Kayla's Back to College

So I've known that this day would come for the last 8 months, but how did it come so fast? As I hugged her today in the parking lot and watched her drive away the strings on my heart were being tugged on! It has been so nice to have Kayla home for just over 8 months. She has been a great daughter, helper, driver, sister, and a wonderful friend and will be missed by all of us. Kayla has a talent of making me laugh, I don't know why but she can make me laugh more and harder than anyone else. I think her leaving this time is almost harder than the first, she has grown and matured and is such a great friend. When no one else wanted to go grocery shopping she would go. I spent more money with her but it was always fun! I am so grateful for cell phones and that she is willing to call often, if only for a few min. To my sweet daughter...You will be greatly missed! Have fun, enjoy the journey, dance like no one is watching, be yourself, follow your dreams! This isn't good-bye only see ya soon!

BSU Football....Finally

So the first BSU Football game of the Season was last Saturday.  We played ISU, won 49-7 and the season is underway.  Ben has been counting down the days for about, oh, since the Hawaii Bowl last year.  We love going to the games and cheering for BSU!  Kayla and Krystin were able to go down on the sidelines with Damon and that is always a highlight for her.  Hopefully we will have a winning season with a very young team.  Some people think it's a little weird, me, being a huge football fan.  BUT...I did grow up with 5 brothers 4 of them which played football, watched football, ate football, slept football...so me being the little sister went to soooo many football games from little league to high school.  I also remember watching many football games over Thanksgiving always picking the team I wanted to win by the color that I liked best. Made sense to me, not so much my brothers but I had to find some joy in watching so much football.  I guess all those games just wore off on me.  

Me and Kayla waiting to get into the stadium.

Kayla's photos from the field.  She thought she should get a picture of Kellen Moore, the freshman quarterback, and the new press/sky boxes.  

GO BRONCOS!!

My Sweet Dad and Subway

Yesterday I had to take my dad to pick up his car from the mechanics. If any of you know my dad he is a man of few words. In October he will turn 74 and is showning signs of aging. One of my dad's favorite things is to go to Subway for lunch. He doesn't eat much, 1/3 of a footlong. He isn't picky about the kind of sandwich we order, but he does like his jalapeno chips and diet coke. So as I was dropping him off yesterday, he paused before getting out of the car, looked at me and said that he had something he had been meaning to tell me. He said, "It isn't Subway that I look forward to, I like and look forward to the time we spend together. I just wanted you to know that." WOW, hold the tears back....what a tender mercy! I'm not sure how long my dad will be around but until then it's Subway for lunch!

Soccer....AGAIN?

I'm not exactly sure what has happened to me. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I said "YES". I am pretty sure I was tricked into this whole thing! What you ask? I am back to coaching soccer after having 2 years off! I think that my mind had forgotten all the time and effort it took! I am the assistant coach of Kilee's co-ed team, which consists of 8 girls and 3 boys. The other teams have mostly boys with a few girls. This could get very interesting! I am so glad that Kilee is back to soccer if only for the fact that she is getting great exercise! Now for the next 2 months I will commit to having fun, even though the coach wants to win, I will commit to giving my all as much as they want anyway, and I will commit to being there and trying to make a difference in these kids lives while hopefully we have fun and want to continue to play! Wish me luck!

THE BIG 20!!

Kayla is officially 20 years old as of yesterday.  She had such a great birthday week with one of her best friends Darcy.  She came from Portand to spend 4 days with her.  They swam, went to lunch, the drive-in, golfing, shooting and just relaxed and had so much fun together.  Kilee made her birthday cake, it was wonderful!  It is interesting what she wanted for her birthday this year...instead of electronics she choose dishes and sheets.  She also got beautiful flowers from her sweet missionary!  That made her happiest of all!

Kayla 5 years old

Krystin Bateman, Kayla, Darcy Pedersen

"The Flowers"

Twin Falls Temple

Yesterday I took my parents and the girls to the open house of the Twin Falls Temple.  Wow, what a beautiful temple.  I loved how they used the Idaho State Flower (the Syringa) throughout the temple.  In the beautiful windows, the carpets and especially the beautiful chandeliers!  We loved the mural painted by Leon Parson of Shoshone Falls, what a talented artist!  We loved the feeling we felt there and also the testimony of our wonderful guide, Brother Passey from Bear Lake area.  We tried to take some pictures afterwards, we got a few good ones but the wind was blowing so hard it was hard to keep our hair out of the way.  

What a wonderful day!  

Kelsie's Senior Pic's

Melissa Nui took Kelsie's senior pictures last week.  I was so pleased with the results.  Melissa did a fabulous job as always!  These are just 4 out of my 100 or so favorites!  When I think about her leaving next year it makes me sad but I am so excited for her to dance her last year, for her to experience life after high school and to just watch her become a beautiful woman. 

This is my very favorite dance picture since she is almost laughing and dance makes her happy!

Melissa, thanks for making her feel like a model!  You amaze me.