Baseball: starts a summer out right!

This year, Michael got to play machine pitch baseball on "The Wood Company" team.  He loved it, and did great.  He was a trooper, and often played games at the same time we were coaching, so we couldn't watch.  He never complained, and was always happy to tell us about all the awesome stuff we missed.  I have to admit, I think he always did a little bit better when we could come and watch, and that made me feel like a pretty important person in his life.  We love Michael!

 Michael up to bat.  He liked playing catcher the very most.  Probably because hardly anyone gets to touch the game ball as often as the catcher.

 We play on a beautiful field.  I love the red hills behind us.

 Joey got to play a little ball this year too.  Mike and I coached the "Parowan Market" t-ball team and had a blast.  We had the best group of kids ever!  We won every game!  (Well, everyone wins in T-ball, but I mean, even if we were keeping score, we totally rocked!)  Joey had so much fun.  I loved watching his HUGE smile as he'd run around the bases.  One day, the kids decided they were all going to get home runs, so they'd hit the ball off the tee, and run home, even if they got tagged, or if the other team had control of the ball from first base.  I'm positive the other team was annoyed, but the kids had something going for them that day, and you can't beat that enthusiasm.

Utah Summer Games

The roles have reversed, and now Michael and Adelyn are participating in the Utah Summer Games while Mom and Dad sit the sidelines.

The kids started swimming at the end of May, and had their first swim meet today.  Michael and Adelyn have improved so much in the last month, and I am so proud.  Michael didn't know much beyond the freestyle, and for this meet, competed in Breaststroke, Butterfly and Freestyle.  Adelyn chose to pick her one favorite race and did the 50m Breaststroke.

Adelyn is an excellent swimmer.  Last year, we put her in private swim lessons because she felt too old to be in the beginner classes.  She progressed so quickly, and it was fun to be so confident about having her on swim team this year.  Her race time was: 1:57:91.

Michael is a swimmer with great stamina.  He competed in 6 events over 3 days.  50m breaststroke, 50m/100m/400m freestyle, and the 50m/100m butterfly.  He says he likes the long ones the best.  Watching him swim those long races made my insides churn.

The last couple days have been interesting for me, as I gained a greater perspective of both justice and mercy.  Michael, as a 7/yo brand-new swimmer, gave an incorrect kick during the breaststroke and was disqualified.  Then, there was a time in his 100m butterfly where they disqualified him for his arms.  It broke my heart to see him swim 100m in an Olympic-Sized pool, with only one other kid brave enough to try such a hard event, only to be disqualified and ineligible for a medal.  But I understand justice, and how it prevails as a system of fairness for the other kids who have worked hard to understand and obey the rules.  I wanted him to have that 2nd place medal so badly.  If it were up to me, I'd have given it to him, just because he did his very, very best, but justice needs to prevail.  During his last race, the 400m freestyle (seriously amazing that these tiny kids have the ability to swim this far!), his goggles got a leak and he tried a lap without them, but decided after 300m that it wouldn't work and got out.  So, obviously another disqualification here.  We were so proud of him, and amazed he was able to swim so well, even with frustrating goggles.  This race would have been another medal for him if he finished because there were only 3 swimmers in his age group, but we were headed home empty-handed.  Then, one of the directors of swimming came up and presented a medal to Michael, it was unattached to any race, but just as recognition for an amazing swimmer.  That man was mercy.  Despite the small infractions Michael made along the way, that man aided him in meeting his highest goal for the meet.  That man knew he'd done his very best, and was happy to send him home with the prize.

So thankful for all these kids teach me every day!

Vacation in Salt Lake

We went up to Salt Lake for our first Food Show as grocery store owners.  We had a lot of fun with the kids, and got a lot of good deals for the store.  We can't wait to go next year, especially since we'll have a much better idea of what to expect, and what we want to see happen.

There were lots of exotic foods, even if some of them were fake.  Luckily, most weren't, and we did a lot of taste testing.

 We also got to stay and have some good cousin time with the Taylors, which I don't have pictures of, but the kids have good memories.  You can always tell when they have a good memory, because they want it to happen again and again.  So now, whenever we go to the Taylors, they describe the exact events that occurred that day, as definite plans for this time too.

 We hit the City Creek Mall, which we've never been to.  Gorgeous, and fun.  The kids loved the water.  This is also the location of my ear piercing.

 It took Nelson a little time to warm up to the idea of getting wet.

 And a quick trip to Temple Square.  We definitely want to go back, when some of the other buildings are open, and when we have time for the Visitor's Center.  There is so much there, and I always forget what a treasure we have on our hands until we get there.

 We made sure the kids had a chance to "touch the temple."

And just because I don't have a picture of Braden in here yet...