Gymnastics and Cheer

Gynmastics teams 2015

Nathan has progressed very well in tumbling and his skill level reminds me so much of Justin at age nine.  He does have the advantage of living with one of his coaches so gets extra training on the trampoline and encouragement outside of class.

We really enjoyed their recital and love their new t-shirts.  The "caution:" is real! Besides continuing to take advanced tumbling from ValaRae, Justin also co-coaches many of the other classes.

Just a little showing off before coaching the next class. . .



He has worked hard to get that!


Justin began each weekday morning at cheer practice as a new Madison cheerleader.
Following cheer practice he would head over to Airbound to coach gymnastics.

When he initially told me what his summer schedule would be I was concerned that I might be dragging him out of bed at 5:30 each morning.  However, I did not need to get him up even once.  He wasn't just up; he was cheerful!
I appreciate so much his positive and helpful attitude.

Some mornings he was finished by 10:00 and others he coached until 11-12:30. His favorite mornings consisted of a brief break to run home for Second Breakfast. He did great getting to bed at a decent time each night and was full of energy starting each new day but by the time he was home he was ready to crash on the couch or bed for a short nap and then he'd be ready for the rest of his day.

One morning he thought he could skip the nap but as he was talking to me while I was folding laundry his voice gradually got softer and he drifted off to sleep. I stood there and stared at him for a minute remembering his four years old nap routine. He would chatter and chatter at me while the older kids were in school and gradually talk himself to sleep.  I feel so blessed that he still loves to share his thoughts, dreams, frustrations and everyday details of his life with me.


Some of my favorite texts are random videos keeping me caught up on the latest tumbling tricks. Justin has to work really hard to do parkour flips and stunts because it is more style and creative than the structured and sharp tumbling that he has been trained in. He'd like to have a good balance of both in his portfolio.




During July the cheer team went to Layton, Utah for a three day cheer camp.

Of the four boys on the team, he was the only one able to do the full extension.  All those late night pull-ups in his doorway have now paid off.

Practicing this particular stunt left him with a huge shoe hickey on his collar bone and his hands were blistered from catching her in her shoes but those wounds were very minor compared to the rips and tears he used to get from the rings and parallel bars when he was training in competition gymnastics.  He likes this balance of minor wounds with major fun vs the major wounds for the minor fun.

May: Soccer and School

The boys wanted to try soccer this year.  Since none of us knew anything about soccer, Daymia and Bret taught them the basics and Justin played along as well.

After showing up to the first practice in their regular shoes I was given a crash course in cleats and shin guards and how to be a sufficient soccer mom. We each learned our parts rather quickly and every Thursday and Saturday for eight weeks we put in our time on the soccer fields. Five of those eight weeks found me wrapped up in blankets with my head covered and my eyes peeking out through the bitter winds and rains of spring while my sons ran around the fields warmed by adrenaline.

At Hyrum's first practice and game I felt like I was sitting through a glorified recess. However, within a couple of
weeks they started to work together and apply the basic techniques they were learning.

Nathan's team was a bit more organized and by the time the season came to a close they were ready to take on the parents in a scrimmage.  Nathan didn't even ask his parents to play but instead went right to Bret and Daymia.  It seemed very fitting since they had taught him how to play in the first place.

After the first few weeks of soccer Hyrum started constantly complaining about his stomach hurting and feeling like he was going to throw up.  I attributed it to nerves since he was a little cautious about going for the ball after being knocked down and smacked with the ball a couple of times (the coach's son had played for 2 previous years and was pretty aggressive). When the complaining became more frequent I took him to the doctor.  We found that he was having stomach cramps from dehydration which was likely brought on by the weather warming up so suddenly and running for an hour at a time for soccer plus all of his outside hours and surviving on his winter water habits.  We were told to simply increase his water, wear a hat and add in some electrolytes.

Then the doctor (who we had never been to before) asked about the status of his heart murmur.  I looked at him funny and didn't know how to respond. We discussed that he could hear a murmur and since it has never been looked into he recommended an EKG. The office scheduled it for the following week. The pediatric cardiologist in Boise reviewed the test and it was determined that Hyrum does have minor irregularities that we will have checked in 6 months and 1 year to observe changes as he grows unless he shows signs of breathing trouble, fainting, or fatigue before then.

