Volleyball

Maddie made the freshman volleyball team last year. We were both thrilled. Overall it was a good experience. She made new friends, had something to do (practice was every single day after school on top of 2 games a week). It was such a better experience than when she was playing for the city rec team. It wasn't perfect by any means, she got to play in every game but wasn't in for long which was an annoyance. She wasn't played to her true potential. Unfortunately Hurricane is still a small enough town that if you don't have the right last name you don't succeed in sports here. But their team was undefeated the entire year. We even won regional. If Freshman went to state we would have gone! It was exciting. 

This past January she signed up to play in Club. It cost us $400 which is quite a bit of money. We were pretty disappointed when we discovered that she wasn't going to be put on the same team as her other volleyball team mates. 9 of the 12 girls were put on one team with the JV high school coach as there Club coach. Maddie was put on the "upcoming" Freshman team. The other 2 girls of the original 12 were also put on Maddie's team. The team was then filled with 8th graders. 

There's nothing wrong with 8th graders! Maddie was an 8th grader. The problem we quickly ran into was that these girls had only ever played for the rec teams. They had never played a real high school volleyball game. They had only practiced once a week during the 6 week volleyball rec season, not every single day for 10-12 weeks. All of our games were against other freshman aged girls. Our team was 8th graders, we had different rules and a different way of playing than what they knew. It didn't help that our coach was a volunteer mom who hadn't played since college. Her daughter, Jo, was one of the freshman put on the team. Jo didn't want to play volleyball. Her mom was forcing her too. Our coach didn't keep up with the high school rules and had a hard time following them. In fact we were the only team participating that didn't have a Libero because when "she played" they didn't have that position. We had games every other weekend in the Salt Lake area. We hated it. It wasn't fun having to pay for a hotel and food every other weekend and then loosing every single game! 

This is Maddie May Heider and Maddie Mae Heaton. Maddie and her mom, Tonya, was our lifesaver. The Maddie's were both on the Freshman team together and then dumped to the 8th grader team. We usually took turns driving up together and then splitting the cost of the hotel room. We had a lot of fun when we were together.  

So each tournament had 5-7 courts. Each court then had 5-6 teams assigned to that court. Those teams played against each other on there assigned court. This was called the bracket. Then the top playing teams from each court were put together to play in a tournament. 2nd best, 3rd, and down the ladder were put together to play against each other for the tournament.  We lost almost every single game so quite often was playing for the copper trophy.  There were 2 times that we came in 2nd to last during the bracket that put us in copper division but then lost the first game in the actual tournament.  

Because we mostly took last place in the bracket we got to know the other teams like us pretty well. There were only 3-4 of them and there teams were made up of all 8th graders. They couldn't rotate or keep track where they were suppose to be. They were more concerned with their cheers I think. We usually won by 15-20 points every single time. We didn't have to try very hard to come in first place against them. Our last tournament our girls didn't even really try! We knew we were going to win that Copper Medal. We had already played this team 5-6 times. Sure enough we won, like 25-6 

For fun after the rest of the team left these 2 goof balls wanted this picture. We are #1 of the LOOSER tournament. So funny! 

During the summer we learned that our club coach was hired on for the Sophmore high school team. When Maddie participated in the summer games she saw "the writing on the wall". She came to me and said she wasn't going to try out. She knew she wouldn't make it. There was already talk of who was going to be on JV team and who was staying on Sophmore team. The problem is that the JV team is all Sophmore's. So to fill the actual Sophmore team the coaches would fill it with the upcoming Freshman, those 8th graders on our club team. Maddie just didn't want to deal with all the drama that came from the Club team. So she didn't try out. Sure enough what Maddie had thought she saw during summer came to pass. Our other Maddie tried out and didn't make the team this year either. Again something we saw coming. 

She say's she misses being with her friends everyday but that's about it. She "hears" about the drama at school with the girls and coaches and is so glad she is not a part of that.   

Back to School 2019

 Why do our summer's go by so quickly?

In just a blink of an eye it's back to school again!

This handsome young man is a Junior this year. How did this happen? 

And she's a Sophmore!

These 2 will be at the same school again this year. Last year I had kids at 4 different schools that all start and end and have early out's on different days. This year we are back down to 3. Yippee! 

This young lady is a 7th grader, the oldest grade at the Intermediate School. She has asked not to be in a carpool and wants to ride her bike every day. This mom won't complain. 

This is the last year these 2 will ever be at the same school until Brayden is a Senior. 

Wow!

Brayden is in his last year of elementary school. He's the big 5th grader. He's so excited this year to have multiple teachers like his older siblings. His 5th grade teacher is going to be his "home room" teacher. He will go to his room first for Reading. Then as a class they move through out the day to the other teachers for Math, Science and Language Arts.  

Miss Kylie is in 2nd grade! It's hard to believe she's my baby. This will be my second year not having kiddo's at home with me anymore. I do miss them! 

Here's to an AWESOME first day of school!

Heaton Family Reunion in Spreg's

We just had a MEMORABLE Family reunion with the Heaton's.

 It started Friday afternoon in Cedar City where the family all met at the temple. The adult's did sealings, the youth baptisms and the younger kids got to stay at Grandma and Grandpa's house playing with cousins while a babysitter kept an eye out for everyone. Grandma had a big family picture taken on the temple grounds. We're anxious to see them!

After the temple we went to the local park for some pizza and watermelon before heading up to Spreggs for a big family campout. We stopped in Alton to help Uncle Klynt load his bbq spit and then headed up into the trees. 

