Wasatch Cup

The day after school got out we headed down to Utah for the Wasatch Cup soccer tournament.  Katry and Brig both had teams in the tournament.  Katry's did an excellent job and her team walked away with one win, one tie, a loss and a trip to the semi- finals. 

Brigham's team walked away with the whole shibang, and a gold medal around their necks.  They have won two tournaments so far this year and have two to go.  This picture cracks me up with everyone sporting sunglasses.  One of the dads had just gotten back from China and brought them all cheap glasses.  Brig's handsome dad is right behind him - he is one of the coaches, and the team doctor.

These are our Super Fans.  We are missing a picture of Jordan, Grandad, Staven & Ashlee- but we are so glad they made it out to most of the games and it was so fun for us to have family at some games. 

Thanks so much!

Wild One

Yea!   School is out and summer is in full swing.  It's actually warming up around here!  We love summer and we plan to hang on tight with both hands cause it's going to be a wild one!

Happy Birthday Kaleb

Cute Kaleb is a Super Seven! 

Kaleb is such a nice kid.  Always wanting and willing to help out.  He always looks out for his little siblings and protects them.  He has a very tender heart and a gentle spirit.  He is also very competitive is not afraid to get in the mix when we are playing physical games.  He is also my thinker.  He thinks deeply about things and comes up with some amazing answers.  I love how contemplative he is.  He always has a ready smile and lots of hugs.  We love you Kaleb!

Wolfpack

Check out that form!  Seth just finished up his last game with the Wolfpack! 

He went out with a bang- finishing up the season with a hat trick! (3 goals)

He is so much fun to watch!  Way to go!

Yer all invited to a Hoe Down!

Every year the fifth graders learn to square dance and put on a show for the parents and fellow students.

Seth says he hated it- but I am so glad they do it.  What a good experience!

Seth's partner told her mom that all the other girls were jealous that she got to be partners with Seth.

At the end they do some line dancing.  Kaleb went down to join in the fun.  Seth finally smiled during that.

Good times!

Post- Op Report

After the "incident", we would ask Kai if he wanted to go swimming again.  He would get a very serious look on his face and shake his head saying- No, I sinked.  We would then ask him if he remembered what happened and he would say, - I sinked and then Dad pulled me out.  Then we would tell him  he would be fine swimming cause he would always have his lift jacket on, and he would smile and nod his head saying- yea, okay!

About two weeks later we headed to the pool, he was pretty nervous- as you can imagine.  His head went under after going down the slide and he came up screaming.  Brigham was so great with him though and just worked through everything.  Within 15 minutes he was laughing and playing and back to normal.  We went swimming again this weekend.  He put on his life jacket and jumped in like nothing had ever happened. 

It's good to be resilient! 

Gratitude!

Have you ever had something happen so traumatic that whenever you think of it your stomach just comes to your mouth and you find it hard to breathe?  Then after a little while you realize that remembering and recording is a way that you can honor the miracle and the gratitude that you feel. 

This is a post to honor our miracle.

Two days after Kai's 3rd birthday he wanted to go swimming- so off we went.  He had just gotten this new life jacket and wanted to use it.

We had also just bought this new floaty for Elaina which he wanted to try out when we got to the pool.  These are really easy to tip over in- so I watched him self-correct himself in it for a while- and he was doing great.  Kai then wanted to go into the big pool with it.  He did and was fine.  Over the next hour the pool filled up with more and more people.  Lots of kids, lots of smiles, lots of laughing.  Lots of neighbors to visit with.  Usually Kai has on his life jacket and is pretty good at swimming with it so we haven't worried much about him.  After a bit- Brigham looked over at the pool and saw this kid floating on his back.  (My chest feels so tight just writing this- a month later. Ahh!)  He thought- That boy looks like Kai- but it can't be him cause Kai can't float like that.  He searched for the yellow floaty tube and sure enough it was empty.  He ran over there and grabbed Kai's arm and pulled him out.  I watched him do all this not knowing what was going on.  I started to run over there just as Brigham pulled him out and I noticed that his body was completely limp.  I, of course, screamed a few times- until Brigham told me to stop it- saying that Kai was fine.  Well I could see that he was not fine.  He was purple, limp, unconscious, and not breathing.  (Later I was telling a neighbor how embarrassed I was at screaming and she so kindly said, "Are you kidding- you were calling out to God saying- Hear me!  Help me!"  I thought that fit my mental state just about right.)  Brigham remained so calm the whole time- I asked him later how he was able to and he said that he just felt calm and knew that he would be alright.  Well, a neighbor came over to help Brigham and they gave him some rescue breaths and miracle of miracles he started to spit up water and to breathe.  I cannot adequately put into words the utter, to the marrow of my bones- relief that I felt.  As he started to come to he began screaming and his eyes were bulging.  The pressure in his lungs from all the water must have been soooo painful.  Eventually, he threw up about half a gallon of water.  I still can't figure out why he was floating on his back- it's almost as if angels were holding him up.  He spent the night in the hospital on a pulse ox.  Apparently, people who have near drownings will sometimes die in the night because they think everything is okay- but they actually still have a lot of water in their lungs and then they suffocate.  Scary- so we didn't want to take any chances.  They came home the next morning (Sunday).  I had run back to the house to get something I had forgotten for my lesson and I found Brigham and Kai getting ready for church.  Kai was bouncing off the walls as usual doing some Tarzan chest thumping and I just dropped to my knees once again in gratitude that he has been spared.  He is also completely normal in his mental capacity- he is a smart little whipper snapper.  Surely our God is a God of Miracles!

