!

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i absolutely loved this post. Can we get a regular installment of Hungry Runner Girl Mom?

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Thank you! Janae hasn’t had a vacation from blogging in a long time so we were all very happy to make sure she could have a no work honeymoon! Have a great day!

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Love this post! Wow those gems are gorgeous! Your children and grandchildren are so very blessed to have you and your husband! You both are extremely talented and I love what you say about building eachother up this is so important!

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Hi! Thank you! I appreciate your comment. I love it when I hear people building each other up! Have a great evening!

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A gem cutter – how cool! Those rings are beautiful!!! What a fascinating career! And your husband is an exceptional artist! Janae has featured some of his paintings on the blog before and they are just breath taking!

I am definitely not an artist it I have/do dabble in photography.

Your running pep talk is perfect!! Trust the training – that’s what I always remind myself too! Janae sure is lucky to have you!!

Congrats on your newest Grandson!

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Thank you! That’s quite a talent! I love looking at beautiful photographs too! Especially weather related or landscape types. They can show so much drama and emotion too! Have a great evening!

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Hi HRG Mama! I enjoyed your post so much! Made me think of my parents, too, married 42 years, and when I was about 5 I remember them having a waterbed! They had theirs in a basement bedroom, because they were always worried it would flood the house! Luckily, at that point I hadn’t discovered pins yet, because that would have been tempting as a kiddo! Your description of that adventure cracked me up, big time! I’ve only been married two years, but those two years have already flown by!

I enjoyed seeing your husband’s beautiful painting and your beautiful gems! So amazing! I’m not an artist, but I admire the talent and work.

Your pep talks are the best! I’m not a mom yet, but I’m a teacher, and I strive to encourage and motivate my students! I will remember your tips when I talk to them.

You and Janae are such positive and encouraging people, and we (readers) are very fortunate to be able to have you as a part of our lives! Thank you!:)

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Thank you! I bet you are a wonderful teacher. I will always remember the teachers that I had many many years ago that made me feel like I was worth something. That is the best feeling! Have a great evening!

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CONGRATULATIONS on 45 years of marriage, and on raising what is clearly a talented and loving family. I bet Brooke will be artistic like you and your husband. That ship painting is incredible, and your gems are amazing!

I’ve been married almost 28 years, and as for hobbies outside of running – not really!! Between teaching first grade and training for ultras, there’s not a lot of leftover time. I do like gardening and reading, though, (and holding down the couch while drinking chocolate milk after long runs).

My kids are 26 and 25 now, and they were far from precocious, at least as far as crawling and walking. I wasn’t sure my daughter would ever walk! She was almost 16-months-old. Now she’s unstoppable, though. My dream is to run a marathon with her and/or my son someday. They think my running is CRAZY, though, so it’s unlikely to happen.

I lost my mom three months ago, and I miss her every day. Janae is lucky to have you. I know I don’t need to tell you to cherish each other, because you so obviously do.

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Sorry about the loss of your Mom!!! ??? Try getting your kids to do a 5k with you. Once they do it, they will want to do another.

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I am so sorry for your loss. It is so hard to lose a parent. I hope that your kids are able to run that marathon with you. What a wonderful goal. I attend a lot of Janae’s races but the only thought that crosses my mind is that given my health it would be the last step I would take here on this earth. Maybe in the next world I could set a goal like yours! Have a great evening!

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I loved learning more about you! Your stories are AWESOME! One of my stories: One time about 9 years ago my husband and I were mad at each other and he was stomping down the stairs with a comforter so he could sleep on the couch. On his way down he slipped and landed hard on his tail end. Could hardly walk for a few days, and still has a hard time sitting for long periods. I tease him that it was karma. We just celebrated our 22nd anniversary, and things are great now.

I met you at Costco once & said hi. I bet it is a little weird having so many people know who you are. But you handle in very gracefully.

That’s amazing about your son turning over & pushing up at 3 days! My son walked at 8-months and I thought that was early!

Have a great week!

Thanks for the info on your pep talks, too! I completely agree- we need to be less judgmental and support everyone in what they are going through. Validation and support are a big deal.

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Thanks! I totally agree with you, validation and support is so important. Eight months old is pretty early to start walking! I really enjoyed those non mobile stages that my other children stayed in longer than “Bob”. Have a great evening!

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Thank you for your post! I only had three but my Alex may well have been your Bob. I lost count of concussions, ambulance rides, stitches and lives he went through. And still he flies through life with the greatest joy.

I think I come closest to you. I’ve been married for 30 years. It’s a pleasure to read Janae for her positivity and also to see her power through those hard days with such strength. You both have done such a great job with her. And as the parent of two kids that are a few years older than the third…I can say her siblings are an impressive support system. It’s a testament to great parenting. These days we have to take credit for that. Parenting is not all on the parents. There are so many outside forces affecting children I thank God for every day my kids survived happy and healthy, generous good kind people. You are clearly able to do the same.

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Thank you! Sounds like you have had your share of child accidents too. We were so grateful when he decided to think about what the consequences would be on his body before he jumped etc! Have a great evening!

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Good morning! I have been looking forward to your post! You and your husband have raised such a loving and supportive family and I love the way that Janae talks about you.

My husband and I have been married for 13 years and have an 11 year old daughter. I hope that she and I will always be close and have a friendship and mother-daughter relationship when she is an adult.

My hobbies are reading, photography, baking and traveling with my family.

Thank you for your wonderful post!

