Jackson's 1st football game.....

This is a short video I made for Jackson's team blog, the video is a bit blurry but you can still see some amazing plays....Way to go Bengals!!

Jackson's 1st football game was today vs Bingham. Jackson played awesome, but he got hit a couple of times really hard and came off the field crying...one hit was so hard it broke a button on his helmet. As his mom it was very hard to watch and not be able to comfort him but he kept getting up wiping away the tears saying "my team needs me" Ryan and I are so very proud of him. He caught some really great passes and made some amazing tackles. In the end we lost but our team played so well and it was only our 1st game. We look forward to a great season. Way to go Jackson, we are all so proud of you!!

Where did my baby go???

Landon has needed and haircut for some time now, and has been saying for a week "go get a haircut" so yesterday we headed to Cookie Cutters. Ayden cut his hair quite short last time and Ryan and I talked about cutting Landon's a bit shorter. I was hesitant at first saying, just this much, well maybe a little more, just this much more and within a blink of an eye my baby boy was gone and a cute little boy emerged. If you are wondering....yes I did shed a couple of tears. Landon just loves his first "big boy" haircut and the little faux hawk fits his personality just perfectly. What a big boy!!

"I am very excited but only a little scared"

So today was Ayden's "official" first day of 1st grade. It was red day and he was very excited that 2 of his friends Kennedy and Ashley are in his class and sit at his table. It was bitter sweet for me, I was so happy that he was going back to school but my heart ached because he would be gone all day. This morning as I was helping him get dressed he said in a somber small voice "I am very excited but only a little scared" as tears rolled down his face. I got a sharpie and drew a small heart in the palm of his hand and told him when ever he got sad or scared he could look at his hand and remember how much I loved him. I got the idea from my very favorite children's book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn (is you don't own it yet go pick it up) ~A perfect first day story. This is a story about a little raccoon ready to start school. He talks about his fears to his mother, fears that most children have before beginning school. His mother comes up with a wonderful solution to help her little raccoon remember that she loves him and is thinking about him, even when she isn't with him. A wonderful and heart-warming story to share with little ones. After I walked him to the 1st grade door, took some pictures and we said our goodbyes I walked back to my car with tears in my eyes wishing I had a heart in my hand that he drew, silly I know but I am going to miss him too.

Fire!!

While driving home to take Heather some much needed mash potatoes and gravy (she has oral surgery last week and that's all she can eat) and to comfort each other on the passing of summer and the first day of school, we saw it and gasped...thick smoke and an eerie bright orange sun. We drove to find the source and the mountain was on fire. The planes were dropping retardant, ash was falling from the sky and it was hard to breath so we didn't stay long. I did snapped some great (awful to say "great pictures" when it's a fire destroying our beautiful mountains) pictures and a link to view the news story. The news said the air quality was very very bad and to stay indoors so that is where we are now, hope they can get it out soon..

Back to school.....

Jackson and Ayden started school today, can you believe summer is gone already? They were both so excited that they could barely eat their breakfast. Getting them to bed at a decent time last night was a chore but they both got up without any hassle. Ayden meet his teacher Mrs. Prestwitch and took a tour of the school, he is now in 1st grade and will be going all day. So his first "official" day will be tomorrow. He is excited to eat lunch at school but not to sure about being gone all day. Jackson's teach is Mrs. Boswell and she lives on our street and her daughter Melissa is our babysitter so Jackson knows her well. He has many friends in his class, Christian, Jake and Ryan to name a few....he is not so happy to be going back to school but I am sure he will manage. Landon was excited to be going to school but I think when he figures out that he will be home alone all day he will quickly change his mind....he has already asked where Jackson is twice and it's only 10:30 AM. We all look forward to a great school year and learning lots!!!

Football...

So it's that time of year again where we become consumed with football. Jackson has been practicing for a month now and his first game is next weekend. We have a great team and wonderful coaches and he is on the Brighton Blue Gremlin Bengals team!! Jackson is learning a lot and has overcome his fear of getting tackled and tackling.....he is amazing. I have ventured to make a blog for his team and you can view pictures, videos and other fun football stuff. We look forward to a great season cheering him on. Go Bengals!






www.brightonbluebengals.blogspot.com

What do you take for granted????

Last night while hurrying home from football practice to bath, feed and put the boys to bed we were treated to a beautiful sunset. Ayden remarked "mom it looks like heaven" and Jackson said "I wish daddy could see how pretty it is tonight" so I pulled over and he snapped a quick picture. Can you see the American flag in the left corner? After I put the boys to bed and settled in to watch the Gold Medal Beach Volleyball match, with tears in my eyes I was reflecting on how truly blessed I am to live in this wonderful country with my family and friends. I have been thinking a lot about how lucky we as Americans are and how there are millions around the world who don't enjoy the freedoms we often take for granted. I can jump in my car and run to the grocery store when we need food, we can go to the church of our choice, our children can go to school, our woman enjoy equal rights and can work, go to school and vote. After winning the Gold medal Beach Volleyball match Kerri Walsh stopped to thank our president for his support and I was moved to tears. With the upcoming election we are all able to vote and not many of us will. More people vote for their choice for American Idol than their choice of President??? We live in a country that allows us to have our own opinion and no matter who we vote for we should ALL remember not to take that freedom for granted because so many have given their lives so we can.

