Trying Out Basketball

In the spring, we were introduced to Upward Sports through soccer.  We loved Upward and the focus that this organization has on sportsmanship and Christian values.  So when Caleb asked to play basketball this winter, we decided to give Upward basketball a try.  We still love Upward and it was a good experience but very different than soccer. 

Caleb was put on the 1st and 2nd grade boys team.  It was a new experience to have my son be one of the smallest and youngest on a very male dominant team.  Basketball turned out to be a learning experience for our entire family.

I would describe our family as an athletic family.  We love sports and being outside and both Brydon and I played sports during high school.  However, we don't watch any sports on television and don't follow any sports teams.  I don't know if Caleb has ever even seen a basketball game.  Both Brydon and I enjoy the sportsmanship lessons and exercise habits that sports can instill but there are a lot of things about competitive sports we don't like.  We don't like the push to win at any cost, the male "show-off" mentality, the push to do your best and sacrifice your team, and the push to be an aggressive male.  So we often find ourselves in a love hate relationship with team competitive sports.  

We ended up up having a love/hate relationship with Basketball.

Caleb did have a kind coach and they were a cute group of boys.  Because basketball was so new, Caleb spent the first few practices watching and was a bit timid but he started to get into more.  However he just couldn't understand why the boys kept fighting over the ball and running into each other and not following all the rules.  

Due to a funeral and illness, Caleb missed the first two basketball games, so his first game was game 3.  We were excited because Grandma Manning got to come watch his game.  She even got him a pair of Air Jordan's that matched his cute uniform, and he was excited to play but a bit nervous.  

Nervous but ready to try!

 

Caleb's first game was a bit difficult.  He had never seen a basketball game before, practices had only been half court, and all the particulars of the game were not very clear.  And unfortunately Caleb was aware enough to know that he was a bit confused. 

(Can I just say heart breaking for Mom!)

Caleb is quite the rule follower when it comes to school and sports.  He will do pretty much exactly what he is told in these situations.  This was a bit problematic in basketball.  First the team played on the same court they practiced on.  Only in practice, the team had to play half court and the rule was that they could not cross the half court line.  Caleb had a hard time letting go of this rule during the full court game.  The boy did not want to cross that line!

It was a tough first game but we made it through.  We were so proud of him for getting through that game.  The rest of the games got better but Caleb was pretty nervous and never really loved it.  His basketball skills improved but he was unfortunately on a team of boys that never passed the ball and didn't work as a team.  Caleb always passed the ball and only got to shoot a basket once the whole season.  He really struggled with his team not playing as a team and working together.  

 

It is so hard as a Mom to watch your son not be the best at something and really struggle doing it.  It was so hard to watch him struggle!  But I was so proud of him for working hard.  He tried his best every game, he was always a team player and passed the ball, and never gave up.  I have to admit that in the end, I was more proud to have a kind, hard working, team player then the All-Star basketball player. 

We made it to the FINAL GAME!!

 

For the last quarter of the final game, they had the parents play against the kids.  It was a silly game, but the boys sure had fun.  Unfortunately, Brydon had to work that Saturday and so missed the entire last game.  I was not brave enough to be the only Mom to play basketball.

Caleb's 1st Grade teacher was kind enough to come to his game.  She is so sweet!

Caleb's Coaches

I love that all the Upward coaches are really great and never push the kids too hard.

Celebrating the final game with some ice-cream.

I can't tell you how proud I am of him for making it through the season.  He never came to love basketball, was not the star player, didn't score a basketball, but he did it.  

I have to admit that watching him be his own wonderful self, sure made me proud.  

One of those moments that you look at your son, and can say

"He is turning out to be the kind of man I always hoped he would be."

So we will see if we try basketball again for a while.

Caleb's 1st Grade Program

Caleb had his first school performance recently.  We were of course the crazy parents that couldn't wait to see his cute performance.  Caleb told us about these fun sticks he got to use and this cute song he sings.  However, we were a bit surprised by the program.  This program was put on by the PE coach and each 1st grade class did a special presentation focusing on agility skills.  Not the normal music performance.  One class used hula hoops, another scarves, and another basketballs,  

Caleb's class used the rhythm sticks.

It was so cute when he came out with his class, however, we were a bit surprised when only 4 class members showed up.  They were a brave little group to perform on their own.

Such a cute performance!

All those sweet 1st graders!

The kids sure do love Coach O!  

He is an amazing PE Coach and we are lucky to have a man like him working with our kiddos. 

A Day of Love

February is one of the best months ever!  Between my birthday and Valentine's day, I have always loved February and love lots of pink and heart foods.  This year I had to try some fun new foods and I am pretty excited about how they turned out.

For Breakfast, I made heart shaped blueberry muffins and this really cute heart toast.  We had never made anything like this before and it was a hit.  

I found this really great recipe on Pinterest, I just had to try for Valentine's day.  And oh my goodness!!!  They are amazing!  I made a bunch for Brydon to take to work and it was a good thing I gave a bunch away, otherwise I would have eaten them all.  

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

They are so yummy, moist and the perfect mixture of sweet and sour.  Everyone at work found them to be interesting.  Instead of a nice vanilla or strawberry flavor, they got a tangy surprise!