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Thank you for your comment! Eleven year olds are so much fun! They aren’t in that too cool for parents age yet but old enough to really have fun together. Have a great evening!

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This was such a nice post to read! Seriously though..is there anything your dad CAN’T do?! That man is amazing and his painting is incredible. The drowning story made me laugh out loud..I’m starting to think there needs to be a Hungry Runner Mom blog with more stories! Thanks for sharing! (and P.S. I’ve been married for about 2 months now!)

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Congratulations on your marriage! My husband is pretty handy for sure! I never worry if anything breaks down because I know he can probably fix it! Have a great evening!

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Oh my! That waterbed story has me laughing so hard I’m crying!

Your job sounds so fun—getting to make those gems into beautiful jewelry! I debated being a Gemilogist for a while, but went with Pharmacist. There’s still time!

Your pep talks and motivating others—you are GREAT! I agree , we need to lift each other up:).

Janae, your Mom is so awesome. I absolutely love this post!

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Thanks! Wow, your pharmacist choice was a really good choice. Sounds like you got a wonderful education! Have a great evening!

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I married my missionary almost 7 years ago!

Favorite hobby is photography after running.

Thankfully my kids (4,2 1month) are all pretty good.

I totally agree with the reminding people of their strengths. I think a lot of the problems in the world could be solved by being kind to each other. I hope that’s something my kids learn easily.

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Thanks! So you waited for a missionary and then got married? That is wonderful! Did you write the whole time? I completely agree that the world would be a better place if people were kind to each other. Have a great evening!

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Yeah. So I knew him all through high school, we were really good friends and didn’t start dating until college and that was about 4 months before he left. We said no promises but if he wrote me id write him. We wrote every week. Then when he got back we got engaged in 2 weeks and married 6 weeks after that haha.

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My daughter did the army man crawl starting at 3 months. I put her on a blanket just outside the kitchen with some toys for “tummy time” when I went to turn the dishwasher on and when I came back (like 1 minute later) she was gone. Freaked me out, I thought someone took her! It was fun though to bring her to church the next week and see all the nursery workers faces, shocked that such a young baby was scooting around the room.

You should post more about the gem stuff. I had no idea!

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That does sound shocking! You expect a 3 month old to stay put! It is also hard to give up those months that you shouldn’t be chasing them. It all seems to even out though. Have a great evening!

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I enjoyed this post so much!! Your family is very fortunate to have you!

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Thank you! I enjoyed writing it! Have a great evening!

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That waterbed story is hilarious! I am looking forward to all the family memories that my husband and I are going to make! :)

I’ve been married for just about a year and we are expecting our first in a little over a month!!

My husband was an early crawler/walker/and reader. I think I’m in for an adventure!

Loved reading your posts and hearing a bit about your pep talks to Janae! You remind me of my mom!

Have a great day!

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Congratulations on your marriage and soon to come baby! Such an exciting time for you! Sounds like you will have plenty of fun family stories. Have a great evening!

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I am crying with laughter over that waterbed story!! H and I had a water bed when we were first married and I always felt like I was sleeping on a hill. I’m kind of a runt and he’s almost twice my weight. He liked to fling himself into bed when I was already there and make me slosh around on a wave :)

Thank you for blogging today. I love funny family stories and pictures. You have an amazing family! It must be all those sweet pep talks. Very good advice…we are here to make life easier for one another with whatever special gift God gave us.

Besides running and staying active, my hobbies are my dogs, and trying to learn something new as often as possible. I like to read a lot too. I wish I did something creative like you and HRG Dad. I didn’t inherit any creative genes from my family.

I hope you guest blog again soon. You have some great stories!

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Hahaha! I had forgotten about my husband doing the same thing! Sometimes I thought I would be tossed out of the bed! I really liked that bed and was sad when we had to buy a different less dangerous bed. Thank you for the memory!

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I am a long time reader (since I was in college so 2008?!) but infrequent commenter. My mom gives me the best pep talks too and you are so right on in your approach. We women are always finding reasons that we will fail and struggle to see the amazing qualities we have. You seem like an amazing mom (and storyteller!) it’s so nice to hear from you on the blog–thank you for such a sweet post!

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Thank you! Women are so hard on themselves! In this world of Social Media it seems like everyone else has a great life, no problems and talent to spare but the reality is we all have good days, bad days and everything in between. Thank you for your comment!

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I love you HRG and HRG mom! You are both such an inspiration to me. Can I go up to Utah and live with you pretty please? Thanks for sharing these wonderful stories. You are a great person!

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We would love to meet you! Janae is an inspiration to me too! She tries so hard to be up and happy no matter what happens! Have a great evening!

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It seems everyone loved the waterbed story, but I am over here stressing out over you son who was such an early walker and climber. I think my youngest gets into trouble a lot and is exhausting, but I can’t even imagine other things that went on with your son as he grew up! And you still wanted more kids after that! ha! That is how you know you rock at motherhood ;)

Reading about how you like to look at the good in people and point out their strengths just reminds me of at the wedding when Andrew said when Janae did that for him and it caught him off guard at first. It isn’t something that a lot of people do, but it is such a great trait to have and Janae has you to thank for showing her how valuable it can be. It isn’t by luck that her blog has done well or that she has so many friends. It is because she always has a way of making you feel good when you are with her.

