Strong Family BBQ

The day before Disneyland everyone was "to excited to sleep." We had a great Mexican meal in the back yard of Mom and Dad Strong's house. It was really good for me to talk and see everyone in the family since the last time we were together was at the wedding. And lets be honest there was not a lot of talking going on the night of the reception. Seeing the cousins play and suckering their uncles and grandpa into pushing them on the swings was worth all the money in the world. It was a really happy night, and made the whole trip start off with a bang!

There was an intense game of Croquet that was played. I was not showing my best colors, but Stacey kicked butt and ended up beating Will in the last part of the game! Way to show some serious GIRL power!




Will is a magnet for kids. They all love him, it is so cute! He helped them pick raspberries, play with bubbles, and pretty much do anything they wanted. One day Will was just sitting on the couch reading comics and there were half of the kids just sitting there watching him. They sure do love their Uncle!
Here are some more pictures of the night!


Grandpa and David

Brooklyn, Will, and Tiffany

Jacob, Bailey, Ethan, and Broklyn picking yummy berries!








Stacey is not going to like this picture, but just look at how BUFF she is!
And I wish I had a picture of DeLance and his massive "Gummi Bear" war wound! He should be really proud of that!





This is my favorite picture of the night. Bailey was staring at her shadow. It is adorable!

And with all that excitement, even the adults got some sleep...

Once a Runner...

I started running my junior year of high school. I fell in love with it. It was something I owned, I loved, and I was happy about. It was a missing part of me that was finally found. I have always been athletic - I played lacrosse and field hockey in high school along with a multitude of other sports, but something was always missing.
When I ran it was like nothing else in the world mattered. I could be in a good or bad mood, tired or energetic, quiet or loud, by my house in NJ or in the desert of Arizona - running was my peace my home.
I, not to brag, was actually pretty good at running. I would love to say that I was the best, but that was not the case, I was just above average. And this above average runner made it out of high school and on to Brigham Young University’s cross country and track and field team. I was running with the best. It was awesome. The team were my best friends, and also my family. They taught me so much about running, life, and also showed forth my testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
In 2002 I was hit hard with an injury that no one knew a lot about and it was overlooked multiple times by many medical professionals. It was not until I traveled home to NJ that a doctor was able to diagnose me with a torn anti tibular tendon, that needed replacement and reconstruction of my foot nerves and joints. WOW! It was a shock. The doctors were uncertain if I would even walk again, let alone run....
Beating the odds was a part of my runner mentality. Oh I was so going to run again...I was going to walk...I was going to go back to BYU...and I was going to prove to the doctors that I was strong.
After 9 months of therapy, wheelchairs, crutches, walking boots, two types of casts, 4 screws, a metal plate, 40 staples, and over 200 stitches, and a new scar - I walked away from NJ and came back to BYU. I finished school, started teaching 6th grade, and was able to work out at a gym each morning...but...there was still that nagging feeling of...can I run?
Running...it involves not only your feet but all of your muscles. So even though my foot was kinda back together, my other body part were not so “recovered”. So I started with baby steps, one mile once a week. Okay...done...two miles, three miles, four miles, you get the point. Then I would get hurt...somewhere on my body...it would either be my back, or my achilles tendons. So I figured, just do the gym, no running. As a teacher I thought - I would rather teach walking than in a wheelchair. So for about 18 months I didn’t think about running, well, no that is a lie, I didn’t run....
Then I met my husband, William Strong, he is just the missing piece to my life. He makes me feel like a million dollars, and is the most caring person in the world. I would tell him about running, but never showed him. So I thought, while I was in Riverside, CA for his family reunion this summer I can run while I am there. It would be so fun! So that is what I did. I ran 6 miles on the Monday before we left for Disneyland, and then another 5 miles the next day. HA HA...no the brightest idea in the world. I hurt, I have not hurt like I did that Wednesday in Disneyland since my surgery. Will’s family are so caring, and they didn’t realize that I am so stubborn. They got me a wheelchair for the next two days, which I knew I needed, but come on...who wants to sit in a wheelchair while at the “happiest place on Earth.” It was necessary and actually great on my very swollen left foot. The best part was that we got to go in front of a lot of lines at Disneyland, which Will’s Nephews, Andrew and Michael, liked a lot. Brooklyn his niece also enjoyed being my passenger...and I enjoyed having her as my passenger, she made me look good.
So I was once a runner...I now know that my running days are over...it is a hard reality...and if I think about it to much it does make me upset...but I have a family that loves me, and I love them and I want to be healthy to see all of my nieces and nephews grow up...and who knows maybe I will be watching them or my own children run someday.

