Jace's Soccer 2011

I can't believe we had only one kid in soccer this year. But we've gotten to the point that if they really don't want to play, why force them? As long as they are interested in something and being active, I'm okay with letting them choose what they want to participate in. Jace, however, is a lot like Brady where he wants to do EVERYTHING. This was his 3rd year of soccer, because I begged for him to be able to play before he was 3, and I promised to coach ;-) You can tell he is one of the older kids' on the team, but he still has a long way to go. Every game he would slide to kick the ball at least 5 or 6 times. (He thought it looked cool and was more dramatic.) It drove me crazy, because he would be so close to making a goal, just not close enough. He was super fast at getting down the field, but we need to work with him on 'shooting' his goals. He was also a great defender, and helped assist his team mate 'Joe' in making lots of goals. He says that soccer is his 2nd favorite sport (out of the ones he has been able to play)...right behind wrestling!


Sliding to kick the ball...at least this was a good thing while defending his teams' goal.

Always protecting the goal.

In this game our teams' star player 'Joe' was gone, so it was all left up to Jace to make goals. At the end of the game he said, 'I sure hope that tall boy with the black hair isn't there next time.' He gave Jace a run for his money...but we still won the game.

Here is another sliding picture...I was tempted to bribe him not to slide. Maybe next year.

Good job Jace, way to work hard at something you love!

Dirty Dash 2011

Okay...so you can hate me now...but I'm warning you there are a lot of pics for this post. But seriously, one of the most memorable for our family....my kids are still talking about it, and planning for next year. On September 24th, our family ran in a muddy, muddy race. And we had a ball...mud and all! The weather was perfect and we had awesome helpers (Grammee and Grandma Bug), and we are now officially clean. (Believe me it took a more than one shower to find all the mud in hidden places.) The race was held up at Soilder Hollow. Nate and I ran in the 10K race with the Muddy Buddies. And our kids ran in the 1 Mile Piglet Plunge. Next year though, I think the older boys want to run the 10K with us. I'll never forget Grandma Bug's comment when we first got there and saw all the muddy people..."You paid to do this?" And now she's singing a different toon of...next year when I run it ;-) There were hay bales to jump, walls to climb over/under, pipes to crawl through, and fire hoses to dodge. We laughed and joked the entire time, and had a ball with our running team mates. But the end was a blast going down the HUGE slide and playing in the pit with our kids! We can't wait for next year!





Almost done...almost done!

Nate running to the slide.


Cowa-Bunga!

Once a kid....always a kid!


Seth looking at us trying to figure out who we were...he was not ammused!

Momma and Daddy trying to get Sethers to smile and recognize us...I guess we were entertaining!

Me, Annie, Michelle, and Kameo....running buddies!

It's gotta be love!

Annie and I doing a back-stroke to the finish.

Hannah was still pretty clean when we came across the finish...it didn't last long though.

Ahhh....he finally decided to love me as long as he didn't have to look at me.

Brady...looking good!

Zack loved getting down and dirty!

A face only a mother could love.

Brady and Jace....enjoying the mud pit.

Martina and Michelle waiting to surprise Angie.

Zack wading through the mud pit.

See...she was not happy that I gave her a hug and got her dirty....oh how that changed!

Cute family shot...maybe our Christmas card? (Rachel took off with her friend Suzy, so I don't have any real muddy pics of her ;-(

Our Team Photo...the Muddy Buddies!

Brady and Hannah playing in the mud

We told her that it was okay to get dirty...and that's all it took.

Annie Clayson...she organized our team.

Jace and Hannah...not big fans of the cold showers.

See what I mean...she just needed the green light to get dirty.

Boy Jace...this is fun!

Nate didn't care about the cold water...he was gonna get clean!

Mostly clean...and ready to head home.

Priesthood Session

Nate had a once in a lifetime opportunity this past General Conference weekend. For the Priesthood session, there was a combined Pleasant Grove Stake mens choir, He was lucky enough to be selected from our ward to sing with 360 other men. Every Sunday night, since the end of August, they practiced for 2 hours at our stake center. They were very specific on what the men could wear, how they should style/cut their hair, and other little details. But Nate said the whole process was amazing and would do it again in a heart beat. And thanks to technology, I was able to view the songs online that night and see how well they did. I don't have any pictures from that night...they are still on Nate's phone...so he'll have to upload them.


The Wednesday night before, they had a dress rehearsal, and we decided to take just the oldest 3 kids. (PS...thanks again mom for watching the other 3.)

The kids and I went to the Church History Museum before and had a great time. Highly recommend that place!

It was breathtaking walking in a seeing them up there singing away.

Jace's 6th Birthday

6 years ago, I remember going into the hospital in the early evening on a Friday...wondering what little bundle would make his/her way into this world. I loved sitting in that hospital bed all weekend watching conference, holding my sweet little baby, and being waited on by the awesome nurses. But boy oh boy...what a ride it has already been with that little fireball. I have always joked that we should have named him 'Race' instead of Jace, because he NEVER STOPS! If it's wrestling, running, soccer, T-ball or anything else....he always gives it his all! He taught himself to ride a 2-wheeler when he was only 4 1/2, he'll climb to the top of ANYTHING, and there's not a day that goes by that I don't wish that I had a 1/10 of the energy he does. (But in retro-spec...when he is tired, he does crash...just like his dad.) We sure love you buddy! Hope you had a wonderful day!


Such a little charmer!

He had a camping birthday party with all his friends.

Ready to blow out the fire ;-)

Clock wise from left to right: Jake Clayson, Jens Hansen, Liam Scheuber, Gavin Asbell, Jace, Mitchell Evans, Dallin Butler, Robert Lane, Reagan Lindal....roasting hot dogs and smores for dinner.


Campfire cupcakes for our friends.

The campfire cake...3 different kinds of cake, and 2 different types of frosting, plus fruit rolls ups for flames....can you say sugar OVERLOAD?

Happy Birthday sweet boy!

A tradition to have breakfast in bed...with whatever you want for breakfast. Notice my phone on the tray, Hannah wanted it to be playing his favorite song (at least the one that he knows most the words to)....it's Allstar by Smashmouth.