ALL STAR

Well our Tigers fell short for a victorious season taking third. BUT Dallin held his head high and played his heart out for the love of that game! Dallin was really really bummed when they lost the semi's and went to bed like the world had ended....Right after he had shut his eyes off to dream land Scott and I received an email that read

Dear Double A Player and Parents,

Congratulations! You have been selected as an All-Star for the Double A Division (9, 10) of Orem Youth Baseball, that will represent our City in the District, State and potential National Tournaments. The coaches of the league have met and chosen you as an All Star because of your talent, skill, sportsmanship and dedication to the game of baseball.

After we replied to the invitation we received these words from his coach the past two years...

Debi and Scott, I can’t put into words how I feel about Dallin…he is one of the greatest kids I have ever been around and I love him so much. He has the heart of a lion and a commitment way beyond his years, all wrapped up in a little feisty body. He reminds me so much of my oldest son as I watch him practice and play…so dedicated and out works everyone around him, but without stress and loving every second of it.

Also, you and Scott have been fantastic these last two years. Both of you have been so supportive and energetic about all of our boys. I can only hope that I get Dallin for the next 2 years as well. Every year I have coached I sit back and assess my approach to the boys, their strengths and weaknesses and if I feel like I have helped them grow. Most of the time I feel positive about the year and a few times or instances I don’t, but I guess that’s life…can’t always be what you want. This year I wanted to win more so than last year, and yet at the same time I wanted our boys to experience the pain of losing and how that hurts and motivates to improve. I really believe with all my heart that the hurts they felt this year will make them better ball players, and more importantly better young men. Thank you both for your support and confidence, it has certainly been felt and appreciated on my end. I will be in touch soon. Congratulations to Dallin and you two for how all the coaches feel about him. Skip

SOOOOOOOO........

Our All Star Dallin a.k.a. Princess!!!!!We were so ecstatic for him! It was awesome to see how the coaches know how awesome he is and not just a mom and dad who give everything they have to help there kids do what they love to do. The coaches all love and appreciate Dallin as a player....So he had his dream of MORE baseball....!!!! Now it didnt come without stipulation...The All Star players were told to stay out of the sun during tournament....they had practice 4 hours a day and that was enough sun.....So Dallin has become a master Harry Potter wand creator..HE is good!

There little team had a blast...They made it to State and just ran out of team go, but again Scott and I were approached by many city coaches from all over the state. Expressing to us how amazing that little guy of our is. He even was given a nickname by the teams who we played..."The Vacuum" Nothing was gets past him and the way he picks it up out of the dirt...is just like a vacuum. We are so grateful he had this experience. Dallin never sat once he played 26 innings straight as 2nd baseman and got home at every bat was also selected as the lead off batter.

But just like three weeks prior all good thing come to and end..This is bubba on his last inning of the tournament...pure bummedness!

Emma even got the bug and goes out and hits her bucket of balls every evening. So baseball is winding down for now.... But we did squeeze in some other activities

Lagoon for 4 hours ...in between All Star practices.....Emma was finally tall enough to ride the big rides... Her comments about big rides " it makes my tummy tickle!" Abby's Cheerio's had a car wash and yard sale this weekend....In between games in Kaysville ..yup kept the road hot...anyhow I could not pass up getting Emma this Carebear from the yard sale....SHE Loves it! the best one dollar I have ever spent! Not to mention dad and dallin fight over it because it is a cuddle pillow.

Abby ran the Freedom Run on the 4th....She did really well. Finished 12th in her division and 352 out of over 2300 runners. She is becoming quite the prankster lately this one fooled many...Her make up black eye....Roo you jokester!!!!!

Lastly for now...Due to complicated scheduling we got to drive Abby to Shalom this year and drop her off. She had a great experience. we missed her terribly and she missed us which is a bonus!!! She got to know the new girls in her ward. Sooooo now summer life is half over..What next..already booked...:)

The Mighty Blue and Gold!

The summer is flying by! We are officially box free in the house...well except for a few hidden boxes in closets but all rooms are setteled! Now its onto picking colors so the fun can begin:) This is our adopted dog. Luckily we moved next door to Chester and Penny who LOVE the kids. Everyday they climb the fence and play!

Abby is busy as usual. Cheer in the mornings as well as cross country training and doing her best to finish up 2 classes this summer for high school credit. She is loving all of it...ok maybe not the rise n shine part!:P The squad in the summerfest parade, They looked great!!!!! A quick hello to her biggest fans! Go Blue and Gold! She has been able to watch the school get torn down every morning at practice as well as dance in the new dance room in the new school. It is absolutely a gorgeous school!!!

For Abbys birthday she decided to have a blue vs. gold survivor party. So her and her "brother" KJ who's birthday is a week later combined there efforts and had a blast! It was so much fun. They have the best bunch of friends around! They both sent texts out to all there friends who were requested to respond by a certain time to receive further instructions....which was there team color assignment where to report and when..... Each team member was to enter through there assigned gate color...BLUE or GOLD....

They were given a cup full of water which represented there life while playing until voted off at tribal council... GOLD TEAM BLUE TEAM Each team created a team flag which was then flown on the flag pole.....

Team immunity challenges began with a member from each team eating a cricket (on video) really need to figure that out) Then off to plugging the pipe to make the stick float to the top...Egg race A hoop from every member of the team to a scooter race...Leap frogQuiz game about each team captain....

Matching game.....Tug of War! Abby about killed Skotie off! She pulled her down but yanked until she could get that girl in the pool. It was hilarious!

Lickem and stickem..... I don't think Nick moved a muscleDigging worms out of pudding and many more..... Final tribal council... It was an absolute blast...We learned that the Gold team is full of cheater peaters.....But all in fun... The Blue team dominated until the end when the mighty A. E. Nick Limboed his way to victory!!!! Holy cow can he limbo!

