"The more honor and respect among the players, the greater the team." -Unknown

"The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime."

-Babe Ruth

The YM church basketball playoffs were a little while ago. Jacob did practice with his team but didn't go to any of the games. Not that I have to explain this really to many of you, giving you know Jacob's size difference in most of the kids his age. He decided to go cheer his team on at the playoffs. They won their first game and were really excited to be playing the next round of playoffs. The team repeatedly tried to get Jacob to play some in the game. You could hear them telling him, "It is just for fun" You will have a great time" Please Jacob be part of our team" Jacob did play the last half of the game. He managed two baskets. In the process of him getting those two baskets was a witness to the sportsmanship of all teams involved. Each time Jacob received the ball his teamates cleared the path for him to make it to the basket and as he made it to the basket the other team divided down the middle like the splitting of the red sea. It was really a wonderful growing experience for both teams involved. Our team didn't win the playoffs, but in reality they came out with the biggest win of all!

Adventuring We Go

We made a trip up to Winter park this past weekend. The night we left to get there, an avalanche had closed the main road in, so we had to go around another route, which made the trip 3 hours, not a little over one. We felt very fortunate to get there. We hit a snowstorm that caused the roads to be completely iced. After an avalanche detour and ice storm we thought we had a clear path in, but a mule deer decided to walk across the road. I was lucky enough to see it before it was too late and Justin slowed down just in time to watch it stroll across the road. Once we were there it was a lot of fun. We stayed in a huge condo. We could have had at least twenty people in it! This was the first time Jacob and Maddy went skiing. They both did really well and love it. Kaleb, Cayson and Uncle Darren were off on their own for most of the time(explains why I don't have any pictures of Kaleb snowboarding and Cayson skiing). In Winter park we talked with the National Sports Center for the Disabled. They have amazing programs for Braydon all year long. We learned that we could take a family training class so that Braydon could ski in a bucket seat ski. This looks like a sled with two skis under it and it is able to go on the lifts and someone holds the handlebar behind it while they ski together. They had a training going on while we were there so Braydon got to see a bunch of disabled people learning how to use the adapted skis. The weather was beautiful and we all had a great time.

Happy 15th Birthday Kaleb!!!

First of all let me start off by saying, "I am not old enough to have a 15 year old!!" (Yes, I know if you do the math, I am!) I cannot believe that our number one is 15. Time really flies! Kaleb we are so excited for you and the coming years. You have reached a turning point in your life now. A lot of new and exciting things will be coming to you. You are a wonderful son! We love you so much! You are such a great brother. You keep us laughing. You are friend to everyone. The first time I held you in my arms and looked into your eyes, I knew that we had been given a child who someday would be the one his siblings looked up to and love and his parents would be proud of. You may not be the baby anymore, but you sure were our first baby and will always be. We love you Kaleb!!! This is your day!!

Happy 6th Birthday Madisyn!!!

Six years ago today we were blessed with our one and only sweet little girl. I can't believe she is now 6. She has a been a whirlwind of fun in our home. She is very quick to learn and always wants to know more. She loves to help. I have finally realized something, I get asked the same question over and over, after someone finds out that I have five kids, 4 boys and only 1 girl and yes she is the baby. The last thing usually that is said to me, "You finally got your girl!", to what I would usually say "Oh she was a surprise, we weren't planning on having anymore after the four boys.", but I now know that YES!! I finally got my girl and she has been the one of the most wonderful gifts I could ever have been given!! Happy Birthday Madisyn! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Christmas 2009

We had a wonderful white Christmas this year. We had my parents in town and had white snow on the ground. This was Justin and the kids first white Christmas ever. We didn't have to wake up to early. Grateful that the kids are getting older and will sleep in a little later each year! We were able to video (skype) conference with Justin's whole family on Wed.(that is when they all could be together). It was really neat to talk and see everyone there. I took a few pictures of the kids enjoying some of their Christmas gifts. We had a lazy day after the presents were opened. We enjoyed a nice dinner later that day. We were really grateful to share this Christmas with both families this year. Looking forward to the new year too!!

Braydon and his shoes

For those of you who know Braydon, you know that he quite frequently loses his shoes. He manages to kick off any pair that we put on him. We got him a pair of hiking boots this spring and we were so excited that he could not get them off, or at least not as easily. We had gone downtown to see the Christmas lights and then we walked around the 16th street mall Monday night before Christmas, while we were getting in the car I noticed that Braydon had kicked his shoe off while Justin was loading him in the car. I said, "Uh Oh Braydon kicked his shoe off"(which in my mind was telling Justin he needed to get the shoe after he put Braydon in the car). Apparently in Justin's mind the acknowledgment of me seeing the shoe be kicked off, meant I would grab it. Well as we got home and I asked, "Justin did you bring in his other shoe?" Of course the immediate Oh NO! we left his shoe downtown!! We both felt really bad, but knew if we went back that it would be gone. We have to park in paid parking lots and the areas are a little transient, so we just figured it was gone. On Christmas Eve my parents came in and we decided to drive them down to see the lights too! We drove them around the 16th street mall area and didn't get out of the car(mind you it was windy and barely 10 degrees with snow on the ground), somehow we ended up driving by the same parking lot we were in earlier that week and you could see that the snow plows had been in there and made nice hills out of the snow. I looked really close and I saw Braydon's shoe!! I yelled "Oh! My Gosh it is Braydon's shoe" Justin pulled over as soon as he could. Kaleb and I got out and ran over to the parking lot and sitting right there on top of one of the piles of snow was Braydon's shoe. Someone had placed it there. It was hard to believe we found it! It had snowed the previous two days, which would have covered the shoe and then for someone to place it on top of the plowed snow? I would have thought it would have been buried in the snow as it was plowed. We were grateful to have found it!! It was our own little Christmas Miracle.