Best of...Worst of...Week 20

Guess I missed week 19.  Sorry.

Mason
Best:  all the fun presents I got on Christmas, snow, no school, lots of candy, movie with friends
Worst:  losing my shoe in the snow pile, Adrian Peterson not getting the all-time rushing record

Tanner
Best:  Christmas, snow, no school, lots of candy, yummy fruit salad, movie with friends 
Worst:  when the kinect won't work

Joe
Best:  White Christmas, new car, lots of exercise shoveling snow
Worst:  can't think of any

Rachelle
Best:  Christmas magic, snow, yummy fruit salad, time off from work,
Worst:  all of this coming to an end:(

The Search

Next time, Mason will probably retrieve his shoes the moment they "fall" off while playing in the snow. 45 minutes later...after much digging, we found the shoes!

That isn't a cookie

Mason and Star shared dinner. Gross!

Gingerbread Fun

Tonight we decorated gingerbread trains and houses with our friends, the Spangenberg's. We have done this as a family for many years (8, I think) and with the Soangenberg's for the last several.

This year I was lazy and bought kits. In the past I have made the gingerbread but it was not so this year. And actually, it was pretty nice. The kits were much easier!

The kids had a great time, as did the adults. Lucy joined us and must be used to the amount of candy we have around our house because she didn't even seem to think we were crazy.

And the winner is...Mason's outhouse replica. And, as usual, Logan wins the other award, the "not so winner".

Thanks for a great evening!

Best of...Worst of...Week 18

Mason
Best: Almost Christmas...I love the Christmas spirit, walking to visit Kelli and Tyler
Worst: snowing, waking up tired and not wanting to go to church

Tanner
Best: Orange Leaf on Monday, my new iPad game (Kick the Buddy), losing in Science Fair (a blessing in disguise)
Worst: Getting a bad sleep on Saturday night

Rachelle
Best: 1/2 Orange Leaf on Monday, finishing up two big projects at work, shopping and Christmas preparations with Lucy, finding a new car, lunch at Vito's with Joe
Worst: Waiting for my doctor appointment and then having to reschedule anyway

Joe
Best: 3 Home Inspections (all in one day), car shopping, lunch at Vito's with Ra, Red Robin (finally, I got my way), Tithing settlement is over for another year!!, shoveling snow for Tyler yesterday (a little exercise and extra cash), Aggie bowl-game victory
Worst: cold winter temperatures, not getting the truck sold yet (not even any interest)

How do you handle dissappointment?

Tanner worked so hard on his Science Fair Project. He researced, tested, tested again, studied, wrote, worked, worked and worked. He wanted nothing more than the pizza party and to go to District.

He didn't win. He worked hard and it didn't pay off. How do you turn this around?

Regardless, I am so proud of him. Not that it will make it better, but he is my winner!!!

Best of... Worst of...Week 17

Mason
Best:  Olive Garden for dinner last night, free time with Dad while Mom was working late, Ward Christmas party
Worst:  Hitting my head hard against my friend, Jamarcus, while playing football and almost getting concussed
Tanner
Best:  Olive Garden, Mom's fajitas, snow (hopefully it will snow more), the Christmas season, almost finishing my Science Fair board and journal, playing water polo and meeting a gold medal Olympian
Worst:  having to do my Science Fair board and journal (thank goodness my mom helped)
Rachelle
Best:  Christmas shopping with Joe, making Muddy Buddies with Tanner and Mason, finishing the Christmas letters, my Primary class, Mason figuring out how many minutes the commercials are in The Polar Express using multiplication, Tanner working so hard on the piano and his Science Fair project
Worst:  working late every day!, missing my allergy shot, meeting for the business on Thursday,
Joe
Best:  49er's win, Tanner learning the piano, Christmas shopping with Rachelle (who doesn't like to spend money), Olive Garden with the family, finishing all of my home teaching today!, doing car research, LOVE the Christmas lights, season, and spirit
Worst:  bitter cold temperatures, noisy tenant complaints, discovering a broken window at the 4-plex and no one claiming it (laundry room),

Best of...Worst of...Week 16

Joe
Best:  getting a free live Christmas tree and decorating it as a family, renting the apartment
Worst:  constant wind, 49er's losing today
Ra
Best:  free Christmas tree, Tanner's football banquet, hamburger soup, dinner with friends, Primary class, Thank you bonus from work
Worst:  wireless networks, working too much
Tanner
Best:  Football banquet
Worst:  missing assignments
Mason
Best:  fruity snacks, knee football, Christmas books to read, decorating the Christmas tree and getting out all of our ornaments
Worst:  when the Christmas tree tipped over

