Kids...and their rewards

December was a good month for the kids.
On Dec. 12th, Brittany graduated with her associates degree. Now we just have to wait and see if she gets into the nursing program this fall. (That is NURSING... not breastfeeding!!!) She was already accepted as an alternate last fall, but needed a class they did not offer in the summer. So she is currently in a medical coding program waiting out her time.
Later that night after graduation, the kids all packed up and went to Grandma Day, no cats allowed. We got to have Leo spend the weekend with Mayo. They are best buds now, but you wouldn't know that from that photo. It did take a little time to adjust to each other. I think they missed each other when Leo went home, but Mayo did catch up on a lot of needed rest.

The boys always seem to have Santa wrapped around their little fingers and convince him that they have been good all year. Tye got xbox and computer stuff and Trev got an ipod touch. Marc and I got a few little odds and ends, but mostly decided that our gift was taking the family to Orlando in January. The snow was horrible that day, which made traveling difficult. We got stuck in the snow at least 3 *$#!#^* times. (Maybe next time Marc will take the 4 wheel drive..DUH!!!) I am so glad we did not have to go to Heber until Friday.

Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends, Dec. 2008
As we look forward to a new years beginning, we would like to take some time to reflect on the things that made this year memorable (and movie quotable).
Trevor is an official teenager and in the 7th grade. He is currently playing basketball, but still enjoys baseball most of the year. Our favorite trip this year was for a tournament in Cooperstown, NY. His team did very well and tied for 9th out of 98 teams. While in NY, we went to Yankee Stadium and watched his favorite team, The Red Sox, beat the Yankees. “It was so choice, if you have the means, I highly recommend it.” (Ferris Bueller)
Tye is almost 18, and finally a senior. He is following in his dads footsteps and has been taking drafting and aviation classes. (Maybe he should design airplanes?) He is working for the theaters that are just down the street, and who wouldn’t love the free movies? Soon he will be graduating and off to college :( His new motto…“Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” (Ferris Bueller)
Brittany has stolen the spotlight for this year by getting married. She met Jake during her first semester at Weber State and was married and the end of the second semester. They went to California and on a cruise for their honeymoon. They bought a home in Ogden, close to school and work. Jake is a software engineer and Brit is still going to school and works for McKay Dee Hospital. As they say…“If you find somebody you can love, you can’t let that get away.” (Wedding Singer)
Marc now flies for the biggest airline in the world, yes, that still is Delta. In August we went on a cruise to Alaska with all of his extended family-25 of us. In September, he had his 20 year class reunion, and he wasn’t the only one with less hair. In October we took the boys on a mini cruise out of Miami, just to relax. As for me, my year has been full being; wedding planner, travel planner, my 20 year reunion planner, patient, chauffeur, scorekeeper, mom, activities committee planner, and lets not forget “best wife ever.” Just ask Marc…“All I wanna do is grow old with you.” (Wedding Singer)
We hope this year has been good for you and your families and that this Holiday Season finds you healthy and safe.
Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!
[The Peanuts gang singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing]
( A Charlie Brown Christmas)
Love,
Marc, Janaye, Tye & Trevor

November Sweeps...We took a nose dive in the ratings

So here is my monthly "what we did last month" blog. Lets just say that November was pretty uneventful. I had some surgery, it was Thanksgiving, Marc's cousin had a new baby, I started Christmas shopping, started planning my class reunion (which will be way better than Marc's), the boys played in a 3 on 3 basketball tournament and the turkey bowl, Trev started Jr. Jazz, and the Titans lost their first game of the season. Last but not least, Tye made the Honor Roll for the first time in High school! Wow, can you say boring?
Hopefully December will have a little more to "write home about." I will at least post our family Christmas card.

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby

So you should guess by the title that baseball is over for the season. (At least until January when that itch comes to pick up a bat and start swinging again)

Trev finished the season strong with a championship victory in the Labor day tournament. Although played at the end of October, the weather was perfect.

This is Trevor and Kansas City Royals player David DeJesus. On a rainy day in October he went to a camp hosted by the Marshalls foundation. All the guys running the camp were major league players. John Buck brought some of his teammates to teach the kids. It was fun to watch all the boys try to really soak in what these guys were telling them. Trev especially liked the hitting coaches, and they liked him. They told him he has a lot of power in his swing, and to keep up the good work.

