Just a little bit of catching up

Man, has life been crazy lately or what?? We have had a lot going on at this house. Between school, work, church, sports, dance and scouts we have rarely been home this last few weeks.

Our ward's young men qualified to play in the Region championships. The first game we won because the other team forfeited. Then we played in our next game, which we won. Then on to the championship. Which we won. Our team even let the little deacons play for a minute, which I thought was nice. The other team even let them take a few shots without a lot of defense.

Here is a picture of the team and the coaches.

 



Meladi has decided that she wants to dance for her profession. So she decided to try out for the Drill Team at Granger High for next year. She made the team!!! She also plans on being on Dance company as well. I am so proud of her for going after her dreams. She works hard.

Here is a picture at the year end drill performance, Pizazz. They announced the 2014-2015 drill team members at the end.

We also celebrated Zakary's 10th birthday on the 22nd of March. Ben and I decorated his door, which he loved. He got a new outfit, a Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book and Kite and lots of money. He spent almost all of his money at Toys R' Us buying a bunch of Spiderman toys. Ben and I took him out to eat at T.G.I. Friday's for his birthday. It was fun to spend some time with him. He is growing into such a big kid, full of surprises.

Dance Company Las Vegas Trip

This last Thursday through Sunday I was able to go along on Meladi's dance company trip to Las Vegas. She actually wanted me to come. That made me feel very loved!!It was a fun trip with a bunch of teenagers:) This kids were actually all really good kids. I was pleasantly surprised at how well behaved they were and that they were generally good kids.

Vegas was cold. The first night there was rainy and windy and we walked the strip to see the Bellagio fountains. It was an ordeal to even get there. Some of the kids kept stopping to take pictures while the rest of the group just continued on to the Bellagio. I stayed back with them because I did not want them walking alone. I am so glad that I stayed with them. Two dark black cars tried to pick up the girls and give them a ride, and many club promoters kept trying to get them to come to their club and into the bar. I had to keep saying, "These girls are underage." But we finally made it to the Bellagio, to find out the fountain show had been cancelled due to the wind, so we walked around inside a couple of the casinos for awhile. We decided to head back to our hotel and as we walked past the Bellagio the fountain show began. It was a great treat to be able to see it.

 

 

 

We got to go see the Cirque de Solei show at Treasure Island on Saturday night. I was astounded by the performance. I was so entranced by the performers that at one point Meladi had to lean over and tell me to calm down. It was very impressive.



Lessons Learned

Lesson number 1- Disappointment: I learned even after you have watched "your" team have a record breaking, winning season that they can still come to the BIGGEST game and disappoint you. We were all ready for a Bronco celebration. After the Seahawks scored a safety 12 seconds into the game I knew it was going to be an uphill battle, one that the Broncos could never recover from. But I still bleed Orange and Blue.

 

 

Lesson number 2- Patience and Perseverance: Oakley has been to every Church ball game this year and has tried many times to make a basket. This last Thursday he made a shot. My picture isn't very good, because I couldn't contain my excitement.

 

 

The entire bench, coaches included, jumped up and cheered for him. I was so proud of him, he looked forward to every game and went out and did his best.

 

Zakary has also been asking to help keep score all season long. He finally got his chance. He was so proud and he did a great job.

 

 

 

Lesson number 3- Love: Last weekend Ben got the opportunity to go on the Klondike camp with Oakley. This is a winter camp that the Boy Scouts do. It was a wet, windy, muddy mess!! Ben was not looking forward to sleeping out in the cold and wet, but he did. Why? Because he loves our children.

 

 

 

Meladi was working the night that Ben and Oak were at the Klondike, so Zak and I went out to dinner. I told him it was just us, let's go to dinner. He responded quickly that he wanted to go to La Frontera :) My favorite restaurant. We enjoyed each others company.

 

 

Lesson number 4- Floss: I took the kids to the dentist this week. Each child has at least one cavity from lack of flossing.

 

Here is a picture of Meladi with her mustache prize from the dentist.

 

Lesson number 5- Creativity: Zakary wanted to make an Iron Man Valentines Day box to take to school. Here is what we came up with...

 

Also, this week I decided I was over trying to grow my hair out, so I went and got a haircut. I went from a basic aline to an asymmetrical short hair cut. I love it!!!

