Sequoyah Volleyball Classic

I have been trying to post this for over a week now, but I have been so busy that I would start to put pictures on then I would get called away for one reason or another and just save it. This was Jessica's first volleyball game/tournament of the season. I did not put up any more pictures. Here are a few: Her warming up, her team in a huddle getting ready for the game. Jessica is the one in the white shirt #8. Her shirt is different from her teammates because she plays the position Libero. (I am sure I spelled that wrong) What is the Libero? In the dictionary its definition is: free from difficulty or obstacles. I had know idea and I still don't understand all of it, but it is the person who is the digger or passer (passes the ball), who only plays the back row. Jessica loves the position. She plays the whole game and only rotates out when one girl on her team serves the ball, then she is right back in. Her coach put her at this position, because she is fast and passes the ball the best. This is her first year of playing real volleyball. She loves the sport, the girls on the team, and her coach (who happens to be LDS).

Jessica with her two best friends Alyssa, who is the team manager, and Seth who goes to a different school, but is in our ward. His mom and him came to watch her play. I just erased the picture of them from the front and I am sick of this post, because I keep messing up so here is one from the back, they are checking out the competition.

Jessica and Seth Jessica serving the ball. They one their first two matches, then lost out there last two. Overall Jessica did great.

Football Season is here again!!!!

Football season never really goes away here in Georgia. They play all year long it seems like. We started in March and then ended in June, but started right back up the second week in July. Hunter has had football practice Mon, Tues,Wed,Thurs,and Sat. mornings from 2 hours to 3 hours a night. It is crazy needless to say around our house in the evenings between volleyball, football, young women's, scouts, young men's we are pretty much not ever home in the evenings. Hunter's team had their first scrimmage last Saturday night and they were doing great until the second half, were they did not score anymore and the other team did. I think they lost by twenty. Their first official game is this Saturday. Here is Hunter in his game day Jersey they all wear to school the day before the game. They play on Saturdays, so that everyone can attend the High Schools football games Friday night. I told you they are serious here. Hunter is playing linebacker, and tight end. He plays for the 8th grade team at his school. He loves the game of football and can't wait for the Arizona state sun devils to play also this weekend. I just wanted to take a picture of Hunter while he was waiting for the school bus. He needs a haircut!!!! He doesn't think so though. Hanging out before the game watching the 7th grade team play. Getting ready to run through the big sign. I think the boys love this just as much as the cheerleaders love to watch them do it.

Team Bonding

Jessica made the JV Volleyball team at her high school. We are very proud of her for trying out a new sport. She has played volleyball before, but had not really learned the game. She went to all of the summer workouts and tried out for the team. It was a sad for Doug and I to not have her play softball. She has been playing softball for 10 years and is an amazing player, but she has lost the drive to play it. She says it is not fun to her anymore. She wanted to try volleyball. When Jessica puts her mind to something she accomplishes it. Her first game is in a tournament this weekend that our school is hosting. The girls on her team wanted to have a team bonding sleepover, which we agree to have at our house. These are a great group of girls for my daughter to be spending time with. They were all very polite, said there please and thank yous. Just a great group of girls, unlike the girls on the softball team, who only cared about themselves. Jessica is very HAPPY!!!!! The girls enjoyed root beer floats and pizza, SSHH don't tell the coach. I forgot to mention that they worked a tournament that night and had to be back up at the school to work all day Saturday also. They all survived, even Doug and I. They did take over our basement. Seven out of the nine girls were able to be there. Good luck this year Jessica. We love you and our proud of you!!!!!

Muffins with Mom

Last Saturday morning Taylor had achievement day girls. Her leader had planned out Muffins with Mom. We had muffins, fresh fruit, and juice for breakfast. We then played three different games with each other. Taylor and I had a blast with each other. Taylor was being goofy and not letting me take a decent picture of her. She kept making faces, so I told her that I would go ahead and take them and put them on my blog. She didn't care. Then she took over the camera and took a ton of pictures, but we won't post them all, I just posted the one she took of her leader.

First day of school

Jessica is a Sophomore this year. Last week she tried out for the J.V. volleyball team and made it. She is so excited to be playing a new sport. Here in Georgia softball and volleyball are played at the same time in the Fall. Jessica played softball last year and chose to play volleyball this year. Today was also the first day of seminary. Jessica loves seminary and is always eager to go and learn more about Christ. She is studying the New Testament this year. Hunter is a 8th grader this year. He is on the 8th grade football team. They had tryouts this year for football for the first time, because their was to many boys. Hunter plays corner and wide receiver. He has grown over 4 inches just in two months. Spencer is in the 4th grade this year. He chose not to play football this fall. I am grateful one less practice to worry about. He is still in cub scouts. This year he will be switching classes between three teachers. His Social studies and reading teacher is my good friend Lora. Her son is one of Spencer's best friend. Taylor is in 3rd grade this year. She was so excited to start school back up. We met her teacher last week and she already had a homework assignment for the first day of school. She needed to bring in three things that described her. She brought her stuffed kitty, a book about kittens, and some pictures that she took. She loves kitties, reading and taking pictures. She is going to start piano lesson's here soon. I went down to the church building and took this picture of Jessica and a few of her friends from Seminary. We have 32 kids enrolled in Seminary this year. That is awesome. She is smack dab in the middle. We have a great group of youth in our ward.

Weekend Getaway

We have been busy all summer long, but have not had a chance to just relax. So last weekend we decided to rent a cabin up in Helen, Georgia. It is a small German town. The whole town is built to look like a small German town. I did not get any pictures of it, I forgot. You will just have to come and visit me and I will be glad to take you there. Here are a few pictures of the cabin we rented. It was small, but also big. Does that make sense? We had a blast, except we were missing a big ingredient of our family JESSICA! She was on the Pioneer Trek for our stake. We missed here terribly. We are not going to have much longer before she moves to go to college in AZ, (we are trying to talk her into going her in Georgia.) So it was not the same, but we still had a great time. There were three levels to this cabin, and this was one of three decks. It was very relaxing. The view from one of the decks. The kids loved the pool table. The hot tub was very relaxing.

They really enjoyed it. I enjoyed having time to read!!!! I started Twilight a month ago. Yes, I finally finished it at the cabin. I had borrowed from Laura (Thanks), but I bought the whole series, plus the Host at a local bookstore there by the cabin. The kids enjoying smores! It was to hot for a fire, so we made them in the microwave. The sunset was very pretty and Hunter took this picture of it. On Saturday we all enjoyed a round of miniature golf.

Spencer got a hole in one TWICE!!! The lucky duck. Notice his shirt my dear friends in Oregon. Yes he is a duck fan. What a trader!!!! We still love him though. Taylor's shot of the flowers. After playing golf, they had an ice cream parlor. It was a hot humid day so we enjoyed a nice ice cream cone to cool us down.

Look at those big beautiful blue eyes. The boys down at the river. This train was at the local bookstore we went to. They let the kids play on it. Next time we go and we are going to as soon as we can. We are going to tube down the river, play another round of golf and just enjoy being together as a family. We are not going to make the mistake again and we are going to make sure that we have Jessica there with us. We missed her.