What do you mean summer is over...

So all summer long I have promised the boys that we would go to Lagoon and now that school starts in only a week *gasp* I decided to make good. It was a hot day and very crowed, in my head I thought that the crowds would be gone and it would be a breeze...wrong. We start with the Spider (way to scary for Ayden) and moved on to the "kiddy rides" and that is pretty much where we stayed. Cameron, Ginger and Cohen joined us for part of the day and that was so much fun. Landon wouldn't go on ANY rides not even with mommy, he wanted yes wanted to stay buckled into his stroller and was very content there all day. He exclaimed "it's scary, I 'm scared" when ever he was asked if he wanted to go on a ride, he liked cheering his brothers on and eating snacks. I guess we must have scared him to death when he went on the little roller coaster at Elitch Gardens last month. The crowds subsided at about 8:00 PM, it cooled off and Jackson and Ayden sprinted from ride to ride, hoping right on. They loved the new Odyssey water ride, Dinosaur Egg Drop and Tidal Wave. We skipped most of the big coasters and the boys were just fine with the smaller rides but enjoyed watching others ride the Skyscraper and Catapult. Jackson drained a basket on his first try and won a huge basketball and also played a "ski ball" type game and won a little "Sonic the Hedgehog" doll. Ayden played a toss game and won a green frog and a yellow elephant for Landon. All in all it was a fun day Lagoon!!

Bubbles

I'm forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air.
They fly so high
Nearly reach the sky.
But then they fall
And fade and die.
Bubbles I keep blowing
Blowing here and there.
I'm forever blowing bubbles
Pretty bubbles in the air.

Chanelle's 15th Birthday

We had a great time at Grammy's and Grammpy's celebrating Chanelle's 15th Birthday. We enjoyed yummy food and chocolate moose cake!! The boys kept busy playing Rock Band on the Wii and playing with their cute cousins Taylor, Brenna and Cohen!! On the way down the mountain we came across a heard of deer and there eyes glowed in the night. It was a fun day except for when we heard OOoooOOOoooOoo and lights flashing on the way home and mommy got a ticket, guess I was tired and didn't come to a complete stop....seriously!! Happy Birthday Chanelle!!

"If it ain't an adventure, it ain't worth do'n!"

We beat the summer heat today and headed to the theater with Liz , Stephanie and of course all the kids to see the 3-D Animated movie Fly Me to the Moon and can I just say this movie is so cute!! With our 3-d glasses in place, popcorn, treats and soda in hand we settled in for the "launch", and it was "out of this world" *LOL* The little fly "Scooter" stole the show with his wordhaps like "I have a high meatballism" and "can't waste a good piece of chocolate cake" Seriously who would even think of wasting chocolate cake?? My boys and I loved it, a great movie cherry to top off the end of your summer...yes they go back to school in 1 week, where can I ask did sumer go????

Gas..Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

So last night I again had to go get gas, and every time my car indicator dings "low fuel" I cringe knowing it will be another painful trip to the gas station....$80.00, yes $80.00 later I have a full tank of gas but an empty wallet *sigh* I don't commute for work everyday, I just run errands like going to the grocery store (that is a different story $100.00 doesn't go very far anymore) taking my boys to swimming, or to football so how and where do we cut back to compensate for the HUGE gas prices and is it only going to get worse??? How and where is every one cutting back?? It makes me sick to think that gas is only on the rise and the oil war is just only beginning...............

Obsessed with swimming...

Ok, so I knew my boys all were fish and loved the water. Landon could swim for hours and hours without getting tired. Since the Olympics started we have been glued to our TV watching all the swimming events. This morning and last night Landon asked "watch swimming" and cried until it was put on and watched intently until another event came on. We all cheer out loud in our home when the USA SMASHED the arrogant French team in the relay last night and are eagerly waiting to see our favorite, Michael Phelps swim for another gold tonight. Ayden proudly announced last night that he was going to be and Olympic swimmer and asked when I would get him a trainer...seriously he is 6!! What an inspiration the Olympics has been to us and it is only day 4, I can't imagine what the future holds when we have good role models for our children to look up to like Michael Phelps and the rest of the Olympians...GO USA!!

Olympic Fever

So I wasn't excited at all about the Olympics, yes I was going to watch some events but wasn't looking forward to it..that was until Ryan and I watched the Opening Ceremonies last night. Breathtaking is the only word I can use to describe it. I was brought to tears more than once and the imagery was AWESOME. We are now ALL looking forward to watching as many events as we can. GO USA!!!

