KENDYL the SOCCER QUEEN!

Kendyl and her Utah Olympic team at the airport before takeoff.

Kendyl at the airport. Isn't she beautiful?

Kendyl and Addy in front of the Welcome Home sign they made for her.

Kendyl has been gone for most of this summer so far. Two weeks ago she went with her club team Avalanche to Modesto, California for a soccer tournament. They had a great time and did really well. They placed third. We sent her with her coach and a bunch of other girls from her team. Dean couldn't take the time off work and I couldn't do it by myself with two little kids, besides we have to stay home and make money to pay for these trips. AAGH!!! We missed her so much. The house was so quiet and as Jake said "boring." During one of our many phone calls with her during this time, Jake told her that home was no fun with her gone and that she was the "plug in to the party." She was home for a week and then just left again for Idaho for the Utah Olympic Team Camp. Depending on how well she does she either comes home on the 4th of July or stays until the 8th. The camp ends on the 4th but if you are chosen to stay, you get to participate in a tournament with teams from other states and then come home on the 8th. She has been so excited to go. She flew there with her team and they are staying at the University in the dorms. She is having a ball. I miss her so much. Home is not the same without her, quieter but not the same. It is so hard to let go. I have a feeling it is just going to get harder, not easier.

SCOUT SAFETY DAY!

Notice how Addy gets right in there. She thinks she is a BOY SCOUT! That is one of the advantages of being a den leader, your daughter can be a scout too.

Jake has been having fun with scouts. A couple of weeks ago we had Deputy Butters come and talk to us and then we went and visited the fire station. So much fun. The boys had a great time and made us all laugh with their silly eight and nine year old humor at question time. I have really enjoyed being his leader. He is turning nine soon and joining a different troop. I already put in my request to move too. It is much easier to get both of us to one place than each of us to two separate places at different times.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE SATURDAY AFTERNOON...

Saturday afternoon I was driving in to my neighborhood after a busy day of errands and shopping and discovered about five police cars and trucks at a ward member's house down the street from ours. I rolled down my window to ask a police man what was going on and he replied "they have a cougar in their window well." WHAT??? Apparently the police and wildlife services had been trying to catch it for a while and finally a dog chased it into this window well and they were able to tranquilize it. Once it was asleep they pulled it out of the window well and let people have their photo ops with it. SCARY!!! I have to admit I wouldn't go near it and it made me so nervous to let our children get near it despite their reassurances that it would be asleep for a good long time. They finally put it in the truck and took it back home. I hope it stays this time.

FRIENDS, FRIENDS, FRIENDS

Friday night Dean and I went out with some friends to celebrate Laila's birthday. We went to Magelby's for dinner and yummy, yummy desserts and to a movie after. We didn't get home until 1:30 am. We were talking on the way home about how we all felt like we were breaking curfew and that I felt like I had to explain myself to Kendyl about why we were so late. It was so much fun. I truly love these people and have so much fun with them every time we get together. We missed all of the others that couldn't make it. I can't wait until the next time.

ELITE SOCCER ACADEMY!!!

Kendyl and her 11-year-old team.

Jake with his coaches.

Crazy coaches.

This last week Kendyl and a couple other kids from her "soccer world" helped run a soccer camp with some men from our neighborhood. It was an awesome experience, not to mention good money for Kendyl to use towards ALL of her soccer fees. Another perk was that Jake got to the camp for free. He had a ball. His friend Blake was in his group and he had some great coaches. Kendyl had a darling little 3-year-old boy named Payton in her younger session that has leukemia. He really touched all of them. At the end of the camp, the coaches gave him a ball signed by all of them. His mother thanked Kendyl and the other coaches for treating him like a normal 3-year-old and letting him have so much fun and for these short three days letting him forget that he is so sick. Kendyl can't even talk about him without crying. It breaks my heart to think of what is in store for this cute little boy. We pray every night for him.

PONY EXPRESS DAYS!!!

This last week our city celebrated Pony Express Days!!! The week was filled with movie in the park night, a huge carnival, concerts, comedians and a parade. It was a great week. The kids had a ball at the parade with their friends and brought home lots of treats and candy. I love our little city!!!!

Kendyl's First LOVE....

