Soccer Season

Soccer season is now over, or shall I say until January. It seems that soccer is almost a year round sport. I do love watching the kids progress, visiting with the other parents, soaking in the sun (not the freezing, windy, icy games!!!) and the many lessons that the kids learn from playing on a team. They work hard!!!

Rebecca was her team's leading scorer. Her team was undeafeted all season long. However, after one particular cold game she tells us, "Mom, I don't want to play soccer anymore. I just want to dance on a stage where it's ALWAYS warm." That is so Rebecca.

Kaylee is an incredible hustler. She is very quick. Her team played up a division this year. So they played against nine year olds. As seen in the above picture she always looked sooo little out there. She's even the shortest on her own team. The size didn't bother her at all she really would take it to the bigger girls.

Nathan is still Mr. Foot Work. He can do incredible ball handling and tricks against the defense. He gets sooo intense when he plays. He played center mid this year and did really well. The only thing with Nathan, is that I HATE traveling to the far away games. You would think that we would have more than enough competition right here in the Springs.

At any rate, we are on to the next sport this week. We actually started last week. And may I add it is the greatest of all sports ... BASKETBALL!!!!!!

My Body

No matter where I go I love to take one or more of the kids. I think it is mainly for the company and so I'm not alone. However, I love for people to know that I have had MANY kids and thus the reason my body looks like it does. Anyway, I thought this cartoon was fun. I think I need a shirt with all my kids names on it and arrows pointing around my gut. I would probably put arrows pointing to my boobs too, showing the effects of breastfeeding. The cartoon actually kind of looks like me with the red hair and headband!

Fall Break

What a fun and busy fall break!!! Nathan had just finished reading "The City of Ember". So Stephen and I took the boys to the new movie that just came out. This was Nathan's first movie that he had read the book before hand. I really enjoyed the book. The movie was pretty good, it actually followed the book pretty well.

Other fun events were ice skating at Sertick Ice Arena, basketball at the YMCA. a sewing class for the girls at Joann's, Halloween party, the boys also went to "Journey to the Center of the Earth"with their dad, hiking Mt. Cutler with the Webbs, then a beautiful horseback ride in Blackforest with Aunt Tanya.

I have to go back to the Halloween party for a minute. Each of the girls invited six friends. The boys set up a haunted tunnel in the basement. We did crafts and then I searched the internet for fun Halloween treats for lunch. We ate a watermelon brain, bone breadsticks, apple and almond sliver mouths, spider cupcakes, and mummy pizzas. We played pumpkin bowling and toilet paper mummy wrapping relays. The girls had a ball with the friends, and the boys loved scaring them.

Conference

So I have the conference packets made, the treats, games, bribes, you name it, and did I hear conference??? Not really!!!! I loved some of the quotes and stories, but to be honest it felt like sacrament meeting, trying to keep kids quiet and listening. I feel like when the kids are grown and I'm finally able to listen, I will probably be deaf!

I loved the quote from Sister Dalton, "It doesn't matter if you are willing to win, if you are not willing to prepare." That preparation gets me every time!

I did enjoy the talk from the Women's Conference by President Deiter Uchtdorf.


He said, "The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.
Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.
Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty...
Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.
If you are a mother, you participate with God in His work of creation—not only by providing physical bodies for your children but also by teaching and nurturing them. If you are not a mother now, the creative talents you develop will prepare you for that day, in this life or the next."

This just made me feel valued for allllll of my constant projects that I am "creating". It is just such a constant battle trying to find time to do everything and making sure that I am spending time on the "Best Part" I have always loved the quote by Theodore Roosevelt "You give your life to that which you give your time". How true!!!

On a side note, all of the four older kids learned ALL the names of the apostles!!! YEAH!!!!!!

Jerrica Joy

Jerrica Joy is ONE!!! I can't believe a year has flown by. Our sweet baby has been walking now for a month now. She has such a sweet disposition. I love having the nursery right next to our bedroom because each morning when Jerrica wakes up she just starts babbling away. I so enjoy waking up to her sweet babbling. She is constantly being bugged and pushed by Ashley, but just gets up with a smile and keeps playing. Her smile melts the entire family. She truely is a JOY to our family.

And yes I made another famous Shauna cake! The girls and I had fun finding one to do out of the idea book, and then making it.