My husband and I have been married for almost 12 years. I am excited to make it to 45 and then some, like you and your husband. Thank you for your post. I loved getting to know you better. You are a great mom and a wonderful example. I am sure you could do a million more posts and teach a lot along the way. Hope you have a great day watching Brooke. Has she been a dog for you yet today? ;)

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Hi! I really enjoyed your post! There is a reason there are 5 years between “Bob” and Janae. It took us that long to recuperate from “Bob’s” babyhood. Ha! Janae does have a way of making people feel good when they are around her. I know she appreciates your friendship too. Yes, Brookie has been a dog several times this week. She has a little dog bark down perfectly! Have a great evening!

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This was such a sweet read. Definitely made me smile! I am single and almost 40. I’ve given up in finding my someone. Janae has been divorced and remarried in the time I’ve been boyfriend less. I’ve kind of given up hope at this point!

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Hi! Don’t give up hope. If you would like email me through Janae. I know of lots of people who got married around or after 40. Hope sometimes is what helps us keep trying. Hang in there.

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Wow, Janae really has a nice family! I really enjoyed that pep talk! I wish I had my mom living close to us but unfortunately my parents live across the ocean…. They’re visiting now so I am enjoying every minute of it :)
We’ve been married ten years now.
Lots of challenges and fun times.
Forty five years- what is your best marriage advice for staying together strong for so long?

Other than running- piano, budgeting, reading, organizing, cleaning…. Weird things I like to do!!!!

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Hi! Sounds like you have a normal marriage. Good for you! I guess I would say that the best thing to do nowadays is turn off the tv, movies ,cell phones etc and have realistic expectations of each other and life in general. People are so much happier when they are not comparing themselves to everyone else. Be happy in what you have. Have a great evening!

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What a wonderful family you have. What a great post, you should post more often, your beautiful heart comes through your writing. Your kids are very lucky to have you :) God bless

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Thank you for your kind comment! Have a great evening!

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.Loved this post!! Your family is very lucky to have you. Congrats on 45 years!

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Thank you! We celebrate our 45th next month! Times sure flies! Have a great evening!

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HRG Momma, you’re the sweetest! I love all the family stories! It’s so funny how water beds were so “in” for the longest time. I was so intrigued with them that I requested a water bed for Christmas one year! I had it for YEARS and never once had a leak. Then again I didn’t think to poke holes in it!

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HI! Yes they were in for awhile. I don’t know if they sell them anymore. I really liked ours. It was really comfortable to me. Glad you got to be part of that product! Your grand kids may not even know what they are! Have a great evening!

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Wow, this is probably now one of my top favourite posts on HRG (sorry Janae).

Yourself and your husband lead such interesting lives with very unique careers and hobbies (holy smokes that paining of the ship!!!)

Your positivity is contagious and I can see why Janae speaks so highly of you :) :) Take care and I hope you’re back for more posts sooner than later!

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Thank you! Janae is really an example to me of being positive. I have lived through so many “learning experiences” that I get really worried a lot. Janae is one that always tries to look at the positive side of things. Thanks for your comment!

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What a lucky girl Janae is to have a mom like you. My mom is my biggest support system and my parents were my biggest role models in my marriage. They were married for nearly 40 years when my Dad passed away. My husband and I got married early like you, but we are celebrating year 27 in a couple of weeks and I am so excited! Thanks for sharing the fun family stories. Those are the best!

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Wow! Twenty seven years is great! Yay for wonderful moms like yours! Thanks for your comment!

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Well this was lovely and made me tear up a bit. Janae is lucky to have you and we’re lucky to get this one post from you. Thank you!

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Thank you for your comment! I enjoyed helping her out with a post. She was due for a great vacation/honeymoon!

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Thanks for sharing those stories with us! It’s so fun to hear stories from parents because they always tell them differently than the kids do ;) A few random thoughts:
I have my mom’s sapphire engagement ring and it is so precious to me!

A week from today is our 2 year anniversary! Time flies :)

I love the photo of Janae as a kid, Brooke looks so much like her!

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Thanks! I love sapphire. It is very hard, 9, so it takes a lot to cut and polish properly. It is beautiful though! Brookie does look a lot like Janae did at that age. I hadn’t looked at the albums for awhile and was pretty surprised at just how much she does look like Janae. Have a great evening!

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Hi HRG Mom!
I’ve been a silent reader of Janaes blog for quite some time now and I genuinely loved your post so I had to write my first comment ever.
We get to see snippets of your lifes almost every day and by that we built our opinion on you/Janae/everyone on the blog but the truth is that whilst we feel like we know a lot about you there is more depth and awesomness to you and every person than one can tell by a blog post.
But sometimes we get suprised by something we didn’t expect (gem cutter, how cool is that!!) and it’s a good reminder that everything we read here can only be a superficial reflection of one’s personality. And I don’t mean that in a negative way, it’s a good thing I think?
To change the subject slightly: your pep talk was amazing, we need more people like you!!
(I apologize for any spelling/ grammar mistakes, I’m not a native English speaker?)

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Hi! Thank you for your comment! I completely agree with you! Janae is an amazing person and has facets that are never seen on the blog. I wanted to write about them but she said no way! She actually rejected my first post that I wrote! Ha! She wanted me to write about the family. Her love for everyone shines through her posts so that is what is important! Have a great evening!

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So enjoyed reading this post and hearing some fun family stories! That waterbed story kills me. Your husband is an amazingggg artist and I love that you’re a gem cutter — I don’t know anyone who does that! My parents have been married just under 40 years so I understand how Janae feels to be so thankful every day for the best example of love and commitment.

