Sydnee's Happenings in the past few weeks!

Sydnee has had alot going on the past few weeks. Quick trip to Sauvie Island to ride the cow train with cousins, only to rush back to get to the School to head to Outdoor School for the week.Sydnee with a couple of her friends, Shakayla and Shianne before they boarded the bus headed to Camp "Marijuana " (Arrah Wanna)
Here is a couple more friends, (I am not certain on names, I think one is Angie?)
Then 5 days later, the bus returns! We missed our Syd. It was very quiet at our house while she was away.

I was sooo happy to have my Syd back! I love my Syd! Sad that she never recieved the letter I sent her :( I made sure I sent it before she left so she would get it while she was there. I spent almost an hour on her letter... made it all colorful with markers and decorated it with starbursts! And it broke my heart when she said she was the only person that didn't get a letter from her parents. Dang U.S. Postal Service! Not very reliable!

First Volley ball game the day she got back from camp. They actually won their first games vs Dexter McCarty!!

Their coach has them stand in this position... they look more like they are ready to wrestle rather than return a volley?? LOL

Grandpa & Grandma Merrill got to see two of Syd's games while they were here.

Sitting with them at Madelynn's softball games

And a final goodbye before they headed home.

Sydnee has Volleyball games every Friday night and Saturday afternoon thru the first week in November. Go Wild Cats!!

life with Presley in the last month!

Presley being the youngest gets dragged all over the place! She LOVES getting to hang with her cousin Elise, so any opportunity we can squeeze in 15 minutes for them to "hang" we do. Sunday Oct. 3rd.. after Maddy's softball games we had just enough time to meet up with the cousins at Sauvie Island at the Pumpkin Patch, take a group picture and ride the cow train, which was exactly 15 minutes...then rush to get Syd to Outdoor School.Elise, Presley and Brielle
Presley rode Spotty

Presley really enjoys art. She has been drawing all of the Disney characters, just by looking at the picture. No tracing. She is doing remarkable!

Presley With Grandma & Grandpa Merrill, Sydnee & Cole @ Sierra's XC Meet.

Maddy, Steven, Presley, Grandma & Grandpa at Sydnee's Volleyball Game

Presley & Grandpa Merrill cheering for Maddy at her Volleyball game

Presley pouting as you can see by the look on her face. Saying her goodbyes before Grandma and Grandpa head for the airport to fly back to Arizona.

Riptide vs Sluggers

Presley is becoming quite the photographer! Us watching Maddy's softball games
I know you can't see it but Steve is wearing a Riptide t-shirt also. Team Spirit!!! Go Riptide!
Maddy thinkin' bout stealin' home... If you look closely Maddy has a few worn holes in her favorite pants! on her knee and bum from sliding... she does wear sliding shorts and says she will wear these pants until the holes are too big. I laugh only because she has another pair of pants that still have the tags on them but refuses to wear them... I am sure by the time they finish fall games she will have no other choice.
Riptide wins both games 11-1 & 13-2 over the Chehalis Sluggers

Gresham JV Football

Going back to last weeks game, Thursday Sept. 16th, We traveled down to Kaiser, Oregon. It is near Salem, 70 miles from our house. Gresham played McNary High School. We got there 3 minutes til game time and noticed a line to get into the stadium. Can you believe they charge $3 a person for JV games and Freshmen games too! I was glad i had put a $10 in my pocket. The weather was ideal. 73 degrees @ 6pm start time and by the end of the game is was 68. Gresham played an amazing game. They won 22 to 0. Cole got to run the ball for one down and gained 26yds. (He mostly played defense.)
Cole and one of his team mates, Sawyer. Telling him good run Cole!

fist pump!!!

Now the hour drive home at 9pm on a school night. This is going to be the earliest football night so far. (the last 2 weeks it has been 10:30 and 11pm)

Gresham vs Clackamas @ Gresham! 9/23/10

say what? A home game! What is that? And it starts at 4pm! wow! We might actually get to sit down as a family and have a meal tonight!

Presley took this picture of us in the stands!(@ half time)

in picture: George Fornos(Dad to Dylan #56) Grandpa Don, DeLona, Maddy, Steven, Grandma Judy, and Presley

Syd took this one!

and I took this one! (after the game)

Thanks Grandma Judy and Grandpa Don for coming to the game!

Gresham wins! 21-6

Cole had a great defensive game!

Notice the snuggie... Steven is wearing one backwards and Syd is holding the other! Thanks again Rachelle! The Snuggies are a big hit and a great conversational piece! Everyone asks where we got them! I smile and say my sister made them!!! She's amazing!!!

Gresham XC 3 Meets in the last week!

Okay, I had a bit of a problem uploading my pictures in the right order so I apologize that I started with her most recent meet and went backwards. I do backwards better than forward.. anyone who knows me can attest to that.

