Spring Break 2012

This year for spring break Kennedee was given the opportunity to go to the Bahamas with her friend from school and her family. She went for 6 days and had the very best time. They were treated so good and had everything the could ever need. Kennedee became a fan of sushi and seafood. I have been asking her for years to eat seafood but I guess when you are right next to the ocean its much better. She went snorkling, boating, dancing at a night club for kids and chilled. She came home happy and rested. I am super grateful for the opportunity she had to go. Those are memories she will have for a lifetime.
We had to get up at 3:00 am to pick up Georgia and get to the airport for their 7 am flight. Even though it was early, they are both pretty excited.

The view from their room on the 19th floor

Kennedee said these little boys are what she will miss the most about her trip. They were so cute and so eager to help with anything they needed.
While hitting the clubs. The locals taught Kennedee how to bust a move.

While Kennedee was enjoying herself in the sun. Madison was playing in a softball tournament. It was supposed to be a 2 day tourn. But on friday we woke up to ALOT of snow and friday afternoons games were postponed until saturday. She played her first game at 10:30 and we laid down in our bed at 12:05 am. It was a LONG day. As soon as the sun went down it was SO cold. One team they played at 10 pm played half the game and decided it was to cold and their kids were tired so they wanted to bat 4 more times and go home. And they did. Funny thing was they were winning and they only lived in Springville so they didnt have far to travel. The team we played for championship was from Ogden and they had a much farther drive. But we played and our girls held tough. I am sure some wanted to be done too but they hung in there and won their second tournament of the year. We have another tournament this weekend and we close on our house on friday. Moving day is getting super close.

WE ARE MOVING (again)

Yes we are moving again. And hopefully this will be last time. After 9 long years of moving around and renting we have finally decided to put our roots down and buy a house. We are all so excited to move once and for all and be in our own place. I am excited to own my very own all by myself home and be able to garden and do what ever I want to it. The buying process has been stressful and not really that fun (thanks to a crappy seller realtor), but it will all be worth it when we are settled. The house has more space than we need but the kids will have lots of space to have friends over and enjoy themselves. With the housing market as a buyers market, I got a great deal and I am proud to call this mine. Welcome Home

I think Kennedee is a little excited. I told her last night that I needed a pic to update our blog and she said.. Oh I have one.. Yep she has pulled right in front and parked and took the picture. It is on a dead end road so she has to turn in the driveway.

Fast & Furious

Madison had her first tournament of the season this past weekend in St George. It was warm and sunny. They played 7 games only loosing 1 of those. They won first place. It was a long hot day. After the games we went to dinner at Golden Corral and Madi went swimming with her friends until they got kicked out. It was a great start to the season and lots of fun.

Jim is trying to wake the girls up. He made them jog around the field doing ballet moves. He was a great leader, it woke them up and they won the next 3 games.

Happy Birthday

It's been another year and I now I have a 16 and 12 year old. These kids just keep growing up. I am very blessed to have them and I wouldn't trade either in for anything.
Life is just as crazy as usual. Kennedee's high school season is over but club started right after. She went to Florida over new years and her team won their age group. We went to San Diego over Thanksgiving and they lost in the finals. Kennedee is practicing for another tournament in Feb in Arizona. She is SUPER social and is hardly ever home. Over Thanksgiving we spent the whole week in CA and did so many fun things. We played tourists in LA and saw a lot. We went to the Grove in LA and Madison got to take her American Girl doll and go to the store. That was a pretty fun place.

We spent Thanksgiving at Sea World and that was the best time to go. No lines and lots of fun.
Our hotel in San Diego was so incredible I didn't want to ever leave. This was the view from our room.