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Thank you! There are some gem cutters out there but not that many, you are right. Most everything in jewelry stores is cut overseas. We cut custom, precision type gems. Thanks for your comment!

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And I thought my son walking at 9 months old was unusual! 5 months old, that is really something! It is great to learn more about you and your family! You are part of our lives now ;-) Take care and wishing you all the best!

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Thank you! Nine months is early! Actually my mom tells me that is when I started walking. It is odd to see a 5 month old walking because they still look like a 5 month old. Most people would stare with that look that says, “Hmmm, something is off here.”! Have a great evening!

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“My husband said he woke up because he had started blowing bubbles in the water and started choking.”

Lol!! And I’m still laughing! Great post.

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Hi! It is comical now! At the time, not so much. By the next day we really had to join in with the kids and their funny jokes about it. Have a great evening!

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WHAT A LUCKY GIRL JANAE IS! I’ve been reading her blog for many years now and your relationship sounds wonderful. You did a fantastic job being her Mommy! Ever think of starting your own blog? Your writing is fantastic! :)

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Thank you! I appreciate your comment! I have seen Janae for almost 4 years love Brookie with every fiber of her being. That is the kind of satisfaction that makes moms happy! Have a great evening!

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This blog is the only one I read regularly, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU for being such a positive influence and wonderful mom. You seem like the most genuine & caring person, and it’s obvious where Janae gets her sweet and always-positive personality from! Thank you for being a light in the world :)

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Thank you for your comment and for reading Janae’s blog so faithfully! I agree, she is one positive young lady! Have a great evening!

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Thank you HRG’s Mom for such a wonderful post today. You have an amazing family and it is easy to see why that is the case. Your Gem cutting is so interesting and beautiful. Your husbands painting is amazing. I think I had the opposite reaction to the waterbed story than most people. I was horrified reading it. How scary and your poor husband with his swelled ankle.

I have a lot of interests, maybe too many, but I love to sew and quilt. I like to write and have worked on several novels. I like to explore new places, go hiking, and take photos. I love the outdoors and being on the water. I have more but I have to pick and choose for time restraints. I run most days and my husband is a triathlete. So we are busy. I teach and I find myself spending way too much time grading. I am an encourager and I look for the positive qualities in others. I try to pass them along to my students. I think being positive is the reason my classes fill up so quickly. Our world needs much more of that right now. Thank you for showing us your family, your gifting, and your heart.

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Thank you for being a wonderful teacher! The world needs uplifting teachers. Sounds like with all of your interests you are a very interesting teacher as well. Thank you for your comment!

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Oh my, how i love this post. I lost my mom 2 years ago. Your family is lucky to have you. We will be married 24 years this coming December. My hobbies are: sewing, knitting, baking etc. Particularly what is called: English smocking and Heirloom sewing.
All the best to Janae and all of your family

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I am so sorry that you lost your mom. Such a hard trial to go through. It sounds like you have really cool hobbies. I am interested in what English smocking looks like. Sounds really pretty. Thank you for your comment.

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How blessed your children are to have such a kind and uplifting mother!
I find myself striving to be the same way for my daughters as they get older and wish I would have had a better model for this behavior growing up.

Those gems look beautiful!

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Thank you! I appreciate all of the comments. So many moms doing such a great job! Have a great evening!

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WOW, what a beautiful family (didn;t read how many times this was written, I’m sure many) and yes they are luck to have you.

How is your hearing these days?

I love to garden, just enjoyed some yummy zucchini pancakes last night!

What church were you married in -Portola Valley….I think my little brother was married in the same church some 16 years ago

I have 2 wonderful sons, who sadly do not have a relationship with their father, but I love them enough for 10000 fathers!

So thrilled for Janae!!

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Hi! Thank you for your comment! My hearing is not great. I have lost all hearing in one ear but I have a little hearing in the other ear. I lip read a lot. Thanks for asking. We were married in a Methodist Church in Whittier California 45 years ago next month! Your relationship with your sons sounds fantastic! Have a great evening!

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Hi HRG mom! I’ve been reading Janae’s blog for many years, I had no idea you were a gem cutter, that’s so cool!
Great post, sorry to read about your hearing difficulties. Have you considered learning some ASL (American sign language) ? My brother is deaf, so I learned at a young age, it’s easy to get into and start learning. I hope this isn’t offensive to you, but I’m sure it must be difficult at times & I wanted to mention it. Although as I’m sure you know, some people with deafness/hearing loss manage well with a hearing aid/lip reading, and they are happy with that :) My brother is completely deaf and does not have the ability to lip read, I think its amazing when people can do it!
I’d love to see more pics of your gem work. I enjoy many kinds of art and crafting, I love making pottery and am currently getting back into it after not doing it for several years. It takes time to build up a skill level again, so I need patience and perseverance, haha.

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You are the sweetest lady… You definitely need to write another post soon. Hope your health is better these days!

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Thank you for your comment! My health is better in some ways! Not quite to the point that I can run though. Ha! Have a great evening!

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Wonderful stories from HRG Mom. (And she is quick on the reply button too!)

Like your husband I’m a engineer with little time for drawing and painting. Janae has seen that I let my artistic endeavors show in my families birthday cakes. (yes, really).

My wife and I have been married 19 years and we have 3 kids, each precocious in their own way. Indeed my wife sent a pic of my youngest, 1 yr old Jack, sleeping upright, seated with his face against the crib – just this morning. That’s just weird.

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Hi! Sounds like a very cute picture! I’ll have to ask her about these birthday cakes! Thanks for your comment!

