Rare

Morgen was telling me about his rare Pokemon card tonight after scouts. He said it was hard to find, only one per box of 64 packs of cards. He has other cards that are worth more money (one card just sold for $40 online) but that he likes this one because it is harder to find. Kind of like Morgen, he is one of a kind...he gave me a paper with these words on it after he came home from school one day, a few years ago. I think his English teacher had given it to him or something.


10 Pearls of wisdom from kids about parenting:
1. “Think about when you were a kid and don’t yell so much.”
2. “Be proud of me, even if I didn’t get all the answers correct.”
3. “Tell me a story about when you were a child.”
4. “Let me have a sleepover.”
5. “Say, ‘It would help if you did it this way, instead of ‘you’re doing it wrong.’”
6. Don’t spoil me and then yell at me for being spoiled.”
7. “Attend all of my special occasions.”
8. “Tuck me in and read to me.”
9. “If you get mad, remember to forgive me.”
10. “Never forget to kiss me goodnight.”

And more

Hockey!

Markus was so excited for hockey practice last night. He was asking me in the car on the way there, what color his jersey was going to be. When I said I didn't know, but what color would he like, he said, "Oh, I was thinking gray, blue and white would be good. Those are cool colors." I said, "What if they are pink? That is a cool color." He just looked at me funny. Luckily they weren't pink and when he walked in the locker room and saw them I could tell he was disappointed...they are red and white. The "U" colors. He won't even look at a car if it has a U sticker on it. Or a flag. He is so funny about it, kind of prejudice towards BYU I guess. I don't know why, because I told him I went to the U for a year. But he still doesn't like it.

I guess he will get used to wearing red now. It didn't seem to bother him once he put it on though. He still skated fast and was doing back crossovers like I have never seen him do them before...so fast.
Something about hockey...he just loves it. He told me afterwards that his favorite part of practice was playing circle tag.

He was cruising down the ice and his coached passed him the puck and he made a goal. Sweet...

Max was at football practice so I went to go pick him up from that and brought him back to the rink for his practice. Which was right after Markus'. He was so tired and hungry after both practices back to back. He has four more weeks of football and only two nights when he will have both hockey and football practices. Long night but...I love watching them have a great time playing a sport they both like. I never imagined being a hockey mom would be so enjoyable.

Pokemon

Went to pick up Morgen Saturday from a tournament at Hastur's. I couldn't believe how packed that place was, I had no idea just how many "Gamers" there are out there.


Then yesterday after church, I went to pick up Morgen, since I had stayed home with little sick Markus, to take him to another tournament. This time it was up in Layton.

Markus was feeling better after taking some Motrin, so we went to the park for a while until Morgen was done at the tournament. Markus collected some leaves to take to his class.

H. P.

Hockey Practice

Right after his football game yesterday, Max had a hockey practice as well.

He is on the Knights team and has all different coaches than last year.

He had a great practice and told me afterwards that he likes football, but he doesn't get to play in the games very much. In hockey he gets a lot of playing time.

Markus was up a few times with a fever last night and just barely went to sleep again. I think I may try to go get a little more sleep as well.

Fall

= Football

Some photos from Max's game today. He gets a sticker for his helmet every time he makes a tackle or an interception during a game. Although he told me today that sometimes they just get one for showing up and being prepared.

When Max plays defense, he is corner back. And no one gets around his block.

We came within a few feet of scoring a touchdown today. But in the end lost 14 - 0. I think Cyprus was the one team we supposedly had a chance of beating.

Markus didn't mind, he just played with his friends, Lucas and Zoe.

Crush

Max had a great practice tonight at football. They are playing Cyprus in the morning and Deb, the team mom, gave all the players tonight a can of orange crush with a sticker on it saying,
"Crush Cyprus".

School Carnival

Markus enjoying a cool snow cone at the school carnival today after school. He had his first hockey practice tonight as well. So I took him right from the carnival to the rink. He was excited to meet his coaches, he is on the Mite Badgers team.

After practice he kept asking me, "What team am I on again?"