We are all children of God

I received a e-mail today from my friend Joanne Stevenson, she recently returned from a two week humanitarian trip to Zambia, Africa with Mothers Without Borders. Her letter and pictures brought me to tears...I have a lot to be thankful for. We all get so caught up in life's little "bumps" that we forget how truly blessed we are. I have attached the letter and the link to her site to view the pictures and I hope it touches your heart as it did mine.
Dear Friends,

I have recently returned from a two week humanitarian trip to Zambia, Africa. It was an absolutely amazing experience and my heart was touched on so many levels, I find it difficult to truly describe my feelings. From humble people in desperate circumstances I felt the most unconditional love I have ever felt in my life. The people in Zambia are very poor, but they have developed the kind of faith that I want to have. They have the kind of charity that I want to possess. They have they kind of relationship with their Savior that I want to develop. They have the kind of hope that I’d love to feel. They rely on God the way I’d like to be able to rely on God.

We had the opportunity, while there, to work with abandoned babies, with children who live on the streets and sleep in ditched among garbage, with children who are orphaned because of the AIDS crisis, and help with families in remote villages who needed medical help.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I also had the opportunity to attend church on two Sundays with the local members. Their spirit was very strong and their dedication to the Gospel was unwavering. There are many members of the church there who may never have the opportunity to make the trip to the Johannesburg, South Africa Temple to be sealed as a family. Most people who have the opportunity to work in ZambiaJohannesburg is an amount they would never be able to come up with, even if they saved their whole lives. They have faith, however, that someday it will happen. Now that I have seen the faces and learned the names of these wonderful people, I cannot sit back in my comfortable home and do nothing about it. Those of us who are members of the Church have been so blessed to have many temples in our midst. Others, in remote areas of the world, if they are lucky, may be able to make it to the temple only once in their lifetime. I have decided to create a fund to provide for these sweet people who desire to go to the temple in Johannesburg. If you would like to contribute to it, please write a check with your donation to me or to Mothers Without Borders, as only make a few dollars a day. The cost of $350 per person to make the trip to they are the ones who actually arrange the bus trip and lodging. I know that many of you, my friends, are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but I invite you, if you feel so inclined, to participate as well. Charity is charity, no matter the religious affiliation.

I have begun uploading the pictures I took while in Zambia, if you are interested in seeing them. One gallery is titled “Zambia-Bwafwano” which is a village we visited to teach and play with orphaned children. While there we also divided up and went into the huts of people who needed love and support because they had or currently have family members dying of aids and tuberculosis. We had nothing tangible to offer them, but they were so thrilled that we took the time to come into their desperately humble dwellings and just be with them during this time of need. The other gallery I have uploaded is titled “Zambia-CRC.” The CRC is the Children’s Resource Center established by Mothers Without Borders. The children you see in these images are children who were in desperate circumstances and brought in by Mothers Without Borders until they can be re-integrated into society. I will upload more as I continue to go through the pictures I took. To see them, go to http://utahjoanne.smugmug.com. I am sorry this is such a long letter. Thank you for taking the time to read it.

Sincerely,

Joanne Steveson

Are you thinking about Christmas yet??

*Our precious newborn Landon getting ready for Life Flight

Now that there is only 142 days till Christmas (and I am done reading Breaking Dawn, just so you know I loved it!!) I am going to start focusing on my project for PCMC. I have 58 quilts to go and 50 hats and I am feeling the crunch, yes already. As you know this little project is near and dear to my heart and I am thankful for everyone that has offered to help. If you'd like to read my original post for more details I have attached the link so just click on PCMC. Have a great rest of summer, Christmas will be here before we know it!















*Landon 2 days old in the NICU at PCMC

My friend Lisa (F is for Fischer) posted my little project on her blog, Thanks Lisa!! If you'd like to read it here is the link....http://fisforfischer.blogspot.com/2008/07/friends-for-good-you-can-help.html

The wait is over...Breaking Dawn!!

The wait is over, my book club (friends) had a "girls night out" last night to celebrate the release of Breaking Dawn and we had so much fun! We started the night out at Asian Star and then headed to Barnes & Noble to get our wristband where we stumbled across Jacob *Grrrr* we are all Edward fan's but he was no where to be found *Sigh* We enjoyed lots of fun stories *thanks Liz* and yummy Red Mango. At midnight the line moved and we cheered and by 12:40 AM we had our prize in hand Breaking Dawn!! We had such a fun night and can't wait to finish the love story, but a little hesitant since while drive home Liz peeked at the chapter headings (Book 1 Bella, Book 2 Jacob and Book 3 Bella) where is Edward?? *Gasp* guess we better get reading!!

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL

Yes, it's that time of year again, when we spend 3+ hours per evening at the field watching Jackson sprint, catch and tackle becoming a sweaty mess! I can't believe it's football season already but there is no time to complain we are getting accustom to our new busy football practice schedule. Jackson loves being on the field and looks forward to the season.