Tanner’s Sr. Night

Last Friday was Tanners Sr. night. Where has the time gone???? I can't be so old that I soon will have TWO children out of school, and another close behind. I love the age of my kids right now…..would love to freeze time!

Playing football this year has been such a great experience for both Tanner and Brayden. It turned out to be a great night. Shane's mother and sister came up to the game, along with a cousin Shay. I know Tanner and Brayden appreciated the support. It ended up being an emotional night. The fact that Tanner is graduating this year and could be leaving us soon was a reality check. The fact that this was a game that we all wish Shane's Father could be at was tough. The boys having his initials on their arms dedicating the game to him set us all off. We all miss him greatly. The Wildcats record for the regular season ended up being 8 1 with the playoffs starting next week. The team works so well together in part because they all LIKE each other. They are a wonderful group of kids who have worked hard. They have the #1 kicker, quarterback and team stats in defense and offensive points in 2A. Thanks so much to family and friends for their support. A big THANK YOU to the coaches and staff for doing such a great job this season. Not so much for the winning season, but more for the way they conduct themselves with the players and parents. They are a great coaching staff and probably don't get the credit they deserve. Here's to a winning season and GO WILDCATS! It's time to take STATE!

Playing Catch up….

I know, I know, I have soooo many followers (NOT) that have just been waiting on the edge of their seats waiting for my next post. I'm finally going to try and do a quick review of our crazy summer.

Because of the wonderful weather we have had this past summer (do you hear the sarcasm dripping off every word here???) we did not get out much on the boat. Below are a few pics that we did get on a few of our outings. Hopefully next summer brings much better weather so we can enjoy our boat a lot more than we did this year!!!

Tanner and Brayden have both been playing football for our High School that started in Aug. and has basically ruled our schedules ever since. Tanner is a Sr. this year, Brayden a Jr. Tanner has worked hard to earn a starting position on the defense and rotates in on offence. He has even had a few BIG receptions. Brayden starts both defense and offence on the JV team and rotates in quite a bit as safety on the Varsity defense. He got a great interception when he was in on the varsity game against Parowan. They both are having a very successful and positive season. Their record is 6 1, with a heartbreaker loss a few weeks back. It was a very close game that could have gone either way. Below are some pics from that game.

**Tanner is #1, Brayden #15

I started my new season in August. I've been very blessed to have really good numbers still in each studio. If I lose students in one, I tend to gain in the other. I know many other studios that have been hit quite hard with the economy and I'm very lucky to still be going strong J

Casey has only 4 months left….wahooooo!!! He is doing fantastic. He loves his new area along with his new companion. He is in an area called Marcovia. He had an amazing experience a few weeks back. He was called to the Mission home to assist in giving the Mission President a blessing. I guess he was having a few health issues. To his surprise, the President called on Casey to give the blessing. He said that it was the most amazing experience in giving a blessing he has ever had, not having anytime to think, just speak. He still makes us laugh in every letter and every picture he sends home. Below are a few that are typical Casey!!!  

On a sad note, we lost Shane's father a couple weeks back. It was sudden and unexpected and we are going to miss him greatly. It was a little hard for Casey as well, being so far away and alone L. Shane's family is amazing and his mom is one of the strongest women I know. I know this is going to be a year of "firsts", but I'm so grateful for the gospel and knowing that the comforter is with Shane and his family. Knowing that this is not the end is such a great gift to have in times like this.


Shane and I just returned from an Adult trip to Lake Powell. We really needed this...i've been sick for a couple weeks and the added stress Shane had from the loss of his father. WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME. There's nothing like spending time with great friends




HAPPY AUTUMN

Fireworks..oooo..aaaahh.. "CRAP"

I was teaching last night and having some funny conversations with my amazing students! LOVE THEM ALL! One story reminded me of something that happened this past summer that I need to write down so I don't forget it J.

On this fine summer day, I was out doing yard work, or something outside…can't quite remember. My 16 year old son Brayden was helping me. Tanner who is now 17 came out asking if we knew where some duct tape was. Well, this is not an odd request. My kids seem to think that duct tape is the "fix it, make it, assemble it" tape. So when Tanner asks for the tape, I of course think nothing of it.

