Rusty

Just the latest picture of the dog that thinks he's human.

KJ Tourney

Brooklyn had a Basketball tournament this weekend. Her team did awesome. They don't have awards at this age level, it's more about learning the game, but they really kicked butt. I was most proud of how they pass and share the ball. Even the really aggressive players make sure to pass so that everyone has a chance to shoot. Next year she'll get to play in the "real" tourney where you might win. Life just keeps getting more exciting!

Happy Belated Birthday Brett

Sorry it's late, but we really have been thinking about you all week. Ryan, likes to tell stories about you boys growing up and the girls always laugh the hardest about Uncle B. Your quirky sense of humor and your enormous heart are such a great example to all who know you. I hope this year is full of wonderful surprises! Happy Birthday!

Fashion Show

Izzy was tied up. Therefor unable to participate in the fashion show.

Easter

Look what the bunny left.

Even Rusty found an egg.

Easter Prep

Morning Action

We have visitors for Easter. Yeah! We love visitors. Here we all are doing our favorite things. Izzy's boxing on the Wii, Brick is napping, Grandma is getting a massage by the future therapist, and Rylee is primping. You never can look to beautiful. Ryan,(not pictured) is goose hunting, and I (also not pictured) am taking pictures. We are all enjoying our lazy Saturday morning.

Easter Bunny

Well, everyone has their pictures of the kids with the Easter Bunny posted. So I drove my kids all the way to Jamestown to see the fabled bunny and get a picture or two, but low and behold, my kids are Way Too Cool for such childish gestures. They would have nothing to do with the dear old rabbit. How did I get this old?

Happy St. Paddy's Day

Classic Rylee in the morning.
A little happier now that she doesn't think its mold on her toast.

Brooklyn is always happy in the mornings.

This is our all time favorite St. Patricks Day picture.

Thanks Karl for the additions.

U Can't Touch This

Check out my nephew Isaiah in the 97.1 ZHT Kiddieokee contest. He's # 62. Vote for him starting Monday! http://www.971zht.com/pages/kiddieokee/videos_5_7/

Happy Birthday Baby Brother

Happy Birthday Sky-baby! I can't believe you are actually a man.

To me you will always be my baby brother.
I remember the day you were born. I remember worrying about you even before that. I remember when mom was pregnant with you and I would touch her belly to feel you kick. I already loved you so much. And I was already proud of you.

So proud, in fact, that after you were born I showed the birth video to all my friends. Mom was not too happy about that, but I couldn't believe how amazing you were and I wanted all my friends to know.

You were always the cute one. Andrew and I were bigger, and talking back and making messes, but you "The Golden Child" were just so cute with you blond hair and puppy dog eyes. You could get away with anything. Sometimes we hated you for that, but you'd always win us back over.

You had to put up with a lot from us, being the baby. Calling you Sky-baby. Telling you that we already had the perfect family before you were born and the only reason we had you was to be our slave. Making squinty eyes at you because the Japanese ladies in Hawaii loved you and your blond hair so much.

Yet somehow, you survived and have turned out to be mostly normal and sane. You are such a great person. I couldn't have a better brother and my girls couldn't ask for a cooler young uncle. You truly care about others and do what you can to help. I love you! Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Aunt Danette

Happy Birthday to my silly Aunt Danette. Always quick to laugh and never afraid to turn her better half to the camera! Have a good one!

Happy Birthday Brick

OK...lets be honest. No kid ever wants a Step-dad. A step-dad means that mom and dad aren't together and really, no kid wants that. But as luck would have it, I ended up with Brick as my step-dad. And there isn't a better one out there. When all of us are together, you would never know whom his "real"kids are and whom his "step-kids" are because we are all treated equally. He shows the same love and respect for me and my brothers as he does for his daughters. And beyond that, he is 100% grandpa to my kids. He teases and jokes and spoils them rotten like any grandpa should. We are really lucky to have Brick in our lives. We Love You Brick! Happy Birthday.

Middle Kix

Here are the 1st place Middle Kix. I finally got some pictures. This is them watching all the other teams.

Here they are with their kicks. They really have nice kicks.

Ending Pose
Awaiting the announcement.
First Place

The team.

The girl in the red shirt is on this team but tore her hamstring a week before competition while she was trying out for the high school dance team. She made the team, but was told by her Dr. not to dance or she wouldn't be able to dance again. We were just glad she made it.

Stitches

Well, Brooklyn got her first stitches. She was having a snowball fight. I guess Mom was right again. Snowball fights are dangerous!

**Update** 3/11 ~ I was telling Brooklyn before school today that she needed to be a little careful for the next few days. She says, "You mean no football?" "No football." I say. "No hockey?" "I'd stay away from hockey." "No dogdeball?" "No. Dodgeball is out for now. And no snowballs, so don't even ask."

Happy Birthday Dad

"Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad."