Madison has been playing on a comp softball team and we have gone to Mesquite and Cedar city for tournaments and lots of little tournaments close to home. She LOVES to play and does really well. She just started playing softball a couple of years ago so its still new but she is doing well. She has a lot of friends and really enjoys being on the field. She plays out field and likes it. She is SUPER skinny and needs to gain weight so she can rip the ball over the fence but for a little girl she does well. She passed out at practice last week and it freaked me out a little, she is a pretty healthy kid so it was unusual for her. I gave her some gatorade and she looked better within the hour after. But it still worried me so we went to the doctor and he said she is a little dyhydrated and could gain some weight. How would it be to have the doctor tell us we need to GAIN weight. But she will and she will feel better. Madi will be in young womens starting this week and her and Kennedee will be able to go to girls camp together this year. Kennedee is really looking forward to teaching her sister the ropes. They get along so well and have lots of fun together. Madison started wearing contacts a couple of months ago and its nice to see her pretty eyes and long eye lashes. She did ask me last night since she is 12 now if she can start wearing makeup. UGH..
So both kids are a year older and I would like to think I am the wiser one but not so sure. 2012 is going to be a great year for all of us. We welcome the changes and challenges ahead. We love being together as a family and spend as much time together as time allows. I adore those two kids.
Happy Birthday to both.

MMHS Soccer

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I have so much to catch up on but this first.
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I am super proud of Kennedee this year has been so much better for high school soccer, she is loving it and doing so well. Her game last night made me cry right along with her. This was the second game against Timpanogos in the season, the first game we lost. It was heartbreaking. Going into the game our 2 schools were undefeated so we knew it would be a battle. We lost and the team went downhill a little. With 2 games in the season left we have lost only 3 games, but 3 heartbreaking losses. So last nights game was revenge. I pulled in the parking lot 10 minutes into the game and Timp had just scored their second goal. I thought oh crap should I leave now... So glad I stayed.
When I sat my chair down and started to watch, we got a foul called in the box. Kennedee has been taking the PK's and has ice flowing through her veins. She has made every shot so far but I still get nervous. She told me after the game the girls were trying to get in her head telling her she would miss. But she smiled and in her head she told the ball it was finding the net. And it did. At the half it was 2-1. MMHS came out in the second half and played tough. Kennedee has been playing wing and running a ton. She got a yellow card and had to sit out for a bit but long enough to get a breath. With a few minutes left in regulation, MMHS tied it up.
So after 90 minute regulation in the heat the played on after a quick break. I took Kennedee some cold water and her coach was talking to them asking them who wants to win? It was a pretty good pep talk because they came out tough and hard. MMHS dominated the 10 minute OT but no score. So they go into a second OT, if there is no score after the second one than the game is called as a tie. (A side note: Kennedee and Baylee are in the top 5 scoring for the state so every time they get the ball they are covered with defenders)
I moved to the side of the field that Kennedee is running the most on and I sat behind the goal. MMHS played hard and never gave up, they wanted this game pretty bad. They outplayed Timp and it paid off. Kennedee had a couple of break aways and good passes but it was starting to look like it would end in a tie. With 50 second left of OT MMHS worked the ball down the field, Baylee had posession and Kennedee was running wide. Baylee saw the pass and put it through the pack to Kennedee. 2 Timp players were by her but the look on Kennedee's face said it all, pure composure, determination, nothing was going to stop her. ( I wish I had my camera there). She looked at the ball coming to her feet, looked at the 2 defenders by her side, looked at the net and it went from there. She broke away just enough to get her footing right and just when a defender was catching up to her she launched the ball with her left foot and it hit the top corner in the back of the net.
As it hit the net I started to tear up, she had the biggest grin on her face, Rachel ran to her and hugged her, Kennedee cried and fell on the ground and her team piled on her. The game was over. The coaches came out to the team to congratulate them. It was such a great win and a great team effort. It just happens to be Kennedee who got the glory, but the whole team played well and never gave up. Kennedee will never forget that feeling. This article is one for Kennedee's book.