Best of...Worst of...Weeks 14 and 15

Mason:

Best-Thanksgiving vacation (lots of football and food and sitting around), Thanksgiving food (I like turkey but the mashed potatoes were the best!)
Worst-my shoulder ache,

Tanner:

Best:  Sleep over with Evan, Thanksgiving Dinner (my favorite is Grandma Gaye's jello salad), seeing two movies, playing football in the backyard with Dad and Mason, warm Fall weather
Worst:  Missing Grandma and Grandpa at Thanksgiving

Rachelle

Best:  pleasant Fall temperatures, getting decorated for Christmas, Thanksgiving dinner with family, Dit's yummy stuffing and sinful sweet potatoes,
Worst:  work, paying bills, not having Thanksgiving left-overs

Joe:

Best:  Thanksgiving dinner with family, yummy food (that we didn't have to prepare), great weather (that meant lots of extra time to do fall clean-up and play football with my boys), two movie theater movies plus one at home, extra time with family, getting up Christmas decorations
Worst:  no Thanksgiving left-overs, Rachelle at work ALL THE TIME

Best of...Worst of...Week 13

Mason
Best:  Tanner winning his football game, snow, snow and more snow, party at the Rec Center
Worst:  Obama for 4 more years

Tanner
Best:  Being a CHAMPION!!!, Rec Center party especially the Wibit, building snow forts with Mason, the snow
Worst:  the election results, having a sore knee, 49ers and Ram tie (ANNOYING!)

Rachelle
Best:  Brave victory (do you see a pattern?)
Worst:  I will abstain this week...I am trying to focus on the positive

Joe
Best:  Tanner winning the championship, Young Women's Evening of Excellence (lucky to be a part especially since I don't have a daughter), 26 inches of snow in Bountiful, having a warm house to enjoy it from
Worst:  Romney being defeated by Obama, having to shovel 26 inches of snow

Braves 11-0 CHAMPIONS!!!

8-0 versus Kearns

This will be a day 18 courageous BRAVES will remember forever.  Why?

• They didn't lose a game the entire season.  They dug deep and found what they needed when it mattered, every single time. 
• They outscored their opponents 373-31.
• Half-time Zumba.  Need I say  more?

• They played the championship game in 10 inches of snow.  Instead of a green field with narrow white yard markers, they had a white field with narrow strips of green as yard markers.

• The snow made it hard to run, kick, and throw.  It seemed like everything was in slow motion.
• Equipment time-outs during the championship game consisted of shoveling snow out of helmet face guards.  The image of Dallas Bangerter standing up from the first play plastered with snow will forever be ingrained in our minds . 
• Every single kid on the team had the support of a whole family behind them.  There wasn't a kid who played who didn't have someone there just for them.

• They played football for an entire season (many of them two and even three seasons) with a group of friends.  They were truly a team.
• They had 5 coaches who cared about these kids on the field and off the field. 

• They had an awesome team mom (Thanks, Lisa!!) who always saw to the details that made it come together.  From hot chocolate and hand warmers on cold days, to icy Gatorade on hot days, to game film viewing parties, to motivational speakers, she thought of it all.
• Near the end of the season, they started practicing at a secret location.  This was to avoid the scouts. 
• They won. They are champions.  They will be champions forever.

 

CONGRATULATIONS BRAVES!!!!

Best of...Worst of...Week 12

Mason
Best:  Tanner winning his football game against Viewmont, Trick-or-treating and getting lots of candy
Worst:  having my rotten tooth pulled, reading

Tanner
Best:  Winning my football game and getting to play in the championship game next week, Tyler Hernandez and his brother Ayden getting baptized (all but 4 of my teammates came to support him), getting lots of candy trick-or-treating
Worst:  being overthrown and having the pass intercepted (at least I made the tackle!)

Rachelle
Best:  running on Friday with Shannon, Tyler's baptism, making dumplings with Lucy, the beautiful weather, fall clean up
Worst:  eating too much candy, having to move my office at the U

Joe
Best:  Tanner's team winning yesterday, beautiful Fall weather, playing football with the kids in the backyard, getting leaves raked (for the time being), personal tour of the Church Office Building with Elder Anderson, Tyler's baptism, confirmation, and priesthood ordination
Worst:  not being able to get all of my callings/releases done (people are too busy for appointments...or they don't answer the phone when they see it is me calling)

Braves 10-0

27-0 versus Viewmont

The first half was ugly but the boys came out fighting in the second half and player "their" game. We will meet Kearns next week in the championship game. It is going to be a tough battle. Our boys are ready...