Disney really is wonderful!

STRONG FAMILY REUNION AT DISNEYLAND!

Disneyland was a blast! It truly was a great vacation and it was full of wonderful memories and stories.
We arrived in Disney on Tuesday morning. The hotel we stayed at was beautiful. The Disneyland Grand Hotel. It had amazing architecture, design, and the people that worked there were so nice. At night they would come and turn down our bed and put little chocolates on our pillows. It was such a great way to end a busy day at the park.

There were so many good pictures and memories so I figure the best was to do this blog entry would be to place in the pictures and then caption them!

Will, Tiff, Jenny, and Nathan
Will and I - cute huh?

Will, Michael, and Andrew

California Adventure is so fun. I actually liked being there more than Disneyland. Will was so excited to go on "Soaring over California" and "California Screaming". Actually even before we got on the ride Will was jumping up and down like an excited little boy.

There is one thing at Disney that I don't like and that is the water rides. There is something about them that scares me...but I got to take some great video footage of everyone riding Grizzly Rapids.





Jenny Strong got hit really hard with the water on the rapids. It was so funny - she was SOAKED from HEAD to TOE! Yo can see her get hit hard in the video.

BAILEY STRONG HAD THE TIME OF HER LIFE!

Bailey Strong is five and gets the award for being the bravest five year old girl at Disneyland. She had without a doubt the best time of anyone. The first day we were there Bailey wanted to go on the Tower of Terror. Matthew and Stacey, her parents (pictured above), had prepped here for the scary ride and told her pretty much everything that was going to happen. Being a little shorter than the 40 inches that you needed to be to ride the ride, Stacey bought her "high heals" to make her the perfect height for the ride.

There was a big family group all ready to ride the ride with Bailey (picture above). She was a real trooper. We all promised her a dollar for riding the ride. And Will and I gave her a Tower of Terror collectors pin. It was one of the most memorable parts of the whole Disneyland trip. Bailey CONQUERED the Tower of Terror and got six dollars and a pin out of it.
Quote from Bailey "Lets do it again!"

Another part of the trip that was awesome was eating at "Goofy's Kitchen." We ate there Wednesday night and got a chance to meet some of Disney's finest characters. Cinderella, Mulan, Goofy, Max, and Chip and Dale were there to meet our whole family. The kids had a blast and so did the adults. Chip and Dale were very "flirty" and I think made Will a bit jealous.

Brandon, Eric, Brooklyn, Dale, and Ethan.
Will, Goofy, Dale and I - Goofy jumped in the picture at the last minute!

I think the Adults had just as much fun as the kids!

Nathan, Baby David, and Goofy

Beth, Brandon and Goofy

Bailey, Dale, and Brooklyn

Goofy getting his GROOVE on! He was so good at dancing!

As a new member to the Strong family I really need to watch Star Wars. The whole family knows the movies and characters inside and out and I don't know a thing. And when I say the whole family - even the young kids knew EVERYTHING about Star Wars. I felt like a fish out of water - and I have even made the mistake once or twice to call Star Wars - Star Trek.
At Disneyland there is a Stage Show called "Jedi Training". It is an interactive show where the kids get to train to be a Jedi and then get to fight Darth Vader and Darth Maul. Bailey and Andrew both got the opportunity to be trained as a Jedi.