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I agree! It’s valuable to notice each others strengths and build each other up! Everyone is doing the best they can.

Been married one year and we just had our first beautiful baby boy!!!

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Congratulations on your baby boy! That is wonderful! I agree, notice strengths and build each other up is helpful to both people. Have a great evening!

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What a beautiful wedding picture. Janae looks so much like you in her lace dress. I loved your post – I can see where Janae and her sister (and their daughters) get their strength and caring nature and best of all sense of humor!

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Thank you! I really liked her bridal pictures too. She found her dress really fast when we were shopping. This shop then makes it custom for the person. Finding the perfect dress was at the top of the list! Have a great evening!

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My sister and I both had waterbeds as teenagers. We thought of it as a luxury and all our friends were jealous. Do they even make them anymore?

I’m 44 and have been married to my husband almost 22 years. We met in college at a fraternity/sorority party. Hard to believe that I’ve lived with my husband longer then I lived at home with my parents.

Thanks for the great post today.

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Forgot to add, we have 3 kids. Two boys (19, 16) and one girl (10).

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Hi! I don’t know if they make them anymore but now that I have been thinking of our old one it makes me want a waterbed again! What a great family, time sure flies! Have a great evening!

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Thank you so much for writing this lovely guest piece! You and your family seem so wonderful. I’ve been an avid reader of Janae’s blog for a few months now after dealing with a running injury and have found such solace in her words and experiences. Such beautiful family photos, too.

I love your advice for pep talks, too. Moms always know just what to say!

My biggest non-fitness hobby is writing. I love novels and screenplays. You and your husband have such unique talents! Those gems are beautiful, and I am in awe of his artistic ability. That is definitely NOT something I acquired.

Not married yet, although when I am, I hope to have such a successful relationship as you and your husband have!

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Thanks! Janae has had several injuries and knows just how hard it is to not be able to run like you want to. Writing is a great hobby! Have a great evening!

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I am a daily reader of this wonderful, inspiring blog and have been for years now. Every trip we make to Utah I hope to run into Janae to meet her. ;) Anyway, I never comment but this post touched me so much, I loved every word. I can’t even imagine a five month old walking! My fourth baby girl started walking at 12 months, which for one of mine is really early, so I can only imagine a five month old! LOL. The pep talk portion of this post made me cry because I agree whole heartedly with it and wish everyone could have a mom like this! It is such a spiritual gift to be able to identify and praise the strengths in others, especially women. And truly everyone is trying to do their best to live a good life. What a great reminder this was for me today. Thank you so, so much for this wonderful post.

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Thank you for your kind comment! All of the comments have made me so happy today! Women who uplift others make the world a better place! Such an easy thing to do and yet amazing far reaching benefits for all! Yay!!! Have a great evening!

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So awesome to read your post and get to know you a little better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Thank you for your comment! It has been nice today to get to know everyone a little better too!

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Great stories! And fun old photos:)
I was a crazy baby and an only child for 5 years…………..then I became the oldest of 8…………instant babysitter! When my brother was born in 1990, I was not ready for a sibling and I told my mom to take him back!

When I was in Kindergarten my mom was called to the school on the first day because I told the teacher if she would get out of my way I could read the pledge of allegiance off the wall! I could read before school and my mom didn’t realize it!

Also I got bitten by my great uncle’s goose on his farm (I guess I didn’t leave him alone) when I was 18 months old. My reaction after the bite? I punched the goose. Granted I was less than 2, so the goose was ok!

And a church story: during a primary Easter program, I got nervous and did not want to say my line, the Bishop said he would give me a jellybean if I said it. So into the microphone I said my scripture or line, followed by “I want my jellybean now!”

I guess I gave my mom a hard time!!

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Hahaha! I enjoyed reading your stories! You sound like you were a very precocious little girl! I laughed that you punched a goose when you were 18 months. Most kids would cry and be afraid of the goose. Actually I would probably be afraid of the goose! Have a great evening!

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Awesome post! Maybe you shold start a motivational blog?

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Oops should

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Hi! Thank you for your comment! I had fun doing this for Janae!

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Your post is one of my favorites I have read in a long time! Not only did I enjoy your stories but your dedication to help Janae, and your whole family is so evident. You are really a special woman. And reading about gem cutting was so interesting! I never even knew that was a job, but I guess I never thought about how rings and jewelry come to be! It actually sounds kind of dangerous!
I am 37, not married and no kids. Sadly I’m beginning to think this might just be the way my life will turn out :(
But I am a Nanny and I love children! So I have lots of funny stories about them and even if I never get to have my own I feel like I’m making a positive impact in many little lives.
I do hope you guest post again! Thank you for sharing your life with us.

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Thank you for your comment! Gem cutting actually isn’t dangerous at all. The only thing that ever happens is sometimes I get my finger tip on the lap and it files my nail down! It does take a lot of concentration and as soon as I lose that then I quit for the day. Better to stop than make a mistake. How wonderful that you are a nanny. What lucky kids to have a nanny that loves kids and is trying to make a positive impact in their lives. Keep up the good work!

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I’ve been reading Janae’s blog since I think early 2010?? so I kind of feel like I know you guys but this was such a treat to hear some more stories right from you :) I love reading about how supportive your family is because it reminds me so much of my own (i.e. my parents have come to almost every one of my 15 half marathons, rain/snow/sleet to drop me off at the crack of dawn and/or be there at the home stretch to cheer me on!) and I know what a wonderful impact that has had on my life!