Schools out

Well almost. The kids go one more day tomorrow, but really just to see friends for a couple of hours and to sign yearbooks. After school there are lots of parties. I think they just need a reason to hang out. On one hand I am looking forward to school getting out because it has been so super crazy but on the other hand, summer begins and the kids get bored and call me for things to do. And I have to work.
I am like a broken record but I really am so proud of my stinkin kids. Madison got straight A's this term and the highest honors on citizenship. Kennedee got a 4.0 again and at her awards assembly she got an award for outstanding PE student and outstanding FFA student, along with her academic award she got a couple of weeks ago. Having such great kids makes being a mom super easy. Not to say there aren't times I want to ship them off to a foreign land because they drive me nuts, and since they are home every weekend running with friends I think a break would be nice, but for the most part they are fantastic kids and I love the relationship we have. Kennedee and I sometimes have to go the rounds because of grades, and I am really a hard nose when it comes to good grades, but Kennedee knows if she wants a social life, she has to have good grades. I am glad I started that rule when they both were little, the fights get less and less as Kennedee gets older. Just when I get her trained Madison will be in Jr high and I will start all over again.
Since we have moved we spend even more time together. I knew moving to a one bedroom would be a little cramped but we commented the other night that we have become so much closer and it will be weird when we get a bigger place. Kennedee and I lay in bed at night and giggle and laugh and have the strangest conversations. I am not sure I want to get a bigger place. It used to be Kennedee would go to her room, I would go to mine and Madison to hers and we didn't see much of each other but now we are all super close.
Kennedee played in the state cup tournament this week and for the first time in 4 years, Sparta lost. The girls were crushed. Kennedee had the most amazing game and played so well. They just couldn't put the ball in the net. It was a heart wrenching loss. But they are determined to come back and win it again next year. They are still practicing for a tournament in Park City in a couple of weeks and possibly a tournament in CA in June. Kennedee's soccer season is just starting. ODP is in a few weeks and she will hardly be home with all her soccer camps. Madison is playing softball 2 days a week and her tournaments will be starting soon.
We are just waiting for the sun to come out and stay so we can go to the pool. I say bring on the heat!!!

Lots to say

So much to catch up on.
I won tickets to Disney on Ice so the girls and I took Stran to his first one. He was a little nervous at first but warmed up after a bit and he loved it. I bought him a stick with lights on it and we ate lots of blue cotton candy. It was a really fun day.

In Mid March we went to Vegas for a soccer tournament. Madison stayed home and Kennedee I went with some friends. It was a fun girls weekend and Kennedee's team won the tournament in their age group. We did hair and shopped. A typical girls weekend.

In preparing for the end of the school year there are so many performances to attend. Madison has had 2 choir concerts and a fifth grade program to watch.

Than we had Easter. We stayed home for most of the weekend. We went to a neighborhood party and the kids did an easter egg hunt and we ate lots of food. Kennedee had a dance to go to that night so Grandma and Mimi came down to help her get dressed and took Madison home with them while I waited for Kennedee to get home and than we headed up North to spend Easter day with family.

And to the dance. A friend of mine in our ward asked Kennedee if she was going to prom and she said no because she isn't 16. My friend asked me if I would care if Kennedee went to the dance with her son who is autistic. He had asked another girl but she was already going with someone and he was a senior and this was his last chance to go the prom. I said as long as it was with a group she could go with him and Kennedee was happy to go so he could have that experience. They had a good time and Kennedee got her first taste of what high school is like, and she can't wait for next year to go to dances (after she is 16). Grandma, Mimi and Kennedee's friend Morgan came over to help her get ready. Kennedee chose to wear her purple nike high tops instead of high heels.

Madison ran in the 5th grade track meet. She did the 200, softball throw and 400 relay. She made it to the semi finals in the 200 and the 400 relay her team took 2nd overall. She is a quick little girl.

Madi had just started the relay, she was the first leg, right after this shot, she runs right past all the other runners and had the lead.
Madison had been working hard all year at school to get the Golden Explorer award. She had to read 20+ books, do a service project, not get any detentions at school, memorize paragraphs of things, write stories and many other things. She worked hard and got the award at the end of the school year.

Kennedee got an Academic award this week too. I am so proud of my kids and the choices they make. Being a mom is the easiest thing I do in my day. For Mothers day, I made the kids breakfast in bed. Without them I wouldn't be a mom and they deserve the credit. I thank my heavenly father every day for giving me them and for trusting me to be their mom.
We are in the middle of State cup and Kennedee has a quarter finals game tonight. Hopefully we get a win.
School is out this week and Kennedee won't be a freshman any more. Her summer is pretty packed. She will be home a few days here and there, but mostly off playing soccer.
Madi will be home a little more but she is playing lots of softball and she has a camp she will be going to this summer. We are hoping to get in a couple small vacations this summer to Colorado and St George. It is still not very warm but I am hoping the sun come out for good and soon.
Thats all going on in our world.