I believe if you handle any situation correctly it can be a blessing.  Here is the blessing I received.  Kai is a very loud, very fun kiddo.  Sometimes too loud.  Over the next week- I rejoiced in every noise that came from his mouth- I was just so grateful to still be hearing him.  I loved all of his singing and bouncing and zest for life.  Sometimes his loudness was really hard to bear- but not that week.  I was so patient with him......I was just so grateful.  So in reflecting on that after a week I realized that when I do get frustrated or upset- it is because I am not being grateful.   For two weeks after this incident Elaina was sick.  Very lethargic and fever-ish.  I was nearly incapacitated as long as she was awake.  I just had to sit and hold her.  It was rough and whenever I started to feel frustrated the Spirit would whisper to me, "Be Grateful"!  Then I would look at this little angel in my arms and feel so so grateful that I was holding her and she was alive and all frustration would just melt away.  I have been so blessed to have continual reminders from the Spirit as I handle the many interactions with my children and husband.  My heart is full of gratitude and my trials are much much easier to endure. What a blessing!

“A happy home is but an earlier heaven. President George Albert Smith asked, ‘Do we want our homes to be happy? If we do, let them be the abiding place of prayer, thanksgiving and gratitude’

Happy Mother's Day

 I love Mother's Day!  I love being a Mother to six amazing children!  What a treat and a treasure!  They make me look good!  The day started off with a gourmet breakfast in bed.  Followed by great church meetings where all the moms got the third hour off and were treated to an uplifting lesson and cheesecake.  We came home and made some amazing Indian cuisine all together.  We played Settlers, Phase 10, took a walk, had our family scripture time, made scones and cookies, and looked at laughed at our family pictures from over the years.  It was so much fun and just heavenly.  Thanks for a great day!

We also got to call our own mothers and thank them for their amazingness!  We are so blessed!  

You [sisters] belong to the great sorority of Saviorhood. You may not hold the priesthood. Men are different, men have to have something given to them to make the saviors of men, but not mothers, not women. You are born with an inherent right, an inherent authority, to be the saviors of human souls. You are co-creators with God of his children. Therefore, it is expected of you by a right divine that you will be the saviors and the regenerating force in the lives of God's children here upon the earth.

--Elder Matthew Cowley, Matthew Cowley Speaks, p. 1090

Homemaking is surely in reality the most important work in the world. What do ships, railways, mine cars and government, etc., exist for except that people may be warmed and safe in their own home? … [The homemaker's] is the job for which all others exist. – C.S. Lewis

Let every mother realize that she has no greater blessing than the children which have come to her as a gift from the Almighty; that she has no greater mission than to rear them in light and truth, and understanding and love; that she will have no greater happiness than to see them grow into young men and women who respect principles of virtue, who walk free from the stain of immorality and from the shame of delinquency. . . .  I remind mothers everywhere of the sanctity of your calling. No other can adequately take your place. No responsibility is greater, no obligation more binding than that you rear in love and peace and integrity those whom you have brought into the world.  –Gordon B. Hinckley 

There is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood. . . What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.  — M. Russell Ballard

Seth's Birthday Bash

Seth invited 24 buddies and received 21 for his birthday party.

It was 2 1/2 hours of raucous fun!

What a great group of  really nice kids.

Your ELEVENTH year is off to a great start!  Live it up!

Eleven!!!

Seth moved on to the ripe old age of 11!  I am quite positive he is one of the most delightful kids on the planet.  We have a tradition of going around the table and telling things that we love and admire about the birthday kiddo.   Seth always gets remarks like- Always happy, Cheerful, Athletic, Good sport, FUN, fun-loving, Brilliant, loving and kind.  I go to Seth's class once a week to help out.  Whenever we have an activity the kids in Seth's class  clamor to be with him,  to sit by him, to be on his team, to have him as their leader.  He is a natural!  Just an all around nice kid.  He is my Sunshine!  We love you Seth!