Time Out for Women in Nashville

**Don't forget to enter the $100 giveaway here**

A couple of weeks ago I had the sweet opportunity to spend the weekend with some fabulous ladies for some fun in Nashville! We started out with some shopping and a yummy lunch at my new favorite fresh mex place, Chipolte! Delish--have you been there?! So good!! I wish there was one in Chattanooga-dang it!

We found a lot of GREAT deals, but my favorite purchase was getting these cute Born sandals for a steal! They were originally $95 and I got them for $18! Woo hoo! I was so happy about these cuties that I texted this shot to my Mom and sisters:) I miss shopping with them! We always loved to get a hot deal!

So we enjoyed good eats, awesome shopping, a beautiful hotel, fun company....but the BEST part of the whole weekend was the Time Out for Women conference we attended.

The theme was 'Choose to Become' All things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9:23 The presenters were well prepared and so inspiring, nudging us to choose to become the women we are suppossed to be. I took notes like a mad woman and had fun sharing them with my family later. Beautiful messages and testimonies of Jesus Christ were given and I soaked it all up:)

I do believe with all my heart that God has a plan for each one of us. We are His precious children with divine--beautiful, unique talents and gifts. It is thrilling for me to know that a loving Father in Heaven will lead and guide us in our lifes work, as we seek His guidance and are willing to do our part. I think that is the key to true happiness. When your hearts desire is to please the Lord and dedicate your life to Him and His work you can't go wrong!

Me, J'lynne, Anjie and Beth showing off our new bags:)

And enjoying the rockers!

It was a sweet weekend and now I am especially excited for BYU Women's Conference at the end of the month. I have already booked my flight and purchased my ticket. This years theme is "By Small and Simple Things Are Great Things Brought to Pass. " Alma 37:6-7 One of my all time favorite scriptures!

It is going to be good! Are you going?

The Ragnar Relay Story

The Ragnar Relay in Utah is called the Wasatch Back. It is a crazy event where teams of 12 take turns and run from Logan to Park City day and night, rain or shine...a total of 188 miles! It was awesome! My team "the Comeback Queens" was a bunch of women from my neighborhood. Our story was written up in the Salt Lake Tribune here. We had a few drop out due to cancer, a broken back and other injuries. That is why there are a few extras in this picture.

The Comeback Queens

Here we are the night before at a house we rented in Logan, having a delicious "CARB" dinner!



After our dinner, we got busy and a very silly decorating the suburbans that would carry us on this adventure through the mountains of Utah!

We were in "suburban 2" so we were preparing for our first runs of the day around noon in Eden ...

Getting ready for my night run(around midnight). It ended up being my favorite! It was very cool to be running up a mountain in the still of the night with a bunch of other crazy people cheering you on.

Saturday morning was wonderfully rainy and overcast.

Brad had the boys up at my brother's place at the Zermatt in Midway--he surprised me and came to my last leg. Boy, was I happy to see my guys!

They were not too impressed with our goofy crowns!

This was a happy sight...although I swear they tricked us, because those last miles were the LONGEST miles I ever ran!

Finishing my last leg---WHOOOO HOOOO--I did it! I was beyond happy to be done with my runs, especially since I had only slept maybe an hour and a half that night.

Our team members who couldn't run met us at the finish line.

The 12 that ran

What an AWESOME experience! One of my team mates who is a marathoner told me at the end "Well, Melanie you can no longer claim that you are not a runner. Anyone who runs the Ragnar is a "RUNNER"! I just laughed, but I think her words must of sunk in a little, because I found myself out running one of my training runs this morning:) and it actually felt pretty good!