February

Lots of crazy-ness in February. And we still have a week to go. Didn't want to forget anything and figured I should since blogging seems to becoming a thing of the past. .

Haven't really taken pictures except with my phone again. Attempted to get a cute picture of the kids on Valentine's day but LILLY wanted nothing to do with it. She has hit the terrible two's. She thinks the iPad is hers, the toys are hers, food can be eaten anywhere and when she wants, bed time is not for her, and that she is big enough to do anything. Thank heavens she hasn't climbed out of her crib since that day because she needs a nap and I need a break from the Lilly Tornado!

Projects:
Mike wanted to build an HDTV antennae. So he did and then he had to install it in the attic. It was a little more tricky than the $25 20 minute project he claimed it was. It took all day to build the antennae and then several days to install it in the attic. Thank heavens for good friend, Chad that has done this before and came to Mike's rescue. He also has all the tools needed for any job! His sweet wife and my good friend Ann came over for Friday night fun while the boys were playing in the attic. Lilly got sick and Ann is the best while I was taking care of bathing Lilly she cleaned up my carpet (that I had just had cleaned the day before). Thanks Ann!

Our "parlor" bath had a dumb pedestal sink, I've always hated it because there is no place to store extra toilet paper, towels, nothing, nada! While visiting Lowes, we saw a sink that we liked and that was going on sale President's Day weekend. So the bathroom became our weekend project. Mike is so handy. He removed the sink, the toilet, the baseboards and the linoleum only to find out that there was a secret layer of plywood that needed to be removed also. Don't mind that it was stapled to the floor and broke into small pieces. BUT he plugged through it and didn't complain! He doesn't love "makinzee" projects so much. He worked all day Monday on the floor. I picked out new baseboards and then he had to reinstall the toilet and then put together the new sink etc. It was an all day project but we love it! Although we need to get a new faucet our "old"one just isn't going to do it! 

Remember painting th ebathroom Tif? We did a pretty good job I might say --that splotch is where the toliet goes.

The finished project. Now the laminate floor is the same and not different only in the bathroom. They should have done this orgnially.

Basketball season is over. We have a month break and then 3 kids start t-ball, baseball and softball in the April.  I hope we haven't got ourselves into too much! Thank goodness, Lilly doesn't have any activities to through into the mix too!

School update. The end of January, we got told that we would be going to Terra Linda because of the boundary changes. I fought hard and had accepted the fact that we would be going to a different school even though I never felt at peace with the decision. I just accepted that this is what would be. The first week of February, I received an email from the school saying that "permits" would be accepted and would I like to permit my kids to Elk Meadows (my school of choice). I finally had become OK with going to TL and now had to make a hard decision to stay or go! With much prayer, fasting, faith and tears Mike and I accepted the permit to stay EM. AND finally I was at peace. All along I wanted to be at EM and now was able to be. Jack was very excited, he all along wanted to stay, Madison on the other hand wanted to go where her friends were going to school and almost all of her friends on the street were going to TL. However, I felt that our family needed to be at EM even though my bus would be taken away and I would be responsible to get my children to and from school (3 times a day next year with Kindergarten drop off at noon). EM will be on year round school, but i only have this one chance to stay so I better take it now. I feel peace and am excited to see the changes that take place for the 2014-2015 school year.

On Facebook, I found a long lost friend from Midvale. We lived by each other and were best friends. I moved to Holladay, McDonald's bought her house and then she moved. We kept in contact at least once a year but lost track of each other by high school. Guess how close we live to each other, about 2.5 miles! Her kids attend TL! Small world. We had dinner together and it was so fun to remember back when we were little kids walking back and forth with our haul to each others homes.
Kinz and Liz

Grampa Buddy celebrated his birthday at Chuck E Cheeses. Ya not sure why of all places BUT we all had a great time. We went to the newish Chuck E Cheeses in Salt Lake, it was clean and big and of course the kids had the best time. Tif brought a cake that had blue icing on it, we all laughed at one another for having blue lips, teeth and tongues. It was a fun night, Brody was able to come also. My brothers started new jobs in ND making big bucks! Miss them both so much. 