Side-line pictures mainly today. I was too nervous during the plays ;-)

Just what I needed

What a beautiful Fall we are enjoying. Thanks Shannon. Running this afternoon was much better than running tomorrow in the dark.

The loot!!!

We are a candy loving family. We love sugar, sugar, and more sugar. Halloween is made for people like us.

One year I challenged myself to go without candy. I can't remember the result, but I do remember I surprised myself. I think I mostly did it.

I am not going without candy. My children are not turning their candy into the dentist for money. We will eat it. All of it. All 20 pounds of Kit-Kats, Reese's, Snickers, Twix, and more. We will enjoy the Laffy Taffy and Skittles. We will let the Whoppers melt in our mouth and break the 3 Musketeers into pieces. We will savor the Peanut Butter M&M's and eventually get desperate and eat the Crunch and Jolley Ranchers.

We will also try to brush our teeth a lot so they don't rot. We will take the dog for long walks so we don't get fat. And, we will not buy candy until 2013.

Yes. I said it. We might crave Junior Mints and Smarties. We might wish we could have a Blow-Pop. But we will suffer through. We will sacrifice and endure the hardship. We have all agreed.

Wish us luck!!!

Rain-gutter Regatta

The Cub Scout event of the Fall was last week. Mason and Joe worked feverishly (the night before) to creat a masterpiece.

The races began and it was clear the competition was stiff. With the exception of a few kits that came without rutters, a lot of dads and boys were ready to compete.

Mason ended up winning the "fastest looking" boat, losing out by a fraction of a second for third place.

Halloween Costumes

My boys wouldn't win any contests this year. At least I didn't spend any money.

Tanner was himself for the school parade and a baby for trick-or-treating.

Mason was a mummy for the school parade and a football player for trick-or-treating. At least the uniform got some use this season:-)

Star went as herself.

Pumpkin Carving

How nice to have children old enough to carve their own pumpkins (and scoop their own goop). We eagerly awaited the "Great Pumpkin", who never arrived. It made me sad.

Tanner wins the award for the year with his creative nerd pumpkin. Glasses and braces.

Happy Halloween!!!

Best of...Worst of...Week 11

Rachelle
Best:  Halloween Party, Primary class today, Working from home on Friday, Tanner's football party, sugar cookies, changing of seasons, Brave football victory, World Series
Worst:  changing of seasons, Friday practice for Primary Program

Joe
Worst:  snow and freezing cold football practice on Thursday, watching Kearns get away with penalties,
Best:  weather warming back up, Halloween this week, talking with Max and Sharla on FaceTime, fun Halloween party at Taylor's house, Football party and motivational speaker

Tanner
Best:  snow and cold football practice, beating Kearns, Football party, Training Table after beating Kearns, 49er's beating Seattle, keeping up on my homework
Worst:  getting smashed by #90 (how could a 260# 11-year-old play in my league?!?)

Mason
Best:  Pine Wood Derby, Halloween sugar cookies, putting on my football pads and playing in the backyard with Tanner
Worst:  Getting in a figth with Tanner

Braves 9-0

20-13 versus Kearns

They did it!!!!!!! It wasn't easy. They fought hard and they did it. Kearns has a big line and defended our run. If we can defeat Viewmont next week, we may meet them again in two weeks.

Good job Braves!!!

Really?!?

These are from yesterday and today. Guess it is time to pull out the sweaters.

Best of...Worst of...Week 10

Mason
Best: camping, wedging wood, making a big, big, big dam,
Worst: missing Tanner's football game, gross moss on the bottom of the hot spring pool, the big, big, big dam flooding the island

Tanner
Best: winning my football game (even though I wasn't there...it is always good to win), same as Mason, finding a good book to read (Chomp)
Worst: missing my football game, the big, big, big dam flooding the island, having to leave from camping trip

Rachelle
Best: two days away from work, camping with Spangenbergs (they are so easy to be with), Tanner and Mason being great boys on the trip, camping with Star (she is such a good dog)
Worst: lots of laundry (of course if I were a really good person I would have on my best list the fact that I have a washer and dryer), eating too much food and gaining 2 pounds (I could also turn this around because we did have a lot of good food)
Joe
Best: camping trip, Tanner getting well again, my truck making yet another camping trip (still going strong at 170,000 miles), decent week at the dry cleaners
Worst: $25 fee to get into the Teton's and then not even having water, losing a tenant at the apartments

