Catching Up

I haven't posted to "my" blog for awhile because I am constantly updating Dylan's missionary blog. I put a lot of my time and emotions there, so this one is like the last on my list.

Just to update a couple of things. The kids started school. Jordan is starting high school and Kolar is starting 5th grade - the last year we will have a kid in elementary school. Definitely a good thing, but sad too. Our kids are growing up!

 

 

Then the past week or so we painted our house. I am loving the colors. Our house is in the shade, so you can't really tell the colors, but it is gray with black shutters and doors, and white trim. Kevin did most of it, but me and the boys helped when we could.

And of course with the start of school and fall coming we have FOOTBALL. I seriously love this sport. I love the Friday night lights and the community coming together to support this sport. Although Blanding plays several different sports and are good at a lot of them, our town sport is definitely football! I had to take some picture of Jordan in his travel shirt. He doesn't get to travel with the varsity team (he is only a freshman), but he gets to play on both the C and JV teams.

Dylan is doing really well. He is in Atlanta, Georgia now. He flew in this week and we got to talk to him. I do really well while I am talking to him, but fall apart when I'm done. Man, I miss that kid! And now that he is in Georgia, I won't get an email from him on Friday. His p-day should be Monday and I can't wait for that!

 

And Maquel is finally starting to show her cute baby belly. I can't wait for little Porter to join the family. Our first grandbaby - how exciting! I just know that her and Lyle are going to make amazing parents.

 

I am so BLESSED. LIFE IS GOOD!

State Baseball

After we took Dylan to the MTC, Jordan played in the State Baseball Tournament for his league. It was a good distraction for me and gave me something to focus on, other than Dylan being gone.

We only have three teams in our league, so it is kind of frustrating playing. Blanding took an all-star team with a couple of Monticello players too. Then there was Carbon and Vernal - that's it. I wish we would have state like we have in past years so that there were 10 or more teams to play. It made the tournament a lot more fun.

Here are some pictures from the tournament.

Vernal had two pictures that could pitch so fast. Most of the kids couldn't hit off of them, and we lost to them. But we were able to hang with Carbon. We won them in pool play, then we lost to them in the tournament. Then we had to play them again in the tournament because we had both lost one game - us to them, and them to Vernal. It was a brutal game.

Luckily we were the home team. We were ahead by five during the sixth quarter and Carbon made 10 points in the 7th inning. Their parents went crazy. I can understand a little bit, but they acted like they just won and we had no chance. They kept screaming, "Here we go Carbon, here we go!" Even their coach on the field was going crazy. Then they had this one kid that whenever he hit and got on base would blow our picture a kiss and do a dance. It seriously was ridiculous.

Well, we totally rallied and came back. We scored six points - plus I'm sure we would have scored more - to win the game. We shut them up, that's for sure. This win put us in the championship game. Jordan did awesome pitching. He pitched the first two innings and help Vernal to 2 runs. The top of the third inning, it was 2-0. Three pitchers and two innings later, it was 15-0 and game.

I am really proud of our team. We were good sports and played really well as a team. We took second place, which was really good for us. Here is Jordan with his team and the trophy that the got. They also all got a ball and had each other sign it.

A couple of weeks before Jordan's tournament, Kolar played a tournament in Blanding. His team took 5th place, but they played really good. I am really proud of my boys and their talents. They always put their heart and soul into the sports that they play. Good job, boys! Love you both!!!

Jordan's Birthday

I am behind on posting this, but wanted to post something on Jordan's 15th birthday. He turned 15 on July 15, 2013. He even has his learner's permit now and can actually drive (watch out everyone). We were taking Dylan up to the MTC the next day, so Jordan just wanted money. He is pretty picky about his clothes and shoes, but he was able to get quite a few nice outfits.

After Dylan was set apart as a missionary, we came home and had Jordan's birthday dinner. He wanted BBQ ribs, mashed cheesy potatoes, and raspberry pretzel jello. I fixed two huge racks of ribs for everyone and I think Jordan ate a whole one himself. Man can that kid put food away! For dessert we had his favorite - cheesecake!

Here are some of my favorite non-sports pictures of Jordan as a kid - hey, and he is even smiling in most of them.

Jordan's 1st birthday - man he loved those taffy sticks!

Loved this outfit for church.

Love this one!

 

Being goofy.

 

He loved the huge slippers.

 

The Jordan clothes.

 

 

I am so glad that this kid is part of our family. He is so talented and smart and awesome and athletic. He works really hard to be who he is. Love you bud.

 

 

A week after Dylan went into the MTC, Jordan went to Martin's Cove to Rocky Ridge. They had a 12 hour bus ride there, two days of walking 15 + miles, and a 12 hour bus ride home. At first Jordan didn't want to go, but then he decided to go. Jimmy and Rachel Johnson were his pa and ma. Kamri and Charis were also in his family, so he at least had people he knew.

 

He left Tuesday morning at 4:00 in the morning and got home Friday night at 10:15 at night. He stayed up and talked to me and Kevin for an hour after he got home. He said he had such a great time. He said that the spirit was so strong and he had never felt the spirit that strong in his whole life. I am so glad that he went and was able to feel the spirit. Not just that, but that he was able to see a little bit of what the pioneers went through. They made tremendous sacrifices so that we could live in Utah and have the true gospel in our lives. I am so thankful that the Stake took all the youth in Blanding so they could have this amazing experience.