 

 





 

Boys, Football and the Temple

Meladi received a text on Wednesday night to look outside. She opened the door to find 2 loaves of bread and a takeout container full of chocolate covered strawberries from Tanner. This is a boy that attends Murray High and works with her at Zupas. They have gone out a couple of times and he came to watch one of her dance performances at Granger. Ben and I told her, "He likes you, he wouldn't come see you dance and then deliver these treats to you for no reason."

I have had the cards to do the last of some of my ancestors temple work for almost 3 years and finally made a plan to go finish the ordinance that needed to be done. My grandpa needed to be sealed to his parents along with 2 of his siblings. Also, my aunt Vickie needed to be sealed to my grandparents. It was a great experience. I guess I kind of expected so big thing to happen during the sealing, but nothing happened. I just felt love, happiness and gratitude in my heart. I am so thankful for our friends Jaimi and Eric who came with us to do these ordinances.

 

 

 

This week was the Super Bowl and I was so excited to get my AFC Conference champs shirt in the mail on Friday before the BIG game.

 

 

 

We were invited to watch the game at a home theater showroom with some of our friends. We got to watch the game on this big screen. We were all ready with some yummy Bronco treats too.

 

 

Not that any of that mattered. 12 seconds into the game the offense had a bad snap that resulted in a Seattle safety and it just went downhill from there. I was very disappointed tat my team was playing this badly. This was not the team I had watched all season break records and win games. They simply did not show up to this game. I am proud of them for making it to the Super Bowl, but very disappointed in the outcome. Oh well, here's to next season :)

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I have been reading a few of my friend's blogs, I realized how infrequently I blog and that I need to do better. I need to start doing it weekly and maybe then I can use it as a fun and creative way to journal what is happening in our lives.

With the start of a new year, we sat down as a family and discussed our family goals for 2014. Here is what we came up with:

*Finish reading the Book of Mormon

*Listen, don't react

*Morning and Evening prayers, without repetition

*Kindness, no yelling

*Have Family Home Evening

I love our family so much. On Sunday's we sit around the table after dinner just talking and laughing about anything and everything.


Meladi got a gift certificate from Ben & I for a dance workshop with some dancers from SYTYCD for Christmas. So this past weekend Meladi, Ben and I went up to Kaysville for the workshop. What a great experience it was for Mel. She got to learn about how real life is in the dance world, how auditions will be and that even these dancers continue to work and train hard every day.                       
 Meladi with Aaron, Malece and Nico.

Oakley was ordained a Deacon on December 22, 2013. It was a very spiritual day for our family. He is such a blessing in our lives.

He just started playing Church ball and is the smallest kid out there. But what he lacks in size he makes up for in determination. He will not let the ball go for anything and he plays great defense. He has yet to make a shot, but not for a lack of trying. His teammates are making sure he gets the ball and opportunities for a shot in every game. This touches my heart that these older boys are trying so hardtop make sure Oakley has a great experience with basketball. What great boys we have in our ward.

Zakary is still our wild and crazy kid. He is very aware of what he wants and when he wants it. He has a temper that flares up very quickly, but he also is the first one to give a hug and kiss every day. He recently got to go skiing with his 4th grade class for the first time. He was so glad that is was finally his turn to go skiing.

 

One last thing, I have to say I have the best husband in the world. We recently got a new car for a great deal from so awesome friends (thanks Josh and Allison). I was so excited to be a 2 car family again. Because having one car has had it rough moments, but we made it work.

Anyway, I was so excited to get a new car and I came home the night that our friends had brought it to us and Ben was just touting all the wonderful features this car had. Then he says there is one thing though, it is a stick shift!!! Now I haven't driven a stick shift since that one time before Meladi was born, so 17 years ago. I did not have a great experience with it either. But he kindly and patiently took me out to practice around the neighborhood. I was doing pretty good, but for some reason the clutch kept sticking down and I had to pull it up with my foot. We pulled into the driveway and he noticed something leaking. The hydraulic line from the clutch was leaking. So Ben worked out in the cold 27 degree yucky, night air to get the car fixed. He got the repair done, but had to go out again the next night to bleed the air out of the line. After about 4 hours each night and some help from each of the kids, it is fixed. I am so lucky to be married to such a hardworking and handy man.