Braves 8-0

41-0 versus Jordan

We can claim nothing with this victory. We were here:

Best of...Worst of...Week 9

Tanner:
Best-winning my football game, doing good in school (no new missing assignments), almost getting over my sore throat, missing football practices
Worst-sore throat/strep throat and fever, missing football practices, Sunday clothes

Mason
Best-being me (awesome!), Tanner winning football, reaching AR goal, finding football cards at All-A-Dollar
Worst-Mom won't let me buy a lot of football cards

Joe
Best-Confirmation that I was in-tune with the Spirit, Cool Fall temperatures and the beautiful leaves, the opportunity to use my priesthood to bless the lives of those I love, Tanner's football game
Worst-tanner getting sick and missing 2 days of school, Sister Jackman passing away

Rachelle
Best-Fall, working from home on Wednesday, Decorating for Halloween with Mason, Tanner getting the Rudy award at his football game, Winter blankets on my bed
Worst- Tanner being sick, Star whining and waking me early on the weekend (come on, you could wait until 7!)

Braves 7-0

41-6 versus Hunter

Coming into the game both teams were undefeated. The Braves were the lucky ones to walk away still undefeated.

Hunter scored their 6 points in the first minute of the game. Uh oh. They shut us down on our first offensive drive. Uh oh. Tables turned when we intercepted and scored 6 plus the point after. There was no looking back from there.

After each game the coaches award the following: player of the game, the Rudy award (player with the biggest heart), hardest hit, and iron man. Tanner is not the star of his team and with the exception of when the entire team receives an award, Tanner has never been named. Coach today gave Tanner and two other boys the "Rudy" award for playing sick and/or injured.

I hope this meant as much to Tanner as it did to me. It might be easy to win, but I know this whole thing hasn't been easy for Tanner. He wants to be a star, and he isn't. He wants to play defense, and he doesn't (much). He wants a little fame and glory, and
he gets none. Coach didn't need to recognize Tanner today, but he did. Thanks!

Best of...Worst of...Week 8

Joe
Best:  trip to Phoenix, Tanner's team winning again, Mason's B-day party and celebration of his 9th birthday, General Conference, visit from Curt, Katherine, and Zach
Worst:  having to take the bus and walk home from the airport

Rachelle
Best:  Phoenix, cooler temperatures, General Conference, Chinese food dinner on Saturday
Worst:  getting sick from Chinese food dinner

Mason
Best:  Birthday Party, Tanner winning his football game, getting babysat by Trevor and Angela
Worst:  It's all good:)

Tanner
Best:  Mason's b-day party, winning my football game, getting babysat by Trevor and Angela, getting a balloon, getting goldfish crackers, getting a new kicking tee (thanks Mason)
Worst:  not being able to find my cleats and missing my practice on Tuesday

Braves 6-0

45-0 versus Viewmont

We finally had another home game (even though we were the visitors) and it was great to have Dit and family and Kelli and family come cheer us on.

Also fun was staying to watch half of Evan's game. What a star he is. Way to go.

More uninspiring pictures follow.

Best of...Worst of...Week 7

A week late

Mason
Best: being babysat by the Blanchards
Worst: Tanner and Evan fighting

Tanner
Best: winning another football game, getting a fumble recovery and a kick-off return
Worst: little kids

Rachelle
Best: flying away to Phoenix, Tanner's football game, celebrating Mason's birthday with his class, having a good friend named Jana, Birthdy FaceTime with my mom
Worst: missing Mom's phone call, unsettling decisions at work, business (this is getting old)

Joe
Best: Tanner performance in the football game, getting two home inspections last week, freedom in Phoenix, drive to Apache Lake and Superstition Mountains
Worst: another bad week at the dry cleaner

Mason

Tanner gets a lot of pub because if football. Well, I also have a son named Mason. He is like no other. Someday I hope to have just a fraction of his confidence.

Phoenix

Joe and I were lucky enough to leave our children for 5 days to vacation together. That alone should be enough for any parent to be envious.

We enjoyed pool time, movies, a ghost town, sleeping in, a trip to the temple, mountain and lake adventures, quiet dinners, good books, and each other.

From what I understand, the boys enjoyed cousins, fighting, lunchables, football, Angie and Trevor, birthday cake, Scouts, and homework. Star enjoyed the kennel.

Thanks to everyone who made this happen. It was great!