Hyrum was so still and calm that the test that we were warned could take about 45 minutes only took 30. After the test he kept staring at the screen and asking questions about what he was seeing.  The tech was so great to point out chambers and valves and much that was over his head (and mine) to ease his curiosity. He giggled just a little as the screen showed two valved beating in rhythm looking as if they were clapping.

As I sat watching the technician take ultrasound pictures of his beating heart and listening to each little beat I became a teary eyed.  The last time I heard his heartbeat he was nestled under my heart and I waited in anticipation to meet him. Seeing his heart beating in real time sparked a new appreciation in me for that precious muscle and it's role in life.



The end of the school year brought another orchestra concert for Justin as well as the usual tests, essays, and projects.

His only picture from all of that was one he took while sneaking onto the roof of the school after the orchestra concert. I'm not sure how ideas like this cross a boy's mind but I'm sure it has to do with putting two boy minds together in a moment of boredom.



Nathan's class closed out the school year with a Japanese folk tale, The Terrible Leak. Under the guidance of Mrs. Ashmore the class created a village set and put on a wonderful production.

Nathan, the comical thief, and McKay, the animated wolf, stole the show. McKay's mom Katie and I shared a good laugh after the show reminiscing about our Marsh Valley days in the drama department. 


Hyrum's teacher this year came directly out of student teaching last spring to run her own classroom in the fall.  There was a great learning curve going on for her which meant that I needed to supplement Hyrum's studies a little more than usual but I appreciated her many efforts to take the suggestions of parents and grow with the needs of her class. She began the year with more interest in decorating her classroom and surrounding every subject with an owl theme but ended the year with full concern and focus on her students. To express our thanks we gave her an adorable owl pillow to go with her themed classroom.

Nathan and Hyrum also wrote a Thank You note for their individual teacher expressing
You are special to me because . . . 
What I loved most about your class this year was . . . 
My favorite thing you taught me . . . 
Thank you for . . .

From Hyrum: What I loved most about your class this year was learning how to do minuses.
From Nathan: Thank you for being my teacher, making me smarter, helping me improve my reading and writing, and being kind.

April: Scattered Showers

Another piano festival; another smoothie date.
This was the first festival where his courage conquered his shyness and he played one of his pieces on the
grand piano in the lobby. My part was to take a picture and not embarrass him with tears.

Nathan felt pretty important with his own designated parking spot.
"N for Nathan.  They knew I was coming."


Spring Has Sprung!
We consider it spring when the snow has melted enough that we can get to Mesa Falls.
We still had to rev our way through a couple of snow banks and there was still snow at the falls but it was worth it.

Yep, that is Justin with his arm around Daymia sending a little picture jealousy to Levi while he works and we play.


How to Be Adorable by Vivien and Gabor

That dimpled smile; those beautiful eyes! She looks so happy! 

And I miss her!

Walking the Plank Stage

Bret didn't want to walk the stage for graduation but with gentle persuasion from his wife, mother and 

mother-in-law he gave in and let us celebrate for him.

It was a wonderful day! Erika earned a picture with the diploma considering the many hours of homework that 

she put in for it. They make a great team! 

What will they do next? 

Bret has an internship over the summer and then their tentative plan is to move to Colorado for work.  

What's Cookin'?

It might be a little manipulative of me but when I miss my older kids I tend to make some of their favorite foods,
send out a picture text and wait for their homecoming.

The responses of
I can almost smell it. You're torturing me. 
I'll be there in 20.
Heaven is what that is!
Oh my freaking gosh! There's no way I'm missing that!
are always followed with a visit from at least two of them.

Poor Derek just responds with,
That's so not nice.  Why torture me?

Stressed? Who me?

It was suggested to me to print off some mandala pictures and try coloring for anxiety/stress relief. Once I got over the hassle of picking the "right" color scheme it wasn't too bad. Until I printed off the 2nd picture a couple of days later and suffered the same color selecting fate again. How is this stress freeing? I think I'll stick to rocking back and forth.


Effective Stress Relief

I only had him for about 30 minutes but his smile soothed my heart; his eyes lit up the day and his peaceful trusting nature was therapy from heaven.


It's Erika's Fault

She had me hosting a party for Jamberry nail wraps.  I don't do parties! (See previous picture on stress).
I give her full credit for these pretties.



A thought or two . . . 

Nathan, after running for Presidential Fitness requirements:  "I only got 9:15 because I had to run to the bathroom on the third lap.  I probably would have been under 8:30 if I just wet my pants."

