April Bring NO Showers Tournament!

Softball Tournament season has begun. The Riptide had their first official tournament this last weekend. They ended in 5th place out of 18 teams in the Gold bracket. Not bad for their season opener. They had a couple incredible games. 11-1 and 10-2. We lucked out with no rain for the weekend. Saturday it was cool and windy but Sunday it was beautiful.

Thanks Grandma Judy for coming to watch Maddy play! Next game is Thursday! Looking forward to it!

Maddy running Track for CCMS

Madelynn stays very busy. She enjoys all sports. So when it came time for spring track she was all for it. We were a bit hestitant because she is playing tournament softall right too. And there is the conflict of Cole's baseball games. But we let her go ahead. They had their first meet last week against Alice Ott Middle School. The weather started off overcast and cool. It transitioned into heavy hail, then snow then back to rain, cold rain. Then the sun came out. She ran the 100M and took 1st, 200M took 1st, and the 4x100M relay also got 1st.

Here is her relay team. I am not sure of this first girls name on the left, but next is Brenna, Maddy and Elizabeth. CCMS has their 2nd meet today against Damascus/Orient. The weather should be in the low 60's by start time. Maddy is excited to run and not have frozen limbs.

Baseball 2010

Cole is playing baseball this year. It came as quite a surprise to us. We just figured he was going to run track. The day spring sports began he came home and I asked him how track went. He said I didn't go to track I went to baseball tryouts. He made the team. He plays the outfield. right and left field. He has caught every ball that has come out his way. We are enjoying watching his games.

They have 3 games a week on their schedule. Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays. But we live in Oregon. The rain dictates when we actually get to play. So we are learning that if the monday game gets rained out, it gets moved to Tuesday, and if it gets rained out it gets moved to Friday, and if it rains on wednesday or thursday it gets moved to Saturday. Well you get the picture. Basically i have to plan on a game every night of the week. We love it! Baseball is fun to watch. I need to invest in a snuggie for the whole family. It has been cold and breezy so far this season. I am patiently awaiting the warm spring weather.

Sydnee' s week

Ok so my week has been awsem.Monday was fun I went to school and i got to do the morning announcments. its called D.A.W.G. DAWG RADIO it is a fun thing to do. The next thing I got to do at school was my work.Sometimes it is boring but then it is not. Oh yah I started to do my state reading test. I really want to pass it! then me and my class got to go to music! ya NOT i hate music nobody likes it. Because of our new music teacher Mr.DRUMB he is the meanest teacher i have ever had. i know i am pretty mean but it is true he is mean. He yells at my class for no reason but when the teacher is in the room he dose not yell at us. So he pretty much yells at us 20 four 7. Oh on wednesday at flag seramony when it was over i saw Mr.DRUMB hit a third grader. Tuseday i went to school went to class did morning work went to Mrs.COOKES litercy group worked on litercy on the computer.Then i went back to class then i did testing.Then i dont remember the rest of the day.Ok so now we are on wednesday it was a long day. I went to school then iwent to class then went to flag seramony then went back to class.then me and my class had to pull weed in the planatorium.Then after school I went to coles baseball game in HOOD RIVER. Thats 45 minutes away. So on the way there me and presley wached a movie called sydney white its a good movie. also it is pretty funny.So we get there and we are in hood river so me mom dad and presley walk to the bleachers. So we sit down on the bleachers. and it starts raining. Basicly sprinkleing out but we were fine we had umbrellas.Ok so the game is fineally over and gresham lost and hood river won but they all did good.So after the game was over dad took us to a pizza parlor so we had pizza for dinner it was so good the pizza that dad got was pepperroni with olives. Presley was pouting because she did not get cheese pizza. But she should be thankful that she got something to eat.Oh yah my grandpa is in the hospital and we all hope he feels better.Then we went home and i went to bed.Ok so now we are thurseday and i woke up with a cold i had an eye cold but now it is better.Also i have a stuffy nose and sore throat.So i had to stay home frome school.So i watched t.v. and movies all day so that sucked.Then the next day witch is friday i did not go to schoool becayse i woke up with my toncles swolen so i an writing this.So my mom wanted me to write about my week so i do not get bored the whole day. So this is what is keeping me busy.Ok so thats my week.