You can check out the recipe here.

I "Wheelie" Like You!

Caleb had a lot of fun picking out his Valentine's idea on Pinterest.  That kid loves to look at Pinterest with me!  This was such a cute boy idea and I liked the idea of not giving out candy.  I got the cars at the dollar store and then Caleb helped me design the card. 

Before Brydon and I went on our very unusual Valentine's date (hopefully more to come on that), we had a fun little family dinner.  I made some stuffed shells and chocolate covered strawberries.  And we added some yummy dipping bread, asparagus, and Jones Strawberry soda.  

It was a fun little family meal!

Hope you had as much fun on Valentine's Day as we did.  

I love a day that you get to celebrate the people you love most just for fun!

Another Year Older & Hopefully Wiser too

Well the time came again to have another birthday.  I have to admit the 30's are still pretty great and since I can still claim early 30's we are doing good!

This year it was meant to be a small quiet birthday but I did get a fun surprise!  My Primary Presidency and I have a tradition of doing a potluck lunch for each other's birthdays.  Due to timing and a crazy week, we decided to eat out at a wonderful local cafe and keep it simple.  Well when I showed up for lunch, a lot of other women did too!  It was a great surprise and we even got a private room.  I love the Hickory Street Cafe and it such a treat to be there with so many of the amazing women I have met here.

My birthday was on a Saturday this year, and so Caleb was so excited to treat me to breakfast in bed.  He had planned out the menu the night before and snuck into our room early to wake up Dad.  It was super super sweet.

No better way to wake up!

The Bradshaw's made me a yummy birthday dinner.  It was a dinner in a Japanese nebemono called Shabu Shabu!  So much fun! 

And Brydon made my Grandmother's "Strawberry Goop Cake" (as he likes to call it).  I do love Strawberries and this is one of my favorite cakes!

Here's to another new year!

Wonder what this year will bring?

No More Glasses for Daddy

Out With the Old

 &

In With the New

It's official!  No more glasses!

Did you know that it is actually cheaper for the Military to fix your eyesight then to try to provide glasses and the multitude of inserts for gas masks?  Well we were surprised (pleasantly surprised) to learn this.  And it just so happens that there is a great eye surgeon stationed at Lackland in San Antonio. So we decided this would be a great time to get Brydon's eyes corrected.  He ended up getting PRK and not lasik done but it was still a simple procedure.  We made 3 trips down to San Antonio in a week and two of the trips began at 2 am, so it was a long week, but well worth it.  Brydon and I really enjoyed the time together and on the last trip down even made a stop in Fredericksburg!  What a cute town!  I didn't take any pictures but we most definitely have plans to go again sometime.  

Fortunately Brydon's Mom was able to fly down to help us out for the week so Caleb didn't have to miss school.  She got to hang out with the kiddo and be on school duty.  It was so nice to have her here.    I think she even discovered a new talent!  Caleb was quick to introduce her to the new Kinect and Skylanders.  She jumped right in and got into the video game world.  Brydon was a bit jealous because she never played video games with him.  

Always fun with Grandma!  Thank you for coming to visit us and help us out!

With Love From Your One and Only Sweetheart Darling

January didn't turn out how we expected.  One evening late at night we received a phone call from one of my cousins informing us that my grandpa was going to be undergoing a very risky surgery to try to repair a thoracic aneurysm that he had suffered from earlier that day.  The chances of surviving the surgery were slim.

Amazingly he did make it through the surgery and started to make a miraculous recovery.  Much of the family was able to go visit him in the hospital and we began to think we would have him for a bit longer.  However, we only got to keep him for a few more days.  His body just wasn't able to recover and he had no desire to be on life support.

Fortunately, in spite of Brydon being in the middle of a very important inspection, we were able to attend the funeral as a whole family.  It was a beautiful funeral and it is always wonderful to see all the family together. 

 

I feel very lucky to have been extremely close with my grandparents.  I have been able to live next to them or with them for 13 years of my life.  They had a big influence on me and were always my biggest cheerleaders.

Grandpa loved to exercise (particularly cycling) and was able to convince grandma to ride with him after her accident.  They were always so cute on the tandem.

I would never had made it through college without their support and love.  I even worked for my grandpa for a 1 1/2 at BYU.  Some of my best memories of them are doing those 5 years.  Lots of late nights talking and Sunday dinners doing laundry.

It was a proud day for all of us when I earned my degree!

You do really cherish those moments when you can share your best moments in life with your grandparents.

My Grandparents were the first to visit us in the hospital after Caleb was born.  We loved living close to them in Utah and frequently had Sunday dinners together or fun shopping trips.  They were good sports to join us on some fun random adventures. 

They sure loved their grandchildren!

They came out to visit us in Philadelphia.  Caleb loved playing with Grandpa.

Many great memories at the beach and the zoo.

After my Grandmother passed away, Grandpa was able to find and old high school sweetheart and they were married shortly after.  He spent the last 2 1/2 years very happy.

Leonard & Joyce on their wedding day

I love technology that allows us to have these beautiful old pictures and share them with everyone.  They are true treasures. 

My mother is the only daughter in the family.

Priceless!

I am so grateful for all the lessons my Grandpa taught me and he will be greatly missed.

I love you Grandpa!