Yellowstone Cup

Micah had a unique opportunity this week.  He was able to go up to Rexburg with his cousin Max and participate in a soccer tournament.  Aunt Laura was the coach and was a great recruiter!  We weren't sure how it would go, sending him up for the week without his brothers.  Luckily he had two great cousins that acted as brothers and he had a great time practicing for the tournament, playing legos, nightgames, celebrating Max's birthday and eating snowcones!

Well, once the tournament came around, I was able to go up and see 3/4 of the games.  It was so fun!!  I love to see Micah in action! He has such a great feel for the game and how he can be the most useful on the field.  It was fun to see Laura in action as well, not only as the coach, but as one of the Tournament Coordinators.  She had a busy week!!

A well deserved swim party at Rexburg Rapids after their game on Friday!

The Madison Maniacs played awesome and won a trip into the championship game!  They got to play against the one team that beat them. It was fun how the Refs had them walk out on the field at the beginning of the game and wave to their fans!! 

Thanks to some great defense and our scoring maniac, Kevin, they won!!!  So proud of Micah and Max.  They did such a great job and had a wonderful week together. 

 Thanks Coach Aunt Laura!!

 

and he went z-z-z-z-z ALL the way home!!

 

Championship!

Ben's baseball team, the Giants, was able to compete in the League Championship Game this week.  To get to the championship, they had to play a team that had beat them three times during the regular season.  We were not very optimistic about moving on, but the stars all aligned and they were able to beat them.  Very exciting!!  Benjamin has done a great job this year.  He's had some good hits, played great infield and outfield and really enjoyed playing.

 The Championship Game was just how Championships should be...a very close game!! The Giants did a great job and were ahead most of the game until the last inning or so.  They should be totally proud of the way they stuck with such a challenging team. 

 

The best part of the game was the awards ceremony though.  After giving out the first and second place trophies, the league decided to give out an MVP trophy this year to one of Ben's teammates.  Jackson has some disabilities and has been such a champ this year on the baseball field.  The team has done a great job of encouraging and cheering Jackson on, and really the other teams in the league as well.  I believe that Jackson earning that trophy will be more memorable to those boys than to who won that game...and that is exactly how it should be.  Good job South Davis Baseball for teaching these boys an important lesson in the Game of Life!

 

High Schooler?

Well not quite.  Our 9th graders still attend Jr. High, but as of next year, grades start counting for our eldest son!!  Jacob has had a great year as an 8th grader, even if he has gotten by without too many blurry pictures from his mom!  We'll start with grades.  Jacob has managed to escape with only one A- the last two years of Jr. High.  He has continued to amaze us as he pulls his grades up to straight A's almost every term.  One of his teachers said, "he is just made for greatness."  I think that is a pretty great compliment and agree!!

In addition, Jacob has played football, played soccer, played deacons basketball and run track this year.  He was a champ playing football for the first time.  He got pretty tough and enjoyed playing.  He is not afraid of hard work.

After being off the soccer field for many years to play baseball, he headed back and had a great season.  I personally think he was the fastest kid on the field and it was fun to watch! (#11)

Jake got to do hurdles and some sprinting this year in track.  He shaved about 3 seconds off his best time from last year and I think it's pretty impressive that he can even make it over those things!  His brothers think he's pretty cool too, and worth emulating.



When it came time for Jazz Band tryouts, Jacob told us he wasn't going to do it.  I'm a bit of a nag in all aspects of his life, but tried to not push him too hard.  Next thing we knew, he told us he was trying out and had made it.  Ok then!  We're all for that!  He headed to early morning rehearsals twice a week and played with mostly 9th graders.  After all the Jazz bands I've seen over the years, it was pretty awesome to see my son up there playing his horn! 





Pretty proud of this boy and all he has accomplished this year!  Keep up the good work Jake!!

6th Grade Graduation

We moved to Utah right before Jacob started Kindergarten, so we have spent the past 9 years at Adelaide Elementary.  It was a bitter-sweet day today as Benjamin graduated.  With Micah attending a different school, we are through with our Adelaide years.  They have been great.  We have spent a lot of time at that school and it feels like home knowing so many of the kids and families.  It was fun to see so many of the kids that have been there with us through it all.

They recognized the kids that had participated in different activities throughout the year.  Way to go Benjamin!  He stood up on almost all of them:  Martin Luther King Jr. Speech, Constitution Bowl, School Play, Math and Science Olympiad, Battle of the Books.  He fully participated his 6th grade year and we're very proud of him!

Friends!

Ben's best friend since Preschool! They made it together.

 I have no doubt Ben will do great at whatever he does when he "grows up!"

 Farewell Halls of Adelaide!!