A couple of hours go by and I'm now relaxing out on our patio. My wonderful son Tanner comes out and starts asking odd questions like: "How much is a new refrigerator?"….what????? ummmm I'm not sure son, it depends on how much you want to spend…maybe $500-$1500. Ok, I'm thinking that was odd. Then the next one was, "How much would a new washer and dryer be"….double what?????? Ummmm well, again son, it depends on how much you want to spend, anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to a couple thousand. Now I'm really wondering where this is leading. With the next one we hit the jackpot, "How much would a new toilet be?"….well, I think you could get one for just under $100, again depends what you want to spend.

Now my radar is way UPPPP…what's going on. I'm looking at him with that same look....the look of, do I really want to know where this is leading. He finally confesses…. "Well, we need to go buy a new toilet". Why in the world do we need a new toilet. OK, I know our bathroom is a bit small…well, REALLY small, our sink leaks, our walls are, well lets see, about 100 yrs old and falling apart, but our toilet is actually one of the newer things in our bathroom that WORKS. "Why in the world do we need a new toilet". Tanner responds, "Well, I kind of blew it up"…WHAT, how do you "kind of" blow up a toilet. Come to find out, if you put a "FIRE CRACKER" in the toilet, it will actually blow it up. Really Einstein! YA think????

To top it off, he thought that duct tape of all things would fix it. His genius plan was to duct tape the whole bottom part of the toilet back together. Funny thing is, duct tape does not stick to a wet surface. AGAIN…really Einstein, YA think??? So what does he do next….pulls out the blow dryer, yea the blow dryer and try's to dry the water and melt the tape to the toilet. Can you believe this did not work!!!???!!! He thought he had mastered the fix, until with the first FLUSH it all blows out and water is now all over the bathroom floor…again! Only when he knew he was defeated, did he come out with his 20 questions to lead into needing a new toilet.

Well he now knows that a toilet cost exactly 79.99, + 10.00 gas fee to drive to the Home Depot in Park City. He also knows how to install a toilet for when his brilliant child decides it will be great fun to put a fire cracker in the crapper.

ARENT BOYS GREAT!!

Einstein Tanner

The ZOO….

For the past week we have had an extra 4 yr old at our home….Jaxon, my nephew. He and Carsen are best buddies and love to be with each other. This past Friday Carsen, Jaxon, Logan and myself ventured off to the zoo. WHAT A GREAT DAY!

The weather was perfect! I have not visited the zoo for many years... I was so amazed to see all the great changes. Can I just say what a fantastic zoo we have. I could not believe all the new area's and upgrades. It really was beautiful.

I've attached a few of my favorite pics from the perfect day J. My favorite is the picture with Carsen on "MARTY", the zebra from the Merry Go Round. They were never called zebra's , they were "Marty's". (Marty is the name of the zebra from Madagascar) Can't wait to go back to the ZOO again soon!

Jaxon and Carsen at the Monkey cage.

Logan lookin "COOOOL"

Carsen's first day of wearing boxer unders….couldn't keep is hand off his junk…lol

Carsen ducking to get out of the picture….still got him!!

Picture perfect J

“MVP”

This past weekend was the competition we work for all year, Nationals at Lagoon. Teams and dancers from the west come to compete. Most of you know that a big part of our family is clogging. Casey, Tanner and Brayden have all clogged for several years. This year Brayden was able to win an award that is very difficult. They take the top dancers from the dance off on Friday night (around 300 champion and pro level dancers) that participate in the individual event "freestyle". It is basically a solo event done along side other dancers. For the past couple of years Brayden has been chosen to dance off on the Saturday show for the title MVP…the top Male dancer. Last year he came close and won Rookie MVP, which is awarded to the top dancer not chosen, that has also not ever been MVP in previous years. There is an MVP Female, Male, Duet, Short Duet, and A Cappella. This year Brayden was able to take the next step and win it all. He was awarded MVP male dancer this year. He has worked hard and we are very proud of him. Tanner also did very well making the All American team for the 8^th year in a row. They both are great boys and I love them so very much. They both are very busy in school now and only do individual events. We are already working on a team dance with the three of us and my niece and nephew Michael and Jessica. Casey has even said he might want to join in when he gets home???? We'll see. It should be great fun. All of my teams did great and it was a fun event. Glad it's over J Now all I have are my 2 recitals in about 3 weeks and things will be slowing down a bit. I want to send a big THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU to Shane for his continuing support with my job. At times it is crazy and I know drives him crazy, but he's always willing to help.

Brayden


Tanner

“Lady bugs and Grass?”

