Spring is in the Air

The sun was shining and the snow was melting today, FINALLY!

When the lawn gets cleared off enough it means it is time to start playing catch. I am counting down the days until Jake starts playing ball and days like today make it seem a little closer. Too bad we are supposed to get another storm in the next day or two. Oh well, at least he got a few throws in today.

Cap'n Thomas and MVP

Last night we ended the high school season with our end of year banquet. It was a fun night and exciting when Thomas was named as a Captain of the team next year. He was also awarded the overall MVP of the boys team for the 3rd year in a row. He has such a great group of swimming friends and an awesome coach who we are SO lucky to have! High school swim season is really long and I am glad to have a break, even if it is only for a while until we have to start planning next season.

Happy Birthday to Thomas!

I can't believe he is 17. He had a fun day and got a video game, concert tickets and his favorite, Pop Tarts! I made him a kitty cat cake because he wants a cat but we can't have one because of my allergies so he got a cake instead. Thomas is the funniest kid and has us all laughing every day. I can hardly believe he is growing up so fast. He is the sweetest most lovable and hardest working swimmer I know and I am so proud to be his mom! Happy Birthday Thomas!

5th Grade Happenings

Jake had a busy February. He has been involved in the school play, he is the doorknob in Alice in Wonderland. He has been busy with Student Council,District Spelling Bee, the Constitution Bowl and the 5th grade program. Needless to say it may have been a bit much for one month. He was really nervous on the day of the Spelling Bee and didn't spell his first word right which isn't like him at all. I have to ask him how to spell words all the time. Well, there is always next year.
His team took 3rd place in the Constitution Bowl. Ask him anything about the Constitution and he can tell you. His favorite part of this month was playing Abraham Lincoln in the 5th grade program. he even made it in our local paper. He was excited to have his brothers and sister come and watch him too!

Best part about February is that it is over which means baseball season is getting closer everyday!

Region,State and Broken Records

Thomas competed in Region in January and the State Championships in February. He swam the 200 IM and the 100 back in both meets. He was Region champ in both events and at  State he came in 4th in the IM and 2nd in the backstroke, breaking a school record that was set way back in the 80s. He also broke the record in the 2 IM in an earlier meet. His relay team also broke a record so he is now on the record board at our Rec Center 3 times. Since I am helping with the high school team this year I was the lucky one to get to go and redo the record board. How fun it was for Kevin and I to put his name up on that board! Hard to believe he is down to only one more year swimming high school.
Oh ya, he got a mohawk, aaaaaand he still has it!

2 weeks after State he went to California to compete in a huge meet where he swam against an Olympian and swam his best times in 4 events and making the finals in 3 events. He dropped a ton of time  and is super close to making a Sectional time in a couple of events. So you would think that he would take a few days off but he was back in the pool today!

Junior Prom

Tonight was Junior Prom. Thomas had a blast and looked so handsome in his tux! Yes the hair is getting pretty bad again but he has big plans for it next week so he wouldn't cut it. They went to a place called Get Air for their day activity and jumped around on trampolines for a while. Then they dropped their dates off to get in their fancy clothes and later they went to The Mandarin for dinner and then to the dance at the U ballroom. After the dance they came back to our house for brownie sundays. It took a little convincing to get him to go to Prom but now he is glad he went.

Snow Day!!!

 Snow cave!!!

 Mitch wouldn't come outside for a picture in the snow

 Once there was a mailbox

 We had to dig a path in the grass so Thomas could get to his car in the other driveway

Thursday we got hit with one of the biggest snow storms I have seen in years! It started Thursday afternoon and didn't stop until Saturday late morning. Friday morning we got a phone call saying all schools were closed in our district. Needless to say the boys were very excited, I think Jacob was more excited than Christmas. I was excited too because it meant I didn't have to drive in the snow. The college students in the house didn't go either but their schools didn't actually close until later in the day. I was glad they didn't go because then I didn't have to worry about them. So here are some pictures of all the snow. Jacob has had a blast playing in it and actually built a snow cave in the front yard. I haven't seen this much snow in a very long time. I am scared it is going to be one of those winters that lasts until June. I finally understand today why all of our parents live in warm places!