So you would think by now that we would be tired of going on cruises. (3 in 10 months) But that is exactly what we did over UEA. Tye really wanted to go on a cruise for his senior trip, but before he turns 18. (you can't go to the teen clubs once you are 18) So on a last minute whim and great timing we found a cruise that was for the exact days off so the boys wouldn't miss any school. And by some luck, Marc also had the exact time off as well. It was a 4 night cruise out of Miami on Carnival Destiny. The weather was mostly good, and we were able to relax by the pool and get some sun. It wasn't the best cruise ever, but we all still had a good time. Tye made some new friends, and Trevor just hung out with us a lot and ate ice cream cones. It was nice for me and Marc to just have some time with the 2 boys. We had fun conversations at dinner, and best of all we didn't have to share a room with them this time! (Tye LOL)

Wake me up when September Ends...

So we have moved right into more baseball. Trevor is currently playing for 2 different teams for fall ball. He is playing for the Utah Red Sox ( a tournament team ) and the Utah Blasterz.
The Utah Red Sox played in the labor day tournament in Spanish Fork. They went into Championship day as the #1 seed, but it was rained out and will be finished at the end of October...BRRRRR. The above picture is of them at the Fall Nationals Tournament in Las Vegas. They went 3 and 3, and had tons of fun.
So here is Trevor playing for the Blasterz. He is having so much fun playing with a lot of his friends from school. He hasn't caught in a very long time, but was excited to get the chance. They play at a new distance this year and it is taking a bit of getting used to. He hasn't been hitting all that well, but has been pitching great.
On Saturday the 27th, we went to a U of U vs. Weber State football game. Brit and Jake came down for her birthday to see the game too. We brought along Chantell with us and they sat with Jake and Brit in the Weber cheering section. Marc and I sat in the U cheering section. Utah won the game 37-21.
We still have a few baseball games left and then who knows what is in store next, maybe some basketball.

August.....RUSH

August was a fun and busy month. Baseball (Marshalls) finally ended the last week of July. And now it is time to relax and get ready for school to start.

On August 14th we went to Seattle. Trev, Marc's mom and I went to the Space Needle. It was fun, and somewhat freaky riding up in the glass door elevator, which I was smashed up against.

The next day we went and got on our cruise bound for Alaska.
Our first stop was in Sitka, on Trevor's birthday. We decorated the door, so everyone knew it was his birthday when they walked past. At dinner all the waiters sang happy birthday and gave him his own special cake. Happy 13th Birthday baby boy. Now all we need to celebrate Tye's birthday on a cruise.
While in Sitka, Tye and Trevor pose with a whale. Tye has many more interesting posses you will just have to ask him about. We also got to see the Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria BC. I survived being with ALL of Marc's family for an entire week. Marc had a encounter with a polar bear...plunge that is, and banged up his nose on the bottom of the pool. The boys got to know many new friends, and even enjoyed being with their cousins too.
We got home just in time to wash clothes and get ready for school to start. Trev is finally in middle school and enjoying the 7th grade. Tye is now a senior and is taking many classes with college credits. It should be a great year for the boys.

Up next, more baseball.

NYC or bust!!!

We started off July with a trip to New York City.
Brit came along for the first couple of days, and got to enjoy the subway (once she made it through the doors that almost smashed her), also she will not forget the crazy cab ride back to the hotel after we got off the subway late at night in a not so nice part of town.
the Statue of Liberty,(way off in the distance, it really isn't that big)
and the Yankees-Red Sox game (The Red Sox won 7-0, which made Trevor very happy).
We also went down to ground zero, Time Square, and saw the Empire State Building. Although Brit was sad to leave Jake, she had a fun time seeing the sights and spending time with us.
After we left Brit at the airport to go back home, we started our journey to Cooperstown. The distance is not all that far, only about 215 miles, but traffic, the 1 1/2 hour stop at Wal-Mart and the winding roads made for a long day of driving.