I’ve been married almost 2 years to a guy I liked since the first day we met at college orientation, in August 2003. I loved him for ages and it took him till 2012 to get it together but every step has been worth it for what we have today. I’m so excited Janae has found Andrew (also my husband’s name so that is a GREAT sign!!) …the rough years and tears and frustration all make sense at some point and you realize how important they were in bringing you to the best times of your life.

Thank you again for the wonderful post today! May God continue to richly bless your sweet family!

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Wow! What wonderful and supportive parents! You were very patient waiting for your future husband to catch up to you! I think you are right. We finally get to a point where we can see the hard times helped us get to where we wanted to be. Have a great evening!

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HRG Mom, I vote for you to start a blog! This was such a delight to read. Thanks for sharing a little about your life. Your love is transparent in the way you share about your family. They are lucky to have you!

I’ve been married almost 9 years. We also got married young and while I generally wouldn’t advise it, I’m so grateful we did! We have grown up together & we now have 3 beautiful babies. Family is the best. ?

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Thanks! I feel the same way! We were young and in college. We kind of grew up together as we transitioned from college students to parents to working adults etc. I wouldn’t want to change a thing! Have a great evening!

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HOLY COW baby Bob is impressive! My mom has bragged about me forever for running at 10 months, but walking at 5 is insane! I want to know how he grew up?! He is an Olympic athlete now too?! LOL!!!!

The pins in the waterbed is hilarious! I hope you had a good sense of humor about it, because that’s the best story ever!

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Yes it is insane! No he isn’t an Olympian athlete but really successful in his chosen profession. We had a good sense of humor about it by the time that we found out how we almost drowned. We really didn’t say too much to our son except yes that would probably cause the bed to leak. It is kind of funny after the fact!

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Great post!!!! Loved reading it

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Thank you! I appreciate your comment! Have a great night!

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That helps to explain Janae’s beautiful wedding jewelry! I noticed it right away because I have a daughter getting married and we’re looking for a rose gold bracelet for her to wear. I love learning about Uruguayan. My daughter in law’s name is Amethyst and naturally she loves amethyst jewelry.
I have the ability to bake and decorate cakes and plan and design my home and parties but I wouldn’t say I’m an artist. But I do love art!
You have a beautiful family.

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Wow, it sounds like you are very artistic in my opinion! I do love the color of top quality amethyst. It is the best, in my opinion, if it also has a magenta flash in it. Amethyst is quartz so it is easy to cut and polish and so pretty!

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I loved reading your waterbed story – too funny! I never had a water bed, but my parents and brother both did and during one California earthquake my brother was actually thrown out of his bed! Meanwhile, I slept right through it. I think everyone is happy the water bed fad has passed, haha!

Thanks for sharing about your family today. You and your husband are so very talented! I hope he can find time again in the future to paint again because he does a beautiful job!

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Thank you! I never thought about what an earthquake would do to a water bed! I hope he gets some time too. I have a couple of paintings I would like him to finish!

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I have really enjoyed reading everyone’s comments today. Hungry Runner Girl’s Mom is special to me. I fell in love with her the first moment I saw her. She is the first girl I ever kissed. She is the best…And after 45 years, I feel like we are just starting.

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Hungry Runner Girl Dad, you are the best and the light of my life! Thank you for being my whole world for over 4 decades! Love you!

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HRGMom!!! This is the best guest post I have ever read! You are fascinating! How did you get into gem faceting? It seems like such a specific thing to do. I have two children, one whom is very precocious, and one who is more cautious. I have been married to my husband for 9 years. My parents are celebrating their 44th wedding anniversary is year, congrats to you all on 45! Thank you so much for writing, I really really enjoyed reading it!

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Thank you! I had a mentor who was a very famous gem cutter. A few of his pieces are in the Smithsonian. Beautiful, sparkling colors make me happy so cutting gems is an extension of my color obsession! Have a great night!

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My mom is also the best pep talker. You ladies are some of the good people in this world; I hope to be the same kind of mom. Thank you for being amazing mamas!

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Thanks! I’m sure you will be a wonderful mom and pep talker thanks to your mom and her great example! Your children will be lucky to have you as their mom.

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Artist might be a stretch — but I do play 7 instruments (clarinet was my main and I started 20 years ago), doodle, and paint whenever I get the chance.

My hubster and I have been married for 5 years now, no kiddos but a super cute doggie!

It’s so nice of you to share your memories and those pictures are darling!!

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Seven instruments! That’s amazing! Cute doggies are a must! We had a cute Yorkshire Terrier the first years of our marriage. Thanks for the comment!

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It was so fun reading your guest post, seeing your old family photos, and receiving one of your pep talks! :-)

My husband and I will have been married 35 years on August 1st! We were college sweethearts, too, and got married two years after we graduated.

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Thank you! Thirty five years puts you pretty close to us! College romances are so fun! We were so poor but being poor helped us have a far greater appreciation for the simplest dinners and dates! I loved those years. Have a great night!

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The closeness between you and you daughter shows (and your other kids I’m sure), and that’s a wonderful bond I hope to have with my only child, 8 yr old girl. I wanted more, but it wasn’t in the cards. The stories about your kids made me laugh. My daughter once opened a Sam’s size canister of cocoa and dumped it all over herself & the beige carpet. I got a picture before clean up, but cocoa really sticks to the skin. Your pep talk is right on key, I love that and wish the whole world could go by that. At 42 and trying to run and stay in shape, HRG is an inspiration in the running aspect as well as the tight knit family aspect. This blog makes a difference to us Mom’s out here. Just want to say thanks for the hard work that goes into it. It’s noticed and appreciated.