And I would tell him and then two minutes later he would ask me again! I guess he has not heard of the badgers before or something.

Darlin & Brian Boitano

Darlin sent me this photo of her skating in the SV show this summer with Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano. Kind of a cool photo.

Cheering

Some video coverage of Sierra cheering at Friday night's game. I especially love it when the kid in the hat walks right in front of her doing her back hand spring. Perfect timing.

More Photos

Some more photos from the weekend. Amanda competed at the Oktoberfest competition again on Saturday in Artistic and took 3rd place again. Her lucky number as well as mine...

Max had hockey after football and skated great. I think he really is enjoying hockey so far...

Morgen had a Pokemon tournament as well on Saturday. He loves it and can't seem to get enough of it...I just wish I could get excited about it. I am trying. In the meantime though, I will keep driving him to all of his events and taking photos.

A double dose of Football

Photos from Max's football game this morning against Highland. They lost 14-7, but had fun playing for the first time on their home field.

Getting some coaching from Asst. coach Barry during half time

Some of the football mom's (Jenn Davies - l & Mikell Woodland - r) holding the banners for the players to run though...their favorite part of the entire game!

And some photos from Sierra's homecoming game at Skyline against West

Friday Night

Easton, Sierra, Max

My niece Sierra and Markus

Markus & Tanner

Sierra is cheer captain and takes her job seriously

Oktoberfest

Some photos from the Oktoberfest competition today held at the Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center. Darlin came in from Sun Valley with 20 of her students to compete - it was fun to see her as well as watch her darling students skate.

My student Callie skated great and took 5th in her division.

Amanda did a great job and placed third in hers.

It is fun to see how fast Amanda has progressed since she started skating two years ago....she is such a hard worker and loves to skate. You can tell that she is motivated by her work ethic on the ice.

Hockey - Dr.

Markus had his second rating and conditioning session tonight. His first one was yesterday.

He was chasing the puck all over the ice.

And didn't stop going after it...ever.


He loved playing sharks and minnows the best though, and can't wait to go to practice again. Just for that game.

After his hockey was over I ran him over to the Dr. because earlier in the day he had a sore throat, but after hockey he was fine. I had already scheduled his apt. though so we still went just to make sure that is wasn't strep. And it wasn't - just a cold, the doc said. His tonsils looked huge to me though. The Dr. said we could come back in over the weekend if we need to, if he gets any worse. Hope we don't have to though, because I have the craziest schedule tomorrow. And Ben has to work...he has been working really hard this week as well due to D.U.G. (digital users group) international planetarium convention going on at his work this week. There are people there from all over the world - Germany, Japan, England, etc. And they have been having all these functions after work at the planetarium and dinners in the office. They have a demo tomorrow all day for the new version of the product as well.

Young & Old

Today while I was teaching my oldest student Roberto, Amelie, who happens to be my youngest student, came out on the ice. Roberto mentioned to me that we should take a picture of the oldest and the youngest skater. So I did. I have taught Amelie since she was two. And I used to teach an older lady when I taught at the Triad Center, who was 71, but Roberto is currently my oldest student at 67.

Rating and Conditioning

Max had his rating and conditioning session for hockey on Monday night. He was really fast and I think his two hour nightly football practices have really helped him to increase his strength and speed. He was smokin' fast. And I think he really had a great time playing.

Ripstick

Max was out practicing his ripstick today. I had to stop and video tape it, as I have tried to ride on his side-ways skate board contraption before, but couldn't get the hang of it. How does he do it so well? How are children so much better at learning new things than us old timers? They are not only better at learning new things, but better at handling grief as well.

Today when I took Markus into his class, I talked to his teacher about how the family of little Robyn were doing and she said they are devastated. How could they not be? But Markus and all his little class mates seem to be handling it or dealing with it I guess. I just stood there and cried after they all went into their seats...all except Robyn.

I came home and read her obituary and cried. And tried to think of something to do or say to help this family in mourning. I wrote something on the comment section and made a donation to the hospital in her name. But it all seemed rather trivial.