They have to run it in 8:30 to get the award. Back off, Presidential Fitness!  My boy ran a mile in 9:15!

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Hyrum comes running in the house to tell me that Harrison caught and killed a mouse but didn't eat it. I asked if he touched it.

"Yeah, it was nice and fluffy."

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Hyrum: showing his new room to Spencer and explaining that the crown was broken off of his Angry Birds bank because . . .  "Nathan broke it off. Actually, I don't know if he did but I blame him."

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Why I love Primary . . .
Bro Gordon:  Why do we come to primary?
Ellie (age 3): So when we are 4 we can not pick our nose!

Sister Gardner: How can we be like Jesus?
Ellie: When we are 4 we don't hit anymore.

Birthday singing time: Ellie turns 4 in 2 days

Easter Conference Birthday Weekend

With everyone coming to house for General Conference we decided to bundle Nathan's birthday with Easter.
We had nonstop fun, laughs, learning and games.

Daymia started off the weekend with an Easter surprise for the boys.
They woke up to Easter Bunny footprints leading from their room to the baskets in the kitchen.

Daymia, Levi, Erika and Bret filled eggs the night before and were ready to hide them between conference sessions.  After munching on their basket treats during the first session they went on an egg hunt and snacked on those sweets through the second session.

There was no time to fall into a sugar coma; we had a birthday to celebrate.

Saturday started with Curry Eggs and Strawberry & Nutella Waffle Sandwiches for breakfast and another conference session.

Inbetween sessions I made Nathan's requested cookie cake and quickly frosted it before the final session started.

 The cookie easily transformed into roundabout for the roadway on the table, completing the hinted race car theme. It wasn't until I was looking through pictures after the party was over and the cookie eaten that I noticed that "birthday" had been spelled wrong.  Before all the teasing started I reminded them that "birthay" is how the little boys actually say it.  The teasing came on anyway.

Because we had been spending the whole day eating through conference sessions we decided to have simple healthy snacks (and mini donuts) for Nathan's party. To make ordinary snack appear birthday worthy we fit them into the race car theme.

He was thrilled with the new presentation of his favorite foods.  He even ate the cucumber car and tomato driver all by himself.

Using the duck race platform that Derek had built for Hyrum's birthday we raced our pull-back cars.

Nathan received a stomp rocket which was immediately put to good use for the next hour until we made him come in for cake before the older kids needed to leave.

He really concentrated on that birthday wish even long before the candles were lit.

Then Hyrum lit the candles for him and a new birthday wish was recorded in some magical birthday cloud in the heavens.

Nathan's love for vegetables and fruits goes back to his very first year.

Peas, avocado, zucchini, orange, strawberry and apple.
Also among his favorites are green beans, black beans, asparagus, kiwi, and bananas.

As I was looking through pictures I had to pause and stare at this beautiful little boy. I remember taking this picture; it seems just a few days ago.  My heart has a hard time letting him grow up but I am so proud of the young man that he is becoming, even at a tender age.

What I could say on Facebook,

but don't


There's a new baby in our neeeeeighborhood!

Sharing a property line practically makes me a proud aunt.

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I'm loving my potty breaks throughout the day.  With my bathroom window open I am blessed with a serenade of bees humming through the raspberry patch.  If more bees means an abundant crop and sweet flavor, it's going to be an amazing August!  Potty break over.

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On a hectic evening I quickly grabbed a meal from our food storage options. The picture on the package looked satisfying, even yummy, and we were all hungry.  The final product was not at all the vision of gourmet goodness displayed on the package and the flavor was disgusting! I will admit that back in my farm days I once licked a salt block before giving it to the calves.  This pale brown blob tasted similar but was worse!

The Ala King looked, tasted and smelled more like Ala Puking! Perhaps I should store salt blocks instead.

One bite and Justin choked out, I'd rather be eaten by zombies than eat that! Apparently, he believes our food storage is for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.


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Soccer for seven year olds is basically glorified recess.  I paid money to freeze through it every Saturday.

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Potty training is going great!

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I'm pretty open about my distaste for shopping.  All that wandering among hundreds and hundreds of racks to pick several hopeful garments; the taking off and putting on clothes MULTIPLE TIMES; and then the reminder that I am in my 40's and everything I have in my dressing room was meant for my body of 20 years ago; followed by the static hair and clothing burns from taking off and putting on so much fabric.  I can live without it.  But, I won't live naked (you're welcome world) so I make myself do it.

