Max's Birthdays

Super Kids Day

Yesterday at school was Super Kids Day, a.k.a. field day. All of the grades were given time in each activity, Max was one of the first ones on the climbing wall for his class. I was helping with Markus' class and taking them up to the upper playground right when Max started climbing so Markus started chanting 'go Max' and the rest of his class joined in, 'go Max' the whole time Max was climbing. I saw him grin a little on his way up and he did it really fast.

Max getting all hooked up in the climbing harness.

Markus and friends in the bounce house...

I am not sure what he was doing here, maybe waiting in line for a drink?

The shark slide was on the kids favorite activities, it was huge.

After I finished helping with the kindergarten class, it was time for me to help with the game - tug of war.

Everyone played over a wading pool of water and I think that most of the kids were trying to lose, just so they could get wet. What a crazy day!

Car Show

I already twittered about this photo. But in case you missed it, I was sitting at the park listening to Margaritaville that was playing over the loudspeaker at the car show. Molly was drooling all over me trying to get to the other dogs that would walk by and Max was riding his skateboard down the hill behind me, you can just see him in the photo below, bottom right hand corner.

It was such a fun night to be out walking at the park. With the huge storm clouds rolling in, the music, cars + atmosphere = good time.

Bikes for Kids Ride

Late last night my friend Sharon called to ask me if I would like to ride with her today in the Bikes for Kids ride. It is an organized ride to benefit less fortunate second graders throughout the state by giving them all a bike to ride. All of the proceeds from the ride go towards buying the bikes at cost from Costco. I know the lady that started it several years ago and she said that they have given away over 10,000 bikes since the program began.

It was a nice ride except for when my friend was hit from behind by another rider. We had just passed Shawn Bradley on his huge bike and the pack that was drafting off of him and came to an intersection where the light was not being blocked off by the police escorts, as they all had been previously in Murray. This was the first light in Midvale and so we had to stop when the light changed. We had just started to slow down when the guy that was behind Sharon looked at his watch and didn't notice the light changing or the fact that we were stopping.

He plowed right into her going about 20 mph and he was a bigger guy. He injured her shoulder, elbow and hip as well as damaging her bike and ruining her jersey. Everyone behind stopped to help and the sag truck came to offer help as well. She wanted to keep riding, so Shawn Bradley fixed her chain and straightened out her wheel. The guy that hit her said he would call her to pay for everything and took down her number. But she hasn't heard from him yet.

Swing

My friend Shawna took these photos at Markus' last baseball game of the season yesterday. She has a great camera and I couldn't believe the amazing images that she was able to capture. So I commented on a friend of a friend's blog, asking her about her pictures and why they look outstanding on her blog. I asked her how she was able to use the larger images and she was kind enough to track down my email address from my friend and sent me detailed instructions on how to achieve this look. It is a little bit complex but not too hard once you get the hang of it. She also told me about another way to do it through photobucket. So I am going to experiment with the two different ways to see which one is easier. I will post the larger photos once in awhile.

The league makes the six year olds wear face masks, which I was glad about. He was hit by the ball several times right in the mask. So it was a good thing he had it on.

Markus' loved putting on his 'rally' hat!


Oh, how I love that face.

Markus standing ready in the outfield

Awards

When the school called to say that Morgen was getting an award at school tomorrow, I had no idea just what that meant. I showed up at the awards ceremony thinking it would be like the ones in elementary school where everyone gets an award, just so no one feels left out. It is not exactly like that in Jr. High. There are just a few students who actually get them, and usually just one. So for obvious reasons (I have always wanted to use that in a sentence) I thought Morgen would be receiving one as well. Imagine my surprise when he received not one but four awards.

The principal announced his name and called him up to the stage.

They announced each of his awards and presented them to him in a folder.

I am very proud of Morgen for not only receiving the awards but for always getting up for school on time without ever complaining at all. He would just stumble out of bed at 6:40 each morning and hop in the shower, without even so much as a grumble. He wouldn't say much while eating his breakfast either, but at least it wasn't unpleasant. I never had to help him with any homework this year, he would just get it out and do it on all on his own. Granted it was at 10:00 at night, but he still got it done nonetheless. He is definitely one to make his own choices, but I think he will be a very responsible adult and even a great leader someday, if that is what he decides he wants to do.

Pretty Cool

My friend Cindy sent me this link on FB. I think it is pretty cool, you can check it out here:

http://wildlife.utah.gov/peregrine/

End of the Season

Markus, Demonta, Coach J.D. and his son Easton.

Markus is pictured here with his coach Eric from baseball. His last game is on Thursday. I can't believe it is almost the end of the season already. It seems like it has flown by so fast and Markus has been enjoying it.

Memorial Day Fun

Today I went down to Springville with my mom, dad & Cole to decorate some graves. We stopped at a cool playground to let the kids play and fly Max's plane from his birthday.

Markus loves it that my mom always gives him pop, something he doesn't have at home.

Max and Cole had a great time trying to track down one of my great-great grandfathers graves.

My mom couldn't remember where it was exactly...

but finally found one of them. William was one of the mayors of Springville as well as a chief road maker for Brigham Young, while coming across the plains.

One of the highlights of the trip was this toy store. It reminded me of one in Jackson Hole that I went to when Morgen was a baby.

Lots of cool toys, but also...

tons of dress up clothes. Max found this great hat.

Markus was cracking me up with all of the costumes he was putting on...

like this one...

and this one

as well as these two...

What a nut!

After lunch at the park, they played some more and then it was time to go pick up all the flags for scouts. Morgen signed up for this holiday as his contribution to the scout fund raiser.

Max's Birthday

Today was Max's tenth birthday. After I served him breakfast in bed, we went to church and he gave a talk. I taught primary and after church went to see my friend Laurie who had her baby yesterday. All three of my boys wanted to come with me to see her new little son, Ryan James. I love all these birthdays!!!

Then we came home and watched home videos of Max when he was a baby and played some baseball outside. He played with all of his new toys from his party yesterday as well. What a great day for that little guy!

Max's 10th Birthday Party at Boondock's

Life

My friend Tyra had her baby yesterday...he weighed 10 lbs. 2 oz! She is doing great but he is still in the NICU. He had some fluid in his lungs and is on a ventilator for now. Hopefully he will get to go home in a few days though, I just think that would be hard to go home from the hospital without your baby.

Also yesterday, was the quarterly court of honor. I spent the day entering, buying, labeling and presenting the scout awards. Morgen earned his Citizen in the Community, Citizen in the World, and Public Speaking Merit Badges. He only has two more to go before his Eagle. He didn't want to attend the court, guess he doesn't really care about the 'honor', so I don't have any pictures of him getting his awards. Such is life with Morgen!

Introducing...

Isabella Kazu Alohilohi Reece
7 pounds 11 ounces * 21 inches long
Joined my friend Olivia's family at 2:06 pm on May 15 2009

Monkeying around

Markus and his friend Hudson at the zoo today.

Eating lunch at the playground or maybe pretending to be the spiders lunch, I don't know?!

Hudson looks like a monkey to me, maybe the "Drawinius" fossil that was just found really isn't too far off!

Oh, oh, ah, ah!

It is fun to 'hang out' at the zoo with these little monkeys!