We had a fantastic "Mothers Day" week-end. It started with Brayden's soccer game. They played in the Semi Finals match against the #1 team at Jordan High. They lost a heart breaker 4-2, with the last two scores being in the last 5 min. of the game. The majority of the game was a tie. They gave them a good game and should be proud. It is nice to have the soccer season over. J After the game our family and 2 of Brayden's friends that are also on the soccer team, went to dinner at one of our family's favorite restaurants, "Texas Roadhouse". YUUUMMMY! Well, to say that Brayden has a friend on the large size is an understatement. He is about 6' 2", and about 220 pounds of pure muscle. Not only is he large, he already is sporting a nice little beard, well the kids call it a "chin strap". He just turned 16 last Sunday. So, as he is scarfing down his salad, (we all are watching him in amazement to how fast his salad is disappearing) imagine his surprise to see something moving …., A LADYBUG was in his salad. Of course we all thought it was hilarious, he just shrugged his shoulders and kept plugging away at his salad. The rest of us simply moved our salads aside not quite sure we wanted to finish ours. Had a great time Friday!

Brayden and his friends at Tanner's Jr. Prom…Levi is the one in the back crouched down. Does not show how massive this kid REALLY is.

Saturday we went to Shane's parents house out in Stansbury for a Mothers Day visit. It is always nice to see them and its been far too long. The boys helped their grandpa with a few things around the house while we played with the newest grand baby of the family. Fun stuff! I'm going to share something that happened and I hope it's ok with Shane's dad….it's just way too funny!!! Sorry dad. Carsen always loves going to grandpa's house and is always excited to see them. As we are leaving, the kids are doing the traditional hug and "I love you's". Carsen gets to grandpa, gives him a hug and then gets the puzzled look of "what is that" on his face. Then the finger comes out and is pointing to grandpa's nose. "What's that Grandpa"….looking closer he deciphers what's in grandpa's nose…"Grandpa, you have GRASS in your nose". Silly Carsen, does he not know that we ALL have grass in our noses, it's called hair! Turning 40 this year has made "GRASS" appear more apparent than ever and in places that never needed a lawn mower before. My next lip and eyebrow wax will need to include my chin, sideburns, and now I think about it, can you have your whole face waxed???? Really, the things a 4 year old says!!!!!

Carsen with Grandpa and Grandma on his 4^th Birthday party this past January.

Sunday we enjoyed a call from Casey in Honduras. To hear his voice is exciting, but at the same time, makes me miss him even more. The fact that he is doing so well is comforting. He is staying busy as a Branch President in his area trying to build it up and get people coming back to church. I can tell he is happy and loving his mission. He has been blessed to be able to pick up the language quickly. He mentioned Sunday how grateful he is for this. It really is a gift that has helped him tremendously in the mission field. As all missionary's do, he has had struggles in other areas that has made him become a bit more patient and understanding. Our family has been blessed for his decision to serve the Lord and we all miss him. Just 8 ½ months left!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY
to all of the moms out there. Motherhood is the greatest calling we have been given and sometimes our greatest challenge. Isn't it great being a MOM!

Soccer, Soccer and More Soccer!

After 2 years of kids playing on the High School team, and countless County rec. teams when they were younger, (including Logan being on one right now) I can honestly say I STILL DON'T KNOW THE RULES. OK, I do know that the main goal is to get the ball in the net, but I can't ever see the "off sides" that everyone yells countless times during a game. Why some penalty kicks are from mid field and some right in front of the goal, and why a team does a corner kick instead of the goalie kicking it down field. But after the past two High School seasons, I must admit that I'm becoming a soccer fan. It really can be fun to watch even though you know NOTHING about the game. To say that I'm a fan is saying something due to the fact that we have watched many games in the SNOW, COLD, RAIN, and did I mention SNOW!!! Soccer up here is more a Winter sport than Spring….in Kamas Spring is absent, it goes from Winter right into Summer!

Last year our High School soccer team made it to the State Semi Finals. We were up 3-0 with 30 min. left….we could all taste victory and a chance to play in the finals… and we LOST....the other team came back and before we knew it our team had been defeated. This year they want to prove themselves again. On Friday we are going to the State Semi Finals again, but now play the #1 team in the State Rolland Hall, a private school that actually recruits for soccer and won State last year. Just want to send a good luck out the Brayden and the team. They have worked hard all year and we're proud of them. "GO GREEN…GO BRAYDEN…GO WILDCATS"