Then there is bra shopping.  I've put it off for weeks; suffering through the broken under wire that is beginning to leave it's mark on my under-boob and wishing I could stretch the band wide enough to fit my expanding body frame so that it will quit rubbing my mole raw.  It's not as simple as taking measurements and picking up the right size.  Again, it's taking off ALL my upper clothes (my skin hurts just thinking about it) and putting on an overpriced piece of fabric and fluff, dressing again, looking in the mirror to find torpedoes pointing at me and hoping when I said "where in the h&!! did those come from?" that I didn't say it out loud.  Next bra . . . clothes off, lift saggers into cups, clothes on, mirror . . . arm pit fat.  Each bra shocks me anew as I face the mirror: back fat; peaks reaching for my chin; lack of support sadly drooping to my belly.

Make. It. Stop!

I'm beginning to think fourteen year old me had it right.  Just tape them down and pretend they don't exist.

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Smitten, I am!

Makeover Month

Office
$75 (give or take)

It all started because my office had become the junk room and I had a hard time making myself "go" to work.  I didn't take a before picture because I didn't intend to give the room a new look; just clean it.  But, the more organized and decluttered it became the more I wanted it to be a real office. I started to imagine a comfortable room just for me not only to work but to relax, read and create (thought all the creative "stuff" would be left down in the crap craft closet). Over the next few weeks I watched for items on my wish list and gradually the room came together.

$10 Mirror on Facebook Rexburg Garage Sale
$15 Chair from Wayfair using online coupon
$20 Bookshelf from Toelle DI
$20 Lampshade and curtains from Walmart
$12 Pillow and flowers from Porters using Saturday Spring Sales and coupon

I feel such satisfaction doing a new room and feeling absolutely no guilt because I had patience in searching and thrift in spending; not paying full price for even one item.

The room atmosphere makes working much less stressful and the reading corner is the perfect break room.

Usually, my decorating go-to is anything in a deep red color but I want this to be a calm place and "they" say that means soft blues/greys. "They" might be right. Or maybe it's just that curling up in my comfy chair with a book and the soft light of the lamp calms me....right to sleep. Either way, I love it!


Bedroom
$200 or less

Hanging out in my comfy office surrounded by the calm colors became a problem when I wanted to sleep in my chair rather than go to bed. I decided to try a similar makeover on my room. I started with a collage of ideas; daydreaming of cozy comfort.

I had to research the items and see the possibility on paper before I took the financial plunge. I started collecting and ordering items (again using as many coupon codes and discounts as possible) and stashing them in hiding where LeRoy couldn't see them. I wanted to surprise him with the new room and having him gone for a weekend was the perfect time to do it.

He left on a Friday morning for Las Vegas and I started spray painting our existing picture frames shortly after that.
By Friday night I had the room nearly complete.

Saturday morning I finished sewing up pillows and put the finishing touches on my dreamy new bedroom. I spent the remainder of Saturday walking in and out of my bedroom just to take a look.  It was better than I had imagined! I bored a few kids with the finer details but I was so happy with how everything turned out with so little expense; giving items I already had a slight makeover.

The picture above the bed is actually an old kitchen cupboard door that I found in LeRoy's shed.  He sent me out there one day to try and find some materials that were missing and that's what I came back with. The door was the perfect backdrop for my Lakeside Collection (aka cheap) metal flowers. The lamp was originally in the entry way.  I spray painted it white and gave it a lampshade instead of the 90's bowl of glass it was used to. The lamp on my dresser got the same fancy coat of white spray paint and lampshade.

The pictures in the room were already there but in brown frames.  Those cheapy, ordinary frames also got the classy spray coat.  I then used a white frame and a simple canvas and some fabric from the new Walmart line (cheap in cost but surprisingly good quality and style) to create abstract fabric art for the walls.  All of the daisies were purchased at Porters big spring sale and knocked down 40%. The yellow vases were old ones up in a cupboard from Mother's Day long gone.  I just mixed some craft paint that I had with a bit of water and swished it around until they were coated.

I didn't ever intend to have a yellow shelf in the room but I did want a book shelf instead of the chunky mini-dresser that came with the bed set (those drawers were official junk piles!). However, when this was posted on the Facebook garage sale site for $8 I quickly snagged it. Hyrum asked me if my clock was a real old fashioned clock adding, "did you have that when you were a kid". I love my new alarm clock! I now put my phone in the office at night and use my old fashioned alarm to wake up. It has the most pleasant wake-up call and does not tempt me at all to check in with the electronic world. 