We arrived in Cooperstown just in time for dinner and to get the boys checked into their barracks at the Dreams Park. The boys got to stay with the coaches the entire week.
The whole experience at Cooperstown was awesome. The boys played so well and made it to the Sweet 16 in the playoffs. Trevor hit 5 homeruns and pitched great too. In the end they tied for 9th out of 98 teams. We couldn't have asked for better weather. Tye decided to get to know my camera really well, and took a lot of terrific pictures. This is one of Trevor hitting one of his homeruns. I didn't even have to buy any pictures there, because Tyes were better.

Winners

What a jam packed June it has been. Baseball, baseball and even a little more baseball. We started off the month with a trip to Denver for a Triple Crown tournament. As part of the festivities, we all got to attend a Colorado Rockies game. In a pre-game parade, the boys all got to go down on the field and walk the entire circumference of the field. We were supposed to sit in nose bleed heaven, but Sam finagled some seats in the lower bowl right field side. The Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers. (Trev thought it was cool to see Cecil Feilder anyway) The tournament wasn't that great. The boys didn't win, but they started playing better by the end.


So this last weekend, we finally made up the rest of the rained out Memorial Day tournament. We went in as the 7th seed. We barely beat the Dirt Dogs in extra innings, 7-6. The next team, the Bangers, we beat 15-0. Finally the game/team we had been waiting for....The Dingers. We have struggled against them the last couple of years, with them getting the majority of the wins. All of the boys played great and we came away with a win 10-7. It was great to get this win just before we head off to Cooperstown, New York in 2 weeks for the biggest tournament ever.

Losing....

So here it is the middle of May, and I am saying to myself "where did April go?" I must have lost track of time. Things have been pretty busy around here since the wedding date got moved up to right in the middle of baseball season. Between planning and shopping and all that goes with wedding stuff, Trevor has had a lot of baseball.
He has had league games and 2 more tournaments since the beginning of April. His team has done fairly well in the tournaments, but lost in the semi's in both. So no new championships to talk about. Hopefully they will be able to redeem themselves during the Memorial Day tournament.

Speaking of losing....I guess we should be saying were gaining a son-in-law, rather than say we are losing a daughter, but sometimes it feels that way. In 2 weeks she will be married and off on a new phase of her life. She is very excited for that. They will honeymoon on a 5 day Baja cruise and in California. Then they will come back to the real world and live happily ever after. Brit also has started a new job at the hospital. When she isn't working, she will be spending time doing things to their new home, like painting and planting a garden.
So if you see me at the wedding or anywhere else the next few weeks and I seem a bit lost, I am sure those marbles will find their way back soon. Just remember, Marc is the one losing his hair, I am just gaining gray ones.

March Madness

March Madness is a term that is used to describe our month. A brief synopsis of our month includes spring break in St. George(flying and baseball), Brittany's wedding, Simon visiting from New Zealand, Trev snowboarding, and going to a Blaze game.
Marc's friend Steve owns this plane. While we were in St. George, Marc got to take it up twice with the boys and their friends. First on Friday with Tye and Kesler, and then on Sunday with Trev and Daylor and Jordan.

So the whole reason we were in St. George was for Trevor's baseball tournament. He did great pitching and hit 2 homeruns (almost 5 if not for some great reaches over the fence). His team ended up going into the playoffs as the 8th seed, but came together and pulled off 3 big wins to win the whole thing.

Our kitty got to come along with us as well. He did pretty good on the ride down and back.
On Saturday, Marc was given tickets to the Blaze game from Delta. We got to sit in the Delta suite, which was pretty nice. The Blaze lost, cuz they aren't very good...0-4. Tye brought Tazz and Trev brought Daylor. Overall it was lots of fun.

Now that Trevor is off-track for 3 weeks, Marc is trying to take him snowboarding/skiing before the snow all melts. This last week they went to Brighton for night skiing and took Trev's friend Cody.

Next, Simon is here visiting from New Zealand for 2 weeks. He goes back on April 2. He wasn't able to bring Jetaime and the kids, but we will take what we can get. He has been helping my parents and visiting with everyone who misses him. We were able to have 2 family dinners to get to spend extra time with him.

So last, but not least....Brits wedding! Well lets just say that she is still getting married, but now it is May 28th instead of August 2nd. Of course those who know me well, know that I am not too thrilled to have it so soon, but will do the best I can to still make it a great day for Brit. They bought a house up in Ogden that Jake will be moving into soon. Brit also got accepted as an alternate into the nursing program at Weber State for the fall.