Happy Birthday Maddison!!!

It is really quite unbelievable that Maddi turned 17 today! We could not ask for a better daughter! She is a wonderful young woman and we are so lucky to have her! At times I know I wouldn't make it without her. Kevin has been out of town this week so we didn't do anything fun and exciting for her birthday. She went to a yearbook meeting ALL day long and then we fixed tacos(her favorite)for dinner and rented movies and stayed home.The most exciting thing she got was a letter from Elder Sheridan just for her for her birthday. It was pretty cute!
She wanted to go see Tarzan in St. George for her Bday so just the two of us are going in September to see it.
She is an amazing girl and her brothers (and parents) adore her!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADDISON!!!
(Yes, she is 17 and still has princess birthday cakes!)

NEWS!!!!

Well we finally got an email from Elder Sheridan! I know it had only been a week but I was going crazy and each day just got worse. I was so excited to get the first e mail! He is doing great and is loving it! As soon as I have time I will get a separate blog up and running with his mission stuff so I can post his e mails so everyone can read them! The next day the written letters came and that was just as exciting! It made me feel so much better to hear from him! I can't wait until next Tuesday!

M.T.C

Well the day arrived for Mitch to report to the M.T.C. I won't go in to much detail because I still can't talk about it and not sob, so in a nutshell, we went to Pizza Factory for lunch, drove to Provo. Stopped across the street for him to say goodbye to Mema and Grandpa. Then we drove through the drop off zone, took out his luggage, said goodbye. Let me just say that as a Mom that was not my favorite thing I have ever done! I know he is where he should be and I really am excited for him but I wasn't expecting my heart to ache like it does. So enough about the hard part! I can't wait to get an email from him and hear how his first few days at the M.T.C went!!! I LOVE that kid, what an awesome missionary!!!

Family Fun

We decided to spend Mitchell's last day at home doing something fun as a family. He picked going to Boondocks in Kaysville where we mini golfed, laser tagged, bumper boated and go cart raced. It was a really fun day, I wish I could have frozen time and made that day last longer. Later that night the Jenkins took us out to a delicious dinner at Joy Luck and of course I didn't have my camera then either! We couldn't ask for better friends than the them, they are part of our family. What a great day from start to finish!

Farewell

Sunday August 8th was Mitchell's farewell. It was a really great day and we were so surprised by how many family and friends came to support Mitch. He gave a really great talk and lots of people told him he sounded more like a returning missionary than one who was just leaving. He was really stressed out about the talk so he was glad to have it over with. After we came back to the house for lunch. We had lots of yummy food and there were so many people I couldn't count them. I was running around trying to talk and help with the food that we didn't get too many pictures. I just want to thank everyone who came and those who helped out with the food. It was an amazing day and we are so blessed with the best friends and family in the world!

Swimming Champ

State Champion Relay Team 400 medley relay




Life has never been more crazy at our house than it has this summer! With all the mission prep stuff for Mitch I haven't had time to blog about Thomas and the State meet. Well... Thomas did AMAZING at State! He swam 10 events including two relays and metaled in everything! They run the State Meet like the Olympics with prelims in the morning and the finals at night, so you have to swim fast enough in the morning to make it back at night. Thomas made the A final, which means he was in the top 8, in every event. He swam the finals at night and ended up getting 3rd in State in the 100 and 200 Fly. 4th in the 100 and 200 breast. I think it was 7th in the 400 free. Then the 200 and 400 I.M he finished 2nd! 2nd in the State!!!! He was amazing! He has worked so hard this summer, never missing a practice, giving up scout camps and youth conferences and doing everything his coach asked of him. He finished 5th overall in the meet and the funnest part was his relay team actually took first place in the 400 medley relay. They crushed the other teams!! So now Thomas is a State Champion!!! He took a couple of days off but is back in the pool to get ready to swim high school. His new goal is to break the Woods Cross High butterfly records as a freshman. I think he will do it!! Good job Thomas!!!
Hopefully soon I will have time to blog about Mitch's farewell which was amazing!!!

Allstar summer

Well it finally happened. The South Davis Allstar 8 year olds lost and are finished with the State tournament. They played 15 games in all and only lost three.
I must say that baseball has ruled our life this whole summer but that I am really sad to see it end. Jacob had so much fun and learned a ton and we had fun watching him. In a way I was dreading it ending because for a few short weeks it took my mind off of all the things I should have been doing... laundry, shopping, getting Mitch ready to go.
I LOVE that Jacob has fallen in love with baseball, I really missed it after Mitch stopped playing. There is nothing better than sitting at the baseball park on a summer evening. Thanks to everyone who came to watch a game or two of his, he really was excited to have people come and watch him play.
So now that baseball is over I have to return to reality and get things done. Thanks again to Jess for that AMAZING pictures! I want a camera like hers someday!
The game ended and we came home and he was already asking his dad to go out back help him with his pitching so he can be a pitcher next season!