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Thank you! Janae is really an inspiration in lots of ways. Your story of the cocoa made me laugh. That must have taken a while to clean up. I had a granddaughter do the same thing only she was in my pantry and pulled it down from a top shelf. Cocoa powder went everywhere, even her hair. Have a great night!

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You are an amazing mom and a true inspiration! Great post!

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Thank you for your comment!

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Thank you so much for your guest post!! That water bed story had me cracking up, though it must have been terrifying for you at the time! D:

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Thank you for your comment! It was kind of annoying since we had no where to sleep except for the couches plus Dean was in pain. I love to hear other families funny stories too! We all have them. Thanks!

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HRG Mom, you will be busy reading many posts.

29 years of marriage last month. I am a licensed ham radio operator, but haven’t used it much lately.

Thanks for writing such a wonderful guest post.

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Congratulations on 29 years of marriage! My husband is also a ham radio operator but hasn’t used it much lately. Thanks for your comment!

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We celebrated our 25th anniversary this month <3

We have 4 athletic kids but no acrobats like your Bob! I loved hearing your stories! You should post more often :)

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Congratulations on 25 years of marriage! Lots of long marriages on the blog comments today. He was an acrobat for sure. Eventually he had the same coordination as all kids, he just got it way early. Thanks for your comment!

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This was a great post, thanks HRG Mom!

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Thank you for your comment! Have a great night!

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YAYY!! Loved reading an HRG momma post! I sure have enjoyed reading Janae’s posts over the years. So are we sure Bob is human?!! haha … great stories, thanks for sharing! ps totally read spotted the two of yall’s comments a few before this. Too stinking cute.

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Thanks! I’m so glad you have enjoyed her posts over the years. She sure puts in a lot of effort! Thanks for your comment!

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Thank you so much for this post! You are such a kind, generous, loving woman! In case, you don’t realize it, you are mothering us all through Janae’s blog. You are wise and a great mentor. I hope Janae will consider asking you to post on a regular schedule… *HUGS*

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Thank you! I learn lots from reading Janae’s blog and all of the comments from her readers! Have a great night!

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Nice to “meet” you!!
My daughter (now 20 months) got out of her full size crib at 5 months also. When I took her to the ER I was worried they wouldn’t believe me – because it just seems so unbelievable! But they did and were very helpful. She is a fire cracker and I imagine your son is also!
This post was really beautiful. Your pep talk and point of view for giving a pep talk brought tears to my eyes. How very encouraging!! Thank you for being this in the world today! And for sharing it with us today. (Well on other days too, through Janae!)
I have been married 3 years.
And I don’t run as a hobbie – or at all for that matter! Just really enjoy reading Janae’s blog.
Hobbies include – horse back riding, church singing, and well lots of other things pre-child. I’ll get back to those some day :) for now playing with my toddler is my favorite way to spend time.
Have a wonderful day!

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Thanks! I’m so glad you shared this! I also didn’t think they would believe me in the ER but after spending 20 minutes with “Bob” there was no question as to what the problem was. Horse back riding sounds really exciting to me. Good luck with your little girl! Have a great night!

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HRG mom, are you a convert to the LDS church? Your wedding ceremony looks like it’s in a “regular” church. I love learning about the religion and i’m curious! :) Love you all!!!

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Hi! Yes, my husband and I joined the LDS church after we had been married for 5 years. We moved to Utah less than a year later when my husband got an engineering job near Ogden. Thanks for your comment!

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That must be the best guest post EVER!!!
I love hearing family stories so much, it reminds me of the times when my grandparents came for visits when I was a child and I would always ask for ‘one more story about when you were little’ or ‘one more story about my dad/mum when they were children’ haha :)

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Thanks! My kids also loved to hear stories about the “olden days”. Unfortunately I’m starting to be old enough to be the “olden days” too now! Have a great night!

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I forgot to say that I’m SO impressed with both your gem cutting and your husband’s drawing skills!
You sure are one talented family!

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You are such a good mom to janae and grandma to Brooke! I love reading about your relationship with them, it reminds me a lot of my mom and my relationship. I was kind of a pain as a teenager but we are very close now and I would probably consider her my best friend. She gives me little pep talks too and she always knows what to say to encourage me and make me feel better.
Your family stories are so funny! I love hearing stuff like that about people, it makes me feel like I know them better. It’s weird that I feel like I know so much about Janae just from reading this blog despite never having met and me living all the way in Iowa. But if I’m ever in Utah I will look you guys up!
I have been married for 4 years tomorrow!
Running is probably my number one hobby. Second would be reading for sure, but the only reading I have done in the last year or so is textbooks. I’m in nursing school but will be finished in December so I’m looking forward to reading for enjoyment again.
Have a great night and thanks for sharing your stories!

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Thank you for your comment! Congratulations on your nursing education! Good nurses are needed everywhere. Makes me so happy to hear about wonderful mother/daughter relationships. Sounds like you have a great family! Have fun reading for enjoyment again!

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What a sweet post. You seem like such a genuine, kind person. You are lucky to have such a wonderful daughter and she is lucky to have you, as well. I have a two year old daughter, and I love her so much- I hope that we can be as close as you and Janae when she is an adult.
I’m not an artist, but my husband is a professional oil painter. His work ethic and creativity are very inspiring to me. We just celebrated 10 years, and you are right- it flies by! I can’t believe it’s been so long. No precocious kids– mine are solidly average in their gross motor skills, thank goodness! I have a one year old and a two year old and I can’t imagine them being any more mobile than they already are!
thanks for your post. It lifted me up and made me smile.