AURGHHHHHHH!!!!

So Sierra and I spent quite some time yesterday trying to upload a family picture for the cover of our blog.And everytime it turned out like this....too large. It didn't matter if I clicked the button to shrink the picture to fit or try a different picture in hopes it was just that picture. Nope, it still came out too large. It is frustrating and hopefully it soon will be fixed. But for now enjoy looking at Syd and Cole from the shoulders on down.
So a little of what we have been up too. cole is playing baseball this year for Gresham High. He had 3 pre-season games before spring break and one since. This week has been rained out until today. The sun is actually out and we are headed to Hood River for his game this afternoon.
Sierra has been busy with her studies and social life. OHHH to be 16 again. The fun the drama. She went to a birthday party last weekend and dressed up as a 1920's flapper girl. She looked so cute!!! sierra has also been a huge help with picking up her brother and sister from their practices. So many places to be at the same time it is a blessing to have her around to help out. :)
Maddy is playing tournament softball and they had their first pre-season tournament over spring break. Her first tournament is this weekend. Fingers crossed the weather cooperates. She is also running track for Clear Creek Middle School. She has her first meet tomorrow(Thursday) we are excited to see her run. She came home from the first day of track and said she was one of the fastest girls even out of the 7th and 8th graders. So we'll see.

Syd and Presley are busy with school and projects and have been so good about being dragged all over town for softball and baseball games.

Steven is very busy with work. We all pray that this company buy in is successful. His hours will increase, if that is even possible since he already puts in ridiculous amount of hours. But in the long term it should have benefits.

As for myself just keeping up with all of the kids activities and the normal house stuff and my service in the YW's keeps me busy.We have also been receiving blessing for taking meals to the hospital for dear family friends of ours, The Gledhill's. Our friend Jay had just been diagnosed with congenitive heart failure and began taking the meds to regulate it when he suffered a pretty severe stroke. After 23 days in ICU and a couple of long serious surgeries he is now in a specialty hospital on the long journey to recovery. He is doing amazing and we pray for a full recovery. His wife Natalie is a rock. She has been there 24/7 for him and has never given up hope. I admire Natalie so much. Even during this most trying time in her life she is still thinking of others and concerned for their well being. for example, being in the ICU for over 3 weeks she has seen many come and go and the families right along with them. As she sees their difficuly she is quick to go and extend a warm hand and offer assistance in anyway. Not only is her husband in the icu, they have a family business to still run. What a great example she is. We love the Gledhill family dearly and ask all to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Until I find time again to upload a few photos and blog about them, farewell.

Easter At "Grandmother Judith's"

So Here it is April and once again I find myself WAY behind on my blog. So rather than trying to catch up I will just pick up from this point forward. Easter Sunday also General Conference Sunday, which meant for a less stressful morning. Got to enjoy the morning session talks as I made a pan of rolls. It is nice, Maddy enjoys helping with the rolls so it goes twice as fast! All of the kids helped form rice krispie treats into the shape of eggs and then we dipped them into chocolate then into sprinkes.

Grandmother Judith Hosted and made the rest of the delicious food. It was so nice! Presley loved this chicken that I am looking at. It drops jelly beans from its back end.

Okay so Grandmother Judith printed out a bunch of coloring pages of our own family photos. Pretty cool huh! So after we ate we all sat down and colored a picture. This one here of the family is the one I colored. I used colored pencils and well if you make a mistake it is not erasable. And I messed up on Stevens hair and the more I tried to fix it the more he looked like his Dad. I honestly did not mean to do this. Well he saw it and to get back at me ......
He colored this!

It is actually pretty funny. He made me look a bit older and it looks like I have sunburned eye lids but hey, lets face it if I keep worshiping the sun that is what I will eventually look like. Sierra got the biggest laugh. I am pretty sure she took a picture of it on her phone and sent it out to most of her friends. Now it is on our refridgerator. Ya know, where all the special art goes!