Kendyl LOVES soccer. Last year Kendyl tried out for ODP (Olympic Development Program). There were about 400 girls her age that tried out too. Since then there have been several cuts in trying to create the Olympic team. Last week there was a Friendlies Tournament where other states ODP teams come here and compete. They did great and she is having a ball. I just wish it would stop raining. There is nothing like watching and playing soccer in the rain. After the tournament they let everyone know by email who made the fianl cut. It was a very long couple of days at our house. KENDYL MADE IT!!! There are eighteen girls her age that will be traveling to Moscow, Idaho at the end of the month for a week long camp and then at the end of the camp there will be one final cut, to see who stays for an additional week to see who makes the division Olympic team. CRAZY, CRAZY!!! We are so proud of her and she can't wait. It is so awesome that she has something that she is passionate about and is really good at. I miss her already.

A TRIBUTE TO HEROES!!!

The 3rd graders from Jake's school and a neighboring school had a program tributing our nation's heroes. It was so neat. Jake really didn't want to go. It was on a Friday night and he didn't think it would be any fun and to be honest, he is going through this embarrassed stage and he didn't think any of his friends would be there. Me being the mean mommy that I am, made him go. Can you tell by his smile that he was glad he went. They did a great job and we were so proud of him.

PROOF...

I just had to throw these pictures in to remind me that they really do love each other. As much as they fight with each other sometimes, they do play really well together most of the time and sometimes even say they are each others best friend.

JAKE is officially a 4th Grader.

Jake and Addy on the first day of school this year.

This is how he feels about going to 4th grade.

Jake on the last day of 3rd grade. This year has been a wonderful experience for Jake. He had an amazing teacher, Mrs Orr. She would tell me that if she could clone Jake, she would love a whole class of him. I happen to agree. He is pretty awesome. He loves to read and play soccer at recess with all his friends. He is so excited to be in 4th grade. I can't believe it. It just seems like yesterday when I sent him to Kindergarten.

KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION!!!

Start spreading the news
We're leaving today
we want to be a part of
FIRST GRADE FIRST GRADE

We've worked very hard
our teachers are proud
so open up those doors to
FIRST GRADE FIRST GRADE

We know our alphabet
and numbers too
we all can write our names
and tie our shoes

So when summer's done
and we're finished with play
our mom's will send us to
FIRST GRADE FIRST GRADE

If we can make it here
we'll make it anywhere
so here we come
FIRST GRADE FIRST GRADE

Addy at her Kindergarten graduation program. Where has the time gone?

Addy on her first day of Kindergarten this year.

Addy and her teacher, Miss Billings, at graduation.

We feel the same way Addy, YEAH!!!! Dad is excited for her, mom wants her to stay little forever.

Addy had her Kindergarten graduation program. She was so excited and practiced her songs and lines every day. I would catch her in her room playing her song CD and dancing around, so cute. We are so proud of her and she "can't wait to go to school all day and eat lunch there." I can't believe my baby is going to First Grade. I cried for three days straight when she started Kindergarten, I wonder what will happen this year.

8th GRADE!!!

Kendyl the first day of 8th grade last year.

Kendyl the last day of school this year. I think she grew a full foot this year (ha! ha!). She will soon be taller than me and her dad.

Kendyl and some of her friends on the last day of school. This year she got a yearbook and I have to admit it was so fun to look at all her pictures and listen to her stories about everyone in her class.

Kendyl is such a good student. This year she got straight A's except for one B+. I am so proud of her. She had an amazing 8th grade year. I volunteered one day a week at her school in the cafeteria and it was so fun to get to know these people that she spends most of her day with. It made me realize even more that I don't want to ever go back to high school again. She was voted class president and had so much planning parties and being involved. She also played on the coed soccer team for the school and is excited to play on the high school team next year.

READY...SET...GO!!!

Jake and Grandpa cutting out his Pinewood Derby Car!!!

SO SCARY!!!

Jake with his award!!! He won "most original design" but can't you tell by his expression that he really wanted First Place but all in all, not too bad for our first derby.

He was so funny. Each car raced eight times and at the end he came up to me and said "I got every place but first."

I love that smile!!!! He is sure a handsome scout.

Last month Jake had his first Pinewood Derby. I am his scout leader and I have to admit it wouldn't be nearly as much fun if he wasn't in my troop. I had no idea what Pinewood Derby entailed and it really was a joint effort. Jake spent hours designing his car on paper and then we took the piece of wood to Grandpa's for some help with the carving. After this Dean and Jake spent hours painting and attaching the wheels and then it was my turn to attach weights so that it was heavy enough. I have to admit I didn't know what to expect and it was surprising how competitive it was. I am not really talking about the scouts, just some overzealous dads and moms (I'm not talking about Dean). The boys were so excited and all had a great time. I think Jake has already started designing his car for next year. GO JAKE!!!