Valentine's Day was a "love"ly day. Like last year, I put paper hearts on the kids doors telling them why I loved them. I had a really hard time this year remembering to do it! One day I put 3 hearts up for each child. My favorite heart of the month was for Lilly, I said "I Love nap time more than you do."  The big kids made Valentine boxes, our first year doing it. I complained that it is a "mom" project but it was really fun to do. I'm especially thankful for Pinterest. I found all my ideas this year there. I love printables. I found a printable that said "you're all that and a bag of chips" and "I have a CRUSH on you" I made a lunch for every person and gave them there love notes during lunch. 

And last a selfie of Jack! Notice the bonk by his hair line, he ran into a pole at school. This kid brings home more"concussion" notes than I'd like to have! Crazy boy!

Basketball

Jack's Jr Jazz season has officially come to a close, they should have made the playoffs because they were 8 for 8 for games, but in this league this is the end! Jack's team has been so fun to watch. They have improved so much from the first game. We scored a couple baskets for the opposing team, we ran down the court with the ball (supposed to dribble), we traveled, stole, blocked and had a great season! It really is entertaining to watch!

Jack's friend Ryan's dad coached the team. Our team had 11 2nd graders on it. 11 is such a hard number to rotate thru. But they did get lots of playing time. This league doesn't keep score, doesn't call any rules but keeps time of how long the boys/girls can play. Jack knows the rules and doesn't double dribble or travel. He is a very good player and has been so fun to watch.   I love watching him soar through the air on his layups--which I am proud to say he does great. Jack has been coming to practice with Madison's team (her age level has practice his doesn't) and I've been drilling layups in his head. He loves to shoot way out further then he should, we have worked on shooting realistic shots and it stuck!

Look at how high this white boy can jump! Yeah this probably isn't a "realistic"shot!

And yes with 11 of the team, you get a lot of goofing off on the bench!

But it is fun to play and watch so they say.

At the end of the game they passed out treats ( of course the players favorite) and pictures and trophies. Jack and Ryan were so excited to get a trophy--remember when they both played baseball and didn't get a trophy because their teams were 1st and 2nd? Jack loves trophy's aka dust collectors as I call them. Mike is working on building him a shelf to store all his collectibles.

 

 And yes Jack had 2 missing for team pictures.

 

 

Basketball season is double the fun because Madison is also playing! Yes we have had quite the season! We only had 1 game where they were scheduled at the same time however. Which was very nice. Lilly even sat through the games well. As long as she had a phone or a treat!

 

Mike is on "Lilly" duty during Madison's games because I'm on the coaching sideline. These are the 2 pictures he got. Team huddle

 and just before jump ball. Yes Lilly was all over this game and the game was terrible!

Maddy was excited to be out on the court! No one likes to sit the bench. Unfortunately we have 3 posts and 5 guards so the little girls got benched a lot. They were all good sports and no one complained I tried to keep rotation going. It also helped that coaches daughter had a broken hand and really no interest in the sport so it meant usually 2 only sitting the bench. The one game she finally went in for a minute, she dribbled the ball down the court. Her dribble was almost as tall as she was but she had a smile on her face, Rachel put her hand around me and said" You still love me even though my child can't play!, right?"

 Maddy's pictures. Rachel the other coach and 2 girls were out of town for the pictures. That was a hard game to not have a bench for! And lucky me, I got to be in the coach picture!

Can't get this picture to flip so use your imagination!

Madison has 1 more game and her Jr Jazz basketball season is over. I'm ready to forfeit! I have enjoyed coaching although i have learned i know nothing about coaching!!

Our team is all newbies/first years/beginners/you name it. Remarkably we won one game. The girls want to win so bad although everyone we play is sooo good, they run plays on us, they steal the ball from us, they even turn off the score board because they are killing us. In practice we have been working on fundamental skills, dribble, pass and catch the ball and occasionally shooting.

I haven't even had a chance to work with Maddy and Charity down in the post because we just can't get the ball to them. Found out last week we signed the girls up for "team" play instead of "rec" play, which is why the teams we play are so dang good! The girls don't get discouraged, they love it. I shouldn't either. BUT I want to win as much as they do!

So one more week and then a month break and we are starting tball, baseball and softball! Wish us luck and see you next summer!