Reflections

As I stop and think back at life and where we have been and look forward to where we are going, I can't help but get a little sad. Did I stop and smell the flowers? Did I relish every possible minute with my kids? Was I the best mom I could be?
I registered Kennedee for high school this week and she has gotten a few emails from colleges requesting her to come to their camps this summer. It really seems like just yesterday that we sat on the side lines of her first soccer game when she was 5.
I watched Madison out in the yard today as I played catch with her and was amazed at how grown up she is. I still remember the new baby smell as I held her in the hospital and looked down at her tiny little body and was amazed at how little she was and at how she scared me to hold her. I can still hear the rocking chair creak as I rocked her EVERY night singing to her, praying for her to feel better so we could both get some sleep.
I am so proud of my kids for the people they are becoming, not for their accomplishments but just for them being who the are. In 3 short years we will be getting Kennedee ready to graduate and to send her off to college. WOW. I don't think I have had enough time with her yet. I want her to go back and grow up again so we can have more fun and more laughs. I am grateful for Madison and I think I am going to lock her in the closet so she can't grow up any more either.
This weekend we close the final book on my 7 year roller coaster. We are moving again, I call it a lay over, so we can focus on buying our own place and setting our roots in SF. I am getting to old for this packing stuff, its no fun. Life for me personally can only get better and I will stop and smell the flowers more, dance to Mamma Mia in the living room more (sorry Kennedee), jump on the bed more and lick the brownie batter out of the bowl more. I have been to the lowest of lows and to quote Reba, nothing feels as good as letting go.
I have read alot and really tried to get myself more in balance. I ran across this article and it says abuse, but I think we have all been abused in some way and it really is just about life and feeling down about ourselves.

Trust in Heavenly Father’s Love

“If you have been abused, Satan will strive to convince you that there is no solution. Yet he knows perfectly well that there is. Satan recognizes that healing comes through the unwavering love of Heavenly Father for each of His children. He also understands that the power of healing is inherent in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Therefore, his strategy is to do all possible to separate you from your Father and His Son. Do not let Satan convince you that you are beyond help.
“Satan uses your abuse to undermine your self-confidence, destroy trust in authority, create fear, and generate feelings of despair. Abuse can damage your ability to form healthy human relationships. You must have faith that all of these negative consequences can be resolved; otherwise they will keep you from full recovery. While these outcomes have powerful influence in your life, they do not define the real you.
“Satan will strive to alienate you from your Father in Heaven with the thought that if He loved you He would have prevented the tragedy. Do not be kept from the very source of true healing by the craftiness of the prince of evil and his wicked lies. Recognize that if you have feelings that you are not loved by your Father in Heaven, you are being manipulated by Satan. Even when it may seem very difficult to pray, kneel and ask Father in Heaven to give you the capacity to trust Him and to feel His love for you. Ask to come to know that His Son can heal you through His merciful Atonement.”


So here's to a new book and to a new outlook on life. I am slowing the clock so we can all enjoy life a little more and to refocus on the things that are the most important.

Catch up

A couple of weeks ago Kennedee had her early morning practice in Salt Lake and then ODP practice in Park City so instead of going home in between we headed up and went to the Olympic Park. It was a lot of fun, other than being so dang cold. It was fun to see everything and explain it all to the kids. Kennedee was 4 and remembers a little but not much and Madison doesn't remember any of it.



The kids played a game where the ball came down a ramp and you pushed a button to make it jump. The longest jump was posted above. Kennedee and Rachel tried and tried and didn't do very well. Madi got up and first try had the high schore.
The girls didn't like that very well so they had to try and try until all 3 finally got the same score.

We all had lots of fun while killing time.

This last weekend Kennedee was in AZ playing soccer so Madi and I hung out the whole weekend and had lots of fun. Much funner than Kennedee. It rained so much they canceled soccer games after they had only played one. The next day they had the teams do PK's to decide who went to the finals. Thats a crock but they lost so they did other things all weekend.
Friday night when I got off work I took Madi and Tess to see Justin Beibers movie. I had no interest in seeing it so I went to a different show. They LOVED it. Saturday we chilled most of the day. We rented movies and went to the red box in our matching footsie pajama's. We both hoped no one would no who we were. Sunday we went to church and watched more movies. Yesterday was a holiday and I bought Harlem Globetrotter tickets for Madi and I. I got the extra magic pass so we could go early and learn some tricks and meet the players. Madison loved it. She loved the game and laughed alot. After the game we went to the chocolate store and then headed up. All in all it was a great weekend.