With no rain in the forecast and knowing we wouldn't get to Spregg's until after dark we decided to sleep in the back of Kory's dump bed trailer. Hunter slept in a tent with the other boy cousins, Maddie and Emily both slept on a cot outside under the stars with the girl cousins and the younger two decided to stay with Mom and Dad in the back of the trailer on cots.  

Before hitting the sack Grandma had planned an outdoor movie for those that wanted to watch. It didn't get started until almost 11 that night. We didn't get to bed until after 1am. It's been a long time since I've been out that late.  We all fell asleep pretty quickly but all too soon we all started to feel something wet on our faces. It was raining. Not a hard rain but a nice soft drizzle that went on and on and on!

These 2 woke up and complained about the rain and getting wet. Nothing we could do. Told them both to climb all the way under their covers and try to sleep the best they could. 

Morning couldn't come quick enough and when it did we were wet!

Our sleeping bags, blankets and shoes were wet. The bottom of the trailer was wet with puddles of water. It's a night we will all remember. 

Maddie and Ruth were wet with nice puddles of water on their tarp. They grabbed an extra tarp during night and threw it on top of themselves trying to deter the rain. It sort of worked they said. 

Emily and Rachel also got rained on but they were able to crawl into the truck to escape and tried to sleep. 

Thank goodness it was summer and wasn't to cold. It didn't take too long for everyone to dry once we all got up and got going. Grandma had a big day planned with lots of activities. 

Dinner roasting on the spigot.

The teenage boys put up the American flag for us for the day. 

Then off the kids ran! 

Maddie and Ruth set up and ran Grandma's fishing pond with prizes.

So excited to get their new little toys.

Miss Kylie and Izzie Bee (Elizabeth) 

Ruth and Maddie

We had a hatchet throwing contest and Brayden loved it!

We brought our quads up and the teen age boys had fun running up and down the dirt toads. 

A little bean bag toss...

And of course shooting!

Grandma had a little raffle going on that the kids could earn tickets for picking up trash, being helpful and doing good deeds.  One of the kiddo's won this awesome display. 

  

After lunch we all packed up and headed home. 

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for a wonderful family reunion. 

It's always fun to see everyone. 

Warm Springs

This is my Grandma and Grandpa Christensen. This picture brings a smile to my face. 

I miss them. I miss the stories, Grandpa's "Damn it" hat and Grandma's homemade twisties or cookies baking. Grandpa always had a movie playing in the back ground. If it wasn't the Jungle Book it was a musical like the Carousel or Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. If Grandma wasn't baking she was sewing. It was always fun to go to Grandma's house. 

For a few years Grandma and Grandpa lived in what they called, The Garden of Eden. Everyone else called in Warm Springs in Moapa Nevada.  

They were the caretakers for this amazing church run site. 

I have many fond memories of being here. After my grandparents were released from their mission here this was a fire. And it burned down the "old house".  Kory and I  were able to have our wedding luncheon here, after the temple sealing but before our reception. And then there was another fire. And then this place sat vacant for many, many years. We've heard rumors and have driven by a handful times over the past 19 years but it's always been locked shut. And then we heard that it was officially opening again. 

When the Christensen family heard about it re-opening it was quickly decided that we needed to have a Christensen Family Reunion in memory of Grandma and Grandpa. 

It was so fun seeing my kids make their own memories at a place I loved. 

Brayden loved the warm water and the slippery walk. 

Hunter and Kylie

Emily

 Although Jonathan was still recovering from back surgery he came to visit for a few hours.

Jonathan and Grandma Christensen holding Abigial (Sheri's little girl).

Grandma and Maddie

Grandpa Christensen got in too. 

Hunter being silly

Carlaya and Maddie

Emily and Kylie 

Brayden taking a turn at being the life guard.  

Cousin Noah and Hunter playing in the newer man made pool. Using pool noodles they spent most of their day swatting at wasps landing on the water.  

Emily liked the newer pool to.  

Aunt Hanna and Brayden

Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Joe. 

All of my aunts and uncles were there. I wish I had a picture of all of them together. It was only one day but what a marvelous day it was. I saw cousins, aunts and uncles I haven't seen in years. It was so fun to catch up and remanence. 

Look Who's 10!

This handsome young man is finally 10! 

I love his enthusiasm for life. He loves science, lego's, reading and building things with his hands. 

He also loves insects and anything creepy, crawly. 

His favorite series at the moment is Percy Jackson. He has read this series numerous times all ready. He was pretty excited for his Camp Half Blood shirt. 

Brayden specifically asked for Costco's cheesecake this year. 

Yummy, yummy!

We sure love this little guy in our home! He keeps us laughing with his most random facts about everything and anything he's learned through his readings. He also loves to tell jokes. He's quick to share with his family any new ones he learns during the day. Happy Birthday little man!

Easter

The Easter Bunny a few years ago started hiding everyone's gifts. The kids leave their baskets on the table the night before. When they look inside on Easter morning they have a few pieces of candy with one strand of curly ribbon. Everyone's strand of curly ribbon is a different color. They then go on the "hunt" for items they can find wrapped in their color of curly ribbon. 

There is no spot untouchable.

The kids LOVE it! 

Miss Kylie was given a new Easter book, Go Fish Book of Mormon, a jump rope and new necklace. 

Emily also got a new book, new necklace, Who Said It Book of Mormon game and a kit to make her own lip balm.

Hunter also received a new book, Cover Your Assets game, a case of Mountain Dew and a tie tack. 

Brayden loves his new bullets, Spot It game, new book and tie tack. 

Maddie loves the next book in her series, a journal, package of Spree's and a YW bracelet. 

Kids were happy with their new books. This little one not only read her own book but them read Brayden's too!

 She is such a good little reader.