-- Anne Geddes

Happy Birthday to the best dad in the whole world! I have been thinking all day of all the wonderful things I want to say about you, but words just aren't enough. I can't center on one thought, you are just too amazing!

I Love You!

So, here are some of the things I have been thinking about. One of my earliest memories is in your old blue truck. It smells like carpet and coffee. The radio is on and you are singing your heart out to the song 'Elvira'. I was in awe. I thought you were the best singer in the whole world. Lucky for me, I have since learned to appreciate better music, but I will never forget that feeling sitting in the old blue truck. Anytime I smell new carpet I think of my dad.

I remember you doing your best to fix my hair when mom was working or away. I remember you teaching me to "visualize" myself scoring a goal in soccer. (I use that with my dancers...I think it worked this weekend!) I remember you sticking up for me when I wanted to read in the bath for hours and it drove mom crazy. I remember you sitting in the stands at countless soccer games and dancer performances. I remember one dancer competition in Heber and going out to lunch with you. I remember when I told you I was pregnant with Brooklyn. That is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do and you didn't say anything. You just pulled me into your lap and rocked me until I stopped sobbing. After I was quiet for awhile the first thing you said was, "Wow...I'm going to be a grandpa." I remember during my pregnancy, you made sure amidst all my stress and grieving, that I ate well and took care of my body...and your grandchild. After she was born, you fed us, and bought diapers, cloths, food, etc. You took sick days from work when I was short on babysitters. You let me miss my rent payments when things were really tough. You paid me to clean your house so that I could have a little extra $$ in my pocket. And now you make your granddaughters feel like the most special people in the world. They love your papa toast and ice cream. Sleeping in you soft bed and playing with your cat. Birthday parties in your swimming pool and eating apricots off your tree. And the trip to Hawaii will always be a fabulous memory.

All this stuff are just things. And while these things help to shape how much you mean to me, none of them ever really hits the nail on the head. You are everything a dad should be. You held me when I needed it and let me fall when that was best. You have talked me through some rough times in my life and kept your mouth shut when you didn't always agree with my choices. You know the importance of natural consequences. I just can't put into words how much you mean to me...so I'll just shut up now!

United We Dance - 2008

Yesterday was the long awaited United We Dance competition in Jamestown. I took 2 groups of dancers. Mini Kix (4th and 5th grade...Brooklyn included) and Middle Kix (6th and 7th grade). We have been preparing for this event since September. We talk about things the judges look for and what to improve on every week at practice. Every performances we tell the girls to dance like they would at competition, and they always do well. But somehow, the excitement and adrenaline rush of actually competing against other dance teams brings out the very best. Both groups danced like I have never seen them dance. Smiles were on 1000 watts, kicks were nearly to their face, arms were sharp, turns were perfect jumps were high...they were incredible. Mini Kix were first and about 1/2 way through their routine I looked at Lauren (my assistant) and said, "We got it!" I hadn't seen most of the other teams dance, but the way these girls were dancing was a very minimum of 3rd place quality. Well, turns out I was right. We got 2nd place. The kids are so funny. We sit in a circle and hold hands during awards and they are so nervous they are almost crying. One girl looks at the girl next to her and says, in a completely serious tone, "The only thing we can do now is pray to God." So...all heads are bowed. They announce 3rd place and we all clap, then when the call Carrington as 2nd place the girls were jumping and screaming like they had just won the Super Bowl. I was even more proud when they called Bismark North as 1st place because every one of my girls stood up and cheered just as loud for them as they had cheered for themselves. What a great group of kids.

We had enough time to break for lunch before the Middle Kix turn to compete. It was like deja vu. They were amazing, only this time, we got 1st. I proudly watch all girls from both my teams sincerely congratulate every team they saw. That was better than 1st or 2nd place any day.

So, I really want to show some pictures of this, but as the coach, I just don't have time to take any. Several parents promised they would e-mail me pictures they took, so I'll post those when I get them. In the mean time, Ryan did attempt a few pictures when it was Brooklyn's group dancing. Some of them turned out awesome...others...not so much. Here's what I have:

I love this picture. Look how nervous they are!

This is before we danced, watching what we're competing against.

Walking on.

I threatened to tell the nerdiest boys in school that they are in love with them if they don't smile from the moment the step on the floor, till the moment the leave. Nice smiles girls!

Dancing!

Here they are "praying to God" while we await the announcements.

Second Place! Look at that excitement!

Please keep in mind that Lauren and I have both been sick all week.

I think we are normally much cuter that this picture reveals! :)

Marshmallow Delight

As I sat in the office reading blogs this afternoon, the kids decided to make a healthy and delicious after school snack. It's been awhile since we had a fire and roasted marshmallows, so they decided to take the remainder of the bag and see what happens after about 30 seconds in the microwave. Well, let me tell you what happens. A big, gooey, pile of delightfully sticky marshmallow froth. MMMMMMMM. I tried it. Not bad. Glad I'm teaching my kids all about healthy eating.