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Thanks! A one year old and a two year old must keep you really running! Your daughter is blessed to have a mom that loves her so much and wants a great relationship with her. It is so fun to watch an artist at work! I love watching my husband paint. Have a great night!

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What a sweet and wonderful post! You are clearly such a blessing to your family. Gem cutting sounds so interesting. Beyond running I love hiking and writing.
My husband and I have been married for almost two years. No kids yet, but we’re young so definitely someday.

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Hello Janae’s mom! I love it when there are posts about family and when Janae writes about your advice and ideas. Honestly, it makes me feel better because I tend to want to dispense motherly advice and, well, sometimes it’s just best coming from a mom. I have 4 kids of my own (11, 16, 19, 22-oh my gosh, I see their age in print and think “my they’ve grown up fast!”) so take advice giving and listening very seriously, and with a touch of humor and honesty of course. Single mama here.

My mom and I have been running together for 30+ years!!! She is now 72 and still runs! I live in Germany so when we visit each other we love to go on a run-added bonus is going with my ultra adventurous running brother. My own children have gone to the dark side by playing tennis/soccer/softball/ and swimming. Sheesh.

I am impressed with your gem cutting! WOW!!!!

It was nice to “meet” you and thanks for giving all the sound advice to us via Hungry Runner Girl!!!

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I come from a totally different walk of life to your family (and country – Aus!), but I just love how close your family is, and how much you support each other! My husband and I have been married for 7 years and just had our first (and last) child, and I truely hope we can be as tight knit as your family!

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These stories were hilarious! I was dying of laughter! Thank you for sharing some of yourself! Those rings and gems are beautiful, what a unique talent! I love Janae and her blog! She is very blessed to have you for a mom!

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It was fun to read your post! Your gem cutting is amazing…I didn’t know that was a thing people do! I love to do lots of different crafty things, like sewing and sign making. My husband and I have been married for 10 years this August!

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Hi HRG mum, it was great to read your post. You obviously have an amazing family who are a reflection of the way they were raised by you and your husband. I live in Australia and love reading Janae’s blog..

I have been married two years but with a husband in the army, we have really only lived together about 6 months of that.. I struggle sometimes with the absences and luckily have an amazing mum who is also good at pep talks :). Have a wonderful day!

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Hi HRG Mom- I just had to tell you that you are absolutely wonderful. Your post made me tear up and say to myself “I aspire to be that kind of mom”- I have 2 boys of my own and one to-be step, rounding it out at 3, and you are my role model! You are so so lovely. can’t say it enough. THANK YOU!

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Through years of reading Janae’s blog, your compassion for your family (and people in general) shines through. I never knew my mom and while there have been moments in my life that I ache for that type of relationship, I focus on the one I have with my kids now instead. I pray I can be even half of the mom you are! I love all your words of wisdom. Not only is it great advice but it comes from such kindness. May God continue to bless you and your beautiful family!

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this was so sweet!

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Thanks for the wonderful pep talk! I really needed the extra boost this morning.

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That was a great post and wonderful insight from HRG’s mom (which made me miss my mom – who lives 6000 miles away :()

I’ve been married for 10 years and in my free time – besides running – I like to craft (knit, crochet, scrapbook, papercrafts, you name it) :) If my days only had 48 hours…

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Hi Janae’s mom! I am so glad you posted! It is so great to read your inspiration. I am married…was divorced shortly after Janae was, and then remarried a wonderful man who has a son, and we just had a baby girl! So now we have a 5 year old and 9 month old! I am so glad Janae has such a wonderful support system in your entire family. I had the same thing going through my divorce ( a great family) and that is what kept me sane! Love seeing all the fun things you get to do with Janae and Brooke! Have a great day! :)

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Thank you for your time, kindness, and the beautiful love you have for everyone around you. The world needs more people like you. :)

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Without a doubt you are both the mom I wish I had and the mom I aspire to be. I won’t take up space with my sob story (we all have them). I rarely comment anywhere but I wanted to tell you how amazing I think you are and your daughter are. As a mom of teens I also want you to know how thrilled I am your daughter and Andrew found each other. The peace of mind that comes with our children being happy is priceless. Rock on!

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The story of your son Bob and his crib at night is great. My parents had to do the same thing with my brother’s crib, he tried crawling out of his crib every night at the very early months of his life.
Love your pep talk, gave me chills. I wish everyone would build each other up. We all need it more than we realize.

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I was so excited when I heard that your mom was going to post! This exceeded all expectations! I have tears in my eyes, what a sweet mama. It’s no wonder you’re so amazing and talented Janae :)

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What a great post! You are a great writer, Hunger Runner Girl Mom! I enjoyed hearing the stories. :-)

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One of my ALL TIME FAVORITE posts on HRG! THe pep talk about building each other up got printed out and put into my life goals journal to re-read often! Thank you for sharing your wonderful insight! <3

I am a wife of almost 25 years, mother of 3 amazing kids, a dog and donut lover and just really enjoy how much happy HRG brings into my everyday life!
Blessings to all from Sunny Florida

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LOVE all the stories!!! Thanks for sharing your momma with us for a day!

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Love this post!! I want to meet both of you someday! (and Brookers too!)

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