These kids are great! The hardest part of the night was seeing them go home..I think the last few left about 11:45 ish...They are such a great group of teens! Next month they are having a Minute to Win It party fr Beth Ann's Birthday....Party Hardy everybody and Live the Joy of life...See ya in a few...This week is BASEBALL BASEBALL BASEBALL!!!!!!

P.S. I miss you chicas Jenny, Janice and Karen! Breakfast was yummers, not to mention great seeing and talking with all of you!! Thanks so much for your love and support! I love this sooooooo much and will cherish it forever as well as the time we "SERVED" together...see ya soon at "The Chocolate"

Taking One For The Team!

Since the morning school let out for summer...We have lived at the ball park! Dallin got to grab a quick hug and photo with his "FAVORITE TEACHER" Mrs. Louder and left the last day of school early to go play in a super league tournament.

We sure did love Mrs. Louder. She knew how to bring our state, math, reading SCIENCE to life and Dallin reatined it ALL!!!!!!!!!! Thank you and we will never forget you! EVER!

So as mentioned we have lived baseball day in and day out! It has been great! Dallin loves to play and we love to watch! Dallin took one for the team as a pitcher through a pitch right at his leg. He held stance and crack we thought his leg was broken. But he ran to first place and then played the rest of the game like a champ! This is the result when we got home about an hour later and had him change to relax before the next game later that night...It had already brusied! Dallin thought it was soooo cool! It left the stivhching marks from the ball!

This season has been awsesome. He has developed and grown in his skills as well as his love and understanding of the game. Thanks to all his coaches for your time adn great coaching, because of how you coach he has a great respect for you! Also the MANY hours dad spends playing catch! ( which was usally his breaks from homework!!!!!!!) We are in the middle of city tournament, we are first place going in. We are praying for a consecutive title for our Tigers!

Holy Cowzers!!!!!! What a Journey!

WELL.....3 years ago when Scott's biggest hang up about going to get his masters degree was that he would be 40 when he graduated.......Hes 40 and....

He GRADUATED!!!!!! But...he did it with and earned ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE...Yes graduating with HONORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not express the feelings I felt as they announced and presented him with that honor. Nor did I realize what a sacrifice it had been on our family. It has been and incredible journey...A journey that has meant a lot of single parenting. But knowing that all of those sleepless nights...putting kids to bed for days in a row by myself...attending YW evenings with three children, homework, holidays, missed events, birthdays, games, on and on. But seeing him honored in that way filled my soul with joy. Not to mention the shock on Scott's face as he came back white as a ghost and tears in his eyes. He worked so hard!!!!!! As he sat back down they then honored him with the ONLY student in the his MPA program to graduate with 100% attendance! Again made all those Tuesday activity nights full of frustration that I had all three children running from dance to games to YW SOOOOO WORTH IT to see him honored. Scott thank you for being who you are. As we heard from one of his professors that night, he challenged us to Celebrate every day and not live for the "I will be happy when moments" If there is one thing i learned over this experience is just that....to find joy in everything. We had few and far moments as a family and now that he has accomplished this amazing task we are celebrating every day as if it were the gift it was meant to be. "Adam fell that men might have JOY!" We are searching for that joy every day...we are supposed find it!!!!!!!! We are blessed to have it! And we relish it more when it is found after sacrifice. Holy Cowzers Scott. It was a privilege to sit by your side as you were honored!!!!! Thank you for this Joyous accomplishment and teaching and showing our children that you can accomplish what your heart desires...with the LORD by your side!

As for the old Ornery Guy! think he has officially resigned. I do not know where he has gone! As soon as I figure out how to download the video I shall treat you all to Scott's musical number at graduation banquet! Yes he got up and shared joy with EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Now....Ph D.....Becasue its fun to go to school!!!!!

Well....

We have moved and things are beginning to settle down for a while. We will be able to enjoy the summer at the baseball fields and play in our new backyard....Abby finished up her track season with a big WOOT WOOT! Her and her chicas on the 4 x 400 relay kicked it at Alpine days. They took first and their time beat every girls team from 7th to 9th grade and even some boys teams. It was the coolest race!!!!!!! When i get some pics we shall post them. Abby has never smiled in a race but as she came around her final turn she has a grin. She knew her team was gonna DO IT!

This is her last night after getting home from shopping with Grandma!

She had a Graham Slam Birthday!

She has finished up with BYU dance for the year and is still busy getting ready for cheer! She loves it! We have her big concerts for ballet and then its just Goooooooo Tigers!!!!

Emma did a fantabulous job in her BYU dance recitals. We sure do love our Miss Miriam!!!! Thanks Grandma for coming and watching our little blueberry dance! It was her moment to shine!

Dallin has been bummed because the past two weeks all games have been canceled due to rain...All well that just means we get to play longer this summer...EVERYDAY! He loves baseball! In the meantime he has taken up Guitar hero. What a rock star!!!!!!

Dallin was soooo excited to finish up his Utah book. They work all year putting it together and last week the wood burned the cover. He did such a Grandio job!!!! We love ya bud! Well off to unpack some more boxes!

Unbelievable!

Our Baby Bumm In Air cannot be 14!

Its unbelievable and Inconceivable!

I am constantly blown away by her!

I hope you remember how much we love you and want you to become ALL you are meant to be! Abby you are AmAzInG!

You have great things to do so JUST DO IT!

I hope, pray and wish for you an amazing year! LUV ROO ROO!

Abby and I stayed up late a couple nights ago and found this...She wanted me to post it for ALl my Chicas!!!!! ENJOY!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80olbDws8r0