Water Polo

It's water polo season again and it has been a busy month. The boys had games Tues & Wed, with a tournament Thurs, Fri & Sat. Friday night they played this other team that doesn't do so well. They actually make our team look really good. The goalie has got to be as small as Eric or even smaller, which is kind of funny. We know what it's like getting crushed and humiliated, so Coach came up with a genius idea - the two top players weren't allowed to shoot, and everybody else had to play wrong handed. We didn't know what was going on at first, but once we realized, it became a lot of fun to watch. (We thought they were just playing really badly!) They would try to shoot with their left hand and the ball would just roll off of their fingertips, they'd pass like girls, etc. We still won 9-4. That was my favorite game of the week. (It was also the only one they won.) Anyway, here are some of their pix from other games. Troy is #7, and Jason is #4. Of course, I couldn't get them in the same pictures!!!

Coach is lecturing during a time out.

It's a very physical game. I couldn't tread water for 5 minutes, let alone 45!!

Jason is usually the sprinter, who races for the ball. He does pretty good getting it. He's the fastest swimmer on our team.

Happy Anniversary!

I after looking through my pictures I realized that I don't have many of just the two of us! There are always these 4 boys trying to get in on the pictures!! :o) Good thing they are so good looking.
Never can we take a serious picture - even when I try it just doesn't happen!

So, today is Jamey & my 21st wedding anniversary! Can you believe it has been 21 years? I can't! It sure has gone by quickly, seems like yesterday we were just teenagers newly in love & dating.... who would have thought that 4 sons, lots of exciting events & 21 years later - we are still together. I must say though, it has been the best 21 (26 if you count our years together before we were married) of my life! Jamey truly is my best friend & I love him more & more every day. I know there were some people (won't name any names) who said that our marriage wouldn't last 6 months (or was it 6 weeks?)... I should have gotten in on that bet! Actually, that little wager made us only work harder at being happily married. Not to say we haven't had hard times, but I think that sometimes the hard times make the good times SO much better. The day I married Jamey I never thought that it could get any better, but it has. More than I could ever imagine!
So Jamey, here's to another 21 wonderful years (actually more since we are so young :o). You are the one I look forward to seeing everyday (the kids are a close second) & miss you terribly when you are out of town. I am happy that we found each other & become such good friends (besides everything else)... You make me the happiest girl around! Thank you for all that you do for me - your actions speak louder than words! Happy Anniversary baby, I love you!!

Bates Nut Farm

Eric & I went to Bates Nut Farm yesterday. It's my favorite pumpkin patch around. It's HUGE! It's also quite a drive, but I remember going there with my family growing up and the kids have always enjoyed it when we've gone. There must have been over 300 people there, but it is so big that it didn't matter. Our favorite thing to do is the straw maze. You can get a stamp card and there are 9 mailboxes that you have to find with a stamp inside to stamp your card and complete the "hunt". After we did that, we went on the tractor ride, then we went in the store and got a drink and Eric's favorite thing there - lemon drops. We walked around and saw the animals, I pushed him in the wheelbarrow, and we walked around and looked at all the scarecrows they have. Then we went back to the straw maze and played hide and seek for awhile. It was 94 degrees, so we were hot & tired, but we had a great time!

Winner!

Noah's spending money at weekend event $10.00
Price of Raffle Ticket $2.00
Look on Noah's face when he won a brand new surfboard with just one raffle ticket:
PRICELESS!!!

This weekend we met up with Jamey in Orange County at the Etnies Skatepark for the Goofy Vs. Regular contest. It's a big event - in fact the city closes down a whole street for vendors, food & fun. Noah happened to buy 1 raffle ticket at one of the booths that was giving away a brand new surfboard. I thought there was no way he was going to win with just one raffle ticket! To my surprise when I saw Noah walking towards me with it in his arms! He won!! The kid is my good luck charm from now on!! I wish I had my camera at the time because the look on his face truly was priceless!

Animal Grossology

Today I took Eric & Noah to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center at Balboa Park. (First Tuesday of the month, this museum is free...every Tuesday there are free museums.)

I heard about this new exhibit called "animal grossology". It's true. It's gross! Funny stuff, though. You learn way more about poop and scents and blood than you may have ever wanted. Here is a sign talking about different scents. Noah's sniffing, too. I have to admit, I've never seen an exhibit anywhere before with the words "butt hole". Hopefully you can click on the picture and enlarge it a bit, although I did cut out part of the sign. Here are Noah and Eric in front of a giant fly.

It was a lot of fun, and you can't beat free!

Cutest baby around

I must say that this is one of the cutest babies I have seen in about 11 years (ha ha ha). Seriously, I'm not just saying that because he is my nephew... I must say he is just darling. Plus he talks up a storm (which my kids did NOT due at 2 years old) & is super smart. It's even cuter because he has each & every one of his cousins wrapped around his little finger. They just love this little guy! (see a previous picture of them all in the jacuzzi for proof).
How can you resist those huge baby blue eyes & that smile! I just love this little guy....

Salt Lake City

David has a tradition that he got from his Dad. After the boys turn 12, the next General Priesthood session, he takes that child to Salt Lake City for the Priesthood Session. The visit Temple Square, do baptisms at the Salt Lake Temple, and visit other sites in Salt Lake. They stay at our friends' house in Tooele. It's about a 45 minute drive each way, but they really enjoy their visit with our friends Tim & Kathy. David was really impresssed being around their family. He loved this quote by Spencer W. Kimball and had Eric take a picture of it. Sadly, this is the last of our boys! Maybe someday I'll get a turn!!!!

He's sooo cute!

Here is a picture from the top of the church office building. Well, I think that's what they said...I wouldn't know since I've never been there!! (Yep, David reads this, so that's for him :) Sandra mentioned that when she was in Salt Lake a few weeks ago, her kids suggested that they go see President Hinckley's grave. I thought that was a great idea, so mentioned it to David & Eric. It was pouring down rain all day Saturday, so they didn't go around the rest of the cemetary.

Here is Eric in front of the waterfall at the Conference Center.

I'm really thankful that my husband is such a wonderful guy, and a terrific dad. I hope the boys feel so inspired to keep up the tradition when they're dads.