This is what I look like for now.
And Here is all of us with grandmother Judith!

Here is Presley's picture that she colored of me. She at least made me look my age.

This is how much fun Cole had!(He did not want me to take a picture of him)

In this photo is Wally, Sydnee, Grandma Judy & Sierra

Sierra and her Daddy

Presley, Steven and Sydnee coloring

Thanks Mom/Grandma Judy for having us over! We had so much fun!

Basketball 2010

Well I will begin with Maddy. She played for her school Clear Creek Middle School on the 6th grade team. They had a great season. They won 9 games and lost 1 (by 2pts) Maddy's team had their end of season tournament on Saturday. They won their first game easily which put them in the championship game. This game was intense. they played Gordon Russell Middle School. This is the team they lost one game to during the season. With less than a minute to play we were down by 5. Maddy dribbled down and made an outside shot which put us within 3. Then we got the ball back and Maddy was fouled. She hit one of her baskets at the line. Now down by 2, we get the ball back and they foul one of our girls (also named Maddy) she makes one her baskets on the line. So now we are down by 1. The clock has run down to 11 seconds left. Gordon Rusell has the ball they take it down no basket.. we have it and they foul Maddy (Pearson) she goes to the line. She makes the first basket.. all tied up. She makes the second basket.. we are up by one. They get the ball and my Maddy steals the ball and the clock runs out! The team decided on Sweatshirts with their names on them instead of trophies!
I think that is an awesome trophy!!!

Here's Maddy going up for one of her many layups

layup...Again!
So here is the score board for the championship game. It was a low scoring game but Maddy made 25 of those points! I don't mean to brag but she is amazing! So fun to watch!

The whole team after their big win! They had the team party between games and the coaches said a little something about each of the girls. Maddy was named MVP and averaged 16 points per game. ( We had to send Maddy with a friend because Syd had a game at 10am and presley at 11am. The championship game was at 12pm. (Cole's game got cancelled because they had already set up the chairs for stake conference) Which was a blessing because his game was to be at 11am and Steven volunteered to give other boys rides so they would have enough players.

So Sierra has been one of our drivers to get all 4 of our basketball players to their games. I could not have managed the last 8 weeks without her! Thanks Sierra

She is silly.. I have about 2 dozen pictures of her making faces!

The photographer! Go Dad!!! Thanks for taking all of the action shots!

Presley brought her ball to Syd's Game and would not stop bouncing it.. Steve took care of that!
So we move on to Cole. He is playing for our ward team. I wish sierra was here helping me label these photos. She could describe this photo much better than me.

Cole has a great vertical leap. Too bad the rest of our ward choses to not show up for games. for the last 3 weeks we have had to forfeit and then play using boys from the other ward.

I am proud of you Cole for being dependable and committed to being there.
(Cole keeps telling me he will play for the school next year if I get him a dog) lol

Sydnee BrookeGo Syd! She did so good this year. Great hussle at getting the rebounds! Her team the Sharks had a great season. They only lost one game and it was only by a few points.

Presley aka P. Diddy

Presley had fun this year. She played on a 2nd/3rd grade girls team. The Cheetahs! Presley is quick to run back down the court, and great on defense. She made several baskets in their 9 games. She was so excited for saturdays game because their team party was right afterward and she got her trophy! All Smiles! Thanks Sierra for getting her to her game and taking her to her team Party! ILY

I love this picture.. it looks like she is palming the ball!

Fire And Blood.. (not necessarily in that order)

So Steven absolutely LOVES fires! To build fires, play with fires and the bigger the flame and the hotter the coals the Better! So for Family Home Evening Steven brought his firepit up on the deck and he built quite the fire! I seriously thought the 8 foot flames with an east wind were going to catch the house on fire. He brought it down a notch or two. I am certain the glares he received from me had nothing to do with that!