The most recent meet was Wednesday Sept. 22nd @ Centennial High School against 5 other schools. It was an absolutely gorgeous day! A few clouds with sunshine 68 degrees! (yay! no rain!)This is the Varsity girls doing their prelim warm up. Notice their smiles... and probably Sierra's embarassment... Because Cole was loudly cheering them on proudly wearing the Gopher snuggie! Which my amazing Sister Rachelle made!! Holler!!! She is so totally awesome!
Sierra ran her best race yet.. she dropped even more time off. She sprinted the last 100 yds and finished with her best time of 23:25

Sydnee hooked her up with her water right after her race. awwhhh hydration!

And her daddies favorite part.. the hug of exhaustion and satisfaction!

Saturday Sept 18th we drove to Salem, to Willamette University for the Saxon invite. Sierra's race was first, and she was glad because it hadn't started raining yet.

and I do mean yet...

We cheered for her on the sidelines sporting the amazing snuggies Rachelle made!

Steven motivating Sierra to pass the girl infront of her

Again.. Daddies favorite part, the hug! Sierra ran this 5K in 23:59!

Sierra and Cassie after their races... eating PB&J posing as Bond girls!

Wednesday Sept. 15th XC meet @ Clackamas Community College in Oregon City

a three district meet... in the rain :(

Had to put this photo in of Presley and Cole, notice the shoes! Twinners!

They cheered Sierra on and kept her going! In the rain! Sierra's time 24:04

We love big umbrellas! In the rain!

Sierra we are so proud of you and your endurance. It is amazing to watch you run and improve your time each meet! We love you! Keep up the hard work!!

12A Fall Ball @ Delta Park 9/12/10

To add to our already eventful week and lack of sleep, Maddy's team had their first 2 games of the fall season. game times: 8:30am and 10:30am. The Riptide team has had a long history of not playing well early in the morning. It was obvious as they lost their first game 3-17. They played the same team for the second game and won 9-2. Grandma Judy came and cheered for Maddy! Such a treat!
Presley and Sydnee loved getting to sit by Grandma in the bleachers! Thanks for coming Grandma and for taking Presleys pants home and mending the seam.

Maddy played 2nd base the first game and she did her part.. nothing past her and caught everything in the air that came her way. She played shortstop the 2nd game and again caught everything in the air even if it wasn't her way.. she went for it and made a few amazing catches. Maddy is so much fun to watch. She runs so stinkin' fast around the bases. She has the most stolen bases and runs scored on her team.

Marist Invite @ Alton Baker Park 9/11/10

Sierra's first cross country meet. She had to be at the school before 6:30am for the 2 hour drive to Eugene. The park is on the University of Oregon's campus.Syd giving her a good luck hug before her race. Sierra was so nervous that she hardly ate anything. I was so worried about her collapsing from hunger.
I was so proud of her... she ran so well. There were over 140 Varsity girls and Sierra came in 55th with a time of 24:11( I am pretty sure they got her time mixed up with her teamate 23:57)

She was very tired after running 5K. The GreshamVarsity Girls took 7th place out of 17 teams.

Cassie and Sierra

McDonald's was our only option for food on the way home... not the best choice, but when you're hungry.. even McDonald's sounds good.

After 2 nights of late activities.. Thurs Cole's football game, we didn't get home until after 10:30pm, then the Concert on Friday we got home at 1am. Steven was too tired to drive so I did. I had Sierra take a picture of him sleeping. I bet he will think twice before asking me to drive again. Scarry thing is i had had less sleep than him.. thank goodness for a Dr. Pepper and the girls playng loud music to keep me going.

We got home about 4pm.. long day but so much fun! Good job Sierra, and all of Gresham's XC team!

SURPRISE!!! Brad Paisley H2O Concert Tour! 9/10/10

Thursday evening Steven asked me to go out on a date with him Friday night. I naturally said Yes! I asked what we were doing and he said it was a surprise. So I asked what should I wear? He told me we were doubling with Mike and Krista and that we were going to be outside and to wear something nice but bring jacket for when it cools off. Before he told me to wear something nice I was thinking we were going paintballing. So by Friday early afternoon I had guessed a concert at The Clark County Amphitheater but had no idea who?

I was beyond estatic when he told me Brad Paisley, and Darius Rucker! Justin Moore opened the H2O concert.... If He looks short in this picture, it's cause he is!
Darius Rucker.. formerly known as" Hootie" & the Blow Fish! He is an amzing talent. His songs have such great meaning and he sings them with such passion.

Oh did I mention we were 7th row!!!!! It really was just spectacular!

Brad Paisley! He is such a good person. He really puts on a great concert!

He brings his humor to the stage and real life and makes great music. His talent on the guitar is amazing!

We were entertained not only by the performers but also by the drunken spectators... I can't speak for everyone else but as for me.. I had a blast!!! And I was genuinely surprised!

Thanks Babe for the awesome night out with you! And Thanks Mike and Krista for getting the tickets and inviting us!