Nathan and Hyrum begged to sleep under my new fluffy duvet and I completely gave in.  I sat in my chair reading out loud to them while they snuggled between new sheets and slowly fell asleep.  Moving them later was no small workout.

When LeRoy got home he gave the usual response I was prepared for. "It's nice". And he moved on. Daymia, Erika, Levi, Justin and the little boys were my cheering crowd as they flopped down on the bed, tickled their toes through my new furry rug and exclaimed their favorite parts of the room.

Boy's Room
Recycle + Paint + Comforters

After making her own new headboard and helping Erika to make one, Daymia wanted to make headboards for Nathan and Hyrum. As she was wondering and questioning what fabric to possibly use I remembered that we had Levi and Erika's old headboards just wasting away in the garage. When Daymia saw them her creative mind took off and within two days her headboard idea morphed into a whole new bedroom.

We forgot to take before pictures of the headboards so I searched through files until I found them. Ironically, both pictures have Nathan in them. Little did we know that seven years later those headboards would be in his room.

The throwback to earlier years brought back so many memories. Nathan loved waking them up on Saturday mornings and they were always so pleasant with him (not so if I was the one waking them).

Excuse me while I grab the Kleenex.....

Back to bedroom makeover.

Daymia let the boys pick their own colors and I stood back letting her run the project. I was however very surprised at the bold color choices! Once the headboards were done she took blank canvas and free-handed each of their initials, cutting them out of contact paper and using the same paint to match their individual headboards.

The boys have been in Erika's Skittle room for a little over a year. It seemed fine having them in the colorful chaos but Hyrum had started to ask a while back if we could paint the walls. The headboards, I suppose, would have fit nicely into the rainbow of colors but for Hyrum's sake we decided to change the walls as well. He needed a little more calm to his sleeping space (but with a bright headboard). I hesitated to paint over the Skittles because it was like having a part of Erika still here but it was time. When I called to warn her of the coming change she was completely supportive and even surprised that I had left the Skittles for so long.

With two gallons plus a pint of paint, Daymia and I got to work. The first coat of primer did not.a.thing! Those bold Skittles were begging to stay! The second coat of primer covered enough that we hoped the Behr primer paint combo would do the rest. It still took two coats of the grey and in one place, if the sun is shining just right, we can still see the outline of one Skittle calling behind the curtain of grey in hopes of being noticed.

We consulted with our professional, Kate, before attempting stripes. With Frog Tape and a level we meticulously taped them off; held our breath as we painted; didn't exchange a word while very carefully pulling the tape off; and cheered with silly glee as we stood back to admire. Thank you Frog Tape!

Levi took white paint to the dresser and end table that had originally matched the boys crib and I painted the knobs on their individual drawers to match their headboard. The desk that Derek and Hyrum built also looked quite nice as it was upgraded from scrap wood natural to spray paint white.

The boys final suggested input was the need for "fluffy new blankets". After looking into the cost of fabric, quilt bat, and time to make one for each of them vs. Wayfair.com and the points I had there, I let them each choose a comforter from the online selection. The comforters ended up costing less than the paint!

In the (now) four weeks since having their new room, they have made their beds each morning (without being asked!), put their clothes away and kept toys and books picked up. It still looks brand new . . . the lingering hint of paint helps. When the right mood hits, we'll get some curtains on the window but there's no hurry.


Swing
El Cheapo

The backyard porch swing has been in desperate need of proper covering for over a year now.  As we pulled it out this spring I knew that we would have cotton blobs floating all over our yard if I didn't get it taken care of ASAP. I looked into purchasing a new cushion but there was no way I would spend $60 plus for that.

On a bright early morning after kids left for school I measured the cushion, ran to Walmart (again, impressed with their new inexpensive but quality fabric line), rushed home and started cutting and sewing.

Flashbacks of junior high math haunted me as I realized that I had only picked up enough fabric for the front of the cushion plus extra for a 2 inch strip around each side. Duh! I needed to double that to cover the back.  I always did hate story problems.

Rather than make another run to Walmart or spend more money, I pulled out the scraps left over from the office and bedroom makeover.

The front looks great, the back looks like leftovers. Functional, useful leftovers.

We now enjoy hours of swing time without the annoying flecks of cotton stuck to our pants and/or legs when we walk away.