It will not help them.

It will only help me to feel like I tried to do something to help. Eventually. Right now I just feel like the world should stop. Someone is in pain. Someone will never see their little girl again, at least not in this life.

STOP!

I wanted to tell everyone coming into the school.

STOP!

I wanted to yell at the teller at the bank.

STOP!

But no one did.

They just kept doing what they were doing. I wanted to lower all the flags and have a moment of silence. In memory of those who are gone.

After school I picked up Morgen like I usually do, and since he gets out a half hour before the other boys, I drove over to Dan's. Which is our usual hangout after school. He likes their milk from Winder Dairy there and usually gets a cookie from the bakery. It is where about half of the school goes after school as well, as a whole group of girls said, "Hi Morgen" as we walked through the doors. He just smiled and walked on, in his typical manner. On Friday, September 11th though, this song was playing on the radio when we parked the car and I sat listening to it for a minute. When Morgen looked at me I said it was a good song for today, being 9/11. Thinking about how many of the victims of the twin towers would do something differently had they known what was going to happen.

Live each moment.

Questions?

Today was a sad day at Markus' elementary school. He learned that a little girl named Robyn, a first grade student in his class, died Friday from an illness.

The school social worker, Linda, met with the class and held a discussion in the class room. The school sent home a note encouraging me to take time to "talk to your child about THIS". What exactly does that mean...this? Robyn, her illness, her death? What her family must be feeling? How in the world am I supposed to know how to discuss any "feelings and questions that they might have"?!!! The note also said to feel free to contact the school if I have any concerns or questions. Oh, and that they appreciated my continued support of the school. Signed, The Principal.

What the heck?!! When I was driving the boys home from school Markus pulled the note out of his backpack and handed it to me over the seat. I was so saddened, shocked, concerned and overwhelmed with emotions. How had she died? Was it the swine flu, or some thing else? How are her parents, siblings, and friends feeling, and dealing with this? What could I do to help? I had to pull over, and breathe. Just breathe.

When I talked to Markus about what Linda had said in his class, he didn't remember. He said that she was going to read a book to them about death but that she had to leave so she didn't read it. I called the school and got the answering machine. I left a message for the school secretary. She hasn't returned my call. I looked online in the obituaries and found a lot of other sadness, but nothing more about little Robyn. I feel so helpless, I wish I knew what I could do to help this family that is dealing with such a huge loss. I can not even imagine.

I have only ever lost my grandparents, and they were all ready for it to be their time. My friend Katie lost her son to cancer when he was five, and when I went to his viewing, I couldn't even stand to look at the casket. I just hugged Katie, and she whispered in my ear, "This sucks!" and we both started sobbing. I am not even sure if this is making any sense, because I am crying again, just remembering it.

I don't have any answers to any of these questions. I do know that Katie is still remembering her little boy and that she has had two little boys since then. They did not replace him...but she finds joy in the little things about her boys and appreciates every moment she has with them. She knows that life is precious.

Hunger Games

Morgen had to read this book, The Hunger Games for his English class in school. He read it in two days and told me that, "You have to read it!" So I started it today, and so far it is a pretty quick read but has some difficult moral dilemmas involved. I must say I kind of like it, so far. I love that Morgen and I share a love of books and that he gets excited for me to read one after he has read it and likes it. He has already started the second one in the series that just came out last week.

Angie's Wedding

After Max's football game this morning against Alta (they lost 35-6), I went to teach for the Ice Fest at the rink. Angie, that teaches at the rink with me as well, was married to a guy named Nate up in Midway this afternoon. It was held at a place up there called the Johnson Mill.

Angie was grinning from ear to ear when she was walking down the aisle after they said their vows...

Somehow all her friends from skating ended up talking together.

(l to r: Tamara, Alicia, Amy, B)

Angie was on the Synchro skating team, The Ice Angellzz, in high school and so most of her friends were at the wedding and posed with her for a photo.

Toasting their new life together. It was a beautiful night for an outdoor wedding.