So a camp fire is cozy and fun to roast marshmallows and make smores but it comes with a price. The lovely camp fire smell absorbs in not only your clothes but your hair too! Now I am not opposed to sitting around a nice warm fire and chattin' but when I have just washed my hair and it actually turned out good for once I was relunctant to join the family by the fire. I did give in and went out and enjoyed Stevens oh so warm fire. I took a few photos to document the occassion. See his blue coals... the stick he is using to poke at the coals is about 2 feet shorter than when he started.
We all came in after a bit and I tell ya, that camp fire smell really takes hold of everything. Steven kept telling me how good I smelled and to get over it. Until morning...
Steven wakes up sniffing.. pokes me and asks if I smell that. I said smell what? He said it smells like something is burning. He sniffs me and says oh my it is you! I reminded him that just last night he was telling me how amazing I smelled and that he really liked it!!! ( ya know, well enough to use as perfume) Needless to say I had to rewash our bed linens too! Oh my, the things i do for love!!

But isn't it a most awesome fire?

He has asked to build one everynight.. I told him I didn't mind but I wouldn't be joining him. He hasn't built one since.

So I had to throw this in... when I was taking my sister Chelle to the airport 3 1/2 weeks ago I was wearing sandals and tore my toenail back lifting her luggage up on the curb. I quickly flipped the nail back and wrapped it in some tissue I had in my car and drove home. In the 12 minute drive home my sandal and gas pedal were soaked with blood and the throbbing pain was near unbearable. I mean what do you even do for an injury like this?

For 3 weeks it hung on strong to the cuticle..

Finally... it came off! yay!!! I seriously never realized how sensitive a nail bed could be! I walked around with a limp for a couple weeks. I couldn't wear any shoes.. the pressure hurt too bad. But I would do it all again if my sister came to visit again! :)

Really I would!!!!

The Effect of soda pop on Teeth Science Project

So back before Christmas Break Cole and 2 classmates, Josh and Randy, started a science project for their Honors Science class. Originally Cole took the idea of what happens to a nail if it sits in a can of Coca Cola. Well his teacher declined that and said to use teeth. So these boys began by asking me for any teeth I might just happen to have laying around. Thank goodness the Tooth Fairy had left a few behind. They carefully measured out the exact amount of each of the sodas. They took pictures to document every step. They measured each tooth then put the teeth in. 24 hours later they took the teeth out and took more pictures and measurements. They as I was very alarmed at the discoloring after just one day. Here is a picture of the Mt. Dew tooth before

After... look how yellow the root of the tooth is already!
Here is the A&W Tooth ( ok I hit back space and the before picture disappeared? Has this ever happened to you? I have no idea how to get the picture back without starting all over and yeah... that is not going to happen) Sorry

It is not so bad after one day.

The Squirt Tooth Before...

After... it actually appears to be brighter.

The Coke tooth before.....

After... yikes!!

Pepsi before....

After...

for those of you who know me I LOVE Pepsi! I had no idea that if left sitting on the teeth it did this!
The boys continued this process for 8 days. The Coca Cola tooth is the darkest brown and decay is evident in the root of the tooth. The Pepsi tooth is also a dark brown but slightly less decay. The Mt. Dew tooth is completely bright yellow and decay starting in the root. The A&W tooth was a light brown with little decay and the Squirt tooth remained white and showed no sign of decay. Well this is good news for all of you Squirt and A&W drinkers. As for us Pepsi and coke lovers.... Brushing your teeth immediately after consuming is a marvelous idea!

Oh, back to what I was saying at the beginning. Their Teacher shot down the nail in Coke Thesis and gave them the tooth one. Guess What? Now they can not enter the Science Fair because they used the Human teeth. The Fair would have allowed the nail project. To make things even more frustrating since they cannot be in the Science Fair the best grade they can get and did get is a "B"! This Teacher has really hit some nerves this year! I tell you what... I am finding that Some High School Teachers are on a power trip! It is extremely frustrating. These boys put in several hours and time doing this project and their final Tri-Fold poster board was amazing! They deserve an A on this project!