Bailey (Top), and Andrew (Bottom)

Andrew Fighting ROCKED! He was amazing.

One of my favorite Disney movies is "Who Framed Roger Rabbit!" I have the movie pretty much memorized. So I was so excited to hear that they had a ride based on the movie in Toon Town!






Will, Michael, and Andrew in "Jail."

Will is SUPER DUPER strong!

So I think that this post is long enough Disney was AMAZING! I can't wait to go back.


One very tired group at Disneyland...

Three days of pure Bliss

We are on our way!!!
Off to the most fabulous place on earth...
Pictures and memories to come!
PS: ran five miles this morning = one soar person, one happy Tiffany!

Tiff ran through an Earthquake

I have been talking about running in California forever! No joke since I visited Will and his family back around Christmas. So this morning I went running - it was amazing! I ran at a good pace and my foot didn't hurt at all. I did 6 miles down a road covered in Orange trees, it was beautiful.
When I got back to Will's house, Ralph, Will's dad asked me - did you feel the EARTHQUAKE?!
Wait...back up...I missed an Earthquake while I was running...and honestly I have ALWAYS wanted to be in one. So now I can add "Ran through an Earthquake" to the weird things that have happened in my life, along with "Slept through Hurricane Andrew."

The Earthquake was a 4.0 and here is a view on a map of where the Earthquake happened.

Traveling Adventure

Tomorrow we are traveling to California. I am really excited, because it is going to be an adventure to get there. Will and I can never do anything the easy way, it always has to be like a Mario Kart race for it to be fun and exciting.
We are flying to San Francisco tomorrow morning - thank you Mr. Wyatt for driving us - and then we will be driving to Riverside from San Francisco. Why you might be asking? Well as it turns out, Stacey and Matthew Strong bought a new Nissan Armada and they need someone to pick it up and drive it to Riverside. So why not ask the Newlyweds? We will do anything! It is going to be an adventure, and I am going to have Will drive the whole time, I don't want to drive a brand new car!

I finally saw one picture of the wedding today! Nan Kennard one of my old BYU cross country team mates came to our reception with her adorable family and got a picture. Thank you Nan for taking the picture, and I am excited to see more! I honestly can't wait to see my cute Students dancing to Cotton-Eye-Joe in their cute pink shirts and tuxes. I am such a teacher!

When we get back from California I really hope to have some awesome pictures and some great adventures to talk about! Enjoy your week!

Off to the HAPPIEST place on earth!

This week we are on our way to Disneyland for Will's family reunion. I have heard through the grapevine that the Strong family knows how to really ROCK out and have a great time in Disneyland. Being from NJ I only went to Disney World so I look forward to being there with the whole Strong Gang! I went to Disneyland with Will over Christmas break, but the day we went I had an awful rash all over my face and Will was also under the weather, so I hope that this time is much better. Here is a picture of us at Disneyland last time:

We are also going to go to the movie WALL-E opening night, which is going to be so cool. Will has been talking about this movie since I went on our very first date. I think he was testing to see how much of a Disney fan I really was. I guess I passed the test! The best part is that we are viewing the movie at a Drive in Movie Theater!

Will right now is working on illustrations for a local author's picture book. We have had tons of laughs looking up pictures of FAT cats, and Sun Dresses for little girls. The story we know has to do with a Fat Cat and a Little Girl, other than that we are not sure.

The question is have you EVER looked up pictures of REALLY fat cats on the internet? Wow, if you have not you should. Some of the cats are as big as a five year old girl. It is crazy.

I hope to be able to have wedding pictures soon! Smile :-)

And it begins...

Well, I figure that now since I am a married woman I should do the proper thing and have a blog for William and I. I have to admit that it actually has been fun to set up a blog for our family. I don't know exactly how this whole thing works, but I do know that I will try to keep it updated and have fun creating some good memories too!